Disclaimer: Negative ownership.
Note: Really, I have very little to say here...so I'll just go to the story...
RPM Redux
Justin and Adam both slept well that night, and the morning seemed to arrive far earlier than it should have. This morning though Justin was the first to wake up. He was showered and dressed before Adam even rolled off of the sofa.
"You're up early," Adam said as he heard Justin walk into the den.
"I know, it's weird," Justin laughed.
"Well let me get ready and we'll head over to Orion," Adam said as he sat up.
Adam disappeared into the bathroom to jump in the shower, and by the time he got out he could smell breakfast cooking…this was turning into a very odd morning. Adam pulled on obligatory black clothing, because…well mostly because it was customary for a Ranger to wear matching colors.
"You actually know how to work a stove?" Adam said as he walked back into the kitchen.
"Well it looked simple enough," Justin said laughing, "would you prefer the burned eggs or the slightly burned eggs?"
Adam laughed as he took the plate that Justin offered.
The two veteran Rangers downed breakfast then got on the road to Orion Labs. Once again they made the 15 minute drive, and arrived at Orion.
"Welcome to Orion," the secretary greeted them, "oh Mister Stewart, Mister Park, you're expected. Please make your way inside."
Justin and Adam entered into the same room they had entered yesterday, and went through the same procedure as they waited fro authorized access into the labs.
"Morning Rangers," Alpha greeted them as they walked into the labs.
"Hey Alpha," Justin returned the greeting.
"Dr. K is expecting you Justin," Alpha said, "she wanted me to take you back to the Garage."
"Garage?" Justin asked.
"You know it dude," Alpha responded.
"Hey Alpha are the Ranger recruits here?" Adam asked.
"Why of course Adam, you can meet them out back if you wish, Dr. K doesn't need you for anything right now," Alpha answered.
"Cool," Adam turned towards the training grounds, "I'll catch you later Justin. Later Alpha."
"Later," Justin responded as he turned to follow Alpha.
Alpha led the former Turbo Ranger back through Dr. K's lab, where the Ranger uniforms were still being displayed, and into the door that Alpha had gone off into the day before.
They walked down yet another hall, a short one, but a hall nonetheless, and approached another door that had several keypads on it. Alpha entered in a very long and complex number combination on each of the pads. A lock clicked, then another and then another as the door slowly opened.
Alpha led Justin into an elevator, as it began to move down. A short ride later the door opened and opened up into a massive room.
"So I take it this is the Garage?" Justin looked around the room, "named for obvious reasons I can tell."
"Dr. K will meet you in a minute," Alpha said as he turned back to the elevator, "I'll see you later Justin."
With that Alpha entered the elevator as the door closed, and robot disappeared.
There were several massive, what Justin assumed to be vehicles, each covered by large sheets. He was tempted to pull back the sheets, just to see what they were hiding, but he resisted the urges.
"Morning Justin," Dr. K approached from behind one of the covered vehicles.
"Hey doc," Justin waved as the petite girl walked his way.
"So this is the Garage," Dr. K motioned her hand around the room.
"Wow, creative name," Justin laughed.
"Yeah, the name-making guy was missed the meeting…so we just went with the obvious," Dr. K responded, "anyway follow me this way and I'll show you one of our special projects…one you may be familiar with."
Dr. K began walking towards the back of the room, where there was something that Justin had never expected to see again. It looked an awful lot like a blue jeep, except a little larger than the one he usually drove. The vehicle itself was one of the smaller vehicles in the Garage, but to anyone who knew what it was, it was obvious the vehicle was something special. Mounted on the vehicle was an apparently un-working weapon of sorts. The blue paint had scratches and dents in it, and it was obvious that there had been a lot of battle damage, but it appeared that someone had attempted to dent out and buff out as much of the damage as possible.
"We're in the midst of repairs, but just in case your mind is slipping in your old age," Dr. K smiled at the Turbo Ranger, "I would like to introduce you to Model S-2, also known as…"
"Storm Blaster…" Justin ran his hands along the vehicle's damaged exterior.
"You got it," Dr. K replied.
"But where? How?" Justin turned towards the younger woman.
"We found it in the middle of the Barricade outside of the city," Dr. K answered,
"but apart from that we have no idea where it came from. Though we really have no idea how to get it working again, we've tried an awful lot to no avail."
"This isn't like every other vehicle doc," Justin explained, "a little gas; a wash…won't bring him to life."
"You lost me…" Dr. K responded.
"It's simple, Storm Blaster is alive, he's a living…well was a living…sentient being," Justin explained, "Essentially he's dead."
"Oh…" the small scientist said…not knowing what else to say.
"But it is good to see him again," Justin smiled as he opened the driver's side door, and settled in the seat.
Reaching down Justin placed both hands on the steering wheel, and followed the contours of the wheel. A sudden warmth filled the former Ranger's body, and he vaguely thought he heard something, something that wasn't present a minute ago. Closing his eyes Justin listened closely.
"Justin?" Dr. K tried to get his attention.
Justin smiled as he opened his eyes. Looking towards the younger scientist, he said, "Get in."
"What?" Dr. K was confused.
Justin reached across the seat and opened the passenger door.
Dr. K, uncertain of what was going on, walked slowly around the vehicle and settled into the passenger seat.
"Buckle up," Justin said as he faced forward.
"Justin? Are you okay?" Dr. K asked concernedly.
Justin didn't reply, only smiled larger.
Dr. K buckled her seat belt, despite not really knowing why. Only minutes ago he had said the S-2…Storm Blaster…was dead, and now he was acting like the vehicle was alive…
"Garage Bay door opening," an electronic voice sounded throughout the whole Garage.
"What's going on?" Dr. K looked around the room urgently, "no one authorized the door's opening."
"Get ready…" Justin said quietly.
"Huh?" Dr. K looked to Justin.
"Get set…" Justin's voice was a little louder.
"Justin?"
"GO!!!" Justin said loudly.
With that last word, the 'dead' Storm Blaster revved to life, speeding towards the bay doors.
"What in the!?!" Dr. K asked excitedly.
The former Blue Turbo Ranger and the young scientist sped out of the bay doors, bursting into the bright, yellow light of the outside world.
Justin assumed the area they were at was still within the 'force field' that surrounded the city. The ground was rough and worn; apparently the area was used for vehicular drills by the Corinth guards.
Storm Blaster tore around the bends and curves of the terrain, kicking up clouds of dust behind it.
"I though you said it was dead," Dr. K yelled towards Justin as he focused on the road in front of him.
"Seems pretty alive to me," Justin laughed, "though he is filling a little rough on the turns."
Storm Blaster seemed to have understood what Justin said, and within moments its steering seemed tighter, and it seemed to increase its speed.
"Have any targets out here?" Justin asked Dr. K.
"You mean apart from the massive piles of scrap laying everywhere?" Dr. K smiled as she answered.
"You hear that Storm Blaster," Justin spoke to the vehicle, "think you can handle that?"
The un-working weapon mounted on Storm Blaster came to life, a bright blue light shot from the end of the weapon, blasting a pile of scrap to almost nothing.
"Turbine Laser still seems to be working," Justin smiled.
"No joke," Dr. K agreed, "so I guess the whole dead thing is out the window?"
Adam had met up with the Ranger candidates in training grounds, where today's, "training," consisted of merely talking about what they would do when they became Rangers. Flynn was thoroughly convinced that once the three of them became Rangers the Machine Empire would fold just at the sight of them.
"Yeah, because it only takes three people to fell an empire," Kayla rolled her eyes at his boasting, "seriously I'll just be happy if we can keep the freaking clankers outside of the city."
"You never know, I mean it past years 5…or in some cases 6 people have been able to keep the destruction of the world to a minimum," Adam replied.
"Yeah, but no offense to the Rangers of the past, but a lot of their villains were kind of dim wits, I mean they constantly attacked one city, where they had their tails handed to the on a regular bases instead of branching out to the countless, Ranger-less cities in the world," Scott responded.
"Now that you mention it…yeah that was pretty stupid," Adam laughed.
Kayla's sister, Summer, had also decided she needed to grace the Rangers with her presence about the same time Adam had arrived, where she had contributed absolutely nothing to the conversation, apart from snide comments asking why they were all insane.
"When you grow up, I'm sure you'll understand kiddo," Flynn attempted to mess up Summer's hair. To which she responded by attempting to take out the Scot's shins.
"You're a glutton for punishment, you know that right?" Kayla laughed at the future Blue Ranger.
"Only from you 2," Flynn winked toward the Yellow Ranger.
"So Adam, you thinking about joining up with us when we get our new powers?" Kayla attempted to ignore the Scotsman.
"I don't know, two Black Rangers on one team…that my mess up the color scheme," Adam laughed.
"That's provided we ever get a Black Ranger," Scott said matter of factly.
Summer really didn't care much for the conversation that was going on so instead of actually trying to join the conversation she looked around the grounds, aimlessly. It was then she noticed to figures that seemed to be standing across the grounds looking like they were trying to appear to be doing nothing.
"Who are those guys?" Summer asked oblivious to what was being talked about.
"What?" Kayla turned to her younger sister, "who?"
Summer pointed towards the two figures she had noticed, "Those two…short guy and tall guy…"
"Probably just a couple of the Truman's guards, they're kinda just standing there, lost. More than likely newbie's," Scott answered as he glanced towards the two guys.
"They look suspicious to me," Summer said, "but then again I'm no Power Ranger, I'm just a 16 year old annoyance." Kayla's sister smiled a ridiculously false smile.
"Truer words were never spoken," Kayla replied, "God save us if the fate of the Corinth ever fell into your hands."
A sisterly raspberry was all that Summer responded with.
"Real mature," Scott shook his head, "isn't there any other place you should be?"
"Yeah, but they actually like me there," Summer answered.
"Are they always like this?" Adam asked Flynn off to the side.
"Aye, typical day in the life," Flynn laughed.
Adam just laughed as he listened to Scott, Summer and Kayla bickering back and forth.
Across the training grounds the 2 figures that Summer had pointed out continued trying to appear like they weren't suspicious.
"Are you sure about this?" The taller figure asked the shorter figure.
"Have I ever steered you?" The shorter figure replied.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" The taller figure replied.
"Okay, not a good argument, but trust me the Ranger suits are ready. I'm sure we can make a fortune off the technology alone," the shorter figure returned.
"Remember who you're talking to, technology and me are old friends," the taller figure said.
"Okay Dillon, I get it, part robot…" the shorter figure responded, "hence the reason you are the muscle…well that and the bad boy attitude, but remember I'm the brains here."
"Oh yeah Ziggy…you're definitely the smart one," the taller figure, apparently named Dillon, responded sarcastically, "which is why I was the one to figure out how to bust you out of the prison in Mariner Bay…I believe I was the one to get us through the Barricade, in daylight no less, oh and wasn't it me who figured…"
"Okay…okay…calm down or I'm going to splash you with water…not that that would actually accomplish anything…but…" the shorter one, Ziggy, replied, "I got the point, but you can't deny the fact that I know more about the inner workings of a computer system than Venjix himself…okay well that may be slight exaggeration, but you get the idea."
"So you seriously can hack into Orion's system, without unleashing viral doom on the human race?" Dillon questioned his partner.
"Can and did. How do you think I know about the Ranger suits?" Ziggy answered, "and not even their top specialists managed to find me out."
"I hope you're right," Dillon said.
"Me to…" Ziggy responded, "okay come on let's walk I think we have an audience noticing us."
With that the two figures disappeared into a nearby door.
Back across the training ground Summer and Scott continued to prod responses from each other.
"You feel better now? The evil guards have gone," Scott pointed out.
"What? All I did was make an observation; you're the one who wanted to argue a moot point?" Summer retorted.
"Okay guys, I think we can grow up now…Scott…I'm looking at you. Quit teasing the teenager," Kayla looked towards both Scott and Summer.
"I'm too old for this," Adam laughed.
With that the Rangers…and Ranger sister…decided to head inside.
"Summer, you do know that you really don't have access to the inner workings of Orion," Scott pointed out.
"And that had stopped her before?" Kayla responded.
"Yeah I mean, because it's so obvious that I have nothing but ill intent towards the city that keeps me alive and safe…" Summer said sarcastically.
"Yup, no sarcasm from that one," Flynn replied.
No one else decided to comment, instead they continued on their way towards Dr. K's laboratory to see if anything new had happened on the Ranger front.
When they entered the lab though, they didn't meet Dr. K; instead they met Alpha 5 as he was working on the Engine Cell Chips.
"Hey Alpha, seen Dr. K around?" Kayla was the first to enter the room.
Alpha was startled as the Rangers approached, he dropped what he was working on, it clanging to the table, "Ay yi yi, Kayla, you startled me."
"Sorry, it was an accident," Kayla approached the robot.
"It's okay, but no, I haven't seen Dr. K or Justin since I left them in the Garage," Alpha answered, "but good news Rangers, the Engine Cell Chips are almost all complete, after they charge it'll be Ranger time."
"Awesome," Flynn responded.
The door to the Garage Elevator came open, as the two figures of Justin and Dr. k walked into the room laughing, and talking rapidly.
Dr. K was the first to notice that they were walking into a crowd, "oh welcome Rangers."
"Looks like you two have been busy," Adam looked towards the scientist and Ranger, "anything interesting?"
"You could say that," Justin replied, "I know it came after you left the team, but they found Storm Blaster."
"Storm Blaster?" Flynn asked the former Blue Ranger.
"That's the sentient Jeep from back in your Ranger days isn't it?" Adam replied.
"Sentient? As in alive?" Scott spoke up.
"Very much alive, he's running better that ever," Justin answered.
"Well that could be useful," Summer spoke, "right? It's kinda like a Zord thing isn't it?"
"Not a Zord, but definitely useful, the Turbine Laser on that thing could level a squad of Cogs in a heartbeat," Dr. K answered.
"Zords? We have Zords?" Flynn asked excitedly.
"What else do you think they'd be docking in the super secret access Garage?" Kayla replied.
"Maybe motorcycles, don't Rangers usually have those?" Flynn responded as he shrugged his shoulders, "or ATV's I think some Rangers have used those."
No one even bothered with a reply to the future Blue Ranger.
"So Engine Cell Chips about complete right?" Scott looked towards Alpha.
"Affirmative Scott, the Red Chip is ready, and in a few hours Blue, Yellow, Green and Black will be ready as well," Alpha answered.
"So you're saying that it's time for a test run?" Scott asked hopefully.
"I don't know, I'm sure your father would like to be present for that," Dr. K answered.
"Yeah, because he's been present for all the big events in my life," Scott said sarcastically, "but that all comes with being in the military, it happens."
A siren began to sound, interrupting the conversation. With the siren, a voice also sounded, "Warning, warning, Corinth is being breached. All civilians move to designated fall out zones. The Machine Empire is advancing. All troops to the outer perimeter. Air defenses prepare for Quadra Fighters, heavy weapons ready for Drone attacks. This is not a test; I repeat this is not a test."
The whole of Orion immediately came even more to life than it had been. Troops and soldiers made it from their dorms, each running to the arms room to equip themselves. These of course were only the Orion guards, the military forces stayed in their own barracks.
"This is bad," the Rangers all said together.
"I'm goin to help," Adam told the others.
"Morphin time?" Justin asked.
"Oh yeah," Adam withdrew his Dino-Morpher, "It's Morphin time!" With those three words Adam was no longer Adam the human, but instead stood Adam, the Black Ranger, "I'll see you guys out there." The Black Ranger left the room.
"Good call," Justin said, "listen Alpha, get me into the Garage."
Alpha looked to Dr. K for confirmation. The young scientist nodded is agreement as Alpha and the former Blue Ranger left the room.
"I've gotta get Summer in, I'll be back as soon as possible," Kayla didn't even wait for confirmation; she grabbed her younger sister by the arm and left the room.
"Dr. K, general or no, Adam is going to need some help," Scott looked towards the younger girl, "looks like its testing time."
"Well there's only one way to know," Dr. K sighed, "here's the Morpher, insert the Chip, say 'Get In Gear,' and if things go right…you'll be ready for battle."
"Seriously?" Scott accepted the Morpher, "if you say so."
Scott looked to both Flynn and Dr. K, lifted the Morpher, "here goes nothing." Scott crossed the Morpher in front of him, "Get In Gear!"
His whole body glowed in red, as he felt something warm passing through him. Something he'd never felt before, something powerful. The tube that had held the Red Ranger uniform emptied, and standing in the middle of the room stood the newest Red Ranger.
"This is amazing," Scott said, "but no time for admiration, I'm out to the front. Good luck."
"I know this isn't probably the best time…but I can't wait for my turn," Flynn said.
"Shut up, we have to go…" Dr. K said, "now."
Outside the lab two figures huddled low to the ground.
"Well this is convenient," the smaller figure said, "very convenient."
"You two," a loud voice shouted down the hall, "get to the arms room. Now!"
"Right away sir," the taller of the two figures replied.
"Dillon? You're not serious?" the smaller figure said.
"Of course not," Dillon replied, "just follow my lead."
TBC
End note: So in the show Ziggy is the comic relief with a shady past, well I decided to maintain the less-than-wholesome past, but Flynn is my comedy guy, there's still more to come.