Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers
A/N: I don't know where some of this came from, but it sounded good, right?
When Doctor K's communications device woke them up, nobody had left the Ranger Room. After Ziggy had vanished, they'd all rushed down there to see where he'd gone. Doctor K's best guess was that he'd left the city, beyond her ability to actively track his morpher, although it still broadcast his vitals as being 'within the acceptable range'.
"Doctor K?" Ziggy's shaky, tired voice called, waking Scott from where he'd fallen asleep with Flynn and Summer on either side of him.
"Ziggy?" Dillon asked, just before he rolled off the patient's bed where he'd fallen asleep. The crash of him hitting the floor woke up Summer and Flynn.
"Ranger Green," Doctor K said, Scott spotted her settling down at her computer with Gem and Gemma standing behind her like body guards. "Where are you?"
"You don't know? I don't know," Ziggy replied, an edge of panic in his voice, "I think I'm outside the dome, what happened, how did I get here, was it Venjix?"
"Ranger Green," Doctor K said as Scott edged closer, "calm down. What do you remember?"
"Dillon was doing something to the computer," Ziggy replied, "and I had to get him away before he brought the shields down. I remember he tackled me, but I can't remember what happened after. I've been trying, it's just nothing. I woke up here, in a cave, with the sun coming up. My engine cell is missing too."
"I have it," Scott said, "I picked it up after you dropped it last night."
"Scott? Is, is everyone there?" Ziggy asked.
"Yeah," Dillon said as he walked over, rubbing his shoulder. "We're all here, Zig. Don't worry too much; we're going to come get you."
"Ok," Ziggy said.
Scott glanced at the team, and then at Doctor K, "Gem and Gemma should go," he said, catching their attention. "Besides Dillon, they know the wastelands, and they have flying Zords." Scott still wasn't sure how he felt about them having flying Zords, but he was happy with Eagle Zord. He wasn't as big on flying as he'd once been.
"I'm going with them," Dillon announced.
"But your shoulder," Summer protested.
"It's almost healed," Dillon replied, "I won't be in trouble if I morph."
"Quiet," Doctor K snapped, "Scott, the mission is yours to plan."
"Yes ma'am," Scott said, "Dillon, briefing room."
"You can't," Dillon began.
"Now," Scott barked in his best command voice. He kept his face still to hide his surprise when Dillon went. Everyone else followed him out of the Ranger Room, and Scott waited for the door to slid shut, "Dillon," he said before the other Ranger could speak. "If I let you go, I'll be sending over half the team out there while we have two very strong and dangerous androids on the loose. It's an attack waiting to happen and you know that. You and Flynn are our strongest fighters, we need you here."
Dillon gave him the dirtiest look ever, "Ziggy is out there," he began.
"We'll get him back," Summer told him, giving Scott a quick look before approaching Dillon. "Dillon, I know you don't always like us, but can you just trust us, this once?"
Scott turned from Dillon to the twins, "You two are our best shot at this because you have flying Zords and know the wastelands," he said. "You're going to fly out, get Ziggy and come straight back; no detours, ok? This is not the time for you two to free prisoners or blow up a factory. I'm not saying you'll never be asked to do that, but not this time. If you see something like that, note the coordinates and we'll see what can be done later."
"Just pick up Ziggy," Gem said with a nod.
"And bring him back," Gemma finished.
"Thank you," Scott said, "thank you both."
"We like Ziggy," Gem told him.
Whatever Gemma was about to say, it was interrupted as the Ranger Room door opened and Doctor K came out. "Change in plans, Ranger Red."
"Yes ma'am," Scott replied.
"Dillon needs to go with Gem and Gemma," Doctor K continued, "there is a factory very close to where Ziggy is waiting. I know that you are worried about the android, Ranger Red, but we need to know what that factory is building."
"We have almost completed the Road Attack Vehicle," Flynn said, "I know it needs testing, but everything says it will work. If we need it, we can use that."
Scott glanced at Flynn, then to Summer before nodding, "All right," he said.
"Here are the coordinates," Doctor K said, handing the twins a set of disks. "I don't want you to destroy the factory just yet, Gem, Gemma. I want to know what they're building. Dillon can access the computer's mainframe, just from the Venjix hardware already in place in him. Don't go in if it looks like a suicide mission."
"You got it, Doc," Dillon said, "I don't know how you intend for me to access the mainframe, though."
"You already know how," Doctor K said, "you'll understand when you get there, though."
/…/
They left Corinth within the hour, with Dillon riding in Gem's cargo area. Scott had resigned himself to letting Dillon go, and Dillon had kept himself from rubbing in Doc's ability to overrule Scott by a large force of will. Instead, he tried to figure out Doc's cryptic assurance that he would be able to use Venjix's computer systems. That got old within fifteen minutes, leaving Dillon to watch the view screen, currently displaying the wasteland that passed beneath the two Zords.
Ziggy had teleported almost all the way to Omega City, and had done so using his magic, an ability that had clearly unsettled Ziggy as much as it had any of them. Dillon hadn't told anyone about the way Ziggy had used magic in the fight the night before. He figured it was nobody's business unless Ziggy wanted to make it somebody's business. "We're almost there," Gem announced suddenly.
"Right," Dillon said. He sat down and buckled up as the Zord began to land.
When the back hatch began to open, Dillon stood. One thing he'd give Gem, the man might be mentally unstable sometimes, but he was, without a doubt, one hell of a good pilot. Dillon ran down the ramp and spotted Ziggy almost instantly. "Are you ok?" Ziggy asked as he approached.
"Back to normal," Dillon replied.
Ziggy hugged him, a short, tight squeeze that had Dillon freezing in place, "I'm glad. I couldn't remember what happened, and Doctor K said something about your arm."
"It's fine," Dillon said shortly, "where's the factory?"
"Over there," Ziggy pointed, "come on, I'll show you."
They made their way through to the top of a small hill, where a boulder gave them cover to look around. The factory was tucked into the bottom of a cliff, big enough that Dillon estimated it at three stories or better. "I need to get in there," Dillon said, "have you explored any?"
"Some," Ziggy admitted, "this way." They slid back down the hill to where Gem and Gemma waited.
"You wait here," Dillon told them, "we'll radio if we need help, then you come get us, ok?"
"Right," Gem said.
"We'll stay," Gemma added.
Ziggy took Dillon over a different hill and up a steep path to the top of the cliffs. From there, they came around the back side of the factory, where a path led them to the roof. "I haven't gone in," Ziggy said, "I didn't want to get caught."
"Cover me then," Dillon said and headed into the factory.
The entrance to the factory wasn't that different from the Garage roof, it was even unlocked. Dillon let himself in, looking around for an alarm or security device, but nothing came into sigh. He found himself in a short hallway that led to a flight of stairs. A glance behind showed Ziggy following, then Dillon headed for the stairs.
The stairs opened out into a huge hanger with a large air craft inside. "It's build into the rock," Ziggy breathed.
"Computer terminal, Zig," Dillon replied, pointing. The terminal in question was recessed into the wall, accessed by a walkway that started at the stairs. Dillon eased out onto the walkway and over to the terminal, Ziggy close enough behind him, Dillon could hear him breathe.
The terminal was active when they got there, and Dillon touched the screen. Instantly, a warm tingle glided up his fingers and the screen changed. "What do you think that thing is for?" Ziggy asked.
Dillon stared at the screen. He knew what he saw made no sense, but at the same time, he knew. The craft was intended to destroy Corinth, a piece of Venjix's ultimate puzzle. Dillon tried to get information on Venjix's 'ultimate puzzle', but nothing was there. Only a sense that the puzzle was in pieces to prevent anyone but Venjix from seeing the whole picture. Dillon stepped back, "Let's go," he told Ziggy.
They hurried back out the way they came, with Ziggy leading this time. Dillon watched his friend until they were safe on the back side of the hill where Gem and Gemma were supposed to be waiting. "Ziggy," he said, catch Ziggy's arm.
"Yeah, Dillon?" Ziggy asked.
"You really don't remember anything at all?" Dillon asked.
Ziggy's eyes darkened, "Dillon, please," he said quietly. "I can't."
"Why not?" Dillon asked.
"I don't know," Ziggy replied, "I know something happened, and it was bad. I know whenever I think about it, I get scared. I really don't want to think about it now, ok?"
Dillon hesitated a moment, then nodded, "This isn't over," he told his friend. "I don't know what you did last night, but I'm going to figure it out."
"I wish you wouldn't," Ziggy said, "but somehow, I don't think that's going to stop you."
They returned to the Zords, "We need to get back to Corinth," Dillon told the twins, "Venjix is building a giant robot that could destroy the city. We're going to need everybody to stop it."
"Here we go," Gem replied.
"Everybody in," Gemma added.
Dillon and Ziggy strapped themselves into Gem's cargo area, and soon the view screen showed them making all speed for Corinth.
/…/
Scott really didn't like letting half the team leave the city, it tore him up to have them gone where he couldn't' be sure they were safe. "They'll be fine," Summer told him from where she sat at Flynn's bar.
"I know," Scott replied, "I just worry."
"We're all worried," Summer said, "we just have to trust that they'll come back safe."
"I don't know how you do it," Scott told her as he paused in his pacing. "You're so calm."
Summer smiled at him, "Not half as calm as you think. I just have to trust they'll be fine."
"We need to keep ourselves busy," Flynn added as he began to pick through his fruit. "Laundry, dishes, stuff like that still needs to get done."
"Right," Scott replied, "is your laundry together? I'll get that started."
"I'll do the dishes then," Summer said.
They busied themselves with chores, Scott taking over drying the dishes as soon as the laundry was started. "We haven't cleaned the bathrooms this week," Flynn said, "If you'll clean the upstairs one, Scott, I'll take care of the conference room with the downstairs."
"Fine," Scott said. "After I do the dishes."
They could have argued, Scott knew, but the three of them had worked out chores long ago. Adjusting to Dillon, Ziggy, Gem, and Gemma had been harder than simply taking care of everything themselves. It was just easier to follow the old schedule than argue over bathroom cleaning and laundry. Besides, Ziggy picked up doing Dillon's laundry with his, and Dillon could be counted on to do the kitchen on a semi regular basis, so it worked out.
Domestic chores took them through until the alarm went off, "Doc?" Scott called as he came out of the upper bathroom, pulling off his gloves.
"Rangers Silver, Gold, Black, and Green inbound," Doctor K called up, "with company, prepare to go to Zords for back up."
Scott couldn't help the cheer that made its way out of his throat; he tossed the gloves back in the bathroom, grabbed his jacket from the railing, and ran down the stairs to meet up with Flynn and Summer, also grinning brightly. "Read," Scott asked.
"RPM," they shouted, "Get in Gear!"
Then it was Zords and drones, but the shields were in place and the drones dealt with quickly. They met up at the Garage afterwards in a cacophony of sound. Summer was hugging Ziggy while Gem and Gemma talked rapidly over them. Scott hung back, something about Dillon's expression made him hesitant to join the celebration. "Doctor K," Dillon said finally, "you were right about the computers. I could control them."
Doctor K nodded, "What did you find?" She asked.
Dillon took a deep breath, "Venjix is building a doomsday robot, and it's big. Powerful to. If that thing gets off the ground, I'm not sure we have the fire power to stop it." He slid a glance over at Scott, "It's apparently part of Venjix's final plan, but I couldn't get any more information on that. I don't think Venjix lets much get off his main servers."
Doctor K nodded again, "Ranger Red, contact Colonel Truman, we'll need to leave the city for this."
"Yes ma'am," Scott replied with a sharp nod. He slapped Ziggy on the arm, "Glad you're back with us, Ziggy."