Chapter Twenty-Two: Traitors
"This day, we gather as the United Alliance to remember our fallen comrades."
Sentinel Knight began his speech, peering over the twenty nine entities who comprised the membership of the Alliance. The number was no longer at the traditional thirty due to Triforia's recent exclusion from the Alliance. It felt wrong to Sentinel Knight, not seeing the Triforians in their customary seats for the conference. He was saddened that things had turned out with the people of that planet like they did.
The security was amplified for the event, due to what had occurred the last time the Alliance had a conference. The best the military had to offer was in attendance to protect the people who had come to honor those who had fallen in battle. They were there to honor the fallen, and the Alliance wanted to ensure that the conference wouldn't have any more people to mourn after it due to being unprepared for an attack.
"Unfortunately," Sentinel Knight continued. "I did not know everyone who lost their lives. I do know, though, they were all brave men and women. We should be proud to know we are protected by men and women of such high caliber, every day."
Applause echoed through the newly refurbished conference hall.
"I would like to specifically mention two people who I did know, and most you of as well knew them, as well. Masters Dimitria and Animus."
From the crowd murmurs and gasps could be heard. That was partially because there were still those systems within the Alliance who had not received word of the two Masters' recent demise.
"I served with Animus for a long time. He was proud of the kingdom he represented."
Howls and other animal noises could be heard as Sentinel spoke. The Animal Realm had all come to the gathering to honor their fallen leader.
"He was stoic and always ready to do what was right. He fell trying to protect a brother in arms. The cowards who work with Vile attacked him from behind. He was so powerful... you all can see that was the only way they could confront him. By cowardice!" The whole room erupted with cheers at that statement.
"I tell you all now, he will be missed... yet we will see him again. Where... when... we do not know... and at first, he will not know who he is. But when he does come to a full remembrance of his grand stature, oh the joy the Animal Realm will have!"
Not only the Animal Realm, but everyone in attendance clapped for Animus' legacy, and for the legacy which he would have in the unforeseeable future.
"I am sad to say, this next victim does not have such a happy twist: Dimitria fell in battle against our new enemies, the Triforians. Our reports of the incidence show us how mighty she was in her final batt-"
Suddenly, a dark figure could be seen blitzing through the crowd. People screamed in fright, for they knew not what it was. All of the Morphing Masters stood, ready to battle.
"Saba: Come forth!" Zordon said, producing his red saber.
"Defender Mode: Activate!" Magnus proclaimed.
"Power of Light: Activate!" Orion said as he focused into the Morphing Grid.
As she left Shadow Mode, Tria, the Gold Ranger, stepped forward.
"Power down!" Tria said. She stood before the entire conference, holding her Power Staff.
"Get in position. She moves an inch... shoot her." Rahp commanded over his communicator.
Commander Risp trained her sniper rifle on the Gold Ranger's head.
"I come in peace! I hold my Power Staff only to show I come in the name of Triforia! Please, listen to me! I am no traitor! My people are not traitors to the Alliance! I had no involvement in the events which occurred on my planet-"
"Silence, you fiend!" King Estro yelled, disgust on his face as he stared at the Triforian. "Enough is enough! I saw what you did to Master Dimitria! You are among the scum of the universe!"
Sentinel Knight raised his hand, motioning for silence.
"Tria... what did you expect would happen if you came here?" He shook his head while sighing. "Tria of Triforia, you are under arrest for treason. Hand yourself over now and there will be no fighting."
She bowed to him. "I turn myself over to the Alliance for questioning. I know I can prove my innocence."
As Filcar and Rahp approached the former Morphing Master to arrest her, an explosion could be heard from somewhere on the grounds of the building. The hazard alarms started blaring. Yellow lights began flashing through the building.
"Everyone! Please! Remain calm!"
Sentinel Knight tried to instruct those panicking in the room through the voice amplifier attached to his throat, but to no avail. It was everyone for themselves.
"Please protect me!" A member of royalty, Princess Momomille, cried out to her bodyguard.
"Of course, my princess." Her bodyguard replied.
Finally... some excitement! He thought.
It had been a while since he had been in a truly dangerous situation, since he had graduated from the Academy. He had become one of the most well known fighters in the Alliance, and also a hot commodity. A blossoming kingdom on the planet Rashon had been the highest bidder, and for the past few years he was in their royal guard. Since then, his battles had been few and far in between each other.
He scanned the area until he saw something interesting: an Alliance soldier walking into the conference hall, backward, blasting at something approaching.
Bingo... The princess' bodyguard thought.
"You stay here, Princess." He said as he bolted toward the soldier.
That soldier, Reon Talp, stared at his opponent. The powerful being seemed unstoppable. Sweat poured down Reon's brow.
How could this have happened!? I was doing everything fine! I'm gonna lose my job over this... He thought, worried.
He indeed had been fine, standing guard over a certain room. He had been told by Master Ivicar to not look in the room, to not touch the door, to not let anyone near the door, and to basically not interact with the room in any way, shape, or form. He was to ensure its safety during the conference.
What he did not know was the room was where the Alliance was housing Lord Zedd, after his gruesome transformation under the palace on Earth's moon. What Reon also had not known was that someone mysteriously had planted a bomb in the room under where Lord Zedd was being detained. The bomb had gone off, letting the powerful beast loose in the facility.
Lord Zedd continued to bat soldiers off of him. His primary goal was to find a way out of the complex. He did have a secondary goal, though: to destroy the annoying pest who was continually firing at him. Ever since he escaped, Reon had been on his tail, firing at him. Normally, the blasts wouldn't have affected Lord Zedd much, but this wasn't a normal situation for Lord Zedd: he had no Lifestream coursing through his veins. The main reason for that was that he didn't have any veins. The entire vascular network that he had "borrowed" from Commander Zedd's body (Zedd's organic veins, used to pump blood through Zedd before the Dark Lord had possessed him) had fallen off him when he had been skinned alive by Sentinel Knight's protective spell over the Zeo Crystal. The only thing keeping him alive were some reserved Lifestream force left in his body's heart.
Give it up! You can't win! Your organs are failing! You're getting beaten by one small human! Imagine what will happen when you see a Morphing Master! Commander Zedd taunted.
He could feel the pain the Dark Lord was in. The Dark Lord wanted desperately to feed, but without veins to hold in a planet's Lifestream, a feeding would be useless. All the while, Lord Zedd made his Z Staff manifest and started targeting Reon. Reon's eyes grew wide as he paused.
"Uh-oh!" He screamed as he ducked down, nearly missing the vaporizing beam.
Princess Momomille's bodyguard arrived next to Reon. When Reon looked up, he instantly recognized who was standing next to him.
"Joseph Kenig!? Boy am I glad to see you here!"
Joseph smiled. "Just call me Joe."
He unsheathed his saber and slowly approached the big beast in the exoskeleton infused with Silver Zeo Energy. Joe swung his sword and hit Lord Zedd's staff. As the sword connected, a jolt of energy shot out from the contact. Joe found himself flying through the air. He quickly readjusted himself and tucked into a ball, flipping into a standing position. He stood tall, eyeballing his opponent.
"Can't anythin' go right for me!?" Tria said as she stared at Lord Zedd enter the room.
Her custom of not finishing words in "ing" had come back. It was something she caught herself doing when she was hyperly focusing on something which worried her. She had worked hard to be able to enunciate her words for political functions, but at times she found herself slipping back into her old habit.
Tria continued staring at Lord Zedd. "What is that thing!?"
It didn't feel right to her. She was nervous. She gripped tighter on the Power Staff.
"I have to do somethin'..." Tria looked around.
The soldiers who had been approaching her had forgotten their first task to arrest her and we're trying the best they could to herd everyone out of the room. She noticed the Morphing Masters had already left the room themselves. Tria had only recently regained her ability to become the Gold Ranger. Many hours of meditation to become at one with herself once again was what accomplished the task for her. She did not know, however, how stable her powers were, or if she could even transform again.
Only one way to find out...She thought to herselves.
"It's morphin' time! Gold Ranger Power!"
Morphing Energy surrounded her. Her black suit slowly crawled over her. With a golden electric crackle, the golden armor wrapped itself around her chest, arms, and legs.
Tria was happy to find the powers coursing through her once again. It felt just as powerful as ever. She had the thought of going into Shadow Mode, but decided against it. She didn't want to risk losing her powers again.
"It's time for a gold rush!" She exclaimed.
She charged at Lord Zedd and sent him flying. Lord Zedd quickly sprang back to his feet. The Gold Zeo Energy crackled over him. He sent a surge of power at Tria. It hit her hard, sending her flying into the podium on the stage. As she gathered herself, Silver Zeo Energy sizzled on her suit.
Joe stepped back, nodding in approval. "Good form... for a traitor."
He felt something behind him. Joe instantly spun around to find Princess Momomille standing behind him.
"What are you doing here, Miha!?" Joe cried.
"I don't trust anyone but you. I'm staying right here." She said.
He rolled his eyes before he facepalmed.
Lord Zedd continued to square off with the Gold Ranger. Tria swung her Power Staff at Zedd. He parried the attack with his Z Staff. The power emanating from the contact the two staffs made could be heard reverberating through the room.
"Hey, you!" Joe and Miha heard someone yell.
"Here we go..." Miha muttered.
General Luka Miller and Captain Marvin Louse ran to Joe and Miha. Panting, Captain Louse pointed at Miha.
"You... can't... be here... young lady..."
"Young lady!? I'm as old as you!" She yelled, stamping her feet.
Meanwhile, Tria could be heard kiaiing in the background. Her battle with Zedd was draining her, but she knew she had to continue pushing herself. She hoped it would also help prove to the Morphing Masters how innocent she actually was. That there was, in fact, aFake Gold Ranger.
"It's okay, she's with me." Joe said.
Lord Zedd's grunts echoed through the room with each of his attacks. The pest from before, the Gold Ranger, was parrying his blows expertly. He could feel, though, that she was weak. If he himself had not also been weaker due to lack of nutrients, he knew he would have a fairly easy time defeating her. As it stood, though, they were on equal footing.
"You shouldn't be here, either." Luka said as she and Joe eyed each other down, as if each was trying to see who would win in a fight.
"I'm Joe Kenig. It's okay. You can leave this to me. You can go clean up the mess."
Luka lost her cool at that. She walked toward Joe, not noticing she narrowly missed getting hit by a stray shot Zedd took at the Gold Ranger.
Luka pushed Joe. "I don't care who you think you are. All you are to me is a civilian and-"
"Watch out!"
Luka and Joe suddenly found themselves in a pile on the ground with a third person. Where they had been standing, Lord Zedd landed, panting. Lord Zedd was clutching his left arm. His systems were failing; he did not have much reserve energy left. He turned to find Captain Louse standing close to him. He picked up Louse and tossed him into the pile with the other three.
The man who saved Luka and Joe, Doctor Wilson Goier, smiled. "You guys need to be more careful!"
After hearing there were still people in the room, Doc had snuck back in to see if anyone had been injured. It's a good thing I did, too, or Luka would've been crushed!
"Thanks, Doc." Luka said as she dusted herself off.
Miha ran to them to be close to her bodyguard. Meanwhile, Zedd pointed his staff at the five, ready to destroy them. Suddenly, the Gold Ranger landed in between them and their foe, ready to fight.
"Watsaw!" She cried as she landed.
"'What's up'? Why would she say that?" Louse wondered outloud as the other four looked at each other and shrugged.
Reon ran up behind Zedd and pointed his blaster. "Stand down... creep..." He hoped he sounded tough by adding the word "creep".
Zedd turned to find the man who he thought of as an annoying, undying mosquito.
You can't stop him! He will beat you! Commander Zedd mocked. Maybe he is the White Warrior! He said as well, trying to add insult to injury.
That final statement from Commander Zedd got the Dark Lord feeling nervous. He got into a fighting stance, ready for anything. He recalled very well his quasi-prophetic vision of a warrior in white attire taking the Zeo Crystal for himself.
The Zeo Crystal is mine! I need to have the rest of its power! I cannot let anyone else have it! The Dark Lord thought.
Reon felt someone appear next to him. It was his old commander, Risp. Beside her was Commander Filcar.
Risp winked at Reon. "Thought you might need some help." Reon smiled and turned back to face Zedd.
"Doctor Goier! I need your help with..." The media Priscilla started saying as she entered the room.
Priscilla's voice trailed off as she saw Zedd in the midst of a stand off. Some people had gotten trampled during the evacuation, and she had come in looking for Doctor Goier's help. What she saw shocked her. She had never seen anything like Lord Zedd in person.
Almost an instinct, she ran up and joined Reon in his lineup. Risp gave her a nod of acknowledgment as she joined them. She had taken Master Dulcea's advice and looked up Priscilla's record. She now knew Priscilla was a fighter, and was glad for the extra help.
Ignoring how weak he felt, Lord Zedd looked at the scene around him and laughed. "I'll take all ten of you on." He pointed his Z Staff at the Gold Ranger.
"Not without me." He turned and saw a man join the lineup, taking up the center position in what was now a line of five. The other four were grateful to have Commander Rahp join them.
As Rahp approached, Zedd's mind was taken back to the image of the five warriors with symbols on their helmets. He looked behind him and observed the other five, standing behind the Gold Ranger. Only one phrase came to his mind as he looked at the situation.
"Power Rangers..." He grunted.
Zedd knew he had to destroy them. He pointed his staff and began firing.
"We must go back inside!" Magnus yelled.
Sentinel shook his head. "It feels like a trap. Someone let Zedd loose on purpose. Burai said he found more implosion devices planted under Zedd's cell. They are all from Edenoi. I fear Kamen may have others working with him and Tria."
"We don't know if it is Kamen..." Magnus said, staring into Sentinels eyes.
"Be that as it may, we must now detain anyone from Edenoi. They must all be questioned." Orion said.
Ivicar called for a vote, and Gerlit counted a majority vote to detain anyone from Edenoi. Magnus sneered in disgust before running to the room Zedd was battling the Gold Ranger.
"Let him go. He needs some time." Sentinel said.
Magnus entered the room to find Zedd standing in the center, looking tired. The eleven warriors who stood around him looked beaten and bloodied.
Magnus placed his helmet back on his head and rushed toward Zedd with his sword in hand. He leapt into the air above Zedd and spun quickly around, charging his sword with Morphing Energy. He then went to slash Zedd.
Zedd caught the blade in his hand and kept hold of it. Laughing, he threw Magnus into Captain Louse and his team. He then shot a blast right at Magnus. The blast was powerful enough to destroy Magnus on the spot.
Luckily for Magnus, someone else took the blast for him. The man wore familiar Alliance armor. He wore his helmet and visor.
Bent over, panting, the Gold Ranger, along with Rahp and his team, stared in amazement. Risp was the first to recognize the armor.
"Scorpius?" She said aloud.
Scorpius, hiding his new form under his armor, nodded. He now had the same power the Dark Lord had before possessing Commander Zedd. A hole was in his armor, but his skin underneath was only scorched by the blast. He got into a fighting stance.
"Everyone: stand back." Scorpius commanded.
This is my chance to show everyone how power is truly supposed to be used! Scorpius thought.
Scorpius charged a ball of energy and sent it hurtling towards Lord Zedd. Unaware the ball was so powerful, Zedd just stood and took the attack, thinking it would intimidate the new fighter. Instead, the blast nearly destroyed him.
"Ahhh!" He yelled. Zedd focused his remaining energy and teleported out of the room. He appeared behind a building nearby and collapsed in pain.
Back in the conference hall, Magnus stood and approached Scorpius. He extended his hand and offered it to Scorpius. They shook hands.
"Thank you, Scorpius. I will forever be in your debt. You, Scorpius, are a good man and a true warrior."
Scorpius nodded and placed his hand on Magnus' shoulder. "I'm only doing my part to help the Alliance." He lied.
The thirteen of them collected themselves and slowly walked to the exit. Luka saw Captain Louse shaking his head as they walked, lost in thought.
"What is it, Marvo?" Luka asked her old friend.
Looking at her, he grinned. "That was so lame! The final blow wasn't even showy!"
They both started laughing as she gave him a playful shove.
Finster was nervous. He hadn't stepped foot on the soil of the Alliance's main headquarters since he was expelled during the war on Decrof. His love for his newest research got the better of him, though, and he continued his search.
His equipment had found a large energy signature that had traces of the same energy frequency the Dark Cloud's membrane had. He wanted more samples for his work, and Finster thought this would be the perfect chance when he saw the readings.
He turned a corner and found himself in a small alley in between the back of a building and a wall that surrounded the whole compound. In the center, lying on the ground, wheezing, was Lord Zedd.
"Oh, my..." Finster said as he scurried over to the dying beast.
"You need some of my serum right away! Come along now..."
Finster propped Lord Zedd up. Finster put his arm around the muscular being and teleported the both of them into his laboratory on the Scorpion Stinger.