Kat's eyes wander to the profile of the individual that now held her painfully tight against her will… it was Ichthior. She gasped in new found terror, she knew he was insane and could easily kill her and not thing twice about it.

"Ah, I see you recognize me" he chuckled at her fear… she couldn't fight him in fear of the power of his Ocean Saber, but she had to alert Cruger to her need for help. One solitary tear made it's way down her face as she fought slightly.

"Calm down Dr. Manx, I'm not hear for you… your just bait for my trap, I'm after Doggie" Ichthior said

She wondered to herself how he would get out of the base with her as someone announced that a prisoner had escaped.

Cruger found out that Ichthior had escaped and as everyone was scrambling to find him, Cruger headed for Kat's lab, knowing that Ichthior would go straight for her.

'Don't worry, Kat, I will protect you, my love' Cruger thought as he approached her lab and realized that was where Ichthior went, he morphed, drew the Shadow Saber and entered to see Ichthior standing with the Ocean Saber to Kat's throat.

"Doggie, I see you knew where I'd come" Ichthior sneered

Kat's eyes were filled with terror and Cruger understood why, Ichthior was holding the, fully empowered, Ocean Saber to her throat.

Cruger had the Shadow Saber powered up, although it was of little use to him now, as he was unwilling to strike at Ichthior as he used Kat as a live shield

Kathleen came in with her Thunder saber powered up and ready to go, the biggest difference between the Thunder Saber and the Shadow and Ocean Sabers was the shape and length of the blade… the thunder saber was more like a katana than a saber, it possessed a curved blade unlike the straight blades of it's two counterparts.

Ichthior slashed Kat's arm, more like just her right sleeve in a controlled strike that only cut the fabric of her sleeve, leaving not a single mark on her skin.

Her eyes squeezed shut, and she almost flinched at what had occurred, she knew that he could have just as easily cut off her arm as he cut her sleeve, but he had chose just to put a slit the fabric of her blouse.

"Let her go, Ichthior!" Cruger commanded

"Or what, you'll kill me?" Ichthior taunted

Bridge had been in the back corridor with Boom in another lab when the alert came out, he saw Ichthior come in and grab Kat and he now waited, Deltamax striker ready to take out Ichthior at Cruger's signal. Cruger saw Bridge standing behind Ichthior, but his shot wasn't good enough. Then Jack came out and whispered to Bridge.

Bridge put his striker away and Jack pulled one delta blaster out, but that was all he would need. He went around to the side to get a clear shot and Ichthior's right wrist; he would blast the sword out of Ichthior's hand, literally.

Cruger gave Jack a signal to fire at will by changing the position of his Shadow Saber.

Jack's shot hit just right and the Ocean Saber hit the floor with a clank and Ichthior backed away from Kat in shock.

Kat took out running to Cruger who caught her lovingly.

"Don't worry Kat, he won't hurt you" Cruger whispered to her "I'll make sure of it".

After recapturing Ichthior and randomizing the codes necessary to free a convict from a containment card. Cruger went to tend to Kat's frazzled emotion condition.

"Kat, I'm sorry about what happened today," he whispered as he held her.

"It wasn't your fault, Doggie, these are the risks that come with my job…" Kat said

"Yes, and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to leave after this" he said

"Leave?" Kat scoffed, "no, Doggie, this is my home, and I wouldn't dream of leaving, it would be even more dangerous after all the time I've spent here, and besides I love you too much to leave you"

Cruger smiled at those words, he knew it was the truth, and he loved her just as much.

"I love you too, Kat," he said softly

The rangers were all arriving to find that everything was okay, Cruger and Jack had stopped Ichthior and Kat was fine.

"Aw… look at that!" Syd said as she noticed how Cruger held Kat in his arms

Z smiled and felt Bridge's gloved hand brush against her own… Sky grabbed his wife, Kathleen's hand lovingly and Alex made eye contact with Sydney. Then the rangers left to give the commander time alone with the one he cared about, Kat.

"Kat, this should have never happened, and I will go to great lengths to see that it doesn't… no one deserves to go through the terror he just put you through" Cruger said

Kat said nothing, he had a point, she wouldn't wish that level of horror on Gruumm, or would she for all he put her through? She wasn't sure, but she knew that you average person didn't deserve to have their lives threatened in that manner. She swore she saw part of her life flash before her eyes as Ichthior held that blade pressed to her throat and it made her realize something that she hadn't wanted to admit, she had fallen, head over heals for the commander! Then again, having your life threatened as a tendency to do that to a person!

She found that she always felt safe when she was near Cruger; he had a way of making her feel secure. Was it because he was powerful? Or just because he was powerfully protective of her? Those questions had no answers, but then she finally told herself to forget it, some questions are meant to remain unanswered, they weren't worth stressing over. She should just be happy she was alive and with him.

Cruger smiled as he heard Kat begin to purr for no apparent reason, he realized what that meant and knew that there may not be a lot that they understood, but love was something, while not truly meant to be understood, it was still meant for all to enjoy.

The End

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