Teelo eventually found the clutch again. They seemed to be patrolling several landmasses, forcing the mating flights away from various areas. He wondered if they'd formed some kind of alliance to protect nurseries, they did after all have a large hatchling with them. None of them showed the least interest in actually joining a mating flight. Too bad, the idea of exchanging essences with either of the two pinks intrigued him.

Teelo smiled to himself, tracking this clutch and watching them had become rather beneficial to him, as they tended to drive away various males from the other available females. Teelo found himself with an embarrassment of riches before the flight was over. He had managed to pass on his essence to more eggs than any male of his experience had a right to.

Still, this clutch fascinated him. Their behavior was not typical; they appeared to have an agenda of their own. Following the Spawnworld's primary, he tracked them for two dawns. Careful to keep his distance, he condensed the air around him to warp light. He would appear to the naked eye as simply an area of distortion to any creature looking in his direction. That is as long as they didn't use phyre-sight, but being, as he wasn't supposed to be there, then they had no reason to use it.

Finally, they flew off in a rainbow of light just before folding space again. Teelo was still young, and folding space was not something at which he was very proficient. However, this clutch left a very discernable phyre trail so he was able to track them across the great ocean to the western shore of one of the landmasses. He arrived as they were circling some kind of strangely shaped outcropping of rock on the edge of a desert.

They circled and then took turn entering a cave concealed in the desert floor. Teelo would not have detected it had it not been for the fact that the hatchling disappeared through the sand, and Teelo was only able to follow it with phyre-sight. Teelo swooped in low and landed on the desert floor near the opening, his mind only vaguely noting the static charge that seemed to build around his body when he passed through some kind of energy field. As they landed, each dragon in the clutch did something strange.

Teelo watched the hatchling land, and watched as its phyre separated itself from its body and concentrated into a tiny mass of flesh that climbed down and left the scaled husk behind. Teelo was shocked! What new discipline had these dragons learned, that they could leave their bodies behind like this? For long moments, he watched as each of the dragons repeated the process- the last being another dedicated red that he'd not seen before. This was strange indeed, it bore his further investigation.



Tommy came into the command center feeling as if he was about to drop dead on his feet. He was totally exhausted, and couldn't remember ever spending this so much unbroken time in his 'Zord ever. He smiled at himself, wondering if he should thank Billy or strangle him for installing a toilet and small food processor in the back of each 'Zord. He couldn't even use having to go to the bathroom as an excuse for taking a five-minute break.

Waiting for the others to join him, he leaned against the wall and watched as the dragonzords powered down. He couldn't get over the reaction that many of the dragons had had to his 'zord. For some reason, they almost seemed to treat him as if he were a child. He shook his head and mumbled to himself, "They showed off for Kat, Aisha, Kim, and Trini, they fought Rocky and Jason, and they ran from Adam and Zack, but for some reason they wanted to mother me."

"I got news for you Tommy," Aisha told him, "Girls have been wanting to mother you since high school. You've the whole lost puppy thing down pat." She smiled at him, "I think it's those big brown eyes, I think."

"Oh great," Tommy muttered, "Now, I don't even get respect from my own team."

"Hey, at least they didn't keep trying to rip your wings off," Rocky told him. Tommy smiled remembering a big brown dragon that pinned rocky to the ground and tried to de-wing his 'zord. It had taken Adam and Zack both the drive the big bull off the Red Ranger.

"What was it about Adam and Zack that scared them so much?" Kat asked coming and putting an arm around him. "I mean, most of the time, they took one look at those two and headed for the hills."

Zack shrugged, "I don't know, but I did feel a little guilty about it. I mean it wasn't like we didn't try to engage them."

"I know what it was," Rocky snapped his fingers suddenly.

All eyes turned to the second Red Ranger, "What?" Aisha asked her husband. She of all people should have known better, but Tommy realized that she was as tired as he was, so he could forgive her- this time.

Rocky smiled hugely, and waved his face in front of his nose, "They forgot to use their deodorant this morning."

They all groaned but smiled as they headed into the Power Chamber, where a heated argument was going on between Ben and Billy. "I don't care what you say is out there, the screen doesn't show anything," Ben was saying. "You're overworking yourself Billy. Go get some rest."

"Not until all the 'zords are recovered," Billy leaned against the console. His face was pale, and Tommy could see the strain of his old friend's face.

"We're all back, safe and sound," Kim told him gently. "Now go and do as the doctor says." Tommy marveled at how her tone carried a gentleness to it while at the same time brooking no argument.

Billy smiled over at the Pink Ranger, "Just as soon as someone checks out the sensors on the western perimeter."

"What's wrong with the sensors?" Trini asked going over to Billy's console.

"Radar is showing a large mass out there, but the cameras and sonar aren't picking up anything," Billy said. "Infrared is negative too." He shook his head, and Tommy could see the weariness in the Blue Ranger's movements. "I don't like it."

Tommy started to comment, but remembered that Jason was now leader of this team. Turning to Red Ranger One, he waited as Jason was obviously considering his options. Finally, he looked over at Ben and said, "What's Billy's… uh… Major Cranston's medical status."

Ben looked at him, "Ornery. He needs more rest, but refuses to go back to his quarters. He's been up since just before you engaged the Triforians," Ben looked over at Billy, "AGAINST his doctor's better judgment."

Jason nodded, and Tommy knew that the team leader understood how difficult it was to tear Billy away from a problem until it was solved. Sometimes he thought that Billy was convinced that he could live off sunshine and coffee- or at least that battery acid Billy called coffee. Jason looked over at the other Rangers, "Adam, take Rocky, and the Doc and check it out." He turned to Mic, "What are the status of the 'zords? How soon can you have the missiles reloaded and ready to fly again?

The short red-head smiled at him, "I'll have you ready to go in under two hours. I have to get the planetary defense grid expanded first. While I'm doing that, I've got Alpha working on recharging several of your systems, and hammering some of the dents out a couple of the 'zords." She smiled over at Rocky, "Some of you guys took a beating."

Jason nodded, "Good girl." He turned to Billy and said, "In the meantime I'm going to personally make sure you get some rest. Even if I have to tie you to the bed."

"Hey, we don't have time for that kind of thing right now," Rocky told Jason.

Jason blushed deeply but didn't turn and face the second Red Ranger, "You still here Rocky? I thought you, and Adam and the rest were checking out the western perimeter."

Rocky flustered, "Right away boss."

Tommy watched as Jason led the protesting Billy off toward the quarters, "What about the rest of us, Jase?" he yelled.

Grab a shower, some rest, something to eat, but be ready to scramble. We'll meet back in the Power Chambers at," he looked down at his watch, "Nineteen hundred hours."

Tommy nodded, did some quick calculations and said, "Seven it is."

Kim and Zack came up beside him, "Now why did he send the Doc with Adam?"

Tommy shrugged, "Beats me. Maybe he wanted to give the rest of us a chance to talk."

"About what?"

Tommy shrugged again, "Dunno, but I think he's worried about something."

"Duh?!" Kim said. "Billy looks like hell, half of Asia is gone, and we've got two alien races threatening to use some kind of biological warfare on the human race." She hugged herself, "I don't think things have ever looked this bad before."

"We'll pull through, Kim. We'll find a way. That's what Rangers do," Kat told her, but Tommy was unsure if she were trying to convince her predecessor or herself.




"Jason, I can take care of myself. I don't need a nursemaid," Billy told Jase as the two headed down the hall. Jason couldn't get over how even looking like hell, Billy appeared so much better than the way the Red Ranger remembered looking on that examining table in the sickbay. Jason figured the new healing factors were even better than before.

"No, you don't," Jason smiled at him. "You need a keeper." Stopping at Billy's door, he keyed the entrance. "Let me get you to bed, and then I'm going to get some dinner and a shower."

Billy stopped and put a hand on Jason's chest, "Jase, I can't explain what's happening to me right now. Please let me go in and I promise to go right to bed."

Jason smiled at his friend, "Billy, I'm going to make sure you do."

Billy looked up at Jason and sighed, "Jason, I'm warning you. If you follow me into my quarters, getting me in bed won't be a problem. Getting me to sleep, however will." He pulled himself up to kiss Jason gently on the lips. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Jase?"

What started as a simple kiss suddenly exploded into something more. Jason felt the kiss set off something inside his head. Some part of him reached out and intertwined itself with the Blue Ranger. Without thinking, he pulled the smaller man to him and returned the kiss, Billy's mouth opening to invite him in. The door behind them slid open and they twisted their way through to have it close behind them. God, he's only kissed me so far and it's setting me like the hottest encounter of my life.

In the darkness of Billy's quarters, Jason felt the Blue Ranger's fingers gently exploring his back through the spandex of his uniform. Someone groaned in pleasure, but Jason was unsure from which one of them it came. Reaching around with both hands, he cupped Billy's face, reveling in the smells emanating from the smaller blond man. Running his hands down the hard muscles of Billy's neck and shoulders, he felt the other man shudder under his touch, and moan against him. Passion makes him speechless- I like that. The next hour was lost in a passion that Jason had never felt before. When it was over, he finally drifted off to sleep wrapped up in the blankets, Billy's head resting on his chest, over his heart, in his heart.


Adam kept the scanner tuned high as he checked the perimeter. It had taken them almost an hour to reach this point on the perimeter, being as it was the farthest from the Command Center. It had something to do with Billy and Mic not wanting the recovery area for the 'Zords too close to the main building. He really had no idea why Jason had sent the Doc out with them, but the man seemed personable enough. Rocky looked around at the outcroppings of rocks surrounding the Command Center and commented as much to himself as to anybody who wanted hear, "So, is this going to be stand up fight, or just another bug hunt?"

"Mr. DeSanto's I don't think you can classify an eight hundred fifty foot dragon as a 'bug'," the doctor said. "Nothing that it takes an aircraft carrier to swat can be classified as a 'bug'."

Adam chuckled at the interplay, "Don't mind him, Doctor Storm. He went to a Sigourney Weaver film festival last month preparing for job we thought we might get."

"Too bad the dragons got LA before we could film it," Rocky said, with a certain bitterness to his voice.

The Doctor sighed, "Look at this way. Maybe you'll still get to make movies in Florida now. That is if we live long enough to stop the dragons."

"Oh, we'll stop the dragons all right," Adam said. He smiled remembering Tommy's remark to Dulcea and pitched his voice to match his former leader, "We're the Power Rangers."

All three men laughed. "I'm glad you still have your faith Mr. Park."

Adam stopped and looked at the Doctor for a few minutes before finally saying, "Yeah, I still have mine, but you sound like someone who may have lost theirs."

Doctor Storm chuckled, "Trust me Mr. Park, I haven't lost my faith. I just know that I'm living proof that God has a sense of humor."

"You want to explain that Doc?" Rocky asked as they arrived in the area, Billy's scans showed the anomoly.

The Doctor looked at him and smiled, "Think about it, I have a hyper-active telepathic/electrokinetic sister. God was out to teach me humility."

"Huh?" Rocky asked looking the doctor.

Adam shushed both of them. Suddenly his radar reading was going off the scale. There was a marked temperature drop in the area. That could explain why the sonar was acting funny. Thermal inclines tended to play havoc with sound waves. "Guy's I'm getting a reading here. Billy's sensors aren't off," Adam told them. "Somebody call the base."

Adam began scanning the area as Rocky activated his communicator. Suddenly the sun was blocked out, as the three men found themselves staring into the face of a dragon. Simultaneously all three men whispered " Oh shit."

**************************************************************

Teelo watched the three forms approach his location. Two of the masses of tissue contained the same phyre signatures of the dragons he followed. The other, contained a phyre he didn't recognize, it was very old, and very primal. They seemed to be playing with an object, as they approached him, making strange noises. Perhaps he'd been wrong. Perhaps they really were hatchlings. If so, they were going to be formidable dragons when they matured.

The object carried by one of them made some strange sound that Teelo didn't recognize. Again, they made little noises among themselves as they stared into the space he was occupying. By now, surely they've seen me with phyre-sight. Perhaps it is time to introduce myself. Teelo released his will on the air around him and allowed his form to become visible. Dropping his head down to their level he sniffed the air.