As always comments and ideas are welcome.

Energy flowed from the ten-coloured console into Lerigot's latest creations. Here in his workshop the powerful wizard was in his element, creating the devices through which he could channel the power of his magic key. Ten segments glowed brightly. Gold, Silver, White, Purple, Red, Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow and Black Rangers could be created, bringing hope to the Universe.

Ten new powers were ready, along with the technology to create Zords for the new Rangers to fight. But who would be worthy of holding such a vast arsenal, superior to almost every other Ranger power? Lerigot's immediate thought was his old friend Zordon. He knew the White Morphin Master had recently succeeded in sending a team of Rangers after the full Morphin Ranger powers. That probably meant Zordon was not an option.

_Maybe Zordon could suggest another world where the Rangers need extra help, _ he thought.

Moving over to the transmitter he tried to send a signal but found the signal was blocked by other traffic on the comm system. That meant he had a choice, wait for the signal to clear or go to visit Zordon in person.

_I'll wait, _ he thought. _I hate the side effects of travelling! _

On Liaria Lerigot looked and acted human. He was a tall man, with a long white beard flowing down over his scarlet robes. Despite the white hair his dark eyes sparkled with life. He was easily as old as Lexian and Zordon, and just as energetic. He liked his human form; it was much more comfortable.

The problem was that once he left the planet he could no longer hold his human form and was forced to revert to the form most of the people in the Universe would recognise. Most knew Lerigot as a small, stocky fur ball they needed a translator to understand. Only on Phaedos could he remain a human due to the high concentration of morphing energy.

"Father!" Bethel shouted from somewhere else in Lerigot's home.

"In here," Lerigot replied.

"Where?"

*The workshop, * he sent back telepathically. *You don't need to shout. *

He shook his head and waited for his daughter to join him. Outside she appeared to be in her twenties, but really she was no more than an infant. She had even more reason to dislike travelling to other worlds. Anywhere apart from the surface of Liaria she was nothing more than a screaming baby. It was a constant source of embarrassment to her as it had been to him in his youth.

He smiled at her as she walked in. Wearing a long white gown with her blonde hair tied back she reminded Lerigot of why he had fallen in love with her mother. He could tell from her face that something was wrong.

*What is it? * He asked.

*I felt something. It was a long way off, but I could sense a dark cloud of evil travelling towards us. *

Lerigot frowned. Like all of her people Bethel was telepathic, but since she was still young and her talent untrained she had a greater ranger than most of her race. If she could sense something approaching it might be worth taking a quick look.

*Which direction did the feeling come from? * He asked.

Bethel pointed and her father nodded silently. Holding his magic key he closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, trying to touch the Universe beyond. There, just on the edge of perception was the black cloud his daughter had described. But it was not a cloud; it was a fleet of ships belonging to the pirate queen Divatox.

"Yara!" Lerigot called mentally. "SHE is coming!"

His wife was at his side and quickly they prepared to ensure the new morphers were placed out side the pirate's reach. Using their powers they created a large space pod. Inside they place the ten morphers, two at the bottom; three in the middle, hidden by a fake compartment; and the remaining five on the top. With little time Lerigot quickly programmed the ship to locate those worthy of holding the Power and prepare them for Divatox. He had no choice; it had to be Earth. That was the only access through which Divatox could gain entry to Murianthius. Even if he sent his own key there were numerous other first generation keys she could use.

*Launch the ship, * he told his wife. *I shall attempt to slow Divatox's fleet. *

In a flash of white smoke he was gone, leaving Yara and Bethel to carry out his wishes. Divatox was bad news. She was a ruthless pirate who would stop at nothing to get her way and she hated Lerigot. During a battle the wise wizard had trapped her fiancé in another dimension. Only the magic key could free him and Yara knew nothing would stop Divatox from taking the key.

Worse still was the news she had brought her fleet of pirate ships with her. To do so meant she had the full support of her entire clan. Planetary bombardment was the Intergalactic Pirate Clan's favourite method of settling an argument and something Lerigot doubted he could avoid.

"Captain Divatox, we await your command," the captain of one of her many ships said.

"As soon as we are in position raid the planet. I want Lerigot alive."

"Aye aye!" the captain replied.

Divatox looked at the planet below and could not help remembering the day her fiancé had brought her to Liaria. He had challenged the wizard Lerigot to a battle on the planet's surface, certain he could destroy the old man. Lerigot had accepted and the fight was on. Maligore had used every trick he knew to destroy the Liarian wizard, but Lerigot was able to draw on the power of his entire planet to repel the assault.

The battle seemed to last for days with neither gaining a clear advantage until Lerigot used his power to imprison Maligore in a wall of light. He had won; there was no need for further battle. The wall cut Maligore off from his source of power, creating an overload inside his soul. Flames burst from Maligore's body as he was consumed by his own darkness. To protect his world Lerigot had sent Maligore to the heart of a volcano in another dimension and sealed all but one of the doorways.

Only on Earth could somebody gain access to Murianthius, and even then they needed a Liarian key. Lerigot had indeed spared Maligore's life, but had in effect imprisoned him for eternity.

Now Divatox was back and willing to level the planet if it meant freeing her betrothed. She didn't love him, but he had power and she wanted a share.

"Give me a close up of the planet!" she shouted at her chief scientist, Porto.

"Yes my Captain," Porto said.

On the screen appeared the image of the jungle world Liaria. Slowly the scanners closed in on Lerigot to show him high on the top of his home.

"There he is," Divatox said, the venom evident in her voice. "And he's got the key with him as well. Elgar, Rygog! Get down there and get him!"

Lerigot found himself on the highest point of Liaria looking up at the sky above. After consulting with his race and gaining their telepathic permission to do everything necessary to prevent Divatox freeing Maligore, he had launched the ship into space.

Now he had to stop Divatox taking his world. The magic key was indestructible, but the lack of a Liarian would slow her down. Reaching deep down into himself Lerigot started to focus his peoples energy. More energy added as the minds he touched drew power from their neighbours. Slowly an overlapping web of pure energy was created with Lerigot as its focus. The Power filled him, but he ignored the sensations of pleasure he felt. They were not important. What was important was that his people were becoming pure energy and joining him.

Lerigot soon passed the point where the energy threatened to destroy him. He had gone too far to stop safely. His people had just sacrificed themselves to save his world. He could do no less than follow their sacrifice.

"Be gone!" he shouted.

He channelled the energy from his body into his magic key and directed it at Divatox's fleet. The blast struck her armada head on, pushing her ships away. Engines overloaded as the fleet were shoved away. The weaker ships disintegrated on contact. Soon only the flagship was left; the others either pushed thousands on light years away or destroyed.

The planet below was still, its people extinct. High on a mountain stood Lerigot, or what was left of him. His scarlet robe still shone in the daylight and his hand held the key he had used to destroy a fleet. But that was all that remained the same. His skin had been stripped along with the muscles and cartilage. Smoke rose from his charred body, which started to sway in the light breeze.

"Hey, there he is!" Elgar shouted as he ran up to the remains of the wizard. "Looks thinner than I remember."

"He's dead you imbecile!" Rygog shouted. "Get the key and let's get out of here!"

Divatox listened as an underling ran through the list of repairs needed before they could get mobile again. Lerigot had ruined her immediate plans even though she had succeeded. The wizard had scattered her fleet and it would take time to regroup. She refused to go to Earth with one ship. And besides, without Lerigot it would take almost a year before the key would work. It was frustrating, but she would have to wait until the time was right before she went to Earth.

"I can wait," she said quietly. Shrugging she decided it was time to rebuild her fleet and have some fun. "Set course for Nintega!" she commanded. She had always enjoyed the Games Planet.