The Bridge

Part Six

Power Rangers Dimension

The Red Enforcer hung lazily in the air miles above the frigid tundra of the North Pole, one hand on his forehead, the other cradling his stomach.

"Keith?" Tamara murmured, "Are you okay?"

"It's not as bad as those Hyperspace Portals," he assured her. "I'm okay."

Craig smirked cruelly. "Maybe you should pop a Dramamine before the next mission, huh?"

The blonde glared at his friend. "Yeah, right. Like I knew we were going on an inter-dimensional field trip when I left home this morning!"

Spectra passed through the portal last, her energy blazing white. She descended to where her team had congregated, her gaze thoughtful. "Keith?"

"Just a little motion sickness, nothing to worry about." He took a slow breath to help settle his stomach. "I'll be fine once I get my feet on the ground."

"That may take a while," Spectra noted. "We are several miles from the Power Rangers' location, and I am certain we will be drawn into immediate combat."

"Then I'll deal with it," Keith determined, straightening his posture. "We have to find Jocelyn, pronto."

Their mentor closed her eyes, and all present felt her telepathic call. *Jocelyn!*

The team held its collective breath, anxiously awaiting a response. They didn't need to wait long. *Spectra! You're here!!*

* * *

Elation seized the Orange Enforcer the moment she heard her mentor's voice in her mind. Once she'd become aware of Spectra's presence, she was able to stretch her senses, feeling the comforting glow of Blue, Yellow, Purple, and Red.

She hadn't realized how much she'd missed the mental connection with her teammates until she fought a battle without it. Even though the Power Rangers were more than capable warriors, and were quick to assist whenever she needed backup, it was difficult to adapt to such a different style of combat. She couldn't feel her allies in the back of her mind.

She couldn't rely on Keith to invent a new technique in the nick of time. Or Rachel to adapt the team's strategy whenever the enemy surprised them. Or Craig to confront the toughest-looking creature, ready to test its strength and ability. Or Tamara to watch over the battleground, keeping the team aware of dangers such as rockslides, bystanders, weather fluctuations, or sneaky opponents. Or Matthew to guard her back whenever she got in over her head.

Matthew…

Where is Matt, anyway? I can feel everyone else's presence. I saw him in the portal earlier; but then the portal changed. Her eyes widened with alarm. Could something have happened to him?

Unfortunately, her distraction left her wide open to an assault. Her shield fizzled under the Chaotic's attack, letting a fraction of the battering ram of power plow into her stomach.

She fell into the slushy mess, the world spinning around her. These things just keep getting stronger…

Jocelyn bent her knees and leapt into the sky, firing a stream of energy meant to slow the creature down. She knew she couldn't muster the strength to destroy it. Now, the goal was to last long enough to regroup.

Once she'd ascended high enough into the air to feel a measure of safety, she released a telepathic call. *Guys, follow my signal. When you get here, grab the Power Rangers. We're overpowered and outnumbered here; the first thing we have to do is get control of the situation.*

*A wise plan, Jocelyn,* Spectra confirmed.

*Let your light shine, Kiddo,* Keith added. *We'll be right there.*

Jocelyn sucked in a deep breath, holding her arms and legs akimbo. The sudden gleam of her power immediately caught the attention of the nearest Ranger.

"What the heck are you doing?"

Jocelyn opened her eyes and smiled at the Purple Ranger. "Calling in some reinforcements."

"What do you…?" Alexis' words were lost as four streaks of vivid light blazed past her. "Uh… whoa."

* * *

At some point after the millipede-like creatures began crawling out of the cave, Tommy Oliver's world shrank into a single objective: keep everyone alive. No time for tactical plans. No room for mistakes.

The mutant crab Chaotics had been tough, for each one had been about as strong as one of Lord Zedd's monsters. Fortunately, though, they weren't as durable. A few well-placed strikes with the Power Weapons would send the pseudo-crustaceans back to wherever they came from; so long as the Rangers were quick enough to evade their deadly pinchers, they could manage well enough.

But when Jocelyn, Zack, and Billy had emerged from the cave, a new breed of creature followed them. The long bugs were much harder to destroy; so far, only a point-blank, continuous burst from the Cosmic Cannon or the biggest Eagleheart Pulse Alexis could muster proved capable of wiping them out. Everything else only stalled them. The Rangers were forced to fight in two groups, everyone attempting to distract the monsters long enough for Zack or Alexis to deliver the finishing blows.

However, once the inter-dimensional portal began spitting the creatures out at a faster rate than the Rangers could destroy them, that strategy was quickly thrown out the window. The situation had deteriorated into a free-for-all.

Tommy leapt, narrowly missing the sharp horns of a particularly persistent Chaotic. He twisted in the air, unsheathing his saber and firing tight beams of laser from Saba's jeweled eyes. The Chaotic shrieked at the attack, but quickly shook off the pain.

Tommy rolled on the ground, jumped to his feet, and began running, putting as much space between himself and his opponent as possible. "Saba," he breathed, "give me a status update."

"Rodger," the saber noted. Tapping his football skills, the White Ranger threw the enchanted weapon into the air, and just managed to dodge a streak of black energy and roll out of an additional monster's deadly path. He began running again, angling toward Zack, who had just annihilated another bug.

Two on my back now! He groaned inwardly. How much longer can we keep this up?

Saba streaked through the air, landing deftly in Tommy's waiting palm. "Eight more bugs to go," he reported.

"How are the others holding up?"

"Billy is still staggering thanks to injuries sustained in the cave, but Jason and Trini are keeping an eye on him. Together they seem to be staying one step ahead of the monsters. Zack is holding his own at a distance from the rest of the team. Alexis is circling above us, firing when ready. Jocelyn has also just taken to the air."

Tommy sighed. "Great. At this rate, the Chaotics will just wear us down and then pick us off! We need to fall back, before-"

The rest of his sentence was lost in a startled gasp as a powerful force suddenly pushed against his back. However, while the shove was too strong to resist, it didn't burn like whenever one of the Chaotics managed to clip him.

Blinking in surprise, Tommy slowly registered that a pair of purple gloves gripped him around the chest, and he was suddenly airborne.

"Alexis?" he wondered. No, it can't be… her gloves are white!

"Sorry for the surprise, Tommy," an unfamiliar voice answered. "I didn't have time to announce myself."

Tommy tried to look up, but all he could see was vivid purple energy. "How do you know who I am?" he demanded.

"Kimberly," she replied, a touch of humor in her voice. "She talked so much about you all, I feel like I know you already."

It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from his heart. "You've seen Kim? Is she okay? Where is she?"

"Kim's fine," she answered, "but I think explanations should wait until we've regrouped."

"Regrouped?" Tommy repeated, looking back down. He realized with growing alarm that they were far from the ground, and getting farther with each passing moment. He then squinted into the sky, and gaped openly at a translucent, pearly white disk twice the size of his bedroom, floating in the air with nothing holding it up. He blinked, expecting the strange phenomenon to simply vanish like a trick of the light, yet he was even more shocked to see several people landing on it, proving it had substance.

"The gang's all here," Jason announced from the center of the prismatic surface. Tommy stepped cautiously on the platform, and then turned to get a better look at the woman who had carried him: a tall brunette with a molded uniform of mingling shades of purple. Her costume design perfectly matched Jocelyn's.

"The Purple Enforcer," he realized. She nodded, extending her hand.

"The name's Rachel. Circumstances aside, it's good to meet you."

Tommy nodded his agreement, and took her hand. "Do you guys always go by your first names when in uniform?"

"No; we typically go by color designations. But, considering our two teams have four colors in common, I think that might prove a bit confusing."

The White Ranger smirked. "You have a point there."

The field commanders approached the rest of the group, Tommy's scrutiny passing over the two teams. He exhaled with relief when he noted that his teammates appeared mostly unharmed.

Once satisfied that the Rangers were still able to fight, curiosity drew his gaze to the other team. Congregated around Jocelyn in eager celebration was a very tall, powerfully-built man in blue, a shorter blonde man wearing red, a woman in yellow with dark hair almost as long as Trini's, and a slim, ethereal woman wearing solid white.

Tommy squinted at the apparition. Was it his imagination, or were her features clouded by a pearly white haze?

She noticed his attention, and nodded in greeting. "I am Spectra, and this is the Spectrum Force: Rachel, Craig, Tamara, Keith, and you already know Jocelyn."

Tommy waved his hand toward his team. "I'm Tommy, and this is Jason, Alexis, Billy, Trini, and Zack."

This was really the time to address battle tactics, now that the forces of good had nearly doubled. But instead, the sight of Jocelyn surrounded by her teammates, eagerly hugging each of them in turn, brought to mind the one question that had been plaguing him since the nightmare began. "Where's Kimberly?"

His concern must've been evident in his voice, for Spectra gave him a comforting smile. "Peace, White Ranger, Kimberly is well. She is in our home dimension, waiting for us to prepare the portal for her arrival."

"Thank goodness," Trini sighed in relief.

"Why didn't you bring her with you?" Zack wondered.

"It's kind of a long story, so here's the Cliff's Notes version," Keith responded, taking a deep breath. He then launched into a bizarre summary of an alien princess, alternate dimensions, the strange phenomenon called a Bridge, which linked the universe of the Power Rangers with that of the Spectrum Force, and finally the added complication of a portal to Chaos, that threatened both universes. "And the only way to stop all this craziness is for Kimberly and Jocelyn to pass back through the original portal," he concluded. "So we're here to help you guys beat down the Chaotics long enough for the girls to switch places."

The Power Rangers fell silent, each one teasing out the meaning of the rapid-fire summary they'd just received. Not surprisingly, it was Billy who recognized an alarming implication.

"Let's assume we're able to establish transit between our universes. What's to stop either Jocelyn or Kimberly from detouring into Chaos?"

The woman in white stepped forward. "That is why I am present. I will cast a spell to seal Chaos, protecting both transferees from diversion. My mentor is in our dimension presently, holding the same spell on that end. Neither woman should be in any danger through transit."

"Are you sure?" Tommy wondered. "Have you seen this phenomenon before?"

"No, to both questions," Spectra admitted. "Yet we are sure that the only way to untangle our dimensions is to dissolve the Bridge, and that can only be done by restoring the proper balance. Also, it is the only way Kimberly and Jocelyn can return to their native dimensions. Kimberly was unable to pass through the portal that brought us here."

"We don't have a choice, then," Jason realized grimly. "We can't leave that portal open."

"And I have to go home!" Jocelyn folded her arms, her tone adamant. "Let's get the show on the road!"

She then turned to Spectra. "What happened to Matt? He's not hurt, is he?"

"We thought it was best for someone to stay behind to protect Kimberly as she waits for my signal, and to get you away from the battleground once you emerge."

The petite girl nodded sharply and stepped back, her energy blazing with new determination. "Spectra and I will head for the portal, then."

"Zack, you go with them," Tommy decided. "You've got the best chance of destroying any other Chaotics that emerge from the portal with one shot."

"Got it, Leader Man," the Black Ranger answered with a semi-serious salute.

"The rest of us will destroy the rest of the Chaotics." Tommy looked to the ground, peering through the luminescent, glass-like floor. "I think we've got… eighteen down there now."

"And we shall prevent more from coming," Spectra stated. She then turned to the Orange Enforcer. "Jocelyn, have your powers behaved normally in this dimension?"

She nodded. "For the most part. These Chaos monsters have a kind of… evil aura that's distracting, especially if you try to restrain them. Any kind of prolonged contact, either physical or through energy binds, causes one killer of a headache."

Keith nodded. "Sounds like the ones we tango'ed with back home."

"And I can't seem to summon my Dia-Staff," Jocelyn added.

Craig grimaced. "Really?"

"That makes sense," Spectra noted. "The Dia-Staffs are directly powered by the Diadem, which is now in another realm of existence than we are." Her eyes flashed. "Jocelyn, are you able to destroy one of these monsters alone?"

"Not the millipedes. I can slow them down, but I can't muster an attack that can destroy them."

"Then I suggest a cooperative effort," Spectra glanced to Tommy. "All the Spectrum Force has the same abilities, and you have seen enough of Jocelyn's abilities to know what they are. How do you think we should approach this battle?"

Tommy blinked, surprised that she'd asked his input. "The Power Rangers have combination attacks; but we need Kimberly for all of them, so we're at a disadvantage right now. Are you guys able to combine your powers at all?"

"We all can combine our energy assaults with each other," Keith confirmed. "The more of us add power, the more powerful the attack. But we don't need a full team."

"But our powers do merge more efficiently when the colors are closer to each other in the spectrum," Rachel pointed out.

"Then split up the Force into two teams of two," Billy contributed. "That should be sufficient power to destroy a single Chaotic."

"That leaves the five of us," Trini pointed out.

"Billy, you go with the Red and Yellow Spectrum Enforcers," Tommy decided. "And Trini, you go with Blue and Purple. That leaves me, Jase, and Alexis to form a third group. I wouldn't want to split us into any group smaller than three; not with these monsters." He turned to his former leader. "Sounds like a plan?"

"It does to me." Jason then glanced at the alien among them. "Spectra?"

"I approve of this strategy," she confirmed. "Rachel and Keith, take your teams to opposite ends of the battleground and work your way toward the cave," Spectra advised. "Keep your minds open to each other, but stay focused on your own battles. Do your utmost to avoid being surrounded by these creatures. I will alert you the moment the transfer is complete."

The Red and Purple Enforcers nodded, each one walking to opposite sides of the floating platform. They were immediately joined by their designated teams.

"White, Red, and Purple Rangers, stand across from me," Spectra directed. "Black Ranger, stay near Jocelyn and me."

The party of twelve separated into four groups, each group congregating at one side of the circular platform. Then, Spectra snapped her fingers, creating a neat crack that split the platform into quarters.

The three other pieces flew to the ground below, approaching the battleground from the periphery. The Black Ranger watched, fascinated, as the brightly-colored forms of his teammates vanished with distance.

"Now what do we do?" he wondered.

"We wait for the others to distract and disperse the Chaotics," Spectra explained. "When the path is mostly clear, we will move straight for the cave, and the portal within it."

* * *

Trini braced herself as the translucent disc streaked to the ground. It almost felt like surfing, the strong winds buffeting her like waves while she fought to maintain her balance. Teleportation, while it was doubtless the most convenient form of travel, completely shielded her from the actual sensation of movement. There was a certain thrill to the high-speed flight she wished she could enjoy more… if she didn't have a dozen giant insects snapping their claws in her general direction, that is.

Wincing, she noticed that the pearly disc had taken a blue hue, and was angling dangerously close to the Chaotics as it streaked above them. "What are you doing?"

"Getting their attention." Trini was certain she could hear a smile in the Blue Enforcer's voice. "That is what we're doing up here, right? Clearing the path for Jocelyn?"

"Without getting ourselves killed, of course," Purple commented, her own aura flashing to life around her body. "I'm getting off here; you two continue until you're clear of the Chaotics. These things can't fly, can they?"

Trini realized belatedly that the last question was directed at her. "Not that I've seen."

"Then I'll take my chances in the sky."

And with that, she leapt off the platform, fists burning as she gained altitude.

Trini looked alarmed as the Purple Enforcer shrank in her view. "What if something happens to her? She's all alone!"

"No she's not," Blue assured her. "She wants to distract them from us so I can figure out what your powers are. We never saw Kim in action, so we don't really know what a Power Ranger can do."

Trini blinked in surprise as the blue disc finally landed on the tundra, evaporating on contact. Her white boots sank into the deep snow, but she kept her attention fixed on the tall man before her. "When did you two decide that?"

"I guess that was a bit rude, huh?" he allowed, rubbing his head. "See, we can communicate mind-to-mind."

"You can read minds?"

"Not exactly. I can't read your mind, for example, so don't worry about me poking around where I'm not wanted. See, if I want to communicate with Rachel, I still need to call out to her. But I do it in my head. She can't hear what I'm thinking unless I'm directing my thoughts to her, and vice versa. And we can't do it with anyone else; just the rest of the Force. Spectra's powers are different, though."

Trini nodded slowly, considering the possibilities of such a unique communication system. But Craig quickly interrupted her train of thought.

"So, what powers do you have?"

The Yellow Ranger looked up at the impressive figure of the Blue Enforcer, mentally tacking off his known abilities, and for a brief moment felt a pinch of deficiency. He was faster, he could fly, fire energy blasts…

But she had her own skills.

"The Power enhances baseline strength, agility, speed, endurance, and durability. And my weapons include daggers and a hand Blaster; neither of which can destroy one of these Chaotics on their own." She tapped her chin, watching beams of purple light flash not too far away. "We should focus our efforts on one Chaotic at a time. Can you tell your friend to aim for the underbelly? That seemed to be a weak spot when we fought them earlier."

Craig nodded, lifting off the ground, but then frowned suddenly. "She says it's hard to hit the underbelly from above."

Trini smirked. "Then maybe we should bowl them over first."

She raced toward one of the large rocks that were scattered across the area, adjusting the settings on her Blade Blaster along the way. Carefully, she fired the weapon, carving a shape reasonably close to a sphere out of the rock's side. Craig watched with a puzzled frown as the newly-carved ball rolled away from the alcove, steam climbing from it's heated surface.

"So," the Yellow Ranger commented, "think you can help me push this thing?"

* * *

There was no other word to describe it: the battlefield was sheer pandemonium.

Zack watched the battle unfold from the relative safety of Spectra's floating platform, the sights and sounds making him feel dizzy. Even from a distance, the vivid colors of attacks were clearly visible, and he couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer variety. Fistfuls of blue, sleek purple beams, overwhelming flows of red, tiny but numerous yellow flashes, tight corkscrews of purple mingled with blue, large spheres of red with rings of yellow... Zack found himself counting the Spectrum Force's energy assaults, comparing them to the destructive power of the most comparable Ranger attacks.

He then smirked, watching another red-tinged sphere of… something… plow into the Chaotics on the southern edge of the battlefield, throwing three of the bug-like creatures off their countless feet by the sheer force of the collision.

Then Billy and the Yellow and Red Enforcers descended on the disoriented creatures, hammering them with energy blasts and a Blade Blaster.

Trini and the Blue Enforcer had come up with the idea of using the bugs for bowling practice, but the technique quickly caught on.

"Zack, Jocelyn," Spectra said, breaking the relative silence of the high altitude, "It's time."

The two teens nodded, and without further warning, the platform began a swift and sudden descent, streaking toward the ground directly for the cave. The immediate area was mostly clear, thanks to the havoc the remaining heroes were creating less than a hundred yards away, so the trio was able to slip into the small cave without incident.

"They're not guarding the cave at all," Zack noticed with a vague shrug. "They're not as organized as we thought they were."

"Or, perhaps whatever is coming through the portal doesn't need a guard," Spectra suggested.

Both teens grimaced at the thought.

Spectra suddenly paused, pressing her body against the jagged cave wall and holding out her hand out. The two teens behind her froze in mid-step.

"Why'd we stop?" Jocelyn murmured.

"There are two Chaotics now emerging from the portal," she revealed.

Zack scratched the back of his helmet. "How'd you know that?"

"I can sense their destructive aura. Now, I must conserve my power for the spell, so I cannot help you fight them. Black Ranger, how quickly can you destroy two Chaotics?"

He hefted the Power Ax from his shoulder, pulling back the blade and storing power for discharge. "It'll take about forty seconds for the Cosmic Cannon to re-charge to full power. Assuming I hit my target on the first try, about a minute."

"Jocelyn, do your best to hold the other creature," Spectra instructed. "Once the path is clear, I shall begin." And with that, she moved closer to the wall, murmuring under her breath. Zack's eyebrow rose when the shadows of the cave seemed to reach out, smothering the stark whiteness of her hair and costume. If it weren't for the aid of his helmet lens, he wouldn't be able to see her at all.

"That's a neat trick," he awed.

He then nodded to Jocelyn, and together the pair continued into the cavern. They walked in silence, the buzzing of Zack's charging weapon accompanying the eerie burr of the portal as they awaited the telltale flash of red light. When it finally came, Zack stepped forward, bending his knees to brace himself for the backlash.

"I call dibs," he murmured, narrowing his eyes. Just wait until you see the whites of its eyes… figuratively speaking, of course.

As soon as the first creature fully emerged from the portal, Zack let loose the devastating stream of power before it had a chance to orient itself and become aware of the danger. It screeched as it melted against the assault, countless arms flailing but helpless to save itself.

However, the second creature was just a step behind. It dove for the Black Ranger immediately, and Zack could do nothing but yelp in surprise at the speed with which the Chaotic struck.

But then a flash of orange brightened the dim cave, and the creature veered off-target, instead dashing directly down the tunnel toward daylight.

Jocelyn grimaced, bracing herself against the protruding rock. "I'm definitely going to need some industrial-strength Excedrin when this is all over…"

"Just a little longer," Zack assured her, charging his cannon again, "Let's make sure that thing stays out of Spectra's way."

Jocelyn nodded, and together the teens chased after the demonic creature, holding their collective breath as it passed Spectra's hidden form.

If it in any way sensed her presence, it gave no indication.

Spectra watched the creature continue its race, the two young heroes hot on its tail. *Make sure not to leave, Jocelyn,* she warned. *If the creature escapes the cave, let the others handle it.*

*You got it!* Orange acknowledged.

Wasting no more time, Spectra approached the magical portal, watching with no small amount of awe as the projected image warped before her eyes.

She found herself surprised when the scene was overwhelmed by a soft green light. Matthew stood in the background, his arms raised as he generated enough power to illuminate the cave. Close to Matthew, near enough to be warmed by his protective aura, was Kimberly herself, her arms tightly folded and teeth absently gnawing her lower lip.

And in the foreground stood Luminus, perhaps two arms' lengths from the portal, his hands raised as he maintained a spell on his side of the Bridge.

It took the inter-dimensional party a few moments to realize the scene had shifted. Spectra watched in fascination as Kimberly's somber expression brightened, allowing her to wave excitedly and chatter something. Sounds couldn't pass through the portal, and Spectra felt a flicker of amusement that this knowledge didn't stop the excitable Ranger from trying to communicate anyway.

Then, Spectra took a step closer, taking a breath to steel herself as she reviewed the spell Luminus demonstrated in her mind. But as she lifted her hands to begin casting the spell, her apprehension grew tenfold.

Her concern must have showed on her face, for Luminus fixed her with a steady gaze. Though she couldn't hear his voice or his thoughts across the Multiverse, that expression spoke volumes.

"Don't think of it as spell-casting," she murmured, watching her breath mist in the frigid air. "Follow directions. And have confidence that Luminus knows what he's doing."

Her breaths fell into the steady rhythm that accompanied meditation as the young warrior readied herself. Fingers swayed slowly at first, harnessing all the energy they could and causing the surrounding air to glow faintly white. Then, as the portal began to shift, her hands danced more rapidly, spinning a web of power that darted forward, into the maw of Chaos.

* * *

They didn't even need words anymore. They were a team: they worked like a well-oiled machine.

The system they devised was simple. A little on the reckless side, but then again, so were these particular Rangers.

It started with Jason. Approach a Chaotic. Get too close. Get it angry. A tight blast from the Blade Blaster to its underbelly worked wonders on the millipedes; the bug-beast immediately forgot whatever it was doing before, and whirled on him in a snarling fury. And Jason drew it away, running as quickly as he could, listening to the thunderous beat of a thousand legs.

Before the creature could overtake him, a series of short laser bursts from Saba forced the monster to a standstill. In Tommy's capable hands, the enchanted saber fired bolt after bolt of energy, giving Jason time to get comfortably distant, as well as getting the creature adequately disoriented.

And during all this activity, Alexis hovered in the air, a sphere of purple-gold light burning between her palms.

It worked four times, carving down the otherworldly abominations by a sizeable chunk. And as Jason dove for cover, listening to the buzz of Tommy's lasers cough up ice and snow to blind the monster, he was certain it would work again.

But then one element changed: Alexis began to stagger.

It was Jason who noticed the first signs. The Purple Ranger had noticeably lowered, her body trembling as the Pulse flared wildly in her hands, a stark contrast from the steady glow that was typical of her signature attack.

He immediately knew what it meant. "Plan B, Tommy!"

The White Ranger didn't let up his energy assault. "What's Plan B?"

"Stall, as I work out Plan C!" Jason ran to the ground below the Purple Ranger, his brow furrowed. "Lex! Drop the Pulse!"

But the strong winds and steady hum of nearby energy made it impossible for her to hear him.

And also, she was far too focused on the inexplicably stubborn energy sphere that flashed weakly in her hands.

Her heart raced, the quickened beat thumping between her ears as she pushed as much power as she could through her hands. The purple energy diverted into the attack was even visible, trailing along her white gloves like tiny bolts of lightning. And yet the Eagleheart Pulse flickered, unwilling to sustain itself.

Then, a sudden slushy force against her boot startled her just enough to release her focus. The waning Pulse dissolved completely.

"Lex!"

Gasping, she glared at the Red Ranger below. "This is no time for a snowball fight, Jase!"

"You're spent, Lex. You can't fly and generate a Pulse at the same time."

She winced. "I'm a little tired, but-"

"You've never put this much drain on your powers before. Stay airborne and recover your strength." He then tossed her his Blade Blaster. "Cover us from up there."

She grimaced, noting the warmth of the weapon's barrel. "But-"

The Power Sword materialized in the Red Ranger's hand. "I prefer my fights up close and personal anyway."

And with a quick wave, the Red Ranger hurried to aid his best friend.

Alexis sucked in a frustrated breath, climbing higher into the air and following Jason. Tommy had stayed one step ahead of the creature, though puzzling flashes of red energy made her take a closer look.

Her frown only deepened. The Red Spectrum guy. He must've noticed Tommy was in trouble, and picked up the slack for me.

She blinked, angrily fighting the sting in her eyes. I should have been able to hold out! I know it in my bones! I know I'm pushing myself… I know these Pulses are at maximum strength, but I should have been able to generate more. I should've come through when they needed me.

It was terrifying to hit the limit of one's strength, and realize it just wasn't enough.

Her gaze dropped to the morpher on her waist. The morpher Zordon added to her ensemble. When she first inherited the Power, channeling it directly from the Eagle Coin, it felt different. It felt… limitless.

She shook her head, banishing the errant thought from her mind and bringing her attention back to the fight at hand.

Her eyes widened as a large cone of energy erupted from the Red stranger's palms, spinning on its own axis, and plowing mercilessly through the middle of the tenacious Chaotic.

The creature exploded in an acrid black mist, and left the nearby Rangers stunned, and snow-covered.

"It worked," Keith mused, grinning unselfconsciously. "Good thing you guys beat that thing so hard the past few minutes; so far an attack from any one of us hasn't been that effective. It definitely got weaker."

"Nice work," Tommy noted, shaking the young man's hand. "Thanks for the back-up… Keith, right?"

"Right."

Alexis landed as the team regrouped, ignoring Jason's pointed stare. "It looks like things are under control."

"I'd say so," Keith confirmed. "I disbanded my strike unit when I noticed you guys in trouble. Tammy combined with Rachel and Craig makes one killer assault team, so they're plowing through the rest of these caterpillars. I asked your friend Billy to stand by the cave. He's keeping watch there with the Yellow Ranger; so far nothing new has come out."

"Then the seal must be in place," Jason surmised.

"Only five left," Tommy noted after a quick count. "If your team has the Chaotics covered, I think I'll head into the cave and see how the transfer's coming."

"I'll come with you," Keith announced, falling into step beside him.

* * *

When Zack heard footsteps pounding on the stone floor of the cave, he lifted his Cosmic Cannon, just in case. He had no idea if the Chaotics could sense that their portal home had been messed with, or if they'd be concerned that their reinforcements had stopped coming. But his assignment was to make sure the transfer wasn't screwed up by any interfering inter-dimensional boogie-men, and he took that assignment very seriously.

Only when he saw the burning aura of the Red Enforcer, accompanied by the glaring white armor of the White Ranger, did he lower his weapon. "Guys come to see the main event?"

"Thing's have gotten quieter outside, so we figured we might be useful here," Keith answered. He frowned when he noticed the tension on his mentor's face. "Spectra?"

"These… creatures are strong," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Stronger than those the spell was designed for."

Tommy took a step forward. "Will it hold?"

Spectra nodded stiffly. "I believe so. It took great… effort to adjust the seal. And it takes great effort to… to hold it."

Jocelyn rocked impatiently on the balls of her feet, rubbing her arms briskly. "We're only waiting for the portal to shift again. We couldn't move on the last shift because Spectra had to adjust again. Something…" she gulped. "Something big must've just come on the side of Chaos."

Keith looked at his young friend. "Why'd you de-sync, Jocie? It's cold out here!"

She shrugged. "When we first switched, Kimberly and I were both in our superhero forms. Keeping this whole 'balance' thing in mind, we wondered if maybe our energy levels have to be more or less the same as well. Spectra said Kim can't morph, so the only solution to balance us out is for me to go un-powered as well."

Keith shook his head, stepping closer to her and expanding the red-tinged aura of his power. "Doesn't mean you have to freeze to death, Kiddo."

She grinned up at him. "Always eager to help the damsel in distress?"

He winced, rubbed his neck, and laughed a little too loudly as his thoughts strayed to the other "damsel" he'd aided just a few short hours ago... the one with the green hair and unpleasant disposition. "Guilty as charged, I guess."

Just then, the portal shifted, the white of transition giving way to the emerald hue of Matthew's power. Jocelyn smiled widely, all thoughts of teasing Keith forgotten.

* * *

"Something's happening…" Kimberly reported. She watched with bated breath as the image cleared, revealing a face that gave her a bit of a start.

"Jocelyn!" Matthew gasped from behind her. "She de-synced!"

Heh… I'd always wanted a sister, Kim reflected, a feeble grin on her lips as she stared at the stranger with such a familiar face. Her smile widened when another figure stepped forward from the background, and gave her a thumb's up.

"Tommy," she murmured. As always, his mere presence made her feel twice as strong.

"Everything is prepared," Luminus noted with a nod. "The Bridge is as stable as it will ever be, Kimberly."

The girl nodded, taking a breath and quickly scanning her form. Morpher and communicator, check. New shirt from Tammy, also a check. Langstrum Alps souvenir hoody, double-check; and the warmth is much appreciated!

She turned on her heel, planting a sudden kiss on Luminus' cheek. "Thank you so much, Sir."

The wise elder was too startled to respond as the excited teen hugged a stiff Green Enforcer, then waved at her audience through the portal.

"There's no place like home," she exhaled, and haltingly stepped closer.

* * *

A frustrated screech tore through the void, echoed by the minors that stretched as far as the eye could see.

It would not be denied. Just as it had reached the doorway, a sudden force pushed back, blocking passage yet leaving the dimension visible. It was far too tempting a target.

Coiling its full power, the creature thrust back, starting slowly, and then building strength. Satisfaction swam in its being when it felt the force of Light begin to shudder under its far superior strength…

* * *

A collective sigh of relief escaped the spectators as the portal vanished from view, just as it had the first time. Was it only yesterday that Kimberly dematerialized in a flash of light? Tommy could swear the shock of those moments turned a few hairs gray.

But as he carefully lifted Kimberly… the real Kimberly… into his arms, he knew the ordeal was finally over. Her hair was the right shade of rich brown, kissed with copper highlights. Her communicator was fastened on her wrist. And while he puzzled for a moment at the heather gray "Langstrum Alps" sweatshirt, he soon managed a smile. Didn't take you too long to go native, did it, Kim?

Keith was soon at his side. "Looks like all's well that ends-"

A sudden shriek silenced Keith's hasty words before he could finish them, and gave the trio a split second of warning. Keith whirled around, spreading his power in a translucent shield that separated the five heroes from the remnants of the portal a heartbeat after Spectra was thrown into the far wall by some unseen force.

The portal then became visible again, swirling a furious red and black, expanding into twice its former size in mere seconds.

Zack gulped. "This didn't happen the first time, did it Tom?"

Tommy didn't bother answering. "Keith, get Spectra, and warn the team outside! Retreat and regroup, now!"

Keith nodded sharply, hurrying to pull Spectra out of the impression she'd made into the wall. He winced at the blood trickling where her head and back had made contact with sharp protrusions. "Spectra?"

"Something's... coming," she warned, her voice thread-bare. "couldn't... hold it. Far too strong."

"If that wasn't a 'let's get the hell out of here,' I don't know what is," he grunted, lifting her carefully. He cast one look over his shoulder, horrified to see that the portal reached the ceiling of the cave, and was growing larger still, ripping through the stone as if it were paper.

*Guys,* he called, rocketing out of the shallow cave, *we've got more company!*

* * *

"…nouri siq-ilan ami khani mai," Luminus chanted, puffs of steam passing through his lips. His bright blue eyes watched the ground closely, fingers tracing the blood-filled carving Celea had created, putting this entire disaster into motion.

Matthew watched impatiently as the High Father, one of the most respected warriors of Light alive, dug his fingers into the ice-cold earth, brushing fresh soil over the sigil.

"Well?" Matt questioned, "Is it over?"

"The Bridge is broken," Luminus responded, rising to his feet with an old man's care. "The portal is gone from sight, and I sense no lingering link to either Chaos or the Power Rangers' realm. All realms are now disconnected. The only remaining portal is the one on our ship, through which Spectra and her Force traveled to assist the Rangers."

Matthew sighed in relief, tightening his grip on the girl in his arms. "Then let's get Jocelyn to the ship. My powers are keeping her warm enough, but we should make sure she wasn't injured during inter-dimensional transit."

Luminus brushed the dust off his fingers. "And we shall also tend to your own wounds, which are more serious than anything that could have happened to your friend."

Matt's gaze dropped to the ugly cuts down his leg, almost against his will. He'd stopped feeling the pain long ago, but now that the crisis had been averted, and Jocelyn was safe and sound, it seemed his pain receptors were functional again. "That's… not a bad idea, Sir." He conceded with a wry smile.

Luminus followed the young Enforcer towards the mouth of the cave, but sudden intuition made him take a single glance back. "While I was closing the Bridge, I felt… a tremendous shove, from Chaos."

Matthew paused right before he leapt into the air. "What do you mean? Is something coming?"

"Not here," Luminus confirmed, "and now the portal is closed, so nothing from Chaos can enter either material realm. However, I fear for the other realm. I fear… something did get through, just before the portal closed."

Matthew noticed the thoughtful frown on the sage's face. "Something tells me it's not another one of those zombie wolves."

"No. I fear it was one of the major Chaotics. At least one."

* * *

Rachel smirked with grim satisfaction as she watched Tamara and Craig converge on the final Chaotic. Their energy signatures swirled together, the edges tingeing green as the helix of power drilled into the creature, leaving nothing but smoke and mud in its wake.

"Well done," she congratulated, hovering to her team. She grinned indulgently as Craig enthusiastically high-fived both girls, and then proceeded into his aerial victory dance.

She noticed the Blue Ranger stare after her friend, and could imagine his curious expression. "Your team is in college, correct?"

Rachel stifled a laugh, anticipating the root of the question. "You'll probably discover that college actually regresses the maturity of most American men. Trust me on that."

"He just might have the right idea," Trini said, joining the pair, "That was a tough battle; I still can't quite believe it's over."

The straggling heroes regrouped, each keeping a wary eye out for more creatures.

"Phew!" Craig sighed, his face still lit up with a victorious grin, "It's a good thing this slug-fest happened up at the Pole! Can you imagine the property damage if the portal opened somewhere populated?"

"We can imagine," Jason commented grimly. "But you're right; we're lucky this time. I'd rather not think what those Chaotics would've done to Angel Grove if they had the chance."

Tamara winced at the mental image of unnatural fangs, claws, and innocent civilians. "Then we should count our blessings. This could've been much worse…"

Her body suddenly tensed, visible fear swallowing the rest of her sentence. Jason watched, frowning, as the other two members of the Force reacted in the same way.

He wasn't the only one to notice the sudden spike in anxiety levels. "Guys," Alexis murmured, "what's…?"

She yelped as the ground beneath her rocked, and stared in terror at the source of the tremor.

The cave.

Then, a bubble of purple light swallowed everything, and before the Rangers could comment they were literally dragged away from the cave's mouth. Alexis staggered at the loss of footing, trading perplexed glances with the other Rangers.

A moment later, a beam of red energy streaked from the cave, flying in their direction at an almost impossible speed.

"Keith," the Yellow Enforcer sighed, "you made it."

The Rangers were settled on the ground a good hundred yards further away from the cave. Trini, Jason, Alexis, and Billy turned to their newly arrived teammates, who stepped out of the Red Enforcer's energy field as soon as they made landfall.

"Kim!" Trini gasped, staring at the limp body in Tommy's firm grasp.

"She's okay," the White Ranger assured. "But for now, we've got other problems."

As if on cue, the cave suddenly erupted, throwing rocks, snow, and mud into the air in thunderous explosion. Debris was flung far enough to rain upon the huddled heroes, who stared as a crimson portal crackled from within the rubble, nearly as large as the entire cliff had been.

Then, something emerged.

The Spectrum Force watched in disbelief as an enormous creature stepped through. It was held up on two hind legs, while four other limbs hovered in the air, slashing wickedly and stretching its lean muscles. The dinosaur-like snout stretched into a hideous smile, revealing teeth that gleamed in the unnatural light.

"Oh my God," Tamara whispered, "What is that?"

She didn't expect an answer… and certainly not a name.

"Erebus."

The Force turned to the Power Rangers, who'd spoken in eerie, horrified unison.

It was at that moment that Spectra recovered enough of her bearings to speak. "No… not just one," she said firmly, pressing a handful of snow to the horrible cut that stained her shoulder red. "I felt three break through my seal."

Alexis nearly swallowed her tongue. "Three?? But that's…"

She wanted to say 'impossible,' as if some universal law wouldn't allow Earth's heroes to fight with such a terrifying disadvantage. It had taken all that they had to defeat Erebus the last time, and he was all alone!

But she couldn't deny it for very long, as another misshapen form broke the plane of the lightning-webbed portal. And then another.

Moments later, the portal swirled closed behind them, the unnerving red light giving way to the relative darkness of an overcast polar night.