Author's Notes: One more chapter after this one in this particular storyline. I'm going to miss Jason, Trini, and Zack… but they won't be gone forever. LOTS of future space stuff in this chapter.

Thanks to all my reviewers: Ghostwriter, PinkRangerV (I would have probably brought my wallet. Of course, that's just habit for me… At least Jason has his passport at home, or he'd be in real trouble.), Mirajane92, McQuirk (More Goldar now! Now and forever!), lunarweather (I have not read that particular fic. I had debated on revealing the child's real father, but I decided it would make a nice moment between Goldar and Scorpina, so I threw it in there.), brankel1, notepadhalffull (I will be doing some adaptation of Turbo, both the movie and the series. It will probably be heavily adapted, as usual. I actually have real problems with Justin. We talk about 16-year-olds as "child warriors," and then here comes an actual child. He's supposed to be a prodigy, we learn, but he never really see much about that from him. He's too uncomfortably really a child, for my taste. I've got to figure out a way to make him work, and that's going to be more of a challenge than the other Rangers.), bleedredstars (So you haven't watched season 3 of MMPR? So you missed everything about Katherine, Rito, Master Vile, and the child Rangers? I'm about to be drawing from that era pretty heavily; it's the one I remember best watching as a kid.), jwstahle, falcon242, Psycho Tangerine, and GothamPowerKaiju (I actually didn't know that connection between Rito and the Alien Rangers. I was just sort of referencing how people in the wider universe sort of knows everyone else. That's cool, though. And I'm doing research on In Space, particularly in foreshadowing the Z Wave all over the place.)

Book 2: The Sword of Power

Chapter 10: Missing Piece

"Another."

Goldar laid another coin on the bar at the bartender's raised eyebrow. It was a dimly lit establishment, the type that made everyone pay in advance, or Goldar would have taken offense. Instead, he downed half of the purple drink the bartender laid in front of him, and then stared into the cup at his own reflection.

He looked tired, Goldar thought. More tired than drunk, more tired than he'd been in as long as he could remember.

The purple liquid rippled and distorted his image as he shifted the cup. He could almost regard himself as another person, a stranger. He'd changed so much in the past year, that he barely recognized himself. Ever since…

Ever since he'd sworn fealty to Lord Zedd.

Ever since he'd betrayed Empress Rita.

Ever since he'd broken it off with Scorpina. Ever since she'd slept with Tommy.

Ever since he'd befriended Tommy.

Goldar got rid of his reflection by drinking the rest. "Another."

The Power Rangers stood on a large raft in the middle of a vast ocean. An ocean, they knew, that covered 95% of the planet. They looked around. They'd been standing there for ten minutes.

Kimberly rubbed her arms; she wasn't dressed for the cold ocean winds, and the spray was dousing all of their clothing. "It shouldn't be too much longer," she said. "I spoke to their leader, Delphine, and she said she would send a transport for us."

Zack glanced nervously around. "Remind me again why we couldn't teleport to where they live directly?"

Billy was holding up a scanner he'd appropriated from Dex's ship. "It's for the exact reason no one can teleport directly into our houses. Their security is too comprehensive." He squinted at the readout. "I believe someone is coming."

"Right," Tommy said. "Remember, we're here to rest and get information. Let's try to avoid starting any wars."

Trini smiled thinly. "Not really our thing, remember."

Before Tommy could retort, a metal cylinder bobbed up beside the raft. The top opened, and they saw there was enough space for them all to take a seat. The transport seemed automated, as the seats formed a circle around the walls.

"Well, down we go," Jason said. "Thank goodness they're not making us swim there."

"As long as it's not a space zip line, I'm good," Zack said, getting in first.

The top half of the transport bubble was transparent, so the Rangers spent the trip downward staring avidly at the underwater world around them. They saw animals that looked like fish, octopi, jellyfish… and things not found in Earth's oceans. Here and there they saw people as well, people without scuba gear who seemed to breath water as easily as they breathed air. The people had some kind of gold mottling over their head, but otherwise they looked human.

"Whoa…" Kimberly said as they moved past a coral reef and got their first sight of the Aquitian city. "Talk about Little Mermaid."

The comparison was apt, though the Aquitian city looked less like an underwater palace and more like an underwater space-age city. The buildings looked like they were almost growing out of the ocean floor, like a combination of coral and tree roots. Topping each building was a shimmering dome of light. As they grew closer, they saw that the domes were semi-permeable. People were swimming in and out of them, but the domes seemed to be keeping the water out.

Their transport headed for the most prominent dome. They passed through the barrier to be greeted by a large well-lit room, though its walls reflected the shimmering blue of the ocean outside.

"So… I just realized," Kimberly said as the transport landed and they started climbing out. "How exactly did we not get the bends? We're on the ocean floor."

"This transport imperceptibly compensated for the changes in pressure. We are aware of your peculiar biology."

The Rangers turned to see a woman. She had long brown hair and was wearing blue trousers and a black and purple tunic with a white shirt underneath. She had the same gold and purple mottling around her head as the rest of the people they'd seen. She was flanked by four men who were dressed similarly to her, except with different colored shirts under their black tunics.

The five stood before the Power Rangers and joined their hands in front of them, forming a diamond shape with their thumbs and fingers. The Rangers copied the gesture clumsily, realizing this was some sort of greeting.

"I am Delphine, White Ranger and leader of the Power Rangers of Aquitar," the woman said. Her voice was slightly distorted, as if she were underwater. "This is Aurico, my second in command, as well as Cestro, Corcus, and Tideus."

The men nodded their heads slightly in turn. Corcus was looking them over suspiciously.

Tommy smiled. "Hi, I'm Tommy, White Ranger and leader of the Power Rangers of Earth. This is Kimberly, my second in command, and then Jason, Zack, Trini, and Billy. We're grateful for the welcome. We've been through a lot since we left Earth."

"We've heard," Tideus said. "The intergalactic communications network has become more interesting the past few days."

The Rangers glanced at each other worriedly. They knew they shouldn't have been surprised. They'd helped a planetary revolt and blown up a pirate ship. Those kinds of things got around.

"I'm sure there will be time to hear your own accounts of your adventures," Delphine said, giving Tideus a stern look. "Right now, I wish to offer you our hospitality. This entire complex is at your disposal, though I suspect rest and food is probably what you desire most."

"You're not wrong," Kimberly said. "Thank you so much for this. But… did you say you had this entire complex? And…" she glanced at a group of technicians who were just now approaching their transport, prepping it for the next trip. "People know about you?" she said, her voice softer.

Aurico chuckled, and Delphine's smile widened. "We are known as the Power Rangers throughout the planet, and we receive support from the central government. We do, after all, protect the planet."

The Rangers raised their eyebrows at each other. They'd so long protected their identities from everyone that they hadn't even thought of doing it another way.

"Come," Cestro said, stepping forward. "The other Rangers have other things to attend to, but I can show you to quarters."

Cestro led them through a passageway, lined by the dark coral/wood material they'd seen on the outside, as well as the shining permeable barrier. Every few seconds, they saw either animals or people shoot past the "windows." While not having webbing or fins, the Aquitians were fast swimmers, able to shoot through the water with only minuscule movements of their arms and legs.

"You're wondering how we are able to survive in both water and on land," Cestro said, his voice amused.

"I assume you have an amphibious biology," Billy said, squinting at the head mottling. "However, I can't ascertain how you gain oxygen from both the air and the water."

"Wouldn't it have something to do with those vocal distortions?" Trini said. "You sound like you're underwater."

Cestro had rounded a corner, and then pressed on a panel. The "door" was actually a permeable barrier that they could pass through, though with another tap he made the barrier retract from the passageway entirely. "You're correct. We actually never stop gaining our oxygen from water. We can oxygenate in air shallowly, but we store water around our heads that then passes to our throats, causing, among other things, what you call the vocal disruption." He smiled and waved them into the room. "I raised the barrier completely because I assume you do not want to pass through a water barrier. I'm afraid this place was just not built for your biology."

"Thank you," Tommy said, leading the way into the room. "We don't work so well underwater, but we're grateful for you watching out for us."

"It has been so long since we've spoken with another Ranger team," Cestro said. "But… we'll have time to get to know each other later. There are three double-rooms in this pod, and the common area provides for all other needs. I will send for some refreshments, if you so wish, but Delphine hopes that you will join us for a meal tonight. In the meantime, you may explore the complex as much as you wish. Just press the blue panel there by the door to ask for anything."

He again formed a diamond shape with his fingers, but left before they could think to return the gesture.

The Rangers looked at each other, a bit overwhelmed.

"They're government funded?" Zack breathed. "I'm surprised our own military hasn't tried to track us down and attack us."

Kimberly was trying out one of the egg-shaped cushions in the middle of the room. It formed to her body perfectly, no matter what position she was in. "I guess that's part of their whole planet knowing about the rest of the universe. They don't have to keep anything secret."

"I guess we'll find out more about their operation tonight," Tommy said. "Though if they're Power Rangers, I wonder what they're fighting against."

"I just wonder what kind of press we're getting that the Aquitians already know about us," Jason said. "Feels like we're calling a lot of attention to ourselves."

"If all goes well, we're on the last leg of our journey," Trini said. "Then we'll be able to teleport straight back to Earth." She stretched exaggeratedly. "I don't think I want to eat anything. I'll just rest up a bit." She looked significantly at Zack, and then went into one of the sleeping quarters, carefully manipulating the barriers so she wouldn't walk through water.

Zack was about to follow her, and then looked nervously around, remembering his parents' threats. As he did so, he realized that Billy had already left the pod (he'd spent their entire conversation poking at the various devices in the room), and Tommy and Kimberly was assiduously disappearing into another bedroom.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. Like I'd say anything."

Zack gave a guilty grin and followed Trini.

Jason looked around at the suddenly empty room. "Yup, this is what it's going to be like in Switzerland. All the damn time." With that, he decided to leave and go exploring. He didn't know if any sounds could travel through the walls, but he didn't want to find out.

Billy decided that he could spend a lifetime in the Ranger complex on Aquitar and never be done gawking at the technology.

He had quickly ascertained the utilitarian functions of the technology in their guest room—lights, doors, communication, entertainment—and had decided to go find more interesting areas. That, and he knew that two-thirds of their team would soon sequester themselves in sleeping quarters, and he didn't really want to be around for that.

He pulled out the Edenoi scanner he'd found on Dex's ship and started looking around for a power source. Could it all be hydroelectric? Or perhaps they gathered solar power from the water's surface? And how would a species even evolve in this way? He wandered, guessing at the direction of either their main area of operations… or at least a library where he could find all these answers.

He, instead, bumped into Cestro.

"I-I'm sorry," Billy stammered, recovering his dropped scanner. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Cestro gave a small smile. "It's quite all right. I see you took me up on the offer to explore the complex. Is there anything specific you are looking for… with your Edenoi tracker?"

Billy pocketed the scanner, embarrassed. "Not really anything in particular," he mumbled. "Just… this is the most advanced technology I've ever seen, and do you have anything I can take apart and put back together?" he said in a rush before he could stop himself.

Cestro gave a hearty laugh that immediately dissolved the icily polite manner he'd adopted. "I see. I've heard Earth has not yet achieved galactic travel or communication."

Billy sighed. "Most people on my planet still think Earth is alone in the galaxy… even when the planet is being attacked by aliens on a weekly basis."

Cestro nodded. "Believe it or not, not everyone on our planet agrees with everything we do here. Your friends were impressed with our government support, but it does come with its own… problems." Cestro grimaced, but seemed to recover. "But you wished to see an example of our advanced technology. At least, I assume you want to see something more than door barriers and light switches. I'll take you to my laboratory."

"Your laboratory?" Billy said excitedly, following Cestro. "You're a scientist, too?"

Cestro again gave a hearty laugh. "It must be something about being a Blue Ranger."

"Of course you'd find a fellow genius."

Jason was running up to join them. He was shaking his hair free of water droplets, and his clothes were drenched.

"Yeah…" he laughed a bit. "Forgot how to work the doors correctly."

"You can have some of my clothes, if you want," Billy offered. "I know you left your backpack on Divatox's ship."

"Later," Jason said. "I'll probably get soaked again, anyway. I've been on other planets before… well, one… but I've never really seen other civilizations like this. Since, you know…"

This would be his last chance, was what he didn't say. It hung between Billy and Jason, though Cestro only looked at them quizzically.

"If you wish to see a social center," Cestro said, "I can point you toward our recreation complex. Corcus should be there now. He's scheduled to hold a fighting demonstration soon."

"Oh, I'm definitely there," Jason said. "Just point me in the right way."

Cestro quickly gave him directions, and Jason jogged down the hallway, leaving both Billy and Cestro shaking their heads in amusement.

"I take it your friend Jason lives and breathes fighting like water," Cestro said, his politeness again dropping in his amusement.

"Something like that," Billy said, following as they resumed their walk to Cestro's lab. "At least, fighting technique and training. Until very recently, he was our leader. He… he's leaving very soon. He and Trini and Zack. They're going to become diplomats."

"A noble endeavor, though I sympathize with you. Their loss will be difficult. Our team has gone through two such replacements," Cestro said softly.

"It's… not optimal," Billy admitted. "I understand why they're going, and we do have replacements, but…"

"It does not make it any easier," Cestro said. "When Tideus joined the team, he replaced someone I'd grown… close… to. I rarely speak to him now… though that does not mean that will happen with your friends."

"Of course not," Billy said, though he knew that the prospect of keeping up with a long distance friendship halfway around the world was tricky at best.

"We are here, Billy," Cestro said. He pressed the panel twice, avoiding dousing Billy with water as had happened to Jason. "If you wish, we can provide all of you with water-resistant clothes, as we all wear."

"That's okay, Cest…" Billy trailed off, suddenly speechless.

The lab was expansive, much larger than the Command Center's central control room, or any lab he'd seen outside of movies, for that matter. The design of practically everything was wildly different from what he was used to. The computers more resembled coral than the box-like technology he'd grown up with. He wandered to the middle, where there was a water tank surrounded by a glowing barrier. This tank, as he craned his neck, led up to an upper level.

"Wow…" he said breathlessly, too lost in awe to decide where to run first.

Suddenly, he realized he was looking at a face inches from him in the glowing tank. He yelped and took an involuntary step back.

"Cestria…" Cestro said, a note of his hearty laugh in his voice, "that isn't nice."

A woman with pale skin and short brown hair stepped through the glowing barrier. "Oh, you're no fun, Cestro." She was grinning, though. "It's not like I was expecting a guest."

Cestro sighed, the sound coming out in a watery gurgle. "Billy, this is my sister, Cestria. She likes to tease people. Cestria, this is Billy, the Blue Ranger of the Earth Power Rangers. He wanted to see our laboratory."

Cestria smirked and spread her arms. She seemed perfectly dry, though she'd been completely submerged mere minutes before. "What do you think, Earth Blue Ranger?"

Billy took a breath. "I need to know what every single thing does, or I'm going to lose my mind."

"I'm afraid I have little time to show you around," Cestro admitted. A light around his wrist was blinking, and he kept glancing at it.

"But I have tons of time," Cestria said. "Don't worry about us, brother! We'll be sciencing." Cestria pulled Billy by the arm to a terminal.

Cestro shook his head amusedly as he left, knowing that neither Cestria nor Billy would notice.

Jason was feeling a little drier, though his jeans were getting rather cold. Still, he didn't want to go back to the room yet. Instead, he sat at the bar and ordered something that sounded at least slightly similar to what he was used to. Of course, it could come back as a glass of fish heads, he mused.

In a water tank in the middle of the room, Corcus, the Black Ranger, was demonstrating a type of underwater martial art. It was graceful, yet it relied on lightning fast movement of mostly the hand. Given the resistance in water, there were no sweeping gestures. No roundhouses, no hooks. Those moves would have taken ages to implement, and the opponent would be able to see it coming a mile away and dodge. Dodging was much more complicated when the fighters could work with a full 360 degrees of motion. Instead, he focused on tiny movements and quick jabs.

Jason was interested, but he doubted it would be all that useful to his own fighting. He wouldn't last more than a few minutes underwater, and any equipment that would let him survive would make any of those movements impossible. And… it wasn't like he was going to be doing any serious fighting anymore.

"You should see him on dry ground. He's just as quick."

Jason tore his eyes away from Corcus to regard Tideus, who from his shirt color was the Yellow Ranger. "If we had more time, I'd like to test that out."

Tideus gave a small smile. "Do me a favor and do not voice that request to Corcus. He gets over-excited when it comes to challenges. Your rest would quickly cease to be restful."

Jason turned back to Corcus's demonstration. "Like I said, I doubt we'd have time anyway. I guess we're cutting out of here tomorrow."

There was a raised voice, and Jason and Tideus looked over to see Delphine and Aurico framed in one of the entryways. They were arguing, though they seemed to realize people were staring and were trying to calm down.

Tideus sighed. "I was afraid of that."

Jason frowned. "Is there something wrong? Something we did?"

Tideus waved a hand, and Jason couldn't help but notice the oddly aquatic nature of the gesture. "It is nothing you or your friends have caused. Delphine and Aurico had a meeting with the Reef. Our central government," he added at Jason's confused look.

"I thought Delphine said you guys got funding and support from the government," Jason pointed out.

"Yes, and that's always worked out well for everyone," Corcus broke in, thumping the counter for the waiter.

Tideus steepled his hands. "What Corcus means is not everyone in the Reef agrees with our policy and the alliances we've forged as Power Rangers."

"That's an indirect way of saying that some worms who call themselves thinking beings wish to side with evil," Corcus said. He smirked. "They are a bit jumpy after King Dex came out of hiding and a certain slaver pirate was put out of commission." He took the drink the waiter gave him and raised his glass to Jason in a mock toast. "I bet I was right about some of them having trade agreements with Divatox."

"Why would anyone in their right mind want to side with evil?" Jason said, his mouth going dry despite the humidity.

Tideus looked down. "Not everyone sees it like that. For some, good and evil are subjective terms, and the opposition are in some ways more powerful."

"Meaning more profitable. And not everyone is in their right mind," Corcus added. "You're lucky, Red Ranger. No one else to tell you what to do." He smiled bitterly. "And you have Zordon."

"I wouldn't call us lucky," Jason said. He thought of the hard-won victories, often pulled off nearly at the cost of their own lives, as well as the lives of other people. He thought of Rita, and then of Zedd. "Sometimes I think we're all hanging by a thread."

Goldar knew the bartender wanted him to leave. He didn't want to leave. He didn't know where to go from there. Or… he was afraid of his choices.

Choices. That was what Scorpina had been talking about, when she urged him to give up, to go into hiding. That's what Tommy had been talking about, too. Scorpina was choosing to leave. Tommy was choosing to fight. And they both had their reasons.

Goldar, though, was starting to lose track of his choices, his reasons. He'd followed Rita for centuries. He'd chosen to betray her to save her life, but had that really been a choice? Why was he even fighting anyway? Why was he continuing to serve Zedd, enough to risk his life over and over, to subject himself to torment.

Goldar had no political opinions. He cared little for the machinations of the various rulers of the galaxy. Both Rita and Divatox had fallen in power, but that just meant rulers like Zedd, the Machine King, and Astonema would gain more power and favor. And Dark Spectre would remain at the center of the war, maintaining order as each planet fell under his shadow.

He was on the side that would win eventually, but he didn't particularly care. It was a fact, an anchor in the mad infighting and continuous battles. He'd known that… well, he couldn't really remember when he'd figured that out, so it was like he'd always known.

He got no joy from being on the winning side. He saw no point to it. Perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps… he didn't matter in the long run. None of them did. The Power Rangers could win battle after battle, and he could serve any of the rulers…

Or he could disappear. Like Scorpina. Just find a mudball planet and pass his years in obscurity.

He lived by honor. That was the one thing that made sense to him, but it had stopped feeling relevant a long time ago. He'd sworn loyalty to Rita, but had betrayed her. He'd sworn loyalty to Zedd, but only as a way to betray him. And in the meantime, Scorpina, the former lover he'd accused as faithless, held fast to her loyalty to Rita… and to the child growing inside of her.

Honor had been the only thing that mattered to him for so long, but what did honor matter in a universe so askew, full of dogs snarling after scraps and children playing with matches.

The bartender slammed a cup in front of Goldar, startling him out of his reverie. "Last round," the bartender grunted before moving off to clean the mostly-empty sitting area.

It was time. Time to make a decision. Around the corner was where Scorpina had told him to go. The man who could make him like he was before. Before the power upgrades, the surgeries… all the things he'd done to keep up with the rest of the universe. He could make himself go away, make himself unrecognizable. He didn't remember what he was like before, and he doubted anyone else did, either.

He also knew where the Power Rangers were headed next. Where the Sword of Power was. He'd gotten that information out of Dex's ship before he left, with a quick computer access before he teleported away. He could teleport straight there. Get the sword. Give it to Zedd. Buy a few more days of miserable survival.

It was down to a choice.

Goldar downed the drink and nodded to the bartender. Without a backward glance, he left the bar… and walked around the corner.

Jason followed Corcus and Tideus, glad that he wouldn't have to wander yet again to find the Rangers' dining room. As they cleared the doorway, Tideus taking the time to take down the water barrier for Jason, they saw that they were the last to arrive.

Trini and Zack motioned him over, both of them looking far too pleased with themselves. Billy was talking excitedly with a brown-haired Aquitian girl sitting next to him, and Tommy and Kimberly were deep in conversation with Delphine and Aurico.

Delphine noticed the three new arrivals and abruptly ended her conversation. "Now that we're all here," she said to the group, "we should suspend serious discussion until after our meal. Our chefs always like to impress guests, and they've had far too few opportunities lately."

The meal went smoothly; most of the Earth Rangers eyed their food warily, with only Tommy diving right in without a thought. They each took the opportunity to compare powers and weapons. The Aquitian Rangers were fascinated by the new Thunderzords, as they hadn't gotten such a power up in a very long time.

The atmosphere tensed as the dessert course (a kind of sweetened seaweed paste) came to an end, and Delphine motioned them over to a sitting area as workers began clearing their dishes. They were all served hot bitter liquid in thick glasses that resembled coffee, but the Rangers only sipped politely.

"Earth Rangers, we've heard of your recent exploits on the news channels… though they are known to be exaggerated," Aurico began. "We'd like to know how much truth they hold."

"That's kind of difficult to answer, as we haven't seen them," Kimberly said, warming her hands on the glass rather than drinking. "We went to… well, I suppose it's called New Edenoi now… to get information about the Sword of Power from Dex, although we didn't know the whole story. Unfortunately, Jason and I got our fool selves kidnapped by Divatox."

"Not an experience I'd like to repeat," Jason said.

"In the meantime," Tommy supplied, "the rest of us teamed up with Dex to overthrow what he thought was gangsters, but turned out to be Prince Gasket…"

They took turns telling the rest of the story: the return of Masked Rider and Dex retaking his planet, the attack on Divatox's ship, freeing the Edenoi slaves, and blowing up the ship while being pretty sure that Divatox, Rygog, and Elgar escaped. They left out Scorpina and Goldar's involvement, as well as the jar that Scorpina took. They didn't want to over-complicate the story, and none of that was particularly relevant.

The Aquitian Rangers listened patiently, Corcus laughing at the mention of Divatox's ship exploding.

"You've certainly gained some attention, though you've also kept your identities fairly secret," Delphine said.

"We're still pretty good at that," Zack said drily.

Delphine gave him a small smile. "That being said, we have to assume that people are looking for you, perhaps most importantly Divatox… though it will take time for her to amass resources. We should plan to get you all back to Earth before anyone has time for retribution… and few people are eager to take on Lord Zedd in order to get to you."

"We have to get the Sword of Power before we head back home," Jason said. "We know where it is… but the planet is an abandoned war zone. We're not equipped to get there. We can teleport in, but it will be difficult after that."

"May I?" Billy said, holding up his scanner and motioning to the table in the middle of the sitting area. Delphine nodded, and Billy hooked the scanner to a cord on the side of the table. He pressed a few buttons, and a zoomed-in map of the planet in question sprang up in green light above the table. The planet was surrounded by space debris, and a large inverted pyramid dominating the skyline of the largest sprawling city in the largest landmass.

"This planet no longer has a name," Tideus said. "If it ever did, it's long passed into myth and memory. A great warrior for the side of good fought and fell there, and after he left the rest of the planet was razed and forgotten."

"What was left of the planet when he did fall," Corcus said. "Stories say he lost everything, including most of his planet."

"But putting aside myths and legends," Cestro said, "you will all still have to contend with what's left. Which is substantial. We'll do what we can to equip you, but you'll be facing the unknown remnants of a war before we were born. Anyone who remembers what's there will have been lost long ago."

"And Zordon, who could help us, is still unreachable," Tommy said, his frown deepening.

"Cestria and I did a long-range scan of Earth," Billy said, referring to the girl who'd stuck by his side all evening. "From what we can tell, there are no power fluctuations that would signal an attack. It seems to be only communication problems."

"Seems to be…" Trini said worriedly. "But Zedd has fooled us before."

"One problem at a time," Kimberly pointed out. "We need the Sword of Power, and then we can take care of Earth. If we've really stirred up a lot of trouble, it's probably best we lay low on Earth, so we need this mission done now."

"I've done some research on older war technology," Tideus said. "I can provide possibilities, but few records survive of how to disable any of the old tech."

"That's where I come in," Cestria said. "Billy and I have sort of already started. We can work for the rest of the evening and have a report ready tomorrow morning."

"You will remember to sleep, sister," Cestro cautioned. "And that doesn't mean falling asleep over your computer from sheer exhaustion."

Cestria's smile seemed completely innocent. "Of course, brother."

The meeting broke up after that. Cestria and Billy practically ran back to the lab, Trini followed Tideus to their library for research, and Jason, Zack, and Kimberly followed Aurico and Cestro after they offered to show off their own Zords.

Tommy waved the others on. He'd been about to follow them when he saw Delphine sagging on the couch, her hands covering her eyes and massaging the gold mottling around her forehead. She didn't seem aware that the rest of the room existed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tommy said.

Delphine jumped. She'd obviously thought he'd followed the others for a tour. "I do not know what a penny is, but I doubt it would be a fair exchange for the burden of my thoughts."

"You hinted that things were pretty bad," Tommy said. "We haven't created shockwaves here, have we?"

Delphine regarded Tommy with the side of her eyes. "You may have added ripples. The waves were already here… and crashing."

Tommy sat next to her. "There's opposition," he guessed.

Delphine nodded slowly. "A small but increasingly vocal faction, who would rather buy the assured safety for the few than to fight for the continued freedom of all. Ever since Dex's killing of Count Dregon, those on the side of good have had to justify themselves far more than usual. It was… horrific. It drove well-meaning people to question the war, and others to try to take advantage of that by proposing new alliances… neutrality…"

"And in the meantime, your planet would be scooped up by a ruler for its resources, and you would have to flee or join the opposition," Tommy supplied.

"If we Rangers all indeed stood together," Delphine said bitterly. "We've recently lost our Yellow Ranger, because he started questioning our actions. I caught him communicating with… questionable people from offworld, and he decided to give up his power before it came to formal inquiry. It broke Cestro's heart."

"I…" Tommy worked to form the words, knowing that comparing his own experiences to hers would be neither helpful nor welcome. "I've always known that the war went far beyond my own limited scope. At least, I've been told that enough," he said with a smirk. "I don't think I realized how complicated it was, though. Between King Dex, and your troubles, and now we know slavers exist…" He looked at Delphine, knowing that she was regarding him carefully. "How many are on our side? Everywhere I look, I see mostly the opposition."

Delphine looked down. "Far too few of us… but more than you think." She picked up her beverage and sipped it. She grimaced; it had long gone cold. "I find it interesting, Tommy, that you always refer to the side of evil as 'the opposition.' I'm not sure it means anything, but it did make me wonder."

Tommy looked away. He hadn't particularly noticed, and it disturbed him how someone he'd known for so little time could notice something like that.

"I'm not a sympathizer, if that's what you're thinking," he said. It came out a bit harsher than he meant.

"That is not what I meant," Delphine said. She looked closely at Tommy, realization spreading across her features. "You were on the side of evil." It wasn't a question, though Tommy had no idea how she could have known.

"Not by choice, and I joined the side of good as soon as I broke free. As soon as my friends freed me."

"But you still have connections," Delphine stated.

Tommy again looked away.

"You are in a dangerous position, White Ranger," Delphine said, using the title on purpose. "You lead in an active war zone against one of the most sadistic tyrants in the galaxy. As a Power Ranger, you are a symbol for hope, even among people who have never seen your true face. These… connections… will lead you astray. I've seen it happen."

"I hear you," Tommy said. "I haven't let anything happen, and I won't. It's… it's not like I'm in contact with any of them."

Delphine smiled. "That's good to know, and I do not wish to presume. Forgive me. We should see how our fellow Rangers are coping."

Tommy knew she was changing the subject because he was obviously uncomfortable. The thing was… he knew people like Rita, Scorpina, and Goldar did affect his actions as a Ranger. He'd let all three of them go just the day before. Goldar was particularly dangerous, as he was actively working for Zedd against them, but if Rita was able to get out of her jar and come after them…

He was playing a dangerous game, Tommy knew. One day, he'd have to make a choice.

Billy jerked awake and blinked blearily. He shot a hand out for his glasses, and then remembered he didn't need or have them anymore.

Cestria was beside him, and she regarded him without really taking her eyes off the computer. "It's late. I let you sleep. If you're preparing to go to the forbidden planet tomorrow, you'll need the rest."

Billy rubbed his face. "I've fought with far less sleep before," he said. "What progress have you made?"

"The information Tideus and Trini dug up was amorphous, but it did give me some ideas," she said. She laughed. "I think my brother decided to leave us alone. He does that when I take to someone new."

Billy suddenly felt wide awake. "He doesn't think we're…"

Cestria snorted. "Of course not. Weird. He just…" She looked away from the screen. "I don't make a lot of friends. Never have. None of the other kids in the pods wanted to have anything to do with…"

She trailed off.

"Pods?" Billy asked hesitantly.

"Places for orphans," Cestria said. "My parents were killed in the civil war, when Aquitar was fighting over whether they would join the forces of Dark Spectre, or oppose them. The side to oppose Dark Spectre won, by the way, thanks to the Power Rangers. But…" she laughed a little. "My parents were on the wrong side."

Billy studied her, but then looked away when he realized what he was doing. His mind was reeling at the implications of a civil war to decide a planet's allegiance, one not caused by any spell or brainwashing.

"So Cestro took you in?" he said.

Cestria seemed to welcome the change to a brighter topic. "It began with a scholarship program. The Power Ranger center was just being formed, and the Rangers needed the best and brightest to aid them in their fight, including scientists. My test scores have always been the best," she said with not a little smugness. "Cestro and I took to each other, given our similar names, so we started calling each other brother and sister. It kind of stuck. It's… nice."

"I have a similar relationship with Tommy," Billy said. "His father… died right before he was going to marry my mother. Tommy didn't have anyone else… well, anyone else worth anything," he said, thinking of Tommy's mother and his uncle Steve. "We sort of took Tommy in after that, and we've been brothers ever since."

"It's nice," Cestria said. "Family. I tend to sequester myself in the lab. I only really get along with people who can be here on my own terms." Her face twitched. "And they don't tend to stay long. You're leaving tomorrow."

"Just back to my planet," Billy said. "It's not that far."

"It's lightyears away," Cestria pointed out.

"I invented communicators from spare parts I found in the Command Center recycling bin during my first month as a Power Ranger," Billy said. "I can figure out a way that we can stay in touch… if that's what you want, I mean."

Cestria gave a small smile. "I'd like that… We can figure something out. It would be nice to have someone to collaborate with other than my brother."

Billy smiled as well. "I'd like to collaborate with you as well."

The computer beeped, and the two scientists turned their attention sharply back to it, their faces warm.

"There," Cestria pointed. It was to a map of the forbidden planet (Billy immediately started thinking of Robbie the Robot every time he thought of the planet like that). "It didn't show up on initial scans, but I think we've found a safe path that will take you directly to the center of the city, where the sword probably is. We can get you coordinates and teleport you there ourselves. Our teleporters are much better suited to long-range."

"We'll still use the anti-tech we've developed in case of nasty surprises, but I think that path will simplify things immensely," Billy said.

Cestria got up and stretched. "Want to go for a swim? I feel like a husk."

"You do remember I can't breathe underwater," Billy said, though he found himself getting up and following her willingly.

"Of course," Cestria said. "We'll stay close to the barriers… but you haven't seen Aquitar until you've seen the sea."

Jason woke to a splashing sound and a muttered curse. He half rose in his bed (a water bed, of course) and regarded a soaked Billy with surprise and amusement. "It's morning and you're just now getting in?"

"Yes, Mom," Billy said.

Jason wondered briefly if he was dreaming. Billy stumbling in early in the morning, his bed not slept in, and snarking at him? This was perhaps the weirdest thing he'd seen in their mission so far. "You got some sleep, right?"

Billy had already disappeared into the bathroom, and Jason could hear the dryer going, so he knew Billy couldn't hear him. There were dryers everywhere on Aquitar; Tideus had told him that it was to keep fabric dry and bacteria from growing.

Jason was the first in the common area, careful to manipulate the door barriers so he wouldn't walk through water yet again. Food was already laid out on the table, so he helped himself. He was a few minutes into eating something that seemed a little like cereal when Tommy walked into the common area, stretching and yawning.

"You looked over Billy's report yet?" Tommy said, grabbing an unidentifiable piece of green fruit.

"Good morning to you, too," Jason said through a bite. "Nah, just woke up."

Tommy flicked something on the table, and a read-out popped up in front of Jason. He skimmed it. "A clear path. Yeah, it seems pretty simple."

"Seems," Tommy pointed out.

Jason scraped his hair back. "I'm pretty sure we can cope with any old war technology. The really dangerous stuff, like Tideus and Trini pointed out, would have already drained of power. And this path Billy and Cestria found should get us there okay." He took a gulp of water, ignoring the bitter drink from the night before. "I'm mostly worried about the fact that this sword is still there. It's got to have more protection on it than we think."

"That's got me worried, too," Tommy said. He grinned as the door he'd just come out of opened, revealing Kimberly. Jason averted his eyes. He really hoped none of their parents ever found out about the sleeping arrangements... or lack thereof, in Billy's case.

Soon, all six of them had gathered and ate breakfast. They were preparing to meet the other Rangers, when the barriers around them all blazed red, and a harsh, watery wail sounded throughout the room.

The six sprang to their feet and ran to the door, when the door flew open and Cestria ran in.

"Billy! Rangers! We have to get to the lab!" she said in one breath.

The six ran after her, leaving everything behind. The red lighting and alarm continued in the corridor, and people were running. Not in a panic; they looked to be well-practiced and disciplined.

"What's wrong?" Kimberly said, following closely behind Cestria.

"The complex is under attack," Cestria said shortly. "An enemy of ours... Hydro Hog. We'd thought he'd been destroyed, but apparently some sympathizers revived him. We have to get all of you out."

"But we can help!" Zack said. He had to shout over the alarm.

"No, you don't understand, he's after you," Cestria said. "He knows you're all ill-equipped to fight on Aquitar, and he wants to use you against the Power Rangers."

They finally got to the lab, and Cestria hit some buttons next to the door. "That should keep anyone out."

"Wait, I read about Hydro Hog last night," Trini said. "He purified water before he became corrupted, and now he absorbs water. Wouldn't that make him extra dangerous to the Rangers?"

Cestria was already moving to her computer, Billy trailing along behind her. "They're used to fighting him. If he absorbs water from them, they can dive into the sea and replenish quickly and easily. None of you can do that, so you all need to go. I'll teleport you out, but we need to do it now so I can raise proper defenses for the complex." She grabbed Billy's hand. "As soon as you're back on your planet, you'll contact me?"

"I promise," he said.

"Then get out of here," she said, pushing him gently toward the others.

Before any of them could react, the red-tinted lab had disappeared... and was replaced by a red-tinted planet.

The forbidden planet. They were near their mission's end.

"I wish we could have stayed and fought," Kimberly groused. "I feel like all we've been doing in space is running away."

"We're letting the Aquitan Power Rangers fight their battles and save us," Jason pointed out. "We'd do the same for them."

"In the meantime, we have a sword to find," Tommy said. "Let's get to work."

Goldar banged on the door for the fourth time. His brain had already given up, but his body hadn't caught up yet, so he knocked again.

He almost fell over when the door flung open, and an old man stared wildly out at him. "Do you realize what time it is? I was in bed," he growled, his voice like sandpaper.

"You're the man that does… the thing," Goldar slurred out.

The old man stared at him. "Very precise." He laughed. "You know, I get a few like you. End of your rope, and need a little liquid courage to go ahead and cut the rope." He motioned with his head. "Get in here."

Goldar entered the dark room. He couldn't really see anything through the gloom, and what he could see was all a blur. The old man drew him through two rooms and down a hallway, and then into a room dominated by a chair, with a confusion of technology surrounding it.

The old man pushed Goldar down onto the chair, and then calmly regarded him. "What brings you here, young man?"

"Not so young," Goldar said, his tongue feeling too thick for his mouth. "And why does it matter?"

"I need to know that you know what you're giving up. Once it starts, it will be too late."

Goldar remained silent, his brain sluggishly working through his thoughts. The old man stood by, watching, letting him think.

"First I need to know something," Goldar said. "Before I spill my guts to you, or whatever the hell it is you want. I need to know who you are. Or what you are. I need to know what the hell you're going to do to me, or if you can even do it."

The old man's eyebrows contracted. "How did you know to come to me? Who did you trust enough that you took them at their word?"

Goldar closed his eyes. His head was hurting. "My ex, if you have to know."

"Bad breakup?"

Goldar guffawed, but didn't say anything. He supposed he did trust Scorpina, even after all this time. And, somehow, he knew Scorpina was right. It was time to bow out. To disappear. He had nothing left to give, and only misery ahead of him. He no longer knew what he was fighting for.

"No longer know what you're fighting for, eh?" the old man said, and Goldar realized he had actually been speaking out loud. At least for part of it. "That's a pretty potent reason. This war can swallow you up. Death is kinder than what awaits most people. Being alone. Hell, without a purpose, you don't even have yourself."

"And what are you?" Goldar said. "What's your purpose?"

"I would think it would be pretty obvious, young man. I'm Eltarian."

Goldar stared at the old man, sizing him up. "Eltarian. Like Zordon."

The old man whistled. "Now that's a very old, very important, and very dangerous name. Zordon's one of the most powerful and talented Eltarians who've ever lived. Compared to him, I'm a purveyor of parlor tricks… though I'm able to do one thing, on a tiny scale." He smiled. "I can purify."

"Purify," Goldar said.

The old man tilted his head. "Or, if you'd prefer, make you like you were before. Do you remember what you were?"

"No."

"Probably better that way," the old man said. "You won't have any expectations going in. Are you ready?"

"Wait…" Goldar held up his hand. "If you're really Eltarian, you can do what you say. I've seen Eltarian power in action. But… what do you want in return? Payment, I mean. I doubt you're doing this as a charity."

The old man raised an eyebrow. "I may not be fighting, but I'm still Eltarian. One less soldier fighting against my fellows is a pretty large payment, all while avoiding violence. But you will be paying more than that. Your power… and you are powerful. It has to go somewhere."

"It goes to you," Goldar said, already tiring of the conversation and wishing he hadn't asked. He just didn't want any nasty surprises.

"I use it for various purposes, and it more than compensates for the power I use to initiate the transformation… or de-transformation, if you will." The old man scrutinized him. "So, I'll ask again. Are you ready? Some of us still want to go back to bed."

Goldar laid back in the chair, his mind clearing a bit. "Yes, I'm ready. Do it."

The Power Rangers wandered the outskirts of the city, morphed. Billy led the way, his scanner showing them a clear path to the center. They were prepared for anything, but there was nothing on the planet. Everything was dead. Even the air seemed dead, somehow. They'd partly had to morph when the air became too thin to breathe. On Aquitar they'd felt oppressed by humidity; here, there seemed to be no moisture whatsoever.

"We have to be careful of automated defense systems," Trini reminded them. "We're avoiding all the major danger areas, but there could still be motion detectors and pressure points."

"And Indiana Jones giant boulders?" Zack said.

Trini sighed. "That, too."

They walked silently, the quiet only broken by Billy's updates on directions. They shivered despite the heat. It was less like walking through a warzone or an abandoned city and more like walking through a tomb.

Kimberly suddenly stopped, drawing her bow and pointing it at the top of a broken column.

"What is it, Kim?" Tommy said, motioning the others to stop.

"I saw movement," she said. "Could be a trick of the light, or…"

Before she could finish, there was a click, a whirr… and then all hell broke loose.

What looked like thirty reddish Putties launched themselves out of a trench hidden by some debris. They were reminiscent of Rita's Putties, only slightly smaller and more erratic. It looked as if the red dust of the planet had stained their gray clay bodies until they all looked reddish brown.

The six Power Rangers circled as they were surrounded, putting up their guard. Kimberly had let an arrow fly in surprise, but the Putty had dodged the arrow neatly and not given it a second thought.

The largest one crouched almost double, jerking spasmodically and sizing them up. Rather than the warbles they were used to, it gave an animalistic shriek.

"Okay, officially freaked out now," Zack said. "What's wrong with these things?"

"Must be a different design from what we're used to," Jason said. "This is an old war zone, and Putties change."

Before they could get another word out, the Putties attacked. They weren't any faster than what the Rangers were used to, but they moved in odd ways, and it was hard to anticipate their movements.

Trini engaged one in close combat and brought her arms up in defense, when her opponent threw itself at her arm, mouth first. She realized it was trying to bite her.

"Guys!" She yelled, lashing out with a dagger. "Something's not right. These…" She couldn't even bring herself to call them Putties. "They're trying to eat us!"

"Yeah, I got that!" Jason yelled, ripping some smaller Putties off his shoulders.

"They've been here for centuries!" Tommy called out. "They've turned feral!"

The fight took on a new urgency, but not because the Putties were giving them much trouble. The Rangers knew they had to put the reddish Putties out of their misery. They weren't sure how long Putties could remain active, but these had obviously stayed alive too long.

A few minutes later, the Putties had all melted back into blobs of clay, which now looked like mounds of mud on the debris-strewn street. The Rangers looked around nervously.

"We can't know how many more of those there are," Billy said. "The scanner didn't even pick them up."

"If we see any more, we do the same," Tommy said. His voice betrayed his horror. "If their masters didn't care enough to take them back, and just abandoned them here, we'll do them the kindness of ending this existence."

The others nodded and continued. They didn't meet any more Putties. They did evade one automated laser gun pretty easily, and Billy was able to take them through a hidden minefield, but otherwise their journey was uninterrupted until they finally reached a statue.

A reddish-gray stone statue with a large, golden sword.

The Rangers regarded the statue. The shining warrior. It was a tall man, with wide eyes, a prominent brow, and a thin mouth. He was wearing full armor and stood holding the sword to the ground with both hands. He seemed to be looking over the city… the ruined city that he was supposed to protect.

Billy ran the scanner over the immediate area. "It looks free from any mechanical defense."

Kimberly squinted and adjusted her helmet display to zoom in on the base of the statue. "There's an inscription." She cleared the image and ran it through a translator. "Only those who are worthy may remove the sword." She looked at the others and shrugged. "Anyone feel worthy?"

"It should yield to us," Jason said. "After all, we're heroes. And this warrior was a hero."

"Solid logic," Tommy said. "Jason, Trini, Zack… want to do the honors?"

The three looked at each other, realizing this may be their last action as Power Rangers. They approached the statue and positioned themselves so that all three could grab onto the sword. With one last look at each other, they pulled. And pulled again. And pulled harder.

It wasn't budging. After a good five minutes, the three stepped back, glad that their helmets were hiding their shame.

"Don't worry about it," Tommy said. "After all, what does 'worthy' mean anyway?"

"Yeah, it could mean only the winner of a hot dog eating contest can draw it," Kimberly said, her voice forcibly cheerful.

"So you're saying we should get Bulk here?" Zack said.

They laughed, but the laugh was a bit hollow. They each tried separately. In different combinations. Unmorphed. They shot at the grip, tried to cleave it with weapons, tried to disintegrate the statue around it, tried throwing rocks at it (though they didn't think that would actually work).

But the sword remained, and the Rangers had no idea what to do.

With a start, Goldar remembered. He remembered everything. And he knew exactly what to do.

He yelled, clawing his way out of the chair and out of the Eltarian magic surrounding him. The old man must have panicked and shut the whole process down, because suddenly Goldar was fighting against nothing.

"What's wrong with you?!" the old man yelled. "That was dangerous! You could have been ripped apart!"

Goldar grinned manically, and the old man stepped back. "I remember who I was now," he said, his voice trembling with barely-suppressed excitement. Far from the drunken fatigue he'd walked in with, he was wide awake and dead sober… and more sure of himself than he'd been in months.

With barely a glance at the old man, not really caring for the weak old Eltarian or what he thought of him, Goldar teleported. He knew exactly where to go.

The reddish planet formed around him, broken buildings and columns and a giant inverted pyramid dominating the sky. He ran, laughing wildly as he practically flew over the dead technology, unharmed by any of it.

And there it was. The statue. The statue, holding the golden sword.

The Power Rangers were gathered around it, looking exhausted and frustrated, and now surprised to see Goldar. He laughed at their surprise, but didn't really regard them as threats. Let them try to attack. He'd never felt so alive.

"What are you…?" Tommy began, but Goldar brushed back him, shoving him back. He wasn't fighting the Rangers. He was merely getting them out of the way.

And finally, finally, the statue was in front of him. He faced it, grinned viciously at the worn visage… and wrenched the sword from the statue's grasp.

The statue broke, cracking right down the middle, and the hands holding the sword crumbled into dust. Goldar turned from the now-unrecognizable statue and stared at the Sword of Power, feeling the power coursing through him. What little the old Eltarian man had taken from him was replaced with more to spare.

"Wait a freakin' minute!" Jason yelled. "You… YOU… are worthy?"

Goldar chuckled, regarding the Rangers with almost pity. "It's not a matter of worth, not in the way you think. I am worthy… because I am the rightful owner."

Goldar imagined the looks on the Rangers' faces behind their masks. They were even too shocked to attack, when they should have by all rights been trying to reclaim the sword.

"My sword. My statue. My godforsaken planet," Goldar said. "I'd forgotten, but I remember now. I was a hero, but by the end of the war I knew the hero's journey was a fool's errand, and real power lay in the dark. So I stopped shining. I even left this sword when it lost its power… but it's regained it now." He smiled at the sword. "It's like reclaiming a missing piece of myself."

"So…" Tommy said hesitantly. "What does this mean? Does this mean you're going to fight for… that you're going to become a hero again?"

Goldar nearly dropped the sword at the halting, childish words. He laughed deep in his chest. "And why would I? I have power, and I remember why I fight." He looked around at his planet. "The war has long been over, and Dark Spectre has already won. Nothing remains but to save the universe from stupid heroism." He pointed his sword… HIS sword… at the Rangers. "Starting with you. While you've been running around blowing up ships and joining revolutions, your planet has been under attack. A battle that I will now join."

With that, Goldar vanished, taking the Sword of Power with him.