Power Rangers Summer Bay Series One

[Red Ranger 1]

I've divided this insanely long saga into six uneven series, a coda and a badly neglected sequel series. And I'll keep posting them until someone shouts "Please, God, make it stop!"So let the insanity commence...

Story Title: Power Rangers Summer Bay Series One

Type of story: Short saga

Main Characters: Shannon, Curtis, Sally, Chloe, Selina, Liam plus new characters Michael and Nicola. Others in supporting roles.

BTTB rating: G/T

Genre: Sci-fi for kids!If you want them to group up seriously disturbed.

Does story include spoilers: Only if you last watched Home and Away when Sinatra was alive.

Any warnings: Violence: Mild to Moderate(includes Death).Sexual Content: None.Language: None.

Summary: Earth is being invaded and for some reason they're starting with Summer Bay.The only thing standing in their path is a group of local teens with handily colour co-ordinated outfits.

You remember Michael.The incongruously English member of the caravan park crowd, solid, dependable, reliable, with a nice line in cliched homilies, dating Sally and working at the kiosk...Oh boy. And Nicola, his old friend from England who lived with the Stewarts, worked at the Diner and never really did anything.(Pray to God she never reads this...)

In my defence, including myself in this saga wasn't purely an act of narcissism-there genuinely weren't that many other candidates.For the girls in that age group you had Shannon, Selina, Sally and Chloe. For the boys you had Curtis...and that's it.Jack had gone, Jesse was noticeably older, Joey and Liam were notably younger.I was really the only candidate.

Making myself the leader, on the other hand, is a bit harder to defend...

EPISODE ONE: “Canned Rangers”

Curtis and Chloe went into the surf club.Michael was standing behind the counter looking bored.“What’s up?”Curtis asked.

“Nothing,”Michael replied,“Nothing ever happens here.”

“Well, not quite nothing.”Chloe wracked her brains.“I mean, we’ve had fire and flood.”

“Yeah, but nothing interesting.Anyway, Sally and Shannon’ll be here to relieve me soon.”

Selina and Joey finished a game of pool and came over to join the others.“Any of you guys want a game?” Joey asked,“Selina’s got tired of losing.”

“Oh, that’s bull!”Selina retorted,“I beat you three times and you beat me once.”

Nicola listened to the conversation for a moment before turning to the can machine.

High above Earth, in a fortress located on the moon, Lord Zedd observed the can machine on his scanner. “The instrument of my conquest,”he sneered,“Galdarr, send an army of putties down there-while I do this!”

He raised his staff and fired a charge of energy towards Earth.

Nicola watched in astonishment.“Er, Michael.The can machine’s just vanished.”

Michael looked perplexed.“Well we’ve never had that happen before.”

The can machine reappeared a short distance away.Only now it had legs.And arms.And a face that wore a cruel expression.“I hear you, Lord Zedd!”it pronounced,“I will conquer Earth for you!”

Around it appeared humanoid grey-skinned creatures.The letter Z was emblazoned on their chest.They were putties.

Some way away was the hi-tech miracle that was the Command Centre.In the control room concealed inside the imposing building, the face of Zordon was visible in a large tube.“Zedd is attacking Summer Bay.It is time to activate the Power Rangers.”

His robot assistant, the short, dome-headed Alpha 5, nodded.“Right, Zordon.I’ll begin scanning Summer Bay for suitable candidates.”

Sally and Shannon arrived at the surf club.While Shannon set things up at the kiosk, Sally went over to Michael and gave him a peck on the lips.“What’s going on?Anything good?”

“Only that Nicola thought the can machine vanished.”

Nicola glared at him.“Fine.Ignore me.Come on, Selina.”The two girls left.

Over at the pool table, Joey potted the last ball and looked up at Curtis.“I’d like to keep on thrashing you but I have to meet Casey and the others.”He shook hands with the older boy before following Selina and Nicola out.

Chloe draped her arms around Curtis.“Never mind.You can always beat me.”

Shannon turned to Michael.“So where did the can machine go?”

Alpha looked up from his panel.“I’ve found five suitable candidates, Zordon.”

“Excellent, Alpha,”replied Zordon,“Transport them to the Command Centre immediately.”

It was a good job there was no-one else in the surf club.In ascending flashes of red, black, pink, yellow and blue, Michael, Shannon, Sally, Chloe and Curtis vanished.

The five teenagers reappeared in the Command Centre.Michael took in the futuristic controls, the oddly-shaped robot and the floating head above them.“Where are we?”

“Welcome to the Command Centre,”came the reply,“I am Zordon.Please observe the screen behind you.” As the friends turned to look, a series of images flashed up.The first displayed a sinister-looking individual with a skull-like face and horns.“Behold Lord Zedd.”The next image was a figure in golden armour with a blue, simian-like face.“His henchman Galdarr.”Two other blue-skinned creatures, one short and fat, the other taller and skinnier.“Squatt and Baboo.”More images appeared.“The putties.And Lord Zedd’s latest creation-Freeze Dried.”

“The can machine from the surf club!”Shannon cried,“Nicola was right!”

“But why have you brought us here?”asked Curtis.

“From time to time,”Zordon answered,“it is necessary for five individuals to take on the mantle of the Power Rangers and command the Dinozords.You have been chosen.Michael, you shall be the Red Ranger and command the Tyrannosaurus Dinozord.Shannon, you will be the Black Ranger and command the Mastodon Dinozord.Sally, as Pink Ranger, you will pilot the Pterodactyl Dinozord.Yellow Ranger Chloe, you will have the Sabre Tooth Tiger Dinozord.And Curtis the Blue Ranger, you will command the Triceratops Dinozord.”

Alpha came forward with what looked like watches and buckles.“These are your communicators and morphers.Use them to summon your powers.”

“Anything else?”asked Chloe.

“Yes,”replied Zordon,“If necessary, the Dinozords can join to form the Megazord.Good luck.”

Michael decided to take the lead.“It’s morphing time!”

“Mastodon!”cried Shannon.

“Pterodactyl!”shouted Sally.

“Triceratops!”summoned Curtis.

“Sabre Tooth Tiger!”ordered Chloe.

“Tyrannosaur!”snapped Michael.

The Power Rangers materialised on a grassy plain.Galdarr and the putties turned to face them.“The Power Rangers!”cried Galdarr.

“That’s right,”replied Sally,“and we’re going to take you apart.”

The putties advanced.The Power Rangers fought them, their fighting skills enhanced by the morph. Michael drew his own special weapon, the Power Sword, and took on Galdarr, miraculously managing to hold his own against him.

Curtis lashed out at the Z on a putty’s chest-and the monster blew apart.“Aim for the Z!”he shouted.

Shannon did as he advised, with similar effect.“I see what you mean.”

The other Power Rangers joined in and soon the putties were a heap of disassembled body parts.Galdarr charged at Michael angrily but his clumsy attack was knocked aside.“I’ll get you, Power Rangers!”he snarled before vanishing.

Michael turned to the other Power Rangers.“Now for Freeze Dried.”

Nicola and Selina came to a clearing in the woods.In the middle of the clearing stood Freeze Dried.“Who are you?”asked Selina.

“I am Freeze Dried!”came the answer,“I serve Lord Zedd, Master of all Evil!Earth is ours!”Two cans fired from the slot on his chest, knocking the girls over.

“Leave them alone, Freeze Dried!”cried Michael, as he and the other Power Rangers ran up.

“Power Rangers,”sneered Freeze Dried,“I hope you will be a worthy adversary.”

He fired more cans, knocking Michael and Chloe to the ground.Shannon drew her pistol and fired several shots that had little effect.

“Close quarters stuff!”she ordered.She, Sally and Curtis dived at Freeze Dried but he easily blocked their clumsy blows, sending all of them flying.

Michael struggled to his feet.“All right, Chloe.Let’s give him a taste of cold steel.”

Drawing their Power Sword and Power Daggers, they leapt at the monster.Their blades penetrated him and he screamed in agony.Michael kicked him away.

Zedd and Galdarr watched from their fortress.Things were not going according to plan.“These new Power Rangers are good,”Zedd observed,“But they will learn that we are better.”

Galdarr nodded.“Perhaps you should make your monster grow.”

“An excellent suggestion.”Zedd raised his staff and sent a bolt flying towards Earth.

Absorbing the energy from the bolt, Freeze Dried grew in size, towering over everyone.“Ah!”he cried, “Now to destroy Summer Bay!”

“Not if we can help it,”Sally retorted.

The Power Raised raised their arms and spoke in unison.“We need Dinozord power-now!”

The five robotic Dinozords came thundering towards them.The Power Rangers leapt aboard, their morphs somehow giving them the knowledge to operate the robots.Michael settled in the Tyrannosaurus Dinozord and spoke to the others over the intercom.“Everyone ready?”

“Shannon here,”came the answer,“All systems go.”

“Curtis here.Ready to roll.”

“Everything on line,”reported Sally.

“Let’s tear them apart,”added Chloe.

“Power up your crystals,”Michael ordered.

The Rangers placed the crystals in the slots which triggered the conversion programme.“Megazord sequence initiated,”intoned a computer voice.The Dinozords transformed, slotted together and combined to form the giant robot.“Megazord activated.”

“You really think you can defeat me?”cried Freeze Dried,“I am invincible!”He fired a can at the Megazord.

The Megazord caught the missile and hurled it aside.“Power sword!”commanded Michael.The Megazord raised a giant Power Sabre and fired a blast, destroying Freeze Dried.

Nicola and Selina were recovering when the Rangers approached.“You two all right?”asked Curtis.

“You came back for us?”asked Nicola.

“Well, of course.”Michael gestured for the Rangers to remove their helmets.

Selina gave a squeal of delight at the faces revealed.“Michael!Shannon!Curtis!Sally!Chloe!You’re the Power Rangers!You guys were cool!”

Zedd clenched his fist in anger.“The Power Rangers may have foiled me this time.But I’ll be back.”

Much later, Michael, Sally, Shannon, Chloe and Curtis were in the Command Centre.“Congratulations on the success of your first mission,”offered Zordon,“But Zedd will try again.”

“We’ll be ready for him,”promised Chloe.

“I know you will.And while both Nicola and Selina are trustworthy, I would advise you to tell no-one else of your identities.”

“It’s a deal.”Michael signalled for the others to join him.They placed their hands one on top of the other.

“Power Rangers!”

Next episode:

More rubbish monsters!

More characters you can't remember!

More half-hearted teen schmaltz!

And Squatt and Baboo actually get some dialogue.

[Red Ranger 1]

Saucer shaped!I should have described Alpha's head as saucer-shaped!Yeah, like I know what shapes are...One thing you'll probably notice very quickly about this series is that I really couldn't deal with the ever-changing Bay relationships so I just used whatever couples were on screen at the moment and included half a line establishing they'd changed since last time.Case in point coming up.

EPISODE TWO: “The Fatal Feline”

Curtis and Casey shook hands over the pool table.“You played well,”Curtis observed.

“Yeah-shame you played even better,”Casey answered wryly.She took his hand.“Let’s go down the beach.”

Chloe and Stephanie watched them leave from over by the bar.“They seem to be getting on well,” Stephanie noted.

“Yeah,”Chloe replied sullenly.

“Hey, Chloe!”Stephanie exclaimed,“You wouldn’t be jealous, would you?”

“No,”Chloe replied quickly,“Things are over between Curtis and me.It’s just a shame that he’s got someone to move on with and I haven’t.”

Zedd watched events from his fortress out in space.“Gah!”he cried,“There is too much happiness in Summer Bay.”

“Perhaps we should send another monster to attack them,”Galdarr suggested.

Zedd turned on him angrily.“Of course we should!But what?”

Curtis and Casey were wandering along the beach.“Look-a kitten!”cried Casey.

Curtis joined her in kneeling by the said animal.“But what’s it doing here?Must have been abandoned.”

Casey looked at it in sympathy.“Poor thing.”

Zedd observed events with his magna-vision.“Ah-excellent,”he sneered,“Curtis and his friend have discovered a poor lost kitten.”

“Oh, poor thing!”exclaimed Baboo.

“Yeah,”agreed Squatt,“Having no home.”

“Don’t be so stupid!”Zedd cried,“This is our perfect opportunity.All we need now is a diversion.And I know just the thing.”

Sally was walking along another part of the beach, with Selina and Nicola.A group of putties materialised in front of them.“Oh no,”Selina moaned,“I hate it when this happens.”

Nicola gave Sally a sideways glance.“Isn’t there something you can do?”

“Just stay back.”Sally spoke into her communicator.“Zordon, the putties.I need help.”

Another group of putties appeared in front of Curtis and Casey.The stood up-and a blast from the sky hit the cat, turning it into a humanoid feline.

“I am Kit Kat,”the creature announced.Curtis and Casey were grabbed by putties.“And you are prisoners.”

Michael sauntered into the surf club and joined Shannon and Chloe at the kiosk.“And how are you two lovely girls today?”

“I’ll tell Sal you said that,”Shannon threatened.

Their communicators sounded and they retreated into a discreet corner to answer them.“Michael here.”

“Sally, Selina and Nicola are being attacked,”came Zordon’s voice,“Teleport to the beach.”

Flashes of red, black and yellow signalled their departure.

Michael, Shannon and Chloe appeared alongside Sally on the beach.“Glad you could make it,”she commented.

The four Power Rangers had been undergoing training since they first met Zordon and even without morphing they were more than a match for the putties.With a combination of punches and kicks, they reduced them to a broken pile on the ground.

Selina and Nicola, who had watched the brief battle from a distance, ventured over.“What was all that about?”Selina asked.

Before anyone could respond, they heard the communicator signal.“Maybe here’s our answer,”Michael replied.He spoke into the wrist device.“Michael here.”

“Summer Bay is under attack again,”Zordon informed them,“Teleport to the Command Centre.”

Michael, Shannon, Sally and Chloe activated their transporters and teleported away.

Curtis and Casey sat in a cave, trapped by a circle of energy beams.“What’s going on?”Casey asked.

“I think it’s something to do with Lord Zedd,”Curtis answered,“Don’t worry-the Power Rangers will get us out.”

“I’m not worried,”Casey replied,“Not while you’re here.”She kissed him tenderly.

Michael, Shannon, Sally and Chloe stood before Zordon.Alpha was operating the scanner.“Ay ay ay!”he cried,“I’ve found our attacker!”

The Power Rangers turned to face the image on the viewing globe.“What is that?”Chloe asked.

“That is Zedd’s latest monster-Kit Kat,”came Zordon’s dead pan response,“But another matter presses.” The image changed to Curtis and Casey huddled up in the cave.“Curtis and Casey are prisoners of Lord Zedd.”

Michael turned to the others.“You head off to stop Kit Kat.I’ll rescue Curtis and Casey and join you as soon as I can.It’s morphin’ time!”

“Mastodon!”cried Shannon.

“Pterodactyl!”shouted Sally.

“Sabre tooth tiger!”order Chloe.

“Tyrannosaur!”snapped Michael.

Shannon, Sally and Chloe appeared in front of Kit Kat on the beach.“Give it up, Kit Kat,”snapped Shannon,“You’re finished!”

“Oh really?”purred Kit Kat,“We’ll see about that.”She extended her claws and dived at Shannon, ripping into her flesh.

Chloe drew her Power Daggers and knocked Kit Kat flying.“You’ll have to do better than that, you overgrown moggie!”

Kit Kat bared her teeth in a smile.“And I will.”

As Michael approached the cave where his friends were being held, Galdarr stepped out of the shadows. “I’ve been waiting for you, Red Ranger.”

“And I’ve been expecting you.”Michael drew his Power Sword.“Ready for a rematch?”

The two tore into each other.Galdarr had the superior strength but Michael was faster and more agile. Eventually, Michael’s sword struck a blow that sent Galdarr flying.As he charged in for the kill, Galdarr vanished.

“I’ll deal with you next time,”Michael vowed.

Curtis and Casey jumped to their feet as their rescuer bounded into view.“The Red Ranger!”cried Casey.

“I can only get you out one at a time.”Michael directed his morpher at the force field, using the power coin contained within to create a hole in it, and Casey came through.“Zordon, get Casey home,”he instructed over the comline.

“I’d rather stay here and help you,”Casey protested.

“Do as he says, Casey,”Curtis advised,“I won’t be long.”

Casey vanished in a white flash.Michael turned to Curtis.“You want a written invitation?”

Curtis grinned.“It’s morphin’ time!Triceratops!”Once morphed, he used his own power coin to shut down the field.

Michael smiled.“Let’s go.”

Shannon, Sally and Chloe were still hacking away at Kit Kat.Michael and Curtis charged in, delivering a double dropkick.“You seem to have a habit of arriving in the nick of time,”noted Shannon.

“I’ll try and arrive earlier next time,”Michael assured her, before giving the order for them to activate their special weapons,“Now-let’s bring them together!”

“Power axe!”cried Shannon.

“Power bow!”shouted Sally.

“Power lance!”announced Curtis.

“Power daggers!”added Chloe.

“Power sword!”finished Michael.He added his weapon to the others and together they combined to form the Power Blaster.The Rangers levelled it at Kit Kat.

“Power Rangers!”

Kit Kat was vapourised by the blast, leaving only the kitten it had been created from.The Power Rangers crowded around the animal.“What do we do with it?”asked Sally,“It wasn’t the kitten’s fault Zedd used it.”

“Give it here.”Curtis picked the kitten up.“I know someone who’ll take care of it.”

Zedd clenched his fist in frustration.“A shame.Never mind.My next plan will deal with those Power Rangers once and for all.”

Curtis tapped Casey on the shoulder just as she played her shot.She turned round.“You rat!I’d nearly won!”

Curtis produced the kitten.“Sorry but someone was just itching to say hello.”

Casey hugged him.“Oh, thank you!”

Stephanie put down her cue and slipped away to join Chloe.“Still sure you’re not jealous?”

“Curtis wasn’t right for me,”Chloe replied.She looked over to where Michael was kissing Sally.“I wonder if they’re right for each other.”

“I think so,”Shannon answered, placing a tray of cans on the counter beside them.She raised her voice. “All right, everyone.Since the Power Rangers saved Summer Bay…”

“Again!”called out Michael.

Shannon gave him a curt smile.“…again, the council have ordered a celebration.So next drinks are on the house!”

Everyone crowded round the kiosk.Sally looked at Michael worriedly.“I just hope we can keep it up-because if Zedd ever beats us, I don’t know what’ll happen.”

Next episode:

A new Ranger!

A new zord!

A new story!

Except maybe that last one...

[Red Ranger 1]

EPISODE THREE: “Green Arrival”

Michael, Sally and Shannon walked down the steps from their house, passing Liam going in the other direction.He looked as though he’d just come from the beach“Hi, guys,”he greeted them,“I’m just going to get changed.See you down the surf club later?”

“Sure,”Michael agreed,“We’ll be there for hours as yet.”

Zedd paced back and forth along his gantry.“Every scheme I attempt is thwarted by the Power Rangers!”he complained,“What I need is something so powerful they could never stop it.”

“If only there was a way to turn the Rangers’ powers against them,”Galdarr moaned.

“Excellent idea!”cried Zedd,“The Conductorode!The more power the Rangers use against it, the more powerful it gets-a ha ha ha!”

Curtis and Chloe were sitting in the Diner.“Look,”Curtis was saying,“just because we’re not going out anymore doesn’t mean we can’t go out anymore!I mean, if just for the team, we need to get along.”

Chloe sighed.“Look, okay, I understand what you’re saying.It’s just that…”

She was interrupted by the sound of the communicator.Zordon’s voice came through.“Curtis, Chloe-teleport to the Command Centre immediately.There is trouble brewing.”

Michael, Sally and Shannon came into the surf club.Selina was manning the kiosk.“Oh, there you are! Curtis had to go off somewhere so he left me here.”

“And I’m sure you did a great job,”replied Sally placatingly.

“Er, guys,”Shannon hissed,“I hate to point this out…”

Michael and Sally looked round.A group of putties had appeared on the other side of the room.“Selina, get everyone out of here!”Michael snapped.

Selina nodded.“Okay.Good luck, guys.”

Michael waited until he and his friends were alone then gave the order.“It’s morphin’ time!”

“Mastodon!”cried Shannon.

“Pterodactyl!”shouted Sally.

“Tyrannosaur!”snapped Michael.

However before they could strike a blow the putties stepped aside to reveal the Conductorode, a grey creature with a cylindrical body and what looked like an antenna jutting out of the top of his head.“Just a little masquerade, Rangers,”he explained.

“Okay,”Michael snapped,“Let’s see how you cope with Ranger power!”

The three Rangers dived to the attack-and bolts shot from the Conductorode, transfixing them in place as he began to drain their energy.

Curtis and Chloe watched on the screen in the Command Centre as their fellows fought the Conductorode. “Ay ay ay ay ay!”cried Alpha,“The Red, Black and Pink Rangers are being attacked!”

“The Conductorode is a very dangerous adversary,”warned Zordon,“The more power you use on it, the more power it gets.”

“We’ve got to try though!”cried Curtis.

“I know.But be careful.”

“We will.”Chloe stepped forward.“It’s morphin’ time!”

“Triceratops!”cried Curtis.

“Sabre tooth tiger!”shouted Chloe.

The Yellow and Blue Rangers materialised in between the Conductorode and their friends, cutting off ther beams.“You guys all right?”asked Curtis.

Shannon nodded weakly.“Seem to be.”

“It feeds off our power,”Chloe explained,“It was using your own strength against you.”

“Right!”cried Conductorode,“You cannot stop me!”

Zedd looked down at Earth.“Excellent.The Rangers will be unable to stop Conductorode-he will just get more powerful!”

“What do we do now then?”asked Galdarr.

“We make my monster grow!”Zedd raised his staff and fired a bolt towards Earth.

The Power Rangers dashed outside.Conductorode was towering over them.“I think it’s time to cut him down to size,”Sally observed.

“Right!”Michael agreed,“We need Dinozord power now!”

The Dinozords came bounding towards them and the Rangers took their places at the controls.“Everyone ready?”asked Michael.

“Shannon here.All systems go.”

“Curtis here.Ready to roll.”

“Everything on line,”added Sally.

“Let’s tear them apart,”Chloe vowed.

“Power up your crystals!”Michael ordered.

The Rangers activated the conversion sequence.“Megazord sequence initialised,”came the computer voice.The Dinozords joined together.“Megazord activated.”

The Megazord drew its Power Sabre and fired a blast at the Conductorode.The monster absorbed the energy, actually seeming to grow in size, and then fired a blast of equal force.The Megazord shook under the onslaught.

“Alpha, get us out of here!”Michael shouted.The Megazord faded away, teleporting back to the holding bay in the Command Centre.

Selina, Nicola and Joey watched the Megazord’s disappearance in horror.“The Rangers have given up!” Joey cried.

“They can’t have!”Selina gasped,“They wouldn’t leave us!”

“Unless things were pretty bad,”Nicola murmured.

The Rangers materialised in the Command Centre control room.As usual when they had to return there, they remained in their Ranger outfits but had removed their helmets.“It was hopeless, Zordon!”Sally cried, “The more we tried to destroy that thing the slimmer our chances were!”

“If only we had something powerful enough to destroy Conductorode before he could absorb its power,” Curtis mused.

“There is something else we can try,”Zordon announced,“The Green Ranger.”

“The Green Ranger?”repeated Shannon.

“Yes, Black Ranger,”Alpha replied,“We have enough power to create a sixth Ranger.”

“First,”Zordon observed,“I must select who it will be.”

Liam walked into the surf club and looked around at the mess from the Rangers’ battle with Conductorode. “Zedd,”he murmured-just before a bolt of green light caused him to vanish.

Liam reappeared in the Command Centre.“Michael, Shannon, Curtis!”he exclaimed,“What are you doing here?Where am I?”

“You’re in the Command Centre, Liam,”Michael answered,“May I present Zordon and Alpha?”

Liam stared at their costumes.“You guys are the Power Rangers?”

“That’s right,”Sally confirmed,“Care to join?”

“We need you to battle the Conductorode while our Megazord recharges,”Shannon added.

Liam looked from one to the other.“Is this for real?”

“Yes,”Zordon answered,“Arise, Green Ranger.”

A morpher appeared in Liam’s hand.Instinctively he knew what to do.“It’s morphin’ time!Dragonzord!”

As the Conductorode stormed through Summer Bay, Liam watched from a glade nearby.“Let’s see if this works.”He took out a dagger and pressed a button on the hilt.It emitted an ultrasonic tone, like a musical key.

The other Power Rangers watched as a dragon-shaped robot with a spiky tail and missiles in its fingers appeared on the viewing globe, emerging from the sea.“What is that?”asked Chloe.

“That is the Dragonzord,”replied Zordon,“It is controlled by the Green Ranger with his dagger.”

“All right!”cried Curtis,“Go get ’em, Liam!”

Liam leapt into the Dragonzord and sent its tail slamming into the Conductorode.“Foolish, Power Ranger!” cried Conductorode,“You are no match for me!”

His bolts struck the Dragonzord, syphoning its energy.

Zedd laughed cruelly as he watched the Dragonzord’s plight.“Fools!”he roared,“Whether there are five, six or sixty Power Rangers, my monster can drain off their power!”

Michael turned anxiously from the viewing globe.“Alpha, what’s the status of the Megazord?”

Alpha looked at the power bank readout.“It’s still only on 50% power!”

“We can’t wait any longer!”Sally cried,“Liam can’t do it all on his own!”

“She’s right!”agreed Chloe,“It’s all or nothing!”

“Very well, Power Ranger,”Zordon agreed,“Good luck!”

Michael took charge once more, giving the order for the Rangers to teleport back to the field.“Back to action.”

The Megazord appeared alongside the Dragonzord and swung a punch at Conductorode.Instantly its power began to drain away as well.

“You fools!”Conductorode cried,“I’m unstoppable!”

“Michael!”Curtis called from his station,“I’m picking up fluctuations.”

“Conductorode is overloading!”Shannon realised.

Conductorode collapsed to his knees.“No!”he cried,“This cannot be happening!”

“Liam!”called Michael over the communicator,“Catch it in a crossfire!Let’s give it everything we’ve got!”

The Megazord and Dragonzord fired every weapon at their disposal.Conductorode exploded.

Zedd looked away, words failing him.With an angry growl, he turned and stormed off the balcony.

“Congratulations, Liam,”Zordon was saying,“And welcome to the Power Rangers.”

“Thanks, Zordon,”Liam replied,“But I still don’t get what happened.”

“Conductorode couldn’t cope with the influx of power from both the Megazord and the Dragonzord,” explained Chloe.

“You could almost say we gave him indigestion,”added Shannon.

“Main thing is…we beat him.”Michael signalled for them all to group together.They placed their hands one on top of the other.

“Power Rangers!”

Next episode:

Another new zord!

Another humiliating defeat!

A Ranger resigns!

[Red Ranger 1]

EPISODE FOUR: “Ultra Power”

Michael, Shannon and Liam stood in front of the viewing globe, watching an image of a robotic dinosaur with a long neck, similar to a diplodocus. “What is that?”asked Michael.

“Titanus,”Zordon replied,“You are aware your two zords can combine to form the Mega-Dragonzord?”

“Yeah-you told us that,”Liam confirmed.

“The Mega-Dragonzord can merge with Titanus to form the Ultrazord.It should be capable of defeating any of Zedd’s monsters.”

“Understood, Zordon,”Shannon replied,“Let’s just hope we don’t have to use it.”

Zedd and Galdarr stood viewing events on Earth despondently.“The Power Rangers are getting too powerful,”Zedd noted,“We need to break their spirit.”

“How about mindless destruction?”suggested Galdarr.

“Yeah,”Squatt piped up behind them,“Smash up a building.”

“How about a caravan?”Baboo asked.

“Of course!”Zedd cried,“The caravan park!Prepare the putties.I want them to leave immediately.”

Sally and Chloe were sitting at one of the outside tables at the caravan park, watching Curtis working nearby.He was attempting to plant a tree in one of the flower beds but was having a hard time getting it to stay straight.

“Come on, Curtis, put your back into it!”Sally called jokingly.

“I can do without the commentary!”Curtis snapped back,“I’m only doing this as a favour for Michael.”

Chloe noticed some putties materialising outside Sally and Curtis’ line of sight.“Er, guys,”she hissed,“I think you ought to turn around.”

The putties started smashing up a caravan.“You again!”Curtis cried,“I thought we’d got rid of you!”

“Then let’s put ’em out of commission!”Sally declared,“It’s morphin’ time!Pterodactyl!”

“Triceratops!”cried Curtis.

“Sabre tooth tiger!”shouted Chloe.

The Rangers took up position and attacked the putties but while some joined the battle others continued the devastation.“There’s too many of them!”Chloe cried.

Sally spoke into her communicator.“Zordon, we need help.”

Michael stood with Alpha at the console.“Tell her we’re on our way.”

Alpha spoke into the communicator.“Did you hear that, Pink Ranger?The other Power Rangers are on their way.”

Michael gave the order once more.“It’s morphin’ time!”

“Dragonzord!”cried Liam.

“Mastodon!”shouted Shannon.

“Tyrannosaur!”snapped Michael.

Sally and Curtis were backed up against a caravan.Putties kept charging at them and they kept kicking them away but more kept coming.Chloe had been grabbed from behind by a putty and although she was struggling she couldn’t break free from its grip.

On the other side of the caravan, Michael, Shannon and Liam materialised.They couldn’t see their friends. All they could see was a group of putties smashing in the side of the caravan closest to them.“Hold it right there!”Michael shouted.

A putty charged at him.Michael punched it away and it smashed into the already weakened caravan, demolishing what was left of it.The wreckage collapsed on top of Sally and Curtis, burying them.

Horrified, Chloe threw off her putty captor and delivered a kick to its chest, causing it to explode.She began digging her friends out as Shannon and Liam mopped up the remaining putties.

Michael ran to help Chloe.They removed Sally and Curtis’ helmets.Both of them were unconscious. “We’d better get them to the Command Centre,”Michael decided.

Their morphers de-energised, Michael, Shannon, Chloe and Liam stood watching as Alpha placed Sally and Curtis in healing tubes and adjusted the controls.“I think they’re going to be all right,”Alpha decided.

“No thanks to me.”Michael looked sullen and unhappy.“I endangered two of my best friends and caused destruction to property.I misused my powers.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Michael,”Liam advised,“We stopped the putties.”

“I did more to help them.”Michael took off his morpher and communicator and placed them on a console. “I’m not fit to be a Power Ranger.”He strode out without another word.

Zordon looked on impassively.“Shannon.Until further notice you are the leader of the Power Rangers.I entrust Michael’s power coin to you.”

Shannon picked up the discarded devices.“Thanks, Zordon.It’s an honour.But I wish we had Michael back.”

Zedd watched on in mounting delight.“This is better than I’d hoped for.What we need now is to hit those Rangers with a monster before they’re back to full strength.”

“What about Entraptor?”Galdarr suggested.

Zedd looked at him approvingly.“What a good idea.”

Shannon, Chloe, Selina and Nicola sat in the Diner.Selina was astonished by what she was being told.“You mean Michael just flung down his stuff and resigned from the Power Rangers?”

“Yeah,”Chloe confirmed,“It surprised us too.”

“But Michael’s not usually a quitter,”argued Nicola,“He’s got to come to his senses.”

“Maybe.”Shannon shrugged.“You’ll have to excuse us.We’ve got to meet Sally and the others.”

Alpha spun round as the Command Centre alarms surrounded about him.“Ay ay ay!”he cried,“One of Zedd’s monsters is attacking Summer Bay!”

“Quickly, Alpha,”Zordon urged,“Summon the Power Rangers.”

Now it was Sally and Liam who watched Curtis, as he tried to clear up the wreckage from their fight with the putties.Sally tried to ignore her worries about Michael.She knew she cared for him a great deal but she also knew Zedd could attack at any moment.

Shannon and Chloe approached.“Anything happened?”Chloe asked.

“No,”Liam replied,“All quiet here.”

He was contradicted by the sound of the communicator.Shannon checked there was no-one in earshot before answering.“Shannon here, Zordon.”

“Zedd has launched another attack,”Zordon explained,“Report to the Command Centre immediately.”

The Power Rangers activated their teleporters and vanished…

…reappearing in the Command Centre.“What is it this time, Zordon?”asked Sally.

“Entraptor,”Zordon replied,“He possesses trapper beams that can transport people to prison dimensions. Escape from inside one of those dimensions is impossible.”

“We’ll be sure to watch out for it,”Shannon promised,“It’s morphin’ time!”

“Dragonzord!”

“Mastodon!”

“Pterodactyl!”

“Triceratops!”

“Sabre tooth tiger!”

The Power Rangers appeared in front of Entraptor, a light grey, skeletal creature with a pointed head and long face.“All right, Entraptor!”Shannon cried,“It’s time to take you down!”

“I think not,”Entraptor replied,“You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

He stretched out his arms and beams of light burst from his chest, ensnaring the Rangers.Slowly but surely they were drawn towards him.When they made contact with him, they disappeared.Entraptor threw back his head and laughed.

Michael was alone in the surf club.The kiosk was closed now, the building locked, but he had stayed there anyway.A banging on the door disturbed him.He went to answer it-it was Selina and Nicola.

“Hi, Mike,”Selina greeted him,“Shannon told us what happened.”

“It’s Michael,”he reminded her testily,“And you don’t understand.”

“Think of all the good you’ve done as a Power Ranger,”Nicola urged him.

Michael shrugged.“Whatever.I’m going home.Come on.”

They went outside.As Michael locked up, Selina continued to badger him.“I mean, you’ve helped save Summer Bay dozens of times.And it’s not as if you actually…”

Both of them were facing the door and didn’t see four clay-like figures materialise behind them.But Nicola did.“Putties!”she shouted.

Michael and Selina spun round.Michael sighed.“Just my luck.”

“Ay ay ay!”cried Alpha as he stared at the viewing globe,“Michael, Selina and Nicola are being attacked by putties!”

“We must not allow them to come to harm,”Zordon decided,“Teleport them to the Command Centre immediately.”

As the putties advanced on Michael, Selina and Nicola, a red light surrounded Michael and white lights surrounded the two girls, causing them to vanish…

…and reappear in the Command Centre.“What gives?”Michael asked.

“Yeah, where are the Power Rangers?”echoed Selina.

“They are imprisoned in Zedd’s dimension,”Zordon replied,“By Zedd’s Entraptor monster.Entraptor is guarding them, as is Galdarr.No-one imprisoned in such a way can leave.But one who has entered the dimension voluntarily may be able to free them.”

“This is all my fault!”Michael cried,“I have to rescue them.”

“Much as I would like to reinstate you as a Power Ranger,”Zordon commented,“it is not possible at this time.I entrusted your power coin to Shannon.You will not be able to morph until you rescue them.”

“And Zedd’s putties are smashing up Summer Bay!”Alpha added.

“Beam Selina and I back there,”Nicola suggested,“We’ll sort them out.”

“I’m proud of you.Thank you.”Michael turned to face Zordon.“Beam me to Zedd’s dimension.”

Michael materialised in a dark and sinister-looking cave system.Galdarr stepped out of the shadows.“So, we meet again, Power Ranger.”

Michael turned to face the other direction and found Entraptor standing there.“You’re holding some friends of mine prisoner.I reckon I’ve got a score to settle.”

Entraptor grabbed Michael by the throat and lifted him off his feet, then threw him aside.Michael only just recovered his sensors in time to roll aside, as Galdarr’s sword struck the space where he had landed.He jumped to his feet and kicked Entraptor away, then turned to face Galdarr.This was not going to be easy.

The four putties loped through the deserted streets, smashing things at random.Selina and Nicola materialised ahead of them.“Are you sure about this?”Selina asked.

“How many times have we seen the Power Rangers in action?”Nicola replied,“Don’t worry about it.”

The putties saw them and charged but Selina and Nicola had indeed been studying well, responding with a series of expert punches and kicks.Within minutes, the putties lay in pieces on the floor.

Zedd clenched his fist in frustration.“Curse it!Well let’s see them stop my monster!And just to make it more interesting, let’s enlarge the problem.”

Entraptor heard Zedd’s orders in his head and smiled at the prospect.“Gotta go.See you later.”He vanished.

“No!”Michael shouted as he realised what was happening.

Entraptor loomed over the town, enlarged to giant size.Selina and Nicola gazed up in horror.“This is definitely too big a problem for us,”Selina decided “We need to get under cover.”

Michael slammed into Galdarr, raining punch after punch on him that seemed to have very little effect. “Where are my friends?!”

“You’ll never find them!”Galdarr replied mockingly.

“Tell me!”Michael suddenly noticed a device hanging from Galdarr’s belt that he hadn’t seen before:a long blue oblong attached to a handle.Surely it couldn’t be that simple…He grasped it with one hand and pushed Galdarr away from him.The device came loose and Michael pressed it against the nearest wall.The wall slid back to reveal the Power Rangers trapped in a cage.

“Michael!”exclaimed Shannon.

“Soon have you out of there!”Michael assured her.He noticed a slot in the cage door that corresponded to the key he was holding.He pressed it in place and the door slid open.

Seeing he was beaten, Galdarr vanished.

“How did you find us?”Sally asked.

“It wasn’t hard.I can explain later but Entraptor is smashing up Summer Bay.”

Shannon produced the morpher containing his power coin.“Do you want this?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”Michael took it from her.“It’s morphin’ time!Tyrannosaur!”

Entraptor turned as he heard a noise behind him and was confronted by the Megazord and Dragonzord. “Fools!”he cried,“I am more than a match for you!”

“I think it’s time to even the odds a little,”Chloe commented.

“Agreed.”Michael replied.“Activate Mega-Dragonzord.”

The Dragonzord split down the middle almost all the way, the two halves of its body moving to form an arch.It flew into the air and settled on top of the Megazord, forming an outer casing.Liam slid down the interior shaft from his control room in the Dragonzord to the cockpit of the combined zord where the others were waiting.“How about going all the way?”

Michael nodded.“I call on the power of Titanus and the Ultrazord!”

Titanus came sliding down the street towards them.A hatch in its back slid open and the Mega-Dragonzord slotted inside.Then the new Ultrazord fired all weapons.Entraptor was obliterated.

Michael and Curtis sat at the counter in the surf club.“I hope this means you withdraw your resignation,” Curtis observed.

“Absolutely,”Michael answered,“Not being a Power Ranger caused even more trouble than being one.”

Selina and Nicola came up.“Good work, guys,”Selina commented.

“And you,”Michael replied,“Without you, Zedd would have destroyed Summer Bay.”He looked over to where Shannon, Sally, Chloe and Liam were seated.“And my friends would have been lost forever.Another thing I learnt is that being a Power Ranger doesn’t come from a power coin.It comes from the heart.”

Nicola grinned.“I’ll drink to that.”

They clinked glasses then headed off to join their friends.

Next episode:

A secret identity discovered!

A monster that might as well not have turned up!

And get your hankies out...remember what else happened in 1997?

[Red Ranger 1]

So here we are with the somewhat downbeat finale to the, rather short, first series.The longer second series should be up before too long, unless anyone begs me not, but first:

Warning: If you don't want to relive the modified death of a regular character, give this one a miss.

EPISODE FIVE: “Remorse”

Liam sat with Stephanie, Joey and Casey in the surf club.“So what are you doing today?”Joey asked.

Liam coughed discreetly.“Stephanie and I are going walking in the bush.”

“Oh.I see.”Joey got up, indicating for Casey to follow.“We’ll leave you two to it.”

Casey glanced back at them.“They’re so lucky.I wish I could feel like that about someone.”

Joey looked surprised.“What about Curtis?”

“Him!”snorted Casey,“The guy’s a loser when it comes to women.I pity the next one that gets him.”

Curtis was on the beach with Shannon, trying to entice her into the water.“Come on!”he urged,“It’s a great day for surfing.”

“Then go surfing,”Shannon replied.

Curtis grabbed his board and wandered towards the water.“Fine.I know when I’m not wanted.”

Zedd viewed everything from his fortress.“Hmm.A two-pronged attack I think.Galdarr, prepare an army of putties.Meanwhile, I have a foolproof plan for my latest monster.”

Michael and Sally sat together on the couch in their living room.“So, Liam’s going bushwalking with Stephanie,”Michael said slowly,“and Shannon’s down at the beach.What time are they due back?”

“Not for hours as yet,”Sally replied,“Does that make you happy?”

Michael kissed her.“I’m happy.”He kissed her again.

Liam and Stephanie stepped back from their kiss.“I’m enjoying myself,”Liam said, knowing Stephanie already knew.

“Good,”Stephanie replied,“So am I.”

Then she gasped in horror.Liam turned to find a large group of putties had materialised.He thought of fighting for a moment but decided it would be hopeless against so great a number.“Run!”

Chloe, Selina and Nicola came to join Shannon down by the beach.“When’s Curtis?”Chloe asked.

“Out there,”Shannon replied, gesturing towards the water.

Curtis stood up on his board and waved.Suddenly, a bolt of power shot from the sky and knocked his board from under him.He staggered out of the water.“Did you see that?”

“Something knocked your board away,”Selina confirmed.

“What happened to it?”Curtis wondered.

His answer came striding out of the water.The blast had transformed the board into a monster.People ran, terrified.

Shannon turned to Selina and Nicola.“You’d better go too.”

Nicola nodded.“Okay.Good luck.”

As the three Rangers were left alone on the beach, Shannon worked her communicator.“Zordon, we need some help.”

Michael and Sally sprang apart as the communicator bleeped.Michael answered it.“Okay, Zordon, what’s the problem?”

“Liam and Stephanie are being attacked by putties,”Zordon replied,“And Zedd’s Surf Up monster is attacking the other Rangers on the beach.You must go to the beach immediately.”

Michael and Sally materialised alongside Shannon, Chloe and Curtis.“So where’s this monster then?”asked Sally.

“Over there,”replied Chloe, pointing,“The surfboard with legs and big teeth.”

“Surf’s up, Rangers!”cried Surf Up.A gush of water spurted out of his mouth, soaking them.

“That does it,”Michael snapped,“Tonight is not my bath night.It’s morphin’ time!”

“Mastodon!”cried Shannon.

“Pterodactyl!”shouted Sally.

“Triceratops!”summoned Curtis.

“Sabre tooth tiger!”ordered Chloe.

“Tyrannosaur!”snapped Michael.

The Power Rangers turned to face Surf Up.He laughed evilly.

Liam and Stephanie found their path ended in a steep drop.They turned to face the putties still pursuing them.“Guess we’re gonna have to take them on,”Stephanie decided.

Liam and Stephanie turned and battled the putties.At first it seemed like they might drive them off.Then one charged at Stephanie, knocking her over the drop.“LIAM!”she shouted in terror as she fell.

Liam knew he had to end things quickly.“It’s morphin’ time!Dragonzord!”

Transformed into the Green Ranger, he drew his gun and fired in a wide arc, mowing down the putties. Then he leapt over the edge, landing comfortably near where Stephanie had fallen.

He removed his helmet and took her in his arms.She opened her eyes and tapped his suit.“So this is what you’ve been hiding from me.”

“I’m sorry,”Liam whispered.

“Don’t be.We had some good times.”

“I love you.”

Stephanie smiled.“I know.”Then her eyes went dull as the life left her.

Liam looked upwards, as though addressing the heavens themselves.“NOOO!”He gently settled Stephanie’s body on the ground then replaced his helmet.He got to his feet and teleported.

The other Power Rangers were battering at Surf Up with their weapons, with no-one managing to gain an advantage.“This is getting monotonous,”Michael sighed,“Let’s bring them together.”

“Power axe!”cried Shannon.

“Power bow!”shouted Sally.

“Power lance!”announced Curtis.

“Power daggers!”added Chloe.

“Power sword!”finished Michael.He added his weapon, the last component that formed the Power Blaster. “Power Rangers!”

The Rangers fired the Power Blaster, destroying Surf Up.Michael spoke into his communicator.“We’ve finished up here.We’re on our way to help Liam.”

Alpha’s voice filtered through quietly.“Er, Power Rangers.I think you’d better get over here.”

The five Rangers materialised in the Command Centre.“What’s going on?”asked Curtis.

“Stephanie is dead,”replied Zordon,“You must go and alert the authorities.”

Sally had a thought.“Where’s Liam?”

Liam materialised on the balcony of Zedd’s fortress.He grabbed Zedd by the throat and pushed him against the railing, as though his next action would be to send him hurtling over the edge.“You stinking murderer!” he shouted,“Because of you she’s dead!I swear one day I’ll get even with you.”Seeing Zedd’s minions rushing forward to protect their master, he released him, stepped back and teleported out.

It was later when Liam sat with Michael and Shannon at home.“All those powers,”Liam murmured,“All I can do.And I couldn’t even save her.”

“I know,”Shannon replied,“It’s not right.”

“We failed,”Michael said,“And I don’t like failure.Let’s make sure this never happens again.”

Coming up in Series Two:

The Thunderzords!The White Ranger!Rita Repulsa!

Jesse!Aaron!Tiegan!

Four new Power Rangers!

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