Wes, Jen, Eric, Alex, Lucas, Trip, Katie, Nadira, Mr. Collins, Captain Logan, and all other characters from the show belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.
Rachel, Gaby, and Rick are mine.

Rated PG : some language and violence.

Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one.

Valentine's Day


Lucas

10:14 AM, February 14, 2004

"No, only one of us can go."

"But we're all going to the wedding! Aren't we?"

"Yes, Katie. We're all going to the wedding." Lucas saw Alex sigh, as he watched from his seat in the pilot's chair of their timeship, with Nadira, Katie, and Rachel looking on from their places, and Trip bent over the ship's scanners, muttering to himself. "But one of us should go to Wes's house first, to scout out the situation and make arrangements."

"Alex, it's a wedding, not a battle," Katie commented, sounding amused.

"As you know, we shouldn't even be doing this. We have to take all possible precautions not to interfere with this time." Alex shot a look at Trip, still hunched over the scanner. "Anything wrong?" he asked.

"No -- don't think so. Just a strange reading -- could be an echo of our timehole -- or feedback..." He swung around to face them. "There's some subspace interference. Enough to limit the range of our morpher comm units."

"I don't want anyone leaving if we can't communicate with them."

"I can adjust the morphers, tune them to a clearer signal and boost them a little." He frowned. "It'll be okay for ship-to-morpher, but we won't be able to reach Wes, Jen, or Eric."

"Is this what the monitors picked up? How significant is it?"

"Don't think so, and don't know. It's probably just some natural static. I'll keep looking."

"Good. But if you can't find anything by the time of the wedding..."

"I know." Trip's face fell. "I'll have to stay here and keep working."

"I'll stay too, Trip," Rachel offered.

"If that happens, we'll all have to stay and do the job we're supposed to be here for." Alex looked like he was already reconsidering his decision to let them go to something as frivolous as a wedding.

"So who do you want to send?" Lucas asked, partly to distract him.

"Should be someone inconspicuous." Alex briefly eyed Trip's bright green hair, and then Nadira's equally startling pink tresses. "And someone who's been here before and knows their way around. That means me, you, or Katie."

"That means me or Katie. You weren't here long enough to get to know the place. And you're not going to be inconspicuous if you go walking into Wes's house." He could see the others trying to hide their smiles. They all knew how annoying Alex found his uncanny resemblance to Wes Collins.

"All right. You."

"Great!" Lucas jumped up. "Now?"

"Yes. The sooner the better." Alex scowled and muttered, "I don't know how I let all of you talk me into this in the first place."

"You did it because you're such a nice guy," Katie was saying as Lucas bent over Nadira's chair.

"I wish I could go with you," she said with her best little-girl pout.

"So do I. But this won't take long." He kissed her quickly, aware of the others watching.

"I'll be counting the minutes, sweetie." Nadira smiled, her voice teasing.

"Yeah, well. See you soon." Lucas could hear giggling as he headed hastily for the door.

He was grinning as he keyed it open, and stepped out onto the familiar stretch of beach outside Silver Hills where they had landed before. Where he, Trip, Katie, and Jen had crashed when they pursued Ransik into the past... how long ago now? Three years. Time flies. He shook his head, smiling wryly at the thought. Silver Hills... he could see it in the distance, skyscrapers reaching into bright sunlight, no trace left of the destruction they had seen at the end of their mission, at least not from this distance. But no need to remember such unpleasant things; for once it was a happy occasion that had brought them.

That produced another smile. Jen and Wes were getting married. They knew the date from history, Valentine's Day, 2004, but very little else. They had all wanted to come, to see their former teammates' wedding, also just to see them again, especially Jen, whom all of them had known and worked with longer than Wes. Briefly he wondered: Was she happy in this time? Was she homesick? Through a bizarre set of circumstances, she had been able to stay here; did she ever regret it?

But no, she was with the one she loved... something he himself had lately come to appreciate. Lucas glanced back at the ship, where Nadira was probably making the others laugh right now with some outrageous comment. It had become hard to imagine life without her.

This visit almost hadn't happened. Even Trip didn't quite have the nerve to steal a ship and make a completely unauthorized time jump. Then they had gotten lucky. The Time Force temporal monitoring system had picked up an anomaly in the timestream, originating at this point. Just a glitch, really, probably nothing, perhaps just random variation in subspace, something that could have been monitored further before anyone was sent to check it out. But it had given Alex an excuse to arrange a trip.

Of course, the rule book said a maximum of two officers should go on a minor mission like this. And it didn't exactly allow bringing a civilian like Rachel. Not to mention making a field trip for a wedding. But -- for once -- Alex had bent the rules to let them all come. Rachel might have had something to do with that; for some reason she had wanted them to do this, maybe to see her boyfriend's former fiancée safely married, or maybe because she wanted Alex to see it.

Oh, well, pleasant as it was here on the beach in the sunlight and fresh air, watching the waves roll gently to shore -- he had no time to waste. They had bent the rules further to contact Jen with the Chrono-communicator she had kept for emergencies, so they knew the wedding would be held at noon and Wes and Jen were expecting them; but Alex, with his typical caution, wanted someone to scout ahead.

Lucas took his miniaturized car out of a pocket and set it on the road above the beach. Handy things; they existed at toy-size until expanded by a tiny trigger unit, then they became two-person automobiles. They had all brought them, since riding a vectorcycle wouldn't do their nice clothes any good. In another moment, with the car at full size, he was on his way.


10:59 AM, February 14, 2004

"Great day for a wedding, isn't it?" Alan Collins looked happy, very happy, his face almost glowing with it as he faced Lucas in the large living room. They were surrounded by activity, unnecessary furniture had been removed, a host of small chairs set up, a buffet table along one wall, bottles lined up behind the bar, the house swarming with caterers, waiters, and other people Lucas couldn't identify. He had been following Mr. Collins around for what seemed like quite a while, trying to get a few uninterrupted moments of his time.

"Yeah, it is," he responded. "Glad we were able to come."

"Yes... we're planning to have the ceremony outside, in the flower garden, then the reception party in here; the weather turned out nice, so it should work out, we've got about a hundred guests, tried to keep it small, and of course Jen doesn't have a lot of people coming, just you and a few of the police she works with... I'm babbling, aren't I?" Collins grinned. "Well, it's not every day my son gets married."

"I sure hope not. And I hope we won't be in the way."

"Not at all. After all, you're part of the reason Wes and Jen met in the first place. And you're her friends."

"We need to try to stay out of sight as much as possible."

"I understand. You can arrive just before the ceremony, and we'll seat you away from the other guests, but with so many people, I don't think anyone will notice you, even your green-haired friend..."

"Hey, Lucas!"

He turned at the sound of the familiar voice, and was seized in a hug which he returned enthusiastically. "Wes!" He backed off enough to take a good look at the formal suit his friend was wearing, and wearing very well, Lucas had to admit. "Good to see you! Man, you look great!"

"And you!" Wes seemed as happy as his father, maybe more, flushed with excitement, but somewhat distracted. "Where are the others?"

"Back at the ship. You know Alex, he wanted me to check it out first."

"Yeah, I guess. Listen, we have to talk later, right now..." Wes turned to his father. "We got a report of some kind of disturbance at Bio-Lab. Eric's already there, but I want to go see what's going on for myself."

"What? But Wes, you can't leave now, the guests will start arriving any minute!"

"Won't take long." He was backing away from them, heading for the door. "It's probably nothing, I'll be back in plenty of time..."

"Wesley!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Collins, I'll make sure he gets back," Lucas said, and hurried after Wes. "Hey, hold up! I'll come with you!"

Wes didn't answer, but he waited for Lucas to jump into his car before starting it up. Lucas watched him, becoming alarmed as his face changed, worry settling into it. "What's going on?" he asked. "If you're leaving your own wedding..."

His voice level, Wes answered. "Something's happened in one of the labs. Eric got the call, he didn't tell me much, but he went in. He -- he didn't want me to go, because of the wedding, but now I can't reach him on his cellphone or his morpher."

"Oh, man. Did you tell Jen?"

"No. She's getting dressed and stuff, didn't want to worry her." Wes's blue eyes turned to him. "I'm glad you're here, Lucas. Thanks for coming with."

"No prob. Just sorry this happened now."


11:21 AM, February 14, 2004

He could almost believe it was three years ago, the middle of one of Ransik's attacks, as they ran down the hallways of Bio-Lab, people staring at them as they went by with frightened faces. But this time, there were no cyclobots, no mutants, no sign of whatever had caused this. Just the smell of smoke hanging in the air, a hallway ending at a windowed double door into a large room in which he glimpsed workbenches and scientific-looking equipment. There were Silver Guardians here, a few of them bent over someone lying on the floor being examined by a man who appeared to be a doctor, another spotting them and coming over, stopping to cough violently.

"Steve!" Wes exclaimed. Steve Miller, Lucas realized, Wes and Eric's second-in-command. He was wearing a soot-smudged suit, must have been going to the wedding... "What are you doing here? What happened?" Wes went on.

"Explosion, don't know what caused it..." Steve waved an arm towards the lab. "There's something in there..."

"Something? What do you mean?"

"I don't know!" Steve's voice was anguished now. "We saw lights -- it's like a lightning storm or something... Eric went in..."

"Eric -- where is he?"

Steve said nothing, but his eyes moved to the form lying on the floor. With a soft curse, Wes crossed the distance between them, pushing between the Guardians around him, and knelt beside his partner. Lucas moved behind him, leaning over to get a good look. It was Eric, all right, also wearing a suit, his clothes scorched, black hair singed, his face marked with a red welt and sweat, lines of pain etched in it, his breathing harsh and gasping. Wes hesitated, and Lucas knew why; it would be meaningless to ask if he was all right.

"Eric? Eric, what happened?"

Eric's eyes lifted, he seemed to struggle to find strength to answer. "Lightning..." he said finally.

"What? What do you mean?"

"It's like -- like lightning -- knocked me right out of morph -- barely got out of there..."

"Why did you go in? Is there anyone still inside?"

Eric was silent, but the way his face contracted was answer enough. He reached up as Wes looked at the door into the lab, catching the blond man's arm. "No, Wes, you can't -- too late..."

"It's okay. Just relax, we're getting help." Wes glanced at the doctor, who nodded, then climbed to his feet and stepped closer to the door. "Who's in there, Steve?" he called.

"Mike Zaskin and Rick Quinn. But Eric's right, you can't reach them." He paused, just for a second. "They must be dead by now, anyway."

"I have to try." Wes raised his arm, touching the morpher he was wearing even with his suit, a flashing sparkle of light leaving him in the helmeted red and white suit of the red Time Force Ranger.

"I'm going in too," Lucas said, with a quick movement transforming into the blue Ranger almost at the same moment. Wes opened the door cautiously. They both stood still for a moment before stepping into the room, hesitating, staring at what was before them, trying to understand what it was.

It did look like lightening. A ball of crackling electricity, occasional bolts of energy shooting from it to hit floor, walls, ceiling, and furniture, leaving them blackened and smoldering. As they crept slowly closer, they saw that the ball itself was only perhaps a foot across, a deep blue, glittering as if with stars, and translucent, giving them vague glimpses of the objects behind it. It hovered above one of the workbenches at the back of the laboratory, surrounded by shattered machinery.

"What the hell is that?" Wes asked, his voice slightly unsteady.

"Beats me. What were your scientists working on here?"

"This lab... chemical analysis equipment, mostly. Developing instruments."

"Must have been an accident. Wish Trip was here, maybe he'd have some idea..."

"Look! There they are!"

Lucas looked. Two white lab coats lay carelessly discarded in the remains of work stools and machinery only a few feet from the mysterious ball. But there were bodies inside them.

"Wes, no, too dangerous!" Lucas caught at his friend's arm as Wes started forward.

"They might be alive! I have to see!" Wes pulled away and took a few more steps. And it happened, even as Lucas reached to stop him again.

The electrical ball seemed to jump and spark, a thick bolt of sizzling white fire speared from it, hitting Wes squarely in the chest. The red Ranger stiffened, a cry ringing out as he jerked violently before toppling to the floor, another blaze of light bursting from him as he demorphed.

"Wes!" Lucas dropped to his hands and knees and reached out again, grabbing Wes's ankle. He pulled, but the lightning was too fast, another bolt struck out, brilliance blinding him as it hit both of them. After that, he was aware only of burning pain, and urgency, the need to get out, somehow, as he yanked at Wes's heavy and unmoving form. He pulled, and crawled, struggling; the world narrowing to a nightmare of crackling energy and the cold hard floor under him; until suddenly voices were talking, and hands grabbing, pulling him out to safety; and finally he let the darkness come.


11:46 AM, February 14, 2004

"Alex, oh God..." Lucas stopped talking, unable to go on, looking across the hallway from the corner in which he was curled up miserably. He had regained consciousness maybe five minutes ago, and found himself surrounded by activity, most of it centered on the two bodies lying a few yards away. There were still people clustered around one of them -- Eric -- a team of medical emergency specialists by the look of them -- but the other had been left alone now. Lucas's gaze was drawn to the face despite himself; the dark blond hair, now half burned away, blue eyes, once bright with life and happiness, now dim, open but unseeing.

Nothing anyone could do... that was what Steve had said, his voice cracking with grief and shock. Nothing. Wes was gone, they could do nothing for him, all of them had to concentrate on the living... Eric, but for how long? He could hear the Guardian commander gasping, straining for air. There was death in every breath.

Lucas wondered vaguely how badly he himself was hurt, he was alive and conscious, able to stand, but there was pain, how much he didn't have time or energy to be fully aware of. Didn't matter anyway, had to keep going long enough to report in. Try to figure out what had happened, what had gone wrong...

"Lucas! What's happened? Report!"

The voice in his morpher communicator startled him out of a numb daze. He realized he hadn't answered several questions. "Alex... I'm here," he said. "I'm -- I'm at Bio-Lab. There's been an accident."

"What kind of accident? How bad?" That was Alex, always right to the point.

The demands of duty braced Lucas; he took a deep breath and answered. "It's in one of the labs. Some kind of -- of energy discharge, but it's still going. Electrical, I think." He paused, his throat closing, and forced the next part out. "Eric went in to try to save a couple of scientists. He's badly hurt. Wes and I went in. Wes is -- is dead."

"Dead?" There was several seconds of silence before Alex's voice spoke again, its tone harsh but strong. "Are you injured?"

"I'm okay."

"I'll give you to Trip. Describe the energy discharge, he's been picking up more strange readings, maybe the two of you can figure out what it is."

"Okay." Lucas looked up as more people came in. Mr. Collins, no happiness on his face now; Jen, somehow pathetic in what would have been a beautiful wedding dress under other circumstances. They both stopped short, then ran to kneel at Wes's side. Another woman in a rose-colored gown whom Lucas dimly remembered as Eric's girlfriend was right behind them, managing to push her way close enough to take Eric's limp hand.

"Lucas? Wes is dead?" Trip's voice was trembling. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Lucas stopped to take a breath, hearing the way his own voice shook. "Look, we've got to figure out what happened."

After a slight pause, Rachel's voice replaced Trip's on the communicator, steadying him with its calm tone. "Lucas. Tell me exactly what you saw."

Lucas complied, quickly repeating his story with as many details as he could remember, finally turning his face to the wall, not wanting to watch Jen sobbing, Collins with an arm around her, his face blank and white.

Trip's voice came, bringing him back from the numbness that threatened to take over again. "That must be what I'm picking up readings on. Strange ones. Similar to a timehole. Does it look like that to you?"

"No, it's a sphere. But -- maybe it looks a little like the inside of a timehole."

Rachel again. "We're working on it."

Lucas was lowering his arm when Alex's voice came from his morpher. "Lucas. How's Eric?"

Another glance showed the medical team still working, an oxygen mask on Eric's face, his girl clutching his hand, her eyes wide and round with fear. "Not good. But still alive."

"Dammit, this doesn't make sense. Nothing in the history files... Stay there, do what you can, see what you can find out. One of us can bring the medical unit if necessary. Then we have to figure out our next move."

"Okay."

Lucas struggled to his feet. Do what he could... didn't seem like there was anything useful he could do. Except... he moved closer to the body of his former teammate, and the two people mourning him; Jen now cradling Wes's head in her lap and rocking back and forth, Collins staring unseeingly, seeming to be unaware of anything but his son's dead face.

"Jen. Mr. Collins. I'm so sorry."

For a moment he thought they didn't hear him, but then Jen spoke, sounding muffled and choked. "How could this happen?" she whispered. Then, louder, with a note of hysteria, "It's our wedding day! How could this happen?"

"I don't know... But we'll find out, I promise." He watched for a few more seconds, remembering bitterly how he had also promised Wes's father that he would make sure his son came back. Unable to look any more, he turned away to check on Eric, who seemed to be breathing a little more easily with the help of the oxygen mask, but was still obviously in bad shape.

The lights blinked, dimmed, and faded, all of them looking around fearfully as they brightened again and began to flicker. As his mind was still absorbing that, his morpher bleeped, followed by Trip's voice. "Lucas? Lucas, my readings are getting stronger. What's happening there?"

"Don't know. I'll check it out." He went to the laboratory door and put a hand on it. With a deep breath, he forced his fear away and peered through the glass, then opened it a crack, leaning forward to look inside. It was still there, the ruined lab, the obscene ball of midnight blue, stars, and deadly energy, still spinning out bursts of what looked like lightning. Even the two bodies lying almost underneath it... but they seemed closer to it now... With a sudden pang of startled terror he realized what was different.

"Trip! It's bigger!"

"Bigger?"

"Yeah, must be at least twice the size it was before. And..." he opened the door a bit more, watching, feeling his heart start to pound. "I can see it growing. It's -- it's getting big faster..." He started and looked around as the lights blinked and dimmed again. There was a renewed flare of lightning around the ball.

"Oh my God, the readings are stronger -- the rate of increase is accelerating -- Lucas, you've got to get out of there, now!"

Lucas turned his head, shouting, "We've got to get out! That thing is growing!" Faces turned to stare at him, some fearful, some stricken, only Jen not seeming to hear him. Some of them started to get up. Lucas looked back into the lab. It was faster now, expanding before his eyes, the edge of it starting to sweep towards him across the floor. "Run!" he yelled, backing up. "Run! Now!"

But it was too late. Even as he stopped to grab Jen and drag her up over a frantic protest, it was too late. The ball was coming after them, fast, its surface intersecting floor and ceiling, so big now it was like a wall of starry blue covered with crawling bands of electricity, a wall that flew at him, over him, a moment of shock and absolute cold, and then... nothing.


TBC...