Episode12:
Get in Gear Part 1
Another week over, another relaxing Saturday morning and all the Rangers could well agree that they were in dire need of the break. School was finally cooling off, hitting a lull in the tests and papers, giving the team a much-needed window of relaxation. Now all they needed was for Gideon to back off.
Most of the team had meandered toward The Shak, happy to spend the day in blissful non-direction. The only exception was Jake, whose football team buddies had been eager to see the new blockbuster. Fresh from two hours of post-apocalyptic explosions, the Green Ranger strode in late afternoon to join his friends at their usual table.
"So how was the new Terminator?" Ben asked as Jake finally joined them and sat down.
"Definitely weird," He laughed. "It was all in the depressing future. Maybe it's just me, but killer robots on screen just don't have the same effect after facing them in real life."
"Anything like the last one?" enquired Johnny.
"Oh yeah," Jake confirmed. "Still better than Rise of the Machines. Not by much though."
If someone had told Johnny when he first moved the Cranston that the school's star halfback was an avid lover of sci-fi, he flat would not have believed him. One of his sister's best friends was a jock, and while she loved him dearly, Johnny also remembered that he had problems with basic math.
But the first time Johnny went over to Jake's house, he saw shelves littered with comic books, with movie posters on his wall that were all throwbacks to eighties and nineties classic science fiction. The only person with a higher opinion on the genre would have been Hilary, although she was equally more likely to grill Jake on his thoughts before seeing the movie himself. As if on-queue, Jake nodded toward the two empty chairs.
"Where are Ray and Hilary?" he asked.
Johnny looked back with a grin and nodded toward the counter, "Over there."
He watched as Jake turned in his chair, looking to see the Red and Yellow Rangers waiting patiently for drinks. Neither seemed bothered by the delay and were instead completely enraptured with each other's company.
"You know," Ben said slyly, "You should probably go over there if you want a drink."
"And miss out on this?" Jake scoffed. "Not on your life."
The three Rangers leaned on the chairs, grinning as they spied on their two friends
"Looks like she's going for the 'laugh at the bad joke' routine," Johnny observed.
"He's going for the 'make a bad joke' routine," Ben pointed out. "He was probably up half the night thinking of that pun."
"Oh, Ray!" Jake smirked in high pitched voice. "That pun was the most hilarious thing I've heard in my entire life. I don't think anything I ever hear again will be as funny as this exact thing you just said."
"Why thank you, Hilary," Johnny added gruffly. "I've been practicing. When I yell that our enemies, my jokes are so powerful it saps them of their will to live."
"You're so funny!"
"Shhhhh, they caught each other laughing," Ben hushed. "We've got blushing people, we've got blushing."
Then Hilary reached for her purse, opening it up only for her face to drop.
"Not good, she's out of cash," Johnny warned.
Jake scrunched his face, trying to piece together what he'd missed. "Weren't they both meant to be buying?"
"Nope," Ben clarified, "he just went up to help her carry."
Johnny tapped them on the shoulders to focus back. "We've got a save; he's bringing out the wallet."
"Aww, she's smiling at him," Jake grinned.
Ben was watching intently, strangely invested in the budding romance between his best friend and his sister. "Come on Ray don't say something stupid. Wait, why is she sighing?"
"They must be talking about something sad," Johnny realized.
"Everything's dependent on his next move." Jake agreed.
All three leaned forward, hooked until the very end. Seeing Hilary's face drop, Ray gently placed his hand on her arm, and the Yellow Ranger's face lit as she looked up into his eyes.
"Comforting hand on the shoulder, I think we've got a winner!" Jake announced.
Bulk then appeared at the counter with a tray of drinks, and the boys hurriedly turned back before the two learned what they were up to. But even as they approached, Hilary looked upon them with a narrow, discerning glare.
"What were you guys talking about?"
"Guy stuff," Johnny said quickly.
"Yeah," Jake agreed. "Guy stuff."
"You know," Ben clarified. "Cars and sports, and… stuff."
"Riiiiiiiight," Hilary replied, with a tone that warned she didn't believe them. Not even for a second.
Ray however seemed none the wiser, taking his seat and grabbing his smoothie with an innocent grin on his face. "So how was the movie, Jake?" he asked. "Was it better than the last one?"
"I'm going, to be honest with you, Ray," Jake replied, eager to escape Hilary's inquisitorial glare. "After what I just saw, I'll be happy if I never see another apocalyptic, robot wasteland for as long as I live."
High above the city, beneath the fortress's rotor blades, Kelgar was working up a storm in his lab. Parts were scattered across all available surfaces as he typed frantically on the terminal. At last, with the final calculation, he threw up his hands in triumph.
"FINISHED!" he roared.
Having heard the cry of victory, Gideon stormed into the room. Kelgar didn't even kneel, too excited over his latest accomplishment.
"Are you certain?" Gideon asked. "There can be no mistakes in this, Kelgar."
"Yes, my master," said Kelgar. "The calculations were even more complicated than I thought, but I believe that at last, I have cracked its code. The device should be fully functional now."
A sinister grin split across Gideon's lips. "Well, what are you waiting for? Start it up!"
"Here we go!"
Kelgar cackled as he slammed the leaver, bringing the Digitizer machine to life. The metal tube rumbled, steam missing from the cracks and vents as the panes of misty glass strobed with emerald light. Then, with a fizzing of dissipating smoke, the doors clunked open and a large blue beetle with a cannon for an arm stepped out.
"Woah ho ho!" he laughed. "It's my time to shine!"
"And how is this one different from any of the others, Kelgar?" Mileena asked lazily as she slunk into the room. "Wasn't your last monster also 'your greatest creation'?"
"Because this one is for more than merely fighting the Power Rangers," Gideon replied. "It will also lead us to the true source of their destruction."
"Which is what exactly, my lord?"
Gideon lowered his brow as looked at his minor, lips parting in a sinister, knowing grin.
"The Future."
Mileena stared at her master, fearing he may have lost his mind. "Excuse me, master," she stammered. "Did you just say the future?"
"That's right. In a moment, Timestein here will open a portal for you and Kelgar to go through. When you arrive, I want the pair of you to scavenge as much technology as you can and then bring it back to the present. With the superior advantage, we will then use these new tools to bring about the end of the Power Rangers!"
Mileena looked over at Kelgar, who was eagerly grinning over his latest achievement. "I have but one question, master."
"By all means."
"How do you intend for us to get back?"
"Timestein will follow you shortly," Gideon explained. "But first, I want him to put on a bit of a show for the Rangers. We don't them to suspect anything, now do we?"
Mileena raised an eyebrow.
"And how is a giant time-traveling bug not going to alert them of something?"
Gideon chuckled. "We wouldn't want them to think things are getting too quiet." Then he nodded to the monster. "Timestein, when you're ready."
The beetle gleefully raised his firing it into the open space of the lab. But instead of exploding in place, the round burst into a large oval portal, glowing with crackling blue light. The portal began to swirl, blackness shifting from its center into a roiling vortex.
"Master," gulped Mileena, "surely, we should test this on something first?"
"But of course, Mileena," Gideon sneered. "What do you think you're for? Now, I think it's high time you got started."
He planted his hands into their backs and thrust the two henchmen into the rift. The portal lashed out with energy, tendrils grasping hold and pulling them closer. Before Mileena even had a chance to gasp, the tendril yanked her inward, hauling the two inside. Then there was a flash of light, and the pair of them were gone.
Please, Gideon looked over at the virus.
"Where did you send them?"
Timestein leaped excitedly, "August Five, Twenty-Fourteen."
Gideon nodded ponderously. Not far, but it was only the first trip, and no doubt even a five-year lead would grant him a valuable technological leap. Were Mileena and Kelgar successful, they could expand their ambitions to stretch even further in time.
"Well done," he said. "Now I want you to pay a visit to the Rangers. Remember, that your objective is not to destroy them, it is simply to let them assume that everything is normal. When you see the opportunity to escape, use it, then meet up with Kelgar and Mileena in the future."
"No problem!" Timestein announced, "I'll be done in no time at all!"
Then the teleporter flashed, converting the monster into green energy before rocketing it down to the city below.
"Soooo, Ray" Jake said smoothly once Hilary and Ben had got up to get food. "You and Hilary huh?"
The question was so out of the blue that Ray's smoothie spurted from his lips. His eyes widened as he spun to his friend, shocked by the bluntness of the question.
"Wh… what?" he stammered. "That's ridiculous! She's one of my best friends… and Ben's sister… it would be weird if I thought of her like that… It would be weird, right?"
"Dude, it's obvious," Jake insisted, before casting a knowing look at Johnny. "I mean, should we feel comfortable with you making all our battle plans when you're this easy to read?"
Cleaning up his face, Ray dared a wistful look at the Yellow Ranger standing by the counter. If he were being honest, he'd definitely thought about it. He'd thought about it a lot. But he also knew the road to disaster was paved with good intentions. In all likelihood, saying anything at all would just make things awkward between the two of them. That even before mentioning what it could do to his friendship with Ben.
"She's just a friend and a teammate," Ray insisted. "And nothing more."
"Ahh," Johnny mused. "But you do want it to be more."
But Ray wasn't having any of it. "You know what? It's a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and things are finally starting to calm down. I came here to unwind, not to expect the Spanish Inquisition. So, for the last time, there is nothing going on between me and Hilary!"
And then, before Jake could point out that no one ever expected the Spanish Inquisition, their Morphers started beeping, saving Ray from further interrogation
"Saved by the bell," Johnny smirked.
"Yeah, because we are not done talking about this," Jake agreed.
"Yes, we are," Ray insisted before opening comline. "Hey Doc, what's Gideon up to now?"
"He's got a virus attacking the main square. Kyle's already on his way."
"We'll be right there."
Over at the counter, Ben and Hilary had listened in, trying to push away an enthusiastic Bulk and Skull. As they explained that duty called once again, the five of them made their way out the back and raised their Morphers.
"You guys ready?" Ray checked.
"Ready!"
"Data Squad! Digitize!"
The light flashed around them, powers surging through their bodies as the suits materialize from the morphers. With the helms appearing to surround them, lunged into action, surging toward the city square as Kyle too somersaulted beside them.
"Hey, ugly!" yelled Ray as they landed, snapping into formation to stare down Gideon's latest monstrosity. "Mind not starting without us next time?"
"Oh, trust me, Rangers!" the monsters laughed. "For you, I have all the time in the world! Byte-Bots, get them!"
The Byte-Bots rushed them at the monster's command, and the Rangers charged to meet them. Ray ducked beneath a blow, swinging with his sword as another came straight for him. He leaped, spinning into a powerful tornado that knocked back another pair and send them clattering back into their comrades. Seeing his chance, he vaulted into the air, flipping over the group and slashing, landing in a crouching pose as the bots flailed backward and exploded.
All around him, the other Rangers had dealt with their groups just as quickly, and now were converging on the monster to bring it home.
"Time for the Bonus Round," Johnny taunted with a flourish of his staff.
"Well, don't keep me waiting," the monster laughed. "Time's a wastin'."
With their Formation converged, they charged, weapons brandished as they converged on the virus. Ray struck first but the blaster-arm swung upwards, catching the sword before throwing him back. Then it stepped aside, gliding past Hilary's sais and grabbing her. Seeing Ben charging in, the reefed the Yellow Ranger from her feet, swinging wide into the path of the hammer before clattering them both to the ground
Then the last three made it in, Jake, Kyle, and Johnny striking once for a combined, three-pronged attack. But again, he swung up the blaster, blocking the strike before throwing them off. With his enemies off balance, he snapped his weapon upwards.
"My turn!"
The barrels begin to spin, whirring as they unleashed a barrage of lasers that battered into the three Rangers. The explosion rocked them from their feet, sprawling them to the ground as the rest of the group reformed around them.
"Looks like we're going to need a few more tricks to deal with this guy," Kyle warned.
"Time to bring out the big guns," Ray agreed. "Kyle, can you try drawing its attention while we set up the Data Blaster?"
"I'm on it!"
The Security Ranger vaulted from the group, sword hanging low to signal a strike.
"Back for more are we?"
Timestein gleefully spun towards him, only for Kyle to shift and change direction. He leaped into the air, flipping over Timestein as he stowed his sword and drew his pistols. Then he opened fire, unloading a torrential rain of laser fire into the virus' flesh. The monster stumbled back, shielding his face from the blasts as they sizzled and smoked on contact. The giant weapon now blocking, the bolts hit the gun on his arm, blue sparks bursting from beneath the casing.
"Guys, I've disabled its weapon!" Kyle warned them. "Hit it now!"
"Right!" replied Ray, "Let's put it together!"
As the Timestien stumbled in pain, the Rangers moved as one, locking their weapons in place to form their mighty cannon. Seconds later the weapon was ready, and the team huddled around and braced.
"Data Blaster! Fire!"
But Timestien wasn't out yet. As Ray squeezed the trigger, the monster spun around, pointing the damaged weapon right at them. "I don't think so!"
He returned fire, bolts of energy unleashing from the weapon as they surged toward the Data Blaster's attack. The two beams collided, crashing front-on at the center of the squares as the point on impact boomed into a sphere of convulsing power. The beams kept bursting from their barrels, recoil pushing the Rangers back as their feet skidded against the ground. Ahead of them, Timestein was doing the same, neither side refusing to relinquish.
At Ray's side, the team held firm, all pushing into the weapon with all their might as the power continued surging from the barrel. "Keep pushing!"
The energy was growing now, clashing blasts combining into a single destructive ball. Sparks were kicking out of it, power swirling throughout as it morphed into a swirling vortex. And it was only continuing to grow.
Off on the sidelines, Kyle watched as his team battled to hold on in the struggle, only to notice the damage on Timestein's arm. It too began to whir, jolts of blue electricity arcing from its cracks.
"Uh oh," Timestein realized. "That's not good..."
Then, with a blinding flash, the weapon on its arm detonated. The blast surged forward, connecting with the beams struggling in the middle of the square and pushing further still. The blast grew, flashing into blinding light as it consumed the five Rangers.
And when the light cleared, the Rangers and the virus were gone.
Leaving Kyle alone in the empty square.
"Guys?" he called out as his voice echoed around the buildings. "Guys?"
Nothing. Not even crickets. Spinning around, Kyle kicked open the communication line. "Julian, something really weird just happened."
"What's going on down there?" Doc demanded. "I can't read any of the other's signals."
"Julian, that's what I'm trying to tell, you. They're gone!"
All Ray saw was darkness. Drowning, all-consuming, like he was floating deep within a sinking void. The only feeling was a strange and coarse sensation, a light, grainy burn brushing against his face.
Then he felt himself rising, a blurry light shining above as a muffled voice called to him, words becoming clearer as he rose.
"…Ray! Ray, wake up!"
His eyes fluttered open to see Hilary leaning over him, gasping with relief her panic left her and she hurled her arms around him. "Oh, thank goodness, you're okay!"
His head was still spinning as he rose. It wasn't quite as bad when he'd been hit by Blackout, but it was a very close second. Slowly his eyes adjusted, his senses taking in the strange surroundings as Hilary offered her hand and helped him to his feet. Then, eyes widening, he snapped around in horror as he realized where there were.
It was a desert.
An almost endless void spanned out all around them, rocky dunes rising from the burned sand and stretching as far as they could see. And not a single sign of life, either.
"Where are we?" he gasped.
"I've got no idea," said Hilary. "I'm not getting a signal on my cell. It sure isn't Cranston City, that's for sure."
The sun was so bright! It was like every air around him was burnt. "Any sign of the others?" he asked.
Hilary shook her head. "Our com line's down, I haven't been able to reach them."
"So now cell, no com-line, and no cell towers," Ray repeated. "Think maybe there are some satellites that you could connect to?"
With a shrug, Hilary pulled her PDA from her pocket. "I could try, but all I've got is this to work with." She admitted.
"Give it a try," Ray decided. "Any information we get right now is going to help. In the meantime, I think we need to keep moving."
"But where do we even go?" Hilary pointed out. "We have no idea where we are."
Ray looked at his analog watch and pointed it at the sun. But as he scanned the horizon and compared it to the hands, another thought hit him. One more thing completely wrong about their new surroundings. When they fought the monster, it was well into the afternoon, going into the evening. But with the sun high above their heads, it meant it was now noon.
At least it would bearings easier. He quickly readjusted his watch so the hands were pointing upwards, and then pointed it back at the sun.
"That way's North," he said as he pointed. "So, if we take a right and head East, we should be able to find some sort of settlement."
But Hilary didn't move, instead standing frozen as she stared in wide-eyed horror as she surveilled the surrounding wasteland.
"Hilary, come on," Ray urged. "If we survived then chances are everyone else did too. But that also means that virus could have as well. It's got a smaller chance of finding us if we keep moving."
Hilary nodded. "Sorry, I guess I'm just freaking out a little."
"Trust me, you're not the only one," he assured her. "But I promise you we'll find the others."
Then, as if the universe was listening to his oath, a voice cried out in the distance. "HEY! RAY! HILARY!"
The duo looked up to see a pair of figures standing on top of a sand dune. "BEN!"
Hilary broke into a run, dashing for her brother with Ray right following behind. She slammed him into a hug as she reached the top, almost tackling him to the ground Ray climbed up as well to see Jake and Johnny were also with them.
Then, all together again, they set their minds to piecing together their situation.
"Where are we?" asked Ben.
"No idea," Ray admitted.
"I'm gonna scout ahead," Johnny suggested. "See if I can find something."
It was a good idea. If their communications were down, it meant their Ranger Powers might be too. Johnny's speed could well become invaluable. As Ray nodded to confirm, the Black Ranger shot off, kicking up a trail of dust as he zoomed across the dune.
"So, what do you think happened?" Jake asked.
"Best guess?" Said Hilary, "Whatever caused this happened when our two energy beams collided. Maybe the two conflicting pulses of energy created some kind of spatial rift, transporting us somewhere else entirely."
"Did any of you guys understand any of that?" asked Ben
"I did," Jake replied, earning some very confused looks before continuing to translate. "What? I watch a lot of sci-fi. Big attacks went boom and threw us somewhere else."
"Which still leaves the number one question;" Ray concluded. "Where is that somewhere else?"
Then Johnny reappeared in a black steak, wearing the worried look of news that did not bode well. "Guys? There's something that you need to see."
The group followed, climbing over the dunes in the direction the Black Ranger had scouted. He was right, they did need to see it, but nothing could have prepared them for what awaited atop the final mound of sand.
A city, crumbling to ruin with its buildings bleached from the scorching sun. Hundreds of cars lined the road, stopped, empty, windows shattered and bodies rusting. What buildings remained had been toppled down to only two stories, and even then, it was mostly stumps of the walls that remained.
"It's like a graveyard." Ben gasped.
"Yeah," agreed Ray, "But what's it doing in the middle of the desert?"
Slowly they approached, eerily aware they could well be things lurking in the ruins to leap out at them. Every single car was empty and abandoned, some of them even with keys still in the ignition.
Etching closer, Hilary kneeled down to shift some of the smaller rubble only to stumble back and gasp. The other four gathered around, and Ray's heart stopped as he looked upon her discovery. Lying underneath the rumble was a large rectangular road sign that read: Welcome to Cransdon City, CA.
"No...!" Ben gasped.
"How could this be Cransdon City?" Hilary demanded, "We were here! We were just here! It was fine!"
"There must have been some kind of battle," Jake realized, pointing up to the ruined buildings. "Only cannons could have done this kind of damage to the walls."
"Where are we?" Johnny demanded.
But deep down they all knew the truth, a truth none were willing to speak. Then, with a deep breath, Ray confirmed their fears.
"I don't think it's a question of where, anymore," he admitted. "It's a question of when."
