CHAPTER 04

The place Dr. Manx chose for their business dinner wasn't too far from the base, so they could take a leisurely walk to the place. However, it was a bit different than Anubis had imagined. It was a cafeteria, another business in a shopping plaza, with warm colors, three tables outside, and a few more inside. The name of the place was visible in large letters above the main door:

Aiyon's Cafe

Accompanied by the smiling face of a boy with two antennas protruding from his forehead backward, which Anubis immediately recognized as a Rafkonian. In fact, the name Aiyon was familiar to him too.

Dr. Manx chose one of the tables outside, and without much objection, Anubis sat down in the seat opposite her. The space was a little tight for his body, but he didn't think he would have trouble eating comfortably.

Only a few seconds passed before a young waitress in an orange apron approached them. A pair of Rafkonian antennae protruded from her forehead, extending backward.

"Welcome to Aiyon's Cafe, Newtech Branch," the young lady greeted them with a broad, friendly smile. "What can I serve you tonight?"

"Please give us the dinner menu," Dr. Manx said. "S.P.D. Commander Anubis Cruger needs to eat."

The direct mention of the Sirian's position certainly surprised the waitress a little. Out of reflex, she turned to look at Anubis more directly and surely appreciated his uniform in more detail.

"Commander, it's a pleasure to have you here," she said with renewed enthusiasm. She then handed them a physical menu with a somewhat classic design. "We have a wide variety of Rafkonian dishes and drinks for your choice. Or, if you prefer, we also have more conventional Earth dishes, such as crepes, sandwiches, or salads."

Anubis and his companion took a quick look at the menu. At least he didn't remember having tried Rafkonian food before, but tonight, he didn't feel open enough to venture into new things.

"I think I'll be fine with a standard chicken salad," the Commander stated solemnly.

"Bring me a Zaytonic sandwich, please," Dr. Manx said with greater confidence. "And a mocha cappuccino. Oh, and can I order you a slice of Flargon cake to share?"

Cake? Anubis thought, a little flustered by that last request.

"Of course," the waitress replied without hesitation, picking up the menus again. "I'll bring your order right away."

Anubis and Kat remained silent as the waitress left. Once they lost sight of her inside the cafeteria, Anubis dared to speak, although he did so in a low voice.

"I don't think cake is appropriate for dinner."

Dr. Manx gave a discreet, amused chuckle.

"It's just for you to take a bite, Commander. It's an interesting Rafkonian dessert, which has the peculiarity of being loved by some and disgusted by others. I'm curious to know which group you are from."

"I'll be happy to entertain you then, Dr. Manx," Anubis sighed, unconvinced by the explanation. Kat just laughed again.

While waiting for their food, they had better get started on their business talk, which was the main reason they were there. With that in mind, Dr. Manx pulled out her electronic tablet from her briefcase. She unlocked the device and quickly opened the file containing the candidates' complete information.

"Well, regarding the search for candidates for B-Squad… I have good news and bad news on that subject. The good news is that I have three ideal candidates."

"Three?" Cruger asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, that's the bad one," Kat sighed ruefully. "We're still missing two more. But these three young cadets have my full recommendation and that of the former Commander Collins, by the way."

Kat handed him the electronic tablet so the Commander could examine the file himself. Cruger accepted the device and began skimming the profiles of the three.

"Schuyler Tate, Sydney Drew, and Bridge Carson," Dr. Manx said, echoing the names in the file. "All three are outstanding Academy cadets, with excellent grades. Well, some are more outstanding in some areas than others."

"Interesting," Cruger muttered under his breath, though it sounded more like a comment to himself.

He was silent for the next couple of minutes as he continued to review the information on the tablet. There was quite a bit of it, so he was unlikely to digest it all at once. But he wanted to at least identify the most important points he needed to discuss with Dr. Manx right now.

"The parents of all three were part of the Silver Guardians," he said after a while, as soon as he noticed that common point between the three profiles. "It was the terrestrial organization that preceded the S.P.D. on this planet, isn't that true?"

"Yes," Kat replied, nodding. "I knew his parents personally. Years ago, they were part of my scientific team, which supported me in my many investigations with the Morphing Grid."

"And your discoveries later helped lead to the creation of the Grid Battleforce, isn't it?" Cruger added, taking his companion a little by surprise.

"I see you know about that. They also helped Commander Collins and I create the bases of the Earth-based S.P.D. and the technology used by even other Ranger teams in other parts of the universe."

Anubis nodded. He had indeed read some articles and reports regarding how the establishment of the S.P.D. on Earth had been carried out, and names like Silver Guardians, Wes Collins, and the Grid Battleforce were often repeated in each of those texts. And, of course, also Dr. Katherine Manx's name, renowned scientist of the almost extinct Felisian race, who had worked for more than twenty years with the forces of the order of Earth in much of the Ranger technology existing to date. And in many of those projects, especially in their early years, she had been accompanied and supported by a group of human technicians whose names, unfortunately, had not transcended as much as their leader's.

Well, except maybe one.

Cruger was looking through Cadet Schuyler Tate's file, aka Sky, when his father's name jumped out at him.

"Derek Tate," Cruger read quietly, thoughtfully. "I know that name. He was a decorated Red Ranger of the Silver Guardians, killed in action eleven years ago during Emperor Mavro's invasion."

That mention caused a reaction in Dr. Manx. Her expression became duller, and she looked down at the table a little.

"Yeah, that's right," Kat sighed quietly. "Derek was a close friend. He was a good man and a great Ranger."

"So I've heard," Cruger said solemnly. "I'm very sorry about what happened. It's always a shame to lose a comrade."

"Yes, it is," Kat whispered slowly.

"I suppose the son wants to follow in his father's footsteps."

A small giggle escaped Dr. Manx's lips, though much more subdued than the previous ones.

"Believe me, that's what he wants more than anything else."

"I respect that," Cruger said with conviction.

The Commander continued to look through the file for the next few minutes, and Kat limited herself to just giving him time and perhaps answering a couple of spontaneous questions he had. His reading, however, had to be interrupted when the waitress approached carrying a tray of their food and drinks, except for the cake.

"Here are your dishes," the young lady informed them happily, placing their respective plates and Kat's mocha coffee in front of each of them. "I'll bring you your dessert in a moment."

Anubis thanked her with a nod, and the young woman walked away with her tray back into the cafeteria. Without much delay, the Commander set the tablet aside and picked up his fork to eat his chicken salad.

"I recognize that the credentials of Cadets Tate, Drew, and Carson's parents are admirable," he commented. "Unfortunately, their parents will not be the persons to form our B-Squad."

That took Kat a little by surprise, as she had just taken the first bite of her sandwich.

"Yes, that's true, but..." She tried to defend herself but had to stop her argument to finish chewing and swallowing her bite.

Cruger took advantage of that brief pause to ask a question that he considered more than pertinent.

"Can I trust your objectivity regarding the selection of these three candidates, Dr. Manx?"

Kat turned to stare at him, her green eyes wide, broad, and startled.

"My objectivity?" she muttered after swallowing the entire portion of the sandwich. "Do you think I'm giving them preference because I knew their parents? You don't know me well enough if you really think that."

Her attitude when she said this was clearly defensive, and that inevitably unnerved Cruger himself a little.

"I didn't mean to offend you," the Commander apologized in a calm voice.

Kat's face softened a little, perhaps letting go of some of her sudden annoyance.

"No, I'm sorry. Please excuse my outburst."

Kat sighed and took a moment, perhaps trying to calm herself. She rubbed her eyes with her fingers, and when she felt more ready, she raised her gaze again with greater determination, facing the Commander directly.

"Listen, I won't lie to you. Yes, it's true that because of my relationship with their parents, I've had my eye on them and their progress since they entered the Academy. But, as you can see from their records, all three have managed to excel in their own unique way."

"To put it mildly," Cruger muttered, almost entirely devoid of emotion as he said it. "From what I've read, they're not bad cadets overall, and each has strong areas. However, I'm sorry to say that their performance test results are, at best, barely acceptable. A far cry from the near-excellence that characterizes A-Squad."

"I know, but..." Kat began, a little exasperated, but she stopped and remained silent momentarily.

Cruger watched her, confused. It was hard to figure out what Dr. Manx was feeling or thinking right now. She seemed frustrated, though he couldn't quite understand why.

As she formed her thoughts, Kat took a moment to eat another bite of her sandwich and sip her coffee. Cruger waited patiently, taking a few bites of his chicken salad as well.

"I admit that at first glance, these three candidates don't seem like much," Kat muttered after a while, drawing Cruger's attention back to her. "But you should know that I've been here on Earth for a long time, and I've seen many different Ranger teams firsthand. And I assure you that these three have something beyond physical skill, discipline, or knowledge. Something that every Power Ranger should have: heart."

Cruger looked at her, quite intrigued by this unusual statement.

"The heart of a true hero," Kat said thoughtfully. "Something that some Rangers unfortunately simply dismiss. Including, I'm afraid, the members of our A-Squad."

"What do you mean?" Cruger asked, confused.

Kat slowly shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about that, especially knowing the changes that will come soon."

"If you have any complaints about any member of A-Squad, please feel free to share them. Your opinion is very important to me, especially if you think there is something Officer Grayson and her team need to improve on."

Kat didn't answer immediately. She looked away, absentmindedly appreciating the mercurial lights that illuminated the street, the vehicles that passed by from time to time, the people walking on the sidewalk, and the lights of the buildings painting the city's oil painting. The air was so calm, yet lively. Very far from the imminent war that loomed over their heads, ever closer.

She looked back ahead. Cruger was watching her, patient but also expectant. Kat let out a long sigh, perhaps of resignation, and then spoke again.

"I can only say that the formation of the Space Patrol Delta as an organized and united force of Power Rangers brought many things beneficial to the universe's peace. But at the same time, I feel that something important was lost in the process."

"Please explain," Cruger urged her to continue, and Kat did so.

"When A-Squad was formed, shortly before you took command, priority was given to selecting its members based on the best scores in performance tests. Reaction speed, physical strength, mental agility, tolerance to stressful situations, teamwork, etc. Based on these parameters, we chose the best of the best. And there's no denying that the result was satisfactory. You heard the Supreme Commander: we have one of the best Ranger teams in the universe. Maybe even the best: the most effective, the fastest, the strongest... But by doing that, perhaps, just perhaps, we forgot to focus on other equally important aspects."

"Their heart?" Cruger said hesitantly, but Kat confirmed he was right with a simple nod.

"For years, the Power Ranger teams that emerged from Earth were not made up of the most trained or prepared warriors, but of ordinary, yet brave and noble young people, willing to risk their lives to defend their planet, and those they loved. And only that allowed them to face the most significant threats in the universe. From Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd to the Machine Empire and Emperor Mavro's Armada. It was even here where the powerful Dark Specter and his Alliance of Evil were defeated. For decades, the worst and most vile enemies have tried to destroy this planet, enslave it, or dominate it. And where other worlds have fallen, Earth has prevailed. Doesn't that tell you something about the character of its inhabitants? About what is truly important?"

Cruger was silent, staring thoughtfully into his own salad, but his mind going over each of the words Dr. Manx had just shared with him. It was a series of ideas that some would find interesting, others perhaps ridiculous. But what Cruger was certainly sure of was that they made a lot of sense. So much so that it was hard for anyone else not to have noticed, the way she put it.

While logic would have it that prioritizing a soldier's heart over their skill was pointless, it was also true that the latter could be acquired with effort and training; the former was perhaps much more challenging to achieve.

"You don't think A-Squad has what you're talking about, do you?" Cruger concluded seriously.

Kat hesitated slightly before daring to answer.

"On the battlefield, they are the best force we have. But off it… Let's just say I've seen things I don't like. And I wouldn't want to make the same mistake with B-Squad."

She seemed to want to say something more but stopped herself at the last moment. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and a more carefree smile appeared on her lips.

"Sorry, I'm rambling a bit."

"No, don't worry," Cruger said, holding up a placating hand. "I'm glad you share those feelings with me. And I think I fully understand what you mean."

"Really?" Kat exclaimed, somewhat skeptical.

"Just tell me one thing, Doctor," Cruger muttered, taking the tablet in both hands again. "Of all the active duty cadets we have at the moment, are you convinced that these three are the ones who best possess the qualities you mention?"

"Yes, sir," Kat replied quickly without hesitation. "But of course, they would still have to be tested in every aspect, including physical and mental abilities. It's not something we can ignore anyway."

"I would like to see their performance firsthand, then," the Commander concluded solemnly, handing her the tablet. Kat gladly took it back.

"I will prepare a series of tests if you like."

"I would appreciate it. Although we must not forget that we still need two more candidates."

"Yeah, I know," Kat sighed. "But we still have time."

"Not much, I'm afraid."

"Don't worry about it, Commander. I'll keep looking."

Cruger smiled, perhaps a little inspired by Dr. Manx's optimism and confidence. If she said he shouldn't worry, he was totally convinced that she was accurate.

Kat smiled back at him at that moment, and the Commander couldn't help but notice her beautiful and warm smile. That fleeting thought made him shudder, but he hid it, or at least thought he did. He averted his gaze a little and focused again on his salad, which was waiting to be finished. Kat did the same shortly after with her respective meal.

There was a small silence between them, but not an awkward one. Each of them was focused on their own thoughts in addition to their dinner. At the same time, they kept each other company.

I could get used to this, each one thought on their own, but none dared to express that idea out loud.

After a while, the plates were almost empty. Anubis realized halfway through that he was actually hungry and that chicken salad wouldn't be enough to satisfy him completely. Maybe dessert would help.

Just as they were finishing, the same waitress from a while ago approached their table again, bringing a tray with only a plate.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" the young Rafkonian asked in a friendly tone.

"Yes, it was delicious. Thank you," Kat replied.

"I'm glad to hear that. Here's your dessert."

The waitress took the only plate on her tray, which had a large slice of a rather colorful cake with an almost gelatinous consistency at first glance, and placed it right in the center of the table.

"Thank you," Cruger said cautiously, then looked around the table. "And the cutleries?"

Kat let out a not-so-disguised mocking laugh at that moment.

"I forgot to mention that this dessert is eaten without hands," she explained. "It's their tradition."

That piece of information took Commander Cruger quite by surprise.

"You mean…? Directly with mouth?" he asked hesitantly but then forced himself to regain his composure. He turned back to the waitress, speaking as firmly as he could in his negotiation voice. "I don't want to be rude to a foreign culture, but would it be possible to ask you for a piece of cutlery? It's hard enough to avoid being associated with an Earthling dog so often without now seeming to eat like one."

"Don't worry, Commander," the waitress replied, nodding. "I'll bring each of you a spoon right away."

Based on her reaction, Anubis concluded that it was not the first time a customer asked the same thing, which calmed him down.

"I appreciate it."

The waitress then retreated back inside.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you if your plan was to see me eat a cake without my hands," the Commander commented to his companion once they were alone again.

"I didn't expect for a moment that you would, sir," Kat confessed, with an amused little smile that Cruger wasn't quite sure how to interpret.

The waitress returned shortly after with a spoon for each of them. And with their cutlery in hand, each took a first bite of the Flargon cake. Cruger held it in his mouth for longer than necessary before swallowing it.

"How is it?" Kat asked curiously.

"It's very sweet to me," the Commander explained in a calm voice. "But not too sweet."

And, surprisingly, he took another bite instantly.

"Better than I expected, then," Dr. Manx concluded, satisfied. She continued to take small bites with her respective spoon. "The Rafkonians were among the first races to settle on Earth with refugee status. And they have learned how to adapt well to their situation."

"Yeah, I read about that," Cruger said. "Red Ranger Amelia Jones is a Rafkonian, right?"

Kat nodded in response.

"Many more have arrived after them. Some thanks to the new trade and cultural treaties, but unfortunately, most have fled conflicts beyond the galaxy."

"Including the advance of the Troobian Empire," Cruger muttered with marked regret. "In that sense, you could say I'm a refugee too… But that's not your case, is it, Dr. Manx? You came to Earth long before that happened."

"Long, long ago," Kat mused thoughtfully. "But considering my long life, it's only been a fraction of that. Though not a small fraction. You must be wondering why, of all places in the universe, I chose to come here, right?"

"Yes, but I think you already resolved that doubt for me with what you said a while ago."

Kat looked up, a little dazed by what he had just told her.

Anubis turned his attention to the side, and Kat followed his gaze. Three children ran down the sidewalk near them, wearing colorful, rather plain costumes: a boy in red, a girl in pink, and another in blue. They each carried a toy gun and sword and laughed as they ran after each other, waving their weapons in the air and making gun noises with their mouths.

Three children playing peacefully to be Power Rangers in the light of a calm and clear night.

"And you're right," Cruger whispered softly, taking in the scene. Kat instinctively turned to look at him again. "In the recent history of the Power Rangers' fight against the forces of evil, Earth has always been at the center. It's a special place, and so are its people. A symbol of hope, one worth protecting. It's no wonder it's become a refuge for various individuals from different corners of the cosmos. Especially those without a home to return to."

Kat listened intently to her Commander as he spoke those beautiful words. The smile on her face grew even wider, and she turned her attention back to the group of children playing. Two more, the yellow and green ones, soon joined them, and the five ran in a stampede towards the park across the street.

"It is indeed a special place," Kat whispered softly.

Anubis turned to look at her, taking in the profile of her face and the precise pattern of feline spots that adorned her side. But most of all, he looked at her smile; again that radiant smile that lit up her face as she watched the children from afar.

Shortly after, they continued eating their cake, again immersed in that pleasant shared silence.

Author's Notes:

—When I saw the end of Dino Fury, with the Rafkonians staying on Earth in a public way, and Aiyon even opening a cafe, the world that S.P.D. was presenting to us immediately came to my mind, and I felt that it was their way of preparing the ground for that future that was not far away at that point. So here I wanted to go back to that a bit, with a slight appearance of Aiyon's Cafe (Newtech branch) and a mention of the arrival of this race on Earth.

—Even though the series tells us that Kat worked closely with the Rangers' parents, they never go into more depth about her relationship with them, so here I tried to capture a little of that possible friendship that could have existed between them, and why exactly three of their children were chosen for the B-Squad. I also tried to capture a little of Kat and Cruger's motivations for choosing our five protagonists, which differed from the A Squad.

—During the series, the names of the Rangers' parents are not revealed, not even Sky's. So, as I did with the A-Squad, I will take the liberty of giving them a name and personality (if necessary). In this case, Derek Tate is the first of them.

—Lastly, the show specifies that Kat worked with the Rangers' parents in 2001 (around the time of Time Force), which I consider to be too far back in time for her to have already worked with the S.P.D. (at least in this timeline I'm making up). So, it will be assumed that Kat worked with the Silver Guardians during that time, and that's where she met Officer Tate and the others. Does that make sense? Maybe, maybe not. But it works for me.