"Must we tell him?"

"Of course, we can't just suddenly run off to another country, plus he can help us figure out a proper plan."

Though their voices were muffled by the door, Jean could hear them clearly, the mention of going to another country causing him to look up from his book. He opened the door to his workshop to find Tommy and Louise, with serious expressions upon their faces.

"How might I help the two of you today?" he asked, extremely concerned.

"There is something that we must discuss, Professor," Louise replied.

Jean bade the two enter and as he closed the door behind them, they told him of the events of the previous night. He wasn't sure what to find more unbelievable: that the princess of Tristain had come all this way and snuck into the academy specifically to see them, or that she had given them a clandestine mission to infiltrate a wartorn country to retrieve, of all things, a love letter. Of course, after everything that he had learned recently, this seemed almost believable. And while he might not have known either for long, he knew that neither was the type to joke about something like this. Regardless of the veracity of their tale, Jean did not like this at all.

"I cannot allow this, I refuse to allow this," Jean stated defiantly.

"It is a direct order from the princess, Professor," Louise replied, "I can't defy her."

"And if there are people in danger, I have to do something to help," Tommy added.

"Regardless of if it's a direct order, this is complete madness! The danger that we had faced recently was one thing, it had come to us against our will. But to willingly walk into a civil war? And all for a bloody love letter, at that? No, I draw the line at this!"

"Jean, I completely understand, but..."

"Why didn't you stop this?"

"I tried to, but unfortunately there are too many extenuating circumstances for there to be any other way."

Jean turned away from the pair and slammed his hands onto one of his work tables. Despite his resistance, he knew that they were right, and he hated it. But he couldn't let this happen. When he became a teacher, he swore that he would never allow harm to come to his students, not after... He didn't care if the princess herself arrived with a battalion of soldiers to personally execute him for treason, he would do something to fight this. It was then that he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Jean, I promise you that I will not allow any harm to come to them."

He turned to see Tommy, eyes serious and absolute sincerity in his voice. Despite himself, Jean believed his friend. He had personally witnessed him take on an army and win, and completely without casualties. So if he said that he would keep Louise and Guiche safe, Jean knew that he could.

"...If it is for the greater good, if it will prevent more people from coming to harm... Then despite my better judgment, I will assist you in this mad endeavor."

"Thank you, Professor," Louise said, a look of relief on her face.

"Now where to begin? We will need to procure food, traveling equipment, I will have to acquire maps from the library..."

As Jean began to pace, trying to figure out what all would be needed, his thoughts were interrupted by a strange rhythmic sound, almost akin to music. He turned to find the source and found Tommy looking at the strange metal bracelet that he always wore. Tommy then pressed something on it and began to speak into it, but strangest of all, a voice spoke back.

"This is Tommy," he began, acting as if by routine.

"Man, do you know how long it took us to find you?" the voice replied, slightly distorted but good-natured in tone.

"It's good to hear you too, TJ," Tommy said with a smile.

"Get yourself ready, we'll be landing in a minute once we find a good spot."

"Normally I would, but there have been some complications while I've been here."

"I knew it, I knew that you would say that. Now Ashley owes me ten bucks. You can tell us all about it once we land."

"See you soon, Tommy out."

"What is going on? Who was that?" Louise asked.

"Looks like my friends have finally found me."

"What?! But you can't leave, what about the mission?!"

"I'm not leaving, Louise, not yet. I never abandon a mission. We'll just explain the situation to them."

"And you're sure that they'll accept it?"

"Of course, why wouldn't they? Now come on, you're both not going to want to miss this."

Tommy led them out of the workshop and out beyond the academy's gates toward the fields beyond. They stood and waited, Jean scanning the horizon for any sign of their vessel.

"Well? Where are they?" Louise asked impatiently.

"You're going to want to look higher," Tommy replied, pointing skyward.

They did so, Jean straining his eyes for any sign of impending arrival, and it was then that he spotted it. It was difficult at first but he soon focused on a blue speck in the sky, and soon the speck was getting bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Jean couldn't believe what he was seeing, his mouth agape in awe at the sight of it. He had never seen a ship like it before, dwarfing any ship in Halkeginia. It was vaguely saucer-shaped with a cone-like nose that ended with a flattened tip. Primarily a deep blue in coloration with silver highlights in places, most prominently along the saucer's rim and on the tip of its flattened nose. Its topside possessed some sort of bright red emblem, fins of the same color, and a pair of dual-barreled cannons, while its underside played host to strange rectangular structures of which he couldn't fathom the purpose.

As it hovered overhead, positioning itself to safely land, the wind that it created caused everything to be buffeted around, Louise's cape and hair and his robes most prominently. The massive vessel soon touched ground, and the loud roar that Jean hadn't noticed in his state of shock ended soon after. Tommy began to walk forward and Jean and Louise followed. A ramp then descended from the underside of the ship's nose, and two figures descended to greet them. One was a man of fair complexion with long, two-toned blond hair, while the other had darker skin and was completely bald. They wore similar uniforms consisting of black boots, silver trousers, a black belt with a silver buckle, and a short silver jacket emblazoned with a number of symbols. The only true difference in their apparel was the shirts they wore beneath their jackets, the blond man in red while the bald man wore blue.

Tommy approached the men and greeted them, shaking their hands in a fashion that Jean was unfamiliar with but assumed was customary where they were from. He then beckoned Jean and Louise forward.

"This is Louise and Jean, they've been looking out for me while I've been here," Tommy began before turning to face them, "And I'd like the two of you to meet my friends TJ and Andros of the Space Rangers."

"It is an honor to meet you," Jean said as he shook their hands in turn, "And if I may say, your vessel is absolutely magnificent."

"She's the fastest ship in the universe," the blond man, Andros, replied with a smile, "The Astro Megaship Mk. II has carried us through all manner of trouble."

"Come on inside, we've got a lot to talk about," the bald man, TJ, said.

The five then walked up the ramp and stepped into the unknown.

The things that Louise saw were impossible, so unlike anything that she had ever known. The ship had descended from heights thought unattainable, it flew with speed and grace no object its size should possess. It bore neither flags nor sails, and there wasn't an ounce of wood in sight. She knew for certain that it was partly made of metal, but of what kind she hadn't a clue, and the rest seemed to be some material that she had never seen before. Either it cost multiple fortunes to construct such a vessel, or these materials were more than abundant in their homeland.

And now she walked aboard it, along its hallways with Tommy and Professor Colbert, as well as the men that came to greet them. The walls and floor were silver-like in color, and illuminated not by torch or candle, but by strange glowing things built into the ceiling. They passed numerous doors as they walked, or at least she thought they were doors as they bore no knob or handle, but what else could they be? As they walked, Tommy conversed with the men, seemingly catching up with old friends, while Professor Colbert would occasionally ask questions about the ship. Louise looked at the professor, as he too was utterly mystified by all of this, and she was glad that wasn't the only one. Although, in his case, it was more out of barely restrained glee.

"Welcome aboard, Doctor Oliver and Guests."

"W-who said that?!" Louise nearly shouted as she tried to ascertain the source of the strange feminine voice.

" I am DECA, onboard artificial intelligence of the Astro Megaship Mk. II. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"L-likewise?"

"It's good to see you too, DECA," Tommy said, much too casually for Louise's liking.

The group continued on until they came to a door which slid open to reveal... a small room? No, it was much too small to be a room, maybe closer to a closet? Regardless of what it was, Tommy and his friends stepped inside so Louise and Professor Colbert followed. The doors closed and the man called TJ pressed something that glowed beside the door, and suddenly they were in motion, as if being lifted upward. As they came to a halt, the doors opened to reveal another hallway, nearly identical to the last as far as Louise could tell. She knew that large ships had multiple decks, perhaps that's where they were?

Louise then realized that they hadn't passed anyone else as they ventured through the ship. Surely there must be a crew, as a ship of this size couldn't possibly be run by just two people. It was then that they entered the most inexplicable room she had ever seen. It was fairly large, and the only things that she was certain that she recognized were the chairs, followed by what looked like tables but only in the vaguest sense, as they were covered with things that glowed and other things that defied anything that she knew. What was most bizarre were the walls, each possessing rectangular... things that glowed and displayed various indecipherable writings and patterns, many of which seemed to be moving.

"There he is," a voice said.

Louise turned to the source and realized that she was so mystified by the room that she failed to notice its occupants, three to be exact, each wearing the same uniform as Andros and TJ save for their shirts. A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a yellow shirt, a man with a tan, shoulder-length black hair and a black shirt, and a woman with back-length brown hair and a pink shirt. Tommy greeted the three as he did with TJ and Andros, and introduced the three as Ashley, Carlos, and Cassie.

"Gotta say, the new look suits you," the woman named Ashley said to Tommy.

"I wasn't exactly able to pack spare clothes when I was brought here," he replied.

"That sword looks like it's seen better days though," the man named Carlos said.

"Hey, you ain't no spring chicken either," Deflinger countered.

"Another talking sword? I bet Saba's jealous."

"Ha! You bet he is! I like this guy, he gets me."

"Jealous?" Saba said as he materialized in the air, "Of you? Hardly!"

"C'mon, Pussy Cat, you know I'm the new hotness!"

"Both of you stop, now is not the time," Tommy said in exasperation.

"So how did all of this happen?" the woman named Cassie asked.

Tommy then began to tell of everything that had happened, of how he was summoned, of the abductions, of the Staff of Destruction, and of the mission they were preparing to undertake.

"So wait, how did Rita's staff get here?" Carlos asked, "I thought it was destroyed."

"Who knows," TJ replied, "But it still seemed to like making things big if that statue looming over the castle is anything to go by."

"Unfortunately, we are still in the process of trying to remove it," Professor Colbert interjected, "It has been quite tedious and has been delaying classes, but we do not wish to risk its collapse, lest it cause more damage than it already has."

"Maybe we could lend a hand to help get rid of it?" Andros asked.

"We could run some cables from the Megaship and try to hoist it away," TJ said, "But based on the brief glimpse we got of it, its proportions make it too risky to attempt."

"The offer is appreciated but we will be able to handle it, my colleagues are some of the most skilled Earth Mages in the country," the professor said.

It was then that the hurried shuffling of feet and a nasally voice reached their ears.

"Tommy!" it called out in joy.

The group turned to see the doors open to reveal what Louise thought was a little man, perhaps around her height or maybe shorter, but then realized that it couldn't be human as its head was too flat and saucer-like. Perhaps it was some kind of golem or Alviss? It was unlike any that she had seen before, with a primarily red torso, blue limbs that ended in gold hands and feet, and various gold highlights that matched its golden, saucer-like head. Of particular note was a red light that shone through the strange slot where its face would be, and a glowing, stylized lightning bolt on its chest that flashed yellow in a pattern. Tommy walked over and hugged the strange golem, and it returned the gesture.

"How have you been, buddy?" Tommy asked.

"I have been doing quite well," the golem replied in the same nasally voice, "Oh it is so good to see you!"

"I missed you too, pal."

The pair separated, and then the golem approached Louise and Professor Colbert.

"Hello, new friends!" it began, waving at them with almost childlike exuberance, "I am Alpha 7, android assistant to the Space Rangers."

While Louise hesitantly waved back, Professor Colbert looked like he was about to explode from sheer joy.

"You are absolutely incredible!" he said as he looked closer at the 'android', "I have never seen a golem such as you before."

"I am quite flattered that you think so, but I am not a golem, I am an android. Built to accomplish any task that I am given, and with full autonomy to choose how best to do it."

"Astonishing, simply astonishing..."

"How have things been back home?" Tommy asked.

With six words spoken, the joviality had been stripped from the room, each of the Rangers adopting a grim expression, looking all the more like experienced soldiers. Cassie walked over to one of the wall... things, and seemed to press something, causing the image to change. What Louise saw froze her to the bone. A spherical, rotating object, which she assumed was a representation of their homeland, utterly surrounded by what she could only surmise were ships. Hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, maybe more. Louise couldn't possibly count them all, and that was assuming that this was an accurate depiction. Tommy said that they were at war, that they were being invaded, but the reality was far more grave than she had realized. He said that there were only a hundred Power Rangers, but how could just a hundred people possibly fight this? She had to assume that they all possessed the same physical prowess that Tommy had displayed, but even then...

"We're still in the holding pattern," Cassie began, "The Warstar continue to deploy troops periodically, and no sign yet of the full-on attack."

"They're testing our defenses," Tommy said.

"It's more than that," TJ interjected, "Even if we stop them, they still manage to cause a bit of damage to infrastructure each time. The more damage caused, the more people are forced to relocate to shelters, making them easy targets for later."

"Thankfully the new guys have been able to handle things while we're preparing for the big attack," Carlos added.

"Which is why we need you to come back with us, Tommy," Ashley said, "We don't know when the attack will come, and we'll need everyone's help when it does."

"I know, I want to go with you to help," Tommy began, "But I can't leave yet, not after everything that's happened."

"Is it because of Rita's staff?" Andros asked.

"Partly, I'm worried that if one of her old toys wound up here, then who knows what else is also here, and I feel that I have a responsibility to deal with it. And besides, it turns out that I have family here."

"You haven't been gone that long," Carlos said.

"Remember when I told you guys about my clone?"

"Is this where he wound up?" TJ asked.

"Yeah, he started a family here and everything, I even met my niece which was how I found out. The thing is, if we fail and Earth falls, the Armada will steamroll the rest of the universe. I want to do something here, to at least give someone a fighting chance should the worst happens."

"But you have a responsibility to Earth as well," Andros argued.

"I know that I've done a lot over the years, but I'm just one man, and Earth has more than enough defenders. Each and every one of you has faced impossible odds and come out on top, and you didn't need my help to do it. As long as you fight together, this will be no exception. I promise you that I will be there when the time comes, but until then, I need to be here."

The room grew quiet as everyone processed the exchange. Louise's mind whirled with everything that she had seen, with everything that had been said, the sheer enormity of it all. This was no mere conflict, this was a battle for the fate of... well, everything. When Tommy said 'the universe', he wasn't being facetious, he wasn't exaggerating. It wasn't some country that was in danger, it was an entire world, one of seemingly many out among a vast cosmos. And if this battle were lost, they would all be in grave peril, even Halkeginia.

"All right, we'll help however we can," Andros said, breaking the silence, "Any resources that we can spare are yours."

"Thank you, I really mean it," Tommy replied.

"So what's the plan?" TJ asked.

"I want to establish a team of Rangers here."

"Now you guys owe me twenty bucks," Cassie said.

"Alpha, DECA, check through the cargo manifest and see what's available," Andros commanded.

"Affirmative."

"We'll get right on it!"

The group made their way out of the room and Louise and Professor Colbert followed, they filed into that strange moving closet, only now they felt like they were going down. As they descended, Louise looked to the professor and saw a mix of emotions play across his face. Awe, worry, fear, anger, she could hardly imagine what was going through his mind, only that it was a lot in such a short time. The moving closet came to a stop and they exited, moving along another very similar hallway until they came to a large door. It parted down the middle, sliding to either side to reveal a large room filled with all manner of shelves, drawers, and what Louise assumed were some kind of crates, all containing things that Louise couldn't begin to fathom.

Alpha walked among it all and indicated which was available for their use, and so they set to work. Louise opened a drawer and just as she expected, she understood nothing of its contents. Metal things, bendy things, strangely colored things within strange transparent containers, it was still all nonsense. But Louise searched anyway, she would assist however she could if it meant that her home would be safe from whatever might threaten it. It was her duty as a noble. A wide table sat in the middle of the room and she placed what she found there, as everyone else had been doing. She did her best to be careful with these objects, as Andros had indicated that this was cargo and as such, valuable, though some things had moving parts and she wasn't certain as to which parts were supposed to move and which weren't.

"Can I see that, Louise?" Tommy asked as she made another trip to the table.

She handed it to him as he would know more about what it was than she did. The object in question was a metallic box of irregular proportions, somewhat larger than her hand, with an array of bendy things coming out of it and covered in symbols that she had no hope of deciphering.

"Does this look familiar to anyone else?" he asked the room at large and held up the object for all to see.

"Yeah, that's a relativity matrix," TJ replied, "We have one plugged into the Megaship's navigation systems."

"Didn't we also have one of these in the Power Chamber?"

"The Power Chamber?" Professor Colbert asked.

"Our old base of operations," Cassie replied.

"Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing one when we helped with routine maintenance that time," Ashely said, "What was it plugged into again?"

"The teleportation system!" Alpha exclaimed in realization.

"If we could get one up and running, it would be extremely useful," Andros said, "Alpha, do you still have the blueprints?"

"Give me one moment to check."

Alpha then went silent, completely unmoving, while everyone just watched and waited. Louise had no idea what was happening, was it thinking? Trying to recall something? What even were 'blueprints'? A moment soon turned to a minute, what was taking...?

"Ay yi yi yi yi, I still have it!"

"Then let's get to work," TJ declared.

"DECA, could you help me cross-reference everything that we'll need?"

"Of course, Alpha. I would be delighted to."

"Nice find, Louise," Cassie said.

"I was... it wasn't... Thank you."

As everyone set to work, Louise simply followed along. She still had no idea what was happening, or what it was that she found. But she had helped, she played a role in something far greater than she could imagine, and she felt proud.

Jean watched as this 'teleportation system' was being built, making sure to not miss a moment of such a momentous occasion. He watched as the outer casing was constructed, much smaller than he had expected a device of such power to be, it looked like it could rest easily on a table with some room to spare. He asked why it was so small, and Alpha said that the one they used to have was bigger, but they were modifying the design to account for fewer resources. As they began to connect various internal components, including the 'relativity matrix' that Louise had found, he asked what this device did exactly. TJ then said that it could transport objects and even people from one point to another near-instantly.

Jean was utterly baffled by such a statement, it defied every principle that he knew! Yet they all acted as if it were possible, and with everything else that he had witnessed, he had to believe them. The tools that they used were unlike any he had ever seen, of particular note was one that could bond metal to metal instantly, without any earth or fire magic involved. They then began to attach more things, a strange array of symbols that they called 'keys', as well as a smaller version of the things that were on the ship, a 'screen' or 'monitor' they called it. When it appeared that they began construction of a second outer casing, Jean asked and they said it would 'increase the range' of the device, that they would transport the second one to their homeworld to allow travel back and forth.

Jean nearly gasped, very soon he would have the opportunity to visit another world! Oh, the things he would see, the things he would learn! Of course, this device was meant to aid in defense of their world, certainly not meant for something so frivolous, only emergencies. But the hope would not leave him, he was so close to experiencing things no other in the history of Halkeginia ever had! As construction ended, they transported the first device outside the ship to begin testing. They placed it on a portable table and attached a 'power cable' that would draw from the ship, and a moment later the device came to life, the keys and screen aglow. Alpha soon set to work, his golden hands moving swiftly as he pressed the keys, and a stream of symbols soon filled the screen.

Minutes passed before his work came to an end, his 'programming' complete. The first test would be of a small object, something that Jean could easily provide, and he created an earthen cube with a wave of his staff. They placed it on the ground in front of the device, and Alpha began to press keys once more. As he pressed the final key, there was a brief burst of light, and the cube was gone. A brief moment later, a second burst occurred and the cube reappeared, a short distance away, completely undamaged. Jean's mind was reeling at this point, trying to figure out just how this was possible. Today was becoming rather overwhelming, and he wasn't sure how he would handle tomorrow, or any day after if this was to be a constant in his life from now on.

He turned to see how everyone else reacted, the majority cheered at their success, and he spied Louise simply standing there, her eyes wide with shock, and what looked like a twinge of horror. They ran the test again to make sure it worked consistently, and each time the cube vanished and reappeared at varying distances, back and forth. The cube was even sent into the air and they watched it plummet to the ground, the sudden stop causing it to break. It was then decided they would test with something larger, to which Jean lent his assistance once more, creating a much larger target. He made it the approximate size of the average person, as transporting a person or people was their intended goal.

As the first test began, the large object reappearing a short distance away, as its predecessor had, Tommy excused himself from the group and began to walk back to the academy. Jean watched as he walked away, and he spotted what looked like Guiche and Montmorency in the distance. It was then that curiosity got the better of him.

"If I may ask," he began, addressing the Rangers, "How do you all know Tommy?"

"Carlos and I went to school with him, though he was a year ahead of us," Ashley replied.

"And TJ and I helped him out of a rough situation," Cassie added.

"It was actually him and his team that recruited the four of us to be Power Rangers," TJ said.

"I only met him some years later, around when we were preparing to take down the Machine Remnants," Andros began, to which TJ nodded, "Unitl then, I only heard stories from other Rangers."

"And he assisted in my initial activation," Alpha chimed in.

"The Machine Remnants?" Jean asked.

"What was left of an old enemy," TJ began, "They were trying to reactivate a superweapon but we stopped them."

"I really wish the rest of us could have been there for that," Carlos lamented.

"It was an extremely risky mission and we needed a strike team of our best fighters, which meant Red Rangers only," Andros replied.

"Isn't Tommy's color white?" Jean asked, confused by the terminology.

"That's not his only set of powers," TJ explained, "He was a Red Ranger for a while and when he went to college, I took over as Red Ranger. Then I switched to blue when we joined up with Andros."

"So you all have different Ranger colors?"

"Yeah, we're wearing them," Cassie replied and indicated to their differently colored shirts.

"If red is the best fighter, does that make them the leader?" Louise asked, speaking for the first time in a while.

"Traditionally, but that's not always the case," Andros said, "Leadership skill is also taken into account when deciding who leads a team. Sometimes a team has more than one leader depending on the situation."

"Tommy's got more colors than any of us since he's been doing this the longest," TJ added, "A lot of the younger teams look up to him because of it."

"How many teams are there?" Jean asked.

"Roughly twenty, depending on how you count. Some of us are technically part of multiple teams, Tommy especially, and two teams are from different points in the future while one is from another universe entirely. There were also a number of teams in the distant past but they aren't around anymore, though some of the current teams inherited their powers from those ancient teams."

"Wait, you mean he wasn't being facetious when he said he went to a different time period?" Louise asked.

"Oh yeah, it actually happens to a lot of us pretty regularly," Ashley said, "One moment you're going about your day, and next thing you know you've accidentally time-traveled to the distant past and you end up talking with your ancestor."

The testing of the device had stopped a while ago as the group became engrossed in the conversation, the information revealed both illuminating and jarring in equal measure. Jean did his best to understand everything, but his success was limited. He hoped that these revelations would slow down, at least for a time so that he could take his time with them.

As large object testing began, Tommy looked up and spotted Guiche and a young woman, that he recognized from the other day as Montmorency, standing near the academy's gates. He excused himself from the group and as he walked closer, he spotted others trying to see what was going on from the academy. It was completely understandable, it wasn't every day that an alien ship landed on your doorstep.

"What is all of this?" Montmorency half-demanded as they approached him, "What is going on?"

"Some friends of mine showed up to take me home but I convinced them to let me stay, and now they're helping with a few things," Tommy replied.

"Is that some sort of airship?" Guiche asked and gestured toward the Megaship.

"In a manner of speaking. So, how can I help the two of you?"

"Guiche tells me that you're the one that put his head on straight," she began, seeming to size him up.

"Guiche did that himself, I've just been helping him in the right direction."

"He's also told me of this mission that you'll be undertaking and I'll be joining you."

"Guiche, I told you to talk with her about it, not convince her to come along."

"He did no such thing, I'm joining you of my own volition."

Tommy resisted the urge to sigh, this was getting out of hand. Louise going on this mission was one thing, circumstances wouldn't let it be any other way. He tried to talk Guiche out of coming along, but the young man seemed determined to do this, and he had to admit that Guiche's skills could be useful. In contrast, he knew next to nothing about Montmorency, and having more people come along would make stealth all the more difficult. But then, he recalled how they handled themselves in the battle, Montmorency included. He needed more information, he did a quick scan of the area to see if they were out of earshot of anyone before he began.

"All right, if you're going to join the mission, I'll need you to answer some questions."

"And they would be?" she asked, seemingly impatient.

"First, what are your skills? What can you do that would be a benefit to this mission?"

"I am a water mage and an alchemist, I can craft healing potions should the need arise."

"That would be extremely useful. Second, can you handle yourself in a fight?"

"O-of course, what self-respecting mage can't handle one?"

There was less assuredness in that answer, Tommy affixed her with his best Doctor Oliver look, and she seemed to look anywhere but at him.

"Third, will you be able to handle being in a warzone, with everything that entails?"

This time there was no answer, Montmorency continued to look away, but the look in her eyes seemed to suggest that she was reconsidering this course of action.

"Final question, why do you want to join the mission?"

"Prestige!" she replied, a bit too quickly, "A-and duty to my country."

On the one hand, Tommy had to admit that having a healer would be useful, given what they would be heading into. But on the other, he didn't think she'd be able to handle what might happen, and her reasons for joining seemed suspect. Then again, she seemed to handle herself fairly well in the heat of battle, so perhaps...

"We won't be leaving for a few more days, think it over in the meantime," Tommy said, before turning to Guiche, "Have you made your decision?"

"I have! I... I wish to be part of this mission!"

"In that case, meet me here tomorrow just before sunset, I have something in mind for you that we'll discuss."

"Of course, I will not be late."

The pair made their way back to the castle as Tommy walked back to the Megaship, his mind occupied with his plans for the coming days. As he approached the test site, he saw the group deep in conversation.

"What's the topic of discussion?" Tommy asked as he arrived.

"Just talking some history," Cassie replied.

"Like when we got baked into a giant pizza," TJ added.

"Do you always have to bring that up?" Carlos groaned.

"Come on, Carlos, it's funny."

"What's a pizza?" Louise asked.

"It's a kind of food back home, it's a long story."

"How did the tests go?" Tommy asked.

"Large object testing has been a success," Alpha replied, "All that's left is human testing."

"Then I'd better gear up, safety first and all," Tommy said, then took a few steps back and pulled out his morpher, "It's Morphing Time! Tigerzord!"

Tommy thrust his hands forward and pressed the switch, the light engulfing him as the power surged through him. His transformation complete, he took his place in the testing zone and gave the ready signal. The effect was immediate, a sensation like every particle in his being had been lit up, and were being pushed and pulled simultaneously. He took a step and stumbled slightly as the effect ended, his head a bit light and his vision blurry. He shook his head and then looked up to find that he had been successfully teleported a few feet away.

"Are you all right?" Jean called from his spot in the group.

"I'm okay, just a bit disoriented," Tommy replied, "I haven't done this in years so it's taking some getting used to. I'm ready to go again."

"That had to be the weirdest sensation that I have ever experienced," Derflinger chimed in.

The teleportation started again but this time he was ready for it, and in a fraction of the time it would have taken him to walk the distance, he was even further away. He was teleported once more and was back at his starting position.

"All tests have been successful!" Alpha announced.

"All except for one," Andros countered, "Unfortunately, we won't be able to test extreme long-distance teleportation until we transport the other console to Earth."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Tommy replied, returning to his unmorphed state.

"Do you need help with anything else?" TJ asked.

"Once I'm able to get home, I'll be able to bring supplies over as needed. But I am going to need Alpha's help with this endeavor, if you guys don't mind."

"I think that's for him to decide," Ashley said "What do you say, little man?"

"I would love to help make a new team of Rangers!" Alpha exclaimed.

"Then it's settled, now all we have to do is find a place here to put the console," TJ said, indicating toward the teleportation device.

"I believe that I can clear some space in my workshop for it," Jean offered, "But doesn't it require the power cable to function?"

"We installed a heavy-duty battery during construction, you should get a good few uses out of it before you need to find a permanent power source."

"Once I get home, I'll be able to rig up something to keep it running," Tommy replied.

As Jean led the group to his workshop, the console being carried by Andros and TJ, Tommy once more saw the students and even some of the faculty of the academy watching them, eyes alight with all manner of emotion. Confusion, curiosity, even fear, this was their first encounter with the unknown, and he had no doubt that word of this would spread. One thing at a time, he would worry about the societal repercussions of this when the time came. For now, he had a mission to focus on.

"Thanks again for all of this," Tommy said once the console was placed.

"We're Power Rangers, it's the least we could do to help a good cause," Andros replied.

"And besides, we're friends," TJ added, "We've always got each other's backs. If you need anything else, don't be a stranger."

Tommy bid the Space Rangers farewell and good luck, and he and the rest of the academy watched as they marched back to the Megaship. The great roar of the engines soon filled the air and within moments, it had swiftly gained altitude until it faded into the sky above.

Hours had passed since the ship had left for the stars, yet the gossip had refused to die down in that time. Louise had initially chosen to do some studying in the library, hoping that no one would be brazen enough to disrupt the customary quiet. Alas, she had been proven wrong, the incessant natter had seemed to permeate every inch of the academy. Not even her own room had been a haven from the ramblings of the uninformed, as several of her peers seemed to insist on standing right outside her door as they loudly spoke nonsense.

She eventually decided to bring her books to Professor Colbert's workshop, at least there her need to study would be respected. Night had long since come by the time she arrived, Tommy, Alpha, and the professor had been engaged in conversation in the intervening time. She tried to understand some of what had been said, but it might as well have been a foreign language to her ears.

"I find my curiosity piqued, what precisely powers you?" Professor Colbert asked.

"I possess a zefonium-gamma power core and I am able to function for a week on a full charge," Alpha replied, "Normally, I would have my charging alcove to keep me running, but I am also able to recharge with solar power."

"Solar power? Isn't that something we discussed previously?"

"Yeah, on the night we first met," Tommy replied.

Louise wanted to protest that something like that couldn't possibly exist, but it had become harder and harder to do so as of late. So many of her preconceptions of the world had been proven false in such a short time. If she had been asked over a week ago what she thought her recent future would be like, this certainly wouldn't have been her answer. So here she sat, in the same room as her eccentric professor, her powerful warrior familiar, and the strange red and gold 'android'. Here she sat, trying to prepare for a mission that would decide the fate of nations, while also preparing for a war that would decide the fate of worlds. She would never admit it aloud, but the enormity of it all made her feel small, insignificant even. But she would do her part, as was expected of her, no matter what it took.

"How exactly do you plan to establish a team of Rangers here?" Louise asked.

"I don't know yet, it's going to take some time to research and prepare everything that we'll need, time that we won't have until after the mission," Tommy replied, "But that does bring up something that I'd like to ask the two of you."

"We're listening," Professor Colbert replied.

"I'd like the two of you to help in this endeavor, all Ranger powers are made from a fusion of technology and magic, and you both know more about magic than I do."

The room grew quiet then, Louise turned to look at Professor Colbert just as he looked at her, uncertainty as clear on his face as it was in her heart. She had gladly done her part to help earlier, even if she knew not what she was doing, but this was different. She still struggled to understand what had been happening, the sheer scope of it all was enough to make her hesitate. She wished to do her part for the sake of her home, to protect it from whatever horrors might lurk out beyond her world, but would she be able to? What surprised her most of all was that Tommy seemed to respect her intelligence enough to ask this of her, even though he must know that she knew nothing of what Power Rangers were.

"I find myself conflicted about this request," Professor Colbert began, removing his spectacles, "To be involved in scientific pursuits such as these is beyond my wildest dreams, but I cannot in good conscience participate in this. But I am already assisting you both with that farce of a mission, aren't I?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think it was necessary," Tommy replied, "Believe me, I hope that nothing happens and that the Rangers won't be necessary, but experience has taught me that nothing is ever so simple. Something will come one day, it always does. It might be tomorrow, or it might be in a thousand years, but when it does, Halkeginia will need a way to defend itself."

"I... I will need time to think on this."

"That's completely fair, I know that I'm asking for a lot. What about you, Louise?"

"Out of the question!" the professor nearly shouted, "She is already in enough potential peril, I will not allow her to be in more!"

"She has a right to make her own choices."

"So long as she is a student of this institution and is under my authority, no she does not. I may not be able to stop her from participating in this asinine mission, but I will do whatever it takes to prevent her from coming to more harm."

"I want to assist in this, Professor," Louise interjected, "It is my duty as a noble to do what is right for Tristain."

"Miss Valliere, you've only just started your second year at the academy" Professor Colbert began, "I do not mean to disparage you but what could you possibly do to help with this? I'm still trying to comprehend all of this."

Louise had to resist the urge to clench her fist, to resist the anger that had begun to rise. She knew that he meant well, he was one of the very few that never looked down upon her because of her difficulties with magic, but the words still stung.

"D-d-despite my struggles in p-practical spellcasting, my knowledge of magical theory is extensive. I have been studying books far above my level for years in the hope that they might contain some insight into my issues..."

"That is beside the point, Miss Valliere," Professor Colbert replied, trying to sound reassuring, "You speak of duty, so please understand that I must do mine. I am charged with ensuring your education as well as your well-being, as I am with every student here. I may be unable to countermand a direct order from the princess herself, but I will still do everything within my power to keep you out of danger."

He was right, Louise knew that he was right, but she still had to do something. Her duty was all that she had, it was the only way that she had that she could prove herself, at least until she could fix her magic. Silence resumed within the small shack, its four occupants unsure of what to say next. Suddenly, a strange sound came from the 'console' that now occupied one of the tables. Alpha immediately shuffled over to it and pressed the 'keys' in rapid succession, the 'screen' shifting to display a different pattern.

"The other console has successfully come online," Alpha declared.

"Andros was correct, it truly is the fastest ship in the universe if it can travel such distances in so short a time," Professor Colbert said.

"Then that's my cue," Tommy said as he stepped toward the machine.

"You will return?" Louise asked, hesitant to let him leave.

"Of course, I should be back by tomorrow with some supplies that we're going to need for the mission."

Louise simply nodded, and watched as Alpha pressed the keys once more. A burst of white light briefly filled their vision, and Tommy was gone.

The first thing that Tommy did upon landing was to catch himself before he hit the ground face first. If he wasn't used to teleportation anymore, then he was certainly not used to intergalactic teleportation. As he tried to get his vision back to normal, he stood to find himself back in his lab, back where all of this started, and he sighed in relief to finally be home. He missed his bed, he missed his shower, and though he would never admit it, he missed his toilet. That wasn't to say that Tristain wasn't a nice place, he was just too used to living on modern Earth. But familiar comforts would have to wait, he had work to do.

The first thing he did was approach the newly installed teleportation console and began typing, sending a signal to the other one to let them know he had arrived safely. That was the easy part, as now he had some explaining to do. He sat in his chair in front of his primary computer and typed in the transmission code, and in moments his screen was occupied by the face of one Captain William Mitchell.

"Tommy, there you are," the older man began.

"Captain Mitchell."

"The Space Rangers have informed me of your situation, are you sure that this is a wise course of action?"

"I'm positive, I have a responsibility to these people after what I had seen."

"Tommy, I completely understand what it's like to discover lost family, but..."

"It's more than that, Bill. While I have complete faith that we'll win this war, you and I both know that 'impossible' lost all meaning a long time ago. There's a chance that the Power Rangers will fail, and while our allies will be able to hold off the Armada for a time, the universe will ultimately be defenseless. So I'm going to make sure that at least someone has a fighting chance. And besides all of that, something brought Rita's staff to that planet, and I have to find out what so that it won't bring something worse in the future."

"I have my doubts about this, especially given everything that's been happening here. But I trust that you're making the right call, and you'll have my support should you need it."

"Thank you, Captain."

Captain Mitchell gave one last nod and the transmission ended. Tommy had one last call to make, and it was one that he least looked forward to. He checked the time and while it wasn't too late, he should probably save the call for the morning. Then again, it was important and she did often work late... He grabbed his phone and hit the speed dial, it rang once, then twice before he got a response.

"Reefside High, this is Principal Randall speaking."

"Hey, Elsa."

"Tommy? Where have you been?!"

"It's a really long story."

"So I've heard. You're lucky that the school board likes you so much, otherwise Anton and I wouldn't be able to keep covering for you like this."

"I know, and I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be back for a while, things are complicated but I will be back as soon as everything is sorted."

"Just don't take too long, or else my hands will be tied and I'll be forced to fire you, and finding another science teacher as good as you will be a pain in the neck."

The call ended and Tommy took a moment to breathe. He really should be back at work tomorrow morning, but the past just had to rear its ugly head. How was this whole dual-life thing so much easier in high school? With a sigh, he stood and began to make a list of everything he'd need to bring to Tristain, and once finished, he would get some sleep in a bed that wasn't a pile of straw.

"Say, this is a pretty spiffy place you got, Partner!"

Oh right, he had completely forgotten that he was still wearing Derflinger. Looks like he now had a very talkative roommate.