Disclaimer: Neither of us own anything on the Power Rangers. However Sharon Lanrydan, Spectra and the Crystalis are of our creation. The last name Lanrydan is property of Crystal Maiden, which is used with her permission. The song 'Hurricane Tonight' is from the Anime BubbleGum Crisis 2032.

The New Girl
By David Knight and Kenneth Hillis

Everything at the Lightspeed Aquabase was running smoothly as usual. Everyone was on time for work. All the equipment was functioning properly. Ms. Fairweather and her team were working on newer weapons for the rangers. Captain Mitchell was in his office finishing reports. The Lightspeed Rangers were on call if needed.

Basically it was a regular Tuesday…

Except in Data Storage Room A.

~*~

"Man… it's almost too easy getting into this place." the mysterious figure said to herself. "I wish the data files had said who the Rangers were so I would know."

She was looking around making sure no one had spotted her. On the monitor were the designs for the Lightspeed Zords and the Rail Rescues. They were being downloaded onto a small CD.

"Done. Now it's time to…" she smiled.

"Who are you?" Dana shouted.

The figure bolted before Dana could see her. Dana then activated the alarms. "We have an intruder in the Aqua Base!"

Joel was walking through the halls towards his, Chad, and Carter's quarters when suddenly the alarms went off and Dana's voice rang throughout the Aqua Base, "What the…" He started, before a figure suddenly ran into him.

"Out of my way!" she shouted as she telekinetically threw him gently against a wall and continued to run off.

Joel shook it off and made his way to his feet, "I take it that's the intruder." With that, he set off running.

"Shit!" she muttered. "They closed off the water shaft… there goes plan A. I better find another exit route." and with that she continued to run off.

"Joel the whole base is an uproar with this." Chad ran to him.

Joel just kept running past him, "Intruder!" He shouted before turning to go down another hallway.

"Damn it. Why me?" she muttered as she got into the rover bay. She noticed Carter and Kelsey were in the Rover and were ready to leave. "My ticket out of here." she smiled as she jumped into the back with out them know it as the Rover left the base.

"Oh shit!" Chad cried.

"We can't find her anywhere." Dana said. "Everything was closed off though."

"No… not everything. The Rover just left." Chad said. "Carter and Kelsey are in it."

"No way she could've snuck onto that with them in it…" Joel muttered.

"She did sneak into the base undetected until Dana found her," Captain Mitchell stated as he came up from behind them.

"But how… how could she have gotten in here?" Chad said.

"It would be nothing short of impossible… but there's a larger concern." Ms. Fairweather came to them.

"What?" Dana asked.

"She downloaded the files on the Rail Rescues and the Lightspeed Zords." Ms. Fairweather replied.

"Damn…" The Green Ranger growled.

They made their way to the main control room where Mitchell opened up a channel to Carter's Morpher, "Carter," He said in a low voice, "Act normal. Don't make it known that you can hear me. Listen, this is important…"

"Thanks for the lift." the girl said getting up from hiding but even though she was covered Carter could see a lock of brown hair. "But this is where I get off."

"What the…?!" Carter exclaimed.

"Hold it!" Kelsey exclaimed grabbing the girl's arm, "You're not going anywhere. Especially in a moving vehicle." She looked at Carter and nodded, he then sped up somewhat.

"Don't make me hurt you Yellow Ranger." she said.

"Yeah, whatever," She said, climbing out of her seat, "Now what are you doing here?"

"You won't find out." she said. With a flick of her wrist Kelsey fell asleep. "Being Kerovan helps. Later Red Ranger."

With that she ran away from them faster than a normal human could.

Carter slammed on the breaks then got up and checked Kelsey, breathing a sigh of relief when he figured out she was just asleep. Judging the general direction the girl was running in, he turned the Rescue Rover around and went off after her.

"Sorry pal… but this time you are not going get me." she smiled as she was in an abandoned alley. In a set of silver-gold sparkles she was gone.

"What in the world?" Carter said when he couldn't find her. "Time to go home."

~*~

No sooner had Carter gotten back to the base with Kelsey did they see the security was in a frenzy.

"Man that girl really stirred up the place." Kelsey said.

"No kidding." Carter said as he and Kelsey walked back to Rescue Ops. "By the way how is your head."

"Better. Guess what ever she did isn't permanent." Kelsey said as the two Rangers joined the rest of their team, Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather.

"I'm glad to see you are alright. This incident has everyone on edge." Captain Mitchell said. "Ms. Fairweather what did she get?"

"We've done a complete diagnostic on what the intruder downloaded. In addition to the Rail Rescues and the Lightspeed Zords, she got information on the Lightspeed Cycles and…" Ms. Fairweather said.

"And what?" Dana asked.

"The personal files on all five of you." she said.

"Crap…" The Red Ranger muttered to himself, "Thankfully, she can't use our identities against us. Everyone already knows that… Everything else, on the other hand…"

"I know… it's an accident waiting to happen." Ms. Fairweather said.

"Do you think she's one of Diabolico's people?" Chad asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised…" Kelsey said, "She knocked me out without even touching me."

"I don't know…" Carter replied, "She said something about how 'being Kerovan helps' after she did that, Kelsey."

"Kerovian?" Chad asked.

"She's human but she's from the Space Colony KO-35." Dana spoke up. "That's where Kerovians are from."

Carter nodded, "Yeah, I remember hearing about them in history class back when I was in school… But Kerovians are supposed to be peaceful, right?"

"They are human Carter… there can be good and bad ones." Dana said.

"Getting back to her. Did any of you see anything of her?" Ms. Fairweather asked. "The fact that she is a Kerovian will help but that is a large number on earth to figure out."

"I saw one thing," Carter noted, "She had brown hair. But I'm not sure how that's going to help…"

"Father what are we going to do about this?" Dana asked. "With the files she has on her…"

Mitchell sighed, "I don't know… We obviously can't go around harassing every Kerovian in Mariner Bay…"

"Right now we can only hope she will be staying in Mariner Bay." Ms. Fairweather said.

Suddenly the alarms went off.

"Now what?" Dana asked.

Ms. Fairweather went to the monitor. "It's another one of Diabolico's monsters."

"Just what our day needed," Joel said sarcastically.

Carter, followed by the others, then dashed for the Rescue Rover's bay.

~*~

Vypra loved causing havoc like this. And it was especially fun for her in the Vypari… she was quite surprised at how fast humans could run when they saw something like this flying down the street, trying to blow their heads off… As she turned a corner she looked at Jinxer's newest monster, Dominator, who was proving to be quite helpful.

Suddenly, Dominator was blasted by a barrage of firepower and Vypra screeched to a halt, looking behind her to see the Lightspeed Rangers already morphed and in the Rescue Rover. "Blast it…"

"That's enough Vypra!" Chad shouted.

"Oh look it's five weak pathetic Rangers!" Dominator laughed.

"Oh, now that's original…" Joel shot as they climbed out of the vehicle.

"Yeah. As original as a new TV favorite ripoff." Chad remarked.

Vypra's eyes narrowed and turned around, then went barreling for them, firing full force. The Rangers dodged out of the way as she zoomed by, "Okay, maybe we should've brought along the cycles…" Carter muttered.

"Yeah that would have been a smart idea Carter." Dana said. "I guess that incident at the base made us lose a bit of concentration."

The Red Ranger nodded, then looked at Dominator, who was lumbering over to them, "Of course, we have something else we need to deal with at the moment…" He drew his Rescue Blaster, switched it to Baton mode and charged for the demon.

"I'm with you." Chad said rushing up with Kelsey to Carter.

Meanwhile as Joel and Dana were getting up Vypra came back on her Vypari and then blasted the two of them down.

"Ugh, this just isn't my day…" The Green Ranger groaned, then held a hand up to his helmet, "Hey Ms. F, any chance the bikes can be sent without us on them…?"

"I am afraid not Joel." Ms. Fairweather said. "You are going to have to be more careful. Too many directs hits to your suit and you won't last."

"Terrific." Dana muttered.

"Thanks for the heads up…" Joel groaned as he picked himself up, then took cover behind the Rescue Rover and began to fire upon Vypra as she drove by again.

"I don't think so." Vypra laughed as the blasts bounced off the Vypari and then she blasted the Rover.

"She's going to destroy the Rover if we stay behind it. Let's get moving and take care of that monster." Dana said going out but tripped.

"Dana!" Joel went out to grab her but then Vypra blasted them down.

"Ah!" Joel and Dana cried as they fell to the ground.

"This isn't going well…" Joel mumbled, trying to pick himself up again.

Over at the other fight, the other Rangers weren't fairing too well either.. "Damn…" Carter cursed as Dominator tossed him up against a wall, "Our weapons aren't going to be much help to us against this guy…"

"No kidding…" Kelsey grumbled, dodging a blast from the monster.

"It's time to finish you three off now!" Dominator faced Carter, Kelsey and Chad.

"Not yet… I want them to watch their teammates die." Vypra charged Joel and Dana.

"NO!" Chad cried.

"Sorry but this Vypari has been repossessed! You're getting out."

"What?" Vypra cried as she was thrown out of her Vypari and into Dominator. The car then exploded.

"What in the world?" Dana cried.

Suddenly a female figure could be seen coming out of the fire. She had a helmet with a visor, but everything below the nose could be seen. Black and gold armor that fits tight to her body covers the area from the waist up, while the legs were of silver material with gold boots.

"And who are you?" Vypra asked.

"Your executioner Vypra." she smirked.

Vypra raised an eyebrow, "My executioner?" She drew her sword, "I somehow think not…"

"Demon Gunblade." She smiled as her gunsword appeared. "Lightspeed Rangers. Stay out of this."

"Who are you?" Dana asked.

"Stay out of my way." she said as she rushed Vypra. "You will die by my hand."

Vypra blocked the blow her opponent sent at her with her sword, "Pathetic."

"That was point." she smiled. "Demon Gunblade fire!"

The weapon revealed its blaster compartments and fired at Vypra in the chest sending her flying into the next building.

"Now who's pathetic?" she smirked

Vypra slowly made her way to her feet, thankful that the blast had struck her chest armor, but highly surprised that someone could do that to her.

The Rangers stared in surprise as well, "She's one tough chick…" Joel muttered.

"You can say that again." Chad said.

"DIE RED RANGER!" Dominator rushed to him.

"Demon Agility." the armored woman said and she was gone in a flash of light.

"Where did she go?" Dana asked. "Carter!"

Carter turned around as Dominator came towards him… but the woman in gold was there too.

"Demon Gunblade convert to Demon Edges!" she said as her weapon became two sliver swords with a green gem in them. "Assassin's Strike!" she cried as she rushed Dominator and slashed him with both swords.

For a moment there was silence… then the monster fell down and exploded.

"What the hell?" Carter mumbled. He had his Rescue Blaster in Baton Mode ready to fight the monster, but now it seemed as if there was no point. He was going to ask how she did that, but then remembered what happens almost every time they destroy a monster at normal height.

"Vypra… withdraw or I will kill you where you stand." She said.

"Fat chance of that…" Vypra sneered, then looked around, _Where are you Jinxer?_

"Time to make our monster back into action." Jinxer appeared throwing a card to the remains.

"Demon Blaster." she smiled as she blew the card to dust.

"Impossible!" Jinxer cried.

"Now it's your turn!" she blasted at Jinxer until he left. "You think I had forgotten about Jinxer, Vypra. If he was your ace then you are stupider than I thought. Now leave before I take your head off."

Vypra clenched her fist, _She might be right…_ "Fine…" She growled, "You just caught me off guard. I'll be ready next time." With that, she vanished from sight.

"Time to go." The armored woman said starting to walk away.

"Wait!" Chad called out. "Who are you?"

She faced them all. "You may call me Demon Hunter."

"That didn't exactly answer his question," Carter responded.

"That's the only answer will get." Demon Hunter said.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The Red Ranger question, "You're obviously not from Lightspeed."

"Lightspeed's joke." Demon Hunter said.

"What?!" Dana spat.

"If they don't trust you enough with both Megazords then there's problems." Demon Hunter said.

"Megazords?" Chad asked.

"Ask Fairweather. She should know what I mean." Demon Hunter started to walk off.

Carter dashed up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder, "We're not through yet."

"Yes we are." Demon Hunter shoved him down. "Don't do that again. I'm on your side now. Don't force me to become your enemy."

"I don't want that either," He replied, "But I can't let you leave until we know more."

"Then I am sorry." Demon Hunter sighed as she blasted him back.

"Carter!" Dana cried.

"Stun blast. He'll wake up in a few minutes. I don't harm Rangers." Demon Hunter said.

"Harm?" Joel asked, "If you were on our side, you wouldn't be beating around the bush like you are. And you wouldn't have just shot Carter!"

"You don't know what hell I lived through Green Ranger." Demon Hunter said. "Demon Board now!"

A sky board came for her.

"Until the next battle." Demon Hunter said as he boarded her Demon Board and flew into the sky.

"You know almost everything she has in her arsenal starts with Demon?" Chad asked.

"She must like irony…" Kelsey replied, then glanced at Carter, "So how is he?"

"Fine, I guess…" Joel replied, then contacted the Aqua Base, "How does it look back there?" Along with a direct communication & image connection to the Aqua Base, their life signs were also being scanned constantly.

"He's stable and fine… just stunned like she said." Ms. Fairweather said.

"Guess we should check for any injured civilians then before heading back…" The Yellow Ranger noted.

"Yeah." Chad said after they put Carter in the rover and started looking.

~*~

Meanwhile as the Rangers were returning to their base, back at Skull Cavern.

"AH!" a loud scream rang out.

"Jinxer!" Vypra then grabbed him by the throat. "How DARE you run out on me like that! You made me look like fool not only in front of the Rangers but in front of that new… new… what ever the hell she was!"

"I'm… sorry…" Jinxer croaked, "But… can you please… let go of my… neck…?"

"Not a chance!" Vypra sneered squeezing harder. "Oh don't worry I am not going to kill you… but when I am through you are going wish I had!"

"Vypra!" Diabolico exclaimed from behind her, "Let him go…"

"Argh!" Vypra grunted as she let Jinxer go and he dropped on his back. "I need SOMETHING to vent on!"

"If you're going to vent, don't do it on someone useful…" Diabolico replied as Jinxer got back to his feet.

"But it was his fault I lost that fight!" Vypra spat.

"Oh?" Diabolico questioned, "It was his fault that new fighter destroyed your vehicle and Dominator?"

Vypra turned away from that.

"Yeah why blame him when you should take responsibly for your own failing." Loki shouted. "I know I would have beaten her."

That earned him a blasting from Vypra.

"It wasn't as if I was that… that… that witch of a woman show up!" Vypra screamed with venom. "I HATE that woman more than the Rangers! And I didn't think that was possible!"

"Neither of you can go off thinking TOO greatly of your powers," Diabolico stated, "With every new addition the Rangers get to their arsenal, we have to be more careful.."

"As if she works with the rangers." Vypra said. "For all we know she's a bounty hunter. Her armor looked nothing like the Rangers."

"But she's still working against us," Diabolico reminded here.

"Don't you think I know that!" Vypra spat.

"Patience Vypra." Diabolico said. "The Rangers don't know what will hit them tomorrow."

"So your spy has made it to where he needs to be."

"Yes. And tomorrow the Rangers will be no more." Diabolico smiled.

~*~

"Oh my head…"

"Look Carter finally woke up." Dana said as they were in the rover now almost inside the Aqua Base.

"What hit me…?" He questioned, looking around.

"Well to be exact… our mysterious Miss Demon Hunter." Chad said.

"Who, in case you don't remember, blew away the Vypari & that monster," Joel added.

"I'm not that out of it…" Carter replied, sitting up.

"Just hope that blast didn't leave any permanent damage." Dana said.

"Well the woman said Carter was going to be out of it for a few minutes. Not that I am saying I like her or anything…." Chad started.

"Enough with the melodrama Chad. The woman is a hazard to us and possibly everyone. We don't know ANYTHING about her." Dana cut him off.

"But at the same time, she DID help us…" Carter stated.

Joel glanced back at him and cocked an eyebrow, "But she also shot you."

"…true."

"So basically she's a rouge and we should treat her as a threat until we know more." Dana said.

Chad spun around. "Isn't that a bit cold coming from you Dana?"

"I don't think we should treat her like we do the demons…" Carter said, but spoke up again before anyone could reply, "But we should still be careful. We don't know what she has in mind, really."

Dana sighed. "Alright I give up. We can go with Carters plan."

Kelsey looked over Dana. "Well you gave up easily."

Dana looked at her. "I just want to get him to pay attention to me."

Kelsey looked at her for a moment before smirking, "Oh…?"

Dana smiled. "Yeah… for a Red Ranger Carter is the thickest of them all."

"Now how can you say that?" Kelsey questioned, "I'm sure they can't all be THAT thick…" She then glanced at Carter, "Then again, he doesn't seem to pay attention to much else other than his job…"

"And before that it was firefighting." Dana said. "I swear I don't know how many times I've tried to tell him I am interested in him… and you haven't told him anything right?"

"Who? Me?" Kelsey asked innocently, "Of course not… though soon enough it seems like you're just going to have to put a big neon sign in his path…"

"I'm not sure that would work… maybe if I dropped a safe on his head." Dana mused.

"Eh, probably shouldn't do anything that put him out of commission…" Kelsey noted, "Though otherwise, that'd be a good idea."

"Well we are here now. Best keep this to ourselves." Dana said as they all went to Rescue Ops and met with Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather.

Captain Mitchell looked at them for a moment before saying something, "…What the heck happened out there?"

"Well, we were getting our butts kicked, we got our butts saved, and Carter got his butt shot…" Joel replied.

Mitchell sighed, "I should've seen that one coming…."

"Aside from the Demon Hunter, whoever she is, we know now that the demons are getting stronger & stronger…." Carter spoke up, "There's a chance we could've handled it on our own if Vypra hadn't been there, but…"

"Um Carter… hate to say we couldn't… but I don't think we could have. Not with out getting badly injured in the process." Chad said.

"You have a point Chad…" Mitchell responded, "We're going to have to try and prepare for whatever Diabolico sends out next…"

"Oh you had best do more then just prepare."

They all froze.

"You better work until you drop because it's no longer a game children. It's your lives."

"Demon Hunter…" Carter muttered, then looked around, "Where are you?"

She then appeared on the screen.

"I am everywhere and anywhere."

"Okay, next question," Captain Mitchell replied, "What do you want here?"

"What do I want? To talk… and for you to stop keeping secrets from your own people."

"What're you talking about?" Kelsey questioned, "What secrets?"

"Three words. SuperTrain Megazord."

Ms. Fairweather's eyes widened. "How did you know I was building that!"

Mitchell clenched his fists, "The only reason the Rangers don't know about it is because, for one thing, we don't even know if it'll work. And another thing, it's still being developed…"

"True…. but there is so much they don't know about your past… Billy." Demon Hunter said.

Captain Mitchell froze, "How…?"

Demon Hunter smiled. "You'd be shocked if you know how much I know about."

"Anything else you want to talk about?" Carter questioned.

"Just to say I am not here to harm you."

"Not here to harm us?" Joel asked, "Funny, it didn't look like that when you knocked Carter on his ass…"

"I'm still sore from where you hit me," Carter said.

"If I wanted to hurt you…" She smiled. "You'd all be dead by now."

"Not likely," Kelsey responded.

"They say knowledge is the greatest weapon to use. I knew about the SuperTrain before you rangers did didn't I?" Demon Hunter asked.

Mitchell's eyes narrowed, "I still don't know how you know about that… But the program for it hasn't even been completed. How would you even know-" Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"Father?" Dana asked.

"You're the one who broke in here, aren't you?" Mitchell questioned Demon Hunter.

"I knew about the SuperTrain Megazord long before that but the answer is yes I did." Demon Hunter nodded. "I needed the personal files more than the schematics though."

"Why on Earth would you need those?" Carter asked, trying to keep his temper.

"Because I wanted to know who you are." Demon Hunter said. "We're all fighting for the future. Be glad I am on your side Carter Greyson."

"Why? For all we know you could working for Diabolico." Kelsey stated.

It was then that smile on Demon Hunter's face vanished.

"How DARE you say that!" the Demon Hunter shouted. "Why would I ever want to work for the beings responsible for the death of my family and the devastation of my world!"

Kelsey stared at the monitor, "S- sorry… I didn't know…"

"The next time one of say that I will shoot you…" She growled.

"Wait… how is that even possible. How could Diabolico have killed your family?" Dana asked. "They've been entombed for the last 3000 years. What are you? Older than that?"

The Demon Hunter looked even more ticked off even if they could only she her mouth and not here eyes. "I am here only to make sure history is corrected. That my world ceases to exist and this world survives… and to help you Rangers out."

"History?" Joel asked.

"You don't know who I am… well let me make it clear to you all. I am the Demon Hunter… one of the remaining humans from the future of the earth…. an Earth ruined by the Demons… A WORLD YOU FAILED TO SAVE!" Demon Hunter then ended the transmission.

"Well…" Joel muttered, "That was… interesting."

"I… I don't believe this…" Chad gasped.

"She's from the future?" Dana asked.

Carter sat up and silently excused himself, then walked out of the room.

"Looks like she got to him…" Kelsey sighed.

"We need to find her…" Mitchell said, "And figure out more about her."

"This is impossible… how could we possibly lose?" Ms. Fairweather asked.

"That's something we'll have to find out from her…" Mitchell responded, "She has to understand that if she wants to help us, she'll have to trust us as well."

"Carter!" Chad ran up to him. "Carter don't let the Demon Hunter get you."

"Leave me alone," Carter said as he continued walking.

"Carter this isn't right." Chad said. "Alright sure she said we lost the fight. But who's to say she's bluffing?"

"I don't know…" The Red Ranger replied, "It's just… the way she yelled at Kelsey… the anger in her voice just seems to be something that'd be hard to act…"

"Come on. You need a break." Chad said. "I know a nice club where you can unwind."

Carter sighed, "I get the feeling you're not going to let me say no, so I guess I don't have much of a choice…"

"Good let's go." Chad said.

~*~

*

By the time Chad and Carter had gotten to the club it was already packed.

"Well this is new." Carter muttered as he looked up at the club. He saw the name of it. Silver Knights.

"Come Carter I want get in before the main entertainment starts." Chad said halfway dragging him along as they showed their ID at the door and were let in. "By the crowd size I can already tell this is one great night." Chad smiled. "I wonder of Topaz will be on tonight?"

"Who?" Carter asked.

"She's the main entertainment for this place." Chad smiled.

Suddenly the stage lighted up on the band. There on stage was a woman wearing a black leather bustier, red miniskirt, gloves, and thigh-high boots and Blade Runner blonde hair.

"That is Topaz. Ain't she something?" Chad said.

"I guess…" Carter sighed, more distracted with the thoughts in his head.

Suddenly, someone pulled up a chair and sat at their table. They glanced over to see Joel, who was grinning, "What? You guys thought you could leave me behind? Though following you guys wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world-" He noticed Topaz on the stage, "Who's she?"

"This place's entertainment, according to Chad," Carter muttered.

"Are you people ready for a show?" Topaz asked.

"Yeah!"

"I can't hear you?" Topaz smirked.

"Yeah!"

"I still can't hear you. If this is the reaction I get then I should leave." Topaz smirked.

"YEAH!!!!"

"Well alright then!" Topaz smiled. "Let's get this show started!"

"She knows how to get the place going, I'll give her that," Joel smirked.

"Tonight's song… is Hurricane Tonight!" Topaz smiled.

I kept racing down the stormy highway…

…searching for the whereabouts of my interrupted dream…

…letting all my lies and bitter illusions

We're all just lonely hearts in big city…

…everyone a child lost in love.

Day by day in the big city…

…tears only aggravate thoughts that wont rest.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…I want…"Hurricane"

…to tell you I love you.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…touch me…"Hurricane"

…like you mean it.

"Touch!""Give me touch!"

Carter still wasn't paying much attention. Joel snapped his fingers in front of the Red Ranger's face, but to no avail, "Damn, you're like a brick wall when you want to be…"

I cannot share the pain in your heart…

…with darting words that merely placate.

I want you to tell me what it is…

…that makes your eyes cloud over.

In the big city, our hearts are all torn and fattered…

…and we're tired of dancing around each other at night…

…so in the big city's empty days…

…we waited anxiously for a little warmth.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…I want…"Hurricane"

…to tell you I love you.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…touch me…"Hurricane"

…to hold you once more.

"Touch!""Burning touch!"

We're all just lonely hearts in the big city…

…everyone a child lost in love.

Day by day in the big city…

…tears only aggravate thoughts that won't rest

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…I want…"Hurricane"

…to tell you I love you.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…touch me…"Hurricane"

…like you mean it.

"Touch!"

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…I want…"Hurricane"

…to tell you I love you.

Tonight…"Hurricane"

…touch me…"Hurricane"

…to hold you once more.

"Touch!""Burning touch!"

"Give me touch!""Burning touch!"

The crowd erupted into a roar like none before it.

"Oh man I love hearing her sing! One of these days she's going to be a superstar!" Chad smiled. Then looked at Carter. "Man what is up with you? I brought you here to unwind… not think about the DH."

"Sorry…" He sighed, "It's just… something in the way she said it makes me know that she's telling the truth, that we failed…"

Chad really couldn't say anything to Carter as Topaz went on singing. Her acted ended and the club was going to close up soon.

"This didn't work out the way I wanted." Chad walking with Joel. "I hope we can get Carter… hey. Where is Carter?"

~*~

"Scotch on the rocks please. And make it a large glass." Carter told the bartender who then supplied his drink. The club still had not closed yet so he was still able to stay if he wanted. He knew he wasn't allowed to drink at the base,

"Drinking isn't going to solve your problems, handsome."

Carter spun around and saw Topaz was right behind him.

"Leave me alone…" He muttered.

"Nah." Topaz said. "Guys like you need cheering up…. but first let me get rid of this."

Carter watched in astonishment as Topaz ripped off her face to reveal a light brown haired girl with some blonde streaks in her hair and green eyes.

The Red Ranger stared for a moment, "What the…?"

"You saw my crowd tonight, right?" Topaz said. "The best way to have a normal life after the show, is to make sure the person on stage isn't who you really are."

"Kinda wish I had thought of that…" He held up his left arm, showing his morpher.

"What? You're a Ranger?" Topaz gasped. "I never would have guessed."

"I'm surprised," Carter muttered, "The press seems to hound us enough. Don't you watch TV or listen to the radio?"

"I keep to myself." Topaz said. "If someone want to tell me something that is going to affect me importantly, they tell me. Other than that I concentrate on my music and keeping this club alive. I own this place you know."

"I wouldn't have known…" He replied, "Just found out about this place today."

"Really. Topaz is just my stage name, my real name's Sharon."

"My name's Carter," He said, extending a hand.

"Nice name." Sharon smiled. "So I take it your problem is work related?"

He glanced at his morpher, "You could say that… but I can't say anymore than that."

"Well…" Sharon said taking his drink and spilt it out. "Getting drunk isn't not the way to solve your problem. If you get drunk how are you going to fight for the future the right way?"

"I wasn't planning on even drinking that whole glass," He noted, "I was just thinking about things."

"Sure." Sharon said. "I've said that another person that did exactly what I did to you. You know what I did next after he left. I down an entire bottle of Vodka."

"I'm not going to simply drown my worries in alcohol…" Carter muttered.

"So what do you intend on doing? Just shutting yourself in this manic-depressive person? That sure as hell won't work." Sharon said. "Carter… got anyone you really can talk to?"

"Just Chad and Joel, really… The Blue and Green Rangers," He said, "Joel might not be the best choice, though…"

"Well… you want to get to know me better?" Sharon asked.

"I don't see why not… but…" He held up his morpher again, "I usually don't have much time for anything outside of this life lately."

"Well the nightlife apparently free for you. Why don't we work with that?" She said.

Carter nodded, "That could work-"

"Yo, Carter!" Joel's voice came over the morpher, "Where the heck are you?"

"I knew it was only a matter of time before one of them did that…" The Red Ranger sighed.

Sharon giggled as she put her Topaz mask back on. "Does this mean you got to go now?"

He got up, a small smile on his face, "If I don't, I'm sure they'll track me down and drag me away."

"Aw… is that smile because of little ol me?" Topaz asked.

"Hey Carter." Chad said. "Come on time to… whoa… Carter you devil!"

"Now you understand why I wear a second face. If I didn't I'd be hounded to no end by my fans." Topaz said.

Carter glanced behind him to see Chad entering with Joel, "See what I meant about them coming to drag me off?"

"Well…" Topaz smirked evilly as she took Carter by his head and kissed him on the lips for a bit. Chad and Joel were shocked. Topaz then let go. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you here tomorrow night. Night handsome."

Topaz got up and walked up the stairs provocatively.

Carter stared in surprise for a few moments. Joel looked at him, "How the hell did you do that?"

"I… have no idea," Carter mumbled.

Chad was in shock. "How… how did you mange to get her infatuated with you when the only girl you have on your mind is DH?"

"I have no idea…" Carter repeated.

"Well I hope the girls don't see this." Joel said. "If they found out…"

"So Carter what's Topaz like?" Chad asked.

"Not like you'd expect…" Carter replied, giving Chad an 'I know something you don't' look.

"Come on. Let's go home before we get ground out by the boss." Joel said as the three guys got into the Rescue Rover and left for Aqua Base.

Meanwhile from her window Topaz was watching them leave.

"Out of all the people in the world… why did I have to fall for Carter Greyson?" Topaz sighed. "Stay safe Carter."

~*~

It was the next day at the Aqua Base and the other Rangers were having breakfast and were observing Carter. He seemed better than before.

"Hey man. What's up with you today?" Chad asked.

He looked up at the Blue Ranger, "Eh, nothing. Just got a good night's sleep."

"It's her isn't it." Chad smirked. "I swear you haven't show any emotion towards any girl ever. "

"Because ninety-nine point nine percent of the time I'm busy trying to think of what to do next against the demons…" Carter said with a slight sigh.

"You really are wrapped up in your work. So tell me what caught your eye. Was her hair, her looks… was it the outfit?" Chad asked.

Carter chuckled, "Funny Chad… Not sure really, though… but I don't think it was any of the things you mentioned."

Joel blinked, "It wasn't?"

Chad looked at him. "You serious on that? You are telling me the outfit didn't seduce you on bit."

Carter thought for a moment, then shrugged, "No, not really. I'll admit she looked good, but that's not what attracted me to her at first."

Joel cocked his head to one side, "You are a strange man, Carter…"

"So what did attract you to her of not the outfit?" Chad asked.

"Is that all you can think about?" Joel asked.

"What? As if you weren't attracted to her because of that outfit." Chad shot.

"For your information, I'm spoken for," Joel stated matter-of-factly.

The Red Ranger smirked, "You wish you were, at least… but I don't know what it was… just something about her, I guess."

Meanwhile unbeknownst to them Kelsey and Dana had been hearing everything.

"Arghhh…." Dana seethed quietly.

Kelsey gulped nervously. _Why do have to handle this on my own…?_ "Um, Dana…?"

"I can't believe this." Dana cursed. "Just what wrong with him!" Dana then drops her breakfast and walked off… oblivious to the fact of the notice it made when it crashed and the attention she just got it.

_Again, why do I have to do this on my own?_ Kelsey asked herself as she started to pick up the mess, trying to assure everyone everything was okay.

"Whats wrong with Dana?" Chad asked.

"Oh, nothing… nothing at all," Kelsey insisted as she finished gathering up the mess.

Dana saw Kelsey come over to her right in the hall.

"Damn it Kelsey what is wrong with him!"

Before Kelsey could give her an answer Ms. Fairweather's voice came over the public address system.

"Attention. All Ranger please report to the command room at once." Ms. Fairweather's voice came out.

"Guess we better go." Chad said.

Carter nodded and sat up, "Yeah, I guess so. C'mon."

The Rangers made there way to the command center. When they got there they saw Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather, but there was also older military man with them as well.

"So these are the five you chose Captain." the older man said.

"Yes, General McKnight," Mitchell stated.

"Who is this guy?" Chad asked.

"I'm General McKnight… and I am here to see if you are to be relieved from duty."

"What?" Carter asked, surprised.

"What are you talking about?" Mitchell questioned.

"Captain do you really think ordinary people can actually defeat Diabolico?" McKnight said.

"I really don't like this one bit." Chad said.

"Neither do I." Kelsey said.

"Our Rangers have stopped Diabolico so far and have done excellent work." Ms. Fairweather said.

"Which is why I am not writing them off automatically." McKnight said. "They will have a chance to prove whether or not they will continue as Rangers."

"And how, exactly, do you plan to take out tall, dark, and gruesome without us Rangers?" Joel inquired.

"Because… we already have five other rangers." McKnight motioned for his people to come. Three lab techs came first… and they were followed by five Lightspeed Rangers with robotic accessories.

"What in the world?" Dana gasped.

"I present to you, the Cyborg Rangers." McKnight said.

"How do you expect to beat Diabolico with those things?" Joel asked as he looked over the Cyborg Rangers.

"Yeah," Kelsey agreed, "If they have to be controlled by those guys," She pointed at the lab techs, "That means they can't even think for themselves."

"The Cyborg Rangers have been tested time and time again in simulation and examinations. They have proven very effective. But they have one more test to go though… you." McKnight said.

"Wait… you want our Rangers to fight your Cyborg Rangers?" Ms. Fairweather asked.

"It is the best in fairness. The group that can prove it is superior to the other is obviously the best one to defeat Diabolico." McKnight said.

"And risk their lives in the process over a meaningless battle?" Mitchell growled, making eye contact with McKnight.

"Do they not risk their lives in every battle against Diabolico?" McKnight countered.

"But that actually means something!" He responded, attempting to keep his temper.

"I'll do it," Carter stated, causing Mitchell, Fairweather, and McKnight to look at him.

"Carter!" Dana said.

"Carter what is up with you?" Chad asked.

"At least one of you is ready for this. But I am curious, what is your incentive? I can sense you are being motivated to this by something." McKnight said.

"Because," Carter replied, "If this isn't done, our Morphers will be taken from us anyway, am I correct, sir?"

"Yes."

"Great. First Demon Hunter and now this!" Chad grumbled.

"Demon Hunter? Who is that?" McKnight asked Mitchell.

The Red Ranger sighed and shook his head, "Thanks alot, Chad." He glanced at McKnight, "She's a warrior who appeared in our last fight with the demons. She destroyed the monster attacking, stunned me with her blaster, then took off."

"I see." McKnight said. "A wild card… something I wasn't expecting. Nonetheless the test will proceed. Mr. Grayson has accepted. What about the rest of you?"

"Carter's right…" Kelsey said, "We don't have any other choice. I'm in."

"Same here," Joel said, then smirked slightly, "Some carbon copies can't beat the real deals."

"Right." Chad replied.

"I'm in." Dana said.

"Good. The test will be in 3 hours. That is all." McKnight told them and then the Lightspeed Rangers left.

Mitchell looked and the general again, "The Rangers better not be harmed in this, General."

"I don't want them harmed… but this is the only way to see which is the better team." McKnight said.

Mitchell sighed and looked and Ms. Fairweather, _I have a bad feeling about this…_ He thought.

~*~

The Lightspeed Rangers looked over at the Cyborg Rangers. Behind them were their human controllers.

"Now that everyone is present it's time to decide who are better capable of defeating the demons. Human Rangers or Cyborg Rangers." General McKnight's voice spoke out the alley. "Once we begin the test will only end when one team can not continue at all."

Carter's eyes narrowed underneath his helmet, "Alright, lets get this over with…"

"Begin the test…. and good luck to all." the General said.

It was then the Cyborg then went on the offensive rushing their respective rangers.

The Lightspeed Rangers scattered to avoid their initial blows and were able to do so… just barely. They then drew their blasters and fired upon their opponents.

The Cyborg Rangers merely kept walking and shrugged off the laser fire like nothing at all.

"Okay, this isn't going to work…" Carter muttered, switching his blaster to baton mode and then charging for Cyborg Red.

"Human rangers can't defeat Cyborg Rangers." Cyborg Red said in a machine like voice.

"These things can talk too." Chad groaned going after Cyborg Blue but it caught his hand.

"Give up now before you get hurt." Cyborg Blue said in the same manner Cyborg Red had right before he threw Chad against a wall of a building.

Kelsey ducked a blow from Cyborg Yellow and then looked around, "Maybe if we switched partners we'd stand a better chance?"

"Yeah but I don't know how we can at this moment." Dana replied right before Cyborg Pink grabbed her throat.

"You are a pathetic Pink Ranger. I am obviously superior." Cyborg Pink stated.

"Oh great…" Dana groaned trying to breath. "They had to give male… and female voices… and attitude to these tin cans…"

Cyborg Red knocked Carter back quite a long distance and into some crates. The Red Ranger picked himself up and saw Cyborg Pink choking Dana. Carter ran for them, having to avoid blasts from Cyborg Red's blaster in the process. He clutched his weapon and sent it down hard across the Pink Cyborg's back, then hit the ground and allowed a couple of Cyborg Red's blast to hit the mechanical Pink Ranger before he stopped.

"Argh!" Cyborg Pink cried as it fell and let go of Dana.

"Carter thank yo…" Dana gasped as Cyborg Pink had grabbed her ankle and was already back up as she then threw Dana like a rag doll into Joel.

The two were slammed into a wall and Cyborg Green was already going for them before they could get up. Carter picked himself up and readied his weapon… then looked behind him. While Dana and Joel were now dealing with one together, he was right in-between Cyborgs Red and Pink. "…crap…"

"You are inferior." Cyborg Pink replied.

"You will be defeated." Cyborg Red said as it and Cyborg Pink pulled out their Cyborg Blasters and nailed Carter with them.

Kelsey ducked another punch from Cyborg Yellow… and the robot's fist went right into a wall behind the Yellow Ranger and became stuck there. Kelsey leapt away and opened fire with her blaster, hoping it'd have better luck this time… she had learned kicking them WASN'T always the smartest thing to do.

"Kelsey!" Chad exclaimed as he got kicked hard by Cyborg Blue.

"Worry for yourself human." Cyborg Blue said.

Kelsey groaned and attempted to pick herself up, but her arms were grabbed by Cyborg Yellow and she suddenly found herself flying in the air.

"Kelsey hang on!" Dana said before Cyborg Green blasted her down.

"You're not going anywhere," Cyborg Green stated, then aimed his blaster behind him and shot Joel as he approached without even looking, "Nor are you."

"I've had all I can take from you!" Chad said going on an offensive strike against Cyborg Blue.

"You can't defeat me in strength!" Cyborg Blue stated.

"I don't have to!" Chad said firing on the roof and smiled behind his helmet as Cyborg Blue was buried under all that rubble. "Got ya."

Kelsey then came flying into his view as she landed on the ground hard, with Cyborg Yellow following. The robot drew her blaster and shot Kelsey twice while she was still on the ground, then aimed for Chad and fired.

"Argh!" Chad fell down and looked on as Cyborg Yellow advanced on Kelsey. He tried to move but she blasted him again and then she had Kelsey by the throat.

"You're pathetic…" Cyborg Yellow said as her hand squeezed Kelsey's throat, "And for that, you die."

"I don't think so!" Dana came by and blasted her down.

"Thanks Dana." Kelsey said as she got up.

"I don't believe it." Chad gasped as he saw Cyborg Blue pull itself out of the rumble.

At that moment all five Lightspeed Rangers got themselves together while all the Cyborgs were together.

"Time to make this battle a win to our side!" one of the lab tech laughed.

"What's so funny?" Chad asked.

The lab tech blasted the others away and changed into a cloaked monster with red eyes.

"What the hell!" Dana cried.

"I am the Corruptor!" he said making a barrier surrounding the Cyborgs and the Lightspeed Rangers. "And now you will die by the Cyborgs!"

"Damn…" Carter growled, then grabbed his blaster, "Rescue Blasters! Ready, aim… fire!!"

The Cyborgs blocked the attack and reflected it.

"Damn!" Chad gasped.

"As you can see I've increased the Cyborgs power more than those idiots ever could. Once you are taken care of, my Cyborgs will raze this city to the ground!" Corruptor laughed.

Carter stared at his counterpart for a moment, _They have to have some type of weakness… Something…_

"Time to die!" Corruptor laughed.

"Demon Star Cannon FIRE!"

"Huh?" Dana cried.

A major blast of energy impacted on the shield and it collapsed. Outside was Demon Hunter holding a large bazooka-like cannon.

"Impossible!" Corruptor cried.

"No… what is impossible is that a monster as pathetic as you is feared by people." Demon Hunter spat. She then smirked as the cannon then dissolved and in her hands appeared her Demon Edges. "Let's Dance!"

~*~

Meanwhile back at the Aquabase, just when everyone had though the Lightspeed Rangers were done for by this sick twist of events they were shocked, amazed, and a few where happy to see her.

And there was one that didn't know what to make of her.

"Who is that?!" General McKnight asked.

A smile crossed Captain Mitchell's face, "That, General, would be the Demon Hunter."

~*~

"Thanks!" Carter exclaimed, then turned in Corruptor's direction and shot the Cyborg Rangers' controls. The controls flew out of the monster's hands and into a wall, thus being smashed into pieces.

"Stay back. They can still kill you." Demon Hunter said. "This is my fight."

"What are you talking about? We're the ones that…" Chad said.

"You don't get it. I thought the Lightspeed Powers had been taken from you and used for evil but now I see it was these Cyborgs that caused the damage." Demon Hunter said.

"What?" Dana asked.

"In English… you all were supposed to DIE in this fight." Demon Hunter said.

"Say what?" Joel asked, but then noticed the Cyborgs still advancing on them, "Okay, not good…"

"Rescue Bird!" Carter cried, and it was soon in his hands with the other four Rangers behind him, "Unilaser, fire!" It fired a powerful blast of energy, striking Cyborg Red and engulfing all five of the Cyborg Rangers in an explosion.

"Idiots!" Corruptor smirked as the Cyborgs came out only a bit scared. "I've improved them."

"Really…" Demon Hunter smirked. She raised her right wrist to her mouth and spoke into it. "Spectra this place abandoned?"

"Yes it is." A voice came over Demon Hunter's com set.

"Then blow this place to holy hell and teleport the six of us up!" Demon Hunter said.

In flashes of light the Lightspeed Rangers, the real Cyborg Operators and Demon Hunter were gone.

"Cowards!" Corruptor cried.

It was the last thing he said before he and the Cyborgs were hit with an air bomb of incredible force. The entire testing area was destroyed.

~*~

Back at the Aquabase…

"My god… the power of that woman…" General McKnight gasped.

"She definitely is incredible." Captain Mitchell said.

~*~

The demons just stared at what had just happened not believing WHAT had happened.

"What… what… WHAT THE HELL DID HAPPEN!" Vypra cried.

Diabolico let out a growl and felt like breaking something… "Where did they go?"

"They've been destroyed!" Loki said.

"Those tin canns and your monster have been obliterated! There aren't even any remains left for Jinxer to use any cards!" Vypra spat.

Diabolico mused for a few seconds, "We just have to figure out how to handle that thing… getting angry right now isn't going to help us any.."

"And where did those Rangers go?" Loki asked.

"Three Words: Demon Hunters Home." Vypra spat.

"We've just underestimated her…" Diabolico stated, "We have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Oh I'll show underestimation!" Vypra then blasted a pillar to pieces. "She is one dead girl." She then started walking away.

Loki muttered to Diabolico. "Must be her time of the month."

Vypra then spun around and blasted Loki sending him flying and he impacted against the nearby wall. "I HEARD THAT!" With that she stormed off.

Diabolico looked down at Loki for a moment, "…you need to learn to whisper more quietly… or at least wait until she's out of ear shot."

"Right…" Loki moaned before going unconscious.

Diabolico sighed and looked over at Jinxer, "Get some Batlings to help get him to his quarters…"

"Right away…" Jinxer nodded and dashed off.

Diabolico looked back at the image of what was the battlefield of the Cyborg & Lightspeed Rangers a few minutes ago, "This is going to make my job a bit harder… but nothing's going to stop me from doing what I came here for."

~*~

The Rangers and scientists landed in a place quite unfamiliar to them, "Where are we?" Kelsey questioned.

"Welcome Rangers." A voice said.

They all looked around. This placed looked as state of the art as the Aqua Base did. There were control panels everywhere. Monitors were all about and there were more consoles than they could imagine.

"Who are you?" Chad asked.

"More importantly where are we?" Carter said.

"I think we are on a space ship." Dana said.

"A space ship? You mean like the Astro Megaship?" Joel asked.

"Sorta but this looks WAY more advanced than the Astro Megaship ever was." Dana replied.

Suddenly a woman appeared before them. She had white hair, blue eyes, and was wearing a flowing white dress.

"Welcome to the Crystalis. I am Spectra."

"Nice to meet…" Dana went to shake her hand but she went right through her. "What in the world."

"I'm hologram and were you are now… is me." Spectra said. "I am the consciousness of this spaceship, which is my name."

"What connection do you have to Demon Hunter?" Carter asked.

"She's my ship." Demon Hunter said coming in. "She's the only friend I've had for quite sometime."

"Why are we here?" The Red Ranger asked her.

"To make sure you didn't die when I had Spectra bomb the area with a grav bomb." Demon Hunter said.

"So what now?" Joel wondered.

"Now I'll send you back… and I owe you an apology." Demon Hunter said. "I didn't know exactly how it happened. Now I learned it was the Cyborg Rangers that killed you and were used in the Chaos. Now that will never happen since they have been destroyed. The future of earth has changed somewhat."

"Somewhat?" Carter asked.

"Diabolico hasn't been defeated. The future I came from can still happen." Demon Hunter said. "I won't let it happen."

The Rangers nodded, then Carter spoke again, "So why don't you come back to the Aqua Base with us? If you want to help us, it'd be much easier that way."

"I work alone." Demon Hunter said. "I'll help you but I'm not going to go with you."

"But we all are on the same side." Dana said.

"I have my own mission to complete. You have yours." Demon Hunter said. "Farewell."

Demon Hunter teleported them back to the Aqua Base.

"I'm sorry… but I cannot join you… not yet." Demon Hunter said.

~*~

"Whoa… we're back." Chad said as the Rangers and the scientist were back at the Aqua Base facing Mitchell, Fairweather and McKnight.

"Welcome back, Rangers," Mitchell stated.

"I… I'm sorry about all of this." McKnight said. "I never thought in my wildest dreams something like this would happen."

The Rangers powered down, then Carter looked at McKnight, "So, what do you plan to do now, General?"

"Captain Mitchell made wise choices… five wise choices. The Cyborg Project will be scraped now." McKnight said. Then faced Mitchell. "Captain, carry on. I won't interfere again… but I want to b