Nekkid Ninja Storm
05-28-2008, 03:02 AM
This started as a simple rewrite of my Go-Onger adaptation, Power Rangers Wildfire Torque in the attempts of connecting it better with the source material and it evolved into a completely different project entirely. "Power Rangers Mach All-Stars" at first glance may seem like a watered down version of its predecessor, but its really something that digs deeper into the source material and pulls out a story that sustains both the quirky charm of Go-Onger and combines it with the character-driven drama of the best seasons of Power Rangers. I'm not arrogant enough to believe that it fulfills that objective completely, but I hope that everyone who reads it will at least feel the word-driven action my story, at the very least has on its competition.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/493/mallstarswa6.png
Now for anyone who read Wildfire Torque, you may find that this story holds quite a bit in common with it, but try not to let that get in they way of reading this. I hope you can appreciate it for its differences as well as for its similarities.
So without any further babbling, the story...
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We are the Mach-Stars, mechanical beings of engine and soul, racing far and wide to protect peace on Earth. We are alive and yet we are machine born from humanity's own womb and so it is our mission to protect our creators and fight along side them, at least until the day that all are safe. One day we know we must go to the planet's aid and so we remain vigilant and wait patiently until that day. As engines of drive and change in this world we must fight and we cannot fail.
***
Episode 1- Party like A Mach-Star Part I
***
A woman in a large camouflage jacket dropped her hefty duffel bag, shielding her eyes from the radiant sunlight with one hand. Peering around as jet aircraft took off on a runway far behind her she looked from one end of the airport to the other. Although bustling and chock full of commuters and passers-by, it seemed to lack whatever she was looking for and she sighed heavily. Her brown hair, although thickly clumped in a single ponytail blew lazily in the wind.
“Finally home and no one to welcome me back…” The brunette with sharp eyes said plainly to herself.
“Mikaela Del Rio?” A voice said from behind as the woman turned to see a man in a dark trench coat and sunglasses. To add to the overall motif of a federal bureau investigator the man had jet-black hair, but it had been slicked upward in the style of a faux-hawk. The nature of that particular style choice made Mikaela’s response to his spontaneous outburst less startled than she might have been to any other spontaneously appearing man dressed the way he was.
“Who are you?” Mikaela asked calmly despite the look of growing bewilderment crossing her face.
“Jacob Graham,” The slender, cloaked man answered quickly, “But please, call me Graham... I know you just returned from a tour overseas, but I have a business proposition for you Miss Del Rio, that I believe you’ll be interested in.”
“Look right now I just want to go home,” The woman responded, “So unless this ‘business proposition’ involves a hot bath and a foot massage…”
“That,” The mysterious man named Graham interrupted, “Can be arranged.”
***
In the bayside city of Ember Falls, where city living meet abruptly suburbia, a small building sat with a wide sign displaying the name “G∞ Motors”. With an open garage, the small body shop sat between an airy parking lot were few cars were parked and a grassy knoll.
In the garage two mechanics worked on an automobile that was clealy in thorough disrepair. A young woman with greasy vehicular liquids smearing her otherwise pretty face checked under the hood as a young man in red dug around beneath the vehicle. The young man bore an amiable, yet equally grime-covered face which hid a look of loss and secret desperation. A slender youth, his head expulsed a myriad of dark clumps of hair gathered in hastily crafted spikes. His female friend had maybe a few short years on her companion under her belt, but was still quite young. Her fiery red curls were just as wild as his though. Although tied up above her head, the untamed locks spiraled towards open air in all directions, making her look like he had just gotten out of bed even when she hadn’t.
“How you holding up Dex?” The young woman asked her fellow grease monkey as she ratcheted something with a greasy tool.
“I’ve been better…” The young man called Dex responded rather quietly.
A tall bald man in blue jacket walked in from the lobby area to the garage with a clipboard underneath his arm. His skin was a cool earthy tone that made his general features radiate a sense of warm compassion. Despite this, the cool-and-warm man expressed a concerned look on his face as he began to speak.
“Okay, Aubree! Dexter!” He said as two individuals pulled themselves away from their mechanical duties to see what was up, “I’ve got an announcement. Front and center people!”
“What’s up boss-man?” The fiery-headed female mechanic asked as the two removed themselves from their work, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so serious before, Burke. You look almost… businesslike…”
“Yeah well, Vince’s passing has affected us all in different ways,” The tall man named Burke said, stalling for a few moments on the subject of their recently deceased employer, “To some of us he was like family and to others, he was all we had. G∞ will not be the same without him, but as the new owner, I don’t want my time to start off with waterworks, so—”
“Hey, he was my grandfather!” The young man in red snapped back, “Don’t act so high and mighty because he chose you to be in charge!”
“Dexter, calm down,” The girl named Aubree said in a calming tone.
“We all feel the loss of Vince hard, but I’m not going to argue with you about his decisions,” The tall bald mechanic-turned-owner went on, “We weren’t blood related sure, but Vince was like a father to me and I don’t want to see that great man’ legacy fade away. That’s why I want to continue in his footsteps. If I can earn your respect, I’d like you all to treat me with the same respect you showed him.” Although the man's words by themselves sounded somewhat false, the look of loss was clearly in his eyes as well. The three mechanics felt a moment of combined understanding in their sadness, at least until...
Dexter suddenly began to crack up at something, taking a few steps towards his new boss with a look of playful malice on his face. “You want me to treat you like him, huh? Then you’ll have to earn it by…” He said with a sneer as he threw an arm around Burke’s shoulder, and pretended that he was sitting in his lap, “Telling me a story, gwam-pah.”
“Get off me!” The annoyed employer said as he pushed off the trying employee as another giggled in the background, “As I was saying before, I want to start my time in charge off right. This is why, despite my sudden doubts, I’d like to treat you, my employees, to lunch to show my... good intentions.”
“Well that’s different…” Aubree said, seeming a bit surprised by the news.
“Can we get ice cream too, gwam-pah?” Dexter asked with exaggerated immaturity.
“You’re really going to make me regret this aren’t you?” Burke said through grit teeth.
***
Water foamed as a solid spire arose from the seas and continued to rise. More and more structures sprung from the surf, monstrous gears making up a fortress-like island, upwelling slowly. Mechanical efficiency was entirely apparent from the citadel’s growth and sky-blackening smoke spilled from sky-high columns. The water around the fortress grew sickly in color and foamed as if suddenly filled with toxic chemicals.
Three mechanical figures stood at the center of the growing structure. Watching patiently as the construction came to a halt on the screen they watched together and seemed pleased that their stronghold was complete.
“As the three mightiest Grime Ministers in the whole Universe, it only seems fair that we have the mightiest fortress ever built.” One of the inhuman machines said with an ostentatious yet snide voice. This robotic individual, tall and lanky with a long craning neck bore a pointed face with a toothy, fixed smile. Its face was an interesting feature, a gear protruded from it, splitting the inhuman individual’s face almost completely in half, giving him the look of a two-faced villain.
“Perhaps not the mightiest,” A humanoid creature said with a robust effeminate voice, “But worthy of being the home base of the Industrial Acropolis.” While the other two androids bore masculine frames, this one was clearly female, almost entirely identical to a human woman in appearance. What broke this illusion was the armor she wore consisting of a multitude of piping and valves.
“We didn’t come to Earth to admire our own handiwork,” A tall machine responded, seeming opposed to the laxness of his comrades, “We must take revenge for our fallen Empire!” This automaton seemed massive compared to the others; its body a golden tint with a rusted tinge. The mammoth of a mechanical figure wore a dark cape over one shoulder and a crown of chains and metal spikes upon his brow. By far he was the most regal-looking of the three. “Now, my fellow Ministers, what is our mission?!”
“To shroud the seas with sickly sludge,” The armored humanoid of the group recited, “Nymoria, Grime Minister of the Seas!”
“Caking the continents with corrosive chemicals,” The tallest of the three machines said in his booming tone, “Broncaster, Grime Minister of the Land!”
“Air-borne assaults with an acidic arsenal,” The long-necked rigging-covered alien continued the oath, “Oxsidious, the Grime Minister of the Skies!”
“And our mission is to—!” the three Grime Ministers said together in unison, “Destroy the Power Rangers and avenge the fallen Machine Empire!”
“I mean... How hard can it be to find some multi-colored spandex-wearing lunatics in this boring planet?” The slender mechanical creature named Nymoria asked, crossing her arms before herself.
“Boring? If anything this planet is a scandalous cesspit! So much nature! So much green!” The flamboyant android known as Oxsidious said in rage, “What a waste!”
“I agree,” The wide machine called Broncaster responded, “When we have finished taking our revenge in the name of the once great Machine Empire we can turn this planet into a nice dumping ground. I’m sure the Grand Envoy will not be too upset if we deviate from the plan a little.”
“Perfect! Let’s act quickly and destroy the Power Rangers! I have prepared my new Industrial Incubator device to implant my personal Industrial Essence into a robotic body,” The long-necked Grime Minister of the Skies said as he stepped aside to reveal a tin-colored figure with a dour ogre-like face-mask, “Let me introduce to you my Sky-Pollution Furnace Monster, my first ever Acropoloid,”
The monster itself grunted in response, showing little intelligence. Two red doors stood hinged over his head and flames licked the metal from behind. Hubcap-like bucklers adorned his arms and valves extended outward from all over like metallic blemishes. Pipes and exhaust ports sprouted from all over in various places like monstrous horns.
“The name’s too long,” Nymoria said as she inspected it, “How about, Brimstove?”
“Very good,” Broncaster said with a booming laugh, “Send Brimstove into the closest city with a troupe of Helixids.”
“Such random attacks...?” The female-looking robot asked, “What will that accomplish?”
“Worry not, my dear Nymoria, the Power Rangers will show, don’t worry…” Oxsidious explained with sneering pride, “They always show…”
***
In a parked bus-sized silver transport marked with a G-symbol on its flank, mysterious figures were at work monitoring the city. Jacob Graham sat at a console within the shadowy vehicle with a golden device on his forearm. A ways away Mikaela Del Rio sat at a similar terminal, also harboring an apparatus on her wrist that was not there before.
“Industrial Acropolis signature detected in the boatyard,” The brunette announced.
“Shall we intercept?” The man in the black trench coat asked a mysterious man sitting at the wheel of the bus, his face masked partially by a blue driver’s cap.
“Observe, but don’t attack unless they are hostile,” The shrouded man said, “I don’t want to be responsible for intergalactic war... Even if those darn machines are responsible.” The two younger agents nodded and exited through the sliding door, leaving the odd bus-driver alone in the dimly lit vehicle.
***
“I can’t believe we closed up shop so early in the day,” Aubree said with a look of mock shock on her face, “Not very smart for your first day, boss-man.”
“Don’t make him change his mind, Aubree; we may never see Burke this generous again.” Dexter said snidely as the three mechanics walked leisurely from the garage.
“Go ahead and complain after you’ve tried the food,” The tall garage owner said confidently, finally adapting to the sarcasm, “We’ll just cut through the boatyard here and say hello to the best beachside place to get some chow this side of San Onofre.”
Before the trio could get very far a tall metal figure stepped into their path. Seeming to notice them abruptly, Brimstove turned to jump at them menacingly. “Humans! You will be the first to feel the contaminating plume of my all-incinerating furnace!” He growled in a guttural, yet metallic voice. Before the mechanics of G∞ Motors had any time to react, the Acropoloid creature bent forward, releasing a cloud of black smoke from its horn-like pipes.
Dexter, Burke and Aubree, finally realizing the serious trouble they now faced, turned to flee as the corrosive smoke of the ogre-faced automaton choked the life out of everything in its path.
“What is that thing?” Aubree asked in genuine surprise as she ran for dear life.
“Don’t know! Don’t care!” Dexter shouted in response gasping for breath gravely.
The wrench jockeys’ escape was cut short as three silvery skinned figures stepped out in front of their path of escape. These humanoid automatons were polished silver, covered in bronze-colored armor with odd features, probably due to their mass-production.
“Helixids! Good timing!” Brimstove shouted, walking briskly through the dissipating smoke, “Finish them!”
The silver and bronze creatures known as Helixids drew identical cylindrical fire-arms and lowered them slowly as their prey looked everywhere for a way to escape. More and more identical androids began to appear at every turn climbing out of every nook and cranny as if they had been laying in ambush.
The armed gunmen of the group pulled the triggers and in a flash, bright lights were screaming towards the panicked humans. The mechanics raised their arms as little, as they expected it to help, but the pain never reached them.
Dexter lowered his arms from his face and looked around the swirling pinkish-hued place he and his co-workers now found themselves in. “Is this heaven?” He asked dreamily.
“Only if those flying car things are angels.” Burke pointed out as three strange vehicles floated down to them. From a worm’s-eye-view they looked upon three colossal feats of engineering, in the middle vehicle was a huge sports car, fiery red with avian features. At its side was a larger, rectangular vehicle, a blue bus with catlike features and golden mane. At the other side was a smaller vehicle with round headlights and meaty off-road wheels. This one was yellow, with the face of a bear cub.
“Do not be afraid,” The beaked vehicle said with an oddly soothing voice that sounded somewhat like an energetic young human, “We are Mach-Stars...”
“I must be dreaming…” Aubree said in a daze as she looked on, “This can’t be real.”
“It is quite real,” The yellow all-terrain vehicle said, speaking in a female voice, “We rescued you from danger ‘cause we believe you three are perfect for helping us to save your world.”
“Now, if you want to survive this experience you’ll have to listen carefully,” The third vehicle said, huge and rectangular, speaking with the kindly voice of an elderly man. Three lights shone and lowered until they were at eye-level with the humans. They took them in their hands and they solidified into silver cell-phone shaped devices. “These are you Mach-Cell Morphers… They will be crucial tools in the task ahead of you…”
***
“Ha! Burnt right down to ashes!” Brimstove shouted in celebration, observing the smoky crater left by the Helixid’s laser-fire. The Acropoloid jumped back as he noticed movement in the thick smoke and three figures rose to their feet completely unharmed, as the smoke cleared. “No! It can’t be! No one could survive that!”
“Sorry buddy,” Burke said stoically, still facing away from the furnace-faced creature, “The Body Shop’s closed for the day, but we can refer you to a nice Chop Shop…”
“Us!” Dexter answered raising his Mach-Cell Morpher to his cheek, “Ready guys?”
“Slot Card Interface!” The three mechanics said in the way that had been described to them by the Mach-Stars, placing three individual silver devices inside their Morphers and closing the top. They then drew them back behind their heads crying, “Let’s… Mach and Roll!” At this point pressing a large golden button on the center of the cell phone-like gadgets, they thrust them forward. In a flash, three entirely different figures were standing before the Acropoloid and his Helixids.
Dexter was now completely covered in red skin-tight armor, bearing a V-shaped belt across his chest with a stylized one emblazoned between with the wings of a bird. His helmeted head was beaked with a pair of head-lights above a black visor. “Mach All-Star Red Ranger!” he shouted, striking a pose.
Burke stood tall, now entirely in blue with tire-like gantlets on his wrists and boots. His chest was adorned with a stylized two with a fiery mane. His helmet was with a broad visor. “Mach All-Star Blue Ranger!” He shouted pointing forward with two fingers.
Aubree was also renewed, with a suit and a belt adorned with numerous devices. Her buxom was emblazoned with a three designed like a bear’s maw. Her helmet was bubble-like with rounded headlights and visor. “Mach All-Star Yellow Ranger!” She said, striking a cutesy pose.
The trio suddenly leapt into the air in a tandem spin kick. Their feet screeched against the earth as they touched down. Wheels on the sides of their helmets raced in place as they shouted, “Power Rangers!” Striking a final pose with fire bursting out all around, they finished with “Mach All-Stars!”
“Impossible! They’re Power Rangers!” Brimstove shouted with a hint of fear, but ordered on his troops anyway, “Destroy them! Eradicate them! Leave nothing but cinders!” The gun-toting Helixid battalion launched another assault, but the three primary-colored warriors shrugged it off.
“Are you done yet?” The Yellow Ranger asked as lasers hit them harmlessly. The gunners withdrew their armaments and gathered with the larger group to overcome their new foes with their numbers instead.
“I guess that means it’s our turn then.” The Red Ranger said, as the headlights on his helmet alighted and the Red Ranger was surrounded by white nothingness. Drawing a gas-pump shaped device from his waist, Dexter pressed a trigger on the front, causing a square casing to pop out and, drawing a device similar to the one he put in his Mach-Cell, placed it in. “Slot Card Interface!” He shouted as he pushed the casing back into the Fuel Carbine, causing a winged number one to illuminate on the side of the firearm.
“Slot Card Interface!” Burke and Aubree shouted as they did the same.
“Auto-Baton Mode!” The Rangers said together as they twisted their weapons into a new mode, now shaped like a sword with a nozzle-shaped shaft rather than a blade.
“Helixids attack! Hurry!” Brimstove shouted starting to panic. As the group of mechanical foot-soldiers began to advance the Rangers met them head on, charging in to face them.
Dexter leapt into the air, his Auto-Baton in one hand as he kicked an android square in the chest. Turning he saw a wave of identical machines swarming down the gangplank of a nearby yacht. The tire-shaped ring on his boot began to gyrate rapidly as he started to be propelled forward towards his enemies with invisible force. “Spin Out!” He shouted as an extension of buzzing red energy extended from his weapon, “Velocity Lance!” Thrusting the laser baton forward he pierced the chests of all the Helixids in a row, trapped by the narrow gangway.
“Now that you’re skewered,” He shouted as he swung his Fuel Carbine, “Prepare to be served!” The mechanical humanoids tumbled in all directions, splashing into the water with a splash.
The Blue Ranger swung his arm around wide, weapon in tow. “Spin Out!” He shouted as he leapt forward into the air, the wheels on his gloves and boots spinning simultaneously, “Velocity Cruise!” Landing on his stomach he hovered above the ground by inches as he raced forward, guided by the four spinning wheels. Swinging his gas pump-like weapon to attack the Helixids in front of him, which exploded into scrap metal.
Aubree threw her Fuel Carbine forward as the Cyclonic Generator on her leg activated, sending her into a wild spin. “Spin Out!” The Yellow Ranger shouted, “Velocity Gyro!” She quickly collided with several silvery androids, striking them all as a spinning blur.
“Now for you, furnace-face!” The Red Ranger shouted as he twisted his Fuel Carbine once more, returning it to its blaster configuration. Burke and Aubree each dropped on knee and they all released a tandem fire. Brimstove acted fast, releasing a cloud of smoke in defense, but an explosion erupted forth anyway.
“Did that do it?” The Yellow Ranger asked peering around.
“Not on your life,” The automaton with an incinerator in its forehead said laughing standing unharmed several yards behind where he had once been, “If you want to save your city, Rangers, you’re going to have to catch me first!” With that he quickly turned, running as fast as he could away from certain doom.
“After ‘im!” The Blue Ranger shouted and the three primary-colored heroes took chase.
Standing behind a nearby yacht two familiar figures observed what had just happened. Jacob Graham lifted his wrist-mounted device to his mouth and pressing a button spoke into it. “Yes, three Power Rangers just appeared,” He said, “That’s right, Power Rangers.”
***
Brimstove dug through old car parts in an abandoned warehouse, stuffing steering wheels and upholstery into his burner, until he could barely burn it all fast enough.
“Now we’ve got you!” A familiar voice said that caused the Acropoloid to jump to his feet and flip around.
“No!” He growled, “I haven’t had time to fuel my furnace properly!”
“All-Star Arsenal!” The Rangers shouted together as the pressed the G-shaped symbol on their belt buckles. The numbers on their chests expanded and moved outward, before solidifying into specialized weaponry.
“Mach Saber!” The Red Ranger announced as he took his red and silver sword in his hand.
“Missile Decker!” The Blue Ranger said as he held up a heavy artillery weapon.
“Rocket Buggy!” The Yellow Ranger shouted as she held out a weapon that appeared like a small car with two beefy wheels.
“Feel my gaseous wrath!” The Sky-Polluter shouted as he launched a fast-moving of black smoke from his head, exploding on impact. The Rangers undaunted, charged forward despite the blasts going off all around them. More and more explosive smoke was fired, but the Rangers remained unharmed.
The Red Ranger leapt into the air, holding his Mach Saber, he slashed down, bringing the blade down hard on the monster’s shield which he had ducked behind. Sparks flew everywhere as Dexter flipped back on to one knee, bringing his Saber far out to slash. “Mach Redline!” He shouted and brought his sword across with such a force that it left a burning red streak across Brimstove’s chest.
The ogre-faced machine cried out as his injury burst into sparks and then exploded outright, launching him backward into a pile of boxes and crates. The Acropoloid was quickly on his feet, growling and knocking boxes away. The Red Ranger, still on one knee put his arms out as the Blue Ranger charged forward with his heavy gun, leaping up and launching himself off of Dexter’s shoulders. He released a rain of laser-fire on to Brimstove until he returned to earth.
Now standing, Burke pretended to blow away the smoke and pointed his Missile Decker at his foe who was still convulsing from his blasts. “Mach Blue-Streak!” He shouted as he launched two huge laser pulses from his double-barreled weapon that launched the Acropoloid back into a pillar, collapsing into a pile in pain.
“Don’t bother getting up for our sake!” The Yellow Ranger said, holding out her Rocket Buggy, “In fact, just stay down!” She pressed down on a button on the strange weapon and then mounted it on one of her arms. “Mach Rocket! Yield!” She said as the wheels of the small car began to rev and it launched it self from its appendage ramp and struck the weakened android square in the head and came around in a flash to hit him again and again all over and from every side.
The Rocket Buggy sped down to the dusty floor and making a screeching U-turn plowed straight into Brimstove. In an explosive burst, the creature flew out into open air.
The Rangers followed him outdoors in a dash. “Come on! Let’s finish it!” Dexter shouted holding his white-striped blade at the ready. The headlights on his head flashed and all three of them were surrounded by whiteness once more. The Mach Saber attached to the tip of the Missile Decker and the Rocket Buggy was placed inside of the newly combined weapon. “Raceway Cannon!” The three Rangers shouted.
The Red Ranger held up the red Slot Card he had earlier inserted into his Fuel Carbine and inserting it into the back of their combined All-Star Arsenal. The door closed, enclosing the red device inside as a panel flipped up like the finish line of a race. Brimstove stumbled clumsily to his feet as the weapon’s targeting system locked on.
“Fire!” The Rangers shouted together as they pulled the trigger. The Buggy Basher raced down the Missile Decker, picking up speed and then launching from the Mach Sword. The yellow weapon was quickly engulfed in orange fire and it became the visage of red sport-scar from earlier who cried out in a birdlike fashion. In a huge explosion, the furnace-headed automaton was launched from the roof dropping several stories before hitting earth hard.
***
“Power Rangers! Curse them for intervening!” Nymoria shouted observing the carnage from a big screen in the Industrial Acropolis island fortress.
“I will activate Brimstove’s emergency power cell of Enigmium,” Oxsidious aid as he pressed a button at his command terminal, “But it will take some time to spread throughout his systems…”
“Then we need a distraction! We’ll use the Recon/Siege/Patrol Interchangeable Drive-Stalkers!” Broncaster commanded, “Launch the ReSPIDS!”
A frog-like vehicle leapt from a tunnel in the side of the island Acropolis, growing a pair of metal wings, it launched to join its comrades who were flying out from hundreds more rocky crevices.
***
Standing from the roof-top the Rangers looked as the ReSPIDS. flying into the city, their overwhelming number and size making them seem like an undefeatable opponent. The gliders buzzed about, dive-bombing and firing down, causing general mayhem. Buildings exploded and debris flew everywhere innocents fled helplessly.
“Leave this to us!” A voice came from Dexter’s belt and he looked down to his waistline to see the red Slot Card from earlier now moving on its own and speaking with the voice of the avian red car.
“Put us in the Minizords!” A blue device said as the three Slot Cards now hovered in front of the Rangers now all outside their compartments in the individual utility belts.
“And we’ll be summoned to your aid!” The yellow Slot Card said, spinning in midair.
“Minizords?” Dexter asked quizzically.
***
The man in the shady silver RV lifted up his cap from his face revealing a pair of kind old eyes. “That’s my cue.” he said, lifting a red and silver case from the dashboard and walking it over to a pedestal. Placing the metal case on a glowing square, he pressed a button and it began to spin, vanishing from the mysterious vehicle and appearing before the Rangers.
“Mach Minizords transported.”
***
“That was convenient,” Aubree said as she and the others bent over to inspect the red and silver case which flipped open to reveal miniaturized versions of the animal-like Mach-Stars they had met in the other dimension. Drawing out the ones that corresponded to the color they thrust them out before them.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Red ranger shouted as he pushed the rectangular device into the open slot of the Minizord.
“Mach Hawk!” The tiny crimson Zord shouted as it came to life.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Blue Ranger shouted as he out his blue apparatus into the back of his tiny bus Zord.
“Lion Decker!” The tiny blue Mach-Star roared.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Yellow Ranger shouted as she placed her Slot Card into the back of her tiny off-road vehicle.
“Bear Buggy!” The round yellow Zord shouted excitedly.
The Mach Minizords revved and launched from the Rangers’ hands and grew larger and larger until they were their normal size. Speeding around they appeared behind their human counterparts several stories taller.
The Power Rangers leapt high into the air, leaving colored streaks behind them as they entered the Mach-Stars’ cockpits. Each placed their Mach-Cell Morpher on the steering wheel where it attached and the three Zords raced through the streets into danger as ReGS attacked from all directions.
“Let’s divide and conquer!” Mach Hawk said excitedly and the others obliged as the giant avian sports-car sped off on its own. A few flying machines landed in the streets firing on the oncoming Zord as others flew overhead.
“Flight Mode!” Dexter shouted as he flipping some switches. Wings lowered down at Mach Hawk’s sides. Its wheels spun faster and faster as a pair of talons dropped, launching them into the air. The red Zord tore through the skies and struck at one of the ReSPIDS with one of its underside appendages. Capturing it in his grasp, the flying car dive-bombed, bringing the Helixid-piloted craft crashing down into the top of a building. Mach Hawk straightened out and raced back down to earth without braking.
Lion Decker chased down a group of hopping machines. “Give it some gas, Burke,” The huge bus said, “We’ve almost got ’em now,”
“Gotcha!” The Blue Ranger said as he pressed down on the accelerator. The hopping Drive-Stalkers rounded a corner, vanishing behind some buildings. Revealing their feint, the long-legged machines appeared again, charging straight towards them all weapons firing at full force.
“I hope you aren’t planning on playing chicken against a lion,” Lion Decker said with a pleasant chuckle as his eyes narrowed and crashed into the oncoming ReSPIDS plowing right through them.
“Let’s not let the boys have all the fun!” Aubree shouted from within the cockpit of her Zord, one hand on the wheel.
“Persistent jerks!” Bear Buggy shouted as she raced forward, launching off a makeshift ramp of debris at a group of gliding machines, “Buggy Bite!” Her huge mechanical jaws smashed down on an unsuspecting aircraft. The Helixid piloting it cried out as its vehicle exploded and the off-roading Zord touched down, hard and bounced on hefty wheels.
“Let’s finish it, partner!” Lion Decker said with slanted eyes filled with anger although he did not project it so much in his voice.
“Let’s show them not to underestimate us!” Burke said as he pressed a blue button.
“Mach-3 Artillery!” The lion-faced vehicle said and his back opened up to reveal a missile pod. Firing off all of his ammunition, he took down their flying enemies in a flash. The last of the ReSPIDS fell back down to earth in a ball of fire.
***
“Perfect timing! The Enigmium boost has spread throughout Brimstove’s systems!” Oxsidious shouted flamboyantly to his comrades who were less thrilled about losing an armada of ReSPIDS than he was, “Now time for round two!”
At the bottom of the long drop, he had descended the ogre-faced Acropoloid’s eyes opened and he pushed himself to his feet. Now overflowing with energy he stomped the ground energetically and shouted, “Industrial Strength!” Brimstove was engulfed in a blue light that made his body grow and grow until he was standing over the three Mach-Stars as if they were toys.
“Power Rangers! Prepare to burn!” He shouted with a deep cackling laugh that resounded throughout all of Ember Falls.
“This is bad!” The Red Ranger said, craning up observantly, “That’s one huge hot-head!”
“Not a problem!” The matured voice of Lion Decker said with determination.
“Let’s go with guts!” Bear Buggy shouted excitedly.
“And activate our trump card!” Mach Hawk shouted with conviction, “Totem Pole Position time, guys!”
“Totem Pole Position!” The Rangers and Mach-Stars shouted in unison as the Red Ranger pulled the clutch down to a glowing red G-symbol and pressed hard on the accelerator.
A silver, bladed turbine spun quickly as light blue particles gathered, rotating with the machine as well. Every single instrument within Mach Hawk was revving up to its maximum as the back half of the red Zord adjusted and flipped forward on each side of the avian machine’s hood. A pair of arms flipped forward like talons as the Red Ranger adjusted something on his dashboard as the mechanical arms came to life. Bear Buggy raced forward, docking on to Mach Hawk’s undercarriage, its own axles shifting, flipping its own undercarriage on to the back of the combined machine. Lion Decker roared forward his face flipping down and the back end of the vehicle split to form a pair of broad robot legs. The combination of the yellow and red Zords soon docked with the blue bus as the titan began to take human shape.
The eyes of the Mach-Stars slanted as Mach Hawk’s engine block flipped back to reveal a face and helmet. The huge mecha flew forward, looking much like a warrior totem pole of animal faces.
“Mach-3 Megazord!” The Rangers shouted, “Top Gear!” A titanic robotic foot screeched against the streets of Ember Falls, coming to an abrupt halt the humanoid machine struck a pose, facing off across from Brimstove.
“You don’t scare me!” The red-faced metallic machine shouted as dark plumes gathered around its horns, “You might as well be blowing smoke!”
The dark gas shot out, rocking the Megazord with fiery bursts around its feet. Undaunted, the totem-pole faced machine began its charge. The blasts became more powerful and the titan began to slow.
“We can’t get any closer like this!” The Blue Ranger shouted.
“Hold tight gang!” The Red Ranger shouted, but it was growing harder and harder to repel the explosive fumes. The huge Megazord began to falter in its step as the rocking burst repelled it from its momentum. The billowing menace cackled wildly as its dark smoke consumed its foe with chances of pulling through lessening by the second.
To Be Continued.
***
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/493/mallstarswa6.png
Now for anyone who read Wildfire Torque, you may find that this story holds quite a bit in common with it, but try not to let that get in they way of reading this. I hope you can appreciate it for its differences as well as for its similarities.
So without any further babbling, the story...
***
***
We are the Mach-Stars, mechanical beings of engine and soul, racing far and wide to protect peace on Earth. We are alive and yet we are machine born from humanity's own womb and so it is our mission to protect our creators and fight along side them, at least until the day that all are safe. One day we know we must go to the planet's aid and so we remain vigilant and wait patiently until that day. As engines of drive and change in this world we must fight and we cannot fail.
***
Episode 1- Party like A Mach-Star Part I
***
A woman in a large camouflage jacket dropped her hefty duffel bag, shielding her eyes from the radiant sunlight with one hand. Peering around as jet aircraft took off on a runway far behind her she looked from one end of the airport to the other. Although bustling and chock full of commuters and passers-by, it seemed to lack whatever she was looking for and she sighed heavily. Her brown hair, although thickly clumped in a single ponytail blew lazily in the wind.
“Finally home and no one to welcome me back…” The brunette with sharp eyes said plainly to herself.
“Mikaela Del Rio?” A voice said from behind as the woman turned to see a man in a dark trench coat and sunglasses. To add to the overall motif of a federal bureau investigator the man had jet-black hair, but it had been slicked upward in the style of a faux-hawk. The nature of that particular style choice made Mikaela’s response to his spontaneous outburst less startled than she might have been to any other spontaneously appearing man dressed the way he was.
“Who are you?” Mikaela asked calmly despite the look of growing bewilderment crossing her face.
“Jacob Graham,” The slender, cloaked man answered quickly, “But please, call me Graham... I know you just returned from a tour overseas, but I have a business proposition for you Miss Del Rio, that I believe you’ll be interested in.”
“Look right now I just want to go home,” The woman responded, “So unless this ‘business proposition’ involves a hot bath and a foot massage…”
“That,” The mysterious man named Graham interrupted, “Can be arranged.”
***
In the bayside city of Ember Falls, where city living meet abruptly suburbia, a small building sat with a wide sign displaying the name “G∞ Motors”. With an open garage, the small body shop sat between an airy parking lot were few cars were parked and a grassy knoll.
In the garage two mechanics worked on an automobile that was clealy in thorough disrepair. A young woman with greasy vehicular liquids smearing her otherwise pretty face checked under the hood as a young man in red dug around beneath the vehicle. The young man bore an amiable, yet equally grime-covered face which hid a look of loss and secret desperation. A slender youth, his head expulsed a myriad of dark clumps of hair gathered in hastily crafted spikes. His female friend had maybe a few short years on her companion under her belt, but was still quite young. Her fiery red curls were just as wild as his though. Although tied up above her head, the untamed locks spiraled towards open air in all directions, making her look like he had just gotten out of bed even when she hadn’t.
“How you holding up Dex?” The young woman asked her fellow grease monkey as she ratcheted something with a greasy tool.
“I’ve been better…” The young man called Dex responded rather quietly.
A tall bald man in blue jacket walked in from the lobby area to the garage with a clipboard underneath his arm. His skin was a cool earthy tone that made his general features radiate a sense of warm compassion. Despite this, the cool-and-warm man expressed a concerned look on his face as he began to speak.
“Okay, Aubree! Dexter!” He said as two individuals pulled themselves away from their mechanical duties to see what was up, “I’ve got an announcement. Front and center people!”
“What’s up boss-man?” The fiery-headed female mechanic asked as the two removed themselves from their work, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so serious before, Burke. You look almost… businesslike…”
“Yeah well, Vince’s passing has affected us all in different ways,” The tall man named Burke said, stalling for a few moments on the subject of their recently deceased employer, “To some of us he was like family and to others, he was all we had. G∞ will not be the same without him, but as the new owner, I don’t want my time to start off with waterworks, so—”
“Hey, he was my grandfather!” The young man in red snapped back, “Don’t act so high and mighty because he chose you to be in charge!”
“Dexter, calm down,” The girl named Aubree said in a calming tone.
“We all feel the loss of Vince hard, but I’m not going to argue with you about his decisions,” The tall bald mechanic-turned-owner went on, “We weren’t blood related sure, but Vince was like a father to me and I don’t want to see that great man’ legacy fade away. That’s why I want to continue in his footsteps. If I can earn your respect, I’d like you all to treat me with the same respect you showed him.” Although the man's words by themselves sounded somewhat false, the look of loss was clearly in his eyes as well. The three mechanics felt a moment of combined understanding in their sadness, at least until...
Dexter suddenly began to crack up at something, taking a few steps towards his new boss with a look of playful malice on his face. “You want me to treat you like him, huh? Then you’ll have to earn it by…” He said with a sneer as he threw an arm around Burke’s shoulder, and pretended that he was sitting in his lap, “Telling me a story, gwam-pah.”
“Get off me!” The annoyed employer said as he pushed off the trying employee as another giggled in the background, “As I was saying before, I want to start my time in charge off right. This is why, despite my sudden doubts, I’d like to treat you, my employees, to lunch to show my... good intentions.”
“Well that’s different…” Aubree said, seeming a bit surprised by the news.
“Can we get ice cream too, gwam-pah?” Dexter asked with exaggerated immaturity.
“You’re really going to make me regret this aren’t you?” Burke said through grit teeth.
***
Water foamed as a solid spire arose from the seas and continued to rise. More and more structures sprung from the surf, monstrous gears making up a fortress-like island, upwelling slowly. Mechanical efficiency was entirely apparent from the citadel’s growth and sky-blackening smoke spilled from sky-high columns. The water around the fortress grew sickly in color and foamed as if suddenly filled with toxic chemicals.
Three mechanical figures stood at the center of the growing structure. Watching patiently as the construction came to a halt on the screen they watched together and seemed pleased that their stronghold was complete.
“As the three mightiest Grime Ministers in the whole Universe, it only seems fair that we have the mightiest fortress ever built.” One of the inhuman machines said with an ostentatious yet snide voice. This robotic individual, tall and lanky with a long craning neck bore a pointed face with a toothy, fixed smile. Its face was an interesting feature, a gear protruded from it, splitting the inhuman individual’s face almost completely in half, giving him the look of a two-faced villain.
“Perhaps not the mightiest,” A humanoid creature said with a robust effeminate voice, “But worthy of being the home base of the Industrial Acropolis.” While the other two androids bore masculine frames, this one was clearly female, almost entirely identical to a human woman in appearance. What broke this illusion was the armor she wore consisting of a multitude of piping and valves.
“We didn’t come to Earth to admire our own handiwork,” A tall machine responded, seeming opposed to the laxness of his comrades, “We must take revenge for our fallen Empire!” This automaton seemed massive compared to the others; its body a golden tint with a rusted tinge. The mammoth of a mechanical figure wore a dark cape over one shoulder and a crown of chains and metal spikes upon his brow. By far he was the most regal-looking of the three. “Now, my fellow Ministers, what is our mission?!”
“To shroud the seas with sickly sludge,” The armored humanoid of the group recited, “Nymoria, Grime Minister of the Seas!”
“Caking the continents with corrosive chemicals,” The tallest of the three machines said in his booming tone, “Broncaster, Grime Minister of the Land!”
“Air-borne assaults with an acidic arsenal,” The long-necked rigging-covered alien continued the oath, “Oxsidious, the Grime Minister of the Skies!”
“And our mission is to—!” the three Grime Ministers said together in unison, “Destroy the Power Rangers and avenge the fallen Machine Empire!”
“I mean... How hard can it be to find some multi-colored spandex-wearing lunatics in this boring planet?” The slender mechanical creature named Nymoria asked, crossing her arms before herself.
“Boring? If anything this planet is a scandalous cesspit! So much nature! So much green!” The flamboyant android known as Oxsidious said in rage, “What a waste!”
“I agree,” The wide machine called Broncaster responded, “When we have finished taking our revenge in the name of the once great Machine Empire we can turn this planet into a nice dumping ground. I’m sure the Grand Envoy will not be too upset if we deviate from the plan a little.”
“Perfect! Let’s act quickly and destroy the Power Rangers! I have prepared my new Industrial Incubator device to implant my personal Industrial Essence into a robotic body,” The long-necked Grime Minister of the Skies said as he stepped aside to reveal a tin-colored figure with a dour ogre-like face-mask, “Let me introduce to you my Sky-Pollution Furnace Monster, my first ever Acropoloid,”
The monster itself grunted in response, showing little intelligence. Two red doors stood hinged over his head and flames licked the metal from behind. Hubcap-like bucklers adorned his arms and valves extended outward from all over like metallic blemishes. Pipes and exhaust ports sprouted from all over in various places like monstrous horns.
“The name’s too long,” Nymoria said as she inspected it, “How about, Brimstove?”
“Very good,” Broncaster said with a booming laugh, “Send Brimstove into the closest city with a troupe of Helixids.”
“Such random attacks...?” The female-looking robot asked, “What will that accomplish?”
“Worry not, my dear Nymoria, the Power Rangers will show, don’t worry…” Oxsidious explained with sneering pride, “They always show…”
***
In a parked bus-sized silver transport marked with a G-symbol on its flank, mysterious figures were at work monitoring the city. Jacob Graham sat at a console within the shadowy vehicle with a golden device on his forearm. A ways away Mikaela Del Rio sat at a similar terminal, also harboring an apparatus on her wrist that was not there before.
“Industrial Acropolis signature detected in the boatyard,” The brunette announced.
“Shall we intercept?” The man in the black trench coat asked a mysterious man sitting at the wheel of the bus, his face masked partially by a blue driver’s cap.
“Observe, but don’t attack unless they are hostile,” The shrouded man said, “I don’t want to be responsible for intergalactic war... Even if those darn machines are responsible.” The two younger agents nodded and exited through the sliding door, leaving the odd bus-driver alone in the dimly lit vehicle.
***
“I can’t believe we closed up shop so early in the day,” Aubree said with a look of mock shock on her face, “Not very smart for your first day, boss-man.”
“Don’t make him change his mind, Aubree; we may never see Burke this generous again.” Dexter said snidely as the three mechanics walked leisurely from the garage.
“Go ahead and complain after you’ve tried the food,” The tall garage owner said confidently, finally adapting to the sarcasm, “We’ll just cut through the boatyard here and say hello to the best beachside place to get some chow this side of San Onofre.”
Before the trio could get very far a tall metal figure stepped into their path. Seeming to notice them abruptly, Brimstove turned to jump at them menacingly. “Humans! You will be the first to feel the contaminating plume of my all-incinerating furnace!” He growled in a guttural, yet metallic voice. Before the mechanics of G∞ Motors had any time to react, the Acropoloid creature bent forward, releasing a cloud of black smoke from its horn-like pipes.
Dexter, Burke and Aubree, finally realizing the serious trouble they now faced, turned to flee as the corrosive smoke of the ogre-faced automaton choked the life out of everything in its path.
“What is that thing?” Aubree asked in genuine surprise as she ran for dear life.
“Don’t know! Don’t care!” Dexter shouted in response gasping for breath gravely.
The wrench jockeys’ escape was cut short as three silvery skinned figures stepped out in front of their path of escape. These humanoid automatons were polished silver, covered in bronze-colored armor with odd features, probably due to their mass-production.
“Helixids! Good timing!” Brimstove shouted, walking briskly through the dissipating smoke, “Finish them!”
The silver and bronze creatures known as Helixids drew identical cylindrical fire-arms and lowered them slowly as their prey looked everywhere for a way to escape. More and more identical androids began to appear at every turn climbing out of every nook and cranny as if they had been laying in ambush.
The armed gunmen of the group pulled the triggers and in a flash, bright lights were screaming towards the panicked humans. The mechanics raised their arms as little, as they expected it to help, but the pain never reached them.
Dexter lowered his arms from his face and looked around the swirling pinkish-hued place he and his co-workers now found themselves in. “Is this heaven?” He asked dreamily.
“Only if those flying car things are angels.” Burke pointed out as three strange vehicles floated down to them. From a worm’s-eye-view they looked upon three colossal feats of engineering, in the middle vehicle was a huge sports car, fiery red with avian features. At its side was a larger, rectangular vehicle, a blue bus with catlike features and golden mane. At the other side was a smaller vehicle with round headlights and meaty off-road wheels. This one was yellow, with the face of a bear cub.
“Do not be afraid,” The beaked vehicle said with an oddly soothing voice that sounded somewhat like an energetic young human, “We are Mach-Stars...”
“I must be dreaming…” Aubree said in a daze as she looked on, “This can’t be real.”
“It is quite real,” The yellow all-terrain vehicle said, speaking in a female voice, “We rescued you from danger ‘cause we believe you three are perfect for helping us to save your world.”
“Now, if you want to survive this experience you’ll have to listen carefully,” The third vehicle said, huge and rectangular, speaking with the kindly voice of an elderly man. Three lights shone and lowered until they were at eye-level with the humans. They took them in their hands and they solidified into silver cell-phone shaped devices. “These are you Mach-Cell Morphers… They will be crucial tools in the task ahead of you…”
***
“Ha! Burnt right down to ashes!” Brimstove shouted in celebration, observing the smoky crater left by the Helixid’s laser-fire. The Acropoloid jumped back as he noticed movement in the thick smoke and three figures rose to their feet completely unharmed, as the smoke cleared. “No! It can’t be! No one could survive that!”
“Sorry buddy,” Burke said stoically, still facing away from the furnace-faced creature, “The Body Shop’s closed for the day, but we can refer you to a nice Chop Shop…”
“Us!” Dexter answered raising his Mach-Cell Morpher to his cheek, “Ready guys?”
“Slot Card Interface!” The three mechanics said in the way that had been described to them by the Mach-Stars, placing three individual silver devices inside their Morphers and closing the top. They then drew them back behind their heads crying, “Let’s… Mach and Roll!” At this point pressing a large golden button on the center of the cell phone-like gadgets, they thrust them forward. In a flash, three entirely different figures were standing before the Acropoloid and his Helixids.
Dexter was now completely covered in red skin-tight armor, bearing a V-shaped belt across his chest with a stylized one emblazoned between with the wings of a bird. His helmeted head was beaked with a pair of head-lights above a black visor. “Mach All-Star Red Ranger!” he shouted, striking a pose.
Burke stood tall, now entirely in blue with tire-like gantlets on his wrists and boots. His chest was adorned with a stylized two with a fiery mane. His helmet was with a broad visor. “Mach All-Star Blue Ranger!” He shouted pointing forward with two fingers.
Aubree was also renewed, with a suit and a belt adorned with numerous devices. Her buxom was emblazoned with a three designed like a bear’s maw. Her helmet was bubble-like with rounded headlights and visor. “Mach All-Star Yellow Ranger!” She said, striking a cutesy pose.
The trio suddenly leapt into the air in a tandem spin kick. Their feet screeched against the earth as they touched down. Wheels on the sides of their helmets raced in place as they shouted, “Power Rangers!” Striking a final pose with fire bursting out all around, they finished with “Mach All-Stars!”
“Impossible! They’re Power Rangers!” Brimstove shouted with a hint of fear, but ordered on his troops anyway, “Destroy them! Eradicate them! Leave nothing but cinders!” The gun-toting Helixid battalion launched another assault, but the three primary-colored warriors shrugged it off.
“Are you done yet?” The Yellow Ranger asked as lasers hit them harmlessly. The gunners withdrew their armaments and gathered with the larger group to overcome their new foes with their numbers instead.
“I guess that means it’s our turn then.” The Red Ranger said, as the headlights on his helmet alighted and the Red Ranger was surrounded by white nothingness. Drawing a gas-pump shaped device from his waist, Dexter pressed a trigger on the front, causing a square casing to pop out and, drawing a device similar to the one he put in his Mach-Cell, placed it in. “Slot Card Interface!” He shouted as he pushed the casing back into the Fuel Carbine, causing a winged number one to illuminate on the side of the firearm.
“Slot Card Interface!” Burke and Aubree shouted as they did the same.
“Auto-Baton Mode!” The Rangers said together as they twisted their weapons into a new mode, now shaped like a sword with a nozzle-shaped shaft rather than a blade.
“Helixids attack! Hurry!” Brimstove shouted starting to panic. As the group of mechanical foot-soldiers began to advance the Rangers met them head on, charging in to face them.
Dexter leapt into the air, his Auto-Baton in one hand as he kicked an android square in the chest. Turning he saw a wave of identical machines swarming down the gangplank of a nearby yacht. The tire-shaped ring on his boot began to gyrate rapidly as he started to be propelled forward towards his enemies with invisible force. “Spin Out!” He shouted as an extension of buzzing red energy extended from his weapon, “Velocity Lance!” Thrusting the laser baton forward he pierced the chests of all the Helixids in a row, trapped by the narrow gangway.
“Now that you’re skewered,” He shouted as he swung his Fuel Carbine, “Prepare to be served!” The mechanical humanoids tumbled in all directions, splashing into the water with a splash.
The Blue Ranger swung his arm around wide, weapon in tow. “Spin Out!” He shouted as he leapt forward into the air, the wheels on his gloves and boots spinning simultaneously, “Velocity Cruise!” Landing on his stomach he hovered above the ground by inches as he raced forward, guided by the four spinning wheels. Swinging his gas pump-like weapon to attack the Helixids in front of him, which exploded into scrap metal.
Aubree threw her Fuel Carbine forward as the Cyclonic Generator on her leg activated, sending her into a wild spin. “Spin Out!” The Yellow Ranger shouted, “Velocity Gyro!” She quickly collided with several silvery androids, striking them all as a spinning blur.
“Now for you, furnace-face!” The Red Ranger shouted as he twisted his Fuel Carbine once more, returning it to its blaster configuration. Burke and Aubree each dropped on knee and they all released a tandem fire. Brimstove acted fast, releasing a cloud of smoke in defense, but an explosion erupted forth anyway.
“Did that do it?” The Yellow Ranger asked peering around.
“Not on your life,” The automaton with an incinerator in its forehead said laughing standing unharmed several yards behind where he had once been, “If you want to save your city, Rangers, you’re going to have to catch me first!” With that he quickly turned, running as fast as he could away from certain doom.
“After ‘im!” The Blue Ranger shouted and the three primary-colored heroes took chase.
Standing behind a nearby yacht two familiar figures observed what had just happened. Jacob Graham lifted his wrist-mounted device to his mouth and pressing a button spoke into it. “Yes, three Power Rangers just appeared,” He said, “That’s right, Power Rangers.”
***
Brimstove dug through old car parts in an abandoned warehouse, stuffing steering wheels and upholstery into his burner, until he could barely burn it all fast enough.
“Now we’ve got you!” A familiar voice said that caused the Acropoloid to jump to his feet and flip around.
“No!” He growled, “I haven’t had time to fuel my furnace properly!”
“All-Star Arsenal!” The Rangers shouted together as the pressed the G-shaped symbol on their belt buckles. The numbers on their chests expanded and moved outward, before solidifying into specialized weaponry.
“Mach Saber!” The Red Ranger announced as he took his red and silver sword in his hand.
“Missile Decker!” The Blue Ranger said as he held up a heavy artillery weapon.
“Rocket Buggy!” The Yellow Ranger shouted as she held out a weapon that appeared like a small car with two beefy wheels.
“Feel my gaseous wrath!” The Sky-Polluter shouted as he launched a fast-moving of black smoke from his head, exploding on impact. The Rangers undaunted, charged forward despite the blasts going off all around them. More and more explosive smoke was fired, but the Rangers remained unharmed.
The Red Ranger leapt into the air, holding his Mach Saber, he slashed down, bringing the blade down hard on the monster’s shield which he had ducked behind. Sparks flew everywhere as Dexter flipped back on to one knee, bringing his Saber far out to slash. “Mach Redline!” He shouted and brought his sword across with such a force that it left a burning red streak across Brimstove’s chest.
The ogre-faced machine cried out as his injury burst into sparks and then exploded outright, launching him backward into a pile of boxes and crates. The Acropoloid was quickly on his feet, growling and knocking boxes away. The Red Ranger, still on one knee put his arms out as the Blue Ranger charged forward with his heavy gun, leaping up and launching himself off of Dexter’s shoulders. He released a rain of laser-fire on to Brimstove until he returned to earth.
Now standing, Burke pretended to blow away the smoke and pointed his Missile Decker at his foe who was still convulsing from his blasts. “Mach Blue-Streak!” He shouted as he launched two huge laser pulses from his double-barreled weapon that launched the Acropoloid back into a pillar, collapsing into a pile in pain.
“Don’t bother getting up for our sake!” The Yellow Ranger said, holding out her Rocket Buggy, “In fact, just stay down!” She pressed down on a button on the strange weapon and then mounted it on one of her arms. “Mach Rocket! Yield!” She said as the wheels of the small car began to rev and it launched it self from its appendage ramp and struck the weakened android square in the head and came around in a flash to hit him again and again all over and from every side.
The Rocket Buggy sped down to the dusty floor and making a screeching U-turn plowed straight into Brimstove. In an explosive burst, the creature flew out into open air.
The Rangers followed him outdoors in a dash. “Come on! Let’s finish it!” Dexter shouted holding his white-striped blade at the ready. The headlights on his head flashed and all three of them were surrounded by whiteness once more. The Mach Saber attached to the tip of the Missile Decker and the Rocket Buggy was placed inside of the newly combined weapon. “Raceway Cannon!” The three Rangers shouted.
The Red Ranger held up the red Slot Card he had earlier inserted into his Fuel Carbine and inserting it into the back of their combined All-Star Arsenal. The door closed, enclosing the red device inside as a panel flipped up like the finish line of a race. Brimstove stumbled clumsily to his feet as the weapon’s targeting system locked on.
“Fire!” The Rangers shouted together as they pulled the trigger. The Buggy Basher raced down the Missile Decker, picking up speed and then launching from the Mach Sword. The yellow weapon was quickly engulfed in orange fire and it became the visage of red sport-scar from earlier who cried out in a birdlike fashion. In a huge explosion, the furnace-headed automaton was launched from the roof dropping several stories before hitting earth hard.
***
“Power Rangers! Curse them for intervening!” Nymoria shouted observing the carnage from a big screen in the Industrial Acropolis island fortress.
“I will activate Brimstove’s emergency power cell of Enigmium,” Oxsidious aid as he pressed a button at his command terminal, “But it will take some time to spread throughout his systems…”
“Then we need a distraction! We’ll use the Recon/Siege/Patrol Interchangeable Drive-Stalkers!” Broncaster commanded, “Launch the ReSPIDS!”
A frog-like vehicle leapt from a tunnel in the side of the island Acropolis, growing a pair of metal wings, it launched to join its comrades who were flying out from hundreds more rocky crevices.
***
Standing from the roof-top the Rangers looked as the ReSPIDS. flying into the city, their overwhelming number and size making them seem like an undefeatable opponent. The gliders buzzed about, dive-bombing and firing down, causing general mayhem. Buildings exploded and debris flew everywhere innocents fled helplessly.
“Leave this to us!” A voice came from Dexter’s belt and he looked down to his waistline to see the red Slot Card from earlier now moving on its own and speaking with the voice of the avian red car.
“Put us in the Minizords!” A blue device said as the three Slot Cards now hovered in front of the Rangers now all outside their compartments in the individual utility belts.
“And we’ll be summoned to your aid!” The yellow Slot Card said, spinning in midair.
“Minizords?” Dexter asked quizzically.
***
The man in the shady silver RV lifted up his cap from his face revealing a pair of kind old eyes. “That’s my cue.” he said, lifting a red and silver case from the dashboard and walking it over to a pedestal. Placing the metal case on a glowing square, he pressed a button and it began to spin, vanishing from the mysterious vehicle and appearing before the Rangers.
“Mach Minizords transported.”
***
“That was convenient,” Aubree said as she and the others bent over to inspect the red and silver case which flipped open to reveal miniaturized versions of the animal-like Mach-Stars they had met in the other dimension. Drawing out the ones that corresponded to the color they thrust them out before them.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Red ranger shouted as he pushed the rectangular device into the open slot of the Minizord.
“Mach Hawk!” The tiny crimson Zord shouted as it came to life.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Blue Ranger shouted as he out his blue apparatus into the back of his tiny bus Zord.
“Lion Decker!” The tiny blue Mach-Star roared.
“Slot Card Interface!” The Yellow Ranger shouted as she placed her Slot Card into the back of her tiny off-road vehicle.
“Bear Buggy!” The round yellow Zord shouted excitedly.
The Mach Minizords revved and launched from the Rangers’ hands and grew larger and larger until they were their normal size. Speeding around they appeared behind their human counterparts several stories taller.
The Power Rangers leapt high into the air, leaving colored streaks behind them as they entered the Mach-Stars’ cockpits. Each placed their Mach-Cell Morpher on the steering wheel where it attached and the three Zords raced through the streets into danger as ReGS attacked from all directions.
“Let’s divide and conquer!” Mach Hawk said excitedly and the others obliged as the giant avian sports-car sped off on its own. A few flying machines landed in the streets firing on the oncoming Zord as others flew overhead.
“Flight Mode!” Dexter shouted as he flipping some switches. Wings lowered down at Mach Hawk’s sides. Its wheels spun faster and faster as a pair of talons dropped, launching them into the air. The red Zord tore through the skies and struck at one of the ReSPIDS with one of its underside appendages. Capturing it in his grasp, the flying car dive-bombed, bringing the Helixid-piloted craft crashing down into the top of a building. Mach Hawk straightened out and raced back down to earth without braking.
Lion Decker chased down a group of hopping machines. “Give it some gas, Burke,” The huge bus said, “We’ve almost got ’em now,”
“Gotcha!” The Blue Ranger said as he pressed down on the accelerator. The hopping Drive-Stalkers rounded a corner, vanishing behind some buildings. Revealing their feint, the long-legged machines appeared again, charging straight towards them all weapons firing at full force.
“I hope you aren’t planning on playing chicken against a lion,” Lion Decker said with a pleasant chuckle as his eyes narrowed and crashed into the oncoming ReSPIDS plowing right through them.
“Let’s not let the boys have all the fun!” Aubree shouted from within the cockpit of her Zord, one hand on the wheel.
“Persistent jerks!” Bear Buggy shouted as she raced forward, launching off a makeshift ramp of debris at a group of gliding machines, “Buggy Bite!” Her huge mechanical jaws smashed down on an unsuspecting aircraft. The Helixid piloting it cried out as its vehicle exploded and the off-roading Zord touched down, hard and bounced on hefty wheels.
“Let’s finish it, partner!” Lion Decker said with slanted eyes filled with anger although he did not project it so much in his voice.
“Let’s show them not to underestimate us!” Burke said as he pressed a blue button.
“Mach-3 Artillery!” The lion-faced vehicle said and his back opened up to reveal a missile pod. Firing off all of his ammunition, he took down their flying enemies in a flash. The last of the ReSPIDS fell back down to earth in a ball of fire.
***
“Perfect timing! The Enigmium boost has spread throughout Brimstove’s systems!” Oxsidious shouted flamboyantly to his comrades who were less thrilled about losing an armada of ReSPIDS than he was, “Now time for round two!”
At the bottom of the long drop, he had descended the ogre-faced Acropoloid’s eyes opened and he pushed himself to his feet. Now overflowing with energy he stomped the ground energetically and shouted, “Industrial Strength!” Brimstove was engulfed in a blue light that made his body grow and grow until he was standing over the three Mach-Stars as if they were toys.
“Power Rangers! Prepare to burn!” He shouted with a deep cackling laugh that resounded throughout all of Ember Falls.
“This is bad!” The Red Ranger said, craning up observantly, “That’s one huge hot-head!”
“Not a problem!” The matured voice of Lion Decker said with determination.
“Let’s go with guts!” Bear Buggy shouted excitedly.
“And activate our trump card!” Mach Hawk shouted with conviction, “Totem Pole Position time, guys!”
“Totem Pole Position!” The Rangers and Mach-Stars shouted in unison as the Red Ranger pulled the clutch down to a glowing red G-symbol and pressed hard on the accelerator.
A silver, bladed turbine spun quickly as light blue particles gathered, rotating with the machine as well. Every single instrument within Mach Hawk was revving up to its maximum as the back half of the red Zord adjusted and flipped forward on each side of the avian machine’s hood. A pair of arms flipped forward like talons as the Red Ranger adjusted something on his dashboard as the mechanical arms came to life. Bear Buggy raced forward, docking on to Mach Hawk’s undercarriage, its own axles shifting, flipping its own undercarriage on to the back of the combined machine. Lion Decker roared forward his face flipping down and the back end of the vehicle split to form a pair of broad robot legs. The combination of the yellow and red Zords soon docked with the blue bus as the titan began to take human shape.
The eyes of the Mach-Stars slanted as Mach Hawk’s engine block flipped back to reveal a face and helmet. The huge mecha flew forward, looking much like a warrior totem pole of animal faces.
“Mach-3 Megazord!” The Rangers shouted, “Top Gear!” A titanic robotic foot screeched against the streets of Ember Falls, coming to an abrupt halt the humanoid machine struck a pose, facing off across from Brimstove.
“You don’t scare me!” The red-faced metallic machine shouted as dark plumes gathered around its horns, “You might as well be blowing smoke!”
The dark gas shot out, rocking the Megazord with fiery bursts around its feet. Undaunted, the totem-pole faced machine began its charge. The blasts became more powerful and the titan began to slow.
“We can’t get any closer like this!” The Blue Ranger shouted.
“Hold tight gang!” The Red Ranger shouted, but it was growing harder and harder to repel the explosive fumes. The huge Megazord began to falter in its step as the rocking burst repelled it from its momentum. The billowing menace cackled wildly as its dark smoke consumed its foe with chances of pulling through lessening by the second.
To Be Continued.
***