Disclaimer: Power Rangers Time Force and all related logos are property of Disney and/or Saban Entertainment. I am using them without permission. KJ Sheldon, Lt. James Emery, Trinity Oliver, Camille Summers, Amanda "Mandy" Scott, Mr. & Mrs. Mathew Scott, Leo Claw and the "Omega Project" are property of yours truly.
A/N: This fic takes place about a week after the end of Future Shock II.
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* New Silver Hills, California *
Time Force academy.
The building itself was one of the largest in the world, taking up more than half a city block. It stood nearly one hundred feet tall, and was on the most world-renowned establishments in human history. For almost twenty decades, it had been the hub of New Silver Hills, protecting not only the city, but the entire world from mutants, criminals and other dangers. It had produced some of the finest officers in history, and was the organization responsible for the Time Force Rangers.
Everyone knew about the legacy that the Power Rangers had set for themselves over the years, and it was the dream of every high school student to be accepted into the academy. Each year, hundreds of thousands of high school graduated, most of them graduating at the top of their class, applied to the academy, but only fifty students were accepted each year. Most people chose to skip college altogether with hopes of being in the academy, only to be turned away.
Getting accepted to the academy was one of the highest honors anyone could receive, and with a success rate of over 95%, everyone who came out of the academy found themselves with a rewarding career.
The test itself wasn't an easy one; both oral and written exams on theories in Quantum mechanics, a one hundred page workbook on temporal theories, not to mention the fire arms tests, the physical training and the bio-chemical tests. Though many people applied to the academy, only 1 in 5 ever passed the test and was granted an entrance interview with an official Time Force representative. From there, recommendations are made to the counsel, who then decides which 50 cadets who will be accepted. After a long, two-year process, cadets are given the chance to work hands on with established Time Force officers. Most cadets choose to work with the Time Force police, while others make their way to other divisions of Time Force.
Amanda stood in the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her outfit before the transport arrived. Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone, she was nervous about her first day. She'd heard horror stories from first year cadets about the instructors being so hard on them that cadets chose to drop out in the first six months. 'I worked too hard to get in. There's nothing that'll make me drop out the academy,' she thought to herself.
Her thoughts were broken as, in the mirror, she could see her mother walking into the room behind her. "I'm so proud of you honey, do you have any idea how many people are turned down every year for a position in the academy?" she asked.
She rolled her eyes, but made sure she didn't see her. "Yes mother, I know. I knew the last three hundred times you told me," she pointed out.
"Your father and I couldn't be prouder. Now we have two little girls in Time Force," she sighed.
For her, she knew the road ahead was going to be even harder. Not only would she be forced to keep up with the advanced curriculum that Time Force gave her, she'd have to overcome being in the shadow of the great Captain Jennifer Scotts. She wasn't looking forward to it, but was determined to make her own mark in Time Force.
"I know mom,"
"The transport will be here any minute to pick you up. Do you have everything?" she inquired.
"I've got everything mom, really,"
"When you get there and get settled in, make sure you call us so we can come visit you. Do you know who your room mate will be?" she asked her.
"Not yet, I won't meet them until I go to orientation,"
Her mother walked over to her, wrapping her arms around her. "I know you don't like it when I get emotional on you, but I can't stress how proud we are of you. Your father and I applied to the academy dozens of times, but neither of us ever got accepted. Seeing your sister in a Time Force uniform for the first time brought a tear to my eye, and I never thought in a million years that you would get accepted as well. Maybe you'll get lucky and you can be a Power Ranger like she did," she told her.
She backed away. "Mom, you're doing it again. You're comparing me to Jen. I'm going to make my own footsteps, not follow in hers," she pointed out.
"I'm sorry Mandy, it's just that…"
"I know mom. Once I get settled in, I'd love for you and dad to come see me. I promise to come home for holidays and weekends too," Amanda assured her.
"I know you will,"
Just then, her father rushed into the room. "Mandy, the transport is here. Its time," he said.
"Well," she took a deep breath. "This is it,"
"Good luck honey," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
Amanda reached for her duffle bag, putting the strap over her shoulder and headed out the room. Her parents watched as she made her way out the house, getting on board the transport. They stood in the doorway and watched as it pulled away.
"She's going to be fine," he assured her.
"I know she will," she sighed.
* Xybria *
It was all still a little disconcerting her for. In a way, he was her brother. Everything about him was exactly the same; the hair, the eyes, the voice, even the way he folded his arms when he was upset. Although he looked exactly like her brother, sounded like him, even had most of the memories of their childhood together, she knew it wasn't him.
Still, she couldn't help but grow attached to him.
Seeing the two of them together changed things for her. For a while, she was content with knowing that somehow, someway, there was an exact copy of her older brother. Her parents accepted him as if he were their own child, even she accepted him, but seeing her real brother a few days ago made it harder for her to deal with. It was that defining moment when she decided what she had to do.
"You're sure I can't talk you out of this Sasha?" Trip asked her as he stood on the doorway, watching her pack the last of her things.
"I was sure the last sixty times you asked me," she turned to him. "This is something I have to do," she told him.
"I know, but it just won't be the same around here without you," he sighed.
"Oh come on, you should be enjoying the fact that your kid sister isn't poking around in your business anymore," she said.
Her statement was enough to make him pause, taking a step towards her. "Theres something I want to tell you, something I should have a long time ago," he sat down on her bed, motioning for her to join him. She quickly sat down next to him. "In my world, where I came from, I did a lot of things I wasn't proud of. On my world, when the mutant attacks begin, my sister and I were out shopping on the Strip. You… I mean, she always liked to go there," he said.
"I do too," she sighed.
"The attack started across the street from us. The mutants were running loose in the city, and the Power Rangers showed up to stop them. They told all the civilians to take cover, instructing us to get as far away as we could. I grabbed her hand and we started running, but one of the mutants cut us off. It hit her, and it was enough to knock her against a parked car across the street. The rangers managed to capture the mutant, but it was too late. By the time we got her medical attention, it was too late. She was already gone. Part of me blamed the rangers for what happened, but deep down, I knew they did everything they could," he told her.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, wiping the tear away from her eye.
"Because coming here, to this reality, to this world, gave me a second chance to be with my sister. I know I'll never really be your brother, but there were times when we were together that I forgot all about that other world I was from. I'm going to miss you poking around in my business," he sighed.
"Oh Trip," she cried, wrapping her arms around him. "If it means anything to you, you will always be like a brother to me,"
"Thanks Sasha," he sighed.
Just then, her father walked into the room. "Sasha, the ship is here to take you to Earth," he told her.
She wiped her eyes, standing up and grabbing her bag. "Thanks daddy," she turned to Trip. "I'm expecting a sub-space transmission from you everyday, and you better bring your ass to Earth every holiday to see me," she said.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he assured her.
It was her father who wrapped his arms around her next. "Sasha, are you sure you're ready for Time Force academy?" he inquired.
"The question is: is Time Force academy ready for me?" she replied with a smile, walking out the room.
* Time Force Headquarters ~~ New Silver Hills *
"Are you nervous about your first day?" Katie asked her.
KJ turned to her with a monotone look on her face. "I am not capable of feeling that emotion Lt. Commander Kathryn Taylor. I assure you, your concern is unwarranted," she told her.
"I told you KJ, you don't have to call me by my title," she brought up.
"On the contrary, as a cadet at Time Force academy, it is required by all cadets to address superior officers by their rank," she pointed out.
Katie shrugged her shoulder. "Well yeah, I guess, but we're not at the academy now. You can drop the rank for now," she said.
"As you wish… Katie,"
"I'm sure you'll do just fine in the academy," she said.
"Of that I have no doubt. I have processed over two hundred billion terraquads of information pertaining to Time Force and it's general operation. I am reasonably sure that I know as much as my instructors, if not more," she said.
"I'm sure you do, but there's more to Time Force than just memorizing information from a textbook or computer,"
"All the information I have processed came directly from the mainframe at Time Force Headquarters, and I have assimilated all the written text that the academy has to offer. What more can there be?"
"The experience of it all. Yeah, you'll have to learn everything they have to teach you, but some things can't be taught in a classroom. You'll interact with other cadets, be put in real life combat situations, and even work hands on in the temporal mechanics division. I'm sure nothing you read will prepare you for what the academy will teach you," Katie explained.
"There is still no cause for concern, I will function within expected parameters," she paused, noticing the odd look on Katie's face. "I mean, I will be fine,"
"I'm sure you will,"
KJ walked over to her. "Kathryn, I am observing your facial expressions and change in pitch as you speak. If I am judging correctly, I would conclude that you have… mother hen syndrome,"
"What?"
"Ensign Clark referred to it as mother hen syndrome. You are apprehensive about my being accepted into the academy, you feel as though you are losing a child," she brought up.
"I guess so, in a way,"
"There is no need for this emotion. We will still come in contact with one another with your duty shifts are over and during my off periods from the academy. We will still, as Ensign Clark put it, just hang out and chill," she assured her.
"Sounds like you spend a lot of time with Ensign Clark," she pointed out.
"Yes, Ensign Clark and I hang out and chill quite often. I find his company entertaining," KJ said.
"Sounds like someone has a crush on Anthony,"
"Though the punch lines to his jokes often make little to no sense, I do not wish to crush him. Furthermore, I lack the adequate size and strength to crush him," she said.
Katie couldn't help but laugh. "No, not crush him literally. I meant that you're interested in him romantically,"
"You misunderstand. I am not capable of any romantic interest; I am not programmed to…" she was cut short.
"Were you programmed to refuse an order from the Harvengers and save us?"
"Because most of my memory engrams have been replaced, I have no knowledge of that event. Therefore, I am unable to answer your question," she said.
"I suppose not,"
"However, I will say that I tend to prefer the company of Ensign Anthony Clark more so than other officers in Time Force. He is… intriguing," KJ said.
"If you say so," she paused. "Well, you should get going. When I get off duty, I'll come by your quarters and find out how your first day at the academy went,"
"I look forward to just hanging out and chilling with you Katie,"
"Yeah, me too," Katie said with a smile as she walked out the room.
~~
The room was full of cadets, all of them from different parts of the galaxy. Each of them stood in the room being overlooked by a balcony of sorts. Along the walls were pictures of former Time Force officers, members of the original counsel and graduates of the academy.
All of the cadets were talking amongst themselves until he stepped out onto the balcony, clearing his throat to get their attention. Once the room was completely quiet, he removed his deeply tinted sunglasses, and then put his arms behind his back.
"All of you are here because you are the best and brightest that the galaxy had to offer. Most of you graduated at the top of your class in high school; maybe you even won awards for outstanding achievement from your school. Well, as of this moment, all of that means absolutely nothing. You may have been the big fish where you came from, but here, you'll just a little fish in a much bigger pond. Here, you start from the bottom and work your way up. Here, you won't be given any special treatment because what you did at your high school, or for your planet. Here, no one will respect the things you've done in the past. If you plan to succeed here, you'll have to earn respect based on what you do here and now. Honestly, I don't expect all of you to make it. There are always a few cadets who fall short of what we expect here. My name is Counsel Member Alexander Collins, and I can promise you that the next two years of your life won't be easy. But, if you survive, you will have the chance to be the absolute best at what you do. There are four major divisions to Time Force: Temporal Mechanics, Quantum Theories, Mathematic Computations and Engineering. During your two years here, maybe longer for some of you, will you master each of these subjects. If there any of you who feel as though this is too much for you, I have officers posted at each entry way who will be more than willing to escort you to a transport ship. But, if you're ready to give 110%, welcome to Time Force," he said.
~~
"Geez I thought that guy would never shut up," Sasha said as she walked out the room, reviewing her schedule.
Other students were filing out of the room as well, all of them making their way towards their first class.
"I heard things about him. Rumor has it he tried to date one of the cadets here, but she dumped him for his brother or something," a young man said, walking alongside her.
"I'm Sasha," she introduced, extending her hand to him.
"Khalil. Khalil Taylor," he said. "You're an Xybrian, aren't you?"
"Yeah,"
"Is it true you can see the future?" he asked her.
"That's a misconception. That's not really the way it…" she was cut short as she walked over to them.
"Excuse me, do either of you have Temporal Mechanics for first period?" she asked, occasionally staring down at a clipboard.
"I do," Sasha said.
"So do I. I heard that the instructor was a real asshole though," Khalil mentioned.
The woman looked at him oddly. "Oh really?"
"Yeah. I hear he's a Captain from the Temporal Investigations unit, but I haven't seen'em yet," he said.
"What's the name on your schedule?"
He glanced down. "Captain Scotts," he said.
"Do you have that class too?" Sasha asked her.
"You could say that. I'm Captain Jennifer Scotts, your instructor," she said.
Khalil blushed, quickly realizing what he'd done. "Oh my God. I am so sorry sir… I mean, ma'am. If I had any idea it was you, I wouldn't have…"
"What? Called me an asshole?"
"No sir. I mean, yes ma'am. I mean…"
"At ease cadet, I don't want you to pop a blood vessel or something. Just relax," Jen told him.
"Yes sir," he mumbled nervously.
Jen turned to Sasha. "So, you're Trip's little sister, huh?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am. I'm Sasha, it's a pleasure to meet you," she said cheerfully.
"Same here,"
"I remember reading your paper of temporal causality loops and the probable effects of time travel in the modern world. I found it very interesting," she said.
"You actually understood it?"
"It made complete sense. I'd love to sit down with you and hear your thoughts about the actual possibility of time travel," Sasha said.
"I'd like that,"
"Oh please, everyone knows that time travel is impossible," Khalil said, injecting himself into the conversation.
Jen rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't be so close minded cadet, you'll never leave yourself open to the possibilities in front of you," she said.
"Yes ma'am. Of course ma'am,"
From a distance, Jen saw her. "My room is down the main hallway and on the right. I'll be there in a few minutes to go over my plans for the semester," Jen said. Without a word, Sasha and Khalil walked away, and Jen made her way towards the girl across the room. "Howdy stranger," she said.
The girl turned around. "Jen? Oh my God," she wrapped her arms around her. "I didn't expect to see you here," she said.
"I told you I planned on getting involved in what you did at the academy," she said.
"Still, I figured you'd be on duty or something. It's good to see you,"
"Same here Mandy,"
"I can't talk long, I have to get to my first class. I was talking to this guy named Khalil, and he said my instructor was an asshole,"
"I've heard that too,"
"You know anything about him?"
"Yeah," she paused. "I'm him,"
"What?"
"I'm the instructor for Temporal Mechanics," Jen said proudly.
"Oh my God, really? This is soooo cool. You can totally give me an A now," she said.
"Amanda," she groaned.
"Well, I had to try,"
"I've got the feeling this is going to be a very interesting year," Jen said.
~~
Preview: Changes
Next time on Parallels II: Camille's secret is discovered and Katie tries to track down the double agent in Time Force. Meanwhile, a former ranger is offered a chance to return to action.
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