Strike From The Darkness Part One
by Shadow RangerDisclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. They belong to the current copyright holder. Lord Drakkon is, to my knowledge, the property of Boom Studios. This is a fan work, and no money is being made from it.
Strike From The Darkness Part One
"Knowledge and understanding are the key to defeating the Power Rangers. You can have the most powerful monster in the universe at your disposal. Still, if you lack the innate intelligence to analyse and understand how Rangers operate, you will always fail. I, of course, have been gifted with such a high level of intelligence. I am, if I might say such a thing, a genius. I know the Rangers, and I know all I need to defeat them. I will bring them down in the most embarrassing defeat they have ever suffered. I will be the Harbinger of their destruction."
He had introduced himself to Rita and Zedd as Harbinger, but in his heart, he would always be Minion. The magical copy of Billy Cranston, destroyed in battle and revived by the Mistress Repugna. He had lost a second encounter with the Power Rangers and had been swept aside, landing in the domain of Lord Drakkon. In that place, he had been patched up and thrown into a training regime that still seemed like a nightmare of constantly being attacked, destroyed and rebuilt. He was tormented by the memory of being thrown into a pit over and over again, of lying in a pit as a new body was thrown on top. He had nightmares of being buried under a pile of remains, his remains. It had driven him to the edge of sanity and, in his own words, fully awakened his genius.
Now he claimed that he held the knowledge necessary to succeed where Rita, Zedd, Mondo and many others had failed. And by Finster's reckoning, he had continued to make such a claim countless times since Rita and Zedd had departed.
"All very well, but if you do not tell me what you need me to do, I am unable to assist you," Finster answered. He was bored. Lord Zedd had ordered him to assist Harbinger as the new villain mounted his campaign to destroy the Power Rangers. But it seemed that Harbinger was a monster of words instead of action.
"You? Oh, Finster, I have no need for your services," Harbinger explained as if talking to a small child, "just your attention. I require a witness capable of understanding my. True genius deserves to be witnessed after all. While you fall short of the level required for such insight, I am prepared to educate you."
"If you say so," Finster offered, although he sounded sceptical. It had not taken long for him to realise the truth, that Harbinger was not some high and mighty villain stepping in to aid Rita and Zedd; at best Harbinger was a monster with above average skills, an apparent ability to escape death, an over-inflated sense of self-worth, and the ability to forget that he was just Super Putty shaped by a human and brought to life by Rita's poorly aimed spell. Oh, Finster now recognised the monster that had returned from death once before, only to fail... he didn't believe it would be a case of third time lucky. Still, he had his orders.
Harbinger took the monster maker's tone as a challenge.
"You doubt me? After all I have achieved in a matter of days, you think I will fail now? Already, my actions have led to the complete loss of communication with Aquitar, which prevents the Aquitians from aiding the Rangers of Earth and, more importantly, keeps Aquitar from begging for aid. And on Triforia, my machinations have led to an uprising that will keep Lord Trey from interfering. If he survives the surprise that awaits him when he reaches his world. And Zordon has no sources to tell him that the changes are part of my scheme."
"Yet the Rangers still have access to the Gold Ranger and his powers," Finster pointed out.
Harbinger waved a hand dismissively. "Oh yes, the Golden Red Ranger transformation they've been attempting to master. While Jason Lee-Scott has somehow managed to hold a connection to his previous power sets, the connection is extremely fragile, unreliable and limited. At best, he has become a one-hit wonder, able to arrive on the battlefield and deliver a blow to turn the tide of the confrontation. But, with the knowledge of how he can support the Rangers, it is simple for a being with sufficient intellect to nullify his influence. Even a temporary Ranger will not save them."
"So you do have a strategy?" Finster pushed, hoping that instead of hearing how great Harbinger's plans were, the villain would deign to tell what they entailed.
"It's truly very simple," Harbinger revealed. "When fighting Power Rangers, you need to understand that you are fighting a team. Even if you allow yourself the company of soldiers to adjust the numbers in your favour, the exemplary teamwork of the Rangers will allow them to persevere, overcome and triumph. The team and the relationships within bind them together, allowing a degree of cooperation and coordination that has brought down many a foe. But there lies the secret: isolation is the weakness of Ranger teams. Rangers are not Riders; they do not thrive individually, nor do they seek personal glory to place themselves above each other."
"I see," Finster murmured. As expected, nothing new.
"Do you? I doubt it. You lack the insight needed to comprehend what I am saying. And so, the answer when dealing with Rangers is to strike fast, strike hard and break their unity. Force them into a situation where they lack the time to regain their unity after being scattered. And then, you must pick them apart quickly before they can regroup - for another weakness of a Ranger team when used against them correctly, is that their close bonds and emotional ties can cause disruption in the face of loss. Destroying one of their comrades can impair their thoughts, allowing more to be picked off before they can recover. Their own leaders, when consumed with grief and the shock of seeing those under their care fall, will lose themselves to emotion, making them easier to control. Always remember they are a team, but they are not soldiers; they are not hardened to experience loss on the battlefield. It always has an effect."
Now, he had Finster's attention. He was talking of doing something besides waxing lyrical about his abilities. Finster had to admit: there had never been a monster with a bigger ego than Harbinger.
"Shall we see if our targets are in position?" Harbinger asked, turning to open a viewing window to observe the Rangers.
The Dark Dimension
"Drakkon!" Dark Specter's voice boomed through the vast expanse, the heat of his anger causing the ice fields before him to melt. "DRAKKON!"
Like a leash being jerked by an angry owner, the spells tying Lord Drakkon to Dark Specter dragged the lesser villain through the fabric between dimensions, stealing him from where he was overseeing the restoration of his grand palace, to the brutal environment of the Dark Dimension. He did not look pleased at being summoned in such a way, although his displeasure was masked by his fear of the powerful entity.
"You have failed me Drakkon," Dark Specter stated. "You promised me that Harbringer would complete the task I gave to you. I allowed you to return to your own pursuits under your assurance that the matter was in hand."
"The matter is in hand," Drakkon assured him. "I have absolute faith that Minion is the key to defeating those Rangers. And with the training you allowed me to provide, Minion is all that will be needed."
Drakkon had referred to Harbinger as Minion. Twice. Even though it had been Drakkon who had suggested the name to ease Minion's entry into Rita and Zedd's service, he referred to him by his original name. It was not an error. Dark Specter was certain that Drakkon had been deliberate in his wording.
"Explain," Dark Specter ordered, dangerously.
"Minion is more than the agent you sent to begin your work," Drakkon told him, confidently. "Harbinger is a part of the plan; he has acted to isolate the Earth from its known allies, whether he can defeat the Rangers or not remains to be seen. And... makes little difference. Minion will prevail."
"You hint he might fail, yet proclaim his victory," Dark Specter accused. "You are playing games with me Drakkon. You forget your place. I allowed you to return to your little world. I could just as easily plunge you into the depths of the Dark Dimension, never to return."
"And you fail to see what Harbinger's true value is," Drakkon replied, with more confidence in his tone than he felt. He was well aware that Dark Specter could destroy him in an instant. He gestured, concentrating to bring forth the part of the Dark Dimension he desired: the pit where the bodies of the defeated Minion had been dumped as they failed to reach the level Drakkon desired. Hundreds of broken bodies, lying lifeless in a pit, their memories burnt with the recollection of repeated defeat; when Minion had been defeated during his training, Drakkon's servant had removed the clone's essence and placed it in a new body, gradually altering body and mind to reach a level where Minion became worthy of serving Dark Specter. "Did you ever wonder why I kept the remains?"
Hundreds of broken bodies, left to rot. Except they had not been allowed to rot. With Harbinger dispatched to complete his task, Drakkon's servants had been tasked with repairing the broken clay, restoring the mass grave into an army of broken clones. An army of cloned bodies driven to madness by their training, ready to strike at the cause of their suffering: the Power Rangers.
"And Harbinger?" Dark Specter.
"Harbinger is Minion, forced to evolve to his full potential. Broken by the constant cycle of life, death and failure. He is correct that his mind is his greatest asset; he had the knowledge to devise the strategies needed to defeat the Power Rangers. He will fail, but his strategy will prove valuable."
"His plan will draw the Power Rangers out; they will defeat him," Dark Specter rumbled. He had seen enough plans to spot the flaw in Harbinger's strategy.
"Humans have a game they call Chess," Drakkon stated. He was met with a nod from Dark Specter. It was a game found on many worlds; many versions were more complex than the one played by humans. "Right now Harbinger is a pawn promoted to the role of queen. And sometimes you need to sacrifice the queen to draw your opponent into checkmate."
"You are willing to sacrifice your most valuable piece?" Dark Specter demanded.
"Absolutely." And for the first time, Dark Specter believed that Drakkon had spoken the whole truth. There was almost a sense of excitement behind his words that led Dark Specter to question how Harbinger had managed to earn Drakkons utter contempt in such a short time. One thing was clear, though: Drakkon had no problem with sacrificing Harbinger to achieve his goals.
"Very well," Dark Specter rumbled. "Let Harbinger proceed... for now."
Angel Grove
The plane soared high above the skies of Angel Grove. On the ground below, citizens of the city awaited the arrival of the Angel Grove High School skydiving team. The benefit Jump-a-Thon was being held to preserve the Angel Grove Observatory. It appeared to be a success, as the whole city had turned out for the event.
Inside the plane, Rocky DeSantos whooped loudly. "I can't wait!" he yelled. "This is going to be awesome."
"Easy, Rocky! We know," agreed Katherine Hilliard, Kat, to her friends. "It's definitely a new experience."
Tanya Sloan looked out the window. "Forty-five seconds till the drop zone. Are you guys ready?"
The others nodded and continued to make their final checks. For some, this type of thing would have been too daunting, but compared to some of the things these youths had done, it was easy. They were the Zeo Rangers: sworn defenders of the planet Earth and currently enjoying themselves, taking advantage of the warm weather.
Tanya gestured toward the door of the plane. "Well, lead on, flyboys!" she said to her male teammates.
Rocky shot her a mock glare and pulled open the door. He looked out into the open air and began to feel his resolution shrinking. "Ladies first," he smiled.
"Why, thank you, kind sir," Tanya replied. Then, as she jumped through the open door, she yelled: "Let's do it!" Then jumped out of the plane.
"On your tail!" Adam Park jumped out the door.
"Banzai!" Rocky cried as he jumped out.
"Come on, Tommy," Katherine said. She flashed him a quick thumbs-up. "See you down there!" She dived out of the plane as if she were at a swimming competition.
Tommy looked down at his friends and, for a moment, felt at home. Here in the air, he could imagine himself as protector of the whole city and in a way, he was. In his career as a Ranger, Tommy had been fortunate to pilot the Falcon Zord, Phoenix Zord and the Red Super Zeo Zord, all of which came with excellent flight capabilities.
~Time to show them my stuff,~ he thought as he grabbed his board. Then he paused, frowning. It seemed as though he had played this role before; he just couldn't remember where. He shrugged and threw himself out the door. He'd worry about it later.
Tommy and the others were spinning and flipping before manoeuvring into their positions, forming a circle. They had been practising since they had learnt about the jump, substituting their Karate classes in order to practice. But despite all the practices, this was the first time they had had a chance to try it for real. They held together long enough to move into position and listened to Adam as he counted down to their next move.
"Break!" ordered Tommy.
The five teens released hands as they broke through the clouds. They pulled their rip cords, and five parachutes burst into the sky, blue, red, green, pink and yellow against the blue sky. They circled in the air a few times and played a quick game of follow-the-leader before they were back on their mark. Then they aimed for the red target bull's-eye below, and heard the announcer's voice as they came lower.
"Here comes our first arrival: Rocky DeSantos from Angel Grove High. Will he make it?"
Rocky made a few brief adjustments to his course and touched down perfectly. "Woohoo!" he exclaimed. The high he felt wasn't quite the same as morphing, but it had his adrenaline pumping.
"Adam Park, coming in now." Adam managed to hook one foot inside the target as he landed. "Another perfect landing! They're two for two! Can they make it three for three?"
Katherine waited for Adam to land before altering her approach. As the announcer spoke, she raised her legs, "Here's Katherine Hilliard," and dropped onto the centre. "Yes, they can, a third perfect landing from the Angel Grove High team! Nice landing!"
"Thanks," Kat giggled.
"Tanya Sloan is next. They're four for four now!"
Tanya cleared out of the way quickly to give Tommy room. She exchanged high fives with Adam and Rocky as the red-clad parachutist approached.
"They're really hot today!" the announcer said.
"Yeah!" Tanya agreed.
"Now, it's Tommy Oliver coming in. Hmm, it looks a bit wide but..." Tommy deliberately set down early and relied on momentum to carry him and his board over the line. As he did so, the announcer said: "He nails it! Incredible, they are five for five! Amazing, the Angel Grove Observatory will be grateful to its skilled high-schoolers today."
"Way to go, team!" Rocky exclaimed as the five jumpers celebrated.
"Hey guys," Richie said as he approached. "Great work."
The original plan had been for several of the Rangers' friends to join them in the air, but the Rangers had been so busy with other concerns that they had been unable to make the arrangements. Still, Richie's absence from the jump didn't stop him and some of Angel Grove's younger students from giving their friends a warm reception when they landed.
"Yeah, you guys were fantastic," a young girl named Tasha giggled, hugging Tanya and Adam.
"You can join us next time," Kat whispered as if reading her mind, making the young girl smile excitedly.
After accepting congratulations from several Angel Grove's citizens, as well as the Jump-a-Thon's coordinator, Rocky, Katherine, Adam, Tanya and Tommy decided to call it a day.
"Hey, Ernie's is serving a free dessert with lunch," Adam said, deciding to change the subject.
"LET'S GO!" Shouted Rocky as he took off.
The others laughed and then followed in hot pursuit. They strapped on kneepads and helmets and put on their roller blades.
Together, they raced through the streets of Angel Grove, taking every possible detour they could to prolong the ride and the fun. They were still pumped up from their victory and the thrill of skydiving, and executed all the stunts they could think of -- within reason, of course. Their enjoyment showed when Adam gained momentum and somersaulted through the air. The others jumped high into the air as well, with Rocky managing a back-somersault and a full layout before landing. He would later explain that it was an accident. Out of consideration for others, they chose to take the stairs; their trip suddenly turned rough as their blades lacked shock absorbers.
"Shortcut!" Tommy yelled, jumping a concrete ledge into a construction site. The others followed him, each one landing squarely on his or her feet. They rode up out of the construction site and back onto the street, across from Ernie's Juice Bar.
Rocky tore through the doorway, eager to find food. Some had referred to him as the human stomach, but that was wrong and a great injustice. True Rocky could clear a refrigerator in less than half an hour, but so could most teens if given the right food and an opportunity. The life of a Power Ranger used up a lot of energy in addition to the increased food demand of the average teen.
"Settle down, Rocky. Just because it's a huge party, doesn't mean you have to scream." Tanya admonished.
Tommy smiled. Rocky was the spirit of the team. Some thought him an idiot - usually those who didn't just assume he was simply a walking stomach - but those who knew him understood it was just the way he was. Rocky was an innocent, a young man who enjoyed the love of life that only children can appreciate. He was also very capable, as anyone who had underestimated him in the past could testify.
When they sat at a table, Ernie soon came over and took their order.
"Six hamburgers and ten orders of fries please," Adam said.
Tanya looked at Adam, puzzled, "Ten orders of fries?"
Jason and Tommy chuckled. Rocky tried to look innocent but couldn't stop laughing. When he saw Tanya's face, he sobered long enough for the three men to say in unison: "I'm hungry."
Everyone laughed at that.
Power Chamber
"Scan complete," Alpha reported as the computer pinged.
"Excellent work Alpha," Zordon commended. "Did you discover anything new?"
"No, Zordon," Alpha replied. "I have found no trace of Rita, Zedd, their servants or the Machine Empire inside the solar system."
"Have you detected any abnormal readings from the Moon?" Zordon asked after a moment's thought.
"Negative Zordon," Alpha answered after a brief check. "The computer has detected at least two beings inside the Lunar Palace, but has confirmed they do not match Rita and Zedd."
Just servants left to watch over the building while Rita and Zedd were off doing... something.
Zordon frowned, although it was difficult to notice given the severe distortion created by his plasma tube. The Power Chamber's sensors were usually very accurate, yet in the last few days, they had picked up several unexplained anomalies. Although he was prepared to explain it away as the result of planetary movements, it seemed unnerving that such anomalies would arise at a time when they had lost contact with both Aquitar and Triforia.
Things had been too quiet for too long. When the Machine Empire had been vanquished, somebody should have moved in to replace them, but for some reason, they had held off.
"Somebody on the Moon is using magic, Zordon," Alpha said as the computer beeped. "But they are only using it for teleportation."
That was unusual. He would have expected a would-be conqueror to attack immediately. He wondered if it was simply Rita and Zedd planning something. He gave that possibility a few seconds' thought and then dismissed it. Zedd's energy levels had spiked shortly before his disappearance, but now there seemed to be no trace.
It was, however, the silence of Aquitar and Triforia that worried Zordon more. The loss of contact with Aquitar had been sudden. There had been a spike in urgent messages, signs of a battle and then silence. Attempts to scan the planet had failed. And there had been no word from Billy Cranston despite possessing a means of communicating with Earth that was unblockable.
The rumours coming from Triforia were equally disturbing. There had been a news blackout following reports of an uprising and riots. Diplomatic channels had been closed and requests to speak with members of the Royal Family had been directed to a minor member of the ruling household. Their ambassadors to the Galactic Council had been ordered to return to Triforia for fresh instructions.
Most worrying was the lack of communication from Trey. Zordon had expected to hear progress reports as the Gold Ranger attempted to rebuild his shattered unity. He had at least anticipated a call from the priestesses overseeing the therapy to discuss the underlying cause. But there had been nothing. And in the silence, Zordon sensed danger.
The loss of the Aquitian Rangers and the Gold Ranger had an impact on the Earth's defences. Agreements had been reached following the intervention by the Aquitian Rangers and Lord Trey's assistance for the development of the Wide Area Support Protocol. It was an arrangement that would allow any of the parties to call upon the others in times of need. That neither Aquitra nor Trifoia had invoked such a request was unsettling.
Earth had stood alone since before Rita Repulsa release. They had seen off invasions from enemies that had looked down upon the tiny planet. While galactic society played down their actions, Zordon knew that other worlds would have fallen long ago against some of the invaders the humans had sent packing. And now it seemed they stood alone once more. He hoped the Rangers would continue to rise to the challenge.
It was morning by the time Alpha and Zordon had finished their final, very extensive sensor sweep of the Moon, Earth and other planets in the Sol system. The results had left them confused, but had alleviated some of their immediate concerns. Rita and Zedd vanished, their presence on the Moon completely absent. The regular scout ships that had been entering the solar system since Rita's release had ceased their patrols. From the limited access he had to the galactic grapevine, Zordon had discovered that Zedd and Rita had been spotted near the Dark Galaxy, Zedd's former domain. Zordon wondered what problem had arisen for Zedd to return there.
The sensor net surrounding the Earth was extremely complicated and required a lot of time to examine. As a result, the scans of Angel Grove and the mountains where the Power Chamber was hidden, were always among the last reports Alpha processed.
"Is there anything of note in the system reports?" Zordon asked. The final report was an internal check of all system functions.
Alpha pushed the buttons on the console, which printed the last of the reports. He was eager not to spoil Zordon's mood. "There were unusual readings from Angel Grove Park, which consumed more time than the computer estimated."
Zordon frowned. Something was not right; there had been no battles in the park recently. There was nothing there that should have required further investigation. But he could sense a variation in the energy patterns around the park. He was starting to believe that the distortion was a mirror of the disturbance he had felt in the Morphin Grid. It was a warning that something was coming, and he needed to be ready. That he was unable to figure out the threat was a sign of how serious things had become.
"Alpha, relay the data from that scan directly to my dimension," Zordon instructed.
"Yes, Zordon," Alpha replied.
As the data was fed from the computer Zordon had to reread it several times. There was a definite lack of answers presented in the report, but plenty of energy readings.
Zordon felt very vulnerable. He had known about Rita and Zedd before they had shown up; he had always suspected that Master Vile would appear to find his daughter or to seek the Zeo Crystal. And as for Mondo, Earth was a planet rich in resources and minerals the Machine Empire could use. Earth had been lucky that the Zeo Crystal had been discovered before Mondo arrived or the planet would have been reduced to a mere strip mine.
But this was something different, a power Zordon didn't understand. And he sensed that he was being distracted from seeing an even greater threat beyond it. Not knowing was the worst thing about the situation and something Zordon vowed to change shortly. A threat was out there and they needed to find it.
"Alpha, begin a new search pattern," he ordered before returning his attention to the report.
The Moon
Harbinger his new clothing carefully. He wanted to make a lasting impression on the Power Rangers and any others observing their confrontation. He had retained the dark blue - almost black - body suit, although he had used it to make himself appear bulkier. The dark blue cape that extended behind him with the high collar linked by a chain around his neck spoke of authority. Upon his chest, he wore an armoured breastplate with a hollow in the centre. It was in that place that he positioned the slightly oversized replica of Billy Cranston's old Power Coin. It was a coin he had had created in the Royal Mint of Triforia. It was not a real Power Coin, but it carried his identity. He was certain it would perform its function.
His plans had progressed well so far, but he could not pick off all his targets at once or the Rangers would start to notice and take steps to protect or at least alert their remaining allies; his greatest concern after dealing with the Zeo Rangers was the rapid elimination of loose ends such as the former Rangers of Earth. And then he would need to deal with the Earth's other heroes.
It was important for Harbinger to defeat the Rangers swiftly, to prove himself superior to those who had defeated him twice and more intelligent than the mere human he was based upon. Elaborate and carefully considered plans were his strength, and he was already instigating a plan that would guarantee the conquest of Earth and the total humiliation of the Power Rangers that protected it. Twice, they had defeated Minion, but Minion was gone, and in his place, Harbinger would bring forth their defeat.
He had made careful note of the victories of other villains to his unfortunate audience; Finster had yet to find a reason to leave Harbinger's presence. Harbinger had drawn attention to how Lord Zedd's first assault had been swift and brutal, taking their arsenal before the Rangers could adjust. But Zedd failed to push his advantage. He had relied on the stolen Zords to defeat the Rangers instead of going after them personally, and therefore allowed the Rangers to retrieve their equipment and enhance their weapons.
When Rito had first attacked, he had taken advantage of a weakness within the power of Thunder. The Zords were powerful but lacked endurance. When faced with foes that could not be dispatched swiftly, the overload had decimated the Zords and the Command Center. The Rangers had been vulnerable, but Rita and Zedd had failed to act.
The capture of the Pink Power Coin and Falcon Zord had put the Rangers on the defensive. The capture of Ninjor should have crushed their spirits. But instead of going for the kill, Zedd had chosen to humiliate the teenagers and, as a result lost the Shogun Zords. Improper storage of Ninjor and reliance on Rito led to the release of a valuable ally, and Rita's failure to destroy Kat when she practically surrendered had cost them the Zeo Crystal and Falcon Zord.
Master Vile's victory had been swift, but was marred by an inability to follow up. If the Rangers had been destroyed while they were reduced to children, Earth would have fallen. Still, the plan had been partially successful: the Ninja and Shogun Zords had been removed, Ninjor had been removed from the picture, and the Power Coins had been destroyed. The plan had also allowed Rito and Goldar to destroy the Command Center. It was a shame Zordon had planned for such an event, and that Rito and Goldar had dropped the Zeo Crystal while escaping.
Mondo's victories had been very unspectacular. For the most part, the Machine Empire relied on the idea that Ranger teams were unable to fight them and on brute force to destroy their enemies. Cogs were expendable and didn't require rest. But the Rangers had been able to fight, and that had limited Mondo's success.
The closest the Machine Empire came to success was Gasket's plan to use Tommy as a weapon. It had been a sound, if overused, plan that was doomed to failure. But for a time, the Rangers had been vulnerable.
In those cases, the Ranger had been beaten, and victory was obtainable. The plans were sound and, for the most part, well-executed. It was the inability to press the advantage that allowed the Rangers to recover. He would not give them such chances. His attacks would be targeted, continuous and devastating. But, he would not make the same mistake as the other. The most important factor in his plan was the need to follow through. He would grind them into the ground, crush them underfoot and stomp on anything that remained until he was certain they were gone.
First though he needed to get the Rangers' attention. And as any villain would know, that just required him to send down some foot soldiers and attack anything that moved. He ignored Finster's comment that the plan he was about to enact went against the elements of sudden shock and surprise that Harbinger had just spent hours describing in detail. Harbinger was more interested in creating the foot soldiers he needed to achieve his goals, while the monster maker shook his head and prepared to report the inevitable failure.
Using the Dark Sword, Harbinger energised some of the clay in the corner of the workshop, using the power taken directly from the dark depths of the Morphin Grid to shape it to his needs. Despite the obvious genius of their design, he recognised that they would likely face defeat at the hands of the Rangers. It didn't matter, so long as they drew the Rangers into the open.
His new soldiers were based upon his desires for warriors, and it seemed that his subconscious had been divided on the issue. They were all hideously ugly with large ears, wrinkled skin and sharp teeth sticking out of their lower lips. They were vicious with an insatiable thirst for combat. And they were unquestionably stupid; they lacked the intelligence to feel fear. They lacked even the most basic of instincts, and their desires were controlled by spells.
But physically there were differences between them that he had not anticipated. Some were tall despite their tendency to stoop. They were broad-shouldered and thick-legged. They had horns that others lacked, reminding Harbinger of a race of gun-toting triceratops the Rangers had once encountered. Others were even taller with only a single horn. Their hind legs were designed for covering large distances, and their arms were muscled with large hands. A third group were smaller with snout-like faces and jagged teeth. They ranged from those capable of standing to almost canine postures.
Despite the differences, all retained the darker grey of Rita's Putty Patrol. Most were unarmed, but some shifted their hands into the shape of crude weapons. They would outnumber the Rangers on the battlefield and would likely end up defeated. But it mattered not; a master planner of Harbinger's calibre knew how to sacrifice his pieces to move his opponents into harm's way. He dismissed them to Angel Grove with a small nod before turning his attention back to his appearance. He had a message that he wanted to send to the Rangers, but he needed to deliver it in just the right way. If not presented correctly, there was a chance they would start to believe there was a way to stop him.
End of Part One