AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I will admit that I was inspired for this ending (all right I shameless stole it) from part of the plot of "Another Shade of Blue". As for the ending, you can assume that the teleportation had a similar effect or not as to your choosing. As for me, I'm finished with this particular angst fest. I'm going to work on Ties That Run Deep, and a pseudo-sequel to Rap's True Lies. (By psuedo-sequel, I'm going to use the events in that story as the basis for an AU to it with Billy researching the ruins on Phaedos. And yes, I have her permission.)
Jay was afraid, more afraid than he'd ever been in his life. It wasn't the heart pounding fear he experienced when he fought one of Lolth's monsters as the Blue Ranger, it was a deep down bone numbing dread that came with the knowledge that he was about to lose his best friend, the girl he wanted to marry. The worst part about it, was that he could see it coming but had no idea how to stop it.
Finally, he approached the one person in the world he felt might be able to help- the person who'd always been there for him. When all else failed, he knew a Ranger could always turn to his mother for guidance. It had been about three weeks since the funeral for Uncle Jase and Dr. Carstonn. In that time, the Rangers' lives had been turned upside down.
Jay remembered the day of the fight. He remembered looking over to see his Uncle Jason and the Doctor lying in a spreading pool of blood. Most of all he remembered Trini Anne's scream and then the terrible force that seemed to overcome the Red Ranger. She'd cut a swath so wide through Lolth's forces that the Spider Queen hadn't been able to pull Ris out of the fight before Trini Anne completely destroyed him.
Later he remembered the double funeral. He was surprised at how many people turned out for it. He hadn't realized just how much his Uncle had contributed to the community. He remembered being surprised at just how many people's lives Dr. Carstonn had touched as well. Of course he'd been floored to see the Ranger's Mentor Tabitha at the funeral, but not quite as floored as his father had been. They obviously recognized each other, but for some reason had only acknowledged each other with a single respectful nod.
He'd fought his own emotions during that funeral. He fought to be strong for the team, for his Dad, and for Trini Anne. He was proud that he'd been able to hold up until he got home where he could lock himself in his room and cry for his loss. He knew he wasn't fooling anyone, but he also knew that his mom and his dad would let him have his little obfuscation, because it was the kind of thing you did for your kids.
Things had really gotten weird in the following weeks, not the least of which was Trini Anne's moving in. He remembered hearing from time to time that his mom and dad were her godparents, but had never thought anything about it. Nobody ever expected them to really have to step in, to actually have to take care of her. But it had happened. Uncle Jase was dead, and Trini Anne's grandmother just wasn't in good enough health to be legally responsible for her. So, without a thought, his dad and mom did what they'd promised to do on the day he was born. They took care of their friends' daughter, because it was what was right.
He'd noticed too that Uncle Jase's death had drawn Trini Anne and his Dad closer together. What had always been a somewhat distant or formal relationship between the two had closed. It was as if by connecting with each other, they were somehow helping one another cope. Jay wasn't complaining. He had always felt that his dad was giving Trini Anne a cold shoulder, but now he was starting to feel left out. And Trini wasn't herself any more.
In place of the vibrant young woman with whom he was beginning to fall in love, there was a hardness to her now that he had never seen before. It was as if the anger inside her from that day at Mr. Ko's Garden had yet to subside but was instead building. Jay was afraid for what would happen when it finally came to a boil.
That was the reason he was now here, standing outside his mom's sewing room. Knocking lightly he stuck his head in and asked, "Mom, can I talk to you?"
His mom looked up from where she was sitting by the window watching the squirrels in the back yard and smiled. "Sure Jay, come on in." Jay smiled and went in and sat in the chair next to hers, "What's on your mind?"
"Dad and Trini," he answered without hesitation.
The changes in her husband had not escaped Kimberly. She knew he was doing his own grieving. In many ways he was grieving as much for himself as for Jason. He was grieving for all those times lost, times he could have spent with his friend, but didn't. She knew he was making a conscious effort to get closer to Jase's daughter, to help her deal with being completely orphaned.
"You mean how much time they're spending together?" she asked.
Jay nodded, "Uh huh."
Kim smiled, "I wouldn't worry about it Jay. Your dad is just trying to help Trini understand that there are still people who lover her. That she' s not as alone in the world as she might think." Kim knew that was going to be difficult. In all of her family, she only had two members left- both grandparents. Jason's mom was getting on in years, and although she loved the girl dearly, she just wasn't in the physical health to watch after a sixteen year old girl. Billy's father on the other hand would have nothing to do with her, having disowned his son long ago. In his own way, he was more alone than she was.
"I'm not so much worried about the time they spend together as how they seem to be acting."
Kim smiled again, "How's that?"
Jay shook his head and tried to put his feelings into words, "I don't know, darker I guess would be it, but not quite. Maybe colder, just different, as if something inside them has died."
Kim gave him a long look before answering. She'd seen it too, but was hoping that Jay hadn't noticed. Jase's death had hit them all hard. It was as if the strength of their group had died. "I think they're just trying to deal with the anger and hurt they feel over Jason's death. Give them some time, they'll come around." Kim hid her own worries underneath a veneer of hope and optimism- it was all she had.
"But Trini's been running herself ragged. She's barely eating, she's always either with Dad, or doing homework, or in the labs at the Command Center. I checked the log in the high energy lab. It showed that Trini checked in sometime Friday afternoon and still hasn't checked out yet."
Kim smiled at him, "I know son. I wouldn't worry too much about it. She needs some time to think, to get her own head on straight. Her father used to do the same thing when something had him upset."
"Somehow I just don't see Uncle Jase in a lab," Jay said, and then mentally kicking himself for not realizing his mistake. "Oh you mean, Billy."
Kim chuckled and nodded, "Uh huh. Jase would always go to the Youth Center and work out whenever something was bothering him with Zack. Billy would lock himself in the lab at the Command Center until he got it worked out. Of course that's what got him hurt in the first place."
"So I shouldn't worry that Trini is upset and is playing around with enough firepower to level a city?" he smiled.
"You sure you're not bucking for a color change kiddo?" she asked. "You're starting to think like a Red Ranger."
Jay just smiled, "No, I'll leave the leadership to Trini. She's better at it than I am."
Kim chuckled at him hand smiled, "Why don't you go see if you can pry her out of that lab. Take her to dinner or something."
Jay smiled, "Good idea." He got up to leave and then stopped, "And thanks Mom. I knew I could count on you."
"I didn't do anything. You did all the work."
He just laughed, knowing better than to argue with her. "Sure Mom."
~*~
Trini checked her readouts one final time. Everything was where they were supposed to be. Lolth was going to pay for what she had done. Trini Anne was going to see to that personally.
"Alpha Nine?" she asked the small robot making adjustments in the corner. "Do you have the coordinates programmed into the teleportation grid?"
"Yes," the small robot answered. "I still don't understand why you're wanting to use the old Morphin' Teleportation Grid?"
Trini just smiled, "Because Lolth will never expect me to use it when we have access to the Quantum Shuntgates developed by Cestro of Aquitar and my father."
"But what are you going to do?" the little robot asked.
"I'm going to make sure that Lolth never hurts another person on Earth."
"How?" the little robot asked.
She just smiled, "I was digging through some of my dad's old disks about a week ago. I came across some scans he did when he was a Ranger- scans that revealed a major violation in the SALT II Treaty."
"I don't understand," Alpha Nine replied.
"That's okay, Alpha. You will." She picked up her morpher and strapped it to he wrist. "Just give me five seconds and activate the teleporter."
"Very well, Trini Anne."
"And Alpha?"
"Yes?"
"Don't forget to tell Jay I'm sorry."
"I won't," the little robot replied as the teleporter took her.
Seconds later she appeared directly in the court of the Spider Queen, a small cylindrical object about the size of a file fire hydrant at her side. She only had seconds to act if she was going to carry out this plan. By the time Lolth or any of her minions realized she was there she was already kneeling next to the illegal neutron bomb she'd taken from the Russians.
Looking up for an instant Trini saw the look of surprise on the Spider Queen's face at seeing her suddenly appear in the heart of her stronghold. No force on Earth could stop what was about to happen. Lolth would pay for killing her father and Dr. Carstonn, even if her own life was forfeit. She threw the switch and waited for the final five seconds of life before the bomb sent out a wave of neutrons that would kill every living thing within these caverns without harming the earth itself.
~*~
Jay walked into the Command Center's main high energy lab in time to see the situation unfold on the holo-tank. "Alpha! What's Trini doing in Lolth's Lair?!"
"Attempting to deploy a tactical nuclear device," was the tinny reply.
"She's what?" Jay asked. "Why did you let her do that?"
"She's overridden my programming," the robot answered.
Without thinking Jay acted. In a single move, he swept the small robot away from the console and hit the Ranger Emergency Recall command on the console. It was a risky maneuver, it could well jeopardize all the Ranger's identities, but he couldn't let her die like this. No matter where the Rangers were, or what they were doing, they were immediately teleported to the Command Center via the Quantum Shuntgates.
~*~
The last thing Trini remembered was a flash of light and intense pain as the Quantum Shuntgate, the old Morphin' Teleporter and the neutron wave all hit her simultaneously. There was searing pain, and then darkness.