Author's interlude:

Lawainee - need I tell something about her?
Gidget - presumably Gadget's far relative, but still resembles her. Has a sense of fashion and tends wear dresses. Was shown once into RR coloring and reading book.

Author bows and escapes.

Both mice growl.
Lawainee: "If it were not for your foolish idea..."

Gidget: "I didnt think about him holding to the contract as much. At least it pays well enough, and we don't need to do much of anything--just sit and drop wisecracks."

Lawainee frowns: "Dont remind me of the last time."

Gidget: "Hey! Public liked us."

Lawainee: "One person isn’t called public."

Gidget: "There were two." After some silence: "At least. The Author, and the other Writer."

Gidget leads Lawainee down to the third row of chairs, chooses clean chairs close to middle and sits down.
Gidget: (turning back) "Hello, cameramice! We are ready!"

Lawainee: "What are we watching today?"

Gidget: "Some time travel stuff by Karen Mollet."

Lawainee: "A science fiction... I hate these things about lasers, beams and other things out of my comprehesion."

Gidget (silently): "It shows."
Room slowly becomes darker, and screen lights up. On it start flash titres

> A Hitch in Time

Lawainee: "A hitch as in stopping the car on road?"

Gidget: "At least let the titles roll before criticizing."

Lawainee: "Okay."

> Scene 1 : Gadget's workshop
> Gadget is busy tightening bolts, connecting wires, and examining various switches. The boys come in as she is finishing some adjustments.

> Gadget: Oh, good. You're all here. Let me show you my latest invention.
> The boys are gathered around Gadget as she explains her latest invention.

Lawainee demonstratively yawns. Gidget rolls her eyes at Lawainee.

> Gadget: With this generator, we won't need to tap into the power lines.

> Monterey: That's nice, luv, but is it safe?

> Gadget: Certainly! Allow me to demonstrate...

Lawainee: "Why don’t I believe her?"

> Gadget flips a switch that protrudes from a conglomeration of metal parts. The generator hums to life. Strange, glowing specks emanate from it.

> Gadget: Hmm. It isn't supposed to do that...

> Chip: SHUT IT OFF!!!

> Too late. Camera shot switches to outside RRHQ. A huge explosion rocks the tree. A wild lightshow and weird >special effects follow.

Lawainee: "Another two hundred million 'Titanic'?"

Gidget: "Nope. It was done on time, and without too much expense, not to point at some others..."

Lawainee: "Don’t remind me! That lazy guy left me with my hand in a cast for another few months!"

> Scene 2: near an airstrip.
> The Rangers regain their senses near an old airport. {Is this better, Aivars?}

Lawainee doubletakes, when the subtitres appear.

Gidget: "In your place, I would start to carefully think what I will say."

Lawainee: "I guess you are right."

> SFX: aircraft taking off in the distance.

Gidget: "Well, she really can create nice SFX."

> Gadget: Is everyone alright?

> Dale takes a quick inventory of his extremities.
> Dale: I'm still in one piece. Feel kinda weird, though.

Lawainee: "If you can feel anything at all, after striken by lightning, you are very happy."

Gidget: "Well, technically speaking, it was some side effects of the chrono-temporal balance responding to the unbalanced continium of the time-space in that position of continium..."

Lawainee (silently): "She really is Gadget's cousin. No one else can do such a technobabble..."

> Chip: Ooooogh, I don't feel so good.
> Chip, dizzy, tries to rise to his feet and succeeds--just barely.

> Monterey: Nothin's broken. Crikey! How'd we get here?!?

> Gadget looks around and gets a shocked expression on her face. She recognizes her former home, in spite of the >additions to it. Someone had made more levels, by adding more discarded 'plane parts, and an elevator. A sign >proclaimed the whole thing as the "Hackwrench Institute".

Lawainee sighs.

Gidget: "What's wrong?"

Lawainee: "Why is it -her- that always get the glory?"

Gidget: "Do you really want me to explain?"

Lawainee: "NO!"

> The boys see this, too. They look at Gadget with puzzled expressions on their faces, but she's too stunned to react. Finally, she finds her voice.

> Gadget: Golly! What's going on here?

> A mouse walks past them, oblivious to their presence. Monterey Jack follows and taps the mouse on the shoulder.

Lawainee: "Oblivious... Seems more like ignoring them as something every-day."

Gidget: "Agreed. If it's 'HackWrench institute', then it should had to have some of RR group pics somewhere in an honour hall or something."

Lawainee: "Not necessarily. We don’t know if Gadget didn’t drop out from RR. If she did, she may have removed all the RR references."

> Monterey: 'scuse me, mate. Could ya tell me 'ow long all this has been 'ere?
> The mouse turns around, smiling. She looks like Gadget, except she has brown eyes and slightly darker fur.

Gidget: "I wish I had chance to meet my grandchildren."

Lawainee: "If you continue in such a rate, you will not get the chance to -have- some."

> Girl: The Hackwrench Institute? It was founded about 45 years ago by Gadget Hackwrench. Gran says I'm related to her.

> Monterey: Whuh?!? Crikey!

> The other Rangers just came up and overheard this.

> All 'Rangers (except Monty): What?!?

> Girl: Yeah. I'm Grace Gigabyte.

 Lawainee sneers.

Gidget turns to her.
Gidget: "What’s wrong?"

Lawainee: "Another techno-name."

Gidget: "As if your name is better? No two people spell it the same way."

Lawainee: "It’s my name, I’m spelling it my way. And others can go to..."
Gidget laughs, cutting off the end of the Lawainee's sentence.

> She shakes paws with Monty.
> Grace: It's been nice talking to you, Mister--er,um...

> Monterey: Monterey...

> He stops himself, realizing that his name might be recognized.

Lawainee: "Really? Then it’s first time that he is showing such caution."

Gidget: "Well, it’s a very wise thing."

Lawainee: "My point. They always spit out their names without any second thoughts."

Gidget thinks.
Gidget: "Hmm, I can’t remember any episodes pro, but I don’t remember any eps contra, too. Let it be your option; I’ll pass."

> Grace: ...Mr. Monterey. Saaaay, you aren't the new Marketing instructor, are ya?

Lawainee grins.
Lawainee: "Bet it was said with a suave, Scarlett O'Hare impersonated voice..."

Gidget sighs.
Gidget: "Too bad the voice modulations are lost..."

> Monterey: Um, no.

> Grace: Well, if you have any more questions, go inside and ask the computer. It's voice activated. I have to go to >class; bye!

> Grace walks to the elevator, turns around, and notices Gadget.

Lawainee: "She would be half-blind, if she missed my sister."

Gidget: "Well, Monty ran after her to ask questions."

Lawainee: "Anyway, she had to notice the group, too."

> Grace: Widget! Hurry up! Dr. Sam's Chemistry class starts in 5 minutes, cuz! You've missed two classes already and you need that course for your engineering degree!

> The elevator goes up with Grace on it.

> Dale: Widget?

> Chip: Voice activated computer??

> Monty: Related?!?

> Gadget: What the gosh, darn *heck* is going on? If this "institute" has been here for 45 years, that can only >mean--*gasp* We've traveled forward through time! But how did I get the generator to generate Chroniton particles?

 Lawainee: "Technobabble. Besides, if she created it by chance, as the sideeffect of the cheap energy source, how does she know WHAT she created and how it’s used?"

> They get on the elevator.

> Monterey: Beats me, luv. Maybe we should ask the computer, like Gracie suggested.

> The elevator stops, the doors open, and they file out.

> Computer (in a mechanical voice that sounds like an older version of Gadget): Welcome to the Hackwrench Institute.

Lawainee: "Into the corridor? Into room? Or into outside?"

Gidget: "Considering computer systems to be easily-breakable, I vote for inside-- more hidden from any unnecessery human attention."

> Information flashes briefly on a display screen. Chip caught a glimpse and read "Identity verified. Loading special subroutine..."

> Gadget: Golly! This computer sounds a lot like me!

> Computer: Good. I'm supposed to, Gadget. They programmed me with your voice and personality.

> Dale: They? Who's "they"?

> Computer: The Advanced Computer Science Projects division.

> Gadget (mumbling): I wonder how I got my generator to generate Chronition particles...

> Computer: Recall the modifications you made when you opted for the vertaron capacitor.

> The vertaron flow was still off by 2 dynes after you calibrated it.

Gidget: "The extra CR/LF should be removed - its still the computer talking with Gadget."

> Gadget: So I swapped resistors and added another capacitor...

> Computer: but when you swapped resistors, you put them in parallel by mistake...

> Gadget: ...instead of in series! So, the flow was thrown off even more!

Lawainee: "Series, parallel... What's the difference?"

Gidget: "Sorry, our time is too short to teach the basics of circuits. Didn’t you get the class on physics?"

Lawainee: "Where? I grew up in a grass-hut village, and my only teacher was life itself."
Lawainee mumbles something about unfair advantages by someone.
Gidget falls silent.

> Monterey: Um, that's nice, luv. But how do we get back to where we belong?

> Dale: Don'tcha mean "when" we belong?

Lawainee: Dale's wisecracking again."

> Chip: And who's Widget?

> Computer: There is only one student named Widget enrolled here. Widget Bernouli. Major: Mechanical >Engineering. Minor: Mathematics. Classification: Freshman. She looks a lot like you, Gadget. It must be those >Hackwrench genes.

Lawainee: "Another technobabble name."

Gidget: "After Geegaw and Gadget, it’s the perfect continuing."

Lawainee: "Well, I should thank my mom for choosing a non-techno name for me then."

> A winking, 3-D smiley-face appears on one of the displays.

> {Okay, so ACSP hasn't fixed all the bugs in the personality profile program }

> Computer: The Provost will tell you all you need to know about the Chronal Transporter.

> Dale: The what?!?

> Zipper buzzes and shrugs.

> Gadget: Golly! A time-machine!

> A panel in the wall opens and a metallic orb floats out. The orb extends an antenna and floats in the air, a few >inches from Gadget.

Gidget: "They have discovered anti-gravity!"

Lawainee: "What’s so cool?"

Gidget: "Don’t you understand?"

Lawainee shakes her head.

Gidget: "It’s the open road to stars!"

Lawainee: "Let’s stay down on the Earth."

> Computer: This beacon will guide you to her office when you're ready. Anything else?

> Chip: Uh, no. Thanks

> The Rescue Rangers walk away. The orb flies in front of them.

> Computer: You're welcome, Chip.

> Scene 3: Dr. Sam's Chemistry Class

> Grace enters the classroom. While she is sitting down, she notices something and looks toward the camera, surprised.

> Grace: Widget? But how did you get here before me?

> Camera backs away and shows a young mouse girl who looks like Gadget. She is dressed in a white t-shirt and >purple overalls. She has a pair of greenish, transparent goggles {the kind we wore in MY chemistry class ;) } >perched on her head. She is also wearing odd-looking bracelets.

Lawainee: "Hmm. It is hard to switch from the describing story to the camere-action one."

Gidget: "Traditional script-writing."

> Widget: C'mon, Grace; there's no need to make such a big deal about me beating you to class for a change.

> Grace: But I saw you just coming on campus when I was on the main elevator!

> Widget: No way! I was at my locker a few minutes ago, getting my goggles.

> She points to the greenish goggles upon her head.

> Grace: What? I could have sworn it was -you- standing next to Mr. Monterey when I got on the elevator.

Gidget: "Smart girl to remember the name from first time..."

Lawainee: "Agreed. Good ol' Monty doesn’t seem to be, to me, the example of Mr. Universe. Of course, having in the gene pool the 'mindbashing high IQ’ may help."

Gidget (silently): "Someone had not been home when it got dealt over..."

> Widget: Did you forget to turn on the hood yesterday when you were mixing those compounds?

> And who the -heck- is Mr. Monterey?

> Grace: You know; big, brown mouse--a new guy. He's older, kinda chubby, had a mustache.

> Widget: Are you sure it wasn't my mom?

Lawainee: "I had an sudden thought. What if some of them are my descendants?"

Gidget: "You wish. Heh!"

> Grace: No way! Your mom doesn't look -that- young. It -had- to be you. Who -else- looks anything like >you--besides me?

Lawainee: "Me."

Gidget: "We both, if to be correct."

> Widget: Well, there's my mom, my grandma, my great grandma Gadget...

Lawainee: "And of course, great-grandma's sister is left out."
Lawainee sighs.

Gidget: "Well, they can’t mention all relatives up to the Great Flooding..."

> Grace (irritated): That's -not- what I meant.

> Widget: But that's what you -said-.

> SFX: footsteps in the hallway

> Widget: Hush now. Doc Sam's coming.

> Scene 4: The Provost's Office

> The orb leads them through several corridors and stops in front of a door marked "Alicia H. Fireshear, Provost".

Lawainee: "Well, maybe at last we will get some explanations going? That seems to be the local authority."

Gidget: "Right."

> Monty looks at the door.

> Monterey: What now? Do we knock?

> The door slides open.

> Woman's Voice: Come in. I've been expecting you.

Lawainee: "How did she know?!"

Gidget: "Bet the computer warned her."

> As they enter the office, they see an elderly mouse seated behind a large desk. Their attention goes immediately to the pictures on the wall behind her. The largest one is a group shot of the Rescue Rangers. A slightly smaller picture beneath it depicts another group. The two squirrels appear to be older versions of Tammy and Bink. The brown bat to their left sorta looks like Foxglove. The mouse girl looks like Grace, right down to the brown eyes; the male chipmunk to her right looks a lot like Chip--except he has blue eyes.

Lawainee: "Stop the picture! Stop it!"

Gidget: "What’s wrong?"

Lawainee: "Hey! Techs! Turn it back a few cadres! NOW!"

Gidget: "Calm down!"

Lawainee: "How can you skip it? It’s the key!"

Gidget: "Well, at least there is an RR reference. You were wrong that Gadget dropped the Rangers."

Lawainee: "Not THAT pic! I want the close up on the second one!"

Author's voice: "Impossible. There isn’t a close-up option."

Lawainee scowls.

Author's voice: "Techs, resume preview!"

Lawainee: "He takes all the fun out of it! The mouse, she had been so like us... And the chipmunk with blue eyes..."

> Woman's Voice: I'm Alicia Fireshear.

> She notices the Rescue Rangers' interest in the photos.

> Alicia: Those were interesting times. And speaking of time, you've been displaced from yours--courtesy of one of 
>Gadget's inventions. Of course, you may have already figured this out.

> Dale: Yeah, but how did -you- know?

> Chip bonks him on the head.

Lawainee: "Well, he at last earned one."

> Chip: This is the -future-, dummy.

> Alicia: Actually, from your standpoint this is a possible future. From -my- standpoint, it is the present. As you can see, it's all relative--not to mention confusing. The journal warned me about all this, but I never expected it to be so, um, disconcerting..

Lawainee: "That’s why I never read sci-fi with time travel -- they all seem unbelievable, or the problems seem sucked out from a finger."

Gidget: "Any examples?"

Lawainee: "Please! What if I got my hands on the TT machine and stopped Geegaw from dumping my mom? It will erase Gadget completely, while maybe creating a few brothers and sisters. Who is to stop me?"

Gidget: "Gadget, of course."

Lawainee: "But if I do it before she knows? She is never to be and so can’t stop me!"

Gidget: "Lawainee, dear, I’d liked to continue this TT debate, but it’s not our point at the moment. Let’s go back to the film."

> Monty: Crikey! It was bad enough with Gadget explaining stuff!

Lawainee: "A bit more average-mouse level explanations may be welcomed."

> Alicia: *laughs* Tammy always claimed that I was worse.

> All Rangers: Huh?

> Chip: You -know- Tammy?

> Alicia: Of course. We were both in the Rescue Ranger Reserves. (She turns in her chair and points to the mouse >girl who is next to Bink in the picture) That was me--50 years ago. Well, 50 years ago from -my- standpoint.

> Gadget: You said something about a journal...

> Alicia: I did?

> The Rescue Rangers look at each other and nod.

> Gadget: We're pretty certain that you did.

Gidget: "See one of the TT stuff in the action. You can’t see the future actions of yourselves, at least not down to the slightest details."

> Alicia: That was how I knew you all were coming, or had come here. You wrote, or will write, the details concerning this, um, incident in your journal, Gadget. Including things you need to know and topics that should be avoided. I shall escort you all to the chronal transporter now. We can talk some more on the way.

> Alicia rises from her chair and steps around her desk. Her right leg is mechanical. Gadget looks at her, sympathetic and fascinated at the same time. The others appear surprised.

 Gidget gasps.

> Dale: Gosh! What happened to your leg?

Gidget: "I want to know, too!"

Lawainee: "I think that Fat Cat or his next-of-kin had his paw in this. Rangers had lived safely for too long."

 > Alicia (moving toward the door): It's the main reason I quit the 'Rangers and starting working here. I…I'd rather not discuss it. Come; follow me.

Lawainee sighs.
Lawainee: "I hope that author writes a sequel to this."

Gidget smirks.
Gidget: "No more 'I dont like sci-fi'?"

> Scene 5:  Dr. Sam's Chemistry Class

> Widget is putting away mouse-sized test tubes and other pieces of equipment. Grace is writing something.

> Widget: Are you finished with the lab report?

> Grace writes some more and then stops.
> Grace: I have just completed it.

> Widget: Great! Now we can turn it in and get out of class early!

> Grace (teasing): Is my company -that- boring? And here I thought you might want to -add- to this assignment.

Lawainee: "Was there a joke here? I don’t get it."

Gidget: "It seems. Something to have with you not going to school, I guess."

> Widget (rolls her eyes): Don't be absurd, Grace.

> Grace (grinning): But I'm soooo good at it.

> Widget (smiling): Darn straight!

> Grace puts the report in a tray on Dr. Sam's desk. Widget goes out the door, carrying a bookbag. Grace follows her. Widget stops suddenly and Grace nearly runs into her.

> Grace: What's the big idea?

> Widget: Hmm. This is strange.

> Grace looks in the direction Widget is looking. They see Alicia walking down the hall. The Rescue Rangers are >following her.

Lawainee: "How convenient..."

Gidget: "Well, but it’s a great plot-tightening effect. Why do you think, in soap operas, the main hero/heroine always enters the room when his girl/boy-friend is kissing his/her opponent?"

Lawainee: "Anyway, it’s a darn lucky coincedence."

> Grace: Hmm. Gran doesn't come over to the Science wing very often. And those people following her -- well, the big guy is Mr. Monterey…

> Widget: And that girl--no wonder you mistook her for me! The resemblance is uncanny!

> Grace: Follow them?

> Widget: Heck, yeah!

> The girls follow the group discreetly.

Lawainee: "Cliff-hanger."

Gidget: "Well, at least the author didnt leave them dangling over a bottomless pit, tied up by a burning rope."

> End of Part One

Lawainee: "Part one?"

Gidget: "Well, expect us to return soon with the next parts of the ‘Hitch in time’ reviews."

Lawainee: "Next PARTS?"

Gidget: "Yes."

Lawainee: "How many ARE there ?"

Gidget: "Well, 'Hitch' has three..."

Lawainee: "And I guess our contract says that parts aren’t the whole story?"

Gidget nods warily.

Lawainee: "And how many parts happen to be in the next story we will review?.."

Gidget jumps to feet, but Lawainee is faster and catches her before Gidget can run away.

Lawainee: "Dont push your luck, you little..."

Gidget: "Well... it varies from story to..."

Lawainee: "Don’t play jokes! What was to go on review after 'Hitch'?"

Gidget: "Well, the boss wanted 'Rhyme & Reason'..."

Lawainee is stunned, and Gidget uses this opportunity to twist free.

Lawainee: "That... that..."

Gidget: "But I talked him into the doing smaller pieces first, cousin!"

Lawainee (slowly, threateningly): "Does it, by chance, involve Mr. Nowak's 'Bridge' and 'Icarus'?"

Gidget (turning slightly paler): "No, no! Nothing THAT big! I was thinking, that maybe Michael Gibby's..."

Lawainee: "Okay. You live. This time."

Gidget sighs relief.

Gidget: "Well, so expect us to be back soon! Bye!"
Both mice leaves the cinema room. Lights wents off.