Chapter Six
Day 13.
Location: The Temple of The New Republic of Eltar.
Tommy stands before the capital city.
Accompanied by the Eltarian leaders.
They stand on the royal balcony overlooking the courtyard.
A place Zedd once stood.
And the people have not forgotten.
For they have Zedd in their minds as they await the ranger's response.
Tommy looks over his speech in his H.U.D.
The news crews stand by for his address.
Tommy:"I am well aware as are you all of this great atrocity that has occurred only a few hours ago. Believe me when I tell you that those rangers responsible were acting on their own will, there was no such order given in which to torture a member of the Machine's royal family. Therefore actions are being taken to apprehend those responsible. The values of those specific individuals does not in any way represent the values of us Power Rangers. At this moment there should be absolutely no thought that us rangers are not completely devoted to the people of this universe. We exist to protect and serve. Remember that. Also remember that we are in a war. A war against a foe far more inhuman than any of us. We cannot dismiss our humanity but to defeat such an enemy we must respect their lack of empathy for human suffering. They have not made an official response to the atrocity yet, but there will be one. And it will speak of their devotion to ensuring our destruction. They will strike quickly. And the only defense you have is us. So until the threat of the machine Empire is at bay, do not question the actions of the Power Rangers. Hold dear to your loved ones, for this war will shake the lands of every planet, I stand hear before you today as one of you. A member of this universe. A person. I lower my mask to you. Look on my face. I am human. And I will protect you as will my brothers. Due to the catastrophic losses in our offensive, I am to recruit another hundred rangers from each of the planets of our universe. I ask you to step up and support our cause. In the course of the next few days, seemingly random abductions will commence. Be assured that this will only happen to the most capable of men and women. For any that are summoned, are to serve without protest. Our method of recruitment may not be accommodating, but never forget what is at stake. The very existence of our people. Thank you."
Day 15.
Location: Triforia.
The once fruitful place is now a vivid representation of hell.
The sky blackened by the Machine factories.
The air unbreathable.
The land poisoned by the deposited chemicals of the Machine facilities.
And arid desert of lost souls.
Ash blows by as the winds tear the sky.
There are no signs of life.
The civilization that once inhabited the planet has long been slaughtered.
The planet itself is a memory.
All that remains is a barren colony for the Machines.
Trey:"They invaded about six months ago. Their armada was to great for our armies. I fought to the very end. Watched my entire race get annihilated. They had me as a prisoner up until a few minutes ago. I don't have to tell you of the horrors I've endured. Are you okay?"
Trini:"I, I um give me a moment."
Trey:"I brought us here because I don't know where to go."
Trini:"I'm the leader of a Power Ranger group."
Trey:"Of Aquitar?"
Trini:"Of Earth. Look I don't want to be rude but please just give me a minute."
Trey:"Sure."
Trini walks over to the edge of the cliff they stand over.
She peers unto the vast grey desert.
Her mind takes her back to Billy.
She closes her eyes and breathes in the soothing air of Africa into her lungs.
Billy:"Happiness. I can barely remember I time I had it. I just want you to know that, you saved me too. So, thank you."
She can remember his touch, his sent, everything.
How she meant everything to him, and now as he means everything to her.
Trini:"Why do I fight?"
Trey:"Huh?"
Trini:"Why do I fight?"
Trey:"The Machines?"
Trini:"Why?"
Trey:"They will continue to destroy, until there is nothing left."
Trini:"And if everyone is dead? If there is nothing left? Will it end?"
Trey:"I don't know. Maybe they'll destroy themselves."
Trini:"Are you going to fight?"
Trey:"I fight for a different reason."
Trini:"Revenge. I've seen it before."
Trey:"I've spent months in that hell. For a while all I wanted was revenge. Justification. But as the days passed, all I wanted was death. To end my sorrows; I'd lost everything. But they killed me once. Pushed me to far, and I died. And as they brought me back, I saw death. I was so close I could taste it. I was dead. And you know what it was? You know what happens when you die? You start all over again. I was being born. And then I was sucked back into this life. For a split second I was free from hell. But think, if I were to be born again, wouldn't this all happen again? Wouldn't I have to lose my people again? Be here with you know again? In the end I realized that this is not my time to die. Not yet. I'm going to destroy this empire. For the sole purpose of living out this life the way it should be lived. Because you only get once chance. And anything worth having unless you have to work for it. I am willing to fight for life. In the end all I have left to hope for is life."
Trini is crying.
The tears are running down her face like a waterfall.
She's been given her reason.
A stranger has given her a reason.
She will always be have Billy again.
But this life is not over.
And she is willing to fight to find out what it has planned for her.
Trey holds trini close as her entire world is changed forever.
She embraces life the way Billy asked her to.
Trini:"Thank you."
She looks up into Trey's eyes, her tears are fading and her face is beginning to resembling a smile.
Trini:"Thank you."
The two hold each other tight on the mountain top as the clouds above begin to let it rain upon them.
Day 15.
Location: The Temple of The New Republic of Eltar.
Night.
Tommy lies in bed, his eyes are to the sky.
Xenia:"Are you okay?"
Tommy:"I'm dealing with it."
Xenia:"Really? You don't seem like you are."
Tommy:"Well, I am."
Xenia:"Alright. Just remember that I care about you."
Tommy:"I know."
Xenia:"I hope so. Next time you go off to battle. Think about how much I care. About what you mean to me. I love you, and if you were to die, I'd have nothing left."
Tommy:"I'm not going to die. I promise."
Day 16.
Sunrise.
Location: The Temple of The New Republic of Eltar Courtyard.
Tommy:"Announcing and documenting the formal inauguration of the first legion of the Unified Universe's Power Rangers. At this time I beseech the power upon thee."
211 rangers stand before Tommy.
He sheds a tear.
//log.on/red/tommy/01/ God have mercy on their souls. That is if God still exists. //log.off/red/tommy/01/
Day 15.
Location: Triforia.
Trey:"So you have allies?"
Trini:"Yes."
Trey:"Then the war is not over."
Trini:"I suppose it's not."
Trey:"How's your armor holding up?"
Trini:"Fine."
Trey:"We need to get off this rock, before they discover us."
Trini:"The magnetic waves are jamming my teleportation uplink. We need to get to a cruiser."
Trey:"Then we need an aircraft."
Trini reloads her battle rifle.
Trey:"What are you doing?"
Trini:"I'm getting a shuttle, come on."
Trey:"Are you asking me to assault a Cog barracks? Just the two of us? Are you mad?"
Trini:"I'm beyond mad. In a way, that's the only thing I got going for me."
Trey:"Madness?"
Trini:"If it can convince me to fight...Yea madness."
Trey:"Then let's move out. We can surprise them if we take the north ravine."
Trini:"Lead the way."
They accelerate their pace into a sprint.
Even the brutal downpour can't mask their presence to the Cogs.
Alert as ever.
The turrets bombard them half a klick away.
Trey:"I'll take the mortars, break for the troops!"
Trini:"Meet you at the airfield!"
They split directions.
Trini's rifle is more than effective.
//log.on/yellow/trini/02/ The Cogs fall. I blitz these bastard robots and he rushes the turrets. Trey the gold ranger. My ally. We are simply too powerful. Getting to the shuttle is just as easy. And just like that we break orbit. Back to Eltar? Back to the war. //log.off/yellow/trini/02/
Day 16.
Sunrise.
Location: The Temple of The New Republic of Eltar Courtyard.
Just as Tommy concludes the inauguration ceremony, Trini and Trey teleport onto the balcony.
The thousands of people go silent.
Tommy's jaw drops.
Trini hugs her brother tightly.
Tommy:"I love you."
Trini:"I love you too."
Tommy:"And who is this?"
Trey:"Trey of Triforia, I was-"
Trini:"He is here to help us."
Trey:"That I am."
Tommy shakes Trey's hand.
Tommy:"I am Tommy of Earth. And we can use all the help we can get."
Day 17.
/com-transmission/ranger-tommy/"Sir, we've got them sir."/com-transmission/ranger-tommy/
/com-transmission/tommy-ranger/"Rocky and Tanya?"/com-transmission/tommy-ranger/
/com-transmission/ranger-tommy/"Yes sir, we are holding them in detention cells at the Command Center."/com-transmission/ranger-tommy/
/com-transmission/tommy-ranger/"I'm on my way."/com-transmission/tommy-ranger/
/com-transmission/tommy-trini/"We got Tanya and Rocky, Command Center."/com-transmission/tommy-trini/
Ten minutes later.
Location: Command Center: Lower Levels SubSection 4A: Detention Block: Cell 13.
Rocky:"I'm not only willing to fight, but I'm built for it! Don't deny me of my destiny!"
Tommy:"You broke the code! It's unforgivable. I cannot allow you to remain a ranger. You are relived of your duties, a technician will be in shortly to administer you an antiserum for your powers."
Rocky grits his teeth and clenches his fist tight, every bit of him wants to break his restraints and tear Tommy's heart out.
The caged beast gives him that glare, the kind of glare that informs Tommy of his internal rage.
Trini enters the room, Tanya follows, her restraints removed.
Tommy:"What are you doing?"
Trini:"I'll deal with this, go."
Tommy gives Trini a stare that makes her all to knowledgeable of his anger.
As he exits he whispers to Trini:"Don't do anything stupid."
Trini:"I'll do what's right."
Tommy leaves, Trini seals the door behind him.
She is now alone with the two accused.
And is reminded of something Billy told her.
Something about Zack when she was in in the infirmary, the day they met, he saved her life, more than once.
Billy:"They came back fighting. Reminded me of beasts mauling at each other. Jason when on about how Zack had been murdering innocent people. Zordon just dismissed it, murdering innocent people for God's sake and he let it go! I guess Zordon dealt with it eventually, gave him a trail, but Zack was never really punished. And I can never forgive Zordon for that. Never."
Trini knew why Zordon did it.
She understood.
And She was prepared to do just the same.
For Billy never saw the bigger picture.
That Zordon let him go because it was necessary for the teams survival.
And even though Zack deserved a penalty, he was too valuable.
The same way the two murderers staring at her are too valuable.
//log.on/yellow/trini/02/ I'll do what's right, just as Zordon did. What's right. //log.off/yellow/trini/02/
And she knew it was against everything she honored.
"The ends justify the means"
Trini:"Listen up. You both know that Tommy wants you both decommissioned, but he's not here, I am. And I have other plans. Due to our current situation, I'm referring to the war. I'm willing to ignore the violation. This is not out of the kindness of my heart. What you did can never be forgiven, machine, human, whatever; it had a soul. That's enough to make it wrong. I'm not ignoring the crime, I'm just postponing it. I'll be frank, this war is one we are likely to lose, and if we are to attempt to succeed, we are going to need every soldier on the battlefield. I chose you two to be my ranking officers over a dozen other qualified candidates. Right now I'm regretting that decision, but it's a decision I already made. What's done is done. I'm demoting you both, you'll each be in charge of a small regiment. Your still rangers, and you will still fight along side your brother and sisters. When this war is over don't expect me to allow you to remain rangers. I need you, that's the only reason your still here."
Tanya:"Thank you."
Trini:"Dismissed."
//log.on/yellow/trini/02/ Zordon, you chose us to be your rangers. To fight when you could not; at first I was eager to change the world, then I was burdened by the responsibility, and now; now I am haunted by it, haunted by my dead family, my dead love, haunted by every decision I make, and haunted by you, Zordon. The name to my pain. As much as I can blame you, I can understand you, and in doing so, I can forgive you. What's done is done. And like trey said, I only have the future to look to, so remembering is something I'm gonna have to put on hold for a while. And just like that, I'm free. //log.off/yellow/trini/02/
/com-transmission/trini-tommy/"I'm all done here. You can go ahead and promote Johnson and Vallertes."/com-transmission/trini-tommy/
/com-transmission/tommy-trini/"Meet me in my quarters. We've got to talk."/com-transmission/tommy-trini/
Location: Tommy's Quarters, Command Center.
Trini steps through the doorway.
Tommy is seated at his desk.
The room resembles an office.
Trini:"What's going on?"
Tommy:"How could you just demote them! They should be decommissioned. Better yet, jailed!"
Trini:"Hey, your acting irrationally, they tortured a machine, an enemy. The code can be broken in certain situations. I'm not justifying their actions, I'm just trying to help you cope. I made a decision, a decision I can live with. Let's leave it at that."
Tommy:"Sure."
Trini:"And remember, I am the last surviving member of the original legion of Earth. Chosen by Zordon himself. Call me a bitch, but I outrank you."
Tommy:"About the promotion, Chan seems more capable than Vallertes."
Trini:"Promote her too then."
Trini begins to exit the room.
Tommy:"Hey, wait, I haven't spoken to you about, well about where you were. I haven't had a chance to apologize, for not staying, for not doing everything I could to save you."
Trini:"You did the right thing. I won't hold that against you. As for where I was, never speak of it again. Ever. It's someplace I would fight to forget."
Tommy:"Should I even ask about Trey?"
Trini heard what Tommy said, but appears to have ignored him, for she leaves his Quarters without a response.
Kat walks past her as she enters the room.
Tommy:"I'm busy."
Kat:"It's important."
Tommy:"Speak."
Kat:"Please seal the door sir, me being here is dangerous enough."
Tommy Locks the door by pressing a button on his desk:"Alright, go ahead."
Kat:"Well sir, I've come to talk to you about the Second Unit."
Tommy:"What's that?"
Kat:"Some of the other rangers, they've been, feeling a bit uneasy with the leadership. As in you and Trini. And things are starting to heat up. Recently there's been talk. And I've been hearing about this Second Unit a lot. It's an underground branch of rangers. I fear their forming a movement to take command. I felt it was my obligation to inform you."
Tommy:"Thanks. You can go."
He unlocks the door.
Kat:"You understand this conversation never happened."
Tommy:"Yea, don't worry."
Kat walks out the doorway and into the somewhat crowded hallway.
//log.on/red/tommy/01/ As if things weren't bad already. //log.off/red/tommy/01/