Ophiuchus: To the Breaking Point

Synopsis
As the Rangers struggle to come to terms with their losses, the Zodiac Emperors issue an ultimatum to Angel Grove: hand over the surviving Rangers or else.

Plot
Lidian stood in front of the hospital room, still morphed, arms folded. The flow of doctors in and out of the room had slowed to a trickle; nobody had said anything about the Green Ranger, though there had been a lot of staring. Casey's father had arrived hours ago, and he was still inside.

His communicator watch beeped, making him start. Automatically, he pushed the button to let the caller speak.

"Green Ranger?" The voice was Alpha 5's.

After a moment, Lidian replied, in a hoarse, quiet voice. "I'm here."

"You're still awake? It's been hours. You need rest."

"She's still at risk. The Zodiac Emperors could attack any time," Lidian replied.

"I'll be there any minute to relieve you," Sabrina said.

"I'll wait." Lidian ended the call and lowered his arms. He didn't break his at-attention stance until the Pink Ranger arrived in a column of light.

"How is she?"

"Can't say." Lidian looked her up and down. "You sure you're up for this?"

"I'm sure. Get some sleep."

Lidian glanced back at the room. "I'd rather . . . I want to see if she's okay."

Sabrina hesitated, and then nodded. "Don't keep her up either if she's awake."

"Yes Ma'am."

Lidian slipped into the room, and Sabrina took his place against the wall.

Inside, a curtain had been drawn around the bed, but he could see Mr. Wildman's silhouette sitting beside Casey's bedside. Hearing the door click shut, he looked around the curtain, and paused at the sight of the Green Ranger.

"She's all right, Mr. Wildman?" Lidian asked cautiously.

"Doctors weren't sure. They said it could go either way at this point." He managed something like a smile. "Though without you she wouldn't even have that chance."

Lidian didn't say anything. Somehow he didn't feel like "thank you" or "you're welcome" was appropriate.

"And . . . it's not your fault. About Violet and Janelle, I mean. Sometimes you can't save everyone."

A lump growing in his throat, Lidian nodded. He hadn't realized until now that not only Violet, but her mother had been inside the house when it blew. "I'm sorry," he managed.

"I know." Mr. Wildman looked back at Casey. "Take care of her while I'm gone, will you?"

Lidian nodded, and Mr. Wildman clapped him on the back, walking out of the room. After a minute, the Green Ranger demorphed, crossed the room and pushed the curtain aside.

Casey looked just as bad as he'd feared. Most of the burns were apparently on her back and sides, since she was lying on her stomach and the bandages were visible through the back of her hospital gown. Her hair had been burned much shorter and frizzier. A cast held her right arm.

Silently, Lidian sat down next to the bed. Casey stirred, and he froze, but she settled down a moment later. Even though he knew she wasn't aware, Lidian reached out and grasped her left hand, trying not to jostle it. She stirred again, and her fingers tightened around his.

oZo

"We will not annihilate helpless foes!" Libra snapped. "Especially not while they are surrounded by noncombatants! You may have launched this first attack behind our backs, but try another such stunt and we will end this alliance, once and for all."

"But we could finish off the war now!" Virgo protested. "Without their heroes the humans will have no choice but to surrender to us!"

"Or they will be enraged by our casual disregard for their lives and rise up against us," Sagittarius retorted. "After all, if they believe they'll die anyway, what do they have to lose by fighting back?"

"Why are we standing around talking when we could be FIGHTING?!" Leo roared.

"Do us all a favor and shut up," Cancer said to him. He raised one claw just in time to block a swing at his head. The claws pinged against his shell. "Nice try."

"Direct attack is not our only option," Aquarius said. "And if the opinions of humanity are a factor, we could use that to our advantage."

The other Emperors stopped, and turned to her, intrigued—or at least tolerant of suggestions. Aquarius rested her hands on the table.

"The humans know our power. So, if we ask them to send forth the Rangers or we destroy them, they will not take the threat lightly. With half of the team decimated they will be unable to fight us, and if the Rangers turn on them to protect themselves, the Earth will lose faith in its heroes."

The others were quiet, for once, considering the suggestion. Libra was the first to break the silence. "We will not destroy a hospital to destroy the Rangers. Blanket destruction is a good way to miss our targets in any case. Instead we should send in agents to minimize losses. However we will not take responsibility for any resulting collateral damage."

Aquarius shrugged. "Fair enough. The Rangers will still look like cowards if they don't show."

"We should still try to make an impression," Cancer said. "I'll go prepare for takeoff."

oZo

Sabrina teleported into the Power Chamber. For a minute, she thought it was empty. "Alpha? We need to plan our counterattack," she said sharply, looking around.

Turning, she spotted Alpha 5 huddled in a corner beside a large, still-broken tube. His head was in his hands, and even though Sabrina didn't think he had tear ducts, she could hear a sniffling sort of noise. Her hard expression softened slightly.

"Alpha?"

He started and looked up, swiping at his "eyes." "Sabrina? I'm sorry, I just . . ."

"I know." Sabrina came over to him and held out a hand, which he accepted. As she pulled him up, she said, "We need to act before the Zodiac Emperors do. If they think we're vulnerable they'll throw everything they've got at us."

"Right, right. But how do we act?" Alpha 5 asked.

"We've lost half of the team, but we still have the Riders. I say we lead a counterattack. It's just the Zodiac Emperors now, and we've already killed one. Knowing them they're probably all jockeying for power until Sagittarius comes into alignment, so if we can just figure out their alliances—"

"You want to attack them now?" Alpha 5 interrupted.

"As soon as possible," Sabrina replied.

"We aren't ready. What about David and Casey? We can't just leave them alone—and we need time to recover. Especially Lidian."

"Lidian's fine," Sabrina snapped.

"No, he isn't! None of us are fine!" Alpha 5 was starting to sound, of all things, angry.

"Then maybe a little revenge will make some of us feel better!"

"Is that what this is about?" Alpha 5 asked, in a quieter voice. "Revenge?"

Sabrina stared at him. Her shoulders slumped, she broke eye contact, and let out a deep sigh. "It'd sure make me feel better."

Alpha put a hand on her arm. She flinched at the contact but didn't move away. "Not if we lose you too. Rushing in upset and alone and getting yourself killed will only make things worse. We need to regroup."

After a moment, Sabrina nodded. She didn't look happy, though. "Then I'll go back to guarding David and Casey."

"I'll call Ezra and Taiysa," Alpha 5 replied. "You and Lidian have been up long enough."

"Okay." Without looking up, Sabrina put her hand on Alpha's, resting on her arm. "Thanks for the reminder."

"Reminder?"

"Of what the right thing to do is. It's not always easy for me to see."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I could help," Alpha 5 replied.

Smiling a little, Sabrina let go and stepped back, and raised her communicator watch. Unfortunately, that was when the alarm began to go off. Alpha started with a yelp and ran for the console, Sabrina right behind him. Hastily the robot brought the image onto the viewing screen.

"Ai yi yi yi yi!"

Sabrina's eyes went wide. "Is that—they couldn't have."

Hovering over the hospital was the Equinox itself. Its shadow covered several blocks, even at night. As the two watched, a voice began to issue from it at nearly-deafening volume.

"Zeo Rangers, you have fought bravely, but it is time for the battle to end. Surrender yourselves to us within the next hour, or we will come and find you. Any casualties that fall to the people you claim to protect lie on your own heads."

Sabrina and Alpha exchanged silent looks, Alpha of horror, Sabrina grim realization.

"Humans, anyone who helps us find these Rangers will be rewarded," the voice added. "Again, you have one hour to comply and prevent unnecessary bloodshed."

With that, the Equinox fell silent. It continued to hover above the hospital, engines rumbling.

"Change of plans," Sabrina said, straightening. "Everyone's going to the hospital, now."

"Right—I'll call the Riders."

oZo

Angel Grove Community Hospital was in an uproar. Doctors, nurses and orderlies scurried here and there, many wheeling patients on cots or in chairs, others hauling equipment and supplies. Lidian looked out the doorway at the chaos, bewildered but on guard. It had been impossible to miss the announcement, and he was just waiting for someone to remember the Green Ranger had been on this floor.

His communicator watch beeped, and he withdrew, shutting the door behind himself. "This is Lidian, come in."

"Lidian? It's Alpha 5, are you all right?"

"Yeah—for now, anyway."

"And Casey?"

"She's asleep. Do you think we should teleport her and David to the Power Chamber?"

"Why?"

Lidian ran a hand through his curly hair. "Look, it's one thing to hide a secret identity when your civilian life is just everyday stuff. When the monster specifically target your house, you have Power Rangers as your bodyguards, and the bad guys show up above your hospital demanding the Rangers, it's hard to hide!" His voice rose until he was nearly yelling by the end.

". . . Lidian?" The voice was weak and faint, but Lidian still heard. He looked up, and saw Casey turn her head. Abandoning the conversation he ran to her side.

"Why is it so loud? It's like three in the morning," Casey mumbled, voice slurred with sleep and probably painkillers.

"Sorry, I got caught up," Lidian said quietly, brushing her hair out of her face. "Go back to sleep."

Casey lifted her head a little, looked around the room. Her brow furrowed. "Hospital."

"Yeah, we're in a hospital. That's why you need to rest—"

"So it wasn't a dream? The big bang in my room." Lidian hesitated. Turning, Casey fixed him with an unusually serious look. "Say something. Not knowing is way worse than bad news."

"It wasn't a dream," Lidian admitted, though he was getting dangerously close to losing control. "We couldn't save Vi, or your Mom. But your Dad's fine, and you're going to be too."

Casey stared at him. She blinked; her eyes were getting bright with tears. Lidian bent down and kissed her forehead lightly. Her skin felt hot.

"I'm so sorry."

Casey didn't say anything, but her good arm lifted up until it found his hand, which she squeezed with surprising strength. Lidian tried not to wince. Behind him, he heard the door open, and stiffened. Looking around, he saw a harried-looking nurse coming inside, pulling a gurney.

"What—" Lidian began, straightening and turning towards them.

"We're moving her to the shelter below the hospital," the nurse said, pulling the gurney up beside Casey's bed.

Lidian seized her by the wrist as she moved to disconnect Casey from the monitoring equipment. She met his intent glare with a weary look.

"How do I know you're not going to turn her in?" Lidian demanded.

"Do you honestly think that after everything the Rangers have done for us, after the invasion last year, that anyone in their right minds is going to just hand over the Power Rangers to the aliens?"

Slowly, Lidian released her, looking abashed. She got back to work on Casey, efficiently untangling wires and switching off equipment.

"Give me a hand," she said, sliding her arms beneath Casey's body. Silently, Lidian obeyed, lifting Casey onto the gurney. She let out a whimper of pain, though she tried to hide it, and the nurse shushed her. "You're okay, sweetheart."

Once she was settled, the nurse began to wheel her out, pulling the IV stand along with her. Lidian followed, staying close to the Yellow Ranger. As they went, Casey started to sniffle quietly. Lidian wanted to hug her, but that would only have hurt her, so he took her hand again.

As they took an elevator down, Lidian's communicator watch sounded again. With a glance at the nurse, Lidian answered it.

"Yes?"

"Lidian?" It was his mother this time. "I have a plan."

"Well, we could certainly use one." Lidian said.

"You'll have to trust me on this one. Don't let them take Casey into the shelter."

Both the nurse and Casey heard, and looked just as bewildered as Lidian. "Don't what?"

"Don't interrupt and I'll explain."

oZo

With a blinding flash and a sound like a thunderclap, Sagittarius materialized on the roof of the hallway. His landing had cracked the concrete beneath his hooves, and smoke swirled up around him. He wore armor, a longbow and two quivers of arrows strapped to his human back. Looking around, he reached into a pouch hanging at his waist, and drew out a handful of topazes. They glittered in the starlight as he tossed them into the air.

"Jewel Golems arise!"

With a series of metallic, whooshing noises, the jewels exploded outwards like popcorn, expanding rapidly. Fragments linked and swelled, forming limbs, bodies and heads, until seven centaur-shaped Jewel Golems stood before Sagittarius, awaiting his command.

"Find the Power Rangers. Cause as little collateral damage as possible, but if anyone gets in your way, kill them," he ordered.

Inclining their heads, the Jewel Golems galloped away. Finding a door for the service elevator, one of the Jewel Golems began to kick it in. One, two, three blows, and the twisted metal collapsed. In leaped the Jewel Golems one by one. They landed with distant, booming clangs.

Once they had gone, Sagittarius followed. The elevator shaft was a long way down, but he landed solidly. The elevator car had been bashed down a few feet by the Jewel Golems, exposing a doorway, which Sagittarius ducked through.

The hospital was silent. The lights were still on, but they flickered as Sagittarius advanced down the hallway. It looked like the floor had been abandoned in a hurry; several doors stood ajar, with machinery still switched on inside. Sagittarius didn't pay them much attention, just moved onward.

"You said you detected a power signature from the fourth floor?" He asked.

"A large one," Cancer reported. "I think the Rangers have decided to fight."

"Good." Sagittarius drew an arrow from his quiver and set it to the string. "I enjoy a good hunt but this is no time for self-indulgences."

The Jewel Golems didn't need to be told where to go. Sagittarius followed them to the stairs, which were narrow but manageable, and descended. At the doorway, the Jewel Golems fell into formation. They headed towards the nurse's station, where the Rangers were waiting. Two gurneys sat in the middle, and the rest of the Rangers stood around them, armed and ready.

"Keeping away from the civilians. How noble of you," Sagittarius said, nodding once in approval. The Jewel Golems began to fan out, flanking the heroes. "Though of course you're still going to fight and endanger them."

"They evacuated," Sabrina replied. "But if you care so much about civilian casualties maybe you could just turn around and go away?"

Sagittarius didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow. Instead he raised his bow. "Enough banter."

"Aw, but I like banter," Casey called from the bed. She still sounded weak and groggy. "Plain old fights are so boring!"

"Then I will make this as brief as possible."

Sagittarius let fly, and so did the Rangers. Lasers peppered the Jewel Golems, scorching their stone bodies. One lucky shot got through, and a single centaur collapsed into topaz shards. The flashes made it impossible to tell if Sagittarius's arrow had found a target. He took his next shot without pausing to check, and his next. Aiming wasn't difficult; the Rangers' brightly colored suits were easy to pick out.

The Rangers. ..

Sagittarius paused. Where were the Riders? He couldn't see them in the nurse's station, but they wouldn't have stayed out of this battle. Just as this thought was crossing his mind, something heavy dropped onto his horse back. He reared up, trying to twist around and throw his attacker off. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a sword swinging towards his face, and threw up an arm. The blade bit into his forearm.

"Off," he snarled, twisting around towards the Hex Rider.

"Say Uncle?"

Sagittarius kicked up his hind legs, and the Bane Blade swung loose. As he swung around, one of his Jewel Golems collapsed in a tinkling shower. The Scarab Rider landed lightly on the heap, in Scorpion mode. Moving quickly she wheeled on the next Jewel Golem, charging forward to stab it. The Pink Ranger had leaped over the nurse's station and was lunging toward the other foot soldiers.

Sagittarius finally managed to throw the Hex Rider. Recovering, Hex rolled out of range, and just in time. Sagittarius's hooves split the floor tiles as they came down where his head had been. His arm shot up, and Ill Stars shot out of his vambraces, embedding themselves in Sagittarius's chest, between his forelegs. He stumbled back with a grunt of pain, and found himself teleporting away.

"Stop!" He yelled, but it was too late; he was already back inside the Equinox.

"No point in staying," Cancer said. "Only reason for this attack was to catch them off-guard, and they're clearly not. Get to sickbay."

Sagittarius glanced down at the throwing stars. Blood was beginning to ooze out around them. He sighed.

"Fair point. However, if we were to all attack at once—"

"Because that worked so well last time," Cancer sneered. "Aaand there goes the last of your Jewel Golems. I think we may have just made the Rangers angry."

With a snort, Sagittarius clopped away.

oZo

"They're gone. Can I have my Zeo Laser Pistol back?" Sabrina asked David.

Reluctantly, the Red Ranger passed the gun back, and the Pink Ranger holstered it. People were starting to creep back into the upper levels of the hospital now, including a couple of nurses. The Riders were scoping out the area, making sure the monsters were really gone. The Equinox's engine grew fainter and fainter as it flew away.

"Any trace of monsters?" David asked through his communicator watch.

"No, nothing," Alpha 5 replied. "You're all right?"

"We're fine." David glanced around the room. Lidian sat practically on the gurney with Casey, holding her. "Relatively speaking."

Alpha 5 sighed. "I know."

Allies

 * Alpha 5

Villains

 * Water Emperor Cancer
 * Fire Emperor Sagittarius
 * Air Empress Aquarius
 * Fire Emperor Leo
 * Earth Empress Virgo
 * Air Empress Libra
 * Ophiuchus
 * Jewel Golems