Disclaimer: Not mine except for Cosmos and Lyra. Not for profit. Please don't sue me.

Chapter 10

Cosmos couldn't concentrate. Of course, he didn't really want to, seeing as how Divatox was still blabbing her head off and Lyra was the one stuck listening. Elgar had nodded off ages ago, and if Ecliptor was capable of sleep he surely would have too. Damn, but he missed having a helmet to hide behind. As long as he hadn't snored too loudly, someone had filled him in on the details later.

Lyra shot him a covert glance when Divatox turned to smack Elgar awake. Cosmos shrugged at her helplessly; what did she expect him to do, vaporize the pirate? Useless as she was, Dark Spectre wouldn't take to her demise well at all, and the monarch was already in a rather foul mood after word had reached his ears that the Astro Rangers were a full team once again.

"Hey, you," Divatox snapped and he groaned silently to find her attention on him now. "Are you listening to me?"

He just barely managed not to grimace. "Of course," he assured her, rushing on before she cold launch into another long winded tale. "And I would love to hear yet again how you destroyed the Power Rangers, but by now you must know that they've got the Astro powers. Not that your efforts are any less remarkable because of that," he hurried to add when her expression grew increasingly ill-tempered. "I only meant that..."

"That Dark Spectre has appointed us to pick up where you've left off," Lyra took up his train of thought smoothly when he faltered. "So you see, without you, none of us would be here."

"Hmm..." Divatox sniffed as she pondered over those words. "Well, you got that right," she smirked finally, and leaned forward across the table. "So," she began conversationally, "what are you up to now?"

"Wait until you hear this one, Auntie D," Elgar piped up. "It's--ow! Hey, what was that for?"

Cosmos hid a smile when Elgar yowled in pain and ceased babbling. Lyra caught his eye, her lips quirking. "It's nothing really," she said lightly, speaking to Divatox but keeping her eyes on him. "Just a little trap we've laid for the rangers, that's all. Nothing big."

"Trap?" He could almost see her ears perk up. "But what kind?"

"We've still got one spy with what's left of my people--I mean, the Karovan refugees," he corrected himself hastily. Lyra's narrowed eyes told him that she'd caught the slip, but Divatox didn't seem to notice. "We've sent him orders, that's all," he finished quickly. "The rangers will be there soon."

"Ah, a spy..."

"His identity is classified," Lyra said coolly. "For his protection, you understand."

Divatox narrowed her eyes. "Yes..."

Cosmos tried not to smirk. With the Psycho Rangers to lure him out, Darkonda would be dead by nightfall. It was a shame that he had several lives left, Cosmos reflected, his eyes straying to his bondmate. In exchange for successfully securing the young girl a place on the Karovan ranger team, Dark Spectre had granted the bounty hunter nine "extra" lives. Cosmos had lost track of how many he had remaining, but they would see to it that he, as well as Divatox and Elgar and all those who were in their way were done away with once and for all, leaving the universe at their beck and call.

---

Something was seriously wrong with the world when what Andros wanted to do was more fun than what she wanted to do, Ashley thought disjointedly, sliding across his lap. Not that she cared much at all whose idea it had been or how it had started while Andros was kissing her like that, his arms holding her close enough that she could feel the quick beat of his heart.

"Estimated time to destination is twenty minutes," Deca announced, and they broke apart.

"Thanks, Deca," Andros said, his voice only slightly breathless. "We'll be there in a minute."

Even in the near darkness of his room--they'd never gotten around to turning the lights up, she realized, she could see how his face was flushed, stray curls of hair clinging to his forehead after having escaped his ponytail. He looked irresistable like that, and Ashley couldn't help but to kiss him again, more softly this time, before nuzzling closer and relaxing against him. Andros wrapped both of his arms tightly around her and hugged her close, even stroking her hair gently.

"Ash?"

"Hmm?" she muttered, her cheek pillowed against his chest.

"It's nothing," he whispered. "I--I'm just... really glad you're here."

"I'm glad too," she told him quietly. She drew in a deep breath and took the hand that was closest to her, slowly sliding her fingers along his. "And Andros?"

"Yeah?"

She breathed out slowly, murmuring, "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Andros froze, unable to anything but stare as her words slowly took on meaning, brightening his entire world. "Really?" he breathed finally. Ashley nodded her head slowly, and he couldn't keep himself from grinning any longer. "Good," he declared and caught her gently by the chin, slowly turning her face to his. "Because I've fallen in love with you."

"The Astro Megaship will be arriving at Auriga in fifteen minutes."

"We should get to the bridge," she muttered regretfully as their kiss ended, wanting nothing more than to just savor this moment with him, but she knew that their duties came first.

"Yeah," Andros sighed. "We should."

Ashley crawled out of his bed to let him stand, catching his hands as they headed out the door. Still focusing most of his attention on her, Andros almost tripped when something skirted past his legs and into his room. Ashley giggled as her kitten hopped up onto his bed and settled himself comfortably on his pillow.

"You don't mind if he stays, do you?"

"Not really," he sighed, studying the small ball of gray fluff for a few moments. "Deca will keep an eye on him."

"Yeah," Ashley agreed, and then giggled again as she took a good look at him. "You might want to change," she suggested, reaching out to tug playfully at his sweatshirt.

He rolled his eyes, but then laughed and nodded with a rueful smile. "You go on," he said, ducking back into his room. "I'll be there in a minute."

Ashley nodded and practically skipped to the bridge, having to fight hard to tone down her smile. She stopped just before entering, running a hand through her hair to smooth it back into place and giving her clothes a tug to straighten them out.

"Where have you been all this time?" Cassie demanded with a knowing grin, not even waiting for Ashley to get to her seat before speaking up. "And where's Andros?"

"He'll be here in a minute," she answered, slipping into her seat and running weapons checks from her station. "He needed to change."

"Uh-huh." Carlos didn't look up from his station. "Mega-accelerator still at optimum power."

"Same for the defenses," Cassie looked up with a frown. "It's been quiet this whole trip."

"Did I miss anything?" Andros stepped onto the bridge now dressed in his flight suit, his hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail. He looked as though he were struggling to surpress a smile himself, Ashley noted, and bit down on her lip to keep from grinning or giggling.

"We're in the atmosphere now," Zhane announced from one of the auxiliary consoles. "I'd say about ten minutes to go."

"Eleven minutes and thirty-four seconds to destination," Deca corrected him.

"Same difference," the silver ranger retorted. "Does anyone remember me saying 'we'll be there in exactly ten minutes?' I don't think so."

Andros heard Ashley laugh, but he was too distracted to wonder what his friend would be eating for dinner. This wouldn't be the homecoming that they had dreamed of since they had fled KO-35, but it was still a reunion--the first that he would have with his people in two years. He couldn't help but be apprehensive.

Ashley's hand on his arm startled him, but when he glanced over at her it was to find a gentle smile on her face. He nodded in answer to the question she hadn't asked, reassured by her presence alone that everything would be all right.

"Any sign of what attacked them?"

"None," Karone informed him. "Energy readings for this planet are what we should expect."

"Well, then," Andros decided, "get us down there. We'll find out soon enough."

---

"You were attacked by rangers?" Andros glanced over his shoulder instinctively and found his teammates staring back at him, equally alarmed. "Are you sure?"

"I saw them myself," Kinwon confirmed. "They were nearly identical to yourselves."

"But not completely? So you were able to tell us apart?" Carlos sounded hopeful at that news, and Andros couldn't deny that he felt any differently.

"Not at first glance, no," Taikwa put in. "And in the case of Zhane and Karone, they would be identical; the blocks across the chest were all black."

"That's it?" Andros didn't need to glance over his shoulder this time to know how alarmed the two of them were; he could sense it in an almost painful rush of mental communication.

"I'm afraid so."

Andros tried not to sigh, but he couldn't help himself. If these so-called rangers truly were that close to themselves in appearance, he didn't know how they could fight them. If the light was dim, it would be impossible to see the color of the blocks and with a battle raging around them it would be so easy to become confused.

"It's better than nothing, right?" Ashley encouraged them, and Andros had a feeling he wasn't the only one slightly cheered by her words. He didn't know how she could do that, but he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Yeah," he agreed quietly, and turned back to Kinwon and Taikwa. "Do you know where they are now?"

"They were headed north when--"

"When we last saw them," someone else interjected. Andros glanced up at the cold voice, carefully studying the man in the doorway. He was dressed in the uniform of a Karovan soldier, yet Andros had never seen him before. The only thing that disturbed him more than the disdain in this soldier's expression was not being the only one to spot it; he felt the other rangers shift uncomfortably, unconsciously taking a few steps closer to each other.

"But they could be anywhere now," the soldier continued as he strode into the room, almost stepping on Zhane's toes when he stopped. "Anywhere at all."

"Yatru," Taikwa broke in sternly. "These are our rangers."

"How do we know this?" Yatru countered. "What's to say that these imposters cannot take human form?"

"Hey," Cassie exclaimed, her tone reflecting an annoyance felt by them all. "We--"

She broke off when Kinwon held up a hand for silence. "That is enough," he declared, a note of finality in his voice. "Yatru, I suggest you return to your post."

"Kinwon, we can't know that they aren't spies," Yatru protested. "We shouldn't take the chance."

"And what are you suggesting," Taikwa retorted, "that we kill our own rangers? You're out of your mind."

"Of course not," he assured her quickly. "Only that we detain them just long enough to double check that they are, in fact, the Astro Rangers. If they are who they claim to be, they surely would have no objections."

"I don't know about the rest of you," TJ began, "but I've got several objections."

"Agreed." Karone nodded and cocked her head at Yatru. "Look," she stated, "I don't know who you are or what you want, but I do know that you're wasting our time. Get out of our way."

"When you surrender."

"That's enough," Andros growled before anyone else could speak. He carefully nudged Ashley and Zhane out of his way. "We've got a job to do and you're in our way. If you interfere with our mission or attempt to harm anyone on this team in any way, it won't matter that rangers are not trained to harm civilians."

"You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?" Yatru laughed coldly and Andros stepped back instinctively.

"Who are you?" he demanded, falling halfway into a defensive crouch when Yatru stepped away and raised one arm. Instead of attacking as expected, he merely brought his arm back down across himself, glowing faintly orange as his disguise peeled away.

"Darkonda," Zhane growled.

"Catch me if you can, rangers," Darkonda taunted as he took off down the hall.

Carlos was the first to conquer his shock. "Let's go," he shouted and raced out after Darkonda, the others only a step behind.

"Where'd he get to?" Zhane snapped in frustration when they found the hallways clear.

"Outside, I think," Cassie offered from behind Carlos.

"Come on, then," Andros said, moving up to the front of the group. "Everybody ready?"

"Let's rocket!" they shouted together, rushing up the stairs and into the bright sun of Auriga's surface. Where Centaur B had been a storm-ridden dustball, Auriga was a scorching, rocky world. Its original inhabitants, now long gone, had dug out the underground dwellings that now sheltered the Karovans.

Andros winced as the sun beat down on him, the Power surging though him stronger than ever. A quick glance over his shoulder told him that the others were all preoccupied with the search for Darkonda and their own discomfort due to the heat. Relieved, he turned his own attention back to finding Darkonda, remembering suddenly that he'd never talked to Deca about the headache he'd figured came from his morphing. He'd go as soon as this battle was over then, he decided, knowing that it was something he shouldn't put off any longer.

"Hey, guys?" Carlos called. "You don't think this could be a mirage, do you?"

Andros turned slowly, his heart sinking as he saw the seven figures striding quickly towards them. "Sorry," he heard Ashley say to Carlos. "I see them too."

"So we're one-on-one," Zhane tried to shrug it off. "It could be worse."

"You're not supposed to say that," Cassie complained, resting one hand on her Astro Blaster. "That means it gets worse."

"Here they come," Andros muttered. "Who are you?" he demanded loudly, watching the seven other rangers halt together only a few meters in front of them.

"Rangers," the other red ranger responded calmly.

"We are the Power Rangers." TJ strongly emphasized the "we". "What do you want?"

"We," the blue informed him, "are the Psycho Rangers."

"Where's Darkonda?" Karone demanded. "Won't he fight us himself?"

"You'll have your hands full with us," her Psycho Ranger warned, and Andros sighed.

"Let's get this over with," he growled, quickly summoning his Spiral Saber and watching the other rangers do likewise. The weapon was knocked from his hand before he'd even raised it completely and he found himself staggering back across the rocky ground, struggling hard just for balance. Only a few kicks later, he was down on his knees and almost unable to force himself back up.

Psycho Red's hand closed in on his helmet and the strangest sensation ran through him. Memories flashed through his mind, everything he knew was being drained from him. Andros felt himself growing weaker as his energy was quickly depleted as well and reached up desperately, pulling on Psycho Red's arm with what little strength he still had in him.

It all stopped abruptly and he dropped to the ground, his Spiral Saber less than an arm's reach away. Dazed and disoriented, he reached for it, dimly aware that the other rangers were doing much the same thing. Somehow, he staggered to his feet, clutching his weapon with both of his hands.

His saber was poised to attack when he stopped and turned slowly as another Power surge tore through him like lightning. What was he doing? he wondered. How could he be sure that this was the right side to fight on? The Astro Rangers were losing so badly... it would be so simple, really, if he just joined the others...

No. His eyes widened in horror as he realized what he was thinking, and it was all he could do to drop his saber before he hurt someone. Andros thought he heard someone scream his name in warning, but he couldn't move; he couldn't do anything but just stand there, frozen. Something slammed into him then and he had a vague suspicion that he was in motion before darkness took him.

---

His head hurt. For several seconds, maybe several minutes, the painful throbbing in his brain was the only thing in existence. Then, slowly, too-loud voices penetrated the haze surrounding his mind and he winced as that only made his headache worse.

"Andros?" Pain stabbed at his temples as someone shouted his name almost in his ear. His hands ached to clamp down over his ears, but he didn't have to energy to open his eyes, let alone move his arms. "Hey, guys, I think he's awake..."

His ribs hurt, too. This he discovered when a less then gentle finger prodded at his side and waves of pain shot through him. A groan slipped out of his mouth and he forced his eyes open, glaring weakly at the silver ranger.

"What?" he snapped, or tried to. His voice was little more than a hoarse whimper.

"He's awake," Zhane pronounced.

"Thank you, Zhane," Carlos could be heard muttering. "We couldn't see it ourselves."

"Shut up," Andros mumbled, finally having the strength to pull his hands up to his temples. "Be quiet. All of you."

To his relief, they did quiet. He shut his eyes, eager to escape back into sleep, only to open his eyes again in annoyance when someone shook his shoulder gently. His glare softened when he saw that it was Ashley at his side, a sling supporting one arm.

"Hey," she whispered softly. "How do you feel?"

"My head hurts," he muttered back, and she smiled at him sympathetically.

"You've got a concussion," she informed him. "You're lucky your morph held as long as it did; if you'd hit your head any harder it would have been serious. You've also got a few cracked ribs but other than that you're all right and the Power should have you healed by morning," she added, her voice still quiet enough that it wouldn't disturb him. "As soon as you can sit up, we'll get a regenerator on you."

His head was spinning. "Everyone else?"

"Cassie's got a severely sprained ankle and TJ broke his arm," she informed him softly. "Carlos just left to take them some pain relievers; he's just got a few bruises. Same with Karone... I think she's on the bridge. Zhane couldn't manage to get her to rest."

"And you?"

"It's nothing," Ashley assured him. "I'll only have this thing a day."

"Shoulder injury," Zhane spoke up when she didn't elaborate. "She'll be fine and I am apparently resistant to injury or death. Can you sit up?"

"Yeah," he sighed. What he really wanted to do was sleep, but that didn't appear to be an option. "I think," he amended, tilting his head and moaning when pain stabbed through his brain.

"You've only got one good arm," Zhane said sternly when Ashley moved to help. "There's a pain reliever in the Synthetron; go get it."

Ashley rolled her eyes but did as she was ordered, retrieving the small cup of nasty looking liquid from the med bay's Synthetron. Andros was sitting up by the time she returned, though his eyes were squeezed shut again. The regenerator healing his ribs was visible beneath his shirt and Ashley sighed, simply hating to see him in pain.

"Are you feeling nauseous?" she questioned him.

"No," he muttered. "Just the headache."

"Good." She handed him the cup, supporting his unsteady hand with her own. "Drink this."

"Now I am," he grumbled, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he cracked his eyes open. Carefully, he managed to tilt his head back just enough that he'd be able to swallow and gulped it down quickly, hoping he'd miss the taste. He didn't and almost gagged, wincing as swallowing triggered a new wave of pain and dizziness. Ashley's hand rubbed his back soothingly, and he managed not to throw up.

"You okay?"

He caught himself just before he tried to nod. "I'm fine."

"Just a few more minutes and you can go rest," Ashley assured him.

Andros found the concept a highly appealing one. "What else?"

"Well..." Zhane hesitated. "It's probably nothing really, but well, right before Psycho Red grabbed you, you'd stopped."

"And?" he prompted.

"What made you stop?" Zhane wanted to know, and Andros sighed.

"I don't know," he admitted. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. "I think... instead of him draining my energy, I absorbed some of his."

Drowsy as he was, Andros didn't miss the look Ashley and Zhane shared. "Why would you think that?" Ashley asked finally.

"It didn't happen to you?" He looked up in surprise and winced. He shouldn't move his head. "But... for a few seconds, I thought that I--I was... one of them," he finished uncertainly, watching them with a slowly sinking heart. "That didn't happen to you guys?"

"No," Ashley said slowly. "The Psychos drained us; they didn't give us their energy."

"But I--Then what happened to me?" he demanded. "If that wasn't from the Psychos..."

"Well, see, that's the thing," Zhane began, running one hand through his short hair awkwardly. "When we were trying to figure out what exactly the Psychos did to us, it turns out that right when you stopped fighting, your Power signature, it, well..."

"What is it?" He was sleepy again. "Just tell me."

"Later," Ashley broke in firmly. "It's a long explanation and you need to rest."

Rest. He liked that idea. Ashley helped him to his feet, gripping him hard as he braced himself against her. She ordered Deca to teleport them straight to his room, eliminating the need for him to walk anywhere but the few steps to his bunk.

"I'll wake you up in an hour to make sure you're all right," Ashley whispered, helping him out of his boots. "I'm not leaving you alone right now, and nothing you say is going to change my mind."

Andros smiled faintly at her words, the cool darkness of his room soothing the pounding ache in his head. He felt her settle the sheet over him and then settle herself comfortably beside him and that was all he was aware of before slipping back into the welcome darkness of sleep.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait between chapters. The next one should be up in only a few days. I hope it was worth the wait; please review!