The Rangers arrived at the battle site, finding Forcefear already beginning to tear down buildings. Of all the monsters they had faced, no matter how their plans went or their overall strategy, the one thing that seemed consistent among all of them was that the beginning of the plan always seemed to consist of some variation of start smashing things up and wait until the Rangers arrived. Calvin was front and centre of the formation, resplendent in the Lion Fire Armour that Brody had lent him as he stared up at Forcefear.
"Alright Mick, we're here." Calvin called through the communicator. "How's the Prism looking?"
"Still working on it." Mick informed him. "It looks like even the Prism knows how powerful this thing is going to be."
"Right, keep us updated." Calvin told him. "In the meantime, we need to keep him busy. Lion Fire Zord, ACTIVATE!"
Forcefear was distracted from his destruction as he heard the roar of engines and the Lion Ship flew into view. He didn't have time to get up a shield before he was blasted to the ground. As the Lion Ship landed, Calvin leapt aboard and formed up the Lion Fire Megazord.
"Wow, no wonder Brody likes this thing! It feels incredible!" Calvin stated as he took up his place in the driver's seat. "Not too keen on the exposed control though. It gives great peripheral vision but it feels kind of exposed..."
"Cal, are you seriously critiquing the Zord's design right now?" Brody's voice came over his communicator, snapping his attention back to what he was doing.
"Oh, shoot, right!" Calvin said, grabbing the controls. "Alright, let's give this a try. Lion Fire Spin Strike! Final ATTACK!"
"I don't think so!" Forcefear cackled as he pulled up a forcefield. The star rebounded off the forcefield, speeding straight back towards the Megazord. Calvin flinched as it hit the chest only a little way over his head.
"OK, I am REALLY not loving this exposed cockpit!" He commented. "Guys, can I get a hand up here?"
"We're way ahead of you!" Brody said as the Ninja Steel Megazord came into view, swinging for Forcefear. He again brought up his forcefield, blocking their attack.
"You can throw anything you want at me! I can do this all day!" Forcefear taunted them as he fired back, blasting the Megazord down. The Bullrider Megazord took up position.
"Rodeo Rapid Blast!" Levi called out as he rained down energy blasts. A couple got through, but Forcefear managed to get his forcefield up and returned fire, forcing Levi to take evasive action.
"Damn it, we need to shut down those forcefields." Levi commented. As the Megazord returned to its feet, Calvin held up a hand.
"Guys, I just noticed something." Calvin told them. "Forcefear has a scar on his back from where the Green guy attacked him!"
"Yeah, good for him." Preston said sarcastically. "We have bigger things to worry about!"
"Also, a couple of Levi's shots got through before he turned around." Calvin told them. "Guys...his forcefield. It's like a shield!"
"That's kind of the point..."
"No, you don't get it, it's like a shield! I remembered something from Mr Morrison's history class!" Calvin told them. "The Spartans used to form up a shield wall called a phalanx formation. It was virtually impenetrable from the front."
"That's really fascinating but..."
"But when they faced opponents with fast cavalry they could be surprised and taken down by fast cavalry!" Calvin explained. "They would be vulnerable from the side or the back!"
"Wait, I think I see what he's saying." Sarah said as realisation hit her. "He's only blocked attacks he could see coming! He can only put up forcefields to the front!"
"So if we get to the side or the back..."
"He's still tough, but we can actually hit the son of a bitch!" Calvin concluded.
"Alright, you heard the man, new play. Until we get that Ultrazord Star, keep moving. We're going to try and surround him, keep him focused on one direction at a time and then hit him from all the other sides."
"OK, I'll lead from the front." Calvin told him. "The rest of you fan out! Let's give this guy hell!"
In another part of the city, Trevor had left the hospital after his run-in with his colleague at the hospital and tried to get his mind back on his job, but after a while he realised that he couldn't concentrate and had gone to a nearby diner to get something to eat.
He didn't know how he had ended up here. He had sought to make the city safer, to bring an end to the constant warfare and carnage in his city. He had seen more than enough of both to last several lifetimes, and while he loved his job, one thing he had loved about being stationed to Summer Cove was that it was quiet. He could spend days at a time genuinely helping his community rather than just cleaning up the mess left behind by others. He loved nothing more than giving directions, checking in on people on his route that weren't able to get out as often as they used to and other good deeds. Yes, he even loved it when he got really silly little stereotyped call outs like getting cats out of trees. He cared more about making his community a better and happier place than he did arresting anyone for committing crimes.
Unfortunately he had watched as his beloved home had been changed completely. He had seen the city that had once prided itself on its neighbourhood camaraderie and community spirit and had descended into a place where many were seeking to leave town and many that couldn't afford to were driven by instinct to fortify their own position at the expense of neighbours they had been lifelong friends with only weeks before. He had been called to supermarkets in the wake of monster attacks finding people fighting over tinned foods and bottled water, panic buying to shore them up in case they got cut off and isolated by the damage caused. He had seen such desperation before, but it broke his heart now to see it in his own country, right on his own doorstep...and it filled him with rage!
Back in Afghanistan, many years before, Trevor and his unit were dealing with the site of yet another massacre when he had heard explosions and seen smoke rising in the distance. His heart filled with dread as he realised he had been there only a few days earlier. It had been home to an emergency medical evacuation point.
The truck hadn't even come to a full stop when Trevor threw himself out the door, hitting the ground at a run and heading up some rubble, taking a position to survey the action. The medical unit had moved on, being called to another area, but the village was still in flames and he could see the corpses strewn all around.
"FAN OUT!" Trevor yelled to his men over the comms. "I want the whole village locked down! If any of the sons of bitches are still here I want them alive, we can't question corpses!"
While the term 'building' was a little subjective given the destruction, they moved through the structures, sweeping for any signs of anyone who was still around, but Trevor quickly became sure they were already too late. He broke into one of the buildings finding a sickening scene of carnage. It was clear this place was being used as a clinic, the patient was still on the table but the staff and the patient had been riddled with bullets. One of the oldest and most fiercely held rules of combat was that medics were considered neutral and off-limits as targets. Trevor saw a familiar face and his heart fell.
"Victor." He whispered, setting his rifle down. He made his way over to the young man, but almost jumped out his skin as he suddenly gasped, feeling a hand on him.
"GET A MEDIC IN HERE!" Trevor called out. "WE'VE GOT A LIVE WITNESS!"
He didn't have much more than basic skills in first aid, but he started to get to work, finding the most serious wound and putting pressure on it.
"Sergeant Marx...it...it was..."
"Don't try to talk; we're going to get you help." Trevor told him. Victor held up a hand.
"It would be a waste." Victor told him.
"Don't talk like that." Trevor told him. "Where's that damn medic?"
"Those men, they came in here, burst in...I told them there were no soldiers here. They opened fire anyway." Victor gasped as he fought for breath, trying to tell Trevor what happened in what little time he had left. "They didn't care. They wanted only to kill, they did not care who."
"Victor, tell me, who did this?" Trevor asked him as the medic finally arrived. Victor looked into his eyes.
"I could not see their faces, only masks." He told him. "I feel I will tell you more after I die than I can before."
"Come on, there has to be something..."
"There's nothing I can do." The medic told him. "I'd have given this kid even odds if he was taken to surgery almost straight away. After this long...the best I can do is make him comfortable."
Trevor looked to the medic, and then to Trevor. He took the young man's hand and looked straight into his eyes.
"I'll get the bastards who did this, I promise." Trevor told him, before nodding to the medic. He took the cap off a morphine syrrette an jabbed it into Victor's leg, squeezing the packet. Victor just held onto Trevor's hand.
"More." He stated. Trevor looked to the medic and nodded. A single syrrette was enough to knock out a patient from combat trauma. By ordering more he knew that what he was ordering was euthanasia. The medic jammed in the second syrrette as Trevor held onto Victor's hand. He felt the young man slipping away. The medic didn't even need the third syrrette, but gave it anyway just to make sure he felt nothing in his final moments. Other members of Trevor's unit came in, finding Trevor over the young man. They knew he had gotten on well with him when they met.
"Serge, I'm sorry..."
"Get a body bag." Trevor told him. The man just stared at him blankly.
"We should wait on the forensic unit..."
"Get a body bag!" Trevor reiterated. "Something about all this stinks and I'm not having more evidence disappearing. We're taking this one to the lab ourselves."
"Sir, I know he was a friend..."
"Don't make me order you again!" Trevor warned him. The man just nodded and went to search for a body bag or something he could use as one. Trevor just looked to Victor and felt his rage burning. He would make sure that the lab would have all the evidence they needed, even if he had to stand guard over his friend every step of the way.
Back in the present, Trevor's attention was snapped back to reality as he heard explosions. Looking around, he saw the Megazords and Forcefear a few blocks away, locked in a deadly firefight right in the heart of the city. He pulled out some notes, throwing them onto the table to pay for his food and ran out of the cafe, heading right for the battle. His eyes started glowing green as he picked up speed.
Back at the site of the battle, the Rangers were chipping away at Forcefear, attacking whenever they had an opening. He was still tough enough to take what they threw at him, but after figuring out how to circumvent his forcefield, they were able to at least do something to him.
"I don't care if we have to take you one piece at a time, we're taking you down!" Calvin stated as he smashed his weapons into the forcefield, keeping Forcefear's attention on him as Levi got into position. He opened fire from behind, peppering him with shots.
"OW! Three on one? FIGHT FAIR damn you!" Forcefear yelled as his howitzer turned towards Levi and fired back. He took the full brunt of the blast, his controls sparking and warnings flashing.
"Whatever we do, we need to take care of that weapon!" Levi told them. "I'm not sure I can take another hit like that!"
"Guys, I have some great news!" Mick told them. "Guess who's got a shiny new Ultrazord Star in his hand right now?"
"Mick you are a life-saver!" Calvin called out.
"Alright, it's coming in hot!" Mick warned him. "Heads up Calvin!"
Calvin looked up to the heavens in time to see a bright streak coming his way. He snatched the Ultrazord Star out of the air with a bright smile. He stared at it, and could feel the power coming from it.
"Good arm Mick, thanks!" Calvin told him. "Alright guys, form up on me! Ultrazord transformation ACTIVATE!"
"Time to take this for a spin!" Preston said as the Bullrider Megazord and Megazord came either side of the Lion Fire Megazord. Hitting it, they spun the whole torso around, revealing an alcove in the front. Levi activated his controls, breaking up his own Megazord and forming into artillery. The Ninja Steel Megazord leapt into the alcove in the front, taking up position as the Rangers all appeared in the cockpit.
"Oh wow, this is incredible!" Hayley gasped.
"These power levels are amazing!" Levi gasped, looking at his display. "Oh, Forcefear is for it now!"
"Alright, let's see what this thing can do!" Calvin called out. "OPEN FIRE!"
Forcefear formed up a forcefield which blocked the first few salvos, but they team could already see cracks forming. Pouring on the power, they smashed through, sending Forcefear tumbling away. Calvin leapt out of the Megazord, straight at Forcefear.
"Alright, I'm taking care of this personally!" He yelled, slicing apart the howitzer on his back. It fell into pieces before Forcefear could even regain his feet, leaving him unarmed. Calvin returned to the Ultrazord, landing on top of its head.
"OK, who else is totally done with this boglin?" Hayley asked. Calvin smiled.
"You read my mind Hayls." He replied. "Lock on all weapons! Ninja Steel Ultrazord, FINAL ATTACK!"
The Rangers channelled all their power into the weapons, turning all of them to maximum power and opening up on Forcefear. They watched as he started to stagger, sparking as he swayed.
"This isn't meant to happen!" He complained as he fell to the ground and exploded. Inside the Ultrazord, the Rangers all celebrated.
"Yeah, now THAT is what I'm talking about!" Calvin said excitedly. "Show's over, Ninjas..."
He fell silent, and the other Rangers did likewise as the sky started to turn dark. Thick, dark clouds formed up overhead. They could see green lightning starting to arc through the clouds.
"...win?" Calvin gulped uncertainly. Just then, a massive green lightning bolt came down, knocking him clean off the top of the Ultrazord. The Rangers could see him hitting the concrete far below, shattering the concrete and creating a huge crater.
"CALVIN!" Hayley screamed. They all looked to the screen as the vision of Psycho Green appeared before them.
"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you!" He called back.
"I don't care who you are, you do NOT attack the Rangers like that and get away with it!" Hayley called back. The others just stared at her. "What?"
"You can understand him?" Brody asked.
"I switched language again didn't I?" Hayley asked. They all nodded. "Well, I'll tell you all later, but needless to say he wasn't congratulating us on our victory!"
"Where the hell is he?" Preston complained. In answer to that, green lightning arced through the whole cockpit, shocking the Rangers painfully, causing them to scream in agony and sending their systems into a full alert. Psycho Green appeared in the centre of the room.
"I'm right here!" He announced. "Consider this an eviction notice!"
The Rangers had no time to recover as he ploughed straight through them, attacking them with a fury none of them had ever seen. They were all thrown unceremoniously from their Zord, landing on the street a little way from Calvin. Psycho Green appeared in a bolt of lightning directly in front of them, facing them down.
"Since you can talk to him, any chance you can explain to him we're the good guys?" Sarah asked Hayley. The White Ranger shook her head.
"I doubt it would make a difference." She replied.
"Then we deal with this the only way we can!" Brody answered as Psycho Green came right for them. "TAKE HIM DOWN!"
In another area of the city, Viera, Monty and Victor were heading towards the school, which was now in sight. Neither Victor nor Monty knew the kind of support they'd get at the school, but it was the only thing that Viera could think of to save them.
She turned and helped Monty up some stairs as he stumbled, exhausted. She knew that bringing Victor and Monty to the Rangers would mean they would learn of their secret. The team would have to explain everything and she would have to find a way to make up to her friends the fact she had blown their cover, but she really couldn't see a way around it. Monty stumbled into her arms as they got to the top of the stairs.
"It's not far now." She told them. "We're almost there!"
Unfortunately, before they could go any further, a flash of light came and they found themselves surrounded by Basher Bots. Viera smashed down the first of them with her sword.
"No, not now! We're so close!" She screamed. One of them ripped Monty from her grip. "MONTY!"
With a huge yell, Victor ran full-speed at the robot, hitting the tackle of his life, knocking the robot off his friend. He was quickly dragged off as others started to beat on him. Viera had the skills she had spent a lifetime honing, and just hoped she could destroy the last of the robots before either of them died. Her fortune turned though when there was another flash of light. Madame Odious and Galvanax appeared before her. She watched as Galvanax strode into the fray, knocking Victor out cold with a single punch...at least she sincerely hoped he was only knocked out. The way he went down it was impossible to tell. He then grabbed Monty by the arm and yanking him to his feet.
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Galvanax screamed at her. "Which one of you assaulted Madame Odious?"
"It was that one!" Odious snapped, pointing to Victor. Viera could see that Odious' mask now had a long crack down the side through one of the eyes, the one Victor had attacked, and there was some blood that had run down the mask. Galvanax looked to him and sneered.
"Bring him to me!" He ordered one of the Basher Bots. Viera intercepted it, cutting it down.
"Leave them alone!" Viera screamed at him. "If it's me you want, I'm right here!"
"Please, your father was no match for me and he had so much more power than you do. You don't even have a decent weapon." Galvanax taunted her. He looked to Monty, hanging by his one arm and grabbed the other one. "In fact, this looks familiar doesn't it? I wonder how much it will take?"
He started to pull outwards. Tears streamed down Viera's face as she heard Monty let out a bone-chilling scream of agony. She had seen the show in which her father had taken on Galvanax. The image of seeing her father having his arms torn from his body was still etched deeply in her mind. Viera threw down her sword and fell to her knees.
"STOP!" She screamed at them. "Please, I beg you! You can take me but please, leave him alone!"
"Oh, we'll take you alright. There are people in your home galaxy who will pay a fine price to see you back." Odious told her, going over to the Mega Mag, picking it up. "But it isn't you we want."
"The Mega Mag?" Viera asked.
"How does it work?" Galvanax asked.
"Don't tell him!" Monty yelled. Galvanax just stared at him.
"You're not in much of a position to suggest such a course of action." Galvanax told him. "It is only because I'm sure you will be much more useful with your arms than I'm letting you keep them. Of course, no one said you need legs."
"Monty, please I beg you just do what he wants!" Viera begged him. "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you!" Odious started to stroke her face gently.
"I'm glad you're finally seeing things our way." She replied. "Bring them! We'll continue this discussion in the Champ's chambers! I have a feeling they'll be a little more talkative there."