"This car's as good as ours." An alien thug states then laughing,
Jack was hidden behind a corner, with his S.P.D issued blaster in hand.
"Squad leader, do we move in?" Sky's voice asked from the commutation device on the morpher.
Jack sighed, "Come on, squad leader answer."
Krystal and Miko, looked at each other, the same thought going through the cousins' minds, 'Jack doesn't know that he was the squad leader.'
"Squad leader, come in." Sky states again. "Do we move in?"
Miko, Krystal, and Sydney stood up from behind the park car with their own blasters aimed and ready.
"Freeze! S.P.D!" Sydney exclaimed
The two alien car thieves took off running, forcing B-Squad to give chase.
Sky and Jack ran into each other.
"What's going on?" Sky questions
Bridge and Krystal caught one of the alien thieves.
The two just stared at each other before shrugging.
"Nice job." Sky states sarcastically
"You know what...just forget it." Jack replies.
Sydney, Z, Miko got the other thief.
The Red and blue rangers were still standing around.
"I can't believe this." Sky states pacing around.
As the others returned with the struggling aliens.
"This is just great." Jack states. "I could have been in on the arrest, if Squad leader would have done their job."
"For once, I agree with you." Sky replied
"Thank you." Jack responds, "Now who is Squad leader?"
The other rangers just stared at Jack.
"That would be you." Sky pointed out.
Jack grinned sheepishly.
The B-squad rangers minus Jack were going to the Command deck when the alarms started sounding.
"What's going on?" Z asked
"Its code 5" Sky answers, as the A-Squad left in a hurry.
"Is that bad?" Z questioned
"Let's put it this way, code 3 is bad." Bridge replies.
"Where's the A-squad…" Syd started
"What's happening, Commander?" Sky questions.
"A full scale attack has been launched against our federation and helix nebula." Cruger answers, before pulling up an image on the view screen, "Emperor Grumm; the leader of the Troobian Empire."
"Eww, a serious contender for one of those makeover shows." Sydney states disgusted
"He's merciless, and will stop at nothing to conquer what he sets out too." Cruger states.
"The Helix Nebula." Sky and Krystal states.
"That is just the beginning." Cruger confirms, "He's after this galaxy."
"You sound like you know him." Z ventured
"Our paths have crossed before, I sent the A-squad to the front line Helix Nebula." Cruger replies
"The A-Squad's gone." Sky states
"But who's going to protect earth?" Z questions
"You." Cruger answers. "With Cadet Landors as your leader. Where is he?"
Jack walked in yawning and wearing his nightclothes. "What's with all the alarms?"
"Oh nothing much, Just an alien invasion of galactic proportion." Sydney answers
"Oh." Jack yawns.
"Now that A-squad is on mission, you're going to have to take the responsibility of leading the B-Squad, very seriously." Cruger states, "Do you understand?"
Silence was met for a few seconds.
"Yeah, okay, I get it." Jack answers
"Carry on." Cruger dismissed them.
"Later guys," Boom states walking up to Jack
"This is so not what I signed up for." Jack complained
"Why are you bummed out?" Boom asks, "I would be excited to be Red Ranger."
"You would be excited if you were the pink ranger." Jack retorts
Boom laughed before relenting, "True. But Red is the big cheese, the head honcho, large and in charge. You get to tell the others what to do then they do it."
Jack crossed his arms, "Really?"
Sydney came to realize that her new roommate was Z, by opening the door and seeing her. "My bad, wrong room." She came back, "this is my room."
Miko looked in and found Syd's neat and clean room had been trashed when Z moved in.
"What's going on here?" Jack asked as walked in.
"Just a discussion between roomies." Z answers
"I'm not your roomy." Sydney states.
"You two can work out your little spat while you clean up this mess." Jack informed
Z and Syd looked at each other and back at Jack.
"On the double." Jack ordered
"Very funny, Jack." Z smiled
"He's not smiling." Sydney states.
"According to the Ranger Academy handbook, section five article three point four. The Red Ranger gives a command, that command shall be unquestioned and obeyed by all other Rangers." Jack quoted the handbook
"That is what the handbook says." Miko states before she turned and left.
"Come on, you're not buying into this whole Red Ranger's the boss of all of us thing, are you?" Z asked
"I want it done before training." Jack answers, "Have a nice day."
"what a jerk." Z states
Syd looked over at Z and they both started giggling.
Krystal and Miko were starting to think that Commander Cruger had a few cards short of a whole deck, when they were witnessing Jack taking his Red Ranger status to a new level; he was issuing the lower classmen to do his laundry for him.
Commander Cruger walked down the hall, and glanced in on the Rec Room, he noticed Jack was sitting on a couch reading a comic. He walked in. "Cadet."
Jack looked up and closed the comic then sat up.
"I maybe wrong but isn't there a training exercise with B-Squad right now?" Cruger questions
"Yes, Sir." Jack answers, "I sent them on a five mile run through the mud swamp thought it would get them in shape."
"Hmm, the mud swamp's a tough course." Cruger agreed, he then pointed to Jack, "And you're getting in shape by reading a comicbook?"
Jack reached under the pillow, and got the comic. "Well... uh...as red ranger, I made the Executive decision that I needed some me-time."
A cadet walked in with Jack's laundry.
"Thank you, Cadet." Jack replied getting his clean uniforms. "Uh..Cadet, next time could you wash them in cold water, please. It keeps the reds nice and bright.
"Yes, sir." The cadet replies.
"I see, you have discovered being a leader has its privileges." Cruger comments, as another cadet walked in with a tray of food.
"Don't forget, sir. You promised to go over those close-contact defensive drills with me later." The cadet reminded.
Cruger looked at the female cadet and Jack.
"A promise is a promise." Jack responds. "Tough being the boss, right, CC?
Commander Cruger only growls at Jack.
Miko stopped half way through the course, panting heavily. She was caked in mud, and she wanted to strangle Jack with his own red shirt. She finished crawling under the laser wire grid.
The six rangers stood up and looked up as Jack was sitting on a chair under an umbrella.
"Hey, welcome back." Jack greets. "I didn't think you guys would be done so soon. How did it go?"
"How does it look like it went?" Sydney retorts.
"A little mud never hurt anyone." Jack replies
"Actually that's not true; my uncle Bernie got a serious infection by sticking mud clumps up his nose." Bridge replies, making everyone look at him strangely again.
"He stuck mud up his…nevermind." Z changed her mind. "I thought you said you were going to meet us out there?"
"Hello, Red Ranger here." Jack replies, "think I was laying around reading comicbooks all day?"
Krystal clutched her hands into tight muddy fists; sparks of electricity began to appear around her hands. Nevermind Sky punching Jack in the face, she was going too.
Miko nudged her cousin, "Cool it."
"Wouldn't surprise me." Sky replied shaking mud off his hands. "You have already missed weapons class, surveillance seminar."
Jack stood up, "I didn't realize it was Blue Ranger's job to keep tabs on my whereabouts."
Sky just looked at Jack not saying anything.
"Okay, I get that the mud run wasn't very fun, and as excepted you guys are a little edgy. Tell you what; take five minutes to clean up before martial arts class." Jack states
The others just shook their heads and scoffed.
"What?" Jack asks "Go, Hey, I'm trying to cut you guys some slack. Fine, we'll do it the other way, I'm Red Ranger, and that's an order."
The others began walking up.
"He's got no business being the red ranger." Sky states.
"I heard that." Jack replies, "Think you can do a better job?"
Sky turned back to Jack. "Yeah but Cruger picked you. You may be wearing Red but you're not a leader."
As soon as the six rangers were cleaned and looking more presentable. They were summoned into Delta Command, Commander Cruger and Dr. Manx were waiting for them.
"Rangers, you must use the Delta runners." Cruger declares, "Its time you moved to active zords now."
"Zords? Like actual zords?" Bridge asks
"Okay, I'm a little freaked." Z states
"You've been trained, you can do it Rangers." Dr. Manx assures.
"No sweat, guys. Just follow me." Jack agrees.
"Wait!" Cruger called, "Before you go, do you have full confidence in Jack Landors as your leader? If you have reservations, speak now."
Sky raised his hand, "Sir."
"Figures, he's just jealous that he's not the red ranger." Jack rolled his eyes.
"Nothing personal, Jack." Sydney replied
Bridge hesitated. "I like you as a friend and all, but as a leader; did I ever tell you that I really like your dreads?"
"Truth is, Jack. You have been pushing your status and issuing orders and are totally bogus." Krystal states.
Miko nods in agreement, even their Uncle Shane did not have this much trouble accepting his role as team leader, but he opposite problem, he wanted to do everything by himself.
"This is unreal." Jack states. "I can be a good leader, tell them, Z"
"It's the truth, Jack." Z agreed with the others. "Sorry."
"The team has spoken." Cruger states, "You are relieved of command and ranger status."
The others were shocked and voiced their objections.
"Don't you think…?" Kat began
"I've made my decision." Cruger interrupts.
Jack handed over his morpher.
"Cadets Bradley and Watanabe will stay behind." Cruger ordered as the alarms sounded. "Rangers, Go!"
"But Sir?" Krystal protested
"Delta Runners 6 and 7 will have to be reconfigured to your unique physiology." Dr. Manx explains.
Krystal groaned their elemental powers were getting in the way; they could use them while morphed.
The other four rangers morphed and exited through the zord bay tubes.
"He's heading toward the northern district." Cruger informed, "You have to stop him."
The two rangers, Cruger and Jack watched what was happening; Syd had ordered the monster to stop. Each zord wasn't enough to stop the giant robot.
"There's getting schooled." Jack states chaffing at the fact that he couldn't help out.
Krystal nudged Miko as they listened to Cruger.
"Without someone to lead them, they're at a strategical disadvantage." Cruger replies
"But I was their leader." Jack protested
"Really? Where you on the mud run?" Krystal asked.
"A true leader earns respect by example." Cruger states, "Did you set that example?"
"No." Jack answers, coming to his senses. "No, I was too busy taking advantage of my position." He watched a few more seconds, "No offense, sir. But I don't belong here with you."
Dr. Manx, Krystal, and Miko were grinning.
"Where is it that you belong, cadet?" Cruger answers.
"With my team, sir." Jack responds. "I'm their leader, and I should be leading them."
"Well, you can't lead them from here." Cruger replies.
"Yes, sir." Jack agrees fixing to leave.
"Cadet Landors." Cruger called "You might be needing this." He tossed the morpher to Jack. Jack left through the bay tubes.
"They need more power." Dr. Manx informed.
"Rangers, you must work as a team. Combine the Delta Runners to form the Delta Squad Megazord." Cruger informed.
The remaining rangers watched as the five rangers formed the Delta Squad Megazord.
Using expertly trained moves, the five rangers were able to destroy the giant robot.
Krystal and Miko left after morphing, they cornered the monster. After it mentioned that it got away.
"Yeah right!" the cousins reply.
The other rangers join them.
"Think again." Jack states.
"Who's going to stop me?" the monster demands.
"1. S.P.D Red Ranger."
"2. S.P.D Blue Ranger."
"3. S.P.D Green Ranger."
"4. S.P.D Yellow Ranger."
"5. S.P.D Pink Ranger."
"6. S.P.D Gold Ranger."
"7. S.P.D Sliver Ranger!"
They each posed.
"Space Patrol Delta!"
"Defenders of Earth."
"You don't scare me." The monster states
Jack stepped forward, "Allow me, I own you." He charged forward getting his blasters ready. The others followed giving Jack a hand.
The rangers each took turns delivering blows to the monster.
"Now listen up, if Grumm wants this planet, he's going to have to go through us." Jack replies, reaching for his morpher. "S.P.D Morpher Judgment Mode."
The morpher confirmed guilty. The other six Rangers stood at attention while Jack fired his blaster
The Rangers walked up to the monster.
"We're taking you in." Jack announced, "Containment mode." The morpher captured the monster in a containment card.
Back at base, Cruger was sitting at his desk.
The six rangers stood before him.
"So you all trust Cadet Landors to lead your team?" Cruger asks
Z stepped forward, "I admit that his ego got a little out of control but deep down Jack's a good guy."
Sydney was next, "Plus we couldn't have made the megazord without him."
Bridge stepped up, "That's true, or we'll be walking around without a head."
Miko and Krystal step up, Krystal speaking for both herself and her cousin, "Standing up to you just proves Jack has what it takes to lead us."
Sky listened to everyone's opinions not saying anything.
"What about you?" Cruger asks
Sky didn't respond.
It was late evening, and if someone were to look out of a window toward the training grounds, they would see Jack running the Mud Swamp course.
Sky stood silent with his arms crossed watching Jack. Sky nods to himself.