Episode 9: Allies from the Stars
Eltar (2014) – Outside
Two months have passed since they started the construction, and the city is starting to look exactly like it was before. In addition to the Pai Zhua Masters, Jordan, the Ninja Senseis, and the Silver Guardians, there was people from both Terra Venture and KO-35, creating a mix between humans and aliens working together to bring Eltar back to what it was before the attack.
That morning, the Rangers had some time off, so they decided to spend it training. Conner was flying in the sky, testing the speed of his wings while he shot fire arrows with his bow to the targets on the ground. Every time he managed to bring one down, he would fly down, put new ones, and go back up to a higher distance to improve his precision.
On the ground, Mike was deeply focused practicing his stances. Around him, small puppets Alpha-5 and Rico made for him were heavily armed, allowing Mike to use all his stances to defeat one by one with fast slashes. At the same time, the puppets were able to attack him, so Mike's concentration was more on not getting hit, and for that, he used different techniques, like rolling on the ground and using his sword to block the different weapons thrown at him.
Meanwhile, Jake was looking around the vast area. He was not far from Conner and Mike, but his focus and training were based on hunting. As the white lion, he wanted to keep his senses focused, to be able to feel subtle changes in the environment. Jake's eyes glowed with a golden aura as he looked around, but his prey seemed to have learned how to hide. He chuckled and continued his search while hidden behind a container, Bridge did his best to stay still. Jake had asked that morning if he wanted to help him train, and Bridge had been delighted to help. So here they were, in the middle of nowhere, Bridge trying to hide and Jake trying to find him.
Bridge took a look towards where Jake was and decided to move towards the other side. Jake had promised ice cream if he won, and to win, Bridge had to get inside the Command Center, which he was about to do. The kid chuckled, taking a step towards it while Jake sensed a change in the air and smiled, feeling the soft movement on the ground while the wind spoke to him. His ears picked up the sound of a step, and with a quick movement, Jake jumped towards where Bridge was, landing in front of the kid.
"Got you," said Jake.
"Aww, I was so close!" said Bridge, smiling despite the disappointment. Jake laughed and took a deep breath to lower his energy so he could kneel in front of the kid.
"You were, and for that, I'm still getting you that ice cream," said Jake, ruffling Bridge's hair. "You are getting good at this hiding game."
Bridge laughed when Jake started to tickle him. Bridge started to laugh harder and try to escape, but Jake was stronger and gently kept the boy close as Bridge fell to the ground, always protected by Jake.
"Stop, papa!" laughed Bridge.
Jake stopped, stunned by Bridge's words. He knew this would happen at some point. Bridge in the future did call him dad, and yet, hearing the words from the boy's mouth made him freeze in place. He would be nineteen soon, and he should be thinking about other things. But his life changed when he became a Power Ranger, and his responsibilities were very different from the ones a young man his age should have.
His thoughts drifted to Gia. He didn't know her status in the future, and he had no idea if she ever thought of them like that. She was more practical, and they discussed college and maybe an apartment together, but nothing farther than that. He wondered, would she agree with this? Would she want to have kids with him? In the future, Jake was positive that could be the case, but now…
"Did I say something wrong?"
Jake must have shown something in his expression because Bridge seemed now sad, and in that moment, Jake decided this choice was different from all others. Bridge was already considered his son by many here, including Conner and Mike. Jake knew, no matter what, Gia would like Bridge. He would have to talk to her about it once she was back, but he could not deny what everyone around him and his heart were saying.
Bridge was his son, blood-related or not.
"No, Bridge. I was just caught off guard by you calling me 'papa'," explained Jake, smiling softly at the young boy. "Is that what you want me to be for you?"
"You are safe and warm. My parents were like that too, and I…yes, I want you to be my papa," said Bridge, adapting to the word and relating it to Jake's figure in his mind. "Is that bad? Do you think Gia will like it?"
Jake chuckled, leave it to the six-year-old Bridge to include Gia in this conversation. Jake could feel his heart exploding with love for this kid as Bridge knew that Jake considered Gia a crucial part of his life, and her choice mattered to him as much as it mattered to Jake.
"How about we ask her when we get her back?" asked Jake, smiling.
Bridge nodded, excited to have the chance to ask her himself when the time was right, and then he hugged Jake, sealing the bond they had. Jake would make it official as soon as he could meet with Wes' lawyers, but he also would have to think about many things regarding Bridge's new status and Jake's role in this war.
But for now, they could enjoy being father and son and share that joy with his friends.
"How about…?"
Jake was interrupted when his morpher went off, and he saw Alpha-5. "Rangers? I need you to come to the Command Center! Hurry! Ay-yi-yi-yi!" Jake looked at Bridge, nodding as the young kid took his hand, and together, they went to the Command Center.
Apparently, his plans would have to wait a little longer.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
Too many eyes were on him when Cruger stopped the image. He was curious too, as neither Jake nor Bridge ever disclosed how they really came to be father and son. And while it wasn't a surprise, Cruger did know everyone in the room needed time to digest this news.
"So that's how it happened," said Sky, smiling at his friend. "That was a bold move, Bridge."
Bridge gave him a soft smile, but inside, he was terrified of looking to his side, where he could feel Gia's eyes on him. To be honest, he didn't think his father would keep that memory in that recorder, but apparently, Jake did want everyone to know who Bridge was to him. That it was fine for Bridge to be his son and for this people, Jake's family to know about it.
"Bridge, Gia, maybe you two should talk?" asked Katherine, taking Jason's hand. "We can wait, but this is important for you two."
Bridge saw Jason nod, and he felt relieved that they didn't seem angry. None of the Rangers seemed really bothered by this revelation, and yet, Bridge was still unable to move until Gia took his hand. He forced himself to look at her. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't mad, and Bridge briefly thought that maybe she was as scared as he was. So, gathering his courage, he nodded briefly at Z and followed Gia outside, while Emma took Bridge's place beside Z, smiling down at the SPD Yellow Ranger.
"Don't worry," whispered Emma, seeing Z's expression. "Gia may come across as someone cold, but I know her pretty well, it will be fine."
Z nodded and looked at the door. For Bridge's sake, she hoped Emma was right.
SPD Academy (2025) – Classroom
Gia didn't turn around until she closed the door of one of the nearby classrooms. All that time, Bridge kept thinking about what to say or how to feel about this situation. He was older now, and he knew Jake had loved him, but he needed Gia's support too. She was Jake's love, and Bridge was taught from a young age the importance she had in their life. So he wanted her approval, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn't push her. If she didn't want him, Bridge would walk away from her.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
The question caught him off guard, and he looked at her for the first time since she learned he was Jake's son. She didn't look mad, only worried and a little sad, and he had to catch himself because he didn't expect this reaction. Deep down, he always feared she would hate this situation.
"I… I thought you may not want to be part of my life like my papa was," said Bridge, looking down. "I didn't want you to feel pressured."
"So you thought it was a better idea for me to find out like this?" asked Gia, and Bridge closed his eyes, almost feeling her disappointment.
He could almost see her leaving the room, but that was his fears speaking because Gia didn't move. She had many thoughts on the matter, and while she and Jake talked about their future during their dates, they didn't go as far as talking about kids. They were too young for that. Then this happened, and her life is now upside down because she lost eleven years, a big part of her life and her boyfriend. But deep down, she felt relieved because at least, she had Bridge. Bridge, the SPD Rangers, and this academy were Jake's life while she was gone.
She lost a lot, but here, in this space and with these Rangers, she still had everything she fought to protect. She still had her family on Earth, safe. And in Bridge, she still had a piece of Jake with her. It gave her hope despite the pain.
Gia didn't realize she had made her choice before she walked to Bridge, sitting down beside him and taking the glove from his hand so he could feel her thoughts and emotions. When he did, he looked at her, surprised.
"I'm not sure where this new road is taking us, Bridge, but if you are willing to work with me, then maybe I can be the person you wish I was," whispered Gia, smiling at him. "But never doubt coming to me if you need anything. After all, you and I share our love for your father, and that will keep us together until we can find common ground. What do you think?"
Bridge looked at her for a long time, and for the first time, he understood when his dad said that Gia was someone unique. She was willing to work with him. She was not pushing him away. She wanted to know him. Bridge didn't know he was crying until he saw Gia extending her hands, and he hugged her tight. He had felt alone since his dad died, but now, in this very moment, it was as if he found part of Jake again. The part of him that was Gia's.
"C'mon," said Gia, also feeling her emotions catching up to her. "Let's go back. We still have a lot to see, right?"
"Yeah…" said Bridge, smiling.
Bridge cleaned his face and put back his glove while Gia looked at him. Then, hand in hand like Bridge used to do with Jake when he was a kid, both Rangers walked back out of the classroom and back into the meeting room, where Z gave Emma a smile before Bridge sat down beside her and Gia sat down again beside Emma.
"Everything alright?" whispered Z to Bridge.
"Yes," said Bridge, smiling back at her. "Everything's going to be fine."
Maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel. Cruger smiled, pleased with the reaction, and then activated the recorder again. There was much to see, and the next part would not have the same ending as this one had.
Unfortunately, life was never fair, especially not for them.
-L-
Eltar (2014) – Command Room
Jake, Conner, and Mike appeared at the Command Room to find Alpha-5 and Rico running from one side to the other. Jake indicated Bridge to stay with Conner and Mike, and he took a step towards Alpha-5.
"Alpha, what's happening?" asked Jake.
"Ay-yi-yi-yi, Rangers!" said Alpha-5. "Rico and I have been looking for distress signals related to the Dark Ranger, and we found one!"
Jake looked at the screen as Alpha-5 projected images of a planet being heavily under fire. He could recognize the ships of the Dark Ranger flying over the planet and explosions happening around the area. Then, the images changed to what appeared to be a soldier of the planet, heavily protected by armor and wielding a spear. His face had a resemblance to a dog, and he was running away from skeletal figures.
"If someone can hear us, we are under attack!" screamed the soldier. "We need hel…ah!"
The image got cut off, and this time Rico was the one walking towards Jake, showing him more information about the planet from the data he and Alpha-5 had been putting together since they started the rebuilding of the city. Jake's jaw tightened, and his fists clenched involuntarily. Anger simmered just below the surface, barely contained as he took in the dire situation on the screen. He felt a surge of protectiveness and an urgent need to act, his heart pounding with the raw emotion of witnessing yet another attack by the Dark Ranger.
"Friend Jake, that seems to be planet Sirius. It is not far from here," explained Rico, pointing at the distance mark on his device. "Friend Alpha-5 and I believe the Dark Ranger wants to cut off our possible future allies before we can get to them."
"We can't leave those people unprotected," said Jake, his voice steady but laced with barely suppressed fury. "Alpha, take the lead in the reconstruction. Make sure Jordan helps you with anything you need. Rico, contact the Aquitar Rangers and coordinate with them. Try to contact someone on that planet and tell them to hold on, we are coming."
Conner and Mike were ready, and Jake nodded towards them. Then, he looked at Bridge and knelt in front of the kid. He managed to remain calm and smile as Bridge grabbed his hand, worried because he, Conner, and Mike were leaving.
"Hey, buddy. Conner, Mike, and I need to go and save those people. You will stay here with Alpha-5 and Rico, and when I come back, I'll get you that ice cream, alright?" said Jake, masking his inner turmoil with a reassuring smile.
Bridge nodded and hugged Jake tightly, then he turned to give Conner and Mike a hug. He didn't want to cry. He had to be strong like his papa, but as soon as he saw the three of them disappear through the door, he couldn't hold back a stubborn tear.
"Ay-yi-yi-yi, young human, don't worry," said Alpha-5. "They will be fine."
"Friend Alpha is correct. Jake and his friends are very strong, you will see," said Rico.
Bridge nodded and took a deep breath, cleaning his face. He would be strong like his papa, Conner, and Mike. He wouldn't cry. He was Jake's son now, and he had to be stronger, despite the fear he was feeling.
They will come back. They had to.
-L-
Sirius (2014) – Battlefield
His world was burning. Anubis Cruger, emperor of Sirius, was losing everything generations of his people had worked for in a moment, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He growled as he brought down several skeletal soldiers with his sword, anger and desperation taking over him. People were falling around him—his people.
"Emperor!"
Anubis turned around when he saw one of his soldiers fall to his feet and explode near their area. Anubis threw himself over his soldier, protecting him from the explosions. He recovered quickly, looking down to see his soldier trying to catch his breath. The soldier was injured, and it seemed too late for him, but he was still trying to talk.
"Don't talk," whispered Anubis.
"I… asked for help…" whispered the soldier.
Anubis looked at him in surprise when the soldier took his last breath. He closed his eyes, feeling the heavy loss of his people. Nobody could help them, not anymore. This planet was lost, and if he didn't stop them, his people would be gone soon too. Anubis got up, feeling something dark inside him—a desire to make everyone against his people suffer and a deep grief he had never known, not until now.
They all were going to pay for this.
"No!"
The sound of the familiar voice made Anubis look up, towards the palace that was supposed to be protected. Fear gripped his heart as he ran, wishing and hoping to find everything as he had left it. He used his sword and his fighting skills to open a path towards the throne room. But when he opened the doors, his heart stopped at the image in front of him.
No…
Anubis fell to his knees as he saw someone dark, an energy so evil that it made the throne room, always illuminated, feel like a place for death and despair. He had a sword and he was looking down at the very reason why Anubis felt everything turn into ashes. Every part of his soul and body felt numb, broken.
His wife. His empress lay on the ground, beside her was her loyal friend and his advisor, Kat Manx, crying over the body of her friend. Anubis knew what was happening, but he could not hear a sound. He could not feel.
Not her… please, not her…
He extended his hand towards his wife and Kat Manx to try and reach them, lost in the emotions that were choking him. But the dark presence turned around, seeing him. It smiled before it moved towards him, too fast for Anubis to stop it.
The next thing Anubis felt was himself falling from a window of the throne room with that dark presence on top of him. Anubis landed hard on the ground, and he could feel everything in his body break or come close to breaking while the presence got up with no problem. Anubis wanted to get up and fight. He was a warrior, and his loss cut him deep. He relied on his pride and his broken heart to defeat this presence that was decimating his people, but he couldn't move. He looked up as the presence approached him, raising its sword, and Anubis felt a tear run down his cheek, thinking of his wife and if he was seeing now the same thing she saw before dying.
He closed his eyes, sad to leave his people, but somehow wishing to see his wife one more time, when suddenly a loud noise stopped the dark presence. Anubis opened his eyes, seeing a giant ship in the sky. From where he was, Anubis saw a big ball of fire flying out of the ship and towards the enemy's ships. A moment later, a green light fell in the middle of the battlefield, landing on the ground without making a sound. Finally, Anubis saw a white light coming towards him and the dark presence. The white light hit the presence that was about to kill him with a powerful kick and landed beside Anubis while the dark presence was sent directly against the palace.
The white light turned out to be a human that ran towards Anubis and looked at him, worried. He helped Anubis to sit down and was now looking for injuries, but Anubis was too busy looking at him in surprise. Maybe the soldier did manage to get the distress signal through and they were here to help.
"Hey, sorry we're late," said the human. "I'm Jake. We are here to help."
"Anubis Cruger, Emperor of Sirius," said Anubis, still lost and confused. "How many men did you bring?"
"We are three Power Rangers with a few extra powers," said Jake.
"Power Rangers? Three?" asked Anubis, getting angry. "How dare you!? They are destroying us and you come here with two other men to play hero wars on my planet!?"
Jake was about to answer when he heard something coming from the area where he threw the Dark Ranger and barely had time to grab Anubis and jump away before a knife made from bones could stab them. Jake landed on the ground, not far from the throne, and put Anubis down against a rock before looking at him.
"I'm going to deal with this, stay here," said Jake, getting up and taking a deep breath before screaming, "Lion Ranger! Activate!"
Anubis saw Jake transform with his Bastro Ranger armor and then noticed that the green light was probably another Ranger with a wolf helmet. The Green Wolf Ranger was cutting through skeletal warriors with no problem, passing them like a shadow. He seemed to dance with his sword, using different stances to fight his enemies. Anubis was impressed when he saw something in the sky and looked up to see another Ranger. This one was flying through the enemy ships in the sky. His wings gave the sky a dark red tone that matched the fierce fight. The ships tried to take him down, but the Ranger seemed to fly through the bullets. Anubis looked impressed as he saw the Ranger use his bow and fire arrows to destroy the ships, which turned to nothing before they touched the ground.
Anubis could not believe it; these Rangers were doing more than his whole army. He looked towards the Ranger that saved his life and saw Jake facing a powerful exchange of punches with the dark presence. The Dark Ranger used his sword, but Jake stopped the blade with his hands and kicked the Dark Ranger in the stomach, forcing him a few steps back before he recovered. The Dark Ranger acted quickly, hitting Jake with two spheres of dark energy, but the Bastro Ranger stood his ground and took the two attacks, forcing his body to lock to take the hits.
"You have gotten stronger…" whispered the Dark Ranger.
"My first performance wasn't too good," said the Bastro Ranger. "Didn't want to disappoint twice."
The Dark Ranger smirked. His skeletal face didn't show the amusement he was feeling. He made his sword disappear and looked at Jake, feeling his strength. He took a step back, and Jake was going to follow him when he heard something… something he remembered too well.
"Ranger!"
Jake barely had time to avoid several attacks at once—magic, melee, and weapons. He jumped back, right in front of Anubis, and the Emperor could see Jake's body tensing like a caged animal, looking for the source of the voice. Anubis was looking around too, but he could see nothing… nothing but silhouettes presenting themselves around the Dark Ranger. Anubis could hear a growl from Jake, and at the same time, he saw the Wolf and the flying Ranger stand beside the White Ranger.
"This is…" whispered Mike.
"…impossible," finished Conner. "How did this happen?"
"Energy," growled Jake, his white energy cracking around him because of his anger. "I'm sure he's using our friends' energy for them! You bastard!"
Jake screamed the words like a roar that forced the Dark Ranger to protect his new creations around him. Then, with a movement of his hand, he made them all disappear, standing alone in front of the new Rangers and Anubis.
"You are correct, Ranger. I own these figures, but your humans gave them energy," said the Dark Ranger. "Give up now, and I will kill you fast. If not, you will be tested with them. Every time you defeat them, energy will return to your friends, and in exchange, I will have the pleasure to watch you develop your skills to the fullest so I can eliminate you when the time is right."
Mike and Conner didn't wait for him to say more. Together, they attacked the Dark Ranger. But the Dark Ranger jumped over Mike's sword and avoided Conner before standing right in front of Jake. The White Ranger tried to attack him, but the Dark Ranger grabbed his arms, pulling him until Jake and the Dark Ranger were face to face.
"You will give me your energy when the time is right, Bastro. I will promise you that."
And then, he disappeared. Jake looked around, trying to find him, but it was too late. The ships started to disappear, leaving Sirius in the dark silence of its destruction. Jake felt angry that he escaped again, but he decided to focus on Sirius now and think about how easily the Dark Ranger got into his mind again.
Jake turned around, taking off his helmet while Conner and Mike did the same, all of them surrounding Anubis Cruger, who was getting up using the rock for support. Jake helped him, and Anubis had a chance to see his planet in ruins.
It hit him then. He had lost everything.
"My planet…" whispered Anubis, looking around, desolated. "It's all gone."
Jake, Conner, and Mike looked around too. There were bodies and forms they could not recognize. Nothing could be saved from this planet except Anubis, and they felt the heavy sense of loss and despair in the air. It made them feel like they failed, and in reality, they did fail. He won again…
"Anubis!"
Anubis and the Rangers saw someone coming out from the palace. A moment later, Anubis felt a small relief when he was hugged by Kat Manx. She was alive, and he wasn't the only survivor. Anubis could not help but sob when she cried in his chest, and then she noticed the Rangers.
"They saved me," whispered Anubis.
"Oh, thank you," said Kat Manx. "Thank you for saving the Emperor. His people need him more than ever now."
Anubis looked at her, surprised, and even the Rangers seemed confused. As far as they knew, there was no one else but the two of them. But then Kat looked towards the palace, and they saw survivors coming out, scared and exhausted but alive. Anubis looked at her, not fully believing that his people were alive.
"This was the Empress's last act of love for her people," whispered Kat, smiling towards the Rangers. "She brought them into the palace. That's how the dark energy found her, and it would have been in vain without the act of valor of these humans. Thanks to them, I was allowed to make sure they were safe."
Anubis didn't have words. His wife and these Rangers saved as many as they could, and he couldn't express anything but the tears he finally let out, allowing the tension to break his posture for a few moments. The survivors mourned their loss, and Kat Manx hugged Anubis, also crying.
Jake looked towards Conner and Mike, nodding when they gave him approval. They didn't need to speak to know they were thinking the same. With that support, Jake looked as Anubis tried to stand firm and look at his planet, sadly.
"What are we going to do now?" whispered Anubis. "There is nothing here left to save."
Jake took a step forward, looking at the Emperor with conviction. "Emperor, if you wish, my friends and I would like to offer you and your people refuge in our Command Center on Eltar," explained Jake. "We have been attacked by the Dark Ranger too, but we have been working to adapt the Command Center as a fortress where we can prepare to fight the Dark Ranger and have a life or… well, something close to it."
"You are offering us your home?" asked a survivor, confused. "Why?"
"Because we know loss too," said Conner, standing beside Jake. "The Dark Ranger attacked our loved ones, stole their energies. We, like you, had to overcome the loss to face a new future, and if you are willing to try, we want you to feel safe."
"Also, this is a way to protect your race and your future," said Mike, looking around. "We won't force you to fight, but we can't leave you here. Our Command Center has a force field that could keep you all safe. Once you get there and see what we do, you can decide what to do, and someday you will be able to come back here and rebuild your cities."
The survivors looked at each other, still unsure, and then looked at Anubis, who would make the final choice. The Emperor looked at Jake, and the White Ranger, taking every lesson he had learned from his Uncle Tommy, took a step forward, extending his hand.
"Emperor Anubis, you lost everything here, and I'm not going to pretend to understand what that means for you and your people. But we are here to offer you a home where you and your people can start again. Meanwhile, we would ask our allies to watch over your planet, to be sure no one attacks Sirius again," said Jake. "We are fighting to stop the Dark Ranger's path of destruction and prevent what happened here from happening again. So please, think about our proposal. I promise we will do better and stop the Dark Ranger."
Anubis looked at him for a long time, and then he looked at Kat Manx and his people. They were a small planet, but they were smart and strong. Strategy and justice were their best traits, and he wasn't going to let these three men who risked their lives for them fight alone.
"With one condition," said Anubis, and a surprised Jake nodded. "You will let me help you, Jake. I won't let the energy that took the life of my wife and destroyed my planet do more damage. We are in debt with you and your friends because you risked your lives for us, so you will allow us to help you in this fight."
Jake looked surprised, not expecting that proposition, but he was happy to accept more help. To seal their deal, he extended his hand, and Anubis did the same, committing to start a united front against the Dark Ranger.
"Very well," said Jake, looking at him with sympathy. "Let me introduce myself again. I'm Jake, White Lion Ranger, and these are Conner, Firebird Ranger, and Mike, Green Wolf Ranger."
"Anubis Cruger, and this is Kat Manx," said Anubis with a smile. "My people are Tesem, and this is… was my planet, Sirius."
The Rangers looked around. Even in destruction, Sirius still showed traces of what had been a beautiful planet. The palace was still standing for the most part. Egyptian look alike decorations were recognizable as a symbol of love and devotion to the Emperor and his Empress, and in the distance, Jake could see traces of a structure based on agriculture and farms that was probably how they survived.
"This was a beautiful planet," said Anubis, a tear running down his cheek. "Do you mind if we bury our people and cry for our land before we part?"
"Of course not, and if you need it, we will be here for you," said Jake.
Anubis nodded, giving him a sad smile. He would give his planet and his people one more moment to mourn, and then he and the survivors would get up again, under the leadership of these young Rangers and his friends, where Anubis could see small hope flourishing in the middle of the tragedy.
-L-
SPD Academy (2025) – Meeting Room
The silence in the meeting room was deafening as Anubis Cruger finally took a step back. He didn't expect it to hurt as much as it did to remember this again, but he understood why it was necessary. He also didn't know that by touching the artifact, his memories would also get mixed with theirs, telling the full story.
Very smart, Jake… thought Cruger. He looked at the Rangers, seeing their sad faces and how they were trying to find words of comfort. He smiled, showing them a calm demeanor to express he was fine and they had nothing to be worried about.
"The loss of my planet was hard for me, for Kat, and for our people. But we are warriors, and Jake, Conner, and Mike allowed us to mourn our losses before we left, giving us a peace we didn't think we could feel in the middle of that destruction," said Cruger, looking at Jason. "Your son was an honorable man, Jason. He never doubted in helping, and neither did Conner and Mike. My debt to them will never be repaid, but I'll do my best to give you the same support he gave us when we needed it the most."
Jason nodded, getting up and sharing a hug with the Commander. He could see now all these people loved Jake, Conner, and Mike as much as they did, and they had memories with them too. They were family too.
"Thank you for fighting with him till the end," said Jason.
"It was an honor," said Kat Manx, standing beside Anubis and giving Jason a hug when he also hugged her. "The symbols our SPD Rangers wear in their uniforms were Jake, Conner, and Mike's idea of paying tribute to the people we lost on Sirius."
The Rangers looked at the uniforms, where the SPD Ranger showed them the badge with the silhouette of a dog that resembled Cruger. Kat chuckled sadly. "The new Rangers will have the legacy of their predecessors and the visual reminder of everyone who gave their life in this battle."
"That was what Jake said," said Cruger.
It was a reminder and a constant tribute to his people that neither Cruger nor Kat would forget. That and the rest of their story would define the reasons why they were here today, helping the Rangers to adapt and giving them all the support they received once.
For Jake, Conner, and Mike, they would stay and guide the people they loved most to a new future. That was their promise.
"It is late," said Jack, noticing the heavy emotions in the room. "We should go to sleep, and tomorrow we can continue. Is that fine with you, Rangers?"
The Rangers nodded, and Jack could see they too noticed this was a situation where a break was needed to recover. The emotions were running high, and one more memory could break them all, so it was better to stop now and get some time to really process what they just saw. One by one, the Rangers left the room, and then Jack and his Rangers did the same, all of them understanding Anubis and Kat needed a moment alone. Anubis nodded at them, sending a thankful smile before the door closed. He then took a deep breath.
"I don't feel strong at all right now, Kat," whispered Anubis.
"Neither do I," said Kat, looking at the devices. "But we owe this to them, and we need to keep going, Anubis, for our people and for their memory."
And when they felt they could not do it, they would take a moment of privacy to mourn, like right now, surrounded by silence and memories of everything that would remain in their soul for the rest of their lives. Because that's all they had left.
Memories.