Reefside: The "AAR" Chronicles – Part 10
Return of an Old Enemy
By Justin Jack
How could it be?
When did it happen?
Who made it happen?
These were the questions that the two captive Rangers were running through their heads. An enemy of the past had been brought back from the sand and ashes to his former self. Goldar had been blown away to nothing in Zordon's energy wave years ago...or so they thought. Tommy looked the hulking Goldar up and down as the golden monkey slowly walked toward their cell.
Although this was the same enemy they had fought in years gone by, whoever or whatever brought Goldar back gave him a major upgrade. His armor while still gold was covered with cybernetic enhancements. His right eye was covered by robotic circuitry and glowed redder with each step he took. His feathery wings were gone, replaced by razor sharp metallic death wings. All around he looked like he had just been assimilated by the Borg.
"It's been a long time Tommy," he growled.
"Not long enough Goldar!" Tommy fumed under his breath.
"Is that anyway to treat an old friend?"
"I'm not your damn friend!"
"Oh, Tommy...I'm hurt," he joked as his laughter filled the chamber.
"Shouldn't you be in a sand box somewhere?" Kim asked.
Goldar's laughter died down and let out a monstrous growl forcing Kim back a couple steps. Tommy stepped in front of his wife to protect her.
"I can see the former Pink Ranger still has a lot of spunk...not to mention she aged really nicely," Goldar smirked as his robotic eye scanned her from head to toe.
Tommy couldn't stand it anymore.
"If you stare at Kim like that one more time, I'll rip out your new optics and shove 'em up your ass!" Tommy growled as he gave Goldar a death stare.
Goldar let out his trademark growling laugh.
"You're in no position to make threats Dr. Oliver!"
Tommy looked at his enemy with a shock. How did he know he was a Doctor? Kim was wondering the same thing.
"You're expression leads me to believe that you didn't know I knew everything about you," the gold monkey growled.
"That's one of about a million questions about you Goldar," Tommy snapped at his captor.
"Besides, when the rest of the team finds us...how you came back won't matter because when they're done, there won't be anything left of you to fill a petri dish!" Kim added.
Goldar just sneered and stepped an inch closer to the cell raising his wings springing forth razor sharp spikes toward Kim's face. Tommy pulled Kim back and put his own face in harms way...the spikes stopping right on his chiseled features, a stone cold look in his eyes. Kim gasped as she saw trickles of blood running down his cheeks.
"Tommy!?" she yelled as she tried to pull him back, but he wouldn't budge. His steely glare locked on Goldar.
"Tommy, please don't do this! You're no good to anybody dead! I need you with me here. Thomas James Oliver, can you hear me in there?"
His gaze still locked on the cyber-monkey.
"Handsome?"
Tommy closed his eyes then opened them looking at his wife.
"I'm here...Beautiful."
Kim blew a sigh of relief as Goldar retracted his spiked wings.
"Always the hero...Black Ranger," Goldar smirked as he backed away to leave the chamber.
"How do you know about us now?" Kim yelled after him.
The golden one spun back around and chuckled evilly.
"When my new master upgraded me, he gave me everything I needed to know about you," he leaned forward with a menacing smile. "Everything." he growled under his breath.
With that, he turned to leave the chamber.
"Wait, who's your new master?!" Tommy screamed.
But all he got for an answer was the slam and lock of the chamber door.
"Dammit!"
Tommy stomped to the back wall of the cell and slumped down in a huff running his fingers through his hair. Kim saw her husbands state of mind and walked over to him.
"Tommy?"
The science teacher was huddled against the wall holding his knees to his chest. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
"What?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Standing up for me," she said as she started to sit down next to him.
Tommy cracked a little smile and turned to meet his wife's gaze.
"It's what I do," he grinned at her.
She returned the smile as she brought her hand to his face to check the scratches left by Goldar. She then quickly ripped a piece of fabric from her shirt and used it to wipe away the blood.
Tommy winced as the fabric touched his skin. "Hey, easy!"
Kim chuckled. "'Greatest Ranger Ever', huh?"
"I'm still only human Kim," he shot back.
Considering the situation they were in, they still found themselves trying to out quip each other. As Kimberly was finishing tending to Tommy's wounds, he brought his hand up to catch her fabric hand and with his other hand cupped her cheek.
"We'll find a way out of here Kim, I promise you."
"I believe you," she smiled back.
Looking into each others eyes, they moved closer and closer until their lips locked in a passionate kiss.
After a few seconds they broke apart.
"Do you think the others will find us?" the Stego Ranger asked.
"If I know Hayley and Billy, they're probably working on a rescue plan right now," the Brachio Ranger answered.
"I hope they know where to look," Kim sighed as she cuddled up to her husband and placed her arms around him.
"They're smart, they can find anything or anyone anywhere." he assured her.
"Yeah, but Billy still sucks at 'Where's Waldo?'," she quipped.
Tommy chuckled as Kim began to fall asleep against him. He gently stroked her long caramel and silver locks out of her face and kissed the top of her head.
"Rest now Beautiful, save your strength for when we get out," he whispered to her. Tommy leaned his head back against and shut his eyes. He had to mentally prepare himself for the possible mayhem that could ensue during his time here. Tommy Oliver would die to protect his family. Not just his own, but all the Rangers that came before and after him.
If the time came...would Dr. Thomas Oliver make the ultimate sacrifice? Most important of all, would his family let him?
End of Part 10
TBC