Disclaimer: Very few of the characters within belong to me. You'll know which is which. I'm not making anything on any of them anyway, so nobody should get excited.

A/N: For the purposes of this story, Rocky went to the moon with the Red Rangers. Jason didn't.

Thanks to Rach and Scarlet Deva for keeping me in line, and to the Girl in the Red Jacket for sharing. Kev, the middle part is all for you.

Angel with Two Faces

Chapter 5

"Dr. Cranston?"

"Hmm?" Miri's eyes were on the monitor in front of her. She glanced up after a moment to see Ba'altesch looking at her reproachfully. "Oh. Sorry. How many times did you call me this time?"

"Four."

Miri blushed. "Honestly, I am sorry, Ba'altesch. What did you need me for?"

The large blue alien shrugged. "I don't. I was merely inquiring whether you intended to eat this evening, and if so whether you would care to join me."

"Oh." She smiled up at him. "Not right now, thanks. I want to go over this data again, make sure we've anticipated everything."

Ba'altesch sighed, shaking his great head. "Nobody can anticipate everything, Dr. Cranston. This is just nervous energy. Perhaps we should call in young Kailey and set up the equipment now, so that we can be ready to begin immediately in the morning."

It was Miri's turn to shake her head. "Didn't you say she had hit it off with that Black div. Ranger? No, if she's having a good time, I'll let her be. This project's been waiting for nearly twenty-five years. It can wait another night." She turned back to the rows of data on the monitor. "You go ahead, Ba'altesch. Take the rest of the night; I'll see you in the morning."

He frowned. "You're not planning on spending the night here, by any chance?"

Miri looked around the large, spare laboratory, here in the lowest level of the ACC. One entire wall was covered with computer terminals, alive and blinking companionably, a mute testament to the mechanical well being of the ACC in general. A low couch was slung against another wall, and against the third, set a little distance away, was a large, black rectangle, inside which rested the purpose of Miri's visit. This last was now framed with PVC piping, to which was attached minute transmitters that would enclose her, the equipment she'd helped develop, and her subject in a sterile field when the time came. In the meantime, there was a ton of data to wade through, and Miri intended to have most of it committed to memory when that time arrived. So…

"No, of course not," she lied, smiling.

Clearly dissatisfied by her answer, Ba'altesch stared at her for a while, then shrugged. "Have it your way, Dr. Cranston. But do bear in mind that you will need all your energy the next few days."

"Duly noted. Now go eat, okay?"

Miri sighed in relief when the door to the lab swished shut behind her assistant. She liked Ba'altesch very much, but his tendency to mother hen, while endearing, sometimes got in Miri's way. And this was way too important for that.

She scanned the monitor again, her trained eye easily picking out the predicted anomalies and their compensation. It certainly seemed comprehensive, but… no. She couldn't take the chance. Her father was all she had, and the failure of this project would crush him like nothing else he'd had to endure. He'd lost her mother, his best friend, his father… Each loss had chipped away at him, but not this time. Not if Miri could help it.

The Admiral was not a gregarious man, though friendly enough. He'd told her he was painfully shy in his youth, and he'd never quite lost the reserved demeanor that had kept him emotionally afloat in his teens. An outsider might speculate that he was not a warm man, nor a deep one; but Miri knew better than anyone how deeply William Cranston could love, and how deeply he could hurt. It was just the two of them, now, together; and Miri swore to herself, again, that this time her father would have cause to rejoice, not mourn.

Her comm bleeped. "Baby girl?"

Miri raised her brows. "What's wrong, Dad?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Billy sounded bemused.

"You haven't called me 'baby girl' for years. What's happened?"

"Well, you are my baby girl, so I don't see why I shouldn't…" His tone mildly affronted, Billy trailed off.

"Dad…"

He made a sound suspiciously like a 'humph'. "The truth is there are some things happening just now that require some attention from me, so I don't quite know when I'll be able to join you."

Miri frowned. "Should I postpone?"

"No." He hesitated, then repeated, "No. Stick with your game plan. There isn't anything I could do that you can't handle. I'll stay in touch and get down there when I can. You're knocking off for the night soon anyway, aren't you?"

"Um, sure."

"Miranda Cestria Cranston, don't lie to your father." Billy chuckled. "At least promise me you'll get some kind of sleep, okay? The project's important, but you are, after all, my baby girl."

She grinned. "I promise."

~*~

On a bench in the recreation center, a middle-aged man held a young woman close and rubbed his cheek against her hair, remembering.

Rocky tucked the girl's head under his chin as she hiccuped against his shirt, sniffling. "You know," he said, almost conversationally, " I recall holding another pretty girl like this, oh, a long time ago. Her mom was moving to Paris, and she was afraid she wouldn't see her friends again. But it worked out."

Another sniff, and then a pair of watery brown eyes blinked up at him. "Who was that?"

"Your – " Rocky paused. "I don't know what relation Kim would be to you. She's not your mom, that's Trini."

"Oh." Kailey rubbed her nose with a fist. "More like a sibling; a twin. She cried all over you too?"

"Uh huh."

"That's why you're so good at this comforting thing, then." Rocky chuckled; Kailey hiccuped again. "So you were one of her friends? And Mom's and Uncle Bill's?"

"Yep. I guess that would make me your Uncle Rocky. Or just Rocky, if you think the uncle part is weird."

"This whole thing is weird." She looked at him again, searching his face. "Don't you think it's weird? Aren't you a little freaked out by me?"

He hesitated, then told her the truth. "A little. I'll admit you were something of a shock. But that's your mom's fault, if it's anyone's. Certainly not yours."

Kailey thought about that, then sighed. "Why does Scott's dad hate me? I really – I really wanted him to like me."

Now there was a complicated question. Rocky took a minute to order his thoughts. "I don't think he does, Kailey. It's the idea of you that he can't stand, not you personally. Kim was his first love; but their relationship took some odd turns, not the least because of the whole Ranger thing, which at that time had to be secret. My recollection of the two of them is that he had this visceral need to protect and save her, even after they weren't in love any more. And when she died, and he wasn't there, I think maybe that took more out of him than even he realizes."

Kailey nodded slowly. "Maybe." She looked at him again quickly. "But you don't feel that way."

Touched by the look in her brown eyes, Rocky pulled her close for a hug. "Oh, honey. It tore us all up when Kim died, but… no. In fact, I am looking forward to getting to know you. I wish your mom hadn't kept you from us all this time, but we can make up for it if we try. Would you mind?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't think so."

Scott skidded up then, all out of breath. "Kailey, are you okay? I didn't know where you'd gone… please tell me you don't hate me because of what my dad said." He knelt next to her and looked into her face, his expression anxious. "Kailey?"

She blushed and ducked her head. "Of course I don't."

Rocky slid off the bench. "And I think that's my exit cue. If you have things here, Scotty, I'll go find Trini and make sure you still have a father."

"Don't go out of your way on my account," the younger man all but growled. "Kailey and I will be okay, though. Thanks, Unk."

~*~

Ba'altesch moved with stately tread toward the canteen. None of the foods in the mess hall had appealed to him, and someone – a lovely young woman, Red div. – had suggested he try the canteen for more unusual fare.

The door to the canteen slid open, and for a moment Ba'altesch was marginally bewildered by the darkness within, punctuated freely by flashing lights. An organized noise that the large blue alien belatedly recognized as music poured through the open door. He nodded to himself. "Similar to a nightclub," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. Ba'altesch smiled broadly. "Marvelous. It appears I begin expanding my social horizons more immediately than I had hoped."

He stepped in, the door closed, and immediately Ba'altesch was conscious of being the cynosure of all eyes. He grinned and waved to all and sundry, and then began his majestic stride toward a vacant table near the center of the room. He eyed the small chair placed there doubtfully, then shrugged, mentally casting his fate to the winds.

After he'd settled his considerable frame into the chair, and not without some minor trepidation when the metal began to creak in protest, Ba'altesch raised a ham-sized palm in what he hoped was the accepted manner. Sure enough and to his expressed delight, a waiter came over at a brisk trot.

"What can I get you?"

"I was told that you would be able to supply me with some shimor, and perhaps a quantity of gesunian." Ba'altesch gave the waiter his best smile; the astonished waiter took an involuntary step back. Ba'altesch toned down the grin.

"I – sure. I'll see what we have on file. Is replicated okay?"

"Replicated," said Ba'altesch expansively, "will be most acceptable."

And really, he mused later, finishing the dish of shimor, it was. Most acceptable indeed. He lifted the tankard of gesunian to his lips and took a healthy pull, and was therefore surprised when he lowered the tankard to find a young woman on the other side. She smiled at him, and he returned the expression, mindful of the waiter's earlier response. "Good evening, young lady," Ba'altesch said politely.

"Hello," she returned. "You're new on the station."

"Just as of this morning, yes. I am called Ba'altesch."

"I'm Bambi," the woman cooed, resting her ample mammary glands on the tabletop. "You're from Qetre, aren't you?" At his nod, she smiled wider, which he wouldn't have thought was possible. "I've heard about your people, I think. Your religion includes the worship of women, doesn't it?"

"Well," Ba'altesch said cautiously, noting the approach of several more young women of varying shapes and sizes, "in a way. Would you like me to tell you about it?"

She wiggled closer, and he noted with interest that when her body ceased its forward motion, several bits of her continued to wiggle. "Maybe," she breathed, her hand lightly caressing his thigh, "you could show me? A private lesson?"

"Oh – um," said Ba'altesch, light beginning to dawn, "well, I – I don't think – that is – "

"Come now," Bambi pouted. "Isn't it true that your men can't refuse a woman? I'm sure you've noticed," she smiled, "that I am all woman."

He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, as a member of the medical profession it behooves me to recognize females of many species. But as to the other – "

Another set of mammaries interrupted him, presenting themselves across his line of vision as their owner gloated. "Nice try, Bam-bam, but he doesn't want you. He wants a nice girl, not the ACC version of shareware. Hi," the mammaries lowered and a face appeared above them. "I'm Donna. You're a big one, aren't you?"

"A-among my people I am considered to be of average size," Ba'altesch began, but was interrupted again.

"Remind me to book my next leave for a trip to Qetre," a third woman seated herself at the table. "Hi there," she wiggled her fingers at him. "I'm Mandi."

"Oh – um – hello," Ba'altesch stammered.

"All right, ladies, back off and let the man enjoy his dinner." The voice was clear and strong, but not unfeminine. With varying degrees of haste, the throng of women dispersed. Ba'altesch found himself looking at a slightly older woman, clad in the uniform of an SC, either black or green. In this light it was hard to judge.

Ba'altesch eyed her warily. She grinned. "Don't worry, I won't try to seduce you. You looked uncomfortable, so…" She glared at the bold approach of another woman. "Mind if I sit down?" He indicated the chair opposite, and the woman swung it around and sat in it backwards, leaning her arms across the back. "My name's Maya."

He inclined his head. "I am called Ba'altesch."

She thought for a moment. " 'Gentle, lovable one'?" Maya smiled. "My Qetren may be a little rusty."

Ba'altesch smiled at her. She was pretty, for a human. Long, curly dark hair, light skin, pleasant features. "No, that's right. You've visited my world, then?"

She nodded. "I was posted there for a few years, right after Qetre joined the Alliance. It's a beautiful place."

"It is." Ba'altesch signaled the waiter. "May I get you some gesunian, or another drink if that's not your preference?"

"No, but thanks. I just wanted to run interference for you, but if you're okay…" Maya got to her feet. Ba'altesch tossed a few credits on the table and got up as well. She looked up at him. "Don't let these girls chase you out of here. They'll leave you alone now."

He shrugged. "I merely came to find some dinner. Perhaps I will amuse myself by exploring this ACC of yours before I attempt to locate my quarters."

"Oh." She hesitated, and Ba'altesch mentally crossed his fingers. "Would you like me to show you around a little? So you don't lose your way?"

He smiled beatifically. "That would be lovely."

~*~

"Dr. Cranston?"

At the sound of her name, Miri fell off the chair she'd fallen asleep in and hit the lab floor with a thump. "Ow," she protested, pushing her honey-colored hair out of her face. She looked up to see Ba'altesch looming over her, Kailey behind him. "I thought we were going to let Kailey be for tonight."

"It isn't tonight anymore," the big blue alien boomed. "It's tomorrow morning. I thought we'd discussed that you weren't going to spend the night on this, Dr. Cranston," he added reproachfully. "I knew I should have stayed. You didn't eat anything either, did you?"

"No." Miri got off the floor, grumbling. "What I wouldn't give for some –" From behind her back Kailey pulled out a steaming cup of coffee. Miri sighed happily. "Bless you, my child."

"And a bagel," the smaller woman added with a shadowed smile.

Miri stared at her sharply. "What happened to you? Did that guy – "

Kailey held up both hands. "No, 'that guy' didn't do anything. His name is Scott, by the way."

Miri squinted through coffee steam at her as she took a sip. "So what did happen? It's obvious something did. You're all puffy."

Kailey shot her a look. "Thanks, I feel so pretty. It's no big deal. I met some of my mom's old friends last night, is all."

"And?"

She shrugged. "And they weren't so happy to meet me."

Miri stared, bewildered. "What?"

"From what I gathered from Commander Kwan this morning," Ba'altesch interposed softly, "Commander Oliver was shocked by Kailey's appearance into making some unkind remarks."

Blue eyes narrowed. "Oh, he did, did he? What exactly did he say?"

Kailey bent to examine a coupling on the side of the main equipment console. "You know what? I don't so much want to get back into this, if it's all the same to you. Can we just get this thing started?"

Miri watched her in surprise for a moment before replying. "Sure thing, pee wee."

"And don't call me pee wee," Kailey muttered, but Miri saw the smile she tried to hide, and chuckled.

~*~

A few hours later, the Blue div. doctors began the task they'd come to do. Kailey gave Miri a kiss goodbye and left them to it. The console had been set up on the far side of the room from the stasis bed, allowing Ba'altesch a good observational view.

He made a minute adjustment to the sterilizing field Miri stood in. "Just a few seconds more, Dr. Cranston."

She refused to look at him, but a blush suffused her entire body. "Ba'altesch, I'm standing here completely naked in front of you. I think it's safe to say that our working relationship has relaxed a little. Don't you think you could call me Miri?"

It was his turn to blush. "I don't think so, Dr. Cranston. My people hold women such as yourself in the highest esteem. For me to address you in such a manner would indicate that I consider myself your equal, and that is far from the truth."

She growled. "Whatever you say. Could you hurry this up, please?"

"Finished. You are perfectly sterile, Doctor." Ba'altesch averted his gaze as she slipped into scrubs and crossed the perimeter of the steri-field. "Ready?"

"Yep. Open it up."

The black shielding of the casket-shaped stasis bed pulled back, revealing a young man, looking for all the world as though asleep. He was thinner than in his pictures, his hair was slightly longer, his skin slightly paler; but the man before her was unquestionably Jason Scott, frozen in time like a photograph. Miri brushed her fingertips across the clear plexi that still blocked out the world.

"Hey there, Rip," she whispered. "Time to wake up."