"POWER IS ON ITS WAY"

The Mariner Bay skyline glittered. The bridges sparkled like strings of pearls in the reflective waters of the West River.

The light of a single moon was shining down on a trio of super demons. They were engrossed in a heated debate.

"How dare you speak to us that way." Loki said to Maligore, in a dangerous tone. "You need to learn some respect. Queen Bansheera is wise and just. We are honorbound to obey her."

Maligore stepped to him, "Why should I?"

"Fire," Vyrpa spoke.

"What of it?"

"Fire gives light. Fire purifies. Fire releases energy." she told him. "Join us, brother. Join us into the fire. Together we will take what is rightfully ours. Together, we will boil the Earth in Flames of Unity."

Removing the Lunar Amulet from a hidden pocket under her armor, Vypra extends it to Maligore like an olive branch.

"Soon the moon with be in perfect alignment with the stars. The Lunar Amulet will have the power to release the Nemesis Triangle. Come, let us unite. Stand as one."

With a silent nod, Maligore accepted the amulet. Vypra was smiling, comforted that her words had reached her demon brother. But as he was leaving, Maligore backhanded Vypra sending her flying hundreds of yards across the city plaza.

Loki looked on as she slammed into the ground with such force that buckled the pavement.

"Vyrpa!" Loki shrieked, running over to Vypra's side. "He tricked us!"

"Flames of Unity," he laughed bitterly. "You fools honestly believed I would share my star power with the likes of you?"

Suddenly, dark black clouds rolled in over him under an otherwise crystal clear sky. The clouds began to ripple with lightning, and a low rolling thunder sounded.

"How pathetic!"

A loud crack of thunder punctuated his remark. The demon raised the Lunar Amulet and summoned all the power available to him, causing a great column of lightning to descend from the skies and jolt his body with an unearthly clap of power and energy.

"Look. It's happening!" Loki yelled, pointing up above.

Swathed in steam, a dark shape loomed before them, rising slowly and compellingly from the depths of the steam. Rising upward on two pillar-like legs, Maligore towered above rooftops of Mariner Bay.

With a roar of rage, he raised his arms, and fists and his veins and muscles bulged and pulsed.

"There is no escape Mariner Bay, for the fire is on its way! For I am Maligore, the Great Flame of Destruction!"

"Quick! Lets' get out of here," Loki warned. He and Vypra vanished in blue bamfs of imploding air.

Back at the Aquabase, Dr. Fairweather bounded into Rescue Ops, shrugging on her white lab jacket. The glow of the monitors lit up the command center as technicians watched the live feed of Maligore's rampage.

A woman tech approached Fairweather and saluted her, "Sir, sensors indicate that Maligore has achieved giant-mode."

"Do we have an ETA yet on the approaching Rangers?"

"Twenty seconds out, sir."

"Alert them, at once. Saving lives comes first."

"Yes, sir."

Deep within the city, the demon-mountain known as Maligore continue to rampage through the streets, unopposed. Cables and smaller wires tore away at his huge, hulking stature. Abandon vehicles were flattened like mere accordions under his immense feet.

Far below, people were pushing and shoving and screaming to get the hell out of his way.

With a hideous roar, Maligore jammed a mallet-like fist into the side of a building. A cloud of glass and debris geysered from the point of impact. His immense arm ripped through successive floors of concrete and steel. Rubble rained down on the streets and sidewalks below.

Half a mile away, six Rescuezords came gunning into view, with Carter taking charge.

The Red Ranger keyed his helmet mike. "Justin, I need you and Ryan to keep Maligore busy as we tend to the injured people."

Justin's voice cut in over the comline, "You can count on us guys. We're on our way." He said earnestly.

Siren Blaster came screaming past Carter, its sirens howling.

Cobalt Ranger drove his zord like a Turbo Ranger.

Gripping the wheel tightly in one hand, he popped it in a higher gear, "Siren Blaster. High Stance Mode, now."

Emitting mechanical noises, Siren Blaster began to morph even as it skidded forward. Transforming midslide into upright robotic mode that arose dark and gleaming.

The strident tone of Fairweather sounded over his comline. "Justin, I've identified Maligore's exact location. Uploading the coordinates to you, now."

"Understood."

Soon After. . .

Suddenly, an unknown vibrations coursed through the Earth under Maligore's feet. The demon-mountain turned to face the source of the deep-throated vibrations.

"Who dares?"

He saw a mechanical marvel looming over the heart of Mariner Bay. A vaguely bulky humanoid that was marked with the Turbo designs. Gleaming blue and silver, it was clearly souped up and ready to rumble.

Situated inside its immense, armored chest, were the Cobalt and Titanium Rangers. "You ready to rock?" Justin mused to Ryan by his side.

"Let's show him what Lightspeed teamwork could do." Ryan responded, and flooring the accelerators, they pushed onward.

Metal feet slammed down onto the highway as the immense gleaming titan charged headlong.

Maligore was hunched into a ready stance as he eyed the robot challengingly.

Taking one giant step forward, Siren Blaster pitched itself over the short distance.

The gleaming shape rammed into Maligore like a runaway train. Locked together arm in arm, the two titans toppled over the freeway's upper level, plunging through the access road far below, and heaving the streets with a force that rattled every building nearby.

Negotiating the pavement, the enormous robot rolled back on its feet. Scooping up unoccupied vehicles in a shower of sparks.

The five other Rescue Rangers were busy clearing the city, loading people onto the Rescuezords, and helping people find their way from the chaos.

"Get to safety, hurry." Dana called out.

"This way! C'mon!" Chad hollered.

Meanwhile, the two continued their battle unabated.

The demon-mountain slammed into the robot at high speed. The force of the blow sent Siren Blaster bouncing half a block away, plowing up several yards of Main Street.

Titanium Ranger held on as the cockpit vibrated violently, "Justin, he's too strong," he yelled over the fountain of sparks. "We can't hold out much longer."

"Hang in there," Justin ordered. He was straining forward in his seat, trying to regain control of the wheel. "Siren Blaster still got some fight left in her."

Ryan nodded "Understood!"

Swinging around and up in a broad, swift arc, a steel-shod fist struck Maligore in the face, lifting him clear off the ground, and toppling into a nearby building.

"Look out!"

Maligore was instantly back on his feet. He drove a blow straight at the robot sending it hurtling the length of a full city block.

Siren Blaster sustained heavy damage and struggled to rise.

"Siren Blaster is not responding," Ryan said distraughtly "We need more power,"

"Working on it," Justin replied, nudging at the wheel.

All eyes were on the main monitors back at Rescue Ops, watching the entire scene unfold.

Captain Mitchell stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. "Get up, Justin." he said, almost in whisper.

Maligore's massive shadow fell over Siren Blaster. Laughing deeply, he savored this moment.

"You're no match against me, Cobalt Ranger," Maligore said, his voice rising to a growl. "For I am everything Nightspeed made me to be: strong, tough and invincible. You are out of your depth."

Beneath his helmet, Justin tried to suppress a mounting feeling of panic. "We'll see about that."

Maligore reared back to deliver a final blow when suddenly he heard mighty engines roar and spun just in time to see five other Rescuezords blaze onto the scene.

Carter's voice sounded over Justin's helmet, "We're back, Justin. Sorry we're late. Fallback into Alpha formation, now."

A quick surge of adrenaline pulsed through him. "Right behind you,"

Emitting a blinding glow, Siren Blaster transformed back into police cruiser mode and rejoined the others.

"Hey. Get back here." The demon-mountain gave chase.

The voice of Ms. Fairweather boomed over the comline. "Carter, initiate Siren Justice Megazord Sequence, now."

The Red Ranger nodded "Understood. We're clear to go Megazord. Ready, team?"

"Rescue 2, Ready." Chad responded.

"Rescue 3, Ready." Joel said.

"Rescue 4, Ready." Kelsey called.

"Rescue 5, Ready." Dana copied.

"This so awesome," Justin said with youthful energy. "Siren Blaster here, I'm ready too."

"Let's bring them together," Carter declared, pushing a few buttons. "Megazord Mode. Siren Justice. Engage."

"Siren Justice," everyone echoed "combine now!"

Tendrils of energy suddenly arched between the six Rescuezords as they joined together, popping into place until an enormous, Megazord began to take shape.

Everyone crowded around the flat-screen monitors at Rescue Ops, gazing at the transformation with hopeful expressions.

When the steam dispersed, it was too vivid to be real.

Inside its immense, armored chest, seven rangers took to their positions at the group cockpit.

"Rangers, this is your Siren Justice Megazord," Ms. Fairweather sounded over the comline. "More powerful than ever before. Go now, and rescue the city."

"You heard her," Carter hollered. "Let's put out some fires."

"You've read my mind," Ryan shouted.

"Copy that," Joel seconded.

"This is incredible," Chad commented.

"I'm all in," Dana beamed, and pumping a fist.

"Let's show him how it's done," Kelsey cried.

"It worked," Justin beamed.

Rising up on columnar legs, the Six-Piece Megazord was on-line. It whirled on Maligore, with eyes that flashed like twin suns.

Justin ran a last-minute systems check from the helm "All systems check out." He told them promptly "Siren Justice is programmed and ready to go."

"Let's see what she can do." Dana said.

"We need Artillery Power, now." Carter voiced with conviction, pushing a few buttons. Metal arms lifted up on either side, morphing into huge Gatlings. Fully charged and ready.

"Artillery Power," seven rangers chorused, snapping a salute "Lock on! Fire!"

The cacophony of automatic weapons fire was unloaded onto Maligore, but the demon-mountain proved to be outrageously stubborn. He refused to yield.

Maligore glared at the robot, his eyes glowed in fire. "Pitiable children," he all but yelled. "You think that's gonna stop me? All of your pathetic weapons put together are no match for me."

"He just won't go down!" Justin cried.

"Now I'm really mad," Ryan hollered, clenching his fists.

"Our weapons aren't strong enough," Kelsey realized.

"So what do we do now," Joel asked.

"Just hang tough guys," Carter declared with resolve. "We'll think of something."

"Think fast." Dana piped up. "Time is not on our side."

Desperation produced inspiration when a bright idea popped into Justin's head. "Wait. I've got it," he spoke aloud.

"You got something, Justin?" Carter inquired.

Justin nodded promptly. "Let's hit him with the Megazord Spin-Out Attack. The ultimate final attack used by the Turbo Megazord. Maligore won't see it coming."

"Good thinking, Justin." Ms. Fairweather supplied over the comline.

Chad was unsure. "Are you sure it's worth a try?"

Justin flashed him a thumbs-up. "Don't sweat it guys! The Power is on our side!"

"Then let's take care of business," Carter declared, slamming the Megazord into gear "All systems to full-power!"

"All systems," everyone echoed "Full-power!"

Maligore saw the silver fists of the Megazord lift up on either side, snapping into attack position. With a roar, the Megazord jetted forward, sending up a large fishtail of dirt behind it.

Maligore stood his ground "Bring it on!" he called out.

"Here goes nothing," Carter said aloud, wresting the wheel. "Attack Mode: Spin-Out, now."

The underside of the Megazord was radiating an intense glow with the radiance of a dozen suns.

"It's working," Dana exclaimed.

Terror suddenly creased Maligore's face as he shielded his face with his arms.

"Brace yourselves, everybody." Justin cautioned his team. "Power is on its way."

A deep whined filled the air as they began to spin at an impossible speed. A heartbeat later, the Megazord channeled its radiance into a single, glowing punch.

With a fierce blow that cracked like a thunder, the Megazord sent Maligore hurtling higher than ever before. The sound of the wind sluicing off of his horned hide was almost deafening as Maligore arched thousands of miles into the sparkling sky.

The Red Ranger savored the sight through his tinted visor.

"Mission accomplished." Carter said, with a salute.

Rescue Ops erupted into loud, sustained cheering all around.

Ms. Fairweather stood and removed a small headset which she clipped over her right ear. "Captain, Maligore has successfully left Earth's orbit." She said, confidently. "All of the injuries sustained were minor."

The smile that spread across Mitchell's face was brighter than the afternoon sun. "Thanks to Justin."

Meanwhile, several miles above Earth. . .

Seeing stars, the immense demon plummeted into interstellar space like a runaway meteor, sideswiping the Astro Megaship.

The Space Rangers found themselves being thrown hard to the deck of the Astro Megaship.

"What the hell was that?" hollered Andros from his command chair "Did we just hit an asteroid?"

Carlos, the Green Space Ranger, checked his main console, and found himself unable to avoid reporting the impossible. "I'm detecting a single sentient life sign. It appears we just hit. . .Dark Specter."

Andros eyes widened as the import of Carlos' words struck home. "On screen, now."

"Putting through visual."

All eyes on the bridge turned to the main viewscreen, where the familiar figure of Maligore was tumbling through space.

Not an asteroid.

"Told you it was Dark Specter." Carlos repeated.

Cassie rolled her eyes.

Andros stepped close to the viewscreen. "Alert NASADA at once." He expressly ordered. "I got questions and someone better have some damn answers."

Carlos nodded. "Understood."

NEXT CHAPTER: "LIGHTSPEED FROM SPACE"

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