Chapter 6—Reunion at Onyx

(Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, however the enemies in this chapter are my original creations.)

(A/N: Now that I'm back at my normal comp, I've done that correction I mentioned last chapter. Also, my goal is to complete a new chapter at least once a week. With that in mind, please enjoy this one.)

Andros and the Space Rangers continued on their journey to Mirinoi after four hours in space. All of a sudden a transmission came through to the Rangers.

"Guys, It's Zhane. You'll need to change course, I've got some new info."

"What's up?" Andros asked.

"I called in a few favors from some merchants we saved in the old days before Astronema and asked them to keep an eye on Mirinoi since they were in the area. Apparently the Galaxy Rangers took care of the Machines and left the planet."

"Any ideas where they went?" TJ asked.

"Yeah. They're on Onyx," Zhane replied.

"Why on earth would they go there?" Carlos asked.

"Because it's the last place anyone would expect," Ashley answered, "We should go there to back them up."

"It's a good thing that Onyx is closer than Mirinoi," Cassie commented.

"More good news," Zhane continued, "I'll be along sooner than I thought. Another hour at the most."

"Not that I'm complaining, but how?" TJ asked.

"There were some already charged fuel cells on another ship that I traded for our newer ones. We got the short end of the stick in that deal, but it's worth it to go help out. I'm already en route to Onyx as we speak."

"It'll take half an hour for us to get there," Carlos reported.

"Okay everyone, let's head over then," Andros said. Half an hour later, the Space Rangers arrived at Onyx on the outskirts of the major western-like town. They de-morphed and hid their Galaxy Gliders. Then they found a shady dealer and bought some disguises from him.

"Onyx city, you'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villany," Carlos said with a smirk when the dealer left, getting a laugh from all of his friends except Andros.

"Carlos is right, you guys," he said, "I don't see the joke."

"Okay, next time we're on Earth, I'll have to show you. It's a great movie," Ashley replied with a smile. The Rangers entered Onyx City with brown cloaks covering them, hoods raised. Several aliens passed by, giving them dirty looks. They overheard a commotion coming from the saloon. Deciding that was as good a place as any to get information about the Galaxy Rangers, Andros motioned his friends inside where several aliens were arguing. The Rangers slipped over to the bar to eavesdrop.

"I'm telling ya, soon it'll be hard for us to make a dishonest living," a wolf-faced alien said, "That dang-blasted Machine Empire's back and it drove our ship out of the Horsehead Neb'la and our comp'tition too."

"Hush Lupis!" a lizard-like female alien was sitting across from him. "This place may have ears," she said.

"At least with the other major baddies in the past, guys like us could get by. Lupis has a point, Zil," a squid-faced alien sitting next to the lizard alien replied, "I don't think that there'll be room for smugglers or bounty hunters in their new galactic order."

"Of that, I'm not too sure. Seems that Power Rangers are on their top ten list of bounties, the one in pink most especially," Zil replied.

"Good thing our boss done caught'm first, eh Flayer," Lupis nudged the squid-faced alien with his sholder.

"Hush!" Lupis's companions shouted. Then Zil noticed the cloaked forms on the other side of the room.

"See over there, those guys could be competition trying to muscle in on our sweet deal," she said. The three aliens moved to the bar.

"Barkeep!" Andros yelled, trying to cover their suspicious nature, "Drinks for my friends here."

"What'll it be, stranger," the midgety bartender said.

"Sarsaparilla!" TJ called out. Andros mentally sighed.

"Don't get many requests for that," the bartender noted.

"Hey yeah, these are out-of-towners all right!" Luips yelled approaching the Rangers with his two cohorts.

"You wouldn't happen to be after any bounties, would you?" Flayer asked.

"Of course we wouldn't," Carlos replied, "job's too stressful." The bartender brought the drinks over.

"Sarsaparilla, that's a human drink, is it not?" Zil asked.

"An acquired taste," Cassie said, nodding to Ashley.

"Well let's see what's under them hoods of yours…" Lupis reached towards the ladies, who splashed their drinks in his face. The wolf alien screamed in surprise while his companions laughed at him. The Rangers leaped out of their stools and drew their Astro Blasters on the aliens. Suddenly the room became deathly quiet.

"Bounty hunters we aren't," Carlos said, "Search-and-rescue is more our thing today."

"Where are you holding the Power Rangers?" Andros demanded. As the tension in the saloon built up, several aliens left, while the ones who remained drew weapons of their own.

"No! No weapons!" the bartender begged, then he ducked behind the bar.

"Sorry," Zil said with a toothy grin, "but this is business. You know how our boss is," she raised her voice addressing the entire saloon.

"I hope we don't have to do this the hard way," Ashley sighed.

"No," Lupis said, "we'll do it…the fun way!" The wolf-like alien dropped to the ground and leg-sweeped Ashley, knocking her down. The other Rangers were stunned for a second which is what the other two aliens needed. They leaped over the Rangers and made a break for the exit. Andros helped Ashley to her feet as Cassie, TJ, and Carlos started to give chase. The remaining patrons shot at the Rangers' feet. They dodged the blasts, but the two that they were pursuing left. The other lowlifes had malevolent grins on their faces.

"Trust me, you don't want to mess with us," TJ said. One of the aliens tried to punch him, but he caught it in his cloak and wrapped the alien's fist in it. The alien struggled as TJ ripped off his cloak and tied his opponent's hands with it. Meanwhile, Ashley and Andros gave Lupis a quick kick to the stomach and the wolf-alien was bent over, seemingly out of commission. Seeing that TJ's disguise was off, Cassie and Carlos took off their cloaks and caught two of the other aliens' weapons in them and disarmed them. One of the aliens gasped.

"I know those uniforms! These guys are Power Rangers too!" he said noting the gray jackets and color-coded shirts underneath them. Some of the other aliens drew their weapons, but laser fire knocked them out of their hands.

"Let's listen to the nice bartender," Ashley said, pointing her Astro Blaster at them.

"No weapons," Andros said firmly, his weapon also drawn. The aliens backed out of the bar. Lupis got up and grabbed the Rangers' blasters from behind.

"No weapons means you too!" he snarled, ripping the blasters from the Rangers' hands and tossing them aside. Andros and Ashley dropped to the ground, doing a leg sweep at the wolf-like alien, knocking him down again. Cassie, Carlos, and TJ rushed to their friends' aid. Just then Zil and Flayer rushed back into the saloon, weapons drawn. Flayer tried to shoot at Andros, but Carlos kicked his hand, the shot going off to the backside of the bar, blasting a hole in the wall. TJ kicked Zil's laser out of her hand before she could get a shot off. Andros and Ashley tossed Lupis into his friends, knocking down all three who were struggling with each other as they tried to get up. Cassie looked at the hole the laser made.

"Be glad that didn't hit you," she told Andros, pointing at the hole.

"Wait a minute, the hole shouldn't be that big," Andros replied, "Guys, keep an eye on our friends." Andros picked up his and Ashley's Astro Blasters and fired both into the wall in steady beams to blast open a door-sized hole. On the other side was a cage containing the Galaxy Rangers, exhausted, a little beaten, but still conscious.

"Hey Leo, long time no see," Andros said, concern in his voice. Then he saw his sister. "Karone! What'd they do to you!" he blasted the cage door to release the Galaxy Rangers. Karone rushed to her brother, wrapping him in a fierce hug.

"Well isn't that cute," a sinister voice said, "Now my collection of Rangers is growing. The Machine Empire will pay handsomely." A huge alien with a bull's head emerged from the shadows and Leo and Andros knew that their teams weren't out of the woods yet.

(A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please send me your reviews. I do read every one of them and they're always welcome. Next chapter, the Space and Galaxy Rangers fight side-by side to leave Onyx in one piece, introductions and reintroductions are made, and plans to go on the offensive against the Machine Empire are made)