POWER
RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA
YEAR TWO
"SACRIFICE"
"You're sure about this?"
Isinia stared at Dr. Sevarus, appearing to still be a little surprised. He nodded, as he walked over to his desk, looking at the results again.
"I'm certain," Sevarus responded, with a smile. "Judging from your response, I'm guessing this was unexpected?"
"Definitely," Isinia said.
"Is that a good thing?"
"It may turn out to be the best thing possible," Isinia said, smiling.
Ten minutes later, Isinia exited the Infirmary, almost plowing into Jack Landors. She dropped the items she was carrying in her hands and Jack dropped the gloves he had in his.
"Sorry, Mrs. C," Jack said.
"Oh, Jack, it's no problem. I wasn't paying attention," Isinia said, as Jack bent down picking up her things that fell.
"I was on my way to play some lightball and I wasn't watching too close either," Jack said, with a smile.
As he picked up Isinia's items, he noticed there were a couple of packaged syringes and some small bottles containing some clear fluids.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked, as his smile faded.
"Perfectly fine," Isinia said, as she took the things in Jack's hands.
"You sure?"
"You caught me," Isinia said. "I was hoping I'd make it back to my quarters before running into anyone."
"Is something wrong?"
"No. Things are actually really good," Isinia sighed. "I'm having a baby."
"What?" Jack said, looking shocked.
"I just found out myself, but I haven't had a chance to talk to my husband yet. As a matter of fact, I just missed him," Isinia said. "So, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone at least until I've had a chance to tell Doggie."
"Of course. I totally understand," Jack said, with a smile. "But, what's with the needles?"
"Well, Sirian pregnancies require certain atmospheric conditions that aren't present on Earth. There are chemicals in our air that help our children develop. So, Dr. Sevarus prescribed this medication to help my body produce the chemicals on Earth," Isinia explained. "Since going back to Sirius isn't really an option, this is the next best thing."
"I gotcha," Jack said, as he bent over and grabbed his gloves and walked off. Isinia started on her way, walking in the opposite direction when she heard Jack call out again from down the hall.
"Mrs. C," Jack said, as he turned back to her. "Congratulations."
"Thank you," Isinia said, before walking away.
Anubis "Doggie" Cruger walked stiffly down the hallway leading to his office inside Galaxy Command. He took a deep breath as he stood outside his door. He reached out his hand, typing in his access code. The doors slid open and instantly he felt uncomfortable. That office was like a tomb to him, no matter how much he tried to make it his own. Cruger stepped inside, surprised to see someone inside waiting for him. He saw the Galactic Council President, Otto Cali standing behind his desk, admiring Cruger's Shadow Saber hanging on the wall near his chair.
"Mr. President, this is a surprise," Cruger said.
"I asked to be notified when your shuttle arrived," Cali responded, as he turned to face Cruger. "I assume your trip was a success."
"I wish I could say that," Cruger said, as Cali walked over, taking a position directly in front of Cruger.
Doggie could sense the tension coming from the president of the Galactic Council.
"Oh?"
"I hope that I was able to make an impact, sir. Things with the Omallix conflict have gotten even more complicated," Cruger said. "We've learned Omallix is human."
"That is a big development," Cali said. "Though, I don't see how it warranted your personal attention."
"Sir, I know I didn't consult you before my departure, but I didn't feel that was necessary. I am the Supreme Commander," Cruger explained. "I didn't feel my every move needed to be approved."
"If you're the Supreme Commander, you need to start acting like it," Cali said, sternly. "I've said this before, Anubis, but I think you need to hear it again. Earth is not your only priority."
"But it is a dangerous situation that I have personal experience with," Cruger responded.
"I understand that, but all of Space Patrol Delta depends on you now. They deserve your attention as well. Did you hear about the attack on the Barconian convoy?" Cali asked.
"Yes. I had my assistant keep me updated on everything while I was on Earth."
"Well, the S.P.D. branch on Triforia was supposed to respond, since they were the closest. It took almost an hour for them to deploy a team," Cali said, angrily.
"I sent inquiries about that from Earth, Mr. President," Cruger said.
"Yes, well the Council felt more personal attention needed to be taken. You know Representative Trecineas is not happy about this."
"Being the council member from Triforia, I would assume he wouldn't be," Cruger surmised. "But, the situation is under control."
"This is just another example of why your role here is so important, Cruger. You have to oversee seven different planets and five branches of S.P.D.. I know you're fond of them, but Earth's Rangers can't be at the top of your list," Cali stated.
"I'm doing the best I can," Cruger said.
"Well, we all are," Cali chimed in. "We can't go on like this, though. The Council doesn't want to have to replace the Supreme Commander twice in the same year. Your safety is paramount. Things on Earth have gotten too volatile and I would advise you to think twice before going back there."
Cali stormed out. Cruger thought about his final words. Was he threatening to replace him or was the Council truly worried for his safety? Cruger took a seat in the chair behind his desk. He sighed, as he looked at his Shadow Saber hanging on the wall. Deep down, in his heart, the people on Earth were his top priority. He couldn't help it. They were his family and if they were in danger, he had to take action. He didn't come here to be a politician. In his heart, Cruger knew he was a warrior and he also knew that his greatest victories would never be accomplished behind that desk.
Inside the Rec Room, Sam dodged the glowing green light, diving behind the couch. Jack pushed off himself off the floor with one foot and jumped into the air, grabbing the glowing ball, just as he saw Z out the corner of his eye. He tossed it in her direction, causing her to backflip twice to avoid it. She grabbed the ball into her gloved hand, just as Sam peeked around the couch. She threw the ball towards him as fast as she could.
Sam knew he couldn't get away fast enough. He waved his hand, causing himself to disappear. The lightball hit the back wall of the Rec Room, just beneath the window. Jack sighed, as Sam reappeared next to him.
"Sam," Jack said, annoyed. "No powers, remember?"
"Sorry," Sam said, looking out of breath. "It was coming so fast. Sorry, Z."
"It's cool," Z said.
Both of them looked around and noticed they couldn't see her anywhere.
"If you can use powers, so can I," Z said, as duplicates of herself appeared in a circle around Jack and Sam.
One of them was holding the glowing green lightball, bouncing it in her hand, smirking at the two. Jack sighed louder.
"Game over," Jack said, with smile.
"Sorry, Jack," Sam said.
"It's cool, man. You're getting better," Jack said, as he patted the growing kid on the shoulder.
"Yes, you are," Z said, as she deactivated the ball and took her gloves off. "Maybe one day you'll be as good as me."
She let out a hearty laugh, taking in her victory.
"Very funny," Jack said, before looking down at Sam. "We made a good team, though, right?"
"Yeah!" Sam said, proudly. "The old Omega Ranger and the new Omega Ranger!"
"You callin' me old?" Jack said, giving Sam a rude look.
The trio shared some laughs together, as the doors to the Rec Room slid open and Boom entered. There was no smile on his face and a letter in his hands. He took a deep breath as his eyes located the recipient.
"Jack," Boom called out. "I have a letter for you."
Jack reached out a hand, taking the stamped envelope.
"Spending more time with Beth in postal service, Boom?" Z asked, smirking.
"I'm this close to asking her on a date," Boom said, parting his thumb and index finger a few inches.
Then, Boom sighed.
"Well, actually, it's more like this close," he corrected, as he moved his index finger and thumb as far apart as he could. "But, I'm gettin' there."
Z and Sam both shared a giggle. Jack nodded along. But, as he read the return address on the white envelope, his own smile faded.
"It's from Ally's parents," Jack said.
Z's face turned somber as well. She patted Sam on the shoulder and nodded at Boom.
"Let's give Jack some space, guys," she said.
They all walked over to the couches and sat down, as Jack remained standing by the doorway. He opened the envelope, getting a paper cut on his thumb in the process. He sucked it a little to stop the bleeding as he unfolded the letter and began reading. Jack had always been a good reader. It didn't take him long to finish the one-page letter.
A few feet away, Z was staring right at him. She saw his eyes close a few times, as if he didn't believe what he was reading. She wanted to go over to him and find out what was up, but she also wanted to respect her best friend's privacy, especially where Ally's family was concerned. At that very moment, Jack looked at her. Their eyes met and she saw it. Something was wrong.
"What's happened?"
"The letter's from Ally's mom. Her father, he died."
"What? How?" Z asked, as she stood up next to him.
Boom and Sam remained seated, but neither could help but listen in. They exchanged worried looks.
"She said he fell off the roof of their house the day of our last fight with Cartiron. He saw us fighting on that rooftop," Jack explained, still shocked.
"That's horrible," Z said.
Jack let out a groan of anger, loud enough to be heard two corridors away.
"Jack, I'm sorry," Z said.
Jack stared at Z and raised the letter closer to their faces.
"Mrs. Samuels thinks he jumped."
"Oh no," Z said, lowering her head. "I know he was devastated by what happened, but I just can't believe it."
"Another life, destroyed by Cartiron!" Jack yelled, before stomping out of the room.
Inside his office, Doggie Cruger stared at three reports. One of them laid out the details of the attack on a Barconian convoy that was carrying food supplies to Triforia for sale. It included a letter from S.P.D.'s commander on Triforia, outlining some technical difficulties with their branch's communications equipment, which led to their late response. Cruger shook his head. He was going to have to talk to that commander.
Cruger looked at the next report and sighed. Four more transfer requests from the S.P.D. branch on Fernovia. The planet was in the middle of a major conflict with an intergalactic gang. A group of explosives experts were looking to intimidate them into handing over the planet's currency. They were thugs, Cruger thought. Thugs that should be no problem for Fernovia's S.P.D. forces. But, they were having trouble and the random bombings on the planet was leading to panic, even amongst the cadets there. That led to more transfer requests.
The third report read like a letter from home. S.P.D. Earth was still under a state of emergency, thanks to Omallix. But this battle wasn't over food supplies or even money. This was a personal case and it had become personal for every single member of Earth's S.P.D. branch, thanks to Omallix. That included Cruger. There was death and destruction going on all over the galaxy, but this one cut deeper than any of the others could. How can I be efficient as Supreme Commander like this, Cruger thought to himself.
Before he could even begin to think about a possible answer, he heard a beeping sound coming from his computer terminal. He looked at the return signal and saw that it was coming from his home...his old home. He activated the screen without hesitation, bracing for more bad news. The S.P.D. logo on the black screen was replaced by the image of Jack Landors.
"Jack. This is a surprise," Cruger said.
Cruger noticed Jack's look of discomfort. He sighed.
"What's wrong?" Cruger asked.
"I just found out that Ally's dad, he threw himself off the roof of their house," Jack said.
Cruger was taken aback, as he saw Jack struggling to even mouth the words.
"I'm so sorry. That's terrible news."
"Sir, do you remember our talk before you left?"
"Of course," Cruger responded, wondering where Jack was going with this conversation.
"We agreed that my stay on B-Squad was only temporary."
"Jack, don't make any hasty decisions. I know this news has shaken you up."
"Sir, I don't know if I can continue," Jack said, as he seemed to be struggling against his own emotions rising.
"Jack, I'm sorry about John Samuels, but do you really think this is the time to make this choice?"
"I love S.P.D., sir," Jack said, as a tear fell from his left eye. "But, I don't think I can do this."
"I can't order you to stay and I can't tell you what to do, Jack. Only you can make the choice that's best for you. What would Ally want you to do? I'm sure she wouldn't want her family to influence your every move. I also don't think she'd want you to abandon your family when you're hurting like this."
"Ally would want me to fight for her," Jack said. "I'm gonna do that. I just don't know if I can do it by your rules."
"Jack, don't do something that you'll regret," Cruger said, as the screen went blank.
"Jack!" Cruger yelled. "Jack!" The transmission ended abruptly. For a minute Cruger thought there was a communications malfunction, but he checked the connection and saw that Jack had indeed cut it off from his end. Cruger pressed a few buttons to reconnect, but it was too late. Jack was gone.
Jack paced around his room, still holding the letter in his hand. He looked up at the letter and noticed a smudge of blood on the white paper. His thumb was still a little bloody. Jack closed his eyes and pushed back another tear. He balled up the piece of paper and threw it across the room. He stumbled backwards, leaning against the wall. He slowly slid to the floor, with his head lowering into his hands, which wrested on his knees at the wrists. The Omega morpher, surgically attached to his wrist stung a bit, as his head hit it.
"Jack, you have to let it go."
Jack raised his head, slowly, recognizing the voice talking to him. The doors to his room hadn't opened. He was sitting on the floor right next to the doorway. The voice was coming from the other side of the room, right where he had thrown the letter. Jack looked over there and he saw her. She was beautiful, smiling at him.
"Ally?"
She tilted her head to the side a bit, like she always did when she smirked at him.
"Who else would it be?"
Jack got to his feet and stared at her. She seemed so...bright, alive.
"Ally. How are you here?"
"I'm here because you need me to be here," Ally said, nodding her head at him as she spoke. "I know you're upset."
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Ally said. "Jack, you can't stop history."
Jack noticed she had a glow about her. It was white, almost yellow.
"You didn't deserve to die. Your father didn't deserve to die," Jack said.
"That's not your burden to carry."
"But, it is," Jack said, more sternly.
"You have to find peace, Jack," Ally said.
"Without you, I don't think peace is in my future," Jack said.
"I'm glad you and I don't see things the same way," Ally said, with a smile.
"If I could just have you back, for a minute...I just..."
"I'm right here," Ally said. "I've always been here and I'll always be here."
"I love you so much," Jack said, as another tear fell.
He reached out to touch her, but before he could, she was gone. The room was dark again. Jack fell to his knees.
"Ally!" he screamed.
The only thing left in front of him was the crumpled letter. Jack couldn't help but stare at it, seeing his blood on that paper. No matter what anyone told him, Jack knew their blood was on his hands. Ally's blood. Her father's blood. Omallix and Cartiron wanted to hurt S.P.D. and they hurt those he cared about to make them all suffer. There was no way he could let their deaths go unavenged. Jack closed his eyes for a long moment, as another tear fell, the last tear he would shed. His eyes opened and they burned with pain and anger. Those were the things he wanted his enemies to see and to feel for what they did.
Sophie took a deep breath. She was a cyborg, but after all of her years amongst humans, she felt just like they did and waiting for her on the other side of the doors was not a human. Sophie took a deep breath and pressed the access panel.
"Come in!"
Sophie cringed a little hearing his scream. The doors slid open and she stepped inside, clasping her hands behind her back. She walked stiffly into the middle of the room and presented herself, with perfect posture. She saw Murphy sitting on his pillow in the corner. For a moment, Sophie didn't feel as nervous. After all, Silverback's own pet was a robot. Surely he had some compassion for her kind.
"How do you think you are?" Silverback yelled.
The moment was over. From behind his desk in the corner, several feet above her, Silverback stared at Sophie, who seemed to be genuinely perplexed on how to respond. Silverback climbed onto his desk and grabbed the rope hung from the ceiling next to it. He quickly climbed down to Sophie's level and walked over to her, staring her right in the face.
"What's wrong? You need new batteries?" Silverback yelled.
"No, sir," Sophie said. "I don't use batteries, sir."
"That was a joke, missy," Silverback shouted back. "However, I would like an answer to my question."
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Sophie said, feeling like the Tin Man facing the Wizard of Oz for the first time. She silently scolded Bridge for talking her into watching the film.
"Well, Sophie," Silverback eyed her uniform. "Unless I'm mistaken, you're uniform resembles that of an S.P.D. technician."
"Yes, sir."
"You see my uniform? It belongs to S.P.D.'s Commander," Silverback said, as he turned his back on her and began pacing the room. "S.P.D.'s Commander is the fella that gives the orders around here. Did you know that?"
"Yes, of course, sir."
"Those orders are generally followed, except in certain cases where they are misunderstood or downright disobeyed," Silverback said, as he turned quickly back to Sophie and stared into her eyes. "I guess I'm trying to figure out which one of those situations happened with you when I specifically ordered B-Squad to not be interrupted from their training session!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but you were in trouble—"
"Trouble? You don't know what trouble is! I'm the one who decides what warrants B-Squad's attention and what doesn't. As long as I wear this uniform, I will continue to do that and as long as you wear that uniform, I would hope that you will follow orders, since that is what you're here to do!" Silverback yelled.
"Yes, sir. You're right sir. I crossed the line," Sophie said. "But, honestly, I was only trying to help."
Silverback walked beside her and leaned in close to her ear.
"Next time, do as you're told," Silverback whispered.
"Yes, sir. But sir, the Power Rangers saved you. You should trust in their abilities," Sophie said.
She could tell by the look on Silverback's face that she probably should have kept that to herself.
"In my office, I give the lectures, missy! Now, we will talk about your punishment for disobeying my direct orders," Silverback said, sternly. "Now, parked in front of this base, you will find an S.P.D. vehicle. It's my favorite type of S.P.D. vehicle. As a matter of fact, I took it on a little joyride last night and it's in need of a good scrub. Once you're finished washing it from top to bottom, you can return to your duties. Dismissed!"
Sophie quickly walked out of the room. She got off easy, she thought. Cleaning one little jeep or even a cruiser wasn't going to be so hard. She made her way outside and was immediately met with shock, as she saw the S.W.A.T. Command Truck sitting in front of the building's parking lot, completely covered in mud.
Jack Landors was surprised when the doors to Bridge & Quinn's quarters slid right open when he approached. He walked in and looked around, but he didn't see either one. Jack turned to leave.
"Looking for Bridge?"
Jack heard Quinn's voice and turned back around. It was coming from above. Jack looked up and saw Quinn doing push-ups on the ceiling.
"Actually, I was looking for you," Jack said.
Quinn stopped and turned his head, looking down at Jack.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Quinn slowly lowered himself from the ceiling. Jack saw his look of curiosity as his feet touched the floor.
"Hope I didn't scare you," Quinn said. "It's just that the ceiling's pretty much the only place where I don't find traces of butter."
Jack smirked a little. Quinn then squinted.
"Except that one time," he added, cringing. "Anyway, what's up?"
"I just wanted to come by and tell you that you're doing a good job out there," Jack said.
Quinn chuckled a bit.
"Thanks, Jack. That means a lot, coming from you."
"I also wanted to tell you that I understand what you're going through. When I first showed up, I had some problems of my own with Sky," Jack explained. "He can be tough to get along with."
"Yeah, I know. I just never thought it was gonna get harder as time went on, but it has."
"Sky hates to admit it, but he lets his emotions control him a lot of the time," Jack said, as he thought about his own actions as well. "Sometimes it clouds his judgment, like it has with you. But, I know that you're good for this team. You've stepped up in a position that you didn't think you were ready for and I admire your courage. You got guts."
"Thanks," Quinn said, looking proud. "You have any advice for dealing with Sky?"
"Sky's pig-headed. But, he's also smart. It's gonna take him some time to come around. The only question is how long it'll be before his smarts kick in and he realizes life ain't perfect. But you'll make it. I'm sure of it," Jack explained, as he walked towards the door. "I just don't want you to let anyone tell you that you're not good enough."
Quinn nodded in agreement, as Jack left the room. Once he was gone, Quinn looked a bit confused. He wondered why Jack took the time to come here and tell him that. It made him feel a little better about his next encounter with Sky, but Quinn still got the feeling that something was off with the Omega Ranger.
High above Earth, floating in space, there was something else off. Inside Omallix's base of operations, the Shimitan scientist Jintari could feel the change in the atmosphere. They all knew that Felix's body was lying dead in the second floor laboratory, but this was something else. He marched towards his laboratory, followed closely by his leader.
"I don't understand," Omallix called out, as they walked faster.
"Trust me. Something's happened," Jintari responded as the doors to his large laboratory opened.
He saw the thrashed chair on the second level. He ran up the stairs, while Omallix stayed on the lower level. Jintari scurried behind his desk and saw the cabinet was busted open.
"Oh no," Jintari said, lowly.
Omallix still heard him.
"What is it?" Omallix yelled.
Jintari turned to the augmentation device's insertion tube. He pulled the silver canister out of it. It was empty. He walked closer to the balcony, still holding the empty canister, which Omallix saw.
"What is going on, Jintari? Talk to me!"
"It's the last canister of your altered blood, sir. It's empty."
"How is that possible?"
"Someone must have activated the machine," Jintari said, as he walked over to his computer terminal and started typing.
"Felix!" Omallix clinched his fist.
"No," Jintari said. "According to the time stamp on the activation sequence, it was started after Felix died. It must have been Charlie."
Omallix glared up at Jintari, before storming out of the laboratory. Jintari got down the staircase and out of the lab as quickly as he could. Trying to catch up to Omallix, however, was a major effort. His legs were longer, stronger and he was moving with scary authority. Omallix got to the second floor on the other side of the base and he stalked towards the main laboratory where the augmentation machine was kept. He stopped. Jintari finally managed to catch up to him, but his slight green frame was heaving, trying to catch his breath. Omallix pressed forward and the doors slid open.
The two creatures entered a room. It was filled with smoke. Omallix bumped into the examination bed in the middle of the room. There was nothing on top of it. As the smoke began to clear out of the room through the open doorway, a shadow passed by them both, out of their line of sight.
"What happened in here?" Jintari said, as he noticed the augmentation device looked to be unharmed.
Omallix walked over to the observation window and saw Felix's body sprawled on the floor. He turned to head back towards the exit. Jintari turned at the same time and both were surprised at what they saw standing before them. Jintari jumped a bit at the sight.
"Charlie?" Omallix wondered.
Standing before them was a creature that looked nothing like the Charlie they knew. The creature was a dark white, almost gray. It had large, bulging red eyes. It looked as if every tendril of hair on her head had turned to steel tentacles. The hair was pulled back, away from her pale face. They might not have even assumed it was a woman had it not been for the twisted cleavage at the center of her grotesque form.
"Yes," the creature spoke, her voice deeper, more throaty than before.
It was indeed Charlie, but she had changed drastically from her encounter with the augmentation device.
"This device wasn't meant to work with human DNA," Jintari said, looking disgusted.
Omallix stepped forward, as he saw Charlie staring at her new, larger more monstrous gray hands. Her red fingertips were more like claws now.
"How do you feel, Charlie?" Omallix asked her.
"I feel...I feel...like destruction," Charlie said, darkly.
Omallix let out a mild chuckle. Inside, he was smiling, because he knew Charlie was ready. She was ready to face the Power Rangers and there was nothing he was going to do to stop her.
"How's the hand?" Jack asked.
He had found Bridge making toast at the bar in the Rec Room. He didn't seem to be having any problems with his cybernetic arm. He took a bite out of the toast.
"It's good," Bridge said, with a mouthful of bread. "Still no buttery."
Bridge stared at his right hand for a moment, wondering if it was going to respond to his vocal cue. He got no response.
"Well, you definitely seem like you again. I'm glad," Jack said, somberly.
"Thanks, Jack. Are you okay? Z told me about Ally's dad."
"I don't know. I guess I'm still making sense of it all."
"Well, if anyone can do it, you can."
Jack looked a bit surprised. "Why do you say that?"
"After everything you've been through. Jack, you're amazing. Not only did you lead us to victory over the Troobians, but you stood up for what you believed in. You could have stayed here and did the safe thing, but you didn't. You went out there and you tried to make a difference your way," Bridge explained. "I admire you for that."
"That's funny, cuz I was just thinkin' the same thing about you," Jack said.
"Really?"
"Of course, Bridge. Believe it or not, you helped me see that I could leave S.P.D. and still accomplish my goals," Jack said. "You march to your own drummer, no matter what anyone else says or does. You never let them change you. Then, Omallix went and changed you anyway and you didn't let that stop you either. You've made a difference."
"Thanks," Bridge said.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Syd walking into her room.
"Bridge, I'll catch up with you later," he said.
"Okay."
Jack followed Syd into her room, knocking on the wall.
"Can I come in?"
Syd turned around and saw him standing at her doorway.
"Jack, sure. I'm sorry about what happened."
"Yeah, everybody is. I don't really need to hear it anymore," Jack responded.
"I know. I'm sorry," Syd said, before catching herself. "I didn't mean to do that again. I just can't help apologizing these days."
"You okay?" Jack asked, noticing her weary demeanor.
"Yeah. It's just everything's wearing me down, you know. It's probably doing that to everyone, but you know me, cute and fragile Syd."
"Oh, come on," Jack said, as he touched her arm. "You're stronger than that, stronger than most people I know."
"How can you do this?" Syd asked, managing to smile.
"Do what?"
"Comfort me, spend time with Bridge. I know you're upset. You don't have to hide it, Jack," Syd responded.
"I'm not hiding," Jack said, as he sighed.
He paced around her room a bit, as Syd watched.
"Have you ever been in a situation that you know you had to change? You know you have to do something and whether it turns out good or bad for you, you just don't care because all that matters is making things right?" Jack asked. "Am I making any sense?"
"More than you know," Syd said, as she thought about her own life and the choices she had made in the last year.
She was letting her feelings crush her where Sky was concerned. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe he was onto something. She had to make sense of a major part of her life and she couldn't hide from the consequences anymore.
At Galaxy Command, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger paced around his office. He was worried. His instincts told him that he should have left Galaxy Command the minute after Jack cut his transmission. He had no idea what was going on back home and he was dying to find out. Then, he heard a transmission alert coming from his computer terminal. Cruger sat down at his desk and noticed it too was coming from Earth. He took a deep breath and activated it, speaking before he even saw the face of the person on the other end.
"Jack, I'm so glad that you—"
Then, Cruger noticed it wasn't Jack at all. It was Kat.
"Wow," Kat said, smirking. "I did something different with my hair today, but I didn't think it would case that reaction."
Cruger sighed.
"I'm sorry. I thought you were Jack calling back."
"Jack?"
"He contacted me earlier and told me about John Samuels' death. He seemed a bit erratic. I was worried," Cruger said. "Do you know what's going on with him?"
"Well, Jack's still here. I know that. I haven't spoken to him in person. I've been a little busy," Kat said. "Which is why I called."
"What's going on?"
"Well, sir, after you left, the Rangers managed to capture Magnettoron," Kat explained. "I found another encoded message in his DNA from Dr. Felix. It was longer than the last and a lot easier to read."
"What did he say?"
"You're not going to believe this. Felix solved a mystery that has plagued us for months," Kat said. "Felix told me exactly what was wrong with your Shadow powers."
"What?" Cruger looked confused.
"For months, I've been trying to figure out why a new Patrol morpher wouldn't work for you. Well, it turns out that the reason you weren't able to use a new morpher is because the old one was never inoperative," Kat revealed.
"But we saw Omallix destroy it."
"I know. It must have been a trick. He fooled us all. I can't believe I didn't figure it out on my own," Kat said.
"So my Patrol Morpher is still active?"
"Yes. It's aboard Omallix's base. Felix saw it there," Kat said.
"Why would Omallix be holding my morpher hostage?"
"To keep you out of action," Kat said. "We've been one Ranger short for months, thanks to Omallix. He made a fool out of us both."
"All this time," Cruger said, as he pounded his fist on the desk.
"Omallix has a lot of sins to atone for," Kat said.
"I'll make sure that he does," Cruger said. "He'll face eternal punishment for what he's done."
"We just have to figure out how to get your powers back," Kat said. "I'm sure the Galactic Council won't be happy about that. Having Shadow Ranger back means less time for bureaucracy."
Cruger took a deep breath, thinking about the fallout that might come from this. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this under wraps, especially if he intended to help liberate his morphing powers.
Jack was still trying to clear his head. He had tried facing his feelings head on. He had tried to bury them and focus on his friends. Jack had tried almost everything. He knew there was truly only one thing that could relieve him of his burden. He walked past one of the S.P.D. exercise centers. The glass wall gave away the fact that no one was inside, except for B-Squad's current Red Ranger. Jack looked in and saw Sky working out his frustrations with a punching bag. Jack watched his vicious shots for a second. He saw the intensity on Sky's face. Jack walked in.
"Planning on boxing Omallix into submission?"
Sky didn't stop punching at the arrival of Jack, or his question. His eyes never lost focus on that bag.
"If I get the chance," Sky said.
"Sounds good. I just hope that's the only face you're seeing in that bag. You're staring pretty hard," Jack said.
"You want the truth?"
"Always."
"It's not Omallix's face I'm looking at," Sky said, as he hit a few more devastating blows.
"Do I even want to know?"
Sky stopped punching and turned to face Jack.
"Jack, look. I can't bottle up my feelings just cuz I'm the leader. I'm not like you, okay. I never will be."
"Sky, maybe that's your problem," Jack said, annoyed. "You're always judging yourself based on other people. You're not like me. You're not like your dad. Who said you ever had to be?"
"How can I make myself better, if I don't compare myself to the best?"
"I thought you said your father wasn't the best," Jack said.
"I'm not talking about him," Sky sighed. "Ever since you walked out that door every single person in S.P.D. and every single person out there in Newtech City has put me on the same scale as you. I'm ready to admit I don't measure up."
"That's crap," Jack said, angrily. "Sky, you're a great Ranger, a great Red Ranger! You just need to believe that yourself. Who captured Magnettoron, alone? And, what about Mirloc?"
Sky shook his head negatively.
"It doesn't mean anything."
"It means everything, Sky," Jack said. "You keep fighting and fighting, everyone and everything. You know why people don't get you, Sky? You don't get yourself!"
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"You need to stop and think about one thing and one thing only. You! No one shapes your destiny but you, Sky. Not Cruger, not your father, not me!" Jack yelled. "You've been lucky so far."
Sky let out a sarcastic chuckle.
"Lucky? What war have you been watching?"
"You've been lucky that you haven't lost more," Jack said. "Believe me, it can hurt deeper than you know. No one's perfect Sky, no one. But, if you don't get your head together and stop fighting everyone around you, you're gonna start losing people."
Sky stared into Jack's eyes as he spoke.
"I'm not talking about losing friendships or people's respect. Being Red Ranger means swallowing your pride. It means doing what it takes to not only win on the battlefield but make your team a success," Jack yelled. "If you don't get that very soon, people are gonna start dying. It's getting that bad out there. If I remember correctly, not even Nathan Tate could forgive himself after that happened."
Jack exited, leaving Sky alone in sea of tension. Sky growled in anger and took one last deadly swing at the punching bag.
The doors to the Infirmary slid open in front of Z Delgado. Her eyes went straight to Piggy's bed as she walked further in. She sighed, as she saw Jack standing at Piggy's bedside. She saw Jack staring at Piggy. Jack seemed to blink each time the monitors did. Z walked slowly over to him and rubbed his arm, laying her head on his shoulder. They both continued to watch Piggy in silence. Jack noticed a tear fall from Z's eye and down the front of his uniform. He looked at her for the first time since she had entered.
"What's wrong?"
"I hate you sometimes," Z whispered.
Jack looked completely surprised. Z took her head off his shoulder as he turned to face her.
"What's that mean?"
"What are you gonna do?" Z asked, almost breathlessly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me," she said, as another tear fell. "I've spent the last hours of my day retracing your steps, Jack. It may not be obvious to them, but it is to me."
"I'm sorry," Jack said as he looked back down at Piggy, somberly. "I'm sorry you spent your day chasing after me, but that's no reason to bring hate into this."
"I hate that I know you so well and you know I do," Z said. "So, tell me. What's going on? What are you planning?"
Jack shook his head, as he still stared down at Piggy.
"Life must be hell for him," Jack said.
Z grabbed Jack's arm.
"I know the feeling. Jack, please talk to me," Z said, desperately.
"I can't," Jack said, as he couldn't even bring himself to face her. "It's better if we don't talk."
Jack turned and looked into her eyes.
"I just want to be here with Piggy," Jack said, finally. "Can we just do that?"
Z shook her head, agreeing. She came closer to him and they leaned their heads together. She never let go of his arm, as another tear fell.
"I'm scared," Z muttered.
"Me too."
In the stark desolation of Luna Province, on the outskirts of Newtech City, an explosion of fire erupted, leaving behind the evil presence of Cartiron in it's wake. The Dark Hellion had chosen this spot for a reason. In all honesty, he hated Earth. He had always seen it as weak and ripe for destruction. Cartiron never needed much motive for causing chaos. He remembered the day he caused the firewall that destroyed this place and much of the city. It made him proud to see the barren wasteland.
He walked a few feet forward, through the swirling ash in the air. The entire province looked like a desert, except the sand was gray ash. Cartiron stopped as he saw something glowing in the distance. He walked over to the spot and bent over, picking the circular piece of jewelry off of the ashy ground. Yes, he thought to himself. He had picked the right spot indeed. It was true that Cartiron never needed a motive for mayhem, but in the last few weeks, he had been given one and it was time to wipe that slate clean.
Inside the Command Center, alarms had sounded. As if his instincts had told him what was coming, Jack was already on his way there. He knew it wouldn't be long before the others had made their way there as well. Jack sped up his pace, as he came running around the corner and jogged into the Command Center, finding that no one from B-Squad had arrived yet. Even Silverback was absent.
"What's going on?" he called out to Ghiren at the tracking station.
"It's Cartiron. He's appeared on Earth. His exact location is Luna Province," Ghiren reported.
All of a sudden, the tension in the room was heightened, as Niyako could tell that Cartiron was speaking. She pumped the dialogue in through the Command Center's communications systems.
"Jack Landors! You want a fight. I am here to oblige."
That was all Jack needed. He could feel a tingling in his left wrist. He didn't know if it was nerves or his Omega morpher, but the adrenaline was already pumping. It was time.
"I have something that belongs to you!" Cartiron shouted.
"This is my fight. I'm going," Jack called out.
"I will alert Commander Silverback and the rest of the Rangers," Niyako said.
"S.P.D. Emergency!" Jack shouted, for old time's sake. "Omega Morpher, Power Up!"
The Uniforce Cycle sped out off of the S.P.D. grounds, passing the front of the Delta Command Base. Sophie couldn't help but stop and watch the morphed Omega Ranger speed off. She looked a bit confused, as she stared back at the vehicle bay exit.
"Where are the other Rangers?" she asked aloud.
"All finished, Sophie?"
Sophie jumped at the sound of Silverback's yelling voice behind her. With Murphy at his side, Silverback stared over the S.W.A.T. Command Truck, seeing it was clean.
"Sir, I think we may have an emergency," Sophie said.
"No kidding," Silverback said, pointing behind her.
Sophie turned to see Murphy lifting his leg next to the truck and spewing a blue fluid onto it.
"Murphy!" Sophie yelled.
Silverback let out a hearty laugh.
"Looks like you missed a spot," Silverback said.
Sophie dropped her rag on the floor and turned to Silverback.
"Sir, you're not listening. I think there's an emergency. I just saw Jack go speeding out of here morphed," Sophie said.
Silverback's smile seemed to fade, as he realized what Sophie was saying.
"Emergency?" Silverback muttered.
"You got that right!"
Silverback and Sophie both turned to see a tall silver female monster in front of them. They didn't even have time to recognize Charlie's voice. A volley of lasers came shooting from Charlie's eyes. Silverback and Sophie both went flying into the air, struck by the attack. Charlie began to advance on them when Murphy blocked her way, growling fiercely. His tail flipped up above his head and four bolts of laser energy fired at Charlie, forcing her to stagger a bit. The patrol hound took off towards her, jumping into the air and clamping down on her arm. Charlie wrestled the robot off, sending him flying into a parked S.P.D. cruiser.
Z woke up in the Infirmary. How could she have fallen asleep, she thought. Jack was gone. She heard the alarms and sprinted out of the Infirmary.
"B-Squad Rangers, please report to the Command Center," Niyako's voice emanated throughout the Delta Command Base.
In no time, the five B-Squad members were in the Command Center. Z was the last to arrive.
"Where's Jack?"
"He's gone after Cartiron alone in Luna Province," Niyako revealed.
"Not for long," Sky said, as he nodded to the others, who pulled their morphers.
"Rangers, wait!" Ghiren called out. "That's not the only emergency. We've got one closer to home."
Ghiren walked over to the main console in the center of the room and keyed in a few commands. A holographic image from the Headquarters security cameras showed them the monster attacking at the front of the building.
"Oh no," Syd said.
"Who's that?" Bridge said. "I thought Felix said Omallix didn't have any more monsters?"
"Looks like Felix was wrong," Quinn added. "Or, it's not one of Omallix's goons."
"Either way, we have to get out there," Sky said.
"What about Jack?" Z yelled.
"We have to hope he can take care of himself for now," Sky said. "Ready?"
The others all took deep breaths and raised their morphers.
"Ready!"
"S.P.D. S.W.A.T.!" the five yelled together.
In front of S.P.D. Headquarters, Sophie was pulling herself to her feet, as she saw Silverback struggling to do the same. She looked in front of her, only to see the monster right in front of her. Charlie grabbed both of them by their necks and raised them several feet off the ground, slamming their backs into the S.W.A.T. Command Truck's side.
"I think I'm going to like this new look," she grunted in anger.
Then, a barrage of laser attacks came flying at her from behind. Charlie released Silverback and Sophie, who both crumpled to the ground. She turned to see the five S.P.D. S.W.A.T. Rangers standing before her, with Delta Enforcers drawn.
"Oh goody. Petty B-Squad returns," Charlie yelled.
"Returns?" Syd said. "What's she talking about?"
"What's wrong, Rangers? Don't recognize me!"
Charlie sent a volley of laser attacks from her eyes, sending the five Rangers staggering to the ground. She whipped her hands behind her and pulled out two large swords, matching the ones used by Dorothar. They had red ribbons tied on them at the handles. She took off into the air, sending another volley of lasers down on the Rangers, who were on their knees, trying to get to their feet. They all went flying in another explosion of sparks and lasers.
"Well, let me re-introduce myself," Charlie yelled. "It's the new and improved Charlie!"
"Charlie?" Bridge yelled.
"What has she done to herself?" Z yelled.
"I don't know, but she's a lot stronger," Syd added.
"We gotta get up!" Sky said.
Miles away, the Uniforce Cycle came to a stop. Jack may have cursed the day he got the Omega Ranger powers, but he was glad to have that vehicle at his fingertips. It got him to where he needed to be in no time. He saw Cartiron standing in place upon his arrival. He didn't move from his spot, even as Jack dismounted and began walking towards him. Jack stopped about ten feet away from Cartiron.
"You came for your petty jewel, Ranger?"
"No," Jack said. "I came for you."
"You are more determined than I thought," Cartiron said. "Will your friends be arriving soon?"
"I think you've got your hands full already."
Cartiron let out a dark chuckle.
"I don't think so."
"I do!" Jack yelled, as he twisted his morphers throttle quickly. "Electro mode!"
Jack pounded his hand to the ground, causing a stream of lightning sparks to head straight for Cartiron, lighting him up in a barrage of lightning energy. His body smoked for a second, but he still held onto that ring.
"Two can play that game!" Cartiron yelled back, as he raised his free hand to Jack, causing a large ball of fire to shoot at him.
The Omega Ranger jumped above the attack, as he twisted his throttle again.
"Hyper mode!"
As he landed, Jack's glove once again glowed. Before his feet could even touch the ground, his fist came into contact with Cartiron's body, sending a swift succession of punches into his chest. The attack went so fast that in the distance all that could be seen were yellow pops of smoke coming off Cartiron's body, as he staggered backwards. Jack didn't let up. He kept hitting his enemy. Cartiron regained his senses and shot another fire sphere right into the Omega Ranger's chest, sending Jack flying backwards. He crashed to the ground, rolling onto his side.
"Petty human. You will not defeat me!"
"I'm not giving up!" Jack said, through clenched teeth beneath his helmet.
Back at S.P.D. Headquarters, four members of B-Squad was on their feet, fighting Charlie hand-to-hand. The fifth ran over to Silverback and Sophie, who were still down.
"You guys okay?" Syd asked.
"Barely," Sophie said. "My circuitry's spinning."
"So's my head," Silverback added.
"Can you make it inside the truck? You'll be safe in there."
"Yeah," Silverback said. "Just get her!"
The Pink Ranger nodded, before running off to rejoin the others. The Green and Blue Rangers swatted at Charlie with their Delta Enforcers. She blocked Bridge's attack with one sword, as she slashed at Quinn with the other. The Green Ranger went flying. Charlie brought the sword around in one swift motion, slashing the Blue Ranger in the stomach. He went flying in a puff of sparks.
The Yellow Ranger was right there. She blocked away one sword with her Delta Enforcer and planted her boot on the second sword, causing Charlie to be unable to raise it from the ground.
"You picked the wrong time for an extreme makeover!" Z yelled at her.
"That's what you think!" Charlie said, as she used all of her strength to lift her sword.
The momentum, caused Z to be raised off the ground. She flipped backwards away from Charlie. As her back came down towards the ground, she fired at her, seemingly in slow motion. Charlie, however, used her swords to deflect the blast, sending the lasers back at Z. The Yellow Ranger fell to the ground, sparking with damage.
The Red Ranger was right behind her, firing more blasts from his Delta Enforcer. He took off into the air, coming down with a laser assault. Charlie flipped away and launched herself off the ground. In mid-air, the two traded kicks, knocking each other several feet away. Sky landed on his feet, just as Charlie did. He fired, but she again flipped away. She used one sword as a spear, darting it at the Red Ranger. He fell backwards as the blade slashed across his chest.
"Naughty boy!" Charlie laughed, just as another barrage of lasers hit her from behind.
She tumbled forward onto the ground. She twisted her head, seeing the Pink Ranger running at her. She flipped to her knees, still holding one of her swords.
"You really should watch your step!" Syd yelled.
"You too!" Charlie yelled back, as the Pink Ranger got inches away.
Charlie used her sword to push off. She backflipped behind the Pink Ranger and slashed her in the back with her sword, sending her crashing to the ground, near the Yellow Ranger. As Sky got to his feet, he noticed Murphy doing the same thing. Sky unzipped a pouch on his vest and pulled out the red Battlizer morpher. He strapped it on, as the Blue & Green Rangers had Charlie busy.
"S.P.D. Battlizer, Power Up!"
Within seconds, Murphy was latched onto Sky and Charlie found herself staring down the barrel of the Battlized Cannon, bearing Murphy's face. Sky flipped the device off his shoulder and prepared to fire. Charlie sprinted into the air, seemingly bouncing off every surface she came into contact with. As she escaped, the Rangers joined Sky at his sides, hearing her final words to them.
"This isn't over Rangers!"
They all seemed to sigh in relief, except the Pink Ranger. She looked at Sky.
"Hey, you were going to load a containment card before firing that weren't you?" Syd asked.
The Red Ranger looked at her and a moment of silence passed.
"Of course," Sky responded.
"We better get Sophie and the Commander inside," Quinn said.
"Oh no," Z said, loudly. "I forgot all about Jack! We have to get to Luna Province, now!"
On the once-lush plains of Luna Province another battle was still raging. Jack had gotten to his feet and was charging towards Cartiron, with his throttle in his hand.
"Omega morpher, Blast mode!"
Cartiron saw the attack coming, though. He tossed Jack's engagement ring into the air, drawing his attention. Cartiron raised both of his arm, as Jack hopped into the air, catching the ring. As his body came down to land, Cartiron clapped his hands together, causing a tiny wave of fire to light up the Omega Ranger, sending him to the ground again. He struggled to his feet, smoking. Jack felt the intense heat. It was too much, even for his power suit. He wasn't giving up. He couldn't.
"Give up, human!" Cartiron yelled.
"Never!"
Cartiron chuckled, as he brought up both of his fists. Jack watched them both turn bright red. The palms opened and two huge spheres of fire came blasting towards the Omega Ranger. He didn't move. Stupid human, Cartiron thought to himself, as the balls of fire got closer, closer. Jack could feel his own heartbeat as they came. He knew he couldn't move, or it would ruin his plan. The fireballs were inches away. They collided with him, or so Cartiron thought. In that second, Jack molecularized his body and the fireballs went flying right through him. Cartiron staggered back, looking shocked. The Omega Ranger took off to the air, twisting his throttle.
"Omega morpher, Light Beam mode!"
It was Jack's strongest attack. He had seen it used many times to finish off criminals. The blast sent Cartiron flying backwards into the air, as he crashed into the ground, an explosion seemed to engulf his body. With his back to the explosion, Jack lifted the ring to his charred helmet. In that moment, he realized that his helmet had cracked a little, straight down the middle. A sliver of light could be seen reflecting in on him. He looked at the ring and thought of his love.
Behind him, amidst the ashes, Cartiron began to get to his feet. He was moving slower than ever before. He trudged out of the smoke and ash towards the Omega Ranger. Jack could feel his footsteps approaching. It was time to end it, Jack thought. The light beam attack was the best he had, Jack thought. This time he would be closer. That might be the only way. Of course, the power might be too much. His suit had taken a lot of damage. Cartiron was getting closer, Jack thought. It was now or never. His nightmare was going to end where it had begun.
He turned around to face the Dark Hellion, as Cartiron was only inches from him. Cartiron's right palm was his strongest. He was aimed right at the Omega Ranger's face, as it began to glow. Jack could see the glowing red through his cracked visor. His body was burning with the same red rage. He twisted his morpher's throttle, which he wasn't sure Cartiron had even noticed. Jack's glove again began to glow.
The fiery blast from Cartiron's palm erupted. Jack raised his glowing fist in front of his fast, coming into direct contact with Cartiron's fire energy. The two blasts collided drawing both creatures into a huge glowing sphere of power and energy. They both maxed out their power. They gave everything they had to end this fight. The explosion could be seen blocks away. The approaching S.P.D. Rangers saw it, even from inside the S.W.A.T. Command Truck, as they reached the scene. They were too late.
Inside his office at Galaxy Command, Doggie Cruger was waiting. The doors finally slid open and Otto Cali walked in. His squid-like head was hard to read, so Cruger didn't know what to expect.
"You wanted to see me?"
"I heard from S.P.D. Earth," Cruger said, proudly. "They've learned that my Patrol morpher is in fact still operable. Omallix never destroyed it. He stole it."
"Oh my," Cali said. "That is extraordinary."
"Yes. Now that the Rangers know it's aboard his base, I'm sure they will be going there not only to retrieve it, but to rescue Dr. Felix. We owe that to him."
"They owe that to him, Cruger. They do, not you."
A beeping alert from his computer terminal interrupted them. Cruger glanced at the screen, seeing that it was coming from Earth. He knew if he answered it right now, Cali might fire him on the spot.
"Mr. President, I have to go back."
"No, you don't. You're the Supreme Commander, not Shadow Ranger."
The beeping alert continued to sound.
"Sir, I can't just turn my back on them!"
"You have to learn to separate yourself from S.P.D.: Earth, Cruger! There's no way you'll be able to function if you don't!"
The beeping alert continued to sound.
"But, sir—"
"You are not to return to S.P.D.: Earth until after the conflict with Omallix is finished. That is an official order from the Council. Do you understand?"
A moment of silence passed between them. In that moment, Cruger realized the beeping stopped.
"Yes sir," He said, angrily.
The Galactic Council President gave a polite bow and exited Cruger's office. Doggie took a deep breath and sat down. He turned on his computer monitor and saw that while he missed the call, there was a message. He activated it.
"Doggie? Doggie?" Isinia called out. "I don't know where you are. Maybe you've already heard. I don't even know if it's my place to tell you. The day started off so well. I have amazing news. We are going to have a family after all. I'm pregnant."
Cruger's eyes grew wide as he heard Isinia's words. That was excellent news, but she didn't seem to be in good spirits.
"It's truly cruel when such good news is tempered with tragedy," Isinia continued. "I don't even know how to tell you this. It's about Jack..."
A half-hour before Isinia's message was delivered, Dr. Sevarus waited. He knew what was coming and he was ready, with every tool he had. Two nurses were there also waiting for him. The orderlies were on the way, he knew. Then, the wait was over. The doors to the Infirmary slid open and chaos came roaring in. The gurney was put into place and Jack's charred body was quickly transferred to a bed. The orderlies disappeared out the door, just as a crowd was entering. They were all there. Bridge was holding Z up by sheer will. Tears were everywhere. Sky, Syd, Quinn, Kat, Boom, Sam, Silverback and Sophie all watched Dr. Sevarus doing his best.
He touched the Omega morpher, forcing a power down, even though he wasn't quite sure if Jack was even still morphed, given the blackened state of his body. The burning heat on the morpher told the tale for the doctor. He knew there wasn't going to be much chance of survival here. Before the monitors could even be turned on completely, erratic beeping was heard.
"Doctor, he's flatlining!" the nurse yelled.
"Jack!" Z yelled, as Bridge held her tighter.
The second nurse prepared the paddles. Sevarus jammed them onto Jack's chest.
"Clear!"
The others all waited, watching. The nurses exchanged negative glances with Sevarus.
"Again!"
With the push of a button, the paddles were ready again to try to breathe life back into Jack Landors, but nothing happened. Sevarus nodded to them and glanced at the clock, before turning to the others.
"I'm sorry," he said. "He's gone."
Z collapsed on the floor, screaming his name. Bridge fell to the floor beside her, trying to hold onto his friend, but he didn't know if it was helping. Sam backed into a wall, looking terrified. Syd walked over to the wall near the door and began to cry into her hand, against the wall. Sky walked close to her and reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, but he didn't come close enough for her to even notice. Kat pushed back her own tears, as she watched Silverback quietly exit, followed by Sophie. Kat looked to Boom at her side and hugged him. Quinn turned away from the site of Jack, as memories of his own fallen best friend filled his head in that moment.
"I'm sorry," Sevarus said, seemingly to no one, as he nodded to the nurses, who departed.
On the floor, Z continued to scream Jack's name through her tears. Everyone in the room heard her, everyone, even Piggy.
"Jack..." Piggy's voice called out, almost hushed.
Kat and Boom both turned and looked at Piggy's bed, as his eyes began to flutter open.
"Piggy," Kat spoke.
Dr. Sevarus made his way over to Piggy's bed and began checking the readings on him. Kat and Boom gathered around his bed. The B-Squad Rangers, however, didn't seem to notice at all. Their own grief was much too powerful.
One hour later, the Galactic Council President was headed back to Cruger's office. As a public figure, he never liked to raise his voice or lose his temper, even with subordinates. It didn't look good, he thought to himself. He wanted to smooth things over with Cruger.
The doors to the Supreme Commander's office opened before Cali could even reach for the door panel. He walked in to find Doggie Cruger was gone. Where was he, Cali wondered. Cali's eyes veered to the wall behind Cruger's desk.
Cali closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. The Shadow Saber was gone. That meant only one thing. Cruger was gone and the President didn't even give a second thought to where Doggie Cruger was headed.
In orbit of Earth, Omallix stared out the glassed window at the front of his throne room. It had been almost an hour and still nothing. Charlie had returned from her losing effort against the Rangers and locked herself in Felix's laboratory once again. Jintari was at his station nearby. Omallix was waiting on his last warrior, but he hadn't heard from Cartiron since his departure. Omallix had watched the battle play out, but he had cut the transmission after the final explosion.
"I don't think he's coming, my lord," Jintari spoke.
Then, he heard a faint rumbling. He knew the sound. He turned to see a large sphere of flames deposit Cartiron's charred body on the floor of his throne room. Omallix rushed over to his side and began helping Cartiron up.
"Cartiron! You survived," Omallix exclaimed.
"Yes, master. I told you I would," Cartiron said, as he began to stumble back to the floor, clearly weakened.
"Stand up, my warrior," Omallix said, as he pulled Cartiron's arm around his shoulder. "We will get you in fighting shape again. Jintari, prepare the augmentation machine!"
"We can't sir! We have no more blood left."
"It flows within me, doesn't it?"
"But, my lord, you need that to survive."
"My body can produce more!" Omallix yelled. "Cartiron is just what we need to defeat S.P.D. for good. We will make him unstoppable. The final battle is upon us. It's time to begin S.P.D.'s destruction!"