Power Rangers: Dark Future
Previously on Power Rangers: In Space:
Dark Specter finished absorbing Zordon's powers and quickly snapped into action. In a swift blow, several planets fell under the powers of Dark Specter and his minions, even the Power Rangers couldn't stand up to their powers and had to retreat with the rebels back to a secret base on KO-35 where they continue their struggle against Dark Specter and his minions.
The city was in shambles. A line of nearly one hundred human prisoners, all shackled together, walked the lonely streets, carrying machinery pieces to a great edifice in the center of the once prosperous town called Angel Grove. One hundred people were all that were left, the others were either killed or deported off to another city to help make similar machines of destruction for the "almighty" Dark Specter.
What was the start of all this? When did the whole world go to hell? A decade? Two? A year? Could it truly have only been a year? Their days were so packed with pain, with starvation, that they only concentrated on getting to the next meal alive. Some were luckier than others, although some would say that they were all lucky to be alive. But not here, not in this hell.
They would reach the gauntlet soon. The gauntlet consisted of sixteen Quantrons, eight on either side, they would whip anyone and everyone to 'motivate' them, if you happened to fall then you would die.
One man shifted the box he was holding when he felt it slipping. Some poor soul in front of him dropped his machinery and was instantly vaporized, his machinery was caught in the blast, thankfully. Usually if something like this happened, the person behind the unfortunate (or perhaps he was fortunate) soul would have to carry his weight too.
This was an unfortunate event, but the others couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief for once something like this happened it would take a few minutes for the Quantrons to remove the man's shackles and reconnect everyone. They couldn't sit down, they couldn't put down the weight, but it is the closest thing to rest they'll get before it was time to sleep.
The snapping of whips and the cracking of skin was abruptly stopped as the quantrons craned their necks up to see four laser blasts streak through the sky and make contact with the ground, two on either side of the caravan of slaves going towards the battleship stationed in the center of the city. The shots knocked all the Quantrons down to the ground, eliminating only a few.
Four Space Rangers came in on their Galaxy Gliders, red, silver, blue and yellow.
"Ashley, T.J., destroy the battleship, we'll handle things out here!" the red ranger, the man known as Andros ordered. They nodded and flew ahead while the red ranger and the silver ranger, the man known as Zhane, flipped off their Gliders and attacked Astronema's mindless henchmen.
"Andros, we have a problem," Zhane said as Ecliptor, Astronema's mentor and second in command. Zhane summoned his Super Silverizer and countered Ecliptor's attacks.
"I'll be there in a minute!" the red ranger called, searching among the Quantrons for the keys to the shackles.
"Andros, what are you doing?" Zhane asked, failing to block one of Ecliptor's attacks and falling to the ground.
"What are you doing?" one of the prisoners said as Andros unshackled him.
"You know what to do, we can greatly use your help," Andros replied, jumping into battle to help his best friend.
The red space ranger leaped in, slashing Ecliptor in the back with his Spiral Saber, a dirty tactic that he didn't particularly care for. His enemy turned around and initiated a sword duel with his enemy. Ecliptor got the best of the red ranger, slashing him across his enemy's chest and knocking him several feet back. Zhane joined him shortly and blasted several shots from his Super Silverizer, Ecliptor was temporarily phased and out of commission, but not for long.
"We need help, call the other rangers!" Zhane said.
"We don't need them, just look!" Andros pointed to the man he had unshackled.
His arms were together in a cross and something was attached to both his wrists. Soon he cried out: "Zeo Ranger Five, Red!" after he shouted this, he put his arms in an X across his chest and returned them to his side.
"You found Zeo Ranger Five!" Zhane said in disbelief.
"Who are you?" Ecliptor said, turning to face the new red ranger.
"Your worst nightmare!" he ran forward, drawing his Zeo Sword from its holster at his side and slashed Ecliptor's chest as he jumped over his head. They both faced each other, the red Zeo Ranger drew his pistol and fired several shots a Ecliptor. He holstered both his sword and pistol. "Zeo Five Battle Sword, power up!" he brought this new sword in front of him, some would think that they saw a fire encompassing him. He slashed forward with his weapon, Ecliptor raised his sword. The ensuing clash of their weapons broke Ecliptor's sword and creating a smoldering cut, a scare, on Ecliptor's chest.
"You have not seen the end of me!" and he was gone, for now.
The sound of several explosions caught their attention. They all looked towards the spacecraft that most of them had worked long and hard to help build. The blue and yellow rangers emerged from the holding bay, a fiery explosion following them. Soon the entire craft was erupted in flames, shrapnel flying in all directions.
"Hey, uh.. Ashley, who does that look like to you?" T.J. pointed to the second red ranger.
"Is that... Tommy Oliver?"
Andros had told him everything. About Zordon, about Astronema and about Dark Specter. It was all pretty hard to swallow but he needed to be briefed on everything that was happening. An hour had gone by and he had already shaved and bathed, his long, matted hair and beard was now a thing of the past.
"And what about the rebels from your home planet?" Tommy asked.
"They continue to live in secret on KO-35. They have been able to create only two other Astro Megaships from their shipyards and that isn't enough for Dark Specter's growing Armada."
"Hey, Andros is it true about Tom—" a familiar voice said coming into the bridge, cutting off his thought once he saw the man in front of him.
"Adam? Is that you? Oh, man is good to see you!" Tommy said, firmly grasping his friend's hand. The door opened again and four more entered. "Kat? Kim? Jason and Zack?" Tommy said..
"We heard you were here, so we came to see if the rumor was true," Jason said, slapping the shoulder of his old friend.
"Well thanks, do you all—"
"Have our powers? Yep!" Kim said.
"But how did you all get your coins back?"
"I kept mine and gave it back to Zack once we liberated him from Switzerland," Adam explained.
"I gave mine back to Kim, once we found her," Kat explained.
"Rocky and I happened to be in the same city at the time of the invasion. He found me and gave me back the coin," Jason explained.
"Where is Rocky, is he here?" Tommy asked.
"No, I am afraid he is no longer with us," Trey of Triforia, the Gold Ranger, entered the room.
"Trey? Wh... what happened?"
"Rocky planed an uprising, we morphed and attacked but there was too much for two rangers to handle," Jason started.
"I was aboard the Astro Megaship at the time and noticed them in trouble. I was the only ranger back from his rounds so I left to help them, only, I arrived too late to save the valiant blue ranger," Trey completed.
They all fell into a solemn silence, paying their respects to their lost comrades. Finally Tommy spoke up: "What about Aquatar, and Tanya, or Aisha or Trini?"
"Tanya and Aisha no longer have their powers, and Trini was killed in a car crash a few years ago," Adam said.
"Where are they now?"
"They are safely on KO-35, with all the other Earthlings that we have saved over the past year," Zhane explained, arriving with the other space rangers. "Aquatar, though, that is a different story. Aquatar was hit hardest, fastest and early, we don't think that anyone survived that hell."
"Look, it is great that you are all here and all, but I think I need to get some rest. Thank you for your hospitality," he nodded towards Andros and Zhane.
"I'll show you to your quarters," Andros said, leading him out of the bridge, "Your room will also have your uniform," Andros continued as the door shut behind them.