Kendall shielded her eyes with her hand as dust and rock flew around. Just as she'd predicted, being morphed meant the guys were making startlingly quick work of digging out the triceratops. Normally, an excavation like that could take weeks, possibly even months. It wasn't that decent tools weren't available; it was that fossils were by their nature alarmingly brittle. If archaeology was a simple case of taking a hammer and chisel and battering seven shades out of every rock in sight, things would be a hell of a lot simpler, but the closer they got to the actual find, namely the bones and the fossils, the more slowly and carefully they had to go. It wasn't unknown for the final stages of most digs to be performed with tea-spoons and fine bristled brushes!
What Kendall had banked on though was that the Ranger suits had the benefit of strength, but at the same time the feeling of bare hands. The guys were able to dig out in minutes what would take a conventional dig team maybe a week to do without too much risk of causing irreparable damage. It wasn't like they didn't have to be careful as they got close to the bone, but they got there a hell of a lot quicker than they thought.
"Stop STOP!" She called out, pulling off her ear defenders as they had exposed nearly three quarters of the skeleton. Koda and Chase took this as an opportunity to take a break. Even with the suits, they were grateful for a breather. Kendall stepped closer with her scanner, and checked it out. "There are definitely strong readings around here."
"That's nice to know." Chase said as he looked around. "I'd hate to think all this was for nothing."
"I think...I think I might be right about bringing the Pink Energem with us." Kendall told them. "The readings have almost doubled! If there is anything in the area, it seems to be getting stronger!"
"Well, that's nice and all, but I'd just as soon get home." Chase told her. "Can we get back to work?"
"Be my guest." She told them, gesturing them back to it. The guys started to work on the rock again, but as she was about to put on her ear defenders, Kendall snapped around. She didn't know what, but she was sure she heard something. Seeing nothing of note, she just shrugged, putting her ear defenders and safety glasses back on as the rock started to fly again.
At that moment, Tyler finally got back to the surface, having found another tunnel out of the cave. He took a deep breath of clean, fresh air and felt good about his close escape. More than that, he had found one of the most significant finds in his long search for his father. He had found something he knew belonged to him, his dad's old E-tool. If he was honest, he didn't really know why exactly his dad had been in that cave, all he knew was that he had been there...and that it had something to do with the mysterious red crystal he had found.
He pulled it out and inspected it more closely in the decent light, and could almost swear it was glowing. He knew what a lot of people had said about his father in the final months and years before he disappeared. While at one time he had been considered brilliant, when he started broadcasting wild theories about creatures from space, powerful crystals and even that the asteroids that had wiped out the ancient species had not fallen by any mere accident, a lot had started to deride him as losing his grip on reality. Some called him a lunatic right to his face, many more did so behind his back to the point that his once great reputation became something of a joke. Although Tyler didn't really care too much if people thought his dad had simply lost his sanity, and just wanted to find him and bring him home safely, a part of him wished that when he did find him, somehow they could restore his name and reputation and prove he was more than just a fanatical researcher who got so lost in his work that he lost touch with reality.
He heard a roar, a lot like the one in the cave, but there was no real echo out in the open. He had to assume that whatever had been chasing him had also found a way out of the cave. As soon as he heard some explosions, he definitely knew that he didn't want to hang around. Quickly getting his bearings and figuring out which way his jeep was, he started to hop down the rock face.
Then he heard a scream. He didn't know anyone else was out here, but since it came from the same direction as the roar, he knew that someone was in trouble. He knew his jeep wasn't far, but he just couldn't bring himself to leave someone to...whatever that thing in the cave was. It was clear she was in trouble. Steeling himself, he started hopping across the rocks towards the commotion.
At that point, Shelby was running for her life! She had snatched the crate back from Ice Age, not even knowing what it was, and started running for all she was worth. She knew he was shooting at her, and while it didn't sound like anything she had ever heard, she didn't intend to find out exactly what he was firing at her.
As she risked a glance backward, she didn't notice a root protruding up from the ground. Before she knew it, she had planted face-first right into the ground. She spat out a mouthful of pine-needles and dirt.
"You had one job Shelby, run over open ground." She muttered. "Good work!"
"No one steals from me!" Ice Age growled as he blasted the ground near her, throwing Shelby several feet, where she landed hard, completely dazed. Seeing she was not going anywhere fast, Ice Age took the opportunity and approached the crate. As he leaned down to get it though, a figure blurred past, snatching it up, kicking Ice Age in the head and sending him flying.
"Think again!" Tyler declared as he swung past on a rope, kicking Ice Age across the face as he did so, stunning the creature. When he had arrived on a ledge a little way off, he had thought of going to Shelby, but seeing she was already prone, he figured his best shot of saving her was getting the creature pursuing her to divert its attention to him. Whatever it was, it seemed to be after the crate. When he landed, Tyler could see that the creature was dazed, and figured now was the time to take advantage and check on the girl before it got back up!
Shelby looked up, her vision starting to clear up. It was a little fussy, but she could see a hand, one that took hers...in the midst of the haze, she saw a smiling, handsome face.
"Are you OK?" Tyler asked. Shelby didn't answer. She was dazed...words...what was it with words? Why was it so hard to find words? She just wanted to say she was alright. "I'm Tyler...Tyler Nevarro and you are...?"
Words...why was it so damned hard to find words? Tyler saw her name badge.
"Shelby...Triceratops...catchy name!" He responded.
"Where did you come from?" She finally managed to say. 'Really?' she thought. 'Of all the questions and all the stuff going on...that's your question? Good job Shelby!'
"Oh, you know...I was in the neighbourhood." He joked.
"There IS no neighbourhood!" She told him.
"I...uh...believe this is yours." He said, handing her back the crate. It was then that they were interrupted by a roar. Ice Age got back up, throwing off his cloak.
"I don't have to hide!" He growled. "Time to destroy you!"
"What is that thing?" Shelby asked.
"Don't know...met him in a cave." Tyler rushed out, adopting a guard. "But he sure wants that box!"
A short way off, the dig was over, and the guys were starting to pack up. Kendall was taking careful notes of what everything was as they brought it to the truck and loaded up. Most skeletons were found in pieces anyway, and that if anything made it easier to pack up. Of course, they needed to know where everything went when they unpacked it and started to try and rebuild it.
"Check this out...the C8 and C9 vertabrae have significant fractures, as do the adjoining left ribs." She commented. "I'd say the cause of death was a heavy blow to the side, likely rupturing the lung...possibly the heart too."
"You're a forensic now?" Chase asked.
"Take back!" Koda warned him. "Kendal wear glasses!"
"He said forensic Koda, not four eyes." Kendal explained, realising Koda had misunderstood. "I'll explain later."
She turned to Chase.
"There is a certain element of forensics involved in palaeontology. Figuring out how these creatures died can tell us a lot about how they lived." She explained.
"So...what...it got into a tussle with another Triceratops?" He asked. "Maybe he got a little too friendly with another Triceratops' girlfriend."
"Not a bad theory except for two things." She sighed. "Firstly, there are no indications on the other ribs suggesting a puncture from another Triceratops' horns. Whatever hit it was a blunt force trauma, not a puncture wound as I'd expect."
"So what's the second reason?" He asked.
"It's a girl." She told him. Just then, they heard a roar. Chase just froze.
"What the hell was that?" He asked.
"Probably just a bear." Kendall assured him. "Still, we should probably get packed up and go."
"Wait...a bear?" He asked. "And...we aren't just..."
"You should have seen sabre-tooth tiger." Koda said matter-of-factly. "Much scarier."
"Well, the sooner we finish the sooner we get out of here I guess." Chase replied with a shrug.
Back at the clearing, Shelby and Tyler found themselves taking shelter behind a tree as Ice Age took pot shots at them. It seemed unlikely he was going anywhere, or that they could outrun them. Shelby saw Tyler rummaging around in his backpack. Her hopes were lifting, perhaps he had a weapon! A pistol maybe...perhaps even a shotgun! Whatever it was, he seemed to be planning on taking on the monster, so it had to be formidable!
He rounded the tree, confronting Ice Age and pulled out...a banana! By the look on his face, Shelby could tell that wasn't what he was looking for at all! He reached in, trying again...only to pull out a spare set of underwear!
'Well...at least he's prepared on that account." Shelby thought, seeing him laugh a little nervously as he threw them away. All things considered she thought they both might need fresh underwear soon at least.
Tyler reached in one more time, this time pulling out the E-tool. Shelby's face fell. That was it? No shotgun? No pistol? Hell, right now she'd settle for a decent baseball bat!
"You're going to what? Dig us an escape tunnel?" She asked him. Tyler had to admit that as far as plans went, even for him; this one wasn't especially well thought out. Ice Age fired a blast at him, at which he held it up in panic. The blast rebounded off it, hitting a tree a way off.
Looking at the E-tool, Tyler figured that maybe things weren't as bleak as he first thought! He remembered his dad telling him that the unit that gave it to him told him that another reason marines carried them was that in a pinch, they were pretty decent weapons! They were made of strong, solid steel, making them pretty effective bludgeons, and the head had edges that were half decent blades when push came to shove. He adopted a guard, hoping Ice Age took his confidence as meaning he knew what he was doing. That hope quickly faded as he opened fire again!
Tyler blocked another couple of blasts, but the last one he managed to bat back at the monster. Ice Age was sent flying by his own blast. Tyler let out a whoop of joy.
Unfortunately as he brought it back around, he saw that the head had been completely destroyed. He guessed it was pretty old and had seen better days...it just hadn't lived up to the abuse. As Ice Age got back up, Shelby got to his side.
"Uh...your turn for an idea!" Tyler said nervously. Stepping forward, Shelby held up the crate, thinking of the first thing she could.
"Fire at us, and you might destroy your precious...thing." Shelby told the monster, hoping that it would see reason. It was obviously looking for whatever was in the crate; the whole battle would be pointless if he destroyed it in the process.
"You know what's in the crate?" Tyler asked.
"I have no idea." She replied honestly.
"What I want...will survive." He assured her. "YOU WON'T!"
The crate took the brunt of the blast, likely saving their lives, but they both hit the ground hard. Both the Red and Pink Energems landed a little way from them. Seeing them, Ice Age was elated! He was only charged with bringing one Energem, that was the deal for his freedom. If he brought TWO...he could only begin to hope what Fury would offer!
"TWO Energems!" He stated. "This is even better than I thought!"
Shelby and Tyler both scrambled to grab them, just as Ice Age unleashed the full extent of his power, freezing both of them solid.
Back at the truck, Koda and Chase were still packing up equipment when Koda felt a sudden shiver. Chase just looked to him.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Don't know...it like...past repeat." He stated. Chase just looked at him and smiled.
"I bet I know what it is." He commented. "What's it been, like three hours since you ate?"
"Well I'm sure the cafe can get us all the crappy food we want when we get back." Kendall responded as she threw her scanner in the back. "Stupid thing still registers the whole area as a hotspot. I need better..."
Her words tailed off as she looked around.
"Chase...where's the Energem?" She asked him.
"It's in there in the crate." He told her.
"I was sure it was..."
"We moved stuff around to get our ancient friend here in Kendall." He assured her. "It's in there, you packed it yourself!
"I guess you're right." Kendall replied. "Come on guys; let's get out of here before Koda starts looking for that bear."
"Why would he look for the bear?" Chase asked.
"He used to hunt sabre-toothed tigers." Kendall told him. "He's hungry...what exactly do you think he did for food in his time?"
"I bet you're glad we have take-outs now dude." Chase commented, slapping Koda on the back as they headed for the cab. "Though I imagine fighting a tiger had to work up quite an appetite."
"It did." Koda replied honestly. Was definitely hungry when finished."
Back at the site of the battle, Ice Age started to approach Shelby and Tyler. He had unleashed all his power on them, freezing them solid. He was sure they had to have perished, given how much power he had used. Unfortunately he couldn't see the Energems, and figured they had to have grabbed them.
"You won't need those Energems now." He commented. "Time to smash you into a million pieces!"
Before he got there though, there was a surge of power and the ice around them shattered. Both Shelby and Tyler...they were alive, and they got to their feet! Ice Age had never known anything to survive his freeze blasts!
Shelby and Tyler looked just as surprised as he was! They weren't just alive...they appeared to be completely fine! Perhaps a little chilly, their clothes a little damp but...otherwise none the worse for wear! They both just stood, staring at their Energems in disbelief.
At the truck, as they were packing up the last of the gear, Kendall's phone rang. She looked to it, seeing the museum's number. She just groaned.
"What now?" She muttered, answering it. "Kendall Morgan."
"Kendall, it is Keeper." Keeper yelled down the line, causing Kendall to recoil in pain. While he was wise, he wasn't exactly the most familiar with modern technology, and didn't realise he didn't need to scream down the phone to be heard so far away.
"Keeper, you don't need to shout!" Kendall told him. "What is it?"
"Two of the Dino Chargers...they've disappeared!" He told her. Her face fell.
"What?" She asked in disbelief.
Back at the site of the battle, Shelby and Tyler both felt a surge of power, and huge, oversized revolvers appeared in their hands.
"Where did these come from?" Shelby asked him.
"I don't know." Tyler said, inspecting the gun, finding a place just under the barrel that looked just large enough for his Energem. "But it looks like...this goes in here."
As they plugged in their Energems, they both felt a wave of power. Shelby aimed her pistol and pulled the trigger...but nothing happened.
"So much for that!" She complained. "Where do the bullets go?"
Tyler started spinning the chamber, and accidentally squeezed the trigger. The resultant blast sailed close to Shelby's head! The blast hit Ice Age, knocking him down though.
"Nice shootin' Tex!" Shelby screamed sarcastically. The shot had been close...too close by far! She could smell singed hair! Half an inch and Tyler would likely have blown her head clean off!
"Sorry! I don't know how to use this thing!"* Tyler said sheepishly.
"It's a GUN genius!" Shelby told him. "You point that end AWAY from things you don't want to shoot, and only pull the damn trigger when you want to shoot!"
"I'm sorry!" Tyler continued. "I just started spinning this...thing and...it started working I guess!"
As Ice Age started to get back up, they both started to spin the chambers. They still had no idea where these weapons came from or how they worked, but right now that wasn't the most pressing matter. As they both pulled the trigger though, the beams that shot out turned and came right back! They both tried to shield themselves; waiting for the inevitable...but instead of oblivion, what came was...power! They felt an amazing rush of power. As Tyler finally opened his eyes, he looked to Shelby...only it wasn't. Standing before him was the Pink Ranger! In her visor, he could see his reflection...only it wasn't him he saw, but the Red Ranger.
A/N: OK, quick note about the passage marked with a * This was something about the show I wanted to address. I, like the show have had a bit of fun with the whole concept of mishandling guns, but believe me I don't take it as a joke. Bad things happen when guns are not handled responsibly.
Speaking as a resident of the UK, where gun ownership is, for the most part, illegal and few are permitted to own or use them with good reason, I don't claim to be an expert on handling guns, but I do know the hard and fast rules of safety. Namely, NEVER handle a gun you don't know how to use, ALWAYS assume it is loaded and ready to fire, NEVER put your finger on the trigger until you intend to use it, and most importantly, NEVER point it at anything unless you fully intend to destroy it and are ready for the results! While I, like the show played it for laughs, I think we can all agree this could very well have been a VERY different story...and a very short season for Shelby as a result of Tyler's careless shot.
OK, getting off the soap box now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.