Chapter 2

Some Problems

"You're serious? Well, I suppose if you all agree . . . I'll arrange for the C-squad cadets to have their reviews early. I'll leave it to the four of you to decide who you want to become your teammate. But I warn you, there are bound to be some problems with any decision you make." Cruger warned.

"What do you mean?" Z asked.

"You'll see." The commander replied simply. "C-squad should be having combat practice outside right now. You can go watch them to get some ideas."

"C-squad! Line up!" Shouted the teacher.

Off on the sidelines of the field, the four rangers scoffed. "What is up with them? Are they unable to jog at least? How did they make it past day one in the academy?" Sky growled.

"Well, she looks like she's paying attention." Syd motioned to a red-head at the far end of the line. Unlike the others, she'd sprinted over to her teacher and was standing at attention.

"As far as I can tell, she's the only one who I might consider becoming a ranger." Z agreed. "The others look like bad attitude central."

"So you've noticed?" Kat asked as she came up behind the disgusted quartet. "Everyone except Cadet Jones are paying students, students whose parents are paying a lot of money for them to come 'learn' here, but most of them just goof off. They can't be expelled."

"Well, what about the Jones girl?" Bridge asked.

"She's the daughter of a janitor here, so her education is free." Kat explained with a smile. "She's a really good kid, but you won't get to see much from her during her classes."

"She gets left out of training exercises, doesn't she?" Sky asked with a grunt. "Never enough time, and there's an odd number of students . . . it wouldn't be fair to pair her up with two others, or match her up against someone who has already done their sparring match."

"Whoa, Sky, where'd that come from?" Syd asked, taken aback. He'd been a 'free ride' student too, but no one had ever treated him differently because of it, had they?

Camila stood straight. Her black SPD uniform was hot and uncomfortable in the bright summer sun. Knowing that reviews were coming up also made her uneasy, especially since her teachers were total jerks to the 'free riders'.

"Your reviews are going to be two weeks early this year." The combat teacher shouted in his usual macho-man tone. He'd been a professional wrestler for several years and he loved to flaunt the fact. Little did he know, many people made fun of him for his 'no neck' appearance. "And they'll be conducted by the B-squad rangers. There's an open spot on their squad, and they're planing on picking a new green ranger."

Immediately, the line broke up. Each 'paid' kid was begging or complaining to Mr. Noneck. "Sir, my parents will pay good money for me to become red ranger!" "Me, me! I want pink! Not green!" "Why would any of us want to be the lousy green ranger! Who do you think we are!" "Why should I take orders from some blue gone red free rider!"

Sky watched as the majority of the cadets swamped their leader, disgusted. Camila Jones had stayed in her place, eyes downcast. Both of them could hear what the students were saying, pretending that the words didn't hurt, but they did.

"Bridge, I never acted like that . . . did I?" Syd begged. "They seem so pampered and needy."

"No . . . well . . . maybe a little for the first few days . . . but you got over it." Bridge admitted.

"There's no way I'm going to let any of those brats have the satisfaction of being a ranger." Z announced stubbornly. "We'd be better off letting Piggy into the kitchen."

". . . take orders from some blue gone red free rider!" The whining drifted up to their ears.

Kat's eyes narrowed as she suppressed a hiss. "None of them should be at SPD with that sort of attitude." Hearing foot steps leaving, she turned. "Sky?"

The red ranger looked back to meet the Felina's gaze. Turning away, he said one chilling sentence. "They're going to have to go through me before they hope to become a ranger."