Lightspeed Rescue: Lightspeed: Hunt and Rescue (CLASSIC)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. I do not own Super Sentai. I also do not own Rescue Force or Fire Rescue. They all belong to whoever currently owns their copyrights. This is a fan work produced for non-profit. Garth is an original character based on a combination of sources including X-Men and Guyver. His armour is based on the Demon Hunter from the GoGoV movie. Nancy is an interpretation of Nancy Cooper from Lightspeed Rescue. Her armour is based on the female Demon Hunter from the GoGoV Movie. The deployment of her armour is borrowed from Iron Man.

Lightspeed: Hunt and Rescue

Lightspeed Aquabase
September 1998

His gun tracked her movements as she spun away from his sword thrust. He fired. She skilfully dodged the series of shots that laid waste to a wooden table. He kept firing, his computer assisted targeting system anticipating her next moves. Each shot was narrowly avoided as her own computer system predicted his intention and formulated the best response. He switched his weapon to rapid-fire and unleashed a volley of shots that tore through the visitor couch and punched holes in the far wall. A warning lit up his screen and he ducked to avoid the foot stool she had kicked in his direction after allowing one shot to strike her. It was off target due to her loss of balance after being shot, but it was close enough to make him take evasive action. At which point she gained the upper hand.

Her sword was out and as he paused, she propelled herself in his direction, targeting his should with a downward strike. He rolled to the left and brought his own sword up to block it. His intention had been to fire the shotgun still in his left hand, but her systems had anticipated such a response. Her right foot slammed into his chest, forcing him to stumbled back into the wall. Her sword jabbed forward only to be blocked by his own weapon.

From there the two began a deadly dance around the wrecked office space, tearing into the outer office and around the reception area. Swords, guns, fists and feet flew as each tried to gain the upper hand. He was slightly taller and broader with a very small reach advantage. She relied on her speed and combat skills to make up for the slight disadvantage and the upgraded armour she wore to spring a few surprises of her own. They spun, twisted, ducked and leapt to avoid their opponent's attack and hopefully gain the deciding blow. The computer assistance that each received made their moves all the deadlier until finally they reached a point of stalemate.

Both were slightly out of breath, their sword blades resting against their opponent's throat while the barrel of their gun was level with their opponent's chest. Their computers rapidly searched for the best means of escaping, but failed to come up with a winning strategy. Both took the decision to ignore the hundred or so strategies and use their own.

She spun to the left, intending for her sword to strike his head. As she rolled the shot from his rifle narrowly skimmed the side of her chest. He own shot went wide, knocking his sword off target. Her own sword blow had been on the mark, but the need to dodge his shot meant it lacked the force needed and was easily knocked aside. Still she was not to be denied and completing a full turn as she lowered her body to the floor, she stood to find her gun pointed directly at his chest. She didn't hesitate in firing.

While she had been moving to deliver her final shot, he had adjusted his position to allow for his strategy. As the blast from her gun struck him in the chest, his sword was already swinging. As the blast deflected from his armour and she was thrown away, his sword struck her across the chest. He allowed his targeting system to direct his movements as he raised his rifle and opened fire.

The sword shot to her chest combined with the deflection of her own shot pushed her back, but she was not done. She rolled back into a standing position and allowed her targeting system to direct her as she threw her sword at him. The computer confirmed that she had missed just as she ducked to avoid the potentially fatal shot that ripped a hole in the wall behind her. She toppled over and lay still, unable to move as the chest strike caught up with her. She was relieved to see the same was true for him.

The room grew brighter, the walls collapsed down as the training program ended. A small team of technicians helped her to her feet just as another team did the same for her opponent. They picked up their weapons, returning them to their storage holsters before crossing the training area and shaking hands.

"System Command: Armour Off!" Garth Nelson ordered, causing his armour to return to its resting position. The power unit in his chest sank back beneath the skin as his heavily modified body shifted into its more human-looking form.

"System Command: Armour Off!" Nancy Cooper commanded. Her armour shrank back into the special storage compartments that had been strapped to her limbs and back. The small power unit was encased in its safety package before joining the armour in her backpack. she quickly released the straps and opened a storage case that allowed her to carry the armour in a single container. She secured the lock before allowing the box to return to its storage space.

"Well done," Garth told her as the technicians hand them each a bottle of water. "That was almost perfect."

"You too," she agreed.

Garth had been training constantly since joining Lightspeed. The modifications he had undergone at the hands of government scientists had made him a living weapon, but he had needed to train constantly to develop the technology they had used into a means of fighting. The implants inside his cranium had been enhanced when his armour's computer system had been connected to Lightspeed's computer. It allowed him to receive the same operational data that the Lightspeed Rangers used during their missions and to use those computers for extra processing space.

The armour Nancy had been testing was very similar to Garth's but had not been internalised. Instead the components were deployed in a similar way to the Lightspeed Rangers' uniforms. Instead of an internal computer, Nancy's helmet carried all the components needed to give her similar capabilities to Garth. It was only when they were acting without armour that it became clear that Garth was the augmented human soldier and Nancy was the highly skilled operative. Both were considered an asset.

"I'm amazed at the progress you've both made," Captain Mitchell announced, causing the technicians to snap to attention. Nobody had seen him enter. He flicked through the pages of a report before signing the bottom and handing the clipboard to an assistant. "In fact I think we can end the testing altogether."

He watched as Nancy's face fell. He knew why: this project was her last link to Lightspeed after the Lightspeed Rangers had made it clear that they would never accept her as a sixth Ranger. That the Lightspeed Rangers had threatened to quit if forced to work with an unwanted teammate, had forced Captain Mitchell to scrap the White Lightspeed powers they had built for Nancy. However he had decided that the building and testing of the new armour required an experienced operative and had offered Nancy the job. Sadly with the testing at an end, so was Nancy's reprieve.

"From this moment Operation: Demon Hunter is live and providing you two are agreeable, you're both upgraded to active status."

Nancy was confused. She had been led to believe that she had been testing Lightspeed's attempts to duplicate Garth's armour without the need to surgically alter the bodies of those using it.

"Finishing the armour was important, but training an operative capable of using that armour was more important," Captain Mitchell told her. "We needed somebody who could adapt to the new system when it wasn't just second nature. You accomplished that."

"But I thought there could only be five Rangers," she protested.

"Lightspeed only has five Lightspeed Rangers," Captain Mitchell allowed. "Six if include the Titanium Ranger, but since we can't find anybody capable of using them..."

They had tried find a user for the Titanium powers but it had proven impossible. The damaged morpher had been repaired but the power cells were still overcharged. It had been theorised that once somebody had successfully transformed using the Titanium Morpher, the excess charge would be stabilised and the device rendered safe. The problem was that nobody could survive the transformation process without either collapsing or worse. Carter had tried and failed when it had been suggested that as an active Ranger he would be used to the strain of the first transformation. The Red Ranger had been left panting but otherwise unscathed. Garth had also tried and had collapsed under the strain.

"As you know our funding limits the Rangers to fighting Queen Bansheera's forces and rescuing those endangered when they attack. They don't allow us to deal with the demons before they strike or to find ways to vanquish them permanently. The Demon Hunter Project is our way of dealing with this problem. If you agree the two of you will only be responsible for dealing with demon attacks and dealing with those that try to assist them."

There had been a few cases where humans had willingly aided the demons in return for power. So far Lightspeed had managed to put a stop to whatever schemes they had come up with, but there was at least one self-proclaimed demon priest stirring up trouble.

"The Demon Hunters are Lightspeed's black-ops. Unlike other personnel you will not need to obey the commands or the Lightspeed Rangers in the field, although I expect you to work with them."

Lightspeed's shareholders and the organisation's reliance on government backing had limited their role. Maybe of the shareholders wanted to sell the plans for the Lightspeed Rescue Zords to the highest bidder. Fortunately the plans and patents for other technology were held by a separate trust. The creation of the Demon Hunters placed part of their activities outside of the direct control of the military. The creation of the Lightspeed International Rescue Force allowed Captain Mitchell to dispose of their older equipment among trusted organisations. The Demon Hunters and Rescue Force split the role of Lightspeed between fighting evil and saving lives and Captain Mitchell was certain that with that clear division he could win any potential arguments.

"What about the Rangers?" Nancy asked.

Dana and the others had made it clear they would never accept Nancy as a member of their team. Their actions had forced Captain Mitchell to consider disciplinary action against the, but they were deemed too important to place on suspension.

"The Demon Hunters are not Rangers, the Rescue Force are not Rangers and will never be treated as Rangers. Whether Dana and the others choose to accept that there are other teams out there is up to them." He paused. "They will be reminded that either group would make excellent replacements for the Lightspeed Rangers should they decide to resign."

And there was the final piece of the puzzle. Captain Mitchell had created two new forces to allow Lightspeed to carry out its missions without outside intervention and prevent the Lightspeed Rangers from threatening to quit to get their own way. And with both the Demon Hunters and Rescue Force available to provide additional support during a mission, Mariner Bay had also become a safer place in the process.

End of Part