Chapter 14

Tommy glanced over the other Rangers as they played a game of ball in the park, each one once again in their brightly colored monochromatic clothing. He smiled as he watched them from his seat resting back against a tree. He still wasn't sure what to think of any of them, he still wasn't happy with being part of their team, but he wasn't unhappy with it either. He didn't feel like he belonged in something like the Power Rangers. He was no hero, he couldn't see himself ever being right for the team. He protected himself and that was hard enough without looking to anyone else. Those five would jump in any trouble for anyone else, think of the dangers to themselves only afterwards, but Tommy wasn't like that. No, he wouldn't walk passed someone in trouble if he could help them but he didn't get himself in deeper than he could get out of.

A sardonic grin touched his lips as the bug in the moon palace activated, signaling him with a slight buzzing at his ear. He usually didn't get into situations bigger than he could handle. When he did … well, on those few cases there was always something personal involved as well. He tuned out the other Rangers' game and all other things on Earth as he concentrated on the signal coming through from his enemy's base.

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Lord Zedd leaned against the railing of the throne room balcony, scanning the world below almost casually for the young Power Ranger team as he waited for his warriors to return with their report on the assault they allowed to happen last night. As he located them, he didn't notice the insect land on the railing near him, the insect that should not be able to exist in his palace.

He watched as the five played some childish Earth game before his gaze was drawn to the sixth youth. The quiet one, the one that wasn't dressed brazenly in his Ranger color. The enigma that was currently watching his teammates play their childish game, an almost sardonic grin touching his lips. Zedd wondered what put that expression on the boy's face.

"My Lord."

Zedd didn't acknowledge Goldar for a long moment, simply staring down at the boy he planned to claim as his own. Still not turning from his current obsession, Zedd said, "You have discovered which agent dared target me. What upstart did you allow through?"

"My Lord," Goldar repeated, a hint of fear sounding through. "The explosion was not caused by any of the Alliance. The explosive used is common to one world only."

"And what world would so daringly defy me?" Zedd returned almost laughing, his gaze still locked upon the world below.

"This one." This caused Zedd to finally face Goldar. The warrior continued, "It was something they call a 'plastic' explosive, seen nowhere else. The only ones of this world I can think of that could have reached the palace without notice would be … the Rangers."

"You are saying the Power Rangers, Zordon's Rangers, made an offensive move?" Zedd hissed softly. "Those Rangers with the foolish code of never escalating a conflict. Zordon would never allow it."

"Zordon might not," Scorpina said, a smirk touching her lips despite the dangers. He refused to believe her when she said Tommy was a warrior. Reality was coming back to bite him in the ass. "But he did make Tommy 'co-leader' along with the Red Ranger. I have no doubt that most talented actor would do something like this."

Zedd backhanded her, sending her flying back into the wall. He did not appreciate having his own words thrown back in his face. Goldar stayed still and silent, praying to avoid punishment. Zedd stormed back to the balcony and glared back down at the Ranger team. The five were still playing their game but the young enigma was silently laughing. Another thing to wonder about. "And why," Zedd hissed, "do you think this child would choose to enter my palace, set explosives and leave?"

"Information, my Lord," Goldar answered immediately. "Finster confirmed that many of our files were copied to an external device just before the explosions."

"What information?"

Finster stepped forward and bowed deeply though the emperor's back was to him. "My Lord. The searches ran were for information pertaining specifically to you as well as the Empire and the whole Alliance. There was also a search for any information pertaining to Zordon and his government and any mentions of this world. Lastly, there was a search for information concerning the search you had us conducting. The one that many believe concluded through the discovery of that child."

Silence fell. Zedd didn't turn from staring at the Earth. "Leave!" he ordered harshly. The room cleared almost before he'd finished speaking the word. Softly, in the empty room, he breathed to himself, "So the child is trying to find the reason for all this. He doesn't just believe whatever that old windbag tells him. He does make the game interesting. I will enjoy claiming the child."

The boy looked up giving the eerie impression of meeting Zedd's gaze even though there's no way he could know it.

Still holding the dark lord's eyes, Tommy laughed aloud, drawing the other Rangers' attention from their game. They looked around but saw nothing funny. Trini and Kim walked over and sat on either side of him, smiling.

"Whatcha laughing at?" Kim asked.

Tommy smiled as he answered, "Just remembering how pathetically easy it was to infiltrate that oh so feared dark lord's stronghold."

The girls giggled, enjoying the lighter mood of their newest teammate. "Yeah," Trini said. "It was pretty easy. From Zordon's description I would have thought it'd be hard."

Tommy nodded. "As I said, Zordon can hide in fear all he wants. I'm no coward and I'm glad to see none of you have that weakness either. Nor are any of you too arrogant as to refuse to learn. We'll make that elite fighting force the news keeps calling us. - Any alien wants to invade our world or claim any part of it, we'll be here to fight to the end. They want to play, I say we write our own rules."

The other Rangers smiled in response. For the first time they really felt like they could win. Jason gave his co-leader a hand up and pulled him into their game. He went laughingly. Jason met Tommy's eyes and grinned. Despite his own words otherwise, Jason never felt sure of his place in the Rangers. He was no hero, he didn't know what to do or how to do it. He'd just been making it up as he went. But Tommy was a natural born hero, Jason knew with him beside him they couldn't lose.

Lord Zedd walked away from the balcony and sat upon his throne, contemplating Tommy's words. While the boy was speaking to his Rangers it almost seemed like the words were aimed at Zedd himself. A challenge thrown out or a challenge accepted. Maybe both.

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Continued - Review, let me know what you think!