01-06-2005: This story was first uploaded to on September 2002. A few months ago I took a look at the early chapters, and was horrified by the formatting (which, due to system updates, went totally off) and the typos. Therefore, i'm now going through the entire thing and renovating. The formatting should become uniform throughout the story, and I hope to weed out as many typos as possible - I probably won't find them all, but I can try. If, while reading the story, you find a typo, do let me know via email or review (my email is on my profile page, one click away). Thanks, guys.
The effort of this renovation project is lovingly dedicated to the steady reviewers. You know who you are.
1. Crash landing
First Part
Her hand fastened around the handle of her gun as she saw that the cloaked Enterran was about to attack the helicopter, but then three other Enterrans attacked him, yelling with anger, and she froze. The first Enterran threw aside his cloak, and seeing who he was she was relieved that the three interfered, preventing her from attacking him. He blew them away with some mighty strokes, burying them in debris, and jumped into the air after the helicopter.
She waited silently in the shadows until the helicopter and its pursuer disappeared in the distance. She was just about to move when the three Enterrans, now transformed, rose fast into the air chasing him. Odd. Enterrans didn't fight each other in the streets. In fact, Enterrans didn't fight each other at all.
One of the Enterrans, a man in red armor, stopped in mid-air. Then his transformation failed and he fell. He must have been injured. His friends dived for him, but she could see they'd never make it in time. She jumped on her glider and kicked up fast.
"Faster!" yelled Sago, flying with all the speed he could muster, "We're not gonna make it!"
"Look there!" thundered Kutall's deep voice. He pointed at the half-ruined buildings. A tall figure on a glider was speeding towards Mushra. She stopped as she caught him, and then soared slowly towards them. They halted and waited.
She was a female, a human female. She was very tall, lean and masculine, with very while skin and light hair packed behind her head. She held Mushra's childish body ever so gently.
"You attacked Mushrambo", she said. "You tried to save that helicopter. You tried to save humans"
"Yes", answered Sago.
She shifted Mushra's head backwards so they could see the long, think wound on his neck, surrounded with thick shining liquid.
"We call it Mushrambo's Venom", she said, "His most deadly weapon. It has horrible effects on humans"
"And its effects on Enterrans?"
"He's never used it on an Enterran before, to the best of my knowledge, but it doesn't look too good. Your friend needs medical care, and fast. I have some friends who can help me, if you'll come with me"
Sago and Kutall exchanged looks. They were stuck 500 years into their past. They were helpless in a strange environment. The same thoughts passed through both their heads: they chose to defend the humans against the Enterrans; a human stood before them; and Mushra's breaths became thinner with every passing moment.
"We'll come with you", said Sago. "This is Kutall, and he's Mushra. I'm Sago"
"I'm Kat". She bowed her head so her chin touched a button on her vest. "Base"
"Got you", said a man's voice.
"Justin, I've got three Enterrans here who attacked Mushrambo to defend a full helicopter. One of them in unconscious, Venom poisoned"
There was a slight pause. "What's his mass?", asked Justin finally.
"Seventy K's, more or less"
"He won't survive the flight to the base. I'd better transport him here"
"Sure. Wait a second". She looked at the two Enterrans. "Did you get that?", she asked. They shook their heads. "Transportation will have him safe and sound in our bases in no time. I'll guide you to the base flying. It's going to take us at least half an hour". With a heavy heart they nodded.
"Go, Justin", she said. Mushra vanished from her arms.
"Godspeed to you all", said Justin, "because for all I know the devil might be coming for you". The button beeped.
"Ok", said Kat, "I'm going to fly as fast as I can and do every evasive maneuver I know. Fly hard. I'll slow down if you'll trail back too much. All clear?"
"Clear"
"Let's rock", she said.
She was faster than they, zigzagging her way between the ruined buildings in an immense speed, but she slowed down whenever they nearly lost her. They were glad Mushra was not with them. The flight demanding enough as-is.
Kat landed so sharply that for a moment they didn't realize where she'd gone. They landed after her, panting. She got off her glider as calm as she was before. She touched a device on her hand and the city around them disappeared. They were inside the base. The hall was huge, filled with machinery unfamiliar to them. Kat guided them quickly to another hall. This was, again, loaded with equipment unfamiliar to them, but it was also packed with many beds. "Infirmary", said Kat. A man rose to greet them. He looked slightly younger than Kat and had a baby-face and sandy hair. As they approached him they saw that the man was sitting by Mushra's bed.
"I can keep him alive for now", said the man, "but that's all. I called on Shiera already."
"It'll do, Justin", said Kat. "These are Sago and Kutall. He's Mushra"
He shook their hands. "Glad to meet you. I'm Justin. Your friend is way beyond my medical abilities, but not beyond Shiera's"
"We're very grateful", said Kutall, bowing his head.
"Say that when he's healed", replied Justin shortly.
Kat pressed Justin's shoulder. "You stay with him", she said, "I'll take care of them. Don't complain; you must be injured under your transformation. Sit"
They were too tired to argue. They set on two separate beds and transformed back. Kat was right. Kutall's head was bleeding badly and Sago wasn't much better. She cleaned their wounds gently.
Something beeped. "Base", said a tired human voice.
Justin touched the button on his vest. "Go ahead, Jason"
"The city's doomed, but we managed to save some. The blasted demon wasn't his usual self. I think somebody messed up with him on the way"
"How's Tommy?" asked Kat.
"Ruined, but alive. I'm telling you, he's alive only because somebody messed up with Mushrambo"
"Yeah, three Enterrans", said Justin, "We have them here"
"Enterrans in the base? Are you out of your mind?" the voice on the comm rose dangerously. "Of all the stupid things in the world…"
"One of them is Venom-poisoned", interfered Kat.
Another voice, more tired, breathing, sounded on the comm.. "I trust Kat's judgment", said the voice. "How's the injured one?"
"Unconscious, but stable" said Justin.
"Save your strength, Tommy", begged Kat.
"Tell Shiera", breathed Tommy, "she's the best. We'll arrive soon". The comm beeped again – the line went off.
"I'm hungry", said Kutall.
Justin gave a huge smile. "You're so not the only one. Pizza, Kat?"
"Coming right up. Will be back in a minute", she told the Enterrans and left the room.
"Aren't you going to ask us anything?" asked Sago after a moment's silence.
"Tommy will, when they get back. He's more or less in charge"
"Where are they?"
"Back from the nearest exit point to Shinzo", said Justin.
"You know where Shinzo is?" wondered Kutall.
"We're already in you debt" said Justin, ignoring the comment. "It looks like you saved some lives already. We'll do the best for him, I promise"
"Who's this Shiera?" asked Sago.
"She's one of us. She works mainly on her own, since… but she always comes when needed. She already confirmed the call. She's a real expert on this kind of injuries."
Kay entered the infirmary, a loaded hover-tray behind her. "The pizza's ready", she informed.
Kutall breathed deeply. "My dear lady", he said, "it smells heavenly"
Justin collected the dishes when they finished. "Please let me do it", he asked Kat, "I do nothing but chat on the comm all day"
"You don't want to go out, believe me"
"I do, but I'm dying of boredom. I'd be happy when someone else takes the duty"
"Base technical duty", explained Kat when Justin left the infirmary. "Somebody has to monitor comm and intel and take care of everything. Justin is best at it so he's doing longer duties than he should. We're all fighters, and naturally he hates the deal"
At that instance the comm beeped. "Base", said a man's voice.
"Go ahead, T.J", said Kat.
"Could you please land us? We'd rather transport straight to infirmary"
"I'll do it", interrupted Justin's voice, "Ten secs, Kat"
Kat jumped from her seat. "Ten seconds", she muttered, "come on". She hit panels, drawing first-aid trays from their hidden sheathes.
A large group of humans materialized in the room. They were all injured and bandaged. Some of then lay on hovering stretchers, and the others eased them onto the beds. Most of them ignored the Enterrans completely.
One of the women pushed a stretcher towards them. She had short black her and keen, slanted eyes. The man on the stretcher was tall and apparently asleep or unconscious. Kat rushed toward them. The man opened his eyes when she kissed him. "Hello Kat", he said. "Where are our guests?"
"Here", she answered, "Tommy, these are Sago, Kutall and Mushra. Sago, Kutall – these are Tommy and Trini"
Tommy smiled to them and waved for Trini to speak. He closed his eyes while Kat took care of him.
"Hello", said Trini.
"Hello", they answered.
"You guys attacked Mushrambo", she said, "Why the hell would you?"
"He was trying to take down a helicopter filled with people". Said Sago.
"We couldn't just stand there and let him do it", said Kutall.
"That's the first time in this war that Enterrans have helped humans. Why?"
"Yakumo", replied Kutall.
"Who is she?"
"The last human on Enterra… When we came from", said Sago.
Tommy opened his eyes. "When you came from?" he repeated, "You guys are time travelers?"
"We got into it by mistake," replied Sago quickly, before Kutall could say anything about Rusphine or what she had said to them.
"From when are you?" asked Trini.
"500 years from now", said Sago.
All the humans breathed sharply.
"500 years into the future only one human survived… How?" asked Trini.
"Her father placed her in cryogenic sleep when she was an infant, during the war", Kutall told them. "He meant her to sleep for 50 years, but there was a malfunction"
"She must have grown up in while in stasis?"
"A girl", said Kutall, "and of the more adorable I know"
"We're her friends", said Sago, "She's trying to get to Shinzo and we're helping her"
"By the name of the Guardians", whispered Tommy. "Kat, there's no reason to keep them in the infirmary, right? So why don't you assign them quarters and show them around a bit?"
"We'll be called back the minute something happens", Kat assured them, "you don't need to worry. Come"
Only when the elevator's doors closed behind them did Sago see that her eyes were wet.
"Are you crying?" he asked.
"This war has been going on for over five years now, and it's not my first. We were holding on no that bad until the seven generals rose to power. We managed to kill some of them, but Mushrambo is beyond us. We keep trying though"
"Tough guys", said Sago.
"No, not really… We forgot how to be afraid". The elevator's doors opened. "This is the quarters level", she said. "Would you rather have separate apartments, or a multi-roomed one?"
"Multi-roomed", they replied without hesitation.
"Fine", she said. "Remember the way; try not to get lost too much". She showed them to their apartment and explained them how to open and lock the doors. "Each apartment is furnished with its own kitchen", she said, "but we usually dine together. Come, I'll show you…"
Kat's comm beeped.
"You'd better get here", said Trini, "he's waking".