CHAPTER SIXTEEN
At the sound of Gerrok's demise, Automon turned to look upon his partner in the Machine Empire one last time…
Thus giving the Red Turbo Ranger and the Red Galaxy Ranger the opening they were looking for. T.J. drew his Turbo blaster, while Leo called on his Quasar Launcher. Together, the two Red Rangers opened fire on their robotic opponent.
The might of the blast knocked Automon backward. Smoke emitted from his metallic chest, as he let out a fierce growl. "Lucky shot vermin. Now…let's get serious!
With those words, Automon pressed a red button on his right forearm. His hand instantly retracted, making way for a blade nearly as long as a human leg. "It's time you pathetic little humans were cut down to size!
But the two Rangers were hardly intimidated by the transformation. The Red Turbo Ranger was quick to shift his blaster into sword mode. As he flicked his gloved wrist, his Turbo Lightning Sword materialized in his hand. Meanwhile, Leo summoned the legendary Lion Quasar Saber. In his opposite hand, he held his Transdagger, in Magna Talon mode. Together, the two Rangers charged the Machine Empire General.
Automon swung for Leo's skull, but the Red Galaxy Ranger ducked, and tried an upward slash with his Transdagger. The evil general blocked Leo's wrist with his left hand, and flipped him on his back. T.J. then leapt in, swinging downward with his Turbo Lightning Sword. Automon blocked with his blade, and managed to grab his opponent's opposite hand as he attempted a slash with his Turbo Blade. But T.J. managed to twirl out of the robot's grip, and slash down diagonally with the sword. Automon blocked, and then slashed down across the Red Ranger's chest. Sparks flew as T.J. went flying backward, crying out in pain.
But the robot did not see Leo jumping back into the fray with a flying kick. There was a loud clanging sound as his white boot connected with Automon's torso. Leo then proceeded to charge his Quasar Saber, and jam the blade down into the ground. The result was an explosive mini fault line that resulted in an explosion under Automon's feet. The evil general staggered backward, but not down. Leo credited his opponent's stamina to the power of his steel plated armor. But when Automon charged his own blade, and mirrored Leo's maneuver, the Red Galaxy Ranger was unable to withstand the blow.
T.J. rushed up beside his partner. "You alright man?"
Leo nodded. "Yeah, but this guy's not goin' down easily."
"Well then, let's make it hard!"
T.J. then proceeded to unite his Turbo Blade and Lightning Sword together, and charge them. An intense red glow reflected off his visor as the Red Ranger pushed the X formation forward. A bright red beam blazed forward, a blaze that Automon was able to slap aside seemingly easily with his blade. The evil general then charged forward in attack, repeatedly slicing down in a cross slash motion. The Red Turbo Ranger stood his ground until the very last second, and then rolled out of dodge…
…revealing the Red Galaxy Ranger, Quasar Launcher aimed.
Leo nailed a direct hit on Automon, resulting in a grand explosion that sent the evil general flailing through the air. He landed with a clang on the coarse surface of the moon with a clang.
For a moment, both sides were dormant. T.J. and Leo struggled to catch their breath, as Automon desperately attempted to recharge, and launch a second attack.
Despite difficulty rising to his feet, Automon still had a few tricks up his proverbial sleeve. The evil general tapped a button on his upper thigh, opening a hidden compartment, from which he drew a small hand blaster. Still flat on his back, the robot fired on his two adversaries. Caught by surprise, the two virtuous warriors grunted in pain as the blasts connected with their bodies, their flesh feeling the intense burning sensation upon impact.
T.J. screamed as one of them exploded against his right knee.
Crashing helmet first into the ground, T.J. pulled his injured joint up toward his chest. Moments later, trying desperately to wipe the dust and grime from his visor, he saw the Red Galaxy Ranger hunched beside him.
"Back off !" Leo demanded, as he held his Quasar Saber up in defense of his partner.
But Automon was not about to let a golden opportunity pass him by. He dashed forward, his optical modifiers focused on the injured Red Turbo Ranger. He pulled his right arm up in attack position. The evil general swung downward with his blade, but Leo blocked with his saber, and connected with a Transdagger shot. As his opponent tottered backward, Leo struck diagonally, but Automon blocked it, and fired on Leo's chest with the blaster. As the Red Galaxy Ranger was knocked back from the blast, the evil general clicked yet another button, this time on the left side of his chest.
Leo looked on in a state of awe as two small jet thrusters propelled from the robots lower back. Through the oxygen field, he could feel the wave of heat wash over him as Automon activated his newest asset, and blasted off toward space. Seconds later, thick gray clouds of smoke, exhaust fumes from the jet pack, hovered above the ground Leo stood on.
As laser blasts started to rain down from the sky, a frustrated Leo charged forth, igniting the Red Quasar Saber to light his way. If he could just avoid being shot down in the dark, there was a chance he could finish this here and now…
From high above, Automon continued to fire downward. As the smoke cloud seemed to grow thicker and darker, the evil general k new the Rangers' human eyes could never see through the blackness. They were almost certainly dead by now. Automon deactivated his jet pack, and began his descent to the ground
By the time his optical modifiers picked up the faint red glow rising up from the darkness, it was too late.
As Leo reached the height of his powerful leap, he executed an upward slice across Automon's torso with his energized Quasar Saber. A loud screeching sound echoed throughout the Sea of Tranquility as the blade sliced across the robot's steel body. It was followed seconds later by a loud crash as Automon hit the rocky ground.
Now on his feet, T.J. limped toward his opponent as quick as he could, energizing his Turbo Lightning Sword.
"Turbo Lighting Strike!" he called. T.J. pushed off his good leg, leaping into the air to strike his opponent down.
There was a loud explosion as the Red Turbo Ranger sliced vertically down the robot's cranium, through his torso, bisecting his opponent's body completely.
As the Red Galaxy Ranger returned to the ground, the Red Turbo Ranger's knee gave way once again. Leo grabbed T.J. by the arm, holding him up. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied. "Just took a shot to the knee."
Leo nodded, and looked to what was left of Automon. He chuckled. "Nice move."
The Red Turbo Ranger smiled through the pain. These new Turbo Powers really did work. And he knew he'd need every last bit of them to get through this, especially with a bad wheel. T.J. was never one to accentuate his battle wounds, but there was no way that he could be one hundred percent now.
But either at one hundred percent, or one percent, T.J. was a Power Ranger.
Leo slung his partner's arm over his shoulder, and helped him across the battlefield…
Ducked behind two boulders, the Red Aquitar Ranger and the Quantum Ranger tried desperately to stay out of the line of fire. Eric risked a quick peek up above the rock to see General Tezzla, their opposition, still firing on them with her blaster cannon . She was one of the universe's most notorious torturesses according to Andros. Although Eric had never heard of Tezzla, he couldn't deny that she didn't exactly have the hospitality of an Alpha android.
But that was okay, he thought to himself. Neither did he.
As chunks of stone flew through the oxygen field, Eric ducked back under what remained of their cover. He looked over to Aurico. "Well, any ideas Squidranger?"
Aurico looked to his partner. "My apologies friend. Unfortunately, the current strain we are under has precluded me from concocting a-"
"I didn't ask for you life story!" Eric shouted. For an alien, he noted, Aurico seemed to know English better than anyone he'd ever met. "Alright," he growled. "This party's over."
With those words, the Quantum Ranger tightened his grip on the patented Quantum Defender he held in his right hand. He somersaulted out from behind the boulder, and fired a storm of laser fire on General Tezzla. The evil general let out a noise that sounded something like a shrieking cat, as Eric rushed to dodge her return fire. But with no rocks left to hide behind, the Quantum Ranger could only run, and let the lasers nip as his heels.
Suddenly, the firing ceased as Aurico leapt atop the boulder, and did a front flip into the air. Unsheathing the Hydroblade from his back, the Red Aquitar Ranger executed a downward slash on Tezzla. Sparks flew as the evil general was knocked to her feet. Aurico tried for another cut, but Tezzla rolled out of the way, and smacked her opponent across the helmet with the barrel of her blaster cannon.
As she rose to her feet, the Quantum Ranger seized the opportunity to attempt a diving cyclone kick, trying to knock the weapon from his opponent's grip. But Tezzla merely pulled the weapon out of the way, and blasted Eric backward.
While the two wounded Rangers struggled to regain their composure, Tezzla engaged the shifting mechanism on her weapon. Within seconds, the blaster cannon had transformed
into a mighty axe, nearly as long as the robot's arm!
"I warned you…" Tezzla grumbled in her nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. "Heroics will get you nowhere, you miserable little humans!"
The evil general swept down at Aurico's head, but the Aquitian blocked the blow with his Hydroblade. "I beg your pardon miss," he said. "But I am not a human. I am an Aquitan, and proud of it!"
Just then, Aurico vanished into thin air.
A confused Tezzla jerked her robotic head around, searching for her opponent. "What? Wh-where did you go? Get back here, you sick little vermin!"
Suddenly, the Red Ranger reappeared behind his opponent. He swiped downward with his Hydroblade, slashing Tezzla across her steel plated back. She stumbled forward, but then swung the axe hard in Aurico's direction, hoping to connect with a neck, or at least a shoulder…
…only to find that he was no longer there.
"Really madam, there's no need for name calling."
Tezzla swiped her axe in the direction of the voice, but Aurico dematerialized yet again!
The Red Aquitar Ranger reappeared on his side, a few yards in front of her, in a rather relaxed position. "Perhaps we can discuss this over an Oceafish platter? Or maybe an oil bath?"
The evil general cried out in frustration, her circuits singeing with anger. Thus, she never saw the shot from Eric's Quantum Defender coming. Tezzla's feet flew out from under her as she once again collapsed to the ground.
The two Rangers stood side by side, united as one mighty virtuous entity. The Red Aquitar Ranger wielded his Hyrdoblade, while the Quantum Ranger gripped his Quantum Defender, now shifted into sword mode. Together, the two Red Rangers charged their fallen opponent. Aurico tried to stab downward, but Tezzla caught the blade between her metallic feet and rolled, flipping him over in the process. Eric tried a similar maneuver, but Tezzla managed to roll out of dodge yet again, and get to her feet. The Quantum Ranger swung for his opponent's head, but Tezzla blocked with the axe, and then moved to block another shot from Aurico. Just then, both Rangers tried to strike together, but the evil general used an overhead block. She then chopped Eric hard across the chest, causing sparks to spew form his body as he screamed in pain. Aurico tried a body shot, but Tezzla side blocked it. Finally, the robot shot a high kick up that connected with the face of her opponent. Aurico stumbled backward, checking his helmet for cracks…
He came deadly close to stumbling off a nearby cliff. Taking a quick glance down, Aurico's Aquitian nerves realized he'd nearly just taken a thirty foot drop on to the ground below.
But he paid a dear price for the glance. Through his visor, the Red Aquitar Ranger saw, and even more so felt Tezzla's boot collide with his helmet yet again, knocking him down. He felt a surge of panic overcome his body as his Hydroblade tumbled down the cliff.
He felt a heavy weight crash down upon him as Tezzla straddled his abdomen. Through his helmet, Aurico's eyes widened as he saw his opponent wiggling her metallic fingertips. They were no longer fingertips. Each of her five digits had transformed into miniature drills, which were making their way toward his face at an alarming rate.
If robots were capable of facial expression, Aurico knew there would be a grin on Tezzla's face as wide as Orion's belt. "My databanks are unclear on just how many muscles there are in the Aquitian face." She seemed to whisper softly. "I think it's time I found out for myself."
Aurico winced. He knew his teleportation abilities only worked when he was free of physical touch. He was now at the mercy of one of the universe's most notorious torturesses…
Suddenly, he felt Tezzla's weight leave his belly. The torturess whirled around to catch a Quantum Defender shot from Eric in her metallic grip. Tezzla yanked the Quantum Ranger up into the air, and over the cliff…
"Eric!!!" Aurico shouted as his partner's body soared over his head and down the cliff. Aurico sat up to execute a defensive maneuver. But within seconds, Tezzla had once again mounted her opponent.
"Care to try your little disappearing act now?" Tezzla sneered, as she lowered her metallic fingers down toward the Red Aquitar Ranger's helmet. Aurico jerked as one of the drills touched against his visor, creating a small hole.
It wouldn't be long now.
Suddenly, Tezzla's hands reached up to defend herself. But she was unable to avoid the powerful legs of the Quantum Ranger as they reached up from the edge of the cliff. The evil general grunted as she found herself caught in a headscissors. Aurico felt her metallic body drag across his as his attacker was slowly dragged over the edge. He heard his partner cry out as the two opponents took the plunge to the ground below…
Just as the Red Aquitar Ranger rose to his feet, he heard the sound of steel colliding with rock. Though reluctant, Aurico peered over the cliff. Both Tezzla and Eric seemed visibly shaken, but surprisingly, they were both struggling to regain their vertical base.
As Aurico leapt down from the edge of the cliff, Tezzla slashed at Eric with her axe, but the Quantum Ranger dodged the blow, and quickly shot in a high side kick that connected with the evil generals face. Tezzla wobbled back just far enough to fall in range of the Red Aquitar Ranger's flying kick. Aurico's foot connected with the shoulder of his opponent, resulting in a loud clanging sound.
As Tezzla gripped her wounded body part, Eric swung down with the Quantum Defender, slicing her axe in two. He then executed a cyclone kick that banged off the side of Tezzla's metallic skull. The impact of the blow knocked the evil general off balance, causing her to fall flat on her face.
The Red Aquitar Ranger looked to his partner.
The Quantum Ranger nodded, converting his weapon back to blaster mode.
It was time to end this.
Drawing his Hyrdoblade behind his back, Aurico summoned the strength of the Aquitian waters, charging his sword with a bright red energy. Feeling the power convulse within him, he focused his eyes on his target, who was now attempting to rise to her feet.
"Red Aquitar Tsunami!" he called.
Swinging his weapon forward, a bright wave of red energy flew high above the three combatants. As it continued to ascend higher, it's mass appeared to grow larger, and it's power growing stronger.
Tezzla only caught a faint glimpse of the electric tsunami before it crashed down upon her, resulting in a massive explosion that sent the evil general flying through the air. As she landed, various parts of her metallic body were now dented, and her chest plate now hung open, exposing her inner workings.
"N-n-n-no…" she cried, arguing with her robotic body as she rose to her knees. "Can not fail…the empire…must…slay…the enemy…"
Eric shook his head, as he aimed his Quantum Defender. He had to give it to Tezzla, she was persistent. He was almost sorry he had to do this.
Almost.
With a pull of the trigger, Tezzla's head blasted off of her shoulders. Her decapitated body slumped to the ground, as he skull bounced off a nearby rock, and lay motionless on the moon floor.
Eric gave a sarcastic wave. "Bye bye bitch."
He felt Aurico touch him on the shoulder. "Thank you my friend." He said, nodding. "You saved my life. You have my utmost gratitude and respect." As he squeezed the shoulder of the human, what little hesitance Aurico had about defending the planet Earth again vanished.
Under his helmet, Eric smirked. "Yeah, whatever."
The two Red Rangers then rushed to assist the others, who were starting to team up against General Venjix.