Confirmation & Confrontation
by Melanie Bisson

In a flash of black light, Adam teleported into the Command Center, wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a thin sheen of sweat, ntohing more. Alpha was still tucked into his recharging booth, and didn't notice the agitated young man.

WHY ARE YOU HERE AT THIS EARLY HOUR, ADAM? Zordon asked. Adam had always been an early riser, but this was the first time he'd ever come to the Command Center before six AM, especially in the state of dress, or undress, he was in!

"I need to get in touch with Dulcea, right away!" Adam insisted. Zordon was surprised, there was no emergency he knew of! Then something clicked in the ancient mentor's mind.

I AM OPENING A COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL NOW, he said, after a quick check of events in Adam's house the night before. He managed to keep the amusement from his voice, Adam was going to have a hard enough time with what was going on.

The young Black Ranger stared into the Viewing Globe as the ruins of the Ninjetti Temple became visible. He took a deep breath. He was about to talk to the most important woman in the universe to him, who was going to have his child.

Dulcea, Master Warrior of the planet Phaedos.

~*~
Dulcea sat in her quarters, staring almost mindlessly into space. This was most unusual; she was usually out and about, moving constantly, keeping watch over the Sacred Temple. But today, she just couldn't seem to keep her mind on anything but one thing.

Or should that be one person? Her thoughts returned endlessly to Adam, the Black Ranger of Earth. She remembered the look of sheer surprise in his eyes, as she had told him of the child that grew even now within her. His sweet face framed by glittering morning light had looked so startled... then she had been back on Phaedos.

She had been alone.

"Why can't we be together?" she didn't even realize she'd spoken aloud until the echoes returned her voice to her. She felt a strange wetness on her face, and automatically glanced up to see if the roof was leaking. It wasn't.

She was crying.

"Oh, Adam," she whispered to herself. "Oh, Adam, why do we have to be apart? I can't live on Earth, and you can't live on Phaedos!"

Dulcea touched her stomach lightly, and wondered for a moment what things were going to be like when the child was born. Few people visited the Temple grounds, and she couldn't really leave them. She sighed a little; this wasn't going to be easy.

I miss you so much, Adam. I love you so much. "Dulcea!" the voice broke into her thoughts so suddenly she thought she was dreaming. She glanced up to see his face in the communications screen she had in one corner of her small home. "Dulcea!"

"A... Adam?" she said softly, wonderingly. "Adam, is that you?"

~*~
Adam stared into the Viewing Globe, eyes drinking in the sight of the beautiful warrior woman who had so swiftly captured his love. "Dulcea!" he called out. "Dulcea!"

She looked up at him, a tear sparkling on her flawless bronzed cheek. "A... Adam?" her voice sounded so full of love and wonder it amazed him. "Adam, is that you?"

"It's me," he couldn't believe how swiftly and fully he'd fallen in love with her. Looking at her through the Viewing Globe wasn't enough. "Alpha, teleport me to her, right now!"

The little robot obeyed at once, and a few moments later she filled his arms with her warm, solid presence. "Adam," she whispered. "I wish I hadn't had to leave so soon. I wanted to spend forever with you; I still do!"

Adam caressed her forehead gently. "I want to be with you, to stay here with you. But I can't."

"I know," she nodded. "You have your responsibilities on Earth, as I have mine here on Phaedos."

"But we're going to be parents," he murmured. "I'm going to be a father."

Dulcea nodded. "Adam... have you told your fellow Rangers about us?" "No," he shook his head. "I like my privacy, especially about my private life."

She gazed up into his dark eyes lovingly, then found herself drawn into a passionate kiss. "You're going to have to, eventually," she told him. He nodded briefly, his hands going through her wild mass of hair.

"Eventually," he whispered as his lips brushed by her ear, enjoying the way she shivered in pleasure at the contact. "Have you ever noticed when we're together, we always seem to wind up making love?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "We've been together twice! But you're right."

Adam smiled, his hands caressing all those parts of her body he knew so intimately. "I don't mind. After all, if we didn't, then we wouldn't be going to be parents in... well... ," he paused for a moment. "How long is a pregnancy for you?"

She considered teasing him for a moment, then decided to save that for later. "Same as for an Earth-woman, nine months. In seven more months, we will be parents," she gasped in pleasure as he did something that felt particlarly nice. "All right," she giggled, moving swiftly and pinning him to the floor. "Now it's my turn!"

"Oh?" he smiled as she began to kiss him, starting at the lips and working her way down. As she encountered his clothing, she mock-frowned.

"Oh, my, this will simply not do!" she told him. "We're going to have to get ri--"

Before she could finish her sentence, Adam was already removing his clothes. Dulcea found herself laughing. "Oh, you are eager, aren't you?"

"With the most beatiful woman in the universe as my beloved, who wouldn't be?" he told her, hands reaching for her again. She smiled, resuming the kisses that had been so rudely interrupted by his attire. From his lips to his chest to his stomach to his swelling groin her lips and tongue danced, delicate as a butterfly, giving them both pleasure beyond belief.

"Adam," she whispered softly. He laid a finger on her lips and shook his head.

"No more words," he told her. "Not today. Earth will have to look after itself for a while. Today is for us."

She smiled gently and continued her exploration of his body, as he began one of hers. Lip to lip, hand to hand, breast to chest, leg to leg, heart to heart, joined in a love and passion that burst within them to a degree that made the hottest of volcanos seem as cold as the deepest snows.

~*~
"Has anyone seen Adam?" Rocky asked the next day. One by one the other Rangers shook their heads; he hadn't been seen since the day before it seemed!

"Oh, man," Kim groaned. "Do you think Rita and Zedd might have something to do with this?"

Tommy shrugged. "I don't know, but let's go find out!" before any of them could make another move, their communicators went off. As unobtruisively as they could, the five Rangers moved to a deserted part of the Youth Center. "What is it, Zordon?"

COME TO THE COMMAND CENTER AT ONCE, RANGERS, their mentor told them. ADAM HAS SOMETHING TO TELL YOU.

The Rangers looked at each other; confused and a trifle worried over their friend. Finally, Tommy said, "We're on the way, Zordon."

"I wonder what's up," Aisha mused as they prepared to teleport. Rocky shook his head.

"I guess we'll find out when we get there," he said. A moment later, they were all in the Command Center. Adam stood in front of the Viewing Globe, blocking their view of it.

"Adam?" Billy asked softly. "What's the matter?" He turned to them, smiling, and they caught a glimpse of Dulcea in the Globe behind him. "Guys, I've got some news for you."

End

E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net