CHAPTER TWELVE

Peeking over the top of one of the moon's rock-strewn hills, Tommy, Andros, Cole, Jason, Carter, Wes, Eric, and T.J. gazed down at the Machine Empire's moon facility.

Or rather, the massive creature spread out behind the moon facility, eclipsing the distant landscape.

The Rangers all recognized the dark, menacing form of Serpentera from the holo projection they had been shown earlier. What they hadn't anticipated, was just how big the creature would be in person. It's body stretched out as far as the eye could see, entirely eclipsing the horizon. For a moment, the Rangers' eyes remained focused on the monster's head. It was as if a small slice of hell had been captured, and placed on to the neck of the mighty serpent. The Zords horns, protruding from its scalp and nostril areas respectively, made it an eerie, frightening sight. It's teeth and jaw look as if they were poised to prey on an innocent, defenseless young animal. Even when silent, when it's empty yet fearsome eyes looked into theirs, it was as if they had become little boys again, frightened by the thought of a flesh eating beast in their closet.

But this time, the monster was very real, and much larger than their childish minds had pictured it.

"My god…" Was all Wes could say. "That's what we're up against?"

Andros nodded. "Yes…that's it."

For a moment, the eight men were silent, their minds absorbing, and their bones resisting the chill.

Suddenly, Eric snorted. "Eh, my Q-Rex could eat that thing as a side dish."

"Yeah," T.J. replied, eyeing his teammate. "If it doesn't get stepped on first."

Eric glared at T.J.. Though they had all secretly appreciated the comic relief.

Tommy noticed the Machine Empire insignia painted between Serpentera's eyes, as well as on its side. Venjix's own personal signature no doubt.

"Let's just focus on getting inside." He announced. "Hopefully, that thing will never leave the moon."

The other Rangers nodded in agreement, and focused on the moon base, which when compared to Serpentera, was nearly unnoticeable.. The building resembled a small factory. It was colored a dull gray, almost blending into its surroundings. The roof, as well as the sills for the buildings two windows, were a bright yellow. No doors were visible from the Rangers' viewpoint. The only accessible entrance appeared to be a long ventilation shaft extending up from the ground, into the roof of the building. The eight men put their respective guards up at the sight of two familiar figures standing motionless in front of the base.

"You know," Eric whispered, motioning toward the two Cogs, swords in hands. "Are those things supposed to be ugly?"

Jason shrugged. "I always wondered that myself."

Suddenly, the two androids' posture shifted as they started up, and proceeded to scan the area. The eight men quickly ducked down behind the rocks.

"Looks like that exhaust shaft is the only way in from here." Andros whispered.

"We could try going around," T.J. suggested. "We might find an easier way in."

Tommy shook his head. "No, it's best that we don't risk attracting attention. Plus, this ventilation shaft will give us some subtlety going in."

"But how do we get past the Cogs?" Carter asked.

"I'll handle that." Tommy replied. He looked to T.J. and Cole. "I'll need some help though."

Cole gave the leader a surprised look. "Me?"

Tommy nodded, ignoring the look of subtle reluctance from Jason.

Moments later, Tommy made his way down the hill to the left, while T.J. and Cole moved to the right. Once the three Rangers were all a good distance from the others, Cole stopped, and let T.J. keep moving.

Suddenly, Cole popped up. "Hey! Tin heads! You guys…um…you…you guys aren't real…you're not good looking!"

As the other Rangers rolled their eyes, the Cogs proceeded to charge Cole. Then, on cue, Tommy and T.J. leapt out from their respective hiding places, and proceeded to charge the Cogs from the sides. But the time the cybernetic soldiers noticed the presence of their new attackers, it was too late.

T.J. did two back flips and jump kicked one of the Cogs in its golden domed head. There was a loud creaking sound as the robot's neck loosened.

Tommy charged at the opposite Cog, and executed a scissors kick to its knees, taking the soldier down in it's front. He then proceeded to smash the back of its head with a stiff heel kick.

The others came out from behind the hill as Tommy and T.J. rose to their feet.

"That'll teach you to ruin my ride." Tommy remarked.

Eric shook his head. "Cole, I already said they were ugly. Next time use your own material."

The Rangers laughed at Cole, whose shoulders sank a bit.

Suddenly, the stillness was pierced by the wailing of an alarm. The eight men covered their ears, as they suddenly realized that they had done.

Andros quickly proceeded to shove his teammates toward the opening to the exhaust shaft. Jason, and Tommy were the first inside, followed quickly by T.J., Wes, Cole, and Eric.

Suddenly, five Cogs rounded the corner of the building. Andros nodded to Carter, who quickly drew his Rescue Blaster, and shot down three of the robotic soldiers, as Andros dove into the opening himself. The final two Cogs went down as Carter himself rounded out the team.

Just as the Lightspeed Ranger pulled his shoes into the ventilation shaft, he heard a sound like nails on a chalkboard.

"What in the maker's name? What happened here?!? Who in the blazes?"

Andros looked up the shaft to his fellow teammates. "Tezzla." He mouthed silently to them.

For a moment, rubble rustled under the robotic boots of the evil General, as the Rangers, blinded by their own hiding, listened to her scan the area. At the tail end of the opening, Carter clenched his Rescue Blaster, aiming outward, preparing to fire…

Suddenly, Tezzla stopped. "Whoever you are, you've no hope of stopping us!" she shrieked. "No opposition has even the slightest chance of defeating the Machine Empire! You will never be the heroes you've set out to be!"

There was a faint sound of steel grinding against steel. "In fact, you'll most likely end up in one of my torture chambers."

With that, loud footsteps faded into the distance as Tezzla left her fallen soldiers at the battle scene.

The Rangers all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Dude," Wes whispered. "This is tense."

"They must have picked us up on their audio receptors." Andros spoke softly, yet just loud enough for them to hear. "Either that, or we must have tripped some sort of motion sensor."

"What now?" Wes asked.

"We move." Jason announced from the head of the group. "Keep it down back there…" With that, the eight men proceeded to climb through the ventilation shaft, giving their best attempt at ignoring the rank, musty smell that inhabited their surroundings.

As the Rangers crawled through the dirty, dusty shaft, the sounds of clanking machinery could be heard through the metal. The humming and buzzing noises made by the Cogs were loud, and irritating. Occasionally there would be a loud bang. No doubt the Machine Empire was operating some sort of machinery to refine Serpentera even more.

They were truly within the belly of the beast.

Suddenly, the sound of a door slamming against the wall echoed throughout the moon base. "Automon!!!!!" the Rangers recognized the voice of Tezzla.

Seconds later, a male-programmed voice answered. "What is it Tezzla?"

"Silence!" Tezzla bellowed, as the eight men continued to crawl. "We have intruders somewhere on the base!"

"What? Impossible! The Cogs would have put a stop to whomever-"

"You hollow headed waste disposer! The Cogs are hardly indestructible!" she shrieked. "I warned Venjix that they would not be enough to thwart the possibility of an ambush! Now our entire operation is at risk!"

Suddenly, a loud banging sound echoed through the shaft. The Rangers looked to see Cole lying on his face.

"What was that?" Automon demanded.

The eight men froze, not daring to move a muscle.

The Cogs simply made their trademark buzzing sounds in response.

There was a loud sound of steel hitting against steel. One of the Cogs made a loud screeching sound. "Well find out you rusty piece of refuse! Find out now!"

Metal feet shuffled along the cement floor of the moon base, as the Rangers all glared at Cole.

How could anyone trip while on their hands and knees?

"You're right." Automon said. "Our operation is no  longer safe here. We must inform General Venjix!"

The voices of the two robotic generals faded into the distance, as the Rangers continued to make their way upward, through the ventilation shaft.

At the sound of a light knock on the metal wall from Andros, the eight men stopped to look back at him.

"This feels like a good altitude." He whispered. "It's just high enough so that they won't notice the ventilation leak until it's too late."

Eric looked back at the Kerovan. "So now what Mister Spock? Call the Fire Department to get us out of here?"

Ignoring Eric's snide remark, Andros reached into his belt, and pulled out a think cylinder, just thick enough to resemble a pen. A small red button stood out on it's lower half. He handed it to Eric to pass up to Jason.

"What's this?" the head of the line asked.

"Press the button." Andros replied. "And whatever you do, don't point it at anyone."

Jason aimed the device at the wall of the shaft, and pressed the button. Instantly, a thin red beam shot out, and shined against the wall.

Cole's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! I've seen those! I think Danny and Max got kicked out of a rock concert once for having one of them."

Suddenly, the metal wall of the shaft began to slowly melt away, as a thin line of smoke started began to fill the air.

T.J. looked back at Cole. "No wonder."

"Melt a hole just large enough for us to fit through." Andros said. "I recognize the style of architecture that this base was built with. It's an older style. Most of these buildings have intertwining steel support beams just under the roof. If I'm right about this, then we can make our way across them, and launch our surprise attack."

"But what if you're wrong?" Carter asked from behind him.

Andros didn't answer. The team simply waited in silence for Jason to complete his work.

Eventually, the original Red Ranger was able to melt a rectangular outline into the metal wall. The smoke was becoming thicker now, as Jason prepared to close the shape of the exit.

"Be careful bro." Tommy warned. "You want to make sure that thing doesn't-"

Before Tommy could finish, Jason's entire upper half reached out the newly created exit to catch the falling piece of metal. But the veteran Ranger saw his balance slip out from under him, and leapt forward to grab his legs.

Outside the shaft, Jason dangled desperately, the piece of metal in his hands. His eyes widened, as the cement floor below him seemed miles away. As his mind raced with fear, he could see that the Cogs had not noticed him. He bit his tongue, holding back a scream.

"Help!" Tommy forced himself to choke out as quietly as he could, as he tried desperately to hold on to Jason's jeans to prevent him from slipping. T.J. quickly grabbed onto Tommy's legs, and with Wes gripping his own waist, the three men proceeded to pull. The very fabric of their muscles threatened to tear as they applied all their strength.

Behind them, the remaining four Rangers breathed a sigh of relief as Jason reappeared in the ventilation shaft with them, the metal fragment in his hand. Sweat glistened on his forehead.

He slapped hands with Tommy. "Thanks bro." He said. "I owe you one."

Tommy let out a small chuckle as he caught his breath. "I think we're getting a little too old for this stuff."

The two veteran Rangers looked down through the small hole in the ventilation shaft. They watched the Cogs work tirelessly at large benches, as well as along the edges of a long conveyor belt stretching across the moon base. They appeared to be constructing different weapons. As Jason glanced down at the conveyor belt, he noticed various styles of swords, shields, guns, staffs, even nunchukus.

He watched as one of the robotic soldiers picked up a large blaster from the conveyor belt, and fired it into the distance. The result was a loud explosion, which explained the loud bangs they had heard earlier. Jason guessed that they must have been firing at some sort of test dummy.

Evidently, the Machine Empire wasn't playing around.

T.J. tapped Tommy on the shoulder. "Hey, what's the hold up? Are the support beams out there or what?"

Tommy and Jason looked straight ahead to see a complication both horizontal and vertical steel support beams stretched out before them. Andros had been right.

Jason nodded to the others. "I'll head out first. Remember boys, noise is death."

Eric tapped Cole on the shoulder "That goes double for you wild thing."

As the eight men proceeded to exit the ventilation shaft ever so carefully, their lives depending on the live preserving silence, the entrance doors slammed against the wall yet again. The conveyor belt instantly stopped moving, and the Cogs instantly flocked toward the entrance.

Looking down below, the eight men could barely tell what was happening amongst the commotion, but could just barely make out two human forms among mechanical masses.

They recognized General Venjix, as he grasped one of them by the shirt with his mighty robotic fist. "So, the two of you thought you could eliminate the Machine Empire all alone did you?" his deep mechanical voice bellowed. "How incredibly noble."

"Yet incredibly foolish!" Gerrok shouted, the sound of his voice modulator echoing throughout the moon base.

Venjix dragged the human, a young man with dark hair, being held by his red tank top, over which he wore a blue button down shirt, almost directly under the Rangers. He held him up by his clothes, and then slapped him down to the cement floor, the sound of bone on concrete bringing a chill to the Rangers' spine.

The evil General kicked the young man in the stomach, and then pushed him up against one of the moon bases pillars. He gestured with his now free right hand. The robotic soldiers instantly pulled the human's hands behind the pillar, and locked on a pair of binders.

"Young fool." Venjix said, shaking his tentacled head. "If it were not for your immense inferiority, and downright idiotic attempt at an attack, I would admire your bravery."

"You'll never take the Earth!" a determined, yet familiar voice shouted back.

Andros saw Carter's eyes on his body, but he did not return the gesture. Indeed, it was   Leo Corbett, the Red Galaxy Ranger, and the man he'd summoned from Mirinoi. They had met just before Steelon had crippled Ashley.

"Even Serpentera won't be enough!' Leo continued. "You can't-"

The Ranger's cringed, as Venjix jammed his metallic boot into Leo's throat. The young man coughed and gagged, choking for air, as the robotic General silenced him.

Venjix looked to Gerrok. "Where is the other one?"

Gerrok motioned to Steelon, who alongside Tezzla and Automon, dragged the second prisoner over to their leader. They had been wrong upon first glance. He was not human, he only looked so from a distance. His lumpy gold and purple cranium identified him as an Aquitian. He wore a black tunic.

Aurico, the Red Aquitar Ranger.

As the Cogs cuffed the Aquitian to the pillar alongside Leo, Venjix looked to Steelon. "Where did you say you found them?"

"The Cogs had spotted them approaching on some sort of jet powered cart." Steelon replied. "They were in Power Ranger form when we shot them down, but obviously the impact robbed them of their protection."

The blue and silver robot handed his leader a small device, and gestured to Leo. "A wrist device of some sort. More than likely it assists him in transforming into a Power Ranger."

From high above, Andros' blood suddenly felt icy cold. Steelon was just as he remembered him in his nightmares. That same hellish mechanical face, that same blue color, that same bone chilling voice…

    Venjix bent down, and grasped Aurico's chin, forcing a growl from the Aquitian. "Well isn't that a shame…" The robot said softly. "No powers to save you now…"

"What happens to us is irrelevant." Aurico replied. "This attack on Earth will gain you nothing. The rest of the universe will discover your deeds, and destroy you!"

"That is…" Leo coughed, "If we don't destroy you first."

Suddenly, Steelon held out his right hand. Crackling with blue electricity, a large blue hammer materialized in his grasp.

Andros gripped the steel support beam a bit harder. That was the hammer. The same hammer that had destroyed his entire life…

Steelon raised the hammer in the air, preparing to strike the fallen Leo, but Venjix held out his hand, restraining his fellow general from attacking.

Venjix clenched his metallic fist. "But I am now in command of the most dominant force the universe has ever seen. No world has any hope of stopping the almighty Serpentera.

" 'Tis a pity that you come from such a useless planet as Aquitar, my fishy friend. Water is such a useless poison. I shall make a note to obliterate anything even remotely aquatic upon my triumph.'

Venjix's dark optical modifiers glared into the eyes of the Aquitian. "And I shall start with Aquitar."

From high above, Andros could feel the anger pent up inside his fellow teammates. But little did they know of the tsunami of rage and agony that was slowly beginning to consume him, as his eyes remained in a deadly trance around Steelon. All he could think of now was Ashley…

"You're overestimating your powers Venjix." Leo growled. "Even Serpentera isn't indestructible. Eventually, your ultimate weapon won't be so ultimate anymore."

Venjix stood up, and looked down at Leo. In his hand he grasped Leo's morpher. "Tell me something young vermin…" The evil General said. "This device, it's markings match that of an ancient Mirinoian culture. I believe they once told a legend of five legendary Quasar Sabers, did they not?"

Leo remained silent, his eyes a raging fire.

"Tell me…what's it like on Mirinoi now?"

The young man grinded his teeth. "I swear to god I'll-"

"You'll what?" the robot bellowed. "You'll send your little slave driver colony after us? Hah! You think yourself to be such a hero, just because you wear a little wrist morpher, and can change into a pretty costume. It's pathetic!"

The robot bent down, and held its tentacled head close to Leo's. "Deep down inside your human heart, you know that you and you Terra Venture colonists are no different than the Machine Empire. You invaded Mirinoi, with every intent to conquer, and mold it into your own vision of a perfect world!"

"No!!!!" Leo shouted in the evil General's face. "That's not true!"

"Isn't it though? Is your colony not about to face a state of war against the Mirinoi people? Are you not all about to destroy each other, simply due to the fact that you couldn't live together in harmony as one peaceful society, as opposed to two groups with two entirely different visions?"

Andros began to sweat. He wasn't even hearing what Venjix was saying to Leo.

He only heard what his aching mind and heart were telling him.

"Was it not you who failed to save the woman you loved?" Venjix was saying to him. "Was it not you who abandoned her on Earth, so that you could hunt us down and pursue your own sick quest for vengeance? But now, what you have to ask yourself is this: Do you have the guts to go through with it? I know you've been waiting for it for years…

"But now, you're just going to fail her all over again aren't you? You'll fail her, your teammates, and everything you've ever stood for in your sick, pathetic existence!"

Down below, General Venjix rose to his feet. "You Terra Venture bigots are the perfect example of why humans must be destroyed. A colony of robots could have adjusted, could have lived in peace on Mirinoi. But instead, you humans have proven yourselves to be the true forces of evil."

"Nooo!!!!!!" Leo screamed. "You bastard!!!"

Andros felt T.J.'s eyes on him. "Andros?" he whispered. "Are you alright?"

Once again, Venjix jammed his boot into Leo's throat. "Unfortunately, with the enslavement of Earth mere moments away, we have no use for you vermin on our moonbase.

"Steelon, do what you will with them."

The blue and silver robot stepped above Leo, his shoulder joints creaking as his arms raised the hammer above his head…

"No T.J.," Andros replied. "I'm not."

With that, the Kerovan released the steel beam, and let himself go.