Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Go figure. If I did, there would be changes. Go figure.

Author's notes: Thank you for the 62 that have read the first chapter, it is humbling compared to the number that read my other fics. I am just glad I am producing work that I don't delete when I re-read it. I suppose that it is a form of burn out. I really do like the Kat/Boom pairing. Boom is not as goofy as first glance. Well, he is, but it is more of an unfocussed intelligence.

Don't believe me? Watch Dogged. Go ahead, I'll wait… Okay, back? Good. In it, you will notice that he is the one that did the upgrades to R.I.C.'s weapon systems. Yes, the K9 Cannon is his baby. Not to mention that he kept everything organized and filed for a time in Katastrophe, how he managed that will be covered somewhat in this chapter.

Kat Manx stretched out her back as she waited in the reception area of Space Patrol Delta's Earth Station. She smiled contently to herself. She has changed out of her work uniform and into her 'civvies' as the cadets called them. The outfit was a pants suit in an orange sherbet, at least that is what the sales girl had called the color, all she knew is that it complimented her fur pigment. As she breathed in deep, the faint scent of sandalwood wafted into her nostrils from behind her left ear. That was one of the few smells on Earth that they didn't have back home, she thought, that she absolutely loved. She smiled shyly as one of the other smells graced her olfactory awareness.

"Kat! Sorry I'm late. I couldn't find…" The sight of her stopped Karl (Help me with this, I think that is his first name, if it is not, and has been given, could someone please tell me so I may correct it?) in his tracks. A triple beat of silence hung in the air, only to be dispelled with the quiet words, "Wow, you look amazing."

Kat smiled as she turned, "Thank you, Boom." There was a pause as she looked at him. To say that Boom cleans up well would be an understatement. From head to toe, he was a somewhat different person. His hair was testament to his recent shower, and perhaps too much styling gel as it laid slicked back on his head. His outfit was obviously pressed, maybe recently so. An orange jacket with dark navy shoulders covered a dark navy t-shirt and pants. "You look very nice also, except one thing."

Fear leapt into his eyes as she approached him and tousled his hair a little. "There, that's better."

Kat breathed a sigh of relief. With his hair slicked back, he looked too close for her comfort to young males prowling to start their own harems hair style. Not that a part of her would mind, but she tried to keep her instincts subdued. Boom didn't have the most muscular body that was true. Sky and Jack had him beat hands down. Bridge and some of the other cadets were much leaner. Boom had the body of someone that enjoyed a constant supply of good kills… Kat cursed that inner voice of hers again. One of these days, her heritage instincts were going to get her into trouble. She just hoped it wouldn't be tonight.

Boom presented his arm and she accepted, knowing it was somewhat important to some to follow old ways. They didn't really say anything on the way to the restaurant; they just enjoyed the company of the other. It was much more relaxed than the time they spent at work. No worries about something breaking that needed immediate repair added to the fear of starting a conversation, but nothing came naturally so the just spent time together.

They arrived at the eatery in just under fifteen minutes. Most of the patrons appeared to be human, but there was a light mixture of aliens also. A table wasn't immediately available, so they went to the bar area to wait. The soft strains of a jazz ballad by Kim Skullovich came across the speakers. Kat ordered a gin and tonic, while Boom asked for a glass of tea.

A curiously raised eyebrow from the feline female prompted him to speak. "I've only drank a few times, and things get fuzzy when I do," he said with a shrug.

"That does make sense."

An uncomfortable silence came between them. There were things that Kat wanted to know, but didn't know how to broach the questions. Boom saw here and the expression, "Go ahead and ask."

She looked shocked. "How did you know?"

"I watch you. I know when you don't know how to phrase a question by your body language."

An embarrassed blush passed over her face. Without looking up, "When I was offered the promotion, you kept everything running so neatly and organized. I know you. That is not normal, but I know you didn't get any help to do it either. How? That is the question; how did you do it?"

It was Boom's turn to be embarrassed. "Painfully, that is how. I can focus, but it really hurts my head. I have to willfully block out everything except that one task. I can do it, but not for long, as you could see when you came back. I work best when I have lots of little things to do instead of one or two large ones."

"I have seen you do that. I just didn't know how to describe it. Like when you run diagnostics on the machines. You do them all at once, and bounce between them. It makes me nervous, but now I understand. You naturally multitask, but if you don't have enough to do you start on tangents and they distract you."

Boom nodded half-heartedly, "Pretty much."

Kat lifted Boom's chin, "Don't look like that. Now that I know about it I can tailor your work load to make you more efficient."

Boom smiled at the remark. He saw the hostess and motioned for Kat to stand. The grin on his face lasted until a certain realization occurred to him. As they sat, he looked at the vision of loveliness in front of him. "That means that I am going to have more work, doesn't it?"

Kat gave him a wry grin, "Oh yes, it does."