Not As It Seems
Disclaimer: I do not own the power rangers. I don't think I own the name Solaris either. I'm pretty sure I heard it somewhere else.
Summary: AU. Karone and Zhane, along with four new astro rangers search for Karone's lost brother. Meanwhile, Ashley's new boyfriend seems perfect, but he's hiding something that could destroy her, the rangers, and himself.
(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to ShadowGoddess1 for giving me the train of thought.)
LunarFairyPrincess1989: Thanks! Don't worry about Andros, he'll come around, just not in this chapter. Lol!
ShadowGoddess1: They'll have more alone time in chapters 11 and 12. Finally, the other rangers reactions will be horrible. Lol!
JasonLeeScottFan: Yeah it was! Oh the shower scene, that would have been interesting. Oh well, I may have to put another scene in there. Hmm.
Pinkrangerfan: Well, those are nice thoughts, but there won't be any uniting in this chapter. Sorry. Lol
Monica perry: Thanks! Here you go!
Chapter 10
Dark Fortress
Darkonda loved seeing Ecliptor squirm. He owed Ecliptor as much. After all, Ecliptor had been responsible for taking one of his lives.
But soon, Darkonda would replace Ecliptor as the Lord of Evil and he would use that power to get rid of all those who apposed him…including Dark Specter.
He'd already set his plan in motion. He'd seen what Ecliptor and Solaris had been trying to accomplish with the rangers and decided to have a little fun with it. Pretty soon his influence would tear the rangers apart.
Megaship
Karone, Ashley and Andros appeared in Ashley's room. "DECA, don't let the other's know we're here." Karone ordered.
"Affirmative."
"Where do we go from here?" Ashley asked. "We can't exactly hide here forever."
"I'm working on that. We can hide you and Andros in the engine room for a while. There's a hidden room there." Karone mumbled, then looked at Ashley and her brother. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing really." Ashley stated timidly before looking at her boyfriend.
"Were you two discussing something?"
"You know about the telepathic thing?" Ashley inquired.
"Yeah. Remember, all Karovans are telepathic. And the telepathic bonds between loved ones tend to be stronger than others. It's why I can find Andros when he lets me and apparently why you two can communicate telepathically." She saw her brother visibly tense. "Did I say something?"
"It's a little complicated." Ashley responded.
"Let me explain it to her." He broke in and stepped closer to his sister. "I was trying to whole 'Andros' thing out, and…" He trailed off.
"You're not quite ready for it." Karone finished for him. She couldn't hide the sadness it evoked. "What do you prefer?"
"I don't want you or Ashley calling me Solaris, but I don't know what else."
Ashley smiled at this. "I do." She drew their attention. "Soren." She stated simply.
Karone nodded and frowned at her brother. "That's the name you gave Ashley when you first met."
He didn't notice her frown. "Yeah." Soren smiled remembering. "It's the name I picked for myself."
"Then it's perfect." Ashley stated kissing him. "Until you get used to this new life."
He looked at her and couldn't help but smile. "Thank you." He was about to kiss Ashley again when Karone's giggles disturbed him. "What's so funny?" He asked curiously.
"I just remembered where I heard that name." She smiled at them. "Soren was a cartoon hero back on KO-35." She looked at her brother. "You loved him."
Soren couldn't help but laugh. "I guess my past life isn't so foreign after all."
Bridge
The others worked silently in the bridge. The tension was high and the temperatures even higher. And none of it cooled when Karone entered.
"Well if it isn't our fearless leader." Carlos sneered.
"Can we not do this again?" Karone asked exasperated.
"So the guilt is finally getting to you?" Cassie put in.
"Look can we just stop this? I was wrong. How many times do I have to say that before you guys lay off?"
"As long as Ashley's with that psychopath, a hell of a lot more." TJ added.
"He's not a psychopath." Everyone turned as Ashley stepped onto the bridge. "And Karone made a mistake, but she isn't to blame."
No one seemed to have heard her as they rushed forward to greet her. Even Zhane who had remained quiet, rushed to her, but it was Carlos who embraced her.
Something's not right. It was the first thing Ashley could think. She looked at Karone over Carlos's shoulder. Apparently, Karone couldn't sense it.
Carlos released her but kept his hands on her arms right above her elbows. "Are you okay? Did that bastard hurt you?"
"He wouldn't hurt me Carlos." Ashley started. "He loves me." She gasped when his grip tightened.
"When are you going to learn, Ashley?" Carlos asked slowly and calmly on the verge of pure anger.
"Carlos you're hurting me." Ashley couldn't hide the fear creeping up in her. Apparently, Karone sensed what Ashley had before and tried to make her way to Ashley, but was stopped by Zhane.
"Zhane, what are you doing?" Karone asked and backed away from him.
Zhane's voice was deathly calm. "Stay out of this, Karone. You've done enough."
"Let them go." Soren's voice filled the bridge. He leaned against the entryway with his arms crossed over his chest. Though his pose was casual, his demeanor was anything but.
"You," Carlos sneered and shoved Ashley to the side as he approached Soren. "This is your fault."
Soren was about to retort when he felt it, the evil coming from the person in front of him. He quickly scanned the other three rangers and felt the same thing. "Ashley, Karone get behind me." He spoke as he walked into the room causing Carlos to move backwards.
Ashley and Karone hurried out the bridge and stood in the entryway. Watching as Soren stood in the middle of the bridge and let the others come to him. It only took the girls a second to realize that he was effectively herding the others. In the next moment the other four in the bridge disappeared in their respective colors.
"Where did you send them?" Karone asked as she and Ashley hurried back into the engine room.
"To the place you talked about before; the hidden room in the engine room." Soren answered moving towards Ashley.
"What's wrong with them? Thanks." She said to Soren when he finished healing the bruises Carlos left.
"They're infected." He answered. "I've sensed it before on a dead planet. Somehow he got to them."
"Who got to them?" Karone asked.
Soren sat at a console between Ashley and Karone. The seat was where the red ranger's place would be, but Karone didn't mention that. "The planet I encountered it on wasn't dead before. It was a monster. He went from planet to planet spreading this… disease. It would feed on the tiniest bit of anger and grow to the point that the people it infected would turn on each other. His name was Darkonda."
"How long have they been infected?" Ashley asked.
"It's had time to manifest and corrupt them, so I'd say a couple of days."
"How do we reverse it?" Karone asked.
"By destroying the monster. Only problem is," He continued before they could comment. "Ecliptor destroyed him two years ago."
Ashley ran a hand through her hair. "Then how is he doing this now? And why the others and not Karone and me?"
"Because you weren't there when it happened." She stared at Ashley and her brother. "The battle with Ecliptor and the quantrons; the one you didn't show up to." She said to Ashley. "That had to be where it started. But I don't remember seeing anyone else."
"Darkonda could cloak himself." Soren answered. "You wouldn't have been able to see him without the right equipment."
"But why didn't it affect me?" Karone gestured to herself.
Soren thought for a minute. "Were you fighting with Ecliptor one on one?" When Karone nodded he explained. "Darkonda wouldn't get too close to Ecliptor whether he was cloaked or not. Ecliptor would have sensed him."
"Does that mean that this Darkonda guy is back?" Ashley asked.
"It seems that way." Soren turned to the console and placed his hands on it. "I think I know a way to find out for sure."
Everything in the bridge suddenly seemed to hum with energy. Karone and Ashley shared wary glances before Ashley spoke again. "What are you doing to the ship?"
"I'm looking for all known information on Darkonda." He answered mechanically.
"You're linking with the ship?" Karone asked outraged. "That's dangerous. What if someone attacks the ship while you're linked."
"There's no one in the vicinity of the ship, Karone. I'll be fine." Soren stated calmly. "I'm almost done."
Ashley gestured to Karone to follow her to the back of the bridge. "How dangerous is what he's doing?" She whispered.
"His mind is linked into the ship." Karone explained. "If something were to happen to the ship, it would physically hurt him too."
"It doesn't help to whisper when the person you're talking about can read your mind." Soren turned to them and grinned. "Besides, I'm finished."
Ashley laughed and went to sit beside Soren, but he grabbed her and pulled her into his lap.
Karone rolled her eyes, but smiled despite herself. "No, PDA in the bridge."
"What did you find on Darkonda?" Ashley asked, remaining in her current seat and grinning at Karone.
"Apparently, Darkonda has nine lives, or had anyway. After that battle with Ecliptor, he's down to two."
"Are you saying that we have to kill this monster two more times before we get our friends back?" Karone asked.
"Not necessarily. I think I may be able to reverse it. But you won't like the method." Soren stated.
"No, absolutely not." Ashley stated, rejecting what she heard in Soren's head. "It's inhumane."
"Well, right now, your friends are inhumane."
"There's not even a guarantee that it would work."
"Short of hunting down Darkonda, it's the only thing I can think of."
"There has to be another way."
"There is no other way. If we send them to Earth and let them morph it'll be easier and I can control it from the ship."
"I don't like it, Soren."
"Well if you have a better idea, I'm all ears. Because the longer we let it manifest, the harder it will be to reverse."
"Okay!" Karone broke in. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?"
Ashley moved from Soren and sat in her seat. "Your brother is suggesting a rather drastic measure."
"It's not that drastic." Soren countered, eying Ashley who would only look at Karone.
"What is it?" Karone asked hesitantly.
Ashley smiled humorlessly. "Electroshock therapy."
(A/N: Whom do you agree with, Ashley or Soren? Is it really that drastic? Let me know what you think. If you were paying attention to a certain part of the story, you should have a sense on what's going to happen soon. Lol!)