This is set just prior to Lost Galaxy's episode 30 when "you-know-what" happens. That said...
I do not own Power Rangers, its characters, or any of its related intellectual property. I'm just a humble fan doing his best to salute the show.
"Come on Kai! Isn't there something you can do? I thought we were buddies," Engineer Damon Henderson pleaded as he exited the mess hall serving line with his friend Kai Chen. The young GSA officer dressed in a crisp blue uniform shook his head patiently and continued to carry his tray to the dining area.
"We are buddies Damon, but I already told you. I don't have any say over the duty rosters for engineers. I'm afraid you're on your own."
"Just great," Damon groaned following Kai toward some open tables, "Those engine maintenance checks will take forever. I'll bet I'll be working double shifts all week now."
The Green Galaxy Ranger was right. The giant space colony of Terra Venture was already a long way from home and had more than its fair share of near brushes with disaster. It had been Commander Stanton's recent idea to halt Terra Venture's progress for some much needed repairs and recharging of the colony's main drive engines.
"Speaking of which," Kai frowned glancing at his watch, "Don't you go on duty in a little while?"
Damon grimaced, "Thanks for reminding me. I've gotta get going or I'll be late for my shift. Catch you later?"
Kai waved goodbye to his friend and continued to make his way through the crowded mess hall. To his right, he could see the panoramic view of a beautiful verdant planet out the large main viewport windows. Though the planet was still uncharted, the colony would remain in high orbit to do its repairs, treating the citizens of Terra Venture to a breathtaking view for the next week or so.
Suddenly, a young female GSA officer wearing the salmon colored uniform of the science division waved him over to her table. "Hey Kai! Over here! We've got one seat open!"
Kai smiled and sat down, greeting his friend and fellow Galaxy Ranger, Kendrix Morgan. The young blonde woman with glasses gave a bright smile and gestured to another young science officer sitting beside her. He was a handsome young man with fair features and wavy hair. "Kai, I'd like you to meet my lab partner, Richard Marsh. Rich, this is my good friend Kai Chen."
"Nice to meet you Lieutenant," Richard said politely shaking his hand and noting the rank insignia on Kai's uniform. "Kendrix has already told me a lot about you."
Kai gave the science officer a surprised look, "Oh?"
"Only good things. I promise," Rich responded with a grin causing Kendrix to giggle and slap his arm playfully. The Blue Ranger paused and held back the urge to give a protective frown.
"Actually, she said you were an Operations officer," Rich added, "According to her, one of the best. Nothing gets by you."
"Oh... well, I don't know about that," Kai replied trying to sound modest, "For one thing, I don't think I ever remember Kendrix ever mentioning you to me."
Rich feigned a dramatic gasp to Kendrix, "What? After all the fun times we spend together every day and you never said anything? You must be trying to keep me all to yourself."
Kai began eating his lunch quietly and forced a smile as Kendrix began giggling again while shoving his arm, "Oh, Rich! Stop it!"
The Blue Ranger wasn't exactly sure why, but something about their banter and familiarity was rubbing him the wrong way... much the same way he had felt when he first met Leo Corbett. Reminding himself that he was a disciplined and professional officer, Kai pushed the feeling aside and cleared his throat, "So Rich, you said you were Kendrix's lab partner?"
"Oh yes, ever since we launched from Earth" he nodded, "Though to be perfectly honest, I often feel more like her assistant. Your friend Kendrix here is a brilliant mind and I'm usually the one learning from her in the lab."
At that, the Pink Ranger blushed a little and tried to wave it off with a modest smile.
"Oh... well... I knew that too," Kai added quickly trying to keep the conversation going. "I know she was always getting the highest scores on science exams during our time at the Academy."
Rich sighed, "Yeah, I don't really miss the Academy training... especially the survival and combat courses. I always stunk at those. I never really saw the point in having to go through those if I was going into the science division anyway."
Kai looked up in surprise, suddenly feeling a little bit of defensiveness and indignation. After all, he had come from a strict military family and had the value of those skills hammered into him from a young age. "Terra Venture may have its own defense force, but we're all the way out here in unfamiliar space with possible enemies everywhere. Even if we have our different jobs, every citizen of the colony has to be ready to be a soldier and defend our home if need be."
Rich blinked in surprise at Kai's outburst wondering if he'd touched a nerve while Kendrix put down her fork trying to come up with some words to diffuse the situation.
To her relief, a uniformed aide from the colony's bridge staff approached and cleared her throat, "Excuse me, Lieutenants Chen and Morgan? Commander Stanton asked me to come and fetch you. He has something he'd like to discuss with some of the officers."
Seeing his out, Kai rose from the table and gave a smart nod to the young and immaculately dressed aide, "Of course. We'll be right with you. Rich, it was nice meeting you. Good luck with your labwork."
Richard Marsh gave a puzzled look as Kendrix gave him an apologetic shrug and rose from the table hurrying out of the mess hall after Kai and Stanton's aide.
After taking a turbolift up to the command decks of the colony, Kai and Kendrix walked side by side down the sterile brightly lit corridors behind Stanton's aide. As they walked Kendrix glanced over to her friend and said in a quiet hiss, "Kai, what's gotten into you? What was all that about back there?"
"I... nothing," Kai answered back softly. "Sorry. I'm just having a bad morning, that's all."
Kendrix gave her friend a concerned glance before shrugging it off, "That's ok. Are you sure you'll be fine?"
That was one thing Kai had always liked about Kendrix. She could be angry, upset, or distracted by a million things at once, but she would always worry and try to put the well being of her own friends first.
"I'll be ok. Forget it," he said reassuringly as the last bulkhead door opened and the two were led to the command deck. Standing at the bridge looking out over the stars was the smartly dressed senior officer of Terra Venture, Commander Stanton. The older bearded man exuded an air of calm and dignified command as he waited with his arms behind his back.
"Lieutenants Chen and Morgan, thank you for coming," he smiled warmly, "At ease."
The two young officers crisply saluted and took a resting stance as Stanton approached, "I'm sorry to have interrupted your lunch hour but I didn't have much time. I was looking for volunteers for an upcoming mission."
"Volunteers, sir?" Kai asked in surprise.
Stanton nodded and gestured out the window to the planet below. "I'm in need of volunteers for an exploratory mission of the planet below... one that our Astrometrics people have named Oasis."
The two Rangers exchanged a puzzled glance while Stanton began pacing the deck thoughtfully, "Dr. Carr of the Science Division had noted that there are habitable conditions on Oasis. She suggested we send a team to do some exploration of the plant species there for medical research. Seeing as how we'll be in orbit for a week doing maintenance on the engines, I cleared the mission, except Dr. Carr has fallen ill. I was wondering if you'd like to oversee the field team Lt. Morgan."
Kendrix's face suddenly lit up with excitement, "Of course! Thank you sir! I think that's a terrific idea!"
Turning to Kai, Commander Stanton gave a nod, "Lt. Chen, I was thinking you could take a small security detachment of troopers to tag along and escort the scientists."
Kai paused a moment, "Thank you for considering me sir, but are you sure? I mean, we really don't even know what's down there. Shouldn't we be more careful?"
"That's why I think you'd be a good choice to lead the security detail," Stanton grinned clapping Kai on the shoulder, "Besides, I think it would be good for you to get out more and explore beyond the safety of your work console from time to time, don't you think?"
Kai remained quiet. To be honest, he liked the boring safety and routine of his daily work. After all, he already got enough regular danger and excitement from being a Power Ranger, but he couldn't tell Stanton that.
Kendrix turned to her friend with an imploring look, "Come on Kai! Commander Stanton is right. This could be a lot of fun. We'd also have a chance to hang out more too. What do you say?"
Kendrix did have a good point, Kai thought to himself. In all likelihood it was going to be a boring routine away mission. Why not take the opportunity to spend a little free time with her anyway? Since they had become Power Rangers, it seemed like it had been quite a while since the two of them had been able to have any one on one time anyway.
Giving her a small grin, he nodded, "Ok, sure. Why not?"
Kendrix gave another excited nod as she tugged at his sleeve and Stanton nodded, "Very good. I've got another meeting to attend now, but I'll leave you two to put your teams together. The shuttle leaves for the planet at 0900 tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
The next morning, Kai made his way to one of the colony's launch bays where their shuttle was preparing to depart for Oasis. He was dressed in the black and gray combat uniform of the GSA security forces and finished securing his flak armor as he entered the hanger. There to greet him were the two other soldiers on his team: Sergeant Murphy and Corporal Garcia.
As Kai approached, the sergeant snapped to attention and gave a crisp salute, "Lt. Chen, we're ready to depart on your orders, sir."
Kai gave an easy nod as he passed by and headed toward the shuttle, "Thanks Sergeant. Why don't you and Corporal Garcia go help the rest of the science team finish loading their equipment. I'll be along shortly."
The two soldiers saluted again and hurried off to help the science team with their gear. While they did, Kai spotted Kendrix and ambled over with a grin until he caught sight of another familiar face. Standing nearby, Richard Marsh was carrying some instruments sharing another laugh with the Pink Ranger. Like her, he was dressed in the same expedition uniform as the other scientists on the away team.
"Oh Kai! There you are!" Kendrix grinned enthusiastically, "Are you all set to go?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Kai answered trying to give a positive face while turning to face her lab partner, "Rich, nice to see you again. I didn't know you'd be coming along too."
Rich gave a sheepish shrug, "Well, to be honest, neither did I. When Kendrix was put in charge of the research team, she insisted I come along."
"Of course!" Kendrix smiled giving him an affectionate poke in the side, "What good is a brilliant scientist without her assistant right?"
Kai was beginning to feel a little sick, but he didn't show it.
"Excuse me you two. I forgot to go over something with my people," he lied giving a polite nod. "I'll catch up with you when it's time to launch."
As Kai stepped away and navigated past the busy hanger bay crewmen, he circled back around the large shuttle craft, only to run into Mike, Leo, and Maya.
"Everyone... I wasn't expecting to see you," Kai blurted out in surprise as the other Rangers approached, "What are you three doing here?"
"Well, we just thought we'd come to see you off," Mike smiled good naturedly as he strode forward and clapped the Blue Ranger's shoulder.
"I thought you'd be tied up at a staff meeting with Commander Stanton," Kai replied regaining his balance.
"He shuffled his schedule around and went to check up on Engineering first," the older Corbett brother shrugged, "Oh, and since Damon is slaving away at the engines, he wanted me to send his regards too."
Turning to Leo and Maya, Kai gave a questioning look before Leo flashed his trademark devil may care grin, "Maya and I had no particular place to be today, so we figured why not come along?"
Before Kai could respond, Mike slapped his hands down on the Blue Rangers shoulders and addressed him with a grin using his patented older brother tone, "Now Kai, I expect you to play nice with the scientists down there. Look after Kendrix and try to get her back at a reasonable hour too, ok?"
Kai rolled his eyes slightly and gave a sigh while Leo and Maya stifled small laughs nearby. "I can't make any promises Mike, but I'll do my best."
At that, the four Rangers heard the engines of the shuttle begin to warm up as the deck crews started to do their last pre-flight spot checks.
"Better hurry up bud. You're gonna miss the bus," Leo said handing Kai his helmet while Maya gave the Blue Ranger a quick hug goodbye.
"Have fun. We'll see you two in a couple days!" Mike called as Kai strapped his helmet on and gave a wave before hurrying up the shuttle ramp.
Once aboard, he quickly strapped himself into a seat between Troopers Murphy and Garcia. Sitting across from him, Kendrix turned her head and graced him with a friendly smile and a thumbs up.
Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad Kai thought to himself as he returned her smile and thumbs up. Maybe Commander Stanton was also right and a little change of scenery would be good for him too. He's had worse assignments before, but as long as his good friend Kendrix Morgan would be at his side, what's the worst that could really happen, right?
Meanwhile, on the surface of the planet Oasis, a tall insectoid alien stepped out of his shuttle pod and looked about the dense foliage of the forests around him. While a small group of Sting Winger foot soldiers scurried out from behind and began unloading some gear in the warm open air, the praying mantis like alien Mandragoin smiled as he eyed a nearby shrub full of bright pink flowers that were growing all over the area. "Yes. This will be the perfect spot for my next experiment."
Turning to his minions he growled, "Now hurry it up! Queen Trakeena wants results and we're going to give them to her!"
To Be Continued...
A/N:
Poor Kai. I've always felt he was a terribly underrated character in the fandom. According to the Ranger wiki, Kai came from a strict military family but that never really seemed to be addressed much in the show. I figured I'd give his job with the GSA a little more of a military/security officer flavor to be able to explore that part of his life a little more.
