Episode23:

Ranger Wars: Part IV- Always a Ranger

How they got through that next week, Ray had no idea.

The attacks kept coming, and the Ranger teams would strike out to meet them. Every time it would only be a narrow escape, a pyrrhic victory that only left the veterans more tired after every bout. Soon Gideon's plan became all too apparent; he was taunting them, testing them. Finding the perfect opportunity to strike and take them all down for good.

They were hanging on, but only because Gideon was letting them. And that prospect only served to make Ray feel worse.

"You shouldn't be too hard on yourself," Hilary insisted. "No one, and I mean no one, has ever had to deal with a threat like this before."

Jake had suggested they blow off some steam at the park, and take advantage of the extra Rangers at the command center for some much-needed R and R. But even the sunshine wasn't enough to improve Ray's mood as they sat beside the river.

"She's right," agreed Kira. "We've all taken some hard hits, felt like there was no getting back up. But we managed to pull through, you'll find a way."

"Yeah?" asked Ray, remembering what Sky had said to him. "Because maybe I'm not the one to find it. I think some people have a much better idea of what they're doing than I do."

"Come on Ray," said Hilary. "You can't mean that."

"And what if I do?" he replied, "Every Ranger back there has more experience at fighting evil than we do. They actually beat their Big Bads. So maybe I should release the reigns and let people who know what they're doing take charge."

The two girls sighed, realizing the pointless of trying to cheer him up. Instead, they turned to the boys for support.

"A little help here?" Kira suggested.

"Come on dude," Ben tried, "You always get us out on top somehow."

"Yeah, well normally I don't have five extra bad guys to fight," Ray pointed out. "Or an extra seventeen Rangers to try and coordinate and convince to get along."

"Those other Rangers, back there," said Hilary. "No matter what else they've done, don't have your superpower."

"Yeah, well," said Ray sadly. "I don't think I'm getting much use out of it either, right now."

Then a voice cut in behind them. "Aww," it laughed, "Is the widdle wed wranger all down in the dumps?"

Their jaws clenched as they spun around, seeing Mileena ready to go with a posse of Byte-Bots behind her.

"Come on!" Jake groaned. "Couldn't you give us a break?"

"Haven't seen you in a while," taunted Hilary. "Gideon finally let you off the leash again? Or are just you here to prove something now that you're no longer daddy's favorite?"

The comment hit a nerve, the warrior clenching her jaw as her eyes narrowed at Hilary.

"Just wanted to stretch my legs," Mileena replied. "Everyone else was getting a turn on my favorite punching bags. I felt left out."

"You know what Mileena," Ray sneered. "We're really not in the mood for a fight. So can we just not and say we did?"

"Oh, is this a bad time?" Mileena mocked. "All the better. Byte-Bots, get them!"

The foot soldiers lunged as they scattered to engage. Johnny and Kira snapped back to back, the Dino Ranger cartwheeling past as Johnny kicked a Byte-Bot backward.

"So much for a relaxing walk," Johnny noted.

"I mean, Mom always said we should do more sibling bonding."

"True. Behind you!"

Kira dropped into splits, arms snapping up to block before twisting her legs and tripping the Byte-Bot behind. Then Johnny turned on the super-speed, slamming the Byte-Bots on both sides to force the stragglers together. Clustered nice and tight, the group were perfect for Kira to finish a Ptera-scream.

Over on the side, the other siblings were doing just as well, each kicking a Byte-Bot into the path of another. As one group rolled on the ground, Ben saw another group rushing toward them.

"Hilary!" he called. "Fast-ball special?"

"Coming right up!"

The metal flushed across her skin, glistening in the sun as she grabbed her brother and spun. One rotation and she released, hurling the unmorphed Blue Ranger at the horde as Ben eagerly shifted into a mighty kick. His foot collided with the face, head snapping backward as Ben launched himself from the Bot and spun to kick another. Then he rushed for the tree, planting his sneaker on the bark to rush upwards. The first one chasing wasn't ready, slamming into the trunk as Ben leaped from sight, leaping from wood to flip over the group and spin-kick another.

As the Byte-Bots spun around Ben dropped his stance and smirked.

"Sorry guys," he laughed, "made you look."

And that was when Hilary collided from the side, barreling into them to send them flying. The robots scattered, tossed in all directions as Hilary skidded beside her brother and dusted her hands.

"Perfect strike."

But while their teammates were dealing with the numbers, Jake and Ray were cornered by Mileena. They'd reached for their Morphers, but the warrior wasn't giving them a window. She beset upon them with a flurry of blows, both teens staggering back onto the defense. They needed to move, to rebalance the scales before she leveled them for good. They needed a new plan.

Ray flipped back, handspringing over a bench as Mileena focused on Jake. Seeing the writing on the wall, he slammed his hand down, blasting down some force that catapulted him upwards and out of harm.

Mileena didn't even blink. Switching targets, she lunged at Ray, vaulting over the bench as the Red Ranger glid past her strike. Then it was his turn to go on offense. He kicked out, striking twice on her chest before launching into a barrage of punches. Her forearms caught the blows, each time stepping back as Ray amped up the pressure.

Now he just needed an opening.

As he pushed on, Jake re-engaged, the two boys launching into a full-frontal assault. Mileena hissed as she blocked, stuck defending strike after strike as at last Ray went in for the finish. He stepped in and threw a punch, so close Mileena had no choice but to catch it and hold.

"Nice try," she snarled. "Did you really think I'd let that through?"

"Not for a second," Ray grinned. "Actually, I was counting on it."

With her arms occupied, her torso was exposed, the perfect target for Jake. The teen slammed his fist, summoning a wave of force that blasted the warrior into the air. Then, as she soared, eyes wide with her arms flailing, Ray aimed and unleashed an onslaught of lasers from his vision. The bolts blasted into her, sparks flying from her armor as she hit the ground and rolled.

Her head snapped up with a seething glare as the other Rangers reformed around her two opponents.

"Changed my mind," Ray taunted. "I'd happily take a Round Two."

"Enjoy your victory while it lasts," Mileena sneered. "But soon your precious city will lie in ashes, nothing but a pile of rubble. Your days are numbered Rangers!"

And then she disappeared in a flash of green light. With the park clear, the Rangers took a moment to regroup.

"Okay," Hilary admitted. "That was weird, even for her."

"Anyone else feel that was a step above her usual threats?" Ben asked.

"The 'days are numbered' part?" said Johnny, "Yeah, that's definitely new."

"If she's happy to attack us like that, then Gideon might be nearly done testing the waters." Ray decided, "If he's about to make his big move, then we need to warn Doc, ASAP."

Without another word they rushed to the parking lot, climbing into Ben's car to race to the warehouse in a desperate hope that they weren't too late.

"It's brazened," Doc admitted, "I'll give her that."

"Any idea why she jumped them at all?" Kyle asked.

"Not a clue," he said, "Honestly the whole string of attacks recently haven't made much sense. We're holding on, but only just. It's almost as if…"

"They're tiring us out," Ray replied. "They're wearing down the team take us all down at once."

As he said it, Ray took a look around the warehouse. The usually empty building was beginning to look like a backpacker's lodge, with bags and makeshift beds scattered everywhere. Plenty of the Rangers were gathered in small groups, some playing cards while trading stories. But despite the calm, there was tension in the air, an uncertainty about what was coming. Of whether signing up had been a mistake.

Then his heart sunk as a figure rose from their group and wandered over to the desk.

Sky.

"Come up with a plan?" he asked, a knowing judgment in his voice.

"Not yet,' admitted Ray, still a little defensive from the day before. "We know Gideon's trying to wear us down, but we don't know why. What's his endgame?"

"Maybe we don't wait to find out," Nick suggested as he too walked over to the desk. "I say we hit Gideon's base and take them down before they can hit us. There's, what, more than twenty of us? We've got the numbers."

"It's not going to work like that." Doc pointed out. "We've got no idea where his base even is. Or how to get onto it even if we could pin it down."

"Oh yeah," Nick scoffed. "Because that Astro Megaship Carlos has been flying around in is all for show."

"We need to think about this," Sky butted in. "We need to a plan of attack and have it ready for when they strike next."

Nick was having none of it. "That could easily be a trap! We need to change the game, catch them off-guard!"

"First rule of being a Ranger," Sky lectured. "Never escalate a fight!"

"Well, sometimes that's what's got to happen if we're ever going to have a chance to pick up a win here!" Nick retorted.

"It's reckless, and it's just going to put more of us in danger."

"Says the one so eager to prove himself that he rushes off on his own!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You know damn well what it means. You're so busy eying off the Red Rangers that your suit may as well be green!"

"Yeah, because you're such a big team player!"

As their voices continued, more and more joined them. All the Rangers were up, voices rising with every syllable as all demanded their ideas be heard and others ignored. The cacophonous argument thundered through the warehouse, the sound reverberating off the walls, bounding back into the crowd to make the arguments stronger.

Soon none could be heard over the ravenous voices, melding into a deafening white noise. And none of it was getting anywhere.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Ray. His command echoed through the warehouse, all heads snapping upwards and turning to him. It was enough to shake Nick and Sky from their anger, and both Jake and Johnny took a step back.

"We've got five incredibly powerful warriors just lying in waiting to take us down," Ray growled. "But by all means, argue away! Want to throw some "your momma" cracks in there? Insult each other's masculinity where you're at it?"

The words were flowing from him now, searing at the two veterans.

"Bet both of you feel real big right now," he snarled. "Being told to grow up by a kid. Did you guys really save the world? From where I'm standing looks like a lucky break."

Sky looked sheepishly away as Nick stepped forward. "Now hang on-"

But Ray was already walking away. "I need some air," he stated, "Doc, let me know if you find anything."

And with that he put on his jacket and walked out of the warehouse, leaving the stunned team of Rangers behind.

High above the city, all five warriors stood on the observation deck, eying off their target in gleeful anticipation.

"To the end of the Rangers," toasted Vexacus, "and the fulfillment of our master's plan."

"To revenge," Zeltrax agreed.

"Don't underestimate them," Mileena sneered. "Rangers are incredibly unpredictable and can easily regain the upper hand. They're the most dangerous when they're cornered and almost down for the count."

"We've got them running scared," said Goldar. "They will be no match for our awesome power!"

"Hmm," Mileena mused. "If feel like I've heard that before."

She stepped into the circle, acknowledging them one by one.

"Furio," she said slyly. "Did your final act succeed in destroying the Red Galaxy Ranger, or did you blow yourself to pieces for no reason?"

The alien warrior scowled.

"And Vexacus?" she said next. "Was it not that Bradley boy and his brother that led to your demise? Come think of it, this isn't your first second-chance at life either, is it?"

"Why… I…!"

Mileena continued her step, moving armored cyber knight and golden baboon beside him. "Goldar, how many times did you have a Ranger at your mercy only for them to escape? In fact, I don't recall a single fallen Ranger to your name?"

"She's right," Ecliptor agreed. "All of us have failed in the past, we cannot rest upon our laurels."

"Correct," Zeltrax added. "Underestimating our opponents was a mistake that has cost us dearly, it would be unwise to make it again."

"I wholeheartedly agree, Zeltrax." The doors hissed as Gideon strode into the room, Kelgar hobbling behind him. "Which is why we must be certain that our victory is decisive and final."

"But Master," queried Furio. "If you wish for such a victory, why have you not permitted us to destroy the Rangers?"

Gideon shared a knowing look with Mileena before a sinister smile split across his lips. "Tactics, my dear warrior," he assured. "The long game is what matters most. Doctor Benson has succeeded in gathering Rangers from across space and time. If some fall, others will feel compelled to come and replace them. Which is why we must ensure that does not happen."

"You're familiar with the myth of the hydra?" Mileena asked, stepping beside her lord. "You cut off one head, and two will take its place. But cut all off together, burn stumps before they heal, and none will ever rise again."

Gideon nodded gave and an evil grin. "Kelgar, I want you to make as many Byte-Bots as you can."

"With all due respect, master," replied Kelgar carefully, "that is not much. We've expended many resources with our skirmishes, as well as reviving the warriors before you. I can only create a small amount at a time."

"That is fine," Gideon agreed. "I do not want the Rangers engaging our forces in small numbers, but all together. Teleport the batches to the gorge, and have them await further commands. And once my army is complete, a force too large for the Rangers to possibly contend with, you will all march on the city as my generals. You will destroy all of the Rangers, past, present, and future, in one fell swoop. Then none will dare ever stand before us and our might, ever again!"

Ray stared out at the water of the river, leaning against the tree and plonking a rock into the water.

They were done for.

Twenty-plus Rangers and none of them could slow down to form a plan, and if they didn't stop arguing then they'd didn't stand a chance at stopping Gideon. Not that he was one to talk; after all these months they were still no closer to taking their enemy down anyway. If anything, perhaps Gideon wouldn't have been able to resurrect the past villains if he had just led his team to defeat him faster. Maybe Sky was right; somewhere out there was a better choice to lead them.

He picked up another rock and flicked it, this one skipping across the water's surface before finally sinking into the current.

"Nice throw," said a voice behind him, and Ray turned his head to see Tommy standing beside him with a handful of pebbles. "Hey."

"Hi," Ray replied, unable to hide his somber tone as he turned back to the water's edge. "How'd you find me here?"

"Hilary said that this is where you'd probably be." Tommy smiled. "Something about stealing her thinking spot."

That one made him chuckle. That'll teach him.

The veteran Ranger lowered before sitting down beside him. They both sat in silence, listening to the soft rippling of the flow before last Tommy voiced his thought. "What's on your mind?"

Ray just stared at the water, uncertain how to answer despite well knowing that the question was coming. No words to find that could mask his defeat.

"How can they just stand there and argue?" he asked, exasperation finally unleashing. "Gideon's got some the greatest evils that the universe has ever seen at his command, and they're all just getting upset because someone else had a different plan."

"Being a Ranger is being a part of a family," Tommy admitted. "And sometimes families fight. But it doesn't mean they don't all want the best outcome. Or if they work together, they can't come to the right solution. Because when they do, they're unstoppable."

Ray nodded and tossed another stone. Tommy was right, and he knew it. The tension would ease, and some kind of plan would form. But it would still fall to him to put it all together.

As if sensing Ray's lingering uncertainty, Tommy added. "That's not all that bothering you, is it?"

"I guess I just don't know what to do," he admitted, "I mean, right now at the warehouse there are so many Rangers that did amazing things, defeated their enemies, and saved the world. Meanwhile, we can't even keep our city safe."

Beside him, Tommy nodded but didn't say anything.

"I mean," Ray continued. "I've read through Doc and Hilary's archive. You guys are legends! You fought against some of the greatest evils in the universe. And you're looking to us for what to do? I just don't get it."

Now it was Tommy's turn to chuckle. "You know, I think every single team has been in the same boat as you at some point in time. You're forgetting that every one of us started as rookies, and there's no way that you would be able to get heaps of experience over just a few months."

Ray looked at the veteran with surprise. "Speaking from experience?"

"Hell yeah," Tommy laughed, "When I first became a Ranger, I had no idea what I was doing, it took me ages to find my feet. It felt weird being a mentor to the Dino Thunder team because I knew what they were going through."

"Sure but, come on man," Ray insisted. "You're… you're Tommy. I've heard the ways all the others talk about you. You're a legend."

"Some think of it that way," Tommy conceded. "But those I've fought with will all tell you that I'm just a guy. For every story of me taking on Lord Zedd alone or riding the Dragonzord into battle; there are the times where I lost my communicator, or dropped my Morpher, or got caught in a net."

"Really?"

"Yeah," the veteran replied sheepishly. "One time all three at once."

Finally, Ray broke a smile and laughed. "All right," he decided, "that's a story I've got to hear."

But Tommy was not forthcoming. "I'll let Kimberly tell it," he insisted. "Apparently, I leave out the good bits. I think that's just her way of embellishing it and making it funnier."

Slowly Ray nodded. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that there was almost no one else who knew the hardships of being Ranger better than the man who stood before him.

"Why did you keep doing it?" he asked. "Being a Ranger, I mean."

"Tough question," Tommy admitted. "And I think every time I ask myself the same thing I come up with a different answer. I mean, I know why I joined the Dino team, I was the only one who could use the black Dino Gem; I didn't choose it, it chose me. But deep down I guess I realized that being a Ranger was part of who I was, and always would be. I knew that even though Zordon would have been able to find a replacement, I would have only ever been comfortable if I was the one out there fighting."

Ray nodded and looked back at the water in reflective solidarity. It was the same conclusion he'd come to after losing his powers.

"Giving my powers up to TJ was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," said Tommy softly. "I knew he was the right choice, but I was the last member of the original team left, and I knew that giving up my Ranger powers would be closing the final chapter on that part of my life. We don't hold on to our Morphers forever, but it's always hard to let it go."

"Yeah, but you never had to coordinate twenty-three different Rangers at once," Ray pointed out. "In total maybe, but not all at once."

"You got me there," laughed Tommy, "The closest I've had to at once was ten."

The comment made Ray pause, stopping and staring at his senior. He didn't remember Hilary ever mentioning that. "What?"

Tommy simply nodded. "About seven years ago, I led a group of Red Rangers on a mission to the moon, to stop the remnants of the Machine Empire from reviving Serpentera, Lord Zedd's old Zord."

Ray's jaw dropped. That… sounded incredible!

"Okay," he replied, thoughts slowing coming to him like cheese through a sieve. "There's a lot to unpack there but I should probably start with the most pressing. Why all Red Rangers?"

"Experience," Tommy explained. "From fighting alongside Jason and Rocky, handing over to TJ, and being a Red myself, I knew that their powers were similar, a decent balance between power and defense."

"That's how the Ranger powers work?" asked Ray, cogs suddenly turning in his head. "It's not just to tell us all apart?"

"Yeah," Tommy replied with a chuckle. "The Morphing Grid imbues each color of the spectrum with particular qualities, giving teams the versatility that they need to fight the monsters of their enemies."

"So, Rangers of similar color would work well together, even if they've got no other experience?"

"I mean, everyone I brought on board knew at least someone else," Tommy conceded. "But yeah, grouping colors makes it easier to work together if they never had before."

Of course! It was so obvious he'd kicked himself for not seeing it. He'd been so focused on putting people together in teams of similar size, he didn't consider any other way of grouping them. Smaller teams, greater numbers.

But before he could think any further about the plan, his Morpher started beeping, which could only mean one thing. He and Tommy shared a look before opening the com line.

"Ray and Tommy here," he replied, "What's going on?"

Doc's voice was worried and stressed, both immediately tensing as the warning sounded through the speaker.

"You guys need to get down here, ASAP," he told them. "We need to make a call, now!"

With so many Rangers, Doc had set up a display to project the monitor up on the wall and prevent them from crowding around. Although once it had been thrown up, many were wishing he hadn't,

"It's an army," Johnny gasped.

"What gave it away?" Hilary replied, her sarcasm all that was holding her courage together. "The huge numbers or the marching?"

"Why are they so far away from the city?" asked Kimberly.

"He must be making them in batches," replied Doc, "Stop us taking them out in small groups. If we still wanted to do that, then we'd have to go to him."

"Giving him the chance to set a trap," Sky concluded.

"If that army reaches the city…" Kira gasped.

"That's not our only problem," Doc said glumly.

Hit punched at the keys, shifting the display to multiple Rangers and their energy levels.

"When I modified the Digitizer to re-energize people's powers, it was a patch job at best," he explained. "The restoration was only temporary, and the Digitizer's running at capacity. For most of you, that means you've got one morph left.

"So, we need to finish it here..." Tanya realized.

"Or we might be out for the fight for good." Finished Blake.

There was a murmuring among the Rangers as they realized what Gideon was doing. This was it; this was his big move. If he flooded the streets with that many Byte-Bots, then there was no way there were going to take it back. And if Doc was running out of juice to keep the current veterans going, then there was no way he'd find the power to energize more should any come.

Then came the moment Ray had been dreading. One by one, all faces slowly turned to him.

"So, fearless leader," said Jake, "Got a plan?"

An hour ago, that very image would have filled him with terror. That even with all the experience in the room, they still looked to him for orders. An hour ago, he was unworthy, unready, eager to pass the mantle weight of responsibility to someone else.

"What's the play?" Tommy asked, with a wise knowing grin. "No one knows Gideon better than you guys. Whatever it is, we'll back it."

The rest didn't need to be said aloud. They'd follow him because this is what they did. Stand in the path of evil, so that it would take no one else. Because they would always be Rangers.

And so would he.

"All right, he's what going to happen," he announced confidently. "I know this looks bad, but Gideon just did us a huge favor."

"A favor?" Sky scoffed "How's that?"

Beside him, however, RJ raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps," he noted wistfully, "The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself."

Ray replied with a devilish grin. "Exactly. He just put all our main targets into one place, which means that every single one of us can be there to help take them down."

"Now hang on a second," Ziggy interrupted. "I don't want to be a naysayer, but when we went up against two of them, we got our butts handed to us."

"And they only went up against ten of us," Ray insisted. "They've done everything they can to force us to fight them on their terms; small groups against one warrior. Because they're strongest on their own. But we're the opposite; we work as a team, and nothing will take us down!"

Face started lifting, nodding in understanding as their spirits began to rise.

"We're going to separate into color groups." Ray continued "Our powers should be able to work in sync with each other that way, and we've got a better chance of taking them down, despite the smaller numbers. Stay together, work as a team; show them exactly why branching out on their own will be their last mistake."

"Okay, but if Gideon had the advantage while he was gathering his forces," Nick reasoned. "What makes now different."

"Gideon wanted us to attack while he was amassing," Ray explained. "Hit him while he held the quarry and walk into a trap. Now that he's built his full force, he won't expect us to take him head-on."

"And why's that?" Joel asked.

"Because he's arrogant. It's why he didn't take us out when he had the chance. He doesn't just want to take us down, he wants to annihilate us. We let him build up that army, he'll take that to mean we won't want to fight anymore."

"Ahh," RJ realized. "Appear strong when you are weak, and weak when you are strong."

Ray nodded, pointing to a map of the outskirts. "To go from the quarry to the city, Gideon needs to take all those Byte-Bots through the gorge. A passage that narrow will stop all them attacking at once…"

"But it's the perfect spot for twenty-three Rangers to make short work of them," Tommy finished.

Ray nodded, stepping onto a storage box by the console, rising so all in the crowd could see him, and hear him. So, all would know that this was not to be their final stand, but their triumph.

"Rangers," he declared, "I know we all come from different backgrounds; have different ways of doing things. I get it; but if we don't tackle this now, then all your battles, all your hardships, will all have been for nothing. Zedd, Dark Specter, Bansheera, Mesogog; Gideon's just the latest in a long line, trying to finish what they started. But you stopped them, and we'll stop him. We need to unite and remember not only why we became Rangers, but why we kept on fighting. We need to remember why we answered the call and everything that we're fighting for!"

Again they nodded, excited murmuring buzzing among them.

"Some of us were chosen for this," Ray continued. "Others, chose it. But every single person in this room was once a Ranger. Held a Morpher and stood before the forces of evil. So now we need to go out there, stand before the terrors that Gideon dug from the grave, before the army he's so proud of, and give him a warning. That no matter what he does, no matter how well he thinks he's won. There will always be Rangers!"

The Rangers cheered, hands raised in solidarity. Ray looked around the room to see Hilary's hands bounding in applause, eyes shimmering in the light. Then looked at Tommy, who was beaming with pride.

"So come on guys, I think it's time we showed them what happens when you cross the Power Rangers. Let's get down there and send those uglies straight back to where they came from. For Cranston, and for Earth. May the power protect you all."

The gorge echoed the sound of marching boots, metal on stone as the drone moved in perfect synchronicity. At the head, Mileena led the warriors in eager readiness for battle.

"How much longer until we reach the city?" demanded Zeltrax.

"Almost there," Mileena assured. "Don't worry, once we begin the assault, the Rangers will have no choice but to meet us. Then we will destroy them once and for all."

"Good," laughed Vexacus, "their helmets will make fine additions to my collection. It has been so long since I have hunted a target."

"The Rangers will fall before our might," agreed Ecliptor. "Then the world will be ours for the taking."

Then a pair of red lasers split the sky. They seared from the distance, a warning that blasted into a Byte-Bot at the front. The robot dropped, Mileena looked at the edge of the gorge to see the Data Rangers blocking their path.

"I'm sorry," taunted Ray, "Looks this is the end of the line."

"I've always found your jokes amusing," laughed Mileena, "it's a shame you'll never be able to tell them again."

"That's where you're wrong!" yelled Ben.

"Yeah!" agreed Johnny, "We're here to take you down!"

"Brave Rangers," Mileena smirked. "How kind of you to save us the effort of finding you. But we will not be the ones to fall today."

Hilary looked at their old enemy with a smirk. "Are you so sure about that?"

"You Rangers are as arrogant as you are impudent," Ecliptor snarled. "Even the ones I once fought were not this foolish."

"You cannot hope to defeat us," scoffed Vexacus. "We have an army!"

Ray just grinned. "So do we.

And at that, all seventeen Rangers appeared behind the Data Rangers. They all stepped forward, strong and defiant in the face of the robot horde. Mileena gasped in shock, the warriors beside her snarling at the sight. The Rangers standing ready, Ray turned to the others.

"You guys ready?" he grinned.

Ever Ranger snapped forward, morphers in hand and wrist, awaiting his command. "Ready!"

Then, smirking at the forces in front of them, Ray bellowed the order.

"It's Morphin' Time!"