EP.03 - STRESSED
CHAPTER 2
(modified)

Syd entered her dormitory with half-open eyelids. Her satin pink bed never looked so inviting. The best part was it was hers, all hers. No more of Z's smelly socks and no more late night salsa jams blasting from the radio. Just piece and quiet.

Syd stepped inside the washroom and reached her hand inside the shower stall.

A hot shower would be wonderful…

Syd turned to her mirror and cringed at the sight of her unkept hair. She wantonly broke her own rule – "there's always time for beauty" – but she didn't care. She was tired and was desperate for sleep Shedding her clothes, B-Squad Pink stepped under the hot streams of water and stood there as her skin was beaded upon and massaged by those powerful jets. She ran her hands through her blonde locks as a sleepy smile pursed her lips.

Syd finished up in the bathroom and returned to her room. She slipped on her new pink flannel pajama bottoms her mother got her over Thanksgiving weekend and her favorite wifebeater. Pulling back the girly comforter, she climbed into bed.

Sweet heaven…

Sydney's eyes slid shut as her head sunk into the pillow. Sleep worked its seduction over her drained body. Rest at last…

SPD EMERGENCY. B-SQUAD, REPORT TO COMMAND CENTER. SPD EMERGENCY. B-SQUAD, REPORT TO COMMAND CENTER

Syd's eyes flew open, bloodshot and wide. Sirens stroked the room with spinning red lights. Clutching the side of the bed for support, Syd pulled herself up onto her feet.

"This so isn't far," she grumbled.

She stumbled to her closet and tiredly yanked out one of the many officer uniforms hanging inside as the sirens continued to obnoxiously blare in her head.

Z hurried inside the Command Center where she found Command Cruger standing beside Kat. Their eyes were fixated on a monitor where several energy signatures were being recorded. Doggie turned around and acknowledged the officer with a quick nod.

"Officer Delgado, we have another invisible terror loose on New Tech City."

Z turned her head and watched the carnage unfold on the main frame. She shook her head, not liking what she saw.

Doggie continued.

"As you can see, this one is pulling up cars and tossing them into other vehicles. Traffic jams are mounting and civilian lives are at stake. Kat is uplinking the coordinates to you now."

"Yes, sir."

"Officers Carson and Tate have been informed and are prepared for action," Commander informed Z.

Doggie's eyes shifted to the doorway of the Command Center.

"Where is Syd?" he asked looking back to Z.

"I don't know, sir. Should I go locate her?"

"Coordinates uplinked, sir," Kat announced.

"No," Doggie answered the officer. "Go to the assigned coordinates in your morpher. I'll get Syd."

Z understood what Commander's tone meant from the latter part of his reply. Someone's in trouble.

"YES, SIR," Z said saluting Doggie.

She pulled the morpher from its holster and extended the same arm forward with a firm clutch around the silver and black device.

"SPD Emergency!"

Swirling yellow and white light rushed from her feet up and applied the B-Squad Yellow costume.

"Energy signatures are zipping throughout the city, sir. I'm dispatching the SWAT Flyers," Kat informed.

"Very well. Good luck, Delgado," Doggie told his officer.

Z tailed it out the Command Center to where the Yellow SWAT Flyer bay was stationed within the Academy. Each bay was a room small enough to secure the flyers for easy, no hassle dispatch. Hopping into the cockpit, Delta Yellow strapped in and prepared for take off. The doors of the hangar split open with ease, sunlight spilling across the dark cold floor of the bay. The SWAT Flyer blasted immediately into the waiting blue sky ahead.

Z smiled behind her helmet. Many things as an SPD Officer provided the satisfactory feeling she long sought in the search for "something bigger", but piloting a SWAT Flyer was probably one, if not the most, favorite part of her job. She never felt more free in her life when 10,000 feet off the ground.

Red and blue flyers came zooming beside hers in auto-pilot. Over the city, the triad of flyers went jetting to the coordinates Dr. Manx had programmed into their navigation system. Z glanced down at the track unit on her dash and saw seven green dots blipping on the scanner.

"Finally! Let's find out who these clauds are!"

On the ground on 12th was Delta Red weaving through the car jam on his SPD patrol cycle. In and out between cars, Sky raced to catch up with the SWAT Flyers that flew just ahead.

"WATCH IT," Red hollered at the bike messenger coming off the street corner.

The man on the bike leapt off and rolled onto the ground to avoid colliding with the patrol cycle. He shook his fist and cursed the SPD officer. Sky glanced up. The flyers were directly overhead now. Clicking a series of switches, his cycle went into auto-pilot and took over its own steering.

"Going up!"

Delta Red leapt off his patrol cycle and flew skyward to the now opened cockpit of the SWAT flyer. With a perfect landing, the hatch slid shut and snapped in placed. The straps of the seat slid over Sky's shoulders and secured him in.

"Delta Red, logged on!"

"Ready to bust some heads?" Z asked over the comm.

"You know it!"

"Not without me," came Bridge's voice next.

B-Squad Blue leapt into his cockpit and was secured into his seat.

"Delta Blue, set to fly!"

"Okay, guys. We have the culprits on scanner. Objective is to cease destruction and bring 'em in. Understood?"

"YES, SIR," the two promptly replied.

The SWAT Flyers swooped down in a synchronized manner to get closer to where Kat had pinpointed the source of the chaos. Sky led the way with blue and yellow at the back left and right wings of his flyer.

"B-Squad, lock on targets and fire on my mark," Red said over the comm. "It's time to expose these creeps."

Doggie Cruger stomped down the wing of the Academy that housed the cadets, as well as the top ranking officers the B-Squad. Cadets who walked along his path stopped what they were doing and saluted the Commander as he hurried by. They could tell by the demeanor on his face and the pace of his step that someone was in trouble. They were glad it wasn't any of them this time.

The doors Syd's dormitory slid open. Doggie stood at the doorway and planted his hands on his waist.

"OFFICER DREW, ATENNNNNNN-HUT!"

Syd, who lay draped over her bed with her SPD uniform untucked, sprung up and looked around confused.

"Oh no! I feel asleep," Syd said pushing her blonde locks out of her face. "Sir, I am so sorry!"

"Sorry? When Command Center gives an order for B-Squad to report, you report! There's a dire situation on Main and 12th and you're not there!"

Syd, far too exhausted to explain, nodded and shifted her eyes away from her towering superior. She knew this would go on record. All this time her record at SPD had been clean of tardies, write-ups, and misconduct. It killed her that would end. It's always been her "thing" to have something that Sky didn't.

"I'm sorry, sir..."

"I also understand you were taking on Kat's lesser duties yesterday evening."

"Yes, sir."

Doggie's growl subsided and took his hands off his waste.

"I will let this slide this time, but regardless of your schedule, you are still one of my officers. Go Cadet Drew, and be careful."

Doggie placed his hands behind his back and exited the dormitory, the doors sliding shut behind him. Syd whined and kicked the stuffed bunny that lay on the floor.

"Mr. Carrotworth, this isn't fair," she mumbled fastening the belt around her uniform. "If it's going to be like this all week, I'm going to die. I just know it."

The lifeless toy stared back at its owner lying lopsided on the cold carpet. Syd snatched the morpher from the dresser top and dashed out the dormitory.

Miles of grid-locked cars sat sandwiched between the columns of buildings on Main. The cars, howbeit, were vacant. The citizens of New Tech scrambled for safety as random automobiles were being lifted and thrown down the unmoving queue. A black Honda Accord flew into the side a building and busted a gaping hole into the place of business. Another vehicle, an older model Ford truck, rolled in mid-air and landed atop of an emptied city bus. Upon impact, both vehicles exploded into towering flames and smoke. Echos of screams could be heard throughout the city.

In the near distance came the three SWAT Flyers swooping their way into the vicinity.

"Red, I have a clear shot," Blue said inching a finger around the red trigger on the joystick-like throttle.

"Take it, buddy."

"FIRE."

A quadruple round of missiles streaked forth from the undercarriage of the Blue SWAT Flyer with smoke trailing behind each missile. They glided downward, locked on the heat readings the SWAT scanners registered and pinpointed for impact. The missiles touched down on the invisible life form.

KA-BOOM!

Shreds of black tentacled-flesh exploded into the sky and rained down onto the street, covering the cars sitting below. A slab of the bloody mess landed on the glass dome of the Blue SWAT Flyer and oozed a magenta-colored liquid down its sides.

"Gross!" Bridge said activating the flyer's windshield wipers.

The slab of tentacle was easily brushed aside and flopped down with a squish onto the pavement.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" Z said firing her missiles next.

The salvo darted from beneath the Yellow SWAT Flyer and struck the invisible alien life form. Another explosion of guts and blood erupted and landed atop the flyer.

"Okay. That's just sick," Z said activating her wipers like Bridge had.

"Be careful, guys. We have five more to go," Sky said dialing in his attack.

Destroying the rest of these vile creatures would not be so easy. A collective wail of hideous gargled cries screeched into the young sky as the last of the invisible terrors revealed their true forms. Their heads were like the top of a jellyfish, ears and eyes of a bat, and a skull shaped like a primate. Their tar-black scales oozed with slime and dripped at the tips of their tentacles. These things were hideous. These things were--

"OMNI," Sky practically shouted over the comm.

"Mini-Omnis!" Bridge echoed.

"But how?" Z asked, her voice expressing equal appall.

Doggie's growl was indication enough of the severity of the situation. He sat his command post carefully monitoring the battle.

"This isn't good," he said, not sure if anyone was listening.

Kat tapped away crazily at the keyboard navigating through the archives. She had to make the signature match. If these aliens were indeed descendants of Omni, they'd have to be sure and take decisive action on how to quickly and effectively combat these things.

"Got it," Kat said to herself.

She imported the file that recorded Omni's unprecedented energy readings into the appropriate application where the "mini-omnis" were currently being monitored. Kat mentally crossed her fingers hoping she could find a solution and fast. The city could fall if these slothful creatures were not snuffed out quick.

"My turn!" Sky said locking in his target.

Rat-tat-tat was the sound of red fire power blasting at the Mini-Omni. The fire power beat down on its large slimy scales, chipping off only small pieces. The monster swiped its tentacles at the SWAT Flyer with intentions off smashing it to the ground. Sky looped around the deadly attack and pulled his throttle back. The red flyer ascended nose first and back around the hideous alien.

"Make a wish, jellyfish," Sky said firing away.

Four missiles streaked from the SWAT flyer and destroyed the slimy glob. Brown goop splattered across Sky's dome, which he also activated his wipers for.

"Two more to go, guys," Bridge said guiding his flyer around the 30-story tower.

"Leave 'em to me," a voice said over the comm.

Overhead, the Pink SWAT Flyer raced from the clouds and locked on to one of the last mini-omnis.

"Buh bye!" Syd said clicking her trigger.

Four pink streaks of fire power darted toward its target. This particular omni however was savvy to the weapon his comrades fell victim to. A translucent, dome-shaped force field formed around its shell, easily deflecting the missiles.

"Rats," Sydney hissed over the comm. "Let's make this quick. Let's show 'em some Megazord power!"

"And you'll be the one to go back to base and get the Green Flyer I suppose?" Bridge asked factiously.

"Oh -- right."

"Syd, watch out!" Z hollered.

The temporary distraction was all the mini-omni needed. Its slick tentacles wrapped around the Pink SWAT Flyer, sending jolts of lightning-like electricity around the frame of the fighter jet.

"Guys! I'm in trouble here!" Delta Pink cried over the comm., the wave of energy emitted around her flyer reflecting against the visor of her helmet.

Sky's heart dropped. This couldn't be happening. His dream -- it was slowly coming true. Failure's wheels were beginning to turn, but Sky wasn't about to let it happen.

"Syd! I'm coming!" Delta Red yelled. "Thrusters! Activate!"

The twin exhausts at the tail of the Red SWAT Flyer shot fire and thrusted the SPD officer to where his co-officer was being held captive in the omni's crushing grasp. Sky entered a sequence of commands on his dash, activating a thin antenna that scoped up from the flyer's tail. The silver rod collected a mass of natural energy surrounding the craft and concentrated the mass into a powerful strike. The mega-sized energy orb struck the back of the mini-omni. The great explosion created another shower of brown and crimson goo.

Syd's SWAT Flyer, now free, began its free-fall to the street below. The omni-like alien had drained the craft's thruster power.

"Oh no! Hang on, Syd!" Z said.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Syd said bracing herself for impact, her hands pressing up the sides of the cockpit.

The Pink SWAT Flyer glided down to the grid-locked Main Street. The craft slid across, chucking up concrete and the trucks, buses, and cars that stood in its path. The vehicles were flung one by one like tossed rag dolls, some slamming into the neighboring buildings, some against each other.

"NO!" Sky said unfastening his straps. He had to get down there.

The SWAT Flyer skidded a few more yards before coming to a complete stop. Smoke pillared from its engine, but thankfully hadn't exploded. Syd wasn't going to chance it and evacuated the craft immediately. She manually slid the cracked hatch open and pulled herself out. Clumsily, Syd tumbled on to the pavement, feeling the harsh impact even through her SWAT gear.

Sky flipped onto the road and landed gracefully onto one knee. He sprinted to where Syd lay and knelt at her side.

"Syd! Are you alright?" he asked grasping her arms.

No response other than a faint groan came from her lips.

"We still have one more to deal with, Sky!" Z said in Sky's headset.

"Then take care of it!" he shouted back.

The Blue and Yellow SWAT Flyers swooped down together in line to where the remaining mini-omni stood sloshing about. It took a car into its tentacles and flung it at the Delta Officers. Z activated her cannons and blasted the vehicle into flaming shrapnel as Bridge zipped pass and activated his cannons next.

"Get off our planet..."

A blue orb of energy shot from his flyer's cannon and obliterated the final mini-omni. The destruction along the strip of roadway wasn't monumental but was bad enough -- damaged buildings, crushed cars, and isolated fires. The sirens of fire trucks and police blared in the distance.

"Syd, speak to me, please," Sky said taking the girl's head into his hand.

"I'm fine," Syd finally said. "Power down..."

A fizzle of pink energy washed away her SWAT armor and Delta Squad costume, returning her to civilian form.

"Power down," Sky echoed, red energy also washing away his Delta Squad attire. "Are you hurting?"

"I'm just tired," Syd answered with squinted, exhausted eyes. "That crash didn't help either. ... You can let go now if you want."

"Oh -- right," Sky said removing his hand from her head.

He took Syd's hands and helped to pull her to her feet. Z and Bridge flipped down from their flyers and joined the two.

"Are you okay, Syd?" Z asked touching her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

"Good. That was close," Bridge said before looking back at the destruction the mini-omnis left. "Look at this place. It's a mess."

"Sky, you don't think they have something to do with the Troobian Empire, do you?" Z asked.

Sky shook his head. "It can't be. Gruum's fallen."

"Those things looked way too like--" Z began, but was cut short by Sky.

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Let's get back to base. I'm sure Kat and Boom found something on these things."

Z and Bridge exchanged looks, confused by Sky's sudden shortness over the situation. Just then SPD cadets arrived on the scene with the city's police and firemen. As the B-Squad walked away, C-Squad hustled out the back of an SPD SWAT truck ready to perform their duty. Amongst them was Ben, who immediately saw the damaged Pink SWAT Flyer laying in the middle of the torn roadway. He shook his head and took in the mess left behind.

"I hate this part," he said under his breath, but not quiet enough.

A female cadet walked up beside him and gave him a look. The girl pulled her shoulder-length brown hair into a ponytail and rolled up the sleeves of her uniform.

"Whining again?" she asked. "No surprise there."

"Give it a rest, Jules. ... I'm not in a mood to do clean up today -- or hear your squawking."

"Do you have something better to do today?" Jules asked grabbing a push broom from the back of the truck.

"Yeah. Anything else but clean up duty."

"You see them over there?" Jules pointed to the B-Squad, who were know loading into a waiting caravan marked SPD. "We don't go from C-Squad to B-Squad without cleaning up their bird droppings first."

"We? What makes you think you're even up for promotion?" Ben asked scoffing at the thought.

"Exactly why not?" Jules asked pushing her broom down. "Look, just because Cruger let you shadow Sergeant Tate, it doesn't mean you have the green morpher yet. I have a shot just as much as you. In fact, anyone on C-Squad does."

"I'm not saying you don't have a shot. I'm just saying you're not going to."

"Go to hell, Ben. This is exactly why--"

"You broke up with me? Yeah, I've heard this speech before."

"GUYS," Nick, another C-Squad cadet, said cutting in. "Enough, alright? Let's get this done so we can go. Ben, help me with the SWAT Flyer if you would please."

"Alright," Ben agreed giving Jules one last look before going.

Jules, giving Ben the same look of resentment, picked up her broom and joined Grace, the other female C-Squader, who awaited her assistance.

As the caravan pulled away, the B-Squad sat in silence in lue of observing the destruction left behind. Bridge and Z sat in the back row now engaging in a quiet conversation. Syd and Sky were seated in the front.

Syd sat resting with her head tilted back while Sky looked out the window observing more of the damage done to the buildings along the strip. A sense of guilt consumed his heart as he watched the clean up crews go to work. He swore to himself he wouldn't let this happen again, especially after what New Tech went through last year with the Troobians. Almost on a weekly basis, a monster would stomp through the metropolis and endanger millions of lives. He told himself he'd be a perfect Red Delta Officer, just like his father. He felt like he failed. He told himself he was a failure.

Just then a few specks of snowflakes began to fall, dotting the windows of the caravan.

How unusual...

"Sky?"

Delta Red turned his head to see Syd looking up at him. She leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling dizzy?" Sky asked.

"No," Syd smirked, closing her eyes again. "Just tired."

"You took a nasty spill out there. ... I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you, or anyone on our team."

"I think you need to forgive yourself now. I know that look on your face. ... It's not your fault. It happened all the time last year. It can't be prevented."

"I can try at least, Syd."

"I know, but still. ... You're a great leader. Thank you for coming to my aid. I knew you would."

Sky, not wanting to because of the guilt, found some comfort in her gratitude.

"Thanks, Syd."