Disclaimer: I do not own anything in regards to the Power Rangers. Nor do I own anything regarding the Men in Black franchise. Saban owns PR, Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment owns MiB, I guess. This totally destroys Saban's continuity, but has that ever stopped us before? Hope you like it. Thanks to Julia for proofing this for me eons ago, and thanks also to Kittie for pointing out a mistake I made near the end. Thanks ladies. 8^)
Jeremy Ray Logsdon
A snarling green snake-like creature suddenly rose up from the wreckage around them. Jay quickly withdrew a short silver weapon, known to them as a GZ-21, and fired. A focused blue beam shot from the weapon, striking the green snake and destroying it. Green slime burst from its insides, splattering over everything in a ten foot area.
"You know who these guys are?" Jay asked, tucking the GZ-21 back into his black jacket.
Dee knelt beside the remains of the snake. He withdrew a small glass beaker from a pocket inside his jacket and scooped up a considerable sample of the green gel. "First guess, I'd say Surlohi."
"Surlohi," Jay said thoughtfully. "B-49, Celestina constellation. Hostile?"
"They're the ones," Dee remarked disdainfully. "Not good for anything. Hated across the galaxy. I haven't seen a Surlohi since late seventies. This is very bad. Something big must be planned."
"Why would the Surlohi be back?" Jay asked. "And why did they crash here? Why Katherine's family?"
Dee frowned at his younger partner. Jay hadn't been on the force long enough to remove his emotions from active duty. Rather than give him another lecture, Dee explained, "Pure coincidence, Jay. They didn't come after her family out of personal reasons. It doesn't matter that Katherine Hillard used to be a Power Ranger. If she was still a Ranger, yes, there might have been a connection. Since she's not, this is just where that bastard happened to land. They must have seen him, so he killed them. The whole family."
A sudden moan came from Jay's right. "Katherine?" Jay asked. "Mr. Hillard? Mrs. Hillard? Tracy? Brooke? If you can hear me, make another sound."
"Jay, we've done what we were supposed to do," Dee said forcefully. "The clean-up crew is on their way here, and after that, we'll notify the city. I know it hurts you still, but when a civilian is injured, you HAVE to let them die. NO interference."
"Dee, don't make me do this," Jay said. "At least let me see if it's Kat."
"If it is her what are you going to do?" Dee asked. He was starting to get irritated with his younger, more inexperienced partner. The older black man sighed and ran a hand over his graying hair.
"Her family is dead," Jay said as he began to dig through the rubble. "Why can't she do like I did? Without the organization, I would have gone nuts after my parents died."
"Just because she was a Ranger doesn't mean she's MiB material," Dee said sternly.
"Katherine IS MiB material," Jay growled firmly.
"I must respect your enthusiasm, and your love to help others, but you have to be realistic."
Jay removed a large section of dry-wall, and suddenly found himself face to face with a rapidly dying Katherine. "Kat," Jay said softly, brushing against her face with his fingertips.
"Who-?" Kat stammered.
"Hello beautiful," Jay whispered to her. "Dee, she's alive."
Agent Dee scurried over to Jay and looked down at the attractive blonde. He pulled a hand-held scanner from his pocket and placed it against her forehead. "She can be saved," Dee told Jay after the results came back. "The call is yours. We can take her back to Headquarters, save her life, and try to convince her to join. And Jay, do not do this because of some crush you might have had on this woman at some point in your past."
"If she doesn't want to join?"
"Her memory will be wiped, she will be given a new life, and reincorporated into society."
"Is it – really you?" Katherine sighed, causing a trickle of blood to slide from the corner of her cheek when her mouth opened.
"It's really me," Jay promised her. "Katherine, I know this is a rough time for you."
"My f-family," she stammered. "Are they dead?"
"I'm afraid so," Jay sighed. At that, tears began to slide down Katherine's cheeks. Jay reached out to touch Katherine's shoulder and pressed a button on his watch. The two disappeared in a glimmering shadow of white light.
Dee sighed and pulled his left wrist up to his mouth. "You guys, we're going to need an organic dead mannequin to match the injuries of the body you've got coming in with Agent Jay. Get me a clean-up crew out here asap as well as the Memory Brigade. We've wiped people all over the place; there's a thirty minute window that has to be filled in. Oh, and 'Don, while you're at it, go ahead and have my papers for transfer to Manhattan ready. I think Agent Jay is about to get a new partner." Smiling, he closed the communications with the Headquarters. "Was I ever nineteen years old?" Dee asked himself with a chuckle.
Two days later…
"This can't be happening," Justin muttered to himself. He stared at his feet, unable to make eye contact with anyone, even his father, who had brought him back to Angel Grove for Katherine's wake and funeral.
Tanya frowned unhappily, tears welling up in her eyes at the sight of Justin. Katherine had been like a mother to him, and he was taking her death as though she had been his mother. She then turned to look at Tommy. She had never seen Kimberly and Tommy as a couple before, but Adam had given her the distinct impression that Tommy was merely using Katherine as a Kimberly substitute. From the looks of the former Red Ranger, his feelings for Katherine had been genuine, and her untimely death was about to kill him as well.
Adam fumbled with his hands in his lap. She can't be dead. There's no way. Rocky, sitting next to him, put his hand on Adam's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. Jason mirrored the move on his other side. The three were pallbearers, the only male Rangers to have served with Katherine in battle who were emotionally stable enough to carry her casket. Carlos, TJ, and Lt. Stone were the other three pallbearers. Even the other Rangers, those who hadn't known Katherine, were at the funeral, including Zack, Trini, and Aisha, all of whom had flown in from the other side of the globe. A morphed Red Space Ranger sat near the front of the room. The official story was that he was there for security reasons, but all of the Power Rangers knew he was there as a sign of respect for a fallen Ranger. Even Ernie had flown up from the Amazon. Everyone from Katherine's life was there.
Except for Billy. Dimitria couldn't seem to get in contact with Billy on Aquitar. Alpha Six had set up a continual message loop in the hopes that it would eventually be picked up by the Aquitian Rangers and relayed to him. The others just wished he had shown up, for despite never having served on the same team as her for long, he had felt a very strong friendship with her. Kimberly had remarked more than once during the past forty-eight hours she had always thought Kat and Billy would have made a good couple.
The entire Hillard family was dead. Their death had caused a stir in Angel Grove unlike any since Rita Repulsa had initially shown up. The entire family had been killed by an unknown species of alien. It wasn't known if their murders had been intentional or the Hillard family had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Katherine was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time, as she had just that very weekend come home from the Academy in London.
The minister stood up to speak. The five caskets, holding the entire Hillard family, sat on the stage of Angel Grove High. The entire gym was completely filled, along with people standing all along the walls, as well as on several hundred folding chairs in the center of the gym floor. The turn-out was due partly to respect, but mostly for fear. Every single family in that gym knew that it could just as easily have been their backyard that the alien spacecraft crashed into, and then it would have been their caskets on the stage.
"Do you want to stay?" a blonde man with black sunglasses asked his companion. The two stood at the far back of the gymnasium near a set of out of the way doors. He looked robust, strong, and healthy, although his companion was anything but. She was female, had long, black hair, and an alarmingly pale complexion.
"Pardon?" the dark haired woman asked in a shaky voice.
"Do you want to stay for the whole funeral?" he asked her again.
"No," she spat as though the word itself were poison. "No. I believe you now. Let's go." The two left through the same door, their presence and absence unnoticed by all.
"Billy?" the dark-haired woman asked.
"Jay," he said firmly.
"Fine, Jay," she snarled. "Are you ever going to fill me in?"
"Now that you are legally dead," Jay told her, "yes. Just not here."
"Where?" she asked. "And why do I have to have black hair?"
"Please," Jay said, "everything is going to be okay. I promise. Would I lie to you?"
"You already have," she griped. "Apparently repeatedly."
"Technically, that wasn't me," Jay said defensively. "Are you ready? Besides, it was for the greater good."
"I'm ready," she said. She stood close to Jay as he lifted his left arm up. Pulling his black coat sleeve back, he revealed a black watch. He quickly opened the face and pushed a small black button beneath. White light overwhelmed them, and they disappeared with a few stray white sparkles.
The two materialized in an extension of the Transport Core, high above a bustling room. Computers were everywhere, as were humans, all dressed in black, and beings of every size, shape, and color imaginable. A huge black screen was on one wall with a live image of the Maxell Belt, which consisted of numerous galaxies, including the Milky Way. The other walls were decorated with scenes from the past, including various World Fairs and other such memorable events. The room looked incredibly high-tech, while maintaining a friendly air. One entire wall seemed to let in a great amount of sunlight, although the room was actually far underground.
"First off, we'll remove the coloring," Jay said. "Then, we'll explain everything. I promise. Follow me."
"Where are we going?" she asked. "And why can't I call you Billy?"
"Then we'll explain everything," Jay said. "Come on…, Kat."
Jay lead Kat over to a room attached to the catwalk. "Take a seat," Jay told her.
"Bil- sorry, Jay, this is all happening too fast."
"It happens to everybody when they first join," Jay said. "Have a seat." He guided her to a black velvet chair. Upon sitting in it, he tilted her back and guided her hair to a sink on a marble counter behind them. "This might tingle a little. About like it did when we put the coloring in."
Jay poured some clear gel on his palms and began to work it into Katherine's black hair. "If … if I say no," Katherine said, "what will happen to me?"
"Then we'll wipe your memory of this, give you an alternate personality, and give you a new life," Jay explained.
"And if I do? I mean, is it like in the movie?"
"The movie was a pretty big joke," Jay said, "but Agent Kay had fun with it. He would go on the set and tell them what to do, and then wipe their memories and make them think they had thought it up themselves. Some things weren't quite right though. You don't ever leave the Agency. Ever. Well, I suppose if you wanted to, they'd let you, but it hasn't happened yet."
"Ever?"
"Ever," Jay promised.
"Do you at least have flashy-things?"
"Sort of," Jay said. Katherine was quickly relaxing. His fingers massaging her scalp, along with the slight tingling of the gel, was having a very soothing effect on her. "Not quite the same model, but the same basic effect."
"If I do stay, what will I do?"
"Well, it's my plan that you'll be my partner," Jay said. "My partner before you, Agent Dee, was transferred to the Manhattan Department. Of his own volition, since the L.A.MiB has a whole lot more action."
"Due to Angel Grove's proximity?"
"Partly," Jay told her. "This is where most of the really good older agents retire, and where the new agents with potential start. I doubt I'll ever leave here. You'll see why in a few minutes. Dee'll probably be back in a few years to retire here."
Jay's fingers left her hair to be promptly replaced with warm water. The gel quickly washed out of her hair, taking the black color with it. "Nice and blonde again."
"I'm still sore, Billy," Katherine said. Some of the universe's best doctors had restored her body to its maximum health, but her muscles still ached terribly. "Sorry. Jay. Now explain to me what is going on."
"Come on," Jay instructed. "There are two old friends of mine here I'd like you to meet."
"Good day, Katherine," a deep booming voice rumbled.
"Zordon?" Kat asked. She stared up at the large holographic image of her former mentor's face. He didn't have the same fuzzy, blue quality as last seen in the Power Chamber. He was now three-dimensional and very detailed. He had short greenish-blue hair and large vibrant silver eyes. "I thought Dark Spectre had captured you!"
"It is me, Katherine," he said, smiling warmly. "Dark Spectre merely caught a holographic image, and we saw no need to inform him of his mistake."
"I'm here, too, Kat!" Alpha Five said, hobbling up beside her.
"Alpha!" Kat cried happily, catching him in a quick hug and immediately regretting it as pain tore through her aching muscles. "I thought you were on Eltare!"
"We told you we left for Eltare to explain our absence," Alpha explained. "After recommending Jay to the MiB, Zordon decided to work from here as well."
"How are you holding up, Katherine?" Zordon asked.
Katherine immediately sobered up. "Okay, I suppose. I don't think it's sunk in yet. How long has it been? Two days?"
"Barely that," Jay said. "You spent thirty-six hours in surgery."
"Are you going to tell me exactly what's going on?" Kat asked. "I mean, I know that this is the Men in Black, right? Like in that movie with Will Smith?"
"Sort of," Alpha said.
"We are the Men in Black," Zordon told her. "The movie actually was a pretty good representation of our organization. We are the Universe's defenders from evil alien races. The movie was made as a living tribute to Agent Kay."
"Agent Kay?"
"Agent Kay is one of the founders of the MiB," Jay explained. "He retired from active duty last year, and he serves on our Intelligence Council. The movie was his idea. He got a kick out of it."
"Well, where do the Power Rangers fit into this?" Kat asked cautiously.
"The Power Rangers deal with the homicidal maniacs of the universe, so to speak. Never entire species. Lord Zedd, for instance, is from a very peace-loving planet. He just happens to be an exception, and is so powerful that the Power Rangers were recruited to stop threats from him and others like him."
"Why the secrecy? The planet already knows we're being invaded by evil aliens," Kat asked.
"The Power Rangers handle those threats," Zordon explained. "We are more like Intergalactic Policemen. In fact, most of the species we deal with are not evil. You've noticed many aliens here in the Headquarters. These are all peace-loving aliens, many of whom work here in the L.A. chapter."
"Now the million dollar question," Kat said. "Why can't I call Billy, Billy?"
At that, everyone in hearing range of her stopped. They all turned to look at her, astonished that she had just used an agent's former name. "Resume your business," Zordon boomed. To Katherine, he answered, "As a Man in Black, Jay has given up his old identity. The man you knew no longer exists. With the possible exception of when he is in his apartment. Then he may be referred to as he desires, provided no superior officer is present."
"Kat, we know that this is a very big decision for you to make," Alpha said. "Becoming a Man in Black is a lifelong commitment, and you will have to weigh the pros and cons."
"What will happen if I say yes?"
"You will be sworn in immediately, given a new name, and assigned a female partner."
"Female partner?" Kat asked. "What about Bi-, dang it, Jay?"
"All partners share apartments," Alpha explained. "With the exception of married partners, and we do have a few, we never pair up agents of the opposite sex. We can't risk any sexual attraction."
"Actually," Jay said, "she's a lesbian."
Kat whipped her head in Jay's direction and gave him a confused, angry stare. "What about Tommy?" Zordon boomed.
"He was just a cover-up," Jay said, casting Katherine a pleading glance. He silently mouthed, "Play along."
"Katherine, are you a lesbian?" Zordon asked.
"I … guess," she stammered, looking at Jay for support. He smiled his approval.
"Then if you chose, and it is your will, you shall be assigned partnership with Jay," Zordon rumbled. "You have twenty-four hours to make your decision. Jay, you are given a twenty-four hour leave of absence. Be there for her to help her make her decision."
"Thank you, Zordon," Jay said, nodding in agreement.
Katherine looked out over the impressive five hundred acre underground compound. Agent Jay stood behind her. "Looks impressive, doesn't it?"
"Yes it does," Katherine agreed. "Can we go someplace where I can call you … your other name." She didn't want another public display of shock at hearing her say an agent's former name.
"We can go to my apartment," Jay volunteered. "If you accept, it will be our apartment."
"That's more than a little weird," Kat commented as Jay lead her farther back to the apartment complexes.
"What's this?" Kat asked as Jay lead her to an escalator.
"The apartments," Jay answered, pointing to the giant wall before her. It was divided into about four hundred levels, extending far below them and high above them. "This is where the Headquarters end, but they wanted all of the Agents to be an equal distance. Just in case of a surprise attack or something."
"Happened before?" Kat asked as they stepped onto the moving stairs.
"Not yet," Jay answered. "It's pretty secure down here."
"Who got the money for this place?"
"We borrow alien technologies and adapt them for the planet," Jay said, "like in the movie. So far, we've borrowed CD's, contact lenses, microwave ovens, air conditioning, and Velcro. Oh, and Bill Gates works for us. He's from Io, a moon of Jupiter."
"Bill Gates is an alien?" Kat asked as they stepped off of the escalator.
Jay lead them to apartment V-487. "Home sweet home," he said, pressing his palm flat against a green sheet of metal where the doorknob should have been. A beep sounded, and the door opened.
Kat proceeded to walk into his apartment, and found it surprisingly beautiful. Though the apartment was only one room, it was laid out well. The carpet was blue, the walls were covered in a pleasing cream colored wallpaper, and beautiful furniture decorated the room. A large television was set into one wall, and a pristine kitchen was at the very back. To the far left and right of the room was a double bed, both well made. A single oak door was at the far back, hiding the bathroom. "Can I call you Billy now?" Kat asked.
"Now you can," Billy said. He took off his black jacket and draped it on his couch. "So, I guess you're pretty confused."
"How did you end up here?" Kat asked, curling up on a recliner. "I thought you were on Aquitar."
"Katherine, my parents were killed about nine months ago," Billy said. "In a car accident. I told everyone they moved to England. After it happened, Zordon told me about the MiB. Immediately after it happened. I had no other family, my parents were dead, so I accepted. That's when we erased the memories of their deaths, and I told everyone they moved to England. Then there was the problem of getting me out of society. I didn't want people to think I had died, so I had Agent Kay pretend to be me. I kind of lied about turning old. It wasn't me, it was him. The Alien Rangers were in on it, of course, and I used the excuse of moving to Aquitar."
"That's why you didn't come back," Kat said. "Ever."
"Right," Billy explained. "As far as the state of California is concerned, I no longer exist. I've been here ever since. Billy Cranston will never be seen again. In about three weeks, Cestria is going to come to Earth and tell the others that I had an allergic reaction with some fauna on Aquitar. That way, I'll never be expected."
"That's so sad," Kat remarked. "To think that you'll never get to see any of your friends again."
"You won't either," Billy said sadly. "If you become a Man in Black, you won't be allowed to, and if you don't become a Man in Black, your memory will be wiped and replaced with an alternate memory and you won't remember them in any way, shape, or form. If we hadn't brought you here, you would have died, and not seen them anyhow. It was, in a sense, a lose-lose-lose situation for you."
"If I join, what will I do?"
"You'll wear nothing but black, you'll be given a new name, and we'll patrol Los Angeles and surrounding cities, dispatched to problems, et cetera. Basically, we'll police the aliens."
"Is it fun?"
"It's better than being a Power Ranger," Billy smiled. "Continual adrenaline rush. And some of the things I've got to see… it's unbelievable."
"Why are we going to share an apartment?"
"Partners are required to share apartments," Billy explained. "Just in case. If you are called out, I am called out. While on duty, we're basically one person. That's why they don't like to pair up any couple with even the slightest possibility of sexual attraction. Distraction. That's why I told Zordon you were a lesbian."
"Oh, and thank you for that by the way."
"Sexual preference is irrelevant down here," Billy told her. "There is one species of alien that requires four genders to lay an egg and another seven to hatch it. Sexuality is just that – sexuality. I could have told them your sexual preference lay with … elephants, and no one would have batted an eye."
The two sat in silence for a while. Kat didn't ask any more questions, and Billy didn't know what to say. Finally, she spoke up. "What about Tommy?"
"None of the former Rangers are a part of our lives anymore, Kat," Billy said sadly. "And I'm honestly sorry for that."
"So I guess we've broken up, huh?"
"I'm afraid so," Billy sighed.
Kat looked to be close to tears, but rather than stop talking, she continued pushing. "Will I ever have a family?"
"No," Billy said. "Men in Black are sterile. I had an alien version of a vasectomy when I joined. If I choose, I can get married, but I can't have children. Sexual relations are fine, though. Provided it's not with your partner. That sounds weird. I can have sex with anyone I want, if they want to, provided we aren't MiB partners. Understand?"
Katherine nodded that she did. "Have you?"
"Have I what?"
"Do you have a sexual relationship with anyone?"
"Not yet," Billy admitted sheepishly. "I'm still a virgin, actually." He paused when he realized he had admitted a lot more than he had intended, but he didn't recant.
"I'm gonna do it, Billy," Kat said. "I'm joining. I don't want to forget my past. I may have lost it, but I'll be damned if I'm losing my memories. Sign me up."
Billy smiled warmly. "Partner?"
"Partner," Kat agreed.
"What does this do?" Kat asked the short, squatty white alien who looked remarkably like Finster.
"Changes your fingerprints and other markings, permanently," the alien replied. "Please place your hands on the ball," he said, motioning to the large steel ball before her. Katherine did as instructed. Her palms began to burn, and was promptly replaced by a sharp pain. A few seconds later, it was finished. Both hands had completely new markings, forever engraved into her hands. Her old lines would not be growing back.
"Now what?" she asked, astonished that the pain had vanished so abruptly.
"Sterilization," the alien told her. "Quick and painless. Won't take but a second. If you'll lay down on that table over there, I'll get started on it."
Jay took Katherine's hand as she left the doctor's office. "Go smoothly?"
"I feel warm," Kat said, gently touching her abdomen. "Although that didn't hurt nearly as bad as removing one's fallopian tubes should."
"It'll subside," Jay told her. "Since you are dead, technically, we don't have to delete your old life. We just have to give you a new one. If you're ready, we'll swear you in. Of course, first, we have to get you in the right clothes."
An attractive Asian woman stepped up to Katherine. "Hello," she said. "My name is Tee. If you'll come with me, I'll hook you up with the last outfit you'll ever need."
"I like this," Katherine said with a big smile, smoothing the outfit down over her hips. She wore an elegant black pant suit with a white button up blouse, as well as black shoes. Over that, she wore a black jacket and a thin black tie, complete with a pair of black sunglasses and a black barrette which kept her ponytail in perfect position.
Tee smiled and placed her own sunglasses on. "We wear black because it best lets us blend in," she explained. "Men in Black are seldom noticed."
"Better than being a Man in Pink, I suppose. Man in Black," Katherine said, staring at herself in the mirror and straightening her tie. "I think I'm gonna like this."
Katherine looked about herself nervously. She hadn't actually expected a ceremony, but she honestly expected more people, or beings, to show up than what was actually there. There were perhaps a dozen people present, the only four she knew being Jay, Tee, Zordon, and Alpha. "Who are we waiting for?" Kat whispered to Jay, standing at her left.
"Guf-Hae," Jay answered. "Head honcho."
Suddenly, a white glimmering outline appeared on a silver pedestal before them. It quickly solidified, revealing a surprisingly short alien with bipedal arms and legs and a head that looked strangely like that of a Schnauzer. Mint green fur covered what parts of the body were exposed, and his eyes were an explosive shade of electric blue. "Agent Guf-Hae," Zordon boomed. "This is Katherine Lynn Hillard, applying both to the agency and for a partnership with Agent Jay."
"You have deemed her worthy?" Guf-Hae asked in a remarkably human voice.
"Yes sir," Zordon replied.
"Then I have no objections," Guf-Hae said. "Katherine, your former identity is dead. From this day forward, you shall be referred to as Agent Elle." Guf-Hae noticed that her eyebrows unexpectedly shot up at that. "Is there a problem?"
"No, I just expected to be Kay, is all," Elle said. "I mean, Kat, Kay, not that big of a change. But Elle, where does that come from?"
"L from the name Lynn," Guf-Hae explained, his patience already stretched to the maximum. "There are some letters that are not used. H, I, K, Q, W, X, and Y. Kay is not used to respect the original Agent Kay. The others are not used because you Earthlings cannot unanimously agree on how to spell them. Satisfied?"
"Elle is fine," Elle said with a nod. "I'm just glad to be aboard."
"We are glad to have you," Guf-Hae said. "I understand you also wish to be assigned partnership with Agent Jay?"
"Yes sir," Elle nodded.
"Agents with matching sexual tastes are not permitted to be partners," Guf-Hae explained.
"Actually, I'm a lesbian." This is the stupidest thing I've ever had to do.
"You are?"
"Why is that so hard to believe?" Elle asked. "And why is it when I announce my … lesbianism, nobody bats an eye, but if I call Jay Billy,", and with that, the few people in the room began to shift uncomfortably and mutter amongst themselves, "you act like that."
"You are new to this organization, Elle," Guf-Hae growled. "I suggest you respect our time-honored ways and not question them on your first day."
"Yes sir."
"I deem it so," Guf-Hae said. "From this day on, Agent Elle and Agent Jay are partners until one or both of you transfer to a different chapter or decide you are no longer compatible. If you'll excuse me, I am needed at the Moscow Chapter." With that, Guf-Hae disappeared in a glimmer of white light.
Elle entered apartment V-487 with Jay in tow. "I am wore out," Elle complained, flopping down in the first chair she came across. "And now I'm Kat again."
Billy smiled as he took his jacket off. "You've done really well these past two days," he commented.
"What's this little silver gun called?" Kat asked, pulling it from an inside pocket of her jacket. It was incredibly small. In fact, it only measured about three inches in length.
"F-Moss Three," Billy told her. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to change into something more comfortable."
Katherine looked down at her black outfit. It was still hard for her to accept the drastic change that had occurred in her life in only the past four days. Her family was dead and she hadn't even had a chance to grieve yet. "I'm dead, too," Kat whispered in awe. She suddenly felt a need to visit "her grave."
"Billy?" Kat called. "When will I be allowed to go out on my own?"
Billy stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a comfortable pair of blue cotton shorts and t-shirt. "About four more days," he said. "Why?"
"I want to visit my grave," she said.
"It's not your grave."
"I still want to see it."
"Well, in four days, you'll be allowed to." Billy crossed over to the living area and sat on the couch. "I promise, once you get out on active duty, things will be much better. I was horribly depressed until my first day on active duty. I haven't been happier since then. You have to be in good shape. That's why they've been working you so hard."
"How much do you weigh now?" Kat asked. "You look…"
"Bigger?" Billy asked with a smile. "I weigh about two hundred and five now. That's thirty-five extra pounds of muscle I've put on since I joined the MiB. I just wish I could grow about another four inches. I'm only 5'9"."
"Me too," Kat said, "although I sure don't weigh over two hundred." Billy turned on the t.v., and they sat in silence for a while. Katherine was the first to break the silence. "I really miss Tommy, Billy."
"I know, and I'm sorry," Billy said softly. "I miss everybody, too. Trini, Zack, Jason. Kimberly… Adam and Tommy were practically my best friends, and Rocky, well what can you say about Rocky. He was just fun. Tanya, Aisha, everybody… Even Bulk and Skull. But, this is our new lot in life. And we've got to meet a lot of good people."
"That's true," Katherine agreed. "Especially Tee. I really like her."
"I think she thinks you have a crush on her," Billy said, barely able to contain his laughter.
"Darn it Billy, that's why I didn't want to be a lesbian!" Kat cried. "Why can't I tell them I'm straight?"
"They're afraid we'll develop a sexual attraction for each other, and won't be able to act normally when we're on duty," Billy smiled.
"Billy, we should explain to them that we aren't exactly the type of people that fall for each other," Kat said. "Are we?"
"Who knows?" Billy said. "I guess their line of thinking is if you spend enough time with somebody, something sexual is gonna happen eventually."
"Well, going by that theory, since I am straight, then something sexual is gonna happen between us. Right?"
"I suppose so," Billy said awkwardly.
"And what would be so bad if it did?" Kat asked. "I mean, I'm not fishing for it, but if it happens, so what? Right?"
"I suppose," Billy agreed.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change into something more comfortable, too," Kat said, leaving Billy to his suddenly stimulated imagination.
The next five days were a blur for Elle, who was given intense training in ammunitions, Memory Wipes, and hand to hand combat. By the time the formal Week of Training ended, she was ready to go out on active duty.
"I love this car!" Elle shouted happily. The car in question was a black Corvette with windows that appeared pitch black from the outside but inside blocked none of the view. "What else does it do?"
"It drives," Jay said. "Isn't that enough?"
"Doesn't it fly, or anything?"
"We're both new agents, Elle," Jay said. "We aren't trusted with anything that impressive for at least another ten years."
Elle sighed and leaned back in her seat. "So just what are we doing today?"
"Well, right now, we're headed for L.A.'s Alien District," Jay said.
"To check out that Jewelry Store?" Elle asked.
"Right," Jay said. "Rumor has it they got their hands on some Quadrithian Crystals and they've been selling them in various appliances and tools."
"What are Quadrithian Crystals?"
"Extremely rare, and extremely valuable," Jay told her, "but they're pretty much useless to Earthlings. However, they're used to power the entire Base."
"They can be converted to pure energy with absolutely no waste, and each crystal is so potent, they last a long time. Right?" Elle said, trying to recall what little she had been told about the Base's powering methods.
"Right," Jay affirmed, almost proudly. "A pile of crystals the size of your thumbnail could power a city the size of Hong Kong for three years."
"Alien technology?" Elle asked. "Sounds like it could save the entire planet. Why haven't the MiB introduced it to the rest of the world?"
"Too easily abused," Jay answered. "It can also be used to make a horrific… death ray or something. Some lunatic gets his hands on it and wipe out the entire planet."
"That wouldn't be good for anybody."
"No it wouldn't," Jay agreed. "Look, we're almost there."
"This is the Alien District?" Elle asked, looking all about her. "Are all of these people aliens?"
"Oh no," Jay said. "Ten percent, tops. The main reason why its called the Alien District is because all of these stores double as alien stores. You'll understand when we go inside."
Jay parked their car in front of a very normal looking jewelry store. "This is it?" Elle asked, looking to Jay for conformation.
"This is it," Jay said. "Remember, this is not a hostile situation. The guy that runs this store is a good guy, he's just a little ignorant of the law. Since this is your first run, let me do the talking."
"What do I do? Stand around and look pretty?" Elle asked sarcastically.
"Better yet," Jay said, "stand around and look dangerous. Titanians are terrified of Earth women as a general rule."
"Titanians?"
"From Titan, one of Saturn's moons," Jay said. "Have your badge ready, and be very inconspicuous, especially if anyone else is in the store."
"Got it," Elle agreed.
"Oh noooo," Gustav groaned as the two Men in Black entered his store. He quickly scanned the building, making sure that no one else was there.
"Morning, Gustav," Jay said. He nodded to Elle, and the two reached into their jackets. "Agent Jay."
"Agent Elle."
"What did I do to deserve the pleasure of your visit?" Gustav asked nervously.
"We've had reports that you've been selling Quadrithian Crystals illegally," Jay said sternly. "Elle?"
"I'm on it," she said, removing a small hand-held scanner from an inside coat pocket. Looks just like the Turbo Navigators, she thought to herself as she began to slowly walk about the room, letting its scanners do their work.
"I'm very sorry, Agent Jay," Gustav muttered in a thick German accent, "but I honestly do not know if I have been selling Quadrithian Crystals."
"Ignorance of the law is no excuse," Jay said. "Elle?"
"I'm getting some intense readings from this case here," she said. "Sir, would you please open this case?"
"Yes ma'am," he said nervously, hurrying over to Elle. He fished for a key in his pockets for a few moments, and after finding it, opened the case and stepped back.
Elle directed the invisible beam over the numerous rings in the display case. "Jay, I'm still getting the readings, but not in the rings."
"Gustav," Jay said sternly, "show us the *other* case."
"Yes sir," Gustav said, shaking horribly. He pressed a hidden button behind the counter, and immediately, every display case in the room flipped over. There were unidentifiable products on the flip side, and Elle's scanner began to register the Quadrithian Crystals.
"It's the mother load, Jay," Elle said, removing a small golden rod. "What is this?"
"That is a Pleasure Rod," Gustav explained. "It creates feelings of euphoria in certain species."
"Eew," Elle complained, quickly putting the rod back in its place.
"It's not used like that," Jay told her. "It's used orally, triggers pleasure centers, similar to tickling. Different culture." To Gustav he said, "Where did you get these?"
"Th-they just came in with the regular shipment," he explained frantically.
"Which came from-?"
"Various places," Gustav said truthfully. "I've told you all I know."
"Has anyone bought anything from this particular case?" Elle asked.
"Yes ma'am. Some."
Jay motioned Elle over to the side, away from Gustav's ear. "The rest of the store?"
"It's clean. Just that case. But it has nearly four grams of Quadrithian Crystals embedded in those products," Elle told him. "That doesn't make sense."
"You're right," Jay agreed. "It doesn't make sense. It can't be an accident. Quadrithian Crystals are worth more in the universe than gold is here on Earth. It wouldn't have been accidentally placed in these products, not four grams worth."
"Perhaps someone was going to intercept it?" Elle suggested. "Like drug smuggling?"
"That's my guess," Jay said. Clearing his throat, he said, "Gustav? How long have these been out?"
"Since we opened this morning," Gustav said. "Two hours, maybe?"
"How many have been purchased?" Elle asked.
"Three, ma'am. Two Pleasure Rods and a Glizepper."
"How many people bought these?" Elle asked.
"Oh, no people ma'am."
"How many beings, then?"
"Oh, each item was bought by a different being."
Jay turned his back to Gustav and whispered to his partner, "His story holds. In a situation like this, we take the items in question back to the Base and we send somebody in to reimburse this guy. According to the Agency's rules, he's not breaking any laws. He didn't know what he was doing."
"How do you know? He could be lying."
"Titanians don't lie," Jay explained. "Start loading these things into the car. I'll explain to Gustav what's going on."
"Agreed," Elle said.
A few hours later, Jay and Elle were back at HQ, staring at a pile of broken alien tools and a small pile of sparkling blue crystals. "Excellent work, Jay, Elle," Guf-Hae said, nodding as he did so.
"Thank you, sir," Jay and Elle said in unison.
"Any knowledge of these crystals' origins?" Guf-Hae asked.
"I have attempted to track their-," Elle began.
"Agent Elle, I was speaking to your superior, Agent Jay," Guf-Hae said sternly. Elle kept her face frozen, not allowing a frown or grimace to crease her features.
Jay did likewise and said, "Elle attempted to track their energy pattern throughout the solar system, but she had no luck. This seems to be an isolated incident involving a rookie crystal smuggler and we do not expect another such batch of Quadrithian Crystals."
"Thank you," Guf-Hae said. "Dismissed."
As soon as her superior officer left, Elle immediately frowned. "Why doesn't he like me?"
Jay shrugged and said, "You must have made a bad first impression. Sorry."
"I don't really care what he thinks anyway," Elle said. "What will happen with these crystals?"
"Since they are illegal, and technically have no owner, they will be divvied up among the MiB headquarters here on Earth. L.A., Manhattan, Lima, Sydney, Moscow, London, Cairo, Hong Kong, Siberia, and Tokyo."
"Now what do we do?" Elle asked. "I wanna wipe somebody's memory."
"We're dismissed," Jay said. "It's customary that if someone does something pretty memorable, they get the day off. Unless there's an emergency, and as far as the MiB is concerned, today is very dull."
"Am I allowed to leave the headquarters?" Elle asked.
"Depends on what for," Jay said.
"I want to visit my grave," she said softly. "I doubt the stone is up yet, but still…"
"You can," Jay told her. "Would you like to take a motorcycle?"
"Can I?" Elle asked, a spark lighting up in her eyes.
"Of course," Jay said with a smile. "They encourage it if an agent wants to go out for a personal reason. Let me show you why."
Jay and Elle walked into the Cycle Division. Hundreds of black motorcycles filled the room. "These motorcycles have a very special feature," Jay said. "Follow me."
He walked up to a nearby motorcycle and flipped a switch on the console. Instantly, the bike became a hazy black blur. "What the-?" Elle asked.
"If you are forced to do a high speed chase, then this makes you and the bike invisible," Jay explained. "It works on the same principle as the Neuralyzer. There are several thousand tiny pin-holes lining the chassis. The specially altered neuralyzing light shines from the pinholes and it's essentially invisible." Jay flipped the switch again, and the motorcycle once again came back into focus. "She's all yours. Just bring her back in one piece. And remember, even though you aren't on duty-"
"I know," Elle said. "I'm Elle. I know."
Elle pulled her bike up to the gates of Angel Heights Cemetery. She removed her helmet and hung it on the handlebars. She wasn't worried about someone stealing her bike. They could always teleport-recall it to the HQ, and she could certainly get back without a direct means of transportation.
Elle opened the tall steel gate and slowly walked through the rows and rows of graves. She suddenly found herself misty-eyed, and fumbled in an inner pocket of her coat for a few moments. She pulled out her black sunglasses and slipped them on.
She didn't really know where her former life's grave was at, but she had a good guess. She had often come to the cemetery with Justin to sit by his mother's grave. It was set, in her opinion, in one of the most beautiful places of the entire cemetery. A tall shade tree sheltered it from the elements, and it was set on a high enough hill that you could see all the way to the mountains outside of Angel Grove. She had commented more than once that it was a beautiful place.
"I wonder who decided where our graves should be?" Elle asked herself thoughtfully. As soon as she reached the tree, she knew who had decided.
Five fresh graves formed a perfect line beside the grave of Alicia Stewart. Hay covered the mounds of dirt, as well as the remains of their flowers from the funeral.
Elle knelt beside the grave closest to Alicia's. The small temporary marker read, 'K. Hillard. 1979-1997.' "I suppose you're dead now, Katherine," Elle said softly. "I'm gonna miss you more than you will ever know. I'm gonna miss Tommy, and Tanya, everybody… Justin especially. That boy was like a child to me."
"Miss?" a young voice said from behind her. Katherine turned around to see a young kid in dark blue clothing approaching her. As soon as her face was pointed in his direction, his eyes opened wide in astonishment. "Kat?"
"Justin?" Elle asked, her voice rich with the love she felt for him.
"Kat!" he cried happily, throwing himself at her. She opened her arms wide and caught him in a big hug. They both squeezed each other tightly, each crying just short of uncontrollably. "I thought you were dead," he said at long last. "Where have you been?"
Elle pulled away from Justin and wiped away the tears beneath his eyes. "Justin," she began, "I'm not dead. An old friend saved my life after we were attacked, and I've been living with him since then. I've got a new job…"
"Tommy misses you so much," Justin said softly. "He doesn't hardly eat anymore, or anything." He hugged her again, and then asked, "Why are you wearing that black suit?"
"You probably won't believe me, but I'm a Man in Black now. My partner is a very nice man named Jay. He's a lot like you actually. Zordon and Alpha work there, too."
"Are you back?" Justin asked. "Are you back for good?"
Smiling sympathetically, Elle reached into her pocket. She removed an oval shaped device. One side was a black screen. The entire perimeter was a large button, such that when it was squeezed, it was activated. She put her glasses back on and said, "No, Justin. I'm not back for good." She lifted the neuralyzer up to Justin's face and squeezed it. Before he could make any type of reaction, the light flashed in his eyes, and his memory of the past few minutes were wiped.
"Justin," Elle said smoothly, "you came to visit your mother and Katherine Hillard's grave. You did NOT see her here. However, you did feel both her and your mother here spiritually. You could sense that they were both very happy and better off where they are at, and you will be able to grieve for them normally. In a few days, you'll be back to normal, and you will have accepted that Kat is dead."
Elle placed the neuralyzer back in her pocket and walked away. Justin remained standing by the graves, a dim look in his eyes that wouldn't wear off for a few more seconds.
A few moments later, he smiled. "I'm glad you're happy, Katherine," he said softly. The roar of a motorcycle caught his attention, and despite the proximity of the sound, he couldn't see the motorcycle or its rider anywhere.
"Justin said Tommy is still grieving," Katherine said, flopping down on a recliner after her first day of active duty.
"It's not been that long since you died," Billy told her.
"Justin said he wasn't eating anymore," Kat sighed.
Billy paused what he was doing. He had seen Tommy depressed, namely in his Green Ranger days. He also knew what the teen did when he was depressed. He shut his emotions off from everybody, and he stopped exercising, eating, and even bathing, on occasion. It was almost as though he were trying to turn himself off.
"We'll just have to hope that nothing becomes of it," Billy said sympathetically. "Tommy isn't our concern any longer."
Katherine sighed unhappily. "The only time I've seen him depressed was after Kimberly dumped him," Kat said. An idea suddenly occurred to her, and a smile crossed her face unbidden.
"What are you thinking?" Billy asked.
"I've got an idea," Kat said happily. "I'm going to go pay a visit to Tommy. You know, plant a subliminal message in his head. Kim too! If she's still in Angel Grove."
"Kat, you can't do that," Billy said. "It's bad enough that you told Justin who you were. You can't make a habit of this. They'll kick you out of here so fast you won't know what hit you."
"Please don't tell, Billy," Katherine pleaded. "This is something I have to do. When I 'died' I left a lot of things undone. Let me take care of it."
Billy took his jacket off and laid it on the back of the couch. "Flash me," he said. "Flash me before I change my mind about it."
"Huh?" Kat asked.
"If you're going to do this, I am not getting in trouble for it," Billy said. "Now flash me and get it over with. Oh, and Kimberly is still in Angel Grove. She's going to AGU this semester."
Katherine ran up to Billy and slipped him a quick kiss. "Since you're not gonna remember," she said with a wry grin. She slipped her sunglasses on and pulled her neuralyzer from an inside pocket. A bright light flashed in apartment V-487.
Elle flipped the switch on her motorcycle as she pulled to a stop on Evergreen Terrace. Even though her living alter-ego of Katherine had been standing on that very street just two weeks prior, it still seemed like a lifetime had passed. She placed her black helmet on the handlebars and smoothed her blonde hair back. "Time to say goodbye, Tommy," Elle said softly.
Tommy looked at the picture in his hands woodenly. "Katherine," he whispered softly.
"Hello Tommy." His head yanked up to the voice's source.
"Kat?" he asked softly.
"It's me, Tommy," she said.
"You're not dead?" He crawled off of his bed and slowly made her way toward him.
Elle put her hands up before her to ward him off. "I am dead, Tommy," Elle said. "I just came back to check on you."
Tommy lowered his head. "Kat, I miss you so much."
"I miss you, too," Elle whispered. "But you can keep grieving like this. You aren't going to remember this visit, Tommy." With that, she placed her sunglasses on and removed her neuralyzer. Bright light flashed from the small unit in her hand. She removed her glasses and looked at Tommy. His immediate memory had been wiped and was ready to be replaced. "Tommy, Katherine is very happy. You realized tonight that all she wants is for you to be happy as well. You also realize that despite the deep love you felt for her, you are still in love with Kimberly. Call her tonight. She'll be happy to hear from you, and you'll arrange to see each other, also tonight. If tonight goes how I hope it does, it'll be a night you won't soon forget. Now go take a shower, shave, and clean yourself up real good. Get a good meal in your belly, and in fifteen minutes call Kimberly. But most importantly, remember that Katherine wants you and Kimberly back together. Never feel like you are betraying her or her memory. And look into getting a haircut."
Tommy smiled at the picture in his hands. "I hope you don't mind me doing this, Katherine," Tommy said. He reached for the phone, and then paused. "A date? Am I ready to start dating again?" With a smile, his hand left the receiver and traveled up to his face. "I need to shave. And shower. And I actually am a bit hungry." He made a mental note to call Kimberly after his shower.
Kimberly Hart was walking to her car with an armload of books. She was beginning to seriously rethink the possibility of Pre-Medicine. Chemistry Lab was about to kill her. "I wish Billy was still around," she said. "He could explain this to me."
"What's your major?" a familiar voice asked.
"Who said that?" Kimberly asked, looking around her. Lab had let out later than planned, and she was forced to walk to her car, alone, after dark.
"I did." Elle stepped out of the shadows, revealing herself to Kimberly. "What's your major?"
"Katherine?"
"It's me," Elle said. "I'm dead, so don't come any closer, and I'm in a hurry too. So, I've got four quick questions for you."
"You're dead?"
"Question one, what's your major?"
"Not declared yet, but I'm doing Pre-Medicine. You can't be dead."
"Question two, do you have classes tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow is Saturday." Kimberly attempted to step closer, but Elle took a step back and put her hands up.
"Three, do you have your own apartment?"
"Yeah, my mom's paying my rent. Katherine, please, what's going on? You're scaring me."
The two girls were both slowly walking around the parking lot; Kimberly was trying to catch up to her supposedly dead friend while Elle was doing her best to keep it from happening. "And four, do you still love Tommy?"
That stopped Kimberly dead in her tracks. "Tommy?" Kimberly asked. Blushing slightly, she pulled her books closer to her chest and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "Of course I do."
"Why did you two break up?" Elle asked. "I have to know."
"Because of you," Kimberly admitted. "I knew he was attracted to you, and I didn't want to keep him tied down. You are so much better than I am. You're poised, and elegant…"
Elle approached Kimberly and hugged her. "I wish you could remember this," Elle said. In a bright flash of light, Kimberly's memory was wiped. The teen stood before Elle, unmoving and blank-eyed. "You have accepted that Katherine is dead. First off, Katherine is very proud of you for wanting to become a doctor and you can sense this for some reason. No matter how hard it gets, you will stick with it, even if it takes you ten years. You will become a doctor. Also, in exactly ten minutes, Tommy is going to call you. As soon as you hear his voice, you will realize that you are as deeply in love with Tommy as you ever were, and you'll suspect that he loves you as well, which he does. You are going to invite him over to your apartment, you'll talk for several hours. You will decide to be a couple again, if you both want to. And whatever you do, don't feel like you are betraying Katherine by going out with Tommy. You know that she gives you both her utmost permission. And talk him into getting a haircut. He'd look good with short hair."
"Hello?"
"Kim?"
"Tommy?"
"Yeah, it's me."
Silence followed, and then Kimberly said, "How have you been?"
"Okay, I guess. You?"
"Good. Uhm, would you like to come over tonight, or something?"
"Yeah, I'd like that. Want me to bring anything over?"
"If you want," Kimberly said. "You could stop and rent us a movie."
"Okay," Tommy agreed. "That'll be good."
Kimberly laughed and said, "Yeah. Have you had anything to eat yet?"
"Not yet."
"Well, get everything you need together, and be here in about an hour. I'll have a good meal waiting for you."
"That sounds nice."
"See you then?"
"Yeah. See you then."
Elle stared intently at the monitor before her. A smile crossed her face as Tommy stepped up to the door of Kimberly's apartment. "What are you doing?" Jay asked as he approached her. She immediately shut the monitor off and spun around.
"Nothing," Elle lied.
"Wanna go on a more complex tour of the compound?" Jay asked.
"That'd be nice," Elle said. "Let's go."
"And that's the whole place," Jay said.
"Amazing," Elle sighed. "All of Los Angeles doesn't even know we're under here."
"Not a clue," Jay remarked. "It's amazing, really." He paused and said, "Elle? Is something bothering you?"
"Truthfully," she began, "yeah. There is. Tommy and Kimberly are getting back together."
"It's a little soon, isn't it?" Jay asked. "Kat's only been dead for about a week and a half."
"That's not why I'm upset," Elle said. "I just…"
"You feel slighted?"
"Something like that."
"I'm very sorry," Jay said, slipping an arm around her shoulders.
Elle sighed heavily and leaned against his body. "Don't be," Elle whispered. "I'm happy for them, really I am. It's just bothering me more than it should."
"The finality of it all hasn't set in yet, right?"
"That too," Elle agreed. "To think that this is my home for the rest of my life. Even though I'm not dead, I am dead. I'm dead."
"In another week, I'll be doubly dead, too," Jay told her. "That's when Cestria is coming back to tell them that Billy has passed away."
"Even though it isn't possible, I just want things back the way they were," Elle sighed. A tear trickled down her cheek before she could brush it away. "I want my parents back, and my sisters, and Tommy…"
Jay pulled Elle closer and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "I know," Jay said. "I know how you feel."
"How did you get over your parent's death?"
"It took time. It just took a lot of time."
Jay made no attempt to pry Elle from his arms. He merely held her as long as she needed to be held.
"Does it really get easier?" Katherine asked. The two were sitting on her bed. They had made it to her apartment before Katherine broke down in tears. Billy guided her to her bed and merely held her tightly as she cried into his chest.
"It really does," Billy promised. "It does. You at least have just good memories of your old life."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Things changed so much after Zeo," Billy sighed. "Not only was I not a Ranger, I wasn't even part of the gang anymore."
"Billy, that's not true," Katherine chided.
"It is true. Tommy stopped talking to me, unless it was specifically about the Rangers. You, Adam, and Rocky talked to me, and Tanya some, but … I never saw any of you without Tommy, and since it seemed like he was going out of his way to keep me from becoming a part of the group, I just… dropped out of sight. That's why it was so easy for me to join the MiB."
"You think we abandoned you?" His silence was answer enough. "Billy, we never once intended to…"
"Don't worry about, Kat," Bil