13)

As if that wasn't enough, The Troopers have just arrived at the lab, with the Squad.

The Squad looks all around, in complete awe and amazement at all the technology around them.

"Wow! This is like a dream!" said Sydney, as she just was glowing at being all around all that technology. It was an obvious change in mood from when the Skugs took her laptop, with the node data.

"Hey, check it out! Look, Hart is on TV!" said Amp, pointing to the Professor's viewing monitor.

"No, Amp, this is my viewing monitor. This is how I am able to see and communicate with the world, now that I'm in a machine." Said Hart.

"Oh, cool." Said Amp.

"So, Syd, how much do you know about Virtual Reality technology?" asked JB

"Not as much as you guys. I read some articles about it, and know a little about how to use it, but compared to you guys, I'm a novice." Said Syd.

"I don't think so. I saw the schematics for the Squad technology, and saw how it functions. It primitive by our standards, but still cutting edge stuff, and is very difficult to use and maintain, and you have done a great job with it, by what we understand. So don't sell yourself short, here?" said JB

"JB is right, Sydney." Said Hart.

"Thanks. I just hope we can get the laptop back." She said.

"This brings me to why I called you all here." Said Hart. "I have a theory about what is going on. I believe Grimlord is trying to access the mainframe computer of the Power Ranger's Command Center."

"What? But, wait a minute, Professor, when we met the Power Rangers, Grimlord wasn't worried about their mainframe. Why now?"

"During our encounter with the Rangers, they were visiting Cross World City, and weren't able to talk to Zordon at the time. So the mainframe never made contact with our systems during that time. I believe Grimlord has recently upgraded his scanning equipment to trace the sources of power for any transmissions I make here at the lab. He saw that a powerful mainframe had contacted us, Alpha & Zordon, and decided to check it out. Then they must have added that excess traffic to the on-line connectors, to intercept my transmitting the data node's information to you. From there, they sensed I contacted Alpha again, and got a better fix on where their mainframe is, and might try to make an attack to get it."

"We got to warn the Rangers!" said Sam.

Just then, one of the other screens, turns on, and shows the face of Billy, the Blue Ranger.

"Hey guys! Don't bother with that. I have already gotten the warning from the Professor." Said Billy.

"Hey, Billy!" said Katelyn.

"Hey! Hey Amp! How are you buddy?" said Kimberly, as she pushed her head in, to say hello, on the screen.

"I'm good. How about you?" said Amp.

"Good. I miss you. Uh…you guys!" Kimberly said.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again, Syber-Squad and VR Troopers. And I see you have met each other. Great, because I have some news." Said Billy. "We were adjusting our antennas, and came across a short transmission, from the Digital World. We recognized it, right away. It was Kilokahn. We weren't able to capture this on visual, until here where we see him enter a doorway."

"That's the doorway between Virtual Reality and the Digital Grid." Said Hart.

"Excellent! Let me check the computer, and see if I can find any information on what was going on in Virtual Reality, at that time."

"Ok. Call us if you need any help. I'll make sure our security firewalls are up, and keep you posted if we find out anything more." Said Billy, as he good-bye waves and thanks were exchanged, and he ended the transmission.

So, JB starts looking, with Sydney on the computer for any information about this latest turn of events. After while, Ryan and Sam start a conversation with each other, and everyone disperses as they wait. All this as Tanker just stands to the side looking at Sydney. Katelyn notices this.

"Hey, you might want to make sure those eyes stay in your sockets!" she says.

"Huh? Oh…uh….Is it that obvious?" he said.

"Well, a little." She said.

Tanker smiles, and bobs his head down, for a second.

"So, what is the deal with you and her?" she asked.

"Oh, well, I really like her. She's unbelievable. Just thinking of her makes me feel wonderful. She's smart, makes me laugh, great smile, sings like sweet music, and is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Said Tanker.

"So, why don't you tell her that?" asked Katelyn.

"I did, and she feels the same way." Said Tanker.

"But…?" said Katelyn.

"But…but we're not together…together. At least not yet, you know?" he said.

"Yeah. So, I don't understand. If you two have strong feelings for each other, why don't you just hook up?" she asks.

"Is this for your paper?" said Tanker.

"No, Tanker. I'm just trying to offer…" said Katelyn.

"Just kidding! I know, advice." Said Tanker, with a smile. "Well, she was in a bad relationship a while ago, before she knew me and the rest of us. It was short, but left a lasting mark. Because of how they broke up, or how he dumped her, she now is extra careful about who she gets close to. She's almost scared to get too close to me, because she doesn't want to lose me."

"I don't know, but from the way she looks at you, I don't think it's that." Says Katelyn.

"I'm not her boyfriend though. I want to be her boyfriend so badly." Said Tanker.

"I wish I knew what to tell you. It does looks like you two have something great going on. It's just a matter of giving her some time." Said Katelyn.

"I know. I know she's worth the wait, but still sometimes I can't help but feel like I'm clumsy or stupid around her, and wonder what does she see in me, if anything?" said Tanker.

"You need to relax, and just have faith. You need to be yourself, because that's obviously more than enough, as it has gotten you two that close. It's just a matter of patience and time, and before you know it, you will be walking, holding hands, as a couple." Said Katelyn. "So how long have you known her?"

"I don't remember the exact number of years. It was before high school. Sam and Amp came to know her through grade school, and later the band, and I came into it, because I knew Sam, along the same time and then came to know Sydney, through them, in grade school." Said Tanker.

"Wow. You know what they say: Love is a friendship set on fire." Said Katelyn.

"Jeremy Taylor." Said Amp, as he was caught overhearing the conversation. "Did I say that out loud?"

They nodded, Amp smiled, and turned to talk to Jeb.

Not even a second later, the alarm goes off. Everyone checks the screen, with JB, in the front chair for the computer.

"What is going on?" said Sam.

"Grimlord has started a massive attack in the air and on the ground." Said Hart.

"Yeah, and look!" said JB, pointing to one of the monitors looking into virtual reality, and what it's showing.

"My laptop!" said Sydney.

"That's odd. It's just sitting there on the ground, nowhere near the attack." Said Katelyn.

"This has to be a trap." Said Amp.

Everyone looks at him, surprised, but happily surprised. "Amp may have hit the nail right on the button. We can't take any chances. We got to transform and get that laptop back!" said Ryan.

The Troopers group together, while the Squad stands back and watches, while those two magic words are said.

"Trooper Transform! We are V.R.!" they said, and in a flash of electronic light, their clothes are replaced with their respective VR Trooper Battle-armor for an instant, and they are transported, out of the lab, into the thick of battle.

14) The Troopers arrive, and see the air and ground forces attacking at the rock quarry.

All three of them are fired on, and a massive collection of explosions surround them. They duck slightly, but are flipped over, and thrown a great distance by the force of the blasts. They are ok, but shaken up a bit.

JB quickly runs and knows what he needs to do. He needs to bring this battle back to Virtual Reality. "Vortex Command, now!" he declares, as he hits the button on the side of his belt. It beeps, and then all the tanks and aircraft are drawn into a massive swirling vortex, back into Virtual Reality.

"Look, it's the laptop! Over there! I'll get it, you two hold these guys off!" said JB as he ran after the laptop, which was standing on a tree stump in Virtual Reality.

Then, Ryan and Katelyn are about ready to go and combat these threats with their own weapons, but they all disappear. The attacking aircraft and tanks all just vanish. A collective "Huh? Where did they go?" is heard from the two Troopers, and the minds of the Squad, as they watch on the monitor. Then a group of a dozen Skugs comes and attacks all three of the Troopers, keeping JB from reaching his goal, the laptop

They start to combat them, and easily begin to overtake them in their virtualized state. Just then, out of nowhere, a massive bolt of energy comes, and hits all three of the Troopers. This knocks Ryan and Katelyn off of the high rock cliff they were on, down to the floor. This bolt also turns around, and knocks JB back to where he was, placing right where Ryan & Katelyn fall down to. They struggle to get up and recompose themselves. Ryan is the first one to get up. He looks up in the direction of where the bolt came from. He then sees a dark figure come to the edge, and look down on them. JB and Katelyn get up and see the same thing Ryan sees, and is transfixed by it. But not as transfixed as the Squad are, when they see who the figure is.

"Ah, man! Kilokahn!" said Sam, in the lab.

"You VR Trooper meat-thing programs are no match for my powers! Stand down and I might show mercy on your flesh as I destroy you!" said Kilokahn.

"We stand down for nobody at all!" said Ryan.

"Fantastic, because I never grant mercy to anyone!" Kilokahn said, as he jumped off the ledge, and glided down to the valley below, where the Troopers were.

JB has gotten out his Laser Lance, Katelyn has gotten out her laser gun, and Ryan has activated his Lightning Hand command.

JB goes to attack first, and strikes Kilokahn. The strike has no effect, and Kilokahn punches JB, knocking him to the ground. Katelyn blasts Kilokahn in the chest, but the laser blasts don't even scratch his surface. He looks down at the area, where she attempted to blast him, and then looks up at her, and then raises his hand, blasting her with a huge bolt of energy. Ryan then proceeds to hit Kilokahn with his fist, charged up with the Lightning Hand Command. The contact does nothing to damage Kilokahn, and Ryan is also tossed off to the side by Kilokahn.

"Your puny efforts are pathetic, Trooper-meat things! I am now power incarnate! Prepare to be erased!" said Kilokahn.

"Oh yeah? I think not!" said Ryan, as he prepared his super VR Trooper Turbo charged kick jump attack. "Altitude, velocity, calculating! Bingo!" he said, as he flew into the air, and delivered his powerful kick to Kilokahn. It doesn't even move Kilokahn an inch. All it does, is give Kilokahn a chance to grab Ryan, and throw him, at the other Troopers, knocking them down again.

"This is a letdown to me. I had expected a bigger challenge. If I were a meat-thing, I wouldn't even be perspiring now. Now, it is time to destroy you." Said Kilokahn, as he started to create an energy sphere, to throw at the Troopers.

Now within the course of a split second, JB & Ryan stand tall, with their weapons ready to attempt again to take him on, while Katelyn leaps a long distance, and snatches the laptop from its resting place. Kilokahn throws the sphere, and the Troopers disappear.

Just then, the Squad start panicking. "What the….Kilokahn! What did he…Where did they go?" said Sam.

Just then, to the Squad's delight, the Troopers rematerialized in the lab, unharmed.

"What the?" said Katelyn.

"How did we get back here?" said Ryan.

"I brought you all back, just a split second before Kilokahn was about to destroy you all." Said Hart.

"Well, we can't stay here and let him out there, doing who knows what! Let's get back there, now!" said JB

"I'd have to advise against that, JB. Your VR Trooper weapons had no effect on Kilokahn, as you might have noticed." Said Hart.

"Well, at least we got your laptop back." Said Katelyn, handing it to Sydney.

"Ah! Thank you so much Katelyn!" she said.

"No problem." she said, as the Troopers all deactivated their powers, to return to civilian form.

Sydney, goes, and sits at the computer desk, with her laptop, and plugs it into the main computer. "Professor, can you make sure that the laptop is ok?"

"According to the data I am seeing, the laptop is in perfect working order, and so are the Servo program & subroutines."

"Thanks Professor. So now what do we do?" said Sydney

"I guess we just have to wait and see." Said Sam.

"Yeah, next time, we'll be ready for him!" said Ryan.

15)

In Grimlord's palace, Kilokahn is there in the main hall, in front of Grimlord's throne.

"You have exceeded all my hope and dreams!" said Grimlord. "You have won a battle against the VR Troopers! A feat none of my mutants can say they accomplished."

"Thank you, Grimlord." Said Kilokahn.

"So, how does it feel having your original powers fully back?" asked Grimlord.

"Great. In fact, I've never felt more powerful, in my existence." Said Kilokahn.

"Good. Now remember our deal, ok?" said Grimlord.

"Oh, yes. I was thinking about that, and have come to a conclusion about that. I got what I wanted, so now I have decided to officially terminate our contract…and your life!" says Kilokahn, as he fires a massive bolt of energy at the throne. Grimlord shoots a bolt of energy to block that other bolt from coming at him, successfully. Just a splint second later, the bracelet Kilokahn was wearing, begins to glow, and throw sparks of electricity through Kilokahn.

"Ah! What is this? AHhh! Ugh!" says Kilokahn, as this flow of negative energy, weakens him, and brings him down to his knees, barely able to move.

Grimlord gets up out of his chair, and stars laughing manically. "You simple program of a fool! Did you think that I wouldn't have thought of that course of action you just tried to pull? That's the real reason why I made you still wear that bracelet of yours, even after you got your powers back. Once you had them, I knew you could maintain yourself in Virtual Reality on your own, but I needed this trump card, to keep you under my control."

Kilokahn just lays there on the floor, moaning in pain.

"So, listen to me, good, you hear me? You will destroy those Troopers for me, and perhaps I will give you another chance to exist, under my command. Do you hear me? Now, I want you to say "Yes Master."

"Yes…yes…ugh…master" he says, in between the bursts of pain brought on by the bracelet.

"Excellent. Now, you will recharge, and rest, until I decide it is time for you to destroy the VR Troopers." Said Grimlord. He then sits in his throne, and waves his hand, and disappears.

The pain has stopped, and Grimlord has gotten up. He walks over to Icebot's lab and enters. Icebot is seen, at a computer terminal.

"Don't even bother, the controls for the bracelet are not anywhere in here, or nearby, for that matter, and destroying me will not bring you any closer to your goal of freedom." Said Icebot.

"Relax. I am not here for that purpose." Said Kilokahn.

"Really? Well, then what?" said Icebot.

"Odds are it is only a matter of time before I am destroyed, at Grimlord's hand, and I won't be able to keep that from occurring. However, there is only one thing that I desire before that takes place. The destruction of my sworn enemy Servo. After that, if I am to be destroyed, then so be it. At least it will be with the satisfaction of knowing that I have won in that instance." Said Kilokahn.

"So, you want me to help you destroy Servo?" said Icebot.

"yes." Said Kilokahn.

"I think I will. I am not sure why, but I will help you out. Now what do you need?"

"I planted the schematics for a virus in a data node, a very long time ago. This data node is currently in the possession of Professor Hart. I have a direct link to this virus. Right now it is dormant, only acting when anyone attempts to access one of the node's storage areas. I can sense if anyone is attempting to tamper with it. With my newfound powers, I can activate it at a moments notice from anywhere. I just need access to a terminal." Said Kilokahn.

"Which storage area, and why that one?" asked Icebot.

"It chose the area at random. It doesn't even have the capacity to read the data, it is a very primitive virus, but with my help, it will get a virtual reality upgrade makeover. I will use it to draw out Servo, and destroy him." Said Kilokahn

"How?" asked Icebot.

"I will bring Servo out of his comfort zone. I will upgrade the virus with ability to stay in Virtual Reality on its own. During the fight, I will have Servo and the virus brought into Virtual Reality, where Servo's powers will be severely weakened. From the information I have seen in this computer, during the original Servo attacks on Grimlord's forces, this one is statistically identical. Meaning, I will be able to crush him with my newfound powers, since his will not last long in this reality. Then when the time is right I will go there, to help the virus personally destroy that program.

"Very well. Use the terminal right here." Said Icebot.