Author: QuinnB
Story:
Running for Freedom
Disclaimer:
I own the idea only. No sueing please!
Summary: Where do you go when home isn't safe?
A/N 1: This is a Stargate: Atlantis/MMPR-Turbo crossover. It deals primarily with the MM through Turbo rangers when they're older but I think that still qualifies it as a MMPR-Turbo cross.
A/N 2: This is gonna be a re-write of Atlantis with two PR characters added who end up changing a bunch of things. That said, there will be a LOT of dialogue from Stargate Atlantis in here.
A/N 3: Once again, this is in an AU universe where all the rangers from Space onward never became rangers. The ending of Space was NOT a full out attack on Earth but a small city attack on Angel Grove. Zordon did die but everything past that, has not happened. However, this does not mean we won't be seeing the post space characters.

Chapter One: Rising 1


"Daniel! Warm welcome."

Kimberly looked up as an older man got off the elevator. He nodded at her even as he greeted Dr. Daniel Jackson. Kim nodded back; General Jack O'Neill had stumbled upon her, literally, when she'd been visiting her father in Washington.

She'd been waiting in an office while her father had a meeting with General O'Neill, General Hammond, and a cute older major named Paul Davis who'd gotten way too flustered when she'd started flirting with him. Bored and alone, she'd picked up what she thought was a paperweight and was thrown into a vision of action, adventure, and a former colonel with a snarky sense of humor. The General had walked in with her father and the major just as the supposed paperweight that was really a memory copying thing had fallen to the floor. He'd looked at her, down at the paperweight, then back at her and just sighed. The next thing she knew, her father was scowling as she signed every confidentiality agreement known to man and was told about the gate.

It had not been her ideal introduction to the Stargate program but she really wouldn't have traded the results for anything. She'd allowed herself to be tested to find why the paperweight had worked on her and spent an ungodly amount of time in the infirmary at the SGC as a pincushion to make sure it didn't have any side effects (and even though every test came up negative, her dad swore the machine gave her O'Neill's sense of humor).

When the gene had been discovered, the tests indicated her gene was strong; not nearly as strong as General O'Neill's, granted, but about as strong as Dr. Beckett's. When Dr. Weir had been trying to find people to go with her to Antarctica, Kimberly had agreed to go so long as she got to see some penguins (she still hadn't, though not through lack of trying).

She'd spent the better part of the last few months pissing Dr. McKay off, flirting with Dr. Beckett and Dr. Jackson just to see them both blush and stammer, and trying to avoid questions about her own background. Everyone knew her father was a senator, that her mother lived in Paris with a painter, that she had a civilian pilot's license, and that she didn't like sci-fi shows or movies (she figured her life was weird enough without throwing those into the mix). Other than that, people knew very little, which was just the way she liked it.

She worked as the base Historian. Since she wasn't useful in anything but being an Ancient light bulb, she'd taken to photographing and videotaping everything around the base for future observations. She was the one who transcribed everything they learned (including that placing a fake lemon on top of McKay's secondary laptop guaranteed that something would explode, most often his temper).

Unfortunately, she'd also had to do the light-bulb thing and was next in line after Dr. Beckett to sit in the damn chair, which she was currently trying to avoid.

Unlike most of her fellow gene users, she had no qualms with sitting in the chair, which she chalked up to being a former ranger. The fact of the matter was she was used to commanding dangerous weapons. Therefore, McKay tended to get more out of her sessions than anyone else since she wasn't worried about blowing up the planet and could actually concentrate. The problem was that she spent half of her sessions focusing on not using the weapon to blow McKay up which was a lot more exhausting than you'd think it'd be.

"…keep my ass from gettin' blown out of the sky?" O'Neill said as Kim came out of her thoughts. He gestured at the pilot next to him. Kim studied the guy who was staring around curiously. "The exceptional flying of Major John Sheppard. He likes it here."

Kim snickered slightly at Daniel's slight double take. "You like it here?"

The pilot shrugged as O'Neill turned to Daniel as the two of them started to walk away.

"What say we skip to the part where you start talking real fast?" he suggested.

Kim erupted in stifled giggles as Daniel motioned vaguely ahead of them and O'Neill ordered the pilot not to touch anything. She waited until they were out of earshot before turning to the faintly bewildered looking pilot.

"First time here?" she asked and he nodded, turning to her.

"I flew the General from McMurdo," he told her and she smirked.

"Lucky."

"I nearly got blown out of the sky!" he argued, looking at her oddly. She shrugged.

"But you got to fly," she said. "They don't let me do that no more."

"Why not?" he asked, studying her. Nearby, Peter tried and failed to hide his sudden laughter.

"I may have been about an hour late on a return supply run," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "Dr. Weir wasn't happy when I told her I lost track of time looking for penguins."

He chuckled just as Radek Zelenka appeared. "Kimberly, you ready for session?" he asked politely, walking over. She turned to the Czech scientist with a bright smile.

"I'm working with you today?" she asked hopefully and he nodded with a chuckle.

"Yes, Rodney is in meeting," he agreed. "We found a new room."

"I'm not going to accidentally blow something up again, am I?" she asked, suddenly suspicious. Radek snickered and shook his head. It was a constant source of amusement for most of the base that she preferred working with the chair than the smaller things. She couldn't help it; she'd nearly blown up poor Peter with one of the smaller things the first time she'd touched it.

"Fine, Light Bulb Lady to the rescue," she sighed. She turned to the watching air force officer. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Exceptional Pilot Man."

He smiled as Radek gently grabbed her arm and led her away. "'Mr. Exceptional Pilot Man?'" the Czech asked, puzzled. She shrugged as they disappeared down an ice hall.


"So, I hear you scared the crap out of poor Dr. Beckett this morning," she said, plopping down in the chair across from the pilot. It was lunchtime and she'd begged off experimenting any more cause she was famished.

"I just sat down!" he said, sounding exasperated. She snickered and pointed her fork at him.

"You lit up the weapons chair without even thinking about it," she informed him. "And Dr. Beckett is a pacifist. Mostly."

"Oh," he blinked at her. "That explains a lot."

"Uh huh," she agreed and made a face at the food on her plate. "Everyone else has to concentrate to even turn on the damn floor lights."

"Do you have the mutant gene?" he asked, studying her. She nodded, spearing some limp lettuce.

"Just call me Jean Grey," she quipped. He gave her a funny look but she just shrugged. It wasn't like she could explain the phoenix/firebird connotations to him.

"I'm John, by the way," he suddenly said. "Major John Sheppard."

"Kimberly Hart," she introduced herself. "The local historian."

"You're not a doctor?" he asked, sounding extremely relieved. She shook her head, amused.

"I'm no egghead," she said. "I'm the one who keeps everyone on their toes as I film and photograph everything."

"How'd you get involved in all of this?" he asked, waving a hand around. She shrugged.

"My father is Senator Hart of Oregon," she explained. "I was visiting him and picked up something I wasn't supposed to and found out I was descended from aliens. So I came here."

"Looking for penguins," he said, his eyes twinkling with good humor. She smiled.

"Dr. Weir promised me I'd get to see one," she explained. "Though as of yet, that hasn't happened."

"You didn't find any on your little jaunt?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I think I saw a whale and I know I saw some seals," she confided. "But no penguins."

He laughed at her pout.

The major was pulled away by Dr. Weir halfway through lunch, leaving Kim to finish on her own. Once she was done, she went upstairs to her small closet office.

The room was barely big enough for her desk and was therefore filled to the brim with things. The photos she'd been printing that morning were finished and sitting in her printer. She pulled them out, flipped her stereo on, and sat back to work.

Her mornings were typically spent down below, her afternoons in her office. On alternating days, she activated things for the scientists instead of running around with her digital cameras. Despite the flippant attitude, everyone knew she took her job seriously. Whenever the program was declassified, her work would be the building stone of telling people what the hell had been happening in Antarctica.

"Hey, Hart."

"Hi, Mr. General Man," she said, looking up from her laptop to smile at O'Neill. He rolled his eyes at the title and wandered inside to study the collage she'd accidentally started.

"I take it you're hiding?" she asked after a few minutes silence. He shot her a look of mock innocence.

"Who, me?"

"Yes, you," she agreed. "My dad's told me about you, Mr. General Man. The act does not fool me."

"Elizabeth is impressed with your work," he said suddenly, leaving her to stare at him a bit stupidly.

"That's…good. I think."

"Has she talked to you about what they want to do?"

"Atlantis," she said, frowning. "They want to go there."

"An expedition," he agreed. "You have the gene."

"I…see," she said, staring at him. "I kinda wish I didn't."

"They'll need those with the gene," he said. "And a little red, white, and blue birdie mentioned you came here to hide."

"No, I came here to see penguins," she corrected. "Which has not yet happened, by the way."

"Who you hiding from?" he asked, studying her. She was quiet a moment, studying him back. If the red, white, and blue birdie was who she thought it was, he already knew the answer and just wanted her to confirm.

"Guess."

"NID," he said and she shrugged. "Cause of your high school activities."

"If it didn't mean treason, I'd kill that little birdie," she sighed after a moment. His lips quirked.

"I'm not going to pretend to understand half of what I was told, but going with them will get you away from the NID," O'Neill reminded her.

"It'll also take me away from Earth and everything I know," she argued, somewhat half-heartedly. In truth, she'd already been considering going if Weir wanted her to.

"Think about it, Hart," he instructed and wandered out.


Two weeks later and she'd finally made her decision. She knew she could remain in the Antarctic, recording everything. However, she had a feeling if they wanted her enough, her being in No Penguin land wouldn't deter the remaining members of the NID, which meant her best bet really was Atlantis.

She really hated it when she had to be logical.

"Dr. Weir, can I talk to you?" Kimberly knocked on the door. The woman nodded, motioning her inside as she slowly packed up some books.

"What can I help you with, Kim?" she asked and Kim gave her a hesitant smile.

"I want to go," she said quietly. Dr. Weir looked up, a large smile on her face.

"You really want to come?" she asked and Kim sighed.

"It's either go with you or wait here for the NID to try and grab me again," she said quietly, knowing the woman knew of her background. The civilian leader slowly nodded, looking pinched.

"This could be dangerous," she warned and Kim shrugged, hearing the unspoken words.

"Staying here, I run the risk of getting caught and being experimented on by people with no moral compass," she reminded her. "Going to Atlantis is dangerous, yes, but I'd rather go there and die than face the possible horror of prolonged death here."

"General O'Neill would protect you," she said after a pause. Kim smiled humorously.

"He'd try," she agreed. "He likes the rogue NID like I like fake Prada. But short of locking me into the SGC, no where on Earth is safe."

"I can't argue with that," Weir sighed. "Well, I would be happy to have you continue your recording duties with us."

"Thank you," she said. The older woman studied her a moment.

"You might be interest to know Major Sheppard has decided to join us as well," she finally told her. "He'll be second in charge of the military."

"You talked him into it?" she asked, surprised. Dr. Weir shook her head.

"General O'Neill spoke to him, actually," she said. "I don't know what he said to him, but Sheppard got to McMurdo and agreed to go."

"Sounds like fun," Kim smiled and Weir nodded, returning the smile. Kim fidgeted a minute. "I should probably start packing, huh?"

"We leave here in two days," she agreed. "We go through the gate in a week and a half."


"What are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too, Jase," Kim sighed. Jason Scott shook off his surprise and moved forward to hug her.

"Sorry, that came out wrong," he said. "It's just…I wasn't expecting you. Or anyone, really."

"Got a hot date?" she asked, smiling in amusement. He rolled his eyes.

"I do now…let me get dressed," he said, moving back. She took in his black boxers and bare chest.

"Jase, I've known you since pre-K," she reminded him with a smirk. "There's nothing I haven't seen before."

"Very funny," he muttered and disappeared into his bedroom. Kim looked around his apartment, mentally snapping pictures for the future.

"So, what's the occasion?" he asked, coming back in one of his barely there tank tops. She was amused to note he didn't bother with pants.

"I'm leaving."

"Leaving…where?" he asked, frowning. She looked down.

"I can't tell you," she said quietly. "But I'll be safe from Them."

Jason was silent a moment. "They went after Justin," he told her after a moment. "Had him in their van and everything."

"Is he okay? What about the wrist bands?" she asked straightening. Jason shook his head.

"Tommy got him out," he said. "The wrist band did its job. But Justin…he's still in Reefside. He won't leave Tommy's house. Everyone's getting nervous."

"They're getting bolder, Jase," she whispered. "And with everything that happened…"

"Can you take him with you?"

"What?" Kim asked; this was a curve ball she'd not been expecting. Jason stared at her.

"The rest of us have ways to keep ourselves safe," he told her. "But you and Justin…you can't, even with who your dad is. So if you found someplace that's safe from Them…"

Kim was quiet a moment. "I'll talk to someone," she promised finally. "But I can't guarantee anything."

"Just try," he pleaded. "Justin's scared out of his mind that they'll try going through his dad to get to him. We all are."

"You guys are safe though, right? You have security?" she asked, knowing the blue rangers fears weren't unfounded—that was exactly what had happened with her own father after all and he was a Senator. Jason nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, we're good," he agreed. "Adam is in Washington now as Hayes assistant so They won't try anything with him. Rocky and Billy are working at that base in Colorado that your father suggested. Rocky says Billy loves it there, by the way, and Billy swears its like being with a bunch of military type Rocky's on some days. Tommy, Tanya, Zack, Kat, and I are too much in the public eye for Them to try anything with us unless they're desperate."

"Which leaves me and Justin," she finished and he nodded. Neither one mentioned the two who had completely disappeared several years before.

"I'll see what I can do."


Getting Justin in on the project was a LOT easier than she thought it'd be. All she'd had to do was drop his records off to Weir, with a sticky note that he was "like her," and the young man was brought to the mountain. A bunch of medical tests later and Kim found further proof that her theory about ranger technology was right—Justin had the gene. So far, all four former rangers who'd been tested had come up positive, which wasn't something she was about to tell anyone, not even Weir or O'Neill.

Colonel Sumner was told of hers and Justin's past and why they were going with. She wasn't particularly impressed with him but figured she'd learn to deal. She had seen Major Sheppard only once since Antarctica and that had been only for a few minutes. He'd seemed generally pleased to see her though and had asked if she'd ever gotten to see some penguins (she hadn't).

"So, you ready?" Kim asked the younger man. He and she were standing near the door to the gate room, watching everyone. Kim was in the red of a civilian expedition member while Justin was pleased to be in the blue of a scientist.

"Does it hurt?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I was unconscious both times I went through the sideways toilet of doom," she reminded him and he snickered at her nickname for the gate. "I have no idea what it feels like."

Kim smiled at Justin began quietly babbling next to her as a familiar head of hair walked past them. She smirked reached up and flicked his arm. He turned, saw her, and smiled before heading to Sumner.

"Who's that?" Justin asked curiously. She smiled at him.

"Major John Sheppard, the biggest light bulb on this little trip," she told him. Justin snorted.

"Alright, everyone, listen up!"

Kim and Justin turned to the front where Weir was now standing. As the woman explained what was about to happen, Kim looked up at the gate room and smiled at Billy and Rocky, who were sitting in the control room. The former rangers had all gotten together the night before to say goodbye, just in case. No one but the former blue and red rangers knew exactly where they were going but they had been honest about the fact it could very well be a one way trip for Kim and Justin (more so for Kim but no one but Kim herself knew that).

As the gate activated, Kim felt a small smile come to her face. She didn't relax immediately like Justin did, but she did smile. So far, so good.

The two former rangers waited until only a handful of expedition members were left. She and Justin stepped up to the gate. Sensing his unease, she looped her arm through Justin's and the two walked through together.