Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. They belong to Saban; too bad, to. I am not making a profit from this story. It is for fun and entertainment only. Author’s Note: The beginning ideas for the series was Thunderlight’s, my thanks to her. This is the seventh and final story in the ‘Once, and Great Power’
series, after ‘The Power of One’. You might want to go back and read this and the previous stories first, before you read this one, or you might get lost. This was originally to be titled "The Rock" but as the story progressed, this new title seemed more fitting. So, if you like this story, drop me a line at cinders@xmission.com. Special Thanks: This is a special thanks to Power Blue, Commander Crayfish, Dagmar, Eva an Jeremy Ray for helping with an important piece of information for this story, and for everyone who reads this series and has been asking when I’m going to finish. Thanks.
Once, and Great Power Part Seven: A Time for Heroes by Cinders
List of Rangers:
*I’ve decided to include this list for this final story in the series, so that you won’t be confused by who is who. There will be approximately twenty-two Rangers in this story. Leaders of the teams come first on the lists.*
Morphin Rangers:
White Morphin – Tommy Oliver (Falcon) Yellow Morphin – Trini Kwan (Sabertooth) Red Morphin – Jason Scott (Tyrannosaurus) Blue Morphin – Billy Cranston (Wolf)*KIA* Black Morphin – Zack Taylor (Mastodon) Pink Morphin – Kimberly Hart (Crane)
Turbo Rangers:
Red Turbo – Rocky DeSantos Yellow Turbo – Tanya Sloan Green Turbo – Adam Park Blue Turbo – Aisha Campbell Pink Turbo – Kat Hillard
Lightstar Rangers:
Red Lightstar – Andros Black Lightstar – Carlos Sanchez Blue Lightstar – TJ Johnson Yellow Lightstar – Ashley Hammond Pink Lightstar – Cassie Chan Silver Lightstar – Zhane
Eye of Ra Rangers:
Black Ra – Mike Corbett (Panther) Gold Ra – Kai Chen (Lion) Silver Ra – Kendrix Morgan (Ibis) White Ra – Leo Corbett (Egyptian Eagle) Indigo Ra – Damon Henderson (Jackal)
Billy's eyes grew wide as the blade came down for it's killing blow. He raised his arm to fend the blow off, but it was too late. The blade found it's mark, pushing the last breath from him, as blood began to pool around his lifeless body.
Rocky gazed down at his victim, laughing. It echoed around him, growing louder and filled with mocking. Mocking Billy, mocking himself, mocking every Ranger there had ever been since the dawning of time.
As he leaned over his prize, Billy's hands shot up, wrapping themselves, like steel bands, around his neck. Rocky gasped for air as the strength behind the hands pulled his face to within mere inches of Billy's.
Suddenly, Billy's eyes snapped open to reveal black, soulless orbs. An unearthly voice emanated from Billy, as he held Rocky in his grasp.
"It's your fault. You could have stopped him."
Billy turned Rocky around. Looking up, he found Goldar above them, blade raised. Billy immediately disappeared only to reappear at Goldar's back.
"A Ranger with no honor must pay the price," Billy mocked.
With a growl, Goldar brought the sword down on Rocky as he raised his arm to fend it off.
Rocky awoke from the nightmare, in a pool of sweat. It was the third time, in as many weeks, that he'd had the same dream. Nothing about it ever changed, like other dreams that he'd had more than once. He'd spend time between dreams, doing as he had been; telling himself that he couldn't have done anything to save Billy.
Carefully, Rocky looked around and found that both Zack and Adam were still sound asleep. With a deep sigh, Rocky fell back on his bed, folded his arms under his head, and gazing up into the semi-darkness.
Things had been crazy ever since they’d gotten away from Oralontor. They’d been hot on the heels of Arcus and Dark Specter, leaping from one planet to the next, fighting battles upon battles. The team had kept expecting Dark Specter to choose a different planet to head to, now that he understood that they knew where he was going with Zordon. But he never changed course. At least, not by much. He’d lead them to a planet where they’d battled, until Dark Specter took off.
Rocky guessed that Dark Specter hoped that the battles would last long enough for him to get to ZR-12, and do what he had to do, or that the Rangers would finally be defeated, and no longer a threat to him.
Trying to let sleep back in, Rocky let his eyes drift shut, as he recalled their last battle on the planet Zaraquan. A battle that had nearly accomplished just what Dark Specter was hoping… the end of the Power Rangers.
Planet Zaraquan: Novani Sector…
None of the Rangers had realized just how much Billy’s death had effected them, or the team; after all there were still fifteen of them. But with each new battle, they were beaten back time and again.
They had fought hard, and… uselessly, through four battles since Billy’s death, before they had found themselves on the lone, cold, dark planet of Zaraquan.
The planet was floating in it’s solar system, furthest from it’s sun, as well as any other neighboring orb. There was no moon, which plunged the planet into a constant state of semi-darkness, and temperatures that plummeted into the -50s during, what passed for, the day. At night the battles would cease, the -100 temperatures to cold for any living thing.
And it was during these night time hours, that Ecliptor had volunteered his services. Not being human, the temperatures had no effect on him, except for a frozen joint or two.
Aboard the Mega Ship, the Rangers took one hour shifts to be alert to any movement on the planet’s surface, and to listen for any incoming transmissions from Ecliptor.
It was during such a time, just hours before dawn, when Rocky was completing his watch, that a call came in. He’d just pulled a double shift due to Carlos’ injuries from a previous battle, and was getting ready to wake Trini.
"Arcus’ Quantrons are moving about. It looks like they’re up to something," Ecliptor’s voice echoed on the strangely-quiet bridge.
"How many?"
"I see nearly fifty, but where there are fifty-"
"There’s more that we can’t see," Rocky finished. He pondered the situation briefly, checking the surface temperatures carefully. -70. It was still quite cold, but not so cold that they couldn’t function in a battle. "I’ll get the team together. Keep an eye on them."
"Right."
Rocky closed the link and moved to the com-system, flicking switches for each sleeping quarter.
In no time, the Rangers were gathered and prepared to teleport to the planet’s surface. Tommy checked the clock, knowing which time would be the best for the planet’s temperature. He was concerned about going down so early. Sure, they had their armor, which protected them from extreme temperatures, but even at -70, the armor couldn’t sustain them for long periods of time.
"I don’t know about this, Rocky. In ten minutes, the temperature will be bearable."
"I know. But if the Quantrons are moving around, we may not have ten minutes. We have to get down there. If we can hand on for ten minutes, then we’ll be home free, as far as the temperature goes." Tommy thought about Rocky’s words as the team waited patiently for a decision.
"Rocky’s right," Andros supported.
"Alright. Everyone, just hang in for ten minutes, then the suits will be able to contend with the temperatures. Is everyone willing?"
"Yes," the group responded. Immediately they teleported down. They landed in a secluded area, well out of sight of the Quantrons, or Arcus.
As they all arrived on the dark, barren landscape, hidden from view by a deep crater, they could feel the freezing temperatures trying to penetrate the armor. Ignoring the chill, they slowly, and cautiously, made their way to the crater’s edge, peering over it’s side.
Below them, hundreds of Quantron’s milled about, moving large metal containers from one area to another. Rocky was shocked by the number. More of them must have arrived since he’d spoken with Ecliptor. He looked over the area to find a large, dome-shaped building rising from the barren landscape behind them. As he gazed at it’s white, pristine shape, he could spot no windows or doors… anywhere. Yet the Quantrons seemed to be disappearing into it, or emerging out of it, at will.
"Ecliptor, this is Jason. Can you give us your coordinates?"
"200 ketons Northwest of the building," Ecliptor responded. Slowly Jason made his way to the edge of the crater, bringing up his visor’s vision enhancements. Slowly he turned his head from side to side, watching as the numbers ticked away in the corner. Once the numbers coincided with those given by Ecliptor, Jason held his position. Locking onto the area, he activated the inferred night vision and zoomed in.
At first glance, he could see nothing but deep, dark colors, indicating the cold and barren landscape.
"Ecliptor, I’m not picking you up on my visor." There was no response. Jason prepared to contact him again when he spotted movement out of the edge of the visor. Closing in on the area Ecliptor had indicated, Jason spotted five human shaped forms displayed in a dark blue, the indication of metal, instead of the red of humans. "Quantrons."
Deafening whispers filled the link to his helmet, just then. Quickly, Jason raised his hand to silence them all. Everyone grew quiet, except for one very concerned voice.
"Jason, where’s Ecliptor?"
"I can’t see him, Karone. Be patient."
Jason continued to watch the five figures group together on the spot where Ecliptor should have been. Suddenly, a lighter blue figure rose up behind the figures, taller than they were. A immediate battle ensued, but didn’t last long, as Ecliptor’s expertise with the sword took them all down in seconds.
Though they could not hear it, a ruckus began from below, as the Quantrons below them had seen the battle with Ecliptor. Jason looked over at him to see him motioning them to advance.
"Let’s go, guys!"
Rocky watched as Jason crested the ridge of the crater, the others following behind him. He didn’t know why he didn’t move forward, why he held back. As he tried to decipher his thoughts, the ground around them began to tremble, a ball of fire appeared at the top of the crater, knocking the team back.
As the fireball immediately dissipated in the oxygenless atmosphere, a troop of Quantrons began to descend into the crater after them. Unable to move, Rocky found himself face to face with a Quantron. He could hear the voices of the other Rangers filling the link to his helmet, but he couldn’t respond.
He stood there in the crater, frozen to his spot, the Quantron grabbed him by the throat while it’s spare hand tore at it’s own helmet.
Rocky tried to wedge his fingers in between the Quantron’s fingers and his neck. As the Quantron ripped it’s helmet from it’s head, Rocky’s body went slack as a gasp of surprise was ripped from his throat.
"You wouldn’t help your friends, like you didn’t help me. You will pay!"
Rocky watched the double-bladed weapon of the Quantrons as it was raised above him. He tried to cry out, to tell him to stop. To tell…
"No, Billy!"
Rocky bolted upright, his breaths coming in gasps. He squeezed his eyes closed, tight, trying to fight the visions away. Slowly he lowered himself back down on his pillow.
It had been three weeks since they’d lost Billy, and every night since then, he’d had nightmares, always ending in the same scenario; Billy accusing him of not trying to save him. But, this dream disturbed him more than any of the others.
"This is the first time in my whole life that I have ever had two dreams in one," Rocky breathed, his rapidly beating heart slowing. Reaching up, he slowly rubbed the palms of his hands over his eyes. "I guess that last battle on Xynor, two days ago, has relay gotten into the back of my mind." That had been the planet they were on, in his dream, not Zaraquan. His body shuddered at the memory of the cold, ice planet.
The battle there had been long and hard, no one escaping injury. He hadn’t realized, until that particular battle, how much Billy’s death had effected them. And, if they all didn’t come to grips with it, and soon, then they might as well all give up.
Rocky let his arms fall to his side, letting his fingers brush against the calming softness of his blanket.
"Rocky…"
"What?" He opened his eyes expecting to find Adam or Zack above him, awakened by his nightmares. He sifted his position to rest on his side, his head propped up on his elbow. He gazed deep into the blue light of the semi-darkness, only to find that both men were sound asleep.
Careful no to make any sudden movements, he let his eyes take in his surroundings. Nothing. "I must be hearing things." Shaking his head, he turned back over onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling, and the dim, blue light of the room reflecting back at him off of it. "Blue light?"
That wasn’t right. The only light that had ever lit up the room, was the red light from the digital clock. Carefully he turned his head, searching for the source of the blue light.
For a few minutes it seemed that there was no one place that the light was emanating from. He glanced at both Adam and Zack’s still forms, finding them still asleep, blissfully unaware of what was going on.
Sighing in frustration, tinged with a bit of fear, Rocky closed his eyes. It had to be another dream. Right? There were such things, right? Three dreams in one. There had to be, that’s why Zack and Adam seemed undisturbed by the light, or his own waking from his nightmare.
Under his breath he began a mantra, telling himself to ‘wake up’. A few seconds passed and he nearly leapt from his bed, as the same voice that had called to him earlier, called to him again. This time as if it was right next to him.
Rocky pushed his bare back against the cold metal wall of the ship. Before him was a blindingly bright, blue light. Raising his hand up to block the glare from his eyes, he was able to make things out. Beyond the light, he could just make out a lone figure.
His heart slowing, he moved slightly forward, trying to make out the details of the figure bathed in the light. Not realizing he’d reached the opposite side of the bed, Rocky toppled from the mattress, landing hard, in a surprised heap on the cold floor.
Quickly righting himself, he gazed up at the figure, now standing above him. His breath caught in his throat, his heart starting to pump erratically, once more.
Before him stood the familiar, and missed, Blue Morphin Ranger.
"B-Billy?" Rocky stumbled to his feet, never taking his eyes from the figure.
The Ranger before him didn’t speak, only motioned for Rocky to follow him. Shocked by the Ranger’s appearance, Rocky spun on his heels and started to feel around beneath his bed, in the place where he’d hidden; for reasons he didn’t know, the Blue Morpher.
Whomever this was, standing above him, must have found it and used it. Who would… Rocky’s thoughts abruptly stopped, as his fingers brushed against the familiar hidden object.
"Wha-How?" Rocky grabbed a hold of the Morpher, pulling it out into the light, looking down at it’s familiar shape. "Who are you?" Rocky asked, but an answer was not forth coming.
Tediously he got to his feet, standing at eye level with the ghostly Ranger. He looked on, as the figure gestured for him to follow, once again. Then, turning, the figure disappeared through the door.
Rocky started to dash for the door, but stopped and turned back. Grabbing up his red tee-shirt, he pulled it over his head, then followed the Ranger through the doors. The swish of them opening and closing, the only sound other than that of his bare feet on the cold metal floor of the corridors.
Rocky continued to follow the figure, from a distance, along the winding corridors of the Mega Ship. Trying to catch up each time it disappeared around a corner or through a door.
Several times he’d called out to it, using Billy’s name, but received no confirmation that that was even who it was inside of the armor.
Frustrated, yet achingly intrigued; Rocky continued to follow. As he rounded a corner, he came to a sliding halt just in time to see the figure disappear through the doors to the bridge.
Acting quickly, Rocky rushed to the closed doors and waited for them to part. Realizing that Andros had ordered them to keep the doors locked during the sleeping shifts, he moved to the entrance code panel next to the doors.
As he tried to bring forth the codes from his sleep deprived brain, he found himself trying to remember who’s shift it was.
Tapping in the last numbers of the code; he hoped it was the code, he moved to the doors once more and waited for the to part far enough for him to enter. Slowly they began to part, spilling the brilliant, blue light out into the semi-darkness of the corridor. As he continued to wait, the light moved across his hands, moving gently, almost caressingly, over the smooth contours of the Morpher. Almost immediately the Morpher seemed to vibrate and glow with the same light.
Before he could wrap his hands more firmly around the device, it leapt from his hand and disappeared into the room beyond the slowly opening doors.
"Hey!" Rocky rushed the doors, straining to pry them apart to allow him access. Fed up, he forced his way between them, looking around the bridge as he entered completely.
At the front of the bridge, at the communications console, he found Andros asleep, unaware of what was happening around him, just like it had been with Adam and Zack. Rocky turned his gaze from his slumbering friend to locate the figure and Morpher.
To his surprise he found both of them next to the containment field that housed the Morphin Grid. The figure held the Morpher in one hand as it reached out to touch the Grid with it’s other hand.
"Billy? What’s happening?" The figure continued to reach out, unaffected by Rocky’s questions. As Rocky rushed forward, the figure and Morpher disappeared in a flash of blue light, entering the containment field and joining with the Grid.
Stopped in his tracks by the site, he stood there, in the silence of the bridge, stupefied by what had just happened. For a brief moment, Rocky wondered if it had all just been a dream, and that after fifteen years, he’d taken up sleepwalking again.
Determined to find out, he moved to the Morphin Grid and the containment field that held it. As he drew near, he could hear a low humming that he’d never noticed before. A little nervous now, he reached out for the clasps. He could feel the heat radiating from the Grid, growing steadily warmer. Being as careful as he could, Rocky quickly touched the containment field and pulled back before it could burn him. To his surprise the containment field was cool to the touch.
Confused, but still determined, he began to release the clasps, one by one, careful not to accidentally come into contact with the Grid, itself.
Though he had not been there to witness Andros’ experience when he’d touched the Grid, Rocky had heard enough about it to know that he didn’t want to be the next recipient of that experience.
As he began to lift the containment field, the bridge became flooded with an eerie, green light. When he lowered the field to the counter beside the Grid, something grabbed him from behind, spinning him away from the Grid. Before he could react, a hand wrapped around his throat and all of the sudden, the past nightmares came flooding back to his memory.
Thrashing, kicking out as he was being lifted from his feet, Rocky strangled out one word, "Billy!"
"Ecliptor, stop! It’s only Rocky. It’s okay." Rocky was relieved to hear Karone’s voice coming toward him from the dark, though it took a few seconds for the words to actually break through the barriers of his fear. It wasn’t Billy holding him, it was Ecliptor who was just doing his ‘new’ job of protecting the Grid, ship and crew. As the thoughts raced through his mind, he felt himself being released and he slumped against the counter, feeling it dig into his back. When he looked up he saw Karone entering into the light.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah," Rocky squeaked out.
"What are you doing up here?"
"I should be asking you two the same thing." Rocky glimpsed the still-sleeping Andros, past her shoulder. "Have you noticed that we haven’t awakened Andros? Same thing with Adam and Zack." And that made Rocky wonder how it came to be that Karone was awake.
"Yeah. It’s really strange. When I heard someone calling my name, I thought it was one of the girls. But, when I looked, they were all asleep. Neither Kat, Ashley nor Trini heard me moving around in the room, or Ecliptor enter and leave with me." Karone leaned against the counter beside Rocky. She didn’t see the look of surprise that washed over his face.
"Someone called your name?" Karone nodded, looking curiously at Rocky, now, wondering if she should have even said anything. "Someone was calling me, as well. When I looked around I found, what I thought was Billy, in his armor, standing in the room. I followed him here."
Karone breathed a sigh of relief. She thought he would think she was nuts, but it seemed like she wasn’t alone. That, or they both were going mad.
"I didn’t see anyone, but I did follow the voice. What’s going on? Where is the figure you followed?" Karone glanced nervously around the bridge.
"It disappeared into the Grid, along with Billy’s Morpher. That’s what I was doing when you found me." Karone turned to look at the Grid behind her, Rocky joined her.
What was happening? Why were they the only ones to see and/or hear the figure whom they assumed was Billy? And most importantly, why did it seem that no one else could hear them and be awakened? It wasn’t like they were trying to be quiet.
The Grid felt whole once more. Since the loss of the life essence of the Wolf, there had been an empty, dark spot in the Grid. It had tried to reclaim the Morpher, and thereby, the essence of the wolf. But someone was keeping It from it.
Did the others not realized that they could not defeat the evil if they were not all whole; if It wasn’t all whole?
As the Grid retrieved and absorbed the Wolf’s essence, it could feel the presence of the Ape… and another.
Would this other be worthy to help? There was a touch of evil to her, more than the Falcon and second Crane had possessed. There was only one way it could know.
Karone and Rocky; Ecliptor behind them, continued to watch the green glowing of the Grid. Slowly, tendrils of green light began to stretch forth. Rocky remembered them well. Remembered how they had wrapped around Billy’s arm, allowing him to return to them, the gift of the Grid. But Billy was gone; so why was it reaching out again?
Unwilling to be a recipient of the ‘zap’, Rocky backed away from the Grid. He didn’t wish to be ‘overloaded.’ He reached out a hand to Karone, beckoning her to move away as well. "You’d better get back," he warned.
"What’s wrong?" Before he could get a hold of her, the tendrils leapt forward, wrapping her within the Grid’s grasp. He continued to try and reach for her, the risk of the ‘zap’, the furthest thing from his mind, now, as he tried to save her.
From behind him, strong hands pushed him out of the way. Ecliptor moved in to rescue his charge.
"Ecliptor, don’t!"
An unexpected scream was ripped from her throat as she was lifted from the floor, the tendrils wrapping her body in a kind of cocoon of green light. Ecliptor reached out, grasping her hand; a shock knocked him back, shaking the floor as he landed.
It was like a trance was finally broken, in that moment, as Andros leapt to his feet, rushing to Rocky’s side. Rocky grabbed him and held him tight, keeping him from moving past him to Karone.
"Karone!"
"I-I don’t think it means to hurt her. She’s just scared."
"How the hell would you know?" Andros growled, trying to shake off Rocky’s grip.
Behind them, Ecliptor got unsteadily to his feet and shook off the effects of the shock. He then moved swiftly to Rocky and Andros. He took Andros from Rocky, holding him for the Red Ranger.
"You have to trust me. I can’t tell you how I know, but I do. Unlike you, the Grid won’t and can’t hurt her; she has no powers that emanate from it. No Morphin Powers."
"Then what is it doing?" Andros stopped struggling, finding it useless; but he still wasn’t sure that he believed what Rocky was saying.
"I’m not sure."
All three men on the bridge turned to the door as it slid open, admitting the rest of the Rangers. Once more, Rocky found himself having to stop several of the Rangers from rushing to Karone’s rescue; several of the women gasping in surprise.
Before anyone could pose any questions, Karone’s voice echoed eerily around the bridge.
"I accept."
They all watched in amazement as Karone, a bit dazed, was lowered to the floor. Slowly the tendrils released her, though she was still wrapped in a, now blue, light. Then, to the surprise of everyone present, her body began to be encased in armor. Very familiar armor.
"Is it…" Tommy stuttered.
"Can it be…" Kat wondered aloud.
"But, how…" Carlos asked, shocked.
"The Blue Morphin Ranger," Andros finally announced the obvious.
Everything was the same as when Billy wore the uniform, though the contours of the armor were defiantly more feminine.
Slowly Kim moved forward, her eyes glued to the medallion on the breast of the armor. She watched in awe as the severed medallion glowed a deep blue, and seemed to mend right before her eyes. With a brief flash of light, the medallion was whole once more, though the familiar image of the wolf was gone. "The Grid has found a new recipient for the Blue Morphin powers."
The group watched the glow disappear from around Karone as she carefully removed the helmet; a broad smile lighting up her face.
Andros was the first to break from the group, enfolding her in an embrace that seemed strangely unusual for the moody and quiet Ranger.
"Are you alright?"
"I’m wonderful."
"How?" Rocky wondered.
"The Grid needed someone to replace Billy, temporarily. It knew that I had been evil. But I was the only option to hold the powers."
"What about Justin? He’s been a Ranger before?" Cassie questioned.
"Aside from the fact that he is still under Arcus’ spell-"
"A child cannot hold the Morphin Powers," Rocky finished for her.
"Right. Taking a chance, the Grid judged me; looking deep into memories I’d had locked away. It found me worthy to temporarily hold the powers."
"Temporarily?" Kim questioned.
"Yes. All of our powers are only temporary. Billy had an agreement with the Grid. The powers would only be needed until we were able to rescue Zordon, then the Grid would take them back." Karone watched the various plays of emotion on each Rangers’ face. She knew that this had all been a wish come true for them, and the thought of loosing the powers again… "I’m sorry. I thought you knew."
"Billy must have been keeping it from us, knowing full well how it would effect us. I think, of all of us, loosing the powers had hurt him the most," Aisha said.
"But, he gave the powers us, willingly, right?" Kat wondered.
"Maybe, in the beginning. He thought he was doing the right thing, then. But he seemed so depressed and miserable; the final blow came on the day that the Treys had offered him the Gold Ranger Powers, and they refused him," Tommy reiterated.
"So, why did the Grid need to replace Billy? There were still fifteen of us. We would have been alright," Cassie stated a bit defensively.
"Wrong. For all of you to destroy Dark Specter, you needed all sixteen Rangers," Karone said, unconsciously fingering the medallion.
Tanya moved forward, her attention brought to the medallion by Karone’s actions. She looked carefully at the embossed image on the gold disk.
"The wolf’s gone."
"What?" Karone looked down, for the first time, at the image.
"What replaced it?" Aisha wondered.
"A… Killer Whale." Tanya looked up into Karone’s smiling face. "Welcome to the team," Tanya said, returning the smile.
Arcus paced back and forth before Zordon’s tube. Ever since the battle on Earth, he’d been unable to silence the voice in his head. A voice that seemed to be growing louder and stronger by the day.
Silently he grumbled to himself as he passed before the ever-weakening Zordon, once more.
"WHAT HAS DARK SPECTER OFFERED YOU IN RETURN FOR YOUR DEVOTION?" Arcus was startled by the mentor’s deep, commanding voice. All the times that he had been in charge of guarding the old man, which had been quite often of late, the old wizard hadn’t spoken a word.
Arcus chopped it up to the fact that the old man was becoming greatly weakened by the power drain. Apparently, he was wrong. The old man must have been watching him, trying to figure him out. There were signs of weakness in the old wizard’s voice, but nothing that would indicate the amount of energy that had already been drained, making Dark Specter stronger. Arcus smiled to himself. Dark Specter might have offered him a great deal of power, but he had other plans for the craggy mountain of melted rock.
"A Ranger Mentor has asked you a question. You had better answer!" came the familiar, and unwelcome, voice in his head.
"Shut up!" Arcus demanded aloud, raising his clenched fists to either side of his head, covering his ears.
Zordon watched the young man, who called himself ‘Arcus’, with interest. There was something happening within the boy’s head, and Zordon could well guess that it was his true self in battle.
After a few minutes, Arcus turned his glowing red, hate-filled eyes on Zordon, his teeth clenched.
"If it is any of your business, he has offered me great power and ruler ship of the pathetic galaxy that is home to the Earth."
"I SURMISED AS MUCH. TELL ME, ZHANE… DOES DARK SPECTER KNOW OF YOUR PLANNED BETRAYAL?"
Arcus was prepared to correct the old man on his exact name, when his words about his planned betrayal stopped the words dead in his throat.
Nervously he gazed around, afraid that the dark Lord might have overheard the old wizard’s words, and he prepared himself to rebuke them.
"YOU NEED NOT BE AFRAID. HE DID NOT HEAR."
"Afraid? You do not even know to whom you are speaking. I might have once been called ‘Zhane’, but Dark Specter helped me to realize who I truly am.
"It’s true that I have other plans for the dark Lord. Plans that will give me all of you power." Zordon chuckled, even though the sound of it was weak.
"DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT DARK SPECTER WOULD GIVE YOU ANY POWER AT ALL? I ASSURE YOU, YOUNG RANGER, THAT HE HAS OTHER PLANS FOR YOU, JUST AS YOU HAVE FOR HIM. DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE PATH OF EVIL. FOR WITHIN IT YOU WILL FIND NO TRUST. FOR, IF YOU PLAN TO STAB YOUR SWORD INTO ANOTHER’S BACK, YOU CAN BE WELL ASSURED THAT THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE WAITING TO PUT THEIR SWORD INTO YOUR BACK."
Arcus spun on Zordon, throwing himself against the tube, the sound of his fists striking the crystal capsule, reverberating in the silence of the dimension in which Dark Specter had hidden Zordon.
"I would watch yourself, old man. You don’t even have the slightest notion who you’re speaking to."
"I CAN ASSURE YOU, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO IT IS I’M TALKING TO… ZHANE." Arcus’ face grew blank. He stared at the wizard who seemed unmoved by his words or actions. Confused, and the voice in his head laughing, he turned and disappeared, in a dark flash, from the dimension and from Zordon’s site.
Arcus sat alone in his quarters, at his desk. His mind was in termoil. Zhane’s voice had continued to mock him all through the day, constantly reminding him of the old mentor’s words.
In all the time he had plotted to overthrow Dark Specter, he’d never once thought that the dark Lord might be planning his own demise, in return.
"The old man’s words really have gotten to you, haven’t they?" Zhane asked, surprised. Sure, he’d been reminding Arcus of them any chance he could, but hadn’t noticed that his words were really true.
"What of it?" Arcus said, annoyed.
"I think you know that Zordon is right. And I think you know that I’m growing stronger."
"I think the old man has finally become senile, and you’re delusional. You may have come back to annoy me, but you will never, never, have this body back."
Arcus pushed away from the desk. The only way he’d be rid of the voice was to get some sleep. Though Zhane might continue to talk, he wouldn’t be able to hear him. He smiled to himself as he undressed, tossing the black and silver clothes into a pile.
"What are you doing?"
"Sleeping, what does it look like?" Arcus said, sliding between the sheets of his empty bed. For a moment, just briefly, he felt a pang of loss. How he missed Astronema’s lithe form laying beside him, warm and soft.
Growling, he pushed the memories away. Astronema had become a traitor, she deserved to die.
"You can’t sleep. This can’t go on. You’ve destroyed a Ranger, a child and…
"The woman you loved." If Zhane could have strangled Arcus just then, he would have.
"Don’t fool yourself. You loved her, or-"
"She was just a pawn in my climb to power. Nothing more." Arcus countered, cutting Zhane off. "Lights!" he shouted.
Immediately the room grew dark, the hum of the Dark Fortress filling the silence. Arcus pulled the sheets up to his chest, his pale skin; dark against the lighter color of the sheets. He sighed into the air, the voice amazingly silent. But… it didn’t last long.
"You can’t make me believe that you are a hard, cold, heartless bastard."
"I guess you should know if I’m truly a bastard, or not. But, as for hard, cold and heartless, we’ll see what tune you’ll be singing a few days from now, when Dark Specter drains away the last of the old man’s energy, and I set my plans into motion." Again Arcus smiled, letting the cold laughter flow from deep inside of him. Folding his arms beneath his head, he closed his eyes, looking forward to the end of Zordon.
Sleep was the last thing on the minds of the Rangers. Where the Mega Ship was normally silent and cloaked in semi-darkness during this time, she was now filled with the various levels of activity. The plans to get Zhane back were ready to be set in motion.
The large group of Rangers had been divided into four smaller groups for the mission. Kim, Cassie, Carlos, Rocky and Tommy would remain on the bridge of the Mega Ship. Kat, Tanya, Trini and Adam would await them in the medical bay, all prepared for the surgery that would bring Zhane back. The third group, consisting of Aisha, Ashley, Ecliptor and Zack, would stand guard over the docking bay, in case someone from the Dark Fortress tried to get aboard the ship after they had sequestered their ‘prisoner’.
The forth, and final team, would board the Dark Fortress. It would be their job to find Arcus, inoculate him, and get him quickly and silently off of the space ship. This team had been chosen carefully; with a bit of argument mixed in. But in the end, it had been decided that Andros, TJ, Jason and Karone would be the four to board the Dark Fortress.
Karone stood ready, armored in the uniform of the Blue Morphin Ranger. Though the armor had not been used by Billy for some time, she could still smell the faint, lingering sent of his cologne. That, alone, made her nervous, as if he were there with her. But she could overlook it. It was the fact that this would be her first mission, and the first time she’d used her new, unexplored powers. She’d voiced her concerns to Kim, and Kim had assured her, telling her to listen to the voice within her, that it would guide her and tell her what to do.
Kim’s words had eased some of her concerns, but when she fought with Andros about joining the team that would board the Dark Fortress, she began to feel the strains of inadequacy, again.
They both remembered, all too well, what had happened to her the last time she had gone aboard the Dark Fortress. She had argued that this time she wasn’t going alone, and that she had three able bodied Rangers going with her. And that, this time, Darkonda wasn’t abroad, as he was still on Earth. And, as far as they knew, Arcus and Dark Specter though she was dead. The Rangers had tried to keep the Mega Ship just out of reach of the space ships sensors, so that Dark Specter would let his guard down, thinking that they were still trying to recover from their near collision with the planet Oralontor.
As the hours passed, into what would have been night, on Earth, they moved the Mega Ship in closer to the Dark Fortress, under cloak. They would need to be quick, for the cloaking device was creating a severe drain on the power cells.
Once the team was ready, they would have to teleport to the ship, quickly; the cloaking device deactivated for a brief instant, so that no one would be able to register their presence.
Looking at the others, Karone swallowed the lump in her throat. A voice called out to them within their helmets.
"Are you guys ready?" Tommy’s voice seemed calm compared to her own racing heart. In response she cold hear Andros reply.
"We’re ready when you are."
"Prepare to teleport."
As things grew silent, Karone jumped at the hand that was unexpectedly placed on her shoulder.
"Are you sure you can do this?" questioned Jason. He wasn’t concerned that he didn’t think she could do it, but that maybe she didn’t think she could.
Karone nodded her head and swallowed hard. "I don’t have a choice. I have to do this. Zhane is my husband… and the father of my child." She realized just then, that she’d just given away her secret. Only Andros and Tanya knew about the baby, and no one, except herself, knew that she and Zhane had been married. And even though their heads were covered by their helmets, she could well guess the looks of shock that were etched on their faces. But, any and all explanations would have to wait.
"Ready?" asked Rocky, over their com-system.
"Uh-yeah, ready," Andros stumbled out.
Tommy motioned to Rocky, acknowledging that he’d heard the affirmative response from Andros.
"Preparing to lower cloak," Tommy called out, letting everyone on the bridge know that it was time to get to work.
"Teleportation, ready," Rocky replied in response.
"All’s quiet aboard the Dark Fortress," Cassie called from the bio-rhythm scanner. Kim watched the inferred scans. The warm bodies glowed in reds, yellows and oranges. The darker colors of blue and green showed her the locations of the Quantrons. At the moment, there was a small group gathered together in the spot that they had chosen for teleportation.
"Five Quantrons in location."
"Holding," Tommy responded.
"Energy levels have dropped by five-percent," Carlos warned from the back of the bridge.
Tommy could feel a trickle of sweat slowly make it’s way down the side of his face. He wanted to wipe it away but couldn’t spare the distraction and let it keep him from doing his job.
"They’re starting to move away. Two have broken to the left of the location, the other three to the right."
"Ready to teleport on mark…" Rocky called, letting Tommy know he was ready.
"Continue to hold…"
The group waiting to teleport could hear everything that was going on. With breaths held, they awaited the signal.
"Location clear!" Kim called out.
"Cloak lowering," Tommy said, deactivating the device.
Rocky watched the numbers on his screen, waiting for the specific ones that would indicate that the cloak had fallen safely below the teleportation stream. "Holding," he called. Slowly the numbers ticked down. As soon as the numbers lined up, he hit the button. "Teleporting, now!"
It was like nothing Karone had ever felt before. She had always teleported, but in her own way, using her powers of evil. But now, as the pins-and-needles tingling of the teleportation washed over her body, she watched as everything around her became a tunnel of streaking lights.
Before she could wonder at the sensation, it was gone and she, along with her teammates, were standing in the dark corridor of the Dark Fortress. Though it had been several weeks since she had last been aboard the ship, she found herself looking around, trying to get her barings, feeling as if she was in a place she’d never been before.
In the headset she could hear Andros contacting the Mega Ship, letting them know they’d all made it aboard the ship in one piece. A touch at her shoulder jolted her back from her thoughts. She turned to find TJ beside her.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah. Things just seem so different, now that I’m not… evil."
"It’s okay, we’ve got Kim keeping an eye on everyone aboard. Just take your time and we’ll follow." TJ gave her a reassuring smile, momentarily forgetting that she would be unable to see it. Giving her shoulder a quick, reassuring squeeze he stepped back to join Andros and Jason.
Closing her eyes, Karone took a deep breath, visualizing herself as Astronema walking down the same corridors. With a tight smile she opened her eyes. "This way," she said as she started down the corridor to their left. "Kim, how do things look ahead of us?"
"Fine, Karone. The Quantrons have moved off down another corridor."
"Thanks."
"No problem." Kim smiled, looking over at Rocky who seemed to be wound too tightly. She flashed a quick glance back at Tommy, who only shrugged in response. She turned and gave Cassie a slight smile as the young Asian woman placed a comforting hand on Rocky’s shoulder.
Arcus rested his hands behind his head as he stared up at the metal ceiling above him. He’d tried, for weeks, to ignore Zhane’s voice, and he had thought that he had been successful… until tonight. The voice had gone from the talking/arguing tactics to singing the most atrocious song he had ever heard. The fact that the voice couldn’t carry a note, made it worse, to a point where he could no longer ignore it.
"I’m Henry the VIII, I am, I am…"
"Enough!" Arcus finally yelled, putting a halt to the… ‘song’. "What are you doing?"
"Well, I saw this movie, on Earth, called "Ghost." The guy, who was a ghost, sang it to this psychic lady to get her to give in and communicate between him and his girlfriend. It worked for him, so…"
"You thought it would work on me?" Arcus smiled, shaking his head. "I must agree that it is the most annoying song I have ever heard, and it doesn’t help that you can’t sing-"
"Can’t sing? I have been told I have a beautiful singing voice/." Arcus laughed.
"The person who told you that must have been a good lire, tone deaf, or just plain deaf." Arcus continued to laugh as Zhane remained silent for a time. Indignant.
With silence finally at hand, Arcus rolled to his side, back to the door, closing his eyes in sleep.
"The room is just around this corner," Karone announced as the others remained pressed against the cold metal wall of the corridor. Kim had spotted a small contingent of Quantrons ahead of them, but they were moving slowly away from the team’s location.
With his blaster drawn, TJ gazed carefully around the edge of the wall. The Quantrons had paused just outside of a door, weapons drawn. They didn’t gazed down the corridors, but at the door, as if they’d heard something.
TJ pulled back, and in a whisper, relayed to the others what he’d seen. Prepared to enter a battle situation, the others withdrew their own blasters. Once again, TJ peered around the corner. The Quantrons had begun to move on. He watched, patiently, as the silver soldiers moved down the corridor, disappearing around another corner. "They’re gone. Let’s go."
"Right behind you," Jason stated, placing Karone between him and Andros as he brought up the rear.
Arcus couldn’t say if Zhane had remained silent, or not, as he had drifted immediately off into sleep. His slight snores of exhaustion filled the room. It was the only sound that greeted Karone when she silently entered the room, TJ at her back.
"Be careful," he called quietly from behind her. Instead of giving a verbal response, Karone only nodded, creeping further into the dark. TJ stopped to stand guard at the door.
As Karone carefully approached the sleeping figure, she clicked the safety on, on her blaster then secured it in the holster on her him. From a clip at the small of her back, she withdrew the gun that contained the tranquilizer. She would need to be quick, if they were going to get Arcus off the ship, undetected.
From somewhere down the corridor, Andros called back to TJ, thankful that their helmets kept their voices from being heard beyond them. "How is she doing?"
Andros and Jason had split off in separate directions after they had located the room. Their objectives were to place two separate tracking devices aboard the ship. They knew that as soon as it was realized that Arcus was missing, Dark Specter would disappear, quickly, taking the Dark Fortress with him. The only way they’d be able to locate them would be by the tracking devices.
"She’s doing just fine, and I’ve still got her back. How about the two of you?"
"I just set mine, and I’m heading back," came Jason’s reply.
"I’m heading back toward our teleportation location, to set mine. I’ll join you there," Andros said, closing the link.
TJ gazed back into the room at Karone’s back. She had moved to the opposite side of the bed, better able to get closer to the sleeping form without accidentally bumping the bed in her attempt to administer the tranquilizer.
Stooping down, Karone looked into the face of her husband. Looking at him in the semi-darkness of the room, his hair laying gently against his face, she could almost believe that it wasn’t Arcus laying there, but the man she really loved.
Shaking off the memories, she carefully raised the tranquilizer gun. The glow of the liquid in the tube reflected off the metal control device hidden just beneath his hair. She sighed realizing that it truly was Arcus laying there, and not Zhane.
With new determination, she carefully moved the gun toward Arcus’ shoulder, where she would make the injection. Hand shaking, she positioned the barrel of the gun just mere centimeters from his skin. When she pulled the trigger, a needle would instantaneously extend, injecting the contents of the tube into Arcus’ blood stream.
Taking a deep breath, Karone placed her trembling finger on the trigger. Suddenly the room exploded in a flurry of activity. A hand came out of nowhere, gripping her wrist and twisting it until she was forced to lean into the twist to keep her attacker from breaking her arm. Before she could call out, her arm was released. She tried to straighten up, but two hands punched her in the chest, sending her stumbling back and slamming her into the hard, steel wall behind her.
She felt the air rush from her lungs as voices filled her ears. Suddenly a face appeared before her, the eyes trying to penetrate the cover of the helmet to find out who was inside.
"I thought that I had killed you, Blue Ranger. Just as well, I’ll enjoy killing you once again." Arcus reached out for the Blue Morphin Ranger as two sets of arms grabbed him from behind, pulling the naked, struggling man away from their companion.
Trying to force air back into her lungs, Karone watched the two men struggle with their captive. In her headset she cold hear them, as well as Andros, calling out her name.
"I-I’m… okay," she finally breathed, getting to her feet. Slowly and cautiously, she approached the trio, her tranquilizer gun in hand. Carefully she moved toward the struggling captive, hoping to get close enough to administer the drug.
"Karone, you’ve got to hurry. Quantrons will be heading this way, soon," Jason said, trying his best to hold onto the fighting prisoner.
At the look on Arcus’ face, they realized that they had been heard. He stopped struggling in their grasp, though they did not loosen it, a look of confusion on his face.
"Karone?" Her name was almost a whisper on his lips. Suddenly it seemed as if everyone had disappeared, except the two of them.
Karone stood before him, a feeling of pure love filling her. They would finally be together, like they were ment to be.
"Yes, it’s me. We’ll be together, real soon." At a prick to his arm, Arcus looked down to find the tranquilizer needle retreating back into the gun, leaving a small smear of blood on his arm. Suddenly a darkness began to close in on him, the voice in his head speaking quietly, as it too, joined him in the clutches of the darkness.
"I’m saved."
Kim watched the infrared images on her screen. Three bright red and yellow images surrounded a fourth, who’s body temperature had begun to fall slightly, casting it into colors of yellow and orange. Another yellow and red figure approached the group, followed by a growing number of dark figures of blue and green.
"Guys, you’ve got company coming. You’ve got to get out of there. They’re heading in from the left corridor, so you’ll have to take the right one. We’ll recalculate the coordinates for teleportation."
Rocky moved to stand behind Kim, looking down at the images displayed before her on the screen.
"How soon can you recalculate the coordinates?" Kim asked Rocky.
"Just a matter of seconds."
"Let’s do it, then," Tommy called from behind them.
Rocky jumped into his seat behind the teleportation console, his hands moving quickly over the buttons and screens on it’s surface.
Andros slid to a stop at the open doorway. Jason and TJ had Arcus supported between them, his limp arms draped over each of their shoulders, Karone behind them.
"We’ve got to go," he stated, out of breath.
"We heard. You take up the front and Karone will get our backs," TJ said, glancing at Karone for conformation. She nodded and he turned and they headed out the door.
As she began to follow them a sudden idea came to mind. "You guys go on ahead. I’ve got a plan."
"I’m not leaving you behind. I’m not going to loose you again," Andros argued.
"You haven’t had to protect me before, and you don’t have to now. You have got to trust me, Andros. Now, go!" Reluctantly Andros backed out of the room, following TJ and Jason down the corridor. From somewhere behind them they could hear the group of Quantrons heading their way. Quickly the team disappeared around the corner.
Karone stood alone in the room, the footsteps of the Quantrons growing louder and closer. In a flash of blue, her armor disappeared leaving her standing alone in the center of the room, clad in black leather, her long, light purple locks cascading down her back.
"Astronema is back, and it’s time to put and end to things," she grinned evilly as she stepped into the corridor to face the approaching group of Quantrons.
Arcus was heavier than he had appeared, as they half carried, half drug him down the corridors. Andros listened to Kim’s guidance through the link to his helmet, avoiding various groups of Quantrons. Every now and again he’d call out to Karone, only to be met with deathly silence.
At war with his feelings, Andros forced himself on, though every fiber of his being screamed out for him to go back and find her.
Clenching fists and teeth, Rocky continued to find a location that would give them a direct teleport. And, to make things worse, the Dark Fortress had come alive with activity. Already her shields were in preparation to be raised, thus keeping them from retrieving their friends.
Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, he opened them again and focused on the numbers flashing before him. "Bingo!" he shouted. It was as if fate had dealt him a lucky hand. He nodded quickly to Kim, who relayed the message to Andros.
"Andros, you need to take the right corridor. It’s coming up just ahead of you. Stop when I tell you to."
"Gotcha’, Kim. Can you see Karone anywhere? She said she had a plan and stayed behind," TJ relayed.
For the first time, Kim noticed that Karone wasn’t with the group. How could she have been so lax in her duty? She had gotten so use to there being just four members from the Mega Ship being aboard, that she had forgotten that there would now be five of them now that they had Arcus. Quickly she looked over the various levels of scans, all the varying colors flashing before her, but she could detect no other heat emanating forms.
"I can’t see her anywhere," Kim responded, her heart beat quickening.
Conscious of what was going on, Rocky immediately contacted the Galaxy Glider bay. "Zack, has Karone boarded the Mega Ship?"
"Negative, Rocky. There is no one here but us."
"Damn!" Tommy cursed.
"I’m going back for her," they heard Andros say over the speakers.
"No! Andros, we need to get all of you aboard. We’ll send another team back for her," Tommy ordered. Andros prepared to argue with Tommy, when Kim’s voice broke in.
"Andros, I’ve picked Karone up. She’s just ahead of you at the location of teleportation. She’s… she’s surrounded by a contingent of Quantrons."
"No…" Andros broke from the group, rushing ahead of them to rescue his sister. As TJ and Jason yelled at him to come back, he disappeared around a corner.
"Damn it!" Jason cursed, pulling Zhane’s arm tighter over his shoulder.
"Guys, you’ve got to hurry. The Dark Fortress has started to raise her shields."
"Gotcha’," TJ said, gazing at the figure between him and Jason.
It seemed to take forever for them to reach the location they’d been led to. As they rounded the corner any relief they might have felt was immediately squashed. Andros stood in the corridor ahead of them, his blaster raised, prepared to battle the contingent of Quantrons that filled the corridor before them.
"This is the last time I’m going to ask. Where is Karone?"
The Quantrons only muttered electronically amongst themselves. TJ and Jason slowly lowered Zhane to the floor, Jason moving carefully toward Andros and the Quantrons, his own blaster in hand.
"Kim, what’s our status?" TJ asked nervously.
"The Dark Fortress’ shields will be at 100% in thirty seconds."
TJ sighed. He glanced at his companions just in time to see the sea of Quantrons part. He stared in shock as a familiar figure moved between them, entering the area where they stood.
"Astronema."
"Thought you could get away? Not this time." Astronema sneered at the small group of Rangers. Her silver warriors surrounded her, her protection, if she actually needed it, was their top priority.
"Why?" Andros asked, a touch of pain in his voice, brought on by her deceit.
"The question, brother dear, is… why not?" Slowly she sauntered to the back of the group of Quantrons. Turning once more to face the group, she held her staff out toward them. TJ stepped past Zhane’s unconscious form, drawing his blaster in preparation to do battle. As he observed the warriors moving closer to them, he was startled when a bright flash of purple light filled the corridor, blinding them.
Shielding his eyes, TJ turned his back to the flash, waiting for someone, or something, to attack him. But as the flash dissipated, he was surround by silence. A silence that was instantaneously shattered by an urgent voice in his headset.
"Teleport us now, Rocky!" TJ had a moment to wonder what had happened, when the welcomed sensation of teleportation washed over him.
"Kat, Tanya, Trini, Adam, they’re coming in," Cassie warned.
"We’re all here and ready," Kat confirmed.
"Surgery is prepped and ready to go," Tanya announced.
"Everyone be ready to just into hyper rush as soon as they are on board," Tommy warned, gripping the controls tightly. He could feel the power of the Mega Ship being held back, fighting with him to let it go.
The bridge was silent as Rocky watched his monitors. The Dark Fortress had just raised it’s shields to 100%, and with an explosion of it’s thrusters, the Fortress headed off into hyper rush, breaking Rocky’s teleportation off. With breaths held, the group awaited conformation that the teleportation had been successful, or if their friends were still trapped aboard the Dark Fortress, or…
Finally, after a several heart-stopping seconds, Ashley’s voice broke the silence and filled the bridge. "They all made it." Quickly, Cassie patched into the medical bay.
"How is Zhane?"
"We’re prepping him for surgery as we speak," Adam’s reassuring voice replied.
"Prepare for hyper rush," Tommy shouted as everyone quickly strapped themselves in. He pushed the controls steadily forward. "DECA, how are the cells holding up?"
"Cells are at 85%, and holding." Relieved that the ship could withstand a level three hyper rush, Tommy pushed the controls entirely forward, feeling the force of the hyper rush as it tried to pull him to the back of the bridge.
He hated putting this much space between them and Dark Specter, with Zordon’s life on the line, but they had no choice, they had to give themselves time; time without Dark Specter being able to locate them, so that repairs could be made to the ship, and it’s occupants. Feeling the deep pangs of guilt eating at him, Tommy looked down at the panels in front of him. Two green lights flashed on and off, indicating that the tracers aboard the Dark Fortress were in place and working. And when the time came, they would lead them to Dark Specter’s location… and Zordon.
As he let the guilt seep away, replaced by the thoughts of being able to find Zordon easily, a niggling dark thought began to pry it’s way in, closing off the light of the good news. "I just pray that we haven’t sealed Zordon’s doom."
Within moments, the Mega Ship slipped instantly out of hyper rush, her automatic pilot set for DECA to take over. They would follow the Dark Fortress’ signal, from a safe distance, until everything was as close to normal as they could be.
All the Rangers had gathered to observe Zhane’s surgery from the observation deck above the medical bay, their own reflections gazing back at them in the plexiglas separation.
Karone, knowing best how the device worked, would perform the surgery herself, as Kat, Tanya, Adam and Trini assisted her.
As Karone started the process, Tanya watched the monitors. Karone moved a small, hand-held scanner carefully over the control device attached to the side of Zhane’s head. Finding the results normal, Karone set the scanner aside and looked at Trini.
"Laser scalpel." Trini gazed at the tray of surgical implements, searching for t