Chapter One: The Universe - Where Are They Now?

Zordon pulled out his saber and pointed it at the ranger standing before him.

"Red Ranger, huh? Then you're under arrest in the name of the Alliance."

"'In the name of the Alliance?' Nice try, sport. You're under arrest in the name of the Alliance. Step out of the shadows and put your weapon down... NOW!" The Red Ranger demanded.

In the name of the Alliance? What have I missed in the last six months...? Zordon thought. As he slowly stepped forward, he kept his grip on his blade's handle. He was ready to attack first and ask questions later if he needed to.

"Wa-Watsaw!" Zordon heard as he saw the Red Ranger fall to the ground. As the ranger fell, the attacker made their identity known.

"Zordon, am I glad to see you." The Gold Ranger said as she appeared.

"Wait... What?" Zordon said, confused as to where she came from.

She ran to Zordon and grabbed his arm. "No time! Follow me!" As she pulled him forward, he felt a wave of power permeate around him. He looked down and saw that not only had Tria, the Gold Ranger, had become near invisible, but so had he.

As Zordon and the Gold Ranger made their getaway, the Red Ranger stood.

"Red Ranger reporting in. I found the energy anomaly, but the ranger from Triforia intercepted the target."

From the ship in space, General Claire Risp spoke to her ranger over the communication network. "Alright, Red. Get back up here. I'll gather the other rangers immediately."

Before long, the Red, Green, Blue, and Pink Alliance Rangers stood before General Risp.

"Demorph, please."

She watched as they demorphed. She had personally picked her each of her rangers from the ranks of what had been left of the Alliance following the Final Siege, which was the name given to the attack that led to what many had said was the downfall of the organization the Morphing Masters had tried so hard to keep alive.

Once Master Vile had made his getaway with the Gold Ranger, Sentinel Knight had made a meeting with the remaining Morphing Masters. He decided that it would be in the best interests of what was left of the Alliance for him to temporarily resign as the presiding member of the Alliance. He had said he would use all of his energy to maintain and protect the Corona Aurora. Before he disappeared he left the Alliance in the hands of Master Ivicar.

Ivicar's first order of business was to assign Orion to oversee a new project: the Alliance's own team of rangers. With the creation of Kamen Rider: Decade, the Gold Ranger from Triforia, and the Black Ranger from the Karovan System, he said it was time to use the term "Power Ranger" not for vigilantes who wished to set the bounds for the universe's hierarchy, but for those who truly had the universe's best interests at heart.

It had not taken Burai and Orion long to get the research team producing viable morphers: there were many schematics left behind on old hard drives from former scientists' ambitions during Master Vile's preliminary war on the planet Decrof. Burai had felt it odd and hypocritical to be using the data for the Alliance, since so many students and professional scientists had lost their careers over that very same research.

What's wrong at one time apparently is not wrong at other times... Burai would think to himself, trying to justify to himself his actions.

Once the project was finished, Orion and Magnus made the decision to put one of their most decorated soldiers as the leader of the ranger project: Claire Risp. She was to hand pick five of the best soldiers she knew and lead them as their mentor.

As the Pink Ranger, she picked the medical professional Priscilla Dale. After the death and disappearance of so many professionals in the months following the Final Siege, Priscilla had her path to be a doctor somewhat fast tracked. She quickly became a leader within the ranks of the Alliance's medical field and was able to organize what remained of the medical professionals in such a way that the Alliance was able to make optimal usage of the low number of personnel they had. Coupled with her fighting prowess, Risp was certain she had made a good choice for her first ranger.

She picked Reon Talp, who had just been promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant, to be the team's Green Ranger. He had always been faithful to her in what duties he had been asked, and had a working knowledge of the Alliance's computer network. He was a competent fighter and always made up for whatever technique he lacked with ingenuity and grit. Their friendship had started back when they were members of The Academy, and she knew he would continue his faithful duties as a ranger.

As the Blue Ranger, she picked Drew Filcar. She had first met him in the beginning of the wars which had been occurring within the Alliance surrounding the protection of the Zeo Crystal. Risp was the commanding officer who had brought in Zedd's archaeologic team in the first place. That fact in and of itself always made Risp feel as if she owed them something. Although she had been solely following orders, she couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt whenever she heard of another of Zedd's team who had fallen in battle. When it came to Filcar, she had seen that time and time again, he had volunteered to help fight for the Alliance. She had seen his leadership abilities and fighting prowess first hand, and knew he was the best pick for her team's second-in-command.

The Yellow Ranger was originally to be Burai, the head of Research and Development for what was left of the Alliance. The idea had been vetoed by Master Orion, though, because he said Burai was too valuable and he could not allow for him to be put in that much danger. Still unsure of who it was to be, theYellow Ranger morpher stayed deactivated, awaiting its rightful user to bond their DNA to it.

The leader of her team, the Red Ranger, was an easy pick for her. During the Final Siege, although each of the others had been apart of the fight, one man was there with her to the end. This was the same man who, after having awoken from his concussion inducing attack, pulled her out of the rubble from which she found herself, after having narrowly missed being decimated by a plasma grenade from the Gold Ranger. He had gone and looked for any survivors and loaded them onto his vessel. He, Talp, and Priscilla had loaded all of the wounded and flew them out to safety before Master Vile had sent more of his team down to capture the remaining survivors. Paul Rahp, former archaeologist, was the Red Alliance Ranger.

After hearing Rahp's report of what occurred, Risp shook her head. "That Gold Ranger must be stopped. But first... we need to find out who this person was. Are you sure it actually wasn't Zordon of Eltar, like he said he was?"

Rahp shrugged. "Honestly, I had let the idea stay in my head it could've been him. I didn't know for sure, so until I did, I treated him as a hostile. I really couldn't make out his features: he had been hunched over in a corner working on a computer."

"That's impossible," Talp said. "All of the electric circuits in the old Alliance HQ have been destroyed. There should have been no way for him to access anything there."

"All I know is that he was working on a computer, and one of those small wrist techs as well." Rahp replied.

"He had a wrist tech?" Filcar said. "Weren't those only given out to Morphing Masters?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean much now." Priscilla said. "I mean, we don't even know if Master Ivicar is still alive. He, Gosei, Gerlit, Estro... they've all been missing for months. This guy could've simply been some bandit he had items stolen from the corpses of dead Masters."

Although none of them wanted to entertain the idea of more Morphing Masters being destroyed, they knew deep down that it was a possibility.

Risp nodded. "Okay then. Until we know anything, we act as if the person who appeared today on this planet is a hostile. They were last seen running with the Gold Ranger, and any friend of an enemy of the Alliance is an enemy to us.

"Now, we have reports of an approaching armada from Master Vile's forces to a planet nearby. We have been dispatched to see what we can do to help."

"Right!" They yelled in unison.

"Rangers, move out." Risp said calmly as she turned back to the console. The four rangers made their way to the teleportation room to be ready to descend down to the planet when they arrived. Risp looked at the ship's window, sighing as she did.

When will this war end? Good always wins... so... the only matter at hand is how long until we win? She thought to herself, desperately trying to maintain her conviction. She felt powerless to defend her people. She only hoped that she was making a difference.

Meanwhile, on the very planet the Alliance Rangers were heading, five other people made their way down to the planet in a very unexpected way: they dropped their anchors from their pirate ship. As they did, the assembled on the roof of the building closest to them.

Grabbing a megaphone, one of them began shouting to the people scurrying about on the streets below, saying, "Listen here. We're Kaizoku SentaiGokaiger. I'm Captain Marvelous."

"Kaizoku? What does that mean?" Some of the people wondered on the streets as they stopped to focus on the disturbance from the five odd people staring down at them.

"This planet has treasure, right? Just tell us where it is." Marvelous continued, as he paced back and forth along the building's edge.

Frustrated, his former commanding officer, Luka, grabbed the megaphone out of his hands. "No use in hiding it!" She glared down at the people below. Ever since she had left the ranks of the Alliance, she had seen everyone as people getting in the way of what could get her true freedom from the problems of the universe: money.

The former princess from Rashon slowly took the megaphone from Luka. "You should not do that, Luka."

Taking a step forward and acting the only way she knew how to, she turned on the charm and spoke down to the people as if she were addressing the people on her planet, saying, "Fair tidings to you all. Let's see..."

She then pointed to a man down on the street. "The commoner over there. Yes. You. Do you know anything?"

Is this a trick question? The guy wondered. Of course he knew something about life in general. He was afraid these people would attack him if he said anything wrong. Finally, he decided to just give a straight answer under the assumption they were asking him about the treasure they had mentioned earlier.

"Oh. I don't know anything." He said.

"Have you heard any rumors about treasure?" The former princess asked.

"Oh. I deeply apologize, but... I don't think anyone here knows about that." The native looked around to find people nodding in agreement to his statement.

"Oh, my..." She said, looking disappointedly at Captain Marvelous. Ever since they had decided to take on Villamax as their mentor and become pirates, she had done everything she could to make Marvelous happy. She still had feelings for him, even though he had grown distant since the fall of the Alliance. He had taken it hard, and unknown to her, he decided to not let her into his life anymore because deep down, he was afraid he would lose her just as he had lost the Alliance. As she looked at him, he just stared down at the floor beneath him.

Her former bodyguard, Joe Kenig, took the megaphone from her, in his mind to actually get things done. He looked at Marvelous with a sneer on his face.

"This isn't what I was told I was signing up for when I became a 'pirate'..." He said, Marvelous still looking down at the ground.

"See? Didn't I say so?" Doc said, reminding everyone that he had warned them this sector of the galaxy was not one they should be in at the time. He was afraid from what he had gathered from broken patches of communication around that galaxy that all planets had either already been plundered by Vile, or they were in the process of getting plundered. Doc had predicted that they would either be wasting their time on the planet, or getting themselves mixed up with Vile again, which was the furthest thing they wanted.

"What'll we do, Marvelous?" Luka asked.

He thought about it for a moment. He thought about the pressures they had all been under recently: not finding the treasure they thought they would find; constant training under Villamax's tough schedule; wondering whether they made the right decision to leave the Alliance; wondering if they would escape Vile's reach; wondering if they would live to see their homes again...

"Let's eat." He said.

"Eh!?" Doc said, completely thrown off guard.

"Man..." Joe said, trying to hide his relief from the constant pirate act they had been trying to adopt.

"But we don't have this planet's currency!" Doc said. "What are you planning to do?"

"Luka." Marvelous said.

"Eh?" She replied.

"I need one of your rings."

Since the fall of the Alliance, Luka had found a coping mechanism in hoarding and collecting jewels. No matter how much she had, she wasn't able to completely fill the void she had in her heart from fighting for the Alliance. Not completely... but it was close.

She looked down at her ring before slowly realizing that Marvelous intended on trading her ring for money on the planet. As she did, she looked at her old friend with horror in her eyes.

As the Gokaigers went to trade in the ring, the Alliance Rangers saw several ships in orbit around the planet.

"This is as far as I can get you guys." Risp said from the command helm to her rangers in the teleportation room.

"We're ready." Rahp replied.

"Remember: the moment you touch down on the planet, your energy signatures will tell Vile's forces you have arrived, meaning-"

"Meaning we get down there ready to fight." Rahp said. His ranger team nodded as they looked at each other.

"Let's morph before we get down there." Filcar suggested.

"Right." They said.

Grabbing their belt buckles, they said in unison: "Victory!" This had been the motto of the Alliance since the Final Siege, and as a remembrance of such, it was programmed as the first word to be said for voice recognition of each ranger.

"Alliance: Green!"

"Alliance: Pink!"

"Alliance: Blue!"

"Alliance: Red!"

In their power suits, they stepped onto the platform in the room and were teleported to the planet. As they did, they assumed their fighting stances. Before long, they were joined by Tenga Warriors and Blue Globbor.

"Great... Globbor monsters." Talp said as he looked around.

"Keep your cool, Reon." Priscilla said.

Talp looked at her. "Of course!" Smiling under his helmet, he charged at the nearest Tenga, sliding at him and taking him out at the feet.

"Let's do it!" Rahp yelled. The four entered into combat on the planet, hoping to stop Vile's forces from completely their pre-emptive attack.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, the pirate gang sat down for a meal at a restaurant with the money they had just received. As they walked in, Luka unconsciously held the money to her chest as if it were a newborn.

As they sat down looking over the menu, Doc looked at Marvelous.

"Why this place!?" He complained.

"It smells good." Marvelous said with a smirk on his face.

"I understand, but..." He said, alluding to the fact he thought the place wasn't elegant enough. As a doctor for the Alliance, he had quite a hefty salary and had been used to eating at finer establishments.

Hoping to win Marvelous' favor, the princess attempted to defend his choice. "A taste of the commoner's lifestyle can be a good experience!"

"The only unusual thing here is how ridiculous it is." Luka said, disappointed her beloved cash would be spent on a place like that.

"Well... just how are we going to find the Greatest Treasure in the Universe?" Joe asked, completely derailing the subject.

"That's just a myth Villamax told us!" Doc said.

"Let's focus on the small stuff, shall we?" Marvelous asked rhetorically.

Looking at Joe, seeing he wasn't pleased with the response, Marvelous said, "Don't be in such a hurry. Your brain won't work if you don't eat."

Just then, the waiter appeared and handed each of them their plates. Starving, they looked down at the food in front of them, forgetting the ill feelings they had toward the establishment.

"Let's eat!" Marvelous said.

Excited, they all began to put the first spoon to their mouths when suddenly an explosion from the fight with the Alliance Rangers rocked through the restaurant, scorching most everything. The pirates looked down to find their food was destroyed in the random fire burst that had rocked their meal. Luka's money flew about the restaurant in the aftermath. She screamed as she saw it.

Upset, the pirates walked out of the restaurant to see what was happening outside, with Luka following behind trying to salvage what she could of their money. As they walked outside, they saw the rangers fighting for their lives.

"Ugh, Alliance Rangers. Let's get out of here." Marvelous said.

They all nodded and began to head back to their ship, except the princess. She didn't budge, staring at the scene. Noticing, Marvelous made his way back to her and in a rare moment, dropped his guard.

"What is it?" He asked. The others ran back as he spoke to her.

They looked to see the four rangers surrounded by Blue Globbor, ready to infect them and drain their energy.

"Aren't we going?" Doc asked, pointing in the direction of their ship.

Knowing who each of the rangers actually were, Luka began remembering her allegiance to her fellow soldiers. Turning to everyone, she said, "I hate to say it... but those soldiers might have no future if we don't..."

"Just like my people..." The princess said.

As the Globbor monsters closed in on the Alliance Rangers, clutching their uniforms, the pirates looked at each other.

Marvelous broke the silence as he began walking toward the scene. "I don't like this."

the Alliance Rangers looked around them. Their energy levels had been nearly depleted in the waves of enemies they had defeated up to that point, but Vile's patrol ship in orbit continued to send down wave upon wave of monsters.

Risp, from her ship in orbit, slammed her fist into the console. She felt powerless. She didn't know what to do to save her soldiers. She knew she needed to do something.

As the first Globbor prepared to spit its goo onto Alliance Red, it suddenly staggered forward, being shot in the back. While the Globbor monsters turned around, the pirates walked toward them.

Suddenly, someone descended onto the planet from the ship in orbit. It was the ship's commander, Novact.

"It's you guys." He said, smiling. His glowed with a yellow light. "If I recall, you're the wanted pirates! Just what do you think you're doing!? I bet you're here just looking for treasure. I'll let you all go this time, so disappear from my sight."

"Shut up!" Luka said with a smile on her face, feeling the excitement she used to have before a battle.

"You're the one who's going to disappear." Joe warned.

"Have you lost your sense!?" Novact asked in astonishment. "I'm Master Vile's best soldier! Do you know what happens to those who defy me!?"

Marvelous nodded. "We do, but... It's the plank for those I don't like!"

Slowly, each pirate pulled out a small crystal. Once each pirate had their crystal glistening in the sun, Marvelous continued his small speech by saying, "That's what pirates do."

Pulling out their communicators, they pushed the special button which turned it into their morphing devices. Pulling back before holding it out in front of them, they twisted their torsos to the right before getting back into their standing position.

"Gokai Change!" They yelled. They each inserted their crystals into the morpher, activating the mechanism for their transformation.

The morpher did its job, surrounding them with Morphing Energy until they were in their suits. It was their first time morphing while not being in a training scenario with Villamax, so they were all feeling rather anxious. They remembered what Villamax had taught them about showmanship, though, and did what they had been taught. Marvelous led the group by proclaiming his ranger name first.

"Gokai Red."

"Gokai Blue."

"Gokai Yellow."

"Gokai Green."

"Gokai Pink."

All together, they announced the name of their band of marauders: "Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger!"

Novact looked at them, and then back at the Alliance Rangers. He began to be nervous. He had never seen so many morphed fighters in one area at once. He kept his hand on the hilt of his sword. Before he could make a decision, he felt a power surge behind him. As he turned around, he saw Claire Risp.

"Commander Risp?" Gokai Yellow said, looking at Gokai Red. He nodded.

She stared at Novact. "So, if it isn't the traitor."

He sneered at her. "So, if it isn't the loser who stayed with the losing team."

She pulled a device out of her pocket. She pushed the button. Electrical surges poured out, hitting the Alliance Rangers.

"Huh?" Rahp said, staggering up.

"It's a device to get your powers temporarily back up while you wait for them to recharge. It should get you through this battle." Risp said.

"Ha! What's the matter, missy? Too afraid you'll break a nail? You have to have others do your dirty work?" Novact taunted, speaking to Risp. The Globbor around him laughed with him.

She smirked. "No, I'm not. Victory!" Grabbing the newly placed buckle on her belt, her DNA began to bond with the morphing device.

"Huh!?" Novact said, stepping back.

"Alliance: Yellow!" Risp said, finalizing her transformation into the Yellow Alliance Ranger.

Novact's eyes turned back to its normal color. He looked at the five Alliance Rangers, then at the five pirate rangers behind him.

"Hmph. I'm no fool. I know a fight I can't win when I see it. Next time we meet, I'll make sure to have to numbers to match you all. Until then, rangers!" And with that, Novact and his men returned to their ship.

"Don't mention it." Joe said, looking at the Alliance Rangers.

"Actually, yeah... thank you guys." Alliance Pink said to the Gokaigers.

Alliance Yellow looked at Alliance Red. He nodded and stepped forward. "Interesting... I did not know you guys had access to ranger tech..."

"There's a lot you don't know about us, Rahp." Gokai Red said, flicking the collar of his suit.

"Well, I'm sure we'll have all the time in the world to learn back at Alliance headquarters. Gokaigers, you are under arrest for theft and for vigilante behaviors by authority of the Alliance. Come with us and we promise no one will get hurt."

Gokai Blue shook his head. Gokai Red looked down at the ground, considering the situation.

"Are you serious!? We just saved your lives!" Gokai Pink yelled, stomping her feet on the ground.

"They don't care: they're Alliance puppets, doing whatever they're told." Gokai Yellow said matter of factly.

Alliance Blue pointed at each of them. "We really do appreciate your help. We promise that will be taken into account. Really. It's just that... you guys know how it is. We need to follow procedures! It's the procedures that keep everything in check!"

Gokai Red laughed. "I'm sure those procedures are what ensured the success of the United Alliance, huh? Sure is an odd way of telling someone you're thankful... We're not going anywhere with you. We have things to do."

"If you had things to do, then why did you help us?" Alliance Pink demanded.

"It had nothing to do with you. Those morons just ruined our dinner is all, and we were paying them retribution."

"Oh, is that right?" Alliance Green asked.

"Yeah, that's right." Gokai Green replied, trying to straighten the wrinkles in his suit as he did.

"Then you leave us no choice..." Alliance Yellow said.

Alliance Red nodded. "Alliance Rangers: battle formation."

Gokai Red looked at those around him. "Ready? Let's make this showy."

And with that, the two teams of rangers charged at each other.

"I believe you." Zordon said as he looked into the fire.

"What makes you believe me?" Tria asked as she warmed her hands.

Zordon thought of what The Guardian had told him. It would take far too long to explain everything to her...

"I've learned some things during the past six months... Not a lot, but enough to let me know you are one of the good guys." Zordon said, looking at her.

"Good. I'm glad you've learned somethin'. Now, we need to get goin'. We can't stay in one spot for long. Vile will find us."

"Going? Going where?"

"Where people need help. That's what I use the Gold Ranger powers for now. Wherever there are people in need, I'm there. I'll leave you on Triforia before I move on." She said as she started to quench the fire she had built for them to get warm.

"No. I'm coming with you." Zordon said, standing up.

"You sure about that?"

"Most definitely. I have a role to play in all of this, and I choose to accept it. I will make sure to do my part to put an end to all of this. So, where's our first stop."

Tria smiled as she picked up her bag. "Aquitar."

"Run!" Gosei yelled as they ran out of the cave. He knew Maligore would be catching up soon.

Gerlit ran as fast as he could while holding the object in his hands. He did all he could to ensure he didn't drop it. Waves of relief hit him as he saw the light from the cave's exit. He looked back and saw Gosei move the boulders to create a blockade behind them to slow the lava beast down.

"That should give us some time." Gerlit said as their ship landed behind them.

"Yeah. I don't think he'll be able to trace us by the time he gets out of there." Gosei said, wiping sweat from off his brow. "So, you still have it, right?"

Gerlit lifted up a hand and showed it to him. Gosei nodded.

Gerlit walked into the ship while speaking to Gosei. "We need to get this to Liaria right away to create the firewall to ensure it stays safe."

"Agreed." Gosei said as the ship blasted off from Earth. "We cannot let anyone get the Greatest Treasure in the Universe."