Turns in the Road: Shootout, by cmar, Wes/Eric
Title: Shootout
Author: cmar
Relationship: Wes/Eric
Rating: PG-13
Warning: PR-style violence
- - -
“Sir?”
Eric looked up at the sound of the voice to see a young woman in a Silver Guardian’s uniform standing in his office doorway, her face professionally blank but her body language saying she was uncertain whether she should have interrupted. Not that he was doing anything, really, just sitting and staring blankly at the pages of the report he was supposed to be reading.
Maybe she hesitated because he looked tired - and he was, after that damn dream had waked him up again last night, and left him restless and troubled with its vague images of destruction and death that he could almost see again every time he closed his eyes. Or maybe he looked preoccupied, which he also was, with Wes and the question that had been revolving endlessly through his mind lately and the decision he knew they needed to make, or at least talk about, a question and decision Kay Miller and her upcoming marriage only served to remind him of.
But none of that had any place here at work, distracting him from his job. “Yes, Lt. Miller,” he said. “What is it?”
Kay was as short, dark, and wiry as her father, and proving to be just as good an officer, if a bit overly formal. She advanced a step into the room and stood stiffly, looking straight ahead. “There’s a news bulletin from Newtech City, sir. They’re under some sort of attack.”
That didn’t sound like anything new, but if Kay thought it was worth telling him maybe it was worse than usual. “Have they requested backup?”
“Not from us, but apparently SPD has called all officers to duty. The media reports their headquarters is under siege. The Rangers were involved in heavy fighting, but now there’s no sign of any of them except Omega.”
Eric frowned, feeling a twinge of concern. “That doesn’t sound like the usual attacks.”
“No, sir. Should I send a squad of Guardians?”
He stood up. “Contact Cruger or someone at SPD first, and find out if they need reinforcements.”
“I already tried, sir. No answer.”
His concern deepened. “All right. You’re in charge; take your squad and go by helicopter.”
“Yes, sir!”
He watched her break into a trot as she left. A good officer, yes, and maybe ready to take her father’s place when he retired. Speaking of which - Eric paused long enough to call Steve Miller, tell him the situation, and order him to put the rest of the Silver Guardians on alert. That left him free to find Wes and get them both to Newtech City in their own way. Cruger might be a stubborn old alien bastard, but he was getting their help whether he wanted it or not.
- - -
He crept forward in the dark and the quiet, aware of the buildings stretching up above him. The city he loved, and was sworn to protect, under the shadow of destruction. A glance at the sky showed looming masses of dark clouds crackling with unnatural lightning. Danger...
But his partner was at his side, and they would fight until the end, if they had to. Together they reached the corner and peered around blocks of tumbled stone to find - only darkness. Shadows moved, and a pair of glowing eyes stared back. And he knew it was too late as he felt the impact and heard a scream...
“No!”
It came out in only a choked whisper as Wes jolted awake. He looked around wildly, unsure of where he was until he recognized his father’s office. No - no, now it was his office. Wes shook his head. That dream again, this time during the day, at Bio-Lab. He must have dozed off, here at his desk. Lucky there was no one around to have seen him, or to have heard him cry out.
He climbed to his feet and stretched, trying to dispel the lingering unease he felt, and then turned to the windows. Wouldn’t hurt to get some light in here. Wes pulled back the drapes, absently resolving to get them replaced with something brighter, and raised the blinds. It was full day out, a reassuringly sunny morning. He stood for a minute or two looking out at the view of downtown Silver Hills. Something caught his eye and he leaned close to the glass, trying to make it out.
The knock at the door barely penetrated his concentration, but Eric’s voice pulled his gaze from the city streets. He wasn’t surprised to see his partner, or the expression on his face, although Eric’s words weren’t quite what he expected to hear.
“SPD’s under attack,” Eric said. “I’ve sent Kay and her squad, but I think we should go too.”
“Not yet.” Wes turned back to the window and the view of a crowd of people below fleeing from some unseen danger. “I think we have our own problems.”
- - -
This time Eric was first to see, from his vantage point in the Eagle. Wes had opted to take one of the new SG-cycles, motorcycles based on designs from SPD. He said it was as good as the Vectorcycles had been - and Eric suspected he didn’t like the idea of hitching another ride.
Eric spoke, letting the suit’s communications system transmit his voice to Wes. “I see something ahead, in the next intersection. Bunch of guys in black with white helmets. Krybots, from the pictures we’ve seen.”
“What are they doing here when Gruumm’s attacking in Newtech City?” Wes asked.
“Dunno. But as long as they’re here, let’s show them a good time.”
“At least we know they’re robots. We don’t have to pull our punches.”
“Yeah. They kinda remind me of the Cyclobots. I’m going in.”
“I’m right behind you.”
It took only another couple of seconds to dive low over the street and land the Eagle. Eric raised the cockpit bubble and stood atop the aircraft for a moment, looking over the scene. There were perhaps a couple dozen of the black-and-white suited drones milling around on the street. He saw random destruction of store fronts, cars with hoods dented and windshields smashed, a few crashed into walls and poles when their drivers had panicked. It looked like the Krybots had simply attacked anything in sight with no real purpose.
The Silver Guardians were arriving too, black SUVs screeching to a stop and dark-uniformed troops piling out. They could probably handle the situation themselves; these Krybots weren’t enough to be a serious challenge - was this only meant as a distraction? Was there someone tougher waiting to attack?
But there was no more time to wonder. Wes’s cycle was coming fast, and the Krybots near him were moving in. Eric jumped down to meet them as Wes leaped from his vehicle and landed on three of the robots, flattening them and rolling away and back to his feet in a smoothly fluid motion. Eric smiled appreciatively. Wes still had it, all right.
Time to prove he did too - Eric spun into a flying kick, knocking a Krybot back and into its companions. His feet barely touched down before he roundhouse-kicked another, shifted to the other leg and side-kicked. Then it was fists as he went to one knee and punched a robot in the stomach, ducked as another charged and came up to lift it on his shoulder and flip it through the air.
Wes had taken care of most of the Krybots near him - as Eric glanced in that direction he summoned his Chronosaber and whipped it around in a circle, slashing the two that were left. Eric decided it was time to stop doing things the slow way himself and drew the Defender. A couple of quick blasts and he was surrounded by the shattered remains of their robot enemies. The Guardians had done their part too, shooting down the Krybots he and Wes hadn’t gotten. The fight was over.
“That was too easy,” Wes said.
“You’re right,” Eric said. “Whoever sent these guys must have known they’d be no match for us.”
“Trying to keep us here? So we can’t help in Newtech City?”
“Could be.” There was movement in a darkened office building doorway, a shadowy figure stepping forward into the sunlight. “And I have a feeling it isn’t over yet.”
“How perceptive. It’s far from over,” came a new voice. Eric tightened his grip on the Defender as a man appeared, wearing a black and white bodysuit with an orange helmet and shoulder-pads covered with blocky spikes, a heavy, similarly orange-spiked sword in his hand. No - not a man, as Eric recognized it from the SPD reports he was glad now he had paid such close attention to.
“Orangehead Krybot,” Eric muttered to Wes. “Another robot, but a lot tougher and smarter than the regular model.” He raised his voice to call to the Guardians surrounding them. “Make sure the area is clear of civilians, set up a perimeter, and take cover!”
Then the two of them took their positions, side by side, Wes with a Chronosaber in each hand, Eric with the Quantum Defender in sword mode. The Krybot strode forward slowly, confidently, and then stopped. It raised one hand, curled it into a fist - and leaped into the air, coming at them so fast they almost had no time to react. Eric blocked as the orange sword swung at him, and felt the impact as it hit the Defender’s blade with the clash of metal on metal, driving him back and off-balance. Wes twisted aside but got a glancing kick in the shoulder, enough to spin him to the ground.
Moving with inhuman speed, the Orangehead landed on its feet and turned, rising into a flying kick. Eric jumped to meet it; their booted feet met hard, throwing him back to somersault head over heels. Somehow he managed to land on his feet, but staggered and almost fell. Wes had moved in, blocking the Krybot’s sword with one saber and swinging the other under its defenses at its body. The blow connected, and the Krybot dropped to its knees, but instantly sprang back up and was coming at them again.
Wes managed to block the double attack of orange sword at his head and flying kick at his stomach using both sabers. Eric leaped as high and hard as he could, converting the Defender into blaster mode on the way, and twisted in midair to fire down at the Krybot as he passed overhead.
The shot hit, but again the robot seemed to shrug it off and swung its blade to throw an arc of energy at him, catching him in a blaze of lightning-like electricity as he came down. Eric hit the ground hard, bounced, and hit again.
When he fought off the haze that threatened to overcome him and raised his head, Wes was looking weakened but still fighting, fending off a spinning kick. Eric got up to his hands and knees as Wes cried out “V-1!” summoning his V weapon, and aimed the heavy blast cannon as the Krybot attacked again in another airborne leap. Wes’s blast caught it in midair, lifted it for a moment on a stream of energy, and then threw it heavily onto its back.
For a moment, Eric thought it was over. But the Krybot climbed to its feet again, picked up the sword it had dropped, and faced them. “Is that the best you can do?” it asked mockingly.
“No,” Eric retorted. “Not by a long shot.” He raised an arm. “Mega Battle!”
He hadn’t been quite sure it would still work, but the old sensation flooded him again - like a second, more intense morph, as the Mega Battle Armor materialized around him, banishing the pain and fatigue he had felt a moment ago. As soon as it was in place, Eric summoned the blade-blasters and fired double-handed - but the Krybot swung its sword underhand and around to send another lightning burst ripping across the ground and through the air at him. They stood in an apparent impasse, the two streams of force meeting and dissolving each other in a blinding fireball.
Eric knew it couldn’t last - one or the other weapon would run out of energy. But - a movement caught his eye - Wes pulling himself up straight and calling out, “Battle Fire!” In a bright flare of flame he was wearing the ancient and exotic-appearing armor Eric had only seen on him twice before - and holding a giant golden sword. Wes swung it up, tracing a circle of flame, and sent the fiery energy blazing at the Krybot.
And then it really was over, as the robot seemed to ignite in an explosion that made them shield their eyes, and shattered into a pile of mechanical parts.
Wes broke the silence that followed by falling to his knees, his extra armor disappearing and leaving him in his normal Ranger suit. Eric muttered “Power down” and shed his own armor as he felt the exhaustion of the extra energy it used hit him. Unsteadily he made his way over to Wes.
“Are you okay?” he asked, a hand on Wes’s shoulder.
“I’m fine, just need to catch my breath. Forgot how rough that power-up is. It was okay when we were young, but...”
“A lot of things were easier when we were young. Right now I wouldn’t mind leaving the Rangering to SPD.”
“SPD...” Wes got to his feet. “They still may need help.”
“You’re right.” Eric raised his arm and then hesitated. “Are you up to riding on the Eagle’s wing again?”
“I wish that damn thing had more room inside.” Wes’s voice held a chuckle when he continued, “Maybe I could sit on your lap.”
At least if Wes could joke, he must be feeling better. “It’s tempting,” Eric said, “but maybe a company plane or helicopter would-”
“Oh, don’t leave before we have a chance to get reacquainted!”
That metallic voice, followed by shrill laughter - Eric’s eyes went wide even before he swung around to stare at a tall form made of gleaming gold. “Frax!” he gasped.
“Frax was destroyed. I saw him myself,” Wes said, his voice tight. “This is another trick. An illusion.” He took a step forward. “Isn’t it? You’re the guy from the armored car, aren’t you?”
The robot’s hand rose, fingers curling. “Are you so sure?”
“You may have fooled us before, but not this time!” Wes sounded angry.
Eric couldn’t blame him; he didn’t like having the images of their old enemies used against them this way either. “If you’re Frax, maybe you won’t mind being destroyed again. After all, you’re only a robot,” he growled and pulled out the Defender.
“You’ll have to hit me first!” Frax’s hand uncurled, the fingers straightening into gun barrels.
Eric and Wes dived out of the way in opposite directions as a burst of projectiles hurtled at them. Eric came up to one knee, aimed and fired in one smooth motion. ‘Frax’ moved faster than the real thing ever had, dodging the blast - but Wes, a few yards away, caught him with his Chronoblaster. The metallic form clattered to the pavement.
Eric rose to his feet and glanced at Wes. They both took a few cautious steps forward. “Huh,” Wes said. “Is that it? He seemed tougher than that before.”
“I know...” Eric blinked, then shook his head as the brightness of the sunlight gleaming on golden metal seemed to fade, and looked up. Had the sun gone behind a cloud?
“Hey - what’s going on?” Wes asked, also looking up.
It was more than just a cloud. As they watched, the sun dimmed into a cold, faint glow high above them. The sky turned to shades of gray and black, roiling with heavy storm clouds, without a sign of the stars. Buildings became vague, shadowy masses looming over them. A thick silence descended around them. Eric shivered in the gloom as a chill breeze seemed to pierce right through his suit.
And when he looked back at the ground - Eric reached to touch Wes’s arm and nodded to the empty sidewalk where ‘Frax’ had been. “He’s gone,” he said.
“Yeah. Watch out, he’ll probably change his appearance again. He could look like anyone.”
Both of them scanned the area, instinctively moving back to back in the unnatural twilight, nervously tightening their grips on their weapons. Eric could see no sign of anyone, anywhere, not even the Guardians he knew should be surrounding them at a safe distance. The city felt as cold and empty as if it had been deserted for years.
“Got to find him.”
“Down there! I think I saw something.”
Wes pointed, and slowly and cautiously they started down one of the streets leading away from the intersection. The darkness seemed to deepen as they moved, the shadows filled with menace - they searched, not knowing who or what they were looking for, or what form he would take.
“This can’t be real,” Wes was muttering. “The darkness. Everything. It’s like - it’s like the dream...”
“The dream?” Eric suddenly realized why he recognized all of this. It was his dream. His dream... but Wes’s too?
He saw it even as he cast a startled glance at Wes. A movement, two bright spots of light, the glow of eyes coming at them. Eric yelled a warning and fired, the shot going wild as an impact pushed them apart and threw them both to the ground. Disoriented, he sat up and tried to spot their attacker. Wes, a short distance away, was slowly getting to his feet. Silence fell again.
“There!” Wes fired his Chronoblaster, lighting up the darkness with a brilliant burst of energy. It was gone in a moment - but that moment was long enough for Eric to see the enemy. A creature with a mask-like metallic face - long black leather coat - bony fan-like ears - and the fiercely glowing eyes that had haunted his dreams.
“Mirloc!” Eric ground out through clenched teeth. Another illusion, of course - but this one hit even closer to home. Rage dispelled the dreamlike premonitions of dread that had filled him a moment ago. He stood up. “If that’s supposed to scare us, it’s not going to work!”
“Then maybe this will.”
The alien moved again with the same uncanny speed, but this time Eric was ready. He fired - saw Mirloc dissolve into nothing - and reeled as something solid yet unseen struck him. An instant later he heard Wes cry out and saw him stagger back and slam against a wall.
“Can’t see him!” Wes shouted.
“Shoot at anything that moves!” Eric spun as something caught his eye, hesitated, turned back, eyes shifting. Another movement - he braced the Defender in both hands and fired, hearing a scream...
“Wes!” he shouted, even as something hit him again, harder, with a jarringly booming impact, throwing him down and driving the air from his lungs.
When his head cleared, Eric found himself lying flat, demorphed, hard pavement digging into his back. He raised his head and looked around - dread penetrating the haze in his mind as he saw Wes, still morphed but unmoving, lying a few yards away. That had been the direction he had fired in - Eric struggled up and tried unsuccessfully to stand as he realized he must have shot Wes. Nightmare had planned well; he had let the Krybots and the Orangehead tire them out and now he had used the two of them against each other. But what now? Wes looked unconscious - he refused to consider anything worse - and Eric wasn’t in much better shape himself. He wouldn’t have a chance without the power and protection of the suit.
Apparently Nightmare had decided the same thing. ‘Mirloc’ appeared from the empty shadows between him and Wes, walking forward slowly and confidently. He had a gun or blaster in his hand, the barrel blunt and ending in a wide funnel - and pointed right at him. Instinct told Eric this was no illusion.
Nightmare stopped a few steps away. “Sorry about this,” he said in the same tone he might use to apologize for being late to dinner. “Nothing personal, just doing my job.”
“Job - for who?” Eric asked, if only to delay the inevitable for a few more seconds. “Did Gruumm send you here, like the Krybots?”
“Oh, please. I’m nothing like those robotic drones. That’s why Gruumm sent me to make sure the job got done.”
Eric saw a flicker of movement from behind Nightmare. Wes - stirring, starting to raise his helmeted head. Eric tensed; told himself not to move or react or even look directly at his partner. Now it was even more important to keep Nightmare talking.
“You stole the platinum from that armored car. Was that for Gruumm too? Why does he want it?”
A shrug. “Beats me. I just work for the guy; I don’t ask questions.”
Wes seemed to have recovered enough to take in the situation and had pushed himself up onto his knees, reaching for the blaster he had dropped. Eric groped for something else to say. “Why attack us now?” he asked.
“Gruumm is taking care of Doggie Cruger and the SPD B Squad even as we speak. I guess he doesn’t want any Rangers left to interfere with his plans for this planet.” The image of Mirloc raised his weapon. “But that doesn’t concern you anymore. You two have given me an interesting fight, but now it’s over.”
“Not yet,” Eric growled as he saw a bright beam of energy strike from Wes’s Chronoblaster. It hit Nightmare in the back, sending the alien staggering forward, outlining him in a flare of light as his body stiffened and twitched. The alien almost fell - almost, but not quite. As Eric grabbed desperately for his Guardian blaster, Nightmare lurched around and shot back with a blast of energy that distorted the air into watery waves and caught Wes, slamming him into the wall behind him hard enough to crack the surface. With a cry of pain and the warping glimmer of a forced demorph, Wes’s suit disappeared and he crumpled limply to the ground.
Eric yelled in shock, fear, and fury, and shot at Nightmare as the alien began to turn back, clamping the trigger down and expending the entire fuel cell of the little weapon in a sparking series of blasts. He had no awareness of how long it lasted - only that when the blaster went dead Nightmare was still standing.
But then - as if a switch had been flipped the sun was back out, almost blinding him with light and warmth. The darkness and shadows and chill and unnatural quiet were gone.
Eric knew he had won even before Nightmare toppled over, turning into a dusky form enveloped in a black cloak along the way, but he had no time or inclination to feel victorious. Painfully he rolled to his stomach and began to crawl towards where Wes still lay, unmoving. He didn’t stop when he heard shouts and saw dark-uniformed Guardians running forward, or when he saw the more colorful suits of other Rangers. He didn’t stop when he heard Sky’s voice, or Cruger’s. He didn’t stop until he touched Wes’s fingertips with his own, and slid into unconsciousness.
TBC...
[Turns on my site]
[Turns on ff.net]
List of 22: Original: Danger
Author: cmar
Relationship: Wes/Eric
Rating: PG-13
Warning: PR-style violence
- - -
“Sir?”
Eric looked up at the sound of the voice to see a young woman in a Silver Guardian’s uniform standing in his office doorway, her face professionally blank but her body language saying she was uncertain whether she should have interrupted. Not that he was doing anything, really, just sitting and staring blankly at the pages of the report he was supposed to be reading.
Maybe she hesitated because he looked tired - and he was, after that damn dream had waked him up again last night, and left him restless and troubled with its vague images of destruction and death that he could almost see again every time he closed his eyes. Or maybe he looked preoccupied, which he also was, with Wes and the question that had been revolving endlessly through his mind lately and the decision he knew they needed to make, or at least talk about, a question and decision Kay Miller and her upcoming marriage only served to remind him of.
But none of that had any place here at work, distracting him from his job. “Yes, Lt. Miller,” he said. “What is it?”
Kay was as short, dark, and wiry as her father, and proving to be just as good an officer, if a bit overly formal. She advanced a step into the room and stood stiffly, looking straight ahead. “There’s a news bulletin from Newtech City, sir. They’re under some sort of attack.”
That didn’t sound like anything new, but if Kay thought it was worth telling him maybe it was worse than usual. “Have they requested backup?”
“Not from us, but apparently SPD has called all officers to duty. The media reports their headquarters is under siege. The Rangers were involved in heavy fighting, but now there’s no sign of any of them except Omega.”
Eric frowned, feeling a twinge of concern. “That doesn’t sound like the usual attacks.”
“No, sir. Should I send a squad of Guardians?”
He stood up. “Contact Cruger or someone at SPD first, and find out if they need reinforcements.”
“I already tried, sir. No answer.”
His concern deepened. “All right. You’re in charge; take your squad and go by helicopter.”
“Yes, sir!”
He watched her break into a trot as she left. A good officer, yes, and maybe ready to take her father’s place when he retired. Speaking of which - Eric paused long enough to call Steve Miller, tell him the situation, and order him to put the rest of the Silver Guardians on alert. That left him free to find Wes and get them both to Newtech City in their own way. Cruger might be a stubborn old alien bastard, but he was getting their help whether he wanted it or not.
- - -
He crept forward in the dark and the quiet, aware of the buildings stretching up above him. The city he loved, and was sworn to protect, under the shadow of destruction. A glance at the sky showed looming masses of dark clouds crackling with unnatural lightning. Danger...
But his partner was at his side, and they would fight until the end, if they had to. Together they reached the corner and peered around blocks of tumbled stone to find - only darkness. Shadows moved, and a pair of glowing eyes stared back. And he knew it was too late as he felt the impact and heard a scream...
“No!”
It came out in only a choked whisper as Wes jolted awake. He looked around wildly, unsure of where he was until he recognized his father’s office. No - no, now it was his office. Wes shook his head. That dream again, this time during the day, at Bio-Lab. He must have dozed off, here at his desk. Lucky there was no one around to have seen him, or to have heard him cry out.
He climbed to his feet and stretched, trying to dispel the lingering unease he felt, and then turned to the windows. Wouldn’t hurt to get some light in here. Wes pulled back the drapes, absently resolving to get them replaced with something brighter, and raised the blinds. It was full day out, a reassuringly sunny morning. He stood for a minute or two looking out at the view of downtown Silver Hills. Something caught his eye and he leaned close to the glass, trying to make it out.
The knock at the door barely penetrated his concentration, but Eric’s voice pulled his gaze from the city streets. He wasn’t surprised to see his partner, or the expression on his face, although Eric’s words weren’t quite what he expected to hear.
“SPD’s under attack,” Eric said. “I’ve sent Kay and her squad, but I think we should go too.”
“Not yet.” Wes turned back to the window and the view of a crowd of people below fleeing from some unseen danger. “I think we have our own problems.”
- - -
This time Eric was first to see, from his vantage point in the Eagle. Wes had opted to take one of the new SG-cycles, motorcycles based on designs from SPD. He said it was as good as the Vectorcycles had been - and Eric suspected he didn’t like the idea of hitching another ride.
Eric spoke, letting the suit’s communications system transmit his voice to Wes. “I see something ahead, in the next intersection. Bunch of guys in black with white helmets. Krybots, from the pictures we’ve seen.”
“What are they doing here when Gruumm’s attacking in Newtech City?” Wes asked.
“Dunno. But as long as they’re here, let’s show them a good time.”
“At least we know they’re robots. We don’t have to pull our punches.”
“Yeah. They kinda remind me of the Cyclobots. I’m going in.”
“I’m right behind you.”
It took only another couple of seconds to dive low over the street and land the Eagle. Eric raised the cockpit bubble and stood atop the aircraft for a moment, looking over the scene. There were perhaps a couple dozen of the black-and-white suited drones milling around on the street. He saw random destruction of store fronts, cars with hoods dented and windshields smashed, a few crashed into walls and poles when their drivers had panicked. It looked like the Krybots had simply attacked anything in sight with no real purpose.
The Silver Guardians were arriving too, black SUVs screeching to a stop and dark-uniformed troops piling out. They could probably handle the situation themselves; these Krybots weren’t enough to be a serious challenge - was this only meant as a distraction? Was there someone tougher waiting to attack?
But there was no more time to wonder. Wes’s cycle was coming fast, and the Krybots near him were moving in. Eric jumped down to meet them as Wes leaped from his vehicle and landed on three of the robots, flattening them and rolling away and back to his feet in a smoothly fluid motion. Eric smiled appreciatively. Wes still had it, all right.
Time to prove he did too - Eric spun into a flying kick, knocking a Krybot back and into its companions. His feet barely touched down before he roundhouse-kicked another, shifted to the other leg and side-kicked. Then it was fists as he went to one knee and punched a robot in the stomach, ducked as another charged and came up to lift it on his shoulder and flip it through the air.
Wes had taken care of most of the Krybots near him - as Eric glanced in that direction he summoned his Chronosaber and whipped it around in a circle, slashing the two that were left. Eric decided it was time to stop doing things the slow way himself and drew the Defender. A couple of quick blasts and he was surrounded by the shattered remains of their robot enemies. The Guardians had done their part too, shooting down the Krybots he and Wes hadn’t gotten. The fight was over.
“That was too easy,” Wes said.
“You’re right,” Eric said. “Whoever sent these guys must have known they’d be no match for us.”
“Trying to keep us here? So we can’t help in Newtech City?”
“Could be.” There was movement in a darkened office building doorway, a shadowy figure stepping forward into the sunlight. “And I have a feeling it isn’t over yet.”
“How perceptive. It’s far from over,” came a new voice. Eric tightened his grip on the Defender as a man appeared, wearing a black and white bodysuit with an orange helmet and shoulder-pads covered with blocky spikes, a heavy, similarly orange-spiked sword in his hand. No - not a man, as Eric recognized it from the SPD reports he was glad now he had paid such close attention to.
“Orangehead Krybot,” Eric muttered to Wes. “Another robot, but a lot tougher and smarter than the regular model.” He raised his voice to call to the Guardians surrounding them. “Make sure the area is clear of civilians, set up a perimeter, and take cover!”
Then the two of them took their positions, side by side, Wes with a Chronosaber in each hand, Eric with the Quantum Defender in sword mode. The Krybot strode forward slowly, confidently, and then stopped. It raised one hand, curled it into a fist - and leaped into the air, coming at them so fast they almost had no time to react. Eric blocked as the orange sword swung at him, and felt the impact as it hit the Defender’s blade with the clash of metal on metal, driving him back and off-balance. Wes twisted aside but got a glancing kick in the shoulder, enough to spin him to the ground.
Moving with inhuman speed, the Orangehead landed on its feet and turned, rising into a flying kick. Eric jumped to meet it; their booted feet met hard, throwing him back to somersault head over heels. Somehow he managed to land on his feet, but staggered and almost fell. Wes had moved in, blocking the Krybot’s sword with one saber and swinging the other under its defenses at its body. The blow connected, and the Krybot dropped to its knees, but instantly sprang back up and was coming at them again.
Wes managed to block the double attack of orange sword at his head and flying kick at his stomach using both sabers. Eric leaped as high and hard as he could, converting the Defender into blaster mode on the way, and twisted in midair to fire down at the Krybot as he passed overhead.
The shot hit, but again the robot seemed to shrug it off and swung its blade to throw an arc of energy at him, catching him in a blaze of lightning-like electricity as he came down. Eric hit the ground hard, bounced, and hit again.
When he fought off the haze that threatened to overcome him and raised his head, Wes was looking weakened but still fighting, fending off a spinning kick. Eric got up to his hands and knees as Wes cried out “V-1!” summoning his V weapon, and aimed the heavy blast cannon as the Krybot attacked again in another airborne leap. Wes’s blast caught it in midair, lifted it for a moment on a stream of energy, and then threw it heavily onto its back.
For a moment, Eric thought it was over. But the Krybot climbed to its feet again, picked up the sword it had dropped, and faced them. “Is that the best you can do?” it asked mockingly.
“No,” Eric retorted. “Not by a long shot.” He raised an arm. “Mega Battle!”
He hadn’t been quite sure it would still work, but the old sensation flooded him again - like a second, more intense morph, as the Mega Battle Armor materialized around him, banishing the pain and fatigue he had felt a moment ago. As soon as it was in place, Eric summoned the blade-blasters and fired double-handed - but the Krybot swung its sword underhand and around to send another lightning burst ripping across the ground and through the air at him. They stood in an apparent impasse, the two streams of force meeting and dissolving each other in a blinding fireball.
Eric knew it couldn’t last - one or the other weapon would run out of energy. But - a movement caught his eye - Wes pulling himself up straight and calling out, “Battle Fire!” In a bright flare of flame he was wearing the ancient and exotic-appearing armor Eric had only seen on him twice before - and holding a giant golden sword. Wes swung it up, tracing a circle of flame, and sent the fiery energy blazing at the Krybot.
And then it really was over, as the robot seemed to ignite in an explosion that made them shield their eyes, and shattered into a pile of mechanical parts.
Wes broke the silence that followed by falling to his knees, his extra armor disappearing and leaving him in his normal Ranger suit. Eric muttered “Power down” and shed his own armor as he felt the exhaustion of the extra energy it used hit him. Unsteadily he made his way over to Wes.
“Are you okay?” he asked, a hand on Wes’s shoulder.
“I’m fine, just need to catch my breath. Forgot how rough that power-up is. It was okay when we were young, but...”
“A lot of things were easier when we were young. Right now I wouldn’t mind leaving the Rangering to SPD.”
“SPD...” Wes got to his feet. “They still may need help.”
“You’re right.” Eric raised his arm and then hesitated. “Are you up to riding on the Eagle’s wing again?”
“I wish that damn thing had more room inside.” Wes’s voice held a chuckle when he continued, “Maybe I could sit on your lap.”
At least if Wes could joke, he must be feeling better. “It’s tempting,” Eric said, “but maybe a company plane or helicopter would-”
“Oh, don’t leave before we have a chance to get reacquainted!”
That metallic voice, followed by shrill laughter - Eric’s eyes went wide even before he swung around to stare at a tall form made of gleaming gold. “Frax!” he gasped.
“Frax was destroyed. I saw him myself,” Wes said, his voice tight. “This is another trick. An illusion.” He took a step forward. “Isn’t it? You’re the guy from the armored car, aren’t you?”
The robot’s hand rose, fingers curling. “Are you so sure?”
“You may have fooled us before, but not this time!” Wes sounded angry.
Eric couldn’t blame him; he didn’t like having the images of their old enemies used against them this way either. “If you’re Frax, maybe you won’t mind being destroyed again. After all, you’re only a robot,” he growled and pulled out the Defender.
“You’ll have to hit me first!” Frax’s hand uncurled, the fingers straightening into gun barrels.
Eric and Wes dived out of the way in opposite directions as a burst of projectiles hurtled at them. Eric came up to one knee, aimed and fired in one smooth motion. ‘Frax’ moved faster than the real thing ever had, dodging the blast - but Wes, a few yards away, caught him with his Chronoblaster. The metallic form clattered to the pavement.
Eric rose to his feet and glanced at Wes. They both took a few cautious steps forward. “Huh,” Wes said. “Is that it? He seemed tougher than that before.”
“I know...” Eric blinked, then shook his head as the brightness of the sunlight gleaming on golden metal seemed to fade, and looked up. Had the sun gone behind a cloud?
“Hey - what’s going on?” Wes asked, also looking up.
It was more than just a cloud. As they watched, the sun dimmed into a cold, faint glow high above them. The sky turned to shades of gray and black, roiling with heavy storm clouds, without a sign of the stars. Buildings became vague, shadowy masses looming over them. A thick silence descended around them. Eric shivered in the gloom as a chill breeze seemed to pierce right through his suit.
And when he looked back at the ground - Eric reached to touch Wes’s arm and nodded to the empty sidewalk where ‘Frax’ had been. “He’s gone,” he said.
“Yeah. Watch out, he’ll probably change his appearance again. He could look like anyone.”
Both of them scanned the area, instinctively moving back to back in the unnatural twilight, nervously tightening their grips on their weapons. Eric could see no sign of anyone, anywhere, not even the Guardians he knew should be surrounding them at a safe distance. The city felt as cold and empty as if it had been deserted for years.
“Got to find him.”
“Down there! I think I saw something.”
Wes pointed, and slowly and cautiously they started down one of the streets leading away from the intersection. The darkness seemed to deepen as they moved, the shadows filled with menace - they searched, not knowing who or what they were looking for, or what form he would take.
“This can’t be real,” Wes was muttering. “The darkness. Everything. It’s like - it’s like the dream...”
“The dream?” Eric suddenly realized why he recognized all of this. It was his dream. His dream... but Wes’s too?
He saw it even as he cast a startled glance at Wes. A movement, two bright spots of light, the glow of eyes coming at them. Eric yelled a warning and fired, the shot going wild as an impact pushed them apart and threw them both to the ground. Disoriented, he sat up and tried to spot their attacker. Wes, a short distance away, was slowly getting to his feet. Silence fell again.
“There!” Wes fired his Chronoblaster, lighting up the darkness with a brilliant burst of energy. It was gone in a moment - but that moment was long enough for Eric to see the enemy. A creature with a mask-like metallic face - long black leather coat - bony fan-like ears - and the fiercely glowing eyes that had haunted his dreams.
“Mirloc!” Eric ground out through clenched teeth. Another illusion, of course - but this one hit even closer to home. Rage dispelled the dreamlike premonitions of dread that had filled him a moment ago. He stood up. “If that’s supposed to scare us, it’s not going to work!”
“Then maybe this will.”
The alien moved again with the same uncanny speed, but this time Eric was ready. He fired - saw Mirloc dissolve into nothing - and reeled as something solid yet unseen struck him. An instant later he heard Wes cry out and saw him stagger back and slam against a wall.
“Can’t see him!” Wes shouted.
“Shoot at anything that moves!” Eric spun as something caught his eye, hesitated, turned back, eyes shifting. Another movement - he braced the Defender in both hands and fired, hearing a scream...
“Wes!” he shouted, even as something hit him again, harder, with a jarringly booming impact, throwing him down and driving the air from his lungs.
When his head cleared, Eric found himself lying flat, demorphed, hard pavement digging into his back. He raised his head and looked around - dread penetrating the haze in his mind as he saw Wes, still morphed but unmoving, lying a few yards away. That had been the direction he had fired in - Eric struggled up and tried unsuccessfully to stand as he realized he must have shot Wes. Nightmare had planned well; he had let the Krybots and the Orangehead tire them out and now he had used the two of them against each other. But what now? Wes looked unconscious - he refused to consider anything worse - and Eric wasn’t in much better shape himself. He wouldn’t have a chance without the power and protection of the suit.
Apparently Nightmare had decided the same thing. ‘Mirloc’ appeared from the empty shadows between him and Wes, walking forward slowly and confidently. He had a gun or blaster in his hand, the barrel blunt and ending in a wide funnel - and pointed right at him. Instinct told Eric this was no illusion.
Nightmare stopped a few steps away. “Sorry about this,” he said in the same tone he might use to apologize for being late to dinner. “Nothing personal, just doing my job.”
“Job - for who?” Eric asked, if only to delay the inevitable for a few more seconds. “Did Gruumm send you here, like the Krybots?”
“Oh, please. I’m nothing like those robotic drones. That’s why Gruumm sent me to make sure the job got done.”
Eric saw a flicker of movement from behind Nightmare. Wes - stirring, starting to raise his helmeted head. Eric tensed; told himself not to move or react or even look directly at his partner. Now it was even more important to keep Nightmare talking.
“You stole the platinum from that armored car. Was that for Gruumm too? Why does he want it?”
A shrug. “Beats me. I just work for the guy; I don’t ask questions.”
Wes seemed to have recovered enough to take in the situation and had pushed himself up onto his knees, reaching for the blaster he had dropped. Eric groped for something else to say. “Why attack us now?” he asked.
“Gruumm is taking care of Doggie Cruger and the SPD B Squad even as we speak. I guess he doesn’t want any Rangers left to interfere with his plans for this planet.” The image of Mirloc raised his weapon. “But that doesn’t concern you anymore. You two have given me an interesting fight, but now it’s over.”
“Not yet,” Eric growled as he saw a bright beam of energy strike from Wes’s Chronoblaster. It hit Nightmare in the back, sending the alien staggering forward, outlining him in a flare of light as his body stiffened and twitched. The alien almost fell - almost, but not quite. As Eric grabbed desperately for his Guardian blaster, Nightmare lurched around and shot back with a blast of energy that distorted the air into watery waves and caught Wes, slamming him into the wall behind him hard enough to crack the surface. With a cry of pain and the warping glimmer of a forced demorph, Wes’s suit disappeared and he crumpled limply to the ground.
Eric yelled in shock, fear, and fury, and shot at Nightmare as the alien began to turn back, clamping the trigger down and expending the entire fuel cell of the little weapon in a sparking series of blasts. He had no awareness of how long it lasted - only that when the blaster went dead Nightmare was still standing.
But then - as if a switch had been flipped the sun was back out, almost blinding him with light and warmth. The darkness and shadows and chill and unnatural quiet were gone.
Eric knew he had won even before Nightmare toppled over, turning into a dusky form enveloped in a black cloak along the way, but he had no time or inclination to feel victorious. Painfully he rolled to his stomach and began to crawl towards where Wes still lay, unmoving. He didn’t stop when he heard shouts and saw dark-uniformed Guardians running forward, or when he saw the more colorful suits of other Rangers. He didn’t stop when he heard Sky’s voice, or Cruger’s. He didn’t stop until he touched Wes’s fingertips with his own, and slid into unconsciousness.
TBC...
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List of 22: Original: Danger