Disclaimer: Don't own Power Rangers, don't own Doctor Who, don't own the submitted characters.
~oOo~
The tape of Kaiden's capture ended, and Marco leaned back in his chair. James and Kaiden waited impatiently for him to speak, but the Black Ranger only stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Have you pinpointed the coordinates?" Marco asked.
"Yes," James said, reaching around the Black Ranger to type for a second. A map of the area popped up, and zoomed as James moved the mouse. "We've only seen the Monster Rangers teleport in or out, so I scanned everywhere, including underground. There's something large and unidentified in the middle of this lake here." He pointed. Marco nodded, and started thinking again.
James waited, but Marco said nothing. He prodded, "Are we going to attack the Monster Rangers' base?"
"How? It's underwater, and since the Monster Rangers teleport, there probably isn't a way in we could manage while diving. If you come up with a good plan, please tell me, though," Marco said. James took his laptop, shutting it with a snap, and left. Silently, Kaiden turned back to Marco. He was sitting in his chair backwards, as usual, and though Marco had given him a raised eyebrow when he'd pulled it up, the Black Ranger had said nothing.
"Talk about a buzz kill," Kaiden said.
"What do you propose to do, then?" Marco asked, folding his hands.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe go check out the base at least," Kaiden said.
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Marco countered, raising his eyebrows.
"I guess we don't, but if it is, it's an old trap, and springing it would be the last thing they'd expect," Kaiden said.
"It would take time to plan such an attack," Marco said. "I'll discuss it with Rex and Tony." Kaiden nodded, and rested his chin on his hands. Quietly, Marco tilted his chair on its back legs, and stared over Kaiden's shoulder at part of the wall.
"You're from the fifty-first century, right?" Kaiden asked out of the blue.
"Yes," Marco said, thrown off by the change of subject.
"Three thousand years in the future. All this—" Kaiden waved his arm around the room "—must seem pretty primitive, huh?"
"Not the Satellite Base," Marco replied. "I helped build it, and compared to your Earth, it's probably centuries ahead of its time."
"Your Earth," Kaiden echoed, with a grin.
"My universe is much harsher than this one, and less advanced in the early twenty-first century," Marco said. "Even so, yes, ordinary life has been…difficult to adjust to." Kaiden nodded.
"Is that why you don't want to stop being a Ranger?" He asked. "Because you don't want to go back to that?" Marco dropped his chair back on all four legs with a thud.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, his voice suddenly hard.
"I heard you tell Elandra so, a couple weeks ago. Sorry, I'm a chronic eavesdropper—I have to overhear at least one conversation every day or I go into withdrawal," Kaiden said, deadpan. Marco smiled a little, and the tension went out of his shoulders.
"To be honest, yes. I suspect that once we've fulfilled our mission, one government or another will decide to take this Base and all its technology away to study."
"But it's yours, isn't it?" Kaiden said. "You and Elandra created this place, they can't just waltz in and take it."
"Where do you think we got funding for this project?" Marco asked.
"Ah," Kaiden nodded. Then he changed the subject again. "Did you have any family in your universe?"
"When we started this conversation, I wasn't expecting a Spanish Inquisition," Marco said.
"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Kaiden cried gleefully. "Seriously, though, I'm curious."
"How about an exchange?" Marco said. "I'll talk about my family if you talk about yours. Elandra was the one who approved your application, so I don't actually know." Kaiden looked slightly crestfallen. "Come now, it can't be as bad as all that," Marco said.
"Parents divorced when I was three, my adopted older brother liked to hit me, I ran away when I was sixteen after he almost put me in the hospital, lived at East Hills Teen Center in L.A. until I got on my feet again," Kaiden listed. Marco's smile faded.
"I'm sorry. I would never have guessed," Marco said gently. Kaiden shrugged.
"It's been seven years; I've moved on. Your turn."
"I'm an only child, with relatively normal parents," Marco said. "But they didn't want me to enter the Church, my mother especially. We'd only just begun trying to reconcile when I went to the Byzantium." The two were silent for a minute. Neither had anything more to say. Then Marco got up and started to the door.
"Marco?" Kaiden called, and the Black Ranger paused. "The best way I've found to deal with bad stuff happening is perspective. Find things you can fix, instead of looking back at the stuff you can't."
"I hadn't though you capable of this much intelligence, Kaiden Hart," Marco said.
"Hey!" Kaiden protested, springing to his feet. Chuckling, Marco left.
~oOo~
"Okay, try Warrior Mode manually," Elandra said, walking around the sleek Dash Zord and scanning it up and down. She was going through all of the Demi-Zords' final tests, just to be on the safe side.
"Wait, there are manual controls? I thought it was all voice-activated," Rachel said from the cockpit.
"No, that's just until you've mastered the new powers. The Demi-Zords are small enough to be manipulated accurately with manual controls," Elandra said, scanning the Zord up and down.
"Ah. Right, then." Rachel threw a lever, and the Dash Zord reared up on its hind legs, unfolding into Warrior Mode. Elandra continued her tests, snagging a screwdriver-like object and scanning the Dash Zord.
"So, have you thought of names?" Rachel asked, as Elandra snagged the last device—which Rachel thought of as the souped-up Ipad—and began typing into it. "For the baby, I mean."
"Marco and I've talked, but we haven't agreed on any we both like. I want a Ranger name, but Marco doesn't know anything about them, but he doesn't have any ideas of his own. He doesn't want to name the baby after someone from his own world, it makes him homesick. Okay, tests show everything's up to speed, put it back into Quad Mode."
"Marco actually isn't the first Ranger to be three thousand years out of his own time," Rachel said, as the Dash Zord became a cheetah again. "Wild Force had two: Lunar Wolf Ranger Merrick, and their mentor Princess Shayla—both from three thousand years in the past."
"Which ones were Wild Force, again?" Elandra asked, as she began putting the tools away.
"Guardians of the Earth, united we roar," Rachel replied, hopping down. Nodding, Elandra closed the tool chest, sat down on it and thought.
"Yes, I like them. I'll ask Marco what he thinks of Shayla or Merrick."
"Aren't you far along enough to tell which it's going to be yet?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, but I don't want to spoil it," Elandra replied.
"Please," Rachel begged, but Elandra only grinned wickedly at her. "Okay, fine. Is there anything else that needs to be done?"
"Rachel, you've done quite enough," Elandra said, getting up.
"Not if there's still something I could do for you," Rachel said. "I don't mind, really."
"You're sweet, but there's honestly nothing I can think of," Elandra said.
"You're sure?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, now go relax!" Elandra said, giving Rachel a playful shove.
"I'll just put this away, then," Rachel said, hefting the tool chest. Laughing, Elandra shook her head as the Pink Ranger lugged the large box away.
"You're insane—why aren't there more people in the world like you?"
~oOo~
Rex and Tony were in the Rec Room as James came out of his quarters, the two Rangers engrossed in Teknoman. James glanced over their shoulders as he passed, and raised his eyebrows. A Zord-like robot was busily pounding a slew of giant spiders, on the outside of some spaceship.
"Why do the giant spiders explode? And why are the explosions purple?" He asked, and both Tony and Rex shh-ed him.
"We're doing research," Tony said, folding his arms.
"Research? You're watching cartoons. Admittedly well-drawn cartoons of Zord-like robots, but cartoons!" James said. Tony glared challengingly at him, but James only grinned. "Why so defensive? After all, it was Rex's idea, and whatever he says is, is, right?" Rex paused the video.
"We aren't forcing you to be here, James, just go if it's that annoying," he said. The Blue Ranger sat down on the table with a thump.
"Who said I was annoyed?" James retorted.
"Nobody needed to. We aren't blind," Tony said.
"Okay, both of you back off," Rex said, "There's nothing to fight about here."
"Who put you in charge?" James said.
"Just because you're the Red Ranger doesn't mean we automatically take orders from you," Tony added. Rex threw up his hands in frustration.
"Who's giving orders? I just want you guys to stop arguing about nothing. Seriously, stop and think about it for a minute." Still glaring, James and Tony did.
"Sorry," James said at last. "Just tense because Marco's being obtuse. He doesn't want to attack the bad guys' base, and he won't say why." Tony raised his eyebrows.
"Obtuse? You're sure you know what that word means? Forget it, I'm sorry too, and that is odd. What do we actually know about the base, though?" The Green Ranger said.
"It's underwater, and big. We need to check it out first and learn more before we can plan anything," James said. "And I just figured out the Alchemist is a shapeshifter, not a hologram. I still want to know how this counts as research."
"Shows like this are where I got the Demi-Zord designs from," Rex said. "If we can learn these kinds of moves, it'll help us fight better." James shrugged, and sat down.
"Let's see it, then," he said. "Don't worry about explaining the plot or anything, I'll pick it up." With a shrug, Rex restarted the video. Leaning in to see better, James watched as a second, evil robot appeared, accused the first of treachery, and began attacking him. The battle went on for a few minutes, and then a giant spider burst through the hull of the ship and stabbed the good robot through the back with its claws.
"Have you ever considered giving this guy a manicure?" The robot managed.
"Okay, that's hardcore quipping," James said. Rex snickered. Then the wall communicator dinged.
"Monster Rangers sighted in Angel Grove," Marco said. The trio ran to the elevator and were upstairs in seconds.
"Yellow and Blue are attacking the financial district," Marco said as they arrived. "And someone called in to report the other three in Mariner Bay." Rachel and Kaiden ran in as he finished speaking.
"Should we pair off by color, then?" Rachel asked. Marco shrugged. The six Rangers lined up, their Ring-bearing fists across their chests.
"Medieval Planets, descend!" They shouted, raising their Rings and twisting their fists outward.
James is standing in space, the planets whirling around him. The Moon halts above him, and its blue light envelops him, solidifying into his Blue Ranger suit. A ghostly version of the full Moon blazes out of his chest, and becomes an emblem.
Rachel is standing in space, the planets whirling around her. Mercury halts above her, and its rosy light envelops her, solidifying into her Pink Ranger suit. A ghostly version of Mercury blazes out of her chest, and becomes an emblem.
Tony is standing in space, the planets whirling around him. Mars halts above him, and an emerald light envelops him, solidifying into his Green Ranger suit. A ghostly version of Mars blazes out of his chest, and becomes an emblem.
Kaiden is standing in space, the planets whirling around him. Sol halts above him, and its golden light envelops him, solidifying into his Yellow Ranger suit. A ghostly version of Sol blazes out of his chest, and becomes an emblem.
Marco is standing in space, the planets whirling around him. Saturn halts above him, and its silvery light envelops him, solidifying into his Black Ranger suit. A ghostly version of Saturn blazes out of his chest, and becomes an emblem.
Marco, Kaiden and Rachel landed their Demi-Zords around the Yellow and Blue Rangers, hemming them in.
"Did you really think you were going to get away with this?" Rachel called.
"That was not our intention, Rangers," the Yellow Ranger replied. Then the two teleported away before the Rangers could even come up with a snappy comeback.
"What?" Kaiden said. "Where'd they go?"
"I have a bad feeling about this. Elandra, close off the Satellite Base immediately and check for intruders." Then Rex's voice came over the radio.
"Our Monster Rangers left just as we were arriving. What's going on?"
"The Satellite Base is clear," Elandra said, "but someone was just here. Hurry back."
The Rangers hurried.
"Did they take anything?" Were the first words out of Marco's mouth as the Zords landed. Elandra was standing by the door, waiting for the Rangers as they piled out of the Demi-Zords.
"The blueprints to the Power Rings," Elandra replied grimly, "and James's laptop."
"What?" Several of the Rangers cried in unison, and all began asking questions at once. James pulled off his helmet.
"My laptop?" He repeated. Elandra nodded. Tony paced across the room, thinking hard.
"The Alchemist is a shape-shifter, you said, so that's probably how he got in without being noticed and took the plans. But what for?" The Green Ranger wondered aloud.
"My laptop," James said again, incredulous. "I practically built it."
"If he knows how the Rings work, he could copy their powers-or negate them!" Rachel said.
"Nobody touches my laptop," James went on. Kaiden punched him lightly in the arm.
"Rangers to James, please respond," the Yellow Ranger said. James grabbed his wrist and swung Kaiden around into an armlock.
"Nobody touches my laptop," James hissed. "No one." Rachel went to untangle the two Rangers as Rex turned to Marco.
"Now we have to attack their base," Rex said, "Before they can use the plans!"
After a long minute, Marco nodded. Kaiden was rubbing his wrist and giving James a puppy-dog look, but the Blue Ranger wasn't paying attention. If the Alchemist had seen the look in James's eye right then, he might have surrendered then and there.
"Tomorrow we recon, then we can make a plan," Marco said.
"Why not today? The Zords are ready, and we've hardly overtaxed ourselves chasing the Evil Rangers around," Rex said.
"Very well. James, take the Typhoon Zord and check out the lake. Rex and I will go along in case he needs backup. Everyone else stay here, but be ready in case more Monster Rangers show up." The three ran out, and the others clustered around the monitor to watch the mission.
~oOo~
Trivia: The guys are watching the first scene of the Teknoman pilot, which I watched on SSJ-Jolt's suggestion of where Rex would start Tony in terms of anime. And it was very odd.