Power Rangers In Space, Heather Ray [books under 200 pages TXT] 📗

head against the lockers until one particularly brutal thrust threw the limp Blue Ranger into the lockers, knocking them down in the process. Ecliptor chuckled when he saw TJ sprawled out bonelessly atop the bent and crushed metal, and looked around for his sword to finish the job. Unfortunately, he had carelessly left it on the second tier of the engineering room. He grunted angrily.

"Don't go anywhere," he said, turning to retrieve his sword. After only a few yards, he heard an echoing voice in his head.

*Ecliptor, did you deal with the remaining Rangers? The Red and Pink ones have abandoned the ship.*

The Blue Ranger is just about taken care of, my Princess, and engineering is secured.

*Excellent. Now that Darkonda and I have secured the bridge, I want you to restore the controls to this station. Also, I want the internal scanners back online, so we can find the missing Black Ranger more easily. Have you heard anything from Elgar?*

No, I have not. Still, even he is no doubt capable of restraining an Alpha-class robot. King Lexian's robots were made as assistants, not warriors.

*We'll worry about that later. Get the scanners operating, so we can find Elgar and Alpha 5 as well.*

Your will be done, my Princess.

While Ecliptor was out of earshot, busy in telepathic communication with Astronema, a small robot crept onto the scene, and managed to quietly drag TJ's prone body off the lockers and behind a protective row of consoles. Once the were securely hidden, he pulled off TJ's helmet, and began running a quick scan to determine the Blue Ranger's condition.

Soon, TJ's dark eyes fluttered open, and he practically jumped in surprise.

"Alpha," he whispered, sitting up and holding his head, "What happened?"

"Carlos and I were on the shuttle, tending to Ashley's wounds," the robot responded, "Once we had the regenerative program functioning, Cassie had contacted us from outside the Megaship, asking us to keep an eye on you. I watched the scanners in the shuttle, since those work, and I noticed that you and Ecliptor were basically on top of each other. Carlos and I decided that it would be best for me to get back on board, since I know how the Megaship operates, and since I'm a robot, the infestation sweep won't affect me."

"We're going to leave you on board?!" TJ said in shock. Alpha nodded.

"Astronema and her goons won't have time to worry about me. They'll have to abandon the ship. And once they're gone, I can reactivate the shields in case the Dark Fortress or those Velocifighters decide to retaliate. The only reason why they're not firing is because Astronema's on board."

TJ nodded, and clasped his helmet back on. "I'll keep Ecliptor busy, while you activate the infestation sweep, and lower the deflector shields."

"I'll page you when the sweep is activated. You'll have no more than five minutes to get to the shuttle before the toxins start filling the ship. Carlos gave me his communicator, since he can use the shuttle's systems to keep in contact with everyone."

Alpha helped TJ to his feet. "Are you going to be alright?"

The Blue Ranger nodded. "Just hurry up. Ecliptor's not a pushover, you know."

Chapter Thirty-One

Gripping his saber tightly, Ecliptor returned to where he had left the Blue Ranger, expecting him to still be completely unconscious and defenseless upon the lockers. That would make the final kill swift and easy. Yet, to his surprise, he was gone.

"What?!" Ecliptor roared angrily. He spun around in a full circle, watching and listening for any sounds. Where could the lone Ranger have hidden himself so quickly? He was out cold!

Unless...the boy played 'possum'

,

Ecliptor thought bitterly, Perhaps I have underestimated his resourcefulness...

"Coward!!" Ecliptor shouted into the apparently empty engineering complex.

"The Astro Rangers aren't cowards," came an invisible voice, "Not one of them."

Ecliptor followed the sound of the response with his eyes. The electrical door separating engineering from the hallway parted, revealing the Blue Ranger, his Astro Blaster at the ready. As soon as the door parted enough, he let loose on his laser weapon, firing a hail of blue energy at the evil warrior. Ecliptor instinctively rolled out of the way, and blocked the few blasts that almost hit him once he stabilized himself on his knees. Then, the door closed again.

Growling with rage, Ecliptor bounded after the Blue Ranger. Once he was outside the engineering complex, he noticed the Blue Ranger leaning against the wall casually, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Sheesh," TJ quipped, "you're slower than molasses! Even Elgar would've caught me by now."

TJ quickly pushed himself off the wall, narrowly missing energy beams from Ecliptor's gleaming eyes. His Astro Axe again at the ready, TJ deflected Ecliptor's introductory swing, and a match quite similar to the one they faced at their first encounter ensued.

"Fool," Ecliptor grunted, knocking the axe away with a particularly enforced downward thrust, "You've just sealed your fate."

TJ bent to retrieve the fallen weapon, only to meet Ecliptor's foot halfway down. The ferocious kick to the head sent TJ's head back in a whiplash fashion, and threw him several feet down the hallway.

"Oooh," TJ groaned, "that's gonna hurt in the morning..."

"As far as you're concerned, there won't be a morning," Ecliptor declared, slowly moving towards the disoriented Blue Ranger for the final attack. However, before he even reached him, TJ's communicator sounded.

^It's done, TJ,^

Alpha's voice stated. Ecliptor blinked, lowering his sword.

What has been done?

he pondered, his focus on TJ dispersing almost instantaneously. Suddenly, another voice entered his thoughts.

*It's about time.*

What do you mean, my Princess?

*You finally managed to get the shields down, that's what! But I wanted the scanners to be activated first, so we could figure out exactly where the remaining Rangers are hiding.*

The shields are down?!

Ecliptor repeated, abandoning TJ and hurrying back towards engineering. However, when he got there, the doors wouldn't open.

"Who's in there?!" he demanded, banging his clenched fist against the metal gate. His efforts increased when he received no answer.

Not far away, TJ once again snapped back to reality.

"Man, this is really one hell of a day," he groaned, straightening his back. He rubbed his neck painfully as he made his way back down the hall to retrieve his Astro Axe. Once he found it, he gripped it tightly in his right hand, and raced through the halls. As he moved, he activated his communicator again.

"Alpha, this is TJ! Come in!"

^Alpha here,^

he responded, ^Aye yi yi! You had me worried when you didn't answer me before!^

"I'm okay. How about you?"

^The shields are down, and there are about four minutes left before the toxins start pumping. Since DECA's offline, there isn't going to be a warning recording playing through the ship, so Astronema and her crew are going to have a big surprise! Also, I think Ecliptor is still banging on the engineering door.^

"He can't get in fast enough," TJ asserted, "I'm coming up to the lift now."

TJ stepped into the lift, and pressed the button to shut the door. His finger hovered over the key to the first deck, where the shuttle was waiting, but then a thought came to his mind.

"Elgar!" he gasped, "He's still in the brig! And if there's no warning, no one will think to get to him in time!"

^Aye yi yi!^

Alpha shrieked, ^You don't have time to go get him, TJ! You only have about three minutes left!^

"I can't leave him to die, Alpha," TJ proclaimed, "and I doubt Astronema will risk her life to save him. And with Ecliptor banging down your door, you can't get to the brig anyway. I've got to give him a chance to escape with his life."

TJ pressed the button for deck 2, and waited impatiently for the lift to reach it.

"Alpha, contact Carlos and tell him I'm on my way, but I'm making a stop on deck 2 first, okay?"

^You got it! Alpha out!^

Chapter Thirty-Two

In outer space, about a quarter of a mile distance from the Megaship, the Pink and Red Astro Rangers wait on their Galaxy Gliders for the shuttle to appear.

"I'm worried," Cassie said quietly, her arms folded tightly over her chest, "I mean, how long can it take for TJ to get the program running and get off the ship?"

"Relax," Andros said, less assurance in his voice than he had intended, "Alpha went after him. He'll be fine."

"And what about Ashley?" Cassie pressed, "Can Carlos tend to her, and get the shuttle ready for departure, all by himself?"

His red helmet hid the tears in his eyes from his companion. Andros could barely keep himself from screaming in lament for how terrible the situation was. And it was entirely his fault. Just like when his sister was abducted, and when his planet was destroyed.

Suffering that could have been avoided...had he acted.

"I'm not waiting any longer," Andros decided, activating his communicator, "Carlos, do you read?"

After a short silence, the other end picked up. ^Carlos here.^

"Where's TJ?"

^Alpha said he's going to free Elgar, who we imprisoned in the brig earlier.^

Cassie startled. "What?! Is he nuts?!"

^If Elgar's stuck on the ship with the toxins, he'll end up dead,^

Carlos reminded the Pink Ranger.

"Then the program's activated?" Andros inquired.

^Yes, and the shields are down. TJ's got about...two and a half minutes to get onto the ship before the toxins start pouring into the hallways.^

"Andros," Cassie said quietly, "what happens if he can't make it out? He's wearing his helmet, so he should be okay. Right?"

"There's a limit to how long a Ranger's helmet can supply air for him to breathe, but I doubt he'll be in there that long. However, so long as he's in there, the shuttle can't depart, and then we