Disclaimer; I do not own Power Rangers
Dr K tapped the final commands into her computer, tracking the Red and Blue morphers and rerouting controls to the work bay where she would be spending her day. Someone pounded on the door to the Control Room. Dr K hit a button and found Dr. Hailey Kendall and someone else waiting for her. The second person was familiar to her, but Dr K held still, trying to figure out why. This person was the one who was pounding on her door, making his face hard to see until Dr Kendall said something and he turned his head. It was Jinx. Dr K hit her microphone button, "Greetings Dr Kendall, Jinx, if you will give me a moment, I will be prepared for our work."
"All right, K," Dr Kendall replied, amused.
"Sure Doc," Jinx said.
Dr K typed her final command and opened the door, "Jinx, I'm surprised to see you here."
The young Asian man rubbed the back of his neck, "I was out of line, Doc. I came mostly to apologize, and see if you needed a gopher around here."
"At the moment, no," Dr K replied, "but you are welcome to join Dr Kendall and I today."
Jinx grinned, "Great. Paul and Nina are mad at me again, I was hoping I could give them a day to relax."
"What did you do?" Dr K asked as she headed across the Ranger Room, "The work bays are this way."
"There may have been a small issue with a fake crime scene," Jinx replied, as he followed her. "What about you? Shoot anyone with your cannon yet?"
"Not yet," Dr K replied as they passed the training room.
"What happened in there?" Jinx asked, his step slowing down, eyes drawn to the workmen walking around inside.
"Rangers Red and Blue achieved a new level of incompetent yesterday," Dr K replied, irritated at the memory, "They knocked a hole in the wall during synchronization training."
"Is that the one where you shoot low level lasers at them from random apertures?" Dr Kendall asked, over Jinx's laugher as she followed them.
"Yes," Dr K replied.
"That is epic, Doc K," Jinx said as he calmed down. "Please tell me that it's recorded? Can I see it?"
"No, Jinx," Dr K replied, "you may not see it." She unclipped her security badge and opened the door to the Zord Attack Vehicle hanger and work bays.
"Why not?" Jinx asked.
"Because," Dr K replied, "it would not be appropriate."
"Oh, come on," Jinx said, "what would it hurt? It's not like I'm asking to take a copy home with me or something. I just want to see what happened."
"No," Dr K said, firmly. She walked down the hallway to the appropriate lab, "I put the Rocket Blaster in here after the test went wrong."
"What's going on with it, then?" Dr Kendall asked as she looked around the lab.
"I finally finished the coding for the plasma launcher," Dr K replied, "and it works. But when I attempted to use the Rocket Blaster on its own, it won't fire. Tests show that it's creating a feedback loop that could lead to an actual explosion if used consistently. I cannot determine the problem."
"Well," Dr Kendall said, "I'd like to look at the readings and the changes you've made. I looked over your coding and I agree. That's not the issue, which means it's a physical issue, and that is my strong point."
"Hey Doc, what's this?" Jinx asked, pointing a pile of parts.
"It's not finished, Jinx," Dr K said, noting that he remembered the rules of her lab well. He wasn't touching, nor was he within reach of anything that looked like a weapon. "It's meant to be a sonar blasting cannon."
"Cool," Jinx replied, "Can I test it when it's finished?"
"We'll see," Dr K replied as she watched Dr Kendall begin her examination of the Rocket Blaster.
"You always say we'll see and then I never get to try anything," Jinx said, pouting.
Dr K couldn't help it, she laughed. It had always been easy to get along with Jinx, the nineteen year old was incorrigible at the best of times, and, from the beginning, had teased her and joked and demanded that she notice and respect him as a person. "You," she told him, "are incorrigible."
"Yup," Jinx agreed. "Hey Doc, why didn't you build a pink morpher? Pink Rangers tend to be hot."
"Because the only person I would ever consider for Ranger Operator Series Pink is you," Dr K replied, relishing in the look of dawning horror on Jinx's face. It had been worth the effort to figure out an appropriate response. "In fact," she continued, "I have already begun preliminary coding for the Rabbit Zord and Bunny Bow."
"Funny, Doc," Jinx said after a moment.
"As you are well aware," Dr K replied, "I do not have a sense of humor." She turned and walked over to stand beside Dr Kendall.
"This is interesting," Dr Kendall said, "I can see where you had to make adjustments to accommodate for the additional wires and motherboard. I haven't spotted the place where you've cross wired anything, though. This will take time."
"I am grateful that you came at all," Dr K replied after a moment.
Dr Kendall looked up and smiled, "K, it's never a problem to help out. I never thought I'd have a chance at working with ranger technology at all." She picked up a slender rod and turned back to the blaster, "How are things between the Colonel and Ranger Red?"
"Distant," Dr K replied. "You were right though, telling Colonel Truman about Ranger Red's progress has kept him off base." She sat down on a stool and settled in to watch Dr Kendall work while Jinx poked around the work bay.
Just as a quiet peace began to settle, Dr K's comm. unit activated, "Identify," Dr K called, turning on her stool.
"Colonel Truman," the computer replied.
"I got it," Jinx said and before Dr K could stop him, he activated the video phone. "Murskey's Grill, deep fried unidentified. How can we give you a heart attack today?"
"Park," Colonel Truman snapped, "what are you doing on the base."
"Helping," Jinx replied, "how can I help you?"
"Is Dr K available?" Colonel Truman asked.
"I don't know," Jinx turned, "Hey Doc, the Colonel's looking for you, are you available?"
"Of course," Dr K replied. She walked over to the comm. and keyed up the 'K' screen as she pulled on her auxiliary voice modifier. "Colonel Truman, how can I help you?" She asked.
"I need to speak with you in private, Dr K," Truman said.
"Of course, one moment," Dr K replied, she turned off her headset and turned to fix Jinx with a long look, "Don't eavesdrop, or I'll be using my cannons on you."
"Sure Doc," Jinx said, in that way that meant he wasn't listening.
"I mean it," Dr K added, "Julian." She left the work bay and headed back to her control room, the most secure in the complex. As she settled down and the door shut, K wondered if she could justify more day long off-site training, just for a chance to speak with her co-workers. She shook her head and activated the comm., shifting the call with a keystroke. "We're secured, Colonel," she said.
"Thank you, Dr K," Colonel Truman said, "I need you to talk to your Rangers."
"What have they done?" K asked.
"They are going to select an operator that is completely inappropriate to prove that they don't need my wisdom," Colonel Truman replied.
K sighed, "May I speak with them, please?"
"Of course, they're in the office next door, having lunch." Colonel Truman said.
It was the work of moments for K to find her Rangers, "Ranger Red, Ranger Blue," she said, feeling pleasure as they both jumped.
"Dr K," Scott said, resettling himself in his chair, "what's going on?"
"Colonel Truman is concerned about your choices for the Yellow Series Operator, he asked me to intercede," K said.
"Pay up," Flynn said, holding out his hand.
Scott sighed and took something out of his pocket and passed it to Flynn. K thought it looked like candy of some form. "Dr K," Scott said, "it's all right. We aren't really planning to pick someone horrible. We're just giving my dad a hard time. We have seen one person who could be a second choice, though." He held up a folder, "Elizabeth Delgado. She's our age, came to Corinth on her own from Harvard. Her parents never made it to Corinth. She says she wants to be a Ranger because it was something her dad would have supported. His favorite thing to tell her was 'Never Give Up' and she thinks being a Ranger is her way of not giving up."
"The two that Colonel Truman thinks we like," Flynn continued, "are Sydney Drew and Bridge Carson."
"They might be good rangers," Scott said, "but it would take time to settle them. Besides, as good as Ms. Drew is, I'd rather not have to worry about her manicure."
"And Carson, I don't think you'd like him, Doc," Flynn said, "It's probably very easy to change the cannons from stun to kill."
There was a knock on the office door, "Yeah?" Scott called.
"It's Lieutenant Tate, sir," someone called back, "I'm supposed to remind you that you have ten minutes before the next interview."
"Thank you," Flynn called.
"And don't call me sir," Scott added. "Don't worry about us, Dr K. We're aware of what's at stake."
"Very well," Dr K replied and killed the connection.
YOTSBYOTSBYOT
Scott gathered up the remains of his meal and flicked a glance at Flynn, "Did you have to demand my last Snickers bar in payment? That was not cool."
"Of course I did," Flynn replied, "you wagered an oil change." He picked up the last of his trash, "What do we do with this?"
"We'll find a trash can," Scott replied, he walked over and opened the door to show Lieutenant Tate waiting for them.
"I'll take your trash," Tate said, "you'd best get in there."
"Thanks," Scott said, "I appreciate it."
"No problem, sir," Tate replied, holding out his hands to collect both Rangers' trash.
The pair headed down the hall to the conference room where they had been interviewing Rangers. Colonel Truman and Mayor Auerbach were waiting for them. "Let's get this done," Scott said, trying to loosen his shoulders as he headed for the two chairs on the end.
"Aye," Flynn agreed, resting his hand on Scott's shoulder. The warm pressure seeped into Scott's shoulder and he felt himself relax a little.
They took their seats and Auerbach smiled at them, "Are we ready?" She asked.
"Yes ma'am," Scott said and sensed Flynn nodding behind him.
"Hicks, who is our next interview?" Colonel Truman asked.
Corporal Hicks handed out the files and Scott flipped his open to see the picture.
"I'm Summer, let's get you back to Corinth."
Scott blinked, and flicked a glance at Flynn, who was staring at the folder intently, he nudged Flynn and cocked his head at the file. Flynn nodded slightly, and his lips quirked in a ghost of a smile. "Summer Landsdown," Mayor Auerbach said.
Scott glanced up and, confronted with the face of the girl who had saved his life, and swallowed. Flynn began to nudge his ankle as Summer walked up to face the group. Finally, Scott jerked his foot back. "Ow!" Flynn yelped. Scott covered his face with his hand as Flynn added, "He kicked me."
After a moment of silence, Scott added, "He started it," in his little brother whine.
Summer laughed, Auerbach smiled, and Truman frowned at them, "I'm sorry," Summer said.
"It's all right, Ms. Landsdown," Auerbach said.
"Please," Summer said, "call me Summer."
"Very well, Summer," Auerbach said, "I believe our first question will be, why do you want to be a Ranger?"
Summer bowed her head for a moment, then looked back up, "Someone very dear to me once told me that 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.,' When he gave his life to save mine, I promised him that I would make him proud of who I would become. Being a Ranger is one way I can see to earn that pride. I've never done anything like this, three months ago, I would never have considered it, but…"
The klaxon sounded, and Scott and Flynn leapt to their feet. Scott flipped open his morpher, "What's going on, Dr K?" He asked.
"Grinders are making an attempt on the north gate," Dr K replied after a moment. "Energy readings suggest there may be an attack bot."
Scott looked at Flynn, who was watching him. After a moment, Flynn nodded and Scott grinned, "Well then, it's a good thing Flynn and I found our third operator," he said.
"Scott," Colonel Truman said.
Scott glanced at his dad, "Who better than the person who had the highest overall scores? Besides, I know Summer has courage; she saved my life, after all."
Truman stared at him while Auerbach nodded, "If you're sure, Ranger Truman," she said.
"Positive," Scott and Flynn said in unison.
"What about Summer's parents?" Truman asked.
"I don't see them volunteering to put on spandex and helping us fight Venjix," Scott said, "so really, I don't care." He turned, "Summer, if you want the job, it's yours."
"Seriously?" Summer asked.
"Seriously," Scott replied. "Not just because you saved my life, and not just your scores, but because I can tell you'll be the perfect fit for Project Ranger's Yellow Series Operator."
"Ranger Red, I suggest you hurry if you are going to bring Ranger Yellow to the Base."
"One of my men will take her," Truman said, as a second klaxon began to sound.
"Thanks," Scott said, "let's go, Flynn."