Author's Notes: This chapter is a bit on the short side, but there's plenty going on. I know you've all been eagerly awaiting this ever since I teased it last chapter.

Thank you to ALL my reviewers. You are all lovely and wonderful. I won't list your names right now, but you know who you are.

Darker Shades

Book 4: Mutiny

Chapter 1: The Storm

"Damn, Billy, we're camping for two nights, not a week."

Tommy threw his gear on the couch and picked his way through the clutter of the living room. It was usually reasonably neat, but at the moment countless tools and survivalist equipment were spread out, while Billy was sitting in the middle with a large pack folded open.

"The scout motto is "be prepared," Billy said absently. "We don't know what we'll need once we're in the mountains, and if we leave the mountain we're disqualified."

Tommy tripped over a strap and landed hard in a chair. He chose to stay there. "I was never in the scouts, and I don't think they're going to take money away from charity just because we forgot our toothbrush."

"Have you packed your toothbrush?"

Tommy frowned. "Oh, yeah. I will in a minute."

Billy had miraculously packed half of the stuff on the floor, and his pack still looked practically empty. Tommy wondered if he was using some sort of alien miniaturization tech. "We also have added responsibility because of our powers. What if we were to face an attack from…"

"Bears!" Tommy cut him off. Sylvia had just gotten home from her teacher meeting.

"Where's bears?" Sylvia asked, her voice sounding tired.

"In the mountains," Billy said, recovering seamlessly. "Though I doubt we'll be meeting many of those."

Sylvia looked at the state of the living room. "Billy, you're camping for two nights, not a week."

"Told ya," Tommy said.

Sylvia looked over at the kitchen. "Billy, I asked you to do the dishes before you left."

"Sorry, Mom," Billy said distractedly.

Tommy got up and hopped over the chair arm to avoid the obstacle course. "I'll do them."

"Oh, no, Tommy," Sylvia said, trying to keep him from the kitchen. "You already do too much. You've cooked supper twice this week before I've had a chance to get home."

"You've been busy," Tommy said, successfully slipping past Sylvia. "And it's the least I can do."

He didn't say that he hadn't even really thought of it. He and his father had always split the chores as evenly as possible between them, and Tommy had usually shouldered more of the burden. It seemed weird to just let Sylvia do all the work and never pitch in.

Sylvia seemed to admit defeat and sank into a dining room chair. Tommy put the kettle on, knowing Sylvia would want some tea. "When is Kimberly picking you up?"

When Billy didn't answer, Tommy looked up from the hot suds. "Should be any minute. We have to be there by 5:00 to make it to the campsite before sundown."

"I hope you boys have fun." Sylvia pulled the newspaper toward her and pulled out the crossword puzzle. "I'm glad the school is fundraising with something like this and not selling candy yet again. Trying to keep up with all those boxes…"

"I've never been orienteering or camping before," said Tommy, giving a pot a good scrub. "I'm kind of looking forward to it."

The kettle was going off. Sylvia got up to make her tea before Tommy could get to it. She lowered her voice. "I can't believe you talked Billy into camping. He's skipped these things ever since…"

"I think he's trying to prove something to me," Tommy said in the same low voice. "About recovering, you know?"

Sylvia looked like she was trying to hide her surprise. Tommy focused back on the dishes.

It had been a month since his father's death. Tommy knew he would never be the same, and he would never really recover from it. It was still like a very important piece of himself was missing, and he still had trouble sleeping at night.

Despite all of that, he'd grown a little tired of how everyone treated him. It was like they were walking on eggshells around him. It wasn't as bad as the first week, but there were still softened voices, and no one called him on his crap. He'd even skipped a Ranger meeting once just to see what would happen. Neither Jason nor Zordon had called him on it. Jason had just asked if he was okay, or if he needed a break.

He guessed he understood Sylvia treating him differently. She was grieving herself, and she was also trying to cope with having another teen in her house—one so different from Billy. Tommy had seen her speechless when he'd sold the van without telling her. But he'd done it so he wouldn't be such a financial burden on her.

"Hi, Ms. Sylvia! Are the boys ready?"

Kimberly had breezed through the screen door after barely knocking. Tommy looked up from the dishes with a wide grin. Kimberly was the only one who really seemed to treat him normally. Of course, he couldn't do with other people what he did with her…

"They will be in a minute, Kimberly," Sylvia said, glancing around at Billy, who was trying to stuff the last of his supplies into a pouch. "How was school?"

"Fine," Kimberly said automatically. She rolled her eyes. "Bulk and Skull decided at the last minute to camp this weekend. They actually asked me to sponsor them. I imagine they're running around town in a panic by now."

"Let's just hope they're not at our campsite," Billy said, swinging his pack on his shoulders with surprising ease.

"I thought those boys had stopped picking on you," Sylvia commented.

"They have," Billy said. "They're just annoying."

"Yeah, if they're around, there will definitely be bears," Tommy added, draining the sink and wiping his hands.

"Bears?" Kimberly asked sharply. "What about bears?"

"Don't worry, Kimberly," Billy said. "I've packed a fire extinguisher."

The three Rangers laughed as they gathered their things and left, while Sylvia regarded them with amused confusion. She seemed to decide it wasn't worth asking.

Kimberly, Tommy, and Billy picked their way through the crowd. When they found the rest of their friends, Jason and Zack were busy arguing over a map, while Trini was shaking her head at them and rechecking her pack.

"Thought you guys got lost already," Trini teased.

"We're not late," Tommy retorted. "It's only…" He frowned at his watch. "It's Kimberly's fault," he said quickly.

"Not even," Kimberly said, playfully shoving him. "You forgot to get your toothbrush, so we had to go back for it."

"Well, you're not really late," Trini said in a softer tone.

Tommy gritted his teeth. There it was again.

"That would take us into the next county, genius," Jason burst out.

Trini rolled her eyes again. "Billy, could you teach those two how to use a compass? They won't listen to me."

Tommy decided not to look at the map. He could make his way around pretty well, as long as there was a road and a map. But when all you had to go by was streams, trees, and woodland landmarks, he was completely lost.

"Jason wanted me to remind everyone not to teleport, even if we do get horribly lost," Trini added in an undertone. "We're normal humans this weekend."

"As long as the 'weather' holds out," Tommy said sardonically.

They all knew what he was talking about. Rita had not attacked once in the last month. Zordon confirmed she and everyone else was still at the Moon Palace, but she seemed to have given up trying to attack.

Of course, Jason reminded them that she'd lulled them into a false sense of security before. Just because she was not attacking didn't mean she wasn't planning something big.

Privately, though, Tommy wondered if she ever would attack again. There was that dream he'd had… And possibly she was treating him like everyone else did. He found himself wishing that she would just send a few Putties down… just to prove that everything was normal again.

"Okay, fine," Zack snapped. He grinned to soften the effect. "I guess that route makes more sense."

"Just as long as we don't lose the path during this stretch," Jason said, pointing to the map.

"Don't make me laugh," an overly-loud voice broke in. "You guys couldn't find your way out of a paper bag."

"Yeah! A paper bag!" a second voice wheezed.

As one, the Rangers looked over to the approaching Bulk and Skull. They were both wearing their usual black leather, and Tommy was trying not to think about how they were going to handle a hike in that material. Bulk had a crumpled map and a compass that looked like it was taken from a Happy Meal. Skull was barely upright, loaded down by more bags than the six of the Rangers were carrying. What looked like a hero sandwich was poking out of the side of a duffel bag.

"I see you got enough sponsors," Kimberly said.

Skull had put down a few bags. "You can still sponsor me if you want, Kimberly."

Kimberly rolled her eyes even as she grabbed Tommy's shoulder to prevent him from doing anything. "You know, that one was weak. You really need to work a little harder on your pick-up lines."

Tommy decided not to take issue with Skull's usual pathetic attempts. He was in too good a mood. It was the first day in a long time he'd felt normal again.

"You know," Jason said, eyeing the bags, "we're only camping for two nights, not a week."

Tommy smirked at Billy, who glared back.

"This is for two nights," said Bulk. "And we're the ones who are going to be laughing when we get back before you."

"This isn't a race," Trini said exasperatedly.

"If you're going to beat us, you better hurry," Tommy said seriously, deciding he was annoyed enough to mess with them. "They've already sounded the starter pistol, and the last two groups won't get campsites."

Bulk's eyes went wide with panic. "Come on, Skull!" he yelled, throwing the bags back onto Skull. He grabbed the staggering Skull and pulled him toward the trees. Skull kept raising his finger, obviously trying to point out Bulk's mistake to him, but he never got the chance before they disappeared into the woods.

The other Rangers laughed. "That wasn't very nice," Kimberly scolded.

"They'll figure it out eventually," Billy said. "In the meantime, I believe we will achieve our destination if we keep to a northwesterly direction."

Jason and Zack shouldered their gear and started walking. Trini was able to tap Zack on the shoulder before they got too far.

"He means that-a-way," Trini said, pointing in the opposite direction.

Jason and Zack started just as confidently in the direction Trini had indicated, and the rest of the Rangers tried to keep their laughs at a minimum.

"The Rangers seem to be perfectly safe, Zordon," the little robot exclaimed.

"Nevertheless, Alpha, keep a scan on the Rangers and set an automatic alarm if anything should happen," Zordon said. "We must move to the lower laboratory for this phase of the project, but we must not panic the Rangers should we fail to appear when they need us."

"Ay-yi-yi, I hate all this secrecy. Why can't we just tell the Rangers what we're doing?" Even as Alpha complained, he followed Zordon's orders to the letter.

"The Rangers will know all in due time," said Zordon. "If we tell them all now, they will try to use things they are not ready for. But we must prepare everything for when it is needed."

"I suppose you're right, Zordon." Alpha set the Command Center on auxiliary power. "Teleporting to the lower laboratory now."

"I will meet you there," Zordon said.

Zordon winked out of sight seconds after Alpha disappeared in a flash of light. The Command Center was dark, powered only by emergency lights.

One lone light was blinking a console, completely unnoticed by Zordon and Alpha. They had been rushed to complete their work while the Rangers didn't need them, or they would have noticed. Or perhaps they had been so intent on monitoring the Earth and the moon that they hadn't bothered monitoring the space beyond.

Goldar stood in the doorway of Finster's lab. Finster had already shooed him out of the room, but Goldar was unwilling to leave yet.

"Is she okay?" Goldar fretted. "Why did you have to put her under?"

"I didn't need to," Finster said. "She wouldn't lie still otherwise."

Finster twisted several dials on his new diagnostic table, on which Scorpina was now lying prone. Goldar knew it was probably wise to knock her out. Scorpina had been sick for days now, and he'd finally had to drag her physically to Finster to get her checked out. She hated physicals, and she hated being told what to do.

"Please do not worry. This will take at least half an hour, and I will contact you as soon as it is done," Finster said impatiently.

Goldar took the hint. Finster didn't want him haunting his lab while he worked. That was fair enough.

Goldar walked down the hallway, considering what to do. He'd read the intergalactic news already. There was nothing interesting scheduled on the central media outlet, and he didn't understand human media from Earth. He'd already trained that day. There was just nothing left to do to fill the hours.

Truth be told, he was getting stir-crazy. As was Scorpina. As was everyone, really. He'd seen Squatt and Babboo blowing dust bunnies into the air, trying to keep them floating the longest. Finster had constructed a whole diagnostic table out of sheer boredom.

He thought about Earth again and felt the urge to attack. To do… something. Not even for world conquest, but just to screw with the Rangers. To shake things up.

But he knew he could do nothing without Empress Rita's permission. And he knew he didn't want to talk to Rita about it. He'd tried. Scorpina had tried. All for naught.

Goldar took a breath and set out for the throne room. He at least needed to let Empress Rita know about Scorpina. She'd want to know.

Rita was sitting at her telescope. Goldar didn't ask what she was looking at. Even if she was spying on the Rangers, he knew no plan for attack was in the works.

"Have you ever been camping, Goldar?" Rita said without turning around.

Goldar frowned. "Yes, though hardly for pleasure." He smiled grimly. "I was stranded on a deserted planet for a year. I suppose that counts."

Rita pulled back from her telescope. "I suppose it does. I was just thinking…" She trailed off.

Goldar shifted uncomfortably. Rita was in one of her moods. She had been… meditative of late. Regretful. But not really of anything specific. She never mentioned what had happened. Goldar still wondered about the connection between her and Tommy. Perhaps it was to the point that they shared emotions, and she was affected by his grieving.

"How is Scorpina?"

The question came suddenly, startling Goldar. So she had been paying attention. "Finster is running a diagnostic on her now."

"I'm glad you were able to convince her to go to Finster," Rita said. "I tried to talk her into it. I didn't want to order her, though…"

Goldar hadn't realized she and Scorpina had been talking. Rita had shut herself away from everyone else. Perhaps the fact that the two were friends helped in that.

"I realize how bored you are," Rita said, again startling Goldar. She smiled at him. "Once we hear back from Scorpina, I want to organize an attack. The Power Rangers are cut off from civilization at this moment, hiking on a mountain, and it will be easy to cut them off from the Command Center as well."

Goldar's brain raced. It was as if they'd been in a long, dark tunnel, and suddenly there was a light. He could tell Rita's heart wasn't really in it, but at least she was trying.

The ground shook.

Rita and Goldar looked around in bewilderment, and then locked eyes.

"Moonquake?" Goldar guessed, knowing that was particularly nonsensical.

Before Rita could laugh, the ground shook harder. The telescope fell, and Rita and Goldar were sent sprawling to the ground. Goldar hastened to get up so he could help his empress to her feet.

"Jane, get me off this crazy thing!" Squatt and Babboo stumbled into the throne room, clutching at each other.

"Have you two started the castle's engines again?" Goldar barked.

"That wouldn't have started to whole moon moving!" Squatt retorted.

Goldar looked outside. The fool was right. The moon was shaking, and something was casting a deep red light on the surface. Goldar looked at Rita, hoping she had some explanation. Perhaps some magic she'd been working on?

What Goldar saw made his insides freeze. Rita's face was warring between anger and fear. She held onto her staff for support, but Goldar could already feel the power radiating off it as she prepared for… something. There was no question, though, that she knew exactly what was coming.

And as Goldar watched her face, he put it together. He knew who had arrived as well.

Before either could articulate it, a voice boomed through the castle.

"I am Lord Zedd, Emperor of all I see."

It wasn't shouted. It wasn't a boast. It was a calm statement of fact. It made Goldar, for the first time since he could remember, want to run and hide.

He watched Rita. Her face had won its battle; her face was now set in determination. Only a sudden cold sweat belied the fear that Goldar felt himself.

"He'll be headed for the upper throne room, his Chamber of Command," Rita said in a calm voice. "The one he created especially for himself when he owned this castle."

Squatt and Babboo had stopped yelling and were silently cowering. Only Goldar's pride kept him from imitating them. "What are we going to do, my Empress?" He wished his voice was stronger.

Rita looked around, as if she had just remembered they were there. A ghost of a smile stole over her face. "You will do nothing. He has laid claim to my imperial holdings, and only I can defend them. Squatt. Babboo."

They raised their heads and stopped their frightened whimpering at her voice.

"You two alert Finster to what's happening… if he doesn't already know," she added wryly. "Then hide. Keep hidden no matter what happens."

"But Empress Rita…" Babboo squeaked, "what about…?"

"You heard me," Rita said firmly, though there was compassion in her voice. "I don't like repeating myself."

The two ran for the exit, Rita's orders giving them courage.

"If all else fails," Rita said, "Finster can activate the intergalactic teleporter. It can get all of you out."

Goldar realized Rita was now speaking to him. He found himself drawing strength from her. "I will not leave you, my Empress. I will defend you to my last breath."

Rita finally looked at him, and he was startled to see gratitude in her expression. "Then come with me to face him. But do not interfere." Her voice hardened. "Not without my permission."

Finster had thrown himself on the diagnostic equipment when the shaking began, trying to keep any needles or sensors from being dislodged from Scorpina. She was still unconscious, though Finster knew he could wake her quickly if he needed to.

The quaking stopped, then started again. Then stopped. Finster stayed where he was until he was reasonably sure it was over.

His considerable brain raced for explanations. None of them were good. There was a possibility that their own presence on the moon and the powers Rita utilized had somehow destabilized the cold, barren satellite. Then there were the Power Rangers, though that was unlikely, as they would hardly have a reason to attack. Unless for revenge… but it had been a month, and Finster was reasonably sure that Tommy no longer blamed Rita.

Squatt and Babboo stumbled into his lab, gasping for breath. Finster moved to intercept them so they wouldn't upset any of his equipment. He opened his mouth to protest… but then the sound died in his throat at the looks on their faces.

"Lord Zedd's here," Squatt gasped out.

Finster's mind spun in panic. "But… but… what…?"

"I don't know," Babboo said, his voice growing squeaky, "but we're gonna hide!"

The two pushed past Finster and ran into the hydroponics lab beyond.

Finster sat down slowly as his legs gave way beneath him. Lord Zedd… He had heard rumors that the tyrant was looking to expand his territory, but to challenge Queen Rita for her's… To take what she'd acquired not only through inheritance, but what she'd worked for all her life.

Finster ached to go to Rita. He knew she would meet Zedd's challenge directly. She was powerful, but Finster knew she was no fighter. She knew more about magic than that skinless usurper, but she could not match him in either raw power or fighting prowess.

He got up, ready to run to Rita's side, to die there if he must…

But he looked at Scorpina. She was still not ready to wake up. And even if he did wake her up, she would want to fight and she was in no condition to do so. He had to stay and protect her. It was what Rita would want him to do.

Besides, he wasn't going to lose another patient.

Resigning himself, he flicked on his computer monitor, knowing all he could do was watch.

They could have teleported to the upper throne room, but Empress Rita seemed to need the walk. She needed time to prepare. Goldar knew at this moment she was pulling as much energy from the dimensional portals as she could safely handle. From what he'd heard of Lord Zedd, Goldar only hoped it would be enough. He could lend his own strength, but compared to either of these magic users his strength was insignificant. He was a warrior, not a ruler.

As they moved from one level to another, the castle seemed to change. Already power was being restored to the disused portions of the castle. Wind moved by magic drove away the smell and dust. Lights blinked on as they walked, following them down the hallway.

Lord Zedd knew they were coming.

For a second, Goldar considered running. Just grabbing Rita, running for Finster's lab, and getting him to teleport everyone out of there before Zedd could even realize what was going on.

But he couldn't. Rita still had her pride. She would never forgive him. And even as he thought of running away, Goldar found he couldn't stomach it. There was retreating from a battle, and then there was cowardice.

Sooner than he wanted, they reached the upper throne room.

It was vast and spacious, with a much wider balcony. There were no shelves or trinkets littering the throne room, no tables and maps. It was stark and cold. A giant throne on a raised dais dominated the room.

The man himself stood staring at the earth, a red glow from his eyes piercing the distance.

Perhaps this was the moment. When his back was turned, before he could expect it, Goldar could strike at the self-proclaimed emperor, perhaps weaken him enough for Rita to finish the job. Even if Goldar died in the process, it would be worth it.

Two things stopped him, though. The first was his promise to Empress Rita. He was not to interfere. It was her battle, and she would fight it on her own terms.

The second was seeing Lord Zedd. He'd seen him from a distance, long ago, when he'd been a young soldier. He'd seen pictures. But nothing like that could prepare anyone for the horror that was Lord Zedd.

The man was powerfully built, but had no skin, and no skull, from what Goldar could tell. All he could see was exposed muscle and, at the top of his head, half of an exposed brain. He'd heard magic protected Lord Zedd from the elements, but all Goldar could see was a silver mask and more silver that not only protected various parts of his body but kept tubes in place. Even from a short distance, Goldar could see mysterious liquids pumping through the tubes.

Lord Zedd turned around to face them. Wrapped around his arms was a deadly-looking python. As he strode to his throne, the snake formed itself into a wicked-looking metal staff. The infamous Z-staff, which was rumored to be the source of Lord Zedd's powers… and was also rumored to be indestructible.

"Lord Zedd," Empress Rita said in a steady, slightly mocking voice. "It is good to see you after all this time."

Lord Zedd sat at his throne. He had no discernable expression because of his mask, but he seemed to exude insolence. Goldar was startled to see the room shift in color. "Is it?" Lord Zedd hissed.

If this was supposed to intimidate Rita, she did not show it. "Welcome to my home. If you had announced your coming, I would have prepared a more hospitable welcome."

While Zedd was working to intimidate, Rita was emphasizing their equality and Zedd's status as guest and/or interloper.

"You need not go to any trouble." Zedd's own voice had taken on a mocking tone. "As you can see, I've made myself right at home."

Again, the room's color shifted perceptibly. Rita pretended not to notice, though Goldar could see a single bead of sweat trickle down her temple.

"I can certainly see that," Rita said. "I am surprised the old place still works."

For the first time, Zedd showed a bit of impatience. "We can drop the pleasantries, Empress Rita Repulsa. You know exactly why I'm here."

Rita's hand tightened on her staff. "I am afraid I am at a loss. Unless it is to sample the Earth cuisine. I would recommend the donuts, particularly the ones with Bavarian cream. Though, with your obvious difficulties…" she ended with the ghost of a smile.

Lightning lanced from the Z-staff, arcing mere centimeters above Rita's head. Goldar jumped back on instinct, but Rita did not flinch, did not even drop her mocking smile.

"Enough of your prattling and time-wasting," Lord Zedd growled. The chamber had shifted to a deep red, and a red glow emanated from his body. "I am here because you have failed in your mission. For millennia, you have failed. Zordon still lives, and you cannot handle the conquest of a mere backwater planet whose people have not even made it out of their own solar system!"

The room seemed to amplify everything about Lord Zedd, and for the first time Goldar felt real hopelessness. There was really nothing they could do against this monster.

If Rita felt any despair, she did not show it. "I will forgive your inexperienced assumptions, Lord Zedd. You have not fought Zordon, and you have not contended with the power he commands, or else you would not speak of him or any planet on which he resides so flippantly."

"The power he commands…" Zedd practically spat back at her. His voice had grown calmer and more serious…more dangerous. "Coins, machines… teenagers. These are the mighty weapons he uses against you?" He laughed humorlessly, deep in his throat. "You stand defeated by mere infants. You dare call yourself Empress of Evil?"

Goldar felt Empress Rita's voice in his head. It was short and to the point. Move back.

"You are a fool," Rita said evenly. "You are foolish to think the war against Zordon is that easy." She smiled. "And it would be unwise to underestimate those… infants, as you call them. Though young, the Power Rangers wield the might of the Morphing Grid." She raised her staff. "I would let you try… but I have no desire to give you my domain."

Zedd raised his own staff. "Very well… if you insist on suicide, I will not stand in your way."

Goldar had backed away, but the force of the two attacks meeting blew him off his feet. His head smashed against the wall. Shaking off a wave of dizziness, he fought his way to his feet and shielded his eyes.

In the center of the room, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa were locked in combat, though no combat Goldar had ever seen. Rather than punches and kicks, energy was radiating off them.

A thousand attacks met in the middle, and then the bolt of energy grew fewer, yet bigger. Finally the attacks converged into one large attack.

Goldar stood awed by the power, and especially the power of his empress. She was radiant… almost a goddess.

The battle raged, composed of magic and thought and things that Goldar could sense and not see. It was unbearable to be in the same room as these battling titans, but Goldar could not leave. Far from his promise, he could not tear his eyes away from the battle.

The six teenagers looked up from the trail to the sky. The sky boomed with thunder. Multi-colored lighting arced across the sky. There was thunder and lightning… but no clouds. It was like a hurricane on a clear day.

"That's impossible," Billy breathed.

"Looks like the 'weather' has stopped holding out," Zack groused. "And that was the funnest break ever."

Jason had already checked that they were alone before moving aside his sleeve to reach his communicator. "Zordon, are you getting this?"

Only static answered him.

"Zordon, do you read?" Jason said, a measure of panic creeping into his voice.

Again, no answer.

The six Rangers stared at each other in surprised fear. Above their heads, the bizarre storm continued.

"We should get to the Command Center to see what's wrong," Trini suggested.

As one, they pressed their communicators. It was almost without surprise that they realized they couldn't teleport either.

"It has to be some sort of magical interference," Billy said. "The storm and our communicators have to be connected somehow."

"Should we go back?" Kimberly said. "Maybe if we get off the mountain."

Jason looked at Tommy, who nodded his head.

"We have no reason to believe it's just this mountain that's cut off," Jason said. "It could be all over Earth. But we do need to keep close to civilization."

"Yeah, Rita could be attacking the city," Zack said. "And we don't even have a vehicle to get there if we're out here."

"We don't even know if or where she is attacking, if she is," Trini commented.

"Billy, don't you have a transistor radio in that bag?" Tommy said. "We could monitor the news through that."

"Solid plan," Jason said. "In the meantime, we keep our eyes peeled. I just can't help but feel that Rita will want to attack us here, and that freaky light show is just to shake us up."

They kept hiking. Tommy allowed himself, though, to fall behind as he rubbed his head.

"What wrong?" Kimberly asked in a low tone, falling back to keep pace with him.

Tommy shook his head vigorously. "It's nothing," he said. "Just got kind of a headache. Must be this storm."

Tommy looked up at the storm again. For some reason he felt more of a prickle of fear at this storm. Like… it wasn't just another attack.

Zedd stood motionless, tall, with energy to spare. Rita, though, showed the strain. Her teeth were gritted, tears and sweat streamed down her face, and yet she did not blink, did not move, for to let up even a tiny bit would mean certain death.

Lord Zedd held himself in check, staring at Rita, waiting for something. Instinctively, Goldar knew he was waiting for a surrender.

But Empress Rita would not give up. She would not give in as long as there was breath in her body.

She's going to die, Goldar realized. She was going to let the power consume her, let the borrowed portal energy eat her alive rather than give up. She was past caring about her own benefit, past caring about anything… as she'd been all month.

But she cared about her followers, her… family. She was going to sacrifice herself to allow all of them a chance to escape. Goldar could feel this knowledge come straight from Rita… not in telepathic words, but in unrestrained emotion. He knew what she wanted him to do: run to the lab, gather Finster, Scorpina, Squatt, and Babboo, and use the intergalactic teleporter to escape.

That was what she wanted him to do. But he knew just as well he couldn't allow her to die. She may not have cared, but he did.

He felt a single tear slip past his control as he realized exactly what he needed to do.

In a flash he knew would be unnoticed by Zedd, who had not acknowledged him once since his arrival, Goldar teleported to Empress Rita's throne room. He forced his hand not to shake as he grabbed the source of Rita's power, the crystal that held her access to the dimensional portals. He took a breath and teleported back.

Rita's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Goldar. With heart thumping to burst through his chest, Goldar held the crystal aloft so Rita could see it clearly. Her face broke into confusion… then rage… then fear.

Deliberately, Goldar threw the crystal to the floor, knowing the impact along with the strain already put on it by Rita would immediately smash it. Simultaneously, just as Goldar had hoped, Rita threw herself to one side to avoid Zedd's attacks, just in time for her power to break.

There was a ringing silence as the energy abruptly ceased. Rita had sunk in a heap on the floor, wracked with physical pain and, Goldar knew, the pain of betrayal.

For the first time, Lord Zedd's gaze focused on Goldar. He took in the shattered crystal on the floor.

"Your name, warrior?" Lord Zedd barked.

Goldar tried not to flinch. "Goldar… my Emperor."

At those words, Rita looked at him in wild yet silent fury. He knew that if she had her old power, he would be vaporized on the spot. Instead, Goldar had to force himself not to look at Rita… force himself to look at Lord Zedd. To force himself to…

"I vaguely remember your name," Lord Zedd said, his voice growing calculating. "It was you who broke this woman's power?"

Goldar nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment.

Lord Zedd seemed to regain his swagger. "I hardly needed your help. However, you have saved me from cleaning up after a rather messy death… You have proven yourself as useful and loyal. Therefore, I will grant you some of my own strength. You will need more power to serve me."

Goldar felt a sudden burst of power shoot through him, energizing him beyond his previous conceptions. And yet, the words cut into him. Goldar forced himself on. "Thank you, Lord Zedd. I am willing to serve."

"I bet you are," Zedd said mockingly. His gaze turned on Rita, who was trying to pull herself from the floor, but to no avail. She was too weak to move. "Well, now, my Empress. It seems as if your right hand man has deserted you, and taken your powers along with him. I would be willing to continue this fight… but it seems as if you no longer wish to."

Rita raised her head. Fury smoldered in her eyes, eyes that were no longer tinged with despair. "I cannot account for this traitor," she said in a broken voice. "You are welcome to him, and anything else you wish to take. I would only ask mercy for my other followers before you kill me."

Lord Zedd laughed. "And you believe you deserve an honorable death?" His mood shifted suddenly deadly. "Your followers and all your possessions are no longer yours, and therefore no longer your concern. You are hereby stripped of your remaining power and banished to your former prison." He waved one clawed hand, and strange-looking Putties formed from midair. "Putties, escort the Empress of Evil to her traveling vehicle."

In one swift move, Rita drew herself to her feet and to her full height. She left her staff where it lay. For one moment, Goldar thought she would begin the attack again. But she merely glared at Zedd and held her head high. "I can make my own way, thank you."

With one last look at Goldar, a look that he knew would haunt him forever, Empress Rita Repulsa marched to her "space dumpster," held aloft by Zedd's Putties. She did not look back as a bolt of energy from the Z-staff shrunk her and sealed her in. With a dismissive wave from Zedd, the dumpster flew from the balcony and disappeared into the void of space.

"Now then, Goldar," Lord Zedd said without a backwards glance to the balcony, "tell me about these Power Rangers. Then I believe we can deal with the rest of Rita's… followers."

It was Rita who had just been imprisoned, but Goldar knew he had just built for himself a far crueler prison. One that he had to preserve and strengthen… if he was going to keep everyone alive.

All he had to do was keep from dying inside.