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

the ground, watching in horrified shock as animals and birds rushed from the west.

Kazu was the first to recover his bearings, and he quickly grabbed the artist's arm.

"Move!" he growled.

Both youths tore through the trees and bushes, carefully avoiding stampeding animals.

Slicing through the air above, a large stone castle approached the ground, nestling itself into the heart of the dense forest.
Chapter Ten

"This is so... incredible," Kreia breathed, her grip tightening on Erol's hand.

After the lengthy hike the two youths had endured, they finally entered the palatial structure hidden high in the cliffs near the ocean. They were awed by the refuge, its tower reaching for the heavens, and its heavy walls leaving no entrance to be invaded.
Their awe only began at the exterior. Once they were allowed into the secret entrance, their amazement defied description.

The large chamber within was intricate, with metallic tables forming a circular pattern near the center. On those tables shone infinite colored lights, and a variety of odd designs and small raised cubes.

The ring of metal tables also held another monument: a large cylinder, apparently composed of glass connected to circular metal podiums at its base and peak. Within the cylinder sat a bed of crystals, and a strange smoke seemed to fill the area within.

The entire chamber was dark, with lights like stars on the ceiling and floor. It was, in a word... unearthly.

"Where are we?" Erol questioned.

Regita smiled at their confounded expressions before heading toward a narrow tunnel leading to another chamber. "Alpha, introduce them to the Command Center," he instructed.

Erol and Kreia traded bewildered glances. "Alpha?"

"Present!" a child-like voice called, startling the pair. They both turned to the direction of the voice, which seemed to emanate from the black wall beyond the ring of metal tables. A piece of the wall slid away, revealing a short creature plated with metals of crimson, blue, and gold.

The creature scampered towards the thunderstruck pair. "I am Alpha V," he greeted, bowing lightly, "Welcome to the Command Center of Zordon of Eltar."

After several moments of silence, Kreia stepped forward, reaching her trembling hand toward Alpha. She gently touched the hard metal head, and jerked her hand back immediately.

"What are you?" she asked, "Some kind of sprite?"

Incredibly, he giggled. "No. I am an automaton, created by King Lexion of Edenoi. I am the fifth of the Alpha line, the first series of fully-sentient assistant computers in the galaxy."

"Computer?" Erol repeated, his brow furrowing.

Although Alpha could make no facial expressions, the humans could somehow feel his amusement. "I am... an alien. That's close enough."

There was no sense in explaining further, and that answer seemed enough for the young pair.

Erol then stepped forward, gazing at the incredible chamber with even greater interest.

"All this is alien," he noted, a chill causing him to shudder, "Like... the High Lord."

Alpha was quick to disagree. "No! This was Zordon's sanctuary, and the home of all the Power Rangers. We fought, and defeated, the invasion force."

Erol frowned as a new question dawned on him. "Why are you still here? The Empire is dead. You just can't leave mankind alone, can you?"

"Erol!" Kreia scolded.

"We remain because we know the battle isn't over," Regita said, appearing from the back rooms with a wooden box in his free hand, "The Empire was the greatest evil in the cosmos, but evil can never be forever defeated. There is always the threat that someone else may fill the void. And that is why we remain... in case someone does. And someone may have."

He paused, leaning his walking stick against a console and holding the box in offering. "There have been scores of Power Rangers before you," he noted, "Most had died in battle. All sacrificed their family lives, for fear of endangering loved ones. All Rangers must disappear from Gateway City, and remain here in the Command Center. Always on duty, always striving to learn and grow so as to defend the world all the better. Once the Power is taken, it cannot be returned until the battle is over."

He then opened the ornate box, etched with animal pictures on all panels. Within, lying on a white pillow, lay seven glittering gold coins arranged in a pentagon with two in the center. Each coin had a different image, all of animals made legendary by the Rangers of earlier generations.

"Once you choose a Power Coin, you accept the duty of being a Ranger," Regita explained, "Take your pick."

Kreia stepped forward, thoughtfully considering each possible coin. After several moments, she selected one of the central coins.

Regita couldn't help but smile. "You have selected the Eagle, Kreia. You will be the Purple Ranger, as I was a lifetime ago."

Kreia smiled at that. She hadn't even known which Ranger Regita had been, but somehow a force she couldn't explain drew her to the winged creature.

Erol's jaw set. "Which is Green?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I know something of the Power Rangers," he related, "and I do recall that the Purple and Green Rangers were unique. They fought side by side as if they were somehow separate from the other five. They are a team within a team."

He then turned to Kreia. "If you are the Purple Ranger, then I must be your partner."

Kreia broke eye contact, trying her best not to blush.

Regita's gaze passed between the youths before pointing to the Dragon coin. "Then here is your coin, Green Ranger."

The moment the coin touched Erol's finger, an incredible earthquake besieged the Command Center. All within collapsed to the ground helplessly as the alarms began screaming to life.

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked, rising to his metal feet, "The palace has landed!"

"Where exactly?" Regita demanded, allowing Kreia and Erol to help him stand.

"Three miles east of Gateway City. I really can't detect anything else."

Dread darkened Regita's eyes. "We shall soon see their intention."

Chapter Eleven

Rita Repulsa stood on the marble balcony hanging from the highest tower of the palace, glaring down upon the world that would soon crumble under her heels. An array of animals squirmed beneath the protective canopy of lush trees, swaying in the cool breeze. The gentle warmth of the afternoon sun irradiated the sky, coaxing the gaseous atmosphere to glow a stunningly rich shade of blue. White puffs of clouds lazily streaked the sky, floating on cushions of air.

Rita inhaled the crisp atmosphere, and snorted her disgust. "By all that is evil, this planet is hideous! I wonder what Umbriel saw in this dump?"

Still, despite its stomach-churning sweet air and blindingly bright colors, this backwater mudball was her salvation.

Finally, she was free

. No more obnoxious boy-king hovering over her shoulder, berating her just for the fun of it. No more opulent ceremonies, designed to humiliate her by forcing a renewal of her vow to serve him with all her strength. It was obvious how much the would-be emperor loved the idea of having a royal princess under his heel.

But no more. She was out of his jurisdiction. She was light years distant, free to make her own tactical decisions.

And she even had subjects! Of course, one decent warrior, a shriveled up old scientist, and two peons weren't exactly a mighty army... but what a triumph it would be to defeat the former throne of the Shadow Empire with such a flimsy team! She would be praised for her own merit!

Perhaps she could even prove to her father that she was more than just a second child. Or even better... show up Zedd, and earn some respect from the skinless blowhole.

Rita then turned on her heel, her brown-swathed form swallowed by the sharp darkness of her throne room. Her arms crossed, she glared down her nose at the quartet of servants chosen to accompany her.

Finster, the goat-like scientist, bowed humbly before the princess, and was mimicked begrudgingly by Goldar and uncomprehendingly by Squatt and Baboo. With a devilish smirk splitting face, Rita glided to her iron throne... noticeably perched on a marble dais higher than Lord Zedd's on Phlegethon.

"As you all know, this is not

Phlegethon. So from now on, my

rules will govern our activities on this planet," she stated, resting her elbows at her sides. The announcement was met by a smile from Finster, awed gazes from Squatt and Baboo, and a glare from Goldar.

She continued. "This is my

palace, and you are all my

servants. You shall all address me as Queen Rita, and soon I shall be monarch of this entire planet."

Goldar blinked incredulously. "Lord Zedd never granted you such authority."

His ruby eyes narrowed at the furious glare Rita threw at him. "Zedd is half a galaxy away," she muttered, "He can play 'Emperor' when he hauls his metal-butt out here. Until then, I'm

in charge!" She sat pensively for a moment. "And another thing... from now on, you are all forbidden to even utter his name. Lord Zedd does not exist here."

Goldar was speechless. Never in the royal court of Phlegethon did Rita even hint at her animosity toward the Emperor.

The loyal Titan didn't know quite how to respond. But his situation was quite clear: for now, he served Rita.

He snarled silently, cursing his predicament.

Rita then rubbed her palms together with building excitement. "Let the carnage begin!" she declared. "I've purposely set my palace right outside the bounds of Shadowgate, Umbriel's former capitol city. If there is any resistance at all on this dump of a planet, it'll be there."

She then turned her razor gaze to Goldar. "You will patrol the city. Let them know that any who oppose my reign will be vaporized."

Her dark eyes slid to Finster. "Your Monster-Baking is renowned throughout Phlegethon," she noted, "Do not disappoint me."

Finster bowed deeply. "I have a new design for easy-bake foot-soldiers. They require minimal bake time and supplies,