Disclaimer: This had to be done. It takes place during the final moments of C2D, although I've taken liberties with the lines and actions. SilvorMoon's done a much better job at the Ecliptor/Astronema relationship, but I took a stab at it. With my Dragon Dagger. Which is apparently owned by Saban.

Her Father
by James Austin Valiant

The creature pounded mercilessly on the cold, metal door. As much as he hit it, it wouldn't budge at all. Behind that door was the Red Ranger, Zordon and most importantly, the woman he loved more than any other being in the universe. He stopped hitting the door for a second, his emotions taking ahold of him.

It's a not a romantic relationship...not at all. He had known Astronema since she was a small child; he had practically raised her all by himself. And her, being in there, alone, with the Red Ranger, raised all kinds of worries deep inside him. His black and green form shifted. He turned back and began pounding on the door again. In his mind, he was her father, and she, his daughter. Biology might say it to be false, but emotions said it to be true.

"Astronema!" Ecliptor yelled. "Astronema!"

"No! I won't do it, Zordon! You're too valuable to us, to the universe." He paused. "I just can't destroy you."

"Then destruction will choose another victim."

The Red Ranger turned sharply as he heard his sister's voice. She was there in the doorway, confidently sauntering over to him. Astronema was unable to see it through his visor, but his eyes were loaded with concern; concern for his sister, concern for the universe, concern for Zordon and his team mates, and last, not least, concern for himself.

"Karone! Stop, stop it right now. I'm your brother, Andros. Karone..."

He was cut off when a purple stream of energy struck him, causing him to drop his beloved Spiral Saber.

She smiled. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, Andros. We could have ruled the galaxy as brother and sister. Oh, you would've made such an excellent villain! So much angst! So much aggression! But it's far too late now. Victory is at my fingertips. You can't stop me!"

"Please, Karone, listen. You have to stop this insanity now. I'm pleading with you!" He begged.

Astronema would have none of it. She sped towards him, kicking him and trying to stab him with her staff, but it was no use. The Red Ranger knew how to evade such attacks; he had been doing it for quite some time.

"Karone!" He tried again. "Karone, it's me. Andros, your brother! You're my own flesh and blood, damn it! Stop, please...you're my own flesh and blood!"

She appeared to be interested, but only for a moment. "No! I will never stop!" Astronema's staff began to charge up with purple energy, and she aimed it at the Red Ranger.

"Goodbye, brother!"

In desperation, Andros lurched and grabbed onto his Spiral Saber. He held it tightly out in front on him. The purple energy blast bounced off the hilt, striking Astronema powerfully in the stomach. His sister, the recently crowned Grand Monarch of Evil, froze up, then fell to her knees, dropping her staff. She collapsed onto the floor, completely still. He dropped his Saber, wondering what he had just done.

Ecliptor's massive frame heaved against the door. He still couldn't manage to get it open. As he rested briefly, his memories whisked him away on eagle's wings, to the day he first met Astronema. She was so adorable back then...

"Superior work, General Ecliptor. I have a feeling you will be promoted to Rank Warrior of Dark Specter's forces in no time." Ecliptor was barely paying attention to his superior as he observed a young human girl playing by herself. It was true he had found her on his doorstep only the night before, but he had handed her over to his superiors, hoping they could find a home for her.

She was trying to command a Quantron to bow to her. Ecliptor had to chuckle. Who does she think she is?

"Bow to me!" screeched the five-year old voice. "I am Astronema, Princess of Darkness, Queen of All Evil. Bow to me, slave. Bow to me, you worthless piece of scrap metal!"

The Quantron, apparently having had enough, grabbed the little girl by the throat and picked her up off the ground. She screamed, but it was no use. The 'worthless scrap metal' was cutting off her air supply.

This time, Ecliptor saw no humor in the situation. He headed straight for the Quantron, and, with nary a thought, sliced a deep gash in the foot soldier's chest. The little girl fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering, trying to force air back into her lungs.

"I suppose you think you're being a tough guy, huh? Strangling a young girl makes you real powerful, doesn't it? Answer me." Ecliptor spat.

The Quantron spat out some metallic sounds. Ecliptor recognized several of them as their equivalent of the f-word.

"No one speaks to me that way!" He cried, raising his sword above his head. With one fatal swoop, he brought it down, severing the foot soldier's head from his body. Like a tree, the body fell slowly to the ground.

With the Quantron subdued, Ecliptor ran to the little girl's side. She was wiping away her tears quickly, trying to hide them. Some higher up must've told her it was no good to let others see you cry. He picked her up, holding her in his arms.

As her tiny head rested comfortably on his shoulder, Ecliptor felt a serenity he hadn't felt in a while. He had a purpose now, and it wasn't to ascend the ranks. It wasn't to become the Grand Monarch of Evil, like he had dreamed of so many nights before. He would raise this girl, make her a shining example of all he stood for.

"Amazing," began his superior, "no one's managed to connect with her like that. You have to spend at least a day with her before she'll let you even come near her. But she came right to you, right into your arms. General Ecliptor, how would you like a reassignment?"

"Depends." He muttered, rubbing the child's back in calming, circular motions.

"How would you like to raise Astronema? Be her guardian?"

Ecliptor was overwhelmed with paternal instinct. "Yes," He answered, "I would be honored to."

"Congratulations, Gen..."

"Hush." Ecliptor cut in. "My princess sleeps."

He smiled to himself, and got back up. His massive arms tried prying the door open for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. Ecliptor braced his sword against the door frame, pushing against it for leverage.

Success! The door was opening and he ran inside.

What he saw upon entering astounded him. Astronema lay motionless on the floor. The Red Ranger stood close by, hovering over her. No...he didn't! He couldn't have! One word burned in his mind.

"MURDERER!"

Ecliptor was horrified. He rushed to Astronema's side, but not before getting in the face of her brother. "What have you done to her? Your own sister!"

"It was an accident!" Andros explained, before suffering a blow from Ecliptor's sword.

Ecliptor knelt by Astronema's side. "Oh, my precious princess," He wept, "say it isn't true. Gods, if I could turn back time, if only to tell you how much I love you. Princess, you're like a daughter to me. Talk to me, please!" No matter the intensity of Ecliptor's pleading, she still remained motionless.

Andros was moved. He had never seen Ecliptor display any emotion of any kind, not to mention kindness or compassion. Or love. Karone. She's like a daughter to him. He loves her like his own flesh and blood.

Ecliptor rose violently and swung at Andros. "You call yourself her brother? You'll pay for this, if it's the last thing I ever do. You're going to pay!"

Andros heard Zordon's voice ringing out to him. "Andros, listen to me. It is your duty as a Power Ranger to save the universe. Now is the time."

"I can't do it, Zordon."

"You have to, Andros. It is the only way."

Time was running down. Andros tackled Ecliptor down. Using his Spiral Saber, he slashed Ecliptor's arm and followed it up by drilling a deep gash right across Ecliptor's chest. Weakened, the massive green and black hulk crawled to his daughter's side.

Propping himself up as he gazed upon Astronema's motionless body, Ecliptor begged again for her to wake up and talk to him. Her cracked eyelids revealed still, glazed eyes. He grabbed her hand, and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"My daughter," He wept, "my princess. I love you."

When he said the words, Andros charged up his Spiral Saber and struck Zordon's tube. As the glass shattered and fell sharply to the floor, a giant wave of golden energy hit Ecliptor. The last thoughts on his mind, as he decomposed into a pile of dust, were of Astronema, his princess.

His daughter.

A year later...

Karone gingerly arranged the flowers she had brought, placing them upright in the vase. She spied around the small, tasteful monument, looking for anything that need to be cleaned or fixed.

The monument itself was slab of gray stone; a combination of granite and marble found on KO-35. Ecliptor's name, his birth year and the year of his demise were engraved upon in strong letters.A small etching displayed his proud visage. Flowers dotted the vase in front of it, coupled with a candle.

The candle's out. She noticed, and pulled a matchbook from her pocket. Karone pulled the cover off the holder. It's no wonder, she thought, That candle's all gone.

"Do you need this?" An out stretched hand offered a full candle, waiting to be lit.

"Thanks, Andros." She took the candle from her brother and replaced it into the empty glass vessel. Striking one of the red-tipped matches against the cover, she lit it. Being careful not to burn her fingers, Karone slipped the cover back onto the holder.

"You know what his last words were, Karone?" said Andros.

She was intrigued. "What were they, Andros?"

"'My daughter. My princess. I love you.'" Andros replied softly, failing to convey the emotion Ecliptor had said them with.

Karone pressed her two forefingers to her lips. She then pressed the fingers against the picture of Ecliptor on the monument. Her head fell as the tears flowed slowly.

"I love you, too, father."