Disclaimer: I don't own them.
RESTLESS WARRIORS
By Etcetera Kit
Chapter Twenty-Three: Strength Like Thunder
Elizabeth Delgado gave Jack a withering look. He might have been her best friend for a long time and he might be the B squad Red Ranger, but he lacked subtlety. It explained the screaming match they were having in the middle of the lounge at the SPD Academy. Well… it wasn't a screaming match, but it was as close as they were going to come in this environment. A few weeks ago, she might have willing jumped at the fight, but now… now she just wanted Jack to understand why she was leaving late at night for Mariner Bay.
"Z! This is ridiculous!" he was saying. "You don't know anything about these people—you're basing all of this on a hallucination!"
"It wasn't a hallucination, Jack!" she retorted. "Those people need me! There are other yellow rangers out there who need me!"
"All right," Jack said, raising his hands in a temporary surrender. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "How about you wait until morning so you can at least tell Crugger or Kat where you're going?"
"Someone has already died, Jack!" she said, her voice rising in pitch and volume. "If I don't get there soon, someone else will die!"
"Who died?"
She turned to the doorway of the lounge. Bridge and Sky were standing in the doorway, neither one of them looking happy. Bridge was still sleepy and his appearance confirmed it—he had been roused from a deep sleep. Sky had his uniform perfectly in place as always. Syd stumbled in after them, in much the same state as Bridge.
"Tell her she just can't take off because of some stupid hallucination!" Jack said angrily in the direction of their teammates.
"Hallucination?" Sky looked concerned.
"It wasn't a hallucination," she stated hotly. "It was a vision. I have to leave and get to Mariner Bay."
"It's what you saw earlier, isn't it?" Bridge rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Then you need to go."
"I'd already be gone if Jack wasn't being an ass," she muttered.
Sky looked from Bridge to her. It was against his instinct to allow something not in the SPD handbook, but he also trusted Bridge. She knew that and hoped that the most conscientious and anal-retentive member of their squad would see that. His hard blue eyes softened as his arms dropped to his sides.
"Then you need to go," he said simply.
"Thank you, Sky!" she cried smiling. Impulsively, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He stiffened and looked embarrassed.
"The keys are in the Jeep. Go ahead and take that. It has a full tank of gas."
Z didn't even pause to think about how Bridge, Sky and Syd knew that she and Jack were arguing in the lounge. She just ran out the door, flying towards the parking garage that housed all the SPD vehicles. She would get there in time. No one else would die—not on her time. Jumping into the Jeep, she drove towards Mariner Bay.
"I don't think it's the smartest idea to steal a time ship and go back into time," Trip was saying with a fearful expression on his round face.
Katie Walker turned and gave Trip a sharp look. "What else do you recommend I do?"
He fell silent. She knew he would. He was telepathic and had seen much of the vision she received. He knew she needed to get back to the past, but they were running into technical obstacles left and right. After some checking and tapping into systems, they had found a time ship that no one was using. She could pilot it and get herself safely to 2005. The only problem would be when someone found out in the morning that she had stolen a ship. Captain Logan and people of that ilk had gone home, so she was hard-pressed to find authorization for something like that now.
"Katie," Trip ventured. "If you waited until tomorrow morning-"
"Someone else will die," she responded. "Trip, I know what you're thinking. Jen and Captain Logan and people who can give me authorization will be in tomorrow morning, but it will be too late." She paused, her expression softening. "I need your help."
Trip sighed. "I know." He paused and let out a long breath. "Someone needs to be in the control tower, programming the launch Megazord." He thought for a minute. "I should be able to scramble the security feeds enough so that they won't initially be able to tell it's you."
She smiled. "Would you cover for me tomorrow?"
"I don't know how long the cover would last. Look, just get back here sometime tonight and we can cover this up."
Katie knew what he was implying. She should take care of her business in the past and then set the ship to return to almost the exact moment she had left. It would take care of their problems and reduce the chance that either of them were severely punished for taking a ship with no authorization.
"What date?" he asked.
She gave him a date—Halloween 2005.
"You know," he said slowly. "We could always wait for authorization and then just send you back to then. You'd get there the same time."
He had a point, but she felt the urgency. "Trip… I know that's logical, but something… I need to get there as soon as possible."
He nodded. "All right. Just don't crash on the way there, all right?"
Katie nodded with a grin. He turned and took off for the control tower, while she headed for the ship that wasn't being used. As she strapped herself into the ship and programmed the date and time for her arrival, she thought back to that vision.
"Ready, Katie?" Trip asked over the intercom.
"Yup," she replied, bracing herself for the initial effects the time travel had.
In another moment, she would be on her way.
Andros stood in the doorway of their bedroom, watching Ashley dig through a drawer in their dresser, looking for her morpher. His eyes were impassive—he knew that nothing was going to stop her from leaving. He had experience with visions and the supernatural. He was also more than capable of taking care of Serena for the time she was gone. She didn't doubt that. She just wished he'd say more than 'please yourself.'
She located her morpher and strapped it to her left wrist. She depressed a button, revealing the keypad. She remembered the code to morph… Turning, she looked at Andros and his neutral expression.
"The other yellow rangers need me," she said softly.
He sighed. "I know." His voice was soft and tremulous.
"Andros, nothing will happen to me."
"I'm not allowed to worry?"
She smiled. "Of course you're allowed to worry."
He gently grasped her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Then be careful," he said softly. "Entering a scene that has already seen death…" He shook his head. "It's not a good thing."
"This is about preventing more deaths," she whispered. "I don't know why, but I think Maya is already there."
"Then don't wait," he said. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Andros pulled her forward and into his arms. She sank against him, feeling the strength and heat of his embrace. He knew that she had to go—and he was willing to let her go. His lips met hers in a firm kiss.
"Be careful," he whispered.
She gave him a smile, before leaving the house. The night was cool and clear. Andros would have come with her in a heartbeat, but someone needed to care for Serena. The night didn't seem to be one that held death. She got in the car and headed for Mariner Bay.
"Tanya," Adam was saying. "You don't have your powers anymore. Most of the other yellow rangers do. What if you're hurt or something…" He trailed off.
Tanya turned and faced him. "I have to go," she said softly. "The other yellow rangers need me. Those… things… have already succeeded in killing one of us. I want to make sure that no one else meets that fate."
"I know," Adam replied. "But… I don't know."
She narrowed her eyes. "You don't know what?"
"Is it smart to run to Mariner Bay because of a vision?"
Tanya glared at him. "My people in Africa used to think nothing of visions. In fact, people that received visions were highly regarded in society."
He sighed. "I know, but I'm worried."
Her expression softened. "When are you not worried?" she asked.
He gave her a rueful smile. "Never?" he suggested.
Tanya sighed and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace. She had married Adam for a lot of the reasons that were driving her insane right now. But he had been a ranger too… he understood about going back to help other rangers. Granted, the times he had gone back to help others, he had personally known the other rangers and known what he was getting into. She didn't know—all she knew was that other yellow rangers needed her help and there was already one dead. Of course, if this had gone out to all the other yellow rangers than Aisha and Ashley would be there.
She gently backed away from him. "I have to go," she whispered.
He nodded and watched as she left the house for the car. He would call the school district and call in sick for her if he had to. She waved before pulling the car out of the driveway and starting on her journey.
"All right," Aisha told her assistant. The young woman, Hannah, gave her a worried look. She knew well what that meant. Hannah did not think she should be running of for no apparent reason for an undetermined length of time. She would not understand—she had not spent enough time in Africa to appreciate the value of visions.
She just shook her head and continued with the instructions. "Dayes will be in tomorrow," she continued, naming one of the other vets at this clinic. "He can take care of emergency calls. You can do the routine check-ups and things like that." She paused. "I'll give you a call if this extends beyond tomorrow."
"But, Doctor…" Hannah trailed off.
"What?" she asked, fully expecting a lecture or a question.
"I mean why? Why are you taking off like this?"
She sighed. "It's a long story," she replied. "I have friends who need my help." She paused and gave Hannah a sharp look. "You can do this. You'll be fine."
Hannah nodded as Aisha stepped out of the clinic and headed for her car. She needed to go directly to Mariner Bay. The young woman watched in the window as she got into her car and started the dormant engine. Was there anyone who would understand why she was doing this? Yes… Trini would as would Tanya. She had a feeling that her cousin was already on her way to Mariner Bay and Trini… who knew what Trini's involvement with this would be.
The night was clear and the moon shone brightly. It was almost incongruous with the panic and fear laced into that vision. But she would go to help… powers or no powers… it was something that had to be done.
With any luck, she'd be in Mariner Bay in an hour.
Kelsey finally broke through the wall of demons to the balcony. Eric, Taylor and Kira had been fighting Owling, but all had frozen. What were they all frozen about? She ran up to the balcony, Tori and Conner close on her heels. And she saw what had happened…
Dustin was lying on the altar and, from the gash in his throat, there was no mistaking that he was dead. Vypra was standing over him, her head thrown back in evil laughter. The demons and goblins down by the altar were slowly coming out of their frozen state and laughing gleefully and dancing. Some blasts of yellow energy from the floor betrayed Maya's whereabouts. Kelsey felt tears sting her eyes. They had failed… she had failed… if she hadn't let him be captured in that cloud of smoke in the first place…
"No!" Tori screamed.
Jareth slowly lifted his head and smiled. "Owling," he said in a voice filled with command and power. "Destroy the intruders."
Owling slowly came out of his reverie and smiled evilly at them. The demons on the ground surged on Maya once more and she struggled to keep them away from her, finally pulling out something that looked like a cannon. A blast of yellow light threw demons towards the altar on the ground.
A sudden blast of energy hit her. She fell to the ground and twisted around the see Owling's hand held out that smile still in place. No… he was supposed to be good, wasn't he? Shouldn't they try to get him out of the spell? He tried to blast them again.
Kelsey rolled so that the blast of energy hit the part of the balcony beside her and not herself. Powering down involuntarily seemed like a bad idea at this point in time. Demons poured around them from all over. She found herself at the edge of one of the circles.
"Destroy them," Owling said.
The demons charged forward. Kelsey used her V-Lancer to get them back from her, but the numbers were becoming slowly overwhelming.
Suddenly, she felt someone grab her waist and shove her through the wall of demons so that she was on the other side. Twisting, she saw that it was Eric. He waved at her to get out of there as he blasted away some demons.
"Get out of here, Kelsey!" he yelled at her.
"No!" she cried back. "You need help!"
"You can help us by getting out of here!" he replied. "Start moving or I'll shoot you!" he threatened.
She knew that the threat was genuine. Turning away from the battle, she ran down the tunnel towards the hatch.
"One of them is getting away!" a demon called.
"Leave her," Owling said. "She is no threat."
Kelsey ran. The tunnel was clear of all the demons and goblins that had been residing there earlier. Her shadow was contorted in the torchlight, but she kept running. Her muscles were screaming at her to stop and her heart was pounding. She had to gasp for breath and tears were running down her cheeks, itchy under her helmet. She wanted to rest, but couldn't. She was running away from a battle.
She had no idea what to do, where to get help.
Eric had made a mistake sending her away from the battle. She had no way of getting the ninjas in enough time nor did she have enough time to gather all the former Lightspeed Rangers. She was failure… the weakest link… Sobs rose in her throat, but she choked them down as she approached the hatch.
Using what strength she had left, she pulled herself up the ladder and to the ground. The moonlight cast a silvery glow on the word and the round, full moon spoke of the time it was to complete the ceremony. No…
She fell to the ground right beside the hatch.
"Power down," she said in a shaky voice.
Her uniform and helmet disappeared. She quickly used her jacket sleeve to wipe at her eyes. She was getting nowhere fast. Sobs began to wrack her body.
"I need help," she said softly. "I need someone to help me."
"Then perhaps it is time to find what is inside you," a voice said.
Kelsey gasped and sat up. Trini was kneeling beside her, transparent and blue like always. The look on her face was compassionate and there was no criticism held in those dark almond shaped eyes.
"I failed," she said in between sobs. "They caught Dustin because of me and now he's dead because of me!" She paused. "It's all my fault."
"How is it all your fault?" Trini asked. "I believe that Conner and Kira were also with you when those demons kidnapped him. How is it anyone's fault? Not one of you could have done anything to prevent what Jareth did."
"But we failed. We promised him that we wouldn't let him be captured and he got captured and…" she trailed off, unable to articulate the rest of her thoughts.
"Kelsey," Trini said shaking her head. "I've talked to Dustin. He does not blame any of you for what happened."
"He… what?" She paused, her mind comprehending what Trini had said. "You've talked to Dustin? Where is he?"
"He has taken his place on the Council of Light."
Kelsey looked away from Trini, her heart pounding and her misery returning. "So he really is dead?" she whispered.
"But you can still stop the ceremony and help the others."
"How? How can I help them?"
"Have you forgotten about your ancient animal spirit? Have you forgotten that these spirits are there to help and guide you?"
"I don't… how?"
"Think, Kelsey. Think."
She fell silent. She couldn't think—all of her thoughts were jumbled together and she couldn't make sense of anything. Memories of Dustin trying to teach her a Water kata came back to her mind along with memories from this trip. Her heart felt like it was breaking. He was so young and had so much going for him. He didn't deserve to die. She thought back to his plans to own a comic book store and his love of psychology. So many dreams and now they were dreams of never. None of that would ever see light.
The ancient animal spirits… she thought back to fantasy movies where things like unicorns and the Pegasus ran free across the land. Was it possible for her to call forth the ancient animal spirits in that fashion… like a movie?
"Trini," she said suddenly. "Can we call the ancient animals here?"
Trini smiled. "If you believe."
Kelsey suddenly frowned. "It won't work. We won't have enough time to get there and the others…"
"You are the Pegasus, Kelsey!" Trini suddenly said, her voice sharp. "You can fly!"
"Can they come in their animal form?"
"It's up to you now."
Kelsey closed her eyes, picturing the Pegasus in her mind. She didn't know which animal belonged to the others, but she knew that something must. A spirit had come down to protect each of them and it would not fail them. She didn't know why she knew that, but it was the first thing since the beginning of this mission that she had been sure of.
"Pegasus," she whispered. "I need you."
Images swirled before her mind—the Pegasus as portrayed in movies and pictures and ancient Greek artifacts.
"You are strong," Trini said softly. "Stronger than you know."
She opened her eyes. "Will it work?"
Trini smiled. "You already know the answer to that."
Something suddenly nudged Kelsey's shoulder. A blast of warm breath hit her cheek, much like a horse. She turned around and nearly fainted…
To Be Continued...
