RACE TO DESTINY
Chapter 2
Getting Back in the Game
Tommy looked around as everyone stood in shock. It wasn't a pleasant thought that their only way off planet was a twisted wreck outside Corinth.
"Looks like they'll win this one", Dillon said before punching a wall in frustration.
"Not necessarily", Dr. K replied, "From my scans, most of the equipment is salvageable. It's just the hull that is damaged beyond repair."
"So we'll be delayed, but we're not out of the game", Summer said.
"Tomorrow", Tommy said. He stirred uncomfortably at the looks he got from everyone, "We need to rest a little bit. It has been an exhausting day and I think those two need each other right now", he said indicating Scott and Tenaya.
He took Kim by the hand and walked out of the garage. After a few minutes everyone else filed out as well leaving Tenaya and Scott alone. She sat next to him on the diagnostic table and took his hand into hers.
"It'll be ok", she said in a comforting voice, "I know it's hard."
"No you don't know", he interrupted her, "I was a ranger, I was a hero."
"You're still are a hero", she said, "You always will be, that won't ever change."
Scott sighed and stood up, "I know you're trying to help, but right now I just need to be alone", he said as he walked out of the garage leaving her behind and on the brink of tears. He got into his car and sped on into the city.
Summer walked in after seeing Scott speed off in his car. She saw Tenaya sitting on the table, and from the look on her face the conversation her and Scott had was not a pleasant one. She walked up and pulled Tenaya into a hug, and Tenaya promptly broke down into tears.
Ethan, Cassidy, and their daughter Hope entered his humble room at the Operations Center. It wasn't much, just about the size of a one bedroom apartment, but until now Ethan hadn't needed anything bigger. Dr. O had told him that he could move into a larger unit, and now that his family was here that's exactly what he was going to do.
"Wow, it's kind of small in here", Hope said.
"We're moving tomorrow to a bigger space", Ethan replied.
"It kind of reminds me of the first apartment that we got together", Cassidy remarked with a slight look of nostalgia on her face.
"You hated that apartment", Ethan responded.
"Doesn't mean that we didn't have good memories there", Cassidy replied with a smirk.
Ethan smiled, "I can agree with that", he said as he enveloped her into his arms.
"Why Mr. James, if I didn't know better I might think you were trying to take advantage of me being in your home", she said playfully.
"If you didn't know better, then you would've been correct", Ethan said slyly as he brought his lips into contact with hers."
Scott sat on an old log kicking his feet into the beach sand, and silently watched as the sun dipped down below the water's edge. He flipped his lucky engine cell through his fingers as he thought about the day's events. He was about to throw it into the darkening water when someone sat down next to him. The person's details weren't completely visible, but he was able to make out that it was a male with shoulder length hair.
"It's not a good feeling is it?" the person asked.
"No it isn't", Scott replied.
"And the fact that you nearly hurt someone you cared about doesn't help either", the man said.
"You couldn't possibly know what it's like to hurt someone you love or what it feels like to lose your powers permanently", Scott spat.
"You would be surprised", the man said as the moon came out from behind a cloud and illuminated his face.
"Doctor Oliver", Scott said with surprise.
Tommy nodded, "When I was only fourteen I became a ranger, and after a few months I lost them. Later in a move of desperation we managed to temporarily restore them, but eventually they failed again."
"But your still a ranger", Scott replied.
Again Tommy nodded, "After my green ranger powers were depleted I became the white ranger, then I was red twice, and most recently I took on the black ranger powers. Since we discovered a way to restore lost powers, I have taken the white ranger mantle again."
"So you've gotten and lost powers several times over the years, but you still don't know how I feel for hurting Tenaya, and the fact that she readily forgave me just doesn't feel right."
"I've been there too", Tommy answered, "When I first became a ranger it was by the hands of evil, and I very nearly killed the entire original team on my own. How do you think I felt after they broke the spell and offered me a place on the team."
"Awkward", Scott answered.
"Are you kidding?" Tommy scoffed, "I was so beside myself with guilt that I could barely function for almost a month."
"Suddenly, my life doesn't seem so bad", Scott said.
Tommy placed a small box on the bench, "If you decide to lay down and accept your fate return this to be in the morning, however if you decide to fight against the hand that you've been dealt then this is yours to keep." He stood up and walked back up the beach so he and his wife could return home. Scott looked down at the small box that sat next to him and then stared back out at the ocean. He sighed to himself as he began thinking about what the good doctor had said.
The next morning Tommy, Billy, Hayley, and Anton walked into the garage as the other RPM Rangers were talking about Scott's disappearance.
"What are you thinking woman?" Flynn asked Dr. K with an unhappy tone in his voice.
"It has to be done", she replied.
"But he just lost his powers yesterday", Summer interjected, "Don't you think it's a little soon to replace him?"
"We don't have a choice", Dr. K answered with a hint of anger in her voice, "If something else attacks we need to be at full strength, and we can't do that without a red ranger."
"But it's completely disrespectful", Flynn almost shouted.
"Enough!" Tommy yelled snapping everyone to attention, "I know you feel a loyalty to your leader, but Dr. K is right. We need a new red ranger, and as far as Scott goes I think he'll be ok."
"And just how would ya know that Mr. Super Ranger." Flynn scoffed.
"Because I'm right here", Scott said as he stepped out from behind Tommy and walked into the lab.
"Scott", Tenaya said as she ran up and threw her arms around him and then promptly punched him in the arm, "Don't you ever make me worry like that again."
"Guys, I appreciate the loyalty", Scott said as he rubbed his arm, "but Dr. Oliver's right. If someone was to attack us, and we were without a Red Ranger, we would be at a serious disadvantage."
"So who do we know that could handle the powers, and what do we do if Venjix decides to make a return performance?" Flynn asked.
Summer felt a familiar hand squeeze her shoulder as her boyfriend stepped forward, "I'll do it", he said confidently.
"No", Summer and Tenaya said together.
"That's, well that's just crazy", Ziggy added, "Why would you put yourself through that?"
"Because I'm the only one that's overpowered Venjix in the past", Dillon responded.
"It won't work", Dr. K said, "The ranger powers are bonded permanently to them."
"You did it to Scott", Summer said.
"That was different", Dr. K replied, "I permanently severed him from the Bio-field."
"I wouldn't say that", Scott said as he revealed a pair of bracelets.
"Tommy", Billy said, "did you give him…"
"My old Zeonizer", Tommy interrupted, "Yes, I did."
"So that means that you're still a ranger", Flynn said.
"But we still don't have a way to transfer your old powers to Dillon", Summer interjected.
"I believe that I can be of some assistance with that", Billy said, "I can transfer the powers, but we need someone to take the black ranger powers simultaneously as he takes the red."
Dr. K turned and looked at Tenaya, "Tenaya, you're the only one that can accept the powers since as a blood relative you have the most similar DNA to his."
Tenaya nodded as Dillon handed her his morpher. She strapped it to her wrist as Dillon prepared the red morpher and new engine cell. After a few minutes Billy gave them the ok and they activated the morphing sequences simultaneously. Dillon screamed in pain as he felt the black powers being ripped from him, but soon felt the rush of power returning to his body. Once it was done Dillon took off his helmet and looked upon his sister now clad in the black ranger armor as she removed her helmet as well. Summer came up do Dillon and looked him from head to toe.
"Somehow it doesn't suit you as well and black does, but I think I could get used to it", she said with a light smile.
"Well", Dr. K said, since we have that done we should focus on getting that beaten up ship back in running order."
"You said it was beyond repair", Ziggy accused.
"No, I said the hull was beyond repair. We can rebuild the hull, and upgrade the surviving systems", she answered.
Over the next several days the rangers took an inventory of the parts and equipment they had salvaged from the wreckage of the Astro Megaship. The engines were beyond repair, as were the morphing systems, and as they lacked the shuttle component, the morphing equipment was largely useless, so it was decided to remove it from the new design. They were able to salvage the DECA AI and memory core, where they found the design specifications for the on-board weapons and the engines. In addition they were able to find the schematics for several planned upgrades, as well as a few prototype superweapon schematics. In addition, Dr. K was able to provide the rangers with the schematics for a much smaller version of the Shield dome Corinth had used to defend itself. The next part was designing the new space frame and beginning to tear down the remnants of the old ship for resources. Everyone they could think of was brought in to help with the project. Dr. K had a problem trying to figure out how they would power such a vessel, but Eric Meyers was quick to offer a solution in Trizarian crystals. He presented the good doctor with two large crystals that had been modified so as not to cause any disruptions in the space-time continuum.
Ultimately, a fighter-style design was settled upon, with variable geometry atmospheric wings to allow for greater maneuverability. All in all the ship would have thirteen enhanced plasma energy cannon turrets, two wing mounted proton cannons, and one prototype antiproton megacannon mounted in a retractable weapons bay turret. Among the defensive improvements were a phased energy cloaking field generator, as well as multiple Corinth class shield generators. To improve maneuverability, four enhanced hyper-thrust engines were to be mounted to the superstructure, slightly reduced in size compared to those on the original megaship, but with a vastly improved power output and a massively increased thrust coefficient. The variable geometry wings were coupled with airfoils mounted on both the top and bottom of the ship designed specifically to allow for increased maneuverability.
All in all the old spaceframe design was a sturdy one, and had survived the impact largely intact, aside from some repairs and modifications to allow improve aerodynamics and decrease overall mass it would seriously cut down on building time to get it ready to go, so it was decided that the body of the craft would be very similar to that of the original Megaship. The new design was classified as the Corinth Class Astro-Megafighter, as despite its size and mass it could easily go toe to toe with the most maneuverable fighter aircraft or spacecraft that anyone they knew of could design.
Four months, and countless hours of work by the rangers and anyone else who wasn't otherwise occupied later, the megafighter was nearly complete. The existing DECA AI, while still functional had proved unable to handle the Trizarian Crystal power core, so Andros had used the long-range communications array to contact Inquiris, where Demetria was able to obtain an updated version of the DECA operating system. With it, came a software update that greatly increased the range of the sensors on the ship, and allowed DECA to fully control the megafighter in an emergency situation. Demetria had also been able to provide some information regarding who had attacked the megaship. Apparently not much was known about this villain, as he was either new, or had been hiding, and biding his time for a very, very long time. She was able to come up with the name Abbadon the Destroyer. Little else was known about Abbadon, whether it was because his enemies had all been destroyed, or he wasn't from this galaxy was not currently known.
For the task at hand all rangers were gathered together in the hangar as construction was beginning to finish on the ship. This was something that Tommy Oliver did not wish to do, but he knew deep down it was the right thing to do. He stood in front of the crowd of Superheroes, and began his address to them.
"I know this is lousy timing. We barely got our world back from the clutches of Venjix, and are already having to worry about saving it again. The mission at hand is dangerous and I know that I really have no right to ask this of you, but we need to try to beat this being to whatever power source that he's looking for. Therefore it is with a heavy heart I must ask for volunteers to take the fight to save our world to the stars in hopes of defeating him before he finds what he's looking for. There is a very good chance that those who do volunteer will not be coming back. We have seen the enemies forces and they are strong and many, but we must try. You all have my deepest respect; not because you're rangers, but because you were willing to put your own needs and goals aside when the world needed you. For this we are still here to fight. For this we can still defend the innocent. For this we will continue to protect until it is no longer possible for us to do so. We will never surrender to the forces of evil, and to those who choose to take on this mission I have an old adage that was told to me many years ago, 'May the power protect you.'"
Dillon was the first to step forward and speak up, "I became a ranger to get out of a prison sentence, but in my time as one I found my family, friends, and a reason to fight. If I were to ignore this call I wouldn't be able look at what I have gained. I will go, and I will fight to save the world, and all I have worked for."
Summer, Tenaya, and Scott all stepped forward beside Dillon, "We're in too", they all said together.
Tommy looked at the four young people, "Are you sure?" He asked them. When they all nodded he looked back at the crowd, "We have four, but I would like to ask that the rest of the RPM team stay behind to protect Corinth if needed."
"I'm in too", Justin said stepping up as well.
"Sign me up Dr. O", said Trent as he joined the makeshift crew.
"I'm going too", Cam yelled as he made his way up from the back, "You're going to need a tech person."
"Thank you", Tommy said, "You seven will head out in one month. You have that time to get yourselves ready."
At launch day, all of the rangers and their families were present, as well as the command staff from Corinth. Tommy and Dr. K walked around the ship as the last room was loaded. Dr. K still believed that a rec room was a waist of space, but Tommy had insisted that it was necessary to keep morale up. Once they had deemed everything ready they headed back out to the hangar to be met by Dillon, Summer, Scott and Tenaya.
"Dr. Oliver", Summer and Tenaya said together. Once they had Tommy's attention Summer continued, "We want you to marry us", she said directly.
Tommy was taken back, "I'd be honored, but isn't there someone more properly able to perform the ceremony?"
"There are preachers and justices", Tenaya added, "But we talked to the Colonel Truman agreed to make it legal for you to marry us."
Tommy considered this for a moment, "Fine", he said, But we'll need witnesses.
"We have that covered", he heard someone shout as the hangar was filled with rangers and civilians to witness the unions.
"And rings?" Tommy asked as four rings were presented to him, "Ok then, it looks like everything is covered."
Tommy stepped between the couples, "We are gathered here today for what I thought was the launch of a ship, but turned out to be much more. These two couples have honored me by asking me to marry them. They will look to each other for comfort during hard times and companionship in good. I ask, is there any who think they should not marry?"
"If there are, we'll shut em up", Flynn shouted.
Tommy chuckled a moment remembering his own wedding, "Do you Summer take Dillon as your husband?"
"I do", Summer said with a big grin on her face.
"And Dillon, do you take Summer you be your wife?"
Dillon looked around nervously for a moment until he met Summer's eyes. At that moment everything felt right, "I do", he said.
"Very well", Tommy said, "Tenaya, do you take Scott to be your husband?"
"Yes I do", Tenaya answered as she took Scotts hand.
"And Scott..."
"I do", Scott spit out before Tommy could finish his question.
Tommy looked as Scott who mouthed, "Sorry", to him, "Very well", Tommy said, "You may place the rings."
Once the rings were placed Tommy continued, "Then by the power vested in my by Colonel Truman, I pronounce you Men and Wives. You may now kiss your brides."
"I proudly present to you, the newest Power Ranger couples", Tommy said as a deafening cheer filled the Hangar.
Once the brief impromptu reception was over it was time for the team to leave. The seven rangers that had volunteered for the mission were cheered as they walked up the ramp and into the ship. They took one last look at everyone as the loading ramp closed and the ship prepared for takeoff. There was a roar as the engines fired up and the ship lifted up off the ground. The rangers all stood still as the team of brave souls left earth to try and save it.
A/N: Here is the next chapter. We hope you have enjoyed the series so far, so please read and review.