A/N: As always, thanks for my Beta for her efforts. Talking about feelings is boring. I want more excitment!
There were moments when Kai's mind just went still, whatever racing thoughts he'd normally had would fade away in the face of something that just made him stop. He kind of liked those moments, they were calming. This was not that moment. Kai's mind blanked in the manner of a blue screen of death. He stared at Leo, who looked just as stunned.
The sound of Kendrix's morpher going off shook Kai out of his shock. "This is Kendrix," Kendrix said, "Kai and Leo is here with me."
"This is Damon," Damon said over the morpher. "I think you need to come and look at this."
"What is it?" Kendrix asked.
"It looks like a cocoon of some sort. It's slimy and glowing. Maya and I haven't touched anything but it's really creepy." Damon replied.
"Where are you?" Kendrix asked as Leo scrambled up and came over.
"We're just west of the command tower, just off the plaza where Leo exploded the battelizer." Damon replied.
"We're on our way," Leo said.
The three Rangers took off at a run out of the building they'd been exploring and heading for the plaza where Damon and Maya were waiting.
Maya was standing in the plaza when they arrived, "It's this way," she told them and headed through one of the shops.
The building they ended up at was, as Kai recalled, a science outpost for the astrophysicists. Damon was pacing the ground floor, "Finally," he said.
"We could have walked," Leo said, breathing heavily. "What did you find?"
"This way," Damon said and led the way to a door.
If Kai had a nightmare, that room would have been the centerpiece of the montage. The cocoon was in the center of the room, a hideous gold and black column that had black roots sprawled across the floor and more were sprawled across the ceiling with the tips hanging down. The column was glowing, pulsing even.
"Whoa," Kendrix said, slipping past Kai.
"Wait," Leo said, reaching for Kendrix's shoulder. "Let's get some more scientists out here. Kendrix, I know you're our scientist, but I don't think we should just touch it at random." He glanced at Kai, "We need to inform Commander Stanton of our discovery, and I don't want this thing to be left alone. I'd really feel better if we had a morphed Ranger in this room any time the scientists are in here until we know what this is and if it's a danger to our people. Kendrix, I hate to say this, but you need to be either a scientist or a Ranger on this one. If you're a scientist, you'll be focused on discovering what this about, but if you're a Ranger, your job is to guard and protect. Can you draw that line for me?"
Kendrix hesitated, and then nodded once, firmly, "I can do that."
Leo smiled, "Thank you. Now, Kendrix, Kai, why don't you two go make that report. Damon, I'd appreciate it if you would stand guard inside, morphed."
Damon nodded and touched his morpher, "Go Galactic."
Kai blinked against the light, "Feel better?" Leo asked dryly.
"A bit," Damon said, "Now, if something happens, I can hit back easier."
Leo glanced at Kai and Kendrix and frowned, but turned to Maya instead, "Do you want to wait here with Damon or go out to the plaza? I'm thinking it would make a good base camp for this."
"I will wait here," Maya replied.
Kai caught Kendrix's arm and gestured toward the door. Once outside, Kendrix shook her head, "Sorry, that thing is unnerving."
"I agree," Kai said, "I wonder what it's for. Let's get the Jet Jammers."
Of course, Commander Stanton was not happy when Kai strode into the newly completed command center; he was, in fact, giving a dressing down to the communications officer and his subordinate. Kai stood next to Mike's desk and waited to be noticed.
"Please tell me its good news?" Mike murmured without looking up.
"Not really," Kai replied.
Commander Stanton turned and saw him, "Mister Chin, are you done with your survey of Terra Venture?"
Kai winced a little, "Not entirely Commander Stanton. The Rangers have discovered something unusual. Leo has sent for a science team to study the object and requested that I report to you."
"Define unusual," Commander Stanton said as he approached Kai.
"It is an organic structure of unknown origin resembling a column in a cave. It contains what appears to be a bioluminescence and it projects an unsettling aura," Kai replied. "It is located on Terra Venture in one of the small buildings in the three block radius of the tower. Leo requests a science team to determine the nature of the structure, and I believe we would benefit from having a security team dispatched. For the time being, Leo has ordered a morphed Ranger presence inside the room at all times."
Commander Stanton nodded, and glanced at Mike, "Put together a security team for the Rangers, Corbett. I want you to personally liaise with the Rangers on this."
"Yes sir," Mike said with a quick salute as he stood up.
Kai followed Mike out of the command center, "Hey Mike," Kai said.
"Yeah?" Mike asked, turning back to Kai.
"Whatever that thing is, we all felt weird about it," Kai said, "I've got a feeling that this is going to get nasty but nothing concrete."
"I get that," Mike said, "I'll make sure the guys I bring aren't inclined to goof off."
"Thanks," Kai said, "Leo didn't really say anything about security, but we can't guard that thing forever. Not to mention the scientists are probably going to want to camp out over there if that thing proves interesting to them and there's only five Rangers."
"Won't Kendrix be part of the science team?" Mike asked.
"Leo told her up front, she's either in that room as a scientist or a Ranger, she can't do both, not with how this makes us all feel." Kai hesitated, "There's something else."
"What?" Mike said.
"It's not, it's a personal thing," Kai said. "You've heard Kendrix go on about me and Leo, right?"
Mike coughed, "I try not to think about that, really."
"Well, Leo may or may not have heard me admit my feelings on the matter," Kai admitted. "Damon called us about this discovery of his before anything was settled. I just, if Leo says anything to you." Kai trailed off, not entirely certain why he was even telling Mike all of this.
"If Leo chooses to confide in me," Mike said, "I'll listen, and I'll remind him that just because you care for him that doesn't mean you want to sleep with him." He stopped and looked at Kai, "You don't, do you?"
"No!" Kai said, and took a deep breath, "No, of course not." He resisted the urge to glare at Mike, because they'd had this conversation before, back when he'd first explained things to Mike and he had been sure that Mike understood what he'd been talking about.
"Ok," Mike held up his hands, "just checking. Listen, I'm going to go get that security detail, you let Leo know we're coming."
"Right," Kai said, "I'll see you at Terra Venture."