Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

Trouble Sleeping

The night did not bring the peace sleep silently promised. Having just went 48 hours without that past time, Andros felt he was due for some rest, but his body had other ideas. There was far more needless tossing and turning than he had been prepared for. The morning alarm sounding brought even less joy to the grumpy Red Ranger as he got through his morning routine to meet the other Rangers on the bridge of the Astro Megaship.

Cassie was slumped in her chair staring at the stars on the view screen while cradling a metal coffee can. At the station behind her, TJ was absently shaking his head to try and stay awake. Next to him, Carlos yawned his greeting to Andros as their leader took her seat in the middle of the bridge. "I see you slept as well as me," Cassie commented looking away from the stars and at his face.

Andros found himself shrugging which brought on a yawn. Glancing over to the empty seat next to him, he asked casually, "Where is Ashley?"

"She had to call..." TJ's explained dropped off causing Andros to turn his chair in his friend's direction. The Blue Ranger squinted his eyes as he tilted his head towards Carlos hoping the Black Ranger had caught the name. Carlos found himself yawning again while shaking his head. Turning back to their leader, TJ shrugged and said, "Yeah. I don't know."

Andros nodded and turned back to his station troubled over the condition of the team. He apparently wasn't the only one begin affected by sleeplessness. "Why don't you guys get some shut eyes?" Andros asking receiving a snicker from the peanut gallery behind him. He didn't often get the expressions right, but the team wasn't correcting him as much as they used to. There didn't seem to be much point.

"I thought we had to be up early for," Carlos trailed off as his thought derailed.

"Wasn't a conference?" TJ asked.

"A briefing," Cassie said more sure of herself.

The Red Ranger felt a little guilty. The Rangers had claimed they understood, but that was obviously not the case. He knew they would have done anything he'd asked of them. "We're observing an interrogation," Andros reminded them gently.

"Are you sure?" TJ asked not familiar with that description.

"Yes," Andros stated just as Ashley made her way to her seat. She was more alert than anyone else on the bridge and gave Andros a cheery smile. "As least someone slept well."

"Oh, I didn't sleep," Ashley said off-handedly. "Seemed like a waste of time. DECA gave me this pill. I'm good for a while."

"How about this?" TJ stated. "You two watch this thing and the three of us getting some shuteye? Take notes. Good plan? Thanks."

Carlos tried to chuckle, but it came out as a cough. "We'll be observed too," Andros stated crushing the dream.

"Rangers," DECA broke in. "There is a real-time transmission. The speaker is Councilman Miltar of the planet Pea'lot."

The Rangers stood straighter and smoothed their clothes as much as they could. Carlos got another yawn in before Andros said, "Patch us in."

The screen went from stars to the Symbol of Eltare to the Seal of Pea'lot and then the face of Councilman Miltar. He stood in a circular room with many people sitting around the perimeter. Three tall platforms housed a box where three cloaked figures sat. Andros tapped at his station to see that they were the last to accept the transmission just as Miltar began to speak.

"I thank the Rangers who have offered to observe our interrogation of the traitor known as Nix," Miltar stated to the camera. "In accordance to the laws under the Eltarean Council, Nix has been granted the right to speak on his own behalf which he has opted to do. Because this is not a formal trial, we defer to your judgment as to how far to take our questioning. Again, we thank you for your time."

The earth Rangers shifted as the questioning started, no one thing clearly understood what to expect. Most of the punishment was telepathically based making the team even more unhappy when Nix called out. About sixteen questions in, Carlos heard a pinging off to his right. Finally turning to see, he recognized a little light flashing in time with the noise at the station. Moving off screen, he caught TJ's attention as he pulled up a new screen.

Turning around, Carlos wanted to say something, but anything he did would be transmitted into that room. TJ slowed moved to him and looked it over. Reading the screen, TJ moved to the pause the transmission. It was rude, but he was too tired to think. Plus, he was over this interrogation.

The viewscreen switching to the Astro Symbol was something Andros wasn't expecting. "Guys?" he asked with a warning tone.

"We're receiving a distress signal," Carlos told him. Andros rose to join them.

"We have to help," Cassie declared getting the offenses warming up.

"I agree," Ashley said doing the same with the defenses.

"Ok, hold on," Andros said rising his hands to calm them. "We don't know what this is."

"Andros," TJ said. "It's four against one." Carlos nodded adamantly beside him.

Giving in slightly, Andros pulled up more information about the signal the ship was receiving. "Railma?" the Red Ranger stated unfamiliar with the planet. The Rangers shook their heads. "According to this, the planet is an Eltarean Protectorate. No formal relations, no Rangers. In fact, they don't have space travel yet. However, they are in the target zone of General Kormal. He's a member of Dark Spectre's army. This is beginning to make sense. DECA, is there a video message?"

The red camera blinked before stating, "the signal is too degraded for visual. The audio is salvageable."

"Do it," Andros ordered.

In a minute the speakers on the bridge had a man pleading with them to save his daughter. General Kormal attacked, there wasn't much left of their village, but he had been after this man's daughter. He didn't care what happened to him or his people. His daughter was the most important thing in the universe. The transmission cut out with the sounds of another explosion.

The Rangers were silent for a minute each looking at the others trying to see their reaction until Ashley finally spoke. "We have to save her."

"Yes," Carlos agreed followed by TJ's, "Diffidently."

Andros spun with each new Ranger to agree. "DECA, can you pull up a system map for Railma?" Cassie asked. As the Astro System disappeared, Andros shook his head. The Nix interrogation was something he'd been looking forward to. With the others committed to this, he wasn't going to be able to steer them away easily. "And can you show us the nearby systems?" Cassie asked of the AI.

"DECA," Andros voice was in leader mode, causing the ranger's breath to catch as they waited to see if he was with them. "Set course for the Pakmar System, and get me the Ronvin Rangers. I don't want to step on anyone's feet."

The Rangers finally started looking more awake then they had all morning.

TBC