Power Rangers: A Legend Retold

Echoes

Tommy stood in his Green Ranger costume on a tower overlooking the city, watching it burn and laughing as the civilians screamed in terror and ran for cover.

"Fear not" he called to them "a new pure world will rise from these ashes. Your sacrifice will not be vein."

He lifted the flute and played it, watching as the Dragonzord aimed to fire. It was then he looked down saw a mother and two children huddled and crying with terror, the mother trying to comfort her screaming children, telling them it would be alright. In that moment his heart wrenched as he realized he was about to cause their deaths. He widened his eyes and brought the flute up to cancel his command, but it was to late. He watched helplessly as the missiles fired and the family was replaced by an explosion and blazing fire, their screams now silent. He fell to his knees in despair, looking up as he heard her now standing beside him.

"Well done, my Green Ranger" Bandora spoke to him.

"No" was all Tommy could let out.

Then suddenly before him was Kimberly, in tears and looking down at him in disgust.

"You are truly lost" her voice echoed.

He then looked up and noticed the Dragonzord now aiming for Kimberly, he couldn't stop it. No matter how hard he fought he played the flute and issued the command. The missiles shot forward and blew Kim apart in a gruesome explosion.

***

"No!" Tommy sat up in his bed with a start.

He looked down and saw he was once again drenched with sweat, his sheets soaked. He placed his head in his hands as he breathed heavily and brushed his lose hair from his face. All that ran through his mind was 'why couldn't I stop myself? Why did I do it?' Zordon and the others had told him that the surgeons at Zedd's base had done something to his mind, his brain, but that didn't explain how he had given himself so completely to Bandora's will. Toward the end he knew he was on the wrong side, but the madness that had overcome him did not let him do anything but obey.

He pulled back the sheets and walked out of his new room and into the combined lounge and Kitchen area. He pored himself a drink of water from the cold tap and sighed as he sat on the bar stool at the counter.

He sat for a moment in thought when another of the bedroom doors opened and Billy walked out, attired in his undershorts and blue vest.

"Hey" Billy smiled at him.

"Hey" Tommy nodded nonchalantly in his direction.

"Can't sleep?" Billy asked as he opened the refrigerator.

"You could say that that" Tommy took another drink from the glass.

Billy took some items from the fridge and placed them on the counter.

"You?" Tommy asked.

"Haven't been to sleep yet" Billy smiled as he prepared a couple of plates.

Tommy noticed the double set of glasses and plates and Billy didn't have to say anymore.

"Ah" Tommy said "I see."

"What about you? Anyone special in your life?" Billy pored some orange juice.

"Not unless you count Scorpina" Tommy chuckled for a moment, but only a moment.

Billy stopped and looked up wide eyed "is that...even possible?"
"Never mind" Tommy shuck his head "just keep it to yourself."

"Right" Billy shook his head and carried on with what he was doing, not quiet being able to look at Tommy the same.

He finally picked up the plates and glasses, heading back to the bedroom.

"See you in the morning. Don't forget the training session at the CC" Billy called back quietly.

Tommy simply nodded and finished his drink as Billy went back into his room.

"Lucky guy" Tommy sighed and decided to go back to bed.

***

Goldar walked onto the Command Deck of Serpentera as it made its way to rendezvous with the seventh fleet. He was almost boiling with rage at what he had just learned but of course had to keep it under control before his Emperor. He bowed to one knee before the command throne.

"I am most pleased to see you out of your regeneration cycle my Lord" Goldar growled.

Lord Zedd looked down upon him, had his face not been a mask he would surely be looking down upon his general with a smug face of superiority.

"I hear you have been told some interesting news about your wife Goldar" Lord Zedd's voice rumbled.

"Yes my Lord" Goldar tried to contain the anger in his voice "security tapes revealed she spent a night with the Green Ranger when he was at the base, in his bunk no less my Lord."

Zedd's laughter shook the deck plating as he howled at the news. Some officers turned in disbelief, they had never seen Zedd laugh or even show pleasure other than when they had won a significant battle.

"I see" Zedd finally said "then I assure you a chance to kill Green Ranger when we return to conquer that pathetic planet. I trust you wish the execution of your wife?"

"No my Lord. I will deal with her in my own way" Goldar replied.

"Shame" Zedd looked down on him.

"What of Bandora my Lord?" Goldar then asked.

"What of her!" Zedd stood and slammed his staff down in anger as Goldar stood in shock "in her time in command she lost us over half of our men, the sixth power coin, its Zord and has sent us into a retreat!"
"I..I know my Lord. I was merely asking as to her fate" Goldar stumbled to reply.

"Were her farther not one of the high nobles I would have her killed without a second thought. As it is she will remain in custody until I decide what to do with her" Zedd sat back on his throne.

"Yes my Lord" Goldar bowed and left.

Vengeance would be his, as he knew it would be his Emperors. No force of nature or power would save the Power Rangers from their wrath this time.

***

The Power Rangers were now in their new training room of the Command Centre. They were in the process of target practice, six digital targets in front of them that reset upon impact. Those who had melee weapons, which was most, were using their blaster guns while Kimberly was using her bow.

Kimberly pulled back an arrow on her bow, activated her targeting vision, aimed and then finally let it go. A perfect strike. As she pulled another arrow to reload she looked over at Tommy who was firing relentlessly at the target, not stopping for a moment. She sighed, he was so tormented by what he had done and he took the anger he had for himself out on the target board. Next to her Trini followed her glaze and spoke up.

"God help Zedd's troops" Trini said to her over the noise.

"Yeah" Kim smiled faintly and went back to shooting.

***

Next was the group combat exercise that was designed to help them work better as a team. The technological wonder of a room Billy and Alpha had designed created for them a few dozen Golem soldiers for them to combat. For the most part it went well as each used there hand to hand combat as well as their weapons to defeat the projections.

As the Rangers flew around the room in combat Jason pulled back and withdrew his long sword. He swung it and moved in, bringing it down on two targets. Tommy watched this and in response withdrew his dagger, taking out two targets of his own. Jason noticed what Tommy was doing and put his weapon back into his suit, Tommy did the same. The others, mostly Kim had noticed exactly what they were doing. They were trying to outdo each other. Jason launched forward getting is a few good punches, ducked and blocked attacks before getting a spinning heel kick and sending down another "Putty." Tommy launched forward moving into his signature fighting stance and letting out his "hiya see hiya" as he dropped three targets of his own with an impressive display of moves.

Finally the others backed off as only one Golem remained. Tommy and Jason looked at each other, both wanting to beat the other into taking it down. They both ran forward, both neck and neck until Tommy slid sideways, stuck out his leg and tripped Jason up. He then withdrew his dagger again and slashed, destroying the virtual Golem and watching it fade out of existance.

As the simulation ended and the Rangers de-morphed back to themselves Jason stood and marched over to Tommy in anger.

"What the fuck was that?" Jason pushed Tommy.

"What? Your the one who made it a race!" Tommy pushed back.

The others rushed forward to break it up as the two almost went to blows.

"This was meant to be a team exercise fellas" Billy tried to tell them as he helpled push them apart.
"Yeah? Tell that to him over there!" Jason shot a look over to Tommy.

"Well if you just let me have it" Tommy shot back.

"Me!"
"Yeah you, its obviously I'm the most powerful."
"What? Because of your fucking shield! Who's the leader of this team anyway?" Jason shouted.

"Guys!" Kimberly finally cried over them "Just be quiet, both of you! This is not the time nor the place to be having a damn cock fight!"

"You guys really need to learn Gung Ho" Trini added and got blank stares as a response, "its Chinese for working together. We all are going to have to count on each other if we are going to survive the battles ahead."

"Rangers" Zordon's voice boomed over com system "will you join me in the main chamber."

They all looked at each other and tried to calm themselves as they walked through to the chamber. Tommy and Jason avoided each other while Kim walked ahead, trying to ignore both of them.

***

"You performed well in the training exercise. However it displayed a major problem within your team. Jason and Tommy you both need to learn to work together if you are succeed in your mission" Zordon told the Rangers as they walked onto the main control platform.

"Mission?" Jason asked in confusion.

"Yes. We are going to need the seventh and final Zord the scriptures spoke off if we are to have a chance in the battles ahead. We will need Titanus" Zordon informed them.

"A seventh Zord? Damn" Zack commented.

"Observe the screens" Zordon told them.

The Rangers watched as on the screen the schematics for Titanus appeared. It was a white tank like Zord.

"It is a Zord based on the giant Brachiosaurus dinosaur from the jurassic period. It is given its name for the hiding place the aliens who created your powers and Zords left it. It is, as far as we can tell, on the Saturn moon of Titan" Zordon said as they looked at the data "Jason and Tommy I have decided to send the two of you to retrieve it. We have configured the transporter to send you to such a distance. I hope as well as finding and brining back the Zord that you will both learn to work as a team."

Jason and Tommy merely looked at each other and then back at Zordon, nodding in response.

Kim let out a sigh "Oh boy."

END

Next Time: Titanus