Keys To The Universe
By Didi

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters, they are the sole property of Saban and company. I am not making any money off of this, though I wish I was, so please do not sue me. All you are going to get is pocket lint.

Note: Story picks up after the death of Zordon and before Lost Galaxy. I don't remember every little detail to any of the series so don't expect the story to be perfect.

Rated: R due to context and language. I reserve the right to change the rating if I feel like picking up the heat a little. Enjoy.

Summary: With Zordon gone, who is there to guard those he defeated before?

"Spoken words." [Thoughts]
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Chapter Twelve - Communications or Not
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-Astro Mega Ship-

"Billy!" Kimberly caught up to him just as the man was entering the mass hall. The repugnant smell made her dizzy. "Oh man."

The former blue ranger barely registered anything on his face as he poured hot slug into his cup and added sugar by the spoonfuls and enough cream to drown out the burnt taste that the stale coffee no doubt would have.

Shaking her head, Kimberly realized that this was what Zhane had spoken of only minutes before. "Billy, can I talk for a moment?" following him out the door with some relief. [I hope to hell whoever has to clean that up has a stuffed up nose.] "Billy..."

"Kim," Billy whirled around to look her in the eyes. "I know that you mean well but I'm not in any mind set to talk about this. You can let go of everything, that's fine. But me? I can't. You can forgive but let me have my anger." His eyes were a true blue in its intensity of restrained emotions. "It's all I have left now."

The shock that little statement created in Kimberly, hurt deeper than she would have expected. "Billy..."

"I've got work to do. We'll talk later." Billy said then took off.

"Billy," Katherine smiled but was shocked when Billy merely brushed passed her with only a nod of greeting. Following the man's retreating back, she felt a stab of hurt over being ignored like that.

"Don't take it to heart," Kimberly said quietly, watching Billy walk away, feeling him pull away from them all more and more. "Billy is...he's...."

"In so much pain," Kat murmured before turning back. "Kim, I'm glad that I caught you. There's something we need to clear up between us and..."

"Whatever it is will have to wait I'm afraid," Kimberly sighed and cut her off. Her eyes were sore from the crying bout and she was sure she looked like a horror. But that is not either here nor there and honestly, she too tired to care what she looked like. All she wanted to do now was go down and check on Karone before crawling back into bed once more. "I have to go see about a sick girl."

Kat frowned. "What sick girl?"

[Looks like I'm not the only one out of the loop.] "I'll tell you on the way."
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"Andros," Trini said quietly, watching the silent young man hover over his sister for the last ten minutes.

Allowing the red ranger to stay would have been a potentially disastrous decision. But true to his words, Andros neither objected, flinched nor argued with her the entire time she worked. Only moments where the silence was broken was when Trini had to ask where and what certain equipments were, to which Andros would answer with a calm even tone. It might as well be Astronema on the medical bed for all she could tell by his voice. But seeing his eyes, watching the way he held his sister's delicate hand, she knew that he was scared.

"Andros," she said again, reluctant to disturb him.

He turned those startlingly alert eyes toward her. "What is it?"

Part of her wanted to get him a chair so he could sit by Karone's side. But the bigger part of her knew it was time. "Go get some sleep, Andros. We've been at this for three hours now, you're exhausted."

"I'm quite all right." And he meant it too. But the signs of fatigue were already appearing around his eyes. The bloodless lips attested to the fact that the poor kid probably hadn't had water or food in some time now.

"No, you're not." She sighed, knowing a battle was about to ensued. And while she acquiesced too easily before, she was not about to allow him to do himself harm, no matter how much he cared about his sister. "You're kidding yourself if you think you're going to last much longer. Karone doesn't need you ill and exhausted when she wakes up. Go and get some rest, I know that you pulled the nightshift last evening."

"I'll be fi..."

"Andros," taking his hand, she pulled him away from the bed. "You need to let others help you. You are not the sole person on this ship that loves her. I'm almost sure that a very good friend of yours is probably wearing a path in the carpet outside those doors by now. Why don't you let him have a turn being by her side?"

The hesitation in his eyes gave her hope that he wasn't too stubborn to listen to reason. The internal battle lasted for a few more minutes. "Are you going to be all right? You appear to be in need of some rest yourself."

"I could probably use a couple more hours of sleep but right now, Karone needs me more." She rubbed her brows with her fingertips, promising herself that she would get some rest as soon as...things calmed down more. "But you don't have the necessary medical degree needed at the moment."

Andros nodded in acceptance, knowing that he really was too tired to be of much good. "All right." He turned to the door but stopped. "Trini?"

"Yes?" She looked at him expectedly.

"Thank you."

"I haven't done anything yet." She said quietly.

"Yes you have," he looked at the sleeping woman. "I know you have."

She smiled. "Andros..."

"Billy said I should talk to you soon."

That certainly got her attention. "Billy?"

"Yes," he nodded and smiled weakly. "I think he thought it would do me some good. I can see that it has done Karone some good already." He shook his head. "Please don't let her wake up alone."

Trini smiled, ignoring the previous things. "I won't."

"And we'll talk soon."

"I guess we will."
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Zhane's heart gave a lurch as Andros stepped out of the infirmary, looking worse than he's seen his friend in some time now. In fact, Andros looked even worse than he had during the battle for earth. "What is it? What happened?"

Andros met his eyes head on and shook his head. "Trini is still working on it."

"Do we know anything?" Aisha asked in her quiet soothing tone. "Is there anything we should be..."

"No," Andros shook his head. "There's nothing more to be done now. I suggest we all go back to what we were doing before we were interrupted. Trini will inform us if we are needed here again." His voice was steady and reassuring while still being authoritative, as a good leader's should be. But his heart... his heart was anything but steady. [Please Zordon, watch over my little sister.]

"Is she all right?" Jason asked quietly, watching Andro's eyes reflect his exhaustion. The last three hours had been spent silently waiting. Some like Aisha, Tanya and Rocky, had conversed quietly among themselves. Some, like Kat, Tommy and Kimberly, had steadily avoided talking to anyone. Others like Zhane had been pacing agitatedly the entire time.

Andros nodded his head. "She's resting comfortably now. Trini gave her something to help with the sleep and the pain." [Thank goodness she did, my hands are not still enough to help much more but point to the right equipment.]

Jason nodded his head. "I'm glad to hear that. But I meant is Trini all right?"

Giving a weak laugh, Andros nodded his head. "Yes, the good doctor is doing if tried. She has asked that...that I leave for a while."

"She kicked you out?" Zhane asked, his face crestfallen. He had been hoping to go in and sit with Karone for a while, if to do nothing more than hold her hand.

Nodding his head once more, Andros patted his friend on the shoulder. "But she did mention that you may like a few minutes with her."

"She'll let me in?" Knowing better than most how dogged doctors can be about their work area. If Trini needed him to stay out of the way, then that's what he'd do. But... [I just need to see that she's okay.]

"Don't make too much noise," Andros advised before he continued on his way toward his quarters. [I need sleep. Then maybe some food to fill my empty stomach.]

"What are you waiting for?" Cassie asked excitedly. [Men, so cute but so stupid.] "Go in there you idiot!"

Zhane looked rather stupidly at her then nearly ran into the opening doors. Tommy caught the young man in time to keep him from smashing his nose. With an indulgent smile, Tommy nodded his head. "Wait until the door opens first, Romeo."

Confusion was written across the silver ranger's face. "Who's Romeo?"

Tommy groaned and waved him in.

The others headed off to there thing until only Jason and Kimberly stood facing the door. Tommy hesitated a moment, watching the first love glaze rather sadly at the sealed door, as she wanted to walk in there and do something. He hated that she looked so incredibly sad. So very...vulnerable. [Damn it Kim, what are you doing to me again?] Knowing that he was weakening, he turned and walked away before he did something incredibly stupid, like got onto his hands and knees and begged.

Jason watched his best friend leave out of the order of his eyes. [Idiot! Don't you realize what you're doing to yourself? Not to mention her?] But even if he could have done something, the former leader of the power rangers would not have interfered. [Like I'm one to give advice when it comes to the affairs of the heart? When was the last time I had a date? Seems like a lifetime ago.]

Turing he stared at the woman he always thought of as a sister, and for the first time in a long time, really looked at her. She was beautiful. Truly beautiful with her pixie sweet face, delicate features and eyes that... eyes that made you want to save her from the world. [God, no wonder Tommy always wanted to play her white knight. She's like the princess in the tower, just waiting for the right man to come rescue her and take all the sorrow from her eyes.] "You all right?"

Kimberly smiled sadly. "Compared to what?"

Returning the smile, he conceded. "Right. This doesn't get any easier each time does it?"

She shook her head. "And this is the third time for you," she turned and looked at his boyishly charmed face. "How do you do it? How do you keep getting sucked back into this without hating it?"

The chuckle that escaped his lips was harsh, almost bitter, so unlike the usually good-natured Jason. "Good question. The last time almost got me killed."

"I remember well," Kimberly sighed and sat down by the door, ready to wait out her friends on the other side. "So, I talked to Billy this morning."

Jason almost groaned. "Tell me, is he going to make this trip harder than it already is beginning to be?"

"No," she shook her head. "I think he'll do what he can to keep the peace."

He traded knowing looks with her. "Meaning he'll lock himself inside the lab for the rest of the trip if need be."

She nodded her head the touched her nose with her finger. "Bingo." Shaking her head, she tilted her head to the door. "Time to get him in session with Trini."

"Not until after she's gotten some sleep." He said firmly.

Kimberly looked at him, really looked at him. "Well damn."

"What?"

"Didn't you know you felt that way?"

"What way?" He asked, confused as hell.

The former pink ranger smiled, her heart positively brightening by the second. Life, as it has shown in the past, never stops with its curve balls. This one just happens to be closer to home that she would have expected it be. Getting up, she stopped Jason as he tried to raise to his feet as any good gentleman would. "Don't bother. Tell Trini I'll see her when she gets out. I'll be on the bridge if you need me. Oh and make sure she gets something to eat before she goes to bed."

"Kim..." But she was already gone. The all-knowing look in her eyes worried him. If he wasn't mistaken, it was the look of a woman about to enjoy the fireworks on the 4th of July.
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"You okay?" Kat asked quietly, watching Tommy study the controls with the kind intensity that he usually only reserved for battles. It's been a while but she still recognized all the signs.

He looked up startled. For a split second, there was something akin to hope in his eyes but it died so quickly that Kat thought for a moment she had imagined it. But no, she knew him better than that.

"Where are the others?" She asked, willing herself not to feel hurt.

Offering a smile, Tommy pointed to the controls. "I asked TJ to show me some of the stuff, but it was pretty much like that old Zords with a little modification. Pretty easy stuff to pick up again. I spent him to bed, he looked painfully exhausted."

Kat frowned. "He looked okay to me earlier."

"When did you see him?" he asked, looking back at the controls.

"Before..." She sighed. It had been nearly three hours before. The poor kid had no one to relief him while the others were pacing outside the infirmary door. "Never mind."

He nodded, accepting it all easily.

"I was going to ask you earlier," Kat began.

"What?"

"What happened to your face?"

The grin appeared on his face for a moment. "As Rocky would say, I was born with it."

She rolled her eyes. "I know it's bad when you're quoting Rocky Descantos." She leaned against the control panel beside him. "What happened? And does it need to be fixed?"

"I pissed off Jason and..."

"You pissed off Jason?" Her blue eyes went wide with shock. "YOU PISSED OFF JASON?"

Tommy winced as Kat's voice climbed impossibly high. "Yes and..."

"What the hell did you do?" She demanded.

He gave an exasperated sigh. "Why does everyone..."

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

There was nothing like an accusing woman to make a man feel lower than the underside of a snake. "Something stupid and I corrected it already. There's no need for you to get all..."

"Thomas Edward Oliver..."

He almost groaned again. "Please don't do that."

"Tommy!"

"I said I fixed it already, Kat. What do you want me to do? Let him take another swing at me? I'm going to be black and blue tomorrow as it is, crippled would be the next step to go you know."

Kat sighed and leaned back again. "How bad was it?"

"Bad enough," Tommy answered, seeing that her temper was down.

"Must have been to pissed off Jason."

"Why do you girls always..."

"Jason is one of the calmest person I know to be alive in this world." Kat explained. "Pissing him off is like pissing off the pope, only more dangerous."

The former white ranger rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here anyways?"

Kat sighed, taking her life into her own hands. "I came to talk to you."

"About?"

"Kimberly."

There was silence. "If you don't mind Kat..."

"In fact, I do." She looked at him willing him to meet her eyes. After a few more indecisive moments, he turned to look at her. "You need to know that there was a time when you meant the world to me. And that was a wonderful time in my life. But we've all moved on and there are things that have never been quite finished between you and..."

"Stop!" Tommy turned, as if not seeing her would make a different, unwilling to hear any more.

"Tommy..."

"I'm not going to discuss Kimberly with you Kat. I know that you mean well but I just don't think this is an appropriate topic for the two of us to talking about." The pain that exploded in his heart was unlike anything since the damn letter.

"I don't say anything to intentionally hurt you, you know that." She turned him; to look at those tortured eyes. Perhaps it was the pain in them that made her more resolved to see this through. "You loved her then, and you love her now. It's time you get this part of your life moving again."

For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was hearing her correctly. Cause it certainly seems like she was telling him that...

"You need to talk to her. Tell her how you feel about her and about what you could have had, should have had, can have now. Don't throw that away, not when it looks like..." She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth for having to say it. "Like this could be our last chance to do anything."

Tommy wondered for a moment how it was that the universe sought to bring such wonderful people into his life. Reaching out, he hugged her. "Thank you Kat. You don't know what it meant to hear you say that."

Her arms came around him, feeling more relieved than anything else. "You're more than welcome Tommy, you idiot. You're welcome."

They spoke softly, too softly for anyone else to hear. And while they were locked in the tight grateful embrace, Kimberly walked away from the door silently.
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"Are you scared?"

"Yes," came the quiet reply. "Aren't you?"

"Yes," Aisha snuggled closer and hid the shiver from him. "What are we going to do?"

"The same thing we've always done," Rocky replied pulling her closer, hating that this wonderfully sweet woman was afraid. "We fight, give it our all, and we survive." He planted a kiss on the top of her head, willing her to believe in his words. "Like there was ever any doubt of that."

Aisha smiled against his shoulder. One of the things she loved the most about him was that his love for life. Nothing could happen that could get him down for long. "You promise?" As long as he was there, she could believe in anything, including the impossible.

He squeezed her shoulder. "Would I lie to you?"

"Is that a redundant question?" She teased.

"Hey!" He pulled her down across his lap, seeing the wonderful sparkle that made her eyes light brighter than the Olympic torch in the middle of January. Her eyes, her lips, her smile, everything about her was perfect. [Do you know how much I love you Aisha? Do you know how much faith you give me? How I can do anything as long as you believe me?] "I love you."

The serious in his eyes gave her pause, but it wasn't the I-am-afraid-that-this-could-be-our-last-moments-together kind of seriousness. There was a tenderness there that touched something deep within her, filling her with that kind of sweetness you only get to know of once in a lifetime. The first death knoll of your single life. "Rocky, I..."

"Hey you two!" Tanya laughed entered the simulation room with all the subtly of an elephant walking across a patch of dry leaves. "Don't you guys know there are kids around?"

"Who are you calling a kid?" Adam asked rather offended by that reference.

"I meant the two behind you." Tanya said with a giggle.

"I resent that," Carlos said with mock indignation. "I'll have you know that I'm only a year and three months younger than Adam.

"Really?" Cassie asked with great big curious eyes. "I always thought you were a year and three months old."

To which Carlos stuck out his tongue at her, which she promptly returned good-naturedly.

Ashley got off Rocky's lap reluctantly. For such a big ship, it was awfully small when one wanted to be alone with their lover. Her heart was still in her throat as she tried to follow Cassie babbling about the stimulation deck and all the toys they had around. She had been about to say something that she knew would change everything, change it in the way that she was sure was the right thing to do. Now all she had to do is find another opportunity to do so. [I love you Rocky. I love you.]
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When she left the infirmary after making Zhane promise faithfully to call her if there was any change, the first she did was trip over the outstretched legs by the doorway. Catching herself with her fingertips, she allowed her body to be pulled forward by its own momentum and rolled over her back to come up standing again.

Jason started at her in amazement from his position still on the floor. "Do you always take a fall like that?"

Trini frowned at him and then kicked his foot. "What are you trying to do? Kill me?"

"Hardly," he grinned and got up slowly. "I was waiting for you."

"You were waiting for me?" Her brow went up silently in question.

"Yeah, Kimberly made me promise to make sure you got food and sleep." He took her hand, studying her face as he did so. Dark smudges marred her serene face. "What did you find?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, which had long since fallen out of the loose band she had hastily pulled on. "Nothing. I found absolutely nothing."

He could hear the frustration in her voice but could only see exhaustion in her eyes. "Okay, then we'll start over after you've gotten some food and rest." He tugged at her hand. "That is why you left, isn't it? Cause even you know your limitations."

The smile that she gave him was worth every cramped muscle in his back from sitting here for the past hour and a half. "You know me too well, Jase."

[Not as well as I would like.] He gave her a smiled and pulled her toward the mass hall. "Come on, we'll get you some..."

"Ms. Trini."

Both looked around for a moment before they followed the voice to the small blinking light on the wall. "DECA, what is it? Is it Karone?"

"No," the red light blinked once. "Mr. Billy would like your attendance in the computer room. He has seen the riddle and would like your input."

Jason frowned, more for Billy than DECA. "Tell Billy that..."

"That I'll be right there." Trini finished with a sigh. "And thank you, DECA."

"You are welcome." The light blinked out.

Turning to her, Jason opened his mouth to scold her for this foolishness but she put a hand up to forestall it.

"I know, I know," she rolled her head around, working out some of the kinks. "But this is important."

"So is your health."

"My health if the least of my worries if we let the universe fall into the hand of some guy that Zordon locked up." She smiled sleepily at him and moved toward the computer room. "Come on, we've got an universe to save. Ten minutes with Billy won't kill me."

"I won't bet on it." Jason shook his head and followed reluctantly.
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Teaser line from the next chapter: "I know that this may sound blasphemous or something, but was Zordon on drugs when he wrote this?"




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Keys to the Universe