Andrece and Soldier had returned to their normal clothes directly after leaving the site of the other Rangers. Still in shock about what had happened Andrece allowed Soldier to lead her home on his own. When they arrived her father confronts her about the letter.

"Annie, I am so sorry." He said pulling her into a tight embrace.

She pushed him off, anger flickering in the pit of her stomach. "I'm going to the youth centre. Back later." She said curtly. She ran to her room and grabbed some work out clothes and ran back outside. She closed the front door fast enough that Soldier was left inside.

At the centre most of the people were already gone. It was late, near the dinner hour. Andrece got dressed quickly in the change room and headed out to the suspended punching bag. Going through an all familiar warm up routine she began to truly express herself for the first time since the attack.

Everyone thinks I am frail and need to be protected. I'm not a child. I can fight. I'm not helpless! She screamed to herself in her mind. With each phrase her hits to the bag became more and more forceful. She was so focused on her 'opponent' that she never noticed she was being watched.

~*~ Jason walked in to the youth centre expecting the place to be empty he was surprised to see Andrece working out on the punching bag. She was dancing around it like a seasoned fighter. Something about the way she moves... he thought. He brushed it off as nothing and stored the information in the back of his mind.

He was just stepping out of the men's locker room when Andrece had finally taken a break. "Hey." He called to her. She glanced up with a look of anger. "You okay?" he asked approaching slowly.

"Never better." She huffed to him as she stood up.

It dawned on Jason that that was the first she had spoken to him. There was something about the voice, and the way she fought that wouldn't get out of his mind. "What are you doing here?"

"Working." She shook her head at the stupidity of the question.

Jason stared at the ground between his feet. "Would you mind spotting me on weights?" Why can't I think around this girl? She nodded somewhat reluctantly. She got the weights set to his level and got into position. Andrece guided every rep up and down watching in case something went wrong.

It was almost an hour later of both of them working out, at one time even sparring together. Jason noticed that when she fought she never spoke, nor made much of a sound. When they were packing up Jason popped the question, "Can I walk you home Drece?"

Her head snapped around at his voice saying 'Drece'. Only Josh had called her that. She couldn't figure out why Jason's saying that affected her when Kim had been calling her that for a few days. She noticed he was getting concerned with her silence she picked up her back pack and said, "Sure."

The walk to Andrece's place was quiet; the only noise was that of four feet moving in rhythm. Jason noticed that about a block away he could see a figure sitting on the sidewalk. As they got closer he discovered it was a dog, a very, very large dog. "Who does that belong to?"

Andrece looked up and say Soldier, "Me." As they got closer still Soldier rose off his haunches and started towards them at a trot. Jason dropped back behind Andrece as the dogs trot turned into a full run. Just as he was getting ready to duck or run himself Andrece halted the dog, "Het einde!"

The dog stopped dead in his tracks and simply glared at Jason. "Nice dog." He gave a nervous laugh, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him to stop."

"In what language? I know that isn't English."

"Dutch."

"Why?"

"A way of controlling him, he'll only listen to me." Andrece patted the dog's head which reached close to her stomach.

"I see. Well I guess your real escort is here, so I'll see you on Monday at school. Bye." He gave a wave then started jogging around the corner to his home which was three blocks away. All the while thinking to himself: there is something about that girl that I can't put my finger on.

~*~ Things were quiet for a few days at school and in the city. It seemed the 'want-to-be-world-rulers' had taken a break in their attacks. Jason had not seen much of Andrece since the night at the Youth Centre. He had told the others about her speaking Dutch to her dog and her fighting style. None of them were ready to completely believe that Andrece was the new Ranger. She just didn't fit the personality style of the Silver Guardian, but Jason was convinced.

The group of teens was sitting in the school library at a study session for their social science papers which were due in a few days. Kim and Trini had just returned with a new pile of books for the others to look through when their communicators went off. Jason looked at Tommy and said, "Go ahead Zordon."

Rangers report quickly to the Angel Grove beach, Goldar just arrived with a squadron of putties. "Understood," Jason turned to the other Rangers, "its morphin time!" Six streams of light dissipated in the dim light of the library only to rematerialize at the beach as six morphed power rangers.

"Why don't you just leave Goldar?" Tommy said reaching for his dagger.

Goldar growled at the Rangers, "I have a mission to complete. Putties attack!" It was seconds after the worlds left his mouth that the rangers were almost over ran with mounds of walking clay humanoids.

None of the rangers noticed the arrival of the Silver Guardian Ranger; she walked directly up to Goldar and forced him to defend himself. She attacked with her staff and he defended with his sword. Each time the two weapons struck each other sparks flew.

"You shall not defeat me Silver Ranger." Goldar taunted. When his quarry did not reply he growled deep in his throat and swung his sword over his head high and brought it down in a great arch of power. The Silver Guardian Ranger was pushed to her knees as she absorbed the attack. A small grunt escaped her lips.

A few meters away the Red Ranger defeated the putties around him enough to get the others to back off a bit allowing him time to look around. He spotted the Pink and Black rangers fighting against a group of twelve or so putties. They had both called for their power weapons and started destroying their foes with greater ease. The Green Yellow and Blue Rangers were approaching upon Goldar as he fought with the Silver Guardian Ranger. Jason noticed the similarities again of this new ranger and Andrece. Her back flip kick was a move he had only seen Kim and Andrece use. Just as the other rangers were going to attack Goldar knocked the staff from the Silver ranger's hand, he caught it in his own paw and wield it with precision against the rangers.

Jason quickly finished off the offending putties and went to the Silver Guardian's aid. She was down on a knee breathing hard. Placing himself in her defence he asked her, "You okay?"

"Yeah." She huffed. Her voice was raw with pain, yet still she stood up and got a hold of herself. "My staff."

Jason nodded he gave a nod to Zack who with a kick to Goldar's knee knocked the warrior of balance as Trini grabbed for the stolen weapon. Goldar was reaching for the Yellow Ranger with his sword but it was knocked from his paw by a shot from the Pink Ranger's power bow. The staff was thrown from Trini to Jason. "Your staff is here." He said handing it over to the ranger.

The Silver Guardian Ranger bowed before taking it from his grip she leaned heavily upon it. Jason gave her one more look of concern before taking command again and calling to the team of rangers. "Come on gang lets finish him!"

Just as the rangers were going to bring their power weapons together Goldar vanished in an orange display of lights. The rangers were just congratulating themselves on another battle won when they noticed the disappearance of their newest ally.

It was the next day at school during the lunch break when Kimberly caught up to the elusive Andrece. "Hey Drece!" Kim called as she spotted the flame haired girl walk out of the cafeteria food line. Kim jogged up to her and literally pulled her to where she and the other six of her friends were eating. "We haven't seen much of you girl. Where you been?"

"Around." was Andrece's simple reply.

"Have you finished your creative writing assignment yet?" asked Tommy. He as well as Kimberly and Jason all shared the last period creative writing class.

"Yes almost."

"I don't know about you guys but I can't seem to make my biography interesting. It's just facts, nothing dramatic." Kim complained.

"It's not hard." Andrece said quietly.

Kimberly was drawn to the unusual looking bracelet that Andrece wore. "Hey that's cool where'd you get it?"

Andrece covered the owl bracelet with her hand, "It-it was a gift."

Kimberly only nodded. The stutter caught both Kim and Jason by surprise; Andrece may not say a lot but when she did speak it was clear. There was something about that bracelet that Andrece didn't want to talk about.

The subject was changed to the up and coming talent show the student body was putting on for the community and then to other classes. When the bell finally rang they each headed their own way. Andrece remained at the table. She had a spare before last class. As usual she went home to pick up Soldier and then together they headed for the wooded area near the park.

~*~ When the thick branches cover their bodies Andrece released the leash and let Soldier sniff around for a bit. They continued walking until they found an ancient tree that had fallen across a small ravine. Sitting up on it Andrece watched Soldier act like a pup again. He was busy snapping at the butterflies when a cold breeze passed through.

Standing up she whistled for the dog to heal, as he reached her side a dreaded figure appeared. "Give me the bracelet or parish." The voice growled.

"Never." She replied as she prepared to defend herself.

~*~ The familiar six tone beep alerted the Power Rangers to the trouble brewing. Each asking to be excused from their respective classes they gathered in front of their lockers. Rangers Goldar is on Earth in battle with the Silver Guardian Ranger

"We're on our way Zordon." Tommy said.

~*~ It wasn't seconds later when the six rangers entered the battle grounds. The sight they saw shocked them. Goldar was fighting the Silver Guardian Ranger as she tried desperately to protect her fallen animal. The howl of the creature chilled the Rangers to their very bones. As the howl ended they heard the new ranger scream in defiance as her partner gave his last breath.

The Silver Guardian Ranger collapsed in defeat shortly after the howl ended, Goldar was about to pounce upon his prey when the other rangers interfered. The blasts from their side arms knocked him off balance and away from the Silver ranger.

"Blast you pesky rangers. You have not seen the last of me!" Goldar growled as usual before he vanished. Knowing the threat was gone the Silver Ranger tossed her helmet and staff to the side and sank down again next to her fallen animal. She wept opening over it's cooling body. None of the rangers wanted to intrude to tell her that they should leave. Finally after a few moments Jason approached the crying girl. Before he could speak she turned to him with anger in her tear streaked eyes. "You! You did this!" she screamed at him as she swung the staff at his head. Only his fast reflexes saved him.

Jason was barely able to recognize the girl with such fury in her. It took Kim calling out her name to make him remember. "Andrece no!" she called.

"De moorderaar!" she screamed.

With another swing of the staff Jason caught it and pulled the weeping girl into his arms. With a slight nod they teleported to the Command Centre, Tommy and Zack carried the body of the creature. Andrece was still whimpering 'da soldaat' into Jason's shoulder when Zordon spoke.

I am sorry for your loss Andrece.

Andrece pulled from Jason and with angry eyes turned to Zordon. It had been usual for people new to seeing Zordon act surprised but not Andrece. Instead she screamed at him. "You killed my best friend! You had always been there in the past why not this time! Why!"

I am sorry; Goldar was able to divert our sensory for a moment.

"You're sorry? How can you be? You didn't know him, you don't know me! None of you do!" she started to cry again as she knelt down while powering down. The creature was revealed to be the large dog Jason had encountered when he walked Andrece home, it was Soldier.

"Andrece we do know you." Said the Pink Ranger; she looked to the Red Ranger and with a nod the six Power Rangers were revealed to be the group of friend she had hung out with at school with.

Kimberly wrapped her arms around her grieving friend and hugged her. "I'm sorry Drece. We should have been there sooner. I'm sorry."

"He was only trying to protect me. Last time it was Josh who got hurt now Soldier is dead and I'm still here. The rescue was late again. It happened again!" A new set of tears emerged, these ones linked the past to the present thought the view of Andrece.

Jason kneeled down to where Andrece and Kim sat and quietly asked her, "What do you mean again Drece?"

A pair of teary sea green eyes locked with his midnight brown ones as she explained, "Last summer my brother and I were attacked. He was hurt and I ...I would have been hurt worse, but Soldier showed up and then my parents. Both times the rescue was late and someone got really hurt; only this time someone died."

A realization dawned on Andrece's face, "How am I going to tell my dad? He doesn't know what I am? This is going to break his heart. I don't want Soldier to be dead, he can't be!" Jason hugged her and tried to hush her tears.

"Look why don't Kim and I take you home. We'll explain to your dad okay?" She looked up at him again, with a teary sniffle she nodded. With a nod to Alpha, four beams of light encircled the group. One red, another pink, silver and one purest of white and took them home.

~*~ It was the weekend, the weather was sunny and warm with a slight breeze from the south, standing under a lone maple tree was Andrece, at her feet was a stone inscribed with dates of Solider her protector.

A soft voice from behind her broke her from her trans-like state, "You alright Drece?"

Slowly she turned to the speaker, "No but I will be. Thanks for coming with me Jason. I couldn't have done it alone."

Jason placed his hands on her shoulders in comfort, "its okay, and I know what it's like to lose a close friend." They stood in silence for several moments before a six tone beep interrupted. "You coming?"

"Yeah in a sec," Jason vanished in a pillar of red light leaving Andrece alone. "Don't worry boy, I found a new protector, but I will never forget you. I love you Soldier. Good bye and rest well." With that she placed her hand on her owl bracelet and called out, "Silver Guardian Emerge!" In a pillar of silver light she vanished from the spot; vanished to protect the innocent of the world all in the name of good.