TRTSS2: The Trek of Ranma Who! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 51: Interlude- "Genesis of the Daleks" (I)
Years ago…
"Where the hell are we?" Ranma said, as he brushed the mist from his face. It was not an ordinary mist, for he could smell ozone in the air.
"Keep your shirt on, Ronnie," said a white British man who wore a tan overcoat, gray slack, charcoal gray jacket, light blue shirt and gray ascot. "You know how these things are."
Ranma folds his arms.
"Look, Harry, we were heading somewhere, and then- BAM! We end up in a quarry. In fact, wherever we go somewhere, it's always in some fricken quarry!"
"Oh, Ranma, relax," said a white British lady who was young but sophisticated. "You know how these things work."
"Sarah, that's why I'm concerned."
"Sandwiches, anyone?" Usagi asked, as she held her "blue collar" lunchbox.
"Do you have any cheese and crackers, perhaps?" Harry asked.
Before Usagi could respond, the fourth incarnation of the Time Lord known simply as "The Doctor" emerges from the mist.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting," the Doctor said. "But I had a chat with the person responsible for our present predicament."
"Doctor!" Sarah said.
"Doctor, where are we?"
"We are on the planet 'Skaros', thanks to the Council of Gallifrey," the Doctor said. "And, no, they didn't send us here because of ME. Well, not directly."
"Why are we here, then?" Ranma asked.
"We are here to investigate a potentially new species known as 'The Daleks'."
"That name sounds familiar," Usagi muses.
"Since you and Ranma have the advantage of being proficient of the Time sphere, then I would recommend that you both be careful of what you say and do," the Doctor said.
"And Sarah and I will have the benefit of not knowing anything," Harry said with a broad smile.
"I agree," Ranma said, though for an entirely different reason. "So, we are on Skaros. So what? And why do I smell ozone, like we're in the middle of a war zone?"
"The war on Skaros is what will lead to the creation of the Daleks," the Doctor said. "The Council believes that the Daleks will be responsible for the death of the Universe in their future…by devouring it wholesale.
"Oh, my," Sarah said.
"So what else is new?" Ranma said flatly. "And I thought we already have gotten rid of them already?"
"In one timeline, yes," the Doctor said. "However, the Council insists that the Daleks DO poise an existential threat to the Universe, thus, they have sent us here earlier in Skaros' history."
"So what are we to do here, Doctor?" Harry asked.
"We are here to determine if it is possible to prevent them from coming into being, and, if not, learn as much as possible so that we can be prepared for their role in the destruction of the Universe."
"Well, obviously, the Dalek's future is a possible one, right?" Usagi said. "I mean, we've traveled to the distant future, and I haven't run into Daleks, although…"
"Bunny, as I said, if you have future knowledge of the Daleks, be careful of what you say. Otherwise, we could possibly be responsible for the very thing we are trying to prevent…"
Unfortunately, during the trek across the battlefield, in a war of attrition, the Doctor and his companions were attacked with exotic gases. Unprepared, all five succumbed. However, only the Doctor, Harry and Usagi were taken captive by one of the warring factions…
"Oof!" the Doctor said, as he fell back in a heap. He looks over towards Harry and Usagi.
"Are you two okay?" the Doctor asked as he coughed.
"I am," said Harry, as he gave a "thumbs up" hand gesture.
Meanwhile, Usagi looks around. "Wait, where's Ranma and Sarah-?"
"You don't look like 'Thals'," said the squad leader, as he continued to point his gun at the trio. "But we still need answers."
"Fine, so take us to your leader," the Doctor said.
"You must be the voice of your set," said the soldier. "Very well, we will do just THAT."
"Do what?" Harry asked.
"You will be interrogated by General Ravon, the leader of our people…the Kaleds!"
And, with that, the Doctor and his companions are placed on an underground transport for questioning.
Meanwhile, Ranma wakes up. He extends his senses, which told him that the Doctor, Harry and Usagi were alive. Oh, and one more…
"Ohhhh," said Sarah, as she sat up.
"Sarah, take it easy," Ranma said, as he helped the young woman to his feet.
"What happened? Sarah asked, as she shook her head.
"Apparently, we were attacked."
"Apparently," Sarah said. "But where-?"
"The no longer are in this area," Ranma said, as he glances towards the steel door that was in the heart of the trenches.
"What about through there?"
"A waste of time," Ranma said.
"But-"
"Trust me on this, okay?" Ranma asked. "You know that I am telepathically linked to Usagi, correct?"
"Yes…"
"Well, from the range of contact, she and the others are miles from here. We go through those soldiers in that bunker, it could tip off their captors."
"So, what do you suggest then? Not do anything?"
"Of course not, Sarah. We simply have to go overland, and gain access to their dome that way."
"Ah, I see."
"Come," Ranma said, as he holds out his hand towards Sarah. "We can get there faster if I carry you on my back."
"Why, Mister Saotome," Sarah said with a smile, as she reaches for Ranma's hand. "Are you getting 'fresh' with me?"
"If I was, I wouldn't admit it," Ranma replied, as he smiled back.
"Okay, but be careful," Sarah said, as she climbed on Ranma's back.
"I'm always am," Ranma said, as he hooks Sarah's legs with his arms. "Hang on…"
And, with that, Ranma leaps and bounds across the battlefield with Sarah on his back…
After a while, Ranma and Sarah, while avoiding mutants called "Mutos", the two come upon a proven ground of sorts. Well, the pair came across a burnt out building, where sounds were being heard…
"Wha-?" Sarah asked, as Ranma holds up his hand. He wanted the investigative journalist to remain quiet while the pair peered inside the building…
"Targets are set up, Dr. Davros," said a black clad officer, as he steps up.
"Good," said a cybernetically enhanced, wheel chair bound man. He appeared to be blind, save for a visual node on his forehead, and he spoke through a voice synthesizer. "I will now activate the latest iteration of our glorious work…"
Sarah and Ranma both turn to see a non-bipedal robot of some kind move into position. It appeared to have an industrial-strength whisk and plunger protruding from them…
"Are those…?"
"A Dalek," Ranma said in disgust. He, the Doctor and Usagi have fought Daleks in THEIR past before, and it was not always a pretty thing. The Dalek's weapon of choice was their disintegration beam that attacked at the molecular level. That, coupled with the armored chassis of the carrier, the Daleks, in spite of their appearance, was a species to be taken series.
"No…EXTERMINATE," Davros said.
ZAP!
BOOOM!
With the targets exterminated, Davros smiles.
"Good. Soon, the results will allow us to finally win this war against the Thals…"
And with that, Davros, his assistant and the Dalek prototype return to the laboratory.
"If that's the creator of the Daleks, are you…going to kill him?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know," Ranma said. "I may be an expert in my area of warfare via Time, but the Doctor is the Time Lord."
"Which means that he's in charge of this mission for now-"
"Ranma!" Sarah said, as she points to a group of Mutos that were about to swarm her and Ranma's position.
"Ah," Ranma said, as he cracked his knuckles. "It's about time I get to hit something…"
"Must you always think with your fists?" Sarah asked.
"Hey, if I want advice on journalism, I'd go to YOU."
"…"
"Now, let's see who's first to get a knuckle sandwich…"
After thoroughly thrashing the rejects from a pop music video, the leader of this band of Mutos make peace.
"We assumed that you were Kaleds or Thals," said the muto leader Severin.
"Well, you thought wrong," Ranma said.
"Ranma!" Sarah admonished.
"Hey, they started it!"
"And we apologize for that…oversight," Severin said. "We assumed that you were one of those 'fascists'."
"Have you guys ever considered siding with one side or another?" Sarah asked. "I would think that if you did, this war would be over."
"Unfortunately, both sides hate Mutos, for suffering from mutations-"
"HALT!" yelled a soldier, as he and his squad surrounds Ranma and company.
"Kaleds or Thals?" Ranma asked.
"These are Thals," Severin said, as he and everyone else raise their hands.
"Ranma, what are we going to do?" Sarah asked.
"We need to know more about the Thals, while the others learn more about the Kaleds," Ranma said, as he raises hands.
"I hope you know what you are doing, Ranma…"
On the way to the domed city of the Thals, Ranma, Sarah and Severin are manhandled.
"We're doomed!" said a Kaled prisoner, as he is pushed into the work area.
"Feh, so much for Kaled bravery," Severin said.
"Hey!" Sarah yelled, as a Thal pushes her. Strangely, Thals were dressed as American G.I.s from World War II…
Just as the Thal was about to use the butt of his rifle to hurt Sarah, Ranma quickly uses a classic hand chop maneuver to knock the man out. He did so in a way that no one could see him…
THOK!
CLUMP!
Another Thal soldier quickly scans the area before kneeling by his comrade's prone body
"What happened to this man?" the Thal demanded.
"Stress?" Ranma offered, which warranted a giggle from Sarah.
"…"
For hours, Ranma, Sarah, Severin and the other slave labor were loading up tubes filled with radioactive isotopes into a single rocket. According to what he and Sarah could determine, the Thal's were making one last stand against the Kaleds, in the form of a doomsday rocket…
Nevertheless, after gleaning as much information as possible, Ranma and Sarah decided to initiate a prison break…by climbing up the missile silo.
Too bad the guards had other ideas.
"Stop!" said the guards, as he and his men began to shoot at the escapees.
BAM! BAM! BAM-!
Sarah looks down, as she climbs up. Unfortunately, her fear of heights was getting to her…
"Sarah!" Ranma said, as he looks down, after helping a few people up. "Don't look down! Just continue to climb!"
Sarah tries to do so, but stumbles anyway…and slips off the gangplank.
"Ranma-!" Sarah yelled, as she begins to fall.
"Damn it!" Ranma said, as he leaps after her.
Using his own descent, Ranma intercepts Sarah, catches her, summersaults in a tuck and roll, and then lands on his feet with Sarah in his arms.
PLUNK!
And then, guns were pointed at him.
KLACK!
"What's with you guys and guns anyway?" Ranma asked.
Just then, three more guards enter. All the Thal guards in the missile silo were in radiation containment suits. The slave labor did not receive such consideration.
"It looks like this is the end, Ranma," Sarah said, as she held onto Ranma tightly.
"Hey, at least I get to go out with a beautiful woman in my arms," Ranma said.
Sarah looks into Ranma's eyes.
"Oh, Ranma, I wish that I could have said something about how I feel about you before now-"
Suddenly, one of the newly arrived guards knocks the heads of the guards that were already with the attempted escapees.
With a confused look, Ranma and Sarah watch, as one of the newly arrived guards remove HER radiation helmet.
"Usagi?" Ranma and Sarah said in unison.
"See what happens when I leave Ranma alone with Sarah?" Usagi said with a smirk.
Tbc.
Author's Note: I wanted to do this interlude for two reasons. One, I wanted to elaborate Ranma and Usagi's mindset as far as where their relationship to Davros lies. And, two, I wanted to make up for the lack of Ranma in the "Turn Left" inclusion. Hopefully, I will fulfill the parameters in both objectives. Later!
