Ryuranger
11-20-2003, 06:04 PM
“More happened at Kilwan than the destruction of a Kilrathi war group.”
-- R.H. Greene, 2111
“Astro Ranger: Behind the Masks”
---Ultimate Power Rangers
---Season 05
---Digital Task Force Astro Rangers
---Chapter Five: Scorpion’s Sting
The open dusty roads of Valice Prime were bustling with activity as street merchants looked to sell everything from fruit to warp cores.
A trio of cloaked figures walked through the streets, trying their best to avoid the hagglers that popped up at them left and right. Such attire was not uncommon in the small village, so no one could tell that the three individuals didn’t belong.
They turned a corner past a group of insectoid-type aliens. The cloaked figure in the center of the trio, Tommy, noticed a small group of leather-clad individuals stalking through the streets.
“We’re being followed,” he said.
“Already taken care of,” Cy said.
“How?” Justin asked.
“Remember that group of Calamarians? I left a little gift on their table,” Cy said.
“What gift?” Tommy asked.
The squid-like Calamarians Cy spoke of leapt and screamed with fright as a small group of insects ran across its fruit stand. Their fear was quite aggressive as they knocked the table over and began kicking it.
The three teens ducked down a corner while the group dressed in leather was distracted with trying to calm the Calamarians down by using force.
“They have an unusually strong fear of insects bred into them,” Cy said as the trio continued to walk.
“This is the place,” Justin said as they stopped in front of a rusty metal door fastened to a wooden shack.
Tommy reached up to knock, and was surprised as the door creaked open by the small force of his first knock. He looked at his two teammates, silently signaling each of them to finger their blasters as they cautiously went inside.
As soon as the three entered, the door slammed shut and arms wrapped around their throats.
They each grabbed the arms of their assailants, twisted, and struck them down.
“Stop!” a voice said from in front of them. They turned to see small framed male walk towards them as he pulled back his cloak. His face and hair were pale white, as were the small stumps on either side of his head. His eyes were dark red and dotted with small black spots. “Were you followed?”
“No,” Tommy said as he and the others pulled back their hoods. “There were a few guards further down the street, but they were distracted.”
“They will show us no mercy if caught,” the man said.
“Then it’s best to act quickly,” Cy said. “Our merchandise…”
The man nodded and walked back to a table that looked like it was made of straw. On top of the table was a wooden crate he creaked open. He pulled out a small glass tube filled with a glittery substance that seemed to flow within its confines.
“Pure Triterium,” he said. The Rangers needed the Triterium to repair their damaged Mega Accelerator. The Accelerator was what allowed the ship to transform into its megazord mode. The ship’s engines had been damaged as well, so their options on where to quickly seize Triterium had been limited.
Valice Prime had an ample supply, but its government was run by corrupt war hungry soldiers who sold out to Sauron. The Rangers made contact with the planet’s black market in order to get their hands on the much needed substance. It was carefully guarded due to its potential for destructive capabilities.
“That will be 2600 credits,” the man demanded.
“We agreed on 1600,” Tommy said.
The three men that had grabbed a hold of the rangers pulled out their side arms and aimed them at the teens’ heads while standing behind them barely out of arms reach. One guard standing behind the leader drew his sidearm and aimed it as well.
“Unfortunately, prices have gone up,” the man said. “I’m sure you can understand.”
“We don’t have that much,” Justin said.
“Of course you do,” the man said as he pulled a data pad off of his table. “My people get me hacked information on all ships docked here. You’re with the Yankee Pride. According to your ship’s smuggling records, 2600 credits will hardly put a dent in your wallets.”
The records for the Megaship had been falsified to go along with their holo-disguise fashioned by Ashley. They moved away from the Blue Voyager facade after the incident at Halcaron.
“What do a bunch of smugglers want with Triterium anyway?” the man asked.
“Shouldn’t that be obvious?” Justin asked. “You’re new at this aren’t you.”
The bumps on the man’s head shifted backwards. “Hardly.”
“Would you really risk opening fire in here?” Tommy asked. “With all those soldiers just down the street. Hell, they could be next door by now.”
The man’s horns twitched. “Don’t tempt me. Now pay and be gone. This transaction is taking far too long.”
“I suggest you listen to him,” Justin said.
“Why?” the man asked.
“Because he’s holding a thermal detonator,” Justin said as Tommy pulled his hand out of the cloak to reveal the device. It was of course fake.
“This is a dead man’s switch. If my finger comes off it while it’s activated, we’re all dust,” Tommy said.
“You’d die along with us,” the man said, fear visible in his face.
“I don’t fear death,” Tommy said, glad no one could tell the bomb was an elaborate fake.
Before the man could answer, a small cylinder smashed through the wall and landed on the floor.
“Down!” the white-faced man shouted as everyone ducked for cover and the object flashed with a blinding light, sending a sonic pulse crashing through the room.
Leather-clad soldiers busted inside the room with energy rifles in hand as they grabbed the rangers and rebels by their cloaks and lifted them up.
One of the guards had Tommy by the throat and slammed his head against a wall. “Which cell are you with? Answer quickly.”
Tommy did a quick survey of the room with his eyes, and despite the pounding in his head from the grenade, developed an attack strategy.
In one fluid motion, he placed his left hand on the man’s wrist and brought his right hand hard against the man’s elbow, snapping his arm in two. Tommy then twisted around, grabbing the man’s side arm and pulling out his own. He aimed the two weapons at the two soldiers near his teammates and struck them down before they could fire their own weapons.
The two soldiers at the rear of the room were about to open fire when Tommy kicked the table back at them, knocking them over.
“Ashley, anytime,” Tommy said into his communicator as he rubbed the back of his head.
Three more soldiers ran into the shack with their guns blazing, but the earth was tore out from under them as a large blue tank bore out from the ground. It was the Astro Megatank.
“Right on time,” Justin said as the door to the tank opened. Ashley was at the driver’s seat.
“Get in already,” she said to the guys as they grabbed the canister of Triterium and hopped into the tank. More soldiers appeared, but their shots bounced harmless off the tank as it drilled back through the ground.
***
Chris and Kat stood outside the Megaship’s boarding ramp as the vessel sat alone in a wide hanger bay.
“They should be back by now,” Chris said as he paced back and forth.
“They’ll be here,” Kat said reassuringly.
Just then, a group of soldiers piled into the hanger. “Don’t move! Your vessel will be impounded and you will be taken into custody.”
“DECA,” Chris said into his communicator as a double-barrel cannon dropped from the bottom of the ship and fired rapidly, mowing down most of the soldiers as Chris and Kat ran up the boarding ramp while squeezing off shots with their own weapons.
“Tommy, looks like we’ll have to go with Plan B,” Chris said into his communicator as he and Kat ran through the ship’s main corridor towards the bridge.
***
Valician soldiers surrounded the hanger building and set up large energy cannons designed to punch through hull plating.
Before the soldiers could squeeze of a shot, the front end of the hanger exploded and the Astro Megaship blasted through the opening. In its holo-cloak, it resembled a rust colored blackbird-style jet.
“Quite an escape,” Kat said on the bridge.
“Surreal,” Chris said as he scanned for the Megatank. “I’ve got a lock on em.”
“I’ll let them know we’re coming,” Kat said.
***
The Megatank neared the surface as it continued to boar through rock and soil.
“Hang on, this next part’s tricky,” Ashley said as the tank sprang up from the ground and landed on a dirt road in a lesser populated area of the city.
The Rangers were nearly shaken from their seats as the tank landed on all tires and screeched forward.
“Nice driving,” Tommy said.
“Thanks,” Ashley said.
“There’s Chris and Kat,” Justin said as he saw the Megaship fly over them from the viewport.
“Cy, bring the grappler up,” Tommy said.
Cy nodded and activated the tank’s grappling system. The grappling gun fired and latched onto the bottom of the Megaship’s hull.
“We’re going to have to reel you in quick,” Chris said from the tank’s communicator. “The military’s scrambled its fighters. Kat’s been listening to their broadcasts and they’re convinced we’re terrorists.”
“Been called worse,” Justin said.
The tank was lifted into the air, but the cable snapped and the tank slammed back to the ground.
“That cable was supposed to hold,” Ashley said.
“Have Chris land the ship and we’ll take it up the ramp,” Tommy said.
“Bad idea,” Ashley said. “We have company.”
A group of four hover-sleds blasted over a hill and zoomed towards the Megatank. Rapid-fire gattling guns were attached to the tops of the sleds and opened fire on the tank as Ashley guided the craft through evasive maneuvers.
Tommy pulled out his scanner and tried to ignore the bumps and jolts as Ashley tried to avoid the hovercrafts’ assaults.
“Head for that cliff to your right,” Tommy said. “I have an idea.”
The tank almost tipped over as Ashley made a hard left. The hovercraft stayed tight on the Megatank’s tail. Cy pulled out his two side arms.
“Open the side hatch,” he said.
“Be careful out there,” Justin said as Cy leaned out the open hatch and started shooting at the hovercraft.
“What do we do once we get to the cliff?” Ashley asked as Tommy continued to read over his scanner.
“Go as fast as possible,” Tommy said as he activated his communicator and opened a channel with the Megaship. “Chris, I’m sending you some coordinates. I need you to get their ASAP.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ashley said.
“Me too,” Tommy said.
Cy fired off another round of shots and blew an outtake vent out from the lead hovercraft. The pursuit craft lost control and rolled across the ground as it burst into flames.
“Nice shot,” Justin said.
“Thanks,” Cy said as he reloaded his energy cartridges.
Ashley saw the edge of the cliff through the forward viewport as the Megaship hovered several meters in front of it. The Megaship lowered its rear boarding ramp.
“We’re in position,” Kat said over Tommy’s communicator.
“Floor it,” Tommy said.
The Megatank drove off the cliff and jet forward it flew into the docking bay and flipped upside down as it screeched to a halt. The boarding ramp closed and the Megaship blasted towards the sky.
The hovercrafts pulled to a halt by the cliff and radioed sky-support for back up.
***
The rangers all joined on the bridge as the Megaship left the planet’s atmosphere.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Justin said.
“Me either,” Tommy said as he moved to his station.
Kat was monitoring military frequencies between the surface and space. “They’re sending fighters after us.”
“Polarize the hull plating,” Tommy said. “Bring the Megalasers online. Ashley, how’s our little escape package looking?”
“It should work,” she said. “The timing has to be just right, though.”
“A group of fighters is coming at our starboard side,” Chris said.
“Armaments?” Cy asked.
Justin reported from his station. “High yield torpedoes, particle beam cannons, some of them have plasma weapons.”
“Alright,” Tommy said, “head out on our escape vector, full throttle.”
The Megaship blasted away from the planet as the fighters formed up and launched a barrage of torpedoes. The missiles that weren’t destroyed by the ship’s Megalasers crashed against the hull.
“We’re approaching the tractor field grid,” Chris reported. The grid surrounded the entire planet and made escape almost entirely possible. Any ship trying to flee could be latched onto before reaching far enough for a hyperspace jump.
“Keep us steady,” Tommy said. “Brace for impact…”
The Megaship slammed to a complete stop as a trio of tractor beams latched onto the hull plating.
“Full barrage, all cannons,” Tommy ordered as each of the Megaship’s weapons platforms opened fire.
The Valician fighters opened fire with missile salvos designed to destroy the ship’s weapon platforms. One missile struck the aft engine, and the entire aft of the ship erupted into flames. A giant ball of fire consumed the Megaship. When the flames cleared, only a cloud of dust remained.
“The vessel has been destroyed,” the leader of the fighter wing reported back to its headquarters. “We are returning to base.”
***
The black hood was lifted from the pale-faced rebel’s head as he looked around the dark strange room he had been dragged to. It appeared hive-like, and pulsed with energy making it appear almost alive.
The man, Zekar, didn’t remember anything past the flash grenade’s detonation in his shack. He assumed he’d been picked up by authorities. He was wrong.
The creature that had lifted his hood tossed him to the ground. The wall in front of him irised open and a large scorpion creature crawled out.
“Do you know why I have brought you here, whelp?” the scorpion asked.
Zekar recognized the creature as Scorpios. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he shook his head.
“I control all in this sector of space. Every crime from thievery to murder that occurs does so only because I allow it,” Scorpios said. “Nothing is beneath my notice or control.”
Zekar nodded.
“When events transpire that go against my design, it is by no fault of my own, but the inefficiencies of my underlings. Do you understand why you are here now, whelp?” Scorpios asked.
The man shook his head.
“The vessel that escaped your system recently. You were supplying them with illegal goods and I want to know who they were,” Scorpios said.
Zekar shook his head. “That vessel was destroyed.”
“You are as incompetent as the government you oppose,” Scorpios said. “They are alive and well. What do you know about them?”
“Only that they are smugglers of considerable wealth and fortune,” Zekar said. “I believe a terrorist group of some kind was using them as the middle man to secure a supply of Triterium. They all appeared human.”
“Their records were of course falsified, so your information is useless,” Scorpios said. “Is there anything of worth you know of them? A destination they mentioned? Anything?”
Zekar shook his head, and Scorpios knew he was telling the truth. He had a low level skill for telepathy that allowed him to sense such things.
“Unfortunate…Furio…”
At Scorpios’s command, Furio unsheathed his sword and decapitated Zekar.
“We must work quickly, general,” Scorpios said. “I suspect Zordon’s elk are behind this.”
“Shall I contact her highness Astronema?” Furio asked.
Scorpios vocalized his version of a laugh. “No. That child is in over her head. I question the authority granted to her by Sauron.”
“Then why swear allegiance to him?” Furio asked.
“To openly oppose Sauron is to guarantee death,” Scorpios said.
***
“Good work, Ashley,” Tommy said on the bridge.
“Yeah,” Justin said. “That was crazy, but it sure worked.”
Ashley had rigged a mesh patched with explosives around the hull. It was the mesh the tractor beams had grabbed a hold of, so Ashley simply detonated the mesh and jumped to Hyperspace before the tractor beams could latch on to their hull.
“Where to now?” Kat asked.
“Anything interesting, Chris?” Tommy asked.
“I’ll check,” Chris said as he monitored data retrieved from the few probes they’d dropped so far. Ashley also reconfigured the ship’s computer to hack into several sensor networks throughout the galaxy.
“It looks like Sauron’s forces are setting up to take a system called Drilax,” Chris said.
“If Sauron takes the Drilax system, he’ll be able to push out of this region of space,” Cy said.
“Any sign of Zordon?” Tommy asked.
Chris shook his head.
Tommy sighed. “Let’s get to the Drilax system, then. We’ll warn them of Sauron’s advance. Then we’ll push back into Sauron’s territory and gather whatever information we can about Zordon.”
Cy nodded. “I’ll pull up a list of locations where we can gather information.”
Tommy nodded. “Good.”
The Astro Megaship altered its course and headed for the Drilax system.
***
Astronema’s Dark Fortress swirled through the vacuum of space near the Golios Cluster. Ships of various sizes were amassing there to launch an assault into the Drilax System.
Astronema sat in her ready room, reviewing a report Eclipter handed her on a data pad.
“So…Scorpios thinks he’ll be able to catch the Rangers and win Sauron’s favor over me?”
“He is a fool, empress,” Eclipter said. “He claims the Verachian Sector as his own.”
Astronema smiled. “Send a scout team to watch him. If the Rangers don’t kill him, have the team punish him for acting outside the will of Sauron.”
“And what of the Rangers?” Eclipter asked.
“Their time will soon come,” Astronema said.
***
Ashley hung upside down from the engine room ceiling as she worked on one of the conduits.
“How’s the view up there?” Justin asked as he walked in.
“Not bad,” Ashley said. “Just tweaking a few things.”
“What’s on your mind?” Justin asked.
“Same thing that’s been on my mind this whole trip,” Ashley said.
“You always try to act tough, but when it comes down to it, you’re such a girl,” Justin said with a grin.
“Don’t make me drop a hydro-spanner on your head,” Ashley said.
“They actually make those?” Justin asked. Ashley rolled her eyes.
“So what is it about Tommy that’s bugging you this time?” Justin asked.
“He has a secret,” Ashley said. “A big secret.”
Justin shrugged. “Well, yeah. That’s how he is. He’s a private guy.”
Ashley sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to accept that…or…”
Justin shook his head and held up his hands. “Oh, no. No way I’m helping you spy on Tommy.”
“Oh come on,” Ashley said. “It’ll be fun.”
“What, are we back in High School now?” Justin asked. “Need I remind you what happened freshman year with Bill Dexter.”
Ashley chuckled. “Did his hair ever grow back?”
“Because that’s what’s important,” Justin said.
“Oh come on,” Ashley said as she lowered herself to the deck. “You’re just as anxious to find out what he’s hiding as I am.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea,” Justin said.
“Meet me in my quarters after your shift and we’ll make a plan,” Ashley said.
“I have no choice, huh?” Justin said.
“Nope,” she said as she started walking out of the engine room. “See ya later.”
***
Scorpios’s ship moved through space with fluidity that only a living bio-ship possessed. Deep inside the vessel, three creatures with lion-like features stood in front of Scorpios. They wore armor tinted with dark green, and small breath masks connected to tanks worn on their belts. The atmosphere of their homeworld contained a unique spore required for their survival, and the tanks produced those spores.
“The Kilrathi Imperium has sworn allegiance to Sauron’s forces,” the lead Kilrathi said.
“As have I,” Scorpios said. “The act I am proposing does not go against the dark monarch, but advances his cause.”
“We do not trust your motive,” the lead Kilrathi, Garood said.
“The mages of Kilwan are second to only those on Eltar,” Scorpios said. “You are in a position to launch a crippling blow against them. Sauron will of course applaud your initiative.”
“What is in it for you?” Garood asked.
“I would assist your efforts, gaining favor with Sauron as well,” Scorpios said.
“What’s to stop us from attacking Kilwan on our own?” Garood asked.
“Failure,” Scorpios said. “Your military forces are exceptional but not enough to fight a force of magick. That will require unconventional means. Means I can supply you with.”
“My people prefer not to associate with those who use Kriveshi in their battles,” Garood said. Kriveshi was the Kilrathi word for monsters and grunts. “They are without honor.”
“You forget the honor you would win if you conquer Kilwan,” Scorpios said. “The Kilrathi Imperium would become the backbone of Sauron’s military force.”
The Kilrathi looked down for a moment as he thought, then his gaze drifted back towards Scorpios. “I will discuss your proposal with my superiors.”
“Very well,” Scorpios said.
***
-- R.H. Greene, 2111
“Astro Ranger: Behind the Masks”
---Ultimate Power Rangers
---Season 05
---Digital Task Force Astro Rangers
---Chapter Five: Scorpion’s Sting
The open dusty roads of Valice Prime were bustling with activity as street merchants looked to sell everything from fruit to warp cores.
A trio of cloaked figures walked through the streets, trying their best to avoid the hagglers that popped up at them left and right. Such attire was not uncommon in the small village, so no one could tell that the three individuals didn’t belong.
They turned a corner past a group of insectoid-type aliens. The cloaked figure in the center of the trio, Tommy, noticed a small group of leather-clad individuals stalking through the streets.
“We’re being followed,” he said.
“Already taken care of,” Cy said.
“How?” Justin asked.
“Remember that group of Calamarians? I left a little gift on their table,” Cy said.
“What gift?” Tommy asked.
The squid-like Calamarians Cy spoke of leapt and screamed with fright as a small group of insects ran across its fruit stand. Their fear was quite aggressive as they knocked the table over and began kicking it.
The three teens ducked down a corner while the group dressed in leather was distracted with trying to calm the Calamarians down by using force.
“They have an unusually strong fear of insects bred into them,” Cy said as the trio continued to walk.
“This is the place,” Justin said as they stopped in front of a rusty metal door fastened to a wooden shack.
Tommy reached up to knock, and was surprised as the door creaked open by the small force of his first knock. He looked at his two teammates, silently signaling each of them to finger their blasters as they cautiously went inside.
As soon as the three entered, the door slammed shut and arms wrapped around their throats.
They each grabbed the arms of their assailants, twisted, and struck them down.
“Stop!” a voice said from in front of them. They turned to see small framed male walk towards them as he pulled back his cloak. His face and hair were pale white, as were the small stumps on either side of his head. His eyes were dark red and dotted with small black spots. “Were you followed?”
“No,” Tommy said as he and the others pulled back their hoods. “There were a few guards further down the street, but they were distracted.”
“They will show us no mercy if caught,” the man said.
“Then it’s best to act quickly,” Cy said. “Our merchandise…”
The man nodded and walked back to a table that looked like it was made of straw. On top of the table was a wooden crate he creaked open. He pulled out a small glass tube filled with a glittery substance that seemed to flow within its confines.
“Pure Triterium,” he said. The Rangers needed the Triterium to repair their damaged Mega Accelerator. The Accelerator was what allowed the ship to transform into its megazord mode. The ship’s engines had been damaged as well, so their options on where to quickly seize Triterium had been limited.
Valice Prime had an ample supply, but its government was run by corrupt war hungry soldiers who sold out to Sauron. The Rangers made contact with the planet’s black market in order to get their hands on the much needed substance. It was carefully guarded due to its potential for destructive capabilities.
“That will be 2600 credits,” the man demanded.
“We agreed on 1600,” Tommy said.
The three men that had grabbed a hold of the rangers pulled out their side arms and aimed them at the teens’ heads while standing behind them barely out of arms reach. One guard standing behind the leader drew his sidearm and aimed it as well.
“Unfortunately, prices have gone up,” the man said. “I’m sure you can understand.”
“We don’t have that much,” Justin said.
“Of course you do,” the man said as he pulled a data pad off of his table. “My people get me hacked information on all ships docked here. You’re with the Yankee Pride. According to your ship’s smuggling records, 2600 credits will hardly put a dent in your wallets.”
The records for the Megaship had been falsified to go along with their holo-disguise fashioned by Ashley. They moved away from the Blue Voyager facade after the incident at Halcaron.
“What do a bunch of smugglers want with Triterium anyway?” the man asked.
“Shouldn’t that be obvious?” Justin asked. “You’re new at this aren’t you.”
The bumps on the man’s head shifted backwards. “Hardly.”
“Would you really risk opening fire in here?” Tommy asked. “With all those soldiers just down the street. Hell, they could be next door by now.”
The man’s horns twitched. “Don’t tempt me. Now pay and be gone. This transaction is taking far too long.”
“I suggest you listen to him,” Justin said.
“Why?” the man asked.
“Because he’s holding a thermal detonator,” Justin said as Tommy pulled his hand out of the cloak to reveal the device. It was of course fake.
“This is a dead man’s switch. If my finger comes off it while it’s activated, we’re all dust,” Tommy said.
“You’d die along with us,” the man said, fear visible in his face.
“I don’t fear death,” Tommy said, glad no one could tell the bomb was an elaborate fake.
Before the man could answer, a small cylinder smashed through the wall and landed on the floor.
“Down!” the white-faced man shouted as everyone ducked for cover and the object flashed with a blinding light, sending a sonic pulse crashing through the room.
Leather-clad soldiers busted inside the room with energy rifles in hand as they grabbed the rangers and rebels by their cloaks and lifted them up.
One of the guards had Tommy by the throat and slammed his head against a wall. “Which cell are you with? Answer quickly.”
Tommy did a quick survey of the room with his eyes, and despite the pounding in his head from the grenade, developed an attack strategy.
In one fluid motion, he placed his left hand on the man’s wrist and brought his right hand hard against the man’s elbow, snapping his arm in two. Tommy then twisted around, grabbing the man’s side arm and pulling out his own. He aimed the two weapons at the two soldiers near his teammates and struck them down before they could fire their own weapons.
The two soldiers at the rear of the room were about to open fire when Tommy kicked the table back at them, knocking them over.
“Ashley, anytime,” Tommy said into his communicator as he rubbed the back of his head.
Three more soldiers ran into the shack with their guns blazing, but the earth was tore out from under them as a large blue tank bore out from the ground. It was the Astro Megatank.
“Right on time,” Justin said as the door to the tank opened. Ashley was at the driver’s seat.
“Get in already,” she said to the guys as they grabbed the canister of Triterium and hopped into the tank. More soldiers appeared, but their shots bounced harmless off the tank as it drilled back through the ground.
***
Chris and Kat stood outside the Megaship’s boarding ramp as the vessel sat alone in a wide hanger bay.
“They should be back by now,” Chris said as he paced back and forth.
“They’ll be here,” Kat said reassuringly.
Just then, a group of soldiers piled into the hanger. “Don’t move! Your vessel will be impounded and you will be taken into custody.”
“DECA,” Chris said into his communicator as a double-barrel cannon dropped from the bottom of the ship and fired rapidly, mowing down most of the soldiers as Chris and Kat ran up the boarding ramp while squeezing off shots with their own weapons.
“Tommy, looks like we’ll have to go with Plan B,” Chris said into his communicator as he and Kat ran through the ship’s main corridor towards the bridge.
***
Valician soldiers surrounded the hanger building and set up large energy cannons designed to punch through hull plating.
Before the soldiers could squeeze of a shot, the front end of the hanger exploded and the Astro Megaship blasted through the opening. In its holo-cloak, it resembled a rust colored blackbird-style jet.
“Quite an escape,” Kat said on the bridge.
“Surreal,” Chris said as he scanned for the Megatank. “I’ve got a lock on em.”
“I’ll let them know we’re coming,” Kat said.
***
The Megatank neared the surface as it continued to boar through rock and soil.
“Hang on, this next part’s tricky,” Ashley said as the tank sprang up from the ground and landed on a dirt road in a lesser populated area of the city.
The Rangers were nearly shaken from their seats as the tank landed on all tires and screeched forward.
“Nice driving,” Tommy said.
“Thanks,” Ashley said.
“There’s Chris and Kat,” Justin said as he saw the Megaship fly over them from the viewport.
“Cy, bring the grappler up,” Tommy said.
Cy nodded and activated the tank’s grappling system. The grappling gun fired and latched onto the bottom of the Megaship’s hull.
“We’re going to have to reel you in quick,” Chris said from the tank’s communicator. “The military’s scrambled its fighters. Kat’s been listening to their broadcasts and they’re convinced we’re terrorists.”
“Been called worse,” Justin said.
The tank was lifted into the air, but the cable snapped and the tank slammed back to the ground.
“That cable was supposed to hold,” Ashley said.
“Have Chris land the ship and we’ll take it up the ramp,” Tommy said.
“Bad idea,” Ashley said. “We have company.”
A group of four hover-sleds blasted over a hill and zoomed towards the Megatank. Rapid-fire gattling guns were attached to the tops of the sleds and opened fire on the tank as Ashley guided the craft through evasive maneuvers.
Tommy pulled out his scanner and tried to ignore the bumps and jolts as Ashley tried to avoid the hovercrafts’ assaults.
“Head for that cliff to your right,” Tommy said. “I have an idea.”
The tank almost tipped over as Ashley made a hard left. The hovercraft stayed tight on the Megatank’s tail. Cy pulled out his two side arms.
“Open the side hatch,” he said.
“Be careful out there,” Justin said as Cy leaned out the open hatch and started shooting at the hovercraft.
“What do we do once we get to the cliff?” Ashley asked as Tommy continued to read over his scanner.
“Go as fast as possible,” Tommy said as he activated his communicator and opened a channel with the Megaship. “Chris, I’m sending you some coordinates. I need you to get their ASAP.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ashley said.
“Me too,” Tommy said.
Cy fired off another round of shots and blew an outtake vent out from the lead hovercraft. The pursuit craft lost control and rolled across the ground as it burst into flames.
“Nice shot,” Justin said.
“Thanks,” Cy said as he reloaded his energy cartridges.
Ashley saw the edge of the cliff through the forward viewport as the Megaship hovered several meters in front of it. The Megaship lowered its rear boarding ramp.
“We’re in position,” Kat said over Tommy’s communicator.
“Floor it,” Tommy said.
The Megatank drove off the cliff and jet forward it flew into the docking bay and flipped upside down as it screeched to a halt. The boarding ramp closed and the Megaship blasted towards the sky.
The hovercrafts pulled to a halt by the cliff and radioed sky-support for back up.
***
The rangers all joined on the bridge as the Megaship left the planet’s atmosphere.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Justin said.
“Me either,” Tommy said as he moved to his station.
Kat was monitoring military frequencies between the surface and space. “They’re sending fighters after us.”
“Polarize the hull plating,” Tommy said. “Bring the Megalasers online. Ashley, how’s our little escape package looking?”
“It should work,” she said. “The timing has to be just right, though.”
“A group of fighters is coming at our starboard side,” Chris said.
“Armaments?” Cy asked.
Justin reported from his station. “High yield torpedoes, particle beam cannons, some of them have plasma weapons.”
“Alright,” Tommy said, “head out on our escape vector, full throttle.”
The Megaship blasted away from the planet as the fighters formed up and launched a barrage of torpedoes. The missiles that weren’t destroyed by the ship’s Megalasers crashed against the hull.
“We’re approaching the tractor field grid,” Chris reported. The grid surrounded the entire planet and made escape almost entirely possible. Any ship trying to flee could be latched onto before reaching far enough for a hyperspace jump.
“Keep us steady,” Tommy said. “Brace for impact…”
The Megaship slammed to a complete stop as a trio of tractor beams latched onto the hull plating.
“Full barrage, all cannons,” Tommy ordered as each of the Megaship’s weapons platforms opened fire.
The Valician fighters opened fire with missile salvos designed to destroy the ship’s weapon platforms. One missile struck the aft engine, and the entire aft of the ship erupted into flames. A giant ball of fire consumed the Megaship. When the flames cleared, only a cloud of dust remained.
“The vessel has been destroyed,” the leader of the fighter wing reported back to its headquarters. “We are returning to base.”
***
The black hood was lifted from the pale-faced rebel’s head as he looked around the dark strange room he had been dragged to. It appeared hive-like, and pulsed with energy making it appear almost alive.
The man, Zekar, didn’t remember anything past the flash grenade’s detonation in his shack. He assumed he’d been picked up by authorities. He was wrong.
The creature that had lifted his hood tossed him to the ground. The wall in front of him irised open and a large scorpion creature crawled out.
“Do you know why I have brought you here, whelp?” the scorpion asked.
Zekar recognized the creature as Scorpios. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he shook his head.
“I control all in this sector of space. Every crime from thievery to murder that occurs does so only because I allow it,” Scorpios said. “Nothing is beneath my notice or control.”
Zekar nodded.
“When events transpire that go against my design, it is by no fault of my own, but the inefficiencies of my underlings. Do you understand why you are here now, whelp?” Scorpios asked.
The man shook his head.
“The vessel that escaped your system recently. You were supplying them with illegal goods and I want to know who they were,” Scorpios said.
Zekar shook his head. “That vessel was destroyed.”
“You are as incompetent as the government you oppose,” Scorpios said. “They are alive and well. What do you know about them?”
“Only that they are smugglers of considerable wealth and fortune,” Zekar said. “I believe a terrorist group of some kind was using them as the middle man to secure a supply of Triterium. They all appeared human.”
“Their records were of course falsified, so your information is useless,” Scorpios said. “Is there anything of worth you know of them? A destination they mentioned? Anything?”
Zekar shook his head, and Scorpios knew he was telling the truth. He had a low level skill for telepathy that allowed him to sense such things.
“Unfortunate…Furio…”
At Scorpios’s command, Furio unsheathed his sword and decapitated Zekar.
“We must work quickly, general,” Scorpios said. “I suspect Zordon’s elk are behind this.”
“Shall I contact her highness Astronema?” Furio asked.
Scorpios vocalized his version of a laugh. “No. That child is in over her head. I question the authority granted to her by Sauron.”
“Then why swear allegiance to him?” Furio asked.
“To openly oppose Sauron is to guarantee death,” Scorpios said.
***
“Good work, Ashley,” Tommy said on the bridge.
“Yeah,” Justin said. “That was crazy, but it sure worked.”
Ashley had rigged a mesh patched with explosives around the hull. It was the mesh the tractor beams had grabbed a hold of, so Ashley simply detonated the mesh and jumped to Hyperspace before the tractor beams could latch on to their hull.
“Where to now?” Kat asked.
“Anything interesting, Chris?” Tommy asked.
“I’ll check,” Chris said as he monitored data retrieved from the few probes they’d dropped so far. Ashley also reconfigured the ship’s computer to hack into several sensor networks throughout the galaxy.
“It looks like Sauron’s forces are setting up to take a system called Drilax,” Chris said.
“If Sauron takes the Drilax system, he’ll be able to push out of this region of space,” Cy said.
“Any sign of Zordon?” Tommy asked.
Chris shook his head.
Tommy sighed. “Let’s get to the Drilax system, then. We’ll warn them of Sauron’s advance. Then we’ll push back into Sauron’s territory and gather whatever information we can about Zordon.”
Cy nodded. “I’ll pull up a list of locations where we can gather information.”
Tommy nodded. “Good.”
The Astro Megaship altered its course and headed for the Drilax system.
***
Astronema’s Dark Fortress swirled through the vacuum of space near the Golios Cluster. Ships of various sizes were amassing there to launch an assault into the Drilax System.
Astronema sat in her ready room, reviewing a report Eclipter handed her on a data pad.
“So…Scorpios thinks he’ll be able to catch the Rangers and win Sauron’s favor over me?”
“He is a fool, empress,” Eclipter said. “He claims the Verachian Sector as his own.”
Astronema smiled. “Send a scout team to watch him. If the Rangers don’t kill him, have the team punish him for acting outside the will of Sauron.”
“And what of the Rangers?” Eclipter asked.
“Their time will soon come,” Astronema said.
***
Ashley hung upside down from the engine room ceiling as she worked on one of the conduits.
“How’s the view up there?” Justin asked as he walked in.
“Not bad,” Ashley said. “Just tweaking a few things.”
“What’s on your mind?” Justin asked.
“Same thing that’s been on my mind this whole trip,” Ashley said.
“You always try to act tough, but when it comes down to it, you’re such a girl,” Justin said with a grin.
“Don’t make me drop a hydro-spanner on your head,” Ashley said.
“They actually make those?” Justin asked. Ashley rolled her eyes.
“So what is it about Tommy that’s bugging you this time?” Justin asked.
“He has a secret,” Ashley said. “A big secret.”
Justin shrugged. “Well, yeah. That’s how he is. He’s a private guy.”
Ashley sighed. “I suppose I’ll have to accept that…or…”
Justin shook his head and held up his hands. “Oh, no. No way I’m helping you spy on Tommy.”
“Oh come on,” Ashley said. “It’ll be fun.”
“What, are we back in High School now?” Justin asked. “Need I remind you what happened freshman year with Bill Dexter.”
Ashley chuckled. “Did his hair ever grow back?”
“Because that’s what’s important,” Justin said.
“Oh come on,” Ashley said as she lowered herself to the deck. “You’re just as anxious to find out what he’s hiding as I am.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea,” Justin said.
“Meet me in my quarters after your shift and we’ll make a plan,” Ashley said.
“I have no choice, huh?” Justin said.
“Nope,” she said as she started walking out of the engine room. “See ya later.”
***
Scorpios’s ship moved through space with fluidity that only a living bio-ship possessed. Deep inside the vessel, three creatures with lion-like features stood in front of Scorpios. They wore armor tinted with dark green, and small breath masks connected to tanks worn on their belts. The atmosphere of their homeworld contained a unique spore required for their survival, and the tanks produced those spores.
“The Kilrathi Imperium has sworn allegiance to Sauron’s forces,” the lead Kilrathi said.
“As have I,” Scorpios said. “The act I am proposing does not go against the dark monarch, but advances his cause.”
“We do not trust your motive,” the lead Kilrathi, Garood said.
“The mages of Kilwan are second to only those on Eltar,” Scorpios said. “You are in a position to launch a crippling blow against them. Sauron will of course applaud your initiative.”
“What is in it for you?” Garood asked.
“I would assist your efforts, gaining favor with Sauron as well,” Scorpios said.
“What’s to stop us from attacking Kilwan on our own?” Garood asked.
“Failure,” Scorpios said. “Your military forces are exceptional but not enough to fight a force of magick. That will require unconventional means. Means I can supply you with.”
“My people prefer not to associate with those who use Kriveshi in their battles,” Garood said. Kriveshi was the Kilrathi word for monsters and grunts. “They are without honor.”
“You forget the honor you would win if you conquer Kilwan,” Scorpios said. “The Kilrathi Imperium would become the backbone of Sauron’s military force.”
The Kilrathi looked down for a moment as he thought, then his gaze drifted back towards Scorpios. “I will discuss your proposal with my superiors.”
“Very well,” Scorpios said.
***