I woke up with a small groan, my body feeling like it had been through a wringer. As my vision cleared, I realized I was still in the medbay, lying in one of the beds. The sterile smell of antiseptic and the quiet hum of machinery filled the room. I blinked a few times, trying to gather my thoughts. Jason noticed I was awake and hurried over, his expression a mix of concern and relief. "Kali! Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, his voice soft but urgent. I gave a weak smile, though my heart was heavy.

"I was gonna ask you the same question," I replied, my voice still shaky. Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, after a few moments, you blacked out. You've been out for a few hours," he explained, his eyes searching mine for any sign of how I was truly feeling. I swallowed hard, the memory of Merrick's condition flashing through my mind.

"Is Merrick…" I dared to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Jason's face became solemn, and he shook his head slowly.

"I'm sorry, Kali. He didn't make it."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I closed my eyes as tears welled up. "No… it didn't work… I couldn't save him," I whispered, my voice breaking as I struggled to hold back the flood of emotions. I sat up, rubbing my eyes furiously, trying to compose myself. Immediately, Jason wrapped me in a gentle hug, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of my grief.

"It's not your fault, Kali. You did everything you could," he murmured, his voice a steady reassurance in my ear. I clung to him, the weight of the loss pressing down on me.

"I just… I wanted to save him, Jason. I want to save everyone," I said, my tears soaking into his shirt. He pulled back slightly, looking into my eyes with a determined gaze.

"We all do. But we're not giving up, okay? We're going to keep fighting, and we're going to stop Drakkon. Merrick's sacrifice won't be in vain."

I nodded, wiping my tears and taking a deep breath. "You're right. We have to keep going," I said, my voice steadier now. Billy walked over, having heard our conversation.

"Kali, you did something incredible back there. You channeled a power we didn't even know you had. Don't lose hope. We're going to figure this out together," he said, his eyes filled with optimism.

I managed a small smile, feeling the support of my friends giving me strength. "Thanks, Billy. I won't give up. Not as long as I have all of you by my side."

Jason squeezed my shoulder gently. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get you back on your feet. We have a lot of work to do."

I nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose as I stood up slowly, my legs still a bit unsteady. "Right. We've got three more Ranger teams here: the Time Force team, the RPM team, and the rest of your team, right?" I asked, looking between Jason and Billy.

Billy nodded, his expression serious. "Yes, and we also have the Mystic Force, Wild Force, and SPD Rangers with us."

Jason added, "We're building a formidable force, but we need to strategize effectively."

"Okay, let's try a divide and conquer strategy," I said thoughtfully, pacing as I tried to piece together a plan. "If we can push Drakkon's forces back on multiple fronts, he'll have to return his focus to us and give us an opening."

Jason was about to respond when an alarm blared through the base, making us all jump. "That's the distress call alarm," Billy said urgently as we rushed to the command room. Billy quickly pulled up the distress call on the main screen as Trini, Jen, and Ziggy joined us. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the face on the screen.

"Ecliptor!" I exclaimed.

"If there's…any Rangers out there…I could use some…help," Ecliptor said, his voice strained and labored.

"We have to help him," I said firmly, my resolve hardening. "I refuse to stand by and watch anyone else, friend or foe, fall victim to Drakkon's assault. If Ecliptor is injured, that's saying something about the severity of the situation."

Billy looked at me purposefully. "You're right. We can't let anyone else fall."

"Let's go!" I declared, morphing into my Black Wolf Ranger form.

"We're with you, Kali," Trini said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder before she and the others morphed.

We teleported to Ecliptor's coordinates and arrived to see him surrounded by Drakkon's Mastodon Sentries and Mystic Guards. The air was thick with tension, and the scent of burnt ozone filled my nostrils as we landed in the middle of the chaotic battlefield. "Hold the line, Ecliptor! We've got your back!" I shouted, rushing forward to engage the enemy.

Ecliptor, despite his injuries, managed to nod in acknowledgment. "I didn't think…help would arrive so soon," he said, struggling to stay on his feet.

Trini, wielding her Power Daggers, leaped into the fray with a fierce battle cry. "Let's take these goons down!"

Jen and Ziggy joined her, their weapons flashing as they cut through the ranks of sentries and guards. Billy stayed close to me, using his scientific know-how to strategize our next moves. "Focus on the Mystic Guards! They're the ones reinforcing the sentries' shields!" Billy shouted over the din of battle.

"Got it!" I replied, zeroing in on a group of Mystic Guards. "Time to try something new. Quadro Blaster!" I exclaimed, as I reached my hand out and in moments the Space Rangers' Quadro Blaster appeared in my hand.

Woah…Zordon was right! I can summon any Ranger weapon!

With a series of precise shots, I broke through their defenses, disrupting the energy shields that protected the sentries. Ecliptor, seeing an opening, unleashed a powerful energy blast, scattering the remaining sentries.

"I hate to say it but…I owe you, Rangers," he said, his voice grateful yet weary.

"We're not done yet," I said, scanning the battlefield for any lingering threats. "We need to get you back to our base and patch you up. Can you stand?"

Ecliptor nodded, though it was clear he was barely holding on. "I can manage… with your help."

Trini and Ziggy moved to support Ecliptor, helping him to his feet. "Let's get out of here before Drakkon sends reinforcements," Trini said, her eyes darting around cautiously. I nodded as the Quadro Blaster dematerialized. We teleported back to base and hurriedly led Ecliptor to the medbay. The place buzzed with the usual activity, but there was an added layer of urgency now. Billy immediately got to work, assessing Ecliptor's injuries and administering first aid. As Billy patched him up, I pulled up a chair next to the medbay bed.

"What happened, Ecliptor?" I asked, my voice steady but filled with concern. Ecliptor winced slightly as Billy tightened a bandage around his arm.

"I was fighting the Space Rangers on KO-35 when a Ranger who called himself Lord Drakkon appeared. He attacked both me and the Rangers with brutal efficiency. I barely escaped... but I don't know what's become of the Rangers," he explained, his voice tinged with worry. A knot tightened in my stomach.

"I'm going to KO-35. I've gotta help them," I said firmly, standing up to leave. But Ecliptor reached out and grabbed my arm, his grip surprisingly strong for someone in his condition.

"It's probably too late," he said, his voice low and urgent. "The Rangers weren't doing too well against this Drakkon guy."

I pulled my arm away gently but resolutely. "I don't care. I have to try. Too many have fallen already." Turning to Billy, I added, "Billy, will you, Jason, and Trini look after Ecliptor?"

Billy looked at me, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Of course, Kali. Be careful," he replied. I gave him a small, grateful smile and a quick nod before closing my eyes. I focused on the Space Rangers, what I knew of Andros, Ashley, Carlos, T.J., Cassie, and Zhane, and everything I knew about Andros' homeworld, KO-35. The familiar rush of teleportation energy enveloped me as I visualized my destination. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the middle of a war-torn landscape. KO-35 was in ruins, with smoke rising from numerous points on the horizon. I spotted the Space Rangers engaged in a fierce battle against Drakkon's forces. They were holding their own, but barely.

"Andros!" I shouted, running towards the group. Just as Drakkon raised his blade for a fatal strike, I leaped between them, blocking the blow with my Dragon Dagger.

"I see your strength has grown tremendously since our first encounter, daughter. But you will never defeat me. Your allegiance to the Rangers makes you soft," he taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.

"You're wrong, Drakkon," I shot back, my voice steady despite the chaos around us. "My allegiance to the Rangers makes me stronger. It's something you could never understand."

Drakkon snarled, pushing against my blade with renewed ferocity. "Strength is born from power, not from weak bonds of friendship."

Andros struggled to his feet, clutching his side. "We need to work together," he said, his voice strained but determined.

"Ah, more lambs to the slaughter," he taunted, raising his weapon.

"We'll see who gets slaughtered," Andros growled as he got to his feet.

"Right," I replied, meeting his gaze. "On three. One... two... three!"

We pushed Drakkon back, forcing him to retreat a few steps. The Space Rangers, seeing their leader back in action, rallied around us, forming a protective circle. "He's too strong," Cassie said, her voice tinged with worry.

"We have to hold our ground," T.J. added, gripping his weapon tightly. "If we fall here, everything's lost."

"We won't fall," I declared, stepping forward. "Not today."

Drakkon laughed, a cold, menacing sound. "Such bravado. But it will take more than words to defeat me."

"We'll show you more than words," Andros responded fiercely. "Together, we can do this."

Drakkon's expression darkened as he charged at us again. I moved in tandem with Andros, our attacks synchronized. Even with his injuries, Andros still fought as hard as he could and I admired that. Despite his taunts, I could see the frustration in Drakkon's eyes. He hadn't expected such resistance. As we fought, I felt a surge of energy within me, a connection to the Morphin Grid like never before. "Andros, I have an idea. Hold him off for a second!"

He nodded, blocking Drakkon's strikes as I focused. Channeling the power of the Wolf Armor, I summoned every ounce of strength I had. "Wolf Spirit, lend me your power!" I shouted, feeling the energy pulse through me. The air crackled with energy as a spectral wolf, RJ's animal spirit, appeared beside me, its eyes glowing. It howled, the sound resonating through the battlefield, and leaped at Drakkon. The impact sent him staggering back, his grip on his weapon faltering. "Now, Andros!" I yelled.

Andros and I charged together, our combined might overwhelming Drakkon. He tried to fight back, but the spectral wolf's energy sapped his strength. With one final push, we forced him to his knees. "This isn't over," Drakkon hissed, his voice filled with venom. "I will return."

"Not if we have anything to say about it," I replied, breathing heavily. "Get out of here."

With a snarl, Drakkon vanished in a burst of dark energy. The battlefield fell silent, save for the crackling of fires and the distant sounds of battle. Andros turned to me, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude. "Thank you. You saved us, but who are you?"

"My name's Kali," I replied, feeling the exhaustion catch up with me. "I heard what happened and came to help. Thankfully, I wasn't too late."

Cassie, T.J., Carlos, and Ashley gathered around us, their faces showing the same mix of relief and determination. "What's our next move?" Carlos asked, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

"We won this battle, but the war is far from over," I said, my mind already racing with the next steps. "We could use your help continuing the fight against Drakkon." I quickly explained how we had found Ecliptor and the state he was in. Andros exchanged brief glances with his team, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

"If Drakkon is powerful enough to make Ecliptor run, you're gonna need all the help you can get. How can we help?"

I felt a small smile form on my lips, grateful for their readiness to join the cause. "Thank you. We need all the help we can get. Let's get you back to our base and regroup."

As we teleported back, the base buzzed with activity. Jason and Billy were coordinating efforts with the other Ranger teams, the tension palpable but under control. I led the Space Rangers to the command room, where Jason, Billy, Trini, Jen, and Ziggy were gathered around the central console. "These are the Space Rangers," I introduced them. "Andros, Zhane, Cassie, T.J., Carlos, and Ashley."

Jason stepped forward, extending a hand to Andros. "Welcome. We're glad to have you with us."

Billy nodded, his expression serious. "Every bit of help counts. We're up against a powerful enemy."

Andros looked around the room, taking in the diverse group of Rangers. "We're ready to fight. Just tell us what we need to do."