Disclaimer: . . .Part One. . .
Author's Notes: Things might be a bit confusing, again, but
it'll only be in the beginning. Things'll start to clear up soon.
Hopefully.
Much thanks to Angel for the suggestion about the names. If you guys think it's weird or doesn't work, please let me know.
New Theories
Part four: Questions and Answers
By: stargazer_1017
"So we're still going to have to go back down and pick up more supplies," Cassie was saying as Andros and Ashley walked back into the Cargo Bay. Andros noted that his other self now had his hair down, instead of up like his. Cassie stopped talking as they both entered and she and the Andros with his hair down turned to look at the two.
Ashley looked quickly at Andros and then to the Andros who had his hair down. "I think there's something going on," Ashley reported.
Andros watched as the other him frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"I was just talking with Andros," Ashley replied, gesturing to Andros standing next to her, "and he mentioned something about Centron B-2."
The other Andros' hair swayed a bit as he nodded. "Yeah, that's where he was last when chasing the Velocifighters."
"When I was down at KO-35, there was a bunch of people talking about Centron B-2," Ashley reported. "I don't know exactly what they were talking about, I mean it could be anything, but don't you think it's more than a coincidence? I mean, a couple of months ago, Velocifighters were at the Centron B-2, then Andros stumbles onto our dimension after his encounters with Velocifighters at the planet, and now there are people even talking about it. Something's going on."
"You mean, maybe we're somehow connected to the other dimension?" Cassie asked, shaking her head. "It sounds too unreal."
"Unless somehow, I stumbled into the future, instead of another dimension," Andros, the one with his hair up, spoke up. Everyone turned to him as he spoke. "Everything has been the same in our pasts up until now."
"Except for Zhane," Ashley whispered. She shook her head and looked at the three rangers. "Zhane is alive in his dimension."
"He is?" Cassie asked, turning to Andros. "He's alive in your dimension?" Andros nodded.
The Andros with his hair down ran his hand through his hair. He opened his mouth to speak but his morpher beeped. He hesitated for a moment and then raised his morpher. "Go ahead," he said.
"Andros, there's something going on over here," T.J.'s voice over the morpher said. "I think you guys should come down here."
"You guys okay?"
"Yeah, but we've seen a couple of Quantrons on Earth since we've gotten here," T.J. reported.
"We're on our way," Andros replied. He looked at the other three rangers. "I'll go back down to KO-35 and grab those missing supplies, since we won't have time to stop by another planet. You guys get the Megaship ready to leave the planet's orbit, and--"
"Why don't I go down to KO-35 instead?" Cassie interrupted.
Andros, the one with his hair up, raised his eyebrow in question. He looked at his other self and saw the other man gaze at Cassie with concern and confusion. "Why you?" Andros listened as his other self ask.
"You were working on repairs with the engine, and since I'm still not an expert at it, I think you should keep doing it," Cassie replied. She turned to Ashley. "Ash's still gotta sort through the supplies she just brought onboard, so that leaves me."
"You don't have to do this," Andros said. He ran his hand through his hair again.
Cassie raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. "You don't think I'm capable of going down and grabbing those supplies?" she demanded.
"You know it's not that. . .I just would rather do it myself, in case something happens."
Cassie gave her boyfriend a softer look and slowly walked up to him. "I'm going to be fine. Astronema can't do good on her promise." Her expression changed to a stubborn look. "I won't let her," she said defiantly.
Andros paused but nodded slowly. "All right," he agreed. "But if there's any sign of trouble--"
Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'll call for backup, yes sir."
Andros leaned forward and gave her a tight hug. "Be careful," he said. Cassie nodded as she hugged him back and didn't reply. After a few moments, she pulled away from him and headed for the door.
Andros, the one with his hair up in a ponytail, didn't notice he was staring at Andros and Cassie's exchange until Cassie passed him and gave him a brief smile. Andros shook his head after she passed and turned to watch her go. "I'll fill Cassie in on the supplies needed," Ashley said, turning around and heading after Cassie.
Andros watched as the two girls left, and a swish of auburn hair moved in front of the door and Andros was finally able to speak up. "Hey, where are you going?" he asked the other Andros.
The man turned around. "I'm heading to the engine room to check on the damages and make repairs."
"I'm coming with you."
Andros could tell his other self was surprised at his gesture, but his other self didn't show anything. Instead, he nodded and walked out the door.
***
Back in our dimension. . .
"He can't be gone," Ashley said, tears stinging her eyes. She blinked rapidly so they wouldn't fall.
"The scanners haven't picked up anything since we last heard from him," Carlos replied softly. "If he isn't on the scanners. . ." He turned to look at T.J., who was shaking his head.
"We should've have let him go out there alone," Ashley said, shaking her head. She propped her elbows on the console and buried her head in her hands.
Cassie bit her lip as she pressed a few buttons on the console, trying to keep distracted. He was just trying to help. . .and this is the way I repay him. . .Cassie looked back at Ashley, who was now being consoled by Carlos. Carlos looked at Cassie and they exchanged looks. I can't think that. . .I can't think knowing that the last impression of me before he left was our argument. . .
Suddenly, Cassie got up from her seat. T.J. moved swiftly to intercept her as she headed to the doors. "Whoa, hey, where are you going?" he asked, grabbing her arm.
Cassie shoved her arm away from his grasp. "Find some answers," she replied.
***
Andros watched as his other self worked on the engines. After moments of silence, he realized he couldn't keep it inside any longer. "How long have you and Cassie been together?" he asked.
He couldn't see the other Andros' reaction to his question, as his shoulder-length hair was hiding his face, but he could see his other self move a tiny bit after he asked the question. The other man put down the tool he was holding and turned to face Andros. "We've been together for about four months now," he replied.
Andros nodded at the revelation. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it--and then opened it again, and closed it again.
The other Andros watched him with an eyebrow raised. "Things are getting confusing, aren't they?" he asked, almost reading his mind. "You wanna keep your name or shall I keep mine."
"Huh?"
A smile was the response from the Andros with his hair down. "My middle name's Brenan. I guess with both of us here, there's a lot of confusion about who's who. You can refer to me at that name, for now."
Andros nodded. "I wonder why mom gave us that middle name," he wondered aloud.
Brenan shrugged. "You know mom. It could be the name of her first boyfriend," he said, the smile still on his face as he picked up the tool he had put down. He looked up at the main engine as he walked around it. "Mom's always been the romantic in the family."
Andros nodded, a small smile appearing on his face as well as he thought of his mother. Then the smile dropped from his face. "Are mom and dad. . .I mean, are they both still alive?" he asked.
Brenan stopped on the right side of the main engine and after a moment, he turned around and faced Andros. He nodded. "They're both healthy and still alive," he assured his other self.
Andros let a relieved sigh escape from himself. Then he shook his head. "Things are so different here. Nothing here has been the same except for the dome that you keep at your position at the controls."
"And everyone else," Brenan corrected. He walked up to Andros. "Everyone's still the same people you know them to be. T.J. is just as carefree and open as you remember him, Carlos as hardworking, Ashley as bubbly, and Cassie as strong-willed. No one here is different, am I right?"
Andros slowly nodded and looked down at the controls. "You're slightly different from me. . .I mean, besides the fact that you're going with Cassie. . ."
Brenan smiled widely again and turned to walk up the stairs leading to the other machines. "You can never get that past yourself, can you?" he asked as he walked.
"It's not that I hate Cassie," Andros replied quickly, "because I don't! She's an awesome person to know." He looked upward at his other self. "And I see that she's great for you. You've been open, friendly, and . . .I don't know. . .different is the only word that comes to mind."
Brenan shrugged and started tinkering with a device he had stopped in front of. "I learned a lot since the other four became rangers. Life does that to you."
Andros watched his other self closely. "And Zhane? How did he die?" he asked.
"Zhane," Andros said softly, sighing. He again stopped what he was doing and turned to lean on the railing that was alongside the small upper deck. "About five months after Cassie, Ashley, Carlos, and T.J. became rangers, we had a huge battle with one of Astronema's monsters, which was probably one of the toughest she's ever sent down. During the battle, the monster sent a surge through the whole ship, destroying one whole deck of the ship."
"The deck that Zhane was being held in," Andros guessed.
Brenan nodded. "Zhane would have survived. I mean, his pod was still in tact, but another surge went through the ship and we lost power for about ten minutes. There was nothing."
"You mean," Andros said, trying to understand what his otherself was telling him, "the power knocked off completely on the ship? So he basically was killed from--"
"From lack of oxygen."
Andros felt sick to the stomach, and he closed his eyes as he lowered his head slightly. He couldn't imagine a more painful way for his best friend to die. He didn't realize he was clenching his fists tightly until they started to hurt and become cold. Andros flexed his hands, to let the blood flow through. Zhane was injured being a Power Ranger. . .and this is the way fate rewarded him. . .
He heard a shuffle above him and looked up. Brenan had moved away from the railing and was now working on more repairs. "I couldn't get over the guilt for a long time," Brenan said softly, but Andros could still hear every word. Andros watched as Brenan busied himself with the other machines for a long while.
"But it wasn't your fault," Andros replied. That sure sounded convincing. . .
Brenan, who was now at the end of the second deck, looked down at Andros and at first, there was no expression on his face. Then he smiled. "I appreciate your effort," he replied, walking back towards the ladder.
Suddenly, sirens rang up all around. "DECA, what's going on!" Brenan called out as he ran down the ladder as quickly as he could.
"Cassie is being attacked on KO-35," DECA replied.
Brenan's eyes widened as he and Andros ran to the door. "We're on our way!" Brenan called out as they ran towards the jump tubes. They ran into Ashley, who was surrounded by supplies. She held up her hands as the two ran up to her.
"She's teleported the supplies here and said she's coming," Ashley reported, looking back and forth between the two.
Brenan ignored the comment and headed towards his respective jump tube when Alpha's voice spoke over his morpher. "Guys, Cassie's just teleported in. She's in the Med Bay."
She teleported to the Med Bay? Andros thought frantically as he turned around and ran towards the Med Bay. He heard the pounding of footsteps behind him and realized that Ashley and Brenan were right behind her. If anyone ever teleported into the ship without going through the jumptubes, they would have to have been teleported by DECA or any other personel. Just like how Zhane was when he was injured.
Andros stopped at the door of the Med Bay, which was open. "Oh my God. . ." Brenan whispered a few seconds later, from behind Andros.
To be continued. . .
