Fury scrambled out of his transport pod as soon as the door would open. He bowled over the viviks that were there to secure everything and ensure the safety protocols for ensuring the air lock on the ship was secure. The viviks weren't exactly ingenious creatures, but Sledge and Wrench had learned long ago that their simple mentality didn't stop them learning procedures and processes, but it also meant they were rarely distracted by repetitive tasks. They rarely got bored doing the same thing over and over again leading to corners being cut as usually happened with more complicated creatures, meaning they were perfect for safety procedures. Wrench made extensive use of the viviks for routine tasks on the ship and even in his lab in order to free up his time for more important tasks.
"Out of my way you useless lumps of seaweed!" He screamed as he shoved them all out of the way, scattering them on the floor. "Sledge! Sledge!"
"You want to see my Sledgeums?" Poisandra asked him. "This better be important, he's taking his nap...and you know how cranky he gets when he hasn't had his nap."
"It is, far too important for me to waste my time with you!" Fury responded harshly. "Now where is he? SLEDGE!"
"What is all this racket about? I can barely hear myself think never mind sleep!" Sledge grumbled as he stumbled out of his chambers. "FURY! I thought I told you..."
"You told me to report anything important! I have vital information Sledge!" Fury told him. Sledge just growled.
"It better be!" He warned him. "I'll never get back to sleep now."
"Sledge..."
"MASTER Sledge!" Sledge corrected him.
"But we're..."
"You'll have to earn your way back UP to being a partner!" Sledge told him flatly. "Now, what is it?"
"I saw the Rangers doing something odd in the city. They were pretending to be builders and..."
"Poisandra my sweet, could you bring me my blaster?" Sledge interrupted him, encouraging him to get to the point quickly. Poisandra gleefully skipped off to fetch Sledge's blaster, hoping to see him incinerate Fury.
"I overheard the blonde scientist. She said they were trying to inspire acts of heroism, to find..."
"To find someone to replace the Purple Ranger...this is hardly surprising Fury!" Sledge responded as Poisandra came back with his blaster. "Now, I can't remember is it three or four that's the highest I can safely fire in here...?"
"She said that the Energem no longer rejects people!" Fury rushed out. This caught Sledge's attention. "The Purple Energem is safe to handle."
"Now that IS interesting. Good work Fury!" Sledge stated as he put his blaster down, much to Poisandra's disappointment. "All we need is a way to get it from the Rangers."
"Christie's cards should be starting to sow confusion soon..."
"No, I have another idea." Sledge told them. "They need a hero...how about someone that LOOKS like a hero?"
He pressed a button, at which Wrench came into the room, being summoned from his latest work.
"What is it Master Sledge?" He asked.
"Get the keys to solitary." Sledge told him. "I have the perfect candidate."
"Wait...you're not seriously thinking about...HIM?" Fury asked. "Master Sledge! You can't...he makes POISANDRA look sane!"
"Just do as I say." Sledge replied. "They want a hero...I'll give them a hero they'll NEVER forget!"
Over in the Dino Bite cafe, the lunch rush was well underway. Allison was a lot happier with the way things were running now. Although Brad was still sulking, Leanne was a complete Godsend. The way she negated the dining room, the way she seemed to pre-empt every customer's whims almost before they could voice them...it was nothing short of uncanny! Allison was confident there was even a lot she could learn from the young waitress.
"We're out of sliced pickles!" Brad called out. Allison just rolled her eyes.
"There's a jar of them in the fridge!" She reminded him.
"But they're not sliced!" He protested. Allison just looked to him with her hand on her hip.
"There's a jar of unsliced pickles and there's knives in the kitchen." She told him. "Can you see a potential solution to this problem?"
"You want me to slice...?" He started to say, pulling a face. Brad was never one that liked to get his hands dirty. He much preferred taking the pre-prepared goods off the heat lamp to anything else.
"You know what Brad, never mind I'll do it myself!" Allison snapped. "You do still remember how to work the register right?"
She muttered as she took Brad's place in the back, taking a knife off the rack in the wall and the jar out the fridge. She tried to open the jar, but the lid was jammed hard.
"Stupid thing." She muttered, running the lid under the tap in a move she had seen Shelby use once. She still couldn't budge it. She gripped the jar tightly in her hands and started tapping it on the edge of the counter; unfortunately she hit the jar a little too hard, causing it to break in her hands. She dropped its contents all over the floor as she felt the sting of vinegar, and saw blood running between her fingers.
"Damn it!" She called out, grabbing her wrist. Brad and Leanne were quickly in the back, and they could see her holding her wrist. "The stupid jar broke in my hands!"
Leanne just stared at Allison, and all the colour drained from her face. She just stared for a moment, before she turned and ran from the room.
"I've...I've got to..." She barged her way out, hurriedly leaving the restaurant. Brad just snorted.
"What do you know, there's something Supergirl doesn't deal with too well." He responded. Allison just glared at him.
"Yeah, she gets a little squeamish around blood." Allison responded. "Now could you do something helpful? You know...preferably BEFORE I bleed to death?"
Brad just got the first aid kit off the wall, opening it as he took Allison's hand.
"Alright, let's have a look." He responded.
In another part of the city, Tyler and Shelby were waiting for the others. They had been working on Kendall's computer most of the morning to try and find potential candidates for the Purple Energem. So far, all they could really think of was things like fire fighters, police officers and suchlike. Sledge's lack of recent activity had made acts of heroism a little thin on the ground, and they had a feeling that walking into the local fire department and asking the crew there to all hold a gem was not likely to meet with a positive response.
They had found the carnival on their way, and had decided to make a little detour to take a look. It wasn't far from where Kendall had originally intended they meet up, and they figured it couldn't do any real harm. Tyler was holding a large teddy bear he had won from one of the ring toss games, while Shelby was enjoying a cotton candy.
"Kendall's text says they're here." Tyler told her. "It's not that big of a fair, we should find them soon."
"That's not all we'll find." Shelby said, gesturing to where Phillipe was with Margaret over by a test of strength machine. "Check that out!"
"He's probably here in an official capacity." Tyler told her.
"When was the last time you saw him in an official capacity wearing yoga pants?" She asked him. "I don't see any guards either. Say, you don't suppose they're on a...date do you?"
"Phillipe and Margaret?" Tyler asked in response. "You aren't going to give up on that are you?"
"What? We know how Margaret feels." Shelby said to him as they wandered through the fair. "They've known each other forever...don't you think she'd be good for him?"
"I think maybe you read too many romance novels." Tyler teased her. "Hey, there they are over there."
From the other direction, Ivan, Riley, Koda and Kendall were heading into the fair.
"Welcome to the travelling fair, allow me to beguile and astound..." Derek the magician started to say, greeting them as they entered. He looked up, seeing Ivan. "YOU!"
"Ah, my good man. Derek was it not?" Ivan stated. Derek started pointing towards him, flailing wildly as he started to back away. "It has been some time."
"You...you...you were the one..." He stammered. "Keep that freaking psycho away from me!"
With that, he turned and ran for his life as playing cards, handkerchiefs and doves flew out of his coat at intervals. He didn't look like he was stopping for anything as he disappeared into the distance. Riley just looked to him.
"Old friend?" He asked.
"He was one of my retinue." Ivan sighed. "Clearly he has not forgotten the experience."
"May I interest you in a wish card?" Christie beckoned them as they passed by her table. "They're completely free. Just write down whatever you wish for!"
"Wishes?" Riley asked. "No thank you. We're not superstitious."
"I am super squishiness." Koda said cheerfully as he picked up a pen and a card.
"And I've been trying to get some time away with Allison for ages." Chase added. "I could use all the help I can get!"
"Tell me, does such sorcery actually work?" Ivan asked Kendall. Conjurers and those who claimed to have unnatural powers were common in his time, but even then it was known most were mere entertainers who claimed to have such powers and used misdirection and trickery to bamboozle and entertain the masses. Of course he also knew that there were far more things in the world than could be explained away as tricks. It was difficult to know which of the many who claimed to have mystical gifts genuinely did and which were charlatans. Kendall started to pinch the bridge of her nose.
"Frankly...no." She told him. "It's just something a lot of people do for fun..."
"Hey guys." Tyler said as he and Shelby arrived.
"Hey Koda." Shelby said as she approached the Blue Ranger. "I brought you one of our new Tropical Burgers!"
Koda gasped and immediately pointed to the box on Christie's table where he had deposited his wish card.
"THAT MY WISH!" He declared excitedly as he took the bag from Shelby and immediately started eating. Riley just rolled his eyes.
"Koda, that's not how it works..." Riley tried to explain. "You ALWAYS wish for a burger! It's just a coincidence!"
"Excuse me." Someone said, running up and tapping Chase on the shoulder. The Black Ranger just looked to him a little confused.
"Can I help you?" He asked. The man handed Chase an envelope. "What's this?"
"You were the one hundredth person to enter the carnival." The man told him. "You won a weekend for two in the Oceanview hotel, congratulations!"
Ivan, Shelby and Tyler all looked at each other as they heard this. Before good reason could intervene, they all scrambled to the table and began scribbling down wishes.
"Go ahead, wish for whatever your heart desires." Christie beckoned them. "Love, riches, power...whatever you wish will be yours!"
"Yeah, I think I'll stick to the tried and tested route of working for what I have. Right Ms Morgan?" Riley asked. Kendall took a moment to answer, watching the Rangers deposit their wishes into the box. She was sure it was only a harmless piece of fun, like getting her palm read or having someone read tarot cards generally was, but after recent events, after her visit to Millport, she couldn't help wondering, what would she wish for?
"Yes, of course." Kendall replied. "Come on guys. There's plenty more work to do."
Meanwhile, up on Sledge's ship, Sledge and his crew were heading towards the Solitary block, past all of the prisoners who rushed to the bars, all rushing out pleas and bargains to their captor. While they knew that those Sledge had released had all met their end at the hands of the Rangers, the one thing every prisoner on Sledge's ship knew was that a lucky few had been chosen to leave the ship. Their eternal imprisonment had left most of them with an aching hopelessness, knowing that even old age and death would not release them from their bondage. Only Sledge could. For most, even a slim chance of survival was preferable to an eternity of captivity.
"Master Sledge, please I urge you to reconsider!" Fury tried to reason with him as they headed for the solitary unit. "We...we just need someone that can be MADE to look like a human. Wrench could do that I'm sure!"
"We're on a ship full of criminals and despots! The Rangers would see through their act in a second!" Sledge told him. "Wrench, open the cell!"
"But Master Sledge..."
"I said OPEN IT!" He roared, shoving Wrench down the hall. Sledge had threatened Wrench with putting him IN the solitary block before, and honestly there was nothing that terrified him more than that thought. He knew that solitary was reserved for the worst of the worst, those with such specific needs for their continued captivity. They were so dangerous that all but the most stringent security would be useless to keep them. Some were so dangerous, it was whispered, in private of course, that even Sledge was afraid of them. Wrench approached the door, putting the key in and activating the security systems. The door opened, leaving only a pitch black pit in the wall.
"Master Sledge, we can't use this lunatic!" Fury pleaded with him. "He's far too dangerous!"
"I know several destroyed star systems that would agree!" Wrench cringed as he thought about the horrors their prisoner had unleashed. Sledge just gestured to a couple of Spikeballs, who were standing by the door. They took up chains as Wrench was preparing to take down the last of the security measures.
"We've all destroyed star systems." He responded. Two more Spikeballs grabbed the chains to assist their brethren. Reluctantly, Wrench took down the last of the security. The Spikeballs started to tug on the chains. Everyone was surprised when nothing happened.
"Nobody's been to his cell in centuries." Wrench said, almost starting to sound hopeful. "Maybe...maybe he's..."
"Oh, I'm not dead." They heard a voice echo from within the darkness. "But I don't come to heel on command."
With that, there was a huge tug on the chains, which ripped them from two of the Spikeballs' grip. The other two were not so fortunate, flying into the cell. There was a hellish scream, which quickly went silent. They heard footsteps coming towards them.
"Get the chains!" Sledge commanded. The other two Spikeballs were now terrified as they grabbed the chains, pulling them taught. Before long, the prisoner stepped forth.
He looked human, at least on a cursory glance, though he certainly didn't dress like anyone they had seen. He wore a long coat, with a pinstripe suit. He wore a bright waistcoat, beneath which was an orange shirt and an aquamarine cravat. He had black, fingerless gloves and a shock of aquamarine in his hair. A pair of goggles hung redundantly around his neck. As he looked up, his icy gaze chilled everyone in the room. Even though his hands and feet were shackled, everyone reacted like he was being held with twine.
"I haven't been out of that cell in centuries." He said, starting to stretch out his neck, before looking to Sledge. "Ah, Sledge. It's been a while...you haven't aged well. Do you really want a re-match?"
"Hekyl. You find yourself in a position where you're useful to me." Sledge sneered in response, but he already had his hand on his blaster, and dangerously for on board the ship, it was set to full power. He knew the danger was that he could blow out the side of the ship, sucking them all into space to their doom, but he also knew that anything less to Hekyl would likely only amuse him. He was as powerful as he was insane, and centuries in isolation were unlikely to have done anything to rectify his sanity. "You look human, and so you can be of use to fool the Rangers. They're looking for a hero. Bring me the Purple Energem, and I'll release you."
"That is an interesting offer. It really is tempting, but I'm afraid...I'm going to have to pass." Hekyl responded with a bright smile. It quickly faded and turned to a satanic glare. "I'm not the kind of man who just gets let out of prison. I expect to be PAID to leave!"
Lightning erupted from his hands. The chains exploded from his form, and the two remaining Spikeballs burst into flames, screaming in agony as they incinerated in the blink of an eye. Every cell in the cell block opened without warning, forcing Wrench and Fury to rapidly struggle to get everyone back inside and close over the doors before they had a riot on their hands. Sledge didn't move, he expected something like this. Hekyl was nothing if not dramatic. He had no interest in freeing the prisoners; this was just his way of making a point. Hekyl tented his fingers as he strode towards Sledge.
"Now, how about I propose a DIFFERENT deal?" Hekyl suggested. "I get an Energem, and then you and I become partners."
"Partners?" Fury asked him. "What would you want with an Energem?"
"I believe the adults were talking." Hekyl responded dismissively without even looking at Fury. He smiled. "My reasons are my own. I have...unfinished business at home. I believe your little treasure hunt can help me with that."
"Whatever. Bring me an Energem and I'll take you wherever you want to go." Sledge assured him. Hekyl let out a little sound of delight.
"Excellent." He responded, before grabbing his goggles. "I just hope my shades are still in style!"
"They better be." Sledge warned him. "If you fail me, I'll throw you into the sun!"
"I would love to see you try." Hekyl said under his breath as he headed for a transport pod.