The Bridge

Part One

A heavy blanket of white powder covered the hills and vales so completely it was nearly impossible to distinguish solid ground from frozen lake. The sky above was thickly overcast, creating a murky gray canvas that stretched into the endless distance.

No human eye could possibly see through the snowdrifts well enough to note the streak of crimson that stained the tundra, painting a trail toward a small opening in a nearby mountain.

The crimson trail ended at an ivory bear, freshly killed and still warm from when life ran through those veins. Now, the veins were dry, and a large chalice stood nearby, steam curling from its contents into the torch-lit cavern.

A delicate ash-gray finger dipped into the cup, swirling its contents before rising to greet a pair of bow-shaped lips.

"Ech," she murmured, "what a miserable planet! At least the mammals on Fesp had a decent texture to their blood."

Though there were many things the planet Fesp did not have. It did not have a social structure, as the Fespin armies had been crushed, leaving conquering Denebian Empire to do what it would. Like a pack of locusts, the invaders stripped planets clean of any useful technology or magic, and shipped captives off as slaves to the four-corners of the Empire.

Since victory had been secured, and the assimilation of their knowledge was well under way, there was little reason for the Empire's princess to remain. So she had been assigned another mission, from the lips of the emperor himself.

At first it seemed like an amusing project, to journey to the edge of the galaxy and wipe out a species incapable of even interstellar travel, yet the young princess quickly discovered the tedium of working with her mother after a humiliating defeat.

The humans that called themselves the Spectrum Force. Six individuals channeling the power of a White Stone. There were other Warriors of Light in the galaxy, and those who relied on White Stones were among the most formidable. The princess would have welcomed the opportunity to test her scythes against the combined might of this Spectrum Force, and typically her mother would have given her leave; but this battle had become personal for Empress Phaedra, and by no means would she allow her daughter the freedom of openly challenging these heroes.

Which left the princess frustrated and extremely bored, a very dangerous combination.

Left to her own devices, but sworn not to interfere with her mother's plans, the princess had spent her time continuing the study of stolen legends she had begun on Fesp. Several weeks ago, she'd found a very interesting account of alternate planes of existence, which had piqued her interest.

She had begun a diligent study of all the scrolls she could find until she cobbled together some means of opening a pathway to such a dimension.

Grinning in gleeful expectation, Celea lifted the goblet of blood, and poured it into the shallow design she had carved into the frozen soil.

* * *

"Verisimilitude."

Billy looked up from the thick study aid he'd been perusing, and examined his friends' faces in turn. Trini looked confident, Jason seemed to still be teasing out the answer, and Zack frowned in frustration.

"This is nuts," he grumbled. "I mean, why would anyone need to know that word?"

"You could challenge the practicality of just about everything we do in school," Billy responded with a wry grin. "At least standardized testing directly impacts our futures. A better SAT score means a better chance at getting into your top choice school."

"Yeah, but tomorrow is the PSAT. It's just practice! Why are we even studying for it?"

"The PSAT serves its purpose," Trini answered. "It's a good measure of how you'll do on the real test, and your scores can be forwarded to universities. Over the next few months you'll get pamphlets from colleges all over the country, along with scholarship and financial aid information."

"The bottom line is, it's worth spending a couple hours on," Jason finished. "So 'verisimilitude'… that has something to do with the truth, right?"

"Right. Something that has the appearance of being true or real."

A sudden grin crossed Zack's face, and he jumped from his seat at the round patio table, hurrying to the screen door of the house. He held open the door for Alexis, who precariously balanced a large tray of tortilla chips with bowls of salsa, nacho cheese dip, guacamole and sour cream.

The Purple Ranger stared at him in surprise. "How'd you know I was coming?"

Jason chuckled, standing up to take some of the bowls from her overstocked tray. "We think he's part bloodhound. He can smell food a mile away."

Zack immediately proceeded to pile a single chip high with all the flavorful options.

"So, what's the next vocab word?" Alexis prompted, hovering at Jason's shoulder.

"Here's a challenging one: Sesquipedalian."

Jason's eyebrow quirked. "Gesundheit."

Alexis grimaced. "Are you sure that's not Greek or something?"

"The use of really big words," Zack muttered around a mouthful of chip and dip. He glanced up when he felt the startled stares of his friends. "What?"

"How'd you know that?" Trini demanded to know.

The Black Ranger shrugged. "You can't grow up with Billy Cranston without picking up something. Besides, there's no better word to describe my main brain!" He tossed another chip into his mouth. "So when's the food coming?"

Alexis brushed her hands together. "Salad's all done, and the burgers and hot dogs are ready for grilling. Mom'll be right out."

As if on cue, Amanda Darling pushed through the door holding a tray of seasoned meat. She smiled warmly at the group of teenagers, and set the tray beside the charcoal grill.

"Do you need refills on drinks or anything?" she offered. "Lunch will be ready soon."

"We're fine, Mrs. Darling," Jason answered.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Trini volunteered.

"No thank you; everything's under control. Just keep hitting those books!"

"Here's a good one," Billy stated with a grin. "Egregious."

"Ooo… I know this one," Alexis grumbled, rubbing her forehead.

"Doesn't it mean like really social?" Zack suggested.

"Bro, you're thinking of 'gregarious.'"

"Oh. Yeah, that sounds about right."

Amanda smiled warmly as she watched her youngest daughter interact with her new friends. When she first met Jason that Friday, he'd suggested that the entire group come over at once, to give Amanda the chance to meet them. Amanda had taken to the idea quickly, and opened up her home to the group for a picnic. And after less than an hour in the company of Trini, Jason, Billy and Zack, Amanda found herself completely charmed by them.

"Any word from Kimberly or Tommy?" she wondered aloud.

Trini politely swallowed the tortilla chip before replying. "They went to pick up the pictures from the Halloween Ball. They should get here any minute now."

* * *

The Denebian princess watched the steam curl in the chilled air as all warmth escaped the blood. It had congealed completely, filling in the intricate grooves she'd carved into the solid stone floor. She felt the thrill of pride as the blood activated the magic embedded in the pattern. The dark red began to flash with electricity, reacting to the surge of life energy that had been expended.

Then, the wind began to gather, lifting energy from the magical engraving and carrying it into the air. Scarlet sparks swirled in a vivid storm, completely focused over the engraving.

Smirking in triumph, Celea lifted a leather scroll and began chanting the incantation that would make manifest the portal.

* * *

A sleek spaceship orbited high in the stratosphere, its passenger watching over the planet in her care with a vigilant eye.

It had been over a month since Spectra left Lumina City, the sanctuary for the Warriors of Light, in order to protect the planet Earth from the empress Phaedra. She was sent on a crucial and dangerous mission: to beat Phaedra's armies to this vulnerable planet and prevent it from falling into the hands of the Denebian Empire.

If the Empire laid claim to Earth, it would have a foothold in the Outskirts of the galaxy, giving them the opportunity to attack the forces of Light on two fronts. It would be a devastating loss to Spectra's comrades; their already meager forces would be further strained as the enemy closed in from all sides.

Spectra came to Earth alone, armed with her skill, cunning, and the White Stone, a magical crystal that can harness the power of Light. That Stone would enable human beings, fragile as they are, to participate in the salvation of their home.

The Stone had been split, and distributed to six humans with the dedication, creativity, and inner strength needed to properly wield the power of Light. Those six became the Spectrum Force.

The six still had much to learn about warfare. They were brave, intelligent, and eager to prevent their world from falling prey to the oppressive Empire. They trained every morning with little complaint, recognizing the urgency of developing their skills. Still, so far they'd been supremely lucky: the last battle fought, on the distant planet Edenia, left Phaedra marooned thousands of light-years from Earth, giving the Force a much-needed lull in battle to continue their development.

The main computer terminal flashed brightly, which in turn fed the alarms throughout the ship, alerting Spectra to danger. Her pale pink eyes narrow, she watched a globe of Earth appear on her main viewing screen.

Spectra released a slow breath. "Phaedra has recovered herself."

Closing her eyes, she sent out the summons to alert the Spectrum Force of this most recent threat.

* * *

The young brunette in the back row repeated the mantra over and over again, her hazel eyes staring at the stack of neatly typed note cards in her hands. In the front of the classroom, a fellow student stood at the podium, his eyes on the audience as his hands gestured to the diagram of a Bronze Age Egyptian temple he used as part of his presentation.

Jocelyn Armand didn't hear a word of it.

Twenty pairs of eyes watching her. What if she tripped on her way to the podium? Would her voice crack when she tried to speak? Would her voice even project loud enough?

She was soft-spoken and reserved by nature. Her whole life, she'd steered as far away from pubic speaking as possible. She'd never considered a school play, debate team, or anything else that would require it. Whenever she had to give an oral report, she struggled through it as best she could.

Still, the brief reports that peppered her high school course of study hardly compared to a twenty-minute presentation on royal ideology and state administration in Pharaoh's Egypt.

The essay had been easy to write. The pop quiz on the Egyptian pantheon of gods was a breeze. But the oral report...

She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes again and willing her heart to slow down to a reasonable pace. She inhaled slowly, and released her tension in a deliberate exhale. And instead of reliving the agony of her other oral reports, she tried to reflect on the bright side

Why it wasn't, she couldn't explain.

A sudden flash of orange light caught her eye, and her anxiety levels rose to new heights.

She was being summoned… in the middle of class, no less.

She pulled her sleeve over her hand, careful to keep the luminous ring from drawing attention from her classmates.

A heartbeat later, the rest of the class broke in polite applause.

"Thank you, David," Dr. Philip Keenan spoke, standing up from his desk, "that was fine presentation. Take your seat."

David quickly gathered his notes, and sat down near the middle of the class.

"Now, who'd like to be next?"

Jocelyn's hand flew up immediately.

"Okay, Jocelyn, what's the topic of your report?"

"Uh… actually I was hoping I could be excused."

Dr. Keenan frowned, and suddenly, it felt like all twenty pairs of eyes were focused on her anyway.

She swallowed a lump that had clogged her throat. "I'm not feeling well."

After a few moments of deliberation, he nodded. "All right, Jocelyn, you can go. We won't be able to get through all the presentations today, anyway. But, I expect to hear your report in Friday's class."

She released a tremulous breath as she stuffed her notebook and presentation cards into her backpack. "Thanks, Dr. Keenan."

Her head bowed, she left the classroom as quickly as she could without running.

* * *

In a bright flash of orange light, the final member of the Spectrum Force arrived at their mobile headquarters.

"Jocie, what took you?"

She grimaced at Matt, setting down her backpack with a heavy sigh. "History of the Ancient World seminar, remember?"

The copper-haired freshman winced. "Did you at least give your report before you left?"

"Nope, but I have to give it on Friday, no excuses."

"Relax, Jocie," Keith urged with a grin. "This time we're not going on an interplanetary field trip. We'll be back in plenty of time."

Jocelyn turned to Spectra, who sat patiently before the computer screen. "What's going on?"

Spectra pressed a button, which summoned a picture of the globe. "There's a powerful magic focused near the North Pole. It erupted about ten minutes ago, and it's like nothing I've ever seen before."

"The North Pole?" Craig repeated, frowning. "Why there? There's nothing up there but ice and penguins."

"It's also dark this time of year," Rachel stated. "Maybe the Denebians want to make sure to avoid sunlight?"

Tamara folded her arms. "Looks like Phaedra doesn't want to be interrupted."

"We must go and stop whatever spell she's conducting," Spectra determined, standing up. "Spectrum Sync, and then we will depart."

The six humans stood in a row, lifting their right hands into the air. Each Spectrum Stone, set in a silver band on their fingers, released the rich fog-like aura that swirled around the hero's body to form a tight energy cocoon. Then, in a flash of energy, it shattered, revealing the Spectrum Force.

A white aura of power wrapped Spectra, levitating her off the ground. "You can fly faster than I can. Go ahead, and I will join you."

The Force nodded in agreement, and together Earth's defenders streaked due north at the speed of light.

* * *

"…hunrai khel nar, j'se karin lai!"

The moment she uttered the final syllable, the energy flowing over the brand in the ground exploded, creating a jarring force that left the cave in ruins. Celea yelped as she crashed into the far wall, leaving a shallow impression.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," she breathed, shaking off the unexpected backlash of power. She steadied herself on her feet, and stared into the energy field that had manifested.

What was before formless energy became a flat screen nearly two feet wide. The screen, charged with energy, showed only darkness.

She stepped forward, pulling a scythe from its sheath and tossing it through the doorway. Energy flashed around it, but the blade clattered on the ground behind the energy field, whole and unharmed.

Her eyes narrowed. "It isn't even a doorway."

Glaring death at the malfunctioning portal, the princess marched to the remains of her stone worktable. The explosion of energy had shattered the dense rock like kindling, and the parchment from which she had read had burst into smoldering tatters.

"I can't even undo this error; not without the spell."

She began circling the anomaly, puzzling together some plan of action, when a prickling of her senses drew her attention outside the cave.

She smirked, bending to pick up her scythe. "Perhaps this won't be a complete waste of time after all."

* * *

Once the Spectrum Force had arrived at the frozen tundra on the top of the world, they slowed their flight and gathered about fifty yards in the air.

"I've never seen so much snow," Tamara commented. "How do we find the source of the energy reading when everything looks the same?"

As if in response, a dart streaked through the air, whizzing just passed Yellow's ear. She shrieked in surprise, lunging backward in case another followed.

"Tam!" Keith shouted, catching her by the shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"It just missed me..."

Red glared downward, where a small black form stood in wait. "There!"

He didn't wait for his teammates. Keith dropped to the ground, his crimson aura burning so intensely the snow melted before his feet even touched down.

At this distance, he could see the assailant clearly. A small figure, perhaps five feet in height, with forest green curls blowing violently in the harsh winds. She was dressed in a form-fitting costume of black and gray pattern, almost like snakeskin in design. Just below her waist hung a silver belt, with razor-sharp blades hanging in a row, and a matching chain rested on her brow.

Keith laughed openly. "What's this? Phaedra ran out of real warriors? You're smaller than my little sister!"

"Careful," Craig murmured, falling into place beside his friend. The others were quick to follow.

"Do all you Earth creatures prelude a battle with banter?" the Denebian commented.

"Nah," Keith countered, stepping forward, "just us really obnoxious ones."

*Just feel her out, Keith,* Purple's advice touched his mind. *See what she can do. We've got your back.*

*You got it, Ray.*

Red began with a double-barreled energy strike, unleashed from each fist with a momentary interval between them. The lithe alien flipped out of the way of the first wave, her hands reaching behind her back as she spun high in the air. The second strike, aimed slightly higher, smashed against two curved blades, which were crossed before her face.

She smirked coolly as the burning red energy ricocheted off the enchanted scythes, flying back to its generator.

"What the hell?" Keith barked, a protective shield of energy erupting to life around him. The opposing energy wave merged seamlessly with its source, leaving an uninjured, but surprised, Red Enforcer.

"Haven't seen that one before," Matt noted.

"Scatter and strike!" Rachel ordered as the princess began moving. The Force separated, each releasing a volley of energy blasts that crashed into the snow, exploding on impact. Celea dodged, flipped, and twisted her way around, between, and through the rainbow onslaught, answering with midnight-hued energy streaking from her scythes.

Then, the princess knelt in the muddied ground that was once covered with thick snow. She drew a single blade from her belt, pure onyx in color, gleaming with obsidian power.

Rolling on the ground to dodge another volley of crimson energy, she rose and tossed the blade at her primary assailant.

Red manifested an arc of energy, intending to blast the projectile off course, but the enchanted dagger cleaved through his defense effortlessly. Too startled to react, the blade impaled his shoulder, earning a pained shriek as he registered the injury.

A heartbeat later, his power flashed out of existence, leaving an unprotected Keith Maloy to plummet helplessly to the icy earth. He fell in a boneless heap, spraying mud and slush all about him.

Celea smirked, approaching the fallen hero as he squirmed in agony.

* * *

Without warning, alarm claxons screamed to life.

"ALPHA?" Zordon prompted.

"This is weird," the Edeniod robot declared, turning to the Viewing Globe. "Sensors are picking up magical activity at the North Pole!"

"IS IT LORD ZEDD?"

"Aye yi yi," Alpha grumbled in frustration. "There's severe weather in the area, and it's interfering with our sensors."

"THEN THE RANGERS MUST INVESTIGATE IN PERSON. PLEASE LOCATE THEM NOW."

Alpha scurried to another computer terminal, which kept track of the Power Coins at all times. "It looks like all the Rangers are at Alexis' house except Kim and Tommy. They're en route."

"I WOULD RATHER AVOID PLACING ALEXIS IN YET ANOTHER PROBLEMATIC POSITION WITH HER MOTHER. TWO RANGERS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO INVESTIGATE, AND WE WILL KEEP THE OTHER RANGERS ON STANDBY SHOULD THEY ARE NEEDED."

"You got it," Alpha confirmed, activating the communicator.

* * *

As Tommy's Jeep slowed to a stop at a red traffic light, he turned at his girlfriend. "How'd they come out?"

Kimberly was grinning gleefully, flipping through the prints slowly. "They came out great! Everyone's costumes were so cool. Trini got a great shot of us on the dance floor."

Just as the stoplight changed, both their communicators sounded.

They traded an urgent glance as Kim lifted her wrist. "What's up, Zordon?"

^WE HAVE DETECTED AN ENERGY READING AT THE NORTH POLE. SEVERE WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE MADE PROPER ANALYSIS FROM THE COMMAND CENTER IMPOSSIBLE, SO YOU TWO MUST TRAVEL THERE IN PERSON.^

"What about the others?" Tommy asked. "They're at a barbecue."

^I AM AWARE OF THIS. I WILL CONTACT JASON TO ADVISE HIM OF YOUR MISSION, BUT I WILL ONLY SUMMON THE REST OF THE TEAM IF NEEDED. REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALPHA IS PREPARING PORTABLE SCANNERS FOR YOUR USE, AND THE FIREBIRD ZORD IS READY TO DISEMBARK.^

Kim frowned. "The Firebird? Why don't we just teleport?"

^THE ATMOSPHERIC STORMS INTERFERE WITH A TELEPORT LOCK AS WELL AS SCANNERS. THE ONLY SAFE METHOD OF TRANSPORT IS A ZORD.^

"We're on our way," Tommy declared, pulling off the main street. He parked on a quiet side street, and both he and Kim hurried out of the car.

"All clear?"

Kim turned on her heel. "I don't see anyone." She grinned. "Just try to remember where you parked."

He smirked as they vanished in columns of white and pink light.

* * *

"Keith!"

Yellow catapulted across the sky, scooping up the fallen hero just before their opponent could reach him. The moment she felt the weight of his body safely in her arms, a yellow energy shield flared to life, blocking out the frigid wind as she flew.

"Tam," he croaked, his left hand covering the bloody mess of his right shoulder, "she got me good."

Tamara carried him away from the battle, calling to the others telepathically. *Guys, I'm getting Keith out of here!*

*Is he okay?* Jocelyn wondered.

*He's conscious, but barely,* Tamara related, her brow furrowing with concern. *That dagger is still in his shoulder. It looks… pretty bad.*

*Meet up with Spectra,* Craig advised. *She's got to be nearby.*

*Right.*

Tamara adjusted her angle of flight, reaching out with her sixth sense to locate their approaching mentor. *Spectra! Keith's been injured!*

*Keep him warm, Tamara. I will meet you shortly.*

Tamara slowed her frantic flight, focusing her attention on strengthening her energy shield. Although it felt like forever, less than a minute later Spectra appeared in her field of vision.

"Spectra! Over here!"

Spectra met Tamara in the sky, passing through the protective energy barrier and gently touching the black blade piercing Keith's shoulder.

"When he was struck, did his powers fade?"

"Yeah!" Yellow confirmed. "He just fell out of the sky!"

"Then this must be a Disrupter," Spectra revealed.

Tamara winced as Spectra grabbed the blade, and pulled it from Keith's skin. Keith yelped in pain, but the moment the dagger was removed, his Spectrum Stone began to glow with energy.

"What… happened?" he groaned.

"Disrupters are very dangerous weapons. As the name suggests, it disrupts magical power on contact. It is particularly effective against you, because it blocks the power of the Spectrum Stones."

Tamara gasped. "Is there any way to protect ourselves from it?"

"The only way is to dodge it or block it with a weapon or physical shield. It will cut through magical force fields or energy barriers with ease. But each Disrupter can only be used once, and it is forged from a rare metal ore, so very few Denebian warriors have access to even one. Its effects only last so long as it touches the magic itself. Keith, you can Sync again. Your powers are no longer blocked."

Tamara released her boyfriend, anxiously holding onto his good arm as he steadied himself. "Spectrum Sy... OW!"

His hand flew once again to cradle the wound site.

"Your injury is deeper than I realized," Spectra admitted. "Tamara, bring him back to the ship. I will help the others."

The Yellow Enforcer needed no more convincing. She swept the ailing Red Enforcer in her arms and launched them both into the air.

Spectra watched them vanish into the murky distance, and then considered the bloodstained dagger in her hand. Its intrinsic energy had faded, leaving a simple blade behind.

The ore used to forge Disrupters had only been mined on two planets, neither of which had fallen to the Denebian Empire. Also, the technique to harness the inherent magic-diffusing power of the ore took over a century to properly learn. Very few blacksmiths had the ability to create a Disrupter, making them so rare Spectra had only encountered three in her entire lifetime.

The Force was in danger; that was obvious. It was unlikely the enemy had another Disrupter on hand, but the very fact that he carried one suggested he was a decorated warrior, close to the Denebian monarchy.

Spectra raised her hand, summoning her staff. Thus armed, she darted through the air, anxious to find the rest of her team.

* * *

"Looks like we're here," the Pink Ranger announced, deactivating the Firebird's thrusters. The small Zord gracefully landed on the frozen tundra despite the winds, heavy snow, and dense clouds that impeded remote scanning.

She touched the ship's communication relay. "Zordon, we've arrived."

Only static greeted her.

"Our communicators are scrambled too," Tommy realized. "We're on our own."

Kim removed her safety harness and rose to her feet. "Then let's get the information, and get out of here. We're missing the whole barbecue!"

Tommy grinned, picking up a back-mounted device. "Suit up."

The two Rangers strapped on the back-mounted scanners, and detached the hand-held component for use.

"Brace yourself," Kim warned, opening the hatch, "It's cold out there!"

Their Ranger suits protected them from the brunt of the storm, but the arctic temperatures and biting winds still gave them an uncomfortable chill.

"This way," Tommy stated, pointing into the distance. "The scanner indicates we're about two miles from the energy source."

"Do we have any idea what we're looking for?"

"We'll know it when we see it," Tommy assured her. Together they trudged through the deep snow toward their goal.

* * *

"Celea! You will answer me when summoned!"

The empress Phaedra threw open the ornate doors of the princess' quarters with only a thought. The jarring sound of the heavy doors banging against the wall created just the forceful entrance the frustrated monarch intended to create.

The girl needed to be reminded just who was in charge of the mission to conquer Earth. Acheron could decree whatever he wished… but no one would supplant Phaedra! Especially not her youngest child!

"Celea, you were scheduled to attend a briefing on Earth's governments!" the empress shouted, throwing open a spacious closet. Other than an array of achromatic outfits and a wall-mounted weaponry case, there was nothing there.

"Where are you..." she growled.

She was not in the bedroom or bathroom either. Phaedra closed her eyes, reaching out with her senses, searching for any trace of her daughter.

When she found her, her eyes flew open. "How dare she??"

* * *

Celea cackled in delight as she crossed her scythes in front of her face, deflecting a particularly ruthless blast from the Green Enforcer.

"You certainly are a bloodthirsty one, aren't you?" she mocked with a cruel smirk.

Matthew glared daggers at the young girl, with strength and speed that were simply mind-boggling for her size.

"Yeah right," he growled, "I'm not the one with underhanded tricks up her sleeve!"

Her smirk widened, "You mean like this?"

Smoke poured out of her eyes, rich crimson in hue. Matt waved the air, anxious to dissipate the dense smoke, but soon all he could see was red.

Then, a powerful kick to the stomach doubled him over, and follow-up strike against his chin sent him careening into the sturdy stone of the mountain.

The princess watched the green hero slide limply down the wall. "Three down, three to go."

"So all those regal tutors couldn't teach you to count, princess?"

Celea turned around, just in time to catch a fierce punch to the face. She staggered back, eyes blazing at the pale form almost completely obscured by the billowing snow.

Ivory hair tied in a severe braid, pale skin, white uniform… it could only be one woman.

"Spectra." The princess flashed her teeth, and drew her scythes. She leapt towards her mother's hated enemy, wicked scythes slashing like lion's claws. Spectra stood her ground despite the force of the princess' assault, blocking each swing with her sturdy pearl staff.

The rest of the Force gathered in the air, watching in mute amazement as the two contenders clashed.

"Did Spectra call her 'princess'?" Jocelyn wondered.

"Yes," Rachel answered. "She must be Phaedra's daughter."

"Terrific," Craig grumbled. "Phaedra must've sent for reinforcements!"

Then, Celea managed to break through Spectra's defense, leaving a bloody gash on the older woman's thigh.

"That's it," Rachel decided, purple energy flaring to life. "Let's restrain her, now!"

The Force separated, preparing to interfere on behalf of their mentor, when suddenly, a wide ring of crimson energy wrapped around Celea's waist like a thick belt.

The princess froze, eyes wide as the ring stretched, climbing over her hips and chest. "No… not now!!"

Spectra smirked coldly as the cocoon swallowed the girl. "I see someone just broke her curfew. Give my regards to your mother."

By the time Spectra's mocking comment was finished, the princess was gone.

"What happened?" Rachel asked, touching down on the snow. "Did you banish her somewhere?"

The amused smile didn't leave Spectra's face. "No. That was the Rein spell, no doubt activated by Phaedra."

"Reign?" Jocelyn repeated.

"As in 'reining' in one's undisciplined offspring. It is a spell many Denebian parents learn. When a parent pulls on the Rein, the child is instantly transported to their location. So long as the child is within one million miles, it will be forced to comply."

Jocelyn, Craig, and Rachel fell into immediate laughter, imagining the formidable warrior chastised by an impatient parent. But Spectra's amusement soon faded.

"We must see what Celea has done here," she decreed, staring at the cave nearby. "She may be young, but she is a dangerous dabbler in many forms of magic. For Phaedra to summon her with the Rein spell, she must have overstepped her bounds."

The mirth quickly died, as the Force followed Spectra into the cave, where an ominous glow greeted them.

* * *

Phaedra eyed her youngest child suspiciously. The princess was obviously not dressed for battle, for instead of protective armor she wore her training clothing. Her hair was completely drenched, and from head to toe mud speckled her. "What were you doing on Earth?"

"Mother, you're overreacting," Celea assured the empress, "I was merely experimenting with some magic we uncovered on Fesp. I wasn't advancing the invasion, or anything of the sort."

"What I saw was quite different. You were fighting Spectra and her human pets! You defied my explicit instructions not to interfere!"

"That's because Spectra and the humans attacked me," the princess explained. "I specifically chose the extreme north because there are so few humans there. I intended to go unseen."

"And what exactly where you trying to accomplish?" Phaedra demanded, "What kind of 'magic' did you find on Fesp?"

Celea tensed, but managed to meet the empress' burning gaze evenly. There was no shame in her words as she confessed, "I was trying to open an inter-dimensional portal."

The dead silence of shock claimed Phaedra's next question. Celea held her head high, patiently waiting for her mother to explode.

"Do you have the smallest clue how dangerous that kind of magic is? How fragile dimensional walls are? Such magic is not for children!"

The princess bristled. "I am not a child!"

Phaedra glared. "If you weren't yet a child, I wouldn't have been able to Rein you in."

The princess grimaced, but did not argue the point further.

"Which dimension were you reaching for?"

"Chaos."

Phaedra blinked. "You're trying to summon Chaotics?"

"Yes!" A wicked smile pulled the princess' lip. "Can you imagine? Beasts the size of mountains emerging through my portals, creating havoc and demolishing everything they touch? Even the most formidable of planets would fall to such an assault!"

"Chaotics are uncontrollable, Celea," Phaedra growled. "They do not heed the order of anyone from the physical plane!"

"That's why I tried the spell on Earth," Celea retorted. "If I had succeeded, and if the creature I had summoned refused to obey me, the very worst that could've happened would be some destruction on Earth. Eventually I would've figured out a way to close the portal, and send it back to its home."

She folded her arms, frowning. "Not that it matters. I somehow miscast the spell. A portal appeared, but it refused to open."

Phaedra released a slow breath, visibly relieved by her daughter's failure. Though she was always eager to explore new techniques of wanton destruction, even she stayed away from piercing holes in the dimensional walls. Accessing small pocket dimensions was one thing, but toying with gateways into other realities almost guaranteed disaster.

* * *

After a brief tunnel, the Force stepped into the main chamber, where a flat panel of vibrant energy floated in the air.

"Talk about a flat screen," Craig murmured, circling the phenomenon. "It's only two-dimensional!"

"What is it?" Jocelyn queried.

Spectra's insightful gaze surveyed the entire room: the dead animal against the wall, the crushed table, the impression of a body against the wall, and the scorch marks scarring everything in sight. She then knelt beside the portal, studying the strange design etched into the ground, filled with blood.

"It almost looks like a communication window, to speak to someone… but the evidence around us suggests that it is something far more significant."

"Hey look! I think I see something!"

Jocelyn leaned closer, staring into the darkness depicted before her. "There's something pink in there."

* * *

"Freaky," Kim awed, approaching the glowing rectangle hovering in the air. "It's like a movie screen. And there're people inside. Get a load of those outfits!"

Tommy stared at the energy flashing along the edges of the "screen," the intensity growing with each step the Pink Ranger took. "Careful, Kim," he warned, looking back to his scanner. "Whatever it is, it's reacting to you. The energy levels are jumping the closer you get."

"I think this thing transmits two-ways," Kim continued, waving. "Hey! Can you see us in there?"

The figure in Orange waved back, though all Kim could hear was the crackling of energy.

"I guess we don't get audio," the Pink Ranger concluded. "I wonder what planet we're seeing? They look like they could be humanoid. Two arms, two legs, one head."

Then, Orange stepped closer still, propping her hands at the sides of her mouth as if she were shouting.

"They're trying to talk to us," Kim realized, inching closer. "Can you hear me? Hellooo!!"

Tommy's eyes widened as a sudden spike in energy was registered. "Kim, we-"

He never had a chance to finish his thought. One moment, the Pink Ranger was standing in front of the anomaly, shouting to those on the other end. Then, without warning, a brilliant flash swallowed everything, blinding Tommy instantly.

"Whoa!" Tommy gasped, jumping back and shielding his eyes. When the light faded, he still saw spots… but he didn't see the Pink Ranger.

"Kim?" he murmured, thunderstruck. "Kim!"

He ran to the screen. Instead of the people he saw earlier, swirls of energy filled his view.

"Kim!" he screamed, "Hang on, I'm coming!"

He jumped through the rectangle, fully expecting to be sucked into some alien planet or Dark Dimension. Instead, he landed on the ground in the same shallow cave from which he came.

Startled, he turned around.

The portal then flashed once, and vanished, shrouding the White Ranger in almost complete darkness.

A young woman lay on the frozen ground, perfectly still.

"Kim!"

Tommy knelt beside her, tearing off his helmet. The frigid arctic air stung his cheeks, raising his concern.

He brushed her hair out of her face, and held his cheek to her nose. Her shallow breaths helped ease the tension that all but choked the White Ranger.

"Zordon!" he called into his wrist. "Zordon, this is Tommy!"

All he received was static.

"Nothing," he hissed, snapping on his helmet and turning to the girl. She was still unconscious, though she trembled with cold. Her summery clothing did nothing to combat the arctic temperature.

"She's freezing," he realized with dismay. He turned around again, looking for some clue to what had happened, but he could discern nothing other than snow, rock, and earth.

"The window is completely gone," he realized, snapping his scanner in place. "C'mon Kim, we've gotta go."

Tommy gently lifted her into his arms, and carried her into the storm. He cradled her head to his chest, running as quickly as he could through the blizzard, praying he remembered exactly where the Firebird was parked. If he delayed, she could die from the extreme cold, and he had nothing to protect her with.

For once, his faulty memory came through. He sighed in relief as the red vehicle came into view, contrasting sharply to the frigid whiteness of the barren tundra.

He raced up the ramp and into the cockpit, laying her down with the greatest care. Now that both light and warmth surrounded them, he was able to notice some inexplicable differences... that made his heart quicken with growing concern.

Her hair was notably lighter than it had been. What should have been a rich copper-streaked brown was now highlighted with honey locks, bordering on blonde. Her pink sundress and denim vest had been replaced with a white college-logo tank top and worn jeans.

"What's 'Dreiser University'?" he mumbled, perplexed.

He then lifted her wrist, and noticed that her communicator was gone.

"What's going on here?"

Frustrated, he pulled the top off of a small box marked with a red cross, that was standard in all Zord cockpits for emergency. He unfolded the silver emergency blanket, and drew it over her bare shoulders carefully. Then, he turned around, a new sense of dread rising as he sat in the pilot's chair.

He had no idea how to pilot a flying Zord. And he couldn't reach Zordon to ask for instructions.

Tense fingers pulled Saba from its sheath. The sentient saber's eyes opened, and stared into the White Ranger's visor.

"Tell me you know how to fly this thing."

"This thing?" Saba repeated, confused.

"The Firebird Zord."

The saber blinked its jeweled eyes. "How unusual… but this is your lucky day. I am familiar with the basic controls of all the Thunder Zords. It's a requirement of initiating the joint configurations."

"Lucky day?" Tommy repeated incredulously. He gazed at the unconscious girl on the floor, and released a heavy sigh. "Somehow, I doubt it."