In the Kyoto district of Japan- That country being one of the few areas of Asia still standing- in a building known as the headquarters of one of the most successful research and development corporations in the world- a man stood looking out over the city, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. In a nation of black hair and dark eyes this man stood out; his hair being light brown and pulled back into a long pony tail, and his eyes being just a hazel shade lighter than brown. However, in many ways he was more Japanese than those around him. He understood their culture, their language, and their nuances to the nth degree.

Over the last thousand years, he'd watched this country grow and change, growing from a disciplined military power closed off from European influences to a manufacturing giant that was one of the few world players on the economic scene. Now the whole world stood on the brink of global collapse, and he couldn't be happier. With the ensuing chaos that was bound to follow these dragon attacks, he knew he could seize power from half a dozen world governments. Only the English and Americans stood in his way.

For several months he'd had an agent inside their forces, reporting to him all their movements and advances. Now though, that agent had been lost- forced to flee for his life. He shrugged and spoke softly to himself in Japanese. Unfortunately there was nobody who could appreciate that it was a dialect over three hundred years old, "At least we have the schematics for the omni-techs." He smiled wickedly, "Taking that from Storm is worth it. I will yet teach him to meddle in my affairs." Laughing he added, "And this time there was no Genesis there to save you, my little super patriot. You made a mistake in letting that Cranston idiot lure you into the desert away from your guardian angel."

"Kilpatrick- san," a voice asked from behind him.

Turning, Kilpatrick smiled at his agent, "Ah, you've finally returned from California."

The man bowed deeply to him, before snapping to attention, "I only just arrived, sir. The Americans thought they'd shot me down, but I was able to evade them and escape here with my report."

"What have you learned?" Kilpatrick asked turning his back to the man once again, to survey the city below him.

"They have made contact with at least two Alien forces who have ordered them to stop molesting the dragons."

Kilpatrick laughed, "These Americans and their fascination with animal rights have finally found themselves on the other end of the bargain. So much the better."

"They've decided to use non-lethal force on the dragons until something can be worked out with the Aliens."

"That would explain the news footage I've been seeing of their battles." He turned to face the man behind him, "But tell me Tanaka, how is it that the Rangers still have 'Zords? Your report said you destroyed all the omni-techs. How can you destroy them but miss ten ships with the wingspan of an aircraft carrier?"

The man shook his head warily, "I do not know sir. Cranston and that Storm-bitch must…" He never finished the sentence as Kilpatrick's fist lashed out and crushed his nose.

"Never speak of McKenzie Storm in any terms other than respectful," Kilpatrick's voice was low and calm. "I do intend to finish marrying her one day- her brother and Genesis not withstanding."


~*~

Billy awoke with Jason's arm curled protectively around his chest. Is this real? Are we really together? Has it finally happened, or am I going to wake up alone, and hate myself for dreaming? God, I could spend the rest of my life like this.

//If it's a dream then we're sharing it,// Jason's voice came to his mind. Both men suddenly sat bolt upright in bed, turning to each other. //Telepathy?// Jason asked.

"I don't know," Billy said aloud looking down at the faint glow of phyre that seemed to dance around and between the two of them. He reached out and gently touched Jason's bare chest reveling in the sensations he felt. Hmmm, I don't know if can ever get used to this. Touching him like this. Having the right to touch him.

Jase smiled at him, caught his hand and pulled Billy to him. With Jason kissing him, Billy was surprised to hear his lovers voice in his head, //Let's try an experiment. Hmmm, this could come in handy.//

Billy felt himself melt into Jason, as he let his hands run down Jason's hard chest to the flat stomach below. //I think I can handle that,// he thought back.

Without breaking the kiss, Jason replied, //That could have so many different meanings, Love.//

Billy sent an image of exactly what he meant by the comment as his hands felt the effect it suddenly had on Jason's body. Gently biting onto Jason's lower lip as he pulled back from the kiss, Billy said aloud, "You seem to like that idea."

"I've never seen you like this Billy," Jason said, gently nipping his way down Billy's throat.

Smiling to himself, Billy pushed Jason back onto the bed as he straddled the larger man, planting his lips back onto Jason's. "You haven't seen anything yet."

Before Jason could reply there was a pounding on Billy's door. "I think I'm going to kill somebody," Jason whispered.

There was more pounding as Billy and Jase exchanged chagrined looks. "You'd better answer it. Otherwise there's going to be questions."

Billy nodded, pulled himself from Jase, pulled on his fatigues pants, walked over and cracked the door, "This had better be good," he told the grinning Tommy on the other side of the door.

"I'm sorry Billy, you weren't asleep were you?" Tommy asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

Billy simply raised an eyebrow and asked, "What can I do for you Tommy?" Billy was proud of his tone of voice- nice even and unemotional. Tommy smiled again and tried to look around Billy into the room. "Is there something I can do for you Tommy?"

"Is Jason here?" Tommy asked.

Billy felt the blood rush to his face, "Tommy WHAT do you want?" Billy repeated.

Tommy backed up from the door, and said, "Sorry man. No need to get upset." He was grinning wildly, "But I KNOW Jason is here."
"Tommy," Billy said. "What- do- you- want?" Billy said.

Tommy grinned and raised his voice, "Adam, Rocky, and Ben have made contact with the dragons. We're talking to them now."

"What!?" Jase and Billy said in unison.

Jason suddenly swept the door from Billy's hand and Tommy turned bright red. "You're letting Rocky make first contact? Have you lost your mind Bro?" Jason asked.

Billy followed Tommy's eyes to where Jason was standing nude, the effects of their earlier kiss still readily apparent below his belt line.

"Ms. Storm said to meet her in the Power Chamber. That's where she's taking the dragon."

"She's taking a dragon into the Power Chamber?" Billy asked. "How? I mean the second law of thermo-dynamics not withstanding, how are we communicating with a space faring reptilian species that up to this point has shown no indications of intelligence as we know it? Especially one that no other species in the galaxy has been able to contact."

Tommy grinned at him, "Well, according the dragons, we're the first intelligent species they've ever encountered."

Jason pushed past Billy saying, "Let's go."

Tommy reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder, "Don't you think you should get some clothes on first?"

Jason looked down and blushed at his eagerness. "I uh… guess you're right." He looked over at Billy, who grinned back at him. "You might want to put on the rest of your uniform too." Then turning to Tommy he said, "Not a word out of you Oliver. Not a word."

Tommy told him in mock indignation, "Me? Tell what?"

"Exactly," Billy told him. "Remember, I know where your shot records are."


~*~

Teelo followed the excitable human named McKenzie as she showed him around the strange shaped cave where they resided. He tried his best understand but was sure his confusion was evident. This concept of technology confused him. He said, "I don't understand why you do these things. Mastery of the phyre will eventually reproduce all the same effects."

The woman smiled over at him, and some part of him made him wonder how he could get her to do it again, "Not everybody has phyre." She shook her head, "Until recently, only a very few of us had it. Now with your return about one in a million people, are starting to show signs of it. Our research indicates that for most of those, or at least the ones who have not had another Power grafted over it, will pass it on to their offspring."

Teelo smiled, surprised at the woman's ignorance of the phyre she possessed, "Of course it will be passed on to your children; otherwise they would not be intelligent."

She laughed, "Are you telling me that your people don't consider a being intelligent unless it possesses this phyre?"

"Of course. It is the only sign of an intelligent species." He watched her as she bent over double in laughter.

"This is too rich!" she said. "The other galactic species see us as being parasites to yours because our evolution seems to be linked to your appearance, and here you consider them as non-sentient because they don't have the one thing we do, because we are exposed to you. This is almost as big a cosmic joke as my brother."

"You have phyre, you're intelligent," Teelo reiterated. Then shrugging he suggested, "Maybe you're an emerging species, coming into your birthright."

"And you've encountered no other species in the galaxy that you consider intelligent?" A new voice came from the other end of the room. Looking over there, Teelo saw two humans, one dark haired whose phyre Teelo recognized as the one to join the others later in their mission. The other he'd never seen before, but his phyre blazed as bright as any he'd ever seen. He had sand colored hair and eyes as blue as any water dragon. He noted that a phyre-bond was forming between the two. Two souls were becoming one- a rare and precious thing among the dragons, for it meant hatchling of great power would come from the union. Both souls also had another power woven into their souls, giving their phyre a strange hue: one was blood red, the other deep blue.

Teelo bowed deeply to the pair and shook his head, "Not since the Great Exodus of the other First Races. We're the last, waiting and hoping for another species to join us in the stars." He smiled, "We were fools not to see you here on our own Spawnworld."

"We've only recently begun to understand the phyre, and what it means to us," the sand haired one said. "We've been distracted by your appearance and the damage that has caused."

Teelo smiled weakly, "We were unaware that we were, uh… ARE causing damage. It was not our intention. Especially to a species we've only just discovered to be intelligent." He leaned against the counter behind him feeling the smooth metal talking to his skin. Some part of his mind realized that Earth would be his next element to master. In a few thousand years, he realized that his scales would begin to change gain. He always did like the color green.

The other smiled, "I am Billy Cranston, this is our leader Jason Scott," he indicated the other human. "We are pleased to make contact, if not somewhat surprised that we've done so inadvertently."

Teelo chuckled, "You mean by attracting my attention when you chased all the males away from the mating flight." He noticed both men blushed deeply.

"Well, I guess that's where the karma came from," the one identified as Jason said. "We were simply trying to keep any more cities from being destroyed. This is one of the few industrialized continents not devastated by your presence."

Teelo finally understood. In preparation for the mating flights many of the males would "flex their wings" as it were. They would use their element to mold the local landscape to prove their worthiness to fly. If these displays happened in one of their cities, then it could cause devastation. He definitely needed to speak with the Council of Phyre before the next wave of females arrived. Something had to be worked out with this species. Looking over at the one they called leader he said, "I will speak with our leaders about this. We are not murderers."

Jason smiled, "Thank you. We don't want to have to fight you anymore. But, we're dying as a species out there."

Teelo nodded. "Perhaps it would be best if I took one or two of you with me to prove my findings."

Jason looked around the room. "That might be a good idea." Teelo as others joined him. "We just need to decide who."