The Terran Ranger Saga Volume 6 by Heather Ray (free ebook reader TXT) 📖

defense, and landed a powerful jab to her solar plexus. Katherine grunted as she lost her footing, and fell to the ground.

Before another blow could be dealt to the dazed Blue Ranger, powerful seismic waves plowed into the four Putties, simultaneously vibrating all of them until they shattered into dust. Moments later, the helmetless Black Ranger was at Katherine's side. He gently supported her back with his arm, and pulled off her helmet.

Her face was flushed and moist with sweat, but she seemed unharmed. Jason brushed her unruly flaxen curls from her face, and gazed at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

She didn't answer verbally. Instead, she continued gazing into his eyes.

They both saw it.

The fear. The questions. The dread.

The love.

They both understood how the entire situation effected the other.

No words were uttered as Katherine leaned forward, and embraced Jason tightly, leaning her forehead on his broad shoulder. Jason wrapped her with all the comfort his strong arms could afford.

They remained silent, each one leaning upon the other for support. No words were uttered. No words were needed.
Chapter Thirty-Two

At about the center of the cliffs, the Pink Starlight Ranger stood, holding her hands to her helmet. The Red Terran Ranger stood beside her, grasping his Flame Saber tightly as he visually combed their surroundings for the fourth time.

"I...I think I've found something!" Rebecca exclaimed, her eyes opening beneath her helmet, "I sense...OW

!"

Rebecca suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her torso painfully. Tommy knelt beside her, and tried to break the trance she seemed to be trapped in.

"AH!"

she shrieked, this time her hand flying to the small of her back. "Please, no more..."

"Rebecca!" Tommy shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her violently. "Snap out of it!"

The shaking broke the empathic connection, and Rebecca's eyes flew open beneath her rose helmet. The pain subsided, but the anguish still beat at her temples.

"Micah's in tremendous pain," she whispered, hugging her trembling arms to herself. "It was so overwhelming, I couldn't break the empathic link!"

Tommy's face paled beneath his helmet. "Where is he?" he demanded.

Rebecca cast her gaze towards a nearby cave, and took the tall Red Ranger by the arm. "Come on," she ordered, "it's this way."

Tommy let the petite girl lead him, until they reached the cave. It's mouth was rather small, but nothing could be seen except a blanket of darkness.

"This must be it," said Tommy. "Let's go."

As soon as the pair stepped into the cave, Tommy heard a footstep from overhead. Acting on sheer instinct, Tommy dove into Rebecca, knocking her a few feet from where she was standing. Both Rangers landed with a thud closer to the cave mouth. Right were Rebecca was initially standing, a steaming stream of venom splashed to the earth.

"Get going!" Tommy commanded, retrieving his fallen saber, "I'll take care of this."

Rebecca nodded, racing into the dark mouth of the cave as the Red Ranger gazed at his eight opponents with flaming fury in his heart.

The young Pink Ranger felt his fury and frustration. She almost pitied the Viper Putties that dared face him in such a passionate state.

She continued racing into the darkness, until the entire absence of light forced her to take cautious steps. After feeling around in the dark for a while, the sounds of shouting helped her find her way through the dim cavern. A little further into the cavern brought the faint light of torches, sending a trembling illumination into the tunnel.

She paused her movement as soon as she rounded a corner, and could bear witness to the horror she empathically felt.

She found herself just outside a small chamber, with three large torches flickering ominously, and an iron cage propped against the far corner. Inside the cage was David, who was yelling at Goldar furiously. Goldar, meanwhile, was gripping a black leather whip, circling the dangling form of Micah Oliver. He hung limply from straps dropping from the ceiling, and swayed in the faint breeze. Only remnants of his cotton shirt hung on his shoulders, neck, and waist, while deep, criss-crossing scars marred his tender flesh. Blood dripped onto his stained jeans, and tears continued to flow down his cheeks in steady streams.

Rebecca felt her stomach wretch when she absorbed Micah's condition.

"Stop, dammit!" David roared, tears of frustration wetting his own eyes. "Can't you see he's out cold? He can't tell you anything now!"

Goldar snarled, and walked toward to the young man. David shrank a bit from Goldar's glare.

"I don't care," Goldar sneered. "He is a Power Ranger. That in and of itself is reason enough for me to kill him. Slowly."

"You said you would only hurt him if he didn't talk," David argued, this time from a safer distance within the cell. "What more could you possibly want from him?"

Goldar responded with a toothy grin. "No, my mission is complete, Human. This is just a bonus."

The fierce canine laughed deeply, tossing his whip casually over his shoulder. He then turned back towards his prey, but the laughter died on his lips when he saw the petite form of the Pink Ranger, standing at the narrow entrance to the deep cave.

"Well," Goldar growled, "if it isn't the Pink Ranger. I told you we'd finish our little encounter."

He then dropped his whip, and unsheathed his mighty golden long sword. "Do come in."

Rebecca then steadily walked into the small chamber. However, as soon as she entered the bright torchlight, a shock passed through her system. She cried out in alarm, falling to her hands and knees.

Moments later, she recovered. She blinked in surprise when she realized what the shockwave had done.

Her uniform was gone.

Her eyes widened.

"Heaven's Gale Starlight Power!" she called, rising to her feet, "HEAVEN'S GALE!!"

Goldar laughed deeply at the wide-eyed girl. "Don't bother. Within this chamber, your powers are muted...Rebecca Mitchell."

Rebecca frowned as the creature laughed mockingly, pushing the dangling Green Ranger who hung just beside him like a pendulum. "Yes, your little friend Micah told me everything. Who you are, where you're from, why you're here...even who your parents are. I practically had to whip him just to shut him up!"

Rebecca's brown eyes narrowed, and she stood erect. She then moved closer to Goldar, and fell into a fighting stance. Goldar's laughter only increased.

"You are really brave, or really foolish, little girl," Goldar gasped. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

Rebecca's gaze remained steadily transfixed upon the stalwart warrior. "Funny," she said evenly, cracking her knuckles, "I was about to say the same thing to you."

Chapter Thirty-Three

"OW!!"

Anthony moaned, pulling his arm away.

"Jeez, Tony," Kimberly sighed, grabbing his wrist again, "you're such a baby!"

Anthony tensed once again as the soaked cotton patch was placed upon the red rash that broke out on his right arm. He pursed his lips together tightly, his nose wrinkling with pain as the burning liquid seeped into his skin.

"How's he looking?" Adam asked, glancing over the Gold Ranger's shoulder.

"Only first-degree acid burns," Kim responded, picking up a roll of porous medical wrap from the cart of first aid supplies. "This liquid will dissolve the venom, so it won't eat any further. It'll heal by itself pretty quickly."

She smiled warmly at the Red Starlight Ranger. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Anthony frowned, examining his patched arm. He then flexed the muscle, and smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Kim nodded, and watched as Anthony hopped off the cot. He then glanced over at Billy, who was studying something on his terminal.

"So, what about my uniform?" he inquired.

"Power Ranger armor usually restores itself," the genius responded. "The next time you morph, your glove and sleeve will be as good as new."

"And, what about that weird power influx I experienced?" he continued. "Did you see that?"

"Yeah, we did," Alexis answered, folding her arms. "It looks like you Starlight Rangers can focus your power into a really big boom. Pretty handy, if you ask me."

"I wonder why Mr. Mitchell didn't tell us we had this ability," Brittany commented, raising her head off the med-unit. Aisha, who was busy examining her, gently pushed the Yellow Ranger back down.

"Jeez," she muttered impatiently, watching the blue light that passed over her forehead, "why are you guys so parental?! I told you, I'm fine!"

"We need to make sure," Rocky answered, glancing at the screen connected to the med-unit. "Well, whatever that smoky mist was, it didn't leave any permanent effect on you. The dizziness faded?"

"Yeah...half an hour ago," she muttered, finally being allowed to sit up.

"And to answer your first question," Billy called from across the room, "maybe Mr. Mitchell didn't know that you would have this energy-channeling ability. From what Anthony described, it seems to have been sparked by adrenaline. It almost reminds me of Cloud's Omni-Slash attack..."

"What?" Adam asked, frowning.

Billy shook his head dismissively. "Never mind. Empty analogy."

Suddenly, the shriek of the alarm claxons sliced through the chamber, startling everyone present.

"I'm picking up a focus of powerful dark energy," Tanya announced, tapping on the keyboard. "Here...I'll put it on the Viewing Globe."

The assembly encircled the large sphere, and gazed at an enlarged, ebony-armored knight, brandishing a powerful battle ax. His entire visage was hidden behind an iron helmet, with the exception of a crimson glow penetrating the small eye ports.

The creature laughed deeply as it marched through the cliffs, shaking the entire area with each gargantuan step.

"Right on time," Alexis stated, pulling her morpher from her pocket, "Zedd and Rita have upped the stakes."

"Let's roll," Kimberly said, as she and Adam took a stand beside Alexis, "Billy, can you let the others know we're headed into a Zord battle?"

"But Micah..." Anthony protested.

"We'll keep looking," Brittany suggested, hopping off