A.N: A shorter, but immensely meaningful chapter. Please enjoy :)

When I went into work today, I hadn't expected anything like this to happen. "Danger, danger. We are under attack," Terra Venture's command system warns, and Kendrix and I get up from our stations, exchanging a knowing glance. There's only one thing this could be: Scorpius.

"We're losing atmosphere in the mountain dome," Kai reports.

"Close the airlocks," Commander Stanton orders, and I keep my eyes glued to the cameras as the doors slide closed. Another blast rockets against the ship, and I trip to the side, nearly eating it as we tilt dangerously. In a few moments, though, we're upright again, and I help Kendrix up.

"They've broken off the attack." That's one good thing. Now to get out of here, meet up with the others, and-

"Warning. Warning. Detecting energy loss. Origin: mountain dome."

"They've tapped into the ship's power systems. Secure the exterior portals. Now!" As the other command center workers rush around, I catch Kai's eye and nod towards the door.

"Let's get out of here." The three of us manage to get out of the hustle and bustle before anyone can notice our absence, but before we can head towards the mountain dome, I hear Leo's voice behind me. At least now we don't have to go searching for them.

"Scorpius blew up the passages to the mountain dome," Maya reports, and I frown. As I'd expected.

"How long before Terra Venture's dead?" Leo asks, and Damon sighs.

"Two, maybe three hours if we're lucky."

"That's it?" Kai questions, and Damon can do nothing but confirm.

"Not if we can help it," Leo mutters, and I nod.

"Yeah."

Yeah, no. "Rangers! Magna Defender is trying to blow up the mountain dome!" Alpha announces, only moments after we step foot into the Megaship.

"What are you talking about?" Even though Kai questions, I know that he knows what this all means.

"He's using his energy to cause a meltdown, if he succeeds, he'll destroy Scorpius and Terra Venture!"

My stubbornness melds with the determination that Leo's feeling, heightening the sense of urgency I feel in my gut.

"We've gotta stop him."

"Magna Defender, stop!" The last time Leo and I'd taken on the Defender, I'd practically reduced myself to pleading to get him to hand over the Lights. Hopefully I won't have to take that route this time, mostly because that was very, very embarrassing. "You can't do this." We lash onto the Defender's arm, pulling at him in an attempt to get him to stop, "You're going to destroy the whole colony!"

"I'll do whatever it takes to have my revenge."

Unfortunately, since my Snake Zord works as the belt of our Galaxy Zord, I'm often the one that takes the brunt of attacks. It's not any different now as the Magna Defender slashes away at us, and I grab at my console to keep from falling. Then, once he's got us knocked back, he begins to draw power into his staff. Green lightning crackles all around him, and I grit my teeth.

"We've got to do something- what-" As quickly as it'd appeared, the green lightning fades away, and the Magna Defender's thrown from his Zord. I've never seen that happen before, but regardless, it saved us. (At least momentarily.)

"I didn't know that was possible," Kai comments, "Looks like his own Zord threw him out."

"Yeah," Maya murmurs, dumbfounded.

"What's going on?"

"You can say that again," I mutter. The Toro Zord lets out a roar, and a yellowish-black figure streaks out from the bushes, materializing into a-

"Poor Magna Defender. Did your little bull run away?" The creature asks, impaling the soldier on its sword. Okay, what the hell is that thing? I've seen some pretty weird monsters in my time, but this is an abomination.

"We've got to help him!"

"Leo!" Kai and I shout after him, but the Red Ranger's already up and running. He dodges the blasts that the monster sends our way, and I unsheath my Quasar Saber, slashing at the laser that gets too close to me. Once the smoke clears, we follow our leader, taking up defensive positions in front of the Magna Defender.

"Leo, you need to get him out of here." At Damon's instruction, Leo helps the Defender up, and the two make their way back to relative safety.

"You're going to pay for your meddling!" My grip on my Saber tightens, and I bend my knees, ready for the fight.

The first couple of strikes are easy to parry away, especially considering the others are busy dealing attacks of their own. One of the tiki's slashes is a feint, though, and I fall for it like an idiot, raising my sword in defense as he slashes at Maya and Kendrix instead. He goes for Damon next, and the Green Ranger holds his own just long enough for me to summon my concentration and redirect the tiki's attack with my telekinesis.

On my days off, I've been spending a good amount of time practicing my abilities. The practice has paid off, since now it barely takes a second thought for me to move smaller objects, even in the middle of combat. Larger objects are a bit more complicated though, including humans, which is why I resort to diverting attacks instead of moving my teammates out of the way.

Damon utilizes this moment of empty space- exactly as I'd hoped he would, and leaps into the air, Saber at the ready- leaving his upper body exposed. Thankfully, the tiki's attack is weirdly aimed, since Damon'd been so high up in the air, and I easily combat it with my own strike.

"Hold on guys, I'm coming!" Thank god. All we'd been managing to do is defend, not attack. But with Leo here, we can go on the offense. "Alright, let's do it! Lights of Orion, activate! Power-Up Mode!"

"I won't be beaten that easily," The tiki groans, and I frown. At least he gives us a warning before he grows to his giant size.

"Galaxy Megazord, Power-Up Mode, now!" Maya and Kendrix throw a few hefty punches, and once we've got our opponent down, we finish it off with one last sword strike.

"Now to take care of Scorpius." I kind of wish we hadn't exited the Zord, because when we arrive on foot at the base of the mountain, a blast sends us all to the ground.

"Rangers, the pit is reaching critical temperature. Get out of there before it explodes!"

"No can do, Alpha," I mutter, getting to my feet.

"Kara's right," Damon agrees.

"We have to stop it." It's slow going up the rest of the mountain, though. More blasts of fire shoot down at us, and try as I might to deflect it with my telekinesis, nothing works.

"We can't even get close!" Maya observes.

"The flames are too intense," Kai adds.

"We can't give up. We've got to reach the core!" Leo's right. If we don't succeed… A cry rips from my throat and I run forward, trying to get as far as I can before- A huge blast of flame tosses us to the ground, and I can feel my suit melting off of my body.

"Let's go!" I shout.

"We can't give up!" An explosion sends rocks raining down on us, and I hit the ground, shielding my head before I can get knocked out. "We need to stop it," Leo growls, and I'm about to start running again when the Magna Defender holds out a hand.

"Only I can do that. I must render this energy harmless. My hatred for Scorpius created this evil energy."

"No, wait!"

"Don't do it!" Kendrix pleads.

"Please, we can work together," I add, "Just like we'd asked you to earlier."

Nothing we say works, though. Instead, the Magna Defender merely turns around, aiming a purposeful glance at Leo. "Don't worry about your brother." With that, he throws his Saber, surrounding us in a shield of energy, and begins to step towards the summit.

I've never liked him all that much, but now that he's finally come around… he's just like us. Someone working towards furthering goodness and justice. The Toro Zord lets out a painful roar, and the Defender finally lets go. His form melts away, and in its place is an orb of pure energy that dives straight into the pit. Once it does, the immense heat and power fades away, and golden sparks rain down from the sky. A sign that he'd succeeded.

"Is he really gone?" Maya whispers, and I shake my head, gesturing towards his sword. Leo steps forward, pulling it out of the ground where the Defender's planted it.

"No. The Magna Defender will live on forever."

The silence that sits between us is a heavy one, and I bow my head. A last sign of respect for someone who deserved it while he was alive.

"You did it Rangers! The temperature is stabilizing," Alpha's report is bittersweet, and I almost scoff.

"We didn't do it," Kendrix explains, "He did."

Before any of us can think to say anything else, a ragged figure emerges from behind a boulder, and I spin, instinctively reaching for where my Quasar Saber might be.

But it's not an enemy. I could swear that my heart stops beating, that the world stops turning. Between the bond that Leo and I share is a silence like I'd never experienced, and then a flash of emotion so powerful I nearly hit the ground.

Because staggering towards us is Mike, looking just as he did when he fell into the earth all those months ago.

The others rush towards him, and I follow more slowly. I'd never met the guy formally, only heard stories from Leo. Soon, though, the joy they're feeling is contagious, and I run forward, resting a hand on Kai's back as he smiles.

"I can't believe it, you're back!" My brother exclaims.

"It's amazing," Damon adds, and I give a small wave.

"I'm really, really glad I finally get to meet you." Mike nods to me, but his gaze slips away from me towards the person I know has missed him most of all.

"Leo."

"Mike... " A tear trails down my cheek as the two embrace, "I've missed you so much." Months ago, Leo and I'd come to a somber understanding that we'd both suffered major loss. Me, my team and home with the Space Rangers. I still struggle to find my place on Terra Venture sometimes. And Leo, the loss of his brother. So to have Mike back fills me with an unexplainable joy.

"Me too, so much I can't tell you."

"I knew someday, somehow, you'd come back."

"And I'm never leaving again."