"Aww crap," announced Keith, as he fired three shots from his Enea down the alleyway. Crouching quickly behind the dumpster, he looked across the alleyway at Lexa, morphed in her Ranger armor. Her knucklers were charged, and at their tips was a simmering glow of energy. Bolts of energy rushed down the energy as the droids fired from further up. There was a whole squad of them slowly advancing towards us. He looked behind him to see three people huddling softly, trying to stay out of blaster fire. "Where's Black, and Blue?"
"Ascending the structure at last report," returned Lexa, as she snaked her knucklers around the side, and fired two blasts. Pulling her hands back in quickly to avoid a blast we could hear the audiable footsteps of the droids as they approached quickly.
"They're sure taking their sweet time," Keith announced as he turned back to the three behind him. A young girl, and two guys. They weren't much different than Lexa, Matt, and Keith when they started off. We're the heck was Matt anyway. Turning back around Keith was lucky enough to catch the glimpse of a droid not four feet away from him. That was until it was forced backwards and inactive from a shot from above. Turning his head upwards he saw Matt standing on the rooftop with a small trail of smoke rising from the barrel of his blaster. Turning his gaze across to the other roof he could see Peter blasting several bolts towards the droids below. The droids saw them as well though, and begun opening fire on the other two rangers. "Everyone fall back to the warehouse." Motioning to the three behind him, Keith waved them backwards towards the end of the alley.
Standing up, Keith stepped into the alley and started firing at the droids, placing two hands on the Enea. Matt, and Peter leapt from the buildings below, landing on the dumpster lids, and then flipping off onto the ground. Spinning around, they opened fire; Matt with his blazer, and Peter with his lance. Lexa crept out from her hiding spot, and started firing at the droids from a crouched position. Slowly the Rangers fell back towards the end of the alley, and a large steel door that one of the guys was keeping open for them. Matt retreated in first, followed by Lexa as the bolts rushed passed us slamming into the brick façade. Keith ducked in next, and then finally Peter rolled in as the guy slammed the door shut.
"How long can we hold this spot?" asked Peter as he stood back up.
"A couple minutes," Keith replied, "until the droids get here at least."
"Those robots have stopped," announced the girl as she peered out one of the windows.
"Great they're probably waiting for one of their commanders," Keith announced, and slowly reached up to unclasp his helmet. Pulling it off, he shook his head to rid it of sweat any other crud. The others did the same, taking a moment to rest, and relax. Keith turned to face Matt slowly. "What kept you?"
"Trius," returned Matt, setting his helmet down on a crate with his weapons next to it.
"You four are no older than us," remarked the girl as she stared wide eye at the Rangers.
"Wow," said one of the guys, "real Power Rangers."
"Who is she?" asked the other guy, staring intently at Lexa.
"Don't ask," warned Matt, as he perched himself on one of the crates.
"A better question is who are you?" asked Peter. "And why were the droids after you?"
"Kevin," announced the guy who had asked about Lexa. "And this is Taylor, and Fiona."
"Nice to meet you," offered Matt, as he gave a half wave. "We're the Power Rangers. That's Keith in red; Lexa in yellow; and Peter in black. I'm Matt."
"I thought the Power Rangers were just a television show," said Taylor, still in a stunned disbelief. "I mean I guess what we just went through says otherwise, but it's still kind of weird."
"Yeah, you're telling us," replied Matt.
"I do not sense any of the other Mobiums about," announced Lexa. "I cannot anticipate what they are attempting."
"What's a mobium?" asked Fiona.
"The bad guys," announced Peter.
"Well sort of," said Keith, sounding a bit annoyed by the statement his colleague had made. "The other mobiums are the ones controlling the droids."
"Others?" asked Kevin.
"It's a long story," Keith told him, "but the short version is I'm half a mobium, and Lexa over there is a full one."
"So what's separate the two of you from the ones trying to kill us?" asked Fiona.
"Again," Keith repeated, "that's a long story." He looked over at Peter, who slowly moved towards the window to peer out of it. "But I would imagine that your story is somewhat shorter."
The three young people looked at each other, and then slowly back at the Rangers. Taylor unslung his pack, and placed it on the dark concrete floor of the warehouse. Unzipping one of the pockets, he submerged his hand into its contents, until he finally pulled a strange looking device from it, and held it out for Keith to see. "I think they're looking for this."
"Lexa," ordered Keith, as he retreated back to one of the other windows.
Lexa walked over, and took the device from Taylor, and held it in her hands, examining it carefully. Flipping it over, she gave it back to Taylor. "Where did you find this?"
"A construction site about four blocks down," he reported. "We were cutting through it on the way to school, and I practically tripped over it."
Lexa turned to Keith, and explained to him mentally, without words what the object was. Keith turned back to him, and voiced his concern on the subject rather loudly, "A bomb?"
"A what?" asked Matt, standing upright, and backing up some.
"What did she say?" asked Peter at the same time, turning back towards the others.
"Woah get that thing away from me," said Fiona, retreating to a corner of the room.
"Did you miss the concept of discretion?" asked Lexa from where she stood. "It is not active, it will not detotnate. It is safe for the moment."
"Can it be activated by remote?" asked Peter.
"Negative," she confirmed. "It is in a sense offline."
"What was it doing in a construction site?" asked Matt.
"That's the ten thousand dollar question," returned Keith.
"Maybe we should ask one of the droids," joked Matt.
"Yeah," laughed Keith, "hopefully will find one of the talkative ones."
"So how are we going to get out of here?" asked Peter from his spot by the window.
"I'll take 'porting' for five hundred Alex," replied Matt.
"Guess will have too," said Keith, as he moved away from the window. His eyes began to glow as he channeled his mental energy into a single form. It stopped though as the sound of glass breaking filled the warehouse. Keith's eyes slowly went blank, and it was like he lost his balance, slowly following forward. Matt rushed forward and grabbed him by the arms, just as he was about to hit the floor. Only to see a big gaping hole in his rear armor. Peter smashed one of the window panes he was at, and poked his lance end through, returning the fire.
"Trius," reported Peter. "He was using some sort of sniper rifle or something. Stay away from the windows."
"Keith!" exclaimed Matt, as Keith failed to move or say anything after several moments. "C'mon buddy. Lexa."
Lexa walked over to the fallen Red Ranger, and placed a gloved hand on his arm. "Interfacing. Vitals weak, damage to several organs. He is unconscious, and requires medical aid."
"Great," announced Matt, "and we're pinned down." Slowly Lexa took Keith from Matt, and splayed him across the floor. Looking over her fallen leader cautiously she tried to prop his head up to make him as comfortable as possible, but she still worried that if they did not act quickly enough, this might be Keith's last stand.
"Matthew," she said softly, turning to look at the Blue Ranger. Matt stared back across the room, as he held his helmet in his hands. His look of worry echoed her own thoughts, and it offered her a little comfort to realize she wasn't the only panicking.
"I know," he said softly trying to provide a little comfort to the others. Suddenly he felt responsible for everyone else around him, like the weight of the world had crashed upon his shoulders when he wasn't looking. He wondered for an instant if this is what Keith went through every time they went into battle. He couldn't do this though with them seeing his face, and slowly his eyes drifted down to his helmet. He understood why the guise of the ranger at that moment. The helmet hid their face, whether it was their joy, their love, or their zeal; the helmet was anonymity, only their voice would betray their emotions, and that could be altered. Slowly he pulled the two halves apart, and over his head, and slipped it back on over his head, clasping it into place. Watching as the HUD in front of him became active again, he turned back towards Lexa, and nodded. "I know." Turning around he looked towards Peter, "Are they on the move?"
"No," replied the still helmetless Ranger from his position by the window. "The droids are still holding still." Matt turned back towards Lexa, and then back to the three teenagers still huddling in the corner. His eyes fell on the pack, with the strange alien explosive device in it, and then back towards the door. He only had to moments to consider his options, and once more he knew this to boot. He felt pressed for time, but being, he was becoming accustomed to this fact.
"Suit up," he ordered. Peter and Lexa shot each other concerned looks before obeying and retrieving their helmets from their resting places. "Can the yield be changed on that device?"
Lexa, now with her helmet replaced walked over and retrieved the weapon. "I believe so. How large of a yield do you desire?"
"Enough to destroy all those droids out there," Matt replied, slowly taking a hold of his Blazer. He let the grip settle slowly into his hand, and let his trigger finger slowly assert it's position. Lexa slowly examined the device and made small calibrations with her mind. Changing settings telekinetically was simple for a trainer warrior like her. Peter replaced his helmet upon his head, and slowly knelt down next to Keith. Slowly moving him, he readied himself to lift his fallen leader up.
Turning to face the Rangers, Fiona crossed her arms beneath her small bust, trying to ascertain what was about to happen. The Rangers appeared to communicate with their own language, and in one case with thoughts. That might be all and good for them, but her and her cohorts were not privy to this code, and considering they didn't have any form of protection like Ranger armor it meant that they were more susceptible to being hurt. "What exactly is the plan?"
The Blue Ranger turned slowly to the young girl, and from Fiona's perspective he almost gave off a vibe of annoyance. Matt felt no such emotion though, he was merely trying to consider how best to answer the question. He knew he needed them to be ready, but he didn't want to let them know that this plan might not work the way it should, and didn't want to scare them or endanger their morale. "When I say now, we're going to burst through the door, and make our own way out of here. You guys are to stay behind Peter."
"What about those robots?" asked Fiona softly.
"They won't be a problem," returned Matt.
"Ready," announced Lexa, replacing her helmet. "The yield setting has been configured properly. They may still be able to destroy it before it detonates."
"What about its purpose in the first place?" asked Taylor. "Aren't you guys concerned about why they left it where they did?"
"It's not my concern at the moment," replied Matt. "It's a good question, but we need to get out of here." Turning to Lexa, he nodded, and twisted his left wrist. A small compartment in his glove opened up, and a small disc like device was produced which slid into his glove. "I've been looking for the right time to test this. Can't think of a better one. You ready Peter?"
"Yes," replied Peter, picking up Keith carefully, and placing him behind his head, and on his shoulders. "On your word."
"I wonder if Trius knows he hit Keith?" asked Matt openly, more thinking aloud than anything else. "Well I suppose if he did, then Polaris would be here ready to take the rest of us out." Finding a form of relief in this statement he let out a large sigh, and then slowly turned to look towards the windows. Slowly approaching the window, he fingered the disc in his left hand. "When I say now, everyone cover their eyes. Now!" Casting the object from his hand it flew through one of the destroyed windows and into the street before it struck a wall and lodged itself into the wall.
Several of the droids lined in the front turned to face the object. It hummed for a second, and then erupted, creating a blinding flash that filled the alleyway, temporarily blinding the droids visual processors. However their auditory monitors detected a strange sound; almost as if something struck the ground, and bounced. They never saw the explosive device land in their mists, so they had no time to react as it exploded, engulfing the ones closest to it in flames. The ones that were somewhat further away were forced backwards, and metallic appendages were torn from their sockets. Second was all they needed to process the end result of what had just transpired, but it was enough for the door to the warehouse to open, and for the Blue Ranger to charge with his Blazer set to automatic fire mode, and lay down a stream of energy bolts that tore into the remaining army of droids.
Lexa and Peter were the next out, and Lexa's rays that came from her knucklers tore through the tattered remains of several droids often taking two at once for her troubles. Petere was ruight behind her, carrying their fallen leader, and unable to carry any weapon. His lance remained holstered in his leg mount, as the three teens charged behind him, quite frightened for their very lives. Matt pressed the battle forward, sprinting hedad first into the droid lines, and literally blasting the hell out of anything that moved in front of him. Lexa was no less mercufyl to these automations as she cleaned up any outbursts that Matt created in front of her, allowing Peter and the teenagers ample room to move through the crowd.
Now surrounded on all sides but what was left of the droids, but still pressing onwards, this is the time when things became most perilous. And it was in these moments that a stray shot, however unlucky it may be may find its mark for a positive. Such was the case of one of the mangled droids who had lost its other arm when the device had exploded. It had fired into the fleeing posse, and had missed one of the Rangers, but instead had found its mark onto Taylor, almost dead on too. The teenager was lifted up by the impact of the strike, and forced backwards onto the ground, as well as his back, flailing for but an instant before the bolt managed to burn a clean hole through him, temporarily cauterizing the wound, but the organ it had destroyed cause his system to shut down almost seconds later. Fiona turned around to look upon her fallen friend, and stopped briefly to cry out his name, though the lifeless Taylor was unable to hear her. Trying to leap to his aid, she felt an arm pulling her backwards as the Yellow Ranger tried to make sure there wasn't another fallen waiting to happen.
Matt turned just as he reached the end, seeing no more droids in his path, and raising both blasters in the air as Peter still holding Keith rushed past him. His plan had gotten them safely through, or at least he thought so as he watched Lexa pull Fiona backwards. He followed the young girl's gaze to the fallen Taylor, and watched his lifeless body for an instant, as he leveled his weapon at the remaining droids, and opened fire as Kevin rushed past him. He did not only out of reaction to the remaining enemy, but at the same time because there was a bubbling form of anger in his body that seemed to want to try and escape at that very instant. Instead of channeling it into rage, o r yelling he used as it as energy to continue what he did best as a Ranger. Point, and click. And fall is what the droids did, the remaining numbers could be counted on the fingers of two hands.
The Rangers had succeeded in escaping, but it had come with a heavy price, one none of them wanted to pay again. They returned Fiona and Kevin to their homes, as shaken as the teenagers were, but they could offer no other form of service. They had no time to console them for their losses, for the fate of one of their own hung the balance. We all know by now that Keith recovered, only to launch his plan to draw Polaris out with the Starwing.
The first innocent had fallen to these droids, but it would not be the last. The kid had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time, with no fault at all on his part. Some would argue though that it didn't matter, because there was no such thing as coincidence, that this was part of his fate, as well as the Rangers. Keith would agree with this analysis of the situation, and though he kept it from his friend, he was sure Matt probably suspected the same thing. However, even though it had shaken the Blue Ranger as to his abilities to lead the rest of the team, it did not dissuade him, and if anything only strengthened his resolve to become a better leader. Even if the next time he would lead was the streets of San Francisco.