A/N 1: So this is a little plot bunny that just won't go away. Even though the views for stories is screwed the heck up. Note: I am not a Kat hater. But this one just won't go away so I gotta do it.

A/N 2: White Thunder and Fighting Spirit reimagined slightly. Kat's actions put Tommy's life at stake.

A/N 3: Usual disclaimer. Power Rangers isn't mine. Eldin and Fienna are products of Boom Studios. Zophram too.

Chapter 7 – Falcon's Fight for Survival Part I

April 31, 2003

Angel Grove, CA

A young woman stood just outside Angel Grove's newest…and hottest…attraction. It had been talked about for at least three years, and now it was finally here – had been opened the previous Friday in fact to rave reviews.

Grandma F's Hotel and Bar, right in the heart of downtown.

If one thought that the spot…and the hotel itself…was not just another spot for visitors to stop through, but was dedicated to the teams of Rangers that had defended the city in the 1990s, well, they were right. Murals of battles past and statues of all past Rangers who had once defended the city were littered throughout the complex.

It turned out that the young woman, who went by the name Fiona on Earth, had teamed up with the Space Rangers of yesteryear, had transferred the Zenemetars they'd built up over years and years of service, and had turned it into this.

The building itself was beautiful. It was quite unique…it seemed to be carved right out of rock, as if it were in the desert outside town itself. It had luxurious rooms, and a top notch grill and bar which had seen plenty of visitors to watch the NCAA basketball tournament that weekend.

And that was even though some of the games that weekend were also in Southern California. Anaheim to be exact.

But the young-looking woman smiled – as the co-owner of the hotel alongside former Red Space Ranger Andros, and former Blue Morphin Ranger Billy Cranston (hence the Grandma F name), she knew what this hotel would really be used for, as she walked back through the entrance to a room which read "Owners Only," and then, seeing she was alone in the room, transformed into the legendary sorceress Lady Fienna.

That sign was a misnomer. That would simply keep the public's prying eyes away from the other ulterior motive for the hotel.

Once inside, she stepped to the wall and chanted a spell which opened a secret door in the wall. As soon as she stepped through the door closed behind her. She was in a dimly lit cavern and traipsed down a series of spiral stairs and came to a glowing portal, which she stepped through.

It was a fully operational underground Command Center like the one out in the desert of yesteryear, with all the latest technology. Billy had come back to Earth shortly after the Red mission to the moon – he knew who was behind this whole conspiracy (which is why he'd left in the first place) and had come back to help set things right.

If he could, he would strangle Kat the second he saw her. But he knew that would be acting out of bounds to what Zordon would want. They would have to outsmart her. The death of his late friend Trini had brought him back to ensure that nothing of that sort would happen again.

His first order of business was to ensure that a new Command Center could be built and that the mistakes of yesteryear were fixed this time. The idea to build it under the hotel had been a genius idea.

"How goes it?" she asked Billy, who was at the controls.

"Everything's fully operational," Billy said. "Now we watch as Ninja Storm kicks Lothor's ass."

Billy really didn't like to use that language but everything about Kat made him so mad. He had been wrong to trust her. They all had. And worse, Tommy had married her.

At least Tanya had it right and had agreed to be trained to her full potential. She was back in town now, married to Adam and was teaching dance classes but still trained with the M-51 crowd and Udonna often.

"And if Katarina interferes?" Fienna asked.

"She won't…she thinks Lothor is a loser," Billy said. "We will be ready just in case but I do not think she will interfere…not until another team comes along."

January 17, 2004

Miami, FL

"You had better have a good excuse for gallivanting away at all hours of the night, Katarina," her father hissed as they gathered where Kim couldn't hear.

It wasn't enough that those cursed Rangers still lived and that they couldn't touch Kimberly, allowing her to fully heal (though they supposed the mental scars were still slow to heal so that was good for them).

But now Tommy Oliver, the person Lokar hated almost as much as his cursed ex, was back again with four younger Ranger cockroaches running around.

Were it up to Lokar and Kaden, they would go to Reefside right now, level the city and kick the shit out of Oliver and his younger Rangers. They were tired of waiting.

Kat had assured them she had a plan that would not only cause headaches for Tommy but would end him permanently.

"I don't see much of anything going on here either, Kitty," her brother said. "Lately, you've been all talk but not much action."

"Yeah, it's not my bloody fault that Fienna, Zophram and Rita made it where I can't touch that bitch," Kat snapped back. "Did you forget I am still his wife and can monitor everything he does? However, as long as Goldar did what I asked him to do, my plan will end Dr. Oliver for good. Did you get it done?"

"I did, Katarina. It is done. Tommy Oliver will never know what hit him until it is too late!" Goldar rasped.

Kat's birthday had been last month and to show his appreciation for his daughter, Lokar, along with Ooze, had brought back Goldar as a birthday gift. Kaden however had expressed reservations saying Goldar was not trustworthy.

Lokar and Ooze had become more convinced of that as weeks had gone on, but they were still willing to let things play out.

They were getting impatient though. Kat had still not made any progress on getting Tommy to have kids with her, either.

"Observe," Kat said as she called up a visual.

The scene suddenly shifted to Mesogog's lair, where a dino gem was shown. This one, unlike the four previous gems, was white.

"It looks innocent," Kaden said.

"That it does, but that gem contains a nasty surprise for Dr. Oliver," Goldar shot back. "Let's just say it's a…blast from his past."

"Once that gem finds its holder, the Rangers will not like what happens after that. Dr. Oliver's days are numbered," Kat said.

She next turned to one of her top underwater warriors.

"Jellyfish," she said, "any progress on your assignment?"

"No," he said, "my targets have been nowhere near the water, much less my domain, lately."

It was true. The people that Kat had assigned Jellyfish to target had been nowhere near a beach in recent weeks. They had been busy with their jobs before and after the Christmas break.

"Well, you know what to do when you see them," Kat said, waving him away.

"Yes, Mistress," he said as he left.

Kat then focused her mind on something that had come to her attention very recently.

"How sweet," she hissed to herself, "not. One of the stupid Reds who went with Tommy boy to the moon has been reunited with his Pink."

"Guess I'll have to change that," Kat muttered, "but only after Tommy boy is dead."

January 19, 2004

Miami, FL and Mesogog's lair

Everything was almost in place. The table was set. The person who the gem belonged to had walked into Mesogog's lair.

Kat knew the boy, Trent, or whatever his name was, was destined for the gem. It wasn't that she was that smart enough to know, it was that she could feel the fluctuation in the grid. The power was off the charts. It had to be him.

Kat's smile grew wider and wider as Trent got closer to it. She knew her plan had come to fruition when the bracelet rose up and attached to Trent's wrist. The gem, and the evil Goldar had placed inside the gem, now belonged to her and only her. This Ranger would not be working for Mesogog.

With Trent now fully bonded to evil, she conveyed her order to him telepathically.

'Get the Dino Thunder Rangers attention, and do not take orders from Mesogog. You are working for me. You know me as Kat, but you can call me Mistress. When the time is right, end Dr. Oliver for good.'

'Yes, Mistress,' came the response.

A few hours later, and Kat couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

Dr. Oliver hadn't come out to play…yet, but the evil White Dino Thunder Ranger had done exactly what she asked him to do. Get the attention of Tommy's younger charges. In the few minutes he'd gone against them he'd trashed them like they were nothing.

Even better was that both Mesogog, as well as Tommy and Hayley, had no idea what was going on. She'd been in the Dino Thunder lab just 15 minutes ago, with the feigned look of concern on her face and everything.

But Tommy and Hayley hadn't a clue. Her plan was going just as she wanted.

"I must admit, impressive," Kaden said. "You and Goldar turned a Ranger evil and made both Mesogog and Tommy boy unhappy."

"And that is only the start of things," Goldar said. "He didn't just beat Tommy's little roaches once, he beat them twice. Tommy Oliver's days are numbered."

"You of all people should know better than to underestimate him, monkey boy," Lokar quipped.

"This time you are wrong, Dad," Kat suddenly cut in and clapped back. "I have specific instructions for Trent. When the time is right, Dr. Oliver will end up…stuck in neutral, let's say, and when that MENSA genius Hayley tries to help him, he will die."

"I knew you were always a bad kitty, Katarina," Goldar said, "and it's too bad your time with destiny was delayed. But at last, the end of Tommy Oliver and Zordon's legacy is within reach."

January 27, 2004

Miami, FL

If it was possible, Kat's smile was even bigger than it was eight days ago.

Trent had done exactly what she'd told him to do. When the time was right, use your powers to trap Tommy in amber and take him out of the fight – and maybe, eventually, take him out for good.

That was exactly what he had done.

Even better, Tommy knew the identity of the Ranger and had been about to tell Hayley who it was when Trent had zapped him with the amber.

What Hayley had told the team…even though she hated the bitch…was absolutely correct, she thought as she tucked herself in that night.

"It's more like he's…fossilized," Hayley had told the team. "Fused into this amber-like substance."

And the other part she'd told them was true as well. She'd feigned concern while she was in the dino lab, but her heart was really racing a thousand miles an hour when Hayley described the consequences of trying to break him out.

"He's able to stay alive in there, but I'd hate to think what would happen if I broke him out."

"Sweet dreams, Dr. Oliver," she smirked as she laid her head down that night. "Enjoy the afterlife because this is what you get when you defy the power of Lokar. Your world will belong to me."

Her very last thought was a very happy one…she'd forced Kimberly to watch every bit of the last nine days. It was pure torture – like Kimberly was reliving the Green Ranger saga, but the only man she truly loved (not the asshole she was married to now) was on the wrong end of this. And it could cost him his life.

Kimberly's faith was wavering, too. This was augmenting the Orb of Despair again, and that orb's powers were making Trent even stronger, not just the dino gem.

Grandma F's Hotel, Command Center, same time

Downtown Angel Grove

The reaction, however, was very, very different in this new base of operations (which was unknown by the vast majority of the population and even most Rangers except a few). It was very subdued, as Billy. Andros and Justin stood before the legendary Lady Fienna (who was now serving as the de facto Zordon of this era of Rangers in Angel Grove) with concerned looks on their faces.

"Give it to us straight, Lady F," Justin said, using his coin name for the legendary sorceress. "Tommy's chances of survival are?"

"Slim and none, and slim is getting slimmer by the hour," Fienna deadpanned solemnly as Billy and Justin's heads dropped. "Hayley is a MENSA level genius, as you Earthlings say, but even she cannot break him out of that amber without risking his life."

"You're telling us he could DIE?" Billy said. Even for the staid, stoic genius Billy Cranston, his mouth was agape. "You're telling us his wife could be responsible for the conspiracy that kills the great Tommy Oliver?"

"That is exactly what I am saying, yes. There is only one person who in my view can save Tommy Oliver from death. If he does not get help from her, he dies. And I think you know who the she is."

"I want to go help her," a voice suddenly cut in. Billy and Justin whipped their heads around to see Guitardo, one of the past enemies of the Rangers who had chosen not to ally with Lokar. Guitardo's love and respect for Zordon's original Pink Ranger, in fact, is what had saved him from the wave. "I have a debt to pay."

"I like you better than the bad old days, Guitardo, but let's fact it, she's not going to listen to you alone and you know that. One of us will have to go with you."

"I still want to help, though," Guitardo said. "If I end up going to hell when this is all over, I don't want the deaths of Tommy and Kim on my conscience…whatever conscience I have."

"So do we all, Guitardo, but you have to remember that one, we are outnumbered and two, that hellpit is heavily guarded. We will have to wait until they think they have victory in their grasp," Pachinko Head said; he had been watching this whole conversation too.

"There's a reason you're still here, remember?" Justin reminded him. "Because you are willing to put your life at stake for Kim, that's true selflessness."

"Justin is correct, Guitardo. And we will go and help her, and Tommy, but the time is not quite right. Yet," Fienna said.

January 29, 2004

Miami, FL

Kimberly was one of the few people who enjoyed work more than home life. That wasn't hard to fathom for those who knew her as her home life was hell.

But at work she was treated with the respect she'd deserved and earned. She'd landed a job right out of college at one of America's biggest law firms in Miami and over the last year or so she'd proven why. Her home life was hell but she was making cash hand over fist. Six figs in fact. Her husband made that too but had a separate account.

Better yet, her abusive and evil husband had no clue where that money was being stashed. That was for Kim to know and them to find out.

And she'd been named employee of the month, again. That meant a half day this week for her and so she'd chosen this day.

But in the next breath, she'd wished she hadn't taken the day off. Her heart broke. On the street, malnourished and seemingly left to rot, was a poor puppy.

She was so moved that she looked in her pocket.

One wishing coin left.

This was going to hurt so much because she knew what was happening with Tommy. The assholes had made her watch it.

But she knew this puppy deserved better.

"Please forgive me, Tommy," she muttered.

Gripping her wishing coin, she mumbled, "Please let this puppy be safe. It's random but in my view he deserves a home."

The wishing coin disappeared and as if on cue, a taxi rolled by and saw the dog and Kim. He too was moved with pity and stopped.

"This your dog?" he asked.

"I wish but no," Kim said sadly. "I only just saw him too and he deserves a home."

"I'll take him to a shelter. Someone needs to treat him better."

"Thank you so much," Kim said as she saw the taxi leave with the dog in the car nestled against the driver.

No sooner did that happen than she felt a flash in her pocket. No way, she thought.

But as she felt in her pocket and grabbed the object, it was true.

More wishing coins. Three of them.

Then she heard an alluring, female voice in her head.

"Congratulations young warrior. Though your life has been a living hell, you have continued to be the embodiment of what Zordon taught. He and Trini would be proud of you."

"Thus you have earned three more wishing coins. Use them well."

It felt good to know she was doing something right.

But now, she had to go back to hell, lest hell get worse for her.

But perhaps, if Tommy's life really was on the line, she could directly help. She couldn't imagine why it would take a near death experience for Tommy to know of the forces that were trying to kill him. But, she guessed, perhaps that's how it had to be.

She wasn't going to let those assholes kill him. Not if she could help it.

Grandma F's Hotel and Bar, Command Center, same time

Downtown Angel Grove

"Way to go, Kim," Billy muttered as he saw the whole thing play out. Kim had to have been really strong mentally to do the right thing, knowing that possibly it would have left her without an avenue to help Tommy.

But she'd trusted in the wisdom Zordon had imparted in her. Now because of it, she'd still have a chance to help Tommy.

He knew the individual who had bestowed the three extra coins on Kim, too. None of the others had met Dulcea but he had. They, especially Kim, would get to know her sooner or later with Tommy's life at stake.

Then he turned to Fienna.

"Can you guys look after the place while I go to Reefside temporarily? Should something happen, their tech advisor may need extra hands or even someone to talk to."

"Yes. But be careful. Once Kat sees you she may try to destroy you," Fienna said, expressing much skepticism.

"Understood. But I need to do this," Billy said. "Hayley right now is in just as much danger if Tommy dies."

"Very well. May the Power protect you Billy."

With that, Billy left to prepare his belongings for the trip.

Review box is at the bottom. Please read/review/follow if you don't mind. Thanks.