Mitchell and MacKnight stood alongside each other, staring at the monitor in front of them with horror. Neither could fully comprehend the depravity of what had just occurred before them. Simply put, the machine hostiles that the five Lightspeed Rangers and five CyberForce Rangers had received aid from the dark lord Diabolico, who had in turn separated the battle. Before the CyberForce Rangers could even react or receive new orders from home base, the enemy Mavericks had blasted the five humanoid robots with a strange emerald energy aura that had clearly warped the CyberForce Rangers and turned them hostile.

"This is an outrage!" MacKnight growled. "An absolute outrage! How did this happen?"

"Don't even assume you can get away with blaming my team for this," Mitchell snarled. "I knew something like this might happen. It seems your so-called salvation for Earth has just become its worse threat."

MacKnight could not respond, and simply stood idly by as he glared at the commander of Lightspeed. "Careful how you talk to me," he warned.

There was a clucking of Mitchell's tongue. "I'd think it's you who should be careful," the captain growled, narrowing his eyes. "To my understanding, you've been losing favorability quickly, General."

MacKnight bit his tongue and held back the retort that burned on the edge of his lips. "Not now..." He growled. "I want a status report!"

"Sir, we've lost complete control of the CyberForce Rangers," an ensign replied. "They're completely functioning on their own. Their mainframe has gone completely haywire with a code that's far more advanced then anything I have ever seen."

Suddenly Angela burst into the command center, and seeing the monitors, covered her mouth and gasped in horror. "It's because they've been turned," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" MacKnight snapped. "What in bloody hell do you mean?"

"They're Mavericks," Angela said, motioning towards the three enemy Mavericks. "They are servants to the Saiman now, and all of this is entirely your fault, General. By Maverick technology into the CyberForce Rangers, you very well may have issued the human race a death sentence! That's how they were infected, and that's why they're fighting against us!"

Suddenly, all eyes in the command room were upon MacKnight, and he fidgeted slightly as beads of sweat began to drip down the back of his neck. "An unfounded accusation. I should have you-"

"Have her what, MacKnight?" a voice exclaimed. MacKnight whirled around, and was horrified to find James Taggart standing behind him. The robust Scotsman glanced down to the small hand-held monitor in his hands, which showed a continuous clip of MacKnight's men torturing Cassidy. After a moment, he looked back up at MacKnight with an angry gleam in his eyes. "I see yeu've resorted to torture on a free agent. Is this some new policy that I've not been informed of?"

MacKnight could only stare in shock at Taggart as he swallowed in fear. Things were not going as he had planned.

CyberForce Nightmare
Part 2
Rebellion

The five Rangers were blasted backwards as the five CyberForce Rangers and the three Mavericks turned their furious assault upon the Lightspeed Rangers in a combined effort. Kendrix expertly spun about, easily deflecting the enemy blasts with her Medi-Bo. But she had months of training as a Ranger, and the other Rangers, who were less experienced, could not defend themselves as well as she could.

Ryan ducked, avoiding the narrow strike of his counterpart's enormous Shield Saber. The robot expertly wielded the enlarged version of his own primary weapon. "CyberForce always liked to pretend they were better by making bigger and better things. That doesn't mean they are though." Ryan muttered.

"You're outdated, organic!" CyberForce Red yelled as he struck down upon the human. It seemd that with the Maverick infection, the mentality programing of the machines had been changed as well.

"Outdate this!" Ryan snarled, somersaulting backwards. He kicked his legs up in the air, repeatedly striking into the machine in front of him. The robot stumbled backwards, and Ryan landed crouched on the ground. With a grunt, he leapt forward, tackling the robot and slamming CyberForce Red into the ground. His hand gripped the CyberForce version of the Shield Saber, and he spun away, now with a Shield Saber held in both hands.

"You're out of this game!" he shouted.

"I beg to differ, meatsack!" Silver Wolf roared as he raced into the battle. Iron Eagle wasn't far behind him, and CyberForce Red leapt forward to join in the fray. Ryan suddenly found himself forced to contend with three Mavericks, as the robots became a triple threat.

"Ryan!" Kendrix shouted. Drop kicking CyberForce Pink, the robot convulsed as the devastating blow knocked it to the ground. Kendrix drew her blaster and began to pick shots away at Silver Wolf, temporarily distracting him from attacking the Red Ranger. Suddenly, Kendrix felt a hand clamp down on her foot.

"You've been replaced, human," CyberForce Pink growled. "It's time to go into extinction with the rest of the throwbacks!"

With those words, CyberForce Pink lifted Kendrix over her head and threw her half-way across the battlefield. Kendrix smashed into a car, which exploded as the Pink Ranger suddenly found herself wrapped in a fireball of flames. Kendrix knew she couldn't give up, and leapt up from the massive explosion, emerging from the inferno.

"I am no throwback!" she snarled as she landed upon the ground. Her primal rage was starting to unhinge again, but she had it under control this time. It was her life, not that of the powers within her, and if she was going to prove she was meant for this, it would be on her own terms.

Suddenly, Silver Wolf appeared behind Kendrix, and his jaw unhinged as he blasted Kendrix. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees. Kendrix glanced up in horror as CyberForce Red and Iron Eagle dumped a prone, but still armored Ryan alongside her.

"Oh no," she whispered in horror as the four Mavericks aimed their blasters at the two human Lightspeed Rangers.

Chad, Kelsey, and Joel each fought their enemy counterparts. "I can't believe these tincans went psycho on us!" Joel shouted. Despite the fact that he had improved his aim considerably in the last month alone, he was having a hard time keeping up with the intense speed of the CyberForce Rangers.

"Who knew they would turn on us like this though!" Kelsey shouted. She too fired several rounds at CyberForce Yellow, but the robot raised her hand, absorbing the energy bolts, and returning the blasts at Lightspeed Yellow.

"Shit!" Kelsey screamed, returning her blaster to its holster. "I'm sick of these games. V-Lancer!"

Summoning forth the lance weapon, Kelsey brought it slamming down into CyberForce Yellow, knocking the evil Maverick Ranger backwards with a ferocious strike. She went in for a second time, but Blazing Dragon appeared in front of her.

"I will not let you destroy my brothers!" the draconic Maverick roared. Grabbing the Yellow Ranger, he ferociously bit into her shoulder, sparks exploding out as Kelsey screamed in pain.

"Kelsey!" Chad screamed. Summoning his own V-Lancer, he rushed forward to save his friend, but CyberForce Blue and Yellow quickly stepped into his path. Joel was busy fighting with his robotic counterpart, and Chad felt completely overwhelmed as he fought the two Maverick Rangers.

"I won't let you kill my friend!"

"You don't have a choice!" CyberForce Blue snapped.

The Yellow Lightspeed Ranger breathed in as she fought of the pain in her shoulder. "But I do..."

Suddenly going slack in the iron grip of Blazing Dragon, Kelsey let her feet fall to the ground as she feebly picked up her V-Lancer with her feet and kicked it up into her left hand. Slamming her fist forward, the impact punctured the metal hide of Blazing Dragon, and with a mechanical scream, the robot instantly let go of her as he fell backwards, sparks exploding from his wound.

Kelsey barely took time to register how badly she had inured her enemy. Dashing forward, Kelsey slammed into CyberForce Yellow, repeatedly slashing her mechanical counterpart with a series of rapid strikes. "Nothing copies me and gets away with it," she growled. "Got it, canhead?!"

"Unfortunately for you, things are not going as you have planned," CyberForce Yellow announced. Suddenly CyberForce Blue, Yellow, and Green regrouped around Blazing Dragon, and together the four Mavericks unleashed a massive blast of ion energy at the three Rangers, knocking them backwards and impacting them into the ground. Suddenly Kendrix and Ryan were thrown alongside them as the eight Mavericks gathered before them.

"You humans are all so stupid!" Blazing Dragon snarled as he clenched a fist. "We machines are superior to organics in every way! There is no way you can survive this battle!"

A bright blue blast of plasma slammed into Blazing Dragon, causing him to stumble forward. The Mavericks turned unsure what had just happend.

"I beg to differ."

The five Lightspeed Rangers glanced up to see the shadowy outline of the warrior that had rescued them before, previously from Lilith. Watching, the five watched as the fully armored Quantum Hunter leapt forward into the fray, igniting a plasma beam saber in either hand as she landed in front of the five, separating them from the eight Mavericks.

"I'll try not to make a habit of rescuing you guys," Cassidy said, chuckling. "Consider all debts repaid however, your friend Angela did a wonderful job getting me out of CyberForce."

"Pity it was all for naught," Iron Eagle shouted, leaping into the sky and taking to the air. "For you shall die alongside your new companions today, Quantum Hunter!"

"Think again." Twisting, Cassidy threw her energy saber upwards and watched as it hurtled through the sky. Before Iron Eagle could react, it pierced his wing, and he screamed, his metal wing severed off. A resounding thud echoed throughout the battlefield as he smashed into the ground.

"Your turn," Cassidy snarled, glaring at the remaining seven Mavericks before her. Rushing forward, plasma energy wrapped around her fists. Punching her right fist forward, Cassidy angrily beat her way through the five CyberForce Rangers blockading her way. One by one, they fell beneath the might of her plasma energy, energy rocketing and fissuring outwards with powerful shockwaves with each strike.

"Suck it down, tin head," the Hunter hissed, her feet skidding against the ground as she came to halt. In the wake of her powerful barrage, the five CyberForce Rangers collapsed to the ground behind her. Twisting, she turned and faced Blazing Dragon and Silver Wolf.

"You're next," she exclaimed, and opening her hand, her beam saber returned to her palm. "And if you plan on giving me one of your silly 'organics aren't as powerful as machines' speeches, save it, oil breathe. All I have to say to that is a big screw you!"

With those words, Cassidy tore forward, igniting her beam saber a second time. Silver Wolf ducked beneath her first slash, and with a savage howl he fell back on his hands as he unleashed a powerful barrage of thunderous kicks at her. Cassidy gasped as the powerful strikes knocked her backwards, and Blazing Dragon leapt over his wolf counterpart, his jaw unhinging to expose his massive canon.

"Eat plasma, meatsack!" he roared. Cassidy raised her hands in defense, but there was a red blur in front of her as Ryan appeared in front of her, crossing both of his Shield Sabers. With expert swings, he blocked the energy blast with the swords, deflecting the sizzling energy.

"Get up!" Ryan shouted. Cassidy quickly stood alongside Ryan, and the two took offensive stances against Silver Wolf and Blazing Dragon. "We have to kill these guy now! You managed to buy us some time, but we're losing precious ground!"

"You are fools to have forgotten about the others," Lilith suddenly shouted. Warping up behind Ryan and Cassidy, Lilith leapt forward and stabbed at the two with her lance, taking them completely off guard. The attack knocked Ryan and Cassidy to the ground on their knees, and Lilith faced her Maverick minions. "Finish them!"

Silver Wolf and Burning Dragon nodded and raised forward. Ryan started to stand, but Lilith reached her hand outwards and telekinetically held the Red Ranger in place. "Foolish human, you are not going anywhere!"

Cassidy screamed in pain as Silver Wolf tore into her, and Blazing Dragon attacked Ryan alongside her. Sparks erupted from the various deadly strikes the two Mavericks dealt their enemies, and halting, the two watched as Cassidy and Ryan were thrown into the ground, the two warriors collapsing in pain.

"Finish them," Lilith ordered, and with a wave of her hand she teleported back to where Vypra and Diabolic stood watching the battle.

"How far you have fallen from grace," Silver Wolf taunted. He glanced at Cassidy. "It shall be a pleasure to avenge my fallen brethren and rip out your heart, Hunter."

"I would really like to see you try!"

"Give up," Blazing Dragon snarled. "This is a fight you can't win! You are severely outnumbered. Show some of the intelligence you homosapiens have always claimed makes you better than machines, and save yourself the trouble of fighting to the death. Fall upon your own sword, Hunter!"

"No!" Ryan snarled. "We will never give up! Cassidy is one of us, and she will never give up either! We're a team, and we stick together!"

Suddenly Ryan's armor began to glow immediately following his outburst. A pulsing beam of red light suddenly exploded from the center of his chest, and slammed into Cassidy, linking the two together. Cassidy's armor began to glow, and suddenly her armor burst ablaze with flames, a huge firestorm surrounding her. Ryan stared in awe as her armor changed to a stylized set of red battle armor, which was scorched to resemble that of an inferno.

"Cassidy," Cipher said, suddenly contacting her over the comm link. "I managed to upload a new program to the database a while back, involving a program called Style Changes. Looks like the energy source of the Lightspeed armors can interface with your powers and activate elemental style forms. Meet Fire Style!"

"Changing the appearance of your armor will not save you!" Blazing Dragon snarled.

"I beg to differ." Cassidy said, handling the hilt of the reformated beam saber she wielded. Igniting the blade, instead of the typical green plasma energy forming, a huge firestorm exploded from the hilt, igniting into a huge blade of searing flames.

"That will not save you!" Blazing Dragon shouted.

Without any words, Cassidy tore forward, swinging her huge sword of flame as she ran. The tremendous blade of burning fire slammed into Blazing Dragon, completely cutting the draconic Maverick in half, and splitting him apart in a single strike. The life dimming in his eyes, the machine stared at Cassidy in disbelief before it exploded. Suddenly the CyberForce Ranger trembled, and Ryan leapt to his feet.

"Kill the Mavericks!" Ryan ordered. "I think when you killed Blazing Dragon it affected the system of the CyberForce Rangers and caused their mainframe to temporarily haywire!"

"I'm on it!" Cassidy shouted. Dashing across the field, she expertly leapt about as Silver Wolf launched a furious onslaught of energy at her from afar. Suddenly Iron Eagle exploded from the wreckage, holding the wing that Cassidy had severed off his shoulder like a huge sword. With a feral scream, the machine swung it at her, but the Hunter merely raised her fire sword, the heat of her blade cutting through the wing.

"You need to get permanently grounded. Time to clip that other wing!" Leaping up, Cassidy brought her sword down and severed off the second wing from Iron Eagle. Before she could finish the Maverick, Silver Wolf slammed into her, snarling angrily as he repeatedly slashed at her with his sharp claws.

"Die!" he angrily howled.

"Not happening!" Cassidy shouted. Turning, she slammed her sword into the Maverick's groin, slashing upwards until her sword emerged from Silver Wolf's head. With a smile she retracted her blade, and watched the machine fall backwards. Upon hitting the ground, his sections detonated in a massive explosion of flames.

Through the fire Iron Eagle came, aiming his hands at Cassidy and firing pulse beams at her. Cassidy deflected the now weakened energy blasts into her sword. Spinning, she expertly brought her sword stabbing forward, and impaled Iron Eagle into his chest.

"This day did not end as planned." Iron Eagle whispered, the life fading from his eyes.

"You know what's pissing me off?" Ryan demanded as his fought his robotic counterpart. The machine made no move to reply to his question, so as Ryan brought both of his shield sabers slamming down upon the machine, he continued. "You have always been given top priority, ever since your creation. And in the end, we're the ones defending Earth, because of your system corruption."

"Illogical conversation," CyberForce Red merely stated.

"Logic this," Ryan said. Ducking beneath the kick of CyberForce Red, Ryan impaled the machine upon the smaller of his swords as he brought the blade he had stolen from his CyberForce counterpart to its neck.

"Don't ever come back and mess with me," he whispered, and with a flick of his wrist severed off the machine's head.

Kendrix was not far behind Ryan, as she swung her V-Lancer repeatedly forward. CyberForce Pink grabbed the handle of the device and attempted to rip it from her human counterpart's grip. "No!" Kendrix shouted.

Leaping over CyberForce Pink, the momentum ripped the V-Lancer out of the robot's grip. Twisting the blade behind her, Kendrix impaled the robot ranger's back with her blade, the head of the V-Lancer exploding through the chest of her machine counterpart and completely destroying CyberForce Pink.

"Two down for the count, Kendrix!" Ryan said.

"Not far behind either of you!" Chad shouted. The deaths of Silver Wolf, Blazing Dragon, and Iron Eagle seemed to have severely affected the remaining CyberForce Rangers. CyberForce Blue shuddered slightly, and Chad brought his blaster out of its holster and beneath the chin of the machine.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," Chad growled, and pulled the trigger.

Kelsey and Joel had gone the typical route they typically chose when fighting, tag teaming their machine opposites. CyberForce Green and Yellow had previously sent the two Rangers on the run with their almost near perfect marksmanship, however, due to their Maverick allies having been defeated, their mainframes were seriously affected and they had grown sluggish.

"Time to take these pricks out!" Joel shouted. Dashing forward, he extended his V-Lancer and at point blank range began to fire repeatedly at his CyberForce counterpart. CyberForce Green was knocked backwards from the repeated barrage of energy, and suddenly a single shot struck off the spire atop his head. CyberForce Green began to violently shake suddenly, before collapsing to the ground and falling apart.

Kelsey was not far behind Joel, as CyberForce Yellow had all but ceased movement, slowly walking across the battlefield. Kelsey leapt into the sky, before coming down with her V-Lancer extended and cutting CyberForce Yellow in half.

"Down for the count," Kelsey muttered. "The CyberForce Rangers are gone. Now they just need to stay dead."

Kelsey and Joel dashed across the battlefield, as Kendrix, Chad, Ryan, and Cassidy regrouped. The six gleefully shouted, having realized they managed to defeat eight Mavericks by working together that day.

"This fight isn't over!" A voice boomed. Suddenly the three Saiman lords warped into the battlefield, and Joel groaned, knowing another fight was right around the corner. Lilith had the lead, angrily strutting forward as Diabolico and Vypra followed behind her silently.

"You wretched fools," Lilith snarled. "I'll make you pay for what happened here today. All six of you will die if I have my way of things!"

"That isn't going to happen!" Cassidy shouted. "As long as we are here, we are going to fight against the Saiman forces and stop your intentions regarding Earth! Your goals will never be realized."

"We shall wait and see about that," Lilith snarled. With a grin she removed a single card from her belt, and held it so the Rangers could see. "It has been so long since you've had a chance to play with one of our pets, so I thought I'd give you the opportunity to have some fun for once!"

Suddenly Vypra and Diabolico turned, energy flaring in their hands as a captive human suddenly appeared. It was a young woman, and she screamed and struggled in desperation as the two dark lords held her in place. Lilith walked forward, giggling as she pressed a card close to the helpless human.

"Watch and learn, Rangers!" She whispered.

With those words she slammed the card into the innocent woman, the young girl screaming in pain as the card seared into her physical body. The demonic energies held within the card were released, merging with her soul and physical form. The young woman fell to the ground, coughing and going into a seizure as she underwent a physical change and evolved into a demon. Suddenly an insectoid demon stood before the three demon lords, and Lilith could all but grin victoriously.

"Grow Manzer!" she ordered, removing a second card from her belt. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the card into the back of the insect demon. Manzer threw back her head, screaming in pain as she suddenly grew in size, and was soon standing alongside the skyscrapers of Mariner Bay.

"Destroy the city!" Lilith screamed, and with a wave of her hand, she teleported away with Diabolico and Vypra.

"Angela!" Ryan shouted into his comm. link. "We need our Mega Rescue vehicles now!"

"I'm already launching the Rail Liners!" Angela replied. The Rangers felt the ground tremble as their super train shot past. Kendrix extended her hand to Cassidy, and together the two leapt into her personal Rail Rescue. Launching their individual Rescue vehicles, the Rangers brought their vehicles together in order to form the mecha gestalt MegaRescue.

"MegaRescue, Online!" The five Rangers shouted, extending the gestalt's blade as they prepared to battle their enemy. Manzer rushed forward, the insectoid demon extending her blade as she slashed at the Rangers with a ferocious strike. The MegaRescue matched the attack, quickly swinging its blade upward to counter the blow.

The demon and machine clashed, each turning and striking away at the other as a dance of blades began to occur. "We need to end this battle and finish this fight!" Chad shouted.

"Already on it!" Kendrix replied. "Rescue Saber, engage!"

Suddenly the MegaRescue's saber began to pulse and the Rangers brought the blade crashing down upon Manzer. But the insectoid stood impassively as the blade struck into it, the demon chuckling as the powerful attack that almost always took out demons barely scratched the shell of the demon.

Repeatedly MegaRescue struck into the hide of the demon, but each time the shell of the insect demon protected it from the strikes of the gestalt. Manzer ferociously chuckled, and extending her hands, dashed forward and tackled the gestalt. MegaRescue was flung backwards from the force of the attack, and smashed through several buildings as it slammed into the ground.

Suddenly Manzer extended her right hand, a huge blade emerging through the protective shell. Manzer rushed forward, repeatedly striking into MegaRescue and sending the gestalt backwards. The Rangers worked their control furiously, as the gestalt swung its blade about in an effort to defend itself.

"Rangers!" Angela shouted, her voice suddenly ringing over the comm. systems. "You have to take defensive measures!"

"What do you mean?" Chad demanded.

"You need to switch to the Rail Liners and activate gestalt formation!" came the answer. "You need the GrandLiner!"

"Already on it!" Kendrix shouted. "Abandon MegaRescue and return to your individual trains!"

With her command, the five Rangers leaped from their Rescue vehicles, leaving the MegaRescue unmanned. Automated AI systems command assumed control of the machine. Each Ranger landed in their personal Ranger compartment of the Rail Liners, and each punching in the code sequence to activate gestalt formation.

"Initiate GrandLiner sequence!" Kendrix shouted. The five initiated the process, the individual cars merging together.

The five brought their GrandLiner together, the process activated. The huge gestalt easily towered over MegaRescue as Lightspeed command piloted the other gestalt out of the battlefield. Manzer instantly turned her attention upon GrandLiner, raising her claws as she rushed forward to repeatedly strike the gigantic gestalt. Only this time, the attacks were easily deflected as GrandLiner issued a devastating punch to Manzer's hide that sent the beast stumbling backwards.

"It's time to end this fight!" Cassidy told Kendrix.

"You're right." Kendrix nodded, taking command of GrandLiner and causing the configuration to stomp forward.

"MaxTurbine engines, fire!" Kendrix screamed and pushed forward on the control stick in front of her.

Instantly GrandLiner extended its arms, huge rocket launchers extending and opening up. Instantly the weapon-mounts began to fire, issuing a huge firestorm of rockets. The barrage of warheads assaulted Manzer, tearing through her hide and detonating within her core. The demon screamed as she fell to the ground in a massive firestorm of plasma energy.

"End game," Cassidy smiled, the GrandLiner standing victorious over the battle as MegaRescue looked on.

The five Rangers and Cassidy returned to the Lightspeed Aquabase, their homecoming somber instead of the usual feisty excitement they typically shared upon defeating the Saiman in battle. This time was different; the Saiman had come very close to winning. If Cassidy's powers hadn't evolved, they might not have survived the combined onslaught of the Mavericks and the rogue CyberForce Rangers. But the CyberForce Rangers were destroyed, and hopefully they were never coming back.

Kendrix led her companions into the meeting room, and upon entering; they found Mitchell, Angela, and MacKnight. MacKnight was silently shaking with fury. The only thing that contained his composure was the fact that his superior sat at the head of the table.

"Rangers," Taggart spoke, nodding in anticipation of their arrival. He glanced at Cassidy, and quickly glanced to his left to glare at MacKnight, before returning his stare to the young woman that stood impassively alongside the Rangers. "Miss Williams."

"Hello sir, it's a pleasure to see you again," Kendrix stated, and motioned for her comrades to take a seat alongside her. "Why the unexpected visit?"

"I'm here to offer my sincerest apologies from the bottom of my heart regarding the treatment Miss Williams here has suffered at the hands of General MacKnight," Taggart explained, trembling slightly as he tried to contain his anger directed at MacKnight. "Had I known what MacKnight was doing, I would have shot him myself. His actions were unauthorized, and he will be punished." He paused for a moment as his gaze shifted towards MacKnight. "I think yeu owe her yeur own apologies, General.

MacKnight glared at Taggart with hatred. Glancing at Cassidy, he smirked slightly. "My apologies, Quantum Hunter."

"Oh, stuff it up your ass!" Cassidy snarled. "You're bullshitting that through your teeth, and I know it! I have half the mind to go to the news with what you did to me and have your life torn to shreds, you two-faced son of a bitch!"

MacKnight angrily slammed his fist against the table. "You can't talk to me that way!"

"But I can!" Cassidy snapped. "And I will talk to you however I damn well want, shit-brains."

MacKnight angrily pointed at Cassidy as though he expected Taggart to reprimand her. Taggart merely chuckled, unable to contain his laughter at Cassidy's insults. "Yeur nickname for him has a certain ring to it, lassie." He exclaimed.

"Which one?" Cassidy asked with a smile.

"How can we repay you?" Mitchell exclaimed, interrupting the conversation before it made Taggart look bad. He didn't want MacKnight trying to use anything Taggart said against him.

"Repay me?" Cassidy said, thoughtfully staring at her Quantum Commander. "Okay, how about a deal. I keep my mouth shut and help you develop the Lightspeed powers into something stronger. In return, you grant me complete immunity from the military and police. I can do and act however I want, because against the Mavericks, I'm the only shot this planet has. I want freelance status with Lightspeed and complete access to all your databases and weapons research facilities."

There was a low growl from MacKnight in response. "This is an outrage!" he roared. "She can't make deals like that, we don't negotiate with terr-"

Taggart shot the man a nasty glare that silenced him befoe returning his attention to Cassidy. "Yeu raise an interesting bargain, Miss Williams," he stated calmly. "And one that I hardly refuse. Yeu have agent status within Lightspeed and complete access to our resources and research facilities, as well as level blue security clearence." Taggert turned to Mitchell with a grin. "Make sure she gets all the prop'r ID tags and such, William."

"Aye, sir."

With that settled, James Taggert turned his focas to the other matter at hand. "General, MacKnight, I want yeu to understand that if the truth of what happened today ever comes out, the repercussions would be tremendous," he stated in a cold tone. "As such, yeu have been officially stripped of yeur rank, and are reduced to the rank grade of Major. Yeu are also to understand that much of the responsibilities CyberForce has entailed are being revoked and given to Lightspeed." Before MacKnight could object, Taggert gave that same vicious stare to silence him. "Be glad I'm letting yeur filthy operation stay active, yeu bastard. Yeu're at the bottom of the food chain now, and yeu had best not forg't that."

MacKnight bite his lip to contain his silent rage as he handed Taggart his rank epalets and badge. He had lost everything. Glaring at Cassidy, he angrily imagined killing the woman. This was all her fault. Everything he blamed on her.

"William Mitchell, yeur rank of Captain is as of now no more in effect," Taggart said, glancing at Mitchell. The Rangers stared at Taggart with stunned expressions. Why was he punishing Mitchell? He had done nothing wrong! Before they could protest however, Taggart smiled. "And I'm hearby issuing yeu the rank of Commodore." Again, Taggert chuckled. "Commodore Mitchell, I think, has a nice ring to it."

As the Rangers smiled victoriously, Taggart turned to leave and motioned for everyone to follow him from the briefing room. Slowly standing, Cassidy locked eyes with MacKnight, and as everyone exited the room they merely stared at each other with hatred.

Cassidy glanced down at the table and smirked. "I want you to know something, you sick bastard."

MacKnight rolled his eyes. "And what would that be, ungrateful brat?"

Suddenly Cassidy was across the room, moving at speeds he could barely comprehend. Her fist flashed forward, punching him in the stomach and causing a huge wave of pain to flash through his gut. Grabbing him by the neck, she slammed him up against the wall as she made his face level with hers.

"If you ever so much as touch me or someone I care about again, I promise that I shall hunt you down and deliver the same justice I deal to Mavericks," Cassidy ferociously whispered. "You aren't human anymore...and I wonder when you stopped being one."

Spinning, she hurled him across the room and watched impassively as he smashed through the table. Groaning, MacKnight attempted to stand but collapsed to the ground unconscious. With a victorious smirk, Cassidy left the room as the door closed behind her. She was confident MacKnight would never trouble her again.

Lilith stormed into the throne room, angrily throwing aside a vampire attendant that stood in her way. Angrily summoning forth her saber, she slashed through several vampire ghouls with ease, watching as the undead creatures exploded into fiery ash before vanishing without a trace. Whirling, the succubus cast aside the soot with a wave of her wing, so the ash would not touch her.

"I see that you have failed, again."

Lilith angrily roared, whirling around to face the throne as the spirit of Bansheera appeared above it, the astral projection of the grand dame angrily staring down upon Lilith. "You have no room to pass judgment upon me!" Lilith snarled. "I have failed the Emperor once! You have failed him countless times!"

"Yet it was you who came delivering the news he does not take failure lightly." Bansheera smirked. "Perhaps soon I will not be the only Hell Lord he looks down upon in disfavor."

"I have allies within the court!" Lilith screamed. "I have friends that are close to the Emperor, and they will keep good word for me when giving him counsel!" A paused before she continued, now smirking. "I have no worries."

"I was once had friends as well, and they turned upon me with laughter the instant I showed my face within my Emperor's court." Bansheera storted in distain. "Your days are numbered Lilith, this is only the beginning."

"I will look death in the face before I am reduced to a powerless spirit that pretends to command some sort of presence." Lilith spat onto the ground, before leisurely sitting upon Bansheera's throne. "But I cannot die, for I am immortal. My father was one of the first pureblood demons to break through the barriers of hell and into Earth realm. His blood, the blood of the lord of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Circles of Hell, runs through my veins, and I proudly carry my family legacy."

"Lord Rouki?!" Bansheera stuttered. "But he vanished millennia ago! And that bloodline means nothing regarding your status within the Empire. Choose wisely regarding your next battle, child, or you will most certainly become what I have been reduced to."

"Never," Lilith whispered.

Suddenly the argument between the Grand Dame and Hell Lord was interrupted, as the doors to the throne room were suddenly throne inwards. Stalking into the throne room Carter walked, Jinxer trailing behind him with a slightly perturbed expression on his face.

"What are you two doing out of the chamber I assigned you to?" Lilith demanded. "I charged both of you with preparing the scepter for the ceremony!"

"Which is why I have come," Carter stated, kneeling before Lilith before rising. Extending his arm outwards, dark energy suddenly rippled through his hand as the staff appeared. "Using my human blood and the dark magic of Jinxer, the staff has been fully empowered and is ready to be wielded by whoever you have chosen to carry out this ceremony."

Jinxer raised a hand. "I wanted a chance to examine the scepter my lady, with the scrutiny you undoubtedly desire. But the human here would not allow me!"

Lilith ignored the protests of the demon, and took the scepter into her hands. She felt the Scepter of Shadows pulse with power, and smiling, stood triumphantly as she glared upwards at Bansheera. "Watch wisely, Bansheera. You might learn a thing or two about defeating the Rangers and handing the Earth over to the Empire."

Snapping her fingers, the succubus watched as a spark was ignited by her action, falling downwards and igniting into a huge ball of fire. The fire roared outwards, swirling together until it formed into a being of fire origin. Jinxer, Carter, and Bansheera froze as the demon Lilith had summoned came walking forward and knelt before the succubus.

"Rise Arebius," Lilith commanded. "It has been long since we last met. In return for pulling you from the Inferno, are you ready for the task I have prepared for you?"

"Indeed, my lady," Arebius exclaimed. "I am ready to execute the will of the Emperor and yours. I shall serve you both with undying loyalty."

"Then rise," Lilith ordered. "And accept this Scepter of Shadows to which I have prepared for you to wield. Use your demonic priestly powers to open a portal between Terra and the Emperor's world of Ab'yss, so that we can forever link the two planets together. Do this so that the forces of the Emperor may finally be able to walk through the gates that once separated the two planets, and finally claim this wretched world in his name."

"I will execute Asmordian's will with precision," Arebius exclaimed. Taking the staff in his hands, it suddenly pulsed with power, activated by the touch of the priest. "This world is doomed."

"Indeed," Lilith agreed, before throwing her head back and laughing maniacally.

Throwing her hand forward, Lilith opened a portal, linking the throne room to the sprawling snakelike catacombs that lay beneath the city. Twisting, Lilith loosed a scream from her throat, summoning her fellow lords. In an instant, Diabolico, Vypra, Loki, and Dara holding Impus appeared alongside Bansheera, Arebius, Carter, and Jinxer. Lilith motioned for the coven of Saiman to follow her, and together the ten demons entered the portal. They walked for what seemed to be an eternity before they found themselves within a room on which an altar was erected. Raising her arms into the air and spreading her wings, Lilith began to chant, and suddenly the temple in which they stood began to shake, as it was suddenly brought upwards. The ground exploded, and the entire city of Mariner Bay shook and trembled as a temple suddenly rose up within the center of the city. The eclipsed sunlight radiated through the blood red crystals adorning the sides of the temple, flooding its innards with red light.

"At long last, my task shall be complete," Lilith whispered. She glanced at Arebius. "Begin."

With those words the demon priest stood within the center of the altar, and the demons and Carter watched, silently holding their breath as the ceremony began.

The Ascension had begun at last.

To Be Continued...