Kendrix stood within the shadows, breathing steadily as she focused on maintaining her calm. For several days now, the memories of what transpired during the time she spent in Hell had slowly returned to her. Kendrix shuddered inwardly, remembering her actions in the Inferno that had led to the war between the Third and Fifth Spheres of Hell, and how Sekaz had been declared the Dark Lord of both realms. For what she had known, Lucifer had told her he would be forever damned to the Inferno until he changed his ways. How was it possible that things had changed? How had he managed to escape?

"How?" She muttered. "How the hell did you escape? You were supposed to remain there until the day you realized your actions were wrong." A pause, a moment of hesitation. "Which isn't a possibility given Lillith."

"The answer to your question is quite clear and easy to answer. It isn't a matter of how I escaped the inferno, but a matter of who helped me escape the inferno," a voice announced. Whirling around, Kendrix stared in horror as the shadows within the room merged together, forming into a portal through which a young man came stalking through.

"It's been a long time hasn't it...?" He muttered, his ruby red eyes staring at the young woman.

"For you at least," Kendrix muttered. "How many years have passed in the Inferno since we last met?"

"You should know Kendrix. Haven't you kept track? For every month that passes within the Earth Realm, a hundred years pass within the Inferno," Sekaz shrugged carelessly.

Kendrix shook her head, brushing several stray strands of hair away from her forehead. "Why do you hate me with such animosity?"

"I don't hate you Kendrix, though I have plenty of reasons to." Sekaz waited for her reaction, but all she gave him was confusion. "You abandoned me! You were my only friend in that place, and because I made maybe one or two mistakes, you abandoned me!" he roared angrily. "I saved you from the Psycho Rangers, when the spirit of Psycho Pink pulled you to Hell! I journeyed to Third Sphere in order to save you! And how do you repay me? You make a deal with Lucifer behind my back to betray me!"

Kendrix dropped her head. "I'm sorry you think I am a cold-hearted bitch. What I did...I had hoped that by remaining in Hell a little longer, you might see the error of your ways and change them. Lucifer promised me that when you stopped descending down the dark road you began walking, he would release you back to Earth Realm."

"He was lying to you," Sekaz snarled. "That fool is a pitiful weakling, who is obsessed with maintaining his perfect Ninth Sphere of the Inferno!"

Kendrix shuddered involuntarily, remembering how Lucifer had brought her into his realm to personally commission her to stop Sekaz.

"You confronted him?" she asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Of course," Sekaz muttered. "I offered my services to that bastard, only to be informed he is not interested in the petty indifferences of Earth Realm. He is merely Warden of the Inferno and wants things to stay that way. Angry, I tried to kill Lucifer. To say at the very least, things did not go as well as I planned..."

"So where did you go from there?"

"I went nowhere," Sekaz muttered. "Instead, I was found. My master brought me to his castle, and showed me power in its truest, purest, most raw form. I came to develop a new understanding regarding death and life. Upon accepting his offer, I became the protégé of my master. Under his tutelage he began to train me in his dark arts, promising that someday when I'm ready he will unleash me upon this universe, and surely I will finally have my revenge visited upon Earth."

Kendrix froze. Her worst fears were confirmed. "My god... Sekaz... no..."

Sekaz glared at Kendrix. "The truth hurts does it not? We are on opposite sides of this war. I am the Right Hand of Emperor Asmordian. I am his apprentice, his shadow knight. The executioner of his will and deliverer of his true justice."

"No..." Kendrix whispered, resisting the urge to sob.

Sekaz raised his right arm, toting his gauntlet for her. "I am his Dark Ranger. He has named me his successor."

"You have betrayed us all..." Kendrix said. Now she was crying, and could hold back the tears no longer. "Growing up as children, do you remember how close we used to be? Or have you forgotten about that? Is everything you once were lost? Are you just this infernal being, incapable of being human any longer?"

"How can you try to blame this on me?" Sekaz shouted. "I have been in Hell for hundreds of years! While a year passes in this realm- hundreds have passed within the Inferno! My childhood... I can barely remember anything from that period, it's like another lifetime!"

"I have to know," Kendrix paused, biting her lips. "Why do you hate Earth so much?"

"Upon my time in Hell I learned things you cannot comprehend." Sekaz muttered. "However, I first started to see the light back when she died... That changed things. I became obsessed with destroying my humanity then."

Kendrix suddenly bit back tears, the mention of the loss suddenly hitting home. She to had lost a sister that she could barely remember. Staring at Sekaz, she smiled slightly seeing how his eyes and facial features mirrored her own. Sekaz watched silently as Kendrix temporarily choked up, wiping tears away from her eyes. "You never told me exactly what happened..."

"Look it up, it's in the history books," Sekaz muttered. "How we saved that stupid city right before Terra Venture was launched, and how everyone in that Task Force was killed in the final battle. It's a tale I have longed to forget for the longest time. And like I said, another lifetime. For this realm, it's barely been four or five years. But for me, it has been ages since that battle, and I have changed since then and grown in power thousand fold."

"I-" Kendrix suddenly started to say, but Sekaz cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"I've warned you Kendrix. Join the Empire, or you will face annihilation with the rest of this world. I don't want that, and you shouldn't either."

With those words, Sekaz vanished. Kendrix suddenly sat up in bed, her nightmare shattered by her alarm clock. Had it really been a dream? Her reunion or encounter of sorts with her Sekaz had felt so real... Kendrix shuddered inwardly as she stood and headed for the shower. "If he really does work for the Emperor now, and is his right-handed man, god help us all..." She muttered. "And god help me..."

CyberForce Nightmare
Part 1
The Turning

"This is against the Geneva convention and an act of treason!" Mitchell growled, staring with fury at MacKnight, his superior who sat across from him with a smirk. In addition to Mitchell, the five Lightspeed Rangers and Angela Fairweather were assembled behind the captain, each as angry as their superior. "I demand that you allow the Quantum Hunter go!"

MacKnight raised an eyebrow. "You demand?" There was a snort. "I'll make note of it." The general stated, momentarily scribbling on a touch-pad computer monitor at his desk before looking back up at the group. "In regards to your protests about my recent arrest of the Quantum Hunter, are you sure this isn't more about the recent dealings your group has had involving my CyberForce Rangers?"

"Are you suggesting that we are jealous?" Angela demanded, stalking forward. "Listen- this has nothing to do with that. We are all mature adults here and able to let hold of grudges. This has nothing to do with personal vendettas and everything to do with the fact that you are unlawfully holding someone against their will, without proof or trial of whatever you have accused them of."

MacKnight shrugged. "Obviously intelligence has not kept you up to date regarding the situation involving the Quantum Hunter. Needless to say, I did this city, country, and world a favor by arresting her and stripping that young woman of her powers."

"And how is that possible?"

"Have you not been paying attention to the reports on the news lately?" MacKnight demanded. "Do you know anything about the rogue machine insurgence and uprising within cities along the West Coast lately?"

"No."

MacKnight calmly placed a report on the desk, before sternly looking his fellow officer in the eye. "Within this folder you will find a detailed documentation of the events that have taken place over the last six weeks involving the machine uprising. Despite the fact that the Quantum Hunter has been the only force fighting them so far, a huge amount of innocent civilians have been slaughtered who have been caught in the crossfire between the battles the Quantum Hunter has with her opponents, the Mavericks. Over one hundred civilians are dead, on account of her actions alone." MacKnight paused, letting his words sink in. He could see that Mitchell expression was changing. "Now do you understand why I had to go to such extreme measures in order to ensure that no one else was hurt by this person? What if this Hunter went on a rampage through Lightspeed? Who would stand up to the Saiman then?"

Mitchell stared at the cold hard facts the evidence and photos presented him, and knew he couldn't argue his point that the Quantum Hunter was innocent without any proof. Staring long and hard at his superior, Mitchell finally conceded and angrily threw the folder onto the general's desk. "Just know this isn't over, General. Something isn't right and I'll find out what it is."

With those words, Mitchell stormed out of the room. Behind him, the Lightspeed Rangers solemnly followed, lastly by Angela who turned to glare at MacKnight before letting the door slam shut. MacKnight shook his head, enjoying the fact that his luck paid off and he had managed to fool Mitchell and the Rangers with his fake report regarding the Hunter's "actions."

Getting up, he leisurely left his office and walked down one of the many hallways of the underground building his CyberForce unit existed within. Eventually stopping before a door, he paused as the computer that safeguarded the room's entrance scanned his retinas before he finally went inside. Inside he found the Quantum Hunter, strapped to a chair. The woman lay calm and unmoving, but her eyes radiated with fury and hatred.

"Positive identification has been verified," he said as he walked over toward the unmasked Hunter, "Are you finally willing to share with us the origins of the device you use in battle, Miss Williams?" the General demanded, lifting up the Quantum Commander. "Or are you still against sharing with us the innards of your little toy?"

"Put that down," she screamed angrily. "You have no idea what kind of power your messing with!"

There was a laugh. "But I do," MachKnight replied cooly. "You see, Cassidy, I know all about your little skirmishes with the Mavericks. You're the key to me finally proving my CyberForce Rangers will be a success, a benefit to mankind."

"What do you mean?" Cassidy hissed. "Why are you so interested in the Hunter armor? It isn't similar to Ranger technology, I don't know why you want it!"

"I need your powers for a specific reason. They are the bane of my CyberForce Rangers." MacKnight hissed, turning to face Cassidy. "Over the last few weeks you have been fighting the rogue machines and disposing of them. With what little technology remained behind from your battles, we have been able to incorporate that into the research and development of the CyberForce Rangers. In essence, they are more powerful then ever before, they are five times more powerful. Also, they are each assigned their own unique element according to their color, and their weapons center on these elements. At the same time, they are more intelligent then ever before- they are able to think and communicate on their own- with the rogue machine technology we were able to program them to become sentient!"

"Oh my god..." Cassidy whispered. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I have a basic idea of what I have done. I've made the CyberForce Rangers into Mavericks. All I need to do is unlock your powers and make my Rangers resistant to that power, and they'll be unstoppable." MacKnight chuckled. "My plan is perfect. Now, are you willing to share with me the secrets to your toy?"

"No!" Cassidy spat. Now she knew without a doubt that MacKnight was insane. "You have no idea what effect this is going to have on the future! You have to stop now! Mavericks won't exist for another several hundred years from now, and you just created the first Mavericks by using their technology to build new tincan Rangers! You've just created the first Mavericks, this will be the end of humanity!"

MacKnight sighed. He had hoped to avoid what was coming next. "If you refuse to cooperate on your own, unfortunately, I will have to make you cooperate." He muttered. "I'm handing you over to our interrogations team."

Behind MacKnight, four men dressed in military uniforms entered. Only these men were different, they seemed to lack emotion and capacity for humanity.

"Take care of her," MacKnight whispered. "I want answers fast."

With those words, he left the room.

"Damn the Lightspeed Rangers!" Vypra howled, storming into the throne room as she tended to her broken wing. "Damn them to the Ninth Sphere of Hell!"

Lillith glanced up at the demoness, as she lazily reclined within the throne, drinking blood from her obsidian goblet. "You still haven't recovered from our most recent battle, have you?"

"No," Vypra hissed. "And I can't wait to see my revenge upon the Rangers. The Green and Yellow Rangers will have their backs broken across my kneecap if I have my way with things!"

"Relax," Lillith growled as she slowly stood and walked across the throne room to meet up with her fellow Saiman. With a wave of her hand, she instantly healed the wound that had troubled Vypra for the last couple of days. "You shouldn't needlessly waste such valuable energy delving into your hatred of the Rangers, they won't be a thorn in our side much longer."

"What do you mean?" Vypra excitedly asked, anticipation lingering as the succubus slowly turned to face her.

"What I mean is that Jinxer is preparing the Scepter of Shadows for the ceremony. Soon enough we will enact the Ascension, and the Rangers will be killed and the Earth will finally be handed over to the Emperor." Lillith sighed delightfully, imagining the havoc she planned to wreak upon the wretched planet Terra. "It is a day that is swiftly approaching."

Diabolico entered the room, having heard the tail end of Lillith and Vypra's conversation, he approached nodding his head. "However, despite the Lightspeed Rangers- they are not the only thorn in our side."

Vypra nodded, for once agreeing with her Saiman rival. "Indeed. The CyberForce Rangers have proven rather problematic. Despite the fact that our Titanium Ranger undoubtedly took care of them in our most recent skirmish, spies I have placed within the CyberForce unit suggest they have been rebuilt, and they're stronger than before. Each CyberForce Ranger is now assigned a unique element, and their weapons systems center solely around these elements."

"Indeed, I know about these CyberForce Rangers." Lillith muttered. "Before revealing myself to you and Bansheera, I observed your battles against the Lightspeed Rangers in order to assess my companions and enemies."

Vypra paused. She could have sworn that the last couple of battles preceding the arrival of Lillith, she had continually felt a powerful presence, one that was not Bansheera, lingering in the air. She could only nod her head with approval; indeed her former mistress was a powerful force to be reckoned with.

"So how do you plan to handle the combined threat of the CyberForce Rangers and the Lightspeed Rangers?" Vypra inquired.

"Turn one side against the other," Lillith stated.

Diabolico raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"By bringing the CyberForce Rangers onto the side of the Empire," Lillith explained, now rising form the throne. "I plan to use those machines to help accomplish my goals regarding the Ascension."

"And how exactly do you plan on curbing the CyberForce Rangers under your control?" Bansheera demanded. Suddenly she appeared, uncloaking herself before the three demon lords. Diabolico knelt before the Grand Dame, while Lillith and Vypra merely glowered at the spirit.

"The CyberForce Rangers are controlled by a computer source. We cannot control that source, even with our magic," Bansheera said, her resolve in that fact unwavering. "Believe me when I say the thought of assuming control of the CyberForce Rangers through various methods have crossed my mind. Your idea is nothing new."

"Obviously you have not been paying attention to the recent dealings within CyberForce." Lillith gave a light laugh. "The latest models they have produced are completely sentient robots that are self aware of their surroundings. Because of the fact that they are able to think for themselves, we merely need to help convince them to join our side by seeing things from our perspectives regarding humanity."

"How do you plan on changing their source code and reprogramming them?" Bansheera demanded of her rival. "Without being able to rewrite their programming, your plan is futile!"

"You shouldn't interrupt your superior," Lillith snarled. "Allow me to introduce you to the destruction of the Rangers and this world! Mavericks, attend me!"

At her beckoning call, three robots warped into the room, appearing in front of Lillith and the Saiman. One of the robots resembled a dragon, the other a wolf, and the third an eagle. "Allow me to introduce you to the latest pets I managed to add within my personal arsenal of monsters and demons. Blazing Dragon, Silver Wolf, and Iron Eagle at your service."

Upon being introduced, the three Mavericks knelt their heads slightly, acknowledging the presence of the Saiman. "With some careful consideration, I hand-picked these Mavericks myself from the assortment that recently appeared. With a careful influx of demonic energy and subtle reprogramming I was able to curb them under my control and they now serve me with undying loyalty."

"Amazing," Vypra breathlessly whispered.

"They are Maverick Replicants, machines from the future that have come into the past to kill humanity," Lillith explained. "They used to be loyal to our enemies, but humanity turned against the Replicants and began to kill them. This sparked the first emotion of hatred within the Replicants, which quickly evolved into a virus that spread throughout all of their kind, transforming them into Maverick killing machines obsessed with wiping out humanity. It is only recently they decided as a collective to enter the past in an effort to extinguish mankind.

"Needless to say, I plan on using the same code that corrupted these Mavericks, to infect and turn the CyberForce Rangers as well."

A nod, but there was still some uncertainty. "How is that possible?" Diabolico inquired. "From what I understand, the technology of the CyberForce Rangers is different from that of these Mavericks standing before us."

Once more, the Succubus Queen laughed. "That fool General MacKnight has collected the remains of Mavericks that the Quantum Hunter has killed and incorporated that tech when rebuilding the CyberForce Rangers!" Lillith explained, smiling wickedly. "Hhe has created the precursors of the Mavericks, and as a result they can be infected with the Maverick virus as well. His stupidity has given us our army!"

Angela sighed with frustration, angrily working on her latest project. Despite the fact that she was focusing with the best of her ability, she could not get thoughts of Cassidy Williams, the Quantum Hunter out of her head. Despite the evidence that MacKnight had given them regarding the Quantum Hunter's behavior over the last six weeks, things just didn't add up.

The Quantum Hunter had gone out of her way to protect the Rangers when they were injured and quickly losing the fight against Lillith and Diabolico. If she was so haphazard with her fighting style, she would have done everything in her power to kill the two demons and not cared if any Ranger was caught in the crossfire.

"It isn't fair," she muttered.

Suddenly a message flashed across her control console, and Angela glanced up startled as words began to scroll across her computer screen. "What the hell?" She muttered, and began to quickly type at her keypad in order to decode the mysterious message.

Activate your web cam.

Angela knew that according to regulations she was immediately supposed to alert security of a possible infiltration of their computer systems. But she knew that the source of this message had attached a flag to the message, indicating that it was friendly. Angela glanced at the source of the message, confirming that there was no malicious or hostile code within the confines of the matrix. Finally satisfied, Angela allowed access to her computer console.

"It's been a long time Angela," a voice stated. On the monitor, a live broadcast image of a shadowed person appeared. Angela frowned, not liking how the person knew her name and yet she knew nothing of this person's identity.

"I've been kind enough to open a channel between the two of us, let alone let you see my face. Either you do the same and show me who you are, or I'm going to alert security, run a trace, and you'll be in prison for the rest of your natural life." Angela narrowed her eyes at the figure. "Who are you?"

"My name is Cipher."

"Hacker names mean nothing to me. What is your real name?"

"Fine, fine," the man said, and leaning forward he flicked on a light near his computer, illuminating his face. "Remember your old buddy Darius, Angela? We went to university together."

"Dorm mates until the day you mysterious vanished from campus without word or trace," Angela replied. Her tone indicated that she wasn't all that surprised. "Since then I joined the Marines, finished my time, and earned my PhD. I'm with the government now. What have you been doing these last few years?"

"Same with the last one," Darius said as he smiled. "I helped design Terra Venture, other secret projects for the government, but it got a little too demanding, so I've retired and help more on the smaller front where I feel I am better needed."

Angela raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I work with my best friend, Cassidy, and help guide her into becoming the Quantum Hunter." There was a pause. "I create and upgrade the technology she uses. Technology we both designed back when attending university together. You designed that technology, Angela, and you used it to create those armors. That's why the changers are so similar and compatible."

Angela hesitated, now reflecting on his words. "I did see some resemblance." A pause again. "So you know that General MacKnight recently arrested your project? He charged that she's a violent vigilante who has needlessly allowed innocent civilians to be killed in the crossfire of her battles with the Mavericks."

"That evidence he showed you is complete bullshit," Darius said, shaking his head angrily. "Cassidy is one of the kindest, most gentle people I have ever met in my entire life. She would never allow an innocent civilian to be caught in the crossfire of her battles if she could help it." He paused again. sighing he he sorted everything out. "Cassidy always goes out of her way to protect innocent civilians as the Quantum Hunter. You'd be making a mistake to allow her to remain in the hands of MacKnight, she does this world a great service."

"I know." Angela bit her lip before continuing. "I've been watching videos intelligence has gathered surrounding her encounters with the Mavericks. I can't believe that MacKnight has managed to convince the project council to allow him to keep Cassidy under martial arrest."

"We have to do something about it, fast." Darius stated. He looked a bit panicked now. "I hacked her Quantum Commander, which is still connected to her biorhythms. The Commander has shown a spike in adrenaline within her bloodstream, which means that whatever MacKnight is doing to her, it isn't nice."

"Oh my god," Angela whispered as the vitals of Cassidy suddenly flashed across the screen. "Do you think she's being tortured?"

"It looks that way," came the reply statement. "Someone's gott'a get her out of there, and fast."

The woman growled. "If there was only a way to get inside the mainframe. MacKnight is sick enough to take a personal interest in watching Cassidy be tortured, and no doubt he has a security camera in that room." She sighed with frustration. "Hacking was never my best skill. Inventing this is, not finding backdoors to open."

"That's were I come in then," Darius stated. "Let me show you exactly why I have become known as Cipher. I'll hack the mainframe of CyberForce without them ever knowing, and use that directly to locate any security cameras around the area that Cassidy is being held prisoner."

He began to type away at his control pad. "Give me a minute," he muttered, working his way through the innards of Cyber Force's computer systems. "And we're in!"

Angela breathed a sigh of relief as various images from security cameras suddenly began to swarm across the screen of her control console. Suddenly one image was located and maximized, and Angela gasped with horror as a video of Cassidy being beaten by several men clad in black suddenly popped up onto the screen. "Oh my god..." She whispered.

"I'm getting all this onto data view," Darius grimly stated. "What are you going to do, Angela?"

"Everything I have to do," Angela stated. Up inking her personal communicator to the main console, she downloaded the video she was watching. "I'm going to show this to Captain Mitchell immediately."

Suddenly the lights throughout the laboratory lit up, and Angela shook her head. "Oh my god, we just went on red alert Darius! The demons could not be attacking at a worse time!"

"No, they couldn't be attacking a better time," Darius corrected. "This will be the perfect moment for a rescue mission to go into operation."

Angela nodded. "We'll get Cassidy out of there. Don't worry."

Kendrix, Kelsey, Chad, Ryan, and Joel gathered on deck as alarms rang throughout the Lightspeed base. They had been just about to start their training session when the military base went into red alert, and it looked as if they were going to get actual battle instead of training.

"Rangers," Mitchell said, greeting his team. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your training, but there have been reports of three hostile robots having been sighted in upper town Mariner Bay. I want you to investigate. MacKnight is certainly going to try to involve his CyberForce Rangers, but he does not have jurisdiction over whether or not you can involve yourselves in battles anymore."

"Right away sir," Kendrix stated, as the five Rangers rushed out of the command room, taking the elevator that jettisoned them up to the launch bay. Jumping into their hummer, Ryan took the driver's seat as he kicked the vehicle into high gear.

"Hang on guys," he muttered, the vehicle tearing out of the military base as the launch doors opened up.

Mitchell leaned over the radar next to him, watching the Rangers en route slowly approach their target. Feeling a slight tap on his shoulder, he glanced up to see Angela impatiently motioning for her to follow. Without question he momentarily left his station, exiting the command center and heading down a hallway until Angela found the privacy that she was obviously looking for the two.

"Sir, I have something to show you." She hurriedly stated. Holding her communication device forward, a holographic image depicting Cassidy's treatement appeared for Mitchell to observe. The captain grimaced, before finally waving his hand and ending the transmission.

"That bastard..."

"We have to do something about this!" Angela stated. "I can't sit by idly anymore while my colleague's friend is needlessly tortured! This is against her rights as a human being!"

Mitchell nodded, agreeing. "It's just, our resources are stretched so thin. Our Rangers are currently engaged in battle with the animal themed androids and I don't have anyone I trust enough to be as covert as such a delicate mission like this requires."

"Send me," Angela calmly stated. "You know that I served as a Marine before coming to Lightspeed. Let me rescue her."

He hesitated before replying "You can test out the prototype battle armor that you have been designing for our soldiers to wear," Mitchell added. "You can't be detected."

"I'd like to see them try to find and stop me," Angela said, walking away. "I'm getting her out of CyberForce immediately."

Stepping into her laboratory, Fairweather headed down one of the winding hallways that connected her labyrinth laboratory within itself. Pausing before a door marked "Scarlet Unit", Fairweather placed her right hand against the doorway as the computer decoded her handprint and allowed her entrance. Inside the room, she found a set of battle armor waiting, colored a deep scarlet red, and slowly removing her clothes, she began to strap on the battle gear. Finally pausing before the plasma rifle she had designed, Angela knew the odds of her having to use it were slim.

However, better to be safe then sorry. "I'm coming Cassidy," she whispered.

The five Rangers arrived at the site of the attack, leaping from their vehicle as they watched the renegade machines fire their weapons through the city, causing cars to explode and rubble rain through the air. The Rangers brought their Hummer to a screeching halt, drawing the attention of the three Mavericks.

"You're going to pay for the destruction you have caused here today!" Ryan shouted, as the five Rangers disembarked from the vehicle. Drawing defensive stances, Kendrix took the lead as she raised her right arm.

"Speed of Light!" the five shouted in unison. Immediately their transformations overwhelmed them, as their armor built up their lean forms.

Blazing Dragon chuckled as he calmly took a step forward. "The organics should not be much of a challenge."

Iron Eagle shook his head. "No. Most likely they will keep us busy until the real prize arrives."

"Indeed," Silver Wolf chortled. "It is only a matter of time before our brethren arrive, and we bend the precursors of the Mavericks to our cause."

"Attack!" Blazing Dragon roared. The three Mavericks rushed the Rangers, and the Rangers spun, drawing forth their V-Lancers as they engaged the Mavericks. Immediately it was a clash between flesh and metal, as the Rangers confronted their robotic enemies. Blazing Dragon spun, unleashing a barrage of fire from his mouth that caught the Rangers off guard.

"You five are no challenge at all!" Silver Wolf cackled. Extending his arms, an axe appeared in either of his hands, as he summoned them from subspace storage. Rushing forwards at almost impossible speeds, he appeared to arrive in almost every place at once, as cuts suddenly randomly began to strike the Rangers. Suddenly the multitude of Silver Wolf's vanished, and one lone Maverick stood before them as he watched the sparks of his strikes jettison across the Rangers.

"You have no comprehension of true speed do you. Time slows for an expert marksman like me." He ferociously growled, issuing a metallic bark.

"My turn!" Iron Eagle shouted. Crouching on the ground, he suddenly transformed from his humanoid form into a bestial form. Taking to the sky, his eyes lit up with plasma energy as he blitzed the ground with his optic blasts. Cackling madly, he transformed back into his humanoid form, extending his claws as he moved into strike the Rangers.

"Time to die, meatsacks!"

Suddenly, an energy wave struck into the three Mavericks before they could strike. The Lightspeed Rangers glanced up, stunned at the sudden arrival of the CyberForce Rangers that had interrupted the onslaught of the Mavericks. Each CyberForce Ranger had their personal weapon drawn, and energy rippling around the five robot Rangers weapons, they individually extended them outwards, blasting the Mavericks with their elements and forcing the robots to retreat from attacking the Lightspeed counterparts.

"Looks like they've actually managed to prove useful for once," Chad muttered. "Iron Eagle would have killed us if it wasn't for their arrival!"

The CyberForce Rangers walked up alongside their human counterparts, the machines issuing courteous nods as though to acknowledge their presence. Kelsey began to chuckle, before Kendrix shot her a warning glance that immediately shut her up. The Rangers suddenly glanced around in surprise as data files began to flash across their visors, tactical and strategic information suddenly scrolling across for them to read.

"Battle tactics have been formulated," CyberForce Red stated. "Both teams will attack in unison in order to take out the enemy Mavericks. Lightspeed Rangers will distract, we shall rush in and attack head on."

"So we're reduced to being gimmicks that distract the enemy," Chad growled. "We'll see about that."

"Chad!" Kendrix snapped. "Despite our feelings regarding these machines, we can't let them interfere with the battle method these computers have developed. Do something to jeopardize our mission, and we could wind up dead!"

Ryan nodded. "I'm not happy about this either Chad, but if we don't follow orders we'll wind up dead."

"Are you ready to engage enemy forces?" CyberForce Red inquired, as the robot walked past the Rangers.

"We are," Kendrix stated solemnly. The ten Rangers turned to face the three Mavericks as they slowly approached. Kendrix and her fellow Rangers took the lead, as they drew their V-Lancers.

"Let's prove our worth," Kendrix snarled.

Immediately the five Lightspeed Rangers dashed forward, aiming their lancers forward as energy crackled around the weapons and plasma beams were fired from the tips. Immediately the three Mavericks crouched into defensive positions, spinning and deflecting the powerful blasts of plasma energy. Over the Lightspeed Rangers, the CyberForce Rangers suddenly came leaping over, as the machines came charging forward. It was then the battle became that of metal versus metal as the CyberForce Rangers moved with speed and prowess that the Lightspeed Rangers simply could not obtain.

"You robots of the past have nothing against us!" Blazing Dragon snarled, as he deflected the fiery strikes of CyberForce Red's elemental Shield Saber. "Feel my wrath!"

Dropping to the ground, Blazing Dragon's maw suddenly unhinged, his arms swivelling, and he transformed into a large cannon. The machine was thrown backwards by the powerful blast, yet through the flames the five CyberForce Rangers came charging, pushing forward despite the ferocity of his attack.

"Frak," Silver Wolf muttered. "For ancient machines, the androids are powerful."

Iron Eagle nodded. "Too powerful," he chuckled. "Which means the humans of this timeline have built the tech they recovered from our deceased brethren into these robotic fighting machines. Infecting them with the Maverick virus will be even easier then we originally assumed!"

"Let's go for it!" Blazing Dragon roared as he reverted back to humanoid form, leading the charge of his counterparts as the three clashed with the five CyberForce Rangers. Suddenly the Lightspeed Rangers joined into the fight, and the Mavericks found themselves quickly overwhelmed.

"The battle is not fairing well!" Vypra shouted, watching as the ten Rangers began to overwhelm the Mavericks. "My lady, what are you going to do?"

Lillith carelessly shrugged. "My Mavericks are more powerful than you assume. They have been holding back as not to hurt their brethren, the CyberForce Rangers. However, now is the time to strike and convert the CyberForce Rangers to our cause. I am going to have my Maverick ilk corrupt their Matrix."

Diabolico stood alongside the succubus, staring with intent at the furious battle raging below him. Lillith glanced to her side and smiled slightly, noting how the golden demon longed to join in the violent fray below.

"Diabolico, would you do the honors?" she inquired, granting the golden demon lord exactly what he wished for. "Distract the Rangers so that the Mavericks can finally corrupt their machine allies?"

"It would be an honor," Diabolico stated. Extending his hands, black fire swirled around his fists as a long golden saber appeared in either of his hands. Spreading his wings, a malicious roar was issued as Diabolico leapt from the rooftop and flew down to the battle below.

"Watch and learn," Lillith exclaimed, nodding at Diabolico as he flew to the battle raging below. She carefully eyed Vypra as the demoness glanced at her in confusion. "It might save your life someday Vypra. Even demons need a little honor."

Angela stood, her lithe frame pressed tightly against the wall. The nanomachines within her blood stream vibrated, as her guide, Cipher, contacted her.

"That armor you built is impressive," he commented. "Though I don't know how anyone can fit into it except you, seeing the schematics here on my computer screen."

Angela chuckled. "You always were the first one to break whatever barriers I managed to construct around my files. But I think a part of me has always allowed a certain 'individual' to check up on me if he ever wanted to. And let's just say that I was the right person to take the power armor I designed for a test run."

"Interesting," Cipher said. "So after graduating from UC, you went to work for the government?"

"I trained and served as a marine, research and development unit for two years. Then I went on to work for the Pentagon before eventually moving onto Project Lightspeed when it was in its starting stages. Decided to resign my commision and went into full out technologies development since," Fairweather explained. She gave a faint smile. "I do what I love to do, and I get paid for it."

"Well you don't have a couple Swiss bank accounts, do you?" Cipher commented with a chuckle. "I have ‘accidentally' acquired money throughout the years."

Angela paused as she ducked underneath a desk as a guard came walking past. Once he had left the room, Angela stood and quickly climbed on top of the desk, reaching upwards to the ventilation shaft and lifting off the lid. Climbing upwards, once inside the shaft, Angela replaced the grate and began to climb down the tube.

"That's nice." Angela laughed at the thought of Cipher "ciphering" some money from several unsuspecting rich individuals.

"So your team seems pretty interesting, despite the facts that you guys seem to get repeatedly screwed over by CyberForce," Cipher commented, trying to help keep the gloom of their mission from gettering the better of them. "How do you get along with everyone?"

"Pretty well actually," Angela stated. "Though there is one guy...Joel. When he first got on the team, he became obsessed with me. I couldn't go anywhere without him following me around trying to constantly ask me out on a date." There was a laugh. Truth betold, it kind of complimented her. "He hasn't been as bad lately, mostly because of what has been happening lately regarding Carter and the Saiman has been rather distracting. However, that hasn't stopped him from dropping flowers off at my doorstep. Kendrix is always good at taking care of him regarding those."

Cipher resisted the urge to burst into laughter. "Talk about unrequited love." He chuckled. "Should I be jealous?"

"I don't know, should you?" Angela demanded. "You're the one who asked me to marry you, and then disappeared mysteriously without ever contacting me again. As far as I'm concerned, I closed that chapter of my life years ago."

Cipher grew somber. "I know. I'm sorry to have joked about that. So how have you been? Get out much?"

"I've been fine," Angela muttered, crawling through the air ducts still. "I work more hours than I should, and I can say my social life is pretty much dead in the water right now. When the safety of the world is threatened by demons though, you have little time to sleep or care about social outings."

"But this guy Joel? It's obvious he likes you. Can't find the time to work in a little R&R?"

"I'm professional!" Angela snarled.

"And I'm not joking!" Cipher snapped back.

Angela reached the end of the ventilation shaft, and twisted off the screws that held the grate in place. Quietly removing it, she twisted and lowered herself out of the ventilation shaft and onto the ground below.

"You've just hit the jackpot!" Cipher said.

"Indeed," she muttered. Angela walked up to a computer monitor and began to quickly type away at the computer monitor in front of her, as the various schematics rolled across the screen. "Oh my god."

"What?"

"MacKnight..." she whispered. "That bastard incorporated the technology he picked up from the leftovers of the Mavericks that Cassidy took out, and put that technology into the CyberForce Rangers when rebuilding them. We have possible Mavericks on our hands Cipher, and we don't even know it!"

"Could he get any more damned stupid?" Cipher muttered. The sound of clicking could be heard over the speaker. "Angela, you have to get the Quantum Commander and get out of there before the Rangers are killed. The CyberForce Rangers could be turned!"

Angela nodded and quickly ran over to the nearest vault. Pulling out a small device, Angela pressed the center button as a small precision laser was emitted. Drawing the laser along the outer edges of the vault, Angela slowly cut her way through until she could gain access. Reaching inside the vault, Angela removed the Quantum Commander before slipping out into the hallway. On her handheld, a small blip appeared on the radar, indicating the location of Cassidy.

There was little time to lose.

The interrogators had been working mercilessly on her for hours, and their results had yearned nothing. Cassidy fell to her knees, battered, bruised, and bloody. Before she could regain her senses the one she had nicknamed "Tall Man" came at her, grabbing her by the head and roughly pulling back. With a grin he slammed her head into the wall.

"Bite me," she growled. "You won't get your way."

"We'll see." The interrogator muttered. He came walking up alongside Tall Man, and leaned forward. "What do I have to get you to do to finally start talking you stupid bitch? Do I have to pull your teeth out with pliers?"

"Do you want it to come to that?" Tall Man demanded, nodding. He leered at her. "Because we will."

Cassidy sneered at the two, as some blood fell from her lips. Leaning forward, she looked into the eyes of the main interrogator. "My only request is, if it comes to that," She started to say, before coughing.

"Yes?"

"Start in the back bitch. I'd still like to be able to smile for the camera," Cassidy hissed. Spitting, she watched as it hit the interrogator in the face, and he wretched, angrily backhanding her.

Suddenly Tall Man slumped to the ground. The interrogator spun around, only to find a fist come slamming into his face. Cassidy glanced up to see Angela standing above the two men who lay at her feet unconscious, and the young woman smiled at the scientist that had come to her rescue. "I figured he'd send someone," she muttered as Angela helped her to her feet.

"We have a long way to go Cassidy." Angela stated. She removed a syringe, and injected it into Cassidy's arm. "Adrenaline cocktail," came the explination. "So we'll be able to make it out of here alive. I wouldn't put it past MacKnight to try killing us."

"The only thing I need to get us out of here is that," Cassidy said pointedly. Taking the Quantum Commander from Angela, she strapped it onto her wrist. Immediately triggering the transformation, Angela watched breathlessly as Cassidy transformed into the Quantum Hunter in front of her.

"And the only way out of here, is up." Lifting her arms upwards, fusion plasma energy rippled throughout her hands as she loosed a powerful blast. The rooftop exploded, and Cassidy grabbed Angela to shield her from the debris. The next thing Angela knew, the two were racing out of the CyberForce military base, as Cassidy carried Angela into the nearby woods where they could rest.

"Shoot me up again," Cassidy requested, deactivating the armor on her arm. " I'm going to need it."

"You have injuriesand you need to be treated!" Angela began to argue, already knowing that Cassidy intended to join the fight.

"No!" Cassidy ferociously snapped bacl. "I have to stop the Mavericks, and the CyberForce Rangers. Their precursors to Mavericks, and believe me, the code that corrupted the matrix of the Mavericks will corrupt them as well!"

Angela sighed, and reaching downwards, injected Cassidy with a second dose of adrenaline.

"Thanks," Cassidy muttered, feeling revitalized despite her injuries. Slowly standing, energy rippled about her as she repowered her armor. "It's hunting season. Get out of here and back to Lightspeed, doctor."

And with those words, the Quantum Hunter leapt into action as Angela breathlessly looked on.

A storm of golden fire ripped through the center of the battle, completely separating the ten Rangers from their Maverick opponents. Twisting around, the Lightspeed and CyberForce Rangers turned to see Diabolico appear. In each hand he held a curving golden saber, and grinning wickedly, he slowly began to walk forward. "It hasn't been long has it, Rangers?" Diabolico said. "I figured I would help out my Mavericks, how do you like them thus far?"

"Figures the Saiman would eventually add machines to their numbers." Kelsey stated.

The CyberForce Rangers cut off the Lightspeed Rangers, as CyberForce Red stepped forward. "Orders received." CyberForce Red stated, as their transmission antennas received orders form the CyberForce base. "Threat level 9, eliminate demon threat immediately."

With those words, the five CyberForce Rangers left their Lightspeed counterparts behind as they charged forward. Diabolico chuckled and leisurely began to walk forward as the machine Rangers charged. Suddenly kneeling, Diabolico knelt before the charging five and extended his arms outwards, blades extended. Suddenly the blades flashed with fire, and a firestorm of golden flame was unleashed upon the charging five. The explosion hit the CyberForce Rangers, brutally knocking them off their feet and onto the ground.

"Now!" Diabolico cried, and glared at the three Mavericks. "Infect them!"

Silver Wolf, Iron Eagle, and Blazing Dragon charged forward as the CyberForce Rangers started to stand. Extending their hands, the three Mavericks charged a buildup of fusion energy within their hands, and Blazing Dragon stepped forward with a malicious grin. "Prepare to join us brethren, and see the light." His metallic voice chuckled, and opening his hand, he released the buildup of energy. The other two Mavericks did the same, and the three blasted the five CyberForce Rangers with a mysterious green energy wave.

The five CyberForce Rangers suddenly ceased movement, and the Lightspeed Rangers watched in horror as the CyberForce Rangers collapsed to the ground. The five robots lay unmoving, despite pulsing with the green energy they had been hit with.

"Oh my god," Kelsey muttered. "What happened to them? How were they taken out so easily?"

"They weren't destroyed or taken out," a voice responded. In a flash of black light, Lillith appeared, Vypra standing alongside her. Diabolico joined his fellow demons, and the three watched as the green energy spread throughout the core of the CyberForce Rangers systems. "They were infected, and the infection is growing, recreating them into something grand and great."

"What did you do to them?" Chad demanded. "What have you turned them into?"

"Mavericks," came the response. The Lightspeed Rangers turned around, startled, as they realized the reply had come from neither the Saiman nor the Mavericks they had previously been fighting against. The source of the reply had come from none other then the five CyberForce Rangers. The Rangers watched in horror as the five robot warriors slowly stood, before turning their attention to the demoness Lillith.

"We are aware," CyberForce Red stated, his hollow mechanical voice echoing with a cold edge. "And we understand. This world belongs to you, and we shall deliver it into your hands."

Without any other words, the five CyberForce Rangers knelt before Lillith. "We Mavericks, the CyberForce Rangers loyally pledge our services to your cause!" The five CyberForce Rangers shouted in unison.

"How can we serve you?" CyberForce Pink demanded as the five robots slowly stood.

"You can start," Lillith said, as she leisurely extended her hand and pointed at the Lightspeed Rangers. "By killing your human counterparts. I want them dead within the hour."

"Our mission will be completed," CyberForce Red curtly stated. With those words, the five CyberForce Rangers turned and charged upon their Lightspeed counterparts, as the three Saiman and three Mavericks looked on.

"Pray to whatever gods you worship Rangers," Vypra said, staring at the battle. "For you shall surely perish."

To Be Continued...