ZEDD
I watch Thomas for a few minutes to be sure that he really is asleep before I turn to leave the room. As I leave, I instruct the computer to alert me if he wakes up or his sleep is disturbed in any way as it will not do for him to wake and either - one become distressed at finding himself alone, or two become curious as his species is prone to being and harm himself on the wide range of dangerous instruments in the medical room.
Getting a confirmation from the computer that I will be alerted as asked I head for the sim deck, knowing I have to burn off some of this anger and frustration before he wakes up. Judging from his behavior, he was very poorly treated in that place - and not just what I saw either.
"Damn humans. Stupid self destructive hateful species the whole damn lot of them, even when they try to do good it turns out bad. I can't-" Pausing I feel my temper rise even more as I realize that the woman and those children put him in there. The girls voice echoes in my head, "We were doing the best we knew how at the time." How could they have not checked the place out more thoroughly?
For a brief moment, I pause in my tracks. Was it possible that they didn't know? I frown again and I have a sudden insight due to my exposure to Thomas and his little friends all those years ago. Humans are a trusting species. Even if they did check the place out, a few well placed lies and they might have - right or wrong - believed that it was the best thing for him.
Shaking myself out of this thought just as quickly as it had come though, I give another growl of anger. Even if this is what had happened, how could they have trusted humans that I'll assume they'd never even met before? Trusted them with someone as important as the Black Ranger? Stupid humans. Stupid in need of education humans.
An unkind smile crosses my face and I change direction to the bridge. If an education is what they need, an education is what they shall damn well get.
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Fingers clicking away at the keys, I manually compose a message that I can send through the humans' internet system. I relate what I had seen first hand, the computers diagnosis of Thomas' physical damage and pictures of his face and torso.
Cringing as I view the uploaded pictures myself, glad I had not woken Thomas when I'd taken them; I hesitate for a moment before sending the message. While I do wish to punish them in a way, make them realize the grave error of their misplaced blind faith, this would in return give them a way to contact me as well and do I really want that?
Finally deciding that I can just delete their messages if they begin to pile up in my computer and wanting the revenge more, I - in the end - send the message. Honestly the things I do to help their pitiful species evolve.
Thomas secured and message sent, I leave the bridge and once more head for the sim deck.
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(3 hours and dozens of battle sims later.)
As I take out the simulated original Red Ranger for the seventh time with a one final fatal blow of my staff I'm ready to call a halt. I've burned off enough of my anger and frustration that I think I can finally rest a little. "Computer end Ranger simulation training five oh nine red."
"Simulation ended."
Watching as the holographic setting of the room melts from the dark dimension to that of the original empty simulation deck, the Red Ranger's corpse also fading away, I rest my staff against the wall for later use. Now for a shower and a little bit of sleep.
As I leave the sim deck, mind set on a bit of relaxation, the first bit I'll get in a week it seems, the computer informs me that Thomas seems to be in some form of distress, from the sound and the description most likely a nightmare. So much for a shower.
I race through the passages to the medical bay, hoping to get to him before his dreams hurt him any more. I stop just inside the door and my eyes narrow as I take in the sight before me.
If I'm interpreting this right, in his nightmare, he's being held down. He seems to be choking, which would indicate something being forced down his throat. Frowning as the possibilities race through my mind, I call to him from across the room. "Thomas, wake up. It's only a dream."
Hesitant to invade his personal space, I call out again when he hasn't responded the first time. "Thomas, wake up!"
Suddenly, he gasps for air and snaps up in the bed. He gasps again and grabs his ribs as I wince in sympathy. The boy should know better then to move like that when harmed. He's been injured more then any other Ranger I would imagine, I myself having cracked his ribs a few times as well. All right let's leave that out of any future conversations though.
Leaving that idea as well as the one which involves me still battling a simulated version of the original Red Ranger for later I turn my focus back to the human before me. Eyes wild, he looks around the room and sees me near the door. This could go badly. I take a half step back and hold up my hands in a neutral way. It takes a moment for him to recognize me as the one who saved him and for a brief moment, I wonder if he would recognize me if I still looked the way I did when I was evil. The thought disappears as he calms, but only slightly.
"I promise you, Thomas, they cannot get to you here. You are safe." Not sure what to do, I slowly approach the bed and carefully sit down at the foot of it, careful not to touch him just yet as he is clearly not ready for even such a small amount of contact, I believe. "Are you all right?"
Swallowing and keeping his eyes on me, apparently waiting for any false move I may make, he slowly shakes his head no, mumbling out a quiet word which sounds enough like 'nightmare' to confirm my suspicions.
Taking a breath and nodding I'm careful to keep my own voice as calm and neutral as I can. "Do you want to talk about it?"
At his unsure look, I hasten to reassure him. "You don't have to. Your people just seem to put a great deal of faith into talking about things." Usually things that nobody can do anything about, I've noticed. I really don't understand it, but whatever; if it helps him then I will gladly listen.
Voice so soft I almost don't hear it, he says, "They were forcing me to eat. Said I was taking too long and not doing it right and they were going to help me."
Oh, yes, those creatures need to die. I make sure that my rage doesn't show as I resist the urge to tell the ship to turn around and head back for Earth, instead attempting to focus on reassuring the skittish Ranger before me. "Well, I'm not going to force you to eat - or to do it quickly for that matter. As for eating correctly, I'm not really certain how one could not do that as it really just entails you getting the food to your mouth, but we will work on it and help you in the correct way if you need it."
Even as I say this though another idea drifts through my brain. If I continue to send the humans information on what Thomas went through in that place, it might give them enough to punish the ones left - not to mention keeping up my little revenge. Though to do that I will have to actually press the human for more of said needed information, something I'm not too certain I wish to do right now while he's still so vulnerable.
I look at Thomas and I can see questions of his own burning in his eyes as well as the fear of asking them. Yes definitely still too vulnerable. Coaxing him in a manner which probably does not fit just how I look, I nevertheless attempt to be as gentle as is possible for me. "Go ahead, Thomas. You can ask questions. I promise that I will not punish you. You can trust me."
Swallowing and clearly not trusting me to a very high degree he in the end though allows his curiosity to get the better of him. "You said that we were going home, but we didn't and you want me to trust you but you lied to me so how can I trust you?"
Fairly impressed that he said that all in one breath with his ribs wrapped up and throat still damaged, it takes me a moment to process the question, suddenly realizing my error in speech and just what uncertainty it has caused him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant that we were going to my home. There we can help you in ways that they can't on Earth. I wasn't trying to deceive you, Thomas. I just wasn't careful enough in my word choice. And really, who can you trust now that were off the planet?"
"Can't trust people on that planet anyway" he mutters. Then, his brow furrows. Ah ha, caught the rest of that, have you? "Off the planet?" Maybe he's not as damaged as we were led to believe.
Looking him square in the eyes, I tell him. "We are not on Earth anymore. We are in my space ship on our way to my home. It's actually quite nice there; very quiet and spacious I think you'll like it." Beginning to wonder just how to set up the room that I'll make his, preferably one near to either mine or Scorpina and Goldar's in case he may need one of us, I'm about to continue informing him of his new home of sorts when I'm taken by surprise by the sudden flare of panic which enters his eyes. "What's wrong, Thomas? I promise you it will be pleasant there."
"S-space? We're in...but..." Looking torn between confusion and distress, I still don't understand what the problem is.
"Yes, we're in space now. We'll reach my home in another day or so. Thomas what's wrong? You've traveled in space before. This is nothing new for you."
He frowns slightly, his response beginning to give me some sort of insight to what might be the problem. "Haven't."
"Yes, you have and more than once. It's probably in your memories that you can't get to yet." But hopefully might be able to with a little time and help, because if not he will certainly be lost in a good bit of confusion for quite some time to come. "And what do you mean you can't trust the people on that planet? What about Hayley or your little friend Jason?"
He sets his jaw stubbornly and suddenly I am very curious in spite of myself. "Hayley left me there and didn't even come to see me. Jason didn't even come to see me in the hospital." He didn't? That's rather odd. I would think they would still be close. Perhaps not with the others but at least with one another considering how close they used to be.
So many questions and so many decisions. Decisions, decisions. Do I tell him the truth or let him believe that no one cares? I know it'll probably bite me in the long run, but I make my decision and say, "Hayley didn't just leave you there, Thomas. She and the children were told that they weren't allowed to see you."
Seeing the hope that flares in his eyes, I pray that I made the right decision. "She didn't leave me because she doesn't want to deal with me?"
I can feel the rage surge in my veins, but control it. Here's an opportunity to get more information and I will be damned if I blow it. "Did the people I saved you from tell you that?"
A brief nod and he speaks quietly again. "Said that she dumped me there. Said she didn't want to deal with me. Said she wasn't going to come for me."
I sigh heavily, almost wishing I hadn't started this. "Thomas, I saw her and the children before I came for you. I was told that no one could see you. They put you there because they thought it was the best thing for you. They didn't know what kind of place it really was."
Unhappy expression returning, though not as intensely as before, he is still not fully content just yet. "You came though. How come you could see me and they couldn't?" Yes, definitely not as bad off reasoning wise as the humans believed, I think.
"Clever." Smiling slightly but not elaborating to him on the comment, I instead focus on his concern. "I forced my way in. They weren't going to let me see you, but I made them. I wasn't feeling good about the situation and I'm more capable of seeing through lies then your little friends. They did know that I was going to take you out of there if that place wasn't helping you though." Kind of.
"So I can't see them?" We misunderstood the whole not on the planet thing, yes?
"Not right now. You're going to spend some time with me for a while, all right." Not really giving him the choice but attempting to make it sound as if he has a bit more say in the matter than he does it in the end seems to work as he gives a small nod.
"Good. Why don't you get some more sleep now and we'll talk more when you wake up?"
Nodding hesitantly, he lays back down allowing me to straighten his covers before turning to leave the room. Almost to the door I stop as his strained voice comes once more. "Where are you going?"
I glance back over my shoulder frowning at the small hint of worry in his voice. "I am going to take a shower. I had just finished working out when the computer told me you were having a nightmare and I came to check on you so you didn't have to wake up alone. I will return to check on you again and bring you something to eat after I clean up and rest a bit myself, all right?"
"Okay. Thanks."
I nod briefly and head for my room and an overdue shower; the uncertain brown eyes still bothering me a bit, making me wonder if I should leave him even if for only a little while.
