Disclaimer: This is the second part of Return of a Friend. the disclaimer is the same for this one as for the first one. I make references to other eps in this one. please give me feedback.
Return of a Friend
Life or Death
Part 2
by : Arielle
Andros marched down a corridor of the Astro Mega Ship to the bridge where the other rangers were trying to locate Kimberly
"Have you found anything yet?" he asked when he walked on to the bridge
"Nope. Nothing yet." Carlos replied
"Incoming message from Astronoma." DECA declared Andros exchanged glances with the others "Play it."
Astronoma's face came on the viewer "Hello rangers."
"Astronoma cut to the chase." TJ demanded
Andros could see Kim in the background in a cage like prison
"Ok fine. I'll give you back the girl in exchange for your powers." She declared
Andros walked over to Ashley "Ashley see if you can get a lock on Astronoma's where a bouts."
"We're not giving up our powers." TJ said
"Well I guess you'll never see your former power ranger again." The screen went blank
"Ashley did you get a lock?" Andros asked
Ashley pressed a few buttons on one of the consoles then turned around "She's some where near KO-35,"
"What are we gonna do?" Cassie asked
"We're gonna have to give up our powers." Andros said
"Andros we can't." Carlos protested
"But we need to get Kim back." Andros replied
"But giving Astronoma our powers isn't the way to do that." TJ declared laying his hand on Andros's shoulder "I have an idea."
"Ok Teej contact Astronoma." Andros declared
TJ pressed a few buttons then Astronoma's face appeared on the screen "What do you want?"
"We just wanted to tell you that we reconsidered and will give you our powers in exchange for Kimberly." Andros declared
"Well it's nice to know you changed your minds." Astronoma said
"Where are you gonna be?" Andros asked
"On KO-35." She replied
"Fine we'll be there."
"Oh and if you even think about playing any tricks then it's good bye Kimberly."
Kimberly watched as Astronoma talked to Andros over the viewing screen
"I wish I could teleport. But Elgar took my communicator." Kim thought to herself as she listened to Astronama
"Oh and if you even think about playing any tricks then it's good bye Kimberly." Kim's eyes went wide when she heard this
"This is worse then any other time I've been kidnapped. If only I could…" her thoughts were interrupted by Astronama
"You'd better hope your friends don't pull anything."
"Astronama are you really going to release her?" Elgar asked
"What are you stupid?" she said
"You know everyone asks me that I don't know why though." He replied scratching his head
"Of course I'm not gonna release her." She replied "Now teleport us down to KO-35."
"You guys know what you have to do?" Andros asked as the five rangers stood in front of the jump tubes
"Yeah we distract her while you get Kim." TJ answered
"Right now let's go." They turned to face the jump tubes, before they jumped in Andros yelled out "Let's rocket!"
The rangers teleported to KO-35 to where Astronama was waiting with Kimberly in a prison-like force field, she was at least two or three feet away from Kim
"I see you've finally showed up. But where's your fifth there's only four of you." Astronama said
"He's on the Mega Ship he sent us down here." Ashley replied "But we have his morpher."
"Good now hand them over and I'll release the former pink ranger."
TJ stepped forward with the five morphers in his hands while Andros snuck up behind Astronama and Kimberly
Kim's face lit up when she saw Andros, he put one gloved finger up she nodded
"Here now release her." TJ said as he handed Astronama the morphers
"You really thought you could trick me with these fake morphers?" Astronama asked, "Now it's time for Kim here to pay the price." Astronama held up her staff as she turned around the face Kimberly
"What are you doing here?" she asked when she saw Andros "Oh well you get to see the execution of a fellow ranger." She held up her staff, pointed it directly at Kim and fired
"No!" Andros yelled as he jumped in the way and was hit in the chest by the beam
The others watched as Andros hit the ground, where he laid motionless
"Andros!" Kim yelled as she sank to her knees
"You're gonna pay Astronama!" TJ yelled,
"Not today I'm not." Astronama backed away and teleported back to her ship leaving about a dozen quantrons in her place
"Cassie, Ashley you guys get Kim." Carlos said
"We'll take care of these guys." TJ said, Cassie and Ashley ran over to where Kim was and to their surprise the force field was gone
"Come on!" Cassie said, Carlos and TJ ran to where Andros lay motionless on the ground
Carlos lifted Andros over his shoulder and the six teens teleported to the Mega Ship
Kim sat near the lake thinking about everything that had happened
"If I hadn't come back Andros would still be…" she couldn't think about it anymore
As soon as they teleported to the Mega Ship Kim teleported herself back to Earth it had been at least two hours and she hadn't heard anything from the other rangers so she assumed the worst
"Kim." She turned quickly when she felt the strong hand on her shoulder; she half expected to see Tommy but standing behind her was Carlos with the other three rangers behind him
"Oh Carlos hi." Kim stood up to face him "So is he?"
"He's not dead if that's what you mean." Carlos said, Kim let of a sigh of relief
"But he is in a type of Coma Alpha says the longer he stays in it the dimmer things look but right now he's hooked up to a machine." TJ said
"Kim listen we need you to do something for us." Carlos said, he could tell she had been crying her eyes were red and her face tearstained
"What? Anything." Kim answered
"We need you to take over as the Red Lightstar Ranger…" Carlos was cut short by Kim
"Anything but that." She said as she walked past them to a picnic table where she sat down
"Kim you're the only one who knows our secret." Cassie said sitting down next to Kim
"Yeah and you're more experienced in this type of thing then we are." TJ said
"But I've done my time as a ranger." Kim said
Ashley put her arm around Kim's shoulder "If anyone Andros would have wanted you or his sister Karone to become the red ranger."
Kim looked at Ashley then at the others she hesitated for a few minutes before saying "Why not. I've always missed being a ranger any ways."
Cassie smiled "Good. Carlos."
Carlos reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a communicator and a morpher, Kim took them and the five teens teleported to the Mega Ship
Kim was standing in front of the window of her room on the Mega Ship two weeks later
"Wow the stars look so beautiful way up here." She thought to herself, Andros was still in a coma and Kim had, had a great time with other rangers she had forgotten how much excitement there was in being a power ranger
"Kimberly the other rangers need you on the bridge." DECA said, Kim looked away from the window
"I'll be right there DECA." Kim left her room and made her way to the bridge
"Astronama I've found a weak spot in the Mega Ship." Ecliptor declared
"Perfect!" Astronama exclaimed "I'll send a monster down to Earth and while the rangers are busy fighting it I'll slip in and destroy Andros."
"Wonderful idea princess." Ecliptor said
"Now which monster to send down." She said pacing back and forth "I've got it the Tigris monster." On the bridge a monster appeared that looked like a metal tiger
"What is your bidding?" he growled
"Go down to Earth and distract the power rangers." She said
"Yes Astronama." He growled
"Rangers Astronama has sent a monster down to Earth." DECA declared Kim looked at the screen, which showed a metal tiger named Tigris rampaging through the city "Ok DECA we're on it." She raised her wrist to her chest "Let's Rocket!"
As soon as the five rangers teleported to Earth Astronama appeared on the bridge
"Now where is that infirmary?" Astronama asked herself, after she deprogrammed Alpha by zapping him with her staff she walked through the halls of the ship till she heard a beeping sound coming from inside one of the rooms
She looked into the room and sure enough she had found the infirmary, she walked to the bed Andros was lying on
"Andros I really wish it didn't have to end like this." Astronama said, her smile faded "I really didn't. But it has to." She raised her staff and fired it at the life support machine he was hooked to
The beeping sound stopped "I've done it at last I've destroyed the red ranger." She thought to herself, then she disappeared back to her ship
On Earth the rangers had just destroyed Tigris and were on their way back to the Mega Ship the first thing they saw was Alpha leaning over the consoles
"Alpha!" Ashley exclaimed
Carlos ran over and pressed some buttons on Alpha's back
Alpha suddenly came to life and looked around "Rangers Astronama was here!"
Kim's eyes went wide "Astronama!" she ran out of the room with the other rangers at her heels
When they got to the infirmary Kim gasped, there were sparks coming from the life support machine
TJ grabbed a scanner from the table and started scanning Andros while Carlos, Alpha and Cassie examined the life support machine, Kim ran to Andros and grabbed his hand
"He's got a faint pulse." She declared
"It's totally fried." Cassie said
They all looked at TJ "He's still alive."
"That's good." Ashley said
"But according to this only for two hours." TJ said "Unless we can get a new life support machine or fix this one he'll die."
Billy Cranston walked down the hall of the Angel Grove High school holding his hands together
"Hi Billy." Kim said as he met up with his friends
"Hi guys." He greeted them
"What do ya got there?" Kim asked
He opened his hands to reveal a small white mouse
"Aw how cute I've always wanted a little mouse for a pet." Kim said
Billy pulled the mouse away "Shh he's not a pet he's my lab assistant Jack."
Now Billy was in the darkened command center in his power ranger suit with his helmet off holding up a flashlight
"Alpha Zordon I know you must have a good reason for disappearing like this but we really need you." He said
Now he was in the park with his friends they were all yelling at each other
"Why am I hanging out with the intellectually challenged?" He asked
Now he was in the Power Chamber with the other rangers he had just watched his friends become the Power Ranger Zeo
Billy woke up and realized he was still in his room on Aquitar.
He got out of bed fixed his blue boxer shorts and walked to his desk and put on the light he sat down at the desk chair
He'd been having dreams about when he lived on Earth ever since he moved to Aquitar
"Maybe I should move back to Earth I mean there's nothing keeping me here." He thought to himself
Him and Cestria had broken up about ten months earlier but he'd decided to stay on Aquitar
"Incoming message for Billy Cranston from the Astro Mega Ship." Declared the viewer
"Uh play it." He said on the screen Kimberly appeared she was wearing a red shirt and a gray jacket he could see consoles behind her
"Kimberly!" he exclaimed
"Billy we need you're help now." She blurted out
"Kim I…"
"It's a life or death situation." She exclaimed
"Oh my god hold on one minute." Billy said
"Billy hurry." She said, Billy grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on, then pulled a shirt over his head then he quickly wrote a note to anyone who might come to look for him
"Ok I'll come." He said
"Ok we'll teleport you now." She said, Billy disappeared in a white flash of light
Kim waited impatiently on the bridge of the Mega Ship when Billy appeared she grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the infirmary
Billy grabbed her arms and pulled her to a stop in the middle of the hall "Kim what's going on? Why are you here? And why are you wearing this outfit?"
"I came back to Angel Grove I met the new Power Rangers I was kidnapped by Astronama, the red ranger was hurt I had to take over as the red ranger but now Astronama has somehow gotten onto the Mega ship and…" she couldn't finish "Just come."
Billy couldn't remember why this ship looked familiar to him, when they got to the infirmary Billy saw four teenagers, Alpha 6, and Andros lying on the bed
Billy's eyes widened "Andros!" he exclaimed
"You know him?" Kim asked
"Yeah." Billy replied "What happened?" Billy suddenly remembered why he knew this place
"We were on Earth fighting a monster and somehow Astronama found a way to get here and she tried killing Andros." Carlos replied
"He's got two hours to live unless we fix the life support machine." TJ put in
Billy walked over to the machine "I contacted you cause you're the smartest person I know." Kim said through choked sobs
Billy stood up and walked over to Kim, he could tell she had feelings for Andros "Kim it's gonna be alright." He wrapped her in his strong arms and held her for a few minutes
Kim looked up at Billy her face suddenly full of hope "I know."
"So I guess you're going back to Aquitar." Kim said as her and Billy walked through the halls
"Yeah I guess I am." Billy replied, It hadn't taken Billy that long to fix the life support machine so now Andros was hooked back up to it "Ya know I've been thinking about moving back to Angel Grove."
"Really." Kim asked
"Yeah. I mean there's nothing keeping me there." He replied
"What about Cestria?" Kim asked
"We're not going out anymore." Billy replied "Plus I miss Earth."
"Oh." Kim looked down at the floor then looked back at Billy "You could stay here."
Billy smiled "That would be great my parents would love to see me." Billy said
Kim took his hands "So it's settled you're staying."
"Yeah I am." He replied
The End? (Maybe, maybe not)
