Disclaimer- Saban owns all these characters, except for the Real Ghostbusters, who are property of DIC, and any original characters which are mine or borrowed from Jen Bigley. This fic is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for violence, language, and deep themes. It is number 26 in the Personality Conflicts series, number 5 in a six-part series, and the second half of the arc began in "Shadow Hearts." Cameo by Julia Holochwost.
by : Ellen Brand
July 4
The sun beat down on the small arena that the Black Falcon had reserved for Chelsea's training. The temperature was easily eighty degrees, and Chelsea reveled in it, letting the heat sink into her bones. After so many afternoons spent in the desert, accompanying Tommy and David on various adventures, it would take more than the dry heat of Briallta to get to her. Dressed in a simple white T-shirt and a pair of white shorts, she waited patiently as the Falcon walked out across the hard, barren earth.
"Ecliptor was right about you," he said admiringly. The last few days had been spent in testing her knowledge of a number of things, from hand-to-hand combat to the various arts of stealth. Throughout it all, the Falcon's expression had remained carefully neutral, but Chelsea had enough experience reading body language to know he had been pleasantly surprised.
"So do I pass muster?" she asked. "Will you take me on as an apprentice?"
The Falcon shook his head. "Kid, it'd be an honor, and that's not the sort of thing I say lightly. First things first, though. If you're gonna be my apprentice, call me Duke. 'The Black Falcon' is just a- professional alias."
Chelsea nodded. "Got it. So what's first on the agenda?"
"Your first lesson is all lecture, so pull up a patch of ground and get comfortable," he informed her, sinking gracefully to a cross-legged position. She followed, regarding him expectantly.
"I'm gonna tell you all about the Deshaadra. What you can expect as my apprentice, from other members, from the Council, and from the galaxy at large. How much did Ecliptor tell you about us?"
She shrugged. "Not a whole lot. Just that the Deshaadra are the only organization in the galaxy to have the respect of both the Alliance and the Council."
Duke nodded. "I don't do jobs for the Alliance, and the Council wouldn't touch me with a ten-foot pole, but there are a lot of Deshaadra who work one side or the other. Since you're looking at being Queen of Triforia, you probably won't be taking on many jobs, so you shouldn't run afoul of anybody who works the Alliance. That's the beauty of being my apprentice. Since you don't belong to a garal, you can pick and choose who you wanna work for- and with.
"That's gonna give you an interesting status among the Deshaadra. You're wild, which means the only authority you have to answer to is the Elders- and me, of course, but only for the next couple weeks. Unless there's something huge going down, the Elders will basically ignore you, so you're pretty much covered. Only thing to remember when you meet another Deshaadra is not to kill them unless they try to kill you first."
Chelsea threw him a half-smile. "Sounds simple enough."
"It's a pretty uncomplicated life," Duke agreed. "Not easy, but uncomplicated. Now, the Council's gonna be a little leery around you, since you're kind of an anomaly. You're the first Earth person to enter our ranks, and you're the only apprentice to serve outside a garal."
"What about you?" she asked curiously.
Duke looked away. "My garal- it doesn't exist anymore," he replied softly. "Somebody refused to do a job for Dark Specter, and- well, you can figure out the rest. That's why I don't do jobs for the Alliance, no matter what the pay."
"I'm sorry," Chelsea sympathized. Duke shrugged.
"You couldn't know. Anyway, it was a long time ago." Briskly, he stood, helping her to her feet as well.
"You already know most of what I'd normally teach you, so I'm just going to concentrate on the advanced stuff. Some of the more interesting tools of our trade, some galactic cultural stuff that you'll need to know, and this." Reaching down to his belt, he pulled a silver cylinder from it's hook. Pressing a button, a blue beam shot from it, extending for about a foot and a half.
"A light saber?" Chelsea asked, raising one eyebrow.
"Laser sword," Duke corrected. "Traditional weapon for the Deshaadra. I'll be teaching you how to fight with one, and eventually how to make your own."
Chelsea shook her head. "Great. I'm gonna be a Jedi."
Rubbing his eyes, Tommy fought to stifle a yawn. "I didn't know holographic maps could give you a headache," he remarked to the empty war room.
"If you stare at them for hours on end, they can," replied a voice from the door. Whirling, Tommy turned to see Lexian regarding him in amusement.
"Give a guy a heart attack," the leader of the Rangers replied lightly, his breathing returning to normal.
Chuckling, Lexian stepped into the room. "I apologize, Tommy. How long have you been in here, anyway?"
Tommy shrugged, not quite able to hide his weariness. "I dunno. An hour or two?"
"Wrong," Lexian corrected dryly. "At least three, because that is how long it has been since dinner. A meal which you did not attend."
"Oh," Tommy replied sheepishly. "I guess I got caught up in studying these maps of Tae Shalrith."
"We assumed as much. Your Black Ranger asked me to bring this tray and insist you eat; she seemed to think you'd be more likely to comply with my instructions."
Tommy took the tray from the Edenite king with a wry smile. "Lillian knows me very well," he allowed. Picking up a leg of what looked like chicken, he began to nibble on it. "You weren't kidding," he continued between swallows. "That place is like a fortress."
"It is a fortress," Lexian replied. "Kramon the Usurper built it when the peasant rebellions began to spark into a full-fledged war."
"You mentioned that earlier, and something about the first Masked Rider? What's the story behind that?"
Lexian let out a long breath, staring into the distance. "It was a very long time ago, even by Edenite standards," he began. "A noble by the name of Kramon had usurped the throne of Edenoi, murdering the entire royal family- or so he thought. Unknown to him, one escaped, a small boy by the name of Erex. Erex was only five hundred years old, the equivalent of five years in your development, and escaped the carnage by crawling out of a sewer pipe that led to the moat. No adult could have fit through it, and Kramon's soldiers ignored it during their rampage.
"At any rate, Erex escaped, and was found and raised by a peasant couple, while Kramon solidified his reign over the people of Edenoi. Due to the trauma he had sustained, Erex remembered nothing of his royal birth, and his adopted parents never knew. Despite this, Erex grew to be strong and noble, a true prince in spirit if not in station. The injustice of Kramon's reign angered him, and when soldiers attempted to assault the woman he loved, that anger grew to rebellion."
Tommy chuckled. "I've heard stories similar to this one. Looks like Earth and Edenoi have some history in common."
Lexian acknowledged that with a nod. "After his fight with Kramon's soldiers, Erex and Laita fled from the village. Their path eventually led them to a cave in the hills. However, this was no ordinary cave. It contained within it the Heart of Edenoi. The Heart is a giant crystal, similar in composition to the smaller ones implanted in our foreheads, to allow mental communication. That night, as Erex slept, the Heart called to him. It told him of his heritage, and charged him to lead the people of Edenoi to freedom. To aid him in this quest, it gave him a power, drawn from the ancestors of the Edenite race."
"Insects," Tommy realized. "The Masked Rider powers."
"Indeed. When Erex awoke in the cave, he found himself clothed in armor. Awakening Laita, he told her of what the Heart had shown him, and the two of them left to begin to foment the rebellion.
"The people of Edenoi quickly fell in behind Erex, for deception is impossible in the mind-to-mind link that the crystals create. With a son of the royal house to lead them, the rebels gained strength and confidence, and Kramon soon found himself losing control of his kingdom. This was the time he ordered Tae Shalrith built.
"Eventually, the rebels grew too strong, and Kramon was forced to retreat into Tae Shalrith, just as Dregon's forces have done now. For almost a year, the rebels laid siege to the fortress. Many men died on both sides, but no progress was made. Finally Erex realized that he would have to go himself.
"He slipped away under cover of darkness, knowing that Laita would insist on coming with him if he did not. He entered the castle by a secret passage, and made his way to the throne room. There, he challenged Kramon, and the final battle of the war began.
"Both men were skilled combatants, and the battle raged for a long time, leading them up stairs and through hallways, until they were on the parapets. The three moons were full, and the soldiers, rebel and usurper alike, stopped and watched the two as they fought, silhouetted in the moonlight. Finally, Kramon knocked the saber from Erex's hand. Just before the Usurper would have slain him, though, an arrow sped through the air and buried itself in Kramon's back. Laita, never one to obey orders, had followed her love into the fortress.
"With the Usurper dead, Erex was elevated to the throne. He married Laita- over the screams of his advisors- and their children began the line of kings and Masked Riders that has continued to this day."
"So you and Dex are directly descended from Erex, the first Masked Rider," Tommy mused.
"Yes," Lexian affirmed. "And another interesting point. The various Masked Riders throughout the centuries have worn varying armors, connected only by an insect theme. But Dex- Dex wears the same armor once worn by Erex himself."
"And now Edenoi finds itself throwing off another oppressor, and the battle has come back to the same place," Tommy remarked. "Let's hope that history will repeat itself again."
Being a Chameleon, Carlos was discovering, had certain interesting effects. Since Ninjetti powers were buried in the life force, practitioners of the art had certain abilities that Morphin Rangers did not. For instance, they could call upon certain attributes of their Grid Spirit. Today, Dulcea was teaching him to blend into his surroundings.
"Close your eyes and concentrate," she informed him. "Become one with the rocks around you. Feel what it is like to be a stone. Think of the wind, and the water, and the heat of the sun."
Carlos did as he was instructed. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, he began to feel different, as if a strange energy was flowing through him. Opening his eyes, he found that he could barely see his own hand. He wouldn't have known where it was at all, but he was glowing with a purple light. Dulcea's mouth quirked.
"Close," she allowed. "You'll lose the glow with practice."
Meanwhile, Ashley was exploring an interesting aspect of the powers of the Unicorn. As in the old myths, the Unicorn had the power to cure poisoning and purify tainted water. Dulcea had given her a number of vials of polluted water to practice with, and slowly she was beginning to get the hang of it.
Adam, Tanya, and Christina were working their way through a meditation kata. The power of the Ninjetti was such that a Ranger's mind and body had to be in harmony, or the powers would be ineffective. So all of the Rangers practiced meditating at least once a day.
Last, Billy had found himself fascinated by Dulcea's whistling sticks, two nightstick-like weapons which snapped together to form a bo staff. She had agreed to tutor him in their use, and found him to be quite proficient with them, for a beginner. In some ways, they brought back memories of his Power Lance, the weapon he had used as the original Blue Ranger, so long ago.
Taking her attention briefly from Carlos, Dulcea looked around the training grounds at the six Rangers she was preparing to become Ninjetti. It had been so long since anyone quested for the Great Power… She fervently hoped that she was not sending Zordon's charges to die. But they really had little choice. Not if they were going to save Zordon, and by extension their Earth. With a little sigh, she turned back to Carlos, who had managed to change the glow to a cerulean blue. It was no use worrying now. Things would work out as they must.
Jamie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. For Zarador's first meeting with his court of advisors, the Rangers had been instructed to morph and remove their helmets. That, Zarador had informed them, was the Ranger equivalent of military dress. Jason, of course, had no helmet, but that was a minor point. Chris had been quite impressed with his first glimpse of his Ranger uniform. Since the removal of the helmet placed the powers in standby mode, Chris didn't have to worry about them failing on him. It seemed a little strange to Jamie that the first time he morphed would be for a ceremonial occasion, rather than a battle.
Unlike the rest of the team, she was not dressed in her Ranger outfit. Zarador had thought it a good idea to play up her Zarakin heritage, and so she wore the dress uniform of a Zarakin warrior, a heavily embroidered tunic belted with a wide sash and a pair of loose trousers. The outfit was royal purple, with silver needlework and a silver sash. A silver lightning bolt sewn over her heart completed the ensemble. Silver, Zarador had explained, was the color and metal sacred to the Goddess, and by extension the Power. "We're going to rub their noses in the fact that you're an avatar of the Power," he had informed her. "The Sword of Lightning, most powerful of the Elemental Blades, accepted you as its wielder. Not only that, but the Shard in the handle didn't reject you. They'd rather ignore that- it doesn't fit into their worldview. I want them to be constantly confronted with the fact that you are Zarakin, a Ranger, and a Swordbearer to boot. It might sway one or two to my side."
Jamie had drawn a number of looks as she had strode through the camp on her way to the meeting. Purple was not a color worn by many Zarakin, signifying as it did the royalty. But she knew that most of the stares were because even fewer women wore the garb of a warrior.
Once inside the meeting tent, the Rangers had been shown to a spot where a number of low, boxlike seats had been set out for them. Jamie noticed that hers had been set at Zarador's right, a position that was sure to get her noticed. She raised an eyebrow at him as she took a seat, and he responded with a grin.
The nobles and their entourages were filing in now, and Jamie listened intently as Zarador explained their identities in low tones.
An older man, with iron-gray hair and blue eyes was identified as Trath, the lord of a province known as Belara. "He's a little more than half my age and acts twice it," Zarador told her quietly. "He's extremely old-fashioned, believes Rangers are worthy of the highest respect. Unfortunately, he also thinks women should take care of the children and devote themselves to 'non-taxing' pursuits. It'll be interesting to see which way this goes."
Not long after Trath entered, a young man came in, dressed in the garb of a member of the nomadic zralta riders. He threw Zarador a grin as he sat down. "Jalen Del Rayar," chuckled the king. "Reminds me of myself at that age. He speaks for the riders, who are too nomadic to have a real system of government beyond clan loyalties. His sister rides scout for their clan, much to the scandal of half the grasslands. He'll almost certainly be on our side."
More nobles followed, and Jamie carefully filed the names away for future reference. Altogether, there were seven members of the court: six nobles from various provinces and Jalen of the riders. Chardin was an old friend of Zarador's; the two men were of the same age and a similar outlook. Jamie took one look at the white-haired, silver-eyed man and had liked him immediately.
Sneris of Gant, on the other hand, she immediately pegged as trouble. Young, with rusty hair and brown eyes, he would have been rather attractive if he didn't resemble someone who had just bitten into a lemon. Every time his gaze fell on Jamie, the puckered expression grew deeper. She had to fight very hard to keep from crossing her eyes at him.
When Walchis, lord of Granstil, arrived, Jamie heard Zarador groan under his breath. "He can't stay awake long enough to hear half a meeting, and half the time he can't remember what he had for breakfast!" the king told her. "He's half-deaf and half-blind, but he refuses to step down. His son, Rachis, is a good sort, though, and he makes most of the decisions."
A young, handsome man with gray eyes and a shock of blond hair was identified as Larad, from the province of Trelan. Zarador described him as intelligent and flexible, but not prone to making rash decisions. He was one of the court members they most especially needed to convince.
Melchor of Narol was last, and he immediately sent chills down Jamie's spine. The man had black hair and black eyes, and unpleasantly sallow skin. But it was the sly smile on his face that made Jamie wary of him. "Now THERE is a thoroughly nasty gentleman," Zarador whispered. "You know there's a problem with a noble when half the planet is hoping he'll be assassinated, and the other half is actively plotting it."
"Which half are you in?" Jamie asked quietly, throwing him a smile.
"I go back and forth," Zarador admitted. "As king, I can't be assassinating my nobles, but there are times that I am SO tempted…"
Seeing that all the nobles were finally present, Zarador rose to his feet. "I'm sure you're all wondering why in the world I've brought guests to this gathering," Zarador began. Zarakin weren't much for formalities. "And I'm sure you can see by their dress that they're Rangers. The problem is this: Zordon of Eltare has been arrested." That drew gasps from most of the members of the court. Jamie noticed, however, that Melchor did not seem surprised at all. Her eyes narrowed, and she began watching the Narolian closer as Zarador continued.
"These Rangers need our help and our support. They intend to testify at the trial of Zordon, as do I. And I also intend for the planet Danata to back them." Taking a deep breath, Zarador asked a question he already knew the answer to. "Any objections?"
Chaos ensued in the tent as five men stood and began talking at once. Melchor, Jamie noticed, remained seated, watching the scene with satisfaction. Walchis, of course, just watched uncomprehendingly. Finally, Trath managed to silence his compatriots and turned back towards Zarador.
"My lord, certainly we would lend all required assistance to the Rangers, but- what aid is needed? We certainly know little enough of this matter. What could we do that would aid their cause?"
Zarador smiled. "I'm glad you asked, Trath," he chuckled. He turned, gesturing for Jamie to stand. She did so, and he looked back at his nobles. "This is Jamie Zedden, Purple Ranger of Earth. She is also my half-sister. I intend to claim her as part of the royal family, with all the privileges and prestige that entails. Also, she is a Swordbearer, wielder of the fabled Sword of Lightning, and should therefore be considered a part of the King's Guard."
Once again chaos broke loose. Over all the noise, Jalen caught Jamie's eye and threw her a wink. She relaxed a bit, reassured that at least SOMEBODY was on her side.
"My lord!" Trath's scandalized exclamation flew above the rest. "This is highly irregular! An Earth child, a Swordbearer? Surely there must be some mistake!"
"No mistake," Melchor sneered. "Surely, Trath, you've heard the stories about Zedd's half-human whelp, who somehow managed to acquire a powerful Blade? Perhaps the rumors about Zordon's decline are true, if his standards have fallen so low."
Jamie's eyes flared at Melchor's insinuations, but before she could react, Zarador's voice cracked like a whip. "Guard your tongue, Melchor, or you may find yourself the recipient of a challenge. Lady Jamie is NOT a gentle and forgiving person."
"~ That~ is an understatement," Jason grumbled. His remark broke some of the tension, and Jamie cooled off visibly.
"I have earned my position on the Rangers," Jamie said quietly. "And anyone who wishes to state otherwise should examine the threats that I have faced. How would you fare, my lord, if confronted with the demon Nyghtmayr?" Melchor simply glared at her.
"Last I heard," Jalen began easily, "no one who was unworthy could wield an Elemental Blade. Ralthor built that into them as a fail-safe, right?"
"Zedd held the Sword of Fire," Sneris pointed out.
Larad shook his head. "Prince Zedd, yes. Lord Zedd, no. Remember, the instant he changed to the side of evil, the blade went dormant. At least, that's what all the legends say."
"You're quite right, Larad," replied Chardin. "And it's quite obvious that the lady is quite capable of using the abilities of the Sword to their utmost. The Sword has accepted her, which more than proves her worth."
Jamie scanned the room. Trath looked halfway convinced, and Jalen, Chardin, and Larad were almost certainly swayed to her side. Sneris was still obviously skeptical, Walchis was oblivious, and Melchor was a lost cause. She sighed.
"There is only one way to decide her worth," Trath declared. "The Competition, on the Day of Five Winds. If these Rangers prove themselves in the sight of the Goddess, then we shall give them whatever support they require. Agreed?"
One by one, the other men nodded, even Melchor, although he didn't look happy about it. Zarador sighed.
"Very well then. In four days time, on the Day of Five Winds, this question shall be settled."
"How're you doing?" Cassie asked quietly. Kimberly shrugged.
"Can't be worse than the Isle of Illusion," she replied. "That was not a lot of fun."
The Pink Astro Ranger looked puzzled. "Isle of Illusion? I don't think I've heard about that."
"Right. I forgot, your team doesn't work as closely with Zordon as the previous ones have. The Isle of Illusion was a place that Rita sent the six of us, the original six. It showed you the things you were most afraid of, feeding off of fear and lack of confidence, making you slowly fade from existence. If it hadn't been for a little guy named Quagmire, we would have been toast."
"What was it for you?" Cassie asked curiously. "I'm sorry, that was really nosy."
Kim smiled. "No, it's okay. I saw Bulk and Skull as angels. See, back then, they acted like a couple of bullies, always pushing us around. I figured if Rita could make them act like that, she could do anything." She laughed slightly. "I was pretty shallow back then," she admitted. "But Quagmire reminded me of the time I had to take on a monster known as the Terror Toad all by myself, and I got my confidence back."
"You're kidding," Skull broke in. "You mean, an illusion of me as an angel was enough to break you?"
"I told you I was shallow," Kim shot back. "Could have been worse, though. Tommy thought we were all putties."
"That would be painful," allowed Skull. Suddenly the ragged file stopped. "Oh, now what?" the White Warrior asked in exasperation.
"Fork in the road," Andros' voice filtered back.
"Salad or dinner?" Skull winced as Kim elbowed him in the ribs. Soon the six Rangers were all gathered in the area where two tunnels diverged.
Kat frowned. "Do you suppose this is another test?"
"More than likely," Trini replied. "Check for inscriptions or something."
The six spread out, and began examining the cave walls for markings. "Hey, I found something!" Cassie called. "Who's Thomas the Rymer?"
Andros frowned. "What?" The other five quickly moved to stand behind Cassie, who faced an inscription on the cave wall.
"Take the road of Thomas the Rymer," Kat read aloud. "I have no idea what that means."
"The Third Road!" Skull yelped, causing everyone to turn to him in surprise.
"What?" Kim asked, speaking for all of them.
"It's an old poem, or maybe a legend," her boyfriend explained. "I can't remember anything about it, except that it's about Thomas the Rymer, a song-maker who was taken to Fairyland by the queen of the Fairies. At one point, it talks about three roads. One leads to heaven, one to hell, and the THIRD road leads to Fairyland. That's the one Thomas takes."
"But there's only two roads here," Trini pointed out.
Kat bit her lip. "Maybe not," she replied, crossing to the expanse of wall between the two tunnel entrances. Running her fingers over the rock, she felt a small, hairline crack running vertically up the stone. "Bingo!" she cried. "Come on, help me push!"
With six Rangers placing their weight against it, the stone door quickly swung inward, revealing a third passage between the other two. "All right!" Cassie yelled.
"Good job, Skull," added Andros. Then the six of them moved carefully off down the third passage.
"Okay, guys, that's a wrap," Julia Holochwost instructed, lowering her microphone. As the rest of the news crew began to load the equipment back into their van, she grinned to herself. Bunny Bodelle still wasn't speaking to her after the trip incident, but that wasn't a problem. She had little respect and less liking for the Charterville newswoman, and considering the condition the Platinum Purple Beetleborg had been in, she had probably done the world a service.
"Ms. Holochwost?" a voice said politely. Julia turned to see the Blue VR Trooper standing behind her, much to the amazement of the crew. As a Cross World reporter, Julia had met the VR Troopers before, but this was the first time one of them had sought her out.
"Yes?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "How can I help you?"
"Could we speak privately?" the Trooper asked. "What I have to say is somewhat sensitive."
She nodded. "Sure." Turning to the newscrew, she handed the microphone she was holding to one of the men. "Hold down the fort until I get back, okay, Johnny?"
The sandy-haired man gave her a thumbs-up. "Right, Julie." She rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to Blue Trooper.
"Come on, let's head over there. It's currently reporter-free; no one wants to risk the wrath of Detective Park."
Blue Trooper chuckled. Having seen Franklin's father in action, he could more than understand that. The two of them ducked into the shelter of the building, and he turned to her. "First off, you have the undying thanks of all of us for tripping Bunny Bodelle. The Platinum Purple Beetleborg was in NO shape to answer questions."
Julia shivered, remembering the shock in the girl's posture, visible even through the armor. "Will she be all right?"
"She'll be fine, thank you." That was one of the reasons Blue Trooper had sought out Julia Holochwost to talk to. She was one of the few television reporters in his experience that cared more about people than about the story.
"What happened out there today? Off the record," she hastily amended.
"Off the record? Shadowborg managed to take control of the mind of the Chromium Gold Beetleborg," Blue Trooper explained. "He and Platinum Purple are very close friends."
Julia closed her eyes. "The betrayal must have been awful," she murmured. Then she opened her eyes and cocked an eyebrow at Blue Trooper. "What happened on the record?"
"On the record, Shadowborg has captured the Chromium Gold Beetleborg and released a look-alike monster in his place. We'd appreciate it if you'd let that get out."
Julia pretended to look affronted. "You want me, a member of the press, to lie? I work for Channel 6, not Hard Copy."
"Well, just say that's what you were told. Enough damage has been done to his reputation already."
Julia nodded. "All right, you have a point. You all be careful, now. Earth needs you."
"We will. You be careful too." Then in a flash of light and circuitry, Blue Trooper disappeared.
"One thing I don't understand," Carlos began, looking up from the fire. "If we've got these Ninjetti powers, what's going to happen to our Ranger powers?"
Dulcea sighed. The seven of them were relaxing in the ruins after yet another strenuous day of training, talking about everything and nothing. "Well, the only one whose principal powers will be affected is Billy," she replied. "The five of you draw from sources other than the Grid, and so there will be no interaction between the energies."
"It's like with my Morphin Warrior and Zeo powers," Adam explained. "I can call on either, but I generally don't call on my Morphin Warrior powers, since they're not as strong and are useless against the Machines."
"Exactly," Dulcea agreed. "Like Morphin Warriors, each of you will have a Ninjetti costume, drawn from your subconscious expectations. You can morph into either your original costume or your Ninjetti form, depending on the needs of the situation."
"Is Ninjetti vulnerable to cold iron, the way Morphin powers are?" Christina inquired.
"No, it is not. You see, Ninjetti will be routed through you, and you are not repelled or harmed by iron. The power, routed through your human energies, will be insulated from the effects of iron, so you would be able to fight Mondo's forces, should the need arise."
"Dulcea?" interjected Billy. "You said my powers would be affected by the switch. How so?"
"Your powers are already those of the Morphin Grid, Billy, so there will be some interaction between them. First of all, your Morphin Warrior abilities will be boosted to full Ranger status, since the Great Power will be altering the connection in your spirit. In effect, you will be drawing twice from the Grid, instead of once. You will have both your Morphin Warrior transformation and a Ninjetti costume. This is because the Morphin Warrior patterns have already been established, and the Great Power will create new ones for itself. However, the power inside you will be tapable from either form, and so you will be full strength no matter what incarnation you take."
"These Ninjetti costumes- what will they look like?" Ashley asked curiously.
Dulcea shrugged. "I am afraid I do not know that, Ashley. They will, of course, be in your Morphin color, rather than the color of your principal power. Other than that, there are really no indications. The six of you are not a full, self-contained team, so the costumes will have no conforming element. It will depend entirely on the images you hold within yourself."
Tanya, looking over at Billy, saw him staring deeply into the fire. "This is changing you, isn't it?" she asked quietly. Billy sighed.
"I don't know if it's really changing me, Tanya. The Morphin Power is a part of me, and according to Zordon, it always has been. Maybe it's just bringing out the parts of me that were hidden deeply."
"Maybe," she allowed. "For instance, I knew since the day I met you that you were practically a born leader. I remember how when I first came to the Power Chamber, you were obviously the one in charge. But with Tommy around, you always seemed to just fade into the background."
"He needed the position," Billy told her. "It was his proof that his soul belonged to him and not to Rita. I used to resent the way he was always the one in the spotlight, but I've learned better now."
"And you're also emerging as a leader again," she replied. "Look around you, Billy. The five of us are following YOU in this. Whoever you're becoming, I think he's a very worthwhile person."
He threw her a quick smile. "Thanks, Tanya. Your confidence means a lot to me."
July 5
Arms crossed, Dragon Borg was the soul of immovability as he stared down Roland and Jo. Since the Astral Borg had no eyelids, it was inevitable that he would win any staring contest.
"This is my best friend!" Roland protested. "If you think you are leaving me behind-"
"I'm absolutely right," Dragon Borg cut in. "You will both listen to me. We have to take a SMALL group to get in, get Fortunes, and get out. I am not risking Shadowborg or Nukus being able to bait either of you into a fight. Besides, we are already down one Beetleborg. I will NOT lose two more. I've lost enough as it is." The grief in his voice was raw enough to make the two Beetleborgs wince. Nodding resignedly, they backed away.
"Dex, I would like you to come with me, please. And you as well, JB. Finally, I think Tasha, to round out the team. Any objections?" Hearing none, the Astral Borg moved over to Art Fortunes to go over the layout of the crypt one more time. Lita, watching, grinned slightly. Dragon Borg was obviously choosing the more stable heroes for his strike force. She had yet to see anything ruffle the Masked Rider's calm, and JB Reese was certainly less likely to explode than his leader. But it was the selection of the Yellow Turbo Ranger that truly amused her. Despite her smaller size, Tasha had quickly earned the reputation of being an enforcer.
Noticing Roland leaning against a console, the psychiatrist crossed the room to him. "You know he's got a point, don't you?" she said quietly. The Beetleborg nodded.
"I know, and I accept it. That doesn't mean I have to like it."
"He's not exactly impartial himself," Lita observed. "What is it between him and Drew? I remember how Drew was frantic while we were repairing him."
Roland sighed. "I think," he began slowly, "Dragon Borg is kind of- a substitute for his dad. Mr. McCormick died seven years ago, when Drew was seven and Jo was four. Drew's been the man of the house for a long time, and when we became Beetleborgs, he had to be the responsible one. Dragon Borg kind of- gave him someone to look up to. I guess it's kind of the same thing for Dragon Borg. He kind of sees Drew as a son, or at least a student."
Lita nodded thoughtfully, her eyes fixed on Dragon Borg's green and silver form as he finished up his talk with Art Fortunes.
"All right, is everybody ready?" Dragon Borg asked his team. All four nodded. "Remember, get in, get Les, and get out. Don't stop to indulge your grudges- there'll be plenty of time for that," he promised grimly. "Let's go."
"Ecto-Phase Activate!"
"Dune Star Turbo Power!"
"Trooper Transform!" Light flared, and the four heroes were gone.
"See him?" Black Trooper whispered. Dragon Borg nodded.
"The gentleman over by the wall, in the prison uniform. I don't see Nukus or Shadowborg anywhere around. The lady in the mantis-themed armor is Horribelle, and the blue thing is Vilor."
"All right," Yellow Ranger declared quietly. "Let's get in there and get him."
"Cheer up, Cartoonist," Horribelle sneered. "Soon, one of YOUR creations will destroy the Beetleborgs, and then we'll have the whole world! Why so glum?"
"You have no idea what you're meddling with," the artist warned. "Even ~ I~ don't truly understand what Shadowborg is. I never meant for him to come to life. He's too unpredictable, too uncontrollable. He's dangerous."
"Not as dangerous as we are," Dragon Borg declared, stepping out into the center of the room. While Yellow Turbo and Black Trooper aimed their lasers at the startled Crustaceans, Masked Rider and Dragon Borg ran across the room, hauling Les Fortunes to his feet.
"Come along, Mr. Fortunes," Masked Rider commanded. "We're leaving."
"Great," Les sneered. "If it's not ONE type of bug, it's another."
Yellow Turbo shot the cartoonist a look over her shoulder, brandishing her Auto Blaster. "One more comment out of you, and we'll take our chances stopping Shadowborg on our own. Get it?"
Les gulped. "Got it."
"Good."
Still keeping their lasers trained on the Crustaceans, Yellow Turbo and Black Trooper backed up until they were standing close to the other three. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm afraid we have other business," Dragon Borg explained, throwing Horribelle a mock salute. Then they vanished in a hail of light.
"Nukus is NOT going to like this," Vilor remarked. "You let the cartoonist get away!"
Horribelle glared at him. "Oh, shut up."
"Let me out of here!" Les growled, hammering at the inside of the containment field. "I was better off with the Crustaceans."
"Not really," Fred informed him. "See, we won't kill you when you've outlived your usefulness."
"And what usefulness is that? I don't think you need me to draw you monsters."
Art shook his head. "No, Lester, we need you to help stop one. You redesigned the Shadowborg. We need you to tell us what it can do."
"What?" Les laughed. "Really, Arthur, I'm crazy, not stupid."
Roland stepped forward, eyes cold and hard. "Maybe we didn't explain things to you. You ~ will~ help us, or Jo and I will borg and break every bone in your body."
Jo cracked her knuckles. "I want my brother back, Les."
The cartoonist swallowed, seeing that the little girl was deadly serious. "What do you want to know?"
"For starters, how did Shadowborg get control of Drew?" Ryan asked. "We were under the impression that the Crustaceans' magical ability was limited to animating drawings and changing form."
"It is, but Shadowborg isn't exactly a Crustacean. I redesigned the original, from what I'd seen on the news, adding a number of interesting things. The best one, in my opinion, was something I'd seen the Power Rangers fighting. It was some sort of- living shadow, and it seemed to have the ability to manipulate minds and emotions."
None of the other heroes present understood why the Turbo Rangers and Ghostbusters paled at that revelation. "When was this?" Justin asked carefully.
Les shrugged. "About a year ago, I think."
"You IDIOT!" Franklin yelled, startling everybody. "Do you have ANY idea what you did?"
"No!" Les shot back. "That's why I never drew it up for Nukus. Heck, ~ I~ didn't know what it was capable of. I didn't WANT that thing to get out. I even tried to talk Nukus out of it, once he found the drawing."
"Excuse me," Katie interrupted, "but could somebody explain what this means?"
Kaitlin nodded. "Yeah, we're in the dark here."
Winston sighed. "Stop me if I make a mistake, okay? It seems that about a year ago, the Power Rangers faced a creature known as Nyghtmayr, the living essence of evil thoughts and emotions, and his five minions, the Minor Demons. Well, there were actually six, but only five showed up at that time."
"There were eight, total," Rosa interrupted. "We met up with two more, but we'll explain that later."
"Right." Quickly, Winston related the story of the battle with Nyghtmayr and the Ghostbuster's encounter with Angyr. Then Tasha and Justin quickly told how the Turbos and Tanya had faced the demons Jealysy and Malyce in the realm of Morphyus.
"According to Tommy," Fred finished, "all of the demons, but especially Nyghtmayr, they could manipulate emotions, all the dark feelings in your heart, far more powerfully than what happens under ordinary spells."
"So- what do we do?" Roland asked. "How did you guys beat the ones you faced?"
"Well, we blasted Angyr with pure Morphin Grid energy, but he hadn't put anyone under a spell," Ray volunteered. "We were just trying to destroy him."
"The spells of Morphyus Demons are vulnerable to one thing," Franklin explained. "Emotions of a pure heart. Love, friendship, devotion, that sort of thing. If we can get through to Drew on that level, we can get him back."
"Well, we can't do that on the battlefield," JB remarked. "He'd cut whoever was talking to him to ribbons! Not to mention that we'd have to watch out for Shadowborg as we did so."
"No, we'll have to bring him back here," Dragon Borg agreed. "But how? He's an excellent combatant, and Shadowborg will be right beside him."
Dex cocked his head. "We have to make him sloppy," the Edenite teen mused. "That's our only chance. If we get him to make a mistake, we can bring him in. But how?"
Roland chuckled. "That's easy. Just get him to lose his temper. Drew gets sloppy when he gets angry. He forgets everything except going for the jugular."
"Think you could bait him that well?" Peter asked. Roland shook his head.
"Not a chance. That's the other problem. Drew's self-control is legendary. It's hard to get him angry, but when he does, watch out."
Jo grinned. "I know who we can get to do it," she chuckled. Everyone turned to look at her.
"Who?" Egon asked, pushing his glasses back up on his nose.
Trey slowly swam to consciousness, his head pounding like a kettle drum. "What happened?" he asked, groggily, forcing his eyes open.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," replied the silver-haired man standing at his bedside. "You're currently in the sickbay of Ecliptor's scoutship. My name is Sholtor, and I'm a healer. What's the last thing you remember?"
"The Varox were attacking the scout," Trey grunted, attempting to sit up. Sholtor quickly moved to stop him.
"I wouldn't. You were caught in an explosion. You're recovering from a concussion, not to mention internal injuries and a number of second- and third-degree burns. You're lucky you're a Ranger, or you probably wouldn't have made it."
Trey remained lying down, although not happy about it. "Chelsea! Is she all right? You said there was an explosion."
"Your fiancee is fine," Sholtor assured him. "Although half the population of Port Algol is in a state of depression that she's taken. She's quite a catch. Dating a Ranger, not afraid of Ecliptor, and now she's in an apprenticeship for the Deshaadra."
That caught Trey's attention. "What? A Deshaadra? But that training takes years."
Sholtor shrugged. "Not for her. I tell you, you're a very lucky man. If she wasn't so devoted to you, I'd ask her out myself."
Too tired and injured to throttle the healer, Trey settled for a nice ringing glare. Sholtor chuckled. "Now, you have to stay in that bed for about six days. I'll call your ladyfriend and tell her that you're awake." With that, Sholtor left the room, and left Trey's thoughts spinning around his head. Chelsea was going to be a member of the well-known warrior organization? He began to laugh. The Council was just going to LOVE that.
"Is it me, or is it getting spookier in here?" Cassie asked nervously. The strange luminescence which had lit the caves since the Rangers began their trek was now decreasing slowly. The six teens were walking closer together now, and Cassie linked her arm with Andros. The Red Astro Ranger was suddenly very grateful for the low light. It hid the blush on his face.
Kat frowned. "Hey, I don't remember mist coming up in here," she remarked. The others turned towards her in curiosity.
"Mist?" Trini asked. "I don't see any mist."
Suddenly Kat's eyes widened. "No!" she cried, throwing her hands up. "Get away from me! I'm not evil anymore. I'm not YOU anymore!"
Like a thunderbolt, the answer hit Kimberly, who groaned. "Heads up, guys. We're facing our worst fears again," she called. Trini made a face.
"This is getting old," the Yellow Warrior replied. Suddenly, she too seemed to be staring at nothing. "NO! God- too high!" She backed herself against a rock, seemingly trying to merge with it.
"She's afraid of heights?" Cassie asked. Kim nodded.
"Yeah, but I thought she'd gotten over it. Trini! Trini, can you hear me? It's just an illusion!" Trini, however, was deaf to anything but the fear in her veins.
A low groan alerted them to Andros' collapse. The Kerovan Ranger was kneeling on the ground, crying. "Not again," he whispered. "Stars, not another team of Rangers. Come on, Cassie, speak to me! Oh, please!"
"Kim?" Skull called. Kimberly turned to her boyfriend, only to see that his eyes were as distant as everyone else's. "Kim, don't go. Please, don't leave me."
"Oh, Skull," Kim sighed, knowing he couldn't hear her. "I would never leave you." Suddenly, her eyes unfocused as well. "The Green Ranger? No, stay away from me! Tommy, don't!" Kimberly's arms thrashed as if fighting off an invisible enemy. "We trusted you!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "How could you do this to us? Come on, Skull, please wake up! Don't you dare die on me!"
Cassie watched helplessly as her friends were consumed by their own personal nightmares. No matter how desperately she tried to get through to them, they could hear nothing but the illusions of fear.
"You're pathetic, Cassie," a new voice said. Cassie whirled to see her parents standing behind her, watching her with cold eyes. "We never loved you, Cassie," her mother continued. "Who could? You've never been good enough for us. You're not pretty enough, not smart enough, not good enough."
"No one loves you, Cassie," Andros continued, stepping out of the shadows. "I wouldn't even have made you a Ranger, but you were lucky enough to be around when I needed a new Pink Ranger. You're nothing but a pathetic little wannabe. No one loves you, Cassie. Especially not me."
Cassie bit her lip against the sudden pain inside her. Suddenly, almost as if it were a dream, she heard Andros' voice. ~ As your friend, I am NOT going to stand by and let you ruin your life.~ And again. ~ You'll always have the four of us as friends.~
Her head snapped up, and her eyes began to blaze. "You're wrong," she confidently told the illusions before her. "The Rangers DO love me. They risked everything to save me when Ciaran had me under his control. They've watched my back in every fight we've ever had with Dark Specter. Maybe my parents really don't love me, or maybe they just don't know how to show it. But whichever it is, that's THEIR problem. I'm pretty enough and smart enough for ME, and that's what counts."
The thunderstruck illusions faded away before her eyes, reality taking their place. Cassie found herself leaning against Andros, his arms wrapped around her waist for support. It was tempting just to stay there, but she forced herself to pull upright and smiled at him.
"You all right, Cassie?" Kimberly asked. "First time's the longest, but we were a little worried when we all came out of it and you were still in."
Cassie shrugged. "I'm fine, really," she replied. "Let's get moving again, okay?"
The other Rangers nodded, and the group headed off, soon reaching the exit of the cave. As they stood, taking in the fresh, open air, Andros leaned over and whispered in Cassie's ear. "For what it's worth, ~ I~ think you're beautiful," he told her. For a second, she couldn't figure out what he meant, then she realized that he must have heard her talking to the illusions.
"Thanks, Andros," she replied. "That means a lot." ~ More than you'll ever know.~
It was a nice, quiet day at Zoom Comics. Heather, Nano's assistant and the object of Drew's affections, was dusting shelves when she heard the bell which signaled the door opening. "Sorry, we're temporarily closed," she said, turning. Then she saw who had entered. "Oh, hi Drew."
Drew smiled, letting the door shut behind him. "Hi, Heather. Where is everybody?"
"Well, Nano and Abbie are out running errands, and you'd know better than I would where Roland and Jo are," she replied.
His smile broadened. "Not really. So, you're holding down the fort all by yourself?"
Alarm bells began to go off in Heather's mind. Her instincts were telling her not to admit that she was alone in the shop, but she quashed them. This was DREW, for Pete's sake. There was absolutely no reason for her to fear him. So why did his smile make her blood run cold?
"Yeah, I'm all by myself, at least for the next few minutes," she answered, shaking herself back to reality. "Nano ought to be back soon, though."
Drew shrugged, moving closer. "That's not a problem. I'll work fast."
Heather frowned. "Drew, are you feeling okay? You are seriously creeping me out."
"I've never been better," he replied, still advancing on her. Heather realized that she would soon be cornered if she didn't do something. Quickly, she tried to dodge past him, but he whirled with more speed than she had ever seen him show. Grabbing her wrist, he slammed her into the nearest wall, with just enough force to stun her.
~ He's so strong!~ she thought hazily. There was more power in his grip than any fourteen year-old ought to possess. Grabbing her chin, he tilted her head so that she was looking into his eyes.
"You're not going anywhere, Heather," he said soothingly. His voice was cold, and Heather thought she saw something black flickering in the depths of his blue eyes. Suddenly a wave of cold weariness hit her, so much so that she could barely keep on her feet. If it wasn't for Drew holding her up, she would have fallen. "That's it," he chuckled. "Why don't you take a nice long nap?"
"What's going on here?" a new voice cut in. Drew and Heather both looked up to see Josh Baldwin standing on the steps, watching them with narrowed eyes. A horrible grin split Drew's face as he let Heather sink slowly to the floor.
"Josh Baldwin," he drawled. "Just the man I wanted to see."
In answer, Josh brought his fists up in a guard position, watching warily as Drew approached. As Heather's vision went dark, she had time for one final thought. ~ Has everybody in the world gone insane?~
"I've been waiting for this for a long time," Drew chuckled. Josh swallowed hard. When both of them were human, he had both the height and weight advantage on Drew. However, now that Drew was allied with the side of evil, he doubted that the other would play fair.
Sure enough, Drew suddenly stabbed his hand out before him. "Databonder! Input card! Beetleblast!" In a flash of light, Drew became the Chromium Gold Beetleborg. "There. These odds are a little more to my liking," Chromium Gold laughed.
"Think again, Drew," Josh snapped. "Remember, you can't hit what you can't see!" So saying, Josh dusted his hands together, activating his civilian powers and promptly vanishing.
"Very clever, Josh," Chromium Gold acknowledged. "Metallix Lancer!" He slowly scanned the room in front of him. "The problem is- you're wrong!" With those words, he whirled, bringing his lancer down on what appeared to be empty air. A cry rang out, and Josh Baldwin flickered back into visibility, holding his bleeding shoulder and biting back further noise. "That's just the beginning," Chromium Gold promised. "When I'm through with you, they'll have to pick you up with a sponge."
A blinding flash of light burst into being between Chromium Gold and his target. "They'll do no such thing," Dragon Borg shot back. "Not unless you get through me, and I don't think you can do that. This old borg taught you everything you know."
"I've learned a few new tricks since then," Chromium Gold responded. "But I'm not going to fight you today. I'm here for other things."
"Don't- even think about it," Josh snarled, stancing in front of the unconscious Heather. Despite his injured shoulder, he looked more than ready to take Chromium Gold on.
"I think you'd better leave, before there's more unpleasantness," Dragon Borg agreed.
Chromium Gold nodded. "I will. But you'll both be seeing me again. Count on it!" In a flash of shadow, he disappeared.
Josh winced. "Yeah, I'll see you in my nightmares." Kneeling beside Heather, he looked up at Dragon Borg worriedly. "Is she going to be all right?"
Dragon Borg quickly checked the unconscious girl over, then nodded. "She'll be fine, Josh. In fact, she probably won't remember any of this when she wakes up. You, however, are in need of medical attention."
"No kidding," Josh nodded, cradling his injured shoulder. "Damn it, I just got out of the hospital yesterday," he added irritably.
"I believe I have a better alternative," the Astral Borg chuckled. "Power Chamber, two to teleport in."
Josh barely had time for "Wha-" before he dissolved into a column of white light.
"Ouch!" Josh winced again as Egon ran a strange beam over his shoulder. Jo grinned.
"Don't be such a big baby, Josh," she told him. "You complain worse than Peter."
The psychologist sniffed. "I resent that," he replied loftily.
"It burns," Josh protested.
Justin, standing beside the med table, nodded. "That's the sensation of healing, only more intense because it's sped up. Trust me, I know what it feels like. Don't worry, you're almost done."
"There," Egon announced, stepping back. "Good as new, although there will be a small scar."
Josh flexed the arm carefully. "Wow. That's some pretty impressive stuff." Hopping off the med table, he pulled his shirt back over his head. His gaze roamed around the Power Chamber with all it's assorted heroes. "Not that I'm not grateful, but why bring me back here instead of taking me to the hospital? I mean, isn't that the normal procedure?"
"It is," Lita agreed, "but we're going to need your help for something else, Josh."
Roland nodded. "We need you to help us get Drew back."
"Me?" Josh raised an eyebrow. "How am I supposed to help get him back?"
"The plan is to get him sloppy, to goad him into making a mistake," Ryan explained. "Jo and Roland say you're better at pushing his buttons than anybody."
Josh winced. "That's an understatement," he admitted. "We've got a lot of- sore spots between us, which is probably why he tried to kill me today. But he's a freaking BEETLEBORG! He could crush my spine with one hand! What am I supposed to do?"
"I've been working on that," Art grinned. "Josh, how would you like to be a Beetleborg again? For good this time?"
Josh's jaw hit his shoelaces. "You mean it? You can make me new powers that won't dissipate when Shadowborg is defeated?"
"I mean it. How do you like the idea of 'Electric Bronze?'"
Jo nodded vigorously. "Totally cool, Art."
"Yeah," Roland agreed. "We'd love to have him back on the team."
Josh nodded. "Then I'm in. It's good to be back with you guys."
From his containment field, Les made a nauseated sound. "Please, spare me the brotherhood and goodwill," he sneered. Peter cocked an eyebrow at him.
"You stay out of this," he instructed.
"Do you have any ideas yet, Mr. Fortunes?" Kaitlin asked.
Art shook his head. "Nothing beyond the name, really," he replied. Josh began chewing his lip.
"Then can I make a few suggestions?" Josh asked. "I think I've found way number 1 to irritate Drew."
Art pulled out his sketchpad and sat down. "Shoot."
"Make it look like Chromium Gold," Josh instructed. "A new and improved Chromium Gold. I want everything about this suit to say 'I'm your replacement.' That was the sorest point in our relationship," he explained to the others. "I waltzed into town and was better at everything than he was, and he felt like he was being tossed on the scrap heap."
Art began drawing, and soon a Beetleborg took shape on his paper. It was obviously based on Chromium Gold, but the armor was more streamlined, and seemed a little thicker. Colored pencils gave the Beetleborg a bronze and black color scheme, and soon it seemed ready to leap right off the paper.
"Good," praised Josh. "Now, for a weapon, can you give me a sword?"
"A Metallix Saber?" Art asked. "Sure, but why?"
"Leaders of hero teams ALWAYS have swords," Josh explained. "I remember Drew pointing that out at one point. Red Morphin Warrior's got a broadsword. The original Red Ranger, the White Ranger, Zeo Ranger V, Red Turbo, and the new Red Astro Ranger, they all had swords."
Dex nodded. "My principal weapon is the Electro-Saber, and Ryan, don't you have a sword as well?"
"VR Laser Saber," Ryan agreed. "Man, I never thought about it, but you're right."
"And Blue Stinger had a sword, even though it was mounted on his wrist," Josh continued. "But Chromium Gold has the Lancer. If I have a sword, it'll say as clearly as anything else that I'm the new leader of the team."
JB looked concerned. "You're gonna be ticking him off pretty badly. Are you up for this?"
Josh sighed. "I have to be. If I'm not, Drew stays with Shadowborg- forever."
The Temple of Winds was located almost directly in the center of the Sea of Grass, thousands of miles from even the most rude outpost of civilization. That meant that the night sky was untouched by light pollution, and the stars shone unbelievably bright. On the edge of the Royal area of the camp, Jamie sat, staring up at the stars, lost in thought. Suddenly a footstep behind her made her turn.
"At ease," Zarador chuckled, coming to sit beside her. "A beautiful night, is it not?"
Jamie nodded. "Stars are always beautiful, even when the patterns are so different," she replied. "What do you call these constellations?"
"Well, up there is one called the King of the Storm," he pointed. "Next to it is Kyar Re Lartha, the Goddess' tears. Like constellations on your Earth, they're based on pictures from folklore and legends. This particular one started as a myth to explain the Thunder Wind, the powerful winds that come up on the Sea of Grass with little to no warning. The Zarakin word for them is 'kyshaa.'"
Jamie sighed. "It's so strange. I feel so at home here, but then it seems so alien. There's so much I want to know about this place, but I'm not sure I even belong here."
Zarador took her hand. "You are Zarakin, Jamie, and nothing can ever change that, for good or for ill. You will always find the laughter amongst the tears, and always enjoy a good party or a good fight. But you're also a human, with all the traditions and beliefs that brings. You have the incredible toughness of spirit that I have never seen in anyone, even a Zarakin warrior. Your people keep going, no matter what odds are against them. You can be quiet and rational if need be, or all action. Never think, however, that you don't belong here. You are a part of this world and of your own Earth. And while other considerations may always make Earth home for you, you shall always be welcome on Danata."
She smiled. "Thanks, Zarador. I needed to hear that."
July 6
One of the delightful aspects of working the Homicide department in Angel Grove was what the officers referred to as "swing shift." Because of the low murder rate, Homicide cops also worked monster-related crimes. And that often led to them working beats that normally weren't their responsibility. In the years he had worked in Angel Grove, Trevor Park had investigated twelve thefts and eight disappearances, in addition to his regular homicide caseload. Missing Persons immediately reported all disappearances of teens from fifteen to eighteen directly to the Monster Squad.
"Hey, Park! Got another missing kid for you to check out," Lt. Montoya called, dropping a folder on his desk. Trevor