Chapter 6: The Sound of Thunder in the Distance.

Notes: Power Rangers and all related characters are the property of The Walt Disney Company. Thank you to everyone who reviewed positively and keep reviewing! This chapter is short and after this chapter the story should slow down a bit.

January 14th, 2002

Tommy was currently in Mexico on a dig on the Yucatan Peninsula. He was one of several students who were also working on their doctorates. The main purpose of this dig was to find pieces of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs. He and his friend Terrance Smith were working on their section of the dig, when the leader of the expedition, Dr. Anton Mercer walked over to them.

"Tommy, Smitty… How is it going?"

"Pretty good…" said Tommy.

"Yeah… The readings from our metal detector are going through the roof…" said Smitty, "We should be hitting the asteroid any time now…"

"Excellent…" said Dr. Mercer. Just then Smitty's shovel hit something hard, he looked up and smiled. It took the three of them awhile to uncover it but soon in their pit was a large black rock with three small gems, one yellow, one red and one blue. "Congratulations, gentlemen, you've just found a piece of the asteroid."

Smitty was smiling from ear to ear. Tommy on the other hand, was smiling, but that was only because he didn't want Anton and Smitty to know that he wasn't happy. Once, the gems were uncovered, he had this feeling. He wasn't sure at the time what it was but he knew that there was something about those three gems.

Later, that night, Dr. Mercer was in his tent going over some notes, when Tommy walked up to the tent, "Dr. Mercer, can I come in?"

"Sure, Tommy," asked Dr. Mercer. Tommy walked in and closed the flap again, "What can I do for you?"

"It's about the asteroid piece we found today."

"What about it?"

"I need you to give it to me."

"What?"

Tommy sighed a bit, "Dr. Mercer…"

"Please, call me Anton."

"Anton, this might be hard to believe but when I was in high school, I was a Power Ranger."

"Go on…"

"I was a ranger longer than anyone who's ever served. Because of this, my body has become a divining rod for Power sources. And the gems imbedded in that asteroid piece are extremely powerful. And, if they fall into the wrong hands, the world would be doomed."

"How do I know you're the right hands?"

"I guess you just have to trust me…"

Anton Mercer looked at Tommy, ever since he first meet Tommy he liked him. There was a quality in him that Anton admired. "OK. You've got it."

Tommy smiled, "Thank you, Anton." He shook Anton hand and started to leave.

"One more thing, Tommy…"

"Yes?"

"You know, that I have a research facility on an island near Reefside…"

"Yes."

"I want you to hire you. I think you could bring a fresh eye to the project."

"Thank you, Anton. I won't let you down," Tommy left and headed back to his tent.

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June 30th, 2003

Kimberly, Hayley, Billy, and Rocky were in the lab in the basement of Tommy and Kimberly's house in Reefside. "Why did Tommy call us here?" Rocky asked Kim. Tommy had just gotten home a few days ago after the island exploded and sank.

"I wish I knew…" said Kimberly.

Tommy came downstairs, "I put Beth down for her nap…"

"Tommy, why are we here?" asked Billy.

"I need your help…" he walked over to his computer and pressed a few buttons. A section of the floor parted and out of the floor rose the asteroid piece rose out of the floor. "… In creating the next group of Power Rangers."

"Power Rangers…" said Rocky, "There are Power Rangers right now in Turtle Cove."

"I know… but what if Reefside comes under attack? Me finding this rock was fate. And, after that attack on the island, I'm convinced that I need to have the tools necessary to lead a new group of Power Rangers should the need arise." Just then Tommy heard someone run upstairs, he looked and saw Kimberly's legs heading up the stairs. "Kimberly…"

Kimberly was sobbing into her pillow when a knock came on the bedroom door… "Beautiful?"

"Go away…"

"Please Kim… Let me in…"

Kimberly walked over to the door and unlocked it, then she went back on the bed.

"Kim…"

"You promised me… You promised that the Red Ranger mission was your last time as a Power Ranger! Now you want to lead a new group of Rangers… Kat was right… 'Once a Ranger… Always a Ranger…'"

Tommy wrapped his arms around his wife, "Oh Kim… By lead I meant, be a mentor… I don't want to be a Ranger again… I'm getting to old for that…"

Kimberly looked at him, "You promise?"

"I promise, unless absolutely necessary, I will not use any of the gems in the lab to become a Power Ranger."

"OK…" she kissed him, "I love you, Tommy…"

"I love you too, Beautiful…"