The disclaimer telling you that I don't own any Galaxy Ranger characters has gone to the dogs. Here's another strange fic that came out of my strange mind…
Blood of the Wolf
The battle was fierce and savage. Seventeen men attacking a lone rider on a motorcycle. They didn't stand a chance.
The rider leapt off of the motorcycle and pulled out two pistols. Firing with incredible skill and precision the rider shot nearly all the attackers in mid air. The rider then landed on the ground and kicked the final attackers down. With a few more shots and well placed kicks the attackers fell.
The rider removed his helmet with a flourish. It turned out that he was a she. A young woman with bright green eyes, a cocky smile and short blond hair.
"Freeze picture…"
The picture on the computer froze. Even though this film had been shot over a century ago, thanks to digital technology it looked as if the images had been taken only a few hours ago. Shane Gooseman stared at the picture, looking at the bright green eyes that matched his own.
She was someone Shane had never known before. Someone he had never even dreamed of meeting. Until six months ago when a mission went wrong. Two missions actually. And then he met her. One of his unknown genetic donors, Cheyenne Gooseman.
She had been one of the early prototypes for Supertroopers, a genetically enhanced super soldier created a hundred years ago. Her blood had been stored away, her DNA codes kept on file. And they had put them inside his body. Those who had created him used her DNA as a basis for his genetic pattern. In a sense he was her progeny. A child she would never know.
Or so they thought. Little did anyone know or realize that Cheyenne was still alive. Over the century her body had evolved and changed into a form very different than what her creators designed. She had gained powers and abilities beyond what any geneticist had dreamed she would have.
And Shane had met her. And she gave him hope.
She had also sparked a curiosity he had never known before. A curiosity into the past of his previously unknown parentage.
It had taken him over a month but he had finally found this recording. It had been stored in the archives deep within BETA Mountain. It hadn't even been labeled correctly, Shane had found it by accident. He was now reviewing the recording in the bowels of the archives.
Shane tentatively reached out his hand and traced the outline of her face. A face so similar to his. He was so mesmerized by her he didn't even notice anyone else entering the room.
"Gooseman! What are you watching?" A booming voice interrupted him. Shane turned around and saw Commander Walsh angrily staring at him.
"An old vid, Sir," Shane said simply, secretly cursing himself for letting the Commander sneak up on him. "Tactical studies."
"Tactical studies?" Commander Walsh raised an eyebrow. He looked at the video. "Really? You expect me to believe that? Where did you find this?"
"It was buried in the archives," Shane said. "It wasn't exactly marked top secret or anything."
"As far as you're concerned it is!" Walsh shut the video off. "We need to talk! But not here! My office! Now!"
Soon Shane found himself in Walsh's office along with Dr. Nagata the brain unit. "Goose I don't even know where to begin with what you just did!" Walsh groaned.
"I don't see what I did was so wrong!" Shane protested. "Like I said that video wasn't exactly marked secret or anything."
"Probably only on a technicality," Walsh grunted. "I've been monitoring your behavior lately Goose. You've been spending a lot of time in the archives and I want to know why."
"It's…hard to explain," Shane sighed.
"Try me," Walsh raised an eyebrow.
"Sometimes…" Shane closed his eyes. "Sometimes I'm ashamed to be a Supertrooper. Ever since I found out about Cheyenne…I've felt…Well, less ashamed. Can you understand that?"
"Ashamed?" Dr. Nagata asked in a computerized voice.
"Come on Dr. Nagata," Shane gave him a look. "Supertroopers aren't exactly known for their humanitarian work. She's the only one I've ever heard of that acted like a hero. She's the only one…"
"Like you…" Walsh finished.
"She is one of my parents…technically," Shane told him. "I just want to know more about her. That's all. I don't see the harm in that."
"Gooseman those DNA codes are classified," Walsh tried to explain.
"I wasn't looking at the codes, I was just looking at an old video!" Shane snapped back. "I don't understand the big secret! It's not like I'm going to run into any of my other relatives or anything…I just want to know more about her. Why can't I know even a little bit about my ancestry like any other human?"
"Gooseman you are not human!" Walsh shouted. "And you never will be so forget it!"
Shane stood there stunned. Then a cold look of rage crossed his face. He backed out of the room and ran. "Well that went well," Dr. Nagata remarked.
"Owen…" Walsh sighed.
"Perhaps we should tell him," Dr. Nagata said.
"You know that's not an option," Walsh gave him a look. "Technically we'd be committing treason if we told him about his background."
"That's not a viable excuse and you know it Joseph," Dr. Nagata told him. "For one thing you've already done that when you told him about Cheyenne Gooseman six months ago. We don't have to inform him about your addition to his DNA…"
"Just tell him about some of the others?" Walsh snapped. "Oh yes there's a bright idea! If Gooseman ever knew exactly what was in his DNA…He'd feel even less human than he does now."
"He wouldn't feel that way now if it wasn't for your poor choice of words," Dr. Nagata pointed out.
"Thank you for reminding me about the mistake I made two seconds ago!" Walsh growled. "What I don't understand is this sudden preoccupation with his genetic background!"
"Perhaps it's not so sudden?" Dr. Nagata surmised. "Maybe he's thought about it a lot before now?"
"No, I know him too well," Walsh grumbled. "These sort of thoughts never even occurred to him until that incident on Planet Maine. Where he got stuck with a fish tail. I never should have told him about Cheyenne."
"Well he did need to understand why he was stuck like that. I never realized it until I scanned that video," Dr. Nagata remarked. "He is a lot like her. And not just in appearance."
"I've read the file," Walsh brought up a picture of Cheyenne Gooseman and a file on her on his personal computer. "The resemblance is remarkable. Especially the eyes."
"Remember the day he was decanted?" Dr. Nagata asked. "We designed him to have blue green eyes but were shocked to see that they were bright emerald green."
Walsh nodded. "I'd never seen eyes like that on a living person before. Only in that picture. I suppose we put too much of her DNA into him. Even with our advanced genetic engineering there were still things that we couldn't control."
"Yes, we both learned that the hard way," Dr. Nagata admitted. "And you can't control Gooseman's curiosity, Joseph."
"I know that," Walsh groaned. "And we can't exactly put the genie back in the bottle."
"So what do you suggest we do?"
"The only thing we can do," Walsh sighed. "Try to keep Gooseman's mind off the subject as much as possible! And…"
"And?"
"I have to apologize to him…" Walsh groaned. "When he cools down…Whenever that will be."
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Far away in outer space, in the city of New Pigalis on Mars, an important event was about to take place in the city's new (and only) museum.
"Doctor Rain," a studious young man walked up to a short, jovial looking scientist with black hair, black mustache and beard. "This is indeed an honor."
Dr. Rain adjusted his spectacles. "Oh the honor is all mine, Doctor Percy." He looked around the room. It was filled with several artifacts, many of them from Earth. "It's taken many years of hard work but finally we have brought history and culture to this frontier wilderness."
"Mars is hardly the frontier compared to some of the other planets in the League," Dr. Percy smirked. "On the other hand it's hardly a cultural Mecca either."
"That's going to change," Dr. Rain told him. "This museum is one of the first buildings made of stone and marble. When it opens to the public it will be the first step in bringing Mars out of the wilderness and into the light of civilization. The citizens of Mars will come here and see these artifacts from the past and wonder."
"If they don't steal them first," Dr. Percy grumbled.
"We've taken the necessary precautions for that," Dr. Rain noted the security guards surrounding the building. Suddenly a purple mist filled with glitter swirled around the guards. They all started to pass out. "What the…?"
"What's going on?" Dr. Percy shouted. "The alarms…"
"Your security measures may work on ordinary criminals," A cackling voice pierced the room. There was an explosion of smoke and it revealed the culprit. "But they are nothing but child's play to Mogul the Space Sorcerer!"
"And his apprentice Larry!" Larry appeared coughing.
Several green scaled white haired demons appeared and easily tackled the guards. "Oh my goodness!" Dr. Percy screamed. "We have to do something! What do we do? What do we do?" He ran around panicking.
"Uh should we do something to that guy?" One demon asked another.
"Nah, I'm enjoying watching him panic," The other demon chuckled. "It's one of the perks of this job!"
"What do you want?" Dr. Rain shouted as he was restrained by demons.
"There's a little artifact you have in your possession which interests me," Mogul waved his four arms. "I sense great and powerful magic. Magic that will be mine! Ha ha Ha ha!"
"Ooh good evil laugh Master," Larry said.
"Eh it's a little off," Another demon shrugged.
"Quiet!" Mogul snapped.
"What do we do? What do we do? AAAHHHHH!" Dr. Percy ran around screaming like a girl.
"And that means him!" Mogul pointed at Dr. Percy. One demon casually held out a fist and let Dr. Percy run into it and knock himself out. "Thank you!"
"I found it Master!" Larry pointed to a small wolf stone carving.
"Ah yes the magic vibrations are strong from this artifact," Mogul cackled. "This little dog statue…"
"Wolf, that's a wolf master," Larry corrected.
"Whatever," Mogul waved. "This thing is going to increase my power! I know it!"
"That's a priceless carving of Fenrir on loan from the Royal Museum! You can't take it!" Dr. Rain shouted.
"Hey! Who's the supreme sorcerer here? I can take whatever I want!" Mogul snapped. "And if I want this statue of Fenwick…"
"Fenrir," Larry corrected. "He's a Norse Wolf Demon God."
"Right, just testing…" Mogul covered.
"Yeah right," Another demon chuckled.
"Shut up!" Mogul snapped. "Larry! Bring me the statue!"
"Uh I'm trying, Master!" Larry tugged and pulled on it. "It seems to be stuck."
"Oh for crying out loud!" Mogul stormed up to it and tried to pull on it as well. "It seems to be bolted or something. Oh I see it's stuck on some tabs. Maybe if I pull here and you pull right…"
"My right or your right?" Larry asked.
"Your right," Mogul said.
"You mean left?" Larry blinked.
"No your right," Mogul told him. "No not that way! I said your right!"
"I was pulling my right! You want me to pull left!"
"If I wanted you to pull left I would have said left!" Mogul shouted.
"My right is your left!" Larry snapped.
"Don't snap at me you little ingrate!" Mogul snapped.
"Uh can't you just use your magic to get the statue loose?" A demon asked.
"Of course we can," Larry snapped his fingers. "I'll get it loose."
"No, I will do it!" Mogul snapped as he readied his magic.
"I'll do it! No I will do it!" Both of them snapped as they readied their magic. They both shot out magical blasts at the same time and it hit the statue too hard. So hard that the statue flew up and shattered on the ground.
"YOU BROKE IT!" Both Larry and Mogul pointed to each other. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I BROKE IT? YOU BROKE IT!"
"Uh…Mogul…" One of the demons pointed. "Larry? Some stuff is coming out of the thing you broke."
"I DIDN'T BREAK IT! HE DID!" Both Mogul and Larry shouted at the same time. Then they saw what the demons saw. A growing cloud of blue and black smoke.
"I am free!" The cloud howled. A pair of blue glowing eyes shone from the cloud.
"It's a demon spirit!" Mogul readied his magic. "Time to paper train this puppy! Amarazon! Amellezion! Marta Hari Yamu Swami! Sit!"
Mogul shot out a blast of magic but it was reflected right back to him. "Okay that was obviously the wrong spell," Mogul got up from the floor where he was knocked down. "I just need something a little stronger! It's just an ordinary demon spirit! Nothing I can't handle! No problem! ZAZAZAZOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!"
He used his strongest magic but once again he was knocked down. "Larry…we have a problem!"
"Master," Larry gulped. "Something tells me that this is not an ordinary demon spirit."
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…………" A rumbling came out from the demon cloud.
"Now that's an evil laugh," One of the demons gulped.
"Uh oh…" Mogul gulped. "Larry I think we just committed what is known in the magic business as a big whoopsie!"
"Oh dear," Larry gulped. "I was afraid you'd say something like that."
Both magic users grabbed each other as the dark cloud of evil descended on them. "AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
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Back on Earth, Shane was fuming in his apartment. Both Niko and Bubblehead were there trying to get him to calm down. "Shane, I know you're upset but this isn't the healthy way to deal with it," Niko told him.
"Compared to how he normally deals with problems it is," Bubblehead quipped. "At least he's not using his blasters."
"You have a point," Niko shrugged.
"Stupid…frakking…" Shane muttered. "I can't believe he said that! I know he thinks it all the time! But he actually said it!"
"Maybe you misheard it?" Niko suggested.
"Oh I heard it loud and clear! He doesn't see me as a real human," Shane paced back and forth. "I don't know what he sees in me half the time. Maybe I'm some sort of pet to him!"
"And that's a bad thing right?" Bubblehead asked.
"Anybody else I expect it from!" Shane went on. "I hear it all the time from jerks and idiots but it doesn't bother me. But when he says it…I don't know! I just thought the Commander knew me better!"
"Boy somebody has Daddy Issues," Bubblehead blinked.
"Bubblehead you are not helping," Niko gave him a look.
"I hate to admit it Niko, but the bird has a point!" Shane threw up his hands. "I can't believe this is ticking me off as much as it is! Technically Walsh is right! I mean I do have some animal traits encoded into my genetic structure! And mutant DNA not to mention whatever else they put in me back at Wolf Den. But to hear him say that…"
"And it upsets you," Niko stated.
"Of course it does!" Shane snapped at her.
"I hate to tell you this, Goose," Niko smiled. "But it sounds like you are turning into a human to me."
"Wonderful!" Shane said sarcastically. "Go tell the Commander that! I'm sure he'll be thrilled!"
"Shane," Niko sighed. "The two of you have been through a lot together. Naturally there's some kind of bond between you two."
"Obviously he doesn't think so," Shane grumbled as he stopped pacing. "Why do I even care what he thinks?"
He went back to pacing. "I'm a Supertrooper damn it! I'm not supposed to care about what anyone thinks! Let alone go looking for information about a genetic donor so I can pretend that she's my mom or something! And I certainly don't need a father! Especially if he's my commanding officer! I'm a fully grown Supertrooper for crying out loud and I'm acting like a little kid who wants attention! What the hell is wrong with me?"
"Goose wants a hug from Mommy!" Bubblehead chirped. "Cheyenne come home!"
"Shut up bird!" Shane snapped.
"Boy you really get cranky don't you?" Bubblehead blinked.
"Keep it up, bird and you'll see how cranky I can get!" Shane snapped.
"He knows?" Niko was surprised.
"I…kind of talked in my sleep one night," Shane admitted sheepishly. "It's just annoying. Every time I think I've gotten over my past, something else comes along and stirs up those old feelings inside of me. Maybe the other Supertroopers were right? Maybe there is something wrong with me?"
"How can you say that?" Niko asked as Shane sat down on the couch next to her.
"Niko, I was never like the other Supertroopers," Shane told her. "For example when I was a kid I used to like watching the seagulls that occasionally flew by Wolf Den."
"What's so odd about that?" Niko blinked.
"The other Supertroopers liked to try and catch and eat them," Shane gave her a look. "Feathers and all!"
"Yikes!" Bubblehead shuddered. "Remind me to never invite your relatives over for lunch."
"Shane, I think it's safe to say you're not exactly wrong on this point," Niko winced.
"Yeah well it's just one of many little instances that prove that I'm not exactly a normal Supertrooper," Shane grumbled.
"And the fact that you are not as psycho as the others is a bad thing?" Bubblehead blinked.
"Let's put this in perspective," Niko held up her hands. "Supertroopers don't feel things other than rage or anger. But you do? Right?"
"Yeah," Shane replied.
"Supertroopers only think about fighting but you don't, right?" Niko went on.
"Obviously," Shane grumbled.
"Supertroopers aren't curious about the past or wonder about the future…"
"Other than where their next meal is coming from, no…" Shane agreed.
"But you do," Niko pointed.
"Yeah and unlike regular Supertroopers you don't have a hankering for birdie burgers with extra feathers," Bubblehead chirped.
"I dunno," Shane gave the memory bird a look. "Who knows? I might develop a taste for it!"
"In other words you evolved into something that your creators didn't foresee," Niko summed it up. "Like Cheyenne."
"Hey maybe you can find another one of your relatives to talk to?" Bubblehead chirped after an awkward few seconds of silence. "Look 'em up in the phone book!"
"No, that was the one rule that was the most strictly enforced in the labs," Shane explained. "No living donors. The Board of Leaders even went so far as to make it illegal and that was even before the treaties Earth signed when it joined the League of Planets. Considering all the other stuff they were allowed to do before then you can imagine the severity of the law. I guess they were afraid that if they did that we'd all take out personal ads or something trying to track down our parents."
"So your DNA…" Niko began.
"Was taken from a bank made up of corpses," Shane told her. "Well except for Cheyenne. They just had a lot of her blood on hand. She's obviously a fluke because everyone thought she died about a hundred years ago. No one could have imagined that she'd evolve into some kind of telepathic mermaid. Hell, there times I can't believe it."
"Brrr…Creepy," Bubblehead shivered.
"Yeah but I can understand that rule," Shane remarked. "I mean what kind of psychopath would deliberately put his own DNA in a living weapon?"
"You're right," Niko nodded. "It's a good thing Commander Walsh was running the Supertrooper project."
"Yeah he may have done a lot of things but at least the guy tried to be as ethical as possible," Shane grumbled as he got up. "Believe me the casualty list would have been a lot higher if he wasn't watching every little thing going on. Fat lot of good that did."
"Why not just reach out and call Mom?" Bubblehead suggested. "Do they have phones on the bottom of the ocean?"
"No, I just…" Shane sighed. "I just can't okay. I'm enough of a Supertrooper to not go running to an imaginary mommy every time I have a question!"
"Well then it seems to me then you have two choices," Niko gave him a straight answer. "Since you're too stubborn to talk to Cheyenne. You can either whine about it and complain or…"
"Or I grow up and accept it," Shane rolled his eyes. "I get it."
Niko got up and put a hand on his shoulder. "For what it's worth, if someone I respected a lot made a thoughtless comment like that I would be angry as well."
Shane gave her a surprised look. That was when their communicators sounded an alarm.
"Looks like we need to save the universe again," Shane grumbled as the two Rangers left the apartment.
"Bye! Have fun!" Bubblehead waved. "Bring me back a present!"
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Not long after the Rangers were landing the Ranger One on Mars. "So what's so important about a bunch of statues and pictures?" Shane grumbled.
"Besides being priceless objects of art and a tempting target for any thief?" Doc asked. "I'm afraid the security cameras caught a glimpse of the thieves. Green scaly ugly thieves…"
He punched up a shot of a short piece of footage of a demon grabbing a camera. "Mogul…" Zach growled. "What is he up to now?"
"Knowing him, nothing good," Niko shook her head. "I've heard of the scientist in charge of this project. Dr. Rain. He specializes in studying alien civilizations but he has several contacts on Earth with museums all over the planet. He was gathering artifacts from his research and personal contacts to help build the first museum on Mars with a Dr. Percy."
"So Mogul's now in the art collecting business?" Doc asked.
"I doubt that he's an art lover," Niko said. "Unless one of those pieces had magic in them."
"That's what I was afraid of," Zach groaned.
Soon they were at the museum. "Looks like the place was trashed," Doc whistled at the scattered and broken artifacts.
A few security guards were tending to Dr. Rain and Dr. Percy. "Are you all right?" Zach asked.
"I'm fine I think," Dr. Rain dabbed his brow. "We're quite all right. Oh the artifacts! What happened?"
"You were attacked by demons," Niko told him. "It was on the security cameras."
"Demons?" Dr. Percy frowned. "How…horrible! How did that happen? And what do they want?"
"You don't remember?" Niko asked.
"All remember is talking to Dr. Rain then passing out," Dr. Percy sighed.
"I remember something…Some kind of cloud but…" Dr. Rain shook his head. "I'm sorry young lady but it's all a blank."
"What do you think? They used some magic mumbo jumbo on 'em?" Shane asked.
"Looks like it Goose," Niko scanned the room using her powers. "I'm sensing a lot of mystic energy but…I…I can't pinpoint it. It's strong. Very strong."
"Has anything been taken?" Doc asked.
"No, but many priceless artifacts have been wrecked! Oh!" Dr. Rain fretted. "Why would those vandals do this?"
"Who knows what goes on in that slimy four armed lizard's head?" Zach growled. "Gooseman, Doc you get anything on your scanners?"
"Nothing much," Shane shook his head.
"Pathfinder's still looking amid the security system but everything's fried," Doc told them.
"Gooseman?" Dr. Rain looked at Shane. "Pardon me for asking, young man but are you by any chance related to a Cheyenne Gooseman?"
"You…Know about her?" Shane was startled.
"Why yes," Dr. Rain nodded. "I am a professor of history as well as an archeologist. The Cold War and the genetic programs that resulted from it has always fascinated me."
"I thought your specialty was alien civilizations?" Niko asked.
"Oh it is, it is…" Dr. Rain coughed. "But I also dabble in Earth history as well. Ancient mythology, Norse lore, Cold War…It's all a very rich tapestry. So you are related to one of the world's earliest genetic warriors?"
"Well technically…" Shane blinked. "You actually know about her?"
"Oh I could tell you things about her you would not believe," Dr. Rain grinned. "She was a very fascinating woman."
"Really?" Shane was surprised. "Like what?"
"Well," Dr. Rain stroked his chin and thought. "She was very…dedicated to her work. She believed in protecting people and all that…uh, all that was her sworn duty."
Before Shane could ask another question, Zach interrupted. "Well other than several destroyed objects everything seems okay. But I think you'd better come with us Dr. Rain to BETA just to be on the safe side."
"Of course," Dr. Rain nodded. "Dr. Percy why don't you get your assistant and come with us as well?"
"Uh yes," Dr. Percy gulped. "Glad to."
"As long as we're going to BETA we might as well have a nice chat," Dr. Rain made a pleasant smile at Shane. "I know you must have plenty of questions about your ancestor."
"Yeah I do," Shane realized.
"Excellent! Then let's be on our way," Dr. Rain clapped his hands.
"We'd better report to BETA first," Zach said. The rangers moved off to check their findings and communicate with BETA, leaving Dr. Rain unobserved for a moment. But a moment was all it took.
"Oh this is going to be too easy…" Dr. Rain's eyes glowed a bright blue for a moment.
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Shortly after back at BETA…
"I don't know why the bandits ran off this time but I'm sure he will be back," Dr. Rain told Commander Walsh and the Galaxy Rangers. "And I'm worried."
"This time?" Doc asked.
Dr. Rain sighed. "Right before the uh, incident on Mars I was attacked by a rather unpleasant individual named Mogul the Sorcerer. And from what your Rangers tell me he is the same foul creature that attacked us on Mars."
"He can't be that bad," Dr. Percy gave Dr. Rain a dark look. Dr. Rain looked at Dr. Percy. "Oh wait, yes he is…"
"Commander," Dr. Rain said. "I'd like your permission to borrow a few of your rangers for an important excavation I'm working on right here on Earth."
"What kind of excavation are you working on?" Niko asked.
"I have just discovered the location of the Temple of Fenrir," Dr. Rain told her. "It is the rumored sight of where the Norse Gods bound the wolf demon Fenrir to keep him from destroying the world."
"There could be powerful magic stored in that cavern," Shane thought aloud. "It would be a tempting target for that slimy sorcerer."
"I'd like to take at least Ranger Gooseman with me for security," Dr. Rain said.
"It would be disastrous if Mogul got his hands on even an ounce of powerful magic," Commander Walsh thought. "But I am not sure that I can comply completely with your request. I need Ranger Gooseman for other missions."
"What other missions?" Shane snapped.
"Commander you are aware that I have several connections?" Dr. Rain played with his fingers. "Powerful connections among the Board of World Leaders. I think they would be interested to know why you would turn down my request especially if the security of the Earth is at stake."
"I'm just curious why you want Ranger Gooseman while Ranger Niko is more qualified," Walsh narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't say I did not want her expertise," Dr. Rain corrected. "But I feel that Ranger Gooseman can also contribute greatly to this project. In fact I think I can get Dr. Percy to personally convince a few people in power to back me on this. Right Doctor?"
"Oh yes, yes…" Dr. Percy gulped nervously. "Just need to make a few phone calls."
"I'll give you my decision in a few hours," Walsh drummed his fingers.
"Very well," Dr. Rain nodded. "Come Percy!" They left the room.
"What was all that about?" Shane asked Walsh. "Mogul is up to something and Dr. Rain needs our help! We have to go or else that four armed lunatic could do major damage!"
"I just don't trust Dr. Rain," Walsh frowned.
"Neither do I," Niko agreed. "I can't pinpoint it. It's not like my psychic powers are picking up anything but…I just have a feeling that I'm deliberately being blocked but I can't sense it."
"If he can't be trusted all the more reason to keep an eye on him!" Shane said. "Or maybe it's me you don't trust!"
Shane stormed out of the room. "Did you two have a fight or something?" Doc asked Commander Walsh.
"No, we didn't!" Walsh snapped. "Well…maybe. But that's not the point!"
"I think it is," Niko folded her arms. "He was really hurt by what you said to him."
"What did he say?" Zach asked.
"That's not important right now! Something about this whole situation is not right," Walsh thought to himself. "And familiar…I've heard about something like this before I know it! But why does Gooseman want to go so badly?"
"Because the good doctor knows a lot about Cheyenne Gooseman," Doc told him.
"What?" Walsh gave him a look.
"Yeah he was practically bragging about it," Zach remembered.
"This again," Walsh grumbled. "I don't know what's gotten into that…I want the three of you to do a background check on Dr. Rain. Niko, see what you can dig up on your archeological contacts. Hartford I need you to help me cross reference some files…And Captain Foxx…Keep an eye on Gooseman."
"What do you mean?" Zach was startled. "Commander you can trust Goose!"
"I'm not so sure anymore…" Walsh frowned.
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"All right Bubblehead what did you get?" Shane asked Bubblehead as they did some research in the archives.
"All the news you can use right at my beak!" Bubblehead stuck his beak in the computer terminal and downloaded the information.
"Quit squawking and start talking," Shane snapped as his fingers moved over the keyboard and he started to read the information on the screen.
"Fenrir, a real fun puppy," Bubblehead chirped as he gave his own version of the information he downloaded. "Son of the Norse God Loki who had real weird taste in women. Fenny was a giant wolf demon who was bound by the gods by an enchanted ribbon. If he ever gets loose he will bring about Ragnarok or the End of the world, civilization and Starbuck's white mocha lattes as we know it with his two sons Hati and Skoll. But wait, there's more! Look what else I found!"
"I hate to say it Bubblehead but you're almost as good as Doc at digging up information," Shane remarked. "When you actually pull your circuits together."
"Ranger Gooseman," The voice of Dr. Rain spoke on the communicator. "Are you ready to leave?"
"I'll be there in a minute," Shane told him. He shut off the communicator.
"Goose I don't think this is a good idea," Bubblehead gulped. "There's something about that guy that gives me the heebie jeebies!"
"Bubblehead I have to do this," Shane told him. "It'll be fine. Trust me."
"At least wait for the other Rangers!" Bubblehead pleaded.
"No time! Besides the Commander will try and stop me!" Shane told him. He finished looking at the information and shut the machine off. "I've got all I need to know. Go back to the apartment Bubblehead!"
"But…" Bubblehead chirped.
"That's an order!" Shane snapped. "Not that you've ever obeyed one before but there's a first time for everything." He left the archives.
"Ohhh," Bubblehead was worried. "What do I do? What do I do? Think Bubblehead think!" He hit his head with his wing. "Ow! Thinking hurts! No wonder I don't do it too often!"
He flew out of the archives right into Zach and Doc. "Bubblehead! What are you doing here?" Doc asked.
"Helping Goose sneak out with Professor Rain," Bubblehead chirped. "Oh wait, I'm not helping him sneak out…Or am I? I forget which!"
"What?" Zach yelled.
"Ohh! It's all this Cheyenne stuff! It's got the Goose's feathers all in a frazzle!" Bubblehead clucked. "Especially after that comment the Commander made about Goose not being human and not letting Goose try and learn all about her and…"
"Never mind! We get the picture!" Zach interrupted. "Come on! We got to stop him!"
"No wonder the Goose wants to fly the coop," Doc grumbled as they ran off after their friend. "But that's still no reason to run off like that."
"Goose is gonna run himself straight into a court martial if we don't stop him!" Zach told him.
But they made it to the hanger too late. "Goose no!" Zach shouted as the ship took off.
"Commander Walsh is not gonna be happy about this," Doc moaned.
Ten minutes later…
"HE DID WHAT?" Walsh roared.
"I was right…" Doc winced. The Rangers and Waldo were in his office.
"Of all the insubordinate…"Walsh fumed.
"It's not like Gooseman to just run off and…" Waldo began when he was interrupted by a buzzer.
"Commander Walsh, Senator Wheiner is on line one and he wants to speak to you immediately," A communications officer spoke.
"Oh I wonder what this could be about?" Doc said sarcastically.
"Commander Walsh this is Senator Wheiner," The senator appeared on the video screen. His eyes looked glazed and he spoke in a slurred speech. "I have personally ordered Ranger Gooseman to immediately accompany Dr. Rain and the marvelous Dr. Percy on their expedition. This is a very important thing so don't countermand my orders. This mission has the approval of the Board of World Leaders."
"Wheiner…" Walsh began.
"This is from the top Walsh! No arguments! I don't want you to interfere with this mission! Wheiner out!" Wheiner blew a raspberry and shut off the communications.
"That was pretty convenient," Doc blinked.
"A little too convenient," Niko remarked. "Was it me or were his eyes even more glazed than usual?"
"Like he was under a spell?" Doc asked.
"Either that or he's been drinking vodka for breakfast again," Waldo remarked.
"This is all Rain's doing. He wants Goose for some reason but I don't know why…" Zach frowned.
"I'm afraid I do," Commander Walsh groaned. "I've just gone over some old files I have in my possession. Files dating back about a hundred years…"
"To his ancestor, Cheyenne Gooseman?" Niko asked.
"Yes," Walsh admitted. "There's something Dr. Rain wants…And that's inside Gooseman…."
"Inside him?" Doc was shocked. "What?"
"You really don't want to know…" Walsh groaned. "But we've got to get Goose away from him! Now! Before it's too late!"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Somewhere in Norway in the mountains…
"Here we are," Dr. Rain called out to Shane, Dr. Percy and a few of his associates. Shane had landed the ship outside a large cavern. The men were wearing snow parkas and made their way inside to find themselves at a temple gate with two wolf statues outside.
"It's magnificent," Dr. Percy said.
"I've seen bigger," Shane shrugged.
"Yes, but it's still impressive nonetheless," Dr. Rain placed his hand on the door. "Gooseman come take a look at this…This door is rusted shut. I'm going to need your help opening it."
"What do you need me to do?" Shane asked.
"Try pushing on it.." Dr. Rain said. "The lock seems to be rather weak."
"Oh maybe I can blast it open!" Shane whipped out his blaster and used it to hit Rain to the ground. Then he shot at the assistants.
"What are you doing?" Dr. Rain shouted.
"Keeping you from activating whatever's inside that door," Shane snapped as he quickly dispatched Dr. Rain's assistants. When they landed on the ground they changed shape into Mogul's demons and disappeared back into their home dimension.
Shane grabbed an 'assistant' and threw it hard at Dr. Percy. They both changed shapes into Larry and Mogul. "I think he knows it's us," Larry gulped. "WHOA!" A lasso was thrown around them by Shane.
"This will keep you two on ice for a while," Shane growled as he tied them up.
Dr. Rain tried to run away but Shane chased after him. "Oh no you don't!" Shane grabbed him and gave him a punch. Then he took out some handcuffs and handcuffed Rain's hands behind his back.
"You know I gotta admit you almost had me," Shane told him as he grabbed the doctor by the shirt collar. "I was so eager…So willing to learn about my past…I almost walked blindly into your trap. Almost!" He shoved Rain to the ground.
"What gave me away?" Dr. Rain asked.
"Two things," Shane held up his fingers. "One, this whole setup seemed so easy for me. Too easy! Nothing for me is ever easy. And second once I got a whiff of Percy I knew it was Mogul playing sorcerer in scientist's clothing! I'd know that coward's stench anywhere!"
"I told you that you were overdue for your monthly bath Master," Larry remarked.
"Shut up Larry!" Mogul snapped.
"So you did a little background check in the archives?" Dr. Rain growled.
"It was a bit spotty but I learned enough," Shane said. "I learned there was some kind of crazy cult devoted to the end of the world operating around here and Cheyenne helped shut it down. I'm taking a guess but you're part of this cult, am I right?"
"You could say that," Dr. Rain grinned.
"If you knew this was a setup then why didn't you bring the other Galaxy Rangers?" Mogul asked.
"Because I didn't want them to see what I'm going to do to you for preying on my gentle trusting nature," Shane made a dark wolfish grin. He slammed his fist against his palm. Mogul and Larry couldn't help but gulp.
"You're not the typical dumb blonde are you?" Dr. Rain chuckled. "You are Cheyenne's cub after all!"
"And that's why you wanted me," Shane growled. "To use Cheyenne's DNA somehow to get what you want!"
"Close but no cigar. It's not her blood I'm after my boy," Dr. Rain's eyes glowed brightly. "It's mine…"
Dr. Rain violently shuddered and his body slumped as a huge blue black cloud seeped from it. It formed into the shape of a giant wolf with glowing eyes. "What in the…?" Shane stepped backwards.
"Hello Shane…" The demon spirit hissed gleefully as it pounced on him. "Daddy's home!"
Uh oh, things are about to get more complicated aren't they! Tune in to find out what happens next!