Disclaimer: As always nothing even remotely related to the Power Rangers is mine, but anything else I made up so I guess I take responsibility for those things. This is the…er…eleventh in the series and by now you are probably going to be really lost unless you've read some of the others! We are now reaching the point where normal PR continuity is so far out the window it could be anywhere, so sit back and enjoy!

Spirit's Knife
by

Peregrine

"He hath awakened from the dream of life –
'Tis we, who lost in stormy visions, keep
With phantoms an unprofitable strife,
And in mad trance, strike with our spirit's knife
Invulnerable nothings"

P.B. Shelley

Adam, Black Frog Ninjetti Spirit Warrior sat at his computer desk, resting his head on the keyboard – entirely by accident, of course.

"Adam!" Tanya shook his shoulder. There was no response. With a wicked smile, Tanya leant down and whispered in a throaty voice, "Oooooh, Kermit? You going to wake up for me…?"

"Mmmm." Adam stirred. A dark brown eye opened suddenly. "Did you just call me Kermit?" he mumbled, shaking the sleep from his eyes and head. It felt like it was stuffed with candyfloss, tangling his thoughts in sticky fluff.

Tanya put her hands on her hips. "Oh yes."

"But I hate that!" Adam protested, waking up a little more.

"Well, you shouldn't work so hard that you fall asleep on your keyboard. Give it a rest, Adam." Tanya said sternly, looking the Frog Ninjetti over with an appraising eye. He looked tired, and that was a generous assessment of his condition.

"I can't … I haven't solved the problem yet!" Tanya gave a snort and he continued defensively. "You don't understand, there is NO way we can provide a base on Earth for the Ninjetti Zords." Adam shook his head. "Five or six … maybe … hundreds of thousands? It can't be done … But we need SOMEWHERE!" hHe said loudly, the force of his statement betraying his frustration.

Tanya sat down with a sigh. It was going to be one of those conversations.

As the enormity of what they had committed themselves to gradually sank in, they had begun to work themselves into the ground trying to find ways to make it work. They had all quit their own personal ambitions and careers, and in a strange move ended up "officially employed" by Hank Cranston, Financial Director of WolfTech . It came as a mild shock to all but Jason, who had been working for Billy's father for some time anyway, that the WolfTech computer technology that dominated the computers of the world originated from a very familiar source. Based on the success of a single nanochip design taken from the device Billy had used to switch his and Kimberly's consciousness, Hank Cranston had produced and marketed the nanochip whose revolutionary design had caused a new phase in computer technology. WolfTech nanochips were in EVERYTHING. The rights to them had been purchased by a worldwide computer conglomerate that had then gone onto wipe the floor with the competition and a royalty was paid to the subsidiaries of WolfTech for every nanochip produced. An ultra-nanochip upgrade was purchased by the military, and as a result, Mr Cranston had access to a great deal of monetary resources and contacts that could get hold of some of the more bizarre materials they required. This proved invaluable after Tommy downloaded the specifications of the New Power Chamber into the mainframe of FalconZord. The SuperZebeedees were efficient and resourceful, but they could not construct things from thin air; and there were some things that could not be scavenged which had to be purchased discretely.

The new complex was going to be huge, but try as he might, Adam could not see a way that it would take the massive amounts of Ninjetti Zords that would convene for meetings, or for repairs away from the front line. He had promised the others to come up with an answer before tomorrow morning and here he was at … 3.00am! … and nothing.

Tanya massaged his shoulders gently, wincing herself as she felt the knots coiled in his muscles. "Just relax a moment," she advised. "You can hardly think straight with all the stress. A breath of fresh air might clear your head." She opened the window and Adam joined her, looking out at the silent stars.

"I wonder how Billy is now?" he murmured softly. They had all been worried about Billy and Trini after the wandering Ninjettis' attempts to stop the abduction of Takope of Ayaho had ended in some injuries, despite the Wolf Ninjetti's assurances that they were both fine. The delight at seeing him had very swiftly indeed become shock at what had happened, and Adam knew he wasn't the only one wondering what other experiences had marked their friends so deeply.

"I'm sure he's fine. All three of them will be heading back home soon," Tanya responded, divining his mood.

"I've missed him," Adam said simply, looking out at the moon bright and cold above them. "There's been a gap in my life waiting for him to come back home. Waiting all this time." He gave a sigh. "There are some friends you just can't say goodbye to."

"I think that goes for most of us, Adam." Tanya said softly, brushing some of his now long-again hair away from his face. This was a familiar situation. Jason and Billy might be like brothers, but Adam and Billy were the type of friends that even if they didn't speak for a long time, when they did again all time apart would vanish. Tanya knew that Adam thought of his genius friend more often than he ever said to anyone.

"The stupid thing is, I am sure that Billy would see the answer to this straight away," Adam said with a sigh.

Tanya shook her head."You don't know that. Fighting Rita and Zedd and the Machine Empire was nothing like taking on a massive fleet. It's an unknown situation; Billy probably would have the same difficulties we do. This is a major undertaking we are involved with here."

Adam gave a low chuckle. "Rita and Zedd's attacks seem so … well, you know," he said with a laugh, looking out of the window up at the silvery orb above them. "It seemed that they had nothing better to do but watch us from the moon and …" he halted suddenly.

"What?" Tanya said into the sudden silence as Adam seemed to be locked in thought, his thoughts turned inwards. "Adam? Have you an idea?" she asked with a cautious excitement.

"… All this time I've been looking for somewhere on Earth … what about Rita's Palace? On the moon … and the Machine Empire's base? Both deserted now, surely it wouldn't take much to adapt it?" Adam said, excited by the thought. The tiredness seemed to lift from him. "That has to be it! It makes more sense … then too, there is no problem of the alien Ninjetti having to adapt to Earth's atmosphere!"

Tanya nodded thoughtfully, catching the mood of discovery. "And it means that we can still have a Power Chamber down here and make the moon essentially into a barracks and storage area …" She gave a dazzling smile. "That, my dear Kermit … is an inspiration!" She bent down and kissed him.

Adam smiled a half smile, his dark eyes amused. "Just wait until I find something to tease you about your Spirit Animal. Hmmm, you know I do believe that I read that the Oryx whistles through its nose … care to give me a demonstration?" he teased.

"Why you…!" Tanya replied, half-laughing, threatening him in mock anger.

"Er … maybe this would be a good time to tell the others about our idea," Adam said, shielding himself melodramatically.

"Lucky for you … I agree," Tanya replied, smiling. "They are going to love us getting them up at this time in the morning!"

~*~

Adam's idea had been an inspiration, but Jason wished they could have waited a little longer before rousting everyone to the meeting. Of course it had been deemed sensible that they check the place out before they made any permanent moving arrangements and expended time and effort in modifying the place. Still, as soon as Dulcea had volunteered, what could he do? His hand was raised straight away to join her, to the total astonishment of his mind that was telling him he had far too much to do to be going on a trip she could handle herself. His heart told his mind to take a running jump, and here he was … in the middle of the night. Flying to the moon with Dulcea on the silent wings of Owlzord. One might even say it was romantic – if he could stop yawning long enough to appreciate it.

Dulcea tapped her finger distractedly as they made the trip to the Moon. She had barely seen Jason since their return to his home planet. Now she had heard the wisdom of the animal spirits, her decision was made, and taking action upon that decision should be done immediately! Not waiting and waiting … she was good at waiting, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

Besides … .she had been alone a long time alone, and who knew what lay ahead? How many of them would survive the coming Darkness, if any? She rubbed her arms absently as the thought raised prickles on her flesh.

And more to the point, how often was she going to get Jason alone between now and then? Not often enough, that was for sure, she thought with a mental scowl.

Her owl spirit trilled comfortingly. "Lions are not used to chasing." it said slyly. "They are used to showing their worth and prowess and having their mate come after them."

"But that doesn't work often!" Dulcea replied.""Not with humans … lions, maybe."

"That does not stop the instinct. You can see through the darkness," advised the Owl. "This explains why he has been so alone until now, until you. "

"So I have to … seduce him?" Dulcea asked, mortified.

The Owlspirit chuckled, clacking its beak. "Just point him in the right direction. Lions are very direct when they realise what has to be done."

Dulcea smiled to herself. "Oh, I do hope so …"

~*~

They landed at the deserted palace on the moon, its forcefield shield fortunately still intact, leaving the inside habitable. The two Ninjetti stalked around the eerie shell of Rita and Zedd's empire cautiously and inevitably made their way to the desolate 'throne room'. Shadows hung in the musty air like drifting smoke whilst strange and twisted debris lurked in hidden corners. The throne room was a contrast of hideous, dark gothic architecture and amazing beauty as the glowing orb of Earth hung in the dark, star-bejewelled sky, above the silvered stark desert landscape of the cratered moon. Jason was drawn inevitably to that same balcony where Rita and Zedd had stood, coveting the dominion of the planet before them and had plotted day after day to destroy them all. Seeing the Earth spinning silently there, he could understand at least its desirability. He stood staring out into space, protected from the vacuum by the invisible forcefield. An indefinable longing rose up in him as he gazed upon the Earth rising over the lunar landscape.

My home. It filled him with a great sense of purpose to see it there, a fragile sphere of beauty against the vastness of space, needing to be preserved, protected.

Dulcea silently came up behind him. "It's beautiful," she said, her voice echoing in the empty chamber, whispering in the shadows. Jason turned, looking straight into her emerald eyes which were touched by the soft blue of earthlight. Again, the sight of her was suddenly as breathtakingly amazing and, he realised, as important to him as seeing his home from space.. He found himself smiling, his dark eyes having having mirroreded the light of the stars, untarnished by the atmosphere of the Earth, in their depths.

Thoughts raced through his head. "Say something …" his lion spirit prompted, rumbling with good humour. "You love her. It is time."

"As beautiful as you," Jason said simply and was rewarded with a glowing smile.

"Well, it's not exactly the most romantic, or poetical declaration of affection," Dulcea mused, brushing back her long auburn hair. "But I have been alone for millennia, Jason, without knowing I was waiting for you.." Her eyes had an almost predatory glitter and need showed in her every movement. "There have been nights with my only companion the lights of the stars and the touch of the moonwinds over the Temple. I had given up hope, thinking that love was denied me, only to turn and see it spring afresh into my life just as the wave of Darkness towers over us. Do you know how precious that is? A light kindled in the darkness?"

"Dulcea … I …" Jason gulped, incredibly moved by those words. "I wish I knew what to say. I was never good with words. I act rather than speak." Indeed he had begun to find the frustration of all talk and no action at the Peace Conference unbearable after a while and found the intricacies of diplomacy something which, though he knew it was important, did not mesh with his personality.

Dulcea quirked a smile. "I could stand some communicating without words," she replied in a voice barely above a whisper, leaning in close, her eyes locked upon his as they drew together. Jason found himself moving towards her, leaning forward as if pulled by a strange attractive force. Words were hollow and empty compared to the feelings he was experiencing, and he could not express what he felt in any other fashion than leaning forward for their first true kiss. A tingling brush of their lips spoke more than verses of the sweetest poetry of the tenderness of his feelings towards her; the light touch of his powerful hands cradling her head, and stroking her cheek and running down her neck, drawing shivers of need, announced the way he would protect and keep her safe, in a way that no spoken word ever could. A fire of certainty awoke in the warrior woman's heart, and she leaned into the kiss fiercely, the deep embers of passion so long unstirred flaring into bright vivid life. Jason found tenderness transmuting to passionate desire and responded with an equal intensity from a longing and a need that surprised him with its force.

"Together …" Dulcea murmured, breaking for air briefly., "And our spirits have waited long enough to be joined.." She leant back, staring at the gleaming orb of the Earth, not seeing it as Jason nuzzled her neck delicately before claiming her mouth in another passionate kiss.

~*~

He sat bound with darkness. He could move, he could breathe, there was no hunger, thirst or tiredness tiredness, but there was also no way out. He was trapped within his own shadow. His latest quest, his mission to locate the abducted mentors had been followed with his customary diligence. He had trawled the whispers of the galaxy, listened unseen in the darkness, with the utmost stealth had stalked a thread of rumour and half-truth … and had found them.

They were all there, the Council of the Wise. Trapped, locked in the dark, about to be moved to another location. He had no time, he had to try and free them there and then without backup. Not unusual for him. Ghosts work alone, after all.

He had phased in and tried to release them and enlist their help to move Zordon, still trapped in a transdimensional warp. It had been going well; in hindsight too well. He had freed them, they were getting out unseen. He had taken care that none had detected him going in, so they should make it out if they were careful. And he was careful. Ghostlike, he lead them through the tunnels and the secret ways of that cleverly-concealed base.

And then … they walked into an ambush. He had fought the Nid-hi, but his Powers could not touch them.

Could not touch them.

They had danced like dragons around him, mesmerising in their deadly grace, and he had fought with the shadow-power, the ruby flaring with the Power, with battle fire — but they had taken him. He had looked around at the recaptured Mentors and had known as he had tried to phase into nothingness, to disappear into the night to return and try again …

One of them betrayed us all!

He didn't want to think it, but only one of the Council of the Wise knew how to counter that most secret part of his abilities, the phase shift, they being the creators, the saviours of his life for all these millennia. The Nid-hi had known this; too well, too easily, and as he tried to phase out of synchronicity, they had bound his energy in around itself. He was trapped within a web of his own shadow, phased out of the normal universe, unable to contact anyone, to tell anyone where he was, what had happened to reveal that potential traitor at the heart of the Forces of Light.

He had been betrayed.

There was no other explanation. He shook his head . He had given them his LIFE; it was not possible that this could happen. They had given him a purpose more honourable than any other, they had given him a way to wreak vengeance for his long-lost love's death at the hands of Evil ages ago. Before now, he would have said there was none that he would not die to protect, as was his mission.

And he had been so predictable. He had done exactly what they expected. He had followed the trail … alone. He had found them … alone … and then he had been trapped and silenced … alone.

Why hadn't the Nid-hi destroyed him?

Why had the one of the Wise betrayed them all?

A traitor …

The Phantom Ranger pulled at the edges of his shadow-webbed prison, roaring into the silence of phased atoms in frustration. He had to warn them, this was the culmination of the strivings of Light and Dark, and here he was trapped in shadow. He could move, he could see beyond the inverted energies that formed his bubble prison, but he was literally like the phantom he had taken as a Ranger name. But even ghosts were sometimes heard … weren't they? He would find his way to one who would hear him, who had recognised his presence even when he had been phased before. He began to make his way to stow away on a vessel away from here, out towards somewhere where he might encounter her, the one he sought.

I need you, Cassie;, this time I really need your help.

~*~

"You think they are alright up there?" Kat asked as they monitored for the OwlZord from the nearly completed new Power Chamber.

Rocky shrugged, leaning back with his feet up on a console, drinking some soda of indeterminate flavour. "Sure they are," he said flippantly. "We would have heard something otherwise."

Kat still looked worried. "You don't know what that place is like … it ended up with levels even Rita and Zedd didn't know about … and … things. Creatures that escaped from experiments, half defeated monsters … they could have run into them," she said fretfully.

"How do you … oh." Rocky stopped himself from going any further. "Kat, Rita and Zedd have been gone from there for years, there's no food or water or anything up there. Any sensible monster would have hightailed it out as soon as they could. Though, considering what Rita's monsters were usually like … maybe it is worth checking." He poked at a few buttons. "Rocky to Jason … Jason, come in."

There was silence.

"Come in, Jason … Jason, it's Rocky!" he continued, getting more urgent in his summonses. Still no response. Rocky frowned. "Okay … we go after them … Kat, are you …"

."… Jason here. ..What?" they were interrupted by Jason's abnormally abrupt response over the communicator.

"Just checking if you are okay, bro," Rocky replied, relieved. "Not run across any nasties, have you? When you didn't answer, we thought you might be in trouble."

"No … no…" Jason's voice came hurriedly. "Just was, er … enjoying the view." There was a low chuckle that was barely audible over the communicator, and Jason seemed to suddenly have a fit of coughing.

"The view … right …." Rocky said, suspicions leaping to his teenager mind. ."Nice, is it?"

"Oh, beautiful … like nothing on Earth,." Jason answeresaid, his voice tightening a bit at the end as if he wereas being distracted.

"Hmmm … Well, the place is okay, isn't it? What you have seen of it?" Rocky added lightly, slightly looking meaningfully across at Kat who was trying to suppress her giggles.

"Oh yeah … yeah, it'll be great," Jason reported absentmindedly. "We'll be back in a little while – we just have a few more levels to … explore."

Rocky nearly choked. "A few more levels … Okay, Jase, we'll see you back here when you are done," he said, signing off, and once he had closed the connection he turned and looked at a faintly blushing Kat. "You think they were?"

Kat grinned broadly. "Absolutely! I HAVE to tell Kim about this … they are going to flip! Jason and Dulcea making out in Rita's palace!"

"The mind boggles!" Rocky agreed. "Wow … I never thought of Jason being like that …"

Kat smiled sweetly. "People can surprise you," she said, kissing him unexpectedly. She broke off. "I have GOT to tell Tanya now!" she repeated, hurrying off.

~*~

Jason looked up into Dulcea's eyes. "You think they knew?" he asked, switching off the communicator.

"Maybe." Dulcea said contentedly, brushing his hair back with his fingers. "But it lay in their thoughts as long as it did in ours. Why does it matter when the seed is seen to germinate?"

Jason grinned. "I feel like a biology experiment when you talk like that."

Dulcea's eyes sparkled. "A fascinating biology experiment at that … but we have some levels to explore first." She pushed herself up.

Jason looked disappointed. "You mean … really?"

"Yes, really…" She quirked a smile. "Mind you, OwlZord has an autopilot function for the trip home."

The Red Lion Spirit Warrior's eyes lit up. "Well then, Duty first … but no-one said it didn't have to be quick!" he said, bounding off to scout the Palace with enthusiasm and speed, slowly followed by a chuckling Dulcea.

"Most definitely direct when he is pointed in the right direction," she murmuredsaid to herself. "And so many directions left to point him!"

~*~

"After this system Triforia, and then … home!" Trini said with a smile of pure delight.

Billy smiled, his expression brightened out of weariness. "It's been so long; I've missed everyone so much," he said quietly. "Skye? What is the name of this planet? " he asked absently.

"Chlorak, according to the Ma'rai sphere." Skye answered, yawning. "A part of the Old Ninjetti Alliance. Now, deserted and uncolonised. The ancient Ninjetti Zords are located on the Southern land mass, but there is no sign of any potential Ninjetti," he replied, picking distractedly at his white hair.

"Skye, stop that … you know it drives me mad!" Trini said, throwing a pencil he had been sketching with at him.

"Worse than Billy's tendency to borrow your hairbrush?" Skye neatly deflected the flying object.

"Oh come on, you didn't have to pull me into this!" Billy protested. "At least I don't sketch over our star maps."

"No, but you do leave at least an inch of drink in EVERY cup!" Trini shot back and then laughed as Billy began to splutter.

"Hey, it's not my fault if I …"

"… get distracted before it goes cold," Skye and Trini chorused.

Billy frowned seriously and then abruptly stuck his tongue out at the pair of them with the air of a college professor trying out a new technique. The effect was so comical that Skye nearly fell off his chair laughing, and Trini had to clutch her sides to stop them from hurting with laughter.

"Hmm …" Billy said as if about to lecture a seminar. "Thus we see demonstrated the effects of three people being in a confined space for too long where even a basic childish response generates an abnormal level of hilarity."

Skye heaved a cushion at him rather wildly as he picked himself off the floor. "That's cruel, Billy … no one would suspect you of having an evil sense of humour!"

Billy ducked the flying object easily. "What do you mean ? I'm perfectly serious," he protested. "I can't help it if you find me amusing when I am stating facts!"

He turned with a wicked twinkle in his eye, and began to exaggeratedly talk into his communicator. "Captain's Log, stardate … sometime in the middle of September possibly … could be May actually, thinking about it. Experiencing a great deal of flying debris on the bridge of Wolfzord … My companions are incapacitated by some mysterious effect that leaves them incapable of taking anything I say seriously and are therefore in grave peril of the flying debris themselves."

He stooped and flung the assorted items the other Ninjetti had been pelting him with right back at them. Trini and Skye ducked, laughing initially, but then Billy scored a direct hit on Skye's head because he suddenly just froze in place, staring at nothing.

"Oops, sorry, Skye." Billy approached to make sure he was all right and all frivolity faded. He recognised that sort of expression on his friend's face. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently.

"I thought I felt … humans down there," Skye said. They were about to swing past the planet, the Super Zebeedees having been dropped from orbit.

"Ninjetti? Potential Ninjetti..?" Trini asked, tying back her silky black hair.

"I thought it felt like humans … humans with Power." Skye shrugged, as they became all serious again.

"I'll take us into the atmosphere, see what is going on," Billy replied, and Wolfzord turned and leapt down into the atmosphere towards the rolling Plains of Chlorak.

The Star Crystal burned with light as the white-haired Ninjetti focussed as they drew closer to the surface. He opened his eyes suddenly, the grey-blue silvered with the reflection of the light. "Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh is not good," Trini replied. "Define uh-oh."

"Uh-oh as in, there are humans down there and there's are an awful lot of … negative energy there, too," Skye replied. I recognise that energy pattern, he thought. "Darkonda … and …" It wasn't QUITE Maligore, but very close indeed. "Some other very powerful beings," he temporised.. "I could be wrong, but I think they are in trouble."

"If that Darkonda being is there, I'm sure of it!" Billy exclaimed, on battle alert between one instant and the next. He remembered their encounter on Drakan with an internal shudder. "We'll take TigerZord in …" he said, taking Skye's warning of 'very powerful beings' seriously.

They transferred to the larger, more heavily armoured Zord and Trini guided her Zord in with surprising stealth whilst Billy and Skye mentally and visually scanned for further information.

"There… visual lock!" Billy announced. On the wide open plains of swaying blue-tinged grass, two groups were meeting. A group of six Rangers in unfamiliar armour, standing opposite a group of metallic-looking creatures, the black and red- beclawed figure of Darkonda, and a strange black crystalline creature, gleaming with green shimmers on its facets. There was a hooded white-robed figure standing back in the background and dominating it all … there was a Lava Monster … a familiar form to Billy. "But that … that looks like Maligore!" he said, astonished.

"Not that Enemy, but of his Pack," advised his Wolfspirit, on battle alert.

"I know …" Trini said, her Tigerspirit growling inside her mind in warning. "But what are they doing?"

The Red Ranger stood forward and said something, and then demorphed. The group led by the monstrous Magma Lord brought forward a young woman, beautiful if not for the cold light in her eyes. At a signal, a device was disconnected around her head and she seemed to stumble a moment and then fall into the demorphed Red Ranger's arms. That they knew each other … cared for each other, was obvious … and equally obvious was the fact that they were going to be double-crossed any moment. Billy groaned. Bargains with villains NEVER worked, never! The history of the Power Rangers had been littered with failed attempts and it always ended in a double-cross.

"Let's get down there," Billy suggested after a moment's silence. "Blue Wolf Ninjetti Spirit Warrior now!" he called, morphing into his Spirit Warrior armour, the eyes glowing a fierce blue. Trini followed suit, leaving Skye between them in his normal state. They exchanged a grim nod of acknowledgement and the team of Ninjetti teleported into action.

~*~

They landed a short distance from the brewing conflict, recognising the escalating tension even from their position.

Billy mindspoke to the others, indicating the Red Ranger and the young woman he held. "I'll get those two – you go after the others," he mindspoke directly to Trini.

The Gold Tiger Ninjetti was gone like a streak of bright gold fire. "Skye, help her out! Make sure she's alright!" Billy followed up, knowing he didn't have to ask, but doing so anyway.

"Like it's not likely to be the other way around," Skye retorted before turning to set off after Trini. "Watch yourself, Billy, if he is like Maligore …" he mindspoke, worry colouring his thought words.

"I only need to distract him … go!" Billy reassured. "Just long enough to free those two Rangers."

Skye didn't look happy, but moved anyway. The grey-clad Star Ninjetti nodded, his white hair billowing out behind him as he produced a fair turn of speed even with his semi-crippled leg.

"You wanted Karone back. Now I have your powers in my grasp. You may have her for the short time that you live," Dark Spectre rumbled, raising his hand to signal the inevitable attack.

"No, you gave your word! Let her go!" Andros yelled in an angry demand.

"And why would I?" Dark Spectre asked, his gravelly voice rough with patronising amusement.

"You gave your word!" Zhane shouted, looking trapped, and Dark Spectre tightened his energy grip around Astronema. She eventually cried out, her ribs squeezed so hard they were moments away from snapping. Andros launched himself at the Magma Lord and took a blast from Darkonda that spun him backwards into Zhane.

"Andros! No!" The Silver Ranger grabbed hold of his fellow Kerovian, trying to protect his friend from further attacks.

Dark Spectre loomed over them as Zhane was also blasted, trying to cover the weakened form of his friend. "Both of you have plagued me long enough. You, Red Ranger, Silver Ranger, will die and Karone will become Astronema once more!"

"No…" Andros protested weakly, trying to push himself up from the semi-conscious form of Zhane shielding him but also pinning him in place.

Dark Spectre raised his hand and was about to finish them, when a blue-grey Wolf Warrior leapt over them from invisibility. The new attacker somersaulted, striking Dark Spectre with his feet, knocking the solid mass of the evil creature backwards. With a slash of spirit claws, burning electric blue, the pulsing red energy tying Karone shredded into tiny wisps of flaring light. Dark Spectre roared and the white-hooded figure that had been standing with a bored stance alerted to attention.

Silver-furred hands brushed back the cowl and focussed. "Dark Spectre! This one … bring me this one!" She indicated the Blue Wolf Ninjetti with a purple gleam in her dark liquid eyes. "Forget these others!"

Dark Spectre grimaced. "I will not be denied my revenge!" he roared, wanting to turn on the other Rangers. "Ecliptor! Darkonda! Finish them!" He sent power to them both to swell them to enormous size. The ground rumbled as its power was sent into the evil creatures, expanding them to vastness.

The Silver Nid-hi sighed exasperatedly as the Wolf Warrior leapt to attack once more. "He is Ninjetti!" she said forcefully.

Dark Spectre's eyes glowed brightly. "Ninjetti?!" To have a despised Ninjetti in his grasp? They could keep Astronema … if they survived Ecliptor and Darkonda's attack.

"Go … get out of here!" Billy helped Zhane and Andros to their feet.

"Not without our morphers!" Andros shouted back, wondering who this warrior was. Not Phantom as he had at first thought, for all that he had appeared out of nowhere.

"Morphers, right …" Billy said, checking on Trini who was taking on the full force of Quantrons and trying to tackle the enormous forms of Darkonda and Ecliptor alone. Who had the morphers?

That magma creature that looked identical to Maligore.

"Wolfshadow," he whispered and faded from view, blurring swiftly over, cloaked in invisibility to literally snatch the morphers from under Dark Spectre's nose. He blurred back into view, leaping backwards and throwing the handful of AstroMorphers to the tall white-blond-haired Rranger.

"Help her!" he yelled, indicating the hard-pressed Gold Tiger Ninjetti.

The pair of them limped across, dragging the unconscious form of the one they had called Karone with them, and Billy turned to cover their backs.

"Enough … finish this!" Ilana said impatiently. "Dark Spectre … this is an inefficient waste of time." Her tone was warning.

The Magma Lord harrumphed . "Very well … Ecliptor, Darkonda, finish them before they morph … now!" he ordered in a booming voice.

Billy glanced around, horrified. "No! Trini!… SKYE!! Stop them!" he called out in desperation, knowing that not even a Ninjetti of Trini's power could withstand a dual monster blast. Exactly what he expected Skye to do was debatable, because Dark Spectre took advantage of that moment of distraction.

The Gold Ninjetti turned in time to see, in slow motion, a sight that would stay with her forever. Billy half-turned and poised to leap towards her and then engulfed in a glowing fireball that exploded against him with terrific force as he was distracted by them.

She screamed without words, oblivious to the combined wave of destructive energy pouring towards her and the unmorphed AstroRangers from the monsters above them all. Skye grabbed the Star Crystal and instinctively flung a shield of psychic energy over them. He drew on the pattern of the Chi'iten defence, and the destructive energy exploded against it. The concussive force of the blast rebounded a ways, apart from where Skye was, as he had flung the shield over the others far away from him but not over himself. He was caught in the explosion and rather crudely … blown up. The artist was lifted on a wave of destructive energy, tumbling through the air, his splash of white hair vivid against the billowing black smoke as the blue grass combusted around them all. The others were knocked unconscious, and Ecliptor and Darkonda were devastated as the backlash of their own attack hit them at point blank range.

Damaged by the unexpected return of their own destructive energy, the pair of them teleported away to join the others in a hasty retreat. Ecliptor paused as they were about to leave orbit, and with calculating foresight loosed a barrage of plasma torpedos at the orbiting DECA and the TigerZord.

"There … that will keep you safe, my princess," he murmured. "You will be too late to come after us and there will be no need. You are saved. As some of us cannot be." With a heavy sigh, he turned to take his place once more in Dark Spectre's entourage. Unknown to him, Phantom – that silent prisoner in his own darkness – watched, more frustrated than ever before as they travelled inexorably away from the AstroRangers. At least they had not got her … It was not like he could have done anything to save her if she had been taken, and that might just have destroyed his sanity. Bad enough that they had taken one, even if it was not one of the ones he knew personally, but he was Ninjetti and that called to his past. If nothing else, he could bear witness to the Wolf Ninjetti's fate.

~*~

Trini groaned, coming around. Around her the seven humans they had disastrously tried to rescue were stirring, too. She shook her head trying to clear it, her hair in disarray, glancing around as suddenly the memories crashed in on her.

Billy turning as a massive explosion enveloped him, obliterating him in fire.

Oh god, no … no! She looked around for him, seeking his presence with her eyes, her mind, as she got up dizzily, blood trickling from a scalp wound. "Billy! BILLY!" she called out desperately.

Nothing. No sense of him. Inwardly she began to panic. Ignoring the other strangers stirring around her, she began to limp around, searching frantically, using her Ninjetti senses and still finding nothing. Skye, Skye would find Billy. He had that deep bonding with Billy since Phaedos. He would find him.

She then looked for Skye belatedly, feeling guilty she had not before and caught a glimpse of a splash of white against the tall swaying grass of the plains that remained unburned by the fierce conflict. Skye's distinctive white hair stood out in the evening light as his form lay face down a little ways away from the rest of them, still and unmoving.

"Skye?" Trini called, running towards him.

"Skye!?" she mindspoke to him, sensing nothing. No! not him too! She turned him over and looked at the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. She blanked a moment, wondering what to do. Billy was gone, Skye badly hurt. A shadow crossed her as she knelt there, her Tiger Spirit pacing deep inside her mind, preparing to explode.

"Hi …" a female voice said next to her. "My name is Cassie …" Trini turned her head slowly, the glimmer of the Tigerspirit's fire burning in her dark eyes.

Cassie nearly stepped backwards from the warrior woman, the hairs prickling on the back of her neck.. "Is he … is he alright?" she asked as Ashley unsteadily joined her.

Trini suppressed an urge to growl. Stop that, it was not them that made this happen, she said sternly to herself, clinging to control.

"He is badly hurt," she replied in a tight voice. "Have you seen my other companion?" she then asked.

The AstroRangers, now gathered around in a semi-circle around them, looked at each other with desperate expressions.

Andros knelt next to her. "He was hit point- blank by a blast from Dark Spectre …. I'm sorry," he said simply.

Trini stared at him blankly. "No … no, there is no body …" Trini said, shaking her head, denying the possibility of death. They had all been brushed with the dark-feathered wings of death before, all of them, but never spared a thought that those wings would bear one of them away.

"I am sorry," another girl said, approaching. "But he would have been vaporised; I've seen it before."

"How would you know!?" challenged Trini angrily, not prepared to accept that information.

"I used to work for him," Karone replied in a subdued voice.

Trini went rigid with utter denial and retreated from the whole concept. Easier to believe this woman a liar than believe Billy dead. "I must help Skye," she said, distracting herself, readying her mind. She may not be as good at this as Skye had been, but he had taught them how to do basic Ninjetti healing.

"Is there anything we can do?" Ashley asked softly, looking at this stranger sympathetically. They had saved them and yet in the process one of her companions had been killed and the other … badly injured.

Trini shook her head. "I'm not even sure if there is anything I can do." Nevertheless she centred herself and balanced her energies before calling on the strength of her animal spirit to pour energy into her friend. The Power seemed to pour through and out of her into him, bringing him back from the brink.

She paused, gasping, and ceased, wiping her brow. "I don't know how Skye does that so often! He makes it look so easy …" she said aloud. "Maybe it's the Star Crystal. Zordon always said that was a good amplifier, and powerful."

"Zordon?" Carlos interrupted suddenly, exchanging glances with the others. "What do you know of Zordon?"

"Zordon was our mentor," Trini said absently, dressing Skye's more visible injuries with practised ease. Another skill this sojourn in space had imparted to them all.

"You're from EARTH?" TJ said, astonished.

"Of course," Trini answered, surprised. "You are too?" Skye had said they felt like humans, but she hadn't realised he actually meant humans.

"Yes!" Ashley exclaimed. "All except Andros, Zhane and Ast … Karone here. We come from a place called Angel Grove, it's only a small town."

"But it's the home of the Power Rangers, yes, I know. I am Trini Kwan … also from Angel Grove, and the Original Yellow Ranger, now Gold Tiger Ninjetti Spirit Warrior," she introduced herself briefly. How incongruous it seemed to be exchanging trivia when she had lost the most important person in her life!

"One of the Originals … wow," TJ said in a mild kind of awe.

"So is … was Billy," Trini added in an aching voice. "He was the Blue Ranger, the first one, then a Blue Wolf Ninjetti. He was the longest-serving Ranger one way or another. Even when he wasn't holding the Power, he remained as part of the team, invaluable. He even went to Aquitar a few times, and a few other places."

"That one?" Andros looked startled. "William of Earth? That was … that was him? The one who solved the Hydrocontaminator War?"

Trini nodded silently, and Andros looked somewhat shaken. He swallowed a few times and then said, "What is it that you want to do?" he asked in a more respectful tone.

"As soon as I can move Skye, we are going after them," Trini replied, her face set with determination.

"Trini, look, I know you are hurting, but we can't do that … not without reason!" TJ said. "You know the rules."

"Without reason?!" She turned on the group, her black hair in disarray, blood staining her head and face. "They have taken my life from me … that's who he was! They have woken the Tiger and the Great Power and I shall show them how a Tiger dances when it is ready to die!"

To the group she seemed to be babbling incoherently, and they shifted uncomfortably.

"Look, Dark Spectre is too powerful…" Ashley began in an attempt to reason with her.

"And nowhere near as powerful as the foe we have been preparing to face," Trini said calmly. "You think Dark Spectre took the Council of the Wise, took Zordon?" she shook her head. "No … that's not the case. He is ruled by another now, a greater evil, the Zha'Kha-rhee'aa. The Darkness Visible. I will face him…"

"Trini …" Cassie prepared to argue, but was swiftly cut off by a forceful interruption.

"NO!" Trini exploded." The Rules were created by the Council of the Wise, but the Rules of the Ninjetti Great Power are written in the Spirit itself and one of its most compelling dictates is, Evil will not go unanswered!

"Why else are we all here?" Trini regained a form of calm, but her eyes still burned with Tigerfire. "As soon as we can move Skye and my Zord is fixed – then I will stalk Dark Spectre; to the ends of the stars, if necessary." Completely unconsciously, her lip curled in a slight snarl.

The group of AstroRangers backed away from the distraught Ranger slowly and went to make a camp where they were until DECA had at least managed to restore life support on board so they could work up there. Then maybe that could help them both, at least by getting Skye into the medi-bay.

"Whoa … intense!" Carlos whispered as they sat down around a hastily-built fire.

"You can hardly blame her," Cassie replied. "I mean, losing not just one of your team, but the one you love…" Her thoughts drifted to a certain mysterious Ranger. Ashley on the other hand glanced very briefly across at Andros before looking down.

"If it truly was the Peacemaker that was destroyed, then it is a great loss," Andros said sombrely. "There are planets Allied to the Light that will mourn his death." He looked troubled and threw some more of the thick twig-like grass on the fire, sending up pungent clouds of smoke to the alien sky like a prayer of incense. He paused for a moment and then said, "We owe them to help her. Agreed?"

The shifting firelight flickered on six other serious expressions as, one by one, the AstroRangers nodded their willingness to go after their greatest Enemy even if it meant contravening the Rules.

~*~

They may not have destroyed the Astro Rangers, they may have let Astronema go over to the enemy but Dark Spectre's lava-filled eyes burned with eagerness and triumph. "A true Ninjetti … at last! A chance to get back at the accursed breed!" He didn't quite rub his rocklike hands together, but if he had not been with the Nid-hi Chosen, he might well have succumbed to gloating.

"It is the Way of Order that chaos defeats itself and advantage can be taken of its random energies," Ilana replied in her sweet voice. It still astonished the Magma Lord that someone who had such natural grace and sweetness on the outside could be so utterly ruthless, calculating and cold, so much so it chilled even him – and with molten lava in his veins that was quite a feat.

She examined the limp body of the unconscious Wolf Ninjetti curiously. "He appears somewhat fragile, does he not?" she mused as if expecting something much more sinister.

"You wish him to be questioned?" Dark Spectre asked eagerly.

Ilana inclined her head gracefully. "He must be questioned about what he knows of the One, and if he is aware of the missing piece of information the Zha'kha-ree'aa requires."

"May I have that honour? Of interrogating him?" the Magma Lord asked tentatively.

The silver Nid-hi considered. "You may prepare him. I dislike the buildup to such things. Take him to the point of death. Then he will be ready for my questions."

Dark Spectre looked at her with a respectful glow in his fiery eyes. These Nid-hi were worthy Allies. They followed things through with an implacable fire and logic that swept aside opposition.

"As you wish, Ilana," he replied. "Take him to the main interrogation chamber. I will have him prepared for you by … tomorrow," he promised. After all, he wanted his revenge, too, and a day would be more than enough time. An hour was usually long enough, he smiled to himself. Ilana nodded and departed silently, leaving Dark Spectre to his amusements.

~*~

Billy woke in a darkened room, unable to see what was holding him immobile, just knowing that he was trapped. For all he knew, he could be tied in a sealed box, no air … closing in, closing in …

"I must be free…" panicked the Wolf Spirit in his mind. "I must be, let me loose, get out of this place!"

Billy struggled against whatever the restraints were in the pitch darkness, but he was too weak from his injuries to muster the energy required to break free. Darkness and silence … so complete that Billy began to wonder if he had been blinded and deafened somehow. In the darkness he seemed to feel something, lurking, watching him as he lay trapped and vulnerable. In some ways he would have welcomed something just to bring respite from the uncertainty that plagued him. The Wolf Spirit was snapping like a wild animal caught in a trap. Senses alert to anything, the sudden unveiling of a presence in the darkness next to him filled his mind with a roar and a shock as keen as if a ghost had materialised next to him. He could still see nothing, just feel the presence of someone, something over him, his body tense and quivering in anticipation of what might happen … or not … or SOMETHING! Anything!

The Wolf Spirit whimpered, uncertain as Billy was, Ninjetti senses scanning for a shape to the darkness.

A sensation of something cold and sharp touched his chest, and Billy flinched as much in surprise as from anything else. It appeared to run lightly like a thread of ice across his skin and then vanished. A liquid warmth seemed to grow from the cold line, rising to a burning sensation. Instinctively he tried to thrash around wildly, seeking escape from the unknown in the darkness that had brought him pain. But nothing was there.

His breathing slowed again; then came a clamping sensation around his leg … something needle-like entering in. As he focussed on the pain there, he gasped in shock as something dropped onto his face just below his eye that burned like acid, and then flinched as what felt like electric shocks convulsed suddenly down his side.

As if that had been a trigger, the onslaught continued, something new from every corner of the darkness, from every direction, touching every part of his body with pain and loathsome sensation. The gut-wrenching tickling step of something alive skittering across his face … the coolness of sharp metal, periods of nothing, then a sudden attack of pain. There was nothing in this place except sensation and the darkness and new and inventive ways of inflicting torment. There were no questions, nothing except a growing conviction of helplessness and vulnerability in the timeless blackness.

They seek to beat you by removing any sense of control, Billy said to himself. If you have no belief in your own control, then you will have no will left to break. There was nothing to do but endure the onslaught and focus on not giving in. He had lived much of his life like that, reacting instinctively to the pain that circumstances had inflicted upon him, and had survived by making it HIS choice, his responsibility to deal with what was happening, not trying to control those things that he could not. The pain still existed, but that was all it was … a physical sensation.

Eventually, a flickering fire appeared ahead of him, dazzling after his immersion in the thick darkness. Pulsing amber lines picked out a form in a fiery glowing relief.

The Wolfspirit growled. Enemy of Spirit!

Dark Spectre loomed massive over him, a flame dancing in his hand casting flickering shadows over the captured Ninjetti. For the first time he spoke. "Most enjoyable," he rumbled. "I am glad that you are not so weak as those who break in the darkness, merely for fear of the unknown. But you will break, Ninjetti … you will. " The after-echoes in the room told of its size and comparative emptiness.

"My ally the Nid-hi … wishes to question you." Dark Spectre leant in, the flame uncomfortably close to Billy's eyes, making the pupil of his right eye contract to a pinpoint speck. "She has questions … how much do you know? Your resources, and other questions that she has not imparted even to me. You would do well to speak to me first, Ninjetti … maybe then you would not have to hover on the brink of death."

"No," Billy replied in a cool, calm voice, as if refuting an illogical argument. "I will not answer your questions, I will not give you anything."

Dark Spectre laughed. "Foolish, foolish Ninjetti … ah, your naiveté is refreshing. There is a REASON why I am the overlord of the Alliance of Evil …"

"Under the Nid-hi …" Billy pointed out astutely and noted the irritated flare of fire. Touchy subject then, good, something to work on.

"I have command of earth and fire, young Wolf Ninjetti. I can reach inside of you in a way you cannot comprehend, touch you with an energy you would not believe. There are none I cannot break … none!" Dark Spectre spoke, his tone making those words a promise of what was to come.

The Wolfspirit snarled and snapped angrily. "Pack-enemy!"

"You will not break me!" Billy replied, trying to slow his breathing. "I have the strength of my friends to help me."

Dark Spectre's laugh reverberated like an earthquake in the room. "Your friends … oh my … your friends. I expect you are even now believing they might be coming after you, nurturing a tiny kernel of hope in your heart to keep you going through this? Oh, it is a truly wonderful thing I can do … watch, Ninjetti … watch what happened to your friends after you were defeated!"

A sphere of fire appeared before him, suspended in front of Billy's eyes. In it he saw images that he never wanted to see. A massive dual explosion over all of the rangers they had tried to save. A flash of white hair as Skye's body was lifted in the burst of destruction – a massive blast of energy and bodies sprawled everywhere … the demorphed figure of Trini, blood all over her face, still as death … oh god, Trini!

"See … all dead. It's a tragedy!" The Magma Lord laughed. "You are all alone, Ninjetti. You cannot stand against a Master of the Great Power like the Silver Nid-hi!"

Master of the Great Power? There was more of the Great Power that could be used …why hadn't Dulcea said … or didn't she know? I don't care …Trini's dead and Skye… I don't care .

Billy found suddenly that the fate of the galaxy was nothing compared to that fact. The only thing he could aim for now was death, to take away whatever secrets they hoped to glean from him. His mind resolved, he set about methodically trying to sabotage Dark Spectre's careful plans.

The Magma Lord took the cold look in the Ninjetti's eyes as a sign that his will was being crushed. "Well then … What do you know of the Shahin Tara Zed?" he asked, leaning forward.

"Nothing," Billy said, truthfully as it happened.

"I do not believe you … Prophecy speaks of it as the Ninjettis' main weapon against the Darkness Visible!" Dark Spectre roared. "You must know of it!"

Ironic really, Billy thought, he is actually telling me more information than he is getting out of me. He shook his head.

"You will speak of what you know!" Dark Spectre demanded. "Or suffer my Power!"

Billy remained silent and when the Magma Lord leant forward, he spat at him, the defiant gesture sizzling on the Overlord's lava-filled body.

Dark Spectre smiled, almost pleased at the excuse. "Well then … you have stood the darkness outside, let us see how well you do with fire and shadow inside!"

He raised his chunky hands and with surprising delicacy appeared to be weaving, or plaiting, dark red and black energies together. They formed a mass of writhing tentacles of energy that began to slither, probing for entry into his victim's body, searing and burning as it wriggled obscenely in through the Ninjetti's mouth, tendrils crawling up his nose, in through his ears or just diving through flesh to nestle inside. Screams that were of course, unfortunately from Dark Spectre's point of view, somewhat muted.

~*~

A day after Dark Spectre had begun his interrogation of the Wolf Ninjetti, his enjoyment was mixed with irritation and frustration. No matter what he had tried, what he had done, all the techniques picked up over the passage of time that had other beings broken in hours if they were resilient, this one was not supplying him with the information he required. As a Ninjetti he had to know about the Shahin Tara Zed, he might even know about the Secret that the Silver Nid-hi was holding so close on behalf of the One. In the games of Power, this information could be vital! And yet, this pathetic human Ninjetti was clinging to that knowledge as if the fate of the universe itself depended on it. He gave a small rumble of wry laughter. Which, to be fair, it probably did!

"Your time will be up any moment, Ninjetti," Dark Spectre informed the quivering wreck in front of him. "I commend you on your resilience, though not on your intelligence. Ilana will be far worse than I, and she comes soon. You haven't broken, and I have broken many in my time."

Billy opened his eyes slowly. If he had been asking questions I could answer, then I would have talked … I would have babbled everything to make it stop. Too much pain, too much … the damage inside … but I cannot risk that I might … no. He made his decision.

"Maligore would have broken me … not the likes of you .." he said in a voice barely above a whisper, not even sure the alien being would catch the words.

The Magma Lord froze. "What?"

"Maligore … had me … he nearly broke me in 5 minutes … much more powerful than you," Billy croaked out. A crude ploy, but by the looks of Dark Spectre's reaction, eminently successful.

"My worthless brother? Trapped by pathetic furballs and locked on a backwater planet and you say he was stronger?! I'll show you real Power, Ninjetti! I'll give you a taste of the REAL Power I possess!" In a sudden rage, he blasted at the weakened body before him and Billy jumped spasmodically and then smiled as he felt his life drain away. He had won … he had won … he closed his eyes and began the long spiral into death and darkness.

It was perhaps unfortunate for him that Ilana chose this moment to come in to begin her interrogation. The silver-furred Nid-hi took one look at the scene and whirled on Dark Spectre, coldly furious.

"You fool! Embracer of Chaos! I told you to bring him to the point of death, not to send him beyond the brink!" Ilana's purple-tinted eyes flashed with fire. Her silver mane swirled as she wheeled on the lava-veined monster. "Get out! You let this Enemy of Order BEAT you!"

Dark Spectre bridled. "This is not true! The only good Ninjetti is a dead Ninjetti! You have said yourself that they are corrupted beyond any use to the One!"

"And yet they hold information," Ilana snapped, practically incandescent with rage. "Begone whilst I try to undo this damage to serve my purpose!" She drew the Great Power to her arms and soft silver-furred hands, laying them on Billy's tortured body.

Dark Spectre stepped back. "This is a waste! He is Ninjetti, he should die! What do you need a Ninjetti for? I could not break him with pain..And I have broken all with pain before. He will not answer your questions …"

The healing light spread, and then there was a faint rasping breath from the Ninjetti. Ilana gave a trill of satisfaction. "Do not presume you know my thoughts," she said, breaking off the healing connection as the laboured inhalations continued. "You should not assume that I wish to question this one … when my aim is beyond your comprehension."

"Then who?" Dark Spectre rumbled, annoyed by the Silver Nid-hi's arrogant assumptions.

The Nid-hi held up a hand for silence and let a pulse of energy leave her hand. Like an invisible flash of lightning, it briefly illuminated the startled spirit form of Billy's Wolfspirit, glimmering with a glowing blue nimbus.

"This is the one with the answers. Not this dying host … what do you call them? Humans … Now leave. The Wolf and I have much to discuss," Ilana ordered imperiously. Dark Spectre was bemused, but obeyed. If she could make a Spirit speak where the body would not, then her Powers were far in advance of any other.

Ilana turned and looked at the Wolfspirit, called to his one by the Death Summons. Her amethyst-tinged eyes glowed. "At last … I have an access to your spirit world."

"You cannot touch me," the Blue Wolfspirit responded, its eyes flaring azure. "Not even now that I have entered this level to walk my young one to peace from this world to the next."

"Oh, you underestimate me, Wolf. I CAN touch you … this is one of the only times that you can be touched, if you know the way.&q