Fires of Olympus Part 3
In a distant and uncharted planet, at least uncharted as far as the council and the UAE are concerned the whirring and grinding of the TARDIS was heard. Near the ruins of an old massive ship the small blue Police Box appeared not far from the remains. When the materialization was completed the Doctor, Zack, Bulk, Trini and Samoht exited the time machine and took a look around.
"Wow. The whole planet is red. " Zack had said looking around at the ground, and the plants that were blossoming nearby.
"Kind of like Mars. Only with a little more life to it. " The Doctor said as he then turned to the ruins of the spaceship. "And death. "
"Doctor what are we doing here?" Samoht asked. "Shouldn't we be gathering evidence against Count Iblis?"
"We are. " The Doctor said. "And I'm going to need your help to get it. Follow me please. " The Doctor led the way with the four Rangers following behind. They were making their way deep in the ruins of the spaceship trying to find something only the Doctor would know where. Finally they found it, in a rupture, leading to a dark corner.
The Doctor looked in to see what was in there. His face kept a neutral expression as he realized what they were looking for was still inside. "I guess after all these years Count Iblis never bothered to dispose of this. "
"Dispose of what?" Trini asked. The Doctor said "Help Bulk open this crack further and you will see. " Trini looked at Bulk wondering what was going on, but Trini and Bulk did what the Doctor ordered and pushed open the ruptured sheet metal as far as it could go. Once the passageway was opened the Rangers were able to see what was inside.
What they saw was a monster. A beast with the torso of a man, yet had cloven hooves that reminded the Rangers of the demons of ancient legend. The Doctor saw it too, and knew that this was not one of the Daemons that he had faced long ago. This was something much worse. "What is it?" Bulk asked.
"It is the remains of one of Iblis's followers. " The Doctor said. "They had sworn their fealty to him listening to his promises not knowing that Iblis was leading them to damnation. His rivals, the Lords of Kobol, tried to stop him by attacking the ship, only for Iblis to survive and be rescued. "
"What are we supposed to do with it?" Samoht asked.
"We take it back with us. " The Doctor said. "We present it to the assembly and confront Iblis with it. " The Rangers all nodded as Zack, Samoht, Bulk and Trini helped the Doctor remove the corpse from its place of entombment. "I feel like a grave robber. " Zack said.
"I know. It does feel ghastly doesn't it?" the Doctor said. "But right now we're out of options. We need to confront Iblis as best we can. This can help. " Sure enough the five got the body into the TARDIS, and the time machine quickly dematerialized from the planet making its way back to Earth.
On board the Zeo Zords the Zeo Rangers could only sit and watch as the Astro Rangers took a pounding outside. Onboard Blue Zeo's computer screen Jessie's image appeared. "Hello Rocky. " Jessie sneered.
"Jessie. What did you do?" Blue Zeo asked. "Why are you doing this?"
"Why?" Jessie asked with a look of surprise. "Because you couldn't save me during the I. D. War Because when you visited the Oil Rig years ago you led to my sister being paralyzed. You hurt us, and in my case killed me. Now we're going to return the favor!" Jessie then stepped back as Psycho Silver appeared on the screen. She smiled evilly and said "Hello Rangers. Payback's a bitch ain't it?"
Blue Zeo was stunned by what he was seeing, but it was Silver Zeo who broke the silence by saying Rocky snap out of it! That's not Jessie!"
"Wh...wh...what do you mean?" Blue Zeo asked.
"She's saying that that's a fake!" Yellow Zeo said. "The Cylons sent her here to get our confidence and screw us royally!" Blue Zeo suddenly got the message and was sorry for even being duped. "What do we do now?" Blue Zeo asked. We have no power, and the Astro's can't hold out forever!" Everyone noticed the Astro Zords starting to take some hits. It would only be a matter of time before they had catastrophic damage from the attacking Cylons.
"Wait! Maybe there's something we can do!" Silver Zeo said as she called out "I NEED SILVER ZEO ZORD POWER NOW!!!"
From San Francisco Bay on Earth the Silver Eagle rose from the waters and took off into space. It streaked to the point where the helpless Sky Zords were and blasted a few Cylon Raiders in its path. Silver Zeo then called "Activate Zeo Central Computer. Interlink with all Sky and Techno Zord systems. " Again the computer obeyed.
Blue Zeo was getting Silver's point. When Jessie was alive she had created an anti-virus program for the zords' computers. Designed to seek out and destroy any virus. Including one that the Belle's could have made. Jessie looked at Blue Zeo and asked with a bite of maliciousness. "What are you doing?"
"Using something you invented! Or rather what Jessie invented!" Blue Zeo said as Silver Zeo's voice broke through the intercom. "Engage Anti-Virus program!"
Silver Eagle obeyed and the anti-virus program went into every zords' computer. The virus was rapidly losing its potency, and soon the computer was completely clean. As soon as systems were back on line Skull said "Thanks Cassidy. "
"No problem. I'm just glad my predecessor put in that anti virus software. " Silver Zeo said.
"But you knew how to use it. " Red Zeo said. "Welcome to the team Cassidy. "
"Tommy speaks for all of us. " Pink Zeo said. "Now let's help the Astros against those Cylons!"
The zords all made their way to the battle where the Astro Rangers were facing Cylon Raiders alone. Some blasts from the Zeo weapons insured that the Space Rangers didn't have to fight alone.
Pink Zeo and Yellow Zeo flew together, side by side, like wingmates in a fighter battle. Each one watching the other's back as they cut through the swarm of Cylon fighters.
Green and Blue Zeo were paired up as they attacked the Cylons in their way. While Blue Zeo was still distressed about the betrayal of Jessie, he didn't let it doubt his resolve. Both Rangers fired their weapons, and where Cylon fighters once flew were now fireballs that disappeared in the vacuum of space.
Red Zeo and Red Astro demonstrated their warriors resolve in their attacks. Each blast hit with precision, and then for good measure transformed their respective zords into Megazord mode and blasted raiders in those modes too. The Cylon ships explosions seemed like knocking down ducks in a shooting gallery.
Pink and Green Astro had flown their zords with equal skill to their fellow Rangers. Green however wondered how her friend Silver Zeo was holding up since she transferred over to the Silver Eagle and fought Cylons that way. An explosion nearby answered Green Astro's question as a Raider was destroyed by Silver Zeo's weapons. "Peachy. " She said.
"Show off!" Green Astro said with a smile under her helmet.
Black and Blue Astro were really cutting through Cylons. Fortunately they had the help of Pyramidas and the Astro Megaship providing cover fire. Many ships were destroyed, yet compared to the amount coming in to replace them, the destroyed Cylon Raiders seemed to be only a tiny fraction of those that were either coming into battle or were in battle. The Rangers couldn't hold out forever, and they knew it.
"Guys we'll need help before long!" Gold Astro said.
"Great idea Sabrina. Any idea where we can get it?" Green Zeo said.
On board Pyramidas a sensor contact appeared on the scanner. It looked big, and had several other targets coming in. ~ Was it more Cylons?~ White Zeo wondered. He hoped not.
Suddenly Pyramidas's warbook flashed on giving the identification of the incoming ships, and White Zeo's face turned up in a smile.
The ships coming in were Triforian battle cruisers.
Out of Hyperrush came a large pyramid shaped ship, flanked by several smaller ones. On board the main ship Tirol looked out at the battle, and saw the Rangers being hopelessly outnumbered even though they were putting forth a good fight.
"Launch all fighters!" Tirol ordered. At his command the Triforian Star Fighters launched from the main ships ready to fight against the Cylon aggression. The stakes had increased in good's favor.
How much they increased remained to be seen.
Everyone was surprised to see the Power Rangers in the U. N. Assembly. Iblis especially but his face didn't show surprise. He did however feel a disturbance somewhere, an absence of presence. Almost as if someone had been somewhere in Iblis's past and they didn't want him to find out who they were or where they went. He wondered who would have that power, but his attention had to remain focused on the Rangers that entered the U. N. General Assembly.
The Secretary-General then stepped forward and addressed them. "Power Rangers. To what do we owe the honor of this visit?"
Red Morphin stepped forward and addressed the assembly. "Senator Palmer is right in that we should question the being that is here before us. Sure he comes off as a benign saint, but is that what he really is?" Palmer looked at the Rangers and was glad they picked up on his point. He then turned to Iblis and asked whether or not he could answer that question.
Zeo Knight then stepped forward. "As Rangers we have fought the darkest evil, but sometimes that evil can hide behind a pleasing facade. Can you look at this being and not be one hundred percent that he doesn't have some sort of hidden agenda?"
<i> "Quite interesting speculations Red Ranger and Zeo Knight. " </i> Iblis stated as he remained calm and collected. <i> "But how can you back them up?" </i> <br>
"Let's start with the obvious question. " Zeo Shadow said. "What is your name?"
<i> "I have been known by many. Which one would you prefer I take?" </i> <br>
"How about we give a few. " Purple Morphin said. "Beelzebub, Mephistopholes, Satan, the Devil, and the one you are most know by...Count Iblis!"
The whole assembly was in an uproar. 'Could the Power Rangers be right?' they all wondered. 'Could the being before them be the devil himself?' The Secretary-General asked "Rangers, can you back up your claims?"
Zeo Psi then spoke. "I sensed maliciousness about this being. A sinister intent. But I know that that is not enough to warrant our belief. So let me ask this. Why did he go about the way he did? Why does he ask that we all surrender ourselves to him? If he is so benign why does he want us to turn our freedom of choice over?" she asked reflecting Senator Palmer's questions.
<i> "Because I need your belief and acceptance of me if I am to protect you. " </i> Iblis answered.<br>
Zeo Psi then looked at Iblis and asked "God never asked for us to give up our free will. He only asks us for our belief. Those that seek shall find. "
<i> "But where is God?" </i> Iblis asked. <i> "Why is he not here to protect you?" </i> <br>
"Maybe he is. " Terry said. "Or rather his children are. " Everyone turned to look at Terry Bogard as he then spoke. "I've never been a man of faith, just one of battle. But I do like to think that there is some force out there looking after us. Protecting us, guiding us to some greater purpose, seeking to protect us from those that want to have their own way with us as a species. "
<i> "Like the Q?" </i> Iblis asked. The Rangers and Outsiders felt chills run down their spines when Iblis mentioned them. The fun and games they decided to have with people's lives as if they were toys and nothing but.<br>
"No. Not the Q. " White Morphin said. "Something good that allows us to choose our OWN paths! Not those dictated to us by others who seek to control and dominate us! And that is what you want to do!"
"Is this going somewhere?" the representative of Iraq asked. "Or do we continue to hear arguing back and forth? Our planet is in peril, and we need a decision now!"
This was where Laocorn decided to speak up. "Tell us something...SIR!" Laocorn emphasized the 'sir' because the proof hadn't been offered that Iblis was in fact what the Rangers and Outsiders knew he was. "What has happened to the Cylons? Where did they go?"
<i> "Far away. " </i> Iblis answered.<br>
"How far?" Laocorn then asked. "The next galaxy? A new universe? The moon?"
<i> "They are far. " </i> <br>
"Not too far. " Blue Morphin said as he activated his communicator. "Zordon do we have the sensor contacts?"
"Affirmative!" Zordon said over the comm link. "Alpha has established a link with the battle. He is bringing the battle on screen. " The main viewer went on in the assembly hall and soon everyone saw the Zeo and Astro Rangers fighting out in space. Blue Morphin then stepped up and said "This is from lunar orbit. The Zeo and Astro Ranger teams are going against the Cylons hoping to stop them from launching another attack!"
The representatives watched the attack unfold, and they saw the Rangers being on the receiving end of the Cylon attack. They were all stunned, shocked, and some even prayed for their safety. Iblis however paid it no mind. They don't seem to be fairing too well. " Iblis said with a sneer. "It looks like they will be defeated soon. Which gives the people of this planet all the more reason to follow me. I will protect them. I will nurture them. "
"Like you nurtured other races that decided to follow you. " A voice said from the doorway. Everyone turned to see the Doctor, Black Morphin, Green Morphin, Yellow Morphin and Gold Zeo carrying something under a blanket. Iblis saw the shape and suddenly knew what it was. He could not believe that the Rangers knew of 'that'. Iblis looked at the Doctor and could tell who was behind the 'absence' he felt, and where it was.
Palmer looked at Iblis and saw a loss of composure in him. "What is that?" Palmer asked referring to what was covered under the blanket.
"One of the remains of Iblis's followers. " The Doctor had said. "One who was fool enough to believe Iblis's promises, and was damned for his belief. So damned that he was altered to reflect the evil in Iblis's soul. " The Doctor then turned to Terry and nodded to him as if asking him to pull the blanket off of the body.
<i> <b> NO!!! </I> </b> Iblis shouted as lightning seemed to streak across the sky outside. " <i> <b> I FORBID IT!!! </b> </i> "<br>
"You have no jurisdiction over us Iblis!" the Doctor said. "You can only control those that willingly give themselves to you!" Terry then made ready to pull back the blanket when Iblis appeared before him as if insantly. "Pull that blanket back, and you will regret it!"
"Is that a challenge?" Terry asked. "Are you willing to fight me to keep me from revealing the truth? What will happen if the planet decides to follow you?"
<i> "Would it be a challenge that you would be willing to accept?" </i> Iblis asked. Terry thought for a moment, then with one massive yank pulled the blanket off the body, allowing the U. N. General Assembly to see the body before them. The remains of a mutated monster who had once been a man, but died a monster because he decided to follow Iblis.<br>
Terry then looked at Count Iblis dead in the eye and said "Take that as a yes. "
The U. N. General assembly was shocked by what they had seen. The remains of a demonic being warned to them by all the holy texts known to exist on Earth, and possibly elsewhere. Palmer looked on with a gaze of shock as did his wife Sherry who watched from the side. "Is that our future?" he asked.
"If you follow Count Iblis then yes it is. " Black Morphin said. He then turned to Iblis and stood tall. "In case you were wondering Iblis, we reject you! We will never follow you!"
"We will not either!" Zeo Phoenix shouted with the Outsiders behind her. "We reject you!"
Senator Palmer then stood and looked at Iblis. "As duly elected official of the American people WE OF AMERICA REJECT YOU COUNT IBLIS!!!"
Following Palmer's lead the ambassador of Britain said "WE REJECT YOU AS WELL COUNT IBLIS!!!"
"WE REJECT YOU IBLIS!!!" the ambassador from Saudi Arabia said.
"OUI! WE TOO REJECT YOU!!!" the French Ambassador said. The calls of rejection rounded out the assembly hall. Even those countries with questionable allegiances were rejecting Iblis. Iblis had failed, or had he?
<i> "It's not over yet. " </i> Iblis said. <i> "The Cylons are still out there. And they will attack!" </i> <br>
"We won't let that stop us!" Red Morphin shouted. "We'll defeat them. "
<i> "Will you really? Will you defeat my other minions as well when they appear?" </i> This brought cause for concern. "Other minions?" Gold Zeo asked.<br>
<i> "You may not be aware of it, but there are people on this world that have accepted me. They will follow me even when I am no longer here. The Cylons are not my only forces. " </i> <br>
"Where are these minions?" Zeo Knight shouted. "Tell us!!!"
Iblis just smiled and faded away in a flash of darkness. His last words hung in the air. "Figure it out for yourself. " Soon the Rangers, the Outsiders, the Lonely Wolves, Laocorn and the Doctor stood alone with the U. N. General Assembly. The Secretary-General immediately thanked the Rangers for all they had done, as did others across the world. When they got to Senator Palmer he shook Red Morphin's hand and said that the world owed them a debt of gratitude than may probably never be repaid.
"Don't thank us yet sir. " Red Morphin said. "As Iblis pointed out there are Cylons to deal with. We have to get up into space to deal with them. " The Rangers and their friends all left the assembly hoping to fight off the Cylons hoping the threat would not cause others to turn to Iblis. It was up to them to stop the Cylon attack.
But one question still burned in people's minds. 'Who were the followers Iblis had mentioned?'
And more importantly 'Were there followers Iblis had mentioned?'
On the bridge of the basestar Psycho Silver was surveying the battle. The appearance of the Triforian cruisers was a shock, but one she could deal with.
"Lock megalasers on the first two ships. " Psycho Silver ordered. "Prepare to fire. " The Centurion gunner obeyed the command. "Megalasers locked on. "
"All ships FIRE!!!"
At Psycho Silver's command blue surges of light struck the two Triforian cruisers that had escorted the main cruiser. The crews of the two ships fought back as best they could, but due to the surprise of the attack were soon overmatched. The two ships were destroyed leaving only the main mother ship intact.
The fighter squadrons had all gotten off the two ships, but without the two escort ships the odds fell back into the Cylon's favor. The Raiders resumed their attack with ferocity, even though Psycho Silver wished that the Rangers would be the ones blown out of the sky instead of the Triforian fighters. Just then Iblis appeared and Psycho Silver turned to see what he was doing here.
<i> "The assembly meeting had failed. " </i> Iblis said. <i> "The Morphin Rangers and Outsiders thwarted my attempts to save your people. " </i> Psycho Silver's heart sank as she then asked "What do we do?"<br>
<i> "Our one chance lies with defeating the Rangers. If they are beaten no one will be able to oppose us. " </i> Psycho Silver heard these words and liked what she heard. "Don't worry, I'll beat them. "<br>
Just then Specter walked up and gave some news of his own. "Pardon me, but sensors have detected a most...distressing development. " Psycho Silver turned on Specter and asked what it was.
"Incoming fighter craft from the surface of the planet. " Specter brought up the viewer and saw the Morphin Sky Zords along with the Outsider Jet Zords and Earth's Fire coming into view. Psycho Silver saw the approaching ships and smiled. More Rangers to destroy.
The Centurion on targeting sensors however had more bad news to report. "Multiple targets approaching from hyperspace. "
Everyone was now wondering who could be coming now.
On the bridge of his ship Tirol watched as his two escort ships were destroyed so quickly in the battle. He said a silent prayer for the crews of the ships hoping that their safe journeys into the afterlife would be assured, then he went back to focus on the battle.
The fighter squadrons were holding their own, but barely. Two of his best pilots were clearing paths through the Cylon forces approaching them with their wing giving covering fire. It was a classic Triforian battle formation that granted much success for Triforian pilots. A Raider wing then started to approach and the Triforian wing then broke off and scattered. The wing then reformed behind the Cylons and the Star Fighters blasted the Raiders out of the stars.
There were some celebrations but the squadron commander said that now was not the time to celebrate. "More Cylons are still here" he said. But just as he was ready to give the order to break more Cylons attacked from behind. Bursts of blue energy burst from the incoming Raiders and the Triforian Commander only had a few seconds to watch his pilots explode like little stars that went nova before he too perished.
For other Star Fighters it was the same. They engaged the Raiders, only to find themselves over matched. One pilot locked onto a Raider and destroyed it, only for two others to gang up on him and blow them out of the sky. Another did hot shot moves to take out Cylons only to be taken out with cold precision by another Cylon Raider. Tirol said a silent prayer for those pilots that had fallen, but he knew more would die this day.
Every time it seemed like a Raider would be destroyed by a Star Fighter two more would appear to blast the Star Fighter out of the stars. When Tirol checked the Zeo and Astro Zords, he saw that they too were just hanging on.
Pyramidas was taking a lot of the attack due to his size. Systems were already damaged and rerouted, but that couldn't go on forever. Silver Eagle was knocking out Cylons that were moving for the sensitive areas of the zord, but some shots sliced through one wing. Silver Zeo was flying, but barely.
Green Astro came in to cover her friend, followed by Pink. They too were barely flying. They were soon shocked when they saw Pink Zeo take a shot that sent sparks flying through her console, and a Raider on her tail.
"I'm in trouble here!" Pink shouted as the Cylon almost had her in their sights. However they didn't notice Yellow Zeo fire her weapons blasting the Raider out of the sky. "Thanks Samantha. "
"No problem Kat. " Yellow Zeo said. "You all right?" Pink Zeo saw an approaching phalanx of Cylon Raiders coming their way and was able to activate the firefog missiles which clouded their sensors. Yellow and Pink Zeos then went on a blasting spree knocking out the Cylons from the stars.
"I'll get by. " Pink Zeo said. "But we could really use some help. "
"Ask and you shall receive. " A voice came from over the intercom. Everyone turned to see the Morphin Sky Zords, Outsider Jet Zords and Earth's Fire coming in to join the battle. As they fired their weapons more Cylons met their fiery ends. "Kim is that you?" Pink Zeo asked.
"And friends. " Zeo Psi answered.
"Rocky I heard about Jessie. How are you doing?" Zeo Phoenix asked.
"Ask me again when all these Cylons are blasted out of the stars!" Blue Zeo said as he knocked out another Raider. Zeo Phoenix however knew that Blue Zeo had to be hurting from this betrayal.
"Great to see you Jase. " Red Zeo said.
"You didn't think we'd let you have all the fun now did you?" Red Morphin asked as he locked onto another Cylon and blasted it from the stars. Everyone was picking their targets trying to get as many raiders as they could.
"Tommy we have to win this fight!" Zeo Shadow said from her zord. "We lose here there will be no stopping Iblis from getting what he wants. "
"Well then let's go!" Red Zeo said as they resumed the attack, yet a new variable was about to take shape as a hyperrush disturbance opened nearby, one of the biggest ever.
From Hyperrush came another ship. A massive ship that started firing immediately when the Cylons came into its view. Red Astro knew what this ship was.
The Pegasus had arrived.
On the bridge Kinwon and Tykwa saw the battle that was happening. Many of the Triforian ships were destroyed leaving some fighters, the main ship, and the Rangers to stand against three basestars, and their contingents of raiders. "We got here just in time. " Tykwa said. "It seems like the Rangers are holding their own. "
"Won't be for long though. " Kinwon said. "Sound the alert. Launch all Vipers. " Sure enough the alert klaxon sounded prompting the Pegasus's pilots to their ships. As they loaded the rail trams to the landing bays the pilots were anxious to see space battle, as well as being nervous.
Pilots scrambled to their fighters. The ships were long with three engines at the rear. A wing protruded from the top as well as two wings on the side. Once inside the canopies of the fighters closed, and the three turbos immediately activated. Each one then grabbed their control stick and pressed the buttons marked 'TURBO' to launch.
Each pilot was thrust back into his seat as the ships, called Viper craft, launched down the launching tubes with great speed before entering the dark infinity of space, which had become quite the light show due to the battle and its intensity.
Immediately the pilots buttons pressed the buttons marked 'FIRE' on their control sticks every time the Cylons came into their sights. The odds were almost even.
<i> "I don't believe it!" </i> Iblis said of the battlestar appearing. <i> "How can that be here?" </i> <br>
"Regardless my count. It is here. " Specter said. "It is the Battlestar Pegasus
"Doesn't matter. We'll destroy them!" Psycho Silver said trying to continue to sound confident. But then something else happened.
More sensor contacts.
The Vipers joined the zords as they all flew like an aerial ballet, but they also dished out beams of fire that destroyed what they touched.
Speed and grace was what described the flight of a Viper as it beared down on Cylon fighters in their path. One pilot, a young hotshot named Scorpio had locked onto a Cylon Raider, and blasted it to kingdom come. "YAHOOO!!!!" he shouted.
Other pilots brought their ships against Cylons as well. A Kerovan female named Captain Brooke was able to lock onto another and blast it to kingdom come. She even took out another to avenge the loss of her wingmate before she perished in a ball of fire. The Cylons flying that Raider however didn't enjoy their victory for long as a target fast approached making ready to fire.
Red Astro brought his zord to bear on a Cylon fighter before him, and immediately fired causing the Raider to erupt like a fireball. Almost immediately another ship was bearing down on him ready to make the kill. A Viper picked that ship off.
"Thanks!" Red Astro said to the Viper pilot.
"No pro-" The Viper pilot never got to finish his sentence as a Cylon fighter had destroyed him. Red Astro never even knew the pilot's name. Red Astro looked at the battle before him. Everyone was fighting. Everyone was trying to stay alive.
Red Morphin was also fighting like his life depended on it. Through it all however Jamie stayed by his side each one covering the other. "Jamie don't you know how dangerous it is out here?"
"Yeah!" Zeo Blade said as if answering a stupid question. "But first there's no one I'd rather be doing this with. Second. You ever see the movie 'Top Gun'?"
"Yeah. " Red Morphin said. "What about it?"
"What was the rule that Jester said you didn't break?" Red Morphin nodded in understanding. "Never, NEVER leave your wingman. "
"There's no way I'm leaving your side. To Hell with what S'Hera thinks. " Zeo Blade said. "Besides, what's more romantic than boyfriend and girlfriend fighting side by side?"
"Dying together?" Zeo Shadow said as she and Red Zeo did a strafing run through some Raiders with three Vipers and two Triforian Star Fighters. They sought to clear a path to the base stars but Raiders appeared to close the path off. Zeo Shadow and Red Zeo pulled up their zords, but the Star Fighters and Vipers were destroyed.
Earth's Fire quickly made their presence felt as it flew through the starry expanse of space. Nate and Chelsea wer at the controls blasting any Cylons in their path, but others were sweeping around them getting ready to attack. "Anything we can do?" Terry asked. Chelsea quickly answered.
"Take the gun mounts!" Chelsea ordered. Andy, Terry, Mary and Mai went to take the gun turrets that were mounted on top, and below, the ship. Andy and Terry took the top guns. Mai and Mary took the bottom ones.
There was no shortage of targets for the fighters to choose from. They locked onto any Cylon fighter that came into their field of sight. Once a ship crossed the sights, all four pulled their triggers and blasted the Cylon ship into oblivion. Terry swiveled his own gun up and locked on to one ship coming in from above. With a squeeze of the trigger Terry quickly made it erupt like a fireball.
"Nice shot Terry. " Panni said from the control center monitoring the engine functions of Earth's Fire.
"Thank me after we take these bastards out!" Terry said as he continued to fire. Andy also locked onto his ships that were in his sights, but one decided to veer around and do a ramming run to Andy's turret. Andy tried to blast it, but the ship was getting closer and closer.
"ANDY GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Terry shouted as Andy got out of his gun harness and went back to the main section of the ship. Terry also had to get out as the shock of the explosion shorted out his own turret systems. Mai and Mary quickly wondered what happened.
"Suicide run to the upper turrets!" Panni explained. "Terry and Andy made it out though!" she explained.
"But we need to find a safe place to lick our wounds. " Nate said. "Sadly there are none in proximity. "
"So we just have to fight out way through more Cylon ships, and hope we don't take any more hits up top. " Chelsea said as the ship rocked. "Good luck on that score. " Earth's Fire was taking a pounding as it tried to continue to fight. Main guns and the lower turrets were all they had left. Mary and Mei tried to take out whatever Cylons crossed their vision, but soon they too had to evacuate their turrets as Cylon blasters knocked out their systems leaving the gun turrets as nothing more than targets for the Cylons to destroy. Earth's Fire was being whittled away piece by piece.
Panni took the controls and tried to fly the ship with Chelsea while Nate tried to make emergency repairs. But even he wasn't sure he would be fast enough to get the turrets running again, or to hasten the progress the self repair program was trying to make.
"We're losing our reinforcements here. " Red Zeo said. "We need a little more back up. "
"Hold the phone!" Gold Zeo said as he took the controls of Pyramidas. "I've got more ships coming in. They look to be intercepting. "
"More Cylons?" Pink Zeo asked.
"No. According to the warbook..." Gold Zeo looked over the screen and saw the design of the ships. "They're Draconian. "
"Draconian? As in Draconian Marauders?" Gold Astro asked.
"Yeah. " Just as Gold Astro said the word the Marauders came out of Hyperrush and started blasting away at the Cylons before them. Raiders exploded as the Marauders cut into the Cylon fighters. On the bridge of his ship Tirol asked the Marauder squadron to identify themselves.
"Greetings Tirol. May I congratulate you on your elevation to Prime Minister?" the sultry female voice said. A voice everyone knew. "Astronema!" Red Astro said.
"I also have a group of pilots that were UAE prisoners. They will be freed on a planet of my choosing as a reward for their help against the Cylons. " Artemis said. Everyone still thought she was Astronema, but that didn't matter now. "It's true. " A pilot said Arno said. "She has offered us freedom for our aide. "
"That is true!" Ella said over the comm. Tirol overheard this and immediately recognized Ella's voice. She was one of Triforia's best pilots. He didn't hear any sort of influence regarding a spell in her voice, so she must have been telling the truth. "Ella. What's going on?"
"Astronema has an interest in the Cylon's defeat. " Ella explained. "She doesn't want them here any more than we do. I guess the UAE doesn't want the Cylons here either. "
"I come under the flag of truce. " Artemis said from her Marauder. "To help deal with the Cylon threat. After that we go back to being enemies. "
"Deal. " Red Astro said over the comm line. He may not have been sure about Astronema, but right now against the Cylons he couldn't be picky. Besides, he felt something strange about Astronema. Almost as if...Karone was flying right there with him.
"Agreed. " Tirol said from his bridge. "We are attempting to regroup to get a more organized strike together. Can you get a formation together?"
"Of course!" Artemis said as Raiders started to appear in her field of vision. "Get into the formation Tirol requests. Fight your way through if you have to!" Artemis's Marauders acknowledged her order and broke to fight the Raiders to join Tirol's battle formation.
"All right. Let's see how you like some old fashioned red dogging!" Artemis said as she banked her ship a hard right and brought it around to attack three incoming raiders. Artemis soon found herself behind the three and opened fire taking out the center ship first, then the third on its right. The ship on the left broke off to the left, but Artemis wasn't about to let that Cylon get away.
She stayed on the Cylon's tail as long as she could. When it was finally in her reach Artemis fired her ship's lasers taking out the last target before her. "WOOOHOOO!!!" Artemis squealed with joy. A scream that filled Red Astro with dread.
For it sounded exactly like Karone's did when she and Andros were growing up.
Zeo Phoenix and Blue Zeo were fighting together as Blue Zeo seemed to be blasting everything in his sight. "Easy Rocky you don't want to get crazy out here!"
Blue Zeo's tone was as cold as ice. "Katarina, I'm beyond crazy! I want to pay these tin cans back for EVERYTHING they've done!" Blue Zeo then forged his way through as he and Zeo Phoenix tried to form the battle formation. Silently Zeo Phoenix wondered if Blue Zeo wasn't trying to get himself killed.
Silver Zeo and Green Astro were paired together as they watched another's backs. "So how are you doing Cass?" Green Astro asked her friend.
"Oh great. My first space battle. Where's my camera?" Silver Zeo said sarcastically trying to hide her fear. But inside Silver Zeo was shaking. She was afraid, but couldn't give in to it. She couldn't let her new friends die, and she couldn't let the fear kill her either. With that she fired her weapons at Raiders too, and saw one explode by her side. Silver Zeo looked out to see Pink Astro make the save. "Thanks Cassie. "
"Anytime. " Pink Astro said. "Now what else can happen?" Upon asking that question the vortex to Hyperrush opened and out came a monstrous ship. Almost like a giant serpent.
This ship was Serpenterra Mark II. And it opened fire against Cylons itself. "What are you doing here Zedd?" White Morphin asked.
"I Lord Zedd, have come to help against the Cylons myself. But like Astronema, I will only help one time. " Everyone understood but Zeo Blade couldn't help but think about her father as he seemed to suddenly appear to help out against the Cylons. ~ Dad are you in there somewhere?~ she asked herself.
On board Serpenterra and Artemis's Marauder Iblis's voice was heard. "How can you defy me? How can you fight against me?"
"You control those only willing to give themselves to you. " Zedd said. "And I choose not to give myself to you. "
"As do I. " Artemis said. "Oh by the way you can thank Adama for giving us the knowledge to stand against you. He left some recordings that were very...useful.
Iblis stood on the baseship cursing the name of the legendary commander of the Battlestar Galactica . Even in death, and millions of miles away, Adama still continued to try and thwart him.
Back in space everyone regrouped to form one unit against the Cylon forces. The base stars remained, as did the Cylon fighters as well as their reserve contingents. On the Rangers' side was the Pegasus , Serpenterra Mark II, Tirol's Triforian cruiser, two squadrons of Triforian fighters, Artemis's Marauder squadron, two squadrons of Vipers, the Sky Zords, Techno Zords, Morphin Sky Zords, Outsider Jet Zords and Astro Zords. Earth's Fire also stood with the armada against the remaining forces.
"All right Rangers. " Tommy said from his skyzord. "Prepare to engage the enemy. Let's show them what we're made of. "
The skyzords were backed by the Astro Zords, three Viper squadrons, a small fleet of Triforian cruisers, and a Battlestar as they faced three basestars and their entire fighter contingents. But none of them were deterred. "Just what I wanted to hear. Come and get it you tinheads. " Rocky said from his Zord cockpit.
Alison sat in her zord's cockpit saying "Hang on Ashley. We're coming. " In Samantha's zord cockpit she said the same thing regarding her cousin Jinx.
The Raiders then advanced. The battle had begun.
Everyone picked a target. Vipers with the Pegasus , Sky Zords, Marauders, Techno Zords, Jet Zords, Astro Zords, Earth's Fire had it's tailgunners all ready to fire(The turrets were working again-barely), just as the Cylon Raiders advanced to fire.
Blue energy shot out of their ships looking for a target. Everyone evaded avoiding the incoming fire. Some almost hit their targets but the Rangers were able to return fire.
Red Zeo and Zeo Shadow shot their first rounds and took out two Raiders in their path. Red Astro fired his weapons as well. Everyone followed the Rangers lead until the Raiders decided to break apart and scatter to take out their targets.
A Viper soon had a Raider on it's tail. When the Raider fired it hit the Viper compelling the pilot to call for help. "Hold it together help's on the way. " Green Morphin said coming to the pilot's aid. Green Morphin fired his weapons and the Raider was dust.
"What's your damage?" Green Morphin asked. The pilot said the damage was minimal.
Other Viper pilots picked their targets carefully. The pilot Scorpio made sure every one of his shots counted as Raiders exploded in fireballs. He did however notice some of his friends dying as Cylon's picked them off, and Scorpio vowed to avenge each and every one.
But somewhere during the avenging a Raider was coming up on Scorpio's tail. Scorpio tried to shake him, but the Raider was having several near misses as it was. It wouldn't be long before one of the shots hit their mark. "Hey guys! Help me out here!" Scorpio shouted.
One viper pilot did so as he streaked in and fired his weapons blasting the Cylon to dust. "Thanks, whoever you are. "
"Name's Captain Adamo. " The voice said over the intercom. "And I recommend that you watch your own back while you do your avenging. Otherwise no one will be around to save you. " Scorpio was quiet as he heard the message, but Adamo stayed on Scorpio's wing and the two of them went after any and all Cylon's in their path. Plenty of destroyed Raiders were left in their path.
Earth's Fire was again using it's tailgun mounts, but Terry, Andy, Mai and Mary had to be careful not to tax the gunnery computer system. They had to squeeze off as many shots as they could, but they also had to wait for the weapons to cool as the reconstruction of the turrets was still incomplete. "We'll never make it at this rate!" Mary said.
Chelsea, Panni and Nate overheard Mary's comments and that was when Chelsea decided to do something completely crazy. "Hang on this is going to get hairy!" she said as she took Earth's Fire to top speed and then pulled back hard on the controls taking the ship straight up like a missile. The Cylons wondered what Chelsea was going to do when she turned the ship down to where the Raiders were facing her.
"Nate are the forward guns ready?" Chelsea asked. Nate acknowledged that they were.
"All right everyone! Pick your targets!" Soon the forward guns erupted and took out most of the Raiders in their path. The turrets, having cooled slightly picked off the last of the Raiders that got through Chelsea's 'missile run'. Soon the Raiders they had faced were gone, and a short victory howl erupted from the ship.
"Save the celebration later. " Terry said. "There are still more of these tin cans to get. "
"Agreed. Let's finish this!" Panni said as Earth's Fire resumed its attack.
Pink Astro had some Raiders in her sights, but there were two coming in from behind her. She didn't see them until it was too late, but then Yellow Morphin appeared and fired her weapons. "Next time Pink Astro watch for a rear attack as well as a frontal. "
"Yes ma'am. " Pink Astro said sarcastically. Inwardly she said "What did I do to piss her off?"
The Triforian Star Fighters and Draconian Marauders had a few brushes with one another. Ella led her group through some Raiders while the Star Fighter Commander Doro flew on her wing. "Nice moves. " Doro said as they took out Cylons while admiring one another.
"When we're free, maybe we can admire more of each other. " Ella said as she fought against the Cylons, and flirted with her apparent wingman. Doro said he'd like that, but Artemis still had to free them. Ella vowed that she would. "Or else, she'll regret double crossing us. "
"Do not worry. You'll get your freedom. " Artemis said as she landed her strikes by getting in close and tight to the Cylon Raiders. Her squadron really took it to the ships, and soon Red Astro decided that they would do the same. The Cylons were totally unprepared for the incoming attack seeing as how it was illogical for such an approach to be considered, due to their overwhelming force.
But soon that force was diminished. Green Astro and Silver Zeo even teamed up against one Raider. "I got them on the left. " Green Astro said.
"I got them on the right. " Silver Zeo said as they both fired on a Raider, and soon an explosion erupted where there was once a ship.
Zeo Blade was flying her ship taking out Cylons when a phalanx of three were locking on to her. Like many other pilots she had a hard time shaking them. Red Morphin was separated from her and had a hard time getting back to her. "Hang on Jamie!" Red Morphin shouted.
"I'll try!" Zeo Blade said trying to stay alive, but the Raiders were hot on her tail, and weren't about to give up. Then a burst of energy streaked over her head and hit the three ships destroying them. "Thanks. Whoever you are. " Zeo Blade said.
"Don't thank me human!" the voice of Lord Zedd said. "We may be allies for now, but after this battle we are enemies once again!" Zeo Blade nodded and went back into the fight, but she sensed for a brief moment, that she could hear her father's caring for her somewhere in that evil voice of Zedd. For a moment Jamie offered herself the luxury of hope for Larry Zedden before going back into battle.
Quickly the Cylons diminished. But Pyramidas and Earth's Fire took some hits due to the size of their vessels. The tailguns knocked out many of the targets, but the shields could only take so much punishment.
Vipers then appeared knocking out several of the attacking ships. The tailguns knocked out the rest, and Pyramidas fired it's own weapons against the Raiders.
The battle raged on with casualties on both sidess. Some Vipers were lost, as were some Triforian Star Fighters, and Maruaders. The Rangers and Outsiders were spared deadly hits mostly due to Viper and fighter protection. The Rangers were very much revered to warrant the force's protection. Soon after much fighting, the Rangers and their allies stood victorious.
The Raiders were all but gone. Now it was time for the base ships.
Tirol's cruiser, Serpenterra Mark II, and the Pegasus were coming to bear on the three Cylon base ships coming into their range. Three base ships. Three cruisers capable of destroying them.
Tirol looked at the scanner and scanned for the base ship that had human life signs aboard. It was dead in the center. Right in the Pegasus 's firing range. Zedd had the base ship on the left. Tirol had the one on the right. "Lord Zedd. Would you prefer the honor of making the first strike?" Tirol asked over the comm line.
"I need no courtesy from you Triforian. " Zedd had stated. "But I will accept your offer. " Zedd then ordered Goldar to charge up Serpenterra's main weapon. Goldar warned Zedd that such an action would leave Serpenterra with barely enough energy to escape. "It doesn't matter. I destroy a base ship. And those fools can deal with the other two. I can say I've protected my interests enough. "
"As you wish my lord!" Goldar bowed and called up the power to the prime weapon. When it was up to full power Zedd gave the order "FIRE!!!" A stream of energy streaked out from Serpenterra II's mouth heading in the direction of the base ship.
The blast from Serpenterra Mark II destroyed the baseship in Zedd's field of vision. He marvelled at how it went up like a mushroom cloud, and a smile crossed his face. A smile that reflected both sides of his persona. For Lord Zedd with was satisfaction over a well displayed show of power. For Lawrence Zedden, buried deep within Zedd's mind, it was relief and gladness that he was able to destroy an evil enemy.
With a show of power clearly demonstrated, Zedd saw no reason to stick around. Especially since the other two ships could just as easily destroy the other two ships. Serpenterra retreated back to the oblivion of space leaving Zeo Blade wondering if she would ever see her father again.
Tirol watched Serpenterra II fly away into space. Tirol knew Zedd would probably be a threat later on, but right now the Cylon base star before him was the target. Tirol kept his focus on the enemy before him.
"Main cannon locked on. " Tir said from the gunnery control. Tirol wasted no time in giving the order to fire.
From the tip of the pyramid a beam of energy shot out and struck the Cylon baseship. In a great explosion the Cylon baseship was destroyed due to the force of the Triforian weapon. "All right Kinwon. The last one's yours. "
"Understood Prime Minister. " Kinwon said over the comm line as the battlestar came into firing range of the last base star. The last ship had to be dealt with clear precision, as there were still two hostages on board. Fortunately the Pegasus was able to do the job.
"All batteries commence fire!" Kinwon ordered as the gun batteries of the battlestar commenced fire. Immediately the base star returned fire. But Kinwon's gunners were able to pick their targets with precision.
"Bring us around Delta-one-five. Fire prime cannon as she comes to bear. " Kinwon ordered. The Pegasus circled the base ship bringing its weapon to bear. All the while the gun batteries continued firing as the battlestar faced the Cylon base ship.
"Prime cannon half power" Kinwon ordered. The crew did so as Kinwon then ordered the gunner to lock onto the center of the base ship so the parts could break apart and crash on the moon safely. With the ships in disarray the Rangers could get on board and rescue their friends with minimal resistance.
"Cannon locked on!" Tykwa said. Kinwon then gave the order "FIRE!!!"
The blast from the Pegasus's main cannon split the Cylon baseship in two. Both pieces fell towards the lunar surface crashing into different areas.
On board the base ship pandemonium was erupting. Damage reports were coming from all over the ship. Alarms were sounding as both sections were falling down to the surface of the moon.
"Damage extensive!" Specter said. "Prepare for collision!"
"Vulpa! Arrange a security detail for the prisoners! The Rangers will surely come for them!" Psycho Silver ordered. "By your command!" Vulpa ordered as he left the bridge making his way to the central core hoping to get to the prison level before the base ship crashed.
"This isn't over!" Psycho Silver promised. "This isn't over. "
<i> "No. It is not. " </i> Iblis said as the surface of the moon came closer and closer to them.<br>
On board the baseship Ashley and Jinx felt the buffeting of the base ship as it made ready to crash. Outside they saw Centurions being thrown around like toys and being trashed as the ship lost control. "What the bloody hell is going on? Feels like my dad's driving!" Jinx said.
"I don't know. " Ashley said. "But I hope it's a rescue. " Ashley prayed with all her heart that either Andros or Alison were coming for her. She had no wish to face Count Iblis again. She had looked into the eyes of the devil, and hoped never to look there again.
Klaxons however went all over the ship and the call of "Prepare for crash" was heard throughout the ship. Ashley and Jinx looked at each other and remembered crash positions used for air flights. They quickly got into one and hoped they would survive. "You think this will work?" Jinx asked.
"No, but we might as well try something. " Ashley had said. Just then there was a rocking throughout the ship as it signified a crash on the surface of something. Ashley and Jinx had no idea where they crashed since they were thrown across the room, and the force barrier had gone down.
All the Rangers hovered over the saucer sections of the Cylon base star. One section seemed to brance off to the left while the other branched off to the right. "Sabrina. Can you tell which section Ashley and Jinx are in?"
"Got it Andros. " Sabrina said as she relayed the co-ordinates. Andros quickly ordered the Astros to accompany him down to the section where Ashley's life sign had been located in. Tyler was quick to order the Outsiders to the section where Terry Jones's life signs were located.
On board Earth's Fire Terry Bogard however stood wondering. There was a presence calling him down. Calling him down wishing to do battle with him. He could feel the tug on his soul and it was strong. He could resist the call but Terry was curious as to who would call him in this way.
"What's going on Terry?" Andy asked.
"The being from the U. N. He's calling. " Terry said.
"What?" Joe asked. "What does he want?"
"I'd say a fight. " Terry said. "And I'm going to give it to him. " Mary asked how he was going to do that.
Terry, Andy, Joe, Mai, Mary, Panni and Laocorn saw the Cybersliders hung on the wall as well as seven backpacks with masks connected to them. "According to Nate, these are 'rebreather masks' designed for others to breath in space. " Joe said.
Terry looked at the rebreather masks and Cybersliders, and had an idea come to mind. Everyone, including Mary wondered if he was crazy. "Are you suggesting that we go out and do 'ki' attacks on those tin cans?" Mary asked.
Terry's grabbing of a Cyberslider and a rebreather pack answered that question. Everyone else then sighed as they followed Terry's lead. Mary however grabbed a rifle from the weapons locker and kept it on hand since she didn't have am energy based 'ki' attack of her own. Soon everyone was ready, and Terry Bogard was almost ready to lead the Lonely Wolves, Laocorn, Panni and Mary into the vast darkness of space.
However there were two others that would not be left behind. They were none other than Nate and Chelsea Oliver, who grabbed rebreather packs and Cybersliders of their own. "Chelsea. What are you doing?" Panni asked.
"I'm not about to sit on the sidelines while my teammates are fighting outside. " Chelsea said. "I'm going too. "
"I'm not so sure about this. " Terry said. "You have no ki ability. "
"Neither do I. " Mary had stated. "But I get along fine. "
"Ki ability or no I'm going. " Chelsea said. "Besides I'm not going alone. POWER SABER!!!" Suddenly a sword appeared in her hand and Chelsea held the blade steady.
"Project Trey started, but never finished. Thanks to Nate and Christina it was finally finished. Just in case I needed to go into battle. " Chelsea explained. "Like I said, no way am I sitting this one out. "
"All right then. Let's go!" Terry said as he led those with him onto the surface of the moon like a skateboarder making ready to do his first big stunt.
The Cybersliders touched down on the ground as they raced towards the basestar. Centurions appeared quickly and Terry was first to raise his fist and bring it down with "POWER WAVE!!!" The attack took out several Centurions in his path. And he also used Burn Knuckle against others that appeared in his way as he raced towards the ruined basestar.
"HISHOKEN!!!" Andy said as he fired off his standard ranged ki attack at the Cylons in his path. Since he was moving the kinetic energy was allowed to build up with the ki energy and led to an even more damaging impact against the Cylons. Andy figured he would try to remember this and hoped the same approach could be used getting a running start when facing an opponent. But for the moment there was a wall of Cylons in his way. However Andy had a move to deal with them.
And increased the speed on his board and charged up his ki energy towards the Cylons who were bringing their weapons to bear against Andy. Andy however dodged the blasts and was ready to deliver his next big move. Jumping high into the air Andy drew his energy against the Cylons and let it go.
"BAKUSHIN!!!" Andy shouted as the energy fired from him towards the Cylons. When his Cyberslider appeared beneath him Andy stepped off it to leap out of the path of the Bakushin burst's power. When he was safely away the Cyberslider picked him up and Andy watched his damage being done. Nothing remained of the Cylons the blast was meant for.
"Show off!" Mai shouted as she threw fans at the Cylons in her path. Once each one hit its target a Cylon's head was decapitated. However Mai decided she wanted to show off a little too. To that end she picked up the speed on her slider and set down in the middle of a squad of Cylons. "Mai what are you doing?"
"Showing these tinheads what a woman can do. KAGERO NO MAI!!!" Mai was suddenly surrounded by a wall of flame that spread out to the Cylons around her. Once the fires hit the Cylons were smoking and each one was trying to put out the flames.
"Good thing I'm in one of these air pockets I guess. " Mai said as she then cut loose with her fans. Soon more Cylons were down and ready for the scrap pile. She then got back on her Cyberslider and raced to join the others.
"Does anyone feel like they're in a Sonic game or something?" Mai asked as she brought out her fans and slashed the heads of Centurions and Trilons as she raced towards them.
"Not really!" Joe said as he gave a number of rapid kicks to his opponents. Andy also got in his charge against Ceturions.
Mary fired her rifle against any and all targets she could see. When a Trilon appeared behind Terry she shouted "DUCK!!!" and took the shot. The Trilon was down quick, and Terry thanked Mary.
Laocorn did Heaven's fist against his opposition, and Panni was able to freeze enough water to form boulders and a javelin against her opponents. Water may have frozen in space, but it was still useful.
"Not much for showing off Mr. Gaudeamas?" Chelsea asked.
"I guess not!" Laocorn said. "Why? Do you wish to?"
"Well I think Nate and I would like to show you that you're getting your money's worth. " Chelsea then steered her slider and brought her Power Saber to bear against the Cylons she was approaching. They had fired their weapons, but Chelsea blocked all the blasts with her sword and seemed to absorb the energy.
"Right back at you!" Chelsea said as she gave a massive swipe, and sent the wave of energy back at the Cylons in her path. All of them fell to the power of her wave. "Impressive. " Nate said. "But not very efficient. "
"Oh? Think you can do better?" Chelsea asked.
"I don't think I can. I know I can. " Nate said as he brought his Zeo Blaster against Cylons and fired. Each shot hit it's mark, and each shot knocked one down. For one who didn't express emotions much Nate Oliver sure looked like he was showing off his prowess a little too much. "Showoff!" Chelsea said as the Lonely Wolves continued to race.
Up in space two were watching the Lonely Wolves progress and wondered if they shouldn't join their party. "Cassie are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Green Astro asked. Pink Astro said yes then asked "Feeling left out?"
"Oh yeah!" Green Astro said as both she and Pink Astro then called out "GALAXY GLIDERS HANG TEN!!!"
The pink and green Galaxy Gliders flew out of the Astro Megaship as Green and Pink Astros jumped on. They soon joined Terry and the Lonely Wolves using their Ranger augmented ki against any Cylons in their path.
Pink Astro fired her blaster first as did Green Astro. The other Astros did the same as they took down Centurions and Trilons alike. Green Astro decided to try something else when she came across three Centurions in a row. Steering her Galaxy Glider their way she did a mid air forward roll and shouted "CRACK SHOT!!!".
Her foot glowed more than it had ever and the heads, and upper torsos shattered like glass sculptures hit by a boulder. Everyone was amazed. Pink Astro tried her own follow up.
"ARA KAMI!!!" Pink Astro shouted as her fists glowed with red flame tinged with pink, and a wave of fire shot out vaporizing the last Cylons in the Rangers' paths. "Wow! Guess I don't know my own strength!" she said.
"Nor how to watch your back!" Black Astro said as he took out a Cylon who was looking to appear behind Pink Astro and shoot her from behind. A swipe from Black Astro's Astro Axe insured that the Cylon wouldn't be able to.
"Thanks Carlos. Pink Astro said. Black Astro said it was no problen as he rejoined Blue Astro who were both blasting more Cylons before rejoining Red Astro who couldn't get the use of Cassie and Alison's powers out of his mind. Cassie's especially.
Red Astro was stunned to say the least at what Cassie was able to do. "How did she do that?" Red asked.
"Probably her own power was augmented by the power of the morpher. " Carlos said. As they raced on their Galaxy Gliders and made their way to the basestar.
In the ruins however Specter was surveying the damage done to the basestar and the Cylon forces outside. At surface estimation the assumption was guaranteed that the baseship would never fly again. Count Iblis was nowhere around. He had vanished not long after the crash, as did Psycho Silver and Vulpa who were dealing with other matters.
"It seems I will have to make use of our new acquisition myself. " Specter said as he knelt before a console and an instrument protruded from his eye socket and connected with the console. Specter found himself connected to the baseship computer ready to activate the next project. "Alpha Centurion Mark 1 ready for activation. Primary objective, destroy all adversaries. "
Inside a section of the baseship was a new model of Cylon. It seemed to be of the same design of the basic Cylon Centurion, but it also had touches of a Roman gladiator in its design. It's color was also a ruby red that reminded one of the color of blood.
The red eye of the Cylon activated as its eye went back and forth processing Specter's instructions. "By your command. " Came the response as the Alpha Mark 1 arose from its rest station and made its way to battle the Rangers.
The Astro Rangers continued to get closer to the basestar when a blast erupted just below Black Astro's glider throwing him off and sending the glider flying out of control. "WHOA!!!"
"CARLOS!!!" Blue Astro shouted as he spun around to see how Black Astro was doing. Another blast came from a lunar ledge and struck Blue Astro. Blue was knocked off and his glider was also sent flying.
"Who's firing?" Pink Astro asked as she activated her sensors to see if she could detect who was firing at them. Her scanners hit paydirt as she saw the Alpha 1 Centurion aiming a rifle at them. "DUCK!!!" she shouted moving Green and Red Astro out of the way. The Alpha 1 Centurion missed its mark as an explosion marked where the three Astro Rangers used to be.
Blue and Black Astro were back on their feet again and regrouped. Red Astro then activated his communicator and asked "Sabrina can you get a targeting fix on our mystery friend here?"
On board the Megaship Sabrina traced the location of the Alpha 1 Centurion. "This one's good. He seems to be more agile than the standard Centurion. Be careful. There's no telling what he'll be able to do. "
The Astro Rangers found out quickly what Sabrina meant when the Alpha Centurion appeared with its blade drawn and started cutting into the Astro Rangers. Red Astro had his Spiral Saber at the ready as he crossed blades with the Alpha 1 Centurion. "Surrender human. In the name of the Imperious Leader I am to bring about your destruction!"
"Not going to happen today!" Red Astro said as he then suddenly moved out of the way leaving the Alpha 1 Centurion to face the path of the Satellite Stunner of Pink Astro. The blast hit dead on and the Alpha 1 Centurion was knocked back.
"My turn! Astro Axe!" Black Astro shouted as he gave a swipe with his weapon and the Alpha 1 Centurion was knocked back. Green Astro followed up with some throws with her daggers disorienting it further.
Alpha 1 Centurion figured Blue Astro would be next to use his weapon so he jumped out of the way and circled the plateau. His blaster was drawn and he fired his weapon in rapid succession knocking all the Astro Rangers down. Green Astro was back on her feet asking "How did he move so fast?"
"I don't know. Cassie can you scan for him again?" Red Astro ordered. Pink Astro did so and couldn't see him. "Nothing. "
"No. He's out here. " Red Astro said as the then suddenly turned around and fired his weapon behind the Rangers at the top of the cliff. The others added their firepower when they saw that the Alpha 1 Centurion was trying to attack them from behind.
"You got anything else Cylon?" Red Astro then asked.
Specter looked at the situation with the Alpha 1 Centurion and decided that a new approach was required. If the technology they obtained from Orbus's data banks was correct the device should work. And the crash did not seem to affect its functions.
"Energy cannon ready. Alpha 1 Centurion prepare to grow. "
An energy beam came from the top half of the base ship and struck the Alpha 1 Centurion. He then expanded his size and seemed to grow to monstrous size. Red Astro then called forth the Astro Megaship. "Sabrina we could use you!"
"On my way!" she shouted as she morphed and called forth her Pantherzord. The Astro and Delta Megazords also appeared and formed the Astro Delta Megazord which Red Astro and the others boarded. Two Megazords were facing the Alpha 1 Centurion, and Gold Astro was going to get in the first strike. "PANTHER STRIKE!!!" she shouted as she got a running charge and clawed at the Alpha Centurion making slashes in its armor. The Astro Delta Megazord then brought its own weapons to bear and sought to lock on to the Alpha 1. But its agility kicked in again and soon it was behind the Megazord firing its weapon and knocking it down.
"Wow! He's agile even as a giant!" Green Astro said.
"Sabrina can you hold him off?!" Red Astro asked. "No problem! Was Gold Astro's reply. Soon the Alpha 1 and the Pantherzord were having a battle of agility as each sought to dodge the other's firepower. Red Astro then called forth their new zords and the Astros boarded them.
"All right guys, bring them around!" Red Astro ordered. The Astros followed his lead and were making their way towards where the Pantherzord and the Alpha 1 were fighting each other. "All right Sabrina! Move!"
Pantherzord ducked out of the way as the Astrozords brought their weapons to bear. "All right guys, FIRE!!!" Soon a volley of weapons struck the Alpha 1 and the Centurion was sent reeling.
"My turn!" Gold Astro said as she brought forth her zord to position. "PANTHER STRIKE!!!" she shouted again as she cut into the Alpha 1. That just left the Astro Delta Megazord which Dimetria took the controls of and fired its main weapons.
The blasts struck the Alpha 1 Centurion as it then fell to the lunar surface in a massive explosion. The Cylon Prototype monster was no more.
Specter saw the defeat of the Alpha 1 and decided that discretion was the better part of valor. Quickly he sent new instructions in the computer, and his eye and forehead shut down as Specter quickly became inert.
Meanwhile, on the Cylon homeworld, a room existed where row upon row of inert cogitators lay. On one of the beds however a Cogitator's red eyes lit up as did it's flashing lights on the forehead where information was being processed.
Specter Mark II rose from his station ready to begin his new services to the Cylon empire.
Upon destruction of the Alpha 1, Gold Astro and Demetria went back to the Megaship and stayed as back up in case it was needed. The others pressed on. Soon the Lonely Wolves and Astro Rangers arrived to see the Morphin, Zeo and Outsider teams waiting. "What took you so long?" Black Morphin asked.
"Ha! Ha!" Black Astro said. "Shouldn't we find Ashley and Jinx?"
"I've got their signals. " Zeo Psi said. "I can find them. "
"Get going. " Red Zeo said. "We'll stay out here and deal with any Cylons that come your way. " The Astros and Outsiders all nodded as they made their way into the bowels of the Cylon baseship. Terry however felt a pull in another direction, and he followed that to its destination.
Blue Zeo looked around and thought he saw a familiar shape. "Jessie?" he asked as he got up to follow what looked like his girlfriend. Silver Zeo also saw Rocky leave and followed him as did Zeo Phoenix who was not about to let Blue Zeo out of her sight.
Red Morphin looked at Red Zeo and asked "Hey bro. You okay?" Red Zeo shook his head as if he came out of a trance. "Huh? Uhh Yeah!" Red Zeo said. But inside he felt a presence in his mind. A presence that was dark and foreboding.
<i> ~ Welcome Tommy. It's almost time. ~ </i> Iblis said as he was making his presence felt.<br>
Silver Zeo walked the halls of the base ship hoping to find Rocky, but lost him at one of the forks in a corridor. She made her way down the central core ladder one level and entered another floor hoping to have better luck.
"Hello Cassidy. " a voice said from behind. Silver Zeo looked up and say Josie looking down. Her helmet off and resting by her side.
"Please take off your helmet. There are things I'd like to say to you face to face. " Silver Zeo did so revealing the face of Cassidy Bridges. In her eyes Josie saw the pain and the anger Cassidy felt towards her. Josie couldn't say that she didn't deserve it.
"I know you're angry with me. Can't say I blame you. But the attack on your family and friends was necessary. " Cassidy couldn't believe her ears. "Necessary? How was killing my stepmom and Evan necessary? How was hurting my mom and dad necessary? How was scaring my father's partner and my grandfather necessary?"
"To teach you a lesson. " Josie had said turning to face Cassidy then looking at her dead in the eye. "To teach you the lesson about the price of power. Especially when they take the power of another. "
"Well maybe the power was right to choose me!" Cassidy said. "After all you were the one who attacked innocent people to get pointless revenge. "
"My revenge was not pointless!" Josie said defiantly. "Besides no one is innocent. We're all guilty of something. Take those who made your friendship with Alison Bogard happen. " Cassidy looked on wondering if Josie was deluded, and Josie smiled at Cassidy's confusion. "I see you don't know. Real shame for someone who can tap into the most powerful aspect of the Morphin Grid, and not know that she's doing it. "
"What are you talking about?" Cassidy asked. Josie smiled even wider as she contemplated telling Cassidy the story that she knew. "I'll tell you what you want to know, for a price. "
"The crystal?" Cassidy asked. Josie nodded. "Besides with your grid connection you could well have more power than you know what to do with. "
Cassidy contemplated the decision and said "Tell me the story and I'll see whether or not I will give you the crystal. " Josie thought about it and agreed. Cassidy then remained silent, allowing Josie to speak.
"There was a race of beings. God like beings known as the Q who sought to play with reality as if it were their personal playground. They played with lives, destinies, events of the cosmos. This action disturbed another race of beings known as the Lords of Kobol who wanted to stop the Q from their childish antics.
"But by their own laws the Lords were unable to interfere. Their doctrines forbade the outright intervention in affairs. Someone had to do something to destroy the Q's hold on the cosmos. That someone was Count Iblis. "
"The same Count that appeared before the people of Earth like a savior?" Cassidy asked. Josie nodded yes.
"So you are saying that Iblis should be given praise for freeing us from these 'Q'?" Cassidy asked. Josie just smiled as she gave a look that said 'Let me finish. '
"The Lords however weren't all that helpless. They made alliances with other powers to help them keep the Q's manipulations at bay and to do what the Lords' own laws forbade them to do themselves. At least forbade them to do outright. However these allies had their own ideas in mind. " This got Cassidy's attention.
"In their rush to prove to the Q that humanity was more than what they thought, a group of three beings known as the Shadow Triad decided to bring forth a group of fighters to the forefront of universal events. They manipulated the destiny of a young girl who would grow up to be your best friend, thus bringing her ki using family in tow. " Cassidy knew who Josie meant. "You're talking about Alison aren't you? What does she have to do with any of this?"
"Yes, and plenty to answer your second question. " Josie said. "Alison and her family were always meant for a different path. However the Shadow Triad, led by Karla the Grey Witch, decided to save Alison from a dire fate, and see to it that she was given a life much different from that which was chosen for her. They also wanted her to have her own ki abilities developed so that she and her family would be ready to prove to the Q that humanity was not their toy. They also engineered a fall of a member of the House of Kobol to Earth which led to the creation of three clans on Earth. One of them being what Cassie Chan is part of, and the other what Trini Kwan is part of. "
"Karla convince Susano-Oh to break the doctrines and come to Earth. Susano knew what the price of his fall would be, but Karla convinced him that his sacrifice was necessary for 'the greater good. ' Of course this was done at your expense. "
"My expense?" Cassidy asked. "What do you mean?"
Josie smiled. Now was the time to drop her last bombshell. "Karla's plans had an ulterior purpose. She had hoped to evolve humanity at a faster rate than it was going. Increasing its power so that the Q dare not try to manipulate events again, for if they did then they would have to face humans with almost god like power instead of humans they could move around like dolls. And by accomplishing these measures she had brought about dividends elsewhere.
"The Morphin Grid is divided into three aspects. Light, dark, and a third aspect called Shadow. The light aspect is something Rangers tap into for their powers. It's kind of based on the principles of magic. The dark power is much the same way however it brings about unexpected side effects, which is why so many of the Rangers enemies look like monsters. "
"And the Shadow Grid?" Cassidy asked.
"That is something very few people can tap into. " Josie explained. "It is something that is composed of light and dark elements of the grid. As a rule they are neutral, but they have the choice to use the grid power for good or evil, as many have done. A few can tap into its power, calling upon elements of both good and evil, and it appears that you, Cassidy Bridges, are now one of those few. "
As Cassidy listened to Josie everything seemed to make sense. She felt something kick in recently, an instinct of sorts that was connected to something greater than herself. Building on what she already had. She wondered if the Shadow Grid was also responsible for her gaining the previous abilities of the Silver Rangers as well, and something told her that this was most likely. "All right. Say I believe you. What does this Gray Witch have to do with me getting Shadow Grid power?" Again Josie answered this question.
"Karla's manipulations had compelled the universe to alter itself again. While it did not appreciate the Q interfering in matters, Karla's was no better. Yet the universe had to adjust. In the process people on Earth with special abilities either found their abilities augmented, or given newfound ones. And those with the potential for special abilities found their abilities present, as you have now. However rest assured that the number of those that can tap into the Shadow Grid are still few and far in between. Tommy is one such person that can do that. But there are others as well. "
Cassidy could tell the passion in her voice, but still found it hard to believe. Her friendship with Alison. The infusion of Cassie's powers. Her own mystically connected instinct. Was all of it engineered by someone who saw herself as a guardian, but was dangerously close to being a god? "This is a lot, coming from someone who attacked my family and friends. "
Josie didn't seem fazed by the statement. She knew Cassidy would be as stubborn as her father. ~ A family trait the grid did not provide. ~ she thought. "You know Cassidy. We really are from two different worlds. Me a computer programming prodigy. You a cops' daughter and Miss Popularity. We really are opposites. Hell in another life I could probably be hunting giant robots frying their circuits, and you could be studying to be an actress ready to have your heart broken by a man that's little over half your age. But those worlds are not our worlds now. We're different people, called forth for a higher purpose, whether we want it or not.
"And what's even stranger is that we could have even been friends at some point. How I don't know, but it could have happened. And it still could. "
"How?" Cassidy asked. "By giving up my crystal?"
Josie looked at Cassidy. "Not that simple. I'd still have to make it worth your while, despite the knowledge I have given you. Let me make a deal with you. How would you feel about your family and friends returned to you?"
"Like Jessie?" Cassidy asked not sure she liked the deal already.
"No not like my sister. You see, death is nothing compared to Iblis's power. He can return Evan and Kelly to you. And your father and mother would live again as well. And when the Rangers are destroyed I can see to it that you are spared. He'll understand. "
Cassidy heard Josie's proposal. It seemed too good to be true to have her family back, but that didn't mean that she wasn't tempted. "Think about it Cassidy. Your father and mother are almost dead already. You can have them back. Just give me the crystal. You have a tap into the Shadow Grid, you don't need the Silver power anymore. " Josie then looked at Cassidy as she made her decision.
Cassidy did think about Josie's proposal... and thought Josie was out to lunch. Her logic seemed twisted around. She seemed to rant on and on and really was making no sense. Her only sense of stability was the words Iblis was giving her, and that hardly seemed like a good source of stability. ~ And what would the price be to have my friends and family back?~ Cassidy then asked herself. Who or what would have to suffer just so I can have my parents back?~
It was a difficult decision, and Cassidy had to admit it was a tempting prospect. But as she saw from Joe Dominguez's many failed get rich quick schemes nothing ever happens as easily as described. There was always a price to be paid, or a problem along the way. And in this case Cassidy would have no one to bail her out like her father did with Joe so many times. Cassidy knew what her answer would be, and she felt that same instinct come forward and agree with her. For that Cassidy was grateful.
Cassidy then turned to Josie and looked her in the eye. As she looked Cassidy could tell Josie had checked out of the human race a long timeago. As she looked at Josie Cassidy gave her answer.
"No!"
Josie was stunned "No? Didn't you hear a word I said?"
"Yes I did!" Cassidy said. Her resolve reflected in her voice. "And let me say this. Maybe Alison and her family were tied to my destiny so higher powers could prove a point. But that doesn't change the fact that she was still my friend! As for this witch, well I have a few things to say to her, but I'll say them when I meet her. " Cassidy thought about the presence in her quarters and figured that had to be Karla looking in on her. Cassidy figured that she'd be meeting Karla face to face, and very soon.
"And as for my mom and dad, " Cassidy continued. "I don't think they would appreciate me giving up my powers, my new friends, or my planet just to have them back! And even if I did whose to say that they wouldn't be twisted like Jessie is?"
"Jessie's not twisted!" Josie shouted.
"YES SHE IS!!!" Cassidy shouted. "You're just too far gone to realize it! That thing you call your sister is nothing more than a monster in a human shell! A monster designed to feed your own hatred and grief! The Cylons are using you and you don't even know it!"
"YOU LIE!!!" Josie shouted as she lunged for Cassidy. Cassidy however sidestepped to avoid the lunge then she brought out the Silver Zeo Crystal for Josie to see.
"I have been told that this crystal is my destiny. Well if it is I'm going to make the most of it, along with whatever else comes my way. And that means making sure you don't get this. Who do you think you are to want this anyway?"
"What I am is the owner of that crystal and I want it back. NOW!!!" Josie said the last part with stern emotion. Cassidy however was not swayed. She did seem to notice that Josie had switched gears in her thinking. No longer was it about giving Cassidy a chance to shine. Instead it was about getting the crystal again.
"Is that what this is about? The crystal? All the death? All the pain? All because of this?" Silver Zeo said holding up the Silver Shard.
"That crystal is mine. I was chosen for it. It should have gone to me. " Josie said.
Cassidy looked at Josie and felt a wave of sorrow. She had been twisted so badly by Iblis, to the point where she wasn't sure where Iblis's influence ended, and Josie Belle began. Josie was too far gone. "Maybe at one point it should have gone to you, but it didn't. And it's not because of your health. It's because your heart became so possessed with hate. "
Josie paused then seemed to regain a measure of control. "Cassidy. Have you not been listening to me? You can have your family back. You could also pursue your acting dream. "
Cassidy then put her helmet back on, and Silver Zeo then backed up to where a ledge stood made of shored off metal that was torn away during the crash. She made it a point to hold the crystal in sight for Josie to see.
"You want it?" Silver Zeo said as the crystal glowed again and rejoined its bearer as she stood on the ledge overlooking the moon. "Come get it!" Then doing a back flip Silver Zeo fell from the makeshift balcony down to the ground below. Josie watched her adversary jump off and land on the ground. Silver Zeo then turned to look up and shouted "Come on! Come get your crystal!"
Josie looked at Silver Zeo like a hunter ready to stalk prey. She then activated her Psycho Silver powers and immediately began following her enemy in the maze of lunar caverns.
The chase was on.
The pull Terry felt was strong. He entered a lunar clearing that had an air pocket in it. He then took off his rebreather pack and looked around wondering where the voice was that bode him to approach.
<i> "So you have finally. . . " </i> <br>
Terry froze as he felt the aura of the power that was now appearing. I don't believe it. . . who ever this power belongs to. . . he's even stronger THAN Mars!!! Is it a God?
<i> "You are right in that belief. " </i> <br>
Terry turned around and was now face to face with the being that was the driving force behind the Cylon Empire, the one that he saw at the UN conference, "It's you. . . "
<i> "We have not yet be formally introduced yet. My name is Count Iblis. " </i> <br>
"So what do you want me?" Terry asked
Iblis answered by blasting Terry back and he fell to the ground hard.
<i> "Your death. " </i> <br>
"BRIDGES!!! CASSIDY BRIDGES!!!" Psycho Silver shouted as she stalked the halls of the downed basestar looking for her quarry. ~ You can't hide forever Bridges. ~ she thought as she scanned the area looking for any sign of Silver Zeo. A wild eyed look crossed her face as she searched.
"Come out Bridges! We all must die sometime!"
She didn't notice the balled up fist with a chain around it coming swinging at her helmet saying "Not today Josie!" as it struck Psycho Silver's helmet leaving a dent in it and her ears ringing. Knowing she only had one shot left to keep her disoriented Silver Zeo kicked Psycho Silver in the stomach keeping her down. She then retreated at a safe distance and brought out her Zeo blaster and aimed at the ceiling hoping to bring it down on her foe. Silver Zeo was successful, or so she thought.
A Silver storm took out the debris that was falling and Psycho Silver was the one who orchestrated it. However that distracted her from a second attack from Silver Zeo. . . a more direct one.
As soon as the rubble was cleared Psycho Silver felt her opponent run through her stomach like a human spear. With the wind knocked out of her and disoriented, Silver Zeo seemed to have the upper hand over her opponent. Using her Ranger enhanced fighting skills Silver Zeo fought Psycho Silver back doing everything she could to keep her disoriented.
Psycho Silver felt the blows hit her hard, but her rage built up even more so. She didn't even feel the pain from the blows anymore, as the fires of her own anger raged within her. Fires brought forth from her own soul. Fires nurtured by one who could well have been a god.
And Psycho Silver smiled as she knew Cassidy Bridges, Silver Zeo Ranger, would be the first to feel the heat of these fires. The fires of a god. The Fires of Olympus.
Silver Zeo then made ready to deliver the final blow when the punch was intercepted and grabbed. In her fist Psycho Silver held Silver Zeo's hand and waves of flame protruded from her hand intto Silver Zeo's body. She felt the heat of power, and the pain of the heat. Silver Zeo almost felt like screaming, but she kept it all inside, not wanted to show Psycho Silver any weakness.
The fires soon died down, but Psycho Silver still held onto Silver Zeo's hand. Soon Silver Zeo felt herself swung around and facing the ledge she was hoping to push Psycho Silver to. Psycho Silver held her arm tight as Silver Zeo looked at the mess of equipment and the steel floor below. She wasn't sure she could survive such a fall, even with her Ranger enhanced strength.
"Well now. Isn't this a quandary?" Psycho Silver said looking down. At the ground below, and at Silver Zeo hanging on.
"I can save you you know. I can do a lot of things for you. All it would take is for you to give up your crystal. " Silver Zeo looked up and caught Psycho Silver's choice of words.
"You said 'your' crystal. " Silver Zeo said. "Not 'my' crystal, but 'your' crystal. "
Psycho Silver caught her word slip, but wasn't sure what it meant. "What are you getting at?"
"You have just told me that the crystal is mine. " Silver Zeo said. "It is my destiny to possess it. My destiny is not what you say it is. It is more than just this one moment, and the crystal knows it. I am part of its legacy. It was no accident that I was chosen for it. I WAS meant to have it, and you know it!"
"NO! IT'S MINE!!! THE POWER IS MINE!!!" Psycho Silver screamed. "Give it to me!"
"As I said before, you want it? Come get it!" Silver Zeo then let go of the ledge and fell to the ground below. And as she fell she screamed which was music to Psycho Silver's ears, but also much to her dismay.
Blue Zeo ran as fast as he could. He could swear that she was there. He could swear that he saw her.
He had to know why she betrayed them.
Blue Zeo made his way to a clearing where on the top of a ledge he saw her. Wearing a tight silver suit reflecting the curves of her body. Her face looked so much like the girl he loved, but the manner she carried herself looked so different. Blue Zeo looked up at her and felt a mixture of sorrow and anger in himself as he saw her standing above.
"JESSIE!!!" Blue Zeo shouted.
All Jessie did was smile.
Not far away Zeo Phoenix heard Blue Zeo's shout. She knew that his quarry had been found, but what she would do to him she didn't know. However her imagination gave her some very disturbing ideas.
But would Blue Zeo fight back if Jessie implemented those ideas? Zeo Phoenix had no answer to that question.
So if it was up to her to provide the answer Zeo Phoenix had no problem with that.
The Astros and Outsiders had split up hoping to cover more ground in the base star as they searched for their missing friends. They thought they had come to where their friends were when they saw a Centurion guarding a special room. But when the Centurion was defeated with a Crack Shot from Alison they found that instead of Ashley and Jinx, they found their morphers which were the next best thing to find. Red Astro looked over the morphers and saw that there was no superficial damage.
"Well we got the morphers. Let's find who they belong to. " Red Astro said as he, Green and Pink searched the next level for Ashley and Jinx. As they descended to the next level the three Astros had struck pay dirt when they came to where Ashley and Jinx were being held in their cell. "Guys!" Ashley said enthusiastically.
Red Astro charged to the cell and hugged Ashley. Pink Astro tended to Jinx as she looked over the bruises she had received. "Who did this to you?" Pink Astro asked Jinx, despite the feeling that she would have known the answer.
"Kali!" came the whispered reply from Jinx's lips. Pink Astro let out a slow breath vowing that Kali would pay for hurting her the way she did.
Green Astro looked on at her sister and Red Astro's reunion, and while she was loath to break it, she knew they had to get moving. "Do you guys mind? We do have to get out of here. "
"Well said. Cassie tell the others that we have found Ashley and Jinx. We'll be..." Red Astro never got to finish his sentence as several obstacles appeared in their path.
"Surrender humans!" Vulpa ordered with a squad of Centurions and Trilons backing him up.
"Not a chance. " Red Astro said. Green Astro handed Ashley her morpher and Ashley quickly morphed. "LET'S ROCKET!!!" and soon Yellow Astro stood with Green, Red and Pink.
Vulpa saw the morphed Rangers and then ordered his forces to fire. Blaster shots rang out, but the Astros were able to dodge with a jumping forward flip landing straight in the path of some Centurions. The four Astro Rangers then attacked the Centurions and kicked back some approaching Trilons as well.
"Close the ranks. Gather closer. " Vulpa ordered. The Cylons did so and soon the Astros found themselves surrounded. But not for long.
"SWORD OF LIGHTNING STRIKE!!!" came a shout from the side as purplr lightning shot out and hit the Cylons in it's path. Zeo Blade then appeared and delivered some swipes to Cylons in her way.
"ZEO SHADOW RIBBONS STRIKE!!!" shouted Zeo Shadow who wrapped her ribbons around three Centurions and a Trilon in her path.
"ZEO PSI BOLT!!!" Zeo Psi said as she aimed her psi bolts at Cylons in her path.
"And that's not all!" Zeo Knight said as he jumped up and delivered a flying side kick to the Cylons in his path.
"How about a two for one?" Chelsea asked as she cut loose with her sword, and Zeo Ranger picked off his targets with his own blasters. The Outsiders were doing great work against the Cylons, even with Zeo Phoenix looking out for Blue Zeo.
"Don't forget us!" Blue Astro said as he and Black Astro cut through their Cylons. Zeo Knight, Zeo Ranger and Chelsea also got in their licks. Of Course Jinx wasn't one to be left out as she saw a squad of Centurions ganging up on Zeo Ranger.
"ZEO PUNK POWER!!!" Jinx shouted. After she was morphed she shouted "Nate out of the way!" Nate moved out as Zeo Punk gathered up speed and head rammed the Centurions in her path. Parts of the Cylons spread around on impact. "STRIKE!!!" she shouted.
Soon all that was left was Vulpa. No other Cylons remained.
"Give it up Vulpa!" Red Astro said. "You have no one left to fight for you!"
"Never!" Vulpa said as he brought his blaster to bear and then opened fire. The Rangers and Outsiders all scattered as Red Astro called forth his Spiral Saber.
Pink, Black, Blue and Yellow Astros put together the Quadro blaster then brought them to bear against the Gold Centurion. Green Astro also brought forth her weapon, followed by Gold Astro. Even the Outsiders brought their weapons to bear.
"Ready?" Zeo Knight asked.
"FIRE!!!" Red Astro ordered as weapons fire struck the gold centurion destroying virtually every circuit in his system.
Vulpa fell to the floor. There would be no rebuilding for him. Nor for any of the other Cylons that the Rangers had beaten. They all then demorphed as Alison then turned to her sister and hugged her. "ASHLEY!!!"
Ashley returned the hug as she was glad to see Alison too. "Great to see you sis!"
The Outsiders welcomed Jinx. Jamie was concerned about the injuries she had sustained during Kali's punishment period, but Jinx stated that it was okay.
"I wouldn't call it okay. " Christina said. "She hurt you bad. "
"She'll be hurt worse. " Jinx promised. "Somehow I know this. " She then cast a look in Cassie's direction and knew she would be involved in Kali's downfall. ~ Why else would Kali make such a fuss about her?~ Jinx asked herself.
"We better go find Samantha. She's worried about you. " Chelsea had said. Jinx was ready to agree when she saw something purple gleam out the color of her eye. "Look out!" she shouted as a figure approached. A figure Jinx recognized.
"YAMI-BARAI!!!"
Cassie then spun around and then countered. "YAMI-BARAI!!!"
The Kusanagi Fire Cassie used was barely able to block Kali's own fire attack. Ashley could just only stare in shock after seeing what Cassie had just done. "Cassie. . .?"
"We have some unfinished business Kusanagi!" Kali growled. She then looked at Jinx and added "You are not my concern anymore. It was fun, but go your own way!"
"No way. " Jinx said but she collapsed after she tried to stand. Zeo Psi and Chelsea were barely holding her up. "I want a piece of you. "
"Another time. Right now my concern is HER!!!". Kali then pointed at Cassie, who looked over at the others. "Go. Now. "
"No way we owe her for what happened. . . " Jamie started but Cassie put her own fist in Jamie's face, which was on fire.
"I understand you're all pissed and ticked and want to beat the crap out of her for what she did to your teammate. . . " Cassie said understandingly but her look was stern, "But she is mine. "
Alison then also spoke up. "This is bigger than you Outsiders. This is about 600 plus years of a blood feud that may never end and for those two they have to fight each other. "
Tyler looked over at Cassie. "Kick the crap out of her. "
Cassie smirked. "Count on it. "
The Outsiders and Astro Rangers all left leaving Cassie and Kali alone. This would not be any typical Ranger battle. This was not Astro Ranger versus Psycho Ranger. This was something much different, and much older. Kali looked at Cassie adorned in the Kusanagi attire and was glad that the battle would happen this way.
"And now that we are alone. . . its time to end this. " Kali smirked. "Ready for round two bitch?"
Cassie simply stood her ground. "Bring it on. "
As the Outsiders and Astros ran through the corridors they thought they felt the heat of explosions. Explosions that were from the battle Cassie and Kali were undertaking. "Cassie. " Ashley said.
"She'll be all right. " Alison said. "She can handle her. " They all continued to follow the corridor hoping to find a way out. Soon they came to a ladder.
"Right here! This leads up to the central core!" Red Astro said as came to the ladder.
Everyone climbed up the ladder making their way up. Chelsea looked down and saw the remains of a Cylon guard that seemed to have been destroyed in the crash. Regardless of that, everyone climbed up making their way to the top.
Soon the Astro Rangers and Outsiders were getting their two friends out of the crashed basestar when Alison heard a scream that sounded like someone falling. Right away she knew who it was.
"Oh no. Cassidy!"
Terry looked up at the being before him. He hadn't moved since his attack on him the first time. An attack that was not fatal, but hurt nonetheless.
Terry saw great evil in this being. A malevolence. Something that would destroy everything if Terry didn't stop him here and now. The Rangers were not around. Nor were any of the Lonely Wolves. It was up to him. "You will be stopped. Someone has to. "
<i> "Do you wish to combat me? And accept the consequences of the defeat that will come?" </i> Iblis asked Terry as the Lonely Wolf jumped up high into the air and delivered a side kick that appeared to connect to him. Iblis seemed to be knocked down and Terry stood over him.<br>
"Consider that a yes. " Terry said as Iblis then smiled. Next thing Terry knew was a dark force pushing him back across the landscape leaving Terry standing, as well as ready to conduct his first move.
"BURN KNUCKLE!!" Terry attacked Iblis head on but Iblis took the blow as is if it mattered nothing at all to him and then swatted Terry away who landed into a wall. ~ Okay. . . stupid move on my part. . . really can't fight this guy head on. . . not unless I'm really that eager to die. ~ Terry thought as he started getting back up.
<i> "The persistence that you humans show is incredible yet annoying. " </i> Iblis said. <i> "To think you actually killed one of my servants, I would have thought you could have put up more of a fight. " </i> <br>
"What?" Terry blinked. "What are you talking about? I've never met you before today. "
<i> "You met Mars did you not?" </i> Iblis said. <i> "Mars was a member of the House of Iblis, under my rule. Do you now see how futile your struggle against me is?" </i> <br>
<i> ~ This guy was Mars's master. . . not good. Going in for physical attacks right now is only going to get me killed. ~ </i> Terry thought to himself. <i> ~ He's too strong of an opponent to fight head on. I'll have to find a way to get him off guard and then hope I have enough time to use one of my other moves. ~ </i> <br>
<i> "Is all you have to offer?" </i> Iblis asked Terry.<br>
"No. . . " Terry said as he then went to the ground and slammed his fist down on it. "POWER WAVE!!!" A huge blast of gold ki energy erupted from the ground and caused it to curdle and split as it dug a wide trench. It was aimed right at Iblis who then raised his hands to block it.
<i> "Childs play. . . hm?" </i> Iblis looked back to where Terry was, or was supposed to be but he wasn't there.<br>
"CRACK SHOT!!!" Iblis turned around to get hit in the head by Terry who had used the Power Wave merely as a decoy to get behind Iblis. Terry didn't let up as he then started pounding on the Count with several right-left punches and then landed a Burn Knuckle into his chest before Iblis batted Terry away from him.
<i> "You don't know when to stop do you?" </i> Iblis asked.<br>
"I don't walk away from a fight and not one with the magnitude of this fight. " Terry countered.
<i> "Then attack me!" </i> Iblis said with a smile. He was going to enjoy what happened next.<br>
The battle the Morphin and Zeo Rangers were having against the Cylon Survivors was about over. The Centurions and Trilons couldn't comprehend the nature of their defeat when the Rangers' weapons hit. Their mission of destroying humans ended prematurely when they were struck down by the Rangers' weapons.
The Cylons quickly fell, and soon the Rangers stood victorious. Red Zeo however still felt something touch his mind.
<i> ~ Come Thomas. It is time!~ </i> <br>
"No. I have no allegiance to you!" Red Zeo shouted as Iblis spoke into his mind.
<i> ~ You made a deal with evil to serve it if you could save your world. It is time to honor that agreement. You have no choice. Your soul is mine. ~ </i> <br>
Red Morphin saw the struggle Red Zeo was having and went to his friend's side. "Tommy! Are you okay?"
Red Zeo didn't say anything. He just brought forth his Zeo Blade and slashed Red Morphin sending him back. All the other Rangers were in shock.
"TOMMY!!!" Pink Zeo shouted.
"What are you doing?!" Yellow then asked.
"Honoring my agreement!" was all Red Zeo said as he used his Zeo Sword to cut a path through the Zeo Rangers that were there. Green, Yellow, Pink, White, Black. Gold tried to subdue Red with a bear hug but Red jabbed his blade into Gold Zeo's leg and sent him to the ground in pain.
The Morphin Rangers fell next. Pink Morphin was knocked down first. Then Black, Blue, Yellow, Purple. Green, White and Red tried to subdue Red but Red Zeo used his Zeo blaster to cause a rockslide that swept the three Rangers away.
Red Zeo stood alone. The Morphin and Zeo Rangers were down. He made his way to the crater where Iblis had called him
Psycho Silver made her way down the ledge, having to be careful not to misstep and fall like Silver Zeo did. Soon she hit the ground and searched for where her enemy landed.
"All right Cassidy where are you?" she asked as she searched for her foe, aware of nothing else but the pursuit. So single minded was she in her pursuit of Cassidy Bridges that her mind was closed off to everything else. Psycho Silver clearly was in a world of her own where nothing mattered to her except her own obsession. And that obsession was with Cassidy and the Silver Zeo crystal.
She didn't have to search long as she saw Cassidy lying on the ground, demorphed and seemingly unconscious. Psycho Silver then demorphed as she came up to Cassidy's body. Josie Belle was the one who now stood looking over her fallen enemy, her obsession still present in her own mind.
"Sorry Cassidy. But this was bound to happen. You may have been part of the crystal's legacy, but it was only a short part, your time has ended. " Josie then leaned down over Cassidy's body as her hands glowed ready to take the remains of her power...only to find a hand wrapped around her throat...
...and Cassidy's eyes flash open.
"I'm not done yet. " Cassidy said as she pushed Josie back into the cavern wall with all her strength. Cassidy then quickly got up to face her, and Josie looked on amazed that Cassidy was still alive. Not to mention that Cassidy found the strength to push her back that far. "How?" she asked almost in a state of shock.
"I'm an actress. You think I couldn't do a death scene?" Cassidy explained. Josie was shocked at Cassidy's awakening as she stood tall before her. "There are other talents to a Ranger other than being able to fight you know. "
Josie was scrambling to find some reason for Cassidy's standing, and knew what it had to be. The Shadow Grid must have helped her in some way. And she suddenly realized a reason why Tommy was so sought after. Not only for the darkness about him, but his own tap to the grid. People like Tommy and Cassidy were a threat, and such threats needed to be dealt with.
Now Josie was desperate. All Josie could think of was getting the Silver Zeo powers back from Cassidy, and she was desperate to find a way. So desperate she tried her old approach with her family not caring that it most likely wouldn't work again.
"Come on Cassidy. I'll make a deal with you. Give me my powers, and I'll give you what you want. Your mother and father returned to you. "
Cassidy looked at her enemy unable to believe what she had been saying. ~ Was she so desperate that she'd try this again?~ she asked herself. At any rate Cassidy decided to play along. . "Mom? Dad?"
"Yes. I can do it. Or have it done. Look at Jessie. My sister was returned to me. Your family can be returned to you. " Josie seemed to be laying the party line on pretty thick, as she believed the pitch was working.
Cassidy played along as she acted being mesmerized by Josie's pitch. She did have to admit a slight temptation though at the possibility of a chance to have her parents back. A chance to have her friends back that she lost over the years, but then Rocky's words came back to her mind. Words about a price for such an action and that were what kept her focused. "At what cost?" she said barely able to get the words out.
"Nothing you need to worry about. Just give me the power, and I'll see to it that your parents are returned to you. " Josie watched as Cassidy seemed to consider the deal, and was stunned as she gave her answer. "You must really be a looney if you think I'd fall for that pitch again, especially after I said no the first time!"
"I'm offering you the chance to have your family and friends back! For you to have your future back! And you're telling me to scuttle it?" Josie asked in disbelief.
"Yes I am!" Cassidy said. "Because if you really think you can pull that deal off you must really be crazy! Or do you expect Iblis to do it?"
"Cassidy. Take the deal. I'm not asking this time. " Josie was starting to take a more demanding tone.
"And give the silver crystal to you? As I said, if you want it you'll have to take it!" As Cassidy finished her sentence Josie then charged her enemy ready to fight her once again.
Cassidy and Josie locked hands. Soon after a silver glow emanated from both as Josie felt herself becoming weaker and weaker. Josie looked at her adversary with eyes filled with determination as Cassidy seemed to will the power Josie had back into her very being. Her strong will being a trait that she picked up from both her father and mother. Her mind felt a twinge of anger at the thought of her parents being victims of Josie and she felt that grief come into her own will power as well.
"Two can play this game little girl. " Josie said as she then started enforcing her will to drain Cassidy's power. Only instead of her own determination Josie was using her own rage and madness to empower her own will. Cassidy seemed to be weakening at the onslaught of force from Josie, as Josie's will was laced by madness as well as grief, but that only encouraged Cassidy to further her own resolve at defeating Josie.
Rage versus determination was the contest these two girls were having. The glow around them seemed to flicker wildly as the two girls seemed to try to drain the life from each other, as well as one another's powers.
Cassidy Bridges and Josie Belle were locked in a battle of wills. Neither one willing to lose.
Elsewhere in the basestar, another battle was continuing to rage on.
"JUST DIE ALREADY!" Kali screamed as she tried to punch Cassie in the head only for Cassie to avoid the punch with a flame teleport. However Kali's hand went through the metal plated wall that it hit as if it was paper.
"What the?" Cassie muttered out of surprise when she teleported in and saw Kali's act of strength. Her surprise however was a moment of weakness as Kali turned around and grabbed Cassie by her jacket. She then threw Cassie all the way across to the other side of the room, her body impacting against the wall, resounding in a metal clang that was heard through out the room. When she fell to the ground, Cassie felt her body aching in pain. ~ What's going on? The more I fight her, the stronger she seems to be getting. Is she holding back on me?~
"At a loss as to how I'm pulling this off?" Kali sneered as she walked toward Cassie like a predator playing with its prey. "It's a bit of my own secret though. I'm sure that the Lords will tell you when you die. You are after all of their blood. "
"What? The Lords?" Cassie muttered, not understanding what Kali was getting at.
"You don't get it where your power comes from do you Cassandra? At least the origin of Susana-oh. " Kali sneered as decided to give her a little reprieve. "Well let me spell it out for you. He was not human. He wasn't even from earth. He was from the farthest reaches of outer space. "
Cassie looked on in disbelief. "What? What are you saying?"
"Susano-Oh wasn't human!" Kali said. "And his descendents carry his blood within him. In short that means one thing. . . YOU AREN'T EVEN HUMAN!!!"
Cassie just froze at Kali's revelation. And in that moment Kali capitalized on it as she lashed out with spinning kick to the head that sent Cassie sprawling back down to the ground, only for Kali to pick her up and slam her head against the wall and throw her back to the ground.
"You are so easy to set up Cassandra, " Kali sneered, "You think you actually had a chance to defeat me? Girl, Trini was a Ranger long before you and I was originally her clone. Not only do I have her fighting skills but I also have been given power vastly superior to yours and have given myself other skills. " She looked down at Cassie and whispered into her ear, "Just what do you think you can do against me. "
"This. . . " was the low growl and red hot fire ignited in Cassie's right fist, and struck Kali squarely in the chest with such speed that she couldn't have thought possible. The force of it sent her reeling back wards as she felt the fires burning on her chest, the pain searing until she was able to extinguish the flames. Kali put the flames out hurriedly as she took a moment to show concern for her baby. But when she looked up, she saw Cassie standing up, shakily but the look on her face was that of determination and strength.
"If all you have use to fight me are just cheap tricks, you better leave now or I'll finish you. " Cassie growled.
"Like hell you will!!!" Kali roared as she charged Cassie, intent on spilling her blood in the slowest and most painful way imaginable. As Kali charged Cassie snapped her fingers and flame teleported again. All Kali charged was empty air. When she reoriented herself she saw Cassie standing behind her a few feet away smirking.
"I like this power. " Cassie said as she snapped her fingers and teleported away again. Kali then decided to track Cassie down knowing that she would try to taunt her with teleportation. To that end Kali teleported herself to her own destination.
The chase was on.
The Morphin and Zeo Rangers were only now starting to recover when the Outsiders and Astros arrived to help. "What happened?" Zeo Knight asked.
"Tommy. " Jason said. He attacked us. "
"What?" Lillian asked in disbelief. "Why?"
"I think Iblis had something to do with it. " Zack said. "Tommy said something about 'honoring a commitment' before he left. "
"Honoring a commitment?" Carlos asked. "What commitment?"
"I think it goes all the way back to a previous battle. " Adam said. "We know Tommy made a deal with the Dark One to keep the universe safe, but we weren't sure about the full consequences of that deal until now. We thought the Zeo Poison was it, and that was the end. "
"No deal with Iblis ends that simply. " Sabrina said. "I know. "
"Hey where's Cassidy? And Rocky? And Katarina?" Alison then asked.
"They found targets of their own. " Samoht said. "Cassidy saw Josie and went after her. Rocky saw Jessie and pursued her. Katarina followed. "
"Where's your Pink Ranger?" Trini asked noticing Cassie's disappearance.
"Cassie was left fighting some Trini lookalike named Kali. " Ashley explained. Trini nodded at the answer, but felt chills running through her at the mentioning of Kali's name.
"Cassidy's hunting Josie. Rocky's gone. Katarina's chasing him. Cassie's fighting Kali. " Jason said keeping track of all that was happening. "And now Tommy seems to be under Iblis's control. "
"How?" Ashley asked.
"I'd say he made a deal at some point, and Iblis has a claim to Tommy. " Jason said. "The Dark One may have gotten his soul, and Iblis then took the claim. "
"And Iblis took advantage of it. " Lillian said. "Is there any way to get him free?"
"I'm not sure Lillian. First we need to find out where they are. " Soon, as if on cue, everyone heard an explosion in the distance. A light shone from a site nearby which caught everyone's attention.
"I don't know about you, but I'd say that's a good place to start. " Alison said. Everyone agreed. Soon the three teams of Rangers, Outsiders, and Lonely Wolves made their way to where Iblis and Terry were fighting. And where Tommy probably was as well.
Terry had used much of his arsenal against Count Iblis. Iblis however seemed to take in everything Terry had and didn't seem fazed by Terry's attacks one bit. ~ All right. Can't attack him directly. Let's try a different approach. ~
"BURN KNUCKLE!!!" Terry shouted as he punched the rock face nearby and caused an avalanche that he hoped would stop the count, but knew it wouldn't. The avalanche was a set up for Terry's next move.
Terry looked up and saw the rubble fall on Count Iblis. Terry was getting tired and he knew he had to end this. Terry took a wide-legged stance with his arms held out, fists clenched and focused his inner energies.
In less than a heartbeat, he became surrounded by a cyclone of wind as he prepared to launch his attack at the emerging Count Iblis.
"HAKKYOKU SAIKEN! FINAL ATTACK! SEN PU KEN!"
Terry sent himself into a brutal spin, causing the tornado to increase in size and wind velocity. The huge column of wind streaked forward and slammed into Count Iblis.
Inside the tornado, Terry fought for survival as he subjected Count Iblis to hundreds of high-impact punches. Finally Iblis came out of the tornado when it ended and then Terry fell to his knees catching his breath.
<i> ~ Just need a moment to catch my breath. . . the Hurricane Punch still takes a bit out of me. . . ~ </i> Terry thought as he breathed. Then he looked up and saw Iblis, and couldn't believe his eyes.<br>
There was no damage done to him. His robes still shone white. His face still looked human, and unscathed. Terry couldn't believe it.
The Hurricane Punch had no effect!
Above on the rock face Red Zeo looked down as Terry Bogard faced Count Iblis. He saw Terry use the Hurricane Punch and the effect it had. He then saw Iblis use his own energy against Terry and sent him down to his knees in pain.
Red Zeo was sad to see this happen. Terry was a great fighter. It was an honor for Red Zeo to spar with a martial arts legend. But this was neither here nor there. Right now he was here for his master, and he would answer any request Count Iblis granted him.
When the time was right.
Josie and Cassidy continued their battle of wills. Josie applied more and more of her madness into driving Cassidy down, and even though Josie seemed to be the victor it didn't seem like she was winning fast enough. "FALL DAMN IT!!! FALL!!!" Josie screamed as Cassidy went down to one knee, but Cassidy still refused to give in. She would not give up.
Cassidy tried using her own anger against Josie, but since Josie's anger was laced with insanity Cassidy's rage was no match for Josie's. Cassidy tried to call upon her Shadow Grid aspect, but she had no idea how to do that, nor did she feel any connection to anything. She almost seemed certain to lose when she heard a voice inside her mind. "Look inside yourself. " it said. "The power is within you. "
Cassidy felt her mind being pulled in a different direction, towards a place that was always talked about, but she never saw until now. A place within herself that defined who she was, and what she could do.
It was within her own soul.
Inside herself was the power she needed to defeat her adversary. Power not from the crystal, or from the grid, but within herself. Power that made use of the power of the crystal and the grid, and could bring it to bear. And the voice seemed so reassuring...familiar somehow. As if knowing that she could do this.
And she did. Josie looked mesmerized as, with a renewed strength of will, Cassidy gave a great push back causing a flare of silver to erupt from her. Josie was stunned as she had never felt such power come from a Ranger before. ~ Was she THAT powerful?~ she asked herself stunned.
Josie recovered just enough to see Cassidy glowing silver and bringing her Zeonizers up for activation. "IT'S MORPHIN TIME!!!" Cassidy Bridges shouted as she brought her Zeonizers together.
"ZEO RANGER VII-SILVER!!!"
Silver Zeo stood once again facing Josie. Both stared each other down as Josie activated her own power. "PSYCHO SILVER POWER!!!" she shouted transforming into her Psycho Silver armor. Soon Silver Zeo and Psycho Silver were staring each other down again.
"You ready for this?" Psycho Silver asked.
"Bring it on!" Silver Zeo said activating her Silver Zeo Nightstick. Psycho Silver ran at Psycho speed and Silver Zeo sidestepped to swing her stick into Psycho Silver's stomach. Silver Zeo then dropped her elbow on the back of Psycho Silver's neck causing her to fall to the ground. Silver Zeo backed up waiting for Psycho Silver to get back up.
Soon Psycho Silver was back on her feet. Silver Zeo then brought her Star Shooter to bear and said, "Don't move! Or I fire. "
"Really?" Psycho Silver said as she got a running charge towards her adversary. As Silver Zeo fired a series of stars Psycho Silver jumped up and delivered a flying side kick to Silver Zeo's chin, knocking her back. Psycho Silver then capitalized with a series of punches and kicks hoping to keep her opponent off guard, but Psycho Silver soon found her foot being caught by Silver Zeo and then herself thrown into a wall.
Silver Zeo then unsnapped her Zeo chain and balled it around her fist. Silver Zeo soon found herself fighting southpaw against Psycho Silver striking with a chain wrapped hand. Psycho Silver was quite disoriented, but was coherent enough to launch one more strike against her foe.
From her hand, surges of Silver Lightning shot out of her fingertips and struck Silver Zeo. Silver Zeo found herself flung back a good couple of feet, and over another ledge, which was not as long a drop, but just as bad seeing as how her Ranger healing still hadn't completely healed her from the last fall. Psycho Silver quickly made her way down to where Silver Zeo landed. As she came up to the body she saw the unconscious form of Cassidy Bridges lying on the ground.
<i> ~ Even with Ranger enhanced reflexes and skills that fall would have taken a lot out of you. Perhaps I should just kill you right now and be done with it. ~ </i> Psycho Silver then raised her silver sword up high into the air and made ready to plunge it into Cassidy's heart when she suddenly stopped. "No, I'll do this a different way. " She then powered down into her form of Circuit Breaker and picked up Cassidy by her shirt.<br>
"Wake up girl! Wake up!" she said slapping Cassidy's face. "I want you conscious when you face your death. " Cassidy then began to stir and saw Circuit Breaker looking down on her.
"No powers to protect you now. " Circuit Breaker sneered. "Now the only question remains, 'with which identity will I kill you?"
"Neither!" Cassidy said as she did a spin kick to the back of Circuit Breaker's shin. Circuit Breaker was back down and Cassidy was back up. Circuit Breaker then fired a burst of silver electrical energy at Cassidy but Cassidy ducked out of the way. She hid behind a rock as Circuit Breaker fired another surge of energy which hit the rock, and vaporized it.
Cassidy felt the sting of Circuit Breaker's Zeo energy electrical power even from behind the rock and felt like she shouldn't be hit by it. However there weren't many places to hide, and Cassidy wasn't sure her powers could handle a hit by Circuit Breaker's energy. She also didn't believe she'd even have time to morph again before the energy hit her.
And sure enough it did.
Cassidy let out a shriek as the silver electricity hit her. Her body was twitching as the energy seemed to enter her causing so much pain within. Circuit Breaker stood above sending the deadly bolts into Cassidy's form.
"I offered you the chance to have your family back. You chose not to take it!" Circuit Breaker said as she fired another burst into her enemy.
"You chose to keep power you were not meant to have forever!" Circuit Breaker fired more energy.
"Your time is done. Your power will be mine. " Circuit Breaker fired one more surge into Cassidy as her screams became music to Circuit Breaker's ears. Then she stood over her Cassidy ready to deliver the last shot.
"Now Cassidy Bridges. You will die. " Circuit Breaker smiled as she said that and made ready to fire again, but Cassidy was able to gather enough strength to deliver a side kick to Circuit Breaker's stomach knocking her back. The kick also knocked off something on Circuit Breaker's armor and as Cassidy got up, it lay resting by her foot.
Circuit Breaker also got up and looked at Cassidy hungrily. "Nice to know there's still a bit of fight left in you. Pity it will be your last!" Circuit Breaker then raised her arms to fire another burst of energy at her foe.
Nothing happened.
Circuit Breaker raised her arms to fire again. Again nothing happened.
Cassidy saw the master transformer and looked at Circuit Breaker. "Something missing?" she asked as she brought up her foot crushed the transformer with the sole of her shoe. "NOOO!!!!" Circuit Breaker shouted as she realized that she was now out of commission, as was Psycho Silver. All that remained was Josie Belle.
Josie Belle now stood to look at Cassidy Bridges. The glow around her intense. More intense than the Silver Crystal could ever hope to be. "My life has been changed. My destiny altered. I can now never go back to who I was. "
Josie looked on at Cassidy as she approached her. "I had a glimpse of my future you know. What I would have been? Who I was meant to love. Now thanks to you that future will not come to be. I will never love Evan. I will never see my stepmother again. I may become a cop like my father, but it will never be like it should have been. My future is no longer set. And you have changed the course of my destiny. "
"What do you expect me to say? 'I'm sorry?'" Josie asked. "Sorry that some withc changed the universe so much that it made you a freak? That your family and friends are dead because of it?"
"No, just for you to face the consequences of your actions!" Cassidy looked over at some sort of pipe that dripped some sort of coolant, and a valve that opened it. Josie saw Cassidy looking over at the valve and saw her reach for it. "NOOO!!!" Josie shouted as she tried to charge Cassidy to keep from using the coolant on her. Cassidy kicked Josie back and turned the valve opening the pipe and spewing the liquid all over Josie. "PSYCHO SILVER-" she tried to say but the coolant froze around her face keeping her from getting the word out.
The coolant spewed all over Josie, hardening around her and slowing her metabolism. She stood frozen in position. Her hands facing out as if trying to hold back the coolant, and not succeeding. The coolant covered every bit of her body transforming her into a living statue. Finally the spewing was complete and Cassidy looked at Josie.
Josie's face was hard to make out. Her eyes were closed as if falling asleep in the middle of danger. The coolant covered every aspect of her body suit making her look like a statue that was created by a famous artist. She looked at the pipe that spewed the coolant that barely missed her form and covered her adversary. Only remnant gases remained from the broken coolant line.
Cassidy then turned to see the coolant covered form of Josie Belle standing motionless. "Yes Josie. It's over. " she said before walking away.
The battle between the female Kusanagi and Yagami heirs was now also reaching its climax. Cassie had teleported into a cavern wondering where Kali was. When she felt a blow to the back of her neck Cassie knew immediately that Kali was behind her. Throwing a sidekick from the ground Cassie got back up and the two went at it again.
Kali was seething and Cassie had been capitalizing on errors made by Kali's anger clouding her judgement. Kali's anger however empowered her own blows and allowed her to launch devastating strikes against her opponent to compensate for lapses her anger provided.
The two had been fighting a dead even battle. Cassie however managed to put Kali into a throw against the wall and jumped into the air for an aerial attack to finish her but it was just a ploy.
"SHIN ONI-YAKI!" Kali screamed as she executed an improved version of her aerial attack, her body engulfed in purple fire as she impacted with Cassie and then landed several blows to her opponent before throwing her down back into the ground. Kali landed on the other side of the room a couple of feet away from her.
"This ends now for you Cassandra!" Kali smirked as she stood over her opponent. She was charging her power ready to end this.
As Cassie laid on the ground, she knew that her body was wracked with pain and there as no way for her to even defend her self. It looked at as if this was the end for her.
But then she thought of her friends, about what would happen if she failed to stop Kali here and now and what Kali would do to not only them but to her family. To her mother, her father. . . to everyone she cared about. She'd torture them like she had done to Jinx or even worse than she had.
<i> ~ NO! I refuse to let that happen!~ </i> Cassie shook her head as she felt her blood boiling, as if fire was running through her veins. <i> ~ I won't let her harm anyone I care about! My teammates. My friends. Ashley. My mom. My dad. I won't let her harm any of them!!!~ </i> <br>
The drive and the will to overcome her enemy had never been so great and neither was the need to succeed. She thought about everyone that mattered to her, everyone that held a place in her heart and in her mind she saw something that she had forgotten. Something that she thought she could never perform herself but now she had to do. The doubt was still existing in her mind but her heart banished them as she kept her mind focused on all those people that she loved and cared for.
And once she had reached that point, she found the strength that had been deep within in her, the potential that had never fully realized. But even more than that, the strength that can only come when fighting for those that you care and love for.
"Any last words Cassandra?" Kali sneered as she looked down at her opponent still not noticing anything until it was too late.
"You will never. . . "
"What was that?" Kali asked.
Cassie didn't respond with words. . . she responded with an earth shattering scream that sounded through out the ship as she willed herself back on her feet and her entire body became engulfed in fire and to Kali's shock, the flames just kept on growing.
"ARGH!" Kali screamed as Cassie's ki just shot through the roof, the sheer increase in power sent her into the wall. "This is impossible! There's no way she can possibly generate that much power!"
"KALI!!!"
Kali's head snapped back forward and she looked at Cassie, she got a good look at her eyes. It looked like she was looking into the mouth of hell. When Cassie spoke, it was then for the first time since she had been reborn that Kali felt an emotion she thought she wouldn't feel ever again.
Fear.
"YOU WILL NEVER HARM ANYONE I LOVE EVER AGAIN!!!"
<i> ~ She can't. . . she can't be preparing to do. . . ~ </i> Kali shook her head as she started to power up just to be safe but she would learn it wouldn't help.<br>
"Kusanagi Final Attack..." Cassie said almost at a whisper before her fires flared violently and crimson, making Kali step back another step before she gave her cry, "OROCHINAGI!!!"
Kali tried to move to get out of Cassie's way and she almost succeeded.
Almost.
"RAAAAAAA!!!" Cassie screamed in inhuman rage as she caught Kali's arm and then Kali was engulfed in Kusanagi fire but Cassie was not done as she then unloaded on Kali punch after punch and kick after kick in chain combos and each hit was landed with Kusanagi fire. It was so intense you couldn't see what was going on in the pillar of fire. Finally though it ended.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Kali screamed as she went through two walls from the force and power of the impact. She then laid on the ground unconscious, seven of her ribs broken, along with her right leg and both arms and she was on fire.
"Ungh. . . " Cassie collapsed to the ground on her knees. She looked across the floor from where she was. She saw Kali was defeated.
She then smiled as she decided to do something to honor this victory simply because it was the right thing to do. She raised her right hand, put her index finger on fire and blew out flaming finger, "Heh heh, moetarou. " ~ 'You're burned'... that's for you Kyo. ~
Limping, Cassie got herself onto her feet and started to look for the others.
Blue Zeo continued to run down the corridors trying to find 'Jessie'. His search ended when he saw her standing above him, on a ledge looking down. Her face had that of a smile. A seemingly gentle smile, but one that was touched by darkness as well.
"Hello Rocky. Power down will you please? I want to look in your eyes. "
Blue Zeo however brought his Zeo Blaster to bear against the Cylon android. "Who are you? You're not Jessie. "
"I'm not the Jessie you knew. " 'Jessie' had said. "She can never come back. But I can love you just as much as she can. "
Blue Zeo however kept his blaster trained on his target. "What would you know about love? You're just a machine!"
"Aren't we all in a way?" 'Jessie' then raised her right hand and fired a current of energy at Blue Zeo. She maintained fire causing him to drop his Zeo Blaster, and then demorph into his human form. Soon 'Jessie' stood above him looking down. "I so hoped I could spare you, but now you must die like all the others. Goodbye, my love. " 'Jessie' raised her hand ready to fire but the fire didn't come. At least not in the way he had expected it.
What happened instead was a laser blast hit Jessie in the hand causing her to shriek out in pain. Even though she was a Cylon android, pain receptors were put into her construction. Specter recommended such a measure so self-preservation could be encouraged into her programming. Rocky however looked at 'Jessie's' hand and saw a sight he couldn't believe.
The flesh was burnt off in areas revealing steel construction underneath. If he couldn't believe that 'Jessie' wasn't real before he had to believe it now.
"Rocky get out of the way!" a voice shouted from above. Rocky looked up and saw Zeo Phoenix leap off a rock face and give a drop kick to 'Jessie's' face. 'Jessie' was knocked back by the impact and Zeo Phoenix pressed on with her attack.
A series of kicks were delivered from Zeo Phoenix knocking 'Jessie' back. Then Zeo Phoenix stopped as a blast of energy fired from 'Jessie's'damaged hand throwing Zeo Phoenix back. Zeo Phoenix then demorphed and Katarina Petronov was sprawled out on the floor. "Katarina!" Rocky shouted trying to get to her side.
"Don't Rocky!" 'Jessie' said. "You don't want to come any closer, or I will kill her right now. "
"What do you want?" Rocky couldn't help but ask.
"To live. " 'Jessie' had said. "As the original Jessie had done. As Josie had done before Jessie's death. To love as you loved Jessie. "
"Only one problem. You're not Jessie. " Katarina had said. "Rocky himself said that. And you yourself admitted that. "
"True. " 'Jessie' had said. "But I can love Rocky as she did. I can love him in ways you can't. Do you think you even have a chance with him? What could you do with him that I can't?"
"I don't know. Ask her. " Katarina said as she pointed to a ball of energy that came in streaking through the caverns and hit 'Jessie'. Her form started to glow and an inhuman shriek erupted from 'Jessie' as if she was in a great pain. "What's happening?" Rocky asked.
Katarina looked at 'Jessie' and could only say "Someone wants to say good bye. "
Rocky looked at Katarina curiously wondering what she meant then he looked at the white glowing form of Jessie as her eyes opened. No longer were they eyes that reflected evil and darkness, but Rocky could look into those eyes and see the woman he loved. The woman who was Jessie Belle.
"Jessie?" Rocky asked in a whisper. But Jessie waved her hand as if trying to warn him back.
"Don't come any closer Rocky. " Jessie said. "I don't have a lot of time. "
"Time?" Rocky asked confused. "Time for what?"
"For you to let me go Rocky. " Jessie answered. "For you to heal yourself and move on. "
"No. " Rocky said. "You're back now. We can start again. We can be together again. "
"No Rocky I'm dead. " Jessie answered. "I died when Harper killed me. What you see before you is just a copy of me. Perverted by an evil monster who wants to destroy all that's good. Who uses my image to cause pain. Pain to you. Pain to me. Please stop him. "
"What can I do?" Rocky asked afraid of what the answer would be. An answer Josie confirmed as she looked at the Zeo Blaster on the floor.
"Set me free Rocky. Set me free. " Rocky moved to grab the Zeo Blaster and held it steady against Jessie but as his finger touched the trigger he found that the woman he loved was asking him to kill her, again. Only this time it was by his own hand.
"Please Rocky. Please! I can't hold back the darkness any longer!" Rocky continued to hold the pistol, but his hand was shaking. He looked at Katarina for an answer, but she couldn't say anything. "This has to be your call" she said. Rocky looked at the pistol and at Jessie. "I...I...I can't. " he said in a weak voice.
"DO IT!!!" she pleaded. "SET ME FREE!!!" The next second Rocky pulled the trigger on the Zeo pistol and his Jessie in the heart, or the energy processor. Either way Jessie fell to the floor, and Rocky rushed to her side.
Rocky looked at Jessie as he held her in his arms. "I'm sorry. " He said with tears in his eyes.
"Don't be. " Jessie said with a smile. "You've set me free. You couldn't have made me anymore happy. "
"I don't want you to go. " Rocky said as he continued to cry. "Stay with me. "
"I can't. But we will see each other again. I promise..." Those were the last words Jessie said before she closed her eyes for the final time. Rocky held her in his arms wishing he could hold her in his arms forever.
"Goodbye Jessie. " Rocky said as tears streaked down his face when he looked down at Jessie's body. It didn't matter if she was a replica or the real thing.
All that mattered was that Jessie Belle had died again.
Katarina looked on at Rocky and did the only thing she could at the moment. She held him as he cried on her shoulder. Neither one cared if it made Rocky look weak or not. Right now Rocky was hurting and Katarina wanted to do all she could to be there for him.
For like Jessie Belle, Katarina Petronov loved Rocky DeSantos.
"Argh!" Terry cried as Iblis attacked him again, this time he actually went through a wall and ended up laying on his stomach. He was almost spent. His body felt like it was revisiting the battles with Laocorn in the Armor of Mars and Mars himself ten times over.
<i> "You do yourself credit boy but you aren't the victor of this fight. Not now or ever will be. " </i> Iblis stated.<br>
<i> One last move. . . I got to hope. . . that it gets him. . . </i> Terry thought to himself as he drew in all the reserves of power he had and every bit of ki he could summon up.<br>
<i> "Do you have anything to say to me?" </i> Iblis asked.<br>
"Yes. . . " Terry replied as he looked at the dark being with his eyes now glowing red and he slammed his fist to the ground. "POWER. . . GEYSER!!!"
Iblis got hit head on by Terry's Desperation Move. The huge column of ki engulfed Iblis and caused the ground itself to quake and part of broke apart.
It took a while for the dust to settle and the smoke to clear, but the effect was still the same as when Terry used the Hurricane Punch.
No effect.
And Iblis was clearly amused by what he had hit.
Terry just gasped as Iblis who was still alive even after taking the Power Geyser.
<i> "I see I made the right choice when I took away the Q's control of the game. Humanity's power is everything I expected and once they are brought under my dominion my power will be unchallenged. " </i> Iblis said as he held up one of his hands. <i> "However. . . this contest is now over. . . prepare to join your lovers in the afterlife. . . Terry Bogard. " </i> <br>
Terry wondered what Iblis meant, until he heard "SICK-YAH!!!" coming from above. Red Zeo was about to attack, and Terry only had a split second to dodge the strike. Terry looked at Red Zeo in disbelief. "Tommy?" he said. "What are you doing?"
<i> "Following my commands. " </i> Iblis sneered. <i> "You really should be more careful who you choose to be a White Ranger. It is always a good thing to be sure that they will not be converted to evil later on. " </i> <br>
"Converted to evil? What are you talking about?" Terry asked.
"I had no choice. " Red Zeo said in a monotone. "Either I accepted the deal or the universe was destroyed. One soul for millions. Including yours Terry. "
<i> "And now you can repay the favor. And die. " </i> After Iblis finished speaking Red Zeo attacked Terry with his Zeo sword. Terry didn't have any weapons on him. He never needed to use them, but he still refused to use his ki against Tommy. Terry resorted to hand to hand combat moves hoping to take Red Zeo down. However Red Zeo still had the power on him, and he jumped up and did a stomp kick across Terry's chest as boots drilled into Terry's chest repeatedly. Terry was being driven back, but he was able to land one major haymaker across the small of Red Zeo's back knocking him down.<br>
"Don't get up Tommy. Don't make me use any of my moves. " Terry said hoping Red Zeo would stay down. It was a faint hope as Red Zeo did a leg sweep knocking Terry down. Red Zeo then tried to impale Terry with the Zeo Blade but Terry rolled out of the way. Terry hoped Tommy would fight unarmed, but that was a vain hope as Red Zeo drew out his Zeo Blaster and fired.
Terry got out of the way, but a shot did graze his leg. Terry realized that he had no choice. He had to use ki as long as Red Zeo was morphed. He called up enough of his energy and went with his simplest attack. "BURN KNUCKLE!!!"
Red Zeo took the shot and was sent staggering. Terry knew he needed another move. "POWER WAVE!!!" he shouted sending an eruption of ki towards Red Zeo. Again he was hit, but not enough for a force demorph.
"One more try. " Terry said as he readied his final move. "POWER GEYSER!!!" A massive surge of power hit Red Zeo, and brought forth the depowering that Terry was hoping for. Soon Tommy Oliver lay on the ground with Terry Bogard standing over him in victory.
"It's over Tommy. We can help you. " Terry said. Tommy looked up and said "No you can't. " as he threw sand in Terry's eyes, and grabbed the Zeo Sword that still lay nearby. Tommy charged Terry ready to take his head. "POWER OF THE DRAGON FILL MY BEING!!!" Tommy shouted as his blade took on an reddish glow that Terry couldn't believe.
<i> ~ Tommy's using a ki ability, or something like it. ~ </i> he thought. But he didn't have time to think about it as he was about to be beheaded by Tommy. Iblis looked off to the side pleased with what he was seeing. <i> "Yes! Attack him!!! Finish him!!!" </i> <br>
"DRAGON FLAME!!!" Tommy shouted as a fireball seemed to shoot out of his sword and head straight for Terry. Terry ducked out of the way as the flame struck behind him. However once the strike happened the shockwave sent Terry flying forward allowing Tommy to get a wheel kick in knocking Terry down to the side. When Terry struggled to get back up he found himself facing a running charge from Tommy that came in the form of a flaming trail that hit him dead on like a freight train.
<i> ~ He's smart. ~ </i> Terry thought as he caught onto Tommy's plan of attack. <i> ~ He's not letting me get in a shot. And he's keeping me off my feet. But let me try something. ~ </i> Terry then brought forth his hand and called out "BURN KNUCKLE!!!"<br>
Tommy took the shot and was knocked off his feet briefly. He then smiled as he thought of a new idea that he could use. "FIRE KNUCKLE!!!" he shouted as he brought forth his own hand mimicking Terry's Burn Knuckle move sending a trail of flame Terry's way. Terry had no way to get out of the way in time so he took the shot and felt himself burning. Terry quickly rolled on the ground trying to extinguish the hot flames, and found himself rolling to Tommy's feet.
Tommy then raised his hand ready to deliver his killing blow at Terry. Tommy's hand was glowing with red flame, and Terry knew that what was to come had to be worse than the Fire Knuckle shot that he took. Terry knew he had no way to defend and couldn't move out of the way in time. "Tommy don't do this!" Perry said.
Tommy couldn't answer. He just brought his fist down. However just as the blast was about to hit Terry. . . someone else took the blow.
Terry looked up and saw who it was. . . and paled.
It was Blue Mary. She looked Iblis in the eyes and said this, "You can't. . . have him. "
She then fell to the ground.
"Mary. . . Mary!" Terry went to her and held her in his arms. He felt for her pulse. There was none. He went looking over her to give CPR but it wasn't working. It was then he remembered what she said.
". . . no. . . not again. . . " Terry started to cry as he held Mary's body in his arms and felt himself right back where he was two years ago with Sulia. Terry let out a wail to the sky, "MARY!!!"
Tommy looked at the sight of Terry holding Blue Mary with new eyes. It was almost as if a light had been turned on in his soul, and what he saw was a horror that he should not have had to see. A horror that he had brought about. "No!" he said in a whisper. "NO!!!"
<i> "Yes. " </i> Iblis said as he stood before Tommy in his regular form. His monstrous form. <i> "And you helped bring it all about. </i> <br>
"You...you gave me no choice. " Tommy said.
<i> "Yes I did. " </i> Iblis said. <i> "Or rather the Dark One did. Either keep your free will and let the universe die, or save it and give up your free will. Those were the choices offered and you made the only one you could. " </i> Iblis then left Tommy to his grief and focused his attention on Terry once again, who was still holding Mary's body in his arms. He wouldn't see an attack coming.<br>
<i> "How noble. " </i> Iblis said with a sneer. He knew that no one would interfere on Mary's behalf. Tommy was the one who killed her, not Iblis. So Iblis had no need to fear repercussions from anyone. <i> "I do believe its time to end this. . . " </i> Iblis then raised his right hand to blast Terry but had to use it to block an attack.<br>
An attack by Laocorn Gaudeamus.
"I don't think so. . . HEAVEN'S FIST!" Laocorn shouted as he rushed the Dark One but Iblis then held Laocorn's fist in his grip.
<i> "Isn't this interesting?" </i> Iblis mused.<br>
"Haven't you taken enough lives you devil!" Laocorn spat. "How many people have to die because of you and your sick manipulations! I for one know you all too well!"
<i> "Your soul is mine. " </i> Iblis said.<br>
"It did once upon a time. . . but you lost it Iblis. You'll have to settle on killing me if you want me out of the picture!" Laocorn spat.
<i> "That can be easily arranged. " </i> Iblis replied, but he was distracted by three incoming attacks.<br>
"HI SHO KEN!!!"
"YAMI-BARAI!!!"
"SPIRIT BULLET!!!"
Iblis turned to see Andy, Cassie and Alison giving their own attacks to the Count who just took the shots. And as if the ki attacks weren't enough the Rangers appeared, firing their blaster weapons at the Count. Again the combined power had no effect on Iblis.
The attacks knocked Iblis off balance and allowed Laocorn to get himself out of Iblis's grip. "Ngh. . . "
"Laocorn what are you doing here? Where's Terry?" Andy asked as he ran over but saw Laocorn looking away. That's when he saw his brother, looking totally zoned out. . . and holding a lifeless Mary in his arms. "Oh god. . . not again. . . "
"Does this upset you boy?" Iblis sneered at Andy, whose eyes narrowed at the dark being.
"MONSTER!!!" Andy roared as he flared up his ki and charged at Iblis.
"Andy no!" Laocorn shouted but Andy wouldn't pay it any mind as he wanted to tear off Iblis's head for what he had done. "BAKUSHIN!!!" he shouted as he charged Iblis with ki energy. As Andy leapt back the energy exploded on Iblis. Unfortunately, he had the same result as his brother. No effect as Iblis then blasted Andy against the wall in retaliation.
"Andy!" Alison shouted.
<i> "Is this really all you have?" </i> the Dark One said smugly.<br>
"Hardly! POWER CANNON!!!" White Morphin ordered. It had been a while since this weapon was called upon, but right now it seemed like the best chance the Morphin Rangers had.
"Pink charge!"
"Purple Charge!"
"Blue Charge!"
"White Charge!"
"Yellow Charge!"
"Black Charge!
"Green Charge!"
"Red Charge!"
The Morphin Rangers charged up the Power Cannon and brought it to bear against Iblis. The Zeos, Astros and Outsiders also added their own firepower to the mix by drawing out their own Zeo Blasters, or energy weapons. The Zeos, Astros and Outsiders fired first then the Morphin Rangers fired the Power Cannon blast. The impact hit Iblis with enormous force.
And when the smoke cleared, Iblis smiled. The cannon had no effect.
"Oh my god!" Pink Morphin shouted.
<i> "My dear, God has nothing to do with me. " </i> <br>
"Maybe, but he doesn't have anything to do with this either!" Laocorn said as he brought forth his final attack "RAGE OF THE INFERNO!!!" which engulfed Iblis as soon as it made contact with his form. A flash of power raged where the Count had stood.
"I hope Iblis goes back to hell. " Laocorn said. Cassie then was frozen. "Guys!"
They all turned around just in time for Count Iblis, emerging from Laocorn's and the Rangers' attack, to blast them all against the wall.
<i> "You arrogant creatures! Do you really think that is enough! Do you not know where your races destiny lies!" </i> Count Iblis shouted. <i> "You have all worn out your welcome. You and your friends will never leave this place alive!" </i> <br>
"This isn't good!" Laocorn said. "He's stronger than Mars by far!"
"How the hell are we going to beat him!" Alison shouted.
<i> "You won't!" </i> Iblis said. <i> "You don't have the power!" </i> <br>
Zeo Shadow looked over at Tommy and shouted. "Tommy! Snap out of it!"
<i> "There is nothing you can do. His soul is mine. " </i> Iblis taunted. Lillian however refused to believe any of it and tried to attack Iblis. "SHADOW RIBBONS STRIKE!!!"<br>
The dark ribbons wrapped themselves around Iblis, but he just seemed to take in their power. "Nice. Your darkness would be a welcome addition. Perhaps if you swore fealty to me you could be with Thomas. "
"Don't listen to him!" Jason shouted. "He's lying. "
<i> "Am I? I am offering you a choice Lillian O Neil. I offer you a chance to be with the man you love, or do you wish to be parted from him forever?" </i> Lillian listened to Iblis's words. They seemed so tempting, especially since they touched a darker aspect of her soul. Not the aspect that Biilly increased, but the darkness that was always part of Lillian's nature.<br>
But there was another part of Lillian that spoke to her. A part that was light. A part that Tommy helped to bring out. A light the two of them shared due to their combined darkness. And somehow Lillian knew that if she accepted Iblis's offer that light would go out forever.
"No deal!" Lillian said. Iblis was in disbelief.
<i> "What do you mean 'no deal'? Do you not wish to be with your boyfriend?" </i> <br>
"Not if it means turning against my friends. " Lillian answered. "And Tommy would never want me to do that. You want my soul? You'll have to come and get it. "
"That won't be necessary. Iblis said bringing his hand against Tommy as the Count made ready to fire. "May his soul damn you for all eternity Lillian O'Neil. " Iblis then fired the bolt in Tommy's direction.
"NOOO!!!!" Jason shouted as he jumped into the path of Iblis's bolt, which struck him dead in the chest. He then fell to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
"JASON!!!" Jamie shouted as she rushed to her boyfriend's aide. Tommy seemed to shake out of his trance as he knelt by his 'bro's side. Everyone circled around Jason as Christina tried to feel for a pulse. There wasn't one.
"I can't feel anything!" Christina said as she felt the artery around Jason's neck. She tried to revive him with CPR, but it was to no avail. Tommy was in shock by what had happened and barely heard Iblis's command.
<i> "Thomas. Come" </i> Iblis said. Tommy turned to look at the Count and said "No!"<br>
<i> "No? But your soul is mine. You have to obey me!" </i> <br>
"You hit Jason! I could never follow someone who would hurt my friends. It was bad enough that I had to do it! But you! What right do you have?!"
<i> "You swore fealty to evil! You must obey me!" </i> <br>
"Well I choose not to obey you! And whatever circumstances I have to pay for disobeying you! I'll gladly pay them!" Iblis was silent as Tommy said his peace. Iblis then noticed Jamie looking up at him from the side of Jason's body. Tears were streaked down her face as she stood up and looked at the Count with a mix of sadness and hate, at Count Iblis.
"You...You...YOU KILLED HIM!!!" Jamie cried as she shot energy from the Sword of Lightning at Iblis. He just took on a bluish hue, and his face seemed to have a monstrous image before him before changing back to his human form. Waves of energy went into him, but like the ki attacks they had no effect. Jamie then stopped firing bursts of her sword at the count and put the weapon down knowing further blasts wouldn't do any good.
"We've got to get out of here. Terry?" Andy turned around and saw his brother placing Mary down on the ground and his body being engulfed in blue light.
"What the. . . " Alison muttered. Cassie was just looking on in awe. However Laocorn and Andy had scene this only one before and it wasn't this powerful of a feeling.
Terry looked at Count Iblis as he stared two crimson red blood tears came down his face from his eyes. He bowed his head with his entire face covered by his hat. It was then a growl could be heard which was getting louder. Terry then snapped his head forward to show his face and it was contorted by rage then let out a cry.
"IBLIS!!!" Terry roared and with that roar was the sound of wolves behind it as he then rushed the dark being, pulsating with blue ki all around him. Iblis went to block this attack as he had did with others.
He was sent into the wall.
<i> ~ Impossible! I've blocked hits like that from him effortlessly earlier! How could he have gotten that power!~ </i> Iblis thought but he had barely enough time to put up a defense Terry went at him again this time hitting him with a Crack Shot making him spin around. He then saw Terry's stance in the corner of his eyes and thought it would be easy to attack him since it took time to call up the necessary energy.<br>
Again he made a mistake.
"FINAL ATTACK. . . HADO SENPU KYAKU!!!" Terry was immediately engulfed into a tornado and then slammed right into Iblis subjecting him to hundreds of high speed kicks through out the tornado. When it ended Iblis was spit out and then fell to the ground but then got up.
The Rangers also felt a surge of power. Morphin, Zeo, Astro, Outsider, they all felt a tremendous rush of power that they had never felt before. Power they knew was meant to be used against Iblis. Right away they knew what to do.
"All right guys! IT'S MORPHIN TIME!!!" Tommy shouted as each one did their morph.
"WHITE RANGER POWER!!!"
"BLACK RANGER POWER!!!"
"PINK RANGER POWER!!!"
"BLUE RANGER POWER!!!"
"YELLOW RANGER POWER!!!"
"GREEN RANGER POWER!!!"
"PURPLE RANGER POWER!!!"
"ZEO RANGER I-PINK!!!"
"ZEO RANGER II-YELLOW!!!"
"ZEO RANGER IV-GREEN!!!"
"ZEO RANGER V-RED!!!"
"ZEO RANGER VI-PURPLE!!!"
"ZEO RANGER VIII-BLACK!!!"
"ZEO RANGER IX-WHITE!!!"
"ZEO RANGER X-GOLD!!!"
"NINJETTI THE SALAMANDER!!!"
"LET'S ROCKET!!!" the Astros said in unison.
"ZEO SHADOW POWER!!!"
"ZEO KNIGHT POWER!!!"
"ZEO PUNK POWER!!!"
"ZEO BLADE POWER!!!"
"ZEO RANGER POWER!!!"
"ZEO PSI POWER!!!"
All the Rangers stood morphed and ready to strike. Black Morphin started first with a strike with his ax, followed by Blue Morphin's Power Lance slashes. Pink Morphin fired her arrows at Iblis while Yellow Morphin threw her daggers at the Count. Green Morphin fired a beam from his Dragon Dagger, and Purple Morphin used her nunchakus to get in her strikes.
The Zeos were next to get in their strikes. Pink Zeo fired her Pink Fire Cloud while Yellow used her Zeo Power Whip. Green used his Power Hatchets as White followed up with his sword. Purple and Black also used their own weapons to bring down the count.
Zeo Shadow wrapped Count Iblis with her Shadow Ribbons while Zeo Blade fired lightning at the Count, which caused him to writhe in pain. A motion no one had ever heard before from him, but Zeo Blade was enjoying every minute of it. Zeo Psi also fired a Psi Bolt against Iblis, added by a Head Ram from Zeo Punk. Zeo Ranger and Zeo Knight both got in their shots, Zeo Ranger with his blaster, and Zeo Knight with his sword.
"Your turn Chelsea!" Zeo Knight said as she brought forth her own weapon to bear and landed her own strikes. Everyone then saw Iblis, and it was clear that the Count was weakening for some reason.
<i> "I will not allow this!" </i> Iblis roared as he put his power together. <i> "Curse yourself in the afterlife for your arrogance!" </i> <br>
Iblis then fired the largest burst of energy used yet in this entire fight. The wave then enveloped everyone and blew away the wall behind him. Iblis had a content look on his face. "It's finished. "
"BURN. . . "
Iblis's eyes went wide open when he heard the voice.
". . . KNUCKLE!!!" Terry Bogard came through the energy blast and nailed Iblis in his stomach. He then delivered several more hard punches to the chest and forced Count Iblis back.
"Now it's time to end it!" Red Zeo said as he brought forth his Zeo Blade, which surged with power. "This is for Jason!!!" Red Zeo brought forth his sword and delivered a slashing strike against Count Iblis knocking him back. This was followed up with an attack from White Morphin.
White Morphin drew out Saba and delivered his strike knocking back the count. He then turned the blade so Saba's head was visible and Saba fired beams of energy from his eyes straight into the count's black heart. But the Rangers weren't done.
Zeo Knight then launched his own series of strikes making many slashing motions against the count. The more power the Rangers used, the weaker the count seemed to be. Now it was Gold Astro's turn.
When Iblis saw her he was barely able to get the words out. "Your...soul...is...mine..."
"No it isn't Iblis. Not anymore!" Gold Astro said. "I reject you! PANTHER STRIKE!!!" Gold Astro then launched a strike slashing Count Iblis like a panther before settling nearby. She then transformed into a real panther and swiped Iblis with glowing claws. When the panther set down Sabrina transformed back into her human form, and demorphed.
White Zeo then launched his own strike. Again Iblis thought he had a hold over him due to Skull being a former bully. Again Iblis was wrong. There was more to White Zeo, and Iblis was about to find that out.
<i> "Stop. Your soul is mine!" </i> Iblis had said.<br>
"That's what you think!" White Zeo said. "Besides, even if it was yours what use would you have had for it?" White Zeo followed up on his sword comments as he launched up high in the air and delivered a sword strike straight at Iblis, then followed up with a slash across Iblis's chest. There seemed to be only so much punishment the count could take. But the Rangers were not yet done.
Red Astro was next as he called forth his Spiral Saber. Yellow Astro decided she wanted to do the same, so Black, Blue and Pink Astro formed the Quadroblaster. All five aimed their weapons and struck Iblis dead center. "That was for Phaedos. " Andros said.
"And for me. " Yellow Astro added. As Iblis staggered back, Terry felt an inner sense in himself. A feeling that he felt when he had created the Super Hurricane Kick and the Power Geyser. He then focused all of his emotions and power into his right fist and then charged the Dark One. ~ Mary. . . this is for you. ~ He then shouted, "BUSTER. . . WOLF!"
This attack looked like the Burn Knuckle only Buster Wolf glowed with an orange light, which exploded when it connected with Iblis's chest. Terry then grasped Iblis's body with his other hand to keep him from moving and sent more energy into the fist. A huge ki-bolt blasted into Iblis's chest and when it exploded you could swear it went right through his chest and out his back. Iblis then staggered backward until he fell down to his knees gasping for air as it were.
<i> "This. . . this is impossible!" </i> Iblis cried.<br>
"Anything's possible Iblis. Especially when it comes to beating you!" Red Zeo said as he stood ready to fight. His soul was free thanks to Jason's sacrifice. Red Zeo would make the most of it.
"SICK-YAH!!!" Red Zeo shouted as he delivered a flying side kick to Iblis, following up with a series of punches and kicks intent on pushing the Count back. When the Count looked battered enough Red Zeo readied himself to deliver the final strike, for his friends. And for Jason.
"ZEO V POWER SWORD!!!" Red Zeo shouted as his sword energized He then decided to call up his own flame power and filled it in his sword again "DRAGON FLAME!!!" he shouted as his flame filled the blade once again. .
Red Zeo brought his flaming sword to bear as he then jumped up high in the air and delivered his strikes. "This is for making me attack my friends!!!" Red Zeo said as he delivered his strikes sending Iblis down to the ground. His robes were cut, and a substance was dripping from his body. Iblis didn't know what it was but Red Zeo did as he stood over his former 'master'. .
"So even gods bleed. "
Iblis's head snapped up as he looked at Tommy when he spoke. His eyes went wide at what he saw his right fist covered in. It was a black substance. It was also on the ground. . . and then Iblis saw it come out of him as he felt himself spit out his own blood from his mouth.
His black blood.
<i> "Blood. . . you. . . were able to make me bleed. . . " </i> Iblis stared in disbelief. <i> ~ How can this be? No one has ever made me bleed. No one. . . EXCEPT. . .!!!~ </i> He then froze in shock as he felt them. He wanted to believe it was just his own mind making him think it was them.<br>
The floating lights he and everyone else saw over head changed that.
"Is something wrong Count?" Tommy asked. "Did you upset someone? Did you violate some rule when you killed Jason? Or was it when you had Mary killed?"
<i> "No!" </i> Iblis said trying to keep control. <i> "It's nothing!" </i> <br>
"No it is something!" Terry said challenging Iblis as well yet the tears and rage were clearly showing. "What is it? You can only kill those that oppose you, or give themselves to you, but not an innocent?"
Iblis glared at Terry. "It seems my brethren has seen to it that this contest is yours. Fine I shall abide by their decision. . . this time. But this not the end. It is merely the beginning. I will never forget this day Terry Bogard and you Rangers. Rest assured I shall return. And next time the battle will be different. " With a flash of darkness Iblis faded away leaving Terry alone with Mary's dead body, and Tommy and the Rangers' with Jason's.
Laocorn just looked on in disbelief from what he had just seen. I. . . I can't believe. . . its a miracle in itself. . . we have survived a direct fight with Count Iblis. . . and we actually BEAT him. . . But then he cast his look at Terry who was now holding Blue Mary's lifeless body. . . . but the price. . . was far too high. . .
"Why God. . . " Terry moaned as he looked up at the heavens and then let out a wail, "WHY DO ALL THE WOMEN I LOVE HAVE TO DIE!!!"
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