Author's Notes: This is the first installment of Ninja Quest summer! There were a few false starts, as I had to juggle two versions of the same story from the canon, and both versions were a bit weak. I've also decided to post about my fanfiction on Tumblr, including updates on my writing. You can find me unromanticpoetess. If I get enough requests, I'll start a Twitter feed for the fic. If you ask nicely, I'll post about head canons and answer questions there as well. Cheers!

Reviewer thanks: Ghostwriter, The-Knight2000 (The Ninja Quest arc on the show gave us the lovely gift of Rito Revolto and the beginning of Bulk and Skull's police storyline. For that I will be ever grateful, even if it was far smaller in scope.), Mirajane92 (I'm looking forward to Ninjor: I plan to make him a lot grumpier than in the show.), brankel1, RazorsEdge701 (You nailed it right on the head. I don't particularly like writing Zord battles, so the Thunderzords have gotten short shrift. I realized at the last minute that I'd never introduced Tor and the Ultra Thunder Megazord, and I felt like it should have some rep. That's the problem with serialized writing and immediate publication: you can't go back and change things. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!), and curlyq.


Book 8: Quest for Power

Chapter 27: Cut Off

Aisha stumbled to a halt in the clearing, the few braids that had escaped her ponytail holder hanging over her face as she bent over to breathe. The evening cool chilled the sweat on her arms and face, giving her goosebumps. The clearing was empty; she was the first one to make it.

She slogged her way over to the shimmering forcefield in the middle of the clearing and pressed her communicator to deactivate it. The forcefield dropped, giving her access to the camping supplies, food, and, most importantly, water and towels. She eased the heavy backpack to the ground and rubbed herself vigorously with a towel before downing a third of a bottle of water in three gulps. She forced herself to slow down and slumped on the ground, waiting for her fellow Rangers.

Tommy was the next to show. He looked exhausted but delighted to see Aisha. "How long did you beat me by?" he gasped out, pulling off his backpack and rolling his shoulders to work out the kinks.

"Just a few minutes," she said, handing him a bottle of water. She didn't want to make a big deal of it, but damn she was proud of herself. What with homework and school government and everything else she had to deal with, she'd been slacking on training. Being the first through the tricky obstacle course made her feel good.

Kimberly was next through the clearing entrance, and she was glaring. "Whose bright idea was it to program in the Grizzlinator?"

Tommy laughed and shrugged. "Must have been Billy. We all put in elements to the program, and they were randomized. Who put in those giant rats, by the way?"

"That would be Adam," Aisha said. "ROUSes."

"Rodents of Unusual Size?" Kimberly said. "I don't think they exist."

Adam laughed breathlessly as he stumbled through the clearing. "See? Someone gets it."

The sun was setting by the time Rocky and Billy limped toward the campsite, and the others had already started a fire and were roasting the hot dogs. Billy leaned heavily on Rocky, his face pale with pain.

Tommy helped Billy to a sitting position and readied some serum. "What happened out there?"

Rocky laughed and scratched his head. "Kinda my fault. I was going off the path and stumbled onto some kinda space wreckage, and I didn't notice the actual real and not-in-any-way-a-hologram cougar. Billy saved me, but he twisted his ankle in the process."

"Space wreckage?" Tommy asked.

"Scorpina's ship," Billy said, the color coming back to his face as the serum did its job.

Tommy tensed and looked over at Kimberly, but Kimberly merely rolled her eyes. "When Zedd took over, Scorpina did a runner and got shot down," she explained. "We got her off planet after she helped us gain control of our Zords."

"I thought it was basically impossible to lose control of the Zords," Adam said.

"Thunder Zords, yes," said Kimberly. "These were the old Dino Zords. They got melted down to create the Thunder Zords."

Conversation stilled as Aisha pointed out that the hot dogs were ready, and by the end of supper the Rangers were too tired to do more than eat and unroll their sleeping bags. Billy activated the forcefield around them, reminding everyone to remember to turn it off and on if they needed to use the bathroom.

Tommy and Kimberly fell asleep first, their hands brushing each others' outside of their sleeping bags, but they were too tired to do anything more. Aisha settled down with a book and a flashlight propped on her shoulder. Billy pulled out a small generator and computer, wanting to tap into the Morphing Grid to contact Aquitar before bed.

Rocky was about to curl up in his own sleeping bag when he noticed Adam at the far edge of the campsite, staring up at the stars with an unreadable expression. Rocky pulled his sleeping bag over so he wouldn't have to sit on the grass.

"So," Rocky said, speaking softly so as not to break the stillness of the evening, "how many poems do you know about stars?"

Adam looked up, startled.

Rocky smiled. "You've got your 'I'm thinking about poetry' face."

Adam looked back up at the sky. "Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art- / Not in long splendour hung aloft the night / And watching, with eternal lids apart, / Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite."

Rocky nodded slowly. "Cool. Yeah… so that would be Shakespeare?"

"Keats," Adam corrected. He sighed. "He's saying he wishes he were as steadfast and unchanging as the North Star, so he could be with his beloved forever."

"So is his beloved an Eremite?"

"An Eremite is a hermit, so probably not."

Rocky frowned at the sky. "But… like… if he were a star, he couldn't be with his beloved. He'd just be a voyeuristic hermit."

Adam chuckled. "Well, the romance in Romantic poetry is usually not perfect."

"It's nothing compared to the greatest poem ever about stars."

"Oh god."

"Twinkle, twinkle, little st…"

Rocky was cut off by a pillow to the face, and the two laughed in the darkening night.

In the meantime, Billy was muttering to himself and trying to quietly adjust the settings on his amplified communicator.

"Everything going okay?" Aisha asked, too distracted to read. "Can I help?"

"I'm not sure," Billy said. "You can try. I've been trying to reach Aquitar for the past two days, but I haven't had any luck."

Aisha set aside her book and flashlight and fiddled with the settings. "Do you usually have these problems?"

Billy's brow was creased with worry. "Sometimes the signal isn't very strong, due to any number of phenomena in space. I can usually get at least a quick message to Cestria."

Aisha smiled. Daily messages? Things were getting serious. "I don't know. It could be this mountain combined with this equipment? I wouldn't worry about her too much."

Billy nodded and started packing up the equipment. "Thanks for checking up on it. I suppose I need to get some sleep."

"Right," Aisha said. She glanced over at the sleeping Tommy and Kimberly, and at Adam and Rocky, who seemed to be pointing out constellations (well, Adam was pointing them out, and Rocky was making up new ones to annoy Adam). "Say… Billy. How did your mom react when you told her you were a Power Ranger?"

Billy looked up in surprise, and then nodded in understanding. "Are you still considering telling your parents?"

Aisha settled on her sleeping bag and clicked her flashlight off, feeling more comfortable having this conversation in the weak light of the dying campfire. "I used to share everything with my parents. Anything that happened to me at school, all the crazy stuff Rocky would get me and Adam into… I've always been able to tell them everything. But this?" she gestured around vaguely, not at the woods but at their lives, the training retreat, the fact that they were fighting an interstellar war. "This is a lot. So how did your mother react?"

Billy considered for a moment. "Mostly with screaming."

"Not exactly encouraging."

"Considering that we were being chased in a flying Volkswagen Beetle by the Firebird Zord and Serpentera right after I'd saved her from a Putty attack on a plane, I feel the reaction to be appropriate."

Aisha raised her eyebrows. "Why are all your stories like that?"

Billy laughed. "That was during those two weeks that got erased. When Kimberly turned evil, she led an attack against our parents. That's how they all found out. After we got them to the Command Center, they were understandably scared, as well as surprised by our identities, but they helped us. They helped protect Earth right along with us. I will admit, though, I don't know how they would have reacted if they had found out without the dire straits and imminent danger. Perhaps more like Mr. Park did."

Aisha looked down. "I've been thinking about it a lot. I risk my life so many times. I've seen how big the universe is, and there's a larger, older war all around us. I… I think I need to tell my parents. I don't want them to find out after I've gotten hurt or killed."

"It's easier in some ways," Billy said. "You don't have to lie, and you don't have to worry about your parents thinking that you're irresponsible when you have to leave suddenly. But then it's harder in other ways. My mother knows exactly where I am right now and why I'm here… but that doesn't stop her from worrying. That just makes her worry more. I had some… uncomfortable conversations with my mother after my identity was revealed to her. You'll probably do the same."

"I'll keep that in mind," Aisha said. "Good night."

"Good night." Billy took one more worried look at his communications equipment. He would try to make contact the next day at the Command Center. He could be worrying for nothing, but he couldn't forget that Cestria and the rest of the Aquitians were in the same war as he, and no day was guaranteed.


"Is everything prepared?"

Finster's eyes were glued to the computer screen, so he didn't immediately respond to Goldar's question. The little bat-like alien looked much healthier ever since Rita had come back. Threats against his life and health had virtually gone away, and even Zedd's flashes of temper against the old scientist were not to be taken seriously. Everyone knew that Rita protected Finster, and Zedd would not cross Rita in that way.

As much as Goldar remained suspicious of Zedd's sudden and unexpected love of Rita Repulsa, and as much as he feared Rita's wrath should she turn on him again, he had to admit that life at the Moon Palace was perhaps the best it had ever been. Zedd and Rita had stopped arguing and working against each other. There was a plan in motion—a good plan, one in which everyone had a part—and no one was being threatened with torture or death.

"Yes," Finster said. "I believe all the connections have been made. We may begin as early as tomorrow morning, or whenever Queen Rita and Lord Zedd wish. Is it too late to report?"

"I will see if they are in the throne room," Goldar said. "I'll let you know."

Goldar was about to leave when they heard a loud crash. Finster put his face in his hands, and Goldar closed his eyes. "It's my turn. I'll go see what he's done."

Yes, life in the Moon Palace would be practically idyllic… except for the big blundering exception of Rito Revolto, klutz and general layabout who was inconveniently related to their beloved Empress.

Said brother of said beloved Empress was currently sitting on the steps leading to the balcony of the throne room, trying to put one of the legs back onto Rita's telescope.

"Are you insane, or just a complete idiot?" Goldar tried to keep his voice down. The throne room was empty, so Zedd and Rita had obvious retired for the night, but they could emerge at any moment in a foul mood if they made too much noise. Goldar was surprised neither of them were sweeping in to yell at them after that crash.

"Why do people keep asking me that?" Rito whined. He considered the telescope. "Do you think super glue will help this? I saw a commercial for it on Squatt and Baboo's TV, and it seems like good stuff."

Goldar sighed. He found himself doing that a lot around Rito. "Let me ask another question. Why are you in the throne room and messing with Empress Rita's things?"

"I just wanted to see what the Rangers were doing," Rito said. "I was helping!"

"Keep your voice down," Goldar snapped. After a pause, he said, "What are they doing?"

"Sleeping," Rito said proudly.

"Oh, good, I'm glad you're here to tell us that the human teenagers sleep at night," Goldar said. "And you know we're not allowed in the throne room if Empress Rita or Lord Zedd are not in here. It's their throne room, not a common area."

"You're here," Rito pointed out.

As always when talking to Rito, Goldar felt a scream building up. Along with the urge to hit something. Or someone. If it wasn't for the fact that, since Rito was a skeleton, it was pure agony to punch him, Goldar would have availed himself of the convenient target. Instead, he found himself counting to ten in as many languages as he knew.

"Bring the telescope," Goldar said. "We can get Finster to fix it, and we'll bring it back, and no one will be the wiser. Just please…" he winced as Rito dropped the leg of the telescope in his haste to get up, filling the throne room with an echoing ringing sound, "be quiet."

In the next room, Zedd looked up from his book long enough to note that the situation was resolving itself and then returned to reading.

The tub in the adjoining bathroom started draining, and soon Rita entered the bedroom wrapped in a simple flowing robe, her hair fluffy and glistening from being washed and dried. "I take it we're choosing to ignore that crash I heard?"

"Seems to be the better part of valor," Zedd commented. "You look positively radiant tonight, my love."

Rita smirked into the mirror at her dressing table. "As opposed to every other night?"

"I can tell you're excited for the battle tomorrow. It makes you shine all the more."

Rita turned to face him. "So, everything is ready?" she said, her eyes shining.

"Finster has not made his report, given the late hour, but I've been monitoring the situation," Zedd said. "I believe tomorrow will see the destruction of the Power Rangers and that fool Zordon… if your brother doesn't bungle the whole thing," Zedd grumbled.

Rita sighed, unknowingly echoing Goldar from earlier. "I will keep an eye on him. He nearly destroyed everything when he decided to adjust the environmental controls, and nearly boiled the eggs in their shells. I always wondered why father was so hard on him…"

"I did not mean to bring him up," Zedd interrupted, hoping to avert a spiral into worry. "Let us talk about more pleasant things, such as what we'll do once the Earth is done for. After all, we've never taken a honeymoon."

"We haven't, have we?" Rita said, her worry lines easing. "We'll have to remedy that situation."

Rita was realistic. No matter what Zedd said, she had no idea if this plan would work. So many hadn't. However, she found herself disturbingly not caring as much over every success and failure. Without realizing it, she'd made a life for herself with her new husband. It was a life she'd never planned for, but it was a life she was prepared to fight for. That was starting to become more important than anything else.


Billy tried to adjust his glasses as he adjusted the Command Center communications system, again forgetting that he no longer used them. Instead, he wiped his eyes. He hadn't slept well the night before, a combination of worry over Cestria and still not being comfortable with camping.

"Have you had any luck, Billy?" Alpha asked, peering over his shoulder.

"It's not just Cestria," Billy said. They were alone, as Zordon had not shown up yet and the rest of the Rangers were availing themselves of electricity and indoor plumbing. "I can't contact anyone on Aquitar. The Rangers' communications array seems to have been disabled, and no one else is answering my hails."

"Here, Billy, let me try some different authorizations," Alpha said, gently pushing Billy aside. "They are allies, so they should answer us."

Alpha worked for a few minutes. Billy hovered fretfully as the Power Rangers slowly trickled in.

Finally, a careworn and irritated Aquitian they didn't recognize appeared on the screen. "Yes, what is it?"

Tommy stepped forward, morphed but helmetless. He remembered the importance Delphine held on Aquitar and hoped another White Ranger would garner the same respect. "This is Tommy Oliver, White Ranger and leader of the Earth Power Rangers. We were trying to reach the Aquitian Rangers, and…"

The Aquitian frowned through Tommy's greeting and finally interrupted him. "Do you even read the news, land-crawler?"

Tommy's eyes widened at the interruption and obvious insult. Still, he tried to keep a civil tone. "You'll have to forgive us. We've only recently returned from wilderness training…"

The Aquitian rolled his eyes. "Then you apparently don't know that our prime minister was assassinated, and an associate of the Power Rangers is being held on suspicion?"

Billy made a sound of shock, but Tommy motioned him to be silent. "We were not aware, and we send our condolences. Will you help us contact that Rangers so that we can…"

"Can what?" the Aquitian said tartly. "Give the Rangers a chance to escape with your teleportation technology? What can you backwater Rangers do exactly? Now, if you'll excuse me, the entire Aquitian government is in upheaval, and I'm not getting paid overtime."

With that, the transmission was cut, and the Rangers stared dumbly at the security feed of Earth.

"I've found the story," Adam said. As soon as the Aquitian had mentioned the news, Adam had started scrolling through the galactic newsfeeds. "There's wild speculation everywhere, and translation through the Command Center computer isn't perfect, but from what I can get from the most reputable news sources is that two days ago the Power Rangers had a meeting with the Prime Minister. Cestria went into the PM's office first to set up anti-listening devices, as it was supposed to be a top secret meeting, and fifteen minutes later she called security to report finding the Prime Minister's body. Doctors figure that the PM had been dead for less than an hour, and probably significantly less." He looked up. "Cestria had apparently already set up the anti-listening technology before reporting the body, though she said it was because the body was behind a desk and she didn't see it. They arrested her at the scene, and they've kept the Power Rangers for questioning."

Billy gripped the side of the communications console, turning deathly pale. Alpha held on to him to steady him.

Kimberly glared at the Viewing Globe, wishing she'd been able to give that Aquitian a piece of her mind. "And the wild speculation? Let me guess. The Power Rangers conspired to off the Prime Minister and take full control of the Aquitian government?"

"That's one theory," Adam admitted.

"Why would they? And why would they even need to?" Tommy said. "When we visited, things weren't perfect for them, but they had the support of the Prime Minister. And it's not like they don't have more to worry about then governing a planet."

Adam squinted at the news feeds. "Most people seem more suspicious of Cestria than of the Rangers themselves. There's some talk about Cestria corrupting the Rangers through her adoptive brother, or trying to manipulate the Rangers into working for the opposition."

Rocky scoffed. "Okay, I never met the Aquitian Rangers, but from what I've heard, they'd be the last to turn to the dark side."

"Not entirely the opposition you're thinking of," Billy said quietly, "though it's close. It's more to do with Aquitian politics. Not everyone on the planet wanted to join the side we fight for. There was a civil war, and the side of good won, but like most civil wars, just because one side won doesn't mean the other side goes away." He looked like he was blinking back tears. "Cestria was the daughter of two members of the opposition. She was really young when the war ended and her parents died, so Cestro and his family took her in."

"So she would have been a suspect no matter what," Adam said. "Yeah, her parentage is all over the newsfeeds, even the respectable ones."

"So what do we do now?" Aisha said. She'd been reviewing the newsfeeds for herself while Adam was talking, seeing if she could glean more from it. "We have to help them. They helped you guys out when you were in trouble, and they helped you get the Sword of Power, which literally saved our lives. We can't just abandon them when they're in trouble."

"I'm not entire sure what we can do," Tommy said slowly. "All we know is what we've read from the newsfeeds, and if we go charging in without knowing what we're doing, we might make things even worse."

"So you're saying we do nothing?" Rocky said. "They'd help us."

"If we asked for it," Kimberly pointed out. "They haven't."

"They obviously can't," Rocky said, "since they probably don't have access to their communicators."

"I'm not saying we do nothing," Tommy said. "I'm saying we figure out what to do first. If we teleport over, the Aquitians could take it as an attempt to put the planet under Ranger control. It could support their suspicions against the Rangers. I'd like to talk this over with Zordon."

Billy closed his eyes. He wanted to teleport over this second, by himself if necessary. However, there were records of his relationship with Cestria, and him showing up would only get them both in trouble. He was sure the only reason he hadn't been contacted for questioning was because of jurisdiction… or because of Zordon. "Tommy's right," he said, though it pained him to admit. "We must proceed with caution and trust the Aquitian Rangers. They aren't helpless."

Still, it was a tense mood that greeted Zordon when he materialized in his tube for the weekly meeting.

"I'm already aware of the situation on Aquitar, and I'm considering our options," Zordon said after a brief greeting. "This assassination seems designed to destabilize one of the most powerful allies to the forces of good. It not only eliminated a popular political leader, but whoever did this was able to cast suspicion on the Power Rangers themselves. There is little we can do, though I will try to speak with the Aquitian authorities."

This was a bit too much for Rocky. "Well, that's fantastic. Billy's girlfriend has been arrested for murder, and we're just going to sit here?"

"Got a plan, Rocky?" Kimberly said.

Rocky made an irritated noise. "That's what you guys are for." He gestured widely, taking in Tommy, Kimberly, and Zordon. "I don't know about all this space stuff, or what we're dealing with, but it feels like a cop out to just let those alien Rangers deal with this alone."

Kimberly took a breath. She agreed with Rocky… or, at least, her instincts called for rash action. However, she'd learned through painful trial and error that that snap decisions and rushing into the action didn't always turn out for the best. "I think approaching this carefully is the only way to go. Besides… we do have our own planet to look after. The Aquitian Rangers understand that."

"I'm bothered by how that Aquitian talked to us," Aisha pointed out. "It may be because he doesn't trust Power Rangers right now, but he seems to think we're primitive and stupid. Our isolation is working against us."

"Your isolation is by design," Zordon said, sensing the dangerous turn this conversation was taking. "I report none of your battles, and you are not directly involved in any of activities of the alliance for good. I've kept myself aloof from Eltar as well."

"I'd noticed that," Adam said. "I keep updated on the galactic news. We're never mentioned, other than the events on New Edenoi and Divatox's ship. A few people think that you're dead, Zordon, or at least severely depowered or ill."

"And I do not go out of my way to correct them," Zordon said. "The more that people underestimate us, and the less they think about us, the safer we are."

"That's why you're worried about intervening for the Aquitian Rangers," Tommy said, his eyes wide with realization. "We'd call attention to ourselves. So… are we going to do anything?"

Zordon frowned. "We are going to proceed with caution, just as you were advising."

"You said that, too," Tommy said, "but I don't think we're talking about the same kind of caution. I think you want to do nothing until everything works out for itself, or until we're too late to do anything."

The atmosphere of the Command Center shifted. Before, a few of them had merely been airing grievances and complaining, but had not expected anything to come of it. Now, everyone was watching as Tommy and Zordon argued, both of them getting visibly angry.

"I realize you're upset, but you need to trust that I'm not acting out of cowardice or cold-heartedness. I, too, am worried about Cestria and the Aquitian Rangers."

"How can I trust that, when you've been hiding from us for months?" Tommy retorted angrily. "Something's spooked you, and you won't tell us anything, but you still act like you know what's best for us."

"You are speaking of things you don't understand." The Rangers were shocked to hear real menace in those words.

"I understand there's a bigger war out there!" Tommy yelled.

Rocky, Adam, and Aisha stared wide-eyed at a side of Tommy they'd never seen. Ever since he'd been named leader, Tommy had worked to stay level-headed and in control, far from the hot-headed and rebellious fighter he'd been in his Green Ranger days. Now that old attitude was starting to reassert itself.

"We've seen glimpses of it," Tommy continued. "We know the Earth isn't the end all and be all of the universe. Earth is important, but so are other places. So what if we fight off Zedd and Rita for good? More will come. There's an entire alliance of evil, and people are fighting and dying while we hunker down, safe in Earth's obscurity."

"Will dying in the coldness of space make you happier?" There was a hard edge of Zordon's voice that no one had heard before. "Or do you want the kind of glory that Rita Repulsa promised you when she recruited you?"

Kimberly gasped. Billy, who had been sitting on the steps, stood up in shock. Rocky, Aisha, and Adam merely stared at Tommy, who had gone deathly pale.

"You've never said anything like that to me," Tommy said, his voice hoarse and quiet. "I… I thought you understood. You were the first one to believe in me. Was that all a lie?"

Zordon opened his mouth, obviously trying to figure out what he was going to say, when the alarms started going off.

"We're reading a monster attack in downtown Angel Grove, Rangers," Alpha reported. "I'm projecting it onto the Viewing Globe now."

The Rangers gathered around the Viewing Globe, Tommy joining them after giving one last hurt look to Zordon. Towering over the Angel Grove skyline was a giant skeleton, wearing a tall hat, a red cape, and a long bow tie. In one hand he brandished a rapier, and he looked to be taking swipes at a passing elevated train.

"We've already fought him," Kimberly said with surprise. "That's Bones. He was the first monster we ever fought, besides Goldar."

"Imaginative name," Rocky quipped quietly.

"Finster seems to have given him a power upgrade," Billy said, looking at the scans. "We can only assume he has the same powers of disassembling and reassembling as he did before, and we'll have to be careful if he uses that dimensional portal. We also can't take for granted that he has no other powers."

Tommy frowned at the Viewing Globe. It seemed suspicious that Rita and Zedd would resurrect a monster, especially one as old as that one. "Let's gear up, then. Have Tor on standby just in case. I don't like the looks of this one."

"Good luck, Rangers," Zordon said. "May the power protect you."

Tommy shot him an angry glance, then nodded wearily. "Yeah. What he said."


The Thunder Megazord combined just in time to catch and redirect the monster's rapier, as Bones had apparently decided to stab a hotel.

"I see you Power Rangers have decided to join the fun," the monster's voice echoed. "You will excuse me if I don't greet you properly."

The sword disappeared, along with the rest of the monster, only to reappear directly behind the Megazord. Before the Rangers could get their bearings, Bones slashed them across the back with his rapier.

"Oh, yeah," Billy said. "He can also disappear at will."

"That would have been great to share when you were listing off his powers," Rocky said. "Sorry, man, I know you're going through something right now."

"That's nice, but focus!" Kimberly said. "Redirecting power to shields. Aisha, how are they holding up?"

"Ninety percent, but if we take another hit like that, we're going to need major repair!"

"Working on aft servos, but our left leg is going to have a lag," Billy reported.

"Compensating!" Adam said.

Rocky, in the meantime, had brought the Thunder Megazord to a standstill, as the monster had disappeared again. "Tommy, when's your ETA?"

"I'm…"

Tommy was cut off by the sudden appearance of Bones from the left side. Rocky was ready for him. Without turning the Megazord, he swung the zord's arm sideways, catching the skeleton by the collarbone and holding it aloft.

"Billy," Rocky said, "how far do I need to throw this thing to get it to the quarry? We need to get it out of the city."

Amid general laughter, Billy starting typing furiously. "I'm sending the calculations now. All you have to do is implement the throw. And… now!"

The Thunder Megazord gave a heave, and the monster went flying.

"It looks like he's trying to disappear again!" Aisha said.

In midair, the monster had twisted to face them and looked ready to resume the attack. Before it could counter, however, a giant metal cat pounced through the air and caught it by the teeth, renewing its momentum to the quarry.

"I got it!" Tommy said. "Sorry for the delay!"

"I'd say your timing was pretty damn perfect," Rocky said. "Meet you at the quarry." He turned away from the communication line. "Repairs and shields going okay?"

"Shields at 100 percent now," Aisha said.

"Repairs complete," affirmed Billy.

"We'll be ready to call our final attack in ten minutes, with only a few minutes' delay," Kimberly reported. "Possibly even quicker if we draw from our Thunder powers instead of relying on the internal power source."

"You guys coming?!" Tommy called over the communicator. "Cuz this monster's pissed now."

"On our way," Rocky said. "And we might have a few surprises."


Tommy dodged and countered as Bones let loose a flurry of sword thrusts at the White Tigerzord. Thankfully, Rocky's plan had worked, and the monster was out of the city proper. Now they could battle without worrying about damaging the city. As soon as they'd hit the ground, Tommy had shifted the Zord from tiger to battle mode, and he worked on tiring the monster while waiting on the Thunder Megazord to join.

"It's been a shitty day so far," Tommy said to Saba, "but at least it looks like we'll get a victory out of this. Maybe Zordon will be more willing to talk after we get rid of this monster."

"Indeed, Tommy," Saba said.

In truth, Tommy was not looking forward to talking to Zordon again. They'd both lost their temper and said things they hadn't meant. Looking back, Tommy realized he'd been accusing Zordon of cowardice, and there were probably more complicated things going on that prompted Zordon's actions.

Though, there wasn't really a justification for Zordon to imply that Tommy missed working for Rita…

"I mean, haven't I proven myself enough?" Tommy asked out loud, careful to turn off the communicator first. "Rita and I have tried to kill each other enough, after all."

"Very true, Tommy," Saba replied.

The Thunder Megazord joined the fray, mystical energy crackling around it.

"Tommy, when we say jump…" Rocky said.

"Right," Tommy said.

At the signal, the White Tigerzord leapt into the air. The Thunder Megazord had gotten in close to Bones, and the ground suddenly burned red hot. Bones sank into the soft ground, and Tommy, after landing, hit the monster with his chest blast attack.

"We're charged for our final attack," Kimberly reported over the open channel.

"Then get it done." Tommy flashed a grin at Saba. "Looks like we're going to be done early."

"No, you're not going home at all," Saba answered.

That was all the warning they got.

As the Thunder Megazord drew its sword for the finishing move, the sword's energy instead of going outward surged inward, destroying several key systems all at once. The Rangers only had minutes to react. Amid the screams and shouts of shock as the cockpit around them erupted in flames, they had the presence of mind to abandon the Zord.

Tommy watched in shock as the Thunder Megazord started coming apart at the seams, limbs falling away amid explosions, when he realized that the White Tigerzord was overheating fast, and he'd lost control of it. He tried once to pull Saba from the control panel, but it seemed melted into its sheath. It was also laughing… and that laugh sounded disturbingly like Lord Zedd. With one last curse, he followed the rest of the Rangers to the ground. It was only when he was a few feet from the ground that he realized he wasn't morphed anymore, and he hit the ground hard, losing consciousness among the other unmorphed and unconscious Rangers.

As the Rangers lay on the ground, slowly waking up, the monster Bones shifted form into another familiar skeleton, losing the rapier in favor of Goldar's broadsword, and swapping from the cape and feathered hat to soldier's helmet and half-camouflage color scheme. As he shifted appearance, he shrank down to his original proportions, still towering over the Rangers.

Kimberly was the first to get to her feet. Not noticing the skeletal figure advancing toward them, Kimberly unthinkingly launched herself toward the Zords. She only made a few steps when an explosion blew her back. Rocky, having just pulled himself up, caught her, and the two went down.

"Ya know," Rito Revolto commented, "I was expecting more of a fight from you power twerps. Guess I was wrong."

By this time Tommy and Aisha had gotten up. They began checking on their fallen comrades, trying not to look at the dismantled Zords.

"Come on, I came here for a battle!" Rito taunted. "And you guys are just falling all to pieces!"

By this time all the Power Rangers had gotten to their feet, and no one looked seriously injured. "Rito, huh?" Tommy said, his voice ragged. "Come to help your sister? Well, if you want a fight, you've got it." He pulled out his morpher, and the rest of the Rangers did the same. "It's morphing time!"

Nothing happened. They tried again, and Rito only grinned at them, his hollow eyes flashing menacingly.

Adam looked closely at the morpher. The power coin in it was cracked and blackened. "Uh, guys? I don't think this is going to work."

"We gotta teleport out," Kimberly pointed out between coughs: she'd obviously inhaled some smoke.

They tried, but nothing happened.

"Zordon, Alpha, come in!" Billy called over the communicator, but only dead static answered him.

"What did you do?" Tommy asked in a shaky voice, backing away from the advancing Rito.

"He can't take sole credit," and this time it was Goldar's voice coming behind them, holding Rito's sword at the ready. "You've been beaten, Rangers. I'm authorized to give you a chance to surrender…" he grinned, "but I hope you don't."

"No Zords," Rito said, pointing his thumb at the smoking ruins of their Thunder zords behind him.

"No powers," Goldar added, pointing his blade toward the morpher in Adam's hand. "What's left? A bunch of scared children who probably won't get out of this alive… unless Zordon decides to surrender."

"Yeah, Rita and Ed are talking to your old man right now," Rito said. "And if he doesn't play ball? We've got orders to execute the lot of you."

Between Goldar, Rito, and the burning wreckage of their Zords, the Rangers had no openings to escape. They were absolutely helpless.

"Don't worry, guys," Tommy said quietly. "We're going to get out of this. If nothing else, Zordon will find a way."

Tommy only wished he was as sure as he sounded.


In the Command Center, the alarms had long gone silent. In fact, most of the lights were low and only supported by emergency power. Teleportation was down, and they were only able to communicate with the Moon Palace through Zedd and Rita's power. Most of the power was going to maintaining Zordon's connection with their dimension, and even that power was starting to fail, as Zordon was starting to flicker weakly.

"Do you hear me, Zordon?" Rita asked sharply. "You only have one opportunity to do some good, so you'd better be paying attention."

"I understand you completely, Rita," Zordon said, his voice dull and emotionless. "You wish me to surrender myself, something that you've demanded several times. I live in a dimension far from your control, however, so I wonder how you propose to maintain control over me in the event of my surrender. I can't imagine you'd trust me to stay compliant on my word alone."

"Of course not," Lord Zedd scoffed. "Even if we dangle the lives of those Rangers over your head, you are too resourceful and their lives are too short. But you needn't worry… We have a more permanent solution in mind."

"As you remember," Rita continued, "I was the one who put you in that dimension—that prison—in the first place. Since then, you've done your best to wrest control of that dimension away from me, and you've done a pretty thorough job of it. The Wizard of Deception was only able to track you when you messed around with escaping your dimension. Your surrender, then, will mean that you will give me complete control over your dimension. It will be your prison once more, and I will be your jailer."

Zordon frowned. "As tempting as that sounds…"

"It's that or your precious 'Powerless' Rangers die today," Lord Zedd interrupted. "They are helpless, without friend or ally, and currently being held prisoner among the smoking ruins of the Zords you gave them. They will die, and you will watch."

"Your fears will be realized," Rita said. "I watched the Wizard of Deception. He forced you to kill each and every one of the Rangers, and then beg for your own life." She smiled in satisfaction. "That was my wedding present, if you must know. And if you refuse to completely surrender yourself, we will not hesitate to kill them, and their families, and your former Rangers, and their families. It will be public, painful, and humiliating. Only after that will I allow you to surrender yourself." She smirked. "I might even allow you to die, after you've outlasted your usefulness."

"There are no terms. No conditions," Lord Zedd said. "You surrender, or they die. Make your choice, old man."

Zordon closed his eyes. "I suppose I have no choice. Alpha, please send all the information about my dimension to the Moon Palace, and be prepared to teleport the Rangers to safety once I am gone."

"Yes, Zordon," Alpha said in a subdued voice, moving to a panel.

Zordon's eyes widened in shock. "Alpha, that is not…" Before he was able to finish his thought, Zordon had disappeared completely.

Rita sputtered, her smug assurance vanishing. "But… I didn't do anything yet."

"I did, you old meanies," Alpha said. "And I'll do this, too!"

In the quarry on Earth, the smoldering wreckage of the broken Zords suddenly glowed white hot, and a voice started counting down the self-destruct. Rito and Goldar backed away, and the Rangers used the opportunity to run. There was a blinding flash of light, and explosion, and all that was left in the quarry was Goldar and Rito, unconscious.

"You killed your own Rangers, you insane mechanoid!" Lord Zedd boomed, most angry that they had lost their most valuable bargaining chips.

Alpha left the controls and faced the Viewing Globe. "They're safe. I'm protecting them and all of Angel Grove with defenses I've been setting up for months."

"You barely have enough power to keep the lights on!" Rita pointed out furiously.

"The Command Center isn't our only source of power," Alpha pointed out, "and the Power Rangers aren't our only allies. Zordon agreed to surrender himself, but I think I'm going to disagree. I'm in charge now, and I saw that if you think you can take on Earth…" he paused impressively, "bring it on."

The room around the two rulers flashed red in Zedd's anger, but Rita merely laughed derisively. "You think that you, a mere robot trying to protect powerless teenagers, can stand against all of our forces? This hope made you mutiny against Zordon?"

"We won't be making any deals, Lord Zedd and Empress Rita Repulsa," Alpha said defiantly. "So I think this conversation is done. Let me know if you're ready to give up and move on, because Earth and the Power Rangers aren't done yet."

With that, Alpha cut communications, and then half-collapsed against a console.

"Oh, ay-yi-yi-yi-yi," he said weakly, "I hope I'm doing the right thing."