Volume III – The Zeta Arc
Chapter 17—Digitize
Beth
Even after three weeks, I was still in shock.
I was a Power Ranger. And not just any Ranger. No, I was the Red Ranger. The leader. I was the one who pulled the team together.
Okay, so maybe I wasn't all that.
Aaron had all but taken that privilege from me with his White Ranger powers and his natural leadership skills—not to mention, we voted and I lost.
I wasn't necessarily a team favorite. Grace hated me so Matt hated me; Amy was neutral, but didn't really like me, and Jay seemed to only tolerate me being there. When I confronted him, he said it was because I nagged. And, of course, the new gay couple didn't want anything to do with me. Aaron and I didn't really talk much about the dissolution of our relationship, and since I'd made some not-so-nice comments about Patrick…well…neither of them really cared for me.
Regardless, I tried to let my rank compensate for the popularity points I'd never have with them. I enjoyed the fact that I was higher up on the power scale than Grace. Whether she knew it or not, I was intimidated by her. I wasn't about to let her know, and now that I was second in command, I planned on using it to my advantage.
"Come on you guys, pick up the pace," I ordered, taking advantage of my second-in-command position.
I could hear the other four rangers grunting behind me as they rigorously climbed up the steep mountain. It may have been because my element was Stone, but I didn't feel any strain. In fact, while they were all sweating, I had barely even lost a breath.
"I'll pick up the pace, alright," I heard Grace mutter.
"You don't like it, Blondie, you can take it up with Aaron," I shot back.
She merely returned the cold glare I was giving her.
Aaron was the only one ahead of me.
He was always in awesome shape. No matter how long he sat around (which he did an awful lot), he always kept in top shape somehow. I chalked it up to the fact that he was an alien. He was Xeno. And it was weird to think I had dated him for so long without knowing. Part of me wondered if I had known. There were little things I'd always thought were weird—especially his aversion to sex. No normal male turned down sex that often. Then again, he was gay. Or whatever he was calling himself.
I watched his muscles shift above me, and for a second, found myself attracted him again. I let my focus go as I remembered his body in perfect detail: every smooth curve of muscle, the slight dip in his chin, his bright eyes eyes, and the tussle of his dirty-blond-chestnut hair. I could see the angle of his jaw, the strength in his neck and shoulders, the ripple of his abs muscles as they flexed, and the bulge in his arms when they strained.
I snapped from it like I was slapped in the face.
He was gay. Or something like that. He was with Patrick, and I accepted that. Besides, I had been cheating longer than him.
"C'mon guys…just a little farther," Aaron encouraged them.
I heard a few sighs, but they kept climbing. I wondered why they took orders from him much better than me. Maybe they were just jealous that they weren't red. Just like Patrick. I was pretty sure that was why he hated me, not because I called him Aaron's boytoy.
Finally, we all reached the top. Amy was the last to mount the humongous mountain, sweat glistening on her face.
"Why don't we have a water guy that can sprout water from his fingers?" she asked between pants.
"Don't be lazy," I remarked.
"Excuse me?"
"Guys…" Aaron started.
"Do I look like a guy to you?" I snapped back.
"No, because then he'd like you," Matt added.
The simulation flickered away.
"What are you guys doing?" I heard the disappointed tone in our principal and mentor's voice.
"I can't work with this bitch," Amy spat, wiping her brow. "I'm sorry Doc," she said storming off up the stairs.
"Great job, Beth," Jay said as he took off after her.
"You guys are seriously gonna have to work this out. We've been lucky enough that Mesomorph has been quiet with only 3 guardians this past week. But if he detects that we're weakening, he'll take advantage of it," Doc Ol warned us.
"Shouldn't he already know we're weak? I mean, they did kill Gabriel," Matt said.
"No…we killed Gabriel," Aaron corrected him solemnly.
I cringed.
"Look, the point is, he's been quiet, which is never a good thing," Doc said, his voice agitated. "I tried monitoring his work, but it seems he's somewhere in Siberia right now. They have maybe one computer connection, which is supposed to be governmental. If he hacks the Russian government, this could be the start of an international dispute."
"So you want us to go to Siberia?" I asked, hoping I was wrong.
"I've been working on this new program that lets you digitize yourself into the network. Mesomorph normally goes into the data himself so that he can assimilate it. Therefore, when he leaves, the memory banks are empty."
"Oh, no," I said, "I am not going into some computer game. I've seen those geeky Sci-Fi movies where they go in and never come back."
"Do you even hear yourself speak?" Grace wondered, the hostility in her voice like nails on a chalkboard. "Get over yourself."
"I know it's easy to get over yourself when you're not much to get over; but try to show a little respect for those of us lots to get over."
"What?" she snapped. "That doesn't even make sense!"
"Would you two please be quiet?" Doc Ol shouted.
I rolled my eyes as Jay and Amy descended the stairs again.
"Oh, good, now that we've all decided to show up and be mature," Doc Ol began. He opened his mouth to continue, but Aaron's cell phone began to ring.
We all looked at him.
"Answer it," Doc growled sternly.
Aaron turned away and ran upstairs to answer his call.
While he was gone, Doc Ol re-explained the situation, and then debriefed us on what we had to do. It seemed Mesomorph was after some new satellite laser schematics that would allow the government space exploration team, NASADA, to melt the ice on Mars and create water.
"So, any questions?" he asked.
Aaron came bounding down the staircase, stopping at the bottom.
"It was Patrick," he said, seemingly out of breath and his face pale and anxious. "His…his mom just died."
We were all silent, but I think Matt nearly collapsed.
"W-what?" he stuttered.
"She was in a five-car pileup on the freeway or something. She was on her way back to work and a semi caught a flat…"
"Oh God…oh God…" Matt kept saying. I assumed he must have known Patrick's mom; after all, he and Patrick used to be best friends before Patrick started dating Aaron. "Are you…are you sure?"
"Yeah, he's at the hospital now," Aaron said hollowly.
I really felt bad for him. He seemed desperately sorry about all the bullshit that had gone on between him and Patrick. Grace had talked with him I heard, and I guess his reason for being so upset was because Patrick had lied about it. That, I guessed, was fair. Not to mention, I assumed it didn't help that Patrick was with Aaron of all people. Apparently, Patrick losing his mom was what it took to break through to Matt and make him realize their minor problems weren't worth losing a friendship.
"I…I'm gonna go and visit Patrick; I'm sure he needs some support," Aaron said, redirecting his attention to Doc Ol. "As far as the doctors know, the only family Patrick has is a great grandma in a nursing home. Maybe my parents will let him stay with us."
"A-Aaron," Matt stuttered, lifting his head so that his bloodshot blue eyes, full of regret, met with Aaron's indescribable eyes. "Please…please tell Patrick I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean anything I said. I'm so sorry. To him and you. Just please make sure he knows."
I could see the conflict behind Aaron's eyes as he debated what to say.
"I'll tell him," he finally said. "Somehow, I think it'd mean more coming from you, though; but I know we've got a mission. You guys go…I'll catch up when I can."
"While they're gone, Aaron, I'll start tweaking the prototype Battleizer. It might be just what we need to put Kaf and Khaf down for good," Doc Ol said, referring to the new Aleph Beyt Guardians we were battling.
Since I'd joined the team, we'd taken out Kheyt the Gate Guardian, Teyt the Serpent Guardian, and Yud the Hand Guardian; all of them extremely powerful guardians that were just no match for us.
"I'll be back," Aaron assured.
"Hey," I called to him as he began to run up the stairs. He looked back. "Tell Patrick we're all sorry. Really…we are."
He nodded, and was off.
"Ready guys?" I asked.
Matt stood from his kneeling position on the floor, and sniffed. "Yeah, let's do this one for Patrick."
We all nodded.
Doc Ol seemed to have vanished into position behind his super computer, his holo-keys appearing in a flash of white. He clicked a few keys, then looked to us as a dish-shaped device transformed from a panel on the mainframe.
"Prepare for upload," Doc Ol warned.
We all braced ourselves.
"3…2…"
His voice completely faded out as a rush of energy swept through me. I felt tingly all over. Then, like a thousand pinpricks everywhere at once, I rematerialized.
The "digital frontier" was something I didn't think I'd ever be able to describe. Large circuits ran in every direction—up, down, right, left—everywhere. Inside the bigger circuits were smaller circuits, and even smaller ones inside of them. And each one seemed to be attached to thousands of other circuits. This place was a maze.
"Can you hear me?" Doc Ol's voice rang through my communicator.
"Loud and clear, Doc" Grace said.
"Alright, you should all be within the same sector as Mesomorph."
"I think we found them," I said as I looked to my right.
In the field of wild circuits, I could see a harsh orange glow that just didn't seem to belong.
"I think it's time to suit up," I said to the others. "You guys ready?"
"Ready!" they responded.
"Cyber Digitize—Energize!"
I felt my suit materialize as my entire body magnetized rocks to it; they morphed into mud that slid off my body to reveal my red and black ranger suit. Next, my helmet materialized in chunks of hardened metallic armor that clicked into place around my face. I opened my eyes as my HUD appeared on the inside of my helmet, whirring with excitement at the completion of my morph.
"Alpha Red—Stone Cyber Ranger!" I called out in my alternate morphing dimension.
As the others suited up and our morphing energy died down, we took off in the direction of the mysterious glow.
Mesomorph was truly scary looking. His head resembled an old mutant being known as Mesogog, but it had more horns, and several long teeth. He also had two large scaly wings that protruded from two holes in his trench coat. His wings were currently wrapped around his body like some sort of cloak, and his tail—with its foot-long blue-and-yellow blade—was swinging around happily as he inhaled the data in front of him. Literally. Data was pouring into his mouth like it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. His 3-fingers and their crimson claws were wiggling anxiously and gleefully.
"Hey, freak!" Jay yelled out.
Mesomorph's head snapped our way in alertness.
"Rangeeeeeeeeers," he hissed. He wiggled his head like some sort of human-snake hybrid and fixed us with a glare. "I do not have time for this insolence!"
A gem on his forehead glowed, and seconds later, Kaf and Khaf appeared in a flash of green.
"Hello rangers," greeted Kaf.
"Miss us?" Khaf asked.
"Like we miss the Chicken Pox," Grace answered.
"You're a disgrace to my religion," Amy snarled at the Palm Guardians, summoning her Sigma Whip and swinging it threateningly. "I cannot wait to erase you from existence."
"Pull it together guys!" I ordered. "Alpha Gun-Saber!"
"Upsilon Shield!"
"Kappa Staff!"
"Sigma Whip!"
"Psi Lancer!"
"Let's get them!" I shouted.
We let loose, only to be ambushed by Gigadroids. But training as a team for the past 3 weeks had really strengthened us. It was like we could bicker and argue as much as we wanted, but on the battlefield, we were one. I couldn't describe it. And as the others took on the Gigadroids, I, like a true Red Ranger, took on one of the main villains. Mesomorph was still sucking in data through his large mouth.
"Always trying to one up the others, eh Red Ranger?" Kaf questioned as our faces leaned close together, our weapons at a standoff.
"Who said anything about trying?" I shot back, spinning and knocking his weapon away.
I got in a quick slash, which sent sparks from his midriff. He recovered quickly and attacked me fiercely, but I fought back with even more ferocity than he'd anticipated.
I was the Red Ranger. I was more than a match for him. I was incredible!
I blocked again, another standoff ensuing.
"You fight well for a newbie," he insulted.
"You ain't seen nothin' yet," I retorted as I pulled the trigger on the cross-guard of my weapon.
A continuous laser beam shot out, pushing him back about ten feet in searing pain.
"You!" he growled as he charged again.
I cracked my neck twice, and then shrugged as I sidestepped him, elbowing him in the back of the head. I didn't understand how I had so much power, but it felt like every move I made, someone was guiding me. Someone familiar.
Gabriel?
Had his soul somehow remained in the morpher?
I jumped into the air and double kicked Kaf, sending him backward once more. Not quite satisfied yet, I flipped into the air, spinning as I yelled out, "Landslide Tornado!"
In a flurry of laser blasts, I spun towards him, and landed on him with the blade of my saber. A large red slash streaked across his body as he sprayed sparks in a shower of light.
The Rangers and I regrouped, weapons ready, Gigadroids down.
Mesomorph stopped absorbing his data as I shot a warning blast at him, and he hissed threateningly at us.
"This isn't over!" he screeched, and then disappeared, leaving Kaf and Khaf alone.
Well…at least we'd completed our mission.
"I…will…finish you…" Kaf panted as he balled his fist.
His brother Khaf limped over to Kaf, holding his wounded side. "You will pay!"
"Not likely. Let's put 'em together guys!" I yelled.
In a rush of mechanical clicking, the other four Rangers and I formed our ultimate weapon. Without Aaron, we needed a more advanced combination of our weapon. So we removed our Gauntlet Guards to form the Gauntlet Gatlin Gun, and attached it to the Cyber Shotgun.
"Cyber Shotgun: Gatlin Formation!" we called in unison.
"Locked!" called Amy and Grace.
I heard the whirring of the Gatlin gun's rotors building up power.
"Loaded!" Matt and Jay added.
The Cyber Shotgun's main power core ignited and I heard the hum of constant energy flow through the body of the blaster.
"What the—" the brothers were cut off by my voice.
"FIRE!"
An explosive barrage of laser bolts loosed from the double barrels of our weapon. I heard the screams of pain escaping the twin guardian's mouths, but our fire never ceased. Not until a wave of energy erupted from their devastated bodies in a satisfying explosion.