The Rangers arrived at the mall, finding a couple of dozen X-borgs running around. While they could understand the panic from the civilians, after months and months of escalation, especially within the last few days...they were almost disappointed by what they saw.

"Seriously? This is it?" Noah asked.

Jake didn't say anything, instead just throwing himself straight into the fight. As the others joined him, he let out whoops of delight.

"Man, this is too easy!" Gia commented. "It's like they're not even trying anymore!"

"I could beat these guys in my sleep!" Jake replied as he cut down one of them. He threw his sword, impaling one of the robots. He ran at a bench, leaping off it and hitting a plancha straight into a bunch of the robots, knocking them down. "Hah! I got a strike!"

"Jake what are you doing?" Noah asked him, smashing one of the robots in the face with the hilt of his sword. "Quit clowning around!"

"I'm just trying to keep things interesting!" Jake protested as he tossed his blaster into the hands of an X-borg. The robot just looked confused as he walked towards it with his arms open wide. "Come on, I'm standing right here!"

The X-borg got the idea and levelled the blaster at him, but as it got off its first and only shot, Jake was on it, knocking the blaster away and smashing its head in with the heel of his palm. The other Rangers dispensed pretty quickly with the rest of the X-borgs, and rounded on the Green Ranger.

"What the hell Jake, why were you fighting like that?" Gia demanded. He just shrugged.

"I was just trying to keep things interesting." He told them.

"Jake, any fight is risky." Emma reminded him. "You shouldn't take more risks than are necessary."

"Come on guys, can't you see what's happening?" Jake asked.

"Jake, we still have..."

"Guys, there wasn't a Commander here!" He reminded them. "There were no Kingsmen...hell, there weren't even any Bruisers!"

"Jake..."

"Don't you get it? We've taken down Argus, Vekar, Vrak..." Jake rhymed off excitedly. "They don't have anyone left! They're running out of resources! We've won!"

"Jake you can't think..."

"When was the last time they sent a bunch of X-borgs without so much as one bruiser for support?" Jake asked in response as Noah tried to reason with him. Noah was about to answer, but he fell silent. Jake had a point.

"Face it guys, The Armada's finished! We've won!" Jake told them. "They'll figure that out soon enough."

"I don't know." Troy replied. "I just feel like...it's not over yet."

"Dude, look around." Jake scoffed, gesturing to the wreckage of the X-borgs. "It's over!"

"Then why did Gosei take Jordan?" Troy asked him.

"Maybe he just wants some quality father/son time at long last. He has missed out on the last 18 years of his life!" Jake reminded him. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

He went to a flower cart, taking a bouquet. He was about to hand the vendor some money, but she just shook her head. She was still shaken up from the battle, and was grateful that the Rangers kept her safe. Jake just shrugged and took the bouquet.

"...There's a certain young lady I want to see." Jake told them. As he walked away, the others just watched him go.

"Well, you have to love his optimism." Noah commented. "Do you think he's right?"

"I'm going to err on the side of caution." Troy replied.

"I need to go and see dad." Emma answered. She had been very quiet since they had found out about the attack. She had been getting ready to go to the hospital. She looked to Troy, who just nodded.

"We'll see you later." He told the others as they left.

"Come on guys." Gia stated. "Let's go home."

Up on The Armada Command Ship, Emperor Mavro was in his chambers, formerly his son's chambers, gorging himself on an immense feast that had been prepared for him. His appetite for food was almost as insatiable as his thirst for conquest. Even before he had inherited the Empire from his father, he had been a glutton for the pain and anguish he could inflict on others. It was a trait his son Vekar shared with him. Redker came in and bowed to him.

"You summoned me Your Highness?" He asked.

"Yes, I did." Mavro replied, quaffing some wine straight from the jug, not even bothering with the goblet. "These Rangers...they're still alive. I want that rectified."

"Your Highness, I will go to Earth personally and..."

"No, I don't wish that, not yet." Mavro told him. "Both of my sons were killed because they were so reckless. They underestimated their enemy. That is a mistake I will not make."

"Well, we have some data on their capabilities." Redker said as he tried to think of something. "Damaras sent a force down before his arrest..."

"He sent some X-borgs, that tells us nothing." Mavro replied, tearing the leg off a large, turkey leg and taking a bite. "We need to send them a real challenge to see what they're capable of."

"Then I will send..."

"Send Damaras." Mavro declared. Redker just looked dumbfounded.

"But...but he's a traitor!" Redker protested. "He failed to..."

"He is also one of the most powerful warriors in my entire army!" Mavro cut him off.

"Uncle, I must insist..."

"YOU are my new heir; you have nothing to do but what I TELL you to do!" Mavro yelled, splattering some of his food as he spoke before finishing his mouthful. "Now, do as I say and send Damaras to Earth!"

"Your Highness, with all due respect..."

"With all due respect, if he wins, we conquer the Earth and my sons are avenged!" Mavro interrupted him. "If he loses..."

He just shrugged.

"...Then we know that we've finally found a worthy adversary. Best case scenario, they destroy each other and save me the bother of deciding if I'm going to execute or pardon Damaras."

"I will do as you command uncle." Redker replied, bowing low as he left the room.

In his cell, Damaras was sitting, his hands shackled before him, stewing over what had happened to him.

He could easily escape. There were no bars that could contain him, no chains that could restrain him. Although it had been many years since he had personally gone to battle, he had earned his place as one of Emperor Mavro's most respected generals after a lifetime of battlefield victories. In his day, there were many worlds he had either subjugated or even completely annihilated single-handed on the Emperor's orders. His role had become more or less administrative since Mavro had taken the throne from his father, but Damaras still held a place of reverence in the Empire.

He had always faithfully served the Royal Family, long beyond any natural lifespan he had any right to. Such was his devotion that Mavro's great grandfather had begun his long process of cybernetic enhancements to extend his life beyond its natural span and ensure his descendents the loyalty of his service.

Damaras knew that Mavro would never hear a word against his son. It was the only reason he had never just admitted to his part in Vekar's demise. While Mavro was only too aware of his son's shortcomings, he was obsessed by his legacy, and of preparing an heir to take over his Empire. If he could have spoken freely with the Emperor about Vekar, he was certain that in the end, Mavro would see he had only ever sought to ensure his legacy was passed to a suitably strong successor, and prune a weak limb of the family tree. As far as he was concerned, despite some considering his actions treason, he had only ever done what he believed was in the best interests of the Royal Family.

He looked up as Redker came into the room.

"Get up!" Redker snarled. Damaras did as he was told. "The Emperor, in his infinite generosity, has seen fit to grant you an opportunity to redeem yourself for your failure."

"I will serve faithfully as I always have." Damaras told him.

"You better!" Redker replied coldly. "Now, I'll just release you..."

"Don't bother!" Damaras snapped as he pulled his hands apart, shattering his restraints with dismissive ease. He walked forward, slamming a hand into the door of the cell, sending it spinning down the hallway. Redker just looked to him, his mouth hanging open.

"You..."

"If I had wanted to escape, I could have done so at any moment and there is nothing you or your entourage could have done to stop me!" Damaras interrupted him.

"I am the heir..."

"Which means you are not the Emperor YET!" Damaras snapped. "If the Emperor wishes me to destroy the Rangers myself..."

"Those were his orders." Redker interjected. Damaras just bowed.

"Then that's what I will do." He answered as he left the room.

Jake arrived at Allison's house, finding her in the yard, reading a book. He came bounding up with excitement, smiling as he saw her.

"Hey there beautiful." He greeted her, presenting the flowers to her. She just smiled as she folded away her book.

"Jake, hi!" She began. "Um...I came here..."

"When you weren't at Emma's place, I figured you'd gone home." He interrupted her, kneeling down next to her. "I guess you have a lot of work to do with uni."

"If you want a social life, don't study medicine." She commented, leaning over the edge of her wheelchair, placing the book down on the ground. "I caught some of that battle on the news by the way."

"You did?" He asked with a smile. "So...what did you think?"

"I think you were taking a lot of unnecessary risks." She remarked. "What was that cannonball thing all about?"

"I was just having a little fun." He told her.

"I was having a little fun in the drag race too...until I ended up roof-down in a flood canal and ended up in this thing!" She answered, hitting her wheelchair.

"It was just a bunch of X-borgs, it was nothing!" Jake told her reassuringly, taking her hands softly in his own. "I've spent the last two years taking things seriously, now that the bad guys are about as threatening as teletubbies, I was just..."

"You were taking risks you didn't need to." Allison reiterated. Jake just sighed. He knew how much Allison hated him taking risks. She had first-hand experience how fragile the human body could be. All it took for her was one bone breaking the wrong way, and she had ended up paraplegic. She had told him many times that she still held her breath when he was on the soccer pitch, taking hard tackles, never mind his battles as a Ranger.

"Look, I'm sorry, I know it was dumb. I just...I didn't take it seriously and I know I should have." Jake told her. "I promise I will in future."

He leaned in to kiss her, but Allison pulled away. He just looked a little hurt and confused by this.

"Allison?" He asked her, looking confused. She just took a deep breath.

"Jake, there's something we really need to talk about." She told him. "I think its best you sit down."

In another part of town, Emma ran down the corridor of the hospital, stopping herself in the doorway of her dad's room. She found Louise at the side of his bed, holding his hand softly. As she looked at him, he smiled.

"Well, today keeps getting better and better." He stated as she came into the room. He hugged her as she leaned over him. "How are you? You look pretty bruised up, are those monsters..."

"I'm fine dad; it's just a few bruises." Emma assured him. "You're the only one I'm worried about."

"You know me; I just need to rest up a bit..."

"Dad, you had a heart attack!" Emma reminded him. "You had a second heart attack in less than a year."

"Emma, I'm alright..."

"Your best friend was trying to kill you! What part of that is alright?" Emma demanded. Louise just glared at her, at which Emma backed down. Like she'd said, Eric had suffered his second heart attack inside a year. The last thing he needed was any more stress.

"Wayne...I don't blame him for what he did." Eric told her. "He's off the Christmas card list for sure, but if I'd been in the same position, I'd probably have done the exact same thing."

Emma just wiped away some tears.

"Wayne's been by to apologise." Eric told her. "He offered to turn himself in, but I told him I'm not pressing charges."

"You...you're not...?" Emma stammered. Louise just glared at her, indicating that it wasn't the time to lose her temper.

"Like I said, in the same situation I'd have done the same thing." Eric told her. "He has enough going on with his family now."

"If I see him again..."

"Believe me; I feel the same way, that was one of the conditions I placed on not pressing charges." Eric assured her. "He's heading back to Colorado; he's promised he'll not set foot in California again."

"It's not far enough for my liking, but I guess I'll have to live with it." Emma grumbled. "Now, will you please listen to the nurses so you can come home?"

"I think for once in my life I can listen to medical advice." He assured her. "I really need to get home, the food in here tastes like shit."

Back at Allison's house, Jake was sitting on the lawn, his hands cupped over his nose and mouth. Allison looked to him regretfully.

"Jake, please, say something." She begged him.

"Like what?" He asked her.

"Jake, please, this is difficult enough." She told him. "I didn't want to hurt you..."

"Oh, well that's fine then!" He snapped. "I guess all that's left is to sing zippidy-do-dah and skip off into the distance!"

"Jake, I didn't..."

"How did you expect me to feel Allison?" He asked her. "How did you expect me to feel about being dumped...?"

"Jake, I'm sorry; I know it's difficult..."

"Difficult? I was fighting a freaking WAR!" He snapped. "I've not been on a pleasure cruise, I've got scars places...I didn't even know I had places! It's not like I was off living it up or anything, and you just..."

"Jake, it wasn't like that, it really wasn't." Allison protested. "Things just...they changed. I've changed."

She saw Jake looking at her and had to wipe away some tears.

"I never wanted to hurt you, that's the last thing I'd ever want." She sobbed. "I couldn't just Dear John you, you mean too much to me to do that. I needed to do this in person."

Before Jake could say anything, his morpher bleeped. He looked to it and sighed. Allison just put a hand on his arm.

"Jake, please, I wish things could have been different." She implored him.

"So do I." He answered as he ran off to answer the call.

Meanwhile, at the Greyhound station, where many citizens were still lining up to get coaches out of town, a coach came in, and unusually, there was actually a passenger on it coming INTO Harwood.

She stepped off the coach, hefting her bag onto her shoulder. She hadn't needed to check it, she was the only passenger. It wasn't like there were may people coming INTO Harwood these days. As she looked around, she saw a man standing a little way from her, smiling.

"You haven't changed a bit." He greeted her.

"You lie divinely." She answered, coming over and hugging him. "So, the others...?"

"We're all booked into the Marriott." He told her. "It's not like we had a problem getting rooms."

"I'll bet, anyone with any sense is getting the hell out of town." She answered.

"So you brought it?" He asked. She reached into her pocket, pulling out her damaged, inert morpher.

"I don't know what good it'll do though, the damn thing hasn't worked in years." She told him. The man just smiled.

"Hey, if Gosei's anything like his old man, there's a reason for everything Kim." He replied.

"I hope so Jason." The first Pink Ranger answered as he guided her to his car. "I really hope so."