Disclaimer: The basic concept belongs to whoever Disney assigned it to but the characters belong to us. Like our previous fic series Viva La Resistance this series requires a lot of work due to differences in Time Zone and Hemispheres.
Dedication:Robert decided to dedicate this fic in the series to the following people. Richard D. Husband, Michael P. Anderson, William C. McCool, Kalpana "K.C." Chawla, David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, all six of the United States and Ilan Ramon of Israel; the final crew of Shuttle Mission STS-107 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Mistri adds this quote he read in the paper: They did not come home to us, but we can be sure they are at home with God.

Power Rangers: To The Tenth Power
Golden Love
by Robert and Mistri, Cho's Observer

A couple days after the White Ranger started his research into the Ninjetti Powers Wildrik was sitting in his room gathering some stuff together.

It's hard to believe that Adria is already getting married. Lord knows I'm not ready for marriage. I can't even get a girl to talk to me for longer then ten seconds without them finding a reason to get up and walk away.

"Something on your mind Wildrik?" his mother wondered.

"Just thinking of a friend of mine from South Nigeriala the girl who had invited us to that festival that got attacked."

"What about her?"

"She is getting married later this month and she is my age."

"Any idea why that is?"

"I haven't seen her since I found out so I couldn't ask her. Interesting thing is we are both on that special advisory group of Silvino's together."

"Anything special planned today?"

"Same old same ol," Wildrik said.

"Rock hunting huh," his mother realized. "Luckily Koryn is at a friend's house."

"Mom, there is something I have a hard time figuring out. Why you tend to go so easy on her and then get upset when I try and teach her some discipline?"

"It's hard to explain really Wildrik. I guess part of it is I tend to overlook some of her mouthiness hoping that by not acknowledging it maybe she will stop. Yet as you pointed out to me that one day it's not working. One thing you can count on being a single parent isn't easy."

"Hopefully I'll never be in that boat."

"I agree not only that you don't end up in that boat but your sister as well. How long will you be gone?"

"It depends on how things go. I might find a lot real fast or I might not find much. If there is an attack like happened during that festival that also could affect how long I'm gone."

"Why would an attack affect your schedule?"

"I might have to go into battle if an attack took place. The whole thing is harder to explain."

Wildrik then loaded his stuff into the cargo area of a small hovertruck and headed off. As he was moving along at a respectable speed and altitude he saw a girl from school walking along.

"You need a lift somewhere?" he inquired.

"Oh hi Will. Yes I could. I'm heading for the Burgenau Hills to do some hiking. You ever go hiking?"

"Sometimes but I'm usually looking for rocks."

"I heard that about you. Where you going as it is?" the girl asked her.

"Nowhere special just some rock hunting. I might be gone a few days."

"It's not a problem. I have a sleeping bag and pup tent in my backpack. Whenever I go hiking I leave my port belt at home along with my wrist phone."

"If you want I could take you all the way to your destination."

"That Will would be wonderful."

"You know for some reason I can't remember your name and I think we were in Intergalactic History with Fundexter year before last."

"It's Thalania. Thalania Christine Nuehousner to be exact."

Wildrik kept his speed going at a proper clip for the 15 km ride out to the hills. They soon arrived at the base of the hills. Thalania quickly put her backpack on and waited.

"If you want I could carry some of your equipment for you. You know in exchange for you bringing me out here."

"That would be nice Thalania. I tend to bring a lot of stuff on serious expeditions. I went on one expedition a couple weeks ago that was a simple couple hours away from home so I simply ported. Serious ones I use my truck for."

"I can see why," Thalania said. "This is my favorite place to hike."

After a brief check that they had everything Thalania led Wildrik down a trail.

"Thalania, were you thinking of camping out tonight?"

"Probably. I want to really explore these hills. I could probably even help you with your rock hunting. I've seen a few good areas that might have some nice rocks for studying."

"That would make the trip worthwhile," Wildrik hinted.

"I see you have your wrist phone on you. That might prove useful. My Grandmother worries about me when I go hiking since I usually go alone and well if something happened to me."

"What do your parents think about you hiking alone?"

"They died when I was two. My grandmother has pretty much raised me. What about your family?"

"My dad died when I was nine. For a little bit it was just my mom and I until my sister was born a few months after I turned ten. I'm trying to remember if my dad even knew mom was pregnant with Koryn before he died."

"Do you and your sister get along at all?"

"Not really. She's not the most disciplined person around."

"Well she is only what six."

"Yeah. You lucky enough to have any siblings?"

"No my parents were fairly young when they had me. Too young in my Grandmother's opinion. The way my Grandmother looks at it my parents had me too young and they died way too young."

They continued talking for a while. After a bit Thalania stepped off to one side. Wildrik followed her. He looked around and set down his load of equipment.

"Now this is a nice area. Over there are some real nice crystal formations. I didn't even know this area was here."

"You like it then?"

"You bet. I'd set your load down we might be here a while."

"Fine with me. I need a rest."

Thalania took a rest while Wildrik did a complex study of the area. After a while it got a little overcast and dark. Wildrik checked his chronometer.

"It's getting late. How do you think we should tackle this? Set up camp for the night or continue on?"

"We'll set up camp," Thalania said as she removed her pup tent from her pack. Wildrik though had a more substantial tent with his equipment capable of sleeping more then one person even though it fit in a small sized container.

"Man Will you come prepared." Thalania said as she looked at his tent compared to her smaller sized tent.

"I like to have space when I sleep."

While Wildrik continued his exploration of the area Thalania gathered some wood and built a small campfire.

"Thalania, what's your phone number?" Wildrik inquired as he pushed his sleeve aside.

"Any particular reason?"

"Besides my calling your house on my wrist phone so your grandma knows you are safe?"

"Hand me your wrist phone for a second."

Wildrik did so. After a few seconds he heard her voice.

"Grandma, It's Thala. I'm in good shape." "I ran into Geoboy. I told you about him Will Maire the guy who is way into rocks." "He is actually a nice guy. He was heading out looking for rocks and gave me a ride here." "It's his wrist phone I'm using. I'll try and keep in contact Grandma. I'm not sure how long we will be gone. I'll try and be home day after tomorrow."

The call ended soon after that. Fairly soon in the light of the fire Wildrik was working on something.

"What are you working on?"

"Oh just a little something. I found this one crystal that seemed to be the perfect color, shape, and everything and I wanted to preserve it in a special way."

"Mind if I take a look?"

"Sure if you will hold out your left hand."

She did and he placed a small ring on her left middle finger.

"Talk about beautiful Will. Do you make stuff like this very often?"

"It depends on the specimen. This one was just crying out for a ring. Besides it will be a great souvenir of our time together."

"I have a pretty nice souvenir as well. Although it will be more like the memory that will be the real souvenir."

"Why is that?"

"This is why," Thalania said as she walked over and put her arms around him and pressed her lips to his.

"That was something else," Wildrik said when she finished. "Talk about a new experience."

"Get outta here, Will."

"Any particular reason you want me to leave?"

"I was kidding about you leaving Will. It's just I figured you had women kiss you before."

"No you were the first."

"You want to know something Will?"

"Sure."

"It was my first kiss as well. I've had boyfriends before but never one quite like you. My previous boyfriends I never felt like I could kiss. Part of it is I used to wear braces. Talk about archaic. I've never even done It before."

"Tonight might not be the best night for It."

"I agree. I'd rather not make the same mistake my parents did. That's the main reason probably I haven't done It."

"Thalania, I noticed you had shortened your name while talking to your grandmother."

"Well most of my friends simply address me as Thala. You can address me either way."

"You apparently think of me as a friend so I hope you won't be upset if I address you the way your friends do."

They went to bed soon after that. The next morning they broke camp at first light and continued on.

"Thala, do you regret last night at all?"

"Of course not Will. If anything you gave my whole hiking trip a real purpose. You know any other science types?"

"Sita Lynch."

"You're joking aren't you?"

"Not at all Sita and I are both on a special representative panel for Silvino. We along with eight other teens including his daughter Xelia are his representatives to the youth of Unaka."

"Does Xelia act like she is better then everyone else and just ruin the fun?"

"Actually she is a fan of Hoverdisc and has even done it herself. One time I was visiting a village in South Nigeralia for a festival one of the teens in the village invited a bunch of us too and Sita was another person invited and all I did was pick up a rock and she went off on a dissertation dealing with the entire geological composition of the village."

Periodically during that day Thalania would pull off near an area of rocks. Will would do a quick study then they would move on. They eventually came across a clearing.

"Will, I think we should stop for the night here and set up camp then explore the area."

"Sounds good Thala."

They quickly set up camp and walked around. While they were gone an intruder came in and used her sword to slash Thalania's tent to shreds. She then left a calling card.

Wildrik and Thalania ended up returning to their campsite half an hour later. Thalania immediately went pale.

"My tent. I've had that tent since I was eleven and I decided one summer to sleep in our back yard. Now look at it."

"Thala, it's ok. It's not like you're alone. You can always sleep with me tonight unless you'd rather go home. I can port back to my truck and bring it here."

"I'd rather not ruin our first date by chickening out. Besides my grandma feels I need something more substantial then that as it is."

Wildrik noticed the calling card and remained on alert that night. About an hour before sunrise he heard some strange sounds outside the tent. He glanced over and saw Thalania was still sleeping away so he slipped out and investigated.

"Dani, what are you doing here?"

"Just having some fun," the villianess responded.

"You are so cruel Dani that you're even crueler then the villainess in a very ancient movie I saw once about a large number of dogs."

"I'd stay and beat the you know what's out of you but I seem to have a previous engagement," Dani said before leaving.

Just as well she did retreat before a battle could commence since I can't very well morph even using the holoimaging equipment Sita came up with without completely blowing my cover.

That morning they went looking at some formations nearby which Wildrik had taken the time to mark on a map so he could plan an extremely serious trip at another time. About noontime he was checking a formation when he found a particularly nice specimen.

"Thala, could you hand me up my laser cutting tools."

"What do you need them for?"

"I found something even better then a rock. I think I found a fossil of some type."

"Really? Let me look," Thala said as she took a small tool set out of her own backpack. She was next to him a couple minutes later and started to work away at it.

"I find fossils almost as fascinating as you find rocks even if it doesn't provide fuel for my reputation. For me fossils are a hobby versus an obsession."

"Believe it or not Koryn has been known to call me rocks for brains."

Thala soon had the fossil safely extricated. She wrapped it up carefully and placed it in her backpack. They then returned to camp and packed things up. Will then ported to his truck and brought it to the campsite. They soon had everything loaded.

"Thala, you want me to drop you off at home."

"Sure Will," she responded.

She gave him directions once they got into town.

"Thala, you doing ok?" her grandmother inquired as Thalania was getting out of the truck.

"Yes Grandma, I even found a fossil with Will's help."

"Luckily you had your kit with you?"

"I know. He was definitely an asset on this trip besides I had fun assisting him with his rock hunting."

"Where did you get that ring from?"

"Will made it using a crystal he found near our campsite the first night."

Before Thala headed inside she made sure Wildrik received one more passionate kiss.

"Will call me so we can go back to that one formation. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few other fossils in amongst the rocks."

"You can count on it Thala."

End