Power Rangers Supersonic: Part I

Chapter 6 - Double Trouble

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|| Aquila Hyperion Galaxy, Planet Xybria

They say a man should separate his work space from his personal quarters. That had not been the case with Brute. During the beginning of his Power Ranger life, the hydraulic gate leading into Brute's laboratory-room had been decorated with a sloppily painted Danger! Experiments occurring! sign. The replica of a skull-and-crossbones underneath the neon yellow lettering made his case all the more bizarre; the late blooming of a rebellious phase normally undergone during adolescence.

Like most of Brute's antics, it had gone as quickly as it had come.

'Brute!' Pyre shouted as she barged into his room. 'Star needs medical attention, quickly!'

Surrounded by glass display cases that housed animals of all shapes, sizes and races, the Blue Supersonic Ranger's body lay motionless in the middle of the circular chamber, his sun-kissed forehead streaked with sweat. Similar to Star, Brute's gem was aglow with pale, blue light. His facial features were lax, closed eyes and parted lips giving Pyre the impression of serenity.

'Pyre!' squawked a Gugreid parakeet. 'Pyre! Here!' Pyre turned around, but Brute's voice was calling out to her from the opposite direction now.

'Here! Look here!' Following the sudden shift, Pyre's gaze connected with a Nozzurean alligator on the room's northern corner.

'Brute?' she asked, puzzled. 'Is that you?'

'Yes!' Brute rasped. 'But—'

The crocodile's ability to form words was snatched away and it receded into an animalistic snarl.

'My possession is going bananas! I can't control it!' yelped a Shes'eah tundra chimp whose display case hung overhead. 'I don't—'

'—understand!' roared a snow-white Lemmead panther, situated next to the entrance.

Pyre tussled her mane, evidently confused. 'Aw man, I can't make heads or tails of this,' she sighed. 'How do Xybrian powers even work?!'

Acknowledging the fact that, much like his pets, both her and Star were in danger of Brute's possession ability, Pyre fled the laboratory-room and headed for the elevator. Their next destination was the training room, at the Volcanic Base's basement.

'I know it's probably not much,' she told a struggling Star as she placed her down on the mat, 'but I hope that, down here, the voices won't be so loud.' She paused to swallow and collect herself. 'I will come back for you, Star. For now, however, I need to find Ace and Gent.'

She made to leave, but came short of the elevator entrance before stopping to spare Star one, final glance from over her shoulder. By the looks of things, she did not seem to suffer from convulsions anymore, though it was clear to Pyre her friend was bottling up the pain. Star glanced her way and nodded with a wince.

Pyre knew Star to be strong and confident, and right now she looked so frail and powerless.

'I'll stop whatever's causing this,' Pyre said. Then, with hardened resolve: 'I promise.'

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Pyre had found Ace in the medical bay. Specifically, she had discovered him inside the cryo chamber.

He had once been described by Xybrian citizens as a heroic sculpture come to life. That metaphor seemed to have been taken to the literal extent. Despite the biting cold, Ace stood motionless. His bold, gray eyes were devoid of color and emitted a smokey afterglow, while his forehead gem glimmered the color matching his ranger uniform; a glorious red.