Formatting note: In order to make the Astronema/Karone "watcher" scenes clearly distinguishable from the action in the alternate timeline, they are written in purple.

Nearly every citizen in Angel Grove had an unusual tale to tell. Two former police trainees could recall how they spent an entire year as chimpanzees. Other residents might think back to when they were accidentally or intentionally whisked to another dimension; alien abduction was no joke in this city. They had all seen giant robots battle monsters of every shape and
form for over five years.

But nothing could have prepared them for this.

The morning sky was dark and thick with swarms of fighter craft, blasting away at the city. Chunks of debris rained down upon the helpless civilians as the earth quaked; never had such unrelenting fury been called down upon the people of Angel Grove.

Never had their protectors been so helpless to resist.

The Rangers were there in full force, combating the ground troops as best they could. But they were five against an army, and no amount of training or experience could change that. The invaders were everywhere, on all sides, mixed with fleeing civilians so that the use of long-range weapons was impossible.

Time passed. The ground was littered with severed robotic limbs and heads, and the broken corpses of Astronema's foot soldiers. The five defenders of Earth fought relentlessly, each aware that a line had been drawn. To fail here was to deliver the world into the hands of Dark Specter.

Standing atop a ruined car, Darkonda chortled victoriously, waving his sword around with his usual bluster. The Yellow Ranger spotted him and immediately charged, channeling her helpless fury at that one creature. In the back of her mind she knew it was a mistake: her limbs ached, her heart was pounding in her chest, and Andros had not been able to slay the demon himself; what hope did she have?

It was just that thought that fueled her as she catapulted herself at the lieutenant, tackling him to the ground with her blade drawn. But she'd been right; the crimson monster swatted her aside all too easily, and his eyes narrowed in a predatory gleam as he noticed how she staggered.

The beast was silent as he approached the Yellow Ranger, sword held ready. No taunts were spoken, no overly grandiose gestures made. It was as if there was a silent agreement between the two, between every combatant on the battlefield: this was the end. Every conflict, every struggle, had led to this moment, and there would be no mercy shown, no quarter asked or given.

Their blades met with furious strength, and stray sparks shot into the air with each impact. Ashley leaned into her strikes as hard as she could, trying to force Darkonda to his knees; but her own legs were buckling, and she could see saliva dripping from the creature's fangs. He was winning, and they both knew it.

Suddenly a metal glint caught her eye, and a moment later the red monster reeled back, shrieking in pain as black blood gouted from its wounded shoulder. Carlos pressed the attack, swinging the sharp end of his Lance in an arc that would've taken off Darkonda's head. But he teleported away at the last moment, replaced by a rising tide of henchmen eager to retaliate.

Ashley knew he was fighting the urge to ask if she was okay, to check her wounds and just be there for her. But this wasn't the place, and deep down she realized their time had come and gone. It was too late for love now, too late for everything; she felt her power waning with every blow, until their morphers finally failed and left them defenseless.

She would have taken him into her arms then, and kissed him goodbye. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the throng of screaming civilians, away from the battle.

They were falling back. Still alive, thank God... her three teammates joined them as they retreated. Within the panicked mob, Ashley realized that they had delayed their fate a moment longer; she'd been given a last chance to speak, to tell Carlos how sorry she was that it had all ended like this; to apologize to Andros, to tell Cassie and T.J. how much she respected them and how she wished it could have gone on forever.

She remained silent as they fled.

*   *   *

The Dark Fortress hangar was bustling with activity as damaged Velocifighters limped back to base to be repaired and sent out again. That was the beauty of their armies: there was no flesh to fail here. Destroyed Quantrons could be rebuilt and dispatched a thousand times. Simple, yet devastatingly effective.

Ecliptor stood with his princess before a specially-modified ship, watching as an elongated missile was loaded into the launcher.

"The Super Torpedo will be ready momentarily, my Princess." the warrior assured her.

Astronema smiled coolly. "Excellent. The entire planet, destroyed in a single blow."

Hidden from sight behind a cargo crate, Darkonda couldn't help a chuckle. "An entire planet... or something the size of a planet." he mused, pulling out the scroll that displayed his remaining lives. Eight had been crossed out; only one remained intact. "With one life left, the time to strike has finally come. I've been under the thumb of Astronema and Dark Specter for too long. No more!"

The treacherous villain was too busy examining his scroll to see Astronema's smile widen ever so slightly, glancing at the crate from the corner of her eye.

As they left the hall, Astronema paused and turned to her retainer. "Was the Torpedo modified to my specifications?" she asked.

Ecliptor seemed puzzled by the question. "Of course, Princess. The warhead's firepower was doubled, though it seemed a bit unnecessary. May I ask why?"

A burst of flame from the hangar seemed to answer his question, as the hijacked fighter suddenly took off.

Astronema shrugged innocently. "No reason. Come, Ecliptor: the stage is set for the grand finale."

The robot obediently followed to the nearest view screen, revealing Dark Specter's massive visage as he warped in behind the Fortress.

"Astronema?" the dark being rumbled. "Why have you summoned me?"

She bowed her head respectfully, though Ecliptor noticed her fists clenching. "To keep you appraised of the battle, Lord Specter. Triumph is within our grasp."

The Monarch of Evil laughed darkly, and Astronema joined in, but for an entirely different reason. A tiny streak of light arced towards Dark Specter; he had not noticed the approaching Velocifighter. Or if he had, it did not concern him.

Aboard the fighter, Darkonda's eyes narrowed in anticipation. "There can only be one Supreme Leader. And it will be me! Goodbye, Dark Specter!" With a howl of anticipation, Darkonda released the torpedo.

A target as large as Dark Specter was impossible to miss; the projectile slammed into the Monarch's back, immediately causing a dozen explosions to pepper across his body. Dark Specter let out a roar of anguish that shook the Fortress; Astronema, unmoved, thrust her hands forward towards the dying visage. The words she whispered beneath her breath were foul and ancient, and undecipherable to Ecliptor's ears. Streams of red energy seemed to flow from the dying Specter to Astronema, slithering through her mouth and nose, wrapping around her like pythons.

With a final burst of flame, the only mentor Astronema had ever known was gone; and every last drop of his power slammed into her with an almost-physical impact. She doubled over, clutching her stomach with both hands. But before Ecliptor could reach out to her, she reared back up, her eyes burning with crimson fire. But more startling than that was the change that suddenly overcame her, the sheer look of hatred and disgust and contempt for all living things. Her demeanor had shifted so abruptly that, to Ecliptor, it was as if she had died and been reborn. And though she was physically unchanged, he knew she would never again be as she was.

He mourned her in that moment.

Astronema tilted her head slightly as the Velocifighter came around for another pass, clearly intending to destroy the Fortress as well. With smooth, leisurely motions, the Princess touched her fingers to her lips and blew Darkonda a kiss.

The Velocifighter exploded.

*   *   *

Smoke ascended into the night sky, dulling what would have been a clear, unseasonably warm autumn evening. The stars and moon were shrouded in gloom, yet the city below was far from dark. Innumerable fires still burned, slowly consuming the rubble left in the wake of Astronema's most brutal assault.

A group of battered citizens cowered near the warmth of a large fire, trembling with fear and jumping at the shadows that crawled around them. Their voices carried into the night as they argued, panic overtaking them as they tried to pray for an unlikely victory, hours after
their heroes had vanished.

Yet one small group stood apart from the rest, hovering around their own pyre. They were near enough to hear their fellows arguing, and sat in heavy silence as the weight of their failure crashed in around them.

A day of absolute horror. Never did the Rangers of Earth anticipate such an overwhelming onslaught. The United Alliance of Evil had played the ultimate Trump card, launching an attack with everything they had. Angel Grove was completely swarmed by Piranhatrons and Quantrons. Like some ancient mythical plague of locusts, the automatons consumed everything in their path, crushing schools and homes and businesses, and hoarding humans into prison bins like cattle.

The firelight gleamed in the Blue Ranger's dark eyes, the flickering light sharpening his frown. The whole world... everything the Power Rangers had sworn to protect... was being obliterated swiftly and methodically. In less than a day Astronema had leveled Angel Grove. How long would it take to annihilate the entire planet?

"We're running out of time," he stated, rising to his feet. "And we're running out of firepower. Without the Megazord, we're grounded."

His face tight with frustration, Carlos kicked the nearest pile of crumbled brick and mortar. "But we're not out yet," he determined. "Everyone is counting on us! We have to get back in the game!"

Ashley watched Carlos pace like a caged tiger. "But how? In the last fight we overloaded our morphers. If that happens again, we might not get a chance to retreat."

"We're the only hope Earth has," Cassie determined. She met the Blue Ranger's smoldering eyes. "Teej... do you have any ideas?"

"We have to marshal every single resource we have. I'll tell you right now, we can't save the world alone. Not this time. The enemy is too strong, and the stakes are too high."

He folded his arms. "We need to lead the people of Angel Grove. If we can get them to resist the Quantrons, we might be able to turn the tide of this invasion."

Ashley, Carlos, and Cassie stared at T.J. in wide-eyed silence. Never before had the Rangers encouraged civilians to get involved. The Rangers had always stood alone to defend the planet. But that wasn't possible any longer. Astronema had taken the battle too far, and there was no way a handful of Rangers could defeat such an army.

Then, one voice broke the sober silence with a single syllable. "No."

The Earth Rangers turned their heads in unison, and stared into the darkness. Standing far apart from the others was the young man that should have stood among them.

T.J. hadn't even noticed his presence. After all, the Red Ranger hardly ever stood with his team. "Do you have a better plan?"

"Earthlings aren't trained fighters. If they start to defy the Quantrons, they won't be taken prisoner. They'll be slaughtered."

T.J.'s eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should stop underestimating us 'Earthlings.' When times are desperate, we're capable of anything."

Andros shook his head. "We're outmatched, and denying it will only get thousands of people needlessly killed. Our only chance is to stop this invasion at its source. We need to find Karone."

The Blue Ranger's eyes widened in sheer amazement. "What the hell is wrong with you? She willingly returned to the Dark Fortress, and now she's trying to exterminate the human race! If we face her directly, she'll wipe us all out!"

Andros scowled as he approached his second in command. "Then I'll go alone! Karone won't hurt me!"

Ashley then drew near, pity in her eyes. "I'm sorry Andros," she sighed, touching his hand, "but we need to face the truth. There is no Karone... not anymore. There's only Astronema. And she's our enemy."

Andros pulled away from her so roughly, she staggered. "Don't touch me," he growled. Startled, the Yellow Ranger stumbled back.

"Leave her alone!" Carlos shouted, stepping between them, "She's only trying to help you!"

The Red Ranger's blood began to boil as Carlos steered Ashley away. Slowly, he sucked in a deep breath to rein in his flaring temper. "I'll go to the Dark Fortress," he decided. "You four stay here and wait for my signal. Then we-"

Andros' plan was never allowed to take shape. "Excuse me?" T.J. snarled. "You expect us to just sit here and wait for you?"

Andros refused to back down. He met the fierce eyes of the taller man evenly. "Yes, I do. And if you want to save your planet, you'll listen to orders."

And at that moment, the typically friendly, even-tempered T.J. Johnson just snapped.

"You selfish bastard!" he bellowed, lunging forward. "You'd really risk everything on some pig-headed attempt to save that conniving witch? Nothing else... not Earth, not Zordon, not us... nothing else matters to you!"

Andros didn't bother denying it. "Maybe if you had been a little less hostile, Karone wouldn't have returned to Dark Specter! She deserves a chance, and you never gave her one! This is all your fault!"

T.J. released a harsh laugh that made Andros bristle. Every attempt to reason with the Karovan proved fruitless. "You know what, Andros? I don't give a damn what you do with your life... but your stupid actions will not jeopardize my team, or my planet. Period."

"Your team?" Andros shouted, "Maybe you've gone color blind, T.J. I'm the Red Space Ranger. This is my team! You're wearing the morphers I gave you! If you want to walk away, be my guest."

"I'm not the one walking away," T.J. responded, his voice grim. "You turned your back on all of us weeks ago, and you never bothered to look back." He then took his seat beside the fire. "Power Rangers, we have a planet to save."

For one agonizing minute, everyone remained frozen, T.J.'s bold statement ringing in their ears. It was a call to arms. Andros waited to see if anyone would answer.

Then, Ashley marched toward T.J., her fists clenched and her lips tight. Eyes that had been sympathetic just moments ago were hard with hurt and anger.

"You obviously don't want my help," she spoke, folding her arms.

Andros couldn't say he was surprised by her defection.

Two steps behind the Yellow Ranger was Carlos. He joined the woman he loved, taking her hand in his. He had no words for the Red Ranger, and Andros was glad for it.

Then, all eyes fell upon Cassie.

She cast a sorrowful glance to Andros, leaving him in blank shock. "I'm sorry," she breathed, "but Earth has to come first." She took her place beside T.J., keeping her eyes to the ground.

Triumph lit T.J.'s face. "Let's get to work, team." And with that, the former Turbo Rangers turned away from Andros.

The Red Ranger stood his ground, his mouth hanging open in blustering outrage as T.J. began drawing lines in the dirt with a twig. The others murmured in response, nodding with enthusiasm as they wove together a plan of action.

"Fine," Andros grunted, turning away. There was nothing more to be said.

*   *   *

He took every step with care as he meandered through the Dark Fortress, dodging behind cargo or a protrusion in the wall as squads of Quantrons passed.

It was too easy. He'd been able to fly onto the Dark Fortress on his glider, board at the docking bay, and wind his way into the heart of Astronema's flagship with ease. No Quantrons challenged him, no alien marauders noticed him. Not even Ecliptor spotted him as he slipped passed.

Perhaps the forces of evil were too distracted by their imminent victory to take notice. Or perhaps Karone wanted him to find her.

He knew it could be a trap... but nothing would stop him from saving his sister.

Flattening against a wall, the Red Ranger snapped an extension onto his Spiral Saber. Holding the laser weapon against his chest, he stretched around the corner, and fired one clean shot. The blast tore through its target: the control panel of the energy core in the engineering bay.

The reaction was immediate. Alarms screamed to life as flames and heat blasted from the damaged equipment. Andros ducked again, and watched as scores of Quantrons dashed into the core room, with Ecliptor barking at their heels.

"Move it, you worms! The fire must be contained immediately!"

Andros waited until the thunder of footsteps had calmed, and then broke into an open run in the opposite direction. The metallic hallways passed in a blur as he hurried through, his Spiral Saber still in Booster Mode in case he ran into any pockets of straggling Quantrons.

Then, he reached the ominous doors of his destination: the bridge of the Dark Fortress.

He pushed open the door with his shoulder, and immediately slammed his elbow against the locking button, sealing Astronema's army out of the bridge. His finger tensed on the trigger of his weapon as his eyes swept the empty control center... until his startled gaze fell upon someone he never thought he'd see again.

"Zordon!"

The sage nodded, his image faint within the magical cylinder Dark Specter had
imprisoned him in. "YES, IT IS ME."

Andros' weapon fell to his side as he hurried to the contraption. He stared desperately at the machines connected to the tube, clearly draining the legendary mentor of all vitality.

Zordon seemed to read Andros train of thought. "ANDROS, LISTEN TO ME. THERE IS
NOT MUCH TIME. THE FORCES OF EVIL HAVE NEARLY SWALLOWED THE GALAXY."

Andros bowed his head, failure weighing heavily on his shoulders. "I... know."

"YOU CAN STILL STOP IT FROM HAPPENING."

The Red Ranger stepped closer in awed surprise. "How? What can I do?"

Zordon gave the Karovan a long, solemn look. "SHATTER MY ENERGY TUBE."

A moment of horrified silence followed, as Andros processed the command. "What? But that will kill you!"

The Eltarian didn't deny it. "ONLY THE ENERGY WITHIN MY TUBE CAN OVERCOME THE
FORCES OF EVIL. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE."

Andros shook his head, staggering back from the tube. "No! I can't do it! There... has to be another way!"

Zordon's voice was patient, but firm. "THERE IS NONE."

And with that, the trembling stopped. Andros hand tightened around the hilt of his saber, his breath slowing as he gathered his wits.

One more death to add to the millions to fall during the arduous war against evil. Only... this death wouldn't be empty. Zordon would die the greatest hero of them all, his power purging the galaxy of strife and cruelty. Perhaps it could free Karone of Dark Specter's influence, that had consumed her and forced her back down the path of evil.

A noble death... worlds better than dying in a coffin of ice, screaming for help but finding no one to stop the pain-

"No!" Andros cried, freezing in place. His Spiral Saber hung in the air, inches from Zordon's tube. "I can't."

His saber clattered against the cold floor. "I can't lose another friend." His voice was hollow. "I won't kill you..."

"I have an idea," a chilling voice commented, carrying through the silence like an electric current, "How about if I kill you."

Andros whirled around just in time to catch a jolt of purple energy to his stomach. The force of the blast hurled him across the bridge, throwing him against a console.

Struggling to recover from the surprise assault, he ignored the burning pain in his abdomen in order to stand. Horror clogging his throat, he faced the Queen of Evil.

The cruel, hungry smirk on her lips was unmistakable. The malice in her poise was obvious. The power that swirled in her blood red eyes was the stuff of nightmares.

He leaned his weight against a nearby chair, watching the sorceress saunter towards him, her staff held at the ready.

She's still my sister! His mind screamed. She's Karone! She's all I have left!

The Red Ranger raised his hands in surrender. "Karone, I won't fight you."

She pouted in mock-disappointment. "Then your final stand will be very anticlimactic."

He rolled out of the way of another energy bolt, even more vibrantly powerful than the first.

Returning to his feet, he stared in shock at the melted slag that was once a chair. That... that could've killed me! "Karone, you have to stop this!" he pleaded. "You have to remember me... I'm your brother!"

She responded with a mocking giggle that made the Red Ranger bristle. "What makes you think I've forgotten you, Andros?"

The Queen lurched closer, slashing at the hero with the spear-like tip of the Wrath Staff. Andros dodged the first swing, and then brought his forearms to deflect her next assault. While his mind lingered in turmoil, years of constant battle made his body a war machine that knew instinctively to defend itself. Still, without a weapon, there was no way he could disarm her, or even unbalance her. All he could do was react as she backed him into a corner.

"Why are you doing this??" he demanded, his voice raw with anguish. "You're my sister... my own flesh and blood!"

With a twisted sneer, she tossed another wave of energy from her palm. The attack caught the Red Ranger in the face, and threw him into the wall hard enough to leave an imprint of his body.

"Yes I am," she responded, a fierce light smoldering in her eyes. "But I'm also the Supreme Leader of the galaxy! I shall bring all the dominant civilizations to their knees! Triforia, Aquitar, Earth... this is only the beginning! My armies will crush Edenoi, Liaria, Inquiris, Eltar... victory is at my fingertips!"

Andros stared at her through his cracked visor, and shivered at the manic smile distorting his sister's face. The brazen words, the feverish light in her eyes; she hardly seemed... sane.

"NO!" he screamed, jumping forward. He dodged Astronema's next bolt, grabbing the Wrath Staff. "This isn't you! Kar-"

Astronema's heel sank into his stomach, silencing his plea and loosening his grip. "That is not my name," she snarled, wrenching her Wrath Staff from him. She thrust the razor tip into Andros' left shoulder, earning a scream that sang in her ears. She then grabbed his injured arm, smirking into his broken visor and taking great pleasure in the panic oozing from his eyes. "Karone was a fragile little girl, and she was shattered ten years ago. I am not that little girl."

She heaved him over her shoulder, throwing the Power Ranger through a solid wall. Bruised and battered, Andros slid against the smooth floor, coming to a stop just a few yards from Zordon, who watched in helpless horror as the galaxy's only chance for victory stained the battleground with his blood.

The Queen took her time as she approached, watching Andros crawl away from her. Smiling sweetly, she aimed her Wrath Staff.

"Goodbye, 'Brother.'"

Andros continued inching away, watching the ferocious purple energy build at the tip of the Wrath Staff. Astronema bit her lip as she focused her power, weaving an energy blast potent enough to cut a hole straight through an armored man. He continued inching back, his lips trembling as he murmured his apologies to Zhane, Zordon, the Karovan race...

..until his fingers brushed against something solid, and sharp.

My saber!

It was too late for a conscious decision. The energy screamed through the air as it streaked toward him, yet it crashed into the sturdy Spiral Saber.

Astronema was too surprised to react as her misfired bolt slammed into her breastbone. Almost instantly came the fire in her chest that seeped into her entire body. She could only exhale as the strength poured out of her like water.

Andros watched helplessly as she collapsed. "Karone! NO!!"

* * *

Karone heaved a great sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "It's over."

She felt only relief to see the monstrous Astronema fall. Despite her non-corporeal presence, she could still sense the potency of that last energy blast. It saturated the very air, so horrifyingly powerful Karone feared it would disintegrate her brother.

"Are you sure?" the other Astronema wondered.

Karone stared at her fellow spectator. "It has to be. That blast was at least ten times more powerful than anything I could muster at my best. Astronema must be dead, and now Andros will break Zordon's tube and eradicate the UAE."

She turned back to her brother, her heart wrenching as he crawled toward Astronema. He'd torn off his broken helmet, and tears poured down his cheeks as he cradled his sister's head to his lap. With a heartbroken moan, he bent to touch his forehead to hers.

"Karone, please," he murmured brokenly, "I didn't mean to... I'm so sorry! Don't leave me, please..."

Karone felt her eyes sting with tears of sympathy. "This is just as bad as losing Zhane. Maybe worse. And now he must kill Zordon." She approached him, hoping he could feel the warmth of her presence in some way. "Andros won't recover from this, will he?"

She glanced to the ghostly Astronema, who shook her head. For a change, her mocking grin was gone, and the blonde felt a flash of insight that her doppelganger knew something she didn't.

Karone let her arms hover around Andros' shoulders, wishing she could console him. He's lost the friendship of all the Rangers. There's no one left for him in this mad world...

Looking over his head, she gave her evil alter ego another wondering glance.

At that moment, Astronema's eyes flung open, burning like twin pools of magma.

With a horrified gasp, Karone fell gracelessly on her back. She could feel the evil power charging the air, swallowing the atmosphere like heavy smog.

The same instant, Astronema's hands shot up like cobras, bit into the sides of Andros' face, and twisted.

The snap that echoed in the silence was deafening.

Andros was dead before he hit the ground.

Karone's lips trembled, her arms and legs frozen as she stared at her brother. His eyes were wide open, staring sightlessly in her direction.

Astronema rose to her feet, brushed the dust from her vinyl costume, and carefully straightened out her hair.

Karone finally found her voice. "ANDROS!!"

He couldn't have heard her even if he were alive, but she could react in no other way. She huddled over her brother, her arms anxious to hold him, to shake him back to life... only they passed through his flesh each time.

"Andros! You have to wake up! You have to!"

She would've continued her frantic wailing, if not for the deep groan of pain that shook her to her core.

Jumping to her feet, she raced to the Queen of Evil, who stood with both hands against the clear glass of Zordon's energy tube.

Astronema did not mock him with laughter or taunts. She only smiled coldly, her hands crackling with blue light that crawled over her arms and into her body.

"Zordon! NO!" Karone roared, racing up the steps to tackle the embodiment of evil in one last desperate attempt to save the universe. She fell right through both Astronema and Zordon, hitting the ground behind the tube.

She weakly rose to her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs as the light rapidly faded from Zordon's tube, first turning gray, and then vanishing altogether.

Karone sank to her knees, overcome with debilitating despair. Zordon was gone forever... and every last spark of his power had been swallowed by the creature on the other side.

Karone trembled as she stared through the clear glass, and met the gaze of the Supreme Leader. The victor of the Great War. The murderess of Andros, Zordon, and only the gods knew how many more.

Her eyes were still liquid fire, the signature of Dark Specter. Only now pupils of cool blue stood in their center, the power of Zordon. Her skin was flushed with the effort of the battle, and her face bore a smirk of all-encompassing wickedness.

Karone stared at the features of Astronema, and realized she was completely unrecognizable.

* * *

Ashley released a grunt as a Quantron kicked her in the small of her back. She fell forward, silently seething that she let the automaton get such a solid hit in.

Of course, it was impossible to keep track of all the alien invaders at once, but at least this time they had a chance of victory. The citizens of Angel Grove had rallied behind them, fighting with blocks of concrete, tree branches, steel beams, dropped weapons, and even their bare hands. They were fighting for their freedom, for their survival... for the survival of the human race. And they would not surrender.

The Yellow Ranger recovered quickly, somersaulting over the heads of two Piranhatrons to a small clearing within the chaos. She summoned her Star Slinger and aimed it carefully, offering a silent prayer that her energy bolt wouldn't strike an unfortunate bystander.

Her aim was true, and the Piranhatrons and the offending Quantron were disintegrated.

We're doing it! We're finally winning!

She resisted the urge to release a victory cheer, but her spirits sank as a thick shadow spread over Angel Grove.

All fighting ceased as thousands of heads gazed upward. The mammoth Dark Fortress had re-entered the atmosphere, and was descending past the remaining skyscrapers.

Screaming in terror, hundreds of people ran clear from the landing site. Those that couldn't make it turned out to be the fortunate ones... for those that did stared in frozen fear as the bay door slowly lowered.

Sensing the people's dread, the Rangers assembled at the very spot where the door touched the cracked asphalt of Main Street. Their hearts in their throats and their weapons in their palms, the four champions of Earth waited, and prayed for a miracle.

Instead, they heard the tapping of heels against metal.

"Astronema," T.J. spat, miraculously maintaining his bravado. But even from a distance, he could sense the change in her. She didn't look any different, but somehow she was… more intense.

Ashley's breaths quickened. "She's still evil," she exhaled, her arms beginning to shake. "Andros..."

Astronema stabbed the ground with her staff. "Your time is up, Earthlings."

A smirk frozen on her face, she tossed a crimson object into the air. The Rangers watched in confusion as it rolled down the rest of the bay door, stopping at Ashley's feet.

It took several moments for the shock to sink in. T.J. began growling, his fist trembling with outrage. Cassie gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Carlos released a shout of denial, and anxiously turned to the Yellow Ranger.
Ashley let out a wail as she fell to her knees, clutching Andros' cracked helmet to her chest.

T.J. could only force out two words through the swell of wrath that nearly choked him. "Quadra Blaster!"

Everything was on the line. Angel Grove was in mayhem, the planet was in jeopardy. Most of the galaxy had already fallen, and now, the Red Ranger had lost his life.

T.J.'s commanding voice broke the hypnosis that had entangled his teammates. The four heroes gathered their weapons, efficiently assembling what would be their only hope.

The stream of white-hot energy poured toward the murdering witch, but she made no move to run, nor did she show any fear. Instead, she raised her hand. That was all it took to create a wave of energy, too brilliant to look directly upon, flaming red mingled with vaporous blue and electric purple. It consumed the Quadra Blaster's ray, devoured the Power Rangers, and cleaved a path through the hundreds of humans, Quantrons, and anything else directly behind them.

When the smoke cleared, a streak of land a quarter mile long had been reduced to ash and dust.

For the next few minutes, everyone, both human and alien, stood frozen as they tried to comprehend the enormous power they had witnessed. Astronema slowly lowered her hand, and waited for a reaction.

Then, one human stepped forward. Clothing tattered and face blackened with soot, Mayor Carrington fell to her knees.

The will to fight was gone. The strength to resist had faded. The hope of victory had been vaporized. There was simply nothing left.

All of Angel Grove bowed before its Queen.

* * *

It could be said that the nations of Earth had an advantage no other planet had. When Astronema had arrived, the vast majority of her attack strength had focused on Angel Grove, intending to weed out and exterminate the greatest threat to her victory. It gave the world governments a glimpse of the impending threat, and a full day to mount a defense. Even the most skeptical of men could no longer deny that great powers loomed in the skies above. And so, as Angel Grove and her citizens fought and ultimately surrendered, destructive weapons and trained armies were rapidly deployed for a counterattack.

It was, of course, far from adequate.

The next wave of the invasion was just as swift and ferocious as the first, despite the much larger scale. Astronema targeted major cities to establish complete control over the United States and contiguous nations. Velocifighters opened fire on Europe and Asia, and ground troops and magical monsters were unleashed on Africa and Australia. Mundane weapons proved ineffective against the infinite armies emerging from the Dark Fortress. Even when an entire platoon of automatons was obliterated by heavy artillery, two more immediately took its place.

In less than a week, all major cities had been subjugated, the leaders imprisoned, and the populace enslaved.

Fires and explosions swallowed so much of the planet, a thick smoke choked out the sunlight, leaving the sky a sickly gray even at high noon. Rivers once pristine ran crimson, the blood of millions saturating the ground and draining into the oceans themselves.

The face of the planet was transformed, in less than a week.

Once victory was secure, powerful monarchs and crime lords from across the galaxy, including Rita and Lord Zedd, Mondo and Machina, Divatox and Havoc, made the journey to Earth to swear their allegiance to the new Overlord.

Eleven days after her triumph over the Power Rangers, Astronema was crowned Ultimate Empress of Evil. Hundreds of dark-hearted creatures raised their goblets to their leader, praising her strength and beauty, celebrating her victory over all that is good, and wishing her a long and glorious reign. After the coronation, the assembled monsters rejoiced in the garish executions of the Aquitian Rangers, Phantom Ranger, and Gold Ranger, as well as the dismantling of Blue Senturion.

Yet the manic glint in Astronema's eyes remained.

* * *

Despite the late hour, the halls still vibrated with the inebriated celebration of scores of monsters when Astronema called Rita Repulsa to her Chamber. The witch had chewed her lip nervously, casting her husband an anxious glance, but had mustered the courage to obey the summons alone. As it was, her station with the Empress was uncertain; she'd never cared for Specter's protégé, and openly disapproved of her rise to power when the U.A.E. was formed. Would Astronema take this chance to dispose of her?

Why not? After all, did the Empress really need a witch? Did Rita have any value in the new court?

Her best chance at survival was to hold her tongue and keep her head bowed; something she was never good at, but self-preservation had to come before pride. And there had to be some expertise she could offer the young ruler. After all, she did have thousands of years of hard-won experience. And despite Astronema's rather remarkable power, she was barely a child in comparison.

Rita approached the throne, listening to her footsteps echo in the nearly empty room. She couldn't help but notice Astronema had removed the fancy accoutrements of her new station, already returning to her armor and simple headband. The message was obvious: the battle wasn't over.

Holding her breath, the once-queen bowed humbly to the throne.

Astronema stared down at the old witch, her eyes as cold and fathomless as deep space. "I couldn't help but notice Master Vile chose not to attend my coronation."

Rita tried her best not to flinch, but those piercing eyes could probably see right into her soul. "My father is very busy, my Empress," she excused, in the most submissive tone she could find. "M51 is a big territory, and he had little notice…"

A cold smirk appeared. "Surely when I told you to invite him, you relayed the significance of the event. Rulership has changed hands in the Milky Way. This would have been a good opportunity for him to pay his formal respects to my regime. Now, I cannot help but feel slighted."

Sweat broke on Rita's brow. "M...my Empress, please don't take offense. My father has made no secret of his… disinterest with this galaxy. He is fully involved with his own domain, and had never associated himself with the U.A.E., or made contact with Dark Spec-"

Astronema's fist crashed into her armrest, and Rita bit her tongue. Hard. "I am not Dark Specter, and I won't tolerate disrespect. Master Vile is too powerful a creature to be disregarded. If he will not be a reliable ally, then he is my enemy."

Rita felt the world tilt. "B..but his realm is in another galaxy," she sputtered, shocked. "What does it have to do with yours?"

A languid chuckle broke free, crawling over Rita's skin like spiders. "Who said I would be satisfied with one galaxy? This is only the beginning, Witch."

Rita experienced a dawning, desperate terror. "You mean to seize M51??"

When Astronema smiled devilishly, Rita's jaw dropped.

"But… but… why?" Rita stammered. "He is no threat to you! He won't interfere with your reign! If you leave him alone, you can spare yourself a long and bloody war!"

"Or, I can take advantage of all the insights his dear daughter has into his defenses and weaknesses," Astronema commented, her smile only widening. "I am no fool; I know he is powerful. But he knows nothing of me. You, however, know everything about him. And you are now mine. You swore yourself to my service just hours ago."

Rita's mouth gaped open and shut without sound. Breaths came in shallow puffs, her mind swimming as she stared into the crazed, gleaming eyes of the Ultimate Empress.

After a lengthy silence, all Rita could think to say was "He is my father…"

A shrug. "And?"

She desperately searched her mind for some way to dissuade the Empress, and her thoughts escaped uncensored. "There's still so much work to be done here. The dust hasn't even settled! Zordon is dead, but some of his allies have not yet been accounted for! Dimitria is in hiding, there are still resisters on Earth and Triforia… even the former Power Rangers are somewhere on Earth!"

Astronema tossed her hair in a dismissive manner. "I have agents hunting Dimitria, and quelling the resistance on each of the subjugated worlds as we speak. As for any remaining former Rangers, their powers are gone. Now they are merely human."

Rita struggled to keep her face neutral, though her thoughts were anything but that. She knew better than to underestimate Zordon's chosen… but she also knew it unwise to contradict the Empress.

At that moment, a powerful rapping shattered the pregnant silence. Rita sagged with relief as Astronema's savage stare shifted to the door. "Enter!"

A gilded lieutenant walked into the chamber slowly, his steps encumbered by absolute terror. He cast a single, stony look at Rita before he sank to one knee before Astronema, keeping his head bowed.

Rita watched her former champion closely. It was evident he was the bearer of bad news.

"Goldar," the Empress spoke. "What brings you back here?"

"I... bring news from the eastern United States," he reported. "There had been particularly strong resistance from a rebel group stationed in southern Florida. We have confirmed it is being led by some former Power Rangers who had been east during the Countdown-"

"Get to the point."

Her words were cold and soft, but Goldar cringed as if it had been Rita screaming directly into his ears.

"My Empress... we had discovered the underground headquarters of this rebel unit. I had suggested that we simply obliterate the entire city with an aerial assault, but the general thought such a tactic would be less than honorable. He... he led a squad into the lair, but...
it was an ambush."

The warrior's voice had softened to a whisper as his courage quickly left him. Steeling himself for the very worst, he spat out his next sentence as if it were poison.

"Ecliptor was destroyed in the assault."

Rita gasped softly, taking a cautious step backward and turning to stare at the Empress expectantly.

Astronema's eyes narrowed, and Goldar looked away, fully expecting to burst into flame under her glare. Yet nothing happened. Blinking in disbelief at his continued existence, Goldar glanced back at the Empress.

Her expression was hard and drawn. Closed…

"Ecliptor is a synthetic being," she reminded the soldier. "If you bring his body back, I can have him repaired."

Goldar gulped loudly. "He was disintegrated in the explosion." He reached behind his back and pulled a charred, chipped black sword from his sheath. The sword was not his own. "This was all I could find."

He bowed his head deeply, incapable of meeting her gaze. But in his paranoia, he could feel it on his fur, so he silently braced himself, offering sword to the Empress.

Rita watched, hypnotized, as Astronema finally reacted.

She had expected tears. Or perhaps violent screaming, black anger, or swearing oaths of vengeance. After all, Ecliptor had been Astronema's soldier for years, her trusted right hand even when her station as Dark Specter's heir was in jeopardy. He was the closest thing to family the girl had. If she were even capable of caring for another, he would be the one. Surely his death would be devastating to the young Empress.

What Rita had not expected was a slow, secret smile.

"A lesson learned," Astronema commented, her voice casual as she took the battered saber. She stared at it more closely for a few moments, and then laid it on her throne. "Rita, your earlier point is taken. There appears to be some clean-up work left to do before I move on to new horizons."

She then approached the balcony, looking over the deceptive serenity of the planet below. Both Rita and Goldar followed her, overcome with curiosity as energy flashed in her palm, tendrils slithering up her arm.

"Florida… that is the southeast tip, correct? The peninsula?"

"Yes, Empress," Goldar muttered.

The trio watched the scene change below, as the Dark Fortress streaked across the former United States in seconds, descending into the lower atmosphere to approach the "panhandle."

"And how quickly does the planet rotate on its axis?"

Goldar did a quick calculation. "Approximately one thousand miles per hour."

She nodded once, and lifted her hand.

Both Goldar and Rita lost their footing as a tremendous backwash of power threw them backward. They felt a taste of the incredible column of power that sliced the atoms of the air, plowing into the land directly below.

Stumbling over the hem of her gown, Rita returned to Astronema's side, and stared.

The light emphasized the planes of the Empress' face, casting crawling shadows and deepening her vivid eyes. Her copper hair was thrown back by the energy release, but she stood still and confident, not encumbered at all by the tremendous power she wielded.

But worst of all was the wickedly gleeful smile on her lips. Her teeth gleamed in the unholy light like a voracious predator, and in that moment, Rita saw the face of Evil.

A dozen miles below, the energy Astronema unleashed sank into the ground, trailing into the sub continental shelf, holding it perfectly, unnaturally still.

The ground groaned as it rebelled against the rest of the globe. The people felt the great earthquake, collapsing buildings not made to withstand such pressure as a great fissure separated Florida from the rest of the continent, absurdly perfect along the state border. The ocean broke its natural barrier, pouring over the beaches and into the streets and towns without restraint, swallowing the landscape and everything on it.

And eerily, the sun remained frozen just over the horizon, not moving an inch, not crawling into the sky to shed light on the catastrophe.

But only in Florida; for the rest of the world abided by the laws of nature, and continued on its daily path around its axis.

It took less than ten minutes for the Atlantic Ocean to meet the Gulf of Mexico, and when these two great bodies of water met, a swell of water burst heavenward as Astronema released her unnatural hold. When the spray settled, there was no longer a peninsula separating the waters. The land was permanently submerged, snapped off the continent and its deepwater foundation.

Then, the Empress turned to Rita, and smiled.

"Now, we were discussing M51, were we not?"

The witch shrank from the piercing gaze, still alight with the thrill of destruction. For once in her long life, she was utterly speechless.

* * *

No one really knew the truth about the Goddess.

She had been around forever. No one could remember a time before her, a time when her name wasn't on the lips of newborns and ancients alike. She had not been seen by mortal eyes for centuries, but this did nothing to quiet the debates tribe elders often engaged in. Some said she descended, a deity from another plane, to devour the lifeblood of this universe. Others claimed she had been an extraordinary military leader, canonized and glorified beyond the scope of flesh and blood. And there were those who said that yes, there had been a Goddess once, but she was long dead or gone, and her Theocracy had been running on inertia ever since.

The five warriors did not truly believe in her. So many stories, so many variations on the legend... they could not all be true. And yet, standing before mile-high iron gates, the same doubt crossed all their minds: what if the myths were all true? What if the Goddess existed and was alive and would slay them in a heartbeat?

That fear did not deter them; they had planned this day ever since finding that mysterious white crystal. It took them weeks to figure out how to activate it; even now, none had truly mastered their powers. Sometimes they would be surprised when weapons materialized in their hands and promptly lost their grip. But at least their aim had improved somewhat.

For months they had studied this planet carefully. It had a name once, but not anymore; the seat of the Goddess' dominion, supposedly her first conquest. They had mapped out her citadel, studied garrison positions, read every fable and myth about the Goddess herself. They'd even bribed some of her own disillusioned lieutenants to give them information. And through it all they felt the power within them, and knew they would triumph.

But the size of it…

The fortress covered nearly an entire continent, an obsidian scar on the face of the world. The higher levels were obscured by thick black clouds; it was said the Goddess burned all the children of that planet, sacrificing them to fuel her spells.

For that, and other crimes beyond number, the five had come. If the Goddess existed, she would die before the passing of the hour.

The warriors' helmets masked their faces very effectively; they betrayed no apprehension or bravado as they moved in synchrony, crawling through deep shadows towards the entrance. They silently summoned their weapons, ready to strike at the first minion that rushed to challenge them.

No such challenge arose. Did this prove the whispered rumors that the Theocracy was tearing itself apart? Or were the open gates testimony to what lay within, that needed neither iron nor guards to protect itself?

To the surprise of the five, the interior of the castle seemed as abandoned as its external defenses. The halls were empty, silent but for the echoes of gusts blowing in from outside.

Torches hung from the walls, long-extinguished; switching to infra-red vision only confirmed what they already instinctively knew.

There was no one there.

They cautiously moved down the central corridor in a small cluster, ready to lock on to the slightest movement. Perhaps they would have been more comfortable battling a veritable sea of henchmen... there was something disturbing about the silence. As if they were disturbing a tomb, rather than storming a castle.

The leader of the group seemed to pick up on his teammates' discomfort. "Don't get overconfident." he warned in a grave tone, red armor dim and dull in the darkness. "Remember who we're dealing with here. These monsters have destroyed civilizations on a whim."

The hatred in his voice was palpable, but understandable; they had all seen what the Theocracy did to his homeworld.

Time passed as they skulked down vacant halls, expecting an ambush that never came as they moved deeper into the hollow monument. At one point, they passed a statue of a beautiful woman looking down at them with cold, menacing eyes; the leader didn't even pause as he beheaded it with his saber.

Finally they reached a pair of wide, tall doors that, according to every schematic they'd seen, led to the throne room. An inscription was carved across the rotting wood, but the letters were worn and faded to the point of obscurity. At the base of the doors lay an inhuman corpse, chained to the door by a collar fastened around what remained of its neck. A guardian, perhaps, but long-dead, with only strips of flesh encased in gold armor remaining. This winged sentinel might have been fearsome when it was alive, but the red-clad warrior did not spare the carcass a second glance as he kicked down the doors with one sharp blow.

And just like that, the five were transported from decaying ruins to the heart of luxury.

The floor tiles were a chessboard of ruby and emerald. The walls were plated gold and ground diamonds; they caught the light cast by miniature suns hovering overhead, spraying intricate webs across the massive chamber. Off to the right, a holographic map of the galaxy was displayed, predominantly red (signifying Theocracy forces) but with a few specks of white that gave them hope, even there and then, in the heart of the monster.

In the center of this spectacularly lavish room, a platform stood. And there, upon a jeweled throne, sat a creature no different from any humanoid, a woman of average height and build. A long, jagged sword of black and green metal lay across her thighs.

Was this the Goddess?

No. It couldn't be. Not this broken, pathetic husk, slumped as though pressed down by a mighty yet invisible force. This inert and slumbering thing, covered in centuries' worth of dust and cobwebs, surely was not the scourge of the universe, the devourer of souls, every nightmare given flesh and form.

The Red Ranger took a hesitant step forward, as though unsure of what to do next.

Her eyes opened.

The waves of power seemed to appear from nowhere, seizing the five and holding them in place. Their weapons dissolved in a haze of colored mist. On the throne, bones creaked and popped loudly as the Goddess shifted, an endless void of energy blazing behind her eyes.

So the stories were true. All of them. Death would be immediate.

Moments passed. Cold sweat trickled down their spines. They couldn't move.

Yet, a full minute later, they still lived. The tableau hadn't changed: the Goddess' eyes still burned with inconceivable power, her expression unreadable, but her assassins were unharmed.

The iron grip fastening them in place suddenly vanished, and they crumpled to the floor. The Red Ranger was the first to react, screaming obscenities as he dashed towards her. The others expected to see him burn before their eyes. But though the Goddess saw him - she must have, her glare followed him as he approached – nothing happened. Did she consider them beneath her concern? Was something preventing her from striking out? It didn't make sense.

Leaping onto the platform, the Red Ranger reached for the sword in her lap. Her face betrayed only a curious look of vague recognition; whether it was a reaction to the warrior or the blade, none would ever know. Her power was still visibly apparent and ready to strike. She didn't.

Her attacker was still screaming, cursing her in the name of every death she had caused, every extinction she hastened. He reared back, raising the sword above his head, poised to deliver a fatal blow.

The lips of the Goddess twitched once, forming a small, sad smile. And in her eyes, behind that horrible, unfathomable light, there was - perhaps - a glimmer of relief.