RITA’S PALACE

EARTH’S MOON

Rita Repulsa stood in the regent chamber of her palace, her eyes on her magic wand before turning back
to see her faithful servants kneeling before her one by one. Finster, Squat, Baboo, and the ever loyal
Goldar were all present, a sight that brought a strange resemblance of joy to the witch’s heart. With a
nod in his direction she ordered Goldar to stand, and the Rita’s appointed general was more than ready
to lay out his battle plans to the empress.

“I have a squadron of putties ready for deployment, my empress.” Goldar said proudly. “Scorpina is also
in place and has informed me she is sure the five power coins were released not long ago.

“He managed to survive too. That curse should have scattered his very essence across time and space.
Yet Zordon of Eltar clings to existence. Well, let’s be far more efficient this time, shall we?” Rita steps
away from the balcony where her magically enhanced telescope sat and stood in front of Finster. Finster
did not dare look up at his empress, for even after hundreds of years he still felt responsible for her
lomg absence. The monsters he had created then to serve as Rita’s personal guard had been defeated
by the wielder of the sixth power coin, and Finster had spent decades doing what he could to serve his
empress better upon her return.

“I am hoping whatever you have created will be worthy of serving me, Finster. Or are you yourself no
longer worthy of being in my presence?” Squat and Baboo squealed with amusement as their empress
taunted Finster but silenced themselves quickly after a menacing glare from Rita.

“I have been working on perfecting my monster designs for this very day, your most heinousness. Rest
assured that as wave upon wave of your forces wash across the cosmos, my creatures will not fail you.”
Finster stammered, cowering at his master’s boots.

Rita surveyed him for a moment before turning back to Goldar with her commands. “Take the putties
and join Scorpina on earth. Whomever the coins have chosen, flush them out and destroy them. This is
how we will usher in the first days of my reign.”

“As you demand, my empress.” In a storm of fire, Goldar disappeared.

THE COMMAND CENTER

SOMEWHERE ON EARTH

“I am quite sure you must have a lot of questions. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to answer
them all.” Alpha 5 informed the group of teenagers still struggling to understand their current
surroundings.”

“You guys didn’t drink at the party, right?” Kimberly said to Jason and Zack. “Please tell me you are also
hearing the robot talking to us. Because this feels a little past Alexa and more Ex Machina.”

Billy was the only person in the room not frozen to the spot. Instead he circled around Alpha, marveling
at the technical masterpiece the android was. “This level of artificial intelligence and robotics are
decades, maybe more, ahead of its time. Who possibly could have built such a machine? What are your
specs if you don’t mind me asking? What about your programming, can you go into details or would I
need to look at the data files individu-”

“Billy, honey. Is this really the time?” Trini stressed to him, to which Billy backed away from Alpha and
rejoined the rest of the group.

“I built Alpha Five Mr. Cranston, and I am partially the reason you five have been assembled here.”
Zordon answered.

“Well we were technically assembled right before this, but go on with the here part, floating head man.”
Zack said, using his sarcasm to bury how scared he was now. He’d never thought an alien abduction
would be the way he went out, and he wondered what people would say if they never set foot outside
this room again.

“Where is here, anyway?” Trini asked, her eyes darting to the semi-circle control board, complete with a
viewing screen right behind the massive terminal.

“This is the command center, a station created by Alpha and me when Rita Repulsa decided to make
your planet’s moon her base of operations. Once Repulsa decided to begin her takeover of the universe
with this galaxy, the power coins that summoned you here are called to find those worthy of wielding
them.”

“What makes us worthy? I mean we could have been anyone.” Jason asked, his hand gripping the coin
in his palm tightly. He glanced down at it, staring at the T-Rex engraved on both of its sides.

“No, the coins have always chosen the power rangers, no matter what planet or star system they have
crossed to do so.” Alpha explained. The viewing screen began to show the exploits of rangers on planets
the teenagers had never seen, as well as centuries into the earth’s past.

“So, we’ve been chosen to do your dirty work. Look I appreciate the honor and the glimpse into the
future or whatever this is but I’m not dying for nobody.” Zack said before turning to look for some sort
of exit.

“I assure you Zack, I would never ask you to lay your life down on my behalf.” Zordon told the group,
causing Zack to pause momentarily. “But I am asking you to pick up arms on behalf of not just the
human race, but every planet in this system.”

“Why is this Repulsa setting her sights on earth anyway?” Billy wondered, his eyes and hands examining
the expansive console in front of him.

“Rita tried and nearly succeeded in overtaking the earth hundreds of years ago. Alpha and I managed to
seal her away with a complicated protective spell-”

“And a few technological measures on my part to ensure the seal would hold someone with her power.”
Alpha said, patting himself on the back.

“Look I can barely get my science credit requirements for this year and now you two, um things, no
offense are telling me we’ve been chosen to protect the world.”

“Not the world Ms. Hart. The galaxy.” Zordon explained, and the weight of his words washed over the
group of teenagers. “You have been selected by your totems to stand against an evil as old as the
universe itself, behold what the powers you have been gifted with entail.”
The power coins in each of their hands shined blindingly bright before wrapping the teenagers in the
colors manifested by their totem. Each of the newly appointed rangers were now wearing armor
complete with a unique helmet and a holster on their waist holding their blade blasters.

“Every time you morph your skills and powersets will be uploaded into your helmets and become an
extension of yourself. You will have enhanced strength, speed, and superhuman durability.” Zordon
explained while the teenagers took in their own looks as well as each other's.

“Ok, this is pretty damn cool.” Kimberly admitted as she caught a glimpse of herself. “And I must say the
pink is an excellent choice.”

“So, what is the next step from here? How do we even find this space witch if she’s broken out of
prison?” Zack asked while he inspected his blade blaster.

“That won’t be hard at all. As a matter of fact, I think they may have made it very easy.” Billy said as he
set his helmet on the console next to him. “If you don’t mind me intruding on your workspace Alpha.”
Billy asked as he began to work at the console, his hands flying up and down, back and forth across the
panels.

“By all means Billy, do what you must.” Alpha conceded, as the android was in awe of how the young
man was already capable of working with the command center’s system. Appearing on the viewing
screen was live footage of a newscast that showed Scorpina wreaking havoc in downtown LA with an
army of putties behind her.

“Is that her? Damn it, why did Rita have to be hot?” Zack lamented as he took off his helmet and joined
Billy and the others around the screen.

“That isn’t Rita, but one of her many disciples. She is the creature known as Scorpina. She must have
been hiding on earth for quite some time.” Zordon explained. “The mindless puppets behind her are
known as putties.”

“A random attack by her followers in a populated area. She’s trying to draw someone out. And since I’m
assuming it can’t be Zordon or Alpha here-” Trini concluded, her theory hitting every mark.
“You’re correct Trini. Scorpina’s rampage is meant to draw out who the power coins have chosen. It’s a
tactic Rita and her forces have employed in the past.” Alpha said, impressed with the young women’s
deductive reasoning. There was something about this group, and he was sure Zordon felt it too, that was
different than any other team they had been forced to bring together under such circumstances.

“Look I don’t know what anyone else here wants to do, and honestly the more I hear about this I’m also
starting not to care either. But whatever these things are or are capable of, I’m not going to let them
anywhere near my mother.” Kimberly stated flatly, her helmet under her arm as she watched Scorpina.
She turned to the rest of the group once the feed cut out. Alpha rushed over to try and restore the
signal.

“We all got people we care about Kim, that’s not the point. I mean we don’t really understand all this
yet.” Jason said as he stepped forward. “And whatever it is, it’s bigger than any of us.”

“But we wouldn’t be here right now if it was bigger than all of us. You saw the footage we aren’t the first
life forms to be asked to step up to the plate. If we turn our backs here, what are the chances that
anyone else will be up to the task?” Trini backed up Kimberly, whose words had stirred her to action.

Jason and Zack glanced at one another, and then to the morphers on their belts. Billy took one look at
them and a smile couldn’t help but reach his face. “Well as usual, Trini is right.” He said, taking the
words right out of their mouths.

“Alright, I guess I’m in. What about you?” Jason said as he extended his hand to his best friend. Zack
took one long sigh and cracked a smile before dapping up Jason.

“Let’s do this. Get us war ready, Alpha!” Zack told the android, whose face and chest lit up with
excitement. Zordon beamed down proudly at the team, realizing at that moment the coins had once
again not failed him.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

Scorpina strutted through the streets of Los Angeles, the spotlight from the Army helicopter spraying
bullets at her and the putties under her command beginning to annoy her. Without so much as another
look at the chopper, she tossed her curved blade at the machine, slicing it cleanly in two before it
exploded in mid-air. A few soldiers leaped from the blast just in time, and Scorpina eyed them with
nothing but greed on her mind.

“Tear them apart and bring me a few torsos. That should satisfy my appetite. Do what you want with the
rest.” A large platoon of putties rushed towards the fallen soldiers as they reached the ground. The men
and women did their best to stave off the putties attack, their bullets ripping through the mindless
puppets but to little effect. Before she could properly enjoy the massacre, a ripple burst of energy
collided with Scorpina, knocking her back and to one knee. She got to her feet, her chest smoking from
the blow as she used her uncanny eyesight to find the shooter.

She caught sight of the Black Ranger three hundred feet away on a rooftop, the powerful axe/gun in his
hand that dealt the blow. On the rooftop, Zack prepared to take aim, his helmet’s HUD locking on to
Scorpina, who was now staring directly back at him.

“She’s on to me Jay, you guys in position?” Zack called to his newfound teammates. Before he could
hear a response, Scorpina was rushing towards the teenager, her arm extended as she sent a wave of
red spikes blasting towards him. The blast took out the entire front half of the building, sending Zack
crashing through three floors.

“Zack are you okay?” Trini’s voice came over their helmet communicators. Zack got back to his feet and
his helmet’s HUD scanned for Scorpina’s presence.

“I’m good but I got those putty things converging on me. She took the bait; you guys are up!” Zack
assured his team. He flipped the power axe back into melee position and pulled his blade blaster from
his waist.

Back on the ground, Scorpina continued to head towards the building where Zack had fallen. Before she
could join the parade of putties converging on the ranger, she was peppered by an assault of blaster fire.
Her scaled armor instinctively spread and grew to protect her, and Scorpina glanced up just in time to
see Jason, the newly minted red ranger lunging towards her, power sword held high. She pulled her own
blade just in time to meet his, and she stared into the dark visor of the red ranger’s helmet.

“You’re Zordon’s latest cannon fodder. It has been too long since my blade has cut through human
flesh?” Scorpina taunted Jason, who responded by breaking away and firing another barrage from his
blade blaster. Scorpina’s scales react immediately, once again protecting her from the assault and
providing her with a window to deal some damage to the power ranger. She sent a wave of scale
projectiles at Jason with speed so fierce he barely managed to get his power sword up in time to stave
off some of the damage.

Even with his defensive measures, the blast sends Jason crashing through a bevy of cars left on the
evacuated street. Jason pulled himself from the wreckage just as Scorpina began to follow up on her
initial attack. She sent her curved blade at the red ranger, and Jason ducked out of harm's way just in
time. He once again rushed her, this time throwing a flurry of kicks at his opponent. Jason smacked
Scorpina with a roundhouse that surprised her and backed up the blow with a slash across her chest
from his power sword.

The blow from the power sword did more to enrage Scorpina than harm her. She snatched Jason up by
the throat and slammed him twice into the concrete. Jason tried to push himself back up, but Scorpina
begins to stomp him back down. Before she can continue her malicious assault, a blinding pink light is
shot through her chest. Scorpina stumbles for a moment, her attack on Jason halted by the gaping
wound in her chest. Black bile dribbles from her mouth, and she grits her teeth in fury as she looks for
where the shot came from. Kimberly and Trini approach Scorpina, both ready to pick up where Jason has
left off. The pink ranger holds her power bow in hand, ready to take another shot.

“I’m sending you the vital points that should be open once me and Jason press her. You got this, Kim.”
Trini encourages her just before her each of her power daggers generate in her hands and she surges on
the attack. Trini dives into the fray, joining Jason in pressing a two on one attack at Scorpina.

“Damn right I do.” Kimberly confirmed as she prepared her bow. Her own HUD began to analyze where
and when she’d be able to take the shot when an alert began to flash in front of her.

“Kim, I’m sending you this building’s layout. Think you can hit the pillar in the far east corner?” Zack’s
asked over the com system, and Kimberly turned her attention towards the building where the blue and
black ranger were battling a force of putties.

“Yeah I got you, get ready to get clear.” Kim held her breath before firing a bolt from her power bow.
Inside the building, Billy and Zack tear through putty after putty when the shot from Kimberly takes out
the pillar keeping what was left of the structure from crumbling. The roof caves in, crushing the putties
attempting to continue their attack.
“South window. Let’s move!” Billy points out their escape to Zack before pulling his power lance from
the chest of a putty. The pair of rangers sprinted across the room and dive through the window panes.
Before they can be in freefall for long, they teleport out of mid-air, reappearing on the battlefield
alongside Kimberly.”

Back inside the command center, Alpha yelps with glee as the rangers come together to bombard
Scorpina relentlessly as a unit. “Zordon, they’re managing to keep up the pressure. And in such short
time as a team! Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!”

“Your excitement is well placed, but their trials are only beginning. Rita has dealt herself this particular
blow, Alpha.” Zordon answered, tempering the optimism in the room.

“How so Zordon?” Alpha wondered.

“She made the mistake of underestimating what these young men and women are capable of.”

News helicopters from several different outlets did their best to get as close to the ongoing battle
without becoming more collateral damage. Scorpina’s left hand grew and formed into a pincer tougher
than any steel in this solar system. She snatched Jason up by the neck, ready to snap it with but a
gesture. Kimberly bombarded the monster with constant fire from her power bow, forcing Scorpina to
drop the red ranger and send an energy wave in her direction.

Zack tackled Kimberly out of the path of the blast, rolling to a knee and popping up to fire a ripple of
shots from his power axe. Scorpina uses her pincer to block the attack and smacks Zack across the head
with a cross kick. Another blow from her blade knocks the axe from Zack’s hand, and Scorpina seizes the
advantage. She stomps the black ranger in the chest repeatedly, taking pride in the beating she was
delivering to the very first of the lot to become a nuisance.

The monster had let her need for blood distract her for a moment too long, and Trini dove onto
Scorpina’s back. She drove both her daggers into the monster before kicking herself off and landing next
to Jason. Scorpina saw that the rangers were trying to regroup and form a joint offensive, and she took
the opportunity to blast one of the news choppers out of the sky. Jason sprang into action first, sprinting
in the direction of the falling helicopter.
“Keep her busy!” Jason yelled back to the rest of the rangers before teleporting away. A split second
later he was inside the helicopter, startling the crew and pilot with his arrival.

“Everyone grab hold of me, I’m going to get you out of here!” He ordered the crew just as he caught
sight of the aircraft's trajectory. Jason teleported the news crew to safety just as the helicopter crashed
through the window of a shop on the strip.

“Get back behind the blockade!” Jason once again commanded the crew as he went back to reengage
Scorpina, who had begun to beat back the rest of the rangers through sheer power and skill.

From her palace Rita watched the battle, and a flicker of disappointment washed across her face. Goldar
sensed the displeasure in his empress and sought to correct it immediately.

“I will go and aid Scorpina. The humans are barely holding her at bay.” Goldar boasted, ready to depart
for the earth. Rita merely held up a hand that stopped her General in his place, before gripping her
wand tightly in hand.

“Zordon’s chosen ones will not merit such an assault from me. The earth will bend to my whims at the
faintest hint at my power, no more.” Rita assured her followers and herself. She raised the wand to her
face. “Grow”. Rita hurled the wand towards the earth and stood patiently, waiting for her spell to weave
its magic.

Rita’s wand landed directly in front of Scorpina, the resulting feedback of energy sent the rangers flying
back from their target.

“Billy, you see those energy readings coming off of her?” Trini asked.

“Affirmative, the wand seems to be flushing her with some sort of power.” Billy confirmed. The Rangers
stood in awe as Scorpina grew and transformed right in front of them, until the monster towered above
the remaining buildings of downtown LA.

“Well we can add this to the list of things I wasn’t expecting today, which is getting pretty long.” Zack
muttered as he peered towards the sky at Scorpina.
“Zordon, Alpha, come in.” Jason called over his communicator. “What’s the play here?”

“You will need to call upon the power of your Zords.” Zordon bellowed back at the red ranger. “Utilize
your power crystals and call forth each of them!”

TO BE CONTINUED.