Nate Grey is the mighty X-Man. He was genetically engineered to be the most powerful mutant to ever live, and in some ways, he may be. But now, he faces the creature that has caused him a great deal of pain. Now, on the Astral Plane, the place where he usually feels the most safe and in control, he battles for his very life against Onslaught... and he's losing. He isn't battling Solar-- he is actually battling Onslaught. Onslaught separated from the body of Trevor Monroe, causing him to be transported to the Astral Plane, where telepathic powers suddenly become tangible. He is in his astral form, one that looks much like Onslaught's body before Hulk destroyed it-- a towering ten foot tall mass of red and purple armor, massive claws, and soulless eyes. Nate is also in his astral form-- a shimmering sapphire suit of armor, but even though Roma helped him navigate the Multiverse earlier, it left its toll on his abiliities. He has yet to fully recover his strength. As he fights, he knows he won't get the chance.
If I can just keep him here long enough, he reasoned, Annie and Kim can save Trevor, and Kim should be able to create psionic shields in Trevor's mind, which will break whatever hold Onslaught has on his body. Too bad I didn't get a chance to tell her how to do it!
The battleground is a barren, rocky wasteland, with an orange sky and red clouds. Here, everything can be manipulated by telepathy, including the scenery. Onslaught created this particular image to startle Nate, since it is an image of the Midwestern states of his home world, after a nuclear bomb was detonated there.
"Once I destroy you here," sneered Onslaught, shooting a beam of psionic power, "I shall occupy your body instead of that weak human's! Then, I shall be the most powerful being to ever exist! Even Roma will not be able to stand up to my telepathic might! You and I will destroy a great many worlds, Boy!"
"Never!" cried Nate, creating a shield out of psionic power to deflect Onslaught's attack, "After all you've done to the world, and the Multiverse, do you really think I'll let you survive this?"
"Do you even have a hope of stopping me?" chided Onslaught, launching himself at Nate, "I can see into your mind, boy. You are too tired to keep me out completely. I can feel your insecurity, your doubts. You know you cannot defeat me! I have>
"One thing's for sure," said Nate smartly, "You certainly talk alot. Just like any other tyrant. Hitler, Stalin-- always talking, always threatening. You're just full of it!"
"How dare you compare me to those weak humans?!" roared Onslaught, swatting Nate away with a psionic broadsword, "I am the one and only Onslaught! I am the most powerful being alive! I can destroy you with but a thought, little man!"
Suddenly, Onslaught disappeared.
"Oh, crap," said Nate, "He went back to Trevor's body! I've gotta follow!"
But when Nate tried to re-enter his own body, he still found himself on the Astral Plane.
"Double crap!! He's trapped me on the Astral Plane! If he kills my body while I'm here, I'll be trapped in an interdimensional limbo! I've only got one chance..."
Kimberly was still bathed with the fiery red light of Tommy's Zeo shard when she felt a mental tug.
*Tommy? Is that you?* she asked, hoping he had awaken.
*Kimberly, its me, Nate. Where are you?*
*Finster's lab.*
*Did you save Tommy?*
*We're working on it. What's up?*
*You have to hurry, Kimberly. I was battling Onslaught on the Astral Plane, but he split and trapped me here somehow. Now he's back in Trevor's body, and my body is lying on the ground completely unprotected. If he kills me now, I'll be trapped in an interdimensional limbo.*
*Like Zordon?*
*WHO?!*
*Nevermind. We'll be there ASAP!*
Kim opened her eyes and saw the red light die down. Also, the horrible pain she was enduring had lessened.
"It worked Kim!" said Annie excitedly, "You did it! The red Zeo shard is charged. You okay?"
Kimberly tried to speak, but her lips didn't seem to move. She tried another approach.
*Annie, listen to me. I don't know what's wrong, but I can't move a muscle in my body!*
"It must be the strain of the transfer," said Annie, answering Kim's telepathic call verbally.
*You've got to go to the throne room and save Nate! Solar is about to kill him! I'll be fine.*
Annie looked at Kim in surprise, and then her face hardened into a serious frown. She snapped on her Yellow Ranger helmet and ran out the lab, as quickly as possible. When she left, Kimberly relaxed a little and once again tried to move.
I've got to give Tommy back his Zeo shard! He's so weak now!
*Tommy* she called, *Are you still with me?*
When Tommy didn't answer, she started to panic.
*TOMMY?! PLEASE!*
Her eyes started to water as she tried desperately to move. Although some of the feeling had returned to her arms and legs, she still couldn't move.
*Tommy,* she said more calmly, *you can't leave me. I won't let you! Answer me!*
*Kim,* whispered Tommy mentally, *I'm so...tired...*
*Hang on, Tommy! We NEED you!*
Kim panicked as she felt his mind slipping into oblivion. Using every nuance of energy within her, she mentally pulled the red Zeo shard from her body. She telekinetically directed the gem to Tommy, who lay on the stone floor not to far from her. She once again called to him.
*Tommy, listen to me. I can save you, but you need to stay with me. I can't force the Zeo shard into you-- you have to accept it. Do you hear me? Tommy?!*
*Hurry* came the weak response.
Kimberly immediately steered the gem to Tommy's heart, just as Nate had done to her after her seizure. Tommy accepted the power, allowing the shard passage through his scalded chest. The shard, now intangible, took its place inside Tommy's heart, pumping power into every artery in his system. Immediately, Tommy felt invigorated and alive. Still, he was brutally wounded, and found it difficult to stand up. He managed to pull himself off the floor, and leaned on the lab table with Kimberly still lying on it. She looked up at him with glassy eyes, and even managed to crack a slight smile. Tommy looked down at her, and smiled back.
*Are you okay?* she asked him.
"I'm fine. Or at least I will be, once we get back to Earth and Billy runs me through the med-unit. How 'bout you? Are you okay?"
*I can't move yet, but otherwise I'm peachy.*
Tommy gently took Kim's hand and held it between his.
"Thanks, Kim," he whispered.
*For what?*
"For everything. For saving my life, for being there for me, for...for giving me something to live for. You've made such a difference in my life. I... I owe you."
*Oh, Tommy, you don't owe me anything. You've saved my life dozens of times! And you've made my life feel... complete.*
Kimberly felt embarrassed after so easily divulging her innermost thoughts through the psionic link. But her embarrassment was quickly replaced with fear as she remembered Nate's present circumstance.
*Tommy!* she cried mentally, *Nate's in trouble! Go to the throne room and help Annie! She can't beat Solar by herself!*
"But, what about you--"
*I'll be fine, GO!*
Tommy hesitated, kissed Kim gently on the forehead, and stood back.
"It's Morphin Time!" he cried, raising his arms to the sky, "TERRA FIRE POWER!!"
In a flash of fiery red light, Tommy became the Red Ranger, and quickly ran down the hall. Kimberly watched him go, and smiled to herself.
Annie had reached the throne room just in time to see Solar stand up from his throne. He was shaky on his feet, and a little disoriented from having to once again adjust to two minds being inside one body. This gave Annie enough time to reach Nate.
"Hold it right there, Solar!" she yelled authoritatively, "You're through causing trouble."
"Well, if it isn't the little Yellow Ranger," said Solar, his eyes glowing pure gold and his mouth contorted into a frightful smirk, "I suppose you came here to save you're little boyfriend. Well, too late! By now, the machine has done its job, and the Red Ranger is a memory! So, what are you gonna do now, Kimmy? Cry over the loss of your love?"
Annie was furious at his cold remarks. However, she couldn't bring herself to attack Solar, since she was staring at the face of her beloved husband, whom she hasn't seen in two years.
"I... I didn't come here to save Tommy," she said quietly, unsnapping her helmet, "I came to rescue my husband and bring him home. Trevor, come back to me."
Solar was shocked when he saw the face of Kimberly Monroe, a stunning adult woman, as opposed to Kimberly Hart, a lovely and perky teenager. He was so shocked that for a brief instant, Trevor seemed to surface. His eyes became aqua, and this golden aura of power seemed to die down. He fell to his knees, tears forming in his aqua eyes.
"K-- Kim?" he asked hoarsely, looking up at her, "Is it really you? Are you MY Kim?"
"Yes, Trev," she said quietly, kneeling beside him and embracing him lovingly, "Its me."
"This isn't some kind of sick joke?" he asked, his voice shaking with disbelief.
"Its really me," she said, breaking the embrace and looking him in the eyes. She reached beneath the collar of her Terran Ranger uniform and pulled out the gold lightning bolt locket that Tom gave her before her departure into the past. She opened it to reveal two small photos.
"See? These are the two people who mean the world to me. My husband and--"
"Tony!" cried Trevor, his eyes shining with love, "My God, he's gotten so-- big!"
"Trev," she said softly, "you've been missing for two years. He's four now."
Since Trevor was in conscious control, Onslaught was forced to drop his barrier around the Astral Plane in order to re-assert himself. Nate came into consciousness just in time to see the aqua in Solar's eyes being slowly replaced by an eerie golden glow.
"Kim!" he cried, "Look out!"
But Nate's cry was too late, for Solar had already telekinetically tossed the woman into the wall, fifty feet away. She crashed into the wall at blinding speed, striking her back and bare head against the stone wall. She slumped into a heap against the wall, blood trickling down her temples and the corner of her mouth. The Red Ranger ran into the room just in time to see the Yellow Ranger slam into the wall, and looked in horror as she lay deathly still. Behind his red and gold helmet, his eyes were glowing red.
"Monroe!" he cried fiercely, throwing his body into Solar's like a cannon ball, "Do you realize what you've just done?! You killed your WIFE!!"
While Solar and the Red Ranger wrestled across the stone floor, Nate checked on Annie.
She's alive at least, but she needs treatment! *Kim, can you hear me?*
Downstairs, in Finster's lab, Kimberly was sitting up on the lab table, shaking out her legs. Although she could move them, she knew they wouldn't support her weight. She heard Nate's call.
*Yes, I hear you. What's happening?*
*Kim, do you know anything about the Astral Plane?*
*Only a little. Zordon told us that's where he is, because his body was destroyed while his mind was on the Astral Plane. I've never been there, though.*
*Well, Kim, I'm gonna give you a crash course in battle on the Astral Plane! I think Tommy's managing to pull Trevor's consciousness to the foreground, which will make Onslaught weaker. If I can pull him onto the Astral Plane and destroy him there, then we're done! But I don't think I can do it alone. He already beat me there earlier. Are you ready?*
*Ready for wha-?*
Before she could finish her thought, she could feel her body grow numb. She fell back on the lab table, her legs and arms dangling off the sides. Suddenly, her vision blurred, and when it cleared, she was standing on a barren wasteland.
"Where am I?" she asked aloud.
*You're on the Astral Plane* said Nate telepathically, *I'll be there with you shortly. First, you'd better put some armor on. Vision yourself with some kind of armor on.*
Kimberly looked down at herself. She was entirely gold, as if she was made of golden energy. She then noticed she wasn't wearing clothes. Her face turned a brighter shade of gold.
"Armor..." she said, thinking hard. When she opened her eyes, she found herself wearing a glittering gold armored costume, much like that of Xena: Warrior Princess. She had the breastplate, boots, skirt, shoulderpads, and instead of a sword, she was holding a long bow.
"Practical and fashionable," she commented proudly, gripping her energy bow, "I think I may like this Astral Plane!"
Meanwhile, Nate stepped away from Annie, and telepathically reached into Solar's head. Solar froze as Nate invaded his mind, and therefore couldn't dodge a powerful jab to his face from the Red Ranger. Solar's body crumpled to the floor in a daze, and Onslaught's essence once again took form on the Astral Plane. Kimberly watched in mute horror as a cloud of purple and red fog formed into the towering and monstrous form of Onslaught.
"Now that's something I wouldn't wanna meet in a dark alley," Kim muttered with disgust.
Onslaught turned to face his new enemy, his eyes glowing in golden power. Kim shrunk back.
"So," he scoffed, "Nate sent his little apprentice to fight me. Now that's a laugh! How do you, a rank amateur, plan on defeating me, the most powerful telepath in existence, on the Astral Plane? You couldn't even beat me in the real world. Here, the advantage is mine!"
Kimberly stood defiantly and pulled back on the drawstring of her bow. "Eat psionic energy, Creep," she muttered, releasing an arrow crackling with golf energy. She was shocked as Onslaught caught the arrow and tossed it aside like a toothpick.
"Uh, oh," she whispered as Onslaught dove at her.
In the throne room, Tommy removed his helmet and looks around in surprise. He saw Solar's body, lying still beside the throne. Annie was still crumpled and motionless, and Nate was barely conscious, rubbing his temples vigorously. Tommy runs to Nate and kneels beside him.
"What did you do to him?" he asked, pointing to Solar, "I know my punch isn't that strong."
"I... I sent Onslaught to the Astral Plane," he explained in a voice barely above a whisper, "It takes a lot of effort to force a body onto the plane, and I just forced two. Give me a minute."
"What do you mean two?" asked Tommy. Then his jaw dropped, "You don't mean--"
"I sent Kimberly to the Astral Plane."
"You did what?!" cried Tommy enraged, "So you're telling me she's trapped there with that monster, all by herself!"
"Not for long," said Nate, standing up, "I'm going to join her there."
Nate walked over to the throne and sat down. Tommy followed.
"I'll go with you," he said, folding his arms over his chest.
"Impossible. You'd be powerless there-- the only super ability that can be utilized in the Astral Plane is psionic. Stay here and keep an eye on Annie and Trevor. Now that Onslaught is no longer in his body, he may awaken soon. Make sure nothing happens to either my or Kimberly's body while we're gone."
With that, Nate closed his eyes, and his body slumped lifeless into the throne. His body reformed in the Astral Plane, encased in his full body sapphire armor. He watched from a high vantage point for a moment as Kimberly battled Onslaught.
She's a pretty fast learner, he thought to himself. He then noticed Kim's armor. Someone sure watches a lot of television, he chuckled to himself. Okay, time to do some damage!
Nate leapt to the ground, landing about three yards behind Onslaught, who was advancing on Kim while firing a deadly barage of psionic bullets. Kim was so busy deflecting them by twirling her bow like a baton, that she didn't notice Nate's stealth entrance.
"So, little girl," mocked Onslaught, moving closer to Kim, "are you prepared to die?"
Before Kim could answer, Onslaught suddenly fell forwards, his head landing mere inches from Kim's feet. She looked first at her downed opponent and the gray smoke that floated from his back, and then behind him, where she saw Nate clad in a shimmering blue armor.
"Took ya long enough!" she said in mock anger, leaping over Onslaught to land beside Nate, "So, is he dead?"
"I doubt it," said Nate, holding his head in his hands, "That was the most powerful psionic blast I could muster, but Onslaught is practically indestructable. This isn't over yet."
Suddenly, Onslaught's body became immersed in a powerful gold light, so bright that it momentarily blinded the two heroes. When the light died down, Onslaught stood before them, now towering twenty feet high as opposed to his previous stature of ten feet.
"What happened?" whispered Kim in horror.
"He's drawing power from the Astral Plane itself!" answered Nate, his voice tainted with awe as well as disbelief, "He has existed on the Astral Plane for so long, he knows how to manipulate it! I don't know how he managed it, but he did!"
Onslaught stepped towards them, each step shaking the rocky ground mercilessly. Nate and Kim mutually decided on a strategic retreat, running as quickly as possible away from the towering monster.
"So, what do we do now?" panted Kimberly.
"I'm thinking!" yelled Nate in frustration, "Just keep moving! To the cliffs!"
The two heroes ran towards the cliff, and in a few mighty and graceful leaps, they were at the top of the rock form.
"Wow," said Kim, "I'm even more agile here than when I'm morphed!"
"I don't know how much climbing this rock will slow him down," said Nate, looking down the cliff for Onslaught, "He's gone!"
"Uh... Nate," said Kim quietly, tapping his shoulder and staring in the other direction, "it didn't slow him down at all."
Nate spun around, and saw the monstrous figure that stood behind him.
"I'm through playing games," said Onslaught, firing a massive beam of energy. Both Kim and Nate managed to put on shields to block the energy barage, but the attack was relentless, and it slowly pushed them closer and closer to the edge.
"You really got yourself between a rock and a hard place this time, X-Man!" cried Onslaught triumphantly.
The Red Ranger paced around the throne room in frustration. It felt like hours since Nate went into the Astral Plane, and there was no way for Tommy to tell if his friends were winning against impossible odds or not. He had carried Kimberly's lifeless body into the throne room, and laid it carefully on the floor. Now, three unconscious bodies lay on the stone floor, and Nate was still slumped in Lord Zedd's throne. Tommy had tried to find medical supplies in Finster's lab, to treat Annie's and Trevor's injuries, but there wasn't any. Not really much of a surprise, considering monsters don't survive fights, and therefore never need medical help. Tommy, whose broken ribs had started to irritate him again, sat down and painfully clutched his chest.
So long as I draw on the Power, I'll be able to function, he thought to himself, but I'm not sure if I'm doing any more damage to my ribs. I doubt rolling around the room wrestling Solar was good for me. I really oughtta think before I act...
Tommy was startled out of his reverie by a low groan. He looked up and saw Solar sit up slowly, his hand lightly touching his nose. He drew back his hand, seeing it tainted with blood.
"My nose is bleeding," he said in a somewhat nasal voice, "What's happening here?"
Solar stood up painfully, stretching his back. He looked down at himself, and saw the red, blue, white, and gold armor.
"What the hell am I wearing?" he asked aloud, looking around in confusion. His eyes locked with those of a young man with long brown hair, wearing a red Power Ranger uniform.
"Are you alright, Trevor?" asked Tommy quietly.
"I... I don't understand what's going on here..." he admitted, blinking, "Last thing I remember, I was in my bedroom, going over some papers for a case, and then I saw a gold light--"
Trevor shut up when he saw two unconscious women laying side by side on the cold ground. His jaw dropped as he hurried to get a closer look.
"KIM!!" he cried, dropping to his knees beside Annie. He touched her neck gently to find a pulse, and then lightly touched her forehead. He then glanced at the other girl, and did a double take.
"KIM?!" he cried, this time in disbelief. He leaned over to study the features of the young woman wearing a mid-drift and shorts. She looks exactly like the Kim I met years ago...
Trevor turned around and stared at Tommy, his eyes filled with anger, confusion, and pain.
"What the #$%@ is going on here?!" he roared, approaching the Red Ranger. Tommy stood up to face the older man eye to eye.
"Why am I wearing this ridiculous costume? Where are we? What happened to my WIFE? Who is that girl? Who are YOU?! You're too young to be a Power Ranger! And why is Kim wearing the Yellow Ranger costume?"
Tommy's eyes widened at the last question. "She never told you?" he asked incredulously.
"Told me what?" asked Trevor angrily. Tommy sighed to himself.
"This is going to take a while," he started, walking over to both Kims, "and since everyone else is out cold, it looks like we have the time. This is February in the year 1997. You've been transported into the past. Your last memory was of the gold light, right?"
"Right."
"What was the date of that, if you don't mind?"
"Uh... February 18, 2007. You expect me to believe that this is ten years in the past?!"
"Actually, its twelve years from your time. You see, that golden light sent you to the Astral Plane, where a being called Onslaught bonded with your body, creating the super villain called Solar. You have existed as Solar for two years now."
Trevor looked absolutely dumfounded, and Tommy sighed again.
"Okay, maybe I should start from the VERY beginning. I'm Tommy Oliver, and I believe you've met my older self."
Trevor's eyes widened, and his chin dropped.
"I knew you looked familiar!" he declared, "So, you're a Power Ranger, Tom?"
"Yes. And so is Kimberly, your... wife." Tommy had difficulty uttering the last word.
Trevor looked back to see his injured wife. His eyes glassed over slightly as he once again kneeled beside her and stroked her golden-brown hair.
"What happened to her?" he asked quietly, looking up at Tommy, "Who did this to her?"
Tommy looked down to the stone floor, not wanting to look at Trevor's pained eyes. He really does love her, he thought, I can't tell him the truth! If someone told me that I'd caused Kim any harm whatsoever, I'd probably jump off the nearest cliff! How would he take it?
"Uh," said Tommy aloud, "Onslaught did it. Don't worry, though, she should be okay. As long as we get her back to Earth pronto."
"So, what are we waiting for?" asked Trevor, rising to his feet, "Let's go!"
"We can't! Not without Nate and Kimberly."
Trevor arched one eyebrow, and looked to the throne. "Is that Nate?"
"Yes."
"And that girl there is the Kimberly you're referring to, right? Or are there more Kims running around here?"
"No, that's her."
"So why aren't we leaving?! They're both right here!!"
Tommy looked at Trevor as he thought, and mentally slapped his forehead. Of course! Why should we wait for them? If we bring their bodies to Earth with us, when they get done in the Astral Plane, they'll return to their bodies anyway! Duh! But, how did they get here? I was kidnapped by Holocaust, but I don't know about the others. Could they have teleported?
"Billy?" asked Tommy into his wrist communicator, "Do you read me?"
Since Onslaught was busy battling Nate and Kimberly in the Astral Plane, he was no longer keeping a psionic barrier around the Moon Palace. Also, Zedd and Rita were gone too, along with their magic shields. There was nothing to prevent the signal from reaching the CAC.
^Tommy?^ cried Billy's voice in shock, ^You're alive!^
^ We've been really worried about you!^ said Alexis' voice, ^Your time was up over an hour ago!^
"Yeah, I know. Kim and Annie managed to save me."
^How are you, Bro?^ asked Jason's voice.
"None the worse for wear," he said, "Well, except for a few minor injuries."
^How 'bout Kim and the others?^ asked Aisha's voice.
"Well, Ki--uh, Annie is really hurt. Trevor's fine, and I think Nate and Kim are okay. They're fighting Onslaught on the Astral Plane. They're unconscious. Billy, can you teleport us back?"
The communicator was silent for a few moments, and then Billy's voice returned.
^Yes, I think I can. The shield surrounding the Moon is completely gone. Even the weaker shields Zedd and Rita usually have up are gone. It should be as easy as falling off a log. But, I don't know if the teleporter has enough power to bring back the Thunderbird.^
"What's the Thunderbird doing on the Moon?" asked Tommy in surprise.
^Solar had a psionic shield surrounding the entire Moon. The only way for them to reach the Moon without being detected was to fly there in a ship equipped with psionic cloaks.^
"Can I fly Kim's zord?"
^No, you can't. It will only activate to the voice-print of the Yellow Ranger.^ ^But, didn't you create a device to let anyone fly the machine?^ asked Katherine's voice, ^After all, that's how Annie was able to fly the ship. Right?^ ^Well, its not as simple as that. I device was... specially designed for Annie. It won't work with Tommy. Anyway, Tommy, I'll teleport the five of you first, and then wait for the transporter to build up enough power to bring the Thunderbird home. Prepare to teleport.^
Tommy turned off the communicator and put his helmet back on. He then carefully lifted the teenaged Kimberly into his arms and walked over to the throne. Trevor, who had heard the entire conversation, gently lifted his wife in like manner, and stood on the other side of the throne. The five people vanished in beams of red, blue, yellow, gold, and aqua light. In seconds, the five rematerialized in the Central Access Complex, with Nate still sitting on Zedd's throne.
"Oops," said Billy sheepishly, "I guess Nathan's signal intermixed with the throne he was sitting on."
"Better than having him collapse on the floor," said Adam, as he and Rocky lifted Nate off the throne and laid him on one of the cots. Tommy gently lay Kim on another one.
"Mister Monroe, please place Annie on this bed here," said Billy, pointing to the med unit. Trevor did as he was asked, wondering why Billy called her "Annie" instead of "Kimberly". Billy immediately un-morphed her, and began scanning her injuries with several devices, under Trevor's surveilance. He also managed to keep her identity hidden from the others by shielding her face with the brain-scanner. Adam and Rocky watched over Kim and Nate, who lay motionless, but uninjured. Kat, Aisha, Alexis and Jason were unmorphed, sitting in a corner out of everyone's way. Aisha had bandages wrapping her stomach, and Jason's arm was in a sling. Katherine had a few scratches, and Alexis was slightly bruised, but both were otherwise unharmed. Tommy walked over to them, removing his helmet.
"What happened to you guys?" he asked quietly, taking a seat beside Jason.
"Holocaust," answered Alexis in a low growl.
"Yeah," said Jason, "He got me good on the shoulder. Aisha had a serious cut on her side, and Zack was in a coma. He's asleep now, though. Billy fixed his most grievous injuries, gave him a clean bill of health and teleported him home. He's out of the danger zone, and both his parents work late. When they get home, they'll find Zack sleeping peacefully. I think he also had a broken leg, but the med-unit regenerated the bone. He may limp a little for a day or two, but other than that, he's fine."
"Wow," said Tommy, "that med-unit is impressive. Good thing Zordon left it for us."
"Tommy," asked Katherine quietly, "are you sure you're okay?"
"Well, compared to what you guys went through, I'm fine. I broke a couple of ribs, but so long as I'm morphed, I can manage. When Billy gets done with Annie, he can fix me up."
"But what about your powers?" Kat continued, "Solar was draining your powers in the same way that Zedd drained Kimberly's. You were pretty banged up, too."
"Trust me, I'll live," said Tommy with a smile. Adam and Rocky then came over to them.
"Okay, Tommy," he said, "You said you had broken ribs, right? Well, Annie is in critical condition, so she probably won't be off the med-unit for a while. I'll try to mend your ribs with the hand-held regenerator. I'll warn you, though, it takes longer than the med-unit, and it hurts."
"It can't be worse than having your rib scratch at your lungs," muttered Tommy, following Adam to another cot. He un-morphed, and suddenly collapsed to his knees. Adam and Rocky both helped him up, while the others stared in surprise. Jason, Alexis, and Kat leapt to their feet and ran to check on their leader. Aisha would have, but her injury still inhibited most movement.
"What happened?" asked Alexis.
"The only thing keeping him up was the Zeo shard!" said Adam, running a scanner over Tommy's heart, "Somehow, it charged his system, like a rush of adrenaline. When he un-morphed, that surge of power faded, making him extremely weak. But, he's stable. He'll be okay."
Alexis, Katherine, and Jason relaxed a little at Adam's reassurance. They returned to their seats beside Aisha, feeling helpless and frustrated.
"Man, I hate waiting," muttered Jason.
"There's nothing we can do to help," said Kat, gently taking his hand, "We can't join the fight against Onslaught." "She's right," said Alexis, running her hands through her red hair, "Its all up to Nathan and Kimberly now."
