Part III

Senator Wheiner was a man who believed that he was destined for great things. He was a man whose money, station in life and breeding entitled him to power and wealth. He had plenty of it but he wanted more.

And he was sick of waiting around for it.

"Senator Garson," Wheiner burst into the Vice President's office. "I think it's time you fulfilled your promise in allowing me to join your group of…"

He turned and saw to his shock Commander Cain casually relaxing in a nearby chair. "What is he doing here?"

"Me? I had an appointment," Cain told him. "What are you doing here? And what group are you talking about? A golf group? Bird watching group? Oh I get it, you've decided to follow in your daughter's footsteps and form a rock band."

"Wheiner…" Garson growled, looking and sounding more like JR Ewing without a ten gallon hat. "What the hell are you blabbing about? Can't you see that I am in a very important meeting here?"

"Yeah you could have blurted out some very important secrets to someone who wasn't in the loop," Commander Cain said sarcastically.

"I uh…" Wheiner coughed. "You see…"

"Never mind," Cain waved. "As I was informing Senator Garson here we may end up with a few more Supertroopers loose than we figured."

"What do you mean?" Wheiner blinked.

"There's a good chance the late senator Alderverosa was secretly running a Supertrooper breeding program," Garson explained. "And Cain has sent the Galaxy Rangers to investigate."

"Are you insane? You know they're just going to report to Walsh if they haven't already!" Wheiner snapped.

"Relax, Walsh doesn't know yet," Cain waved. "We are keeping him out of the loop for now. We're just coming up with some strategies in case they do find something."

"I doubt it," Wheiner snorted. "I mean there is a chance they won't find anything. Those glorified cowboys can't always solve your problems. I've been thinking we should be looking for new Ranger candidates."

"I take it you mean those that are more…agreeable to the Board's policies?" Garson asked. "That might be a problem considering the Series Five positions are already filled. And one of them by that damned Supertrooper."

"Something tells me that Gooseman won't be much of a thorn in our sides any more," Wheiner said.

"What makes you say that?" Cain asked. "Idiots' Intuition?"

"No its something I know and you don't," Wheiner sneered. "And I won't tell you. Anything else before I leave?"

"There is one thing I want to know Wheiner," Cain gave him a look. "What exactly do you have on Walsh?"

"What do you mean?" Wheiner gave him a look.

"I know you two are blackmailing each other," Cain said. "Hell the whole Board of Leaders knows that. Everybody knows what he's got on you, but what do you have on him? That's the sixty four thousand credit question."

"I've been wondering that myself," Garson frowned.

"Keep wondering," Wheiner snarled.

"Since you put it that way," Cain asked casually. He pulled out a small pistol and calmly shot Wheiner in the leg.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Wheiner screamed as he fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding leg. "YOU MANIAC!"

"Now will you tell me?" Cain asked calmly.

"Why the hell didn't think of that sooner?" Garson didn't even raise an eyebrow. "Oh right I'm not insane! Cain what the hell are you doing?"

"Getting the information," Cain told him matter of factly. "What you care about this sleaze ball?"

"No, I just didn't want blood on my carpet," Garson winced.

"Oh it's only a pellet gun," Cain switched guns. "Barely even leaves a scratch. Now this…This could really hurt. But it doesn't leave any blood."

"You…You can't do this to me!" Wheiner screamed. "GUARDS! GUARDS!"

"Stop living up to your name," Cain told him. "One this room is soundproof. Two All the guards here work for us. If we wanted you dead not only would they not stop us they'd recommend a lovely field in New Jersey to bury you in."

"You really should work on your personality," Garson said. "Let's face it even if you did die no one would really care. I know several people who will be celebrating."

"We could always blame it on Gooseman," Cain pretended to think. "No…Too obvious. Hmm…Well it's not like there's a lack of suspects."

"AAAAAAH!" Wheiner clutched his leg. "You are a psychopath!"

"Yeah tell me something I don't know," Cain remarked. "Like the blackmail you have on Walsh. I could always shoot you again. I know, we can blame it on your daughter. She's drunk off her ass half the time anyway. It'd be completely believable."

"NO! ALL RIGHT! YOU WIN!" Whiener's face when white but not from blood loss. "I've got the information in my office."

"Where in your office?" Cain pointed the blaster at him. "No tricks now…"

"Fine…" Wheiner struggled to get up. "Garson help me."

"Sorry this trip is just for you and me," Cain told him.

"How come I can't come?" Garson asked.

"Because you're not the one who shot him," Cain gave him a look. "Besides…I might need this information for insurance policies. You might have something I want."

"All right," Garson shrugged.

"You're just going to leave me with him?" Wheiner screamed.

"Yes because odds are you'll annoy him enough so that he'll shoot you again," Garson said.

"Come on Whiny," Cain dragged Wheiner out. "Let's see what you have that's so important."

Garson shook his head as they left. "However…" He mused to himself. "Maybe what Wheiner said about other Galaxy Rangers might have some merit? For once…"

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The salvage operation was a limited success. Shane had found some extra fuel from several abandoned but extremely broken vehicles. The Rangers made camp with their unexpected guests. Shane started working on the ship almost immediately and had been working for several hours.

Occasionally Doc helped him with the circuitry but for the most part Shane worked alone. Well not quite alone…

"If you're just going to sit there and stare at me you might as well make yourself useful," Shane growled at Ryder as he finished welding one piece of the ship's equipment. "Hand me a wrench or something."

"I don't like you," Ryder sneered.

"I don't care," Shane glared at him.

"You may be an S Class but there's something different about you," Ryder said.

"Gee you think?" Shane rolled his eyes.

"You don't smell like us at all," Ryder growled. "You smell like them." He indicated the other Rangers. "Why is that?"

"Because I've been with them for a long time," Shane told him.

"Why? Why them? Why not other Supertroopers?" Ryder asked.

"It's…A long story," Shane let out a breath.

"You don't fit in with other Supertroopers do you?" Ryder realized. "You were made different weren't you?"

"Something like that," Shane decided a partial truth for now couldn't hurt.

"I knew it," Ryder snorted in an arrogant way that reminded Shane too well of someone else.

"If you think I'm weak then maybe you'd like another go round?" Shane growled at him.

"You may be older and stronger than I am but you're not better," Ryder said arrogantly. "It just means maybe the war has gone on so long that the humans are desperate…"

"First of all, get this through your head," Shane snapped. "There is no war! Well not the kind you're thinking of! Earth is part of a League of Planets with other aliens."

"No it's not!" Ryder snapped. "The League is made up of only human occupied planets!"

"I suppose your Controllers told you that?" Shane asked. "They lied kid."

"The Controllers knew what was best for us! They made us strong!" Ryder snapped.

"They also threw you and the twins aside like garbage because they thought something was wrong with you," Shane shot back. "Were they right about that too? If the explosion never happened would you have simply just stood there and let yourself get killed?"

Ryder responded with a dark look. "Didn't think so," Shane snapped. "Kid I don't know what else to tell you but those who created you were not only liars, but they were breaking the law. You were part of an unauthorized genetic experiment and you're lucky to be alive."

"So should I just be grateful then?" Ryder sneered. "What's going to happen to us if you bring us back to your humans? They are not going to just accept us. They want to shove us in the Freezer or kill us. So don't pretend you're doing us any favors."

"There was a Cryocrypt here too?" Shane asked softly.

"The Freezer was only for dead bodies for future experiments," Ryder said. "No point in keeping failures alive for no reason."

"That doesn't mean you're a…" Shane tried to explain.

"I don't need your pity!" Ryder snapped. "At least I know what I am! I am a Supertrooper! What are you?" He stormed away.

"I know you want me to help them Cheyenne," Shane grumbled to himself. "But this kid sure isn't making things any easier."

He finished up his work and made his way to the others. "So you weren't created in a lab?" Mata asked Niko cautiously. "You actually had parents?"

"Yes but they died a long time ago," Niko said gently.

"And you are not an enforcer?" Mata studied her closely.

"I prefer to use my gifts to help people, not harm them," Niko said.

"Interesting…" Hari said. She looked at Doc sitting by the fire. "Move over! I want to sit there!" She then shoved him roughly.

"In the future a 'please move' will be precise," Doc grunted, slightly amused by the girl's attitude. He moved aside. The girl growled lightly and sat in his place.

"I want to sit near Hari!" Mata snapped shoving Doc from the other side.

"Fine!" Doc got up. "I'll go over here. Is that a problem for you?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Shane barked sharply.

"I'm just standing here! I am not doing anything!" Doc yelled.

"Not you!" Shane held a squirming Ryder in his grasp. "Him!" He took out a few ration bars and some other supplies from the boy's hand.

"Let go of me!" Ryder yelled.

"You were stealing weren't you?" Shane snarled. "You greedy little…"

"We don't tolerate stealing here," Zach told the boy.

"Fine," The boy grunted and stripped off the top of his coverall, revealing how thin his body was as well as several whip marks on his back. The other Rangers stared at it in horror.

"Put it back on!" Shane snapped. "It's obviously going to be a waste of time beating that lesson into you. Stay over there and behave yourself until we make a decision. Got it?"

The boy pulled the top of his coverall back on, slightly confused but did as he was told. The Rangers moved to the side. "Goose…Is that…?" Niko asked horrified. "Was that standard at Wolf Den?"

"Walsh didn't use corporal punishment," Shane told them. With a smirk he added. "We beat each other up too many times for it to be effective. He used more…creative ways to keep us in line."

"We can discuss that later," Zach sighed. "Right now we need to figure out how to get out of our current situation."

"Situation is right. Is it me or are those kids deliberately giving the Doctor a hard time?" Doc grumbled.

"It's about dominance," Shane said. "Just push them hard enough so that they don't think you are a pushover and they'll stop."

"If it's as simple as that then why aren't they doing it to you Gooseman?" Doc asked. "Or Niko or Zach?"

"Well you are the weakest," Shane shrugged.

"What are you talking about My Gooseman?" Doc gave him a look.

"Think about it," Shane shrugged. "I'm an S Class Supertrooper, Niko's a psychic, Zach has bionics…"

"And I am just the handsome computer jockey," Doc groaned. "I get it. Let's talk about something more cheerful. Such as how are we going to get off this planet before it explodes?"

"How are the repairs coming Goose?" Zach asked.

"There's good news and bad news," Shane told him. "The good news is that we have enough fuel and if we can get it into space it might be enough for us to make it to the nearest outpost."

"And the bad news?" Niko asked.

"Getting off the ground. We need an positron turbine and there's only one place to get it from," Shane sighed.

"Please don't tell me it's from that force field that's keeping out the radiation," Doc groaned.

"Okay I won't tell you," Shane quipped.

"You sure there wasn't one in that scrap yard?" Niko asked.

"We went over that dump with a fine tooth laser comb and then with our teeth," Doc said. "We were lucky to find extra fuel and what little spare parts we could get."

"How do you know there's a positron turbine in that force field anyway?" Zach asked.

"They're standard issue in all force fields as well as an important component in all Andorian hyperdrives," Doc explained. "Don't worry. Only mechanical and computer geniuses would know that."

"Yeah but that doesn't explain how you know it," Shane gave him a look. "Uh Doc…"

Doc turned around just in time to catch Ryder trying to steal his CDU. "Hey Mr. Stickyhands!" Doc flicked the boy's nose hard. "Don't you know better than to take someone else's things?"

"OWWWWW!" Ryder held his nose. "THAT HURT!"

"Next time say please," Doc sniffed.

"Grrrrrr…." Ryder growled at Doc, giving him a dirty look.

"Don't bother with that growl," Doc told him. "Compared to the Goose you're just a little gosling. And don't roll your eyes at me boy, I'll roll that little head of yours."

"He can do it too," Shane folded his arms. "He's stronger than he looks. Or acts."

"Yes and I'm a little annoyed by your lack of manners," Doc gave a stern look to the children. "It's time you learned some. First lesson, if you want something, say please."

"The hell I will you…" Ryder made a fist. Before anyone could stop him Doc flicked his nose again. "OWWWWWWW!"

"For example," Doc said cheerfully. "Please cut down on the swearing and please do not raise your fist at me."

"That's it! I'm gonna…" Ryder charged and swung at him with a knife he had hidden in his boot.

Doc however easily dodged it and grabbed the boy from behind. "I did say please," He told him grabbing his ear. "This is what happens when one is rude."

"AAAH!" Ryder snapped after his ear was given a sharp twist.

"Please drop the knife," Doc said in a cheerful tone. "You could hurt someone with that."

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'll…" Ryder tried to slash again but Doc easily sidestepped the boy and tripped him.

"Oopsie," Doc said still being cheerful. "Please excuse me." Before Ryder could react he knocked the knife out of his hand and pulled out a small rope from his back pocket. He tied the boy's hands and feet behind him with a speed and grace that most rodeo performers would envy.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Ryder shouted thrashing about.

"Now what's the magic word?" Doc held a hand to his ear.

"DIE!" Ryder thrashed.

"No, that's not it," Doc shook his head. "When you calm down and learn to use your manners maybe I might consider letting you go." He gave a look to the girls. "Can either of you ladies tell the class what we have learned today?"

"Uh not a single one of us can beat you?" Mata blinked.

"Very good," Doc grinned.

"So we're just gonna have to gang up on you!" Hari said. With a yell both girls tackled Doc.

"AAAHH!" Doc shouted. "No, no! Get off!"

"You forgot to say please Doc," Shane said in an amused tone.

"Shane…" Niko sighed.

"Oh all right," Shane sighed and helped pull the twins off Doc. "No tackling the teacher. Even if it is fun."

"Charming children," Doc grumbled.

"Uh should you do something about that?" Zach asked pointing at the squirming Ryder.

"Are you kidding?" Doc gave him a look. "That kid got off easy. If this was Miss Abercrombie's Charm School he'd be in real trouble."

"Speaking of which," Shane knelt down and glared at Ryder. "Are you going to behave now?" The boy replied with a snarl. "Fine you can stay tied up until you've calmed down some."

"Goose don't you think that's…" Zach began.

"Trust me Captain," Shane gave him a look. "This is extremely mild compared to a lot of other things that kid has been through. Once he's calmed down Doc you can untie him."

"Why…?" Zach began.

"Because it's all about dominance," Niko explained. "I guess that's how Supertrooper society works."

"Ha! If I've ever heard two words that don't go together such as them…" Shane snorted. "Come on let's eat. We need to get our strength up if we're gonna get a radiation bath."

"That may not be necessary," Doc thought. "Maybe there's a way to deactivate the force field for a moment without letting any radiation escape and kill us? Of course it's going to take a lot of your charge Niko."

"I was afraid you might say that," Niko sighed. "But I don't know if I can handle that much radiation."

"Niko there's not much choice the way I see it," Shane said. "There's not exactly a lot of options. Either we risk radiation poisoning and get that turbine…"

"Or we just let ourselves get blown up," Zach added. "Niko how much longer do we have?"

"At least seventy two hours," Niko said. "Maybe more."

"All right," Zach said. "Doc and I will plan our strategy while you and Goose take a short break. Something tells me you two will push your charges to the limit and I want you both to be as rested as possible."

"First I am going to have a little talk with Kilbane Junior over there," Doc motioned with his thumb. The boy had stopped writhing and was just laying on the ground. "All right now young man, have you calmed down enough?"

"Untie me…" The boy growled.

"What's the magic word?" Doc prompted. "Come on now, it's not going to kill you."

"Untie me…Please…" The boy spat out the word.

"There now, that wasn't so bad now was it?" Doc grinned as he started to untie him. However as soon as the boy got loose he attempted to hit him and grab Doc's gun.

An attack that was quickly thwarted by Shane. "You just don't learn, do you?" Shane barked as he grabbed the boy by the scruff. "Just like your brother, you're too damn stubborn and hard headed for your own good!"

"Brother?" Ryder blinked and stopped struggling. "What do you mean?"

Shane silently cursed himself at his slip of the tongue. "Let's just say you're not the first Kilbane I've dealt with."

"There's another one?" Ryder was stunned. "Another like me?"

"Yes and he's even worse than you are," Shane growled as he put him down. "Trust me kid, you don't want to meet up with him. Just behave yourself and eat."

The boy grunted and sat with the twins. They ate in silence but they stared at Shane, not taking their eyes off him.

They're trying to figure me out…Shane thought to himself. Good luck kids. I don't even understand myself half the time.

Soon the children had finished. They begrudgingly accepted some blankets to sleep on. To most of the Ranger's surprise, they purposely backed themselves into a wall. The twins positioned themselves behind Ryder as he lay in front of them. "What's that about?" Doc asked.

"That's how Supertroopers show they…Can protect each other," Shane explained softly.

"Backs to the wall and someone up front on guard duty?" Zach narrowed his eyes, not even wanting to imagine how children that young became so paranoid.

"That's pretty much it," Shane sighed.

"You two better get some rest," Doc indicated that it was getting rather dark. "We'll have a better chance of pulling off the operation come morning."

But sleep didn't come to Shane. He lay there for about an hour thinking, then got up and went outside the camp to look at the stars. It wasn't long before both Niko and Zach followed him. Doc shrugged and went to work with his CDU.

What they didn't realize was that the kids weren't really asleep as well.

Outside the camp Shane looked at the stars, dozens of memories swirled around his mind, trying to shut them down. "You should be sleeping," Niko said as she walked up to him.

"Look who's talking," Zach noted. "Goose?"

"I'm all right, it's just…" Shane let out a breath. "This whole thing…It brought back a whole lot of unpleasant memories. More than I realized. Just seeing those kids…"

"Speaking of which guys we have a problem," Doc ran up to them. "One of our little friends just took off!"

"Oh for crying out…" Shane growled. "Don't tell me, let me guess. Ryder! That kid is nothing but trouble!"

"The other two tried to get away as well but they got a little tied up," Doc remarked. "And I'm guessing the kid stole a few supplies by the looks of it."

"Where is he going?" Zach grumbled.

"Only one way to find out," Shane told him. He stormed over to where Mata and Hari were tied up. "Good work Doc. All right you two what the devil is going on?"

"Yeah I thought you liked us," Doc quipped as he folded his arms.

"Where is he going?" Shane made a menacing growl at the girls. They tried not to show fear but a whimper from Hari betrayed them. "Tell me! NOW!"

"Goose you're scaring them," Niko said.

"That's the idea," Shane barked. "Butt out Niko! You don't know them like I do! That's the only way you can control them!"

"Like you were controlled?" Niko raised an eyebrow. "Let me handle this."

Shane gave a terse nod and stepped back. Niko knelt down to the girls and untied them. "Look I know you're afraid of us but your friend Ryder is in trouble isn't he? You have to tell us the truth if you want to get him out of it."

Both girls looked at each other. "We have to tell…" Hari whispered.

"Hari No!" Mata was afraid.

"Where did Ryder go?" Zach asked. Hari pointed behind him. "Isn't that where that radioactive pool of water is?"

"Let me guess, it's not really poisoned is it?" Shane growled. Both girls shook their head. "You're hiding something aren't you? Or should I say someone…?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Come on Dea," Ryder whispered. "Just try to eat it."

He held up a thin young girl about his age in a makeshift campsite near the lake. She was nearly bald with only wisps of blue hair straggling on her head. He held the ration bar to her mouth. She was barely conscious. "Just try a few chews. It will be okay. Come on."

"So this is what you've been hiding," Shane growled as the others entered the campsite.

"Get away from her!" Ryder put her down and grabbed a nearby knife. He tried to attack but Shane grabbed him and disarmed him. "AAAAHH!"

"Cool it kid!" Shane shoved him down.

"You told!" Ryder barked at the twins. "How could you tell them about Medea?"

"Hari broke down," Mata snapped.

"They would have figured it out anyway!" Hari protested.

"Why didn't you just tell us about her?" Zach yelled at Ryder.

"He thought we were going to kill her," Shane explained. He looked at Ryder. "Her bio-defenses aren't working properly are they?"

"No," Ryder said softly. "That's why we were all abandoned. Only…Only for some reason the twins' kicked in shortly after the explosion."

"Your Controllers were probably too impatient," Shane growled. "Niko how is she?"

"She's got a bad case of radioactive poisoning," Niko told them as she looked over the girl. "I'm amazed she survived this long."

"Is there anything you can do?" Shane asked.

"I can give her something to ease her pain but without proper medical treatment she doesn't stand a chance," Niko shook her head.

"How did she get like this?" Zach asked.

"She…She got it protecting us…" Mata admitted. "The force field wasn't turned on automatically…She went into the heart of the radiation in order to turn it on so the rest of us would be safe."

"Did you really think we would kill her because she was sick?" Zach asked.

"What should I think? You are a human and humans only use Supertroopers!" Ryder snapped. "And he's not even a real Supertrooper! There's something wrong with him!"

"I'd say your instincts were good kid, because you can't trust the Runt or his friends."

"Oh great…" Shane grumbled as he turned around and saw Ryker Kilbane holding a blaster on them. "This whole trip just got better…"

Next chapter things are going to get a lot more explosive and not just for the Rangers!