Buck the Atomic Ranger - Chapter Three

Buck the Atomic Ranger

Chapter Three

By: Roger Alderman

In geosynchronous orbit high above the Earth, a glistening circular space station rotates against the great black void of space. Several spacecraft are docked with the massive medical facility know throughout know space as DOCTOR GOODFELLAH’S SPACE CLINIC. The single most advanced medical research and development facility with a prestigious past.

The halls of the massive research station are full of anxious families seeking help and staff. The staff, of the North American Hall, find themselves very busy today with more arrivals from the front lines of the ongoing war with the Titan separatist movement. Soldiers on environmentally sealed stretchers line the halls, as a result of this morning’s terrorist bombing of an Earth Military installation. 

The odor of burnt flesh and sweet metallic pungency of blood-soaked soldiers fills the nostrils of everyone in the halls. Both Janitors and maintenance robots work hard at the titanic task of cleaning the gore from the halls. The roar of suction device motors slurping and gulping at the thick trails of blood make hearing the announcements from the clinic’s overhead speakers near impossible.

Buck lays in his hospital bed with various medical devices beeping and chirping surrounding him. His eyes slowly open and exhales in discomfort, “Ugh… What the hell happened?” A doctor standing at the foot of the bed adjusts his eyeglasses and smiles, “Good you’re finally awake. I was starting to worry.”

Buck strains to sit up in his bed, “How did I get here?” The doctor moves to his bedside and records data from the medical devices, “You were critically injured and I was notified by the suit's computer. So, I sent a trauma unit to collect you.” Buck winces in pain, “you look familiar.” The doctor smiles, “I should I am the one who used to patch you and your dad up when things went sideways like usual.”

“He was the real Atomic Ranger,” Buck looks out the window at the great star-filled void. “Look, kid, even your dad had a hard time when he first started out,” Dr. Goodfellah interrupts. “Really?” Buck looks back to the doctor with a look of disbelief. “Don’t look so shocked. Unlike you his father passed away long before he could train him,” Dr. Goodfellah offers a disarming smile.

Buck still looks discouraged, “Lota good the training did.” Dr. Goodfellah shakes his head at Buck’s naivety. “You still don’t it get you’re trying to fight a war all alone,” Dr. Goodfellah explains to Buck, “Yes, your father was the greatest Atomic Ranger, but that’s because he finally realized he needed a good support team behind him.” Buck looks up from the floor in confusion, “I never remembered him working with a team?”

Goodfellah chuckles, “He very well couldn’t and shouldn’t have taken you with him on every adventure. There were several of us and when he called we came.” Buck glares at the floor, “I never knew. Who was part of the team and do you think they would be willing to help me?” Dr. Goodfellah nods at the remark, “Well, for starters there’s me. I can’t tell you how many times I put your old man back together. I am more than willing to do the same for you, but let’s start with that poison they keep using on the populace.”

“What about it?” Buck never looks up or makes eye contact. “We need to get a sample so I can reverse engineer a cure for usage, but that’s gonna take at least the Atomic Ranger,” Dr. Goodfellah gestures to a soldier pushed along on a stretcher past Buck’s open door. “But the jetpack and gear are damaged, and I don’t know how to fix it,” Buck shrugs. 

“That's were Stephanie comes in,” Dr. Goodfellah offers, as he hands Buck his uniform. “Stephanie? Who’s that? I know of Captain McIrish,” Buck sits on the side of his bed. “Do you really think your old man created all those gadgets by himself? Stephanie was his gadgeteer. She would build it and your dad would go break it,” Dr. Goodfellah smiles.

Buck slowly stands still stiff and injured. Dr. Goodfellah turns from Buck to allow him to don his costume once more, “You need to find Stephanie if you’re going to succeed in this war.” Buck groans as he fastens his armored jacket, “Where do I find her?” Dr. Goodfellah points to the stars, “Last I knew she was out in a small town on Mars out near Olympus Mons before the fighting started.”

Buck looks concerned, “how will she know me? I never met her.” Dr. Goodfellah smirks and explains, “We all got older she’s gotta be nearly eighty years old. She’s in the Olympus Mons retirement center. Remember your just not a soldier in that uniform you’re so much more, an idea, memory of a better day, and an embodiment of hope.”

“Here take this,” Dr. Goodfellah passes Buck two small glass vials. “What’s that?” Buck holds them up to the light and examines the glass vials. “Those are healing vials. The liquid inside speeds up your body’s recuperative ability. I have seen that stuff bring your dad back from death’s doorstep.” Buck opens a vial and raises it to his lips. Dr. Goodfellah stops Buck from drinking it, “Save it. Your wounds have already been treated. You’re just a little stiff.”

“Take a shuttle out to Olympus Mons and find Stephanie she’ll help out I’m sure of it,” Dr. Goodfellah gestures to the door. Buck understands and places his helmet on to conceal his identity. Buck turns back to the doctor, he smiles and motions for Buck to get going.

Buck races through the halls to the shuttle bay. Inside he quickly finds a Taxi Shuttle free for service and jumps inside. The large gruff man behind the helm controls turns to Buck and in a thick Bostonian accent, “Where to Mac?” “Olympus Mons retirement center and step on it!” Buck commands.

The taxi explodes out of the shuttle bay and streaks through the space between the near-Earth Clinic to Mars. “Don’t I know you?” the Cabbie asks. “Probably I’m The Atomic Ranger. Most of the people in this system have heard of me.” Buck boasts. “Nah, that’s not it,” the Cabbie shrugs. Buck flops back into his seat pouting a little to himself at the personal offense he took from the Cabbies words, “Just get me to the retirement center.”

 The Taxi lands outside the entrance to the Olympus Mons Retirement center. It is a massive one hundred and eighty story rectangular structure of stone and glass resembling the old Earth city hospitals of centuries past. The landscaping staff works diligently to keep everything looking very uniform and unassuming on the exterior of the building.

“Here ya go Mac,” the massive cabbie turns and offers the smile of a job well done. He extends his great oversized mitten of a hand to Buck, as he gnaws on his cigar. “Thanks here ya go,” Buck hands him a fist full of credits. “Thanks, Mister ya need me to wait?” a huge smile crosses the cabbies face as he clenches the cigar between the gum of a missing tooth and a tooth still remaining. “I can take it from her, but thanks,” Buck leaps from the Taxi and moves quickly inside.

The cabbie watches Buck enter the Retirement center and grins devilishly. He lists his mounted communicator and clicks the button to speak, “Yeah, you were right boss he never recognized me. He’s going into the Olympus Mons retirement center. Must be looking for Stephanie.” A voice crackles across the speaker in reply, “good try and stay close and keep me updated.” The cabbie nods, “no worries I got the little punk.”