CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gerrok focused his optical modifiers on his two adversaries: the Red Zeo Ranger and the Red Time Force Ranger. He pressed a button on his left forearm. Instantly, his mechanical left hand sunk into his arm, and was replaced by a set of green pincers, similar to the ones on his robotic cranium. He scissored them, and turned up his audio receptors.

The robot focused on the Red Time Force Ranger. His movements made it evident that he was the younger of the two. For humans, Gerrok knew, youth meant additional speed, and possibly stamina.

But it also meant naivety.

Though the evil general was far more focused on the Red Zeo Ranger. It had been this man and his teammates that had defeated King Mondo all those years ago, and tarnished the grand legacy of the Machine Empire. Now he stood in the way of Venjix's eventual domination of the universe.

A universe that Gerrok would then take for himself.

Venjix was a fool, Gerrok knew. His acquisition of Serpentera had made him far too overconfident. Gerrok had warned him about the possibility of Power Ranger interference, but he had foolishly dismissed it as impossible. Now they were all paying the price for his idiocy.

With any luck, the Rangers would destroy Venjix themselves, and do Gerrok's work for him.

Suddenly, Gerrok's audio receptors picked up the sound of the Red Zeo Ranger's heart beating. The robot noted that it's pace was much quicker than the average human heart.

He checked his databanks. Increased heart rate: a sign of fear.

Gerrok scissored the pincer on his arm. "Afraid, Ranger?"

There was a moment of silence between the three warriors…

Finally, Tommy nodded his head. "Terrified."

Wes' head jerk to the right, surprised at his partner. Gerrok didn't blame him for being afraid. But never before had any opponent of his admitted fear before. The robot was at a loss for words.

Beneath his helmet, Tommy's eyes were rock hard. He wasn't playing a head game. Though he supposed head games wouldn't work on a robot anyway. He truly was afraid. But it was a different kind of fear than most people knew. He wasn't afraid of Gerrok, nor was he afraid of dying. Tommy Oliver was afraid of failure. Failure would ultimately result in certain doom for the universe he'd protected during his teenage years, and was now protecting again.

He remembered talking to Jason about their families back in the eatery of the Megaship. Failure would also result in certain doom for the family Tommy had started back on Earth. That alone seemed to make protecting the rest of the planet a secondary quest.

But a fear of failure was different. It was a fear that fueled you.

Tommy nodded to Wes, and then looked back toward Gerrok. "Terrified of what will happen if we don't blast you to bits across the moon."

Gerrok's posture shifted. "We'll just have to find out for ourselves won't we?"

"No," Tommy said. "We won't."

The Red Zeo Ranger slapped the Red Time Force Ranger on the chest. "Go Wes!" Tommy then leapt into the air, using the power of the Zeo Crystal to extend the power of the jump. He did a front flip in mid air and positioned himself for a flying kick down on his opponent.

But he surprised the robot by landing on his feet just a few feet away.

Gerrok never saw the slash from Wes' Chrono Saber coming.

Sparks flew from Gerrok's torso as the evil general flew back ward, managing to catch himself on his left knee. Using the thin blaster on his wrist, Gerrok fired at his enemies. Tommy went down, but Wes was able to block the various shots by energizing his Chrono Saber and batting away the blasts. Frustrated, Gerrok charged the Red Time Force Ranger. He swung down with his pincers, but Wes ducked out of the way. Gerrok blocked a shot to the shoulder, and then swung a punch to the skull. Wes was able to duck, and then slice down ward. Gerrok got left arm up, and then shot a laser blast into Wes' chest. The Red Time Force Ranger flew back a few feet, before landing hard on his back.

But just as Wes kipped up, Tommy leapt in with a flying kick that Gerrok was just able to dodge. As the Red Zeo Ranger landed, the evil general was able to clasp his pincers around the waist of his opponent. Tommy had one quick moment to look up into the flaming red eyes of the robot, before his stomach twisted along with his body as Gerrok flipped him over his head. A small cloud of dust formed as his body hit the ground with a sickening thud. Gerrok raised his pincer arm into the air to strike down, but Wes quickly inserted his Chrono Saber between the two steel pieces, blocking the blow. Frustrated, Gerrok used his robotic strength to yank his left arm up, sending the sword flying out of his opponent's grip. One kick to the chest later, both the robot's opponent's were down.

Gerrok once again attempted to finish off Tommy. But the Red Zeo Ranger caught the pincers with his powerful arms. After pulling them down toward his waist, Tommy surprised his opponent by using his abdominal strength to swing his legs up and catch Gerrok in a head scissors. The evil general struggled for a moment, but his fate was unavoidable. His head landed hard on the rocky ground, denting the set of pincers on his cranium.

With his cybernetic brain in a dizzied state, Gerrok rose to his feet. And shot a storm of laser fire at his two opponents. Tommy and Wes managed to leapt out of dodge using their quick reflexes, and mighty acrobatic skills.

Wes looked to his partner. "I think it's time we return to sender."

Tommy nodded. "I think you're right." The Red Ranger proceeded to remove his Zeo Laser pistol from it's holster on his belt.

"V Weapon!" Wes called. Instantly, a white and red blaster cannon appeared in the Red Time Force Ranger's grasp. He promptly aimed it at his opponent.

The two Red Rangers did not hesitate to aim and fire on Gerrok.

But the evil general made an unexpected move. As the two men fired, they noticed a blue electric current forming in between the pincers. They were not fast enough to move as Gerrok caught their combined blast in his left grasp and flung it back at his opponents. The impact of the blast sent Tommy and Wes flying high into the air.

Looking up through the flames and dust, the Red Zeo Ranger caught sight of Gerrok picked Wes' Chrono Saber up from the ground.

"No!!" Tommy cried. He winced, feeling a sharp pain shoot up his leg as he took off toward his opponent. Flicking his wrist, he felt his Zeo Five Sword materialize in his gloved hand.

Gerrok's head twisted around toward Tommy, shocked to see him back up so soon. He shot another stream of laser fire at the Red Zeo Ranger, but much like Wes had done earlier, Tommy was able to bat away the blasts with his sword. He took a downward swipe at Gerrok, which the robot blocked with Wes' Chrono Saber. He blocked a shot with the pincers, and then swung down again. Gerrok blocked yet again, and then opened the pincers, attempting to catch Tommy in his grasp yet again. But the Red Ranger surprised the robot by bringing the sword in close. Gerrok grabbed his opponent, as well as the sword in his hand. Tommy pulled the sword downward, creating a loud screeching sound as the steel cut the steel.

Gerrok's left pincher fell to the ground.

With his opponent stunned, Tommy used the opportunity to swing around in a back kick that flipped the evil general over. He stabbed downward with his sword, but Gerrok blocked it with the Chrono Saber. The robot batted the attack away and slashed his opponent across the chest.

The attack sent Tommy twirling backward, but he didn't see Wes coming up behind him. The Red Time Force Ranger had pulled his Chrono Blaster from it's holster, and had leapt into the air. Landing atop Tommy's shoulders, Wes did a second flip into the air, and shot down at Gerrok. Moon rocks exploded around the evil general, but it was not enough to detain him. Gerrok returned fire with his right wrist cannon, sending Wes falling to the ground.

Tommy rushed up beside his partner. "He's got your saber…"

Wes looked up at Tommy. "Oh no…we've got to get it!"

The veteran ranger patted the younger man on the shoulder. "Take the rear. Let's see how this robot likes going up against a real swordsman."

Tommy took off into a sprint, making sure he heard Wes' footsteps behind him. His mind flashed back to his teen years, recollecting the many styles and techniques he'd used with Saba, the talking sword he'd wielded as the White Ranger.

Being careful to avoid the remaining right pincer on Gerrok's left hand, Tommy engaged the evil general in a sword fight. Tommy was the aggressor at first, striking blows to various parts of the robot's mechanical body. But Gerrok was not a subtle fighter, and swung various blows toward the head and neck. He was obviously trying to execute the killing blow as quickly as possible.

Tommy recognized the signs of a desperate warrior.

Finally, as the Chrono Saber collided with the Zeo Five Sword just above Tommy's eye level, the Red Zeo Ranger was able to slide out of the way, and catch Gerrok in an arm bar. "Go for it Wes!!!" he shouted.

Anxious to get his weapon back, the Red Time Force Ranger aimed and fired on the hand of the evil general. The hand, as well as the Chrono Saber, went flying through the air.

As Tommy slashed Gerrok down to the ground, Wes ran to scoop his weapon up from the ground. Nodding to Tommy, he charged it.

"Hey tin man." He called to the evil general. "Your time's up."

Wes leapt into the air, watching Tommy back off as he twirled the sword in a clockwise maneuver, and then swung the energized blade down.

"Time Strike!"

There was a small explosion as the weapon slashed vertically down Gerrok's body. As a result, the robot began to crackle with blue electricity.

With another flick of the wrist, the Zeo Five Sword was gone, and Tommy's mind transferred to a state of deadly focus. Suddenly, the world around him ceased to exist, and there was only himself and Gerrok. A martial arts teacher had taught him this state of mind a long time ago. Discipline, focus, self control, these were the things that had made Tommy the Power Ranger that he'd been all those years ago.

And the Power Ranger he was now.

He felt his body tingle with the power of the mighty Zeo Crystal, as he took off into a run. Slowly, a bright red glow began to engulf his body, just like Wes' Chrono Saber.

He'd been born for this.

"Zeo Flying Power Kick!" he called. With those words, Tommy launched himself into the air, aiming a kick straight for Gerrok, the power of the Zeo Crystal gave him additional power, speed, and balance.

He knew the fight was over when he felt the robot's chest cave in.

The impact of the blow sent Gerrok flying through the air. The evil general let out a lifeless cry of agony as he flew to his demise, crashing into a stone wall lining the edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Gerrok instantly burst into flames, his once green form crashing lifelessly to the ground.

Tommy slapped hands with Wes. "Nice job."

Wes nodded. "You too. You've still got it man."

Under his helmet Tommy smiled, realizing Wes was right. The teenager inside of him had returned for just one day…

…to be victorious one more time.