AN: A little shorter and later than usual, but I'm still updating fairly regularly. Aren't you proud of me:) Love to everyone who reviewed!
Once a Ranger
Chapter 3: All Consuming Darkness
By Daylight
A simple stone marked the grave of the former Empress of Evil, one of the many broken from the home she had tried to build. It lay near where she had fallen just out of sight of the desolate village. The five helmetless rangers stood awkwardly around the freshly turned earth of the burial site unsure of what final rights would be appropriate for someone they had barely known even as an enemy.
Shifting his feet, Andros decided to take the responsibility and with a deep breath, spoke a few words. "Wherever she came from, however she turned to the side evil, and whatever the outcome here, Rita made the best of the second chance Zordon gave her." He placed a hand to his heart in a gesture of farewell. "May she find peace and forgiveness in the next world."
That being said one by one, they turned and slowly walked away.
The Yellow Astro Ranger glanced over at her boyfriend as he absentmindedly fiddled with the envelope the deceased had handed him. "Why would Rita be writing to Tommy?
Carlos shrugged. "They do have a history together."
"I'm more worried about these shadow creatures," TJ put forward. "And what they want with Zedd."
"Maybe he knows something or has something they need," suggested Carlos.
"Tommy might know," Ashley offered as she redonned her helmet, careful tucking in her long hair. "We need to head back to Earth anyway."
The Blue Astro Ranger nodded. "Last I heard, Tommy was spending his summers working at the Red Dragon."
Finding themselves in agreement of their next objective, the rangers made ready to leave but paused as they realized one of them still remained motionless.
"I don't get it." The pink ranger stood gazing across the devastation of the now dim and grey world. "Why would the shadows destroy the whole planet just to get to Lord Zedd?"
Andros' eyes were dark as he answered. "Because they could."
No one was able offer a response. Calling their galaxy gliders, they departed, leaving the dead planet behind.
ooooo
Each galaxy glider created its own self-contained atmosphere allowing the hum of the gliders' engines to reach the rangers' ears. It was the only sound to be heard as the rangers had once again been drawn into silence as they sped through space empty except for a nearby stream of asteroids.
Feeling another yawn threatening to take him, the blue ranger shook his head to clear it. The galaxy gliders weren't really meant for long distance travel, but the few hours to Earth hadn't seemed so long when they set out. Now they found themselves regretting the decision to leave the Megashuttle with the Galaxy Rangers as even the Power failed to prevent them from feeling the weariness. It had been at least 24 hours since any of the rangers had last gotten a chance to sleep and the gloomy desolation they had recently experienced hadn't helped. TJ didn't even want to think of how long it had been since Andros had last slept. The red ranger had a notorious habit of working through the night and was often found dozing in unusual places when exhaustion finally claimed him. Hopefully, they would all get a chance to rest before they were called back onto duty.
A frown creased TJ's forehead as he noticed Andros looking behind them for the third time. Tension seemed to have pervaded the Red Astro Ranger ever since they had left the planet. Ashley had noticed it too.
"Why are you so jittery?"
"I just have this weird feeling."
With a slight shift of her weight, the Yellow Astro Ranger moved her glider closer to that of her leader. "Could something else be bothering you?"
Beneath his helmet, Andros gritted his teeth. "The description Rita gave of those creatures reminded me of something. It's on the tip of my mind. I just can't…" He turned to look back again, then suddenly stood up straight drawing his galaxy glider to a halt.
"Andros?" Having shot past, the others rangers turned around and backtracked until they were once more beside him.
"What is it?" asked Carlos.
"The stars!"
Where several stars should have been flowing in a familiar pattern against the darkness of space, a pitch-black emptiness was growing. It appeared to be spreading as more stars disappeared. Suddenly, their perspective shifted. Their minds finally processed the fact the stars weren't being swallowed but a huge lightless thing was blocking them from view as it approached. But it was too late. A bright stream of energy shot out towards the rangers. For a moment, it illuminated the silhouette of an enormous black ship, before it hit the red galaxy glider.
"Andros!"
Damaged and out of control, the glider carried the Red Astro Ranger tumbling through space. He desperately tried to hold on knowing letting go now would be of no use, his own momentum enough to pull him along in the same direction, towards the asteroid field. The engine left behind a stream of smoke as he disappeared into the crowded path of the orbiting planetoids.
Meanwhile, the other rangers were caught in a complicated dance as they dodged in all directions avoiding more incoming blasts. Circling round, they attempted to move out of range of the ship's canon. Ashley immediately tried to follow Andros' wild flight but was brought to a sudden halt, as another patch of darkness seemed to spring up in front of her. More and more were suddenly visible, much smaller than the first but surrounding them in every direction and coming closer. Forced back, the yellow ranger gave up the rescue attempt to rejoin the others.
"Form up," the Blue Astro Ranger commanded and the rangers soon fell into a circular formation. Protecting each other's backs, they drew their Astro Blasters aiming them at the growing darkness.
"I can't see anything," cried Ashley.
"Switch to infrared."
They all reached for their helmets quickly changing their visor's settings.
Carlos's grip on his blaster tightened. "Nothing."
"At this range, we're bound to hit something," insisted Cassie.
TJ nodded in agreement. "Fire." Rays streamed forth irradiating briefly the dark spaceships. Firing randomly, the shots eventually began to connect, but the only effect was coloured sparks trailing the sharp outline of the ships before the energy was absorbed. Though they didn't fire back, the silent menacing forms continued to draw closer.
"Bring out the heavy artillery."
The problem with fighting in space is that attacks can come from any direction. The large spaceship, having remained strangely quiet as it let the smaller ships herd the Astro Rangers together, had stealthily come up beneath them. As the rangers sheaved their blasters preparing to summon their special weapons, it fired once more.
The blast knocked the rangers off their gliders leaving them hanging helplessly in space unable to manoeuvre properly in the sudden lack of gravity. Preparing for the worst, they watched an entrance open in the dark ship, revealing for the first time a source of light. It was a dim, green glow they found themselves suddenly dragged towards.
Having drawn in the rangers, the door shut leaving all dark once more. All that was left visible were four brightly coloured gliders drifting uselessly through space.
Next:
Chapter 4: Silver to the Rescue
You-know-who enters the story.