Once A Ranger, Forever A Hero
Chapter 12 – Breaks Loose

The movement was too quick. The consequences severe. One moment, they were on the verge of a peace deal; the next, Lothor had broken free of his cuffs and lunged towards Master Vile. Kapri managed to keep her head and threw Andros the keys to his own before moving to pull Lothor away from her grandfather. But not before had plunged a hand deep into Vile's stomach, sending pulses of electricity through the aging emperor. Vile screamed and Kapri shot lightning straight into Lothor's eyes to get him away. With their uncle writhing on the floor, the girls bent down to grab their grandfather.

"Grandfather," the sisters tried to urge him up. "We have to move now."

"It's over starlets," Vile gasped. "Save yourselves…I'm sorry…I gave the order…before…"

"We knew you would," Marah semi-smiled. "We came prepared."

"Of course you did," Vile almost laughed.

*ORFH*

Before…

It was amazing what people might not notice when they have other things on their mind. Like the door of a zord closing just a couple of seconds too late. But then again borrowing one's boyfriend's ability to turn invisible had it's perks. After talking to Master Vile and setting up the meeting, all of the rangers had gathered in the Megaship to go over a strategy. "There is absolutely no way he'll actually stand down once we're on that ship," Kapri told them. "He's going to have exactly what he wants and nothing to stop him from launching an assault."

"Exposing Lothor from the jump might be enough to distract him," Marah continued. "But we can't guarantee he won't have given the order beforehand so we would be unable to contact you in time."

"So what do we do?" TJ asked.

"We need someone else to come with us," Kapri replied. "Someone who can go undetected."

"I think I can manage that," Tommy lifted the sleeve on his black dino gem.

"No." resounded around the room.

"Tommy you are needed here," Adam insisted. "It'd be like a sending five-star general on a kamikaze mission."

"Well do you know anyone else who can turn invisible?"

"Technically anyone who has the black dino gem can," Kira spoke up. They stared down each other for a minute, disapproval written across Tommy's face. Kira crossed her arms, "You literally have two other morphers."

"That's not the point," Tommy growled.

"Someone has to get on that ship. I'm smaller, quicker and have natural dino abilities of my own. This will just be like doubling up."

"You were a part of the team that killed Thrax," Marah reminded her. "If this goes sideways and you're caught…"

"I won't." Kira said resolutely, shutting down the discussion. "Now tell me where to go."

"Okay," Kapri began drawing a map.

*ORFH*

Later on…

"Be careful," Tommy kissed Kira. Surreptitiously he pressed the black gem into her hand. Both of them felt the instant connection to the power within.

"I will," she squeezed his hand. "Love you."

"Love you too."

*ORFH*

On the ship…

With everyone's attention on the sisters, Kira slipped by them invisible. She tucked herself into a safe corner before sending her zord away, her signal to the team of the safe boarding. Then she began to carefully pick her away through the corridors of Vile's ship. She had to get down to the engine room and disrupt the communication signal between Vile and the other ships in the armada. It was difficult and slow with Tengas roaming the narrow hallways but she made do.

She felt rather than heard Marah and Kapri's all clear signal as she had a similar button on her own wrist but that also meant she had to hurry. Master Vile may have done something and that's why he was so willing to listen as a way to stall. She managed to find the engine room and locate the communications column. Wary of catching her, she opened the shell of the column and parted the wires gently to reveal a thick red cord. Simply blasting the connection would draw too much attention. Per Kapri's instruction, she took a small blade and removed a sizable section on the cord which would down the network much like losing wifi.

The moment the wire was cut, she heard the immediate stomping and babble of agitated Tenga. Quickly she replaced the shell and slipped away before they could catch her.

*ORFH*

"You've learnt well," Vile approved, limping and leaning heavily on his granddaughters.

"It's won't stop the armada for long though," Kapri said. "You need to give the formal signal to stand down. You can do it from the Megaship but we have to get you out of here."

They were almost to the docks when lightning rained down on them, scattering the threesome. Lothor was back and angrier than ever. "I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!" he roared, violently blasting his once family. Marah tried to get to her feet only to be sent right off them, cracking her head against the wall. A thin line of blood followed her descent back to the ground where she lay unmoving.

"NO!" Kapri screamed and sent a wave of unbridled energy towards her uncle. Suddenly a ear-splitting screech filled the air and Kira wavered into vision, bellowing her pterodactyl call with all her might.

Lothor staggered back, "We're not done here." He ran off and Kapri went to her sister and Kira to Master Vile.

"Where did he go?" the yellow ranger asked.

"Probably to alert the fleet to move," Vile groaned. "You took the communications down but there are other ways to get a message across."

"We have to stop him," Kira said.

"No," Kapri shook her head. "Call your zord, get Marah out of here and warn the rest of the rangers."

"I already did," Kira held the wrist concealing the button. "Two presses for trouble remember?"

"Still Grandfather and I can handle Lothor for now. There's not much he can do without on ship in outer space without risking his own safety. The others are going to need you more if the armada moves and my sister is not dying here."

Kira hesitated but knew they didn't have time to argue. "Fine." She morphed and called her zord. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Kapri gave her an ominous look, "So do I."