Power Rangers Zeo - Venusian Encounters by Heather Ray (the ebook reader TXT) 📕

already produced."

He nodded to himself, as if trying to come to grips with that notion. He then leaned down slightly, and planted a gentle kiss on Kimberly's lips. "I'd better be going," he said, "President Lee invited me to dinner tomorrow, and I should be well-rested for it. We're going to discuss that Aquitian Academy project."

Kimberly smiled. "Could you imagine human college students studying on a foreign planet?" she said in awe.

Tommy nodded. "Jason's son was always impressed by what Billy accomplished, and now that he's the leader of the free world, he's in a position to make use of that inspiration. The ocean of knowledge on Aquitar is really abundant." He then grinned. "No pun intended, of course."

Kim giggled. "Of course."

Kim turned when she noticed Dulcea approach them, a small smile on her face. "Farewell, Falcon," Dulcea said, leaning over and kissing Tommy's cheek, "The Power will always protect you. Always."

Tommy nodded, clearly grateful for the encouraging words. Kimberly absently wondered why Dulcea had said that phrase in such an ominous manner. True, she said it all the time, but it seemed to carry more weight this time.

Then, Divatox and Hope joined the circle on the plateau. When Divatox reached Kimberly and Tommy, she immediately fell to her knees, and cast her eyes downward.

"She really unsettles me when she does that," Tommy stated in good humor.

"I can never atone for the pain I've caused you, Tommy..." she began.

"Save it," he interrupted, "I'm not one to hold a grudge. I'm just glad to see you've reformed."

Divatox then rose, and took a deep breath. She looked amazingly child-like and innocent, as if the thousands of years of wickedness were only a faint dream. "Safe journey, Falcon. And you, Nightingale."

Hope grinned, hugging both her great great grand-aunts before standing beside her father. Kimberly once again touched her lips against Tommy's in a departing kiss, and then kissed her daughter. She then stepped back, and watched as the pair vanished in flashes of navy and white light.

The queen touched her rose lips gently, as she stared at the horizon to which the flashes of light traveled. There was something very different about that kiss.

Something... final.

She didn't realize it at the time, but that sweet, lingering kiss was his goodbye to her. It was the last time she saw him alive and vibrant.

He had known his health was fading, but he didn't want to burden Kimberly with that knowledge... especially since she couldn't do anything about it.
Chapter Thirteen

The faint beeping grew faster, until it became a continuous knell. Tommy's chest stopped moving, and his grip on Kimberly's hand became lax. Kim sniffled a bit, while trying desperately to hold back her tears.

Daniel Park immediately fell to resuscitative methods, and prepared to summon the nurses to assist him. However, before he could do anything, Hope gently lay her hand on the doctor's arm, preventing him.

The doctor gazed at the woman inquisitively, his eyes wide in shock. A river of tears poured out of her hazel eyes uninhibited, and dripped down her angelic tan face.

"It's over," Hope said in her steady, light voice, "He's gone. I felt him slip away."

"It's not over yet," Daniel said firmly, "We can still save him!"

"For what purpose?" Hope asked gently, leaving the doctor and returning to her mother. She kneeled at Kimberly's side, and clenched her mother's free hand tightly. Kim then pulled her hand from Tommy's flaccid hand, and gently stroked Hope's dark brown hair, kissed with rich red highlights.

Daniel was dumfounded by the calm reaction of the two women. "What purpose?" he repeated, "So he can live!"

"Live," Kim repeated weakly, unshed tears glistening in her eyes, "We have to be realistic here, Daniel. Tommy just had a severe stroke. There would no doubt be serious consequences on his motor functions, and even memory. He would lie in this bed, paralyzed and speechless, while watching others make use of their lives. No... I don't think he wants to live. He is tired, and he doesn't fear the end. The falcon has flown free. Why cage him again?"

Daniel stood speechless as the noble queen leaned forward, and planted a farewell kiss on Tommy's cold lips. A single teardrop slid down her smooth face, and splashed upon his clammy skin. Kim leaned back, and gently wiped the tear from his pale cheek.

"He was the last," Kim reflected, rising to her feet, "The last of the first two generations of Power Rangers. The friends I cherished all my life. Trini and Zack died in the Countdown. Adam and Rocky died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver in 2022. Jason died on a space-exploration mission in 2029. Aisha died from a tropical disease in Africa in 2033. Katherine died from breast cancer in 2040. Billy died in 2048, because of complications caused by the rapid aging the Aquitians cured. Tanya died in her sleep in 2067. That was four years ago..."

Kimberly glanced up at Daniel, a curious look in her damp eyes. "How are you and your family coping, Daniel?"

Daniel smiled weakly at the clear memory of his devoted mother. "She lived a long and full life," he answered, "She lost Dad when I was just sixteen, but she put her life back together. She had two kids, six grandchildren, and even four great-grandchildren. And now she's with Dad. What more can a person ask?"

Kim nodded, briefly turning to Tommy again. "I suppose that makes sense," she said dully.

Hope kept her steady eyes on her mother, catching her breath. The morbidity in Kim's tone was frightening to her. Kim's eyes were glassy and unfocused, as if she were staring through time.

"Kim, trust me, I know what I've got to sacrifice to love you. I've been thinking about it for years... ever since you took the Venusian crown. I know I can't have you in my life like I want you to be. Still, I know that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to love you. If that means growing old alone, or living alone, or only seeing you once in a blue moon, then I accept it. I love you, Kimberly Anne Hart, and I'll take you however I can get you."

"You had me," Kim whispered, brushing the loose locks of gray hair from his face, "You always had me. Nothing could, or ever will, change that."

Kim then glanced at Daniel, and smiled wanly at him. "Thank you for letting me in to see him in secret."

Dr. Park smiled. "It was nothing, Mrs. Oliver."

Kim's smile widened at the name. Ever since Tommy proposed, she always considered herself Mrs. Kimberly Oliver. Her daughter was Hope Oliver, and would remain so.

"Do you want to take him with you?" Daniel asked gently.

Kim shook her head. "No. I'm certain the United States government will see to it he's buried alongside the other Power Rangers at Arlington. He deserves nothing less than to be beside his dear friends in the heart of the earth. He'll be remembered and cherished by everyone, for all the good he's done with his life."

She exhaled deeply, and turned back to Hope. "We'd better get going."

Hope nodded to her mother obediently. She smiled her gratitude to Daniel, and kissed her father's forehead in farewell. She then wiped at her eyes, as she and her mother vanished in flashes of pink and blue light. Instantaneously, they materialized outside the hospital. Hope automatically erected an energy dome above them, holding off the heavy rainwater from drenching them. Kim shook her head, and stepped out from the protective shield, and into the rain.

"Mom?" Hope asked, "Will you be alright?"

Kim nodded, the rain mixing with her salty tears. "He was my last link, Hope. My heart and soul. The only one left who knew

Kimberly Hart. Not the Pink Ranger, not the gymnast... but the vibrant, idealistic girl with her head full of daydreams and her heart full of passion." She paused for a moment, coming to terms with the grim realization. "Now, I'm not human anymore."

She sighed, and gazed up at the full moon, the fingers of her right hand toying with the gold diamond ring on her left... the single ornament she always wore. "Let the rain soak me. Let me feel human again, just for a while."

Character Thesaurus

Zeo Rangers

One fateful day, Master Vile used the Orb of Doom to reverse the rotation of Earth and turn back time, reverting the Rangers into powerless children. While the Alien Rangers and a restored Billy defended the Earth, the children went to different points in time to retrieve a piece of the Zeo Crystal, which was shattered and scattered throughout time by the Rangers themselves. Upon their return, the Zeo Crystal was reassembled, and its power was used to restore the planet back to normal.

Their victory did not last long. Rito and Goldar infiltrated the Command Center and stole the Crystal, just before the explosive device they had planted earlier went off, leaving the Command Center in ruins, and the Rangers without a headquarters. While searching through the wreckage, the Rangers found the Zeo Crystal, apparently dropped by the two villains,