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Disclaimers: The things that are from Marvel Comics belong to them. The things that are from Power Rangers belong to Saban. Spectra, Spectrum Force and all related materials are the creations of Rachel Dawson. Thanks for letting me borrow them. I haven't been paid for this, so suing me for the royalties is a waste of time.

This takes place after the events in the stories "Of Swords, of Wolves and of Shadows Met" and "A Rock Feels No Pain". This takes place a year after "A Rock Feels No Pain". According to the Power Ranger gossip I have heard, this might place it in the Power Rangers in Space time. This also takes place after the Spectrum Force story, "Outcasts".

For those who care, by this time Billy, Rocky and Trini are 20 years old. If you haven't read the two stories of mine I mentioned above, then you are REALLY going to be confused. Having read a recent X-men or Excalibur comic book will be of great assistance as well. Having read Rachel Dawson's Spectrum Force stories won't hurt either, also they're pretty good, very good actually. The best out there. (OK Rachel, you can put the gun down now.)

Note: an * followed by an * indicates telepathic communication, a { followed by a } indicates sentences not spoken in English.

Langstrum Alps, California

My name is Piotr Nikoleivitch Rasputin. I am known as Colossus. I am a member of the mutant super-hero team known as Excalibur. This is a city in a world I do not exist in.

This started a few weeks ago. Somehow the heroes of this planet need assistance against an entity known as Phaedra. They called for help. They got my friends and I.

I was told this is how it began...

Somewhere in the Multiverse

The Guardian felt the psychic call for help. She analyzed it and found that the ones they wanted would not be of as great assistance as they might wish. She knew who would be able to help them more. She had used some of them in the past.

Now all Roma had to do was get Excalibur to Langstrum Alps. When you are the Guardian of the Multiverse, the possible was done instantly. The impossible just took a little longer.

The Danger Room, The Xavier Mansion

Samuel Guthrie was the youngest member of the X-men. That was not to say he was inexperienced. Far from it. He had been a co-leader of the New Mutants and leader of X-force (at least while Cable had been gone). He was the first and so far only member of the New Mutants and X-force to graduate and become a member of the X-men. His powers were simple. He emitted a thermo-chemical propulsion field that enveloped him and gave him the ability to fly, protected him in flight as a force-field which made him all but invulnerable and allowed him to project blasts of the energy. Which accounted for his code-name of "Cannonball".

He could empathize then with watching the newest members of Excalibur being put through the wringer. It was a team exercise. ShadowWolf and Redstone were supposed to evade the "hunters" and secure the objective without being "tagged" by the "hunters" or the automatic defenses. The "hunters" were the X-men Gambit, Wolverine, Bishop, Storm, Cyclops, Rogue and Archangel. Gambit and Bishop were on point. Followed by Cyclops. Storm, Rogue and Archangel were flying high cover for them. Wolverine was nowhere to be seen. The objective was to push a big red button that said, creatively enough, "Push Me".

Of course the "hunters" didn't have it easy. They could also be tagged. And none of them wanted to be the ones to lose to a couple of kids.

The sensors in the control room for the Danger Room were able to pick up where everyone was at. The computers had been given a random selection on the environment and they had chosen a war-torn city street at night. The Shi'ar provided holographic projectors made this look very authentic. Down to the smell.

So far, the X-men had been hunting them for the past twenty-five minutes. And had not seen them yet. "Sam, they are still in here, right?" Cyclops asked.

"Yes suh. Ah got them on the sensuhs now." Sam replied in his slow southern drawl.

"You want to give us a hint, sugah?" Rogue asked.

"Ah got Colossus standin' ovuh mah shoulder. What do ya'll think mah ansuh is goin' to be to that?" Sam told her. He looked over at Piotr Rasputin. Piotr just nodded his head at him. Jean smiled at Sam's answer. Professor Xavier kept his eyes on the Danger Room.

While all this was happening, Gambit was able to pick up the trail of the two they were looking for. "Stormy, Gambit foun' de trail. For a bunch of youngun's dey pretty good, oui?" Gambit informed.

"Gambit, don't call me `Stormy'. And yes, they are well trained. Logan, have you picked up the trail yet? Logan?" No answer. Storm sighed. "Cyclops, I can't raise Logan on the comm unit. Can you see him? Cyclops? Scott, are you there? Gambit, look for Cyclops."

"He be here, jus' a secon' ago, chere. Y'wan' Gambit go look?"

"No. Follow the trail. Bishop keep in each other's sight. I'll go see if I can find them. Rogue, Warren. You're with me."

Bishop looked over at Gambit. "I do not like this. This feels like a trap. They've picked off Cyclops and Wolverine. We are not hunting them. They are hunting us."

"Mon ami, tha' be de way sometime. De hunter become de hunted. Of course, it would help if Gambit had been tol' wha' dey could do, non?" He then turned back to following the trail left by the two they were hunting. The most annoying thing about this, at least to Gambit, was that he couldn't sense them through his spatial awareness. It was as if they had dropped off the face of the planet.

Jean looked over at the Professor. The control room was set up to hear everything that was said by those in the Danger Room. "You didn't tell them what they were up against? ShadowWolf being a telepath and Redstone being a mage? Why didn't you tell them?"

"They won't always have advance information on an opponent, Jean." Professor Xavier calmly explained. "Sometimes, you have to throw someone to the wolves. Metaphorically speaking." He added the last after the amused grunt Piotr expressed over the "being thrown to the wolves" comment.

Rogue didn't like this. Ever since they had started this exercise against the two young men, she had the feeling that she was being watched. That feeling of someone else being in the house, when the lights go out and there's a storm. When you know that there's nothing there in the rational part of your mind. But the irrational part tells you to go find a baseball bat, get a flashlight and hide in a closet.

Archangel, also known as Warren Worthington the third, was finding this entire exercise frustrating. Even with the enhanced vision that he had, he couldn't see the targets from the air. He kept the objective in sight, in fact he resembled a vulture over a corpse they way he kept circling it, but still hadn't seen them. He had serious doubts they were even in the Danger Room.

Gambit looked over to where Bishop was. The only problem was that Bishop wasn't there. He looked for signs of a struggle and found none. He looked to see if Bishop had gone up to the rooftops and couldn't see him there either. "Stormy, this is Gambit."

"Go ahead, Gambit."

Before Gambit could reply, he felt an arm snake around his throat, another went to the side of his head and a voice whispered in his ear, "Bang. You dead. This counts as a tag. Do me a favor and press the send button on your comm unit."

Gambit was shocked. He had his back to a wall when he was grabbed. He hadn't even heard movement. I be taken down like `prentice t'ief on firs' job. Somethin' wrong heah.

After Gambit had activated the comm unit, the voice spoke into it. "Hi, this is ShadowWolf. Me and my buddy, Redstone, have taken out your ground unit. Would you like to surrender?"

"ShadowWolf, this is Storm. No, we won't surrender. You haven't won yet."

"True. However, you might find it a little bit harder to fly around in about 5 seconds. Now, Rocky."

Before Storm, Rogue or Warren could react, a large white ball floated up in front of them. Then it exploded, releasing a white flash of light more intense than the sun.

By the time they regained their sight, they saw the two targets standing near the button. They had already pushed it. Professor Xavier's voice came across the Danger Room. "Very good. Everyone please stand down, the exercise is over."

After he said that, the holographic city disappeared to reveal a large featureless room. Logan was standing off to the side looking disgusted. As were Cyclops, Bishop and Gambit. "Dey get y'first, mon ami?" Gambit asked Logan.

"Yeah." The word was more growled than spoken. "Chuck, why didn't you tell us the kid was a telepath?"

"Which ones the telepath?" Rogue asked. She didn't look very happy about finding out she had been up against one.

Billy and Rocky looked at her, then each other. They then pointed at the other and yelled, "He is!"

The Boathouse, The Xavier Mansion

Jean Summers was listening to her husband, Scott Summers, grumble about being taken out by two kids barely out of high school. She found this to be quite amusing. "Scott, what did you expect? They've been working with Excalibur for almost two years. At least Billy has been. Rocky was a Power Ranger during most of that time, so he's only been with them for a little over a year. They didn't exactly fall right off the turnip truck and into those uniforms. Don't you think there's a reason the Professor wanted just those two in the Danger Room?"

"What do you mean, Jean?"

"I think the Professor wants those two on the X-men. They evaded you, Logan, Ororo, Remy, Bishop, Rogue and Warren for almost half an hour. And they won."

"Kurt's going to hit the roof if the Professor tries to get them to switch teams."

"I doubt they'll go."

"Why not?"

"Billy likes Scotland. He's happy there. If Trini didn't like it he'd be gone in a heartbeat, but she likes it too. Rocky on the other hand won't leave because of Rahne, besides him being Amanda's apprentice."

"I'm not sure I approve of the relationship between Rahne and Rocky." Scott told her. "However, it's Kurt's place to look at these things in regards to his team. Not mine."

"Kurt is short handed right now with Meggan and Brian watching after their son. Another reason Billy wouldn't go is that Excalibur doesn't have a telepath since Rachel was immersed in the multi-verse." Rachel Summers was always a touchy point with them. Rachel Summers was a person from an alternate future who was the daughter of the two of them. They had met her when the two were having problems and Scott had been married to someone else. This had understandably put a strain on their relationship but they had weathered it.

"How powerful is he, Jean? I hear stories from Kurt and Piotr but nothing from Billy himself."

"He's on a level with Betsy. He may be more powerful. But he's not at my level as a telepath. It's his other abilities that make him more dangerous."

"What other abilities?"

"Have you ever heard of the Shadow?"

"Yes. 1930's crime-fighter. Friend of Logan's apparently. Captain America and Nick Fury mentioned him to me once."

"He was Billy's grandfather. The man had several tricks for getting into rooms and messing with people's minds. Billy got the man's experience. Add to that the knowledge and strength he received as a Power Ranger... He's also smarter than Hank and he can fight toe to toe with Kitty and win. This is no one to mess with."

"Billy can at the least pick up a car. As for Rocky... he's not as strong. Apparently something called a Zeo crystal messed up the link that he had with the power that Billy received his strength from. However Rocky is stronger than he looks. He has some of the power left. Just not as much as Billy."

"What about the girl, Trini?"

"She's an empath and a healer. She was a Power Ranger as well. What she has left, they won't tell me. She also is a master of something called mantis kung fu. Betsy and Logan were both impressed when they heard that."

"You mentioned that Billy can beat Kitty in a fight. Shouldn't she be able to phase away from his attacks?"

"Actually no. The Ninjetti power that Billy has is magical in nature. That allows him to hit Kitty even when she is phased. As for skill, they're fairly well matched."

"How could he walk through the shadow like he does then?"

"Like Kurt, Billy has a link with the Darkforce dimension. While Kurt can teleport, hide in darkness and stick to walls with his, Billy can walk through shadows. I don't know if he can do anything else with it. He might be afraid to try."

"I can see why the Professor wants them on the team. But I think they would work better with Kurt's group."

"Then you don't want them on the team?"

"Jean, I'd love to have them on the team. However, they will do better with Kurt."

"I'm glad you think that way. Then you won't mind backing me up when I tell the Professor to back off."

Scott looked at Jean. "And if I say no?"

"You sleep on the couch until you say yes."

Scott sighed. "You fight dirty. All right. I'll help you convince the Professor."

When the X-Men and their affiliated team X-Force aren't out saving the world, training or sleeping, they can usually be found in the rec room. Tonight, with guests at the Mansion the room was even more crowded than usual.

Excalibur was exchanging stories with the members of X-Force and the X- Men. Several members of the other teams found it hard to believe that Billy, Rocky and Trini had been Power Rangers. It helped that Rahne backed them. Rahne had a reputation as someone who didn't tell stories.

Rocky had found out that certain members of X-Force and the X-Men were very protective of Rahne. Grave bodily harm had been promised to him if he hurt Rahne in any way, shape, form or fashion. They had finally started to accept him after Rahne had knocked some sense into her old friends. Right now he was in a discussion with Bobby Drake, known as Iceman, on the best ways to pull a joke on someone.

Trini was talking with Betsy Braddock, known as Psylocke, about the benefits of kung fu over karate. Billy was talking with the Beast, real name Hank McCoy, about physics. The entire time they were talking, they were playing each other in chess. There was no clear superior at the moment.

Kurt Wagner was talking with his friend's Logan and Ororo. Amanda was sitting beside him while he talked. Kitty and Pete Wisdom had left to go to town with Gambit and Rouge. And Piotr was painting those gathered.

"Kurt, when will you and the rest of Excalibur be returning to Muir Island?" Storm asked.

"We leave in the morning. The visit was pleasant but we should be returning soon. Moira has found some potential mutants for us to check. Besides, as fun as this has been, I really don't want the Professor to try and talk me into releasing William and Rocky so they may join the X-Men." Kurt told her.

"You think Chuck would do that?" Logan asked.

"If he felt it was the right thing to do, he would." Kurt said.

Billy looked at the chessboard before him. Moving a bishop, he smiled then looked at the Beast. "That's checkmate. If you'll excuse me, I heard something I need to respond to."

"Of course. We will have to do this again. I must return to the lab anyway. Good night." Beast then walked out of the room.

Billy came over behind Kurt and the others. "I heard what you said about Professor Xavier possibly wanting me or Rocky for the X-Men. I won't speak for Rocky, but you can be assured I will stay with Excalibur."

"William, the Professor hasn't said anything either way about that. Besides, we leave in the morning. You might want to let Trini know. It's late and we leave early in the morning. Be sure to get some sleep." Kurt then helped Amanda up and left the room.

Logan looked at Billy. "You resemble your grandfather a little. Good man. How'd he die?"

"Mr. Sinister killed him. He mailed me my grandfather's guns with a note apologizing for having killed him. Kurt made me promise not to go after him until a better time presented itself. I'm still waiting."

"Sounds like you have something more than just him killing Lamont to make you want his head."

"He wanted me to join him. So he tried to kidnap Trini to ensure my cooperation. But I'm sure Jean and Betsy told you about that."

"Yeah, they did. You still carry the .45's?"

"Always. I don't use them very often, but I have become proficient in their use."

"Good. Lamont was a good man. It's late kid, you and your girl should get some sleep."

"You're right, sir. Good night."

"Good night, kid. And call me Logan."

"Thank you." Billy waited for Trini to finish talking then they went to their room.

The next morning was beautiful as the members of X-Men saw off Excalibur. Good byes were said, hugs were given and then Excalibur filed into the Midnight Runner. They soon left with Kitty Pryde at the controls.

The flight was fairly uneventful until the instrumentation of the aircraft suddenly failed. The majority of Excalibur woke up from the jolt and were instantly on edge. Those who weren't securely strapped in, proceeded to do so.

"Wisdom, I thought you said she could drive! She's worse than Meggan!" Rocky yelled.

"You tell her that when we land, boy! She'll have your guts for garters! And she needs more of those." Wisdom shot back.

"Kurt, get up here! I need help flying this thing! And Pete, shut up!" Kitty screamed back.

Kurt teleported to the cockpit and took the vacant seat next to Kitty. "What do we have, Kitty?"

"Nothing. Nothing is responding."

"Well, that leaves so much room for improvement. Did you check the fusebox?" Kurt asked.

"Very funny, fuzzy. You want me to throw you out of here?"

"Liebchen, you must relax. Panic never solved anything. Now, how much time until we hit the water?"

"Forty-five seconds."

"Well, that make things a little different. You may panic now."

Before Kitty could slap one of her oldest friends, a glowing portal of energy appeared in front of the Midnight Runner. Before they knew what happened they were through. The aircraft stabilized and then grew still.

All the members of Excalibur felt something powerful wash over them. It felt like psychic communication, but on a greater level.

"Hello, my friends. I am Roma. You have been brought here to help an old friend. She is in great danger."

"Who would that be, Roma?" Kurt asked.

"Rachel Summers. No more questions, there isn't the time. She does not have long. I will send you to where she is now. Good luck."

The next thing they knew, the Midnight Runner again started to move forwards and then they went through another glowing portal. They found themselves close to a city. Kitty quickly landed the Midnight Runner.

Excalibur got out of the plane. They all looked around. One hundred yards to their right, they saw a group of people in brightly colored uniforms surrounding a prone figure.

They started forward. When they came closer Kurt, Kitty, Amanda and Piotr saw that the prone figure was Rachel Summers. Kurt looked at the others. "Take them down, but don't kill them until I'm sure they are responsible for what happened to Rachel. For those who don't know, the red head on the ground is Rachel. Billy, Kitty use the ground attack. Take them down hard and quick. Go!"

After Kitty and Billy started moving through the earth, Kurt looked to Piotr. "Fastball special. Throw me towards the one in purple."

"Of course, tovarisch." Piotr picked up his friend and then hurled him towards the group around Rachel. Piotr then moved forward flanked by the remaining members of Excalibur. Trini stayed by the Midnight Runner.

Before the group of teens could react, Kurt had the one in purple on the ground with his sword at her neck. Billy and Kitty had both rocketed out of the earth, Billy catching one in red, Kitty one in blue. The standing teens looked at those surrounding them.

The one in orange stepped forward. "I don't know who you are, but we won't go down without a fight."

Billy looked at the one in orange. "Kim?"

Jocelyn Armand looked at the people who had appeared so suddenly. The one who had called her "Kim" was wearing a dark blue ninja style outfit. The one that had tackled Craig was a woman slightly taller than her, who was wearing a dark blue and yellow bodysuit. The one who had a sword to Rachel's throat looked like a demon, complete with tail.

Of the other ones that had shown up, one was in a red ninja style outfit. Another was a blonde woman who was dressed in a revealing costume. The third was what appeared to be a werewolf. The one behind her was a man dressed in a black suit and a trench-coat. Then there was the large steel figure who had picked up Rachel Summers and was holding her. He didn't look happy.

"What have you done to Rachel?" The steel man asked in a slight Russian accent.

The members of Spectrum Force exchanged glances. "You know her?" Tamara asked.

Jocelyn looked back at the one who had called her "Kim". He looked familiar somehow. Then she figured it out. Ninja style outfits that were color coordinated. Being called "Kim". And the wolf on the front of the blue ones suit. "Billy, is that you?"

Phaedra, Empress of the Denebians, was in a foul mood. Her husband's latest scheme had succeeded. He would show her up to her most loyal followers. How could she keep respect if her husband had to bail her out of trouble?

She then felt the stirrings from the Darkforce dimension. Energies from a dimension that empowered the Denebians. She felt that there were two beings that had this energy. Beings that she would put to her use.

Phaedra concentrated her magic's upon the new arrivals. Soon they would come to her. Then she would use them to regain her honor and restore her proper place in the hierarchy of the Denebians.

Billy looked at the one in orange. "Yes, Kim it's me. When did you start wearing orange?"

"Billy, I'm not Kim. It's me, Jocelyn. And the one in red must be Rocky."

"Have we met before?" Rocky asked.

"You don't remember? We're Spectrum Force!" At the blank looks she was given, she continued. "We first met when Celea and Lord Zedd cast a spell that transported Billy and Kim here..." Jocelyn told them.

While Jocelyn was explaining to the gathered members of Excalibur how Spectrum Force had first met the Power Rangers, the magic that Phaedra had cast started to grow in power. It gathered energy from the Darkforce dimension and bided it's time until it could acquire those it had been sent to find. Soon it would be nightfall.

Then it would strike.

"Jocelyn, right? I don't know about Rocky, but I do not remember meeting you or your friends." Billy told her.

"I don't remember you either." Rocky said.

Piotr spoke from where he was holding Rachel Summers. "Rahne, could you please get Trini? She should look over Rachel and the others."

"Of course, Piotr." Rahne then ran back to the Midnight Runner.

Trini was calmly waiting for someone to either get her or ask her to come. She was performing a kata when she heard Rahne run up to her. She stopped before Rahne got to her. "Yes, Rahne?"

"We found Rachel. The people who were around her seem peaceful enough. They know aboot the Power Rangers. Trini, have yui ever heard of Spectrum Force?" Rahne asked.

"No. Let me get my bag and I'll check out Rachel." After Trini got her medical bag, she jogged over to the others.

Trini looked over those gathered. Piotr was holding a woman with red hair in his arms. Her face had black marks streaking her face. "Piotr, put the woman down so I can check her please."

Piotr gently put her down and then stepped back. Trini checked the woman's vital signs. She seemed to be in good health. Trini then tried to feel the woman's emotions. She felt nothing. "Billy, can you do a scan of this woman's mind please?"

Billy concentrated for a moment. "Her mind is gone. What happened to her?"

"She said she was going to get some help. She then collapsed. I guess she isn't back yet." Tamara said.

"Then where is she?"

Rachel Summers was returning to her corporeal form when she was met by someone with more mental strength than anyone she had ever met. The person manifested on the Astral Plane as a middle-aged man with robes. His eyes were very kind. He then spoke to her. "Greetings, chosen of the Phoenix. I am Zordon. What brings you to this place?"

Neither Excalibur or Spectrum Force had moved from where Rachel Summers lay. They had agreed to wait there until she had recovered. The teams had decided to try and figure just what the other could do.

It had been a beautiful sunset. Amanda Sefton and Kurt Wagner had enjoyed watching it together. Trini, Rachel Castaneda, Jocelyn Armand and Billy were still trying to figure out how Spectrum Force knew so much about them, while they knew nothing about Spectrum Force. Rocky had left with Rahne, Matthew O'Conner and Keith Malloy to get some pizzas. Craig Gillis and Tamara Fox were talking to Piotr Rasputin, Pete Wisdom and Kitty Pryde. Douglocke was standing to the side, observing all that happened but not commenting on it.

No one was ready for both Billy and Kurt to be covered in a flash of darkness. There had been no sound or warning. They were both enveloped in columns of black light. No one had expected an attack so soon. They were not ready.

It was then that the Shadows struck.

"I will see what I can do to help you, child. I have met the ones you have spoken of. I know of some who may be able to help. I will see what I can do. Return to your body, child. It is dangerous to stay out of it for to long." Zordon told her.

"Thank you." Phoenix then left the Astral Plane.

Zordon watched her leave. He then took the necessary steps to contact the ones he had told Phoenix about.

The Shadows that attacked Spectrum Force and Excalibur were led by one that none of those members of Spectrum Force present had ever seen. He stood six feet tall and wore ornate, black armor. His left arm held a black shield with a black sun as a crest and his right hand held a sword with what seemed to be an obsidian blade.

He screamed no threats, bellowed no war cries nor did he give orders to the Shadows that were fighting. He had singled out the Purple Enforcer as his target and was employing a humbling degree of skill at swordsmanship to beat her. Her personal force- field was the only thing keeping her from being cut, but even that was starting to fade.

There was one Shadow that was different than the others. It fought better and was both taller and actually had a face of sorts. It had focused on trying to defeat Shadowcat in personal combat. They were in a stalemate. Her skill had finally met a match. And apparently so had the Shadow's.

They both felt pain. The slightest movement and thought was agony beyond anything they had ever felt before. Then there were the voices, telling them to submit, to give into the will of Phaedra. To serve the Empress. To prove their loyalty as users of the Darkness.

There comes a point when the mind can no longer process sensation past a certain point. Where it shuts itself down out of a sense of self-preservation. They both reached that point.

And knew nothing more.

As the Shadows were starting to lose, they disappeared. As did the two which had led the Shadows. As did the columns of darkness.

When Excalibur checked where Billy and Kurt had been, they found nothing there. Shadowcat regained her control first. "What were those things and where did they take Kurt and Billy?"

"They're called Shadows. They're the foot soldiers of the Denebians. I don't know who the one with the armor and sword was nor the one you fought. I've never seen them before. As for where they took Kurt and Billy... Probably to the Denebian base." Rachel told her.

"Where is this base at?" Trini demanded.

"An asteroid in orbit around the Earth. We can't get to it now. We've been to long without sunlight and will need to recharge as soon as possible. Then we can try to get them back." Rachel said.

Shadowcat looked at her team. She then looked back to Rachel. "As soon as Phoenix recovers, we leave here. This area is to open. Is there a safe place we can go to?"

Rachel thought it over. "If Spectra agrees, then we can go to the Cloud Castle. It's the safest place I know of."

Rachel Summers chose that time to arrive back in her body. What she saw surprised her. Colossus of all people was holding her in his arms. Kitty Pryde was hanging on the arm of a disheveled looking man in his early thirties who was smoking. Rahne Sinclair was talking with someone in a red colored ninja outfit. An Asian woman in a pale yellow jumpsuit was talking with the Purple Enforcer. Doug Ramsey had apparently come back from the dead. And Amanda Sefton appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"Kitty?" Rachel Summers asked.

"Rachel?"

"Did I miss something when I was gone?"

"Empress, we have secured the captives and are now performing the psychic probes. We should have information on them in less than one Earth hour."

"Very good. Let me see the weapons you retrieved from them." Phaedra demanded.

"One had these three swords and several knives. They are of high quality Terran steel but have no enchantments on them. The other was more interesting. He was carrying two firearms. They're slug-throwers of Earth design. Thirteen round magazine in a gas operated semi-automatic design. He was also carrying several knives, a portable tool kit and a diagnostics scanner. What would you like me to do with the armaments, Empress?" The lackey asked.

"Keep them around. After these two have been turned, return them to their owners."

"As you wish, Empress." He bowed then left her presence.

"Mother? I've noticed something about the one that looks human."

"What is that, Celea?"

"Remember those humans called the Power Rangers that I dealt with before? I could swear this is one of them. The one they call `Billy'." Celea told her mother.

"Are you sure? Of course you are. This is interesting but unless I can steal his power for myself, it is of no use to me to know this."

One of Phaedra's scientist's approached her. "Great Empress, I have ran some simulations on the computer. It is possible to use a portion of the energies garnered from Phoenix to find Spectra and then break the shield around her hiding place."

Instead of slaying him for his gall in speaking to her without permission, Phaedra motioned for him to continue.

"If the energies were to be funneled through a spell that you were to cast, it would provide the necessary boost in power. The only drawback is that the spell will take several days to prepare. And Spectra will know you are preparing it. But she will not be able to do anything about it, Empress. Should I start to make the arrangements?"

"Proceed. Let me know when it is necessary for me to become part of the process. You may go." Phaedra told him.

The scientist bowed then left.

The one who was performing the tests on the captives arrived before Phaedra. "Empress, the tests have determined that the two can not be turned with the magic's and technology we have. Their link with the Darkness prevents it."

"Are they immune to possession?" Phaedra asked.

"No, my Empress. They are very susceptible to possession. The demonic one especially."

"Very well. Prepare them."

The scientist bowed then gathered his team.

"Stone! Wind! To me." Phaedra called out.

The Shadow which wore armor appeared first, bowed then kneeled. The other Shadow appeared beside the other and bowed then knelt.

"My loyal Shadows, I have a duty for you to perform which you shall enjoy. Stone! Take possession of the demon. Wind! The other one is yours."

The armored one approached Kurt and then melded into Kurt's body. The only difference in Kurt was that his eyed were solid black.

The other one merged into Billy. His eyes were black as well.

"Now, Shadows you may take the fight to our enemies during the day. The forms you wear will protect you from the light. Acclimate yourselves to your new forms. Understand their powers and the subtleties of their skills. Then when you are ready, you will be told to strike. Am I understood?"

"Billy" and "Kurt" both kneeled and then both said "Yes, my Empress."

They then left the science area to head to the training facility. Phaedra's victorious laughter echoed throughout the ship.

Spectra felt the first stirrings in the weave of magic. Someone had started a spell of world-shattering proportions. She extended her consciousness to investigate.

When she found the beginnings of the spell, she realized Phaedra's plan. She had to contact Spectrum Force and their new allies before all was lost.

Rachel Summers looked over the new members of Excalibur. Rocky DeSantos seemed like a nice kid. She had met Rahne Sinclair when she was with the New Mutants. Trini Kwan was one of the most centered people she had ever met. Even if she was worried about her boyfriend. Amanda Sefton she had met before.

It was Piotr Rasputin and Pete Wisdom that surprised her. The last time she had seen Piotr Rasputin he was going back to Avalon as a follower of Magneto. He seemed to be very much changed. It was Pete Wisdom that got her attention, though. At first glance he looked like the type of seedy private detective that Dashiel Hammet wrote about. And he seemed the same at second and third glance.

"Kitty, has Logan met this guy yet?" Rachel Summers asked.

"Yes... they had a nice long talk. Rachel, how have you been? We haven't seen you for a long time." Kitty said.

"Well I went forward in time, set up the Askani, a group that will eventually help Cable. Then I was brought here. I met Rachel and the others. The Denebians detected the Phoenix force and captured me and another. While the members of Spectrum Force worked to free me, the Denebians started to drain me of the Phoenix force. Chris and I were eventually rescued and then I left to get help. While there, I met this guy named Zordon..."

"You saw Zordon?" Trini interrupted.

"Yeah, do you know him?"

"Yes, I do. I first met him when I was chosen to be a Power Ranger." Trini said.

Rachel Castaneda and the other members of Spectrum Force all stiffened when they felt the telepathic summons of their mentor, Spectra.

"Spectra would like us to come to the Cloud Castle. She has important news." The Purple Enforcer told them.

After they had worked out how they were to transport everyone to the Cloud Castle, they found themselves before Spectra.

"I have grave news. Phaedra is using the Phoenix Force to power a spell designed to penetrate the shield surrounding the Cloud Castle. It will then enable her to kill me and destroy the Castle." Spectra said.

"How long will the spell take?" Amanda Sefton asked.

"Three to four days. It is a slow spell but no less deadly because of it. Normally a spell of this nature would require the willing sacrifice of over fifty thousand willing souls and more than a month of casting time but the Phoenix Force is so powerful that Phaedra was able to find another way. You must go to her flagship which is in orbit and destroy it and the containers which hold the Phoenix Force."

"Do you know where the ship is?" Kitty asked."Yes. But Spectrum Force must recharge first. I can tell that their energy reserves are almost depleted. You must wait until you are all at peak streak before attempting this. Rest now. I will have quarters set aside for all of you. It would be best if you stayed here. Phaedra would only send her forces to assail you while you tried to rest. I will lead you to your sleeping quarters."

Spectra then led them to their rooms.

Phaedra summoned Stone and Wind to her. After they had arrived and Celea had appeared she spoke to them. "I want you to draw out Spectrum Force and their allies. You have determined the capabilities of those bodies by this time and now you will use them. While the three of you and a significant force of Shadows have engaged them in combat, I will send several small units of Shadows to disrupt Langstrum Alps. It is time, that the Earth learn the true price of war with the Denebians. Move."

As her warriors left the room, Phaedra stopped Stone. "Make sure nothing happens to Celea. You have three hours until the sun will rise in Langstrum Alps. It is imperative that they be defeated before they can recharge. Go and do not fail."

Stone looked at his Queen. "My Queen, I never fail. In the end, I always win. It may take years but I have never known defeat. Never."

"Which is why I sent for you and your brother. Now go, assassin. Go and do what I made you to do. Kill my enemies."

Stone inclined his head and then left.

Phaedra watched him go. Stone and Wind had served her a very long time as her assassins. They and the other members of her personal corps of killers, Flame and Flood, were the ultimate instruments of her will. She had word sent to Flame and Flood to arrive at her base. Phaedra had the feeling she would need them. And need them soon.

Phaedra looked down upon the Earth. She still found it hard to believe that such a small, insignificant planet could cause so much trouble. Then again, she thought. It does alleviate the boredom. I wonder what Acheron was doing when he checked the containers that hold the Phoenix Force...

Angel Grove, California

Zordon appeared in the tube that allowed him to converse with his chosen defenders. "Alpha, please contact the Rangers. This is of the direst importance."

"Right away, Zordon." Alpha 5 said.

A few minutes later all the Rangers appeared in the Command Center.

Tommy looked over at Zordon. "What do you need, man?" Tommy sleepily asked.

"Spectrum Force is in great danger. You must all go to Langstrum Alps and help them defend against Phaedra and her Denebian hordes." Zordon said.

"Excuse me, Zordon. But who is Spectrum Force and all the others you mentioned?" A voice with an Australian accent asked.

"Katherine, they are friends of the Power Rangers. I know that you have only been Kim's replacement for several days so I will have Billy and the others tell you what they can. For now, all of you must prepare for the journey. Alpha, prepare the dimensional interface."

As Alpha started to work on his console, Billy took Kat aside and started informing her of when the Power Rangers had first met Spectrum Force and about Alex, the Purple Ranger. As Billy was finishing, Alpha informed them he was done.

"Excellent work, Alpha. Rangers, be careful. Your Ninja and Morphin abilities will work in the other dimension, but you will not be able to call upon your zords. Now go. And may the Power protect you." Zordon said.

The Rangers morphed into their Power Ranger uniforms first and then went through. Tommy went first, followed by Kat, Aisha, Adam, Rocky and Billy. Alpha closed the portal behind them.

"Zordon, what will you do if Rita attacks while they are gone?" Alpha asked.

"Contact Ninjor and tell him of the situation. Continue scanning for monsters and keep Ninjor informed of any attacks. I am needed elsewhere." Zordon told Alpha before leaving his tube.

Alpha looked around the Command Center. The full import of his situation hit him. He was the first line of Earth's defense. "Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi...."

Langstrum Alps, California

Ted Pickett had been a cop for a long time. He liked working in Langstrum Alps. The property values were low enough that he was able to afford a house for his family. The college kids didn't try and destroy the town ever Saturday night. And the town was rather quiet most of the time. Until those aliens from beyond attacked, of course. But they normally just bothered Spectrum Force.

He liked the night shifts. After the bars closed, the town pretty much shut down for the night. So when he saw the shadowy figures moving around the water reservoir he knew this wasn't good. For one thing, they weren't wearing the uniforms of a worker from the LA Water & Light. For another, they wore all black.

So he parked his car. "This is 15-34, I got suspicious activity at the reservoir. Requesting backup."

Ted looked at the radio. For some reason it wasn't working. He pulled his 12 gauge out of it's holder and chambered the first shell. Then he put another shell in the magazine and put 10 shells from the box into his pockets. Instincts that he hadn't felt in years kept screaming at him to leave. He didn't listen.Taking his flashlight out, he clicked it on and then started walking towards the reservoir. He had to check this out. His wife and kids got their water from there and if terrorists had put something in it, then it'd be up to him to do something about it.Ted held the flashlight tight against the slide of the shotgun. Moving quietly, he came to the fence that enclosed the reservoir. The gate was busted open. Quickly moving through the gate he heard some mutterings in a language he had never heard before.

{When can we kill the human? His stupid light is annoying me!}

{Wait for him to get closer. His boomstick can't kill us but it does hurt. Besides, this is fun. Just be glad you aren't with the 15th and the 26th. They have to fight Spectrum Force and those weirdo humans with powers. That steel guy hits hard. And that one with the light that comes from his fingers, he killed Fritz! The stinking humans killed Fritz! Death to the humans!! Death to the humans!!!}

{Relax, Max. I'm right here.}

{Fritz! You're alive!}

{Can we get back to business here? The human is almost upon us.}

Ted took to more steps forward. He saw several containers of some sort by the waters edge. He knelt down and moved one of the containers towards him. He sniffed the liquid oozing from it but could detect nothing. He then stood and turned around.

In front of him were four figures that looked to be made of shadows. He covered them with the shotgun. "All right, get your hands up."

The shadows all looked at each other. Fritz looked to Max. {Lunch.}

Several miles away, a paperboy heard what sounded like thunder boom out three times. Then there was nothing else.

Spectra detected the arrival of a Denebian strike group in Langstrum Alps. Although she was loath to do so, she knew she had to send Spectrum Force and Excalibur to fight them. So she went to get them.

Spectrum Force and Excalibur appeared in the market district of Langstrum Alps. They looked around but saw nothing.

"Do we split up or stick together?" Rocky asked.

Rachel, Rachel and Kitty conferred for a moment. "Rachel Castaneda will lead Piotr, Jocelyn, Rocky and Rahne. Rachel Summers will lead Amanda, Matthew, Douglock and Keith. I'll lead Pete, Tamara and Craig. Be careful. Let's go." Kitty told them.

They broke up into their teams and then set out.

It soon became obvious to all of them that they were being led into an ambush of some type. What it was precisely, they would have to find out. It wasn't a question of if they were to be attacked but when.

Apparently when was now.

The Purple Enforcer's team had Rahne on point followed by the others. They had gone about seventy yards out of sight of the others when they were attacked on all sides by Shadows. Colossus was the only one not knocked off his feet. Grabbing the two that were on his legs, he hoisted them up, cracked their heads together and then threw them in opposite directions.

Rocky rolled with the one that had tackled him and using his martial arts training, sent his opponent flying away from him. Rahne shifted her weight when tackled so that she was on top when they finally finished rolling. She then drove her claws through the throat of the Shadow beneath her.

Jocelyn was having a more difficult time. She had been attacked by two of the Shadows and they were keeping her to busy protecting herself for her to summon her ice- bow or fire off a light blast. Rachel Castaneda had gone down under four of the attackers. Before the pile had even finished moving she had surged up and broken free. Using her kickboxing skills she managed to drive them off long enough to check the situation she was in. She then ran over to help Jocelyn.

She got four yards before she was faced with Nightcrawler. He had a sword in each hand and had one clenched by his tail. He made several slashes in her direction, then stopped. Bowing slightly before her, he went into a guard position. The Purple Enforcer summoned her lightning saber. She then sent an arc of electricity towards her opponent.

With an almost negligent movement he used his swords to intercept the lightning. "I was prepared for you, my dear. These blades were treated to absorb your lightning. Enough tricks. Shall we dance?"

"I didn't come here to dance." Rachel told him. She noticed that he wasn't talking with his German accent.

"Then you can die. It matters little to me. For the glory of Queen Phaedra." Then Nightcrawler attacked.

The Phoenix stopped her team. "Rachel's team is under attack. We need to get to them."

"Before you worry about her, you might want to worry about us. We're surrounded." Keith told her.

Phoenix felt more than saw the wave of Shadows that overran her team...

Kitty Pryde was a Ninja. Trained by the last authentic Ninja Master of Japan. A real psychotic power-monger with a hankering for immortality named Ogun. Kitty had skill beyond her years for the simple reason that Ogun had transferred much of his knowledge to her in a mystical training exercise. She had received a lifetimes worth of training in one night.

So when she saw the ambush that the Shadows had set up for her team, she knew she wasn't facing an amateur. But she wasn't worried. After all, her skill and mutant ability had gotten her out of worse situations than this.

Which was why she was surprised when the Shadows attacked and they went intangible that they were able to tackle her. But her training was thorough enough that she was able to escape the grasp of the Shadows and she then started to fight back against them. She saw Pete Wisdom using his "hot-knives" to keep the Shadows back. Kitty noticed that the knives seemed to hurt them more than anything else she had seen used.

Tamara and Craig had their backs to a wall and were fighting side by side. None of the Shadows had managed to move them from their position. But both could feel the attacks of the Shadows growing in strength as their stones lost power.

The two of them didn't know how much longer they or the other members of Spectrum Force could last.

Rachel Castaneda was losing her duel with whatever had become Nightcrawler. She knew it, it knew it. It's speed, strength, greater skill, three weapons to her one and it's ability to teleport were all deciding factors that she could not win against. She knew that if this kept up, she and the others would be killed or captured. And she could not let that happen.

"Rachel, have all the other teams regroup where we first came in. There are to many of them for us to fight in small teams." Rachel Castaneda sent to the Phoenix.

"I understand. I'm telling them now. My team is already on it's way." Phoenix sent back.

The Purple Enforcer was being forced back by Nightcrawler when she tripped over a bench. Before Nightcrawler could run her through, he was hit by a thrown Shadow, which knocked him down. Rising quickly to her feet, she ran to where the other members of her team were.

Colossus was carrying Jocelyn, while Rocky and Rahne were holding each other up. Rachel looked at Piotr. "Thanks. Let's go."

They then started to fall back.

No matter how many of the Shadows Phoenix blasted away from her, there were always more coming. The sheer number of opponents was enough to help them get past her shields. Then there was the archer working with the Shadows. Whoever it was kept shooting arrows at the others. This diverted Phoenix's attention, which enabled the Shadows to get closer to her.

Amanda Sefton finished the spell she was preparing. With a flash of light, the Phoenix's team was gone.

Celea ran forward from the crowd of Shadows. She checked the spot that her prey had been. Finding nothing, she sent them out to look.

She hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

Kitty Pryde had always sparred with Billy Cranston at slightly less than her full capacity. She knew he did the same thing. Neither of them cared who was better. Besides, a contest of that sort would only interfere with their friendship.

So when Kitty found herself facing what used to be Billy, she knew she was in trouble. She couldn't phase away from his attacks nor could she rely on just her skill to defeat him. All in all, she had had better nights.

When she received the recall order, she was down to one option to buy enough time to escape. I hope Trini forgives me for doing this, Kitty thought.

She waited until "Billy" got close and then she brought her knee up into his groin. After he dropped, she got her team together and they fled the area.

All the members of Spectrum Force and Excalibur were gathered together. They were clustered around an alcove of an office building. There, they had put Jocelyn and Tamara. Both of whom were unconscious.

Rocky had expended almost all of his magical energy in unleashing explosions of light. They had managed to drive the Shadows and their leaders off, but they would come always come back. Now he was fighting with a five foot long metal pipe he had found.

Rahne trying to prevent her bestial nature from controlling her was keeping an eye on Rocky. Her claws were hurting the shadows but not enough to keep them away.

Douglock was in a quandary. These Shadows did not follow any laws of science and nature that he knew of. He could keep them away but there were always more of them. He computed a less than 15% chance of survival for this battle for his teammates. He knew better than to tell any of them that though.

Keith was enjoying himself, just a little. This was a great fight. Of course, he also knew that he could die at any time, but rationally, he never expected to reach old age anyway.

Matthew was worried about Jocelyn. She hadn't looked well. Luckily the Russian had managed to bring her in. He was scared. He just hoped no one noticed.

Craig was not enjoying this fight. His friends were hurt, people who shouldn't be here were helping defend his planet and he had a headache.

Pete Wisdom was enjoying this fight even less than Craig. He never liked to use his mutant ability. He had never liked to fight, unless it was a friendly bar-brawl. He would rather be in a pub, drinking and smoking while contemplating an enjoyable evening with Kitty. The worst part about this fight was that one of the bleedin' Shadows had smushed his cigarettes. That one he had given the full treatment of "hot-knives".

Kitty was trying to keep her new friends alive. She was also trying to figure out what had happened to Kurt and Billy. Kitty knew that only chance for survival lay in Spectrum Force lasting long enough for the sun to come up so they could recharge. How much time that was, she wasn't sure.

Rachel Summers was worried that she may have summoned her friends to help her, only to get them killed. She knew that she hadn't fully recovered from the draining she had experienced. She had been in desperate situations before. But few were like this.

Rachel Castaneda knew that there wasn't enough energy left to teleport her team or the others out. The power in her stone was almost gone and the attacks of the Shadows were starting to get through. She wondered how Chris was doing.

Piotr Rasputin had resigned himself to what he knew would eventually come. He had died before in Dallas. He was just glad that he would end his life doing something heroic. He looked forward to seeing Illyana again.

The three leaders of the Shadows looked at each other. They had reached the critical point and knew that if their opponents were not defeated now, they would lose their best opportunity. So they prepared to enter the battle.

It was Stone who first noticed the portal opening. Out of it flew six figures in uniforms of a similar type but that were colored differently. The six quickly rose to their feet.

Billy was the first to realize that they had appeared in the middle of an army of Shadows. He looked to Tommy. Tommy just looked at all the Shadows before him.

"Switch to Ninja Power!" He commanded.

That was when he heard a slightly familiar voice yell out, "Kill the Rangers!"

"Why is it everywhere we go, it's always `kill the Rangers'? Can't we all just get along?"

"Rocky, shut up and morph!" Aisha yelled.

"All right, all right. NINJA POWER!" Rocky then was garbed in the same ninja costume that the others were wearing, except his was red.

Tommy looked to his team. "Adam, do that growing trick and start clearing the Shadows away from Spectrum Force. Aisha, Billy you work your over to Spectrum Force and help them out. Kat, you go with them. Rocky, you're with me. Let's work them over. Remember, they're tougher than putties but they can be beaten. Let's do it."

The Ninja Rangers then broke into their teams and did as they had been ordered.

Aisha, Billy and Kat were the first ones to reach their objective. They had used the heads of the Shadows as stepping stones and had ran so fast the Shadows had no time to react. The jumped the last few feet and were inside the line held by Spectrum Force and their allies.

Billy blocked the first three attacks of a young woman who was wearing a dark-blue and yellow jumpsuit. But then she slipped his next block, kicked him in the head, punched him in the stomach and then swept him so he landed on his back. She was ready to attack again when a familiar voice rang out. "Kitty, don't. He's on our side. It's the other one you have to worry about. Not him."

"Rocky? Aren't you supposed to be over with Tommy?" Billy weakly asked from the ground.

Rocky stepped into Billy's line of sight. "Probably. But I'm not that Rocky. I'll explain everything later. Right now, we need to worry about the Shadows."

"You're right. Aisha, back up Rachel. Kat, help out the one in red. His name's Keith. He'll probably call you Kim. All right, let's go." Billy said. He then quickly got back to his feet.

Adam Park was not a violent person by nature. He just had a talent for it. He took no enjoyment out of growing to over fifty feet tall and stomping Shadows but he did it anyway. It needed to be done.

None of the Shadows he had faced had ever been able to grow like the monsters he was used to facing. He understood that that was possibly an unfair advantage but what could he do? It wasn't his fault none of them knew the tricks of the ninja.

He wasn't prepared then for when he was tapped on the shoulder. When he turned, he noticed that Billy was standing behind him. "Billy, aren't you supposed to be by the others?"

"Not quite. Oh, by the way... I'm not your friend." Billy then hit him in the solar plexus. While Adam was bent over, he picked him up and threw towards where Spectrum Force and Excalibur were.

Adam hit the area where they were with a resounding crash.

Tommy and Rocky turned to see Adam fly through the air and land where their friends were. They were both stunned by the fact that their friends were more than likely dead now. They were even more stunned over who had thrown Adam. Billy.

Underneath Adam Park, Craig Gillis called forth a light to illuminate the area the members of Spectrum Force and Excalibur were. Colossus was standing in the classic Atlas pose. But instead of holding up the world, he was holding up Adam. He just felt like he was holding up the world. Rachel Castaneda looked over to Piotr Rasputin. "Just how strong are you?"

"Strong enough, apparently. Can someone ask him to grow to a more manageable size. He is getting heavy." Colossus told her.

"Wait. Piotr, if you get him moving I can send him towards Billy." At the Ninja Rangers confusion, Rachel Summers added. "The Billy that is part of our team has been either turned or possessed by the Denebians. He shouldn't be thought of as a friend."

The Phoenix then turned her attention back to Piotr. "Throw him where I tell you to. You ready?"

"Da, but do it soon." Piotr started to perform the necessary motions to move the Black Ninja Ranger from over his friends.

"Throw.... now!" The Phoenix said. She then concentrated on sending Adam flying towards Billy.

Adam had recovered enough not to question his good fortune in finding himself flying towards the one who had hit him. He flipped through the air and then aimed a kick at Billy's head. He was shocked when Billy blocked his kick. And then Billy returned a blow which Adam barely blocked.

"I'm a little better than you remember, Adam. Care to find out how good?" Billy asked.

"Yeah. What happened to you, Billy?" Adam said.

"Nothing much. My name's Wind, by the way. Maybe I'll introduce you to someone I know. Then you can join the family. Interested?"

"No." Adam then started to attack.

Billy met him blow for blow.

Tommy and Rocky watched as Adam was launched towards Billy. They absentmindedly defended themselves against the Shadows that attacked them. They were to busy watching the fight between Adam and the person who looked like Billy.

The person who teleported in front of them in a cloud of brimstone, broke their reverie. He was demonic looking. From his two-fingered hands, his tail and his coal black eyes. He looked like a stylized version of a demon from hell. He was dressed in a black jumpsuit.

"Greetings, gentleman. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Stone."

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Tommy asked.

"I must talk to my publicist...." Stone muttered. "Anyway, I like to use blades when I fight. So in the spirit of fairness I'm going to allow you to morph and take the forms that let you access your swords. Unless of course you want me to cut you. Go on. I'll wait." Stone said.

Tommy and Rocky exchanged glances. Then they morphed into their Power Ranger uniforms. Rocky called for his sword and Tommy pulled Saba from it's sheath.

"Excellent. Shall we begin?" Stone asked.

Tommy and Rocky both attacked. They were not prepared for their blades to be blocked. Tommy barely managed to avoid the third blade that Stone used against him. The sword had been held in the demon's tail.

Stone looked at his tail. He then looked at Tommy. "What can I say? It has a mind of it's own."

They then proceeded to fight in earnest.

With the added support of the three Power Rangers, Spectrum Force and Excalibur were able to force the Shadows back. In a lull in the fight, Billy checked the wounded members of Spectrum Force. He then looked back to the others.

"Rachel?" Billy asked.

"Yes?" Rachel Castaneda asked.

"Yes?" Rachel Summers asked.

"I meant the Purple Enforcer Rachel."

"What is it, Billy?" Rachel Castaneda asked.

"Can I ask why we seem to have two Rocky's? Especially since this one seems to be older. And why am I fighting Adam and winning?" Billy asked.

"It's a long story. We'll have to tell you later." The Purple Enforcer told him.

"I await with bated breath."

Adam had always been one of the better fighters on the Power Rangers. He had long been acknowledged as being number three behind Jason and Tommy. To be honest, Billy had been ranked somewhere below Zack.

So when he faced the individual calling himself Wind, he wasn't prepared for the level of skill used against him. The two had thrown punches and kicks at each other. And each attack was blocked or evaded. Each attack was counter-attacked. Which was blocked or evaded.

Neither of them could gain an advantage.

To a certain extent, Adam found himself enjoying the fight. He was being forced to delve deeper and deeper into his pool of skills. He enjoyed fighting someone who made him actually work for it.

But as each attack he made was blocked or evaded, he realized that he would eventually hit the bottom of his pool of skills. And his opponent didn't seem to have that problem.

Tommy and Rocky were both gathering their breath. Stone had seemed almost ready to beat them when he had stepped back and let them take a breather. He was twirling his swords and humming under his breath.

"This guy is beginning to annoy me. Let's beat this guy so we can get out of here." Tommy said.

"Sounds good. Now just how the hell are we going to do it?" Rocky told him.

"Hey I just come up with the ideas. Billy's the one who actually implements them." Tommy said.

"Excuse me, but are we going to fight or not? I do have other things to do."

"Hold on will you? We're having a conversation." Rocky said.

"Yeah, man. Relax. It's not like you were losing. Geez Rocky, some people." Tommy said.

"That's it... Either fight me or leave." Stone told them.

"Okay. Rocky, let's go." Tommy then turned his back and started walking away.

Rocky looked to Stone. "Sorry, man. He's been kind of moody since his girlfriend left. Maybe we can try to kill each other later?" Rocky then followed Tommy.

"I don't believe this..." Stone muttered.

Matthew O'Connor was worried about Jocelyn and Tamara. Neither of them had stirred since they had been placed against a wall. He checked their vital signs and realized that they were alot weaker than they should be. "Rachel, we have a problem. They're getting worse."

"Rachel tell Spectra to send Trini down. She's a healer." Rocky said.

"Trini's here? Where is she?" Billy demanded.

"She's at the Cloud Castle. She'll be here in a few moments, Billy." Rachel Castaneda told him.

Rocky went over beside Billy. "The Billy that came with us and Trini are together, Billy. I thought you should know that."

"Tha- that's good to know. Thanks, Rocky. Is she happy with me?" Billy asked.

"Yes. I'd like to tell you more, but the Shadows are coming back." Rocky said.

Billy, Rocky and the others started defending themselves against the next wave of attackers. There was a soft flash of yellow and Trini appeared beside Tamara and Jocelyn. She then kneeled beside them.

Billy started to go over to her but Rocky grabbed his arm. "We're a little busy right now, Billy. Wait."

Billy started to shake Rocky's hand off his arm, when Rocky grabbed him and brought Billy's face up close to his. "I mean it, Billy. Wait. This is not the time. She's not having a good time either. We need her right now to heal Jocelyn and Tamara. You showing up right now will only make things worse. You understand me?"

"Yes. Yes, I do. But it's just so hard to see her and not be able to..." Billy said.

"I know, man. I know. Come on, we got a job to do."

"Right. I just got an idea." Billy said.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Rocky asked.

"Do you still like Jolt?"

Rahne looked over to the two. "Are yui bluidy well daft? Yui wan' to give Rocky Jolt? Do yui ken what could happen?"

"Your Scot's aren't you?" Billy asked.

"Aye. Now answer me bleedin' question. Do yui ken what could happen if yui give Rocky Jolt?" Rahne said.

"Aye, lass. I do. There's something you have yet to `ken'. We have two Rocky's." Billy told her with a smile.

Rahne just looked at him for a moment. Then she figured it out. "Oh my..."

Billy just smiled at her even more. "CRAIG! I need you to get something for me..."

Craig Gillis had done some strange things since becoming a member of Spectrum Force. But none as strange as this. He had been told to get two 2 liter bottles of Jolt cola.

Hell of a time to get drinks for everybody. Wonder why it had to be Jolt, though? Craig thought.

Both Rocky's had been brought together. They each checked the other out. The older Rocky couldn't believe he had ever sounded so young. The younger Rocky couldn't believe he had a girlfriend.

"So, Billy. What is it you want the two of us to do?" The younger Rocky asked.

Billy just gave him a two liter of Jolt. "Drink this. All of it. You as well." As he gave another two liter to the older Rocky.

Kitty Pryde, Tommy Oliver, Rachel Summers and Rachel Castaneda gathered themselves around Billy. "And just what is your plan?" Kitty asked.

"Simply put, we have them drink the Jolt and then get out of the way. We then take out what's left." Billy said.

Rachel Summers and Rachel Castaneda looked at him. "And that is supposed to work?" Rachel Summers asked.

"You obviously have never seen Rocky on Jolt. If we don't act fast enough they won't leave anything behind." Billy told her.

Trini came up behind Billy. "Rachel, Tamara and Jocelyn will be fine. They were suffering from mild concussions and some broken ribs. They should be up and fighting in a few minutes."

Billy turned at the sound of Trini's voice. He stared at her but couldn't manage to say anything.

Trini looked at Billy. "It's all right, Billy. I understand." She then reached out and hugged him.

Billy panicked for second and then hugged her back. Billy realized that he never wanted to let go.

They both held the other until someone cleared their throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt but the Rocky's are ready."

"Thanks, Aisha." Billy said.

Billy and the others then made their way over to where Rocky and Rocky were standing. Or to be more precise, fidgeting.

The majority of the Shadows were watching the brawl between the giant-sized Adam and Wind.

"You two ready?" Billy asked.

"Yeslet'sgolet'sgolet'sgo. Iwanttohitsomethingnow. Comeoncomeoncomeon." The younger Rocky said.

The older Rocky wasn't much better. "Iwantogonownownownownownownow. Now!"

"Is everybody else ready?" Billy asked. After everyone either nodded their head or said, "Yes." he turned to the Rocky's. "Then attack."

Both of them let loose with almost identical banshee cries. They then started running towards the Shadows. The Shadows never knew what hit them.

Adam was having less fun now than he was earlier. Wind was more skilled than he was, even with the added benefit of the fighting memories gained from the Morphin Grid. He knew that his left forearm was fractured, his ribs were probably broken in three places and his right eye was starting to swell shut.

Of course Wind wasn't much better. Both of them were also starting to lose their added height and were both slowly returning to their natural heights. When they each finally reached their normal height, they kept fighting the other.

They both turned when they heard loud pitched screaming coming from behind them. They saw Shadows being thrown left and right. When the whirling mass slowed they saw two Rocky's laying into the Shadows.

Wind turned back to Adam. "They gave those two Jolt didn't they?" Wind said with a sigh.

"Must have. You going to surrender now?" Adam asked.

"Not quite. Thank you, Adam. This was a most enjoyable fight. The memories I have from Billy here tell me that the two of you are almost like brothers. Is that true?" Wind said.

"Yeah it is."

"To bad. Then he's really going to hate this..."

While Adam tried to puzzle out what that meant, he saw Wind place both hands behind the small of his back as if he was reaching for something. Adam's eyes widened when Wind brought his hands back to the front and they each held a gun."Good night, sweet prince." Wind said.

Kitty Pryde and Pete Wisdom stopped in the middle of the battle. They both looked at each other and then said one word. "Gunshots."

Stone looked around the battlefield. The mall parking lot they were in was completely trashed. As were parts of the mall itself. He was fairly happy with the results. He then looked down at the person Wind had shot. "Is he dead?"

"I don't know. I'd shoot him again but I'm out of rounds. And I don't know how to reload these weapons. I could use your sword if you want me to make sure." Wind asked.

"Why bother? You hit him what, ten times? That should be enough. We need to get out of here anyway. The sun's coming up and Celea doesn't have a shell to protect her from the light." Stone said.

"Sounds good. So where is Celea anyway?" Wind asked.

"I showed her some of the local Earth stores. She then decided to do a couple of things. She said she'd be back soon." Stone told him.

Celea then chose that moment to come back. "I received a message from my mother. She wants us to return. Flame and Flood have arrived." Celea told them.

Celea then looked at the two of them. "Why is she gathering the Elements? She rarely needs more than one of you at any one time."

"It appears that the Queen has decided to end this little charade of a war. Shall we go?" Stone said while offering his arm to Celea.

Celea took his arm and then they teleported out.

While the two Rocky's were fighting the last of the Shadows, the others made their way to where the gunshots had come from. They found Adam lying on the ground. Written above him on a wall in blood, was a short message. "Hey Billy, thanks for the guns. They shoot good."

Adam wasn't moving.

The Power Rangers, Spectrum Force and Excalibur stared down at Adam Park. He was covered in blood and wasn't moving. His Ninja Ranger uniform had at least eight holes in it.

"TRINI! Get over here!" Kitty Pryde yelled out.

Adam rolled over before Trini could touch him. "I can assume that they're gone?"

Both Rocky's rushed and grabbed their friend. "You jerk! We thought you were dead!"

"I'm a Ninja, remember? I only played dead." Adam told him. He then slowly rose to his feet, wincing the entire time. "However, never let it be said that this doesn't hurt."

Phaedra was not pleased. "You didn't kill any of the members of Spectrum Force?"

"I shot up one of the Power Rangers. Does that count?" Wind asked.

"Are you sure he's dead?" Phaedra said.

"He wasn't moving. My queen, we had to leave. Celea does not have a shell to protect her from the Terran sun." Wind said.

"Then this is what will happen. Spectra is not stupid. She knows by this time that I have prepared a spell. They have to attack to attempt to disrupt the spell. Prepare a trap and kill them." Phaedra told them.

"By your command, my queen." Stone said.

"Good. Flame and Flood will be arriving within the hour. Inform them of what has happened and apprise them of the situation." Phaedra said. She then turned to leave the chamber but stopped.

"Was the other mission successful?"

"Yes, my queen. The water supply for Langstrum Alps has been tainted with the agent." Stone said.

"Excellent." Phaedra then left the chamber.

Trini looked to the others. "Get me to the Cloud Castle. I'll heal him there. If anyone else is hurt, you better come with me. One more thing, you better find a way to break whatever force is controlling Kurt and Billy."

Trini was teleported to the Cloud Castle along with Adam, Jocelyn and Tamara.

Billy turned to the others. "Just what did happen to my elder self and this Kurt person?"

"Something appears to be possessing them." Kitty Pryde told him.

"I figured that out myself. Just how did they get possessed?"

"We aren't sure."

"Then we better figure it out. Phaedra's forces are bad enough without those two running the show."

As Trini was healing Adam, he was remembering something that he had overheard. "Spectra, what do you know of a Denebian group called the Elements?"

"Where did you hear of them, Adam?"

"The two leaders of the Shadows are members. The one that has Billy called himself Wind. The other one is called Stone. Celea also mentioned that two more of them are arriving. Their names were Flame and Flood." Adam told her. He then watched as Spectra concentrated.

"I've called the others here. Adam, what you have told me explains much. I will tell more when the others arrive."

After the members of Spectrum Force, the Power Rangers and Excalibur had arrived, Spectra started to speak. "Adam has brought to my attention something that may clarify much of what has been happening. Several years before the rise of the Denebian Emperor Daimon and the schism that that event caused amongst my people, four brothers sought a way to gain power."

She paused to think for a moment. "The four were well trained in the art of combat and had many of the skills of what you call ninja. In their journey they found a gem. The details are rather vague after this point but it apparently turned them into some form of Shadow. Each took the name and apparently an aspect of one of the elements, which is why they call themselves that.

"Stone is the leader. He is known for his skill with a sword and seems to ignore harm to himself. The next is Wind. He is highly skilled at unarmed combat and is perhaps the most vicious of all the brothers. The final two are Flame and Flood. Flame has a liking for pyrotechnics. Flood is insane and very unpredictable. Individually they are dangerous. Together they are almost unstoppable. They have made names for themselves as assassins and as bodyguards for Phaedra's generals. Phaedra has never called all four together. She has never had to."

"Spectra, what can be done to stop their possession of Kurt and Billy?" Trini asked.

"Make them leave." Kitty told her.

"What?"

"Make it in their best interest to leave." Kitty said.

"And how do we do that?" Rachel Castaneda asked.

Kitty thought for a moment. "Very carefully."

"My Queen, Flood and Flame have arrived."

"Excellent, have Flame and Flood escorted to where Stone is preparing the reception for our soon to be arriving guests."

"By your command, My Queen."

Somewhere

"Get up, boy. This is embarrassing."

William Cranston looked up from where he was sitting. Facing him was his grandfather, Lamont Cranston.

"You're my successor, William. My chosen successor to the mantle of the Shadow. You were given all of my skills and experience from which to draw upon. USE them."

"But this thing has control of my body."

"William, you have always been more cerebral than physical. Why change that just because of a few lucky genetic breaks? Fight this creature, William. You have the strength of will to break this creature of its hold upon you. Do it. If not for yourself, then do this for Trini."

"Trini."

Phaedra's Asteroid Base

"Trini."

"Did you say something, Wind?"

"No, Stone. I didn't say a thing."

"Well pay attention then. I want to isolate our opponents at these levels of the Base."

The Cloud Castle

"I have some news, people."

"What is it, Rocky?" Trini asked.

"Amanda Sefton and myself managed to figure out a way to get us to this asteroid base. The two of us have enough juice to teleport all of us to the base." Rocky said.

"When can we leave?" Rachel Castaneda said.

"As soon as Adam, Jocelyn and Tamara get a clean bill of health from Trini." Rocky told him.

"They're fit to fight, Rachel." Trini said.

"Then let's do it."

"All right, everyone stand close together. This won't be a pleasant ride." Amanda warned.

Amanda and Rocky started to chant a spell. Then there was a flash of light and sense of movement. When the light faded the heroes found themselves inside what seemed to be a spaceship of some kind.

"Piotr, Warlock, Rocky and Rahne go with Spectrum Force. Pete, Rachel, Amanda and myself will go with the Power Rangers. Find the containers holding the Phoenix Force and destroy them. Along with anything else that you can find. Let's move like we got a purpose people." Kitty Pryde told them.

As they dispersed throughout the base, the heroes failed to notice the Shadow peel itself away from a wall. {Stone, they have arrived. Sub-station 12 at level 25. They have split into two groups. One is travelling towards the engines, the other towards the containers of the Phoenix Force.}

{Excellent. Follow the group that is approaching the containers. Keep me informed of their progress.}

{As you command, Stone.}

Stone looked up from his communicator. "My Queen, they have arrived. Your orders?"

"Kill them. No prisoners."

"Thank you, My Queen." Stone told her. He then t