Disclaimer: Don't own the Power Rangers. Anybody you never heard of before is probably mine, but it doesn't matter because there's no money involved anyway.

Note: this is completely AU. Zordon never died. Everybody's in their early to mid-twenties. You'll recognize the other stuff I changed.



Legacy, part 13

A tall, silver-haired man dressed head to toe in gray met them anxiously.

"Counselor Jerawyr," Peter clasped the man's forearm in greeting. "It has been a long time, my friend."

"Too long, P'Tyr." Jerawyr bobbed his head with a small smile. "This is your son, I can see that," he nodded at Billy, "and this can be no one other than Iannos' son, and Taia's brother."

"Jason," the dark-haired young man smiled, grasping Jerawyr's forearm as he had seen Peter do. "And this is our friend Tommy."

The tall Counselor greeted Tommy, then folded Taia in a hug. "The spirits have blessed us, that you have returned, Guardian."

She returned the embrace. "Where is my father, Jerawyr?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "I had best take you to him."

*****************

He lay so still; only the gentle rise and fall of his chest gave any indication that Iannos K'Vlir still lived. Jason stared at him, this figure who had haunted most of his waking hours from childhood, ever since he'd been told he was adopted. It was strange, but even the holographic image seemed to have more substance than this puppet lying on the examining bed, his hair and beard standing in stark contrast to the unnatural whiteness of his skin.

Taia growled. "What happened?"

Jerawyr sighed. "He went after the traitor. But they were waiting for him."

"When?"

"Only a few days ago." Jerawyr shook his head, adjusting a console at the foot of the bed slightly. "When he was found yesterday, he was as you see him now."

Taia fell silent. Billy looked at his love, who was obviously in the throes of some internal struggle. "Who found him?" he asked. "How?"

Jerawyr flickered a glance at Deorth, who had followed them into the med bay. "Aji," the blond soldier supplied. "She went after him, refused to rest until he was found. She risked her life repeatedly to bring him back to us."

Tommy frowned. "That doesn't jibe with the way she greeted us. She acted like we had the plague. Why?"

There was a long silence, during which Deorth and Jerawyr exchanged looks, each glancing nervously at Taia.

"You may as well tell me." Taia folded her arms across her chest.

"The traitor…" Jerawyr grasped her by the upper arms, his expression earnest. "You must not seek revenge against the innocent, Guardian." The disdainful look she gave him expressed her opinion of that statement. "She knew nothing of his perfidy."

"Tell me," was her only response.

"Frid. It was Frid Resgro who betrayed us to So'Vran. He, who engineered your capture, and that of Paladin." Whatever Taia had been expecting, clearly this was not it, as astonishment and hurt and fury warred on her face.

"That is impossible!" she spat out. "He and my father are as brothers! He would not – could not – where is Aji?"

Jerawyr shook her. "Swear to me, Guardian. She has been though enough."

"Deorth," Tommy said quietly. "What does Jerawyr mean, no revenge against the innocent? Who does he mean?"

"I told you, Aji has had a difficult week. Frid Resgro is her father."

"Billy," Peter's voice broke in urgently. "I need your help here." The younger scientist went to his father. "Same technology as used against Taia. They're trying not just to kill Iannos, but to destroy the Paladin energy as well. Get in there." Billy nodded, liquid bronze already flowing over him.

Jason drew his attention from his father to meet Jerawyr's gaze. "This Frid Resgro… is he still alive?"

"He has joined So'Vran's armies. We presume he lives," said Deorth.

Jason gave a cold smile. "I can change that." Tommy put a warning hand on his friend's arm, but Jason roughly shook him off, his dark gaze returning to his father's face.

Long, silent moments ticked by as the metallic bronze form of Sentinel sat by Iannos' side, unmoving, while Peter dismantled So'Vran's handiwork; finally the older man drew a deep breath. "Done," he said quietly. "Fortunately there wasn't anywhere near the damage Taia had suffered. He'll be fine, though he'll probably sleep for a while."

"Will you find me when he wakes?" Taia asked, still frowning.

"Of course," Jerawyr gave a slight bow. "Where will you be?"

"Talking to Aji." With that she stalked purposefully from the room, the door shutting behind her with a mournful thump.

******************

They were still refusing to look at her, Aji noted as she returned to base, parking the troop hoverskid and hopping lightly to the ground. People she had fought alongside, people she had known all her life, were turning away as she approached rather than acknowledge her. Her lips thinned beneath the visor.

Their good opinions mattered little right now. What mattered was So'Vran's ultimate defeat. She would give her life to that cause, and perhaps, in time, she would be remembered kindly.

And Taia was alive, thank the spirits. At least her father did not have that blood on his hands. Though Aji did not relish facing Guardian when she discovered the truth.

She sat wearily on a low bench and pulled off her helmet, running both hands through her tousled red hair. For the thousandth time Aji wondered how her father could have so cavalierly destroyed so many lives of those who loved him. And who knew how many more would die because of his betrayal?

She clenched her jaw. None. This she swore. This was her reason to live, and to die if need be. Once she had held other dreams, other hopes. But that was another Aji, in another life.

"Aji."

She glanced up to see the person she most dreaded facing. "Tai."

*******************

Jerawyr spoke in low tones. "We were preparing to send him to you as we did Taia. But there was a problem with the pod, though I do not know why. We readied it using your files concerning the dimensional barrier, as we did for the pod that carried Guardian."

"Really?" Peter frowned. "Show me." Jerawyr pulled them up on the computer; Peter's frown deepened as he studied them.

"Should we go after Taia?" asked Tommy. "She's pretty angry."

"With reason, don't you think?" Jason nodded toward his father. "How exactly do we know that this Aji wasn't in on this?" This last was directed at Deorth, who bristled.

"If you knew Aji you would not ask that."

"Maybe. But we don't. Maybe we should go have a talk with her too."

Deorth moved to block their exit. "If by 'talk' you mean 'blame' you would not be the first. She is not responsible for Frid Resgro's choices. And Iannos owes her his life. She went after him alone, Jason, before any of us realized who was behind our recent travails. And it was Aji who brought him home."

Billy's voice cut across the silence that followed. "I know you're looking for someone to blame, Jase; God knows if I were in your shoes I'd want someone to beat on too. But she shouldn't have to pay for her father's crimes."

"Son?" Peter interrupted them. "Come take a look at this and tell me I'm being paranoid."

****************

The redhead looked up at Taia. A purple-black bruise decorated Aji's cheekbone and her lower lip was split. "Go ahead; I will not fight you."

Taia struggled to hold onto her anger, but it was slipping as she registered her friend's sadness. "What do you mean?"

"You wish to punish me for what my father did, I can see it in your eyes. If it will ease your pain, I shall not fight you." Aji stood. "Come, Guardian, do not make me wait."

"Is that what happened here?" She reached to touch the bruise, but Aji jerked back, and Taia felt her temper simmer again. "Who did this to you?"

Aji shrugged. "What can it possibly matter?"

"It matters to me."

Aji's green eyes flared in sudden rage. "Why should it? My father nearly had you destroyed, tried to kill your father. His blood is my own," she shouted, drawing the attention of several passers-by. "Come, then, Guardian, do that for which you were born!" She gave Taia a mighty shove, her body canted forward, her fists clenched. "Here is your enemy. Here! Come then and take me!"

Taia shoved back. "Damn you, Aji, I should! You thick-skulled fool, how dare you assume your father's guilt? Did you know what he planned? DID YOU?" Energy began to crackle around her.

"NO! I knew nothing! I was blind, a fool!" Aji launched herself at Tai, who fought back, throwing the slim redhead aside. Aji rolled easily to her feet, fists at the ready.

Taia went on the offensive then, shoulder down as she tackled Aji to the ground. "You will listen to me, Aji," she growled. "The fault is not yours. You did not know. And you brought my father home."

"But I should have known! I should have stopped him!" With a burst of strength Aji threw Taia off, getting to her feet. "Come then, Taia, it is what these people gather to see. My blood owes yours a debt, and I would see it paid!"

Strong arms pulled Taia back from the fray, wrapping around her securely. "Stop this, Tai. She doesn't deserve this," came Billy's voice, warm in her ear.

"I was trying not to fight her, William, but she would not have it," panted Taia.

Jason made a grab for Aji as she would have come at Taia again, grasping her arm, spinning her around and into the solid wall of his chest. She tilted her head back; they froze, staring at one another.

Suddenly Aji broke free. "No," she moaned brokenly.

"Aji—" Jason reached for her, but she dodged back. "Aji, wait—!" She merely shook her head, never taking her eyes from Jason, backing away until she was free of the crowd that had gathered; then she turned on her heel and ran. Jason simply watched her go, the oddest expression on his face.

"Now what was that about?" Billy asked, his blue gaze resting on his old friend. "He looks like he's been hit by lightning."

Taia nodded slowly. "He has. His blood—it sings."