Part III. Special thanx: I would like to thank everyone who kept on me about this fic. It's seen a lot of different tracks since last year and I'd especially like to thank Pam Marks again, Kalinara, and Twig for putting up with my constant ramblings on why Tommy was stuck in the fucking room. (Excuse my language I had hit a very hard wall that I haven't officially written through completely yet. If people are still interested in this story I'll continue on, if not? I'll keep what happens in the end between a select few people who actually know what's going on :P) Oh and one more thing. I started writing a prequel to this, it's called Prism of Life. Hopefully it'll explain some of the drama and add a bit (coughs) of foreshadow into what happens in the denouement of this story. If you want a snack peak at what I'm up to, check out my blog:)
Cassie and TJ looked around in wonder. "The Power Rangers?" TJ asked when his eyes finally settled on the woman who had apparently spoken. To TJ, she looked like a genie in a bottle. The large tube she floated in gave off the majority of the light in the vast chamber. As his mind wandered in wonderment, eight multicolored columns of light streaked into the chamber. He and Cassie both had to shield their eyes to the bright light. When it was gone, eight teens stood before him. They didn't seem to notice them, they quickly ran to the various counsels and control panels situated around the chamber.
"Dimitria, Did you see that bright light coming from the mountains? I think that maybe." A young man dressed in black with short jet black hair asked as his hands ran over them spoke anxiously. All the while the young man spoke, the genie woman had been trying to get his attention.
"Jason... Jason." The second time she spoke was no louder nor any more rushed than the first, but it made everyone stop. That's when they noticed TJ and Cassie standing there with bemused expressions on their young faces.
"Who are you?" David asked slightly defensive. The others that had arrived with her nodded their heads; they wanted answers too.
Cassie shuffled her feet. "Um. I'm Cassie Chan and This is TJ. We umm." she backed away a little as the others advanced toward her to hear what she was saying. No sense in being shy. She said to herself. She squared her shoulders and straightened her back. "We helped rescue a guy and that woman." Cassie pointed to Dimitria. "Brought us here."
"Tommy's here?!" Kat asked almost disbelieving.
Cassie and TJ nodded. As one, eight pairs of eyes looked hopefully at Dimitria. "Would not one injured be in." the eight teens bolted out of the chamber apparently running to ... "the infirmary?" Dimitria finished unfazed.
Cassie whistled. "Wow, they must really care about that guy." She said more to herself than anyone in particular.
"Would you any less if he were your teammate, and leader?" Dimitria inquired the two remaining teens.
TJ and Cassie looked down and shook their heads. "No, I guess not." Cassie replied. "Will he be alright?" she asked with genuine concern.
"I do not know young ones. But I must ask you to keep what you have learned this day a secret. No one must know of their true identities. Do you vow not to speak of today's events?"
Cassie and TJ nodded solemnly. "I swear." They declared in unison.
"Please, can you tell me anything regarding his capture?" Dimitria asked.
Cassie and TJ both told what they had seen all the way up to Dimitria pulling them away from certain death."That's when we ended up here." Cassie spoke as she finished the story.
Dimitria was quiet for a moment. "This news you have given changes matters. I grieve for Zordon's chosen." Her image faded from view, leaving Cassie and TJ left alone in the stark chamber.
Kat arrived at the entryway of the infirmary first. Everyone looked around first to the diagnostics table in the center of the main room of the infirmary and then to the beds alongside the left wall. Tommy was nowhere in site. "Shouldn't he be here?" Rocky asked the air. They were about to return to the main chamber when Alpha emerged from a side room.
"Alpha, where is he?" David asked impatiently.
"Aiyaiyai Rangers. I was just preparing the emulsion tank." If it would have been possible, the Rangers believed that Alpha would have cried if he had tear ducts. "It wouldn't be wise to see him now."
"I want to see him now." Both David and Jason spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and then at Alpha.
"He's my brother, damnit!" David emphasized, sounding more like Tommy than the others cared to admit.
Alpha sputtered with a long series of Aiyaiyais. "I will allow two of you inside while I finish prepping him. The rest of you must wait in the observation room."
Everyone looked at each other. Adam spoke up. "I think we all agree that it should be David and Jason." The others nodded in agreement. Adam looked down at Justin with sadness. He knew Tommy's condition was hitting the teenager the hardest. He finally realizes that we can be seriously hurt. Adam thought to himself.
Cassie and TJ stood around in the now deserted Main Chamber. "umm. So. You like any sports?" Cassie tried to strike up a conversation until somebody remembered they were still here. She contemplated exploring a bit, but quickly struck that idea from her mind. Who knew what kind of security this place had and she seriously doubted being found if she wound up getting lost.
TJ, figuring there was absolutely nothing else to do, answered her question."Yeah actually. I really love playing baseball. As a matter of fact, that's the reason for my bus trip. I'm moving in with my cousin who's the head coach for AGU's varsity team." TJ spoke proudly. "So umm. What do you think they're going to do with us?" He asked.
"It appears as if the immediate danger has passed. I thank you for all your help. If you have no further questions I will teleport you anywhere you would like to go." Dimitria's voice startled the two teens when they looked back at the glowing tube to see her image there.
"Uhh. yeah. umm. I guess I'd like to go the bus station in Angel Grove. My friend is expecting me there." Cassie craned her neck
"My cousin is supposed to be picking me up there too." TJ added.
"Very well then." Dimitria spoke and before the two of them knew what was happening, they experienced a brilliant flash of light. When it cleared, they found themselves in what appeared to be a storage room.
"Umm.. I guess we should try the door." TJ spoke uncertainly after the two of them stared at each other in utter confusion. He tried the door and found it unlocked. He opened the door and saw they were in a bus terminal.
"You think she was trying to get rid of us?" Cassie spoke.
"Naahh... What would make you think such a thing?"
David and Jason followed Alpha through a side door of the infirmary. Jason's eyes bugged when he saw how sophisticated everything looked. For the most part the Power Chamber's instruments — though far beyond Earth science — were bulky and held the air of antiques to them. The technology in this room was most assuredly not the same as the rest of the Power Chamber. This room had a decidedly organic look. His eyes wandered to the center of the room. Tommy lay shivering underneath a thin blanket on a med table in the center of the room. It was unclear whether he trembled from being cold or the after effects of Divatox's "careful ministrations." Alpha exited the room to continue preparations and give the two privacy.
The two young walked up to either side of their fallen friend and brother each catching hold of a limp yet strong hand. "Hold on Tommy, we're here now." David spoke quietly.
Jason sensed great turmoil within Tommy and wanted nothing more than to end his suffering. "We're... you're going to get through this, bro." he choked out. Grieving silence filled the room while Jason and David held Tommy's hand.
After a short while, Alpha reentered the room startling Jason when he tapped his shoulder. "I'm sorry, it's time." Jason nodded and gently placed Tommy's hand under the blanket. David did the same.
A loop formed at the foot of the bed arching up two and a half feet from the left corner to the right. It slid quietly up to the head of the bed leaving a clear glasslike tube in it's wake encasing the fallen Ranger. Once it was sealed, a bluish liquid began to fill the chamber. David and Jason both started, but Alpha stopped them from trying to break the encasement. "Don't worry. He will be able to breath the liquid." as the liquid filled the bed began moving across the floor on a track previously overlooked. It continued to move until it reached the wall and then started moving up the wall approximately four feet before it finally came to a rest, the liquid continued to rise in the chamber.
Once it reached Tommy's chest area he began to rouse. His eyes opened appearing disoriented.. He saw the liquid filling the chamber and started to panic. Jason tried to rush for the tube but David stopped him. "He'll be alright." David made eye contact with his scared brother it seemed as if his words reached him as well, and he succumbed to the liquid and passed out. Alpha walked across the room to a monitor and checked his vitals. Appearing satisfied, he pressed a button and escorted the two teens out of the room.
****
When Alpha ushered David and Jason into the side chamber, Adam spoke. "Let's go back to the main chamber and see what Dimitria can tell us." the others nodded in silent agreement.
Once everyone was in the main chamber Tanya spoke up. "Dimitria, what... what happened to Tommy? Will he be alright?"
Before Dimitria could give them an answer, Justin looked around confused. "Hey Dimitria? Where's those people that were here earlier?"
"I returned them to their destination." She answered cryptically. "As for Tommy, we are doing the best we can for him." She sighed audibly. "The damage done to him physically will heal."
"And mentally?" Kat asked.
"I am unsure Katherine. None have ever returned from the Vortex of Eternal Doom and Sorrow alive."
Trey cleared his throat. "Dimitria, may I speak with you in private?" Trey's expression was forboding as he turned to the other Rangers. "My friends, I'm sorry I cannot speak of this matter to you, forgive me."
Adam spoke for everyone. "We understand Trey." Both Dimitria and Trey vanished.
"What are we going to do? Is Tommy going to be okay?" Justin asked in a small voice.
Adam wanted to tell him everything was going to be fine and Tommy was going to be his old self in a matter of days, but the way Dimitria had spoken, alluded to a very doubtful recovery of their leader. "I'm not sure Justin. I'm not sure."
The Rangers huddled together diffident until Trey returned to the main chamber alone. "Where's Dimitria?" Rocky asked.
"She is checking on Tommy right now." Trey responded. "She also suggested that everyone should return to their homes. The repair Zords have already been deployed to aid both Angel Grove and Stone Canyon."
Rocky nodded. "I need to check on my family. I think they were in the attack zone." Everyone nodded and eventually teleported to their respective homes to check on their families.
Trey stopped Jason just before he left. "Jason," he spoke uncomfortably.
"Yes Trey?" Jason acknowledged him.
"You are an empath, correct?"
Jason looked at him startled. "How did..."
Trey waved his hand. "The Triforian language is based partially on empathy. We express our language both verbally and emotionally. You respond to my empathic words as well the verbal." Trey noticed Jason's anxious expression. "When the time comes will you help your friend?"
Jason stared at Trey perplexed. "What kind of question is that? Of course, I would help him. I would do anything for him."
Trey nodded in acquiescence. "I sense the conviction in your voice." A moment of uncomfortable silence passed between them. Trey could feel Jason probing his mind trying to find out where the sudden questioning was leading but Jason was too untrained to get through Trey's mind. "You'll not find the answers to your questions in me." He sighed. "You should check on your family." Without waiting for Jason to reply to him, Trey teleported out.
"What's going on?" Jason asked himself thoroughly perplexed.
Dimitria viewed the file Zordon had on Tommy.
Full Name: Teme~jen Corin Tokrë-Star Dancing
Alias: Thomas Samuel Ferrington, Thomas Corin Oliver, "Tommy"
Date of Birth: July 17 1979 3:27AM - Terran Standard Calendar : Temaris 43.12987643
- Galactic Calendar
Galactic ID: non-registered.
Gender: Male-2
Planet of Origin: Terra, Sol System - Common Name : Earth
Species: Zen'ya, T'lilexian, Terran.
Mother: Nalani C~el Tokrë - Star Dancing
Planet of Origin/Species: A'sua, the Vale/ Zen'ya
Father: Allen Trueheart
Planet of Origin/Species: Terra, Sol System/ Terran
Known Siblings: Pal~en David Trueheart - twin brother.
Planet of Origin/Species: Terra, Sol System/ Terran
psionic ratings: untrained
- Note -
- high psionic levels. Suggested course to contain subject. : Svari Leeching.
Dimitria paused. How could Zordon possibly do such a thing to another living being? Svari Leeching was used to strip psionics of their powers. It was originally meant to be a humane way to control uncooperative psionics who refused to join the Meta/Psi Combine but after extensive studies it was banned due to the discovery that people were exploiting those under Svari Leeching as living batteries to give them more power. This included everything from more personal magical energy to even ranger powers. Dimitria's thoughts paused. Ranger Powers. She quickly checked the Zeo Crystal. No, Zordon you didn't. Dimitria's heart sank. It was just as she feared. The Turbo Powers came not from the Zeo Crystal but another. She had to do some tracking to find the actual energy source of the Power.
After a few days of searching, she found the source. It came from an energy sphere containing a small crystal about the size of a prong on a dinner fork. Dimitria was amazed that a crystal so tiny could put out more power than the Zeo Crystal and stay completely stable. "Computer, identify crystal type."
After a short pause the computer responded. "Crystal identified as Zen'ya Blue Water. Composition..."
Dimitria cut the computer off. "Thank You." She sighed in sadness, this was another black mark for Zordon. The crystal used to leech Tommy's powers came from a Zen'ya. The Blue Water were crystals embedded into Zen'ya foreheads. Zordon had a lot of explaining to do.
The rangers headed toward the regular shelters to find their families. "Rocky, Dios mio! You're safe! We were so worried that you were in the attack."
Rocky calmed down his mother as best he could. "Ma, ma we're OK. We were out in the mountains. We hurried back as soon as we heard that the Power Rangers had defeated the monsters." he tried to take in a breath from the sufficating embrace his mother was giving him. "Ma, I can't... Ma, I can't breathe!"
"Sorry, baby. Oh! you're safe." Rocky's mother released him just long enough to catch his breath before smothering him once more.
The other Rangers were greated with similiar homecomings from their families. Jason searched around the shelter he'd found his parents in after letting them know he was OK. "Mom, do you know which shelter the Olivers' went to?"
Patricia Scott looked up at her soon with sadness. "The Red Cross just issued the first list of casualties..." She couldn't meet her son's expectant gaze any longer.
"They... they're dead aren't they?" Jason held back all of his emotions.
Christopher Scott reached out to his son. "Jason... " his mind came to a halt noticing who wasn't with him. "Where's Tommy?"
Jason backed away from his father not wanting to be touched. "He's... He was caught in the attack. Divatox's minions blew up his truck right before he pushed Kat out."
By this point, some of the other parents and guardians of the Rangers had gathered around to hear what had happened to Tommy. "Oh my god! Is he alright?"
A dull pain in the back of Jason's mind kept him from answering, so Kat answered for him. "He's still alive, but he was injured pretty bad. He was life-flighted to a hospital on the other side of the mountain." She lied without thinking. How easy it had become for them to lie quickly.
Patricia asked her urgently. "Which hospital?"
"We're not sure. I wrote everything down in my address book, but I don't have it with me right now."
The pressure increased in Jason's head. "Excuse me. I think I need some air." Everyone nodded in understanding and watched the former leader of the Power Rangers find privacy. Once he was alone, he contacted the Power Chamber. "Dimitria, this is Jason come in."
After a long pause Alpha 6 responded. "What can we do for you Jason?"
"Is the treatment going OK for Tommy?" His migraine was increasing and it became harder to focus.
"The treatment is proceeding as predicted... Sensors indicate your biorhythms are elevated. Dimitria has requested that if this happens you return to the Power Chamber at once." Alpha replied.
Confused, Jason nodded. "All right. I'll teleport in."
Jason found himself in the main chamber of the Ranger's headquarters. Alpha was nowhere in sight and Dimitria's tube was empty. "Alpha?"
"I am right here Jason." Alpha spoke up from behind the teen startling him.
"Alpha V used to do that to me all the time."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Alpha 6 apologized. "I went down to the infirmary to grab a hypospray for your headaches."
"Shouldn't you do a test or something before you just give me an injection?" Jason questioned.
"Dimitria anticipated this happening and had me prepare something just in case. I believe her prediction proved correct." Alpha injected the contents of the vile inside of the hypospray just above Jason's collarbone.
Almost immediately the pressure in the back of his head subsided. "Thanks Alpha. I'm starting to feel better already. What was in the shot anyway?"
"A neural suppressant to limit your empathic capabilities."
"How... " This day couldn't get anymore full half eluded to mysteries.
"If you are wondering how we know, you are empathic. After Billy's failure to hold Gold Zeo Powers, Zordon discovered only an empath can hold them. It is in your record that you are an empath and that you also hide your abilities." Alpha replied matter-of-factly.
Jason nodded understanding now why every now and then Zordon would check up on him after a battle was over asking about his emotional state. After a while, he'd gotten used to it. He picked up his jacket preparing to teleport back to the shelter when he heard a voice. It was very faint and he couldn't make out what was being said. "Alpha... do you hear that?"
"No, Jason. What do you hear?"
"I thought I heard something." Shrugging it off he raised his arm to activate the teleportation. "It must of have been my imagination."
Feel ... understand... and learn. A faint whisper echoed through Jason's mind before he disappeared in a column of white light.
To be Continued...
