Chapter 2: Acquisition
The teleportation beams dropped the six Rangers into a rocky desert. A few trees and rocks dotted the sands but otherwise it was empty for miles around.
"Well, I don't see any power source," observed Red Ranger. "Anybody have any ideas?"
Pink Ranger nodded. "Part of my natural abilities is a sensitivity to radiation sources." She pointed off to the right, away from the sun. "I sense high levels of ciaric radiation several miles away in that direction "
"Let's go then," said Green Ranger and headed off in the direction indicated. The other Rangers fell in behind him, with the Red and Yellow Rangers taking flanking positions and Black Ranger bringing up the rear.
----
As night fell, the Rangers arrived at the base of a small mountain range. "The power source is at the top of one of these mountains," reported Pink Ranger.
Green Ranger paused, running his hands through his long hair - his helmet having been ditched several miles back. "I don't like the idea of climbing in the dark." He turned to the Red Ranger. "Do you think there could be anywhere to hole up around here?"
Red Ranger nodded. "The rock looks similar to sandstone so... yeah. Probably."
"I think we should try and find somewhere then." Green Ranger decided. "Everyone spread out. Hopefully it won't take long."
The Green Ranger's hopes were realized: it took only half an hour to find a suitable shelter. Once they were inside, Green Ranger told everyone to demorph.
As his uniform disappeared, Gill staggered and almost collapsed. Brian hurried to his side and eased him to the ground.
"Is he okay?" asked Jason.
Brian's hands glowed a deep purplish-black as he passed them over the Aquitan. After a moment, he shook his head slightly. "He's severely dehydrated and his energy levels a way down." Gill revived a little thanks to water from his hip flask and also an energy infusion from Brian, but he was still weak and Jason sent Diego, Patty and Aki out to gather food and water.
They returned about an hour later with a couple of small animals, some grubs, some dead wood and several balloons from Diego's survival kit they had filled with water.
Diego and Aki started a fire at the mouth of the cave and roasted the meat with the aid of an improvised spit and some hot stones.
Gill was much better after some food and water, and the Rangers chatted amongst themselves for about an hour, the main subject of conversation being their civilian identities and histories. Eventually they decided to get some sleep, with Jason taking first watch by the fire.
----
Patty woke everyone just as the first rays of dawn began to filter into the cave. Gill was still a little pale and Brian and Diego had to help him up. But rather eating the rest of the meat from the night before they set off. This time with the girls - as their best climbers - in the lead and Jason at the rear.
They had been climbing for about an hour when a shout of alarm for Jason caused them all to turn and look back.
Nearly two dozen of the same grey aliens that had attacked Jason, Diego and Nichols back in Angel Grove had appeared out of nowhere.
"Run!" ordered Jason.
The six Rangers didn't manage to get very far before the Macrobes caught up them, but they did manage to reach a flat ledge about two hundred feet square. "These things are pretty tough," Jason told the group. "I think we're going to have to risk using our powers again. It's Morphin' Time!"
"Dragonzord!"
"Mastodon!"
"Pterodactyl!"
"Tr…i…ceratops!"
"Sabre-toothed Tiger!"
"Tyrannosaurus!"
The six were instantly transformed into their Ranger forms, though Black & Blue Rangers' costumes flickered several times before stabilising. "The head is the weak spot!" Green Ranger told his team. "Focus on hitting them there!" Then suiting actions to words he kicked one of the oncoming Macrobes in the head sending him backwards, crashing into two more of the Macrobes and sending them off the edge of the cliff. Red Ranger knocked down his first opponent with several lightning fast punches and the Yellow Ranger dispensed with two at the same time with a devastating scissor-kick.
The Rangers fought hard but they were seriously outnumbered and soon their foes began to herd them into a corner. Black Ranger staggered, then fell to the ground in a crackle of energy, and it was only a powerful bio-blast from Pink Ranger that saved him by reducing his opponent to ash. A minute or two later, Blue Ranger took a hit to the stomach and doubled over. He cried out in pain as electricity arched across his costume and demorphed.
The remaining four Rangers redoubled their efforts and eventually they managed to win out over their foes. Gathering up their fallen colleagues they continued up the slope of the mountain towards the power source. All four were keenly aware that with the failure of the Blue and Black Powers, their own powers wouldn't last much longer either.
----
It was almost midday by the sun's position in the sky when they finally reached the top of the mountain. The ruins of an ancient temple stood on the broad plateau.
"Wow," said Diego - summing up the feelings of most of the group in his usual way.
"These remind me of the ruins I've heard about on Phaedos," Gill observed. "There are similar ruins on Aquitar also."
"I think this is the place," said Jason - he and the four remaining powered Rangers had demorphed about two hours before. "Aki. What do you think?"
The pretty Asian girl nodded. "I can feel the Power around us. And something else…"
"What?"
"I am uncertain," she admitted. "The Power is strong in it."
"I sense it too," Jason admitted. "A being… very strong. Stay alert everyone. Whatever it is it might not be friendly."
"LEAVE!!!"
"Who said that?" Brian asked, looking around. "It sounded like a woman. Was it you, Patty?"
"Not me," replied Patty. "Aki?"
"Nor I."
"LEAVE AT ONCE OR DIE!"
Aki squinted into the shadows under the pillars, trying to determine where the sound came from. After a minute or two of deliberation, she nodded slightly to herself, and then blasted at the shadows under the 'western' pillars. A figure leapt out of the shadows to avoid the blast and landed light-footed in the centre of the temple.
The figure was a tall, athletic female with the complexion and features of a black Human. She wore a long hooded cloak and through the gap in the front they could see she was also wearing sandals, a halter top and a short skirt all in the same deep crimson as the cloak. She also carried an impressive slightly curved, single-edged blade not dissimilar from the daito, or katana, used by the old Earth Samurai.
"We are looking for a great source of power," Jason told the woman. "Is it here?"
"If you want it, you'll have to kill me first, thieves!"
"We're no thieves!" retorted Jason - ignoring the fact that one of his company was in fact a thief. "We have come here because our planet is in great danger, and we need the Power to protect it."
"Who sent you?"
"Professor Cranston of the Knights of Ryoku," Jason told her. "The planet we come from is Earth."
The woman appeared to calm down slightly, but still eyed them warily. "What is the danger? Ivan Ooze? Rita Repulsa? The Machine Empire?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Jason. "But it's not one of them. Ooze, I've never heard of… Rita and the Machine Empire were defeated almost three hundred years ago."
"The Professor said it was Devos the Planet Eater," Gill added.
"Devos has returned?" the woman said. "Then you must indeed receive the power I can give you. For otherwise your planet is doomed."
She reached inside her cloak and drew out six gems - green emerald, black onyx, pink quartz, blue sapphire, yellow-orange amber, and blood-red ruby. She gave one to each of the Rangers. Once the gems touched their Power Coins, the Morphers glowed and reformed - whole once more. "Good luck, Rangers. And if you ever require aid, call on Leonis for help."
With that she transformed into a tawny lioness-like feline and slopped off.
"Let's do it, guys," said Jason. "It's Morphin' Time!"
"Dragonzord!"
"Mastodon!"
"Pterodactyl!"
"Triceratops!"
"Sabre-toothed Tiger!"
"Tyrannosaurus!"
This time, instead of the faded Morphin' suits, the Rangers were clad in shiny, hard - but flexible - battle armour in their signature colours. All but Green Ranger had an engraved coin with their Ranger animal fixed into it within a white diamond on their chest. The Green Ranger's suit was similar but had the Tiger chest armour merged into it and the fleur-de-lis of the Dragon at the centre.
"Back to action!" declared Green Ranger. The six Rangers touched their hands to their Morphers and disappeared in streams of light.
----
They reappeared in the centre of Angel Grove. Just as they were getting their bearings, they were almost knocked off their feet by a forceful tremor.
"What was that?" asked Black Ranger.
"An earthquake." Green Ranger told him. "It didn't feel natural though."
"I think he's too blame!" said Patty, turning their attention to the seventy-metre tall behemoth blocking the main street to the east. A handful of NASADA fighters were trying to get into firing positions around it, but the creature was easily shrugging off their laser blasts and missiles.
"Looks like Devos has been busy while we've been away!" observed Yellow Ranger.
"Well, we've got new Evozords lets use them!" declared Jason.
"Right!" agreed the other five Rangers. "It's time for a Zord evolution!"
"Mastodon-Rhino Evozord Power!"
"Pterodactyl-Heron Evozord Power!"
"Triceratops-Whale Evozord Power!"
"Sabre-toothed Tiger-Cougar Evozord Power!"
"Tyrannosaurus-Fox Evozord Power!"
With a triumphant cry, the five Rangers leapt up into their Zords.
Still on the ground, Green Ranger drew his sword and brought its hand-guard to the mouth-plate of his helmet. Then, as if obeying a subliminal instruction, he blew a distinctive tune on it that the Professor - had he been able to hear it - would have found hauntingly familiar, then thrust his sword skyward and cried. "Dragonzord arise and evolve!"
Anyone on the beach that day would have received the shock of their lives as the seas began to boil and the new and more powerful Evo Dragonzord rose from the depths. It was now leaner and more dangerous looking, as it boasted full, outstretched wings; functional, deadly looking claws on all four limbs and was angled so that appeared to be about lunge forward at any second. Its eyes also glowed bright green. It took off, and seconds later was floating above the Green Ranger's position.
With his own war cry, the Green Ranger leapt up onto the head of the Zord and rode it as it flew towards its target. He blew another series of notes and commanded. "Dragonzord, Inferno Blast!"
The Dragonzord roared and a jet of flame knifed towards the Avatar, narrowly missing one of the fighters, which promptly back off, followed seconds later by the others.
The shot hit Geochs' dead centre in the middle of his chest, knocking his backwards. He roared in anger and unleashed an energy blast from his axe directly at the Dragonzord. The Zord dodged, but still took a glancing blow to the wing. "Guys, I'm hit. I'm pulling out."
"Right. We'll take care of Stone Face!" promised Patty.
"Activate Evo Megazord sequence!"
"Right!" agreed the other four Rangers.
The five core Evozords began to change shape. The Cougar and Fox Zords flattened down onto the ground, their rear sections merging into a docking platform; Whale Zord flew over, morphing until its sides formed docking latches and locked down on top of the other two; then Rhino Zord, head retracted into the body and cannon-like horns protruding from the merged arms and legs locked in around it, then Heron Zord flew in and docked with the Whale Zord's tail section.
"Activate Megazord Tank Mode!" declared the five Rangers.
"All weapons fire!" ordered Blue Ranger.
Multi-coloured beams of destructive light burst from the combined Zord and flew towards the Avatar, only to be blocked and deflected back at them.
Inside the cabin, sparks were flying as the Rangers scrambled to stabilise the damaged Zord. "Can we switch to Battle Mode?" asked Red Ranger.
"Affirmative. Transmorphic circuits are still online!" confirmed Blue Ranger
"Let's do it then!" declared Red Ranger. "Megazord Battle Mode NOW!"
Gigantic servos strained and whined as the five Zords shifted again, though this time only fractionally. The Megazord raised itself onto to it's feet - formed by the Fox and Cougar - as the Rhino's legs and arms slid forward onto the guns, which swung backwards and were replaced by large fists. The Heron Zord unlatched from the Whale Zord's tail and morphed into a large head, which locked onto the middle section of the Whale Zord.
"Evo Megazord Battle Mode online!" confirmed Blue Ranger.
Unfortunately, before they could attack again, Geochs took the initiative, slicing into the smaller Zord several times with his axe.
"Hull pressure is the red!" reported Black Ranger. "Another hit like that and we're toast!"
"Stabilisers have ruptured!" Red Ranger "I've lost helm control!"
The next hit was - luckily - from Geochs' bare right arm, but it sent the Megazord flying into the air and towards one of the larger skyscrapers.
"Brace for impact!" yelled Pink. "Assume crash positions!"
When the Megazord came to rest it was almost two hundred metres away from Geochs and its exterior was heavily pitted and scorched.
"Damage report!" barked Red Ranger.
"Main energisers are out!" reported Blue Ranger. "And the primary hydraulics are destroyed."
"All weapon systems are off-line!" added Pink Ranger. "We are defenceless."
"Jason, get your butt down here!" screamed Yellow Ranger.
"Don't sweat it guys. Dragonzord's back in the game!" declared Jason. "Standby to complete docking sequence."
"Ready!"
"Activating Evo Megadragonzord sequence!"
The Dragonzord raised itself up fully onto its back legs, then expanded so that its build almost matched that of the Megazord, then the head, chest plate and arm claws detached along with the wings and flew towards the Megazord.
The arm claws locked in on top of the existing fists and the Megazord's arms retracted slightly so that the new linkage formed the elbows. The Heron Zord unlatched from the Megazord's 'neck' and wrapped itself around the waist. Whale Zord's head retracted back into its body and then the Dragonzord's head and chest locked in over it. Finally the Dragonzord's wings locked onto the back panel of the Megazord.
"Evo Megadragonzord sequence complete!" declared Blue Ranger as the Green Ranger joined the other five in the main cockpit. "All systems are back to optimal performance!"
"Let's finish this!" declared Green Ranger. "Activate Power Sabre!"
The Power Sabre, a golden facsimile of the Dragon Sabre, shimmered into existence in the Zord's hand. The Sabre began to burn with un-naturally hot flame and then the Megadragonzord slashed at the monster several times. Geochs howled in pain then collapsed and exploded.
----
The next day, the six youths – along with the now healed Peter Nichols – met at the Mexican restaurant owned by one of Diego's uncles.
"We'll have the chef's special, Connie," Diego told the waitress that came to serve them.
"Don't you want to know what Tío Ricardo is making tonight, primo?"
"I trust you."
"It's your funeral," she told him and walked off.
"Why did she say that?" asked Brian warily.
"Don't worry," Jason told the Black veterinary nurse. "Consuela says that every time anyone other than one of the DeSantos clan comes here as his guest. We've only regretted it once."
"Twice actually," Patty reminded. "My fifteenth birthday?"
"Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that one."
"What happened?" asked Brian.
"We'll tell you another time," Jason told him. "It had nothing to do with the food, that's all I'm saying."
"Okay."
The food came in fairly short order, and as predicted all seven of them agreed afterwards that it was very enjoyable. They had a few drinks after dinner and then headed their separate ways.
TBC…
A/N: Some parts of this chapter – and the first one - were adapted from Power Rangers The Movie. The concept of the Ranger Powers being from a source of detectable radiation is from the fanfic Circle Draws Inward by Mistri, Tonks' Admirer and is used with the author's permission.