Disclaimer- If you don't know the drill by now, you need more help than I can give you. This fanfic is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for violence and bad language. Welcome to number 20 in my Personality Conflicts series. Today's installment will drag us even further from show continuity. Once again, "Rangers" is all of them, "Turbos," "Warriors," and "Zeos" refer to the obvious teams, and "Astros" are the Astro Rangers. Warning- Gratuitous use of first movie events and dialogue. I hereby affirm that large parts of this are stylistic rip-offs from "Independence Day," "Earthsiege," and "The Earth Crystals." Thanks to Rain and Jeremy. Oh, and Kris? Here's your cameo.

Final Frontier
by : Ellen Brand

At first glance, Earth doesn't seem all that important, on a galactic scale. No thriving space-going civilizations are based there. Its people have harnessed neither magic nor super-science, and are in fact thousands of years behind the rest of the galaxy in development. It is neither unspoiled nor unbearably polluted. In short, Earth would seem to be a rather unimpressive little mudball orbiting an unimpressive sun. So why does everybody want it?

No less than four villainous forces vie for its possession, something that would seem to be incredible overkill. They spend incredible amounts of time plotting and designing, trying to find the perfect way to make the planet theirs. Why? Perhaps because for the past five years, it has been playing extremely hard to get. Every attack from every quarter has been repulsed by the ever-growing number of Power Rangers on its surface. Under their protection, the Earth remains free, glowing a clear and slightly smug blue against the panorama of stars.

On a dark spaceship, two pairs of eyes watched the view. One watched acquisitively, glowing with unholy red light. The other, a clear crystal blue, seemed troubled.

"Master, I don't understand," Astronoma sighed, turning away from the screen. Brushing curly purple hair out of her face, she tilted her head to one side. "Why are we here?"

Her companion let out a rumbling chuckle. "Astronoma, my dear," Dark Specter replied, "this planet has achieved a worth far beyond its meager value. Think of it! Four of the greatest villains of the galaxy have failed to take it! When it is added to my empire, I shall reign supreme."

The pretty humanoid turned away, consternation still written on her face. "Four of the greatest villains in the galaxy," she muttered to herself. "But you didn't make the calls, warn them off attacking the ships." Astronoma had been responsible for contacting all four, and what she had seen had disturbed her greatly. Rita Repulsa, once the Empress of Evil, was renowned for being the only person to even partially defeat Zordon of Eltare. Astronoma hadn't been born then, but she'd grown up on the videos of Rita and her contemporaries. What had answered the com screen hadn't been a powerful evil sorceress, but a screeching ridiculous crone. Mondo and Gasket hadn't been much better. Instead of the ruthless evil machines she remembered, she had been greeted by two metallic buffoons. Even Divatox was a shell of her former seductive self, though she was in the best shape of the four. When Astronoma had announced Dark Specter's intention to take the Earth for his own, the pirate had fallen over laughing, then wished him the best of luck.

~ They say this planet is cursed,~ she mused, remembering the talk she had heard in bars across the galaxy. ~ That it sucks the marrow of your being away, and makes you a mockery of what you were. Is this my fate? To become yet another incompetent buffoon?~ Suddenly she turned to Dark Specter. "Master, forgive my presumption, but let us leave this place! The Earth is cursed! It is well known that it destroys all who would take it. Surely there is a greater prize!"

Dark Specter merely rumbled, sounding rather like an erupting volcano. That was not strange, as he was currently in the form of Maligore, the Flame of Destruction. It was a form the shape-shifter enjoyed wearing when he captured or destroyed planets.

"Astronoma, you are too superstitious. This planet is not what destroys the attackers, but their own egos. They cannot accept being defeated by Zordon's Earthlings. We shall be different."

She cocked an eyebrow. "We shall accept defeat?"

"We shall not fail!" he corrected her with a chuckle. "I have a plan that will turn Earth's Rangers into nothing!"

Astronoma leaned forward. "Oh, tell me, Master. I am all ears."



On Earth, in a deserted construction site, Astronoma and a horde of Quantrons appeared. It was apparently the lunch hour, because there was no one to be seen anywhere around. Striding to the middle of the open area, she nodded. "Yes, here," she declared, pointing at her feet. "Turn on the Extractor!" she ordered. The Quantrons hastily scrambled to do her bidding.

Moving back a few paces, Astronoma watched as her minions turned the beam on the spot where she had recently stood. The ground quaked, and then began to split as something began to rise to the surface. It was a large purple egg, surrounded by a gray metal claw. Raising a hand, Astronoma signaled for the Quantrons to stop the beam. Moving forward, she caressed its surface.

"Yessss," she hissed lightly. "Soon, Dark Specter's plan will be in full swing, and those Power Rangers will never know what hit them." Backing off, she turned to her squad once again. "Open it!" The Quantrons turned the Extractor beam on the egg, which split open to reveal a puddle of purple goo. As the beam cut off, the goo began to bubble upwards, forming into a tall purple humanoid.

"Ahh, free at last! I am Ivan Ooze, master of evil. How can I repay you for freeing me?"

Astronoma smiled. "Dark Specter sends his regards, Ivan Ooze." She had the small pleasure of watching Ooze's purple complexion blanch slightly. "He would like you to do him a little favor."

"For the great Dark Specter? Anything!"

"Wreak havoc upon this town. Do with it as you will. Zordon of Eltar still lives, and his Rangers will no doubt come to stop you." She smiled wickedly. "Destroy them."

Ooze threw back his head and laughed. "With the utmost pleasure! I shall have my revenge on Zordon, and this world shall belong to the Dark Specter!"



"And so, when you have a right triangle, what formula is used to describe the cosine of the angle." Mrs. Finn surveyed her classroom, eyes narrowed. "Moose!"

The heavyset boy startled, almost falling out of his chair. "What?"

"Can you tell me the formula used to determine the cosine of an angle in a right triangle?"

"Uhh- baby formula?" the bully replied. Most of the class giggled.

"No." Mrs. Finn scanned the room. "Fred Kelman. Can you answer the question?"

"Um,- no, ma'am," Fred replied. The teacher sighed.

"Justin Stewart." It wasn't a question. The blue-clad genius looked up from his notebook.

"Adjacent over hypotenuse."

"Correct." Mrs. Finn turned back to the board when a strange sound caught her ear. It was a musical 6-note melody, sounding like something played on a synthesizer. Turning around, she saw Fred and Justin grimacing. Suddenly Justin made a queasy face.

"Mrs. Finn, I don't feel very well. Can I go to the bathroom?"

"Certainly, Justin. Do you need someone to walk you there?"

Kris Thomas, who sat next to Justin in every class possible, started to volunteer, but Fred beat her to it.

"I'll take him to the bathroom," the Red Turbo Ranger replied, getting to his feet. Quickly, the two of them rushed out of the room.



"I think Kris has a crush on you," Fred grinned, as the two of them ran through the halls. Justin grimaced.

"Don't remind me. Everywhere I go, she's all over me. Tasha's about ready to kill her."

"So you two really have a thing going?" Any answer was forestalled by their arrival at the bathrooms, the Turbo Rangers' meeting-place for in-school calls. Franklin and Rosa were already there, and soon Tasha ran up as well. Looking both ways, Fred tapped his communicator.

"We read you, Zordon," he whispered.

"Ai yi yi, Rangers! Teleport to the Power Chamber," Alpha's voice replied. "We have a major emergency!"

"We're on our way," Justin replied. "Tash, are we clear?"

The Yellow Turbo Ranger looked in both directions. "Yeah, we're clear." Tapping their communicators, the team transported out.



"What's the matter, Zordon?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, Alpha sounded more upset than usual," Tasha added.

Despite the distorting effect of the column, Franklin couldn't help noticing that Zordon looked exceedingly grim, more so than usual. "Rangers, something that I have feared for a long time has finally come to pass. Many thousands of years ago, when I was still free of this time warp, a creature known as Ivan Ooze arose from sleep to threaten the galaxy. Long before that, in time that was legendary even to my people, Ooze ruled an empire of unparalleled evil. His downfall came at the hands of a race known as the Meledan, but not before he utterly destroyed their people and plunged their world into centuries of ecological apocalypse.

"For a time, the galaxy knew peace, but unfortunately, Ooze escaped his confinement. The last few wizards of the Meledan had prepared for this eventuality, however, and a spell was set into motion, one which called six young people to the deserted, now healed planet of the Meledan. I was one of these six. Unlike the teams of Power Rangers that have defended the galaxy throughout the centuries, we were not given special powers, only a charge- to stop Ivan Ooze before he could once again conquer worlds. However, the six of us each had special skills and powers that would allow us to fight Ooze. Our leader was Lexian, Prince of Edenoi, and at that time, the Masked Rider. Already a White Morphin Master, I was second-in-command. Also on the team were Dulcea, Warrior of Phaedos, Narana, Princess of the planet Gaelara and a technical genius, Zarador, prince of the Zarakin, who have an astonishing control of animals, and Melita, Zeo Guardian." At this last name, Zordon's gaze grew far away for a moment, and then he resumed his tale.

"We took the fight to Ooze, something that had never been done before. He had set up shop on a small, uninhabited planet to construct his Ectomorphicon Titans, twin insectoid machines of mass destruction. During the battle, Lexian was wounded and I was forced to assume command. We defeated Ooze, dismantled his Ectomorphicons, and buried him in a hyperlock chamber in the ground. We left him there and had no reason to think about him again- until now."

Justin made a face. "Let me guess. That 'small, uninhabited planet' wouldn't have been Earth, would it?"

The sage nodded. "I am afraid so, Justin."

"And the site of that climactic battle, where you kicked Ooze's butt, that wouldn't have been the future site of Angel Grove, would it?" Rosa asked, folding her arms across her chest. Incredibly, Zordon actually looked slightly sheepish.

"Ooze was using the ley nexus to charge his machines. In retrospect, I suppose, we should have realized that the ley lines would attract civilization, and moved Ooze somewhere else, but we were tired, young, and deeply concerned about Lexian. The thought simply did not occur to us."

Tasha shrugged. "Hey, even Morphin Masters make mistakes. Don't worry, we'll kick his oozy butt into the next millenium."

"It may not be that easy, Rangers," Alpha informed them. "I am afraid Ooze has been released by a far more powerful agency, one we can not yet identify. You must use all caution against him."

"First we've got to find him," Fred reminded them practically. "Justin, Alpha, can you get a lock on him for me?"

"Um, you could say that," Justin replied. "He's downtown, in Courthouse Square, and he does not appear to be happy. He's starting urban renewal a little earlier than planned."

"Well, come on guys. Let's go save the world," Fred sighed. "Shift into Turbo!" In five flashes of light, the Turbo Rangers were transported to the square, where Ooze was leaning against one of the six statues of the Morphin Rangers that had been put in almost five years before. He was zapping aimlessly, destroying buildings and sending people running for cover.

"Okay, Ivan, we're here!" Red Turbo cried. "You're obviously calling us out, so let's rumble."

Ivan snickered, sizing them up. "You're a little shorter than I imagined, Rangers. Zordon must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel these days."

Yellow Turbo snorted. "Better short than a slime-dripping prune," she shot back. Ooze recoiled in mock hurt.

"Look, Rangers, I'd love to spend the day trading barbs with you, but I have better things to do. Observe!" Ivan raised his hand to the sky, crackling purple energy shooting from it. The wind began to pick up, and the Turbo Rangers instinctively moved a little closer to each other. Green Turbo's reaction summed everything up in one word. "Uh-oh."



By and large, the Juice Bar is a teen hangout. As such, it isn't usually very busy during school hours. But there's always someone there, whether it's a home-schooler taking a break, the occasional early graduate like Billy, or a college student who just likes to hang out there. Today, Richie was polishing the juice bar, sipping a smoothie, and only half-listening to the news broadcast that Ernie had on.

"Marlene Maris, K-Grove News, with a special report." Snow crackled across the screen as the signal faded in and out. "Hours ago, Angel Grove Observatory detected a large group of objects, obviously artificial, moving into Earth orbit. Since then, communication around the city has been sporadic, frequently failing altogether, as if being jammed. Naturally, this is causing concern throughout the city. I'm here to interview Detective Trevor Park, the officer in charge."

Richie looked up from his drink, suddenly absorbed. Next to him, Ernie put down the glass he was drying, and both watched as the camera followed Marlene into Trevor's office, showing the usually cool and unflappable police detective growling into a phone. "Damn it, we've got a city-wide panic on our hands! We don't have time to just 'leave it to the Power Rangers.' Look, maybe if I had a damn Batsignal, I could do something about it, but they didn't exactly leave me their pager number!" He slammed down the phone in disgust. Looking up, he saw the camera. "Get that damn thing out of my office!" he roared, "before I chuck you BOTH out on the street!"

"Detective Park, what is going on out there?" Marlene asked, obviously uncowed.

"What's going on? All hell is breaking loose! And YOU aren't helping things any!"

The brunette reporter backpedaled quickly as Trevor advanced, a decidedly unpleasant glint in his eyes. "And what does the police department intend to do about it?"

"Pray," he replied shortly, gesturing to two of the other officers.

"May I remind you, Detective, that we are live?" Marlene said pointedly.

Trevor's response was immediate. "Ask me if I care." The camera suddenly tilted at a crazy angle and began moving far too quickly. Then there was a short swoop, and when the picture stabilized, it was filming the street outside the Angel Grove Police Department, 13th precinct.

"Of all the-" Marlene broke off, realizing that they were still on the air. "Remember, folks, you saw it here first. We were just thrown bodily out of the Police Department-"

She was suddenly cut off by her cameraman's cry. "What in the name of God is THAT?" The camera pivoted away from Marlene, aiming towards the sky, where a dome of purple energy was slowly closing over the city.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," someone breathed. It took Richie a moment to recognize Marlene's voice. Slightly louder, she continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here in downtown Angel Grove, where a huge dome of something purple has just surrounded us. It looks as if it covers the entire city, and seems to be a barrier of some kind. I think we can rule out natural causes and the usual criminal element here. This looks like a job for the Power Rangers."

Richie and Ernie looked at each other in concern.



Over at Angel Grove Elementary, Teddy Oliver was being bored out of his mind. He usually liked English class, but this teacher was perhaps the most unexciting one he had ever had. He couldn't wait until he was older, and he could get into Miss Appleby's class. Tommy always said she was one of the more interesting English teachers in the Angel Grove school system.

Still listening with one ear as the teacher droned on, he turned to the window and stopped suddenly. "Whoa!" he breathed, astonished.

"Mr. Oliver, do you have something you wish to share with the class?" Miss Nelson asked sharply.

"Um, yeah, I think so. You'd better come take a look at this." The rest of the class, including Miss Nelson, crossed to the windows with him. There were gasps of astonishment and worry as they watched a huge dome of purple energy move across the sky, blotting out the sun and throwing the city into a strange purple twilight.

"I think we're in deep trouble," Teddy murmured, to no one in particular.



"JUSTIN!" Red Turbo cried, turning to his friend. "What the hell did he do?"

Blue Turbo had his computer out and was typing rapidly. "It appears to be some sort of barrier. I can't really analyze it without the Power Chamber's equipment, but I think he's cut the entire city off!"

"Give the kid a cigar!" Ooze laughed. "Now, Rangers, I'd love to stay and play with you, but I've got work to do, bringing this city to its knees. So you can just play with my Oozemen!" Throwing his hands into the air, he shot lightning all around him. Everywhere the purple bolts touched, strange purple humanoid creatures rose up out of the ground. "Welcome to my nightmare!" With that, Ooze disappeared in a streak of purple light.

The Turbo Rangers set defensive stances as the Oozemen milled around them, far outnumbering them. "Fred, what are we gonna do?" Pink Turbo asked apprehensively.

Red Turbo did some quick calculations. "Twenty to one? I like those odds! Let's get 'em!" With a battle cry, he threw himself into the fray, quickly followed by his friends.

The fight was brutal. Far outnumbered by their foes, the Turbo Rangers fought valiantly, but were slowly being overwhelmed. Two Oozemen knocked Pink Turbo into a wall several times, only to be nearly decapitated by a series of Green Turbo's powerful kicks. Three Oozemen ganging up on Blue Turbo were driven back by Yellow Turbo swinging a discarded pipe as if it were a bo staff. But despite their courage and skill, for every Oozeman the Turbos splattered, there seemed to be five more waiting in the wings.

"Franklin, we can't keep this up!" Pink Turbo shouted over the noise of battle.

Green Turbo nodded. "We're gonna have to pull back! The problem will be convincing Fred of that. You know how much he hates to run."

"If he won't come, have Tasha knock him out," was Blue Turbo's contribution to the conversation.

"Cause if we stay here, we're gonna be dog meat," Yellow Turbo finished.

Leaping over a group of Oozemen, Green Turbo managed to get Red Turbo's attention by laying a hand on his shoulder and immediately ducking the counter-punch. "Fred, we've got to get out of here!"

"We can't just run away! Think what these guys will do to the city."

"If we stay, think what these guys will do to us! Then there'll be nobody to stop the REAL problem- Ooze."

Red Turbo sighed, simultaneously knocking an Oozeman into a wall with a back kick. "You're right, Franklin. Regroup!" The Turbos quickly moved back together. "We'll be back, Ivan!" Red Turbo growled. The five of them hit their belts and teleported out, leaving the Oozemen to scatter through the city.



Teddy's sixth grade class wasn't getting much work done. No one, not even the teacher could concentrate on the lessons with the dome outside, although most were trying. Teddy, however, was making no attempt to join in the lesson. Instead, he was absorbed in thought.

~ That thing's got to be some type of barrier,~ he mused. ~ It must have been created to keep people in, and reinforcements out. But if no one can get in, then we're stuck with eleven Rangers. I wonder if Tommy's on the job. I have a feeling that things are going to get big.~

Suddenly a loudspeaker crackled to life, startling them all. "Attention students," the principal announced, nervousness in his voice. "Communications are still sketchy, but we've been informed that there is a force of alien foot soldiers heading our way. You are to leave your classrooms and head for the gymnasium, where you will be evacuated in an orderly manner."

There wasn't time for the students to obey. The windows suddenly came crashing in under the force of several Oozemen. One reached out and grabbed Miss Nelson, who was closest. There was a crackle of purple light, and then she simply stood there, eyes blank and distant.

True to family tradition, Teddy didn't think; he reacted. Picking up a chair, he swung at the nearest Oozeman, knocking it into a wall before turning to smoothly kick the next one. "Everybody out of the school!" he bellowed, sounding a great deal like his brother. "NOW, damn it!" The shock of the unexpected language galvanized the class into action, and they began rushing out the door. Gritting his teeth, Teddy set himself for a fight that he had no chance of winning.

A forceful kick sent him flying out into the hall. Striking the lockers, he fell to the floor, the world swimming around him. Painfully, he rose to his feet as the Oozemen followed him into the hall. "I'd love to stay and chat," he managed, breathing deeply, "but I've got to go. In the meantime, though, why don't you have a bath?" Reaching up, he pulled the fire alarm, setting off both the sirens and the sprinklers. Then he ran off, disappearing into the quickly misting hallways.



The sounds of battle suddenly drew Teddy's attention as he ran through the halls. Pausing, he listened hard, trying to identify the direction from which they came.

"You keep- *thwack*- your hands- *whack*- OFF my family!" a voice cried, punctuated by the sounds of something striking a yielding, oozy surface. Teddy followed the noise to a fifth grade classroom, where Juan De Santos was keeping a pair of Oozemen at bay with Widowmaker, his ever-present baseball bat. Fervently, Teddy gave thanks that the teachers allowed Juan to carry his father's bat around as sort of a security blanket. Meanwhile, Emilia, Miguel, and Alejandro were holed up behind the teacher's desk, chucking erasers, pencil cans, and textbooks at their assailants.

"Mind if I join the party?" Teddy asked, leaping into the room. Between the two boys, the Oozemen were quickly taken care of, and were flowing merrily into the storm drains.

"Hate to see what that's gonna do to the ground water," Juan puffed, leaning on his baseball bat. "Thanks, amigo."

"No problem. But we can't hang around here. There's probably twenty or so of the things in this building. We've got to get out of here before they catch us."

"No argument here," Juan replied as the three youngest De Santos kids came out from behind the desk.

"I'm scared," Emilia confessed.

Teddy nodded. "Me too. We'll be all right, though."

"What happens if they catch us?" Alex wanted to know.

"Take a wild guess," snorted Miguel. Teddy shook his head.

"I don't think they'll kill us. I saw one of them do- something to Miss Nelson. It's like they turned her into some sort of zombie. It doesn't matter, though, because they're not gonna catch us. We're gonna get out of here if Juan has to use that table-leg of his to make us a new door."

"Watch what you say about my bat, Shaggy," Juan grinned. The five of them headed out into the corridors of the school, alert for any type of attack.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked.

"The youth center," Teddy replied. "Tommy once told me it's the most easily defensible building in the city."

"Forget the youth center!" Juan shot back. "We have to go home! Mom will be going nuts!"

Teddy grabbed the younger boy before he could move off. "You'd never make it! These things are probably all over the city! You won't be doing your mom any good by getting captured. We go to the youth center, and then we try to call home, all right? But none of us is going off half-cocked!" The two boys locked eyes for a long moment, then Juan nodded. As they made their way out of the building, Teddy had a sudden thought. ~ Tommy must feel like this all the time.~



"I can't believe this." Fred turned away from the viewing globe, his eyes shut against the images of the Oozemen sacking the city. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Franklin put a gloved hand on his friend's shoulder. "Look at it this way, Fred. At least they're not killing anyone."

"Yeah, and life as an oozed-out zombie is sooo much better," the smaller boy shot back.

The scene in the Power Chamber was an odd one. All five Turbos had removed their helmets, although they were still in their suits. Zordon watched in concern as the five young teens dealt with the current situation.

Rosa and Tasha were pacing in perfect unison, to the point where they were making Alpha dizzy. Franklin was running through every meditation kata he knew, which was a lot. Justin was half-invisible under one of the control panels, trying to jury-rig some type of special scanner. Fred, meanwhile, was glued to the viewing globe, helpless to look away from the images that he could not alter. One gloved hand kept going up to run through his dark hair, searching for the baseball cap he always wore. Now that Zordon thought about it, this was the only time he had ever seen Fred's hair for more than a few minutes.

"Bingo!" came the slightly muffled cry from Justin. Instantly the other four were at his side.

"Tell me you've got something," Fred entreated. Justin pulled himself out from under the console and shrugged.

"I've got a scanner. Whether it turns up any useful information or not remains to be seen. This thing should give us a clear picture of the dome's make-up, and some idea of what's going on outside. Hit it, Alpha!"

The scanner flared to life. One terminal immediately began spitting out printouts, and one of the screens flickered to life.

"Ai yi yi yi yi!" the little android cried. "We have a problem! A giant spaceship in Earth orbit has just released two mini-fleets! One's headed to New York, and the smaller one has headed to Miami."

"Shit!" Fred cursed, startling everyone. "What does it say about the dome?"

"Pure energy," Justin reported. "Blocks communication, teleportation, and physical transport."

Fred appeared to be thinking hard. "Can you punch through it?"

"Maybe once. But there's no way I could get fifteen people back here," Justin replied.

"You don't have to. I want to get six people out. Can we communicate inside the dome?"

"Sure. It only blocks communications going out."

"Good. Alpha, get on the horn. Get Tommy and any other Ranger still in Angel Grove and get them here immediately. I have an idea."

"It's about time!" Tasha cried. "We don't just keep you around for your looks, you know!"



The streets of Angel Grove were like a war zone. With communication of every kind either unreliable or non-existent, most people had given up on trying to figure out what to do and were just trying to stay out of the way of the invaders. On a side street in the business district, Lita Kino was desperately trying to keep from being overwhelmed by four Oozemen.

"Hi-yah!" Launching a powerful side kick into the nearest Oozeman, Lita took a moment to give thanks both for the karate training the Rangers had given her, supporting her black belt in Aikido, and the fact that she had worn flats to the office. Heels would have made it impossible to defend herself.

Ducking a punch, Lita grabbed the arm of her assailant, assisting his forward motion right into the wall. Another throw sent a second Oozeman flying into a dumpster, and a roundhouse kick took out a third. Suddenly a gibbering noise from behind caused her to whirl. Behind her, another fifteen goons were filing into the street. She was surrounded.

"Aw, shit," Lita sighed. "All right, boys, come and get it." The Oozemen advanced. Things were looking rather dark for Lita when the squealing of tires suddenly interrupted. She looked up to see a cherry-red convertible roar down the street and plow into the crowd of Oozemen, knocking them left and right, and splattering more than a few. Stopping the car, Parker O' Neil vaulted out of the driver's side without even bothering to open the door. With a series of punches and kicks, he made his way through the press of goons to Lita's side.

"Need a hand, Doc?"

"If I weren't ten years older than you and already dating somebody, I'd kiss you!" she shot back. Parker's presence soon tipped the scales in their favor, and the remaining Oozemen retreated, looking for easier targets.

"You all right?" Parker asked the psychiatrist, concerned.

"I am now," she replied, shaking her head. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, things might have gotten icky."

The reporter chuckled. "Tell me about it. This is gonna be the story of the century- if I live to file it," he added wryly, running a hand through his already disordered sandy hair.

"Where are you headed?"

"The youth center. It's the most defensible spot in the city, and the mayor is trying to spread the word that people should head there. Ernie's going to have a major influx on his hands. You want a ride?"

Lita nodded. "Please!" The two of them climbed into Parker's slightly oozy convertible and drove off.



"Damn!" Tyler Oliver cursed. "I don't think that shield's going to hold for much longer."

His wife, Terry, shrugged. "Doesn't much matter. They're coming in the windows anyway." Although their Morphin Warrior powers were gone, and had been for nine months, the two of them were hardly defenseless. Terry lazily twirled a staff while her husband wielded a green-handled katana much like the one he had carried in Rita's service. Plus, as a mage, Tyler had magically barricaded the door, which wasn't having much of an effect. The Oozemen slipped through his shields as if they weren't even there.

"Heads up!" Terry called. "Here they come!" The windows burst in at about the same point that the door fell down. The Olivers moved back to back, weapons held at the ready.

Suddenly Terry threw herself forward, staff spinning over her head in a silver blur. Quickly, she began to bat Oozemen left and right, as if she were at baseball practice. Beside her, Tyler was fighting with both his katana and bursts of magical flame. Unfortunately, for every Oozeman scorched or splattered, there seemed to be two to take its place. "Tyler?" Terry called over the noise of the fight.

"Yes dear?"

"Never invite your poker buddies over for dinner again!"

He laughed. "Whatever you say." They fought a while longer, then it was his turn to call out. "Terry?"

"Hmm?"

"I think we're hopelessly outnumbered."

"I'd noticed that."

"I suggest it's time for a strategic retreat."

"The window?"

"Sounds good to me." By this time, the two of them had maneuvered themselves so that their backs were towards their second-story windows. Exchanging one glance, they joined hands and jumped, Tyler's magic helping to cushion their fall. A few Oozemen tried to follow, but managed only to splat themselves.

"I seriously doubt we're going to get back our cleaning deposit," Terry grimaced. Just then her communicator beeped.

"This is Fred," it said, not even waiting for them to answer. "If anyone can hear this, come to the Power Chamber immediately! We've got a major problem."

Tyler raised an eyebrow at his wife. "Think that means us?"

"No, but we should probably go anyway. They might need our help."

"Right." In mint green and lavender flashes, they teleported out.



"Fred, I hope you have a plan," Tommy grimaced, tearing his eyes away from the screen.

"Plan? Heck, no. I'm making it all up as I go along," the smaller boy replied. "Look, we've got a problem. Outside Angel Grove, we've got two space fleets moving towards New York and Miami. Alpha says that the larger one seems to be a fleet of battle ships while the smaller one is composed of troop carriers. Looks like our enemy is going to launch assaults on multiple fronts. We need the Zeo Rangers and the Morphin Warriors to go deal with the problem."

"Count us in," Tyler spoke up from his position by the costumes. "Terry and I will do whatever it takes to help out."

"You don't have any powers, remember?" Jason pointed out, not unkindly. "I know you want to be part of this, but it's just too dangerous."

"Maybe not," Billy mused. "I've been working on a method of temporary recharge for a while now. With Tyler's mage powers, it might work- but we'll only be able to power one of you."

"Me," Tyler decided. "I'm a mage, so I'll have more protection if necessary. Don't even think about arguing with me, Terry."

She sighed. "I wasn't. You've got that stubborn look on your face. I'll just- hang around and help Zordon and Alpha, I guess."

"Okay, then." Billy cracked his knuckles. "Justin's working on a way to punch through the shielding. It's only going to work once, so we'd better get this done now. Tyler, Terry, join hands." The pair did as he instructed, gazing into each other's eyes. "Terry, concentrate on purple energy flowing from you into Tyler." Then Billy motioned to Jason. "As Morphin Warriors, we'll provide the template for him to re-establish his connection to the Grid. Tyler, you're going to have to reach out with your powers and sort of- sense the set-up."

The former Green Warrior nodded. "Got it." He began to shine with a green light. For a long moment, nothing happened, and then the green began to darken, deepen. There was a flash, and when everyone's vision cleared, Tyler was dressed once again in the uniform of the Green Warrior.

"I'm not sure how long your powers will last," Billy told him, "so you'll have to be careful not to strain yourself."

Jason snorted. "That sounds familiar."

Terry chuckled, throwing her arms around her husband's waist. "You come back in one piece, hear me, Tyler Oliver?"

He smiled down at her. "You know it, Terry."

"I've got it!" Justin cried suddenly, interrupting the moment. "Everybody cross your fingers! Teleporting Rangers and Zords to the desert outside of town. From there, you'll call the others and explain the situation, right?"

Tommy nodded. "Right. Let's go." The four Zeo Rangers and three Morphin Warriors dissolved into their respective beams of light and flew out of the Power Chamber. Those within let out a collectively held breath as the massed teleport signatures made it out through the hole in the shield that quickly closed up again.

"Now," Fred declared, in a voice like steel, "to find Ivan."



The Oozemen had worked their way through the city, capturing everyone they could and transforming them into zombies ready to obey Ivan's commands. What Ooze hadn't counted on, though, was how much fight the people had put up. Most people in Angel Grove had been subconsciously preparing for something like this ever since the Power Rangers first appeared. Battles had raged through the streets, and were still raging throughout the city.

On a deserted street in the shopping district, a young black man slipped silently from shadow to shadow. His blue T-shirt and jeans were torn and dirty, and he looked as if he'd been through a major fight. As he warily scanned the street, he heard a clatter behind him. He whirled instinctively, hands coming up in a defensive position.

"Whoa, whoa! I come in peace!" The pink-clad Asian girl behind him raised her hands in surrender. Her clothes were in no better shape than his were, and he relaxed, standing straighter.

"Sorry, you just startled me. I've been ambushed by those purple things twice today."

"Only once here, but I had to crawl through an air vent to get out of the school," she replied. "I'm Cassie Chan," she introduced herself, extending her hand.

"TJ Carter," he replied, shaking it. "Listen, maybe we should stick together. Safety in numbers, you know?"

"Sounds good to me," she replied. Suddenly voices coming around a corner alerted them. "What's that?"

"I don't know. Let's go check it out- carefully." Slowly, the two of them crept to the corner of the building and looked around. A girl with light brown hair and a yellow shirt was sitting against the wall, while a Hispanic boy bandaged her ankle with strips from his green T-shirt.

"That ought to hold it, Ashley," he said in his slightly accented voice. Looking up, he saw TJ and Cassie, and instantly fell into a defensive stance between them and Ashley.

"Whoa, it's okay," TJ said quickly. "We're on your side. I'm TJ Carter, and this is Cassie Chan. We're hiding from those purple things too."

"Carlos, help me up," Ashley grimaced. Carlos relaxed, leaning down and helping her to her feet. "I'm Ashley Thompson, and this is Carlos Vargas," she introduced them. "I don't recognize you from school. Are you new in town?"

TJ nodded. "Yeah, I just moved down here from Oregon. I'm living with my uncle, and training for baseball. If I play my cards right, I could wind up playing for the Lions after high school."

"My parents moved down here because my dad was- transferred," Cassie added. TJ noticed the hesitation in her sentence, but said nothing.

"We were trying to get to the youth center," Carlos explained. "It's a designated monster shelter. Unfortunately, we got ambushed, and Ashley twisted her ankle."

"I think it'll be all right," Ashley said, quite unconvincingly. "I can walk."

TJ snorted. "Sure you can. You sound like my oldest younger sister, when she sprained her ankle playing soccer. 'I can walk! Put me back in the game!' All the while, her ankle was the size of a telephone book. Tell you what. Carlos, why don't you and I take turns supporting her? You look like you're getting a little tired."

"No, it's all right," he protested. "I can do it."

"Carlos, don't be ridiculous," Ashley grumped. "I've been slowing you down. This will get us to the youth center quicker." Carlos sighed, but relinquished her to TJ with what Cassie thought was quite a show of reluctance. As the four of them moved off in the direction Ashley indicated, Cassie watched as the green-clad boy's eyes never left Ashley's back. She grinned to herself. This could be interesting.



Bowing to her sparring partner, Lillian O' Neil grinned and wiped her forehead. "Good match, Ryan. Thanks."

Ryan Steele grinned. "Hey, it's always good to have someone new to spar with. JB was getting predictable." The blond boy ducked as his taller friend took a swipe at him.

Chuckling, Lillian threw Ryan a towel, and the two of them walked over to sit down on the dojo's benches. "So, heard from your dad recently?" she asked.

"Yeah, he says he's enjoying Norway. I miss him, but he says he might be coming home for a visit soon."

Suddenly a beeping noise from Lillian's bag distracted her. "I'd- better go get cleaned up," she said, rising quickly. "I have class in an hour."

Ryan and JB frowned at each other. "I thought you didn't have class on Fridays?" JB called after her, but Lillian had already ducked into the women's changing room.

"I read you," she said quietly into her communicator.

"Lil, this is Tommy. We've got a major problem. There's a huge force of ships moving towards New York City to launch an attack. We've got to stop it. Morph and teleport to my location immediately."

"I'm on it," she replied. Hopefully, when she didn't come out of the bathroom, Ryan and JB would just assume they had missed her leaving. "Zeo Shadow Power!" In a flash of black light, Black Ranger found herself standing on a field with the other Zeo Rangers. In the distance she could see the New York skyline.

"Here I am, fearless leader," she announced, turning to Red Ranger. "What's the plan, Stan?"

"All right, listen up," Red Ranger announced to the group at large. "We've got a huge, and I mean HUGE force of mecha coming our way. Air fighters, and Zordon's scans say they're fast and deadly. We're going to need Zord power to take care of these guys."

"Tommy, one problem," Green Ranger interjected. "We've got ten Rangers and eleven Zords. We're short one pilot."

"Yeah," Blue Ranger seconded. "The last time we had a major Zord battle, we had Lita pilot Super Zeo Zord IV, but we left her in Angel Grove."

Yellow Ranger shook her head. "Where are we going to find someone with enough of the power to pilot a Zord?"

"Especially in a place as full of cold iron as New York," White Ranger added.

Silver Ranger chuckled. "I think I know."

Red Ranger nodded. "I'd say it's our only chance. You guys wait here. I'm going to teleport into town and see if I can't get us a Zord pilot." In a flash of red light, he disappeared.

Gold Ranger cocked his head. "Where did he go?"



Janine Melnitz was typing away at her desk, trying furiously to get her latest pile of paperwork done so that she could leave early. The only problem was that every time she got close to the end, Dr. Venkman would come out and drop a few more bills on her with obvious relish. Suddenly a whooshing sound made her look up. She was almost blinded by a flash of red light, and when it faded, there was a tall young man with long dark hair standing in the foyer beside Ecto-1. She raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?" she asked, surreptitiously checking the PKE meter that she kept in one of the desk drawers. Normal background. Maybe she'd just been seeing things.

"Um, yeah. Are the Ghostbusters in?" he asked.

"May I ask why you're calling?"

"Well-" he looked nervous. "We sort of met a while ago, and I kind of need their help for something."

"Janine," a tenor voice came from behind the filing cabinet. "Who're you talking to?"

"Why don't you come out and see for yourself?" she snapped back. "And don't bring any paperwork with you."

"I'm hurt, shocked, and appalled, Janine," Peter Venkman grinned, walking out of his "office." "That you think I would purposely- hey, Tommy! Long time no see!" the psychologist's expression changed slowly as he took in the look on Tommy's face. "This isn't a social call, is it?" he asked seriously.

Tommy shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Dr. Venkman. We've kind of got a problem."

Peter sighed. "When don't you?" Crossing to the stairs, he yelled up them. "Egon! Winston! Ray! Get down here, we have a problem!" As Venkman headed back towards the front desk, Tommy finally noticed his T-shirt. It was green.

Noting Tommy's raised eyebrow, Peter grimaced. "You know, I can't wear anything else? Half my wardrobe's either gone to Winston or Goodwill. It's annoying."

Tommy snickered. "Try going from green to white, or white to red. At least you had something to start with."

"Ahem!" Janine cleared her throat. "Do you mind explaining what's going on here?" she asked pointedly.

"Oh, Janine, this is Tommy Oliver. Some friends of his helped us out on a case a while back."

Just then, the other three Ghostbusters came down the stairs. Winston Zeddemore, Tommy noticed, was wearing a grey shirt and a pair of jeans, not a speck of pink on him. Egon Spengler's shirt was a light blue, and Ray Stantz was wearing a green sweater over a white turtleneck.

"Hey!" Winston greeted the newcomer. "Tommy, right? What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

Tommy decided that trying to dance around the problem would only delay things. "We've detected an alien invasion fleet approaching New York. We're going to try and stop it, but we're short a pilot. That's where you guys come in."

Janine raised a hand. "Whoa, whoa! Alien invasion? Come on, you don't really buy this, do you?"

"It's okay, Janine," Ray reassured her. "He's a Power Ranger."

While Janine was recovering from that shock, Egon looked at Tommy. "Forgive me for nitpicking, but don't you need whatever power you Rangers possess to pilot a Zord?"

Tommy nodded. "All except Super Zeo Zord IV. It's been jury-rigged to accept commands from anyone with any type of Green energy, not just Green Zeo." In unison, everybody turned to look at Peter.

"Hmm," Egon mused. "That's most fortunate, actually. Of all of us, Peter is the one who's held onto his power most efficiently."

Peter raised an eyebrow at his bespectacled friend. "You can tell all that from charting the laundry, can you Egon?" he asked teasingly. Egon raised an eyebrow right back.

"As a matter of fact, yes, Peter," he responded dryly. "The frequency of articles of appropriately colored clothing is actually quite a reliable barometer of the amount of Morphin energy each of us has left. Winston hasn't worn anything pink in months, and Ray and I are both down to perhaps one occurrence a week, quite close to random choice. You, however, haven't worn anything but green since November."

"Yeah, well, I'm just wearing it so it won't show the slime," Peter sniffed. Tommy chuckled.

"So, will you help us, Dr. Venkman?"

"Yes, but only if you start calling me Peter. The only person who calls me Dr. Venkman is Janine, and she only does it to annoy me."

"Deal," Tommy laughed.

"Wait," Ray said suddenly. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Tommy chewed at his lip. "Well, we're cut off from the Power Chamber. We could definitely use some eyes on the ground."

Egon nodded. "I believe I have some equipment that will work. How long until the fleet hits New York?" Tommy looked at his watch.

"About twenty minutes. You guys gather up what you need, and I'll send some of the guys back for you in about fifteen. Meanwhile, I'll give Dr.- uh, Peter here a crash course in Zord piloting."

"Did you have to say 'crash?'" Peter complained, as the two of them disappeared in two flashes of light, one red, one a bright mint green.



"Welcome to beautiful downtown Miami," Trini sighed as the Morphin Warriors teleported into the heart of the city. Dark Specter's Quantrons were already there, ripping their way through cars and sending the populace running for cover.

"Well, looks like we're outnumbered twenty to one," Zack noted. "Anybody got any ideas?"

Skull shrugged. "We could round up a bunch of the local cockroaches and sic 'em on them," he suggested.

"You couldn't handle a Miami cockroach," Kimberly told him with a grin.

Jason unsheathed his sword. "Divide and conquer, guys. Spread out!" They did as ordered, jumping into the fight. Billy and Trini were back to back, whirling through the pack in a graceful and rather violent tornado. Skull covered Kimberly's back as she calmly picked off target after target with her bow. Jason and Tyler were hacking and slashing their way around, with Zack hard-pressed to keep up with them. Still, for every two they cut down, three more appeared in their places.

"This is not working," Skull gasped as Billy flew past him, striking a pine tree rather heavily.

Zack grunted as a powerful kick sent him hurtling to the ground at Skull's feet. "No shit, Sherlock."

"Jason!" Trini called. "We've gotta regroup!"

Kimberly shook her head. "No good, Trini, he can't hear you. You know how he gets in a fight."

"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "Nothing exists but the person he's pounding on."

"Then let's go to him," Billy suggested, rising to his feet once more. The six teens regrouped around their leader, who was outnumbered, outgunned, and obviously loving every minute of it.

"Do you ever get tired?" Skull asked, blocking a swipe by the nearest Quantron.

Jason shook his head. "Not in a good fight!"

"Geez, and you guys think I'M a maniac?" Tyler inquired. The three of them, armed with their swords, were carving a large path through their enemies. Suddenly, there was a purple flash, and a beautiful woman with curly purple hair appeared.

"Time to pick things up a bit! Bring in the heavy artillery!" Suddenly a fleet of armed motorcycles appeared.

"This is bad," Billy gulped. "Very bad."



Meanwhile, in a deserted section of Angel Grove, David Trueheart was not having a good day. His car was totaled, he'd been attacked by Oozemen, and he had no idea what was really going on. That was what bothered him the most. Ever since learning that Tommy was a Power Ranger, he'd been in on the major events. Whatever the Power Rangers knew, he knew too. But his communicator had been destroyed, and so not only was he completely in the dark, he was going to have to walk to the youth center.

Sitting down on a convenient chunk of masonry, he thought about how he'd come to be in this position. It had all started earlier that day, when he'd been driving to Angel Grove to meet Tommy for a sparring match.



The sky was clear and blue, the air was pure, and David was seriously enjoying himself. He and Tommy were supposed to have a workout at the youth center together, and then maybe get together with some of the guys for a picnic in the park. As he listened to the radio, he drummed his hands on the wheel of his 4×4 in time to the music, feeling quite content with the day and with life in general.

That feeling evaporated, however, when purple lightning began to rain all around his car. Cursing, he swerved to avoid one bolt that came a little too close. This was not going to be such a good day after all. Suddenly, he could see a barrier of purple energy arcing across the sky towards him. Quickly he calculated where it was likely to fall and stepped on the accelerator. If he didn't hurry up, he'd be crushed.

No sooner had he rocketed over the city limits, past the place where the barrier was about to touch down, than five purple beings had leaped onto his car. One had blocked his view. Try though he might, he couldn't shake them. Suddenly the car hit a curb, sending it flying. Landing on its side, the 4×4 rolled over twice, coming to a stop on one side, wheels just kissing a building. David pulled himself laboriously out of the car, giving thanks for seatbelts and airbags as he did so. Most of the purple things had been squished when the car had rolled, but two of them were still intact, and decided to jump him. That was their first- and last- mistake. The last of David's usually calm temper evaporated, and he ripped into his assailants far stronger than Tommy ever had. Dusting his hands off, he looked down at his communicator. It had been broken, probably in the crash.

"Ah, shit."



David sighed. Since then, he had been walking towards the youth center, trying to stay out of the line of fire. Suddenly, a sound behind him made him turn. Three Oozemen had been trying to sneak up on him, failing miserably. Picking up a section of pipe from one of the ruined buildings around him, David hefted it, an evil smile on his face.

"All right, boys. Let's rock and roll."



The sound of the alarm startled the Turbo Rangers from their hastily convened strategy session. Quickly, they ran to where Terry was working the controls of the scanners. "Please, tell me you have good news," Fred said fervently.

"Well, I found Ivan," she responded. "You tell me if that's good or bad. He's in the park, with a bunch of Oozemen and zombies. Looks like they're planning something."

"Then let's go break it up," Franklin replied, reaching for his helmet. Fred nodded.

"Back to action!"

In a flash, the five Turbos were in Angel Grove Park. Before them, Ivan was giving a speech to his minions. He stopped, smirking at the five teens and resting his chin in his hand. "Nice of you to show up," he chuckled. "I've been waiting for you. There's someone I want you to meet."

"Who's that?" Pink Turbo cried.

"Me," a girl's voice came back. The Turbos turned to see Kris Thomas behind them, smiling coldly.

"Kris?" Blue Turbo began, catching himself at Yellow Turbo's sidelong glare.

Kris nodded. "That's right, Justin. I will be your destruction." As she threw her hands into the air, a bright purple light began to shine from her body. Tendrils of ooze burst from around her wrists, ankles, and neck, quickly covering her body. When it stopped, she was clad in a purple version of Red Ranger's costume.

"Purple Lightning Turbo Ranger, at your service," she laughed evilly. Then she threw herself at them, moving in a fury. Red Turbo ducked her first punch, but didn't move quite fast enough to escape the hooking heel kick that struck him in the side. He fell to the ground, but before she could finish him, Green Turbo tackled her, knocking her away. The two of them rolled over and over, with Green Turbo ending up on top. Beneath him, Purple Turbo jerked her knee up violently, causing him to collapse like an empty sack. Purple Turbo leaped to her feet to deliver the killing strike, only to find Pink Turbo blocking her way. The two traded punches and blocks while Blue and Yellow Turbos helped their green friend to his feet.

"You all right, Frank?" Blue Turbo asked, concerned.

Green Turbo nodded. "I think so," he breathed, his voice sounding slightly higher than normal. "Man, she fights dirty!"

"So does Rosa," Yellow Turbo pointed out. The two girls were circling, lashing out with everything they could think of. Suddenly, Purple Turbo back-flipped away from her opponent, giving the five time to regroup.

"Man, Kris might be a martial artist, but she was never this good before!" Red Turbo puffed.

"I think it's the ooze," Blue Turbo theorized. "It's enhanced her skills and made her the teeniest bit vicious."

"Vicious?" Green Turbo winced, his voice returning to normal. "What would give you that idea?"

Suddenly Purple Turbo pointed her arm at the five, who had to scatter as she began launching purple energy bolts. Yellow Turbo leaped into the air, coming down in a perfect flying kick. It struck home in Purple Turbo's shoulder, sending her sprawling. She quickly gained her feet, however, and struck out at Yellow Turbo with a whip of ooze, formed out of her suit. The lash snaked around Yellow Turbo's neck, cutting off her air. While she struggled to breathe, Purple Turbo used the whip to throw her opponent into a nearby tree. Yellow Turbo slumped to the ground and was still.

"TASHA!" Blue Turbo screamed. Heedless of anything else, he charged at Purple Turbo, who simply raised a hand and pointed it at him. Ooze flowed from it, covering him in an immobilizing cocoon.

"Who's next?" Purple Turbo asked sweetly, turning back to the Rangers.

"We are," Green and Pink Turbos growled in unison. They rushed her, but she simply dodged Green Turbo's punch, kicking Pink Turbo in the stomach. Then, spinning, she picked Green Turbo up and slammed him into a tree.

"Autoblaster!" Red Turbo cried, praying he wouldn't regret this. Pulling his pistol, he fired a shot, hitting Purple Turbo directly in the back. She fell to the ground, unconscious, a large smoking hole in the back of her suit. As he watched, however, the suit filled itself in, although she still made no move to get up.

"Very impressive, Turbo Ranger," Ooze applauded. Red Turbo whirled. He had almost forgotten that the morphological being was there. "You know what they say, though. He who fights and runs away..." Picking up the unconscious Purple Turbo, he teleported out. Red Turbo sighed, tapping his communicator.

"Bring us in, Terry. I'm gonna need three medical beds." Looking at the hardened slime encasing Blue Turbo, he shook his head. "And a chisel," he added. In five flashes of light, the Rangers disappeared.



"Geez, Dr. Spengler, do you think you have enough stuff?" Black Ranger whistled, as she teleported the last of Egon's gadgets onto the roof of the building. The blond physicist chuckled.

"I know it looks rather voluminous, but most of it is necessary, I assure you. Some of it will be used to scan incoming fighters, and this particular setup will be to communicate with you all during the fight."

Gold Ranger looked out over the side of the building. "Isn't this kind of- exposed? Granted, it's not the highest building in the city, but it's still pretty high."

"It has to be fairly high, or I won't be able to get the sensor readings I need. Besides, Winston and Ray have their proton packs, and between you and them, I should be well defended."

Black Ranger looked down as her communicator beeped. "That'll be Tommy. It's time for us to go. You sure you'll be all right?"

"Yes, of course. Go on." The two Rangers teleported out, and Egon turned back to his machines. "Peter, do you read me?"

"I copy, big guy," the psychologist replied, his usual cocky tone coming through the transmitter quite well.

"How are you doing? Adjusted to the Zord yet?"

"Oh, yeah. Aside from the fact that I don't know what half these controls do, that is. I'm afraid I'll try to turn on the windshield wipers and nuke New Jersey or something. Not that nuking New Jersey would necessarily be a bad thing."

Egon chuckled softly. Despite the flippant tone in Peter's voice, he could tell that his friend was worried. And why shouldn't he be? In less than five minutes, he was about to be involved in a major battle for the safety of the world.

"Egon?" Peter's voice was more serious now. "Still with me?"

The blond physicist cleared his throat. "Of course, Peter. I'm not going anywhere."

"Neither am I." The warmth in the psy