As morning broke over Blue Bay Harbour, Dane was already awake and beginning his morning routine. He never in his wildest dreams imagined he'd be back here after he had chosen to leave all those years ago. Given the fact he had already seen students whispering and making suspiciously close passes to his quarters (something he made a note to inform Cam of since apparently a lot of the newer students had a LOT to learn about invisibility if they wanted to progress any further in their training), it seemed no one else did. He wasn't exactly comfortable with the title of "legend", but he knew his reputation around the academy, and it seemed it lived on long after he left.

He was just finishing getting cleaned up before getting ready to go and see Cam in Ninja Ops. It had been a long time since he'd been there, but his respect and reverence for the academy and especially the Headmasters' Chambers were still deeply ingrained in him. One did not simply walk into the Headmasters' Chambers, they needed to show their respect by being properly groomed and attired. Sometimes students receiving disciplinary reprimands would be dragged in, but other than that it was a matter of honour to ensure one was properly groomed, and wearing their uniform in an appropriate state. He'd scheduled an appointment with Cam for the following day to give him time to rest up, eat and get himself prepared.

He went from his bathroom back into his living quarters where his old uniform was laid out ready. If it was a long time since he'd been here, it was even longer since he'd worn his uniform. Getting dressed, he stopped as he heard a knock on the door. He zipped up his uniform to ensure he was decent for visitors.

"Come in." He beckoned. The door opened and Tori came in. "You're early."

"I just wanted to check that you were moving." She told him. "We find sometimes when people spend an extended time away from here, they…get out of the usual sleeping pattern."

"I lived on a farm; I've always gotten up with the dawn chorus." Dane said with a little smirk. "I've seen people sleep through earthquakes but I've yet to meet anyone that can defeat the morning cry of the neighbours' cockerels."

"You moved to a farm?" She asked him.

"I never did feel comfortable in a city." Dane confessed. "All those people, all that bustle. I mean, I have GONE to cities and I go into town for supplies but I guess I was out here too long. I like the quiet, somewhere I can see and hear things coming."

"Personally, I was always a city girl." Tori answered. "I mean, don't get me wrong I love it up here, but I always felt more comfortable around other people. Between my business in the city and Blake, it's easier for us to have a place in the city."

"I'll tell you one thing for free, I never thought I'd be back here." Dane told her. "But, I need some information that I think only Cam can provide." Tori started to shift a little uneasily.

"Cam's…probably waiting." She told him. "We should probably…you know…"

"Probably." Dane answered.

As he followed Tori, he couldn't help thinking about her reaction to him being back, and what he said about seeking information from Cam. He was starting to wonder if Cam had sent her to fetch him or if she had come for some other reason.

Over in Summer Cove, Sarah was heading to school on her hoverboard when a limo pulled up alongside her. She rolled her eyes as the window rolled down and she saw that it was Raymond.

"Sarah, hi! Long time no see!" He said cheerfully as the car slowed right down, rolling at the same speed as her hoverboard so they could talk.

"It was only yesterday." She reminded him.

"Yeah, well…in business a day is a long time." Raymond told her. "I was a little disappointed I never heard back from you. I was hoping to get a call."

"I've still got some things to consider." Sarah told him. "Besides…I lost your card. I'm sorry, I was going to look up the number and…"

"It's quite alright, I lose those things all the time." He assured her. "So, have you thought about…?"

"I said I'm still thinking about it and…wait…have you been following me?" She asked him.

"Sarah, look, I'm just trying to get this all sewn up for both of us." He told her. "You are quite literally standing on dynamite with that board! You know the guy that made those other hoverboards? The stupid things with the wheels that all the celebrities have? That thing made an absolute fortune! Can you imagine what one that actually does hover would make?"

"Ray, I've been thinking…a lot of this is…I mean the offer is…"

"If the offer is what's bothering you, it can be worked out!" He rushed out. "I mean if it's the number you're worried about, we can always discuss that."

"Oh, the number is…wait…what?" She asked. "So, you're willing to raise the number like…OK, that's not the point…"

"No, it really isn't. Stop the car!" He called out. He got out to talk to Sarah as she kicked up her board. "Look, Sarah I'm not kidding about how serious I am about this. I honestly think this could be the Rubik's Cube, the Teddy Rukspin, the, I don't know, Tickle-Me Elmo of this generation and I want to get in on the ground floor of it before anyone else finds out what you have and snatches it up!"

"It's just, all of this it's just so fast and…" Sarah started to say, struggling to think of what she wanted to say. She was trying to remember what her dad was telling her the night before. "I think maybe if you had something in writing I would feel a little better?"

"Well, if you're that insistent, then we can have something drawn up." Ray told her. "You know that Chinese place at the corner of Fifth? I have a table there for lunch, if you come over then I'll have something drawn up by my legal department by then."

"I think…yeah, that would probably make me feel a bit better." Sarah said, nodding. "Alright, I could be there by…one?"

"You won't regret this!" He assured her, shaking her hand. "I'll have my driver here pick you up. You don't mind riding in a limo, do you?"

"Well, my best friend is a Tien and one of my friends is the Crown Prince of Zandar so…no, I've no problem with a limo." She answered. Ray just chuckled.

"I like that sense of humour!" He told her, getting back in. "I'll see you then!"

As he pulled away, Sarah turned and made her way up the stairs, heading into the school. She made her way to the shop class where the others were already assembled, discussing something. Brody had messaged them all to arrange a meeting to discuss Ranger business.

As she got there, Levi closed the door behind her.

"Alright, we're all here." Calvin said. "Now, can you tell us what this is about? The suspense is killing us."

"As you know, Mick and I were doing research on the Galactic Ninjas, hoping to find something we might be able to use against them." Brody told them. "Unfortunately, it looks like a lot of what we've learned is…well…it's thin."

"From what little we do know they tend not to leave behind a lot of reliable witnesses." Mick informed them. "Most of their witnesses are either highly traumatised or their information was second, third or even fourth-hand. It looks like most of the witnesses they left were more there to spread their mystique and create an aura a reputation about them."

"Like the ninja did here." Calvin said, recalling his lessons from Brody. The ancient ninja used psychology as a weapon far more powerful than any blade or poison. While they did train their bodies and their minds to be able to perform some amazing feats matching or even surpassing those of a lot of professional athletes, often those that were not privy to their secrets were left seeing feats that looked on the surface to be superhuman. People seemingly blocking blades with their bare hands when in fact they were wearing climbing claws hidden within their hand wrappings, people disappearing without a trace using simple distractions, simple explosives…the rumours of the capabilities of the ninja went from superhuman physical feats of strength to rumours of actual magic. The ninja, for their part, were more than happy to stoke these rumours. Fighting beings that were described as everything from superhuman wizards to daemons and in some cases even Gods was a very different prospect to asking someone to fight another, albeit highly trained human. It seemed like the Galactic Ninja, for all their apparent eccentricities given the only one they'd met, still practiced this very powerful trick. "So, their strength might be exaggerated?"

"Even with exaggeration their skills are terrifying." Mick informed them. "Near as we can tell their stock in trade is planetary level extermination. Warlords pay them to clear out any troublesome local populations so they can sell off the planets for their resources."

"like an intergalactic version of a chop shop selling cars for spare parts?" Hayley asked. "That's terrifying."

"Unfortunately, right now we don't know anything more about them." Mick continued. "But maybe when that Speedwing guy shows up again we can get something out of him."

"Yeah, if he's not too busy kicking our butts." Preston stated.

"We've also found one other thing." Brody told them. "We figured out where the Green Ranger got her powers."

"Really?" Levi asked. "Where?"

"The same place as us." Brody told them. "When I found out about our…um…Levi and our uh…family…situation. I had a…moment."

"Moment?" Levi asked.

"The Ninja Star." He explained. Levi just nodded.

"What?" Sarah asked. "What is it?"

"Brody threw a Ninja Star into a wall." He told them. "But how would that…?"

"The star isn't there anymore, but neither me nor Mick removed it." Brody told them. "Which means someone else did."

"The star was made of Super Ninja Steel." Mick explained. "And we figure that it was taken before the Nexus Prism was moved back to the school…"

"But wait, both of them were in your workshop. No one knew they were there." Hayley stated.

"And you have traps and alarms set up around the farm." Calvin agreed.

"Which means whoever it is knows more about us than I'm comfortable with." Brody told them. "They managed to get into and out of the farm without any of us knowing!"

"Brody, all of us were there when the Green Ranger last showed up." Hayley reminded him. "No offence but the way she fought hardly screams 'master ninja' to us."

"But she managed to get past our traps which means she knows how to avoid them!" Brody replied pointedly. "And since she came here anyway, she obviously knows who we are somehow."

"Oh, uh, guys…I know you don't like it when I harp on about my Ranger experience…"

"Sarah, you were tech support for the Amber Beach team." Preston reminded her.

"Well, in the interest of adding my experience…Ranger Powers aren't known for choosing people for no reason." She told them. "If the Green Ranger did get her powers from the Nexus Prism, maybe we should give her a chance."

Just then, the alarm sounded. Brody and the team all assembled around one of the monitors.

"Well, it looks like Speedwing is back." Sarah commented.

"Alright, the rest of this can wait. Right now, we have a turkey to pluck!" Brody stated.

"But what if the Green Ranger shows up?" Preston asked him. Brody just looked to the others. It was a great question; one he wasn't sure he had a good answer to.

"We cross that bridge if we come to it." He told them. "If she helps, she helps. If she gets in the way…"

He couldn't even think of a way to say that, instead just gesturing to the team to follow him. The last thing they needed was something to complicate matters against when they still had no idea what kind of danger the Galactic Ninjas really posed.

Back in Blue Bay Harbour, Dane was sitting with Cam, Shane, Dustin and Tori. The silence in the room as they just stared at him while he relayed the whole sorry tale spoke volumes. For obvious reasons he wasn't keen on telling anyone else about his secrets, his shame, but he knew that at very least Cam needed to know if he was going to explain what he needed from him. While he'd have preferred it if he only told Cam, as the other sensei in the academy, Shane, Dustin and Tori all had a right to be a part of the meeting too. Dustin was the one that finally said something.

"Wow!" He stated. "That's…that's quite a story."

"I know what all of you must think of me. Frankly I deserve it." Dane told them. "What I did to Mariko was unforgiveable. But please, I need your help now."

"We always wondered why she left. Even dad was quiet on the whole subject." Cam answered. "So, what is it you need from us exactly?"

"I need to know where Mariko is now." Dane told them.

"Dude, I don't mean to sound judgemental or anything but…do you not think maybe this is one of those 'better left alone' things?" Shane asked him.

"It's not as simple as that." Dane told him. "Look, I don't want to explain any further, but…I really need to find her."

"Dane, normally we would but just like you, we made some promises to Mariko." Cam told him. "Even if it wasn't for that, no one's heard from her in years. She could be literally anywhere."

"I know it's a long-shot, but I just…need to see her." Dane told them. "I just need to know her last known location. I can look myself from there. Please, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"I'm sorry Dane, but I'm afraid we can't." Cam answered. "Mariko fell off our grid when she left, and we have to respect her decision to do so."

"But…"

"Dane, if she wanted you to follow her, she'd have reached out by now." Cam told him. "But, if you insist, we'll put it to a vote. Shane?"

"I have to say I kind of get where she's coming from." Shane said. "I'm siding with Cam on this."

"I'm siding with Cam too." Dustin replied. "Sorry Dane.

Tori didn't say anything, waving them off, but it was the second time that Dane noticed her seeming reluctant. Cam and the others got up from the table.

"You're welcome to the hospitality of the academy, but I'm afraid we can't help you any further." Cam told him.

As they left, Dane remained in Ninja Ops to consider what to do from here. It took him a little while to realise that Tori had stayed behind.

"Tori?" He asked.

"Dane, I…I had no idea." Tori stammered. "I knew…I suspected Mariko might have felt something for you but I had no idea I swear."

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Dane, Mariko gave me her diary before she left." Tori told him. "I remembered how close she and Aiden were so when we figured out Levi was Aiden; I gave him the diary. I figured she'd want him to have it. I had no idea I swear."

"YOU gave him the diary?" Dane asked her.

"I swear, if I'd known the trouble it would cause, I'd never have given it to him." She said sadly. "Look, I…I can't begin to claim I understand what I feel about any of this…but if what you say is true, if you have another kid out there…I can't be the one that stands in your way."

"I don't understand." Dane responded.

"Aiden wasn't the only one Mariko was close to." Tori responded. "She told me she grew up in San Francisco."

She handed him an address.

"I can't guarantee anything, but she came here when she was a kid, so if she was going to go anywhere it makes sense, she'd go the one place outside the academy she actually knew." Tori responded.

"Tori, I…thank you." He replied. Tori just shook her head.

"I have no idea if this helps, but please, just…if you do find her…make it right." Tori told him.

"I'll try." He assured her. "Thank you, Tori."

Meanwhile, over in Summer Cove, the Rangers arrived to the familiar sight of citizens fleeing for their lives, but unusually on this occasion they could also hear a clashing of weapons indicating that someone was already fighting.

When they got there, they found the Green Ranger had indeed appeared to beat them to the battle somehow. She was trying hard, but was already being overmatched. She crashed into a car, caving in the roof after one of his attacks sent her high into the air.

"HA! You call yourself a ninja?" He taunted her. "You Earth ninjas must have much lower standards than we do! I wouldn't let someone that fights like you polish my weapons!"

"Let's see how you feel when you have to take on the rest of us!" Brody told him. Sarah gestured to the Green Ranger.

"She took him on by herself." She pointed out. "She was fighting to protect these people!"

"Go see if she's alright." Brody told her. "The rest of us will take this guy!"

As Speedwing leapt towards them, the Rangers scattered, surrounding him as he started swinging at them.

"He's slower without his star!" Brody pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's like the difference between a Lamborghini and an Audi." Calvin stated, struggling to keep Speedwing from slicing him apart.

"I'm still more than fast enough to take all of you out!" Speedwing cackled.

Over by the car, Sarah offered the Green Ranger a hand.

"Here, I'll help you up." She said. The Green Ranger took her hand as Sarah pulled her to her feet. "How are you? Are you alright?"

The Green Ranger just stared at her.

"Well, you haven't de-morphed so that's a good sign, the powers seem to be holding up." She told her. "Alright, here's what we'll do. You head out left, I'll go right. We'll catch him…"

The Green Ranger ran straight for Speedwing trying to take him on. Sarah just threw up her hands.

"Or we could do THAT!" She complained. She watched on for a few moments as the Rangers struggled to keep pace with him. Without his Speed Star, they were faring a lot better, he certainly wasn't untouchable anymore.

The Speed Star! Sarah pulled it out and stared at it for a moment, considering her options. Her preliminary tests indicated that it SHOULD work with their tech, but she still wasn't sure how safe it would be. As she saw Preston getting knocked down, she made her choice, clipping the Speed Star in place.

"Guys, stand clear!" She called out. She spun the Speed Star in her sword and started to run. The effects worked quickly and she certainly felt the boost in speed. In fact, she was barely able to see as she blurred towards them. The Rangers all stood clear as she was running towards them. She hit Speedwing with her sword, but almost as soon as she had, she found herself slamming into a wall. She shook her head clear.

"What the hell was that?" Brody asked.

"Sarah, was that…was that you?" Calvin asked.

"HEY! That's MY Speed Star!" Speedwing complained.

"It's a little…um…" Sarah responded. "It's a little harder to get the hang of than I expected!"

"Sarah, you're using monster tech!" Hayley reminded her.

"And it's working! After a fashion!" She responded. "Alright guys, stand clear I'm coming through!"

She ran again, slicing through Speedwing, before hitting a wall, then a van, before coming back at him. She hit Speedwing again and again, but to say that her attacks were controlled would be grossly inaccurate. She was more like a human pinball than any kind of controlled projectile.

"Sarah, this is not a good idea!" Preston said as he pulled back.

"It's fine…It's working…sort of!" She screamed. "Guys, I'm coming back around, stay clear!"

She came screaming towards Speedwing, starting to glow as she powered up from the unfamiliar Power Star, aiming to end the battle. She was still hardly able to see. She was quickly becoming aware that the Speed Star did only that, it increased the speed of the user, but not necessarily their own perceptual or reaction speed. It seemed that Speedwing's own speed was necessary just to stop the Speed Star making him into an uncontrollable living bullet. As she was coming towards him though, she noticed something green coming into her path. She tried to veer to the side as she realised the Green Ranger was coming in to attack, causing her to trip. The momentum caused her to skid along the ground all the way into a wall a little way off. The Speed Star flew out of her sword, onto the ground away from Sarah.

Hayley saw that Speedwing had seen this and was going to collect it.

"I'm on it!" She called out, sprinting towards it. However, the Green Ranger was also going for it. The two of them slammed into each other, at which Hayley tumbled over. She saw Speedwing was already almost on it and kicked the Speed Star away.

"Cal, get that to Brody!" She yelled. Calvin snatched it up, but Speedwing was in the way. He looked around, seeing that the Green Ranger was getting up and was clear.

"Green! Here, catch!" He screamed, throwing it towards her. The Green Ranger saw the Speed Star coming and gripping her sword like a baseball bat smacked it away. They all watched as it streaked towards Brody, imbedding itself in his helmet.

"Brody?" Calvin asked. "Uh…Brody are you alright?"

"Guys…something is happening!" Brody said as his legs started to move rapidly.

"Brody, just stop and…"

"I…I can't!" He called out. "EVERYONE OUT OF THE WAY!"

With that, he sprinted through them all, knocking all of them out of the way as they were blasted back by a huge gust of air.

They all turned and stared at the Green Ranger.

"We told you to catch it!" Calvin yelled at her, flailing his arms. The Green Ranger appeared to hold a fist over her heart in response. Hayley was the next one to interject.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hayley yelled at her, waving her arms around angrily, before turning back to the battle. The Green Ranger just backed away sheepishly.

"Guys, you all take care of Speedwing. I'll try and catch up to Brody on my Zord." Preston gulped. "If I can!"

With that, Preston leapt onto the Dragon Zord, while the other four Rangers returned to the battle with Speedwing. Meanwhile, the Green Ranger just stood aside, hoping that if she didn't get involved any further she wouldn't make things any worse than she already had.