Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. This story was transcribed by the voices in the dark places in my soul. I make no profit from them, but to shut them up.
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Author's Notes: I am a Boom/Kat shipper. This story is not one, though. This story is a long dark ride, but it does have a happy ending.
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Boom slid to the floor and into a fetal position in the darkened corridor. It had been a full two weeks since Isinia Cruger had passed this mortal coil. Two full weeks the Commander had been in mourning. Two full weeks and then Boom's heart came ripping out of his chest.
Everyone at the base knew about it; everyone but Boom, that is. Believing your wife was dead and knowing must have been different. The relationship that wasn't allowed decided to make up for lost time. Just this morning Commander Doggie Cruger and Doctor Katherine Manx announced their courtship, and the heart and soul of one Carl Boomhauser was offered as a sacrifice to what gods there may be.
After the shouts of joy had died down, no one had noticed the missing tester. Not that he thought they would. The only one that would give him any attention with regularity now had someone else that consumed all of her time. He now even questioned the reason that he was kept around for so long. Was it out of guilt, to provide a distraction for someone that the Commander had felt that he was slighting, someone that would be a placeholder, but easily discarded when the time came.
Boom's face was dry; the ability for his body to produce tears had burned out long ago. He jerked back, his head hitting the bulkhead. It hurt, but instead of stopping, he continued. The logical thought was if he caused enough physical pain, then the pain in his heart wouldn't be noticeable.
Slowly, oh so slowly, he stopped, a new idea forged into his head, something that he hadn't thought about or done in a long time. Standing, and gaining his wobbly legs, he started onwards to his quarters, not noticing the stain of blood on the wall where his head had lain.
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The next morning found a jovial air in the SPD Command Center. They say that everyone loves a lover, but what of our lovelorn Boom? B-Squad had gathered for roll call, as Commander Cruger and Doctor Manx entered. Looking around Cruger started to growl, "Where is Boom?"
Sky Tate, current red ranger stepped forward, "We haven't seen him, Sir. He usually beats us here, but no one has seen him since early yesterday."
"Like that is a big surprise," added in the SPD pink ranger.
"What was that, Cadet Drew?" bellowed the Commander.
"I was just saying that anyone that is surprised that Boom ran and hid has to be blind, or oblivious."
"Sydney, why do you say that?" asked Doctor Manx.
"Oh, come on, it is so obvious that he cared greatly for you, Kat, perhaps even loved you in his own little Boom way. Your announcement yesterday would have crushed him. I'm not surprised that he made himself scarce. I may not be able to read auras or anything, but I do know that Boom has a very gentle, caring soul. I just thought that he would have turned up by now," espoused Syd.
Kat glanced at Cruger and went to a nearby terminal. "Locate SPD Personnel Carl Boomhauser. Come on, it shouldn't take this long."
"SPD Personnel Carl Boomhauser's transponder is not functioning," intoned the computer.
"Computer, Command Override, Doctor Katherine Manx, Sierra Nova Six One Two, DNA Location SPD Personnel Carl Boomhauser, Scope limit, SPD Command Center," said a frantic Kat.
There was a long pause that Kat realized that she wasn't breathing. She let out a long breath as she watched the read outs denying her from finding her assistant. Finally the computer's speakers came to life, "SPD Personnel Carl Boomhauser DNA located in Corridor Seven level three section four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, and in room three seven fifteen."
The others in the room saw Kat start to slump, but before any others could react; Doggie was by her side, holding her. "Computer, subject was moving, correct?"
"Negative, all subjects were stationary during scan."
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As Bridge and Z helped the Commander get Kat to the infirmary after she passed out, Sky stayed on the command bridge to watch over things, leaving Sydney the unwanted task to check on Boom. It was unspoken agreement that she was going to find a suicide scene. The four rangers had agreed that in situation like this that Bridge was not to go into a scene like that because of his sensitivity. This left the three remaining rangers on a rotation. Lucky for Z and Sky it was Sydney's turn.
She approached the door and did the oddest of things, she knocked. It was out of habit more than anything else, but she couldn't stop herself. She brought out her morpher and was ready to override the lock, when she received an amazing surprise. A voice on the other side of the door answered her knock with a faint, "Go away."
"Boom? Is that really you? It's Syd, please open up!" came the excited cheerleader like voice.
"No, I don't want anyone to see me like this, especially you guys."
"Boom, it's just me, okay? You know I could open this door at anytime, but if you don't want me too, then I won't. Will you just talk to me?"
"Syd, I don't want to talk, I just want to… Syd, just go away, okay, it's for the best."
Syd crossed her arms and sat down with her head on the door, ears straining to hear sounds from inside. "Boom, I won't go away. Is it okay if we just talk? Maybe that will help."
There was a long sigh, "Okay, you want to know what is going on, don't you?"
"Let me guess first?" Sydney asked. When she didn't hear an answer she proceeded, "Let me start with your time at the Command Center. Kat was the first woman that paid you any positive attention on a regular basis outside of your own family, and then maybe anyone besides your mother. What started as respect and like grew into infatuation, and then into love, but you couldn't tell her. The fear of rejection was too great. As long as you could pretend in your mind that there was some hope, then you could live in your dreams.
You made it possible for her to go to Central Command, because you knew that she wouldn't if she worried about us here. You knew that it would tear you to shreds on the inside, but it was your choice, and you knew that she would be appreciated and recognized there. After the final battle and Doggie returned with Isinia, you held out hope that Kat would get over her love for him and realize how much you love her, cut to happily ever after.
Only that didn't happen. Isinia was ill and soon passed away, leaving nothing between Kat and Cruger to pursue their relationship, taking away from you the only hope in your mind at finding someone to love you in return. So, you decide to end it all, but somehow mess up and leave a trail of blood back to your rooms."
There was silence. Quietly Syd heard Boom respond, "I didn't do anything until I got into my room."
"Then how did the blood get into the hallway?" inquired Syd confusedly.
There was a pause while Boom thought through his aching head, "It must have been from when I was banging my head against the wall."
"What? Oh, Boomy, let me in, okay? You need someone to look after your injuries."
"Syd, what I did, it's a violation of conduct. If anyone official sees them, and reports them, then they will fire me. It's not like I have anyone to bend the rules for me any more."
Syd sighed and put her fists to her cheeks and thought. Slowly she started to smile. She pulled out her morpher and contacted the Command Bridge. "Sky, this is Syd, I am going off-duty."
"What, Syd? What is going on?" the confused response of her squad leader and acting commander questioned.
"I can't tell you now. After, work I will let you all know. Cadet Sydney Drew signing off," she said as she placed the morpher back into its case.
She stood up and stretched out, and then unzipped her uniform top and took it off. She folded it and placed it gently on the floor. She faced the door in a light tank top, her hair falling gently on her shoulders. She knocked again, "Boomy? It's Syd; I am off duty and have no connection to SPD right now, except my pants… I could take them off if you would like. May I come in?"
Syd heard a slow scurrying sound heading closer to the door. She heard the lock disengage and the door slide open, there Boom stood. Syd could see traces of blood in his sandy blond hair, and evidence of seepage of blood from the white gauze on his arms.
Boom was shocked; there stood Syd in a tank top that clung to her from the slight sweat that she had worked up showing off her amazingly toned body. "Leave the morpher outside, they can trip the communication circuit remotely."
Syd nodded and simply unzipped her pants and slid out of them as she stepped into his room and let the door close behind her.
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There stood Sydney Drew, sexiest cadet in SPD history to some, in a sweat wet tank top and bikini briefs in front of one Carl Boomhauser, SPD washout. "S-s-Syd, you, you, you don't have any clothes on!"
Syd looked at Boom with a put off look on her face. "Boom, I have on a tank top and a pair of panties. If that doesn't count as clothes, then what does?"
"I mean, well..."
"Boom, I am comfortable with my body; it's okay. Let's talk about your attire." She led him to his bed and sat down, guiding him next to her. "I want you to take a look at something." Syd turned her arms so Boom could see them.
He noticed faint lines on her arm, barely noticeable, except for the fact that she was pointing them out. "Syd, those are..."
"Cut marks, yes. When I was younger..." she paused and gulped. "My parents love me, I know that, but they couldn't always be there for me. They substituted gifts for closeness, part of me accepted that, but part of me... Well, you get the idea."
Boom couldn't take his eyes off the trace of the lines. "But they are so faint, how?"
"My powers," Syd answered. "I can't transform very much of myself when I go for a hard material, but a soft material I can transform more. Talc is a very soft mineral as you know. I simply converted some talc and very carefully flaked off the scars. If you know what you are looking for, even then most people aren't sure."
"I didn't know Syd. How did you..."
"Stop doing it? It was hard, I won't kid you, but I found something important that I believed in."
"SPD..."
Syd nodded, "Yes, Boom, you know that this didn't help, don't you?"
"Yeah, but it's not like I could even do this right, but it will be okay in a little bit, it always will be okay in a little bit."
"Boom what do you mean?"
Boom shook his head and started to undo the bandages. Syd winced as he undid the last of them, and saw the blood, but the one thing that she didn't see is what she expected. There were no open wounds, there weren't even any scabs, and no scars. Syd grabbed his wrists and twisted his arms searching for what she knew had to be there.
"What, where, how?" was all that Syd could say.
"B Squad isn't the only humans in SPD that have powers. Though mine aren't as impressive as y'alls, they do come in handy. I guess you figured it out; I heal fast and completely. Not only that, but I process toxins at an accelerated rate. From what I have figure out is that it would take an instantly fatal instance to kill me, but even that may not be true. How else do you think that I can test all of the equipment, and not constantly be in the infirmary."
"Boom, those are wonderful powers, why didn't you tell anyone? You know we are down one ranger, one of the things that has stopped anyone else from being accepted was the lack of powers."
Boom cast his eyes to the ground, "Except I was kicked out of the academy because I am a screw up. No, that would never happen Syd. I have always been a screw up. It would be best if I just leave and let everyone get on with their life. It's not like anyone would miss me."
"There is someone that would Boom," replied Syd as she leaned in close to him and lightly pressed her lips to his.
