Welcome to the world of the Silver Flame. Before you get to reading, we'd like to have a word with you. Are you sitting comfortably? Good. Now, let's begin.

This story is old. It's probably older than most fanfics you've ever read, as the earliest sighting I've been able to track down for it was back in 1997, and I'm fairly certain it was begun in 1996. In fact, this was one of the first fanfics that I (Cynthia) ever wrote. It has a very special place in my heart for that reason.

Because of the age, our writing styles have changed as we've gained more experience, and the way this is written is not how we would write it today. But the story we began will be finished. We're aware that our original characters have very strong Mary Sue traits, and by the standards of most fanfic writing today, they more than likely are Mary Sues. We don't ask that you overlook this. We aren't. We just ask that you acknowledge we already know.

As I said, this story will be finished. There will also be a rewrite, which will be posted up under my own name of Higuchimon. It will be vastly different, utilizing only the basic plot, and will come under a new name, with some different romances, and some the same. No specific release date for this is known, or even considered, nor do we have any hints of when new chapters for the original version will be posted. We'll do it when we can do it. We both have other commitments. As a hint, however, feedback can vastly help the creative process. It won't shove it to the forefront, but it can help, perhaps giving a spark at just the right moment.

We hope that you enjoy this series, and feel free to let us know what you think, even if you hate it. Any feedback we can use to improve ourselves will be seriously considered and used to whatever extent is possible. Do note that any random flameage will be removed if possible. We do not consider pointing out plotholes, incosistencies, bad characterization, or anything else to be random flameage. "U suk, it should be (other couple we didn't write)" and things of that nature are what we consider random flames. We might not agree with what you say, but we'll think about it anyway.

So now that we've bored you (or you read this, whichever)...go on to the series, and we hope you enjoy yourselves, either by laughing at it, or liking it. We're not particular.

Legal Disclaimer: We don't own any characters who appeared on any version of Power Rangers, now or ever. We did invent certain original characters, though, and I guess we could be said to own them, but that's only one way of looking at it.
Note: Yes, just in case you missed it, we know that some of the OCs have strong Mary Sue tendancies. If this displeases you, you're more than welcome to hit the 'back' button. If you want to read on, be our guest, but telling us they have Sue traits or are just plain flaming Mary Sues is just going to get you a rousing round of 'well, duh! We told you so!'. Just so you know.

Series Title: Silver Flame
Chapter Title: Silver Rising
Romances: Um. You're going to have to find this one out as you go along. We'd rather not spoil the fun so soon.
Other: Sue traits ahead. This is your last warning.


The multiverse. The myriad of universes, the endless expanse of creation that exists touching our world, but yet are not our world. In some of those universes, nothing even resembling life as we understand it exists. In others, it is very close to what we have.

In still others, what we consider dreams and fantasy, the fabric of imagination, is reality itself. In those worlds, huge lions create worlds by song, while fierce Valkyries choose the noble dead from great battles in others. Sometimes those worlds touch our imagination in some unknown fashion, giving rise to the great visionaries of our worlds.

What would happen it someone could travel between those worlds, could see all the things they had only dreamed of in real and vibrant life? The forces of evil would attempt to control them... the forces of good would protect them... and the most powerful force of them all... the power of love... would sustain them. These are the stories of those who can travel the endless universes... and of those who seek to control them... to protect them... and to love them. They are tales of life and love, joy and fear, hate and madness... these are the Tales of the Silver Flame.

OUR STORY BEGINS...

She turned away from the window, blinking back tears once more. It was the anniversary: a year ago today she'd landed in this world. A world where her greatest dreams were realized: the Power Rangers were real. What a joke on her the universe had played! Her favorite TV show in her world: grim reality here. She could have spoken with them... with him, but she had quickly realized that was a fast road to ruin. Anyone who got too near them was abducted, turned into a monster, brainwashed... the list was endless. She liked to watch things like that, but experiencing them was another matter altogether.

She sat down and picked up the wood-framed picture next to her desk. A tear dropped onto it that she quickly brushed away. "I miss you all so much," she murmured.

The picture showed four girls and three boys, their arms all about one another. She whispered their names to herself as she touched each one. "Cindy. Jaycynda. Ann. Melissa. Josh. Kenny. Todd." A wave of homesickness washed over her. "I want to go home."


Billy stared into his drink, thinking as usual. Today, however, his thoughts didn't revolve around the latest developments in technology, or what Mondo might be up to, or any of the usual thoughts that occupied the former Ranger. Today he was thinking about her. He couldn't remember when he hadn't dreamed about her every night. The dreams were always different, except for the fact she was always in all of them, and they were always together. He wondered sometimes if she were real. But she couldn't be. It was only a dream, and he knew dreams weren't real.

But sometimes the dreams were so vivid, so lifelike, he couldn't help but wake up thinking all he would have to do was reach out and she would be there, warm and alive and loving.

Love. He didn't want to think of how his friends would laugh at him if they knew he was in love with a figment of his imagination. He'd dated lots of girls, but none of them had held a tenth of the fascination for him that this mysterious woman in his dreams did.

"Hey, Billy." It was Rocky. "What are you so deep in thought about?"

"Not much," He'd never let on to anyone about his dreams, not even to Adam, his best friend. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to do some sparring," Rocky offered. Billy nodded, he needed to get his mind off that beautiful face anyway. He started for the practice mat, only to be interrupted by the beep of their communicators. Almost as one, the seven teens headed for the hallway and privacy.

"What is it, Zordon?" Tommy whispered when they were out of sight. "What's King Mondo up to this time?"

IT IS NOT MONDO, BUT AN EVENT THAT I HAVE AWAITED FOR FIFTEEN THOUSAND YEARS HAS FINALLY HAPPENED. REPORT TO THE POWER CHAMBER AT ONCE.

"We're on the way." Tommy looked over at Tanya. "Are we clear?"

The Yellow Ranger glanced around, no one was near enough to see them. "We're clear."

Seven spirals of color disappeared from the Juice Bar and reappeared a moment later in their underground headquarters, the Power Chamber. Billy stepped forward. "What's going on, Zordon?"

FIFTEEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO, ON MY HOMEWORLD OF ELTAR, THERE WERE SEVEN GREAT WARRIORS FOR GOOD, THE FIRST POWER RANGERS, WHO WERE ALSO YOUR DIRECT ANCESTORS. MASTER VILE CAPTURED SIX OF THEM DURING A BATTLE, AND ONLY THEIR LEADER WAS LEFT TO RESCUE THEM.

"Who was he?"

SHE WAS THE SILVER RANGER. Zordon corrected Rocky. THE MOST POWERFUL RANGER EVER AND LEADER OF THE FIRST POWER RANGERS. OBSERVE THE VIEWING GLOBE.

In the globe, they saw the image of a woman in the Power Ranger uniform, in the Zeo style. On her helmet, instead of a geometric symbol like theirs, was a snarling cheetah's image, etched in black. From the top of her helmet to the heels of her boots, everything gleamed silvery, including the cheetah-headed sword by her side. The uniform faded away, showing a woman dressed in ancient and unfamiliar clothing. Billy managed to conceal his surprise, she looked almost precisely like the woman he'd dreamed of for years! There was some indefinable difference though, something he couldn't think of that told him they weren't the same person.

THAT IS KAHVA KILANYE, THE SILVER RANGER. SHE WENT INTO THE GREATEST OF PERIL TO RESCUE HER FRIENDS AND FELLOW RANGERS. THE PRICE OF THEIR FREEDOM, HOWEVER, WAS HER OWN CAPTURE. SHE HAD BEEN INJURED GREATLY DURING THE BATTLE TO RELEASE HER FRIENDS, AND KNEW SHE WOULD NOT SURVIVE LONG, EVEN WITH A RANGER'S ACCELERATED HEALING. REFUSING TO LET HER POWERS FALL INTO EVIL HANDS, SHE USED HER LAST MOMENTS AND ALL OF HER REMAINING STRENGTH TO SEND HER SILVER CRYSTAL, WHICH CONTAINED HER POWERS, INTO THE FUTURE. HER LAST MESSAGE WAS THAT WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT, A NEW SILVER RANGER WOULD EMERGE. Zordon fell silent for a moment. TODAY I DISCOVERED KAHVA KILANYE'S DESCENDENT AND HEIR: THE NEW SILVER RANGER.

They stood in shock at the history, and at the fact that a new Ranger was about to join their team. "Who is she, Zordon? Where is she?" Unspoken in Tommy's question was their mutual hope that it would be Kimberly, Aisha, or Trini, someone they knew and loved.

I DO NOT KNOW HER FULL IDENTITY OR LOCATION AS OF YET. WHEN ALPHA DID ONE OF OUR PERIODIC SWEEPS OF THE PLANET, CHECKING FOR ANY NEW THREAT BY MONDO, WE DISCOVERED AN ENERGY SIGNATURE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO KAHVA KILANYE'S. THAT IS THE NEW SILVER RANGER.

"Why didn't we detect it before, Zordon?" Billy wondered. He'd helped on countless sweeps in the past, most recently when they were searching for whoever the Gold Ranger had been, and there had been no sign of any energy signatures as powerful as a Power Ranger's had to be.

I DO NOT KNOW, IT IS AS IF SOMEONE WAS CONCEALING HER PRESENCE FROM US UNTIL THEY WISHED HER TO BE DETECTED.

"We have to find her," Tommy said suddenly. "If she's the Silver Ranger, she belongs on the team, and we could certainly use the help. Mondo will be after her if he finds out about her, just like he was after Trey." One by one, the other active Rangers agreed.

Billy bit his lip in silent thought. Another Ranger was going to join the team, another Ranger who wasn't him. He heard himself say something he'd been wondering since he'd seen the Silver Ranger in the globe.

"Can you show us the new Silver Ranger, Zordon?"

RETURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE GLOBE. WE HAVE MANAGED TO DISCOVER THAT MUCH AT LEAST.

The globe shifted, and showed a woman slightly older than they were. Her hair was knee-length and dark brown, her eyes spectacularly green, and she seemed to be just a little taller than Tommy. Billy got a good look at her face, and this time he couldn't conceal his reaction. He stared and paled.

It was her.

"Billy?" Tommy looked at his friend. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Billy spoke before he quite realized what he was saying. "Not a ghost, a dream. I've seen her before. I've dreamed about her all my life!"

Tommy glanced up at Zordon. "What do you know about that, Zordon?"

THE SILVER RANGER, KAHVA, AND THE SAPPHIRE RANGER, SILIAS, SHARED A POWERFUL PSYCHIC LINK. SILIAS WAS BILLY'S FIRST ANCESTOR, AS KAHVA WAS THE NEW SILVER RANGER'S. THE LINK BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES FADED WITH EACH GENERATION, UNTIL YOU AND SHE WERE BORN, BILLY. THE LINK BETWEEN YOU TWO IS EVEN STRONGER THAN IT WAS BETWEEN KAHVA AND SILIAS. THAT IS WHY YOU DREAM OF EACH OTHER.

Billy reddened. "She... dreams about me?"

YES.

"What's her name?" Billy could hardly take his eyes off the image in the globe.

OUR SENSORS HAVE JUST REGISTERED HER PRESENCE, NOT HER EXACT LOCATION OR FULL IDENTITY, THOUGH WE ARE TRACKING HER DOWN. WE CAN ONLY HOPE WE FIND HER BEFORE MONDO DOES.

"Does he know about her?"

I DO NOT KNOW TOMMY, BUT WE HAD BEST BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.


"Yer Majesty, I have some verra interesting and verra good news!" Klank hurried into the throne room and bowed before the Machine King.

"What are you babbling about, Klank?" Mondo snapped. He was in no mood for Klank's foolishness.

"Master I have learned there is a seventh Power Ranger!" Klank looked eagerly for the king's approval.

"So? Those blasted Rangers will have another member of their team to annoy and vex me! This is horrible news!" Mondo bellowed.

"No, Master, please listen," Klank hurriedly continued. "This new Ranger isn't aware of her powers."

"What do you mean?" Klank had Mondo's full attention now, and he quickly filled the king in on what he had learned of the old Silver Ranger and her new descendent. "And I know something the Rangers don't: I know where she is!"

"Excellent, Klank!" Mondo congratulated his servant. "You have gained us a valuable advantage in our war with the Rangers, one that will cause them a great deal of trouble! Send a platoon of Cogs down to Earth to bring the Silver Ranger to me at once!"


She put away the picture and sighed. She glanced at her computer, then her gaze dropped, as it had been lately, to the miniature crystal ball next to the computer. Like the picture, it came from her world, but unlike the picture, it hadn't remained unchanged. She touched it lightly, then picked it up and rolled it around, enjoying the cool smoothness of it. That hadn't changed at least. It had been blue before she came here. Now it was silver. Not clear, like a natural crystal. It shimmered silver, and at times she woke up at night from dreams in which she held the crystal high, calling out words she couldn't remember when awake. Every time she woke from one of those dreams, her eyes were drawn inexorably to the crystal. It was, except for the color, the same as it had always been since her father had given it to her.

She liked the dreams of the crystal, but not as much as she liked the dreams with him in them. Slowly, though, the crystal's images had been overwhelming his in her dreams. She smiled softly, remembering the dream she'd had the night before. That had been a very nice one. Her dreams of him had become much more vivid since she'd come here. She figured it was because they were both in the same universe now; but it was too much to hope for that he dreamed of her.

She took several deep breaths, getting herself back under control, then sat down in front of the computer. She had bills to pay, and that meant work. She ignored the strange sounds behind her, already absorbed in the workings of her latest novel.

Something tapped her on the shoulder. She jerked around, wondering who had invaded her apartment. She had no close friends here, certainly no one who'd come over uninvited, if at all. She found herself looking straight at a Cog. Something told her this wasn't a friendly visit, either, as if Cogs ever made friendly visits. There were several of them, pouring at her from all over the apartment.

She was out of her chair and falling into a karate stance as soon as she realized who her 'guests' were. She thanked the Goddess she had taken up karate soon after her arrival here. She didn't know what the Cogs wanted, but she had the sneaking suspicion it wasn't good. A double kick to one Cog's chest knocked it back, but another was already taking its place. She whirled, knocking the legs out from under another one, but as she moved her knee-length hair flew out behind her. A Cog grabbed it, pulling her closer to him, and two more grabbed her arms. A sickening feeling gripped her stomach as they teleported away.


Alarms sounded suddenly in the Power Chamber as the Rangers searched for their newest member.

"Alpha, what is it?" Billy asked. "Another of King Mondo's monsters?"

"Great!" Rocky groaned. "He's got the worst timing!"

"No, it's much worse than that!" Alpha whirled about the Power Chamber. "Ay-yi-yi, it's the Silver Ranger! King Mondo has sent his Cogs to capture her!"

WHAT I FEARED HAS HAPPENED. Zordon looked worried.

"How did he find her?" Kat wondered.

"What matters is, he did. Can we get there before the Cogs do, Zordon?"

NO, ADAM. IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE.

"But she doesn't have her powers. We don't even know where the Crystal is that has them," Kat pointed out. "Why would he take her now?"

SHE HAS THE CRYSTAL WHICH CONTAINS THE SILVER POWERS, SHE IS SIMPLY UNAWARE THAT THEY EXIST, MUCH LESS THAT SHE IS CAPABLE OF ACTIVATING THEM. IF MONDO TAKES CONTROL OF HER MIND AND IS ABLE TO GET THE CRYSTAL, WHICH CAN BE TOUCHED ONLY BY A POWER RANGER, THEN HE WILL HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL RANGER EVER AS HIS TOOL. SHE WOULD BE A FORMIDABLE WEAPON, ONE WE COULD DO VERY LITTLE TO STOP.


In the Machine Skybase, the Silver Ranger struggled in the grip of two Cogs. She was face to face with someone that since her arrival in this world, she had hoped never to see anywhere near this close: Mondo the Machine King.

"So you're the Silver Ranger." He looked her up and down. "You don't look like much. But I think I can change that."

"What are you talking about?" She was honestly confused. "I'm not a Power Ranger." Just a fan, sucked into a world I don't belong in.

"Not yet," he admitted. "But you will be the Silver Ranger... my Silver Ranger."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Resolve filled her voice. "But I'll never serve evil." She hoped something would go so horribly wrong with whatever he tried to do to her that the Rangers would never try to rescue her, would never even know she existed.

Even if it meant her own death.

"Oh, we'll see about that," Mondo beckoned to Klank. "Make a potion that will turn this human into my slave, forever. Take her with you so there is no chance of it failing."

"At once, Highness," Klank bowed and hurried off to his lab. The Cogs followed, dragging the Silver Ranger with them. She wondered what would happen next... and knew she'd find out all too soon.


RANGERS, WE MUST PREVENT MONDO FROM CLAIMING THE SILVER CRYSTAL AND GIVING THE NEW SILVER RANGER HER FULL POWERS. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY I KNOW OF THAT MIGHT SUCCEED.

"What are you saying, Zordon?" Billy looked somewhat nervously at their mentor. Hours had passed since they had learned of the Silver Ranger's capture by Mondo, and Billy had never been so worried.

RANGERS, I MANAGED TO LOCATE THE EXACT TELEPORTATION COORDINATES THE COGS USED TO APPEAR IN THE SILVER RANGER'S APARTMENT WHEN THEY ABDUCTED HER. YOU MUST GO THERE NOW AND RETRIEVE THE CRYSTAL. IT IS SMALL, JUST FITTING INTO THE PALM OF A HAND, AND PURE SILVER IN COLOR. IT IS THAT CRYSTAL WHICH CONTAINS HER FULL POWERS AND SHOULD MONDO GET IT, THEN HE WILL UNLEASH THE FULL FURY OF AN EVIL SILVER RANGER UPON THE WORLD.

"If the Silver Ranger was the most powerful of them all when she was good..." Tommy didn't want to say what he was thinking, but did anyway. "Imagine the destruction she'd cause if she were evil."

"You can't let that happen, Tommy," Billy pleaded. "You have to rescue her." He didn't care who knew anymore. He loved her, she was real, and she was in terrible danger.

FIRST THE CRYSTAL. BILLY, PLEASE REMAIN CALM. I AM AWARE OF YOUR FEELINGS, AND WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO RESCUE THE SILVER RANGER.

Billy nodded, but inside, his worries and fears were eating him alive.

"It's morphin' time!" Tommy cried.

"Zeo Ranger I, Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II, Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger III, Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger IV, Green!'

"Zeo Ranger V, Red!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

The six Rangers disappeared in flashes of their respective colors. Billy looked at Alpha and Zordon. "What if we're too late? What if Mondo already controls her?"

WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO FREE HER, BILLY. I, TOO, KNOW WHAT IT IS TO LOSE SOMEONE YOU LOVE. I WILL DO ALL I CAN TO SPARE YOU THAT GRIEF.

Billy wondered what Zordon meant by that, but didn't press the subject. He had enough to worry about with his own heart.


Klank returned to the throne room. "Yer Majesty, it's done! The potion has been mixed and administered to the human woman!"

Mondo almost looked cheerful. "Excellent, Klank! Bring her before me at once!"

She stepped into the throne room and dropped to one knee before the Machine King. "How may I serve you, my master?"

Mondo examined her closely. There was a wicked light in her red-tinged eyes that pleased him greatly, and a cruel curve to her smile that almost made him nervous. "Your first mission is to achieve your full power as my Silver Ranger. I have located your Silver Crystal in your former human abode, and will send you and some Cogs to Earth to retrieve it. Once you have it, activate its powers and return here as my fully powered Silver Ranger," Mondo ordered.

"As my lord commands." She got to her feet, ready for teleportation. Moments later, she and the Cogs were back on Earth, in her apartment.

"Looking for this?" She turned to see six spandex-clad figures standing in the next room. The one in red who had spoken to her held her Crystal. "I think we're too late." He glanced at his companions. "Mondo already controls her."

"Yes, King Mondo is my master," the Silver Ranger nodded. "And that Crystal belongs to me! Give it here at once!"

The Green one stepped closer to her. "Silver Ranger, we can help you. Please, come with us."

"Never!" she snapped. She gave no more warning than that as she leapt furiously at the Rangers. Green fell back, startled by her fierceness and the sudden attack. She knocked Red to the floor, forcing him to drop the Crystal. As she reached for it, she was hauled back and turned to see the Pink and Yellow Rangers pulling her away. A female voice came from the one in pink. "Let us help you. We can free you from Mondo's control. You can be yourself again."

She didn't answer, it was beneath a warrior's dignity to converse with thieves. These so-called "heroes" had stolen the Crystal that was rightfully hers. There was only one way to deal with them: violently. She shook off the two Rangers and vaulted over the Green and Gold ones that threw themselves into her path. She could see the Blue and Red ones converging on the Crystal, and snapped an order to the Cogs. "Get them away from my Crystal!"

The Cogs threw themselves at the two Rangers and a full-scale battle began. The Silver Ranger shook her head at how easily these Rangers were distracted. A soft glow coming from under a table brought her attention back to her Crystal, and she dove for it. As her fingers closed on the Crystal, the Blue Ranger flew by, landing against a wall, and was followed by two Cogs.

Blue... something about blue... a memory tickled her mind, about someone who wore blue or was blue. She shoved the thought away. The only things that mattered were Mondo and the Crystal, in that order.


"Splendid!" Mondo cheered from the Skybase as his enslaved Ranger seized her Crystal. "But how does she activate it? Klank, do something!"

"I dinna know how she activates it, sire. This is something your Ranger must accomplish on her own. There is also the chance that activating her Ranger powers will destroy my potion and release her to the forces of good again."

"That must not happen, Klank!" Mondo was furious. "That must not happen!"


Billy watched the viewing globe, and as the Silver Ranger scooped up her Crystal, he felt a strange pang in his heart. She was so beautiful, and so evil now, he reminded himself. What would she do? "Zordon, is it possible that activating her powers will nullify whatever it is that makes her serve Mondo?" I hope something is making her serve him, I couldn't bear it if she did it of her own free will.

I DO NOT KNOW, BILLY, BUT I BELIEVE WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.


The fight stopped as the Silver Ranger picked up her Crystal. It was almost as if the whole world stopped. She looked into it, and memories of another life and time began to appear. "No," she shook her head. "I need only the Power." She raised the Crystal over her head and called out at last the words that until now, she'd heard clearly only in her dreams. "Silver Ranger Power!"

The Crystal and the Ranger glowed softly. The Crystal sank into her, just as the Zeo Rangers' had when they had been given their powers. A Ranger uniform formed about her, identical to the one the Rangers had seen in the viewing globe's image of her ancestor. The silver-hilted sword appeared at her side.

Both sides held their breath. It was done. The Silver Ranger had arrived. But whom would she serve?

Tommy approached her warily. "Silver Ranger? Are you... all right?"

The Silver Ranger backhanded him into a wall. "Leave me be, Zeo Ranger Five! I must return to my master, King Mondo!" She teleported away, taking the remaining Cogs with her.


"We failed, Zordon," Tommy reported as they arrived in the Power Chamber. "The Silver Ranger has her powers and she serves Mondo."

BILLY AND ALPHA MAY HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT, TOMMY.

They all looked at the two mentioned. Billy gestured towards a canister. "Alpha scanned her by remote during the fight, and learned it's some kind of mind control potion that forces her to serve Mondo. That spray should neutralize the potion. It's the best I could do without a sample to analyze, and you're going to wait until she come back to Earth to try it."

"And if it doesn't work?" Rocky asked.

Billy shook his head. "Then I don't know what else to do."


In the Skybase, the Silver Ranger once more knelt before Mondo, this time with all her powers. "I am here to serve you and you alone, my lord."

"And so you shall, Silver Ranger. Your next task is to bring me the human associate of the Rangers: Billy. With him as my prisoner, the Rangers will not dare to challenge me!"

"As you wish, my lord." The Silver Ranger knew her only purpose for existing was to serve her master. "The human Billy will be your prisoner."

"Excellent work on this one, Klank. She might actually be able to do what none of your previous creations could do: destroy the Power Rangers!" Mondo beamed approvingly at his chief servant and new chief warrior.

"I feel I should warn ye, my liege, that Rita and Zedd have tried this in the past, creating a new Ranger to destroy the others. It has never worked before," Klank ventured.

"How dare you compare my work to the likes of two bumbling amateurs like Rita and Zedd!" Mondo exploded.

The Silver Ranger, no fool, saw this as her chance to leave on her mission. While Mondo berated Klank for his foolishness, she teleported down to Earth and hid in the shrubbery outside of Billy's house. He would have to come home sooner or later, and when he did, he was her master's.


"Zordon, do you really think Billy's spray will work on her?" Tommy rubbed his shoulder where it had hit the wall after the Silver Ranger threw him away from her. She was strong!

I DO NOT KNOW, TOMMY. WE CAN ONLY TRY THE SPRAY AND SEE WHAT DEVELOPS FROM THERE. WE MUST TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH IF THAT FAILS. THE SILVER RANGER CANNOT WORK FOR EVIL.

"Well, she's doing a pretty thorough job of it now," Rocky muttered. Billy staggered suddenly, and Tanya caught him before he fell.

"I'm all right, I just need to get some sleep," Billy assured them.

"You go home and rest, Billy. We can try the spray if the Silver Ranger shows up again, and we'll let you know if anything happens that you should take care of," Adam promised him.

Billy nodded reluctantly, then as Alpha pressed a button on the console, he vanished in a blaze of white light. Adam looked up at Zordon. "There was something he wasn't saying, wasn't there?"

BILLY HAS BEEN IN LOVE WITH THE SILVER RANGER ALL HIS LIFE, AND ONLY NOW HAS HE LEARNED WHO SHE IS. HE IS TORN BETWEEN LOVE AND DUTY AT THE MOMENT.

"What will he do if we can't break Mondo's hold over her, Zordon?" Kat wondered.

I DO NOT KNOW, KAT. THAT IS ENTIRELY UP TO BILLY.


Billy appeared just outside his house and sighed. He hadn't been this tired in weeks. It wasn't just the rush job on the spray, which he wasn't even sure would work, it was seeing the realization of his lifelong dreams. The Silver Ranger, that beautiful, enigmatic figure from his sweetest fantasies, now a murderous hellcat at Mondo's command, bent on destroying the Zeo Rangers and everything he held dear. How could he care for someone like that?

He started up the steps, so deep in thought he didn't hear the mild scrape of boots coming up behind him. He did, however, feel the two strong arms reaching around him and seizing hold. A gloved hand clamped down on his mouth, muffling his calls for help. He felt his communicator being torn off his wrist, heard the sound of metal grinding against cement, then his house vanished. He could tell he and his captor were teleporting somewhere.

They arrived in a strange, gear-filled room. A voice he'd heard in the viewing globe during the Silver Ranger's fight with the other Rangers filled his ears. "I have the prisoner you commanded, my lord Mondo," the Silver Ranger spoke. "Have you a preference for his disposal?" As Billy squirmed in his captor's hold, Mondo stepped forward and laughed in the former Ranger's face before issuing his next set of instructions.

"Put him in a holding cell Silver Ranger," King Mondo ordered. "I don't want his Ranger friends rescuing him, so guard him yourself until I can build a monster. I wouldn't trust the Cogs with a hostage this important. Make sure he doesn't escape."

"As my lord commands." The Silver Ranger bent her head to her lord, then dragged Billy down a corridor. She didn't know how she knew the layout of the Skybase, she simply did. Apparently her master wished her to, and that was good enough for her. The holding cells were deep in the bowels of the Skybase, and as she took him through the corridors, she saw no reason to be gentle as he struggled in vain to escape her iron grip. He tried to speak, but her hand was still firmly clapped against his mouth, and she wasn't in the mood for conversation. She threw him inside a cell and locked the door, then took up a guard position across the corridor. She'd be close enough so that if he tried to escape, she could stop him, and no one could try to rescue him without her noticing. He wasn't moving, though. She examined him more carefully, moving closer to the bars. Had she damaged him more than she thought?

His hand flew up, trying to distract her, as he reached for the keys to the cells. Silver Ranger simply seized his wrist and threw him back down to the floor. "That will not work on me, human! I am King Mondo's ultimate warrior! Did you truly think such a foolish ploy would work?"

"You're not his warrior! You're a Power Ranger, or you could be," Billy rolled into a sitting position and looked at her. "What is your name, anyway, Silver Ranger? I can't keep calling you that."

"I am the Silver Ranger. It is all I am or want to be. I am King Mondo's servant and ultimate warrior. I was created to destroy the Power Rangers."

"That's not entirely true," Billy pointed out. A thin thread of fear ran all through him at her cold assertion. This was totally unlike anything Kat or Tommy had been like under Rita's spells. "You would have become the Silver Ranger even if Mondo hadn't kidnapped you. It's your destiny. You were born to assume the Silver Power, and Zordon was about to send the others to find you when Mondo's Cogs got there first."

The Silver Ranger shook her head. "It matters not. My lord Mondo gave me the Power and now I serve him."

Billy sighed and turned to the wall. At least he could get some sleep. His last thought before sleep claimed him was a glad one; that his parents were out of town on business that week. They wouldn't be worried about his failure to come home that day.


"Zordon, did Billy make it home safely?" Tommy worried about the whole team, especially Billy. He'd been attacked by Cogs once when the others weren't around, and only his good luck at having a magnet at that moment had saved him. Remembering his own experiences as the evil Green Ranger, Tommy wasn't taking any chances.

I WILL CHECK, TOMMY. Zordon stared off into space for a moment, checking his instruments. I HAVE DISTURBING NEWS, RANGERS. BILLY HAS BEEN ABDUCTED BY THE SILVER RANGER. PLEASE OBSERVE THE VIEWING GLOBE.

The six teens stared up at the globe. They saw the Silver Ranger as she lay in wait for Billy, then seized him from behind as he prepared to go inside. Tommy had to admire her stealth and efficiency. She was very much unlike all the other creations of Mondo, Zedd, or Rita. Then he remembered what she'd just done, and his heart hardened. She had to be stopped, and Billy had to be rescued.

"Where did she take him, Zordon?" Adam asked.

TO THE MACHINE SKYBASE. WE CANNOT TELEPORT OR COMMUNICATE WITH HIM FROM THERE, AS MONDO HAS ESTABLISHED A BARRIER WE CANNOT AS YET BREAK. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT BILLY'S COMMUNICATOR HAS BEEN BROKEN, OR TAKEN FROM HIM. Adam peered closely at the viewscreen, then had Alpha teleport him to Billy's house. The others watched as he stared the spot where Billy had last stood, then gathered several small items carefully off of the driveway. Moments later he returned with the shattered remains of Billy's communicator. "I thought I saw her stepping on something. She's smashed it beyond repair, I'm afraid. She knew exactly what she was doing, there's no chance of finding him up there now, not with that barrier up."

"This is great," Tommy paced around the Power Chamber. "This is just great!"

RANGERS, IT IS LATE. It was almost midnight. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES FOR NOW, AND SHOULD WE DISCOVER ANYTHING NEW BY MORNING, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW. Zordon didn't let his concern show in his voice or on his face.

"He's right," Adam sighed. "We won't be able to do anyone any good if we collapse from exhaustion."

One by one, the Rangers left the Power Chamber. Not one of them slept well that night, worries about Billy and the Silver Ranger haunted them one and all.


The next morning, Billy awoke still in the cell. The first thing on his mind was the Silver Ranger, for he'd dreamed of her again. He turned over to see her still where she had been the night before, not looking as if she had moved so much as a muscle. "Don't you sleep?"

"Humans sleep. I have no need of it," she replied coldly.

"You're human," he insisted.

"I am the creation of my Master," was all she said. She didn't respond to anything else.

Billy sighed. It was not going to be easy to break her free of Mondo's control. Something caught his eye as he gazed around the cell for anything to keep his mind occupied. It looked as if it were a human-shaped shadow, standing across from him. He stared, he couldn't be seeing what he thought he was.

With every moment the shadow grew clearer and clearer until he could see it perfectly. It was the very image of the Silver Ranger who sat across from him, if she had been unmorphed. Then he took a second look. The differences were subtle, mainly a matter of attitude, and a few more lines of aging, but this was... a cold chill ran down his spine as he realized who, or rather, what he was looking at.

"Kahva Kilanye, I presume," he had the sense to whisper. The ghost smiled.

You are indeed wise, Billy. My descendent has good taste, I must give her that much credit. Though she was foolish indeed, to permit this to happen to her. Her voice was in his mind rather than his ears.

"But you're dead!" Billy couldn't believe he was talking with a ghost! "Aren't you?"

Yes, I died. I gave up my power and my life rather than let either fall into evil hands. That is why I am angered at my chosen descendent. Yet I also understand why she is in the predicament she is. She did not have the time I had to make that choice, nor was the Power hers when she was enslaved by evil.

"Then shouldn't the Power have freed her when she did get it?"

That is what I believed would happen, and had it been an ordinary spell that trapped her it would have. But Mondo is tricky and used a potion that is tuned to her very essence. There is only one way I know of to break the potion's hold over her: the Silver Flame.

"What's that?"

The purifying force of the Silver Flame can destroy any evil. It comes from within, from the heart of the Silver Ranger. She must destroy the potion from within.

"How?"

The knowledge is within her, but cannot be reached until she remembers who she was before the potion. You must also tell her of me, Billy, and of what I did. Kahva looked deeply into his eyes and seemed to nod a little.

"I hardly know anything about you, ma'am." Something made Billy want to be on his best behavior with this lovely spirit. "I wouldn't know what to tell her."

Then listen, and I will tell you of myself, my past, and the most fateful decision ever made by a Power Ranger. Kahva seemed to settle down. Only you can see or hear me in this place, so fear not that others might become aware of my presence.

"Why is that?"

All will become clear in time. Now, listen carefully, and remember all you hear. Once, many thousands of years ago, I lived happily on a planet far from here, called Eltar. I had no dreams of fighting, nor did I long for anything more than the love of my husband and family. We had three children already, and had just learned that a fourth was on the way when something happened that changed my life forever... Kahva continued to speak, and Billy to listen. She was an excellent storyteller, and soon he found himself caught up in the tale.


"Kahva!" Dalien Kilanye called to his wife. "Are you ready to go?"

Kahva stepped out of the farmhouse. "Dalien, are you sure it's a good idea to leave the children alone all day? Surely we could take them with us."

"They'll be fine, Kahva," the farmer assured her. "Ziras is coming to keep an eye on them."

"I don't like Ziras, Dalien. He worries me. He's started listening to that strange wizard Vile. That's an apt name for him from what I've heard."

"Now you've been listening to rumors again, haven't you, Kahva?" Dalien chuckled. "If you don't hurry, we'll be late for the fair."

"Mommy! Daddy!" came three voices from within the house. The voices were followed by three small figures hurtling outwards, the largest coming no more than up to Kahva's waist.

"Mommy, you said you'd take us with you!" She bent down to take her eldest child into her arms.

"Tilrak, you and the others can go next time. You're not old enough just yet."

"Am too! I'm nine!" Kahva grinned at her son.

"Not this time, Tilrak. Next time, I promise."

Tilrak stepped away, not convinced. "That's what you said last time."

Dalien looked at his son. "Listen to your mother. Ziras will be here soon to watch you while we're gone. We'll be back late tonight, and you'd better all be in bed when we are."

Tilrak and his two sisters pouted as they watched their parents. Tilrak looked up at them. "Daddy, you fibbed. You said you wouldn't have Ziras watch us anymore."

"Well, he was all I could get on short notice. Go on and play now, he'll be here soon." Dalien was eager to get to the Spring Fair, it had been a long and harsh winter. He got on the wagon and help Kahva on. She looked over their farm one last time before turning her face to the road, and wondered why she felt this would be the last time she would see it.


The fair had been wonderful. There had been magnificent food, enchanters of various types had amused them with their tricks, and she had heard very few disturbing rumors of Vile. Both those she had heard had been bad enough. "He's amassing an army to take over Eltar." "I've heard he's so powerful no one can stop him." "It's the end of the world."

She had become quite tired of it by day's end. Dalien hadn't listened to any of it, being too busy enjoying himself. Even when the rumors had expanded to include Ziras, saying he had committed some horrible acts for Vile, Dalien had defended his neighbor. Kahva had remained apart from the discussion, as it touched too closely on her own fears for her to think clearly on the matter.

It was really too dark for them to see where they were going, but the road was familiar to them all. Kahva was dozing against Dalien's arm when she felt him tense up. She sat up at once and stared ahead of her. Her heart sank, then a searing pain in her shoulder wiped away everything. She looked down to see an arrow sticking out of her. She turned to Dalien, paling when she saw another arrow: this one centered on her husband's loving heart! "Dalien," she whispered.

Then another arrow struck her back, and pain overwhelmed her in a red wash.


The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes again was a friendly robotic face leaning over her. She looked around and saw she was in a cot in a strange room. "Where am I?" she whispered. "Who are you?"

"I am Alpha-1, and you are in our Command Center." The robot helped her to her feet. She touched her shoulder lightly where the arrow had pierced her. It was healed, as if the injury had never happened, as had the one on her back. Then full memory returned. Her husband, their farm. . what had happened? The farm had been in flames. Dalien was dead. There was a gaping emptiness in her womb. She knew without having to ask that she had lost the child she had been carrying. She should have been dead herself. And what about the other children?

"Command Center?" she asked. "Our Command Center? What are you talking about?" She glanced around. It was a very high-tech place, much more advanced than anything she'd ever seen on their little backwoods farm. Gleaming computers and consoles were everywhere.

A middle-aged man stepped into view. "I am Zordon, and it is good to finally, officially meet you, Kahva Kilanye. Welcome to your new home: if you want it to be."

"Zordon? That's impossible. Zordon died ten years ago when his tower exploded." Kahva remembered hearing about this famous warrior-wizard. "You can't be him."

"I let it be thought I was dead so that Vile and his crew would have no way of preventing what I was doing. I knew many years ago what would happen to your family and farm, and I only wish we could have saved just more than you and your son."

"My son?" she repeated. There was a familiar sound of running feet, and Tilrak threw himself into her arms a moment later.

"Mommy, I didn't do it! I didn't! I didn't!" She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his dark hair.

"Til, I know you didn't. What happened?"

"We were playing in the yard not long after you left, when Ziras came up with a whole bunch of funny gray people with him. Ziras pointed a big sword at the house and it blew up! The girls ran away and Ziras pointed at them and they fell down and didn't get up! I fell down when I saw that and pretended he had already got me. When I looked up, I was here. They were really nice to me. They said you'd be here soon and here you are." He looked up at her. "Mommy, where's Daddy?"

Kahva closed her eyes briefly. "Daddy has gone away, Til."

"When will he be back?"

"I don't know," She rocked him back and forth for a few moments, letting herself grieve for her husband and daughters. Finally she looked at Zordon. He seemed to know what she wanted.

"Ziras openly serves Vile now and has been made one of his chief lieutenants. He was been place in charge of seeing that certain people die. You and any of your offspring were at the top of that list. He will be looking for both of you. You must be made ready to defend yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

Zordon explained. He and his brother Ninjor had created a power source for a fighting team that would be used to defend Eltar and other worlds as the need arose. This team, the Power Rangers, would be chosen from people all over the world, and would be Eltar's only hope, along with the powerful battle machines they would pilot.

"What does this have to do with me?" Kahva asked.

"Only certain people, with a specific mind-set and biorhythm, can pilot these machines and hold the Power," Zordon went on. "You are the first of them. There will be six others. Your son is one of them."

Kahva frowned. "He's only a child."

"I know," Zordon nodded. "but he will grow, and when the time is right, he will, if he wants to, have the Power that is meant to be his."

"And what of me?"

"This is your choice, Kahva. You don't have to do this," Zordon told her. Kahva opened her mouth to say no, then looked back down at her son, who had by this time fallen asleep in her arms.

"As long as Vile is a threat, he'll never be safe, will he?"

"Not while he's growing up, no," Zordon shook his head. "Only the Power Rangers can even begin to put a halt to Vile's evil. But this isn't just something that will take up your life alone, or even just his lifetime. This war has already lasted thousands of years, and will continue far into the future."

"Even after we're both dead?"

"Yes. That's why you must also send your son away."

"I don't understand."

"The Power, once given to a specific individual, can only be passed down to people in that particular family line. If you accept the Power, then only those descended from you can ever succeed you as a user of the Power," Zordon looked at her firmly. "Because Tilrak is going to have his own powers, though, things will be a little different for you. From what my brother and I have been able to determine, your power and his will be split along the basis of gender. Your power will fix itself in the first female child Tilrak sires, while his will fix itself in the first male child he sires."

Kahva closed her eyes in thought. "Through Tilrak," Zordon continued, "the lines of two Ranger Powers will be renewed and continued."

"He's just a little boy! He's not even ten years old yet!"

"It will be his choice, Kahva, just as it is yours. He will make his own decision in his time, but now you must make yours."

Kahva knew she was crying again. She had never wanted anything more than a long life with her family. Now that was taken from her forever. She looked at Zordon. "So where are the rest of the Rangers?"

"Thank you," he bent his head to her in respect. He must have known what this cost her. "They will be coming. You are the first, and your training begins tomorrow."


Kahva's life was never the same after that. She sent Tilrak to live with a peaceful family on far-off Edenoi, with instructions that he be trained as he grew up. When his time came to make the choice of the Power, he would be ready if he wanted it. She herself entered training with Zordon, preparing to receive her own Power when it was time. Zordon was a harsh teacher, who drilled her in fighting move after fighting move until she could do them in her sleep. Months passed, and others joined them, each teleported there as Zordon had done with her and Tilrak.

There was Linon, a tall, dark-haired man, and Shada, a small, blonde woman who reminded Kahva much of her son in looks and merry outlook on life. Shada's cousin Silias joined them as well, and soon after came the twin brothers Pliona and Dilras. Last, but not least, was Caleen, a sturdy, redheaded warrior woman, the only one to arrive already trained in combat. As each arrived, they entered training alongside Kahva. Each had their own tale of what had happened to them prior to being chosen and teleported, and they all involved pain and loss. It took years, but they finally opened up to each other, becoming first friends, then a full-fledged team.

Kahva, to her surprise, was a natural leader. The others came to Pliona for advice and Dilras for humor. Caleen was a rough-edged loner who could and did brawl with the best of them, while Shada was a delicate wraith, with a core of steel, however. Linon was more mysterious, but was always there for them in a fight. Silias was an intellectual, cool-headed thinker, who nonetheless had the muscles and skills of a true warrior. But it was always Kahva they turned to in battle, to lead them to victory.

They were also surprised by something else. When Silias arrived, Kahva, as the most senior of the trainees, was there to greet him. The moment they looked into each other's eyes, they had linked with an almost audible snap. From then on, the two of them knew each other's thoughts and feelings, if they wanted to sense them. Zordon couldn't explain why it had happened, it just did on Eltar occasionally. Two people saw each other, and were psychically linked from that moment on. There was no real explaining it, he said, and it meant only that their minds were compatible for some reason.

Kahva tried very hard not to sense Silias' emotions, for they stirred up feelings in her heart she'd thought dead, and tried to keep dead, since she'd awakened to find Dalien dead and herself alive. She didn't want another relationship with anyone, especially not a friend and teammate.


The day had come, after three years. Their training was complete and they would be given their powers. They arranged themselves before Zordon, their nervousness all showing in different ways. Kahva alone stood outwardly calm, but inside she shook with nervousness and joy mixed. She could plainly sense Silias' edginess and was glad to know for certain she wasn't the only one feeling like that.

"Each of you has proven themselves a skilled warrior, and worthy of becoming a Power Ranger," Zordon congratulated them. "You have fulfilled all I have asked of you, but now there is much more for you to do. Your battle machines are finished, and each of them corresponds to the true warrior spirit within each of you. Now it is time for the assumption of your powers. Caleen, step forward."

Caleen came, her teeth clenched in anticipation. Zordon held forth a deep golden yellow crystal, and as she took it said, "You are the Gold Ranger, energized by the spirit of the Tiger, as fierce and full of pride as you yourself are."

Dilras was next. "You are the Ape, mighty and strong. You are the Ruby Ranger."

Then came Pliona. "You are the Emerald Ranger, with the power of the courageous and spirited Frog."

"Silias, you are silent and sure, with the power of the noble Cave Wolf and the Sapphire Ranger."

"Shada, you are the graceful and agile Tourmaline Ranger, with the power of the Crane."

"Linon, you are the Bear, cunning and fierce as the Topaz Ranger should be," All the others stepped back, waiting for Kahva.

She came forward in her turn. Zordon held the glittering silver crystal out to her, and as her hand closed on it, she felt power and strength surging through her. It was like nothing she'd ever known or imagined before. She barely understood Zordon's next words, except on a subconscious level. "Kahva, you are the Silver Ranger, with the wisdom and power of the Cheetah. You are also the leader of the Power Rangers, a position you have more than earned." Zordon smiled at her. "Caleen, Kahva, as you have noticed your powers are named not for gems, but for precious metals. That is because the Silver and Gold Powers are the strongest of them all. Because Silver is a purer metal than Gold, the Silver Ranger is more powerful than the Gold. Each of you has a special weapon that the others do not. Caleen, yours is the Golden Power Staff. It is a mighty weapon, capable of firing bolts of energy, and can defeat almost any opponent, if used wisely."

"How do I get it? I mean, where is it now?"

"You will know. The knowledge of how to use your powers is now within all of you," Zordon told them. "Kahva, your weapon is the Silver Sword. It is the finest, sharpest blade in all the universe, forged with but one purpose: to defend the innocent and protect the helpless. Use it wisely."

"I will, Zordon," Kahva promised.

Just then the Command center was rocked by explosions. "What's going on?" Caleen cried out, dodging some falling debris.

Alpha-1 hit a few buttons, and then turned. "It's Vile! He's found us! One of his monsters is attacking the Command Center."

"The energies involved in giving you your powers must have alerted him," Zordon said. "You must morph and fight the creature at once."

"Morph?" This had never been discussed!

"You will know what to do," Zordon promised. "Now, it's morphin' time!"

They looked at each other, then words rose to each pair of lips that had never before been heard in all the universe.

"Tourmaline Ranger Power!"

"Topaz Ranger Power!"

"Sapphire Ranger Power!"

"Emerald Ranger Power!"

"Ruby Ranger Power!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

"Silver Ranger Power!"

The energies fluxed about them, and power filled them that made what they had felt on receiving their crystals be as nothing. Seven new and powerful warriors stood there. "Go, Power Rangers! Defend this place, for the Command Center will be home and base for generations of Rangers to come, not just you!"

The Power Rangers teleported outside, and saw a huge tentacled monster hitting the many-towered building. "Let's show him what the Power Rangers are for, guys!" Kahva cried, a new thrill filling her as she was finally able to strike back against her foes. She leapt high into the air, and landed a double kick on the monster's face. Silias was right beside her, his joy as plain to her as her own as he rammed a fist into the creature's eye. Pliona had run around behind the monster and was climbing up its back. The other four surrounded it, so they could take it on from all sides. But this thing was much larger than they were, and took no notice of even their mightiest blows.

"Call our Zords!" Kahva ordered. They had decided among themselves to call their battle machines "Zords" in honor of their friend and teacher.

"Crane Zord!

"Bear Zord!"

"Wolf Zord!"

"Frog Zord!'

"Ape Zord!"

"Tiger Zord!"

"Cheetah Zord!"

The Zords appeared, surging towards them. Each Ranger leapt into theirs and the battle truly began. But even with the extra firepower, they couldn't defeat the monster. "Rangers, unite your Zords to form MegaZord!" Alpha ordered over the loudspeaker.

"MegaZord transformation sequence, power up!" Kahva snapped. They joined together and now faced the Tentacle Monster on a more than equal footing. "Let's do it, guys!" The battle was fierce and finally the Rangers had to summon their gigantic Power Sword. With one mighty swing, the Tentacle Monster was done for: and it fell right onto the Command Center.


"Where is he?" Caleen looked around what had been the Command Center. "Did he teleport out?"

"He would have never left Alpha," Pliona reminded her from where he knelt beside what had been the faithful robot. "He's got to be here!"

"Look there!" Kahva pointed to a pile of rubble. It had moved slightly, and as Dilras and Shada managed to pull some of it aside, Zordon's battered body became visible. He was barely alive as he whispered, "It is ended, Rangers, and it begins. Use your powers to defend Eltar, and never forget what I have taught you. You and those who come after you are the only defense a countless number of worlds will have against Vile and his ilk."

"Zordon, you can't die!" Kahva pleaded. "You saved my life and my sanity! We have to save you!"

"Kahva, there may be a way," Silias drew her aside. "There was a time warp in a storage room around here somewhere. If we can find it, and if it isn't damaged, and if we can get Zordon into it, then he will be safe there: alive, for all time."

"That's a lot of ifs."

"I know. But it's the only chance he has."

"Then let's do it."

When they found the time warp, Silias was surprised it had sustained only minor damage. He carefully transferred Zordon into it, and activated it. Now only his head could be seen, hugely magnified, and floating in a clear tube. He smiled down benevolently on them all.

THANK YOU, POWER RANGERS. His voice was supremely magnified as well by the time warp.

Thus began the Power Rangers. They found a new, safer location for the Command Center, and during rebuilding, Silias added some things, such as a holographic field that made it impossible for the Command Center to be detected by any technology or magic, and a large crystal that could show them almost any location in the known universe. He also built Alpha-2 when it was obvious that nothing could salvage Alpha-1. Battle after battle they fought against Master Vile, and somehow they managed to keep Eltar free. Then, seven years later, everything changed again.


The Rangers were fighting Vile's newest monster, the fierce Harvox, a five-headed dragon-like creature that spat blue flame. Kahva had been injured in the battle against Vile's last monster, and was recuperating in the Command Center when the call to battle came. Now she watched on the Crystal as her friends fought without her. Suddenly, the Harvox vanished, as did the Rangers. They had been in their Zords, unable to form MegaZord without her, but now the machines were still and unmoving. "Zordon, what's wrong?"

"The other Rangers have been captured by Vile, Kahva," Alpha-2 reported. "He overrode the protections we had on the Zords and teleported them to an unknown location. There is also a message coming through for you."

"From Vile?" It wasn't exactly a question.

"Yes."

"Put him on the globe." She watched, eyes cold, as Vile appeared on the crystal. "Surrender to me, Silver Ranger, or your friends die."

"What terms?" she asked through tight lips.

"No terms," he grinned. "Unconditional surrender, in one hour, or your friends die: starting with the Sapphire Ranger."

His image faded. Kahva looked calmly at Zordon. "I'm not going to surrender. But I can't let them die either."

THEN WHAT WILL YOU DO, KAHVA?

"Free them." Her eyes, heart, and voice turned to steel. "Find them Zordon, and teleport me to them." She paced the Command Center nervously until Alpha reported finally that he had found them.

"It will be dangerous, Kahva. You are still weak, there is no guarantee that even you will come back."

She closed her eyes as Alpha spoke his warning. Zordon had told her she was the strongest Ranger, more powerful than all six of the others combined. She wasn't feel very strong at the moment, though. She thought of Silias, her closest friend, whose heart and mind she knew as she knew her own. She bit her lip.

Her closest friend? Who was she kidding? She was in love with him, and he with her. After ten years, she'd fallen in love again. She grinned to herself. Vile would not take her love from her a second time.

"Silver Ranger Power!" She morphed, then looked at Alpha. "I have to do this. Teleport me there now."

"Good luck, Kahva." The little robot went to the teleportation system and began to program the coordinates.

MAY THE POWER PROTECT YOU, SILVER RANGER. Zordon said.

"I'll need it," she sighed. As the Command Center vanished from her sight, she had the same feeling she'd had when looked at the farm that last time: that she would never see this place again.

She materialized near a large palace and looked around, examining the terrain. This place was cold and bleak, with a strange blue-white planet in the sky. She was on its moon, she guessed, or one of its moons. She crept carefully past the gray soldiers Vile had put around this place to guard it. She'd heard some people had started calling them Putties, and figured that was as good a name for them as any. She figured the Rangers would be kept in the castle's dungeons, and Vile was unimaginative enough to have them in the lower regions of the castle. Sure enough, once she'd made her way into the castle, she found a row of cells.

"Pliona!" she whispered, as she peered inside the first one to see the Emerald Ranger on a cot, unmorphed.

Pliona jerked up. "Kahva!"

"Shhh... I'm getting you guys out of here."

"Be careful. Vile has a new servant, something that looks half-ape, half-bird, and all trouble. He's around here somewhere."

Kahva examined the lock. "No way to pick it. Is there a key?"

"Vile destroyed them after he locked us in here. I don't think he planned on letting us out," Pliona whispered. "How are you going to get us out of here?"

Kahva considered her options and realized she had only one. "Like this," she pulled the Silver Sword out and sliced through the door hinges as if they were wet paper. As alarms started to ring, she swore a foul oath, then started to cut down the other doors. When she released Silias, she threw her arms about him and kissed him soundly on the lips. "I love you," she told him.

"I know," he kissed her back, letting all his love and tenderness flow through their now fully-opened link. "I love you, too. But let's do this later."

She blushed, then urged them out. Zordon and Alpha couldn't teleport them from inside this place, it seemed there was some sort of barrier against it. She was the last in line to make sure they all got out safely, and just as Silias, who was in front of her emerged, she stumbled over a loose rock. Silias turned and offered his hand to help her up, but as she reached for it, her hand encountered a hard, transparent wall.

"Kahva! What are you doing? This is no time to play around!" Caleen hissed.

"I'm not playing, Caleen! There's a barrier of some type here," She felt along the wall, seeking in vain for an opening. She heard footsteps and turned to see Vile and a seven-foot-tall armored winged ape coming up behind her. "Go! Get back to the Command Center!"

"I won't leave you!" It was Silias of course. She whirled back to face the Rangers. "That's an order, Sapphire Ranger." Her voice held both the firmness of command and all her fierce love for him. "Go!" They stepped away and she felt the ape-thing grab her. A powerful kick knocked it away from her, and against the wall. "It's not that easy to take me, scum!"

"That's no way to treat a neighbor, Kahva," it snarled.

She swore again. She knew that voice. "Ziras! You killed my family!"

"I am Goldar now, chief warrior for Master Vile," He grabbed for her again, but she dodged. She looked outside again, and saw the Rangers hadn't left. She tapped the communicator Silias had made for her, hoping she could still reach the Command Center.

"Zordon, Alpha, teleport the others out now!" They vanished in sparkles of light, and she was left with Vile and Goldar. A dozen of the 'putties' appeared and she was hard-pressed to defeat them in her weakened condition. Even as she finished off the last one, another batch showed up. Vile and Goldar stayed back, watching as she fought. One of the putties tore her communicator off and smashed it to bits as another managed to knock her off her feet. The others piled on top of her, effectively pinning her to the floor.

"Now what, Master?" she heard Goldar ask through a haze of pain.

"Take her to the tower for now. I've got a new spell of mind control I think I'll try out on her. I wonder how her fellow Rangers will like facing my newest wave of monsters: led by none other than my enslaved Silver Ranger herself!"

Kahva closed her eyes. She was too exhausted and injured to protest as they dragged her away. She must have passed out, because when she opened her eyes again, she was alone on a bed of straw in a high room. The door had a small barred window in it, which she looked through to see a half-dozen putties guarding it. She looked down at herself. Even morphed, she was too weak to fight her way out there, even supposing she could find a way to get past the wall that had trapped her here earlier. There was a slit up high in one wall she supposed was a window, but was just barely wide enough to let her shadow pass through, even if she'd been able to get up there. She closed her eyes and thought things through.

There is no way I can escape. The others can't teleport in here and I can't teleport or fight my way out. Vile must have planned this to capture me. He knew I'd come here for them. Well, I won't give him the satisfaction of using me against those I love. She unmorphed and was about to start checking her injuries when she staggered. She hadn't realized she was quite so weak. She braced herself against a wall and started to check herself over. When she was done, a grim realization struck her. If she had stayed morphed, she would have still lived for only a few days. The Power couldn't heal her fast enough. Since she hadn't stayed morphed, her time was reduced to hours. If she went on with the desperate plan that had come to her while checking her wounds, she would have only a few minutes.

Well, that would be all she needed. She cupped her hands in front of her and concentrated. A moment later, the Silver Crystal, source and repository of her powers, was there. She lifted it over her head and powered it with almost the last of her energy. It rose over her head and vanished. This had cost her dearly. Her heart pounded faster and faster and her breath came in short gasps. There was only one last thing to do: say good-bye. She reached out with the last of her power, and reached the crystal in the Command Center. She could see them now. They looked as if they were about to teleport.

"My friends," she whispered. "Do not come here. Vile will trap you as he has me."

"We have to save you!" Silias cried, agony in his voice. "I just found you... I don't want to lose you."

"We had ten years together, Silias, ten years of being linked more closely than any lovers ever could be. You gave me love when I never thought I could have it again." She didn't have the strength for this, but it had to be said. "Silias, I should have done this before. Into your hands I give the Power Rangers. You are their leader now. Do it well."

"Always," he whispered. Caleen laid a hand on his shoulder as tears began to pour down his cheeks.

"Zordon, I have sent my powers into the future. The day will come when a new Silver Ranger will arise. When that happens, welcome her as the one I choose to succeed me. My son is old enough for his destiny now. Tell him of me, and of what I have done, and why."

YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED WITH HONOR, KAHVA KILANYE. YOU HAVE BEEN A PROUD WARRIOR, AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO KNOW SUCH A LEADER AND FIGHTER AS YOU. GO TO YOUR REST IN PEACE.

"I do not do this from selfishness or despair. Vile planned to use me against you. I will not fight my friends. I will deny him this, no matter the cost." She felt herself slipping away and welcomed it. "Perhaps we'll meet again, someday, far from now... good-bye, my friends... I love you all... Silias..."

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she saw Silias' lips move in soundless speech. "I love you, Kahva." The last thing she saw was her friends, all saluting her in perfect unison. Tears streamed down every cheek.

Kahva Kilanye, the first Power Ranger, the Silver Ranger, was dead.


Billy looked at the spirit. There was a nobility about her, he'd noticed that before. Now he knew why, and knew it went hand in hand with a deep inner conviction of what was right and wrong. She had perished rather than serve evil. He wondered if he would have that kind of strength, should that choice ever be his to make. "Then what?" he wondered.

I wandered the cosmos after my death, waiting for someone to be born of my line who was both needed as the Silver Ranger and who would have the potential in great enough measure to use the power properly. While I waited, my son Tilrak became the Diamond Ranger, and took on Vile with a vengeance I had never before realized could exist. I watched as the Rangers drove Vile away from Eltar for good, and established such a strong defense there that he could never return. But that only sent him in search of other worlds to conquer, and this lust for power had already been passed down to his children. Others came to serve him, while others rose to fight him. Some chose to challenge his power for evil with their own evil. Thus did Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, Rito Revolto, Count Dregon, King Mondo, and countless others come into being as threats to the universe. The Alien Rangers of Aquitar, the Masked Rider, and other warriors were chosen to fight them.

"Where did your descendent come from, ma'am? Why did Zordon only detect her yesterday?"

Because I shielded her once she arrived in this world. She wasn't ready to meet you all yet and was most assuredly not ready to face Mondo.

"Wait a second... "arrived in this world"? What do you mean?"

There are an infinite number of universes, Billy, each with its own set of rules for reality. Just prior to my successor's birth, I noticed Master Vile's attentions settling on my family again. They had gone into hiding a couple of centuries ago, but somehow he located them again, I do not know how. I did what I could to hide the mother of my successor, but to no avail. He found her and he found the one who became the mother of my other chosen descendent.

"I don't understand."

My successor and Tilrak's both were born within five years of each other. My successor, who sits across from you now, and your Red Ranger, Tommy Oliver, are both descended from me. My only surviving child, Tilrak, had twin offspring, a son and a daughter. Tommy and his birth-family are of the son's line. The new Silver Ranger comes of the daughter's. I suspected, but was not fully aware, of the fact the Power Rangers would be needed in this generation, or I would have protected my successor's mother all the more fiercely. But I was not attentive enough, and when my successor was born, Vile struck.

"Wha-what did he do?"

He sent her to another universe, a world without magic or any of the great heroes and villains of this universe. It was all I could do some years later to prevent him from doing the same thing to Tommy and David when they were born.

"What happened to her, though?" Tommy and David were not going to believe all of this.

She grew up there and learned of the Power Rangers in a very odd way. In that universe, you exist, but... somewhat differently: as characters on a television series. She loved the show, despite it being marketed as children's fare, and during the course of it, she fell in love with you.

Billy shook his head, this was too much. "With an actor?"

No, with the character the actor portrays. With you. She loves you still, though she doesn't remember it at the moment.

"How did she get here, to this universe?"

I brought her here when it was time, and trusted her to remain hidden, until it was time.

"And the Crystal?"

A gift from her adoptive father, or so she thought. I was able to exchange the two crystals when I brought her over to this universe, she thinks it merely odd that her blue crystal became silver.

"How long has she been here?" Billy cast a nervous glance to where the Silver Ranger sat calmly guarding.

A year and a day. Kahva smiled faintly. Billy, you can see and hear me because you are a descendent of my beloved Silias. He and I always had a strong bond with each other, and the link continued down the ages in our two families, though it faded until now. My descendent would also be able to see me, if her vision and heart were not warped by evil at the moment. I must ration my energy for now, so unfortunately I cannot appear for all to see just yet. But when the time comes, I will.

"So now what? Do you want me to tell her about you now?"

Not at the moment. You must learn her true name and call her by it. Doing that will trigger certain reactions built and bred into her blood. Once she is free, she will be able to get you and herself out of here.

"How can I find out what her real name is?"

She must tell you of her own will.

Billy shook his head in confusion. Kahva seemed to sense this and floated over to touch him lightly on the cheek. You are so like my Silias. Be patient, Billy, and all will come clear in time. I must go to the Power Chamber, and do what I can there.

Kahva vanished, and the Silver Ranger across the hall stirred. She hadn't slept, and also hadn't paid much attention to the prisoner's mutterings. Billy looked at her, and for a moment, wondered what kind of a Ranger she would make if she weren't under Mondo's control. If she were anything like her ancestor, the earth would have no better defender.


"We've got to rescue Billy, and I think our only hope is the Silver Ranger," Tanya stated. "If the spray works, then she can get him back."

Zordon looked at her. The Silver Ranger powers, returned at last. He had never forgotten Kahva or her selfless sacrifice for good. He had chosen each new Ranger not just for their skills and good works, but because each of them had descended from one of the original Rangers. He had never been able to choose a Silver Ranger, since that power had been lost when Kahva made her choice. Now it seemed that the future Kahva had sent her powers to had come at last. But now the Silver Ranger served evil... if only Kahva were still there. She had known things about her powers that even he and Ninjor didn't know. YOU ARE CORRECT, TANYA. WE MUST TRY BILLY'S SPRAY, BUT WE MUST ALSO WAIT FOR THE SILVER RANGER TO RETURN TO EARTH. WE MUST BE PATIENT.

You were always the patient one, Zordon. The voice was more like a thought, but still clear. Zordon scanned the Power Chamber, seeking the source. When he found it, he almost smiled. RANGERS, I TOLD YOU THAT THE FIRST SILVER RANGER DIED RATHER THAN LET HERSELF AND HER POWERS SERVE EVIL. BUT IT APPEARS THAT WAS NOT QUITE THE END OF HER.

Quite right. It takes a lot more than death to stop a Power Ranger, especially me.

"What are you talking about, Zordon?" Tommy asked. His question was answered when a human-shaped glowing form appeared near him. He jumped back in shock and stared. It looked precisely like the Silver Ranger, only dressed in ancient and unfamiliar clothing! "Who are you?"

Kahva Kilanye, the Silver Ranger. The first Silver Ranger. The living Rangers jumped again, all startled by this sudden apparition. I have spoken with Billy, and he is safe for the time being. I know something of what must be done to free my descendent from evil. She must be called by her true name, and that will enable her to awaken the Silver Flame from within the depths of her soul. The Flame will burn away the potion that binds her will to evil and she will be free to choose where her destiny lies.

"What is her real name?" Adam asked.

I haven't any idea. She must reveal it of her own will, though, and that will be most difficult, as Mondo's potion keeps any knowledge of her past from her. She does not even remember she was raised in another universe.

"WHAT!" Every voice in the Power Chamber echoed that. Kahva quickly repeated what she'd told Billy. Tommy stared at his ancestor in disbelief for several minutes, until Zordon confirmed all that she'd said.

"The new Silver Ranger - is my cousin?" Tommy was in shock. "I have a cousin."

The other Rangers chuckled at Tommy's expression.

KAHVA, I HAVE FELT YOUR PRESENCE MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. HAVE YOU SOUGHT ALL THIS TIME FOR A NEW SILVER RANGER?

Yes. I did not think it would take this long, but now that she has arrived, once all this has ended, I may rest at last.

"I can't imagine being dead and being aware of it all this time!" Rocky breathed in awe.

"Kahva, I've heard about ghosts possessing people. Can you do that?"

Jason, there is very little I can do now. I'm sorry. Most of the power I stored up over the eons is gone now that there is a new Silver Ranger. I am forced to ration what I have. All of you are descendants of the original Rangers, which is why you can see and hear me. Zordon was my mentor, so he can see and hear me also, but I must continue to conserve my energy until the last possible moment. The ghost sighed, then continued, The spray Billy made should be a beginning. The Silver Ranger will guard Billy only until a monster has been made for the job. Then she will return to battle you again, I believe.

"I'm surprised Mondo hasn't started sending down Cogs and monsters to terrorize us and the city," Adam shook his head in bewilderment. "That's his usual style."

I BELIEVE HE PLANS TO DESTROY YOU USING THE SILVER RANGER. THE IRONY OF THE POWER RANGERS BEING DEFEATED BY ONE OF THEIR OWN KIND WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR HIM TO RESIST.

Just then the alarms began to ring. Alpha checked the instruments, then pointed to the viewing globe. "It's the Silver Ranger! She's back, tearing up Angel Grove Park!"

"Which means Mondo has a monster to guard Billy," Tommy said. "Come on, guys. Let's go free my cousin, so she can free Billy."


"Silver Ranger!" Mondo entered the prison. "Teleport back to Earth and finish off those Rangers once and for all."

"As my lord commands," the Silver Ranger rose to her feet, bowed, then teleported off. Billy noticed that beyond Mondo was a dragon-like creature.

"Meet Harvox, Billy," Mondo said. The creature had five heads and blue-tinted curls of smoke drifted up from its mouths. "It will take over guarding you while my Ranger is gone. I made it after a creature that the first Power Rangers failed to defeat, that led to the death of their leader. I think it's fitting that it should guard an ex-Ranger whom my Ranger captured."

"You're worthless, Mondo," Billy snapped. He hoped Kahva would return soon. It made him feel a little better to know she was around. "You had to resort to Zedd and Rita's old tricks to get an evil Ranger. You couldn't even be original!"

"Hah! My Ranger is unbeatable, human!"

"If we knew her real name she wouldn't be!" Billy retorted. He stopped himself there, wondering if Mondo knew that. The Machine King would wonder how he knew of it as well.

"But you don't know her name," Mondo sneered. "And that silly ghost of her ancestor's can't do anything but talk and watch! I've known of her presence for some time now, she's powerless, and has been for thousands of years!"

Lifeless, not powerless, Mondo. Kahva reappeared beside Billy. There is a difference.

"Not anymore," Mondo headed back up the stairs. "I will see you again, with my Silver Ranger by my side to destroy you both."

I'm a ghost. I can't be hurt by a mortal. You know that.

"What about one using that Silver Flame of yours?" Mondo taunted before he slammed the door to the prison area behind him.

Kahva turned to Billy. Things will begin to happen soon. Be patient.

"What was he talking about, using the Silver Flame to hurt you?"

I don't know if the Silver Flame can hurt a ghost or not. I never had occasion to try it. I don't really want to find out now, either. We have to find out my descendant's name. That's where you come in, Billy. This is Tommy's plan. Kahva outlined it, and Billy knew he could do his part admirably: all it required for now was that he sit and wait.


"In the name of my master, Mondo the Machine King," the Silver Ranger punctuated each of her words with a fierce kick or punch to one or more of the Rangers. "I will defeat you, Power Rangers!"

"You're one of us, Silver Ranger!" Tommy ducked under one of her fists and delivered a punch of his own to her stomach. She shrugged it off and retaliated with a savage roundhouse strike to his knees. Tommy fell back and was steadied by Rocky. "We shouldn't be fighting each other, we should be fighting Mondo, we're cousins! We should be on the same side!"

"I have no human kin," Silver Ranger stated flatly.

Tanya and Kat rushed in for a double-barreled hit at her legs, but the Silver Ranger somersaulted over both of them. The two female Rangers fell forward, propelled by powerful kicks to their backs. The Silver Ranger whirled on Adam and Jason then, hurtling into them like an animated freight train.

Now, Tommy, while she's distracted. Kahva's whispered voice came to him. He tapped his communicator. "Now, Alpha!" Tommy held out his hand and the spray Billy had made before his capture was teleported to him. Adam and Rocky held the Silver Ranger by both arms, allowing Tanya and Kat to tackle her to the ground. Jason unlatched her helmet and pulled it off as Tommy warily approached. As her helmet came off, deep brown hair spilled down all around them, and he got a good look at her face for the first time since she had morphed into the Silver Ranger. She was the physical duplicate of her ancestor, except her eyes were red with spellbound madness. She was almost foaming at the mouth as she fought to get away. Her muscles bulged as she began to throw off Ranger after Ranger. Tommy could waste no more time. He sprayed the mixture straight into her face as he'd been told.

The evil Ranger surged to her feet, stepped back, and snatched up her helmet. "What have you poisoned me with?" she croaked. Then her voice softened. "Who am I? Where am I?"

"You're our friend and teammate, the Silver Ranger," Kat attempted. "What's your name? You haven't told us yet."

"I don't know," The Ranger stepped farther back, her voice wavering. "I don't remember anything!"

Suddenly she shimmered and vanished. "Mondo teleported her back!" Alpha reported from the Power Chamber.

"Just as you said he would Tommy," Kat smiled at him. "Let's just hope Billy can do his part."


Billy looked up as a shimmer of light appeared outside his cell. The Silver Ranger was there, her helmet clattering to the floor as she dropped to her knees, leaning against the wall. "Who am I?" she whispered. "What's going on?"

Mondo and Klank appeared. "What's wrong with you, Silver Ranger? Get up and go destroy the Power Rangers!"

"Who are you?" She looked up at Mondo. "Who am I?"

"Klank, what's happening to her?" Mondo almost looked worried.

"It's the spray they used on her, milord. It's wiped her mind clean of all her memories."

"Is she still in my power?"

"Yes, she is still under the potion's effects. She just dinna remember it."

Billy surged to his feet, seizing his chance. "Silver Ranger! Remember your name! Your real name! Remember your ancestor, Kahva Kilanye! She wore the same uniform you do, had the same powers you do, and gave her life in the fight against evil. You can't serve evil any longer. You're free to do as you will."

"Who are you?" the Ranger whispered, turning to gaze at him. There was a faint spark of recognition in her eyes. "Do I know you?"

"Not really, not yet, but I want to know you. That can't happen while you serve Mondo."

"Mondo... is my master... I remember that," she spoke haltingly. "I remember... power."

"Yes! You are my Silver Ranger! I gave you the Power!" Mondo shouted "Ignore that human! Listen to me!"

The Silver Ranger stepped closer to Billy. "Keep going."

"You didn't grow up here, but you should have. You were sent to another world, where the only way for you to know me and my friends was on a television show. You were brought here to assume your rightful place as one of the Power Rangers: the last defense of the world against evil."

"He's lying! I made you to serve me!" Mondo screeched almost as loudly as Rita Repulsa. You belong to me!"

The Silver Ranger looked at her costume and touched a strand of her flowing dark hair. "I am human. You are a machine."

"Serve me," Mondo's voice hit her like a whip. "I own you."

The Silver Ranger fell back, crumpling to the floor again. "I have no choice!"

"Yes, you do! You will always have a choice!" Billy tried again. "Choose! It's up to you to decide!"

"She belongs to me," Mondo snapped. "Remember that, my Ranger."

The Silver Ranger's shoulder's slumped in defeat. Billy reached out with heart, mind, soul, and hand to her. They shared a bond, he'd been told, and now he reached for her with that as well. "Tell me your name and I can help you!"

She turned to him. Tears sparkled in her green eyes, still touched with the red of the potion. She took his hand in hers, and even through her gloves he felt the warmth of her soul. "What is yours, first?"

"William Cranston. They call me Billy."

Then he was overwhelmed by the force of her suppressed memories as they surged forward. Billy saw her newborn and crying in a strange place. He saw her growing up strong and lovely, and caught glimpses of those who became her friends and family. He saw her see him on television for the first time, and felt her heart skip a beat with joy and love. Then she was standing in his universe for the first time, confused, scared, and alone. Then the new life she'd built for herself in that world was shattered as the Cogs came. He lived her life through her, and when he dropped her hand a moment/lifetime later, he knew three things.

1. Her true name was Sheena Devereaux.

2. She loved him with all her heart and soul.

3. He loved her with all of his.

"SHEENA DEVEREAUX!" he screamed her name to the stars. As it had when she had first taken the power into herself, time seemed to stop. From somewhere in the vicinity of her heart, a pale light began to glow. Billy knew this was the Silver Flame, and he watched as it ran throughout all her being, finding the potion that bound her to Mondo's will and service and destroying it. She stood upright, her eyes gleaming like the greenest of new leaves, with no trace of red at all.

"I am free," she stated simply.

Mondo snarled, then he and Klank vanished. Mondo's voice came to them. "Free of my potion, but not my dungeon!"

"That remains to be seen," Sheena laughed and turned to Billy. He was struck suddenly by how beautiful she was, but hadn't forgotten his guard. He pointed behind her. "Harvox!"

Sheena whirled, striking the multiple-headed dragon with double hits to the neck. It backed away and she followed it. One karate chop, five punches, three kicks, and a final strike with the Silver Sword later, Harvox was done for. "Cheap copy of the original," she muttered as she demolished Billy's cell door. "Let's go," she said, after planting a kiss on the surprised ex-captive.

"How? Zordon can't teleport us out of here."

"So we go the old-fashioned way."

"What?"

"By Zord." She laughed at the expression on his face. "Come on, I'll show you."

They raced up the steps with Sheena in the lead, taking out every Cog that dared to cross her path. "That door leads outside," she pointed to it. "But I don't think Mondo's going to let us go without a fight."

"You are correct, my Ranger," Mondo's voice came from the air. "You are mine, you belong to me, and that is the way it will always be."

"Never," she swore. "Never again. I'll go the way of my ancestor this time. I can do that now."

"But that will leave your precious Billy here with me. Do you really want that?"

Sheena bit her lip. She wouldn't do that... with her memories fully restored, she couldn't do that. Then she grinned. "I won't have to. I need Cheetah Zord Power, now!"

A thunderous roar shook the Skybase to its foundations. Billy looked up to see a huge silvery cheetah-shaped Zord flying towards them. "And by the way, Mondo, the name's Sheena Devereaux... Miss Devereaux to the likes of you!" Sheena grabbed hold of Billy's arm and leapt up towards the Zord. A moment later, they were in the cockpit. "We're going home," Sheena smiled.

"What happened to you, Sheena?" Her name tasted sweet on his tongue. "Just how did you get rid of the potion in you?"

"When we touched Billy, you saw my past. When you called me by name, I remembered everything you saw." As with all the Rangers, piloting her Zord came naturally to her, so Sheena talked as they flew towards the Earth. "When I heard my name, a lot of other memories flooded back, but not just from me. From Kahva. I remembered everything she'd ever done in all her life, and a good portion of what she went through after her death. I know her now as well as I know myself, better in some ways." She shifted direction slightly as they entered Earth's atmosphere. "I also remembered what it was like in my world, and how I loved you there. When I saw you in the cell, after I woke up from the potion, I felt it even more. Billy, even before I came here, before I knew you were so much more than just some character on a TV show, I loved you. I loved your heart, your mind, your courage, your soul... and when I found out I was somewhere where you were really real... I was ecstatic."

"Why didn't you come to Angel Grove, then?"

"I was afraid," she admitted. "I was too scared to try it. I thought if I saw you in real life, it would be just like it was back home. I was tongue-tied and confused most of the time with guys. I didn't know how to talk with them or be with them or anything. I got scared. All the guys I knew, except for my friends, they weren't worth knowing. All I wanted was to be left alone."

Billy thought for a second. He knew he loved her, and she loved him. But could the love stand up to both of them admitting it? Finally, he tentatively asked, "Is that the way you still want it?"

Sheena turned to look at him. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Silently, she shook her head. He bent down, and their lips touched in a gentle, loving kiss.

The Cheetah Zord shook. "That was some kiss!"

"That wasn't me, much as I wish it was! It's them!"

Billy looked to see where she was pointing, and saw several Quadrafighters closing in on them. "Mondo never gives up, does he? Let's see what this Zord can do, love." She hit a button on the control panel and an enormous gun emerged from the Cheetah Zord's mouth. Quadrafighters exploded into bits all around her as she fired. "Hey, this is fun!"

"The job does come with some perks," Billy joked. "Blowing Quadrafighters out of the sky is just one of them. Not the usual perk, but it qualifies, I guess." He ran his fingers across the back of her neck, causing her firing to go erratic.

"Could we save that till after the wedding, please?"

"Is that a proposal?"

"I guess so." Sheena blasted a few more Quadrafighters.

"I think I can do better than that." He would have gotten down on one knee, but there wasn't room. Finally he just said. "Will you marry me, Sheena?"

"Yes," she replied simply. "Would today be too soon for the wedding?"

"Not at all," Billy grinned. "Who would have thought I'd get abducted by the woman I love and am going to marry?"

"I don't think our kids will ever believe this." She destroyed a few more fighters, then the rest turned and flew away.

"Power Chamber dead ahead," Billy pointed it out. "It's good to be home." The Cheetah Zord landed just outside the Zord Holding Bay and trotted in as if it belonged there, which it did. Once they got out, Billy went to a communications panel on the wall. "Guys, this is Billy. I've got the new Silver Ranger here with me, Sheena Devereaux, and she's completely free of Mondo's control. We're on our way up to the Power Chamber now."

"Welcome, Sheena," Tommy's voice came over the speaker.

"Be prepared to welcome her a bit better than that, Tommy," Billy grinned. "After all, Sheena and I are going to be married today."

"WHAT?" came the chorus of voices.

"I'll explain when we get up there," Billy laughed and led the way to the elevator. While on the way up, he and Sheena took the opportunity for several deep kisses and long looks into each other's eyes. When they reached the Power Chamber, the first words out of Tommy's mouth were, "Would you care to introduce us properly to your girlfriend, Billy?"

"His fiancée... and your distant cousin," Sheena smiled. "Hello." She stepped towards Tommy, her hand held out. Shocked, the Red Ranger shook it. "I'm Sheena Devereaux, the Silver Ranger. I know I caused you guys some trouble, and I'm sorry. Now that I've got both the Silver Power and the brains to know which side to use it on, I'd like to use them with you guys. If you'll have me."

"And if we said no?" Tommy asked, raising one eyebrow, having got past his shock quickly.

"Then I'll use them on my own," Sheena told him flatly. "But I'll never use them for evil again. I'll die first."

Tommy smiled. The Rangers all looked at each other, then Tommy looked back at her. "We'd be honored to have you."

IT IS GOOD TO HAVE THE SILVER RANGER ONCE MORE SERVING THE CAUSE OF GOOD, Zordon's voice boomed WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR UNIVERSE, TO ANGEL GROVE, AND TO THE POWER RANGERS, SHEENA DEVEREAUX. YOUR ANCESTOR CHOSE WELL IN YOU.

Of course I did. Kahva appeared. Sheena, the power of the Silver Ranger is yours now. Use it wisely and with care. The Silver Sword and the Silver Flame are your greatest weapons. Be careful with them both. As with every other Power Ranger, you must follow the three rules. Never use your power for personal gain. Never escalate a battle unless your enemy forces you to. And never let anyone know your secret. No one can know you are a Power Ranger. The ghost looked amused at her descendant's startled expression

"You're my ancestor!"

Bright girl. Hopefully your kids will take after their father, Kahva chuckled. Zordon, it's good to see the old uniforms and powers back in action.

YES, KAHVA, IT IS. NOW WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Rest. At last. After fifteen thousand years, my task and my vigil have ended. A new Silver Ranger has come to take up the fight against evil. Good-bye, Sheena Devereaux, Silver Ranger.

"Good-bye, Kahva Kilanye, Silver Ranger." Sheena waved as her ancestor rose higher into the air, then vanished like a puff of smoke.

"Welcome to the team, Sheena," Jason clapped her on the back. "That Cheetah Zord of yours is awesome!"

"I like it," Sheena smiled. She was welcomed by all the other Rangers, and Tanya and Kat promised to take her shopping the next day to get a new wardrobe, since most of her old stuff had been demolished by the Cogs during the fight with the Rangers in her apartment. She went to Billy and kissed him. This wasn't just some simple peck on the cheek, but a full-fledged kiss that had it been explosives, could have leveled several large continents. Billy held Sheena close, then looked up at Zordon.

"So Zordon, are you capable of performing marriages?"

To Be Continued