Authors' note: Man…..sorry we didn't update in March at all. Both have been busy with school (Jer's case) and work (Katie's case). Soooooo, to keep you all from waiting…..
Chapter 9: Wasteland
1Conner's hand was wrapped firmly around Trent's collar, his hand reared back, the bile trying to escape his clenched teeth; it all felt so oddly familiar. But his hand didn't make contact with the other boy's jaw. No, the other boy caught it and held him back. And he wasn't really much of a boy at this moment. He was a monster.
"Damnit, Trent!" Conner felt powerless. Why was he so good at restraining himself? Why wouldn't he just turn it loose?
Ethan was obviously uncomfortable. One of his hands was wrapped firmly around Kira's body while her tears stained his shirt. The other hand was clutching a device. "Guys." He tried to speak with some authority. They heard but didn't look. "We have to go. Now."
"No! I'm not going anywhere again with this bastard." Trent was stone-faced to Conner's words. This was to be expected.
Chuubo and Kapri were knelt before the body of Sensei as it grew colder and colder. Lothor was in shock at how truly brutal a group of teenagers - whose coming together was supposed to be the sign of better days - truly could be. And Marah? Marah was having second thoughts. Zurgane seemed to be the source of this dueling ninja academies scenario but did he truly deserve death? He was never one to be cruel towards her when they were back on the spaceship. She looked over at the other body. Female. Decapitated. The frozen, dead eyes were so different from the once cool, hypnotically chocolate ones that belonged to Dustin that would make her body tingle even when he was yelling at her. This was his fault.
The Thunder Rangers, along with Shane and Tori, said nothing. What could they have said anyway? Dustin's actions were harsh but none of them could deny the reasoning behind them. None of them could truthfully say that they wouldn't have done the same if put in Dustin's position. The way of the ninja is etched with the blood of the fallen enemy. Kill or be killed.
"Conner," Trent's tone was cold and calculated. "Let go of me." Conner complied seemingly in a hypnotic haze. "You heard Ethan. Saving the timeline is more important right now. If you want, I'll let you try to hit me again later."
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That was already an hour ago. Every hug between the two ranger teams was an uneasy one. The respect and admiration was there between them but for the time travelers so was the sickly taint of spilled blood. Trent merely stood by and nodded with a hint of care towards Shane who returned the gesture with a respectable nod of his own.
Even as they stepped through the portal that appeared after Ethan tinkered with the
device, Conner couldn't help but stare back at what they were leaving behind. A team
united but surrounded by death. More death than was there when they had arrived. Was it worth it? Had they done more harm than good?
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"Turtle Cove?" Kira questioned as she brushed a fine layer of dirt from the white and blue sign. "I think I went there once when I was younger with my family but I didn't know it even existed anymore. How far back did we go this time?"
"Just one year again. 2002."
"Ethan, we should review the history of whatever rangers are supposed to be in this time." Trent spoke with a matter-of-fact tone. "I don't want to make the same mistake that we did last time. We can't fool around sightseeing again."
Kira bit her lip. She wanted to say something. She wanted to jump in his face once again and ask him what he thought gave him the right to make any decisions. She wanted to hit him and punch him and kick him and hurt him. She wanted to. But she couldn't. Not again. Not now. Maybe not ever.
"Yeah, I think you're right." It was Conner. He addressed Trent's concerns but not directly. Every declaration that Trent made wounded Conner's pride just a little more. "We need to find the rangers of this era right away. It's best if we know what they look like." Ethan nodded in agreement with Conner.
Trent had noticed Kira's inability to meet his gaze every since he dealt the final blow. "Kira, I don't want to fight with you." Trent tried placing his hand on her shoulder but decided against it. "I know you hate me for what I did back there."
Kira just shook her head and positioned herself in between Ethan and Conner; as far away from Trent as possible.
Ethan just reached into his pocket and opened the holo-dome. "Okay. Let's see what we're up against." A familiar projection of Jennifer Scotts, the Pink Time Force Ranger, standing at attention appeared in the holo-dome. She went directly into her program.
"Approximately 3,000 years ago Princess Shayla, protector of the Wild Zords and the floating island known as the Animaria, was sealed away by five guardians chosen to protect her. An army of orgs attacked the land, led by Master Org. The guardians managed to seal him away. Presently, in the year 1981, three scientists discovered the remains of Master Org. On of the scientists, Dr. Adler, grew jealous of the relationship between his two partners. In an act of rage he swallowed the remains of Master Org, giving him the power to kill the other two scientists. He then assumed the mantle of Master Org."
"He swallowed the remains?" Conner was taken aback. "Does that mean that the doctor ate... ew, gross. I think I'm gonna be sick" He shuddered.
"No, look," Trent gestured to the projection. "They're some sort of beans."
Jen continued. "Twenty years after those events - upon the reawakening of the orgs and Princess Shayla on the Animarium - five young people were chosen to be the new guardians of the Earth. Taylor Earhardt, the Soaring Eagle joined first and over the course of a year she was joined by Danny Delgado, the Iron Bison, Alyssa Enrile, the Noble Tiger and Max Cooper, the Surging Shark. When Cole Evans, a boy who had spent his entire life growing up in the jungle, joined the team as the Blazing Lion there finally was a leader for the group and the Power Rangers Wild Force were born."
"They look weak and pathetic crawling on the ground with those primitive claws," Trent murmured, crossing his arms along his chest.
"I don't know," Conner peered closer. "That blonde chick? Taylor? She looks feisty."
"Ew," Kira shook her head in disgust. "I'll never understand men."
"Master Org awoke the legendary wolf warrior, Zen-Aku to defeat the Rangers and he was almost successful. However, Princess Shayla realized that Zen-Aku was actually Merrick Baliton, the sixth guardian from 3,000 years ago. Merrick had used the evil Zen-Aku mask to defeat the forces of Master Org but he paid a heavy price as the mask took control of him. The other five guardians were left with no choice but to seal him away. In the present day the rangers managed to free Merrick who would later join them as the Lunar Wolf Ranger."
Kira scuffed as the recording. "Can't we ever find a team of rangers without an evil member?" Trent didn't meet her eyes.
"During the final battle with Master Org the Rangers unleashed the full power of the one hundred Wild Zords. With that they finally put an end to Master Org's forces and the rangers returned their powers to Princess Shayla who left on the Animarium; continuing to watch over the Earth in case the need for the Wild Force Rangers should ever arise again."
"Hmmm..." Ethan began to fidget with the controls.
"What wrong?" Kira peered over his shoulder.
"Usually Jen says the recording is over but the system is idle as if there is more to the story. I'm trying to access the files," Ethan scrolled through the different buttons. "Here. It's some sort of sidebar."
"As the Red Wild Force Ranger, Cole was recruited for a special mission to quell a possible uprising from an old threat that had appeared on the moon: The Machine Empire."
"Machine Empire?" Ethan gulped. "They're part of Zordon's forces too. Most of them went off world to conquer other galaxies but I've seen some of those creepy Cog robots patrolling the skies in funky octopus-looking planes."
Trent nodded knowingly to himself. Seeing as how it was his job to be seen and not heard he wasn't privy to too much secret information while he was working for his father. He was the hitman. But he had heard musings from Mesogog that the other members of the United Alliance of Evil were sent across the world to expand Zordon's empire. Some say it was because of their constant petty bickering among one another and other say it was because Zordon didn't want them to have a chance to try to band together and overthrow him. Still, a few reminders of their existence remained on Earth. Cogs were still produced in Zordon's factories to perform simple tasks and to act as a strong force of manual labor.
"Ten Red Rangers from the past gathered to finally defeat the remains of the Machine Empire. The team was led by Jason Lee Scott, the original Mighty Morphin' Red Ranger and Tommy Oliver, the Red ZEO Ranger. End of file."
"Tommy Oliver?" Conner's eyes widened. Kira and Ethan followed suit. "Doctor Thomas Oliver."
Ethan verbally put two and two together. "We definitely need to find these Wild Force Rangers. Maybe this version of Cole has also met Dr. Oliver and he can help us find him."
Seemingly not phased, Trent left the others behind and began marching along the side of the road in the decayed city. The other rangers shrugged and followed closely behind, hoping that the information they had learned had helped Trent formulate a lead.
"Trent," Conner questioned after a minute. "Where exactly are you going anyway? We don't even know our way around this city. Is there something that you're not telling us that we need to know?"
"You answered your first question on your own," the boy didn't turn around. "We need to get our bearings and figure out who and what we can trust around here. We know what these rangers look like but we don't know how to get to this Animarium place. Recon is paramount right now. And no, I don't know this area any better than you do so keep your eyes open at all times."
Kira likened the remains of Turtle Cove to Reefside. Structurally, it was about the same. The same moderately large city that had seen better days. The buildings were dilapidated. That is to say, most of them were. Seemingly only certain structures were maintained properly. Kira took a mental survey she wasn't pleased with the results. The buildings that stood strong were covered in razor wire and reenforced fencing. But a local grocery store and clinic were both showing signs of collapse. The paved roads were covered in linear dirt tracks. "Tank treads," she whispered to herself; an all too familiar sign from her home. They walked for ten minutes and still no signs of life. It was as if the place was under martial law. Kira's hair brushed in her eyes. She was hit with a cool chill. Was the wind picking up?
"Get down," Trent was firm but not loud as he cautiously pulled the others behind the buildings in a nearby alley. Planes were buzzing overhead, their engines getting increasingly deafening. They were sleek and gray. Judging by the size of their afterburners they were most likely suitable for space travel, Trent noted. The air was sucked up behind them as a shadow trailing close by started to cover the teenagers. Ethan started to question if it was some sort of an eclipse but before he could get his words out his point was already made moot. The shadow was cast by an even larger vessel that landed nearby. It's massive circular structure faded in and out between being a tangible object and a green grid.
Trent grinned. "The Dark Fortress. They only bring that ship out when something major is going down. Looks like that's where we'll get some answers." Once again, he took the lead with the other following on his heels. This time, however, Conner quickly ran forward and slapped his hand on Trent's shoulder.
"Trent. The rest of us have no idea what you're talking about. What's the Dark Fortress? You need to stop making decisions for us." The shorter boy spun around.
"Well someone needs to do it and none of you seem to be thinking with a clear head. You're too busy looking at these worlds and for what? They won't even exist if we actually get our job done."
Conner spit back with venom. "We're just being cautious!"
"No," Trent brushed him aside. "You're just being sentimental and that crap could end up costing all of us our lives."
"Since when did you care about whether people lived or died, Trent? You kill someone and then think you have the right to say that? You're a hypocrite," Kira shouted from behind both of them. They paused and she marched forward, bring forth whatever courage she could muster.
He held up his hands. "I'm not going to go over this again with you Kira. I did what I felt had to be done. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it wasn't. I'm only human."
She looked deep into his eyes for a brief moment and then walked passed him. "Only human? Sometimes I wonder..."
Trent stood still. Ethan and Conner both shrugged and walked by; following Kira. Trent trailed behind, dejected. He couldn't help it. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't get a thrill from killing Zurgane. By all accounts, he didn't deserve any better. By driving a wedge through the Ninja Storm Rangers for his own desires he put the rest of the world in danger. But still... no. Trent couldn't think about that. He had to follow through with his word and stay focused. Looking forward he could see an entourage marching into the large ship that had landed. They were mostly clusters of identically dressed groups of foot soldiers. One seemed to stand out from the rest. The others noticed as well.
Trent piped up. "Hey. Isn't that...?"
She was wearing a green flight suit. Her voice bellowed out orders. "Squadrons A through J, march forward. Your squad leaders should have the proper orders assigning you to the Animarium Invasion Fleet!" Her blond hair was neatly tied in an efficient ponytail.
Conner watched her intently. There was a ting in his throat as his mind processed her words. "That's Taylor. That's the Yellow Wild Force Ranger. But Animarium Invasion Fleet?"
She peered around, surveying the surrounding area and receiving print outs from the lead man in each cluster. After a quick glance at each sheet she nodded and the group would then proceed to march onto the ship.
"We have to follow her," Trent held back and let Conner call out what they were both thinking. "She might lead us to the other rangers along with the Animarium."
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He watched the four teenagers nod to each other. Honestly, they had peeked his interest from the moment they arrived. It's not every day that you see a portal open up and have four kids tumble out of it. Saying that they clearly weren't from the area was an understatement. Their clothes were in good condition and none of them seemed to have the org symbol that was typically branded on everyone's neck in the area. Outside of himself, they were the first people he had seen like that since he got to Turtle Cove.
Oddly enough, the girl mentioned that she had been to the town before. So just who were they and why were they sneaking on the ship? What business could they have on the Animarium? It didn't really matter right now. He was going there as well and had his own business to attend to on the Dark Fortress. There was no time to lose. He made his movements with quickness and precision. Even Commander Earhardt didn't seem to detect him.
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The main bay of the bottom floor on the ship was pretty much an open hanger. The four teens had stuck to the side wall and found refuge behind some blue and white crates, each plastered with the NASADA logo.
"Okay," Conner whispered. "We stick together this time. We can't get split up like before." Everyone nodded in agreement. The ship was painted in dark ebony and gray hues with large, sprawling, slanted walls that gave off an ominous vibe, as Ethan noted to himself. The rangers stuck behind the cover as they snuck down a side corridor to the main hall which led to an unoccupied overhang where they could better survey the area. One thing was for sure, despite their insistence on remaining as stealthy as possible, the sound on the ship was at a constant fever pitch. There were slews of foot soldiers; most of which Trent had to identify to the others: Putty Patrollers - both the originals formed from clay and the lighter-colored, stronger variety with a distinct Z-mark on their chests, more Cogs, Piranatrons, Putrids and even Chromites.
The most unsettling thing to them was that while these foot soldiers couldn't really be classified as the living, they were not along. Amongst them was the occasional squadron of humans. Conner wanted to believe that they were being forced, or at the very least, tricked into following Zordon's orders. They wore a standard combat uniform consisting of streamlined black suits with thick gloves and boots and gray vests along with matching helmets. Each man carried a large blaster rifle. Something heavy was definitely going down on the Animarium.
"We need to find a way to move around undetected," Ethan noted. "As it is we stick out and someone is bound to see us."
"We should find some of those uniforms," Conner decided while scanning the area.
"Great," Trent perked up, hoping to unload some of his frustration with Kira on a few random soldiers as he cracked his knuckles. Kira grabbed Trent by the arm and pulled him back.
"No." She spoke simply and sternly.
"Trent?" Ethan gestured to a nearby door. The sign on the door read, 'EQUIPMENT.' Conner was already inside. Extra uniforms were hanging from racks in the room. Boots and helmets were on the top shelf. Ethan lamented that there weren't any extra guns and Trent winced with disappointment. They quickly put the uniforms on over their own clothes. Kira's looked huge on her.
"Just act natural," Conner murmured. "Don't do anything suspicious and we won't look suspicious." They only had a chance to take a few steps down the hallway before the whole ship began to shake momentarily, sending Kira and Ethan to the ground.
"Looks like we took off," Trent said as Conner helped the rest of the group get up. "No turning back from here." The DinoThunder Rangers were on edge as they continued down the corridors. They heard something that sounded like an announcement from the dull roar of a speaker coming from a room just around the corner. They peered inside. About a dozen or so of the human soldiers were sitting inside a break room. Some were sipping coffee and watching three large flatscreen monitors, all of which were displaying the same video.
The video opened with a huge explosion and a close up of a wounded, human soldier. He was clutching at his leg. Four shadows appeared above him. Red, Blue, White and Black. Conner bit his lip. They were the suits of the other four Wild Force Rangers. The voices that came from them were metallic and lifeless as they threatened the wounded soldier; saying they were going to torture him before they finally killed him. The Red Ranger drew forward his Crystal Saber and brought it down on the soldier. Just before the image of blade piercing skin could be seen, the video faded and the somber music that had been playing changed to that of the National Anthem. The United States of America's flag waved proudly, side by side with another flag that beared the same emblem of the United Alliance of Evil that Trent knew so well.
An army of monsters charged and pushed back the four Wild Force Rangers just in time. No, they weren't just regular monsters. Each of them had a horn on their head. "Charge men! For peace and unity! For Zordon! For America!" The voice was deep and throaty, forcing it's friendly tone out. The commander of the army wore a light tan robe and had a horn of his own. Master Org. "These Power Rangers," his speech had just begun. "They want to keep the Animarium for themselves. They destroy our Earth and rob it of its natural beauty so that they can be the only ones with its pure resources. They want to sell them to us at a profit to themselves. We can't let them win. We won't be their slaves!"
The teens shook their heads in disgust while the video ended with Master Org pumping his fist in the air. A few cheers rose up from the soldiers in the room. Conner backed out of the room, pushing the others along.
"They're planning to attack the Wild Force Rangers," Kira whispered.
"Did you notice?" Ethan added. The others nodded, knowingly. "Taylor wasn't in that scene. I don't like the looks of this."
"We need to get to them before these guys do," Conner said, gesturing to the room they had just come from. "This ship is going to the Animarium. Once we land we have to get ahead of them and warn the rangers... ow!"
A large, hulking figure plowed forward, knocking Conner to the side. He either didn't notice or didn't care that he ran into someone. His body was covered in sharp, black armor. He mumbled loudly to himself as he passed them by.
"Must find the Black Ranger! Must kill the Black Ranger!"
"Who the hell was that?" Trent spoke softly and slightly excited.
"So how are we going to beat a friggin' army?" Ethan questioned. "We don't know where to look once we get there and we have to find Cole first and see if he knows anything about this Dr. Tommy Oliver or if they can help figure out where the tear in the fabric of time originated."
"Tommy Oliver?" a low voice pursed behind them. "Now there is a name that I didn't think I'd ever hear again." They froze. Ethan gulped. They all slowly turned. In the middle of the hallway stood a man completely shrouded in a stark black cloak.
Trent spoke the obvious while assuming a fighting stance. He had met enough mystery men already and wasn't going to chance it again. "Who are you?"
"Don't worry," the man reached up to his hood. "I think that we're all on the same page here. I mean you no harm. But if you want to get to the Wild Force Rangers quickly, I can take you to them." He pulled the hood off to reveal his features. His hair was also black. It was short and neatly cut, contrasting the day old stubble on his face.
"My name is Adam. Adam Park. Now, what do you want to know about Tommy Oliver?"
To be continued...
