Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all related indicia belong to Saban. Jenga, the blue tiger cub, Maggie, Molly, Heather, and the most vague concept of the Thunder Rangers belongs to me. I can't take much credit for the Thunder Rangers, as they are Power Rangers, and as I've already stated, Saban owns them. I reference a few other things in here, including the Spice Girls, a concept from a Dean Koontz novel, some "real life" reporters, and some other stuff here and there that I do not own. Other things, such as the call name for KBKO studios, et cetera, are my invention, but I'm not going so far as to claim ownership of them, because I don't mind if other authors use KBKO without my permission.
Author's Note: This fic takes place on the same Sunday that the fic "Shining Tears" takes place on. For a general timeline idea, this is late August, 1997. Last but never least, thanks to Julia and Ellen for their invaluable beta reads.

Phantom Four
by Jeremy Ray Logsdon

Phaedos
Dulcea smiled warmly as Jason approached her. "It is good to see you again, Jason," she said, her smile apparent even through her eyes, the only part of her visible due to her Silver Ninjetti suit.

"It's good to be back," Jason said. He followed Dulcea's eyes, his gaze landing on a young woman in a Black Ninjetti suit, performing an elaborate kata. "How is Emily doing? Can I see her?"

"Her training is almost finished," Dulcea said, "but you cannot see her until then."

"When?"

"Earth, next nightfall. She will be glad to see you, Jason."

"Why can't I see her until then?"

"Because I said so," Dulcea answered. Reaching out to Jason's arm, she touched his communicator, brand-new and shining as Alpha had just synthesized it for him, and pressed the button. In a sparkling cloud of red light, Jason disappeared, streaking up into the afternoon skies of Phaedos.

Jenga swept the dust off of the heavy book. "I knew this was here!" she cried. "Dark Spectre! Get in here!"

With a glimmer of red light, Dark Spectre appeared beside her. "Yes, my Queen?"

"The planet Sila Ree Tar," she said. "Go to the UAE and see if there are any reports of any type from that planet." Without a reply, Dark Spectre disappeared.

Jenga sat down on the floor of the warehouse. Thus far, the Space Base had proved to be an excellent source for various interesting artifacts. She just hoped that what she had in her lap was what she thought it was. As she opened the book, she realized that it was.

And that was a very good thing.

Sunday Morning
"They've already found out!" Rebecca cried, slamming the phone down.

"Found out what?" Billy asked, wiping at his sleepy eyes.

"The press already knows you're home," his mother returned. "Augh... It's going to get frantic around here..."

"Rebecca! David!" Kimberly called from upstairs. She came to the balcony that overlooked the living room and said, "There's a media van in the driveway!"

The phone rang again, and Rebecca was quick to answer it. "What?" she snarled.

"Rebecca, it's Karen," she said. "They know."

"I think it's time the Power Rangers intervened," Billy muttered. Hitting his brand-new communicator, he disappeared in a flash of royal blue.

Later that afternoon
"Is my tie straight?" Rocky asked.

"You're gorgeous, man," Jason joked. "Me?"

"Barely presentable," Rocky returned, earning a good-natured punch in the arm.

"All right, we have to keep our stories straight," Billy said. "There are some worlds we went to that we absolutely cannot mention."

"We're not supposed to mention the naked world, right?" Kimberly asked.

"Right," Billy said. "No one needs to know about that." The naked world was a world where clothing wasn't just optional; it was illegal. As a group, they had managed to avoid having to be naked around each other. However, when they also realized that the Naked World had the economy system of a Marxist commune and that all goods were free, they decided to stock up. In what was probably a chauvinistic move of bravado, the guys decided that the girls didn't have to draw straws. However, Kimberly and Katherine had no qualms with letting the guys be macho on that world. Jason and Billy lost, and they had to go into the heart of the city, naked as the day they were born, and stock up on supplies. Both men returned, red-faced, but with supplies of all types, except clothing, that made life much better for the next few days.

"We got home when we slid into a world where the Power Rangers had sliding technology, and they sent us home," Rocky said. "Right?"

"Right," Billy agreed. The five were waiting in a sound proof room somewhere in KBKO studios, where a gargantuan press conference was about to be held.

"The Turbo Rangers have arrived," Andre Ferguson announced over the intercom.

"Guys?" Heather St. John asked as she knocked on the door.

"Heather?" Jason asked, looking at her.

"Jason, it is so good to see you," Heather sighed, hurrying over to him and hugging him. "I bet Em's kicking herself for being out of town right now."

"What are you doing here?" Jason asked.

"Long, long story," Heather said. "I wanted to introduce myself to all of you before we go on the air. My name is Heather St. John, and I will be representing KBKO. Barbara Walters is here for ABC in general, Katie Couric for NBC, and Dan Rather is here for CBS. Aside from all of those people are literally thousands of reporters from all over the world for newspapers, magazines, and other stations. Now because we are an ABC affiliate station, Barbara Walters will be taking the lead for us. However, I will be asking questions. I promise not to ask anything too... unpleasant, but I can't keep any of these other people from asking something that might step on your toes. Have our lawyers talked with you yet?"

"At length," Rocky groaned.

"Then you know you can refuse any question," Heather affirmed.

"Heather, we need you for make-up," Andre said over the intercom again.

"That's my call," she said. "Just... take deep breaths and be yourself. You won't be attacked, I promise you that."

"Come on in, Maria, Karen," Rebecca Cranston said, opening the door to Rocky and Jason's mothers.

"Has it started yet?" Maria asked, glancing at the television.

"Not yet," Rebecca said. Just as she was about to shut the door, Lisa Hillard rapped her knuckles against it.

"Thanks for the invite, Rebecca," Lisa smiled as she and her husband, Ryan, entered the house. John Scott was close behind them.

"Where is Kimberly's mother?" Ryan asked, looking around the living room.

"Right there," David Cranston remarked with a frown, pointing at his wife.

"David," Rebecca said sternly. "Christine felt it in her best interest to move to France. It's none of our conc-"

"It's every bit your concern, Rebecca," Karen interrupted. "You and David are raising her daughter. I can't imagine what kind of parent would totally disrupt a child's life by moving to another country during her teen years."

"We aren't raising her," Rebecca said, "we're just letting her live here. She's already raised."

"I believe it's starting," Ryan announced, nodding at the television.

KBKO Studios
As Barbara Walters moved toward the podium, the crowd of reporters erupted into polite applause. Near the front of the room, Heather St. John was shaking hands and introducing herself to Katie Couric and Dan Rather before she went up to join Barbara Walters.

"On the air in sixty seconds," someone announced. "Barbara?"

"Thanks," she smiled. "Ladies and gentleman, my name is Barbara Walters, and we are here today to make what will become history." She motioned for Heather to come join her before continuing, "We'll be live from coast to coast, and by the time twenty-four hours have elapsed, what is about to transpire here in the next hour will have been seen by more countries than not around the globe. Let's remember that these kids have been through a lot, and it was rather remarkable that they've consented to an interview so soon after coming back home. You've all been given a list of what you can ask. If it isn't on the list, then you'll have to clear it with one of the Power Rangers. The Turbo Rangers will be stationed around the room, and their word is final. Heather?"

"Thanks, Barbara," Heather smiled. Taking her place at the podium, she said, "I know that none of you know me, but I am Heather St. John, and today, I'm representing KBKO. We were selected to host this groundbreaking interview, due to the fact that we are the largest television studio in the Angel Grove, Stone Canyon, Silver Falls area. We-"

"Heather, ten seconds," a voice interrupted.

"The voice of God is telling me to hurry up," Heather said, earning a few chuckles, "so I'll extend a quick welcome and thank you for coming, and I'll turn it back over to Barbara."

Five colored flashes of light appeared at the back of the room. Justin had already taken back the Blue Turbo armor, despite the fact that the other Turbo Rangers were virtual strangers to him.

_Let's just hope the Power Rangers don't get called into battle,_ Heather mused to herself. However, she had no more than thought that when another thought came to her. _I'm a Power Ranger, now... Geeze, I really hope I don't get called into battle!_

"This is gonna be bad exposure for Jenga," Divatox mused. She pushed her periscope back up to the ceiling of the Lunar Palace. "This is gonna be real bad..."

"I'm the Queen of Evil," Jenga remarked as she strode into the palatial room. "It doesn't get much worse than that."

"It's one thing to try and take over the world," Ivan Ooze remarked. "It's another thing to be abusive to children."

"They're teenagers!" Jenga cried, gesturing at Earth with her left hand. "Jeezum Crow. All right, King Mondo! Monster, Earth, now!"

"Where's Ashley?" Maggie Hammond asked as she and her identical twin Molly headed for the television room.

"At a friend's house," their mother answered. Before Maggie and Molly could reply, they both heard a distinct two-toned ring.

"What was that?" Molly whispered under her breath.

"I'm not sure," Maggie returned. However, a quick glance at her right hand gave her the answer. The pink phoenix tattoo was now plainly visible. "Come on," she said, taking Molly by the elbow and pulling her into the kitchen.

"What do we do?" Molly asked, looking at the yellow Kirin on her right hand.

"Uhm, she said we could use them to keep in contact," Maggie answered. She stared at her tattoo for a few seconds longer before asking, "How do they work?"

"I don't know!" Molly cried. "Uhm... Maybe...?" Folding her three middle fingers down and pointing her pinky and index finger out, she made her hand into a telephone and lifted it to her ear. "Helloo?" she asked cautiously.

"Maybe we touch it," Maggie mused.

Pressing two fingers to her tattoo, she immediately heard, "Thunder Rangers, please report to our HQ immediately."

"It worked!" Maggie cried happily.

"I heard it!" Molly agreed. Clasping forearms, the two jumped up and down, squealing, for a few seconds. Molly quickly brought them to a halt. "Wait a minute... How do we get to DECA?"

Maggie opened her mouth to answer, only to shut it again. "Ungh," she sighed unhappily. "This Ranger stuff is hard."

David Trueheart ducked behind his jeep, balancing himself on the balls of his feet. It had given him quite a start to hear a phantom two-toned beep. However, it didn't take more than a second to realize that he was being paged by DECA. His Pegasus tattoo was a bright blue against his tanned skin.

Pushing his fingers against it, he said, "DECA?"

"Yes, David," she said. "Please report to HQ immediately."

"Right," he agreed. Letting go of the tattoo, he tried to ascertain how that could be accomplished. Teleportation was obviously one of DECA's abilities. He just had to figure out how he could teleport with that tattoo. _What did Tommy say about it?_ David tried to remember. _"We touch our communicators, this button here, and just think of where we want to go."_

"Hope this works," David mused. Pressing the tattoo again, he called up a mental image of DECA's headquarters, a small room inside her body's cavity. Immediately, his skin began to glow a bright blue. As David looked down at his body, he saw the blue brighten until he was nothing more than a silhouette of liquid, blue light with no human features visible. Then, he quickly wisped away, leaving nothing behind but a pair of footprints.

"It was very nice getting to know you, Adelle," Marge said, shaking her hand eagerly, "but I have a prior commitment that just came up."

"A prior commitment that just came up?" Adelle asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Uhm, well," Marge stammered. She looked nervously at the red Phoenix on her hand. "You see, it's like this... Uhm... I gotta go!" Turning tail and running, she darted out of the Youth Center.

"Is that what you meant about bad excuses?" Adelle asked, looking over at Ernie.

"Well, she's not a... one of them, but that's actually one of the better excuses I've heard," Ernie mused, nodding.

Marge ran into the women's locker room, delighted to find it empty. "It's Marge, DECA," she whispered into her tattoo. "Problem?"

"The Dynasty has just sent one of the Machine Empire's machines to the countryside just beyond Angel Grove," DECA answered. "I need you here as soon as you can."

"I'm on my way," Marge promised. After checking again to make sure she was alone, she pressed her tattoo and quickly vanished in a Marge-shaped silhouette of red light.

Maggie and Molly shimmered into being in DECA's internal cavity. "I think we made it," Molly said, looking around her.

"Next time, you merely need to touch your tattoo and think of where you want to go," DECA told them calmly.

"The one thing we didn't think of," Maggie said to Molly.

"What about Heather?" Marge asked, stepping up the red pedestal in the center of the room. There were five chest-height pedestals in the center of DECA's room. In the area outlined by the pedestals there was a holographic viewing screen that was currently displaying live coverage of the press conference.

"We cannot expect her to leave," DECA told them. "If need be, we will ask Zordon's Rangers for assistance. For now, the four of you must go battle the Machine Empire's latest creation, Deehi Draytor."

"Deehi Draytor?" Maggie asked, looking up at the black screen set on one wall. "What the sam hill does that mean?!"

"I do not know all of this creatures modes of attack at the moment," DECA answered. Her voice was a green oscillating line across the screen. "You must exercise extreme caution against this creature."

"All right," David said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. "Marjorie?"

She smiled as the situation set in. Immediately, all four Rangers fell into perfect line, left arm pulled back and right arm out before them. "Thunder Bolt, Now!" Marge cried. A glimmer of light appeared between each Ranger's right thumb and forefinger, producing their Thunder Orb.

"Pink Firebird Thunder Power!" Maggie cried.

"Yellow Kirin Thunder Power!" Molly shouted.

"Blue Pegasus Thunder Power!" David bellowed.

"Red Dragon Thunder Power!" Marge invoked.

In four simultaneous flashes of light, the quartet were immediately clad in their armor. The immediately began to glow. When the glow reached its pinnacle, the quarter faded away.

Marge sailed into the air, pushing off of Molly's and David's shoulders. "Thunder Whip!" she cried, extending her right arm. Even as her whip appeared in her grip, a long, red cord snaked out and lashed around one of Deehi Draytor's arms. The machine was a bulky humanoid, covered with spikes and tubing.

"Maggie, now!" David shouted.

Dropping down to one knee, Maggie pulled her Power Blaster free and pointed it at the machine. As she pressed the trigger, a stream of pink lasers shot out of it, striking Deehi Draytor. He gave an angry yell and yanked hard on Marge's whip, pulling her off of his feet. Lifting his left hand up, he pointed it at Maggie. His hand turned into a small cannon and a stream of white light shot out of it.

Maggie cried and dropped her Power Blaster as the beam of white light bathed her. Her arms were thrust back and her legs dangled uselessly as she was yanked off of the ground.

"Maggie!" Molly cried.

"Get me down!" Maggie shouted as she was lifted higher and higher into the air.

"Power Blasters, up!" David ordered. He and Molly fired their guns at Deehi Draytor's cannon-arm. A series of sparks shot out of the end, and the beam disappeared, dropping Maggie to the ground.

"You okay?!" Molly cried, putting her Power Blaster back in her holster as she ran over to her sister.

"I been better," Maggie murmured as she attempted to sit up.

"Get her out of the way!" Marge ordered, even as she was slammed into the ground just a few feet from them.

"Maggie, are you okay?!" Molly shouted

"I'm fine," Maggie said, climbing to her feet. "Just kind of dizzy."

Suddenly, white light streaked through the sky and landed before them, forming the White Ranger. Aisha turned to the Pink and Yellow Rangers, saying, "If she is disoriented, just hang out on the sidelines. You stay with her."

"Right," Molly agreed as Aisha leapt into the fight.

As Jenga and Dark Spectre walked toward the main palatial room of the Lunar Palace, he told her of what he had learned about Sila Ree Tar. "The planet is occupied by a civilization that has regressed. They are living in a situation comparable to 19th century Earth. However, no one has made an attempt for the Great Pyramid in over three hundred millennia."

"Information," Jenga ordered as they stepped into the main room. The few villains present looked up at the Queen of Evil and her personal servant.

"Double star system," he told her. "Sila Ree Tar is one of two planets captured in the figure eight orbit. A terrestrial planet approximately twice Earth's size. Numerous climate zones, ranging from arctic to desert. No significant bodies of water. Only numerous lakes."

"The Quest Watcher?" Jenga asked. "Any reports from him?"

"Neither the UDAB nor the UAE have heard anything from him. However, Pandemonium still exists. He could theoretically reside within."

"Thank you, Dark Spectre," Jenga said. "Dismissed." He disappeared in the same manner he arrived. Immediately followed his disappearance, Divatox and Astronema approached her.

"Jenga?" Astronema asked.

"The Quest for the Great Pyramid," Jenga answered. "The only quest with an end result more powerful is that for the Great Power. But this quest has one decidedly different component. A being of EVIL can successfully complete this mission."

"What are the end results?"

"No one actually knows," Jenga said. "Those who have journeyed to the Great Pyramid were not permitted to divulge any facts. However, it is known that within the Great Pyramid resides the one thing that everyone wants and no one has."

"Are you going?" Divatox asked.

"Yes," Jenga said quickly. "I am going to Sila Ree Tar almost immediately."

"Why did you call us here?" Astronema asked.

"One of you will journey with me," Jenga said. "The other shall stay here at the Dynasty and rule in my absence alongside MasterVile. The journey to the Great Pyramid will take at least three months. I need someone who can be as strong and evil as I am. Since that person doesn't exist, I'm going to choose one of you." Astronema and Divatox looked at each other nervously. "Your call, ladies," Jenga finished.

Astronema wrapped a hand around a silver locket on her neck. She opened it and gazed at the contents longingly for a moment before snapping it shut. "The one thing everyone wants and no one has," Astronema murmured. "Jenga, I want to go with you."

"I would be truly honored to rule in your absence," Divatox said softly.

"Very well," Jenga agreed, smiling. Standing up, she extended her right arm and pulled Ioaeu Sjknth out of the air. "Magic is not allowed during our Quest. Understand that I am not giving you this. I am letting you keep it while I am gone."

"Understood," Divatox said as she took the heavy object. It was tinged with royal purple, due to Jenga's excited emotional state. As Divatox took it, the sword flushed yellow, indicating her extreme nervousness.

"Astronema?" Jenga asked. "We will need a Fire Crystal as payment. Blue, please." Astronema twisted her hand and produced a round orb with a tiny blue fire glowing within it. "Ready?"

"Take care of this for me," Astronema told Divatox as she removed her locket. "Place it in my room and let no one look at it." Divatox nodded as she closed her hand around the locket. Looking back at her big sister, Astronema said, "I'm ready."

Jenga delicately waved her hand in the air. A swirling vortex of sparks of light surrounded them. A moment later, the two women had disappeared within the light. It streaked up through the ceiling and headed off through the universe.

"Hoo boy," Divatox sighed.

"Divatox," Zedd called, looking into space. "Space ship approaching the Solar System, fast."

"Porto!" Divatox cried. "Determine point of origin! Finster, determine point of destination! Klank, Orbus, determine affiliation!"

The quartet of scientists hurried off to do her work. As Divatox walked up to the balcony, a periscope lowered from the ceiling. After a quick look, she turned away, deep in thought. "That emblem... The one that looks like an 'M.' I believe that was associated with the planet Daria."

"Daria?" Zedd asked.

"Some people also call it KO-35."

"Barbara, it was truly an honor meeting you," Heather said, pumping the older woman's fist vigorously, "but I really must be going."

"A pleasure," Barbara said with a smile. As she turned back to talk to the quintet of sliders, Heather slowly walked out of the room. As soon as she was clear, she ran down the hallway. Turning the corner, she glanced around. However, just as she was about to press the glowing green tattoo of the lion on her hand, a trio of reporters walked past her. Growling in frustration, she ran to the end of the hall.

Before she could turn the corner, the elevator dinged and opened. A lone woman got out, and Heather quickly hurried inside. She hit the button for Level G of the Parking Garage, but before she was in the clear, someone called out, "Hold the elevator!"

_Crud!_ Heather screamed mentally. The doors weren't shut enough for her to duck into a corner with looking like a complete jerk. Instead, she scowled, trying to hide it behind a smile, and pushed the Door Open button.

As the man entered the elevator, Heather stepped back into the corner. She frowned as he pushed the Level F button, ruining any chance of having the elevator alone for any length of time.

After what was definitely the longest elevator ride of her life, she eventually ended up in the parking garage. She walked nervously out of the elevator. As the door closed, she was about to press her tattoo and radio DECA, only to see four women in business suits walk past.

"Dammit!" she yelled angrily. As the four women turned to her in shock, Heather quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, that wasn't directed to you." Smiling nervously, she took off running through the Parking Garage, dodging through cars and too many people. As she reached the center of the level, she crouched down behind a black Lexus.

She balanced herself precariously on her high heels and pressed the tattoo. "DECA," she whispered.

"Heather, please morph as soon as possible," DECA returned. "I will teleport you to the fight."

Heather lifted her head up, looking around. Crouching back down, she whispered as she took the morphin stance, "Thunder bolt, now..."

The five Thunder Rangers, and Aisha in her White Ninja Ranger armor, along with Deehi Draytor, stopped fighting as a gargantuan, blue ship roared overhead. The ship, shaped a bit like a stereotypical flying saucer, suddenly warbled out of sight. However, before any of the Rangers had a chance to question what was occurring, a silver teleport stream shot from the area that the ship had just been in.

As the silver sparks of light faded away, a Silver Power Ranger was left standing among the Rangers. His suit was made of the same armor as the others. However, across his chest was a golden strip with five black boxes inside it. His helmet had a large black circle situated across the forehead and top of the skull; his mouth plate was similar to that of the Thunder Rangers, in that there were no lips present. There was a rectangular visor, outlined with gold that stretched around the helmet and the black circle atop it. The edges of his visor were shaped like an elongated, forked fish tail. His belt buckle was shaped a bit like a golden envelope that instantly made Aisha think of the Publishers' Clearing House symbol. The same symbol could be seen in the tiny portion of his helmet separating the visor and the black circle.

"I want to talk to you guys, later!" the Silver Ranger cried. "But for now, I'll lend a hand!"

However, before the new Silver Ranger could join the fight, green light shone down from the sky, landing on Deehi Draytor. Instantly, he shot up, hundreds of feet tall.

"Oh man!" David cried.

"This is so totally not good," Molly decided.

"Guys, let's call in the Zords!" Heather shouted.

In unison, the five Thunder Rangers cried, "We need ThunderZord Power, Now!"

"TigerZord!" Aisha cried, thrusting her fist into the sky. "Power up!"

"MegaWinger!" the Silver Ranger shouted. "On-line!"

As Deehi Draytor's metallic corpse collapsed to the ground, the Power Rangers of various affiliations and colors leapt from their Zords. As soon as he struck the ground, the Silver Ranger asked, "Does Zordon of Eltare live on this planet?"

"Zordon of who?" Maggie asked.

"Zordon is my mentor," Aisha told him. "Do you-?"

"I need to speak with him," Silver Ranger said forcefully. "It is urgent." He turned to look at Marge. Pausing, he crossed his arms across his chest and said, "I've never met a female Red Ranger, before."

"Yeah, well... You're only the second guy Ranger I've met," Marge shot back. "Come on, team." In unison, the five Thunder Rangers crossed their arms at chest level and snapped them out at their waists. They all glowed their Ranger color before promptly fading away.

"About Zordon?" Silver Ranger asked again. "Say, I've never met a female White Ranger, eith-"

"Are you actually flirting with me?" Aisha asked hotly.

"Will it do any good?"

"I have a boyfriend," Aisha told him.

"Figures," he griped as the two disappeared in tandem streams of white and silver light.

"We're late for cheerleading practice!" Maggie cried as she frantically changed into her royal blue top.

"This crap had better not interfere with my dates!" Molly griped, hopping as she traversed the room with her silver and blue cheerleading skirt tangled around her legs.

"Oh, I know!" Maggie agreed. "It's like, yeah, hi. I'm sorry, uhm, Guy I'm Dating. I have to go save the world. Could you like wait here and save my seat?"

"Really," Molly huffed. "We- hey... Can we, uhm, you know... do that thing to get to cheerleading practice?"

"Do you mean like... are we allowed to, or do we know how?"

"Uhm, either, I guess."

Maggie pressed two fingers against the section of her hand that tattoo had previously been visible on. Magically, the pink firebird tattoo lit up on her skin. "DECA?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, Maggie?"

"We were wondering," Maggie said. "Is it okay with you if Molly and I could use our tattoos to get to cheerleading practice?"

"The term is teleportation, and I have no objection," DECA told her. "Just make sure you don't get seen."

"Maybe being a Power Ranger can have its perks after all," Molly smiled.

"Just think it!" Maggie cried. "Whenever there is a sale at the mall, we won't have to fight traffic!"

Alpha turned around as silver and white sparks of light flew into the Command Center. He expected to see Dulcea standing there, but instead, there was an unfamiliar Silver Ranger. "White Ranger?" Alpha asked.

"He asked to speak to Zordon," Aisha said, "and since the computers didn't keep him out..."

There was a crackle of energy as Zordon appeared in his energy pedestal. "Silver Ranger, please identify yourself," Zordon said. "Your secret is safe with us. Aisha..."

By the time Aisha had removed her helmet, the Silver Ranger had done likewise. She raised her eyebrows as she took in his appearance. He had a boyishly handsome face and blonde hair. "My name is Zhane," the Silver Ranger said. "I-"

"Are you a Ranger of the planet Daria?" Zordon asked.

"I was."

"It is my understanding that Daria was destroyed."

"I believe I am the sole survivor," Zhane told him. "My grandmother, the Yellow Ranger of Daria, placed me, along with these experimental Silver Ranger Powers, aboard a ship known as the AstroMegaShip in cryogenic suspension. I was told to locate Earth and seek out Zordon of Eltare. I assume-?"

"Yes," Zordon said. "I am Zordon, and I extend my deepest sympathies upon the destruction of your planet."

"Thank you," Zhane said softly. Swallowing hard, he added, "I don't know what to do. It's that simple. I have no family, I have no friends, and I have no planet. Can you help me?"

"You're late!" co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Hallie Burquette, cried as Maggie and Molly came rushing out of the locker room. She was an attractive black girl with ebony black hair in a short, chin-length bob. Like the Hammond twins, she was wearing a blue and silver cheerleading outfit. The word Co-Captain was embroidered on the left breast in silver thread.

"We were seriously detained," Maggie said. Her own sweater bore the name Captain.

"Like you have no idea," Molly finished. "Is Ashley here yet?"

"Man, I'm thirsty all of a sudden," Maggie complained, making a bee-line for the water fountain.

"We're going out to the field," Molly called as she and Hallie began to jog out of the school.

"I'll catch up in a minute!" Maggie shouted back as she darted for the water fountain.

"You can come in, now!" Zhane called. Zack and Aisha stepped into Zack's bedroom, taking a look at Zhane. He had refused to demorph, citing a lack of clothing beneath his armor, until he could get more clothes. Zack had offered, but Zack was several inches shorter than Zhane. Alpha, fortunately, had offered to make him some clothing. "How do I look?"

He was dressed in very normal clothes, just a pair of black shorts and short-sleeved, silver, button-up shirt. However, from the way he was fidgeting, it was obvious he was not used to clothing like that.

"Like your ordinary Earthling," Zack said, grinning.

"Very cute," Aisha decided, earning a glance from Zack out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you sure it's okay that I stay on your planet?" Zhane asked. "I mean... aren't there laws?"

"Alpha is creating you an identity that is all your own," Zack told him. "By this afternoon, you'll be an official Earthling."

"And a Ranger under Zordon's guard," Zhane sighed. "You guys don't realize what an honor this is. Zordon is renowned across the entire universe! And I hear I'm his first Silver Ranger."

"We should give you a crash-course on Earth," Zack realized. "Remember how lost Dulcea was?"

"Dulcea?" Zhane asked, raising his eyebrows. "Dulcea of Phaedos is on Earth now?"

David Cranston spun around in his seat as a blue teleport landed behind him. "Oh, hey Justin," he greeted, turning back to his computer.

"Hey little man," Rebecca smiled as she entered their reading room with the Sunday paper.

"Mom, Dad, I was wondering," Justin started. "Can I pretty please get a low-maintenance pet?"

"Low-maintenance pet?" Rebecca asked. "Such as?"

"Oh, a dog... Or a cat, something like that," Justin stammered.

"I'd love to have a dog!" David cried. "I haven't had a dog since I was a little boy! Can we Mom?!"

"I'm more of a cat person, myself," Rebecca mused. "But yeah, I think having a pet would be good for you."

"Great!" Justin cried happily. "You won't regret this, I swear!"

As he teleported away, Rebecca asked, "Why would he say something like that?"

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Coach Carey, the cheerleading coach, griped. "Ashley, Molly, where is your sister?"

"Probably infecting a mall," Ashley muttered.

"She was just with us," Hallie said.

"Hallie, lead the team 'til Maggie shows up," Coach Carey said, running a frustrated hand through her hair. "Molly, go see if you can find her."

"You got it, Coach!" Molly said eagerly before running off.

"All right, girls," Hallie sighed as she stepped out before them.

"Maggie?!" Molly cried, running through the empty corridors of Angel Grove High. "Where are you?!"

"I'm here!" a muffled reply came. Perplexed, Molly followed the sound, finding Maggie still bent over the water fountain.

"What are you doing?" Molly asked, lifting her eyebrows.

"I'm so thirsty I can't stand it!" Maggie groaned in between drinks.

"How long have you been sucking on that water fountain?"

"Since I got here."

"So, uhm... You planning on finishing any time soon?"

"Not really," Maggie answered.

"What do I tell the coach?"

"What do you mean, she's really thirsty?" Coach Carey asked.

"She's really thirsty," Molly answered, crossing her arms across her chest. "I don't understand it; I'm just telling it like it is."

"Is she okay?" Ashley asked.

"She's just really thirsty," Molly told the team. "I don't know what it means. Maybe it's a female thing."

"That only works with the men teachers," Coach Carey told Molly as she marched to the building to get Maggie.

"You are such a cute little kitten," Justin cooed, scratching the blue tiger cub behind its ears. The cat was the size of a small but grown housecat, but it had the proportions of a kitten. Zordon and Alpha were so overjoyed at having the cat out of the Command Center, they allowed Justin to use the replicator and teleporter to create a literal home for the cat in his room. "I've just got to come up with a name for you."

"Oh Lord, I'm exhausted," Kimberly groaned as she trudged past Justin's bedroom.

"Hey Kim!" Justin called. "Come check this out!"

Kimberly rubbed her neck as she walked into Justin's bedroom. The press conference had been more tiring than she would have expected. "Whatcha got?" she asked. Then, she caught sight of the blue cub on the bed. "Is that a tiger?"

"Yep," Justin said. "The Rangers got him off of Muranthias when her parents were killed. Mom and Dad, and Zordon and Alpha, said I could keep her!"

"Oh, she's just a doll!" Kimberly cried, dropping down to her knees beside the bed. "Hey baby." As the tiny tiger began to purr from her attention, she couldn't help but giggle.

"Justin!" David called from downstairs. "Come see what I've got!"

"I'll stay with her," Kimberly offered. "Oh, you are so cute!"

"What is it, Dad?" Justin asked as he bounded down the stairs.

"Your low-maintenance pet!" Billy cried. "We went to the pound!"

Justin stopped halfway down the steps when he saw that Billy was holding a furry white and brown puppy in his arms. "Uh oh."

"Maggie, I think you have a problem," Coach Carey said warily.

"I'm fine," she returned. She had left the water fountain, after the water had started to taste bad, and switched to a 32 oz. sports bottle filled with apple juice. "I gotta pee, though."

"Why don't you go ahead and go home?" Coach Carey suggested. "I think it would be in your... our best interest."

"I'll walk her home," Molly offered, running up to them. "Sorry 'bout this."

"That's all right," Carey sighed. As the two blondes walked away, she shook her head sadly. "I need to retire."

"Justin, I really don't think tigers count as low-maintenance pets," David said slowly.

"But it sort of is," Justin countered. "Zordon and Alpha promised to supply us with everything we need to take care of them. And she's a little bit sentient, so she won't turn mean on us."

"In all fairness," Billy started, "I don't think Saint Bernard/Great Dane mixes are low-maintenance, either." The furball of a pup, mostly white but with a fair amount of brown, was already asleep on Billy's lap.

"I'm home, guys!" Rebecca cried. "And Justin, look what I got for you!"

"Oh no," Justin moaned, covering his face with his hands. Rebecca held a small grey kitten in her arms.

"Zhane William Prescott," Zhane mused, turning the laminated driver's license over and over in his hand.

"That name belonged to an infant who died at birth. You are assuming his identity. Your Social Security number," Alpha announced, handing Zhane another card.

"Wow," Zhane said thoughtfully. "That's a buncha numbers."

"Birth certificate."

Tanya took the paper from Alpha. "Your Earth birthday is now October 1, 1980. Alpha, this means he'll be a Senior at AGH."

"And here is his transcript."

"AGH?" Zhane asked.

"You're going back to school, dude," Zack said apologetically.

"Since you'll be living in your MegaShip, you'll need a mailing address," Alpha told him. He handed him another sheet of paper. "Anything sent to this address will get forwarded here."

"I gather that Earth is a rather complex, convoluted society," Zhane muttered.

"Alpha said that I can use the Command Center's teleporter, replication systems, and anything else to take care of the tiger," Justin said, launching into his prepared monologue. "I've already got this unbelievable system prepared where I can install a teleportation module in my closet, put the receiving pad in the basement, and no one ever has to know the tiger is here! It can be our family secret!"

"Justin, a cat is one thing," Rebecca said. Glaring at her husband, she added, "Even a dog that's going to end up weighing more than the entire family put together isn't as bad as a tiger!"

"She's semi-sentient!" Justin cried. "Sort of like a dolphin, only a little smarter. Alpha said there is zero chance she'll ever behave like a real tiger."

"It could be really good if a lion broke into the house," David grinned. Rebecca shot him a harsh glare that immediately knocked the smile off his face.

"Please?" Justin begged. "I'll be really, super good!"

"Oh, that is so cheap," Kimberly snickered.

"Do you have an idea how much predator cats eat?" Rebecca asked. "We can't afford-"

"Alpha said he would supply us with all of the supplies we need," Justin continued. "The only this tiger will cost us is... our love."

"You are incorrigible!" Billy cried, barely able to compose himself for his laughter. Kimberly, holding the tiny grey kitten in her arms, absolutely roared with laughter.

Sighing, Rebecca said, "What does everybody else think about sharing the house with something that will grow up to weigh half a ton?"

"Just six hundred pounds," Billy announced. "You're thinking of a male tiger. And I think it's great!"

"I'll think whatever you tell me to think, dear," David said with a saccharine smile.

"Kimberly?" Rebecca asked.

"Hey, if my say counts, I say we go for it."

"All right, but I get to name her," Rebecca announced.

"How about the dog?" David asked, scruffing the pup behind its ears.

"And the kitty cat?" Kimberly asked hopefully, holding up the tiny grey kitten.

"Maggie, this is starting to get embarrassing," Molly groaned.

"I'm thirsty!" Maggie cried before turning back to the water hose. Molly, unable to watch any longer, walked toward their house.

"Molly, why is Maggie sucking on the water hose?" her father, Samuel, asked. He was stretched out on their front porch's hammock, reading the paper and drinking a glass of lemonade.

"Ugh, hose water tastes nasty," Maggie groaned as she came hobbling up to them. "Ooh, lemonade." Samuel watched in disbelief as Maggie picked up the glass and all but poured it down her throat. Sticky lines of lemonade trailed down her chin and throat. As soon the glass was empty, she sat it down and hobbled into the house.

"Oh God, that is so gross," Molly complained, watching her older sister in disgust.

"What is wrong with her?" Samuel asked.

Molly thought for a second before turning to her dad, flashing him a smile, and saying, "It's a female thing."

"All I gotta know," Samuel muttered as he turned back to his paper.

Triforia
Catalina walked out of the Center of Power solemnly. Alpha Six was close behind her. "You okay, Cat?" the robot asked.

"I'm fine," she answered quickly. She watched as what appeared to be a blue and purple comet streaked across the black Triforian sky. _Jenga and Astronema..._

"You need me to contact the Rangers?"

"No," she said. "It doesn't effect us... Yet. But open a communications channel with Zordon. He must know of this."

Phaedos
Dulcea looked up as a ball of purple and blue fire streaked between the twin moons of Phaedos. She heard Emily approaching her, trying to be silent. No one else, save for a few excellent Ninjetti Warriors, would have heard for. However, Dulcea lashed out with one arm, grabbing Emily by the wrist.

"The training is over," Dulcea said hurriedly. "We must return to Earth."

"What about Ninjor?" Emily asked.

Before Dulcea could answer, she saw a blue teleportation stream dart away from Phaedos. "He's going to Pandemonium," she answered. "Come, young warrior. Let's go home."

Earth
"What is her phone number?!" Molly whined, flipping through the pages of the phone book.

"Whose phone number?" Maggie asked in between gulps.

"Marge," Molly answered. "She's smart. Maybe she can figure out what the sam hill happened to you."

"Tattoo," Maggie grunted. "Oh, Lord help me, I'm bloated."

"Marge?" Molly asked hopefully as she touched her tattoo.

"Molly?" Marge's voice was suddenly coming from what seemed to be the air around Molly.

"Yeah, it's me," Molly answered. "Uhm... Could you come over to our house?"

"I don't know where you live."

"Can you teleport here?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe. Give me a second." Suddenly, a red silhouette appeared beside Molly, which quickly filled out to produce Marge. "Yes, yes I can."

"Maggie won't stop drinking," Molly said.

"Drinking what?"

"Anything she can get her hands on," Molly answered, turning up her nose. "It's starting to gross everybody out."

"Well, she was zapped during the fight," Marge mused. "Maybe that's it. Come on, Maggie, let's go talk to DECA."

"Okay, but let me get a 2-liter, first."

Inside DECA's Headquarters, Maggie sat on a silver medical table, holding her stomach with one hand and drinking from a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke with the other.

"Scanning now," DECA announced. Green light washed over Maggie, who continued drinking. "Scan complete. Scan reveals that Maggie's chemical balance was affected by Deehi Draytor."

"Can you fix me?" Maggie asked.

"Dehydrator," Marge realized. "Now that is a bad pun."

"Allow me to create an antidote ray," DECA said.

"Are we going to have to put up with this all the time?" Molly asked. "No offense, Maggie, but you've been totally disgusting this afternoon. If being a Power Ranger means making personal dignity sacrifices, then the kids of Angel Grove are sorely mistaken in wanting to be Rangers."

"We're just back-up Rangers," Marge told her. "It's not even like we'll have to fight all that often." When no support from DECA was forthcoming, she added, "Right?"

"I do not know, Rangers," DECA said. "Antidote prepared." Green light once again shone on Maggie. "Antidote complete."

"How do ya feel, sis?" Molly asked.

"Oh man, I've got to pee," Maggie groaned, holding her stomach.

"This is late August," Divatox announced. "Jenga will be back around the start of December. And I've got the perfect idea for a Christmas gift!"

"Christmas?" Scorpina asked. "Jenga celebrates Christmas?"

"Oh yeah," Divatox told her. "For the Grand Queen of Evil, she's remarkably pro-Christmas. But imagine the look on her face when she comes home... and the Power Rangers have been destroyed!"

Lord Zedd, sitting in his throne in the corner, merely got up and walked out of the room.

"Shooting a bit high, aren't we?" Ivan Ooze asked sarcastically.

"There are more Power Rangers down there than at any point in practically any planet's history!" Scorpina cried. "What actually makes you think you can succeed where so many others have failed?!"

"I'm going to make my own team of evil Rangers," Divatox said calmly.

"That is such a repeat plot!" Ivan Ooze cried. "We've done it twice!"

"Three times counting Green Ranger," Rita said.

"Well I'm going to do it differently," Divatox announced, her voice still calm. "Astronema said I could use a Fire Crystal."

"You don't even have any powers to use to make one evil Ranger," Scorpina challenged.

"Let alone an entire team!" Rita continued.

"Porto!" Divatox cried, clapping her hands.

Her portly technician wobbled up to her quickly. "Yes, my Queen?"

"The plan we talked about earlier... What are our odds of success?"

"As I see them, twenty-five percent," Porto answered.

"Where are you going to get Rangers?" Ivan Ooze asked.

Divatox sat down beside the stone table. "The future's so bright," she answered in a cocky voice, "I gotta wear shades."

Justin looked at the trio of pets sleeping on his bed. True to her threat, Rebecca had named the tiger Lex. Kimberly had sweet-talked Justin into naming the grey kitten Samantha, even though he had opted for Buffy. And David, who was more excited about the pup than anyone, had named him Monroe.

However, for as happy as he was that he had three pets, he was upset with some news he had just been delivered. The five sliders had been offered an apology by the city of Angel Grove. They were going to go on what amounted to an around-the-world trip. A few people had suggested that the Turbo Rangers should be the one offering the apology, since their "official" stance was that the five teens were sent in their place to a different dimension accidentally.

"Hey Justin," Billy said from the doorway.

"Hey Billy. Come on in."

"I was hoping we'd get a chance to know each other better soon," Billy told him, sitting down on the floor beside the bed with him.

"Me too," Justin agreed.

"So I guess you've heard..."

"Do you have to go?" Justin asked.

"I don't have to go," Billy said. "But..."

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime," Justin sighed. "I know. I guess Kim is going, too."

"And Kat, Jase, and Rocky."

"You realize this is just going to keep you in the spotlight," Justin muttered.

"I know."

"You like it, don't you?"

"A little," Billy admitted, with a smile.

"What if the world finds out?" Justin asked. "I was at that conference. You all almost let it slip a few times."

"We're just going to be doing five reports," Billy told him. "One for each continent. And none of them will be live." In a lower voice, he said, "Besides, we've got these." He tapped the communicator on his wrist. "I'm just a few seconds away now."

"When will you be back?"

"For good? Start of November."

"Billy, this really sucks!" Justin cried. As the three animals stirred, he hurriedly apologized to them.

"Justin, the city of Angel Grove is going to pay for my college tuition if I agree to do this," Billy said.

"Don't you already have scholarships coming out your ears?"

"I lost every single one of them when I went to Aquitar," Billy answered. "Besides that, this is an all or none deal. And this could be Rocky's only shot at going to a good college without working himself to death to pay the tuition. It would be pretty selfish of me to refuse him an education.

"And, when we're in England, it's arranged for us to meet the Spice Girls. Rocky and Jason would kill me dead if I kept them from meeting Ginger and Scary Spice."

"Will you get me Sporty Spice's autograph?" Justin asked with an impish grin.

"I came across this in the MegaShip's Power Archives," Zhane said to Alpha. He handed the automaton a small, circular disk. "I'm not sure if you have it here or not, but it is called Metallic Armor."

"Metallic Armor?!" Alpha cried.

"My Rangers once possessed the Metallic Armor, but when the Command Center was destroyed, so was the Metallic Armor," Zordon said. "I had intended to implement it into the Zeo armor, but the opportunity was lost. Alpha, please check for compatibility."

"I haven't really had time to go through any of the Archives in the MegaShip before," Zhane said, "but today, I've found tons of things. I even came across a helmet program that can supposedly be incorporated into any type of armor. It's especially useful for fighting evil Rangers. During repeated fights, information on the Rangers is analyzed and stored by the helmet. In theory, it can eventually tell an evil Rangers' identity."

"Or a Thunder Ranger," Alpha suggested.

"We are not going to attempt to ascertain the Thunder Rangers' identities," Zordon said firmly. "However, this program could certainly be to our advantage. KO-35 was renowned for the technological prowess of its Rangers," Zordon boomed. "Zhane, you will truly be an asset to our defenses."

"Metallic Armor successfully uploaded to our sector of the Morphin Grid," Alpha announced. "All of our Rangers now have the ability to call on the Metallic Armor. This new version is more stable than the previous Metallic Armor. It can be used in any environment and for longer lengths of time."

"I'll go create an uplink from the MegaShip, and you can download everything I've got," Zhane suggested before he disappeared in a shower of silver.

Immediately following his departure were tandem streams of black and silver. Alpha turned to see Emily and Dulcea, both clad in their Ninjetti Suits. "Welcome to the Command Center, Emily."

"Hi," Emily smiled, extending her hand. "You must be Alpha."

"And that's Zordon," Dulcea said, pointing at their disembodied mentor.

"Welcome, Emily," Zordon greeted.

"I was told to give you this," Emily said, still smiling. As she handed Alpha her Phantom Ruby, she turned to Dulcea and said, "I have never been so happy to be home!"

"Allow me to create you a Turbo Morpher," Alpha offered.

"In so doing, we will be able to create you a new Ranger identity," Zordon told her. "The Phantom Ranger as we know her no longer exists. In her place has arisen a new and more powerful Ranger, Black Turbo Ranger Six."

The entire Command Center dimmed, and a holographic Ranger image appeared in the center. The Ranger was female and black. Her armor was covered with the same pattern of lines as the other Rangers, although her's were silver.

"This armor was originally designed for Jason," Alpha told her. "Billy assumed that Jason would continue on the team as the Gold Ranger, and he devised Gold Turbo Armor. Originally, this suit's highlights were golden, and there was a chest plate."

The hologram was slowly rotating, and as the front faced toward Emily, she saw that the visor was rectangular, with a strip of silver down the middle. "Your Zord is a tractor trailer known as Midnight Storm."

"Midnight Phantom," Emily said hurriedly. She paused, and then added, "Please?"

"That can be arranged," Zordon assured her.

The holographic display changed into a gargantuan black and silver truck. "Just like Pyramidas, it serves as both an individual Zord and a Carrier Zord for the other Turbo Rangers," Alpha said. "And here is your Turbo Morpher and a communicator."

As Emily took the devices, she asked, "Can I see Jason now? Please... It's been an entire summer."

"EMILY!" Jason bellowed. He bolted off of the porch and down the sidewalk, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

As the two met, they practically slammed into each other, Jason wrapped his arms around her. In their enthusiasm, Emily stumbled back onto Jason and pushed him to the ground. She giggled happily, almost hysterically even, as he continued to keep his arms around her.

"God, I've missed you so much," Emily groaned as they met in a deep, heated kiss.

Departing with a smack, Emily sat up, tugging Jason along with him. They sat on the cool grass in the middle of the suburb, Emily in Jason's lap. "You've never been more beautiful," Jason sighed, tracing the side of her face with his thumb.

"You neither," Emily grinned. Planting her hands in the center of his chest, she whistled and said, "Have you bulked up?"

"All for you, Babe," he said with a smile. "So, I hear you've got a secret for me."

"Yeah, I dated the football team while you were gone," Emily answered.

"No, not that."

"Baseball team?"

"Them neither."

"Oh, you must mean those Ranger powers?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"All mine, Baby," she said, twisting her wrists to show him her Turbo morpher. "Now I just showed you mine, so you have to show me your's." She grinned warmly at him.

"See, mine's all red and shiny," he grinned, producing his own morpher.

"Ooh, a cougar," she purred, tracing the image in his coin with her fingertips. As the morpher faded away in a sparkle of red light, Emily found her hand resting against Jason's. They pressed their palms together, intertwining their fingers. In a serious voice, she said, "I've missed you so much..."

"I'll never leave you again," he promised. "Until Wednesday. Then I'm going on a little global trip."

"Public apology, Heather told me about that," Emily sighed. "Promise me that one of us will teleport to the other, every Friday night, and we'll have a nice, romantic evening."

"Try and keep me away," he grinned.

"Divatox, before you cast this spell, I want you to consider something," MasterVile said to the Space Pirate. "Evil Rangers are impossible to keep evil. They always turn on us. All you are going to do is give Zordon another team of Rangers."

"Evil Rangers," Divatox said. "The human mind is a phenomenal thing. It is very self-preserving. So I'm not making evil Rangers. I'm making good Rangers who truly believe that the Power Rangers as we know them are evil. Gasket almost did it with Tommy, and that was a machine spell. An organic spell, conducted by yours truly, could easily be permanent. If you can't change the world, just change the way it's perceived..."

"Is she talkin' to the devil or something?" Squatt asked.

"Sure sounds like," Baboo whispered back to his best buddy.

Throwing her head back, Divatox shouted the final lines of her incantation. In her left hand, she held the Green Fire Crystal. As her voice reached its frantic peak, she shattered the crystal in her grip, magnifying the strength of the spell to phenomenal levels.

Lightning danced across the ceiling of the Lunar Palace. Thunder boomed, and a schism of light opened in the stone floor. Eight silhouettes of colored light rose from it. Lightning struck the eight figures, solidifying them, and then, the room was silent.

"Welcome," Divatox said, "Psycho Rangers."

The eight Psycho Rangers stood in perfect alignment. Despite the general "evil" look to their armor, they possessed a definite attraction. Their armor was mostly black, with white highlights. However, each Ranger had their own color that was added to their helmets. Each helmet was identical, save for the color, to the others. There was a black, jagged projectile leaping off of the helmet on each side, almost like bizarre, grotesque eyebrows. Four of the Psychos, Silver, Red, Black, and Pink, were female. The other four, Blue, Yellow, Green, and White, were male. White wrist and knees guards provided protection, as did appropriately colored sections of armor across their chest, torso, and shoulders.

"Where do they get their powers?" Zedd asked, holding his staff lightly, ready to zap anything at a moment's notice.

"They already had their powers," Divatox said. "I just took it upon myself to alter their appearance a bit."

Suddenly, the Silver Psycho Ranger whipped her helmet off. "Where are we?!" she asked angrily as her hair tumbled free.

"ZEDD!" Divatox shouted.

Lord Zedd thrust his staff out. Red energy shot out of the Z and struck the eight Psychos. All eight promptly turned into stone statues, completely unmoving.

"Looks to me like we've got some real grunt work ahead of us," Goldar growled.

"Several of you will be given a Psycho Ranger to take under your wing, train explicitly," Divatox said. "Except for private, off-duty time, they are NEVER to leave your sight. Scorpina, Yellow Psycho. Goldar, Red Psycho. Ivan Ooze, Silver Psycho. Prince Gasket, Green Psycho. Ecliptor, Black Psycho. Rito, Blue Psycho. Elgar, Pink Psycho. Rygog, White Psycho."

"I've gotta baby-sit a Psycho Ranger?!" Rito protested.

"You don't gotta," Divatox said sharply. "You get to. Got it?" No smart reply withcoming, she continued, "We attack in one month. You make them trust you, no matter what. Spells, other than simple glamour spells, are forbidden. They must believe that the Power Rangers are evil, and that they are the only force that can save us and the Earth from total annihilation. And in a six degrees of Jenga kind of way, they are..."

As the sunlight streamed in through her window, Emily slowly awoke. "Morning," she mumbled. "Last day of summer break..." However, as soon as she said it, she knew her complaining for the day was over. She honestly couldn't be happier.

The Phantom Ranger had been redeemed. Her boyfriend was back, and memories of him drifted through her dreams all night long. However, her sleep had not been interrupted, and she had never felt more refreshed.

As she turned away from the window to protect her eyes, she looked thoughtfully at her wrist. The black and silver communicator there felt perfectly natural. She slid her fingers across the gleaming surface, smiling at what it represented.

_I wonder what Marge has been up to this summer,_ Emily wondered silently. She hadn't seen her best friend in so long. _I'm going to call up Marge today..._

For Emily St. John, life was good again. The future finally held some promise.

As fake sunlight lit up the window in Divatox's room, she found herself slowly stirring. Then, she sat bolt upright, yanking her sleeping mask off as she did so. With a flick of her wrist, she was once again in full costume.

She walked out of her bedroom and down to the training compound. There, she saw Ecliptor sparring with the unmorphed Black Psycho Ranger. "Geeze, she's so young," Divatox muttered. However young she might have been, she was eagerly sparring with Ecliptor, so he had persuaded her. And unlike Goldar, Rito, Elgar, and Rygog, who all knew simple glamour spells, Ecliptor was one hundred percent a man of science. The Black Psycho Ranger was smiling; she had been persuaded. And a sudden burst of giggles from the young Ranger told Divatox that Ecliptor had not used any force of any kind.

Jenga was going to be so pleased. The Psycho Rangers were going to defeat the Power Rangers, blow up the Command Center, destroy Zordon of Eltare, and Divatox would be ready to hand Jenga Earth on a Silver Platter.

For Divatox, life was good again. The future finally held some promise.

The End... for now