T-Minus Four Days to Zero Hour.
The hour was ungodly, and Xolin was fairly certain this had to be against *some* sort of interstellar law. Something involving war crimes, most likely. Then again, she was fairly certain Iota, at some point or another in his life, had probably broken every other conceivable war crime already, so what was one more? It might even have been like a bucket list kind of thing for him.
Okay yes, sure, *technically* they were military and this kind of thing was probably standard issue in normal military branches, but dammit, they were basically civvies living in a giant robot. Four AM could get stuffed.
The other rangers were assembled as she was, all around the briefing room table, and none of them looked more than half-awake. Nikki was easily the best off—she was former military and only had to worry about recharging. Isdilian and Sid were bleary-eyed but conscious—again, military training, no matter how dulled (in Sid's case). Trok on the other hand, looked as if he was about to faceplant himself into the desk at any moment, and Sel was already back among the dead.
...Wait, was she drooling? Ew.
"Apologies for the early mission briefing, this sort of came in last minute and time is of the essence" Iota said as he walked into the room.
"KO-35 better be burning to the ground" Sid grumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Nothing quite as drastic as that" Iota replied. Instead of switching on the hologram in the center of the table as he usually did, he tossed a number of vanilla folders onto the table, enough that each of the rangers could get a good look at their contents. The team curiously pulled the folders open, taken by surprise by the sudden shift in what normally happened at these meetings.
Iota continued as the rangers looked over the contents—ranger dossiers, "Meet Peacekeeper Team Twenty-six".
"...Twenty-six?" Trok asked, "Weren't we twelve and one of the newest teams? What happened?"
"War happened. Some of the new teams are preexisting civilian teams we've recruited, others are us having simply upped our training process. Sadly, the Peacekeeper organization isn't built for it. Before the war we were a small covert alliance of quasi-independent cells—we simply don't have the resources to manage all our new recruits. Sometimes they slip through the cracks".
"...What are you saying?" asked Xolin.
Iota motioned to the dossiers, "These three recruits have been...less than satisfactory. They have exemplary skills and talents, but have failed every major exercise we've given them. We don't want to give up on their potential, but if things don't change, we won't have a choice. They're useless to us".
Sid deadpanned, disbelieving as he flopped the folder down in disgust, "...You woke us up at four am to teach kids".
Iota sighed, "Not exactly my choice. The orders came in last minute, as I said. The cadets will be here in two hours".
"...Um...*why* are we teaching kids?" Trok asked, confused.
Sid sighed, rubbing his forehead as he leaned over on the table, "I'm going to burn KO-35 to the ground myself".
"You six have displayed exemplary capabilities since being assembled. Command believes, rightly or wrongly, that you are skilled enough and...well, unorthodox enough to have an impact. Make no mistake, this is a Hail Mary on our part. We're simply out of options" Iota explained.
"So if they fail here, they fail for good" Sid asked, clarifying.
"Exactly" said Iota.
Xolin went back to looking at the three rangers. The red ranger, Anthren, was a tenga. Huh, unusual. Blue ranger was an aquitian named Tesas. And the yellow ranger was...oh. Oh wow.
"...I know her" Xolin gasped as she looked at the female of the group.
Trok leaned in to get a good look, "...From where?"
Xolin recited the name, "Sitra, of House Trinitas" she looked at the others with a bit of shock on her face, "...She's the princess of Triforia".
"Woah" Trok gasped, "We're going to be working with royalty?"
"Heirs to the throne of Triforia have traditionally been under special obligation to wear the mantle of the gold ranger upon succession" Iota said, "Even when the Confederacy had banned ranger technology, King Ihara never surrendered the golden power staff. It would seem he has sent his daughter out to be trained for her eventual role as protector of her people".
"...There's a lot riding on this, huh?" Xolin said quietly as she went over the princess's file.
"Indeed" Iota replied.
Sid looked over the other two, "Loner, reactionary, issues following the chain of command, bad childhood...huh, looks like our red ranger's a blood knight type. That'll be...fun".
Trok whistled in appreciation, "Look at the aptitude scores on the blue ranger. He's smart. Like, really smart. I didn't even get these kinds of scores".
"Too smart for his own good, perhaps" said Nikki, "Kid has a juvenile record of misdemeanors the length of my arm".
"Probably gets bored easily" Sid said. He frowned, "So we've got daddy's little girl, VENGEANCE, and Mister Wizard's evil twin. What, were trained sociopaths too expensive?"
Iota grumbled, clearly not super-happy about this arrangement himself, "As I said, this is a last resort. These are desperate cases".
"Yay, babysitting" Sid deadpanned, with fake enthusiasm. A sudden noise next to him shifted his attention—Sel had just started snoring. Loudly. Sid sighed, "...I wish I could sleep through mission briefings".
Power Rangers Peacekeepers
Season 2
2.12: Raw Recruits
Trok watched from the window as the transport vessel docked with the side of the Megaship. It wasn't very large—in ship terms Megaships were already small, and this was only about half the size of that. The ship jerked slightly as the two met, even with artificial gravity on.
"They're coming aboard now" Iota said, as the team stood assembled at the airlock. The doors opened, and a very familiar aquitian walked through.
"...Coros?" Sid blurted out, "Oh, what am I saying, of course it's Coros. Who else would it be?"
"Hello again" Coros said with a smile before turning to Iota, "I've brought team twenty-six with me, and—ah, here they are now".
Three more people stepped off the ship, none of them particularly happy to be there. The aquitian was bored, obviously, while the tenga just seemed irritated. The triforian was in full rich snob mode, looking around the hallway in mild disapproval. None of them really looked like they liked the other two either.
...Why couldn't Trok ever meet rangers who were HAPPY? Sigh.
"I imagine you will be staying with us then?" Iota asked Coros.
The elderly aquitian shook his head, "No, no. I was just dropping them off. I'll probably be back when it's time to return them, but for now I am really needed back on KO-35. There are big things about to happen, as I am sure you are no doubt aware".
Iota nodded, "Good luck then".
"Good fortune to all of us, I would imagine" Coros chuckled as he turned back to the door, "Goodbye".
The doors shut, and a few moments later the ship again shuttered briefly as the transport undocked.
"So, uh..." Trok said, "...What now?"
Iota glanced at him, "That, I believe, is up to you. You have three days, I will be in my office. Good luck".
"Psh" Sid scoffed in mild disgust, "Coward".
"So are we gonna do anything?" the aquitian, Tesas, asked with extreme boredom.
Honestly, Trok would rather be back in bed.
"So…"
The mood in the workbay aka the makeshift mission command was...well, awkward. There were three extra people there who weren't there normally now, and they didn't much seem to like each other or anyone else. Add to that that Nikki didn't much like anyone either, that Isdilian was...well, Isdilian, or the fact that everyone else was still a little grumpy by the sudden truncation of their sleep cycle, and it was clear this party wasn't very...er, party.
Sid eyed the group arrayed around him. How to go about this? He'd never actually been responsible for students before. Really, he doubted any of them had.
Who's idea was this!?
"So how about you guys tell us about yourselves?" Sid asked finally, "Tesas, how about you?"
The aquitian eyed him with a mixture of boredom and contempt, "Why ask me? Everything you need to know is in my file".
"Because exchanging information is a way of building camaraderie" Sid deadpanned, folding his arms. He'd barely started talking to this guy and had already had about enough of his shit.
"I don't understand why I'm here" Anthren, the tenga, said, "My scores are exemplary".
"But not your teams aren't" Sid replied.
The tenga shrugged, "So? It's not my problem they can't keep up".
Sitras, the triforian, glared at him, "I have no need to 'keep up' with common riffraff".
"Common riffraff?!" Anthren squawked, "I've been carrying your spoiled self this entire time!"
"Sigh" Tesas lamented, bored still, "Here they go again".
Sid's shoulders sagged as the room became a shouting match. This...was going nowhere fast. The other rangers all looked at Sid expectantly. Well, most of them anyway. Nikki simply rolled her eyes and stood up, turning to leave.
"Where are you going?" Xolin asked her.
"Somewhere else" was Nikki's only response. No one tried to stop her.
Sid sighed. This was going to be a long, LONG day.
It was ugly. The mechanical abomination looked half-finished at best, a hodgepodge of metallic beams and debris welded together into a hideous two-story creature that was now in the process of smashing the warehouse district flat. As it opened its partially unhinged jaw and let it hang loose, it opened a beam of hot plasma energy at the rangers rushing toward it, causing them to roll out of the way, breaking their formation.
"Left!" Sid shouted, "LEFT!"
The machine's partially hollow ribcage opened its missile batteries, and a swarm of missiles flew at the rangers.
"I SAID LEFT!" the red ranger shouted as the ground around the group was pulverized by the missile impacts. The other red ranger, the tenga, rolled forward, barely avoiding the attack. He charged forward, sword at the ready, unleashing a warcry as he approached.
"Wait!" Sid called out, "Stay with the group!" Anthren didn't stop. Sid cursed before speaking into his morpher, "Sel, Izzy, cover him!"
"That's not my name!" Isdilian called back. Sid didn't respond.
Twin laser beams shot out from their hiding places, burning holes into the ramshackle arm of the machine as it prepared to slam its claws onto Anthren. The claw exploded in a burst of shrapnel, its fragments raining down as the beast turned its attention on the two interlopers, its mouth cannon readying to fire.
Sid glanced back over at the group that had been hit by the missiles. Tesas had gotten up at least, and was now watching as the creature engaged the other rangers. "Tesas!" Sid called to him, "You feel like joining in sometime today?"
"You first" the aquitian called first, "I'm trying to figure out the monster's weakpoint!"
"While your leader is in danger?" Sid asked, as the monster's plasma beam fired a third time. The others had jumped in now; Trok has the monster's neck restrained with his hammer while Xolin was flanking Anthren. What a mess.
Tesas shrugged, "Teamwork. He does his stupid thing, and I use him to formulate my victory".
Sid tilted his head at him as if he was nuts. He was about to respond until he caught sight of Sitras hanging back. "And you?"
The princess sighed, before reluctantly pointing her gun and firing a few token shots at the monster.
Sid motioned with his arms, as if to say '...that's it?!'. Sitras shrugged, "I'm support, what do you want from me? They won't listen to my orders, so there's no point".
"You're not even the team leader!" Sid exclaimed.
She snorted, "Yes I am. I'm the princess!"
"I—I don't..." The monster tossed Trok and Xolin into a wall of one of the warehouse. Sid sighed, dejected, "Computer, end program".
The entire simulation vanished in the blink of an eye, replaced by the bare walls of the simudeck. Xolin helped Trok up.
"Okay!" Sid called, clapping his hands, "Anyone know what they did wrong?"
Tesas put up his hand, "Your yellow and silver rangers were out of alignment in their attacks. Also, they should have been triangulated with the main attack force instead of only on one flank".
Sid blinked before facepalming, "...I'm gonna kill Iota..."
"I'll tell you what the problem is" Anthren cawed angrily as he gave his teammates death glares, "...These two left me in the lurch. AGAIN".
Tesas scoffed, "It's not my fault you do the stupid bullheaded thing each time. Maybe you should have hung back like me".
"Neither of you follow the plan!" said Sitras.
"You're not even the leader!" Anthren bit back, "I am!"
"Says who?"
"Says the red suit I'm wearing!" said Anthren, gesturing to himself.
"Well I'M the princess!"
"You're not MY princess!"
Tesas eyed Sitras, "Why should we follow your plan? Your plans always involve us doing all the hard work while you hang back".
"I'm the field commander" the princess said, her hand on her chest, "I'm supposed to 'hang back' so a clear command can be maintained. Besides, I'm royalty".
"What does that have to do with anything?!" Anthren exclaimed.
Sid was getting a migraine, right behind his temple. Was this what his dad had once had to put up with? He needed to apologize again. Ugh, but right now he needed to put an end to this, because none of this was working.
"So, I have an idea!" Trok interjected with a false sense of cheer, "How about we all cool down elsewhere? Private lessons!"
Sid thought it over. That...could be a good idea.
"Oh yeah, like you're any better at leading, mister suicide!" Tesas said, rolling his eyes at Anthren.
"OKAY!" Sid exclaimed, "YES! GOOD IDEA! Everyone pick a dance partner, we'll reconviene in...oh, let's say sixteen hundred, hmm? No? Yes? Good!"
"Wait-" Xolin started, but Sid cut her off as he grabbed Anthren's wing and stormed out of the simudeck.
"Too late! Let's go people!"
Isdilian glanced at the room. "...I'm going to go work on calibrating my cannon" he deadpanned. No one tried to stop him.
Trok grabbed Tesas and Sel, "Alright, so, we'll just split up and meet back later, okay? Good luck!"
Xolin opened her mouth to protest, but it was too late. She turned to look at the sole remaining occupant of the room—the triforian princess, currently standing off to the side with her arms crossed and a haughty look on her face. Xolin's shoulders sagged.
Today was going to suck.
Awkward silence.
Sel's isolated cough only made it worse.
The three had taken over engineering as their temporary workspace, though for what *kind* of work remained...elusive.
"So…." Trok said, trying to build bridges with Tesas.
"Yes?" the aquitian asked grumpily.
"Um..." Trok trailed off, "...Tell us about yourself…?"
The aquitian looked at him like he was insane, "...Why do you keep asking me that?! I already told the guy in red, it's all in my file. This is a waste of time".
"Well...sort of..." Trok reluctantly agreed, "But it doesn't really tell me about WHO you are. Like, it doesn't really help us become friends".
Tesas rolled his eyes in disdain, "Ugh, give it a rest. I don't need any psyche bullshit. I get it—you're our last hope before we get flushed out, whatever. I don't need to be patronized".
Trok blinked in confusion, "We...aren't *trying* to patronize you".
"Why are we your last chance?" Sel asked, "Why exactly isn't your team working?"
Tesas leaned back in his seat, shrugging in contempt as he looked away, "I dunno, ask the other two. They're always duking it out, neither wants to listen to me. Psh, I've got better things to do than listen to them whine".
"Like what?" Sel asked.
He shrugged again, "I dunno".
Stonewalled, Trok decided to take a different track, "So what made you decide to become a ranger? With your aptitude scores, you could have been just about anything".
"'Anything else' is boring" Tesas said, "Mom and dad wanted me to go into the aqua-engineering field, help keep Aquitar pure and to aquaform other worlds for settlement. But that shit's boring, I thought that this would be more exciting. Turns out it's mostly taking orders".
"You don't like orders?"
"Psh, no. I'd rather be able to do whatever I want. Everybody else is way slower than me, so they aren't really worth my time".
"That's...a depressing view" Trok replied. Tesas just scoffed. Trok continued, "See, I also joined up to see new places and have adventures, but I also signed up because I like meeting new people too. And I like helping people, which is what this job is all about"
"Well aren't you the boyscout" Tesas said, bored. Trok frowned.
"...So your file says you're big on computer and robotic skills" said Sel, shifting the conversation.
"Yeah, what of it?"
She shrugged, "That's just interesting. I guess that would make you the tech of the group?"
"I guess" Tesas sighed, "Not that *they* care about my genius. They'd rather bicker over their substandard intelligence" a small grin formed, despite himself, "So sometimes I'll just mess with them. Infect their computer with a virus, or rearrange the time on their clock. One time I set it so Anthren's toilet would flush constantly. Pretty proud of that one".
"So you like to prank, huh?" Sel asked, fond memories surfacing briefly.
He shrugged, "I guess. It helps pass the boredom. Also it teaches everybody else to give me my space".
Aaaand there would be the source of his delinquent rap. Trok eyed the datapad with the aquitian's information—so many counts of misconduct or blatant disregard for the rules. Sigh. What had Iota gotten them into?
Sel rubbed her temple.
"...Headache?" Trok asked. She nodded.
"It'll be fine, it's passing".
"Been having more of those lately" Trok said, frowning.
She waved him off, "Just aftershocks from Eltar, I think. It's fine".
"...What's going on?" Tesas asked, partially in curiosity, partially in concern.
Sel gave him a small smile, "Nothing. Just something that happened on a mission, had a bit of a side effect on my...well, my psychic powers" she said, lying.
Trok turned his attention back to the aquitian, "You have to know that all that rule-breaking on your record just gets you in trouble, right?" he asked, "I mean, it WILL eventually catch up to you".
Tesas shrugged, "So? I'm about to be kicked out anyway. What more can they do?"
"What will you do if they kick you out?"
"Haven't thought about it. I dunno, maybe just hop from place to place. Do I HAVE to do anything?"
"No higher purpose in your life?" Sel asked curiously.
Tesas glared at her, "...No? Jeeze, you sound like my parents".
Trok sighed inwardly. Yes, this had been a GREAT idea. Splitting up was such a great plan. He made a mental note to have Xolin kick his butt the next time he thought he'd decide to be clever. Leave the planning to Sid.
Ugh.
The simudeck was filled with the sounds of battle. The two red rangers hammered at each other again and again. They danced like experts around each other, dodging each blow in turn as they struck back.
"Excellent footwork!" Sid called out as his opponent swung in again. Sid parried, but wasn't quick enough to catch Anthren's foot swinging into his side. Sid toppled to the ground, and soon found Anthren's blade hovering over his helmet. The other red ranger retracted his weapon, sheathing it again as he backed off, giving Sid room.
"*Very* nice" Sid commented as he sat up, "Though your gamesmanship could use some work" he said, noting the other man's failure to help him up. Anthren said nothing, so Sid continued as he stood, dusting himself off, "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"
"My parents were refugees from Vile territory, hopping from place to place before the Free Colonies were established" Anthren said, his back turned to Sid, "Our nesting clan brought with them much knowledge from our homeworld, such as fighting skills. My mother was wise, and decided all her nest should be required to defend themselves from a hostile universe".
"It's impressive" Sid said.
"So you see why I don't need those other two" Anthren said, turning to Sid, "They only get in my way and slow me down".
Sid frowned, "Your team is there to support you. They might not have the martial prowess you possess, but they have other gifts that you might not have".
"Such as?"
Sid shrugged as he approached the tenga, taking his helmet off, "Well, the aquitian has top marks in pretty much every academic field, by all rights he's a genius. And the girl well, her dossier says she's a fairly competent mage-in-training".
"Magic is the tool of the enemy. I don't need it" Anthren grumbled.
"...The enemy?" Sid asked.
Anthren took his helmet off, "Vile. One day, when I have enough power, I will lead the charge and take back our homeworld".
Sid resisted a smirk, "Is that so? That's why you became a ranger?"
"I became a ranger to protect my people" said Anthren, "It's all a means to an end".
"You're a patriot" Sid commented, sitting down on a holographic bench in the otherwise mostly-empty simulation, "I can respect that. But you need to realize that being a ranger means that it's not all about you".
Anthren glared at him, "I'm talking about my people, not me!"
"Yes, your people" Sid replied, "You. Yours. YOU must save your people. YOU must go after Vile. You, you, you you. If it's all about revenge or your personal mission, then where does helping everyone else come in?"
To this, Anthren didn't immediately have an answer.
Sid leaned back, "No one is an island. We all stand together, or we all die. You COULD go after Vile, with your new fancy powers, and you might get closer than most. But you're talking about one tenga versus an entire empire. You really think you could do it?"
"So what's your alternative?" the tenga asked him, anger in his tone, "Just give up? Forget about it?"
"No one is an island" Sid replied, "Everyone works together, or they die. The same is true for my time, and the same is true for yours".
"I told you, they just get in my way" Anthren repeated, "I don't need them".
Sid eyed him, unconvinced. After a moment, he seemingly relented, "Fine. Computer, load Program 62-B, maximum difficulty, opt me out".
"...What's going on?" Anthren asked as the simulation changed from the empty room into some sort of post-apocalyptic city ruin. Rubble was strewn everywhere, flames licked at the broken buildings, and the sky was on fire, "What did you do?"
"I'd put your helmet back on if I were you" Sid said, remaining on his bench, "You've just walked into a..fairly faithful recreation of the Battle of Denver, during the fall of Earth. Consider it sort of a no-win scenario. God help you, because I'm not".
Movement drew Anthren's attention to the devastated road. Broken cars littered the streets but...shadows moved towards him. It was hard to tell at first, through the haze of smoke, but...no. Those weren't shadows. Those were machines, robots. Thousands of them.
There was an army of them, all marching in formation towards his position. They un-holstered their guns and aimed, readying to fire. Anthren put his helmet back on and, grabbing his sword, readied to block the attacks. So, this was what he'd have to do to prove himself, huh? He'd show Sid—he was no pushover. He'd wipe that smug look right off the human's face.
Bring it on.
The lounge of the megaship was nice enough, she supposed. Y'know, for the common man.
This was so pedestrian.
"Your files say you're quite adept at magic" Xolin said, entering the room behind her.
Sitras scoffed, "'Adept', please. I was first in my class. Not that that's a surprise. Excellence has always run in my family".
She didn't much lack for confidence either, Xolin thought. She decided to take another track, "So what's the problem then? You're certainly not washing out with your skills".
Sitras folded her arms, snorting in derision, "It's the other two. Bumbling fools. They'd do well to follow my lead as their princess".
Xolin thought about this, "But...you're not really their princess, are you? I mean, they aren't triforian".
The princess walked over to the counter and got herself a drink, "I'm still royalty and am as such above their station. Or do you disagree with that too?" she asked pointedly.
"I...no, I meant no disrespect, your majesty" Xolin quickly replied. Part of her hated having to suck up to this stuck up entitled little girl, but the other part of her was firm—this was her future monarch.
Why had the others left her with her PRINCESS? What kind of sense had this made?! There was no way Xolin would be able to objectively guide her. Not like this.
"That's more like it" the princess smiled, "It's so nice to be talking with a fellow triforian again. Alls right with the world. Even if you are from House Sais".
Xolin instinctively brushed her finger against the small tattoo up near her eye. Her hair was standing on end—this was why she didn't interact with other triforians very often, "...Is that a problem?" she asked, an undercurrent of disdain seeping through.
The other triforian shrugged, "I'm not super-religious, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not going to label you a heretic, even if your people are really weird".
"...Weird?!" Xolin grunted, despite herself. Her eye twitched. How conflicting; this was her princess, and she didn't even much LIKE home, and yet she felt herself scrambling to their defense anyway.
Sitras giggled, "Yeah, weird. Like, you guys take yourselves so seriously. You ever thought that maybe our three forms are just some sort of biological defense instead of a gift from 'The Trinity' or whatever? It'd be like a horathean worshiping his own scales".
No. No, don't throttle the princess. That would be...problematic. Taking a deep breath, she again shifted the conversation back to its original intent, "I...don't suppose you could show me some of your mage abilities".
Sitras thought it over, a small grin forming, "Hmm...I suppose I could show off a little. I know this one really awesome spell..."
The workbay was quiet. With the four primary rangers busy, there were no spirited debates, no roughhousing, no joyous laughter. Just Isdilian and Nikki working silently on opposite ends of the room.
...Heaven help him, Isdilian was starting to miss that. He hated that—it was only going to get him in trouble. And yet he couldn't help it; they'd wormed themselves in. Damnit all.
"...You think they'll be able to salvage that team?" he asked Nikki, idly, as he kept working.
She shrugged, "Probably not. What do you care?"
"Gaining a team is always better than losing a team" Isdilian relied, "Simple math".
"Mmm" Nikki mused.
Silence fell over the room for a moment. Then...a noise. Barely noticeable at first, but quickly rising and-was that a scream? A girl scream, a shriek. It was getting louder—no, closer.
Xolin raced by the door, down the hall, screaming. Behind her, her hair was ablaze, fire streaming out from behind. And just like that, the screaming faded as she headed for the other end of the ship.
The two rangers watched the once-again-empty hallway, blinking for a moment. Nikki returned to her work, "...I'm sure they'll be fine" she replied finally, with a deadpan.
"We should toss all three of them out the airlock".
Having regrouped in the workbay a short time ago, Sid now caught a wiff of the charred remains of Xolin's hair, gagging slightly at the awful smell, "...I don't think that would really solve the problem..."
"I think it would" Xolin muttered, then shot a glance at Trok behind her when he pulled a bit too hard at her locks, "Hey, careful!"
"Sorry" he replied, "This would be a lot easier if you stopped moving" he sighed, "Why am *I* the one cutting your hair? I don't even HAVE hair!"
"Just...do your bes—ow!"
"Sorry!"
Trok grumbled as he struggled with determining what was salvageable and what wasn't, "Maybe it'd just be easier if I shaved you and let it grow back from scratch".
"Do that and I'll through *you* out the airlock" she warned him darkly. Trok recoiled slightly.
"I think you'd look great with a bald head" Sid teased. She shot him a murderous look.
"So what will you do with the recruits?" Isdilian asked them.
Sid sighed, shrugging as he flopped down in one of the seats, "You got me. They're just...too headstrong. Birdboy's too obsessed with his crusade of burning justice. Or vengeance, whichever".
"Tesas thinks the others beneath him" Sel confirmed.
Xolin growled, "And princess has the golden power staff stuffed up her—ow!"
"Sorry!" Trok apologized again, "...Are you sure you should be talking about your future queen like that though? We'd never be like that to our chieftains back home".
"...She burned my hair off" Xolin grumbled, "Which, by the way, thanks for leaving her for ME. That was nice of you. Didn't think there'd be a conflict of interest there or anything?"
Trok chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't...really think about it. I was just trying to divide the team up" he sighed, "Not that it really mattered, my whole plan just failed on every level".
"Eh, don't feel too bad" Sid said, "It WAS a solid idea. Sometimes things just don't pan out the way we think they will though".
"...So what now?" Sel asked, "Group training didn't work, and we didn't get anywhere with individual study".
"How many days did Iota say we had again?" asked Trok.
"Three" Sel replied, then thought for a second, "Well, two now, I guess".
"Any reason for that?" Xolin asked.
Trok paused, then cleared his throat, "It um...might have something to do with Operation, er...Zenith, I think it was".
Isdilian's head shot around at Trok, "...Where did you hear that name?" he asked, suddenly deadly serious.
"Where do you think I heard it?" Trok mumbled, "...This ship's communications aren't as encrypted as they should be".
"...You shouldn't be snooping where you aren't supposed to" Isdilian said.
"If there was, then it wouldn't be called 'snooping' Trok replied.
"Trok" Isdilian chastised him.
The horathean sighed, "What do you want with me?" he said quietly, "You keep us in the dark, I just...like to be prepared".
"What's Operation Zenith?" asked Xolin.
"I'm...not entirely sure" Trok replied as Isdilian sighed in resignation, "I think it's some sort of big offensive against the Alliance. Might be why they're looking to field as many teams as they can".
"...It's a multi-pronged blitzkrieg assault deep into Alliance space, with the object of capturing key assets" Isdilian relented finally, reluctantly, "The Confederacy has been slowly losing ground in this war. We are going to attempt to cut off the head of the snake before it kills us".
"...Sounds like quite the gamble" Sid said.
"It is" Isdilian confirmed, "But if we can secure enough key objectives, we can force them to the bargaining table".
"And if we don't?" asked Xolin pointedly.
Isdilian looked at her, "Hope that we do".
"So these kids are just more meat for the grinder" Sid said grimly.
"They aren't ready" said Xolin, "Not by a long shot".
"So what do we do?" asked Trok.
"That's easy" Sid replied, "We flunk 'em. They aren't ready, and I'm not going to put blood on my hands just because the Confederacy wants their meat wagon. We'll just have to make do with the twenty-five or however many teams we've already got".
Sitras pressed her ear against the wall. She dared not peek into the workbay—she didn't want them to know she was here.
"You set her hair on fire?!" Tesas exclaimed in disbelief, barely keeping his voice down.
"I didn't mean to!" the triforian replied, "I just...she moved! She shouldn't have moved!"
"You were trying higher level magic again, weren't you?" Tesas scoffed, "You're only a fifth rank right now, you shouldn't be going above your skill".
She glared at him, "I am the princess of Triforia and future queen of my people" she replied with her standard haughtiness, "I'm capable of practicing whatever magic I want".
"Apparently not" Tesas threw back at her.
"You two mind?" Anthren whispered to them, "I'm trying to listen".
"Isn't it already clear?" Tesas asked, "They've already decided to flunk us out. Whoop-de-doo".
"I can't flunk out!" Sitras exclaimed, panic starting to flood in, "I'm the royal heir of Triforia! I'm not *allowed* to flunk out!"
"Well you're about to, princess" Tesas snickered.
Anthren punched the wall in a fit of anger. He turned to Tesas, "This is all your fault. If you cared at ALL-"
"Oh don't lecture me" the aquitian replied testily, "It's not like you even care beyond your own single-minded 'mission' or whatever".
"I'm going to flunk" Sitras mumbled to herself, nearly in tears, "I'm going to flunk and I'm going to fail Triforia and my dad's gonna be mad and it's all your fault!" she pushed the two aside as she rushed off. Anthren gave Tesas one last murderous glare, before blowing him off and walking away. The aquitian remained behind for a moment longer, until he too finally walked away, a little more somber than usual.
'Operation Zenith', huh. Something seriously big was coming down the pipeline.
The others had all left, but Sid had remained behind in the workbay, pouring over the interactive wall map of the war. By all accounts, the Confederacy had given as good as it had gotten, but it just hadn't been enough; the Alliance, despite its decline in recent years, was still larger and far more cohesive than the rag-tag makeshift coalition of the Confederacy. On the whole, the war had been a grueling slogfest where neither had been able to press the advantage, and yet—the trend was unmistakable, especially in the last few weeks.
The Confederacy was losing steam-it could not win a war of attrition.
A knock at the door.
Sid was confused for a second—no one ever asked to come into the workbay, they just kind of...did it. It was a public space. He looked over, seeing Anthren standing there at the entryway.
"...What's up?" Sid asked him, composing himself.
"Can...we talk?" the tenga asked. Sid nodded, so he came further into the room.
"Go on, take a seat" Sid motioned to one of the many empty chairs in the room. The tenga did so, "So what'd you want to talk about?"
The tenga seemed genuinely uncomfortable, "...You...so after today..."
"You want to know if we're dropping you or not" Sid chuckled.
"...You're good" the tenga noted.
Sid shrugged, "Oh please, you were outside listening, right? It's what I would have done. Hell, I have done it. Many times" he chuckled again, "Got me in trouble more than once".
The bird drooped slightly at the knowledge that Sid already knew, but Sid continued as his face turned serious, "Look, I won't sugarcoat it. You're not ready—not by a longshot. And it'd be one thing if you guys were just underskilled but...none of you have any interest in actually being rangers. None of you want to perform the missions required or even attempt to work as a team. We're...not actually sure why any of you are here. Tesas is doesn't seem to care about anything in the slightest, Sitras is too busy being a princess, and you..." Sid sighed, "Why ARE you here, Anthren? You say you want to go after Master Vile, but you can't drag the entire Confederacy off on one man's quest. It's just not going to happen".
The tenga sighed, "I don't...because I don't know of any other way. My people flee to Confederate space, but the Tenga Colonies are barely thought of by the other Confederate members".
"You want to protect them".
Anthren looked at the wall map, "...Confederate culture has started leaking in. When I was growing up, I'd always hear about the Power Rangers, and how they always saved the day, saved their worlds from threats. And I always thought about how we never had rangers, and how things might have been different if we had".
"You know, I HAVE met other tenga rangers" Sid said casually.
"...What?"
"One, at least, but he had a team elsewhere. Met him a couple months ago, actually. They mostly work undercover, escorting refugee ships to the colonies".
Anthren digested this for a moment.
"You remember what I told you before you got your ass kicked in the simudeck? No one is an island. If you'd had your team with you, you might have done better".
"...You really think we could have succeeded?" Anthren asked him, skeptical after having been thoroughly beaten by the machine army he'd been pitted against.
Sid snickered, "No, not in the slightest. But you could have lasted *longer*. And at the end of the day, perhaps that's all that's needed. You might not be able to defeat Master Vile by yourself, but together we could help protect your people".
"...Are you giving us another chance?" Anthren asked, curious.
Sid shook his head, "Not...exactly? My team's pretty much done giving it the college try—and Im pretty sure Xolin still wants to boot the princess out the airlock, but technically you've still got two days left for your window".
"...What should we do?"
Sid shrugged, "I dunno. I'm not going to tell you what to do—that's all up to you. Because I think you *know* what you need to do, and you just don't want to do it". He got up, putting his hand on Anthren's should briefly as he passed by, "I'm gonna go some of my duties done. You do what you need to do".
Sid left, and the tenga remained alone with his thoughts. He didn't want to, but…
Anthren slowly ambled his way back to the simudeck, unsure of his next course of action.
No, Sid had known what he needed to do, and so did Anthren. He was just...putting it off. He really didn't want to do this.
Seemingly however, his troubles came to him—as he arrived at the doors to the simudeck, he found both Sitras and Tesas already there, waiting.
"Figured you'd show up eventually" the aquitian grumbled, with a hint of haughtyness.
"What are you two doing here?" Anthren asked.
"The same as you, I'd imagine" Sitras replied, very reluctantly. She sighed, "Look, I...we've been thinking".
"You've been thinking" Tesas corrected her.
She ignored him, "This is our very last chance. I...I can't go face home if I fail here. I can't—no, I *won't* be the weak link in my family's dynasty. I won't allow it".
"So what are you going to do about it?" Anthren asked.
Sitras sighed, "...Don't misunderstand me. I'm still the only member of royalty here, but..." another deep breath, "...Part of being a leader means knowing when to yield to advice from others, and you've...consistently been good about that".
"...Are you saying you'll allow me to be field commander?" Anthren asked. She nodded, again reluctantly. He turned to Tesas, "And what about you? Why are you here?"
He shrugged, his expression dour, "Didn't have anywhere better to be. Do I need a better reason?"
"If we don't figure this out, we'll be dropped" Sitras said, firmly, "So whatever reason made you sign up will just have to go unfulfilled".
"You don't think I know that?" he asked with a slight snarl.
"So why *are* you here?" asked Anthren, "You're always quick with the attitude, but you never give us a good reason for why you don't just piss off".
The aquitian visibly slackened, "...Because I threw away my chances elsewhere, okay?" he grumbled, incredibly annoyed.
"What about you?" Sitras asked the tenga.
Anthren paused, considering, "...I had a talk with Sid. I'm ready to give it another go if you guys are".
The three of them turned their gaze on the doors to the simudeck. Well, they still had two days, after all. What else were they going to do with their time?
Trok had stood there for a good few minutes, unsure of what to do really. They'd been in there an...awful long time. Since yesterday, maybe? He kept thinking that maybe he should go check on them, make sure they weren't dead.
Dead, in a simudeck. Haha, that was silly.
Unless...they'd turned off the safeties. Hrn.
"...Are they STILL in there?" Xolin groaned, coming up behind him, "I was really hoping to get to use it". Why did the ship only have one simudeck? Ugh.
"...I'm going to check on them" Trok decided at last, approaching the door.
"Leave 'em alone" Sid said, behind the other two. They turned, finding him leaning against the wall.
"They've been in there a really long time" Trok told him.
Sid nodded, "I know. They've barely come out to eat. But let them be—they're trying to accomplish something".
"...You think they can pull it off?" asked Xolin.
Sid smirked knowingly, "I think they've earned the right to try. In the end, they didn't need us. They just needed a deadline".
Xolin's eyebrow arched, "You know, you're not nearly as cool as you think you are".
Sid just gave a laugh as the three of them retreated from the simudeck's entrance, leaving the cadets to their work.
The war room was a bit more crowded than usual—on top of Iota and the six members of his team, there were also now three new rangers, forced now to take spots standing on the other rim of the room due to lack of seating. Iota pulled up a holographic image of a gas giant with several terraformed moons.
"This is Tau Sigma IV, one of our major sources of Helium-3 in Confederate space. Two hours ago, we received a distress call from one of its moons—Zion. A rogue wizard going by the alias of 'Tempestatis Magnus' has disrupted daily operations globally by shutting down their power grid".
"…'Tepastatis Magnus'. Literally, 'Great Storm'. Cute" Sid said, rolling his eyes.
"Any idea what he wants?" Xolin asked.
"His demands have been typical would-be overlord requests" Iota replied, "We believe he wishes to rule the system and build his empire out from there. Your orders are to stop Magnus, by any means necessary".
"What about us?" Sitras asked.
Iota eyed her, "You are to remain here. Let this mission act as an example—you may watch the team as they complete their objectives".
"But...we've been working really hard" the princess pushed.
Before Iota could rebuke her, Sid spoke up, "This isn't a training simulation, Sitras, this is real. And while I know you three have been working your butts off for the past day, you just aren't ready. And I'd rather this was a quick in-and-out operation instead of a learning exercise".
"Besides, six operatives is more than enough" said Isdilian, "Another three, without the proper time to integrate them into the wider team dynamic, would hinder us more than help us".
"My orders are final" Iota said. Sitras was about to argue further, but felt Anthren's hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, and found they were both urging her to fall back. Outnumbered, and remembering her earlier conversation with them, she reluctantly diminished.
"How soon do we arrive?" Sid asked Iota.
Even with his helmet hiding his facial features (if, indeed, he had any) Iota seemed to radiate a sense of smug amusement, "We've already arrived, actually. You may launch when ready".
All in all, at least the bridge had comfy seats, and a big screen. And all things considered, it really did seem as though Peacekeeper team twelve had things well in hand. The wizard had started off with some heavy magical attacks, between the lightning storm and the torrent of fire. But six on one he just wasn't standing a chance. Already the six were pressing in, encircling the poor man.
The three cadets watched as the team of six worked as a single unit, effortlessly dancing around their opponent. There wasn't even much ordering going on—it was as if most of them really already understood what their individual goals were. The only real outlier was the black ranger, and even she operated mostly by staying on the edge of the conflict and striking only when she had an opening, mostly staying out of everyone's way.
Trok's hammer came down on the soil, causing the earth to rumble and shake, a shockwave of solid ground flinging itself at Magnus. The wizard, almost laughably stereotypical with his robes, beard, and hat, was flung back into the back wall of the rock quarry, only barely avoiding the rocky cliff by initiating a levitating spell that caused him to stop moving.
It didn't help for long—Sel had loaded Xolin's lance into her bow, and a spear of blue energy soon found itself flying at the wizard. He blocked it with an energy shield, but unwittingly left himself open for a double attack by both Sid and Isdilian, their charged up weapons coming down on the poor wizard. He rose his staff to defend, but they simply cleaved through it, leaving him with a useless little stump of a stick.
Nikki flipped over them, coming down with her daggers, piercing what was left of his defense shield and knocking him back. The rangers reassembled.
"Endgame" Isdilian said, "Finishers at the ready".
"Defender Cannon!" the rangers called, assembling their weapon.
"Sentinel Cannon!" Isdilian called, recombining his sword and shield into a single blaster.
"FIRE!" the team shouted in unison, as twin beams of power shot out and into the wizard. The space around him violently exploded as the energy was unleashed. When the smoke cleared however, they found the wizard was still in existence—just barely.
"You...cannot defeat me...that easily..." he groaned, staggering to his feet. Electricity crackled in his fingertips as he prepared for a final stand. He unleashed his most powerful attack yet, his lightning cascading across the battlefield and engulfing his prey.
...And as the attack spent itself, he found all six rangers still standing before him, yet four of them had changed—golden armor covered the four primary rangers, and they had erected an energy barrier between their team and his attack, leaving them unscathed.
"Hyiah!" they shouted in unison.
"Finish it!" Sid ordered, as the four of them launched forward, colored jet plums erupting from their gauntlets and boots.
"Lights of Andromeda, power up mode!" they shouted, just as they sped up, their forms blending together into a magnificent fireball that swept right through Magnus. Reappearing on the other side, the four rangers turned to watch their handiwork, as Isdilian and Nikki looked on from the other end. The wizard sparked and sputtered, before his knees finally gave out, and in a cry of anguish, exploded. A second later, nothing was left but smoldering ashes.
"And another one bites it" Sid grinned.
"That was...unexpectedly quick" Trok said, a little surprised.
"Honestly? I'm fine if not everyone we fight is an invading army or an eldritch horror from beyond the stars" Xolin said, "I will gladly take a freebee or two".
Sid shrugged, "He was probably just some local wacko who got too full of himself. He wasn't even particularly adept at his own magic, it was more like he'd just gotten a bunch of spells he thought sounded cool".
A haunting laugh that echoed through the entire rock quarry silenced all conversation. The team looked around for its source, just as the sky darkened, stormclouds rolling overhead. Lightning came down, striking each of the rangers. They fell to the ground smoking.
"...Okay, that was...a fair bit better" Sid gasped, as he scrambled to his knees. Each of the rangers' attentions were drawn to where the lightning began to coalesce into a humanoid form. There, once again, stood the wizard, still laughing as he waved his staff around.
Trok was the first to speak, "Okay, someone wanna fill me in on what's going on? We just saw him go boom!"
The wizard cackled, "Foolish boy! Don't you recognize a magical figment when you see one?"
"...A whatnow?" Trok asked, confused.
"A figment" Sel said, her body tensing, "He created a false duplicate of himself to trick us. We destroyed a decoy".
Trok looked at her, then back at the wizard, also tensing up, "A copy? But why?"
"So that I could study your powers and counteract them of course!" the wizard laughed.
Sid sighed, knowing where this was going, "...Damnit". As the wizard pulled his staff skyward and began to collect energy, the red ranger gave the order, "Everyone! SCATTER!"
Most obeyed, rolling out of the way, but Isdilian decided to hold his ground instead. Hoping to catch the wizard while he was busy charging his attack, the silver ranger brought the Sentinel Cannon to bare, charging and firing in one quick movement.
It was all for naught; Isdilian's cannon fire bounced harmlessly off Magnus's energy shield that flickered into existence right in front of him. As the silver ranger's weapon finished its volley, the wizard smiled.
"My turn".
Magnus brought his staff down, unleashing a single powerful bolt of lightning. The silver ranger had no defense, and was struck dead on, his suit sporting a large blackened and charred section across his chest as he was sent flying into a heap several yards away.
"Izzy!" Sid called, then turned his attention back on the wizard, who was now preparing for his next assault, "Oh, crap nuggets".
"Burn in everlasting hellfire!" the wizard cackled, before a wave of fire eminated outwards, catching each ranger helplessly. As they tumbled to the ground, their suits smoking, Sid turned to Xolin.
"What was that you said about freebees?" he asked her.
She staggered to her feet, "...I dunno. Probably something about how my life must be *intrinsically* unfair".
The wizard rose above them, standing on a wisp of cloud of his own making. Sel unleashed a volley from her bow, while Trok switched his hammer to mace mode, hoping to reach Magnus with the extra reach. Both attacks bounced off harmlessly.
"Nothing we do effects him!" Nikki called out, "He's immune to our entire arsenal!"
Sid cursed, "Okay, so, I think we've learned something today. Don't lay all your ranger cards out on the table in any one battle, because SHIT LIKE THIS happens!"
"FEEL THE WRATH OF THE ELEMENTS THEMSELVES!" the wizard crowed, as large boulders began to lift themselves up, forming themselves into vaguely humanoid formations. Three of them now stood, higher than two people.
"Oh, he's got a golem spell" Sid deadpanned as they were surrounded, even as he instinctively activated the energy blades on his andromeda gauntlets, "That's great. Juuust great".
"They're getting torn apart" Anthren said, watching the unfolding battle with increasing worry.
Iota said nothing, though he had certainly tensed a bit since the tide of battle had turned.
"He's activated a counter-spell" Sitras explained, "Everything they threw at his decoy, he knows how to neutralize. They don't stand a chance".
"Let us go down there" Anthren said, turning to Iota. He stepped toward the commander, "Magnus doesn't have our powers on record, we can still hurt him".
"His powers far outclass your skills" Iota reminded them, "The others have already given less than impressive accounts of your progress so far. I won't allow you to go out there just to get killed for the sake of your own ego".
"It has nothing to do with our ego!" Sitras exclaimed, "If we don't help them, they'll DIE!"
Iota dismissed her, "They've been through tougher scrapes, believe me. And what do you care, anyway? You're only here to impress your father".
"I-" Sitras started, but trailed off, unable to come up with a worthwhile counter to that.
Iota continued, "The Peacekeepers require heroes, men and women willing to lay down their lives for each other and for the people of the Confederacy at large, not for children who can't figure out what they want to do with their lives" he nodded at Tesas, "Or angry teenagers with a deathwish" he said towards Anthren.
"Hey, that's low" Anthren crowed.
"Am I wrong?" Iota asked, "You were given three days to shape up before you were discharged after failing every course so far. You've since wasted two of those days either dismissing your mentors, or holing up in the simudeck playing games".
"We haven't been playing games!" Tesas roared, "We've been training!"
"You've been messing around, instead of following your mentors' guidance" Iota retorted, "You aren't ranger material".
A cry of pain from Sid pulled everyone's attention back to the viewscreen—Magnus was now launching energy bombs at random rangers as they barely evaded the rock golems' attacks. He wasn't even facing them like a proper foe—he was toying with them before he finished them off. Anthren seethed with anger, before punching the side of one of the consoles in frustrated anger.
Sel was hit by an energy bomb and crumpled. A rock golem moved to strike her prone form, but Trok moved to intercept, taking the attack for her. The green ranger fell.
"I can't stand here and watch this!" he shouted, turning to leave, "To hell with you, I'm going to help them!"
"Walk out that door and you can consider yourself discharged" Iota told him as he approached the bridge exit, "Can you live with that?"
"...Better that than blood on my hands" Sitras said, joining Anthren.
"And what about your father?" Iota asked her, "What will he think?"
She flinched, "I'll...I'll figure that out later".
"I'm going too" Tesas said as he joined them.
"Stealing and utilizing unauthorized Peacekeeper equipment are criminal offenses" Iota reminded them, "If you take those morphers with you, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent".
The three looked at each other, then the screen where the rangers were being pummeled to death, then at Iota, "Do your worst" Anthren said, before the three of them left the bridge.
Iota said nothing as they left, instead turning his attention back to the battle at hand. Sometimes what was needed was not a guiding hand, or mentorships, or even deadlines. Sometimes all you needed to beat a lesson into someone's skull was some good old fashioned guilt and emotional manipulation—a secret test of character, if you will.
Now he'd sit back, and hope his gamble was correct.
A cascading torrent of fire flung itself at Sid. The red ranger parried the oncoming blow from one of the golems, before swinging his axe around at the flame. The weapon charged with power, pulling the fire into itself and turning it white-hot. Going in a three-hundred sixty degree arc, Sid flung the stored firepower out at the wizard. The flame spat itself back out, and was deflected harmlessly off Magnus's defense shield. Sid cursed.
"Oh come on!" he shouted, just before one of the golems batted him aside.
Xolin dodged an attack—they were rapidly running out of rangers. A cry of pain from Nikki told her that that was yet another ranger down. She steadied her breath as the golems closed in around her. The blue ranger rose to her feet—if she was going to die today, she was going to do it standing.
A flash of light told her that Isdilian was giving another go at the wizard. The silver ranger stood his ground, having decided that he really didn't have any better options. Wielding his cannon, he unleashed another beam of pure energy, and didn't stop. The power again deflected harmlessly off the defense shield, but he didn't let up. Not until Magnus put him out of his misery by redirecting the attack. The silver ranger fell.
Xolin now stood alone, surrounded on all sides. She inhaled.
An explosion ripped across the neck of one of the golems. The now headless rock creature crumpled to the ground. The blue ranger blinked, confused.
An aquitian gutteral roar sounded as another blue ranger leaped overhead, landing foot-first into the next golem. A second later, a red ranger flew into the last rock beast with a sword.
"What-" Xolin managed to get out, before a second explosion rocked the central body of the third golem. A yellow ranger rushed in, a gun in her hands as she took aim again, firing at the second golem—and nearly blew up the blue ranger as well.
"Hey, watch it!" Tesas exclaimed.
"Don't get in the way and you won't get it!" Sitras threw back.
Oh no. No no no no no.
"What are you three doing here?!" Xolin exclaimed in disbelief, as Anthren dropped from his own golem, having gutted its face with is sword. Two seconds later, it exploded from several blasts.
"Sitras!" Anthren crowed, "Watch it!"
"Sorry!" she said, "Spell went a little um...haywire".
"Calm it with the higher ranked spells already!" Tesas growled.
"You watch it!" replied Sitras, "I've got it under control!"
"Hey!" Anthren butted in, "Enough, we've got a fight to win".
Xolin marched up to them, enraged, "Hi! Hello, anyone going to tell me what the hell they're doing here?!"
"We came to help" Sitras replied.
"What?!" Xolin gasped in disbelief, "No! What—no, get out of here, you'll get yourselves killed!"
"Like you are?" Anthren asked her.
She stared at him, deadpan, "...Yes, exactly like that. Get back to the ship!"
"Can't" Anthren said calmly as they moved to form a barrier between Magnus and Xolin, "We disobeyed direct orders by coming down here. We're fugitives now".
Xolin's form slackened in disbelief as they lined up.
"...Who are you?!" Magnus asked them as they assembled.
"Easy!" Anthren replied in his most heroic attempt, "We're the cavalry".
The wizard's grip on his staff tightened as he growled in anger, "Cavalry on its own is just as easy to outflank and destroy". He pointed his staff at them, unleashing another storm of lightning on the reinforcements.
Tesas grabbed something from his belt, tossing it to the ground. As the lightning was about to slam into them, an energy field appeared between them and the attack, blocking it—though it was obviously strained by the attempt.
"...What was that?!" Sitras asked.
"Personal shield generator" Tesas replied as the shields gave out. He shrugged, "Something I came up with. Still has a few bugs".
"Attack, now!" Anthren said, charging forward.
"No!" Xolin shouted, as the other two followed suit, "Wait!"
They swarmed around the wizard, with Anthren taking the center stage by launching himself at the wizard directly. Magnus swatted him aside with his staff, before turning his attention on the other two. A gale picked up, and the wind itself seemed to crystallize into many small dagger formations. They sped at the blue ranger, taking him out quickly.
"HAH!" Sitras roared from the wizard's other flank, launching several magically-enhanced laser bullets from her gun. She kept her magic to lower tier—they had asked her, after all. Might as well. They weren't strong enough though, and he simply blocked them before frying her with a lightning bolt.
Xolin watched helplessly as the three cadets were knocked around.
"What are they doing here?!" Sid demanded to know as the team began to regroup around her.
She shook her head, watching the carnage, "Dying, mostly".
"They aren't working as a team" Isdilian grumbled.
"He's also too fast for them—they aren't able to regroup" Sel added as Anthren was tossed into Tesas, "They won't win like this".
"Then I say we give 'em a helping hand" Sid said, brandishing his ax, "Keep Dumbledore over there detracted".
Xolin gave him a look, "You can't be serious".
The red ranger shrugged, "Can't be helped; they're already in this mess. We'll bust some heads when we're done, alright?"
She sighed, then nodded reluctantly.
Sid nodded back, then explained the plan, "Alright, here's how it goes. Xolin rounds up the kids, the rest of us get our asses kicked for a few minutes, questions?"
"Why am I playing den mother?" Xolin asked.
Sid turned to her, "Because you're fastest" he turned back to the fight, "Alright, take 'em fast and hard!"
Trok groaned, "This is gonna suck".
The rangers charged as Magnus dispatched Sitras. Sid rushed in first, weapon at the ready, before being knocked aside. Trok's mace wrapped itself around the wizard's torso, but instead of flinging the old man around, the horathean found himself flying into a rockwall. Even as that was happening however, Isdilian was closing in, delivering rapid shot blasts from the Sentinel Cannon at near-point-blank range, before being on the receiving end of an energy lash—just as Sel came in hard with the bladed end of her bow, barely missing the wizard. He kicked her aside, and was suddenly face-to-face with the black ranger, who had just decloaked.
Sid charged back in as Magnus dispatched Nikki, his ax trading blows with the wizard's staff before the wizard hit him with a bolt of lightning dead-on. The red ranger fell back, landing at Trok's feet. Magnus reached his arm to the sky, and brought down a blast of power from the heavens directly ontop of the two rangers.
As the battle ensued, Xolin's three facets raced across the rock quarry, grabbing each cadet in turn and reuniting them before returning to her single form.
"Nothing we do affects this guy" Sitras lamented as the battle raged. Sel was unleashing a torrent of energy arrows while Nikki decloaked from behind, grabbing the wizard's staff.
"That's because you three aren't working together" Xolin explained.
"Yes we are" Anthren protested.
"No" Xolin pushed, "You aren't. You're fighting together, you're facing the bad guy off one by one, but you aren't *working* together" she nodded to the battle, as Nikki was thrown off, and Trok used his opening to wheel in on the wizard with his gauntlet's energy blades, "THAT is working together. They're acting with each other in mind, maximizing their potential. You were simply giving him targets to shoot at, one by one".
Sid launched into Magnus from the side, using his powered up boots' rockets to propel him into his foe before striking with both his axe and his left gauntlet's energy blade.
"So what do we do?" Sitras asked.
Xolin eyed them, "Isn't it obvious? Play to your strengths! Anthren, you're good at melee combat, right? So you meet the wizard up close and personal and keep him occupied. Sitras, you're the mage of the group, so make sure you take the openings he gives you-and *don't* hit him, alright?"
The princess turned sheepish, "...Sorry about that".
Xolin sighed reluctantly, nodded, then turned to Tesas, "And you're the smart one. You keep lookout, assisting Anthren in battle while judging the situation. And all of you follow Anthren's orders. Got it?"
The three nodded.
"Good".
Another blast of energy, and Isdilian was sent flying. Most of the others were already down again. Nikki and Sid were busy dodging lightning strikes.
"...Because we're out of time".
Xolin broke from the group, swinging her lance at Magnus in yet another ill-fated charge, but it gave the cadets a second to group themselves up. Anthren and Tesas rushed in, with the red ranger taking the lead as the blue ranger followed. The three opponents traded blows, with both rangers getting hits in before Magnus managed to ward them off with a blow from his staff.
Magnus seethed with anger, "Lay down and die already!" He was so distracted, he didn't notice Sitras's attack from his side, and was completely open to the blast of magical energy that knocked him back, followed quickly by the second one.
"It doesn't matter!" Magnus roared as the red and blue rangers rushed in again, "My spell is still collecting data on you as you fight! Soon I will be immune to you as well!"
Anthren struggled with Magnus's staff, "We need to end this quick!" he said to the others.
"I've got an idea!" Tesas said as he joined in, grabbing the wizard from behind, "Keep hold!" he turned to Sitras as he struggled, "Yo, Sitras! You know those higher level spells?"
"You told me not to use them!"
"Well we're telling you TO use them now!" Anthren shouted, "Go big!"
She took a breath, "Here goes nothing" she said, pouring energy into her fingers. Energy swirled around her as it cascaded into into her hands. She glared at the wizard, "Eat Magic!"
A powerful torrent of pure, raw grid energy slammed into the Magnus. The two rangers detached just before the beam hit, rolling out of the way as the hapless wizard was thrown into the far rockwall, landing in a heap, smoking. Sitras panted, before dropping to her knees.
"...First time I've tried that one..."
Anthren and Tesas hurried over to her, the former helping her back up.
Sid nodded at the work that had been done, "Nice job, kids" he said, as he approached them.
But much to their surprise, the wizard groaned, staggering back up, "Fools...I am more powerful...then you could ever...comprehend".
Sid eyed him, "...You have got to be kidding me. How are you even standing?"
Magnus pulled out a small device, "Prepare for my wrath" he growled, before pressing a button. The ground under the rangers rumbled, and almost immediately a large metallic drill-like machine burst from the earth below just beyond the rock quarry. Magnus laughed, before leaping into its cockpit.
"Drillzord, transform!"
The mechanical construct flipped upright, folding out into a quasi hodge-podge humanoid form, with a drill for one arm and a mace for the other.
"...Oh damnit" Sid groaned, "This guy just doesn't quit".
Isdilian put in the call, "Iota, we need the zords".
"...What do we do?" Anthren asked them.
Sid turned to him, "Sorry, but this is where you guys get off, unless you've squirreled away some giant robots we don't know about"
"Ah...no, sorry" Anthren shrugged, "I guess we'll be going then".
"Going?" Trok asked, confused, "Going where?"
Tesas shrugged, "We went against Iota's direct orders. He told us if we left, he'd bring us up on charges. Probably best if we just...slip out now".
"...But you SAVED us" Trok said, "He can't punish you for that!"
"And I'm not" came the reply from the rangers' morphers, "That was a test, to see if you were truly dedicated to the mission, and not just worried about your continued employment".
"...You...you *tricked* us?!" Tesas exclaimed, anger bubbling up.
Sid shrugged, sighing with an air of 'it's probably Tuesday', "It's Iota. You'll learn to deal with it".
"So...we're not in trouble?" Sitras asked, hope filling her voice.
"Quite the opposite in fact. Though, you will be if you don't teleport up soon. Zords incoming".
"RANGERS!" Magnus bellowed from his zord, "You waiting for Christmas?!"
"Alright guys" Sid said, "Round two!"
Trok folded his arms in contemplation, "Wouldn't this be more like...round three? Or...four, maybe?"
The cadets teleported away, while the rest of the group jumped up into their zords. Five multicolored spaceships flew through the air, while a silver tank rolled alongside them from the ground. Immediately they began to transform, and before Magnus knew it, he was facing off against both the Sentinel and the Guardian megazords.
"About time" Magnus said as his robot turned to face the other two, just outside of the human city.
"Alright" Sid said, "He's still got that power adapting spell, so let's make this quick before he has a chance to power up. Izzy, you ready?"
Isdilian grumbled from his cockpit, "ISDILIAN is ready to go, yes. Cosmic Blitz!"
As the Sentinel Megazord unleashed its full barrage of firepower, the Guardian Megazord readied itself.
"Zenith Phalanx!" the rangers shouted in unison. The megazord swung its staff around in a wide arc, collecting energy before it came down in two diagonal slashes. The staff then impaled the zord, and began to spin, its energy flowing out into the wound as the robot sputtered and sparked. It stumbled back, and looked about ready to explode.
It didn't.
Magnus laughed, "Foolish rangers!" he said, even as the zord began to repair itself, "My zord's made of sterner stuff than that! And now you've wasted your finishers—they won't work again!"
"...Oh, he is SO cheating" Sid exclaimed, punching his armrest.
"Get ready for the showstopper!" the wizard cackled, as the sky began to darken. The robot's drill began to charge, energy swirling around it before it unleashed a cyclone of power at the two megazords. They staggered back, giving the Drillzord a chance to take the offensive. The Guardian blocked, or attempted to block, rather. Instead it was met with a powerful mace that impacted its chest—which was soon imbedding that of the Sentinel megazord as well. A swipe from the drill arm caused the Guardian to tumble back into the mountainside.
Isdilian backed his zord away, before unleashing a number of guns on the offending robot. They deflected harmlessly.
"Sid, this isn't work—AUGH!" the Sentinel megazord was hit by the mace again. Sparks flew.
Sid gritted his teeth as the Guardian megazord staggered back to its feet, "His zord can repair damage, and the more zords we bring in to stop him, the more powerful he gets".
"...I think I've got something that can help" Trok said, going over the data on his screen, "When the drillzord repaired itself, its processing system went into overdrive. I detected a six hundred percent increase in information output within its systems".
"Makes sense" Nikki said, "I couldn't imagine that sort of on-the-site construction to be cheap".
"...Which means?" asked Xolin.
Sel ventured a guess, "...Which means that regeneration and assimilation of our powers takes a lot of software and hardware power that it might not have if in a pinch".
Sid nodded, understanding, "Then...if we keep hitting it..."
"It SHOULD overheat" Sel finished for him.
"...So...zord rush?" Xolin asked. The rangers looked at each other.
"Zord rush".
The three cadets made it onto the bridge, still in ranger garb but helmetless.
"Welcome back" Iota said in his business tone, "Now buckle up, things are about to get a little hairy".
"What do you mean?" Sitras asked.
Iota tapped a few buttons on his control console in the captain's seat as the viewscreen showed them descending through the moon's atmosphere. "We're about to fly into battle. Defender Megazord, online!"
The Defender megazord's foot slammed into the side of the Drillzord, sending it rolling to the ground. The enemy zord pulled itself back up as the Defender landed, sporting its signature sword and shield. Drillzord let loose a series of laserblasts, which the Defender blocked with its shield as it closed in, explosions going off all around it. Its sword came down, and was parried by the drill.
"It doesn't matter how many zords you have!" Magnus cackled, "I'll destroy them all!" Drillzord's chest cannon opened up and let loose on the prone zord, knocking it back so that the former could strike with its mace.
Inside the Guardian, Sid nodded to the others, "Time to be a little unorthodox. Separate!"
The five pieces of the Guardian megazord split apart into their individual zord formations, and immediately they began swarming the enemy zord, opening fire.
"Rrraugh, pesky bees!" Magnus said as his zord swatted at them with its mace, "You're only delaying the inevitable!"
"Final Strike!" Iota commanded. Drillzord barely turned in time to meet the Defender megazord's finisher attack.
"Annoying!" Magnus crowed, as his zord began to regenerate. It powered up its drill and flew at the Defender, mimicing its Final Strike. The Defender megazord fell to the ground, smoke emanating from its battered hull.
"Ramming Strike!" Trok declared, as his zord charged up and slammed itself into the Drillzord's abdomen. It grabbed the large green spaceship and tossed it aside.
"Wingblade!" Xolin exclaimed. Her own zord flew past, charging up its wide wingspan and cutting directly into the offending robot.
"Orbital Barrage!" Sel shouted.
"Fury Load!" Sid commanded.
The yellow and red Guardianzords opened fire with a storm of firepower—a multitude of guns and cannons for Sel, and twin beam cannons for Sid. Drillzord staggered back before it absorbed the information for those zords as well.
"Shadow Wing!" Nikki ordered. Her own zord phased in and out of view as it circled the Drillzord erratically, firing in an arc before it too was finally swatted away by the latter's chest lasers.
"Don't let up!" Sid told the others, "Press the attack!"
"Sentinel Megazord, Warrior Mode!" Isdilian commanded.
Likewise, Iota, "Defender Megazord, Lightning Mode!".
Red attached itself to Isdilian's zord, while Xolin went for the Defender megazord. The two new megazord pared off against Drillzord. The three met, as Sentinel's ax fists went up against Drillzord's...well, drill. Defender lifted up into the air with its new wings, taking potshots with its twin pistols. Drillzord staggered back.
"Die!" Magnus shouted, his zord firing its chest lasers again. Defender hovered out of the way as Sentinel simply deflected with its axes, before unhooking them into mace mode and letting them hammer into the enemy.
"Azure Sniper!" Xolin declared, as the Defender combined its guns into a single rifle, unleashing its carefully placed shot right into Drillzord.
"Dervish Spin!" Sid ordered, the Sentinel megazord spinning rapidly as it cut into the prone robot. "Switch!"
"Colossus Mode!" Trok called out, attaching his zord to the Sentinel megazord, just as Xolin detached hers. Still in midair, it began to decend.
"Comet Impact!"
The zord came down hard and fast, landing right on the Drillzord.
"Assault Mode!" Sel ordered, her zord replacing Sid's on the Sentinel megazord, "Advent Barrage!" The zord with way more guns than it had any right to have primed every single one, and an unholy wave of thunder and death flung itself into the poor enemy robot. It staggered back, smoking and heavily damaged, trying to repair itself, but simply becoming overwhelmed.
Magnus began to panic, "No, it can't...you can't defeat me!"
"Shadow Mode!"
Nikki's zord had combined with the Defender megazord, "Phantom Blade!" It launched forward, violet energy blades flying out from its talons as it passed its prey by. The Drillzord sparked and burned, its internal systems in near-meltdown mode.
Inside the cockpit, Magnus was now in FULL panic. His controls weren't responding, his zord's systems were shutting down one by one, and his hull integrity was compromised. "No, no, no. It can't….work, damn you! WORK!"
"His zord's having a meltdown" Trok confirmed, as the Guardian megazord reformed, "If we hit him now, we can finish this!"
Sid quickly thought through their options, but came up short, "...We've already almost everything we have" he said, "...We don't have anything to finish him with!"
Trok thought, "...Yes we do. Isdilian, is that project of ours ready?"
"Project?" Sid asked.
From his cockpit, Isdilian replied, "It hasn't been fieldtested yet, but it should be, yes".
"You guys wanna fill us in?" Xolin asked.
Trok grinned sheepishly, "Isdilian and I have been brainstorming ways to further our arsenal with the assets already available to us. Ready!"
Isdilian nodded, "Ready. Initiating Double-Knuckle Mode!"
Right on cue, the arms of the Sentinel and Guardian megazords detached from their parent bodies, switching around with the other and reattaching.
"Guardian Megazord, Double-Knuckle Mode!" Trok announced, as the Guardian Megazord now sported the Sentinel megazord's heavily armed...well, arms.
"Oh no!" Magnus whimpered.
"Oh yes!" Sid replied, "Guardian Megazord, Blazing Fists!"
The Megazord's fists detached from the arms, launching forward as every gun on the megazord's arms opened fire, giving the finisher an added boost. All of it flung itself into the Drillzord. It sparked, smoke drifting from its burning corpse as it finally, mercifully gave up, dropping to the ground and exploding in a cloud of fire and ash. The Guardian's fists returned to their docking points, the three megazords standing triumphant.
The three cadets sat in the war room, the older rangers flanking them around the edge of the circular chamber. Iota stood opposite of them on the other side of the table. The mood was somber.
"I won't bother listing the number of orders and regulations you've broken in the past three days" Iota said, "Between blowing off your mentors, holding yourselves up in the simudeck without authorization, endangerment of said mentors..." he eyed Xolin, "...not to mention breaking EVERY rule and jumping into a battlezone while under orders not to with powers that were not yours to take..."
The three cadets seemingly shrunk in their seats.
"Combine that with the preliminary reports my team filed on the second day, by all rights not only should you be discharged, but you should also be in the brig from now until forever".
Silence.
Iota continued, "...And yet, I believe something special has been forged here. Make no mistake—today belongs to you. You three, as a team, saved another Peacekeeper team on your own, and you did it as a team. By all rights, your goal here was accomplished—you passed the test. Congratulations".
He dropped the files he'd been holding in his hands on the table in front of the three cadets.
Pass. They'd passed. They weren't going to be dropped.
"...Spirits" Anthren gasped, "We did it".
"I don't believe it" Sitras giggled. They'd had so many ups and downs over the past three days, she was giddy as all get out.
Tesas slumped back in his seat, letting all tension in his body evaporate with a sigh.
"But make no mistake" Sid said sternly behind them, "This situation was unique, and unlikely. Ever pull stunts like these again, and if you don't get yourselves killed, then you'll *certainly* be stripped of rank and prosecuted, got it?"
The three looked at him, at his dead serious expression, and nodded.
"...Thank you" Sitras said, truthfully, humility finally coming to her, "Thank you all".
"Don't thank us just yet" Sid said with a sad smile, "It's getting pretty ugly out there. You guys need to be careful".
"You will be taken to Virgo Station, on the edge of Terran space" said Iota, "There you will be processed and transferred into active field training, where you will begin real field operations, carefully chosen in their assumed difficulty, with continued oversight".
"Wait...you mean we'll be real agents?" Tesas asked.
Iota nodded, "Provisionally, but yes. I believe you're ready, as does my team, evidently. Again, congratulations".
As they talked, a blinking light on a small device he carried with him alerted Isdilian that he had an unviewed message waiting for him. He waited a few more moments, then as the conversation began to ware down, he made his discreet exit.
Isdilian had made his way back to his room, closing the door behind him. Sitting down at his station, he pulled his morpher off of his wrist, connecting it to his console.
Immediately, the computer began the lengthy process of encrypting everything behind numerous defenses, cutting itself off from all outside sources. Anyone else on the ship wouldn't notice—the morpher was still sending a false 'connected' signal to the ship's net connection. When everything was at last secure, a new connection was made, with a source many light-years away.
His orders were coming in, at last.
And yet...he felt dread. A few months ago he would have been exuberant—finally he could accomplish his purpose. And yet, now...he found part of him didn't want to go.
Damnit all. He'd gotten soft. He'd KNOWN he was getting soft, and he'd let it happen anyway. And he only had himself to blame. He ignored a vague headache that was threatening to become bigger.
Operation Zenith was coming regardless however. Destiny was coming, and his fate, as well as everyone else's had been decided long ago.
T-Minus 1 Day to Zero Hour.
To be continued...