************************* Submarine*****************************

The constant damp was playing havoc with his fur, matting it down and giving him a constant moldy, wet dog smell. Goldar frowned, as he paced the small space of his new room. So small he couldn't even fully open his wings. Every few paces he would stop and look at the item on the table. A deep blueish black item with flecks of gold.

An item that, if Ooze found him with it, would be the cause of his death.

He was a fool for even thinking what he was thinking and yet... what other way was there? Possibly if it did work, if everything went perfect, then possibly Zedd and Rita would hail Goldar as a hero, a most faithful servant, well rewarded... but if not.

Goldar shook his head. He didn't even want to think of the if not. But he knew one thing for sure. Billy, the Nightmare, couldn't be allowed to continue living. He knew of no blade that could slay a mythical beast but he could turn Billy back. Or at least make him human enough to be killed.

But not alone... he would need the rangers help.

With a growl he picked up Billy's communicator. He randomly pushed a few buttons before speaking. "Tommy! Answer me."

***************************** Command Chamber**********************

"Man, I forgot how much I like pancakes." Tommy said, placing his dishes in the sink. "You're a good cook Adam."

Adam gave a small smile at the praise. "I've had practice." He said grabbing a pair of rubber gloves and turning on the sink filling it with soapy water.

"I'll dry." Kimberly volunteered. Which made Tommy volunteer to put the dishes away so he could stand next to Kim, while Katherine wrapped up the left overs. They chatted a bit but mostly worked in silence. So it was shocking when Goldar's voice spoke out from Tommy's communicator. So surprising that when the monsters voice echoed through the room Kimberly dropped the plate she had been drying, it shattered to bits on the floor like broken stars falling to earth.

The smile Tommy had been wearing slipped away, melting like snow in the desert. "What do you want Goldar?" Tommy spoke into his communicator. He wasn't even going to bother asking how his former evil teacher had access to this frequency.

There was a dry chuckle, "For once Tommy. Just to talk."

"So talk."

"Not here, in person, alone. Only you and me."

Tommy frowned, "Oh yeah right, how do I know this isn't a trap?"

Goldar laughed again. "You don't but..." His voice became serious. "I give you my word of honor, no tricks, no trap."

Tommy blinked, even evil had its code, if Goldar was giving his word of honor, then this was serious. "Where do you want to meet?" Tommy asked, ignoring the incredulous looks on his friend's faces.

"Do you remember where I first trained you?"

"Yes..." Tommy replied, fighting back the memories that always chewed in the back of his mind.

"Meet me there in a few hours, say midnight. And come alone Tommy." The connection went dead.

Kimberly was the first to break the silence. "You aren't like, actually gonna go, are you?" Worry was in every word she spoke.

Tommy sighed, "I think I have to."

"Clearly its a trap." Adam replied, getting a broom and dust pan for the bits of glass.

"I agree, you can't go Tommy." Katherine added, her blue eyes shining with concern.

Tommy shook his head. "I don't expect anyone to understand about what happened before my first time on the moon but Goldar gave his word... I think he is serious."

"Tommy! You can't trust a monster." Adam argued. "Particularly that one."

Kimberly thought back to the moon, specifically her first shower. "Goldar... keeps his word, when he gives it." After all, a deal had been a deal, she and Billy did eat after she... sexy posed for the Lion-Ape while bathing. "But this is still a bad idea."

Tommy simply nodded, knowing now was not the time to ask how Kimberly was so sure that Goldar keeps his word. After all, Goldar had been trying to take Kimberly away on the moon. Tommy had never asked about that but he wasn't blind. He knew of Goldar's attraction to his girlfriend... er ex girlfriend. Tommy suddenly wanted to pull the former pink ranger into a hug but stopped himself. There relationship was still on rather thin ice... and that was his fault alone.

"At least tell Zordon." Katherine pleaded slightly. "Talk it over with him."

"Yeah good thinking. I'll go now." Without waiting for a reply Tommy left the little group in the kitchen.

But little did they know, Tommy had no intention of speaking to Zordon about this right now. No, he was the team leader, and it was his job to protect the team. He could handle Goldar alone.

No matter what.

******************** Zordon's chamber******************

Justin sat in the back corner of the main chamber, thrilled to be included but careful to not be in the way as he listened to these four big powers of good talk about there options. Well as he listened to three of them, he had no idea what Lerigot was saying.

Ninjor had shown them the bits of gold metal Justin had found, saying he knew at once that they were part of Kimberly's power coin and uncorrupted by evil.

Dulcea had been quick to mention that this bit of power, while strong, was much too small to create a new ranger with, at least alone and that they had no time to find more energy.

Then Lerigot had said something, then Zordon and on and on. Justin listened to it all intently. After half an hour or so, no one had seemed to come up with anything, though many ideas had been thrown around.

Justin decided now seemed like a good time to speak up. "Um... I have an idea." The human boy tried very hard not to flinch as all eyes turned to him.

"What is your idea young wolf?" Ninjor asked.

"I um... it might not work but..." Justin swallowed hard. "I've been listening to everything you guys have been saying and I think, using the power coin fragments remaining energy and some magic infused grid technology, we could trap Ivan Ooze again..." Justin spoke detailing his plan. The forces of good had to agree, it was a good plan. Better than anything they had come up with yet.

Justin blushed under the praise and Zordon smiled. His young blue ranger was indeed as clever as they come but a pane of sadness filled Zordon for a moment. Thinking of Billy, feeling deeply he failed his other son.

No, they hadn't failed Billy. Only if they gave up would it be a failure. "Let us work out the details as much as we can, then will will inform the rangers of our plan."

From out of no where Ninjor produced some blue prints and a few pencils and note pads. Justin was shy at first but once he got going, the device practically designed itself.

This would work, the wolf ranger was sure. They would stop the bad guy and save the world.

He had faith.

************************** Billy's head*****************************

How long had he been here? There was no time inside one's mind. Nothing but endless darkness surrounded him, except for the two orbs that showed the most terribly things to Billy. Orbs of eyes that he tried very hard to ignore any time he wasn't in the holding cell of Divatox's submarine. Darkness was preferable to terror and blood shed those orbs would show. He had tried everything he could think of to regain control of himself but so far nothing had worked.

The former blue ranger had never known such a feeling of desperation. Other then the clothes on his back he had nothing with him, though he knew that this form around him was a self projection. It wasn't real, that... monster was his body now. He had theorized that his mind was creating this avatar as it were, to keep safe what was left of Billy's personality, mind and soul. Holding tight to the last of threads of his humanity.

And that wasn't a very comforting thought.

All he could do now was sit and wait and hope. That somehow his friends would be able to save him and if not, he hoped the last thing he ever saw would be Tommy's sword ending him. At least he would be free... even if he was dead.

******************************* Tommy, location unknown*********************

Tommy stood in a tree line at the edge of the wide open field watching the moon come up. He didn't like this place now, when he had been evil it had been such fun but now he couldn't stop the shiver that touched his spine. This place was a sea of evil, one wouldn't know it from just looking around but evil seemed seeped up from the ground here like a poison mist, spreading and consuming everything it could.

"Get your head in the game Oliver." Tommy quietly chastised himself. Now was not the time to be letting his mind wander to old deeds he did. He pulled out a pair of binoculars, special ranger made ones and did a scan. If this was some kind of trap, it was good. There was only one life sign in the clearing. Goldar.

"I don't have all night!" Goldar's voice carried through the air to him.

Tommy stood tall and walked out to greet his former teacher. "Goldar." he said then went silent. For a long moment, human and monster merely looked at each other before Tommy commented. "You've seen better days."

Goldar growled, aware that Tommy was talking about the condition his fur was in. "Low blow for a good guy." He smirked, "Perhaps you're not as good as you pretend to be."

Tommy's frowned deepen. 'Low blow for a low blow. What do you want Goldar?"

"A truce."

Out of anything he could have said, Tommy was must surprised by those words. He must have misheard. "A truce?"

"Yes ranger a truce." Goldar folded his arms over his chest. 'Those very words pain me to say but I think we both would prefer Billy to be human again."

Tommy narrowed his eyes as a thousand questions began running through his mind but he bit his tongue to keep from saying something he might regret. "And you can do that? Change Billy back?"

Goldar pulled out a vial from his belt, it glowed like moonlight in a jar. "Me no, but Finster can. This is a cure for Billy only." Goldar was careful with his next words. "Not for Kimberly."

Tommy nodded, of course Goldar had no way of knowing Kim was already cured. He reached for the vial while asking. "What did you have in mind?"

Goldar pulled the glass away from Tommy's reach. "I need your help. You've seen what a Nightmare can do. How violent and evil they are? Without any rules or honor. You will be the bait to get Billy close enough to force him to swallow this."

"And if Billy happens to kill me in the process?"

Goldar shrugged but didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Tommy got the message loud and clear, one less ranger.

"So what's the plan? I mean you do have a plan, don't you?"

Goldar puffed out his chest. "Of course I have a plan. Around this time tomorrow Ivan Ooze is planning another attack. This time down by the docks. You will need to find a way to lure the Nightmare into chasing you. I have a warehouse all set up for the plan. No one will bother us. Not Ooze, not Elgar, not the other rangers."

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "And what are you getting out of this truce? I know you are not doing it out of the goodness of your heart."

Goldar smirked. "That is my business. So do we have a deal?" He held out his hand.

Tommy shook it. "Deal."

And Goldar smiled...