Disclaimer: Not mine. Reminder: AU.
Another Time, Another Place
by Smittysgirl
Part 2
The scene unfolding on the laboratory's main viewer brought something like glee to the cold reptilian heart of Mesogog. The Red Dino Ranger tore a swath through his teammates, all reluctant to inflict injury on the youth. A reluctance which he did not share in kind.
"Yessss." He hissed contently.
"So, should I send down some... assistance for the Red Ranger?" Elsa asked idly.
Mesogog shook his head. "I would prefer we not play our hand on this occasion. The more Dr. Smith and his Rangers associate the state young McKnight finds himself with our machinations, the less they will hold back."
Elsa gave a brief nod. "As you wish, master." She studied the display. "At least he seems more... instinctive than he was."
"Indeed." Mesogog purred. "Though our attempts all those months ago to enlist the Red Ranger as one of our fierce dino-men was thwarted by his fellow Rangers, his progresssssive mutation continuessss."
The tyrant furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Have you taken to remodulating his medication when he is not looking? Such drasssstic results are ... unexpected."
"Yes, Lord Mesogog," Elsa said. "I've made sure that his medication... is not as effective as it should be, thus causing more problems for the Rangers. And within the Rangers."
"Excellent." He favored Elsa with a gentle caress with the back of his hand. "You have served me well in these recent days, my loyal general. Far better than your opposite number."
Elsa smiled at her lord. "Thank you, Lord Mesogog. And speaking of him...."
The door to the room slid open to reveal a dark figure in armor.
.
.
.
"Hayley!" Terrance cried into his morpher. "We've got a situation out here. You need to work on neutralizing Conner's energy signal, even for five seconds."
Any response she might have made was interrupted by a horrible roar as Conner shifted to Superdino Mode and continued to whale on Ethan and Trent. Kira and Devin fell back beside Terrance, the young man still trying to keep the Shield of Triumph between himself and the action.
"I so need to be able to morph!" Devin wailed.
"Dr. T," Kira said, "We have a problem."
"His name's Conner," Trent muttered, "And he's insane."
Terrance blanched, unable to find within himself the sentiment to contradict Trent's words. "Ethan, Kira," he said as the two other Rangers fell in beside them, "get ready to demorph. We have to use Triassic."
"Right," the two chorused, looking at each other.
"Trent, keep Conner off our backs for a second," Terrence commanded.
"Right, Dr. Smitty." Trent shifted into his own mode.
Devin shot a glance at his teammates before readying the shield. "You guys just promise me that you'll get to safety when things get brutal."
"We will," Kira promised. "Trent's getting pretty bruised holding off Conner."
"It's all part of the job," Trent grunted, stabbing at Conner with one of his wrist-mounted swords.
The Red Ranger roared with inarticulate rage, backslashing the other with his spikes fully extended.
Devin flinched, and steeled himself. Kira and Ethan extended their arms, energy flowing from their morphers and into the center of the shield. "Triassic Thunder, Power Up!"
The Triassic Ranger materialized in storm of energy, his suit briefly fluctuating from lack of input and the red across the togs fading to a dull gray. Devin inspected his arms critically as Kira and Ethan scampered to safety. "I just hope this is enough."
"Devin! Go help Trent!" Terrance surged forward as Trent doubled over from a particularly viscous blow.
Devin slammed into the Red Ranger, throwing him back into a streetlight, and switching him back to his normal morphed mode.
"Conner, bro, I don't want to hurt you!" Devin yelled. The Red Ranger, clearly dazed, seemed to respond to his words.
His morph lost focus, and shimmered out to reveal a dazed Conner McKnight.
The Triassic Ranger ran up to him, his shield shimmering back to extradimensional space. "Are you okay?" He asked, extending a hand.
"What happened?" Conner asked, looking around. "Did Mesogoon show up?"
Devin shook his head. "Naw, man -- you must have gone off your meds or something. We need to get you back to Dino Ops before scaly-butt does show up."
"Oh," Conner said, still disoriented. "Right." He shook his head.
Trent shifted out of morph. "That's it, I'm out of here."
"Trent!" Ethan called. "You don't-"
The telltale sound of an invisiportal materializing jerked the team out of their collective brooding. The familiar sight of a fierce black-clad warrior stood between them and their assorted Raptor Cycles.
"I do hope I'm not intruding, Dr. Smith." Zeltrax growled. "I simply didn't want your team's attention divided when I finally destroyed you!"
"Oooh, how pretty," Conner murmured, entranced by the sight.
Trent shifted back into morph. "What do you want, melt-head?"
"Why, to destroy the illustrious Dr. Terrance Smith!" Zeltrax summoned his sword and axe simultaneously. "One final confrontation. My humilitation before Mesogog is nearly complete, Terrance. Grant me this."
Terrance's fist clenched. "Everyone return to base. Hayley will know what to do for Conner. And that includes you too, Trent. I'll handle Zeltrax."
"But Dr. T-" Kira began to protest.
"Go!" Terrence commanded. "This is between me and Zeltrax."
Kira gave a slow nod, and she, Devin, and Cass began to haul Trent in the direction of the cycles.
"At last," the cyborg said, "at last I have you exactly where I want you. At last you will finally pay for what you did to me all those years ago."
"What did I DO?!" Terrance nearly yelled. "You've gone on about this perceived wrong for the last eight months. You have to believe me, I don't remember you! Whatever I did, surely it's not worth this vendetta? It's not worth our lives?"
"Yes!" Zeltrax called, before an Invisiportal shimmered into view.
"You imbecile!" Elsa screamed. "You heard Mesogog. You've disobeyed a direct order! Return the base and prostrate yourself before him!"
"But Elsa!" Zeltrax exclaimed, "I am about to destory Dr. Smith!"
Elsa unsheathed her own sword. "This ends here, Zeltrax. If you lay one hand on the Black Ranger I will be forced to destroy you."
Zeltrax huffed, but returned his sword to its sheath and seemed to bow to the other General. "As my lady wishes."
"No." Terrance said firmly. The two spun around, clearly reminded of his presence in something other than a hypothetical.
"I deserve an answer. Now. We don't have to fight, but I HAVE to know what this is about."
"You do not remember?" Zeltrax demanded swiftly. "You do not remember that you got what you did not deserve?"
"I've gotten plenty I don't deserve," Terrance replied.
"You truly do not remember?" Zeltrax asked, dumbfounded.
Terrance demorphed in a flash of light. "Zeltrax, if I knew who you were, I would have tried to make amends for what it was I did to cause you this pain. Believe me."
"Then you do not remember your 'fortune' in joining Dr. Anton Mercer's expedition as his assistant?" Zeltrax asked.
Terrance blanched. "I... I was replacing a man struck ill, I never did anything to acquire the job for myself..."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Tommy?"
"No, Dr. Oliver is... I had hoped that his removal would bring me to Dr. Mercer's side."
Terrance sank to his knees, his head swimming. "No. No, you can't be ... you died! I saw you die!"
"I was fortunate that Lord Mesogog was keeping an eye on me."
"Let's move, you idiot," Elsa hissed.
The two vanished in a flash of light. Terrance began to bawl in confusion and rage.
"EDDIE!!" he cried, his head thrown back.
to be continued...
Another Time, Another Place
by Smittysgirl
Part 2
The scene unfolding on the laboratory's main viewer brought something like glee to the cold reptilian heart of Mesogog. The Red Dino Ranger tore a swath through his teammates, all reluctant to inflict injury on the youth. A reluctance which he did not share in kind.
"Yessss." He hissed contently.
"So, should I send down some... assistance for the Red Ranger?" Elsa asked idly.
Mesogog shook his head. "I would prefer we not play our hand on this occasion. The more Dr. Smith and his Rangers associate the state young McKnight finds himself with our machinations, the less they will hold back."
Elsa gave a brief nod. "As you wish, master." She studied the display. "At least he seems more... instinctive than he was."
"Indeed." Mesogog purred. "Though our attempts all those months ago to enlist the Red Ranger as one of our fierce dino-men was thwarted by his fellow Rangers, his progresssssive mutation continuessss."
The tyrant furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Have you taken to remodulating his medication when he is not looking? Such drasssstic results are ... unexpected."
"Yes, Lord Mesogog," Elsa said. "I've made sure that his medication... is not as effective as it should be, thus causing more problems for the Rangers. And within the Rangers."
"Excellent." He favored Elsa with a gentle caress with the back of his hand. "You have served me well in these recent days, my loyal general. Far better than your opposite number."
Elsa smiled at her lord. "Thank you, Lord Mesogog. And speaking of him...."
The door to the room slid open to reveal a dark figure in armor.
.
.
.
"Hayley!" Terrance cried into his morpher. "We've got a situation out here. You need to work on neutralizing Conner's energy signal, even for five seconds."
Any response she might have made was interrupted by a horrible roar as Conner shifted to Superdino Mode and continued to whale on Ethan and Trent. Kira and Devin fell back beside Terrance, the young man still trying to keep the Shield of Triumph between himself and the action.
"I so need to be able to morph!" Devin wailed.
"Dr. T," Kira said, "We have a problem."
"His name's Conner," Trent muttered, "And he's insane."
Terrance blanched, unable to find within himself the sentiment to contradict Trent's words. "Ethan, Kira," he said as the two other Rangers fell in beside them, "get ready to demorph. We have to use Triassic."
"Right," the two chorused, looking at each other.
"Trent, keep Conner off our backs for a second," Terrence commanded.
"Right, Dr. Smitty." Trent shifted into his own mode.
Devin shot a glance at his teammates before readying the shield. "You guys just promise me that you'll get to safety when things get brutal."
"We will," Kira promised. "Trent's getting pretty bruised holding off Conner."
"It's all part of the job," Trent grunted, stabbing at Conner with one of his wrist-mounted swords.
The Red Ranger roared with inarticulate rage, backslashing the other with his spikes fully extended.
Devin flinched, and steeled himself. Kira and Ethan extended their arms, energy flowing from their morphers and into the center of the shield. "Triassic Thunder, Power Up!"
The Triassic Ranger materialized in storm of energy, his suit briefly fluctuating from lack of input and the red across the togs fading to a dull gray. Devin inspected his arms critically as Kira and Ethan scampered to safety. "I just hope this is enough."
"Devin! Go help Trent!" Terrance surged forward as Trent doubled over from a particularly viscous blow.
Devin slammed into the Red Ranger, throwing him back into a streetlight, and switching him back to his normal morphed mode.
"Conner, bro, I don't want to hurt you!" Devin yelled. The Red Ranger, clearly dazed, seemed to respond to his words.
His morph lost focus, and shimmered out to reveal a dazed Conner McKnight.
The Triassic Ranger ran up to him, his shield shimmering back to extradimensional space. "Are you okay?" He asked, extending a hand.
"What happened?" Conner asked, looking around. "Did Mesogoon show up?"
Devin shook his head. "Naw, man -- you must have gone off your meds or something. We need to get you back to Dino Ops before scaly-butt does show up."
"Oh," Conner said, still disoriented. "Right." He shook his head.
Trent shifted out of morph. "That's it, I'm out of here."
"Trent!" Ethan called. "You don't-"
The telltale sound of an invisiportal materializing jerked the team out of their collective brooding. The familiar sight of a fierce black-clad warrior stood between them and their assorted Raptor Cycles.
"I do hope I'm not intruding, Dr. Smith." Zeltrax growled. "I simply didn't want your team's attention divided when I finally destroyed you!"
"Oooh, how pretty," Conner murmured, entranced by the sight.
Trent shifted back into morph. "What do you want, melt-head?"
"Why, to destroy the illustrious Dr. Terrance Smith!" Zeltrax summoned his sword and axe simultaneously. "One final confrontation. My humilitation before Mesogog is nearly complete, Terrance. Grant me this."
Terrance's fist clenched. "Everyone return to base. Hayley will know what to do for Conner. And that includes you too, Trent. I'll handle Zeltrax."
"But Dr. T-" Kira began to protest.
"Go!" Terrence commanded. "This is between me and Zeltrax."
Kira gave a slow nod, and she, Devin, and Cass began to haul Trent in the direction of the cycles.
"At last," the cyborg said, "at last I have you exactly where I want you. At last you will finally pay for what you did to me all those years ago."
"What did I DO?!" Terrance nearly yelled. "You've gone on about this perceived wrong for the last eight months. You have to believe me, I don't remember you! Whatever I did, surely it's not worth this vendetta? It's not worth our lives?"
"Yes!" Zeltrax called, before an Invisiportal shimmered into view.
"You imbecile!" Elsa screamed. "You heard Mesogog. You've disobeyed a direct order! Return the base and prostrate yourself before him!"
"But Elsa!" Zeltrax exclaimed, "I am about to destory Dr. Smith!"
Elsa unsheathed her own sword. "This ends here, Zeltrax. If you lay one hand on the Black Ranger I will be forced to destroy you."
Zeltrax huffed, but returned his sword to its sheath and seemed to bow to the other General. "As my lady wishes."
"No." Terrance said firmly. The two spun around, clearly reminded of his presence in something other than a hypothetical.
"I deserve an answer. Now. We don't have to fight, but I HAVE to know what this is about."
"You do not remember?" Zeltrax demanded swiftly. "You do not remember that you got what you did not deserve?"
"I've gotten plenty I don't deserve," Terrance replied.
"You truly do not remember?" Zeltrax asked, dumbfounded.
Terrance demorphed in a flash of light. "Zeltrax, if I knew who you were, I would have tried to make amends for what it was I did to cause you this pain. Believe me."
"Then you do not remember your 'fortune' in joining Dr. Anton Mercer's expedition as his assistant?" Zeltrax asked.
Terrance blanched. "I... I was replacing a man struck ill, I never did anything to acquire the job for myself..."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Tommy?"
"No, Dr. Oliver is... I had hoped that his removal would bring me to Dr. Mercer's side."
Terrance sank to his knees, his head swimming. "No. No, you can't be ... you died! I saw you die!"
"I was fortunate that Lord Mesogog was keeping an eye on me."
"Let's move, you idiot," Elsa hissed.
The two vanished in a flash of light. Terrance began to bawl in confusion and rage.
"EDDIE!!" he cried, his head thrown back.
to be continued...