Disclaimer: PRiS characters and everything else you recognize IS NOT mine; the plot and the new characters are mine!
A/N:
before reading Quest into Space, you must acknowledge some things:
1) It is only a few chapters long (something like 7),
2) there might be a Sequel,
3) some chapters are very short! So accept my apology now…
4) this fic is about life AFTER the countdown... WAAAAAY after it, if you know what I mean (if you don't you'll get it in this chap!)
5) don't forget to review :P
Quest into Space
by DarkHonda aka Tal
Chapter 1
I mounted off the megaship, donning a black cloak, earthlings were not welcome in any part of the universe except Earth. I wasn't afraid, but I knew how dangerous it will be if an alien realizes I'm from earth. Even though I wasn't the typical earthling, it was dangerous. Fear tickled my senses, I was afraid to be discovered, to have to fight, despite former training sessions I've had with my aunt and uncles, for as long as I can remember.
My mum says I'm like my dad. It always made me proud, my dad mastered martial arts, computers, mechanics and physics too. I adored my dad, yet I never met him, he died before I was born and mum had to raise me all by herself. My aunt and uncles helped my mum, though it was never the same.
My mum says he was the strongest person she ever knew, that he was everything a man should be, and since early age I wanted to be like him. My dad. I, too, mastered in physics, mechanics and computers but my martial arts... well, my uncles said I have a long way to get to the "mastering" part of it. Somehow I couldn't get the hang of it, even when my mum tried to teach me, something just wasn't right, it didn't work for me.
When I failed repeatedly, my aunt had enough of training and all mum could say was that if my father were there he would have taught me, and that no matter how much time it could've taken me to learn the moves, he would have an endless patience.
She looked sad when she said that and I hugged her, I treasured every memory I have from her, she is my whole world.
Walking my way in the dusty, almost deserted, planet made me remember my goodbye from her.
Flashback
She was lying in a hospital bed; wires were coming out of her body. Her eyes were closed yet she wasn't asleep. Her hand was in my own hand, and I caressed it and whispered reassuring words. Or at least I tried to, all I could do was focus on not crying, seeing my mum like this, sick, in bed…dying, made me want to crawl under my bed and cry myself to death.
"Mum, everything will be alright. Mummy, I know you will be alright just.. hold on, be strong.. please.." I begged her to be okay, I wasn't ready for her to leave me that early. I was barely 13.
After a few moments she opened her eyes and look into mine, we had the same eyes, chocolate colored which were mirrors to our feelings. I knew she was afraid, I was afraid too. I couldn't lose her, I couldn't lose my mum!
"You have to go now, baby, I need to see him again and I'm afraid I can't hold for long. Don't forget what you uncles have told you, and take care of yourself. I'm sorry, baby, I didn't mean to send you away like this, but you're the only one who can do this, bring him back." She whispered gently, almost whimpering. She gave me one last glance and I knew it was only then that she noticed…
"You dyed your hair again?" she looked disappointed.
"I'm sorry mum, it's just.. I keep getting these weird looks and--" I tried to explain yet she cut me off.
"-You must never be ashamed of whom you are, yes, you are different and you should be proud of that. Promise me you won't do this ever again."
And I promised her, then she fallen asleep and I kissed her goodbye on her forehead.
End flashback
In the first time I entered the megaship, the infamous ship I never had enough of hearing. My uncles showed me around; I knew everything about this place from their stories but never knew they actually had the megaship, and I have immediately fallen in love with it.
Being able to actually get to know, witness, the subject of many family stories was like a dream coming true. The first thing I did was talking to DECA, I don't know why but she was somewhat happy to know me, I noticed a certain glee in her voice, which is weird because she's a machine.
My uncles laughed when they heard her talking to me, they said there was only one man DECA actually liked and he was light years away. I was filled with pride, so proud that I didn't even wondered how come she loves me that much without even knowing me?
We continued our tour on the megaship, as I was acquainted with the other important parts of it: the Bridge, Simudeck, Holding bay (Synthetron), Jumping bay and the Megalift.
I was, basically, ready to go, but my uncles had given my instructions, golden ones which I can never abuse since they alerted DECA to follow them as well:
I and I only is the leader of this mission,
Never to reveal my name and home planet unless to the man I was searching,
Always keep speed on hyperrush 3.
Then they hugged me and left the megaship.
Getting a hold of myself, I returned to the real world, and saw an intergalactic pub, THE intergalactic pub on Onyx, just where it was supposed to be, in the middle of nowhere. It was barely standing, so old that I was afraid it'll crash on my head if I dare to come in.
'Who is drinking and hanging around here? It's probably the oldest of Onyx's pubs, it practically ancient!' I wondered, yet I knew the answer.
He will be there, the reason for my quest, the one man whom I swore to bring back with me. No matter what.
I entered the pub, it was quite, and a few aliens were sitting in random tables, minding their own business. I sat in front of the bartender, checked if the hood still concealed my face.
"Water," I said my voice twisted as a result of the voice changer device I got on the Megaship. The bartender looked surprised, I hoped he hasn't realized who I might be, yet he served my order. I drank the water carefully, not wanting s expose any of my limbs to the alien bartender's sight.
"How many aliens come to this pub?" I asked, trying to develop a conversation, almost laughing hysterically, this was just too movie-like. I felt like I was the main character in an old western.
"Not many, only those how knew this pub back in its glory days." The bartender responded, quite eagerly, if I may say so.
"Glory days?" I wondered, I really didn't want know. This was a pub. An ALIEN pub, go figure what were they doing back in the "glory day" where on Earth there were only monkeys. I took a deep breath, you know what they say- the bartender knows it all. "What glory days?" I asked.
"Why, the red ranger himself won the keycards, of the Mega Voyager here! He fought three aliens and Darkonda the bounty hunter, on this bar!" He said enthusiastically touching the bar lovingly, "This bar is a piece of history!" he exclaimed.
I chuckled silently. 'Bingo! I nailed him! That was exactly what I wanted to hear.'
"That's impressive! Does he hang around here a lot?" I asked, knowing I stepped one step closer to my target. I snickered in my mind, bartender, you are the answers to my prayers!
"Do you have a special interest in the red ranger?" He asked eyeing my strangely, as if only now noticing my cloak.
"Of course, I heard he comes from a space colony, I've never heard of these…space colonies." I stuttered, not knowing what to say, hoping I gave a decent show. That was a mistake, I was too eager, now he'll nail me and I'm doomed.
"Why, of course he does, from KO-35. But if you want to know more about him, I suggest you to ask that bloke over there." He said and pointed at someone, donned with red blood cloak. After a moment of hesitating on what to do, I decided to go for it. 'Busted!' I snickered again, it was brilliant how I avoided his question!
"What does he drink? Give me another glass of water and one of his drinks." I ordered and the bartender nodded.
"He drinks earthly cherry-banana juice, with Karovan liquor, think you can pay for it? It's pretty expensive…" He warned and I got up from my chair, paying for the drinks.
"That's your answer. Serve it to us when it's ready." I commanded and stepped slowly to that bloke's table. I grabbed the chair in front of him and he lifted his gaze, yet I didn't see his face, it was well hidden in a red blood cloak. "Mind if I sit in?" I asked and he only nodded carelessly, so I sat in front of him.
"I heard you know of the red ranger." I told him quietly as I could. His head snapped up again, still the hood didn't reveal anything.
"Who are you and what do you want to know?" A hoarse voice came from underneath the red-blood hood, it was kind of creepy but I found it amusing, he is the red ranger! I was certain! I smiled underneath my own hood.
"I wish to speak with him," I said and waited as the bartender served us our drinks and left, "It is a matter of life and death. I was told he is also known as Andros of KO-35, the space colony."
A/N: so... what do you think? ;grins mischievously;