Disclaimer:The Power Rangers are the property of Disney, and I lay no claim to them. S Club, S Club 7 and S Club 8 are property of 19 Management. Transformers are owned by Hasbro. Adam "'A.J.' Pearlman appears in his stories on Shadow Zone. Karla is a character from Record of Lodoss War. Shadow and Mirabilis are creations of David Knight based on the characters Billy and Ecliptor. This story is heavily based on the Babylon 5 episode "'Sleeping in Light' with the exception of one scene based on the episode "'Final Conflict' from Earth:Final Conflict.
Special thanks to Adam Safran, David Knight and Adam Pearlman for their contributions to this final chapter of Nightfigters and After the Siege. Enjoy the story.
It was the year 2056 in the city of Port Clinton.
On his porch overlooking the blue waters of Lake Erie a man looks out at the night sky. A man well into his seventies, who has seen much, and knows that his time is rapidly coming to an end. By his side are two kids who sit with him as he finishes telling him another story of his past exploits.
"And that's how the evil Imperator Harper was beaten once and for all." The man said to the young children who looked up at him as he turned to face the young ones. "Now you get up to bed or your mom will have a hissy fit."
"Sure grandpa Jeff. Thank you for the story." The little boy said as he got up to hug the man in the rocking chair. His sister then did the same and then both children ran up to their bedrooms leaving former Red Night Ranger Jeffrey Kincaid outside looking at the moonlit night as if waiting for something to come, even if it would only be hours away. His solitude was soon disrupted by the presence of another who came out to be with him.
"I figured you would be out here." Jeff Kincaid's wife Mackenzie said. Kincaid smiled and looked up at the woman he loved. They had been through so much together, and through it all their love remained strong.
"Sorry." Kincaid said. "It's just...in all my times as a Night Ranger, and even after I retired, I don't think I ever looked out to watch the sun come up."
"Well you'd be in for a long wait." Mackenzie answered. "Sunrise is not for a good couple of hours. I mean even the grandkids have been put to bed." Mackenzie then smiled as she looked at her husband. He was a far cry from being the man she had known in his youth. The hair was grayer and thinner, wrinkles crossed his face, and he looked more haggard and careworn. As if he had seen much in his life, and was not looking to see anymore.
"My results from the doctor came back today." Kincaid answered. Mackenzie then looked up in surprise. " Looks like my suspicions were right."
Mackenzie felt a tear streak down her face. "You said you heard the spirits of old whispering to you. Perhaps they are trying to tell you something."
"They are. But unfortunately it's nothing you may want to hear." Mackenzie nodded then asked "What did the Doctor say?"
"He said my heart had taken a lot of abuse over the years." Kincaid answered. "By all standards, it was a miracle that it kept going at all. And that if it would give out, then it would give out soon. Hence the call from the spirits. And I know what this call is about."
"It...it may not be what you think." Mackenzie said offering hope, or trying to.
Kincaid took his wife's hand and held it softly. "It is." Was all he said
Mackenzie nodded accepting what her husband was telling her. Soon they would no longer be together. Due to the reason being very simple.
Jeffrey Kincaid was dying.
Wiping the tears away Kincaid said "Don't cry." But Mackenzie couldn't help it. She always thought she and Jeff would have a life where they would live happily ever after, and for a while they did. But she never counted on happily ever after coming to an end. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.
"Round up the usual suspects." He said. "We've got one last thing to do." Mackenzie nodded knowing full well what her husband meant.
He wanted his friends around so he could say goodbye.
Iocaste
Inside a ruined palace sat the lone survivor of a once powerful empire of evil. She had maintained her survival being the power behind the throne only to find everything about the empire she served die.
Black Annie, sorceress of the Luciferian Empire, was no longer the power she once was. Her age had shown to where she was left a decrepit old woman. Her powers were diminished to where she could barely light a match. Defeats that marred her leaving the once great sorceress a shell of what she once was.
The only thing left in her that was stronger was her rage. A rage that could not hold her any longer.
Yet she still retained a sense of clairvoyance. A sense of the universe, and knew someone was about to depart form it.
Jeffrey Kincaid was dying.
_NO!_ Annie seethed. _He cannot just die. He must die at my hands. He is for me to kill._
And somehow Annie would find a way to do it.
In an office in Angel Grove a Chief Justice was listening to her itinerary from her legal secretary. "And at three today you are scheduled to address the graduates at U.C.L.A., the usual commencement speech. You can recite it in your sleep."
"I have." The feminine voice of Chief Justice Cassandra Park said with a bit of weariness to her voice. The legal secretary continued to read Cassandra's schedule to her.
"After that is dinner at the mayor's ball, formal dress mandatory. Also there is the appointment with the speaker at the hotel." Cassandra then waved her arm as if saying enough then looked at the legal secretary.
"Becky, what have I been doing?" Cassandra asked. The legal secretary did not know what to make of her boss's question and told her so. Cassandra then began to answer.
"I'll tell you what I've been doing. I've been going around to appointment after appointment, then from charity banquet to charity banquet. When I was younger, and I graduated law school I was optimistic. I believed I was doing a good thing for people. Now I just go from this to that like a darn bureaucrat. And I don't really contribute anything. Just a smile, a wave, a few ringing endorsements, and I go my merry way. I just don't...seem to be making a difference anymore." Cassandra clearly aged gracefully since her face was clearly defined with only a few wrinkles. Her hair still had some brown to it, but the gray also appeared. Also the trademark green she always wore shone through on her jacket. Cassandra physically looked fit, but her heart was clearly heavy.
"Mrs. Park, you have done good work for the community in fact..." Becky was interrupted when security burst through the door followed by someone she knew was in a Council security uniform. "Sorry ma'am, but this person insisted..."
"I told you when Council Security comes in you send him directly to me." Cassandra said. She then looked at the guard and said "I take it I know what this is about?" All the guard did was set a letter on Cassandra's desk. Cassandra then picked it up, opened it and looked at the contents as a single tear escaped her eye.
The chief justice put the letter down on her desk and then picked up the phone telling her secretary to cancel all her appointments, that she would be out of town. She then looked at the letter again and the name scrawled across it in blue ink.
The name read "'Chief Justice Cassandra Jensen-Park'. And Cassandra knew what the letter meant.
At a lawyer's office shouting and yelling were going on constantly as a Council guard came to the office door. He was unfazed by the shouting as he opened the door and found the lawyer with his hands buried in his face, and the couple arguing about how best to divide the assets from their years of marriage. And from the amount of arguing Bruce Green and Tanya Sloane Green were nowhere near close to satisfying this argument.
"You just want Hank because I want Hank!" Bruce said. Tanya responded "You never loved me as much as you loved Hank."
The lawyer was hearing a mouthful as he asked "Whoa. What the hell...who's Hank?"
"1940 rookie card." Bruce explained. The lawyer was stunned. "This is all about a baseball card?"
"If you loved Hank more than me..." Tanya shouted as the argument became a volley of insults towards one another, but that didn't stop the Council Guard from entering as the couple was now arguing about who would get the bar, and then the house in the divorce settlement.
"Bruce and Tanya Green?" the guard asked.
"WHAT?!!!" they shouted together. The guard didn't react to the stereophonic shout. All he did was hand Bruce a letter that Tanya saw as well. Both knew what this letter would be about, and both turned to look at the lawyer.
"Cancel all trial dates." Bruce said. "Tanya and I will be taking a little trip together." The lawyer said that taking a trip together could undermine the divorce procedures. Tanya answered that question. "Screw the divorce procedures. We have other matters to deal with."
"Such as?" the lawyer asked.
"Saying good bye to a friend." Bruce answered as he and Tanya got up and left the office.
In the royal palace on Serenity 12 another Council Guard appeared outside the bedroom of the King and Queen. The sounds on the other side were happy sounds, but the Guard was not there to comment on the actions of those in love. He had a duty to perform.
Knocking on the door the sound of "What? WHAT?!" was heard. After a while King Justin came out and shouted in the guard's face "WHAT?!" His wife Queen Ivana also looked out putting on the royal robe.
The Council guard did not react and just handed Justin the letter. Immediately both Justin and Ivana knew what the letter meant. Just then a royal guard came to his king's side.
"Cancel all appointments." Justin said as Ivana came to his side. "Queen Ivana and I will be unreachable for the next couple of days."
"But you didn't read the letter your majesty." The guard said.
"I don't have to. I already know what it says." Was Justin's answer.
At a house on KO-35 Ashley, a deputy administrator to the KO-35 military defense, was looking at the reports before her when her friend Adam Park came in. "Wow you seem to really be living it well Ashley." Adam said as he looked around Ashley's house, a spacious two story home that was like a mini palace.
"Well it helps that your husband is on the ruling council of KO-35. And that you and your family had saved the universe who knows how many times." Ashley said with a smirk. They were about to go into all that Andros and Ashley had done when another figure entered the room. A little girl with a bigger man by her side.
"Grandma?" the little girl asked as a Council Guard appeared by her side. The guard then handed Ashley a letter which she quickly read as the Guard left and the little girl went up to her room.
"Does that say what I think it says?" Adam asked Ashley.
"It does." Ashley says looking at the letter. "Kincaid is dying. He wants us to come to Port Clinton for one last get together."
"Chances are good that Cassandra has already got one." Adam said. "I'd say she's packing already. Will you go?"
"And so will Alison." Ashley answered. "I can tell she's already got hers."
"I swear you and this twin thing." Adam said with a smirk, but he then got serious and went to the guest room to gather his things for the trip to Port Clinton.
Ashley then went up to hers and Andros's bedroom. She had things to get together before their trip.
"Shadow?" Karla came into his study. She had found the doors all opened as the Emissary of Good sat in a chair with his mask off just staring out into the stars through the window.
"What do you wish Karla?" was the almost dead tone that Shadow spoke to her without even looking at her.
Karla was at a loss but only for a moment as she guessed on the reason. Why Shadow had become withdrawn in the last two days. "… so it's his time at last."
"Yes… and it almost doesn't seem fair at all." Shadow muttered.
"Since when has life ever been fair to people like us who want to have second chances and just a little more time?" Karla replied. "So what will you now do with the little time he has left?"
"… bring someone who deserves to say good bye to her old friend." Shadow said as he thought of picking his mask up but then left it there. Perhaps it was time for him to leave it off. "Don't expect me back for a while." With that he vanished.
Karla only nodded as she left the room and yet she had not noticed one being also watching but keeping his presence hidden from his friends.
"So it happens not in battle but by natural causes…" Mirabilis sighed. "Perhaps it is best in this way. For some warriors, a quiet and peaceful death with the ones you love is better than death in battle." He still cast a look out into the stars. "Still… the multiverse will miss you Jeffery Kincaid." With that he also left and decided to wait until his associates had returned before going back to his own work.
It was the honorable thing to do for him.
"No buts. You want to get a chance to work at Lightspeed when you turn eighteen you need to do well in school. Now I want to see your homework done before you go anywhere."
"Yes mom." Alison sighed as she went upstairs to her bedroom.
"… god she's a handful… just like my Aunt… both Aunt Alisons that is…" Sharon Lanrydan-Grayson breathed as she fell on the couch in the living room of her home. She soon felt strong arms around her relieving her of her tension. "Carter if you even suggest I have another child after Alison, I'll have to kill you regardless of how much I love you. Five children are more than enough."
Carter Greyson simply chuckled as he held her tight. The last twenty-five years of his life had been the best he had ever had. He turned fifty only a few days ago while Sharon was in her late forties. Yet they had aged well, not showing any signs of graying hair, they looked more mature, older but they had aged gracefully. Whether that was in fact due to holding the power, Sharon's soul power, or by the grace of god they didn't know. All they knew is that they were glad for it.
Captain, or rather Admiral William Mitchell was now the one everyone in Lightspeed had to answer to. Carter himself was a Captain in the forces while Sharon was more or else in command of and training the current crop of Lightspeed Power Rangers. Their son David had taken Carter's place as the Red Ranger, he was the oldest of their five children, born only a year after Sharon and Carter had been married. He was having a relationship with the Pink Lightspeed Ranger; Amber Kane, Dana Mitchell Kane and Tristen Kane's daughter. Both sets of parents had some what mixed emotions with the budding romance but had put their feelings aside and though of their children first.
Sharon's next two children would be twins. Twins named Carter's father and Sharon's mother: Michael and Ashley, both at the age of twenty and were now students of the Ninja Storm Academy in Japan and were due back for a visit some time soon. Sharon wondered idly if they would end up ascending to a rank in which they would be given Ranger Powers from the Academy but then considering how good they were, she had a good feeling about their chances.
The last of their two children were living at home. Cassandra, age 17, right now was after school doing her job as Cheerleading Captain before going to rehearsal with her band later in the evening. She didn't have the flare or want to be a Ranger but she kept up with martial arts training though because she enjoyed it. She wanted to live as exiting but normal life as she could. When she finished school she planned on becoming a signing sensation. Something Sharon tried her hand at for a while and did moderately well for ten years from 2032 to 2042.
Alison had been Sharon and Carter's fifth and hopefully last child. She was a handful, even more so than her four older siblings had been at her age. She was the virtual embodiment of her namesake Alison Hammond. Though neither of them had ever had a normal childhood though. The Alison from Jeff's reality had lived a life in the brothels and the Alison of Sharon's reality had died during birth only to be resurrected by an evil demonic being in 2029 as the Purple Psycho Ranger only to have it backfire on him when she joined the light. Either way, Alison Grayson was a handful.
"What are you thinking about?" Carter asked.
"Oh the good old days." Sharon replied. "You know when you and I were traveling the galaxies, so much younger and were taking down demonic and time traveling evils in the Crystalis."
"And the headaches you had from each and every one of them?" Carter quipped.
Sharon laughed a little, "Yeah that too." A knock at the door came though and Sharon got up as did Carter to open it.
Standing outside in black leather uniforms with only the front of the leather jacket showing color were two people. One was a young man wearing black and blue with the symbol of the Kuwagata beetle over his heart and the other was a young woman in black and red with the symbol of the Kabuto beetle over her right breast.
"Hey mom. Dad." Michael Grayson smirked as he and the woman held up their right wrists to show off their morphing tools.
"Look at who got made into the Red and Blue Shadow Rangers." Ashley Grayson smirked.
"Yes!" Sharon cried as she hugged both of her children and Carter gave his own congratulations. "I hate how they can't let parents go graduation."
"Well that's probably because they don't even let the students know when they graduate." Michael said. "I mean Ash and I had no idea we were going to be chosen and that we had already done enough not only to graduate but also to gain Ranger Powers."
"Yeah but since there aren't any major villains to worry about just now, we got some time off so we though we'd come home and spend some time with you all."
"Time that unfortunately must be interrupted."
All four of them turned around to see a lone figure in the living room now.
"Who are you! How'd you get in here!" Michael demanded. He was almost ready to morph when Sharon told her son to stand down. She stepped forward.
"Shadow. It's been fifteen years since I last saw you and you haven't changed at all." Sharon said.
"You look as beautiful as ever." Shadow returned.
"This isn't a social call I know that much." Sharon said. "Why are you here?"
"… its Jeff." Shadow had his head low.
When seeing in to his eyes, she knew what it was. And at that moment Sharon Lanrydan-Grayson just let Carter hold her tight.
Jeffery Kincaid was dying.
"Mom… mom what's going on?" Ashley asked.
"Your mother's friend, the one she told you stories about as a child, is dying." Carter said.
Michael and Ashley felt like that had been hit by a truck, or their own megazord for that matter. The man that they had only seen a few times in their life but had always heard so much about. The Red Night Ranger, Jeffery Kincaid. He was dying?
"I… I can't believe it…" Michael shook his head.
"How… how long does he have?" Sharon composed herself as she looked at Shadow.
"A few days… a week at very most." Shadow told her.
"We need to make some calls…" Sharon said to Carter. "Before we go."
"We're coming with you mom." Michael told her.
"Michael…" Sharon started.
"Mom we came home to be with you for a while and now we hear about Kincaid, mom we are going to be there for you… and we want to pay our own respects to him too." Ashley said.
Sharon held her daughter tightly. "I'm glad you two are coming then." Within seconds, Sharon was making phone calls, asking for Dana to help watch over Cassandra and Alison while she and Carter were away.
She had to see an old friend, one last time.
On the Crystalis, several entities were awaiting the arrival of the Grayson's and Shadow before they made their way to Kincaid's reality. And yet these beings were also in their own thoughts.
First was the Autobot hologram AI-2 who had changed her look from a little girl to a grown woman to fit how long she had been on line. She felt shock and disbelief in her circuits. She remembered Jeffrey Kincaid as a warrior, one above all others, and now he was dying.
For Spectra, the heart of the Crystalis, she felt the pain that Sharon must be going through. She loved Kincaid and even though she had Carter now she felt connected to Kincaid. She also hoped when they arrived, the difference in age would not cause a problem.
Lastly, Miyaka was disturbed by all of this. On the simple fact that she was still an android. Still living, never aging, never changing, and in short virtually immortal. She could live on forever while all of the people she loved grew old and died right before her eyes. So what determined her life, when she would die, she couldn't self terminate her life, it was the equivalent of suicide. She only hoped that God had his reasons and one day she would know them.
But for now all of the had their own tears for Jeffery Kincaid and when Sharon and her group arrived on board, they knew it was time to go and see their old friend one last time.
In another universe the council security officer assigned to make his letter delivery looked puzzled, he had followed the instructions perfectly and come to the place he had been told he would find this Ranger. But it appeared the information he had been given was wrong and he debated, as whether to go back and report failure and he didn't want that, as this was his first assignment and to fail this would not look good.
It was as he was deciding this one of the people he was observing noticed him and made their way over to him.
"Can I help you young man?" the woman asked.
At first the security guard looked surprised and jumped as though noticing her for the first time. The woman was from his best guess decided in her sixties. Even as he thought that he heard a voice in his head tell him it wasn't polite to ask a woman her age and he took a step back.
As he did so Daisy smiled and laughed at the trick she had used to pull when she had been his age so many years ago. "I'm Daisy Kirk, why are you here?"
"You're the White Orb Ranger" the young officer breathed.
"Former Orb Ranger, I'm long since retired, now how about you tell a old woman why you're here watching us?" Daisy asked.
"I've been sent by the Council to deliver letters. One to yourself and to your parents Adam and Rachel Pearlman, but I don't seem to be able to find them, though this is where I was told they were going to be" he replied.
Daisy laughed. "They're here, I'll take you to them".
Marching at a brisk pace that didn't show she was in her late sixties the young man tried to keep up. The two passed a group of young children plus teenagers playing in the sand being overseen by a woman who again looked in her mid forties holding what looked like a newborn baby in her arms. The officer took a second look at the young woman and then back at the woman he was following and he saw both smile and felt even more confused than before. The woman finally slowed her pace to a beach house where to people sat on the porch watching the entire beach and everything that was going on. The Security officer stopped and had to look again at the people before him, because though they appeared to be the people he was searching for, it wasn't possible that they could be them because instead of a woman and a man who should be in their seventies appeared to people in their late thirties
_"'And why not, couldn't we have aged gracefully'" said the woman telepathically.
The Officer took a step back and the other man laughed. "I understand your looking for me, why?" he asked.
"Err. Err. I have a letters for Adam and Rachel Pearlman" he said.
"Lets have it" the man said.
Handing the letters over both the woman and man opened them and their eyes showed their sadness and Daisy spoke. "Mom, Dad what is it?"
"Jeff Kincaid is dying" Adam said.
"Hardly a surprise when you know he's old" Daisy replied.
"Not the point, but true, I think most of us should have been dead long ago anyway" Rachel replied.
"Thank you for delivering this to us, please accept our apologies for the confusion you must be feeling" Adam said.
"Is it obvious" the officer said.
"Painfully, as my husband said thank you and safe journey back to your world" Rachel said.
The young officer nodded and left the three alone and for a while they stood in silence before Rachel said. "So do we go?"
"Without question, Jeff was there for us when we needed him and the Night Rangers, the least we can do is pay our respects" Adam said.
"You're right, I bet there will be a few shocked reactions to our appearance" Rachel said.
"Indeed, but we'll manage" Adam said.
Kincaid's reality
Days later the first of Kincaid's guests arrived, but not on a social visit. She was doing her duty as Kincaid's personal physician, as well as the physician to all Power Rangers. "Well?" he asked the doctor.
"Whoever your doctor was who diagnosed you did a bang-up job." She said. "He was right on the money. Your heart is giving out."
"How long?" Kincaid asked.
Dana Mitchell-Grayson looked down in sorrow. "Best guess, three to five days. A week on the outside." Kincaid nodded in understanding when Mackenzie arrived.
"Jeff our guests have arrived." Mackenzie said. Kincaid nodded and said that he would be right down. Dana however had something else to say.
"You know this wouldn't be a problem had you just took the Morphin Master test. You could have ascended and become like Zordon and Dimitria."
"That would not have postponed the inevitable." Kincaid said. "I know my time when I see it."
"But what about Mackenzie?" Dana asked. "What would this do to her?"
"Would it have been any better for her if I spent the rest of eternity in a plastic tube like Zordon and Dimitria had done?" Kincaid asked. "Even if I was alive she wouldn't have been able to be with me like that."
"You'd be with her in spirit." Dana countered.
"Same if I died." Kincaid answered. "Our end comes when it comes. Mackenzie knows this, and she accepts it. She doesn't like it, but she accepts it."
"I can't." Dana answered under her breath. As a doctor she was sworn to saving lives. She didn't like it when lives came, or were coming to, an end. But right now was time for something else as she saw the people present there. Faces of friends.
Faces of Power Rangers.
First he came to was to his oldest friend Bruce Greene who embraced him in a brotherly hug. "Good to see you man. Hope I didn't interrupt anything."
Bruce smiled and said "Not much. Just my divorce."
"Okay then I didn't miss anything." Kincaid said almost like a joke. But Bruce knew his friend was against him and Tanya divorcing. They had been together for a long time, and had many good times together. For them their journey had not ended, Kincaid knew this to be true.
Tanya also shook Kincaid's hand. "I suppose this is a good thing in some ways. Bruce and I have some time to think things through. I just hate the event where we have to do the thinking."
"Think how I feel." Kincaid answered then he went over to Cassandra who also walked in with Adam. "Hello Cassandra." Kincaid said as he hugged her as well.
"Hey Jeff." Cassandra said as tears filled her eyes. Despite her own connection to her spirit guide death was not something she took very well, and it was very hard for her to come here. Kincaid shook Adam's hand and told him "Thanks for coming."
"No problem." Adam answered as Ashley and Andros came in as well. Again Kincaid hugged Ashley and shook Andros's hand glad that they could come. More guests also arrived as time went on. Justin and Ivana, Jason Lee-Scott and his wife Emily, Tommy and his wife Kat, Kim and her husband Carlos, names that went on and on. Then the last of the guests had arrived.
Mackenzie brought in Sharon, Carter and their two children Michael and Ashley. The two Shadow Rangers were surprised to see how old Kincaid looked. It seemed like not so long ago that he was as young as their mother and father looked now. Kincaid shook Carter's hand and said "Thanks for coming."
"We didn't come alone." Carter said and in the doorway Shadow had stood. Kincaid crossed over to where the Shadow Emissary stood and shook his hand. "Didn't expect you to come."
"Had to say goodbye." Shadow said. "Your presence will be sorely missed." Kincaid nodded then cast his look on his other guest, Sharon.
"It's been a long time." Sharon said as tears started to well in her eyes. Kincaid nodded and took the former Demon Hunter in his arms and held her tightly letting her sob on his shoulder. He held her for a while and then let Carter take his wife back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dana and felt a little unsure about her looking at him with another woman in his arms.
"Don't worry. I've got my own at home." Dana said. "Besides I'm sure if I found someone in your world our kids are good friends."
"They are getting a little close." Carter answered. "I guess what was to happen to us skipped a generation where I'm from."
Rachel and Adam teleported in and a Council Security Officer, escorted them into a room where a group of people where congregated. As one the group turned to observe the new arrivals and as one the group all stood in amazement.
"Holy shit, talk about aging gracefully" Bruce said.
"It's a long story Bruce, but one for another time, we've come to see Kincaid" Adam "'A.J' Pearlman said. When he visited Kincaid's reality one time Adam Park recommended the name A.J. to him as Adam did not want to be referred to by his middle name. A.J. accepted the nickname, especially if Adam was in the room. But when Adam was not A.J. was Adam again.
"Sure he and Mackenzie are in the next room" Bruce answered.
With a nod of thanks both Rachel and A.J. stepped past the amazed looks and stepped into the room pointed out by Bruce and in there was Jeff and Mackenzie Kincaid and like the others their own expression showed surprise.
"Hello Jeff, Mack it's been a while" A.J. said.
"It has indeed A.J., you and Rachel look well... well like you haven't aged that much in almost what has it been fifty years" Kincaid said.
"Can we say it's down to clean living and discovering the fountain of youth" Rachel said.
"You could, but we wouldn't buy it" Mackenzie replied.
"Fifty years ago when we finally beat the Overlord and we decided to retire, Billy discovered something when he made me take a physical before I left the Chamber for the last time. He discovered that the aging process for me had slowed down to a crawl. Zordon explained it was my exposure to the power over thirteen years, including the impact of the Ultimate powers and then the artifact had basically given me an extended life span and that while for every five years everyone else would age, I would age one year, so according to records I'm 79, physically I'm 39" A.J. explained.
"That doesn't explain how Rachel still looks young" Kincaid asked.
"I used the artefact, I've never done anything really selfish with the power I've had, but this was the one thing I wanted to do, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing her grow old, while I didn't do so as fast. I know it's a great sacrifice we've had to watch friends grow old and die, but we've got to see our children grow up and have kids of their own and we'll get to see our grandchildren have children of there own. Not many people get that opportunity but we have, I don't.. we don't want to waste it" A.J. said.
"Well whatever the case, thank you, I'm glad to see you again" Kincaid said.
Kincaid then interrupted the proceedings and asked everyone to adjourn to the main room where a table and dinner was waiting for everyone.
Not everyone was there. Some of his friends were still doing missions for the council, or pursuing their own lives-yet planned to be there for the funeral. And some had just passed on.
_Maybe it's a good thing it's a small gathering._ Kincaid thought. _There would have been too many goodbyes._
Annie gauged the remainder of her power. She did not have enough left to sustain her for too long after what she had planned to do. But in the end she decided she didn't matter.
_The Empire will triumph over its last foe. His death will not be peaceful if I can say anything about it._ Black Annie made for a waiting ship that was nearby and left Iocaste to finish her final task.
Jeff Kincaid would die, but it would be at her hands. Not on his terms.
Laughter and merriment echoed throughout the room. Everyone sat at one big table. There was no kiddie table. Everyone here was an equal, and everyone had a story to tell.
"You remember the time when we all ganged up on you Carter after we were freed from Olympius's charm?" Dana asked her husband's counterpart. Carter nodded and answered back "Yeah, I also remembered you guys were reprimanded for it too. From what Captain Mitchell said you guys really were sorry after that stunt.
"He sure did lay down the law didn't he?" Dana said. "But then after that dad had all of us doused and followed up with "'what happens to one of you happens to all of you.'" The last part she did in her best "'Captain Mitchell' voice. And after that she turned to Kincaid and said "When you see dad tell him I said "'hi.' Ryan too."
Kincaid nodded and said that he would. Shadow then spoke up as he offered his own memory. One when he was Billy Cranston.
"One of the curses of being immortal is watching old friends grow old and die before you. In a multiverse it's even more so. Because you watch someone die several times. Over and over again. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I was with Trini. What if we had the time together I wish I could have had? And as I watched over many universes, I saw counterparts of me have that chance with her. And they always made the most of it. Many times I saw Trini and myself happy. And when I see that, my soul feels complete. Even if I myself may never know love again, at least somewhere out there I do. And I know from all in this room, that you have also found, or are searching for that one thing that completes you. And when you find that someone or something. There are no regrets. I have none, and I believe none of you have any either." Nods and murmurs echoed throughout the dining hall as if in agreement with what Shadow said. Kincaid then reached for his glass and made ready to offer a toast.
"A toast." Kincaid said as he raised his glass. "Old friends, and memory still bright."
Ashley raised her glass. "Zordon."
"Trini." Shadow said in raising his glass.
"David." Tommy said raising his glass in memory of his brother.
"Captain William Mitchell." Dana said raising hers.
"Alan Collins." Kim said raising her glass in remembrance of the father of her cousin Wes.
"And all the others who passed on and couldn't be here." Adam said raising his glass along with Rachel.
Then everyone else raised their glasses and drank remembering all those that had passed on.
Cassandra was making her way back to her room when Jeff stood in the hallway. "Cassandra can I talk to you for a minute?"
Cassandra looked at her friend and asked "What is it Jeff?"
"I noticed that you weren't happy enough with what you were doing in life. And I was thinking of what to do about that." Cassandra and Kincaid walked until they were at Kincaid's office. When the door opened she saw Shadow standing there as well. "Jeff what's going on?"
Kincaid answered "We need to talk. About the future of the Night Powers."
Soon after the conversation ended and Mackenzie was waiting for her husband to come out.
"Will they do it?" Kincaid asked. Mackenzie nodded yes. "Cassandra will take up mentoring the Night Rangers for as long as she lives. She will then turn the mentorship over to Shadow when she passes on. Kincaid nodded and then both husband and wife adjourned to bed for what would be their final night together.
Needless to say, neither was in a sleeping mood as both Kincaid and Mackenzie sat awake looking up at the ceiling.
"I wish this wasn't happening." Mackenzie said. "I wish you didn't have to die."
"So do I. But our end comes when it comes. I said that." Kincaid answered back.
"I know. It's just I've never really handled death that well. When my mom died I took it hard. When you told me about Jessica and Katie dying in that I.D. War years ago I grieved for them. All the friends we have buried over the years, all those that didn't make it..." Kincaid held Mackenzie close to him offering her comfort.
"I'll see them again. I know I will." Kincaid answered. "Sometimes I hear them calling." Mackenzie looked at her husband strangely, but she knew that he was on to something. "What do they tell you?"
"That my life shouldn't be lying in a bed. I remember something from a long time ago." Kincaid then went into reminiscence. "I always liked going out on a Sunday afternoon. Didn't matter where, just wherever seemed interesting. I would just pick a direction and go. Well now my direction is all too clear."
"Jeff?" Mackenzie asked wondering what her husband was getting at.
"It's Sunday tomorrow. And I'm going for a drive." Kincaid said as both he and Mackenzie fell asleep afterward.
The next morning Kincaid got dressed in his old Night Ranger clothes. His black leather jacket, his red shirt, and black jeans. As he looked in the mirror he found how it felt different in some areas. Some spots it was loose. In others it felt kind of snug.
"Put on a little weight?" Mackenzie said off to the side.
"Sorry. I just. I just felt like I had to put this on. It's been a while. Must have shrunk in storage."
"Must have." Mackenzie said as she looked at her husband for what could be the last time. Kincaid looked at her and said "I always loved you Mickey. Never forget that."
"Mickey. No one has called me that it a long time." Mackenzie said as she looked at Kincaid. "I love you. I always will."
"Forever." Kincaid said taking his hands in hers before she broke away.
"You'd better go. The others will be up soon." Mackenzie said with tears in her eyes. Kincaid tried to reach out for her but Mackenzie waved him away. "Please go."
Kincaid left his wife to make way for his zord. Only once did he look back saying a silent goodbye to his wife.
The old Carrierzord Kincaid flew was not Defiance, but of a similar make. It left the orbit of Hades taking to the night sky.
Off in the distance another ship followed. Waiting for the right time to make its move.
After a long flight the Carrierzord made its way to planet Hades where the mobile safehouse remained where it was. However when Kincaid disembarked it he found the place to be just as much a ghost as the ghosts that inhabited the planet itself. Walking the halls Kincaid found the place empty and desolate. Even the technology Zordon had remaining was gone. Kincaid briefly wondered what had happened when his answer came in the form of a woman who looked almost as old as he did.
"Jeffrey Kincaid?" the woman asked. "Admiral Taylor Earhardt-Meyers." Admiral Meyers offered her hand as a greeting and Kincaid took it. "What's happened here?" Kincaid then asked.
"Well..." Taylor said trying to compose herself. "Since the rise of the new council, and with all other missions usually handled by the conventional Ranger teams that are already well provided for....no one comes here anymore. This safe house is...kind of redundant."
Kincaid nodded in acceptance. Almost as if expecting this to happen. "Redundant." He said as he placed his hand on one of the support beams of the safehouse. For so long it had provided for the Nightfighters and then the new Night Rangers. "Well we're still tied together even now."
"This place is supposed to be decommissioned and taken out. We can't let it sit here. It would be a hazzard to navigation." Taylor explained. Kincaid nodded accepting the predicament. "Of course not." He said. It almost seemed fitting that while the safehouse was meeting its end Kincaid was meeting his.
"I served on a Ranger team myself. Wild Force. I was Soaring Eagle. My husband Eric was the Quantum Ranger." Taylor said. "I know how sad it can be when things end." Kincaid said nothing to that. This was a conversation he didn't want to have. "If you'll follow me please?" Taylor asked. Kincaid just smiled. "I know the way Admiral." Then he walked on down the hallways of the soon to be destroyed mobile safehouse taking in memories of adventures he had.
As Kincaid sat in the safehouse, there was a small flutter of a breeze. He was alone, reviewing the events of his long and eventful life. The victories, the defeats, the dead… Old friends, come and gone, lost in battle, lost to natural causes, lost to evil… And then, finally, he looked over into a corner, and he said, "How long have you been there?"
And, a harsh Slavic laughter caught his attention, and the voice said, as the familiar figure from ages past walked out of the shadows, "Perhaps I have always been here, through every twist and turn of your life… The one watching from the shadows, perhaps to lend a hand when it is most needed, perhaps when it is most wanted, but there is no one there… Then again, do you think I really care for you that much, human?" There was a glint of amusement in his blood red optics as the form of Ravage came out of the shadows.
Kincaid looked over at him, not surprised, and he said, "Ravage… Can't say that the pleasure is mutual. What are you doing here?" He noticed the Decepticon symbol present on Ravage's chest, and he filed it away, as he did with everything else. Old habits, and old loyalties, die hard.
Ravage laughed, and he said, "Of course. We never did get along. We were merely… Comrades in arms in a war of necessity. Perhaps the bond is stronger that way. Perhaps not."
Kincaid nodded. And he said, somewhat idly, "Well, perhaps. The ID War was fought for the safety of the Multiverse. But, in the end, did it really change anything? There are plenty of forces out there with the power to conquer the entire multiverse. And there will always be those out to stop them."
Ravage laughed, and he said, "Yes… There are few constants in the universe. Conquest, Chaos, War, and Strife are among the most constant of them. There will always be a need for warriors to fight wars, for whatever their reasons. From the dawn of time, to the end of creation… The War Will Always Rage. For, what is life but a War Without End? Even in death, a warrior's purpose is still served. For the true warrior… The battle is never over."
Ravage laughed, and he said, "For my kind… War has been a facet of our entire existence. Peace is but an aberration, a time to train new warriors, repair some of the damage inflicted on the planet, and rearm and prepare for the next battle. For my kind… We truly are damned to a war that will never end. There will always be a next battle, a next uprising, a next rebellion, a new enemy out on the fringes… As long as there are Autobot and Decepticon, Cybertron and Destron, Maximal and Predacon… For as long as we are in existence, we will fight. For as long as there remains a single member of another faction… We will fight on. That, perhaps, is our destiny… And we have embraced it. Your kind, in its own way, has as well. With Rangers, with the Council, with the Alliance… Eternal Vigilance is the Price for Freedom. And Eternal Vigilance Begets Paranoia… And Paranoia Begets Overreactions. And are not Overreactions the first step towards mutual annihilation?"
Ravage laughed over at Kincaid, and as he stepped into the shadows, he said, "For my kind, we have the afterlife of the Matrix, and the Inferno… Legend merely says that they are but the dumping ground for the sparks, until the Judgement Day arrives, and Primus will free all of his Children in a last-ditch Battle with the Chaos Bringer to try and save the universe from annihilation… Whether we will succeed is another matter entirely. Remember, Human… That Chaos and Disorder are the natural state of the universe, and that Evil cannot be stopped… It can be driven back, slowed for a time… But there will never be a time when it is vanquished completely. From the dawn of creation to the end of time… The War Will Always Rage On. For the war never ends… Not as long as life exists."
And with that, Ravage stepped into the shadows, and vanished. Ever observant, ever alert… Ever ready to wage battle. For now… The stance between the two was not amenable. They were perhaps too much alike to ever truly be friends. But, perhaps… They had the respect that could only be had by two warriors who had fought on the same battlefield. In the end… That was, perhaps, enough.
But for now Kincaid had other places to be.
The carrierzord flew away again. Kincaid sat in the command chair letting the computer do the flying. "Computer. Set course. Co-ordinates laid in. Best speed."
The computer obeyed and the carrierzord flew across space at Hyperrush velocity.
The ship that was following maintained its vigil and followed as close as it could. The occupant's time to strike would be soon.
The carrierzord jumped out of Hyperrush and landed on the surface of the planet nearby. A planet with great significance to him.
For it was where Kincaid fought his former friend Lord Crucible, and where he died the first time, as well as said goodbye to his friends.
This was where his journey would end for him.
Kincaid saw his saber staff and grabbed it as he disembarked from the ship and made his way across the barren plains holding his old saber staff for support. He didn't get too far when he saw a ship off in the distance that was not his. He then heard the footsteps of someone approaching, and the sound of magic being fired in his direction.
Even though his health was not at where it was years ago, and despite being on his last legs Kincaid's survival instincts kicked in as he dodged the magic bolts coming his way. He then took cover behind a rock face bringing his old saber staff to bear against whoever was firing at him. Squeezing a few shots Kincaid fired wildly hoping to send his attacker down. It was then that he heard the attacker's voice.
"Fifty years! FIFTY YEARS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO DESTROY YOU KINCAID!!! And at all the times it would happen it would happen now!" Black Annie said as she fired off some more magic shots. Kincaid stayed behind the rock face avoiding Annie's blows before firing off a few more shots from his sabre staff.
"Stick around you'll get your prize!" Kincaid said back.
"YOU'RE FINISHED KINCAID!!! For years you have dealt the Luciferian Empire crippling blows. So much so that I am the last one to move against you. And even though I know you're dying there's no way I'm letting you die on your terms!" She fired some more magic at Kincaid's position then ducked down as Kincaid fired again. "The opportunity to kill you is just too good to pass up!"
"I'm flattered!" Kincaid said. "I mean all this for a dying man?"
"Yeah well. Don't be." Annie then saw a cliff just above the rock face Kincaid was hiding behind and directed her magic towards it. "I won't be satisfied until I'm the one that kills you. For the Luciferian Empire and all the other evil beings you've given grief to!"
Sure enough the magic fired and the rocks blasted loose knocking Kincaid out of his hiding place and sent him scrambling across the ground fighting to take his next breath and leaning on the staff as much as he could for support. All the while Annie fired off her magic hoping to take Kincaid down. She then saw him scrambling to make it up a small bluff which had a rock bridge he could cross. Annie countered the move by flying up to the bridge and cutting off Kincaid at the pass. Her hands came to bear against Kincaid as he fell to one knee still trying to breathe.
"Game's over Kincaid." Black Annie said as if standing in triumph over her enemy. She then walked closer to him savoring every step. "You know it's a shame that it would have to end this way. I always pictured your death in Prime Time not on some out of the way planet with you barely able to stand."
"I don't know." Kincaid answered with a wheeze. "In the spotlight or out, dying is dying."
"Perhaps." Annie said keeping her eye on her foe. "But still to have it happen here? It all seems so trivial. So...mundane."
"You could always take me to the Earth. Gun me down in a public square. I figure that would draw a crowd."
Annie then snickered as she stepped more towards Kincaid. "Oh no. I plan to enjoy this bit...by bit." The more she stepped, the more menacing she hoped she would see to the old man. So intent was her focus on Kincaid that she didn't notice the two that were behind her. "KINCAID!!" Michael Grayson said with Ashley Grayson right by his side.
Black Annie turned to see who the two youths were and that provided Kincaid with the distraction he needed. Tackling Annie he ran her to down to the floor of the rock bridge. Quickly getting back up he watched as Annie gathered herself up. Kincaid knew he didn't have much left so he jammed his saber staff in between her legs causing her to trip again landing her almost near the edge of the bridge edge.
Kincaid was back on his feet again standing over his adversary. Michael and Ashley by his side. "What are you two doing here?" he asked.
"We followed you. When we saw you leave we asked Mackenzie where you were going and she just said you went out for a drive." Michael answered.
"And of course everyone else came after us." Ashley answered making reference to Cassandra, Adam, Mackenzie, Bruce, Tanya, Andros, Ashley Hammond, Sharon, Shadow and all the others that followed. Annie saw the reinforcements approaching and smiled. "Looks like your death will happen in Prime Time after all."
"No." Kincaid said. "Surrender now."
"NEVER!!!" Annie said as she then lunged at Kincaid which he just dodged out of the way. Annie however built up too much momentum and went over the edge of the rock bridge falling down to the ground below. She tried to fly, but felt her powers not kicking in. She looked around and saw Shadow in the distance. His fingers raised as if canceling out her sorcery.
Kincaid, Michael and Ashley all saw Black Annie hit the ground. Annie convulsed on the rocks she crashed on. A stalagmite piercing her chest. Kincaid and his friends then made their way down to where Annie was. She spoke as she coughed up blood. "I guess I spoke too soon. You realize...Kincaid...that I would...have killed you...and not given it a second thought."
"I know." Kincaid answered.
"I'd do it all over again....in a heartbeat." She then looked at Kincaid for the last time and said her last words. "So if anyone asks...I have...no...regrets...for anything...."
And with that, Black Annie, scorceress for the Luciferian Empire, last survivor of that empire, died.
Suddenly, off to the side a light had shown. A light that was waiting, and blinding almost everyone. Everyone except Kincaid who was making his way towards it. Kincaid seemed to take some missteps but Michael and Ashley came to his side and helped him. "Thank you."
"It's the least we could do." Ashley said. "This is the end of your journey. The least we could do is help you see it through." Kincaid smiled as Michael and Ashley led Kincaid as close to the light as they could take him. In the light Kincaid saw three figures. Three figures who were his friends. His first Night Ranger teammates.
Anna, Krolos and Ishalla.
"Hello Jeff." Anna said.
"Did you think we had forgotten you? We've been waiting for you." Krolos said.
"Can...can I come back?" Kincaid asked.
"No." Ishalla said. "This voyage has ended. Another beckons. And others are waiting." She then turned to Michael and Ashley and said "Thank you for bringing our friend to us. Perhaps you and your family shall join us when the time comes."
Michael and Ashley then stood as Kincaid walked forward into the light. Off in the distance he could hear Sharon coming forth.
"Jeff?" Sharon asked blinded by the light.
"?