THE FESTERING SPAWN OF THE MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS
	   MEET THE TATTOOED TEENAGE ALIEN FIGHTERS FROM BEVERLY 
	   HILLS WITH SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY THE SUPERHUMAN
	   SAMURAI SYBER SQUAD:	A CHANGE OF PACE

	Tommy's arms were tied to a horizontal bar suspended from the ceiling
of his grandfather's cabin.  His legs were tied to a similar bar so his body
made an X.  He wore leather cuffs on his ankles and wrists to prevent chafing
and marking.  "More!  Give me more!!"  He screamed in an odd mixture of agony
and pleasure as Kimberly brought the pink whip down on his back again and
again.  She had gotten better at this in the past month; she was taking lessons
from Jason.
	"Don't you dare demand from me," she screeched in her best Rita Repulsa
imitation.  "Remember who your mistress is!"  Kim didn't mind helping Tommy out
with this strange idea of foreplay (in fact, it was kind of fun), but talking
like Rita left her hoarse for hours.
	Facing Tommy, Saba ran his claws down Tommy's torso, tracing his well-
defined musculature.  Saba was careful, as Kimberly was, not to break the skin.
Red welts rose along the path of his claws.  Tommy shuddered in ecstasy.  
	Saba and Kimberly switched positions to better cut Tommy down before
having their wicked ways with him.  Saba started to cut through the rope
attached to the cuff on Tommy's left hand; Kim did the same on the right.  Just
then, a familiar but forgotten chime sounded from the rumpled pile of clothing
in the corner of the room.  Kimberly leaned against Tommy and whispered in his
ear, "Let's just ignore it; it's a mass hallucination.  Why would Zordon summon
us, anyway?  We've been canceled."
	Tommy sighed.  "No, we better not.  Remember the last time we ignored
the signal?  I think this would be a whole lot more embarrassing than that
was."
	"All right.  I'll get your communicator."  Both males ogled her as she
bent over the pile of clothing.  She returned with the communicator and held it
so Tommy could talk into it.
	"I read you, Zordon.  What's up?  I thought we were canceled."
	"You were, but an emergency has risen.  Lord Zed is attempting to take
control of the Earth by starting with San Francisco.  Report to the Command
Center at once.
	"Ahhh...You'll have to give Kim and me a few minutes.  I'm, uh, in the
middle of something, kind of tied up, at the moment.  Kim's been helping."
	"Very well.  I shall contact the others."
	Kimberly and Saba set about the business of getting Tommy down and
getting the circulation back in his limbs.  As the two humans got dressed, Saba
returned to his dormant state.  Soon, the basement was empty as they left in a
flash of pink and white lights.
	Across the lake, two figures witnessed the lights. Bulk grabbed Skull's
collar.  "Did you see that? The Power Rangers are back!"
	Just outside the cabin, Billy fiddled with a rectangular shaped, blue
device.  As he gathered a small pile of photos from where they lay on the
ground, his communicator issued its familiar chirp.  He answered the call
automatically, his mind dealing with what to do with the photos he had taken. 
Should he sell them to Playboy, Penthouse, or the National Enquirer?  A smile
briefly played across his features before he teleported.  He would definitely
have to show these to Trini and Alpha.  To play it safe, he set his time
transponder device to give him twenty minutes before the call came.  He wanted
a chance for some fun before getting down to work.

	In the Command Center, only Alpha-5 and Billy were there to greet Tommy
and Kimberly.  Both couples looked rather worse for wear and extremely annoyed
(both of which were good tricks for Alpha).  Zordon's enormous visage floated
above them.  "Greetings, Rangers.  I am sad to say that your three fellows have
decided to retire."
	"What?"  Tommy strode as close as he dared to the console.  "Can they
do that?  How are we going to fight Zed with only half the team?"
	"Relax, Rangers."  Tommy immediately backed away; he had gotten too
close and now his head was ringing.  "I have replacements for you.  They are
your friends, Rocky, Adam, and Ayesha."  As Zordon spoke, the three filed out
from behind the main console.  
	The original Rangers and the replacement Rangers greeted each other
with great joy, as if the replacements had always been part of the team. 
Disappointed, the former Black, Red, and Yellow Rangers walked down the rocky
slope from which the Command Center emerged.  The three had been watching from
a small hole in one of the walls.  As they walked, they discussed their plans
for the future.
	"Maybe we should start our own superhero team.  We still have our
morphers and communicators," Jason suggested.
	"Forget it," Trini spat out venomously.  "I'm going to Japan, where the
rest of my family is."  She ripped off her communicator and threw it against
the rocks.  "Actually, I think I'll go to China instead.  They have a marvelous
training ground there."  She disappeared in a streak of yellow light.
	Jason and Zack looked at one another and shrugged.  They continued down
the slope together, speculating on why Zordon fired them.

	"Behold the viewing globe, Rangers."  Yes, Zordon thought, these new
Rangers will do nicely.  They fill out the spandex so much better than the
others, who were getting a bit long in the tooth.  "Zed's new plan is to
establish himself as a religious figure and get humans to fight for him with 
his putties and monsters.  Zed and Rita are currently in San Fransisco trying
to convert this crowd."  
	Sure enough, Zed and Rita were standing on one of Serpentera's claws,
showing their power by turning innocuous items into monsters and back.  The
crowd cheered and yelled,"Hallelujah!" where appropriate.
	Tommy struck a dramatic pose, like the Riker Academy for Creative
Posturing taught him to, and stepped once in Zordon's direction.  "He's not
getting away with holy war on this planet!  It's morphin time!"

	Ahhh, Zed thought, the crowd is reacting just as I had anticipated. 
Taking over this puny world will be easier than I ever dreamed possible.  Soon
those Power Brats will be a small pocket of resistance fit only to be ignored.
Hah-ha-ha-ha-haahh!!  It was all he could do to keep from laughing out loud
during his speech on how disappointed he was with the state of the world.  Why
hadn't he thought of this sooner?  Those two mice would have to be paid
handsomely.
	What a maroon!  Well, I guess he's more red, but still...  The crowd
was playing him like a violin!  They give him what he wants to hear, promise to
join his cult, and maybe five actually do.  From her vantage point at the top
of an ancient sycamore, the figure alighted there, gray- purple wings
positioned to block out glare from the sun, watching the scene with great
mirth.  He had better tricks than most wanna-be messiahs, but his essence was
just the same.  Another supervillain trying to take over the world through a
holy war.  Why did they always start with San Fransisco?  
	Then again, how could she wonder when she herself was the idol of a
cult?  Not that it was her idea, mind you.  In fact, she hated it.  She was
going to have to leave soon, before one of her followers saw her there and
decided the sycamore was sacred to her.  Spirits only knew what they'd try to
do to honor her with it.  A bizarre orgy came to mind.
	The AmerIndian was just about to take off, when six ribbons of light
streaked their way into the gathering.  Oho, she thought as the lights
coalesced into spandex-clad figures, this will be interesting.
	Half the new arrivals faced the crowd; the others kept a wary eye on
Zed and his wife.   "Whatever this man has told you about himself is a lie!  He
only wants to take control of Earth!"  From the exaggerated bobbing of his
head, Thunderbird guessed the white one was speaking.  She sighed; more out-
of-towners.  Oh, well, at least this was better than the show Doctor Destroyer
put on.  
	"Good people, I mean to do no such thing.  If I lie, may the heavens
smite me."  Thunderbird nearly fell out of her tree.  That was her cue. 
Grinning impishly, she reached out to the air around her and spoke to it.  A
bolt of lightning flashed from the sky, accompanied by a roll of thunder that
cracked all the glass in the vicinity.  A few people in the crowd started
scanning the treetops, searching for her.  Ooops.  She could usually pick her
followers out of a crowd; they liked to wear wings like hers on their clothes.
Apparently, these wanted to be inconspicuous.
	The bolt was mostly sound and fury, only enough electricity to singe
the victim around the edges.  It was her trademark, but she was still unknown
enough to get away with something like that.  The locals might recognize her
handiwork, but the strangers would have no clue.  Lord Zed was frozen in the
posture he had taken while beseeching the heavens' testimony to his veracity.
	Playing along with the game, the crowd became restless, booing and
hissing.  Somehow sensing the crowds' displeasure, Zed and his wife sank down
into the dragon's massive foot.  Before he disappeared completely, he changed
one last object, a neglected backpack.  This monster, unlike the others, was
accompanied by eight human-like gray creatures.  The mundanes, terrified,
scattered like ants. The giant dragon-ship rose into the sky, headed for the
moon.
	The Backpachyderm (it looked like a backpack with arms, legs, and an
elephantine trunk) used his trunk to pull a giant pen out of his mouth.  A thin
beam of light, eighteen inches long, issued from its tip.  "The pen is mightier
than the sword, Rangers!  Putties, attack!"
	The putties rushed forward and formed a circle around the Power
Rangers.  The Rangers responded with various unnecessary gymnastics before
finally trying to hit their opponent's "Z" spots.  The putties would then
explode from the over-stimulation.  They died happy.
	While the Rangers and putties distracted each other, Thunderbird took
the opportunity to swoop down on the Backpachyderm.  She caught him with the
edge of a wing as she flew past. Quickly, she spun in midair, and kicked him
before he could get his bearings.  He swiped her with the pen laser, which her
forcefield blocked.  He caught her ankle with his trunk.  She clapped his head
region with her wings and squeezed.
	Thunderbird was just about to knock the Backpachyderm unconscious with
a final kick, when the Rangers finished with the putties.  All but the White
Ranger manifested their weapons and brought them together to form a single
unit.  Realizing what was about to happen, Thunderbird released her captive and
flew for cover.  The Backpachyderm exploded, then returned to its natural
backpack state.
	In the aftermath, Thunderbird alighted in front of the Power Rangers,
who were in their victory pose. She stood there, gold eyes glittering and
feathers ruffled with mild annoyance (she prided herself on not getting mad). 
Rocky reacted to her first.  "Hi, we're the Power Rangers, from Angel Grove. 
Despite how our ancestors wronged yours, will you see it in your heart to give
us the pleasure of your name?"  The two Rangers closest to him, Ayesha and
Tommy, stepped a few feet from him to avoid his knee.  It was jerking terribly.
	Thunderbird raised an eyebrow and her mouth twitched.  She spoke very
calmly, though her feathers gave her true feelings away.  "Go away.  Now." 
She, Ayesha, and Tommy had to jump to avoid getting kicked by Rocky's knee; it
was jerking so hard he could barely keep his balance.  The other Rangers
started making bets on whether he would fall over.
	Eyes burning, Thunderbird's temper finally snapped.  "How could you do
that?!  You killed a sentient being.  I had the situation under control.  I
don't know who you are, but you play by my rules on my turf and other
appropriate cliches!"  She flicked her wings, and a ball of thunder knocked the
Rangers over like ten-pins.  She flew back into the trees.
	The Power Rangers exchanged what glances they could through their
helmets.  "I wonder what that was all about?"  Tommy thought aloud; the others
shrugged.  "We'd better be getting back.  We can tell Zordon we won't have to
worry about Zed using this tactic again."  The Rangers teleported in flashes of
light.
	Starting from the trees, Thunderbird followed the lights as they sped
through the sky.  The lights led her south over Los Angeles and Beverly Hills
to a lone outcropping of rock with an observatory at its peak.  The lights
continued through the roof; she was forced to land atop it.  She found a slit
in the dome she could use to spy.

	Inside the Command Center, Tommy described the strange events that
transpired in San Fransisco.  "And then she just blew up at us.  It wasn't just
Rocky's stupid speech, either."
	Kimberly spoke up.  "I think she was upset over us destroying Zed's
monster."  The conversation drifted around Billy; he was distracted by his
missing third.  Why did Trini retire without telling him?  And why did she go
to China?  And, most importantly, just how did he know she went to China?
	Through his funk, Billy noticed scenes were playing across the viewing
globe.  The more he looked, the more the scenery looked familiar.  "Zordon?  On
the viewing globe, is that CNN?"  The globe abruptly went static.
	"Billy," Zordon boomed.  "I want you to take the day off to get your
prescription checked."  Inwardly, Zordon breathed a sigh of relief.  That had
been close.
	"You may go, Rangers.  I will notify you of further developments."  The
Rangers disappeared in their ribbons of light.  "Alpha, I want you.  I mean I
want you to wash and wax the Zords, we may need to bring them out again." 
Alpha obediently stepped into the garage.  The viewing globe switched to the
Ecstasy channel where a woman had her way with a wiener dog.  

	Outside, Thunderbird searched for a way in.  She didn't have enough
time to get out of the way of the teleporting Rangers; the yellow one went
through her.  Thunderbird shuddered; she felt vaguely dirty. She just wasn't
that kind of a girl.
	She finally found the door, and walked in.  No alarms went off,
nothing.  She shrugged; they were bigger morons than she thought.  A huge face
floated above a complex computer console.  She guessed their computer to be on
idle and boldly walked up to it.  Since the best way to learn is by doing, she
immediately started pressing buttons; the face looked down at her.
	"You! Who are you?  Don't touch those buttons; they control the
morphing grid!"  Zordon gave the best enraged, you-are-worse-than-dead look he
could, failing miserably.
	Thunderbird raised an eyebrow.  "Oh, yeah?  What are you going to do
about it? You're just a big, floating face!"  She pushed more buttons randomly. 
The face now sported a boulder hat and a Hitler-like mustache. 
	"You're the girl the Rangers ran into, aren't you?  Well, this is
another fine mess they've gotten me into!"  Thunderbird's ears pricked; she
could swear she heard the voice from two different sources.  She tried to see
what was beyond the computer.  Finding only blackness, she decided to have a
closer look.  As she neared the back of the room, she was able to make out the
faint outline of a door.  
	"Where do you think you're going?" the face thundered.  Maybe the
volume control was beyond the door, and that's why he didn't want her back
there.  Her fingers found the knob and turned it.  Thunderbird blinked
momentarily as light flooded her eyes.  A large man sat near a counter speaking
into a microphone in front of a computer.  "Pay no attention to the man behind
the juice counter!"  Ernie/Zordon boomed.  Beyond where the man was sitting,
Thunderbird saw a sign that read,"Angel Grove Gym, Youth Center, and Juice
Bar".
	Thunderbird arched an eyebrow in the direction of the man behind the
juice counter.  "So, like, what is going on here?"
	Ernie sighed and turned off the microphone.  "This old building used to
be a speakeasy during Prohibition.  I was searching to make sure I found all
the secret rooms.  I didn't want any unsavory types to find them before I did.
	"Anyways, I found that corridor you just came out of, and there was
this little robot guy telling me he was guarding the galaxy or something.  I
thought he was kind of cute, so I said I'd help.
	"We made up a little history and a character named Zordon.  I figured
it would be a good way to get to know some people with great bods.  I mean, I
get to look at them all day, but none of them are interested in me.  How was I
supposed to know there really were some nutty people out to take over the world
and that stupid computer actually worked?"
	"Wait a minute.  You started the Power Rangers so you could get off on
some young bods without them knowing?  You're sick."
	"Yeah, you're probably right.  I've felt like getting it off my chest
for a while, now.  I'm surprised it's worked so well;  they're great looking,
but not too terribly bright."
	"I guess that's why you didn't call for that little robot guy."
	"Yeah, I could have, couldn't I?"
	Thunberbird put a hand to her head.  "I have to get out of this town. 
I can feel my IQ dropping."


	Rita and Zed spent most of Saturday after temple talking with their
rabbi, Finster.  They were having a heated argument over procreation.  Zed
wanted to, Rita didn't.  Finster suggested they practice working together by
trying (yet again) to take over the world by defeating the Power Rangers.
	Zed took Rita's hand in his.  "Our first act together today shall be to
fire those rat advisors we hired last month."
	"We're mice," a small voice with a slight Brooklyn accent said.  "If
you had listened all the way through, it would have worked."  She absent-
mindedly filed her nails.  "Do you know who the Grateful Dead are?"
	"Uuuh,"Goldar commented.
	"Oh, I know, Bobbie! Snart! All the people who have passed on who led
good lives."  The other mouse volunteered.
	"Y'know, Dinkie, maybe you should chat some with Goldar."  Bobbie
raised an eyebrow.
	Dinkie clapped her paws together.  "Oh, goodie gumdrops!"  She ran over
to Goldar, latched onto a wing and started climbing up.
	"Where was I?  Oh, yeah.  The Grateful Dead is a human musical group. 
Other humans give up their lives to follow them and listen to their concerts.
	"This is the plan:  Create some musically talented monsters and set
them up as a band.  Name it `Alien Conquerors' or some such.  Make sure they
have mind control, too.  Have them tour the country, using the music to
mesmerize the audiences into following them.  You may even get the Power
Rangers to attend.
	"The keys to this plan are patience and subtlety, not exactly your 
strong suits, I know.  Have it take at least a couple of months.  I have
connections in the recording industry, but they can only work so fast."

	A month later, at the mall, Kim and Ayesha shared their day off and
discussed Kimberly's favorite topic, makeup.  "Oh, no! They've discontinued my
favorite shade of lipstick!  How could they get rid of `Hot Rod Pink' for
`Copper Penny Lane'?"  She frantically searched through the tubes for a
substitute.  She pulled one out.  "Look at this!" she strained to keep her
volume under control.  "The closest they have is `Peachy Keen'!  I can't go
around with that on my face."
	"Calm down, Kim.  You're pretty just as you are."  Ayesha watched her
friend with more than friendly interest as Kimberly continued to rummage
through the tubes.  "You can do without the makeup."
	Kimberly gave Ayesha a sisterly hug; Ayesha silently wished for the day
when it could be more, they could be more. "Thanks for the moral support,
Ayesha."  The twin chimes of their  communicators interrupted whatever Kim was
about to say.  The two made their way to the ladies' bathroom.  The sign above
it read,"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."  The girls held their breath as
they walked through the door.  The scampering of little feet heralded their
entrance; the previously blackened room became flooded with strong fluorescent
light.  Kimberly spoke into her communicator with a tight voice, holding back
her rising gorge.  "We're on our way, Zordon." 
	After the yellow and pink ribbons of light had vanished, darkness, with
the skittering of little feet, once again engulfed the little room.

	Kimberly was the last to arrive in the Command Center.  The others were
aghast to see her walk in through the door, wiping her mouth.  "Sorry, guys.  I
had a messy bodily function to take care of."
	The others turned a trifle green.  "Gee, thanks for sharing, Kim." 
Adam looked pained.
	"Never mind, Rangers.  There are more important matters that require
your attention,"  Zordon thundered at them.  "Observe the viewing globe."
	A monster closely resembling a rubber alien suit from a 50's B-movie
terrorized a small troop of joggers in Angel Grove Park.  "This is not one of
Zed's or Rita's creations; therefore, I cannot give you any advice on how to
defeat it.  You will be going in blind."
	Billy couldn't bring himself to pay attention to Zordon; he was still
preoccupied with Trini's absence.  Somehow, despite Zordon's booming, he could
pick out a tiny voice with a peculiar, digitized quality pleading for help. He
traced the source to a neglected diskette still in the drive.  So engrossed in
this new phenomenon was he that he almost missed Tommy's "It's morphin' time!"
announcement.

	Rita watched the ravaging of Angel Grove Park with interest.  At first,
she wondered if Zed was hatching a scheme without her permission again, but the
monster didn't look quite right; it was too realistic.  And where had she seen
that fighting style before?
	Zed was no help.  He was enjoying himself with Goldar and that
ferschlunginer throne.  Slowly the realization dawned, clearing the fog of her
memory.  That was one of the former Rangers!  Maybe he would be willing to
serve (or at least, service) her and Zed.

	A wave of dizziness hit Zack as he walked toward Gordon's house.  It
took him months just to work up the courage to ask him out and guessed he was
feeling a little light-headed.  The power coin he still wore as a belt buckle
glowed softly through his black T-shirt, flickered, then died, unnoticed.
	He lifted the heavy door knocker and let it fall.  A smartly dressed
butler answered.  "Yes?"
	A few moments passed before Zack could find his voice.  When he did, it
was embarrassingly high.  "I'd like to see Gordon, please."
	"Yes, of course.  Wait here in the foyer."  The butler waved him
inside.  "Who may I say is calling?  Miss-?"
	The guy didn't have to be insulting.  "Zack White," he squeaked.

	Jason and Lori were enjoying the evening in Lori's room while her
parents were away.  A flash of light momentarily blinded Jason; because he was
under the covers, all Lori saw was a glow.  
	"Jason? What happened?  Are you okay?"
	He blinked at the lights still blossoming in his eyes.  He poked his
head out of the covers, the power coin he wore as a necklace warm against his
bare chest.  "I think so."
	Lori screamed.

	The Power Rangers alighted in Angel Grove Park fifty feet away from the
monster, immediately entering their Ready for Combat Action pose (registered
trademark.  Patents pending).  They had to struggle to keep their balance.  The
monster stared, rubber eyes locked in fascination (or maybe it was disgust).
	The monster blinked after a long moment, remembering what it was here
to do.  It lobbed a round, yellow object that changed its shape as it flew
through the air, aimed at Adam.
	At that moment, Rita materialized in the object's path.  Her nipple
cones pierced the thing in its flight.  The water inside continued on its way,
soaking the witch.  In an eyeblink, Rita was replaced by a small, gray cat with
a white chest panel and boots.
	A large man in Chinese standard issue clothes stood next to the cat. 
"Oh, too bad.  You get hit with water from  `Spring of Drowned Cat' at
Jusenkyo, martial art training ground with over hundred spring.  Tragic legend,
very tragic, of cat who drown there eighteen hundred year ago.  Now whoever
fall into spring take on body of cat."
	"But she was just hit by a water balloon.  She didn't fall in." 
Tommy's voice was an octave too high and his helmet bobbed half a foot lower
than it should.  By way of response, the monster lobbed another yellow water
balloon at Adam.  This one landed on target; miraculously, no one was affected
by the splash.  Adam immediately became a rather silly looking moose.
	"Oooh, you hit with water from Bull Winkichuan, `Spring of Drowned
Silly Looking Moose'.  Tragic legend, very tragic of stupid moose who drown
there two thousand year ago.  Now whoever fall into spring take on body of
silly moose.
	"You see, sirs and madams, it not matter if you fall into spring or no. 
All is needed is touch water."
	The Rangers looked at each other and got the shock of their lives. 
Kimberly and Ayesha were each eight inches too tall and too bulky.  Billy and
Tommy were each eight inches too short and too slender.  Rocky, though, was now
about two and a half feet high and a flying squirrel.
	During the Rangers' distraction, the rubber monster attacked them. 
Unaccustomed to their bodies' new sizes and shapes, they immediately fell flat
on their backs when they tried to defend themselves.  Strangely, the beast
stopped and waited for the Rangers to collect themselves. 
	Goldar chose this point in our story to teleport into the Park.  He
called repeatedly for Rita, occasionally muttering,"I hate my job.  I hate my
life.  Why am I doing this?"  Rita, as the gray kitten, followed behind him,
caterwauling at his feet.  Finally (she just had to do it), she broke into
song.

		I'm not just a cat, you buffoon
		I'm your mistress
		I'm in distress
		Take me back to my castle on the moon

	The song caused several reactions.  All mundanes within earshot
immediately bolted for the hills.  The Rangers and the monster stopped fighting
to cover their ears.  Rita thought,  Great, I can only communicate through bad
songs.  Goldar, thinking this pitiful stray would make a great monster for Zed,
picked up the cat and teleported back to the moon.  His original mission fell
out of his short memory.
	The monster spoke for the first time.  "Yuck.  I bet that doesn't make
the charts."
	Billy, whose mind wasn't quite on the fight, responded to the voice the
only way he could.  He ran up to the monster and caressed it.  His friends
recoiled as he called out its name.  "Trini!"
	Slowly the monster removed first its hands, then its head.  Finally,
Trini stood in front of them, wearing a pale yellow silk kimono with
embroidered butterflies tied with a gold obi.
	"That's right, Power Rangers.  It's time to settle the score.
	"Obi strike!"  The sash tying Trini's kimono closed snaked out and
wrapped its golden coils around Tommy.  "You're shorter than I remember."
	Kimberly grabbed Trini's arm.  "What are you talking about?  We never
had any fights when you were on the team."
	Trini snatched her arm away.  "Zordon told us you wanted us fired
because we were bad for the team.  We saw how you welcomed our replacements. 
You hypocrites!  Especially you, Billy, pretending to miss me! 
	"Blinding blow of the geisha!"  Trini's kimono landed squarely on
Billy's head.  In a breath, she was sitting on his shoulders, using the sleeves
to tie the kimono secure.  She was now wearing a white Chinese-style pantsuit 
decorated with yellow roses.
	Tommy wriggled in his bonds, looking very much like a golden
caterpillar.  Ayesha, realizing talk was getting them nowhere, attacked with a
flying kick.  Trini countered with a flight of hairpin darts, one of which
snapped the cable holding Ayesha aloft.  She fell short of her target and
landed painfully, still in the kick position.
	Rocky flew at Trini's face, hoping to blind her.  She whipped him away
with a snap of her shirt.  With another snap, she entangled him much like she
had Billy.
	Adam charged, head lowered, hoping to catch her on his blunt antlers. 
She leaped deftly aside, wrapping his antlers with her pants.  Now wearing only
an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka dot bikini (that she wore for the
first time that day),  she jumped onto Adam's back and lobbed several small
stones at Kimberly, using her bra as a double-barreled sling.  The stones hit
Kim in the breadbasket, knocking the wind out of her.  She fell to her knees,
gasping for air.
	Trini then wrapped the bra around Adam's head, using the cups as eye
patches.  She then aimed him (he was still charging) towards a tree and leapt
away with a neat somersault.  Adam hit the tree antlers first, the shock
traveled through his body, stunning him.
	Billy finally disentangled himself from Trini's kimono.  "Trini, what
are you talking about?  Zordon told us you retired."
	Trini landed a few feet from Billy.  "Huh?  Are you saying Zordon lied
to us?  Take off your helmet, look me in the eye, and tell me that again." 
Trini glowered at him, managing to look threatening even while wearing only a
bikini bottom.
	Billy reached to the sides of his helmet and undid the latches.  He
slowly lifted off the helmet with the unnecessary drama of Something Important
About To Happen.  As he did so, the Rangers who were not otherwise occupied
drew in a collective gasp appropriate to the moment.
	His hair was still the same sandy color but now it fell in loose curls
around his shoulders.  His features were more refined, but remained essentially
what they had been.  Newly delicate brows knit in confusion.  "What are you all
staring at?" 
	Kimberly had started disentangling Tommy from Trini's obi.  "Have you
been experimenting on yourself again, Billy?  Or," she looked in Rocky's
direction,"did you include all of us this time?"  She laid a hand on Tommy's
chest and felt something familiar that should not have been there.  "You did,
didn't you?"
	Billy's jaw tried its best to separate itself from his (well, okay,
her) skull and reattach itself to her feet.  "What-?  Me-?  I-I-," she put a
hand to her chest, "Ay-yi-yi!  I had nothing to with this!"
	Rocky managed to bite his way through Trini's shirt.  "At least you
guys are still human.  I'm a squirrel!"  His voice was not unlike an old
cartoon character's, but no one present could quite figure who, except it
resembled Mickey Mouse's.
	Adam lowed to draw attention to himself.  "That's right," Tommy finally
spoke up,"what about Adam?"  He (sorry, reflex...she)  unwrapped the last of
the obi from her feet.
	Trini glanced in Adam's direction.  "Oh, that's simple.  Warm water
will turn him back."  She lobbed another water balloon at him.  "Don't dodge;
it's just warm tap water."  The balloon burst on one of his antlers, showering
him.  In a flash, Adam was back in human form, sans clothing.  It was painfully
obvious no one escaped the strange, gender bending curse placed on the Power
Rangers.

	Meanwhile, Goldar presented his prize to Lord Zed.  Unfortunately, he
did so when his master was busy with his throne, and Zed hated being disturbed,
not that the throne had anything to do with his personality problems.  When Zed
was finally through, it was about the same time that Adam returned to human
form.
	"So, Goldar, you dare return without my lovely wife?  What have you got
to say for yourself?"  Zed glowed a bright red, a step higher than the rosy
afterglow he had been wearing.
	Goldar held Rita by the nape of her neck.  "But, my lord, I brought you
this singing cat.  She would make a great addition to our band."  He poked the
cat with his sword.  "Sing, cat."
	Rita hissed and clawed Goldar's hand.  Grimacing with shock and pain,
he dropped her.  She immediately ran between his legs before he could recover
enough to grab her.  Goldar spun around and ordered his lackeys to give chase.
	Rita raced through her castle with Squat and Baboo bumbling behind. 
When she reached the kitchen, she leaped onto a counter, and before she knew
it, ran into a pot of boiling water.  The pot flew into the air, spilling its
contents over the room.  However, most of the water landed on Rita's back; she
yowled with pain.  When Squat and Baboo arrived (they actually knew to follow
the scream), they found their mistress on all fours, naked, and cursing in
Japanese.
	"Goldar!"  The familiar screech of Rita Repulsa grated like fingernails
down a chalkboard.  The grating moved from the base of his spine to his skull,
sending shooting pains into his teeth.
	Rita stepped out of the shadowed hall she'd escaped to minutes
before,carrying two steel buckets.  "Don't you dare ever do that to me again!" 
She was so mad her lips were out of sync with her words.
	"Rita, my darling, what has he done to you?  And where are your
clothes?  The two of you weren't having fun without me again, were you?"  Red
bolts of energy travelled up his staff. (No, not that one!)
	"Master, I have no idea what she's talking about."
	"I'm talking about this!"  Rita emptied one of the buckets over her
head.  She was careful to hold it at an angle, so it would not drop on her. 
The bucket clattered to the floor and the small, gray cat stood in Rita's
place.
	She twitched her tail and then tipped over the remaining bucket.  Rita,
back in human form, sat in the puddle of water.  "Now do you understand?"  She
told her conspirators all that befell her.  "The former Yellow Ranger must have
found the legendary training ground of Jusenkyo!  No one comes away unaffected. 
If we find out her other form, we might be able to blackmail her into working
for us."
	Goldar, as usual was confused.  "But how?  Who would we tell?"
	"You idiot!  The other form is almost always embarrassing.  As for
telling anyone, all we have to do is drop cold water on her!"  Rita grinned,
showing even, white teeth.

	The Power Rangers regrouped at the Angel Grove Gym, Youth Center, and
Juice Bar.  It was summer, so the juice bar was open until eleven.  On the way
from the park, they were joined by Zack and Jason, who were also affected by
the phenomenon.   By some strange luck, the clothes they had been wearing still
fit.  (Adam had to wear Trini's kimono.)
	"So," Tommy took a deep breath,"why are you the only one not affected?" 
She pointed at Trini.
	Trini sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before answering. 
Billy rested her head on the opposite shoulder.  "More importantly, why were
Zack and Jason affected?"
	Billy picked up her head, scratching her chin.  "Since we changed when
we morphed, it must have something to do with the morphing grid."  She
addressed the three former Rangers.  "Did you keep your communicators?"
	Jason spoke up first.  "I hid my communicator in a drawer, but I kept
my power coin as a retro-style necklace.  See?"  She pulled the coin from
inside her now voluminous T-shirt.  Since she was not wearing any clothes when
the change took place, her clothes were now a wee bit too big.  The coin spun
slowly on its chain, the gold winking in the fluorescent light.
	Zack snorted.  "I sold my communicator to some kid on the street, but I
kept the morpher as a belt buckle."
	Trini shook her head in disgust.  "I was so upset I crushed my
communicator during practice, and I threw my power coin into the Pacific."
	Billy nodded.  "Well, that explains that.  The power coins keep us 
connected to the morphing grid whether we are active or not.  The altered
morphing energy flowed into all the coins at once.  Doubtless, somewhere in the
Pacific, there's a very surprised fish."
	Kimberly looked to Trini.  "Huh?  Can you translate?"  Kim was glad he
decided to wear pants today.
	"Zack and Jason were altered because they were wearing their power
coins.  I threw mine away, so I wasn't."
	Rocky, who looked very odd in human clothing, spoke for the first time
since they left Angel Grove Park.  "What or who could have caused this?  Zed? 
Rita?  Magnetic energy disturbance?"
	Billy sighed.  "Any alteration of this magnitude would have to be
sabotage."  She yawned.  "I suggest we tackle this in the morning.  We'll talk
with Zordon first."
	Adam raised an eyebrow.  "That creates a whole new set of problems. 
Are we supposed to march up to our folks and say,`Congratulations, it's a
girl?'"
	Ayesha, who had been staring at Tommy with newfound interest, perked up
at this point.  "She-he-Adam's right.  How are we going to explain this?"
	Tommy chuckled.  "`Guess what?  I'm a Power Ranger and this is a side
effect?'  I don't think so."  She snapped her fingers.  "Wait a minute!  We
could stay at my grandfather's cabin.  It'll be tight, though."
	Kim smiled.  "We'll just have to double up."

	Billy and Trini snuggled in their shared blanket.  "Why did you do it,
Trini?"
	"You mean attack the park?"  She shrugged.  "I was mad.  Mad at you
guys for wanting us out of the Rangers.  Mad at myself for falling into that
spring.  Dressing up as a monster was the best way I could think of to draw you
out for my revenge."
	"You fell into one of the springs at Jusenkyo?  Which one?"
	"I'd rather not talk about it."  Trini caressed Billy's new body,
lingering at strategic locations.  "I could get used to this.  But I bet you'll
hate it in about twenty-eight days."
	Billy raised an eyebrow.  "Twenty-eight days?  Why-  Ohhhh."  She
turned a dull shade of green.

	In the basement, Kimberly, Tommy, and Saba lay in an exhausted tangle
of bodies.  Tommy seemed satisfied although she had to forego her usual
"treatment".
	Kim sighed, twisted a lock of Tommy's hair.  "That was...different, to
say the least.  Although, do you think I'll ever have the chance to be in the
middle?"
	Tommy gave a halfhearted chortle; she was still breathing heavily from
the night's exertion.  "Just be glad I'm not a screamer, unlike some people."

	Zack and Jason lay back to back, sharing a blanket in the living room,
in the opposite corner from Trini and Billy.  "So, Zack, did you at least get
Gordon to go out with you?"
	Zack sighed.  "No, he's still pining over Lori.  At least he didn't
scream and run away, this time."

	Ayesha, Adam, and Rocky were in the lone bedroom in the cabin.  Rocky
slept curled up in one of the drawers, while Ayesha and Adam shared the bed. 
Adam was having trouble sleeping.  "What am I going to do?  I have a date
tomorrow night.  I can't show up as girl!  As far as I know, she's straight as
an arrow.  And if it rains I'll turn into a moose, a silly-looking moose."
	Ayesha, up to that point, had been drifting easily to sleep.  He was
barely understandable as he murmured, "We'll get this taken care of tomorrow. 
There's nothing to worry about.  If we don't, tell her you died."
	"Uhm, yeah.  G'night, Ayesha."
	"G'night."

	On the moon, Zed showed Rita the technical improvements he made to
Serpentera.  "Our biggest problem has been fuel; she's a gas guzzler.  I added
solar sails, so she only spends fuel inside the atmosphere.  Given enough time,
she can reach light speed without a drop of gas!  HAH-HA-HAH-HAH-HAAH!"
	Rita tried to look interested as Zed rambled on.  "And I gave her a
brain.  Not an AI, but an organic brain!  I hooked Scorpina into the engine, so
I don't have to depend on Goldar's questionable piloting."
	Rita sighed.  "This, I take it will be important later on?"
	Zed shook his head.  "I hope so.  I hate to think I went through all
that work and a stupid speech for nothing."

	The Rangers teleported to the Command Center just after breakfast the
next morning.  The alarm sirens immediately went off;  Alpha trundled in
sleepily from the adjoining room, teddy bear in the crook of one arm.
	"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Alpha confronted the eight
strangers and Trini.  Zordon had installed a new security system after that
last break-in.  "Trini?  What's going on?"
	Trini waved an arm to encompass the gathered team, old members and new. 
"What's the matter, Alpha?  Don't you recognize the Power Rangers?"
	Just at that moment,  Zordon returned to reality from whatever he had
been contemplating. Could it be Zordon was asleep, Billy wondered idly. 
"Alpha, who has breached our security here?"  His eyes fell to Trini.  "Former
Yellow Ranger, why have you broken your oath of secrecy and brought these
strangers here?  We know nothing of their trustworthiness."
	Tommy stepped in front of the group.  She was wearing a short dress
made from a shirt that no longer fit properly.  "You really don't know who we
are, Zordon?  It's us, the Power Rangers."
	Zordon's normally expressionless face managed to look startled.  One or
two of the Rangers thought they actually saw a blush creep into his cheeks. 
"Ahem, step closer, so I can see you better."
	The Rangers moved reluctantly forward; they were coming dangerously
close to the edge of tolerance for Zordon's volume.
	Memory of the last time anyone had broken in to the Command Center  
flowed back to Zordon.  The winged woman had tampered with the morphing grid. 
Could this be the result?  However, try as he might, he could not recall the
exact sequence of buttons she had pressed.
	Zordon studied the teenagers in front of him.  "If you are the Rangers
tell me something only they could know."
	The Rangers conferred among themselves, searching their collective
memory for an incident which had not been covered by CNN or the local news. 
Finding none, they decided on something not even the news knew.  Tommy, as
usual, spoke for the group.  "Two months ago, when you reformed the Rangers,
you fired Trini, Zack and Jason.  To replace them, you brought in Ayesha,
Rocky, and Adam."
	Zordon's face was as impassive as ever, but inwardly, he was shaken. 
Only the Power Rangers would know about the change in ranks, but how had they
figured out he fired the original Yellow, Black, and Red Rangers?  They didn't
have two brain cells to rub together, with the exception of Billy.  Even he had
a short circuit somewhere that made him a ditz outside a laboratory.
	"I am satisfied with your answer.  I assume you want a solution to your
present situation."
	This time it was Kimberly who spoke.  He wore an old pair of pants from
Tommy and his shirt from the day before.  "Like, totally, Zordon.  This is just
creepy."
	"I will give you what help I can, Rangers.  Observe the viewing globe." 
The globe replayed the scene from two months previous.  A winged figure hunched
over the control panel for the morphing grid, the buttons she pressed were
hidden by her body.  The Rangers watched with no little amusement as Zordon
sprouted several embarrassing accoutrements.  Since there was no sound, Zordon
explained the little scene.
	"The young woman pressed several buttons in rapid succession, so it was
impossible to tell what damage, if any, had been done.  Unless I know exactly
what she did, I cannot correct it."
	"Any idea where she is, Zordon?"  Jason asked.  
	"I can only view areas under my influence or Zed's.  However, I suggest
you start in the city where you found her, San Fransisco."

	The Rangers gathered in the Angel Grove Youth Center.  They pored over
a San Fransisco telephone book.  Tommy leaned back in her chair, staring at the
ceiling in disgust.   "Arrgh, this isn't working!  What makes you think we'll
find that girl in the phone book, anyway?"
	Billy sighed.  "We need to eliminate as many people as possible.  We
simply can't go to every house in San Fransisco looking for a winged woman. 
The first step is to eliminate those without Native American names and go from
there."
	Adam raised an eyebrow.  "Supposing she has an unlisted number?  Or
maybe she doesn't have a Native American name?"
	"Do you have a better way to do this?"
	"How about we ask them?"  Rocky pointed to a small ad for Our Lady of
Winged Justice Ministries ("Pray to her to right the wrongs against you").
	Before Billy even had a chance to look appropriately embarrassed, Bulk
and Skull sauntered into the Juice Bar.  Spying the gathered Rangers, Bulk
stopped short, holding out a hand to keep his partner from passing.  He grabbed
Skull by his shirt front.  "Do you see, Bone Brain?  Girls!"
	Skull craned his neck around to look in the Rangers' direction.  He was
barely able to see over his shirt collar.  "I see 'em, Bulk.  Don't they look
awfully familiar?"
	"Naaahh.  C'mon, Let's go see if we can pick a couple of them up. 
There's seven of them; they can't all be taken."
	The two swaggered as best they could, managing to bump each other
slightly less than usual.  Bulk cleared his throat before speaking for both of
them.  "Hey, babes.  Whick of you will be the lucky ones to go out on a date,"
he dragged Skull by his shirt closer to the table, "with the both of us." 
Skull grinned stupidly.
	The formerly male Rangers felt their souls turn to ice.  Tommy grabbed
Kimberly's arm.  "I'm with him."
	Adam followed suit with Ayesha.  "And we're together."
	Billy laid her head on Trini's shoulder.  "We're an item," Trini
explained, gently caressing Billy's cheek.
	Jason grabbed Zack's hand and kissed it.  She batted her eyelashes 
knowingly at the two interlopers.
	Bulk and Skull each turned a shade of red that was almost purple.  As
usual, Bulk found his voice first.  "I-I hope... you are very - happy
together."
	The two hung their heads as they walked to the juice counter.  Skull
spoke for the first time since they entered the bar.  "Have you ever noticed
what a high concentration of lesbians Angel Grove has?"
	The Power Rangers were silent for a long moment after Bulk and Skull
left.  Adam managed to find her voice first.  "That was scary."  She spoke for
all of them.

	The Rangers teleported to the San Fransisco address listed in the ad,
which Billy kept in her pants pocket.  The building that housed Our Lady of
Winged Justice ministries appeared to be a former church.  The heavy oaken door
swung in on noiseless hinges.
	Beyond the nave, cubicles took the place of pews, and the nave itself
had been converted into a reception area.  A blonde man with nordic features
sat behind the desk.  His suit was the same purple-gray as the girl's wings,
his shirt black, and a pair of wings hung limply down his back.  He looked up
as the Rangers walked in and gave them a toothpaste ad smile.  "Hello, and
welcome to Our Lady of Winged Justice Ministries.  Have you come seeking the
Thunderbird's guidance?"  His voice oozed like a car salesman's.
	Tommy paused before answering, "We need to speak with your lady."
	"The Thunderbird.  She speaks to no one.  Even her priests can only
interpret her actions.  Occasionally we get the idea she doesn't want worship. 
How humanly modest of her!"
	These people are nuts, Tommy thought.  "Do you have any idea how we can
find her?"
	The man thought for a moment.  "We do have people who follow her
regularly, and if you can convince them to tell you what they know, more power
to you.  You supervillains looking for a showdown?  We get a lot of them."
	"Uhm, something like that, yeah.  Who can we talk to?" She headed for
the inner offices.
	The man grabbed Tommy's arm.  "I'm sorry, but nonmembers aren't allowed
in there unless they are escorted.  Wait just a moment, and I'll call for an
available representative.
	"By the way," he pointed at Rocky, "pets are allowed in only on a 
leash."
	Tommy blushed slightly.  "You wouldn't happen to have one I could
borrow, would you.
	"No, I don't, but," he rummaged through his desk, pulling out a pair of
shoelaces,"you can use these.  We just don't want any animals running around
loose."
	Rocky scowled as Tommy tied the strings together and one end around his
neck.  She was just straightening up when a woman approached from the left
hall.  She wore a suit identical to that of the receptionist which complemented
her copper complexion.  She wore her black hair in a severe bun; she gave the
overall impression of a cool, detached businesswoman.  However, she smiled
warmly at the group as she approached.
	"Greetings," she gestured toward the way she had entered,"please come
with me."  She led them up a flight of stairsinto a spacious office.  A woman
with an oriental cast to her features sat behind the desk.  She entered figures
into a computer on her right.
	"This," explained their guide,"is our tracking center.  Ms. Chow can
tell you where Thunderbird was last spotted."
	Ms. Chow let out an exasperated sigh, giving them their first sign she
was aware of them.  "Please, Ms. RedDeer, please remember to refer to her as
Our Lady. Even if it's only in the building.
	"Now, then, why do you wish to find Our Lady?"  Ms. Chow sat erect in
her chair, fingers steepled.  
	Kimberly jumped in with an answer.  "We want to see her miracles for
ourselves."
	"Mmmm.  To tell the truth, this is highly irregular.  And I don't have
a clue where she is right now.  I can tell you we last sighted her flying over
the Golden Gate Bridge, heading toward the Pacific.  That was two weeks ago,
and we haven't been able to pick up her trail since."  Ms. Chow signaled the
interview was over by returning her attention to her computer.
	Ms. RedDeer led the Rangers back down the stairs to the nave.  "You
really don't seem like the type to join a cult.  If you don't mind my asking,
why did you join?" Billy inquired.
	Ms. RedDeer smiled with all the patience of one who has been asked the
same question countless times.  "I didn't really join.  I'm working on my
doctorate's thesis; I'm studying superhero cults in the San Fransisco area. 
All superheroes have one, even those insipid Power Rangers, and they all have
at least one church in Frisco."  As they walked a few steps beyond the church's
doorway, the Rangers heard a splash, clang, and thump behind them.  Trini,
closest to the door, looked.  All she saw was a mass of cartoon flames and a
wet spot directly in front of the door.

	The Rangers walked through Candlestick Park, planning their next move. 
Meanwhile, back at stately Wayne Manor, home of millionare socialite Bruce Wayne....  No, wait, that's the wrong spoof.   Meanwhile, back at the ranch....
Oh, no, wait.  Sorry, reflex, again.  One more time-  Meanwhile back on the
moon, Zed and Rita watched the activities with unbridled glee.  Rita grabbed
her husband's arm.
	"Now is the time to strike, Zeddy.  Those Power Brats are too
distracted with their problem too be able to fight back effectively."
	Zed clenched the fist attached to the arm Rita held.  "Yes!  We shall
strike in person, with Serpentera.  We will destroy those Power Rangers, once
and for all!"  He laughed maniacally, raising fists into the air.  As he did
so, one of Rita's nipple cones slashed a deep gouge in Zed's forearm.  He held
the flesh together, waiting for it to regenerate.  "Rita, my dear, you should
see about a new costume.  You could poke someone's eye out with those things."

	The sky darkened; clouds rolled in from all directions, heralding the
arrival of Serpentera.  Instead of landing, however, she circled Candlestick
Park, watching for the Power Rangers' Zords.  In a fireball lit the premature
dusk to noon brightness, Zed, Rita, and Goldar stood fifteen feet from the
Rangers, who struck defensive poses.
	Sensing the moment was the most inopportune, the dark clouds let their
fury loose on the combatants.  Rita went through her normal speech about
destroying the Rangers, but was cut off in the middle of it.  No one noticed;
everyone had heard the speech at least a dozen times.  She soon drew attention
to herself by chasing Rocky up a tree.  Trini, now a nightingale, flew high
into another tree, while Adam tried to ram Goldar.  At the last second, Goldar
stepped aside, and Adam ran full bore into yet another tree, knocking herself
unconscious.
	Rita followed Rocky up the oak tree.  To defend himself, he pelted her
with acorns until she lost her footing.  Rita decided to change tactics and
chased after Trini, who flew to a closer tree to get a better look at the fight
between Rocky and Rita.
	The strange turn of events brought on by the freak storm reduced the
remaining combatants to staring and occassionally giggling.  Jason recovered
first; she raised her right arm into the sky almost in a Nazi salute and
yelled," I call on the power of thunder!"
	To everyone's surprise, the Red Dragon Zord soon appeared on the
horizon.  "I guess we don't have to be morphed to use the Zords, after all,"
Billy commented.  As the Zord snaked closer, Serpentera readied herself to
strike.  Just as the Red Dragon reached the Rangers, a giant foreclaw ripped it
from the sky.  The Zord thrashed in Serpentera's grasp as she transferred it to
a backclaw.  The combatants could only watch in fascination.
	"Serpentera seems to be shoving your Zord into a docking bay of some
sort," Billy said.  They all stared as the mighty dragon-ship started writhing
high in the air.  "I don't think we want to know what's going on."
	Zed thrust his staff into the ground.  "I knew using Scorpina would be
a mistake."  A red aura surrounded him as he whirled to face Goldar.  "Why did
the rest of you flunkies have to be so stupid?"
	Using their opponents' temporary distraction to their advantage, the
Power Rangers rushed Goldar and Zed.  Somehow, the Rangers managed to produce
two ropes out of nowhere and soon had the two villains bound.  Tommy stood
between the two and posed dramatically.  "Now let's find out who they really
are."
	With one deft motion, Tommy removed their masks.  The Rangers and Rita
took in a collective breath.  Billy found her voice first.  "It's old
man Gates, head of Microsoft, and Mike Eisner, president of the Disney 
Corporation!"
	Eisner/Goldar sneered.  "We would have gotten away with it, too, if it
hadn't been for you kids!!"
	Gates just smiled.  "This merely delays our schedule.  We are Microsoft
and you will be assimilated."

	Back on the moon, Bobbie and Dinkie watched the scene with mild
interest.  Bobbie sighed.  "Too bad we're too far away to give them a good I
told you so.  They were doing so well, too."  An Aliens poster hung on the wall
next to a gold record.

	The police carted Eisner and Gates off to jail, while the Rangers hid
among the trees to protect their identities.  In the confusion, Rita escaped to
the street where she ran into a large, stupid dog.  The dog, thinking she was
another dog, picked her up in his teeth and ran down a maze of alleys.  Great,
she thought, I'll never find any hot water now.
	The Rangers reconvened on the battle site; Jason kept one eye on the
sky as Serpentera continued to fly wildly through the air. Hugh T. Deville
wandered onto the scene to unseen laughter.  "Dad!" Kimberly exclaimed.
	"Well, hello there, Pumpkin.  You look mighty brawny these days.  Been
working out, haven't you?
	"I suppose you readers out there have been wondering what happened to
all the cameos that appeared in the first story.  I know I have.  The author
says some blah-blah or other got in the way.  A plot, I think it was called. 
And what about that Thunderbird character?  Why wasn't that loose end tied into
a nice, neat knot?  Yackety-shmackety, the author says, she was Ms. RedDeer. 
Her first name couldn't be used because it happens to be the same as a main
characters'.
	"Now, what about the Rangers' predicament?  Are they going to be left
like this?  Yes, the author says.  No reason not to, the author says.  Well, I
say, blah-blah-blah!  Yackety-shmackety!  Did you hear me?  I said,
`Yackety-shmackety!!'"  He raised his fist angrily to the sky.
	"Normally, at the end of a story I would call for ending music and iris
out, but this is a story, not a cartoon.  So just imagine us walking into the
sunset, drinking nice, tall cool glasses of O.J."