Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Dawn of Primacy: Vergence
-1-
He was falling into a deep pit, below him an eruption of white-hot, burning rock flew up into the air to meet him. In a calm slowness he could see a weapon before him slashing through the stones, reducing them to powder as the twin blades burned with a jade green glow. Then he felt his feet touch down upon the ground, everything was silent as the ground around him cracked and exploded sending more fiery debris into the sky as the ground under him sunk in a circle sloping up from the center.
Through the haze of black dust and burning embers a menacing figure rose from the ground, the tips of his twin swords scraping over the ground sparking with a burning ethereal blue. The hilt of each sword opened in a fanged maw where a dark onyx blade projected out; a ghostly red tendril coiled around the blade like some ghastly tongue. The figure's armor was black as the night and yet within the plate glowing red faces of screaming, tormented people could be seen; ghostly hands seemed to press against the armor as if trying to escape. As he looked up his eyes met those of the towering warrior, two burning fires raged from a slit in the helmet, the only point where the thick plating did not cover him.
The warrior's arms flew wide, spreading his twin swords to either side. His foot moved forward as he began his charge, the thick armor jostled and clanged as the hulking mass of the warrior within shook with each thunderous footfall. As he approached the black sword blades began to close in from either side. In a rush of green light a bladed staff arced in a circle striking the sword on the left from the bottom, knocking it into the air while simultaneously slamming the sword on the right into the ground, tearing a gash into the solid rock beneath their feet.
The world suddenly began to spin as he felt himself turning away from the warrior as one of his legs rose in a wide arc, the heel of his foot striking the center of the warrior's chest. As if suddenly released from the bonds of time the dark warrior flew back at an incredible speed into the rock wall behind him. Rubble and debris flew from the wall seemingly drifting through the air as it spun toward him before passing out of his field of vision.
The warrior pulled himself from the impression in the wall as flecks of stone drifted to the ground calmly as the warrior began to move forward again, black wisps of dust slowly wafting from his form. The swords in his hands slowly rose above his chest as he advanced. The right sword fell first.
The green blades he seemed to control suddenly flared with a radiant jade light, as the faint form of a dragon manifested in a deep forest green for an instant before vanishing. His counterstrike soared up to meet the warrior's first strike as the sword in the warrior's left hand also began its descent toward him. As the shimmering jade blade met with the onyx sword energy arced from the emerald edge across the demon weapon; green energy danced over its surface fracturing the foul sword into thousands of pieces in an instant. The dark blade shattered into tiny slivers that spun through the air as the green flames licked over the surface of each piece as it extinguished. A monstrous roar echoed over the otherwise silent landscape, shaking the walls and causing rocks to tumble down the slopes of the wall.
The other side of his weapon leapt to meet the second blade as it fell toward him. As the two blades connected the second sword shattered in an identical fashion leaving him standing face to face with the dark warrior in a shower of black shards. Another loud roar reverberated through the air as the thousands of tiny shards vibrated in resonance.
The staff suddenly vanished from his hands as he drew his arms into his chest, curling his hands into fists, before thrusting them forward into the chest of the dark warrior. As his fists connected there was an explosion of green light from the point of impact as a shockwave rippled through the air distorting it. Dust and small stones flew from the impact point as a heavy wind swept over the ground causing the white flames all around to rage outward.
In a flash the dark warrior disappeared into the side of the rock face once more as dust and stone flew out in all directions slowly expanding into the air. Slowly, as the black haze consumed him, the warrior began to pull himself from the wall. Dust rose from his body like an ominous black cloud. The warrior regarded his destroyed weapon for what seemed like minutes before casting them aside.
As the weapons slowly spun to the ground he could see his hand raise, his fingers curling toward himself in a challenge.
"You think you've won?" The warrior said; his deep booming voice shaking the ground as his fiery eyes burned into the depth of his soul. The warrior laughed sending a chill down his spine. "Without my sword you will have no hope of a quick death. Now witness true power; despair, and die."
The warrior began to move forward again, his footfalls ringing like thunder. He moved to strike the warrior, his leg slowly rising in the wide arc of a roundhouse. Suddenly, in a flash the warrior had moved. The dark figure now stood alongside him and held his leg against his chest with a single arm. Then in an instant his other arm had left his side, the fist appearing against his chest.
He suddenly found himself in darkness, the hard, cold feeling of stone beneath his body was the first sensation he noticed. In a near lucid state he began to move forward toward the faint light before him. His whole body strained as if unwilling to move yet somehow he managed to pull himself forward, his feet sliding over the edge of a cliff as he fell forward onto firm ground trying to stay on his feet.
He lifted his gaze looking around, trying to take in where he was when he suddenly caught a flash in the distance as a dark object vanished into a rapidly expanding void; he had only the faintest impression of an armored fist consuming his field of vision before everything went black.
Joshua Raine awoke suddenly, sitting up in bed. His pale face was streaked with sweat that ran down his neck and over his well developed chest. He inhaled deeply as he brought his breathing under control, the once vivid details of his nightmare fading quickly into a haze of vague impressions. He glanced to his left as he heard a quiet sigh.
Kimberly rolled onto her side facing away from him, apparently still asleep as the soft, veiled morning light streaked over her face. Josh glanced over at the clock, it was nearly seven. Josh carefully kicked his feet out to the side and sat on the edge of the bed. As the images in his mind continued to wash away along with his lucid state he twisted the gold band on his left hand as he looked nostalgically at it for a moment before glancing back over his shoulder at Kimberly with a smile. Rising from the bed slowly he removed his pajama bottoms and took a pair of khaki shorts that were folded over a chair near the bed and put them on.
Without a sound he opened the door into the hallway and slipped out of the room closing the door behind him. While his ears had perceived no noise in his actions, the sound of the dog stirring in the kitchen revealed otherwise. As he walked down the hall toward the living room he could hear the excited steps of their Golden Retriever, Hailey, as she made her way out of the kitchen to meet him. The dog emerged around the corner, her tail wagging back and forth as she quickly made her way to Josh's side pressing up against his right leg.
"Morning girl," Josh whispered as he scratched the top of Hailey's head.
Hailey licked her lips as she pressed her cold nose against the side of Josh's abdomen. Josh's hand slid down the side of the dog's head as he scratched her behind the ears while he looked around the room for his sweatshirt. Spotting it draped over the corner of the couch he proceeded across the room toward it, the dog following closely at his side, her tags clanging together softly as she went. The coolness of the hardwood floor against his feet was refreshing, helping to ease the faint shadows that still dwelt among the cobwebs in his mind.
As he passed through the living room he paused for a moment glancing into the display case on the back wall. Inside were the gold medals he and Kimberly had both won in the Pan Global games. Below the medals were various trophies and medals they had received from various competitions along with several items from Josh's Muay Tai fights in the underground rings of Bangkok. Josh's gaze rose to the top of the display where his Ultimate Fighting Championship Belt hung above it all. Hailey rubbed her nose against his leg bringing him back from his thoughts.
"Right," he whispered rubbing Hailey's head. "No living in the past, have to keep moving forward."
He moved quickly across the room and plucked the sleeveless sweatshirt from the couch and pulled it on before wandering into the kitchen. With a yawn he opened a low cupboard and pulled a large plastic bin from the space and opened it. Reaching in, he scooped up a small amount of dog food into a cup and poured it into Hailey's bowl. As Hailey quickly began devouring her morning meal Josh closed the bin and slid it back into the cupboard.
Going to the sink he pulled a small mug from the left cabinet and filled it with water. Proceeding to another cabinet he passed by the microwave and placed his cup inside to heat. As the hum of the microwave's fan droned on Josh began rummaging through the cabinet through several boxes of tea before selecting a Green Tea bag from one of the boxes and wandering back toward the microwave.
Stretching his arms out to his sides he began to lean forward, bringing his arms in as he placed his elbow on the counter and stared hazily at the digital display on the microwave as he watched the timer countdown. When the counter reached one he opened the door to avoid hearing the tone and pressed the 'cancel' button as he retrieved his cup. Dropping the tea bag in the cup Josh headed toward the back door as he bobbed the bag in his cup.
Hailey turned away from the small amount of food still left in her dish and followed after him as he slid his feet into a black pair of sandals and opened the door. The wash of salty sea air immediately rushed into his lungs revitalizing his body as he inhaled deeply. Hailey squeezed passed him into the yard through the opening, ignoring the dog door. The morning fog still hung in the air painting the sky in a light gray as the gentle roar of the crashing waves danced up to greet him.
Josh began to walk toward the end of the yard, where Hailey already stood waiting by the gate. As Josh lifted the latch the dog quickly slid through before he could finish opening the gate. As he stepped out of his yard he was greeted by the rocky steps that led down the cliff face to the sandy beach below. Josh took a moment to enjoy the view as Hailey eagerly scampered down the stairs. Raising his cup to his lips he blew across the surface of the tea before taking a sip.
"Looks like it will be a beautiful day," he uttered to himself as he began to descend down the steps.
Kimberly Raine opened her eyes as she gazed toward the faded light that filtered in through the blinds; Josh's side of the bed way already empty. Kimberly rubbed her eyes as she glanced over at the clock; it was about a quarter passed seven. He was probably down on the beach practicing his Tai Chi. With a yawn Kimberly sat up and turned toward the edge of the bed. Grabbing a small band from the nightstand she pulled part of the sides of her hair back in a small ponytail leaving the rest hanging freely and got up. Discarding her nightie, she pulled on a pair of white cloth shorts and a pink hoodie and headed out of the room.
"Hailey, you here girl?" She called as she entered the living room, there was no response.
She must be out with Josh. Kimberly wandered into the kitchen and went through her morning ritual of getting a cup of tea. She had never been much of a tea drinker in the past, but with Josh's constant use of tea, a habit he had learned growing up in Japan and China, she had found herself learning to appreciate the finer points of the different varieties. As the microwave toned, indicating the water was ready Kimberly removed her cup and submersed her tea bag as she walked back into the living room. Placing her cup on the table she sat down on the couch curling into a ball in the corner as she allowed herself to slowly awaken.
As her eyes drifted around the room her gaze came to rest on several pictures from their wedding hanging on the wall. A smile crossed her face as she became lost in the smiles they both wore as they stood on the altar together, their first day as a married couple, and now, in less than a week they would be celebrating their first anniversary together.
Then out the corner of her eye she caught sight of the trophy case. As her focus changed her eyes wandered down from the UFC Belt to their gold medal before coming to a rest on a rolled ball of rope in a glass box. The rope was frayed in places and had small fragments of broken glass protruding from its form. Kimberly regarded the oddity with a mixture of happiness and unpleasantness. While in her eyes it was the greatest trophy present she shuttered when she thought of that day that had created it.
Snapping herself from her thoughts Kimberly reached down and took her cup and had a sip of her tea. As the warm liquid flowed into her she could feel its warmth radiating out through her body. Slowly she began unfolding, like the blossoming of a flower in the morning sun. After a few moments Kimberly placed her feet down on the floor and stood up. Walking into the kitchen she slid her feet into a pair of flip-flops and exited into the backyard.
As the sights, sounds, and smell of the ocean played across her senses she noticed the back gate was open. Walking across the yard on the stepping stones that lead from the back door to the gate she pulled the wooden door back and stepped out onto the rocky ledge overlooking the beach.
Down below she could see Joshua practicing his Tai Chi. His graceful movements flowing in harmony with the tide as if he were one with the ocean itself. Beyond him Hailey played along the waterline chasing after Seagulls and various objects caught in the surf. Kimberly smiled as she paused, enjoying the moment. Finally she began to descend the steps toward the beach. As she neared the bottom Josh caught sight of her, his calm composure giving way to a smile as he closed up his kata a few moves short. He began to walk toward her.
"You don't need to stop just because of me," she said as she placed her cup down next to his and removed her flip-flops placing them on top of his sandals.
"My Tai Chi can wait, nothing's more important than you," Joshua replied placing his arms around her. His right hand rose and caressed her cheek as he looked deep into her brown eyes.
"What about maintaining your discipline?" she teased pressing against him.
"Having discipline means knowing what's truly important," he replied tenderly kissing her lips, his hand running back through her hair.
Kimberly melted in his embrace, her whole world swallowed up in his love for her. Joshua drew her in as their kiss ended; she buried her head in his chest, his chin resting on her head. Kimberly let out a deep breath as her body relaxed. Her shoulder length hair was blowing in the wind. Hailey, feeling left out, ran over to the couple and pressed up against them whimpering slightly. Kimberly reached down and scratched her behind the ears.
"What's wrong Hailey?" Kimberly said playfully, "Are you jealous?"
Josh released Kimberly and sat down in the sand as he guided her down in front of himself between his raised knees. His hands grasping hers; their fingers interlaced as he placed his arms around hers and closed them around her waist. His face was next to hers as the two stared out at the waves. Kimberly could hear his heart beating, the steady rhythm holding with the ebb and flow of the tide, even his breathing harmonized with the flow of the ocean, nowhere could be more peaceful. Hailey sat down next to them watching them closely.
"So is everything alright?" Kimberly asked. "You were already gone when I woke up this morning."
"I had that nightmare again," Josh replied.
"I'm sorry," Kimberly replied turning her head slightly and kissing his cheek. "You alright now?" she asked.
"Yeah," Josh sighed. "It's like all the other times, it fades so quickly when I wake up, but it feels so real, like it actually happened."
"Maybe you should go see someone?" Kimberly suggested.
"No," Josh sighed. "I'll get it sorted out; it's only been six months."
"I know," Kimberly replied. "I just don't like seeing you upset by this."
"It'll be okay," Josh said giving her a squeeze.
Hailey moved in and licked the side of Josh's face.
"Ah, Hailey, quit it," Josh said as he moved his head away.
"See, she wants you to be happy too," Kimberly said.
"If things get worse I'll go see someone," Josh replied. "I promise."
"Okay," Kimberly conceded. "Are you ready for breakfast then?"
"Maybe in a little bit, right now I just want this moment to last."
"Okay," Kimberly replied in a whisper as she leaned her head against his cheek. "We can stay here as long as you want."
There was an uneasy silence in the room as the members of Time Force sat around the massive conference table awaiting the arrival of the remaining members. Opposite the door, in a black command uniform, was Director Paul Westcott, an elderly man with strong facial features, piercing blue eyes, and thick silver hair. To his right was SRD Director Alex Davis and to his left Captain Tyler Logan also adorned in their command uniforms. Next to Alex, Jen was seated along with Lucas and Katie, each one looking a little nervous with the suddenness of this meeting; other Time Force Operatives and Personnel were seated around the table each looking on with unease as they waited for the Director to begin the meeting. Beyond the table were a large number of stadium seats in quarter circles in each corner behind railing where other interested parties talked quietly among themselves.
Finally the door slid open as the final team of Time Force Operatives entered the room quietly taking their seats. The Director looked around those assembled for a moment as he cleared his throat and prepared to speak.
"Now that we're all here we can begin the meeting," the Director said, his strong voice carrying across the room even without the amplification system. "As many of you know nearly six years ago we received a communication from the Quantum Ranger, Tommy Oliver in the year nineteen ninety-six."
There was a faint rumbling around the table and in the seats around the periphery as comments were made in hushed tones.
"Play recording," Director Westcott said.
The center of the table lit up as a holographic image was displayed; the lights around the conference room dimming for better clarity. The display flickered as an image materialized. The static was heavy and only the faint silhouette of a Ranger in red was perceivable.
"I think I got it," Trip's voice came from somewhere out of frame.
The picture cleared. The image of the Quantum Ranger loomed in the picture. Behind him, shining in the bright daylight, were several black mounds rising from the sand covered ground like ant hills. To his left the remains of a wall were still visible, likely the interior of the Time Shadow, the armored surface shredded as if by claws.
"Greetings," the Quantum Ranger began. "My name is Tommy Oliver, behind me are the remains of Angel Grove, California in the year nineteen ninety-six,"
A few people gasped, those who had not seen this footage were shocked at what they were seeing. Suddenly several large insect-like creatures dropped into the background amid the loud buzzing of their rapidly moving wings. Rangers in Red, Blue, and Pink from the early Zordonic Era rushed in, their weapons manifesting in bright flashes of light as they quickly dispatched the insects; their twitching forms falling to the ground as they were speared through by blades and arrows.
"We can't stay here, Tommy!" the one in red shouted.
"As you can see, we have a problem," Tommy said.
"Oh my god, what is that!?!" a woman's voice shouted out of frame as Tommy turned to look.
"We are leaving!" the Red Ranger shouted. "Tommy!"
The Quantum Ranger glanced back at the screen for a moment as several Rangers moved through the frame in a blur of colors, the display catching several images as stills and displaying them to the left of the image, the stills showed two blurry Rangers in green and another highly distorted image of one in white, before he started to race off in the same direction. The screen suddenly grew dark as a shadow moved over their location. Tommy froze for a second staring up at something; then in a flash something plowed through his location, the display reverting to static. The image vanished as the lights came back up in the room.
"Now as I'm sure you're all aware the events you have just seen never took place in our timeline." The Director continued. "However, they did take place, and that fact is the reason for this conference today. I will now turn this over to our Special Research and Development Director Alex Davis. Alex?"
"Thank you," Alex replied rising from his seat as he held out a gloved hand toward the center display. The lights dimmed slightly as an image flickered to life showing an azure line running through Quantum Space. "As I'm sure you are aware this is an illustration of the timeline for our dimensional existence as theorized by the late Professor Trent Mansfield. However, we have a problem in the model." Alex said as his hand moved, the image shifting in response, zooming in on a small section where a second crimson line appeared, overlapping the azure line for a short distance before diverging to the left of the main timeline. "We have discovered a quantum event of temporal significance; an enormous influx of quantum energy from another dimensional plane that has intersected our own. Rather than altering the existing timeline as Doctor Mansfield had originally proposed however, it has formed a separate continuity, a parallel universe where, after nineteen sixty-four on March twenty-sixth, events unfold in a manner that is radically different from our own history. You have a question Doctor Stanton?" Alex asked acknowledging the green glow that illuminated the surface of the man's table section.
"I am curious about the overlap shown here between the two universes." He replied.
"The overlap is representative of a period in which the quantum anomaly was dormant, a period of nearly two years before it was discovered. Until that time the quantum energy was unused."
A table section lit green.
"Doctor Landon," Alex responded.
"I understand that we have a Time Force operative already present in this universe?"
"Yes, possibly several of our technicians as well," Alex replied. "When this anomaly was first discovered, we launched the Time Shadow through the gate, sending Trip Renhis, along with several technical personnel, and Circuit, an AI, into the past."
"Right," the Doctor replied trying to get to his point. "I was curious how these individuals ended up in this alternate universe rather than in our past?"
"While we can't be certain," Alex began as the display shifted to show a shift in the Time Shadow's movement through the quantum universe. "We believe that the quantum tunnel, created when the Time Shadow entered the gate, intersected the parallel universe, which at the time was unmapped, creating a dimensional shift, as was theorized by the late Doctor Aaralyn Kalin. However, because the shift occurred we can not access data from the Time Shadow's main frame to support this."
Another green glow emanated from another part of the table.
"Commander Fitzue," Alex acknowledged.
"You said a minute ago this quantum energy was dormant until it was discovered, by whom was it discovered?" he asked.
"We don't know," Alex replied; a growing number of comments began circulating in the room. "Since our first transmission six years ago we have been unable to reestablish contact with the parallel universe." He said drowning out the conversation. "Most of what we do know is from sensor data and quantum telemetry we acquired during the point of contact."
Another question.
"Yes, Doctor Kincaid?"
"So you know where this parallel universe is located in Quantum Space?" she asked.
"Yes Doctor," Alex replied. "And we have been able to establish a temporal anchor point within this universe, but therein lies the problem."
The image shifted up the line, showing a point where the crimson line began to fade until in vanished entirely. A low rumble spread around the room as several table sections lit up. Alex raised his hands getting silence from the room.
"On June twenty-second in the year thirty sixteen the parallel universe will no longer have enough Quantum Potential to sustain itself and the universe will collapse."
The green glow from various table sections extinguished leaving a single point lit.
"Mr. Kendall?" Alex asked.
"So we have only a limited amount of time to rescue Trip?" Lucas asked.
"I'm afraid it is more serious than that." Alex replied as the image shifted again. "Given our studies of other Quantum Events and other dimensions within Quantum Space at the point it collapses, in a little more than eight years, it is ninety-eight percent likely that its destruction will result in temporary Quantum Instability, a sort of Quantum Black Hole, consuming our universe in the process."
The room fell silent as the faces of many in the room turned white. After a moment a single table section glowed green.
"Doctor Causden?"
"What are we going to do about it?" He asked.
"That is what we are here to discuss," Alex replied as he raised his hand, the image on the display shifting.
Josh was sitting on the couch watching the news. Kimberly was curled up beside him, her fingers laced around his left hand as she rested her head against his shoulder. The fog that had blanketed the sky early that morning had long since burned away, streaking the floor with warm sunlight. Hailey was lying on the floor at Josh's feet basking in the sun as her tail swept back and forth across the hardwood floor.
"This week has seen more difficulties for the Mirinoi colony and Terra Venture Project as several cargo ships were attacked and destroyed." The anchor woman began. "The ships were apparently carrying medical supplies and machinery for the construction of Earth's first off world colony. Director of the Terra Venture Project, James Lindower had this to say at a press conference held yesterday,"
The image switched over to a middle-aged man in a black suit standing behind a podium in a large room. Behind him was the seal of the Terra Venture Project, the golden wire globe over which an image of the mobile space colony was placed, wreathed at the bottom by olive branches.
"Every effort is being made to stop these raids and establish safe shipping lanes to Mirinoi. After talking over the matter with Commander Renier we have contacted the Karovans and have asked them for aid in escorting future shipments while we work on a more permanent solution."
"And what would that be?" A man asked out in the audience.
"We, along with many world leaders, are currently in negotiations with representatives from Space Patrol Delta to establish a base here on Earth that would allow a greater degree of protection. If successful we would have access to the resources needed to safe guard our shipping lanes." Director Lindower replied.
"I was under the impression we were already allied with SPD?" A woman asked.
"While we have cooperated with them, providing research personnel in the past, we have not, at this time, entered into a formal alliance with SPD."
"And why is that?" another man asked.
"I have no comment on that at this time," the Director replied. "I have time for one more question."
"Do we have another plan if things with SPD do not work out?" another man asked.
"We are currently exploring other options." The Director replied. "Former Directors of the Lightspeed Rescue Project are reorganizing the group into the Lightspeed Defense Force. We are confident that if things can not be resolved with SPD that the LSDF will be a viable option for protecting our transports. Currently their scientists are working diligently to refit existing equipment for use in space. Now, if you'll excuse me I have pressing matters to attend to, thank you for your time," the Director replied walking off the stage.
The image shifted back to the news room.
"As an update to our report we have confirmation that Andros along with his team of Space Rangers will be dispatched with their space gliders to guard the relief transports that are being prepared to supply some of the more crucial items lost in the attack. However, the Karovans have stated that the first ship of their new defense fleet will not be completed until later this year, Charlie?" the anchor woman replied turning to her co-anchor.
"Thanks Renae." Charlie began. "In news hitting closer to home it has been almost one year since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center which destroyed both towers. Plans are under way for the memorial service next month…"
Josh turned off the television.
"It's hard to imagine we could be expanding onto other worlds and still have so many problems here." Kimberly said.
"I think everyone has lost focus on the world's problems," Josh replied. "Ever since the invasion by Astronema in Angel Grove a few years back people have been more interested in space exploration and planetary defense than what's going on here."
"Not everyone," Kimberly replied.
"I know, but it seems like the majority have gone that way. And no one seems to care that we didn't get there on our own, that this is all happening because we took shortcuts. They built Terra Venture from the remains of Astronema's space base, and even borrowed technical expertise from K-O-Thirty-Five in exchange for supplies."
"Some people just want things quick and easy."
"But it never lasts," Josh replied. "When you build on a foundation without understanding it you might get results in the short run, but someday that lack of knowledge is going to come back and destroy everything you've built. It's like those guys over in Silver Hills last year, they developed some new power source with technology from the future and nearly wiped out the whole world." Josh sighed. "Of course we've needed the help just to survive, if it weren't for the various Power Rangers that have protected Earth other the years the world would have ended before we ever met."
"Yeah," Kimberly said kissing his cheek. "So quit complaining." she teased.
"I'm sorry," he said turning toward her and touching his forehead to hers. "I didn't mean to get caught up in this, it's not my fight."
"No it's not," Kimberly said in playful voice as she quickly kissed his lips.
Suddenly the phone rang. Kimberly got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen.
"You expecting a call?" Josh asked looking over the couch.
"No," she replied with a smile. "Just hoping to find out what you've got planned for the twenty-forth."
"Well, good luck with that," Josh said getting up from the couch.
Hailey immediately stirred and followed after him as Kimberly picked up the phone.
"Hello, Raine residence," she said with a grin.
"Kim?" the woman on the other end asked.
"Trini?" Kimberly replied in delighted shocked. "How are you? I haven't seen you since our wedding."
"Tell Trini I said hi," Josh said wandering out into the backyard, the dog sliding through the door after him.
"Josh says hi," Kimberly said cutting off Trini as she began to speak.
"Tell him I said hi too," Trini replied with a laugh. "To answer your question, I've been good, things at the UN have been a little hectic lately."
"Oh, I know," Kimberly replied. "We just saw something about the whole SPD thing on the news."
"It's a little more tense than they make it out to be," Trini replied.
"Always is," Kimberly agreed. "So how do you like working there?"
"It's great," she replied. "I'm really getting a lot of experience out of it; maybe someday I'll actually be the representative to the UN."
"So you think you're going to continue working in politics?"
"I think so," she replied. "I really enjoy it, and next to being a Ranger it's the most satisfying work I've done. So how are you doing?"
"Great," she replied. "Six more days until our first anniversary, I have no idea what he has planned, but he's up to something."
"Have you told him about your past as a Ranger yet?" Trini asked.
"Not, quiet yet…" Kimberly replied.
Kimberly knew that she would have to discuss it someday, but it was a tricky subject to bring up. She wasn't sure how she expected Josh to react to it, but she felt a little guilty revealing it, even to him. Zordon had made them promise that their identities would remain a secret, and with Zordon's sacrifice to stop Dark Specter's assault several years ago she didn't want to betray that promise; to her it had become a way of honoring his memory. He had been more of a father to her than her own father and she had taken the news hard when she heard it. His death had been made even more difficult by the fact that she couldn't talk to Josh about it. It had been a strain on their relationship, but fortunately Josh had remained as understanding as ever and they had managed to work through it.
"He's going to find out someday," Trini replied interrupting her thoughts.
"I know," Kimberly replied. "I just want to keep the promise I made to Zordon."
"I know," Trini said, her voice suddenly becoming sympathetic. "But I don't think Zordon would have wanted this to cause you to hold something back from your husband."
"You're right," Kimberly sighed. "After all I heard Billy told his parents everything before he went to that aqua planet."
Trini laughed a little.
"I guess I still feel a little guilty, like, maybe, I could have done something if I hadn't left," she said. "Maybe things would have worked out differently."
"You know he would never have wanted you to stay even if he knew this would have happened." Trini said. "He was always more interested in our personal growth than anything, he would have never wanted you to miss out on the opportunities you've had. He was proud of you, proud of all of us."
"I know," Kimberly said, her eyes glistening a little. "But I still miss him; I can't believe he's gone."
"I miss him too," Trini replied.
There was a moment of silence between them as Kimberly composed herself.
"I sorry," she said. "I got so caught up I didn't even ask what you called about."
"It's okay," Trini replied. "I actually called to wish you a happy anniversary, we're going to be really busy for a while here and I wasn't sure I'd have time next week."
"Thanks Trini," she replied.
"Oh, looks like I need to get going Kim, I'll call you again when things calm down and we can catch up. Have a great anniversary!"
"Okay, bye Trini,"
"Bye,"
Kimberly hung up the phone and walked back over to the couch and sunk down into the soft cushions. Trini was right; she was going to have to tell Josh, Zordon would have wanted her too. Her dilemma now was how to tell him. It wasn't a simple matter to just tell him she had been a Power Ranger, or was it? Was she complicating it too much? Josh would understand after all, it would be a little shocking, but would it really surprise him that much?
"Okay, calm down Kim, you're thinking too much here," she said as she leaned her head back looking toward the ceiling with a sigh.
She should just tell him, the direct approach was probably her best bet. He had always been understanding, always. Her eyes closed as her mind began to drift back.
Kimberly wandered out into the living room of her apartment, her eyes still partly closed as she meandered through the room into the kitchen, oblivious to the flashing red light on her answering machine. The past few days had been incredibly stressful. After months of random attacks in Angel Grove as a new team of Rangers had battled against an alien threat, Astronema, a minion of Dark Specter had launched an all out attack on the planet the day after Thanksgiving. The magnitude of the attack had caught most of the world completely off guard and in less than a day the militaries of almost every nation had been devastated and huge sections of many of the major cities had been left in ruins.
Having spent Thanksgiving with Josh and his parents she had been forced to take refuge with them in the basement where they had supplies and a reinforced bunker to deal with hurricanes during the attacks. While she was glad to have Josh close during the crisis, the time spent in the shelter, short as it was, had been hard. Even when the danger had passed she had been unable to return home for several days until law enforcement had made a sweep of the city, and even then Josh had gone with her just in case. Luckily, Orlando hadn't been hit as hard as other cities and she was glad to see her apartment was undamaged. Things were still settling down, but at least her life could get back to a semi-normal state.
In retrospect the only good things had been that with the suddenness of the attacks and the scale at which they were waged had meant that most of Earth's military equipment had been destroyed before the armies of the world could mobilize leaving many more survivors than would have been the case otherwise, still the death toll was in the millions worldwide.
Fortunately, the Power Rangers had managed to end the conflict the following day, somehow employing a weapon that had annihilated the enemy on a global scale. Though things remained hectic for several days after in which communications were being restored and telephone systems were overloaded with calls of people trying to get in touch with family.
Angel Grove had received the worst of the attack and Kimberly had thought it was strange that so much chaos should fall on a single city. It seemed ever since she and her friends were assembled by Zordon to fight Rita, Angel Grove had faced one threat after another.
Kimberly sleepily pulled the coffee pot from the coffee maker and poured the dark liquid into a mug, the thick aroma rising and filling her senses with a warm, rich, sensation. Returning the coffee pot to its place she stumbled back into the living room and sat down on the couch placing her mug on the table. She picked up the remote and turned on the television.
The glossy black surface of the television vanished in a wash of color as the sound quickly came up to volume. The picture was still grainy and randomly distorted as the remaining satellites were burdened by all the data now being routed through them. Kimberly picked up her coffee and wrapped her hands around it as she curled up on the couch.
"…And relief efforts continue here in Angel Grove as any available aide continues to pour in from other nations to help with the clean up effort." The man said. "Back to you in the studios,"
"Thanks Phil," the newscaster replied as he organized some papers in front of him before looking aside to his co-anchor. "And of course Angel Grove, the hardest hit in this latest disaster."
"This attack was probably the worst in the city's long history of threats from extraterrestrial beings." the co-anchor replied as she checked the card for her next story. "In a related story it seems that some information has been released concerning the abrupt end to the attack a little over one week ago. Government officials have stated that it was the sacrifice of an alien being known only as Zordon that ended the attack Saturday afternoon."
Kimberly suddenly sprang from the couch, her mug falling from her hands onto the floor as coffee splattered across the carpet staining it a deep brown.
"No," escaped her mouth in a whisper as she grabbed the remote and turned the volume up.
"In his death a powerful burst of energy was released eliminating the enemy forces. In related news, it has now been publicized that it was this same individual who assembled the original Power Rangers that repelled Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd years ago. It is unknown if the six individuals who were sighted in Angel Grove during the final battle with Astronema's forces are the same Power Rangers who have defended Earth for the later part of this decade. But, our heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to these heroes as well as Zordon and those of his race for his heroic sacrifice to save our world…"
Kimberly hit the power button, the screen collapsing into a single point of light before fading as she sunk onto the couch, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her stomach tightened as her sobs became more pronounced before she fell onto her side curling her body into a ball as she buried her head in a cushion and cried.
After nearly half an hour Kimberly slowly pulled herself from the couch, wiping away the remaining dampness from her bloodshot eyes as she walked toward the phone, noticing the red light flashing for the first time, its glow blurred by her watery eyes. Slumping over the counter she pressed the play button as she watched a single tear fall from her eye and splash on the countertop.
"Kim," It was Jason's voice, he was speaking softly. "I don't know if you heard what happened yet or not, but we," there was a pause. "We lost someone very important to us all." There was another pause as Jason sighed; Kimberly closed her eyes as new tears streaked down her face. "Look, I talked to some of the guys, and we were going to have a memorial next week. Give me a call when you get this, bye Kim," The machine beeped and relayed the time the message had been received early that morning.
Several days later Kimberly found herself packing for her trip. The plan was to fly in to Sacramento Airport in California and meet with the Space Rangers, and from there head to the site of the old Command Center. A lot had happened since she had left, she hadn't even heard that the Command Center had been destroyed or that Zordon had left Earth to return to Eltar not long after she had last seen him. Apparently the current team of Rangers had been created after Zordon had departed and so nearly none of them had known Zordon. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Kimberly?" she heard his voice as the door opened.
"I'm back here," she replied, wishing she could have left town without having this discussion. "I'm just finishing up packing."
Josh had been very sweet during this time, but that had also been the problem. Spending time with him she had already said too much. She had told him that someone she was very close to had died in the Angel Grove attack, a mentor and friend, someone who had been like a father to her. The issue had come when Josh had offered to go with her. Growing up in a culture where Shinto had been the primary religion, he saw paying honor to the dead as an important matter and wanted to honor this friend who had been so important to her. At first she had simply excused him, mistakenly thinking he was offering to go if she wanted him there, but she quickly realized with all Zordon had contributed to her life Josh wanted to go to honor him personally. That was where things had gotten awkward. Their phone call last night had ended poorly, Kimberly knew it was partly her fault, she didn't know what to say to him without lying and she couldn't bring herself to do that, which only made her more frustrated with the situation.
"Are you okay?" Josh asked coming down the hall toward her room. "What's going on?"
"Nothing, I'm just going to a funeral with some old friends," Kimberly replied trying to avoid the real issue.
"I know that," Josh replied masking his annoyance. "I just don't understand why you don't want me to go with you."
"It's complicated," Kimberly said with a sigh looking down at her suitcase.
"I don't like that you can't trust me with this," Josh said, his tone betraying the pain he was feeling. "I get that you don't want to talk about it, I just don't understand why you don't want to talk about it."
"It's not that I don't trust you," Kimberly said meeting his stare. "It's just…"
"Complicated," Josh replied finishing her sentence, he sighed as there was a moment of silence between them. "Does this have anything to do with that trip out to Angel Grove about two years back?"
"Please, don't press me on this," Kimberly replied, her voice shaking a little. "I don't want to lie to you, but I can't explain what's going on."
"I just don't get it," Josh said with a sigh. "If this man was so important why all the secrecy?"
"Call it what you want," Kimberly said tears starting to form as her voice strained. "We all had a special bond, and I made a promise to never talk about certain things outside of this group. You talk about honor and discipline all the time, well what about me? Should I betray things I was entrusted with simply because you want to know?!"
Josh stepped back for a moment as Kimberly finished her venting. He lowered his head as he contemplated her words.
"I'm sorry," she said suddenly apologetic as she reached a hand out placing it on his arm. "I didn't mean to snap at you."
"No," Josh replied reaching over and taking her hand. "I'm sorry, you're right, I might not understand, but I can't ask you to betray the trust of someone else, I hope someday you'll be able to tell me," his head rose and their eyes met. Kimberly could see that this concession hurt him deeply, but he was willing to make it for her. "But if not, I guess it's something I'm going to have to learn to live with."
"Thank you," Kimberly mouthed; her words barely audible.
Josh leaned forward and kissed her lips, the two of them stepping into an embrace as Kimberly rested her head against his chest.
"Do you know when you'll be back?" Josh asked, his tone a hushed whisper.
"In a couple days," Kimberly replied.
"I hope everything goes well, call me when you get back, okay?" Josh said as the two parted.
"I will," Kimberly replied as she let go of Josh's hand.
Josh forced a smile and turned toward the door leaving the room.
"Josh?" Kimberly said suddenly.
"Yeah?" Josh replied turning to face her.
"Thank you for understanding, and for being there for me this last week, I'd still be a wreak if it weren't for you." She said with a smile.
"Anytime," Josh replied as he turned to leave.
Kimberly sank onto the bed as she listened to his footsteps proceeding toward the front door before she heard the door open and then close again. She folded her hands in her lap and looked down at the floor for a moment, what should she do? This was so complicated.
"So how's Trini doing?" Josh asked coming back into the house disrupting Kimberly's thoughts.
"Fine," she replied quickly. "Busy, but fine. She said to say 'hi' and called to wish us a happy anniversary."
Josh smiled. "So is she enjoying her work at the UN?"
"Yeah," Kimberly replied. "She said she might stay in politics permanently." Kimberly paused for a moment. "There's something I need to talk to you about."
"What's that?" Josh asked washing his hands in the sink.
"I think you might want to sit down for this."
Josh dried his hands, a look of concern crossing his face. "What's going on?" he asked quickly coming into the living room and sitting down on the couch next to her.
"Do you remember, I guess it was four years ago, when my old mentor died and I flew out to California for a few days?"
"Yes," Josh replied, his look changing to a quizzical expression. "What's this all about?"
"It's about what I couldn't tell you then." Kimberly paused, Josh was focused on her. "My mentor, his name was Zordon and I was one of the original Power Rangers."
Josh sat there for a moment in stunned silence, his eyes shifting back and forth as if piecing this new information into some elaborate jigsaw puzzle.
Kimberly decided to give him a little more information. "When I was selected to protect the Earth Zordon told us there were three conditions, we could never use our powers for personal gain, we could never escalate a battle, and lastly we were not allowed to let anyone know we were Power Rangers. Even when I stopped being a Ranger, I guess I felt like I shouldn't reveal that to anyone, and then after Zordon died, I just felt too guilty to tell you, I didn't want to betray his memory."
Josh continued to look at her; she couldn't tell what was going through his mind.
"Say something," she pleaded feeling a little awkward.
"So which Ranger were you?"
"The pink one," she replied with a smile.
"So I married the Pink Ranger?" Josh asked.
"Yeah, you did," Kimberly replied with a nod.
"Wow," Josh replied leaning back against the couch, his head rolling back onto the cushion as he stared up at the ceiling.
"Are you upset that I didn't tell you earlier?" she asked.
"No," Josh replied. "It's just a lot to take in. I'm glad you finally told me though, it's just… I never expected it to be something this huge."
"I'm glad I can finally talk to you about this too," Kimberly said pressing up against him and wrapping an arm around his chest. Josh slid an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in tight against his body.
"I'm going to need a minute," Josh replied pulling his head up and looking down into her eyes. "And then I'm going to have a lot of questions."
Alex headed across the large hanger in his black, command uniform. A Morpher was strapped to his wrist. Behind him Jen, Lucas, and Katie followed closely in their Time Force Uniforms, quickly shackling their Morphers to their wrists.
Before them was a dark form looming in the hanger, a large aircraft bearing a small resemblance to the former Time Shadow. Lights from the deck illuminated a section of the hull that read "TF-M0216-C-MK2" in small block letters below which, in large, silver, industrial letters, was written "Time Shadow Mark II". The ship was an advanced prototype, combining several experimental technologies into its streamlined frame. While it retained its basic shape as a flying wing, the lower pylons had been raised into the body of the ship giving it a thinner profile from the front and sides while the overall length from wing tip to wing tip had been increased. Thick rounded engines projected from the back of the ship, the cooling vents pulsating with an eerie purple light. In the center of the craft was a large elliptical protrusion that seemed to run through the whole of the ship from top to bottom just behind the bridge. The entire vessel was painted a subtle mix of black and midnight blue, further adding to the craft's ominous appearance.
"This is the next generation of Time Force Time Ships, the Time Shadow Mark Two, codenamed the 'Chronos Black'." Alex announced, his voice betraying no small amount of pride in the project.
"How long have you been working on this?" Lucas asked starring at the vessel, his mouth slightly agape.
"It was part of the Chrono Storm project originally," Alex replied. "But after several set backs its development was dropped in favor of a more practical solution."
"So we're taking it?" Katie asked.
"It stealth capabilities will be an asset and it is also equipped with an experimental quantum drive allowing the Chronos Black to generate its own quantum tunnel."
"You're saying this ship can travel through time on its own?" Jen asked.
"Correct," Alex replied as the group began moving around the side of the ship toward the concealed loading ramp.
"Then why was it dropped from the Chrono Storm project?" Lucas asked.
"Because of the mass restrictions," Alex replied.
As the group turned the corner of the ship several heavily armored soldiers abruptly came to attention shouldering their large rifles. Their armor consisted of heavy black plate over a royal blue flex-suit underneath. The Time Force emblem was printed on the forehead and left breast in a dull gold. A faint green light played back and forth behind the gloss black visors.
Alex walked down their ranks looking each man over as Jen, Katie, and Lucas stood back a little bewildered. As Alex finished his inspection he nodded his approval to the first soldier in line, a solitary, thin, red stripe running halfway down the left side of his helmet.
"Alright men," the soldier began. "Stow your gear and prepare for departure."
"Sir, yes sir!" the men shouted in unison as the ten man squad turned and filed up the ramp.
"Don't you think Enforcers are a little excessive?" Jen said in a half whisper as the last man disappeared into the ship's interior.
"Let me make one thing perfectly clear," Alex said turning toward Jen, his eyes seeming to burn with intensity. "If we do not succeed, if we fail at a single point, it is all over, there are no second chances, our universe will be destroyed and countless lives will be lost. This is not a typical mission where failure could mean an altered future for some people on Earth; this is for the entire universe and all races sentient or otherwise. I would bring the entire Enforcers Corps if we had time to recall those out on assignment."
With those words Alex turned away and began moving up the ramp. Lucas and Katie moved toward Jen, who was half frozen in shock. Alex had become sterner with her, even a little condescending at times, since she had called off their engagement years back, but to be talked down to as if she did not understand the severity of the situation.
"Let's go," Katie whispered in her ear, interrupting her thoughts as she and Lucas helped drive her forward.
"Hurry and get on board," Alex called back. "For once time is not on our side."
Josh and Kimberly were nestled up together on the couch. Josh was lying down, resting his head on a cushion against the arm. Kimberly was laying on him, her legs stretched out over his; her head leaned back on his chest as she stared up at the ceiling, his right arm wrapped around her waist as he tenderly ran his fingers through her hair with his left. Kimberly's hands were folded over his right hand at her side, her right hand interlaced with his.
The sun was hanging over the ocean, beaming in through the kitchen windows and bathing the house in a warm orange glow. Hailey lay at the base of the couch curled up sleeping. Occasionally her tail would twitch sweeping over the hardwood floor casting a light, dancing swirl of dust up into the inviting sunlight that streaked over the back of the couch.
"So what else do you want to know?" Kimberly asked, her voice soft, barely more than a whisper.
"What do you miss the most?" he asked his tone matching hers.
"The closeness with all my friends," she replied. "Being a Ranger was like being part of a family. I guess it's a little like your friends from your dojo back home."
"Except we didn't save the world from the forces of evil every other week," Josh replied kissing the top of her head. "Bigger question, why did you leave if you enjoyed it so much?"
"It wasn't easy," she admitted. "Originally I was going to pass on the opportunity to go to the Pan Global Games, I tried playing it off as wanting to be responsible, but really, I just didn't want to give up being a Ranger, but Zordon and my friends talked me into it. Zordon had hoped I would rejoin the team one day, but that never happened."
"I thought you said you helped with that incident a few years back with that family of furry aliens, what was the guy's name, Larry-go?"
"Lerigot," Kimberly corrected. "And I don't think being captured by Divatox and being used as a wedding present counts as helping." She said with a smile.
"You kept him and his family safe so the Rangers could take care of Divatox and that monster thing."
"Yeah," she said. "It wasn't the same as when I was a Ranger though,"
"Maybe not," Josh replied. "But helping them out, without powers, was even more heroic than if you had powers."
"You think?' she replied turning her head to look up at him.
"Yeah," Josh replied tilting his head down and kissing her lips. "You'll always be my favorite Ranger,"
"Thanks," she said with a sigh and a smile turning her gaze back up toward the ceiling.
"You ever regret your decision to leave?"
"Nope," she replied.
"Really? And why's that?" he asked a little surprised by her quick answer.
"Because if I hadn't I would have never met you," she replied squeezing his hand. There was a moment of silence between them. "You can ask the question that's really on your mind," she said at last, breaking the silence. "I don't mind,"
Josh smiled, she knew him too well. "I just didn't want to press it," he replied.
"You've been dancing around it all afternoon; it's fine though, really,"
"Okay," Josh replied. "What was Zordon like?"
"I don't know what you remember from a few years back when I was telling you about him, but he was more than just a mentor, he was like a father to me. He was always calm under pressure, even when the world was on the verge of destruction," she laughed. "Even when he wasn't sure what to do about the problem he remained calm. He was the rock that the rest of us could depend on in the storm. We needed that; I don't think any of us realized how much we relied on him until the battle with the Green Ranger. When the Green Ranger first showed up and we lost Zordon we almost gave up."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah," Kimberly replied. "Green Ranger had gotten into the Command Center and destroyed a good portion of the controls, had broken our connection to Zordon, given Alpha a virus and, with help, managed to take away our Zords; of course, at the time, we thought they were actually destroyed. We were ready to quit and, we didn't think we had a chance, if Jason hadn't stepped up who knows what would have happened. But you've already heard about that."
"Yeah," Josh replied. "It amazes me that the Green Ranger only scrambled the signal from Zordon and disabled Alpha, it's almost like he didn't want you to be defeated."
"I don't think Rita had a really good hold on him at the time," Kimberly replied. "He did all this before she bound him using some sword; I forget what it was called now."
"Still," Josh replied. "If he had eliminated Zordon and Alpha instead, Rita might have actually won."
Kimberly shivered as a chill went down her spine. "Maybe," she replied. "But fortunately, it didn't happen that way."
"Sorry," Josh replied. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay," she replied.
"So what else can you tell me about Zordon?"
"He was always encouraging, even when we made a mistake; he didn't come down on us for it. It was amazing the way he knew how to play to our strengths when we were beating ourselves up over a problem. He always nurtured our gifts and encouraged us in whatever we did. You could tell he really cared about us."
"He sounds like a great person,"
"He was," Kimberly replied. "And in the end he made the ultimate sacrifice, he gave up his life to save everyone he loved and everything he cared about." Kimberly's voice had just a tinge of sadness to it.
Josh tightened his embrace for a moment as the two sat there quietly, the faint sound of the tide drifting in through the open windows. Suddenly Hailey stirred from her sleep, her ears perking up for a moment.
"Something wrong girl?" Josh asked.
Kimberly glanced down as Hailey rose to her feet, her ears still raised as she looked around. For a moment it was almost as if all sound had ceased. Then phone suddenly began to ring causing Josh and Kimberly to jump a little. As the phone rang again the two of them began to laugh; neither one noticing Hailey wander into the kitchen and exit through the dog door. Josh tried to sit up but Kimberly pinned him down, quickly turning around and straddling his stomach.
"Where do you think you're going?" she teased.
"To get the phone," Josh replied smiling up at her as it rang again.
"I don't think so," she replied with a playful smile as she began tickling his ribs.
Josh began to rock back and forth as he tried to push Kimberly's hands away, but she was determined to keep him where he was. In a desperate attempt to stop her Josh reached out and began tickling her sides.
"No!" she squealed through her laughter as she slumped against the back of the couch struggling to keep Josh pinned.
The phone rang for a forth time as the answering machine picked up.
"Shhh, stop," Josh said finally getting hold of Kimberly's wrists.
"You're still not getting up." She said with a mischievous smile.
The machine beeped and someone began to speak, "Hey Josh, it's Alex, how is Monterey treating you? I was hoping you were home, I wanted to talk to you about something,"
"I need to get this," Josh pleaded.
"Okay," Kimberly replied with a mock pout. "But this isn't over,"
Kimberly scooted back as Josh sat up giving her a quick kiss before walking over to the phone and picking it up.
"Alex?"
"Josh, how's it going?"
"Good," Josh replied, a little out of breath. He looked back toward Kimberly who was kneeling on the couch, her arms resting on the back as she eagerly waited for Josh to finish the conversation.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Alex replied.
"We're newly weds," Josh replied. "Everyone is always interrupting."
"We forgive you though," Kimberly shouted.
"Tell Kim I said 'hi' and I'm sorry," Alex replied with a chuckle.
"He says hi and he's sorry," Josh said as an aside to Kimberly. "So what's going on?" Josh asked.
"Well you remember Kayla?" Alex asked.
"Your girlfriend," Josh replied.
"Nope," Alex replied. "As of last night she's now my fiancé."
"Alex that's great!" Josh replied ecstatically. "Alex proposed," Josh whispered to Kimberly.
"Wooo! Congratulations Alex!" Kimberly shouted.
"So when's the wedding?" Josh asked.
"We're still debating between December and January," Alex replied. "But I wanted to ask you to be my best man."
"Of course," Josh replied. "I'd be honored."
"Great, I also wanted to let you know that we're getting together with Mom and Dad over Labor Day weekend next month and Kayla and I were hoping you and Kim could join us."
"I'll have to talk with her about it, but that sounds doable," Josh replied. "So how is life in the real world treating you?"
"Things are going okay," Alex replied. "It's hard to break into marketing, no one really cares if you have a degree unless you have experience, but if you have experience then they want a degree to go with it. I've done some charity work for a few ad campaigns just to build up my portfolio, but its tough going some months. Fortunately Kayla has a pretty steady income, so we should be alright."
"What's she do again?" Josh asked.
"She's a registered nurse."
"Well there's always a big demand for people to patch you up," Josh said half joking.
"Well business slowed down after you quit the UFC," Alex retorted. "But somehow people keeping getting injured anyway."
"That reminds me," Josh replied. "While it's still being debated, I'm thinking of opening a training center here, not so much for the income, but for something to occupy the day."
"You two getting bored hanging out all the time?"
"No," Josh replied rolling his eyes. "Far from it, but it would help me stay up on my practice and would allow us to provide something for the community in the way of free classes for the underprivileged or maybe something more like a Rec Center, we're still just toying with it, but if we went forward with this you could always do our advertising campaign."
"I don't know," Alex replied. "I've always been told not to work with family."
The door bell suddenly rang. Josh and Kimberly exchanged a puzzled glance before Kimberly hopped up and walked toward the front of the house.
"Well it's something for you to think about." Josh replied. "We might not even do it."
"I'll keep that in mind," Alex replied, Josh could tell he was getting ready to end the conversation. "Well I should let you two get back to whatever I interrupted, you do remember your anniversary is next week right?"
"Of course I remember," he glanced around before lowering his voice. "I've been working on Kimberly's gift for the last couple weeks whenever I have a free moment."
"What did you make her?"
"It's a pink marble box with a butterfly and flowers etched into the lid. I also got her a necklace with a small golden rose with her birthstone set in the center."
"Nice, so you have plans too?" Alex asked, apparently with renewed interest in the conversation.
"Sorry, she's been trying to get that out of me for the last two weeks, I'm not telling anyone about that."
"Well you'll have to let me know how it goes," Alex replied.
"I will," Josh said.
"Josh," Kimberly called from the other side of the house, her voice was a little shaky. "Can you come here please?"
"I gotta go Alex, we'll probably see you next month, and again congratulations,"
"Thanks, see ya."
Josh put down the phone and began walking through the kitchen into the dinning room and down the hall that led to the front room before turning right into the entry way. As the doorway came into view he could see a man in a black uniform standing in the entry way, his hair was combed back and a pair of dark glasses covered his eyes. His shoulder and chest had golden badges on them, though Josh did not recognize the agency as any he was familiar with. Gold marks, apparently indicating rank, were attached to his high collar.
"Can we help you?" Josh asked respectfully as he stared at his reflection in the man's sunglasses.
"Joshua Christopher Raine?" the man asked.
"Yes,"
"My name is Alex Davis, I'm part of an organization known as Time Force." Josh continued to stare at him. "Perhaps you've heard about the Rangers from the year three thousand that were in Silver Hills last year?"
"I have," Josh replied seemingly unimpressed. Behind the man Josh could see three more individuals in white uniforms, he recalled seeing people similarly dressed on the news during the final incident in Silver Hills.
Alex continued. "Sir, we have a very serious problem, we need you and your wife to come with us."
Josh looked over at Kimberly. "You know any of them?" he asked. Kimberly shook her head in response. "Look we don't know you, and I'm use to strange people showing up at my door claiming all kinds of things, so why don't you just leave before I call the police." Josh replied moving between Alex and Kimberly as he widened his stance. Kimberly took a step back.
"I was really hoping we could do this the easy way," Alex replied hanging his head.
Josh suddenly caught movement near the edges of the door. Something moved distorting the background as if water was hanging in the air. Suddenly two individuals in black armor appeared as if they had been shrouded in a fog that suddenly was burned away. Josh found two large weapons pointed at his chest. His fists clenched as he glared into the Alex's glasses. Kimberly wrapped her arms around Josh's right arm trying to calm him.
"These weapons are designed to pierce heavy armor, but hopefully their little demonstration is enough to convince you we are who we say we are." Alex said; Josh didn't appear convinced. "I apologize that things had to go this way, but we are wasting time we don't have. Now please come with us." Alex replied as the three individuals in white began moving toward the porch.
Copyright J Pearson 2009. Power Rangers and all Characters are property of Disney and Buena Vista Entertainment, all rights reserved.