Disclaimer: I do not, have never and have no hope to own the Power Rangers. They are owned by Saban (Please don't sue me Mr Saban). I also do not own Doctor Who, which belong to the BBC or any associated characters. Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling and although not used directly in this series is an excellent read and deserves a mention.
I do not own VR Troopers, Big Bad Beetleborgs, Masked Rider, Galaxy Rangers, Transformers or GI Joe. Some of the concepts and character in this story are based on these shows as do any characters that make an appearance. They are all used without permission of the copyright owners.
I also need to credit Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, Blake's Seven and Star Fleet/ X-Bomber for some of the ideas in this book and for general inspiration. References are made later in the series to Sailormoon, Digimon, Pokemon, Robotech, Zoids, Gundam Wing, Captain Planet, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future and Dragonball-Z and any character or idea taken from those series is done without permission.  If there is anything I've forgotten such as MASK, Terrahawks, Thunderbirds or Ghostbusters, they're not mine either.
I would like to thank Jeremy Ray Logsdon, Ellen Brand and Randel for writing their respective series. They were an inspiration to me two years ago when I started writing this series and remain so regardless of the numerous rewrites I have produced. The basis of the Morphin Grid in this series is modified from Randel's version of Ellen's definition of the Morphin Grid. The idea of the Infinity Crystals in later chapters was inspired by Jeremy Ray's Earth Crystals and Marvel Comic's Infinity Quest.  Any characters used have been taken with the permission of the author.
The mention of a series, book or television program in this disclaimer in no way guarantees characters, places or situations from those sources will appear in this series. Most are excellent programs that deserve a mention or that have had a positive influence on the direction of this series. No part of this series is used for profit.
Author's Note: This is a rewrite of the first part of Conquest of Evil first released at the Command Center Archives in 1998/99. This has been rewritten to allow for later seasons of Power Rangers including Wild Force.
Time Line: The series does not adhere to the Saban timeline. The year is 1996 and the series begins after Billy left for Aquitar, but before Jason started to lose the powers of the Gold Ranger.
Special Note: This part borrows heavily from Ellen Brand's story: Fathers and Sons. This has been done with permission and I thank Ellen for agreeing.

From Planning to Action
by ShadowRanger

Lord Zedd sat on his throne with his beam concentrated on Angel Grove. There he saw the group of teenagers known to him as Power Rangers. He watched quietly, observing their behaviour and listening to their conversation. Any other time the dark rings around their eyes and the tiredness in voices would have caused him to laugh; their sudden jumpiness would have been cause for celebration. But that would have been any other time. For Zedd knew the dangers of playing with fire or worse still Tommy Oliver and his friends. Yet that was what he felt as he watched the frustrated Rocky expressed the seriousness of the situation, he couldn't help but feel that like so many before him, Minion was about to get burnt.

Reluctantly he pulled his sight away from Earth and turned to regard the creature that caused him so much concern. Minion, once a monster created by Rita with Zedd's staff, was staring into the depths of the Zeo Crystal he had taken from the Rangers. Zedd would have scowled were he capable of doing so. To possess the Zeo Crystal had been a goal of many villains including Zedd. But to capture such a wonderfully powerful crystal and just stare at it was both wasteful and dangerous. Dangerous to say the least because as long as the Zeo Crystal remained intact the Rangers could draw on its power. Even now with the used of their Super Zeo Gems and Power Coins they were able to use the Zeo Crystal to morph. He was willing to admit that they had been forced to rely more on their Gem Coins in recent battles than the Zeo Crystal, but if they had shattered the object, the threat would have been eliminated once and for all.

"You shouldn't worry so much Zedd," Minion said; months ago before his released he would have referred to the Emperor of the Dark Regions as Master. His hands were for the first time since his return those of a human and he was studying his nails with interest. He summoned the Sword of Darkness as used the magical blade to skilfully trim them to a reasonable length before continuing. "When I have finished with the Zeo Crystal it will be returned to them. By that time I will have found away to ensure it can never be repaired."

His hands now once again covered by the strange black material Minion enjoyed so much; it was his boots that vanished so he could neatly trim his toenails. Zedd looked on in disgust. In his opinion this creature was worse than Rito.

"Would you believe I greatly misunderstood how important this Zeo Crystal was?" Minion asked as he finished his manicure and replaced his boots.

"Astound me with you insight," Zedd challenged.

"I thought the flawed crystals would be easy to find," Minion replied. "But I missed something important. The crystals are not on this Earth; those wizards used the Zeo Crystal to disrupt time so they could place them on alternate Earths."

"So now we have to go on some inter-dimensional quest for your crystals?" Zedd asked.

"Hah!" Rita exclaimed, "You can't even find them here, why do you think you'll have more luck on another Earth?"

"The first crystal is on Earth," Minion said. "The others were also placed there, but the noble Brother Rovang did not take into account the effects the crystals would have. Earth shattered to create a variety of Earths, one for each crystal. With the first crystal though I will have the means to retrieve the second and then the third, and so on."

"I am tired of waiting for this promised victory of yours," Zedd declared.

Minion looked at his former master and his eyes glowed brighter than ever. In a moment his black costume was gone, replaced by the armour of his twisted animal spirit. The Sword of Darkness was once again in his hand and although Zedd showed no sign of fear when the wolf like demon turned to him, he was the only one who failed to cringe.

"I think the time of waiting is over," Minion said. "We need the Earth for my plans. We might as well take it now."

"Finally!" Rita screeched. "I guess we did give you some courage after all."

"Those Rangers won't know what hit them," Goldar announced, eager to make his presence known.

"Angel Grove is not our target," he said. "If we attack there Zordon will find reinforcements."

Rita and Zedd looked at their creation expectantly. He had promised them an attack, but not Angel Grove. They wondered where he had in mind.

"We will start with the area surrounding Angel Grove. When we take them we will control part of the Ley Nexus and our powers will be increased."

Rita and Zedd nodded at the idea, then an idea occurred to Zedd.

"Leewood?" he asked. The idea of getting one over on Count Dregon appealed to the dark emperor.

"I think Dregon would object if you did anything to his nephew," Minion replied. "I was hoping he would join us. If you and Rita wish to build an empire you will need men like Dregon."

It was unfortunate but true. Not only would they need Dregon's co-operation, but also if they were to stand any chance, they would have to recruit the often-underestimated villains of Earth; namely Grimlord, Nukus and Vexor. With them and the Triforian Order, Zedd would have the political power to persuade allies of Master Vile and other villains to join him.

"Very well, I can see we agree with my assessment. Lord Zedd will attack Charterville, I understand there are some insects there calling themselves Beetleborgs. Recruit Nukus to our cause and see if Vexor is still skulking around. Lady Rita, you should approach Grimlord in Crossworld City. I'm sure if you take Bronzo along with you he will see sense. Goldar can go with Scorpina to convince Count Dregon that an alliance is in his best interests."

Goldar growled and caused Minion to look up at the sneering face.

"I obey only Lord Zedd," the henchman growled, "not a throwaway like you!"

Since the power boost he had received months before, Goldar had constantly improved his skills to the point where he was once again capable of holding his own in battle. His loyalty to Zedd had practically doubled as a result of the gift and fear that Zedd would reverse the spell. So when Minion attacked him it was not surprising that the titan held his own. With his sword tipped with fire he lunged at the wolf demon, who had replaced the Sword of Darkness with a different sword shaped like a crescent moon. Without warning Goldar unleashed a blast from his eyes that knocked Minion off his feet.

"That was good monkey boy," Minion said. "You just saved your life."

His words had the desired effect and Goldar attacked angrily. Minion fended off most of the blows and then watched with satisfaction as his sword sliced through Goldar's weapon. A blast of his own and Goldar was on his back with smoke billowing from his armour.

"Now, as I was saying, Goldar and Scorpina will visit Dregon." He glanced at the fallen simian as if daring him to object again. Then he turned his attention to Rito.

"Hey, why don't I go to North Valley?" Rito asked.

It was an inspired idea and one nobody expected from Rito. The skeleton stood in front of the wolf demon in an attempt to make puppy dog eyes, which was a difficult feat considering his head was an empty skull.

"I'm amazed you thought of it Rito," Minion said. "But I have a better job for you. Take a flock of Tengas..."

"Sure thing boss," Rito said and started to walk off without waiting for Minion to finish. A lasso of blue light trapped his foot.

"As I was saying," Minion growled. "Take a flock of Tengas and clean the guest quarters. We'll be having company soon. Silvo will secure North Valley and Brasso will come with me."

"And where will you be going?" Zedd demanded.

Minion turned towards Zedd and his features transformed to become even more wolf-like. "I will be going to get the first crystal from Stone Henge."

~*~

Power Chamber

Multiple alarms sounded throughout the chamber as the computer detected multiple landings on the planet. But for once Alpha did not move to summon the Power Rangers Zeo. Zordon had expected such an attack and had already instructed the small android to press a different combination of controls. In a column of clear light Jason Lee-Scott, former Gold Ranger and the only active Red Morphin Warrior on Earth, arrived in the Power Chamber. He immediately noticed the absence of Tommy and the others not to mention the way the alarm ceased when Alpha spotted him. He glanced at the Viewing Globe and saw it was shifting images, monitoring all the Rangers on Earth, both former and current.

"I'm here Zordon," Jason said, "What's up?"

"Thank you for coming Jason," Zordon said. "I am afraid the situation with Minion has escalated beyond the Zeo Rangers' control. His recent activity along with data stolen from our computer reveals he is about to go after the seven Infinity Crystals."

"Infinity Crystals?" Jason asked.

"Many centuries ago the wizards of the M-51 sculpted a number of crystals. You know of the Zeo Crystal and the gem seated deep within the Golden Power Staff. These were the crystals that were well known and considered flawed by their creators."

"Flawed, but they never seemed to malfunction," Jason protested.

"When I said flawed Jason I meant in the eyes of their creator and not those who would use them. Brother Rovang and his order believed that the crystals should be polarised so only those capable of tapping the powers of good could use them. But the Zeo Crystal could not be manipulated in that way; it was later proved indestructible when the order tried to rebuild it."

"So the Zeo Crystal was flawed because it could be used for evil," Jason said thoughtfully.

"That is correct Jason," Zordon told him. "Although the crystal was briefly used it was deemed too dangerous and placed in the Caves of Deception where only the forces of good could remove it; the Golden Power Staff was considered safe in the hands of the Lord of Triforia although it was later modified when one of the lords used it to power a mighty weapon."

"And the Infinity Crystals are another set of these flawed crystals," Jason surmised.

"No Jason," Alpha said. "The Infinity Crystals were far more intricate than the Zeo Crystal. If used it would overload a Ranger."

"But, if used together the crystals would allow the wielder full access to their powers without personal risk," Zordon boomed. "If Minion gained one crystal he would have powers beyond those of the Zeo Crystal. With all the crystals he could strip the powers from the Morphin Grid."

Jason's face paled at that thought. He didn't understand the Grid like Billy, but he knew the powers there were vast. For something to strip them like that it would need to be powerful.

"There is more," Zordon told him. "To ensure that the Rangers cannot be backed up in case of emergency, Minion's forces are attack other cities near Angel Grove."

"We need to help them," Jason said.

"I am afraid that is not possible," Zordon told him. "If the Rangers were to fall away from Angel Grove I could not retrieve them.

"So why am I here?" Jason asked.

"I will explain after the others arrive," Zordon told him.

At that moment Tanya, Billy and Samoht teleported into the Power Chamber with Ninjor in tow. A moment later there was a pink flash and a familiar cry.

"Jason, Billy?"

"Kimberly!" Billy cried, happy to see his former teammate. The three Rangers embraced before Billy noted a black and yellow flash. His mouth dropped open. "Trini?"

"Zack!" Jason called excitedly as the Power Chamber became the scene of another reunion.

Another yellow flash signalled Aisha's arrival and Tanya greeted her as David Trueheart rounded off the arrivals; a man in a Native American ribbon shirt accompanied him.

"Now the arrivals are all here we can begin," Zordon said.

A chair appeared next to each person for him or her to use; indicating this might be a long conversation. Alpha 5 was scurrying around on the other side of the Power Chamber, apparently trying to talk to someone.

"How much do you know about the Ranger Powers?" Zordon asked.

"Only that the powers take the form of either a set of Power Coins or the Zeo Crystal," Jason answered.

Zordon sighed; there was obviously a lot he would need to teach his Rangers in the future, especially if they succeeded in completing his plan.

"You are partially correct," Zordon said. "The Ranger Powers you are used to have been drawn by Power Coins and the Zeo Crystal. However, only those who have held the powers of the Morphin Grid would be accepted as Rangers on another world. As White Morphin Master I had the right to name the Zeo holders as Rangers, a role they have fulfilled with honour, courage and great skill."

"So what exactly is the Morphin Grid?" Jason asked. Of all the Rangers, only Billy had ever done any real research on their powers.

"The Morphin Grid is a source of energy created from some of the magical energy which seeped into our universe when it was first formed. The power of the Morphin Grid is one of a number of concentrations of magic that somehow divided itself into a combination of shades, levels and colours. On some worlds all the people can use magic, on others such as Earth, many members of the population are unable to touch the magic naturally. Instead, the planet is rich in Psychic energy with a few hotspots where people can use non-grid magic."

"I thought the Grid was magic," Trini commented.

"As I said the Morphin Grid is only a portion of all the magic in the Universe. Every planet, even Earth has its own small amount of magic, but due to the vast quantities of Iron on this world, few humans have enough potential to utilise such magic. Those I chose as Rangers were fortunate that they each had a small amount of potential that left them open to the magic of the Grid even though they were immune to the power of their planet." Zordon explained. "I'm certain you realise that Earth is surrounded by lines of natural magic. In places they congregate to form nexus points. Angel Grove is situated on one such Ley Nexus where the magic spread throughout the Universe can manifest. There is a second network of Ley Lines that would allow those with potential to learn the ways of natural magic. I know of only a few places where people are open enough for such power to be seen."

"So wizards and witches are not powered by the Grid," Zack realised.

"That is correct in the case of this planet," Zordon said. "Although for on other worlds witches have learnt to tap the Dark Side of the Morphin Grid."

"That is why Rita would never attack an Earth Wizard," Alpha said. "Compared to her powers they are unworthy of the attention."

"When I first picked my Rangers I had a number of requirements," Zordon continued. "Firstly they had to be willing to accept the rules of the Power. There were others on Earth who would have been able to hold the Power, but might have abused the Power. Secondly, they needed to be able to form and act as a team. When I first ordered Alpha to find you the computer searched for a group of friends. Finally, I required teenagers who had the potential to touch the Grid."

Tanya took the opportunity to ask the question she had been wondering about since the day that she had first become a Ranger. "Zordon, why did you choose teenagers to be Rangers?"

Zordon smiled. He knew the other Rangers had often discussed the issue, but none of them had yet come to the right conclusion. "The first reason is because as I said I needed humans with the potential to touch the Power whose minds were not closed to the possibilities of doing so. In addition it was important that those I selected were old enough to understand the responsibility the role of Ranger entailed. By selecting teenagers I not only fulfilled both of those requirements, but also found a group whose lives would be able to help when needed and not get stuck in other activities."

"To go back to my original point," Zordon said. "The Morphin Grid has three sides, sometimes referred to as the Lightside, the Darkside and the Shadow Grid. The Light and Dark sides of the Grid are equal and opposite of each other. It is possible for someone with the ability to touch the Lightside to also touch the Darkside. It is the intention that determines where the power comes from."

"So when Tommy was under Rita's spell he drew energy from the Darkside?" Jason asked.

"No," Zordon replied. "Although Rita's spell made him evil, he was still using the Lightside powers through his Power Coin. If he had been truly evil the Ranger Powers would have left him. Only the Lightside can create Rangers, the Darkside relies instead on creating outer forms for its users. That is why Lord Zedd and Master Vile look like they do. If they were ever stripped of their powers they would resemble ordinary humans."

"What's the Shadow Grid?" Tanya asked, realising Zordon had not mentioned it.

"The Shadow Grid is the most powerful side of the Grid," Zordon explained. "As far as I know only one race has ever been able to touch the Shadow Grid and used its power to move their world outside of Time and Space. As a rule they are neutral in the war against good and evil, although like any race they have their own mix of heroes and villains."

Zordon noticed that the Rangers were hooked on his every word, but also realised he needed to get to the point if his plan was to succeed before it was too late. "What I am going to tell you now is a little known secret about the Ranger Powers. You are both aware that in the past the Rangers have used the Dino, Thunder and Ninja powers. What you may not have known is that these are different versions of the same power, each representing a different aspect of the Power. Each Aspect is further divided into nine colours. As Rangers you are able to control each aspect and each colour to some extent, however you are best suited to the aspect and colour determined by you personality."

"Jason and Rocky were suited to the Red colour. Although many assume that red is the colour of the leader, it is mainly the colour that represents a team player. The Red spirits are the Tyrannosaurus, Dragon and Ape. Jason is the Tyrannosaurus, a powerful leader who is able to work with his team. He also tends to tackle his opponents head on Rocky however is a Dragon. As such he was the centre around which the team is formed. Rocky preferred to think things out before attacking."

"Billy was drawn to the Blue colour. Blue represents a creative and powerful mind, not just in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of mental powers. Blue spirits also have a desire to belong although sometimes have difficulty relating to others. The Triceratops, Unicorn and Wolf represent the Blue Powers. Billy is the Wolf aspect of the Blue Power. He prefers to study his enemies and determine their weaknesses before charging in."

"Trini was suited to the Yellow Power. She could have managed either the Sabre-toothed Tiger, Griffin or Bear. As the Yellow Ranger she was the peacemaker, looking out for the weaker members of the team. However like Billy, she prefers to study her problems first and would have been at her best if linked to the Bear."

"What about me and Aisha?" Tanya asked.

"I will get to you and Aisha in a moment," Zordon promised, before continuing with his lecture. "Zack and Adam are both natural users of the Black Powers. Both possess a joyful spirit and seek to lighten their team's mood in battle. For Zack this is due to his own personality, but Adam does so because of his shy nature. The Mastodon, Pegasus and Frog represent the Black Power. Zack is the Pegasus, a slightly wild spirit, whilst Adam is the more reserved Frog.

"Both Kimberly and Kat were Pink Spirits, the colour of a nursing spirit that is protective of all those around and pure of mind and body. The Pterodactyl, Firebird and Crane all represent the Pink Power. Whilst Kimberly is more likely to think and then act, Kat will study her opponents in the same was as Billy and Trini. That is why Kim excelled as the Firebird and Kat was able to slip into her role as the Crane."

"The White Ranger represents the healer," Zordon explained. "Although Tommy has held the White Power he did so only to access the powers of a Ranger. The White Rangers normally possess a pure spirit and are immune to spells. In addition they can heal their fellow Rangers and possess certain extra mental abilities. The White Powers are represented by the Raptor, Tiger and Falcon."

"Sam and Tommy are both Green Spirits. The Green Power is at the opposite end of the Lightside," Zordon explained "Those with a Green Spirit constantly feel the pull of both sides of the Morphin Grid. That is why both Tommy and Sam were able to be place under Rita's spell. The Dragon, Lion and Panther represent the Green Power. Sam is Dragon, whereas Tommy is closer to the Light and is therefore the Panther."

"Finally, there is the Purple Spirit. Purple is the colour of unity. Those with the Purple Powers are able to combine the various attributes of the other Rangers. Tanya is a Purple Spirit. The Stegosaurus, Spider and Hawk represent purple. Not only is Tanya a Purple Spirit, but she is also equally suited to all three aspects of her colour."

Zordon looked at his two young students. He knew his lecture had raised many questions in their minds and he intended to answer them.

"I know you have some questions, so allow me to explain. Firstly the ninth colour is unknown. It is hidden deep within the Morphin Grid and will only be revealed when eight Rangers reach their full potential. I believe Aisha is one of the few linked to the ninth colour. She is pure of heart; a strong leader when she needs to be; and has a protective attitude towards her fellow Rangers."

"Secondly, although the Lion was the Black Thunder Zord, at the time you were not drawing the Thunder Powers. Since the Lion was needed to create the MegaZord I adapted it to work for Zack instead of Tommy. Had Tommy been able to power the Lion, Zack would have been given the Pegasus and the Rangers may never have need the White Ranger."

"Thirdly, I know you will wonder why if there were nine colours there were only ever six Rangers at a time. As I have already mentioned, one of the colours is unknown, but the others are simply related to not having the coins. The Purple Coin is lost, the White Coin was mine to create and I did so only to allow Tommy to become a Ranger again. With the Green Coin in the hands of Rita and then sabotaged I never got to create a Green Ranger."

_Now for the difficult bit, _ Zordon thought.

Jason had listened to everything Zordon had said. He had asked question when he felt they were necessary and now understood the inside workings of the Ranger Powers. Now he needed to know what Zordon really wanted. "Zordon, why did you bring us here?"

"Of all the other Rangers, past and present, you are the only ones suitable for the task I have in mind. In order to defeat Minion I believe we will need the power of the Morphin Grid. Because of the way their powers were destroyed Tommy, Adam, Rocky and Kat cannot access their Morphin powers. Aisha, I am afraid the same is true for you because you passed your powers to Tanya after your coin had been destroyed. Billy was a temporal abnormality at the time the coins were destroyed and is immune from the effect. Therefore I have a request for each of you."

"I have told you that the Morphin Grid had three aspects and eight colours, but there is a fourth aspect; the Ranger Aspect. Very few have ever held all three aspects of the Power. Most have been given their correct spirit early on and have never changed. The Rangers of Earth however have held all three levels and can combine those aspect to obtain the Ranger Aspect."

"How do we get them?" Jason asked.

"Firstly, you must be a team," Zordon said. "Jason, Kimberly, Zack, Trini and Billy, you have proven yourselves in the past to be worthy to be Power Rangers; I ask you to resume those roles with immediate effect. Samoht, you are already the Green Ranger. I ask you allow us to aid you in restoring your powers to where they should be." He turned to the newcomer to the group. "David, you are as worthy as Tommy to hold the powers of a Ranger. I realise you never wanted to be a Ranger, but ask you to put the training Red Hawk gave you to better use."

"Red Hawk?" Jason asked.

"Red Hawk is a former Red Ranger who has agreed to pass on his experience," Ninjor said.

David looked at his mentor and then at Zordon. Finally, he nodded.

"Tanya, I realise that you are a valued Zeo Ranger, but I ask you to join Jason and the others on their quest. Aisha cannot hold the Morphin powers again at this time, but if you succeed I believe she will once again be a part of your team. In the meantime I ask Aisha to fulfil the role of Yellow Zeo until such time that she is no longer needed."

"I told you guys I would be here to help," Aisha said. "What do I need to do?"

"Alpha, summon the other Rangers."

For a moment the powers Chamber was filled with the noise of arrivals, greetings and explanations as the Zeo Rangers were updated on Zordon's plan. The ancient mentor waited until the excitement had died down before moving on.

"Tommy, hold out your hand and receive the Sword of Light, which will allow Tanya to pass on her powers in the absence of the Zeo Crystal."

"How can the Sword of Light do that?" Kimberly asked. "I thought it could only transfer our original powers."

"The Sword of Light is one of three swords crafter in the early days of the Universe. The sword gives its wielder complete control of the Lightside of the Morphin Grid, just as the Sword of Darkness has given Minion complete access to the Darkside of the Morphin Grid. At the moment he had not realise just how much power is at his disposal. Even though the Zeo Crystal is not here, Tanya would normally only have to hand over her Zeonisers. However, because we have had to use some of the powers of the Morphin Grid to create the GemCoins, the Sword of Light is required to transfer part of Tanya's power to Aisha."

"What about the third sword?" Adam asked.

"The third sword offers those capable of using it complete control of the Shadow Grid," Ninjor said. "Like the mysterious beings that draw from that part of the Morphin Grid, the sword is surrounded by mystery. At the time of its creation it was buried deep within the Morphin Grid where it must be called."

"The Sword of Power," Aisha said, unsure why she mentioned it.

"No Aisha," Zordon said. "The Sword of Power cannot control any part of the Morphin Grid. It can however draw its power from any part of the Grid. To prevent the sword being abused a spell was cast requiring that six beings bound in purpose call on the sword. It was hoped that by doing so evil would never gain possession of the sword since they are notorious for not working together."

Tommy held the sword over his head as he had done before. There was a flash as Tanya and Aisha joined hands and yellow light flowed from Tanya into Aisha. Then it was all over.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha cried out. "The computer has located the first Infinity Crystal on Earth and Minion is on his way to get it."

"Rangers, if we could stop Minion from getting that crystal his plans would be redundant."

"We're on it Zordon," Tommy said. "It's Morphin Time!

~*~

Stone Henge, England

Minion appeared and inhaled the morning air. This was a site of great power; he could sense it deep inside. The Zeo Crystal glowed just as he thought it would in reaction to the buried somewhere beneath his feet. Even without the Infinity Crystal he had always planned to use the monument to his advantage. It's natural magic was more than enough for his purposes.

"By the power of all that is evil, I command Stone Henge to be restored!"

The ground shook as the mystical stones shifted position to return to their original positions within the stone circle. Over the years many humans had attempted to discover the true power behind the stone circle. Some had claimed it was an ancient form of calendar, some said it was an ancient burial ground and some even claimed it was built by aliens. Only when fully restored to resemble a circle of stone doorways was it possible to understand the truth. Each doorway led to alternate Earth and new opportunities. It was the method Brother Rovang had used to disperse the Infinity Crystals albeit completely by accident.

As the site reformed itself Minion reflected on how arrogant humans were to believe for even a second that they knew the secrets of a site created long before this circular structure which became a magnet for new age travellers. He could just see the face of the countries greatest leaders if he was to resurrect them and tell them the power that had been under their very noses for centuries. He wondered how some of the Universe's noble leaders would feel to know that such a power existed on Earth and the only reason it had never been used was because the Order of the Meledon had destroyed the circle.

The final stone moved into place, forming an altar intended for the power supply to be placed. Minion laughed as he realised he had been holding the means to opening the portals since he first defeated the Zeo Rangers. With a flick of his wrist he revealed the Zeo Crystal in all of its glory and placed the object in its rightful place. At once one of the portals opened and Minion allowed himself a grin under his demonic armour.

"Fire!"

Minion turned rapidly in an attempt to pinpoint the shout. He knew it was Tommy had heard, but was unsure what the Red Zeo Ranger had in mind. A moment later he noticed the ball of explosive energy as it struck him in the chest. For once one of the Zeo's attacks had worked and Minion was pitched into one of the stones.

Something pink streaked towards his head and he raised his arms just in time as the Pink Power Disk tried to slice him in half. Had he been Lord Zedd he would have lost his arm to the cursed weapon. Luckily the power that he had mutilated provided adequate protection against such weapons. He allowed himself a moment to gloat and missed Yellow Zeo until she had struck.

For Aisha there were some skills she could never forget and those taught to her by Ninjor during her days as a Ninja Ranger were good examples. She had stealthily approached the distracted demon and despite a moments hesitation as she absorbed the horror of Minion's true form, she struck with the suddenness that had left many Tengas rubbing the bumps on their beaks.

Minion had had the opportunity to study the Rangers in action, so it was a surprise when instead of Tanya's rather weak punches; he was hit with a series of swift kicks. He noticed that the Yellow Zeo Ranger had grown faster and slightly taller. He unconsciously moved to block her attacks while trying to work out what Zordon had done to improve her powers.

"Zeo II Nunchuks!"

The voice revealed the answer as he recognised it was Aisha he was facing and not Tanya. Then as the blunt edge of the Nunchuks cracked against his skull he remembered what the Yellow Zeo Ranger had actually said.

"Adam, get the crystal," Tommy ordered as he and Rocky rushed over to help their teammate.

By this time Minion had recovered enough to swing Aisha around. A few shots from Red Zeo's Zeo Pistol was enough to make him stop; a sudden impact against his left foot caused him to look down where Rock had attempted to slice his feet with the Zeo Arm Blades. The blades had missed, but succeeded in securing his boots to the ground.

"Zeo III Power Punch!" Rocky cried as he leapt up. His powered up fist caught Minion on the jaw as he sailed into the air and flipped back to safety. _Who says you have to be pink to do that sort of think?"

While he was thinking about that Rocky realised that Kat was not with them and took a moment to look around. He saw her watching patiently as Tommy drilled the villain with his Zeo V Power Kick. He wondered what she was planning.

"Now!" Tommy yelled as he moved away.

Kat pulled her Power Disk in front of her helmet and could be heard to mutter something. Then like a powered up spear she tore into the wolf demon. As she emerged the other side Minion looked as if he was going to collapse. Kat drew her Zeo Pistol and fired at the ground beneath Minion's feet, freeing the Arm Blades as she did so. Now Minion was finally able to fall over.

"Tommy, I got it!" Adam cried as he the Zeo Crystal like a trophy.

"Good job Adam," Tommy replied as the Green Zeo Ranger teleported away with the crystal in his hand. In a slightly louder voice he said: "Time to put an end to this. Zeo V Power Sword - Power Up!"

Tommy launched himself forward and made two diagonal cuts across Minion's chest. He spun around and after delivering a kick to the demon's face he drove the point of the blade into Minion's midsection. The sword did not destroy Minion, which was hardly surprising considering how they were using imitation weapons and not those they had come to rely on.

Minion stumbled back as the five Rangers reunited to finish the task.

"Zeo Cannon!" they called, summoning the oversized weapon for the last time. With luck they would soon have their full powers back. "Fire!"

~*~

Zordon looked at the scene on the viewing globe and had to admit his Rangers had done exceptionally well. With their friends on their way to train he only hoped his Zeo Rangers could keep Angel Grove safe. A wall of darkness that the Power Chamber's satellites could not penetrate had surrounded North Valley. It would only be a short time before any hope of outside help was cut off.

_Of course, _ he mused, _if the Rangers gained possession of the first crystal they can put an end to Minion. _

He shook his head at that thought. He never wanted the Rangers to witness that sort of power. Even to a White Morphin Master it was a temptation.

~*~

"Well," Minion said as the after effects of the blast lifted. "That was... disappointing."

He could imagine the looks on the Rangers' faces as they realised their powerful finisher had simply been shrugged off. Their attack had been surprisingly aggressive and as a result they had succeeded to stun him. But he doubted there was any way a single shot could destroy him.

"Fire!"

He reacted by jumping into the attack, not because it made it easier to absorb, but because he didn't want to risk a stray blast damaging the site. The Rangers had poured all their energy into that single shot and as the ground around him exploded Minion wondered if perhaps he had made a mistake.

The Rangers looked down at the site and then teleported away.

End