Its bin a long time since I have been home five years give or take a month. From my vantage point I can see the beauty that was my home. The blue marble that's earth fought for by many won by none. Its beauty always captivated me but that's before the war. Now it looks more like a slum a backwater a place where civilised beings never go, the wrong side of the tracks. The war my fore year nightmare my dark haunting dream. That I subjected myself to too forget a woman who broke my heart. It's always hard trying to forget your first love but harder I think for me. She was and still is my one true soul mate the other half of my soul. My pink crane the light in my darkness.
When I left I put this place behind me, my forgotten home a constant reminder of my pain. Only Jason my battle brother kept in contact with me through short video communications Alfa set up for us. I tried my dammed hardest to forget this place. Until about two months ago I had succeeded the forgotten son forgets his home. But something happened something unexpected I felt a pull on my powers not just one but two of my powers. Witch seemed odd because I still have both coins of the green dragon and the white thunder tiger but I distinctly felt their power. So here I am returning to my home I honestly have no other place to go although it is a little earlier than expected. In all honesty I got tired of the constant battles the continues uphill struggle that my rank had become.
I didn't realise at the time the shear amount of paperwork that came with the captain commander rank. That teamed with copious amounts of red tape secured my early retirement form the Eltarian elite guard even if it was by only a month. Giving me the unenviable task of taking over as captain commander of all earth sector rangers. Whilst off world I trained every day and meditated I did this to keep me focused. My social life took a hit but I have had more women than I care to mention. The only time I felt content was with her. This brings me back to my powers.
There is only one way this type of draining can happen but its imposable I would have known at least I think I would its all very confusing.
I find myself once more looking out on my planet. Despite what I said it still captivates me even after the war I find myself staring in awe and appreciation as I draw closer to it I can feel something strange something I haven't felt in five years.
(1997 command centre/power chamber)
I force a smile as I am reluctantly removed from my command as red lightning turbo ranger. The others leave to celebrate their graduation going on one last adventure. Kat looks lovingly at me as I wave to her she teleports out with the others. She doesn't see that she is anything but a replacement for my only light my true crane. I turn to face Zordon and I let my face fall back into the emotionless cold looking face I always had since the thrice-dammed letter was delivered to me at the youth centre.
"Tommy its time" he says in his booming almost godlike voice. I nod and materialize my zeonizers. I clamp the two pieces together
"Zeo ranger five red" the morphing sequence finishes leaving me in my red Zeo uniform but this time it's different thanks to my falcon power I now have the same augments that the gold ranger has. A gold chest plate with both knee and elbow bracers in gold the emblem on the chest plat centrepiece is that of a soaring falcon. "So I have my marching orders then" he nodded or as close as a disembodied head can as we made our way to the ship I felt a strange pull at my heart but ignored it.
As we left earth orbit I felt a pull at my heart again and what sounded like a birds call, as we entered hyper space I felt pain beyond what I felt before I knew it was her my crane. Who broke my heart and made me cold to all but a few but in spite of it all I still loved her. But to protect her I had to become red zeo ranger 5 again although my true power came from my falcon spirit and the red power I had to use became painful but with the new augments there is no pain.
(Present)
I remember Jason's reaction when he got my first video message through Alfa's link
(Jason's flat angel grove California)
Jason Lee Scott the original leader and first red ranger on earth and second gold ranger was sleeping on his couch haven fallen asleep watching a horror movie marathon, this was his first day off in three weeks of Collage and he intended to kick back and relax.
He had been asleep for about nine hours and was snoring loudly when a familiar series of beep sounded in his room.
Beep, beep, beepbeep, beep, beep he was immediately awake and grabbed his wrist communicator the beeps were getting louder and when he was awake enough he realised that it was coming from the mail.
He cautiously walked over to the mail and picked up the large parcel. The hell why is there mail on Sunday he wondered. He opened it too tired to care if it was gently or not. Inside was what looked like a glass tablet no thicker than ten A4 sheets of paper on the front was the mighty morphing power ranger logo on a black background at the bottom in red righting was written incoming transmission with the zeo ranger five star on it.
He looked the item up and down then pressed the zeo logo.
"Hello" he said the device flashed red then the image flipped to Tommy wherein a strange uniform in what looked like military installation.
"Jase its Tommy I'm calling to tell you I'm fine"
"Tommy where the hell are you your parents have you listed as missing its bin three months there was a man hunt and everything" he shouted "they have almost given up hope that you were alive"
"I know I already told them everything about the rangers about me Zordon and the council gave me permission," he said looking sombre "I'm going to tell you what I told them" he said his tone grim even through his emotionless façade "I've been assigned to Eltar along with eight hundred and fifty rangers all colours of the rainbow it's a real rainbow army" he chuckled unconvincingly "there's a nine in ten chance of me not coming back and a one in two chance of being wounded"
"Why did you go then for Christ sake man that's an almost certain death sentence" he shouted
"I did it so you and the others could continue on with normal lives so all of you weren't reassigned with me I'm giving my life so you and the others can live Jase" he said Jason sat down and ran his fingers through his short hair.
"I'm sorry Tommy it's just you're my little brother man I'm supposed to look out for you make sure you don't do something stupid"
"I'll keep in contact as best I can you should receive a call every now and then but this is a war so my comm. traffic is kept to a minimum but I promise I will make it home Jase" Tommy sighed "tell the guys… I'm sorry… if I don't make it back I will have my power coins sent to you"
(Present)
I didn't send another trans mission for four months to tell my folks and Jase I was still ok and we were holding the line. Four months later I told him we were pushed back that they had taken Zordon. We kept the lines open for almost fifty two months the defensive war was over with in the first year the rest of the war we were taking back the worlds that were lost to the UEA (united evil alliance).
I snap back to reality when my computer starts to beep. My sensors had picked up the life singes of ten red rangers. Localising their unique energy signatures I find them on the moon near Rita's now abandoned palace. I often wondered in my youth how she came up with the design it looked like a gothic style castle that you could find in Europe but slightly more twisted more evil. Looking over the signals I find some familiar signals
I also pick up on signals identified as those belonging to the now defunct machine empire. I alter course to the moon at full speed.
I landed outside the palace close to the ranger LZ. I travelled very wearily through the now reactivated evil palace. A small chuckle escapes my lips, as I look at the statue of king Mondo the machine emperor one of the things I forgot to ask Zordon was how an empire can have a king and not an emperor. Maybe it has something to do with power if you have it you could call yourself anything you want. I chuckle slightly at the thought of some fool or other with nonsensical name attacking earth. An explosion knocks me out of my contemplative state and once more I look for the reds in the maze of the palace
Whilst looking of them I come to a room with a heavy rusted steel door it screeches as I open it. What I find shocks me I am inside the room of Goldar the legendary titan of the dark spectres forces. In my youth he and I fought many a battle he was the strongest opponent I had ever faced but as time dragged on I found him becoming weaker. I look through his things and find his journal I flick to the middle
(In Tommy's mind reading)
"I am dyeing it is inevitable Finster's concoction has stopped working and soon my once mighty strength will leave me. The neon phage I was exposed to nearly two thousand years ago has finally caught up with me soon a signal putty patroller will be more than enough to defeat me. But only death in battle will gain me access to the other world to once again meat my beloved bride Scorpena and my unborn child she was carrying.
The only warriors who I have found worthy of fighting are Jason and Tommy and they are always hesitant to kill me. It seems my last hope is lost…"
I sit on his bed and read the entry again she was carrying his child and we killed her war it seems is hell on both sides I flick to the next couple of pages to the time Kim sent the letter
"It seems my earlier summations were wrong what ever happened to the white ranger has left him more capable to kill his eyes show no emotion at all he seems almost hollow. He's changed attacking our monster head on and attempted to fight it bare handed. He almost look's to have given up on life. I know that pain for I myself-experience it daily. No longer is he the same ranger who I used to battle he is now more like the green ranger my empress made perhaps now he will bring me the honoured death I long fore"
So even my enemy's picked up on what my team could or would not. It seems that only my greatest enemy could tell the difference between a mask and the face hiding beneath it.
"The time has come I have found out that Tommy has been moved to Eltar and I am going there to finish what we started I have found out that if I take the concoction that Finster made in more excessive doses it will turbo charger me enough that my old strength will return for a time"
The last entry explains a lot to me.
(1998 Eltar battle for the citadel)
Explosions sounded all around as rangers fought monsters and foot soldiers at the base of the citadel. It was a large white building that housed the senate it looked like an ancient Greek skyscraper something that would knock the colossus at rode's down from the wonders of the world list. From the roof a hologram of the rangers logo. The lightning bolt could be seen for miles around.
Block by block road by road the rangers had been pushed back the corpse of rangers and other freedom fighters littered the streets until one building the grate citadel was the only building that had yet to be taken. it was a dirty and horrid battle the only comparison would be the siege of Stalingrad during ww2. The grate doors had been closed by a force field was being hit again and again by some sort of battering ram we stood waiting for the breach
"Rangers" said a voice from the Captain commander of rangers he wore a total red suit with a lion style of helmet a broad sword in one hand and a shield in the other his torso was covered in golden armour similar to my old white ranger one. "Out side stand the dark monsters hoards of the dark spectre each one looking to kill and maim you and your brothers in the corps are you going to let them?" he shouted
"Hell no" we shouted back
"What? I can't hear you," he shouted louder
"HELL NO" shouted back louder
"It has been my honour to command you and an even greater one to stand with you in what may be our final battle" he looked at the rangers assembled around him 56 were combat ready 44 were out of commission either dead or dyeing
"We are rangers we stand where others fall we go boldly into the darkest nights we bring light when non can be found" the commander said as he hammered his shield with his guard "we are the shield that stops the darkness we are the son that bring the light" others pick up the chant readying themselves for battle tightening their grips to their weapons checking the charge in their guns each hammering their weapons or stamping their feet the war drums of the rangers begin to get heard out side the dark monsters and cold foot soldier hammering against the doors even harder "we are the sword that cuts through the dark leaving only the light" the drums so loud and invigorating that the wounded begin to rise and reach for their weapons the women and children hiding in the citadel begin to hope that the dark rein will end soon.
The doors explode open and the rangers charge out roaring like wild animals they killed soldier and monster alike each ranger was like an act of nature biblical in scale. Using their powers at 100% not worrying over zord witch sapped almost half of a rangers power they cut them down like a lawn mower cutting grass until they began to get overwhelmed sheer numbers taking there tole but they refused to surrender, it was now all or nothing either total victory or an honourable death in battle against overwhelming odds.
(Tommy P.O.V)
I was standing next to the commander during the charge using my sword I cut a bloody path through the enemy in what was described by those thereafter would a graceful dance of death. Until I took one in the eye I didn't know what happened or where the shot came from but it was powerful. I faltered and stopped my hand shot up to my eye the pain I felt was almost unreal I don't know how to describe it but the closest thing I could probably say would be jamming a white hot poker into my eye before I could even contemplate how the shot got through my armour shields the pain a rage awoke in my I didn't know where it came from but it was powerful. Like a berserker all I could see where enemy's a green tinted haze came over my eyes and once more I charged into battle. I don't know how long or how many I killed but my power sword began to become blood blunt.
I could feel myself become more and more tiered. Fresh blood was pouring now from my eye the armour did its job of trying to heal me. To stem the flow of blood coming from the damaged socket. Until the battle stopped and I was the one of the few left standing the hordes pulled back and I felt a presents behind me.
"Tommy its bin a while" said a familiar voice I look around and see my greatest adversary Goldar the titan
"Too long Goldar so come to battle once again" I ask it's an obvious question I already know the answer but I like him to confirm it.
"Yes our final battle" he sneers he turns to the hordes that surround us "this is between me and Tommy boy hear none interfere" he shouts at this point I see the reverence he commands with in the dark alliance. "This is between us Tommy just two warriors one on one no tricks no magic no ranger powers" he says as he transforms to a gold looking human. His skin was gold coloured his hair was platinum blond and his eyes were like sapphire jewels he wore armour similar to a Spartan warrior from earth he threw the helmet aside and looked to me. He had his regular sword in his right hand I could see the anticipation on the eyes of all the warriors around me
"Fine we have an accord POWER SWORD" I yell it glows red my hand in a red and white flash the blade is clean and sharp again I stab it into the earth and bring me hands up in a cross formation in front of my helmet "POWER DOWN" a red and white flash I am once again in my red uniform. I rip a section off my under shirt and cover my missing eye
"You have quite the handicap their Tommy" Goldar chuckled I fly him the bird and he chuckles again he pulls out a syringe like object full of a blue liquid he injects himself in the heart. I look at him like he just grew a second head "don't worry Tommy it's just my medicine keeps me alive" he said I pick up my sword and prepare for the battle of a lifetime.
(General P, O, V)
Night came fast over the planet Tommy the one of the few rangers left standing stood back against the entrance to the citadel a ring of fire surrounded the two warriors, blocking any entrance they could gain to the last free fortress on Eltar. They looked into each other's eyes the first part of the battle had begun the stare down each warrior getting into their stance they began to circle each other like hungry predators fighting over the last dead meal. The battle starts now Goldar moved to attack first going for an over head slash strike Tommy moved to dodge only to be back handed by the larger golden warrior Tommy was rocked by the shot and stumbled back giving Goldar enough time to launch a powerful kick Tommy side stepped the kick and went low for a leg sweep only for Goldar to jump over it in a back flip and land heavily on his feet. Once again the two circled each other. Tommy moving in with a corkscrew kick that missed Goldar hit him with a heavy hammer blow Tommy hit the ground again the monsters around them roaring in approval of Goldar. He raised his sword to hit a downward stab through the heart only for Tommy to spin out of range and flip back up to his feet. Both warriors charged each other and the dance of death started anew. Tommy ducked a head slash and rolled around Goldar for a back slash witch hit Goldar dead on target Goldar spun around for another slash from above witch Tommy blocked by turning the grip on his sword he then made to punch Goldar in the face to force him back only for Goldar to move and slash down on Tommy's arm cutting it off at the shoulder.
Tommy's roar of pain could be heard almost all over the abandoned broken and burnt city Tommy fell to his knees dropping his sword and grabbing his arm to stem the flow of blood. Goldar strode over to Tommy who looked up at the golden warrior with his one remaining eye a single tear rolled down his cheek
(Tommy pov)
The pain is almost unreal my vision is blurry I know today is the day I die Goldar stands over me and rises his sword and I feel the last of my strength give out. My last thought as the blade draws near is I'm sorry guys it looks like I won't be making it back after all. Then I feel it in my mind a fire and the falcon's call I hear the spirit call me to battle but I cannot answer I am too week but it calls me again and again the heat raising each time it calls as if fanning the flames inside me until I feel power once again fill me veins. I make a grab for my blade but Goldar step on it breaking it at the centre but with the broken blade I drive it through Goldars throat with what's left of my strength. I collapse to the floor in time to see a wash of power eradicate the enemy forces and bring fallen rangers to life I chuckle as darkness comes over me I look to see Goldar smiling he mouthed thank you to me before he vanished. Leaving only his sword and me wondering why he was so grateful.
(Present)
Another explosion rocks the palace I run to find the source. I arrive in time to see the reds lined up and morphing. Their mass morph sends a shock wave of red energy through the universal morphing grid forcefully morphing me. I haft to tell you at this point that it hurts like hell. After a few minutes the pain goes away I wouldn't be surprised if their collective energy force morphed every red in the quadrant. I see what has been going on the machines had found the planet killer serpent-terror. The eyes are the first things to signal activation there red is one of the few things that gave me nightmares after we fought it. Then came the monsters roar loud enough to wake the dead and evil enough to make you regret fighting it. The grate beast lurched to life moving like a snake in the water it took to the sky once more. I to see one red attacking the beast head on flying into its mouth. I choose this moment to pull his ass out of the fire and a one-way ticket to being one with the grid. Stupid rookie
The moment that the red wild force ranger attacked and blasted the beast a red flash filled the sky and serpent-terror was destroyed they looked for the rookie but found nothing. They hung their heads in silent thanks to the supposedly dead ranger.
"Ahem" came a voice from behind them they spun around ready to fight but were shocked by what they saw the red Zeo ranger in all his legendary glory. Under his arm in an undignified position was the red wild force ranger.
(Tommy P, O, V)
The collective reds all powered down each with a different look of shock and aw. I look over them shaking my head slightly wondering what happened to the teenager with attitude. I powered down and a collective gasp escaped the lips a few of the newer rangers. I wore my usual gear standard issue for a red on Eltar. I think that my short hair that was spiked up drew the most attention from those that knew me. I wore my red jacket with a white falcon designed on the front on right shoulder were the designs of the tiger and dragon coins I once used in gold embossed slightly. They still held grate fondness for me; I was the first green ranger in a century that fought for the light and the first white since Zordon himself. Each red was given a tunic upon arrival to Eltar that showed their position as red as well as any other powers they used.
The more they looked at me the more they looked at my left arm the cold chrome appendage a constant and dark reminder of my time at war. Though I think my left eye scared them the most it was now a cold cybernetic implant that glowed an eerie red like the terminator. The scar that ran through my eye often tingled when danger was near like my own internal danger alarm. I had pair of black combat trousers and boots. Nothing was said for about five minutes I dropped the rookie like a big brother dose the foolish younger brother he walked over to the others looking embarrassed like the little brother he was.
"If you keep looking at me like that I am going to worry about the virginity of my ass," I said that had an instant effect snapping them out of their awed state. One ranger took a step back when my cold robotic eye fell on him "I'm not going to kill you Andros" I said he was pail and sweating like a pig on a spit I could almost taste his fear. Jason took a step forward and nodded to me then I embraced him in a hug it had been a long time since I had seen him in the flesh. Jason wore a red t-shirt stone washed denim jeans a pair of black boots. Smiling from ear to ear
"I thought you weren't coming back for a while a month at least," he said remembering the conversation he had with me in my calls I made with him
"Some thing came up that needed my immediate attention" I said looking Jason in the eye
"What kind of some thing" he said cautiously
"Did you know that once a ranger accepts a power or multiple in my case they create a blood line that is passed down through the children?" I said looking at my brother. The assembled reds looked at Jason then me and decided that now would be a good time to get out of dodge. They skulked away trying not to draw either of our attention
"They have a connection to the power?" said Jason more of a statement than a question
"They can draw on to it unconsciously but without a catalyst like morphers they cannot tap into the full power and become rangers. But in case of an emergency like a direct threat to the hair or extreme emotional stress they can automatically manifest a sub morph". Jason nods he knows something or has seen something
"What does this sub morph look like bro" he looks in my eyes he has seen something and is not sure how to process the information
"Whoever they take after and what sex they are factor into what powers they have. Boys tend to draw from their father and girls their mother."
"If you had a kid if it was a boy would either have your red or gold powers even if you were only briefly gold you are still connected to it" I take a deep breath and sit down on a rock I gesture for him to sit in front of me like I would any ranger that came to me on Eltar
"So you don't know then," he said looking slightly sad at the fact
"No I know when I was green ranger my eyes would shift when angry and still do showing my connection to the green power and also giving me immense strength and dexterity. When I was white ranger my senses became more acute I could feel everything around me my eyes would glow white showing my connection to the white tiger powers. With my falcon powers that increased but I could also draw strength from an inner fire. With my red zeo powers my agility-increased exponentially and red lightning turbo gave me a turbo charger if you pardon the pun it accelerated my whole body I became faster in everything"
Jason chuckled slightly at Tommy's attempt at wit ever since they had first made contact he was trying to get him back to his old self.
"Each one of those had emotional key with my green powers it was hate jealousy and anger with my white tiger it was Passion white falcon was Instinct and both reds were fear of faltering " Jason nodded understanding his own remembering his own sub morph was similar to Tommy's green powers
"So that's what that was and why my eyes glowed red when I'm pissed I understand that. Though the gold powers did nothing for me I still had the red powers that were much like your green but how did you find out and how come Zordon never explained that to us I thought your eye thing was from Rita" he said
"It was but that just activated the coins bonding sequence keying me in to its power and sub morph power. Her magic gave my negative emotions a turbo charger and allowing the coin to almost complete control of my actions. Witch gave me an emotional imbalance causing her to control me through my emotions" he nods in understanding
"But until recently I didn't know and I doubt Zordon knew that we didn't know. He was the custodian of the powers and our advisor we were the users. The coins he thought should have told us but they were made with an Eltarian physiology in mind. Which is similar to human although we are weaker in mental and physical acuteness and that difference gave the coins bonding a lot more to do in giving us powers they actually made us part of them and part of the grid" Jason needless to say was shocked he remember Zordon giving us the talk about the coins and what they did. "Because of that we are permanently connected to the grid we are above human but below Eltarian think of it like the bloodline users of that anime you told me about Naruto we each have cool powers that will live on in our descendants for as long as we have descendants"
"So that's why your back now you felt some one using the power in the same way you did" said Jason finally catching the drift
"I felt a draining of my Green dragon powers and my white thunder tiger powers. But as far as I know I have no children and my clone disappeared in time after having his powers stripped and sealed by me. So you care to explain how I mystically have two sons with access to my sub morph powers Jason"
he still had his eyes focused on Jason they flashed green signalling his rage. In an attempt to defuse the situation Jason razed in mock surrender
"She asked me not to" said Jason "she made me promise not to tell you, you know how my sis can be" witch was true Kim can be a force of nature when angered
"Where is she" I said Jason looked at his friend after a few minutes he said again more forcefully "where is she Jase"
"California" my eyes flashed green again
"Where in California it's a big place," I asked trying my best to remain calm
"Angle Grove" he said
"We need to sort this out and somehow," I said. Jason picked my sorrow
"Listen man we can sort this whole thing out once and for all" he puts his arm around me and smiles in his big brother way "come on lets go home" he said as we made our way to my ship.
Jason has never seen a ship like mine before. He takes in its sleek lines and aerodynamics it's a simple design I had found it in an Eltarian equivalent of a salvage yard it spoke to me. Its design is very animalistic its design reminiscent of a hawk or falcon hunting. It took me months to retrofit new engines and weapons to what my colleges' affectionately called the fly because it was smaller than all the other ships and at the time its weapons couldn't punch trough wet paper. Jase rounds the ship taking it all in the beauty and the extreme deadliness of my machine I chuckled at his awed expression
"What do you think?" I asked looking to my brother
"She is beautiful" he said, "I take it that this is the little fly" he said and chuckled at my little eye twitch
"Nemesis is not a little fly she is a deadly preseason machine" I said rather forcefully "any way where did you hear the name the other's called her"
He tapped his nose, which infuriated me even more. As we entered the ship the other red told us they were returning to NASDA Jase told them he was coming with me in my ship and we would meet them there. I programmed the ship to fly us behind the mega ship so that I would know where to land.
The gathered reds said farewell by except Rocky and Jason they bundled me into Jase's car a red ford mustang with black go faster stripes with gold trims on the stripe.