Power Rangers Chronic Storm 2: The Shifting Tides

Chapter 19: Concerns

For the Chronic Storm team, one mission already gave way to another.

With the assistance of several Ranger teams out of time, Chronic Storm defeated the Resistance and dismantled the invasion of Earth. However, the infamously mysterious Admiral Axl now loomed overhead. Recent reports labeled him as the primary suspect in an attack on Zordina that left the entire planet crippled.

The Rangers pursued the case immediately to search for any clues as to the nature of this attack. Even with the Astro4's hyperdrive operational once more, the journey this time around would be close to a day. The lengthy trip gave the Chronic Storm team time to take a step back from everything, catch their collective breath, and enjoy each other's company. Even with the heightened threat, a palpable air of confidence hung over the five; all of them certain of victory. All of them, except their leader.

Inside the Astro4, Carter slowly paced around an empty bridge, caught inside his own harrowing thoughts. He could almost hear it; the exploding ships, the eerie shrills of anguish before the comms cut off. The sharp sounds still cut into his eardrums as the memories latched onto his mind. What felt like a lifetime of missions, a lifetime of Rangers and Morphers alike that needed replacing, only spanned 5 years. After two, he couldn't remember their names anymore, even some of their faces. After three, all he could see was the hue of the uniforms cast upon unfamiliar bodies. It became no more complicated than replacing a faulty machine part. Another mission. Another team. The faces changed, but the colors never did.

Taylor entered the bridge while Carter slowly paced around, trying to rub the irritation out of his heavy eyes. She walked up to him and gently nudged the side of his arm, springing him back into reality.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah... Yeah, just fine." Carter's tone was decidedly low in pitch.

Taylor quickly took notice. "Are you sure about that?"

"Just tired... I'll be sure to get some more shut-eye after we discuss the mission."

Taylor slowly nodded, only partly assured. "Good... We need you sharp out there."

Kendrix, Jason, and Ethan made their way to the bridge and took their usual seats.

Ethan spent part of the downtime trying to uncover more about Admiral Axl. But his stony expression told a clear tale. "I've been looking for hours through every channel and intel array that this ship has access to, but so far, all we have is a name. And no way to access Triforian servers either. They've got those things locked up tight."

"Axis wasn't engaging in hyperbole with his older brother," Jason said. "Not only did Axl end a planet of strong and respected people, but he knows how to stay off the grid while doing it."

Taylor shook her head. "If we can't even get intelligence on this guy, how do we know he was the one responsible? Queen Diane isn't exactly short on enemies. Any of them could be our culprit."

"My mother has dealt with the Triforians more than anyone. If she thinks that one of them did this, we ought to believe her."

"Guys," Carter added. "We need to focus on the bigger issue. We're dealing with someone who can take out planets much bigger than Earth. We need to find out the what and the how before that kind of force can be used again. Finding Axl should come naturally."

"What's our plan for taking down Admiral Axl when we do find him?" asked Jason.

Carter sighed. "Hopefully, we can find a solution that doesn't involve a direct confrontation. Our mission right now is to gather more intelligence and let Queen Diane make the next call."