Chapter Two
"They just came out of nowhere," Tommy repeated, pulling the patches and medical tape from his bare chest.
"It wasn't like any other cog attack. There were just so many. They were out for blood."
After Alpha had healed him in the oxygenated Zeo chamber, Tommy had wasted no time explaining the ordeal. Plank, Orbus, the cogs and Reggie's brave intervention. The team was riled up both in anger and a terminal sense of urgency. They had to do something before the attacks got worse.
"We need to stick together, in case they try it again," Adam suggested.
The entire team seemed to agree.
"This was way too close," Rocky noted.
"Who knows who they'll go after next. We can't let this happen again."
His and Jason's eyes met. Zordon spoke what was on their minds.
"I'm afraid you're right rangers. Though the week is not up the time has come for you to choose a new pink ranger. Have you any candidates?"
Jason spoke up.
"Actually Rocky and I have one each. Both girls have met everybody and they all seem to like each other. We were discussing it at the juice bar while we waited for Tommy. Now that everybody's here we can put it to a vote."
Tanya turned to Tommy.
"Did you have any candidates?"
He shook his head. He'd been so busy mourning Kat it had been hard to think of a replacement. It had been part of the reason the cogs had caught him off guard as they had.
"Okay," he shook it off, "let's hear it."
Rocky nodded for Jason to go first.
"I was thinking Emily," he announced.
"She's a good person, has great moral character. She showed a lot of strength when she stopped her friends from harassing Ernie at the beach. And Ernie says she's a quick learner. She got the hang of things so fast down at the juice bar she could practically run the place. Not to mention she's athletic so helping her with martial arts training shouldn't be a problem. I think she'd be a great addition to the team."
The others took in his pitch, pretty pleased. Tommy glanced over at Rocky, not quite convinced.
"And who's your pick?"
Rocky lit up at the chance to dish.
"Glad you asked Tommy. I'm sure everybody's noticed the loss in brain power since Billy left. That's why I think Jennifer would be good for the team. She's not only smart but pretty much a genius. She designed that Silo computer game a while back, remember? Now granted Mondo stole it and turned it on us but Silo was pretty tough right? If she can make that from our school computers imagine what she could do with zeo technology. She could upgrade our defenses, design new software for our zeozords. Mondo wouldn't know what hit him."
Adam looked at Tanya who looked at Tommy. Sounded solid.
"What do you think? You guys ready to vote?"
It wouldn't be an easy decision. Both Emily and Jennifer were good choices. Each brought something different to the table. But they had to make a decision. There was no more time. Still, Tommy couldn't find himself satisfied. Though the girls were nice enough he just wasn't feeling either one for the team.
There had to be a better choice. He felt it inside, like an itch so intense that if he didn't handle it he would lose his mind. He had to scratch it.
"Wait."
Tommy pulled his shirt back on.
"I know who should be the new pink zeo ranger. And it's not Jennifer or Emily."
When the others responded with questioning stares, he continued.
"She's already proven that she's brave, decisive and willing to take on Mondo's goons even without powers. She showed teamwork and loyalty, compassion. She refused to leave me stranded, even when I was being stubborn and insisted that she did. I say Reggie takes the pink zeo power. She's the only choice for me."
For a moment the command center was silent. Everyone seemed to be mulling over the new candidate. Tommy waited for the others to give their input.
"Aiyiyi, rangers you must make a decision," Alpha broke in, "the suspense is frying my circuits."
Jason folded his arms under his chest.
"Reggie huh?"
"You know she's the one."
"But we don't know her," Rocky reminded him.
"We didn't know Tanya either."
"And you're sure she'd be up for it," Adam asked, "on a daily basis?"
"Only one way to find out."
Tanya stepped forward, touching Tommy's shoulder.
"Okay. Reggie's got my vote."
She turned to Adam who followed suit.
"She had me the second she helped you out."
It was good to know. Tommy looked to Rocky.
"She's definitely a ranger at heart," he conceded.
"I vote Reggie too."
Though technically the majority had spoken, Tommy still wanted to hear Jason's opinion. After all of the years they'd known each other and fought at each other's side it was important for him to be on the same page. To believe in Reggie as much as Tommy did.
"Jase?"
Jason slowly offered a smile.
"Of course Reggie's in. She saved your life bro."
Relief swept through Tommy in a wave.
"Thanks man. That really means a lot to me."
Jason shrugged it off with a joke.
"Hey, I'm not always going got be there to save your skin. Glad to know Reggie's capable."
As the rangers shared laughter, Zordon watched them proudly, approval in their decision evident on his large white face.
"You have made a fine decision, Rangers. You must now brief Reggie and bring her here to accept the power. Once Mondo is aware that she is chosen she will be a prime target. In fact, I fear she may already be on his radar simply because of the help that she's given Tommy."
The thought brought a sinking feeling to the pit of Tommy's stomach.
"If Mondo does anything to hurt her I'll make sure he regrets it," he vowed.
Rocky ran his fingers through his hair but said nothing. Adam caught a hint of an odd expression in his face before Rocky looked away.
"We'll make sure he never gets to her," Jason encouraged his friend.
"Reggie's with us now. We'll keep her safe."
"He's right," Tanya chimed in, "She's already beaten the cogs and proven her strength. Reggie will join the team and nothing's going to happen to her on our watch."
Tommy nodded, hoping that she was right. Knowing that she was right. Reggie would join the rangers and take over as Zeo Ranger One, he was certain. From their meeting to her helping him and even speaking to his friends afterward it was no mere coincidence. Like Rocky, Adam and Aisha, she'd just fallen into their laps.
Like it was destiny.
"That girl is a problem!"
King Mondo, emperor of the Machine Empire was livid. He'd almost eliminated the leader of the Zeo rangers. His cogs had hurt him, that was a good thing but he hadn't been hurt enough. Perhaps if a monster had gone down that blasted Tommy would have succumbed. But sending a monster would have attracted the other rangers and defeated the purpose of his plan.
He wanted to do things differently with this one. Instead of relying on brute strength and superior technology he wanted to hit those humans in their weak spot. Their emotions. It had become so clear when that Kat left. The rangers felt emotion for her—especially Tommy. That emotion was the key to destroying them. For if they were this saddened and distracted over losing the pink ranger imagine how distraught they'd be at losing the longest running ranger on their team. Their beloved leader, the red zeo ranger.
The cogs were supposed to be a simple solution. They hadn't worked out that way. Thanks to that wretched girl.
"Don't fret, Dear," his wife, the evil Queen Machina was at his side.
"The girl isn't even a ranger. She'll be easier to get rid of then any of them."
Her wicked husband turned her way.
"I suppose you're right. We shall send cogs down to finish her."
His wife disagreed.
"Oh no, that would be too predictable. The rangers would surely suspect it. I have an idea. One in fact that I borrowed from the Earthlings themselves."
Her husband was all ears.
"Humans have to eat to survive. They're always doing it. We could get her with an Earth food. We could fill it with poison. No cogs, monsters—nothing to attract the attention of those pesky rangers. By the time they realize what's happened she'll be finished."
It was a brilliant plan! The king wasn't sure why he hadn't come up with it himself.
"My darling, this is why I adore you. You're so treacherous."
"Oh my Most Heinous One, you say the vilest things."
Reggie hadn't planned to hang out at the juice bar, but after Tommy's friends had taken him away she'd been sidelined by curious bystanders. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to Tommy. She didn't know why but their curiosity irked her. Like they were prying into private affairs. Tommy's private affairs.
Seeking to assuage the situation, Ernie had been kind enough to shoo them all away. He'd then given her a seat at the bar along with a couple of free smoothies. Both had calmed her. Deciding that he was nice enough, Reggie hadn't minded talking with him, sharing her move, her parent's divorce and her apprehension at being relocated to a new city across the country. The fact that her father was a doctor and knew most people in Angel Grove was of little comfort. That meant that her every move had the potential to be reported back to him.
Not that she had anything to hide. It was just a lot of pressure. To be the daughter of the respected town doctor meant that it was her job to make her dad shine outside the office. To show the world how respectable his family was. To be the Vanessa and Rudy to his Heathcliff Huxtable.
"Wow, it's getting pretty late."
It was well after seven and she needed to get home. Aside from the extra catching up to do with homework, she knew that if her dad beat her there then she'd have some explaining to do. He'd want to know what she'd been up to and who she could have been up to it with on her first day of school. He wouldn't be angry or anything. He'd be something worse. He'd be nosy. Interested. For some weird reason she didn't want to have to explain to him that she'd saved a guy from being jumped by robotic thugs after school and waited around at the juice bar to hear back from him. He'd probably never let her out of the house again.
"I'd better get going," she told Ernie.
He seemed to understand.
"Okay then. You take care. And if Tommy or the others drop by I'll let you know."
Reggie smiled her thanks before hopping off the stool.
"It was nice talking with you Ernie. See ya."
When she left the juice bar, Reggie decided against taking the familiar route her father had shown her on account of the bots that had attacked Tommy there. Instead she took a side street to the next street over. As was typical in California, the sun was beaming from the sky indicating that night was far away. The notion gave her a sense of safety. She didn't want to be caught by those things after dark.
Now that she was finally alone, Reggie had time to process the day. The school part had been okay—nothing unexpected. She was the new girl, people were curious and teachers made a big welcoming deal. But it was the events that transpired after school that she had to grasp. And with whom they'd transpired.
Why she was drawn to Tommy was no mystery. In her first hour he'd shown her kindness. He'd offered a smile and an assist. And hours later they'd shared an adrenaline laced moment. She didn't have to be a biology major to understand the consequences of something like that. As her endorphins were raised in her fight with the robo-thugs Tommy had been in the midst of it all. That meant that chemically her body had associated the response with him. It was the reason people went to the gym to pick up dates.
I hope he's okay.
His friends had seemed capable. The muscular one—what had the female called him—Jason. He'd definitely been a take-charge character. And the way he'd looked after Tommy had been an indication that he'd make sure he was all right. She played back the way Tommy had leaned into him, how he'd trusted him completely. Even if she hadn't been told, she'd have picked up their history. Those two weren't merely friends. They were brothers.
She wondered what that felt like, to have a brother. Or a sister for that matter. She was an only child, the obligation her successful parents owed to the status quo. You grow up, go to college, get married and have children. Her father had done his part, starting a successful medical practice. Her mother likewise—a full-time nurse. Together they'd started a family. Unfortunately the family thing hadn't worked out as well as their professional lives.
If I don't see Tommy or his friends in school tomorrow I'll just drop by the juice bar to see what Ernie's heard.
She hoped he'd have some information for her. Taking the new route added an extra five minutes to her walk but it didn't hurt. She managed to get home, showered and settled before her father's return. To her delight he brought Chinese back for dinner. As they ate on the living room sofa watching a Sanford & Son rerun, Reggie couldn't' help but to feel a warming reassurance inside. Perhaps she'd been mistaken in her apprehension. Perhaps Angel Grove really could be home.
When morning arrived Reggie was still preoccupied with Tommy's condition. The more she thought about it the worse she seemed to remember him. Had he been able to stand up? Had his speech been slurred? Hadn't his eyes held a glazed over look? The night's sleep seemed to have jump-started her imagination. Or had it jogged her memory? She showered and dressed quickly before rushing out the door. Today she needed no ride to school. She wanted to walk to the juice bar.
She had to see Ernie, to ask if he'd heard anything at all.
Whoa, calm down, she told herself as she grabbed an apple from the fridge.
The guy barely knows you. Why get in such a hoopla over him?
She slipped it into the front compartment of her backpack.
Because he could have a brain hemorrhage, internal damage, a concussion—
She shut herself up before walking out the door. To keep her mind that way the entire walk to Ernie's would take extensive effort. About halfway there it took its toll and her head began to ache. To distract herself, Reggie decided to put something in her stomach. The apple in her backpack was just the thing. As she pulled it out, her mouth watered at the anticipated sweetness. Red Delicious was her favorite kind of apple. So sweet, so juicy, so delicious. She was just about to take a bite when she recognized a familiar face turning the corner. Clad in a blue tee shirt and jeans, he was carrying a couple of books under one arm.
Reggie paused, unsure if he really was whom she suspected. As if to confirm her speculation two more guys appeared behind him. They were smiling, it appeared they were kidding him. The way Mr. Muscles bent his elbows upward and folded his hands together. It was that same gesture of mocking love, right down to the fluttering eyelids. Mr. Blue was laughing along with him but with a sheepish tint to his complexion. Clearly they were discussing a love interest of his. But it was the third guy that caught her attention, his long brown hair pulled back into a thick ponytail. He was laughing, he was talking, and he was okay. He was Tommy.
"…yea ha ha ha," Mr. Blue was saying.
"She'll agree to go out with me, just watch. And it's not like you've been making much headway with Emily anyway."
Jason popped his shoulders.
"Hey, I'll have you know that Emily and I have a date scheduled for this coming Saturday."
"Really?" Mr. Blue high-fived him.
"Nice going. How'd you pull that off?"
"He must have used one of Rita's old spells," Tommy joked, causing a hoot from Mr. Blue.
Jason gave him a playful shove in response. Reggie wondered if Rita was an ex-girlfriend. Most likely from Jason's reaction he'd been the one who'd dated her. Clearly it hadn't ended well. Reggie was trying to imagine what could have happened between them when he noticed her.
"Reggie?"
She didn't realize that she'd been staring until then. More than a little embarrassed, she blushed.
"Um, yea. Hi."
They approached her and she took them in. Jason was in a black sleeveless shirt and jeans. Tommy wore an open redshirt with a white tank and jeans. Together the three of them weren't bad looking.
"I wanted to thank you for yesterday," Tommy told her.
"What you did for me? That was so brave."
She wasn't sure how to respond. Say "you're welcome?" That sounded so lame.
"It wasn't a fair fight. There were like thirty of them. At least."
With that Tommy had to agree. So did his friends.
"Unfortunately fair isn't a word in Mondo's vocabulary," Mr. Blue murmured.
Mondo? Was he the person responsible for what had happened? Apparently so. How he'd been able to create so many robots for such an attack, however was not so apparent. Nor was his motive behind it.
"If you don't mind my asking," she began.
"Why'd they attack you yesterday? This Mondo guy. What's he got against you?"
Tommy and his friends exchanged glances then, giving Reggie the feeling that they shared some kind of secret.
"About that," Tommy began.
Before he could finish a loud blare vroomed nearby. The four of them looked up the street to see three motorcycles going by. Though Reggie didn't recognize them, Jason waved. The three riders waved back.
What an interesting group of friends, Reggie thought just as her stomach did a rumble.
Thankfully the motorcycles drowned it out. Grateful, she brought the red apple to her mouth and took a large bite. It was heaven. By the time the engines died down and Tommy turned back to her, she'd already swallowed two bites. She was getting ready for a third when her head began to float. Unprepared for the feeling, she blinked.
"As I was saying…"
Tommy's face began to blur. In focus, out of focus, in focus then out.
"Reggie, are you okay?"
It was Jason asking the question. She would have glanced his way if she could find him. Reggie felt her limbs going weak. She barely registered the apple falling from her hand.
"Dude, she's going down."
The last thing she saw was a field of blue surrounding her before her entire vision faded to dead black.
Tommy was stunned. One second he'd been about to explain the zeo powers to Reggie and the next she was passed out. She'd fallen face first into Rocky. Right after he'd noted that she was going down. She'd turned into his direction as if trying to find the source of the voice. As if she couldn't see where it was coming from.
Which was insane considering her eyesight had been fine mere seconds ago.
"She's out guys," Rocky announced.
He managed to shift her around to her side.
"What just happened?"
She could be anemic. She could have a fever. She could have some kind of oxygen block preventing flow to her brain.
"How much do you want to bet Mondo has something to do with this," Jason suggested.
Tommy observed Reggie lying almost lifeless in Rocky's arms. Were it not for her breathing he couldn't tell.
"Let's get her to the command center, maybe Zordon will know what's happening," he directed.
Though teleportation was rapid, it couldn't be fast enough. When they arrived at the command center Alpha whirled around in surprise.
"Rangers, we weren't expecting you—"
Tommy cut him off.
"Alpha can you help her?"
Rocky still held her.
"Aiyiyi, what's happened?"
"That's what we were hoping you could tell us," was Tommy's response.
Zordon took charge.
"Rocky, lie her in the chamber and do a full energy scan. Something tells me that the machine empire has struck again."
As Rocky complied, Jason clenched his fist in frustration.
"I knew it! Mondo thinks he's so bad picking on a defenseless girl. She hasn't even gotten her powers yet."
Tommy agreed.
"He's going down for this."
As Alpha shut the lid over Reggie, Rocky shook his head.
"It's a low blow all right. But I wouldn't call her defenseless. She sure did take out those cogs yesterday. Without powers."
How could Tommy forget.
"Tell me you can help her Zordon," he asked of their mentor.
"We will know what to do once Alpha has finished the scan. In the meantime you will have to be patient."
Patience. While it was a virtue it was also a pain in the rear. Feeling useless doing nothing, Tommy paced the floor back and forth. He needed something to do, something to fix. Something to fight.
He had a feeling that Mondo would supply that very need soon.
"You taste like honeycomb."
Tanya giggled at her boyfriend's remark before leaning in for another kiss. He obliged generously.
"So what's this new lip gloss called? Let me guess, Honey?"
She sat back in her seat before pulling the tube from her bag.
"Close. It's Just Honey."
"Mm. I like it."
"I'm glad."
He shifted into drive and pulled off from her home.
"Wow Adam, I still can't believe we found a new pink ranger so fast," Tanya remarked.
"Zordon only gave us three days and we found her on the second one."
She shifted in the passenger seat to face him.
"I have to admit, I wasn't so sure we'd pull it off."
Adam had to concur.
"I'm with you there. This was probably the hardest thing I've had to sort out. You think you know people until it's time to replace a ranger. All of a sudden you start to wonder if you're doing the right thing."
He shrugged.
"It wasn't this difficult when you came along. I guess because nobody knew Aisha would stay in Africa. And when you helped her we trusted in that."
"Kind of like Reggie and Tommy huh?"
"Kind of," he replied then asked; "Hey I told you the story how I became a ranger right?"
Tanya recalled that he had indeed. He, Rocky and their best friend Aisha had come to Angel Grove for a ninja arts competition. They'd run into the rangers on several occasions including helping to save a runaway baby in a stroller, being kidnapped by Goldar—the evil Rita Repulsa's number one lackey. Though at the time he'd been working for her future husband Lord Zedd. It had all been before Tanya's time.
"Yea, I remember. It was you, Rocky and Aisha together."
Adam nodded.
"Zordon chose us. Like he chose the first set. It was the highest honor of my life. To be deemed worthy of saving the world. Until yesterday. Zordon gave us the responsibility of choosing. That's the first time he's done that."
He made a left turn at the light.
"But I thought Kimberly chose Kat herself," Tanya remembered.
Again that exchange had been before her time.
"Oh she did. But that was after Kat stole the coin anyway. Rita's spell. It wasn't like Zordon brought us all together and said to choose Kimberly's replacement like he did just now."
He sighed.
"This is the third ranger change to go down since I joined the team. But it's the first time Zordon left it completely to us."
When he took a moment to reflect on the fact, Tanya watched him.
"You're not worried that we made the wrong decision are you?"
By the expression on his face, the assessment was the furthest from his thoughts.
"The wrong decision? No, not at all," he confessed.
"It blows me away how right this decision feels."
He rested a hand on top of hers, the other still on the steering wheel.
"But?"
Tanya had always been perceptive. It was part of what endeared her to him.
"It's Rocky. I mean, it may be nothing but yesterday at the command center he seemed…I don't know. It was only for a split second but something was bothering him. I wanted to talk to him about it but with everything I just didn't get around to it. Maybe at school today I can pull him to the side."
"What do you think is wrong?" Tanya inquired.
"Maybe he's a little bummed about our not picking Jennifer?"
Adam shrugged. Perhaps.
"I don't know. Maybe. I'll find out at lunch."
She gave his hand a squeeze of support.
"You'll get it out of him. Whatever it is. You're a good friend."
He was just about to thank her when his communicator went off. Carefully Adam pulled off to the side of the road and leaned into his wrist. Tanya was a breath away.
"Come in Zordon. What's up?"
"Adam, Tanya there has been an attack on Reggie. We need you to report to the command center immediately."
Tanya gasped.
"That Mondo doesn't waste time does he?"
"But how did he know she'd be the new ranger?" Adam wondered aloud.
"Of that we are not certain," Zordon's voice came in.
"But you must hurry before he launches his next attack."
The two nodded their compliance before releasing the connection.
"Let's park at the juice bar before we go," Tanya suggested.
"It's only a block away."
Adam agreed. After securing the vehicle in Ernie's parking lot they hurried under the cover of the building's rear for no witnesses. Then they teleported to the command center. Tommy, Rocky and Jason were already there.
"Guys, what happened?"
"How is she?"
Jason stepped aside to reveal Reggie. She was lying in the chamber, still as a log. The movement of her breathing was barely visible.
"Reggie has ingested a dangerous toxin," Zordon explained.
"It looks like the machines poisoned her apple this morning," Jason added.
"Yes Jason. The poison is rather swift," Zordon continued, "it immobilizes its victim in seconds, causing a deep sleep. There is no awakening from this state without the antidote."
Tommy glanced up at him.
"Where is it? Where can we find it?"
"The antidote is called dydot root, but it is rare and can only be found in select galaxies. To get to it you must travel to the lost planet of Hyperion and make your way through the labyrinth of Mero. Very few have made it to the end between the dangers inside and becoming lost altogether. Once you have completed the labyrinth there is a garden just beyond the exit. There the dydot root resides. But you must be careful rangers. The plant only grows during the cycle of Capricorn. On the planet Hyperion that occurs every ninety years. If you cannot get it to Reggie before it withers then she will remain comatose the remainder of her life."
Tommy faced the others.
"We can't let that happen."
He reached for his zeonizer.
"We've got to go to Hyperion. Alpha can you transport us?"
Their robotic friend made his way to the control panel.
"Yes, Tommy. Teleportation will take only a few minutes. But once you enter the labyrinth we will have no way of contacting any of you. Not until you are safely out at the end will we be able to teleport you back."
Tommy nodded his understanding.
"Okay, let's do it."
But Tanya hesitated.
"Wait. Should we all enter the labyrinth? I mean, what if Mondo attacks Angel grove while we're gone? If there's no way to contact us then the city will be destroyed."
The team paused.
"Tanya's right," Jason noted.
"You guys stay here. I'll go and get that root."
Tommy was against it.
"No Jase. With the Zeo megazord out of commission we need you and Pyrimidas here. I'll go. I'll bring back the root and when Reggie wakes up she'll become the new pink zeo ranger. And Mondo will be sorry he ever messed with us."
"I don't know," Adam remarked.
"Going in alone may not be the best move. Somebody should go with you. Two rangers are always better than one."
Before anyone could volunteer, Rocky spoke up.
"I'll go."
Adam turned to him.
"Are you sure?"
"Reggie needs our help. I'm in," was his response.
Adam remembered the day before but said nothing.
"Then it's settled," Tommy declared.
"Rocky and I'll head to Hyperion. Jason and the others will stay here in case Mondo attacks. Now let's get this show on the road."
He and Rocky took places beside each other, ready for transport. Jason stepped before them and took a shoulder each.
"You guys watch out up there, all right?"
"We will," Rocky conceded.
"Just hold things down here," Tommy added.
Adam watched as his teammates prepared. They both seemed so ready. His and Rocky's eyes met. Then Tommy made the call.
"It's morphin time!"
"Zeo Ranger three, Blue!"
"Zeo Ranger five, Red!"
Alpha pressed a button.
"All systems go," he announced.
"Be ready to teleport in three, two, one—"
Within the flash of blue and red beams, they were gone. Jason turned to Tanya and Adam.
"Looks like it's just the three of us for now. Hopefully not for too long though."
He crossed his arms under his chest. His eyes went to Reggie.
"Hang in there," he murmured.
"You're going to be okay. Tommy and Rocky won't let you down."
Adam and Tanya joined him, the three finding a space at Reggie's chamber-side. If they had anything to say about it, she'd be okay. She was one of them now. Whether she knew it or not, she was family.