trans_9 | The whistling is less threatening this time

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The whistling is less threatening this time

Tenaya had to admit that it was strange and somewhat uncomfortable wandering around a city without a purpose. Granted, trying to destroy a city wasn't exactly something to be proud of, but it at least had been a purpose.

As she wandered, she tried to whistle the music from her brother's watch. But she'd only briefly heard it a few times, and her mind had been elsewhere. The first time, Dillon had been telling her the hard truth that they were siblings and she was human and not a machine; the second, she'd been lost in her own faded memories and keeping watch over the comatose Dillon. She hadn't exactly thought to try to remember the music.

Still, she whistled as much as she could recall, making her way through the city as she wondered whether or not she'd want to find something familiar.

(For the curious, the music she's humming can be heard in this scene from RPM)

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A strange, haunting whistle interrupted Billy's search for a suitable place to park a car, drawing his attention to another crew member on a walk. Was this another of the new arrivals he'd missed by avoiding the traditional welcome meeting?

With a head-shake, he decided to see if he could assist her in any way. He didn't know the City very well, but perhaps he could locate something or give direction. Most people he knew didn't like to be caught whistling, so he'd omit that.

"We definitely made a mess of things here," Billy tried, looking at the slowly dwindling piles of rubble. It almost reminded him of the aftermath of a Zord battle, if he closed his eyes and tried to imagine the familiar buildings of the warehouse district here. The imagining didn't make the assortment of other worlds' buildings any friendlier, but he did suppress a chuckle.

(Sorry for the delay. Virus on my computer)

"I'll say," Tenaya agreed. Still, the city was standing, and that counted for a lot. "Better than it could have been, I guess."

((No worries, I do slow logs as often as I do fast. Hope it recovers quick.))

"Affirmative," he agrees. "I can't quite remember what exactly caused the damage, even though it was only a few weeks ago. A storm, maybe?" It frustrates him, so he opts not to think about that any more. Instead, he'll try learning a little more about this person.

"Uh...are you looking for anything in particular? I know there's a few businesses and training centers down here."

(We got it cleaned up, so hopefully everything will be okay)

"You can have a storm on a ship?" Tenaya asked, caught somewhere in-between her usual mocking disbelief and more sincere surprise. The memories of Corinth's biodome were at the front of her mind. She did not want to go through another tornado like the one Summer, Gemma, and Vasquez had set up. "Let me know next time you have one so I can take cover."

She frowned at his next question. "I'm not really sure. There wasn't a whole lot left in my world to begin with, and I'm not sure I want to see if anything was saved." What if the Venjix Palace or one of the factories had been saved? That was not a pleasant thought.

"It's an infrequent occurrence, but it happens. There's a simulated climate here, including occasional rain. Somehow, though, I think the last one was powered by supernatural forces. There was a battle in the midst of it, and we were fighting for our lives. And that's as far as I remember." Billy sighed quietly. She must think him an unstable loon, unable to remember something that took place so recently. "I'd let you know, but I think we'd both become aware of it at the same time."

He almost expected her answer, nodding. "Many of us came from climates in a state of disarray---though mine was only on the brink of it until the Ohm's attack. I've wondered if any buildings from my home are here," one in particular, "but they don't hold much value to me. I associated with those places due to the people within, not the facilities. And the people are long gone."

Well...head in a tube and robot, but what was the difference?

"Same for me," Tenaya agreed. "I never really had a...'home,' I guess." The word itself sounded strange as she said it. Sure, she could define it, but could she feel it? "I wasn't really attached to the place where I lived, and I didn't stay long in the place the others called home." And even then, she had only one person that really mattered to her.

Though, if she was completely honest with herself, maybe the others on Dillon's team were closer to her than she'd let herself think.

"My home wasn't truly my physical home. It was with my teammates, but I'm the one left to defend them while they sleep." He didn't sound bitter about it---maybe a little lonely, but the ache of their absence had started to ease with time.

"Uh...if I may ask, what others? Friends or family?"

"My brother, Dillon, and his team," she answered. "They were called the Power Rangers."

Cue irony in three, two, one...

"You were friends with Power Rangers?"

Forgetting his manners for a moment, Billy gaped at her. She knew a Ranger team that he didn't know. The name 'Dillon' didn't ring a bell at all. He searched through his memory for a moment, trying to find references to other Ranger teams. Something twinged, but nothing substantial would surface. Then, he finally realized that he must look silly to her.

"I apologize," he said, snapping back to attention. "I wasn't aware that any other Ranger teams existed. I'm on one, and we weren't permitted to let non-Rangers know who we were---until I got here and the rules changed." he said.

If she needed proof, there's a silver device held loosely in Billy's hands with the familiar words written on a red ring.

Tenaya wasn't one to give away shock easily, but learning that there were other Ranger teams was definitely a surprise. Sure enough, the words were right there on Billy's morpher.

"Dillon was a Ranger," she said, trying to absorb everything she was hearing. It was almost like learning of her past all over again. "He was the Black Ranger. But no one knew there were any others besides the ones in Corinth."

Venjix certainly hadn't known, or the information would have been downloaded into her. Right now, all she had from the remains of Alphabet Soup's database were references to failed projects that had been abandoned long before Dr. K's morphers were created.

"Corinth," he said, repeating the name. "The city in Greece?"

That wasn't the most important part of the message, though. "So your Rangers had different colors, like ours. I wouldn't be surprised that your people hadn't heard of us, especially given the possibility that you're from a different era or planet. Did you know where the powers came from?"

Tenaya quickly cross-referenced information. There were a couple of cities in human history called Corinth, the most famous being the one Billy had mentioned.

"No," she answered. "It's in the area around where Boston, Massachusetts was." At least, that was the closest coordinates that corresponded in her memory. Venjix downloaded enough information into her that she could pass as a human, and sometimes history and geography were a little spotty.

"They were created by a scientist named Dr. K," she explained. "I don't understand half of the explanation, but it involved something called a 'universal biofield.'"

"Right---on the opposite coast from our base. Boston is still standing in my time, so if enough time passed for it to fall and be rebuilt as a new city, then we're from vastly different eras." It was puzzling to think that the world would still be in danger so far in the future, and from what Tenaya said it sounded bad.

At the name of the scientist, he frowns. "I suppose that means the powers were taken from their origins and tapped into by scientists. My team's powers were accessed through something called the Morphing Grid. Could that be the biofield? How intriguing. I'd have to ask Dr. K if I ever have the chance, but the implications of humans creating Ranger powers are too enticing to avoid."

This time, he managed to catch himself at the beginning of a lapse into nerd mode. "Oh, I'm sorry. I...well, I'm a scientist too, and I've always wondered about that. These days, my efforts are limited to outfitting the crew with weapons. The Engineering department's not very busy right now."

Tenaya was actually fighting to hold back a smile at Billy's techno-babble. Some things apparently didn't change; no matter which Ranger team you knew, one member would be the scientist. Hopefully, Billy didn't keep supersonic violins around or leave laser cannons in the fridge.

"It's hard to tell," she answered. "I wasn't actually with the Rangers, so I'm not exactly an expert on the history or technology."

"Right, you were their ally. What was that like?"

Ever-trusting Billy had no idea he'd just walked into a minefield with that question.

Wow. Way to run headfirst into the single most awkward subject ever.

"I wasn't their ally to start," Tenaya admitted cautiously.

How exactly was the best way to deal with this? Well, given Billy was a Ranger, it probably wasn't a good idea to keep the truth from him.

"When it all started, I didn't even know I was human," she said. "I didn't have any memories to rely on, so when Venjix told me I was a machine, I believed him."

Billy nodded understandingly when she started. Neither was Tommy their ally, and they'd learned to get along just fine.

He wrinkled his brow in thought, pondering this new piece of information. "I'm guessing this Venjix was what my friend might have called 'bad news'? And if that's true, and he told you you were a machine...he likely wasn't a fan of free will."

He didn't like where this was going.

Edited 2010-04-21 03:20 (UTC)

Tenaya shook her head. "No one knew until Dillon remembered a little bit of our past and realized what happened. I wasn't willing to listen to him at first." She started rubbing her arm. "At least, not until he managed to cut me and I ran a DNA test."

She then scowled. "Not that Venjix was willing to let me go so easily. Dillon was willing to risk everything to bring me back, and I'm grateful to the other Rangers for trying to help him the whole way."

"What a way to find out," he thought. Then he nodded---a story that sounded very familiar.

"Coercing an otherwise unwilling human into evil deeds is a plan common to our enemies," he said. "And like yours, our Rangers always risked everything to save them and were willing to extend a hand. Even when the evil one was me."

Okay...so it had only been for a short while, and none of his friends had been physically present, but he'd felt them there.

Tenaya smiled slightly. "Got to admit, I'm glad to meet someone who knows what it's like. I'm not glad you went through it, but the fact that I'm not the only one anymore."

"I am too," he agreed. "Situations like ours are actually distressingly common, I've learned. Almost every hero on board has a similar story---if not them, a friend of theirs. Most of them have learned to be forgiving."

It's around this time that he realized he forgot to mention something important. "Uh...I'm Billy, by the way. I'm usually found in the Engineering department. Our crew needs to put its nerds to work somehow."

"Guess I've got a lot to get used to," she admitted. "I'm Tenaya."

She then frowned. "Engineering? How much do you know about robotics?"

"I'm fairly competent," he claimed. "Our team had a robot assistant that I was responsible for repairing---and dismantling the few times when I was turned to evil." Billy gave her a meaningful look, then moved on.

"Here, I've learned more. Our department had a robotic crew member that taught me some things about repairs. He sacrificed himself to save our lives during a crisis and I tried to repair him, but the personality circuits were damaged too extensively to salvage." His eyes darkened then, suggesting a particularly painful memory, but he forcefully shook it off and returned to his helpful mode.

"I can learn to repair most things quickly, if there's anything you'd like my assistance with."

Tenaya offered a small, sheepish smile before letting her eyes glow red for a moment.

"The experiments on me," she started hesitantly, "left a lot of machinery in my body. In fact, most of it was converted, so I need to keep an eye on everything if I get damaged."

Then quickly, she added, "I'm willing to help all of you in exchange. I'm not going to ask for something for nothing."

To his credit, Billy didn't flinch. He'd begun to suspect that.

"It's all right. I'd be happy to help you with maintenance. I'll just need some basic information about your systems."

To the last part, he shakes his head and smiles. "Thank you, but you don't need to help us in particular if you're not inclined to do so. You can choose any department you'd like."

"If there's any way my skills can help, then I might as well try," Tenaya insisted, though it was nice hearing that he was giving her a choice about it. Too much time taking orders under Venjix had made it hard to realize what a choice really was.

She started giving him a rundown on her hardware before pausing and adding, "And my eyes were replaced with implants. I'm not sure how long they'll last, but even so, I grew up blind so I'll still be fine either way."

"All right. You're welcome to visit the lab at any time, and we'll help you get situated." That's the familiar part of bringing new engineers in.

At the unfamiliar part, he carefully notes what he can about Tenaya's hardware---what might need repairs later. The eye problems trouble him, so he suggests: "Do you have data on the implants? We have some of the best doctors in the universe, and I'm certain they could devise replacement implants."

(Sorry. Really rough day at work yesterday)

"Thanks," Tenaya replied.

She frowned slightly at the question about her eyes. "I'm not sure. Dr. K was checking on them before I left with my brother and Summer--the Yellow Ranger. We were more worried about whether or not my vision would last without Venjix's resources. I might have to check and see if any information is left about Venjix tech history. My eyes are at least Generation 7, if not upgraded to 15."

As Chris journeys throughout the city, he became increasingly aware of a whistle that was strangely haunting and inticing at the same time. He walked vaguely bored and just gave a glance to the Advent Deck in his hands, hoping not to run into anyone.

By now, Tenaya herself was getting bored, and a little annoyed at feeling so restless. Seeing Chris with his Deck, she asked, "Playing cards?"

She wasn't really fond of conversation, but it was stimulation of some kind, after all.

Startled, Chris took a step backwards. The only reasonable woman he'd ever talked to was Selene and back home with Maya. So it came to Chris that he wasn't very talkitive with women, particularly strangers. "Um, uh. Hi. You weren't supposed to see that... I'm Chris Ramirez."

"What, playing a game you're too old for?" Tenaya knew enough about human culture to know about guilty pleasures, even if she wasn't sure she had one of her own yet. "Tenaya."

Under most circumstaces, Chris Ramirez was a quiet individual and seldom lost his temper. However even he had his breaking point. So he gave Tenaya a slight glare and then shrugged at himself. He shouldn't really get upset at the girl for asking a simple question. She didn't know him. "Sorry, sorry. I've not exactly had a good week or month or however long ago that Nightmare King business was..."

Nightmare King? That sounded like an evil overlord, if she'd ever heard one.

"No problem," she answered, managing to sound casual. "Something with a name like that is bound to leave you annoyed."

"Thanks." He answered. "Tell me about it. I'm more used to physical fights than anything like being put through stuff that focuses on your fears and dreams. I haven't seen you around before, are you a new arrival?"

Tenaya grimaced. "That is the last kind of enemy I want to face. It was bad enough having that voice in my head when I got here." If she couldn't shoot it, she didn't like it.

"Yeah, I just got here. Looks a little...interesting around here."

Which was probably the best way to describe a living ship with a bunch of buildings and people inside that had been picked up all across the multiverse.

"You mean Stacy?" Chris asked, trying to sound very nonchalant. "I've been here a while. Not sure how long though, time is funny on this ship. We've got got quite a few 'strange' people here, from ordinary humans to the superpowered ones, to even dinosaurs. And no, I'm not kidding."

"Dinosaurs."

Tenaya had gone through some weird things in the year she could remember. This pretty much took the cake.

"So let me get this straight: We're pulled here to save us from a universe-eating race, with the hope that we can eventually fight them off and restore our worlds.

"And they bring along dinosaurs?"

She let the question hang in the air for a second before adding, "Is this a rescue mission or a zoo?"

Chris actually had a slight chuckle to Tenaya's comments about dinosaurs. "Sometimes... I wonder about that too. I mean I've seen strange things back home, but that takes the cake. I mean, talking animals is pretty surreal."

"Yeah," Tenaya agreed. "Nothing like a bunch of talking dinosaurs to make you wonder what part of the Twilight Zone you ended up in."

She couldn't remember one way or another if she'd ever watched any of the pop culture references Venjix had preprogrammed into her, but they certainly came in handy.

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The whistling is less threatening this time

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