AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Just wanted to thank everyone who has been so supportive lately while my life has gotten crazy. Thanks Irina, Jacks, Kitty, Hagar, Heartfelt, Dags, and Ruchi. I really appreciate the support. I've now moved out and have what appears to be a sane room mate. I did learn one valuable lesson in all of this though. NEVER, EVER, EVER go shopping with a gay man unless you are ready to spend several hours in the store with him. Geeez, I guess there are just some stereotypes I don't fit. Thanks again everyone. And Ruchi, you STILL owe me a another chapter of Brother Wolf.
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"I'm going down there," Trey told his chamberlain, Carliss as the turbolift wound its way through the bowels of the Triangulus toward the bridge.
"Is that wise My Lord?" the older man asked.
Trey shook his head, "Probably not, but it has to be done." He sighed and looked past the view port to the blue and white world below him. "Twice we've carried out an unprovoked attack on Earth's Rangers. That needs to be rectified."
"Will Jason Scott be willing to listen to you? He is understandably upset."
Trey shrugged, "I don't know, but I have to try. I owe him too much to let it end this way."
"May I offer a suggestion then sir?"
Trey smiled, "Always old friend."
"Take Cestro with you. He has a certain amount of good will with the Earth Rangers at this time," Carliss replied.
"If he'll go," Trey said. "He seems to be rather disappointed with Delphine and me at the moment." Carliss gave him a disapproving look. "Okay, okay, he's angry with both of us over what happened with the Blue Ranger."
"I can understand what happened My Lord, but if I may be so bold as to say so, he has a point. Your guards did attack the Peacemaker. William Cranston of Earth does have a certain reputation, and it will be very difficult to justify what happened."
Trey shuddered to think of what happened. The guard had overstepped his bounds. Attacking a member of a peace envoy was a major breach of protocol. Trey was secretly surprised that Jason hadn't tried to destroy the Triangulus in" retaliation. "I know. I'm beginning to wonder if this whole mission is cursed."
"Not cursed My Lord, simply interfered with by the Galactic Council. Rangers should deal with Rangers and politicians with politicians. The Council decided to flex its muscles and an in doing so it made a bad situation worse. Rule by committee has never been very effective."
Trey smiled and exited the lift. Turning to the communication's officer he said, "Contact the Aquitian ship. I want to talk to Cestro."
"Aye sir," was the man's reply.
Seconds later the dark skinned image of the Aquitian Ranger appeared in the holo-tank. "My Lord, Trey," Cesto said formally. "How might I be of assistance?"
"I'm going down to Earth to talk to Jason and the other Rangers. I want you to go with me," he smiled ruefully, "to make sure that I don't make any more mistakes."
"Are you asking me as a Ranger or as a Galactic Citizen?" Cestro asked.
"As a Ranger," Trey said.
Cestro gave the hand sign for irony, "Good, because I would not want a repeat performance of our earlier mistakes."
"Neither do I," Trey said. "We haven't exactly covered ourselves with honor lately."
Cestro shook his head, "No we haven't, and I think we owe the Peacemaker better than that."
Trey smiled, "You're probably right."
~*~
"Jason," Kat said to the brooding Red Ranger. "I've got a transmission from the Triangulus. It's Trey." Ever since they got back from the aborted attempt at making peace with Triforians, Jason looked worried.
Jason looked up from the console where he was going over the information Billy had given him. How could this have happened? Why now? It was totally insane! Things were not supposed to work like this. Billy and I should be planning the rest of our lives together, not dealing with this kind of situation- not now.
"Jason!" Kat almost shouted at him.
Looking up, Jason realized that he hadn't heard a word the second Pink
Ranger had said. "Huh?" he asked.
"Trey is on the line. He and Cestro want to speak with you," she repeated.
Jason forced himself to get up from the console and head over to the tank. Glancing back over at the plasma controls, he briefly considered firing on the Tringulus just to see how long it would take to bring down the pride of Triforia. Instead, he looked over at her and said, "Put his Royal Highn-ass on."
Kat shot him a disappointed look and he was unsure if it was over what he'd said or whether she too thought he should fire on the Triforian ship. Slowly the images of Cestro and Trey coalesced in the vapors of the holo-tank. "Jason Scott," Trey began. "First I want to apologize for the incident on the Triangulus. It was not our intention to harm you or the Peacemaker. The guard has been reprimanded."
"Tell it to someone who cares, Trey," Jason told him. "Every time we start to talk peace somebody up there attacks us." He smiled and pitched his voice into a Scottish brough, "There's an old saying on Earth; fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."
Trey nodded, "I understand Jason. I came to offer to meet you at the place of your choosing to discuss what is to be done about the dragon situation."
Jason shrugged, "There's nothing to do be done. We've reached an agreement, and I have a meeting with representatives of the Allied Nations tomorrow to discuss the agreement and get it ratified. What's left of us that is." He smiled coldly, "The dragons are safe and therefore are no longer your concern."
He watched as Trey nodded solemnly and Cestro beamed with excitement. "So there will be no more misunderstandings with the dragons?" the Aquitian Ranger asked.
Jason shook his head, "No. We've actually reached a civilized agreement."
"How were you able to communicate with them?" Cestro asked.
Jason smiled. He had nothing against Cestro. The man had risked his career in an effort to warn Billy about the impending dragon attack. He told him, "It's a side effect of the infusions Billy has been giving us to make us Rangers again."
"I see," Cestro said. "As a scientist and a friend, I would very much like to see Billy's data."
"I'm not sure about that right now, Cestro. Although I trust you and have no reason not to," Jason looked at the image of Trey, "However I can't say the same about your present company." Jason knew it was petty, but damn it, they almost killed Billy.
"I understand, Jason of Earth." Cestro made a gesture with his hands, "That is why I'm suggesting the following. Let Trey of Triforia and myself transport down to the Command Center to discuss a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Galactic Council ships."
Jason nodded and said, "I'll take it under consideration."
"Don't take too long, Jason of Earth." Cestro said quietly, "I have it on good authority that the Hafar are sending a task force to avenge the loss of their ship."
"Are you threatening us again, Cestro?" Jason asked warily.
The Aqutitian Ranger shook his head, "No, I am simply alerting you to a danger about which you need to be aware."
Jason considered what Cestro said. It did fit what he'd done in the past. Jason suspected that Cestro took the idea of the Brother/Sisterhood of all Rangers very seriously and was personally offended by the actions of his fellow Alien Rangers. "Thank you then, Cestro. Do you have any suggestions?"
"Make peace with Trey. Talk to him. If you've reached an agreement with the Dragons, then Trey can argue with the Galactic Council on your behalf. We KNOW that the Hafar fired on your 'Zord first."
"The Galactic Council has already written us off, Cestro. What possible assistance could they be to us now?" Billy asked as he entered the Command Information Center of the Command Center.
"William of Earth, it is good to see you again," Cestro said as Billy's image appeared on his own holo-screen. He made a gesture of deep personal affection and honor.
"Thank you Cestro of Aquitar," Billy replied formally repeating Cestro's gesture. Jason could see the surprised look on Cestro's face at that.
"As far as what good the Galactic Council can do for you William, they can authorize the Triangulus to defend the planet."
"I see," Jason said neutrally. Looking over at Billy, he saw his friend and lover nod. "If we meet, we meet here. Just Trey," he turned to face Cestro, "and you to keep him in line." Jason sighed and added, "You send down a single person besides the two of you and I'll have Billy shunt your transport somewhere to the Arctic Ocean."
"Understood," Trey said. "We'll be down in five of your Earth minutes."
Jason felt Billy come over and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Then speaking low enough so that only Jason could hear, he said, "Do you feel up to this?"
Jason turned and smiled at him. He understood exactly what Billy was asking. His new health situation made some things difficult to consider. To be honest, when Billy had showed him the read-outs and explained them it had scared the bejeebers out of him. The changes his body was going through were frightening and had locked certain internal organs completely out of place. He just wondered how he was going to be able to handle what THAT was doing to his body. In some ways, he thought it was probably going to be worse than how he felt after losing the Gold Powers. "I'll do what I have to do to get the job done, Billy." He turned and smiled at his lover, "No matter what the personal cost to me, this planet, human civilization is on the line here, we HAVE to survive as a race."
Billy simply nodded, and Jason knew that he understood. He didn't have to like it and Jason knew that too, but he understood. "Just don't get yourself into battle, and you should be okay."
Jason smiled, "I'm trying to avoid it, man. You know that." He shook his head, "But we're not going to roll over and die as a race simply because someone else thinks that we're damaging the Dragons."
"I don't expect you to, Jase," Billy told him. "I just want you to be careful. There's too much at stake here." He looked at Jason meaningfully. Jason knew that Billy was trying to tell him something but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was.
"I hate to interrupt you guys," Kat said in her soft Australian accent. "You're so cute together when you start talking soft and low like that, but I think someone should make preparations for the arrival of the Alien Rangers."
Billy smiled over at Kat, "As you usual, you're right, Comrade Kitka." Billy used the pet name he'd given her years ago when they would work late at night together in the 'zord bays.
Kat smiled at him, "What do you want me to do Jase?" she asked.
"Get Rocky, Adam, and Tommy up here," he said. "Let's remind Trey just how much he owes us."
Kat smiled and sent out the message and in just a few moments Kat, Jason, and Billy were joined by the three aforementioned Rangers. A rather smug looking Teelo joined them as well. Jason noted that Rocky was still looking just a little green around the gills. He was shaking his head and speaking softly to the dragon. "I can't believe you actually ate him."
The dragon patted his stomach and Jason noticed that he didn't look like he felt well either, "I know," he said quietly. "I think he gave me indigestion."
"But you ate him," Rocky protested again.
Teelo shrugged, "So? He threatened a friend of mine. I wasn't going to let him get away with trying to kill her again."
Rocky winked over at the white blond man, "I think you're beginning to think of her as more than just a friend."
Teelo shrugged, "She has interesting phyre."
Rocky just smiled and asked quietly, "Oh, is that what it is?"
Before Teelo could reply, Tommy interjected, "Pipe down you two." He turned to face Jason, "So, what do you need Jase?"
Jason smiled and turned his attention to his best friend, "Trey and Cestro are coming down to talk to us,"
Tommy raised an eyebrow. "You're not blowing them out of the sky?"
Jason shrugged and winked over at Billy, "No, Major Cranston convinced me not to."
Both men laughed. "Good, I'd rather talk than fight." He stepped up and put an arm around Kat's waist.
"That's new," his wife teased him. Everyone knew that Tommy was nearly as action oriented as Jason when it came to finding a way to deal with a threat. Jason at least had the benefit of a military career to teach him to consider other ways of resolving conflicts.
"Hey," Tommy shrugged and kissed her on the cheek, "I resemble that remark."
Cestro arrived aboard the Triangulus in full uniform. He wasn't going to let Trey forget that he asked for his help as a former Ranger, and Rangers didn't have to worry about the niceties of dealing with nobility- even Triforian nobility. He stepped down off the teleporter pad and was greeted by Carliss, Trey's Chamberlain. "Welcome back Blue Ranger of Aquitar."
Cestro gave the older man a gesture of respect and said, "Thank you. I hope I can be of some assistance with these matters." He remained in formal mode.
Noting his formality, Carliss did not break from the example set by his guest. "I'm sure your services will be invaluable, Blue Ranger."
"As am I," Trey said entering the transport room- he too was dressed in his Ranger uniform. He turned to face his Chamberlain and smiled, "I trust you won't let anyone fire on the negotiations this time."
Carliss nodded, "You have my word, My Lord."
"Thank you old friend," Trey told him before turning back to Cestro and asking, "Are you ready?"
Cestro nodded as Trey took his place on the platform. "As the Peacemaker would say: Whenever you are."
*~*
Billy watched as Trey and Cestro teleported into the Command Center. Finally, we're going to get to the bottom of this, he thought to himself. As the bright blue and gold light dissipated to reveal the forms of the Triforian and Aqutitian Rangers, Billy wondered how they'd reached such a situation where Rangers no longer trusted each other. "Welcome back Trey, Cestro," Tommy said as Jason watched warily from the sides.
Billy understood Jason's reticence. Hell, he'd taken two pretty nasty blows to the head and Kimberly and Ben had been shot down and captured by the Hafar. He wasn't exactly in a trusting mood himself. Add Jason's condition on top of that, and the first wrong move Trey made, he might give the Triforian Gold Ranger a taste of exactly how much he'd changed over the last fifteen years himself.
Trey nodded his head and said, "Thank you Tommy." Looking over to Jason he continued, "And thank you for being willing to talk, Jason Scott of Earth."
"Don't thank me just yet, Trey," Jason told him. "I don't want to talk as much as I want to find out why your people seemed determined to keep us from reaching an agreement with the dragons." He turned at looked at Billy who felt intensely protected by that gaze, "And why you attacked Billy."
Cestro suddenly stepped forward and offered, "I believe that the latter was a misreading of the scans from the ship, Red Ranger One." Billy noted that Cestro used the appellation that the Rangers had adopted since the formation of this particular team. "Some of the changes that have occurred in your Ranger Team disrupted the scans and gave the impression that you were harboring a third person in the transport." He looked over at Billy and made a gesture of profound respect, of apology, and then added one that puzzled Billy. He was unsure of what it meant so he made a mental note to look it up when he got a chance. "The problem has been corrected." The look Cestro gave Trey was unmistakably hard.
"Then what can we for the Rangers of Triforia and Aquitar?" Adam asked from next to Teelo.
"We simply want to insure that the Dragons are safe and that there will be no hunting of them," Trey said.
"And since when do the creatures of the fields concern themselves with the affairs of the intelligent?" Teelo asked suddenly.
Both Cestro and Trey turned to face the young dragon. "Who are you?" Trey asked.
Teelo smiled, "I am Teelo Icewing, representative to the Rangers from the Council of Phyre."
"Who or what are the Council of Phyre?" Trey asked.
Teelo smiled and Billy watched as his facial features slowly shifted to a more reptilian form. "What you call the Dragons," Teelo said. "And my question still stands. What business of yours are the affairs of the intelligent?"
"I believe we've been insulted," Cestro told Trey while making a gesture of irony.
Teelo shook his head, "No. We simply do not consider those who do not possess the phyre to be intelligent yet."
"And humans do?" Trey asked incredulously.
"Of course," Teelo smiled as his features returned to those of their handsome young friend. "They are not dragons, but they are at least dragonkin. They possess the phyre, just look around you." He smiled, "Actually, many of our kind are starting to see the humans as our "little hatchlings". They are the inheritors of our power and our place in the universe."
"Why have you not spoken to any one else in the past?" Trey asked.
"We have, you just did not hear us. Only the humans have heard us." He leaned back against the desk. "Only they have spoken back to us phyre to phyre."
Trey turned from Teelo toward Jason. He could see the shock in his face. It was not everyday that someone got away with calling the Crown Prince of an entire planet no better than a beast of the fields. "Be that as it may Jason. We know that the Hafar are returning. The ship you destroyed managed to broadcast a distress signal. The Hafar are very likely to irradiate the whole planet for the loss of their ship."
*~*
Corcus leaned back from the subspace transmitter and looked at Delphine. "White Ranger, I'm getting a message from an approaching Hafar ship."
Delphine nodded, "Put it on the speakers."
A hissing voice speaking Galactic filled the bridge. "Attention Rangers of Aquitar and Triforia. You are hereby ordered to withdraw to a safe distance from Earth. By order of the Hafar Admiralty, the planet is to be sterilized."
