The Terran Rangers Saga Volume 1, Heather Ray [black books to read .txt] 📗

"Okay," said Zack, reaching the top of the cliff. "We have to find a staircase..."

Zack stared in awe at the charred remains of the formerly impressive Command Center. A tear formed in his eye as fond memories of his days as the Black Ranger began to fill his mind. Although he never admitted it, he had sorely missed the utter rush of morphing, and the pride that came with knowing that you were one of Earth's greatest heroes. He wiped his eye with the back of his hand and wandered around the rubble, weaving his way around fallen steel beams, slabs of concrete, boulders, and shredded wires and computer parts, some still sparking and smoking. The others also began to search the rubble for stairs.

"Do you think the stairs mentioned are the ones at the eastern entrance?" suggested Billy. "That's the only flight of stairs that immediately comes to mind."

"I'll check it," offered Tanya, running towards the east. Today had been a very hectic day for Tanya Sloan. Just yesterday, she was an innocent eleven-year-old girl living in an African tribe. Now, she had been sent to America, a foreign land, and was now seventeen. And to top if off, she was working with the world-famous Power Rangers to save the universe! Understandably, she felt a little disoriented, especially considering the fact that all the others were apparently the best of friends.

Boy, I sure hope Aisha made the right decision! Am I up to this?

She snapped back into reality when she saw what appeared to be the remains of a stone staircase. She began to sift through the pile of rubble at the foot of the stairs, and smiled widely when she saw a small manhole cover.

"Guys!" she cried excitedly, "I've found it! But -- I can't lift the cover!" The others all joined her at the stairs.

"We've got it," said Jason, as he and Tommy removed the lid from the hole.

"Its awfully dark down there," said Zack. "How're we supposed to find our way through?

"With this," said Billy, pulling out a flashlight from his backpack, "I never leave the garage without one!"

"Good work, Billy," said Tommy, taking the flashlight and moving towards the hole, "I'll go first. Jason, you bring up the rear."

With that, the group of teenagers climbed down the ladder and into the darkness of the secret underground tunnel disguised as a sewer.

The teens made their way through the winding maze, and after what seemed like forever, they reached a large iron door with an image of a diamond on it.

"Looks like we found something," said Zack, pushing against the door. Of course, the massive iron door didn't budge.

"So, how do we get in?" asked Tanya.

Suddenly the diamond on the door began to glow silver.

^PLEASE PLACE RIGHT HAND ON THE DIAMOND FOR FINGERPRINT SCAN,^

said a recorded voice.

Jason placed his hand on the space, and the door opened inwards. The teens looked around in awe at the room they had entered. It was huge, with numerous computer stations set in a circle around an even larger Viewing Globe. There was also a large main computer setup with screen in one corner, a desk with what looked like a PC in another corner, and an advanced medical center in the third corner, with a bed hooked up to many imaging devices, a table with other hand-held units, and its own transporter. In the final corner there was an iron gate much like the door the rangers entered from, but instead of having a diamond in the middle, it had an image of Earth.

"Wow," said Tommy, "it looks like we found what we were looking for!"

"Indeed," said Billy, walking over to the main computer, "the technology here is by far superior to that of the Command Center. It is simpler to use, as well as more efficient."

"Does the equipment work?" asked Jason.

"Everything appears to be online and functional."

"Do you think you can operate that fancy medical equipment?" asked Adam, "Rocky really needs some sort of treatment."

Billy hurried over to he medical center, and looked over a set of instructions conveniently left on the cot. Billy skimmed through the manual quickly.

"This device is called the med-unit," he read aloud, "and it's capable of speeding the natural healing processes of the human body. Phenomenal! I think I should be able to operate this. It seems like it was created for humans to use."

"Good," said Tommy, holding his communicator to his mouth, "I'll contact Katherine and tell her what we found. Billy, get ready to teleport her and Rocky here."

Billy nodded and activated the teleporter beside the med-unit. He waited as Tommy contacted Katherine, who was waiting at Billy's lab.

^Hello?^

she answered, ^Tommy, is that you?^

"Yeah. Listen Kat, we found another Command Center down here, and everything's up and running. Billy is getting ready to teleport you and Rocky here. Tommy out.

Tommy nodded at Billy, and Billy pressed the final sequence of buttons. In a flash of red light, the unconscious form of Rocky DeSantos appeared on the med-unit cot. Then, a flash of pink light heralded the arrival of Katherine Hillard. Kat spun around, gazing in awe at her strange surroundings.

"Hey," she said, "I don't see Alpha or Zordon. There isn't even a tube here for Zordon to appear to us in!"

Billy immediately began working on Rocky's injuries with the highly advanced med-unit. The rest of the team formed a circle in the center of the room, next to the Viewing Globe.

"I really thought Alpha and Zordon would be here," said Zack. "What do we do now?"

"There isn't much we can do," said Tommy sadly, "Zedd destroyed the Power Coins, and Goldar and Rito swiped the Zeo Crystal right before the Command Center imploded. Without Zordon, there's no way we can restore our powers."

The rangers' conversation was interrupted by a persistent beeping coming from the main computer. They all go towards it.

"What does that sound mean?" asked Katherine.

"I think there's something on this thing," said Adam, sitting in the seat and turning on the screen. A single icon, called "Terra" appeared at the center of the screen. Adam clicked on the image, and Zordon's face (which is really all he has)

appeared on the screen.

^POWER RANGERS,^

it said. ^IF YOU ARE HEARING THIS MESSAGE, I MUST ASSUME THAT THE COMMAND CENTER HAS BEEN DESTROYED. IF THAT EVER HAPPENED, THEN THE MORPHIN GRID WOULD ALSO BE GONE, LEAVING YOU POWERLESS. FEAR NOT, RANGERS, FOR AN EVEN GREATER POWER AWAITS YOU. YOU ARE IN THE CENTRAL ACCESS COMPLEX, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES BELOW THE LOCATION OF THE COMMAND CENTER. SIX OF YOU ARE DESTINED TO BECOME THE TERRAN POWER RANGERS. THE KEY TO THIS POWER LIES IN THE ZEO CRYSTAL. THE ZEO CRYSTAL IS THE SOURCE OF THE MORPHIN GRID'S POWER, AND SO IF THE GRID WERE TO COLLAPSE, THE ZEO CRYSTAL WOULD SPLINTER INTO SIX SMALL COLORED SHARDS. NOT JUST ANYONE CAN USE THESE CRYSTALS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN A VAST AMOUNT OF RAW POWER. BEFORE, YOU USED MORPHERS TO MEDIATE THE POWER OF THE COINS TO YOUR BODIES, BUT THE ZEO CRYSTAL SHARDS ACTUALLY ENTER YOUR BODY AND BECOME A PART OF YOU. THIS DIRECT ACCESS WILL INCREASE YOUR ABILITIES TENFOLD, BUT THEY ALSO ARE DANGEROUS. FIND THE DORMANT GEMS AND PLACE THEM IN THEIR STONE PILLARS ABOVE GROUND. MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU ALL...^

"But, Rito and Goldar stole the whole Zeo Crystal!" said Tanya. "How do we get it back?"

"Hey guys," said Adam, "check this out!"

The other rangers returned their attention to the screen, which now showed an image of the location of the Command Center. There, six colored blips of light glowed.

"I guess when the Morphin Grid was destroyed, the Zeo Crystal automatically split into six pieces," said Adam, "and knowing Goldar and Rito, they were so scared by the release of power that they dropped it and teleported straight to the moon."

"So, let's go then," said Tommy, moving towards the teleporter.

"Wait a minute!" said Kat, "Zordon said that six of us are destined to be Terran Rangers. There's eight of us here. How do we know who should accept the power?"

"Why don't the six of you go," said Billy, "Rocky is still unconscious, so I'll finish up here. Go ahead."

"You sure, Bro?" asked Zack.

"Sure I'm sure. Now hurry up!"

Tommy activated the teleporter, and in seconds, Billy and Rocky were alone.

It's funny,

he mused, still scanning Rocky's head for permanent damage. Something about staying behind while the others go into battle -- just feels right somehow. I don't think it's my destiny to be a Terran Ranger. It just doesn't feel right. But something Zordon's message said bothers me...

Billy left Rocky's side and went to the main computer. He replayed Zordon's audio message. ^NOT JUST ANYONE CAN USE THESE CRYSTALS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN A VAST AMOUNT OF RAW POWER. BEFORE, YOU