It had been nearly a perfect week for Kimberly. Nightly dates with Jason had filled her agenda. They seemed to learn more and more about each other all along the way, something both would have considered impossible before. She couldn't remember being happier at any point in her life.
This evening had been their first outing publically as a couple with their friends. What started as an evening of nervous energy for her had progressed into a night of fun and laughs. This was mostly due to how at ease and accepting their friends had been of them as a couple. It was probably all too perfect. She should have known something would have to give. Even though she didn't expect to find herself in the frantic state she currently was in as she watched Tommy and Adam lay Jason down on a bed in the medical bay of the Power Chamber. Her mind was reliving the last few hours. Her evening had turned into a nightmare when Jason had collapsed mid-conversation. It was sudden and with no warning.
The first instinct to call 911 had been squashed when Tommy's communicator beeped. Zordon had insisted Jason be brought to him as he knew what was happening to him. All of the enemies she had faced to this day lined up one after the other wouldn't have been able to prevent Kim from being teleported with him.
"So what is going on?" Kim looked around at the room searching for answers. Alpha Five made his way into the room and over to Jason's body. He was holding some sort of wand. He ran it up and down Jason's body before moving over to a nearby console. He pushed a few buttons and Zordon's image appeared on a screen above them.
"Zordon, what is happening to Jason?" Tommy inquired his hand still on his fallen friend's shoulder.
"Is he okay?" Kim interjected frantically, attempting to calm herself when she heard herself out loud.
"Jason is under attack," Zordon stated matter-of-factly. His statement elevated Kim's panic all over again. "It appears something is attempting to drain his life force."
"What... could be doing that?" Katherine beat Kim to asking as the taller blonde moved next to Kim.
"I am not sure currently, but the tests Alpha is running should give us the answers," Zordon answered. "I detected a disturbance with him immediately before his collapse."
"Is it the gold powers?" Kim inquired, reaching down to take Jason's hand. "'Cause I thought he had recovered from that."
"He had, so it can't be that," Alpha responded to her question as he moved over with a new device and placed it gently on Jason's head. Kim looked it over intently trying to determine what it could be doing.
"Anything Alpha?" Kim asked.
"Not yet," Alpha answered. Adam moved over to the console and leaned on it. He then turned back to the group.
"Do you think Divatox is behind this?" Adam questioned.
"She must be," Tanya surmised.
"I'm not so sure," Alpha spoke up. "There appears to be something draining his life-force, and it is coming from within."
"Within? Tommy inquired, trying like the rest of the group to make the puzzle pieces fit.
"Yes," Alpha responded in the affirmative.
"It HAS to be the gold powers," Kim added, finding herself subconsciously squeezing Jason's hand.
"Can we get ahold of Trey?" Tommy questioned looking back and forth from Alpha and Zordon.
"I will attempt to reach him now," Zordon responded. The group all focused on Jason and watching Alpha's movements around him. After a few minutes, there was a flash of light in the corner of the room prompting all to turn.
"Trey!" Tommy was the first to recognize who had joined them in the room. The Gold Ranger nodded in greeting and moved up to stand next to the Red Turbo Ranger.
"Trey, is it the gold powers causing this?" Adam asked. As if on cue the Golden Staff materialized in Trey's hands and he lifted if over Jason's prone body. The group all watched slightly mesmerized as it hummed with gold energy, specks of it seemingly discharging and flowing in and out of Jason's body.
"The golden power no longer resides in Jason's body at all," Trey finally stated as the glow left the room and it returned to normal.
"Man..." Tommy sighed with frustration. "Then what could this be, any idea?"
"The golden power is gone, but it did keep something active within him," Trey continued. All eyes were on him now. "This is Zedd."
"Zedd?!" Kim's surprise was not hidden in her response.
"The dark energy of Maligore..." Zordon's voice entered the equation once again. "He is after it."
"I don't understand," Tommy shook his head, looking back and forth from Zordon and Trey now, stealing a glance at Kim in between.
"I'm afraid the residual golden powers mixed with Maligore's essence and created a rather powerful reaction inside of Jason," Trey explained.
"So what can we do?" Kim asked, her voice breaking slightly.
"There is only one thing I can think of..." Trey began. "I must transfer the power back to Jason in an attempt to restore his life and absorb what is left of Maligore's essence."
"Wait..." Adam moved forward closer to Jason's bedside. "Your powers almost killed him before."
"Yeah... you can't," Kim agreed, feeling extra appreciative at Adam for looking out for Jason.
"Yes... but that was only after a long time of holding them," Trey reacted. "This will not be a repeat of that."
Kim locked eyes with Tommy momentarily before both turned to look up at Zordon.
"I concur with Trey," Zordon said.
"Okay... everyone, stand back," Trey said glancing around at the group. All followed his suggestion with Kim being the most reluctant to let go of Jason's hand. Kat's hand on her shoulder prompted her to fully let go and sink back from the bed.
Trey stepped forward and placed the staff in Jason's hand while holding it firmly in his own. After a few seconds the staff began to glow again and this time Jason's whole body began to crackle with gold energy.
Kim watched with concern as Jason's body began to rise off the bed. She shared a concerned look with Tommy who was across the room from her. He mouthed an "it's okay" even as Jason now hovered a good five foot into the air.
In one instant flash, Jason's body was enveloped in the gold power suit once more. Trey opened his eyes and Kim saw the flash of horror in them even as Jason's body disappeared into thin air.
"No," Trey's voice was barely above a whisper as he attempted in vain to reach out and grab onto Jason before he completely vanished.
"Where did he go!?" Tommy questioned as he quickly moved up next to Trey, the rest of the group following suit to gather closely around the bed.
"He..." Trey paused and made eye contact with Zordon. "Did you feel that too?"
"I did," Zordon agreed.
"How did he do that?" Trey asked. The rest of the group going more confused and frustrated with the situation.
"Please... someone tell me what is going on?" Kim said closing her eyes wishing the whole scenario was a nightmare.
"It was Zedd," Zordon informed the group. "The connection he had with Jason... allowed him to tap into the power surge caused by the transfer to teleport him out."
"What?!" Kim was exasperated now. "Tele... wh... where did he take him?"
"I'm working on finding him now," Alpha chimed in as he hurried from the room to make his way into the main control room of the console. The rest of the group followed behind him quickly, Tommy and Adam even making it there before the robot.
Kim was pacing behind the group as all were working the controls on the consoles in front of them. She could barely work her way around any of them in the old Command Center but these were all foreign to her. She fought the many emotions bubbling up in her. She wanted to scream and cry all at once.
"I got a fix!" Tommy shouted excitedly from his place on the far end of the console. Alpha moved quickly to his side to confirm. "Alpha where is this?"
"Let me see," Alpha said as he hovered over the monitor beneath him. He pushed a few buttons nearby. "Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean."
"Ocean?" Tommy furrowed his brow. "That can't be right."
"Can you be more specific?" Kim asked as she squeezed into the group to stand next to Tommy.
"Unfortunately I cannot get any closer than this," Alpha pointed to the monitor. A large red circle engulfed a large part of the aforementioned sea."
"I don't understand," Trey spoke up.
"I don't either, it appears something is interfering with the signal... not allowing it to be pinpointed," Alpha responded.
"It... must be the power surge caused by the transfer," Trey surmised. "The energy emitted will be erratic until it fully embraces its new host."
"So... in other words, the gold powers are causing surges that are spreading out this far?" Tommy questioned, his finger pressed against the monitor. Trey nodded and Tommy let out a quiet curse.
"How strong are these powers, sheesh," Adam voiced the thoughts of the group collective.
"It's why they drain a human host," Trey explained.
"I'd say," Tanya added with a shake of her head.
"How long until you think it stops surging?" Kim asked.
"I'm not sure... normally I'd say within minutes..." Try paused. "But I don't know what Zedd is doing with him."
(****)
Jason opened his eyes to see the immediate darkness of a visor encasing his vision. It was a familiar but somewhat forgotten sensation. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Suddenly the surge of adrenaline coursing through his body brought him very much into reality and he sprung to his feet much faster than his normal reflexes would allow.
Jason glanced down to see his gloved hands and made a fist. His eyes moved up his arm to see the familiar gold and black pattern along the length of it. His eyes widened under the visor as confusion and shock set in.
"Wha... how..." Jason quickly glanced at his surroundings to find himself on a beach. He quickly surmised it was not any beach he had ever been on before. A quick spin on his heels brought his situation into further clarity. The tall trees and thick plant growth encroaching on the beach behind him suggested he was somewhere fairly remote.
Some rustling from nearby caused his natural defenses to take over and he faced it with fists clinched.
"There you are," the voice sent a chill down Jason's spine.
"Goldar..." Jason glanced at the similarly golden villain making his way out of the growth and down the beach toward him. "Care to tell me what is going on?"
"Come with me and you will find out," Goldar suggested. Jason shook his head.
"Yeah right," Jason replied, still somewhat in a state of shock from his current situation. Some clarity as he reached down and pressed against the buckle on his belt in an attempt to teleport. A few futile pressed gave way to laughter from Goldar.
"What's a matter, Jason?" Goldar taunted as he twirled his sword. "You aren't getting off this island like that."
"Island?" Jason questioned at the new information.
"We like to call it our little slice of paradise... although I suspect you may not agree," Goldar replied.
"We?" Jason inquired. Goldar smirked.
"Are you going to make this easy or not..." Goldar questioned.
"I think you know the answer to that," Jason responded shifting his feet slightly to get a better fighting stance.
"I hoped you would say that," Goldar replied, as a group of putties materialized around him as a small army of Tenga warriors came into view over the trees behind him.
"Great," Jason's tone was sarcastic as he eyed up his opponents. He found himself momentarily glancing around for his team, quickly reminded how alone he was when he saw only sand. He collected his thoughts, took a deep breath, and charged.