Disclaimer: The Power Rangers do not belong to me, nor does the Sentai series that the Ranger uniforms are based upon.
Note: So this is something that has been pouring through my brain, and well I decided to go with it. The Ranger Powers and Uniforms utilized here are those that were used in the Japanese Sentai, DaiRanger…those were some of my favorite uniforms, despite never being used on Power Rangers (except for the White Ranger used by Tommy).
Thunder Rangers
Dark times have fallen upon the Earth. 75% of the world's population is believed dead. Small outposts spread over the planet are humanities only areas of being. Local armed militias are the only defense against the seemingly endless forces of evil, all pledging allegiance to the Machine Empire…they are barely able to hold the forces at bay.
A newer, stronger Machine Empire has taken control of all the United States, making it their main base of action. With humanities numbers dwindling rapidly, there are very few 'safe' havens for humans to retreat to, and in those places civilization is barely held together against overwhelming odds, to varying degrees of success.
Humanity has always depended on the Power Rangers, but after the Machine Empire, under the control of the re-modeled and stronger Prince, calling himself Lord Gasket, the Rangers seem to have vanished. There are those who seek a new way to access the Morphing Grid in hopes that one day the Power Rangers can return.
(West Coast civilization)
Armed Cogs search the streets and alleys, very important prisoners had managed to somehow escape a Machine Empire prison. Lord Gasket would not be pleased…
"Jason, I know this is your home town, but are you sure you know where you're leading us?" Eric Myers, the Quantum Time Force Ranger, stayed close to the shadows as he followed the original Red Ranger deep into the ruins of one of Angel's Grove's community.
"Trust me," Jason whispered back.
"Don't really have much choice in that matter, do we?" A third voice spoke, the voice of Katie Walker the former Yellow Time Force Ranger.
"His house isn't much further," Jason responded.
The three Rangers, two Time Force and one of the original Rangers, continued along beaten paths by smoldering heaps of metal that were once cars, avoiding the new and improved grunt soldiers used by Lord Gasket.
"In here, let's hope things are still where he left them," Jason flagged the Time Force Rangers to follow him. The house was old, in decent shape all things considered; the windows were boarded, and the garage seemed mostly in tact.
Jason was the first to approach the house, prying open a door that led into the garage. Katie followed first, with Eric not far behind.
"This is it, I can't believe it. Still here," Jason said excitedly, without raising his voice.
"It looks like an old VW Beetle…" Eric said unenthusiastically, "with a lot of unnecessary metal."
"It's more than that…this is the Rad Bug…and if it still works then it may be able to get us somewhere safe," Jason explained.
"If you say so, but if we're going to get somewhere, we better get somewhere fast, the Cogs are moving this way, and it looks like they have a general with them…" Katie whispered as she watched goings on from the door.
Jason opened the door to the Bug and took the front seat. He flipped multiple switches as the car began to hum to life. For something that hadn't been used in years it sounded about the same as it did all those years ago.
"Wow, if it starts that easy I'm surprised its still here," Eric said unimpressed, "so how is this going to get us out of here, exactly?"
"It's the way you do it, the wrong combination and you get nothing," Jason toyed around with several other items on the panel in the car, "load in you two, we gotta go."
Eric still wasn't convinced that they were going to actually get anywhere of any use, but he climbed into the backseat as Jason to the drivers, and Katie jumped into the front.
"Here goes nothing," Jason flipped one last switch.
The Rad Bug came fully to life as it slowly began rise from the ground, and then in an instant the grey VW took to the air, and with rapid speed passed over the earth below.
"I take it this means it's working," Eric admitted, surprised.
"Hopefully it takes us where we need to go," Jason cautioned.
The Rad Bug continued across the sky, moving at a rapidly increasing speed, until finally beginning its descent from the sky.
The VW looked as if it was about to crash into the ground as they got closer to the planet surface.
"I knew it…we're gonna die," Eric surmised right before the small car crashed into the ground.
The crash never came…everyone in the car felt their entire bodies tingle as the car seemed to pass straight through the ground, and come to a complete stop in an underground chamber.
The former Rangers unloaded from the vehicle.
"Almost as bad as time travel," Katie steadied herself on the ground, "…almost."
"Where are we?" Eric looked around the cavern.
Boxes and containers were stacked haphazardly about the room. Subdued lighting put a low glow about the entire room. Slight whirring sounds came from fans that crowned the ceiling.
"This is the basement of what used to be the Power Chamber…" Jason looked around the room, as familiarity washed over him.
"Power Chamber? That's what the Zeo and Turbo Rangers were based out of, wasn't it?" Katie remembered from her studies of the earlier Rangers, "but I thought Divatox destroyed it."
"She did, this is just the storage area," Jason replied.
"So what good is this going to do us? I mean apart from keeping us off the radar of the Machine Empire, and giving us a dry place to sleep? Is there any type of defense or anything?" Eric questioned Jason.
"I really couldn't tell you, but it seemed a little safer than the middle of Angel Grove…" Jason replied, "But if I knew Billy like I think I did, I'm sure he has plenty of safeguards in place."
An alarm began sounding throughout the room, as several wall mounted lights began flashing red, an electronic voice spoke out, "Intruder alert. Intruder alert. Present valid power source or prepare for eviction." A small module arose from the ground; it looked like a scanner of sorts.
"Valid power source?" Katie asked.
Jason reached into his pocket and withdrew a folded cloth, "I knew there was a reason I held on to this." He unfolded the cloth, folded in between the cloth was a round coin. He placed the coin on the scanner and a quick light brushed over the coin.
"Recognition of Tyrannosaur Power Coin, scan complete. Vocal response required," the voice spoke again.
Jason wasn't sure where he was supposed to speak into, so he just spoke aloud, "Jason Lee Scott, Red Ranger."
"Voice recognized. Welcome Jason," the voice chimed as the alarms quit sounding, "voice recognition required from other life-forms."
"Katie Walker, Yellow Time Force Ranger," Katie spoke.
"Eric Myers, Quantum Ranger," Eric did the same.
"Ranger's names and titles not recognized. Step forward for body scan," the electronic voice spoke again, as two 6 foot poles arose from the ground, "step through scanners."
"Its okay guys. Go ahead," Jason told the two Time Force Rangers.
Katie was the first to step through. Her entire body was engulfed by a white light, which changed to a yellow color, before she stepped through completely.
Eric did the same, and a white light scanned his body before turning alternating colors of red and black. He stepped through completely.
The two poles descended back into the ground.
"Access to Morphing Grid recognized," the electronic voice sounded, "welcome other Rangers. Please step through the door." A door materialized on the nearest wall to the former Rangers, as several lights turned from red to green and the doors slid open.
Jason, Eric and Katie all walked through the door. As they entered the new room the door slid shut behind them and lights began to flicker to life. In moments the whole room was lit up. Monitors lined the circular walls of the room, several access points and keyboards also lit up. Evenly spaced circular tubes appeared around the room, each tube glowed a different color: one red, one blue, one yellow, one green and one pink. In the center of the room a round panel was present and on top of it a large globe which began to glow to life.
"Wow, this is…this is just wow," Katie looked around the room, "this looks like something from my century."
"Welcome Power Rangers," the electronic voice spoke again.
"What is this place?" Jason asked, hoping for an answer.
"This is the Command Chamber, I am Beta 1," the voice answered.
"I thought the Power Chamber was destroyed…didn't you say it was?" Eric asked Jason.
"Please turn your attention to the viewing globe in the center of the chamber," Beta 1's voice suggested.
The three powerless Rangers faced the globe in the center of the room, as an image slowly became clearer. Jason heard an old familiar voice he hadn't heard in years.
"Greetings Rangers, either past or present, my name is Billy Cranston. The room you are in is the Command Chamber, the subterranean center of operations. If this room is active that can only mean that the Power Chamber has been destroyed, and if that is the case several other programs have gone into effect for the day they may be needed. My time working with the Zeo Rangers has given me time to work on this secret project. My only hope is that if you have found this Chamber it is not too late to stop whatever evil has reared its face. Within these databanks are what I have been studying and I hope that there is enough power present to aid you in whatever fight you may enthralled in. Years ago when the brute strength of the dinosaurs was not enough to defeat the strength of Lord Zedd my allies and I had to tap into the power of Thunder to continue the fight. Eventually these powers to were replaced by the power of the Ninjetti, these powers to were replaced by the Zeo powers, but there was still power that could be tapped into from the Thunder, and I have found a way to do just that. Focusing the strength of Thunder into a much stronger force I was able to tap into a strength the equivalent of, or perhaps stronger than the powers that the Zeo crystals presented. My intent is that these newer powers, however untested, will not ever need to be used, but I've seen enough to know that we're just not that lucky. After this chamber becomes active Beta 1 is programmed to begin reconstruction of the newer, stronger Thunder Zords. Hopefully there has been enough time for the completion of the Zords. Anyway Rangers, I've taken enough of your time, Beta can answer any further inquiries you may have, and if not there are several files embedded in the Chamber, similar to this one, that can and will be opened as needed. Good luck Rangers, and may the Power protect you." Billy's image faded and the viewing globe went blank.
"So does that mean there is access to Ranger powers here?" Jason asked, hoping Beta would respond.
"Affirmative," Beta replied with one of Billy's favorite phrases.
"Seriously? So does that mean we may have a means to fight off the Machine Empire? If so, how do we hack into it?" Eric said excitedly.
"You have all been confirmed Rangers, and as such the powers of Thunder can be given to you," Beta replied.
"Why does it have to be former Rangers?" Jason asked.
"The basis of the Thunder Powers can only be used to enhance already existing strengths, similar to how the Thunder Zords were originally upgrades to the previously existing Dino Zords," Beta answered.
"That means what exactly?" Katie asked the electronic voice.
"It means that unless you've had previous connection to the Morphing Grid there isn't anything to fuel the Thunder Powers, it's like when we first tapped into them to enhance the Dinosaur Powers. Basically it's like a…a…" Jason snapped his fingers as he tried to think of the word, "a symbiote."
The other two looked at Jason, neither expecting that kind of answer from the first Red Ranger.
"What? Tommy isn't the only one that went to college, I mean I'm no doctor, but I picked up a thing or two," Jason responded.
"Affirmative," Beta replied, "due to the fact that you have been confirmed Rangers by my scans you can access these powers, but I cannot awaken the new Thunder Zords until all five Thunder Power Coins are activated."
"How do we tap into these powers?" Jason asked.
"Observe," Beta replied. In front of each of the colored tubes small pedestals appeared, each bearing a much more streamlined version of the original Ranger Morphers. As each pedestal clicked into place the tubes became more than just colored lights. Each tube had a number above it, and inside each tube a Ranger uniform appeared, "you need only to approach the tube, take the Morpher, insert the Power Coin and the rest will complete itself."
"Let's do it then," Eric said, "I mean if it can help against the Machine Empire, we really don't have a choice do we?"
"He's right; this is probably why we were all drawn here in the first place…" Katie spoke up.
"Approach each tube in order, each Power can only be activated in ascending order," Beta explained.
"Well, looks like we really don't have much choice," Jason admitted, "we have to do something."
"So, step up," Eric told the original Red Ranger.
"What?" Jason asked the former Quantum Ranger.
"The Red Thunder Powers, I mean you were the first, it seems only fair that you take the number 1 spot," Eric answered.
"Thanks, but no," Jason responded.
"What's wrong?" Katie asked.
"I'm not the one to lead in this kind of war. I'm used to one on one fighting and small bands of foot soldiers. This is war, and in war we need someone with the experience to lead an army," Jason looked to Eric, "you're the kind of leader we need in this war."
"He's right, you know how to handle the situation better than either of us, I mean the Silver Guardians weren't just a rag-tag group of people with guns, they were trained as fighters, and they all looked to you for leadership," Katie grabbed Eric's right shoulder, "so get in there Red Ranger."
"I hope I don't let you guys down," Eric said uncertainly.
"You won't," Jason assured the younger man.
Eric stepped towards the red tube, reaching out he lifted the Morpher from the pedestal with one hand, and the Power Coin with the other. He placed the coin in the indention on the Morpher. The Morpher began to glow red, and a light covered Eric's entire body. Inside the tube the Red Ranger uniform vanished and in place of Eric stood the newly garbed Red Thunder Ranger. Eric reached up to the side of the helmet, unlatched it and removed it.
"How do you feel?" Katie asked.
Eric just shook his, "amazing, I feel stronger than ever."
"You're next," Jason motioned Katie.
"Here goes nothing," Katie stepped forward, in front of the second tube, this one pink. She did the exact things that Eric did, and within moments she to was standing, fully garbed as the Pink Thunder Ranger, she removed her helmet as well, "apart from being pink…this is amazing." She clenched the fist of her right hand and smiled.
"My turn," Jason nodded as he walked towards the third tube, this one yellow. Reaching down to lift his Morpher and Coin he combined the two. His body was covered with a yellow light and the uniform vanished from the tube and appeared on Jason's body. Just like the other two he removed his helmet. Looking over his body Jason felt the Power of Thunder coursing through his body, "Morphenomenal."
Beta's voice came over the speakers, "Welcome Thunder Rangers."
"This is all well and good, but we have to find two more if we plan on being completely effective, otherwise the Thunder Zords are gonna stay dormant," Eric said.
"Well, leader, let's see how well you can lead," Katie smiled.
"Well Jason, wanna do the honors?" Eric looked towards the new Yellow Ranger.
"Gladly," Jason grasped the gold buckle of his belt, "okay Rangers. Back to action!"
The Rangers were fully garbed, helmets and all.
"…okay…so how do we get out of here?" Eric looked to the other two Rangers.
TBC
End note: So since we were never shown what special project Billy was working on during Power Rangers Zeo, and as such it gave me the entire basis I needed. Of course I think his original project was actually the Turbo Powers (since those were never explained, they just seemed to be there), but since that connection was never made on the show there is no factual evidence to support it.
End Note 2: If this seems oddly familiar to anyone I'll clarify…long ago I had a story called Ranger Earth: Origins…it became a little too lofty for me to maintain…so I decided to take one part of that story and expand upon it here, focusing on one story instead of like 63…I also moved to this Pen-Name for certain outside reasons…