Chapter 29: Insomnia

"Just wait Sky," Annie flicked her hair over her shoulder as they walked through the SPD base. "I'll kick your butt next time," she warned. The Blue Ranger in question just grinned back at her confidently.

"Bring it," he challenged.

"Anyone else tired of them competing over the top spot and kicking out butts?" Z asked the others.

"Me," Spencer fixed his glasses as the two looked innocent.

"Me too," Syd nodded.

"Me three," Bridge spoke up. Annie and Sky glanced to each other, before smiling at the others.

"Then you should all, you know..."

"Get better," Sky smirked. The others rolled their eyes.

"Great, like we need the two of them working together," Jack complained, but his smile betrayed him.

"Like a hole in the head," Spencer chuckled.

"I can arrange that if you want?" Annie offered, and Spencer turned to her, walking backwards as he grinned.

"No thank you, I'm happy with my head as it is," he told her.

"Too bad," Annie shrugged.

"Hope can be a dangerous thing if you let it consume you," Kat's warning caught their attention, and they glanced around to see Kat and Kruger talking.

"Well I still haven't lost hope for the A-Squad," Kruger's words made the Rangers pause as they went to greet the two. "Sometimes I wonder...if I hadn't sent them off to the Helix Nebula, maybe we'd have defeated Grumm already," none of the Rangers spoke, turning and walking away silently as the Commander's comment echoed in their heads.


It was well after midnight and Spencer sighed as he turned over in his bed, still unable to even doze. Kayden's soft snores echoed from the bed beside his, as the Water Ninja slept, oblivious to the thoughts going through his friend's head. With a sigh, Spencer fumbled for his glasses and slipped out of bed silently, leaving the room.

He couldn't help but wonder if the Commander was right. A-Squad were the best of the best. They had been Kruger's pride and joy, saving the day from any number of criminals. But Spencer had thought that they'd at least proven themselves a little to the Commander.

Hearing a scream, he was jerked from his thoughts and rushed into the rec room to see Z glaring at Jack, who was sitting on the sofas.

"Is everything okay?" Spencer asked as they looked around at him.

"Yeah, Jack just thinks it's okay to sit in the dark and wait till you're holding a drink to speak," Z muttered.

"Oh..." Spencer blinked, glancing to Jack, who shrugged. "Can't sleep either?" he asked the pair, who shook their heads.

"No. Jack, what are you doing sitting in the dark?" Z asked him as she and Spencer took a seat.

"I let you all down," he shrugged, making them frown. "I'm the leader and I failed," Jack stared at his hands. Z and Spencer watched him silently. "Kruger was right. We should have defeated Grumm by now," he muttered.

"You kidding me Jack?" Spencer raised an eyebrow. "You realise that Grumm is one of the most dangerous criminals in the galaxy? The only ones who ever reached his status were ones like Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Admiral Malkor, or Lord Arcanon. He's powerful, and we've been handling his attempts to destroy the planet fine," he told Jack firmly. Jack gave a small, wry smile.

"Spencer is right Jack. Remember where we started from?" Z reminded him quietly.


"I'm sorry," Jack apologised to the old homeless woman, who had arrived late to see if anything was left to be given. "We don't have anything else to give out. Maybe tomorrow," he told her gently. She made an odd chirping noise, disappointed, and turned away, her head bowed. "Wait, wait," Jack suddenly called. Z rolled her eyes as he pulled off his hoody and handed it over. The alien gave another, much more grateful chirp as she walked away, clutching it thankfully.

"If we're gonna make a change, then we're gonna have to be part of something bigger!" Z insisted to Jack as he turned to her.

"Yeah, well, when you find something bigger, let me know!" Jack told her dubiously.


Running through the market clutching stolen clothes under their arms, Jack and Z laughed as they escaped the person yelling after them, only to stop abruptly when they came face-to-face with Sky, Syd and Bridge.

"Outta the way! We don't want to hurt you," Jack warned as they fell into fighting stances.

"Hurt us?" Sky raised an eyebrow at them.

Within minutes, Z and her clones had knocked Syd flying, as Bridge and Sky were floored by Jack as he phased through a wall.


"We're not doing as well as before bro," Z groaned. "Any suggestions?" she looked to him.

"Run?" Jack offered, and the two glanced at their opponents before sprinting off.

"Oh, I love when they try to run," Annie clapped her hands together as Spencer sighed. Glancing around, Jack frowned when it seemed like they weren't following. Laughing arrogantly, he turned and kept running with Z. They skidded to a stop when there was a clap of thunder and a flash of light, and the two appeared in front of them. "Nice try," Annie grinned as they stared in alarm.

"Cadet Tate, you want to take over here?" Spencer glanced to Sky as he, Bridge and Syd ran up behind the two thieves, just as surprised. Sky nodded, lifting his Morpher and holding it up in front of him.

"You're both accused of stealing and redistributing stolen goods," Sky told them.

"Guilty!"

"Enough with the small-talk," Sky made to blast them, only for a strange figure with a large blue head to land between Z and Jack, and Sky, Syd and Bridge.

"What?" Spencer growled, before the stranger tossed a ball into the air. Nuts and bolts burst from it, and formed a group of creatures that surrounded the two groups of SPD Rangers.


Jack stopped, looking around as he heard an explosion behind him.

"They were really outnumbered back there," he reminded Z.

"They were trying to arrest us!" she snapped back. "Besides, it's not our fight!"

However, they ended up returning to the battle, leaping through the air and kicking the Krybots and Blue-Head away from the Rangers.


Kruger stood in front of the two arrested thieves, giving them an ultimatum.

"You can serve your time in prison, or you can become part of something bigger. Something that makes a difference," the Commander offered.

"Can we think about this?"


"We've got company!" Syd warned as a figure came from the entrance.

"It's Jack!" Z realised as he came into view.

"You guys need any help?" the young man grinned.

"Just a little," Spencer nodded. Jack lifted the Morpher in his hand.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Jack Morphed, to the surprise of the others. "SPD Red Ranger!" he leapt through the air, landing in front of the Blue Head. "Let's get this party started. SPD Red!"


"You really wanna be my friend?" Sam asked slowly, staring up at the Yellow Ranger.

"I already am!" Z told him with a smile, and Sam ran to her, hugging her tightly.


"Come on team! Let's finish the job," Jack led his team outside, following the two criminals.

"Get up Stench!" Thresher yanked his partner to his feet.

"You have nowhere to run!" Jack called as the Rangers reached them.

"Oh, we're not running!" Thresher fired a blast that the Rangers rolled to avoid, and they blasted the two with their enforcers, throwing them to the ground.


"Okay, so we whipped some alien thugs. So why does Kruger think he'd be better with A-Squad?" Jack challenged the pair.

"Because he's right," they looked around to see Sky walk in. "The A-Squad was the tightest, most disciplined team in the whole Academy," he stated.

"They were the best of the best. Kruger's pride and joy. There wasn't a battle they couldn't win," Spencer nodded in agreement.

"As a team, we haven't exactly always been on the same page," Sky added. "And it's mostly my fault," he admitted.


"Uh Sir...seems there was a mistake...I was given the Blue Ranger – I thought-"

"There was no mistake," Commander Kruger cut Sky off firmly.

"Let it go, Sky," Syd told him quickly.

"But Sir!" Sky ignored her. "I know it would have made a difference fighting those goons," he insisted.


"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Jack Morphed, to the surprise of the others. "SPD Red Ranger!" he leapt through the air, landing in front of the Blue Head. "Let's get this party started. SPD Red!"

"You've gotta be kidding me! He's the Red Ranger?!" Sky demanded furiously.


"Don't," Sky hissed at her. "He has no business being Red Ranger, but Kruger picked him. We have to answer to him," the Ranger warned her.

"Exactly," Jack nodded, but not before shooting Sky a glare. "It says right here that the Red Ranger's order are absolute. You cannot-hey!" he cried when Annie snatched the book from him.

"Spencer?" her voice was just as tense as her body.

"You may be the Red Ranger," Spencer held up a hand, and lit up an energy ball. Annie threw the book into the air, and the ball slammed into it, disintegrating it instantly. "But you're no leader," his expression hadn't changed, controlled and the complete opposite of the young woman beside him.


"We'd have caught that guy if we'd formed the Megazord right away!" Sky insisted as he and Jack walked through the base arguing.

"You don't know that Sky!" Jack shook his head.

"Actually, I believe I do," Sky growled.

"Really?" the doors opened again, and they looked around to see Jack and Sky walk in. "Well maybe if you spent more time with the team, you could enlighten us!" Jack told Sky, who rolled his eyes and scoffed loudly.

"This coming from the guy who used to order us around like he was our boss?" he challenged.

"What? Hey, I was just trying-"

"That's enough," they stopped, seeming to finally realise that they weren't alone, as Kat spoke up. "Fight the enemy. Not each other," the genius told them, looking angry at them.


"Okay, it's true, we had our differences," Z agreed.

"But we were all to blame. It wasn't just you Sky," Spencer fixed his glasses as Sky paced. "I know Annie and I weren't very accepting at first, I mean before you guys joined us, we were the only ones who were the B-Squad Rangers. We were a little arrogant," he admitted.


"Wonder what's going on now," Annie wondered as she zipped up her jacket. "Maybe it's about those other three in B-Squad," she mused aloud. "Maybe they're finally getting elevated to our level," she winked to Spencer, who rolled his eyes.

"Doubt it," he shook his head. "They aren't ready to be Rangers. They let those thieves get away yesterday," Annie rolled her eyes.

"Anyone would have been surprised that those two had weird powers," Annie defended. Commander Kruger had briefed them on what the other three members of B-Squad had gotten up to that morning.

"We wouldn't have," Spencer muttered.

"We're different Spence, you know that," Annie reminded him. Spencer didn't answer. "But you're right, they're probably not ready to be Rangers. They don't even get on with each other," she chuckled to herself, and they finally arrived at the command centre.


"Okay, don't get me wrong," Spencer started as he hit buttons furiously on the controller in his hand. "Nobody's really filled Jack in on his position as Red Ranger here," he groaned as his character was knocked to the ground. "But he should have at least read up on it himself. I mean it's been what...three days?" Spencer glanced to Annie, who was smirking victoriously at yet another win.

"I think Sky's just as much at fault here. He's clashing with Jack and the two of them aren't doing their jobs. Instead of helping us, they were arguing amongst themselves," the blonde reminded him. Spencer sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"We aren't a team, we're a mess," he complained, and Annie set down the controller.

"Okay, then let's fix that," she decided, getting to her feet. "Come on. We're gonna spend some quality time with the team," Annie told him. Spencer arched an eyebrow, getting to his feet


"Hey Spencer, are you going to do any work? Or just sit there?" Sky asked, noticing the Gold Ranger in the corner as they worked on locating the building.

"Shove it, Sky," Spencer muttered as he kept his eyes closed. Sky glared at him, but kept focus on the computer in front of him.

"Any trace?" Annie whispered as she approached. Spencer's green eyes opened, and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Not an ounce of magic in the area. I didn't sense any at the time either, so whatever this dude did, it wasn't a magical thing," Spencer told her. Annie frowned.

"Then how did he just move a building?" she wondered. Spencer shrugged.

"Are you two done whispering?" Annie scowled at Sky as he spoke again.

"What's your problem? Do you need a hug?" she demanded, fed up of his snippy attitude.


"This is my fight. I'm going back out there," he decided, turning to leave.

"What?" Jack frowned. "No way. We fight together," he told Spencer, who shook his head.

"Not this time," he walked out of the command centre, and the Rangers followed.

"Spencer, there's no way we're letting you try and fight that guy alone!" Syd told him, and he whirled around.

"You don't get it!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "That guy humiliated me. I'm going to prove to him that I'm just as good as my family. He mocked me, and I'm not letting him get away with it," Spencer told them firmly, his fists clenched in his anger.

"And you don't seem to understand that we're a team, Spencer," Jack stood in front of him, looking up at the taller Ranger. "We're not letting you do this alone. You're not getting yourself killed trying to make a point!" he shouted.

"You going to order me?" Spencer demanded. Jack's eyes widened in surprise.

"There he is," they glanced to Annie, who was scowling. "Spencer with the wounded pride, acting out against his friends and trying to play the hero. You've got an ego, and any time it takes the slightest hit, you try and get yourself killed to fix it," she told him. Spencer felt his face burn.

"Don't try to analyse me, Annie, this doesn't concern you. None of you have any idea about this! This is my-" Spencer let out a pained cry as fingers grabbed his ear and twisted hard, forcing him down.


"Okay, yeah, like you said, none of us really worked at first to try and keep the team going," Z agreed. "But we got there in the end, when it really mattered," she pointed out.


"Guys," realisation dawned on Jack's face. "This has gotta be one of Silverback's plans," he told them. "He wanted us to all be together," he smiled.

"You know what?" Sky caught his breath slowly. "When I was running, I realised, so do I," he admitted. Syd smiled as he took her hand. "I want us to be together as Power Rangers. And as friends," he told them.

"And the fact we all came running, I think it's safe to say we all do," Spencer nodded with a smile of his own.

"I wanna apologise," Sky spoke up again as they all nodded.

"I'm sorry," Syd and Z chimed.

"Me too," Jack nodded.

"Me three," Bridge grinned.

"I guess I was kind of a jerk. Sorry guys," Annie shrugged.

"Just 'kind of'?" Spencer grinned, and laughed when she punched him. "Kidding. I was too. Sorry," he put his arm around Annie, who elbowed him with a smile.

"Urgh, let's not make this into a group hug, shall we?" she asked, making them laugh.


"Ready team?" Jack called.

"Ready sir!" the others nodded, and Jack's Zord lifted Z and Syd's into the air, trying to join with them.

"Are you sure this'll work?" Syd asked dubiously.

"Knowing Jack, he'll make it work," Z nodded, confident in her best friend. The three Zords then combined together.

"Let's show him how it's done!" Sky called to Bridge as he landed his Runner on the ground. Their Zords changed as well, allowing the others to connect to them and stand.

"Just wait for us!" Annie called, leaping over another building. Her Runner connected to the chest of the Megazord, and Spencer docked on the back. The Megazord adjusted, and they called on their blaster.

"Delta Squad Megazord!""Come on!" Jack challenged as they faced the robot. It fired more shots at them, but they easily dodged, blasting it back. They then managed to get up behind the robot, only for it to throw rubble at them, knocking them to the ground. Their blaster landed on the back of the robot.

"Okay, let's try the sword!" Bridge suggested. They called on the sword hidden in the leg, and slashed the robot. They flipped over it, grabbing their blaster.

"Let's get him!" Jack called.

"Right!" the others nodded. The lights flashed, and they aimed the blaster at their opponent.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Fire!" the Rangers blasted the robot several times, destroying it.


"Sure, we've had our moments," Sky agreed, still pacing around the room. "But as a team, I'm not convinced we can beat Grumm," he told them. "Are you?" he challenged the three, who remained silent.

"Well not with that attitude you can't," they jumped as Annie seemed to materialise behind them. "No-one's sleeping it seems," she commented, passing them and going to the machine, grabbing a drink before sitting down. Wearing a vest and shorts, she had a dark red hoody on over her pjs, with what looked like a worn, stuffed wolf in the pocket.

"Not when people seem intent on giving me a heart attack," Z grumbled. Annie just grinned at her.

"Let me guess, we're having a pity party?" she asked, and they glanced away. "Ah I'm not here to judge, I know I haven't been much help either," she shrugged.


"Well you can do one of two things," Annie said as she caught him in an arm-lock.

"What's that?" Spencer grunted as he slipped out of it and swung a kick at her side. Annie danced out of the way easily, not only used to his moves, but since they were just sparring, he was holding back a lot. They both were.

"You can forget about it," Annie threw a punch that he deflected with the back of his hand. "Or you can ask Daggeron," she said as he pushed in close. She then caught his arm as she dodged his punch. Moving around him, she caught his head and grinned.

The few others who were out training early looked around at a loud thud, and found Spencer on his back, his legs over his head as he groaned.

"You said you'd stop doing that..." he complained as he managed to move so he was lying flat on the mat. Annie couldn't help but laugh as she stood over him again.

"You were distracted, I couldn't help myself," she admitted, offering her hand again. Spencer glared up at her, not moving this time. "Aw, did I hurt your ego?" Annie teased him playfully.


"I'm going to go take a long shower. Sorry guys, but I'm skipping martial arts training," Annie told them.

"Hey, wait-"

"Okay, two things," Annie turned back to Jack, her eyes blazing. In this distance, thunder rumbled, making Sky look around, his brow furrowing. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "First, I'll go if you can beat me in a sparring match," Jack hesitated, knowing her skills. Annie was the best of their team, seconded by Sky and Spencer. "Second, considering you've not attended a single training session since you found out you were our 'leader', you have no right to tell me I can't skip," with that, Annie spun around and stormed off.

"And with that," Spencer reached out and wiped his glasses on Jack's shirt, before putting them back on. "I'll see you in training," he smiled pleasantly, but there was a coldness behind it that made the Red Ranger shiver. He then walked off with Sky, leaving the Red Ranger watching them.


"Spencer, if you don't stop laughing," Annie growled when Spencer almost doubled over laughing. When he didn't stop, her eye twitched.

There was a loud crash, and Spencer's laughter turned to a cry of pain. Bridge looked up in alarm to see Annie pinning Spencer to the ground, her knee in the small of his back as she pressed his face to the ground. "Knock it off!" she snapped at him.

"That's more like it," Spencer managed to say, despite his face being pressed into the ground.


"Alright, what the hell was his problem?" Annie demanded as the Rangers reached the rec room, all of them annoyed.

"He's been cranky all week," Syd commented. "Maybe it's too much stress," she mused.

"Look, I'm not agreeing with the way he handled it, but technically the control room is..." Sky trailed off as he saw the expressions of the others. "You're right. It was a little uncalled for," he agreed.

"It was more than a little uncalled for," Annie growled. "Yeah I get he's our boss and all, but he had no right to speak to us like that," thunder boomed outside, making Syd jump, edging closer to Sky as he looked outside, not seeing a cloud anywhere.

"Breathe Annie," Spencer spoke, completely unfazed by it. Annie huffed, but took a breath anyway. The rumbling stopped abruptly.


A pained yell echoed through the base, and the rest of the Rangers, who had been eating dinner, exchanged looks and hurried outside of the rec room to find Annie pinning Kayden to the ground, pressing his face into the ground as he laughed loudly.

"You do realise you're not supposed to fight out here, right?" Sky asked as he looked down the two.

"He started it," Annie growled. "Stop laughing!" she told her cousin.

"Dude, the only time I've seen Annie like this..." Spencer groaned and put a hand to his face. "Really Kayden? You called her that?" he demanded.

"Called her what?" Syd asked curiously.

"Nothing!" Annie snapped as Kayden continued to laugh, despite his position.


"Would you ever relax Spence? You're going to burn yourself out," Annie rolled her eyes when she saw.

"Maybe if you focused on more than just putting people on their asses, you'd improve in the other parts of the academy," Spencer said coolly. The others inhaled as Annie's cheeks went red.

"And maybe if you focused less on being a smart arse all the time, you'd be able to take me in a fight after 18 years," another quiet 'ooh' echoed as Spencer shut his book with a snap.

"Perhaps I don't regard fighting as the best way to show I'm better," he met her gaze coolly.

"This doesn't sound like it's going to go the way Kruger wants it too," Z commented, keeping her eyes ahead as she heard Annie and Spencer's quiet arguing. There was suddenly a yell and a thud, and she looked around sharply to find Annie and Spencer wrestling on the ground, yelling abuse at each other.

"Guys come on!" Jack shouted, but was laughing as Spencer pushed Annie back, trying to see as his glasses, as well as his book, went skittering across the floor.

"Come on Annabelle, prove me right!" Spencer goaded.

"Don't call me that!" Spencer let out a howl as she grabbed a fistful of his hair.


Spencer rubbed his head, messing up his tossed hair even more, and glanced around as Bridge walked through, yawning widely as he grabbed a cupcake from the machine.

"Bridge? Why are you eating a cupcake in the middle of the night?" Sky couldn't help but laugh.

"I always eat when I'm responsible for the end of the world," Bridge shrugged.


"Bridge, do you have to talk with your mouth full?" Z complained irritably, having gone back to her book.

"Toast!" he smiled brightly, as if this solved everything. "Want some? It's buttery," he wiggled his fingers by his mouth.

"Buttery?" Z and Spencer chorused, mimicking him.

"Buttery," Bridge nodded, doing it again.


"I doubt as weird as Bridge sniffing a dog," she commented.

"I don't know...wait, what?" Spencer peeked out and saw Bridge sniffing the dog owned by the witness, before he was hauled to his feet by Jack


"What do you think Bridge?" Annie asked, glancing to the Green Ranger, who had been quiet since they had gotten back. He didn't answer, his back to them. "Bridge?" she called louder, and he glanced around.

"Oh, sorry guys, I was just reading," he turned around with a smile. "See all the cool artwork on the book? It made me think it was going to be a really great book! But it's not," he dropped it to the ground. "It's lame," he announced. "I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover," Bridge mused.


"Wait a minute!" Bridge gasped, turning abruptly to them. "What did the alien say he was after?" he asked them. When they all looked blank, Bridge turned and did a handstand against the wall.


"You can be a little odd Bridge," Jack admitted as the five Rangers did handstands as Bridge sat on the ground watching them, "But without you, we wouldn't have caught half those freaks," the Red Ranger pointed out.


"Sophie!" he realised, flipping back the right way up. "S-O-P-H-I-E? Series One Processor...?"

"Hyper..."

"Intelligence..."

"Encrypter!"

"We practically handed her to them," Bridge groaned.


"That's him!" they looked around at Diane as she stormed into view. "That's the alien I saw break into the bank!" she accused, pointing at T-Top. "Arrest him!" she yelled.

"But he's not guilty," Bridge shook his head.

"How is that possible?" Diane asked in amusement.

"You should know, you're the one who framed him!" Bridge accused. Her smile dropped and her eyebrow rose."Bridge, are you sure about that?" Jack asked him slowly.

"It makes sense," he glanced to Annie. "All the evidence Bridge found has led to her," she told them.

"And a lot of criminals try to insert themselves into the investigation to dodge suspicion, while keeping an eye on what we know," Spencer nodded.

"But her?" Jack asked reluctantly.

"Yep!" Bridge turned and walked over to a car, hauling it over his head before tossing it at Diane. She gasped, taking a step back as Jack let out a yell and ran to help. Her eyes then flashed red, before she changed appearance, raising her hand. A powerful jet of water burst from it, and cut through the car. It landed on either side of her, and she remained unharmed as Jack skidded to a stop, stunned.

"Oh no..." Hydrax gulped, realising her slip.


As they fell over, unable to remain upside down, Bridge couldn't help but smile slightly as they groaned.

"Okay, then whose fault is it?" he asked.

"Mine," they looked up as Syd walked in, curlers in her hair as she held Peanuts close. "I can't sleep, it just keeps swirling around in my head," she complained. "I'm gonna have bags tomorrow," she grumbled as everyone got up and walked over to the sofas. "I spend too much time thinking about me. Me, me, me," Syd pulled the curlers from her hair as she sat down. "I'm the reason we can't win," she told them.


"Peanuts!" Syd finally exclaimed.

"I'm all outta peanuts, but I got some toast, want some?" Bridge offered.

"It's buttery," Annie giggled, and Bridge nodded eagerly.

"No, Peanuts!" Syd exclaimed, sounding more and more upset. "You know, the stuffed animal I've had since I was five?" she demanded of her room-mate. Z gave a laugh.

"You've only had that thing for a year?" she asked with a smirk. The other three tried and failed miserably to hide their smiles.

"Very funny," Syd replied sarcastically, not impressed. "Now what did you do with him?" she demanded.

"I didn't take your Peanuts. End of conversation," Z told her firmly, going back to her book.

"But he's gone..." Syd's hostility faded, leaving her worry. "Who would have taken him?" she wondered as the doors opened behind her. RIC walked in, and the rooster noise he made caught their attention.

"Uh...Syd?" Spencer pointed behind her, and Syd gasped.

"No!" the Pink Ranger ran over to the robotic dog, who was carrying a toy elephant in his mouth. Z laughed in amusement as Syd fought to get her elephant back.


"Well if you ask me, he's been ready for the scrap heap for a while now," Syd shrugged, not bothered by the news.

"Syd!" Z stared at her. "That's cold, even for you," Syd frowned, not understanding as Spencer stared at the robotic dog who had been then before he'd started.

"You heard the Commander, he's outdated," Syd shrugged.


"Syd, you've taught us all how to be better Rangers," Z told her gently as Syd pulled her legs up and put her arms around them.

"Yeah, you've never given up on anything," Spencer nodded.


"Just a few more minutes," she told them, wiping the sweat from her face.

"I hate to say it, but he obviously wasn't able to trace the scent," Z said, shaking her head.

"We're not sure of that yet," Syd didn't look up from digging.

"We told you Syd," Bridge crouched beside her. "We didn't have enough time to test the program. He might still be kinda buggy," the Green Ranger warned, and RIC barked. Syd finally hesitated.

"But he seemed so sure," she looked up at RIC sadly.

"Well there's no use in all of us wasting our time out here," Sky pointed out. "Come on guys," he walked off, and Jack shook his head as Annie rolled her eyes. Jack and Z then followed the Blue Ranger back to their vehicles.

"Syd, how about we get RIC back to base, and when we test his systems to make sure they work, then he can try again?" Annie asked as she crouched beside the Pink Ranger as well.

"Come on RIC," Bridge called, and RIC whimpered, walking away with his tail between his legs and his head his glasses off as the rain made them unusable, Spencer watched Syd, whose pace hadn't slowed even once the downpour started.

"You can go back Spencer, I've got this," the Pink Ranger told him, not looking up.

"I'm not leaving you out here on your own," Spencer told her. Syd finally paused, looking up. Her face was flushed from overexertion.

"Why?" she frowned at him. Spencer grinned back as he put his glasses back on.

"For the same reason you didn't give up on RIC. You're so sure, so how can I not back you up?" the Gold Ranger shrugged. Syd stared at him for a moment, before the ground began to shake. Syd cried out as the ground beneath her suddenly gave way, and she fell down into a hole. "Syd!" Spencer peered in.

"I'm okay!" she called up. "But I can't see anything," Syd complained.

"Careful, I'm coming down," Syd moved aside, and Spencer landed easily beside her. He pulled off his soaked jacket, and he lit up, filling the room with light. "This power is pretty useful, huh?" Spencer grinned, and Syd nodded, her eyes wide. Even after seeing it before, it was still alarming to witness. "What is this place?" he wondered, and Syd looked around.

"Look!" she gasped, walking past him to the shelves full of the same green slime. "Oh my goodness...wow!" Syd lifted one of the containers as Spencer looked around. There were shelves full of the stuff. "I knew it! RIC was right!" Syd smiled brightly.


"You know Sky, it wasn't your fault," Syd told the Blue Ranger as they walked along the path.

"Yes it was Syd. Don't try to make me feel less guilty," Sky replied, not looking at her as he quickened his pace. She rolled her eyes and sped up to keep up with him.

"No it's not. Mirlok was cruel to play you like that. It's him who's to blame. Not you," she told him firmly. Sky didn't reply, and Syd sighed.

"Thanks," she almost missed his quiet word, which made her smile. Sky glanced to her and looked away as quickly, his cheeks warming as he saw her smile.


"I guess you're right," Syd smiled. "I am great," she decided, making them laugh quietly as Sky pulled her close.

"What if that's why Kruger became the Shadow Ranger?" they looked over at Annie, who was leaning against Bridge on the ground. "He didn't think we could do this ourselves?" she asked them.


"Who's that?" Syd gasped.

"There's only one person it could be," Spencer laughed.

"Look, his sword!" Syd realised.

"It's Kruger!" Jack laughed.

"Alright!"

"Go Commander!"

"You got this!" the Rangers cheered him on as Kruger turned to Benag, who was on the ground, badly beaten.

"It's Judgement Time!" Kruger grabbed his Morpher as Benag managed to get to his feet. "General Benag, you are charged with the obstruction of justice, and you will be judged!" he declared, activating it. The light flashed as Benag gasped. "You are charged with the destruction of five planets, and for atrocities around the galaxies," the light flashed red. "You are charged with the disappearance of Isinia Kruger, my wife!" it flashed again, turning green this time. "What?!" he gasped. Benag laughed.

"There is so much you do not know, Doggie Kruger," he taunted.

"Perhaps, but I do know where you are going," Kruger raised his Shadow Sabre. He swung it down, and rushed at Benag, slashing across him and making the General scream as he was trapped inside the container. "Justice prevails," he sheathed his sabre as the Rangers cheered. "I vow from this day on, to crush evil wherever it hides," Kruger vowed.


"Enough!" Kruger snapped at him. "I have never been more disappointed in a team in all my years," he growled, furious at them.

"Wow, that's a lot of years when you consider that one of my years is equivalent to-" Bridge was cut off when Annie's elbow caught his stomach. She shook her head quickly at him as Kruger growled, clearly not in the mood.


"I guess we all let Kruger down in our own way," Jack muttered.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Sky agreed.

"But I'd have thought we'd at least, you know, sorta made up for that by now," Spencer muttered, slumping down farther on the sofa.

"Guys, I have a question," they looked at Bridge when he spoke up. "Have any of you wondered why Grumm hasn't just destroyed Earth like he did Nelandia?" he asked, and they frowned.

"If Grumm can destroy Earth from orbit, why doesn't he?" Sky wondered as he stood up.

"Because he needs something," they glanced to Spencer when he stood as well. "Guys, think about it. All the stuff he's stolen," he looked around.

"Like the diamonds," Syd remembered.

"Wait a minute guys," Bridge was on his feet now too. "Grumm tried to steal that gold, remember?" they thought back to when Sam had first arrived. "I got it! Grumm's master plan is to open up a mega jewellery store!" he told them. The others sighed in exasperation.

"Somehow I don't think it's that," Spencer shook his head.

"He must be trying to build something. A new ship?" Z suggested.

"Out of gold?" Sky looked dubious. "It's way too soft a metal," he disregarded it.

"Iridium!" Spencer and Bridge chorused together. "He stole Iridium while we were in Japan, remember? It's a stabilising agent, it's used to harden metal," Spencer explained.

"So Grumm is stealing our resources to build something. And we know diamonds can be converted into energy, plus they're incredibly hard. Maybe some kind of weapon?" Annie suggested.

"A weapon of that magnitude, it would need something radioactive to power it," Sky shook his head.

"But a meteor went by not that long ago," Bridge told them. "Kayden mentioned something about it disappearing as it went by the planet. If Grumm got hold of a piece of it, the radioactivity it holds would be more than enough!" he realised.

"So Grumm has everything he needs to build...whatever he's building," Syd realised.

"Except a synthesising agent to put it all together," Jack walked over.

"Haemotech Plasma!" they all realised.

"Newtech Laboratory was raided last week," the Red Ranger said.

"This is bad. Grumm has an end game in mind and he's pretty much there," Annie ran a hand through her hair as they all stood together. "We need to tell the Commander," she decided.

"Tell me what?" they whirled around to see the Commander standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips as he watched them. After their moment of stunned silence, the Rangers all began to talk at once, rushing over to him. "Wait, slow down," he raised his hands, but they kept talking, and he sighed. "Rangers, silence!" the Commander snapped. Immediately they fell silent. "What is this about?" he asked.

"Sir, we heard what you said to Kat," Jack admitted. "You think if that the A-Squad was here, we would have already defeated Grumm," Kruger's eyes widened in surprise, before he shook his head with another sigh.

"Apparently you didn't eavesdrop on my conversation long enough," he told them. The Rangers frowned. "If you had, you would have heard Kat and I agree that if A-Squad was that good, they would not have fallen into Grumm's hands," they all inhaled quickly at his words. "As you haven't," Kruger pointed out. The Rangers couldn't help but agree. "Will that be all?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No Sir," Sky shook his head. "While we were...feeling sorry for ourselves, we realised that Grumm is using resources from this planet for something very large. It is our job as Rangers to protect the planet," the Blue Ranger stated.

"Yes. I too believe that Grumm is using our resources against us. The time has come to act," the Rangers smiled at his words. "But after you get some sleep," he decided.

"Yes sir," they nodded, feeling the energy fading quickly.

"And Rangers," Kruger called as they went to leave. "Make no mistake. The fate of the world rests in your hands," he reminded them. The Rangers were silent, knowing he was right.


Just a recap of the series, the next chapter is when it all kicks off!

Hope you enjoyed!

Please review!