Author: Jadelyn Tate
Story: Birthright
Pairings: Piper/Eli, Claudia/Kelson, Nikki/Troy, Sky/Aimee, Tommy/Kat M.
Disclaimer: I own no one.
Summery: Second in the Heritage Trilogy.
A/N: So….sorry this is so slow going. I've been having trouble remembering which fics I've updated and which ones I haven't. I have ten fics I'm in the middle of so…Sorry.


"Hey, Piper," Eli greeted her the next day. All seven teens had been too busy last night getting measurements and such done that they hadn't really had time to talk.

"New attendant?" she asked with a frown as a young boy trailed after Eli. The night before, in the middle of her measurements, three more women had joined them, claiming the Queen had assigned them to attend her daily needs. Piper wasn't happy she'd been given servants but after a look from Karone, had kept her mouth shut.

Eli nodded as Troy and Nikki joined them. A young girl and boy were following them as well. "Looks like all of us got one," he murmured as they made their way to the dining room. Piper snorted.

"I got three," she told him with a grimace. Eli looked back and saw a young woman with the other three attendants.

"Where are the other two?" Nikki asked curiously as they came to a set of stairs.

"I have no idea," she shrugged. "Caelia, what's up there?"

The young woman smiled at her. "The Astronomy Tower, milady," she replied. Piper's lips twitched as she looked up.

"Harry Potter anyone?" she quipped and the other three laughed. Caelia frowned as the three kids all exchanged confused looks.

"Harry Potter, milady?" Caelia inquired. Piper's lips twitched.

"Very very popular book series back on Earth first published in the late 1990's," she told them.

"Sorcerers Stone was published in 1997," Nikki added. "The last book, Deathly Hallows, was published in 2007."

"Granddad took mom and my uncle to the last book release party Ernie helped host at the TOY Center," Piper grinned. "They were only a year old at the time."

"A lot of people did that, actually," Nikki told her. "They wanted their kids to be part of history."

"How do you know that?" Eli asked, confused. Troy rolled his eyes.

"Have you seen her book collection?" he asked as Nikki blushed. "She has first editions of all the books not to mention all the special editions of the movies."

"I like Harry Potter," she admitted. Piper's eyes lit up.

"Did you bring the books with you?" she asked hopefully. "I kinda want to read them again."

"Yeah, they're on the Flyer, along with my movies," Nikki agreed. Piper grinned.

"Sweet!"


"So, this is the library?" Piper asked as the walked in. Caelia nodded.

"Yes milady," she murmured as a short, squat man hurried over. It took him a while as he kept bumping into tables and knocking books over.

"Lady Tyche, it is an honor!" he cried, grabbing her hand enthusiastically. Piper smiled at him slightly and he brightened. "I am Sir Nenan, Keeper of Records. The Ladies Dike, Cratus, and Aneris are already here. They have claimed one of the private research chambers."

"Please take us to them," she requested and he nodded.

"Of course milady," he agreed. "This way."

When they entered the chamber, Piper couldn't help but chuckle. All three girls were sitting around a table, data pads propped in front of them as they squabbled over the food set in the middle. Off to the side their attendants watched in amusement as they too read.

"Piper!" Claudia exclaimed happily, even as Ella snatched what appeared to be a fruit from her hand. "Hey!"

"Sorry Claud," she told her, taking a large bite. Claudia scowled.

"You most certainly are not," she scolded and Ella nodded.

"You're right, I'm not," she agreed, causing the seven attendants to all titter. Piper took a seat at the table and grabbed one of the pads.

"Anything yet?" she asked and the girls shook their heads.

"Nothing," Alycia told her with a sigh as she tossed the pad she'd been reading onto a growing pile in the center of the table.

"We found the legend of how it was founded, but we already knew that story," Ella added. "We still haven't found a location."


"Cadets," Andros greeted the seven teens as they walked in later that day. They'd skipped the palace lunch, opting to continue researching. Piper's servant Delia had come half an hour before to inform them Andros needed to speak to them immediately in his palace quarters. Despite the attendant's protests, the teens had cleaned up the research room before leaving.

"Hello, cadets," the familiar form of Doggie Cruger stepped into view, a smile on his face. On either side were Zordon of Eltar, Alpha 5, and Isinia.

"Supreme Commander Cruger," the teens nodded at him, straightening. Cruger waved a hand.

"At ease, cadets," he told them. "I trust you know everyone."

The group nodded respectively at Cruger's wife and the automaton. Piper grinned at the original Earth mentor.

"Hiya Grandpapa!" she chirped, causing Zordon to chuckle.

"Hello Tyche," he greeted her with a smile. "Nikki, Troy, Eli, Ella, Alycia, Claudia."

"So what's the what?" Piper asked, plopping down on a chair. Cruger chuckled and sat down as well.

"After discussing the situation with the SPD High Council and your parents, it's been decided that you are still officially, SPD cadets," Cruger informed them without hesitation.

"You're kidding!" Eli blurted out. "I thought cadets had to be on a planetary office, not gallivanting across the cosmos."

"Normally, that's correct," Cruger nodded. "However, this is a unique situation so the guidelines are being bent."

"How is this going to work?" Alycia asked curiously. Andros pulled out a stack of data pads.

"As of 0800 tomorrow, you will be known as the Omega Squad," he told them, handing the data pads out. "Officially, the leader is Troy, since he has more experience."

"And unofficially?" Troy asked knowingly as he accepted a pad. Andros smiled.

"Unofficially, it's Piper," he told them. "When you're planet side and working as Omega Squad, you refer to Troy. When you're either on your ship or working as Tyche and Protectors, you refer to Piper."

"Additionally, you have the highest clearance SPD has, Confidential Class 6," Cruger told them. "I'm you're only superior."

"Not Grandpa?" Piper asked surprised and Cruger shook his head.

"This way, you get preferential treatment," he told her and Piper nodded.

"I think we should have designations on the ship," Alycia suggested. "You know, since we're gonna have a crew and everything."

"I agree with Cadet Landors," Cruger said. "Additionally, we have a list of the crew you'll be taking on."

Piper accepted the data pad with the crew information. "Do we have to have them?" she asked and made a face when Cruger nodded.

"Yes, Cadet Tate, they're mandatory," he agreed. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"You're putting people I don't know onto my ship without my permission," Piper pointed out. "So, yeah, I'm a bit ticked off."

"They're staying, Cadet Tate, and that's final," Cruger informed her. Piper narrowed her eyes.

"What if I say no?" she asked him, ignoring the warning looks Troy was sending her. "The Elysian Flyer is my ship, not yours."

"Cadet Tate, the ship is the property of SPD--" he started but Zordon cut him off.

"It's not," he told the Sirian firmly. "Troy of Triforia had the ship built specifically for Tyche and the ownership is in her name, not SPD's. Therefore you have no right or jurisdiction to place SPD personnel onto her ship without her permission."

"Lord Zordon," Cruger began but the aging Eltarian cut him off again.

"I told you my opinion before on this matter, Commander Cruger," Zordon told him coolly. "Tyche should be given the choice of whether or not she wants additional crew."

Piper wondered absently if she was the only one who noticed that Zordon kept stressing her name. Judging from Cruger's expression, she doubted it.

"Let her select her crew," Claudia said suddenly. "If you're so dead-set on her having a crew, let her choose the people."

"Cadet Chen," Cruger began but Piper cut him off this time.

"No, I agree with Claudia," she told him. "If I get to choose who goes onto my ship, I'll choose a crew of six people."

"Twelve," Cruger argued. Piper raised and eyebrow and crossed her arm.

"Six," she stood firm.

"Ten."

"Six."

"Ten, with two of them attendants."

"Six or I'll call Trey and tell him you're attempting to take over my ship with SPD personnel," she said coolly, an eyebrow raised. It was a well known fact that the Triforian King didn't like SPD; he thought they had too much influence on planetary governments. He had refused to allow SPD to purchase Triforian ships a few years previously, something that had pissed Cruger off. If it got out that Cruger was attempting to put SPD personnel on a private, Triforian made ship without the owners permission, Cruger could be booted as Supreme Commander by the Alliance of Good council.

Cruger huffed in annoyance. "Very well, six personnel," he agreed angrily. Piper smirked.

"I like you Commander, but this isn't your fight, it's mine, and I'd appreciate it if you leave me to do it," she told him coolly. "I've already lost the ability to choose my own clothes or speak the way I want to, I'm not letting you take over my ship as well.

"Additionally, I refuse to answer only to you," she added. "If you want us back as SPD, I want to answer to Zordon and ONLY Zordon."

"Now see here, cadet," he started but stopped suddenly when Piper abruptly changed in front of him.

"SILENCE!" Tyche commanded, her body glowing with an unearthly light. "My vessel is not a puppet for you to pull it strings, Anubis Cruger. Already, our life is changing due to the power and I will not allow us to become a weapon of yours."

"Cadet Tate," Cruger began but Zordon cut him off.

"Lady Tyche, I promise you that no one will control your mortal actions or mortal life anymore than it must be done for your safety," he said softly as Cruger's eyes widened in understanding. "If it is your wish, I will be the only one your mortal body answers to."

"It is our wish," Tyche agreed with a nod. She glared at the visibly shaking Sirian. "If you argue against us again, I will not hesitate to speak out against you and we both know who the citizens will side with, Supreme Commander."

With a flash of golden light, Piper's body returned to normal. She made a face as she opened her eyes. "Tyche took over, didn't she?" she asked Nikki who nodded.

"Oh yeah," the brunette agreed with a smirk. Eli, Ella, Alycia, Claudia, and Troy were grinning. Piper rolled her eyes and turned to Cruger.

"Well?" she asked testily.

"You will answer only to Zordon of Eltar," he agreed. He was a bit paler than normal and she had to wonder what Tyche had told him. She turned to Andros who had remained silent.

"Is there anything else? We have research to do," she asked. Andros shook his head.

"Get your crew list to me as soon as you can," he told her softly. "You're ship designations as well."

Piper nodded. "Good night, Uncle Andros, Grandpapa, Supreme Commander," she nodded to each as she stood up. With a swish of her skirt, she left the room.

Zordon waited until the teens were out before rounding on the Sirian. "You are walking on thin ice, Anubis," he informed him coldly. "As Tyche said before, this is her battle, not yours. When it comes down to it, she will be on the front line, alone but for her friends and family. You cannot run her life or dictate what she does."

"Tyche is a warrior of good," Cruger tried but Zordon cut him off.

"No, she is the Lady of Light, Daughter of the Lady Hemera and Lord Aether," he corrected him. "She has more power than you will ever know."

"And she needs a firm hand to keep that power in check!" Cruger argued. Zordon shook his head.

"I don't believe you understand, Anubis," he told him. "She answers to no one but herself."

"That's too dangerous," Cruger told him huffily. "She needs to answer to someone."

"If she was simply Piper Tate, I would agree with you," Zordon told him. "But she's not, she's Tyche; she is good personified. You cannot control that and it would be unwise to try."

"She threatened me!" he argued. Zordon shook his head.

"No, she warned you," he told him softly. "Tyche's sole purpose in this life is to battle Apate, not to bend to the whims of us mere mortals. Do not try to control her, Anubis. You will not like the consequences."