Part Six

Chapter Two

We touched down in the Command Centre a few minutes later in a blaze of light and colour. Taking a second to get our bearings, we looked up to Zordon.

"Rangers," the interdimensional sage began. "I'm glad you could make it. We have a situation."

Brendan let out a gulping yawn. We all turned to him, and he blushed. "I'm sorry," he said. "Zordon, I'm sorry, I had a rough night, last night. I need a holiday."

Billy stepped forward. "Zordon, do we have any leads on High Priestess Automica?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not," Zordon replied, "although that is certainly a pressing matter. No, the reason you're needed today is…"

Kimberly heard the tone in Zordon's voice. "The breaking chains case," she said.

"Ayeyiyi!" Alpha exclaimed. "You're right Kimberly! How did you know?"

"Unlucky guess," she replied. A ripple of apprehension went around the room. Teresa and Scott glanced to each other uncertainly, while I looked over to Billy to see his face turning pale.

"About half an hour ago," Zordon began, "the computers in the Command Centre detected a massive surge of energy, so powerful it nearly knocked out our sensors. A quick scan showed the energy signature was almost identical to the readings we picked up from Normandy back in September." Zordon paused to let his words sink in. "It's another demigod, Rangers. That's who we're facing today."

"The Toymaker told me that He Who Devours Will was already here on Earth," Trini said. "It has to be him."

"Yay," Zac murmured from the back of the room. "Because I woke up this morning wanting to fight a demigod."

"Where was the surge?" Tommy asked, ignoring the Black Ranger. "We didn't see or hear anything in town."

"That's because the spike came from Springfield!" Alpha replied.

Everyone in the room spun to face him. "Springfield?" Brendan repeated.

"Is the Genin there already?" asked Trini.

"Funny you should say that," Zordon replied. "Ten minutes after the energy spike, we received a message. Alpha, if you could?"

I glanced to the other Rangers with surprise. The Genin was a trained warrior who, alongside allies of his own, protected the major city of Springfield, about five hours north of Caloundra. The city's underworld referred to him as the laughing ninja, for both his incredible abilities and also for his talent at throwing out one-liners with the best of them. He's one of our strongest non-Ranger allies, and it wouldn't be the first time we've worked on a case together.

He carries on his back two short Japanese swords, and he bristles whenever anyone calls them katana. According to legend, the blades are impossibly old, forged in the fires of an ancient dragon. We don't know if that's true or not, but something about the swords throws off the Command Centre's sensors. The computers here can barely detect them, and the Command Centre can detect a grasshopper with the hiccups in the middle of Beijing. It's almost like the blades don't want us to find them. Zordon trusts the Genin as much as we do, but I know Zordon is intrigued by the puzzle. If there's one thing Zordon doesn't like, it's a question he can't answer.

Alpha hit a button on the console and a familiar voice echoed into the room. Its usual cheerfulness was replaced by an unmistakable tone of fear.

"Rangers? I hope you get this. I know you're busy dealing with the end of the Universe or something, but I could really use some help today. Something's happening in Springfield and it is way above my pay grade. Find me in the centre of town as soon as you can," and the speakers fell silent.

"Right," Jason nodded. "That's enough for me. Zordon, what's going on in Springfield?"

Zordon allowed himself a slight smile. "If you could turn to the viewing screen?" he asked, and we spun around as the screen flickered to life. Zac stepped out of the way. "There's heavy magical interference, but we were able to get some footage of the centre of the city. Observe."

The Springfield city skyline appeared before us, an ultramodern forest of steel and glass towers rising into the sky. As the view descended towards the street, the footage became grainy and broken. Even through the static, we could see something was really wrong. The streets around several blocks were empty, devoid of people and traffic. It was eerily quiet. A few seconds later, we saw why. Broken and ruined vehicles had been piled up across several roads to form makeshift barricades, blocking off the centre of the city. Zooming past the barricades, the footage rolled down one street, and I gasped. We'd found the city's residents. Pedestrians, tourists, families and office workers were all standing on the road, frozen on the spot with their arms hanging by their sides. For a second I thought the footage was paused or something, but I could see the wind ruffling their clothes, and people's chests were rising and falling with rhythmic breaths. Then the footage cut out completely.

"That's a lot of people," Sarah murmured, as we looked back to Zordon.

"Are they frozen?" Tommy asked.

"There's no evidence of chronal manipulation," Zordon began. "We checked that first. Plus, we could see them breathing. We couldn't detect any change to the ambient temperature, and there seems to be no magical trails linking any of them."

"Mind control," Trini realised. "It's in the name. He Who Devours Will."

"Our thinking as well," Zordon agreed. "That is your mission today Rangers. Travel to Springfield and help the Genin defeat He Who Devours Will in whatever form he has taken. Since the protections in your suits have shown to be ineffective against the powers of these forces, I'll need the Junior Team to remain in the Command Centre while the Senior Team head to Springfield."

"So we can come to the rescue if you need help?" I said to Jason.

"Or if we need to be stopped," Jason added.

"Good luck Rangers," Zordon continued. "Just so you're aware, the Thunder zords will be ready and waiting if you need them."

"We've been tweaking the voice commands in the cockpits," Alpha added.

"Alpha, the last time I tried to adjust the height of my seat in the Megazord, it ejected me," Zac said irritably. "The cockpit is fifteen storeys up."

"Which is one of the things we were working on, yes," Alpha said.

Ian turned to Tommy. "Stay safe," the Grey Ranger said. "We know what these things can do."

Jason glanced around as the six younger Rangers stepped back. "Okay guys," he said, and everyone reached for their back pockets. "It's morphin' time!"

"White Tigerzord!"

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Triceratops!"

"Sabre-toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

To be continued.