Once A Ranger, Forever A Hero
Chapter 8 – Assemble

"Okay this is bad," Ethan assessed. "This is really bad."

"This is apocalyptic," Kira said tersely.

"I'm pretty sure we need to put in a call to the Overdrive team," Adam stated obviously.

"What are we going to do?" Tori asked. "We just said we don't have enough forces to take on Lothor by himself. Let alone an entire armada of aliens. How long will it take for them all to get here, a day, two tops? We don't have time or power or even proper resources."

"Then we have to play this smart," Tommy said. 'We have to have a strategy. There are more ways to win a battle besides brute force. Marah, Kapri." The two jolted. "What do you remember about your grandfather's battle plans?"

"He – he – he taught us…a lot…" Kapri's face crumpled, "You want us to…tell…our grandfather…"

"We have to betray him," Marah half-sobbed.

"I know it's not a small thing to ask of you," Tommy said gently. "We don't have a choice."

"We were his starlets," Kap sniffed. "He promised us our own parts of the sky to shine in."

"He loved you guys," Hunter concluded and the sisters nodded sadly.

"I can only imagine what Uncle Lothor must have told him," Marah murmured.

"Probably left out the part where he left us for dead after serving him faithfully," Kapri added bitterly. "It would be one thing if we were fighting just Lothor, the bond between us was broken but we still love our grandfather, we know he was wrong, but the idea of being the reason he dies…it's just…"

"Especially like this," Marah continued. "You don't understand, he lost his entire family. His three children are gone, his son and daughter in-law are gone. Lothor is basically gone too. We're all he has left and he'll know that we helped you. It's worse than just betraying someone, we'd be basically wiping out his entire family."

"I hate this so much," Shane whispered.

"When I broke Zordon's glass, I wasn't thinking, I just did it," Andros said lowly from the side. "This is my fault but I'll be honest with you girls, I don't regret it. I had to save everyone, I was playing for my side. I feel terrible that I tore your family apart, I feel terrible that the people I care about and the now world will have to pay for my actions. I'm sorry for your family. After this, you can do whatever you want to me, whatever punishment you choose. Please don't let innocent people pay with their lives for what I did."

Kapri sat up straight, "Crazy as this sounds, I think you just gave me an idea."

Marah turned to her sister, "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"Might be our only shot," Kapri supposed. "If we do this right."

Tommy glanced between them, "What exactly are you suggesting?"

Kapri stuck her hand out, "I need a pen and paper. And you all need to hear me out because you're going to have to trust us on this one."

*ORFH*

Tommy stared at the flashing red light of his camcorder contemplatively, "What Kapri proposed was dangerous to say the least. We had no idea what we would do if it went wrong but it was the only plan we had to work with. Some of us didn't like it all, others just hesitant. Andros was onboard but for all the wrong reasons to be honest. In the end, our options were limited and with an armada on its way, we could only hope that this worked out without a hitch and naturally it didn't." Tommy hit the pause on the recording and fell back in his seat.

"Tommy?" Kira had woken up. She rose blearily, wiping her eyes and yawning. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," Tommy assured her. "Go back to sleep princess, I just needed to get this week off my chest." He pointed to the video camera.

"Is it working?" Kira asked.

"A little," Tommy admitted. "Maybe once it's all out there, I will feel even better."

"I hope so," Kira said sincerely. She bent forward to kiss him. "I'll make us some tea." She moved to stand, hissing a few breaths as bruised muscles pulled and worked. Tommy winced as she did, mindful of her hip where some stitches threatened to pull.

"You should be resting," Tommy grimaced.

"I'm fine," Kira lied. He knew it and so did she. "Milk and sugar right?"

Tommy sorely wanted to argue but it was pointless. "Yeah." Kira nodded and headed to the kitchen, Tommy sighed. Hell of a week.

A/N: Hey guys, been a hell of a few weeks for myself as well. Hope you're all okay and living life to the fullest. ENJOY! R&R PLZ!