Chapter 3
Several weeks later...
"Jess, honey? Is everything ready?" called Richard Hartgrove up the stairs to Jessica, who was tidying up a second spare room.
"Yeah Dad, it's ready for when Tommy and Sharon get here," said Jessica as she came down the stairs.
Five weeks after Richard and Sharon reunited, Richard proposed to Sharon, much to Tommy and the twins' delight. The wedding had been small and simple, with only the Rangers and their families in attendance. Sarah had also attended, and the minister from Tommy and Sharon's church had performed the ceremony. Richard and Sharon had decided to not have a honeymoon right away, since both were busy with meetings and cases, but were leaving the next day for their honeymoon after Tommy and Sharon moved in.
Jill was moving into Jessica's old room, while Rocky and Jess moved upstairs to the attic bedroom that they had constructed with Alpha 6's help. Alpha 6 had been uncovered a week after Zordon's departure from Earth when Billy and Aisha had been cleaning out the storage room in the Power Chamber.
"Hey Richard, Tommy just called on the communicator, they are on their way here," said Rocky, poking his head in from the kitchen.
"Okay, troops rally up!" called Richard. Out of the blink of an eye, streaks of Pink, yellow and green teleported into the Hartgrove's living room, as well as four white flashes.
"Hey guys, sorry we're late," said Adam.
"You're on time," said Richard. "Tommy and Sharon will be here shortly."
Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, Tommy pulled up to the house in his truck, a U-Haul trailer attached to the tow gate. The group went to work, bring in box after box, and several pieces of furniture that Sharon couldn't seem to part with.
They finally finished and the group planted themselves on the sofas in exhaustion.
"Wow, I'm beat," said Adam, as Tanya snuggled up to him.
"Same," said Tommy. "Anyone up for some pizza?"
"Veggies on mine," said Jessica. Richard bought them all their pizzas and as it arrived twenty minutes later, and they sat down to eat, their communicators beeped. The group groaned and Tommy spoke into the communicator.
"Go ahead, Sarah," said Tommy.
"Rangers, please come to the Power Chamber, it's an emergency."
"We're on it!" said Tommy. The group quickly rose from their seats and the seven rangers, and four ex rangers, teleported to the Power Chamber in several flashes of light.
"What's the 411, Mom?" asked Jess as she rushed over to Sarah.
"Divatox has been overthrown by a new foe," said Sarah. "It is worst than I feared, Jessica, our nemesis from the First War has returned."
"Who? Rita?" asked Jill.
"No, Jillian, observe the Viewing Screen."
The eleven current and ex rangers turned to the viewing monitor, and saw a dark lord sitting in a throne. His long black hair was similar to Tommy's, and he wore a red outfit with a long black robe.
"This is Emperor Balat," said Sarah. "When Zordon and I were fighting in the first war on Eltar, he was the ruler of our neighboring planet, Hatha. Hatha had been a peaceful planet until Balat killed his twin brother, King Malen, in anger over Malat being chosen as the heir to the throne. From then on, Balat wanted universal domination and tried to take over Eltar. At the time, a council of elders of the three neighbor planets, including Edenoi, combined together and banished Balat into Exile, just like Zordon had banished Rita. Now, twenty thousand Earth years later, Balat has been freed from his prison and is planning to continue his quest for universal domination."
"Great," said Tommy. "And what can we do, our powers may not be strong enough for him."
"Tommy's right," said Jessica, "Dad told me about Balat, and anyone from Eltar's galaxy that sets foot on Earth, may have powers just like Superman."
"You mean like super strength?!" cried Rocky.
"Yes," said Jessica, "but Jill and I aren't to that stage yet. We can run at super speed, and we have our telepathy, but we are nowhere near a full grown adult."
"Damn," said Jason. "And I thought Superman was just a fictional character."
Jessica stuck her tongue out at Jason and Sarah smiled.
"In order for Balat to be defeated," began Sarah, "we are going to need a full weapons upgrade, as well as Zord and powers upgrade."
"Dad said that the turbo powers were created using the energy from the Power Chamber, as well as power from our zeo crystals," said Jill.
"We need something stronger," said Kat as she tapped her finger to her face. "Something pure."
"The purest of all good," said Jessica. They thought for a moment and Jessica snapped her fingers.
"I got it!" cried Jessica. "Mom, the sword of Destiny, does that still exist?"
"It is an old urban legend, but I think you may be on to something," said Sarah.
"Tanya, your parents were explorers looking for unique artifacts," said Jessica. "Do you think..."
"...they know about it?" finished Tanya. "Possibly."
"Wait, what's the Sword of Destiny?" asked Billy. "It sounds familiar."
"The Sword of Destiny is rumored to be just like Excalibur, with magical powers to its owner(s). When used in battle, it can wipe out entire armies," said Jessica, "or so the legend says."
"Where can we find this sword, it may be our only hope," asked Adam.
"It's rumored to be in a far off land, unknown to the human eye," said Jessica.
"So if we can't see it, then how are we going to find it?" asked Rocky.
"Simple, Jill or I must retrieve the sword."
The group was silent.
"NO way Jess," said Tommy. "It's too dangerous for either of you to go off by yourselves."
"Tommy, we have to," said Jill. "This quest was OUR destiny. Every young Eltarian has to accomplish a quest before their twentieth birthday. We were born and concieved on Eltar. When we came to Earth, we were technically still newborns on Eltar, but two years older on Earth. We are considered to be twenty earth years old, even though we are really eighteen."
The group raised their eyebrows at this revelation.
"You never told us that!" said Rocky. "How come?"
"We didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable," said Jessica. "Techically, I was sixteen when I had Lexie."
"Wow," said Kat. "That would explain why you left. Someone probably would have noticed that you were older than you seemed."
"Exactly," said Jessica. "14 year olds have a difficult childbirth, and a good portion usually do not live through it if they carry out their pregnancy. Sixteen year olds have a higher chance of survival. I had Lexie with no complications."
"Incredible," said Aisha. "Amazing."
Jessica bit her lip in thought.
"Jill, I need to do this," said Jessica. "I need to do this alone."
"No, Jess, you can't, it's too dangerous to go at it alone. I'm coming with you!" cried Jill.
Jessica sighed.
"Okay, I guess there's no point in arguing with you."
* * *
Jessica and Jill had returned to the house to pack what they would need to take with them on the journey. They returned to the Power Chamber to find the others planning out their strategy for any move that Balat might make while the twins went on their journey.
They put everything they were taking into the storage compartments built into Tigress. Jill laid out the maps they packed to help navigate them and the two looked at their friends.
"Well, wish us luck," said Jill.
"Good luck," said the group.
"We'll be in touch via the communicators until we're unable to communicate," said Jessica. She looked at Rocky, who had a sad look on his face. The group took this as an opportunity to leave them be for a moment and walked with Jill into the Zord dock.
Rocky walked over to Jess and embraced her in his arms. His head rested on top of hers gently and Jessica snuggled into the crook of his arm.
"I love you," said Rocky. "You take care of yourselves, now."
"I love you too," said Jessica, looking up into his eyes. "And we will."
Rocky stroked the side of her cheek and leaned down towards her lips. Their lips met in a sweet kiss, and Jessica tried not to cry. They stayed like that for a few more minutes until Jill poked her head back into the main room.
"It's time to go, sis," she said. Jessica and Rocky pulled away and walked hand in hand towards the Zord area. After goodbyes were passed around, Jessica kissed Rocky one last time before climbing into Tigress and taking her spot in the driver's seat. Jessica and Jill fastened their seatbelts and Jessica turned Tigress on.
"Good evening, Purple Ranger, Orange Ranger," said Tigress.
"Hi Tigress," said Jessica and Jill.
"Tigress, set a course for the Sword of Destiny," said Jessica.
"Yes, Purple Ranger."
Tigress pulled out of the docking station, and the rest of the Rangers watched their friends drive away.
"They'll be alright," said Tommy to Rocky.
"I know," said Rocky. "Come on guys, let's get to work.