See original fanfic – 'Welcome to the Saga' – for disclaimer.

The New Team
Prologue
By Peter J. Smith

The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers had just fought their hardest battle yet. And they'd lost. A devastating blow it was, too. Psychologically shocking alone, the Power Rangers had never, ever believed that they could be beaten so badly, so thoroughly. But with their defeat came the realization that since they were the one thing keeping the Earth safe, the entire planet was now defenseless.

In recent days, they'd been engaged in battle with their arch-enemy's latest monster – a savage beast called Monitar, a seven-foot golden and blue lizard with long fangs and wickedly sharp claws. But his most devastating attack had nothing to do with his physical weaponry – Monitar had the ability to drain energy away, and he did so ridiculously easily. After several confrontations with their enemy, the Power Rangers had found their powers to be lacking. One more battle was all it took for their energy to be almost completely drained away from them. It was so low that they could barely morph. And now, without their powers, they had to work out their next move.

On the eastern coast of Australia lies the small town of Caloundra, the home of the Power Rangers. Far inland, in the great open plains and deserts of western Queensland, lay their base, a huge building named the Command Centre. The rangers now met in the centre of their 'base of operations', a room collectively but unimaginatively known as the 'Central Chamber', to discuss the situation.

"Look, I know we're in trouble," stated Jason Lee, the Red Ranger and leader of the Rangers, "but there's just got to be something that we can do."

The ranger dressed in blue, Billy Cranston, glanced up from a control panel and addressed him for the third time. "Negative, Jason. You know there isn't."

"Yeah," agreed Zachary Taylor, the Black Ranger. "I don't want to sound negative, but in case you hadn't noticed, our options are limited to zero, zip, nil, and nada."

"I don't believe it," replied Jason. "I can't believe it."

The Yellow Ranger, Trini Kwan, paused her constant pacing and looked up at the other rangers. "No, you guys, Jason's right. We've been through worse and we've come back fighting."

"Well, yeah," said Kimberly Hart, the ranger dressed in pink, as she drummed on a control panel. "Like the time that Goldar ransomed our parents for our power coins, or the time that he," and she pointed at Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, "destroyed the Command Centre."

Tommy looked up sharply. "Hey, that was a curse, people. We agreed not to bring that one up again," he said. He paused, staring at the disembodied head that keenly watched them all, floating in a plasma tube. "Zordon, what if you use your energy to supplement our power coins like last time?"

Zordon shook his head. "No, it wouldn't work," he replied in his booming voice. "To recharge you all, I would need to split my energy six different ways. The recharge would be temporary and would not provide you with nearly enough power to defeat Monitar, which does require you all." With that, any hopes the rangers had of sending just one or two of them with Zordon's energy to defeat the monster were dashed.

Jason slumped over the control panel, physically and emotionally drained. "I don't know what to do," he said quietly.

"Hey," said Trini, putting her hand on his shoulder compassionately. "Don't worry about it, or you will burn out completely."

"Yeah," smiled Kim. "We have come through worse. We can do this, and we will. The good guys never lose, you know."

"We'd probably set a precedent," muttered Tommy.

"No," boomed Zordon, "I think that there is only one course of action open to us. It was not something that I would have liked, but we have no other choice. Alpha," the little gold and red robot standing next to Billy looked up, "get the box," Zordon continued.

"Ay-yi-yi," cried Alpha in his high-pitched, robotic voice. "I had hoped that it wouldn't come to this." But obediently, he turned around, walked past the six teenagers, out into the hall and disappeared from sight.

"Box?" questioned Jason. "Zordon, what are you talking about?"

"I must apologize to you Jason, as I should to all of you," said Zordon, apologetically. "But there was something that I have not been telling you, a great power source that will help us through this time of great need that I have been keeping secret."

As if on cue, Alpha walked back into the room. The rangers quickly noticed that he was carrying a small box sealed with a golden lock. The box was decorated with precious jewels and golden writing, the figures appearing as if they were in some foreign language. Drawn by the box's beauty, the other six rangers gathered around Alpha.

Suddenly, an energy beam shot out of Zordon's tube and hit the lock. It instantly vaporized, the six teens jumping back in surprise. Gently and very slowly, Alpha opened the lid. Inside the box, lying on red felt, were six golden coins. Jason realized before any of the others that they were, indeed, power coins. He observed that they were just like the originals that he and his friends owned – about an inch in diameter, positively glowing with energy and each with an animal image carved onto it.

"Zordon," asked Zack slowly, unable to take his eyes away from the box. "Are these what I think they are?"

Zordon nodded, and then looked down directly at the coins. "Alpha," Zordon said slowly, "it is finally time for us to select the Junior Team of Power Rangers."

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