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

The room was silent, with the exception of the heart monitor that beeped in time with the slow pulse of the ancient man's worn muscle.

Kreia stepped into the silence, her eyes soberly absorbing the room she visited every single day at noon.

Regita lied upon his bed, his eyes sealed shut for the past eighty-three days without even a tremor in the eyelids to denote he was even trying to awaken. His arms and body beneath his chest were hidden beneath crisp blankets. His chest was bare, allowing a metal device to connect directly with the skin above his heart, which was connected to the large machine at the head of the bed, which monitored his every vital function.

The room was eerie, with all the metal objects Kreia couldn't even hope to comprehend. In fact, only Cherise and Linis seemed to really embrace the "technology" Zordon brought into the world.

Kreia sighed quietly, pulling a stool from across the room to Regita's side. She sat heavily, bowing her head slightly as she set her elbows on the edge of the bed.

"I've done it," she announced, "I can manifest an Eagleheart Pulse in my unmorphed state. It takes a lot out of me, but at least it's a surprise attack I might be able to use to my advantage some point in the future."
She remained silent, watching her great-grandmother's brother as his chest rose and fell very slowly.

"I'm sure Rita has come up with some way to interrupt our Morph," she continued, "That's the only explanation for how she managed to keep Erol for so long. She knows how to prevent a Ranger from Morphin', so it's only logical for me to devise a battle strategy that doesn't depend on that ability."

The alternative reason for Erol's prolonged disappearance never crossed her mind. For some inexplicable reason, she was sure he was alive, and waiting for her to recover him.

"I... I don't know what else I can do. I've practiced for so long... but it's hard. What do I practice? I don't know how to Ascend, Uncle. You have to teach

me!"

She closed her eyes tightly, cradling her head in her palm. "I need you."

Not long before Regita fell into his present coma, he had begun a new phase of training with the Purple Ranger. The goal was simply stated, but seemingly impossible to achieve.

"Kreia, you must learn to use your whole

strength. That is the only way you can save Erol."

Her whole strength... what did that mean?

She hadn't held back anything

since her training began in earnest. She didn't retire for the day until she could barely move her body, and she never released an energy blast that didn't fully expend the power she had managed to muster.

She thought she had

been using her whole strength. But apparently, there was something more she couldn't reach yet; a new level of power that she had to keep pushing toward.

"How do I use my whole strength? How can I find it without someone to guide me?" she whispered, more to herself than Regita.

Kreia's glazed eyes leapt to the entrance when the sound of footsteps reached her ear. She straightened, quickly wiping away any evidence of tears. Moments later, Linis stepped into the room, carrying a tray covered with medical supplies. He smiled pleasantly at his friend, pausing at the door as if asking silent permission.

In response, Kreia rose to her feet. "I'm finished here. You can come in."

"You don't have to leave."

Kreia shrugged uneasily, resuming her seat on the stool. Her elbow once again fell onto the bed, and she watched as Linis connected a clear plastic bag to a chord. Its other end was embedded into Regita's arm.
She watched the young boy work, her gaze boring into him so deeply that he occasionally cast a worried glance in her direction.

"Is he getting any better?" she asked quietly.

Linis' smile faded. "It's hard to say. His body has become so weak that he cannot muster the strength required to even open his eyes. But we do think he has some

perception available. I am almost sure he can hear you speak to him. Hopefully these nutritional pouches will give his body the needed fuel, but it may not make him strong enough to really wake up."

He then offered a faint grin. "But I wouldn't count Regita out yet.
Zordon is confident that his stubbornness alone won't let him die without a fight."

A hint of a smile cracked the expressionless mask of Kreia's face. Linis allowed himself to feel some pride at the achievement.

"We... haven't seen much of you," he said casually.

Kreia exhaustion hung in her eyes. "I know. My training has been pretty involved."

"You're not the only one. Kazu has been mercilessly drilling Sener, and Zale has kept Cherise on her toes. I doubt there's been another team of Rangers who trained so diligently. When Rita attacks again, she'll have a surprise in store."

Kreia stared at the Blue Ranger. She hadn't missed the subtle point he touched upon. "When Rita attacks?" she repeated. "Then there hasn't been any progress made in taking the battle directly to her

."

Linis hesitantly met her stare. Whatever drop of mirth she expressed moments ago was gone. Her eyes were the black coals he most often saw when he gazed at her. Hard, cold, and focused.

No human being should know such interminable focus.

"We haven't given up searching," Linis assured her, uncomfortably turning away from her gaze to busy himself with Regita, "but I won't lie to you, Kreia. It's very difficult. Whatever is happening on the moon, Rita has taken great pains to hide it from us. So far, we haven't even determined what kind of shielding spell has been engaged. Unless the shield is disturbed by either teleportation or an object passing through, it won't read out on our scanners."

He steeled himself to meet her eyes again. "Four months ago, we weren't even this close."

Kreia frowned, rising to her feet abruptly. "It doesn't matter how close we are, Linis. We either can

or can't

attack Rita. And if we can't, then the next move is hers." Unsteady fingers rose to rub against her tense forehead. "I can't shake the feeling that, once she does

make her move... we're all doomed."

Linis watched the agitated Purple Ranger leave. Once she had disappeared, he turned back to Regita.

"I agree with her," he admitted, exhaling slowly, "Rita has been planning something during these months of peace. When her offensive is ready, I doubt all of our training will be enough to-"

His soft voice died on his lips as the shrill sound of the alarm claxons startled him. Linis' eyes widened, a hopeful smile stretching his lips.

At last... the silence was over.

The Pink Ranger bounded from one console to another, her bright hazel eyes narrowing as she studied the image on the data screen. Wasting not even a moment, she hurried to yet another panel, and began typing in commands.

Throughout the mad hustling, Alpha stared in amazement at the surprising technological capabilities of the human girl.

“Aye yi yi!” he shrieked, throwing his hand ups, “I’ve never seen a human so familiar with computers! I almost thought it was beyond your species.”

Despite the precarious situation, Cherise smirked ruefully. “We may be throwing sticks and stone now, Alpha, but eventually mankind will develop even greater

machines than these.”

She turned to the diminutive robot, confidently tucking a stray lock of strawberry hair behind her ear. “If there’s one thing humans can do better than anyone else, it’s imagine.”

Zordon nodded his agreement. “HUMANITY HAS LIMITLESS CAPABILITIES. ONCE YOU RECOGNIZE THE COMPLETE NONEXISTENCE OF UNBREAKABLE BARRIERS, THEN YOU WILL PROGRESS SCIENTIFICALLY AT A RATE THAT WILL MARVEL EVEN THE GREATEST IMAGINATION.”

The conversation was forgotten as the remaining Power Rangers poured into the Command Center in a knot.

Kreia moved directly to the scanner, watching the flashing dot progress along the black screen. “What is that?”

“A ship,” Cherise explained. “We picked it up about half an hour ago, and it’s heading into our solar system.”

“Can it be heading toward the moon?” Kazu proposed.

Cherise smiled. “That’s what we hope. If it’s one of Rita’s hecnchmen, then he’ll have to pass through the field. We’ll have the precise location of the palace, and maybe even the frequency on which the shield vibrates.”

Sener’s characteristically pleasant smile made way for a fierce grin.

“Now we can take matters into our own hands.”

“WE CANNOT TAKE ANY ACTION THAT MAY FURTHER ENDANGER YOU,” Zordon advised. “I REFUSE TO LET YOU HASTILY RUSH TO THE MOON.”

Kreia’s eyes widened in alarm. “But Erol-!”

“I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL,” he interrupted, in a softer tone. “BUT HASTY ACTION IS PRECISELY WHAT LEAD TO EROL’S ABDUCTION IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE MUST ASCERTAIN THE BEST WAY TO FACE RITA, AND EVEN IF WE ARE ABLE TO REACH THE PALACE. JUST KNOWING WHERE IT IS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH…I AM SURE SHE HAS OTHER DEFENSES IN PLACE.”

The Purple Ranger frowned deeply, folding her arms tightly and fixing the ancient mentor with a cold glare. If he were able, Zordon would’ve shuddered at the ice in her eyes.

“Cherise,” Zale advised, turning to the Pink Ranger, “keep an eye on that ship. Once it enters the palace, we can start scanning the area for magical energy. Hopefully we’ll have some inkling to whatever traps Rita has laid for us.”

She nodded sharply, and turned her attention back to the blinking light that brought hope to all the Rangers.

Finster exhaled with relief as he hovered his one-man cruiser just above the coordinates of the palace. He gazed through his eyeglass at the featureless terrain beneath him.

He