Once A Ranger, Forever A Hero
Chapter 5 – Our Family
Tommy took a steeling breath as the red light continued to flash expectantly. He reached over to caress Kira's head as she slept on. Her rhythmic breathing helped to calm him a little even as his heart ached at what his friends…his family had to go through. He returned his attention to the camcorder, "The attack on the Wind Academy wasn't the only attack by Lothor but I didn't have the heart to get the details from Andros, not when…" Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "He ravaged KO-35. People died. Then he went after Andros, Ashley and their two children. Karone and Zhane were on Mirinoi at the time and they were caught off guard. Andros managed to break away to get the Megaship where the morphers were kept while Ash and kids tried to take cover. By the time he got back and drove Lothor off, Ash was unconscious and badly injured. He flew everyone straight here."
*ORFH*
They immediately took Ashley to Mariner Bay to the Lightspeed base where she could be treated properly. Dana and Carter vowed to make sure she survived and to look after the children while Andros teamed up with the Dinos and the Ninjas to fight Lothor. "Are you sure about this man?" Tommy asked as they pulled up to his house. "You should be with Ash and the kids."
"I have to take down that monster Tommy," Andros insisted. "He – he nearly – Ash – "
Tommy clasped his shoulder, "I understand." They got out of the jeep and went to the Dino base where everyone else was already gathered. Marah and Kapri stood side by side in the centre and were visibly wary of it.
"What do you know?" Andros demanded lowly.
"Hey they were attacked too," Hunter protested.
"It's okay," Kapri assured him. "Look, there's something we've never talked about with you guys."
"When we switched sides, we decided there wasn't a point to it," Marah chipped in.
"We were actually surprised no one ever asked," Kapri shrugged.
"Asked what?" Tori frowned.
The sisters spoke together, "How Lothor was our uncle." That brought everyone up short especially the ninjas. None of them had ever questioned that part and Cam, being their cousin through this relation, was stunned at how he missed this.
"Okay I'll do it," Kira volunteered. "How are you guys related?"
Kapri and Marah shared a loaded glance. Kap sighed, "Lothor is our uncle through marriage."
"Lothor is married?" Shane's eyes widened.
"Was married." Marah corrected him. "Aunt Riko died the day -" she stopped abruptly with a nervous glance at Andros.
"The day…" Tommy pressed.
Marah welled up and Kap laid a soothing hand on her. She couldn't quite keep the venom out of her voice, "The day your pal broke Zordon's container. That was the day we lost our parents too."
"What?" Andros staggered.
"Think about Thrax, think about why he was angry," Kapri said. "He lost his parents too when the universe was 'purified', even though they survived, they were never the same again."
"Okay," Tommy paused. "Hang on, start from the beginning."
"Alright," Kap braced on the console. "When Lothor left Earth, he travelled to the M51 Galaxy, specifically Gamma Vile, home planet of Master Vile."
"Rita's father," Tommy remembered.
"Sorry who?" Dustin queried.
"Just before the Machine Empire came here, Master Vile tried to help Zedd and Rita take over the planet. He nearly did it too if it wasn't for the Aquitian Rangers."
"But he was Rita's father?" Ethan repeated astonished.
"Actually he had two kids," Tommy responded. "Rita and her brother Rito."
"Close," Marah pointed at him. "What many people didn't know was that Master Vile had three children. Rita, Rito, and Riko. From what we were told growing up, Lothor became a student of Master Vile and moved up the ranks. Eventually he became one of Master Vile's favourites and he formed a relationship with Riko."
"So he married her," Cam concluded logically.
"And unlike with Rita and Zedd, Grandfather approved the match," Marah nodded.
"GRANDFATHER?" the room chanted.
"Seriously, you guys haven't put it together yet?" Kapri huffed.
"If Lothor is your uncle by marriage to Riko," Hailey parsed this out. "And we know Rita and Zedd only had Thrax then your parents are -"
"No way," Tommy breathed. "RITO?!"
"Ding! Ding! Ding! We're Rito's daughters," Kapri mock-clapped. "Master Vile is our grandfather. Rita, Zedd, Riko, and Lothor are our aunts and uncles. Thrax is our cousin."
"Sorry I have to ask," Tommy was trying very hard not smile. "Who's your mother?"
"Ever heard of Scorpina?" Marah quirked an eyebrow.
"Yeah. But seriously?" Tommy couldn't hold back a snort.
"We know," the sisters softened, even smirking a little. Kap said bittersweetly, "According to mom, Mai Tais are extremely powerful substances. They never got married, shocking there."
"So the day I broke the energy tube," Andros gripped the back of his neck with both hands.
"Dark Spectre had signalled the United Alliance of Evil to launch their assault on the universe," Marah narrated. "We were technically too young to be there but we wouldn't take no for an answer so Uncle Lothor agreed to take us with him and Aunt Riko to a smaller battle further away. Aunt Rita, Uncle Zedd, mom and dad were in the Vica Galaxy. Dark Spectre's forces were split between Earth and KO-35. At first it looked like we were winning when energy wave exploded. It was fast but those on outer planets saw it coming. Grandfather made his escape and called for all of us to retreat except nobody else was on their ship and probably didn't hear the order. Aunt Riko decided to go get them personally, thinking she had enough time. I know she got to mom but it was too late, the wave was going to hit. Mom told Uncle Lothor to look after us just before the wave got them and – and – " Marah sniffed loudly and Kapri wiped away a stray tear. "Rita and Zedd became good, dad died and we never knew what became of mom. Uncle Lothor searched everywhere for Aunt Riko and the rest but nobody could be found. Everyone was just gone."
Silence reigned. No one spoke. No one made a sound. The implications of this one moment expanded in front of their eyes. Hundreds of battles, hundreds of monsters exploding into great plumes of fire and yet why had they never before applied the word 'death'?
A/N: Hey guys, weird chapter I know but don't get too caught up with the family tree. I've been toying with ways to make Power Rangers have more grit and depth. I think RPM did a good job addressing death and the consequences of fighting so I'm bringing that to a larger moment in PR history, the time Zordon wiped out all the villains nearest him. Hope you're still with me, until next time, ENJOY! R&R PLZ!
