Barillian Rangers (Patreon)

We now go where no monsters have gone before! Space!

Not really, because alien bugs can bite you from space, just like Andros and his team would experience.

The Barillian Bugs nearly caused trouble in canon, but things could get worse here.

Special thanks to all my patrons:

Matt Thomas

Le MinhNam

Dragonkingkj & Famousfox13

hiryu00

Shunsuke Hoshino

Rootbeero

Marc Gantha

msid6033

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Red Nineteen

Sleeplesxyz

Daniel K

Mike020578

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Let’s go and stay safe!

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.“Look out, Quantrons!” called out Cassie as the Space Rangers walked into Ecliptor’s trap. A number of enemy footsoldiers stormed the heroes.

TJ, Carlos, and Cassie fought gallantly as they already anticipated the worse when the distress signal was received. Their techniques outmaneuvered even the heavily-armed Quantrons. Even unmorphed, the three Rangers were able to fight their enemies.

“How predictable, Ecliptor,” sneered the demonic Darkonda among the densest trees. “I know an easier way to get rid of the Rangers!”

On the evil commander’s hand was a large cocoon which he threw. Using his jagged sword, he slashed the chrysalis midair. The two pieces dropped and from the revealed cavity inside, small insects darted out.

Ecliptor saw the incoming bugs. His reflex was to destroy them with his sword. Small explosions alerted the Rangers. TJ was able to push Cassie out of harm’s way before the remaining bugs latched onto his neck and Carlos’ arm. The two male Rangers shrieked in pain and immediately removed the alien bugs away.

“Guys!” cried out the Pink Space Ranger as she approached her writhing teammates. The horde of Quantrons was closing in on them.

“Something stung me!” exclaimed Carlos. The bite mark was clear at the base of his thumb. For TJ, a small growth was clear next to his throat.

“We gotta get out of here!” Cassie pressed all three Morphers at once. The Rangers were turned into beams of multicolored teleportation energy that escaped the scene.

“Get them now!” ordered Ecliptor, but his army could only attack emptiness. “Darkonda, you will pay for this!”

The villainous general turned around while swinging his sword, ready for the kill. He was then confused as his rival was nowhere to be seen.

“What happened?” asked Andros as he helped Cassie putting their teammates to the infirmary bay of the Astro Megaship.

“I… I didn’t get a good look. It’s somekind of a bug,” mumbled Carlos as Ashley went in with additional assistance to put the Black Ranger on the medical bed.

The Yellow Ranger brought in a scanner. The light examined Carlos’ entire shirtless body. His toned arm began to show strange discolorization and purple vein-like patterns. “This reading doesn’t make sense,” said the confused Ashley.

“Don’t worry, I got it,” said the weakened TJ. His clenched fist was opened to reveal a strange dead bug. “Not gonna let this sucker go yet.”

“Good job, TJ. We’ll take it from here.” Just to be sure, Andros morphed right away. The Red Ranger picked the bug within the safety of his suit. “This is bad news.”

“Huh?”

“What’s that?” asked Cassie.

“This is definitely a Barillian Bug.”

“So… You’ve dealt them before?” asked Carlos who laid his head on the bed.

The Red Ranger didn’t respond immediately. It was as if he wanted to choose his words wisely. “Unfortunately, yes. There was a huge swarm of it that once attacked my home planet. They were everywhere. Within hours… Within hours, those who were stung by these turned into Barillian Bugs themselves.”

Ashley gasped. “You mean TJ and Carlos would soon turn into some bugs?”

Andros nodded. “But… But there might still be hope for them. Scientists on my home planet developed an antidote to counter the corrupting effects of the bugs. We gotta go to KO-35!”

The two distressed Ranger girls nodded. It was the only thing left to do. “Got it.”

“First, we gotta restrain you guys. It’s for the best,” said Andros who didn’t want to hurt his friends’ feelings.

“Whatever it takes to keep all of us safe, Andros,” replied TJ with a slight nod. Ashley and Cassie put the restraining straps around the Black and Blue Rangers’ chest, arms, and necks.

The remaining Rangers then immediately went to the ship’s bridge. They didn’t have much time left. The Pink Ranger set course for Andro’s homeworld, KO-35. The stars around Astro Megaship blurred into streaks of light as the starship entered hyperspace.

The atmosphere in the Megaship’s bridge was tense. “I can’t believe our friends would turn into monsters…,” muttered Cassie.

“They won’t and we will make sure of that!” cut Ashley with affirmation. “Right, Andros?”

The Red Ranger removed his helmet and nodded. “The antidote we have developed is a potent one. TJ and Carlos would be saved in no time.”

“Disturbance detected,” reported the ship’s computer. “Location: infirmary.”

“Carlos!” exclaimed Cassie as she put the security camera feed on the big screen. The two medical beds were empty. The restraining straps were brutally severed. There were shadows before the video went black.

“We gotta go,” Andros put his helmet back before brandishing his Astro Blaster. He turned down the weapon’s setting. “We need to set the power to the lowest. We can’t risk hurting TJ and Carlos.”

The Ranger girls complied. The three went to explore the massive starship. The first stop was the infirmary.

The room was empty. The damage marked the medical computer screens and the wall. Additionally, the vent cover had been ripped apart. Mucus trail tracked their friends’ movement to it. “They could be anywhere by now!”

“You two go down to KO-35. I’ll stay here. I’ll make sure that they won’t do anything to our ship’s bridge,” proposed Cassie.

“No, you can’t!” objected the Yellow Ranger. “It’s too dangerous!”

“There’s no other way, Ashley. If you fail to get that antidote, everything will be lost!”

Andros was stuck with the most difficult decision. But he understood. “Got it, Cassie. Lock down the doors to the bridge.” He then changed the setting of the Pink Ranger’s Astro Blaster. “By this stage, stun mode would only get you into trouble. TJ and Carlos would survive, I promise.”

Cassie nodded. “Let’s Rocket!” Morphin Energy enveloped the beautiful Asian girl. Her entire body was immediately protected by the spandex-like Ranger suit. The matching rigid helmet with clean visor glass formed to secure her head. The Pink Ranger struck a pose.


*

Jumping out of teleportation, the Red and Yellow Rangers rode their Galaxy Gliders to the abandoned KO-35. The scars of the massive battle that forced the planetary inhabitants to evacuate were still visible around the city. Massive skyscrapers were half-destroyed with shattered windows, craters of bombardment dotted the downtown areas, and broken Velocifighters marked the highways as with empty vehicles.

The two Rangers darted their way toward the central medical institute. The pyramid-like building towered above the hill where it stood, but its beautify was for no one to enjoy. The whole facility was deserted. Some of the doors and gates were locked, prompting Andros and Ashley to blast their way in.

“There it is!” pointed the Red Ranger to one of the armored cabinets in the basement vault. “I hope there’s still some left of it.”

“It’s locked. Stand back, Andros.” A small explosion by the Pink Ranger’s blaster pistol ripped the lock pad apart. Inside, they found a small white case. Cassies opened it.

There they were. Two syringe pistols, each with an attached vile of crystal clear liquid in it. There were also extra bottles ready as supplies. “This must be it. We gotta inject ourselves with it just for precaution. After that, we will take these to TJ and Carlos.”

The Pink Ranger nodded. “Right. Let’s -”

The two Rangers got blasted by an unforeseen attack. The case got dropped on the floor, but the Pink Ranger acted fast by cartwheeling to get it.

The strategy sent her closer to danger as she stopped right in front of the ferocious Darkonda. The alien bounty hunter already swung his sword to kill her. “Cassie!” called out Andros who jumped in and wrecked Darkonda’s chest with his drill sword. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, take this!” Cassie unexpectedly gave the team leader the white case.

“Huh, no! This-”

“It’s our only chance. You’re faster than me to the Megaship. I’ll hold him down as long as possible. Get our teammates the antidote!”

“But-”

“Just go!” The Pink Space Ranger already let out a barrage of devastating energy attacks against Darkonda. The bounty hunter seemed to vanish between the explosions. Behind Cassie, the reluctant Andros finally agreed and dashed up the stairs.

“Little Pink Ranger left all alone,” mocked the disembodied voice of Darkonda that echoed in the industrial basement vault.

“You can’t scare me! I’m a Ranger and I’m here to take you down!” Cassie noticed some movements in the corner. She proceeded to shoot her blaster in response. Violent explosions destroyed much of the abandoned equipment.

Then, out of nowhere, Darkonda struck. His jagged sword slashed the Pink Ranger’s abs and sent Cassie rolling on the ground. The heroine thought fast by letting out another barrage that made her enemy scrammed.

Cassie grunted as pain stung her stomach. She could see the apparent burn mark on her spandex suit. Another taunt from Darkonda alerted her.

“I don’t know how you can keep your conviction like that even in this dire situation. There are so many unknowns, so many things that could go wrong.”

“Keep talking so that my blaster can find its target,” replied the stern Pink Ranger.

Darkonda’s voice came from the right, but there was no one there. “What if the Red Ranger couldn’t make it in time to give the antidote to your dear friends?”

“What if the antidote doesn’t work and your friends’ transformation continues?”

Darkonda swung his sword but Cassie came prepared. She held on to using the blaster. Sparks flew where the two metals collided. The Pink Ranger got more in her sleeve as she revealed another pistol. It was the alien bounty hunter’s turn to get burn damage on the stomach. Shrieking, Darkonda went back to the safety of his invisibility.

“How long are you gonna hide like a coward? Are you afraid to deal with a girl?” taunted Cassie.

But Darkonda continued his mocking question. “What if… Just what if, that diabolical Darkonda had switched the antidote with another dose of Barillian bug sting venom?”

The question stopped Cassie on her track. “What?”

“It’s possible that I have tricked you into thinking that the precious liquid will protect you and save your friends while in truth, it will transform little Red Ranger and whoever’s left in your team into the same thing as those corrupted souls.”

“I gotta warn the others!” Cassie opened his wrist communicator, but she didn’t have a chance to contact Andros. A powerful kick sent her against the nearby cables, electrocuting her. Both of her blasters got dropped on the floor and slashing attacks got rid of them into the corner.

Darkonda came out of his hiding. The merciless alien sent out energy attacks just to make sure that the Pink Ranger wouldn’t have the strength to fight another. The smoldering marks on her spandex suit were a clear sign that the battle was done. “Like all hives, the bugs would need a leader. You look suitable, my dear!”

Darkonda brought out another cocoon. The disgusting item’s peak opened and he put it at the direction of the Pink Ranger. “It’s time to make a queen!”

From inside the chrysalis, insectoid arms launched themselves to grab Cassie. Her arms, stomach, and neck were locked before the heroine was pulled in. She tried to resist but soon found that her balance was out. Screaming, the Pink Ranger was devoured helmet-first.

Like a ravenous predator, the cocoon began to munch on the Ranger’s whole body, starting from the shoulders, breasts, abs, thighs, all the way to the end of her struggling boots. Darkonda threw it on the ground where it automatically shot out webs to support itself. Inside, the silhouette of the trapped Ranger could be seen fighting a losing battle against her prison. Her helmet was ripped apart and a hose-like insect part forced itself into her mouth. Her gagging sounds were muffled, enjoyable only by the cunning Darkonda. “Why are you so sad, Pink Ranger? Soon you will replace Red as the team leader. In fact, you will have an army to command as the Barillian Queen!”

*

On the Astro Megaship, The Red and Yellow Rangers were convulsing on the floor. It didn’t matter that they wore the spandex costume complete with helmets. The syringe pistol delivered its dangerous payload of liquid Barillian sting venom directly into their bloodstream. Not even Andros could fight the systemic shock and corruption. Their eyes began to go white and their mouth poured out drooling saliva.

All this happened in front of the decapitated Alpha-5 and was witnessed by the two transformed former Rangers. Two Barillian bugs laid their slimy hands on the debilitated heroes and picked them up. Andros and Ashley were moved to the newly assembled hive webs that now filled the whole bridge section of the Astro Megaship. The place had been converted into a nest.

The extremely weakened Andros tried in despair to free himself from the web, but the new monsters simply sprayed more of the sticky substance all over him. Soon, the Red and Yellow Rangers were trapped inside form-fitting cocoons. They would stay there until they are ready to be new bugs.

Cassie moaned and panted. Her mind was jumbled. Her memories of fighting with her teammates were hazier than ever before.

Cassie was a Ranger, but she’s not human anymore. At least, not entirely. The Pink Ranger had gone excruciating transformation due to the alien bug sting. Her suit showed the elements of the heroic Space Ranger uniform mixed with the repulsive insectoid side. Jointed bug legs, incomplete exoskeleton, antennas were all part of her now. Not to mention the bulging belly.

Cassie shrieked again. Her white eyes no longer showed meaningful human expression. She drooled at today’s productivity.

Between her legs, the spandex suit made an opening so that alien bug eggs could be delivered. Dozens of them, even hundreds. They made a pile below her suspended location at the heart of the Astro Megaship bridge nest. Most of the newborns would die, but some that were worthy would bring new threats to the world.

Speaking of new threats, there were human-sized cocoons all over the nest webs. All of them showed wriggling movements of individuals inside. There were four of them and each had a different color. Black, Blue, Yellow, and Red.

The cocoons were ripped open. Sludge of mucus and other disgusting liquid poured out to the broken floor of the bridge. Monsters stepped out.

Like Cassie, these evolved Barrillian Bugs were not monsters from birth. She once knew them as her teammates, but they were not heroic youngsters anymore. TJ, Carlos, Ashley, and even Andros had been transformed into humanoid alien insects. Their second form after the initial molting was the true fusion of Power Rangers and Barillian Bugs. They existed to satisfy her.

No, not Cassie the human. They existed for Cassie the Barillian Queen. The former Pink Ranger couldn’t control her bodily functions as her disproportionately swollen belly began churning again. Her broken mind was trapped inside a monster. “Help, help me! I… I can’t take it anymore!” gurgled the drooling girl as another load of monster eggs was ready to be discharged.