"Soul's Bonds" Chapter 25
If you hated the cliffhanger last chapter, you're... not gonna like this one. :x
Chapter 25 (Sky)
"I know I've said this before, but I've got a bad feeling about this," I told the others as Z pulled the S.W.A.T. truck to a stop in front of Sinneslöschen's building.
"You're not... going to... follow us in, are you?" Bridge asked when he saw me getting ready to use my morpher. "You and Tessie... should wait out here... in case we need... a quick getaway."
"I'm coming in, Bridge," I said, determined, even though I had to bite down a gasp of pain as I leaned on my injured leg to jump out of the truck. "I'm not going to stay out here all nice and cozy while you two risk your lives."
"I expect that's exactly what you're about to ask me to do, isn't it?" Tessie asked, standing in the door, arms akimbo. "Nuh-uh. I AIN'T sittin' on m'duff while the three of you run off into Lord knows what. I'm comin', too."
"No way," I said firmly. "Remember what Dr. Felix told you, if you get struck in the head again it could leave you a vegetable. You're staying."
"Why'd you bother dragging her from the base if you're not going to let her fight, then?" Z wanted to know. "If we all fall, it's not going to matter- they're going to get her in the end. Come on, Sky. You just said we're all in this together."
"On your own head be it, then. Let's morph, we're wasting time here," I said impatiently. "SPD, Emergency!" We then assumed S.W.A.T. Mode before entering the eerily-silent building, expecting to run into danger at any moment.
"I don't like this," Tessie said as she scanned the upper floors with her helmet. "I know we're kinda far down, but I'm not pickin' up much activity up there. The communications satellite bein' jammed means we can't track the others' vitals, or lack thereof, either."
"Let's NOT think about what we could be missing and just get up there," Z said, going over to the elevator. "Uh-oh. Looks like our buddy Borandig was here." Tessie, Bridge and I all came up to see that the elevator buttons had a large hole drilled in them. "Do you think you can manage stairs, Sky?"
"Only one way to find out," I said, limping after the others as fast as I could and clambering up the stairs after them, doing quite well at first but quickly slowing down, swearing in my head louder and louder as the pain in my leg intensified. "Keep going, I'm fine," I panted when the others started slowing down to help me. "We've wasted enough time as it is." They nonetheless waited while I mounted the last staircase with considerable difficulty, now on the fourth floor of the building. Bridge kicked down a door, admitting us into the back offices of Sinneslöschen, and illuminated the darkness with a light on his helmet. We didn't get very far before spotting-
"COMMANDER!" I cried. Cruger lay spread-eagled in a pool of blood before the open door leading to the hidden staircase. He was unconscious and bleeding profusely from several deep wounds in his muzzle, shoulder and chest. "COMMANDER!" I shouted frantically as all four of us fell beside him. "Commander? Doggie?! Answer me! Damnit, you old dog, don't die on us!"
"He's still breathin', but barely," Tessie said in a strained voice. "Oh, oh... what're we goin' to do? What if they've done the same thing to the Vulcans?"
"Tessie, stay here while the rest of us go ahead. No, listen," I said before she could reply. "I'm not going to risk you going upstairs with us and running into a fight, but you've still got an important job. Someone needs to get an ambulance for Doggie and protect him til he's safe. I know it's chancey bringing one here if all of the assassins are gathered together, but we can't just leave him like this, he'll die. Can I count on you, little buddy?" Tessie stood up and saluted me.
"Sure can, big buddy. Give 'em hell from me, eh?"
"I will, you can count on that. Bridge, Z, let's take care of them," I said, an adrenalin rush numbing my leg as Bridge punched in the code for the hidden door. We dashed up the staircase, ready for any danger we might face, and opened the second door to find...
"Nothing," said Bridge. "What on Earth... is going on? I thought... we'd walk... into a battle. Or at least... the aftermath."
"No idea," said Z. "Let's investigate some of these rooms. I'm detecting lots of lifeforms around." We skipped the room we knew to be the makeshift prison cell Bridge had been held captive in and tried another keypadded door. It took us several tries to get the code right (this time it spelt T-R-I-R-Y-M), and we held our breaths as the door opened to reveal...
"No WAY," I gasped. The room had a computer with a huge monitor on one wall. Another was lined with more containers housing at least two dozen Tri'rym, a skylight bathing them in late afternoon sunlight. Along the other wall stood a bare table with restraints attached. Bridge immediately went over to the computer console and bumped the mouse, typing at the keyboard as Z examined the Tri'rym and I went over to the table. "This must be where they infest their targets," I said, feeling ill. "Restrain them, cut them open in the right places to give the parasites better access..."
"How did they get so many?" Z wondered. "For a species that was wiped out when their planet got knocked out of orbit, there're an awful lot here."
"I'm dying to know that myself, but I don't think we're going to find out. We should blow them up while we have the chance, at any rate, so they can't ruin any more lives," I said, raising my Delta Enforcer at the containers.
"I am afraid I cannot allow that," said an entirely new voice, and Bridge yelled as a powerful jolt of electricity from the keyboard shot through him, knocking him off his feet and causing him to demorph. His morpher fell to the ground, sparking and popping.
"BRIDGE!" I cried, going to help him up.
"Polybius," he grunted, pointing at the computer.
"Quite correct. I am impressed that you humans have gotten this far," said the voice. "I applaud your tenacity. However, I have determined that you have been interfering with our plans for far too long. You must be eliminated... or be made into one of our servants." There was a WHOOSHING noise, and Bridge, Z and I were suddenly surrounded by the three remaining assassins. "Teleportation," said Polybius. "It adds a nice dramatic flair to their attacks, does it not? It is also useful for abducting subjects to experiment on." Z and I grabbed Bridge and backed against the Tri'rym wall, placing ourselves protectively in front of him.
"I'll shoot the rest of these slugs if they attack," I threatened, pointing my Enforcer in back of me. "Looks like a standoff, Polybius. Either your goons back off, or I kill them."
"Not quite," he replied smugly, if it were possible for a computer to be smug. "I have calculated that you would attempt such a thing and have prepared for this situation." A familiar human then appeared in the open doorway.
"Syd," I moaned. She was wielding both her own laser pistol and Cruger's Shadow Saber, a purely evil smirk on her face.
"LET HER GO!" Z roared, pointing her blaster at the computer. "LET HER GO, POLYBIUS, OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL-"
"You will... what, exactly?" Polybius questioned. "I suggest the both of you demorph now and surrender yourselves. You are surrounded. You have no chance."
"I'm not going out without a fight," I vowed.
"A noble ideal. Stupid, but noble," Polybius said. "Surrender is your only viable option, Red Ranger. If you try and resist, I will simply have my servants kill your friend's body. It makes no difference to me what vessel she is in, after all... and if the girl's body dies, her soul will never be able to take control of it again."
"No... damnit..." My mind was racing, my eyes darting from Syd, to Polybius, to the assassins, then back at the Tri'rym, down to Bridge...
"It's a simple choice, hero boy," Ka'ladra sneered. "If you resist, it'll only make things harder for you." I finally lowered my blaster and demorphed, gritting my teeth as Z did likewise. "Good GOD. The easy solution would've just been to let your friend die. Why worry about her when you could've saved your own skin?"
"I'd rather be killed myself than abandon her like that," I said, a lot more bravely than I felt. "As long as we're all alive, there's still hope of rescuing her."
"Hope? Hope has died here," said Polybius. "You cannot escape. Your Commander is as good as dead. Your allies have left you." Ka'ladra, Borandig, and the final assassin (a large ram-headed beast named Narwick) roughly shoved me, Z and Bridge to the ground, binding our hands behind our backs then pulling us upright, weapons trained on us. Ka'ladra delightedly took out a small dagger and carelessly sliced Bridge's gloves off his hands as Syd took Z's and my morphers from us. She then gave a wicked little cackle as she pulled out Cruger's stolen morpher and transformed into the Shadow Ranger. It would've almost been comical if the situation hadn't been so serious, as she was so tiny... "It is time for you to meet my partner Orpheus," said Polybius. "He wanted to see the rest of the infamous Power Rangers before you become our slaves for good. Pity he does. I have four nice suits of armor all ready for you to be transferred into once the infestation and memory erasure take place and am growing impatient." As Z, Bridge and I were dragged out into the hallway, I couldn't help but notice (through the intense panic and fear seizing me) that he hadn't mentioned killing the Vulcans... or Tessie.
Was there a chance? Or was Polybius right- did we have no hope?
Chapter 25 (Sky)
"I know I've said this before, but I've got a bad feeling about this," I told the others as Z pulled the S.W.A.T. truck to a stop in front of Sinneslöschen's building.
"You're not... going to... follow us in, are you?" Bridge asked when he saw me getting ready to use my morpher. "You and Tessie... should wait out here... in case we need... a quick getaway."
"I'm coming in, Bridge," I said, determined, even though I had to bite down a gasp of pain as I leaned on my injured leg to jump out of the truck. "I'm not going to stay out here all nice and cozy while you two risk your lives."
"I expect that's exactly what you're about to ask me to do, isn't it?" Tessie asked, standing in the door, arms akimbo. "Nuh-uh. I AIN'T sittin' on m'duff while the three of you run off into Lord knows what. I'm comin', too."
"No way," I said firmly. "Remember what Dr. Felix told you, if you get struck in the head again it could leave you a vegetable. You're staying."
"Why'd you bother dragging her from the base if you're not going to let her fight, then?" Z wanted to know. "If we all fall, it's not going to matter- they're going to get her in the end. Come on, Sky. You just said we're all in this together."
"On your own head be it, then. Let's morph, we're wasting time here," I said impatiently. "SPD, Emergency!" We then assumed S.W.A.T. Mode before entering the eerily-silent building, expecting to run into danger at any moment.
"I don't like this," Tessie said as she scanned the upper floors with her helmet. "I know we're kinda far down, but I'm not pickin' up much activity up there. The communications satellite bein' jammed means we can't track the others' vitals, or lack thereof, either."
"Let's NOT think about what we could be missing and just get up there," Z said, going over to the elevator. "Uh-oh. Looks like our buddy Borandig was here." Tessie, Bridge and I all came up to see that the elevator buttons had a large hole drilled in them. "Do you think you can manage stairs, Sky?"
"Only one way to find out," I said, limping after the others as fast as I could and clambering up the stairs after them, doing quite well at first but quickly slowing down, swearing in my head louder and louder as the pain in my leg intensified. "Keep going, I'm fine," I panted when the others started slowing down to help me. "We've wasted enough time as it is." They nonetheless waited while I mounted the last staircase with considerable difficulty, now on the fourth floor of the building. Bridge kicked down a door, admitting us into the back offices of Sinneslöschen, and illuminated the darkness with a light on his helmet. We didn't get very far before spotting-
"COMMANDER!" I cried. Cruger lay spread-eagled in a pool of blood before the open door leading to the hidden staircase. He was unconscious and bleeding profusely from several deep wounds in his muzzle, shoulder and chest. "COMMANDER!" I shouted frantically as all four of us fell beside him. "Commander? Doggie?! Answer me! Damnit, you old dog, don't die on us!"
"He's still breathin', but barely," Tessie said in a strained voice. "Oh, oh... what're we goin' to do? What if they've done the same thing to the Vulcans?"
"Tessie, stay here while the rest of us go ahead. No, listen," I said before she could reply. "I'm not going to risk you going upstairs with us and running into a fight, but you've still got an important job. Someone needs to get an ambulance for Doggie and protect him til he's safe. I know it's chancey bringing one here if all of the assassins are gathered together, but we can't just leave him like this, he'll die. Can I count on you, little buddy?" Tessie stood up and saluted me.
"Sure can, big buddy. Give 'em hell from me, eh?"
"I will, you can count on that. Bridge, Z, let's take care of them," I said, an adrenalin rush numbing my leg as Bridge punched in the code for the hidden door. We dashed up the staircase, ready for any danger we might face, and opened the second door to find...
"Nothing," said Bridge. "What on Earth... is going on? I thought... we'd walk... into a battle. Or at least... the aftermath."
"No idea," said Z. "Let's investigate some of these rooms. I'm detecting lots of lifeforms around." We skipped the room we knew to be the makeshift prison cell Bridge had been held captive in and tried another keypadded door. It took us several tries to get the code right (this time it spelt T-R-I-R-Y-M), and we held our breaths as the door opened to reveal...
"No WAY," I gasped. The room had a computer with a huge monitor on one wall. Another was lined with more containers housing at least two dozen Tri'rym, a skylight bathing them in late afternoon sunlight. Along the other wall stood a bare table with restraints attached. Bridge immediately went over to the computer console and bumped the mouse, typing at the keyboard as Z examined the Tri'rym and I went over to the table. "This must be where they infest their targets," I said, feeling ill. "Restrain them, cut them open in the right places to give the parasites better access..."
"How did they get so many?" Z wondered. "For a species that was wiped out when their planet got knocked out of orbit, there're an awful lot here."
"I'm dying to know that myself, but I don't think we're going to find out. We should blow them up while we have the chance, at any rate, so they can't ruin any more lives," I said, raising my Delta Enforcer at the containers.
"I am afraid I cannot allow that," said an entirely new voice, and Bridge yelled as a powerful jolt of electricity from the keyboard shot through him, knocking him off his feet and causing him to demorph. His morpher fell to the ground, sparking and popping.
"BRIDGE!" I cried, going to help him up.
"Polybius," he grunted, pointing at the computer.
"Quite correct. I am impressed that you humans have gotten this far," said the voice. "I applaud your tenacity. However, I have determined that you have been interfering with our plans for far too long. You must be eliminated... or be made into one of our servants." There was a WHOOSHING noise, and Bridge, Z and I were suddenly surrounded by the three remaining assassins. "Teleportation," said Polybius. "It adds a nice dramatic flair to their attacks, does it not? It is also useful for abducting subjects to experiment on." Z and I grabbed Bridge and backed against the Tri'rym wall, placing ourselves protectively in front of him.
"I'll shoot the rest of these slugs if they attack," I threatened, pointing my Enforcer in back of me. "Looks like a standoff, Polybius. Either your goons back off, or I kill them."
"Not quite," he replied smugly, if it were possible for a computer to be smug. "I have calculated that you would attempt such a thing and have prepared for this situation." A familiar human then appeared in the open doorway.
"Syd," I moaned. She was wielding both her own laser pistol and Cruger's Shadow Saber, a purely evil smirk on her face.
"LET HER GO!" Z roared, pointing her blaster at the computer. "LET HER GO, POLYBIUS, OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL-"
"You will... what, exactly?" Polybius questioned. "I suggest the both of you demorph now and surrender yourselves. You are surrounded. You have no chance."
"I'm not going out without a fight," I vowed.
"A noble ideal. Stupid, but noble," Polybius said. "Surrender is your only viable option, Red Ranger. If you try and resist, I will simply have my servants kill your friend's body. It makes no difference to me what vessel she is in, after all... and if the girl's body dies, her soul will never be able to take control of it again."
"No... damnit..." My mind was racing, my eyes darting from Syd, to Polybius, to the assassins, then back at the Tri'rym, down to Bridge...
"It's a simple choice, hero boy," Ka'ladra sneered. "If you resist, it'll only make things harder for you." I finally lowered my blaster and demorphed, gritting my teeth as Z did likewise. "Good GOD. The easy solution would've just been to let your friend die. Why worry about her when you could've saved your own skin?"
"I'd rather be killed myself than abandon her like that," I said, a lot more bravely than I felt. "As long as we're all alive, there's still hope of rescuing her."
"Hope? Hope has died here," said Polybius. "You cannot escape. Your Commander is as good as dead. Your allies have left you." Ka'ladra, Borandig, and the final assassin (a large ram-headed beast named Narwick) roughly shoved me, Z and Bridge to the ground, binding our hands behind our backs then pulling us upright, weapons trained on us. Ka'ladra delightedly took out a small dagger and carelessly sliced Bridge's gloves off his hands as Syd took Z's and my morphers from us. She then gave a wicked little cackle as she pulled out Cruger's stolen morpher and transformed into the Shadow Ranger. It would've almost been comical if the situation hadn't been so serious, as she was so tiny... "It is time for you to meet my partner Orpheus," said Polybius. "He wanted to see the rest of the infamous Power Rangers before you become our slaves for good. Pity he does. I have four nice suits of armor all ready for you to be transferred into once the infestation and memory erasure take place and am growing impatient." As Z, Bridge and I were dragged out into the hallway, I couldn't help but notice (through the intense panic and fear seizing me) that he hadn't mentioned killing the Vulcans... or Tessie.
Was there a chance? Or was Polybius right- did we have no hope?