Tournament of Terror

by Neo Edmund

  “No! Not really,” Mr. Kaplan said. He leaned forward for a closer look at Kimberly. “Are you on giggly pills? Don’t lie to me. I can tell.”

  Kimberly scoffed in offense. “No. Never.”

  “Darn right you’re not,” Mr. Kaplan agreed. “Join a street gang?”

  Kimberly smirked. “I wouldn’t even know how to join a street gang.”

  “That’s right, because Angel Grove is a gang-free institution of learning,” Mr. Kaplan said proudly. “So what is going on with Kimberly Ann Hart that would cause her to flip over a table in the school cafeteria?”

  Kimberly tried to respond, but Mr. Kaplan pressed a finger to his lips, telling her not to say a word. He spun around in his chair and faced the wall and began tapping a finger on the armrest. His rhythm was in perfect sync with the second hand of a little cuckoo clock sitting on the corner of his desk. After a moment, the beat became so hypnotic that Kimberly could hardly keep her eyes open.

  “What is wrong with Kimberly Hart?” Mr. Kaplan said. Then after another moment had passed, he said, “Or should I say, what is wrong with the Pink Ranger?”

  Kimberly gasped. “What did you just say?”

  The chair spun back around and Goldar was now sitting in it. The light in his amulet flickered so fast that Kimberly couldn’t hope to escape its hypnotic power. “That’s right, Pink Ranger, your mind belongs to me now,” Goldar said.

  The next thing Kimberly knew, she was standing in the deepest depths of a dark cavern. She frantically looked all around, trying to figure out where she was, but nothing seemed familiar. She tried to call Alpha 5 on her communicator watch, but there was no signal.

  “I see you, Pink Ranger. Can you see me?” Goldar asked, his voice echoing through the rocky cavern.

  Kimberly’s mind was abuzz with confusion as she stumbled through one rocky tunnel after another, hoping against hope to find a way out. “Enough of this, Goldar. Show yourself,” she shouted.

  A squad of Putty Patrollers swarmed into the chamber and surrounded Kimberly. She raised her fists, ready for a fight, but they didn’t attack. “What are you all waiting for?” Kimberly asked.

  Goldar emerged, clutching his sword.

  “They’re waiting to see if you’re going to do as you’re told,” he said. The pink glow in his amulet caused Kimberly to stumble in confusion. “You must know by now that you can never escape me,” he said. “You will help me destroy Zordon and the other Rangers.”

  “N-no. I would never—” Kimberly stuttered, unable to finish. Between the hypnotic power of the amulet and her state of exhaustion, she was losing her will to resist.

  Goldar extended a hand to Kimberly.

  “You can put an end to this madness. Just take me to the Command Center, and it will all be over,” he said.

  Kimberly feverishly shook her head around, trying to break the spell, but it was already taking control of her mind.

  Goldar took off the amulet and dangled it inches from Kimberly’s face. Her eyes began to glow bright pink.

  “Now take me to the Command Center so we may destroy Zordon once and for all,” he said.

  Against her own will, Kimberly slowly reached out and took Goldar’s hand and said, “I will do as you command, Master Goldar.”

  In a glimmering sparkle of light, Alpha 5 teleported into the Command Center. He scurried in a panic over to the main control console. “Aye-yi-yi, this is very bad. Very, very bad,” he said.

  “Alpha 5, please calm yourself,” Zordon said. “What did you learn at the power station?”

  “How can I calm myself when an EMP is about to destroy every electronic device in Angel Grove and knock out the Command Center with it?” Alpha 5 asked.

  “That is indeed distressing. How long before the EMP is set to go off?” Zordon asked.

  Alpha 5 pushed a series of buttons on the console and checked the results. “According to these calculations, the EMP will reach full power in exactly eight hours,” he said. Then he looked at the clock on the console and saw just over eight hours remained. “That’s minutes before the Rangers are scheduled to return on the space bridge.”

  “Then we must find a way to stop the EMP. If the Command Center is disabled, we would not be able to calibrate the space bridge. I fear the Rangers would be lost forever,” Zordon said gravely.

  “Aye-yi-yi, how could this get any worse?” Alpha 5 sobbed.

  A pink and gold light flared in the middle of the room and then Pink Ranger and Goldar teleported in.

  “Oh no. Emergency. Emergency!” Alpha 5 said, dashing around in a panic.

  “Well done, Pink Ranger. You will make an excellent apprentice,” Goldar said triumphantly.

  The Pink Ranger took off her helmet, revealing her glowing pink eyes. “I am ready to carry out your orders, Master Goldar.”

  “This can’t be,” Alpha 5 yelped. “Kimberly, you would never betray us.”

  “It’s not her fault,” Zordon said. “She’s under one of Rita’s spells.” He then looked at Goldar. “Why are you here?”

  Goldar raised a fist. “I’m here to watch my new apprentice destroy you and the other Rangers.”

  “I’d like to see you try it,” Alpha 5 said. He raced for a large red button on one of the consoles, trying to activate the intruder alert system.

  “Pink Ranger, stop him,” Goldar ordered.

  Kimberly forced Alpha 5 away from the console.

  “Now, Pink Ranger, disable him, permanently,” Goldar commanded.

  “Kimberly, don’t do it,” Alpha 5 begged.

  The pink light flickered in Kimberly’s eyes. “I must do as my master commands.” She bashed a fist into the electronic panel on Alpha 5’s back, causing sparks to fly and his systems to go offline.

  “Zordon, please help meeeeeeee—” Alpha 5 cried, and then slumped over.

  “Excellent work, my apprentice,” Goldar said. He gave Alpha 5 a shove, knocking him into a corner on the far side of the room. “Now, do away with Zordon once and for all,” he said.

  “Kimberly, you have the power within yourself to overcome this wicked spell,” Zordon said.

  Kimberly flicked a series of switches on the control console. She then entered a secret system lockout code. A siren sounded and red lights flashed. Inside the energy chamber, Zordon rapidly faded in and out and then finally vanished.

  “At last, Zordon is gone and soon the Power Rangers will be destroyed,” Goldar hailed. “And it is all thanks to you, my new apprentice.”

  “I do as you command, Master Goldar,” Kimberly said.

  A shadowy sphere formed in the center of the chamber. Streaks of lightning crackled all around it. When the sphere faded away, Rita Repulsa emerged, clutching her staff. “After ten thousand years, the Command Center is finally mine,” she shrieked.

  Goldar knelt before Rita. “My queen, your plan worked perfectly. There will be nobody to stop us this time.”

  “Of course my plan worked. I am a mastermind of evil, after all,” Rita declared. “And once that EMP goes kaboom, I’ll be doing some serious remodeling around here.”

  “Yes, this will make a perfect base for you to rule over the Earth,” Goldar said.

  “I believe you are right,” Rita said. “Now where is that foolish Finster?”

  “I sent him to the power station with a squad of Putty Patrollers to guard the EMP,” Goldar said. He led Rita over to the viewing globe. There, they saw Angel Grove was still in chaos. “With the city nearly drained of power, I knew it would only be a matter of time before the humans would uncover our plan,” he said.

  “That weakling Finster couldn’t guard a block of moldy cheese from a pack of rats. Get to the power station and guard that EMP with your life,” Rita commanded.

  At the Angel Grove Power Station, a team of engineers was hard at work trying to deter
mine the cause of the citywide power outage. They had tracked the problem to the electricity generator that was powering up the EMP. Just when an engineer noticed the sinister device, Finster and a squad of Putty Patrollers arrived.

  “Putties, show the humans out,” Finster said.

  The Putty Patrollers swarmed around the engineers and shoved them toward the staircase. The engineers were too terrified to put up a fight. Right as they started heading up, Goldar came stomping down and blocked their way. He held his hand over the amulet so they could see him.

  “Get back, you worthless humans,” Goldar ordered.

  The engineers trembled in fear as they backed down the stairs. They cowered, trapped between Goldar and the Putty Patrollers.

  “Goldar, what is the meaning of this?” Finster demanded. “The humans were just about to discover our plan.”

  “It looks like they already have,” Goldar said. “If we let them go, they’ll call for help, and then we’ll have more trouble to deal with.” He glared at the engineers. “I am afraid you’ll all be staying here until our plan is complete.”

  • • •

  In the corner of the Command Center, Alpha 5 started to twitch. His emergency reboot cycle had activated. He started speaking in gibberish as his systems came online.

  “Aye-yi-yi,” Alpha 5 said when he saw that Zordon was still offline. He noticed Kimberly standing on the far side of the room, still in a hypnotic trance and eyes glowing bright pink. Not far from her, Rita carelessly rummaged through a storage locker, flinging around fragile pieces of equipment.

  “It’s all up to me now,” Alpha 5 said. “Courage. I must have courage.”

  Alpha 5 started to sit upright, but stopped when Kimberly looked at him. He feared that she would alert Rita, but she just stared at him without a bit of reaction.

  “Think, Alpha 5. There must be a way to get through to Kimberly,” he said to himself. He dared to move again, this time sitting all the way up and leaning back against a wall. Kimberly still didn’t react.

  After a moment of pondering, Alpha 5 decided he would try to communicate with Kimberly with sign language. “I hope I get this right,” he said. With nervous hands, he signed the words, “Kimberly, can you understand me?”

  She crooked her head to the side a little. The pink energy flickered in her eyes.

  “Rita is controlling you with a wicked spell. You must fight it,” Alpha 5 signed. Kimberly looked to Rita, then back to Alpha 5, and shook her head as if to say no.

  “If you do not fight against Rita, the other Rangers will be lost forever,” Alpha 5 continued. “They are your friends, and they need you to help them.”

  For a brief instant, the pink light in Kimberly’s eyes faded out. Alpha 5 knew he was getting through to her, but it was going to take more than that to break the spell.

  Then Alpha 5 signed, “Think about your friends—Jason and Trini and Billy and Zack. They would fight to protect you, and I know you would fight to protect them.”

  Kimberly’s head twitched a little. Memories of her friends raced through her mind. She recalled the many good times they’d had together, and the many times they’d fought against Rita.

  Alpha 5 signed, “Keep fighting, Kimberly. You’re not Rita’s servant. You’re the Pink Ranger.”

  Kimberly clutched her head. She was starting to overcome the power of the spell, but it still had a strong grip on her mind. Then, with trembling hands, she responded to Alpha 5 in sign language. “What do I have to do?”

  “We need to get Rita out of the Command Center,” Alpha 5 replied.

  Kimberly looked at Rita. The witch was still busy ransacking the storage lockers. Kimberly then signed to Alpha 5, “I can’t fight her like this.”

  “You don’t have to,” Alpha 5 replied. He pointed to the intruder alert button. “All you have to do is push the button and the security system will do the rest.”

  Kimberly nodded in understanding and began to walk over toward the console. Rita noticed she was on the move.

  “Hold it right there, Pink Ranger,” said Rita. “I didn’t say you could move.”

  Kimberly stopped cold. The intruder alert button was within reach, but as hard as she tried, she couldn’t will herself to push it.

  “You can do it, Kimberly,” Alpha 5 cried out. “Don’t let that wicked old witch stop you now.”

  “Oh, now I see what’s happening here,” Rita said. She grabbed her staff and stalked toward Alpha 5. “I should have destroyed this meddlesome tin bucket when I had the chance.”

  “Please, Kimberly, help me,” Alpha 5 pleaded.

  Kimberly suddenly found the power within herself to overcome the vile spell. “Rita, I will not let you hurt my friends,” she said with gritted teeth, and then slammed her fist down on the intruder alert button.

  A siren blared. Red emergency lights flashed. Then an energy force field surrounded Rita.

  “Curse you, Pink Ranger. I will have my revenge,” Rita vowed. The teleporter activated and banished her from the Command Center.

  “You did it, Kimberly,” Alpha 5 cheered.

  “I just hope I never have to do it again,” Kimberly said, rubbing her eyes. She looked at the clock over the console. There was less than one hour left before her friends were due to return. “Now we just have to stop Goldar from setting off that EMP, or Zordon and the others will be lost forever.”

  Rita landed with a flop on the observation deck of the Moon Palace. When she stumbled to her feet, she saw Squatt sitting on her golden throne. Baboo was fanning him with a large palm leaf. Putty Patrollers were holding iron bowls overflowing with gruesome edibles.

  “What is this treachery?” Rita shouted. “I’m gone for a few hours, and you take over the palace?”

  Squatt scrambled off the throne. “We were just messing around, my queen,” he said.

  “We thought you were busy ruling the Earth from the Command Center,” Baboo said.

  “Get out of my sight,” Rita said, swatting Squatt and Baboo with her staff, chasing them out the door. “Now where is that fool Goldar?”

  Goldar teleported into the room and stepped up behind Rita. “What do you need, my queen?” he asked.

  Startled, Rita clutched a hand to her chest. “How did you get here so fast? And why aren’t you guarding the EMP?”

  “You called for me, so here I am,” Goldar said.

  “Fools. Every last one of you,” Rita grumbled. “Now get down there and start wreaking havoc on Angel Grove.”

  “What happened at the Command Center?” Goldar asked.

  “Just shut up and do as I say,” Rita squawked.

  Goldar snarled in frustration. “As you command, my queen.”

  • • •

  At the Command Center, the clock on the console was counting down from fifty-seven minutes. Kimberly watched Alpha 5 frantically typing away on the control console.

  “Aye-yi-yi, are you sure you can’t remember the code you entered to lock out Zordon’s connection to the Command Center?” Alpha 5 asked.

  Kimberly frowned. “I’m trying. I just can’t.”

  Alpha 5 put an arm around Kimberly to comfort her. “This was not your fault. That wicked old Rita did this to you.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t make me feel any better,” Kimberly admitted.

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll crack that code if it’s the last thing I do. Of course if I don’t do that soon, it will be the last thing I do,” Alpha 5 said gravely.

  Kimberly shook her head, refusing to let that happen. “Then you keep working here, and I’ll go to the power station and figure out how to stop that EMP.”

  “I was hoping you would say that,” Alpha 5 said gleefully.

  The Command Center alarm sounded.

  “Aye-yi-yi! Now what?” Alpha 5 asked. He rushed over to the viewing globe.
Goldar was in Downtown Angel Grove, wrecking cars and knocking over power poles. “Kimberly, you must get down there and stop Goldar before he destroys the city.”

  Kimberly shook her head. “No, I think it’s a trick to stop me from going to the power station. If Goldar wants a fight, he can find me there.”

  “But what about his amulet?” Alpha 5 asked. “You could end up right back under that terrible spell.”

  “Not this time. I’ve got a plan,” Kimberly said. She held out her Power Morpher. “IT’S MORPHIN TIME!”

  • • •

  The Pink Ranger somersaulted into the parking lot of the power station. She sprinted toward a squad of Putty Patrollers near the main entrance. Before they could attack, she pulled out her Power Bow and fired off six shots, taking them out with perfect aim.

  With a soaring leap, she got up onto the roof of the power station and took cover behind a heating unit.

  Goldar teleported into the parking lot.

  The Pink Ranger aimed her bow at Goldar’s amulet. Before she fired, the flickering pink light in the amulet caused her to hesitate. She could feel Rita’s spell trying to again take control of her mind. Her thoughts became twisted and confused.

  She remembered attacking Alpha 5 and how she had betrayed Zordon. In the middle of the madness, she suddenly remembered the secret code she had entered into the Command Center computer that knocked Zordon offline.

  “Pink Ranger, come out, come out, wherever you are,” Goldar called.

  The Pink Ranger wanted to call Alpha 5 to tell him about the code, but she worried that Goldar would hear her. She needed to take out the amulet first.

  With a calming breath to clear her mind, she aimed her bow at the amulet. Once she had a clear shot, she fired. Goldar never saw it coming. The arrow pierced the amulet, shattering it into a dozen shards.

  “I’ll get you for that, Pink Ranger,” Goldar bellowed. He took flight and soared toward the rooftop.

  The Pink Ranger called Alpha 5 on the communicator in her helmet. “Alpha, I know the code to get Zordon back online.”