***

Alex slammed against the wall and felt pain shoot down his back, but he ignored it and managed to dodge the blast coming at him by rolling forward and landing on his back with his blaster outstretched; he squeezed the trigger gently and the laser shot out, striking the "mutant" in the chest. The image flickered and disappeared, leaving Alex alone in the Battle Simulation Room.

"Well done, Lieutenant."

The voice came from the doorway and Alex turned to face it, wincing slightly; he saw a captain standing there with his hands behind his back, watching him intently. Alex walked forward and stood at attention, speaking: "Thank you, sir."

"I'm Captain Robert Logan."

"Lieutenant Alexander Collins, sir."

"Yes, I know," Logan said, "I came to see how you were getting along with your morpher. Time Force is looking forward to putting it into use."

"As am I, Captain." Alex put his hands behind his back and remained silent, wondering if there was anything else to say to the captain, who seemed content to stare at him without saying a word. Did they know each other from years ago?

"They couldn't have chosen a better officer," Logan said, "I've followed your career, since entering the Academy. You've certainly lived up to your name."

Alex silently wished the captain would leave, he had nothing to say to him and it appeared Logan didn't have anything of value to say to him either. "Is there any reason for your visit, Captain?" he questioned, "I don't suppose you just came to check up on me, I'm not exactly a first-year cadet."

"I know," Logan said, nodding slowly.

"Then . . . ?"

"I escorted this young lady to see you---" Logan stepped aside and for the first time, Alex saw Jen standing quietly. Their eyes met and he was speechless as Logan slipped away and Jen called after him: "Thank you, Captain!"

Alex watched Logan go through the doorway and the doors slide shut after him, then he smiled at Jen and held out his arms to her; her face lit up and she ran into him, holding him tightly and burying her face in his shoulder.

"Whoa . . . I wasn't expecting this!" Alex laughed.

"I've missed you so much!"

Alex's face softened as he rest his head on her own and closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her body so close to his after such a long separation; he had been gone for nearly four months, although he hadn't been able to fight with the morpher yet. Jen looked different, her hair was shorter, she had filled out into a strong-looking young woman, worthy of wearing the uniform.

"How have you been doing in the Academy?" he asked.

"Good," Jen answered, "my scores have been high, only Lucas' are higher."

"Glad to hear that," Alex said, "I knew you could do it. You'll be graduating before you know it, and then the real fun begins."

"'Fun'???"

"Sometimes."

"You don't know what that is."

"I can learn." Alex's blue eyes sparkled as he looked down at her, and Jen felt a shiver run up her spine when she found herself under his gaze. "We should have dinner," Alex suggested, "get to know each other again."

"I haven't changed," Jen said, shrugging. "Aren't you busy?"

"I'm off-duty," Alex said, "just keeping myself active. Come on . . . " He led her outside with a gentle touch of his hand to the small of her back, keeping a professional appearance in front of the other officers and cadets. As soon as they were in his car, however, he gave her another smile and was rewarded by seeing her face brighten with a dazzling grin.

"I heard about them giving you that morpher," Jen said, "pretty amazing. Do you think Ransik will be caught soon?"

"Hopefully," Alex said, "but he's smart, has to be to have survived this long. Either way, he'll be caught eventually, I'm just not sure when."

Jen bit her lip and looked away for a moment, out the tinted window at the buildings flying by as they drove down the streetway; Alex glanced at her, concerned. "You all right?" he asked.

"Yes . . . "

"What is it?"

Jen sighed, looking back at him with watery eyes, blinking rapidly. "I just really worry about you," she said, "Ransik's dangerous, you know that. You might not capture him, you might end up---"

"Dead?" Alex cut her off.

"Yes!"

"Jennifer," Alex said calmly, "I'm always careful---to a certain extent. I know what to look for, I know how to defend myself."

"You can't make any promises," Jen said, "especially when dealing with Ransik."

"Believe me," Alex said, "I know exactly how dangerous Ransik is, and I don't intend on falling to him as so many others have."

"What makes you so different?"

Alex smirked, raising his arm and pointing to the morpher strapped to his wrist; Jen stared at him blankly, then sighed and looked away again. "That doesn't make you invincible," she said, "just because you have that morpher- --"

"Calm down," Alex cut her off, "there's no point in worrying."

"Well, I can't help it," Jen said, "I'd hate to . . . " she took a quick breath, obviously uncomfortable " . . . I don't want to lose you."

He heard the tremor in her voice and his throat tightened, he looked at her and rested his hand on her leg, her face snapped back and she stared at him in shock; there was an undeniable amount of tension in the car between them, and Alex felt his breath quickening as he stared at her. Despite the unrevealing uniform, the strict hair style, the lack of make-up . . . she looked gorgeous sitting across from him, her eyes glistening and breaths unsteady.

"What are you staring at?" Jen whispered.

"I-I don't know," Alex replied.

He pulled over to avoid an accident caused by not looking at the road ahead of him, they rested on the side of road, still gazing into one another's eyes as if they were the only two beings on Earth. Finally, Alex leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her for an eternity with more emotion than he had ever given anyone. The sparks flew between them, Jen slid her hands up his chest and pressed them to the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her as she inched nearer to him.

Alex held her tightly, she couldn't have resisted him if she had tried, but she didn't; he could tell she was apprehensive, no doubt unfamiliar with the experience she was having, but he calmed her with his gentle touches. He was lost in her embrace, her soft lips caressing his face, the sound of her quiet moans as his hands roamed her body . . . finally, he came back to reality and pulled away abruptly. Swearing under his breath, he turned away and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, cursing himself for giving in.

"Alex?" Jen said, hesitantly.

"I shouldn't have allowed that to happen," Alex sighed.

"Why?"

"You know why," Alex said, "I'm an officer . . . you're a cadet. We have to . . . wait."

"Wait for what???" Jen said, "you know they'll still frown at us when I graduate, I'll still be a lower rank than you."

"But they won't charge me with anything," Alex said, "relationships are not tolerated when it involves an officer and a cadet---I could be removed from the Force!" He smiled sadly, reaching over to touch her cheek. "I care for you so much, Jennifer . . . "

Jen nodded a little, swallowing hard and grasping Alex's hand desperately; her heart pounded in her chest, he was so handsome, so strong, yet gentle when he touched her. He turned his attention back to the controls and pressed a few buttons, then began to drive again; they reached the restaurant a few minutes later, but conversation was strained and Alex soon found himself driving Jen back to the Academy.

"When will I see you again?" Jen asked as she got out, looking back at him hopefully.

"I haven't received any orders yet," Alex answered, "it may be soon . . . I can't really tell."

"Will we at least be able to say 'good-bye'?" Jen questioned.

"I'll try."

"Alex---"

"You never know with Time Force," Alex reminded her, "I might not have time." He tried to smile. "But I hope I do. Good-bye, Jennifer."

"Good-bye, Alex . . . "

*****

"Captain Logan will be your commander from now on," Adm. Kendall said, "he is directing this mission, I'm sure we'll have Ransik caught in no time."

Alex stepped forward and shook hands with Logan. "It will be an honor to work with you, sir," he said, "I've read about you, you seem to have established quite a reputation in the Force."

"Likewise, Lieutenant," Logan said.

"May I ask, sir," Alex said, "who else do you have working on this? It can't possibly be just us."

"No," Logan said, "let me introduce you to the team . . . they're quite amazing, actually. Experiments gone exactly right."

"I'm a little confused, sir," Alex said, "what do you mean???"

"These soldiers were killed in battle," Logan said, "their bodies were given to science, although replacements were made so they could have a proper burial." He opened the door to reveal a group of men and women in neat uniforms, they were silent. "I present, the most effective men and women in the Force."

Alex was shocked by the people he saw before him, he recognized some from pictures he had seen of officers killed in action . . . some years ago, and some only weeks ago. "You reincarnated these soldiers?" he said in disbelief.

"We took the best ones," Logan explained, "technically, they are not the same soldiers they were before, only the same bodies."

"And these are the soldiers that will be helping me on the missions?"

"Yes."

Alex walked through the group of soldiers and eyed each one carefully, they were robotic, no expression on their faces no matter how human they seemed; he turned back to Logan and smirked half-heartedly. "Fascinating, sir," he said, "I-I had no idea Time Force was a capable of something like this . . . " he shook his head.

"It's a recent development," Logan said, "and a good one. These soldiers aren't matched by any others, except perhaps you, Lieutenant."

Alex turned back to his new comrades and studied each carefully, they were stoic, standing at attention and not moving an inch as they stared back at him without seeming to see him at all. There was a long, awkward silence before an ensign hurried in and gasped:

"There's been an attack, Captain---mutants!"

"Move out!" Logan snapped.

Alex felt the adrenaline start pumping wildly as he raced out to his car and hopped in, finding the coordinates of the latest attack and driving off; he was the first to arrive at the scene of the attack, and found the warehouse being raided by a group of mutants. He recognized one as Brickneck, one of Time Force's Top #10 Mutants.

"Freeze!!!" he ordered, jumping out of his car and racing forward. "In the name of Time Force, I place you under arrest!"

Brickneck turned on him and a blast of energy shot out, striking Alex in the chest and sending him flying through the air; he landed on the windshield of his vehicle and rolled down the hood, onto the ground. Moaning softly, he struggled to get up, finally finding his balance long enough:

"Time for Time Force!"

"Oooo . . . am I supposed to be scared now???" Brickneck laughed, "a pretty outfit doesn't make you capable of defeating me!"

"We'll see about that, Brickneck!"

Alex lunged forward with his Chrono Saber in hand and struck Brickneck across the chest, but the mutant only staggered backward a few steps, then went at him again. His own weapon slashed Alex's knees, he fell to the ground, finding himself at a disadvantage again; Brickneck pressed his foot to Alex's chest and kicked him hard.

Alex landed on his back with a grunt, but soon found himself being lifted up by two strong arms, a feminine voice urging him:

"Get up, Lieutenant! We must hurry!"

He braced himself and managed to get up again, glancing quickly at the female soldier who had helped him; he lost all sense of time and reality as he stared down at her, the dark blue eyes, the wavy black hair. Her rosy cheeks and creamy complexion, the strength in her broad shoulders undeniable, as she had lifted him without any trouble.

"Are you injured, sir?" she asked, calmly.

Alex fought to keep his composure and calm himself, finding it difficult to breathe---and not just from his injuries. His voice was almost too quiet to hear, and unsure:

"S-Sienna . . . ?"

TBC