Streaks of Purple Saga Volume One, Heather Ray [i love reading .TXT] 📗

with a humored grin. “Thank Regita. He performed a miracle!”

Regita shook his head. “Not a miracle, Cherise. Zordon brought healing technology from Eltar. Beam of light that can seal wounds, potion that can restore lost blood, and screens that can let you see the bones of a man without even touching him.

Both Cherise and Linis gasped in astonished interest, causing Regita to laugh outright. “Would you care for Alpha to show you these machines?”

“YES!” the healers declared.
Chapter Twelve

"You've all done exceedingly well," Regita pronounced. The seven Rangers stood in a row, watching intently as their new mentor studied each of them one at a time. "You have only known each other for a handful of hours, and you possessed your Power even less. Still, you managed to forge a bond of camaraderie even before you became Rangers, and you fought side by side. And in battle, you showed teamwork the likes of which this planet has not seen in a century."

He paused, a wistful smile on his lips. "I only wish Zordon could see you. He would be so proud of you. You are perfect candidates to continue the legacy he began when he first created the Power Coins you now wield."

All seven youths were struck speechless at the overwhelming compliment.

"Still, being Power Rangers will be difficult. I'm sorry... I had all but forced you to become Rangers before, but time was pressing. We needed a full team immediately to handle the threat. But now, the pace will slow. Goldar will be back, but not until he develops a new strategy." He then gazed fixedly at each Ranger. "If you have any doubts, now is the time to leave."

Kreia blinked in shock. "Leave? But... why?"

Regita sighed. "I will not hide the enormity of this decision from you.
You will cease

to exist. You must, for all your families will be in danger if Goldar ever found out who you were. You must live here, in the Command Center. Your families will believe you were killed in the invasion." He paused for a long moment. "Once a Ranger, you will remain a Ranger until you can no longer hold that duty, or the battle is won. Before the team of Rangers I served with, every single Ranger died in battle. Every single one. Hundreds of lives, sacrificed anonymously for the survival of mankind. It is a difficult path to trod."

Regita fell silent, and the Rangers remained still, absorbing the enormity of his words. They cast questioning gazes at one another, and silently pondered the situation at hand.

Finally, Zale nodded. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have a family to save. I will miss my father dearly, but I can not return to my life as it was, knowing what I do now. I have a higher calling."

Then, Kazu stepped forward. "Agreed. I have always been a warrior. Now I have a true cause."

Sener smiled. "I have no family to speak of, so I leave nothing behind." He then cast a weighted stare at Cherise. "Besides, all I care for is right here."

Linis stifled a laugh at his sister's discomfort. "Cherise and I have lived our lives trying to help people. Now we will... in a capacity that we never even dreamed possible."

Cherise smiled at her brother's speech, taking his hand and squeezing it. She then nodded. "He speaks for us both."

Kreia took a deep breath, her own smile lighting up her face. "This is
my destiny, and I cannot turn my back on it... Uncle."

The other Rangers turned baffled gazes at her revelation. Regita smiled fondly at her conviction.

Erol then bit his lip. "I..."

He sighed, glancing at the faces of all the other Rangers. All eyes were on him, including the deep, powerful ebony eyes of Kreia. The girl he grew up with. His best friend. And something... more than just a friend. Someone very dear...

"I accept," he breathed.

Regita fixed the Green Ranger with a hard, penetrating gaze. Erol's voice lacked the conviction the other Rangers had. "Are you certain?"

Erol slowly nodded. "I will miss my parents... and everything I leave behind. But as the Green Ranger, I can do something that is far beyond my own power. I can protect

the ones I love. And they are the ones I live for."

Regita exhaled slowly, his smile returning. "I am overjoyed that you have all accepted. Now, for the three rules: You must never use your powers for personal gain. You must never escalate a battle. And finally, you must keep your identities secret. No one must know that you are the Power Rangers. Do you accept?"

Seven heads nodded with assurance.

"Then you are now, and forever, Power Rangers!"

"Power Rangers!" the seven youths cried, compelled by some force beyond their understanding to call out in unison. They gazed at each other with overwhelmed faces, knowing then that they would be more than allies, and even more than friends.

They were now a family, united in a common spirit.

"Aye yi yi," Alpha sighed, looking on from the background, "What a beginning!"

Part Three

Chapter One

She awoke to the piercing light of the sun peaking over the barren horizon.

With an irritated growl, the self-proclaimed Queen buried her face under another pillow.

"Morning already?" she grumbled, a yawn escaping her, "Great. Time to face another day."

Weakly, she rose from the heavy blankets. She trembled slightly at the cold, turning her copper gaze toward the fireplace across the large chamber. In response to her magical stare, the fire flared with newly imbued power, filling the chamber with unnatural heat.

Still, it wasn't enough to keep out the lifeless chill of the Earth's lone moon.

It'll warm up soon,

Rita reminded herself, pulling her body out of bed and slipping her feet into furry slippers. The moon is furiously hot during the day.

Still, she hated

living on the moon. It wasn't because of the scenery, though. True, it was barren and dry, but it reminded her more of her home in M 51 than the cheerfully blue skies and rolling green hills of Earth. Also, the numerous craters, mountain ranges, and canyons gave the dead surface an incredible aesthetic beauty she could only appreciate in one of her better moods.

But those moods were quite rare.

The moon was adequate during the day, but the frigid nights were insufferable. Thanks to the lack of atmosphere, the heat of the sun ravished the land during the day, but no heat is contained for the long nights.

Still, it wasn't even the environment that left the queen so bitter. It was the circumstances that brought her there.

Slowly, Rita Repulsa draped a long maroon cloak about her body, and slid across the stone floor toward her balcony, her long silver hair dragging as a train behind her. She leaned against the cold stone, staring at the bright sphere of the Earth.

Her face folded into yet another outraged scowl.

She arrived on Earth three years ago, armed with her formidable magic, one Titan warrior, a single Monster-Baker, and two idiots. But she was confident that she would succeed in her first mission, and bring the Earth to its knees. It was to be a grand victory for the expanding Phlegethon Empire, for seizing the former pet-planet of the Shadow Empire would surely symbolize Lord Zedd's ascendancy to the vacant position of Emperor of the Milky Way Galaxy.

She had envisioned her victory thousands of times in her mind. Lord Zedd would arrive, and bask in the glory of a planet full of loyal subjects.

Rita would humbly bestow upon him all the wonders of Earth... all the magic and technology the Empire had left behind, as well as the numerous natural resources of the planet. Lord Zedd would have been so impressed by her total victory, especially given her limited resources.
He would have made her his bride.

Then, the daughter of Master Vile would have proven her might to the universe. She would be the Empress of a rapidly expanding Empire, leading her own armies to new ground. She would revel in the conquest of many planets, stealing their magic and slowly building her own power.

She would become a goddess... whose power and beauty were worshipped by countless beings throughout the galaxy. She would win the respect and pride of her father. She would have it all

.

Only, seven little human beings stopped her dreams from coming true.

The first battle had been a blow to her ego. She could barely contain her shock... or her wrath... when Goldar, her champion, returned to the palace in defeat. He wasn't terribly hurt, but his pride had been shaken. Through gritted teeth he reported his humiliating loss to the Power Rangers.

They weren't top-notch fighters, but somehow they managed to lay a trap that even the Titan warrior couldn't fight his way out of. His enormous Putty army was defeated in a single stroke, and no irreparable damage was done to Gateway City.

All in all, it was a devastating failure. She had lost the element of surprise completely, and had nothing to show for it. The Earth forces had a lot more in the cards than she did.