Chapter 05: RPM
Get in Gear
Miss. Fairweather stood on the steps of Congress. She addressed a crowd of news reporters, ready for INET's next big announcement.
She stepped up to the podium. "Thank you all for coming. As you know, the number of meta-level threats has risen across the globe. INET is committed to facing these threats in new, innovative ways that will keep you, and your families, safe.
"We already sponsor several Initiatives: Jet Force, the Bio-Beast Rangers, SPD, Operation Overdrive, and others. Now, we are pleased to announce two new Defense Initiative forces, dedicated to rapid response around the globe: The RPM Task Force Turbo Rangers, and Kamen Rider Drive."
Two holograms shimmered to life behind her. One showed an image of Kamen Rider Drive. The other showed the RPM Rangers.
The crowd applauded as Miss Fairweather continued. "For those of you who still harbor resentment towards Rangers and Riders, please remember that these aren't the rogue groups you may be familiar with. These are government-sanctioned professionals."
The holographic image shifted to that of the original Hyper Task Force Turbo Rangers.
"We named the Turbo Rangers after this team. A team of children, who lost their lives too young, protecting the city they loved. They fought bravely... But they fought in a war where they never belonged. We can never let their story repeat itself. INET is committed to ensuring that every Initiative task force receive the proper training and oversight."
Dr. William "Billy" Cranston watched the newscast from his high-rise office in New York City. Dax, leader of the Bio-Beast Rangers, stood alongside him.
"Bringing up the original Turbo Rangers?" Dax asked. "Low blow. Even for an emotionless automaton like you. Did you do that to piss off Tommy?"
"No," Cranston said. "Tommy probably can't even remember their names."
"Can you?" Dax asked.
"That's irrelevant," Cranston said.
"Right, right," Dax said as he nodded. "Great message: 'Everyone, please honor these heroes whose names are uuuuh.....' It's awe-inspiring. Really."
"Don't you want to know why I asked you here?" Cranston asked to change the subject.
"Not really, no," Dax said. "But I'm bored anyway, so what the hell."
Cranston activated a hologram in the center of his office. The hologram showed an image of an Enertron Matrix.
Dax recognized the device immediately. "The thing that blew up my school. Good times."
"They're ready for mass production," Cranston said. "When a meta-level threat severely damages a city or town, INET will build one of these in the area. Each Enertron Matrix will speed up recovery, while providing a new source of sustainable power. We've already loaned these devices to several major cities across the country."
"So they can blow up their schools?" Dax asked.
"So they can prepare," Cranston said. "We're helping to build the cities and towns of the future."
Dax shook his head. "You exhaust me."
The image shifted to a city in Kansas. The city looked modern and fresh, with an Enertron Matrix at its core.
"I've already built the first Matrix, at the center of a new city called Corinith," Cranston said. "It's where I'll base RPM and Kamen Rider Drive."
"RPM and Drive...Did you play with cars a lot as a kid?" Dax asked.
Cranston ignored him. "I want you to oversee the Enertron Project."
"Ha! No," Dax said with a laugh. "No, that's OK. You crack me up."
"I'm serious," Cranston said. "You're familiar with the specs. Your Ranger team isn't involved in any ongoing engagements."
"And yet you just built a new Ranger team," Dax said.
"They're more symbolic than anything," Cranston said. "Something new for people to stand behind."
"And I'm sure the kids will love those new zords, with those big googly anime eyes," Dax said.
"Are you in or out?" Cranston asked.
Dax sighed and shook his head. "In. But this doesn't change the fact that I really, really hate you."
Cranston nodded. "Likewise."
A burst of light flashed above Earth's orbit. A gear-shaped cruiser folded into space and hurtled towards the planet.
In shambles, the ship carried a special program created by the remnants of the Machine Empire. The Remnant sought revenge, and after years of preparation, targeted Earth.
The ship flared as it entered the atmosphere.
Scott Truman closed his eyes, breathed deeply and sighed with relaxation.
"You smell that air?" he asked. "I've never tasted air this clean before."
"It's the Enertron Matrix," said his teammate, Summer. "I'd love to get my hands on that thing...find out what makes it tick."
"Yeah, you do that, Summer," said Flynn. They each wore black jackets with the RPM logo. "We just became super-heroes. Why would we waste our time tinkering with some giant machine?"
"You're a mechanic, Flynn," Summer said. "That's how you waste your time every day."
"Guys, let's just enjoy this," Scott said as they walked across the grass of Corinith City. "How many people can say they live in a city like this? Energy independent. Clean water. Clean air."
"Jello Pudding Pops," Flynn said. "I didn't think they made those anymore."
Their morphers toned. They snapped open the devices, which resembled high-tech cellphones.
"This is Scott," he answered. "Go ahead."
"Ranger Series Operators," said a scrambled voice, Dr. K. "We've located an incursion: A disturbance in Miami, Florida."
"Miami?" Flynn asked. "Can we get there in time to help?"
"You're equipped with the fastest support vehicles in existence," Dr. K said. "Response time isn't an issue."
Scott smiled and nodded. "This is what we trained for, guys. Let's roll out."
The Machine Gear Ship crashed off the east coast of the United States. The ship's computer program, a virus, immediately restructured the vessel into a floating fortress.
The base used its own scrap metal to form grunts called Grinders, as well as worker drones, which dove into the ocean to find fresh material.
The virus - Venjix - erected a pillar in the center of the fortress. The pillar glowed with red light, with a red lens at its center.
"I am...aware," Venjix whispered with a robotic voice.
Two bots staggered into the room: Air Assault Minister Crank, and Land Assault Minister Shifter. The bots counted themselves among the few remaining Machines to survive the destruction of their empire.
"The Venjix Program," Shifter said. "It's online."
"Program?" Venjix asked. The column fired a burst of energy that blasted Shifter off his feet.
"I am Venjix, ruler of the Machine Remnant," the program said.
Shifter climbed to his feet, and Crank staggered backward.
"Yes, yes, of course," Crank said.
The fortress shook with power as its engines and factories hummed to life. The Venjix column shifted backward, revealing a pit that glowed with red heat.
"We will finish the war the Machine King began," Venjix said.
Mechanical pincers lowered into the pit and raised a freshly created machine: The Incinerator Attack Bot
"Attack the humans" Venjix ordered. "Pollute their skies, corrupt their earth, and darken their waters. Drive them all to extinction..."
An old married couple renewed their vows at a Florida resort. Their friends and family watched, as they gathered below the clear blue sky.
Suddenly, the earth shook, and the Incinerator Attack Bot sprouted from the ground. The Machine blew bursts of smog that clouded the resort, as people screamed and ran for cover.
Incinerator aimed at the civilians and fired bursts of flame, which exploded around them as they fled.
Nearby, the rangers ran to the scene.
"Hold it right there!" Scott shouted at the monster. He slid open his morpher and activated his comm-line. "Dr. K., what are we up against?"
"A Generation Five Attack Bot. Part of the Machine Remnant," Dr. K. said.
Incinerator stomped towards the teens. "You must be the Rangers..."
"Got that right," Scott said.
They armed their Cell Shift Morphers and pulled memory cards from their pockets. They inserted the cards - Engine Souls - into their morphers.
"RPM!" They thrust their morphers forward. "Get in Gear!"
Energy surged around them as they morphed into their armor. The Rangers slid into their fighting poses.
"RPM, Ranger Red!"
"RPM, Ranger Blue!"
"RPM, Ranger Yellow!"
"RPM Task Force!" the Red Ranger shouted. Together, they called out: "Turbo Rangers!"
"Turbos..." Incinerator said. "We were hoping for the Zeo Rangers..."
"You're a few years late," RPM Red said as he pulled out his blaster. He inserted his Engine Soul into the weapon, then snapped it shut. "Engine Soul, Set!"
He switched his weapon to baton mode, and the other Rangers did the same.
"Nitro Swords!" they shouted.
The Grinders charged to attack, and the Rangers returned the charge.
Ranger Red launched a flying sidekick that bashed a Grinder off its feet.
A wave of Grinders charged towards RPM Red from the side. The Ranger revved up his power, shot at the grunts and stabbed through the lead soldier. His blade glowed with red energy, extended, and punctured through six other Grinders.
He pulled his sword free, and the grunts collapsed and exploded into scrap metal.
Meanwhile, RPM Blue shot through a group of Grinders while hacking them to pieces, sending sparks and wiring flying through the air.
Ranger Yellow leapt through the air and landed while chopping a grunt, bashing the soldier to the ground. She spun with turbo speed and swung her sword, slashing through the last of the soldiers.
The three Rangers regrouped, switched their weapons to blaster mode, and faced off with the Incinerator Attack Bot.
"Nitro Blasters!" they shouted. "Full power!"
They fired beams of energy that stabbed towards the Incinerator Attack Bot. But the Machine teleported away with a burst of smoke.
Ranger Red lowered his weapon. "Come on...He has to be around here somewhere. Let's go..."
The Rangers flipped open their morphers, used them like scanners, and ran off to find the Machine.
Venjix expanded his plan beyond his minor attack in Florida. He tapped into the country's surveillance system and tracked the RPM Rangers' point of origin to Corinth City.
His third general, Water Assault Minister Tenaiya, stepped into the command room. She looked mostly human, with cybernetic piping wrapped around her body.
"Venjix..." Tenaiya said. "While the Rangers battle Incinerator, we should-"
"Do not lecture me, Tenaiya," Venjix said. "I am in command..."
The villain extended his virus into the city's mainframe. Too inexperienced to do major damage, he manipulated the city's systems to create a new Machine: The Pipe Attack Bot.
Tenaiya smiled at the sight of the creation. "He's perfect..." she whispered. "He will decimate-"
"Silence, Tenaiya," Venjix commanded. "Watch, as my Attack Bot corrupts the Rangers' safe haven."
Dillon walked through the streets of Corinith City. He wore the bracer of Ranger Series Operator Black around his wrist, but he never used it. He didn't ask to be a Ranger. INET tried to recruit him, but he didn't accept the offer.
However, Summer insisted he give himself time to think before deciding for sure. And something about her...made her quite convincing.
Dillon didn't have any family or friends. But Summer reached out to him. Offered him kindness and friendship, even though he didn't deserve it. Or want it. But still...
He sighed and shook his head. He didn't need this drama. He started to take off the bracer when he heard someone call from behind him.
"Hey Dillon!" shouted Ziggy, who wore the bracer of Ranger Series Operator Green. He ran after his would-be teammate. "Where are you going? You can't just take off. That's not very....Ranger-y."
Ziggy caught up with Dillon and struggled to catch his breath. "Whew. I am really going to have to get in shape. I never knew Rangers ran around this much. Can't they teleport? I could have sworn they could teleport."
"You're not really a Ranger, Ziggy," Dillon said without slowing down.
"Oh yeah?" Ziggy asked as he lifted his bracer. "Well this morpher would disagree. Come on. You have to admit, this is kind of fun."
"Fun?" Dillon asked.
"Well..." Ziggy said. "Gut-wrenchingly scary, actually. But best to focus on the positive. Am I right? Am I right?"
"The only reason you have that morpher is because you bonded with it...when you fell on it," Dillon said.
"Hey, hey," Ziggy said. "I didn't fall. It was more like a, ya know, trip. Or something. It was getting stolen! I had to do something."
"Right..." Dillon said. "Did you want something?"
"Oh, right," Ziggy said. "Sorry. Easily distracted." He pointed over his shoulder. "A bunch of angry robots are attacking the city. Thought we might want to, ya know, do some Rangering."
"Rangering?" Dillon asked.
Suddenly, a group of Grinders raced from around a corner.
"See," Ziggy said. "This is why the whole Ranger thing comes in handy."
RPM Red, RPM Blue, and RPM Yellow tracked Incinerator into a warehouse.
The Rangers pressed their bucklers, which lit up with power. Their chests flashed and summoned their personal weapons, which they grasped.
"Street Saber!" Ranger Red shouted.
"Turbo Cannon!" Ranger Blue shouted as he powered up his massive blaster.
"Zip Charger!" Ranger Yellow shouted as she armed her forearm-mounted weapon.
Incinerator fired bursts of fire that exploded around the Rangers as they charged to attack.
Ranger Red shot at Incinerator through a streak of energy. "Saber Strike!"
He slashed the Bot with massive bursts of spark that hurled him off his feet.
Ranger Blue armed his cannon. "Turbo Blast!"
He triggered massive energy bursts that tore through Incinerator and bashed him through the wall. The monster crashed and skid across the pavement.
Ranger Yellow stepped forward. "Zip Charger!"
She shot her weapon, which dashed around the Bot, striking with bursts of spark.
The Rangers regrouped and combined their weapons into a bazooka. They inserted the Red Engine Soul into the weapon.
"Road Blaster!" they shouted. "Fire!"
They fired a massive projectile shaped like the Red Ranger's zord. The projectile punctured through Incinerator with massive bursts of spark. Secondary explosions tore through the Machine as he collapsed and exploded into scrap metal.
Venjix whined with power. He activated a program that triggered a launch sequence, sending two squadrons of automated Attack Drones.
The moth-shaped fighters spread across Florida. They fired darts of energy that tore through buildings with massive explosions of flame and rubble.
The Rangers pressed their bucklers; their chest symbols glowed and summoned miniature versions of their zords.
"Engine Souls, set!" they shouted as they inserted their discs into their zords.
The Zord Attack Vehicles pulsed with power, shot forward, and expanded into giant size: The Eagle Racer, Lion Hauler, and Bear Crawler.
The Rangers leapt into their cockpits and attached their Cell Shift Morphers to their wheels.
Above, the Attack Drones circled around and opened fire. Energy blasts exploded around the zords with bursts of spark as they throttled forward.
"Let's split up and attack," Ranger Red said.
He turned his zord to the right, and the vehicle charged towards the nearest wave of Attack Drones.
Several Drones retracted their wings, landed, and hopped like rabbits while opening fire. The Eagle Racer swerved to avoid the blasts, which tore through the streets.
Above, another group of drones targeted the Attack Zord and opened fire.
RPM Red triggered his zord's wings, and the vehicle vaulted into the air. The Eagle Racer plowed through the drones, smashing them with bursts of spark and flame.
Nearby, drones hopped towards Lion Hauler and blasted the zord. The zord drove through the blasts and plowed past the drones, smashing them aside.
Drones blasted a nearby building, and rubble crashed onto the zord, which skid to a halt.
The Bear Crawler drove over the rubble like a ramp, throttled into the air and smashed through a group of drones.
Below, the Lion Hauler throttled from the rubble.
"Hauler Missiles!" Ranger Blue shouted.
The zord opened its missile rack and fired at the drones in the sky. Missiles smashed and blasted the drones, which dropped from the air with bursts of flame and spark.
The three Assault Ministers watched the battle within the fortress of Venjix.
Tenaiya stepped close to the viewscreen. "Those zords...they're destroying all the drones we have."
"Activate the enlargement virus," Venjix commanded.
A back-up program surged through the remains of Incinerator. The Bot climbed to its feet and enlarged, growing giant.
The zords circled around the Machine. Ranger Red tightened his grip on his controls.
"Alright, guys," Ranger Red said. "Time to get serious. Attack Vehicles, assemble! Engine fusion!"
The zords surged across the streets, shifted shape, and combined into a robo.
"High Octane Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "RPM Robo!"
Incinerator bashed his fists together. "I'll blow your damn engines away like smoke!"
The Attack Bot fired streams of smoke that surrounded the Megazord and clouded its systems.
Ranger Yellow activated the zord's defenses. "V-Shield!"
The RPM Robo armed its shield and thrust it forward, blocking the smoke.
The Yellow Ranger shook her head. "We've got to block that smoke."
Ranger Red grasped his controls. "Sounds like a plan..."
The Megazord stomped forward, grabbed the Bot's pipes, and twisted. RPM Robo tore wiring from the Bot and stuffed the clutter into its pipes.
The pipes clogged and nearly burst, knocking the Bot several steps backward. The Machine overheated and swelled, nearly exploding.
The High Octane Megazord smashed its shield against the Bot, knocking it backward with bursts of spark.
"Engine Blade!" Ranger Red shouted.
The robo's sword unfolded from its leg chamber, snapped open and landed in the Megazord's hand.
"High Octane Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "Full Throttle Slash!"
The Megazord flared its engines, shot forward and energized its saber. RPM Robo slashed the Machine with massive bursts of spark that ripped it apart.
The Incinerator Attack Bot collapsed and exploded into pieces.
Back in Corinith City, the Grinders swarmed around Dillon and Ziggy. Ziggy scrambled backward and swatted several kicks and sword swings.
The ranger tripped over his own feet and crashed onto his tail bone. "Boy...They sure made this look easier on TV..."
A Grinder hopped and chopped its blade towards the fallen ranger. But Dillon kicked the grunt aside.
"You call that Rangering?" Dillon asked.
"Hey, I'm new," Ziggy said as he climbed to his feet and dusted himself off.
"I was going to say useless," Dillon said as he punched a Grinder to the ground.
"Then by all means," Ziggy said as he backed away from a sword swing. "Show me how it's done."
Dillon reluctantly slid his Engine Soul into his Shift Morpher. Ziggy did the same. Together, they called out: "RPM! Get in Gear!"
Energy throttled around them as they morphed into their armor.
They snapped into fighting stances.
"RPM, Ranger Green!"
"RPM, Ranger Black!"
RPM Green looked behind his feet. "Did you see that? There was this...explosion. That's not going to happen to me in the kitchen or anything, is it?"
The Grinders charged to attack.
Ranger Black upper-cut punched a Grinder's chest and side-kicked the grunt off its feet.
Three Grinders charged at the Ranger and chopped towards his head. RPM Black dodged and punched them aside with bursts of spark.
Impressed, RPM Green watched. "Oh...Well that's not a bad way to- whoa!"
Ranger Green dodged a volley of sword swings from a grunt. The Green Ranger pressed his buckler; his chest symbol glowed and summoned his weapon: The Turbo Axe.
Ranger Green grabbed his axe and chopped the Grinder with massive bursts of spark that ripped it in half.
"Well that's better," RPM Green said with relief.
Ranger Black pressed his buckler and summoned his weapon: The K-9 Cannon. He grabbed the blaster and fired bursts of energy that tore through Grinders.
Nearby, the Pipe Attack Bot walked towards the city's water treatment plant.
Suddenly, blurs of red, blue, and yellow sped onto the scene and skid to a halt. The other three Rangers had arrived.
They snapped into fighting stances.
"Two in one day?" RPM Blue asked.
The Rangers grabbed their blasters and inserted their cards. "Engine Souls, set!Nitro Blasters!"
The three Rangers charged to attack. Ranger Blue and Ranger Yellow opened fired with beams of energy that stabbed the monster, sparking on impact.
Ranger Red switched his weapon to baton mode. "Nitro Sword!"
He leapt through the air and landed while chopping the monster with bursts of spark.
The Pipe Attack Bot swung the back of his hand, swatting the Red Ranger aside.
Quickly, the three Rangers regrouped.
The Pipe Attack Bot formed a bolt of smoke and hurled it at the Rangers. The attack exploded with bursts of flame. But the three Rangers dashed through the explosion and armed their weapons.
"Street Saber!"
"Turbo Cannon!"
"Zip Charger!"
The Bot sprouted a tendril and swatted at the Rangers. The Red Ranger parried, swung his sword through a streak of red energy, and slashed the monster with massive bursts of spark.
Ranger Blue fired his Turbo Cannon, and Ranger Yellow triggered her Zip Charger. The attacks blasted the monster with bursts of spark, dropping him to his knees.
From the ocean fortress, Venjix uploaded his virus program into the Bot. The Pipe Attack Bot expanded and grew giant.
The three Rangers pressed their bucklers; their chest symbols glowed and summoned miniature versions of their zords.
"Engine Souls, set!" they shouted as they inserted their discs into their zords.
The Zord Attack Vehicles pulsed with power, shot forward, and expanded into giant size. The Rangers leapt into their cockpits and attached their Cell Shift Morphers to their wheels.
"Attack Vehicles, assemble!" Ranger Red shouted. "Engine fusion!"
The zords surged across the streets, shifted shape, and combined into a robo.
"High Octane Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "RPM Robo!"
The Pipe Attack Bot snapped a tendril that wrapped around the Megazord's neck. The Megazord struggled to break free. But the Bot formed a bolt of smog and hurled it at the Megazord. The attack bashed the Megazord's armor with bursts of spark.
Below, RPM Green and RPM Black ran to the scene.
"Well..." RPM Green said. "He's a big guy, isn't he?"
Dr. K. spoke through the Rangers' helmet communicators. "Ranger Black and Ranger Green, call on your Zord Attack Vehicles."
RPM Green and RPM Black pressed their bucklers. Their chest symbols glowed and summoned miniature versions of their zords.
"Engine Souls, set!" they shouted as they inserted their discs into their zords.
The Zord Attack Vehicles pulsed with power, shot forward, and expanded into giant size: K-9 Cruiser and Tail Spinner.
The two Rangers leapt into their cockpits.
The Tail Spinner spun through streaks of green energy that ripped through the monster's tendril, knocking the Megazord free.
"You're welcome," Ranger Green said.
The K-9 Cruiser fired bursts of energy that sparked against the Bot, knocking it several steps backward.
The attacks gave the Megazord a chance to move forward.
"Engine Blade!" Ranger Red shouted.
The robo's sword unfolded from its leg chamber, snapped open and landed in the Megazord's hand.
"High Octane Megazord!" the Rangers shouted. "Full throttle slash!"
The Megazord flared its engines, shot forward and energized its saber. RPM Robo slashed the Machine with massive bursts of spark that ripped it apart.
The Pipe Attack Bot collapsed and exploded into pieces.
Scott, Flynn, Dillon and Ziggy returned to the Garage, the Ranger Base in Corinith City.
Summer smiled and placed her hand on Dillon's arm. "Not bad back there," she said. "Does this mean you've decided to stay?"
Flynn arced an eyebrow. "And who is he again?"
A black "K" appeared one of the viewscreens. "These are the newest Ranger Series Operators," Dr. K. said through the screen. "Ranger Series Green and Ranger Series Black."
"I have a name," Dillon said.
"I prefer to keep things professional," Dr. K. said.
"Funny," Dillon said. "I pegged you as the warm and fuzzy type."
Dr. K. ignored him. "Now that the Machine Remnant has appeared, we must accelerate your training and the augmentation of your bio-hardware."
Scott shook his head. "What is this Remnant anyway?"
"The remains of the once great Machine Empire, defeated by the Zeo Rangers in 2004, and further decimated during the Countdown to Destruction. The remains of the Empire sent a computer virus, Venjix, to attack Earth," Dr. K. explained. "The Virus has built armies of robotic soldiers. As time passes, they will only grow stronger. We have to do the same..."
INET moved quickly to build an Enertron Matrix in Miami. The Tor Carrier stood nearby, housing the team tasked with assembling the matrix.
Dax sat within the carrier and swiped his tablet. He reviewed information on Cranston's latest Rangers, the RPM team. In particular, he paid attention to the Rangers' Engine Soul memory cards.
"Huh..." he said thoughtfully as he unlocked their secrets. "Artificial souls...Those little card thingies have actual, artificial spiritual energy."
To be continued...Chapter 06
"Team Billy"
INET: Billy founded the small start-up in high school, and received a financial boost from billionaire Anthony Starr. INET oversees several initiatives.
The Defense Initiative
– Jet Force Rangers
– RPM Rangers
– Kamen Rider Drive
Prevention and Recovery Initiative
– SGS
o Titan Rangers
– Lightspeed Rescue
o Rescue Heroes
– BOARD (destroyed)
o Kamen Rider Blade (Defected)
o Kamen Rider Garren (Defected)
o Kamen Rider Leangle (Defected)
o Kamen Rider Chalice (Defected)
Research and Education Initiative
– Academia (destroyed)
– Bio-Beast Rangers
SPD- Earth Branch
– Silver Guardians
o DECA Rangers
– ZECT
o Kamen Rider TheBee
o Kamen Rider Kick-Hopper
o Kamen Rider Punch-Hopper
o Kamen Rider Kabuto (Defected)
o Kamen Rider Gattack (Defected)
o Kamen Rider Drake (Defected)
o Kamen Rider SaSword (Defected)
Black Ops Division
– Kamen Rider Kaixa
– Kamen Rider Delta
– Kamen Rider Psyga