Chapter Twelve
Captured
Whatever Specs and Mega Girl found down on Bug World it was surely making the science team back at the Academy excited. Many spectacle wearing rangers in lab coats ran around the science deck carrying this and that, test tubes filled with different coloured potions, steaming, fizzing and bubbling the moment more liquid was added. Taz walked around the hallways of the Academy. It was embarrassing enough having to be dragged from the water by Krayonder but now she had to see Li in half an hour with no report. I'm screwed she thought. She didn't even notice the woman walking directly in front of her until the crashed into each other. Taz quickly looked up to tell the idiota ensign to get the hell out of the way, but before she could...
'Taz!'
'Rosie?' She stared at the woman standing before her, red hair down past her shoulders, back in her old ensign uniform, she reminded Taz of the first time she met Rosie, when she was in hospital. 'Dead god it's great to see you, what are you doing back at the Academy? I thought you were working at the main hospital?' Rosie was as slim as ever, star-struck to see her old friend again, and gave her a warm squeeze
'Well since the Robot War is finally over there's not really much for me there, work-wise, and besides, little Ty wants to go to Junior Ranger Camp again, so I'm going to need a bit more cash in my pocket. I'm here to get reassigned to a mission working on a medical team of the Bright Eye.' Her huge smile soon turned sad, Taz knew who she was thinking about. Rosie and Tripp first met when she worked on her first mission on the medical team. Taz tried to change the subject.
'Junior Ranger Camp? He'll do fine, he has his father's passion.' A smile soon crept back on Rosie's face "Anyway how's Ree? She must be about three by now isn't she?' her small smile soon reached her ears
'Well she certainly has a taste of adventure, that's one thing, I barely get any rest! Anyway, where are my manners, how are you and Up?' She had no idea, then again not even the crew knew, but Taz didn't want to see her smile disappear so she said the only thing she could think of.
'Yeah we're, we're doing good, I'm only back here because our crew found this discovery and we-'
'Oh yes of course I think your gonna want to check out the lab,
you just might get a shock! But I won't keep you, you look like your busy! I'll see you around Taz, good to see you again. By the way, we definitely need to catch up! Say hi to Up for me say Ty's asking for him!' With that she took her leave giving one last smile before she disappeared round the corner. Taz was left alone in the corridor taking in everything she just heard. There was noting else to distract herself with, she made her way to lab deck. As she walked around the last corner, she backed into a shadow, as she saw Admiral Li walk through the doors of the lab, soon followed by an over excited Specs. No way! I'm not going to be in the same room with her until I've thought of a simple excuse why we all spent months on Bug World and still have no joder report for her! She made her way back to the A2, and went up towards her quarters.
'So, I hear we have discovered the Elixir of Life!' Li exclaimed proudly to her science team, as she picked up a vile filled with a liquid shimmering with pink and orange swirls, just like the water on Bug World. She handed it to Specs, who observed it proudly.
'We still need to run a few tests, but if the particles of the water and human tissues prove positive, then this liquid just might be able to extend life for about fifty years, at least.' There were murmurs of appreciation from the lab team. But without saying a word, Li turned and left passing Krayonder as the deck doors opened.
'Hey Specs, if you want to get your things from the A2 we need to do it now, cos Taz has just allowed clearance, she's there already.' Shyly taking his hand, they walked to the Starship. Once they arrived on deck, Krayonder couldn't help but notice the massive smile on Spec's face
'Come on, what's happened? I haven't seen a smile like that in a while!' It was strictly against orders, but she couldn't help herself. She grinned roguishly.
'Right, you have to promise you won't say anything to anyone.'
Her quarters were cold and silent, and it felt wrong for Taz's mind. She decided to turn on the ships computer for any broadcasts. Any sound would be better than complete silence. But what came on defiantly wasn't what Taz needed to hear.
'And now for a special announcement' came the voice from the news bulletin. 'It has been three years today since the lives of many brave men and women were lost during one of the many final stands of the robot wars. Today we remember the stand off in the height of the Robot War, led by the Bright Eye and the Cazadora. The sound of the name made Taz turn around on the spot almost instantly. Mierda Taz thought. Shit. How could she forget? Taz looked away she couldn't even face the screen.
'Now let us remember the rangers that gave their lives on this day.' The screen scrolled down, listing photos and name tags of the dead. She finally had the guts to look at the screen, one face appeared, and without hesitation, Taz paused the screen on the face she recognised. Pedro. His stupid little love struck smile was beaming up at her. She sat cross legged on her bunk. For a second she could almost remember him and his laughter, his voice, but thanks to Space-Claw, that was gone, along with several hundred other Rangers. Her mind took her back to the night before the Cazadora's last battle, she and Pedro got closer than ever... She stared down at her ring and Up came into her thoughts. That night she was waiting for him. Would things be different if Up had come to visit her that night? Would he have sent her to the engine room? Would they all be dead? She turned off the screen and went to her bathroom. She turned on the shower, and stripped down and stepped inside. She stood under there for about ten minutes, letting the boiling water pound down on her back, until she could stand the heat no longer. She got out, and rubbed herself dry, and blindly pulled her clothes on, and flicked on the extractor fan to disperse with the steam which was collecting on her mirror. She left the bathroom, the cold air hitting her face, and made to collapse on her bed, but froze. Light steam was swirling around her feet. She turned, and it was coming from under the bathroom door. Tentatively pushing the door open, she found herself blinded by hot steam. The bath was nearly overflowing, hot water rushing from the taps. She leapt over and turned them off firmly, and pulled out the plug. What the hell is going on? She thought I didn't even have a bath...
There was a small thump, and Taz wheeled around, fists raised.
'Hello?' she called. Silence. Convincing herself that she was
hearing things, she went to wash the sweat that appeared on her brow. She splashed the cold water onto her face, and rubbed it with a towel, when she heard it again. A soft thump, coming from the other room.
'What the hell is that?' She peered into the main sector of her quarters. 'Krayonder? Is that you?' There was no one to be seen, but the lamp which rested on her table side when she came out of the shower had now fallen onto floor. She went back to the sink she noticed that her mirror was covered in light condensation again, even though the extractor fan was
turned on full. She leant forward to wipe it, only to jump back in shock. Instinct told her to walk away, to run like hell, but she didn't feel like listening to that side of her. She ran into the main section of her quarters and grabbed her radio.
'Specs!'
'Lieutenant-Commander, is everything alright?' came Specs' muffled voice.
'You need to get to my quarters ahora!' She dashed back to her mirror. Now she was scared. 'I think there's-'
Before she could even finish her sentence, a figure leapt at her from the shadows, and she was thrown to the floor, and she felt something pumping through her body. She struggled, and tried to fight back as best she could, but the drug made it impossible to even throw a small punch. She could do nothing while she was dragged by her now useless arms, out of her quarters by the hooded figure that came from nowhere. It was no use, she was too vulnerable. Her silent scream echoed through the halls as she was pulled away from the mirror, with the one word still inscribed there.
Run.
