POWER RANGERS: SPACE PATROL DELTA
YEAR THREE

"BETRAYAL"

The tavern on Onyx was dark and smoky, just like always. Many things in this galaxy changed over decades, but not this place. It was still a den, a hive for the wicked, the heartless, and the scoundrels of the universe who came far and wide to seek its comfort, or lack thereof.

'More like a cesspool,' Peltor thought to himself.

Peltor had been there for a while, waiting. The auctions on Onyx were still popular, at least to veterans of universal warfare. Unique items would usually find their way to this tavern, where beings like him would buy them for a hefty price and then gladly re-sell them for even higher.

From the second floor of the Onyx tavern, Peltor watched the action. From the balcony, he could see everything that went on down below. He nodded slightly to a towering creature standing near the only doorway. Grivvins was his lookout. No item left the premises without him seeing.

Next, Peltor looked to the bar, as a young human-looking girl served a third drink to the creature sitting there. Not many humans would dare set foot inside this place. Her worn & weary figure was clad only in a tight-fitting two piece cloth wrap, which left little to the imagination. Her hair was knotted and flowed raggedly around her face. The owner's slave girls were a nice addition, although none stayed for more than a week. This one looked surprisingly healthy. The creature she served was Benthon. It was his job to scout potential buyers.

One cloaked being walked by, grazing Benthon. His senses told him that the cloaked figure might be in the market for merchandise today. He nodded to Peltor. Benthon's race could sense mood. Buyers were always hungry in anticipation. The next auction was set to begin in less than 10 minutes.

The cloaked figure sat down at a table near the doorway, where an intergalactic game of Paranwuat was being played. Peltor's gaze moved to the alien creature sitting opposite the cloaked being. He gave the alien a side-glance. That was Migola, the best Paranwuat player this side of Mirinoi. Migola was so good that no one ever noticed that he paid more attention to his surroundings than to the game. Migola was the muscle. He was there just in case an auction got out of hand. Whether Peltor needed to cause a diversion or an all-out assault, Migola was there to start it.

Peltor smiled on the second floor of the tavern, as he knew all of the pieces were in place for the auction. All he needed now was the list. As if on cue, a clawed finger tapped Peltor on the shoulder. He turned suddenly to see just what he had been waiting for.

The clawed finger belonged to the creature's strong metallic form. Its black diamond-shaped eyes stared at Peltor, saying nothing. The eleven spike-shaped protrusions on its head matched most of its body. It was all decidedly orange.

"What took you so long? Emperor Broodwing will not be happy if we miss the next auction," Peltor stated, harshly.

With its sword in one hand, the Orangehead Krybot extended the other and unclenched its fist to reveal a small microchip. Peltor grunted happily and took the microchip, inserting it into a palm-sized computer database. Soon, he was gazing upon a wondrous sight. The long silver blade extended from its base, which was shaped like the head of a Syrian.

"The Shadow Saber." Peltor tried to whisper.

He looked back at the Orangehead. The two shared a long stare for a few moments, before the robot's dark, angry tone was heard.

"It is here and my Emperor wants it," the Orangehead spoke. Its words were cold and calculated.

Then, the sound of increased chatter below caught Peltor's attention. He turned to look back at the crowd, which was beginning to gather near the auction block. The auctioneer was making his way to the stage. He was small, seemingly unnoticeable to the naked eye. If the visitors to the tavern didn't recognize his auctioneer's vest, they may not have started clamoring at all. He bypassed the attempted handshakes, the whispers and even passed an attempted bribe to speed up an auction. He appeared even a bit timid, amongst the cutthroats present on this day. He knew more than others that an angry buyer could snap at any moment, if they lost a bid. His predecessor was destroyed for ending an auction too early. This one too, was going to end quickly, he thought.

He took to the stage and cleared his throat.

"It is almost time for this hour's auction to begin and I'm sure this is one you won't want to miss," the auctioneer said, with a hint of nervousness in his tone. The bidders watched the blue skinned alien with the spectacled eyes gaze out over the crowd, looking at all of them as they got closer to the stage. He looked up at Peltor standing on the second floor balcony.

With the Orangehead by his side, Peltor raised his head high. In that second, his three partners all looked to him. He lowered his head, affirmatively, letting them know the mission was afoot.

At his table, Migola had started up a new game of Paranwuat, with the cloaked stranger, who had just placed a drink order with the tavern's enslaved waitress. There was very little currency at stake in this game. Just enough to warrant a quick outburst if Migola needed to make one. He would accuse his opponent of cheating. It wasn't unheard of here. It would be perfect if Peltor needed a distraction.

As the final moments ticked down, the auctioneer sighed.

"It's time," he said. With that, a chorus of cheers was heard in the crowd before him. One lowly alien brought out the long black case and handed it to the auctioneer. A stand had already been set up on the staging area and the auctioneer was ready to unveil this prize to the masses.

"Before we begin, a word of warning to everyone. Anyone looking for trouble may be asked to leave. I'd prefer no interruptions," the auctioneer said.

He opened the black case to reveal the favored weapon of the S.P.D. Shadow Ranger. The Shadow Saber seemed to shine in the eyes of Peltor and all of the other potential buyers. Peltor nodded to the Orangehead at his side and smiled to himself, knowing this treasure would be worth its weight in galactic credits. Peltor was going to be a rich alien. All he had to do was secure the object and get it in his possession.

Before the auctioneer could sit the Saber down on the viewing stand and take his microphone in hand, there were already shouts of bids.

"Slow down! I can't hear everyone talking at once," he shouted to the screamers around him.

Behind the hustle and bustle of the auction, Migola kept his eyes on Peltor and on his opponent. Across from him, the cloaked stranger seemed to be distracted from the Paranwuat game. Migola began to get an uneasy feeling from the newcomer.

"So, the highest bid is 27 thousand galactic credits," the auctioneer said, his voice a bit low.

Bids started to come in slower, but higher. The bidding was soon just as high as Peltor needed it to be.

"48 thousand credits," Peltor shouted from the second floor. Gasps came from every corner of the place including the auctioneer, followed by silence.

"Did you say 48 thousand credits?" the auctioneer looked for confirmation.

"That's right," Peltor said, "Now, finish the auction," he shouted.

"Well, going once. Going twice. Going...one more time. This is a fine piece of weaponry. Are you sure no one else wants a piece of the action?" the auctioneer said, but no one responded.

"End it!" Peltor shouted.

His three associates all had at least one eye on him, including Migola. The slave girl seemed to be the only one moving in the room at that moment. She arrived at Migola's table and served the cloaked being his drink. She had to nudge him a few times, since he seemed to be more interested in what was going on with the auction. The cloaked figure then stood and turned away from her and towards the auction block.

"S.P.D.! This auction's over," he shouted, valiantly with his hands on his hips. The words caused laughter throughout the tavern. Peltor and his companions, however, were not laughing. The cloaked figure took a small step forward.

"You're all under arrest!"

Peltor had to get that Saber and get it out of here now. Luckily, the sound of S.P.D.'s appearance caused a slight commotion down below. Peltor yelled over the sea of voices.

"Now!"

The cloaked S.P.D. cadet heard Peltor's words and knew time was short. He grabbed his cloak to toss it aside, only to get caught up in the cloth. The slave girl waitress attempted to help the man become uncloaked. Right in front of them, Migola jumped up, toppling the table and catching both off-guard.

"Boom!" the girl yelled to the cloaked cadet, as he finally got free of his cloak.

He passed her his extra laser pistol and she pointed for Migola, who was now gone. She turned to see the monster was now behind her, they wrestled to the floor, fighting over the weapon.

"Uh oh," Boom said, with a stunned look, just as Benthon, who had been sitting at the bar, grabbed him from behind bye the neck and pulled him onto the bar and behind it. Boom dropped his pistol and began clawing at the top of the bar, trying to prevent Benthon from pulling him behind it, but it was too late.

Chaos soon ensued and alien creatures were scattering everywhere.

"Grivvins!" Peltor yelled to his doorman. The tall, slender creature made his way through the crowd of aliens who were running for the exit. He had his eye on the prize.

He jumped onto the stage and reached his hand out for the black case holding the Shadow Saber and was surprised when no one stopped him from taking it. Grivvins looked over to see the auctioneer, flipping towards him! He attempted a swift kick to the midsection, but Grivvins caught his leg. With one swift motion Grivvins twisted the auctioneer's head, which was actually a mask, now blinding him. Still holding his leg, Grivvins pushed the auctioneer off the stage and into the crowd of aliens. He smiled, as he hopped off the stage, with the case underarm.

Up on the balcony, Peltor couldn't believe what he was seeing. He saw Grivvins head for the exit with the Shadow Saber. He looked to the Orangehead.

"Don't just stand there. He has the saber. We need to get out of here. Do something!"

The Orangehead seemed at a loss, as it peered down at the melee down below, seeing the three S.P.D. intruders losing. Peltor pushed the robot aside and aimed at the wall on the second floor, blasting it. The gaping hole brought the sunlight of Onyx indoors. Peltor began walking towards the new exit. But just as Peltor reached the hole in the wall, he heard the Orangehead's grunting voice.

"You want me to do something?" the robot said angrily.

Peltor turned quickly, as the Orangehead went for a thrust kick. Peltor ducked, causing the Orangehead to go flying out of the hole in the wall. It landed on the ground, two stories below. As it hit the ground, it's helmet came flying off to reveal another S.P.D. cadet, Meg Thurman, who winced.

"Ouch," she said.

Before she could get up, Peltor came flying out of the hole, landing on the ground, holding her at bay with his arm-mounted laser pointed at her face. From her position she couldn't do much. She heard a commotion in the distance and turned her head, seeing one of her teammates being chased with the Shadow Saber by Grivvins.

The auctioneer had finally managed to toss his own fake head off, revealing Cadet Duc Sato underneath. He attempted to dodge every attack, but as he kept his eyes on the blade swinging at him, he didn't see Grivvins' foot coming at him with a kick that sent him crashing to the ashy ground.

Then, an explosion caught them all off-guard. Another wall of the tavern was blown away, this time on the ground floor. The forms of Cadets Boom and Parker came flying out of the hole. The cloaked stranger and the fake slave girl were defeated. They tried to help each other up.

But it was too late for them. Benthon and Migola came walking out of the smoking hole, holding the S.P.D. cadets' own laser pistols. They joined their alien friends, Peltor and Grivvins, who was still carrying the Shadow Saber. The four triumphant aliens all stood tall, peering down at the four cadets on the ground, with their weapons pointed directly at their S.P.D. prey.

"Okay. We give up," Boom said, as his comrades all looked upset.

"Game over!" Grivvins yelled, as he pulled a remote control from his pocket and pressed a red button on the device. The alien's form disappeared, leaving behind Bridge Carson.

Next to him, Benthon's body disappeared revealing Quinn Gray. Migola disappeared revealing Z Delgado underneath and finally Peltor's alien self dissolved leaving behind Sophie. All four looked disappointed.

"You give up?" Z said, looking at Boom on the ground. "Rangers don't give up."

"I know, but we messed up. It's all my fault," Boom said, as his squad mates all made it to their feet.

"It wasn't just Boom's fault," Duc spoke up.

"You got that right," Bridge said, nonchalantly, as he began waving around the Shadow Saber as if it were a symphony conductor's wand. "You were the auctioneer, Duc. You have to throw yourself into your role. And, before you fight, remember to take off the big alien head your wearing, so you don't get blinded."

"Right," Duc said, sighing, disappointed in himself.

"It's okay," Casey chimed in. "We'll get better."

"We would have been better if we had the power," Meg said quickly. "I mean if we had morphers, we could have—"

"Don't give me that, Meg," Z said quickly. "Bridge and I lived this scenario last year and we got the job done, without morphing."

Bridge interrupted, "Technically, Z, we did use our morphers to contain the criminals, even though that—"

"Bridge!" Z cut him off.

"Sorry. I know what you meant," Bridge corrected himself. "You guys have to know your enemy and sometimes that means studying their every move."

Meg, Casey, Duc and Boom all lowered their heads a bit. Standing across from them, Quinn noticed their gloom at failing the exercise.

"You'll do better next time, though. You can learn from your mistakes," he said.

"We will," Casey said, looking up at him.

"Definitely," Boom chimed in.

"Good. Because next time, we won't take it so easy on you," Bridge said, slyly. "End simulation."

The world of Onyx disappeared, revealing the standard S.P.D. simulator. The blank white walls now surrounded them. The trainees' disguises also seemed to dissolve with the planet Onyx. The S.P.D. personnel, however, had little time to deflate from their exercise, as the voice of Kat Manx came booming through the speakers throughout the Delta Command Base.

"All Rangers report to the Command Center," Kat spoke. "Repeat, all Rangers report to the Command Center."

"That's us," Quinn said, as he headed for the doors, followed by Z, who stopped and turned back to the cadets.

"That's all of us," she called back to Meg, Casey, Duc & Boom. They perked up a bit.

"Why not make the trip a little more interesting?" Bridge proposed.

"What do you mean?" Boom asked.

"Let's race," Bridge said. "The team who gets to the Command Center last buys dinner?"

"Wait!" Duc said. "No way. You guys have powers."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Quinn asked.

"Uh, you can fly and Sophie's a robot. She can run faster than us," Meg added.

"Okay," Bridge said. "No powers."

"Wait!" Sophie said. "I can't just turn off what I am."

"Okay," Bridge said, as he thought of ideas. "You can run, Sophie, but you can't run faster than the rest of us."

"I guess I'll pull up the rear then," Sophie said, sighing.

"Deal?" Bridge said, extending a hand to Boom, who shook it.

"Deal!"

Without another word, the former B-Squad cadets went sprinting down one corridor, while the new B-Squad went running down the opposite hall.

Inside the Command Center, it was business as usual. Several SPD personnel were working at the aft stations. The familiar sound of pressed buttons and data transfers gave the place a comforting atmosphere to those who worked there often. Standing at the main control station in the middle of the room, Kat Manx and Anubis "Doggie" Cruger were in the middle of a conversation, as the doors to the Command Center came sliding open and eight figures ran through, seemingly watching each other.

"We got here first!" Duc said.

"No, you didn't," Quinn said.

"Ahem," Cruger said loud enough for all of them to hear.

All eight of them stood at attention. Bridge, Z, Quinn and Sophie stood to one side of the doors, while Boom, Casey, Meg and Duc stood to the other side.

"We'll sort this out later," Bridge whispered across at them.

"I don't even want to know," Cruger said to Kat, who turned to the cadets.

"Rangers, how did your training session go?" she asked.

"It went okay," Z spoke up first. "The new B-Squad is learning. They've got tons of potential."

"We already knew that," Cruger said, as he glanced over at the new B-Squaders. "That's why they were promoted."

"Even me?" Boom asked.

"Even you, Boom," Cruger responded. "You're dedication and commitment to S.P.D. is remarkable and I'm sure your training will follow the same pattern."

"Thank you sir. I won't let you down."

"None of us will," Casey added.

"That's part of the reason we called you here," Kat said. "Since the former B-Squad's graduation from the S.P.D. Academy, you four are now our top squad. And, as our top squad, you get certain perks."

"Like the keys to a zord or two?" Bridge inquired.

"Yes," Kat smiled. "And that's not all."

Kat walked over to one of the stations in the back of the room and picked up a tray, which held four S.P.D. Delta morphers. The design matched those of the former B-Squad, but the colors were different. Instead of the traditional black casing, with white lettering, these morphers were the opposite color. The casings were white with black lettering. Kat handed each Ranger a morpher, before returning to her standing position next to Cruger, behind the main control console in the middle of the room.

Each of the cadets took a moment to pop open their morphers, which showed graphical readings of the powers within the morphers. The members of B-Squad were a little taken aback by what they saw.

"Aren't these..." Casey said, surprised.

"The former A-Squad powers," Cruger finished her thought. "Yes."

"The former B-Squad Rangers have graduated from the Academy and the Supreme Commander has decided their powers should go along with them," Kat explained. "Their experience will be invaluable in your training and in the further protection of Earth as full-fledged S.P.D. Officers."

"I don't know about this," Meg said, boldly. "Everyone around here knows what A-Squad did. Using their powers seems wrong to me. I mean, isn't this why you abolished A-Squad in the first place?"

"Considering what former A-Squad Red, Charlie, did last year, I agree with Meg," Duc chimed in.

"These powers don't belong to A-Squad. They belong to S.P.D.," Kat said, quickly. "If you're worried about the impression it will give to everyone else, then your mind is on the wrong subject. People will judge you by who you are, not by what you look like morphed."

"Two teams of Rangers makes us stronger, especially in these stressful times. We may not be under attack, but we cannot rest on our laurels waiting for one either," Cruger said.

"Understood," Boom said, as he saw the blue ranger graphic on his morpher. "Blue's fine with me."

"Pink," Meg said. "I can deal with that."

"Green," Casey said, with a smile, as she glanced over at Quinn. "Sweet."

"Yellow works for me," Duc said, as he checked out his powers. "But wait. Does that mean there's no red?"

"Given the circumstances surrounding Charlie's escape last year and your team's experience level, we've decided that there will be no B-Squad Red Ranger," Cruger explained.

"We won't have a leader?" Boom asked, curiously.

"You want a leader?" Kat said, "Look around you. Supreme Commander Cruger is your leader. I'm your leader. The Ranger Officers over there are your leaders. Every instructor, officer and cadet at this Academy can give you valuable knowledge that will help you on the battlefield. We're all your Red Ranger."

The four members of B-Squad all listened to Kat intently and nodded, agreeing with her.

"B-Squad, you have your zord training session later," Cruger revealed. "I suggest you go get acquainted with your powers and prepare yourselves. The Delta Runners are now at your disposal. You're dismissed."

Cruger watched the four members of B-Squad exit the Command Center. His eyes then veered to the remaining Rangers. He couldn't help but notice their mood had turned a bit somber in the last few minutes. Bridge looked up at him and Kat.

"Why do I get the feeling that your Red Ranger speech was meant for us as much as for them?" he asked.

Cruger walked over to them, pacing in front of them standing at attention. He passed Sophie, then Quinn and Z and finally Bridge. He couldn't help but feel proud, as he saw Z, Quinn and Bridge wearing their new Officer's uniforms. The navy blue uniforms fitted them. Each carried a stripe that extended from their shoulder down their left arms, depicting their Ranger color. There should be five instead of three, he thought to himself. But he didn't dare say it to them.

"You look good as you are," Cruger said simply.

"I take it Sky won't be joining us anytime soon?" Z asked.

"Formal charges against Sky are expected today," Cruger announced. "Until his legal matters are cleared up, which I am certain they will be, he will be on inactive status. Officer Carson will act as your field leader, until Sky's return."

Bridge nodded in response.

"On the bright side, we do have some positive news," Kat spoke up, as she walked over, holding a familiar Delta morpher in her hand.

She handed it over to Sophie.

"What's going on?" Sophie asked, confused.

"Sophie, you've been an invaluable member of S.P.D. and you've stepped into the role that this team has needed," Cruger said.

"Of course, sir. You needed someone to fill in during training. I wouldn't refuse," Sophie replied.

"Well, now we need more from you," Cruger said. "So, as of right now we are offering you the temporary position of Pink Ranger for the Officer's team. There's too much upheaval going on with the new B-Squad to further promote one of them. They're not ready. You know the Rangers, the powers and the procedures."

"But I'm a cyborg," Sophie said. "I thought there were rules against us serving this way."

"Lucky for us, the Supreme Commander sees things a bit differently," Cruger said, with a sly nod. "Consider it a promotion until we find a permanent replacement for Syd."

"I still can't believe she really resigned," Bridge said. "All her classes were done. She should be here, as an Officer, with the rest of us and so should Sky."

"We must move forward, Rangers. We can't spend our time contemplating her decisions or Sky's," Cruger said. "We have our own work to do. Understood?"

"Understood," Bridge, Quinn, Z and Sophie answered at the same time.

"Dismissed," Cruger ordered.

The four Rangers exited the Command Center, as Kat sighed standing next to Cruger.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," she said to him.

"Like most changes, it will take time," Cruger said.

Kat nodded in agreement.

Sky Tate sat in one of Space Patrol Delta's interrogation rooms. The room was bare, with only a table and two chairs, situated on opposite sides of the table. It felt more cold than usual, much like him. Sky glanced up at the mirror on the wall in front of him. Seeing his reflection didn't help him feel any more comfortable. Knowing that the mirror was actually an observation window for watching criminals being interrogated made it that much worse. He wore the uniform of an S.P.D. Officer, but they had taken all of the privileges and duties of that title away from him since graduation. He glanced at his right shoulder. His eyes slowly traveled down the stripe of red on his uniform. Part of him wondered what it would feel like to be on patrol right now, stopping criminals. But, it was his success in stopping the most dangerous criminal he knew that led him to where he was now, under arrest.

Sky looked up as the doors to the interrogation room slid open and the President of the Galactic Council, Otto Cali, walked in. Sky stood and saluted immediately. He watched Cali walk calmly, with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at Sky from the moment the doors slid open until he was standing face-to-face with him.

"Officer Tate, you are well, I presume?" Cali asked.

"As fine as I can be, sir," Sky said, seriously.

"I understand this is a difficult time," Cali explained. "But, your actions have consequences and the Galactic Council cannot let this infraction go unnoticed."

Cali motioned for Sky to sit and he did so. Sky watched Cali with cold eyes. He was angry at his current situation and truthfully, he didn't understand why the Council that commissioned S.P.D. was ready to punish him for doing his job.

Cali reached into his pocket and pulled out an LCD pad, laying it on the table in front of Sky, who picked it up and activated it, reading the charges he was faced with, as President Cali outlined them verbally.

"To reiterate, Officer Tate, you are being charged with violation of Space Patrol Delta's code of ethics. You destroyed another life form without judgment and without containment. You showed an utter disregard for the protocols of this organization," Cali explained.

Sky couldn't help but shake his head.

"This is wrong," Sky mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I said this is wrong," Sky said a little louder, making his words very clear.

"Choose your words carefully, Tate," Cali said, sternly. "You're already in big trouble."

"I did my job," Sky said, angrily, as he looked up at his standing superior.

"You took another human life."

"Omallix was evil and dangerous and frankly, barely human! He would have killed us. He said so. I did what had to be done!" Sky's voice raised more, as he stood, locking eyes with Cali.

"You were a cadet. You didn't have the right!" Cali said, in a surprising outburst.

"When S.P.D. gave me that morpher, I swore to protect not only this city but the people in this organization," Sky said, through gritted teeth.

"That morpher didn't come with unquestioned authority. You violated the rules and regulations set forth by the Galactic Council and now you're going to stand before the Council and explain to us why," Cali said, angrily.

The doors to the interrogation room slid open and Supreme Commander Cruger walked in. His senses tipped him off instantly, even though his keen sense of hearing had done it before he even got to the doors. He could feel the tension in the room.

"Sorry I'm late. I hope I didn't miss anything," Cruger said, attempting to calm the nerves inside that room.

"I was just outlining the charges against Officer Tate," Cali said, as he backed away from Sky a bit.

Cruger walked over to Sky, who handed him the LCD pad. Cruger looked over the charges and sighed. He had known they were coming for some time.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to prove to you and the Council that what I did was the right thing," Sky said to Cali.

"That is your burden, Mr. Tate," Cali said, as he headed for the doors, which slid open before him.

Cruger placed a gentle paw on Sky's shoulder, before following Cali into the hallway. Sky sat down, staring at the pad, knowing his future was about to be taken out of his hands as well.

Outside the interrogation room, Cruger stood before his superior. They shared a moment of silence, before Cali spoke up.

"The hearing before the Council will begin in a week or so on Andrus III. I trust you will be able to attend?" Cali said.

"Of course," Cruger said. "I'm shifting around my schedule now."

"Officer Tate will need an advocate to make his case," Cali continued. "We can have one appointed."

"No," Cruger said quickly. "Leave that to me."

Cali looked a bit surprised at Cruger's response.

"Of course, if that's what you'd prefer," Cali said. "But, know this Cruger. These charges are real and if Officer Tate is found to be guilty of these violations, he will not only be stripped of his Officer's status permanently, but he would also be facing incarceration."

"I'm aware of the stakes," Cruger said.

"Good, because he's not the only one in jeopardy here," Cali said, as he moved closer to Cruger, speaking almost in a whisper. "I haven't forgotten the conversation we had before you injected yourself into the last battle with Omallix. They say a student is only as good as his teacher. The fact that you signed off on his graduation from the Academy despite him being under arrest, is proof of that. Sky Tate may be the one accused, but so is your leadership and honestly, if he's found guilty by the Council, we may next be considering a change in S.P.D.'s leadership."

Cruger simply stared at President Cali. He knew exactly what he was saying. Cruger had been well aware that there was more at stake here than one monster's destruction. S.P.D. Earth was going to be fighting for its very survival. Without another word, Cali walked away.

"It's about time!"

Z was barely through the doorway when she heard Piggy's yell.

"Sorry. I know I'm late, Piggy," Z said.

She walked further into the Infirmary, only to see Piggy hopping off the examination bed, gingerly, using his cane to balance himself. The six beds that lined the walls were empty. Piggy was the only patient left inside the Infirmary. A part of Z felt proud of that. The fact that no more injured were here meant that S.P.D. was doing its job. It meant she was doing her job.

"For a while there, I thought you were gonna leave me cooped up in here forever," he said to her.

"Of course not," Z said. "I just had to check to make sure your room was ready. I had to pull a lot of strings to get them to let you stay here, Piggy."

"I know. I know," Piggy said. "And, I'm grateful. I've got nowhere else to go."

"Where's Dr. Sevarus?" Z said, as she looked around curiously.

"Oh he left ages ago," Piggy said, as he leaned over to whisper in Z's ear. "I think it was the company."

Z chuckled, as she extended her hand towards the doorway.

"Well, your suite awaits," she said with a smile.

"Let's get this show on the road," Piggy said, as he exited the Infirmary quickly.

As they walked through the corridors Piggy nodded to each member of S.P.D. that they passed. Z smiled with every remark he made. Deep down, she was glad to have Piggy still close. He made her feel good, since she didn't have Jack around anymore. Soon, they reached his quarters. Z keyed in the security control and showed Piggy how to use it.

"Seems pretty simple," Piggy said.

"It is," Z said. "And don't worry. These codes are changed every time someone different stays in the room. So, I'm the only one who knows your access code."

"Have a lot of thefts inside S.P.D. Headquarters?" Piggy asked, slyly.

"No. It's more for privacy than anything else," Z said, as the doors slid open.

She let Piggy enter first. She watched from the doorway, as he looked around. There was a small bedroom on the far end of the room. The main room they stood in housed a computer interface terminal, a bathroom and a large closet as well. Piggy stumbled a bit. Z went to his side, grabbing a hold of him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I think I was just startled by the beauty of the place," Piggy said. "I told you I just needed a bed, not all of this."

"I know you're used to much less, but I figured if I got you some place decent, you might consider sticking around for a while," Z admitted.

"No promises," Piggy said to her, as she helped him sit down at the desk where his terminal sat. "I really want to get myself back out there, you know."

"Of course," Z said. "But you need to take it easy for now."

"All right," Piggy said.

"Okay, I'll be back to check on you later. We can grab a late lunch," Z said, as she headed for the door.

"Sounds rotten...I like it!" Piggy exclaimed.

Z turned and smiled to Piggy before exiting his room. Once outside, she took a deep breath, a bit worried about Piggy's stumbling. She knew she was going to have to keep a close eye on him for the next few days.

Inside the quarters, Piggy turned to the computer terminal and activated it. He checked his e-mail account.

"I wonder what the old gang's up to," he said to himself, before seeing four messages from the same address.

Piggy winced a bit, as he noted the red blinking "urgent" labels on them. He opened the latest one and knew instantly who it was from. He had trouble. This was going to be dangerous, he thought and a difficult problem to talk his way out of. He didn't even need to read the entire message before a shiver ran down his spine. For the first time in weeks, Piggy wished he were still in a coma.

Elsewhere in the Delta Command Base, another couple of old friends were walking together.

"It was that tense?" Kat asked.

"Yes," Cruger said, with a sigh. "If the rest of the Council is as stubborn as President Cali, Sky's in a world of trouble."

Kat shook her head, as they walked.

"I know how he feels," Kat said.

"You?" Cruger turned his head at her curiously. "What have you got to be worried about?"

"My officer's exam," Kat explained. "I really appreciate your faith in me, Doggie, thinking that I could be the Commander of S.P.D. Earth, but it's still not a done deal unless I can pass that exam."

"Of course you'll pass. You're the smartest being I've ever met," Cruger said, as they turned a corner.

"Well, thanks, but I haven't felt so smart lately," she admitted.

"You should," Cruger said. "I know you can do this. I wouldn't have promoted you if I didn't think so. Just look at how you handled B-Squad earlier. Your response to their lack of a Red Ranger spoke volumes about your ability to handle leadership around here."

"I guess you're right."

"I know I am. Now, stop with this defeatist attitude. You still have a few more days before the exam. Keep practicing. S.P.D. needs its new commander. Besides, your old job's taken. Your replacement arrived this morning," Cruger revealed, as they arrived at the doors to Kat's laboratory.

"What?" Kat said. "Why wasn't I informed?"

"Because I was letting the new Chief of Technology get all moved in and I knew if I told you that you would be looking over his shoulder every step of the way," Cruger said, as he walked into the laboratory.

"His shoulder?" Kat said, confused, as she followed him in.

Kat was instantly shocked at what she saw. Her laboratory had been completely changed around. Her desk was now at the back of the room. All of her specimens had been moved out and replaced with other equipment. Although most of the pieces were familiar to her, she never kept them around her lab before. She finally turned to see Cruger shaking hands with the new Chief of Technology. The first thing Kat noticed was that he was human. Cruger turned to her.

"Doctor Kat Manx, meet Doctor Pryce Jensen, our new Chief of Technology," Cruger introduced them.

Kat walked right up to the smiling doctor. He had unique eyes, she thought. They were a mix of blue and gray that she had never seen before. She found herself staring, without even knowing it. He extended a hand to shake. She complied.

"Welcome to S.P.D. Earth, Dr. Jensen," Kat said, with a cordial nod.

"Please, call me Pryce," he responded. "After all, I'm a big fan."

"Of mine?" Kat looked surprised.

"Of course. You can't be the best, if you don't learn from the best," Pryce said.

"I'm flattered."

"You should be," Pryce replied, with a sly grin.

Sensing the awkward silence passing between the two, Cruger looked around the lab and faked a rather loud cough.

"So, Dr. Jensen, I see you've made yourself comfortable," Cruger said.

"Yes, I travel pretty heavy, as you can see. Brought a lot with me, but I think it will all turn out to be rather useful in the long run."

"I'm sure it will. You come highly recommended," Cruger said.

"Well Galaxy Command knew what they had. The smartest mind in Space Patrol Delta is pretty valuable," Pryce said, with a cocky smile.

"Smartest mind in Space Patrol Delta?" Kat repeated, curiously.

"Present company excluded of course," Pryce said, as he stared into her eyes. "My work speaks for itself and I brought along a few gems that I think you'd appreciate, Kat."

Pryce stopped himself and looked at Kat again.

"Can I call you Kat?"

"Dr. Manx will do. After all, if things go as planned, I'll be S.P.D. Earth's new commander soon," Kat replied.

"Okay. Dr. Manx it is," Pryce said, as he grabbed a silver box from his desk and brought it over to Kat & Cruger to look at.

Kat opened the box and was caught off-guard by what she saw inside. The silver and gold morpher was designed almost the same as the Omega morpher.

"It's the Nova Ranger morpher," Kat said, surprised.

"Yep. And with a few more modifications, it should be completely operational," Pryce said, with a proud smile.

"But, this technology is totally experimental. We haven't had time to study it, much like the Omega morpher," Kat said.

"You haven't had time to study it. That doesn't mean no one else has," Pryce said.

The two shared another look.

"It looks good," Cruger said.

"And, that's not all," Pryce said, as he grabbed a small remote device from his desk and pointed it at the bare wall where Kat's desk used to sit.

With the press of a button, they saw the wall was actually a massive flatscreen monitor. It lit up with the schematics of a vehicle of some sort. Kat didn't recognize the design. It looked almost like a tank, but sleeker, accented with S.P.D. technology. She admired the large wheels, knowing it would be able to travel over rough terrain. The silver vehicle, with gold accents, also included the latest weaponry, including a magnum blaster mounted on top.

"I call it the Blast Buggy," Pryce said. "It's more compact and maneuverable than the S.W.A.T. Truck."

"A fitting replacement, don't you agree?" Cruger said to Kat.

"It looks remarkable," Kat said, unable to reign in her true feelings on what she was seeing.

"Now that's what I call a glowing endorsement," Pryce said.

Kat turned to see him once again smiling at her, making her a bit self-conscious.

Inside the shared quarters of B-Squad Cadets, Meg Thurman and Casey Parker, the two long-time friends sat on their beds, both looking somber. There were no traces of the previous tenants, Z Delgado and Sydney Drew. On Meg's side of the room, the wall was lined with firearms, hung with precision by size. From her smallest, an Astro Blaster a gift from her father, a fellow collector, to the largest, which was a Zeo laser rifle model, which she had modified from its original design, based on the archive videos she had seen of the Zeo Power Rangers. Her model weaponry looked dangerous, even though none of them were usable. Her seemingly permanent roommate, Casey Parker, often said so. Above the weapons was a hand-made poster from a fallen friend that read "Mega Meg." The only hint of pink on Meg's side was the plush pink robe that hung in her open closet.

On Casey's side, things were much different. Her wall was covered by a large painted mural of the galaxy, which she had painted herself to include some of her favorite planets. Casey loved the time she spent as a space brat, traveling with her parents, who had devoted their lives to exploring just about every floating rock that could support human life and even a few that didn't. At the head of her bed, was a framed photograph of the old C-Squad, a group that would always remain a big part of her life. It was a squad that could never be recreated: Darren Miller, Quinn Gray, Casey Parker, Duc Sato and Meg Thurman. Draped over her pillow was a green S.P.D. training shirt that Quinn had given to her last year. After the events of this morning, she now knew she could wear it without anyone thinking she was his girlfriend.

At Casey's side on the bed sat one of those in the photo, Duc Sato, who was also looking a bit bored. He glanced over at Cadet Boom, the last member of B-Squad, who was sitting in a chair at Meg's desk.

"This sucks," Casey said.

"We're gonna lose, again," Duc said, somberly.

"Why are you guys giving up so easily?" Boom said.

"If I recall correctly, it was you that gave up during the last training session," Meg corrected Boom.

"That's true, but that doesn't mean I don't think we have a chance to come out on top next time around," Boom said.

"It's a zord session," Duc said. "We've barely been inside the zords. The old B-Squad fought in those zords for years, theirs and ours."

"Actually, the Delta Runners are brand new. They've barely had any time in them," Casey corrected Duc. "Not that I think that helps any, since they're pretty much the same as the old ones."

"But it does help," Boom said, as he stood up. "The Delta Runners are ours now. We can use them to our advantage."

"We just came from the zord bay, Boom," Meg said. "It's not that we don't know them inside and out. The fact is, the old B-Squad knows them better, just like they knew that simulation."

"We lost that simulation because we messed up. I tied that cloak on too tight and Casey tried to help me, instead of keeping her eye on her monster. And Duc, you were a bit overzealous in your fight with Bridge and Meg you talked trash before you delivered the goods on Sophie," Boom explained. "We messed up."

"Agreed," Duc said. "But, how does that help us now with the zords?"

"We need to stop thinking like the old B-Squad and start thinking like the new B-Squad, cuz that's what we are," Boom exclaimed.

"Boom's right," Meg said, as she stood up at his side. "We need to stop playing things their way and show them how we do it."

Duc stood up, nodding along.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that," he said.

They all looked at Casey, who was the only one still sitting. She glanced at each one of them, before smirking and standing with them.

"Boom, I knew there was a good reason to have you on our team," she said, with a smile.

"That was nothing," Boom said. "Wait until you hear my plan."

The four B-Squad cadets huddled together and began talking strategy for their next training session.

Piggy slowly made his way down the deserted street, glancing in every direction. He knew where he was supposed to meet his debt collector, but he never gave him an exact location. Piggy kept walking, as he noticed a vehicle turning the corner behind him. He straightened his posture and began to walk with more of a swagger, not wanting to arouse any suspicion. The black limousine came to a stop at his side and Piggy looked over at it, seeing his reflection in the tinted window, until it came rolling down.

"Well, look who it is?" Piggy said, with fake glee.

"Be quiet and get inside, Piggy," the green alien creature spoke back.

The doors to the limo opened and Piggy climbed in, gingerly, holding tight to his cane. The limo pulled off once the door had closed and Piggy spent the next ten minutes detailing to his alien acquaintance just why he had not repaid his long overdue debt.

"So, you see, old friend. That's why I haven't been around. Comas are a scary thing," Piggy said.

"So is my boss!" the alien replied.

His large beady eyes were a deep yellow, almost gold. He resembled a life-sized termite, with green skin, which was covered with green and brown shell-like patterns. He wore a tan covering around his neck that resembled a tunic. His animalistic upper body was in stark contrast to the way he looked below the belt. His designer white pants and black shoes looked as if they belonged to a businessman, which is what he was. He was a businessman who liked being paid.

"I understand that," Piggy said. "And you can tell him that once I'm back on my feet and S.P.D. is out of my hair, then I will make good on our deal."

"That deal has expired, Piggy," the alien responded.

"What do you mean?"

"My boss has much bigger plans for the near future," the alien businessman revealed. "And, lucky for you, he feels that you figure into those plans quite nicely."

"I don't understand," Piggy said.

The alien man handed him a folder. Piggy slowly and reluctantly opened it. Once he saw what was inside he gasped, shaking his head, closing the folder quickly.

"No," Piggy said. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can and you will."

"You don't understand—"

"I do understand, Piggy. My boss also understands. We understand that you owe him a great deal of money. We're not stupid. If he doesn't get paid, I don't get paid. The interest has grown too high on your debts. He knows he will never be able to recoup that currency. However, that doesn't mean you get off for free," the alien explained.

"But this? This is too much," Piggy said.

"You've gotten in good with S.P.D., Piggy. Your position is more valuable to us than some false promise of repayment," the alien explained. "So, you will obey our new deal. You do this one thing for us and your debt will be expunged. If you tip of S.P.D. or reveal to them our plans, a coma will be the least of your problems."

Within minutes, Piggy found himself once again standing on the deserted street. As he watched the limo speed off, he felt the terror rising in his body. He had gotten himself into trouble many times in his long life, but this was one situation that he would not be able to escape, no matter how much he hated turning against Space Patrol Delta.

At the same time, back inside S.P.D. Headquarters, Z Delgado pressed the door chime at Piggy's quarters once more, but like the previous three attempts, there was no answer. Z thought back to Piggy's slight collapse earlier and got worried.

"Piggy," Z called out, as she pressed her ear to the doors and heard nothing.

She took a deep breath and keyed in the access code to the locking mechanism. Within seconds, the doors slid open. Z walked inside and was surprised to see Piggy wasn't there at all. She checked his bedroom and bathroom, but still nothing.

"That's strange," she said to herself. "I told him I was coming back."

As Z looked around the room, her eyes rested on Piggy's computer terminal. She saw his e-mail listings and the blinking urgent tag on a few of them. Her curiosity was growing. She clicked on one of them and was shocked by what she read. Z couldn't believe that Piggy was in this much debt and only from one source, a source that didn't look very friendly. She shook her head, wishing she couldn't believe it, but knowing Piggy, she knew it was true.

Z knew that if Piggy owed that much money to this being, he was in trouble. She stood up from the terminal and headed for the doors. Once she was in the corridor, she stopped, wondering exactly what she could do about it. As if by some cosmic coincidence, she glanced up and saw the familiar canine insignia on the S.P.D. emblem mounted on the wall, just like in every other corridor of the Delta Command Base. What she had discovered was information that Doggie would want to know, but in her mind, Z struggled. Piggy had earned the benefit of the doubt for everything he had done for S.P.D. the past two years. Z sighed.

B-Squad Cadet Boom walked down the corridor with a purpose. He didn't have much time before zord training. He turned a corner and peeked in front of and behind himself. There was no one there. He walked carefully over to the doors of the laboratory and they slid open upon his approach. Boom checked the hallway once more before ducking inside. He smiled, until he turned and was surprised to see how much the room had changed since he was last there. He was even more shocked by who he saw standing in the middle of the room, staring at the large wall screen.

"Kat! What are you doing here?" Boom asked, nervously.

Kat looked over at him.

"Boom, have you seen this?" she asked, pointing at the Blast Buggy schematics on the wall.

"Uh, no," Boom said.

"He's going to need better shocks on that thing," Kat said, frustrated. "Do you know he claims it can fly? I honestly don't see how."

"Who are we talking about?" Boom looked confused.

"Pryce!" Kat said, before catching herself. "I mean, Dr. Jensen. He's our new Chief of Technology."

"Oh," Boom said. "Your replacement."

"Barely," Kat mumbled. "He didn't even give me a chance to move my things out myself."

"I can understand why you'd be upset by that."

Boom and Kat both turned to see Dr. Pryce Jensen standing at the doorway, smiling.

"I'm not upset!" Kat said quickly.

"It certainly sounds like you're upset," Pryce said, as he walked further in.

"Well, I guess you don't know me very well then," Kat said, as she walked quickly out of the lab.

"Trust me," Boom said to Pryce, once Kat was gone. "You don't wanna know Kat when she's upset...and she was upset."

Pryce smiled, as he extended a hand.

"I'm Dr. Pryce Jensen. Aren't you a little old to be a cadet?" he said, admiring Boom's blue cadet's uniform.

Boom shook his hand.

"Oh, I'm Boom, Cadet Boom. Let's just say I was held back a couple years, but I'm making up for it now. You wouldn't believe the year I've had," Boom started chattering on, until he noticed Pryce was pulling his hand away and grunting a bit.

"Right. It's nice to meet you Cadet Boom," Pryce said.

"You too. I knew Kat wasn't in the lab much anymore with her promotion and everything. I wasn't actually expecting anyone to be here," Boom said.

"What's going on?"

"Well, you see B-Squad has a zord training session coming up and we've come up with a plan that we think will ensure our victory. But, we need a little help with preparations," Boom explained.

"What kind of help?" Pryce asked, smiling slyly.

He was always up for a good trap and it wouldn't hurt to get to know S.P.D.'s cadets. Boom smiled back. He had the feeling he was going to like the new Chief of Technology, almost as much as he liked the previous one.

Sky stood inside his quarters, staring out the window. The view from his new room wasn't extremely interesting. His window faced the northern side of Newtech City. For miles all he saw was vacant space. Most of the clean up from the firewall massacre had been cleaned up. But, the city was still slow to rebuild what had been lost. It was then that Sky thought of everything he had lost since then: friends, family and even his career was now hanging in the balance. He heard his door chime behind him and he turned to face the doors.

"Come in," Sky said somberly.

The doors slid apart and Sky saw Bridge, Z and Quinn enter. They all flashed him cordial smiles that barely masked their sadness over his current situation.

"How you holding up?" Bridge asked.

"Not well," Sky said. "They're charging me with violating the S.P.D. code of ethics."

"That's harsh," Z said.

"Well, I expected worse," Sky said. "They could have tossed in a murder charge if they wanted to."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Bridge said. "They don't think you're guilty of murder, at least."

Bridge looked around the room, hoping that his words might cheer someone up, but he had failed.

"I'm sorry, Sky," Bridge said finally.

"It's not your fault, Bridge," Sky said. "At least I got to wear the uniform for a little while."

"Don't be so quick to give up," Z said. "You could still beat this."

Sky glanced over at his half-brother, Quinn, who hadn't said one word since arriving in his room.

"What about you? Anything to add?" Sky asked.

"They can't think you willingly went against S.P.D. regulations," Quinn said, showing his support for a man he never got along with before.

"They do and you know what? I'm not sure I care what they think anymore," Sky said.

"I don't like the sound of that," Bridge said.

"They can't change my mind and neither can you guys. Thanks for the pep talk, but I know you guys have real duties you need to get to and I've got packing to do. I don't need anyone to hold my hand," Sky said.

The trio of Rangers headed for the doors. Bridge turned back for a moment.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know," Bridge said with a smile, until he realized he was responding to Sky's hand-holding comment. "That didn't come out the way I wanted it to."

Quinn and Z chuckled, as they pushed Bridge out the doors.

"We'll try to be there for as much of the hearing as we can," Quinn said.

"It's okay," Sky said. "I don't want you neglecting your duties. Then, you'll be the ones facing a hearing."

Quinn nodded and exited. Z wasn't far behind.

"Z," Sky called out. "Can you hold on a minute?"

Z stayed put, as the doors slid closed behind Bridge and Quinn. She looked down at the floor. She was dealing with her own problems involving Piggy, but she had a feeling that she knew what Sky wanted to discuss.

"I haven't heard from her, Sky," Z said.

"Really?" Sky asked.

Z turned back to Sky, giving him an unfortunate look.

"I'm sorry. But, the last I heard from Syd was in the letter she left me, which basically just asked me to pack up her things. She said she'd send for them, but she didn't," Z said.

"She didn't ask you to send them to her parents?"

"No. She asked me to hold onto everything until she got in touch with me. It didn't sound like she was going to her parents. Once we moved out of the cadet quarters after graduation, I put her things in storage. It's all still there," Z said.

"It's my fault that she's gone," Sky said, sadly.

"The only person responsible for Syd leaving is Syd," Z said to him, as she headed for the doors once again. "Remember that. We're all responsible for the things we do. We're not kids anymore, Sky."

Sky nodded, as Z exited. She sighed and turned to walk down the corridor, only to see Quinn Gray standing there.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry. I think Sky's gonna be okay. It's just gonna take time," Z replied.

"I wasn't talking about Sky. I was talking about you," Quinn said. "I don't know, but you seem a little distant today."

"Oh, it's just normal stress. That's all," Z said, lying to him.

She didn't want to discuss Piggy or the e-mail she discovered just yet. After all, she hadn't figured out what she was going to do about it yet.

"You sure?" Quinn asked, looking curious. "Look, I joined this team because Jack left S.P.D., and I know that doesn't make me his replacement with you guys, by any means. But, if you ever need to talk, just know I'm willing to listen."

"Thanks, Quinn. I'll keep that in mind," Z said, with a smile.

Back inside, Sky walked back over to the window and glanced out at the desolation of northern Newtech City. He knew Syd was out there somewhere, but like his own future, he had no control over what could happen. As he stared out the window, he saw five familiar vehicles speeding away from S.P.D. Headquarters. Sky sighed, as he thought back to his time in the Delta Runners, when his team whole.

Inside the speeding green and white Delta Runner 3, B-Squad Cadet Casey Parker was morphed for the first time. Through her tinted helmet, she glanced around the cockpit and it was starting to sink in that she was a Power Ranger. She grabbed tight to the wheel in front of her and sped the zord up.

A few feet ahead of her, two more of the Delta Runners were on their way. Unlike most instances, there were no sirens blaring. They weren't out on an emergency. Delta Runners 4 and 5, however, were going at top speed, as if they were headed for trouble. Inside the cockpit of Delta Runner 5, B-Squad's Pink Ranger, Meg Thurman had a big smile on her face, which might have caught her friends off-guard, since it was a rarity. Luckily, she thought, her helmet shielded her expressions from the outside world.

"This baby drives pretty good," she shouted into the communications panel. "I see why Syd liked it."

"Same here," Duc Sato called out from the yellow and white Delta Runner 4.

Inside, the Yellow Ranger sped up a bit more, matching the Pink Ranger's speed, only to watch her go even faster.

"Do you always have to be the best?" Duc yelled.

"I thought that was the point!" Meg shouted.

Up above them, the flying blue Delta Runner 2 watched, as he glided through the air with ease. Behind the controls, sat B-Squad's newest member, Cadet Boom, morphed in blue. He shook his head. He had been inside these zords many times during his tenure as a gadget tester, but he had never flown in this zord, like this, as a Ranger. Beneath his helmet, a small tear fell from Boom's eye. As he felt it slide down his cheek, he smiled.

"It's awesome," Boom said, quietly, not sure if any of his teammates even heard him.

He peeked out the front window, as his zord hovered forward. Past the white hood and the black 2 plastered on it, he saw the red Delta Runner 1 speeding ahead of them all, operated by remote. He wondered if his plan would work since they weren't in control of all of the zords.

"Boom, you okay up there?"

He heard the voice of Casey Parker come through his communications console. Boom smiled beneath his helmet.

"Doing just fine," Boom said.

At that moment his zord was blasted from behind, causing the craft to start spiraling downward.

"Well, I was!" Boom shouted.

He glanced out the cockpit and saw his zord heading straight down towards Delta Runner 1. He pulled up at the last minute and regained full control of the zord.

"Something fired on me!" Boom yelled to his teammates.

Inside the cockpit of Delta Runner 4, Duc checked his readings.

"I'm picking up five more zords on our tails!" he yelled in to his communications panel, as his zord was hit as well.

All four of the Delta Runners rocked, as the familiar forms of the five S.W.A.T. Flyers came flying over heard, passing them all.

"Consider your training session started!" Bridge yelled from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 2. "You know what they say...S.P.D. Emergency!"

"You're gonna pay for that," Cadet Thurman yelled from inside the pink Delta Runner.

"You're welcome to try," Z responded from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 4. "Sophie, how's she flying over there?"

"Just great," Sophie said, as she glanced out her cockpit window, morphed for the first time herself. "The weapons systems certainly work."

From inside the green Delta Runner, Cadet Casey Parker noticed their attackers were coming around for another pass.

"We've got trouble coming, guys!" Casey shouted.

"Evasive maneuvers, now!" Duc yelled.

As the four Delta Runners on the ground swerved through bolts of laser fire coming directly at them, Boom felt like he was flying through an asteroid field, as he tried to dodge the five Flyers speeding past him, head on. He knew it was almost time to implement their plan, if they wanted to win this round.

"Guys, I think it's time to bring them together!" Boom called out to his teammates.

Inside his Officer's quarters, Sky looked around. The room was pretty barren. He didn't bother to settle in, knowing that he was being charged by the Galactic Council, sooner or later. Almost all of his things were in boxes. A navy blue duffel bag sat on his bed, with some of the clothes that he had packed to take with him to Andrus III for his hearing. In the back of his mind, Sky wondered if he'd ever return to this room after his departure.

He shook his head, as he sat on the bed and sighed. He reached over to the nightstand on the side of the bed and pressed a button, causing the top drawer to slid open. The first thing he saw was the loose picture of his father. Sky couldn't help the fact that he still looked at him with disdain over the affair he had with another woman. But, his own relationship with Sydney Drew helped him understand it, a bit.

There I go again, he thought to himself. He didn't want to think of her now, but he had. He saw something else in the top drawer that made him do it again. He picked up another photograph. This one he had taken himself the day he had taken Syd to ride an elephant, after she had given up her stuffed elephant, Peanuts. Sky couldn't help but smile as he saw the smile on Syd's face, as she sat on top of the large elephant. He took a deep breath, unable to shake the sound of her laughter. He wanted to hear it again, but he feared it was too late. It was another bridge burned beneath him.

He packed away both photos in his duffel bag, before he even realized that he had been trying not to think about either of them. But, he was on heading into unfamiliar territory and for the first time in his life, Sky wanted familiarity.

Elsewhere inside S.P.D. Headquarters, Piggy walked slowly into his quarters, as he kept replaying his last conversation in his head. That was the worst limo ride he'd ever taken and being back inside Space Patrol Delta made him feel even worse. Piggy threw his cane across the room in anger and hobbled over to the chair in front of his desk. There was no way he could do what he had been ordered to do, no way he could betray those that had come to see him as a friend. They trusted him. But there was more at stake for Piggy than trust, a commodity he had thrown away so easily in the past.

He stared at the screen and the two urgent blinking e-mails. It was then that he remembered there were four originally. He had opened one himself, which left three still blinking on the terminal when he left. Now, there were only two. Someone had accessed one of the e-mails.

"Oh no," Piggy said, in a hushed whisper. "But, who?"

It was then that Piggy's keen sense of smell kicked in. Years of living in trash and finding a treasure or two had honed that sense. Piggy smelled her scent. It was Z. But she couldn't have, he thought to himself, as he remembered locking his quarters after leaving. It was then, that he remembered his earlier conversation with her.

" These codes are changed every time someone different stays in the room. So, I'm the only one who knows your access code," she had said.

"Okay, I'll be back to check on you later. We can grab a late lunch," Z had said to him.

That was hours ago. Had she returned while he was gone? She must have, Piggy thought to himself. He closed his eyes slowly, knowing that he was in big trouble. Z may have discovered the truth all on her own, but if his debt collectors discovered this they would think he ratted them out. Piggy's mind couldn't help but veer back to the hideous chore they wanted him to carry out against Space Patrol Delta. He had thought he couldn't do it, but now he might not have any choice.

Back on the battlefield, the Delta Runners were quickly transforming, linking together to form a formidable fighting force. Now, joined in the same zord, the four B-Squad Rangers felt more secure.

"Delta Squad Megazord, Mark 2!" they called out together, as they pulled the laser blaster from the retractable holster at the zord's ankle.

The S.W.A.T. Flyers didn't waste any time and immediately began firing at the Megazord, which rolled out of the way in one fluid motion and began firing back with its blaster. The five S.W.A.T. Flyers maneuvered their way through the laser beams, barely missing them.

"We need them to transform or this isn't gonna work," Duc said from inside the yellow cockpit.

"I think it's time for some S.W.A.T. Megazord action," Bridge yelled to his fellow Rangers from inside S.W.A.T. Flyer 2.

"Right!" they all yelled in unison.

"Right on cue," Casey said, beneath her helmet inside the Delta Squad Megazord.

The four B-Squad Rangers watched closely, as the S.W.A.T. Flyers began to transform in front of them.

"Get ready..." Meg said, lowly.

"Almost..." Boom added.

They watched S.W.A.T. Flyer 2 transform and attach to S.W.A.T. Flyer 1, forming the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord. Then, S.W.A.T. Flyers 4 and 5 attached to S.W.A.T. Flyer 3, forming the lower body of the zord. As the two halves got closer to linking up, they all watched with breathless anticipation. The zords were still floating in the air. As they joined at the waist, Bridge noticed something off in his controls.

"Something's wrong," Bridge said. "I'm not getting a connection."

"Agreed," Quinn chimed in from his zord. "I think the gears are sliding too much."

"We're not getting any traction!" Sophie shouted, as she worked her controls.

"This is it, guys!" Boom shouted. "Fire!"

From the ground, the Delta Squad Megazord Mark 2 fired its blaster, but instead of a laser beam and grappler shot out, followed by an extremely long cord. The grappler wrapped around the lower body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord, allowing the DSM to yank it right out of the air. The attached S.W.A.T. Flyers 3, 4 & 5, crashed to the ground below.

"Hey!" Bridge yelled. "No fair!"

"You said we should get to know our enemy!" Duc yelled from the Delta Squad Megazord.

A bit surprised by the development, Bridge took control of the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord and flew it towards the Delta Squad Megazord on a collision course. The half-Megazord crashed into the Delta Squad Megazord, sending the bigger one down to the ground.

"He's latched onto us!" Casey yelled. "We have to get him off."

"We have to hurry too, before the others get back up," Meg shouted.

"Yeah, that extra oil I used to grease their gears will be dissipated soon," Boom announced.

"Then, let's do this!" Duc yelled, as he punched the controls in his cockpit, causing the right arm of the DSM to grab at the wings of the S.W.A.T. Flyer.

The shifting weight allowed the DSM to get to its feet.

"I'm with you, Duc," Meg chimed in, as she activated her cockpit controls, causing the left arm of the zord to grab at the other wing, pushing the S.W.A.T. Megazord's upper half away from the chest of the DSM.

Inside his cockpit, Bridge was struggling to keep control of both the attached zords, as he was thrown about in his cockpit.

"Whoa!"

The Delta Squad Megazord finally tossed the upper half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord to the ground. At its side, the lower half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord seemed to be walking in their direction.

"We've got company," Casey called out.

"I got it," Boom said, as he pushed in another command from his cockpit.

The Delta Squad Megazord pulled out its containment cuffs, with one hand and fired at the lower half of the S.W.A.T. Megazord with the blaster in its other hand. The S.W.A.T. Megazord's legs jumped away and as they tried to get up again, Quinn, Z and Sophie found their zords trapped inside one half of the cuffs. Within moments, the upper body of the S.W.A.T. Megazord was caught in the other side.

"Training session over!" Bridge grunted from inside his cockpit.

"Good job, B-Squad," Quinn shouted.

"It was a bit unorthodox, which I like," Bridge added.

"Congrats, B-Squad. You did it," Z said.

"Good for them," Sophie added. "But, I have to say my first zord fight as Pink Ranger went a lot worse than I expected!"

Her teammates chuckled at her words, as the Delta Squad Megazord stood tall in the approaching sunset.

About an hour later, Z found herself in one of her favorite places on the grounds of Space Patrol Delta Headquarters. She looked out at the setting sun from the roof of the Delta Command Base, as a gentle breeze washed over her face. A lot of things happened here. It had only been a few weeks since she was up here with Sam, looking at the broken plaque that memorialized her best friend after his death. Z remembered saying goodbye to Jack finally in this spot. She was afraid that before the day was completely done she would be losing another friend.

She heard the creak of the rooftop hatch open behind her. She took a deep breath, knowing exactly who it was. She had, after all, left Piggy a note, asking him to meet her up here. She closed her eyes for another moment, as she thought back to the e-mail she had read that was intended for Piggy. She turned to see Piggy was standing right in front of her.

"What are you doing all the way up here?" Piggy said, refusing to look over the edge. "I'm not big on heights."

"Piggy, you're my friend. You know that right?" Z said. "I've never said the words to you, but you know it's true."

"Of course," Piggy said.

"You're supposed to be able to go to friends, talk to them when you're in trouble," Z explained. "I know it can be hard and difficult to do, but we do it. Jack was that for me."

"I know," Piggy said, somberly. "Look, Z, I know you have these ideas about me and what I am or what I'm not. I'm sorry but I can't be some kind of Jack replacement. I'll never be the kind of man he was."

"You know you're the second person today whose mentioned me having a replacement for Jack," Z said, a bit more sternly. "I don't need a replacement for Jack, because Jack is always going to be with me. Having you hear made me feel a little better, until I saw what I saw on that computer."

"Z, you don't understand," Piggy started. "Debts aren't so easily fixed."

"I know that, Piggy. You forget. I lived just like you did for years. I know how tough it is out there, which is why I don't understand why you didn't come to me," Z said.

"I couldn't."

"Well, I called you up here to tell you that I'm coming to you first, before I talk to Cruger about this," Z said, as she turned away from Piggy and peered over the edge of the rooftop. "These people you're dealing with are dangerous and you being involved with them is only going to lead to trouble."

"You have no idea," Piggy said quietly, standing behind her.

"But, if you cooperate with us, we may be able to bring them down before they do anymore damage," Z said, as she looked down, listening intently to Piggy's breathing.

She hoped that she might be getting through to him. Z knew that breaking Piggy away from criminal behavior was like pulling teeth. But she was prepared to do what she had to do. Little did Z know that Piggy was prepared to do what he had to do as well.

"It's too late," Piggy said, flatly.

With her back still turned to him, Z looked confused. She turned to Piggy, showing him her look.

"What?" she said.

"I'm sorry," Piggy said.

In a matter of seconds, Piggy reached out with both hands and pushed Z backward off the rooftop. His eyes closed, as he heard her piercing scream, while she plummeted to the ground, eventually landing on the concrete below. The blood-curdling sound of her body hitting the ground was something he knew he would never forget. Piggy had been holding his eyes closed tightly, but finally forced himself to look. When he peered over the edge, he saw the body of Z Delgado, crumbled on the ground. Her head, arms and legs lay in directions that soured his stomach.

Without any further hesitation, Piggy walked back to the hatch on the roof. In his younger days, he might have run, but this was a sin for which he knew he would never be forgiven and deep down Piggy didn't want to be forgiven.

"I don't think I can do this," Quinn said, somberly, as he stood outside the doors.

Bridge turned to his comrade.

"We have to tell him. He's going to find out sooner or later. Believe me. This is just as hard for me as it is for you," Bridge said, sadly.

Quinn nodded. The two stepped forward, causing the doors to slid open. Inside the room, they found Sky Tate sitting on the side of his bed, already looking defeated. He looked up at them and instantly he knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" Sky asked.

Bridge took a deep breath, but every time he seemed about to say the words, his mouth simply closed. It was a rare occasion when Bridge found himself speechless and this was one of them. The shock of the situation had finally caught up with him. Bridge turned away from Sky and walked over to one of the bare walls and leaned against it, staring at the floor. Quinn watched him and knew it was up to him. He looked into Sky's eyes.

"Z's dead," Quinn said simply.

"What?" Sky said, looking completely dumbfounded. "How?"

"She fell off the roof of the base," Quinn revealed.

"No," Sky said, as his emotions began to rise. "She can't be."

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, as he looked back at Bridge and then again at Sky, knowing what they had to be going through to receive another hit like this.

Sky stood up and walked over to Bridge. He leaned on the wall next to him and joined Bridge in staring at the floor.

"This can't be happening," Bridge said.

"Syd," Sky said.

"What?" Bridge asked, as he looked up at Sky.

"Someone's going to have to tell Syd about Z," Sky said. "She's going to be devastated."

Bridge nodded in agreement. All three of the male Officers lowered their heads to the floor. None of them knew how to find Syd. At this moment, none of them knew how to deal with their own emotions. Losing another member of Space Patrol Delta was something they never imagined.

In Newtech City, there was an area that no upstanding citizen would be caught dead in. Eastern Newtech was considered the underbelly of the city. It was located in the shadows, haunted in the daylight and alive only during the night. This is where the scum of the city thrived, forgotten by the city's main populace. Some of the visitors to Eastern Newtech were criminals. Some were forgotten citizens looking to drown their sorrows and some were shady businessmen, looking for the next nefarious deal to make.

On this night, some were lured by the promise of music.

Inside the lounge, called Purgatory, a perfect voice was doing just that, luring bodies into the darkness. The lounge was packed on this night. Some came for a smoke, others for a drink, but by the end of the night, they had all fallen in love with the melodious voice coming from Purgatory's stage.

Her golden locks seemed perfect, untouched, untainted. Her eyes, however, conveyed deep emotions. Despair, sadness and vitality, all at once. None in that lounge had ever heard the voice of Syren Dean. But now that they had, they would be changed forever. For that was the power of her music. Each note invaded their souls. One soul in the darkened lounge enjoyed Syren's song more than any other. He watched from the back of the lounge, completely in the shadows, with his arm crossed, never missing a note.

On the stage, the spotlight was on her and no one else. She had this audience in the palm of her hands, she thought, as she continued her soothing song. That was what she wanted. She couldn't see their faces in the darkness but in that moment, she felt more like herself. It was the part of her that enjoyed being the center of attention. It was the part of her that she had missed. The part of her that was completely Sydney Drew.

TO BE CONTINUED IN...

"Trials"
As Sky's hearing approaches, Cruger enlists the help of
an unlikely advocate. Syd settles in at Purgatory, gaining
the attention of its owner, Barrett Van Tigue. Despite the recent loss
of Z, Cruger sends the Rangers to Triforia, to investigate a
recent incident involving Triforia's S.P.D. branch. Kat
prepares for her Officer's test, which has her new promotion
in jeopardy. Sky gets an unexpected visitor.