Chapter Three:
The five hours were over. Vanya and Andros left his quarters, in full uniform, to meet Zhane on the deck. As soon as Zhane saw his little sister, he could tell she was withdrawing again. It scared him to see her going so far away from him so fast. Just a day ago she was happy, laughing, and making plans for her future. Now, she was back to the girl who looked like she was going to withdraw to the lab as soon as she was no longer needed for a mission or mission briefing.
"So, we've already been through a lot as Rangers," Andros said. "This mission is going to be harder than anything else we've dealt with. This isn't a mission to stop the advance of Dark Specter's forces on a planet. We're letting them have our home. This is a mission to help the KO-35 military hold off Dark Specter's forces for as long as we can so as many of the colonists can be evacuated from the planet."
"Do you have a plan oh Fearless Leader?" Zhane asked.
"We're going to have to split up," Andros said. "You and I will work with the military on the front lines, holding off any monster attacks that are trying to get into the city to stop the evacuation. V, you're going to be in the city."
"What good will I be there?" Vanya asked.
"You know the technology in case there is a need of an expert in that area, but the reason I'm sending you in there is to help get the Elders and any other colonists to the evacuation points. If any of the monsters or Dark Specter's minions get through the front lines, everyone who is trying to evacuate is in danger. I want you in the city as a secondary defense to protect them," Andros answered.
"You will report to Commander Kinwon for your specific duties. He will tell you where to go, while Andros and I help the soldiers on the front lines, V. We'll all try to keep contact through our communicators. This is probably going to be our longest battle," Zhane told his sister.
"Zhane's right, Vanya. We don't know if we're going to be on KO-35 for days or weeks, only that we're going to be there until the evacuation is done. Do you have any battle strategies heading in you'd like us to consider?" Andros asked her.
"Are we leaving the ship in orbit or are we landing it on KO-35?"
"Most likely landing it," Andros replied. "Why?"
"Then we might as well make use of the weapons systems on the ship before we disembark to join the fight. The ship has some heavy duty laser canons that could probably take out some of the monsters before we even set foot on the planet," V replied.
"What about the soldiers on the front line? If we use those, won't we kill them?" Zhane asked.
"If we don't, the monsters are likely to kill them," replied V. "But our targeting systems are precise. I can lock onto a target and destroy the target. Any soldiers nearby might get knocked back by the impact of the laser into the monster, but it won't kill them."
"Andros? What do you think of this idea?" Zhane asked his best friend.
"I think it's a good idea. We can take out some of the hostiles before we disembark the ship to join the fight. It increases the odds for us and the KO-35 military. We'll do it," Andros said, turning to V. "That was an excellent idea."
"Oh, just kiss her, already. You're practically married already, anyway," Zhane said, seeing Andros was trying to maintain his position as leader of the team and not as his sister's fiancé.
Andros pulled Vanya into his arms and kissed her. His hands slid into hers, and that's when he realized something was off. When he pulled away from the kiss, he looked at her hand. Her engagement ring wasn't on her finger.
"Vanya… where is your…" Andros started.
"This?" Vanya asked him, pulling a rope necklace from under her uniform which held her engagement ring. "I thought it would be safer tied on this during battle. Less likely to just get lost somehow."
Andros let a breath he didn't realize he was holding out. He pulled his fiancée back into his arms and kissed her again.
"Approaching orbit for KO-35," D.E.C.A. informed them.
Andros and Vanya pulled away from each other. Andros went to the ship's navigation controls. Vanya went to the weapons controls and Zhane went to the targeting systems. They were ready to enter the battle on their home planet with a bang.
Andros took control of the navigation of the ship from D.E.C.A. as they entered the atmosphere of KO-35. The carnage and fighting they saw on their home was worse than anything else they had seen since joining the military, let alone becoming Power Rangers. As they were close enough to lock on the monsters, Zhane started locking the targets as Vanya blew them up. They made an excellent pair with the weapons. Andros made two passes around the front lines trying to destroy as many monsters and enemy aircraft as he could before landing the Astro Megaship to join their people in battle.
When they disembarked the ship, they were in the Power Ranger uniforms. Anyone who didn't know the true identity of the Power Rangers on KO-35, wouldn't know who would be leading them in battle now. As Andros and Zhane went to the front lines, V made her way to Commander Kinwon. They all found the same thing in their different positions, ongoing battles.
"Commander Kinwon, Pink Ranger reporting for duty, Sir!" Vanya said to the elder as she reached him.
"Yes, I was told you would be assisting inside of the city, Vanya," he said to her, surprising her by calling her by her proper name.
"Sir," she said confused as she powered down, recognizing the elder who told her two years prior she was an orphan. "I didn't know you knew who I was, Commander."
"Of course the elders know which of our youth were given the honor of become the Great Sage's Power Rangers," Kinwon replied to her. "Now, Vanya, I assume your brother and Andros are on the front lines?"
"Yes, Sir."
"I want you to start by evacuating the northern quadrant of the city. With the battles you will likely be pulled into throughout that process, I feel it will take you all day, if not into the early morning hours of tomorrow. You may rest after the northern quadrant is cleared of citizens. We have the few soldiers we can spare working on the southern quadrant, which is which is furthest from the battlefields, so you will be doing this alone.
"Understand, Vanya, as this is the quadrant closest to the battlefields, there may be no way to save everyone in the quadrant. We've already lost so many. Just try to get everyone to the evacuation points that you can safely. If they get wounded, you must unfortunately leave them behind so you may save the others," Kinwon informed her.
"But, Sir. You're asking me to leave some of our people to die."
"Yes, I am. Those are your orders. Those who can't keep up with the group are to be left behind. We can't risk the lives of many for the few who are unlikely to survive the search for a new home to colonize, Vanya. Are you going to disobey a direct order from one of your elders?" Kinwon asked.
Vanya wanted to tell him yes. She wanted to tell him he was being a jerk, to ask this of her, considering she had already had to kill her best friend for the colony's protection. But she knew she couldn't.
"No. Sir." She replied, biting off each word.
"Then you are dismissed to carry out your mission," Kinwon said, turning from her.
She Morphed back into the Pink Ranger. In that moment, with his back turned, she knew she could easily call on her Aquila Arbir and put an end to him for what he just ordered her to do. She also knew it was cowardly to attack someone from behind and treasonous to attack one of the elders. Therefore, if for no other reason than the possibility of a future with Andros when the war ended, she left him alive to carry out her orders.
Zhane and Andros were fighting back to back keeping anymore monsters or Piranahtrons from getting into the city. With the military at their sides, they were holding the line well. That was one thing they could count on. The military of KO-35 trained their soldiers thoroughly. Even though they were losing soldiers in this battle, they weren't losing as many soldiers as they could have. They wouldn't lose their entire military before the evacuation was over. Zhane and Andros were both focused on keeping each other and the soldiers alive as they handled what was in front of them, all the while, wondering if Vanya was okay. It had been hours, and she hadn't answered any communicator messages.
"V, are you okay?" V heard Andros ask on the communicator.
She was in the middle of a battle with a group of Piranahtrons as she tried to get a group of 50 from the northern quadrant to the evacuation point. When she finally defeated them, she took the group straight where they needed to go. By the time she got them there, only 40 of the 50 original members remained. It was pissing her off that she wasn't allowed to help the sick or injured. But she had her orders and she wasn't allowed to disobey. Instead of focusing on it, she went to get the last group she needed to in the northern quadrant. A group of 20 from a row of single family homes on the furthest end of the quadrant. It was already after midnight. She needed to get them to the evacuation point by 1:30am. If she didn't, they would be stuck at the evacuation point for an indeterminate amount of time.
Vanya made her way across the battlefields again. She got caught up in a few of the fights going on across the city, but still made decent timing to the last group of citizens. When I got there, V was worried. At least one of the families had a baby, two of them had children who looked to be under ten. They would hold up the group getting to the evacuation point. But there was no way in hell she was going to tell those parents their children were too young to be evacuated.
"Those of you with kids under ten or babies, is there any way to keep them from slowing us down?" she asked the families.
"Well," a father with a baby started, "I made this carrier that I can put on my back to hold my daughter. This way my hands and my wife's hands are free."
"Perfect. Get it and put her in it. We need to make sure the kids don't slow us down. Technically, I have orders to leave anyone who slows the group behind, it doesn't matter who or why. I'm only supposed to get those who can keep up as I make my way across the city to the evacuation point there. But I refuse to separate parents and their children just because they might slow us down."
"Those of us with smaller children can also carry them, to keep them from wandering or slowing us down," another parent said.
"And those of us with children closer to ten and older, our children can keep up," yet another parent said. "Thank you for giving all of us a chance to stay together."
"Just know if anyone gets injured on the way to the evacuation point, I am under direct orders to leave them. Injury I can't fight. Age I will. So be careful. I will do my best to get you all there safely. It's dark. That will work in our favor."
"How?" the father with the baby girl asked. "You're wearing bright, reflective pink."
"You're right, Vanya said. "Power down."
Vanya de-Morphed in front of them.
"You barely look older than some of our children," one of the parents said.
"I may not be. I'm seventeen years of age. I joined the military two years ago, and was chosen by the Great Sage, Zordon, not long after as one of his six Power Rangers. I will stay de-Morphed for now, but if we run into a fight, I will have to Morph again to access my weapons," Vanya told them.
With that, Vanya, in her Megaship uniform, began to lead them across the city.
It was the middle of the night. Andros and Zhane were sent back to the Megaship to get rest until first light. The first thing they did upon returning to the ship wasn't go to bed, it was go to the deck. They still hadn't heard from Vanya.
"D.E.C.A., get a visual on my sister," Zhane said to the super-computer.
"Vanya is within the city limits. I cannot get a visual on her from the ground," the super computer told him.
"Can you track her?" Andros asked.
"Yes, I can, Andros," D.E.C.A. replied. "The map on the screen will show you where Vanya is in real time."
Andros and Zhane looked at the map and saw that Vanya was making her way from the northern quadrant of the city. She must have had a group of evacuees with her to take to the evacuation point. Now they were just worried that she hadn't responded to her communicated all day.
Vanya was almost to the evacuation point. She still had all twenty of her group. When they were about thirty yards from the destination, they were attacked by a monster. Vanya Morphed back into the Pink Ranger. She sent the group ahead the last thirty yards as she dealt with the monster.
The monster was tough, but Vanya had been through too much that day. She was angry, she was hurt, she was tired, and in general, just pissed off. Ultimately, she beheaded the monster and before she could get to the evacuation point, she found one of the parents from her group, dead behind where the monster popped out from.
Hoping beyond hope, she rushed to the evacuation point. The shuttle was already being loaded. She ran to the control room.
"How many are on this shuttle?" she asked the person in charge. "How many came in from the last group of evacuees?"
He checked his list.
"Nineteen of the twenty that were listed as part of that sector of the quadrant, Ma'am," he replied to her. "Is something wrong?"
"No. We were thirty yards from here when we were attacked. I sent the group ahead while I dealt with the monster. It was after I defeated it that I found the bodies of one of the twenty. I wanted to know if any of the others had failed to make it here," V explained.
"No, Ma'am. It seems that only the one whose body you found was unable to make it here. All the others are accounted for and on the shuttle, about to be launched off of KO-35," he told her.
"Good. I'm going to report to Commander Kinwon."
She left the evacuation point and made her way to Commader Kinwon. She found him with the other Elders in their meeting area. Vanya de-Morphed before entering the room. After properly greeting them, she debriefed them about the evacuation of the northern quadrant.
"So, minimal loss of life, and the quadrant is fully evacuated?" Kinwon asked.
"Yes, Sir. It is." V answered.
"Good. Tomorrow you will spend the morning evacuating this quadrant. Come mid-afternoon, you will start evacuating some of the elders and their families. After all, we will need leaders wherever we will call home when we leave here," Kinwon said.
"Start with the points in the most danger. Get those citizens out to the evacuation point. Once they are all evacuated, come back here. We will all be waiting with our families and have decided who will leave when, Vanya," Tykwa said. "For now, you should return to the Astro Megaship to take care of your wounds and get some rest. We will see you at first light."
"Yes, Tykwa," V said, saluting the Elders before leaving the room, teleporting to the Megaship.
"Vanya!" Andros cried out as things went blurry on Vanya.
She felt herself being picked up. She recognized the smell and knew Zhane caught her. He always smelled like Cinnamon. Before long everything was dark on Vanya, but she could hear Zhane and Andros.
"What do you think happened?" Andros asked.
"I'm not sure, but she has injuries that show she saw more than one battle today." Zhane replied.
"But that exhaustion… I haven't seen that type of exhaustion in Vanya since right after Stone, Zhane."
"What do you mean?"
"Before she blacked out… the dark circles under her eyes, the weariness in her eyes… they were because she couldn't handle that she had someone's life in her hands and ended it, no matter the reason."
"Do you think she killed any of the evacuees?"
"Maybe not directly… maybe she was under orders not to save some of them."
"Why would the Elders…"
"To weed out the weak before they find a new planet, Zhane. They're going to have limited resources until they find somewhere they can sustain themselves. Taking care of the sick and injured will drain supplies that they can save for stronger people, people who will more likely survive the transition and be able to make the colony stronger."
"We need to get her on her feet again, Andros."
"We will. The meds in her IV will have her better by morning," Andros said as he kissed V on the forehead. "Rest easy, Vanya. You're safe on the ship with your brother and me. We'll be back to check on you in the morning."
"Yeah, Sis," Zhane said, also kissing her head. "Sleep this off. Hopefully things will look better tomorrow."
"I guess we should both get some rest now," Andros said to Zhane. "We don't know how many more days like today we have ahead of us."
"You're right," Zhane conceded. "Night, Man."
The following morning Andros went to the med bay to check on Vanya. She was taking the IV out of her arm when he got there. He rushed in and got her to lay back down as gently as he could.
"I want that out of my arm, Andros."
"In a minute, V, please?" Andros replied. "Just give me a minute to run one last overall scan to make sure you don't need anything else before removing it?"
"Fine," she groaned, giving in.
Andros ran the scan on Vanya's vitals. They were within normal parameters, but he could tell she still wasn't at 100%. She looked weary and bone tired. Still, he knew better than to push her about what was going on in her head. Vanya only opened up when she wanted to.
"Alright, let's get that out of your arm," Andros said as he gently removed the IV from Vanya's arm. "There you go. How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, Andros."
"Are you sure, V?"
"Yeah. Yesterday just took a lot out of me. I saw dozens of our people get killed or be left to die in the evacuation process," she said, not looking Andros in the eye.
"Why were they left to die, V?"
"You already know why, Andros. I wasn't awake, but I heard the two of you talking last night. Kinwon's orders are anyone who can't keep up with the groups I'm moving to the evacuation point are to be left behind. I'm not allowed to help them. It's a direct order. He essentially dared me to tell him I would disobey the order… and I wanted to… I wanted to so badly."
"What stopped you?"
"We're trying to plan for a life when this war is over. I don't think me committing treason is going to help that," V responded.
Andros kissed her.
"I love you," he told her.
"I love you too, Andros. But I need to eat and get back out there. I have to start evacuating the eastern quadrant closest to where the battles are. This afternoon I'm supposed to start moving the Elders and their families. I'm guessing they evacuated the western quadrant first since that's where the evacuation point is, and if that's the case, I'm hoping the few soldiers that had evacuating the southern quadrant will be evacuating the southeastern quadrant while I'm in the northeastern quadrant making my way to the Elders."
"Are you sure you're okay, Vanya?" Andros asked as he led them to get something to eat.
"I don't like the way things are being handled with the evacuation, Andros. Some of the people they're telling me I can't help… I guarantee some of the Elders fall into those categories, but I also guarantee I won't be able to leave them behind."
"I understand. But for now, we just need to follow our orders," Andros replied.
"Orders about what?" Zhane asked sitting down with his breakfast.
"How the Elders want the evacuation handled," Andros answered. "We were right last night. They're making her leave anyone who can't keep up a certain pace behind, even if it means their death."
"Vanya," Zhane said, worried about his sister. "Are you alright?"
"I have no other choice, do I Zhane? We're Power Rangers. We need to help our people evacuate, no matter what that means… no matter what our personal feelings."
"When we get outta here, the three of us are taking a vacation," Zhane said. "No more missions for a little bit. We need some time to get our heads on straight."
Andros hesitated like he might argue.
"Alright. But not for too long," he gave in.
"Long enough for the two of you to get married at least," Zhane said.
Andros and Zhane laughed easily. Vanya forced herself to laugh as they finished their breakfast. Too soon it was time to go back to the battlefields. Vanya gave her big brother a hug before he left, giving Andros and her a minute to say goodbye alone, just in case.
"It feels so weird to do this," Andros said.
"Do what?" Vanya asked. "We've all said our goodbyes in case one of us doesn't make it back to the Megaship before."
"Yeah, well, I never had to do that with my fiancée before, Vanya. That's why it's weird. We're engaged, we want to get married and have a life together, and here we are, with you in my arms, getting to ready to say goodbye in case one of us dies today," Andros replied.
"Then don't say it as if one of us might die today, Andros," Vanya said, pulling his face to hers, kissing him with more passion than they'd ever kissed before. "We'll just say I love you. Because I do, Andros. I love you more than anything, because my love for you isn't the same as it is for Zhane. I love you on a completely different level and sometimes, it is just your smiling face that keeps me from disappearing into my mind, Andros. So I won't say goodbye to you. I'm just going to say I love you."
Andros kissed Vanya as she did to him.
"Then that's what we'll do," he agreed. "I love you, Vanya. I tried not to, because of the complications it could cause, but I couldn't help it. My love for you has grown every day and I don't want that to ever stop. When things have been at the worst, it has been your love that has kept me going, Vanya. So I won't say goodbye to you either. I will only say I love you with all of my heart."
They kissed one last time, Andros holding her close to him for a few moments longer, before they left the Megaship. Once they did, they had to split up. Andros went to Zhane on the front lines. Vanya went to evacuate the northeastern quadrant of the city, heading to the center of the eastern quadrant and the Elders.
The day was just as hard as it was the day before for Andros and Zhane. There were just as many monsters, and some of them were even fiercer than the ones they had taken down when they had reached KO-35. They were watching soldiers fall faster under the wrath of these stronger monsters.
"Andros, there are just too many of them," Zhane said to his best friend as it became clear that they were being overpowered, even with the military on their side.
"We can't give up, Zhane. There are still people we need to get inside the city for their protection and hopefully for V to get to the evacuation," Andros replied.
"Alright, let's do this," Zhane said, mustering up a second wind, pushing some civilians in the direction of the city, out of the line of fire.
Meanwhile, in the city, Vanya was taking her last group of civilians from the northeastern quadrant to the evacuation point. Halfway across the city she came face-to-face with Ecliptor. Grabbing one of the soldiers from the battle with Ecliptor, she gave him orders to get the group of civilians to the evacuation point. She knew that the soldiers could not face Ecliptor and walk away.
"So, Pink Ranger. You think you can face me?" Ecliptor tried to taunt her. "Didn't your team lose your Yellow Ranger after facing me?"
"D.E.C.A. let my brother know what the situation I am in is," she said to the super-computer, before she spoke to Ecliptor. "We may have lost a Ranger that day, but it wasn't at your hands, now was it, Ecliptor?"
Vanya could tell that he was infuriated, which would give her an advantage… he wouldn't be as focused as he should be. She called on her Aquila Arbir and attacked him. Minutes into the battle, Andros and Zhane teleported next to her and joined the battle with Ecliptor. She took Zhane's Super Silverizer, giving him her Aquila Arbir while she tinkered with the blaster mode of the Silverizer. When she was done with it, she gave it back to her brother.
"Use the blaster mode, Zhane!" she said, as she attacked Ecliptor with the crescent edge of her arbir.
"You're in the blast zone!"
"Don't worry! I'll be fine!" she assured her brother.
Zhane took the shot, and sure enough, Vanya was fine. Ecliptor, however was sparking. Suddenly, he was teleported off the battlefield.
"What was that?" Zhane asked.
"Yeah, Vanya, what did you do?" Andros asked, noticing some of the other minor monsters and minions were down in the immediate area.
"I tampered with the Silverizer, adding an electromagnetic pulse to the blaster mode. When you shot the blaster, it shut Ecliptor down for now," V replied, looking around and noticing the affects her EMP had. "And apparently all electronics in this area. You guys are gonna have to call for the Galaxy Gliders to hurry to the front lines. I need to get back to the Elders to start their evacuations."
Andros and Zhane hugged Vanya before calling the Gliders. Once they were in the air, Vanya began to make her way to the meeting place of the Elders. Upon her appearance, Commander Kinwon was angry.
"You! You disobeyed a direct order! I told you your orders were to evacuate the citizens of the northeastern quadrant! Not to order our soldiers to do it while you fight a monster!" Kinwon yelled at her.
Vanya de-Morphed.
"Commander Kinwon, I am very well aware of my direct orders. However, I never would have gotten any of those citizens with me to the evacuation point and your soldiers would have all died had I not had them escort those citizens to the evacuation point instead," she stood her ground and told him without yelling at or disrespecting him.
"And why do you, a soldier of two years, a Power Ranger for less time, feel you are qualified to make that call over me?" he asked, challenging her.
"Field experience, Sir. As a team the Rangers have faced that creature before. He was the one we had been called to deal with the day we lost our Yellow Ranger, Pluto. We had battled him to the point of exhaustion. He is a dangerous and formidable opponent, one of Dark Specter's top men. That was the day we met Astronema, who just came in and told him to leave, and she was the one who killed Pluto after we had all battled Ecliptor until we were exhausted. We still battled her with more than we probably thought we had in us, but she was too much for us, Kinwon. But my point is, it was Ecliptor, that had gotten us to the point of vulnerability. With our advanced weaponry and training, our advanced armor to protect us, we barely walked away from him. Your soldiers, as well-trained as they are, which I will never doubt, are not trained to handle Ecliptor."
"Has he been dealt with?" Tykwa asked, trying to stop Kinwon from fighting with Vanya any further.
"Yes. I called in the Red and Silver Rangers from the front lines to do it. When we were through they went right back to the front lines and I came here. I took the Silver Ranger's weapon, the Super Silverizer, and adjusted it to fire off an EMP when he shot the blaster. It took down Ecliptor and some of the machine- based lesser monsters and minions in the immediate area of that battle."
"Then I think you made the right call, Pink Ranger. You saved lives in the evacuation attempt and you still got Ecliptor off of KO-35. That is commendable," Tykwa praised her. "Now, I think Commander Kinwon and his family, along with Tomas and his family should be evacuated first. Get them all to the evacuation point and return to us, Pink Ranger. We don't have much time before KO-35 will fall."
"Yes, Ma'am, Tykwa," V said to Tykwa. "Let's go. Follow me and do exactly as I say."
Tykwa could see that Kinwon didn't seem thrilled with the turn of events, but by his own orders, Vanya was in charge of the evacuation process. She watched as Vanya led the out of the building and Morphed immediately to hold off a group of Piranahtrons who attack about 100 yards from where they exited the building. The two Elders kept their families between them, with a telekinetic wall of debris shielding them from harm as Vanya handled the fighting. When she defeated her opponents, she let the Elders know the coast was clear and they continued their journey.
Four hours later, Vanya was down to the last Elder, Mathias. Along with his wife and small children, they were the last of the evacuees that needed to be gotten to the western quadrant of the city. Everything seemed like it was going well. At least, until a monster with one normal-looking hand and one large claw-hand appeared in front of them.
On the front lines, Andros was fighting a tough opponent. As much as he landed hard blows on the monster, the monster hit him harder. Zhane was fighting some of the other monsters, holding his own, until he noticed that Andros had been knocked down.
"Andros!" Zhane called out.
Vanya was fighting the claw-handed monster with everything in her. She had weakened it, that much she was sure of. When she knocked it fifteen yards away, she turned to Mathias.
"Keep the wall of debris around you and your family," she said. "It will protect you. Start making your way towards the evacuation point. I need to hold him off."
"We can't leave you here," his wife said.
"This is my job, Ma'am. I need to keep him from getting to you. Go. Please. I will hold him off as long as I can," Vanya said.
"I hope we see each other again, Vanya," Mathias said to her before he started rushing his family towards the evacuation point.
It was basically just the claw-handed monster and Vanya inside the city at this point. The monsters had realized pretty much everyone had been evacuated, so they were focusing their assault on the front lines. When she turned around, the monster was right in front of her. She tried to block it with her arbir, but it knocked her back, making her hit her head. As soon as she got back to her feet, it impaled her on its claw.
At the same moment that Vanya was impaled on the monster's claw inside the city, Zhane jumped on the monster that was about to deal a death blow to Andros, after hitting it with a few deadly blows. Zhane was still on the monster when it exploded. When the flames died down, Andros could see that Zhane moved his fingers a bit, but didn't move again.
As Zhane moved for the last time on the front lines, Vanya took her last breath in the city. Andros felt the loss of both of them, from his mind, from his heart, at the exact same time. He collapsed in grief. He knew he couldn't help Vanya, but Zhane still lived. He picked up his body and brought him back to the Astro Megaship, placing him in a cryogenic tube in the healing chamber. Turning the cryogenic tube on, Andros hoped that one day it would bring Zhane back to him. He then left the chamber to go find Vanya.
Andros roamed the route Vanya would have taken with the Elders from their meeting place to the evacuation point. Along that point, he found her impaled on the claw of a monster, but the monster did not survive killing his fiancée. With the spear-end of her Aquila Arbir, Vanya had impaled the monster through its throat. When he got over to them, he gently got the monster away from Vanya, removing its claw from where it went through her chest. Then he pulled the Aquila Arbir from the monster, which is when the monster turned to debris.
Picking up Vanya, Andros started to cry. He carried her to where Pluto had been buried, the place all of them were to be buried if anything were to be happened, technically, and he dug a grave for her next to Pluto's grave. With every bit of earth he moved for her grave, Andros felt himself withdraw further into himself. Vanya was his light, the one who kept him going in the darkest of times… and now he was putting her in the ground. Zhane was his best friend, Vanya's older brother, basically his brother… and now he was in a cryogenic tube. Andros had truly felt like he had lost everything. Vanya, Zhane, Stone, Pluto, Luna, his parents, Karone… he had lost them all. As he buried Vanya, he vowed to himself that he would never let anyone get as close to him as his team or his parents. Before he left her grave, which was marked with a simple stone and her Ranger color, he took her engagement ring, which he took off of her finger before he buried her, and put it on the chain with her family crest.
Andros returned to the Astro Megaship and contacted Zordon to let him know he was the only member of the team left… Zhane was in a cryogenic sleep and he didn't know if or when he'd wake and Vanya was lost in the evacuation on KO-35, protecting an elder. Zordon gave his condolences and told him he would give him time to grieve before he asked anything of him. The Elders, however, did not wait. Commander Kinwon contacted the Astro Megaship angrily when he heard that the Elder Vanya was supposed to be protecting arrived at the evacuation point unguarded.
"Commander Kinwon," Andros started, "I can explain."
"I appreciate that you may be trying to cover for Vanya, Andros, but I want to hear from her," Kinwon demanded.
"As much as I would like to allow you to speak to my fiancée, Commander, I can't. She died protecting the last Elder that left KO-35. I buried her before I took Zhane, who is in a cryogenic sleep right now, and left the planet. I am the only Ranger left," Andros said, forcing himself to stay composed.
"Andros, are you alright? I know how much Zhane and Vanya both meant to you," Tykwa cut in.
"I will do my duties, Ma'am," was all Andros could say without breaking.
"She was brave to the end. I'm sure Mathias and his family will be sad to hear that she perished to ensure their survival," Tykwa replied.
"Andros, I'm sorry for your losses," Commander Kinwon finally seemed sympathetic. "Vanya… she had already disobeyed orders once today. I thought she had done it again. I'm sorry. I see now, she did what she had to in order to protect Mathias and his family. She is a hero. We will make sure everyone remembers her that way."
Andros nodded and the connection was ended. He turned and went to his quarters, where his bed still smelled like Vanya. Curling up on the side she typically slept in lately, he breathed in her scent and finally let all of his emotions flow from him, not caring if he couldn't stop for a while.