This chapter is for Garnetred who has reviewed just about every chapter of this story, thanks for your support
The therapist looked Bridge up and down then walked away. There was no way Bridge could have figured out that he and his brother had formed alliances with Gruumm and were trying to get rid of Kat so that they could cripple the rangers by taking out the one person who really could keep their zords running properly.
Bridge was surprised by the guy's attitude as he left; it was obvious this guy planned on hurting Kat again, or trying to slow down her progress somehow. Bridge had no idea what this guy could do to hold Kat back, but he didn't take any chances he went back to the command center and reported what he had heard to Commander Cruger.
"Well, Bridge, I'm glad you brought this to my attention, I'll have to find new therapist for her, this guy poses to much of a threat to her well being" Commander Cruger said. Then turned back to the computer "I know of someone within SPD that would be more than happy to help Kat recover from her injury, I will contact him, I'm sure he'll come immediately"
"Okay, what are we going to do about her current therapist?"
"Since you heard him talking to some one about planning what happened to Kat he will be arrested in connection with the case… I will take care of that myself"
Bridge left for the lounge and Commander Cruger made contact with Nicolas, a worker from the Keovian academy who was a renowned physical therapist.
"Commander Cruger, is everything okay on Earth?" Nicolas asked
"That all depends on your definition of 'Okay'" Commander Cruger replied "Our head of Research and Development, Dr. Kat Manx suffered a back injury, she has a therapist, but we suspect that he was involved in the events that caused her injury… I was wondering if you would come and take over his job"
"Sure, Doggie, I'll be there as soon as I can" Nicolas said, "you are going to arrest this therapist"
"Yes, Nicolas, it is too big of a risk to let him go free, but I still have to track down his brother, we believe his brother was the one that actually hurt her to begin with"
"But what would send them after Kat Manx I wonder?" Nicolas said
"I'm not sure, Nicolas, I just know they did, and that they won't get away with it"
Neither of them realized it was Gruumm who had gotten the idea of murdering Doctor Katherine Manx to cripple SPD and make Earth's defeat on step closer to happening, he had sorely underestimated SPD and Kat Manx.
Boom watched in relief as Kat came back into her lab, it was a miracle that she was even alive much less working and healing. He hugged her and she returned it, she knew how big a scare she had given him, he looked up to her because over the last five years she had all but raised him. She and Commander Cruger had given him a chance that few would have; he was as clumsy as they come but he was good at gadget testing because he put any object through its paces and if it survived it was a good product.
"Its good to see you again Kat" he said after leaving the embrace, "I know you don't like that kind of stuff, but I-I'm just so happy to… to see you"
"I know, Boom, its okay" she smiled "I'm just happy to be here at all"
They got to work silently and Boom felt a lot more at ease just to have Kat back in the lab, not that he didn't like working with Hayley, but it just wasn't the same as working with Kat. He looked over at Kat as she worked and realized she had an idea of something she wanted to do he didn't ask questions, he didn't have to, Hayley asked for him.
"Kat, do you have something on your mind?" she asked
"Its just Commander Cruger's birthday is coming up next month and I was wondering if it was possible for me to be walking by then" Kat replied
"With the progress you're making I'd say that there is a good chance of it, what are you thinking of?"
"I was thinking I could surprise him by walking into the party that is being planned for him, on my own"
Hayley smiled warmly "I don't see why you couldn't"
The next day, Kat's therapist was in a holding cell and Nicolas had arrived from KO-35 to start working with Kat
"Do you have a goal for yourself?" he asked sitting near Kat
"I was hoping to be back on my feet by Commander Cruger's birthday" she replied
"A respectable goal, what if I told you that it would happen, of course, you wouldn't be able to walk for too long, but you would be able to walk into the party, which I'm sure that is what you want, is just to surprise him by walking into the party" Nicolas smiled. "If that is our goal is on to have you on your feet by Cruger's birthday we need to get to work, now don't we" he paused as Trent Fernandez walked in to supervise.
"I take it he is to watch today?" Nicolas said
"Yes" Kat said making eye contact with Trent "but this is his first time" she smiled gently at Trent who returned it happily. This session held quite a bit of progress for Kat and Nicolas felt good about her recovery.
Kat was working in her lab after the session when Trent walked in
"Trent, do you need anything?" Kat asked gently
"No, Dr. Manx, I just haven't drawn in a while and I thought I'd just do a quick sketch of you, don't worry, just keep working I prefer to watch someone work and do sketches from that"
She smiled "That's fine, Trent, and you can call me Kat if you like"
Trent took a seat where he saw her at an angle that really focused on her face and eyes as she worked on the security links. He immediately turned to a clean page in his new sketchbook and began to work on drawing the felina scientist sitting in front of her computer. Her posture was nearly perfect and he expression was focused on her work and it seemed that little could startle her or throw her concentration; not even her over eager assistant, Boom, could mess with her calm disposition.
The only thing about the sketch that was getting Trent were her eyes, getting the expression just right was surprisingly difficult, but he got it well within a few moments and took a long look at it before deeming it complete by signing the bottom right hand corner.
"I'm finished" he sighed
"May I see it?" she asked
"Sure" he took the sketch book over and handed it too her and her smile showed her approval "you really are good, Trent"
"Thank you, I do my best, art has always been my true love, but my dad doesn't really support my art like I would like him to"
"He'll come around" Kat said perceptively; her smile could almost be described as motherly, he didn't know that she did have a daughter who was a singer, but he would learn later on.
He spent that evening doing sketches of different people in the base, including Commander Cruger and the B squad cadets, most were candied, meaning simply he just pulled up a chair and started drawing, and they didn't know unless they either looked or he brought it to their attention.
"May I look through your sketches, Trent?" Jack asked
"Sure, go ahead" Trent replied
Sydney walked up to Trent as he explained each sketch to Jack.
"Are you left handed?" she asked
"Yes" Trent replied, "so is Kira"
Jack got to the sketch of Kat and stopped
"Whoa, there is a lot of emotion in this sketch" he said, "you're really good at this"
"Thank you" Trent replied, "I've always loved to draw… if you like, I'll do a sketch of you…"
"Why don't you do one of Z?" Jack said
"Sure, if she doesn't mind" Trent replied
"No I don't," she replied as she read her latest revision of the SPD Handbook, she needed to be up to date on the regulations. Jack gave Trent his sketchbook back and Trent started to sketch an image of her as she read, focus in her eyes wasn't near as hard as the level he put into Kat's appearance… she hadn't seen the completed picture, but he was willing to be it would floor her. He had added more detail, including color from colored pencils he'd found and it had become a true work of art.
After he finished he called Kira to meet him in the back courtyard again.
"Trent, we can't keep doing this, they have to know" Kira said
"I know, but I haven't figured out how we're going to tell them" Trent hugged Kira near, not knowing that Ethan was nearby watching them.
"Whoa, what… Trent and Kira are seeing each other… its about time!" Ethan said quietly "Man, this is too cool!"
He snapped a picture as Trent kissed Kira's lips
"Man I could totally hold this over their heads!"
"No you can't" Sky said and took Ethan's digital camera and deleted the picture off of it "You have to respect your teammates' privacy"
"Aw, man!" Ethan groaned
"Complain all you want, but I'm not going to let you humiliate them, or blow their secret until they want it known, then they will tell the team" Sky said and walked away, neglecting to return Ethan's camera.
"Hey, wait, my camera?"
"Oh, here" Sky walked back to Ethan "I'll give you this back, only under the condition that after I do you will go back inside and not us it to spy on them any more, do you understand?
"Yes" Sky handed Ethan his camera back and they both went inside the base
Trent smiled at Kira as he held her near.
"This people are amazing aren't they?"
"Yes, they are, I just wish we could go home" Kira replied
"Me too, but I'm sure Hayley and Dr. Manx will find a way to get us home" Trent said
"I hope they do" Kira smiled weakly, trying to hid her inner fear that they would never get home.
Sydney walked down the pathway quietly, her look, surprisingly depressed as she walked, she then noticed Kira and Trent holding each other
'At least they are happy' she thought; her plans for the Commander's birthday were going south, fast! She had no idea that Kat had a plan to surprise Commander Cruger!
To Be Continued…
pls. leave a review and note that all flames will be redirected at the world news casters who have been scaring me with the "Bird Flu" epidimic!