Mike Corbett was busy looking at the console in the center command of Terra Venture. He felt his head throb from pain. Lately, he had been pulling double shifts. Trakeena was attacking more and he recently became more and more absent from his job, which was getting him in trouble. For instance, just today he was caught sleeping during his shift, due to the strain of nightly attacks. Why can't Trakeena pick other hours, instead of when I'm trying to get some sleep? He thought, agitated at himself.
Commander Stanton was looking at his first in command. He had always felt a deep connection between him and Mike. Though lately he sensed that his protégé was more tired than usual. It brought concern to him, especially when his charges weren't in tiptop condition. What in blazes have these kids been doing lately? Just Wednesday his third in command, Kai Chen, was staring out into space. Yesterday he caught the girl named Kendrix Morgan asleep at her research desk. Then there was Mike.
He cleared his voice and looked at his first in command. "Mr. Corbett."
Mike quickly stood up straight. "Yes sir?"
"Your shift is over. You may go and get some rest and I do mean rest, Lieutant." Commander Stanton then turn around to face the window where they had a glimpse of the space that they traveled past.
Mike sighed in relief. "Yes Sir." He then walked out of the area. On his way, he saw Damon sneak into another area. Now what is that knuckle head up to? The Magna Defender thought as he walked closer to the door, opening it until a little light was seen.
Damon narrowed his eyes. "Where is it?" He muttered as he looked around the area. He then grumbled in irritation and started to scratch his skin. "Damn this elastic skin." He scratched more and clawed at his face.
Mike frowned, What on Terra Venture? To his surprise, he saw Damon pulling the skin off, one piece at a time. The sight almost made the Magna Defender gag as he felt his lunch heave upward. Oh, I think I am going to be sick...
The figure finished peeling the skin off to reveal the sharp protrusion of an edgy, rocky figure in the shade of red and an ugly face that only a mother could love. Mike frowned at the figure, a nagging feeling that he had seen this creature before. All of a sudden the figure laughed in an evil crackle that sent chills down his spin. "Darkonda..." He breathed in a whisper. I thought he was dead...how can he be alive now? Shivers of fear prickled at the back of his neck.
Darkonda grumbled in an evil tone as he looked around the area, scratching at his neck. "Damn this cheap imitation skin. I should have bought the real deal." Mike felt bile come up his throat as he noticed a pungent smell coming out of the area. "Oh, here it is!" Darkonda crackled as he reached into a hidden panel. "Who thought those humans would have been so stupid to convert the Dark Fortress into a space colony?"
Mike felt a tickle coming between his nostril. "Ahh ahh." He tried to hold it back but it grew strong. Not now! He cursed his body as it grew to betray his presence."ACHOO!"
"Now, where are those back up data cards that holds the other...What the?" Darkonda spun around, his yellow and reddish body grew as he approached the door, before blasting it backwards with his sword. Hot streams of fire knocked the door back as the Magna Defender jumped back, almost becoming BBQ door delight.
Mike quickly dodged under another stream "What is this, BBQ night?" He yelped out as he jumped, barely missing another flame over his shoulder. Got to get out of here before I become a Saturday turkey special...
"Hold still, you little rugrat!" Darkonda exclaimed in glee. "Here, little boy...let me get you and your little shirt!"
Mike put his hand over his shirt and yelled back. "What shirt? Thanks to you it's rags!" Great, now I bet I look like my square headed brother. Mike jumped out of the way as another hit came at him. "That's it!" Irritation was getting at him. "Forget what the freaking shrink told me about calm and control...THAT'S IT I'VE HAD IT!!"
Darkonda laughed and, bringing his hands to his face, shook his knees in great exaggeration. "I am so scared! What are you going to do, little boy? Blow chunks of meat at me?" He then proceeded to come closer to Mike, walking with great arrogance.
Mike stood in front of Darkonda. "Yeah, but it will be your meat flyinh all over the area. Magna Power!" He exclaimed and morphed into the Magna Defender.
Darkonda laughed, his red and yellow face contorted into a nasty grin. "Well, well...a Ranger. An ugly one at that."
The Magna Defender growled. "Sure and you are a really handsome pizza faced mongrel." Not to mention smelly.
*~*~*~*
Zhane groaned as he looked at the watch on his wrist. "Damn it I am late." He sighed, Now Liz ….er… Trinity..whatever her name is she's gong to kill me …. Sure, he liked the Silver Galaxy Ranger, but in some ways, she reminded him of Andros in one of his serious poker face matches. At the mere thought of Andros, he felt himself become sober.
Andros is probably now having fun with his girlfriend. He doesn't need me anymore.He walked by several corridors and stopped in his tracks when he saw charcoal marks on the ground. A weird looking horned Ranger was on the ground, holding his chest and gasping hard.
A sinister laughter chilled the Silver Astro Ranger's bones at the sense of déjà vu. A figure approached the horned man and the jagged edges of red and orange made Zhane gasp out in shock. It can't be…he is dead!
The sinister laughter came again in a more crude way then ever before. "You will die, little ugly ranger."
"Who the hell are you calling ugly, pizza face?" The voice from the horned Ranger exclaimed.
Zhane shook his head and ran to the side of the corridor. "Darkonda!" he yelled out. Hopefully this works.
The Magna Defender looked up and blinked. "Get out now, before it is too late." What the hell is that idiot doing? He started to struggle up to his feet when he saw a blonde man in a silver and jean pants.
Zhane stared at Darkonda. "You're supposed to be dead. How are you alive?" Darkonda is dead...Dark Specter killed him.
Darkonda grinned. "I seemed to have purposely forgotten that I had another life left. I am always prepared...that is why you guys are so pathetic." He laughed evilly and shot at Zhane.
Magna Defender blinked from behind his helmet. How the hell does he know this lunatic? Unless…no it can't be… Mike rolled out of another blaster shot, observing from the side of his helmet that the man did the same thing and sat in a crouched position with a device in his hand.
"Let's rocket!" Zhane cried out as he pressed the code activation and morphed in a brilliant silver glow. Bringing out his Super Silverizer, he attacked Darkonda with a mighty blow, but was kicked backwards.
Darkonda laughed. "Here puny rangers…" He struck out and a few walls in the corridor exploded.
*~*~*~*
Liz felt exhausted, physically and mentally, in all true aspects. Her shift in security started around 4am in the morning and ended around 5pm by Earth standards. She only had two hours of sleep and her mind was becoming sluggish. Plus, on the fallen side, she didn't sleep well due to nightmares of Kai coming into her mind. Why is this happening to me?
The Silver Galaxy Ranger sat in the Food Court, waiting for the elusive Silver Astro Ranger who seemed pretty late by her standards. A few people passed by her and one person she recognized. "Hey Trinity, what are you doing out here?" She heard the Asian girl in yellow with her hair pinned up approach her, smiling broadly.
Liz grinned weakly. "Hey, Hanna, how is everything?" She slowly placed her cup of Dr. Pepper to her side and picked at her alfreudo with a silver fork.
"Everything is fine Trinity...if you ever came over to my apartment..." Hanna flipped a piece of lint off her shoulder. "Besides, I met a cute guy that you just have to meet!" She gushed with enthusiasm.
Liz covered her grimance at the chirpiness before her. "I will, um, when I have time…" She slowly lifted her cup to her lips to take a sip.
Hanna grinned. "I want you to go on a double date with me. Come on, Trinity, it would be fun!" She pleaded when she saw displeasure on Liz's face and resignation.
"You're not going to let me back out of this, are you Hanna?" She felt like she was trapped. Why me? Why me? I get stuck in this situation, why me? She thought in agony at why this was occurring in her life now.
Hanna grinned evilly. "Of course I won't let you back out! We've been friends here since we got aboard. Besides, I got your date planned out too…he is a real nice guy." She watched her friend's eyes narrow into slits and waited for the explosion to occur. Three…two…one…
"WHAT?!"
Right on time. Hanna thought smugly.
Liz shook her hair. "Hanna, you promised not to set me up with anymore dates!" And here we go again. Why doesn't some one just shoot me with plungers? At least my death would be quick and painless.
Hanna chuckled. "Oh, come on, admit it! Those dates before weren't that bad." She patted Liz's hand in a friendly gesture.
Liz glared at Hanna. "Sure...after having that guy Billy come up to me and give me a bouquet of onions. That was so sweet!" Liz exclaimed sarcastically.
Hanna burst into laughter. "Oh, come off it, Trinity! It wasn't his fault that he didn't know you were allergic to onions."
"Sure, laugh all you want, but you weren't the one who was stuck with rashes the whole day." She shivered at the thought of her allergies to the infernal veggie.
Hanna dimpled mischievously. "Oh, come on, please Trinity…one more date and I won't bug you anymore. Besides, I want to get to know these two guys." Please take the bait please take the bait…
Liz shook her head and sighed. "Very well!" She saw Hanna clap her hands. "But remember, you owe me BIG TIME!"
"You got it girl. Oh, by the way, I want you to read this book!" Hanna quickly handed over a paperback book to Liz.
Liz frowned. "What is this?" She glanced at the book and blinked. "Lovers of Paradise...HANNA! What the hell is this for?" You got to be kidding me.
Hanna snickered. "It might relax you more and set you up in a more romantic dating mood." I know she hates it but she needs to be trained.
Liz glared. "Hanna…I don't need romance. I have a job to do instead."
Hanna chuckled. "Sure, taking care of the group activities for the young kids takes up all your time." She looked at Liz in concern. "Trinity, I want you to open up more. You've been all alone for so long and I am your friend. I don't want you to waste away to nothing and grow old with no one in your life. That is just a fate worse than death."
Liz sighed. "I know you are concerned, Hanna, but can't you just accept it that some of us are destined to be alone forever?"
Hanna raised her eyebrows. "What exactly made you into this way, Trinity? I know there is a little girl in there that wants a prince to fall in love with. But it seems something has changed you into some sort of robot or a person who suppresses their emotions."
Liz sighed. "There was something…but it happened sometime ago…" Also something currently that happened in my living room. She added silently to herself.
Before Hanna could retort, there was an explosion and screams were heard as dust and debris flew everywhere in the food court.
*~*~*~*
Kendrix woke up to a buzzing noise, but to her surprise, she was in unfamiliar surroundings. The walls were all alike, but her bunk bed was higher then it usual was. She looked down at her bed sheets and saw that they were red, instead of her usual pink blankets. She slowly shifted a little and heard a moan as she shifted and froze in shock. Where am I? Who is next to me? She slowly shifted out of the bed and slid down the bed as softly as she could, slowly approaching a table where a glass vase was on it. She was relieved to see that her clothes were still on. Thank god I am not undressed.
All of a sudden, she heard the bed rustle and a voice called out. "Hey…where you going?" Turning as quick as she could, she threw the vase at the figure in the bed and heard a loud shout. "OUCH! KENDRIX!"
Kendrix gasped, startled when the lights came on in a quick, blinding light. She blinked several times and fumbled for her glasses that she spotted on a table. "AHHHH SQUARE HEAD!!" She exclaimed automatically. Her befuddled mind cleared a little and she saw Leo in the place, though the outline of a square was still in place. Okay, so it is just square head… her tired mind registered that she was in Stargazer's lounge, while talking to Leo about her father.
Leo squinted at the light as he looked at a bewilded Kendrix. What the hell is going on here?
To be continued….