Live Like You Were Dying

Title: Live Like You Were Dying
Author: kazeko
Show: Power Rangers
Rating: PG 13
Chapters: ?
Series: no, also no relation to "Children of the Gods"
Multipart: yes
Time: About a year after Power Rangers in Space, changing the Power Rangers timeline after that
Couple(s): Tommy/Kimberly, Jason/Kat, Tanya/Adam
Disclaimer: Saban and Disney own Power Rangers and they don't deserve it if they won't release MMPR on DVD!
Disclaimer 2: I own everything else, including characters, other planets, and the plot.

Chapter 11: Confessions of a Diplomat Mage

The group appeared in the middle of a small living-room, a tall man with black hair reclining on the sole couch. "I was wondering if you humans would ever come. She's not here anymore."

Tommy clenched his fists, the tiny bloodstone on his necklace glowing menacingly. "What did you do to her, Dervalet?"

"I did nothing to her," the man oozed, "but I may do something to you."

With no more warning than that, A net of dark magic enveloped the group as an older, heavyset Shamiri with dully pointed ears, dark green eyes, and dark brown hair tinted gray with age entered the room, hands held above his head. Tommy raised his hands to show that he had no weapon, indicating to the other ex-Rangers that they should not attack. "Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan, I presume?"

The Mage lowered his hands. "Yes, I am."

"You speak English very well for a Shamiri."

"How do you know my full name? Even Dervalet does not." Tommy showed no outward sign that he had received the telepathic message from the Mage, raising one eyebrow as he waited for a verbal response.

Dervalet stood at the mention of his name, glancing at Azaemer. "Azaemer, can you keep these nine humans busy? Kapiire and I have to go use that locator orb you gave us to find that stupid girl. And this time we will kill her." He swept out of the room, leaving one nervous old Mage and nine ex-Rangers.

"I know your full name because you signed your full name on the Earth/Adamarei Protection Treaty one hundred years ago, your time." The other Rangers, having no idea what Tommy was talking about, exchanged startled glances as the net of magic vanished and Azaemer fell onto the couch, sighing.

"Tell me what you know, young Tommy Oliver."

Tommy sat across from Azaemer and pulled out the PDA, glancing at Dictami. "Play the file for Azaemer, Dictami."

Dictami nodded and the file opened, Zordon's deep voice booming from the tiny speakers. "Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan zuarta-aaviess nifurrah asza Zordon ni'Eltarhet. Earth adan Azareth-pintaa ziarrten-lu minakresh Adamarei Anshiaat duroul turr'zaaviess, Zameri'net."

"Azaemer of Lamyiaan and Zordon of the Eltari do hereby come to this final agreement," Azaemer's voice on the recording translated into English. "Earth in the Azareth Region is hereby and forever a Protectorate of the Adamarei Alliance and will be exempt from all civil wars and conflicts thereof until treaties change, under this Treaty of Coexistence."

"I am glad we could come to this agreement, Azaemer. I hope we will be allies for a long time."

"So do I, Zordon. Queen Anarii sends her best. Here is the copy of the Treaty. Keep it in a safe place. If you ever need our help, here is young Duchess Baliree's com line."

"I agree with that sentiment. And if the Alliance ever has need of my services, do not hesitate to come and ask. I cannot leave, of course, but I will have some of my Power Rangers visit the Adamarei Alliance."

"When are you going to recruit them again, by the way? You haven't had Rangers in a long time."

"There is no need yet. But if you have need, they will be here."

The recording ended, and Tommy raised an eyebrow, waiting for the Mage to speak. "That was a long time ago," Azaemer whispered, his age echoing in his voice. "That was back when I was young and a diplomat. But when my uncle passed his power onto me and Dervalet hired me as his family Mage, I changed."

"You may have, but the treaty did not and your agreement with Zordon did not. He's dead, but his promise still stands." Tommy called up the Zameri'net file and glanced at the highlighted section, grateful that Dictami seemed to know what he was looking for. "Please forgive me for reading in English; I don't know enough Shamiret to read in your language." Azaemer nodded, and Tommy began. "Let's see, this passage describes the responsibilities of Earth, including 'to provide empowered fighters known as Power Rangers to help defend the Adamarei Alliance from internal or external threats.' That of course is why Baliree was able to take the Tommy, Jason, and Kimberly you know. Under this treaty they were obliged to obey the summons, even if they didn't know of them. Here's a very important part: 'under no circumstances and at no time may a member or former member of the Adamarei Alliance attack, harm, kill, rape, kidnap, coerce, bribe, blackmail . . . a member of the Human race on the planet Earth'. I know that we are included, since the nine of us are Humans."

"You're ex-Rangers," Azaemer sighed, leaning his head back, knowing that he had lost but determined to fight anyway. "You aren't covered under that clause."

"Here's the one about Rangers," Dictami piped up. "It reads: 'all Power Rangers, current or former, no matter how long they helped Zordon ni'Eltarhet defend Earth against nvaders, are eligible for service in the Adamarei Alliance under certain restrictions listed in Section Four for as long as they are needed by the queen for a term not to exceed their human life-spans unless they agree to be enhanced as Shamirii with the Dragon Power temporarily or permanently. The order must come along the chain of command from Queen Anarii (or the current queen) and Duchess Baliree (or the current Duchess of Azareth Region under which Earth is a Protectorate). The Rangers must be informed of the particulars of the request and no Mage may act without the orders of the royals. Until a Ranger has been approached by a member of the Adamarei Nobility and their service specifically requested, any action against them must be judged as an action by a Shamiri against a member of the Human Race of Earth unless the Ranger is a current and active member of the Earth Defense Team, in which case special instructions listed in Section Four Subsection B apply and any amendments added by Zordon ni'Eltarhet apply'."

Tommy looked up at Azaemer, reaching out and resting a friendly hand on the old Mage's shoulders. The Shamiri looked up, defeated, and started at the friendliness in the Human's brown eyes. "Look, Azaemer, I don't want to fight you on this. I know you serve Dervalet because your powers came from a source attached to his Powerless House, and I know that much of what you do is against your will. But the Human you kidnapped is protected under the treaty, and I love her dearly. I want to—I need to—find her, and I need your help for that. In the recording you said that Humans are protected from civil wars and internal conflicts of the Adamarei Alliance. Does this count?"

"Yes."

"And what are Mages in service to the Zameri'net required to do in such a circumstance? Does responsibility to the laws of the Alliance overrule any contracts between individual Mages and Houses?"

Azaemer nodded, a youthful and relieved light entering his old green eyes. "Yes, it does override any responsibility I have to obey Dervalet. I must protect the innocent human ex-Ranger, no matter what she may become in my future. If it hasn't happened yet, it doesn't count." Tommy smiled as the Mage stood, strength in his bones for the first time in many decades. "I know where he went, and your alanhi will not be safe until we find and restrain him. Then I can try to track Kimberly."

"Thank you, Azaemer ni'Lamyiaan."

"No, Tommy ni'Oliver, thank you. It feels good to do the right thing again."

Tommy brushed the stray hair away from his wife's peaceful face, listening to her dreams as she slept. The web of silver power was constant now, reminding Tommy of when Kimberly lost her Pink Ranger powers so long ago. "I love you so much, Beautiful," he whispered, hearing the tears in his own voice. "I don't know how I'll go on without you."

Jason, watching from the open door, sighed. He knew without any thought that Tommy would not long survive the death of his soul mate. If the grief didn't kill him, the Mage might take his own life. It was very rare for a Mage to live long past the death of their partner. He regretted that he had never experienced the close bond Kimberly and Tommy shared, and he wondered if he should tell his younger self not to let Kat get away. Every person got one shot at true love, but he blew his and there were no second chances. If he wasn't so Dragon-wise, he might tempt fate and throw his worries to the wind. But even before she got sick, Kimberly had shown his that the future is unalterable and that he had to make the best of the lot he had been given. Loneliness.

"I'm sorry, Jase," Tommy whispered, never looking up. The three of them were so close that he didn't have to. "I know what it's like to be alone, and I'll know again very soon. Who knows, maybe we were wrong all along. Maybe the future can be changed."

"I doubt it."

Both looked up as the Rangers returned, the spike of power in the living-room waking even Kimberly. Tommy gently pushed her back onto the bed, holding her as another power surge wracked her small frame. He covered her up and told her to rest as he followed Jason into the main room, both Mages bristling. "Dervalet," Jason hissed. The Diplomat-Mage Azaemer smiled as he dumped the bound man in a nearby chair with his daughter, locking both in a magical net. "You . . . caught him?"

"With Azaemer's generous help," young Tommy smiled. "He helped write the Treaty of Coexistence that makes Earth a Protectorate in Azareth Region. Anyway, Azaemer says that Dervalet kidnapped Kimberly—specifically forbidden by the Zameri'net—because Shana was hungry and wouldn't accept any other nurse. He was going to kill both of them when Kimberly died before passing on her powers or use them to force her to give the Queen Powers to Kapiire. Anyway, apparently even as a Human ex-Power Ranger Kimberly was compatible with Shana's powers and she linked with her to teleport herself away. I imagine she's still too young to use her powers herself. As far as Azaemer knows, Kimberly and Shana are somewhere in Miami."

The white-robbed Mage nodded, his heart singing at the news that his daughter was alive and in Kimberly's capable hands. "Can you find her? Shana's cloaking spells would hide her even from me; only Kim would be able to break through, and she can't."

Tommy nodded and took a seat on the couch, pulling out the PDA as Jason and Kat moved into one corner, the older Jason moved back to stand at the doorway to Kim's room, and the other Rangers headed out onto the balcony for some fresh air. Dictami appeared on the small screen, smiling as he began his search for Kimberly again. Dastirri appeared behind him as they began to decode more sites and security tapes, a sharp cry of joy piercing the eerie silence. "Found her!"

The Rangers gathered around, the call audible from outside, as the two Mages leaned over young Tommy's shoulder. The tiny screen showed a passenger list from a straight flight from Miami to Angel Grove. The last name on the list was 'Kimberly Ann Hart' with 'Shana Rose Oliver' as her child. "How did she know?"

Jason glanced at his friend, shaking his head. "Shana looks a lot like you, Bro, and Kim's younger self must have made the connection. I imagine she heard her first name from Dervalet and must have figured out her middle name."

Tommy tapped a few buttons, a smile spreading across his youthful face. "She'll be here in an hour. We should be at the airport to meet her. Then this whole chase will be over and Kimberly will be safe in my arms once more."

TBC