CPU 4
Superstar Struck
The Purple and Lilac colored lights rose ever so slightly, the circular platform was surrounded by floating holographic screens and the glass dome roof showed a galaxy with a large red planet in the background… the robotic dancers were feminine, they stood in frozen poses in the darkness, their silver bodies were "dressed" in plates of thick burgundy vinyl.
The beats were lightening fast, sudden, and surprising, with each one the dancers moved into new vogue poses.
Purple sparks glittered in the centre of the dance stage and light strips glowed to life.
Andromeda Irons was a stunner, she had brown-blonde hair and glowing blue-green eyes, her lithe figure was accented by tasteful but tight outfits. She descended a floating staircase of glowing purple steps that appeared at her feet and vanished as she walked on them.
"Hey everybody, give it up, let's have some fun" she said into the microphone earpiece as her techno-pop music built up.
"Wake up galaxy, it's so simple can't you see?
There's something wrong when we have no serenity
Where's the balance
We're lost in a spin
We fight and fight and no one can win
We're all losers if we fight each other
You're unique but equal to another
So give it up
Let it go
The time is now
To find a way
We all want to be free
Quit chaos and find Serenity
Bring on the war and we're all done
When it's all over, no one has won
Just stop the anger
Give up the rage
It's time to start a new page
So give it up
Let it go
The time is now
To find a way
We all want to be free
Quit chaos and find Serenity
It's so pointless can't you see
Are blind and deaf to everyone and me
Give it over and done with
Just end this galaxy
What comes of strife
I an absence of life"
"She rocks" Warren said as he leaned back in the chair in the common room. Sean cleared his throat nervously.
"She…has interesting assets in her chest-VOICE" he corrected.
"You two are such pigs, I like her songs not her videos…she's a realy tough woman, y'know? The next Kira Ford they say, I mean she's done every kind of music genre around and she's not even a cyborg" Morgan said.
"She isn't?" Charlie mused. "Not even a little?"
"Nope, her body was bio scanned and they said she was 100 human" Warren smiled. "And what a human…wow…"
"No way you can get a human that perfect" muttered Charlie. "She's had work done"
"Put on Run Out" Morgan said as everyone ignored Charlie's comments. Mason walked into the room with a file in his hands. "Hi Mason" Morgan called. "Come join us!" she said.
"I cannot I am researching Gearbox's organization: VECTRESS…he's been using it as a company name for covering up criminal activities… it is most worrying that he has a syndicate at his disposal"
"We all know about Gearbox's syndicate" Warren sighed as he loaded a new option onto the screen in the Common Room that linked their sleeping quarters. "Is that what you were doing up last night? Reading about stuff we already know?"
"No I was simply reading. It is enjoyable, when I cannot sleep…I read" he frowned. "Though I find it difficult to comprehend the unusual subtexts of much English literature…I decided to teach myself Japanese…" he held the book up to them and walked away.
Everyone slowly turned away from the Boys' room and stared at the music video. "Flake" Warren muttered.
"He's a good detective" Morgan said defensively
"He's a flake but his parents must be proud" grinned Warren.
"Don't talk to me about parents" Morgan sighed. "Mine really hate the fact I'm walking down prison aisles rather than catwalks, instead of Baton Rouge I have a Riot Baton…"
"Your parents own that Space Technology company…right?"
"Yup, Mom and Daddy were on opposite ends of the globe, she's from Hawaii, he's from England…they met and presto there was a merger of companies and me and my sisters were born"
"Hah – siblings…there's a tough topic" Warren said. "I have four brothers and a sister…all of them are detectives and superintendents on the force. Talk about pressure, Mom and Dad are the same, high ups, lots of pressure!"
"I am an only child, but I can understand the pressure, my parents have always wanted me to be on the force" Sean said. "I have wanted the same of course, they helped the interest along"
"An only child, that explains it" Charlie muttered. "I have 15 foster siblings" she added. "My Foster Mother took us all in off the streets…" she frowned. "Since we're being honest…my parents couldn't look after me so Foster Mother took me in and here I am" she spread her arms.
"I was wondering when we'd get around to the family thing" Warren mused. "What about Mason?"
"You're his roommate you should know" sighed Charlie
"Well I don't he's never forthcoming with information I actually want to here" Warren snorted.
Mason walked out of the room. "My laser welder has broken. I have to replace it, I will not be gone long"
Warren and Charlie leapt up. "I'll come too" they chorused.
"Why? There's no need -"
"We're teammates we should talk" Charlie exclaimed.
"I'm a guy you can tell me who you're crushing on!" Warren exclaimed. The idea of pranking the blue ranger about that information was particularly exciting.
"I am not crushing anyone– unless they are very small and I cannot-"
"Are you deliberately this annoyingly literal?" groaned Warren
-------------------BREAK
Zorion looked at the Virus. It was grey and black with a large speaker mesh patch in its stomach surrounded by teeth, two huge speakers were mounted on it's shoulders and the back of it's lobe-head was a microphone. It's massive upper body seemed too heavy for it's human sized limbs. The speakers in its eyes and mouth hummed as it spoke.
"So when do I make my move?"
"When I say so Amp-Vamp" growled Zorion
His internal scanners allowed a digital time to roll up. He looked at the virus. This plan was flawless.
----------------------BREAK
Mason was dressed in a blue shirt and navy trousers – his Stepford-Son hair and the tie on his outfit made him look particularly unreal.
Charlie and Warren could feel the people staring at Mason all thinking: "He's a very young 40-something accountant". Charlie was dressed in a green linen top with long flared sleeves, black jeans and black and green biker boots. She'd left her leather jacket behind as it was a warm spring day.
Warren wore a bright red long sleeve shirt under a dark crimson short sleeve. His jeans had a red strip up the left leg and his runners matched.
They were co-ordinated
Stylish.
Mason was like something from a 20s sitcom.
They walked along the street towards the shopping district. "You need better clothes" Charlie said at last.
"Do I? Father bought them for me when he went to town"
"You need to talk to him about that" Warren sighed.
"I can't…I haven't seen him in 2 years"
Charlie blinked in surprise. "Sorry – did you fight?"
"No – he did disapprove of my wish to come to the city but when I didn't hear from him I came here looking"
Before he could ask for more details, Warren spun around at the sound of screaming tires. A limo sped down the road followed closely by three floating bullet shaped crafts – filled with Mechon Troopers.
"That's interesting" murmured Charlie.
"Time to get into the business duds" sighed Warren as he took out his morpher and hit a button on it. There was a flash and he was in his uniform. "Ready?"
"Willing and Able" Charlie smiled as she and Mason shifted into their black uniforms.
CYBER SYSTEMS! ONLINE!
The rangers moved in blurs of speed. "Cybernetic Rapidity Enhancements Online" Warren exclaimed as they closed in on the limo. Charlie leapt and in a blur of colour she landed on one of the crafts.
The green holograms leapt from her body and the Mechons were lost in confusion… Charlie kicked the driver out, blasted the controls and flipped out of the cockpit as the craft crashed into a notice board and stuck fast.
Mason teleported onto the craft and punched one Mechon out before bashing two together and throwing them onto the road below. The driver spun to fire it's blaster blade but Mason kicked the weapon aside and punched the Mechon out of the craft. He landed the machine and jumped out.
Warren leapt upwards, a red glow ran over his body and he slammed through the bottom of the ship, ripping out circuits he forced it into a spin. "Happy Landings" he grinned as the ship slammed into a pond and blew up.
The sense of victory was violently disrupted by the shrieking energy wave that hit the limo and blew it into the air, it rolled to a halt, metal twisted and shredded, fires around it.
A man in a suit scrambled from the limo and rushed to safety followed by the driver. "Dr Fairchild, Commander? We have a problem!" Charlie exclaimed to her morpher.
"Yes we see" Farichild said. "You can use your special devices to locate whatever blasted that limo, the others are on their way! Warren's Radar should be ideal!"
Warren nodded as the red imagine networks burst out around him, on his helmet screen a red radar skimmed around and located coloured dots that labeled themselves as civilians, Blue Ranger and Green Ranger…then he noticed two flashing black spots… marked Viral Cyber Life form and Unidentified Cyber entitiy.
"There" he said, pointing to an alleyway.
He dashed forwards as Zorion and Amp-Vamp came from the gap between buildings. "Amp-Vamp, show the red ranger that it's rude to point" Zorion sighed.
The Virus cackled and unleashed a blast of energy rings.
Charlie rushed to help Warren while Mason initiated his own scanner. The blue filter appeared on the world and various things flashed, information typing out in the flag labels…then he caught on scanned item. "Unconscious Casualty" another label caught his eye. "Electrotone Petrol".
The limo was about to blow.
Rushing towards the casualty Mason read details. Weight, guessed age, body type… he leapt the overturned car and wrenched the doors off with his cyborg strength.
Reaching inside he carefully pulled the shape out, the dark purple wrap shrouded the young woman completely but the scanner revealed she was in no medical jeopardy.
Charlie pivoted and swung her blades, slashing the monster repeatedly. Amp-Vamp fired a sonic blast at her but she flipped aside and created a duplicate. Amp-Vamp slashed the duplicate and took a heavy series of slashes to the torso.
"You're not that great" Charlie grinned as she danced around the cumbersome punches.
"I can't hear you!" snarled Amp-Vamp as he unleashed a wave of feedback that caught Charlie off guard and let him blast her.
Zorion slashed at Warren who used his Force Axe to deflect the blade. "Who are you?"
"I am Zorion…and I will destroy you completely" the cyborg replied. He spun and kicked, sending Warren flying aside. Zorion slashed the air and a blast narrowly missed Warren who rolled aside.
A yellow and a pink blast of light hit Zorion in the chest. Morgan and Sean stood at the other side of the road, blasters drawn. "CPU you're under arrest" Sean exclaimed, holding out his badge with his free hand. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be recorded on data file and stored for your digital court date- you have the right to an attorney and a cybernetic interperater or mechanic if you wave this right -"
The power blast from Zorion's visor blew them apart. "I don't have time for this – Amp Vamp we're gone" Zorion vanished in a flare of amber light while Amp Vamp turned into a rippling wave of light.
"Where's Little boy blue?" mused Warren.
"Being a hero" Morgan exclaimed as she rushed towards Mason who was carrying a prone figure in his arms. "Is she okay?"
"Yes, merely unconscious" Mason said.
Warren blinked as he pushed the hood of the girls outfit away. "Hey! It's her! It's her"
"Andromeda Irons!" gasped Morgan
The singer simply groaned and shifted in Mason's arms
------------------------BREAK
The Rangers were assaulted as they entered the hospital waiting room. Though it was in an entirely new manner -
"Locturn, Aesa Locturn" the blue skinned alien exclaimed as he rigorously shook each ranger by the hand with his eight fingered limbs. "Boy oh Boy I can't thank you enough for saving Andy, she was in serious trouble"
"No kidding" snorted Charlie.
The 8 foot tall alien paced back and forth. "I told her this was serious, she just said nothing would stop her performing!"
Mason cocked his head to one side. "Were threats made?"
"Yes – oh yeah they were, lots of em… here I have some of the digital messages" he tapped on the PDA in his hand and the file opened. A cube appeared over the screen each face demonstrating a new threat.
"If You Perform You Will die" Morgan read. "The Concert will be your funeral… One note and you're vapor…If the concert goes ahead you'll be playing your own funeral march". She frowned and held up her morpher, the scanner copied the files. "I'll go over these… they seem to be standard intimidation but by someone who's trying to be witty – doubtful they've had much in the line of education but they do seem intelligent"
Aesa groaned. "I told her to call you guys, I said: "Andy, you need CPU" but that girl! Max'shior Niffi Fidyal is she pig headed, she said she could look after herself!" he shook his head. "I wish I was back on Rigor-446 right now, that girl will be the death of me!"
Warren looked at the tall alien agent. "So why were they threatening her?"
"Some human extremist groups got all bent out of joint because she's been campaigning for Cyborg Rights. They got really angry when she wrote that song "Deep Down" and then when she announced that this concert was going to fund Cyborg-Human alliances and equality foundations – well the Spigoqa really hit the Knaglog"
The doors hissed open across the room and a jaded looking doctor walked in. "Uh – you must be waiting for Ms Irons…yeah well she's awake" he yawned.
"Oh thank Glubjub" Aesa gasped. He ducked out of the doorway and headed down the hall.
"So is Gearbox the villain?"
"Hm…" Morgan mused as she tapped her cyber pen on the morpher panel and reviewed the messages. "Well the writer does fit some of the profiles, but one or two look like they're from a genuine idiot" she said. "They're linear, meant to be menacing but failing miserably in comparison to the others – in fact there are some downright stupid ones… looks like Gearbox has a helper or a competitor for scaring the starlet."
"Someone should question her" Sean said.
"I will!" Warren exclaimed.
"No I think Mason and Sean should do it" Charlie said. "Asking an autograph in the middle of an investigation is just plain rude".
Morgan and Warren made no attempt to hide their disappointment.
---------------------------BREAK
Andromeda lay in the hospital bed, reading a magazine with all the interest of a shark towards lettuce. "Ms Irons?" quick as a whip she looked at the door. Mason and Sean stood respectfully in the doorway.
"Yes – come in…" she smiled, pushing her blonde-brown hair off her face. She noticed Mason and gave an even bigger smile. "You're the one that saved me – the Blue ranger" she stared at his perfectly shaped hair. "I can't thank you enough"
"It was my duty Ms Irons" Mason said.
"If we may ask some questions Ms Irons"
"Andromeda…Andy, please" she smiled.
"Very well - Andy" Sean choked out, evidently unable to totally get it right in his mind to refer to someone on friendly terms. "We have been informed by your manager that threats were made against your life"
"Oh - those" snorted Andy. She waved them off and leaned back. "There were a few, yes – but they were insignificant"
"Still, we would like any information you can give us considering the attempt made on your life today" Sean said as he raised his morpher. As words were spoken they were taken down on the screen by the morpher.
"Well…let me see…they were always delivered to my home e-mail and there were a few minor accidents in the concert hall" Andromeda admitted. "But I wasn't hurt…"
"Accidents?" Mason repeated.
"A light kit fell, some wires went haywire, one of my assitstant robots malfunctioned and went a little crazy…stuff like that" Andromeda waved the incidents' off with a shrug. "I usually get proposals and poetry, but this was new – there's always one I guess" she shrugged.
Sean shook his head, his stony disposition didn't shift at all. "Ms Irons – these were far too convenient to be coincidences you must call off your concert". Andromeda sat straight up and glared at him with such passion it made Sean flinch. She looked at Mason.
"If people were depending on you to save them from a monster would you cancel if it got a little dangerous?" she snapped.
"No" Mason said. "I do not agree that you should cancel"
"She could be killed Detective Carver" growled Sean.
"But hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for her" Mason said. "She is doing important work for Cyborg-Human relations!"
An argument was about to burst out when Charlie entered the room. "Okay boys we have to go, the Commander wants to see us and Aesa Locturn has some business to discuss with Andromeda Irons"
Andromeda nodded, she looked at Mason and Sean, watching them leave – Aesa entered sheepishly. "Uh – Andy – baby – honey – sweetie pie – I was just talking to the commander…"
"I amn't cancelling" she said determinatedly
"Yeah – that's not what he suggested"
------------------------BREAK
The Commander paced across the floor of the Command Centre on the EDEN. "I am about to send you on a mission that will require the utmost calm, subtlty and professionalism" he said.
"We can handle it sir" Warren said.
The Commander held up the long thin purple and black pieces of metal and plastic.
"TICKETS TO THE CONCERT! WE'RE GOING TO THE CONCERT!" Warren roared.
Charlie looked at Morgan. "I think he'd better give them to Sean" she whispered.
-----------------------------BREAK
Vectress sat on her throne, tapping her cheek with the fingers of the hand her chin rested on. "I'm waiting Zorion" she growled.
"My lady, Amp-Vamp is going to make it up to you at the concert" Zorion exclaimed. "He is apologetic -"
The green light weaved from Vectress' head to form a halo around the craniums of Amp-Vamp and Zorion, she rose, not breaking her psycho-technical display. "I don't care for making up for botched attacks, things did not go to plan!" She sighed. "You are lucky that your allies can twist things to their advantage. Now perhaps we can move past the infantile plans of you lesser schemers to the level of the better generals – no more mindless damage Zorion, no more pathetic threats from Jackslot and certainly no more wasting of my resources on concert ticket sales form Gearbox!" she released the pair from her mental-technological manipulations.
"My lady – I have news of the concert" Gearbox said.
"I don't care!"
"Aesa has reported that the Commander of CPU has insisted on the Rangers being permitted entrance" he growled. "With All access passes!"
"I see…I want you idiots to get to work – the primary objective is operation Music Maker – the rangers may be immune to the S1R3N virus – make sure to occupy them"
"I can do that" Amp Vamp croaked.
"You'd better" snapped Vectress. "Jackslot!" the cumbersome copper plated robot scampered forth. "You will lead the attack on the concert while Gearbox oversees the jamming broadcast tower."
"Yes Empress" exclaimed the robot with a small salute.
"Consider it a chance at redemption, after your tactless threats as well as your ridiculous attempts on Andromeda's life!" her eyes flashed green and she strode out of the room, leaving her subordinates to cower.
-----------------BREAK
Sean looked up from the book as Morgan and Charlie entered, carrying bags and dragging a confused Mason with them. "We have your measurements from Dr. Fairchild and credit cards that needed a work out – you are putting the clothes on!" Morgan sighed
"But why?" exclaimed Mason
"Because your only clothing makes you look like an accountant!" exclaimed Charlie.
Warren came out of the boys' room
"What are you doing to flakey?" he asked.
Morgan held up the bags. "We went shopping for him – time to dress him!" she crowed gleefully.
Warren and Sean exchanged a glance. "I think I should take those from you" he said carefully. "Because I doubt Mason would want to be stared at in his underwear…"
"Why would anyone stare at me in my underwear?" Mason murmured – but he was ignored by an arguing set of teammates.
Warren took the bags and Mason into the roomas Morgan and Charlie ran through scenarios of how Warren could get it wrong.
"I mean – what if he forgets how to wear jeans!" Morgan exclaimed. She stopped, as Mason staggered out of the room from a push by Warren. His hair was still neatly combed but he was dressed in a pair of artfully torn blue jeans and a blue sweater that was zipped up to his neck. His dark blue converse sneakers were held in his hands and his bare feet seemed uncomfortable, wriggling their toes on the cold grey floor.
"Damn we forgot socks" cursed Charlie.
"He looks all right" Warren said. "But I have to say – forgetting socks? Key to an outfit…I've hidden all his ties too"
"I don't understand why you did that" added Mason.
"For your own good" Morgan smiled.
Sean looked at his watch. "We should prepare for the concert – is there any dress code?"
"Yeah – the Neo-vinyl look is in" Morgan giggled, bouncing on the spot.
"Let's not give her sugar" Charlie sighed as her roommate frolicked towards their dorm.
-------------------------BREAK
Sean tugged at the neon yellow vinyl shirt he wore, his fingerless gloves, boots and the bands on his black trousers were all the same brilliant neon yellow. "This is most impractical" he said as he followed the others towards the garage.
"I happen to like this look, it's rather comfy" smiled Morgan who was dressed in a neon pink belly-top with see through sleeves and a pink vinyl miniskirt over black pants and cherry blossom colored go-go boots.
The Commander and Dr Fairchild suppressed sniggers as the team walked in. "Very fashionable" Dr. Fairchild snorted.
"It's in at the moment" muttered Warren who was dressed all in black save his red neon vinyl jacket and hiking boots.
"You have to fit in" nodded Benson. "Aesa Locturn has insisted you keep a low profile so as not to disrupt the concert for others, you'll arrive an hour early in secret and check the area for bombs and such"
Charlie was still adjusting the newly-mussed hair of Mason. Charlie wore a neon green bustier, black viny duster, and trousers that were half black and half neon green over a pair of heavy black boots with glowing green laces.
Mason shifted awkwardly, he looked out of places in the black vinyl trousers and neon blue shirt.
"You can keep in contact without fear of being eavesdropped on by using your optical arrays…" Dr Fairchild said. "Given that they'll match your outfits you needn't fear clashing"
"Very funny" Sean growled.
------------------------BREAK
Sean and Mason stood in the control room. Aesa was coordinating the last practice. "What are they?" Sean asked a she pointed to the cases being carried onto the stage.
"Andromeda's Song-5TR355 robots, her backing dancers and singers, never whine about sore feet and are always on time" Aesa said. "Okay so I have to go and do some stuff, everything's in order if you feel you have to act be careful, okay? We're golden"
Mason watched Aesa leave. "Does he really have this much control or is he merely emulating the exterior actions required to exude an aura of confidence, which would imply he's terrified"
Sean looked at mason. "Do you ever ask a straight question?"
"Didn't you understand that?"
Sean's face turned red. "Yes of course but others don't"
"Oh…" Mason turned back to face the room. "My appologies"
----------------BREAK
Charlie moved between the aisles. She paused, Aesa had just passed by her line of vision…crouched…frowning Charlie followed him. The nervous alien moved swiftly down a hall and descended some steps – she froze as she heard the voices.
"It's – that wasn't part of the deal"
"Tough luck"
"But -"
"Quiet" a grunting voice snapped. "Amp Vamp is getting set up, we'll finish what we started – the pieces are all in place"
"The rangers-"
There was a flash of amber light and Aesa collapsed
"Shut up you insipid toad from Rigor-446" Gearbox muttered. "Jackslot – make sure the frequencies are adjusted, this Pro-Unity crap will be ideal for the subliminal messaging"
Charlie unleashed a hologram from her body and became a locker as Gearbox walked past, his body turning into a human's.
Charlie shuddered and slipped into a store room. She turned on her scanner array.
"The concert goers have arrived" Warren reported.
"You're kidding!" gasped Charlie. "Listen! We have a problem! Aesa is in with Gearbox and a supped up slot machine! They mentioned subliminal messaging-"
The flash of purple light knocked Charlie out and the door behind her shut with a cold click as the lock slid into place.
--------------BREAK
"No sign of Mechons in the crowd" Sean said as he scanned with his Optic array.
"We've got a problem!" Warren exclaimed as he ran along the lower level of the cylindrical concert hall that had large floating screens moving around on it.
The stage was an island of its own, floating podiums took off into the air for dancers in go-go cages.
"The concerts about to start!" Morgan said.
"Charlie says Gearbox is here! We have to check on Andromeda – maybe ask her about her manager!" Warren shouted as he rushed down a flight of stairs.
Warren knocked on the door of the changing room.
"Come in!" Andromeda called.
Warren opened the door – Andromeda was wearing a black silk robe. "Hello Detective – what's wrong?"
Warren looked around. The two femmebots were cleaning up a make up kit. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, why?" Andromeda asked.
"Aesa may be in league with Gearbox"
"WHAT!" Andromeda exclaimed. She seemed entirely stunned. "What – what do you mean?"
Warren shook his head. "Something about subliminal messaging…"
Andromeda hurried over to her changing table and grabbed a plastic card. "Take this, it's the pass to the control room, Subliminal messaging could be on my backing track!"
Warren nodded his head in thanks and left the room in a rush. He sprinted down the hall and up the steps. The fans were screaming and cheering as the backing track started.
"Meet me at the control room!" Warren exclaimed into his optic array microphone.
"On it" chorused Morgan, Sean and Mason.
"Where is Charlie?" asked Mason abruptly.
"I'll find her" Morgan said. She touched her OA and let the pink radar find the green light. Morgan moved swiftly, racing towards the door, pulling her blaster from her hip holster.
Morgan aimed at the door and blasted it open. Charlie shoved her way out. "That was reinforced on the inside" Charlie said. "I think I was set up…"
"Clever Green Girl" Jackslot said as he appeared behind them. "Let's see what prize you win!" The wheels on his chest whirred and selected a pale blue snow flake in a circle. The blast of ice narrowly missed Morgan and Charlie.
"Time to drop the party clothes" Charlie sighed.
"I can live with that" smiled Morgan as they stood up and pulled out their morphers.
"CYBER SYSTEMS ONLINE"
Jackslot fell backwards as he was blasted in the chest by the energy waves from the blasters. He swung his arm at Morgan and knocked her back, then he kicked Charlie over, moving with surprising speed he hurled the girls aside. "You might want to reconsider your wardrobe!"
Charlie landed a kick across the back of his head and staggered him.
Morgan flipped forwards and hit him in the chest with both feet. The girls leapt. "No I think they go just fine" Morgan said as she slashed down with her sword. Charlie spun and added to the attack with her blades.
Jackslot cried out. Both his arms gained spiked balls and he rushed the girls.
----------------------BREAK
The door hissed open. Mason paused as Sean and Warren drew their blasters. "Something is wrong…" he said. "A trap?"
"Maybe" Sean said as he stepped into the room. "But we have to hurry" the blast of sound knocked him down. Amp Vamp cackled and charged.
The energy feedback shield deflected Sean's blaster fire he swung an arm into Warren's stomach, grabbed Mason and unleashed a potent energy ring into the boys chest, throwing him into a wall.
"You're the computer expert Mason" Warren shouted. "Get to the console!" The detective then hurled himself at Amp Vamp
Mason nodded and dived over a console as a sonic burst hit the table behind him. Warren formed his metal skin and beat down the monster with all his might. Mason connected to the system and began to scan through the data.
"Hold it boy blue!" the virus snarled
Amp Vamp fired a blast at Mason. Sean leapt in for it, his yellow aura sprang up and he caught it with his glowing hands, then he hurled it back in the form of a saffron sunburst.
Mason frowned. "This makes no sense…the backing track contains no subliminal signals!"
"Then how will they manage to brainwash the-"
Mason disappeared before Sean could finish his question. The blue sparkles faded in the air as Mason reappeared in the hall outside Andromeda's room.
-------------------BREAK
Jackslot blocked the kick from Charlie but Morgan landed a punch on his chest as she reappeared from her stealth mode. "You're starting to annoy me" Jackslot snapped. "I'm going to destroy you"
"No you're not" the girls chorused as they fired their blasters. Jackslot yowled and fell backwards. "I'll be back!" he snapped, there was a flash as his body turned into bouncing nuts and bolts and vanished.
"Morgan! Charlie!" Mason called over the communicator. "The subliminal messages, they're coming from another source"
"Like what?" Charlie asked as her helmet retracted
"I'm about to ask Andromeda"
"She's on in 2 minutes, make it quick!" Morgan sighed.
--------------------BREAK
Andromeda turned around as the door opened. "Detective! Is everything okay?"
Mason shut the door and blinked. "The backing track was a dud – there are no subliminal messages imprinted in it, therefore the source must be something else" he looked at Andromeda. "Amp Vamp was waiting for my friends and I…was it a trap?"
Andromeda rose and turned to face him, her face was cold and emotionless. "What are you suggesting?"
"That you have been brainwashed or forced into assisting Gearbox and his organization Vectress into brainwashing your fans"
Andromeda cocked her head to one side. "Is that what you think?"
"Doubtful, I feel you're too strong to be forced into anything – you willingly participated in Gearbox's plan"
"Almost true" nodded Andromeda. She moved with incredible speed, she grabbed Mason by the throat and hurled him across the room into a wall. "But it's my plan, not Gearbox's"
Mason leapt to his feet and charged her, she blasted him with a burst of purple electricity that came from a snap of her fingers. "It's a solid plan – Gearbox is a pawn in the big plan…we serve a greater plan"
The doors clicked shut and Mason fell unconscious.
"I have a show to perform" Andromeda smirked. In a burst of purple she was gone…
-------------------BREAK
"Where's Mason?" exclaimed Charlie
"I haven't a clue" Morgan said as they searched for their friend. There was an explosion and Amp Vamp staggered into view at the end of the hall. "But that's way too ugly to be him"
They moved with cyborg speed at the monster and slashed Amp Vamp as Sean and Warren came to their aid. Amp Vamp fell against a wall. "Hey come on!" he grumbled. "I'm just trying to make a living"
"Get a new career" Morgan snorted. The trio raised their Binary Blasters. The energy charged up and Amp Vamp tried to run…the wave of power hit him and in a flash all that remained were black and white spots floating in the air, encircled by swirling green light.
"Nicely done gang" Warren grinned. "Where's Mason?"
"He went to see Andromeda" Charlie replied. "He said something about the music not being laced with the messages". Her helmet retratcted. "Is it possible Andromeda is doing it herself?"
-----------------BREAK
Mason opened his eyes, he teleported into the hallway and headed straight up the stairs. He spoke into his optical array. "I'm on staircase 14…we must stop the show, Andromeda seems to be a cyborg!"
"Impossible, she's been scanned for cybernetics" Warren dismissed. "Several times"
"A robotic duplicate?" ventured Sean.
The music started playing…the screens flashed images of Andromeda…then Gearbox…Zorion…Jackslot…the rangers…Mechons… Andromeda…Zorion…Mechons…Gearbox…Jackslot… No there were no hidden commands there…
Mason looked at the flickering platform. The Song-5TR355 robots were voguing as they teleported in. The colourful lights beat across the floating stage – in the centre a platform rose and Andromeda appeared, she was dressed in a sleek black body suit covered with streamlined purple armour. A thin visor crossed her eyes and she had her hair held up with a complex network of pins.
"Hey boys and girls" she said into the microphone down by her mouth from the ear of her headset. "Are you ready for Andromeda Irons? Give it up!"
I hear you calling out
Cross the Galaxy
I got your message
Loud and Clear
So hang on now that I'm so near
Things gone crazy all around
There's gotta be an answer to be found
The furture's bleak – let's make it bright
Listen up you know that I'm ri-i-i-ight
It was her voice. "It's her voice! Somehow her voice is emitting sonic signals of subliminal messages!" Mason exclaimed.
"That's impossible" Sean said.
"And yet blue boy's right, she's broadcastingt he signals, our scanner earpieces are filtering them!" Morgan said. "Let's go!"
This one's for all you Tron's out there
This goes out to you Tron's everywhere
It's time to power up and be amalgamated
These organic flaws must be eradicated
Once and for all
The humans fall
Just join me and be freeeeeeeeeee
Mason launched himself onto her platform. "Cyber Systems! Online!" he exclaimed, morphing as he landed. "This ends Andromeda" he said.
Andromeda's platform crackled with electricity and she rose into the air. "You're a cyborg blue ranger, can't you see that you'll never be free unless the humans are stopped?"
"War does not bring peace!" exclaimed Mason. Andromeda held up the microphone rod she held and shook her head. "You're under arrest Andromeda Irons for anti-human actions, attempted brainwashing, aiding and abetting wanted felons-"
Andromeda gave an elegant, musical laugh. "You want in on this number?" she smiled. "Then better dance to the beat!"
Her platform shot into the air as she continued to sing. Blasts of lightening shot down in all directions. Mason rolled forwards to avoid the first rainstorm of them, then he flipped backwards to avoid the next and powered up his Cyber Staff.
The Songstress Drones attacked, their pirouette kicks, elegant punches, cartwheels and chops were perfect dances. Mason blocked them and swung his staff.
The Songstress' flew backwards and crashed into the go-go cages floating between the hover-vid-screens and floating dance stage – Sean fired his blaster from a balcony and took out two drones in one shot. Mason looked up to see the other rangers leaping down to his aid.
"Thought you might need some help" Charlie said.
"Man, are all the pretty one's cyborgs?" Warren groaned.
The Songstress' in the gogo cages appeared on the dance stage, the floor panels flickered and randomly spat out light energy bursts.
"We need to get up to Andromeda!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Can you teleport to her Mason?" Sean suggested
"Her body is generating electrostatic interference – I cannot stabilized my tele-targetting on her" Mason replied as he swung a Songstress into another and let them dismantle into nuts and bolts.
Charlie spun and kicked one off the stage. She narrowly avoided the energy pulse that detonated in the air beside her. "Ah! Okay what do we do then?"
"I have an idea!" Mason said – he leapt off the stage onto the nearest vid screen and pulled a lever on the side, it shot upwards, he kicked off it and grabbed the railing of Andromeda's platform.
"This is my solo Blue Ranger…BACK OFF" Andromeda punched at him, he twisted aside and swung his body around the platform and into her body, She cried out as she was knocked off.
Andromeda spun in the air and landed on her feet. "Fine, we'll do this your way" she muttered. "All eyes on me, this is a really good dance number"
She swiped the tip of her rod microphone through the air, the sonic waves blasted the rangers back. Morgan vanished.
"I'll find you pink ranger" warned Andromeda. Her scanners bleeped – the pink fist collided with her face at that very second.
Andromeda staggered back and blinked in surprise. She retracted her visor and unleashed a wave of lightening at the Rangers. Sean deflected it into a wall and attacked.
Andromeda moved like a samurai and swung her microphone, the blade slid out of the cane like sheathing. She slashed Morgan and Sean away and blocked Charlie's stabs. "I'm going to give you all a soulful FINAL BOW"
"Please do you suck at singing" Charlie grunted, she pulled back and let Morgan and Warren swing their staff and axe respectively. Andromeda blocked and sent a wave of power into the boys, they collapsed.
"You can't take me" Andromeda smirked as her body crackled thin forks of lightening. "I'm too strong!"
"Perhaps" mused mason as he spun his staff swiftly into a blitzkrieg of movement. "Perhaps…NOT" he landed a strike to her stomach and she fell backwards, rolling to her feet she attacked with a ballet spin. Mason blocked and knocked her back. The Rangers attacked together.
Andromeda screamed in rage as she was hit with the attacks.
"Put the weapons together!" declared Warren. They aimed their joint weapon…when there was applause.
"Lady and gentlemen…my special guests for the night…The CPU RANGERS!" Andromeda exclaimed. She winked at the confused quintet. "I'll deal with you all later" she threatened. In a burst of purple lightening and sparks she was gone.
"We missed her!" exclaimed Sean.
"Maybe – but the people here seem to be unaffected by her subliminal messages, the full message was not received" Mason summed up. He touched his neck and retracted his helmet.
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The technopathic-telepathic waves hit Gearbox, Jackslot and Zorion in the head. "I am MOST displeased, you three did not help Andromeda to succeed as I told you to…" she walked across the room. "Consider your failure and punishment while I see to that failure Amp Vamp - Viral Reboot Signal - Engaged"
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"Rangers?" Commander Benson's voice came over the communicators, faint and distant.
"Yes commander?" Sean asked.
"We've been trying to reach you for over an hour…" the commander exclaimed. "Someone was jamming our signals"
"We'll explain later" Morgan muttered.
There was the sound of a siren in the background. "Monster attack!" Dr Fairchild cut in. "That oversized loudspeaker's just popped up like a daisy" she said. "Zords on the way" she added.
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The CPU megazord punched the monster in the face as it took a swipe at a building. "YOU AGAIN!" Amp Vamp snarled.
"Yup, us again" Warren smiled. "Now – what's on the menu today?"
"YOU'RE DESTRUCTION" bellowed Amp Vamp. "FOR VECTRESS!" the monster rushed forwards wielding two enormous microphones
"Yeah whatever" Charlie sighed. The Zord's hands grasped the clubs and a kick knocked it backwards. Amp Vamp yowled.
"Jet Strike Mode - activated" Mason said.
"I like the sound of that" Warren smiled. The thrusters on the Zord's back glowed and unleashed a spurt of blue fire. There was a flash and it sped forwards down a blue vortex.
Amp Vamp was struck buy the blue comet, the glowing blue streak sped at him from all sides over and over again…then it swooped and scooped up the monster. It sped into the air…and threw Amp Vamp down.
The Zords slammed through Amp Vamp in the form of an avalanche of blue electricity. Amp Vamp hung in the air for a moment…seconds later he exploded into a cloud of black and white dots.
"This tune is getting old!" Warren declared.
"Lame" snorted Charlie.
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"Andromeda Irons' concert was a success" Dr Fairchild said. "Charitable donations were made and brainwashing was at an all time low of 0"
"When can we arrest her?" Charlie said as they sat in the briefing room. The Commander shook his head.
"We can't there's no proof to convict her with – everyone thinks it was part of the show" Benson explained. He sighed. "The Directorate will not sanction a warrant until we can prove that the totally human Andromeda Irons is in league with Vectress – not only that but we need to prove she's got cybernetics that allow her to use thos powers"
Sean growled. "So she gets out of it!"
There was silence in the room, a grim realization that they'd been outsmarted in the end.
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The generals writhed on the ground in pain as the psycho-techno-kinetic waves pulsated through their circuits and brains. "I am quite displeased" Vectress said. "We could have had humans turning on humans, cyborgs and robots dedicating themselves to us and a platinum record on the wall in the Den…instead we have nothing" the pain increased. "I am…miffed"
The doors across the room hissed open and Andromeda entered in her purple costume. "My lady" she said, advancing like a model on a catwalk. "I apologize for my failure – I had expected more back up though."
"Yes…well…perhaps you will succeed next time" Vectress mused. The energy wave hit Andromeda in the mind. "Still – better to learn now"
TO BE CONTINUED…
Review please – if you want to see anything in particular don't hesitate to ask, mainly I want theories and help in making this better, this chapter dragged on and I apologize for it. I'm still working on getting the personalities out, I'd like to hear about any favourite lines, characters or moments you saw.
It'd cheer me up.
Reviews help me fix problems, flames just bore me.