Disclaimer: The Power Rangers aren't mine. The stories I write aren't for profit.

No Time to Cry

The heat of the battle vanished, the horde of attackers gone. His weapon slipped from limp fingers, dropping to the sandy surface with a soft thump.

Something's wrong with Zhane. He could sense it. He had always been able to sense his best friend, always until now. Grief choked him, the sudden sense of complete loneliness devastating. His eyes burning, he fell to his knees weakly, an anguished cry tearing from his throat. "NO!"

Andros squeezed his eyes shut painfully, his helmeted head cradled in gloved hands. It had never occurred to him that Zhane wouldn't wake up. After all, why wouldn't he come back? The Silver Ranger was too resilient to anything to just... die, like that.

A small not-quite-whimper slipped out before he could help himself. "He can't be..." Andros couldn't bring himself to finish.

KO-35 flashed before his eyes. He saw his home burning and the Silver Ranger flinging himself between Andros and certain death. Andros squeezed his eyes shut more tightly.

He knew what he had to do. Zhane hadn't lain down his life for Andros to meet the same end. It fell to him now to make that sacrifice worthwhile, to never give up their fight.

The Red Ranger opened his eyes and gulped back his tears, slowly climbing back to his feet. Now was no time to cry. His Spiral Saber gripped tightly in his hand, he fixed his eyes on the... things still attacking his friends and his ship.

"You," he growled, "are going to pay for this."

He charged forward and attacked, heedless of what was going on around him. Half blinded with rage, Andros wasn't even sure that he cared anymore. All that mattered now was that he kept fighting. It was what Zhane would have wanted.