I do not, have not, and probably never will own Power Rangers.

_Machine Imperial Remnant Base, 2026_

The Troobian Empire had fallen and with it, Gasket's only serious rival to the Grand Monarchy of Evil, Omni, had been destroyed. The Troobian leadership was all locked up at S.P.D. Now was the time for Gasket to put his master plan into action. The doors slid apart and Gasket entered the massive chamber. On one side of a protective glass wall Dr. Narzag, a temporal physicist from Tritor's homeworld of Horath sat at the controls. He rose to his feet when his master entered.

"King Gasket," he bowed. The device has been successfully tested. I have brought back most of the Machine Empire's armies. As per your instructions, I've left your father, mother, brother, Klank, and Orbus in the past."

"Where they will all be turned to dust by the Z-Wave, leaving me the undisputed Machine King!"

"You have legions of Cogs, Quadrafighters, and monsters gathered from throughout history to serve you my king!"

"Excellent!" Gasket said. However he knew that even the entire Machine Empire could not defeat the Power Rangers. He had personally had all his hopes and dreams crushed by the Zeo Rangers and he had followed the news of what had happened to the other villains. Divatox had destroyed the Power Chamber, two megazords and apparently the Turbo Rangers' powers, but other villains had come as close. Astronema briefly controlled the whole universe; Trakeena had destroyed Terra Venture; Bansheera destroyed or seized control of all the Lightspeed megazords and destroyed the Aquabase. Master Org had won when all of the Wildzords returned to unleash their combined power upon him. Gasket knew that to truly rule the universe he would need the full resources of the United Alliance of Evil as well as some new additions.

"Your work for me is just beginning, doctor. I have plans to create an even more massive empire than Dark Specter commanded. The Machine Empire is essential piece of that puzzle, but it is still only one piece nonetheless."

This made Narzag nervous. Gasket had years to brood over his revenge, but that desire to rule the universe was making him aspire to levels of power only Dark Specter could hope to maintain. Did Gasket truly think he could control all the villains? What would become of Horath? Gasket was brutal and oppressive but he was predictable. If he were overthrown, what could they expect from their new overlord?

"How do you mean to control them, majesty?"

Gasket threw back his head and laughed, "By means of this very machine. I can send them back in time to suffer their fates at the hands of the Rangers." Gasket then looked at Narzag in the eyes, "And should you use it on me, the device I implanted in your daughter will self-destruct and kill her!"

Narzag growled. Gasket had out-thought him once again.

"Now we should be about ready to begin. Use this device and the one below it on the next floor to teleport Rita, Zedd, and their army from the Vica Galaxy in 1998."

"But if we bring Rita here before she was purified there will be no Mystic Mother in this timeline and the Master will—

"Still be defeated. I've run the projections based on different variables several times. He always over-absorbs magical energy and explodes from it. Needless to say, that glutton will not be joining my alliance. Now," Gasket pointed forward with his sword, "Energize!"

The last thing that Goldar remembered was the Z Wave racing toward him and all of Rita and Zedd's army. Now he, his emperor, his empress, Finster, Squatt, Babboo and a platoon of Lord Zedd's putties filled the chamber. Goldar had not really wanted to die, so he supposed he should be thankful to whatever power or powers governed people's destinies.

"I think we're alive!"

"Let me test that idea, monkey boy!" Rita said as she banged Goldar on the head with her wand.

Goldar rubbed his head and grumbled unenthusiastically, "Yeah, we're alive alright."

At that point the glass wall protecting the chamber slid into the floor, and everyone noticed Gasket.

"Welcome to 2026, Rita and Zedd. The rest of your army is in the larger chamber downstairs."

"Gasket!" Zedd raised his staff. "Where is Thrax?"

"Five years ago he left Master Vile to travel back in time to destroy a being called Sentinal Knight. He was locked away in a dumpster."

Goldar had not known his master's son very well, the tyke being only a baby at the time they invaded Vica, but if something had happened to Lord Zedd's heir, he would avenge it. And so would Rita.

Gasket read the scowl on the space witch's face correctly. "Don't worry, Rita. I have every intention of bringing your son and your brother here."

Rita stopped scowling. Goldar also felt a surge of relief. His master would get his son back, and personally, though he hated admitting it, Rito was Goldar's best friend. But would she be there too?

Goldar and Scorpina had not parted on amicable terms. She was the only female Goldar had ever really loved. She'd always resented working under Zedd, and left only a few weeks before Rita's return. She'd asked Goldar to come with her, but he chose to stay at his master's side. Goldar was Zedd's loyal minion; Scorpina was Rita's minion. Goldar had supported Rita's removal; Scorpina had not. That made Goldar angry with both Scorpina and himself. Scorpina had loved Goldar more than she loved Rita and tried to make life under Zedd work. Goldar had chosen Zedd over Scorpina and he could not forgive himself. Scorpina could have returned when Rita married Zedd, yet she didn't. Goldar could not forgive her for that. But he still loved her. Even as he plotted Rita's downfall, he wished for Scorpina's return.

"I will transport Thrax from the period just before he was imprisoned to the present, and I have already sent word to Master Vile in the M51 Galaxy. He will be bringing his forces with him."

Forces? His master's army was in the chamber below. Gasket doubtlessly had Cogs and other machine monsters at his command. Why did Gasket need Rita and Zedd's forces in the first place?

Goldar started to question Gasket, but Zedd cut him off.

"What exactly are you bringing us back from the brink of oblivion for?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Gasket laughed. "I'm rebuilding the United Alliance of Evil!"

Goldar observed the contents of his new quarters. The color grey predominated: grey walls, grey nightstands, a grey bed with grey sheets and grey pillows, a grey chest, a grey tiled bathroom. There was a narrow glass window through which Goldar could look out and see desert mountains surrounding the base. It was comfortable enough, but Goldar's thoughts were troubled. Zedd and Rita were celebrating their return from oblivion in private and Goldar would not disturb his master, but he remained uneasy. It was apparent to everyone that Gasket wanted Dark Specter's throne. It was equally obvious that Mondo, Machina, and Sprocket would not be returning. If they could destroy the machine that brought them to this time, Gasket would not be able to control them, but it was for Lord Zedd to decide when to act. They might need allies. Keep your mind on strategy, Goldar, he told himself. Finding out that the Z-Wave had killed him in an alternate timeline and purified his master gave the golden armored simian warrior a new appreciation for life. But new life meant new hope and a new future. Now was not the time to dwell on what he should have done differently in the past. So why could he not get Scorpina out of his head?

Rita, Zedd, Goldar, and Finster stood in the throne room where Gasket and Archerina were seated. Master Vile's Space Skull had been sighted within the planet's atmosphere, so it would not be long before Rita's father and brother teleported to the throne room.

"So," Gasket said to Zedd in an attempt at humor, "Should I make Vile your boss, or you his boss?"

"I am sure Your Majesty will work it out to our mutual misery."

Then three beings teleported into the throne room.

"Rita, my dastardly daughter!" Vile hobbled toward Rita, ready to embrace her. His son, however, was much quicker.

"Sis! Goldie! Ed! It's been ages! Gimme a hug!" Zedd stepped backward to avoid the hug that Rito shared with both Rita and Goldar.

"My name is still Zedd, you fool." Zedd said icily, displaying a slightly annoyed but ultimately-accepting-as-inevitable-outlook at Rito's mistake. nor joy at having the skeleton back in his life.

Zedd's indifference to Rito was the polar opposite to the emotions surging between Goldar and the third member of the party. Goldar wanted to rush up to Scorpina and plant a deep passionate kiss on her lips, but his love was at war with his since of betrayal. Why did you never return? Goldar's eyes implored. But he could also read the look in her eyes: Do you still care more about Zedd than about me?

Master Vile's booming voice cut into everyone's thoughts. "So, Gasket, when do we get my grandson back?"

"Right. Please follow me."

They returned to the chamber where Gasket had first brought Rita and Zedd into the present. Narzag was again seated at the controls. He swiveled his chair to face Gasket.

"Your Majesty, I've locked onto Thrax in the year 2007."

"Then what are you waiting for? Lock on and energize."

Narzag complied. Electricity and smoke filled the chamber. In moments a figure appeared, shrouded in the smoke. When the chamber was clear, Gasket ordered the glass lowered and Thrax looked at two beings he had only seen in a photograph.

"Mom? Dad?" He then looked behind Rita and Zedd to see the monster who'd raised him. "Grampa?" he said to Master Ville.

"We have bent the laws of physics to get us all here, now, but I assure you, my boy, everyone is really here."

"My boy!" Zedd mentally sneered at Vile. Thrax was his son, not Vile's. He and Rita had conceived him while they were celebrating the overthrow of the House of Gadgetry. They put their plans of conquest on hold for a year and let Divatox fight the Rangers while Rita carried Thrax and gave birth to him. They only left him with Vile when Dark Specter ordered them to the Vica Galaxy and exempted Vile due to his age. Zedd could have only permitted Vile to raise his son if both he and Rita were dead as they were thought to be in this timeline or purified as they had been in the previous one.

"Thrax is my son, and I intend to undo anyway that you've warped him, Vile!"

"You should be thanking me. I raised him while you weren't around!" Vile shouted back.

Thrax struck the ground with his staff. He pointed it accusingly, first at Zedd who was more of a stranger, then at Vile.

"I'm an adult monster. I'm not going to be anyone's pawn."

Zedd and Vile both started blustering about what Thrax owed them. Zedd argued on the grounds that he was Thrax's father; Vile on the grounds that he had actually raised him. Rita ignored her husband and her father and approached her son telling him how happy she was to see him.

Gasket, who had been watching amusedly finally interjected, "I'm afraid that there's one being here that you are going to have to obey."

"Mother, who is he?" Thrax pointed to Gasket with his staff.

"That's Gasket, Grand Monarch of Evil. It was his time machine that enabled us all to be here. He's the only one who knows how to work the device so we have to be loyal to him," then Rita whispered, "For now."

Thrax recognized the name. This must be King Mondo's son. He was eager to learn what his mother was planning, but she was right. They should be loyal to the Machine King for now.