Sarah was on her way home, but had taken something of a detour. She had already sent her parents a message to assure them she was alright and she was on her way home, but for now she just didn't feel much like rushing home. For now, she was just wandering through Summer Cove, through the streets, kind of in a daze.
While she hadn't been a Ranger, she had been involved with Ranger business longer than the others. She'd stumbled onto the identities of the Amber Beach team and worked with them for a time to help them in their campaign against Sledge. She'd always wanted to help others, and she had always done her very best, even when it wasn't her in the suit.
She'd been over the moon when she was chosen to be a Ranger this time around. She had admired her friends and the commitment and sacrifice they showed as they fought the forces of evil. Now though, she wasn't feeling quite so upbeat about the whole deal.
The power in much of the city was still out. She'd destroyed the local power plant to prevent Wrench having another power source, but since the invasion, there was now no way for crews to connect them to the rest of the grid. There were fewer people out on the streets, not that she could blame them. A few people were still making their way home but for the most part people were now with their families, cowering in their homes. The whole thing made her feel like a failure. A part of her wondered if perhaps her old team wouldn't have been able to deal with this by now.
"Hey, Sarah!" She heard someone call out. She looked around, but rolled her eyes as she saw Victor and Monty approaching. Of all the things in the world she didn't have the patience or the energy for, it was them. It wasn't that she disliked them especially. The problem was the exact opposite. The problem was she was still struggling to kick her stupid crush on Victor. "See, Victor? I told you it was her!"
"Yeah…yeah, it is." Victor said as he arrived. "Hi."
"Yeah, hi." Sarah responded. Victor just stood, not saying anything. Monty was the one that opened up the conversation.
"What are you still doing outside?" Monty asked her. "I thought you'd be home by now."
"I just…felt like a little walk." She told them.
"Well, maybe we could walk with you?" Monty suggested a little too enthusiastically. "It's a little way to my place."
As they joined her, Sarah just let out a groan. She really didn't want company. If she did, she'd have gone home like Brody told her to.
"So, this new guy…Drakkon." Monty commented. "Talk about an entrance."
"Monty, that's probably the last thing Sarah wants to talk about right now." Victor stated. She smiled a little hearing that, but it only lasted a moment. She just kept walking.
"Look, you guys are always facing tough odds." Monty said, trying to reassure her. "I'm sure this guy's no different."
"That's just the thing Monty, he is different." Sarah told him. "He's about as different as they get."
"So he doesn't want to take over the world?" Monty asked her. Sarah just snorted.
"I wish." She replied. "Turns out he doesn't want to just rule this universe, but all of them."
"Wow, talk about ambitious." Monty said, before Victor clamped a hand over his mouth.
"I've moved around a lot in my life." She told them. "I've been living in a new city almost every year since I was a kid…this is the first place I was starting to think of as a home. Now this guy comes down and it looks like no matter what happens, this city is going to be Ground Zero. Even if some miracle happens and we manage to win, how much of the city is going to be left?"
She wrapped her arms around herself.
"Then there's the small matter of Drakkon. Last time he surfaced it took almost every Ranger in existence to beat him." She informed them. "Now, it's just us and it looks like he's brought his own little band of psychopaths to the party."
"Hey." Victor said, coming around in front of her. "I've not known you all that long, but I've learned a long time ago that no one underestimates you."
"Victor, I…"
"No, for once you listen." Victor interrupted her. "I grew up without my dad. I grew up without him because he put himself at risk to help make sure other people came home. He was my hero. In my eyes there was nothing he couldn't have done, and I've spent a long time working hard and trying to live up to him."
He took her by the shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.
"But when I met you, when I found out what you and the others do every day, it made me feel like there was someone else out there that could inspire me to be better than I was." He told her. "You might be bruised right now, might be in a funk, but you better pick yourself back up, because I believe in you."
"You…you do?" She asked.
"I'd put my life in your hands in a second." Victor assured her. Sarah and Victor stood, staring into each other's eyes for a long time. Monty was sitting at the side, just waiting, itching to see if one of them would make the move that he felt they both wanted to take. Just then, Sarah's communicator bleeped. She answered it.
"You're go for Sarah." She declared.
"Sarah, its Sandy!" Sandy screamed down the communicator. "Drakkon sent one of his goons!"
"Sandy, it's OK." Sarah tried to assure her. "Just tell me where…"
"Sarah, he's fighting Preston!" She yelled. "You have to get here, now! He's going to kill him!"
Sarah broke into a run, homing in on Preston's location. Watching her go, Victor started to run after her.
"Victor, what are you doing?" Monty screamed after him. "VICTOR!"
With that, Monty started running for all he was worth, desperate to catch up.
In another part of town, Sandy was cut off from Preston as she dealt with Basher Bots. She was fighting desperately to try and get to him to help, but the Basher Bots just seemed to keep coming, no matter how hard she fought.
Preston hit the ground and started crawling towards his fallen sword as his opponent stalked him. He brought one end of his lance down, right between Preston's hand and the sword. Preston didn't know if he should consider himself lucky his attacker hadn't taken his fingers, or if luck was nothing to do with the placement of the attack.
He flicked the sword away as he twirled the lance around, catching Preston under the chin and sending him up into the air. He caught him with the end, slamming him back down into the concrete, before backing of, giving Preston enough space and air to realise he was being outmanoeuvred. The man facing him was incredibly skilled, but also incredibly smart. He was analysing every move, forming a strategy with every second as he kept Preston immobilised.
"I don't get it. How could you do this?" Preston asked him. "You were one of us! You were a Ranger!"
"Yes, I was a Ranger, for all the good it did me." The warrior said as he paced around, keeping Preston in his view. "But when they were done with me, when I was the one that needed help, where were they? Where was the so-called power to protect me when I needed it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"I gave them everything they asked for and more!" He said resentfully as Preston tried to pull out his blaster. The warrior pulled his own, blasting it from Preston's hand with a precise shot that smashed his blaster into pieces. "Everyone always lauded the Red Ranger, or the Green Ranger or the White Ranger when he came along…none of them knew that most of the plans that won the day were MY plans! I was the one with the brains! I was the one that figured out what to do when everything went to shit!"
Preston started to get up, but the warrior caught him with a harsh kick to the chest, lifting him from the ground, before letting him fall back to the ground once more.
"When the time came there were only five spots, I did what was expected of me. I stepped aside, I gave the glory to the new kid, because I still believed in Zordon and his bullshit!" He continued. "Then it turns out because of the energies I absorbed to turn myself back into an adult, I was aging to death. Want to know what Zordon did? NOTHING!"
He grabbed Preston and hoisted him off the ground, leaving him dangling above the ground.
"I saved the world, saved my 'friends' asses more times than any of them could count, but when it came to me, it was 'Sorry Billy, sucks to be you!' and I was left to rot!" He told him. "Then Drakkon came, told me that I could regain my power, I could gain all the power I needed not to see myself age into dust in a matter of weeks. All I had to do was get my hands dirty a couple more times."
"So you sold out your friends to save your own ass." Preston replied as he reached behind him. Billy noticed this, and grabbed his wrist to stop him bringing up the weapon.
"I was solving interstellar problems before you were even shitting in your diaper." Billy said derisively. "What makes you think I can't foresee every thought in your head?"
"Oh, I've got no doubt you're smarter than me." Preston responded. "As for your little tale of woe? I couldn't care less!"
"What?" Billy snapped.
"Sometimes bad things happen!" Preston told him. "Sometimes, that's just the hand we're dealt!"
With that, he flexed his hand, spraying up the deck of cards he was holding. Billy's vision was obscured long enough for Preston to break out of his grip, leaping up and slamming both feet into his chest. Billy staggered away a little, and by the time he was ready, Preston had his morpher in bow mode.
Billy split his lance into two parts, throwing them straight for Preston. The first one made him dodge, spoiling his shot, but the other caught him square in the helmet, knocking him completely senseless. Billy started to come towards him, summoning his weapons back to his hands.
"You know, Drakkon only wanted the girl…but I guess he never specified if he minded if I took care of one of you wannabes on the way." Billy taunted him, reforming his Power Lance, raising it high over the prone Blue Ranger. "I did the whole ninja thing…let's see if you can at least die like…"
He was cut off as a blast hit him in the chest. He staggered as a few more hit home as Sarah arrived, using her Star Morpher bow to drive him backwards. Billy was on his knees by the time he drew his blaster, being able to finally return fire. There was a blast as both of their beams struck, creating a massive blast that ripped between the two sides.
Sarah, Preston and Sandy were on the ground, unmorphed, their ears ringing as Billy started to get to his feet. He was about to resume the attack when Cosmo teleported down with some more kudabots.
"Grab the girl!" He told them, pointing to Sandy. They all scrambled to try and fight as they grabbed Sandy, dragging her away.
Before they could take her away, there was a huge cry as Victor ran into the mix, throwing haymakers in all directions. It was a courageous, but ultimately fruitless battle. He managed to damage a couple of the robots, but before he could get too far, Cosmo drew his cane sword, levelling it at his throat.
"You…I remember you!" He declared with a sick smile.
"Yeah, I remember you too." Victor answered. "Nice squishy face if I recall."
"Yes, I remember all too well." Cosmo answered. "We'll take this one as well…the little one too!"
"NO!" Sarah screamed as she tried to get up, but Billy quickly forced her to get her head down with some shots from his blaster. The kudabots dragged Sandy, Victor and Monty away.
"Consider this getting your attention." Cosmo declared. "Every two hours until we get an answer, some of my friends will come down to take more citizens of Summer Cove. Sooner or later we'll find someone you care about."
"Give me back my sister!" Emma yelled, only to be silenced as Billy aimed the blaster at her.
"SARAH!" Victor called out. "It's alright…it'll be OK."
With that, they disappeared. Sarah, Preston and Emma all looked to each other as their defeat overtook them.
"Great, that's what just one of these guys can do and he isn't even Drakkon." Preston commented. "What are we going to do? We have to get Sandy back!"
"Drakkon's not playing games." Sarah stated. "We can't afford to either."
She got onto her communicator, calling the others.
"Guys, its Sarah." She told them. "We need to get to the Command Centre now."
Up on the Warrior Dome, Billy, Cosmo and the kudabots dragged their prisoners before Drakkon. He sat on his throne, gazing down on them all.
"This is rather more than I expected, Billy." Drakkon drawled casually.
"It wasn't my choice." Billy told him. "And I prefer Will…"
"Of course, Will." He said, beckoning to some kudabots. "Bring the girl closer, I want to get a good look at her."
Sandy dragged her heels as they dragged her towards him, but it made little difference. All it earned her was a few stray punches to get her to comply. Drakkon held up a hand.
"That's close enough!" He called out a little forcefully. He inspected her thoughtfully. "I have to admit, when I was still stuck in the Morphing Grid, drifting between existence and nothingness, coming up with this plan, I thought of almost all eventualities…though curiously you were never one of them."
"I see you never considered a hairstylist either." She responded. His two female followers laughed a little, something that didn't seem to amuse Drakkon in the slightest.
"I had to re-tool some of my plans to accommodate you." He admitted. "I was hoping my assassin, my Green Psycho Ranger would pave the way for my arrival, though it seems he fell somewhat short of the mark."
"The others destroyed him, just like they're going to destroy all of you!" Sandy yelled at him. "Now if you're planning on killing me then go ahead! I'll make sure I do as much damage to you and this ship as I can on the way out!"
"You are a spirited one aren't you?" He asked her. "I can see why Psycho Green's power was drawn to you."
She just looked at him wide-eyed as he said this.
"What? You don't think I recognise the power of my chief assassin?" He asked her. "It is clear that when the Nexus Prism chose you, it had something very special planned for you. It's almost a shame you won't get to live up to it."
"I don't give a shit about Psycho Green's power, or whatever sick ego trip you're on." She said as tears started running down her face. "I…I…I just want to get back to my family."
"God, really? THIS is who Psycho Green's power chose?" One of Drakkon's followers demanded. "Screw this, I'm taking that power for myself right…"
"JASON!" Drakkon barked, halting him in his tracks. He glared at him. "Do not touch her!"
Jason just rolled his eyes as he returned to his position, taking a seat by some snacks and started to eat. Drakkon just considered Sandy thoughtfully as he saw the tears in her eyes. He could see fear, but also defiance. He also saw something else.
"You…you have no idea what power you wield do you?" He asked her.
"Lightning." She declared. "Well…when it works anyway. I haven't had much chance to…"
"I don't know what's sadder. The fact you possess this power or the fact you don't even know what you possess." He commented. He gestured to the kudabots. "Take her away, find a cell for her. Ensure she is watched at all times!"
As they took her away, he turned his attention to Victor and Monty.
"Now, I did ask for the girl." He began. "But I'm still struggling to understand why these two are here."
"My liege, if you will indulge me for a moment." Cosmo said, falling to his knees before him and bowing so low his forehead touched the floor. "These humans have caused me far more trouble than it would appear. They were instrumental in causing the damage to my ship that left me stranded!"
"You're still mad about the ship?" Victor teased him. "I thought you'd be angrier about the fact I busted your face!"
There was a laugh from those assembled in the room. Cosmo scrambled to his feet, and crossed over to Victor, getting right into his face.
"You have no idea how long I've imagined this." Cosmo told him. He returned back to Drakkon. "My Lord, I know you have been more than generous, but for the crimes these humans have committed against me, and by extension you, I beg your indulgence. Let me have them!"
"Them?" One of them asked, an axe materialising in his hand. "You want this taken care of I can…"
"Zack, I appreciate your enthusiasm but…I'm curious." Drakkon said, looking to Cosmo. "What exactly do you want?"
"This one would make a fine slave. He's got enough technical knowledge to help the production staff." He said, looking to Monty. "But this one…"
He pointed to Victor.
"I'm planning to make him part of your victory games." Cosmo told him. "Call it a…warm-up match if you will."
"And who exactly would you have him fight?" Drakkon asked. Cosmo just grinned.
"For the satisfaction of getting my hands on him, I'll return to the arena." Cosmo assured him. "For one night only."
"For all your help…consider it done." Drakkon answered.
"Take this one to a supervisor and get him put to work." Cosmo instructed the kudabots, pointing to Monty. They dragged him away, leaving him with Victor. "As for this one, take him to a cell. Make sure he's nice and comfortable."