A/N: So many things to say, so little time. All I can really say is Enjoy!
"How did I make it to adulthood without you killing me?"
Scott blinked in surprise as the Ranger Room doo finished sliding open. He stepped tentatively inside and looked around. Dillon was sitting on the chair attached to Doctor K's Moneta device, and from the way she was stripping electrodes from his head, Dillon had undergone another memory transfer.
Kim, sitting on a stool from the briefing room and tucked out of the way, laughed for a moment before saying, "Mostly I just reminded myself that at that age I was flying around a giant pink Zord and fighting space monkeys. What brought that question on?"
"Me, Phoenix, and Zig-Zag on jet skis," Dillon replied.
"You can't remember anyone's birthday without cheating, but you remember Zigzag?" Ziggy said, popping up from behind Doctor K's computers, "Hi Scott, if you call me Zigzag, I will fry something very near and dear to your heart." He paused, "Probably your car."
Scott promised himself to get Flynn or Summer to call him Zigzag at the next available moment. "I was hoping Doctor K would be able to pull the simulator scores for me," he said when he realized everyone was staring at him, "but I can wait."
Doctor K sighed, "I wish people weren't so paranoid about technology," she said as she put her electrodes on a trey sticking out of the Moneta device. She glanced around at Kim, "I mean, I get that some people didn't grow up with technology, but people have been so quick to toss tablets away, and they're so useful."
"They're afraid," Kim replied, "Venjix destroyed a lot of trust."
Scott shrugged, "As long as Venjix can't hack it, I'll use whatever you tell me to, Doc. It's your Project after all."
Doctor K glared at him for a brief moment then flipped a switch on the device, "I will see what can be done then, Ranger Red. In the meantime, I'll get that information ready, come back in two hours."
The alarms started going off, "Make that three hours," Scott said glancing up.
"Indeed," Doctor K replied as she shoved Ziggy and the chair out of her way. "Perimeter breach in the west sector, multiple contacts."
"Right," Scott said, he glanced over his shoulder as Summer, Flynn, Gem and Gemma burst into the room. He glanced at them and then back at Doctor K typing frantically. Kim was hovering over Doctor K's shoulder while Dillon and Ziggy were moving to stand close together. He considered options, and when K glanced up and gave him the nod, he picked an option and went with it. "Summer and Flynn, with me, we're Team A. Dillon, Ziggy, Team B. Gem, Gemma, you're Team C. If there are multiple contacts, we need to bring them together. West sector has the forest preserve, we'll try to herd everything there. Doc can give us specific locations on the way."
"Right," Dillon said as he pulled his jacket on.
"Keep in contact," Scott added, "we may need to adapt the plan once we get more information."
They headed out, with Gem and Gemma in the lead in Scott's old Army jeep, which, after Flynn and his dad replaced everything under the hood and then some, was finally a reliable transport for the twins, and back up for anyone else who might need it.
They were just entering the sector when the communicator in Scott's car beeped, "Rangers, there are three distinct concentrations of Venjix troops," Doctor K said. "Gem and Gemma, your target appears to be a standard attack bot. You are go for boom time."
Scott smiled as he heard the twins' excited woops.
"Rangers Green and Black," Doctor K said as the line became silent, "Your target is Tenaya and a grinder collection."
Scott nodded as Dillon confirmed their job. Dillon and Ziggy were the two best suited for going up against Tenaya, they could fight her without arousing suspicion, or hurting her.
"Rangers Red, Yellow, and Blue," Doctor K continued, pulling Scott out of his own thoughts, "Your target is already in the forests. It is also the strongest of the three concentrations. Whether this is a new style of attack bot, or simply a large concentration of forces, I cannot determine. I suggest you hold the line until the other Rangers can join you."
"Not a problem, Doctor K," Scott replied as his GPS lit up with coordinates.
They parked on the edge of the forest and gathered, Scott looked at his lovers for a moment, "Remember," he said, "we're already heroes, so no showing off. We lock it down and hold the line. Our teammates can handle their jobs, and they'll be here as soon as they can. I want to see both of you in the Garage tonight."
"Movie night?" Flynn offered.
"Only if I'm picking the movie," Summer retorted.
Scott allowed them to see a small smile, "Let's do this."
It wasn't hard to find the Venjix attack force. The attack bot had a disturbingly human look to it, with except for three, glowing red optic sensors and a pair of stylized half circles on its back in a disturbing impression of wings. It was white and silver. The Grinders were lined up behind it in precise rows, looking all too like an army at attention for its commanding officers.
Scott swallowed and reached for his engine cell to begin the morphing sequence. The attack bot had an aura of menace he'd never felt from an attack bot before, although Tenaya had come close a few times.
"No witty banter?" The attack bot demanded.
Scott's fingers faltered for a brief second, attack bots did not often speak back. "It's usually wasted," he said out loud, forcing his voice to steady for Flynn and Summer. "It's not like attack bots are all that intelligent anyways."
"You must be Scott, the Red Ranger," the attack bot replied, "I've always enjoyed your banter."
Scott glanced at Flynn, is this one of the generals? He thought. He could see the same question in Flynn's eyes. "Thank you for the compliment," Scott said. "You know my name, perhaps I should have yours."
The bot laughed, "I am Venjix, little Ranger. This city shall be mine."
Venjix, Scott thought, and struggle to keep his fear from showing. "Funny," he said instead, "I thought you'd be a lot more terrifying in person." He freed the engine cell, "RPM, get in gear!"
Summer and Flynn were a beat behind him, but he was pleased to note their voices were steady, even if the weird battle link told him that they were both terrified, but determined.
"You will fear me, you insolent human," Venjix announced, "Grinders, attack!"
"Good," Scott spat back as the Grinders rushed forward, "we'll need the work out."
He pulled his nitro sword and set to work with a will, blocking and lashing out at the Grinders with enough strength to put them down, but careful to conserve his energy. If this was Venjix, if the AI had truly created a mobile form, they were going to need everything they could get.
As a moment there was a lull in the fighting as Summer and Flynn converged to give him some cover, so Scott activated the internal radio on his helmet. "Ranger Red to Base," he said quietly, switching his sword for the blaster.
"This is Base," Doctor K said promptly.
"This attack bot is claiming he's Venjix," Scott said as he shot the Grinders. "Venjix may have gone mobile. Tell Green and Black to shut down Tenaya and get here immediately. How are Silver and Gold?"
"Still in combat," K replied.
Scott hesitated, and dodged a Grinder that had gotten too close. "Tell Green to get Black here, then to support Silver and Gold. Tell him not to show his cards, but a little flash never hurt."
"I'll take care of it," Doctor K said. "Base out."
"Ranger Red, over and out," Scott replied, feeling a weight lift from him. Those discussions he'd had a long time ago with Doctor K, back when she'd just been a voice and a screen, were paying off. At the time, he'd needed some familiarity to cling to, some aspect of the military life he'd so callously abandoned when Marcus died. Now, it was their Doomsday signal, a way to pass on that a worst-case scenario was coming to past, in this case that Venjix had gone mobile.
Scott shot some more Grinders, then converted back to sword to engage them closely. He needed to keep himself from straining to hear the distinct static hiss of Ziggy's teleportation. A three on one attack by a group of Grinders succeeded, he didn't even realize Dillon had joined them until one of the three robots was taken out from behind.
"Dillon," Scott said, "glad you could join us."
Dillon nodded, "I wouldn't miss the party."
"Enough!" Venjix roared suddenly, and the Grinders backed off, almost running. "Subject D-44," he said, "it is good to see you again."
Dillon went still for a very long moment, then slowly he turned to look at Venjix. "I promised you once," he said, in that voice of deadly calm, "that I would see you destroyed. I renew that here and now. Your days are numbered Venjix, and you will not hold a single grain of sand when I am done with you. For my planet, for my family, and for the people I am sworn to protect."
"Bold words, Subject D-44." Venjix began.
"My name is James Michael Hart," Dillon said, "Black RPM Ranger, son of Kimberly Hart, Pink Morphin Ranger, and Elder Pink Ranger of Earth. Those are not 'bold words', they are a statement of fact. You should pay attention to history, you outdated pile of scrap. Rangers don't deal in bravado."
A static hiss, and Ziggy appeared, arms around Gem and Gemma.
"Let's finish this," Scott said, stepping up beside Dillon, or perhaps James now. "RPM," he shouted, summing his team.
"Get in gear!" They bellowed with him.
"Street saber strike," Scott continued, and launched his attack.
He'd feared that they would barely scratch Venjix's armor. He'd hoped for a few sparks and a scorch mark. Venjix looked like he'd been smacked by a sledgehammer, with sparks, dents and scorch marks all over. There was even smoke.
"This body has failed me," Venjix announced, looking down at his jerking fingers.
"We're not done yet," Scott said as the Rangers combined their weapons.
"RPM Enforcer!"
All that was left was scattered robot parts and a rapidly fading cry of "No!"
As the other Rangers celebrated, Scott stared at the parts. Someone stepped up beside him, and Scott glanced over. Dillon was staring at the remains, and Scott wondered what was going on under the helmet. "It's not done yet," Dillon said finally.
"No," Scott agreed. "That couldn't be the end of it."
Dillon nodded, "I've decided to change my name," he said. "I'm not the James Mom remembered, but I'm not who I thought I was."
"What do we call you then?" Scott asked, aware that the group behind him had fallen silent.
"Dillon," Dillon said, "officially it's James Dillon Hart."
Scott nodded and gripped Dillon's shoulder, "Welcome home."
"Good job Rangers," Doctor K cut in, "The Defense is standing by to retrieve the robot body. Escort them to the lab, then return to base."
"You got it Doc," Scott said.
/...\\\
Doctor K barely glanced up as Doctor Kendall walked into the Ranger Room, "I brought the information," Hailey said.
"Please leave it there," Doctor K waved to indicate the edge of her desk. She kept her on the computer and the program it was running, hoping that this time it would give her a different answer.
"Is everything all right?" Hailey asked.
The computer beeped and Doctor K sighed, "I was looking to see if Gem and Gemma had family in Corinth, but I can't find anyone." She hesitated, "There also seems to be an anomaly in their DNA that I can't figure out."
Hailey frowned, "May I look?"
"Yes," Doctor K replied.
Hailey moved around to stare at the screen, "That's their DNA?"
"Yes," Doctor K said shortly.
"I've seen it before," Hailey said, "at least, I think I have. Genetics isn't my forte, but there's something familiar about their DNA. May I have a copy? I think Dana might recognize it."
Doctor K hesitated, then hit print, "You may," she said quietly.
"We won't treat them like experiments," Hailey said, "I agree, they deserve to know their family." She took the print out and stepped back, "I'll let you know what comes of this."
"Thank you," Doctor K said.