Chapter 4 - Subtle Strength

Tempest Strong was trying to get used to her knew lot in life. She'd gone from big city paramedic to accepting what she thought was going to calmer, higher paying job. She'd be in charge of a few medics on a research base. She'd work for a year and save enough money to be able to live while going to med school.

Boy was she wrong.

The first thing to go wrong was the airplane ride of death. She just knew she was going to die. If her pilot had been anyone else but Taylor Hicks, she would have.

Then, she got talked into putting on a Power Morpher. It was supposed to be a one time thing. That was the second thing to go wrong. The Morpher bonded to her molecules and won't work for anyone else. This was not making happy the woman who'd originally been chosen to wear it.

All in all, Tempe was having a blast. She was still in charge of the Infirmary, but she had the added bonus of getting to save the world, using cool weapons and an awesome Tiger Zord.

She sat in the dining hall of the Citadel, a building on Sky Base, the floating island alien colony discovered by Astral Dynamics, which was the hub of AD operations. Everyone lived and worked mainly in this one building, except the ones that explore the rest of the island.

The food left much to be desired. She, like almost everyone else, preferred to eat in Starkweather Valley, the city below Sky Base. But she was in a hurry. She didn't have a very long lunch break after her shift because she was due at the Arena for group training. A cold turkey on rye and a bag of potato chips was all she had time for.

The Arena is what they called a large domed area about the size of a football field. There were stands for spectators, but the field was enclosed. The layout and even the ground could be manipulated to suit their needs. It was amazing and intimidating. For all his laid back nature, Taylor Hicks was...creative when it came to designing obstacle courses. When you add Gregory Houston into the mix, training could be brutal. At least they found some semblance of common ground.

While her mind was wondering what new horrors the boys had come up with that day, a shadow feel over her tray. She glanced up and suppressed a trace annoyance. Grace Beauchamp was supposed to have been the test subject for the Yellow Morpher.

Grace was a tall, athletic woman with tight cornrows and a wide face. Tempest wasn't a small woman but she had nothing on Grace. "Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly, using her talking-to-a-rabid-bear voice. Grace wasn't pleased that instead of being a Power Ranger, she'd been reassigned to the Insertion team, dealing with civilians caught up in alien skirmishes. She'd made no bones that she wasn't happy with that arrangement.

"Yeah. I'm tired of seeing your face. Why don't you do me and the world a favor and hand that over," she said, gesturing to the Morpher strapped to Tempest's wrist.

"Haven't we been through this before? I know Doctor Walker is a bit hard to understand at times with her technical talk. Let me simplify it for you," she said, setting aside her sandwich. She pointed to her Morpher. "Morpher no work you. Morpher only work me," she said very slowly.

Grace's prominent nostrils flared even wider and her eyes narrowed. "How well do you think it'd work with all the bones in your hands broken?" she asked darkly.

"That's something we'll never know because you'd never lay a hand on me," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I got training to get to," she said and walked away. She could feel the weight of Grace glaring after her. This was going to come to a head one day. That woman had too much resentment for her.

"Don't worry about that," Tay dropped from the crossbeams as she exited the mess hall. She still wasn't used to him appearing out of the air. "Grace Beauchamp was chosen for her record and physical prowess. She's an impressive woman. But she's no Power Ranger," he declared.

"She's not going to be happy until one of us draws blood," Tempest said. "I could probably be a little more gracious but it's not like I chose for this happen," she said moodily.

Tay grinned. "The way I see things, you were where you were supposed to be and so was she. No one ever became a Ranger who didn't deserve to be one. Even when they weren't sure themselves," he said.

"Speaking from experience?" she asked.

He scoffed. "Who me? No way," he denied. "I was always the obvious choice," he said.

Tempest laughed. There was nothing obvious about this guy.

--/-\--

"You two are late," Gore stated as Taylor and Tempest arrived on the field after changing out of their uniforms. Over the field a torrential rain feel and an obstacle course was set up simulating the one he himself had to complete in boot camp. Dripping and miserable, trying to get over the seven foot wall using a slippery muddy rope was Lark. Sinclair sat at the top of wall trying to encourage her over it.

Taylor didn't feel he had to explain himself to Gore. He simply went to show Lark how to get over the wall. She was having serious trouble letting go and embracing the non-physics of Air Techniques. She was relying on her limited upper body strength instead of what he though was the easy way. He used to think Kane sucked at Air Techniques. At least Kane's mind was open to the possibilities that he could channel his ki into manipulating the air. Doc was as close-minded as a bank safe.

He waved for Sinclair to go on and took over coaching Lark.

"It was my fault but not really. Grace was at it again," Tempest stated as she moved to the head of the course. The first obstacle was to belly crawl in trenches covered in barbed while. Gore said the best way for he and Tempe to get through it was to use the earth and mud around them to move. Neither of them had managed it yet. Tempe could sort of feel of the pulse of the dirt all around her but she couldn't quite access it.

One of the things Tay was trying to teach them was how to tap into their Ki. He assured them it took awhile and not to worry that they couldn't right away. Still, one thing she and Gore had in common that it bugged them that they couldn't. At least not without Morphing.

"You have to ignore her," Gore said and joined her at the beginning of the course.

"The same way Taylor ignores you?" she couldn't stop the words from coming. Frustrated she tackled the course.

Gore had to admit, and hated doing it, that she had a point. He followed her through the course.

After they all successfully managed to get through it five times, they reprogrammed the field. The rain stopped and the obstacle course disappeared. They stood in what almost looked like any piece of the California coast. There was a chunk of ocean, beach, and mountain. They Morphed and began practicing use of Power Cards. There was a veritable font of them programmed into the computer. Some where just incomplete.

The newest one was Rock Crush. Yellow was having a bit of trouble with it. Deciding to ignore her earlier jab, Black gestured for her to try it. She took the Card out of her belt. "Rock Crush!" She slid the card through her Morpher. A large chunk of earth glowed yellow and rose out of the ground. She jumped and kicked it, trying to use her own power and momentum to direct a crushing torrent of debris.

The rock broke apart and actually did as it meant to. "Oh, yes!" she crowed.

"Good job," Black said. "Again," he prompted.

"You remind me of my dad," she said but obediently continued to practice.

--/-\--

Devourer

"You shouldn't be here. If they spot you, questions will be raised that needn't be raised," Sylon snapped when he saw Azula in his quarters. "I've been summoned to the bridge. Another of Drage's men will be sent to attempt to conquer Earth. I'm beginning to think I didn't choose correctly when I contacted these Warstars," he said.

"Let them distract the Power Rangers. They're at least useful for that. Maybe they'll even luck up and defeat them. I have plenty of Ooze now that I've perfected the recipe," she said languidly. She stood on his bed and stretched. She bent over backwards and dropped to the floor on her hands. She straightened her body momentarily before regaining her feet.

"What are you doing?" asked Sylon, raising a brow at her.

"It's this body. It demands to be stretched on a regular basis or it gets...agitated," she said. "I'm not complaining. I couldn't do some of the things this body can even when I had my real body," she said.

"Perhaps you're beginning to prefer being human," Sylon said in a clipped tone, a curl to his lips.

"Perish the thought," she said dismissively.

"You should go," Sylon said and activated his disguise before stepping out of the shadows. "I must go," he said.

Azula sighed. "I hate when you wear that," she said.

"And I hate when you were that. If all goes well, neither of us shall be disgusting soon," he said.

She pouted but vanished in a crack of lighting. Sylon exited his quarters and paused when he nearly ran into Kragar.

"I heard voices," Kragar snarled.

"Yes, I'm sure you do," Sylon said and stalked toward the bridge. Kragar growled but followed him. He didn’t entirely trust their new associate.

When they entered the bridge, Captain Drage stood with a tall white crystalline alien with snowflake insect wings. "This is Lieutenant Frizei. He's eager to attempt to take over the Earth. Tell Sylon how you plan to do that," he prompted.

"Yes, Captain," Frizei said in a surprisingly soft, wispy voice. "I'm going to call in the next ice age and freeze these monkeys into lifelessness," he declared delightedly.

"I'll prepare you a force of Oozers," Sylon said in a noncommittal fashion.

--/-\--

To make up for being jerks to each other, Tempest and Gore decided to treat each other to better early in Starkweather Valley. As they exited the burger joint where they'd been, Tempest grinned wryly. "As a health professional, I am aware that was not good for me," she declared with a twinge of guilt.

"A little red meat's good for everyone," he said with a slight grin.

Tempe raised a brow at him. "I like you a lot better without the stick," she said.

He raised a brow, "What stick?" he asked.

"You know the stick. The one shoved so far up your--"

"Oh, that one," he cut her off. She just grinned at him. He shook his head and chuckled. He paused. "Do you feel that chill?" he asked suddenly,

Tempe frowned and realized that the temperature was falling.

Their Morpher's beeped. Gore answered his. "Gore here," he said.

"There's an alien in your vicinity. We're on our way but you two are close," Doc said.

"Right, we're on it," Gore said. He glanced at Tempe and she nodded. The two ran in the direction the chill was coming from.

--/-\--

Upon arriving on Earth, Frizei surveyed his surrounding. "This'll do just fine," he declared from a crosswalk over a busy pedestrian hub. His wings began vibrate and glow. "I'll start with this city and then--the world!" He began producing snow and cold air and showering it over the humans below him with blowing orifices at his shoulders. The cold hair wasn't localized, however. It met the warm around and overpowered it, spreading like a virus.

"You! What are you Warstars trying to do now?"

Frizei clapped his hands together when he saw Tempe and Gore push their way through the group of frightened people. "Captains orders. Eradicate the humans by any means. Ditto for nosy Power Rangers," he said. He shot laser beams at them. They rolled away in opposite directions.

"Not going to let that happen, Thriller-Chiller," Tempe declared and flipped out her Morph Card. "DynaMorpher. Yellow Ranger Power!" She slid her Card along her Morpher. A crackle of yellow energy enveloped her, forming her yellow and white power suit emblazoned with the Land symbol, her tiger helmet crested by the Scared Face and a blaster at her hip.

"Black Ranger Power!" Gore slid his Morph Card through his Morpher. A crackle of black energy enveloped him, forming his black and white power suit emblazoned with the Land symbol, his snake helmet crested by the Sacred Face and a blaster at his hip.

Dynamic Yellow jumped onto the crosswalk and engaged the enemy, keeping on the balls of her feet for speed. She jabbed and kicked at him, but he was pretty fast as well. He knocked her back.

Dynamic Black ran forward and jumped over her head in a flying kick. Frizei deflected it with a flick of his wrist. Steadying himself he attempted to help her up.

"Thanks, but I got this," she said and charged forward again. He was right behind her.

The other's arrived in the area. They found several people suffering from hypothermia. "Damn it's cold," Taylor said as he checked on one man.

"The insertion team is on their way. I don't think anyone is immediate danger until they arrive," Lark said as she checked the vitals of a small boy.

Sin found one man semi-conscious. He helped him to his feet and sent him on his way. "Then we'd better help," he said, gesturing up to where Black and Yellow engaged the Warstar.

Before they could attempt anything, Oozers seeped out of the ground to surround them.

"These first," Taylor said. They nodded and flipped out their Morph Cards. "DynaMorpher!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

Dynamic Rangers Red, Pink and Blue engaged the Oozers. "You guys doing all right up there?" Red asked the two Land Rangers.

"No problem. You guys just handle out little green friends," Yellow assured them.

Red didn't have that much choice as an Oozer hurled itself at his legs. He jumped, bouncing off that Oozer to kick another in that head that was sneaking up behind Pink.

"Pesky, pesky, Power Rangers," Frizei said with an annoyed tone to his breathy voice as he deflected a couple of their hits. He hit Yellow in chest and rolled her backwards.'

Black jumped over her and grabbed at him. They grappled for a moment.

Yellow regained her feet. "Let's give this a try," she said and pulled a card from her belt.

Black glanced out and quickly broke the Warstar's grip and rolled aside.

"Rock Crush!" She slid the card through her Morpher. A large chunk of earth glowed yellow and rose out of the ground. She jumped and kicked it. It flew toward Frizei.

He was not fazed. He deflected the rock and sent it back on her. It knocked her off the crosswalk. She fell to the street below, landing badly on her leg.

Frizei followed her down as she attempted to get to her feet.

"Tempe!" Red called but immediately had to duck when an Oozer attempted to take off his head.

The pain was nearly blinding and she couldn't get to her feet. She sat in the snow cradling her leg.

"Die!" Frizei said and strode toward her.

He seemed to have forgotten about Black. He jumped off the crosswalk, and swung his axe, shattering part of one the alien's crystalline wings. Screaming shrilly in pain, he stumbled away from them. "You'll regret that Rangers!" he shouted at them and disappeared in a wink of icy blue light.

The Oozers dissolved as well.

Black and the others rushed to check on Yellow and get her to the infirmary.

--/-\--

Tempest had her leg propped on a bed in the infirmary. She felt both mad and foolish. She went over every detail in her head wondering what she could have done differently.

Lark came in, for once without her tablet. "I've gone over the data from the battle. You did the best you could," she announced.

Tempest smiled, trying not to look too amused at the other girl's attempt at being friendly. "I guess so. Still, makes me wonder if Madame Big-Foot Grace Beauchamp could have done it better. You did choose her for the test, after all," she admitted dryly.

"Not a chance," Gore declared as he came in. "I helped Doc choose Grace and I'll own up to it. I was wrong. No one could do it better," he stated.

"Take it from me. You're spectacular if you've managed to illicit a compliment from this guy," Sin said.

Tempe grinned sheepishly and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Thanks. Maybe that alien will think twice before messing with the Dynamic Land Double Threat again," she said.

Gore nodded. "I imagine he will." he agreed.

Tempe stretched her leg experimentally. Pains till radiated up from her ankle, but not as much as there should be. "Hey, Doc. I want us to get physicals," she said.

Lark raised a brow but swiped a finger over her tablet. "I'll schedule it for next week," she said and tapped around. Tempe half wondered if she was doing it for show.

Ram and Taylor made their way into the Infirmary. "Crowded in here. People would think you were dying or something," Ram commented.

"Then why did you tag along?" Taylor questioned him.

Ram gave a nonchalant shrug. "Just makin' sure she ain't dying," he said with a grin.

"It is crowded in here and you're bothering the other patients," Medic Wilson, a tall lanky guy with ears sticking out of his red hair like umbrellas, told them. The other patients included a lab tech with bandaged hand and an archaeologist suffering from a head cold and currently snoring loud enough to be heard in Starkweather Valley.

Tempe waved them off. "Go, go. I'll be fine with some rest," she assured them.

After the reassurance, they filed out. Gore lingered a moment. "And as for Grace Beauchamp...she doesn't have the chance to see why you're wearing the suit like I do. Next time she makes noise; shut her up," he said. As head of Sky Base security, that suggestion carried some heavy weight.

Tempe smirked as she settled into her bed. She dozed off, dreaming of all the ways to make Grace Beauchamp shut her face.

--/-\--

Taylor dropped from the crossbeams beside Gore. "I'm growing on you. I knew I would," he declared with a grin.

"Like a fungus," Gore commented.

Tay grinned crookedly. "I'll take it," he said and slouched beside Gore as he walked along.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked.

"Nope," he said.

Gore cut his eyes at Taylor. "Do you need something to do?" he asked. Unlike the other four, Taylor didn't have an actual function at Sky Base. He was a pilot but there was surprisingly little flying for him to do at Sky Base. Cargo planes came and went without any need to permanently establish one.

"Do you want a security shift?"

"Would I get my own side-arm?"

"If you can pass the exam, demonstrating you can properly handle the weapon and understand it completely," he answered.

"Sign me up," Taylor said.

"A manual will be sent to your quarters. Read it. Know it front and back. I'll give you the exam personally in one week," he said and broke off from Taylor and went to his office.

Taylor grinned. It was progress. Personally, Taylor felt the Land powers of the Black suit suited Gore far more than the Sky powers of Red would have. Dude was too grounded and down to earth.

Whistling to himself, Taylor wondered what he could do now to appease his boredom while they waited for the alien to return. They always returned.

--/-\--

Devourer

Sylon frowned at the damage that had been done to Frizei. "Are you still able to generate cold?" he asked and prodded at the injury.

Frizei whimpered. "Yes, but--"

"No buts. You're such a weak and pathetic thing. The only thing you have going for you is your freezing abilities," Sylon declared, disgusted.

They were in the medical bay of the ship. It had been empty. There was not anything resembling a doctor within the ranks of the Warstars. They didn't care enough about each to bother saving anyone's life. Sylon had taken it over as his lab.

He ignored Frizei's whimpering over his hurt feelings. He filled a syringe with a halogen blue liquid. "This will numb the pain and allow you to get back to work," he said. If Frizei had been a smarter being, he would have terrified by the manic glint in Sylon's eyes.

Sylon slipped the needle between the plates covering Frizei's neck and depressed the plunger. The alien squealed and fainted. He slid to the floor. Sylon scoffed as he disposed of the syringe.

He waited for his concoction to kick in.

Frizei sprang to his feet. "Ohh! I feel great," he breathed and did a couple of dance steps and spun in a circle before striking a pose.

"Then do what you were meant to be doing," Sylon said.

Frizei shuffled and danced out of the medical bay. Sylon covered his face with his hand. A headache was building behind his eyes.

--/-\--

Frizei scouted a likely location to launch his next attack. It was at an overlook at one of the outlying parks of the city. He could see the city but he was fairly removed from it. It was perfect. "From here I will freeze the Earth," he declared.

His wings began to vibrate and glow. He produced cold winds and snow and began to cover the city at a pace that outstripped his previous attempt.

--/-\--

Tempest was awakened from her recuperative sleep by the Alarm System sounding. She looked around and got to her feet before she remembered her ankle was hurt. She should have gone down in a ball of agony; instead she just felt an uncomfortable twinge. Oh yes, she would definitely be interested in the results of their physicals.

She drew on her shoes and hoofed it toward the Lab. She ignored Wilson's calls after her that she shouldn't be leaving.

No one was in the Lab except a couple of tech's whose names she didn't know. She knew that the others were on their way, but she didn't wait. Again she ignored the protests of others and teleported. They'd be right behind her. Sky Base was huge but the Infirmary was in the same wing as the Lab.

She appeared in a bright flash of yellow. She was in a veritable blizzard. She Cali girl and had only ever seen snow on TV. It disoriented her at her first. She saw the alien dancing around and she could have sworn she saw him doing the moonwalk.

Still limping slightly she approached him. "Hey! Thriller-Chiller. Me and you, we got something to finish," she called to him.

He spotted her and started. "You? You came here alone?" he asked, seeming surprised. He thought Rangers traveled in packs. This would easier than he ever thought. "That's hilarious!" He blasted her with a concentration of snow and went.

It crashed into her and sent her flying. She rolled in the snow. She was a little winded but otherwise unharmed. "I'll show you hilarious," she said as she got to her feet. She flipped out her Morph Card. "DynaMorpher! Yellow Ranger Power!"

Frizei began throwing energy blasts her way but it was too late. Dynamic Ranger Yellow rushed toward him. She faked him out. Instead of an actual head-on attack, she hit the ground short of him and rolled under his feet. She grabbed a card from her belt and came up sliding it through her Morpher. "Land Claw!"

They traded blows back and forth but Yellow could feel herself tiring. The strain on her leg was making it hurt again. At one point Frizei knocked her aside. She landed, putting too much weight on her leg. Pain shot through it. It slowed her just enough to give him the advantage. He threw energy blasts at her again, this time hitting her dead on. She crashed backwards.

Frizei stomped on her chest for good measure. "Now we'll finish it," he assured her. Standing over her, he prepared to finish her off.

He was so focused on her; he didn't know that the other Rangers had arrived. Red and Black jumped forward and hit him dead center with the Land Axe and Sky Sword. He stumbled back as the others surrounded her.

"Hey, you ok?" Red asked her and tried to help her to her feet.

"I'm good. I'm good. This is getting personal though," she said as she regain her feet and tried to push forward. "I'm gonna end him once and for all," she growled.

Black put a hand on her shoulder. "Wait. Just calm down. There are five of us, one of him. We'll do it together," he said.

"Plus he seems kinda juiced up," Blue said watching the alien dance around.

"One of you or five of you. It's all the same to me," he declared and did a spin and posed, throwing a gust of snowy wind at them.

Red countered readily, throwing a whirlwind of his own. The two powers collided midair and spun together wildly, vibrating the air around them before dissipating in a small windy explosion.

"Didn't expect that, did ya?" he asked.

"Let's get him," Black suggested. He raised his Land Axe and charged forward. Blue with his Sea Sniper, Pink with her Sky Shooter and Red with his Sky Sword charged forward.

"Aw, you guys," Yellow said before charging in with her Land Claw.

Frizei met them all, deflecting one and then another, feeling no pain or fear. Whatever Sylon had injected him with made him invincible it seemed from his point of view. He swirled on Yellow, knowing she was already injured and knocked her back a ways, then hit Black low, knocking him aside.

"Damn ugly thing. Any ideas?" he barked in Red's general direction.

Red nodded. He jumped up and straight toward Frizei. "Dragon Slash!" He slashed alien with a streak of red energy.

"Shark Snipe!" Blue stood back and fired several times at the alien. Each blast hit with precision as once expected from a professional such as Sinclair Monning.

"Nice assist," Black commented. Blue tipped his head. "Lark, count to three and fire," he instructed. He ran forward. Blue ducked in front of Pink to guard her as she took aim.

She trusted him to know what he was doing so she took careful aim. "Phoenix Shot!" Black slid along the ground as she fired a blast of pink energy at Frizei and striking him.

"Snake Bite!" Black whirled to his feet and hacked at the remainder of his broken wing. It exploded and broke off. He didn't even seem to feel it. He whipped around, grabbed Black and struck him several times, eventually knocking him aside.

"Gore!" Yellow started toward him but he was already back on his feet, crouching and rubbing his chest. "You all right, partner?" she asked him.

"I'm good. Get ready for the knock out," he said and regained his feet. He pulled a Card from his belt. "I'll distract him," he stated.

Grinning beneath her helmet she nodded. She ran toward Frizei.

"Rock Crush Explosion!" He swiped the car through his Morpher. All round her, and in front of her, black energy hefted earthen rocks and exploded them, obscuring her approach and confusing the alien. Unlike the earlier attack, none of the rock was being directed at him.

He didn't see her until it was too late. As one rock exploded directly in front of him, she jumped through the debris. "Tiger Shock!" She slashed him with her claw several time, spinning around his body. She got clear and turned her back on him as the yellow electric crackles she left behind exploded, sending him flying and frying.

The others rushed toward her.

"Impressive. Told you. You were where you meant to be," Red told him.

"I guess I have to agree," Black admitted with a nod to Red. "I think he's right. You weren't the only one where you were meant to be. We both were," he stated.

She smiled and nodded her acknowledgement of his words. So did Red. They both knew how hard that had to have been for him.

Frizei regained his feet. "You'll all pay for that," he said, his voice becoming shrill with his pique.

"Let's get him. Together," Yellow suggested.

"Yes, let's," Red agreed. The five of them combined their weapons.

"Dynamic Cannon!" They pulled cards from their belts.

"The Shining Power of the Sky!" Pink and Red put the cards into the Cannon.

"The Raging Power of the Land!" Black and Yellow their cards into the Cannon.

"The Serene Power of the Sea!" Blue put his card into the Cannon.

The Cannon charged.

"Take this!" Frizei fired laser blasts at them.

It was too late. "Dynamic Cannon Fire!" The Cannon fired a powerful blast of golden light and electricity that tore through his attacks and into him. He flew into the sky from the force of it and exploded. They turned away from the sight, Red still holding the Cannon.

--/-\--

Devourer

Sylon sighed. The formula needed more work it seemed.

Drage rounded on him. "Sylon!"

"Firing Ooze," he said in an almost bored tone.

Kragar watched him with distrust. "What is anyway?" he demanded gruffly.

"A special blend of all the poisons and diseases extracted from every life form on this miserable, disgusting planet. But you can just put it all in a pot and boil it. And I'll tell you the recipe," he said, giving the commander a sidelong glance.

Kragar made a sound and stalked off. Sylon smirked at his back.

--/-\--

Ooze exploded over the area where Frizei bit the dust. It reintegrated him, including his broken wing, and expanded his mass. "Oh! Ah! Now I'll definitely this planet. Starting with you!" he said at the Rangers on the ground. His wings glowed and vibrated and he began to release icy wind and snow.

"Let's show this guy how much size matters," Red suggested and flipped out a Card. The others took the Cards from their belts.

"Dragon DynaZord!" He slid the Card through his Morpher.

"Phoenix DynaZord!" Pink slid the card through her Morpher.

"Snake DynaZord!" Black slid his Card through his Morpher.

"Tiger DynaZord!" Yellow slid her Card though her Morpher.

"Shark DynaZord!" Blue slid his Card though his Morpher.

The Zords appeared and teleported their pilots aboard. "No messing around," Red said and retrieved a different Card and slid it through the reader on his Zord's console.

No one argued and did the same thing. "Dynamic Megazord!"

The Zords combined to form the Dynamic Megazord with wings and a dragon's tail for a sword. They appeared in the combined cockpit. The Megazord walked forward to meet Frizei.

"Big or small, I'll win it all," Frizei declared and blasted snow and ice at them. It distracted them long enough for him to come in close and land a few blows.

In the rocking cockpit, Black glanced at Yellow. "Let's show him some fancy footwork," he suggested.

"Most def," she agreed.

The Megazord jumped and hovered in air while it bicycle-kicked the giant alien concentrating on the shoulder orifices that control his wintry blasts. They landed as he stumbled back, gripping at a shoulder.

"The snow's stopped," Pink observed.

"Way to go," Blue told them.

"Oh, that ain't all we got," Yellow declared. "Land Head-Butt!"

Both feet kicked forward and as each did, the Snake Zord and Tiger Zord's heads flew off and slammed into Frizei, flying around and biting him. He danced around trying to shake them off and avoid them. Tiger Zord gripped a leg while Snake Zord grabbed another ankle and pulled him off balance. He fell backwards as the two Zords reconnected with the Megazord.

Red snickered. "Awesome sauce. Ok, enough fun. Let's end it," he said and pulled out the finisher Card. The other's pulled out the same Card. The Megazord drew the Dragon Sword as they slid the Cards through the readers.

The Dragon Sword caught flame. "Dynamic Astral Strike!" The Megazord zoomed forward and slashed through the alien.

Frizei sparked, did one final spin and pose before exploding. "Ooooooooohhhhhh!"

The Megazord turned its back.

Yellow slapped her hands against her console and got to her. "We got him!" she celebrated and did her own spin and pose.

"We sure did," Black agreed with a grin behind his helmet.

--/-\--

Tempest suppressed a grimace as she saw Grace Beauchamp heading toward her. She paused and waited. Grace approached her with a mulish expression. Tempe held up a hand. "Girlfriend, listen. I spent most of yesterday fighting an alien freak and kicking his Thriller-Chiller hind-end. I risked everything, life and limb and in the end, I beat him. I'm through trying to prove myself to you and I'm through playing it off.

"I have the Yellow DynaMorpher. I am the Dynamic Yellow Ranger. If you don't like it, tough. Get used to it. Or better yet, get over it and come with me. I'm having a spa day down in the city and I could use the company. Doc looked all kinds of crazy at me when I tried to get her to come. You look like you could use some pampering. And a good weave," she said. She hooked her arm through the other woman's and pulled her along as if she weren't a head taller and twice as wide. "I see you with something red. Sleek and edgy, like Rihanna in her Rated R days" she declared as she dragged the completely flabbergasted and aghast Grace Beauchamp along the halls of the Citadel to the main teleport hub in the courtyard.

Ram watched them pass with his jaw hanging to his knees. "Did I just see that?"

"Kill 'em with kindness," Sin declared with a chuckle.

Gore grinned. "I suggested she shut her up. I guess she succeeded. Grace looked terrified," he said. The three men dissolved in a fit of laughter.

Higher up, Taylor watched. He smiled faintly. He was proud of Tempest. She did the right thing. He dropped to the ground behind the trio making Ram jump. "Stop doing that," he said.

"Make me," Taylor said. He looked at Gore. "Let's go take that test, boss," he said.

"You still have a week," he said.

"Don't need it. Let's go."

Gore tried not to sigh. “This way," he said. He supposed one day he was going to have to quit underestimating Taylor Hicks.

--/End 04\--           

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