Disclaimer: Fortune cookie say— "I no own, you no sue"

The Astro Megaship was halfway to Earth by the time Nexi-shifts and the Great War were brought up again. During those three days the Kerovians discovered just how alike the cousins were. The farther they got from Phaedos the more Kimberly's dignified and mysterious warrior persona faded into the curiosity of a relatively sheltered teenager. She was constantly touching things and asking the Rangers questions about everything from their stations and the ship to what they had seen in their travels and what KO-35 was like.

After two days Ashley took pity on her teammates and locked herself and her cousin on the observation deck with the excuse that they needed to catch up. They spent the night in there with only one brief interlude when Kim came storming into the glider bay and headed directly for the Pink Jump-tube muttering about how she was going to kill all of them slowly and painfully. She only stopped when Ashley ran in, dove in front of the tube and assured her that she had not recognized, by sight or by name, any of the Turbo Rangers except for Carlos Vargas.

That comment earned her a sharp look from her teammates who were sitting at the table eating dinner. They had not realized that Ashley actually know any of the Turbos. Ash ignored them and was able to slowly guide Kim back to the observation deck. Although the muttering, with the addition of "If they had any idea," continued throughout the rest of the trip.

Kim apologized for the scene the next day and for being a bit of a nuisance. It had been awhile since she spent time with others around her age, or people in general for that matter, and she had never actually been on a space ship before. As for her outburst; she was one of the first Rangers chosen for Earth and she knew at least three of her former teammates held the Turbo Powers when they were first introduced by Zordon.

This revelation led to a three hour discussion on how and why Earth had now gone through at least 16 Rangers and three distinct teams in about five years when it had previously been Ranger less for centuries.

"Dulcia and I have talked about that more than once. We think that a lot of the Morphers which somehow ended up on Earth are becoming active again because of the Shift. The Rangers who are now holding those Powers, or who held them in the past, most likely have some ancestry coming from the planets those Morphers belong to."

"These "Shifts", you guys mentioned them back on Phaedos, too. Why are they so important?" Servia jumped in before Kim could continue talking about the Morphers.

"Forget that, what are they?" Zhane interrupted before anyone could even open their mouths.

"They're what caused the Great War." Karone bit out while rolling her eyes. She looked around to see the others staring at her and shrugged, "At least that's what Grandmother always used to say when she told me the stories."

Andros shared a questioning look with Zhane before asking, "When did she tell you stories about the Great War?"

"Whenever you two would go off and no girls were allowed," Karone smirked at the two of them.

Andros blinked while the others girls laughed outright and Zhane shrugged with a sheepish smile. Kalic and Orian both focused intently on the Jump-tubes, although their lips would quirk up every few seconds.

"Anyway," Ashley said once everyone started to calm down, "from what I've been able to figure out the Nexi-shift wasn't the cause of the Great War. It was more of a catalyst. The War was going to happen no matter what, the Shift is just what caused it to happen right then." Ashley paused a moment to look at her cousin. Kim stared back at her with a curious half smile. Confused, Ashley looked back to the others and continued.

"I'm not entirely certain what the Nexi are, exactly, the records and ruins I was able to get access to while I was traveling didn't really go into it," she shrugged helplessly. "I do know they are important and I think they are connected to the Power, somehow."

"The Nexi are the main connection points between the physical world and the Power Grid," Kim finally stepped in and took over the explanation. "There are three: one for body, one for mind and one for spirit. The three things any Ranger needs in abundance." She paused to look each Astro Ranger in the eye before continuing. "These three points are connected to planets which are centrally located in our universe.

"When these points are connected they form a sort of, Power triangle. The Morphers connected to the Power, the strength of a planets Rangers," Kim clarified, "is directly related to how close a planet is to one of those points or lines."

Kim paused again to let that information sink in. It was a brief explanation, very brief, buy they did not need the textbook. When they all began nodding their understanding she went to continue but was interrupted by Andros.

"What about the Rangers of the planets these Nexi are connected to?"

"They are the most powerful Rangers in our universe. They are able to go farther and remain away from their planets longer than any other teams and so take responsibility for assisting in the leadership and protection of the rest of the Universe. Their priority is still their home planet, of course, but our territory usually extends so far beyond those three points that it is only in the decades around an actual Shift that these focal planets are vulnerable."

"What planets are the Nexi connected to right now?" Orian's eyes were narrowed as he was trying to work to it out himself and wanted confirmation.

Kim smirked, "Triforia, Aquitar and –"

"Eltar," everyone said at once, chuckling.

"But Triforia and Auitar have both been under attack lately," Kalic chimed.

"First, has Triforia needed a full Ranger team to protect it?" Kim asked.

The Astro's all stopped to think about it and blinked when they realized that the answer was no. They had never even heard of a Triforian team, excepting the Gold Ranger. And even when the Machine Empire was after him they had not dared attack Triforia outright.

Kim smiled again as she watched them work it out, wondering at how often she had been smiling since her cousin found her. Although the fact that she was on the way back to see her team, and hopefully explain some things at long last, probably had something to do with it as well. She focused back on the present to find the Astro's staring at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Aquitar is another matter. It is the center of the body; that alone draws out villains who believe that physical strength is the only measure of greatness. They delude themselves into thinking that taking down the "body" will cause the rest of the Universe to crumble. Add to that the fact that most often the Nexus of the body becomes a training ground for young Rangers before they take up their duties on their own planets . . ." Kim trailed off with a shrug while the others nodded their heads in understanding.

The five original Kerovan Rangers went to Aquitar for a month of intensive training when they reached their early teens, it made sense that other Ranger teams would do the same. Zhane remembered his punishment for the hissy fit he threw when the others left. Ashley just figured it made sense that a Ranger training ground to be constantly under attack.

No one asked about Eltar. The planet had never been attacked, at least not as far as anyone could remember. Zordon was intercepted on his way back from Earth, not while he was actually on Eltar.

"Okay," Zhane finally interrupted the silence, "that explains what the Nexi are, but what about these 'Nexi-shifts,' what are they?"

"And why do you three look nervous whenever they're brought up?" Andros stood up from where he was slouching against a wall. He took a step into the middle of the room and raised an eyebrow challengingly at the three women who had clustered together as the conversation went on.

The other four Astro Rangers unconsciously took a step back and pressed themselves against the walls when Kim and Kerone saw his look and met his challenge with one of their own. Ashley startled a bit at Andros' interruption and quickly looked back and forth between the two groups. She rolled her eyes, huffed, and took her own step forward to meet her boyfriend.

"A Nexi-shift is exactly what it sounds like: a period of time during which the Nexi dissolve their bonds with their current focal points in our universe and attach themselves to three new focal points."

"It's a very bad thing," Kim stepped up to flank her cousin, "because the Power is going to be very unstable while it's going on. Morphs could be incredibly weak, or even not hold at all, or they could be grossly overpowered. We'll have no idea until Rangers actually try Morphing and even then what actually happens could depend on anything from what time of day it is to what phase the moon is in. We just don't know."

"But why would that cause –"

"Because," Karone interrupted Servia before the Pink Ranger realized she had spoken aloud, "the forces of Evil, the ones who are strong enough anyway, can feel those . . . fluctuations in the Power. They probably can't tell what or when something is going to happen any more than we can," she looked to Kim and Ash who both nodded, "but they would know that something is going on."

"The elder beings, like Dark Spector, Rita Repula, Lord Zedd, and King Mondo, will know what's going on," Kim frowned. "They may not know the exact times to attack, but they will know that we're going to be at our weakest."

"How long?" Andros' strong voice once again drew everyone's attention.

"A year or so, normally," Kim answered calmly, "but Shifts usually occur every three millennia, four on the outside," she paused to let the numbers sink in. "The last Shift was when the Great War occurred, 6,000 years ago. It's why Ooz was able to annihilate Phaedos.

"That's why Dulcia and I know so much about the Shift's. She survived, was the only one to survive, so Phaedos' records weren't lost like most of the others."

The eight Astro Rangers took a few minutes to let the new information sink in.

"We're looking at another Great War, aren't we?" Servia finally whispered.

Kim nodded, her eyes downcast. She would be helping where she could, as would the others once she found them and explained, but Phaedos' Morpher's were still too weak from their centuries of disuse. Add the fact that they were using them on Earth without realizing they were draining them further; needless to say none of them would be able to really take point until the Shift ended at the very least. Once Phaedos became a focal point again, or she figured out where the other two points would end up, a more active role could be taken, until then the planetary teams would be on their own.

"Get some rest," she said at length. The unspoken 'you're going to need it hanging in the air'. She finally turned her gaze up and met her cousin's eyes, "maybe we can get some training in over the next few days, before you drop me on Earth?"

Ashley nodded and the Rangers slowly filed their way out of the hanger and to their rooms. No words were spoken the rest of the night. If anyone noticed Ashley, Kerone and Servia exiting their boyfriend's rooms early the next morning, no one mentioned it.

AN: I again and continuously apologize for the delays. I have part of the next chapter written and as I've said before I have the main points of this story worked out in my head, I just need to find time to write it all out. Seeing as I'm currently working two jobs plus going to school full time to get a Masters, it might continue to take a while. I promise to do my best not to go years between updates again, deal?