Jason saw the guard hit Billy in the back of the head. Before he could react, Billy dropped to his knees, and was hit again. Jason felt a deep anger well up from inside him. His vision and other senses suddenly sharpened, and snapped. He felt a surge of power that had building since his first phyre treatments suddenly burst through his body as he roared in anger and lashed out.

Kicking out to the side, his now clawed foot ripped through Triforian armor as the guard was slammed back through the console. Twisting suddenly he back slashed another guard and swept his now massive scaled tail around scattering the rest of the guards.

He heard the sound power caps being driven home in energy weapons as he looked down at his now massive form. No longer was he simply Jason Red Ranger One. He'd become something infinitely more powerful, as his muscles rippled down his now scaled hide. He saw his body as a much smaller, red version of Teelo- somewhat more manlike, but very much draconic.

He felt a snarl curl his lip, past long fangs as he glared over at Trey and Delphine. Without thinking he reached down and swept Billy into one powerful arm as the guards surrounded him, pointing their guns at him. He could feel the blue clad form stir slightly in his grip as he shifted the smaller man's weight to better shield it with his own mass.

"Jason!" Trey called. Jason could see the Gold Triforian Ranger rake his gaze across the bridge as he commanded his guards, "Stand down! Now! That's an order!"

Jason could smell the fear coming from the guards. He could sense their reluctance, but they slowly complied. Another Ranger, an Aquitian, Cestro- Jason thought, went over to the scanner the bridge officer had indicated and looked at it. Jason saw a smile play across the Ranger's face as he looked at the screen and then looked back at Jason, making some kind of hand gesture that Jase didn't recognize. Jason knew that a great deal of the Aquitian language was somatic, but he'd never really bothered to learn any of it. However, he got the feeling that the Ranger was paying some kind of honor, and that thought did more to reach to the core of the burning rage he felt and to quench it.

Jason felt a great weariness come over him as he felt his body start to morph down. He felt Billy's weight become heavier in his arm. He'd forgotten just how much his old teammate turned lover had physically changed over the past years. For one thing, he'd put on a great deal of muscle mass, and wasn't quite so easily carried as he once was. Suddenly he felt the Morphin' Grid take him.

~*~

Cestro watched the Red Ranger and Billy teleport out as the medical team come onto the bridge. He felt his own anger at the abject stupidity he'd seen on this mission rise from deep in his soul. He looked down at the tactical officer, and with contempt in his voice, he said, "You need to refresh your familiarization on this equipment."

"What is it Cestro?" Delphine asked him.

"I know why the energy readings were skewed." He looked over at Trey, "However, I thought that the tactical officer aboard the Prince of the Realm's ship would be better trained than to mistake that data as a third Ranger in the transport." He pointed to the data, as Delphine and Trey looked over his shoulder.

A light of understanding lit up their eyes. Both the Aquitian and Triforian Rangers exchanged glances with him. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

Cestro shrugged, "I believe so. We've already seen an example of the Red Ranger's new ability to shape shift. This is only a minor use of that sort of power."

"I minor, but a very profound use," Delphine said.

"Human ways are not our own, Delphine," Cestro told her.

"What are your recommendations Cestro?" Trey asked. "It seems that since this mission began, you've been correct in your assessments at every turn." Trey looked at Delphine and then back to the Aquitian scientist. "How can we repair this damage?"

"I'm not sure what we can do," Cestro said. "So far, we've given them an ultimatum of die at the hands of the dragons or at our hands; we've attacked them on their way to peace negotiations with the dragons; and then we attacked them when they came here to talk." He shrugged. "I don't know Jason that well, but I do know Tommy. Unless you rectify this situation immediately, it is going to come down to Rangers fighting Rangers." He straightened his uniform, "And considering that you have already managed to injure the Peacemaker, I will not be a part of this. Rangers DO NOT fight rangers."

"You would defy an order from the Galactic Council?" Trey asked.

"The Galactic Council is a political organization. We are Rangers and as Rangers we don't play politics. We fight monsters, and protect those who cannot protect themselves." He snorted, "If you ask me, we should be defending Earth, not attacking them." Walking to the center of the Bridge he added, "But as this seems to have been taken completely out of our hands," he bowed in respect to his leader and Trey. "I wish you the best of luck in dealing with Earth's new ally. I for one am returning to our ship. I won't be the instrument of a friend's death." With that he teleported back to the Aquitian ship.

As the beam took him he heard Delphine ask Trey, "What does he mean, Earth's new allies?"

~*~
"Tommy," Trini said looking up from the console where she was tracking the two Rangers gone to parley with Alien Rangers, "Billy's life signs just took a plunge! Jason's are fluctuating radically!"

"What?" Tommy asked.

"From the readings, it looks like Billy's unconscious, and Jason is expending a great deal of energy/" Trini said.

"Get them outta' there Zack," Tommy told the Black Ranger One.

"What about the negotiations?" Trini asked.

"To hell with the negotiations, it's obvious Trey doesn't want to talk." He turned to Zack, "Get them outta' there, now."

Zack just nodded and hit the command to teleport Jason and Billy back to the Command Center.

In a flash of red and blue light two forms collapsed onto each other in a pile in the corner. Trini wasted no time, she instantly sprang into action, dragging Jason's heavier form from atop Billy. Looking down, she was shocked at the amount of blood at the back of Billy's head. "Tommy, get me a stretcher," she began barking orders. "Zack head to the Med bay and get it ready." She looked over at Rocky and Aisha, "See if one of you guys can get a hold Kim's team. We need Doctor Storm here immediately."

Like the professionals they were, all the Rangers followed their instructions implicitly. Tommy felt no sense of loss from her taking command in this situation. She was the best qualified to be giving orders here, and he knew it. This wasn't combat, this was a life and death emergency.

He too noticed the blood on the back of Billy's head as they loaded him face down on the table. He watched with a strange distraction as she gently probed the area around Billy's wound. Wincing from the unnatural movement he saw in his skin, he couldn't help but look away, his eyes coming to rest on this best friend. Jason was still unconscious, but according the Trini he seemed to simply be exhausted. "Is there anything I can do?" Tommy asked her feeling helpless.

"Get on the line and see what happened up there?" Trini told him. "I'm not sure, but this looks like a blunt force trauma."

"A what?" Tommy asked.

"It looks like somebody tried to stave in his skull," Trini said simply. Shaking her head she continued to work. "What the hell does Trey think he's doing up there?"

~*~

Adam sat and watched his wife move effortless in and out of several conversations at once. The dragons had found it easier to converse with their new human friends by shifting forms. Most wore a human face, but dotted here and there throughout the great room was the occasional human sized draconian. He knew that their presence had sent a shock through the dragons' civilization but was just now beginning to understand how profound effect they had had. It was as if a spaceship from another planet had set down in Washington DC and had asked for World Series tickets. Adam never suspected that Kim would have made a good diplomat, but it seemed her natural charm and grace made her the perfect liaison to the dragons.

He approached where Mic and Teelo were talking to an older woman- Grinneld- Adam thought he remembered that her name was. "Tell me more about these things that attacked you, Teelo?" the woman asked.

"We were on our way here, when one of the larger ones fired on Kim," Teelo indicated Adam's wife across the hall. "They then spaced folded her and the healer away and imprisoned them."

"The healer is the one with the ancient phyre?" the woman asked. Adam saw Mic smile. He was unsure exactly what had happened to turn the Doctor into the tall female woman that had boarded his 'zord after Teelo rescued her, and the man was disinclined to discuss it, but not long after getting back aboard however, he'd changed back and had a look of perpetual embarrassment on his face. Adam did intend to find out a little more about it though. He wondered if it was the same woman who'd saved Billy and Jason when the false Admiral had blown up the base.

"My brother is somewhat unusual," Mic said. "He claims that he is the Creator's proof to the universe that the Creator has a sense of humor."

"I don't quite understand," Grinneld said.

"It's a long story that has to do with a certain popular entertainment when he was a child," Mic said.

"I'm sure it would make a fascinating story some day," Grinneld said.

"Trust me," Mic said, "it does. I tease him about it every chance I get."

Grinneld smiled at her and then turned back to question at hand, "How did they escape?"

Mic again smiled, "There hasn't yet been a prison built that can hold my brother when he calls on the power of Genesis."

"His phyre?" Grinneld asked.

Mic nodded. "Yes, ma'am. From what I understand, once he got the door open, the two of them fought their way out of the brig area until we met up with them a little later. I teleported Kimberly out and Teelo dug his way through the ship to get Ben out."

Grinneld gave Teelo a strange look, "You engaged one of those strange creatures? Why?"

Teelo seemed to blush, "Because a companion was in danger. It was the right thing to do."

Grinneld seemed to accept this as a plausible excuse. "What happened to it?"

"It burned up in the atmosphere." Teelo said. "Billy, one of the scholars down on the surface, the one I was telling you about with the intense phyre-bond, hit it with some form of directed energy attack and punched a hole through its space-fold ability." Adam smiled to himself. It was almost like having to listen to Billy when he was upset and deep into Billy-speak. He understood what the dragons were saying. It was just that they were saying it in the terms of their culture and sometimes he had to stop and translate.

Grinneld turned to Mic, "Do these things cause much interference in your world?"

"Only recently," Mic told her. "When you returned, they threatened to destroy us if we interfered with you."

Adam watched the blood drain from the woman's face. "They would destroy the first sentient life we've encountered in the galaxy if you fought to defend yourself?"

Mic nodded. "They don't exactly consider us that much of a valuable commodity to the galaxy. According to Billy, who has been to their worlds, they sort of think of us as some sort of parasite."

Grinneld shook her head, but before she could reply, Dr. Storm came up to Adam the group. He had a worried look on his face. "What's up Doc?" Adam asked. He'd wanted to say that ever since he met the man.

Dr. Storm didn't seem to notice. He said, "I've just heard from the Command Center. Jason and Bill went to meet with the aliens under a flag of truce. I don't have much information, but the aliens attacked them as soon as they got on board the bridge of Trey's ship. Billy's in critical condition. I need to get back down to the base."

"What?" Mic asked.

"Like I said, I don't have all the information right now," Ben said. "All I know is that Commander Scott is unconscious from exhaustion and Billy has some serious blunt force trauma to the back of his head." He turned to Adam, "Can you access the teleportation grid from here? I need to get there fast." Adam couldn't believe it. Why would Trey attack them?

"I can take you Dr. Storm," Teelo said.

The doctor turned to him and said, "Thank you."

"I think maybe I should go too," Mic said.

Dr. Storm shook his head, "No. You stay here. We need you to help Kimberly with the negotiations." He tapped the side of his head meaningfully. Mic started to protest but a look from Ben seemed to convince her to stay. He turned to Teelo, "When can we leave?"

"There is no time like the present," Teelo said. Turning to Grinneld, he bowed at the waist, "If you will excuse me, Elder."

The old woman just smiled, "Go, young one. The preservation of life is more important than ceremony."

Adam saw Teelo reach out and touch Ben's shoulder and then the two simply disappeared into a single pinpoint of shadow. "God I hope Billy is all right."

"This scholar, Billy, he is a close friend?" Grinneld asked.

Adam swallowed hard and nodded, "Yes, ma'am. He was one of the original Rangers. He served longer than any of us, even after he lost the Power."

"He served to defend your planet without phyre, alongside those with it?" Grinneld asked incredulously.

Adam nodded, "Yes ma'am."

She smiled, "Then I hope your healer is very good. I would like to meet such a being."

"I hope so too, ma'am. I hope so too."

~*~

Trini watched as Dr. Storm gently pieced the shattered parts of Billy's skull back together. Both were praying there was no lasting neurological damage. "What the hell did they hit him with?" the man shook his head. "Nothing like this should have been able to get through his phyre shield.

"From what I gathered, he was hit from behind." Trini told him.

"That would explain it. If he didn't see the blow coming, he wouldn't have known to shield it," Dr. Storm said to her. "I think he may be all right. We have to just keep him stabilized until his healing factor kicks in." He glanced over at the clear glass wall separating the sterile operating arena from the rest of the medical bay. "What do you have on Jason's condition?"

Trini shrugged. "Mainly exhaustion. I'm getting some strange scans from him. His internal organs seemed to have moved around some, but from what Rocky and Aisha were able to download from the Triangulus' bridge monitors, that could be explained by his phyre."

"Why?" the doctor asked as he gently aimed the bone knitter to the fuse the sections of Billy's skull back together. Trini couldn't believe the advance medical technology that was in this base. It was even more advanced than most of the equipment Zordon had in the old Command Center.

"According to what they were able to hack out of the Triangulus' computers, they hit Billy in the back of the head, and Jason went berserk, morphed into a dragon and ripped them to shreds." Trini sighed. She knew that the phyre affected each of them differently. It gave Billy a defensive phyre shield, and a healing factor. It gave Zack increased speed, and Kim and Adam, increased strength, but this was the first ability any of them had seen of a Ranger being able to alter his body.

"I'll look at the scans when we're finished here," Dr. Storm told her.

~*~

Aisha shook her head. What she'd seen on the screen had disturbed her greatly. She couldn't believe anyone would be so callous as to simply hit Billy in the back of the head as soon as he teleported. She thought the Aquitian Rangers were their friends. Why had they done something like this? Looking over to Rocky as he entered from the medical bay, she asked worriedly, "Any word?"

"Dr. Storm thinks Billy's going to be okay," he told her.

"But there was so much blood," Aisha protested.

Rocky pulled her into his arms and held her. "The doctor said that the scalp always bleeds a lot."

For long moments, she simply let her husband hold her, keeping at bay the memories of her imprisonment that threatened to come crashing around her. Finally, she said, "And Jason?"

"Mainly, exhaustion," Rocky replied as he released her. "From what we can tell, turning into that dragon pretty much wiped him out." He shrugged, "Trini said his guts were tied in knots, but he should be okay in a few hours."

"His guts?" Aisha asked confused.

Rocky chuckled, "Yeah, evidently all that shape shifting has left his internal organs a little outta' whack."

"Out of whack?" Aisha asked, "How?"

Rocky smiled and shrugged, "I don't know. I'm used putting other people's stomach into a knot, not fixing them." Then changing the subject he asked, "Any word from space?"

"Kim called wanting to know how Billy was. I told her that I would send a message just as soon as I knew something definitive," she told him.

"And what about our shoot-first-think-later visitors?"

"Pretty quiet. Someone teleported from the Triangulus to the Aquitian ship, but beyond that, nothing."

Rocky nodded his head. "Okay." He reached out and gently touched her face, "I'll see you in a while. I have to go keep Tommy updated. He's sort of worried about Jase and Billy."

"We all are," Aisha said.

Rocky chuckled, "Yeah, but those two are his best friends. They just got to talking again, and I think Tommy's afraid that something will happen to one of them before they can completely heal each other."

Aisha smiled, "Okay, Rocko. You go and sooth our fearless leader. I'll stay here and man the Command Center."

Rocky smiled at her, kissed her quickly and left to talk to Tommy. Something Rocky had said thought still disturbed her. She couldn't put he finger on it, but she would before long.