Part III

"So you want me to help this boyfriend of yours?" Ariel looked at Niko through her glasses. At first glance she seemed merely a friendly old woman. But in reality she was a powerful alien sage thousands of years old.

"It's really important to me, Ariel," Niko told her teacher and foster mother. "This is way too complicated for my abilities to handle."

"And they don't exactly have anyone else on this technology obsessed planet to assist him," Ariel sighed. "I told you I would help you my dear. That is why I am here after all. I just well…Out of all the males on this planet you could have picked for a suitor from what I have seen from your thoughts on this Shane Gooseman…Well he's just so…Cold and a bit savage…"

"Remember Ariel, he's had a very…" Niko struggled to put the words in the proper context. "Harsh life. And he had very little training when it comes to mental combat."

"And being mind raped by that harpy the Queen of the Crown didn't help," Ariel nodded. "What interests me is after that trauma. He actually managed to find his Soul Center on his own?"

"He calls it his Secret Place but yes," Niko nodded.

"Hmmm…" Ariel thought to herself. "All right, let's go meet this rakish young man you're so attracted to."

The doorbell to Niko's apartment rang. "Here he is," Niko said. "Be nice."

"I'm always nice," Ariel smirked. "When I feel like it."

Niko rolled her eyes before she answered the door. Shane stood there in jeans, a black T-Shirt, boots and a blue jean jacket. He smiled. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Niko let him in. "Shane this is my mentor Ariel. Ariel, Shane Gooseman."

"Nice to meet you," Shane smiled pleasantly. "Niko's told me a lot about you."

"And she's told me a lot of things about you as well," Ariel smiled.

"Uh oh…" Shane smirked. "I'm in trouble."

"Uh huh," Ariel smiled like Grandma before she blew off the Big Bad Wolf's head off with a hidden shotgun. "Niko why don't you leave us alone for a while? This will take a few hours."

"All right," Niko nodded. "I wanted to take in that Andorian Art exhibit in the Gallery downstairs anyway. Be good you two." She smiled at Shane and they left the room.

"Well Mister Gooseman what can I do for you?" Ariel put her hands on her hips.

"Niko says that you can help me…Get some of my series five abilities under control," Shane admitted.

"We can certainly give it the old college try," Ariel motioned for him to sit on several large pillows. She sat down as well.

"So we just sit here?" Shane asked hesitantly.

"Don't be afraid Ranger Gooseman," Ariel smiled. "I don't bite."

"I'm not afraid," Shane said quickly. Then realized how childish he sounded. "It's just…This won't be like…"

"No, nothing like what the Queen did," Ariel shook her head. "But I will need access to your memories. I'll try to steer clear of your most private ones. This is necessary in order to understand the damage done to your mind and how you stand with these new abilities."

"All right," Shane took a deep breath as Ariel touched her hands to his forehead. If Niko trusted her, so could he. He closed his eyes. Unlike the Queen or Niko, he could barely sense Ariel inside his mind. It was more like a ghost of a presence. Gentle, whispy…

Then he felt something else. A tug. Something had been disturbed. Ariel broke off the connection, pulling her physical body back in a violent jerk. "AAHHH!"

"Are you okay?" Shane blinked.

"I'm fine it's just…" Her voice actually had a hint of fear in it. "There were some very…graphic and violent experiences in there."

Shane shirked back in shame. Ariel saw this and quickly recovered herself. "Oh I'm not blaming you my boy. You can't help the circumstances of your birth…or your upbringing. But considering all you've been through and survived…It's a miracle that you're as…Well, undamaged as you are."

"Undamaged?" Shane blinked. "Me?"

"Trust me, you could have ended up a lot worse," Ariel told him. "More like that dark side of yours. I must admit what you did was nothing short of amazing. You not only faced down your bitterness and hatred, you tamed it. You found your Soul Center as well as taught yourself some rudimentary healing skills. That's quite an achievement for someone who hasn't been trained in psychic abilities. You are quite a remarkable young man, Shane Gooseman. I'm beginning to understand what my pupil sees in you."

"Thank you," Shane replied. "Wait…You saw that? My dark side?"

"Everyone has a dark side, Shane. Many are far worse than yours. And a lot less controlled I might add. I'd like to help you settle things with some of your minor demons from your past," Ariel told him. "If you'd let me."

Shane let out a breath. "All right. If it will help me get a handle on things…"

"First you need to relax a bit more," Ariel thought. "To get into a better state of mind. I think I know a few techniques to calm your spirit."

"Like what?"

"That feeling you had back on that planet when you healed the other rangers. Can you remember it?"

"I'll try," Shane took a deep breath and focused. Patiently he drew the memory and the feelings out of him. To her surprise Shane began to emit a golden glow from his body.

Incredible, Ariel thought to herself. I haven't seen raw talent like this since I found Niko. Imagine if we had found this boy when he was very young. There would have been almost no limits to his power. But as he is now…So much fear and distrust. The cruelty of these humans has crippled his potential. And yet…

And yet there is still a sense of wonder and goodness in him. Who knows what he could learn and master in time?

He opened his eyes and looked at the light coming off of him before it faded. "My bio defenses never did that without my charge before," Shane blinked. "How did I do that?"

"Well as Niko suggested your series five implant is evolving your talents," Ariel said. "I've seen that in Niko as well. Humph. I suppose some machines do have their uses. Of course that implant is more like a set of training wheels than anything else. But in time…Perhaps in a few more years you might be able to draw out your full potential without it."

"Cheyenne mentioned that too," Shane said.

"She sounds like a remarkable being," Ariel said. "I'd like to meet her sometime."

"She is very lonely," Shane said softly. "Something in her past hurt her a long time ago."

"Like you were hurt?"

"Yeah. I love Niko," Shane said. "I may not know everything about love but I finally figured out what it is. I'll do everything I can to make her happy."

"Happiness is not always as easy as it seems my dear boy," Ariel said.

"I know. And I know I'm not suited for all this. Back at Wolf Den emotions were considered a weakness," Shane admitted. "Kindness was a luxury we couldn't afford. But there were people…People who somehow taught me that compassion wasn't wrong. Niko is one of them."

"And Max Sawyer and Commander Walsh were two others weren't they?" Ariel asked. Shane nodded. "It seems odd to me that even though they created you to be a living weapon you don't hate them."

"If they didn't create me I wouldn't exist," Shane pointed out. "I admit I sometimes wonder why they did what they thought they had to do. But I suppose…They wanted to protect the Earth. And at the time they thought that creating super soldiers that could stand up against aliens was a good idea."

"Hmph! Not such a good idea from where I am sitting!" Ariel folded her arms. "I can understand not wanting to simply rely on machines to save yourself from all the evils of the universe. But the process which your creators thought would be the best solution…It's a double edged sword that cuts both ways. A sloppy shortcut at best. A disaster at worst!"

"You don't like technology very much do you?"

"Let's just say it has it's uses but not that many of them," Ariel gave him a look. "Heavens know that I don't know where my Niko picked up her love of those gadgets. Then again…If technology can create someone as extraordinary as you…"

Ariel gave him a curious look. "Then I am willing to admit that even I don't have all the answers. When it comes to subjects like humans and technology at least. And certainly Supertroopers."

"I take it that's you giving your blessing for Niko and I dating?"

"Like she needs my permission to do anything," Ariel rolled her eyes. "Even as a child she was so willful. And yet she always managed to get her way without raising her voice. Usually."

"The other rangers and I must be a bad influence on her then," Shane smirked. "Trust me, she's a very effective yeller."

"Must have picked up some of my bad habits then," Ariel smirked. "All right then. Let's get started on the real work shall we?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Niko returned a few hours later. "I'm home," She announced. Ariel made a motion to shush her. "Huh?"

Shane was sound asleep amid a pile of large pillows. "Don't wake him up," Ariel told her. "He needs his rest."

"He looks so peaceful," Niko noticed.

"Probably the first bit of peace he's had in a long time," Ariel frowned. "Come outside. We need to talk."

They went into the next room. "All right Ariel, what's wrong?"

"Besides a society that treats living sentient beings like disposable forks?" Ariel gave her a look. "I swear I have half a mind to punch that Commander Walsh and all those monsters on that so called Board of Leaders in the nose! What they did to your family was monstrous enough! But compared to how those Supertroopers were treated they were the lucky ones!"

"You aren't saying something that I haven't thought to myself a thousand times before," Niko said.

"Niko these barbarians treat their machines better than they've treated that boy!" Ariel said furiously.

"I know…" Niko said softly. "And yet this is my home Ariel. I am human."

"Yes well, with certain exceptions it seems to me that most of your species have their priorities severely misplaced," Ariel grunted.

"Not everyone is like that," Niko said. "Commander Walsh is truly sorry for what he's done in the past. He's had to make a lot of sacrifices just to keep Shane alive."

"He could have made a lot more," Ariel said. "Fortunately it seems Goose is made from different material than the rest of his Supertrooper brethren. Not only is he a hell of a lot more tolerant than I expected his abilities are just beginning to grow! And yours as well. Don't think I haven't noticed the changes in your powers since you got that implant."

"I know, we just have to be careful on how we use them," Niko sighed. "Even Doc and Zachery are starting to change due to everything. That's why we need your help. After all you can keep a secret."

"Oh I'll help all right," Ariel grunted. "I just wish you would reconsider being loyal to this goddess forsaken planet!"

"As I said before, this goddess forsaken planet is my home," Niko told her. "They chased away my parents. They are not going to chase away me or my friends."

"Just be careful," Ariel sighed. "Believe me, with people like the Board of Leaders in charge, Shane Gooseman is the least of your worries."