CHAPTER TWO

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In the underwater base of the Power Rangers, the computer known as Gem was monitoring her young charges as she always did when they went into battle. The battle was not going as expected. Axrom was a powerful foe and the Rangers were having trouble with him and his Skellon troops. Her artificial intelligence was wondering if she should have them retreat and regroup, when she noticed another power signature come online.

"Can it be?" The female voice of Gem said to no one but herself.

"It is. The Red Star Morpher just came online. It must have found someone worthy of its power."

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Connor stared at the strange device in awe. It was about four inches long and rectangular in shape. It was light in weight and silver in color, except for the red star on one end. There was also some sort of strap on the bottom of the device. As Connor was examining it, a voice chimed out of it which almost made him drop it.

"Hello...who's there?"

"H-hello..." Connor said a little hesitantly and moved the device away from his face cautiously with his left hand without dropping it.

"Whoever you are, I need your help. The Rangers need your help." The female voice stated to him.

"Huh,...what can I do? I'm just a regular guy. I can't even get a date." Connor answered moving the device to his ear.

"You can help. All you have to do is put on that Morpher your holding and activate it. You'll be the new Red Ranger and the Power Rangers will be at full strength." She told him and waited for his response. About ten seconds passed before he answered.

"I...I don't know if I can. I mean...they must be special to have been chosen to be Rangers. I...I'm a nobody." He responded. It had hurt to admit it to himself, but he had to be honest with himself. He was just a regular eighteen year old trying to figure things out and get by. He only had a few friends and popularity was not even in cards for him these days. He could hear the other Rangers fighting in the background and it did seem like they were having trouble with the monster.

"But you are special or the Morpher would not have changed from its crystal state to what you hold now. It chose you to be its wielder and no one else." She finished, hoping this would convince him to help. Then she added.

"Think about this. If the Rangers fall here, then the world is doomed. Pirahnus, the leader of the Daemons, will take over and destroy every human on the planet. Think of all the innocent lives depending on the Rangers. Better yet, think of your family, they too will die." She did not like to be so straight forward, but sometimes it was the best way.

Conner Fairlane stared down at his father laying there, still unconscious from the monster's attack. He thought of his mother and siblings who would never get to live out there lives if the Rangers were defeated. He clenched his right fist tightly and made his decision.

"Okay, ...I'm in. Tell me what to do."

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The Rangers were having a hard time with Axrom. He was more powerful than any of the other Daemons they had faced previously. Up until now, they could handle each new monster thrown at them by Pirahnus, picking up more power every time a new Ranger joined the team. Mike, the Blue Ranger, who was the leader since he was the first, was trying to figure out a way to beat Axrom as he slashed a Skellon with his Star Saber sending sparks everywhere. He ducked another's punch and continued with a spinning roundhouse to its head sending it flying into three more Skellons. The white and yellow Ranger, Wanda and Julie, respectively, were attacking Axrom together with their sabers which he blocked with is axe and countered with kicks to both their chests sending them flying. Terrance, the Black Ranger, had his hands full as he faced four Skellons at once, but was holding his on against them. The Blue Ranger decided to focus his attack on Axrom. He leaped toward the massive Daemon bringing his sword down in a downward strike. Axrom easily blocked it and pushed the sword away to his right, along with Mike's balance for a second.

A second was all Axrom needed to grab Mike by the neck and lift him into the air above his head. The other Rangers had regrouped about ten feet in front of them at attack ready.

"Let him go Axrom. You can't win." The yellow ranger told him taking a step closer as did the others.

"Your wrong about that Yellow Ranger." Axrom shouted and released an energy blast from his eyes. The blast ignited right between the three Rangers. The explosion knocked them off their feet and charring the ground. They staggered a little, but the three managed to get to their feet.

"You can't win. No matter what you do." Terrance yelled at the monster while holding his chest.

"Can't I?" The minotaur monster said as he held the Blue Ranger toward them and gave his neck a squeeze.

"NO! YOU CAN'T!" The monster heard someone say. He turned to see a brown haired human running at him at full tilt. Before he could react, the youth planted a jump kick directly to his chest knocking him down and releasing his hold on the Blue Ranger. As the monster tried to pick himself up, Connor helped the Blue Ranger back over to his team.

"What are you doing? I thought I told you to get to safety." The White Ranger asked him as she helped him with Mike.

"Yeah." Mike told him pushing him away and standing on his own.

"I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU FOUR RANGERS!" The beast screamed with rage in his voice. It gripped its axe tightly preparing to attack. The Rangers took a step back and went to defensive positions.

"Better make that five!" Connor move forward of the four warriors as they stared at him in surprise.

"Five?" The four of them turned to each other and said simultaneously then turned back to the stranger.

Connor raised his left wrist and held it there for everyone to see. He heard gasps from the Rangers and noticed their opponent take a step back.

"LET'S LIGHT IT UP!" Connor yelled and performed a couple of hand motions then touched the red star on his Power Morpher. A flash of red light and Connor was now the red Star Force Power Ranger. He looked at his hands and felt the helmet on his head and was amazed at how powerful he felt. He wore the same outfits as the others, but his was red in contrast to theirs and adorned with a red star with gold trim.

"You guys ready to do this." He asked the others as he took up an attack stance. The other Rangers quickly snapped out of their confusion and nodded to each other.

"Right. Let's do it!" They yelled in unison and did forward flips into the air to land at the Red Ranger's side.

"POWER RANGERS...STAR FORCE!" They all yelled and assumed attack stances.

"Five Rangers...hey, where'd you get that Morpher punk?" Axrom bellowed and took a step forward.

"Oh...I just found it lying around. Allow me to show you how it works." The Red Ranger told him and leaped into the air. He tried to chop the Daemon across the forehead, but the monster easily side stepped his attack. Connor did not let up his attack and countered with an elbow to its chest and finished with spinning roundhouse to the head. The two-horned Daemon yelled in pain and flew across the pit to land hard in the dirt.

It was an all out attack from there. All the Rangers followed the monster to its crash site and continued the attack. The Blue Ranger attacked first with a front kick that was blocked and then countered with a punch to his back creating a shower of sparks. The Yellow Ranger attacked next with a punch. Axrom blocked with his axe and slashed her with its blade knocking her to the ground. The Black Ranger tried a jump kick, but was shot out of the air by an energy blast. The White Ranger managed to plant a kick to the middle of the Axrom's back making him take a couple of steps forward. Axrom then spun around and slashed her across the chest as she tried to advance on him. She fell to the ground in front of him and he was about to swing his axe down on her when Connor jumped in to block his attack with a double cross arm block. As Wanda started to get up, Axrom kicked her in the chest and sent her sailing. He then gave the Red Ranger a knee to the gut and then an upward slash to his torso sending him to join the Wanda in the dirt. The other Ranger made it over to their fallen friends to help them up and regroup.

"Even with five of you, your no match for the mighty Axrom." The Daemon told them and then swung his axe in a downward stroke to smash the ground and send a wave of energy toward them. The energy reached them and exploded around them leaving a small crater. They managed to pick themselves up again, but were noticeably hurt.

"This isn't working." Julie stated.

"I know. I know. Any suggestions would be helpful." Mike replied clutching his chest.

"We have to work together." Connor offered.

"He's right. The Power Rangers were meant to be a team and now that the red Morpher has been activated, we can use our powers to their fullest potential." Wanda explained to him. Mike took a moment to think and realized she spoke the truth.

"Your right. Let's work together to beat this guy. Besides, his smell is getting to me."

"Right." They all said in unison and stood up straight and strong.

"STAR SABERS!" The Rangers yelled together and reached above their heads. A flash of light, with the respective color of each Ranger, and a two handed sword appeared in each of their right hands. Each Ranger studied their sword for a moment and then stood at the ready.

"Let's do it!" They shouted in unison and ran toward Axrom.

"Gimmie your best shot." Axrom told them angrily.

The Rangers raced toward the Daemon side-by-side while holding their Star Sabers out in front of them. Suddenly, the White Ranger moved behind the Yellow Ranger and the Black Ranger moved behind the Blue Ranger. Red Ranger continued on by himself, but slowed just enough to let the others move ahead of him. The White and Black Ranger quickly sprang forward using the ranger in front of them like a spring board. Wanda and Terrance tried a downward strike as they fell from the sky. Axrom quickly threw up his axe to block their blades, but as he did Mike and Julie came around both sides and slashed the Daemon across the midsection. Axrom staggered back a couple of steps, but before he could get his bearings Connor leaped over his teammates.

"STELLAR STRIKE!" The Red Ranger screamed as his sword glowed red. As he brought his sword down across Axrom's chest three times, a trail of red following each strike. The Daemon fell to the ground as red energy crackled around him. Connor rejoined the rest of the Rangers as they looked on to see if they had defeated the monster.

"Way to go, dude." Terrance told the new Ranger.

"Th..." Connor was about to reply when Julie interrupted him.

"Look!" They all turned around to see the two-horned Daemon stumble to his feet.

"I'm...n-not d-done y-yet."

"Alright let's finish this guy." Mike yelled.

"STAR FORMATION!" They each leaped into the air and landed in different spots around him. The Daemon frantically looked around him to see who would attack first.

"STAR SHOWER!" The Blue Ranger yelled again and all the Rangers pulled their weapons from their holsters then fired into the air at a single point directly above Axrom's head. The beams from their weapons gathered in a sphere of multi-colored energy for a moment and then broke apart to rain down on the Daemon. Sparks flew everywhere as each bolt of energy hit him. When it was done, Axrom stood for only a moment and then fell to ground exploding on contact.

"Yeah...we did it." Wanda stated jumping up for joy.

"Yes...we did it. All of us...together." Mike finally admitted. He toward Connor and spoke.

"Welcome to the team, Red Ranger." The Blue Ranger finished and held out his hand.

"Thanks. You can call me Connor." He said shaking his teammate's hand when he head sirens approaching.

"Well looks like the authorities are coming. Time to go." Terrance told the others.

"I can't go anywhere...my father's been hurt. I have to get him help." Connor told them.

"Right...," Mike stated, "You see to him. We will contact you later. We have a lot of things to discuss." As he finished, they all grabbed the buckles on their belts and changed into energy then sped off into the sky.

"Whoa." Connor mumbled to himself and then remembered his dad.

"Power down." He said aloud and ran off to aid his father.

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In the Daemons Lair, Pirahnus was not happy with his monster's defeat and the day's outcome.

"Damn those Power Rangers. How could they have found the Red Morpher before my monster. That boy...who was he? Arrrgh! Damn them!" He finished his rant and blasted a hole in the far wall. He calmed his nerves and berated himself for letting the humans agitate him.

"No matter! I will defeat them and dest...what's this?" Pirahnus walked over to hole he had just created.

Inside was an altar much like the one that his Binding Jar sat on once. As he walked closer, he could see that two such jars sat on this altar, but as he approached it a wall of force stopped his advance and searing his skin. Pirahnus rubbed his chest for a moment and then had a thought. He picked up a small rock at tossed it at the wall, it too was deflected. He picked up another rock and tossed it up near the ceiling and just did make it over. He smiled and quickly fired a blast of purple energy through the small space at the top of the barrier. The bolt of energy destroyed part of the ceiling causing the rocks to fall and crush the Binding Jars. A swirl of green and red mist came from the jars and turned into a whirlwind that flew past Pirahnus and into the main chamber. When Pirahnus returned to the main chamber he was greeted by two old servants.

"Welcome Tyrana and Ghoulstein. We have much to do. Hahahahahahahaha."

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