There, another updates. A warm welcome to all the new readers! (or new reviewers, anyway; reviews are the only indication I've got).
As for our two main mysteries (Shiera trying to kill Mushramco, and Emma/Yakumo question): they should be resolved by the end of "Ties".
7. Ties
First Part
The vast desert stretched below them, acres on acres of it. The parched land was a mesmerizing mesh of orange and shadow in the sunset light. Here and there, darker spots marked the ruins where cities and towns once were. No green was visible, no living settlements. This land, it seemed, was uninhabited by Enterrans as well as by human. Mushra had the nasty suspicion that it wasn't inhabitable at all.
"What happened here?" he wondered out loud, then bit his lip. He hadn't said a word since the raw with Carlos, and he wasn't sure what sort of reply he could expect.
"Nukes" said Zhane when no one else volunteered a response. Guessing Mushra's confusing, Zhane added: "Really nasty bombs. Make pretty large radi uninhabitable for decades"
"Did the nukes kill all the people?" asked Mushra. Tens of thousands of people must have lived in the ruined cities, if not more.
"Not many survived to that stage in the war" answered Zhane. "But of those who made it, most were evacuated"
"A lot of Enterrans died, but than again, that was the purpose" said Carlos nastily. "If the Enterrans weren't there, we would've never nukes our homes. See there?" Carlos pointed to the ruins of one specific town, right by the coast. "See that town? It's called Angel Grove. That's where we grew up and lived"
Stuff it, Mushra wanted to tell him; don't take it out on me 'cause it's not my fault. But, he reflected, it is my fault – kind of: Mushrambo's leading the Enterrans.
They've been traveling north since they hit the coast, maybe fifteen minutes ago. Angel Grove must have been some sort of landmark, though, because Kat changed course and broke right: the hover now headed east into the mainland, straight to the mountains.
The base was in the mountains, Mushra realized. Strangely, it didn't feel as if he's realized something he didn't know before, but rather as if he's just remembered something that he once knew. There was something familiar about the scorched desert, about those mountains…
"You can't hide forever!" he yelled into the wind. "I'll tear down the mountains, if that's what it takes for me to destroy you! Come out and fight! Or are you afraid?" he poured all the hatred and mockery in his hear into the last words. Truth be told, he did not want to tear down the stupid mountain range. It would wear him down and frankly, some of those humans weren't bad fighters.
"Demon!" he barely had time to turn around and move out of the way as she striked past him.
"You'll need better aim than that to get me!" he called after her.
She zoomed back up, stopping her glider not far from him.
"You should know by now that this is not as fast as I can be", she informed him.
"No, as a matter of fact I don't know. Why don't you show me?"
She came charging right at him. She was so fast that, if he hadn't triggered and expected her attack, she would've taken him by surprise. Damns meteors, she was fast! But, having baited her, Mushrambo pulled up just in time, hurling one of his infamous purple spheres at her.
She stopped and turned around.
"You missed", she declared.
"So did you", he answered coolly.
They were both lying; he knew it, and maybe she did too. Her dagger drew blood from his legs: only a few drops, but it was enough – he could already feel its magic, weakening his will. And his sphere did hurt her, tall and proud as she may stand: he could see the faint glow of it in her aura. It may not be deadly to her as it was to most, but it still hurt her badly.
Their chances were even, and they both knew it. Up in the air, where none of their allies may interfere… Though frankly, in a battle between such deadly, devoted foes, allies were more of a hindrance than an advantage.
Blow by blow, both warriors grew weaker as the fight went on, and still none of them was any closer to loosing or winning. Sensing that his patience would soon wear out – formidable as it was – he made another vicious dab: "Now I know where your baby got her tolerance from", he told her. "It took her hours to die"
She came down on him as fast as thought, a green blur of hatred and anger. She was too fast too pull aside, and so she crashed against the wall of dark purple he conjured around himself.
There weren't a cry or a gasp. Finally dead, she fell to the ground.
"Mushra? You okay?"
Mushra's head snapped up as Emma tapped his shoulder.
"You seemed out of it for minute" she explained.
"Yeah, I'm okay" he said, which couldn't have been further from the truth. Truth was, the vision scared the living daylight out of him. It was so alive in his mind that he felt as if it just happened, as if only now he killed the unnamed woman. Even in the vision, he did not know her name: she was only an enemy to be slaughtered.
What are those visions? He wondered, thinking back to the nightmare he had: he was pretty certain that the nightmare, and not this vision, were part of the same sequence. Why am I having them? What do they mean?
Kat's statement broke his reverie.
"Brace for impact, guys", she said. "This will not be the smoothest touchdown of the year"
Mushra took a better look at their trajectory, and gasped. "Kat!" he yelped. "We're heading straight into the mountain!"
Before she had time to answer him, everything was bathed in white light and suddenly, they were inside a cavernous hanger. Slowing down, the hover slapped the track several times before it dumped enough velocity to hit the ground and stay there. For many extremely fast-paced heartbeats, everyone tried to catch their breath.
With a silver flash, Zhane and his glider appeared by the hover's side.
"What'd I miss?" asked Zhane cheerfully.
"Nothing much" said Emma.
"Just Kat trying to get us all killed" added Carlos weakly.
"Hi!" protested Kat. "Think you can do better?"
Any reply Carlos might have made was stopped as the bay's door slid open, and several humans came rushing in.
---
It was cooler. That was the first thing Sago noticed when he woke up; that, and the fact that somebody covered him with a light blanket. He opened his eyes.
It was cooler because the sun has set. The woman, still in armor, was crouched close to him.
"You were cold", said the woman, "So I covered you"
"Thanks" he said. Carefully, he tried to sit up, and was successful. "How long was I asleep"
"A few hours. Not long, but it should be enough for now. How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted, but okay, I guess. Starving, also"
"You'll have to do with field ratios". She passed him some. "The sky is too clear, I don't dare light a fire"
"It's alright", he said, tearing open one of the packets. "I'm so hungry, I just don't care"
"This one's self-heatable", she said, pointing to an orange packet. "Just sort of crush it before opening, and wait until it feels warm. And here's some water. You should drink"
"I'm not thirsty"
"Drink"
Thirst attacked him after the first mouthful, and he emptied the cantina greedily. She handed him another one without a word.
"Who are you?" he asked, putting down the half-empty cantina.
"I'm the Green Strike Ranger"
"It can't be your real name"
"It's the only one I'll give you. I'm a friend; don't worry"
"I'm not worried"
"No", she said, studying him through the black visor of her helmet. "Strangely, you aren't"
He said nothing.
"We'll move in the morning" she said abruptly. "I'll wake you before dawn, and we'll leave by first light"
"How're we going to move?"
Mutely, she pointed to the large green glider a few meters away.
"Where are we going?"
"See those mountains, there in the east?"
Sago strained his eyes. "Hardly, yes"
"That's where. Now, finish your ratios, and go to sleep already"
---
"Want some company?"
"No"
"You're going to get some anyway". Tommy flopped down on the hard rock next to Mushra. "So, you know about Karen"
"Karen?"
"Carlos's daughter"
"Oh"
"I'm sorry for keeping that from you. I really thought it would be for the best"
"Fine. No, it's not fine" burst Mushra suddenly. "I knew people died – Yakumo's parents died – but this is different. I mean, how old was she – Karen – anyway?"
"She was only two"
"Two", repeated Mushra.
"A lot of kids died in this war. You must have known that"
"I knew… But I guess I didn't, not really"
"Carlos doesn't really hate you, you know. He's just – grieving, and resentful"
"How can you be so calm about it?"
"I'm not. Not remotely". Tommy looked down at his hands. "But someone had to talk to you. There were other volunteers, naturally, but as leader I thought it was my responsibility"
"You only care because Mushrambo's interested in me" said Mushra bitterly.
"That's not true, and you know it". Tommy's voice turned very firm, almost hard. "Kat brought you guys in out of compassion as well as out of tactical thinking, but right now, it wouldn't matter if Mushrambo stood up and declared you're of no interest to him. You're our friends, Mushrambo. You, Sago and Kutall – you all are!"
"They left Sago behind!" The words burst out of nowhere, Mushra's voice echoing back from the cliffs. The pain in his voice startled Mushra; he's never quite admitted to himself how mush he cared.
"There really wasn't much of a choice", said Tommy heavily. "I believe, by the way, that Zhane is currently crying his eyes out. That is, he's locked himself in his room and would only let Andros enter. Kat's miserable, too, and Emma's in a right state". Tommy was silent for a moment. "Maybe you and Emma should talk"
"I don't think she likes me right now"
"You'd be surprised". Tommy's voice turned softer. "She needs you, in a way, and so does Kutall; and you need them, too"
"I don't understand"
"You're the ones who miss Sago the most"
Mushra blinked. "Emma?"
"I've been told they've spent a lot of time together"
"I wouldn't know, I only woke a day before we left there"
"So talk to them". Tommy got to his feet, and offered Mushra a hand. "Will you come in? It's getting chilly out here"
He was going to refuse the offer of friendship. He was not going to give in to this human so easily. He was not going to… Mushra grabbed his hand to Tommy, and together they went inside.
---
"I already know" were Kutall's first words as Mushra entered the living room of their quarters.
That was when Mushra realized that he hasn't said a word to Kutall since he arrived at the base.
"Kat told me", continued Mushra, as if he didn't notice Mushra's sudden freeze. "Zhane passed by after they finished the briefing. Wanted to explain things himself"
"Why is it that everyone are trying to make me feel like a jerk?" complained Mushra, falling into a chair.
"No-one's trying to make you feel like a jerk", said Kutall.
Mushra swore, shortly and efficiently. "I just wish there was something I could do!" he exploded. "That bloody Franken was taking down Sago, and I did absolutely nothing to stop him!"
"There wasn't anything you could do. You're barely strong enough to walk"
"So what? I've known Sago since I can remember!"
"Mushra, there was nothing you could do"
"I don't care!"
There was a ringing silence as both Enterrans watched the dent Mushra's fist left in the table.
The door chimed before either of them could say anything.
"Yes" called Kutall curtly.
The door opened and a brunette Mushra didn't recognize stuck her head inside.
"You guys alright?" she said. "I heard a loud… did you do that?" she asked amazedly, walking over to the table, apparently oblivious to Mushra and Kutall's stunned stares, and to the hostility radiating from Mushra. "This alloy's strong!"
"Not strong enough, apparently" said Kutall.
"Yeah, but, I mean, a morphed Ranger would have trouble making such a nice, deep dent with his fist, and we guys are strong when morphed". She looked at Mushra questioningly. "Did you do that?"
"Who are you?" demanded Mushra. "And a morphed what?"
She laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I totally forgot. I'm Ashley, yellow Astro. Hold it, you don't know about the Rangers?" Ashley looked over to Kutall.
"He just came in", explained Kutall.
"Would you rather I explain it?"
"No, it would be fine, thank you"
Ashley nodded, turning back to Mushra. "Let me see your hand" she said, taking it and turning his palm over without waiting for his answer. "Weird", she said. "Your skin isn't even red from the impact. I'll see whom I can get on this. I'll leave you two to catch up. Bye!" And she left the room smiling, leaving Mushra to stare at her back.
"She's weird"
"She faced off DieHanger", said Kutall.
"She's the one? I wouldn't believe. And what's this about morphed what-so-evers?"
"Morphed Rangers; Power Rangers" corrected Kutall. "I got sort of a lecture about them from Justin on the way here. Let's see if I remember everything…"