Ranger Betrayal

We were supposed to be fighting against her; she was at her core beautiful but cruel and evil - an invader from another world wanting to control the earth. Our team of Rangers had encountered Mistress so many times in open combat, each time we had only just overcome her and her forces together - but I feared the day she caught one of us on our own.

Mistress craved the idea of destroying us. I could see the joy in her eyes when she saw one of us faltering on the battlefield. She knew the key to earth was through finishing us. Her brutal outfit was revealing: black stockings, knee-high boots, tight-fitting black mini dress and a hooded cape that enshrouded her incredible figure. Her hair was pink, eyes red and lips black. She was the most gorgeous and yet despicable interplanetary invader we had ever come across. And the most persistent.

We were in the control room on a warm summer afternoon when we realised it had been a long time since Mistress had struck. We all knew that was trouble and that the likelihood of an attack by her was evermore imminent with each day. My girlfriend and colleague, Yellow, remained positive and upbeat that maybe something had happened and she had gone for good. I wanted to believe her, but Mistress' presence was not gone from the earth. As ominous as it sounded, after the last few encounters we had, I could begin to feel her essence. I was certain she was still around. Somewhere.

A few weeks later, still nothing from her. We still dealt with the occasional minor injustices - though things were far from perfect, and after a tough robbery one day, we all decided to have the night off. I wanted to go back to my parents house, so I kissed Yellow goodnight, said bye to the rest of the guys at the Rangers centre and set off on my walk home.

I decided to take a detour through a path in the woods when the essence I had been feeling began to grow stronger and stronger. I could feel it in my chest; my heart pounding harder and faster. I felt serene, docile.

I looked to my left betwixt a gulley of trees and there stood a figure, alone.

"Hello Blue," said a familiar female voice. I knew who it was and I knew I should have been ready to attack, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I just stood there, waiting for her. The figure sauntered confidently closer, slowly pulling the hood down from her crowned head.

"Hello Mistress," I replied. She smiled as she entered my personal space unopposed.

"I could get used to hearing you call me that, Blue," she placed a finger on my shoulder, slid it gently across my collar bone to my other shoulder and proceeded to walk behind me. I let her, despite the obvious vulnerability it puts me in.

"Me too," I blurt, but not really knowing why I said that. "I mean... uhh." She's still behind me but I still feel her smile growing brighter. Mistress wraps her arms around my shoulders and chest in an affectionate embrace, placing her delicate face next to my ear. She's as tall as me.

"Hmmm, I wonder what Yellow would have to say about that." She whispers. "I've seen the way you look at me beneath that helmet when we fight, Blue."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She laughs and tightens her grip on me. "It's okay Blue, I won't tell anyone. Well, not just yet anyway." Her one arm slowly caresses down my chest, then stomach, then my crotch.

"No..." I try to resist but her assertive control is alluring. I feel her cape surround me and I welcome it. I am strangely... at home in her grasp. She kisses my ear with those black lips.

"Soon Blue, you'll be my slave, you'll kneel and you'll tell me you love me. All in front of Yellow. I know now that in order to destroy the Rangers, I must divide you. And you will be part of my plan."

My mind is going crazy. I struggle to control myself. Her hand feels amazing, I reach down initially to stop her, but then help her. "Good boy," she smiles brighter, gasping and sighing at the joy she's giving me.

"Join me, serve me and you will live under my rule on this earth as my devoted pet whilst the others will die. All the others, Blue. Before their end, they'll all know of your betrayal and your allegiance to me." Her words surround and envelop me in a pleasure perfectly syncopated with her physical control over me.

"Does my offer tempt you, Blue?" I finally submit to her, lose all control and without words I climax in her hand. A part of my power flows to her. I fall to my knees, with Mistress still behind, standing over me. Victorious.

"I'll give you some more time to think about it, boy," she sternly declares, before replacing her hood back over her deservingly crowned head and turning away into the night.

-

I lay in bed at my parents house, contemplating what just happened. Was it real? Or just a dream? I had always felt drawn to her in some way... maybe I was meant to serve her... maybe I deep down, really want to commit myself to her evil and serve her instead of being a part of the Rangers... maybe I want to be a slave to Mistress more than be with Yel- no! I can't give in, I know who and what I'm fighting for. Yet I can't seem to get Mistress out of my head. I've never felt so excited by someone's presence before... even Yellow never had this effect on me, and I love her. But what were Mistress' plans? And what was my role in them?

As much as I abhor evil and corruption, the power and leadership of Mistress was always so admirable to me. She was organised, ruthless and efficient - only our collective technological advancement and solid teamwork seemed to stop her at the end of our conflicts. I look at the world we have now and despite our efforts, I still see lies, I see greed, inequality, crime, poverty, waste. Maybe she could put an end to all that... maybe if we all bowed down to her, she could remedy it all with her imperial rule. Only us Rangers stand between her and her planetary kingdom... her new peace. My place in her kingdom would be guaranteed...

Maybe I should get some sleep.

-

Three days on, we get an emergency call from Alpha at the centre. A large force of Mistress' soldiers have initiated an attack on civilians in a park, although she herself has not been sighted. We mobilise immediately but there's a reticence in my heart unrecognisable to the team about attacking Mistress' forces - the feeling really pulls at me, but I try to bury it and focus on my teammates and the civilians in the area.

It's in a tough area, the sort of neighbourhood that's forgotten or used up by the rich. No investment. Dilapidated. So many houses and small businesses foreclosed and vacant. Gangs, drugs, violence. The depression of the area is no secret. She chose this place on purpose.

We Rangers move in, just clear them out no matter how many. They come at us but we're comfortable handling them; three or four at a time each, no matter.

We eventually tip the balance, but my mind starts to wonder if we're really saving these citizens, or just prolonging the misery of their marginal existence. I hesitate, my guard drops and two of Mistress' soldiers take advantage with kicks to the midriff and legs. I recover quickly enough though and move through them. Then, all the soldiers disappear in a bright flash and she is standing there, alone. Mistress pulls out a ray gun and points it at Yellow, who is a few metres to my left - I could easily dive across to take the shot for her. Mistress winks, a signal for me to stay where I am - I should resist but it forces me to hesitate. She smiles and even gives me a few seconds to betray her secret order and stay loyal to the Rangers, to Yellow, but somehow I stay rooted to the spot. Mistress hits Yellow with a debilitating but non-fatal blast, utters the words "good boy" before disappearing in a flash of her own.

Me and my colleagues run to Yellow with concern. She's unconscious, her body limp, although her vital signs suggest she's very much still with us. I feel a strange distance inside, as though I should be more affected, more concerned about the welfare of my lover. But Mistress is growingly occupying that part of my mind and heart now, and all I can think about is how I followed her order, how my obedience for her command is becoming stronger. She can feel me wrapping around her little finger, bending me to her will.

I see Yellow and know that I could have stopped her taking that shot, but I know that she still represents a freedom without care, that leaves people out in the cold to be forgotten while others gain from their misery. Seeing her there, knowing this fact makes me feel justified in following the orders of Mistress. Whatever happens, I know the world Mistress creates will cure the sickness of our uncaring, irresponsible freedom.

Back at the centre, Yel is in a medical incubator, Alpha and Delta engaged single-mindedly in tests to fully determine the nature of her condition. The other guys are shocked and downbeat but think nothing of my hesitation or the words of Mistress. Red and Green both give me a consolatory pat on the shoulder before announcing retiring to their quarters for rest. Pink reassures me that Yel will be back up to full strength in no time before taking herself off for rest also, insisting that I should do the same.

I'm not ready for sleep, yet. Zordon is resting in the background. I visit the data centre to check the news coverage of the days events when I notice I have a message. It's unusual, the title in an unrecognisable language. I open the message and the letters merge and form the encrypted message designed only for me to see.

"I am a part of you, Blue. You cannot hide what is in your heart - especially not from me. What is in your heart Blue? What do you desire?"

I know who it's from and I know I shouldn't write back. I look around the room to confirm I am alone. "To serve you Mistress, although I'm not sure I can trust you."

"You can see the world you're trying to protect Blue, cold and relentless. What are you defending? Yellow wants to hold you back in that callous place. I can set you free from your uncaring freedom with your willing enslavement and servitude to me. Your effort will spare you your life when this world becomes mine. You can feel my words stirring within you."

"What do you want?" I reply, giving her nothing but not denying her increasing power over me.

"Access codes to the Centres mainframe. Give them to me."

I hesitate for a second. My duty to humanity says that I shouldn't even be conversing with this goddess, let alone hand over sensitive information to the enemy. But is she my enemy now? My heart is beginning to see her as my saviour. Helping her would destroy my friends, but accelerating her route to power is seeming so much more important to me right now. I remember her touch, her arms around me, caressing my being and seducing my sensibilities. I know I'm falling for the enemy - and that my feelings for her is part of her plan to destroy us. I comply. "Yes Mistress." I send them to her.

"Excellent, Slave. Do you feel ready to consider a full answer to my offer?"

"I do, Mistress."

"Good, meet me at the woods where I... initially caught you. And bring the other Rangers' power up packs."

My decision is made, there is no going back. I want to be hers, I want to belong to her world, not this one. I tell Alpha and Delta that I can't sleep and need to get some fresh air before sneaking the power up packs in my bag. Zordon still sleeps.

I reach the woods, no one's here just yet. I hear a noise and a silhouetted flash behind trees. There she stands, proud, tall with her hands on her hips and a wide grin on her face. She knows that she's winning the battle the Rangers aren't even aware of. "Well, Blue?" As she pulls down the hood from her head. "Time's up. Do you accept my offer?" Her hand reaches out to me, her black, long-nailed finger drawing me towards her, encouraging me to join her."

"Yes Mistress, I submit to your control. And I have your gift." I hold up the bag with the Rangers power up packs.

"Kneel, Slave. And present your gift to me." I walk closer to my new queen, until I'm half a foot away. She smiles as she sees my knees begin to bend, growing wider and lighting up all the more my height diminishes before her. As I rest on my knees, I hold up the bag. She takes it, and it disappears in a flash. "Your gift and pledge of servitude to your Mistress are accepted, Slave Blue. Thanks to these power up packs, the Centre mainframe access codes and now my acquisition of you, I'll know all about the technological and systematic weaknesses of the Rangers, their weapons, their protocol and their tactics - and devise the perfect plan to finish them."

"Thank you, Mistress," and without question, I lean forward, lower my head and kiss my Mistress' feet. She laughs with joy at my capture.

"Continue with your kissing, Slave. I have wanted to own you for some time. And now, in spite of what I did to Yellow, you are now all mine."

"Yes Mistress, I belong to you." I kiss up and down her evil yet beautiful boots. It is a bliss beyond anything I've ever experienced. I feel her eyes on me as she looks down, her hands still on her hips, triumphant. She then looks at her long, beautiful nails, casually.

"Tell me, Blue, whom do you love, Yellow? Or me?"

"You mistress."

"Who will you power up for as a Ranger, Zordon? Or me?"

"Only you mistress."

"Good boy, Blue. Your submission and conversion to my cause now makes my plan to destroy the Rangers irreversible. You will be the key that makes this world mine."

"I will follow all your orders Mistress, I will bring this world to you."

"Continue as you are Slave, they must not know that you serve me until the moment of their destruction is upon them. Surprise is essential, both for the plan to work and for my own personal satisfaction." Her smile grows, filled with sadistic pleasure. "I will give you a choice again Blue, but this time she will see you come to my aid, see you help me finish them, and her. Only then she will know who you really are, that your love for me is strongest."

"Yes mistress."

"Return to them, Blue. Continue your relationship with Yellow. I'll message you closer to the time of mission execution - the location, time and preparation."

"I understand mistress." I return to my feet at her command and begin to make my way back to the centre. It will be a challenge to pretend to love Yellow until the invasion begins, now that my only affection and love truly lies with Mistress, the new ruler of the earth.

-

Back at the centre, I wake from my bunk in my room, shower and emerge at centre command a few hours later than everyone else. Yel's still sleeping in the incubator. The guys are gathered around the screen. Green turns and greets me, briefly looking at Yel and reassuring me that she's doing fine, just resting and that Alpha and Delta are waiting for the right time to wake her. "Look at the screen though Blue, something's going on, but we're not sure what." I see a strange, alien structure; a tower in the middle of where it shouldn't be. I think a busy highway intersection.

"What is it?" I enquire.

"We don't know," says Red. "We do know that it isn't active at the moment, there's no power emitting from it, and it isn't causing any harm to the surrounding environment. It's just sitting there... like it's sleeping."

"I guess we better just keep an eye on it. Is there anything inside there? It looks huge," I say.

"We can't say for sure, initial scans and readings are showing up cold but if there is anything in there, it could naturally have a cold temperature that evades our screening process or they could be in cryo-sleep." Red's explanation was very concise. "Me, Green and Pink are of the mind that we wait it out, see what happens with this thing rather than piss it off like kicking a hornets nest."

"I concur, I'm sure the local authorities have cordoned the area off, did we send word just to patrol and monitor but not engage?" I ask.

"Affirmative, everyone's standing by." Green confirms. A surprisingly cautious approach for a change. If Yel was at full strength, maybe the decision to charge it head-on would have been made instead. No matter, this gives me enough time to filter back information to Mistress about our operational plans.

"I'm just gonna head to the data centre for a moment, there were a few security advisement reports I forgot to feed back from last night." A good cover, should buy me some considerable time.

"No problem, we'll keep you posted about everything," says Pink, half glancing at Yellow. I smile and nod in thanks. "Say... before you go, our power up packs are missing, do you know where they went? We're on our back ups."

"No idea," I shrug, turning away.

I reach the terminal, log in and see that strange message again. The seal of language must encrypt the message away from Zordon's watchful eyes. "We see the tower Mistress, our plans are to keep a distance until any movement or hostility arises."

"Good Slave, the tower is a cryo- incubator for my soldiers who will become active on my command. It is also an EMP weapon, designed to disable any systems in the area, including Zord technology. It will set the scene for the invasion. Delay and discourage any investigations into the structure as long as you can, it will increase the chance for surprise. Inform me once any investigations take place." Her words are as beautiful to read as they are to hear.

"Yes Mistress, they still have no idea of our collusion," I dutifully respond. "I am awaiting in anticipation for the culmination of your plan Mistress."

"What an obedient little Ranger you are! I can't wait to see the look on Yellows face when she realises that it was you who helped me destroy them." She sends over a few attachments of fabricated articles that compare the composite material makeup of the tower to hazardous substances known to disrupt the physical and biological functioning of human hearts. Ah, this information will keep any of the curious away.

"Further plans will be on their way to you, boy. Make it a priority you get them and prepare accordingly."

"Yes Mistress, Slave Blue out." I rewrite a system process so that I receive the encrypted updates to my phone and power up tech.

-

Two nights later, Alpha informs me that Yellow will be woken safely in the morning. He encourages me to spend some time with her whilst she's still unconscious. He says that he's noticed me being quite distant from her since her injury, but understands that it is a traumatic thing to witness. I take him up on his suggestion, but request total privacy.

I sit next to her bed and stroke her hair. I was madly in love with her before, but I know in my heart that I have no love for her anymore, I reserve that reverie for our amazing enemy. I look at Yellow and see the face of my Mistress and kiss her goodnight.

The next morning, before Yellow is awakened, I receive a message from the queen. She orders me to retrieve a package in the woods. Mistress explains that it is a vial of nano mechanical biological agents that permeates unnoticeably in the muscles. They operate remotely to initiate a temporary atrophying process - and Mistress has the control. I am to apply it to the food of my new secret enemies covertly. It is tasteless, odourless and too microscopic to see with the naked eye. I do as my Mistress commands, and go to the woods. She is standing there waiting for me.

"Mistress, forgive me, I wasn't expecting you," I bow down to her immediately.

"I wanted to see you in person Blue, it's been a while since we last had an encounter in person." She looks at me with those beautiful red eyes in such a daring manner. "Crawl to me." I scuttle over to her on my hands and knees like the faithful little pet I am. I hug her leg and look up adoringly at her, standing so powerfully. "Thanks to your useful information and gifts, I know how to shut the centre down completely, starve Zordon, permanently immobilise the Zords and develop immunity shielding from your Rangers weapons. All whilst developing weapons that will transfer the life force of Rangers to me."