Answers

Quiet. The walk to the Command Center was a quiet and awkward one. Neither Z, Sky, or Darian had said anything the moment the trio entered the building. As the trio were walking, Z received more stares and whispers from other cadets, but like before, Z ignored them. Occasionally, Sky would glance back at Z and open his a mouth a little to say something but quickly closed it and turned away. Z didn't mind. This Sky was obviously going through some emotional turmoil, if Z would call it turmoil. Z felt that he was probably feeling confused about the current situation.

The trio had finally reached the doors to the Command Center. The doors opened, Sky and Darian entering first, followed by Z. Inside the room were Cruger, Kat, and three more people wearing ranger uniforms. Z figured that they were this world's green, yellow, and pink rangers. All five of them looked up and, like Sky and Darian, their faces became a surprised expression.

"Cadet Tate, Cadet Monroe, what...what is this?" Cruger gestured toward Z. Kat was completely speechless. She appeared that she wanted to say something but couldn't. All she could do was stare at Z.

"Yeah. Why is she wearing my uniform?" this world's Yellow Ranger asked as she took a few steps toward Z and looked her up and down. Z examined the girl back. Her hair was strawberry blond and reached her shoulders. Her skin was a cream color, her eyes a dark brown, and she was just as tall as Syd.

Sky cleared his throat. "Sir, this is...Z. But not the Z of our world, anyways," Sky answered and placed his hands behind his back.

Everyone was quiet.

"What Sky means, sir, is that she may look like our Z, who we all know is dead," Darian added to break the silence, "this is a Z from another dimension where she's alive. At least, according to her."

Cruger nodded slowly. The others still remained quiet.

Z decided to finally speak up. "It's true, Commander. I'm from another dimension. You see, my team of rangers and I were fighting an alien who was carrying orbs on his body. We knocked off one the orbs and defeated the alien. But when I went to retrieve the orb that was knocked off, it released a vortex and I was sucked into it. When I finally exited the vortex, I landed in NewTech City. Or, at least, this world's NewTech City. I came here to S.P.D. to see if I could get some help, but then I ran into Sky and Darian, and they brought me here." Z took a deep breath as she ended her story. She felt like Bridge after one his ramblings.

Again, silence.

Z stood there rather awkwardly. She was beginning to get tired of the awkward silences.

"You know, Commander, we could always have her go through a lie detector test. Or do a scan of her," the man wearing the Green Ranger uniform said.

Cruger stood there, staring at Z. After a few more seconds of silence, he slowly nodded. "Kat, please take Z to the labs."

Kat nodded and began walking towards Z. "Okay, Z, come with me, if you don't mind," Kat said to her. Z could tell from the tone of Kat's voice that she was feeling confused right now.

"Okay." Z turned to walk out of the Command Center, followed by Kat. I wonder how the others are doing back home.

"The alien's name is Daizer. He is notorious for committing several major thefts in four different galaxies and several planets. One of his most recent thefts was at a laboratory located on KO-35. The scientists were working on creating portable interdimensional portals. Some of their prototypes were stolen by Daizer. I believe that is what sucked Z away," Kat explained to the group gathered in the Command Center.

"Is there a way for us to bring Z back, Kat?" Cruger asked.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to contact KO-35 and inform them of the situation," Kat replied.

"Very well. Rangers, I know what you must all be feeling right now, but for the time being, you must remain calm and patient until we can figure out a way to bring Z home. Dismissed," Cruger said to his Rangers.

They all saluted and exited the room. Darian and Syd decided to go to the cafeteria to get some food, while Bridge and Sky stood out there in the hall.

"I should've held on harder. It's my fault she's gone," Sky said, clenching his fists.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for what happened. It's not like any of us expected that vortex to open up and suck in Z," Bridge assured his friend as he placed his hand on Sky's shoulder.

"Yes it is. If I held her tighter and managed to pull her back she would still be here. Bridge, she could be anywhere! She could be somewhere hostile!" Sky shrugged Bridge's hand off his shoulder.

"Sky, please, you know I don't like it when I see you looking guilty. Z is probably fine in some nice place. Like a planet filled with nice aliens or a world made entirely out of cotton candy," Bridge said with a big smile on his face.

"Bridge, don't be so naive. What if she's not?" Sky countered and glared at Bridge.

"Okay, if she is in some hostile setting, Z can handle herself. She's a Power Ranger, she's S.P.D." Bridge countered back.

Sky's glare disappeared and he just stared at Bridge. Bridge's smile had grown smaller and softer and Sky couldn't help but think how cute Bridge looked.

"Alright. We'll have faith in Z, and wait until we hear from Kat." Sky unclenched his fists and managed to put on a small smile.

Bridge's smile widened again. "Great! Now, let's get something to munch on too. I'm in the mood for buttery toast!" Bridge wiggled his fingers when he said buttery. Sky rolled his eyes and placed an arm around Bridge's shoulders.

"Sure thing," Sky said.

Bridge slightly blushed and turned away when Sky placed his arm around him. The sudden closeness and physical contact made Bridge feel nervous and giddy at the same time.

"You okay?" Sky asked as the two of them walked, his arm still around Bridge.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," Bridge replied with that same smile when he turned to look at Sky.

"Good," was all Sky said as the two continued walking.

"Well, I have the results. She's telling the truth," Kat said to Cruger, who in response, nodded. They were all back inside the Command Center after Kat had run Z through a lie detector test.

"Very good. Z, I know this probably won't be very accurate, but it's good to see you." Cruger held out his hand. Z smiled and shook it.

"It's good to see you too, Commander. Even though you're not really my Commander," Z replied.

"It's fine. Now, have you tried contacting your friends back in your dimension?" Cruger asked.

"I did, but my morpher doesn't seem to be working here. I'm probably way out of range." Z pulled out her morpher and looked at it.

"Hm. You say that you came here through a vortex." Cruger turned to Kat. "Kat, contact KO-35 and see if they can aid us in sending Z back to her own dimension."

"Yes, Sir." Kat nodded and left the Command Center.

"Why did you have Kat contact KO-35?" Z asked.

"The scientists of KO-35 have developed a portable interdimensional portal in our dimension. Based on your description of the orb and vortex you saw, the technology will be the same here. I believe we can send you home," Cruger explained.

Z nodded. It appeared that she would be waiting here for the time being. While she was here, she decided to ask a few questions out of her own curiosity.

"While we wait, do you mind if I ask a few questions?" Z asked.

"Not at all," Cruger replied.

"Well, first of all, I'd like to know a little about the other three Rangers you have here." Z pointed to the three people wearing the Green, Yellow, and Pink Ranger uniforms.

"I'm Adrian Parker," the man in the Green Ranger uniform introduced. He had spiky brown hair, a pale complexion, medium defined nose, and green eyes.

"I'm Ashlee Grayson. Sorry about before, you know, staring at you and whatnot," Ashlee apologized with a sheepish smile.

"Don't worry about it," Z assured her.

"Hi. Samantha Hale, nice to meet you," the woman in the Pink Ranger uniform said. Samantha had brown hair that went a little past her shoulders with a single blond streak in it, lightly tanned skin, and brown eyes.

"Hi. It's an honor to meet you all," Z said to the three. "I already know Darian since there's also a Darian in my world."

"Cool. Nice to know they're more of me out there," Darian commented.

Z gave a small chuckle. "Well, my other question is, why is Z of this world dead? And where are this world's Syd and Bridge?" Z instantly regretted asking when the expressions of everyone in the Command Center became somber. However, it was Sky who appeared to be the most somber when his eyes looked like they were on the verge of tears again.

"Well," Darian started. "Syd is...also dead."

"And Bridge is...locked away," Cruger added. He turned to look at Sky, his head now downcast.

Z stood there in shock. She didn't know what to say. This world's Z and Syd are dead and this world's Bridge was locked up somewhere. This was all too much.

"What happened?" was all Z could muster out of her mouth.

"It all started four months after we defeated Gruumm. Darian was promoted into B-Squad two months after the final battle. At that time, however, Darian was the Green Ranger, Bridge was Blue, and Z and Syd were still alive," Cruger began.

"Just like in my world," Z added.

Cruger nodded before continuing his story. "Some time after we recruited Darian, Bridge's powers had begun to...evolve. He could not control the new power he was developing. His gloves no longer proved effective in blocking out the auras. According to our Kat, Bridge's civilian powers no longer included sensing the aura of people and objects. He had begun to develop the power of absorbing and manipulating aura. He could even utilize the aura he absorbed as an attack."

"That never happened in my world," Z remarked.

"I see. Anyways, during the next two months after Darian arrived, Bridge had to undergo specialized training in order for him to control his newfound power. It appeared to work." Cruger took a deep breath as he shuddered for a slight second. Z could tell that the rest of the story was about to become worse. "What we did not know was that the very moment Bridge's new powers had manifested, he had already begun to absorb the auras of everyone. For two months while he trained, two months of stored energy had built up."

"What happened?" Z's heart was pounding.

"Bridge lost control. He began to release small bursts of energy, the auras kept coming in and going out causing damage. Bridge fled S.P.D., and during that time, alien decided to attack. So, I had sent our Z and Syd out to retrieve Bridge while I sent Sky and Darian to handle the alien attack." Cruger took in another breath. "Bridge fled somewhere near the center of the city, where Z and Syd had found him. Sky and Darian were close to the outskirts of the city. Bridge finally lost it. He released all the energy he had been harboring within his body. The wave of energy was so powerful that it caused a considerable amount of collateral damage. Z and Syd." Cruger stopped and looked away.

Z nodded. She didn't need to hear what became of her counterpart and Syd's counterpart. The two were killed in the wave of energy.

"Since Sky and I were near the outskirts of the city, we didn't feel the same wave of energy," Darian had finally said after remaining quiet for the majority of the story. "Since S.P.D. is fortified, the base only suffered very minor damage. After we defeated the alien, Cruger sent Sky and I back to the city to find Bridge, Syd, and Z. The city was in complete disarray. When we finally reached Bridge...Z and Syd were already gone." Darian gulped and fought back tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.

"Bridge felt so guilty." Sky finally spoke. His voice cracked and he too was on the verge of crying. "Bridge felt so guilty about what he had done. He said he was a threat, a monster. He begged to be locked away."

Z's heart broke. To hear this about someone she had grown so close to was devastating, even though it technically didn't apply to her.

"So...we did. We contained Bridge, and Cruger thought it'd be best to send Bridge to a facility where he would be monitored," Sky finished.

Z was speechless. She didn't know what to say. She really regretted asking what had happened.

I want to thank TeamSkyBridge4Ever, NationalAnthem, and DelReyBaby for being the first three to review my story. I'm very glad you're all liking my story so far. Trust me, there is more to come!