Chapter 10: Attack from the Future, Part 2

Summer looked up as Kelsey appeared on the screen. She was aboard the one ship that still had to be evacuated. "Hey guys, what's going on over there? We've still got to get these civilians out."

"We're just dealing with a little interruption from Time Force," Summer replied.

"Time Force?"

"Yeah. Officer Jen Scotts, back from the future."

"The future? But Jen wasn't in the future, she's back—"

"Back on Earth, we know. I'm pretty sure this is a different Jen Scotts from a different future."

Kelsey frowned.

"Katie's gone over to talk to her. Just hang tight, Kelsey. As soon as she's back, we'll finish the evacuation."

"Alright. Just let me know when—"

Her eyes widened, and Summer turned to see that a portal had opened behind her. She quickly dove out of the way as someone came through. Scrambling back to her feet, she eyed the new arrival, recognizing the same uniform that Z wore, but with pink rather than yellow.

"Summer Landsdown?" the blonde woman asked.

"Yes."

The woman smiled, then pulled a piece of metal from her belt. Summer stared as the hand around the piece of metal turned into metal itself. Then the woman attacked.

Summer quickly dodged the swing of the iron fist, then ducked under the next one and lunged, diving at the woman's middle. The woman caught her and brought the fist down hard on her back, and Summer grunted as she collapsed to the floor.

She rolled over as the woman stood over her. "The S.P.D. has a bone to pick with you." She raised the fist.

Suddenly, a yellow blur slammed into the woman, and Ronny was there. The attacker was sent flying.

"Another of Bridge's buddies?" Ronny asked.

The woman got back to her feet. "I assure you, Bridge is no friend of yours." The metal faded from her hand, and she drew her morpher. "S.P.D. emergency!"

"Overdrive accelerate!"

The two rangers stood opposite each other. "You're all under arrest," said the newcomer in pink.

"By order of Venjix, I assume?" Summer got back to her feet.

"By order of Space Patrol Delta." She drew a blaster, but Ronny charged forward and knocked it from her hand, shoving her back against the wall. The two women fought, until the pink ranger managed to pin Ronny to the ground.

A new portal opened, and two more S.P.D. rangers came through, in red and blue. "Syd?" the one in blue asked.

"I could use a hand, guys."

Summer was joined by Lily, and they both morphed as the red and blue rangers attacked.

The red ranger went for Summer, and she ducked under his first attack, only for him to block her counterattack. He was tall, so she went for his legs, knocking him off balance and sending him to the ground.

"Whoever you are, you're fighting for the wrong side."

"I'm fighting for justice," he replied. Shoving her aside, he got to his feet. "I enforce the law."

"Do you? Because right now you're just enforcing the will of an insane computer."

The blue ranger disengaged from Lily and looked over at her. "Computers can't actually go insane."

"You'd be surprised."

"Just do your job, Bridge," the red ranger said impatiently.

"Bridge?" Summer looked over at him as she blocked the red ranger's next attack. "Kira mentioned you."

"Kira Ford? How is she?"

"Find out for yourself. D.E.C.A., teleport Kira here."

A second later, Kira appeared, taking in the fight with wide eyes. Summer and Lily covered their ears, and Kira unleashed a scream that sent the red and blue rangers flying backwards.

"Seriously, Kira?" The pink ranger put her hands on her hips. "You're helping this criminal too?"

"She's not a criminal." Kira stepped to Summer's side. "Bridge, use your ability if you need to. You know she's right."

The red and blue rangers exchanged a glance. Before either could do anything, however, a third portal opened. Summer groaned. How many rangers was Venjix sending after her?

She was stunned to see Z come through the portal, accompanied by a ranger in intricate, metallic-blue armor.

"Z!" Kira darted forward, throwing her arms around the ranger they thought was dead.

But Summer was on her guard. "Be careful, Kira. She could be from the alternate future where Venjix rules."

Z shook her head. "No, I'm not." Parting from Kira, she faced her teammates. "Stand down, guys. You don't know who it is who's giving you your orders."

The pink ranger stood opposite her. "Our orders come from S.P.D., just like yours do. But we should have known you'd betray us."

The ranger in metallic-blue shook his head. "You're wrong, Syd. S.P.D. has been taken over by a malicious artificial intelligence named Venjix."

"Jack?" It was the red ranger who spoke. "We should have known it was you who stole the Shadow Ranger morpher. You're under arrest."

"Under arrest for recognizing the truth and doing something about it? I don't think so, Sky." The metallic-blue ranger stood opposite the red ranger.

"Uh, guys, I think we have a bigger problem." The normal-blue ranger pointed at one of the screens around them, which was showing a large, black ship rotating beyond their orbit.

"You're correct, blue ranger." A woman in strange, alien armor revealed herself at the entrance to the bridge, flanked by two armored robots. Her blue hair was quite obviously a wig, and her makeup cast a sinister look over her human face. She aimed a pointed staff at them.

"Astronema." The red and metallic-blue rangers no longer stood opposite each other, and now stood side-by-side against the new arrival. Z and her other teammates came up alongside them. "What are you doing here?"

"I received a distress signal from KO-35. I want to know who's attacking."

"A distress signal?" Summer wondered who would have sent it. She couldn't remember Tykwa sending it out.

"So you came to add to the chaos?" asked metallic-blue. "We won't let you do that."

There was another sudden appearance as Katie returned from the time ship. "Astronema!" She struck a fighting pose. "You're badly outnumbered here."

"Wait!" Everyone stared as Amelia suddenly darted out of the hallway. Ashley had taken her and Alexis to one of the ship's quarters, since the little girl wouldn't stop fussing. Now, she stood protectively in front of the woman. "You're not hurting Auntie K!"

Nine rangers stared at her, bewildered. "This is Auntie K?" Z asked.

The woman, who was apparently alternately known as Astronema and Auntie K, knelt down behind Amelia, her staff protecting them both. "What's going on, Sweetie?"

"Daddy's computer turned mean. It's making everyone fight each other."

"Your dad's computer?"

"It's an artificial intelligence program called Venjix," Summer explained. "In my universe, it conquered Earth and wiped out most of humanity."

"In your universe?"

"I'm from an alternate universe."

Astronema/Auntie K cocked her head. "Interesting."

Summer glanced at the S.P.D. rangers. "And it's taken over Time Force and Space Patrol Delta and keeps sending rangers back in time to arrest me."

"Orders are orders," the red ranger said sternly.

Astronema rolled her eyes. "I should have known S.P.D. would be chasing its own tail." She turned to Amelia. "Where's your dad, Sweetie?"

"The computer turned him mean. We have to help him."

The woman sighed. "What about your mom?"

"She's in the room with Alexis. He wants to go see Zerry, but I want to help Daddy."

"Of course you do. But this might be a little too dangerous for you. One day, when you're a ranger like your mom and dad, you can help save everyone."

Katie and the S.P.D. rangers exchanged confused looks at the words of their enemy. "Who exactly are you?" The blue ranger asked.

"You can call me Karone or Astronema, whichever you wish."

"Karone? As in—"

But he suddenly stopped talking. All three of the male rangers tensed, and Summer knew exactly what was happening. "Look out!"

The men attacked, but all of the yellow rangers present were prepared. Katie leapt at the red ranger, while Summer and Z went for metallic-blue. He drew a sword, but they were there before he could use it, dropping him to the ground and pinning him.

"What's going on?" the pink ranger asked.

"The Venjix signal. It's taking control of the men," said Katie. "Get them back to your time."

The pink ranger nodded and pressed a button at her wrist, creating a new portal. "Toss them through."

Katie took that literally, lifting up the red ranger and tossing him into the portal. The others forced blue and metallic-blue in after him. The pink ranger went last, and the portal disappeared behind her.

"So that's what happened to Andros?" Astronema/Karone asked. Summer turned to find that her robot guards had also gone haywire, and she had dealt with them.

"Yeah," Katie confirmed.

Astronema looked at her corrupted guards. "I have to return to the Dark Fortress and make sure that didn't happen to my other quantrons."

"We'll go with you." Ashley appeared, flanked by Tykwa and Maya, with Alexis running along in front of them.

"Auntie K!" Alexis darted forward, and Astronema knelt to catch him in a hug.

"Hey, little guy." She stood again to hug Ashley and Maya in turn, then turned to Tykwa. "High Consul, I received your signal."

"I didn't send a signal."

Astronema frowned. "Then who did?"

Summer's eyes widened as she looked at the fallen robots. "I think we need to get over to your ship. Now."

"You'll stay with the kids?" Ashley asked Tykwa, and the High Consul nodded. "D.E.C.A., teleport Karone and all power rangers over to the Dark Fortress."

D.E.C.A. did so, and a moment later, Summer stood with the others on a large, dark bridge. The screen showed the planet below.

"Quantrons!" Astronema barked, looking around. "Where are they?" She went over to the console and pressed several buttons. "This can't be right. I didn't send them down to the planet."

"Venjix," Summer said simply.

Astronema turned to her. "Your evil computer has taken over my whole army?"

"You saw it yourself with the two you brought to the Megaship."

Astronema turned away and glared at the planet on the screen.

"You should take the rest of the civilians and children," said Ashley. "They'll be safe here. And Amelia will go with you."

"This isn't a sanctuary, Ash."

"They're your people, Karone. Including your niece and nephew."

"And what of my brother?"

"We'll help him. And we're pretty good at dealing with your quantrons by now."

Astronema huffed. "Fine."

Ashley nodded and touched the side of her helmet. "D.E.C.A., bring us back."

They were teleported back to the Megaship. Astronema had left her staff behind on the Dark Fortress, and now took her niece and nephews' hands in each of hers. "D.E.C.A., send the remaining evacuees to my ship." She looked at Amelia. "We're going to help your dad from the Dark Fortress, okay?"

Amelia smiled. "Okay."

Astronema looked at Ashley and Maya. "Get him back. Get all of them back."

"We will," Ashley assured her.

Astronema nodded, and purple energy glowed around her body as she teleported away with the children.

Z turned to Katie. "You also found that extremely confusing, right?" Katie nodded.

"So now there's a whole army of robots down there, along with all the men?" said Ronny.

"Yeah," Ashley muttered, turning to the bridge.

Katie shook her head. "I can't believe we just handed civilians over to Astronema." She sighed. "Kira, come with me."

"Where?"

"Venjix may have taken over the future, but it can't touch the past. We need a couple more allies."