Author's Notes: This is my twenty-first story in the Power Rangers Beyond series. It comes after "Rumble On Terra Venture." And now on with the story!

Mason Hodges had wasted no time in taking ownership of the Surf Spot. The building that had served as the Power Rangers' favorite hangout for so many years, was now being turned into a snooty-French restaurant for Angel Grove's wealthiest citizens.

Cassie's absence from Ray-Tech, had lead Hodges to the conclusion that she was one of the former Rangers, however, since the New UAE hadn't contacted him lately, he was unable to confirm his suspicions.

Fortunately, Ashley and Karone had able to cover Kimberly's absence with a story about her and Tommy being on vacation on Triforia.

Once of the hardest things the six Rangers had to do was return to their everyday lives, and pretend like nothing was wrong. It had been tough, but the teens had managed to go on with their lives, nonetheless, they each had vowed to find their captive friends as soon as possible.

It was Saturday morning, and the six teens were now standing in the lobby of the Bradford Building on the campus of Angel Grove University.

The Scholastic Achievement Test was now handled a different then years passed. In the future, Seniors always got priority over all underclassmen, which meant, that most of the time the Seniors would take the SAT on one Saturday and the underclassmen would take it on the following one.

Nick now found himself in this situation. His friends had already checked in at the front desk, and would soon be heading upstairs to take the SAT for the final time.

"So is everyone ready?" Chris whispered, as the six teens huddled in a circle.

"Yep! Sure! Let's do it! I can hardly wait to get this over with!" were their replies.

"I wish I was taking it this weekend," Nick grumbled.

"Don't worry, little bro, we'll tell you about it, afterwards. Now we've gotta get upstairs, so you'd better jet," Chris stated.

"Okay I'll meet you guys at.......Well we can't meet at the Surf Spot," Nick remembered.

"We'll all meet at the video arcade at two o'clock," Tim suggested.

They all agreed on this, and then Nick watched his friends make their way upstairs. He then turned around and exited the building.

********************

As Nick walked, hurriedly down one of the campus sideways, he was thankful at the weather wasn't too warm. He took a deep breathe, taking in the moist air that was common in the early parts of the morning in Angel Grove.

The youngest Ranger enjoyed the company of his friends, but he thankful for a little time alone, especially after everything that had happened over the past few weeks.

After walking for several minutes, Nick noticed a gazebo nearby. After walking over to get a closer look, he noticed that a young man and a young woman were sitting in the gazebo studying.

The couple appeared to be romantically involved, as they rewarded each other with a kiss when they got an answer right.

Nick's mind began to drift to his friends. They all were involved in good relationships. Joseph and Michelle had a stable relationship, Stephanie and Tim were always comforting one another, and his brother Chris was currently dating the lovely Jasmine Bradley. The question that now occupied Nick's mind now was, Why hadn't he found a girl, that he could do fun things with, like going to see movies, walking on the beach, or just hanging out at the mall.

Nick was so enthralled in his thoughts that he didn't notice Nala peeking out from behind some bushes.

*Once Ranger and he's all alone. Hmmm, Princess Zara will reward me well for destroying one of the Rangers, but how?* the Brood femme fatale thought. She then noticed that Nick's attention was focused on the two lovebirds sitting in the gazebo. *So, Nicholas wants a girlfriend does he.* A devilishly wicked smirk crept onto Nala's face as she glared venomously at the unsuspecting Gold Ranger.

********************

"Now that you've all filled out your personal information, I want all of you to take a deep breathe and prepare to take the most important test of your lives," advised an chubby woman, as she walked around the room, glancing at the anxious testtakers.

Upon returning to the front of the room she said, "You may begin."

********************

Nick was now sitting on a bench in a secluded area of Angel Grove Park, this was the perfect opportunity for Nala to make her move.

Now standing behind a tree, the African American villainess used an enchanted comb to transform the silver streaks in her otherwise black hair into normal black strands. She then pulled out a mirror an applied some make up to her face. Finally she snapped her fingers, changing her attire from a green Brood sweatsuit to a black shirt and a pair of white shorts. Nala glanced thoughtfully into her mirror one last time, admiring her makeover.

*Nick won't know what hit him* Nala thought as she placed her mirror into a purse, and then headed in Nick direction.

The youngest Ranger was now kicking around a soccer ball that he'd found lying nearby. Nick happily dribbled the ball with his feet, until he accidentally kicked too hard, and the ball went sailing through the air and into the hands of Nala.

"Mind if I join you," she asked sweetly.

"Um, I guess so," Nick replied, in a very surprised voice. He hadn't even seen or heard this girl walk up.

"My name is Neve. What's yours?" she asked, as she kicked the ball over to Nick.

"I'm Nick. Nick Medlin," the boy replied in a nervous voice.

The two of them spent about twenty minutes kicking the ball back and forth to one another, and then they decided to take a scroll through the park.

"So where are you from, Neve? I haven't seen you around here before?" Nick asked, curiously.

Thinking quickly Nala replied, "Well my family just moved here last night. We moved here from Richmond, Virginia."

"Wow! So how do you like Angel Grove so far?" Nick asked.

"At first I was angry with my parents for dragging me across the country, but I think I'm going to like it here," Nala smiled.

The look on the girl's face was all Nick needed to see, in order to assume that he'd finally found someone that he could love.

"So I'm sure that and athletic guy like yourself is very popular with the girls at school," Nala hinted.

"Actually, you're the first girl to ever really pay me any attention," Nick admitted. "I've kinda got a reputation for being a little too macho. You don't think I'm too macho do you?"

"Well I've only known you for about an hour, but from what I've seen, you seem to be a great guy," Nala replied.

"Hey look, an ice cream stand!" Nick pointed out. "Would you like one?"

This was just the distraction that Nala had been looking for. "Sure, if you don't mind paying. I'd like a chocolate ice cream cone," Nala replied.

"One chocolate ice cream cone coming up," Nick said cheerfully, as he walked over to the stand.

Nala wasted no time in ducking behind a set of bushes, pulling out her communicator, and contacting a Brood shuttle that hovered in space. "Blane, send down group of Brood soldiers. I've isolated the Gold Ranger from his friends."

"Excellent! Dark Spectre and Princess Zara will be pleased,' replied the voice of Blane.

Nala emerged from behind the bushes just as Nick was stepping away from the ice cream stand.

"Here ya go," Nick said, as he handed Nala her ice cream cone.

"Thank you," she replied politely. Nala held the cone up to her mouth, and licked it hungrily.

Nick tried to hold back his laughter as he watched his new friend eating the cone.

*Where are those soldiers?* Nala thought, as she devoured the cone.

{From out of no where, about the Brood soldiers materialized.}

"Neve, get behind me!" Nick yelled. Nala decided to play along, and did as he had requested.

Nick dropped an advancing soldiers with one of his spinning heel kicks. He then leaped into the air and dropped two more soldiers with a flying kick attack. A few soldiers seized the teen from behind, but Nick managed to wiggle himself free, and take yet another soldier down with a clothesline. With his back to her, Nala took this opportunity and drew her blaster.

As Nick continued to fight off the soldiers, he was struck in the back with a blast, and crumbled to the ground unconscious.

"Blane, the Gold Ranger has been neutralized. Teleport all of us up to the ship," Nala ordered as she spoke into the communicator. Moments later, Nala, Nick, and the soldiers vanished into thin air.

********************

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Tim said, as the five remaining Rangers exited the Bradford Building.

"Yeah, that was the longest four hours of my life," Stephanie added.

"So how do you guys think you did?" Chris asked.

"I thought the algebra problems were fairly simple," Joseph stated.

"Those stories that we had to read in the Reading & Comprehension section were boring, but then again all the stories on these types of tests usually are," Michelle stated.

"Let's see," Chris glanced at his watch. "Its twelve-fifteen. We'll head over to the mall and see if Nick is in the arcade playing games."

"Knowing Nick, that's probably where we'll find him," Michelle stated.

As the five Rangers got into Chris' van, their Liberty Orbs began to glow.

"What's wrong with the orbs," Stephanie said in puzzlement.

"I don't know, but I think we're about to find out," Chris said. As the five Rangers held their Liberty Orbs in the palm of their hands, a beams of white light emerge from each Orb. The beams joined together forming a glowing ball-like form. Within the mass of light, the Rangers saw a group of Brood soldiers carrying Nick down a dark corridor.

"Nick!" Chris yelled.

"Where are they?" said a puzzled Tim.

"Hmmm, maybe the Liberty Orb is in tune with each of us, so when one of us is in trouble---," Michelle started.

"---The other Liberty Orbs will let the rest of us know," Joseph finished. 'That's brillant."

"If that's the case then maybe we can use the equipment in the Power Lair to find Nick," Chris guessed.

"In any event, we'd better hurry, because there's no telling what the Brood plans on doing with Nick," Tim stated.

********************

Nick opened his eyes to find himself in a dark and dreary room. The floor was made from a silvery, hardened stone, and the only light in the room came from a lantern that was attached to one of the walls.

"Nick, are you okay?" Nala asked, as she entered the room still in the form of Neve.

"Neve," Nick said weakly. "Neve, we're in serious danger. Did you see who blasted me from behind?"

"No, I was too busy trying to defend myself against some of those monsters," Nala replied.

Nick sat in silence once more. He pondered whether he should use his Liberty Orb to morph. He'd stand a better chance of escaping, but could he trust Neve to keep his identity a secret? In the end, Nick decided that it would be best to wait things out and see what intentions the Brood had for him.

Nala had made up her mind that she'd stay in the form of Neve until she could figure out how the Rangers had regained their powers. She figured if she sweet talked the Gold Ranger long enough he'd eventually reveal the new power source to her.

"Neve, I'm really sorry that this happened to you. I mean, I know you didn't expect to be kidnapped by the Brood on your first day in Angel Grove," Nick said sadly.

"Its okay, Nicholas. I also didn't expect to meet the guy of my dreams, either," Nala replied.

Nick couldn't help but blush at the girl's last statement.

********************

In the Power Lair, the other Rangers were frantically using the computer to scan for the signature of Nick's Liberty Orb.

"Scanning Quadrant 6-2-7-9," Joseph said, as he gazed at the computer screen.

"How are things coming on your end, Stephanie?" Chris asked as he paced back and forth in the room.

"Still nothing in Quadrant 5-4-8-3. Wait a minute! I've got something!" Stephanie exclaimed. The other Rangers rushed over to view the Yellow Ranger's findings.

"Hmmm, it seems that the Brood has taken Nick to some sort of private dimension," Joseph guessed.

"How do you figure that?" Tim asked.

"Well according to every star chart I can think of, there's nothing in that Quadrant but space." Joseph explained.

"So how do we get into this private dimension and rescue Nick?" Tim asked.

"Do you guys remember Tommy telling us about how Rita Repulsa used these private dimensions to isolate one Ranger from the others?" Joseph asked.

"Yeah," the others replied.

"Well in the old days the Power Rangers had to reply on Billy's portal openers, but since that portal is in space and we have a ship that can travel beyond the speed of light, maybe just maybe we could use the Astro Megaship to pass through into that dimension."

"Its worth a try," Chris said. "C'mon let's go."

Tim wrote Andros and Ashley a note, explaining what had happened, and then the five teens dissolved into beams of light and streaked out of the basement.

The teens materialized on the Astro Megaship, which was currently in a large hanger on the moon, and immediately began setting the course to the gateway of the other dimension.

"Hang on, Nick, we're coming," Chris whispered, as the Megaship departed from the moon.

********************

"Nick, I'm scared," Nala said as she laid her head on Nick's shoulder.

"Don't worry we'll get outta of here somehow," Nick promised. Seconds later, the dungeon door flew open and in walked Blitzkoff followed by Blane and a few Quatrons.

"Welcome, Gold Ranger," Blitzkoff snarled as he walked up to the frightened teenager.

"What do you guys want with me?" Nick asked, as he stood up.

"You have a Liberty Orb and we want it," Blitzkoff ordered. "Hand it over or we'll hurt your pretty little girlfriend."

"Nick, what are they talking about?" Nala asked, continuing to keep up her act.

Two Quatrons seized the girl and held her firmly.

"Leave Neve out of this!" Nick yelled, as he got into his fighting stance. Before the soldiers knew what hit them, Nick had leaped into the air and taken two of them down with a flying kick. He then attacked the two soldiers who held Nala, causing them to release her and defend themselves.

It was now or never, Nick knew he wouldn't be able to defeat Blitzkoff and the remaining soldiers, unless he morphed, so pulling his Liberty Orb out of his jacket pocket, he shouted, "Let's Rocket!"

Now morphed the Gold Ranger summoned energy blasts from his shield and hurled the blasts at the Quantrons. Each of the robotic henchmen burst into flames after being struck by the blasts.

Blitzkoff grasped the Gold Ranger by the neck and hurled him against a wall.

"Hand over that Orb, Gold Ranger, and I might make your death short and painless," Blitzkoff snarled, as he approached the fallen Ranger.

Nick sprang to his feet and summoned his Dragontamer. He then began to fire streams of fire at the Brood general. "Stay back, lizard head!"

As the two warriors battled, Nala moved into position behind the Gold Ranger. She would wait for her chance and then strike when the time was right.

********************

"We approaching the portal," DECA informed, as the Megaship cruised through space.

"Okay this is it. Let's see what this ship can really do," Chris said.

"I still don't know about this," Alpha said worriedly. "I mean, the Megaship has never been run at this speed before.

"Alpha, we've got no other choice," Michelle stated.

"Everyone hang on tight, cause here.....we.....Go!" Joseph said as he keyed in the acceleration command. Instantly, the Megaship began to pick up speed. Moving faster than it had every moved before it vanished with a blur of white energy.

"Did we make it," Tim asked, as the ship returned to normal speed.

"Affirmative. We have entered the Brood's private dimension. There is a planet straight ahead, which is where the readings of Nick's Orb appear to be originating from," DECA informed.

"Head for that planet," Chris ordered. "I've got a feeling my brother could use all the help he can get."

********************

As Blitzkoff made a swipe at Nick with his sword, the Gold Ranger dodged the attack and darted out of the dungeon, followed close behind by Nala.

The couple raced down the dark hallway, which led them into a lab where they startled Finster.

"Ahhhhh!" the little elf screamed in fright.

Nick noticed the five missing morpher lying on a table and quickly scooped them up.

"Give me those," snarled Nala, as she threw a punch at Nick.

"Neve, what are you doing?" Nick asked. Before Nick's very eyes Nala transformed to her normal appearance.

"Call me Nala," she smirked. "Now if you'd kindly hand over those morphers and your Liberty Orb."

"Never!" Nick yelled, as he shoved Nala aside and ran out of the lab.

"Hold it, Gold Ranger!" yelled Blitzkoff, as he and some Quantrons blocked Nick's path.

"Looks like we've got you cornered, Nicholas," Nala hissed, as stepped out of the lab.

Just then the remaining five Rangers materialized on the scene, dressed in their Ranger suits.

"No body messes with my brother, without having to deal with me!" the Red Ranger proclaimed.

"And us!" the other Rangers added.

"Okay let's get 'em," Chris said.

The six Power Rangers began to fight off the Quantrons, with Chris soon beginning to battle Blitzkoff.

"I'll get help!" Finster said, dashing back into the lab.

"We got what we came for, so let's get outta here," the White Ranger suggested.

"Let's go. This place is too dreary for words," Michelle added.

"Hey, Nick" Nala said calmly. "The two of us aren't finished....Not by a long shot."

"That's the only thing you've got right," Nick replied, before he and his teammates teleported away.

"Cowards!" Blitzkoff waved his hands angrily in the air.

"Calm down, Blitzkoff. The Rangers will be begging for their lives, soon enough," Nala said coolly.

********************

Nick was now sitting on the park bench where his ordeal had begun. He'd explained the whole story to his friends on their way back to Earth, and when they had arrived he'd dashed off to be by himself for awhile.

*How could I have been so foolish? I should have known it was a Brood trick. I'll never let myself fall in love again.* he thought as he sat there.

"Hey, Nick," said the familiar voice of Zhane as he walked up. "Mind if I have a seat?"

"Zhane, what are you doing here," Nick asked glumly.

"The others told Andros, Ashley, Karone, and I about what happened. Your brother wanted to come talk to you, but I told him that since something similar to this happened to me, that I'd find you," the Kerovan explained.

"There's no way you could have experienced the pain I'm feeling now." Nick shook his head sadly.

"Well I did. I'm sure you've heard the story of how Karone and I fell in love," Zhane said.

"Yeah, you saved her from one of her own monsters and taught her how to roast marshmallows," the young teenager replied.

"That's right, but if you'll remember, another monster attacked and I ended up being late for my date with her. Boy was she steamed. She blasted me into a puddle of mud and told me she never wanted to see me again. Boy, it felt like she had ripped out my heart, and smashed it to pieces. I spent almost a full week in my room on the Megaship. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, all I could do was think about how much it hurt to have her reject me like she did. Finally, I realized that if Karone and I were really meant to be together it would happen in time, but in the meantime, I had some of the best friends in the universe in the forms of Andros, Ashley, T.J., Cassie, and Carlos," Zhane reminded.

"But what does that have to do with my situation? I mean, Karone had goodness in her, and it eventually came out, but Nala was just pretending to be good in order to get my Liberty Orb.'

"Nick, if there one thing I learned from my history with both Astronema and eventually Karone, its that there is good in everyone. Some beings might bury their goodness deep inside themselves, but trust me, its there. I'm sure you haven't forgotten our good friends Cameo and Corsiette. Cameo had been a member of the Brood and he turned out to be an honorable man. If Cameo can turn good, what makes you think Nala can't. Love makes people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do, like standing up to their superiors and making a change in their lives," Zhane advised.

Nick hadn't thought about it that way, but he still couldn't shake the pain that he now felt. "Zhane, I don't know why but I still love Nala regardless of who she is or what side she is on," Nick replied, in a low tone.

"Then like I did, you have to believe that that love will eventually bring the two of you together, but until then just know that you've got a bunch of friends who care about you, and value your friendship. Now c'mon, Ashley ordered a pizza, so we'd better get back to the Power Lair before all of it gets eaten," Zhane stated.

The two men rose from their seats and walked off, as the sun began to set.