"So, let me get this straight," Ben repeated, "We have somehow been thrown forwards in time, to a future that you accidentally destroyed when you unleashed a powerful computer virus that's hellbent on wiping out all of humanity? And now we are standing in the only city remaining after that same virus annihilated out all other life on earth?"
"Turns out there is a short version," Dillon shrugged. "Who knew?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Ziggy, stepping between the Rangers and shaping his hands into a T. "Just take a time out. Doc are you seriously not even remotely fazed by the fact that these people have traveled through time?"
"I hardly understand what's so difficult to understand about all this, Series Green," replied Doctor K. "Multiple physicists have theorized for decades that time exists as an imperceptible dimension beyond our own, so it stands to reason that others would be able to travel through it."
"They are the only movies where she doesn't argue about their implausibility," Summer conceded.
"Or as much," Dillon added.
"Listen, Doctor K," said Ray. "I know it might be a lot to ask, but you have to help us get home. Maybe if we get back to our time, we can able to stop your future from happening."
"Data Squad Red," K said firmly. "While your desire to prevent these cataclysmic events is admirable, the consequences of meddling with the time are too severe. Even the Think-Tank that raised me abandoned their efforts after deeming the consequences to be too dangerous. You cannot focus on changing this timeline, the priority must be returning you to yours."
"Great," proclaimed Jake sarcastically, "So I don't suppose anyone in here has a degree and quantum mechanics and the space-time continuum?"
Dr. K looked up at him. "I have several."
"Oh."
"Come on, Doc," Ziggy scoffed. "I know you're pretty great, but are you seriously telling me that you can build a time machine? What are you going to do, built it out of that DeLorean they found?"
"Why not?"
The green's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Seriously?"
"And that was the film where she complained the least," Summer added.
"In theory, it should work," said K, ignoring the commentary from her team. "The film postulated a reasonable theory that the stainless steel frame should protect it from the elements of the time vortex. We would need to make some major modifications to the vehicle for it to work but otherwise, it might be our best solution."
"Look," Ray decided. "After the last few hours, I think I'm just about ready to believe anything."
"Look at it this way," Doctor K explained. "I should be able to calculate how to move from one point in time to another, even if it's backward. I can form the basis of my calculations from the existing time manipulation powers of the Ranger Series Blue hardware. So assuming we make the correct calculations, and assuming we can accelerate the vehicle to the correction speed-"
"Let me guess," laughed Jake, "Eighty-Eight miles an hour?"
Dr. K stared at him blankly.
"How could something that slow possibly stand a chance at punching through the temporal space barrier?' she scoffed. "You would need to be going at least three hundred."
"Three hundred?" repeated Jake.
"Umm, Doc K, miss?" said Ben, "Look, I'm not a physicist or anything like that, but I do know my cars. And even I know that there's no way that that tin-can's going to be hitting anything close to that speed."
"I'm going to have to agree with my fellow simple mechanic," nodded Flynn, "I don't think any of our engines are kicking out that much torque."
But Doctor K had already gone back to typing. "Ordinary vehicles won't be capable of reaching such speeds," she conceded. "But if we utilized the train configuration of the Paleozords we should be able to propel the delivery vessel into the time vortex."
"Wait," Jake gasped, face lighting up as he realized where this was going. "Are you seriously telling me that the DeLorean is going to get us home by pushing it with a train?"
"Hang on," Hilary pointed out. "You're going to need more than some steel-framed car to get us back."
"Yeah," agreed Johnny. "And won't you need a giant burst of energy like plutonium or a lightning strike?"
"That bit's easy," laughed Ziggy, "We'll just make our own lightning."
"There's a weather machine built into the city," Summer added as she noticed the blank expression on the Data Ranger's faces.
"As for something to make the calculations," Doctor K continued. "I should be able to engineer the Flux Overthruster to assist with them."
"Yeah, but we've only got two of them," said Scott cautiously. "And we need them both for the Croc-Carrier and the Zenith Megazords."
K just shrugged. "That's fine, I can just make another one."
Now it was the RPM Rangers' turn to look stunned.
"What?" K asked. "You didn't think I would just throw out something as useful as the Relfex Bot? We live in a dome surrounded by an irradiated wasteland, anything that can duplicate scares resources is invaluable."
"I'll get working on attaching a frame to the car," Flynn decided. "Don't want it to get crumbled by the charging Paleozord."
"Oooh," said Ben delightedly. "I can help you with that.
"And I can help with the calculations," piped in Hilary, as she eagerly stepped up to the console.
Doctor K gave her a look and rolled her eyes. "I doubt that," she said. "These calculations require in-depth knowledge of the Time Space manipulation powers built into the Ranger Series Hardware, all the while accounting for the time dilations between each of the color streams of your Morphers."
"And," agreed Hilary, "while you're working on that, I can do the more basic calculations, like how much track you're going to need for that Zord to push a car up to three hundred miles an hour while carrying five people and additional equipment. I'll save you wasting time on the basic things while you focus on the stuff that would make an ordinary person's mind explode."
Dr. K stared at Hilary for a moment. "Fine," she agreed.
The two girls set to work immediately as Flynn led an excited Ben back toward the garage and left the rest to stand around awkwardly.
"And the rest of us?" asked Ray, eager to help.
"The Ranger Series Operators will need to remain on alert," said K. "With Gem and Gemma on a scouting mission Venjix could use this as a chance to strike."
"Come on," said Scott as he tapped Ray on the shoulder. "Take a chance to relax. One thing we've learned fighting killer robots bent on destroying humanity, you've got to take a break when you can."
If Kyle Mason were to ever rank the worst days of his life, then this was definitely in his top three. The lasers blasted at his feet as he bolted to the ruin, the rounds exploding behind him as he kept up his pace and bolted as fast as his legs would carry him.
Great idea, Kyle; go to the future! Meet up with the Rangers, make a few friends; get chased down in the ruins of your city by a horde of bloodthirsty robots!
Another torrent of blaster fire erupted just as he whipped around the corner. Dead end. Groaning in exasperation, Kyle spun around as the Grinder skidded around to meet him.
"All right fellas," Kyle warned. "I'm going to be a gentleman, and give you the chance to run away."
They didn't take it.
Kyle's feet snapped back, bracing into a stance as the robots jumped him. He ducked, blow soaring above his head as he took the opening and jabbed. The grinder stumbled, just enough for Kyle to grab by the neck and twist it in front. The next one slashed against its comrade, both of them clattering in collision as Kyle kicked one into the other.
As one charged with a dagger, Kyle rushed towards it. He dropped to the ground, blade soared above his head as he skidded forward, feet colliding with the Grinder's step as it tripped. Then his hand slashed out, snatching up the dagger and flipping it around.
His eyes took a quick scan of the weapon, spying its range mode and snapping it out. Just as the Grinders got the same idea. The two sides opened fire, Kyle's hitting dead on as he dived and blasted the robots to bits. The other exploded where he'd been standing, the concussive force hurling back out into the street.
With a groan, he slowly rose to his feet. Less elegant than he'd have liked, but he got it done, and now at least he had a weapon. But his hopes were dashed as he heard more whirring coming from the road. More Grinders were marching towards him, and this time they'd brought company.
It stood larger than its foot soldiers, its sleek metal surrounding its body, its jade green face matched by round armor plates on its shoulders. And in its hands, it brandished a pair of nun-chucks.
Nun-Chucks? Seriously?
With an angry hiss, Kyle cast a glance at the surrounding street. With no options for flight, fighting was his only option. He shifted into a fighting stance, holding the Grinder's dagger in a backward grip.
"Come get some," he hissed.
The Grinder and Attack-Bot opened fire, Kyle barely lunging in time as the blasters exploded behind him. The shockwaves knocked him from the air, tumbling him across the sand.
He was already scrambling to his feet, readying for the charging onslaught, when a thundering sounded overhead. The Grinders and robot stopped, heads snapping upwards as the air was filled with the sound of beating propellors.
All of a sudden, two great aircraft burst overhead, opening fire with a barrage of lasers that shredded into the Grinder ranks. But as the smaller soldiers burst from the blasts, the Attack-Bot had managed to dive. And having avoided the resulting explosions that had shredded its comrades, it recovered fast to make a B-line for Kyle.
With nowhere to run, Kyle's grip squeezed on the, bracing himself for the beating to come.
And that's when the cavalry arrived.
Leaping from up high, the two figures of gold and silver vaulted from their vehicles, landing in the monster's path. As Kyle watched, the two figures each produced a dagger and attached them to a strange trigger-like device.
"SkyShift Blazer!" they declared. "Engine Cell, Activate!"
The new weapons burst to life, barraging the monster with white and yellow energy before detonating. The robot parts scattered across the street, and the two turned towards a gaping Kyle.
They were Power Rangers!
The Gold one turned to him with an outstretched hand, "Come with us…"
"…if you want to live!" Finished Silver.
Not daring to look a gift horse in the mouth, Kyle took it without question.
"Solid Seven in the left corner," Jake called. His eyes narrowed, Ziggy shaking his head in disbelief as he stared at the gap the fellow green was aiming for. The tip cracked on the ball, the cue gracefully sliding between Ziggy's stripes before clicking the desired billiard into the pocket.
"Lucky shot." Ziggy scoffed, eyes scanning and face dropping as he realized just how many had left.
"Would you look at that?" Laughed Jake, "I'm on the black. Right middle pocket." And with that, he clicked the final ball into the hole.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Ziggy groaned. "How was I meant to know that you're really good?"
"Maybe," Summer warned, wandering over to take the cue from the gobsmacked Green Ranger, "you're just easy to beat."
"Oooh, you're in trouble now," Ziggy declared. "Come on Summer, take him down!"
The lab doors hissed open, and Hilary stepped back into the garage looking utterly exhausted. She walked over to where Ray and Scott were talking in the kitchen and eagerly except the soda that was handed to her.
"Done!" she announced. "My part at least; the rest is up to Dr. K."
"The car rig's finished, too," Ben confirmed as he and Flynn strode over from the workshop. "We had to fit some new tires to account for the increase in speed, but now that Bad Boy's good to go."
"So, you guys are twins," said Ziggy, pointing between Ben and Hilary. "Do you guys do that cool thing where you finish each other's sentences?"
"NO!" they snapped, as emphatic as they were unanimous.
And then an alarm blared out the garage.
"I wonder what that could mean?" Johnny noted as the Rangers all rushed into the lab. But as they gathered around the viewscreens, the Data Rangers were shocked to see a familiar face.
Mileena was striding into the city with a massive group of Grinders behind her.
"Well look who followed us home," Ray commented.
"And picked up some new friends," Hilary agreed.
Scott spun to them, eyes narrowing. "You know who this is?
Ray nodded, pointing to the monitor. "She's an enemy from our time, only we've got no idea how she got here."
"Maybe we should go down and ask?" Dillon suggested.
"He's right," agreed Scott as he motioned to his team, "Let's move."
As the RPM Rangers rushed to their vehicles, Ray and his friends also stepped forward.
"Hey, we're going with you," he insisted. "Mileena is our responsibility. This is our fight."
Scott turned around to look sternly at the other red Ranger. "No, it was your fight. Now that you're in our time, it's ours."
"We don't know what the consequences there could be with you here," Summer agreed. "Maybe it's better you guys hang for a while, just until we know more."
"Don't worry," Ziggy promised. "We'll make sure your bad guy gets a warm future welcome."
And with that the five Rangers rushed off into the garage, engines roaring as they raced off to meet their foe. Ray cast the others a look, their expressions matching his feelings of being sidelined. With no other choice, they turned back to the monitor to watch. The city's defenses were holding out the best they could, but it was quickly clear that Grinders were too much. Minutes later, the speakers blared the screeching of wheels as the RPM Rangers skidded to a stop, their doors swinging open as they took a stand before Mileena.
"Rangers from this time?" she scoffed. "I'll be honest, I'm not particularly impressed."
"We fight killer robots every day," Scott retort. "So, we could say the same to you."
"We'll see." With a gleeful snicker, she snapped her fingers, and the Grinders charged straight at them.
The Rangers wasted no time.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
"RPM! Get in Gear!"
The screens filled with a fresh display, the monitors switching to new levels as the displayed suits flashed away and onto the team's bodies. Fully morphed, the Rangers lunged into the fray.
"Now I know how Doc feels," said Ray as he watched through the screen. He turned to Doctor K, "Think they'll be okay?"
"They'll be fine, they were chosen for a reason," she said curtly. "Well, Series Green wasn't, but he hasn't died yet, so I suppose that's something."
Then another screen started flashing, and all heads turned to see a woman in a purple catsuit strutting through the streets with her own big group of Grinders.
"Whoa, who's that?" Jake asked.
Doctor's eyes barely flicked upwards.
"Looks like Tenaya 7 is attacking near the orphanage," she commented. "I'll divert some of the Rangers in her direction."
"They're going to have their hands full with Mileena," Ray argued. "We'll go instead."
"No!"
Her response was sharp and emphatic, gaze now completely away from the screens to glare narrowly at the Red Data Ranger.
"I'm sorry," she said, "But I can't let you do that. We don't know the ramifications of your presence here. For all we know something happening to you here could prevent an outcome from passing in the past, doubling back to an affected future, and cause reality to fold in on itself."
"Or it could be a split timeline, or create a Bootstrap Paradox, or a million other possibilities," Hilary countered.
Dr. K stared blankly at them. "I'm sorry, Data Yellow, but I can't take that risk. I'm still using your Morphers to calculate your journey home, and even if I wasn't we don't know enough about why your Ranger Powers are present but inconsistent. The danger is just too great."
"Look, you might not want us to go out there," Johnny replied. "But that doesn't mean you can stop us."
And with that, he flashed away in a burr of black. Ray simply looked over at Dr. K with an innocent shrug.
"You know, we really should go get him," he decided smugly. "Safety of the future and all that."
K growled and rolled her eyes.
"Okay, but only two of you go. Grab him and bring him right back. Tenaya is dangerous, you don't have a hope of dealing with her without your powers."
"We might not have our Morphers," Ray replied. "But we've still got power."
"Well take that power on Series Green's scooter and get your friend before causes irrevocable damage to the timeline!"
The two Rangers rushed out, seeing the tiny two-seater and leaping on. Ben directed them over the coms, and minutes later they skidded to a stop outside the orphanage. Slowing to a stop and dismounting, they were greeted by Johnny, flying through the airs, tumbling on the concrete in front of them.
"You know, waiting for backup would have been a good idea," said Hilary
"Duly noted."
"You know," Tenaya sneered. "When your friend mentioned other Rangers, I was honestly expecting a little bit… more? I mean, Ranger Green isn't exactly much, but at least he's funny."
"Oh, I'll have you know I'm hilarious," Ray replied.
"We'll see about that."
The three teens charged in as Grinders rushed to meet them. Ray met his group hard and fast, cracking right into a tornado kick to knock them back. One of the Grinders grabbed him as he landed, only to get a face full of the laser as Ray stared right back, throwing its smoking wreck into the other Grinders. Then he ran up, snapping out a kick that knocked them back into Hilary.
Metal form active, Hilary snatched one immediately from the air and spun around as a shield, its comrades battering against it before they knew to stop. Then she hurled it forward, scattering the bots like pins before leaping over a pair of crates. The rest were perfectly lined up for Johnny, who surged between their straight line, peppering them with blows before reducing them at wrecks at their feet.
Then the three regrouped to face Tenaya again.
"Shall we dance?" asked Ray
"Gladly."
Doctor K hadn't been kidding about their need to morph. Tenya reached Hilary first, swinging with a blow so strong she needed to unsheathe her metal just to stay upright. The cyborg swept downwards, hoping to trip while the Yellow Ranger was rebalancing. Johnny got there first, super-speeding his foot into the path and forcing Tenya into a retreating flip as Ray charged in with a flurry of punches. But no matter how hard he hit, she was faster, and every punch he threw was blocked with ease.
"What are you?" Ray breathed, amazed at the woman's sheer reflexes.
"Tenaya, Generation Seven," she smirked. "Venjix human infiltration attack-bot. I am your thoughts and minds. I am mankind's unconscious being-"
"On second thought," Ray snapped, "I don't care."
He swung out again, only for her to dodge the blow. Stepping backward, his vision flared crimson as he opened fire with his lasers, forcing Tenaya to leap clear of the blasts. The attack-bot flipped backward, landing ready to go again.
"Looks like powers are the right plan" decided Johnny as he shot forward with his superspeed. But Tenaya was ready, leaning back and holding out her arm. The blow caught Johnny in the neck, flipping him to the ground with a painful thud. Ray was the next to try, kicking hard to force her off his comrade. But as he kept up his offense, Tenaya barely tired, deflecting all his strikes with nothing but her right arm.
"You were right," she laughed, snatching one of his blows and pulling him closer. "You are funny."
As Ray pushed himself off, Tenaya revealed her left arm from behind her back. The entire hand was missing.
"What the-?"
But he was cut off by a scream. Ray spun around just in time to see Hilary drop. Atop her body, a lone gloved hand crawled up on top of her sparks arcing its fingers. Tenaya's spare arm latched up, grabbing Ray's wrist and twisting. Then she kicked him backward, using the distance to flip into the air and land behind Hilary's motionless body.
As Ray and Johnny rushed to engage, a fresh wall of Grinders hurried behind them.
"Oh," Tenaya laughed. "It seems my old friends are already on their way. Until next time!"
Then Grinders surged forward, rushing Ray and Johnny before either could get between. The numbers were too great, the foot soldiers rushing forward to hold them at bay. Two fighters snapped back-to-back, all they could do to form a defensive line to keep the robots from overwhelming them.
"RAY!"
Two figures, Black and Yellow, leaped into the air, unloading laser pistols to blast the Grinders back. Now with room to move, the two unmorphed Rangers lashed out, striking to remaining to see the rest of the RPM running toward them. Breaking free of the horde, Ray bolted straight to where Hilary had fallen.
She was gone, and so was Tenaya.
"No!" Ray gasped. "Where'd they go?"
"What happened?" Summer asked.
Ray sunk to his knees, staring at the empty street. The last place he'd seen Tenaya running before the swarm had surrounded him.
"They took her!" He wheezed, "Dammit they took Hilary!"
Back out in the wasteland, Kelgar was cackling as he watched the entire saga unfold. Red and Black Rangers defeated? Yellow Ranger captured? This day was turning out even better than he'd hoped!
One of the viewscreens burst to life, revealing Tenaya in a dark building.
"So why did I need to capture her again?" she bemoaned. "Why couldn't I just destroy her and be done with it?"
It was then that Mileena stepped into view.
"If you destroy her," Mileena replied, "you get one Ranger. You hold her as bait, and you get all five."
"And why is this one such a good catch?"
"Because," Mileena explained, "this is the Blue Ranger's sister, and he will do anything it takes to try to get her back. It will make him the easiest to destroy, and his distraction will drag the rest of the team down, allowing us to destroy them once and for all!"
Kelgar smiled, as steam began to whoosh out from the boiling pit beside him.
"My lord Venjix," he cackled. "Our joint creation is at last complete."
"Excellent!" boomed the sinister robotic eye.
A long claw descended from the roof, splitting open as it plunged into the bubbling liquid before slowly beginning to rise.
"Behold, my sixteenth-generation attack-bot!" Venjix declared. "A fusion of my superior machinery with digitized technology!"
Kelgar cackled maniacally as the claws pulled the creature from the pool. A beetle, with a cannon for an arm, now clad in armor with a pair of glowing red orbs for eyes.
"Arise!" Venjix commanded. "Timestein 16!"
POWER RANGERS
DATA SQUAD
NEXT TIME:
With Hilary captured, the Data Squad race to find a way to rescue her without their powers. But as the new union between Venjix and the forces from the past, the two Rangers must learn to work together before the new alliance evil poses a threat not just to this timeline, but all of them.
Next time on:
POWER RANGERS- DATA SQUAD
Get in Gear- Part 3
A/N: Power Rangers- Data Squad updates on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know, and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update. Power Rangers: Data Squad is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property. Until next time, may the Power Protect You.