Disclaimer: If you saw the character on TV then Haim Saban owns it. If the only place you saw it was in a fanfic by Robert Gutheim or Mistri Xades then guess what: We own it! This is a new International Writing Collaboration which covers a lot of territory and several time zones since Robert lives on the East coast of the United States and Mistri.... well he lives all the way over in Australia, so as you can see it even covers two different hemispheres. This comes after The Team Rejoins. It takes place late March 97. Mistri of course owns the Equinox Powers. There is a quote in here, from LOTR:TTT look for it! From right at the end, at the Battle of Helm's Deep. Vadaei's given name is a tribute to LOTR, what else?

A War Begins
by Robert and Mistri

Last time on Viva La Resistance.....

Going into the ready room they stopped short. Mistri was there, just calmly dressed in elvish clothes of green and brown. Strapped to his side was a sword, slung over his shoulder were a bow and quiver of arrows. He unsheathed the sword, and held it up.

"The UAE has incinerated Earth. A Ninjetti has declared war. Let all those who bear the Mark hear and follow into war."

~*~

They all stood in shock. "Wwwhat?" asked Andrew, horrified. "Earth is gone?"

Mistri nodded heavily. "Earth is gone. And in exactly one minute, the Final Alliance will be summoned. You will all take your official places in that alliance, and together we shall stand."

And as the minute ticked away, Mistri unstrapped his morpher, and placed it in the vault of the NMS, via teleportation. And then they found themselves in a dark cavern, which Mistri identified as Cavern of the Final Alliance. They took their places. And within the next ten minutes, it was filled with people from all over the universe.

"There once existed an Alliance," began Mistri, pacing about. "Ten thousand years ago, all free planets, notably, Phaedos, Inquirius, Eltar, Edenoi, Triforia, and Aquitar. Plus the many other planets on which were stationed outposts. We fought, and we died by each other's side! I ask you now, all of you who bear the Mark, to honor that alliance!" He had unsheathed the sword, AndËril. "Will you? Will you not? Choose swiftly!"

"We will!" And the Rangers of Earth, stationed at Capsilon IX rose. "We will take our rightful place in the Alliance, for we bear the Mark." And one by one, all the people who fought for the Light Side of the Grid, who bore the Mark rose and reaffirmed their place in the Alliance.

"Very well," said Dulcea, striding up. "As is the custom, a unpowered fight between myself and a voted person will begin." Actually, this wasn't the custom, but something that Sue had walked around, preparing. And as she had instructed, they chose Big P. Robert Gutheim.

Dulcea went relatively easy on him, from what Mistri could see. But after two hours, of blocks, kicks and punches, Robert went down. And a great cheer went up, and Stephanie buried her head in her hands, embarrassed beyond belief.

"Stephanie, You know I did my best but it was an unpowered flight."

"Dad, try to factor in, You, me, Sue, Megan, we are all that's left. I found it impossible to believe that someone I've always looked up to ever since I first encountered you after my birth parents died could lose a fight."

"What about Connie and Samantha. If anything it's time Samantha joined the family business."

"Connie, Samantha, even Wang Chung are dead. I actually watched Samantha die and turn into ashes."

"Excuse me sir but why do they call you Big P as it is?" A Ranger in nothing but Black and Gray asked as he walked up. He was the only person morphed.

"It's a crazy nickname for my powered up form of Plastica. I don't think we've met."

"No we have not I'm known as the Phantom Ranger. I have heard of you. Don't feel bad about Dulcea beating you. She is about the best fighter there is during unmorphed battles." Right then a bunch of people in Uniforms that showed a patch with what appeared to be a blowing wind on them walked up. Both humans recognized the patch as that of the Wind Guardians of Brakenous Four and the purple shirted human girl who was at the front of the group they also recognized.

"Grandpa, Aunt Stephanie, what's up. I see Sue made it but I don't see my mom or Aunt Samantha?"

"Megan, glad to see you could make it. Unfortunately Earth is now lifeless the three of us and Sue are all that remain of the family and the Rangers of Earth are the only other ones who remain period."

"We had heard about Earth getting incinerated but we thought maybe just maybe they were spared. One thing is for sure Aunt Stephanie you have my team on your side when you need it. I admit Haradamous is still being a real pain in the you know what but Hopefully we will get things under control soon."

"That is a good pledge to make Megan," Delphine said as she walked up with Cestro and Aurico at her side.

"Where are Corcus and Tideus?"

"They are mingling as we are. It's been a long time since there was a Grid War. My concern is how we will fair in this Grid War."

"That is hard to say. Especially since Stephanie, Megan and I lost family in the incineration of Earth."

Elsewhere, Trey was looking around, and finally he spoke. "Where are the rest of Phaedos? Why did they not honor the Final Alliance?" Mistri swung around and looked at him, as the room fell silent at the accusation.

"Bit hard to honor the Alliance when you're dead."

The room grew even more silent as it filtered in. Delphine fainted.

"Phaedos is dead?" came a voice. Mistri nodded somberly. "What do we do now?"

"What we have always done," said Mistri. "We rise up and fight!"

~*~

"You must disperse now. I ask all leaders to come to me, in ten minutes, and bring news of your foe. For I have a request for each leader." And so they did, and each leader of their team, and all solo Bearers of the Mark gathered around.

"To collapse the UAE you attack it where?" he asked.

"Each individual person?" asked Jason.

"That was our mistake last time. We go for the head and the heart. Without those, it will be easy," said Mistri. "If only we had known that years ago, much would have been saved."

"What are those two?" ventured Andros.

"Vadaei is the head. And Tialmarin is the heart." Most of the group paled visibly at the mention of Tialmarin. The one place where only Phaedos had been brave enough to go. And only Vedi had been able to get in, the last time. And had not made it out, alive. She had died in there, and the Great Power had resurrected her.

"I have to go after Vadaei," said Mistri. "I need as many people as I can get to attack Tialmarin."

"We cannot hope to achieve anything at Tialmarin!" cried Delphine. "It is guarded by much more than we have ever known! Not even with all our forces, and from what it is that I recall, over seventeen million strong, could we hope to achieve. It is folly!!"

"We have no hope," said Mistri. "As long as things are against the prophecy of the Green Ranger, then it is true. But I would seek to restore the prophecy, for then we would have our chance, as we have not it now."

"You wish to change it so what we do at Tialmarin is useless?" asked Phantom Ranger, incredulous.

"Not entirely so. For no matter if you fall or not, you will never have experienced it. Besides, if they are occupied at Tialmarin, then they will not know when I do what I will to fix the past."

"Why do you need to attack Vadaei, anyway?" asked Magna Defender.

Mistri's eyes narrowed. "I will not speak of that reason now, except to only say that if Vadaei is out of the way, then it is easier to reapply the prophecy of the Green Ranger. Now. Will I have your help when I ask for it, or will I not?"

"You shall," they said, knowing it would be useless to not give their help. Mistri nodded.

"Then I go to hunt Vadaei. Namõri‰, elei ole x'anth, telarin syae kabel loi." And Mistri departed.

"What was that?" asked Carter. The Condor flew down, staring after him.

"Farewell, until the end, shall I not see you, though you walk my path." Her eyes widened. "NO!!!"

~*~

At the base, the Rangers discussed the new turn of events. "The second Grid War," muttered Trini. "It's all moving too fast!" The others silently agreed.

"What should we do, though?" asked Tyra. "What can we do?"

"Well," said Stephanie. "I'm going after that bloody idiot. He's not got his morpher, and he wants to take on Vadaei!"

"I'll join you," said Robert. "Oh, and I will get the Rangers of Daman to join us too. Alin, White Ranger. Xysa, Pink. Tmadris, Blue. Kala, Yellow. And Clor, Gold."

And they left, Stephanie cursing the fact they couldn't break into the NMS and grab his morpher.

"That's nice. What do WE do?" asked Tyra.

"I guess the best we can do is prepare for the assault on Tialmarin. It won't be easy especially since the Daman Rangers are some of the best Ranger's I know," Trey indicated. Delphine and Gulermo agreed.

Robert and Stephanie were preparing their gear to loading aboard the Daman Ranger's ship.

"Robert, how often do you really fight?" Alin wondered.

"I used to fight a lot but well I'm not as young as I used to be. I've spent enough time with Mistri Xades to know he can be a real hothead at times. That fact will make it that much harder to provide cavalry support for him. WE will have to be extremely discrete in our dealings with him until the time is right. I'm lucky and I have a couple ways to cloak but Stephanie doesn't have it as easy."

"We'll get something figured out though. If necessary I will teleport down using one of my cloaking methods and the rest of you will remain up here awaiting my signal."

"Dad, it's too dangerous Vadaei is a murderess plain and simple. Remember what she did to Connie, Wang Chung, and Samantha."

"Believe me Stephanie what happened to our family has been on my mind every minute. WE will make sure Vadaei pays for her crimes. I want you to power up and flit over to the NMS and see if you can Flit right into the vault where the Phaedos Morphers are and grab Mistri's. I'm not sure his plan will work quite the way he expects it will."

"The NMS is extremely secure dad. I don't think it will be easy even if Ali would be a little familiar with me from when Mistri took me back to Earth after the pool incident."

Stephanie then powered up and disappeared. by chance she was able to charm her way in where she grabbed everything before she used a small program to hide the fact she had been there.

"I wasn't sure which one was his so I grabbed all of them."

The Daman Cruiser took off shortly after that.

~*~

Mistri knew that Vadaei would likely know where he was. She always seemed to. Suddenly, he knew that Stephanie was trying to get into the NMS, and so allowed her in. He would confront her later. In a flash Vadaei appeared.

"Valinor Arwen DËnedan ªowyn Evenstar Imladris!" Mistri said, and she turned around. Her face was reasonably calm upon a time.

"Yes... that was my name upon a time, Ranger. But no longer."

"It could be once again," replied Mistri. "If you would let it. Your mother and father would be proud."

"My mother and father. It is so long ago. But what little I recall... how is it that you know?"

"Things must be set to rights," replied Mistri, catching her hand. "Trust me as you once did... " Vadaei turned around to face him, looking desperately at him.

"I don't want to play anymore... "

"You won't have to... " And Mistri pulled her close, and kissed her. Vadaei relaxed and as she broke the kiss, Mistri trailed his hand down her arm. "Come back to the light, Valinor."

"I can't... "

He held up her dagger, and it crumbled into gold dust. Her necklace dissolved into nothingness. And he held up the last item, a yellow topaz ring, which he pocketed. "Be free Valinor Arwen DËnedan ªowyn Evenstar Imladris. Be free."

"I want to be free... I will never be free. I have walked too long in the darkness."

"The darkness may be lifted by a Flame."

Vadaei stepped away. "It is too late!"

"Then so be it." Mistri walked away, knowing that soon, Vadaei would become normal again. Or at least what passed for normal with her. Now he was safe, but later he would have to fight, to keep her ring.

~*~

Meanwhile Robert and the rest of the cavalry were still looking for Mistri.

"It's too risky for me to try and use my DNA Reader to find him since he is aware that I can sense him. Knowing Mistri he will try and keep hidden from sensors. His whole team would as much as possible work alone."

"Our best bet then would be to search for and monitor Vadaei since he is after her," Xysa suggested.

"Good point Xy. Eventually we will find them together then wham," Clor said smashing his left fist into his right webbed hand.

~*~

Robert and his crew then teleported down a short ways from Mistri trying to remain hidden. Vadaei seemed ready for Mistri.

"Ah if it isn't the White Hawk Ranger. Come to exact your revenge huh. Well I doubt it will be easy," Vadaei said. "After all you don't want to risk hitting innocent people." She then waved her hands to reveal three stiff humans.

"Bloody hell," Mistri said.

Robert was also shocked. In fact he was surprised by what he found.

"This can't be. How is it they are here. Something is not right," Robert muttered. "DNA Reader."

He then compared the DNA patterns with the countless patterns on file in his powerband. Unfortunately the results came up positive.

"Armor Down," Robert called as he shucked his Stealth Mode Battle Armor.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Stephanie wondered.

"Vadaei's got human shields. I even confirmed their identities. We best get ready. Alin, you all better Morph. Stephanie, be ready for some major Flitting. Right now It's," Robert said hitting a button on his Powerband. "Showtime Plastica Style."

"If you ask me It's Time to Flit." Stephanie said as she changed.

The reason for the sudden change was the three shields were Robert and Stephanie's supposedly dead family.

"701 to Armatron, launch Barricade Mode Battle Armor."

The characteristic beeps from the powerband carried a long way in the mostly open area.

"What the," Mistri cried. "Who's there?"

End