Ranger Tales

Chapter 16: Unexpected Enemy

Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to Saban/Disney, Carri Hillard and all things relating to Carri, including Jessica McClintock, belong to KJ with many thanks. Azazel belongs to Eric Kripke. Gol and Marx belong to me. Much thanks to KJ for helping me with the ideas for the planet Geeta and the name of the chasm.

A/N: This story is set in an alternate universe where the Alien Rangers arc never happened, although the Alien Rangers do exist. I used Phaedos as the source of the Ninjetti Powers, but Ninjor exists and is the acknowledged creator of Ninjetti. Also, this story has nothing to do with my previous two. The episodes in which Billy went to Aquitar did not happen in this fic. In this fic, Tommy and Kim have not broken up. This chapter is the beginning of a follow up to the "Revenge of the Empire" arc.

As always reviews are appreciated. Timeline wise 1997 is at an end and '98 is getting ready to begin. So since I had the Astro team get started early, therefore playing with the timeline, these will take place sometime right before the episode where Zhane is introduced.

Sorry guys, this is another short one.

The three Rangers were on their way home when Jason and Tommy began asking Ashley numerous questions. Both wanted to know exactly how she did what she did. She asked them if they remembered the battle on Murathias, to which they both nodded. She then went on to explain about how she had been thrown into the pit, and before either one could ask how she was alive she cut them off. She explained about how the others combined their power with Lerigot's and managed to retrieve her safely, and that because of her experience in the pit she now had the ability to feel someones life force and transport them somewhere. It was how T.J had wound up miles away from the Power Chamber during the explosion. She had seen him jump in front of them to protect them, and that had been the first time she used her powers. She hadn't known how to do it at the time, she just knew that she felt something tear away from her body and engulf him, sending him away. It was because of this ability that Andros decided to teach her telekinesis. He felt it could help her hone her skills.

What she didn't tell them, or anyone, was how her experience in the pit had been. It had been a living Hell to her, she felt her flesh melt form her bones, felt it reform. It was the worst feeling imaginable, even if she wanted to tell them, she wouldn't know how. It was as if a thousand burning hot knives had been tearing through her, she still had nightmares about her time in the pit. She never wanted to go back there, no matter what.

"So," Jason began, "you're telling us that you were thrown into the pit on Murathias, and now you have the ability to send other people anywhere?" He began to wonder if he would gain some sort of ability from falling into the Infernal Chasm. It made sense that he would, didn't it?

Ashley nodded, she knew it sounded farfetched, but luckily they were Rangers and nothing really surprised them anymore. "Yeah, and I imagine you will as well." Jason nodded, he figured as much. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it is true."

Tommy stepped forward as the leader and said "We believe you. After all, we have seen your power first ha-" He was abruptly cut off by the ship shaking violently. "What's going on?" He asked as he ran over to the controls, Jason and Ashley hot on his heels.

"We've been hit by something." Jason stated the obvious. He pulled it up on the screen, a ship that resembled Mondo's old ship was firing at them.

"Who is that?" Ashley asked.

"It looks like Mondo's ship. But that's impossible." Tommy said, he saw the Machine King die. He knew he was dead. So how could he be attacking? "Return fire!" he ordered. Jason and Ashley both went to their stations and began firing at the enemy ship. After a couple of minutes of firing on one another they saw the other ship charging a laser, preparing to fire. "Get us out of here!" The three Rangers attempted to make the jump to hyperspace just as the laser hit them.

Down on Earth the rest of the Zeo team was enjoying their Christmas break. Christmas itself was two days away, and almost everyone was excited. Andros, Kim, and Emily were all worried about their respective others. They had been gone for nearly a week now. Kim and Carri had decided to get an apartment for the rest of college rather than stay in those cramped dorm rooms. This particular afternoon Carri, Kim, Cassie, and Emily, were hanging out in Carri's uncles house.

"I wonder how the others are doing." Emily said absently, she missed Jason a lot. It was true that they didn't spend as much time together as they used to, but that due to him being in LA and her in Angel Grove. Not him in a distant galaxy and her on Earth.

Carri picked up on the sadness in her friends voice. "They're fine. I know they are. After all, Oliver is there. What could go wrong?"

"Plenty." Kim mumbled so low that no one heard her. She knew Tommy was a great leader, but she also knew that he was extremely forgetful, and wasn't perfect. He had flaws, weaknesses, just like everybody else.

The trio sighed just as a knock came at the door. "Come in," Kim said. The remaining Astro's, Zeo's and Billy all stood in the door.

"Hey, we were just heading over to the Youth Center , you guys coming?" T.J asked. The guys were going to go workout and spar.

"Sure," Kim said.

"Why not," Emily added, "I have to get over there soon anyway, my shift is about to start."

Rocky walked over and gave Carri a kiss, she smiled and returned his kiss.

"Just let us get changed."

"Alright, we'll meet you outside then." With that the guys headed back out to the two cars they came in and Kim and Carri headed upstairs to change out of their pajama's.

Emily and Cassie continued to sit on the couch while they did so. Emily was about to open her mouth to say something when a bright yellow light filled the room.

Kim and Carri were upstairs changing their clothes. Kim picked out a pink top with plain blue jeans, while Carri put on a pair of plain blue jeans and a black shirt with a thin yellow jacket. "You're worried about him, aren't you?" Carri asked as she slid her shirt on.

Kim sighed as she pulled her pants up. "Yeah. You don't know Tommy like I do, he's prone to screw up. He's not perfect like people seem to think."

Carri snorted "Trust me, I know he's not perfect. When you were away in Florida his mind was constantly drifting and he was forgetting things all the time." Kim giggled, that certainly sounded like Tommy. She was about to reply when she heard frantic sounds coming from downstairs.

The two Rangers hurried downstairs to see what all the commotion was about. When they reached the foot of the stairs they gasped and covered their mouths. Tommy and Jason lay on the living room floor.

Ashley blinked a couple of times. She couldn't see anything, the room was too dark. The last thing she remembered was their ship being hit, and the result of that plus them trying to enter hyperspace cause it to explode. She quickly used her powers again and sent Tommy and Jason to Earth, but she thought for sure that she'd be killed. Did their attacker rescue her? If so, why? What could they want with her? It didn't make any sense. She let out a sigh as she heard tiny metallic footsteps approaching her.

Prince Sprocket was the only remaining member of the Royal House of Gadgetry. Both of his parents had been killed by the Rangers, and his older brother by Lothor. Dark Specter had informed him of this and when Sprocket demanded that he wanted to get revenge on the Rangers first Dark Specter granted him his own ship that resembled a smaller version of his fathers. Dark Specter himself wanted revenge on those three particular Rangers, they ha destroyed his evil power source. It had been purified by the green Zeo Ranger, Dark Specter would now have to use his power sparingly.

Sprocket also had Klank and Orbus with him. He approached the yellow Astro Ranger. "Well, well what have we here? Only one Ranger? Where are the other two?" he asked as he jumped up and down in frustration. He was supposed to have a red, yellow, and a green Ranger, not just a yellow.

"The scanners did not show them aboard the ship when we caprured her...your highness." Klank said. It was still weird to him, referring to Sprocket as he had his father. But he had to accept the fact that Sprocket was now the king.

"Abandonned you, eh?" he said with a chuckle as he turned back to Ashley. "Oh well, I still have you. You'll do, especially with what I have planned for you."

Ashley looked down at the little robot, and against her better judgement she let out a laugh. "You? You're nothing more than a kid!" She knew her outburst was a bad idea as soon as her restraints shocked her.

"Be quiet!" Sprocket ordered, he did not like being laughed at. "Klank, is the device ready?"

"Yes your highness."

"Go get it." He said with a slight growl, and slight chuckle. A few minutes later Klank returned. "Okay, now how do you work this thing?" He fumbled around with the device for a few minutes before figuring it out. As soon as he had it figured he fired it at Ashley. She felt the beam hit her, her thoughts drifting from getting free and destroying the little robot to getting free and destroying the Rangers. Her eyes glowed a dark yellow and an evil smile spread across her face.

Azazel sat in Cold Oak, South Dakota. His plan for taking Dark Specter was almost at fruition. The Psycho Rangers were nearing completion, but he had heard of Zedd's impatience and was now considering on joining with someone else. Zedd was obviously not trustworthy, but then again neither was he. He smiled, he had an idea of who to give the Psycho's to. He just had to play his cards right. He quickly went to work on the next phase of the plan, cybernetic attachments for the person in mind. He would have to make everything perfect, Dark Specter would not go down easily, even with the Infernal Chasm purified. Everything would draw off of Dark Specters power, even these attachments.

A yellowish orange alien appeared before him and said "Is everything ready?"

Azazel looked over at his visitor, he should thank him for providing with all the information he had on Dark Specter. "Not yet. We still have two Psycho's to develop, plus the two sets of cybernetic attachments. Those will also run off of Dark Specters energy, though it will be so minute that he won't notice it. He may notice the Psycho's though."

Darkonda nodded "At least she will keep them alive long enough for all of his energy to drain. Then, she shall fall as well." He laughed and told Azazel that he was pleased with the demons work before vanishing.