While there was a part of him that said that there was nothing else that could have been done, there was another part that said that he should have been more careful. He wished Bruce was there with him now. He could have used some reasurrances.

Just then the attack warning came on. A fleet of ships was coming out of hyperspace on an attack vector. "Activate Defence grid.", Jeff ordered the computer.

The defence grid activated but it could have only held out so long as a fleet of fighter craft swooped down and picked off selected areas that weakened the shields. The cannon fire from the cruisers then blasted the shields away and they were down before long.

When the shields were blasted away the ships then made ready to attack the lighthouse. Explosions started to erupt around Jeff to where it was dangerous to stay. "Hardrive, emergency teleport.", and he was teleported out.

As the cruisers fired on the lighthouse Defiance snuck away. "They knew exactly where to hit.", said Jeff.

"Fredo.", said Hardrive who was making reference to the former red ranger Mark Kinega.

Jeff nodded in agreement. Then he looked at the nav computer as he tried to find a place to land. "Set course for Earth.", said Jeff. He looked back using the viewscreen's departure angle. The lighthouse went dark as the power generators were knocked out.

Jeff then turned his focus back to the present as Defiance made it's way into hyperspace.

Alpha 6 came over to Tommy and started looking over his shoulder. "Yo, yo, yo Tommy what's up with you. The other rangers are relaxin' here. Goin' to the beach an all. Why are you here instead f with them?"

Tommy sighed before he spoke. "I just got this feeling that something's going to happen. You know the old saying 'it's too quiet'?"

"Would this incoming transmission be enough noise for you?", asked Dimitria. Tommy went to the communications console and listened in.

"This is blue Night Ranger Jeffrey Kincaid calling the Power Chamber. Is anyone receiving. Repeat this is blue Night Ranger Jeffrey Kincaid calling the Power Chamber is anyone receiving?"

Alpha activated the receiver and Tommy answered. "This is the Power Chamber. Red Turbo ranger Tommy Oliver responding. What's your status?"

"My team has been destroyed. I've got a conqueror on my tail and I need a place to set down and refuel. Request permission to land."

"Permission granted.", said Tommy. "Teleport in as soon as you land."

"Affirmative.", said Jeff and he signed off. Tommy then looked up at Dimitria. "Dimitria what's a Night Ranger?"

"Do you not think that it was not possible for other ranger teams to exist?", asked Dimitria.

"No, the Aquitarian rangers are proof that there are other ranger teams out there. But I never heard of the Night Rangers. Who are they?"

Alpha 6 then spoke. "I have their info downloaded into my central processor. The Night Rangers were a special team. They fought against evil on evil's level. Handling missions and villians that went outside the traditional monster attack or like Lord Zedd or Rita. In fact Zedd and Rita were afraid of the Night Rangers. They held tremendous powers when nighttime came."

Who'd they fight against?", asked Tommy.

"There was this empire called the Luciferian that has been said to worship the darker levels of evil. The Night Rangers and the Luciferian empire had crossed swords in the past.", said Alpha.

"Why haven't I heard of them?", Tommy's curiosity was peaked.

Alpha continued, "They were a special team that operated in secret. No other ranger teams knew of their existance. And if a ranger did know, then he was honor bound not to reveal their existance to their fellow rangers."

"So I can't tell the others about this Jeff Kincaid or his team?", asked Tommy.

"Yeah.", said Alpha.

Tommy sighed. He didn't like keeping his team in the dark but he would keep the mention of the Night Rangers quiet. A dark stream of blue appeared in the Power Chamber as Dimitria asked, "If the Night Rangers are so powerful what force could have destroyed Jeff's team?"

"One of their own.", came the answer. Tommy and Alpha turned to see a ranger in blue and black. His helmet removed to reveal his pale face and short cut brown hair.

Tommy went to introduce himself then he asked, "What do you mean one of your own?".

"Our red ranger Mark Kinega turned traitor. He lured the other rangers into a trap and killed them."

"WHAT?!", came the voice of Tommy, Alpha and Dimitria in unison. They couldn't believe a ranger would willingly turn traitor.

"He just destroyed our headquarters. He's probably on my tail now as we speak so I need a place to set down as I plan out my next move." The others nodded.

He then looked out at the stars. His annointment went well as Savrod presented Mark Kinega before them. Mark boasted about how he killed his teamates, he then lifted the three inert morphers from the dead rangers as proof.

The high councilors were surprised. To kill one night Ranger, let alone three, was a remarkable feat that few could accomplish. But one was not convinced as he said for all to hear "What about the blue ranger?".

"He will hunt him down as easilly as he killed the others.", said Savrod. "Already the dark ones speak to him."

Kinega listened to the evil voices that guided him now. The voices of good that guided him for so long were blocked out thanks to the device Savrod implanted in him. He welcomed the evil within him and he welcomed the guidance of the evil without.

"He is on Earth.", said Kinega.

The high councillor who spoke out said. "When you bring the morpher of the blue Night Ranger we shall consider you for our leadership position."

"I shall bring the morpher and lead this empire.", said Kinega.

"We stand at a crucible my friends.", and the whole council chamber erupted in a resounding "Yes!!!"

And it was then that Mark decided his new name--Lord Crucible.

"Tommy when are you coming to the beach?", she asked. She then took notice of Jeff and asked "Who are you?"

After giving the reader's digest version about who Jeff was and what he was doing there Kat asked "Is there anything I can do?"

"Well we're trying to figure out how we're going to stop Kinega. So far we've come up short.", said Tommy.

"Well I do have one idea.", said Jeff. "But I'll need the two of you to help pull it off."

"What can we do?", asked Kat.

"The most you can do is keep him occupied. Long enough for me to take him out."

"You're not going to kill him are you?", asked Tommy.

"Not if I can help it.", said Jeff. "Even though I'd really like to."

"Hey yo yo yo. We got a ship coming in out of hyperspace here. It looks like your backstabbing teamate has arrived.", said Alpha.

The three rangers looked at the viewing screen and saw a sinister shade of red come from the ship and stand out in the desert. "Jeff. I know you can hear me. Come out, and I'll make it easy on you."

"All right let's do it.", said Tommy. "SHIFT INTO TURBO!!!"

"WIND CHASER TURBO POWER!!!", said Kat.

"RED LIGHTNING TURBO POWER!!!", said Tommy.

"BLUE NIGHT RANGER ACTIVATE!!!" said Jeff.

"Don't be. We can take care of you.", said Tommy as he leaped into action. He gave a flying kick into Kinega's chest and also got in a few blows as well.

"Tommy duck!", shouted Kat as she fired her turbo blaster. Her hits were dead on.

Kinega then gave a mental push and threw the two turbo rangers back across the ground. As they struggled to get up, Kinega raised his hands and they started flying into the air.

Tommy and Kat felt like they were being gripped by invisible hands. They couldn't move while they were being held down. Kinega looked up at thw two turbo rangers. "Well since Jeff is not here I'll just have to break the two of you."

Just then Tommy and Kat felt the hands release themselves and they fell and landed on the ground. Kinega looked around as if expecting to find someone.

A force push sent Kinega flying across the ground. He looked up and saw Jeff standing before him.

"I was wondering when you would show up.", said Kinega.

"Give up Mark.", said Jeff.

Kinega paused for a moment and then said, "At the risk of sounding cliche...NO!!!" He then gave Jeff a power push that sent him flying against a mountain wall. The invisible hands were holding him in place.

Mark then walked over to where Jeff was pinned when a force punch from Jeff sent Mark doubling over.

"A gift from the spirits you turned your back on.", said Jeff.

"Your spirits are strong Jeff. But mine are stronger.". Mark raised his hands and the ground started shaking. Lava also started to erupt as the battleground turned into an inferno.

Jeff looked through the elemental chaos over to where Tommy and Kat were. "Tommy, Kat get out of here!!!", he shouted.

"But what about you?!", shouted Kat.

"JUST GO!!!" Jeff shouted. And the two turbo rangers teleported out.

Jeff then looked up at the mountain top. A good explosion up there would cause an avalanche that would stop Mark. As Jeff scrambled to avoid erupting pits he took off his blue morpher and set it on overload. As the power built up he prayed that his aim would be true as he threw it at the mountain peak past where Mark stood hovering.

The explosion jarred Mark's concentration and he was caught in the landslide. Jeff also tried to run but the onrushing dirt and rocks was starting to bury him as well.

"Anything Kat?", Tommy asked.

"Nothing.", said Kat.

After a few moments of searching Kat came across a gloved hand sticking out of the ground. "Tommy, over here!!!"

Tommy rushed over to where Kat was and helped to pull Jeff up. He tried to feel for a pulse but couldn't find one.

"Is he dead?", asked Kat.

"Let's get him back to the Power Chamber quick.", said Tommy as they teleported out of the battleground.

None of them noticed a gauntleted hand in a sinister shade of red holding the remains of a morpher come out of the ground as well,

"Was a body recovered?", asked the officer on duty.

The red Turbo ranger paused for a moment and said, "No, no body was recovered."

The officer and reporter thanked the Red Turbo ranger for his time and then teleported back to the Power Chamber.

When he arrived Dimitria and Alpha 6 were waiting, along with a young teenager in a tattered blue uniform. On a communications terminal was a 3-D version of Zordon. "Is it done?", asked Dimitria.

The red ranger then removed his helmet to reveal the face of Tommy Oliver. "Yeah, Dimitria I told them. But I will say that I didn't like lying to the press and the police."

"In a way you weren't.", said the boy in blue who was once the blue Night Ranger Jeff Kincaid. "I was clinically dead for about a few minutes and also in a way I am dead. In my heart."

"And it was a real pain trying to bring you back.", said Kat.

"You can thank the spirits for that. They kept me from going too far into death to the point where I couldn't be revived.", said Jeff. "Now I think I'd better get going."

"Why not go home?", asked Alpha.

"I don't really have a home to go back to. Besides, I don't really want anyone looking for me. I just want to dissapear for a while."

Dimitria then spoke. "Even though I will respect your decision Jeffrey do you not think this action is questionable?"

"Kincaid.", said Jeff.

"What?", asked Tommy.

"My name is just Kincaid now. Jeffrey's dead. And no I don't think that my decision's questionable. I just need to get away for now."

"All right. But before you leave may I ask you this one thing.", said Dimitria.

"What is that?", asked Kincaid.

"Would you keep the red Night Ranger morpher so that it will not fall intothe wrong hands?"

"I'm not going to use it.", said Kincaid.

"Did I ask you to use it? Would it not be prudent for you to keep it in the event that you do need it and that it will be there for you?"

Kincaid thought about it. "All right, I'll keep it Hardrive has it on Defiance right now." Then he made ready to activate his teleporter when Tommy asked him "Where will you go?"

"I'll know when I get there.", said Kincaid as he teleported out of the Power Chamber.

"Kat, I have the strangest feeling we're going to see him again.", Tommy said.

"You will." said Zordon. "He still has an important destiny to fulfil."

"A destiny? Is that why you called us? Can you tell us what this destiny is?", asked Kat.

"Unfortunately no. The time isn't right yet, but when it is Jeff will be ready for it.", then Zordon signed off.

Mentally he added 'I hope'.

After delivering the remaining bits of the inert blue Night Ranger morpher the unanimous decision was made to elect ex-red Night Ranger Mark Kinega as the new high lord.

"LONG LIVE LORD CRUCIBLE!!!", they all shouted in unison. And Crucible seemed to rake it all in.

General Savrod watched the events that just occured. He would wait and bide his time until the moment was right. Then he would make his move.

When he arrived on the bridge he went to the helm controls to see where he would go when he noticed the red Night Ranger morpher sitting in the corner where Kincaid threw it last. He went over to pick it up and ran his fingers over it.

"Incoming transmission from the big giant head.", said Hardrive doing Harry from 3rd Rock from the sun again. "Put it on.", said Kincaid.

"What are you thinking of Jeffrey?", came Zordon over the communicator.

"This is the last remnant of what Mark was.", he said. "It's also the last remnant of the Night Rangers, not counting Defiance."

"Are you certain of that?", asked Zordon.

"I'm certain.", said Kincaid. "The other four morphers are destroyed. And the white, green and purple morphers have been lost for eons. Without the power of the spirits and at least three active morphers no new Night Ranger morphers can be made."

"Then as the last surviving Night Ranger may I ask you to put on the red morpher?"

Kincaid put the morpher on his wrist replacing the blue one he had destroyed. It seemed to light up with power and the next thing that happened Kincaid was in the uniform of the red Night Ranger.

The power seemed to be overwhelming to Kincaid. It filled his every being and his connection to the spirits of the night seemed stronger since he could feel their presence more.

"It's a pity I won't be using this power.", he said. "Downtime!", he said and Kincaid went back to his normal clothes.

"Well since you won't use the morpher Je...I mean Kincaid, may I recommend a place for you to go?"

"Where?", asked Kincaid.

"I have a safehouse on the planet Oron. It's a pristine forest world that I use as a fall backpoint. It is far from the spacelanes so no one goes there. Even the evil empires leave it alone."

"Sounds perfect.", said Kincaid. And he set course for Oron.