Synopsis: Two years after Thrax's defeat, Adam Park is given another mission by the Sentinel Knight…One that will lead him to question everything, and reveal to him what he has been missing all these years.

A/N: This chapter takes place primarily in Newtech City; the next chapter will be in the present. This is my second story, and I'm still working the kinks out of my writing style, so please review, anything you guys have to say would be really helpful.

CHAPTER ONE: CROWN OF THE GODS

NEWTECH CITY, 2027

Two years have passed since Grumm's defeat, and since then things have been pretty quiet on Earth. Aside from the petty crimes of small time criminals, Earth has been peaceful, and has had no need for Power Rangers. So, for the most part, Commander Schuyler Tate, Sky for short, has had an easy time of it.

Cadets saluted Sky as he made way through the halls of the SPD Earth Base; he barely registered them. He felt the weight of the Red Chrono morpher on his left hand; since Cruger still possessed the Shadow Ranger powers, and Bridge was B-Squad's Red Ranger, Sky now used his father's old morpher. It was lighter than his old Delta Scanner, and sometimes the difference disoriented him. Sky stopped at the door to his old room, and knocked.

"Come in," a voice said. Sky entered to find Bridge Carson doing a handstand in the corner, the Ranger's usual thinking position. He righted himself as soon as he saw Sky.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing much," Sky told him. "A valuable artifact is being transferred to the museum, and the artifact's owner has requested protection for the shipment. Routine stuff, really."

"And you want me to do it? Couldn't you give this to one of the cadets?"

"I would, but the owner insists on Ranger protection, more importantly, he insists on said Ranger being you."

That surprised Bridge. "Who is this guy?"

Sky shrugged, apparently the guy wasn't all that important. "Mack Hartford."

That got Bridge's attention.

Noticing his expression, Sky said, "You know him." It wasn't a question.

Bridge nodded. "He was the Red Overdrive Ranger."

"Ah," Sky said, nodding in understanding. "He's that guy you helped, in the past?"

Bridge gave another curt nod.

"But if he's a Ranger, why does he need you?"

"He was a Ranger. After Operation Overdrive, Andrew Hartford severed his team's connection to the Universal Morphing Grid. The Rangers had been created to discover and protect the jewels; once that was accomplished and the Sentinel Knight was restored, there was no need for them to continue as Rangers."

Sky raised an eyebrow. "You looked them up? Is that what had you thinking so hard?"

"Yeah." Sky waited.

Bridge sighed. "When the Overdrive Rangers lost their powers fighting Thrax, the Sentinel Knight recruited five others to take their place."

Sky knew the story, everyone did, it was one of the most momentous occasions in Ranger history. The Sentinel Knight had recruited five Rangers: Kira Ford, Tori Hanson, Xander Bly, Bridge, and Adam Park. Together, they had restored the Overdrive Rangers' powers and defeated Thrax and his Evil Alliance.

"Before we all left, we promised in each other we would all keep in touch," Bridge continued. "But when I looked them up, something weird happened."

"What?"

"I found the others: Xander opened his own music store, Tori trains future ninjas at the academy, and makes surfboards on the side. Kira is a successful musician."

"But?" Sometimes, getting information out of Bridge was impossibly arduous, but Sky was patient.

"When I searched our database for Adam, I couldn't find him. It was like he completely disappeared: after 2010, the computer has no information regarding Adam Park."

Sky thought about everything he knew about Adam Park. He was a Black Ranger, active mostly in Angel Grove from 1995 to 1997. But he wasn't just any Black Ranger, he was the Black Ranger, one of Zordon's chosen. He helped set the standard that Rangers generations afterwards still followed.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know," Bridge told his friend. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"This obviously has you worried," Sky said. "I'll take this assignment in your place."

Bridge shook his head. "I appreciate it, Sky, but no. Besides, it'll be nice to see Mack again. It's been a while."

Sky stared at his friend for a moment, then said, "Fine. But if anything happens, you contact me."

"Fine."

THE HARTFORD ESTATE

"Bridge!" Mack exclaimed as he hugged his old friend. "It's good to see you, it's been a while."

"It's good to see you too," Bridge said. He followed Mack inside, and down into the all too familiar command center. They were met by someone Bridge had never expected to see again: the Sentinel Knight.

"Hello, Bridge," he said.

"H-Hi," Bridge said. Bridge could never understand, he always felt intimidated when in the Knight's presence.

"Bridge," the Sentinel Knight continued. "I must ask a favor of you." Bridge raised an eyebrow. Just then a butler came in with a large velvet box.

"Thank you, John," Mack said; the butler bowed his head and left. (Mack inherited the house and its employees when his father died.)

Mack opened the box: the Corona Aurora and its jewels were inside.

"For many years now, I have fulfilled my duty as the guardian of crown and jewels," the Sentinel Knight said. " They have been relatively safe until now."

"What happened?" Bridge asked.

"A new evil has arisen, or rather an old evil."

"Who?" Bridge asked.

"Lord Zedd."

Bridge shivered. "But that's impossible. Zedd was turned good by Zordon's energy release."

The Sentinel Knight nodded. "Yes, but evil such as his is not easily subdued. Zordon's sacrifice returned Lord Zedd to his human form, more, it purified him. All the evil within him was purged, as with Rita who went on to become the Mystic Mother, the source of the Mystic Rangers' power.

"But the forces that animate this world require balance. Rita's evil was destroyed, but Zedd's was allowed to linger. Without a body in which to personify itself, it has wandered through the decades, incorporeal. It has gathered to itself many followers through the decades. He plans to use the power of the jewels to give himself a new body, a construct in which no part of his human self remains.

"He has tried many times now to steal the Corona and its jewels; his last attempt has left me weakened and unable to fulfill my duty."

Bridge asked, "But what do you want me to do?"

"I cannot restore the Overdrive Rangers' powers," the Sentinel Knight said. "I lack the energy required. As such, the task of protecting the jewels must fall to the current Rangers."

"You helped protect the jewels once," Mack said. "We were hoping you would do so again."

"You should have asked for my commander, not me."

"I don't know your commander," Mack said. "I know you."

Bridge sighed; Sky was going to give him hell for this…

"What do I have to do?" Mack smiled, clapping him on the back.

"Take the jewels, hide them and keep them safe," the Sentinel Knight said.

"The Corona Aurora will be taken to the museum as planned," Mack put in. " Sentinel Knight thinks that one of Zedd's goons followed him to Earth; the crown is the decoy, that should give you enough time to get back to SPD."

"Okay." Mack and Bridge shake hands.

"Take care, Bridge," the Sentinel Knight said.

BOOM! Bridge groaned as he was knocked to the ground. Apparently, whoever Zedd had sent after the jewels hadn't taken the bait.

Bridge took his Delta Scanner.

"SPD Emergency!" Bridge transformed into the Red SPD Ranger. The creature, which resembled a minotaur, charged at the Red Ranger. Bridged somersaulted over him, kicking his back as he landed. The creature roared in protest. Bridge took out his blasters and started shooting, but the shot's bounced off the monster's thick skin.

Crap. The thing punched him, and Bridge was sent sprawling. Bridged checked his shoulder, it was dislocated, and his blasters were out of reach. The minotaur prepared to charge.

"Chrono Saber, Time Strike!" The Minotaur went down in a flash of crimson.

The Red Timeforce Ranger held his out to Bridge. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"