The air was heavy, with embarrassment, as the lights of the Command Center became brighter.

After what felt like hours, the Command Center lights began to dim, to the relief at least two of the teens.

The viewing globe displayed a room similar to the Command Center. Tiny red, yellow, blue, and orange lights blinked on and off, while a beeping sound alerts the brown cloaked life-form that a message was incoming.

Rocky poked his head in the room which served as the Core Command Center, and asked Paladar` "if he had seen Kim or Tommy recently?"

"No!"

Rocky grumbled as he walked away!

Paladar` returned his attention to the screen in front of him. He shook his head as he briefly watched the young lovers.

"Kids . . . Teenagers even worse!"

Tommy stretched as he opened his eyes and looked around.

"Kim!" There was alarm in his voice as he sat up trying to find her.

"Over here." Kim answered as she came out of the shadows and returned to the giant clam-like shell that served as a love nest.

Kim was wearing his shirt with the sleeves rolled up! The long sleeve shirt hung like a very short dress on the petite former Pink Ranger.

"Would you like to explain your reasons behind this?" Tommy asked as he flipped the blanket-like covering down so she could climb under it.

"Well, I'm waiting!" Tommy impatiently asked.

"Those women, who were here yesterday, offered me four million dollars for you." Kim's eyes had a devilish twinkle in them as she looked at him.

Tommy didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted as he parroted her "four million dollars!"

"I told them I wouldn't accept less than eight million, and . . . Paladar` informed them that it would be difficult to teach an old dog new tricks."

"Who are you calling an old dog?" Tommy roared.

"Paladar` explained to them . . . you came from a world in which the males are the dominate sex." Kim said as she played with a piece of Tommy's long black hair.

She was now laying with her head against his chest as she continued to play with his hair.

"Trying me out before selling me!" Tommy sarcastically quipped as he pulled his hair out of her grasp.

That comment sent Kim into a continuous speech, and his only way of shutting her up was by kissing her.

Tommy pulled his shirt off over her head as Kim slid down under the blanket.

Both Kim and Tommy, back in the Command Center, groaned with further embarrassment.

As the sun set on yet another day, the pair appeared almost if they were coming directly from the sun itself!

"Well, what did I tell you, Adam!" Rocky joking said as he caught sight of them.

"Kim found some shells, so she dragged him along to help her carry them back."

Adam and Rocky were laughing as Tommy and Kimberly walked over to them; Both of them were carrying a number of brightly colored shells varying in size.

During dinner, Adam joyfully announced a very important find.

"TaLooze and I discovered a small silver box, and TaLooze thinks it's a . . . What did you call it?"

"It's called a journal box." TaLooze answered, between bites of food.

Paladar` hurried into the room looking for Athos. There was a sense of urgency in his voice and movements.

Tension in the room rose as Paladar` explained to Athos and the others what had happened.

An automated distress signal was coming from a planet called Madia.

The signal indicated planetary devastation with thousands of lives already lost, and the cause UNKNOWN!

This night would prove to be the most challenging for the seven teenagers known as 'The Guardians of Power,' better known as 'The Power Rangers!'

"What would cause such devastation?" The true scientist in Billy inquired.

"A shift in the planet's core, maybe!" Kat replied.

"Or maybe a change in the planet rotation!" Rocky added as the seven teens, six Theians, and Paladar` exited the room heading for the 'Core Command Center!'

"Both suggestions are possibilities!" Athos replied.

For the first time the Power Rangers would encounter a technology higher then even Zordon possessed.

From the Core Command Center, Ninjara's movement, security systems, life support systems, and weapon systems, etc., were monitored 24 hours a day. Each of the various control panels served a critical function.

To Billy, the room was just a larger version of the Command Center!

The seven teens watched as the Theians assumed their positions.

Paladar` informed them that Ninjara was preparing to leave, and activated the viewer which revealed that they were in orbit around Mars.

Athos, sitting in front of the navigational controls, keyed in Madia's location, and soon the planet almost the same size as Earth slowly began moving.

The estimated time of arrival was six hours, and that was at maximum speed.

Theius and Billy started calculating other possible reasons, while the others began formulating a plan of action.

They were informed that several patrol ships were also responding, yet their time of arrival was even longer!

When the automated distress signal stopped, Paladar` conferred with Theius and Athos about using a method of time travel never before tried with a planet.

"Star Crashing could rip this planet apart," Athos snapped, his words driven by anger.

Theius agreed, yet knowing full well that Star Crashing' was Madia's only hope for survival.

"Star Crashing has only one major disadvantage. We could miss Madia all together!" Paladar` replied as calmly as possible.

"Athos, get one of the long range transports, and take the Rangers to the Hothman Orbital Space Station!"

"Paladar`, with all due respect, I think our place is on Madia!" Tommy replied, his voice was firm and final.

The other Rangers shook their heads in agreement with him.

Against his better judgement, Paladar` agreed to allow the Rangers to stay, but with a condition - "If things became critical, they would return to Ninjara!"

With that matter settled, Billy joined Theius, at his station, to assist him with the calculations for Star Crashing.' Both agreed that it would be better to undershoot, having only a few more minutes before arrival.

Once the figures were checked and rechecked, they were then forwarded to Athos, who had been joined by Rocky, for a final check before being entered into the navigational control system.

TaLooze and Adam sat at the weapons station, hoping that Ninjaras' powerful weapon systems would not be needed!

Mariah, Kendra, and Sophia assumed their positions with Kim, Aisha, and Kat beside them.

Tommy joined Paladar` at the pilots' station, and after receiving confirmation from Athos, activated Ninjara's hidden engines.

Eight massive turbine-like engines rose from the ocean depths about 80 miles Southwest of the Core Command Center.

"Their part of the McKinley Ion Ultra Drive Class of engines," Athos informed Rocky.

"Things may get very rough until the engines reach full power!" Paladar` added as the planet began shaking.

There were a number of prayers said, as the fourteen travelers waited!

"Look!" Athos yelled as he pointed to the viewer.

A large multicolored spiral star appeared ahead of them.

"Athos, enter the authorization code."

The spiral star rotated to the left after Athos entered the six-digit authorization code.

Time seemed to stop!

Shortly after, another multicolored spiral star appeared again, and this time it rotated to the right.

As the viewer automatically adjusted itself, an orange ball appeared.

"There's Madia!"

To the Rangers, it looked as if the entire planet was on fire.

To the rest of the group, it meant something far worse!

Athos growled under his breath, "Those mining/ore processing ships should be outlawed!"

Theius activated a series of long range scanners, which soon located the objective. There was a hole going to the planets' core!

TaLooze brought Ninjaras' weapons on-line and up to full power. They couldn't afford to miss this planet dissolving machine!

"Set missiles at 5 percent!" Paladar` ordered.

"Targeting. . . . Targeting . . . Targeting . . . , we have a lock!"

"FIRE!"

The first volley of missiles was sent into the heart of the planet in hopes of chasing the machine out, and into the open.

Only one volley of missiles was required because the machine exited at a high rate of speed.

"Take a good look at this ship, Rangers . . . because this is one of the worst objects ever created." Athos growled.

The ship resembled an insect without wings.

"It locates a suitable target,' and there proceeds to dig its way to the planets' core. Once there it strips, from the inside out, the planet's core minerals, leaving behind a dead or dying planet!"

"Targeting. . . . Targeting . . . Targeting . . . , we have a lock!"

"FIRE!"

Four missiles, which were set at their maximum strong, stuck the ship dead center.

"These ships are robots, so there is no crew!" Kendra softly replied as Aisha started to ask about the crew.

"How much of the planet is covered in water?" Paladar` asked sadly.

"About 75 percent!" Theius sadly answered.

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