Disclaimer: I don't own the property of the Power Rangers. This is done for relaxation on my part. I don't make money from this, but if you wouldn't mind tossing some electrons into my review box, I wouldn't mind.
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Author's Notes: Umm, nothing to really add here but let the fight begin in earnest!
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Sky's breath left his body as the mass that was Carl Boomhauser plowed into his midsection. The red ranger was lifted from his feet and unceremoniously deposited on the ground. Instinctively Sky raised a shield into a dome and regained his bearings as Boom descended upon the barrier. Sky did nothing but smirk as he saw the hapless technician flail on the barrier.
The world began to move in slow motion for the rest of the occupants in the room; the two women in the door started to move towards Boom to try and separate the two, while Bridge, who had been in the corner reading moved into action to do the same thing. The only thing that seemed to be happening at full speed to any of the three was Boom's torrent of blows on Sky's shield, blows that seemed to be increasing in strength and ferocity.
At that point, Doctor Kathryn Manx and Commander Doggie Cruger passed the door and saw what was going on. They both rushed into the room, and closely followed Syd and Z. The only thing that Boom was aware of was the world slipping away as his fist kept trying to reach Sky. It was at the moment that the blackness of the tunnel vision shifted to a sickening red that it happened.
From outside the bubble of force the five people not involved in the fight heard a sickening crunch followed by a somewhat meaty splat. Sky saw a red viscous substance start to coat the outside of his protection. Boom let out a scream, not of pain, but of rage. A burst of energy knocked the five others off balance, and if they were looking in the right place, they could see the shattered bone and ripped flesh of the mangled hand forced away by a fresh grown hand, perfect without a mark, in its place.
Kat and Cruger, while surprised by the energy burst, had seen this before, and still acted. Z was stunned into inactivity, which was fortunate, because Syd turned fully away from the now grisly scene, and into her teammate's body. Bridge, knocked back by the force, was now in a fetal position, clutching his head. Kat and Cruger exchanged a look and changed their directions. Cruger went to Bridge, scooped him up and rushed him out of the room. Kat went to the two women.
Pulling Syd to face her, Kat told her, "We have got to divert Boom's attention. We have to give him something non-threatening that he likes, or something really bad may happen. Syd, you have to do something; he is still harboring too much ill feeling toward me."
"Kat, what is going on?" wailed Syd.
"We will explain it to you later. Right now you need to break his rage," implored the felinoid.
"But how?"
"I've got an idea," chimed in Z. "Remember how you said all it would take would be white cotton…"
Syd caught on right away. "Okay, stand back," she said. When the other two had moved out of her way, she smiled and called, "Oh, Boomy…"
Boom stopped using double hammer blows on Sky's barrier and glanced around. Sky looked up from his prone position. He was visibly sweating, visible even through the haze of the shield. Boom caught sight of Sydney, and when he did, she did the one thing she knew would distract any man. She did a panty shot at him adding, "Wouldn't you rather pound on this instead?"
The room was quiet except of the ragged sound of Boom's breath. Sky dropped his shield, half out of exhaustion, half out of surprise of what little he caught sight of around Boom. Z from surprised muttered, "Someone is going to get some tonight."
Kat was in shock. She had said to distract Boom, not offer him something like a cheap trollop. She shook her head to clear the thoughts. Boom's personal life is not my concern. I don't have the right to say anything about it. I gave that up. She snapped herself from her thoughts and went into action. "Z, get to Sky and slowly move him out of the room," she said softly.
Syd slowly moved towards Boom, who looked like he was dazed and confused about where he was, though truthfully Syd would have had that effect on many people after what she did. She had a soft smile on her face and reached for a pigtail in what looked to be an absent-minded manner. She bit her bottom lip, and let it quiver as she spoke in a soft voice, "Boomy, would you hold me?"
Through the quickly dissipating cloud of red that permeated Boom's conscious mind he nodded, knowing that this was more important than whatever he had forgotten what he was doing. He held out his arms and Syd melted into them and nestled into his body as he closed them. She cringed just a little when something slimy touched her upper back. She knew it was his blood that he didn't realize was there. She knew that she was the cause of this, and that caused her to bury her face into his shirt and let the tears go.
Z reached Sky and brought him to his unsteady feet. She slowly started helping him towards the door, acting as his crutch. Passing the two entwined people, he shook his head at the concept of them together, and couldn't wrap his mind around the two of them together.
Cruger appeared in the doorway with a steadying Bridge holding onto the edge of it. "Rangers," the Commander uttered in a soft voice, "meeting right away in my office. Cadet Drew, come as soon as you can. I think I can answer the questions that are in your heads right now."
The three rangers entered fully into the hall and followed Cruger. "Boomy, I need to take care of some business and clean up. How about I meet you in your room and we can talk some more, and maybe… well we will see what happens," she said softly into his ear, her breath warm and wet on his skin. "Plus, I think Kat may want to check you out. It wouldn't hurt to make sure you are healthy for later."
Boom nodded, his face full of her hair, "Okay, on one condition. Would you wear the orange outfit that you modeled?"
Syd bit his earlobe and nodded her head, pulling it slightly, "Uh-huh."
Syd tried to back up, but realized that Boom's arms still held her. "Boomy, you have to let go for me to leave, if I don't leave I can't change my panties for you," she mock pouted.
Boom lessened his arms and had an embarrassed look on his face, "Oh, yeah, sorry…"
Syd walked to the doorway, paused, looked over her right shoulder and flipped up the edge of her short skirt as she winked and walked out of sight. Boom heard Kat sigh. He turned to look at her, "What was that about."
"You, her, all that is going on right now. Why did you attack Sky like that?" questioned the scientist.
"He hit me first, just because I rebuffed the impossibility of Syd and me being together." It was Boom's turn to sigh. "It seems like no one hear wants us together, but we are, we don't know how much, or for how long…"
"Boom, I," Kat started, but was stopped.
"Let's get this over with; I want to get cleaned up before Syd gets to my room." A bit of darkness urged him to twist the knife. "I wonder what else she wants to do besides talk?"
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Syd entered Cruger's office and the door shut behind her. Cruger was looking at the four of the rangers in front of him with critical eyes. Cruger sighed. "Rangers, I don't know where to begin. This is not a time to be handled like a battle; it is far more delicate. This has to do, somewhat, with Kat and myself. It also has something to do with what we learned when you first entered the academy. We knew that you three," he indicated Sky, Bridge, and Sydney, "had powers from your progenitor's exposure to the original work on the SPD morphers. What SPD didn't take into account that there are some naturally occurring abilities on Earth.
An incident happened that first week that opened our eyes. During combat training, an unknown power, to us, manifested itself. A cadet that was picked on snapped when he was injured. He completely healed himself, and went into a rage. Looking back into the history of your planet, we were able to discern that it used to be called the berserker rage. It was said that those with it were possessed by the spirits of the bear or wolf in battle, which aided them with strength and protected them from wounds. You all have seen the effect of that here today.
The decision to place the cadet out of the SPD program was made, but it was advised that it would be best to keep him in a place to observe him. Kat stepped in and 'adopted' the cadet as an assistant. Over time she was able to discern exactly what the ability entailed, and began to quantify it. She found that his healing ability was on all the time, so she made him the tester of all questionable equipment. The rage part of the powers hadn't been an issue until today."
"But, Sir, if Boom had powers like these, why wasn't he put into the ranger program like us?" asked Bridge.
Cruger looked at him, "Because of the repercussion of the powers. When the rage hits, well, you have seen the effect first 'mind' Bridge. The rage doesn't just stop at them, but can influence anyone that is sensitive around them. Also, Cadet Tate can attest to the boost that Boom had in strength." Sky just dumbly nodded. "Now imagine that strength augmented by your uniforms. Along with the possibility of his healing power infusing the uniform itself, he would be unstoppable by all but instantly fatal blows."
"But he wouldn't be able to use his powers while morphed," interjected Sky.
"Actually, we think he could," corrected Cruger, "You see, your powers come from your parents' exposure to radiation during the development of the morphers. It runs along the same wavelength, so that you can have one power or the other, but not both at the same time. Boom on the other hand has a power separate from the morphing grid."
There was a silence in the room. Cruger looked around to the rangers again. "I don't need to say that none of this goes past this room, do I?" came the commanding voice.
The four rangers popped to their feet and saluted, "NO, SIR!"
"Good, dismissed. Sky could you stay behind, we need to discuss the punishment that you are going to receive for striking a civilian without a cause."
Sky's jaw dropped to the floor.
