Chapter 4: The Lightspeed Project

Kimberly shot up from bed gasping and sweat on her forehead. She placed her head in her hands trying to calm herself down. "Sweetie, I don't have friends," her evil self's voice taunted. Kimberly took deep breaths and lied back down on her pillow. She tried to fall asleep, but the images went through her head over and over again.

"What does this mean?" She pondered.

Kimberly woke up the next morning and got ready for work.

As Kimberly got to the Aqua-Base, she looked exhausted and everyone took note of that, especially Captain Mitchell. "Kimberly, are you okay?" Ms. Fairweather asked.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, I'm okay, just tired," Kimberly replied.

"Why are you so tired?" Dana asked.

"I've been up with nightmares last night," Kimberly replied.

She sighed and decided to go talk to Captain Mitchell about it.

Captain Mitchell looked up when Kimberly came in exhausted. "Kimberly, what's the matter?" He asked.

"Captain Mitchell, I must speak with you sir," she informed.

"Of course, sit down," he assured her.

She sat down and sighed. "Captain Mitchell, I was a Power Ranger when I was a teenager. My child's father was a Power Ranger. I was the first Pink Ranger. My best friend, Jason Lee Scott, was the first Red Ranger. We were captured by the evil Space Pirate, Divatox. We were turned evil and I almost destroyed the Power Rangers. I'm now having nightmares of that day," she explained. Captain Mitchell sat back as he listened to her story.

"What do you think these dreams mean?" He asked.

"Sir, I think the dreams are warning me. They're telling me that danger's near," she replied.

Captain Mitchell stood up and walked over to her. "Come with me, Kimberly," he instructed. She stood up and followed her boss.

He had Ms. Fairweather dismiss the others and then he had her reveal morphers. "Power Ranger morphers?" She questioned.

"Yes, we're looking for people that'd be Ranger worthy," Captain Mitchell informed.

"What's this project called?" She asked.

"We called it 'Operation Lightspeed', and we want you on it," Ms. Fairweather replied.

"Me? You want me on this project?" Kimberly asked.

"Yes, if you want to be on the project," Captain Mitchell replied.

"I want to be on the project. What do I do?" Kimberly asked.

Ms. Fairweather walked over to the young woman. "We need you to find people that would be worthy to have the morphers," she replied.

"I'm on it," Kimberly acknowledged.

Kimberly sat on the couch in Captain Mitchell's office. The five morphers sitting in front of her. Kimberly picked up the phone and decided to call Aisha. "Hello, Aisha DeSantos speaking," Aisha greeted.

"Hey, girl," Kimberly greeted.

"Kim, hi, how are you doing?" Aisha asked.

"I'm doing great. Aisha, know anyone that's got Power Ranger potential?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to be the mentor for the new Power Rangers."
"Congratulations girl. In fact, I think I do know a girl that'd be perfect for the role as the Yellow Ranger."

"Care to share?"

"Of course. Her name is Kelsey Winslow, she's a rock climber and she loves to roller blade. She says crazy is her middle name."

Kimberly smiled as she looked the girl up. She found her picture. She put it in the portfolio and type up the important things like which color and stuff like that. She closed that up and she talked to Aisha awhile longer before hanging up. "One Ranger down," she whispered. She looked up and Captain Mitchell came in.

"I have a suggestion of the Red Ranger," he informed.

"I'm open to suggestions, sir," she assured him.

Captain Mitchell placed a photograph of a handsome man in a fireman uniform. "His name is Carter Grayson," he informed. Kimberly listened to him tell her about Carter before closing up his portfolio.

"Sir, I would like to suggest your daughter to be the Pink Ranger," she informed.

"Dana? You want Dana to be the Pink Ranger?" He asked.

"Sir, you've trained Dana to be a great fighter. She's ready for this sir."

Captain Mitchell nodded with a smile. "Dana's perfect for the job," he agreed. Kimberly placed Dana's profile and picture into the portfolio.

The next day, Kimberly was sitting in a café waiting to meet with Adam and Zack. She stood up and embrace her friends with a smile. "It seems that you're doing great," Zack commented.

"I've been doing really good. I'm happy to see you too again," she stated.

"Okay, you ready to meet the guy we picked for the job as the Green Ranger?" Adam asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she teased.

They smiled as they led her to an air show.

After the show, they took Kimberly to the back. "Kimberly Hart, this is Joel Rawlings, the Sky Cowboy," Adam informed. Joel nodded to them.

"Hey, Adam, Zack, how are you guys doing?" He asked.

"Hey, Joel," Zack greeted.

"We're doing great. Joel, this is a friend of ours, Kimberly Hart," Adam informed.

Joel smiled at Kimberly. "Greetings, Beautiful," he greeted. Kimberly's heart stopped at the nickname. The name that her beloved Tommy called her.

"Joel, could we have one of your pictures?" Adam asked.

"Sure thing, want it signed?" Joel asked.

"That's okay," Kimberly replied.

She took the picture and left.

She placed the picture into Joel's portfolio and put it away. Billy had gave her a Blue Ranger, Chad Lee. Thanks to all his technology on Aquitar, he was able to show her the person that was perfect for the job. Now, she was done with her half of the job. Having no idea that her job was just beginning.