Hiding And Finding Part 2

Posted on Mon Nov 28th, 2022 @ 1:57pm by Malcolm Hendrix & Valdana 'Dan' Raadax & Jamie Bullock

1,831 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Invasion
Location: Angel Grove Historical Society Museum
Timeline: 0930 Hours November 17th 2050

With one last creak of the door, the man leaned back against the door to let out a relieved breath. The path from the camp to the museum had been patrolled by drones looking for something. Justin was just glad that it was not him for a change.

Even though he needed a break, he knew that people depended on him. Prior to the invasion, the museum had an exhibit honoring the rangers of Space Patrol Delta. If those pistols were still around, his group would have a much easier time scrounging for supplies without worrying as much about Drone patrols.

Luckily, the museum had not been an early target during the occupation of Angel Grove, he doubted that the Empire even cared about culture. What made it better was that the museum's SPD display was in the basement, just at the bottom of the stairs. After a quick jog, Justin found the display. However, before he could enter, he could hear something loud from inside the museum.

Dan was barely able to concentrate. She knew what her plan was but it did not mean it was smart but she needed to get herself off the planet before she was captured for her Crystal. Why did she have to come in search of the new rangers just as the Earth was invaded? She hurt and the bandage she had on her was soaked. “Well I find that that purple dominatrix I’m going to stab her back.” She whispered to herself as she picked herself up from the floor of where she had tripped over a motorbike display.

"Who are you?" The man called toward the figure across the room from him at a volume barely above a normal talking voice to avoid calling in unwanted attention from the outside. He hid himself slightly just in case she was one of them. Glancing to his right, he noticed an SPD pistol just under some very breakable glass. Chancing a look, he lifted his head from behind his cover to notice the bandage's condition. Fulling leaving his cover, he pointed out, "You're injured. Let me help you."

Dan gladly let the new person help her stand up. “Thank you. Yeah, just a little bit.” She assured looking down at how her ripped tee revealed the bandage. “What are you doing here?” She demanded.

"I could ask you the same?" Malcolm spoke up "You, came here when frankly, this is a museum. What on Earth do you expect to find here that can help us? We can't use the communications tech to reach the Rangers, the moment we do, we light up like a Christmas tree. So tell me, what's the plan? That exhibit has some working SPD Ranger patrol pistols that would go a long way to helping."

“Yeah rangers,” Dan said wincing as she stood straight and realised bending over or lying down would have been better. “We need to get to the shuttle they have in this display. They were upgraded before decommissioning to allow for teleporting.” She revealed. “My work has a ship just outside of the planet that is still in range for a few more hours.” The man hadn't realised who she was under all the grime and blood which was fine by her.

"So your plan is to beam us up?" Malcolm asked, pausing "That could work. I'd suggest we get the pistols as well though, just in case. That we've not been rounded up like everyone else in the city yet is a miracle." He paused. "Lieutenant Malcolm Hendrix. Chief Scientist, GPF Earth base, formerly SPD." Malcolm introduced himself. "And you-?"

"You do not watch much TV do you?" Dan muttered shaking her head as she grimaced at this. "Just Dan." She shrugged. "You any good with medical stuff?" She demanded.

Before any answer could come, there was an enormous crash as the doors they previously thought sealed burst apart at the seams. Dozens of footsteps followed as a squad of Kaldor soldiers stormed into the exhibit with weapons raised. A taller, meaner looking one seemed to be in charge, barking orders for them to "root-out the humans."

Within a moment, the pair found themselves unable to hide or flee - surrounded by the alien invaders and utterly outnumbered.

"Hahaha...The Emperor will be pleased..." the leader began to gloat. "Take them!"

From just beyond the doorway, another voice broke his revelry.

"Black Ranger Power!"

Another figure burst into the room, knocking a pair of soldiers to the ground with a thunderous tackle and sending the entire squad into disarray. Darting between the disoriented invaders, he bulldozed his way through several more before turning to their stunned leader.

"What...?"

"Looks like the Emperor won't be so pleased after all," the Black Ranger smirked, charging in to finish the job. The force of his strike sent the Kaldor warrior hurtling back through the open doorway and beyond - not to rise again.

Finally, the ranger turned to the two dumbfounded individuals that had barely had a chance to react to his arrival.

"Is everyone all right?" he asked.

Show off, Dan thought to herself as she shook her head. "Well, you took your time," Dan said with a weak expression as she finally sank to her knees.

"City's a mess. Kaldor everywhere," the Black Ranger replied. He approached slowly and offered his hand to help them up. "It's not safe to stay here. We need somewhere we can take refuge."

“I can get us off Earth,” Dan spoke as she ignored the offered hand. She needed a moment on the floor to refocus and focus on the pain from her stab wound. “That’s where we are heading.” She said looking around for anyone else that could be watching or waiting to attack.

"And how are you going to do that?" Malcolm asked, nodding to her injury "I'd say you require a Doctor, and unfortunately none of my qualifications involves medicine."

"It's better than staying here," the Black Ranger noted, glancing back across the room to check they were still on their own. "I can help carry you, but we'll need somewhere to go."

The woman frowned and slowly rose to her feet swaying. “Alex?” She questioned looking at the man still morphed before shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. No time. We need… to… get off Earth.”

The black-suited Ranger inclined his head a little as she said the name, but he didn't reply.

The orange ranger faulted in her steps to the unit as she tried to gather herself to go to the old transport in the SPD shuttle. It did not take long until white orbs surrounded them teleporting them. Dan did not look alarmed as they appeared in a large stark white room and a robot stood there waiting for orders. It was just a basic model but Dan smiled. “That is melody bot 204.” She explained as she hit the deck bleeding.

"You must be programmed with basic triage subroutines, correct?" Malcolm asked as he crouched down beside her, not waiting for a response before continuing "She's lost a lot of blood and needs assistance. You, Mr. Ox King, help me get her up onto that console over there, and then press down on her injury, hard as you can. 204, I need you to get a medical kit. I'm a scientist, not a medic but between the three of us, hopefully, we can stop her bleeding out."

Wordlessly, the Black Ranger lifted Dan up onto the console, putting his gloved hand over her wound and applying some pressure. It was a strange sight, his Ranger gauntlet stained with red like that.

“I am programmed with basic triage for Mistress but it is one of my lesser skills. I am a melody box to assist singers.” The bot said disappearing off to get the requested first aid box.

"You said something about getting off Earth. Where? And how?" the Black Ranger asked. In one way he was trying to keep her attention and focus, the other he was looking for answers too.

"You guys really do not recognise me." The woman said as she passed out seeing the bot coming back with the first aid kit.

"Mistress is unconscious but I can answer that Ranger." Bot 249 explained. "This ship is the tour ship for the singer Valdana Raadax and the rest of the Kerrang 2050 tour. It is already out of Earths orbit and heading for Xybria for the next leg of the tour when Earth was attacked."

"I'm afraid I'm more of a classical man." Malcolm noted, pointing to the Black Ranger "I need you to hold her steady so we can try to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, this may not be pleasant."

"You got it," he grunted back, bracing himself and placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Make it fast, I don't want to linger here."

"You have no choice but to linger here, young master. The ship is moving." The Bot reminded with as it set to work on its master with Malcolm's assistance.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Malcolm noted "Almost got it..."

The wound was clean apart from the small fragments in it that had been stopping it from closing. With the fragments no longer in it the Morphing energy slowly started to work on healing the orange ranger.

"Congratulations, big man." Malcolm said, addressing the Black Ranger "You just saved this young lady's life. My lab assistant would say she owes you a drink. He's... Interesting to talk to..."

As the man spoke the ship shivered and lurched to a stop. The Bot looked up as if speaking to some unseen voice before it spoke to the two men. “The ship has had to stop there is something wrong with its engines. Mistress and yourself are going no where ranger. It might be more appropriate for you to blend in like Mistress” The bot said revealing that there was another ranger nearby to the black ranger.

"I think he's suggesting you ditch the spandex." Malcolm said, before noting "Though technically, it's not spandex. It's armour made of a self-assembling nano-fiber formed with an inter-cellular shape memory alloy."

The Black Ranger stood in silence for a moment. Hesitating. They haven't seen your face yet. The thought ran through his mind. And at least one of them was a Power Ranger too, or so they seemed to be indicating. For him to show his face...they would know something wasn't right. But, if they were to get out of this mess, he would have to start trusting them.

Slowly, Jamie touched the morpher on his wrist, powering down. And letting them see his real face for the first time.

"There we go, much better." Malcolm half beamed "So far, you're two for two on making the right call today, lad. Now, we need to find the other Rangers that were left on Earth."

 

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