I’ll be the Red Ranger

- General Stewart -

The double doors slid open with a soft murmur, disappearing seamlessly into the walls, as if the mansion itself acknowledged the General's presence.

General Stewart walked in with a wary grace. Tall and slender, his hair a blend of black and white, he prepared himself for yet another daunting meeting. Clad in his official uniform, a white cloak flowed softly around his silent footsteps. Eyes as dark as the depths of space swept across the room with an implacable calm, seeking the one with whom he would once again share this moment.

Each step echoed lightly on the polished marble floor, the sound swallowed by the vastness of the hall. An opulent table stretched infinitely before him, adorned with crystals and untouched dishes that shimmered under the chandelier's glow.

As he approached the table, Stewart caught sight of his leader seated at the far end. The Emperor was absently twirling a fork in his hand, pushing the food on his plate with a bored expression. Lucius tilted his face slightly, noting the General's approach with a flicker of interest.

Pausing near the center of the table, Stewart allowed his fingers to brush the gilded edge of a goblet, feeling the chill of the metal beneath his skin. An almost imperceptible smile touched his lips, a fleeting gesture lost in the shadows.

He raised his gaze to the throne at the head of the table, a magnificent chair sculpted from black gold radiating an overwhelming presence. Its formidable aura was intensified by its occupant's piercing stare.

"Stewart. What news do you bring me today?" The Emperor raised a pale hand, gesturing toward a chair beside him.

Stewart bowed in silent greeting. Slowly and deliberately, he walked towards the Emperor, the hem of his cloak trailing gracefully behind him, and took a seat at his side.

The silence between them was palpable, steeped in unspoken tensions and the weight of countless shared histories.

Stewart's dark eyes studied Lucius subtly. Despite the Emperor's regal bearing, a weariness was etched into the lines of his face, a fatigue that came from years of unrelenting power and the burdens it bestowed. The once-vibrant aura that surrounded Lucius seemed dimmed, like a flame flickering in the wind.

"We've initiated the operation against the Children of the Past," Stewart began, his voice steady. "The first team failed; we have a second group currently infiltrating their ranks, and a third undergoing intensive training."

Before he could continue, Emperor Lucius raised a pale, slender hand, signaling him to stop. The gesture was graceful yet decisive, carrying a weight that belied the Emperor's increasingly frail appearance.

"I don't care about them, General. They're small fry," Lucius said dismissively.

Stewart hesitated. "But sir, they attacked the Empire, during an official presentation, no less. What image does that present? Our enemies will see us as vulnerable-"

Lucius's hand slammed down onto the table with surprising force, the sharp sound echoing through the chamber. A ripple of energy flared from him, a brief glimpse of the power he once wielded effortlessly. Stewart felt the familiar pressure but stood his ground. He couldn't help but notice how the Emperor's strength had waned. There was a time when Lucius, once hailed as the Silver Ranger, could suppress all his generals simultaneously without breaking a sweat. Now, his attempts at intimidation felt hollow.

"To hell with my image!" Lucius snapped, his eyes flashing with anger and something more profound, perhaps resignation. "Soon enough, I'll be off the throne." He leaned forward, shadows accentuating the lines of fatigue on his face. "They're just a bunch of worthless upstarts, rebels who will be wiped out."

He locked eyes with Stewart, the intensity of his gaze undiminished. "What I want to know is the status of the damn Green Ranger."

Stewart took a measured breath. "We have some leads, but it's still uncertain who he is. It could be virtually anyone who was present on Olympus."

"Energy analysis?" Lucius pressed.

"Impossible, due to the sheer number of Titans involved," Stewart explained. "Each one carries a Unique Crystal, saturating the area with overlapping energy signatures. It's like trying to find a single voice in a chorus."

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"What about recordings? Satellite feeds? Drone surveillance?" the Emperor demanded.

Stewart shook his head grimly. "Compromised by the Lot. They've destroyed almost all the data we had from that operation. Our systems were thoroughly hacked."

Lucius exhaled sharply, frustration evident. "But surely you have suspects. Someone who stands out."

"We have a few possibilities," Stewart admitted. "Individuals who advanced rapidly through the ranks, those who had extended periods unaccounted for, or lack solid alibis."

A thin smile curved on Lucius's lips. "Excellent. Kill them all."

"Kill them? Sir, they're all Rangers! Doing so would cause a chain reaction, even within the NEA," Stewart exclaimed, his voice edged with disbelief. "Moreover, we need every Ranger we have to face the Wave and the Lot."

"Stewart, Stewart," Lucius replied, a mocking lilt in his tone as he leaned back in his ornate chair. "You still fail to see the much larger game at play. That's precisely what has kept you as a General, even when you could have claimed my seat."

Stewart remained stoic, his sharp eyes studying every nuance of the Emperor's expression. The flickering holographic displays cast shifting shadows across Lucius's face, highlighting the stark contrast between his composed exterior and the ruthless intent beneath.

"Gold, Silver, and White," Lucius began thoughtfully. "We know that the Sovereigns of those Crystals are permanently off the board. So, what does it signify when a new player appears wielding a Crystal. Say, a green one?"

"It means there's a new Sovereign on the board," Stewart answered carefully.

"No, no, no," Lucius chided, wagging a finger dismissively. "The number of Sovereigns is fixed. Once they leave the board, they do not return. However, suppose some remain dormant, neither in nor out of the game, waiting for the perfect moment to reemerge."

"So, a Sovereign is returning to the game?" Stewart questioned, a hint of unease creeping into his voice.

"Perhaps," Lucius mused, his gaze drifting to the panoramic viewport displaying the vast expanse of the galaxy. "Or perhaps one has discovered our position in the cosmos."

He set down his fork with deliberate precision and lifted a crystalline goblet, swirling the dark wine within. Taking a slow sip, he seemed to savor the taste before continuing.

"What is currently a singular front against the Orks could rapidly escalate into two fronts," Lucius said, his tone measured yet ominous. "Complicated further by a species we've never encountered before." He took another sip, his eyes never leaving Stewart's. "At best, it's an overzealous soldier who doesn't comprehend the magnitude of the situation he's entangling himself in. At worst, it's one of our adversaries who now possesses the equivalent of hundreds of nuclear bombs in his grasp."

"Whatever the case may be, there is a clear problem that could jeopardize the entire Empire," the Emperor spoke coldly, his voice echoing through the vast chamber. "Even if you must eliminate a hundred Rangers, it will still be worth the cost."

General Stewart stood before him, momentarily taken aback by the Emperor's unflinching resolve. The grand hall was dimly lit, with only the glow of flickering holographic flames casting long shadows against the ornate walls adorned with ancient tapestries depicting past conquests. The scent of burning incense hung heavy in the air, a blend of exotic spices meant to inspire focus and clarity.

Stewart composed himself, masking his surprise. "It surprises me to see such concern from you, sire," he remarked cautiously.

"In any case," Lucius continued, his gaze piercing and distant, "He will not be pleased to awaken from his hibernation and discover that we failed to eliminate the Green Ranger and that a Sovereign has returned to the game."

Stewart's eyes widened subtly. "He will awaken?" he asked, a hint of apprehension edging his words.

"Whenever we change who sits upon the throne, He returns for a time," Lucius explained, swirling a dark, viscous liquid in the crystalline goblet he held. "He will not be at all pleased that we did not succeed during the Tenth Wave, nor that we failed to expand our territory by seizing another planet from the Orks."

A shudder ran through Stewart at the thought of what was to come. The mere mention of Him waking was enough to unsettle even the most steadfast of souls.

"I will accelerate the search for the Green Ranger," Stewart declared, straightening his posture with renewed determination. "What else can we prepare?"

"Do not concern yourself with the Lot," Lucius replied dismissively. "He will handle them. We will purge as much as possible from Olympus to strengthen our position while the Orks prepare their next move."

"Understood. I will-" Stewart's response was abruptly cut off by a sharp alert from his wrist communicator. Glancing down, he read the urgent message flashing across the hologram. "Sir, I must take my leave. An armada is approaching one of our planets. Perhaps it's already a clue regarding the Orks' movements."

"Go," Lucius commanded, raising a pale hand to permit his departure.

"Until next time," Stewart said, bowing deeply before turning to exit the chamber.

"Until then, brother," Lucius murmured softly as the grand doors closed behind the General.