8/2/09

Summary: Having regained their powers, the team has to come out of hiding to save the planet. But can they do that without the Global Government killing them before they can do so?

Hi all. Having re-established their connection to the Morphing Grid and gotten their powers back, will the team be able to save Earth? And now, to the story. . .

-x-

Chapter 6: Throwing the Gauntlet

Word quickly spread that the Power Rangers had been seen. The populace of what had been Southern California whispered among themselves where the rangers had come from as the story of the Ninjazord arcing across the sky moved from city to town to village across the state, across the Northern Hemisphere and beyond.

And with each new telling, as neighbor contacted neighbor and friends reached out to friends, the legend of Power Rangers was restored. The defenders of Earth had returned, and with their arrival, people wondered if perhaps the stories about them were true… that they would defeat the evil that had created their circumstances and that the Global Government would fall beneath them.

Of course, as the populace of Earth wondered these things, there were those who had to question in secret.

The members of the Center had risen up in joy with the news that the rangers had indeed returned, and began to work with their cells to plan support actions for the returned Power Rangers. They knew that there was a lot of work to be done to change the planet, and six teens, no matter their powers might not be ready to do that. They began to mobilize academics as well as soldiers, with the hope that once the battles were over, they could rebuild the world as it should have been – free and flourishing.

At the same time as the people and the Center operatives were adjusting to the news of the power ranger's return, so were the members of the Global Government beginning to fear for their power and their control. They were getting reports that the people were ready to support the return of the rangers, embrace them as liberators. This was unacceptable to the Global Government Council leaders. The people had no idea how dangerous the power ranger's return was. It was only they that knew Lord Zedd would destroy the planet to eradicate the rangers once and for all.

It was up to them to stop the rangers from destroying the delicate balance their forefathers had struck with the galactic villain they still were beholden to… before everyone suffered.

-x-

In a dark cell under the West Coast headquarters of the Global Government, the Black Global Force had just dragged an informant and member of the Center for "questioning". He'd been a lucky find after Captain Dell's forces had lost the Power Rangers in Bakersfield. But now he had someone alive that he could get the information he needed from.

He and the West Coast office's top interrogation technician walked into the cell and looked at the old man bound to the chair. Dark brown eyes aged by time glared angrily at him, but to Captain Dell, it meant nothing. He would break the man before him and get the secrets of the Center and the Power Ranger's locations, or else. He had little choice this time by to succeed.

"James Oliver, you are being held as a traitor for aiding and abetting known criminals and being a member of the seditious organization the Center. If you tell us now what we want to know, you will be spared further pain," Dell told him officiously.

"Bite me," spat James.

Dell sighed. Never had one of the Center ever cooperated with a Black Global Force investigation. He hadn't expected the older man to either, but he'd wanted to be fair and give the guy a chance. Obviously it didn't matter. He nodded to the forty-something interrogation tech he'd been given here in the West Coast office. The Asian man moved to where James Oliver was imprisoned in the chair.

Reaching behind the chair, he pulled two long wires and clipped them to Oliver's hands. Dell knew on the other end of the wires was a small portable generator, and with a simple flip of the switch the current that would normally power lights or computers would be redirected through the man strapped to the chair.

"Last chance," asked Dell as he nodded to the Asian tech that stood patiently behind Oliver, his hand on the generator's ignition switch.

James kept his mouth tightly shut, knowing he couldn't betray the rangers. They needed him to safe guard their whereabouts, their identities… it was what every Center operative took an oath to do. And even at his age he was determined to protect the secrets of the Center and the resurrected images of his ancestors.

"As you will. Chan…"

With those simple words, the tech behind Oliver pushed the switch and a stream of electricity coursed down the lines and through James' body, causing the older man to call out hoarsely, his body jerking in the chair for what seemed hours, but was in fact only half a minute before Chan clicked the switch off.

"Where is their base of operation?" Dell asked, watching Oliver twitch for a second before looking up and glaring at him.

"Somewhere you will never find it," replied James angrily.

Dell sighed and nodded to Chan. He flipped the switch again, sending the electricity through Oliver once again. When the current was shut off, Oliver was slightly slumped in the chair, and Dell moved closer to the man, wanting to make sure that he heard Oliver's answer.

"Alright Oliver. We can make this easy on you. Just answer the questions. Are the kids being sheltered by the Center?"

"No."

A small smile tugged at Dell's lips. Oliver might have just given a possibly straight answer. Perhaps two jolts had been enough to loosen his tongue. He needed to get the information he needed quickly, so he had no time to revel in the moment.

"What is their plan?"

There was a brief pause before James looked up and gave Captain Dell a dark grin.

"What do you think? They're gonna take you all down. And I hope to God I'm here to see you all burn," he boasted defiantly before sealing his lips again as he stared down the Global Force goon before him.

Instantly angry, Dell hauled off and slapped Oliver across the face, hard. The sound of the smack reverberated around the room, and James' head snapped back to face his attacker, blood running from the corner of his mouth. Infuriated, Dell raised his hand to strike again, but was stopped by the sound of his name. He turned and saw the cell door open and a member of the Global Council's war congress stood there.

"Captain Dell," said the Major standing in the open door, his uniform identifying him to Dell's eyes.

"Yes?"

"The council wants to see you."

That made Captain Dell pause. They knew he was running down leads. For them to be summoning him now…

"But the prisoner…"

"Can wait."

Frowning, Dell turned to Chan and indicated with a wave of his hand that they were stopping for now. Then he quickly turned and headed down the halls, following the Major as they made their way to the council's chamber. When they arrived, the Major waved Dell in, and closed the door behind them. Before them, the members of the Global Government Council sat before him around their circular table.

"Report," spoke the head of the council.

"Oliver has not said anything of use. The Power Rangers are still on the run, possibly without the aid of the Center's operatives."

"That's no longer of concern," commented the Asian man who controlled that part of the world.

"Sir?" asked Dell, stunned.

"Tracking the trajectory of the zord, the military has pinpointed the Power Rangers returned towards the city of Angel Grove," explained the thin, dark eyed woman who controlled half the Southern hemisphere.

"But, there's nothing there anymore."

"Perhaps. But it is the decision of the Council to be sure of that," the dark skinned man who was the thin woman's counterpart in control of the Southern hemisphere.

"Is that wise? Shouldn't the military be preparing to put down any uprising instigated by the Center's traitorous cells?"

Before anyone could respond, the holographic platform that served as the link between the Council and their overlord crackled to life. Everyone turned to see the image begin to coalesce before them, resolving into the figure of the alien who controlled their destinies… Lord Zedd.

"The Power Rangers have been sighted," he intoned, his voice filling the chamber.

"Yes my lord," the balding, tan man who led the Council replied nervously.

"You are to immediately annihilate Angel Grove city and destroy the rangers. Not a stone or plant must be left standing. If you do not, I will be forced to return with my forces to Earth. And in my army's… exuberance, people, cities, states… continents may come to an end. Remember, you exist by my benevolence alone. Do not fail."

Suddenly the connection was severed, and the Council members looked at one another in terror. They had to take action. If Lord Zedd sent his forces, there was no guarantee the planet, the people, would survive. And their lives would be forfeit for failing Lord Zedd.

"Captain Dell, you are hereby ordered to take a squadron of planes and bomb Angel Grove. You will also take as many ground forces as you can and go into the city to verify the deaths of these rangers," the head of the council demanded, pointing a demanding finger at the head of the Global Black Force.

"Yes Sir."

With that, Dell was running for the door, barking at the Major trailing behind him orders to activate the required military personnel to begin the attack immediately. He would not fail the Global Government Council… because there was no other option.

-x-

The Ninja Mega Falconzord landed outside the Command Center and the individual zords disengaged their locks so the team could pilot their zords back inside the docking bay. Once settled inside, they all made their way to the hangar floor.

"That was something else," commented Adam as he climbed from the blue wolf zord.

The whole team had been surprised which zords Zordon had left in the auxiliary bay. The original Dinozords had been transformed into the Thunderzords, which then were destroyed. When they saw the Ninjetti zords in the hangar for their use, it was for some of them like coming home.

When they had suited up, none of them had realized it, but when they'd walked to the zords to fire them up, it had been a revelation. Since a few of them had never piloted the zords assigned to them, there was a slight learning curve. Adam had helped Zack with the frog zord while Aisha assisted Jason with Rocky's ape. The rest just had to let their memories guide them.

"It was pretty cool," Kim affirmed, joining everyone in the center of the hangar bay as they gathered together to debrief from their initial journey in this new world in the Ninjazord.

"So we've declared ourselves… now what do we do? Wait for Zedd to make the first move?" questioned Jason, his arms crossing over his chest as he got serious, knowing that the team's appearance would start things moving and they had to be prepared.

"We see if Zedd is coming for us and then we go out there and send him packing," Tommy replied honestly, his tone brooking no argument.

"What about the Global Government? Will they be on Zedd's side still?" asked Aisha.

"They did outlaw the rangers in the first place," Zack recalled worriedly.

"That could mean we'll have to face both of them," Adam pointed out, looking to Tommy for his reaction.

"Then we deal with them both. For now, we need to get the Command Center up and fully running so we can get access to the Global Government's databases, so we know what they know and we can form a battle plan when Zedd shows up."

The team nodded in agreement, knowing that the one of their weaknesses was the lack of information they had about this time, and the power that the Global Government wielded. Turning towards the elevator, the team moved to make their way back to the main command center. Just as they were exiting the lift, an alarm suddenly sounded through the whole of the Command Center. Everyone looked around in panic as they instantly realized that their chance to figure out what their next step would be was gone.

-End ch 6-

Sorry for the cliffhanger. I've already started the next chapter, so hopefully I should have it done fairly soon. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated, as they tell me if you're enjoying the ride. Ms. J.