Written by DTM666
Disclaimer: The author of this piece would like to state that 90% of the characters featured here are properties of BVS Entertainment Inc and not that of the author. 10% of the characters featured here are original creations of the author.
Also, the author understands that this piece automatically negates events that occur any and all PR incarnations that occur after Power Rangers Wild Force; hence no Dino Thunder or Ninja Storm is featured here and hence Tommy is not a doctor of anything. This is an AU, so to speak. Just thought we should be clear on that.
Note: The uploading of this third chapter ends the streak of fast uploads for this story. At this point, I'll upload a new chapter every Wednesday. Anyway, read and review!
Cole Evans and Jason Lee Scott stood atop the roof of the Turtle Cove animal shelter, staring at the large smoke cloud emanating from afar. As much as they wanted to, they knew they couldn't do much to find out what was going on except wait for any news report or anyone associated with Lightspeed is willing to let out.
Jason placed a hand on Cole's shoulder, trying to comfort the younger man, "We better go inside and continue with our day." he suggested.
Both Red Rangers proceeded down the steps and into the storage area of the shelter. Cole decided to stick around and help out at the shelter while Jason left to make a few calls.
Cole told Jason, "If you get the chance, call Tommy."
Jason seemed surprised by this, "Why?"
"Well," the Wild Force Ranger began, "didn't he mention that he had some sort of command center someplace under his house?"
Jason smiled and nodded at the rookie's thought. Considering his "bro" had a control center under his house, it's possible he knows something about the blast. Saying his good-byes with Cole, he promptly got on his motorcycle and rode to his friend...
The Blue Lightspeed Power Ranger's last known visual was the Red Ranger running from the Varox corpse. Soon after, a white light illuminated and then everything went black.
Upon regaining consciousness, he found himself laying near a jet with the markings "Yellow Eagle" on it. He stood up and say its pilot, Taylor. "Thanks" was the only thing he could come up with it.
Taylor heard the Ranger and rushed to him. "You shouldn't push yourself," she advised, "you were buried under several tons of rubble." She was exaggerating of course, but the Ranger sat down slowly nonetheless.
"You must be Chad Lee," Taylor stated bluntly, "the first Blue Ranger from Lightspeed Rescue."
"Actually the only Blue Ranger," the Ranger nodded, confirming his identity, "but yeah. That's me. And you are?"
"I'm Taylor Earheart, Air force Captain," the former Yellow Wild Force Ranger told him, "I used to be a Ranger."
Chad smiled at that remark, "You're retired?"
"I guess you could say that." she answered, smiling back.
"Smart move." he spat sarcastically.
The two shared a small giggle at that remark. Chad soon got serious again, "Did you find the other Rangers?"
Taylor shook her head slowly in disappointment. Chad looked down, feeling sad. Somehow, he believes he is to blame. Taylor couldn't do much but offer a warm hug, to which Chad accepted.
"We'll find them," Taylor said, trying to comfort the distraught Ranger. But even she is uncertain of that statement.
From : Commander Carter Grayson, Lightspeed Rescue
To : Admiral Gordon Harris, Lightspeed Task Force
Subject : Reinforcements Requested
Admiral Harris, I am sending you this e-mail because all other avenues of communication has been severed by the incident involving the bounty hunter and the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers. I formally request the assistance of Lightspeed Task Force to aid in salvage and rescue operations. I understand that is not the primary focus of the division, but I do not see any other way.
I anxiously await your answer.
Carter Grayson, Commander
Lightspeed Rescue
Gordon Harris sat in his office in the main headquarters of the newly established Lightspeed Task Force, an organization which was founded by former Captain William Mitchell to handle missions that Lightspeed Rescue was not equipped for. He read the e-mail sent by Commander Grayson about a request for assistance, received over an hour ago.
Harris, a grey-haired gentleman in his mid-40s, pressed a button on his intercom system. A minute later, the door opened to let in a younger man in camouflage gear enter. He saluted the admiral, as it is with any military organization.
"As you were," Harris told the soldier, "have a seat."
The soldier sat down slowly. Harris handed the soldier a green binder with the Lightspeed emblem on the front cover. The emblem was the tradition one seen in Lightspeed Rescue, except the usually blue icon within the circle is red and the circle is orange in tone. The soldier opened up the binder to several text, diagrams, and other notes.
"That's all the statistics concerning the Mariner Bay incident gathered through our networks," Harris explained as the soldier looked through the pages of the document, "most of what you're seeing is speculation, theories, anything that could be a possible scenario."
The soldier looked up at the admiral. "Anything we DO know, sir?"
Harris nodded, "According to Lightspeed Intelligence, there was a sudden surge within the bounty hunter the Rangers were fighting just prior to the explosion." A slight pause, the soldier stiffened as Harris continued, "the surge went off a few seconds after the hunter in question was slain by the Rangers."
"With all due respect, sir," the soldier interrupted, "that's common knowledge within Lightspeed."
Harris leaned closer to the soldier to whisper in his ear, "There is reason to believe that there is another one of those bounty hunters loose."
The soldier stood up slowly, unable to understand. "Another one?" he asked.
Harris nodded, "Also within that document was reports of a two-man aircraft that was uncovered in the Amazon just three weeks ago."
The soldier flipped through the pages to see some photographs, concept drawings of an alien spacecraft. As the admiral stated, there were two seats within the main cockpit of the craft. Further in the document showed two empty chambers under the nose of the aircraft, presumably where the power source of the ship was.
"I assume that whatever used to be in here," the soldier stated, "was used as the 'bomb' in question."
Harris nodded gravely.
The soldier placed the binder on Harris' desk and stood straight, "What are your orders, Admiral?"
Harris opened his desk drawer and pulled out a blue folder, no markings on the cover. He passed it on to the soldier, who accepted it.
"I want you to form two teams," Harris said, "one team will co-ordinate with Lightspeed Rescue to assist in their operations. The other team will seek out the other bounty hunter and stop him from destroying anything."
"But Admiral," the soldier asked with curiosity, "how will we stop him without forcing him to blow himself up?"
Admiral Harris slumped on his chair. By that reaction, the soldier got his answer, somewhat. He saluted and left the office. Harris stared at the binder. His soldier brought up an interesting point; how can a menace like be stopped? With much going through his mind, he decided to respond to Commander Grayson's request and began typing:
From : Admiral Gordon Harris, Lightspeed Task Force
To : Commander Carter Grayson, Lightspeed Rescue
Subject : Request Granted
Commander Grayson. I have reviewed your request for assistance and have granted it. Reinforcements should be arriving tonight. Good luck.
Gordon Harris, Admiral
Lightspeed Task Force
Cole Evans woke up the next day in the basement of the animal shelter (he's been living there since his Wild Force campaign ended). He turned on the television set and tuned to the News Network, hoping to see if more information on the blast was found. Another live news report aired, not on Mariner Bay. Cole read the byline displayed on the bottom of the screen.
OMINOUS SPACE CRAFT DESTROY ROGUE PLANET
"Oh no," Cole said to no one in particular. His first instinct was to call Jason at his house.
"Hello?" Jason answered, as if he woke up just now.
Cole summed up the news report with a single phrase that seemed appropriate, "We have another problem."
"What do you mean 'we have another problem'?" Jason Lee Scott confusedly asked over the phone.
Cole stared at the news report on the television set. The report concerning the destruction of a rogue planet thanks to a space craft was certainly a problem. It's a little far-fetched, especially since the only true planet-killer ever conceived was destroyed; Cole personally saw to that. Yet here was a newscaster informing us of a rogue planet's destruction.
"Are you watching the news on Channel 52?" he asked the original Red Ranger.
"Yeah," responded Jason, although his tone wasn't serious. In fact, he seemed rather amused and let out a laugh.
"What's so funny?" Cole asked, curious as to the laughter on the other side. Then he realized what the joke was: the "news report" was fake. The "broadcast" was actually a low-budget science-fiction movie. Adding insult to injury, the "news bar" disappeared to reveal the logo of the movie channel that was not visible at first due to the near-transparent state of the symbol. Cole mentally smacked himself for having thought this to be legitimate news and let out a laugh of his own. Cole apologized to Jason over the phone.
"S'okay, rookie," Jason said in a lighter tone, "if you see any more B-movie special effects threatening Earth, kid, let me know." He soon hung up the phone and Cole followed suit. Cole soon climbed up the stairs, letting out a giggle once in a while. Now that he thought about it, that spaceship sure looked fake...
Ship's Log: Date Index 250704-12A
The Astro Megaship Mark-II continues to navigate the asteroid belt, which was once the Machine Empire's homeworld Gorah Khan. It was hard to believe that just a week ago, the planet was just recovering from a war with the Varox that had ended for quite some time. Yet now that planet is gone and this collection of asteroids is what is left of that world.
On the main bridge, Andros saved the latest log entry he typed up and soon brought up any information pertaining to Gorah Khan's status prior to its destruction. TJ was at the helm, trying to steer clear of any asteroids that may pose a threat to the ship. Zhane did all he could to boost power to the new shield generator, but the last collision had damaged the power accelerators. All in all, a busy day.
Andros slumped on the seat in front of the console. "How could an entire planet be destroyed?"
"Is it possible that a super torpedo was used?" asked Zhane, referring to a drill-tipped warhead that was theoretically capable of destroying entire planets.
TJ shook his head on that note, "They were no longer in production since the fall of the Alliance."
Andros stiffened as he saw data come up on the console. "The only information about Gorah Khan was that it had been recovering from a Varox genocide attack." he explained, "The attack caused the Machine Empire to retaliate against the Varox by gathering its remaining forces and wiping out the entire species."
Zhane stared at the data that was brought up. "What about Gasket?" he asked, referring to the former Machine prince.
Andros shook his head. "Gasket hasn't been sighted since Aradon forced Mondo out of power seven years ago, just prior to the Alliance Wars. We know the Zeo Rangers encountered him one last time before his supposed hiatus, but other than that, he's been missing ever since. Not even his wife knows where he is." He tilted his head towards the main viewer, noticing that there weren't any asteroids in sight. "Have we cleared the field?"
"Yeah," responded TJ, "just a short while ago."
"Stop the ship," Andros ordered. TJ shut down the engines, causing the Megaship to slow down and eventually held its ground.
The three Space Rangers (actually two Space Rangers and one Turbo Ranger) looked on as the viewer showed the endless void of space. Many planets. Many moons. Many potential targets to whoever or whatever is responsible for this devastation.
One of those potential targets could be Earth.
To be continued...