SPD 14- “Conversion”
“Ok how exactly are we going to do this?” I asked Bridget.
She sighed, “Not really sure yet. Rissa knew I was suspicious and she told me to tell her what I found out. She’ll probably be more receptive to this than Sage will.”
“Sage is your brother. He wouldn’t go against you…would he?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know how deep his SPD loyalties run.”
“Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?”
“Sammi, our family has protected the Earth from evil dating back to Grams. SPD is trying to impose martial law on Earth. How do you get more evil than that?”
“They do stop criminals.”
“So to civilian Rangers and they don’t set up shop in all of
Earth’s major cities and try to take over. Think about the
“When you put it that way, yes, I suppose I do. I know this could be really bad…I just…Commander Tate and they others have been good to me.”
“You never questioned the organization. Listen, I get it,
Uncle Sky is family.
Sammi sighed, “I know.”
“Speaking of close though…you and Jeremy…you two were coming back from a date when I cornered him weren’t you?”
She blushed, “Yes.”
“Wow…he’s so much older than us.”
“I know, but he’s the most amazing guy Bre. We had the best time…it was so perfect.”
“So are you two together?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I mean, I think so. We didn’t get a chance to fully clarify it before you ambushed him…but it seems that way.”
“Well congratulations. You know your mom will flip, right?”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll deal with that when we get home…if we get home. One thing at a time.”
“You’re scared SPD will come after us aren’t you?”
“Well aren’t you?”
“A little…but I trust Commander Jax to protect us.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Come on, we need to find Clarissa.”
“Um, can you find her? I’m late for a studio session.”
“A studio session? Sammi, you can’t be serious.”
“I still have an album to record.”
“We have to be united when we talk to Rissa.”
“OK, OK, fine! Come to the studio with me.”
“Hmm, ok. That could work.”
We went and found Clarissa.
“Hey Rissa, Sammi is going to the studio and said we could tag along and watch her record.” Bre said.
“Really? A real recording studio? Sounds exciting. Let’s go.” She said.
We arrived at the studio and Jasper was there waiting.
“You’re late.” He said.
“Sorry, sorry. Um, Jasper, these are my cousins Bridget and Clarissa. Guys this is Jasper.” I said.
“Nice to meet you. Sam, let’s move it.”
I nodded, “Have a seat guys. Jasper, I have song I’d like to record. I just wrote it but I think it’s pretty great.”
“OK, let’s hear it then. Into the sound booth my little siren.” He teased.
I giggled and went in the booth and started to sing the song I’d just written. It was called ‘Fearless’ and was about my first date with Jeremy:
There’s somethin’
about the way
The street looks when it’s just rained
There’s a glow on the pavement,
Walk me to the car.
And ya know I wanna ask you to dance right there
In the middle of the parking lot
Yeah, oh yeah
You’re driving down the road
I wonder if you know,
I’m trying so hard not to get caught up now
But you’re just so cool, run your hands through your hair
Absent mindedly making me want you
And I don’t know how it gets better
than this
You take my hand and drag me head first,
Fearless
And I don’t know why with you I'd dance
In the storm in my best dress,
Fearless
So baby drive slow
Until we run out of road
In this one horse town,
I wanna stay right here,
In this passenger seat, you put your eyes on me
In this moment here, capture it, remember it
Cause I don’t know how it gets better
than this
You take my hand and drag me head first,
Fearless
And I don’t know why with you I'd dance
In the storm in my best dress,
Fearless
Well you stood there with me in the
doorway
My hands shake, I’m not usually this way but
You pull me in and I’m a little more brave
It’s the first kiss, it’s flawless, really something,
It’s fearless ...
And I don’t know how it gets better
than this
You take my hand and drag me head first,
Fearless
And I don’t know why with you I'd dance
In the storm in my best dress,
Fearless
Yeah, I don’t know how
Oh, oh yeah, yeah
“How was it?” I asked when I finished.
Jasper just stared.
“That bad?”
“That good! My god! I think we have your first single my girl.”
“Really?!”
“Absolutely. That song is gold.”
I smiled, “Wow!”
“We need to add instrumentation. I want to get this one mixed and sent to radio ASAP. We’re gonna make you a star.”
“Oh my god…wow. That’s awesome Sammi!” Clarissa cried.
“That was a great song.” Bridget said.
I smiled, “Wow, I don’t believe it. This is amazing.”
“I have a band on their way. Let’s work out the instrumentation and finish this up today. We’ll worry about recording other songs later. I want to get this one to radio.” Jasper said.
I nodded.
The band arrived a few minutes later. They looked over the song and we worked out the bass and drum parts and recorded. It took a few takes to get it just right but we did. After we got it Jasper called it a day. He said he needed time to mix it and get it to the record label.
After we left the studio Bre and I took Clarissa to get something to eat.
“I’m so proud of you Sammi, you’re living your dream.” Clarissa said.
“I know. I don’t believe it…but we actually need to talk.” I said.
“Ok, so talk.”
“How loyal are you to SPD?” Bre asked.
“Very. Why?”
“Are you so loyal that you would continue to follow orders even if you found out SPD wasn’t what it seemed?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just answer the questioned. If it turned out SPD wasn’t the good guys would you still follow them?”
“I would have to know more about the situation before I answered that.”
I nodded, “Fair enough. Turns out SPD isn’t what we thought it was.”
“OK, I’m listening.” Clarissa said.
“SPD is a total-something regene.” Bre said.
I sighed, “She means totalitarian regime.”
“What? No…” Clarissa said.
“Yes. Haven’t you noticed that a lot of cadets over the years have gone missing or been in accidents?”
“Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does when you consider that most of the missing ones also publicly questioned the SPD organization.”
“So you don’t think SPD is about protecting the Earth?”
“I think it’s an ends to a mean. SPD
“You think SPD is out for world domination and to do so they are protecting the people of Earth?”
Bre nodded, “Exactly.”
“Sort of a ‘we’ll protect you so you owe us’ type thing.” I said.
“Wow. Is this what you were talking about before Bre?” Clarissa asked.
Bre nodded again, “Yeah, this is what I found out when I investigated.”
“You said you thought SPD London was hiding something. Was this it?”
“Sorta. They aren’t loyal to SPD. They’re forming a resistance to take out SPD before they can overthrow any more governments. We’ve joined them and we’re hoping you will as well.”
“Whoa, you want me to turn on SPD?”
“Rissa, SPD isn’t what we thought. Grams tried to warn me about SPD before I joined. She never liked it, now I know why.’ I said.
Clarissa looked deep in thought, “When we were home a few weeks ago Gramps warned me about getting too tied up in SPD affairs. He wanted me to leave the Academy…but turning on SPD means turning on my family…”
“Clarissa, have you talking to Uncle Dru about the reason he turned on SPD?” Bre asked.
“He said it was for money.”
“And why did he rejoin.”
“He had to because…he had to.” Clarissa said.
“Clarissa, what if Uncle Dru turned on SPD, not just because of money but because he felt it was no less evil than SPD itself. And how would anyone know if that were the reason? He didn’t get a trial. He was just contained, no questions asked.” I said.
“Oh my god…what if you’re right. I need to call my dad now.”
“Can we call home from here?” Bre asked.
“Of course…don’t want to use the Academy phone…but yes. Look, a phone box.” Clarissa said pointing.
Clarissa
~~~~~~
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. If Sammi was right then everything I ever thought about SPD was wrong. I needed the truth. I went in the phone box and dialed home. I knew it would be the middle of the night at home, but I didn’t care.
“Hello?” my dad finally answered groggily.
“Dad, I’m sorry to wake you but we really need to talk.” I said.
“Clarissa? Sweetie, is everything ok?”
“I don’t know.”
“What’s going on?”
“Dad, why did you turn on SPD way back when?”
“What? I’ve you before, it was because I was greedy and the money was tempting.”
“I know that, but was there more to it? Did you feel that SPD was just as evil as the Troobians?”
“Where is this coming from?”
“Dad, I need to know, did you start questioning SPD’s motives? Did that play a part in you turning on them?”
“You shouldn’t ask these questions.”
“Answer me. I know you came back to SPD because you had to for Kara. Is SPD corrupt?!” I cried.
“Yes sweetie. Yes. I was never the villain SPD liked to paint me to be. They wanted Earth just as much as the Troobians and I figured if I was going to help overtake a planet I may as well do it for the highest bidder. After my release from containment even my service to Alana was because she told me your mother had done horrible things to her people and had to be stopped. I didn’t do it out of contempt. The only thing I did that was vicious was kidnap Kara and that was blind obsession that drove that. But to answer your question, SPD is corrupt and the only reason I continue to work there is because Kara still loves SPD and I thought you did too. It would cause you both to question it if I left and people that question SPD disappear. That being said, stop questioning SPD. If you want to resign then do it, but don’t question their motives.”
“I know all I need to know Dad. Thank you for being honest. I love you.”
“I love you sweetie…and I’m serious. Do not question them.”
“Bye Daddy.”
I walked out of the phone box in disbelief. SPD was as corrupt as the aliens we stopped.
“So?” Bre asked.
“I’m with you. SPD has to be taken down.” I said.
“Awesome. Now we just need to convince Sage.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Will you help us?” Sammi asked.
I nodded, “Of course.”
We went back to the Academy and went to Sage and Dallas’s room and knocked.
“Enter.”
“Hey, Dal, can we talk to my bro alone for a bit?” Bre asked.
“Sure.”
“OK, what’s up?” Sage asked.
“SPD is corrupt and you have to help us take them down!” Bre cried.
“Way to be subtle Bre.” Sammi sighed.
“What are you talking about? We’re the good guys.” Sage said, clearly annoyed.
“No, we’re not. We’re really not! We’re helping a total-whatever re-something take over the world.” Bre said.
I sighed, “Bre, stop. She means totalitarian regime. Why is that term so hard for you?”
“What? You girls are nuts. SPD protects the world!” Sage said.
“No, it doesn’t. Think about it. The great thing about the
Sage paused, “Well…I guess I see your point, but…there’s a cost for protection.”
“That’s exactly what they want you to think! SPD protect the world so they own it? What kind of justice is that?!” Bre cried.
“If you think about it all Power Rangers have that much power. From the first team. We don’t hold trials for evil monsters and space aliens. In fact before SPD most of the time the Rangers killed them. SPD only contains them.”
“Yes, this is true…but the civilian Rangers never tried to outrank the government.” Sammi said.
“What are you saying? What do you want me to do?” Sage asked.
“Join the resistance.” Bre said.
“Resistance?”
“Yes. We’ve join up with a group dedicated to the fall of SPD.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Come on big brother…I know you joined SPD to do the right thing…making SPD fall is the right thing for everyone.”
“But what about Uncle Sky and Dallas…not to mention Uncle Dru and Kara.”
“Sage, my father is only involved with SPD out of necessity. He told me he knew a long time ago that SPD was corrupt and that was one of the reasons he turned on SPD. He felt the Troobians were no more evil than SPD itself.” I said.
“But…this doesn’t make any sense.” Sage sighed.
“It all makes sense. God…Sage! Stop being so blind and use your psychic ability. The auras are all around us! Andie tried to warn us. Gram and Gramps tried to warn Rissa and Bre. The warning signs were all around us, we just never listened before. This is the only thing that DOES make sense.” Bre said.
“Even if you’re right, we can’t betray SPD.” Sage said.
“You’re rather help them overthrow the world government?” Sammi asked.
“I…I just don’t believe SPD is what you claim.”
“Sage, we’re your family…we’d never make these claims unless the threat was substantial. Cadets have been vanishing for years that question SPD. Jeremy’s mother was killed by SPD.”
“Ah-ha! That’s it. Your boyfriend claimed SPD wronged his family so that’s where this is coming from.”
“First of all, Jeremy is a good man. Second of all, I am capable of forming my own thoughts and conclusions. So are Bre and Rissa. There is something to this.”
“There is. My dad backed it up Sage.” I said.
“Yeah, an SPD criminal.” Sage said.
“Sage, we’re telling the truth.” Sammi said.
“Truth? Not a chance.”
“Sage, stop. You have to help us.”
Sage shook his head, “The only thing I have to do is turn you traitors into Commander Tate.”