Disclaimer: I only own the few characters that I made for this story and they will be easy enough to tell.
A/N: This is an AU story set after PRiS. Once again I would like to thank Gamine and ScarletDeva for their much appreciated help.
Powers Rangers: Dawn and Dusk
Chapter 2
"Alright, Tommy, you care to fill us in on why you really asked us to come with you?" Billy asked as he and the rest of his friends made their way into his kitchen.
"Yeah, why did you want us to come with you?" Adam inquired. "Everybody knows when it comes to cooking you don't usually need anyone's help," he said, getting nods of agreement from Zack and T.J.
"You guys were always good at picking up on when something was bothering me," Tommy sighed. "You all saw what happened to me before we came in here right?"
"Of course," Billy answered, "I thought that might have been why you called us in here."
"Well it felt like something or someone was trying to tell me something," Tommy replied, "but it was even more than that, it was almost like I was being called."
"That's new," Billy stated his forehead creasing in thought as the rest of the guys began to murmur. "You've had vague feelings come over you before, but never something so ominous."
"I know, that's why I thought it best to get away from Jacey and tell you about it," Tommy replied. "I figured getting you guys in here to help me cook was a good excuse, while at the same time not isolating Jacey. I wouldn't want her to feel unwelcome."
"Looks like we are going to have to put some of that new equipment I've been working to use sooner than we thought. I'm going to have to tell Jacey how well I know the rangers sometime in the near future," Billy said distractedly, his mind already working on how to figure out things.
~*~
"No, Delia! I told you once, I won't tell you again! I won't join!" shouted Zairen as he stomped away from her and his wife Rita.
"But why not?!" Delia asked as she and Rita began to walk after him.
"I thought you were coming for a visit, not official council business," Zairen grumbled as he stopped in front of the outside entrance to his palace and turned around.
"I was, it had been too long since I came to the moon to see you guys," Delia replied. "But the council wanted to ask you to join, so I figured since I was on the way here that I'd do it for them. Now stop trying to change the subject. Why won't you join?"
"You certainly are persistent," he said as he lowered his head to gather his thoughts.
"Hey, I wasn't one of the most feared space pirates because I gave up easily," Delia said with a smile. "Persistence was one of my better qualities when I was Divatox."
"That's for sure," Rita giggled with her friend.
"I have to agree too," Zairen said joining in the ladies' good humor.
"But like Delia, I wonder why you won't join too," Rita asked becoming serious again.
"Why won't I join?" Zairen sighed as he became serious too. "I guess for two reasons: One, I don't think I deserve it. Two, I will not pervert Zordon's sacrifice by taking his council seat on Earth," this last part he said as his eyes grew wide at something in the starred sky.
It was a white spaceship that caught his eye, or more the fact that it was being attacked.
As both Rita and Delia turned around to see what had startled Zairen, Rita gasped, "Isn't that Sabrina and Garret's supply ship being attacked?!"
"Yes!" he yelled right before they the ship crashed. Teleporting to the crash site they saw a battle-harried Sabrina desperately trying to crawl away from the wreckage. Running to Sabrina they crouched down beside her. "You two make sure she is ok, while I go make our guests feel unwelcome!" Zairen growled as he rose. He flew up into the air as his clenched fists angrily glowed with red energy. Raising his arms he fired numerous large bolts of power at the attackers who still flew in the sky. After a short barrage, the demonized riders retreated on their evil steeds.
"Sabrina, who were those attackers?! Who sent them?!" Rita and Delia frantically asked Sabrina who lay helplessly on the ground while Zairen slowly floated back down to the surface.
When Zairen finally reached the ground he spoke with anger in his voice, "I can answer that for you both; I saw the insignia on their armor. And only one accursed being uses it."
"Who?!" they asked at the same time.
With fire in his eyes he answered them in a growl reminiscent of his days as Lord Zedd, "Arath'Rost!!"
~*~
After Zairen had teleported them back into his palace, they laid Sabrina on a large table. Rita had spread a salve on Sabrina to heal as much of the major damage as could be done. She then walked over to where her husband paced next to Delia, who was just finishing up communicating with the council.
"What did they say?" Rita asked Delia when she reached her.
"Nothing. They're as surprised by this news of Arath'Rost as we were," Delia answered.
"What I want to know is where Sabrina ran into Arath'Rost's forces?" Rita asked with anger and a bit of wonder.
"More like, where she ran into Arath'Rost herself," Zairen said through clenched teeth.
"He'd be right," Sabrina said from behind them, still a little weak from her injuries.
"You shouldn't be up yet Sabrina. The salve can't heal a person as injured as you were that well," Rita said with worry.
"I'll be fine, besides all of you need some answers," Sabrina groaned as she found a chair to sit in. "Garret and I went to Dia'Zoc after our supply mission to Eltar. I was going to destroy the orb that held part of Arath'Rost's power. Unfortunately we were waylaid by Arath'Rost, who had somehow escaped her imprisonment."
"Speaking of Garret, where is he?" Delia asked with dread in voice.
"He's still on Dia'Zoc," Sabrina sobbed. "Arath'Rost and I were in an intense battle, while Garret lay shackled in chains by her. She tricked me with an illusion into thinking I had beaten her with a Scorpio Stinger. She sprang on me in my weakened state and was also able to claim the orb and with it her full power. That was when the real beating began. She tore into me with her renewed power. After a while she grew tired and set herself to make the final blow. Garret somehow broke his bonds and tackled her. He teleported me back to the ship and set the autopilot to send me here. He saved my life. Zairen you have to see if he is still alive!"
"I'll do a scan," Zairen said as he closed his eyes, magically scanning for Garret's life signs on Dia'Zoc. "I don't sense him, but let me scan deeper and search for any life signs at all," he said, focusing a little deeper. All of a sudden a great pain came over him, forcing his eyes open and breaking his concentration.
"Are you ok, dear?" Rita asked worriedly. "Did you sense Garret?"
"I'll be fine and no, I didn't sense him," Zairen replied as he regained his orientation. "But, Delia it seems you and the council will get your wish."
"What, you'll join the council now? But why?" Delia asked. "I know it's not because Arath'Rost is back. You could help fight her just as well without joining."
"No, it's not just because she's back," Zairen answered with a focused look in his eyes. "It's because the six guardians of the orb have awakened!"