Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.
A/N - This is a follow up one-shot to my story The Winged Lord and Lady of the Skies. If you have not read that, there is a very good chance you will be confused when reading this.
"Divatox has conquered Gratha." TJ announced as the Space Rangers continued to monitor the situation throughout the universe.
"Rita and Zedd are attacking the Vika Galaxy. The Vika have no defenses!" Cried Cassie.
"They won't know what hit them!" Carlos breathed before going over to a side console upon hearing an alarm go off.
"They're trying to conquer the whole universe." Muttered Zhane.
"Exactly." Andros agreed as he tried, once again, to figure out a way to stop his.
"Look at this!" Carlos cried as he re-checked the computer to ensure he was indeed right. "Over ten thousand Velocifighters."
"Heading where?" Andros asked, coming up beside Carlos.
"Heading…" Carlos' face fell and he hit a button to bring it up on the main screen. "Heading…for Earth…" The four Rangers who called Earth home shared a look of terror as they watched the fighters approach their planet.
"Hold on Earth. We're on the way." Andros said as he reached for the controls and had the Astro Megaship speeding off towards the blue planet he himself was beginning to think of as home. As the Megaship went into hyperspace, the Rangers began to problem solve how the six of them were going to take on over ten thousand Velocifighters, of which they were certain was only Astronema's first wave of attack.
"Maybe we don't have to." TJ said, coming up with their first plausible solution. "At least not alone."
"The Rebels have surrendered." Zhane reminded him. "Anyone else who could help us is either captured or defending their own planet."
"Exactly." Said TJ. "Defending their own planet." Carlos, Ashley and Cassie caught on relatively quickly, but Andros and Zhane remained oblivious. "We're not the first Power Rangers to protect Earth, remember?" And finally they did remember that long ago conversation about how these four had become Rangers and what Earth had already been through.
"DECA, contact Justin." Carlos ordered and within moments the former Blue Turbo Ranger appeared on the main screen.
"Guys!" he cried happily, unaware of the impending doom. "What's going on?"
"A lot." Said Carlos. "Look, Justin, we need your help."
"Anything." He answered, sensing this wasn't a social call.
"Astronema has launched an all out attack on the universe, and the fight is finally making its way to Earth."
"Oh man…"
"We need you to contact Tommy and the others." TJ said. "There's a large force approaching Earth and if our planet's going to have any chance of survival, we're going to need everyone's help."
"Right." Justin said, already reaching for his communicator. "We'll try not to destroy them all before you guys get here."
-T/K-
Tommy Oliver walked off the plane and into the terminal at LAX looking for his bride-to-be and their daughter. He'd just returned from his last race before their wedding in early July, only one month from now. He couldn't believe how this past year and a half had gone, the year and a half since they'd given up their powers. He'd gained fame as a race car driver during that time, being at the top of his league, yet had refused to progress to Formula One, not wanting to lose more time with his family. Kimberly, during this time, had coached gymnastics at the state level part time, spending the rest of the time with their daughter.
"Daddy!" he heard from off to his left and bent down just in time to catch the tiny projectile.
"Hey sweetie!" he said happily. He'd been away for nearly two weeks, one of the longest periods he'd allowed himself to be away at a time. Kira had grown so much in the time since they'd given up their powers, and was now nearing five years old. She had started kindergarten this past September, and contrary to their fears, Kira had proven an intelligent young kid and had not mentioned a single thing about their Ranger lives.
"Did you bring me anything?" she asked.
"Oh, I see how it is. Present first, daddy second." He laughed.
"I missed you, daddy." She tried again.
"We both did." Said Kim as she came up beside him. Tommy smiled and pulled his fiancée into a kiss.
"Eww!" Kira cried, turning away, causing Kim and Tommy to pull apart.
"Alright, alright. let's go home." The three began to make their way out of he airport and to their apartment in L.A. when a six-note chime sounded, one they had not heard in well over a year. Both Kim and Tommy brought their wrists up and stared at the communicators they still wore out of habit more then anything else. Knowing it couldn't be good if they were being called in after all this time, the two looked around and made their way to the most secluded place they could find. With one last look at each other, Tommy raised his communicator to his lips and activated it.
"This is Tommy, go ahead."
"Tommy, it's Justin. We got trouble."
"Trouble as in…"
"Trouble as in Astronema launching an all out attack on Earth." While not active Rangers, all those with The Power kept up with what their enemies were up to, for even though they weren't the ones fighting them on a daily basis, anyone attacking Earth was considered their enemy. They knew who Astronema was, who her minions were, what her powers were and also the fact that she was in line to be the next Monarch of Evil. They'd learned in this last year more about Dark Spector and his United Alliance of Evil that Zordon had briefly talked about then they cared to know.
"TJ contacted me, Astronema's forces are going to get to Earth before the Space Rangers and they said we're up against an army of ten thousand…and that's only the first wave of attack."
"Shit…" Tommy muttered, earning a smack from Kim who motioned to their impressionable four-year-old.
"Tommy…this is the big one. We've never been up against an army this big. Carlos says most of the universe has already surrendered." Now it was Kim's turn to swear, but Tommy couldn't get away with smacking her for she'd done it through their bond and not out loud for Kira to hear.
"What do we do, Tommy?" Justin asked his former leader.
"Kim and I will round up the others." He said. "We'll meet at the Youth Centre, in the parking lot. Twenty minutes." With an answer to the affirmative, Justin signed off, leaving Kim and Tommy to contact the others and pass on the news of Earth's impending doom.
-T/K-
Jason and Trini were in their shared apartment just off campus of UCLA when they got the call. After a year off and putting some money away, Jason and Trini had both decided to head to college for a business degree. Jason had always wanted to open his own dojo and while he had the martial arts expertise and teaching part down, the business side was something he didn't have such a grasp on, which is where Trini came in. The call from Tommy was neither anticipated nor welcome, but neither hesitated in turning off the stove where they'd been cooking dinner, Trini leading the teleportation out of there.
-T/K-
Aisha and Rocky were still in Stone Canyon a year and a half later, though no longer living with Maria DeSantoes. Aisha worked full time at the local Humane Society while Rocky split his time between part-time work and classes, also at UCLA, though through correspondence. The rest of his time he spent still watching his younger brother and sister, one of whom had started middle school in September, and one who would be entering middle school next September. Babysitting was something he found he truly enjoyed, especially as they grew older and got used to not only having him around again, but also accepted that he was in charge when mom wasn't home, and stopped with the pranks and trying to get to pull one over their big brother. With both of them getting older, and no longer really needing a babysitter, Rocky now truly had to think of what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Having gotten the call, Rocky told his brother and sister to take care of each other and finish their homework in the final half hour before their mother came home, as he raced to meet up with Aisha before they headed to meet the others.
-T/K-
After her term as a Ranger, Tanya had been discovered by a talent scout and had moved to New York to begin her singing career. Although nowhere near the height of fame, she had opened for a few minor stars to relative success and was preparing to release her first album in a few months time, something her record label was feeling very optimistic about. Adam, the love sick Adam, had followed Tanya to New York, telling her plainly that whatever he wanted to do with his life, of which he was unsure at the time, he was certain he could do it in New York. The two had never been closer and Adam rushed out of his late NYU class upon getting the call, rushing to retrieve Tanya and cursing the size of New York and his inability to teleport directly into her recording studio.
-T/K-
Kat and Billy had both moved to London, England after their year off, their story similar in nature to Tanya and Adam's. Billy had applied to, and naturally gotten in to, every prestigious university in the United States. Besides working with Ms. Applebee, and serving a term as the Pink Turbo Ranger, Kat had spent her year auditioning for dance companies. When she had been practically handed her dream, having been offered a place as an Artist for the Royal Ballet as well as a place at the Royal Ballet School to improve her dancing, Billy had applied to Oxford and followed Kat to London. Both their schedules were gruelling, Kat's ballet taking up 90% of her time while Billy had proven once again to be an older version of Justin, a prodigy, and was set to complete his undergrad after a summer semester. He'd also quickly risen in the university's science and research department, and his favourite professor swore the only reason their positions weren't reversed was because of a piece of paper that said he was the one with the PhD. Thankfully the time in England was ahead of the States and they were running out on nothing but their sleep when both Kat and Billy teleported directly from their flat to their old favourite hangout.
-T/K-
Unlike his friends, Zack had not had anyone to move in with and so had went off on his own, though a few months after his move to L.A., and his start in his own intensive dance classes, he was immensely glad for his lack of girlfriend. By a weird twist of fate, he had seen Angela walking along a street one day and proven that two years apart had not cooled his feelings for her by chasing her down and making a scene in his attempt to ensure she didn't get away. After much persuasion and, Zack was unashamed to admit, begging, she had finally agreed to give him a chance and the two had been going out ever since. They were preparing to attend Kim and Tommy's wedding together, their first important family affair as a couple, and Zack couldn't be happier; he only hoped Angela felt the same; although he knew he loved Angela, he sometimes wished that he knew her as well as his friends knew their girlfriends, for telling what she was thinking would be so much easier if he did. Angela still had no idea Zack had been, or still was, a Ranger and he knew he'd be making it up to her for running out on their date with no explanation.
-T/K-
With everyone called in and meeting outside the Youth Centre, the Rangers were preparing for battle. They all were incredibly thankful for still possessing their powers, the Turbo powers having been restored when Justin, Tanya and Kat went on a mission with the Space Rangers some months ago. They were even more thankful that their Zords had not been destroyed in the attack Divatox launched on the Power Chamber. She'd blown up the Power Chamber, but Zordon and Alpha were, as always, one step ahead of everyone. There was a door connecting the Zord Bay to the Power Chamber, but they were otherwise separate structures, and the Zord Bay was far enough under ground that it escaped the blast, leaving the Zeo Zords and Turbo Zords unharmed. While these were things they were certainly happy for in the current situation, there was one glaring problem they hadn't thought of.
"The attack should be starting any minute." Justin informed them, being the last to arrive, having been in contact with the Space Rangers once more.
"Tommy and I might not be able to fight." Kim said. "Not directly anyways."
"Why?"
"Kira." They answered as one, looking down at their daughter who was standing in the middle of a protective Ranger circle.
"Without a command centre there's nowhere safe we can leave her. The city's going to be under attack, so nowhere in the city is safe, meaning our families aren't safe…" Tommy expanded, not liking this one bit.
"It's ok, Tommy." Jason said. "What we're going to do is the rest of us are going to morph into action, while you and Kim protect my goddaughter and help by taking out anything that goes near her."
"It's the only thing you can do." Trini consoled their still unsure friends, though both knew Jason was right. "None of us will be of any use to Earth unless we know she's safe." Tommy and Kim had barely nodded their agreement before the ten thousand Velocifighters made their appearance.
"Go guys!" Jason ordered and Tommy and Kim took Kira and ran one way, while the others headed into the thick of battle.
Physically it was one of the hardest battles any one of them had faced, simply due to the sheer number of enemies. Even Tommy and Kim, who stayed out of it with Kira, found themselves surrounded. The little girl even ended up lending a hand at one point. Shortly after she'd turned four, Tommy and Kim had agreed it was a good idea to begin training her, not for her destiny as the child of the prophecy, but merely so she could protect herself, and after nearly a year of training, she was able to hold off an attack long enough for Tommy and Kim to break free and get to her. It wasn't much, and it all happened in no more then thirty seconds, but that thirty seconds made all the difference. Eventually the Rangers had been forced to retreat, and regroup. They were unknowingly witness to Dark Spector's destruction, though their confusion at the flaming rocks falling from space was short-lived for Astronema made an appearance.
"People of Earth! This is Astronema! The rest of the universe has surrendered. The Power Rangers aren't going to save you. They've already tried, and they've failed! I control Earth! The Rangers are among you, somewhere, hiding from me. This is not acceptable! By tomorrow morning I want them brought to me, or I'll destroy the whole planet. It's them, or you!"
"We have to find the others." Tommy said, referring to the Space Rangers. "We all have to come to an agreement, this affects all of us."
"My communicator was destroyed." Justin panted, having been hit hard and still being tended to by Kat and Tanya who fussed over their fellow teammate. "I can't contact them."
"So we search on foot." Said Zack. "Go in pairs of two, if you find them, contact the others."
"And what if we don't find them before morning?" Aisha asked.
"Then we do what we swore to do." Said Jason. "We protect the people of Earth at all costs." He turned to Tommy and Kim, looking them directly in the eyes. "You guys are released from that. And don't argue." He added when he saw them open their mouths. "You have Kira to think about. Her life is the only thing we're not willing to gamble with."
"We weren't gonna fight you Jase." Kim whispered, tears in her eyes. "Zordon forgive us, but Kira comes first, even before Earth. If it was just us we'd run into battle with or without our powers, no matter the odds. But we will not risk our daughter's life."
"We know, Ptera." He murmured pulling his sister into a hug, hoping it wouldn't be the last one. "And Zordon would have nothing to forgive you for, for he'd be of the same mind." With one final nod, the Rangers separated once again, Tommy and Kim taking Kira and going in search of the Space Rangers, possibly the last thing they'd do for their planet. They didn't count on being the ones to actually find them.
"Tommy!" TJ cried as the three stumbled on where the Space Rangers were hidden.
"TJ! Man it's good to see you."
"Ashley, Carlos!" Kira cried, spotting the two and rushing over to them.
"Kira!" The cried back as enthusiastically as possible given the circumstances.
"Look at how much you've grown!" Ashley said.
"Andros, Zhane, this is Tommy and Kimberly." TJ introduced. "They've been a part of every Ranger team since Zordon created us."
"Nice to meet you." They said while keeping an eye on their daughter, happy that for the moment she was occupied with Ashley and Carlos.
"We tried to get a hold of Justin, but we couldn't get through." Said Cassie.
"His communicator was destroyed." Said Kim. "Speaking of which…" she then contacted the others who quickly teleported in, greeting Andros and Zhane, and then turning their attention to the task at hand.
"We're on our own." Cassie said. "The Rebels surrendered. Everyone who could have helped us has now been destroyed or captured."
"Astronema hasn't captured all civilians on Earth." Said Carlos, joining the conversation. "So maybe we could organize them. Maybe we could find a way to-"
"We can't risk their lives." Rocky insisted. "There's gotta be another way."
"There is." Said Andros. "If I can get in to the Dark Fortress, I still think I can get through to my sister. Maybe I can talk her into stopping all this."
"Andros she's not your sister anymore. They changed her. She'll destroy you on sight." Said TJ, looking at him like he was crazy.
"You have to face it. There is no more Karone." Zhane said to his best friend.
"I will never accept that!" Andros said heatedly. He'd been searching for his sister since he was eight years old; he wasn't going to give up now that he was so close.
"And you shouldn't." Kim said. "Don't give up on her, Andros. I'm sure Karone is still in there somewhere."
"How can you say that to him when she's under their control?!" Zhane demanded, spinning around to face Kim angrily. While Andros had been searching for Karone since he was eight, Zhane had been watching Andros search for just as long and also been watching as his friend disappeared little by little the longer he went without finding her. He refused to watch him get his hopes up once again only to have them shot down. "You can't really believe Karone is still in there! You don't know what they've done to her!"
"Actually she does." Tommy said, coming to Kim's defense. "She does know what they've done to her, she does know Karone's still in there, and she's right, Andros shouldn't give up."
"How-"
"Because Kim didn't give up on me! Very long story short, I became a Power Ranger when Rita Repulsa made me her Evil Green Ranger. No one came closer to destroying the Rangers than me; Rita's spell was that powerful, and Zordon himself knew that. But Kim didn't give up on me. Even though Zordon couldn't find a way to bring me back and had all but given up, Kim didn't, and here I am. So don't give up on her Andros, doesn't matter what hold Dark Spector, or anyone else, has on her, she's still in there somewhere." Zhane said no more, though it was obvious he still didn't believe them.
"Listen," Said Ashley, standing up and breaking the tension. "We still have some time. We're not beaten yet, right?"
"That's right." Carlos quickly agreed. "So let's get to work." The Rangers all gathered around and began brainstorming, only one of them noticing as one of their own slipped away.
-T/K-
The next morning, Astronema reappeared shortly after sunrise.
"Power Rangers…you're cowards! You would sacrifice this whole planet? I'll ask one last time. Where are the Rangers?" The people in question were spread out and gathered behind some rubble, having come up with no viable plan. There were just too many enemies and too few of them to make any plan beyond simply 'fight' work. So, their plan consisted of giving Astronema what she wanted, and hoping they could fight their way out of it.
"As you wish." They were brought back to the present as Astronmea spoke once again.
"Where are they?" Tommy muttered. He and Kim had remained behind with Kira. "Let the destruction of Earth be-"
"WAIT!" Every head snapped in the direction of the voice and the crowd parted to reveal "Bulk?" Kim gasped.
"I am the Blue Ranger!" Where Bulk was, Skull was not far behind.
"I'm the Black Ranger!" Kim and Tommy were in awe at what they were seeing. They knew Bulk and Skull weren't helpless cowards, but to pretend to be the Power Rangers at a time like this was borderline psychotic. But, it wasn't only Bulk and Skull who stepped forward. Once it had been done once, the dam broke and others quickly followed.
"Incredible…"
"I can't believe this." Six people had stepped forward as the six Space Rangers, but people didn't stop there. So many people came forward, that it didn't take long for Astronema to see it was all a trick.
"Fine then. Destroy them all!" For as much as people were fed up with the fear the monster attacks instilled in them, they were still no match for them. Finally, Tommy and Kim heard the voice they were waiting for.
"Hold it right there!" The melee stopped and everyone looked up to see five of the six Space Rangers standing atop a building.
"We are the Power Rangers." TJ said. Tommy and Kim stepped out from behind the rubble as their one bit of planning began. Astronema would no doubt know of the other Rangers, but her primary enemies were the Space Rangers, and giving themselves up first gave them a tiny bit of added power for the others could sneak into a good standpoint.
"Ready!"
"Let's Rocket!"
As the Space Rangers morphed, Tommy and Kim were spotted by the two who had set things in motion.
"Tommy, Kimberly!" Skull cried
"Uncle Skull! Uncle Bulk!" Kira was in Skull's arms before Kim knew what was happening and he and Bulk gave a meaningful nod to the two Rangers.
"Go." So Bulk. They knew the other Rangers wouldn't be far away as things came to a head, and the fact that Kim and Tommy weren't with them meant they were staying out to protect Kira. The two were giving them their out and Tommy and Kim knew Bulk and Skull would protect Kira with their lives. Though the two didn't have Ranger powers, they wouldn't let anything happen to Kira and the Rangers would succeed or fail in this battle just the same.
"Thank you." Tommy said, giving Kira a kiss before Kim did the same and the two ran off to join Jason and the others. After the Space Rangers roll call, the other Rangers teleported in, not bothering with any introductions and merely sending a glare up at Astronema before jumping into action along with the Space Rangers. But they weren't the only ones. The people of Earth also joined the fight, helping the Rangers where they could, and being distracted when they de-morphed, allowing those whose identities remained a secret to still remain a secret.
"That's it, we're done for." Rocky panted as they all regrouped, the Space Rangers being the only ones who hadn't lost their morph as their powers had been specifically created with Astronema's forces in mind.
"We can't give up Rocky." Said Aisha.
"I know…but we're out of power." Though Rocky was right, the Rangers didn't give up and kept fighting. It was sometime later that the battle was decided for them. A ray of pure golden power erupted from space and made its way to Earth. As the power ran over them, the monsters turned to stone and then ash, the people of Earth felt hope as they'd never felt hope before, the former Rangers felt their powers return, stronger then ever, and the Space Rangers were forced from their morph, but not due to lack of power. The Originals stiffened, knowing who that power came from, but were unable to concentrate on it as the people began cheering. With the monsters gone, the hope the power flow instilled turned to utter joy, only to diminish minutes later as the Dark Fortress arrived on Earth.
"It's Astronema…she's won." But, with their heroes standing in front of them, ready to once again protect them, the people bravely faced whatever was to come. Tommy and Kim watched with the others, including Bulk and Skull who had arrived with Kira, as the doors opened and two well-known figures emerged, one clutching the other to their chest.
"Andros!" Ashley cried, leading the Space Rangers forward to meet their Red Ranger who gently laid his sister, an unmoving Astronema, on the ground.
"Oh god." Said Kat, seeing she appeared to be dead. But the Rangers proved once again that anything was possible when it came to them. Andros' love for his sister brought on a bout of power that entered the Queen of Evil, bringing life back into her, smashing the mind control device and reverting her back to her true self.
"Karone…?" Andros gasped.
"Andros?" she sat up looking at her brother and trying to remember what had happened. "How did I…get here?"
"That's a long story!" he cried, pulling her to him and holding tight. Seeing this, the other Space Rangers rushed forward to greet her, their open display of affection to their former enemy being enough for the people, at least until proper answers could be given. Seeing things were well at hand and they were no longer needed, Tommy and Kim handed Kira back to Bulk and Skull asking them to watch her for a bit before six subdued Original Rangers led the way off the battlefield. They made it to a secluded area and Jason managed a muttered "Power Chamber" before the six teleported away, being closely followed by the others. The sight that greeted them upon arrival at the ruins of the Power Chamber was not one they'd expect after this great victory. The six Originals were huddled together in front of a mostly destroyed, though still identifiable, energy tube, each one of them sobbing. Fearing that something was truly wrong, Justin borrowed Rocky's communicator and teleported back for the Space Rangers, as the others remained in shock as their predecessors broke down, and worry that this wasn't over. Not long after, six coloured specs could the seen in the distance, growing closer to reveal the Space Rangers on their Galaxy Gliders, Justin and Karone hitching a ride.
"What happened?" Ashley asked frantically, as they de-morphed upon arrival, all of them wondering how things had changed from celebration to sorrow so fast.
"We don't know." Said Tanya. "When we left they merely said Power Chamber. We arrived not three seconds after them and they were like this."
"Was it all just too much for them?" Zhane asked quietly, not knowing these Rangers, but knowing even as he said it that he was far from being right.
"They're the Original Power Rangers." Said Adam. "I can guarantee it's not the battle that's gotten to them." Eventually the Originals cried themselves out and their friends were finally able to approach them.
"Billy, what happened?" Kat asked her boyfriend.
"Zordon…" the Blue Ranger murmured, not breaking from the death grip the Originals had on each other, though he did lean into Kat for additional support.
"What about Zordon?"
"He's…he's…he's gone…"
"We know he got captured." Aisha said, for they'd all been informed of their mentor and friend's capture all those months ago. "But we'll find him, don't worry." The Originals merely shook their heads as more tears fell and it was left to Andros to explain.
"He means Zordon's dead." The Red Space Ranger's pronouncement had all of them staring in shock, Karone included for she'd been unconscious when it had happened.
"WHAT?!"
"That's what the wave of power was." Said Tommy, his face between one of anguish and anger. "It was Zordon's energy, his life force…"
"It was the only way." Andros said, tears falling from his own eyes, a fact that was mirrored by every other person there. "Zordon knew that. He told me to shatter his energy tube. It's my fault he's gone."
"It's not your fault, Andros." Said Jason, truth seeping through his grief. "Zordon knew what he was doing, he knew what he was asking. And if Zordon was asking that of you then he knew it was the only way."
"Don't blame yourself, Andros." Trini added. "He knew what he was doing, he sacrificed himself to save us all."
"How come you guys knew and we didn't?" Justin asked.
"We know Zordon's energy signature." Said Billy. "He created the Original Ranger powers, his energy was infused with our Power Coins and we in turn were infused with his energy every time we morphed."
"And we knew what it meant because we know Zordon." Said Zack. "When we felt that amount of energy, we knew he'd have expended it all. Which can mean only one thing."
"We knew Zordon as well." Argued Zhane, he and Andros being the only two Rangers who had never seen the ancient sage with the Originals and so read no more into this then some Rangers thinking they knew Zordon better then others. "He was our friend-"
"He was my father!" Kim screamed, her anger and grief mixing as she lashed out at Zhane, though she knew deep down he was not trying to be hurtful, for he himself was hurting. For all they could say they knew Zordon best, even the Originals knew Kim and Zordon had shared a special bond. They had each sought him out numerous times over the years, getting to know him, and knowing he loved them all, but with Kimberly it was different. In the very early days of their Ranger career, Zordon reached out to Kimberly, the first time he'd reached out to any of them on a personal level, and had helped her through her the finalization of her parents' divorce, and her mother's near immediate re-marriage and desire to move with Pierre to Paris. Then, after Tommy's time as the Evil Green Ranger, Zordon had been there for Kim where her friends could not be. Still unknown to them after all this time, Kim had not had as easy a time as she'd led them to believe. Of course she'd meant every word she'd said to them about not blaming Tommy, but her words had not stopped the nightmares, not stopped her re-living the pain, the feelings of degradation and fear. And worst of all, they'd not stopped the fear of Tommy that had grown from all that. Kim knew she was not truly afraid of Tommy, that it was brought on by the nightmares and was merely at the surface, and that it was irrational to allow the nightmares to control her. But it was Zordon that had helped her to truly believe all that and make the nightmares go away.
Tommy, of course, knew all this, had learned of it early on as she could not hide it through their bond, especially once it grew stronger, and he too had sought help from the ancient sage as he'd worked through all he'd done to the Rangers and to Kim. Zordon had been there for him when he'd found out Kim was pregnant and had shortly after broken down in the Command Centre, wondering how Kim could forgive him for this, or how she could ever love him, or even his child, after what he'd done. He'd been there for both of them during the pregnancy, Kim especially as she'd be relegated to spending most of her time at the Command Centre as the others fought. Tommy had seen it all through her eyes, though the specifics were not necessary for the others to see that Kim had quickly come to view Zordon as a surrogate father, long before they had, and that he reciprocated her feelings.
"He was trapped on Earth for ten thousand years. What? You think because you talked to him a few times over a communications channel that you knew him? Cause unless you're over ten thousand years old that's the only way you could have known him!" Her words were hateful, though they all knew, even Zhane to whom they were directed, that she did not mean them; that it was her grief talking. "He was there for me through it all." She whispered, remembering him and all he'd done for her and what meant to her. "He wasn't just my friend. He was so much more then that…and now I'll never see him again." Kim sobbed into Tommy's shoulder as he held her close, rocking her back and forth. No one but them knew all of which Kim spoke, but her words, and the raw emotion behind them, had some of them wondering if they ever really knew him, and others wondering if there was more to the story then they'd initially been told. After Kim calmed down some, they were all unsure what to do. None of them were ready to leave, none of them were calm enough, although the sobbing had stopped, and none of them noticed when a beam of teleportation entered the ruins until a small, broken voice, spoke out.
"Rangers…" Every head whipped in its direction, all of them surging forward as one.
"ALPHA!" The Originals cried, having reached Alpha, their Alpha 5, first.
"You're alright!"
"We were so worried!"
"We hadn't heard from you in awhile!"
"Thank god you're alright!"
"Aye yai yai…" he said, summing it all up, everything from their reunion to Zordon's death, in his trademark remark.
"Alpha we are so glad to see you." Said Trini. "But what are you doing here? Weren't you on Eltar?"
"Yes, I was. And I remained there when Dark Spector captured Zordon. But now…he's gone. And this was Zordon's home. This is my home. And you are our family. I wanted to be with my family." Although used to the many humanistic qualities of Alpha 6, it was still glaringly obvious that he was a robot. Yet this Alpha was different, and the Space Rangers were shocked at the realization that had their backs been turned, they'd have been unable to tell it had been a robot that had spoken.
"Good. Cause we're gonna need our whole family to get through this." Kim murmured as she clung to him, a tear falling on his domed head.
"Yes. But I see there is no Power Chamber for me to return to."
"Divatox destroyed it." Justin said mournfully. "Right after we heard that Zordon had been captured."
"I see. Then as much as I would like to stay, unfortunately I cannot."
"What? Why?" asked Kat.
"The technology required to maintain me was all inside the Power Chamber. Without it I cannot even recharge."
"We'll figure something out, Alpha." Adam assured him. "We'll rebuild it." They all turned to Billy, their technical genius, who shook his head.
"I cannot re-create the technology. Many of the elements used in to create Alpha do not exist on Earth."
"Then lets teleport to Eltar and bring it back." Zack insisted.
"Negative. Interplanetary teleportation requires much more power then our communicators alone possess. We'd need a power boost from the Power Chamber's transport core."
"What about you guys?" Aisha asked, turning to the Space Rangers. "You have a space ship right? Would you give us a lift to Eltar?"
"Of course." Andros said with no hesitation.
"Or," Billy spoke up before anyone could make firm plans. "We could do what Adam suggested and rebuild."
"But didn't you say you couldn't rebuild the technology?" asked TJ.
"Affirmative. I cannot re-create the Alpha series technology here on Earth. But I am not speaking of re-creating technology."
"We can rebuild the Power Chamber." Jason said catching on.
"You can do that?" Cassie asked. "How?"
" 'To those who are Ninjetti, anything is possible.' " Tommy quoted.
"Is that supposed to mean something?" Carlos asked Rocky who nodded.
"Yeah. Yeah it is."
"You guys up for it?" asked Zack. They all nodded and those who knew of the Ninjetti, ushered the others back, giving the six some room.
"Ninjetti!" cried Jason.
"The Ape!"
"The Frog!"
"The Bear!"
"The Wolf!"
"The Crane!"
"The Falcon!"
Once garbed in their Ninjetti robes, they formed a circle around the remains of Zordon's energy tube, exactly as they had years ago after first becoming Ninjetti. Closing their eyes, they called on all the power of the Sacred Animals and willed The Great Power to them. Those watching were treated to a show of absolute power, as The Great Power answered their call. Their Animal Spirits burst forth, showering them all in golden light as they flew about. The Power Chamber began to rebuild itself around the Rangers. Dust cleared, stone welded together, walls grew, buttons reappeared on the control panels, and energy spires materialized. After it was over, when The Great Power receded and their Animal Spirits returned to them, the Ninjetti Warriors opened their eyes and gasped at what they saw, for it was not the Power Chamber that had been rebuilt.
"The Command Centre…" they murmured, lowering their hoods and coming around to stand on the main platform.
"It's all here." Muttered Trini. "The Viewing Globe, the area we cleared for the Rad Bug…all of it…right down to Kira's old playpen."
"This is…?" The others asked as they came over, none of them having seen this place before.
"The original Command Centre." Kim answered. "The one Zordon built when he first came to Earth." At their mentor's name, they all turned to look up at the empty energy tube, grief once more filling them. However, The Power seemed to be waiting for this cue, as at that moment, a golden light filled the tube, dissipating to reveal a picture they'd taken long ago. They were all in it, in their Ranger suits, surrounding Alpha who was holding a newborn Kira while Zordon looked down on them from this very tube. Other flashes of light followed along the wall beside the energy tube as more pictures appeared, appearing as if they were holograms, each depicting a Ranger team. There was the first five Zeo Rangers, followed by one of the same suits, though with Aisha, Rocky and Adam, and Jason's return as the Gold Ranger, and one with them along with the Rangers of Aquitar. The Turbo Rangers followed as they'd been after their trip to Muiranthias, then the new Turbo Rangers when TJ, Carlos and Kat had joined the team. Finally, the Space Rangers graced the wall, all six of them along with Alpha 6 smiling down from the bridge of the Astro Megaship.
"Aye yai yai." Alpha said quietly, seeing this all come to life. "Zordon would be so happy."
"This is what he spent his life working for." Said Zack. "A way to protect the universe after he was gone."
"That's us guys." Jason added. "We're the guardians of the universe."
"No doubt other Ranger teams will join us." Said Billy. "They'll grace these walls alongside us."
"They'll join our family." Said Trini.
"And they'll join his legacy." Said Kim. "We're his legacy."
"And as long as we're around." Tommy finished, "He'll never be forgotten."
A/N - There you have it, the first of two follow up one-shots!
Naturally there was going to be a tribute to Zordon. Given how much he meant to the series, and how much more he meant to the characters as I've written them it was inevitable. Alpha will be staying on Earth in the newly rebuilt Command Centre from now on and we will be seeing more of him. I know how I wrote Zhane can make him come off as a bit of an ass, and I'm sure I'll get a comment or two about it, but that wasn't my intention, I promise. It was more that there were times people who didn't know Kim, or the Originals would question them and as the others all know each other it was either Zhane or Andros, and given Andros' grief over his sister and then Zordon I didn't think it would be him.
Not much else to say about this, it's really just a filler, there's really nothing here that adds to the plot of my Power Rangers universe, and it's also a tribute to Zordon since the coming sequel takes place years after his death and both the characters and I (and hopefully you) will miss him. The next one-shot, which will have a semi-significant plot tie in to the sequel, should be up later this week.
Review please!