Disclaimer: Power Rangers belong to Saban. The name Lanrydan belongs to Crystal Maiden and is being used with her permission. This story is part of the COE Final Reckoning series and follows on from the events of COE Final Reckoning Minion of Darkness, COE Final Reckoning After the Minion, COE Final Reckoning ID War, Crisis of Faith. This story was written by Shadow Ranger and then altered.

The Lone Ranger
By The Q-Team

KO-35 Naval Vessel Astro Megaship Log
Acting Captain Andros Lanrydan, Red Astro Defender KO-35

I still cannot believe what has happened in the last twenty-four hours. KO-35, my friends, my family, my fellow Defenders are all dead. Dark Spectre's forces were merciless. They have succeeded at long last and my home world is gone.

I returned to the surface this morning to see if there was anything to salvage. There was nothing. Makarrah and her forces have strip mined the entire planet and taken everything that could have been useful. The Delta and Omega Megaships are gone along with the Colony Ship. Even worse the Gold Morpher is gone. When Anna died her morpher didn 't return to the ship. I can only assume it has been destroyed and the Gold powers gone with it. Dark Spectre has left me nothing except heartache and a thirst for revenge. I swear by the Power that I will quench my thirst.

I am fortunate DECA retrieved the Astro Morphers before coming to find the Astro Shuttle. With the Blue, Black, Yellow and Pink powers the UAE would have been able to create an army. With the White, Green and Purple powers he would have been unstoppable. Never again will I fail a team. I have placed the seven morphers in the vault. I will never open it again.

I still cannot believe the planet fell so quickly. We have been holding out for six months against Astronema. Then Makarrah arrived and suddenly the Defenders were not enough. Zhane was the first to go, his ship knocked from the sky by the Velocofighters. The others searched for a body, but found nothing. The Silver Ranger and his powers are gone forever.

After losing Zhane we doubled our efforts to defend our world. Three Megaships and a planet full of willing volunteer soldiers should have been enough to emerge victorious. We never counted on Makarrah's lack of concern for her own troops. She sent them one after the other, barraging our ships with suicide bombings.

"DECA, stop log, " Andros ordered. Despite his attempt to follow the daily routine he had settled into since the age of five Andros could not concentrate. Dark Spectre had managed what years of poor climate and food shortages had failed to do. He had destroyed the colony of KO-35 and defeated its ten Astro Defenders.

They should have been recognised as Rangers and been able to call on the aid of the Morphin Masters. But, the Galactic Council did not deem colonies worthy of having Rangers. Even so a Yellow Morphin Master had taken pity on the small group of colonists and had decided to give them what power she could. With the aid of Ninjor the official cre! ator of Power Coins and Lerigot of Liaria she had managed to use ten Power Coins and infuse each with a portion of Lerigot's magic. The Astro Morphers took the natural energy of a Defender's body, boosted it with the power of the Morphin Grid before allowing the energy to embrace the chosen Defender.

Once the Defenders had power they chose Lexian of Edenoi to build their weapons. Lexian created four Megaships to defend the colony. The Astro Megaship with! its smaller Astro Megashuttle was the front line. Then the Delta Megaship to provide the heavy firepower. The Omega Megaship had been designed to both defend and help evacuate the colony if needed. Finally the Colony Ship had been created. A cross between a star destroyer and space station the creation of such a craft had sparked outrage within the Council. Councilor Darkonda had protested that such a move would give too much power to too small a planet. His concerns were ignored and KO-35 at last had a chance to survive.

As with all new colonies KO-35 attracted attention from unwanted quarters. The Mutiny Pirate Clan was the first to try and take advantage of the young societ! y. Captain Mutiny and his crew had been undefeated until the collided with the Astro Defenders. His force was so badly beaten he had retreated into an unknown area and never seen again.

Dark Spectre immediately noticed the planet and sent his second in command Astronema under the guidance of his lieutenant Ecliptor to conquer the small world. They did well despite many setbacks. Eventually they were able push the colonist back and take over all but one area of the world. But the Defenders never gave up and still managed to hold control of space.

When Makarrah arrived the Defenders knew they were in trouble. Their commanders the Gold and White Defenders were killed when the Omega Megaship exploded. The ground forces were no less lethal, killing the Green and Purple Defenders and blasting Andros so badly he was laid up for weeks in the wreckage of the Astro Megashuttle.

"DECA, replay the end."

"Andros, this is unwise" DECA advised.

"Do it anyway, " Andros ordered.

The front screen was filled with a scene Andros would carry with him to his grave. The last four Astro Defenders were trying to make their last stand assisted by the remaining soldiers. Astronema and her Quantron army swept them aside, forcing them to demorph and kneel. With a quick movement she killed three of the four Defenders pausing for a moment to study the fourth. Andros watched open-mouthed as Astronema wrapped her hand around his sister's throat. Andros saw Karone's eye bulge as Astronema tightened her grip. Then she whispered something and Karone laughed.

"Kill me!" Karone had challenged her face caked in blood from the deep wound on her forehead.

The screen went blank at this point.

"DECA, what happened?" Andros asked. He had not been able to watch the film that far before and now DECA had deliberately ceased the playback.

"I am sorry Andros. My function is to ensure your continues survival. I believe further playback at this time would be unwise.]

Andros fumed silently. Why would DECA not let him watch his sister die? His thoughts were interrupted by the proximity alert.

"Andros, I have detected a life form on the surface. It reads as human.]

"I'm going down, " Andros said. "Let's Rocket!"

A device similar to a calculator watch appeared on his left arm revealing a numeric pad. Keying in the activation code he was transformed into the Red Astro Defender.

*Red Defender - Spiral Saber ready, Astro Blaster ready, Galaxy Glider standing by*

In the classic red beam of teleportation Andros left for the planet. He recognized the area immediately. It was the wreckage of Zhane's ship. Scanning quickly he could see no sign of life.

"DECA, are you sure?" he asked drawing his Astro Blaster just in case.

"Life form detected two point five meters to your left.]

Andros turned to where the wreckage had covered part of the engine. Pulling the metal back he caught his first sight of the thing that had disturbed his friend's final resting-place.

"Whatever you are, come out!" he shouted angrily.

It moved fast. All Andros saw was a flash of silver as it ploughed into him. Andros rolled through delivering a kick to the stomach. His opponent folded under the strain and Andros felt his heart leap.

"Zhane!" he cried as he saw the still damaged Silver Ranger lying on the ground barely breathing. "DECA, bring us back now!"

It was a few hours later when Andros placed the Silver Morpher alongside those of his other dead teammates. He had vowed revenge before, but after saying goodbye to Zhane for perhaps the last time Andros changed his mind. Destroying Dark Spectre was no longer enough. He now vowed that he would stop at nothing to stop another p! lanet suffering the same fate as KO-35. Somewhere out there his friends were waiting for him. Andros swore to make them proud.

"DECA, finish showing the playback. Override any previous instructions." </SPA!>

"On whose authority?"

"Andros, Red Astro Defender of KO-35 and Captain of this vessel."

"Playing back"

"Kill me!" Karone challenge her voice filled with laughter. In an act of pure defiance she ripped off her morpher and teleported it back to the ship.

"Deal with her, " Astronema said to Ecliptor.

The scene changed to a planetary view. All across the planet a series of explosions eliminated all signs of life. Vegetation, animals and people were wiped out. Decades of work lost in the space of a few minutes.

"Cease, " Andros said.

He had seen enough to know his world was dead. He had had some revenge on Makarrah. The Astro Megazord had sliced through her ship in the same way she had destroyed the Omega Megaship. Makarrah was gone and with her Dark Spectre's most fanatical army.

"Hyper Rush ready, course set, awaiting orders"

"Let's go DECA, " Andros said. "There is nothing left for me here."

From the surface below the people of KO-35 would have seen the noble Astro Megaship turn and launch into an unknown future and a new frontier. For Andros Lanrydan, the Red Astro Defender of KO-35, the adventure was just beginning

---

In far corner of space though, someone was now waking up.

"Ohhh... what happened to..." the young girl looked up and saw herself chained to a wall. She was in a cell room.

"So you are finally awake." A sultry voice spoke. She kept to the shadows but her prisoner could recognize the leather outfit anywhere.

"Astronema!" she spat. "Why you let me live! Too cowardly to kill me!"

Astronema just laughed. "Oh on the contrary you are far more usefull to me alive. I have big plans for you." She then dropped something from her hand.

"... A voice scambler?" the prisoner said confused.

"Let me let you in on a few of my plans." Astronema smirked.

The prisoner 's eyes went wide when she heard Astronema 's voice... for it was her own.

"No..." the prisoner gasped as Astronema stepped into the light and saw that the face looking at her, excluding Astronema 's long purple hair, was her own face.

"Welcome to hell... Karone." Astronema laughed.

Karone Lanrydan, the former Yellow Astro Defender of KO-35 thrashed as the chains. "What do you want Astronema! Why take my face!"

"Because I want the last face your brother sees to be your own when I kill him." Astronema smirked as she fingered her Wrath Staff. "Call it poetic justice."

"But why are you keeping me alive?!" Karone shouted.

Astronema then gave Karone the most evil grin she have had... and seeing her own face give this grin scared her.

"Because I 've decided... I want a twin." Astronema smirked.

Karone paled.

"I, and my warriors, are going make you walk, talk, eat, think, fight, and breath just... like... me." Astronema accented those last three words.

Karone shook her head. "You are insaine!"

Astronema then ripped off Karone 's shirt and then aimed her Wrath Staff at Karone. "I beg to differ." She then started blasting Karone with her purple energy bolts from her Wrath Staff.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Karone screamed.

"There 's one more thing I forgot to tell you... torture is also a part of your re-education. I hope you enjoy it... I know I am! " Astronema laughed evilly as she blasted Karone again.

Through out the rest of what could be called the night, Karone 's screams could be heard through out the Dark Fortress.

For Karone Lanrydan, the former Yellow Astro Defender of KO-35, her journey into hell has just begun

---

Index

This site has been visited: 1677009 times