trans_9 | It's The Final Countdown

Got it, Ren answered, scanning the card and creating eight copies of himself, who drew their swords and attacked. They couldn't be hurt, though they could hurt the enemy.

Unfortunately, it also meant that he couldn't keep firing, making him even more vulnerable.

I need someone to cover me, he pointed out. If I'm hit, the copies will all vanish.

"Meow," replied Similodon, moving in front of Ren to protect him from harms way. The dopant nodded at him and brandished his claws.

Let's do this. replied Philip.

If you think you can get me out of there in time, that's your choice, the wunderkind replied, but I don't need a taxi to get there! I don't think you could carry the whole tank anyway. A good throw from the Thunderzord's arm is going to be more than enough.

The Neoneotank (http://oi56.tinypic.com/30ktyd2.jpg) was already going down the left arm of the robot as Lash left the control room, the sounds of the battle coming from outside. As she neared the arm, Lash added,

Oh yeah! Hey glorious leader! If anything happens, just let the others take me wherever they do all that dumb healing stuff kay? She gave him an army salute from her post as she slid into the tank. Oh look Jamie she was admitting it might be dangerous after telling you it was not, TOO BAD. Just keep fighting until you squish that dumb bug into a disgusting, pulpy mess!

Everything about all of this, from the Rider's own movements to what she was doing, to the Zord releasing it's big attacks sounded like a last attempt in desperation. Lash couldn't help but think back when they did something similar fighting the giant Oozium beast back in her homeworld. Hopefully it would work here too.

Jamie still wasn't convinced. Look, I don't know. I say it's too danger --

But Lash was already leaving. For once, it would be really nice if a lassie actually listened to him, he thought to himself. There was nothing he could do about it now, though, other than go through with the plan.

Fine, we'll try things your way. Just don't go and get yourself killed, all right? We need ye as part of this team.

If something happened to her because of this...he shoved the tiny little voice that was telling him he'd never forgive himself for it. If anyone could pull this off, it would be Lash. As she got into the Neoneotank, he made the necessary adjustments to keep the Mega Thunderzord together, and spoke to the other Rangers.

I can split things so we can cover for her being gone, but I'll need your help, aye? To Shoutarou, he added, I'll not be able to do both at the same time, but once Lash is free I should be able to get ye into the air, too.

And with that, he began the sequence to move the giant mecha's arm and throw the Neoneotank at the Juggernaut. Just before he activated it completely, he sent one more thought.

Hope you're ready for this, Lash. Good luck.

Billy braced himself for the strike, flipping the controls. There was no stopping her, was there?

I can take Shoutarou, he interjected, offering an arm. We'll send a signal and strike as one, right?

It's definitely tense out here. He's sending out sonic waves, straining to keep the General at bay for just a few seconds. It doesn't seem to work, though, and he's forced to make another block. While he can, he sends a shock down the arm in contact in the hopes of doing some damage.

Brace yourselves and climb up. Lash, stay safe---someone will be with you. Right?

The Riders had better be.

There was little time to react to Lash's in her opinion, stupid if brave plan. Before she could even voice a protest or counter the idea, she was already leaving.

Does anybody else get a really bad feeling about all of this? She commented from her position in the cockpit. Kate shifted over to help with the controls since the other Ranger had a point they would be short one, and that meant more work for the rest of them to control the Megazord.

She listened to Jamie's instructions and nodded, Already on it. Lash, you better get back here ok.

Yeah, don't worry, Billy. I'll be there for her. While it couldn't be seen by the naked eye, she was darting through the chaos to be there for Lash when she initiated her plan.

Upon her arrival to the General's head, she descended a bit, slashing at a few stray Ohm that would come and disrupt what Lash had in mind. "Do what you need to do, Lash. I'll be your cover here so that no one interrupts!"

She stood ready, and as tired as she was, she was still going to push through this obstacle and protect her friend so that nothing would happen that wasn't supposed to.

It's Lash's plan. I just assume in advance that I'm supposed to have a bad feeling about it. Ron slid over, taking the rest of Lash's controls.

Guys, let's just assume that it'll actually work right now.

After all, worrying about if Lash could actually pull this off would just make them, you know, worry and probably mess this whole thing up.

YEAH THANKS FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE GUYS.

The thrill of being thrown into the air was cut short when she landed on top of the beast, moving before it could notice what had happened.

Hey shooting guy! she spoke up forgetting Vindicare's name. When you see everyone else slashing and attacking the giant bug, you mind shooting directly into my fuel supply? Bottom left of the tank. The stuff's really flammable, should cause it to fall down and burst into flames if you keep shooting at it, giving old ugly eyes some red hot lava to contend with. And probably make the tank go out in flames but who was considering that, NOT HER.

And Hoshi! You'd better catch me when the hatchet opens and I eject, got it? She undid her belt, setting up the timer to less than a minute before it would.

You'd have to forgive her for giving out so many orders. It was hard to take the command out of commander, after all. Speaking of which...

Okay, here goes. I hope everyone's ready for it! She closed her eyes, hoped she suddenly wouldn't be shaken off even if all her instruments were warning her the situation could be dangerous and concentrated.

Prime Tactics!

The energy stored inside her burst out in rays of lightspeed purple light, seeking out the nearest allies, and the two Zords. The size of the giant robots made her frown as she felt the beginning of a headache starting, but she'd worry about that later and bit down her lip.

It only took a few seconds but in a war, even those few seconds could be deadly. When she was done, both the Rangers and the Rider could feel a small burst of energy inside them that helped boost their defense, improved maneuverability considerable and increased their attack power for a final, if dangerous, burst.

Lash's turn was done. Now the battle was all in their hands.

You can count on me, Hoshi said, giving Lash a smile under her helmet. She did what she could in the meantime with slicing through a few Ohm here and there. She paused for a moment or two to breathe and to observe what Lash was doing.

Then, when her CO powers took effect, she knew it was time to really make sure nothing would come her way. She took out the Trigger Memory and inserted it in, seeing her blade transform into a gun. Her finger wrapped around the trigger, firing off shots against their enemy and any surrounding ones in the vicinity.

Thanks, Lash, she gratefully said in between shots.

Ready, Billy swore, preparing himself to fire. It was---no, Shoutarou needed to fire at the same time. He opened the Tigerzord's hand and lowered it.

Shoutarou, I'm launching your platform. Let's do this.

The Tigerzord's other arm wound up, preparing to fire---and when everything was lifted into position, when he felt Lash's surge of strength through him and the Zord, he knew it was time. With a leap forward, he tossed the arm supporting Shou into the air, sidestepped with the Zord to give him room, and pounced with spiked fists first.

His Zord threw all its power into the attack, a leaping charge with a sonic wave. This was going to mean recovery time and repair time for Billy and the Tigerzord later, but they needed something drastic.

This should be it---or part of it. Megazord, fire from the other side! You won't hit me.

I'm ready, Billy, Shoutarou answered once he'd gotten in the Tigerzord's hand, wings retracted. The surge from Lash's power was something rather different - it kind of reminded Shou of his encounter with Decade in a way.

Thanks, Lash - We won't waste it! And then, Billy launched Double off into the air. Once the initial momentum started to wear off, Double's wings popped back out, and guided the rider in a wide loop to start heading back...

Full power, Shoutarou. Let's take it down. said Philip as far down below, Mikku started his own attack run with a faint sound of

There was an intake of breath from Jamie as Lash's power boost kicked in, reminding him a bit of when he used the morphers for the first time.

Aye, Billy, he called back. Inside the cockpit, he nodded to the other Rangers. "Power it up!"

Trusting in the other Rangers to follow his lead, he gestured, the motion coming automatically even without the help of the Ranger uniform. Thunder Saber, battle ready!

Outside, the Mega Thunderzord's eyes glowed yellow for a moment while the sword charged, and then the mecha - moving more quickly thanks to that extra help, turned to engage, sweeping in for an attack on the side not already covered by the others.

At the same time, Ren scanned another card. With Lash's power, he was able to focus again, refusing to lose control again.

Darkwing screeched as it flew from the ship, evolving into Darkraider before transforming into a bike. Pushing off of his uninjured leg, Ren leapt on and fired a beam to try to hold the Ohm in place as he raced forward, the attack hitting like a missile.

They only do it out of concern, Lash, really. Kate meanwhile was checking their maneuvering. She exhaled slowly at the power boost.

"On it. Wow, haven't felt anything like that since this one time Tony and I...uh, never mind," She hastily cut that off. "Everything looks good here."

"I did not need to hear that." Ron said awkwardly as he checked the power levels.

"No power issues yet."

... Okay, not even going to comment on things like that. Andy was pretty sure that this didn't feel like... well... yeah.

"Everything's good on my end!"

Got it, Philip, Shoutarou answered, folding the Xtreme memory, then opening it again. The gold X flashed in front of Double's belt - XTREME! MAXIMUM DRIVE! With a forward flip, Double aims itself at the waist of the general, feet first. Jerking one arm, Double begins to spin, in addition to the high speed. There's a rainbow aura that forms as they head forward, though there's a dominance of purple thanks to Lash.

As they close in, there's no name called for the attack, just a yell of determination.

An unconventional plan, but then, how often could a plan be considered conventional. If she wished to risk her own vehicle to better defeat the General so be it, even as he waited for that moment he lined his sights expertly on the noted fuel supply. A single well placed shot should be enough to ignite it.

His sharp eye took in every aspect of the situation, with the aid of his spy mask and the advanced scope of the Exitus Rifle he saw every movement of the ones in combat with the General as well as the General's own. Knowing his time would soon come to make that shot he stilled his breath and took aim, compensating for the factors of distance and weather, his rifle easily compensating for the perfect firing condition.

The moment they all struck he knew it was time to strike, not hesitating a millisecond too long he fired. The silent cough of his rifle belying its power as the large caliber armour piercing round was threaded expertly through the intervening distance, impacting and piercing through the fuel container on Lash's tank at the optimal point. A few milliseconds later the ignition of the fuel within caught up as the fuel supply detonated.

Not a moment later as he watched on, he saw the tanks hatch opening, whether forced out or climbing out he could not tell as Lash was forced from the tank. Not a moment too soon though as the Tank itself began to take light from the ignition of its fuel source.

Hope you like bug guts, Rangers and Riders, because the combined force of all the attacks makes the general explode. Chunks of charred buggy guts and chitin rain down all over everyone and everything.

Like a domino effect, Lash was projected from her tank by the force of the button she had pressed, the blast from Jalith's precise shot and the Ohm exploding. She's probably carrying that beast' death sound like a badge of honor...later anyway if she...

Oh right. She was suddenly very light headed and realized she was spinning in the air. Was she still in her outfit? Couldn't tell. Pretty blurry. Pretty red. Oops she was bleeding. Tee hee hee! Well oops, she hadn't quite kept her promise. But why did she care? She was Black Hole anyway?

And that had been an awesome explosion. Yeap. Perfectly a good time for her to close her eyes. Kinda hurt in her chest too. It was like if everything around her was slowing down.

Damn, that was a lot of blood. Tsk! How annoying.

Gravity claimed her a second later, and she began to fall to the ground.

When the Neoneotank exploded, Hoshi backed away so that she wouldn't be hit by it. Although, she zig-zagged through the debris, becoming yet again a blur of nothing but orange in the air. Thanks to her speed, though, she was able to catch Lash in time and fly with her to safety - which was over to Ren and the others.

However, one of the pieces of the tank hit her dead on in the wrist, causing her to let out a gasp and a pained cry. She made her landing next to the Revolgarry and used her own body heat to keep Lash warm.

Damn, her wrist was painful right about now and the cold was not welcomed, either. In fact, she looked like she might pass out at any moment from all the power she used in this fight alone.

"Damn it," Ren breathed as Hoshi came over with Lash. He'd been far enough away that he'd been protected from most of the explosion, but he'd seen what had happened to them.

Letting his transformation shatter, he removed his jacket carefully and gave it to Hoshi. The cold bit into him, but he wasn't in as much immediate danger as they were.

"Wrap that around the both of you," he warned. "It'll help until we get back to the ship."

It's The Final Countdown

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