On the Armada Command Ship, Prince Vekar was still in a foul mood after the disaster that was the siege of Harwood. He had hoped to send Earth a message in what it meant to defy his rule, to resist and disobey his orders, but the message they had received was very different. Not only had the Rangers now destroyed three of his Commanders, and several of his X-borgs and Bruisers, but they had then launched a devastating counter-offensive, taking out a significant portion of his fleet. They had decimated the first wave of his invasion force, and it was only their lack of a long-range space craft that had stopped them taking more. The message had been sent, and now, he had been made to look weak. Now, the Earth had hope, and reports of people daring to speak out against The Armada were increasing at an alarming rate.
Worse, he knew that until more ships arrived, he had no option but to wait. He couldn't risk another full-on assault, or even to come closer than Earth's moon in case the Rangers launched another attack like they had before. He was now reduced to sitting and waiting, while his tactical advisors came up with a way to hamstring the Rangers before they became any more powerful.
"The Red Galleon has been seen over Blue Bay Harbour Boss." Damaras informed him, stepping away from his console. "They have activated their cloaking device, but they were seen to be descending towards the city before our sensors lost them."
"Blue Bay Harbour?" He asked. "They must be after more of those damned Ranger Keys!"
"I would say that seems likely." Lavira told him in a sigh. "I'm still sifting through what's left of the data we gathered on Earth. Our data banks were badly damaged in the last attack, but we have confirmed that there was a Ranger team there at one time, just over ten years ago."
"We have to wait months on end for our fleet's reinforcements, and in the meantime we have to sit and watch them getting stronger?" Vekar demanded, slamming his hands into his console in a fit of temper. "This is UNACCEPTABLE! I am the undisputed ruler of this galaxy!"
"Yeah, let's just not say anything about the Troobians." Lavira muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Prince Vekar asked her.
"Nothing." She replied, before looking to Damaras and Argus. "Perhaps one of your strategic advisors can suggest something?"
"I believe I have just the Commander in mind." Argus stated as he looked to a door. It slid open, and a new Commander walked in. He was black, with angular, sharp armour that looked almost like blades across his shoulders and helmet. He had deep red eyes, and a sword strapped to his waist. "Meet Skatana, one of my finest students."
"And what can he do?" Prince Vekar asked him.
"He is easily one of the finest swordsmen I have ever trained." Argus informed him. "His technique is all but flawless. He once defeated an army of five hundred single-handed."
"Impressive." Prince Vekar sneered. "But how will he fare against the Rangers? Is he prepared to face them?"
"Actually he volunteered sir." Argus told him. Skatana stepped forward, bowing slightly.
"Rumours of the Rangers' prowess has spread throughout your empire Your Highness." Skatana told him. "I look forward to crossing blades with them, and proving myself against their legendary skills."
"That sounds...foolish." Damaras stated. "To face such odds out of misplaced pride sounds somewhat suicidal."
"You have obviously never seen me fight." Skatana replied. He turned back to Prince Vekar. "Please, allow me to deal with the Rangers for you."
"If you do as you promised, you will be greatly rewarded." Prince Vekar assured him.
"The only reward I seek is to be acknowledged as the greatest warrior." Skatana answered as he turned and left. Damaras and Lavira just watched him go.
"He doesn't want a reward?" Damaras asked. "Your Highness, how can you trust someone so foolish...?"
"What do I care?" Prince Vekar replied with a smile. "If he takes care of the Rangers, that's good enough. If he does it for free, then that's just an offer I can't afford to pass up."
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Rangers had disembarked and headed into the city. They weren't exactly sure what the public opinion was on the new team in Blue Bay, so they had opted to change into civilian gear, thinking that their pirate outfits would attract far too much attention.
They knew that there had been a Ranger team here before, but unlike some of the other teams, they didn't actually know who they were. They had never actually met any of them before, and while they were sure that the Samurai had mentioned meeting them once for some cross-training, none of them could remember off-hand who they had said they were. What that meant was that as far as actually finding them, they were on square one, knowing the city to start in, but nothing else.
"So, let me get this straight, we have to find a ninja, a master in the art of blending into his surroundings in his home city, when we have no idea what he looks like or who he is?" Jake sighed as he and Gia walked past a half-pipe, narrowly avoiding being knocked down by an errant skateboarder as he flew off his board, landing in a heap by their feet. Jake grabbed him and lifted him to his feet. "I don't suppose you're a ninja are you kid?"
"Ninja?" He sniggered. "Dude, 2003 called, they want their reference back."
As he skated away, Gia just rolled her eyes and turned to face Jake.
"What?" He asked.
"OK, point number one, if he WAS a ninja, do you really think he'd just tell you considering they spend all their time learning how NOT to be noticed?" Gia asked him sarcastically. "Secondly...that kid's like fifteen! He'd barely have been out of diapers when the Ninja Rangers were active!"
"You think a lot of kids wear diapers until they're five?" Jake asked her with a smile. Gia just stormed away. "Come on Gia, it was a joke."
"Well it was a stupid joke!" She snapped at him. Jake just sighed as he ran to catch up to her.
"I'm guessing this mood you're in isn't to do with me making stupid jokes." Jake postulated thoughtfully as he put his arm around her shoulders. Gia just continued to walk, barely paying attention. "This is about Noah..."
"I don't care what Noah does with Quinn!" Gia interrupted him. Jake just looked to her as he released her.
"Um...OK, that was convincing." Jake replied. "Gia, would it help if I told you I wasn't happy about it either?"
"Jake..."
"Gia, I know it sucks not being able to be with someone you love." Jake told her. "I got to see Allison, and when I did, don't you think that thought crossed my mind?"
"Jake, it's not the same..."
"I know what happened with Cat was rough on you, and I'm really sorry, but you're not the only one that isn't happy about this." Jake assured her. "When Noah said...well...you know...it really wasn't what I wanted to hear. I wasn't happy thinking that while I was concentrating on what we were doing he was..."
"Getting lucky?" Gia asked him. Jake just nodded.
"Look, I get that was a big thing for him, but to say what he did, it was a little insensitive, I agree." Jake answered. "We had to leave behind people we loved, and he kind of rubbed that in our faces. It didn't feel good for me either."
"I know it's a big thing for him." She grumbled, beginning to make her way along the path again, jumping aside as a kid on rollerblades scooted past them, almost hitting them. "But it's not just that."
"Then...what is it?" Jake asked her.
"Have you noticed Noah's kind of...changed?" She asked him. He looked to her and smirked.
"Are you kidding?" He asked her. "Of course I've noticed..."
"Noticed the fact he's become an insufferable jerk?" Gia asked him. Jake just smiled at her.
"Is this because of that bet you made?" He asked her. Gia just rolled her eyes and shoved him away. "OK, I'm guessing not."
As she started to head down the path, she tripped on something, twisting her ankle. A guy just glared up at her.
"Hey, that's my tool kit!" He complained, starting to gather the scattered tools off the ground. Gia saw he was working on a dirt bike and growled slightly.
"What is it with this damned city and the X-games?" She complained, starting to hobble away.
"I don't know. All towns have their obsessions; you know what Harwood was like during soccer season." Jake replied. "Maybe if we have some time, we can see if there's a BMX track around here, I'm sure Emma would love to..."
He bumped into Gia as she stopped suddenly.
"What is it?" He asked her. Gia just pointed to an advertising billboard.
"What was that part in the poem again about the defender of law?" Gia asked him. Jake just shrugged, but she pointed to the billboard. He read it, seeing what she was looking at.
"Martin Mugsavia and Brooks Legal Services?" He asked.
"A law firm." Gia answered with a smile. "The defenders of the law."
"You've...never been in a courtroom have you?" Jake asked her. She just nudged him gently.
"It's always worth a look isn't it?" She asked. Jake just shook his head as Gia took down the address.
"You were sceptical about getting the truth from a ninja, and you think you're going to get it from a lawyer?" He laughed. "Now who's being naive?"
Elsewhere in the city, Noah and Emma were searching another part of the city, checking out the local shops. Emma went into a place, finding it packed with sporting goods. A huge smile spread across her face as she looked around.
"Whoa." Noah exclaimed. "I knew this place was obsessed with X-games, but this place..."
"Check my pulse!" Emma said as she offered him her wrist, seeing a whole aisle dedicated to BMX gear she just could never have dreamed of getting in Harwood, other than through mail order. "I think I just died and went to heaven."
"I'm guessing you guys aren't from around here." They heard a voice behind them say. They turned to see a woman with long, blonde hair approaching them. She offered them a handshake. "Hi, I'm Tori Hanson."
"I'm Emma, this is Noah." She replied. "This place, this is incredible!"
"It's not the biggest store in town, but most people say it's the best." Tori informed her. "I run my own line of custom surf boards out of here, but if you want to talk to the real expert, the owner's just over there if you want..."
"Um...actually, we were looking for a person." Noah told her. "Do you know anyone that goes by the name or is described as lion hearted or anything like that?"
"Seriously, this is X-games central." Tori chuckled. "People give themselves nicknames like that all the time. I met like fifty 'Aces' in the last year."
"How about ninjas?" Emma asked. Do you know anything about ninjas?"
"Oh, you're Ranger groupies." Tori answered. "No offence, but I didn't think many people still came here looking for the Ninja Rangers. Especially kids your age..."
"Some friends in Panorama mentioned them." Noah told her. "Come on Emma, there's obviously nothing here."
"But can't I just..."
"Come on!" Noah told her, dragging her out of the store. Tori followed them to the door, and watched them disappear down the street, before taking out her cell phone, taking a couple of pictures without them noticing. She dialled, and made sure no one was paying attention as she pulled into a corner to take the call.
"Hello, Jayden?" She asked. "Right, Antonio...um...I've just had a couple of people in here asking questions about the Ninja Rangers. They said they were sent this way by friends in Panorama, and they look kind of familiar."
She sent the picture, before holding up the phone.
"So...is this just another tourist, or is this something the others need to know about?" Tori asked him.
Elsewhere in the city, Dustin came up in the elevator of the office building of the legal practice he worked in, carrying a large paper bag in one hand, and a cardboard tray of Starbucks cups in the other. He made his way down the corridor, getting to a waiting room just outside his office. He stopped by his secretary's desk, and placed the coffees down.
"Sorry I'm late Tammy, serving those papers took a little longer than I expected." Dustin said as he put down the paper bag.
"Your suit's messed up." Tammy commented, sweeping some hair back behind her hair. "Did they...?"
"It's nothing a decent dry cleaner won't fix." Dustin assured her with a smile as he reached into a bag. "Bear claw?"
"Dustin...!"
"You're worried about me aren't you?" He asked, cupping her cheek with his hand. She just sighed.
"I just...I just don't see why you had to go and do that." She complained. "We do have Process Servers for that kind of thing."
"And if I'd sent a Process Server, he'd have ended up in the Emergency Room and those guys would just say they never got the papers." Dustin reminded her as he pulled in closer, kissing her cheek gently. "Besides, you know I'm not exactly helpless."
"I know Sensei." She sighed, before looking to him. "There are a couple of kids waiting for you in room three."
"Do I have any appointments...?" Dustin asked, before catching what she said. "Wait, did you say kids?"
"They're about 18." Tammy told him. She looked around. "They came in here asking to speak with the senior partners. Ms Martin and Mr Magsavia are out of town."
"Did they say what it's about?" Dustin asked her.
"No, but..." Her words tailed off as she turned her computer screen towards him. "I took scans of the pictures from their drivers' licences. I ran it through facial recognition and..."
"Holy sh...are you crazy?" Dustin asked her, seeing the wanted posters on the screen. "You're telling me two of the Corsair Rangers just walked in here?"
"I figured that you'd want to speak to them Sensei." She assured him. He pulled her in, kissing her forehead.
"Good call." He answered. "Hold my calls, I've got a feeling this'll take a while. Enjoy your latte."
As he was making his way towards the room though, all of a sudden, they heard a loud crash from outside. Dustin steadied himself as the building stopped shaking, before taking a glance out of the window. As he watched, a nearby skyscraper was hit with a flash of light, before the top few floors slid off, like the entire building had been sliced cleanly by some unseen blade.
"Well, there goes ten quiet years." Dustin said as he headed to the room. As he opened the door, he saw that Gia and Jake were gone.
"Wow, so that's what that feels like." He commented. "Now I know how Kelly felt."
Down on the ground, Skatana was walking through the streets with a contingent of X-borgs and Bruisers, causing a panic to draw out the Rangers. It had been a long time since he had felt this way about an upcoming battle. Skatana had been in Prince Vekar's army for a long time now, but unlike most, who constantly clamoured for his attention in the hopes of being rewarded with gifts, riches, titles or even worlds to command under his supervision, none of that mattered to him. To Skatana, the only thing that mattered was testing himself, proving to the galaxy that he was the best in existence, that there was no one that could match him with a blade.
He swung his sword, sending out another bright red wave that sliced apart a building, causing it to fall apart like a freshly cut sapling. Noah and Emma, who had by sheer chance only been a couple of streets away were the first on the scene. Noah pointed straight at him.
"Hey!" He called out. "This stops RIGHT NOW!"
"What exactly do we have here?" Skatana asked in an arrogant scoff. He knew exactly who they were; he studied any of the warriors he intended to challenge at length before he took the field. He has been in another star system when he first heard of the troublesome Rangers, and the problems they were causing Prince Vekar. As soon as he'd heard about them, he knew he just had to confront them. Foes that powerful were simply an irresistible challenge.
"We're the Power Rangers!" Noah told him. "And we're going to shut you down!"
"The Power Rangers!" He said, raising his sword. "At last, the challenge I've been waiting for! I'll start with the puny girl."
Emma was about to say something, but Noah just stepped forward, interjecting between her and Skatana, gently pushing her back. Emma looked to Noah, a little surprised to see him like this.
"Her name's Emma!" He stated with authority. "And don't you dare talk about her that way!"
"How chivalrous of you." Skatana mocked him as he faced off against him. The other Rangers arrived a short time after him. Skatana just looked to him. "So, you're chivalrous when you have friends to hide behind..."
"NOAH!" Emma yelled as Noah morphed and ran straight at Skatana, his sword at the ready. He and Skatana broke off as their swords rang out, heading for a parking lot, looking for somewhere they would have room to fight. They all just stared after him.
"Um...Gia, you know what you were saying before?" Jake asked. Gia just nodded. "I think I finally see what you're talking about."
"We can talk about that later." Troy answered, turning their attention back to the robots heading their way. "We have our own issues to deal with."