Two paces later, blaster bolts converged on a spot right in front of us, sending sparks and smoke high into the air.
Skidding to a stop, swords were raised as we looked around for the sources of the shots. And it wasn't hard to find as five figures strode out of the smoke.
"Wha—" Zhane sputtered. Karone looked aghast.
"We destroyed you twice! Kendrix gave her life destroying you!" Karone stammered, dumbfounded.
"And now we're back again! Back and better than ever." Psycho Red chuckled maniacally.
"And we are going to destroy all of you this time!" Psycho Pink's voice held an eager note in it.
"They know how to defeat my weapons. And Karone's. Someone else will have to take them on." Zhane spoke up.
I made a fast decision, one that could lead to deaths for many of my friends. "Jason, Tripp and I will have to fight them. The rest of you will continue to fight Trakeena's henchmen. Okay?"
"No. Three of you can't take on the five of them. They're too strong. Wes and I will help you." Jen's tone booked no room for argument.
"Fine. Let's go."
Jason, Tripp, Wes, Jen and I engaged the Psychos as everyone else went around us and resumed their fights.
"Finish this fast, guys! They're horribly outnumbered." I circled opposite Psycho Yellow.
"This will end fast, Rangers, but not in your favor." Psycho Red and Jason were eying each other appraisingly.
"You guys, we can do this. We have to do this." Jen and Psycho Pink were looking at each other warily.
"Are your delusions going to help you win?" Psycho Black and Tripp were standing stock-still, neither one budging an inch.
"Let's start this already." And Wes suited actions to words and charged Psycho Blue.
We met in a clash of swords and I instantly had no time to think of anything but my fight. Psycho Yellow seemed to match every one of my strokes with my Rescue blaster. I had foregone my Quasar saber, knowing that she knew defenses for it.
CLASH!! CLANG!! Metal hitting metal sounded all around me. Then, I heard it. The sound of a Power Sword hitting home. Jason scored a hit on Red, then a succession of hits. And Psycho Red was down…just as Tripp was killed by Psycho Black. Jason took over his fight.
We were all tired and we were all fighting tooth and nail. I could hear yells from the other battles but I didn't know who was dead or dying or perfectly fine. Finally, I managed to score a direct hit on Psycho Yellow.
"V-Lancer!" I yelled and the gun was in my hands. Bringing it to bear, I fired multiple times, blasting Psycho Yellow to pieces.
I turned to see Jen and Wes finishing off Psycho Blue-I didn't know how Jen had finished Pink but found I didn't care.
Jason was still fighting Psycho Black but as I watched, he used his agility to his benefit and managed to slice the Psycho Ranger in half.
I had to see how my team was faring and to do that I had to call a "Fall Back! Everyone fall back!"
As my friends began running towards me, I realized how much time our battles with the Psychos had taken. Twenty of Trakeena's monsters were left.
About half that many of my Rangers were returning. Zhane-with tears in his eyes-, Wes, Jen, Jason, Hunter, Kira, Sky, Bridge, Xander, Meagan and Kaleb. That was all. Out of twenty-nine, eleven were left.
"Okay, guys, this is it. We need to pull out the big guns and take them down, now. Ok?" I asked.
"OK!" everyone shouted.
"Power Cannon!" Jason shouted, and the giant bazooka gun was in his hands.
"Quadroblaster!" Zhane yelled and the gun of the Black, Blue, Yellow and Pink Space Rangers was in his hands.
"Vortex Blaster!" Wes and Jen cried, and the large gun materialized.
"Thunderstorm Cannon!" Hunter shouted and the weapon was in his hands.
"Z-Rex Blaster! Super Mode!" Kira yelled and it appeared, obviously having undergone some recent, very recent, adaptations so she could operate it one-handed.
"S.W.A.T. Mode!" Sky and Bridge yelled and were transformed. "Delta Enforcers!" they cried, and their guns were in their hands.
"Magi Staff! Axe Mode!" Xander yelled and his axe was in his hands.
"RescueBird!" I cried, and the Lightspeed weapon appeared.
"Quasar Launchers!" Meagan and Kaleb yelled and the guns were in their hands.
All of this took approximately five seconds and then eleven very strong, very powerful guns were pointed at the bad guys.
"FIRE!!!" I screamed and heavy bolts of light flashed out.
Monsters dropped dead, monsters disintegrated, burned up and were utterly destroyed.
But, when the fire faded, five monsters and Trakeena still remained. And, as we watched, they began to grow.
"Captain? I think we're gonna need some help." I said.