A/N: A big thank you to the guest who left a short but sweet review!
Mira tried to calm the shaking of her knees as she stood, waiting for the others to arrive, beside the immense Star Cruiser that rested on the landing pad. One of the cadets, a red-skinned alien named Flarn who had four arms and a tail, was already there, but the final cadet and their mission leader hadn't come yet. I wish they'd hurry! Mira looked up at the tall, white Star Cruiser and her heart began to beat faster. She was finally going to take her first ride in one, and she'd be visiting Star Command! But more important even than that, she was also going on her first mission. None of the cadets knew exactly what it would be, but they had been told it would require a trip to Trade World.
"Cadet Nova, Cadet Flarn." The two cadets saluted as the mission commander, a tall woman whose blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, stepped onto the landing pad, followed by the last member of their team, Daphne Thornhoof.
"Daphne! I didn't know you were going to be on this mission!" Mira waved to her friend.
"Hi, Mira." Daphne waved back. "Looks like we're going to be working together. This should be fun!"
The blonde captain motioned for Daphne to join the other cadets. "All right, everyone, I'm Ranger Tundra Skyrim, captain of Star Cruiser 36, which we'll be taking today on a mission. Although this is for training purposes, the mission is quite real and quite serious, so I won't tolerate any mistakes, got that? You will be briefed on the mission details when we reach Star Command." Reaching for the ladder that led to the Star Cruiser's hatch, Tundra began to climb. "Let's move, people."
The cadets followed her up the ladder, though Daphne, being an awkward shape, struggled with each step, and Mira had to help her along. When they finally stepped into the ship, Tundra led them through the grey corridors to the bridge.
It was a cramped space, with two stations at the back, and two stations at the front. Windows filled the front of the bridge, giving a panoramic view of the world around them. The colour scheme was typical Star Command - all greys and blues, yet it didn't feel as cold as would be expected. Mira found herself liking the space, and poured eagerly over the consoles and the controls.
"Cadet Flarn, you will accompany me up front as my co-pilot. Cadet Thornhoof, you will man the diagnostics station, and Cadet Nova will take the navigator's position." Tundra lowered herself into her chair. "If you've all been paying attention during your studies, you should know what your jobs entail and how to do them. Strap in and begin pre-flight checks."
The cadets did as they were told, and soon the Star Cruiser blasted off from the pad and rocketed upwards towards the blackness of space. Once there, Mira noticed a white speck in distance that gradually grew bigger, the details making themselves known as the ship drew closer. It was a circular grey space station, flattened around the edges while the top and bottom were elongated. Four green fins stood on one side, and on the other side was a purple spire. Mira recognised the station instantly as Star Command, and her hands shook with excitement. I'm finally going to set foot onto the headquarters of the Space Ranger Corps!
A large hatch opened beneath the Star Cruiser, and Tundra lowered the ship through into the space station. With a jolt they touched down inside the launch bay, and Tundra powered down the engines. "Okay, time for a mission briefing with the commander." She unbuckled her seatbelt. "I know this is your first visit to Star Command and you're excited to be here, but there's no time to sightsee. You can do that later, after the mission's complete. Let's go!"
They left the Star Cruiser and walked across the thin bridge that led through the launch bay to a hallway. As they made their way through the corridors, they passed numerous Rangers, who greeted Tundra and occasionally greeted the cadets too, though most ignored them. One Space Ranger, a blue man with shiny black hair and a thin beard, stopped when he saw them and waved.
"Hello, ladies." He grinned. "And red man."
Flarn folded his arms and grunted irritably in reply, while Tundra laughed. "Hi, Warp. Where's Buzz?"
Buzz? Mira glanced around, hoping she would get to see him again. She'd heard at the Academy that Buzz had a partner named Warp Darkmatter, so she guessed that this must be him.
"He's still writing up the paperwork for our last mission." Warp smirked and leaned against the wall. "I, on the other hand, had the good sense to realise that since no one would even read our reports, there was no reason to go into lengthy details. That's why I have the morning free and he's still stuck at his desk."
Tundra rolled her eyes, though her lips were threatening to curl into a smile. "Shush, you'll be a bad influence on the cadets. I don't want them shirking their paperwork after our mission is over."
"Me? A bad influence?" Warp feigned insult. "How can you suggest such a thing?" He winked at Mira and Daphne. "If either of you ever wants to know just how much of a bad influence I really am, I'd be happy to show you..."
"Warp," Tundra warned, leading the cadets along.
"Just kiddin'. Good luck with your assignment, girls - and red man." He stood up straight. "Since I've got the rest of the day off, I think I'll head out to Kegas IX for a little partying."
Tundra shot him a glare. "Warp."
"Right, right, bad influence. Sorry!" He grinned.
When they reached the briefing room, they found Commander Nebula waiting for them inside, tapping his fingers on the purple table with his back to the large window that revealed a breathtaking view of Capital Planet. "Ah, there you are," he greeted. "Ranger Skyrim, cadets - sit down."
Mira sank into a chair, folding her hands on her lap while the commander rose to announce the mission.
"We recently received word from our sources on Trade World that there's an illegal gambling operation hidden in one of the backrooms of a bar called The Black Hole. All the regular players will be there today, so I'm sending you folks in to make arrests and stamp out the operation." He rested his hands on the table. "As far as we know, this isn't a high-risk mission, but you are going to Trade World, so everyone you encounter should be considered dangerous until proven otherwise. Use caution at all times, and stay out of trouble."
Tundra smiled. "I think we can handle that, Commander. What do you think, cadets?"
A chorus of 'yes, ma'ams' rose from the three cadets, and Mira gripped the armrests of the seat in anticipation. My first mission! And my first chance to prove myself as a Ranger. I can't wait!
When the Star Cruiser reached Trade World, Tundra brought the ship into orbit and turned to her crew. "None of you have ever flown in space yet, have you?" They shook their heads. "Well, here's your chance. To the launch tubes, people, and put up your helmets."
Mira nervously unstrapped herself from the chair and followed her team off the bridge. They entered a room with four transparent tubes standing against the wall, and Tundra motioned for them to each get inside one. They did so, though Daphne once again had difficulties, and a glass covering curved over the tubes.
"Three, two, one, launch!" Tundra called.
Mira braced herself, and a hatch above her swirled open. Air rushed past her as she was blown into space, and she emerged outside the ship beside the rest of her team.
Tundra pressed a button on her suit, and her jetpack fired up. The other Rangers followed her example, and they descended through the Trade Worldian atmosphere. Mira found that flying through space was simpler than she'd expected, and enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness.
When the city came into view, it brought to mind Romac's words when he'd told her about his trip to Trade World. There was an ocean on one side, and a collection of buildings nestled beside a cliff face on the other. Cars streamed through one of the sky lanes, honking their horns and trying to overtake each other. A large, dirt-encrusted sign welcomed visitors to Trade World, though the city itself looked far from welcoming. Trash littered the squalid alleys, and the people that milled through the city looked like the lowest, scummiest inhabitants of the universe. Some were vendors, flogging their wares to crowds, while other people seemed to be wandering aimlessly across the walkways. There were drunks passed out in corners, thugs hiding in the shadows, street urchins snatching fruit from stalls, provocatively dressed women soliciting passers by, and hustlers trying to con a few bucks off the more gullible citizens. It was not an environment for the faint-hearted, and Mira wondered what had led all these people to this place and these lifestyles.
Romac had been right when he said lights and signs flashed everywhere. Wherever she looked, Mira saw giant screens displaying advertisements and news, and signs written in languages she couldn't read were scattered throughout the city.
"This is quite a place," she observed to Daphne.
Her friend nodded. "You can say that again."
Tundra led them through the maze of buildings until they reached a seedy-looking bar that stood in one of the shadier, slummier parts of the city. They landed outside the entrance, and the woman turned to her team. "All right, here's what we're going to do. Nova, you and Thornhoof will cover the back entrance and make sure no one slips out. Flarn and I will go in and raid the gambling den. Got it?"
The other two cadets nodded, but Mira held up her hand. "Uh, excuse me, ma'am, but d-do you really think that's a good idea? I-I mean, don't you think it would be better if all of us went in? It sounds too dangerous for just two people."
"Your concerns are noted, Cadet," assured Tundra, "but I don't think those gamblers will put up much of a fight, and it's imperative that we keep the exits covered, otherwise some of them could get away." She put her hand on Mira's shoulder. "I know you want to be in on the action, but sometimes you have to take the less glamourous assignments. It's not as exciting as rounding up thugs, but it's still important."
Mira sighed. "Yeah, I guess."
"Good. Take Thornhoof and get into position."
The two cadets nodded and trudged to the back of the building, ending up in dank, trash-filled alley. Old boxes and newspapers were strewn across the ground, mouldering among the puddles. An overturned trash can blocked the back door to the bar, and Mira set herself down on it, her arms folded. "This isn't fair. How come Flarn got to go in but we didn't?"
Daphne shrugged. "You heard what Tundra said. We've got to guard the back in case someone tries to escape."
"Oh, yeah, that's what she said." Mira rolled her eyes. "Come on, this door is locked anyway." She jiggled the handle. "The only reason we're here is because she thinks we aren't ready for anything tougher."
"Oh, Mira," chided Daphne. "Don't be so paranoid. I'm sure we wouldn't even have been selected for this mission if she didn't think we were ready."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Mira rested her back against the wall. Surveying the alley, she had to suppress a shudder. "Ugh, this place is disgusting. This whole planet is disgusting. How could anyone live here? And why would they want to?"
Shrugging, Daphne put her elbows on an old oil barrel. "Some were probably born here. Others probably didn't have anywhere else to go. And I guess there are those who like this kind of place. I mean, let's face it, it's the perfect hangout for criminals."
Mira nodded. "Yeah. I bet this place keeps the Space Rangers busy. We'll probably be sent here a lot once we're fully fledged Rangers."
"Not me," said Daphne. "I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I don't think I'll do any patrol work once I'm a Ranger. It's just not practical for someone like me."
"I thought the whole reason you joined was to prove that you could do the same things everyone else could..."
"Yeah, and I can do those things - I've already proven that. But I'm just not cut out for this kind of work. It's difficult for me, and I'd slow down my team - maybe even be a liability." She smiled. "I think I'll work on Star Command instead. There are plenty of jobs for me there, like security or launch control. Not everyone has to go out on missions."
Mira shrugged. "Well, if that's what you want to do, then good luck. That kind of job's not for me, though. I want to be out here, chasing down lawbreakers and fighting evil. I couldn't be stuck on a space station while other people are having adventures."
"You and I are a different kinds of people," chuckled Daphne. "Anyway, everything looks pretty clear so far. I wonder how Tundra and Flarn are doing."
Biting her lip, Mira glanced nervously at the door. "I hope they're okay." Two people aren't enough to bring in a whole room of thugs. Something could have gone wrong...
"I'm sure they'd call us if there were any problems," Daphne reasoned.
"I guess so." Part of Mira almost wished something would go wrong so they would call, meaning she'd get to join in the action. "Don't you think they should have checked in with us by now, though? I mean, Tundra said it would be a simple mission, so they should have secured the place by now. Why haven't they called?"
"Give them time."
Mira clenched and unclenched her hands. "I think one of us should go in and see if everything's okay. They might need backup."
"I don't know about that." Daphne frowned. "Tundra told us to guard the back door. We can't disobey her orders just because they haven't checked in yet. We need something more solid to go on than that to prove something's wrong."
"Exactly!" replied Mira. "That's why I'm going to go in and see what's happening. Don't worry, we're not abandoning our position. You can stay here, so the door will still be secure. If anything's gone wrong inside, I'll call you and we can rush to the rescue. If everything's okay, then there's no harm done. I don't see the problem."
Daphne continued to look unhappy. "I really don't think this is a good idea. We have our orders..."
"Trust me." Mira patted Daphne's shoulder. "It'll be fine. Just stay here and keep an eye on things, and I'll be back in a minute."
Sighing in defeat, Daphne nodded. "Okay, but I still don't like this."
Mira ghosted through the wall, ending up in a dusty stockroom. Boxes of glasses, plates, and liquor filled the room, and she had to watch her step to avoid tripping over any of them. Something in the corner rustled, and she stifled a scream. When she looked to see what it was, she let out a sigh of relief and could have laughed at her silliness. It was only a rat scurrying among the crates, probably eating some of the food stocks and contributing to the general unsanitariness of the establishment.
Reaching the door, Mira ghosted her head through first to see if the coast was clear, then slipped her whole body through. She found herself in a dim hallway, and the low hum of voices told her the hall probably led to the bar. Along the side of the corridor were several closed doors, and she reasoned one of them probably belonged to the backroom the gambling operation was based in.
She paled when she realised there was no sign of Tundra or Flarn. Something's gone wrong, I know it! But what could she do? One Ranger - or two if she called in Daphne - wouldn't be much good against all those criminals. She needed a plan. Think, Mira, think - what would Buzz Lightyear do in a situation like this?
She tapped her chin. Tundra and Flarn are probably being held inside the room. If I can somehow sneak in unnoticed and free them, I can ghost them out of there and we can barricade the door from the outside and have a locked room full of gamblers who we can deal with at our leisure. Easy enough - except the part about getting in and rescuing them without being seen. Hmm, the thugs might be guarding the door, but I bet they aren't expecting anyone to go through the wall.
First she had to figure out which room they were in, though, so she put her ear to each door until she found one from which voices emanated. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she knew she'd found the right place. Slipping back outside, she circled around the building until she reached the outside wall of that room, and dropped to her knees. "Don't worry, guys. Cadet Nova's on the way." Crawling forward, she phased through the wall and emerged in a poorly lit room filled with gambling tables and an unsavoury assortment of individuals crowded around them. Some were exchanging money, while others were conversing with each other, laughing over their good fortune or bewailing their losses.
Mira inched forward, glad of the low light which concealed her as she crawled across the floor. Glancing around, she was confused when she saw that neither Tundra nor Flarn seemed to be present. What happened? Did they take them away somewhere? I hope I'm not too late!
"Ouch!" Someone had stepped on her hand, and Mira cried out before she could stop herself.
"Hey, what's going on here?" The shady-looking character who'd stepped on her pulled her to her feet. "Who are you?"
Oh no! No, no, no! Ghosting out of his grip, she made for the wall. I have to get out of here!
"Stop her! Don't let her get away!"
Hearing one of them charge a weapon, Mira dove for the wall, concentrating on phasing her body. However, before she could make it through the wall, a pulse collided with her back, and she lost concentration. Slamming into the wall, Mira fell to ground and tried to push herself up. "Ugh..." Her vision began to grow blurry, and her strength had left her. A feeling of immense tiredness washed over her, and she gradually succumbed to it.
The last thing she was aware of before blacking out was a pair of hands dragging her across the floor towards the centre of the room, and a voice saying, "It's looks like we've got ourselves a Ranger."