[ShinySephiroth]

Chapter Six: Face Off for the Crystal

Zedd clutched the bag on his bag. If the crystal is given to Vile, all will be lost, but... "My men are more important. Here, Vile."

Zedd threw the bag at Vile. What Vile did not know was that the bag was actually the bag of grenades Filcar had grabbed earlier. Zedd dropped down to a knee and, grabbing his blaster, shot the bag as Vile snatched it out of the air.

"Ahh!" Vile, Globbor, and by extension, Rahp yelled. Right then, a break in the heavy clouds appeared, causing sunshine to pour down on the scene.

"These dark clouds Vile cast over the planet are atrocious." Orion said from Storm Blaster as he led the War Star armada. Zordon flew beside him in Lightning Cruiser.

Sunlight hit Blue Globbor. It shrieked as it lost its connection to Rahp. Zedd was grateful to look up and not only see sunlight, but the Alliance come in to save him and his troops.

"Lightning Cruiser: target Vile." Zordon wanted to see if the Alliance database he programmed into the vehicle would be able to track his commands. To his satisfaction, the vehicle sent lasers at Master Vile.

"Nicely done!" Zordon said.

"Vwomp-vwomp." The vehicle honked. Zordon was startled.

"Are you trying to communicate!?" Zordon asked, feeling odd speaking to a vehicle.

"Vwomp-vwomp." Lightning Cruiser responded.

"Alright. I am glad to hear you are learning quickly! Now, let's go down to help out." Lightning Cruiser veered to the side and started its descent.

Vile's henchmen were pouring out of the cave, being met with Alliance fire. One ship landed and opened, sending a couple dozen troops out. They started firing on Vile and Globbor.

"We don't have much time until the clouds roll back in, so target Blue Globbar now!" Orion yelled as he fired at it himself. As a hail of fire hit it, Globbor fell to the ground, exploding as it did.

"Okay, now round everyone up." Orion commanded. The soldiers started collecting their comrades amidst the fighting. Once they were all in the ship, it started heading back into the sky.

In the ship, Zedd slumped down onto a bench. The commander of the evac team walked to Zedd, handing him a communicator. "Master Orion would like to speak with you."

Zedd nodded and answered. "This is Zedd, sir."

"Is the Zeo Crystal secure?" Orion asked from Storm Blaster.

Zordon was on the line as well, and was intrigued by the name of the crystal. Zeo Crystal... So this is what they have named the Morphing Grid fragment. He looked at his wrist tech as he drove into space, continuing to read the files Master Orion had sent him on the classified subject, written my Master Michael of the Junior Council of the Morphing Masters.

Zedd looked to find the bag on Filcar which housed the Zeo Crystal, since he had swapped for the grenade bag before Globbor had attacked. "One moment, sir."

Zedd looked around and could not see Filcar. He asked the soldiers, one by one, if they had picked up a man who was lying in the bushes. Zedd started panicking.

"Master Orion... I believe we have a situation."

. . .

Filcar awoke, his head throbbing. What am I doing in the bushes? He tried standing and fell back, forgetting he had been blasted in the thigh.

"Oh, great." He muttered to himself.

He looked around to see scorch marks and the bodies of Alliance troops on the ground. He dragged himself to a body to get its communicator. As he did, he heard a voice.

"You know, it appears as if someone was left behind." The man chuckled. Filcar could see a device flashing in the man's hand.

"Novact!" Filcar gasped as he realized who it was he was staring at: the man who betrayed the Zeo Crystal's existence to Master Vile.

Novact smiled and replied in his raspy voice, "Yes, it is me. Now, according to this device, you have something rather important in your bag. Fork it over!"

"What? You want some grenades? Well you're gonna get 'em!" Filcar reached into the bag and instead of feeling explosion devices, he felt something warm. He looked into the bag and was shocked to see the artifact he thought Zedd had been carrying.

Novact barked with laughter. "I can tell by the look on your face that the crystal's presence in your bag is news to you! Okay... listen... you and me were thrust into the same situation. So, just come with me. Master Vile will give you anything you desire! "

Filcar spit in his direction. "Not a chance!"

At this, Novact drew a blade. "Then prepare to be destroyed!"

As Filcar braced himself, the ground exploded in front of Novact.

"Huh!?" Novact yelled as he looked up.

"Descend!"

Storm Blaster and Lightning Cruiser descended next to Filcar. Zedd and Rahp pulled Filcar into the back of the blue vehicle.

Orion stepped out of Storm Blaster's front seat as a group of Vile's henchman appeared behind Novact.

"Novact! You are under arrest for treason. Surrender now and things won't get difficult." Orion said as he stared the traitor down.

"Don't make me laugh! You think I am going back with you, so you and your 'holier than thou' council can give me a life sentence of solitary confinement? Tengas - attack!"

The feathered beasts darted toward their target. As they did, Orion turned to Zordon. "Get the crystal out of here!" Then, turning to Zedd and Rahp. "You two: stay with me!" They aimed their blasters.

With this, Orion began to concentrate. "Power of Light: Activate!" Orion's concentration reached into the Morphing Grid, creating a ball of light. This energy encircled him and made itself manifest on his person: armor on his wrists, biceps, and around his calves. A special gauntlet appeared on his left wrist and an enhanced crossguard on his saber.

Zedd stood for a moment, stunned to see such power up close. I cannot imagine ever being able to wield such force! He thought as Orion jumped into the air.

Orion slashed his way through the crowd. In a matter of moments, the Tengas were defeated. Rahp stood in wonder. He turned to Zedd and said, "Wow! The Lights of Orion are more amazing than the stories I have heard!"

Orion grunted. "Novact is gone. He ran during the battle. Let us run through this cave. There may be some hint as to where he went on the other side."

Meanwhile, Zordon had landed on a moon, opening communications with the Morphing Masters. After explaining the events which had taken place, he said, "I don't have time - Sentinel Knight, I am sending Filcar and the crystal back to you on one of my vehicles. I am returning to the surface of Solaris 8 to retrieve Master Orion and Commander Zedd."

Sentinel Knight shook his head. "You will do no such thing. I cannot allow the Zeo Crystal to be escorted by a wounded soldier and an infant minded machine... on the other hand, I also will not leave any of my soldiers behind. Your orders are to stay on that moon and await Master Tria. She has been on alert, knowing she may need to assist you. Once she arrives, she will take the crystal from you. Then, once the crystal is secure, you must go to Master Orion's aid."

Zordon looked at the hologram before him. He said in boldness, "Master, the War Star armada should return to get the crystal. They are already closer and have more firepower."

Ivicar appeared on screen at that, looking at Zordon with warm eyes. "Zordon, we cannot do that because then more people would be aware of the Zeo Crystal. Do not worry. Master Tria is already on her way. May the Power protect you."

And with that, Zordon found himself alone with Filcar.

"So, are you a Master now?" Filcar asked Zordon.

Zordon shook his head. "No. This was a field test for my initiation." Zordon then thought, And now that Master Tria is coming to pick up the pieces to save me, I will never be a Master.

"How long until Vile finds us?" Filcar started looking around as he asked, clutching his blaster.

"Not long now. Hopefully Master Tria can get here to secure you and the crystal before then." Zordon said, fully acknowledging to himself that this would likely be where he would fall in battle.

"You two: give me the crystal!"

Zordon turned to see Master Vile, a group of his henchman of goat/humanoid hybrids, and a human male.

"Vile! Novact!" Filcar aimed his blaster.

"Fire!" Zordon commanded his vehicles and Filcar simultaneously.

As the beasts dodged the approaching blasts and headed for Zordon, Zordon performed a back flip onto a rock. Focusing his energy, he directed currents of White Energy at his enemies.

While Zordon did this, he was grabbed from behind before Lightning Cruiser could stop the assailants. Filcar shot wildly at Novact and Vile.

"Need some help?"

Zordon suddenly found himself freed. As he turned, he found himself face to face with not only Master Tria, but also Zedd, Rahp, and Master Orion.

"How did you get here?" Zordon inquired as Zedd and Rahp started fighting their way to Filcar.

Orion explained as Tria started battling the goat men. "We followed Novact to a clearing. There were a few of Vile's ships parked while his men searched for us. We simply hijacked one and flew here. As we landed, Master Tria attacked us. When she saw who we were, we teamed up to follow the coordinates you gave Sentinel Knight." As he finished, he threw Zordon down and blasted an opponent charging them.

At this, Master Vile started screaming. "Must I so everything myself!?" He began firing blasts at the two sentient vehicles. Zedd and Rahp took cover, firing back. Zedd was dismayed at seeing his shots do nothing more than small scratches.

Novact began attacking Zordon on the other side of the battleground, using his sword. Orion, still outfitted in his Light Armor, jumped in and parried the attack with his own blade.

"Tria! Get the crystal!" Orion yelled.

She nodded and leapt toward Storm Blaster. For a moment Storm Blaster began to retreat, preparing to fire on Tria. Immediately, though, the vehicle scanned it's pursuer and identified it as Master Tria. As she climbed in and sped away, she heard a crackle in the backseat. When she turned, her vision fell upon Filcar, slumped over the side of Storm Blaster. She feared the worst.

Master Tria pulled him back into the machine. She saw blood trickle down his face, and smoke come off where his head had been grazed by enemy fire. She focused her energy on Filcar. She could see that outside of a concussion, he sustained no life threatening injuries.

Back on the battlefield, Zordon was fighting off hoards of beasts as Novact battled Orion. Zedd and Rahp were in Lightning Cruiser, attempting to get a shot on Master Vile.

Zedd jumped out of Lightning Cruiser. As he hit the ground, he rolled between two goat men. He stood and sent an elbow to its throat, simultaneously throwing a donkey kick to the other behind him. He then took cover behind a boulder.

As he crouched, he took aim at Master Vile's head and fired. Instead of a direct hit, though, Vile caught the blast in his hand and redirected it to Orion. The blast hit Orion square in the back. As he cried out in pain, Orion dropped his saber. Novact took the opportunity and, leaping over and landing behind him, sunk his blade into Orion's gut from his back.

"Orion!" Yelled Zordon as the monsters he fought jumped on him. The mass of beasts on top of him were pinning him down, stopping him from reaching the Morphing Master.

"Ha! Who is the master now!? I am Master Vile, and welcome to the M51 Galaxy: where the bad guys always win!"