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

over the front of the helm computer, making her way over to the open screen.

"I...I can't..." she whispered, trembling as she recoiled from the windy exit.

^You can do it!^

Rocky insisted, his voice pulsing from Alexis' wrist, ^I know you can!^

She didn't understand why, but that vote of faith helped ease her mind-numbing terror. She clenched her teeth, and pushed herself through the screen, her ankle wings beating madly as she touched the air.

She was a handful of feet away from the billowing waves, so without thinking, she arched her back, causing her to skim the water's surface while rocketing away from the huge iron hull at her tail. While she managed to clear the area directly under the Eaglezord, as well as dodge the flying debris that broke from the body of the ship on impact, she wasn't fast enough to avoid the tidal wave that erupted behind her. She barely managed to pull air into her lungs as a wall of water collapsed over her, pulling her into the dark waters like an anchor.

Chapter Forty-Six

"She's going down!" Aisha shouted, racing from the Viewing Globe to the group surrounding the teleporter.

"But...is she alive?" Rocky whispered, his gaze transfixed on the globe. All he could see was the whirlpool of waves the crash created, as well as the broken pieces of both wings stop skidding along the water, finally sinking into the sea as well.

While there were bits of iron falling to the water, nothing was coming up.

"I've got a lock on her!" Billy announced. "Teleporting now."

The group formed a circle in the center of the Central Access Complex, and in the very middle, a wave of purple energy erupted. When it took shape, the fully-morphed Purple Ranger lay upon the dark tiles, completely motionless.

"Get the helmet off," Billy ordered, as he, Rocky, and Tanya crowded around her. Rocky unlatched the helmet, and to his relief, her full red hair poured from the helmet, completely dry.

"The helmet's water seals weren't compromised," he breathed, "so she still had air when she went under."

Tanya held her palm over Alexis' nose and lips, and nodded slowly. "I feel her breath," she announced. "She's breathing normal. I think that wave smashing into her knocked the wind out of her."

"De-morph her, and lie her down on one of the cots," Billy advised, "Tanya, make sure she hasn't sustained any injuries. David, could you carry her over to the cot?"

The young man nodded, lifting the prone Purple Ranger from the floor, and following Tanya to the corner sectioned off as the medical area. Rocky watched them depart, and turned to Billy.

"Maybe I should keep an eye on her," Rocky offered, "Tanya could probably use the help of someone who's been working with these systems as long as she has."

"Alexis will be fine," Billy assured, placing his hand on Rocky's shoulder. "Right now, I'll need your help over here. Regina's scan discovered a weakness in that monster's construction, but we haven't been able to figure out how to exploit it."

Rocky nodded, and followed Billy to the main computer system, where the Starlight Rangers and Aisha had already congregated.

"Gentlemen," Regina said when she noted their arrival. "There's something I've got to show you!"

"Okay...now

!"

Adam pulled the large joystick before him, and the right arm of the Megazord mimicked the movement, delivering a mighty swing to the floating head of their latest foe. Unfortunately, despite the speedy response of the Zord, the head of the obscure warrior easily dodged the blow.

"We're not gettin' anywhere," Zack muttered furiously as the Zord steadied itself for another blow from the monster's ax. Amazingly, the disjointed head and body seemed to work perfectly while separated. It was as if the Megazord were suddenly facing two opponents.

"This tactic is really getting on my nerves," Kim growled, bringing around the Zord's left arm for another swing. Once again, the metallic fist hit nothing but air. "This is the same trick Rito always pulls."

"Kat, how did you beat Rito when you fought him in the mall?" Tommy inquired.

"I froze him in place," she answered. "But since the Alligator's liquid oxygen tubing is seriously damaged, we can't possibly connect the Terra Sword to the Deep Freeze Cannon."

"With the Alligator barely functioning, we're too slow on our feet to match this monster's speed," Jason analyzed, "and with the Hyperflame diverted to protect the Alligator, we can't even channel the most powerful Terra Sword we've got."

"Then we've got one option," Tommy decided. "We separate."

"What? But the Megazord is more powerful than all six Zords!" Zack argued.

"We're too big and clumsy to keep up, so maybe five agile Zords will do the trick. Kim and Adam will take the head, while Jason, Zack and I handle the body. Katherine, you'd better bring the Alligator into the hangar. It won't hold up for long."

The Blue Ranger nodded in agreement, and in unison the six teens activated the disengage sequence. "Hey Billy!" Anthony called, walking away from the Viewing Globe towards the group huddled around the mainframe. "They've disengaged the Megazord."

"Now we're in trouble," Aisha groaned. "The individual Zords don't pack the power to destroy that thing, and with the Alligator in shambles, they won't be able to put the Megazord back together."

"But they weren't even hitting that guy while in Megazord form," Brittany pointed out. "Maybe they'll have better luck now?"

"This might work out perfectly," Billy whispered, touching a key. On the main screen, which held a snapshot of the monster, the helmet of the creature zoomed in for a closer view. "When the monster is divided, he's more vulnerable," Billy revealed. "Maybe, if we can give the head a really focused hit, it'll shatter that expansion shield we detected."

"Will the entire shield break, even if the monster is disjointed?" Rebecca inquired.

"It should," Rocky hypothesized. "Even when the monster is in two pieces, there is still a bond between them. It's still one creature. It's the same with the shield, even if it's not spatially one piece, elementarily, it is."

Brittany frowned. "That still doesn't make sense."

Rocky bit his lip, trying to form a logical example. "Think of it as...a cordless phone. You guys have seen cordless phones in the future, right?"

"You mean the ones without the visual link?" Anthony inquired. "Yeah, I know what you're referring to."

The other Starlight Rangers also expressed their passing familiarity with the archaic device.

"Well, even though the headset isn't physically attached to the rest of the phone, it's still one phone. If you disconnect the bed from the wall outlet, the handheld piece won't work either."

"Oh..." Aisha said, nodding. "That makes sense."

"Vibrations seemed to work," Regina pointed out. "The scanners did detect a shockwave in the expansion shield when the Eagle crashed its wing into the monster's left temple."

"Let's use that as the target," Billy decided, hurrying to the main communications relay. "This is Billy, calling all the Rangers. Do you read."

^This is Tommy.^

^Jason here.^

^Kim's reading.^

^Zack's hearing ya.^

^Adam here.^

^Kat here.^

Billy frowned pensively. "Kat, where are you?"

^I'm trying to reform the Alligator. I can't teleport as long as I'm still fashioned as the Megazord's left leg.^

"She's a lame duck out there," Rocky commented.

"Kat, hit the big red override button," Billy advised, gesturing to Rocky. "We'll teleport you into the hangar from here."

^Got it. Kat out.^

Billy watched as Rocky raced to the teleportation station. Then, he returned his focus to the others. "Okay, here's what we've figured out. That monster you're fighting is surrounded by a thin shield of energy, that is on file here as an expansion shield."

^What's that?^

Adam inquired.

"That's one method of making monsters grow," Billy explained. "When Rita and Zedd make their monsters grow, they actually cast an expansion spell, increasing the size of the monster molecule by molecule, into larger form. But this guy has been enlarged differently. The molecules aren't enlarged. Rather, it's the body as a whole that is enlarged...by the shield. The difference is internal versus external enlargement."

^What does all this mean?^

Jason wanted to know.

"The result is the same: the monster is suddenly enormous. But the key difference is, since this monster is enlarged by a shield, that shield can be broken. If it were a spell that caused its phenomenal size, there is no way to reverse it."

^So, how do we reverse the growth?^

Tommy asked.

"By disrupting the expansion shield. And the only way to do it is to hit the head of the creature while it is separated, with a wave blast that'll put tension on the shield. The stressed shield won't be able to hold up to an energy barrage, and then the monster will shrink to its natural size."

Billy paused for a moment, turning to Regina. "Send that data file to the Rhinoceros?"

The Blue Ranger nodded, hurrying to the mainframe and preparing the file for transmission.

"Jason," Billy said, "you're Seismic Vibrator is our best bet. Hopefully, the violent quaking will reverberate within the shield, weakening the shield enough to be completely shattered by an energy attack from the other Rangers. Regina's sending you the exact target area you'll be aiming for."

^I'm on it.^

The Black Ranger watched the small screen beside his communication relay, and read "Data File Received." The press of an icon on the black screen caused the file to open, revealing an image of the head of their newest foe, complete with a faint outline representing the invisible expansion shield. A flashing green light represented the spot where a vibrating shot would likely prove most effective.

"Okay, we've finally got something to work with," Jason announced over the intercom. "Change in formation. Kim and Tommy's zords pack the most punch when it comes to energy bursts, so I want you two to be prepared to open fire once I hit the head. Kim, use your Lightning Rod to power up your stocked energy, and Tommy, make sure your systems have enough power for one good flame burst. I know holding up that Hyperflame shield around the Alligator probably drained most of your stored power."

^I've got enough for one good hit,^

Tommy decided.

"Great. So Tommy and Kim be prepared. Zack, do you think you can keep the body occupied by yourself?"

^No sweat...just don't take too long.^

"Good. Adam, you're with me."

^What do I do?^

"You're going to keep the head distracted, while I take aim. Keep him firing at you, but don't make him move too much."

^Circle him?^

"Sounds good.