Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter seventeen of "Just Away." This chapter features the first appearance of Ninjor and his escape. It contains dialogue from part one of 'Master Vile and the Metallic Armor.' I have confirmed I will bring in Dex, Count Dregon, and his minions. Stay tuned for chapter eighteen.
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Chapter 16: Unfolding Quickly
The Command Center and surrounding area were still dark three minutes later. The team's helmets were on the console behind them in the main room. Tommy, Billy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha sighed impatiently while standing around Alpha. They jumped when the lights began flashing. The lights stopped completely at their full brightness after ten seconds. All of the computers and consoles returned to functionality. Alpha started to move back and forth as he powered up.
"Ay…ay…ay-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha shouted frantically as he went to his full height and raised his arms above his head.
"Alpha, thank God you are back online!" Kat shouted in much relief.
"Talk about going out like a light," Alpha responded with a shrug.
"At least you are okay," Billy whispered and cleared his throat.
The group shifted its attention toward the plasma tube. Zordon returned fully and glanced down at everyone. His eyes were full of concern. Tommy clasped his hands together.
"Zordon, what the hell just happened?" Tommy asked in much uncertainty.
"The Command Center's power was temporarily interrupted," Zordon responded.
Aisha raised an eyebrow. "What could have interrupted it?"
"An immensely evil presence crossed Earth's orbit and casted darkness throughout the planet," Zordon explained.
"What sort of evil presence?" Tommy wondered.
Zordon furrowed his brow. "I cannot be certain, Tommy, but I have my suspicions. Behold the Viewing Globe."
Tommy, Billy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha turned around and faced the Viewing Globe. They moved toward it in which they stopped a short distance from it. They saw Vile appear in it. They listened to him laughing manically. Alpha came up behind Rocky, who swallowed hard.
"This is Master Vile, Rito and Rita's father," Zordon announced seriously.
"That creature is Master Vile?" Adam said incredulously.
"He is even uglier than what Zordon described," Aisha grumbled, shuddering in great disgust.
"No shit," Kat agreed. She cringed badly and shook her head in disbelief. She let out a sharp exhale. "He would probably make our mirrors shatter if he looked into them."
"Zordon had a feeling Master Vile was coming. He insisted on telling you after your fight with Motha was over. We saw how aggressive she really was on the Viewing Globe," Alpha pointed out honestly.
"She really kicked our asses. Who knows how powerful Master Vile's monsters could be?" Billy muttered in a bit of fear.
Tommy winced badly. "This is bad news. Master Vile is going to find out Kim is Kara and will try to get her and the baby on his side. I would not be surprised if Rito is the one who lets it slip. He has a big mouth after all."
Rocky chuckled humorlessly. "He does talk a lot whenever we fight him. You could fit Jupiter in his mandible."
The Power Rangers and Alpha went to Zordon, who blinked three times. Tommy could feel his heart beating rather fast. The same could be said for others regarding theirs. Their bodies were shaking, though it was not noticeable by either of their mentors.
"Alpha and I have been working on a new defense mechanism. It is the powerful Metallic Armor," Zordon said.
"Metallic Armor?" Adam asked.
"The Metallic Armor defensive shield will be built directly into your suits," Alpha said.
"The armor taps directly into the Morphin Grid," Zordon added. "To receive the power, use the word command, 'Metallic Armor, power up!'"
"All right. Cool," Tommy commented with excitement.
"I didn't think this would happen on my first day as a Power Ranger," Kat said, looking down at Aisha.
"You are one lucky girl," Aisha said and glanced up at her.
"But be warned, Rangers. The Metallic Armor should be used only in emergency situations," Zordon replied seriously as Kat and Aisha returned their attention to him. "The effects on your powers could be much more dramatic and should be called upon with extreme caution."
"There is something all of you need to know," Billy added and breathed deeply as the others turned to him. "Alpha and I have been meaning to tell you this for a long time."
"What do you mean, Billy?" Aisha asked confusingly.
Billy scratched the back of his neck with both hands. He pressed his lips together before slipping them into his pockets. He suppressed a yawn and swallowed hard.
"For the past three months, Alpha and I have been rebuilding the Thunderzords in secret. We upgraded their weapons in both Dinozord and Thunderzord mode. We just finished them last week," Billy explained.
"What?" Tommy shouted shockingly as he grabbed his hair with both hands. He placed them at his sides. He bit his lip twice. "I thought the Thunderzords could not be repaired."
"So did the rest of us," Rocky added.
"That is what Zordon and I thought too, but Billy was very confident he could rebuild them. He knew it would take a great deal of time. I decided to help him," Alpha explained. "We asked Zordon to keep quiet about it."
Zordon blinked twice. "We did not want Lord Zedd and Rita to find out about it. That is not the only thing Billy and Alpha worked on."
"What else did you work on?" Kat wondered.
"We created a replica version of the Dragon Dagger. You will now be able to summon the Dragonzord. Its weapons have been upgraded as well," Alpha replied happily.
"That is great, Alpha," Rocky said excitedly. "That will help us a lot in battle."
"It will, but we still need to get Ninjor and the Falconzord back. Let's not forget about the Pink Power Coin. You guys can't keep charging my powers with yours," Kat pointed out in much seriousness.
Aisha crossed her arms. "Kat's right. She was lucky her powers did not become weak during her first battle. That could happen in the next one."
"We do need to figure out if Master Vile is up to something else besides wanting to get Kim and her baby on his side," Tommy added.
"That is what I suspect, Tommy," Zordon commented fearfully. "Unlike Zedd and Rita, Master Vile does not mess around with being evil. He means business. He is much more patient and intelligent than both of them are."
Billy hissed. "An intelligent villain is more dangerous than a powerful one is."
The others voiced their agreement. Tommy proceeded to talk about the eclipse battle against the original Megazord.
00000
Rita was still telling Vile about what she and the other villains learned in the Lunar Palace's throne room. Zedd stood beside her. Goldar, Scorpina, Rito, Squatt, Baboo, and Motha were nearby. Vile couldn't help but smile when Rita spoke of learning Kim's pregnancy and origins from viewing the Rangers talking about through the Repulsascope. He rubbed the top of his wand before placing it at his side. The Tengas had already left for their area of the moon.
"I told Zedd to remind me to never doubt him again after I told him there was no way Kimberly could be Kara," Rita said.
"It is good to know my youngest child is alive and well," Vile responded with a happy yet evil chuckle. "Even better is she's pregnant with my grandchild. It is my very first one."
"It is also my and Rito's first nephew or niece," Rita whispered and giggled to herself.
"All of us suspected there was more to Kimberly than met the eye when she was able to defeat powerful monsters on her own several times. She has defeated Goldar and me by herself a similar amount of times," Scorpina explained.
"She kicked my ass just as much," Rito added while shaking his head in disbelief. "How can someone so puny be so powerful? It just boggles my mind."
"You do not even have a brain, Rito," Scorpina snapped, glaring at him. "You have an empty skull!"
"Hey, I do have a brain!" Rito blurted out annoyingly and turned to her. "I use it all the time!"
"Sure, you do," Goldar growled with much sarcasm.
"That is enough, you three!" Zedd shouted while waving his hands in the air. "We do not want any more arguing."
Goldar, Rito, and Scorpina held up their hands while looking away. Squatt and Baboo snickered under their breaths. They stopped when Zedd shot a glare at them. They put their hands behind their backs and proceeded to whistle. Rita snorted in a soft way.
"Dad, you should know Rita married Ed here," Rito shouted and laughed.
"Rito!" Rita snapped as she glared at him.
Rito put his hand over his mouth. "Oops again."
"What a big mouth," Scorpina grumbled.
"You said it," Goldar and Motha agreed irritatingly.
Zedd turned to Rito. "That is Lord Zedd to you, idiot!"
Vile moved a little closer after Zedd and Rita returned their attention to him. Angry growls came from him. He pointed his wand at the latter before narrowing his eyes at her. Rito removed the top of the jar before tapping his foot twice.
"I can't believe you married Lord Zedd!" Vile said in a bit of frustration. "Couldn't you have married someone who had a skull?"
Vile made a retching sound while Rita emitted a nervous laugh. Zedd growled rather annoyingly and took two steps forward. He curled his hand into a very tight fist.
"I may not have a skull, but I have captured the Falconzord as well as the great Ninjor," Zedd snapped angrily. "What do you have to say now?"
"I don't believe it," Vile responded.
"But it's true, Dad," Rito said and held up the jaw. "Take a look!"
Rito tripped over a stone on the floor and dropped the jar. He barely regained his footing as it shattered into many pieces, freeing Ninjor. He covered his eyes and let out a pitiful cry. Ninjor stood up with a laugh.
"A-ha! I'm free at last," Ninjor said in much happiness. "You'll never catch me now!"
"You are a miserable excuse for an offspring! How in the fuck could you let him get away?" Vile demanded while glaring at Rito.
Rito threw the top over his shoulder. "Gee, Pop. I'm sorry. It just happened."
Vile snarled. "Get him, you idiot!"
Rito dove for the floor in which he landed on his stomach and missed Ninjor. He emitted a loud groan and punched it frustratingly.
"Help him out, you goons!" Rita blurted out in annoyance.
"Okay," Baboo said. "Let's go!"
Squatt, Baboo, and Motha raced to Rito's side as he stood up. They looked around for Ninjor in the mist, but they could not find him. Squatt and Baboo placed their hands on their temples before whimpering softly.
"That tiny twerp is essential to my master plan," Vile said fiercely.
"What is that, my dreaded father?" Rita asked curiously. She observed Rito running out in front of her. "I am sure it involves something really grand."
Squatt spotted Ninjor and rushed toward him along with Baboo. He tried to grab him, only for him to run out of the way. Motha dove for him, but he missed him by mere inches. She hissed and gave the floor a frustrated punch before getting up.
"Let's just say it involves a certain crystal," Vile commented with a malicious chuckle. "It is the Zeo Crystal to be exact. I plan to get Kimberly and her baby as well. I want my daughter and grandchild to be part of my empire."
Squatt, Baboo, and Motha looked around. They could not see Ninjor anywhere at all. Just then, Ninjor grew to normal size in between the trio. He chuckled with great pride.
"Are you looking for me, cretins?" Ninjor asked.
Squatt, Baboo, and Motha turned around to look at the Ninja Master. They attempted to grab him, missing when he moved back. They bumped into each other and found themselves in a heap on the floor.
"Huh?" Rito mumbled, turning around to face Ninjor. "Ah! There you are! Here I come!"
Rito laughed while charging at Ninjor. He tripped over Squatt, Baboo, and Motha. He landed on top of them, a loud groaning coming from him. Ninjor formed a fighting stance and turned toward Vile. He pointed his finger at him.
"The Zeo Crystal, Kimberly, and her baby shall never be yours, Vile!" Ninjor barked.
"Seize him!" Vile ordered.
Goldar and Scorpina rushed toward Ninjor. They grabbed their swords with their other hands while growling ferociously. They formed determined expressions on their faces.
"It is time for me to go," Ninjor commented and waved at his enemies. "Bye-bye."
Goldar and Scorpina reached Ninjor and swung their swords at him with loud snarls. They missed when the Ninja Master teleported away. They ended up on top of Squatt, Baboo, Motha, and Rito. Zedd groaned quietly as Rita hissed angrily.
00000
Tommy was still telling the story of the eclipse battle in the Command Center's main room. Billy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha continued to listen. Alpha worked on the console to the right of the Viewing Globe. Just then, Ninjor appeared behind the Rangers, causing them to jump in fright. The Rangers turned around to face him.
"Ninjor!" Tommy shouted.
"Hello, Rangers," Ninjor responded and noticed Kat. "Hey, where in the hell is Kimberly?"
"Kim is in the hospital. She fell off the balance beam and hit her head," Aisha said, crossing her arms.
"She is—" Adam started.
"You do not have to tell me about her baby, Adam. I overheard Master Vile mention it. I am aware she is his long-lost daughter as well," Ninjor interrupted gently.
"I was asked to take her place," Kat added, holding up her hand. "It was Billy's idea. I will fill in for her until after she recovers from giving birth. My name is Katherine Hillard, but you can call me Kat." She frowned a bit. "It is partly my fault you and the Falconzord were captured in the first place. I was under Zedd and Rita's control."
"But she broke the spell and saved Kim and the baby's lives," Rocky pointed out truthfully.
"It is understandable you feel guilty about what you have done, Kat, but being willing to fill in as the Pink Ranger shows you are a deeply compassionate young lady," Ninjor said comfortingly.
Kat smiled in much warmth. She felt grateful for the Ninja Master's compliments of her. She believed they would develop a strong friendship as they got to know each other.
"Let's cut to the chase. We have important matters to discuss," Ninjor commented in urgency. "Master Vile has devised a fiendish plot."
"It is just as I suspected," Zordon responded.
Aisha cringed. "Which is?"
"He wants the Zeo Crystal and the remainder of his family on his side," Ninjor announced.
"We're not surprised Master Vile wants Kim and her baby on his side, but what is the Zeo Crystal?" Kat asked confusingly.
"Rangers, the Zeo Crystal is one of the most powerful sources in the universe," Zordon said.
Ninjor held up his hand. "Thousands of years ago, the people of the M-51 Galaxy hid it from Master Vile deep inside the Caves of Deception. They placed a forcefield around it. It prevented anyone who was not pure of heart from even touching it."
"We can't take that chance that he'll get to it," Tommy replied, turning to Zordon along with the others. He swallowed hard. "Where are the Caves of Deception?"
"I'm afraid the Caves of Deception are on the moon itself. They are beneath Rita and Zedd's palace," Zordon whispered sadly.
"As you are aware, Zedd took over the alien palace above the caves. His evil corrupted the good in the palace, but it was unable to destroy the pure good in the caverns below," Ninjor added.
Zordon sighed. "We thought the crystal would be safe from Zedd, but Master Vile's infinite wisdom in the ways of evil gives him an advantage. Moreover, the crystal's power increases with time. If Master Vile gets it, Kimberly, and her baby, he could rule the entire universe."
The Rangers turned to each other. They were not very thrilled of what Vile could be capable of, especially when it came to his own monsters.
00000
Zedd, Rita, Goldar, Scorpina, Rito, Motha, Squatt, and Baboo listened to Vile explain his plan in the Lunar Palace's throne room. The evil master held a large sack in his hand. Goldar, Scorpina, Rito, and Motha seemed to show a little interest. Squatt and Baboo looked unsure about the whole thing. Zedd and Rita were not thrilled with it at all. They stepped forward with huffs.
"You shall never get the Zeo Crystal!" Zedd snarled and kicked his foot forward. "The forcefield will destroy anyone who even processes an ounce of evil!"
"He's right, Daddy! He tried to get the Zeo Crystal once. Look what happened to Zeddy's face!" Rita cried.
"Very funny, Rita!" Zedd scoffed in great annoyance. "You should not joke about it."
"That is right," Goldar added while holding up his sword.
"Yep," Squatt and Baboo mumbled.
"No evil has ever been able to penetrate it!" Rita screeched.
"Don't you worry," Vile assured and rubbed the top of his wand. "Father's home."
"Yeah," Rito said, giving a thumbs-up.
"In fact, I want to add an old ally to my ranks," Vile said, chuckling to himself.
"Who, Master Vile?" Motha asked.
"Count Dregon," Vile announced very eagerly. "That's who."
Everyone gasped in much shock with the exception of Rito and Rito. Vile emitted a malicious chuckle. Rita formed a big smile on her face. Zedd growled, his body glowing bright red.
"There is no way you are summoning Count Dregon here! I hate him with every fiber of my being! Besides, he is ruling Edenoi right now!" Zedd shouted ferociously.
"That is true," Scorpina agreed.
"Actually, Count Dregon has lost control of Edenoi. I went to visit him before I came here. He informed me the Masked Rider had managed to free the majority of his world with his army of rebels. Edenoi is starting to recover. It is only a matter of time before he is driven away. I insisted I help him reconquer it, but he refused. He said he was thinking about going after another world once the war was over. I left him in peace, though I was disappointed," Vile explained. "This is the perfect opportunity for us to combine our forces and go after the Zeo Crystal and Masked Rider powers."
"I say it sounds a good idea, Dad," Rito said delightfully.
"Me too," Rita agreed with a smile.
"It sounds swell, but Dregon cannot come here. We will never get along!" Zedd insisted.
"Who cares if you don't?" Vile commented. "Besides, he and his forces are very strong. You have to admit they will prove valuable on the battlefield."
Zedd groaned to himself. He might hate Count Dregon, but he had to admit Vile had a point. Combining their armies would make things even more difficult for the Rangers. Even if Dex came to Earth to aid them, it would not ease the strain on them. He sighed reluctantly.
"All right. You can ask Dregon to come to the moon," Zedd relented.
"Good," Vile said, chuckling warmly. He tossed the sack to his son-in-law, who caught it. "Now, feed this to the Tengas!"
Zedd looked at the sack. "What is it?"
"It is a little something to put brawn in their beaks," Vile said as Zedd tossed the sack to Rito.
"Huh?" Rito muttered, catching and sniffing it. He threw it to Squatt, who caught it and tightened his grip on it. "This is yours."
"I am going to my Space Skull, so I can contact Count Dregon," Vile announced with a smile. "I would like Goldar, Rito, and Motha to come with me."
Motha laughed happily as she and her friends went to his side. "Let's go!"
Vile, Goldar, Rito, and Motha teleported away. Scorpina scratched the top of her head before clearing her throat.
"Where's that miserable creature going? " Rita whined.
"Relax, Rita. I'll tell you in a moment," Zedd replied. He beamed his visor to space. He spotted the Space Skull heading for Earth. "It seems your dad's Space Skull is heading toward Earth."
Rita moaned in frustration. She wondered when she and the others would learn Vile had contacted Dregon. She hated waiting for a long time, especially when they could be attacking Earth.