Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me. Sidra, Professor Barlow, Dr. Herbert, and Aurelia do.
Fallen Stars
Part Five
"Professor Barlow?"
The scientist dropped the beaker he was holding. It smashed it to pieces and made a puddle of white liquid.
"Sidra, please. Give me notice before you come bursting in here."
"Sorry," she said. "I hope it wasn't too important."
He shrugged off her apology. "That's all right. I can always get more. It wasn't homogenized anyway." She looked at him quizzically. He held up a cookie. "Can't have them without milk," he explained. "Sit down. Would you like one? Chocolate, chocolate chip."
"Sure, thanks." She sat down, and he handed her a cookie and a glass of milk.
"So, what bring you here this time?"
"It's about Ecliptor."
He nearly choked. "Like I already explained, there's nothing I can..."
She interrupted him. "That's taken care of. But the thing is, he was human once. I was hoping maybe you'd know someone who could change him back."
He thought for a moment. "Well, I have this cousin..."
* * * * * *
Sidra returned a few hours later. The other rangers were sitting in the work bay, eating the Chinese food they had gotten from Earth. Everyone was scarfing it down except Andros and Ashley. She was too busy teaching him how to eat with chopsticks.
"Hey," Karone greeted her. "You're just in time for dinner. I managed to keep some of the food safe from your brother."
"I can't help it. This stuff is really good."
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Sidra scolded him. She took the carton Karone handed her. "You eat like a pig."
"Beg your pardon?"
"Hey, that's an Earth expression!" said Cassie.
Sidra nodded. "My friend's gone to Earth a lot so he taught me a few things."
"That's good. Maybe now you can translate for the boys. I'm sick of explaining things to them," Ashley said. "Mostly Andros. Zhane fits right in."
"He always was the outgoing one," said Sidra.
"I resent that," said Andros. "If you recall, I happened to make four friends all by myself."
"Only because we forced you," said TJ, swallowing a big chunk of rice.
"You weren't exactly friendly," Carlos added.
"Anyway," said Karone, "what did Barlow say?"
"Does he know anyone?" Ecliptor asked urgently.
She nodded. "Yes, his cousin Dr. Herbert is an expert in mutations and stuff like that."
Zhane groaned. "Doesn't he know someone that's not related to him?"
"Actually no, he doesn't have many friends. Exactly what is it you have against him?" Sidra asked.
"Nothing, I just enjoy bugging you."
"Brothers." Sidra sighed. "I guess you're making up for lost time. Anyway, we have to go see him."
Andros looked over at Ecliptor. "Do you want to?"
He nodded. "Of course."
"Then we have no time to waste," Sidra said. "Let's go."
* * * * * *
Unlike Professor Barlow, Dr. Herbert's home wasn't hidden to protect him from danger. But it wasn't the easiest place to get to, as it was in the middle of a jungle. However, Professor Barlow had told Sidra of a path to follow and they managed to get there in no time. His house was a small shack, overgrown with vines and exotic flowers. They knocked on the door. He opened it. "May I help you?"
The rangers pushed Karone forward, who had been chosen to tell him of their somewhat odd request.
"Dr. Herbert?" she asked timidly. He nodded. "We're the Power Rangers," she began. "And we need your help."
He looked them over curiously, his thin mustache twitching. Satisfied that they were the real thing, he ushered them in. Inside, they found much odder things then what they wanted from him. Crowded in the shack were two-headed monkeys, one-eyed frogs and a bunch of other strange creatures like a half-gerbil, half-parakeet.
Needless to say, they weren't so afraid to ask him, although the Earth-born rangers were worried he'd be human but have a tail or something.
Instead of being panic-stricken like Barlow, he was intrigued. "How wonderful!" he exclaimed.
"It is?" Ashley raised her eyebrow.
"So Barlow isn't the only nut in his family," Zhane said. Sidra hushed him.
"Well, not for him, of course. But I've always wanted to work on a human or a monster. I just haven't had the opportunity."
"So you can do it then?" Andros asked.
"Well, it's a test of my skills, but I'm willing to try. Of course, I'll have to see the patient."
"Of course," Karone said. "Shall you be coming back with us?"
"No, I'd prefer it if he would come here where I have all of my equipment."
"I'll go get him," Zhane volunteered. He left and returned with Ecliptor a moment later.
"Please give us some privacy," said Dr. Herbert. They went outside. "So, Ecliptor. Do remember what the machine looked like? And how it worked?" He nodded. "Good, tell me every detail."
Ecliptor described it thoroughly. Every so often, Dr. Herbert would take a bottle of a chemical and put it into a bigger glass. When he was done, he stirred it all together and heated it up. Then he took it and gave it to Ecliptor.
"Drinking this tonight should reverse your transformation."
"Thank you." He bowed. Then he raced outside to inform the rangers.
Karone hugged him. "That's wonderful!"
"Come on, let's go home and try it out," said Cassie. They agreed and returned to the Megaship.
Ecliptor gulped it down and fell asleep instantly. Karone put him in a chair and they tiptoed out of the room.
* * * * * *
Ecliptor awoke the next morning, unsure of where he was. He sat up and looked around. He was on the Astro-Megaship. That's right, he remembered. I know why I'm here. But why do I feel so strange? He stood up. D.E.C.A gave a computerish scream.
"What? What's the matter?" He asked.
"Oh, never mind. I didn't recognize you for a second. Look."
He appeared on the viewing scream. Now it was his turn to scream, but of joy.
The rangers rushed inside. Karone gasped. "Ecliptor?" she asked.
He nodded. It was true. He was human again. He had black hair and green eyes. He was wearing a black uniform with a touch of green. He looked like a normal, middle-aged man, instead of a scary monster.
"Wow, you look great!" Ashley said. The others complemented him, too.
"Why don't we go to Earth to celebrate?" Andros suggested.
Ecliptor shook his head. "No. There's something I wish to do first."
* * * * * *
"Is this it?" TJ asked. "I hope so." They had just climbed a steep hillside to the house on the top.
"Yes, it is. It's exactly as I remember it." Ecliptor walked to the door and held out his fist to knock. He paused.
"Well, go ahead," Karone urged him.
"What if they don't know me? It's been so long. My daughter probably won't even remember me. I haven't seen her since she was a child. Now she's grown up."
"You'll never know," Zhane said, "unless you knock."
"You're right." He rapped on the door. A woman opened it a crack. She had caramel-colored eyes and golden blond hair. Ecliptor recognized her instantly. "Aurelia?"
"Yes, I..." She nearly fainted. "Ecliptor? You're alive!" She ran out and threw her arms around him. "What happened to you?"
"It's a very long story," he replied. "May I come in?"
"Of course, it's still your house. Come in, everyone." She sat them around a table. "I was so worried. I thought I'd never see you again." She started to cry.
"It's all right." He hugged her. "I'm here."
She wiped away her tears. "Who are they?"
"They're the Power Rangers."
"Power Rangers?"
"Yes, the Power Rangers." He repeated the story he had told Zhane, finishing with recent events.
"Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry, my husband. Please forgive me."
"There's no need for you to apologize. Can you forgive me?"
"Of course I can. You don't know how much I've missed you."
"Now where's Emma?"
Aurelia started to cry again. "She's gone," she sobbed. "She was kidnapped."
"Kidnapped?" Ecliptor said alarmed. "By who?"
"One of Dark Spectre's monsters, I believe. Just a couple weeks ago."
"What did it look like?" asked Carlos.
"It was tall and a yellowish color with a touch of brown and perhaps some red. Its head was almost bare and it was carrying a short sword which he made grow."
"That's sounds like Darkonda's!" said Karone.
Ecliptor growled. "He'll pay for this."
"But why would he want Ecliptor's daughter?" asked Sidra.
"Because he probably was worried that Ecliptor'd ruin his plans," Andros said. "If he had his daughter, he could make him do whatever he wanted."
"Do you know where he could've taken her?" asked Ashley.
She pointed out the window. "There's a cave in those mountains."
The Rangers stood up. "We'll find her," Carlos promised.
"I'm going to," said Ecliptor.
"But you can't," Karone protested. "Darkonda would try to hurt you."
"Please don't leave again," said Aurelia.
"I must," Ecliptor said. "I can distract him while the rangers get Emma."
"All right. But be careful."
"I will return." They filed out the door.
"Ever since I got here, we've been off rescuing somebody," Sidra commented.
"Well, we're going to rescue someone else," Andros said. They headed off to the mountains.
To be continued...
