Homecoming
by Kristen Murphy

Tommy was dozing in a chair next to him, with his arms folded and his chin resting on his chest. Kimberly, who stood over him, smiled and gently pushed back the long dark hair that fell forward into his face. He looked relaxed for the first time in days, and Kimberly decided to let him sleep.

The pale light of dawn was beginning to creep into the tent, so Kimberly put out the lantern. After glancing briefly again at Billy and Tommy, she walked to the clinic entrance and looked outside.

Sunrise in the village was slow and beautiful, like a flower unfolding. It began with a pale golden light low in the sky, which was gradually joined by streaks of pink, lavender, and pale blue. Finally, as if it couldn't wait another second, the white-gold disk of the sun began gradually rising on the horizon, its dazzling brilliance bathing the whole world in light.

As she watched the spectacle, Kimberly wished fervently for a box of watercolors. She'd recently developed quite an interest in painting, and the sunrise would have been a perfect subject. She could almost see it, lovely in pinks and purples and golds, hanging in her room back at the gymnastics center. Instead, though, she would have to settle for simply watching. Kimberly leaned back against one of the support poles at the clinic entrance, her slender arms wrapped around herself to ward off the early morning breeze, and gazed at the sky.

Inside the clinic, Tommy yawned and sat up straight in his chair, rubbing his eyes. Glancing at Billy, he suddenly remembered where he was and scolded himself silently. Great, Tom, you're really alert. Falling asleep on watch duty.... Then again, considering the amount of sleep he'd gotten in the past couple of days—none, to be exact—it was understandable.

After a moment, Tommy realized that Kimberly had left the clinic. Spotting her just outside, he stood quietly and came up behind her. "Hey, beautiful," he said, wrapping his arms gently around her waist.

"Huh?" she responded in surprise, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, Tommy." She sighed and leaned back into his embrace, letting her head rest comfortably on his shoulder.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"Oh, I was just watching the sunrise. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Tommy looked out over the little village. A soft glow bathed everything in sight: the tour bus parked on the edge of camp, the rounded sides of the mud and grass huts, and the other Rangers who were asleep beside the smoldering campfire. Though the sun was up, a faint blush of pink still colored the horizon, and the sky was a brilliant blue. "Yeah," he replied finally. "It is beautiful."

"It's almost Trini and Katherine's turn, isn't it?" Kim asked after a moment.

"Uh-huh."

"That seems so weird," she remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean everybody here, together like this. Trini and the guys, Aisha, Kat... you... it's just strange to see everybody again."

"I know. But it's great, isn't it?" Tommy replied. "And in a way, we owe it to Billy. This reunion is happening because of him."

Kimberly smiled. "I just hope he'll be okay."

"Billy's tough," Tommy replied confidently. "He'll pull through."

"Yeah," said Kimberly happily. "You're right." She sighed in contentment and snuggled closer into Tommy's arms. "He's gonna be fine."

Tommy smiled. Kim was almost eternally optimistic, and her certainty had always served to bolster his own confidence in the past. This time, though, he shared it. They'd come too far to lose Billy now. He was going to be all right... he had to be.

~*~

He blinked some more and squinted, trying to clear his vision, but nothing happened. Everything seemed fuzzy and indistinct.

Billy realized that he was lying on his back, and there were blankets covering him. He felt as though every bit of strength had been drained from his body, and he didn't think he could move even if he'd wanted to. Even his fingers and toes seemed incredibly weak. There was a dull ache in his chest, which became a sharp pain whenever he breathed too deeply. He tried to take slow, shallow breaths, but once he forgot and took a deep lungful of air. Feeling as though his chest was being crushed, he winced in pain and groaned softly.

Billy closed his eyes and wished he could just go back to sleep, but that didn't seem to be an option. His chest hurt too much. Instead, he concentrated on lying absolutely still, trying not even to breathe. As he lay there, he thought he could hear voices somewhere nearby. They were speaking very softly, but he recognized them: Tommy and Kimberly.

What? Kimberly? he asked himself, confused. But she's in Florida....

"Kimberly?" he called weakly. It came out as a hoarse croak, not at all the low, even tone he was used to.

Kim turned around. "Tommy, did you hear something?"

"Billy!" they both realized at once, and raced into the clinic. "Billy, you're awake!" Kimberly exclaimed excitedly when they reached his bedside.

Tommy squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "How are you feeling, man?"

"Ever been run over by a Zord?" Billy replied, smiling weakly.

Tommy grinned back. "Sore, huh?"

"I feel like there's somebody sitting on my chest."

"You've got Jason to thank for that," Tommy explained. "He and Trini did CPR on you yesterday."

Billy's eyes widened.

CPR? Why? he thought, and then answered himself, In response to cardiac arrest, obviously. Only then did the rest of Tommy's statement hit him.

"Wait a minute... Jason? Trini? What are they doing here?"

"We're not in Angel Grove," Kimberly told him gently. "This is Africa."

"Africa...." Billy echoed, and winced painfully. All this talking wasn't helping his injuries.

"We're in Aisha's village," said Tommy. "Jason, Trini, and Zack came here on the peace tour. It was those four who found you."

"Found me?"

"In the escape pod. Can't you remember?"

"Well...." Billy tried to concentrate on remembering, and found that it helped take his mind off the pain. "I remember leaving Aquitar, and being on my way home. Then something happened, and the ship was... something was wrong with the ship?" He sounded very uncertain.

"You were attacked by Quadrafighters," Tommy prompted. "Your ship was crippled."

"Right... crippled," Billy repeated. "Not enough oxygen. So I... I built an escape pod. A special one, with... coolant? I remember being really cold, and scared. Then... then...." He frowned, searching for the memory. "I don't know. I can't remember any more. Except... the light."

"Light?" Tommy and Kimberly exchanged glances. "What kind of light?" Kimberly asked.

Billy's eyes took on a faraway look. "It was like a candle flame," he said after a moment, his voice very soft. "Except... brighter. And it was blue."

"Blue? You mean, like Blue Ranger blue?" Kimberly asked, confused.

"Yes, exactly."

"But how is that possible?" Tommy countered. "I mean, your powers are gone."

"I know," Billy replied, almost inaudibly. "I guess... I guess I can't explain it." He coughed suddenly, and agony shot through his chest. "Owwww," he moaned, his voice ragged. "This is getting worse."

"We'd better get Rachel," Kimberly said, looking worriedly at him and then at Tommy.

"Who's Rachel?" Billy asked weakly, while he tried desperately to concentrate on something other than the pain. The area of the circle is equal to pi times the square of the radius, he recited to himself. The periodic table begins with hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen....

"Rachel's the doctor," Kimberly was explaining, though Billy barely heard her. "Well, sort of. She works with Aisha." Kimberly paused for a moment. "Oh my gosh! Aisha!"

"Huh?" said Tommy. "Aisha?"

"Not just her, everybody! We forgot to get the others!" Kimberly dashed out to the campfire, where the other Rangers were sleeping. "Guys! Guys, wake up!" she exclaimed.

"Huh?" Kat sat up and yawned. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kimberly. It's my turn to watch, isn't it?"

"Forget watching! He's awake!" That statement woke everybody up.

"What's going on?" asked Rocky sleepily.

"Billy's awake!" Kimberly told them again, and then hurried to get Rachel.

"Awake?" Trini repeated when Kimberly had gone. "Billy's...." Shoving her blanket aside, Trini got up and went flying into the clinic. "Billy!" she shrieked excitedly, rushing to his side. "Billy, you're awake! You're okay!"

"Trini?!" Billy choked out in disbelief. Despite his blurred vision, there was no mistaking Trini's long, black hair and musical voice. She sat down next to him and took his left hand in both of hers.

Sensing movement behind him, Tommy turned and saw that the other Rangers, except for Kimberly, had also entered the clinic. They hung back near the entrance, their faces bright with relief and excitement. Tommy grinned and flashed them a thumbs-up, then turned back to Billy.

"Are you all right?" Trini was asking him. "How do you feel?"

"Not too good," Billy admitted, in a voice tight with pain. "It really..." He broke off, his face twisting into a grimace as another sharp pain pierced his chest and side.

"Billy!" Trini exclaimed, frightened. "What's wrong?"

"We think it's from the CPR," Tommy told her in a gentle voice. "Kim's getting Rachel to check."

Billy gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile, trying not to worry Trini too much. She squeezed his hand tightly and returned the smile, though her dark eyes were filled with worry and fear.

Just then, Kimberly and Rachel arrived. The small crowd at the clinic entrance parted to let them in, and then they all gathered around Billy's bed.

So much for not mobbing him, thought Kimberly, remembering the previous night. Billy, though, seemed glad to see them.

"I can't believe you guys are all here!" he said, looking up at the ten smiling faces—eleven, counting Rachel—that surrounded him.

"Why wouldn't we be here?" replied Jason.

"Well... you guys are spread out all over the world! Why would you all bother to come to a little place like this?"

"Because this is where you are," Adam said quietly. "You're important to us, Billy."

"You had us all worried," added Tanya with a warm smile.

"Yeah, even Bulk and Skull!" said Rocky with a laugh. "They've been going around telling people that you were abducted by aliens!"

"Which isn't that far from the truth," Kat murmured.

Tommy glanced over at Rachel, but she didn't seem to have noticed the remark. She was kneeling on the ground, rummaging under the table for her medical bag. After a moment, she found it and stood up. "Good morning, Billy," she said brightly. "It's good to see you awake."

"I'm starting to wish I wasn't," Billy replied weakly, wincing at another sharp pain, "but thanks anyway."

"Guess I should introduce myself, huh?" Rachel said, giving him a cheerful smile. "Rachel McCormick. I'm the veterinary researcher here at the clinic."

"'Veterinary?'" Billy repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't worry. The elephants say I'm really great." She laughed. "And I'm also an EMT."

Billy grinned. Something about the young researcher's cheerful attitude was reassuring. "I'm Billy Russell," he introduced himself, though Rachel already seemed to know that. "And I think the elephants were right."

Rachel laughed at that. Billy knew laughing would be an excruciating experience, so he settled for smiling, a tight smile that couldn't quite hide the pain he was in. Rachel didn't fail to notice. "So, I heard you were having some pain in your chest," she said, getting down to business.

Billy nodded mutely. "Some" pain? Talk about an understatement, he thought, wincing as he breathed just a little too deeply for comfort.

"Let me take a look."

She gently undid the front of his shirt—not a difficult task, since Jason had popped several of the buttons off the day before—and examined his chest and sides.

Billy closed his eyes and tried not to cry out—the pain was getting much, much worse, and all his efforts to concentrate on something else had stopped working.

"Just what I expected," Rachel concluded after a moment. "You've got badly bruised ribs. A couple might even be cracked."

Jason looked down sheepishly.

"Oh, it's not your fault, Jason," Rachel assured him. "This is common with CPR. He really should be in a hospital, though... I'm not equipped or qualified to deal with broken ribs."

"Can't you do anything?" Trini asked worriedly. "It's really hurting him."

Billy smiled inwardly. Trini's warm concern was nothing new—she'd always looked out for him back when she lived in Angel Grove—but he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it.

"I'm going to give you something for the pain, Billy," Rachel told him, preparing a syringe. "It might make you a little drowsy, okay?"

"Okay," Billy murmured.

"Ugh," Zack said uneasily, squinching his eyes shut as Rachel gave Billy the injection. "Needles freak me out!"

"You haven't changed at all, have you, Zack?" Kimberly laughed.

As the others talked, Aisha reached over and tapped Tommy on the shoulder.

"What?"

She beckoned him aside, and he could tell she had an idea. "Isn't there a bunch of medical equipment in the Command Center?" she whispered when they were standing near the tent entrance.

Tommy's face lit up in realization. "Yeah, all kinds of stuff," he replied. "Do you think any of it would do Billy any good?"

"Can't hurt to try," Aisha said, shrugging.

Tommy nodded eagerly. "I'll go call Alpha," he said, and quietly left the clinic.

Meanwhile, Rachel was still checking Billy over. He felt the cool metal of a stethoscope on his chest as she listened to his breathing, and then she took his pulse, blood pressure, and temperature. The latter had risen considerably since he'd been found, which Rachel was relieved to see. "Well, other than your ribs," she said finally, "everything seems okay. You're a lucky guy, Billy."

Billy smiled faintly. Whatever she had given him was beginning to take effect, and he could feel himself starting to drift as the pain became a distant haze. He closed his eyes and felt Trini caressing his hair.

"Um, Rachel," Aisha said tentatively, seeing that Tommy had returned, "could we talk to Billy for a couple of minutes?"

"Well, sure, if he's up to talking," Rachel replied.

"No, what I meant was...." Aisha looked pointedly at the entrance.

"Oh." Rachel was confused, but then, everything about Aisha's mysterious friends was a bit confusing. She put her bag away under the table and left.

"What was that all about?" asked Kat when Rachel had gone.

"We just needed to get her out of here for a minute," explained Tommy, taking out a strange electronic device he'd had hidden under his shirt.

"What's that?" Zack asked.

"One of Alpha's medical thingamajigs," Tommy replied, unsure what the device was actually called. "I had him teleport it here for Billy."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Rocky said. "Anybody know how to use that thing?"

Adam stepped forward and took the device from Tommy. The Red Ranger realized that his friend was really smiling, for the first time in days.

"No problem," Adam said.

Chapter Eight: Here Kitty Kitty

By comparison, the clinic now seemed quiet and empty. Rachel and Aisha had gone off on their daily field observations, and everyone else had gone to take care of Billy's escape pod. Only Tanya and Kat had stayed behind with Billy... and he was asleep, so nothing much was going on. Tanya had spent the last hour reading, while Kat amused herself by exploring the clinic.

Tanya had just learned the difference between esters and ethers when Rachel and Aisha walked in.

"Hey, guys," said Aisha cheerfully, as she began putting up their gear. "Where is everybody?"

"They went out to where you guys found Billy yesterday," replied Katherine. "They were going to see about moving the pod."

"Everybody went?" Aisha asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Tanya replied. "I thought they'd never get Adam and Trini out of here! Billy finally convinced them that he'd be all right, and they needed to go."

Aisha nodded. Besides Billy, only Trini and Adam knew enough about the teleporter to move something as big as the escape pod. They'd need to find precise coordinates so Alpha could get a lock.

"Speaking of Billy, how's he doing?" Rachel asked.

"Better," said Tanya. She glanced over at the sleeping teen, and smiled at the peaceful look on his face. "I think he's getting his strength back... he was sitting up for a while. He's been sleeping a lot, though."

"I'm not surprised. He's been through a lot. And the medication I gave him this morning was pretty strong."

"No kidding!" said Kat. "I think it was a little too strong! He keeps talking about seeing colored lights or something."

"Yeah, I heard him this morning," Rachel said. "I can't figure out why, either. That really shouldn't happen...." She trailed off, staring at Kat.

"What are you doing?" she asked in an incredulous tone. Katherine was sitting on a mat on the ground, next to the cages that lined one wall of the tent. That in itself wasn't unusual. What Rachel hadn't noticed before was that one of the cages was open, and its occupant, a furry beige creature, was curled up in Kat's lap.

"I was just playing with him," Kat said. "Should I have asked first?"

"N-no," answered Rachel in surprise. "I don't mind... but you do realize that's a lion cub, don't you?"

Kat nodded. "Isn't he adorable?" The young lion made what was almost a purring sound, and snuggled up against the girl's fuzzy pink sweater.

"He usually isn't this friendly with strangers," Rachel commented. "I'm surprised he even let you pick him up."

"Oh, I didn't," Kat said. "He just climbed into my lap when I opened the cage."

"She gets along really well with cats," Aisha explained, with a grin in Katherine's direction. Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief and the memory of chasing a certain white house cat around the yard.

"Why is he in the clinic?" Tanya asked, looking at the young lion. "He doesn't look sick."

"He's not," Rachel replied. "C.C. is as healthy as he can get."

Kat raised an eyebrow. "C.C.?"

"Clinic Cat," Rachel explained. "Aisha named him."

"I see." Kat glanced at Aisha, who merely grinned and gave a little shrug.

"We brought C.C. here after his mother died," continued Rachel. "He was too young to care for himself in the wild, so we were going to raise him here. Then we discovered that he seems to be immune to the plague."

"That's our main project right now," Aisha added. "If we can figure out what make C.C. immune, we might be able to come up with a cure for the other animals."

"Well, C.C., it sounds like you're pretty important around here," Kat told the cub, giving it an affectionate scratch behind the ears. It mewed as if in agreement, and the girls laughed.

~*~

I'm certainly glad Mondo hasn't been in here for a while, the queen reflected. There had been enough love and caring coming over the viewscreen in the past few hours to make anyone ill. It certainly would not have improved the Machine King's mood.

"It was bad enough when they were all worried about their friend," Machina muttered, "but now they have to go and fuss over that... that animal as well!" The queen shuddered.

Klank, who'd been lurking silently in a corner of the room, stepped forward to address the queen. "But don't ye see, Yer Majesty?" the bronze and silver robot began. "That cub could present a great opportunity for us!"

"I hardly see how."

"Think about it, Yer Majesty. What if that cub were to suddenly turn against the Rangers?"

Machina did a double take. "No. You don't mean... That hideous creature?!"

"T'would be the perfect monster, Yer Majesty," Klank replied. "Those Ranger lassies wouldnae lay a hand on it! They'd be afraid of hurtin' the cub."

"But... a monster? That?" Machina gestured towards the viewer, making no effort to hide her distaste. "It's so... soft and... and cuddly."

"Aye, but I'm sure ye can change that. When that wee little cub has been transformed into a cyborg, t'will be unstoppable! We can capture Billy and destroy the Rangers!"

Machina considered for a moment. It wasn't especially difficult to transform living creatures into monsters, although she and Mondo had never tried it. It should be an interesting challenge for the monster labs...... and seeing the looks on the Rangers' faces as their sweet little pet attacked them would be fun.

Mind made up, she turned back to Klank. "Tell the labs to prepare for a new project," she commanded. "I'll be sending their subject along shortly."

"Aye, Yer Majesty." There was satisfaction in Klank's voice as he bowed and left the room.

Machina turned again to look into the viewer. Instead of disgust, though, she now regarded the happy scene with smug anticipation. "Laugh while you can, Rangers," she addressed the images of Kat and Tanya. "Soon, my CyberKitty will put an end to your happiness once and for all!"

~*~

Kat bent to look into the microscope. "What will you do with it?" she asked curiously.

"I'm going to test this sample with some of C.C.'s blood," replied Rachel. "Watching for changes in the sample might tell us what's causing this disease." The veterinarian went to a drawer and took out some equipment. "Kat," she said over her shoulder, "would you bring C.C. over here, please?"

"Oh, sure." Katherine got up and went to the cage. She bent down to open it and gasped. "He's gone!"

"What?" Aisha was there in an instant. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know," Katherine replied in agitation, her blue eyes filled with worry. "The cage was locked."

"We'd better start looking for him," Rachel said grimly. "Who knows how long he's been gone." She stepped outside the clinic.

"What the-?!" She dashed back inside, her face pale.

"What's the matter?" Tanya asked, seeing Rachel's expression.

"There's... there's something out there!" the veterinarian said simply. "I don't know what they are!"

"'They?'" Tanya went to the entrance and looked out. A short distance away, the bright sunlight gleamed on silver bodies and golden heads. Tanya turned quickly to Kat and Aisha. "Cogs!"

"Oh, no!" Kat got to her feet quickly, followed by Aisha. The two girls joined Tanya at the entrance, and looked out to see a group of fifteen or twenty Cogs.

"What are those things?" Rachel demanded.

"There's no time to explain!" replied Kat. "Stay here with Billy!"

"But where are you... "

They were already gone.

~*~

"What's up, man?" Tommy asked.

Zack was frowning. "Do you hear something?"

Tommy and the others all stopped and listened for a moment. There was a faint mechanical sound, like badly oiled gears, coming from somewhere nearby. "What is that?" Kimberly wondered.

Suddenly Rocky shouted, "Cogs!"

The teens all looked in the direction of camp, where Rocky was pointing. About halfway between the research clinic and where they stood, a group of the Machine Empire's mechanized soldiers were milling around. An instant later, Kat, Tanya, and Aisha came running out of the clinic to face the Cogs.

"Come on, guys!" Tommy ordered. The seven teens ran down the hill to join the girls.

"Glad to see you guys!" Aisha said in greeting as she dodged a punch from one of the Cogs. "Care to join the party?"

"You bet!" Adam replied, throwing another Cog to the ground. He glanced at Tommy. "Ready?"

"Right!" Tommy answered. "It's morphin time!"

Rocky, Tanya, Kat, and Adam moved to join him, summoning their Zeonizers.

"Zeo Ranger One, Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger Two, Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger Three, Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger Four, Green!"

"Zeo Ranger Five, Red!"

"Power Rangers, Ze-O!" The five Zeo Rangers, now clad in their respective uniforms, saluted in unison.

The five former Rangers stared in amazement. "Wow," Trini breathed. "Things really have changed."

"Let's do it!" the figure in red—Tommy—exclaimed. The Rangers charged into the group of Cogs, which seemed to have multiplied since the moment before. Karate yells and metallic clangs filled the savanna.

"What are we waiting for, guys?" Jason said to Kimberly, Trini, Zack, and Aisha. "Come on!"

"Right!" They, too, raced into the melee. Rocky had his arm-blades out, and was felling Cogs left and right when Jason and Zack came somersaulting over his head.

"What are you guys doing?" the Blue Zeo Ranger yelled over the din.

"Trying to help!" Zack shouted back, knocking a Cog down with a powerful side kick.

"Without powers? The Cogs are too strong!"

"We did it before!" Spinning around, Jason caught another Cog by the arm and hurled it toward Rocky, whose Power Weapons made short work of the robot. "We're with you to the end!"

Chapter Nine: The Obligatory Ten Minutes of Sentai Footage

Then suddenly, the Power surged white-hot, and five of the lights exploded into pillars of flame. Red, green, blue, yellow, and pink raced outward in a shock wave of burning intensity that made everything else seem dim by comparison. The other five flames, though they remained small, nevertheless brightened; as if the Power touched them in some special way that was different from the way it touched all the billions and billions of colorless lights throughout the Universe. The blue flame was affected in the same way, burning a brilliant sapphire as it yearned to join the others. The whole spectacle defied imagination. It seemed as if the entire world had suddenly exploded into color....

~*~

"They morphed," he whispered. "They morphed, and I felt it somehow...." He looked around and saw that the clinic was empty, except for himself and Rachel. The veterinarian was standing at the entrance, looking at something outside. Something about her posture, the way she kept behind the edge of the tent flap, made it seem almost as if she was hiding from something.

"Rachel?" he ventured. "What's happening?"

Rachel jumped at the unexpected voice. For one irrational moment, she thought that the gold things had somehow gotten into the clinic. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that it had merely been Billy, who was sitting up in bed with a very confused look on his face.

Quickly composing herself as she approached him, she said, "Billy, you're awake? How are you feeling?"

"What's happening?" he repeated. He could hear shouting and metallic clangs coming from somewhere nearby, and had a sinking suspicion that he knew exactly what it was.

"Um... nothing," Rachel hedged. "You should try to get some more rest."

"Rachel, there's something out there! Will you please tell me what's going on?"

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder again. "Cogs," she said finally. "At least, that's what your friend Tanya called them."

"Are they all right? My friends, I mean?"

Rachel managed a grin. "You mean, the Power Rangers?" Seeing Billy's shocked expression, she continued, "Come on, give me some credit! It was a little hard to miss."

Billy was gaping. "How-how did you find out?"

"Well, my first clue was when they started glowing, transformed into colored costumes, and yelled 'Power Rangers,'" the veterinarian replied.

Billy gave a sheepish smile. "I suppose that would tend to arouse suspicion, wouldn't it?"

"Just a little," Rachel said, smiling back. "Anyway, to answer your question, they're all okay, I think. They're outside trying to fight those things off."

Billy tensed at the word 'fight.' He knew it was completely irrational, but he couldn't help it. The blue flame was blazing hotly inside him, tugging at something deep within his soul as if yearning to join the battle.

Don't be stupid, he told himself. Going out there would be suicidal.

"What are we supposed to do?" he asked Rachel, mainly to distract himself.

"Kat told me to stay here," the young woman replied. "I really wasn't expecting you to wake up." There was a lengthy pause as Rachel stared toward the entrance. The presence of the Cogs obviously had her worried.

"Rachel?" he said questioningly.

"Oh! Sorry." She turned back to him, her grey eyes troubled. "Are they... I mean, how dangerous are those things?"

Billy shrugged. "The others say they're really strong, but not hard to destroy. I don't know, I've never fought them myself."

"You haven't?" Rachel's face wore a confused expression. "But I thought all the Power Rangers fought monsters."

Billy looked away from her questioning gaze. "I'm not a Ranger," he told her.

"You're not?" Rachel frowned. "But I thought... What about the blue flame?"

Billy stared at her incredulously. "How do you know about that?" He had only told a few of his friends, and even they hadn't seemed to believe it....

"You've been talking about it all day," she replied. "I assumed it was just the medication, until I found out about your friends being Power Rangers. Then I thought it must have had something to do with them."

Billy knew what she was getting at. "I used to be one," he said simply.

Rachel wasn't sure how to respond to that. Billy's statement left her with a million questions, but he didn't seem inclined to elaborate. "Do you want to talk about it?" she ventured. Billy shook his head quickly.

"No... it's okay."

It didn't sound okay, but Rachel wasn't going to press the issue. They sank into an uncomfortable silence, only punctuated by the sounds of the battle outside.

~*~

Kimberly and Trini fought back to back, letting the Cogs come to them. There was definitely no shortage—the robots were everywhere. They were much stronger than the Putties the girls were used to, but not too difficult to beat after they'd figured out where the sensitive spots were.

"Yah!" Kimberly kicked one Cog hard in the shin, then lunged forward as it stumbled. Her small hands dug into the exposed wiring between its neck and shoulder, and sparks flew as she tore the vital connections loose. The damaged Cog staggered a few feet and then dropped to the ground, convulsing with short-circuits.

Trini tried to do the same, but as she reached for her intended target on a Cog's shoulder, it suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled upward. Trini was yanked off her feet and flipped over the Cog's shoulder, landing hard on her back. As she lay on the ground with the wind knocked out of her, the Cog turned, poised to smash its steel fist into her face.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Tanya sailed through the air in a yellow blur, planting her feet directly in the chest of Trini's attacker.

"Thanks," Trini gasped as the Yellow Zeo Ranger helped her up. Tanya smiled behind her helmet. "No problem." She looked up sharply, seeing that the Cog she had kicked was up again. "Trini, behind you!"

Trini spun instantly, her lightning-fast kick catching the Cog in the side of the head. Already damaged, it crackled with electricity and collapsed.

"Yeah!" Yellow Rangers past and present shared a triumphant high-five.

~*~

"Wanna play, huh?" the Green Ranger taunted. The Cog on the right lunged for him, and he slashed at it with his axes—stretching out a leg at the same time to trip the other one.

Tommy, meanwhile, had become surrounded. He destroyed the Cogs in front of him first, then did a back flip over the ones behind him. He landed a few feet away and then leapt into the air again, shouting, "Zeo Five Power Kick!" The wall of red energy that accompanied his downward flight slammed four Cogs into rubble.

Tommy looked up in time to see Kimberly headed his way. She executed a series of whipbacks and then a high somersault that landed her right on top of a Cog. As it sizzled into spare parts, she whipped around in a pirouette and yanked the circuits from another. "Hey, awesome moves, Kim!" Tommy complimented.

"It's part of my floor routine for Pan-Globals," she replied with a grin.

"Well, if I could, I'd give you a gold medal right now!"

"No time for that!" Kimberly pointed at another group of Cogs that were heading toward them.

"Right! Zeo Power Sword!"

Kimberly stepped back as Tommy charged the Cogs with his star-handled sword. The Rangers were making headway, she noticed, but there were still a lot of Cogs left. This was shaping up to be one heck of a fight.

~*~

Meanwhile, on the hilltop above Kat, Aisha was facing off with several Cogs that had broken off from the main group. "Hyah! Take that, metalhead!" she exclaimed, side-kicking a Cog in the chest. Another Cog came charging toward her, but she dive-rolled between its legs and came up behind it. She grabbed its arms and swung it around toward the edge of the hill.

"Katherine!" Aisha called.

The Pink Zeo Ranger kicked a Cog aside, then looked up and nodded, instantly seeing what Aisha had in mind. "Right!"

"So long, steelface!" Aisha hurled her prisoner down the hillside toward Kat.

When the Cog arrived, Kat was ready for it. "Zeo One, Pink Fire Cloud!" She gathered together all her energy and hurled it in a flaming mass of Pink, obliterating the Cog.

On the hilltop, Aisha stood with her hands on her hips and a satisfied smile. "Don't you know the metallic look is out?"

~*~

"Klank!" she ordered suddenly, snapping her fan shut as she turned from the viewer. "Take CyberKitty and get down there! We cannot allow those Zeo Zeros to gain the upper hand!"

"Yes, milady, right away!" Klank made a low bow and hurried from the room. "Come on, Orbus!"

Machina watched them go, and then turned back to the viewer with a smile. It was time for her monster-making debut... time to put an end to the Power Rangers.

~*~

"Oh, no!" warned Kimberly, who was on the far side of the circle. "Look out, you guys!"

"Huh?" Tommy turned, just in time to see a gigantic orange fireball heading straight for him. With a surprised yell, he dove out of the way, and the fireball instead took out a couple of Cogs.

"Man! Where'd that come from?" Tommy asked as Jason helped him up.

"Over here, Rangers!" came a strange, growly voice. The teenagers turned to see what looked like an eight-foot-tall lion standing on its hind legs. It was covered with pieces of metal armor that glinted in the hot sun, and tubes and wires snaked out of its body at odd points.

"Man, that is one messed-up cat!" remarked Zack.

"I am CyberKitty!" the monster proclaimed. "Prepare to be destroyed!"

"Oh, no," complained Adam. "Not another cat monster." Belatedly, he glanced back at the Pink Ranger, who merely shrugged.

"That's no ordinary cat," Tanya observed. "It looks more like a lion."

"Tanya, that's it!" Kat realized. "It's got to be C.C.!"

"C.C.?" Rocky repeated in bewilderment. "Who's that?"

"The lion cub from the clinic," explained Kat. "He disappeared right before the Cogs attacked."

"But if it is C.C., we can't hurt him!" Aisha protested. "He's just a baby!"

"We don't have a choice," Tommy said grimly. "There are too many innocent people in the village for us to risk this thing going on a rampage."

"Tommy's right," put in Kimberly. "Besides, if Mondo's monsters are anything like Zedd's, C.C. should be fine after the spell is broken."

"Are you Power Punks going to discuss this all day," the monster growled impatiently, "or can we get down to business?"

"Be careful what you wish for!" Tommy said threateningly, as Adam, Kat, Tanya, and Rocky dashed to his side. He glanced quickly over at them. "The Zeo Blaster should take care of this cub!"

"Not so fast, Rangers!" came a thick Scottish brogue. "Our wee CyberKitty won't be a cub fer long!"

"Klank!" Tanya pointed to where the robot stood on the side of the hill, just preparing to hurl little Orbus into the air.

"And around and around and awaaaaay we goooo!" Klank let his partner fly, and the little robot landed on CyberKitty with a metallic 'clang.' Immediately, he began transferring the energy beam that would increase the monster's size and power.

"Get ready to roar!" Orbus squeaked.

There was a series of blinding flashes as the monster expanded. The Zeo Rangers could only barely stand to watch through the protective visors on their helmets, and the others had to look away, shielding their eyes. When the electric-blue light faded away, all ten of the teenagers looked up to see CyberKitty, now hundreds of feet tall, towering over them.

Trini glanced from CyberKitty to the others. "What now?"

"The Zeo Megazord will take care of this," Tommy said in a determined voice.

"But what about the Cogs?" Katherine gestured at the handful that were left. The lull in the fighting had given them a chance to spread out, so they were no longer the easy target they had been a few moments earlier.

"We'll clean up those metalheads," said Jason, drawing nods of agreement from Zack, Aisha, Trini, and Kim. "You guys just concentrate on CyberKitty."

"You sure, bro?" Tommy asked with concern.

"We can handle it," Jason replied confidently.

Tommy nodded slowly. "All right." The friends slapped hands, and then stepped back to join their respective groups.

Tommy, Adam, Rocky, Tanya, and Kat raised their hands to the sky. "We need ZeoZord power, now!"

From halfway around the world, the mighty ZeoZords answered the call, taking only a moment longer to respond than they would have in Angel Grove. The Rangers leaped up to meet them, their bodies vanishing into brilliant streaks of color as the Power enhanced their jump.

Materializing in the cockpit of his PhoenixZord, Tommy quickly checked over the controls and power readings. Satisfied, he opened the comm channel to the other Rangers. "We're gonna need the Megazord for this, guys," he said. "Power up your Zeonizer crystals!"

"Right!" the other four replied. Each Ranger inserted his or her crystal into the control panel.

"Initiating Zeo Megazord assembly," Tommy called, "now!"

Machina's monster watched with derision as the ZeoZords began to come together. "You think that's gonna save you?"

The Rangers ignored it.

"Docking complete," Tommy announced as the Phoenixzord locked into place. A moment later, he was on the Megazord's bridge, where the others were waiting.

"Let's do it!" they shouted in unison.

The Megazord approached CyberKitty, which didn't budge a foot from its position. The two goliaths met and locked hands on each other's shoulders, beginning a rather pointless shoving contest that went on for nearly a full minute. Then, Megazord broke the standoff with a kick to CyberKitty's midsection. The lion was so heavily armored that the blow didn't do much damage, but it did knock the monster back a few steps.

"You'll have to do better than that!" it growled, and threw a roundhouse punch at the Megazord's head.

"So will you!" retorted Tommy, as the Zord easily blocked the punch. Unfortunately, there was no time to react to CyberKitty's followup: an identical punch from the opposite side. Megazord went sprawling, and all five Rangers were suddenly glad that there was nothing to hit in the savanna.

Chapter Ten: Really Graphic Scenes of Dismemberment
(or: Ten More Minutes of Sentai)

Why didn't you tell her more? Billy asked himself. For months, he had desperately wanted someone... anyone... to talk to. So much had been happening, and he needed so badly to make sense of it all. Now, especially, he was confused. The blue flame had made him wonder whether maybe, just maybe, there might be a second chance out there. He couldn't talk to any of the Rangers about it... he was afraid of hurting them, especially Tanya. But nothing he could say would hurt Rachel, and the veterinarian had actually been willing to listen. Yet he hadn't told her anything.

Rachel watched Billy curiously. She didn't know much about the young man, but she found herself liking him. He seemed like a nice kid, even though his reticence annoyed her. It's really none of your business, she reminded herself. Still, she wished he would open up a little. She could tell that his non-Ranger status was a sensitive subject, and she seriously doubted any of his friends knew just how sensitive.

Rachel's contemplation was cut short by a strange noise coming from right outside the clinic. She looked up with a puzzled expression. "What was that?"

Billy frowned, listening. "Sounds like...." He was interrupted by Rachel's sudden scream, as a Cog appeared in the doorway. "Cogs!" Billy finished. He scrambled out of bed and stanced defensively as five more of the robotic soldiers came into the tent.

Rachel glanced around wildly for a moment, her gaze finally coming to rest on the metal stool she'd been sitting on. She picked it up and swung it with all her strength at the nearest Cog, knocking it down.

As the other robots approached, she stepped protectively in front of Billy. The teenager seemed more than willing to take on the Cogs, but Rachel knew he was in no shape for a fight. She continued to fend off the intruders with the stool, the clashing of metal on metal almost drowning out the sounds of the battle outside. Soon, the floor of the clinic was littered with bits and pieces of the Machine soldiers.

Then, she hit one of them a little too hard, and the stool broke. Rachel threw it at her attacker, destroying it. Another Cog punched at her, but she ducked and grabbed its arm, twisting it backwards.

"Go for the neck!" Billy told her.

Rachel looked at the Cog's neck and spotted a few bundles of colored wire peeking out. With her free hand, she reached up and tore them with all her might. Electricity stung her fingertips, and she stepped quickly away from the Cog as it collapsed.

Only one Cog remained. Billy knocked it down with a sweep kick, and then stomped hard on its shoulder, grinding his foot down on the exposed wiring. The Cog convulsed with electricity and then vanished.

Billy quickly surveyed the room and saw that all the Cogs were gone. "We've got to get out of here," he told Rachel. "Something tells me they won't give up that easily."

Just then, more Cogs began appearing in the clinic. "Something tells me you were right!" Rachel exclaimed, as she and Billy ran out the back of the clinic with the Cogs in pursuit. Behind them, the battle raged on; ahead of them, Ishala and a Peace Tour supervisor were herding a frightened group of villagers and teen ambassadors toward the tour bus.

At least they should be safe, thought Billy. He wasn't so sure about himself and Rachel. They couldn't go to the bus- they'd be leading the Cogs straight into a group of innocent people. They couldn't turn and fight, either- he was too weak and Rachel too inexperienced for either of them to last long.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, shaken by the Zord battle going on nearby. Billy stumbled once and almost fell, but caught himself in time and kept on without a word.

Rachel kept a cautious eye on her companion. He wanted her to think he was fine, but she knew otherwise. Though his broken ribs seemed inexplicably healed, he still wasn't 100 percent recovered. She only hoped they could outrun the Cogs before he dropped from exhaustion.

Suddenly, a violet hole opened in the sky, and a Cog dropped directly into their path. Billy skidded to a halt, and quickly blocked the punch the robot threw at him. "Rachel, run!" he ordered. "I'll catch up with you!"

Rachel hesitated. Miraculous recovery or not, Billy was in no condition to be taking on Cogs. "Go!" he told her again.

Rachel reluctantly obeyed. "Be careful!" she shouted back as she ran. Rachel searched frantically for a means of escape. She knew running to the bus was out of the question, but there had to be somewhere to go. On an impulse, she dashed for the large, circular hut where the villagers held community gatherings.

"Rachel, no!" shouted Billy, as he caught a glimpse of the young woman running into a hut with a group of Cogs hot on her heels. "You'll be trapped!"

Either she didn't hear him, or it was too late, for Rachel vanished into the hut, followed by the Cogs. Meanwhile, the Cog that Billy was fighting took advantage of his distraction to deliver a staggering blow to the teen's midsection. Billy doubled over painfully, gasping for breath, and barely managed to block the next few punches.

He made a grab for the exposed wiring, which had been the downfall of so many Cogs, but this one was more careful. As Billy reached for the vulnerable area, the Cog caught his arm and flipped him over.

Billy went limp and allowed himself to be flung to the ground like a rag doll. Pain jolted through him as he slammed down on his back, but he managed not to cry out. He lay still and watched through half-closed eyes as the Cog peered down at him.

"Target has been captured," the robot said to thin air. "What are your orders?"

Silence followed, and Billy assumed the Cog was receiving instructions from the Machine Skybase. If he was going to do something, he had to do it fast.

"Acknowledged," the Cog said after a moment. "Ready to tele-" Billy lashed out with a powerful kick that caught the Cog right under its chin.

The robot's head snapped sharply back, and the Cog nearly fell backwards, but managed to right itself. It staggered around rather spectacularly for a moment, clutching both hands to its head as bolts of electricity coursed through it and sparks flew everywhere.

Without warning, the Cog's head fell right off of its body and landed next to Billy with a hollow thud- followed a moment later by the dull crash of the headless body dropping to the ground.

"Prodigious!" Billy stared in utter amazement at the headless Cog. He hadn't thought he'd hit it that hard.

As he stood and dusted himself off, Billy was nearly overwhelmed by the sensation of the blue flame within him. It had grown bigger and brighter than before, and seemed to be pulling at his insides as it strained to reach beyond itself. Billy recognized the sensation from a thousand Putty and Tenga fights when he hadn't bothered to morph. The little flame was reaching out to tap the Power, trying to give Billy the extra boost he needed. It was reaching for a power that wasn't there, trying to open the floodgates of the once-boundless blue ocean that had dried up and vanished like a mirage in the desert. It was trying so hard, for so impossible a goal, that he actually felt sorry for it.

Whoaaa, Billy. Reality check! he told himself. Giving the headless Cog a final glance as it disappeared, he turned and ran after Rachel.

~*~

"Yeowch!" The former Black Ranger rubbed his bruised fist and grinned sheepishly. He kept forgetting that the Cogs' metal armoring was a lot tougher than clay.

There weren't many Cogs left, but it was slow going for the five ex-Rangers without their powers. It took a lot just to damage the robots, and several hard hits to destroy them.

The Yellow Rangers worked together, taking down one attacker after another. Once Trini had knocked a Cog down by sweeping its stance, Aisha would dart in and tear a handful of wiring from the fallen robot.

Kimberly was surrounded. Her tactic of going for the Cogs' exposed wiring had worked for a while, but the bunch she was facing now seemed a bit smarter. She couldn't get a clear strike to their shoulders, and none of her other moves were having much effect.

"Need a hand?" inquired Jason, as he kicked a Cog away from Kim's back. He picked her up by the waist and swung her around, knocking down several of the Cogs.

"Thanks for the lift!" said Kim as Jason set her back down. She backflipped away from him and stanced several yards away.

"All right, you tin cans, come and get me!" A Cog on the outer edge of the fray looked up to see the solitary figure in pink. It rushed the undefended girl, who smoothly locked its arm and threw it. She planted her foot firmly in the Cog's back, holding it down as she tore the wiring free.

Moving to music only he could hear, Zack hip-hopped up to a Cog and spun to kick it. His kick missed the Cog's torso, but instead hit it in the arm, nearly breaking off the appendage. "Hey, thanks for the hand!" Zack grabbed his opponent's wrist and turned sharply. In one swift motion, he tore the robot's arm loose and smashed it down on another Cog. Both robots collapsed in a shower of sparks.

Trini tripped up yet another Cog, and Aisha descended on it with a triumphant smile. "Anybody call for an electrician?" A few seconds later, the unfortunate robot vanished. Aisha looked up in time to see one last Cog kicked into oblivion, courtesy of Jason. Then, only the five teenagers remained on the field.

"Whew! So much for the Cogs!" said the former Red Ranger. Trini and Aisha grinned as they caught their breath.

Zack took a moment to survey the area. Off to his right, he could just see the looming forms of CyberKitty and the Zeo Megazord, still embroiled in battle. On his left was the research clinic, and the village beyond it. As his gaze wandered over the village, Zack noticed a flash of movement in the doorway of the main community hut. "Whoa... what's that?"

Kimberly bounded up beside him, and squinted in the direction of the village. "What's what?" she asked, puzzled.

"Over there... " Zack trailed off as he pointed to the hut. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he could have sworn he'd seen something.

Aisha shrugged. "Probably one of the villagers."

Jason frowned. Aisha was probably right. He had a funny feeling, though... and if he and Zack both thought something was up.... "We'd better check it out," he said.

The five teens headed down to the village at a quick jog.

~*~

"Rachel?"

She looked up expectantly as she heard someone outside calling her name. "Rachel, are you in he-" Billy dashed into the hut, stopping short when he saw the Cogs. "Hey!"

Both Cogs turned at Billy's shout, and Rachel seized her opportunity. Turning toward the Cog on the right, she kicked it in the rear as hard as she could. The robot toppled forward, and Rachel tried to dart away. Unfortunately, the other Cog had been alerted by the noise, and it caught her around the waist.

"Hey, let me go!" she yelled, kicking and struggling in the robot's grasp. Billy started forward to help her, but was intercepted by the other Cog. Two more of the robots appeared behind him, cutting him off from the exit. "Rachel, the wiring!" he shouted.

Rachel reached blindly back and clawed desperately at her captor's neck. Before she managed to do any damage, though, it grabbed her arms and pinned them down to her sides.

At the same time, the other three Cogs made their move on Billy. He instinctively reached out for the blue flame, but there was nothing for it to draw on. He was on his own. He lashed out at the Cogs behind him and managed to sweep one's stance, but then the one Rachel had kicked fired its eyebeams at him. Billy rolled to avoid the energy blast and ended up crouched against the wall.

"Something tells me that was a really bad idea," he muttered, as he looked up to see the Cog looming over him.

Rachel watched helplessly from across the room as the robot fired at Billy again. Its second blast didn't miss, and Billy cried out in pain as the bolt of energy struck him. Dazed, he crumpled to the ground, and looked close to losing consciousness. Rachel struggled desperately against the Cog that held her, knowing there was no way she could break free in time to help Billy.

The Cog took another step toward the semiconscious teen.

"Leave him alone, junk pile!"

Rachel and all the Cogs looked up to see Trini, Jason, Aisha, Zack, and Kimberly standing in the doorway.

Trini's dark eyes flashed with pure fury, and she ran straight for the Cog that had attacked Billy. Abandoning anything that might be called 'technique,' she tackled the robot to the ground and tore viciously into its shoulder.

While Jason and Zack faced off with the other two Cogs, Kim and Aisha ran for Rachel. Kim attacked Rachel's captor from its left, forcing it to loosen its grip on its prisoner in order to defend itself. Then, Aisha sent it sprawling with a flying side kick from the right. Kimberly picked up a medium-sized rock from the fire pit in the center of the hut, and brought it down on the fallen Cog's neck with a metallic crash. It shorted out and vanished as Aisha helped Rachel up.

"That was some close call, girl!"

Rachel heaved a sigh of relief. "You're telling me!" Jason and Zack quickly disposed of the remaining Cogs, and everyone gathered around Trini, who was cradling Billy in her lap.

"Is he all right?" Kim asked worriedly.

"Unnnhhh... E equals mc squared," Billy mumbled, his eyes half-closed.

Jason laughed. "I think he'll be just fine."

~*~

Tommy was beginning to get uneasy. He liked to keep Zord battles short because of the damage they caused and the risk to civilians... and, of course, he hadn't forgotten what cost them the ThunderZords two years earlier.

As if reading Tommy's mind, CyberKitty neatly sidestepped a kick from the Megazord and stepped back. "All right, no more pussyfooting around!" The lion-monster let out a grating, metallic roar, and a shock wave of sonic energy slammed into the Megazord like a freight train. CyberKitty laughed as the robot stumbled to the ground.

"Two can play that game!" Rocky shouted angrily as the Megazord righted itself. "Zeo Three battle helmet, power up!"

"I don't think a new hat is going to do you much good, Rangers!" CyberKitty said with a scornful laugh.

"We'll just see about that," replied Zeo Ranger Three, punching a button. A powerful tractor beam emanated from the pyramid-shaped battle helmet, knocking the monster several hundred feet backwards.

"Oh, so you wanna play rough, huh?" CyberKitty got up and charged headlong at the Megazord.

"Oh, don't make me laugh," Kat scorned, rolling her eyes. The blue beam of energy engulfed CyberKitty and lifted it high into the air, then dropped it. Again and again, the helpless monster was bashed into the ground, until it lay in a limp heap at the Megazord's feet.

"Let's finish this," said Adam. He knew Rocky tended to get somewhat pyramid-happy, and he could well imagine the earthquake the village must be going through as a result.

Tommy nodded. "Right. Back to Warrior Mode!" The Zeo Five battle helmet slid back into position, and Tommy resumed his normal post at the main console.

"Zeo Megazord Saber, now!" he ordered.

Somehow, even lying on the ground and faced with the Megazord's mightiest weapon, CyberKitty managed to retain its sarcasm. "Ooh, I'm real scared," it jeered.

"You should be," Adam shot back as the saber powered up.

"You're going back to your cage, CyberKitty!" said Tommy. The glowing saber sliced downward in a great arc, cleaving the monster from left shoulder to right hip. It let out a roar of agony and exploded into a million flaming chunks that disappeared before they hit the ground.

"Yeah!" the Rangers cheered, and exchanged high-fives as the light from the explosion faded.

"I just hope C.C. is really all right," said Tanya with concern.

"Yeah,"agreed Kat, "and I hope the others didn't have too much trouble with the Cogs."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," said Tommy. He keyed the exit code, and the Zeo Rangers vanished in five streaks of light.

~*~

Machina's disbelief turned to fury when she spotted Billy among the group of humans. He smiled wearily at some comment, and the Queen nearly broke her fan in rage. The young genius looked somewhat battered, but he was alive, blast it! The Cogs had failed again!

Just when the Queen thought she couldn't get any angrier, a small golden-brown creature appeared in the edge of the viewer. It was quickly snatched up in the arms of the smiling Pink Ranger, and soon the confused little lion cub was being petted and fussed over by the entire crowd of young people.

"Noooo!" Machina shrieked. "I can't believe this! Not only did the Rangers defeat my glorious monster and save their friend, but they saved their disgusting pet, too?!"

She rounded suddenly on Klank, who had the unfortunate luck to be standing nearby. "This was your idea, Klank! You said the Rangers wouldn't even touch it! You said it would be unstoppable!"

"Ah, I'm afraid ye'll have to excuse me, Yer Majesty," Klank said quickly. "I believe they're a-needin' me in the recyclin' center." He bolted from the room.

"Klank!" Machina screamed after him. "Get back here, you mutinous rust-bucket!"

"Watch your oil pressure, dear!" a voice admonished. Machina whirled at the voice and saw Mondo standing in a nearby doorway. The Machine King chuckled at his near-perfect imitation of his wife.

"Why, you... Ooh!" Machina stamped a foot angrily, then turned on her heel and left the room in a huff.

"I see I didn't miss much." King Mondo crossed the room and gazed down at the cloud-swirled Earth below... the planet that had once again slipped through his grasp. One day, he swore, that planet would be his.

Epilogue: Once A Ranger....

A short distance away, near the research clinic, a large campfire blazed invitingly. With Billy out of danger, the Rangers had finally been able to relax and enjoy what Zack had dubbed "the class reunion." Aisha and Tanya had prepared a traditional meal, which the Rangers and Rachel enjoyed as they sat talking around the campfire.

Billy remained rather quiet during supper, only occasionally joining in the conversation. Adam and Trini, seated on either side of him, took this as a cue to be worried. Though Billy insisted he felt fine, the pair had remained a bit overprotective of him since the Cog attack.

After a while, their conversation lapsed altogether, leaving the three to their own thoughts. Adam let his gaze wander around the campfire, taking in the other Rangers' activities.

On his right, Rocky and Zack were embroiled in an eating contest, much to the amusement— and amazement— of Jason and Rachel. The Green Ranger chuckled softly as the boys wolfed down what had to be their fourth or fifth helpings of stew.

Nearby sat Tommy and Kim, holding each other close as they gazed into the fire. As always, they looked perfect together. Kimberly's slim, tanned shoulders fit into the strong curve of Tommy's arm as though they'd been made for it, and her head rested against his shoulder in quiet contentment. Tommy's expression, too, was one of complete peace, and his hand played unconsciously with a lock of Kim's soft auburn hair. Adam felt a pang of sympathy for the couple— he knew that parting ways in the morning would be difficult for them.

Katherine, Aisha, and Tanya sat together on the left. Both Yellow Rangers were dressed in traditional African costume, and they were deep in conversation. They'd spent most of the afternoon sharing the details of their new lives and getting to know each other as teenagers.

Kat was only half paying attention to her friends. Her sapphirine eyes were directed across the fire, fixed intently on Tommy and Kim. Adam wondered about that for a moment, but the Pink Ranger's expression was typically unreadable.

Adam's reverie was interrupted as Billy stood and excused himself from the group.

"Are you okay?" asked Trini, immediately concerned.

"I just have something I need to take care of," he said vaguely. "I'll be back, it shouldn't take long."

Without further explanation, he walked off in the direction of the clinic. Adam watched as his friend left the circle of firelight and faded into the darkness beyond. "What was that all about?" he wondered after a moment.

Trini frowned. "I don't know." Billy had seemed preoccupied all evening, and it bothered her. After a few moments of indecision, she stood. "I'm going to go see what he's up to."

She vanished into the shadows, leaving Adam gazing thoughtfully after her.

~*~

He would have liked just to stand there all night, but he had come with a purpose... a question that had been nagging him all day. It was time to get some answers.

From the pocket of his jeans, he took out a small device he'd borrowed from the clinic: Aisha's communicator. Pressing the 'transmit' button, he was rewarded by a soft beep.

"Billy calling the Power Chamber," he spoke into the device.

"Aye-yi-yi! It's so good to hear from you, Billy!"

"Thanks, Alpha," Billy replied. "It's good to be back."

"How are you feeling?"

Billy smiled at the little robot's familiar, worried tone. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. "Not precisely nominal," he admitted, "but getting there. Can I talk to Zordon?"

"Yes, Billy, I read you." Zordon's deep voice sounded tinny through the small speaker. "May I say that it is a great relief to have you safely back with us."

"Thanks," Billy replied sincerely, before lapsing into an uneasy silence.

"Was there something you wished to discuss, Billy?" Zordon prodded gently.

"Actually, yes." He hesitated for a moment, then finally began, "I've been seeing something... or sensing it, I suppose... and I wondered if you could tell me anything about it." He paused again and continued, "I've been seeing a light. A small, blue light like the flame of a candle, inside me. It started back on the ship, and it's been with me ever since. I've seen others, too... all of the Rangers, even the ones who left, have their colors inside them. Even Rachel has a light with her, and she's not even a Ranger."

"Not in this Universe, anyway...." Zordon mumbled.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind."

"When I fought the Cogs," Billy continued, "I could feel the light getting brighter, and it kind of... it reminded me of the old Putty fights, when the Power helped us even though we didn't morph. And I know it should be impossible, but it really... felt like... the Blue Power."

There, it was said. Billy shuddered inwardly, imagining what Zordon must think of it... of him. He probably thought Billy's ordeal was causing some kind of hallucinations... or worse, that he wanted to be a Ranger again so badly that he was losing all touch with reality. The worst part was that he was probably right. Billy braced himself for the entity's reply.

"Your instincts are correct, Billy," Zordon said finally.

The teen exhaled in a rush, suddenly wishing he had somewhere to sit down. His momentary relief was quickly replaced by utter confusion, a feeling the young genius was totally unaccustomed to. "So... so it is the Blue Power?" he managed. "How is that possible? The Coins were destroyed...."

"The Power comes through the Coins, Billy, not from them. They were merely tools, as is the Zeo Crystal. They serve to tap and focus the Power which is inherent in all life."

"Inherent?" Billy repeated in shock. He'd tried to prepare himself for all possible explanations, but this one hadn't even occurred to him. Was it really possible? Had he and his friends really possessed the Power before Zordon chose them?

"Yes," Zordon replied. If he sensed Billy's turmoil, he wasn't showing it. "The Power is the basic essence of all living things. Morphing through the Triceratops Coin aligned your energies with Blue and made them a part of the Morphing Grid, but the Power itself had always been there. That spark can never be taken from you."

It was little comfort. So what if he had the Power? The Morphing Grid had been shattered; the Power Coins destroyed... there was nothing left to connect him to the others. The blue flame still burned, but it burned alone. On the ship, that tiny flame had reassured and protected him... but now it was an all-too-painful reminder of the mighty blaze it had once been.

"Why am I seeing this now?" he asked Zordon.

"I would assume it is due to your traumatic experience," Zordon answered slowly.

For a moment, Billy didn't realize he meant the cryo-freeze. "Your past use of the Power made it instinctual for you to draw upon it in such a life-threatening time. What puzzles me, however, is that this awareness has remained with you."

"It's not normal?" Billy asked.

"In humans, it is very unusual. If you wish, I can perform some tests when you return to Angel Grove...."

"No," Billy decided. He sighed and gazed pensively at the starry sky. "It doesn't matter."

There was silence for a moment.

"If there is anything you wish to discuss, Billy...." Zordon hesitated for a moment. "... I will listen."

"Thanks, Zordon." Billy was honestly surprised. "That... that means a lot." He cleared his throat suddenly. "Um, I'll... I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Billy. Zordon out."

Billy closed the channel and stared up at the sky again, his mind a blur of conflicting emotions. A hyena chuckled in the distance.

"Hey," came a soft voice behind him. "Are you okay?"

Billy nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise. "Who's there?" Through the darkness, he discerned a graceful figure in a sleeveless white blouse and yellow jeans, with hair like a curtain of black silk falling over her shoulders.

"Trini." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry... I guess I'm a little jumpy."

"It was my fault," she replied, smiling. "I shouldn't have sneaked up on you like that." Her expression became serious after a moment. "How are you doing?"

Billy shrugged, with careful nonchalance. "I'm pretty tired, but other than that...."

"That's not what I mean."

He sighed and looked down. "Yeah, I know." He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from her.

Trini walked up behind him, and draped her arms around his neck in a gentle embrace. His temperature was still a little below normal, and he was wearing a thick navy and grey sweater that made her feel like she was hugging a teddy bear. Billy was surprised by her actions, but remained silent, staring at the stars again. It was too far away to see Aquitar, but there was its galaxy, looking no bigger than a star itself through the vast distance.

"Adam told me about the Zeo Crystal," Trini said, pulling his thoughts back down to Earth. Her breath was tickling his neck. "How come you never said anything?"

"I don't know." The truth was, he'd hardly kept in touch with her at all, and he wasn't sure why. It was just easier that way. Safer, somehow.

"I know it had to be tough on you," said Trini quietly. "It was really hard for us, after the transfer... it took us a while to get used to things."

Billy didn't reply.

"We used to stay up all night and just talk," Trini continued. "That was what helped the most... just talking about it, coming to terms with it. You just have to let it out."

Billy sighed. She made it sound so simple. Just share your problem, and it'll go away. The trouble was that talking about it would be doing just that: sharing the problem. Not fixing anything, not making him feel better, just making everyone else miserable. He wouldn't do it.

"Billy?" His silence worried her. Trini stepped around in front of him so that she could see his face. "Billy, what's wrong? Why won't you just talk to us?"

Silence.

"Are you worried about hurting our feelings?"

God, how did she figure these things out?

"You don't need to be, you know. We're all your friends... we'll understand."

"It... it wasn't their fault," Billy whispered finally. "I don't want anyone to feel guilty."

Trini chose her next words slowly and carefully. "I wasn't there, Billy. You can't make me feel guilty about it. So if you need to talk... I'll listen."

Billy allowed himself a slight smile. "That's what Zordon said."

"Zordon cares about you," Trini said seriously. "We all do. Don't forget that."

"I won't."

Their eyes met with an intensity neither was familiar with, a gaze that was like a magnet locking them together. Not for the first time, Billy was deeply aware of Trini's beautiful silken hair, her creamy skin, her luminous almond-shaped eyes that seemed to look straight into his soul. She looked exactly the same as on the day she left.

He, on the other hand, had changed incredibly... and not just in appearance. Yet as Trini looked deeply into his crystal-green eyes, she could see a faint glimmer of the Billy she had known... the carefree, gentle spirit who was still there after all this time. Struggling under the weight of responsibility and loss, but still there, and staring out at her from his ancient eyes like a drowning child reaching for a lifeline.

An eternity passed as they stared at each other, invisible strings connecting and coaxing them together. It was Billy who finally ended the moment, drawing Trini into his arms in a tight embrace.

"I missed you," he whispered into her hair. "I miss the way things used to be."

Trini pulled back just enough to meet his eyes again. "Nothing ever changed," she said softly.

As she pulled him into another hug, Billy was faintly aware of the blue flame glowing inside him. It wasn't protecting him from some deadly threat or taunting him with his weaknesses... it was simply there. And it felt right. He'd seen that light as a second chance, a way to pick up where he'd left off. Maybe it was where he'd left off.

"Once a Ranger, always a Ranger," Tommy had told him. A nice sentiment, he'd thought at the time, but that was all it was... just the standard consolation for a powerless teammate. But now... maybe it had meant something after all. Billy and his friends had been a team long before they became Power Rangers... there was no reason why the loss of those powers should break the team up. There was no reason for him to be alone. And as he stood there under the stars, holding Trini in his arms, he realized that he no longer wanted to be.

He'd returned to Earth... now it was time to really come home.

End

Part 1 | 2