[Wednesday, October 6th, 1993 1:30pm]

In a swirl of green and white energy, Tommy teleported into the Moon Palace. With the Gallifreyan chamber was tucked under his arm as the energy and smoke dissipated, and Tommy glanced around, looking for Rita. The Empress wasn't known for leaving the chamber very often, so it was a bit surprising that as Tommy glanced over at her throne, it was empty.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, my empress," Tommy called out rhythmically as began his search for her.

A quick glance around the room indicated that not only was the main chamber of the Palace empty, but it had been for hours. Maybe even more importantly, Tommy noted, her staff was leaning up against the side of her throne, meaning that wherever she was, she was unarmed. He headed towards the throne, reaching and for the staff, but before he could, there was a burst of energy connecting with his chest. The impact was enough to launch Tommy across the room and up against the wall. On impact, Tommy dropped the Gallifreyan chamber. It hit the floor, then rolled a few feet before finally, it lost it's momentum and it stopped a few feet away from Rita's throne.

"So what was your plan here, Scorpina?" a voice echoed through the chamber. "Hijack my green ranger's body and lock me back in that… that thing? Have you any idea the forces you are meddling with?"

Tommy got back to his feet, dusting himself off. "I know exactly what I'm doing, empress," he said in a condescending tone. "I'm going to dispose of you, then do what you have failed to do for over 10 millennia; destroy Zordon, crush the Power Rangers and reign over the galaxy like an empress should," he said coldly.

Rita's response was a bellowing laugh that echoed through the entire Moon Palace. "Really? You? You were defeated by a teenager, and yet you have the nerve to challenge me?!"

Before Tommy realized what was happening, Rita appeared in front of him in a flash of light, and Rita grabbed him by the throat, lifting him almost effortlessly with one hand. As Tommy gasped for breath, clutching to Rita's wrist in an attempt to free himself, Rita reached out with her right hand towards her throne.

Her staff began to tremble slightly, and then, as if he was were drawn to her, whooshed towards her. She caught it, and the jewel that rested within the staff began to glow. "When I am finished with you, the Trials of Lokar will feel like a Tarkelian mud bath. No one betrays Rita Repulsa and lives to tell about it," she snarled at him.

"I died once…" Tommy, still in mid air, swung both of his feet forward, kicking Rita in the chest. It was just what he needed to force Rita to release him. He fell to the floor, making it back to his feet as he caught his breath. "It didn't take," he told her.

She swung her staff at him, but he ducked, as before Rita's momentum allowed to her stop the swing, Tommy caught her with a kick to the stomach. She doubled over in pain, and as Rita tried to lift her staff, Tommy stepped on it, keeping his weight on it to prevent her from using it.

"You misunderstand me, Scorpina. What I have planned for you will have you begging me to kill you," she said.

"We'll see…" Tommy took a step back, then reached behind his back for his morpher. "It's Morpin' Time," he called out to transform into the green ranger.

… but nothing happened.

He tried again. "It's Morphin Time," he said again, this time with more emphasis, but with the same result. "What the fu…" he was interrupted.

"You buffoon. The power coin chose Tommy. It will only work for who it chose, and somehow possessing his body isn't enough to fool it. It knows what I know… you're not the green ranger," she told him with a half smile, purposely mocking him. "This is over, Scorpina. Accept your fate and I will granted you a swift death."

Frustrated, Tommy threw the morpher down, reaching behind his back again to reveal two daggers, each of them with crooked, serrated blades. "Guess I'll stick with what I know then," he said, rushing towards her.

Tommy was within inches of Rita, swinging both the daggers at her, but from out of nowhere they were blocked by another sword. Tommy glanced to his left only to see Goldar standing between them. "I knew you weren't to be trusted, human," he growled, just before kicking Tommy in the chest.

The impact knocked him back, but before he could regain his composure, Goldar lunged at him with his sword.

"Wait!" Tommy called out, managing to avoid the blade, but only by a few inches. He moved aside, and continued to back up. "Goldie, baby, its me," he said.

Goldar swung again, this time with the intention to finish off Tommy once and for all. The sword was only inches away from Tommy's face when his face when his words finally registered with Goldar. "Wh…" he paused. "Scorpina?"

"Yes baby, it's me. This pathetic ranger killed me during the trails, but it wasn't because I was defeated. I had a plan. I knew that being defeated in the trials would trap my essence in the sword itself, and I knew the rangers would eventually figure out that breaking the sword would break the spell. And when they did, my essence was transferred into this body," he explained.

"What are you waiting for, you big gold nitwit? Destroy her!" Rita demanded.

"I have the chamber, my love. We can trap this windbag in the chamber and rule this galaxy. No more demoralizing warriors that we have served with. No more idiotic plans to take over Earth. To hell with Earth, to hell with this sector. We'll to go to the Eltarian space and one by one destroy the sages. Even Dark Spector himself will bend to our will," he told him.

"Why are you listening to this? Kill her. Now!" she screamed.

Goldar, sword in hand, stood up straight, lowering his sword. "What is your plan?" he asked.

Rita was enraged. "What? You work for me you idiot, not her. Stay in your place, return to my side and I will overlook your incompetence. Destroy her!" Rita ordered.

Tommy continued as if Rita wasn't even there. "First, we have to get me out of this body, and the only way to do that is to convince one of those do gooders to do it. Then, my original form can be restored," he explained.

"And then?"

"We'll force Finister to revive all of our friends, all of our brothers and sisters in arms; everyone who served with us on the battlefield in the 4th Eltarian Wars. Only this time, we won't disrespect our fallen brethren. Together, we will reign supreme. Think of it; why be an empress when we will be worshipped as if we were Celestials."

The look on Goldar's face remained stoic; never changing, never wavering, but Tommy could tell he was listening.

"What has this washed up sorcerer ever done for you? Insult you? Belittle you? Because of her incompetence, you ended up trapped in a… a dumpster for over 10,000 years. You were struck down in your prime, my love. I'm not offering you some hollow title like empress or lord. Together, we will rule this galaxy. But first, we have to dispose of this witch."

"Obey me Goldar. Obey me, or you will suffer the same fate as her when I am done with you. No one betrays me, Goldar. NO ONE!" Rita warned him.

"Your threats are empty. You're nothing," Tommy shot back. "Stay with me, my love, and together we will…" Tommy was interrupted as Goldar lunged back, and with all his might, buried his sword into Tommy's stomach.

Tommy glanced down at the wound as blood seemed to pour like Triforian wine. He felt light headed, confused. "Goldar… why?"

"I am loyal to my empress," he paused. "Just as you should have been."

Rita, with an arrogant and confident smile on her face, approached Tommy with her staff in hand. "Ab hoc vas, et restituere ipsius essentia. Ego autem demend!" she uttered in a language Goldar didn't recognize. The jewel in her staff began to glow, and within seconds, the light worked its way through Rita's body. As Goldar removed the sword from the open wound, Rita reached inside with her bare hand. Tommy howled in pain, but Rita paid it no mind as she pulled her hand back, revealing she had what appeared to be Scorpina's essence by the throat. It was obviously Scorpina, but she was transparent, incorporeal.

Tommy's body collapsed to the floor as Rita stood over him, holding Scorpina by the throat. "And now, my dear Scorpina, prepare for oblivion," Rita warned. "haec dicit damnationem nihil est laeta paupertas!"

As the jewel in her staff began to glow a sinister red glow, Goldar grabbed Rita by the wrist.

"Wait!" he demanded.

"What?" she groaned as her eyes began to glow as well.

"I have been loyal to you for countless centuries, my empress, and in that time I have never made a personal request. I have one now. Spare Scorpina's life," he asked.

"I have no intention of killing her. What I have in store is much worse."

"No. You will grant mercy. The warrior's code dictates that…" he was interrupted.

"I have no interest in your codes. This is vengeance. This is vindication," Rita responded.

"You may have no sense of honor, but I wonder how Lord Zedd would feel about that," Goldar mentioned.

In that exact moment, the red glow that had all but filled the entire palace began to dim, until finally, it was all but gone. Rita sighed with frustration, but finally released Scorpina from her grip. "I… I didn't realize you were in contact with Zedd," she mentioned.

While he would never say anything to her, he heard the apprehension in her voice. "I am, and our Lord would not be pleased to hear that one of his favorite warriors had perished by your hands. The only thing I pity more than the person who has to tell him is the power who committed the act itself," he added.

"So what do you suggest we do with her?"

"We will trick one of Zordon's puppets to restore the Sword of Darkness, then use it restore her body. Then, she will leave this system and promise never to return. You will never see her again," he said.

"Why would I ever trust her?"

"You don't have to. Trust me," Goldar said.

Rita lowered her staff, standing down. "Very well, but I demand something in exchange," she brought up.

"Name it, my empress, and it will be done."

"I will spare Scorpina's life in exchange for her undying loyalty. I will accept nothing less than complete servitude."

Scorpina laughed. "You'll have to kill me witch, I will never…"

"She accepts your offer," Goldar said, speaking for her.

"I will never accept…"

"You will. You have been bested in battle, the warrior's code demands to be satisfied. Your life belongs to Empress Rita, and you will honor the code, or I will destroy you myself," he warned.

"As you wish," Scorpina turned to Rita, bowing to one knee. "I will serve you, my empress," she said.

"Oh I know you will," Rita mocked.

"And what should we do with him?" Goldar asked, turning his attention to Tommy's body, which was lifeless on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"This isn't my green ranger, this is a sack of useless human flesh. His essence is gone. I have no use for it any further," she said, waving her staff. Tommy's body disappeared in a stream of green and white energy, leaving only the stains of blood. "Now, where is the Sword of Darkness?"

"I have it, my empress," the disembodied Scorpina told her.

"Very good. It won't take much to convince one of the power brats to repair it, and when they do, they will all be destroyed!" Rita proclaimed. "Now, out of my sight. Both of you idiots have given me a headache," she said, walking over to her throne, sitting down.

"As you wish," Goldar said as both he and Scorpina disappeared in a crackle of golden energy.