"MALIGORE REBORN"

Mariner Bay (2 Years after Z-Wave)

Lying under the abandon warehouse district, just outside the outskirts of Mariner Bay, was a vast underground concrete bunker. A top-secret subdivision of the better known Lightspeed Program was housed within. An agency, codenamed Nightspeed, tasked with the capture and research of demons for military purposes.

Under the command of General McKnight, Nightspeed was blazing a new trail for its better half. Only a handful of people knew of the program's existence and Captain Mitchell was not privileged to be one of them.

General McKnight had a pitiless face, showing no emotion whatsoever. And carried an eagle-crested baton that served no obvious function, except into scaring people into thinking that he would use it. Inside the bunker, on a catwalk outside the command center, McKnight watched his military personnel at work.

The facility itself was about as advanced as they came. The laboratory was cavernous, lined with instrumentation the nature of which McKnight could only guess. Below him, was a skeleton crew of essential tech specialists and scientists who were pulling the graveyard shift. Sparks flew in the distance, heavy machinery moved expensive equipment and components into position.

Project H.A.D.E.S, a high-level Nightspeed Initiative program, was now greenlit. Created to genetically engineer Maligore's DNA in the hopes of inducing super demons as super-soldiers. Or what General McKnight likes to say, "Fighting fire with fire." Implanting them with safeguards to control them and allowing him to carry out surgical strikes in deep shadow conditions.

When General McKnight was appointed to the Lightspeed Program, he vowed to keep Earth safe - at all costs. He wasn't about to stand for any attacks demon-like or extraterrestrial. The Cyborg Rangers was his first attempt. And it was time to make his stance known to them again.

Across the room, hard at work was Miss Angela Fairweather of Lightspeed Rescue. Fairweather was amongst the handful of Lightspeed personnel who moonlighted on the project. Sworn to secrecy not to disclose information to Captain Mitchell nor to anyone else in Lightspeed.

McKnight stood a little shorter than Miss Fairweather, but broader in the shoulders and the body. Looking at the pair of them, eyes instinctively went to McKnight as the more commanding presence.

"Maligore's genetic material was key to making this project viable." McKnight said.

Miss Fairweather peered at him over a small pair of horn rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose. "You're exactly right, General." She said. "the Prototype is in the final stages of testing. Everything's on schedule."

"That's what we like to hear," A humorless grin cut into his face. "Prep him." He had an annoying tendency to use the royal "we", a habit that angered her a bit.

With a curt nod, acknowledging and accepting the General's authority even when she bitterly disagreed with it. She activated the computer monitor. Fairweather's fingers began to dance across the keyboard. On the monitor screen, appeared the command prompt: INITIATE CRYO-REVIVAL. Plopping down into an old swivel chair, she hit a series of safety switches, initiating the sequence.

A klaxon sounded, lights began to strobe.

Miss Fairweather let out her breath, unaware the she'd been holding it all this while, trolling her gaze over the console. "Let me advise you General," she said in a firm voice. "we're in uncharted territory here. With one hiccup, we might have to go back to the drawing board."

McKnight uttered a short barklike laugh. "Have faith, Doctor." he said. "With Project H.A.D.E.S. in full swing, we are strong, we are tough. .we're invincible."

He was referring to a lava-like super demon codenamed Maligore. Sealed within a cryochamber, marked with the international biohazard trefoil and a D stamped in the middle to indicate demon biohazard.

MAL-VI was thawed out from his ice-nap within cryostorage. His eyes narrowed to slits as the hunch-backed creature crept out of the shadows. McKnight stared at the Demon's face as it stared back with eyes full of hate and anger. "Morning, sunshine." McKnight taunted.

Maligore's skin was an unusual shade of charcoal, and his eyes – chrome red - were shadowed by the ridge of his brow. Thick cables – forged of the strongest of metal alloys – encircled his limbs and torso. The demon spent every waking moment fighting against the binds that held him, weakening them.

Maligore thrashed all the more widely and one of the small cables snapped. With a roar of triumph, he pulled even harder. His strength seeming to feed off of his rage.

"General," Fairweather reported. "the readings are showing a noticeable spike in Star Power. It's. .It's, overpowering our systems. I don't know how long those cables might hold."

"General, what should we do?" a tech assistant asked.

McKnight was baffled. "I suggest you ah, use your gadgets and find out what's going on." he shrieked. "What?! Do I have to think of everything?"

Dropping into a crouch, Maligore bounded upward, his leap carrying him thousands of feet into the air and fully a mile away. Leaving a gaping hole in the roof.

"Contact the Rangers, NOW." the General commanded.


SKULL CAVERN..

Within the demonic temple, Queen Basheera's evil matriarch of Demons are colluding and coming up with a plan to resurrect her palace.

A mystical window provided the demons a live-feed of Mariner Bay. The Demon Clan watched agape as Maligore committed carnage in the downtown sector.

"I don't believe my eyes," Olympius said. "Tis Maligore, the Great Flame of Destruction. How could it be?"

"Never you mind, Olympius." Bansheera said. "Our brother has returned. With a vengeance."

"Yes. mother." Olympius replied.

"With our combined Star Power, we can cast a spell to summon the Nemesis Triangle around the outskirts of Mariner Bay."

"Of course," Vypra said. "sealing Mariner Bay to a fate similar to the lost Isle of Muranthias."

Olympius nodded. "With Mariner Bay out of the way, Queen Bansheera's magnificent palace will rise once again. A defeat that will last lifetimes."

"All in good time, my love. All in good time." the Queen said. "but to perform the Nemesis Ritual, we must require Maligore's Star Power. And a special item."

"I will not fail you, my liege." Vyrpa said. "I will confer Maligore to our side, our victory over those Pesky Rangers will take but moments."

With that said, Vypra away vanished in a twinkling.


AQUABASE…

The Aqua base was a tight, no non-sense affair. At Rescue Ops everyone placed duty first.

"Captain, red alert. The city is under attack."

The door to Rescue Ops hissed open suddenly Captain William Mitchell emerged. He clutched his headset tightly to his ear as the monitors set up around the Ops center flashed the familiar scene of carnage. He joined him by the central monitor. "Vypra?" he asked.

"No, something worse." Said the tech specialist. "the sensors indicate a super-demon."

Captain Mitchell glanced over at him briefly, then turned his attention forward once again. "Go to Alert Status." He replied. "We have a code red."

"Rangers," a voice said over the PA "Report to Rescue Ops immediately."


Mariner Bay, Abandon Warehouse district..

The moon was waxing toward full overhead, with the occasional cloud slipping past her like a gauzy veil. Fire streaked across the sky, awash in a scarlet flame. Clouds backlit by flashes of electrical charge were moving swiftly, obscuring the stars and plunging the world into an impenetrable dark.

Maligore stalked through the fiery rubble of what had been the abandon warehouse district, moving with an animal grace. Scanning the area for signs of opposition.

He could hear the distant wail of a siren and regarded it with a grin. "Power Rangers." he scorned

Departing from their Rescue Rover, the Light Speed heroes moved forward in a jog trot, quick but careful, in a V-Formation led by Carter Grayson. Each one adorned in a Lightspeed jacket, his teammates trailing by a couple of steps. They looked around and saw what was left of the warehouse district going up in smoke.

"Geez." Joel said.

The creature in question came striding toward them with purpose. Carter, the Red Ranger, saw a challenge in the super-demon who stood so boldly in his path.

"Rangers," Carter stood at attention. "Ready?"

"Ready! Lightspeed Rescue!" Five of them shouted, crossing their wrists in front of them, grasping their morphers.

"Titanium Power!" Ryan shouted, morphing into the Titanium Ranger.

They all somersaulted over the demons head, landing on their knees.

The team now sheathed in Lightspeed gear were combat ready for Maligore.

"I gotta idea," Kels threw in. "Let's try our Rescue Blasters."

"Let's do it, guys!" Carter shouted over his shoulder. And in unison, all five Rangers yanked out their Blasters; and peppered the creature with five beams of high-intensity energy. The creature hardly appeared to feel it. Carter Grayson tried to suppress a mounting feeling of panic. "Not even a scratch."

"Rescue Blasters—Baton Mode!" All five Rangers broke into a sprint full-tilt towards the Super-Demon. Sparks fly from the clash of tempered steel. Exchanging deadly thrusts and ripostes in a blur of motion. "Haven't you had enough?" Carter spat at the monster through interlocked blades. "Not nearly."

The creature returned another searing blast of scarlet flame at the Rangers.

Hearing shrieks of fear from across the way, the Blue Rescue Ranger saw innocent civilians trapped near the monster. One of them, he recognized as Doctor Fairweather. That sight definitely spelled trouble.

"Miss Fairweather-?" Joel called out.

"Do everything you can for them," Carter said. "I'm going after that thing!" The Red Ranger streaked after the creature, catching up to him at the perimeter of the refinery.

As fire streaked across the air, the Green Ranger instinctively threw himself in front of the civvies, shielding the man from the attack. "Miss F, are you okay?" Holding onto him for dear life, she answered with a nervous nod. "Then get to safety!"

The Rangers soon mobilized into formation. "It's time."

"Rescue Bird!" Almost as if conjuring the Powerful Weapon through magic, the Rescue Bird descends from on high and lands in the embrace of the Rangers.

"Take your positions, Rangers." the Red Ranger hastily directed.

The Cannon hummed as it charged its Immense Power, all five Rescue Rangers fell into formation around it. The Red Ranger, the leader, standing at the helm. "READY-FIRE!"

It fired off like fiery spears; impacting with a blinding orange flash against demon's hide. Which grew into a highly focused beam of radiant heat.

But as the smoke and fire of their barrage dissipated, it became all too clear that the Super-Demon was indeed still standing. The ground around him, however was scorched and smoldering.

"What -"the Red Ranger was surprised. "Can't be."

It was too late. Maligore launched himself at the assembled Rangers, scattering them like tenpins. With a blows that cracked like thunder, the Rangers were sent flying backwards, arms-a-wheeling. Sparks and debris rained from their midriffs.

The Rangers as they impact the ground, demorphing them instantly back into their civilian attires. Groaning as they climbed back on their feet. Bruises and scuffs covered their cheeks. Their clothes dirtied.

"The Rescue Bird didn't even phase him." wheezed Dana.

"I know." motivates Carter. "But we can't give up. He must have an Achilles' heel."

The Super Demon shortened the distance between him and the Rescue Team.

Just then, scarlet flames heralded the arrival of Vyrpa and her merry band of Batlings. Shortening the distance between them and the fallen Rangers surround Malgore in a flanking maneuver. "Hope we're not late to the party."

NEXT CHAPTER: "A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE"

Please review.