Power Rangers Chronic Storm 1: The Axis of Power

Chapter 11: Growing

Diane, Carter, and Jason continued to hurdle through space inside Axis' confiscated ship after a mysterious savior aided in their escape. Their savior turned out to be a human male, one that Jason and Carter quickly recognized.

"There's no way... Wes?" asked Carter.

The man with slicked back brown hair and an unmovable icy stare looked around at everyone. "My name is Alex. I'm a Time Force Officer. I've been secretly tracking the comings and goings of General Axis in an attempt to disrupt his operations from the inside."

"Alex...?" Carter looked lost before turning to Jason.

Jason carefully whispered to him, "Carter, it'll be another ten years before he's supposed to meet Wes. Alex is one of what I imagine are many, many descendants of the man we're familiar with. But it's kind of against the law to talk future stuff. Mother made that rule after time travel became a thing."

Carter slowly nodded his head. "So... Alex, is there anything you can tell us about General Axis that can help now?"

Alex nodded. "I believe it would be more efficient to tell your entire team all at once. His plans affect us all, and it'll be on us to see that he doesn't carry them through 3 days from now."

Jason's stomach dropped thinking about the worry he must have created among his teammates. His mind drew up a clear picture of the scalding frown Taylor would surely give him once the team reunited. "We better get in communication with the others so they know we're alright and headed their way. And also so nobody tries to shoot down this borrowed ship when we arrive."

Diane interjected, "Best to leave this ship at the Moonbase for now. And what do you mean by others? Survivors from the Academy attack?"

Carter sighed and shook his head. "Not that we know of. I'm sorry. And because of that, we had to create a new team of Rangers from out of time, all more than capable of handling themselves."

Diane turned to Jason, staring sharply at his unmorphed Chronic Storm uniform. "What did I tell you about cosplaying? And why were you even aboard Axis' ship to begin with...? Wait..." Diane's eyes widened before swinging her gaze to Carter. "Please don't tell me..."

"Mother..." Jason took a deep breath. "I'm sort of a Power Ranger, ehehe..."

Diane's wide eyes quickly became a scowl still directed at Carter. "After all the faith, the trust, I placed in you... You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I try you for treason!"

"I know how important your son is to you," Carter replied. "I told him the risks, but he still wanted to help save you."

"...Very well." Diane turned back to Jason, her glare unchanged. "Take that uniform off this instant. I will not repeat myself."

Jason stood stunned, but unsurprised, by his mother's insistence "B-But..."

"This is not up for debate. All it would take is one stray shot, one mistake, for me to have failed as a parent. Unlike your adorable archives, the people who wear those colors often don't come back. Have I made myself clear?"

Jason bowed his head and said nothing, surrendering himself to his mother's unwavering words. He remembered Carter trying to tell him something similar before. But, the Power Rangers never lose. The conflicting thoughts wrapped around his head, tightening like a stiff, cold, metal coil.

"Look at me directly when I address you. Have I made myself clear?"

Jason slowly looked back up at Diane. "Y-Yes, mother..."

"Good. We will discuss this further later." Diane turned to Carter. "We'll need a new weapon for this fight and the Moonbase has the only known blueprints for it. We have fought and wept and bleed so very much for decades simply to establish peace. I refuse to watch General Axis taint our universe with this prolonged war any further."