POWER
RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA
YEAR TWO
"ESCAPE, 1"
The tavern on Onyx was dark and smoky, just like always. Many things in this galaxy changed over decades, but not this place. It was still a den, a hive for the wicked, the heartless, and the scoundrels of the universe who came far and wide to seek its comfort, or lack thereof.
'More like a cesspool,' Peltor thought to himself.
He had been there for two months, waiting. Peltor waited for word, for a message, for something so that he could make his move. The auctions on Onyx were still popular, at least to veterans of universal warfare. Unique items would usually find their way to this tavern, where beings like him would buy them for a hefty price and then gladly re-sell them for even higher.
His latest partner in merchandising was the Troobian Empire, but it had been a while since he had heard from his contact, Broodwing. Word had spread that Gruumm had been defeated, but Peltor knew it to be merely speculation. For he and his associates had received word just a few short days ago that while Gruumm had been taken in, Broodwing was still free.
After securing the leadership of the Troobian Empire for himself, Broodwing was looking for some special items to help build his arsenal. Peltor was going to help him find them.
From the second floor of the Onyx tavern, Peltor watched the action. From the balcony, he could see everything that went on down below. He nodded slightly to a towering creature standing near the only doorway. Grivvins was his lookout. No item left the premises without him seeing. If they were ever outbid, it was Grivvins who tagged them. The transmitter would allow them to handle follow-up negotiations.
Next, Peltor looked to the bar, as a young human-looking girl served a third drink to the creature sitting there. She must be a slave, Peltor thought. Not many humans would dare set foot inside this place. Her worn & weary figure was clad only in a tight-fitting two piece cloth wrap, which left little to the imagination. Her raven-colored hair was knotted and flowed raggedly around her face. Peltor gave her an extra look. The owner's slave girls were a nice new addition, although none stayed for more than a week. This one looked surprisingly healthy. Maybe he would see her more often. The creature she served was Benthon. It was his job to scout potential buyers.
One cloaked man walked by, grazing Benthon. His senses told him that the cloaked figure was not in the market for merchandise today. He gave a negative nod to Peltor. Benthon's race could sense mood. Buyers were always hungry in anticipation. The next auction was set to begin in less than 10 minutes.
The cloaked figure sat down at a table near the doorway, where an intergalactic game of Paranwuat was being played. Peltor's gaze moved to the alien creature sitting opposite the cloaked being. He gave him a side-glance. That was Migola, the best Paranwuat player this side of Mirinoi. He was so good that no one ever noticed that he paid more attention to his surroundings than to the game. Migola was the muscle. He was there just in case an auction got out of hand. Whether Peltor needed to cause a diversion or an all-out assault, Migola was there to start it.
Peltor smiled on the second floor of the tavern, as he knew all of the pieces were in place for the auction. All he needed now was the list. As if on cue, a clawed finger tapped Peltor on the shoulder. He turned suddenly to see just what he had been waiting for.
The clawed finger belonged to the creature's strong metallic form. Its black diamond-shaped eyes stared at Peltor, saying nothing. The eleven spike-shaped protrusions on its head matched most of its body. It was all decidedly orange.
"What took you so long? Emperor Broodwing will not be happy if we miss the next auction," Peltor stated, harshly. He hardly ever used pleasantries with lower life forms and he was talking to a robot after all.
With its sword in one hand, the Orangehead Krybot extended the other and unclenched its fist to reveal a small microchip. Peltor grunted happily and took the microchip, inserting it into a palm-sized computer database that he always brought to the auctions. Soon, he was gazing upon a wondrous sight. The long silver blade extended from its base, which was shaped like the head of a Syrian.
"The Shadow Saber." Peltor tried to whisper. "How did this find its way to Onyx?"
He looked back at the Orangehead. The two shared a long stare for a few moments, before the robot's dark, angry tone was heard.
"Broodwing does not know or care. It is here and my Emperor wants it, as a final slap in the face to Gruumm, since it is something the former emperor could never obtain," the Orangehead spoke, its words cold and calculated.
"Broodwing is bold. I think I'm going to like having the middle man in charge," Peltor spoke.
Then, the sound of increased chatter below caught Peltor's attention. He turned to look back at the crowd, which was beginning to gather near the auction block. The auctioneer was making his way to the stage. He acted as if he were the most powerful man in the room, accepting handshakes, whispers, and even the occasional slip of galactic credits to speed up a bid or two for some eager buyers. He was small, compared to most in the room, but he never showed his fear. He knew more than others that an angry buyer could snap at any moment, if they lost a bid. His predecessor was destroyed just yesterday for ending an auction too early. This one, too, was going to end quickly, he thought.
He took to the stage and cleared his throat.
"Monsters, mutants, miscreants, it is almost time for this hour's auction to begin and believe me when I say that this is one you will not want to miss," the auctioneer said, with a swagger in his tone. He gave a toothy grin, through his pale blue skin. His spectacled eyes gazed out over the crowd, looking at all the buyers beginning to gather. He even nodded to Peltor, standing above them all, on the second floor balcony.
'So, it is here,' Peltor thought to himself. While the auctioneer was not on his payroll, Peltor prided himself on keeping in the good graces of the auction's host. This was going to be a memorable day. With the Orangehead by his side, Peltor raised his head high. In that second, his three partners all looked to him. He lowered his head, affirmatively, letting them know the mission was afoot.
At his table, Migola had started up a new game of Paranwuat, with the cloaked stranger, who had just placed a drink order with the tavern's enslaved waitress. There was very little currency at stake. Just enough to warrant a quick outburst if Migola needed to make one. He would accuse his opponent of cheating. It wasn't unheard of here. It would be perfect.
As the final moments ticked down, the auctioneer gave another very toothy grin.
"It's time," he said. With that, a chorus of cheers was heard in the crowd before him. One lowly alien brought out the long black case and handed it to the auctioneer. A stand had already been set up on the staging area and the auctioneer was ready to unveil this prize to the masses.
"Before I show you the grandest object to ever grace this auctioneer's hand, a word of warning to you all. Anyone looking for trouble may be asked to leave. I'd prefer no interruptions and you shall all see why," the auctioneer said, slyly.
He opened the black case to reveal the favored weapon of the SPD Shadow Ranger. The Shadow Saber seemed to shine in the eyes of Peltor and all of the other potential buyers. Peltor nodded to the Orangehead at his side and smiled to himself, knowing this treasure would be worth its weight in galactic credits. Peltor was going to be a rich man. All he had to do was secure the object and get it in his possession.
Before the auctioneer could sit the Saber down on the viewing stand and take his microphone in hand, there were already shouts of bids.
"Calmly, now! Calmly! My ears aren't what they used to be," he shouted to the screamers around him.
Behind the hustle and bustle of the auction, Migola kept his eyes on Peltor and the stage. Across from him, the cloaked stranger kept his eyes on the Paranwuat game. That was just how Migola liked it.
"So, the highest bid is 27 thousand galactic credits," the auctioneer shouted loud enough that anyone in the place could hear.
Bids started to come in slower, but higher. The bidding was soon just as high as Peltor needed it to be.
"48 thousand credits," Peltor shouted from the second floor. Gasps came from every corner of the place, followed by silence on the floor below him.
"Did you say 48 thousand credits, my good monster?" the auctioneer looked for confirmation.
"That's right," Peltor said, "Now, finish the auction," he shouted.
"Well, going once. Going twice. Going...one more time. Oh, come on fellas. This is a fine piece of weaponry. It was used to bring down the Troobian Emperor Gruumm himself," the auctioneer boasted, but no one responded.
"End it!" Peltor shouted.
His three associates all had at least one eye on him, including Migola. The slave girl seemed to be the only one moving in the room at that moment. She arrived at Migola's table and served the cloaked being his drink. The cloaked figure stood and turned away from her and towards the auction block.
"50 thousand credits," he shouted. The words caused even more gasps. Peltor almost stumbled off his feet. What was this stranger doing?
"Did you say 50 thousand?" the auctioneer said, sounding shocked. "Why good sir, we haven't had a bidder yet who could produce that kind of currency. I will let this slide, since you seem to be new here. Don't buy things you can't afford. We might have to call SPD on you!"
Laughs were heard throughout the tavern. Peltor, however, was not among them. His three friends were also not laughing. The cloaked figure took a small step forward.
"Funny you should mention that," he said, loudly, right before tossing his cape away and revealing the uniform of an SPD cadet. It was red.
"SPD! This auction's over," Sky yelled, pulling out his morpher.
Peltor knew there was trouble. He had to get that Saber and get it out of here now. Luckily, the sound of SPD's appearance caused a slight commotion down below. Peltor yelled over the sea of voices below.
"Now!"
Right in front of Sky, Migola jumped up, toppling the table and catching Tate off-guard. Migola, however, was also caught off-guard when he was sent flying, pelted at the neck by a serving tray. Sky turned to see the human slave girl, a.k.a. Z Delgado, giving him a smile. He tossed her his extra blaster and she aimed right back at Migola, before he could get to his feet.
At that moment, Sky was grabbed from behind by the barfly, Benthon, who was not going to let the SPD cadet go so easily. Sky rammed him backwards into the bar, sending both men flying over the top of it.
Chaos soon ensued and alien creatures were scattering all over the place.
"Grivvins!" Peltor yelled to his door man. The tall, slender creature made his way through the crowd of aliens who were running for the exit. He had his eye on the prize.
He jumped onto the stage and reached his hand out for the black case, holding the Shadow Saber, but it was blocked and pushed away. Grivvins looked over to see the culprit was the auctioneer! With a swift kick to the midsection, Grivvins went flying. The auctioneer grabbed the case, but not before tossing his fake head into the crowd, revealing the face of Bridge Carson, SPD Blue Ranger. He smiled, as he hopped off the stage, with the case underarm, still eyeing Grivvins, who wasn't staying down.
Up on the balcony, Peltor couldn't believe what he was seeing. SPD was ruining everything. He saw the fake auctioneer head for the exit, chasing after Grivvins. He looked to the Orangehead.
"Don't just stand there. He has the saber. Do something!"
The Orangehead seemed at a loss. Peltor pushed the robot aside and aimed at the wall on the second floor, blasting it. The gaping hole brought the sunlight of Onyx indoors. Peltor began walking towards the new exit, knowing he had to stop that imposter. But just as he reached the hole in the wall, a thrust kick sent him flying outside.
He landed with a thud on the ground one-story below. He turned onto his stomach and looked back up at the gaping wound in the Onyx tavern wall. The Orangehead was staring at him. The creature flipped out of the hole and landed on top of Peltor, with its sword trained at his neck.
"You told me to do something," the Orangehead said. This time, however, the voice was different. It was lighter, softer, clearly belonging to a woman. The Orangehead's head came flying off to reveal Sydney Drew.
Peltor's plans were shattering before his eyes. It was a setup. It was all a setup, perpetrated by Space Patrol Delta. He managed to scurry out of Syd's clutches and began crawling towards an escape route. Nearby, Grivvin's was in a losing battle with Bridge, who was now using the Shadow Saber as his own.
Then, an explosion caught them all off-guard. Another wall of the tavern was blown away, this time on the ground floor. The forms of Benthon and Migola came flying out of the hole. They landed near Peltor, who tried to help them up.
"Get up! Get up! We must retreat," Peltor shouted.
But it was too late for them. Bridge slashed Grivvins with the Shadow Saber, sending him flying into the trio of monsters. The four were staggering to their feet when they saw the two imposters were now joined by the uncloaked stranger and the faux slave girl.
"You're not going anywhere," Sky yelled, as he pulled out his morpher, followed in unison by his B-Squad comrades.
Together, they all extended them forward and activated judgment mode. Within seconds, a large red "X" flashed on them all.
"Guilty!" the four shouted together. With the push of a button, the four monsters were reduced to the size of rodents inside metallic containment cards.
The four Rangers walked over to them and each retrieved a card.
"We can scratch this crew off our list of Gruumm's associates," Z said.
"Yep. That should be all of them," Sky said.
"It's finally over," Syd said, with a smile.
"Good riddance," Bridge said.
As the remaining patrons of the Onyx tavern gathered at the entrance and the two new charred exits, they watched the four walk off into the sunset, valiantly.
"Let's go home, guys," Sky said.
"I can't wait to change. Orange is not my color!" Syd said, causing giggles from her comrades.
"I just hope Cruger's not too upset when he sees us," Bridge said.
"Why would he be?" Z asked.
"Well, I didn't necessarily ask to borrow his Shadow Saber to use as bait," Bridge said.
"Bridge!" the other three all called at once.
Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger stood at the designated arrival area inside SPD's shuttle bay. With his hands firmly behind his back, he watched the shuttle land. The markings on it indicated that someone very important was inside.
The doors to the vehicle opened and Supreme Commander Fowler Birdy exited. Cruger saluted and Birdy answered with a handshake, which caught Cruger somewhat off-guard.
"Are you sure you're feeling all right, Commander?" Cruger asked, as the two began their stroll.
"What do you mean, Anubis?"
"Well, you waved the usual SPD welcome protocol. You didn't ask for all cadets to be in attendance and you just shook my hand. I'll ask again. Are you feeling all right?" Cruger said.
Birdy gave him a sideways glance.
"Maybe I'm lightening up, Cruger. It is possible, isn't it?"
"I didn't think so. The last time we spoke you weren't too happy about my choice for the new Green Ranger," Cruger explained.
"That's true. I don't like upheaval. There's been so much of it in the last year. Your choice is adding to my administrative nightmares," Birdy stated, "However, I suppose it was the logical choice to make. I must say I'm a bit surprised."
"Surprised?" Cruger wondered.
"It's not like you to go for the unfamiliar," Birdy said.
"Maybe I've changed," Cruger said.
"Maybe we all have," Birdy added.
The two continued their stroll, heading for the open grounds, outside SPD Headquarters, where a ceremony was about to take place. All of the appropriate decorations had been put together. All of the seats were in place. The guest of honor, however, was in the middle of a not-so-friendly confrontation.
"What do you mean you're not going?" he said.
"I'm not going. You can't do this," his friend said, sternly. It was a tempered anger born out of frustration.
C-Squad Cadet Darren Miller turned away from his friend, back to the mirror on his wall. His SPD dress uniform fit perfectly. Everything in his life had been a perfect fit. He had been at the top of his squad ever since he entered the SPD Academy. He led C-Squad in all their training cycles. Darren Miller was the model cadet and now he was about to become the model SPD Green Ranger. He wondered what the green uniform would look like against his dark brown skin. He smiled in the mirror.
Behind him, Quinn Gray, his best friend and fellow C-Squad cadet walked over and stared at the mirror image. Quinn & Darren were the same height and had been close for years. If they weren't of different races, they might have been mistaken for brothers.
"Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, Quinn. I'm listening. What do you want me to do? Cruger offered me the promotion. Was I supposed to say no?" Darren asked.
"I thought we were in this together, all of us. Now, you're just gonna up and leave C-Squad behind," Quinn said, angrily.
"You're my best friend. Why can't you understand this is a good thing? You act like I'm moving to Mars or something. I'm just getting a new uniform...and some awesome artillery. But, I'm still gonna be here," Darren said, putting his hand on Quinn's shoulder.
"You're also getting a new team," Quinn said, pulling away from Darren's grip. "What about Casey, Duc and Meg? We've been together since we got here."
"And you'll lead them on," Darren said, with a smile. "Besides, they're fine with it. As a matter of fact, I just talked to them before you got here. They were actually all dressed for the ceremony. You're the only one calling for a boycott. Look, Quinn. We're the best SPD has to offer. You know it and I know it. They only have one spot open for B-Squad right now, but that's not gonna be forever."
"You don't know what the future holds, Darren," Quinn said. "This is gonna change everything."
"Maybe you're right, but let's not let it tear us apart now. I don't want to do this without you, but that doesn't mean I won't," Darren said.
"Fine! Go! I don't care anymore. It's clear to me that you don't either," Quinn said, filled with anger, as he marched towards the exit to their shared room.
"Quinn, stop! Come on, man. Don't do this," Darren said, somberly.
"Just do me a favor. Have your stuff gone by the time I get back. It's about time I got used to being by myself," Quinn said, marching through the doors, which automatically closed behind him.
Darren watched him leave, hoping that he wasn't serious about that.
Like many ceremonies, one for promotion within SPD was marked by celebration. However, in recent years the tradition had stopped, due to outside circumstances.
'There wasn't time for anything like this when Gruumm was attacking,' Cruger thought to himself, as he entered the area, walking next to Birdy. They walked closer to the area, where there were at least 40 people gathered, sitting in front of a stage that had been decked out with a podium, seven chairs and a large banner that read, "Congratulations, Cadet Miller."
Cruger gave a deep sigh. Things were about to change. As they got closer, Birdy leaned over towards Cruger.
He whispered, "Are they going to make it, Anubis?"
"They'll be here," Cruger whispered back.
"I hope so. It would be quite embarrassing for us to announce a new Green Ranger without the actual Power Rangers in attendance," Birdy said. Cruger could hear that stern tone creeping back into Birdy's voice.
The two processed down the aisle that separated the two sets of seats. Passing by many cadets that he didn't know by name, Birdy nodded to the one he did recognize, seated towards the back.
"Hello, Bang," Birdy said, as he passed Cadet Boom.
"Hello, sir," Boom said, as he stood, saluted and refused to correct his Supreme Commander.
Cruger kept on his way, keeping up with Birdy. When they strolled past the fourth row, Cruger gave a loving nod to his wife, Isinia, who had agreed to sit in on the ceremony. Cruger & Birdy made their way to the stage, passing the front row. To the right of the aisle sat four seats. One of them was empty.
As Cruger & Birdy settled in on the stage, the male cadet, sitting between the two females, nodded at both of them. They leaned in closer.
"Where's B-Squad?" C-Squad Cadet Duc Sato asked. His Hong Kong roots were clearly visible in his face, which looked very worried.
"Forget B-Squad. Where's Quinn?" his fellow C-Squad cadet, Casey Parker wondered, as she looked to the empty seat on the other side of her. She shifted her small frame away from Duc to take a peek at the back of the area, looking for a glimpse of their comrade.
"He's gonna be here. He has to," Meg Thurman whispered. She rounded out C-Squad, with her bronze features and long jet-black hair.
"Knowing Quinn, he's probably trying to talk Darren out of this," Duc offered.
"Doesn't look like he listened," Casey stated, as she noticed Darren enter the area. Everyone stood from their seats, as Cadet Miller made his way to the stage.
Part of him was surprised to see five empty chairs on the stage. He knew one was reserved for him, but where were his new teammates. That mystery faded, as he passed the front row and saw the empty seat that should have been occupied by Quinn Gray. He gave his C-Squad friends a somber glance and nodded to them, before taking his seat on stage.
"I would like to officially welcome you all. It is a pleasure to be addressing Earth's SPD Headquarters and its very capable personnel. You've all been through a lot, but you came out unscathed and victorious," Birdy opened. The gathered crowd all applauded.
"It is with that same pleasure that I—"
"Stop! Wait!"
The voice from the back startled most of them. For a moment Darren thought it belonged to Quinn. His best friend had a change of heart. But, then the figure rounded the corner and Darren knew he was wrong. The figure of Sky Tate appeared, followed closely by Syd, Bridge and Z.
"We're sorry we're late. SPD business on Onyx," Sky said, as he began walking towards the stage. In single file, Bridge and Syd followed. Z wasn't too far behind when she was grabbed on the arm by Boom, who handed her an envelope.
"Z, this arrived for you a few hours ago. It's from Jack!" Boom said, keeping his voice low. Z gave him a wide smile and thanks before catching up to the others on stage.
Sky turned to face Birdy, saluting with the other B-Squad Rangers. "Again, I apologize for our tardiness, Supreme Commander."
"Understood," Birdy answered.
The four B-Squad cadets took their seats next to Cruger. Birdy continued with his opening speech. With Bridge sitting right next to him, Cruger leaned over to him.
"Once this is over, you and I need to talk, Carson, about my Shadow Saber," Cruger let out a low growl that caused Bridge's eyes to grow very wide.
High above, it had proven to be a beautiful day in Newtech City. There had been many beautiful days for Jack Landors. Since the cloud of evil that belonged to Gruumm had been dispersed, he had found true happiness. Not only was he living his dream of providing unconditional help for those in need, but he was doing it on the arm of a good woman.
They didn't have much, but they were happy. Despite Ally's wealth, she & Jack only used what they needed from her trust fund to keep them on their feet. They were living in a modest hostel, where travelers their age shared stories and memories. Jack had quite a few that he would bestow on listening ears. So did his other companion, Piggy.
From his room, Jack looked out a window and saw his Ally, talking to a group of gathered children. She was smiling. She loved kids. Jack had grown to love them too. He hoped that one day they would be blessed with their own. Then, he caught himself. Was he actually thinking about being a parent, about having a future with this woman?
"I guess it really is time," Jack said, almost surprising himself.
Then, there was a knock on the door. He opened it to see Piggy.
"You summoned me, Red? Actually, I guess I can't really call you red anymore. Sky might hunt me down," Piggy said with a laugh, as Jack grabbed his arm, pulling him inside.
"Piggy, come in here. Quick," Jack said, as he closed the door swiftly behind him.
"What's going on? Did you steal something? Hey! He's in here!" Piggy yelled in a panic, "I'm not going down for whatever you did!"
Jack put a hand over Piggy's mouth.
"Shhh! Would you shut up, before I make your lips too big for you to talk!" Jack said, in a whisper, as he waved his fist in front of Piggy's face.
"First off, I don't have lips, not really. Secondly, I was just kidding. I'd never turn you in," Piggy said, before leaning in close, "unless you cut me out of the action."
"Piggy, would you please just listen to me," Jack said.
"All right, I'm listening. Why are you being so quiet?" Piggy asked.
"Because, I don't want Ally to hear. Look, this is big. I need to know that I can trust you not to mess this up, or spill the beans," Jack said.
"You got it, pal. We can keep the girl out of the loop. Personally, I kind of like it that way," Piggy said, with a smile, nudging Jack's shoulder. Jack simply sighed.
"Piggy, I've got a surprise for Ally and I need your help to pull it off," Jack explained. "I'm taking Ally on a little vacation to Luna Province. There's this gift that I want to give her, but I don't have time to get away to pick it up before we have to leave. I wanna get there before sunset."
"All right. So, what do you need? You want me to keep her busy?" Piggy asked.
"No. I need you to pick up the gift," Jack said, as he pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket. It was a receipt. "I already called ahead and told them to look out for you. All you have to do is pick it up and get it to Luna Province before sunset."
"Sounds like an easy job," Piggy said, smugly.
"I'm serious, Piggy. This is very important. I'm counting on you," Jack said.
"All right. All right. I'll pick up your little gift and meet you at Luna Province before the sun sets. Should be no problem," Piggy assured him.
Jack handed Piggy the receipt and his jaw dropped when he saw what the item was.
"I didn't know you had this kinda cash on you, Jack," Piggy said, surprised.
"Let's just say it's gonna require some payments," Jack said, with a sigh.
"Well, it'll be in good hands, I promise. And that's not one of those promises like the ones I lied to you about when I was working for Gruumm. This is real. I mean it," Piggy stated.
For a second, Jack had second thoughts. But then, he knew that deep down Piggy had a good heart. It was the same one that saved him and his friends just a few months before. Jack wouldn't let himself worry about that. He would have enough trouble getting Ally to take a detour to Luna Province.
The main laboratory in SPD Headquarters on Earth belonged to Doctor Kat Manx and inside, she was working, constantly, these days. SPD may have won the battle, but they didn't do it without casualties and her casualties weren't like those treated by Dr. Felix in the Infirmary. The nuts and bolts of busted technology was her field of expertise and there was quite a bit of it after the final battle with the Troobian Empire.
So much so, that Kat had been forced to put a few of her special projects on the backburner indefinitely. She sighed, as she thought about that. Part of her enjoyed creating things that would excite the officers of SPD, but she knew that her job was to keep Space Patrol Delta up and running. Just then, one of her favorite upgrades trotted into the lab. Kat smiled, until she saw the mechanical canine was carrying his favorite red ball.
"RIC, don't even think about it. I'm much too busy to play right now. Why don't you run along? I'm sure the cadets will be back soon, and then you'll have your choice of playmates," Kat said, sending the pooch away.
RIC lowered his head and turned back towards the lab entrance. Kat sighed. RIC walked off down the hall, still holding the red ball. Passing him and entering Kat's lab was another surprise visitor.
"Cadet Gray, what can I do for you?" Kat asked, looking confused.
"Well, I thought I might give you a hand. I've got some free time on my hands," Quinn revealed.
"Right now? Isn't Cadet Miller's promotion ceremony going on outside?"
"Yep," Quinn said, blankly.
"And you're not going?" Kat said, not hiding her surprise.
"Nope."
"If I might ask, why not? From what I understand, he's your best friend. This has got to be the biggest day of his life," Kat said.
"I don't really want to talk about it. I'm not going. Could you please just give me something to do around here? I want to help," Quinn said, sighing.
Kat looked around, deciding to let it go and grant Quinn's request. She walked over to her desk and grabbed a small black case. She handed it to Quinn.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Open it," Kat said.
Quinn opened it and was immediately met with the smallest screams he had ever heard. Inside the black box were four containment cards, filled with captured criminals.
"Whoa, containment cards," Quinn said, with a smile.
"The Rangers' last captures from the Gruumm era. They need to be filed with security. You think you can handle that?" Kat asked.
"Of course. I aced containment card training last year," he said, closing the box.
"So did Cadet Miller, if I remember correctly," Kat said.
Kat noticed Quinn's demeanor change when she brought up Darren. Never one to back down from a challenge, Kat walked closer to Cadet Gray.
"Are you sure you don't want to be there for his promotion?"
"You don't understand, Kat. No one understands. Heck, even our friends are ready to let him go. I'm not," Quinn revealed.
"It's hard to say goodbye, but we all have to live up to our potential. This is Darren's time to truly shine. Can you honestly think of anyone better suited to become a Ranger?"
"Darren's the best. But, that's not the point. We were supposed to be in this together," Quinn said, somberly.
"A man can only have one destiny, Quinn. Darren can't leave his behind, no more than you can leave yours behind."
"Oh yeah, what's my destiny?" Quinn asked rhetorically.
"I don't know. But, I doubt it includes abandoning your best friend," Kat said.
Quinn thought long and hard before glancing into Kat's eyes for the first time since his arrival. He couldn't avoid the future anymore.
"You're right. I'm being stupid," Quinn said.
"No. Change is hard. It takes time to adjust and that can be scary. But remember, it's just as scary for Darren as it is for you. Think about it. He's joining a new team that he barely knows. Not only that, but he's basically got the safety of the entire planet on his shoulders. Sounds to me like he could use every friend he can get," Kat said.
"Thanks, Kat."
"No problem. But, you better hurry if you want to make it to the reception. The ceremony is going to be over soon," Kat said.
"Yeah, but first I'm gonna file these cards for you," Quinn said.
"You don't have to. I'll take care of it later," Kat said, with a smile.
"No no. I can handle it and once I'm done, I'll go find Darren. We'll talk everything out," Quinn said, as he jogged out of Kat's lab. She smiled. She only wished fixing the Delta Runners was as easy as fixing a friendship.
Ally Samuels had a permanent smile on her face, as Jack removed the blindfold from around her eyes. She couldn't believe the lush beauty of Luna Province. Right on the edge of the booming metropolis that was Newtech City, lay this quiet plantation of land. For miles, all Ally could see was a sea of white flowers, tracing a never-ending path to forever.
"It's beautiful, Jack," Ally said, as she turned and hugged him.
"I thought you'd like it."
"When you said you had a surprise, I never imagined all this," she said.
"I heard Luna Province had a great view. It's glad to see it's true."
"It's magnificent. You're magnificent. You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Ally said.
"I wanted to and the surprise isn't over yet," Jack said, as he whipped her around
Ally saw a gazebo, lined with white flowers. Inside, was a picnic set for two. She couldn't believe it. Jack put his arms around her.
"I love you, Jack Landors," Ally said, as she hugged him tightly.
With his arms behind her back, Jack checked his watch.
'Where are you, Piggy?' he thought to himself.
Cadet Quinn Gray arrived at SPD's high security Containment Room, quickly activating the entrance, using his hand print, which instantly recognized him as one of the good guys.
The doors slid open and Quinn walked into the room. It wasn't large and no one would believe that over 200 criminals were stored inside. The walls were lined with small doors that led to containment drawers, only large enough to slide a containment card in. Each one secured and containing about ten cards. He placed the black box on the filing table, which was the only piece of furniture in the room and activated its interface monitor. He looked around the room, thinking of what a catastrophe SPD would have on its hands if this entire room were breached. The city would be overrun.
It was then that his eyes veered towards a blinking red light on one of the drawers embedded in the center wall of the room. Quinn's curiosity piqued. He walked back over to the interface terminal and brought up the contents of the room. He was instantly bombarded with containment card numbers. The cards were not filed by name.
Quinn typed in a few commands, searching for empty slots to file the latest captures. He found three easily. A fourth open slot popped up on the screen after a few seconds. Quinn typed in his access code. There was a slight sound of sliding metal heard around him, as the doors unlocked. He walked over to doors that matched the open slot search. He quickly placed the first three in their new homes.
The fourth drawer was located next to the one that caught his attention, for its blinking red light. Quinn gave a glance to the card that held a criminal known as Peltor, before placing it inside its new home. All that was left was for him to confirm the containments and head out. Before heading back to the terminal, he glanced at the blinking door. He accessed the terminal's main menu and the contents once again. It was then that he realized that some of the card file numbers were followed by a red star.
He cross-referenced all of the file numbers that had red stars and indeed they were all inside of that one drawer. The controls for that drawer came up in front of Quinn. One of the cards housed Gruumm. It was then that Quinn realized that must be the maximum-security containment drawer.
"Wow," Quinn thought to himself.
Then, he realized that he had spent more time inside the Containment Room than he wanted. He still had a friend to find. He hit the escape button on the keyboard and pressed enter, knowing the first choice would be "yes," which was perfect since he was done and wanted to exit. He trotted out of the room and the doors slid closed behind him.
But, Quinn hadn't read the terminal's question before striking yes. Instead of escape, he had hit execute. By pressing the "yes," Quinn had made the biggest mistake of his life. The red blinking light on the maximum-security drawer was now green.
Seconds later, that slight sound of sliding metal ominously echoed through the empty room. The crackling sound of a red lightning strike emanated from the maximum-security door, causing the entire drawer to fall apart, depositing ten cards onto the floor of the Containment Room. Soon, another strike of red lightning emanated from a card. One of them shattered and the being inside grew back to his normal size.
He chuckled, as he looked around the room. The creature's sleek red eyes burned brightly. His silver horns stuck like points from his head. Two large ones in the front and two matching ones in the back. Instead of ears, two silver spikes pointed from the sides of his head. He was not human. He was all alien and all evil.
"It's good to be free," he said, in a dark, almost hushed tone.
Outside SPD Headquarters, Cadet Miller's promotion ceremony was over. Many people made their way towards the reception, to be held nearby.
"I hope there's cake," Bridge said. Then, he looked around the crowded area. He turned to his B-Squad comrades. "Anyone seen Cruger?"
"He find out about the Shadow Saber?" Syd asked.
"Yeah. I think I'm gonna have to lay low for a while...really low," Bridge said.
Sky & Syd shared smiles at his expense. Near them, Z was finishing her letter. Her jaw dropped.
"You guys are not going to believe this," she said.
"What is it? Jack coming back?" Sky asked with a smile. "Tell him red's taken."
"No. Jack's gonna propose to Ally," Z said, surprised.
The others all stopped in their tracks, looking just as shocked as she did.
"You're kidding?" Syd said.
"Nope. It's all here. He's taking her to Luna Province and he's going to pop the question at sunset," Z explained.
"Way to go, Jack!" Bridge said, with a smile.
"This is huge," Syd added.
"I can't believe it. Jack's actually gonna settle down," Z said. "Luna Province is kinda far, though. I just hope he's not planning on staying there forever."
The four kept walking, as Syd put an arm around Z's shoulder to comfort her friend, whom she knew was missing Jack.
A few feet away, Darren Miller was heading for the entrance to SPD Headquarters, until his friends stopped him.
"Hey, you're not bailing on your own reception are you?" Duc asked.
"No. I just...I'm gonna go try to talk to Quinn again. I can't leave things like this," Darren said.
"You sure about that?" Meg asked.
"Yeah, it's done now. It can't get much worse," Darren said, as he started ascending the staircase. Casey called out to him.
"Wait! You want us to come with?"
"Uh, no. Go on to the reception. Try to stall everyone 'til I get back. Hopefully, I'll be back with one more guest," Darren said, as he ran up the stairs and entered the building. His three C-Squad comrades continued on towards the outdoor reception, passing Mr. & Mrs. Doggie Cruger, who were strolling at a very slow pace.
"You never answered me?" Isinia said, out of the blue. Cruger looked puzzled.
"Excuse me?"
"About the house? Did you like it?" Isinia said, as her hand grabbed her husband's arm tightly.
"It was all right," Cruger said, nervously.
"Doggie, just because you're the commander doesn't mean you have to live here. We can have the house that we always wanted. We can live in peace, finally," Isinia said.
"I know. I know. I will think about it more. I promise," Cruger said, as they continued on.
"It doesn't mean you're leaving them behind," Isinia said. She had a habit of speaking her mind and knowing what her husband was thinking.
"I'll think about it," Cruger said, finally. Isinia nodded.
Inside the Containment Room, the freed creature looked down at the other fallen containment cards. None of them were familiar to him, except for one. That was one he would need, before making his way out into the wretched world once again. He picked up the card and zapped it with the lightning ray from his palm, causing the same effect that freed him.
Soon, standing before him was a green alien with large and bright yellow eyes. The alien's v-shaped head almost looked like a heart. But, Jintari had no heart. He took a second to stretch before glancing at his savior.
"Omallix! I cannot believe it. How, master?"
"I do not know and I do not care, Jintari. I am free and I have a feeling I know exactly where we are," Omallix said.
"The last thing I remember was being judged by SPD," Jintari said.
"Yes. I have a feeling it was long ago, but this is still SPD and that means they will have my hatred thrust upon them. I will no longer be treated like a child's plaything, stored in here like some piece of trash. It's time to strike back, Jintari," Omallix stated, darkly.
"Yes, master. You know that I am always by your side," Jintari responded.
"Then, let us go," Omallix said. The two headed for the exit, when a throaty scream was heard behind them.
Omallix stopped slowly and turned around. He bent over and retrieved the screaming card. Inside, the visage of bones that was once the Emperor of the Troobians looked back at him.
"Wait! I am Gruumm, the eternal leader of the Troobian Empire. Free me! I too must have revenge on SPD. We can become partners," Gruumm yelled, as loud as he could. His voice was severely muted during containment. Omallix thought. The metallic opening that was his mouth began to move.
"I don't take on partners," Omallix said, viciously, as he tossed the card into the air and blasted it with a ray from his eyes. The mixture of laser and fire melted the card instantly, along with its contents. Gruumm's containment card fell to the floor in a pile of ash. Omallix let out a loud maniacal laugh.
"You are powerful!"
Omallix heard yet another voice from the fallen cards.
"What is it this time?" he asked.
"Please, I beg of you," the female voice called out. "I only wish to serve someone worthy of world domination. You, Omallix, are clearly that."
"Hmmm," Omallix grumbled, as he picked up the card.
"Master, we must get out of here, before someone is alerted to our escape," Jintari said.
"I can help you escape. I can help you in more ways than one. Believe me," the contained woman spoke.
"You look frail. I have no time for weakness," Omallix said.
"I am battle hardened. You don't know me or these other cards, but I know what lies outside those doors," she said desperately. "You're two steps behind SPD, but with my help you could be two steps ahead."
"Betray me and I won't hesitate to destroy you," Omallix yelled, as he tossed the card into the air and shot it with the lightning ray from his palm, freeing her.
"I pledge my allegiance to you, Omallix," she said, with a sly smile.
"I think it's time we made our exit," Omallix said, blowing the doors to the Containment Room.
Walking out of the resulting smoke, Omallix led the way, with his newest ally at his side. With the security alarms blaring, she pointed.
"The closest exit is that way," she said.
"Let's go!" Jintari said.
"No," Omallix stopped them. "If I am going to exact my revenge on SPD, there are a few things I need."
"I will lead you wherever you want to go, master Omallix," she responded.
He let out a grizzly chuckle, just as a circular object landed at his feet. Omallix looked down and picked up the red ball. It was then that he heard the growl of the mechanical creature that previously held it.
"Stand back. It's stronger than it looks," she said, placing herself in front of Omallix. He pushed her aside.
RIC took a defensive stance, before jumping into the air, going straight for the creature that he sensed was the leader. RIC's mouth opened wide, looking to sink his teeth into the creature long enough to hold him off. But, in midair, Omallix lifted his arm and fired. RIC went flying backwards, crashing into a wall. The charred canine's movements slowed until they stopped, completely. Omallix continued on his way, trampling what was left of the robotic canine under his feet.
The trio turned a corner, with the security alarms still blaring. They walked a long hallway, when, from the other end, they were met with another figure. Caught off-guard when he turned the corner, Darren took a defensive stance. He looked surprised.
"Stop right there!" Darren called out.
"You must be joking," Omallix said.
"Not by a long shot. I don't know who you are, but you have no business being out here," Darren said, as he reached slowly for his newly acquired morpher.
"You have no idea who I am? That's unfortunate for you, because if you did, you'd know that you were making a futile mistake," Omallix said, calmly.
Without another word, Darren pulled the morpher out, bringing his right hand across to his left shoulder.
"SPD Emergency!" Darren gestured to morph.
But, before the sequence could be completed, Omallix sent a fire charge from his palm, blasting the cadet squarely in the chest. Shattering not only his ribs, but stopping his morph. Darren was thrust backward, colliding with the wall at the end of that hallway. Omallix's metallic feet stalked past, at a faster pace, passing, as the burned body of Darren Miller slid to the floor.
"SPD emergency, indeed," Omallix said, as he kept on his way.
Outside SPD Headquarters, the guests at Cadet Miller's reception were caught off-guard by the sudden blare of the security alarms. Cruger quickly glanced over to B-Squad.
"Stay here," he said to his wife, as he joined Sky, Syd, Z & Bridge and headed for the entrance.
"What's going on, Anubis?" Birdy yelled, as he fell in line with the Rangers.
"I'm going to find out. Supreme Commander, I want you to stay here. We may have a security breach and if so, you could be in danger."
"Time is of the essence, so I won't argue with you, Cruger," Birdy said, as Cruger and the Rangers disappeared into the building.
Inside the Infirmary, Dr. Felix stood at a control panel by the door of the Infirmary, tapping it repeatedly.
"Come in! Is anyone in the Command Center?" Felix called out. "Maybe it's a drill."
He sighed and went back to his computer terminal on the other side of the room, opposite the door. Just before he could put his hands back on the console, he heard something. His cat-like senses kicked in. It was the faint sound of metal, bending metal.
The entrance door behind him blew open in a smoke of sparks and flames. Felix ducked quickly. His feline reflexes once again coming in handy, as the flying door would have surely decapitated him. Choking from the smoke that now filled the Infirmary, he got to his feet.
"Definitely not a drill," Felix said, looking at the doorway.
Through the smoke, Felix saw a pair of beady red eyes. He gasped, as Omallix appeared out of the smoke, followed by his two allies. Felix trained his eyes on one of them.
"You?"
"In the flesh."
"Jintari," Omallix yelled. The green creature advanced upon Felix, who put his hands up in a defensive stance.
"No. I'm a doctor! I'm just a doctor!" He yelled to them, as he cowered in fear.
Omallix's new female companion walked over to the computer terminal and began keying in several commands. She nodded back to Omallix.
"It's all yours," she said.
Omallix walked over to the terminal, as he let out a laugh that seemed to echo throughout the halls of Space Patrol Delta.
Corridors away, Cruger & B-Squad were running through the place, trying to pinpoint what was going on. Then, they turned a corner and found the slaughtered. Kat knelt beside the fallen form of Darren Miller.
"It's not good," Kat said.
"What happened?" Sky asked, looking shocked at the blast damage.
"I don't know. But, judging from the way Darren fell, whatever struck him came from that way," Kat said, as she pointed down the hallway.
"The Containment Room's down there," Bridge said quickly.
Without a word, Cruger ran faster than he'd ever run before. B-Squad kept pace with him. As they got closer to the room, Bridge saw another atrocity.
"RIC!" Bridge yelled. Bridge kneeled beside the charred robot, joined by Syd, who struggled to hold back a tear.
"Oh my god," Syd said, in an almost hushed whisper.
With the smell of burned metal all around them, Cruger took one step into the doorway of the Containment Room. He saw the small pile of ashes and had a devastating suspicion.
"This can't be," Cruger said aloud.
Several security officers arrived seconds later.
"Secure this room. I need to know what got out!" Cruger called out, sternly. They nodded. Cruger stalked back the way he came. He turned a corner, flanked by Sky and Z, only to stop dead in his tracks. At the end of the hallway, Kat was still at Darren's side, but Quinn Gray was walking onto the scene and had just seen his best friend.
"Darren! Darren, what happened?" Quinn looked stunned, as he fell to his knees. "Darren? Why isn't he saying anything?" Quinn asked, as he looked to Kat.
"We need to get him to the Infirmary, now!" she responded.
Sky & Cruger gathered the cadet into their arms and trotted off to the Infirmary. Kat & Z pulled Quinn off the floor and followed. When they arrived, they were once again faced with destruction.
"What happened in here?" Z asked, although she knew it had to be the same culprit from the earlier attacks.
Through the smoke, Kat called out, "Felix! Felix, are you here?"
There was no sign of life inside. Cruger & Sky laid Darren onto an empty bed and Kat began examining him. Kat looked to Cruger and gave a negative nod.
"What? What?" Quinn yelled out, distraught.
"Quinn, I'm sorry. Maybe if Dr. Felix were here...I just...he's gone," Kat mustered the courage to say it.
"No," Quinn said, in barely a whisper.
Moments later, Syd & Bridge joined them, looking somber.
"RIC?" Sky asked.
"Beyond repair," Bridge could barely say the words.
"Who did this?" Z yelled out in frustration. "Who could do this? Gruumm?"
"I don't think so, Z. Unfortunately, I don't think so," Cruger said, somberly.
On the other side of the city, Piggy was completely oblivious to what was happening in the heart of Newtech. The only heart he was concerned with at the moment belonged to the former Red Ranger. Piggy exited the jeweler, knowing that if he didn't get Jack's gift to him before sunset, he would have his head.
Piggy paused for a moment to look at the contents of the small black box. He smiled.
"Beautiful," he said, to himself.
Using his free hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old style pocket watch. One of the many treasures he had found in the trash over the years. He looked at the time on it.
"Four hours until sunset. I hope I can make it to Luna Province in time," Piggy said. "I'd hitch a ride with some old buddies, but this box would definitely go bye bye then!"
Piggy tucked the box into his jacket pocket and started his journey to Luna Province.
Ally took another bite of the strawberry dessert Jack had packed with their picnic. It had all seemed so magical. It was the perfect day. She looked into the eyes of the man she loved. Jack sat opposite her, wearing a white t-shirt that blended into the sea of roses around them. The red bandanna around his head pulled his dreads away from his face and she could see all of him, looking back at her and smiling.
"Thank you, Jack. This is all so wonderful," Ally said. "I couldn't imagine being in a more perfect place."
"Well, get ready, because this day's not over yet and I have a feeling that before it ends, we'll both have exactly what we want," Jack responded.
Ally smiled, as she leaned over and gently kissed Jack's lips.
In the SPD Command Center, Supreme Commander Birdy stood front and center, joined by Dr. Manx and Commander Cruger. Sky and the other B-Squad Rangers stood before them.
"Rangers," Cruger began, "I have disturbing news. Security has assessed the damage to the Containment Room. Three cards were broken and a fourth destroyed."
"You think whatever was inside the broken cards is what escaped and killed Cadet Miller?" Sky surmised.
"Yes, especially now that we know exactly who's missing," Cruger said, as he nodded to Kat, who looked to the Rangers.
"Containment Card #00106 was broken. The criminal that was contained inside is named Omallix. He was captured by SPD almost 15 years ago. He's extremely dangerous. His path of destruction spanned three star systems, before he came to Earth," Kat explained.
"His known powers seem to fit with the damage we witnessed to the...victims of his attack," Cruger said. "Omallix has great power. The only thing keeping him from escape was the maximum security locks of the Containment Card storage drawer. Somehow the lock was deactivated. It was all the opportunity Omallix needed to escape."
"What about the other two?" Syd spoke up.
"Containment Card #00107 belonged to an alien named Jintari. He's highly intelligent and a technical expert. He also happened to be Omallix's greatest ally in his original onslaught," Kat said.
"This is bad," Bridge said. He instinctively looked down at his hands. His gloves were stained with leaked oil from RIC's battered body. "This is really bad."
"It gets worse," Kat added, "Containment Card #32771 was the third one broken."
"That number," Sky said, puzzled. "It's pretty recent. Sounds like one of our captures?"
"It was. Apparently, Omallix decided to free Charlotte Ayala," Kat said.
"Charlotte Ayala?" Z said, sharing a confused look with her B-Squad comrades.
"You know her as Charlie," Cruger said.
"A-Squad Charlie?" Z blurted out.
"Yes. It would explain just how they managed to get out of SPD Headquarters undetected," Birdy said.
"Almost, undetected," Kat corrected him, as she looked down somberly. Cadet Miller had caught them and didn't live to tell about it. "Charlie's escape also explains something else. A chunk of SPD's files were wiped from our systems. Only she would have the knowledge to pull off something like that."
"Which files, Kat?" Sky asked.
"Information about our defenses, our weaponry, and all of my research on the Delta Runners. It's all gone. I wouldn't count on having them up and running anytime soon," Kat said, sadly.
"Are you serious?" Syd said.
"Yes. It will take me at least six months to get back to where I was in the process. I don't think Omallix will wait that long," Kat said, "And who knows what other information he stole about our systems."
"No Delta Runners, no battilizer, no Green Ranger," Bridge said aloud. The grim realization set in for all of them.
"We're not helpless, Rangers," Cruger spoke up.
"You saw what he did to Darren, Commander," Syd said. "How can we compete with that?"
"We're not defenseless. We still have our powers," Sky said, confidently. He knew he couldn't let his team's morale drop completely.
"Sky's right. We still have SWAT mode and those zords," Cruger said, "and the Delta Command Megazord. We're not giving up."
"SPD!" a booming voice came thundering through the communications systems, permeating every square inch of Headquarters. Everyone in the Command Center was caught off guard.
Cruger nodded to Kat. She traced the signal and pulled up a holographic image of Omallix standing in the center of Newtech City.
"This is Omallix. I know this is the frequency for your communications grid. I know a lot about SPD. I warned you that your containment methods would never hold me forever and I was right. I am free and I am ready to have my revenge," Omallix said, boldly.
The Rangers all exchanged troubled glances, before looking back at Cruger. He put up a calming hand, directed at them.
"Just in case you've forgotten the extent of my power, I left you some examples. By now, I'm sure you've found them," Omallix said, with a chuckle.
In the Infirmary, a distraught Quinn Gray raised his head, which had been lowered on the side of the bed being occupied by the deceased Darren Miller. He lifted his head, listening intently to Omallix's words, as had every other individual within SPD Headquarters. Quinn's sorrow turned to anger.
"Since, I know you can hear me, why don't you come out here and have a little chat with me in person. I promise I won't destroy you...yet," Omallix said, letting out another chuckle.
In the Command Center, Birdy turned to Cruger.
"You don't have to do this right now, Anubis," Birdy said. Cruger gave Birdy a long stare, then walked over to the B-Squad Cadets.
"Rangers! Ready?" Cruger said, as he popped his morpher from it's casing at his waist. Without hesitation they grabbed their morphers and responded.
"Ready!"
"SPD Emergency!" Cruger yelled.
Soon, the four B-Squad Rangers and Shadow Ranger were on the scene. Omallix hadn't moved an inch from the image they had seen inside Headquarters. He simply stared. Cruger wasn't waiting.
"Omallix, what do you want? You managed to escape, yet you seem content to await recapture," Shadow Ranger spoke.
"Recapture? You are a fool if you believe that's even possible now. Wait! Do I recognize the voice of Anubis Cruger? SPD has developed morphers for their pets, now?" Omallix said, with a chuckle that shook Cruger to his core.
"I wouldn't throw around insults, Omallix, considering the last time I saw you, you were the size of a playing card," Cruger said. "Now, surrender and all of this will be over quickly."
Omallix's humorous demeanor disappeared in that moment.
"Funny, Cruger. I was just about to say the same thing to you," Omallix said.
"What are you talking about?" Sky shouted.
"I'm not going anywhere until I get what I want. I will settle for no less than the complete and utter destruction of Space Patrol Delta!" Omallix yelled, in his dark, chiseled tone. "And, I can think of no better place to start than with it's glorified heroes."
Omallix sent a burst of red energy from his palm, striking the ground, near Shadow Ranger's feet. Cruger dove away from the blast, almost feeling the heat on his skin beneath his suit. Omallix's power was indeed strong.
Bridge took to the air, flipping towards Omallix with his Deltamax Striker in blaster mode. He fired several shots, but Omallix caught him with a spinning chop to the stomach, just before he could land. The Blue Ranger was sent crashing into a nearby storefront window.
The Pink & Yellow Rangers looked to have better luck. With their Deltamax Striker swords drawn they ran at full speed towards Omallix, from opposite directions. Deep within, he smiled. He blocked both strikers as they came down for major blows. They landed on his powerful arms, which he raised quickly, swatting the swords away, he pounded Z in the chest with a powerful fist and followed up with the same action against Syd, sending both girls flying, as sparks flew from their now-damaged bodies.
As Omallix admired his handiwork, he was blasted from the side by the combined force of the Red Ranger's Delta Blasters. Omallix staggered backwards and looked up, seeing the Red Ranger's flight coming to an end in front of him. Sky kept on shooting as he landed. Omallix was caught in the barrage of lasers, moving backwards, as Sky continued to advance on him, never letting up. Omallix cowered to the ground, smoking from all the damage.
The smoke & dust left behind by the laser attacks filled their immediate area. The Red Ranger walked through the smoke and stood, looking down at the fallen Omallix.
"You're not so tough," Sky said aloud.
Omallix looked up at him.
"You're strong," Omallix conceded, "but not strong enough!"
He fired a burst of red lightning from his eyes. The strike hit the Red Ranger directly in the chest, immediately causing his suit to trickle with sparks, as he was hit with the powerful electric charge. The Red Ranger fell to the ground. All Sky could feel was the heat creeping into his body. His fellow Rangers crawled to his side, trying to help him up, but they couldn't even help themselves.
Omallix laughed loudly. "I truly believe you are no match for me. My capture truly was a fluke. That, or SPD's breeding inferior Rangers these days."
"I don't think so," Shadow Ranger's yelling voice was heard from behind him.
Omallix turned, only to be met by a thrust from the Shadow Saber. This time it was Omallix who had sparks flying from his body. Shadow Ranger lifted the saber for a finishing blow, but Omallix caught it in midair with both hands. The two struggled for power. It was Omallix who won. He kicked Cruger in the gut, causing him to let up on his grip. Omallix threw the Shadow Saber to the ground. Cruger got back to his feet and ran for an assault, but Omallix opened fire. A fireball shot from his palm and collided with Shadow Ranger's body, sending him flying to the ground.
Omallix walked over to the fallen Rangers. "Looks like I'm going to get my wish faster than I expected."
Inside SPD Headquarters, Kat & Birdy were gathered around the monitors, as Isinia Cruger came running into the Command Center. She had obviously heard everything going on out there. Kat shared a glance with her, as she rushed over, joining them, as they watched the Rangers' losing effort. Kat took a very deep breath.
In the Infirmary, Quinn Gray heard Omallix's words of victory over the Rangers. The anger within him boiled his blood.
Quinn looked back at the bed that held his fallen friend. Darren still clasped the morpher that he had only recently been given, the morpher he had been holding when he was struck. Quinn reached out his hand and touched it. Then, Omallix spoke chilling words that scared everyone who heard them inside SPD Headquarters.
"Say goodbye to SPD, forever," Omallix said.
TO BE CONTINUED...