POWER RANGERS: WILD CYLONE
By: Robert J. Wong.
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EPISODE 1: “Dawn of the Cyclone, Part 1”
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“Hey Travis, wait up!” cried out a person about five-nine, clad in blue, white, spandex with bits of gold, coming down into the small underground cave. His voice echoed throughout the damp, dark cave where another person about six-one stood, in black and white spandex with bits of gold. Both their helmets appeared to be of birds, in a “Liveman”-meets- “Jetman” design. The Black Ranger’s helmet represented an Eagle, while Blue’s was that of a Hawk.
“Mitchell… Hurry up!” snapped Travis with a slightly heavy Irish accent, right into Mitchell’s face as he abruptly stopped in his tracks a few inches away from his friend.
“Why are you in a hurry?”
“Oh…I don’t know…let me think… because maybe I’d like to have the weekend off after we determine if there is ET’s down here,” replied the Black Ranger sarcastically.
Blue leaned back slightly after hearing Black’s comment and waited to see what else he was going to do. Knowing about Travis’ short temper towards other people who were “inferior” to his standards, you didn’t know what to expect half the time. Although Mitchell wasn’t as dumb as Travis thought he was, in fact, Blue was more of the shy type, although a genius in the world of computers and technology.
“Now come on.”
“Alright…” answered Blue shaking his head but followed his teammate into the depths of the caves lower caverns.
= = = =
Orbiting above one of the four planets in the Zorion system was a large, disc-shaped vessel with large, black, metallic legs sticking out all around. At the tips were these circular ports, with several smaller cylinder objects inside, they appeared to be gun barrels. Everything was connected to wires and cables into the main disc itself.
Inside the vessel were many rooms and corridors throughout the entire complex. Some rooms were empty. Some had fighter craft inside, hanging from the ceiling, walls, and even on the deck. The fighters were in the form of a scorpion. With what appeared to be the claws were shielded pulse cannons, and the main gun was the stinger. Which curved up over the top of the vessels stations upon the floor and wall, unlike the ceiling mounted ships that hung by the stingers.
Other parts of the ship were basic infantry rooms, where the soldiers stayed, waiting to be activated. While ten of the rooms were laboratories, machine shops, and strategic centers, the main area in the center of the dark, grotesque, alien, insect like ship appeared to be the bridge. Odd, configured station consoles, placed in four corners, forming a square around the thrown and its two side panels, where Lord Venomos sat looking in front of him towards the diamond shaped view screen. The planet of Zorion II was displayed before the shadow clad figure of the veil, Lord Venomos. Slowly raising his gloved hand he glanced at the planet once more and grinned. Smashing his finger onto the glowing, green button set off a chain reaction throughout the ship, and down the legs to the firing ports at the tips.
“To be, or not to be…”
= = = =
Searching through every crevasse, tunnel, and cave, the Rangers couldn’t find what they were looking for. Travis was becoming more irritated the longer they took in the caves, and he wasn’t hiding it from anyone, that’s for sure. Mitchell hurried up behind him and accidentally while watching where he stepped, bumped into the back of Travis, nearly knocking him over.
“Whoa! Watch it, Mitch!”
“What now?”
Pointing over the edge of the cliff they stood upon, revealed a large, pitch black, bottomless pit beneath their feet. Blue swallowed hard and took a few steps back, and then kept moving further away from the cliff; catching Black’s attention, he asked, “Why are you walking backwards? We have to jump over to the other side Mitch.”
Stuttering for a moment he soon regained his senses and replied, “I-I…hate heights.”
“Is that all?”
“Yeah, pretty much… so maybe we should try and find another way around this,” said the Blue Ranger, looking all over the place for another path, “Ummm… maybe that way?” Pointing towards the far left side of the ridge, there was a stone slab, representing a primitive bridge across the yawning chasm.
Black placed his hands on his hips and shook his lowered head in disbelief, “This way is much faster, and more efficient. Now if we go now, and just jump over to the other side, we can get out of here a lot sooner.”
Blue sighed under his breath and then started towards the ledge, taking one more look down into the depths of the abyss. Suddenly Travis put his arm in front of him, stopping his ally from going any further, “Fine, you guard the rear, I’ll go on ahead.”
“Ok,” nodded Mitchell as he stood back away from the edge of the chasm.
= = = =
“Not to be,” and with that Venomos pressed a red, glowing button on the console to his left. The ships firing ports started to glow an eerie green, as they charged up at the tips. Every barrel powered up and focused down the port then suddenly rapid bursts of green energy blazed down upon the blue, and grey, planet.
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As Travis began to get a running start before jumping over the ledge, the ground suddenly shook with ferocious quakes, halting him in his tracks while trying to regain his balance. Mitchell dropped to one knee and rolled out of the way from one of the falling stone, spikes which nearly impaled him.
“That was close!” he shouted, standing back trying to keep his balance as well, “I think we should get out of here!”
“Ya think?! Wow, what a surprise!” exclaimed the Black Ranger sarcastically, running back the way they came in, with Blue close behind.
= = = =
“Captain Daniels, Sir, we have a transmission from Travis on the secure line,” spoke this very attractive woman with dark, brown hair, tied back in a pony tail, wearing a black dress-skirt, and a pink blouse with a white, lab coat over it. Adjusting her glasses she saw this tall, elderly man in his mid-forties, dressed in blue, military attire, with his hat tucked under his arm, standing at the one of the consoles, in the grey, metallic room, filled with computers, glowing panels, and this clear globe in the center among the central consoles.
“What’s it this time?” Daniels replied in an annoyed tone, turning to face the young, dark haired woman.
“On speakers, sir,” she replied.
“DANIELS, IMMEDIATE TELEPORTAION NOW!” exclaimed the Black Ranger over the static.
“Travis! Travis what’s the going on there?!” asked Daniels as he tries to listen in over the static.
“GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!”
“The planet is being bombarded, Captain,” replied the dark haired women, typing away on the console trying to get a lock on them. Her heart raced hoping she’d get them out of there in time, before the planet was completely obliterated.
“By whom? Do you know who’s doing this Sam?” asked Captain. He swallowed hard, hoping for answers, but what he got instead were more questions.
“Unknown ship class, it’s nothing we’ve ever seen before.”
“****… Get them the hell out of there,” Daniels ordered coming over to the console with her.
“I’m trying but there’s not enough power to penetrate the radiation these weapons are giving off.”
Leaning over the console looking at the monitor of the bombardment from the computers imaging, his stomach tightened, clenching his fist with the feeling of helplessness coming over him, “Damn it.” Quickly he thought if he could scrounge up enough power it might be enough to cut through the jamming. Daniels began to type furiously upon the panel and consoles gathering at much energy as he could, it even caused the lights to flicker for a moment, “Try it now.”
Nodding, Sam transferred the power to the teleporter, hoping that with any luck it would somehow work, “Here goes nothing.”
“Hopefully something…” replied Daniels.
= = = =
Without looking back once the Black and Blue rangers raced to safety while everything was exploding around them. Pieces of stone and sparks flew everywhere from the impact of the green energy blasts. KABOOM! An explosion jolted the two Rangers into a back flip, knocking them back a few feet away from where they were. Cringing, Travis felt his aching back for a moment while crawling back to his feet. The cry of pain from Mitchell alerted him suddenly, but he didn’t do anything to help. Conflicted with saving himself or the inferior, he slowly began to turn away and head off. Feeling a hand on his shoulder Travis snapped his head back to see Mitchell arched over a bit, holding his back with the other hand before standing up.
“Come on, let’s go,” he said and then he was off. Travis on the other hands stayed there for a moment and looked back at the spot where they fell. Whatever, he said to himself, and hurried along, and luckily the explosions moved off.
= = = =
“My Lord,” spoke a dark, respectable voice from the shadows near the back of the command bridge.
“Yes Zettorak,” spoke Venomos while still watching the destruction of Zorion II on the view screen, as he tapped his fingers upon the arm of the throne.
Zettorak stepped out of the shadows and stood beside his master, gripping the hilt of his sword. Zettorak was not humanoid in any sense, except, bipedal. He was a lizard creature, with dark, pale, green scales, and eerie green eyes, dressed in silver and black body armor, that had demonic etchings all over, “We’ve detected two power signatures on the planet. Both have Ranger particles.”
“Rangers… here… This is absurd. At any rate… eliminate them both. Tactical droid, target all planetary weapons on those to Ranger signatures,” replied Venomos with slithering voice.
“As you command,” responded the droid and it began to tap away on its console.
= = = =
Within seconds Travis and Mitch both transformed into beams of colored electricity, and shot off into space just before the Venomos got to pull the trigger. Clenching his fist tightly he slammed it on one of the panels on his chair and stood up into the light, revealing this seven foot, muscular, grayish-green scaly snake. Wearing this gold cobra-like armor with a long, flowing black cape which added to the feel of how and feared he was towards all that opposed him.
“Track them, now.”
“As you command,” the scanner drone replied as it calculated the two teleporting beams, trajectory.
Looking over the drone’s console, Zettorak saw where they were heading, “Sir, they’re heading for Earth.”
“Earth…. Why does that sound, so familiar?” Venomos pondered for a moment, “You’ve been there, haven’t you Zettorak?”
“Aye, one of my first missions was on earth… though… successful, it wasn’t the most, easiest of jobs to do. It was quite a nuisance.”
“I see. Well it’s good you’re going with us then, you’ll know the terrain.”
Taking his place by his master’s side, Zettorak smirked under his helmet, and watched the view screen, even though it has been a long time since he was there, he knew this was going to be a walk in the park. Or so he thought.
= = = =
Sam and Daniels watched as the two beams of electricity dropped into the command room, before them on the other side of the center station. Soon they both materialize back into solid form, wearing the black and blue shining suits, with white symbols of their respective birds upon their chest, along with white boots and gloves and belts. Metallic-gray guns were holstered at the right side of their belts, and a dagger with a black handle and gold bars on the edges of the blade holstered on the other side. Unclasping both snaps on their helmets that represented an Eagle and a Hawk, they removed and placed them under their arms, revealing Travis and Mitchell who was African American with short, crew-cut, black hair.
Travis had a slight goatee with short, brown hair, and a slight dimple on his chin, “Sir, reading for debriefing.”
“Wha..?” questioned Mitch was surprised that after all that, and nearly getting vaporized, injuring their backs, that he was ready for debriefing, “Man, you are nuts.”
“Actually I’m quite sane thank you,” replied Black in a slightly sarcastic tone.
Daniels just shook his head slightly, “Debriefing will be held in two hours.”
“Ok, Captain, Dr,” Travis said as he saluted both his superiors and walked out of the Command Room.
“Thanks,” Mitchell added as he too headed out, rubbing his lower back slightly with the pain reassuring him that it was still there.
= = = =
Sam walked around to the other scanner station, checking all the data. She had a concerned look on her face, something wasn’t right. Possibly the readings that were showing up were wrong, more maybe misread them. Then coming to her station, there it was, as clear as day, a red alien oriented blimp heading this way, towards earth.
“Captain…?”
Daniels stopped at the doorway with the looming thoughts of fear on his mind, he kind of knew what she’d say, though knowing, he had to hear it for himself, “Yes?”
= = = =
In the training room, a few levels below the Command Room, with all blue, padded walls and florescent lights up above in the ceiling which stood a good ten stories. Down below on the matted floor were several people training, exercising, running laps and lifting weights. Over at the far corner was this one person, a girl, with slightly tanned skin, with long, light brown hair, tied back in a pony tail. Her arms moved in a rapid motion as she connected with the heavy bag, smashing it back. Quickly she threw a kick and spun it nearly off the chain.
Travis in a pair of gray sweat pants, and a black muscle shirt walked on past her and nearly was hit by the spinning punching bag. But with lightning speed he stopped the oncoming object and kept on moving towards one of the bench presses.
“Sorry,” replied the woman adjusting her pink tank-top and black, skin-tight shorts, but soon her gaze came back to the heavy bag and she continued her assault. Focusing her determination to bring it down was all that mattered but then subconsciously her eyes glanced over at him, as he started to bench press. Quickly getting back on task and continued focusing on the heavy bag. Although she was impressed with Travis’ physique after seeing how much he did bench press, about a hundred and thirty pounds.
“Hmmm not bad,” she muttered.
“Hey Tiff,” said Mitchell as he passes by, tapping her shoulder.
“Hey Mitch, how’ve ya been?”
“Not bad… though the last mission we were nearly vaporized…”
“You seem to be taking it pretty well,” Tiffany replied throwing her purple towel around her neck, and sipped her water bottle.
Getting into one of the shoulder machines, he set the weight limit to 105 to start off with, “Yeah, well that’s me.”
“How’s Mister Superior taking it?”
“I’m taking it quite well thank you very much, it’s not everyday we get some battle action around here,” retorted Travis sarcastically while walking away from the bench press with his towel in hand.
A loud tone ringed throughout the entire complex just before a voice was heard, it was Sam’s: “Travis O’Brian, Mitchell Richardson, and Tiffany Calavera come to the Briefing room immediately.”
Both Mitch and Tiff gave each other a look, wondering why they’d want Tiffany to go with them, because it was just the Rangers who went into the Briefing room. Something must be up to require a non-ranger, but why? Travis on the other hand rolled his eyes and look back at the two who were getting ready to leave, “Hey… it hasn’t been two hours…!”
“Well it must be important, so let’s go boys,” Tiff said pushing Travis’ arm out of the way as she headed towards the doors.
“You heard the lady, let’s go,” added Mitchell.
“Who’s she calling a boy?”
= = = =
Sitting in his big, black, leather chair, Captain Daniels looked over his data-pad and then dropped it on the table, still hoping the information was false, “Are you sure this isn’t a sensor glitch?”
“No, I’m afraid not sir,” answered Sam sitting there waiting patiently with her hands folded on her lap.
The black, steel door whooshed open with a hiss and the three walked in still in their workout clothes. Though two Rangers were familiar with this large, steel, rectangular, dim lit room, with a oval table in the middle that had several black, leather seats.
As they sat down on either side of the blue, metallic table, waiting for the debriefing to begin, Tiffany took her time and eventually sat down on Mitch’s side of the table, “So what’s this about sir?”
“A debriefing, what else?” snapped the Black Ranger.
“No. It’s not. In fact this is something much more… we have picked up a signal heading this way at high velocity,” Daniels butted in folding his hands on the table as he leaned forward with a expression of seriousness upon his face. This was serious, and Mitch knew it, Travis did as well, but he was more laid back. Daniels hoped for no attitude from him either.
“You two were followed it seems,” Sam added tossing one data pad at Travis, who caught it, but was rather surprised by her action. Then she handed Mitchell his, “it’s a teleportation signature, and it’s carrying one large organic signature within it.”
“The rest looks like it’s mechanical,” said Mitchell.
“It is,” Sam replied taking back the pads.
“Now… the monster is too to get through the defense field, but the cybernetic life forms aren’t. So they will pass through and land near quadrant forty-four,” Daniels stated while looking down at his pad.
“The quarry?” Tiff questioned raising an eyebrow, “why there?”
“It’s isolated, and maybe they want their presence quiet from us, and it’s unlikely due to the field,” replied Sam.
Daniels sat up straight finally, taking a deep breath, and then the door whooshed open again revealing this tall, Asian woman with shoulder length, black hair. Also he skin was slightly pale, and her eyes were heavy on the eye shadow. Mitch definitely noticed her from where he sat, adjusting his collar slightly. Travis winked at her and then turned back to the pads on the table. She was wearing a black and yellow, WC Uniform jacket and skirt, which actually looked good on her.
“Oh Miss Sakamoto, you’re a little late,” said the Captain as he stood up to shake her hand.
“Gomen Nasai, I mean I’m sorry, Captain, but the trip from Aquitar was nearly cancelled because of a strong evil energy field.”
“It’s alright, in fact, I want all of you to head to the teleporter.”
“All of us sir?” asked Tiffany surprised, “I’m kinda the youngest here, and not a Ranger.”
“I know, Sam, give them the morphers,” the Captain said as he left the room. “Oh and Angel, Dr. Anderson will let you know what’s going on. Just I need all of you to be ready in about—“
An alarm sounded throughout the complex, it was a familiar one that’s for sure. Daniels knew this sound all too well, “Rangers, get ready.”
“I still don’t get why I’m picked though…” muttered Tiffany under her breath.
= = = =
Forty minutes later all four were in civilian clothes and geared up with their morphers which were small, oval shaped, gold buckles with two wings and their respective bird-heads in the center. Holding them in their hands, Mitch and Travis placed theirs behind them then returned their arms to their sides. Angel did the same and but Tiffany stood there fascinated by the small, golden device.
“The PD Troopers have them cornered, but they’re just standing there, we don’t know what they might do,” said Daniels looking at his four Rangers while leaning on one of the consoles. “Good luck, and Tiffany, it’s not a toy.”
“Sorry sir…”
“Good luck.”
“Thank you sir, but I think you should leave this to me, they’ll…just get in the way,” replied Travis confidently.
“A bit over confident aren’t ya son?”
“No sir, I just believe that I’m the best choice to be sent down there to deal with… grunts.”
“Denied,” answered Daniels flatly. “You’re going as a team. Discussion over, send them down Dr. Anderson.”
“Aye Captain.” Quickly tapping away at her panel the four Rangers became beams of colored electricity and shot through the ceiling of the flying, metallic, fortress high above the clouds, and zoomed down to earth.
= = = =
Deep in the quarry stood a large group of twenty green suited, humanoid beings, with chrome hands, and feet with grey, metal belts and black buckles, their heads were round and metallic as well with two, round, black eyes. These machines held in their hands curved, blue, bladed guns which had twin barrels along the sides. Holding them at the ready they waited while the forty troopers in black, baggy jumpsuits with grey, body armor and helmets with EMP battle rifles shouldered tightly against them.
“Awaiting orders,” said one soldier, until he felt the hand on someone touch his shoulder. Startled he jolted around but suddenly saw who it was, the four Rangers. “Thank God you’re here. Wait there’s four of you?
“Yeah…new members, well now, these are the pieces of scrap metal huh?” replied Travis walking to the front lines.
“Yeah, so what are our orders, shoot or?”
“Jumping aren’t we? Well… you can go, I…-we’ll handle it.”
“Alright, everyone pull out!” cried the soldier and within minutes everyone but the Rangers and the grunts was gone.
“Ok… so, it’s morphin’ time?” asked Tiffany in a nervous tone.
“Great…” muttered Angel glaring at the grunts as they slowly walked towards the colorful four.
“It’s morphin’ time alright...” replied Mitch taking out his morpher. “Let’s do it partner!”
“I’m not your partner… but…” Travis cringed. “It’s Cyclone Time!”
They brought their morphers to the right side of their waists, with their palms facing up and the devices upside down. Quickly they swung over their other arm and placed their open hand over top of the device and their clenched fists. Thrusting forward they swung the morpher around right side up and place their open hands over top. Pressing the little red button on the side they cried, “WILD CYLONE!!!!”
All four morphers opened with the birds head flipping up and the wings separating revealing a different colored gem in each, generating a pulsation cyclone of energy for each Ranger as they called out their winged animal:
“BLACK EAGLE!” cried Travis and the morpher became purple energy that consumed his body, except his head. Crossing his arms in front of him, he leaped up into the air covered by a tornado of energy forging the light covering his body into the black and white spandex suit with golden rings on the top of the gloves, boots and wing shaped, shoulder pads. Unleashing his arms to the sides with his elbows bent the cyclone was broken and he floated in mid-air with this flying eagle made of black light forming the helmet over his head and the visor shut. Landing on one knee with his right arm cross his chest, fist clenched finally morphed.
“BLUE HAWK!” shouted Mitchell going through the same process with a blue energy hawk forming his helmet and visor. Landing he took the same pose, but his two index fingers were still open.
“YELLOW RAVEN!” exclaimed Angel as she too was changed into a yellow spandex suit with white and gold. Her helmet was activated and she too landed with her two index fingers open but arched.
“PINK ROBIN!” yelled Tiffany with her suit and helmet fully on while in a kneeling pose, with her hand open slightly, but her fingers are curved as well.
Standing up they took their respective poses and shouted their roll call:
“Soaring high in the sky! Black Eagle Ranger!!”
“Wings above the clouds! Blue Hawk Ranger!!”
“Poetic justice among the heavens! Yellow Raven Ranger!!”
“Beauty in the wind! Pink Robin Ranger!!”
= = = =
TO BE CONTINUED…
