Episode7:
The Rescue- Part 1
There was an air of tension as Cyrax strode into the room. The clouds rolling before the windows streaked with grey, wisping through their forms in an ominous warning. In the corner, Kelgar was at the Terminal, eyes fixed on the keys and not daring deviate from his role as lines of data rolled across the monitors above. From his throne, Gideon watched them, eyes narrowing with analytical intent.
"Cyrax," he said dryly, not even pulling his eyes from the screen as his minion entered. "How nice of you to join us."
Kelgar snickered from his console, a sly delight of the repositioning of their master's favor. Cyrax ignored him, striding to the foot of the throne and kneeling dutifully. "You summoned me, master?"
"Yes," Gideon confirmed. "I want you to prepare the Byte-Bots, as many as you can. Kelgar has completed examining the data harvested from Murphy, and we believe we have almost everything we need."
"If only Dr. Murphy was still around to assist us!" Kelgar bemoaned, "Think of all of the things he could have helped us uncover."
"Yes," Gideon agreed, lip curling in displeasure. "Quite."
Beneath his helm, Cyrax clenched his stolen teeth but said nothing. It had been his idea to use Murphy to lure out the Rangers, to force them to separate and draw them into a trap. His gambit, his failure. Now the professor was long gone, and they had to make do with what they'd collected.
If he wanted, he could have tried to blame Kelgar, but knew that pursuit was fruitless. The monster maker had claimed to have no more use for him, that they'd mined all the relevant information from his head, and now was nothing but a waste of space. But Cyrax had chosen to listen, to believe him.
No, the fault was his to bear, and now his to rectify.
"What would you have me do with the Byte-Bots?" he asked.
"Something we need is buried in the Cranston Quarry," Kelgar explained, punching at the controls to pull up a map of the region. "It's buried quite deep, so they'll need to dig."
"But, Master," Cyrax protested. "Surely we should use more than mere Byte-Bots. Such actions could alert the Power Rangers to what we're planning."
Gideon merely rose, glowering down upon his minion as his lips split into a sinister smile.
"Well, Cyrax, given your preference for luring the Rangers into a trap," he chuckled. "Let them come."
None of them knew what to say. Early that morning, Ben and Hilary had approached them one by one, asking to meet at the football field after school. At first, Ray had thought nothing of it, only to see the identical expressions of worry and fear on their faces. If the twins were lockstep in perfect agreement, then whatever was going on was serious.
They'd asked the others to meet them on the bleachers after school, insisting there were too many hovering ears at the Shak. The Warehouse was then the next obvious place, but both twins froze at the mention, faces turning white and sharing a look of dreaded unease. But it was their answer when Ray had asked what was going on that had chilled him to his core.
"We can't tell Doc."
After swearing him to secrecy, the twins had rushed off to give the instructions to Jake and Johnny, leaving the three Rangers to sweat in anticipation until the fateful hour approached. And then, only under the cover of the stands after being certain that no one else was eavesdropping, the twins broke the news to the others.
Where they explained what they'd uncovered in Doc's files the night before.
Cyrax, the bane of their existence, who more than once had not only threatened to destroy them but also come close to succeeding, wasn't some computer virus at all. He was a person. A person that was a friend of Doc's.
Ray could hardly believe it, and Jake and Johnny were equally dumbstruck. But Hilary had come prepared: knowing words wouldn't be enough, she had copied the video onto a thumb drive to play through her laptop. When it was done, when they were finished watching the horror show as Doc's friend Kyle screamed and transformed into Cyrax, all they could do was stare in stunned silence, none of them knowing what to say, shocked by what all it meant. Of what Doc had been keeping from them.
"I…" Ray stammered, trying to find the words. "I don't believe it."
Doc has always said that Gideon transformed one person into his servant, Kelgar, but he'd said nothing about another. Cyrax was their enemy; the most powerful they'd faced. But to learn that beneath that mask was another person…
It was horrifying.
"I don't understand," Jake stammered. "How could he keep this from us?"
"The original video was timestamped only two weeks ago," Hilary replied. "Maybe he only just found out himself?"
"It doesn't matter when he found out," Johnny said bitterly. "What matters is that he didn't tell us. We're barely able to hold our own again Cyrax most days, what happens if we get our shot to destroy him, and Doc pulls us back?"
"Can we even destroy him?" Ben asked. "Now that we know what he really is?"
He was right, and that realization chilled Ray to his core. It was one thing blowing up Gideon's viruses, digital creations built for nothing but destruction, but Cyrax was a living, breathing being. The thought was too dark for Ray to even contemplate.
A thought clearly shared by all. For a long time, the five stood there in somber silence, all of them contemplating the new reality before them. Finally, it was Jake who broke the quiet, voicing aloud the very questions they all were struggling with. "So, what do we do now?"
Ray just shook his head in resigned acceptance, "I have no idea."
"Maybe we should talk to Doc first?" Hilary suggested. "Maybe sure he had a good reason for not telling us?" Although even she could stop her tone from betraying the underlying, nervous skepticism.
"Yeah?" Johnny asked. "Like what?"
"I said he might have one," she admitted, "not that I knew what it was."
"Does Doc know that you've seen the video?" Ray asked as Hilary shook her head.
"No, we closed the file and bolted the second I copied it," she explained. "I guess if he looked directly at the access logs he'd see it was opened and copied, but he'd have to already think something was up."
"Then I think you're right, we need to talk to him." Ray decided. "If he's got plans for Cyrax, then we need to know about them."
"And anything else he's been holding back on us," added Ben.
It was the underlying problem, unspoken until now, and the part that unsettled them all the most. If Doc was keeping something like this s secret, then what else were the Rangers in the dark about? The night they got their Ranger powers, they'd been willing to take a lot on faith, but Doc hadn't exactly filled them in in the intervening time.
Now they couldn't help but wonder why, and if there was anything their mentor was actively keeping quiet.
As if they had been waiting for those words, their Morphers beeped, jolting all with surprise as they realized Doc was calling. Taking a last check that no other students had come to hang out at the bleachers, they gathered around Ray as he opened the com-line.
"Hey Doc," he said nervously, watching as the others stared at the communicator in curiosity. "We're all here, what's up?"
All shared a look as unease rippled through them, eyes bouncing between each other as they asked the silent question. Did he know?
Mercifully, their answer came quickly.
"I'mdetectingsomeweirdenergyreadings over at the quarry," Doc told them. "Think you guys can check it out?"
Ray looked at others, all uncertain of how to reply. At the very least, they should let things appear normal until they figured out what was going on. And no matter their feeling about their mentor, they still needed to defend the city. Whatever their concerns, they could deal with them later.
"No problem, we'll go take a look," Ray replied. Then closing the com-line, he turned to the others, "Looks like that talk's gonna have to wait."
None of them wanted to think about how long they might be waiting.
"Let's just hope Gideon's picked up an innocent interest in geology," Jake hoped.
Hilary's eyes rolled. "Sure, because 'innocent interests' have been just his vibe until now."
"We better go in hot," Ray decided as the team pulled out their Morphers. "If they're making noise then they could be expecting us. You guys ready?"
Far their regular enthusiasm, the team rose their Morphers to signal their agreement. "Ready!"
"Data Squad! Digitize!"
Up in the airship, the Byte-Bots were rushing about like crazy, hurrying between the Digitizer and the teleporter in frenzied preparation. Over at his terminal, Kelgar tapped at the keys, whirring up the next batch as the screen flashed to show the Rangers' bikes jetting along the road.
At the foot of the throne, Cyrax kneeled. "My lord, the Rangers are proceeding to the quarry."
"As expected," Gideon mused. "We knew we wouldn't be able to keep this under wraps for long. Kelgar, give me a progress report on the digging team."
"The Byte-Bots have just about recovered the crystal, Master," replied the reptile. "The Rangers will arrive far too late to stop us!"
Gideon nodded; a curt movement that was both acknowledging and skeptical. As of late the predictions from his two henchmen had been far from precise.
"Make sure that they are," he snarled. "I want both of you down there to review the final stages."
Cyrax was already rising to leave, but Kelgar spun around in surprise.
"B… both of us?" he stammered.
"Yes," said Gideon. "With the Rangers becoming involved, I want to be absolutely certain of my plan's success. You understand, of course, given how often the Rangers bring with them… complications. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"
Kelgar nervously looked across to Cyrax. If the armored warrior had eyebrows, then he would have raised one in a mocking challenge.
"N… not at all, master," he replied, shuffling to his feet and beginning to move toward the teleporter. "I will go at once."
Pleased, Gideon sat back on his throne, watching as the minion swiftly scampered from the room. With a pleased chuff, Cyrax spun to follow, only for Gideon to call him back.
"Cyrax?" There was no amusement in his tone, instead a dangerous threat lingering between the words.
The warrior spun immediately, "Yes, my lord?"
"There can be no mistakes this time," Gideon warned. "The Rangers have stood in my way for far too long. You should know that my tolerance for failure is almost at its end. I would strongly recommend not attempting to see where its limits lie."
His master's gaze was stern and steely, glowering down at the armored to ensure there could be no misunderstanding. Cyrax nodded slowly, for his master had no cause for concern. The fact that these Rangers still stood was an insult to his skill as a warrior. They would not fight for long. His master would have no more need for disappointment much longer.
"Of course, my lord," he said. "It will be done."
And with that, he turned and followed, preparing to drop down to the quarry below. Preparing to destroy the Power Rangers.
The bikes dulled to a low rumble as they arrived at the quarry, and Ranger's engines killed the completely as they climbed from the saddles. All that met them was an eerie quiet, like a breath tightly held in anticipation.
As they looked, the whole area looked deserted.
"No sign of Byte-Bots," Ray said into the com. "Got anything for us, Doc?"
"Nothing new, but the readings are saying that they're definitely still there," came the reply, "Take a look around and see what you can find. But be careful."
"Got it." Killing the line, Ray turned to the others, gesturing to the winding stretch of road that lowered into the excavated pit. "Let's take it slow and quiet."
The others nodded, drawing their blasters before making their way down the slope that led deeper and deeper into the quarry. The silence remained; the air a soundless void that daren't disturb the unnatural peace. And every passing second only jilted further at Ray's nerves,
He'd have thought they would have heard something by now. The tumbling of pebbles, the occasional chirping of birds, or even the soft howl of the winding wind. But instead, there was nothing, as if everything around them was scared to make a peep.
Or unable.
"I don't like this," Hilary said warily, confirming his discomfort.
"Let's just stick together," Ray suggested. "Once we find this energy disturbance Doc talked about, we can get out of here."
And they couldn't find it soon enough. Every step was creeping him further, the crunch of gravel beneath his boot the only sound to softly echo around the barren cliffs as they continued their descent. At last, they reached the bottom, stopping to stare around the pit. This deep in, and still they saw no sign of Gideon's forces.
"Okay, Doc," Ray announced. "We've reached the bottom, there's nothing here. Are you sure that there's-?"
"Hello, Rangers!"
The voice sliced the silence as The Rangers whipped around, jaws dropping in horror at the sight that greeted them. Cyrax now standing on the very slope where they'd descended, a horde of Byte-Bots behind him at the ready and cackling a Kelgar by his side. And as the Rangers staggered back at the sight of the bots surrounding them, Ray's heart dropped in horror.
They were meant to detect the signal, they were meant to follow it.
They were meant to walk into a trap.
"Oh, come on!" Jake demanded. "How did he pull that off with us noticing?"
Ray's eyes scanned the rim of the canyon for escape, but there was no way out. Their enemy had got the drop, and now with the high ground, they had them completely surrounded. Sensing the same conclusion, the Rangers readied their weapons, crouching into fighting stances as they readied for what was to come.
"Your inattentiveness does not concern me," Cyrax sneered, armored hand already pointing to issue the command. "In fact, it only hastens your demise! Byte-Bots, attack!"
The Byte Bots lunged from the canyon wall, taking to the air as the Rangers snapped their blasters to blades and leaped to meet them. They slashed wildly, catching some mid-flight as they descended to the ground and the battle erupted across the canyon floor. As Ray landed, two bots came straight at him, weapons raised to try and corner him. Their timing was off, just enough, and the only window he was going to get. Ray leaped into the air, letting the first glide past as the second reached a hair-breadth later. Now above, he sliced with his sword, the blade sparking across the air armor to throw their balance and send the charging pair barrel into each other.
As he landed, he saw another charging, hoping to grab him while his guard was down. But Ray was well and ready. He stepped aside, letting it barrel past and right in the direction of its clattered comrades. Then, with a moment of grace, he flipped his weapon into pistol mode and opened fire. The barrage unleashed from the barrel, unfurling ribbons of light that exploded into the clustered robots and shattering them into a pile of parts.
The others were holding their own as well. As more and more Byte-Bots descended from the walls, the team snapped closer together, Johnny and Hilary using their agility to curtail the stragglers while Ben and Jake used the hammer and axe to smash through the enemy numbers. As more and more Byte-Bots crashed to the ground, sparking and twitching as they were reduced to piles of mangled parts, Ray dared to hope.
Maybe, just maybe, they could pull through.
But ducking beneath another blow to strike the robot down, he realized they had a long way to go. They were holding, keeping the Byte-Bot forces at bay, but they weren't moving. As long as they remained in the canyon bowl, then their enemies could keep them stuck like fish in a barrel. Either they got out, or eventually, the enemy forces would get the angle they needed.
And then Cyrax joined the fray.
Having been watching from the top, the armored warrior vaulted from the slope to descend upon them. Descend upon an easy target. Ray's eyes widened, watching as Cyrax soared from above with his weapon held high. The best Red Ranger could do was stumble, footing holding as he gave up ground to barely block the downward blow.
"Impressive, Red Ranger," Cyrax snarled. "Your skills have a warrior have advanced. But still, they are no match for mine!"
Ray hadn't even come up with a witty retort before Cyrax went straight on offense, spinning the sword into an onslaught of strikes.
It was all Ray could manage just to keep up with the flurry, every blow pushing him further and further to the canyon wall, every parry knocked back to widen the gap in his guard and slow his next block. The blades crossed again, Ray's arm swinging wide on the rebound as at last Cyrax got the opening he was looking for. Ray could only watch, his body now too tired and sluggish to stop him, as Cyrax abandoned the blade and thundered in a mighty kick. The armored boot cracked into his chest, sending the Red Ranger rocketing backward and slamming into the rocky wall behind him.
He hit the ground, groaning as he struggled to rise as the cyborg sauntered slowly toward him.
"It was your best bout yet," Cyrax mocked. "Shame it will be your last."
He raised the blade, and Ray braced in anticipation for the blow.
"I don't think so!"
Lasers burst from above, reams of blue and yellow light dancing at Cyrax's feet as the warrior vaulted back. As Ray looked up, Ben and Hilary somersaulted into view, landing between Cyrax and Ray while switching to their Power Weapons.
"We've got this guy, Ray," Hilary assured him. "You rest up."
It wasn't going to be that easy, but at least they could even the odds, and Ben and Hilary lunged at Cyrax without a moment's hesitation. He couldn't leave them alone for long, but Ray took the moment to catch his breath and ready his return to the fray.
But as he watched the swirling melee between the armored warrior and his friends, a sudden thought crossed his mind.
Did he even know what he was doing? Did Cyrax truly have any control over his actions? Was he truly their enemy? Or had Gideon simply made him so?
No, now wasn't the time. He'd barely held as long as he had, and any more hesitation would cost him. Right now their priority had to be getting out alive. Shaking the thought from his mind, he switched to his Power Sword and lunged in to help out his friends.
"I guess asking for surrender is out of the question?" Ben tried as Cyrax's sword caught the haft of the hammer.
"How did you guess?"
The warrior flicked the blade, knocking Ben off balance before striking across the chest. The Blue Ranger stumbled as sparks flew from his suit, Hilary leaping between before Cyrax could get another shot. Sais spinning, she went right on the offense, forcing Cyrax to give up ground as he struck against her blows. But even she wasn't enough, and Cyrax lashed out his hand as he found the gap between her strikes. With Hilary's guard open, Cyrax grabbed for the neck,
Hilary gasped as her Sais dropped to the ground, legs kicking helplessly and her hands slapped against his squeezing grip as he menacingly lifted her from the ground.
"I still owe you for our battle yesterday, Yellow Ranger," he growled as Hilary writhed in his hand. "And I can assure you, the repayments are with plenty of interest."
"Hey! Get off of her!"
Ray descended from the sky, swinging his sword wide as he brought it down on Cyrax's arm. He dropped Hilary and spun, his own energy blade slicing to block Ray's blow. The two swords met in the middle, neither warrior relenting as they wrestled with their weapons locked.
"Why are you doing this?" Ray demanded. "Why are you working for Gideon?"
"My master created me," he replied. "He has given me power. There is nothing more that I could want."
He flicked away Ray's blade, the Red Ranger leaping backward to rejoin his Blue and Yellow companions. Beside them, Johnny and Jake had managed to finish the surrounding Byte-Bots and rush to their side.
Finally, an even fight.
"Ready to finish this up, tin-head?" Jake taunted as the Rangers took formation.
But instead of readying for the bout, Cyrax lowered his guard, casually standing before them as if there were no other care in the world.
"Me?" he chuckled. "I'm simply, as you would put it, the distraction."
Oh no…
"Oh, Rangers!"
Like before, the teen's heads snapped up to see Kelgar standing proudly where the Byte-Bots once had been. Beside him was another monster, a giant pig in a karate uniform.
Right, because he was still around.
Great.
"Going for an ugly double-feature, are you?" asked Johnny.
"I'm just here to drop off my friend here," Kelgar laughed. "And give him a little power boost!"
He snapped up his hand, holding up a crystal between his claws before turning to the pig and slamming the gemstone right into the forehead. Bright light burst from the monster's head as the air was filled with maniacal laughter. When at last the light faded, the crystal had merged with the pig's head, with only the smallest sliver protruding from the leathery skin. And now its eyes were glowing.
"Now go, Porkchop," Kelgar commanded. "Take them out!"
The monster lunged from the cliff, snapping into a flying kick as it soared down at gathered heroes. "Hi-yah!"
The Rangers shifted stance, raising their weapons for defense and bracing for combat. But it wasn't enough. With expert precision, Porkchop found the gaps in their stances, cracking his hand against them. His blows had all the force of a twenty-ton truck, each one chopping through the gap and hurling them backward.
"Is that all you've got?" he laughed as the Rangers groaned to their feet.
"Okay, defense is out," Ray decided as they hobbled to reform their position. "Let's go on offense."
"Right!"
Power Weapons at the ready, they rushed in for another volley. But soon they had another problem.
"Hope you weren't forgetting about me," Cryax growled as he slammed between the Rangers and Pork Chop. He charged at Ray, sword at ready, and the best the Red Ranger could do to shift direction and parry the blow instead.
"Only if you didn't forget about me!"
Johnny had come to his rescue. He planted the staff into the ground, levering himself into the air for a mighty kick. Cyrax took it in the chest and shrugged it off, arcing up his blade as Johnny spun from harm, staff twirling in his hand as he prepared for another bout.
But just quickly Ray realized their mistake. They'd been too easily separated, and now were in no position to coordinate against either foe. He needed to change the odds, and fast.
But Cyrax was faster. The blade whistled as he brought it down, Johnny catching the blow with staff. Too late! Hands now busy, and nowhere to move, Johnny was knocked to the ground as Cyrax kicked under the staff and planted his boot in the Black Ranger's chest. Johnny went soaring, and Ray charged in before Cyrax could follow up.
Exactly as the warrior had predicted.
He whipped up his blaster, the pistol booming as a beam of energy erupted from the barrel. The explosion at Ray's feet sent him tumbling backward, crashing to the ground with a painful thud.
To his side, the rest of the team wasn't doing any better.
"Cross-Chop!" Porkchop cried, swinging downwards as a giant X of energy formed in the air and surged toward the Rangers. It burst apart on impact, blasting them backward and clattering them to the ground beside Ray.
Taking one final swing, Johnny charged Cyrax, only for him to lash with his armored hand and grab the Black Ranger just as he had with Hilary.
"Nice try."
He hurled Johnny over, spinning out his second pistol and opening fire, blasting the Rangers to their feet.
"Guys, it's too much!" ordered Doc over the radio. "You've got to get out of there!"
"Leaving so soon?" Kelgar cackled from his perch. "But I was going to introduce you to my friends."
With the snap of his claws and a flash of light, the canyon was filled with ever more Byte-Bots.
"Doc, we're surrounded!" Jake cried out.
"Hold on!" he called back. "I'm sending you your cycles."
"But we left them at the top!" Ben pointed out.
"I can control them remotely," Doc explained. "They're coming your way!"
"Good to see he had so much faith in us!" Johnny grumbled.
From the top of the canyon came the sound of roaring engines. The five data cycles burst into view, leaping from the top of the cliff before opening fire on the monsters and Byte-Bots below. The lasers exploded around them and the Rangers wasted no time leaping into the air and onto the saddles.
As the tires bounded on the ground, the Rangers kicked them around.
"Let's get out of here!" ordered Ray, slamming the throttle as the bike surged forward.
"Don't need to tell us twice." Ben agreed.
The tires ground against the earth, kicking dust in their wake as they rocketed out of the canyon, leaving the entire army of robots and monsters behind.
