Eddie Brock
Golden Domer
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- Jul 24, 2006
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The Gold Ranger wasn't much of a talker, Jason observed. He had only been able to squeeze a few words out of the mystery man, and each had made less sense than the last. So far, all Jason had been able to glean for certain was that the Gold Ranger was not of Earth. Five years ago, that might've been a revelation, but much had changed since Jason was just an ordinary teenager with nothing but girls, karate, and sports on the brain. He hardly felt like the same person he had been then, but he supposed that most people go through the same thing in adolescence -- admittedly with fewer giant monster attacks. Still, if the Gold Ranger wanted to save his news for Zordon's ears, then Jason would oblige him.
To Jason's surprise, the Command Center was occupied as he arrived. Beyond Alpha-5, Zordon's loyal robotic servant, two Rangers huddled around the Viewing Globe. Though they had their backs turned, Jason had no trouble identifying them: Adam, the friendly youth who had taken Zack's place as the Black Ranger, and Rocky, the boy who had been given the Red Tyrannosaurus powers in Jason's stead. The latter Ranger stood on crutches and was too lost in thought to hear Jason enter, so it was Adam who called out, "Jason?"
Alpha was the first to turn. "Aye-aye-aye! Jason, it is you!"
"Didn't think I'd find anyone here," Jason remarked as he crossed the room to take Adam's hand. The two didn't know each other terribly well, but Adam had always shown the makings of a good Ranger. Jason could think of no one else more worthy to carry on Zack's legacy.
Rocky shifted his weight on the crutches so that he could extend a hand as well. "We didn't think we'd be here," he admitted. The handshake between the two Red Rangers was more formal. Though both would surely call the other "friend," there had always been an unspoken tension between them. Nothing adversarial, of course; Rocky just always felt the need to get out from under Jason's shadow. If you asked the original Red Ranger, he had done that and then some. By now, he had served as Red Ranger just as long as Jason had.
"That injury have anything to do with an attack?" Jason asked.
Rocky shook his head, saying, "No, this was just carelessness. But Katherine was hospitalized after a Putty ambush."
"So, you know about the attacks?" Adam jumped in.
Jason nodded. "They came for me, too," he explained, "but it wasn't Putties. It was something... else." "Quantrons" was the name the Gold Ranger had used, but it still meant nothing to Jason. "I probably wouldn't have escaped if it wasn't for him," he continued, motioning to the entryway where the Gold Ranger stood.
The other Rangers tensed upon noticing the Gold Ranger, and Alpha literally jumped backwards half a step. The Gold Ranger inclined his head apologetically, announcing, "I am sorry to intrude, but this is a matter of grave importance." As he stepped forward, the Gold Ranger undid the clasps of his helmet and removed it. Jason was surprised to see a very human-looking man underneath it all. The olive-skinned Ranger went to a knee in front of Zordon and said, "I am called Trey, lord of Triforia -- once and always loyal friend to the planet of Eltar."
"Triforia? Yes, I remember it," Zordon mused aloud. "Your people stood with Eltar at the beginning of Rita's treachery."
Trey stood, giving a solemn nod. "If only we had been able to truly vanquish her then, perhaps I would not need to stand here today."
"Why have you come?"
"I bring grave news from across the universe," Trey answered. "The forces of evil march on the Earth with the goal of destroying the Rangers and you, Zordon, once and for all." He turned to the Rangers. "You have already witnessed their first strike, a surprise attack with the goal of nullifying as many Rangers as possible before their whole host arrives."
"But we defeated Zedd and Rita," Rocky pointed out.
"You drove them from your moon -- defeated, disgraced, but no less dangerous. They returned to the cosmos and entered into an Ultimate Alliance of Evil. The pirate queen Divatox, the princess of darkness Astronema, the Machine Empire... all these and more have pledged their troops to this dark Alliance. They will mount an offensive that will shatter the Earth to its core if need be, but they will not stop until the Rangers are destroyed."
"Who commands this army?"
"It is... unclear," Trey admitted, "but surely someone of immense power to command the respect of these foes. In the past, their attempts to unify have been undone by their own greed and ambition, but not this time. The resurgence of the Power Rangers -- particularly after their defeat on Eltar -- is seen as a grave threat to evil everywhere. Many believed that Rita and Zedd would be able to handle your team, and their failure has made the Alliance all the more determined to snuff out the Power Rangers' light in the galaxy, once and for all."
Dumbfounded, Adam asked, "Is there nothing we can do?"
As if waiting for such a question, Trey began to reach for his belt. "When Zordon was driven from Eltar, most believed that the Power Rangers were no more. However, as Rita discovered, artifacts of power had been hidden across the galaxy. Your Power Coins were one such artifact; recently, I have come to learn of another." From his belt, Trey produced a small crystal; though silver-white in color, the crystal shone green as it caught the light.
Alpha reached out and took the crystal from Trey, holding it up to examine it better in the light. As he did, he gasped -- or as close to a gasp as a robot can make, anyway. "I don't believe it!" he exclaimed.
"What is it?"
"A Zeo Crystal," Zordon announced.
"Only a fragment that I discovered on the shores of Aquitar," Trey admitted, "but if the Crystal were to be fully assembled..."
"We'd have enough power for a second team of Rangers!"
"A second team?" Adam repeated, flabbergasted. Rocky and Jason looked no less surprised by the news.
"Yes, and you will need as many Rangers as possible to withstand what's coming."
Rocky stepped forward on his crutches. "So, how do we find the remaining pieces of the Crystal?"
At that, Trey smiled. "The Power Rangers still have many allies across the cosmos, men and women who remember Eltar as it once was. The search has already begun." He turned back to Zordon. "I am not the only one looking for this Crystal, however. The United Alliance is taking no chances. They have dispatched their forces to the far ends of space in search of the Crystal."
"The Zeo Crystal must not be allowed to fall into the hands of this Alliance," Zordon replied. "Such power could be devastating if utilized for evil."
Jason thought back to the last time there had been an evil Ranger. It wasn't an experience he was eager to relive.
"On that, we agree. That is why I haven't just come to warn you of the impending danger. I've also come to ask for help."
"What kind of help do you need?"
Trey turned to Jason. "An extra set of hands, if you can spare them. I know you must prepare for the Alliance's arrival, but I will not be able to assemble the Crystal alone. Your team has proven themselves, and it would be good to have another Ranger by my side."
The three Rangers exchanged a glance. An expedition through space in search of the Zeo Crystal? At a time when Earth needed its defenders more than ever? Still, for Jason, it was never a question. He stepped forward, saying, "I will help you."
"No," Rocky interjected as he grabbed Jason's arm. "I'm not going to be back on my feet any time soon, and Angel Grove needs a Red Ranger. You have to take the Power Coin and do what I can't."
"He's right," Adam agreed. "We can't afford to lose both Red Rangers, not at a time like this." Taking a step forward, he continued, "But luckily, we have a Black Ranger to spare. Trey, I will join you on your quest."
"Adam, I can't ask you to do that," Jason said.
"And you didn't. I offered," he smiled. Clapping a hand on Jason's shoulder, he said, "I promise, you get the first crack at the next space adventure."
Trey moved towards the other Rangers. "It's settled, then. Adam and I will leave in pursuit of the Zeo Crystal, and when we return, Earth will have two teams of Rangers to defend it from the forces of evil."
"You're sure about this?" Rocky asked Adam.
Adam nodded. "I'm a Ranger. It's what we do."
Jason took Adam's hand and gave him a warm shake. "Then you stay safe out there. And come home to us in one piece, alright?" He then turned his attention towards Trey, saying, "And you take care of him."
Trey bowed his head. "I will defend his life with mine, if need be."
"Be safe, Rangers. The Earth will be waiting for you when you are ready."
The Gold Ranger closed his helmet and pulled the staff from his belt. "Are you ready?" he asked Adam. When the latter gave a nod, the Gold Ranger put his hand on Adam's shoulder and raised his staff high. In a brilliant flash of light, the two Rangers were gone.
"I just hope they'll be alright!" Alpha said in a worried tone. He shuffled over to a panel and began adjusting knobs nervously.
"They'll be back before we know it," Jason assured his friends. Somehow, in his heart, he knew it was true. Adam was a fine Ranger, and Trey looked to be a veteran in his own right. If anyone could complete this mission, it was those two. He turned to the Viewing Globe and said, "Alright, bring me up to speed on everything that's happened since I left..."
To Jason's surprise, the Command Center was occupied as he arrived. Beyond Alpha-5, Zordon's loyal robotic servant, two Rangers huddled around the Viewing Globe. Though they had their backs turned, Jason had no trouble identifying them: Adam, the friendly youth who had taken Zack's place as the Black Ranger, and Rocky, the boy who had been given the Red Tyrannosaurus powers in Jason's stead. The latter Ranger stood on crutches and was too lost in thought to hear Jason enter, so it was Adam who called out, "Jason?"
Alpha was the first to turn. "Aye-aye-aye! Jason, it is you!"
"Didn't think I'd find anyone here," Jason remarked as he crossed the room to take Adam's hand. The two didn't know each other terribly well, but Adam had always shown the makings of a good Ranger. Jason could think of no one else more worthy to carry on Zack's legacy.
Rocky shifted his weight on the crutches so that he could extend a hand as well. "We didn't think we'd be here," he admitted. The handshake between the two Red Rangers was more formal. Though both would surely call the other "friend," there had always been an unspoken tension between them. Nothing adversarial, of course; Rocky just always felt the need to get out from under Jason's shadow. If you asked the original Red Ranger, he had done that and then some. By now, he had served as Red Ranger just as long as Jason had.
"That injury have anything to do with an attack?" Jason asked.
Rocky shook his head, saying, "No, this was just carelessness. But Katherine was hospitalized after a Putty ambush."
"So, you know about the attacks?" Adam jumped in.
Jason nodded. "They came for me, too," he explained, "but it wasn't Putties. It was something... else." "Quantrons" was the name the Gold Ranger had used, but it still meant nothing to Jason. "I probably wouldn't have escaped if it wasn't for him," he continued, motioning to the entryway where the Gold Ranger stood.
The other Rangers tensed upon noticing the Gold Ranger, and Alpha literally jumped backwards half a step. The Gold Ranger inclined his head apologetically, announcing, "I am sorry to intrude, but this is a matter of grave importance." As he stepped forward, the Gold Ranger undid the clasps of his helmet and removed it. Jason was surprised to see a very human-looking man underneath it all. The olive-skinned Ranger went to a knee in front of Zordon and said, "I am called Trey, lord of Triforia -- once and always loyal friend to the planet of Eltar."
"Triforia? Yes, I remember it," Zordon mused aloud. "Your people stood with Eltar at the beginning of Rita's treachery."
Trey stood, giving a solemn nod. "If only we had been able to truly vanquish her then, perhaps I would not need to stand here today."
"Why have you come?"
"I bring grave news from across the universe," Trey answered. "The forces of evil march on the Earth with the goal of destroying the Rangers and you, Zordon, once and for all." He turned to the Rangers. "You have already witnessed their first strike, a surprise attack with the goal of nullifying as many Rangers as possible before their whole host arrives."
"But we defeated Zedd and Rita," Rocky pointed out.
"You drove them from your moon -- defeated, disgraced, but no less dangerous. They returned to the cosmos and entered into an Ultimate Alliance of Evil. The pirate queen Divatox, the princess of darkness Astronema, the Machine Empire... all these and more have pledged their troops to this dark Alliance. They will mount an offensive that will shatter the Earth to its core if need be, but they will not stop until the Rangers are destroyed."
"Who commands this army?"
"It is... unclear," Trey admitted, "but surely someone of immense power to command the respect of these foes. In the past, their attempts to unify have been undone by their own greed and ambition, but not this time. The resurgence of the Power Rangers -- particularly after their defeat on Eltar -- is seen as a grave threat to evil everywhere. Many believed that Rita and Zedd would be able to handle your team, and their failure has made the Alliance all the more determined to snuff out the Power Rangers' light in the galaxy, once and for all."
Dumbfounded, Adam asked, "Is there nothing we can do?"
As if waiting for such a question, Trey began to reach for his belt. "When Zordon was driven from Eltar, most believed that the Power Rangers were no more. However, as Rita discovered, artifacts of power had been hidden across the galaxy. Your Power Coins were one such artifact; recently, I have come to learn of another." From his belt, Trey produced a small crystal; though silver-white in color, the crystal shone green as it caught the light.
Alpha reached out and took the crystal from Trey, holding it up to examine it better in the light. As he did, he gasped -- or as close to a gasp as a robot can make, anyway. "I don't believe it!" he exclaimed.
"What is it?"
"A Zeo Crystal," Zordon announced.
"Only a fragment that I discovered on the shores of Aquitar," Trey admitted, "but if the Crystal were to be fully assembled..."
"We'd have enough power for a second team of Rangers!"
"A second team?" Adam repeated, flabbergasted. Rocky and Jason looked no less surprised by the news.
"Yes, and you will need as many Rangers as possible to withstand what's coming."
Rocky stepped forward on his crutches. "So, how do we find the remaining pieces of the Crystal?"
At that, Trey smiled. "The Power Rangers still have many allies across the cosmos, men and women who remember Eltar as it once was. The search has already begun." He turned back to Zordon. "I am not the only one looking for this Crystal, however. The United Alliance is taking no chances. They have dispatched their forces to the far ends of space in search of the Crystal."
"The Zeo Crystal must not be allowed to fall into the hands of this Alliance," Zordon replied. "Such power could be devastating if utilized for evil."
Jason thought back to the last time there had been an evil Ranger. It wasn't an experience he was eager to relive.
"On that, we agree. That is why I haven't just come to warn you of the impending danger. I've also come to ask for help."
"What kind of help do you need?"
Trey turned to Jason. "An extra set of hands, if you can spare them. I know you must prepare for the Alliance's arrival, but I will not be able to assemble the Crystal alone. Your team has proven themselves, and it would be good to have another Ranger by my side."
The three Rangers exchanged a glance. An expedition through space in search of the Zeo Crystal? At a time when Earth needed its defenders more than ever? Still, for Jason, it was never a question. He stepped forward, saying, "I will help you."
"No," Rocky interjected as he grabbed Jason's arm. "I'm not going to be back on my feet any time soon, and Angel Grove needs a Red Ranger. You have to take the Power Coin and do what I can't."
"He's right," Adam agreed. "We can't afford to lose both Red Rangers, not at a time like this." Taking a step forward, he continued, "But luckily, we have a Black Ranger to spare. Trey, I will join you on your quest."
"Adam, I can't ask you to do that," Jason said.
"And you didn't. I offered," he smiled. Clapping a hand on Jason's shoulder, he said, "I promise, you get the first crack at the next space adventure."
Trey moved towards the other Rangers. "It's settled, then. Adam and I will leave in pursuit of the Zeo Crystal, and when we return, Earth will have two teams of Rangers to defend it from the forces of evil."
"You're sure about this?" Rocky asked Adam.
Adam nodded. "I'm a Ranger. It's what we do."
Jason took Adam's hand and gave him a warm shake. "Then you stay safe out there. And come home to us in one piece, alright?" He then turned his attention towards Trey, saying, "And you take care of him."
Trey bowed his head. "I will defend his life with mine, if need be."
"Be safe, Rangers. The Earth will be waiting for you when you are ready."
The Gold Ranger closed his helmet and pulled the staff from his belt. "Are you ready?" he asked Adam. When the latter gave a nod, the Gold Ranger put his hand on Adam's shoulder and raised his staff high. In a brilliant flash of light, the two Rangers were gone.
"I just hope they'll be alright!" Alpha said in a worried tone. He shuffled over to a panel and began adjusting knobs nervously.
"They'll be back before we know it," Jason assured his friends. Somehow, in his heart, he knew it was true. Adam was a fine Ranger, and Trey looked to be a veteran in his own right. If anyone could complete this mission, it was those two. He turned to the Viewing Globe and said, "Alright, bring me up to speed on everything that's happened since I left..."