Disclaimer: I'm distraught and melodramatically overwhelmed that I don't own the Power Rangers, but all the other weird stuff is mine, so hey, guess there is an upside to all this…
This is the thirteenth in the Sun Goes Down series and the penultimate episode (oh yes, it has a planned ending!). By this time you will be hideously lost if you haven't read the rest of the series, so I would recommend that you look 'em up! Otherwise, read and enjoy!

Beyond the Dark Edge of Night
by Peregrine

"You know, this is starting to have a strange, eerily familiar feel to it," Kim announced, twisting her hair around her fingers as she pondered events thoughtfully.

"Hmm?" Tommy commented, sipping at his drink, tired from another long shift working with the Zords.

"Billy … and Trini and Skye, actually." Kim said and paused, noticing at least one member of her audience was not paying attention.

"Adam … Adam!" Kim resorted to throwing a scrunched-up piece of paper at the Frog Ninjetti who was 'resting his eyes', sprawled out on the couch.

"Wha …?" Adam opened a bleary eye. "What?" he asked grumpily.

"Have you managed to speak to Billy about what happened yet?" Kim asked hopefully.

"Well … no … I mean he got back and he then had to configure the computer system at the Power Chamber and initialise the power flow up on the Moon at the Palace. Then he was programming all the Zords with new weapons specs …" Adam reeled off, beginning to frown as he realised what the Pink Crane Ninjetti was getting at.

"See?" Kim interrupted Adam's recitation. "Ring any bells for anyone else?" She looked at them exasperatedly. "Honestly, do you lot always walk around with your eyes shut … well, maybe Adam does, but really …!"

"Hey!" Adam sat up, trying to defend himself. "I'm not that bad!"

Kim sighed at their blindness to events. "Well, I recognise it … it's what Billy always does to ignore something that has happened to him. Come on, you BOTH know that as well as I do!"

Tommy looked uncomfortable. "I thought it was because he really was very busy, I mean Ninjetti are gathering at Phaedos as we speak, and the Ninjetti trying for the Master Powers are nearly ready to get going … except for those of us trying to get a bit of rest," he said with feeling and Adam gave a quiet chuckle at that remark.

"Yes … and once we've done that, no-one will have the time to force them to talk about this," Kim answered in her familiar 'I'm on a mission' tone. "And you know what, however busy he is, if he doesn't deal with this before the pressure gets too great, he'll crack and possibly take us with him."

"Kim!" Tommy exclaimed, amazed at her clinical assessment.

She tossed back her hair. "What? It's true. Besides …" and she looked at them with her expression softening, "he's hurting, and he needs help. I can feel that here …" she put her hand to her chest. "And I am not about to let that carry on any longer than necessary."

~*~

Billy was working intently on the console, cursing under his breath, wishing that Alpha was there to help him. Such was his concentration that he was totally oblivious to the stalking ambush that was going on. The first thing he knew was the sensation of hands gripping his arms and legs and lifting him bodily away from his work. He struggled, instinctively twisting and about to kick out to get free when he realised who it was who actually had him.

"Easy there, bro … you could take a guy's eyes out like that." Jason's voice came from somewhere above his head.

"Or other more … er … sensitive spots," Tommy added from one of his legs. There was a low, familiar chuckle that indicated that Zack was there, too, manning his other ankle.

Billy stopped struggling. "What are you guys doing? I've got work to do," he protested, trying to look at least one of them in the eye.

"Oh … end of working hours, Billy," Tommy informed him gravely. "C'mon, Zack, Jase …"

The Lion Ninjetti grinned and the group of them began to carry Billy away.

"Hey, at least let me down … Jase! Aw, come on," Billy tried reasoning with his friends.

"What, and let you scamper back to that console? I don't think so – a few words are WELL overdue with you, bro." Jason replied unmovably. "Let's teleport, the others might be there already."

~*~

As it turned out, they were the first ones there, at Billy's familiar garage lab and adjoining room. Jason, Zack and Tommy dumped Billy on the sofa.

"Sit! Stay!" Jason ordered in his best commanding tone as Trini was ushered in, under guard by Tanya, Aisha, Kat and Kim and then in a similarly undignified fashion to Billy, Rocky and Adam brought Skye into the room.

The three Ninjetti righted themselves as a massive delivery of pizza and sodas and assorted junk food items miraculously appeared. Billy, Trini and Skye looked at each other, wondering what had come over their friends.

"Er, guys … look, this is a nice idea," Billy began, his mouth filling with saliva at the delicious smells wafting from the flat cardboard boxes. "But really we don't have time … the War has started, remember? The Master Quest is a matter of days away, the space armada of the Darkness Visible has already started to encroach on the territory of the Council of the Wise … We can't sit here and eat … is that a Special?" he asked as Kim passed the tantalising pizza his way.

"Just the way you like it … extra cheese and all," Kim responded, waving a piece under his nose before taking a huge bite from a slice. "Coach Schmidt would probably have a heart attack if he knew I was eating this."

Billy bit into a delicious slice. "Mmm … but I shouldn't be eating pizza when a galactic war threatens."

Rocky grinned. "It'll still be there tomorrow … but the pizza won't; I can guarantee that."

The group snorted a little.

"I bet," Aisha said drily, ignoring Rocky's mock-wounded expression.

Trini looked around. "Seriously, what is this all about?" she asked, scanning around the group for some sort of a clue.

They all glanced briefly at Kim whose idea it had been even if it had been Jason and Tommy who pushed it through into action.

"It's about you three. Billy, you are hiding from something … we know you well enough to know now," Kim said seriously. "We know you had some pretty bad times out there … and since you got back you haven't talked to anyone about it."

"Yeah," Adam picked up the thread. "You three know about it, but it's going to be ALL of us in this war… and what affects you, affects us. We want to help you and know what happened."

Billy unconsciously shrank back a bit against the sofa. The pizza he was eating was suddenly incredibly interesting and absorbing and he found himself trying to memorise its colour and texture as if studying for a test.

Trini and Skye looked at each other and with the familiarity of such a long time of working together nodded in perfect synchronisation.

"I think that would be a good idea," Trini said softly, glancing at them all with a warning to be gentle in her dark almond eyes.

Skye settled himself on a bean bag half sprawled out across the floor and Trini in a nearby chair, leaving room on the sofa for some of the others next to Billy … just in case.

"So then …" Tommy said as they all relaxed, "tell us everything that happened whilst you were away."

The three Ninjetti looked at each other and grinned. "Everything?" asked Skye "We'd be here forever!"

"Well, edited highlights … as long as you don't leave out the juicy bits!" Kim demanded, leaning forward, her eyes bright at the prospect of gossip. Of course, as always when someone is asked to talk about anything, a deathly hush settled across the room and Kim rolled her eyes heavenwards for patience.

"Talk!" she threatened them with a piece of pizza, and Trini laughed and began with some of the more innocuous stories from their trip into space.

~*~

The story poured out throughout the night, ranging from the incredible, the hilarious, to the dangerous and tragic, all the successes and the failures gradually moving closer and closer to the more painful stories. When one of the Ninjetti faltered, one of their friends gently pressed the issue until they told them everything, if not one being questioned, then one of the others. Trini had cried when she spoke of the misunderstanding that had nearly broken them all apart … and virtually all the women shed tears when she recited what Billy had said on Veras, much to the Blue Wolf Ninjetti's flaming embarrassment.

And then they drew near the end, to the events that had not been talked about … not even in passing, blocked from their minds as if they had never happened. Strangely, it was Rocky who kept them talking when the words threatened to be crushed out of the room under the weight of the intense emotions.

"So … you investigated Chlorak, yes?" Rocky prodded the emotional scars tentatively. "What happened there?"

From the sudden jump in tension all around them, they knew this was the focus of what was troubling the three Ninjetti. Of course they had heard snippets of what happened from the Astro Rangers, but …

"Dark Spectre." Billy choked on the name a little despite himself and then repeated it more firmly. "Dark Spectre was double-crossing them and we launched in to help. I distracted Dark Spectre and Trini and Skye helped them against the monsters — Ecliptor and Darkonda. Then …" he stopped suddenly, freezing up despite his best intentions. It was as if suddenly his tongue had frozen or shut down, rendering him completely mute. He pulled in on himself, looking very vulnerable, suddenly seeming to shrink away from everyone into the dim light.

"Yes?" Tommy asked, leaning forward. He glanced at Jason who somehow casually managed to sit beside Billy without making it too obvious what he was doing. Aisha had manoeuvred herself into a similar position close to Trini, and Adam perched on the arm of the couch next to Billy, near to Trini and Skye as the others closed in an intimate circle around them.

"I don't remember much for a while after that," Billy said, looking away from everyone. They couldn't know, shouldn't know, it was too much risk …

"Trini?" Tanya prompted, focussing upon her when she saw Billy struggling with himself.

The Tiger Ninjetti looked up, reliving that horrific moment in her mind. By common reluctance, after that time on Triforia they had not spoken of what had happened, not even to each other. It had been too raw for any of them, too close, but now she realised that it was time for them all to talk about what had happened, whether they felt ready or not.

She sighed. "Billy was hit point blank by a full blast from Dark Spectre. I thought him dead … as I turned to see him, the monsters combined forces to destroy us all." She cast a pleading look over to the Star Crystal Ninjetti.

"I threw a shield over them … to reflect the worst of the blast, but they were all knocked unconscious by the concussion," Skye said, picking up the thread briefly before falling silent

"They? What happened to you?" Kim pressed, looking sharply at Skye who glanced away.

It was like a tag team conversation and Billy replied to this question, as if they were all to a certain extent interchangeable.

"He didn't have the strength to shield himself too – and don't give me that 'I forgot' look; we both know that's just a fake," Billy related, glancing across at the white-haired artist. "From all accounts, he was blown up by the explosion. He was badly injured."

Skye shrugged as if it was of no consequence.

"So that's why you collapsed!" Tommy turned to Kimberly in relief. He'd had horrible thoughts that the tumour might have come back; medical tests had proven that wrong, but left it unexplained. "It must have been that!"

Kim nodded, another mystery explained, but did not want to interrupt this crucial retelling.

"So… what happened to you, Billy?" Rocky pushed a little further.

Billy remained silent for a moment. "I was taken prisoner," he said in a clipped tone that practically screamed that he didn't want to discuss it.

There was an uncomfortable pause as the other Rangers waited for him to elaborate and he retreated into silence.

"Okay, little bro, what happened?" Jason asked softly, using his private nickname for his friend.

"Nothing." Billy said stubbornly. "It's over, I'm fine … forget about it."

Adam reached over and put a hand gently on his shoulder. "No … we can't do that — we tried that way once before, didn't we?" he reminded softly. "And nearly lost you."

"And we don't want to get a reputation for carelessness, do we?" Zack quipped lightly, but there was seriousness in his dark eyes as he leaned forward. "C'mon, man, we're your friends!"

There was a lengthy stubborn silence from the Wolf Ninjetti. Everyone's attention was focussed on him, willing him to break open his uncommunicative shell.

"It is because you are his friends that he doesn't want you to know," a familiar voice murmured from outside the circle of attention.

"Skye!" Billy issued a warning with that single word.

"He believes you won't respect him if you know." The artist addressed the air, ignoring that warning and then fell silent.

The others looked at Billy again. "Why on earth would we think that?" Tommy stated, speaking for the group.

"Because …" Billy's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Because Dark Spectre broke me, tortured me and broke me …"

There, it was said, like vile damning curse hanging in the air. "If I had known what he wanted, I would have told him — told him everything."

Ah. It began to make sense. "But you didn't, Billy," Adam replied quietly. "You didn't betray us or anyone."

Billy became agitated. "Don't you see? I could have — I would have done it! I could have betrayed you all. Not because of a spell, or because someone else's life was at risk, but because when it came down to it … I was not strong enough!" He challenged them to refute that statement.

There was no immediate answer from the Rangers. They had never seen Billy like this, emotional and lashing out and frankly, that in itself was upsetting enough to make things difficult to deal with for them.

Billy rested his head in his hands, a picture of despair. "I'm a liability … who am I to be involved in saving the galaxy when I can't even trust myself to keep my mouth shut?" His muffled tone betrayed the aching hurt that lingered still inside of him. "I can't even DIE successfully to stop it from happening!"

There were a few audible gasps from the room and Trini stared outwards unmovingly, her face a mask of calm and forced serenity. Jason clenched his jaw, stifling an outburst to demand to know exactly what that meant, but someone else beat him to it.

"I think you better tell us exactly what happened," Kim demanded in an uncompromising but compassionate tone.

"I can't!" Billy protested, shaking his head. "I really can't," he started trembling a little, just barely perceptible. He didn't want to go there in his memories, not ever again – and they were making him go back into hell!

"Billy," Trini began, her low voice asking him to reconsider.

"No — I can't! I can't take the risk!" Billy interrupted, cutting her off.

"Risk what?" Rocky asked, confused.

"Losing you all," Skye said softly from the corner.

"Skye, no, don't,"Billy pleaded in a defeated tone of voice, too weary to fight anymore when it seemed that his companions were also against him.

"Not this time, Billy," Skye replied. "You have to trust them so you can relearn that trust in yourself."

"Skye!" It was nearly a wail of protest. Billy looked ready to bolt and Jason solved that problem by putting his arms around him, holding him despite his half-hearted struggles.

Eventually the Wolf Ninjetti calmed down and turned his head away from the other Rangers, breathing in the familiar scent of Jason's house and home that clung to the Lion Ninjetti's clothes as Skye began to describe every detail of Billy's ordeal in a soft voice, as seen through the Star Crystal. He did not spare any details, he included what Billy had felt, the emotional agony he had suffered when Dark Spectre had shown him the 'deaths' of Trini and Skye, a description that had the Tiger Ninjetti staring unblinkingly into space with a trickle of a tear trekking a smooth path down her face. Skye's quiet voice stripped away all of the protection Billy had tried to build around the experience, leaving him open and vulnerable to his friends in a way he had never thought possible, but even as he heard their stifled reactions to his wanting to die, to his teetering on the lip of life and death held there by a Spider's thread, he still could not bear to look at any of them.

Jason's expression became horrified and then angry as he absorbed what had happened to his longtime friend and what he had been through. It was difficult for them as well, they had to undergo a shift of attitude. They were used to protecting Billy and there was guilt associated with the fact that they hadn't been able to do that, but there was also the dawning realisation that Billy had gone through more than they could imagine, experiences they couldn't easily conceive of ever happening. His arms became less of a restraint than a protective circle and he found himself absently stroking Billy's back soothingly like he had when Billy had lost his mother and stayed with his "big bro" and Jason had found him crying silently in the lonely night.

Billy instinctively responded to the memories this situation produced. Those times he had felt so alone, and then … he miraculously discovered there was someone there for him after all. A friend to whom he could trust all his darkest secrets and fears. And the miracle was there, wasn't just one of them any more, the protective circle of trust was wider than Jason, it was all of them. It became then a matter of whether he had the courage to trust them and that was easier … it was himself he didn't trust .

Skye's inexorable quiet murmur finally ceased and silence reigned. There were a few muffled sobs from around the room and Billy found himself standing at a threshold of uncertainty. He knew that when he finally unburied his head from Jason's shoulder that he would either see disappointment, or … well, he couldn't even imagine the other. It took all his courage to turn his head and it was Adam's eyes he locked onto and held, looking for that answer he dreaded, and finding that he had been asking the wrong questions all along.

Far from drawing away, Adam was reaching forward, far from showing disgust at his weakness he seemed to be respecting his strength. He glanced around. Nowhere did he see any hint of rejection, only sorrow and gentle sympathy, or anger.

A great knot of tension dissolved within him and Billy let out a sigh of utter relief. A fundamental fear had not been realised. The Pack had not rejected him for weakness, had not driven him out or turned on him, instead it was sharing its strength … he could feel that flowing into him and glanced briefly over at Skye, who was sitting a little outside the circle with the Star Crystal glimmering on his chest.

No-one knew exactly what to say, they just seemed to close together somehow as if physical proximity could reflect the emotional support they wished to give. As it turned out, that was more than enough to progress the healing of the emotional wounds, though maybe not to eradicate all the aftereffects of such an ordeal. One miracle at a time.

~*~

"You realise there is no way we can do this alone," Adam said to Billy eventually as they tried again to spread the workload so they were not all dead with fatigue before the battle actually began. "We have to get help here. There are refugees pouring in towards here and Phaedos from all over the galaxy."

Billy sat back, fiddling with his pen. "They are converting the Palace, yes?"

"It's taking a lot of work, but yes … but the centre of operations is still here," Adam pointed out, gesturing to the complex around them that was growing every day to house everyone they needed. "And we go on our Quest soon. We need people here."

Billy looked around at the busy area. "Hmm … we need people we can trust. Really trust." He seemed to be seeking inspiration and his gaze lighted on his father. A solution sprang to mind. "Our families," he announced suddenly.

"You're kidding!" Adam exclaimed and then paused, seeing his expression. "You are not kidding."

Billy shook his head. "We don't have anyone else we could trust as implicitly, and we need organisation here now."

"You've obviously met Rocky's mother, haven't you?" Adam commented in a quiet wry voice. "That woman could organise a country!"

"That's good, because she might well end up doing just that," Billy said, and the strangest thing was that there was no hint of a joke in his voice.

Adam shot him a look and nearly said something, but refrained. "Well, it will be a relief … the excuses have worn a little thin over the years. I'm not creative enough to be terribly believable."

"Fortunately I didn't have that problem," Billy mused. "And my father wasn't overly surprised after the initial shock. Things, er … kind of made sense to him then."

"It may well to some of our parents, too." Adam sighed, looking a little forlorn. "My father will be very shocked. He regarded the Power Rangers as dangerously unorthodox and promoting violence, though he was in favour of protecting everyone. But he can be counted on once he realises the stakes." It would be nice to think he was proud of me … just once. Some things are not meant to be.

Billy smoothed his ruffled blond hair absently as he thought the idea through. "I cannot afford for the governments to get involved before we have set up everything. Too many variables, too much in-fighting. And frankly, if the Darkness Visible is defeated at Phaedos, then there is no reason for them to ever know. Only that one day they might make it to the moon and find a multi-environmental habitat up there."

Adam smiled. "Sort of like climbing to the top of Everest and finding a theme park or something."

Billy quirked a smile. "Yeah," he chuckled. "I'd like to be around to see it."

Adam gave him a sharp look. "Why on Earth wouldn't you be?" he asked, leaning forward in his concern. "Is there something, something else you are not telling us?" He was forceful in his questions, driven by a fear that haunted him that he might lose his friend again

The Wolf Ninjetti looked startled. "Adam … look, no, it's not like that. Nothing specific, only that …"

Adam touched his hand. "Only that … what? Billy?" His dark eyes fixed upon his friend's face, worried at the weariness of spirit that seemed to radiate from his still youthful features.

"Adam … the last Ninjetti War caused the collapse of a Galactic Empire. The Ninjetti were decimated, Phaedos nigh on destroyed." The Blue Wolf Ninjetti looked frankly at Adam. "A lot of us are going to die … win or lose. I don't think anyone comprehends the scope of this, save perhaps the Council of the Wise, and Skye, Trini and myself. The Federations of the Council of the Wise and the United Alliance of Evil has made war only possible on a planetary scale … conquerors want to have something left of what they conquer …" He trailed off, a sudden thought entering his mind.

Wait … wait … that's not what the Zha'kha-rhee'aa did as recorded in the Marai Sphere. No… it laid waste to planets. What type of conqueror destroys what he fights for?… Unless he is not fighting for that… Something is definitely missing here.

"Billy? Hey…" Adam shook him to get his attention back. "I said, that's no reason to expect the worst. We will have the Master Powers, they did not … yes?"

Billy blinked. "Yes … yes of course, the Master Powers will make the difference," he murmured, trying to sound convincing even to himself.

"And our parents," Adam finished optimistically.

"And our parents, of course."

~*~

In fact, as always, Billy soon got distracted into other things, but he sat down in a private room pouring over snippets of Prophecy, transcripts of the Histories and notes he had made from their journey and his torture at the hands of the Nid-hi and Dark Spectre.

"What is this goddamned Shahin Tara Zed?" he cursed to himself, chewing on the end of the pen anxiously. "The Ninjetti's secret Ultimate Weapon? Boy, that would be a laugh, wouldn't it, Dark Spectre knowing more about it than the people meant to be using it." He screwed up another ball of paper and threw it violently against the wall. Maybe, maybe when they went after the Master Ninjetti Powers that was a part of it. Maybe it would be all revealed then. He sighed, not able to take that as true comfort. 'Maybes' did not win wars.

"What is wrong with this picture?" he queried, his sharp mind starting to piece things together. "What was the Silver Nid-hi after when it questioned my Wolf Spirit?"

What do all who strive to conquer seek? his Wolf Spirit contributed, joining in the process.

"Power … of some form or another." Billy rested his head briefly on the desk as he cast his mind desperately through any information. He thought right back to when they had first received the warning that the Darkness Visible was coming. What was it Zordon had said? It had tried to get the powers guarded by the Ancient Ninjetti. That suggested some type of … object, or Power. Which fitted in with what Dark Spectre had said during his inquisition. He flinched inwardly and then steeled himself again. He couldn't break down any more. The other night had helped, but he still had a long way to go. He knew the others were there for him, but he couldn't let them see that weakness again.

So what was it? Couldn't have been the Master Powers. According to Dulcea, the legends said they had been created after the Ninjetti War by the same great master that had set up the Wardstones. How had they defeated the Darkness Visible the first time? The Histories were conspicuously silent on that front. Hmmmm … Why couldn't he see it?!

To see the whole of the pattern, do you look at just one thread? his Wolf Spirit commented. Stand back from it and look objectively.

Billy groaned. "Only I don't have time. We are transporting to Phaedos in a couple of hours. I better see if everyone is ready." He got up stiffly and made his way to the Power Chamber and halted in the doorway, totally amazed.

The place was packed with people, friends and family of the various Rangers, all talking at once, in some cases loudly, and in others just standing wide-eyed with shock and awe. Billy froze, hoping to slip out; after all it was a little difficult to face people you had lied to on a daily basis, whatever the cause.

"There he is … Billy …!" Rocky called him over. "Mama, I TOLD you Billy was here."

"I still don't believe it." The short stocky Mexican-American woman shook her head. "All this time? And Adam, too? But his father never approved of the Power Rangers … all that violence." She blanched, looking at her son again as that realisation impinged on her consciousness. "Rocky, you could have been killed!" she exclaimed, her voice a balance of anger and anxiety.

"Believe me, I've been through the same with Billy," Hank Cranston reassured the woman before she could get too deeply traumatised. "It took me a long time to actually accept that they were the ones responsible for saving us on a daily basis." His voice projected across the din and the other parents fell silent.

"Much as any parent hates to admit it, our kids grew up a LOT faster than we thought, much faster than any youngsters really should. They had the responsibility for life and death of us all – every day. Imagine that. Knowing that if you failed, your parents and brothers and sisters could die, not just once, but every day for years. I have heard some of the tales of what happened during those years and you will probably react the same as I did, with horror, with anger and then with utter pride that MY child could have achieved all this and never spoken a word. " Hank looked around at the silent room. "And now, they need us. I think you should listen to what they have to say."

Billy expected Dulcea to step forward, but she stayed where she was. He then expected one of the others to step forward, Tommy, Jason … but they didn't. To his alarm he discovered that he was the focal point of the room's attention. Well then.

"Welcome to the Power Chamber," he said in an initially soft voice, and to his surprise they were all listening. "I don't know how much you have been told, but I will do a brief summary. As you know we all were … and still are Power Rangers. As such we took on a responsibility to protect others and over the past two years or so we have become aware that there was more than Angel Grove and Earth that needed protecting. However strange this may seem, however distant and removed at this point in time, there is a galactic conflict brewing the likes of which is beyond our comprehension and the Ninjetti are the only ones who can fight it." Billy paused, looking around at his audience. "And we are Ninjetti. We find ourselves outnumbered and despite our desperate preparations, in need of a lot of help, particularly as we need people to be fighting, so we come to those we trust most. Our families."

There was a simple dignity in that statement and Billy was grateful he knew that his father had accepted his role wholeheartedly. "In an hour, a group of us will be questing for the fabled Ninjetti Master Powers that will hopefully give us a fighting chance against this ancient enemy that threatens all planets. I really hope that you will see your way to assisting us … because now we really need all the help we can get."

Nice speech … I thought you were the one for whom communication was a torture from hell? His Wolf Spirit spoke within him.

Well, guess I learnt a few things whilst were were away, Billy said. He still didn't like it, but he could do it now.

The murmuring rose around him and he studied them. They would help, he could feel it. If nothing else, it would be to make up for the years when they didn't know they were being helped by their own children. Parents tended to be funny that way and he grinned a little to himself at the thought.

He met his father's look and Hank smiled and nodded, beaming with pride. The Wolf Ninjetti waited for the information to be discussed for a few minutes and then asked one simple question during a natural lull. "Will you help us?"

Silence reigned for a moment before a few silent nods gave way to Lilian DeSantos stepping forward. "Of course we will, you need some experienced organisation. If the fate of the galaxy rests on the shoulders of people who once forgot to take any food on a three-day camping trip …" and some of the Original Rangers blushed, "I think you need some looking after."

There were a few muffled giggles. "Either that or go really hungry through the whole thing," Kim said drily.

"You are our children," Diane Scott said firmly. "Adults or not, saving the universe or not, you are still our children … and we will not turn away from you when you need our help." She smiled. "It is a little different from being casually asked to make a costume for the school pageant the night before."

Jason chuckled. "It was a very good costume, though."

"Naturally," his mother replied in a superior tone and laughed, breaking some of the tension.

Billy relaxed. Good, they had reliable support in the Power Chamber. Now to the Quest.

"Guys, we'll be teleporting out in half an hour," he advised. "My Dad will help orientate everyone to what they can help with, but in the meantime we have to get ready."

He smiled again and then backed out of the room, feeling a little sick at having had to face all of them like that.

"You did well." Skye walked up behind him quietly as the others talked excitedly to their parents. It was with a pang of conscience that Billy remembered that Skye did not have that option.

"I'm being graded?" Billy asked lightly.

"It's a pass or fail thing," Skye answered back with only a hint of humour in his voice. He looked oddly serious and withdrawn.

"You alright?" Billy asked concernedly. "You look a little … down."

Skye flashed him a brief smile. "Just a little preoccupied, that's all."

"Skye …" Billy said, worried. "Is there something you are not telling me?"

The Star Ninjetti hesitated, seemingly on the edge of telling him something."Yes, there is … and I'm sorry, but I can't tell you what … not yet." He smiled. "Don't worry. See you in a little while." Without waiting for a reply, he walked down the corridor to his room to get changed.

Billy stared after him, the hairs prickling on the back of his neck. If there was one feeling he had, it was that he would not like the answer whenever he found out what it was.

~*~

It took him very little time to change. Invoking his Spirit Warrior armour, even the semi-complete version was a matter of words. Resplendent in blue and grey, he strode purposefully down to the Power Chamber again. They HAD to do this, there was no other hope for them. If they got the Master Powers, then they had a faint chance; if they didn't, they could not stand against the Nid-hi, let alone their Master, the Darkness Visible.

The room was filled with an array of colours as the Spirit Warrior Ninjetti assembled and as he looked around, he saw a dawning realisation in the eyes of their parents of what was happening. Suddenly in front of them were not their sons and daughters, but a group of expert warriors, whose expertise showed in their casual movement within the fierce armour they had donned. Trini, in her dazzling Gold and White joined him, looking around for a moment before nudging him. "Time to go, Billy."

"Wait, where's Skye?" Billy reached out mentally and turned, sensing him. He was there, dressed in a soft form of the Ninjetti robes, in grey and white. He smiled back and the Star Crystal glittered like frost on his chest, and the Marai Sphere blazed like fire in his hand.

"He's here," Trini said. "Let's go."

They assembled the group and Billy nodded to his father. "Wish us luck," he said spontaneously, feeling that they would need it.

There was a chorus of well wishes as the interplanetary teleport began.

~*~

When they materialised on Phaedos, the barren landscape was packed with a large selection of alien races and strange Ninjetti Rangers. It was immediately apparent that the vast majority of those present were from Earth and that in itself pulled at a few threads in Billy's mind. But as he stood there, he was immediately mobbed by old friends from their quest.

"Billy," he was hailed by a familiar voice.

"Delphine, Cestro!" Billy grinned, pleased to see the Aquitians "I see you made it."

"It is an honour to be included," the new Aquitian Ninjetti Spirit Warrior replied.

"I see Cestro was correct," Billy observed, seeing her Animal Spirit Emblem on her armour in the stylised form of a graceful bird.

"Yes indeed. The Vasherel found me worthy," the White Ninjetti said, her hand signal exhibiting 'remembered joy'. "And Cestro was chosen by the Celepha, the wisest of the creatures of Aquitar."

"Like a whale," Billy mused, checking his memory for an earthlike comparison. "Congratulations, both of you; I just wish you and the others had more chance to explore your Powers before we have to do this." He sounded a little worried. What was he doing? Leading them all here? They had come because he had summoned them after all. What if something happened to them?

He had no time to think before he was approached by a group of other strange races. J'shaar of the Drakin, some of the Ayaho Rangers amongst others.

Kat stood beside Rocky and Justin, watching in amazement. "This brings it home a bit," she said in an aside. "I mean, Billy, Trini and Skye actually MET all these people." She brushed her blonde hair back in a nervous reaction. "I know I knew it before but I didn't actually know it."

"I know what you mean, Kat." Rocky said nervously. "I am seeing bugs over there taller than Tommy, aren't I?" he asked plaintively. Not sure if he wanted the answer to be yes.

"If it's a dream you've got the rest of us in here, too." Aisha prodded him. "And frankly I'd rather not be in one of your dreams, I'll leave that to Kat."

Tommy and Jason chortled behind the Yellow Bear Ninjetti and then tried to look innocent as Rocky gave them a pained look.

Justin bounced back to them excitedly. "Anyone see those guys? They are the Shri, and live close to the centre of the galaxy … can you imagine that? Wow. They've got this sort of prosthetic pincer which can …"

"Justin!" Tanya shushed the youngster.

"What? If you think that's incredible, the Ronani and the Chi'iten are something else …"

"Dulcea is waiting to speak," Tommy pointed out to the youngest Ninjetti there.

"Oops." The Blue Dolphin Ninjetti fell quiet.

Silence swept over the ruins of the Temple as the assembled group of species from the far-flung reaches of the galaxy waited to hear the words of the First Warrior of the Ninjetti.

"And so the time has come." Dulcea spoke out into that expectant hush. "You have come once more, selected for your potential to quest for the Master Powers that are spoken of as legend even amongst the Ninjetti to whom they belong. As such we know little of them and some of us may not be suitable, but it is our hope that there will be enough that prove worthy to have those Powers bestowed on them and use them in the protection of all. This may come as a surprise to you, but I know little more than you about this. We stand here as equals now, on a Quest together."

That created a bit of a stir amongst the assembled Ninjettis. Dulcea smiled, conscious of Jason's constant gaze upon her. "From this point, everything is new and all we can do is follow the Quest and hope that the secret of the Temple that is passed to the First Warrior is not a myth."

"What secret, Dulcea?" Adam asked in the pause that followed as everyone watched the Owl Ninjetti stride over to Skye who looked up expectantly.

Dulcea smiled. "All in good time, my young Frog."

She held out her hands and Skye presented her again with the Marai Sphere into one hand and she very gently removed the Star Crystal from around his neck with her other. The artist looked somehow bare without the strange item and reached to that now empty place on his chest before giving a sigh. Trini watched him anxiously, as he looked surprisingly vulnerable and sorrowful when Dulcea walked away with the glittering crystal. That wasn't right; he shouldn't be parted from the Star Crystal, it was his only protection and it was powerful protection. But, Dulcea had taken it and gone to the raised secret area of the Temple, gesturing for them to follow, which they did, falling unconsciously into the stylised movement of ritual as if the Temple was speaking to their very bones. Dulcea was singing, a haunting refrain in a low sweet alto voice, repeating over and over … and one by one, they joined her. It was a simple repetition of melodic syllables, but profoundly moving nonetheless as she carefully slotted the Orb reverentially on top of a dais and then took the Star Crystal and positioned it very carefully in line.

There was a flare of light that momentarily blinded them all and reminded Billy of the Triple Eclipse at Triforia. However, instead of the Pyramid that split apart to reveal answers, the Temple itself blazed with colour and a shimmering map, sculpted from light, sprang into existence around them.

Rocky reached out and touched the shapes of light around him in a kind of awe. "Wow."

"This was what you protected, Rocky of Earth," Dulcea said, smiling with delight, equally as excited as they were. "If this had fallen into the hands of the Nid-hi, then the Ninjetti and all the galaxy would be lost. For they would have known where the Master Powers were hidden and even if they could not take them as their own … they could destroy them. "

She was smiling again and looked around at them all. "Until the Star Crystal came to Phaedos, this secret could never be tested, and now it proves to be true, as I believe will the Master Powers. Memorise the Map … for we have a perilous journey to make, and on it we will be tested for our suitability to hold those powers."

The assembled Ninjetti Spirit Warriors did so and with eager discussion, they grouped together and set off into the dreamlike unknown on their Quest, leaving the map of Light blazing in a beacon of hope behind them.

~*~

It all seemed somehow unreal to Billy. That they were suddenly here, and everything was happening all at once. After literally years, it was coming down to moments in time and the feeling was disconcerting, to say the least. The large group was making good time through the dense foliage and with the image of their destination emblazoned in his mind he was sure that they could do this. He mentally looked around; Skye was straggling somewhat and looking a little vulnerable without the Star Crystal. Why hadn't they picked it up and…

A strange lassitude washed over him suddenly and he shook his head. What was he thinking about?

"I don't like this," Adam said uneasily, watching the undergrowth suspiciously. "This has been too easy, too much like a stroll in Angel Grove Park."

"And we all know what happened anytime anyone strolled in Angel Grove Park," Zack commented flippantly. "Screams, mayhem, ugly little monsters … and that was just the kids!"

Kim and Aisha giggled slightly at his irreverent remark.

"This is creeping me out," Kim admitted after a while, glancing around nervously. "I remember the first quest. Somehow I don't imagine this to be easier than that … and I thought THAT was tough."

"You get a fireswamp, too?" Tanya asked curiously.

"No … bone dinosaurs, weird statues, that sort of thing," Aisha recalled.

"Do you remember when Rocky nearly lost his … er …"

"Please," Rocky interrupted. "I still wake up at nights thinking about that. Just as well being a Ninjetti means I can do the splits."

"Hmm. Thank God!" Kat said with more fervour than she intended, which started the others laughing.

And out of nowhere, the ground began to shake.

"Earthquake!" someone yelled. Cestro placed a hand on the ground, feeling the vibrations. "No, that is a … sensation of something … alive. And of considerable size," he announced.

Billy turned immediately to Skye. "Skye, can you sense – oh." Of course not; he didn't have the Star Crystal! Dammit, talk about stupid! Why hadn't they picked that up?

"Run!" Tommy yelled. "Get to cover!" He pointed to a small hill. "Up there! We need to see what we are up against."

That prompted a hasty retreat as the large group sprinted for higher ground. Tommy reached the top first, along with J'shaar of the Drakin and both Rangers turned and gasped. The shaking was caused by a stampede of dinosaurs fleeing from … something. The creature that was pursuing them was hideously like a massive feline, lithe despite its mass and shape and moving at speed, only its muscles rippled under scales instead of fur and its tail was barbed. And it was equally the size of one of the dinosaurs whose bones littered the Neola forest.

A connection that Billy made suddenly. There had to be a dinosaur predator, something had to have killed those things in the first place. He looked down, seeing Skye struggling up the slope and mentally tallied the presence of all the Ninjetti.

Jason was counting them in, too. "Everyone here? Defensive ring now!" he ordered. "Dulcea, what are those things?" he asked urgently, automatically sizing up the danger.

"Aglaeca! They are meant to be extinct!" Dulcea replied, astonished, gripping her Singing Staff in readiness. "If it has our trail, then we have a big problem … and they rarely hunt alone!"

Sure enough, flanking the stampeding herd another aglaeca shot out to head off the stampede, only it struck too soon and the herd bolted for a small canyon and scattered, leaving the aglaeca hungry and preyless. There was a harsh roar of disappointment and yet another, larger, if that was possible, aglaeca stalked out of concealment, its tail whipping from side to side with agitation.

"Oh man," Jason murmured, looking at the third monstrous form. They were not happy monster predators, angry and irritated and unfortunately hungry.

"I agree, this is a problem," Delphine said appraisingly. "It is the nature of a predator to seek easy prey after a hunt goes awry. Compared to those others we would fall into that category."

"No kidding," Rocky agreed, looking a little anxious. The aglaeca were the size of mammoths, or something!

"As long as we stick together, we won't be as easy as they think," Tanya added determinedly.

"Let's not lose sight of our goal," Tommy reminded firmly, looking in the direction of where the map of light had shown the Master Powers to be located.

"We have no time for discussion, we have to move!" Kat interrupted urgently. "Look!"

The aglaeca were heading their way. Unbelievably fast.

"Might I suggest we try and find some natural obstacles to place between them and us?" Cestro pointed out. "From memory I recall there, at the northern edge of the fire swamps, a chasm and a river…"

"If we swing north then," Tommy agreed, more hopeful now he had a direction. He turned to shout and then realised that would attract attention.

"Here, I'll do it." Rocky gripped his Spirit Crystal and with effort pushed the thought into the Spirit Crystals of the others. Heading North, to fire swamps…move out!

"Thanks," Jason nodded, appreciating the effort.

"Save your breath," Rocky replied, turning swiftly. "And let's go, I'd rather not be eaten by something that sounds like a cat coughing up a furball." And the Red Ape Ninjetti grinned as they altered directions and ran again.

The Ninjetti Spirit Warriors ran, but the aglaeca were fast and Tanya noted with concern that people were lagging a little. "We're drifting," she advised Jason and Tommy. "We're losing Skye at the back, and the Shri aren't built for this sort of chase."

They grimaced. Rocky was concentrating. "The Ronani Ninjetti just told me they have lost sight of one of the aglaeca. Could be trying to flank us."

"This is not a good thing," Cestro pointed out, rather stating the obvious.

"There is a scent from ahead too," J'shaar mentioned quietly.

"We'll just have to be wary as we go," Tommy replied, concerned. "Rocky, could you …?"

"Already done," the Red Ape Ninjetti answered, having informed everyone.

And yet, when the attack came they were still unprepared for its ferocity. The largest aglaeca pounced in a pincer movement, scattering the group of Ninjetti as if a rainbow had shredded beneath its fearsome claws.

Zack agilely rolled away, bounced upwards and in a fluid movement leapt over the tree-trunk tail with its poisonous barbs to push one of the Shri out of danger. The aglaeca roared, its tail whipsnapped back at impossible speed, pinned Zack beneath its poison barbs and he cried out in pain.

Aisha took one look at what had happened and her response was instinctive and immediate. She attacked. With an unstoppable momentum, she leapt at the creature, hacking with such fierce determination that it seemed she would not stop until she had made it all of the way through and freed Zack.

Tanya, automatically keeping tabs on everyone, yelled to Tommy in alarm. "Zack's down!"

Billy was poised, ready to jump in and paused, his mind whirring, thinking of keeping them safe and of their ultimate goal – the Master Powers. "Based on their previous behaviour, they are surrounding us and will close in … we need to separate them," he explained swiftly. "We need to divide their attack – fireswamp, bridge, and river," he said to the leaders of the group, gesturing in the different directions.

"Three groups. Jase, go!" Tommy ordered and Jason nodded, already moving. The Falcon Ninjetti whirled, seeking another he knew as a leader. "Delphine!"

"The strategy is sound." The Vasherell Ninjetti turned to implement the plan with alacrity.

Jason sprinted, yelling to various Ninjetti around him to fall in and deliberately cut across the path of the second reptilian predator, causing it to snap at the tempting morsel as he and a third of the group split and ran for the fireswamps.

Simultaneously, Delphine let out a shockingly loud battlecry and led her impromptu team across the path of the third aglaeca, heading towards the water with the implacable thunder of the distracted dinosaur-killer pounding along behind them.

The threat of their attack gone, Tommy and the remaining Ninjetti launched a rescue attempt to get Zack out from under the barbs of the remaining monstrous creature left behind in the clearing.

~*~

Jason ran, trying to formulate a plan while he did so. Aimless running was not going to help much. The creature was too close, they needed a breathing space. Dulcea was moving silently through the mixed terrain off to one side. J'shaar was bounding with incredible speed up ahead, and Kat and Rocky were helping the Shri, who were designed for desert conditions, not this sort of pursuit through rough terrain

Make use of the resources available, his Lion Spirit advised. Jason bit back an urge to retort 'No, really? Tell me something I don't know,' but concentrated instead.

"J'shaar, Adam, we need something to slow it down … Dulcea? We might need a diversion at some point in the not-too-distant future," he suggested.

The Drakin Ninjetti and Adam darted off ahead and Dulcea slipped off into the undergrowth, becoming invisible almost immediately.

Adam and J'shaar moved swiftly, hunting desperately for a way out of this and found a deep gulley further up ahead. J'shaar leapt over it and scouted across the other side while Adam paused.

"Pitfall … yes!" He began dragging scrub and foliage over the trench to give the illusion of solid ground and called back to Rocky through his Spirit Crystal.Rocky – I am disguising a natural trench … up here! He imaged where he was to the Red Ape Ninjetti. Tell Jason.

Got it. Rocky responded as simultaneously another thought impinged on his consciousness.

Rocky of Earth! J'shaar's mental presence appeared in the Red Ape's mind. I have discovered the edge of the swamp. There is a massive buildup of the firegas under the surface – I can smell it. We cannot go across. We will have to fight here.

Got it, thanks. Rocky grimaced and ran to reveal this to Jason immediately. "Good news – Adam is disguising a trench as a pitfall. Bad news – there's so much fire gas buildup ahead that we can't cross the swamp."

"Damn." Jason looked thoughtful. His mind turned over how to use that to their advantage. "We need the time to set up to fight up there … we need bait to lead it directly to the trap."

Kat immediately volunteered. "I'll do it. You get the Shri and prepare to fight.."

"Kat, I can't let …" Rocky protested immediately.

"I'm faster than all of you," Kat pointed out, taking a stance. "Anyway, there's no time to argue. Go!"

Rocky looked anguished, but Jason ordered them to flee, picking up Adam as they circumvented the trap and began to find defensive positions on the swamp's edge. He had a glimmer of an idea about a way to fight this creature, but he had to wait … he could already hear the thundering sprint of the predator and its frustrated scream.

Kat waited until the snarling visage swung out of the undergrowth; then she sprinted, her heart thumping, her instincts screaming with the most primal need to evade the predator behind her. Damn, but it was fast, and obstacles she leapt over it just ploughed through. All to the good …

A snap of great teeth behind her, the stink of carrion breath hot against her back and she pushed herself faster … faster, running as the cheetah runs, with its whole being, not just its legs. She burst out of the tree cover, seeing the glimmering colours of the others. Rocky, from up ahead, saw and projected into her mind, Kat felt the moment of instinctive warning and sprang into the air. The impetus of her escape stayed with her, she executed a dazzling diving twist mid-air as the aglaeca snapped its jaws forward to catch its prey and she evaded the jaws by contorting her body away. The aglaeca braked and slid on the slick swamp mud, half falling into the ooze-filled gulley, floundering unsteadily.

Kat bounced and gasped, winded from the impact; then Rocky was there, picking her up and running as the aglaeca flailed hopelessly and then eventually dragged itself out of the gulley trap, infuriated.

It stalked forward, ready to rend anything limb from limb and saw only …

… a solitary prey dressed in Red, standing on what seemed to be an island, defenceless and seemingly open to its hunger.

Growling, it stalked forward suspiciously and the Lion Ninjetti roared back a challenge. It stopped snapping, wary of the unstable ground, but the morsel was so tempting! It stepped closer, closer and swiped at the prey-thing. It made another sound and more prey-things attacked from behind, causing it to whirl and whip its tail, trying to pounce forward.

"Now!" Jason yelled urgently.

"We lost the Shri!" Rocky bellowed back, ducking under the tail.

"Do it now, or we will all be lost!" Jason ordered. Minimise the losses …

Adam, Rocky, J'shaar, Kat and Dulcea threw some crude sticks into the ground in a circle around the beast as hard as possible. There was a hiss and a stench of phosphine gas as they crudely needled the gas pocket J'shaar had sensed.

"Move!" Jason shouted as one of the jets flared … and then another, and a ring of fire billowed upwards.

Light blue touchpaper and…retire. Jason was within the circle of flame, harassing the creature with a branch until the others were clear … and the heat of the fire burned his skin, making it taut and shining with sweat. The aglaeca panicked, sweeping around, looking for a way out. The flames were too high and the prey-thing poked at it with something sharp. It bellowed and snapped downward at him, plunging its fangs down to crush the tormenting prey-thing. Jason threw himself sideways through the flames as the monstrous teeth pierced the top of the firegas bubble and it exploded upon contact with the air.

At first he thought it was the roar of the flame and the force of the reaction that was carrying him through the air, but eventually his dazed mind registered the fact that he had been snatched out of the fire by a familiar presence. A soft cool hand caressed his burnt cheek gently as he sat down, the screams of their adversary finally dying away in the furnace heat.

"Dulcea," Jason said, unaccountably relieved. He had not known where she was in the battle and was afraid he had lost her too — as well as the Shri. Out of nowhere she had come and saved him … but the others — they had to go help them.

Just as soon as he could move.

~*~

Delphine and Cestro were not built to run across land either, but upon Tanya's suggestion, their group took it in turns to run across the path of the beast and distract it when one of them tired.

"Can these things swim?!" Kim asked, running flat out and starting to feel a little winded.

"They look like they're not adapted that way," Justin replied, some of his usual exuberance dampened by their mortal peril. "Too much muscle mass." He ducked, seeing a protruding branch ahead.

The aglaeca roared as Trini, who was acting as decoy, vanished from its view and then seemingly appeared almost instantly somewhere else, attracting its attention anew.

"Wish I knew how she did that," Kim gasped out, wincing as they headed into dense shrub that would slow them, but not the bulk of the aglaeca. Two of the Chi'iten skittered forward and in perfect unison began slicing through the obstructing mass with their forearm blades of sharp chitin.

"Good thinking," Delphine praised, glancing back at their pursuer. "Where is the river, I cannot see it?" She peered intently as Tanya shook her head.

"Can't see a thing … or any sign of the others!" she called.

"I need to see!" Delphine demanded and Cestro divined her intention; without missing a step he turned as the Vasherell Ninjetti ran up, leapt up on his cupped hands and was flung into the air in a boosted somersault.

As she tumbled skywards, using the vantage point of the clear air, Delphine glimpsed the flash of water to their left and felt the brush of a breeze as the reptilian predator tried to knock her from midair with the whistling whipsnap sweep of its barbed tail.

"Left! Go … go!" Delphine ordered as the aglaeca regained its balance and roared in frustration, seeing the prey-things scatter again.

They burst out of the undergrowth and onto a steep bank above a wild and swift river. Delphine paused. Too little time to try and cross it, the aglaeca was here!

The monstrous creature was upon the group and snapping with its great teeth at the prey- things. Justin yelped as a sharp taloned claw half the size as he was knocked him over in a tumbling heap.

"JUSTIN!" Kim somersaulted, grabbing a large flat stone and using it as a shield as that claw came down again to pierce and rend. It was an impossible sight, the petite Ranger slowly being pushed down by the immense power of the enormous dinosaur predator, but still she struggled and held.

Tanya yelled out, trying to attract attention. "Everyone … together, attack it together, distract it!"

The group of them complied and the aglaeca, irritated by the distraction, roared and turned to swipe at the annoying prey-things.

Kim gasped and staggered to one side, when she was buffeted by the massive bulk against Tanya. Trini yanked Delphine clear, appearing from nowhere as the aglaeca tried to pounce. The earth shook, then the bank crumbled and slipped. There was a scream and some buzzing of alarm as Justin and some of the Chi'iten tumbled into the raging torrent.

"No!!