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.
Summary: With Zordon gone, who is there to guard those he defeated before?
Note: Sorry for the delay, you can blame it on life and the million of papers sitting on my desk.
"Spoken words." [Thoughts]
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Chapter Twenty Five - Hard Decisions
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-Astro Mega Ship -
"HOW BIG?" Rocky's eyes were nearly falling out of his head as he stared at the viewing screen in front of him. The day was just looking so good too.
"We're looking at over six hundred troops." Cassie explained as she glanced at Andros ever once in a while, waiting for their leader to say something. But so far, he's only stared at the screen without a word. "A little over fifty percent are single fighter capacity but there are some that are big enough to crack us in half."
"And they look like they mean business," Zack murmured as he sipped his coffee and ignored the fact that his ankle had swollen up like a water balloon. The only thing he knew to do was apply ice. He couldn't find anything in the infirmary to help and was unwilling to call Trini down for something so minor.
"We so need a major plan," Tanya groaned and sat down with her back against the bulkhead. "This is so not what..."
"Tell me what's up," Tommy asked as he entered with Jason and Trini right behind him.
"About time," Adam grinned. "What did you do, take a nap?"
"I was in the engine room. Carlos and I were discussing some..." Tommy stopped and stared at the screen. "Holy..."
"Yeah, we know the feeling," Aisha replied.
"Close you mouth Tommy," Kimberly suggested helpfully. "That's a very unattractive look on you."
Jason and Trini traded quick worried glances. "What's the ETA?"
"Three hours," Cassie replied.
"That's it?" Tanya's face reflected her disbelief. "How could we not have more warning than..."
"We picked it up on the long range sensors but they're coming in on us fast." Ashley explained, her eyes going to Andros and Zhane, both were just staring at the screen. "What do we do?"
"What can we do?" Zhane shrugged. "We keep going and we fight our way through it like we always do."
"Zack," Trini stared at his iced foot. "What happened to you?"
"A little accident," he smiled as she rushed over to examine the wounded appendage. "Don't worry about it, looks worse than it feels."
"Then you must be dying cause this foot looks ready to be amputated," Trini murmured. "Why didn't you call me?"
"You were sleeping."
"And?"
Zack blinked at her, as it was explanation enough.
"Don't bother, Trini. He's a guy," Tanya teased with a quick grin.
Tommy traded looks with the other men. "I feel insulted."
"Get use to it," Kimberly suggested as she stood. "Now, what do we do?"
Andros shook his head. "Call the council, they were moving troops before. I want to know where those troops are now. If they can get here in time pull the bulk of the enemy ships away, we may be able to get through."
"And let's see if we have anyway to divert the force a little without the risk of lives," Jason suggested as he mentally calculated how much of a delay this would be. "Plus we've only got a little under two hours before the next seal goes."
The others groaned at the reminder. Kimberly sighed and went to work on the communications. "Hey, anyone seen Billy?"
"I have," Kat replied as she walked slowly into the room. The walls were slightly tilted and her legs felt like rubber. She's got a pretty sure that she's got a concussion and would be so embarrassed should she upchuck her lunch on the floor. "And I don't think I did a very good thing."
"What do you mean?" Trini asked as she helped Zack to his feet. "You're coming with me so I can fix that foot of yours. Let's get you at least walking before we... Kat, you all right?"
She winced and decided that shaking her head was not a good idea. "I believe I have a mild concession."
"How did that happened?" Aisha asked, going to her friend.
"You want the long or short version of things," Kat asked, sitting down in a effort to get the room to stop spinning about.
"Short please," Adam advised, grime faced as he stared at the viewing screen. "We're kind of in a time crunch right now."
"Then the short of it was that I made a mess," Kat winced as Trini flashed a light in her eyes. "Do you have to do that?"
"Yes," the doctor's answered sharply. "Follow the light."
As Trini examined her patient, Kat began her explanation. "I tried to help, tried to talk to Billy. Call me naïve but I thought I could bring him out of his angry shell."
"Let me guess," Jason groaned, " Not only did he not come out of angry shell, he probably retreated more into himself cause how you've pushed him when he's not ready to budge. And because he is as stubborn as most of us are, he's going to resist as long as he likes."
Kat blinked at him for a moment.
Tommy made a face. "Jason, stop hanging out with Trini. Makes you as hard to understand as Billy and Trini is sometimes."
"I heard that," Trini warned then clicked her pen light off. "So how did your talk with Billy end up giving you a concussion?"
"Well, like I said, I didn't do a very good job." Kat winced remembering the cold, chilling look he got from Billy. "And everything I said just seem to make him more angry. But with so little time left, I thought to try harder. Then he just didn't want to hear any more from me. He got up, I reached out and..."
"He pushed you?" Rocky asked in disbelief.
"Don't jump to conclusion," Tanya wiggled a finger at Zack before turning to Kat again with some uncertainty. "He didn't, did he?"
"Of course not, Billy wouldn't do that!" Aisha stated with absolute conviction.
"Of course he didn't," Kat agreed with a quick nod that made her groan in pain again. "I got up, I reached out, he pulled away and I lost my balance."
"The ballet dancer lost her balance," Zack grinned with amusement.
She scowled at him. "Keep it up Mr. Zackary I-broke-my-leg-falling-off-the-stage Taylor."
"Ouch," Adam muttered and shook his head. "Then what happened?"
Kat wanted to cry now. "What do you think happened?"
Kim sighed. "He thought he caused you to fall and ran out like a bat out of hell."
"Bingo."
"Were you at least conscious by that time?" Trini asked, even knowing that answer.
"Of course," she whimpered as Trini pulled her to her feet. "Where are we going?"
"You and Zack are going to come with me to the infirmary so I can do a full check on the two of you." She turned to the Tommy and Jason. "I'd like to be here when you call the elders but I think this may take a while. I want to make sure Zack doesn't have any internal bleeding, that'll cost him his leg."
"WHAT?!?" Zack practically jumped up, smashing his knee against the low console. "Ow...."
Trini turned and smiled sweetly at him.
"You did that on purpose," he accused.
"Why, yes," she turned to Kim. "Want to help?"
"Looks like you're going to need it," she said looping an arm around Zack.
"Er... Trini," Tommy said hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"About Billy..."
"He'll have to wait," Trini shook her head, not sure if she was relieved or not at having not to talk to one of her eldest friends.
"Trini, we can't wait," Jason pointed out. "This is coming in too close for us to wait on this."
"Jason, in case you haven't noticed," she waved her hand to Kat and Zack, both gaining support in an effort to stay standing.
"He's right," Andros murmured, his eyes staying the formation of the fleet. They were posed to box them in, keep them here before while their master was on the verge of awaking from he's prison. There was no way they can allow that to happen. "We need Billy in top form, his need to retreat cannot be allowed at this time. This team needs all the member functioning."
Aisha sighed. "Hate to agree with the boys but we do need Billy's expertise at all the stuff Zordon has locked away in his journal entries."
"So what do you expect me to do? Beat the truth into him?" Trini asked, annoyed that they were taking Billy's mental health so lightly.
"No, that's not what we want," Rocky shrugged. "He just needs to get past this anger he has and start working again. He can do all the screaming, yelling, raging he wants after we get through this little trial of terror. He needs a distraction.... Yeah, that's it. Billy boy needs a good distraction from his anger."
"Distraction?" Cassie asked with a frown. "I suppose it would be a good distraction for both him and TJ if they just beat the shit out of each other. That's one way to get some of that frustration and anger out."
"We want them alive and functioning, thank you." Tommy laughed.
"Trini, you're the smart one. Can't you come up with something?" Adam asked.
"Why is it that I'm always the problem solver around her?" Trini muttered, wrinkling her nose as she help to steady Kat more.
Jason grinned at the disgruntle look on her face. "Because you are so incredibly good at what you do."
She gave him a good frown for that helpful comment then mused, "I suppose I could always hop into bed with him. That ought to distract him if nothing else."
Jason lost his smile almost instantly.
Kimberly burst into laughter, distracting the others from seeing Jason's reaction. "Now there's an idea. "There's nothing like a naked woman to get a guy's mind off other things." She shook her head and helped Zack toward the door. "Let's get these guy patched up and let Trini get to work on Billy."
"Here, let me help," Cassie offered as Kat stumbled again even with Trini's support.
Jason snagged Trini's arm just before she could leave. "Trini..." he warned quietly.
"Yes?" Smiling sweetly at him.
"Tell me that you are not going to... That you wouldn't...."
"Wouldn't what?" She asked, batting her lashes suggestively.
He frowned at her, pulling her into the hallway for a little more privacy as the other turn back to work. "Trini, you cannot possibly be thinking of... of..." He couldn't even think about it without wanting to do someone bodily harm. "Trini..."
"Tell you what," she leaned against wall and allowed him to crowd her for a moment. "If someone else were to...'volunteer' to be my bed warmer tonight, then I guess Billy will just have to fend for himself."
It wasn't easy but Jason somehow managed not to laugh out loud. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead with pure fondness. "Oh, I think I can arrange for someone else to keep you company tonight."
She sighed in greatly exaggerated regret. "Poor Billy. Left all my his lonesome."
He rolled his eyes.
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"Sounds..." Carlos began but couldn't finish.
"Horrible?" Ashley suggested helpfully as she leaned against the readout console. "Yeah, that's the least of our problems right now."
TJ sighed, his eyes hooded with expressionless emotions.
"Kat made a boo-boo with Billy, it happens." Ashley had to fill them in on all the details of the conversation an hour before. She had been rather taken aback initially by Billy's actions. But looking back, she could see that the others all understood and knew that their friend had not done anything wrong on purpose. Bad circumstances were at fault there, unfortunately that still didn't solve the problem of a missing Billy, who appeared to have fallen off the ship's sensors. "So, on top of enemy ships, we now have a missing crewmember that is probably one of the few beings in the galaxy that understands half of what Zordon wrote."
"And DECA can't find hid nor hair of him yet?" Carlos asked, his eyes straying to TJ for a second without his friend's notice.
"No," Ashely made a face. "Tommy says that Billy has always been very good with computers. It wouldn't surprise any of them if he bypassed a couple of security protocols to give himself some space."
"And interfere with the system in the mean time?" TJ asked, quietly. It was the first words his has spoken since Ashley sought him out and brought him to the engine room. "A little risky, don't you think?"
"Jason says that Billy knows computers like no body's business," she shrugged, hoping TJ would not get into it right now. She was too tired, and frankly too scared, to deal with it. "None of them seem concerned with that part so I'm not going to borrow trouble. Everyone is more concern with his state of mind at this moment."
"His state of mind," TJ repeated without the least bit concern.
"Let's move on from the subject of the missing Billy to something a little more important. What's happening wit the fleet movements?" Carlos interjected with some concern.
"They are up there talking to the Elder's Council now."
"Then I guess we better get up there then," TJ suggested, his eyes cold and impassive. "After all, it would be nice to know what's going on our own ship." He walked out without waiting for either one of his friends.
Carlos and Ashley exchanged looks of resign. It was a moment before Carlos could speak. "Think this is going to get us anywhere?"
"Yes," she nodded mournfully. "Right into some really huge troubles."
He chuckled and reached of her hand to squeeze affectionately. "How are you holding up, Ash?" She looked pale and slightly worn around the edge. And while he's been taking care to minimize the effect of TJ's anger, she's had to deal with the blunt of the other Rangers. "They are treating you okay?"
"What?" she looked surprised at first before a twinkle of laughter erupted from her lips. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about me, I'm doing good. The girls have been everything this is kind to Cassie and me. You boys are the ones that are having problems."
He grinned at her. "Is that your way of saying that society would fall into savagery should it be left to us men?"
She raised one brow in silent inquiry.
"Psychology 101, Mrs. McCrea's class, sophomore year, third period." He answered easily.
Ashley laughed again. "I figured. And to answer your question: something like that."
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"Hey there," Tanya sat down on the lower bunk and propped her feet up on the bed frame and bumped her friend's shoulder with her own. "Why are you here all by your lonesome when the guys are talking to the elders."
Aisha shrugged her shoulders. "I really didn't care to hear what they have to say. We do what we can. They do what they can. And we leave the rest up to fate. I'm sure everything will work out for the best."
Swinging an arm around Aisha's shoulder, Tanya smiled. "You know what I love the most about you? It is your never-ending sense of belief that everything will work out for the best for everyone. And while I hate to burst this happy bubble of yours, I have to say that you're being awfully optimistic given that we may be looking at a battle of epic proportions here in about an hour or two."
"Would you say that I'm a hopeless optimist?"
"Absolutely."
"With a lack of connection to reality?"
"What?"
"Totally naïve and unable to comprehend the enormity of what is..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." pulling back to look at Aisha' distressed face. "What is all this?"
Giving her head a firm shake, Aisha got up and began to pace the room. "I need to talk to someone about this and I know I can count on you not to take this to Rocky at the first given opportunity." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'd talk to Trini about it, given her unofficial position as team counselor, but we've been really running her ragged these couple of days that I really do hate to burden her with it. But if I don't talk to someone about it, I'd go completely and utterly insane!"
"Talk to me then," alarmed by her sudden outburst.
"ZORDON WAS INSANE!"
Tanya blinked.
"What was he thinking of giving a key to me???" she threw up her hand and resumed her pacing. "I was there... all of what? Three minutes? And he chose me?" her face reflected her dismay and disbelief. "Any of the other would have been more suitable. You! You would have made a perfect keeper of a key. You were on the team for what seemed like forever. Heck, you nearly had to relive your childhood because of it. Oh god, what insanity possessed him to..."
"Hold it!" Tanya jumped up and shook Aisha about the shoulders. "What nonsense is this!"
"It's not nonsense..."
"Sure it is. It's so full of crap that flies won't go near it." Tanya stared at her as Aisha gurgled at the analogy. She wondered for the first time if her friend had been in the cold too long. "Have you told Rocky about how you feel?"
"Of course not," she pulled away and began to pace again. "Rocky has more important things to worry about than my questioning Zordon's sanity."
"He loves you," Tanya stressed carefully. "Now as much as I tease Rocky about his lack of maturity and sense of responsibility, I know he is all that and than some when it comes to the things that are important. And you are very, very important to him."
"I know that Rocky loves me," Aisha sighed and sat on the ground, not wanting to feel the cramp space that the lower bunk creates. "I know that with all his jokes and pranks, he would do anything for me. And that's why I don't want to talk to him about this. He does not need to add this to his plate of things."
"Aisha..."
"Did you know one of the reasons that I left the Rangers was cause of this?"
"This?"
"Yeah, all this. Being pulled back into action again and again. It's like a soldier after war; you can't just leave it behind. It haunts you. Just when you think you're free of it, that you're living a normal life with your guy, it comes back and slaps you in the face." She closed her eyes. "I wasn't strong enough to face it, as much as I thought I was, I wasn't the first time around. I ran from it, ran to Africa. And now... a piece of it is in me." She laughed at the irony of it. "Of all the members that have ever graced the ranks of the Rangers, I was probably the least equipped, least willing to carry on the legacy. And yet..."
Tanya shook her head. She had never known this. "Zordon understood why you left. He did."
"I know he did," she smiled in fond memory. "I talked to him about it before I actually made the decision."
"You did?"
"Yeah." She could remember it like it was yesterday. A long conversation in the deserted command center in the dead of the night. She hadn't been able to face the others, not with the way she was feeling about her position on the team. Aisha had been perfectly ready to stand there and lie to him about her reasons, cover up her fears and just give a good reason for her to leave while she can, while she was still alive and breathing. But Zordon, in all this awesome wisdom, had seen right through her anxieties. Looking at him that night, she found that she couldn't lie to him. Two hours and a good cry later, she begged for his forgiveness. [God, he was so good to me.] Wishing her luck and telling her that he was proud to have had her in his ranks, he had sent her back to Africa with his love in her last ride on the teleporter. "He understood all too well. That's why I wonder why he chose me."
"You want to know why he chose you?" Tanya asked as she sat down across from her friend Indian style and folded her hands together. "Zordon saw in you what Rocky fell in love with."
"By willingness to let him eat in bed?"
Tanya laughed. "Well, at least you still have your sense of humor."
"Too many hours with Rocky."
"I can see that" She squeezed Aisha's knee with her hand and offered a sympathetic look. "Zordon saw in you what we all see now. You are loyal, kind, generous, full of hope and dreams; you see the best in everything and everyone. Your unfaltering belief gives us the strength to..." Tanya blinked, startled by her own thoughts. "Oh my god..."
"What?" Aisha frowned. "What is it?"
Tanya glanced around the room frantically. "Where's your copy?"
"Copy of what?" she asked a she followed Tanya's lead and got up to search the room.
"The Riddle. I want to see it."
Pulling the paper out from her back pocket, where it has not taken permanent residence, she opened the folded sheet. "Here."
Smoothing out the crinkles and ran a finger over the stanzas. "Oh my god, I so cannot believe we didn't see this before!" She smacked herself hard on the forehead. "What an idiot I am!"
Aisha stared at her. "Are you going to let me in on it or do I have to make wild guesses?"
"Your are so definitely 'belief,' no doubt about it in my mind!"
"What?"
"You girl, you are 'belief.' Here, in the riddle." She pointed to the stanza and family giggled with delight. "Everything is this part screams Aisha!"
The girl in question was less sure. "I'm not sure if..."
"No, no," Tanya wiggled a finger at her. "I'm positive. Listen to this: 'Belief is pure and loyal with Honor to hold. She resides brief but hold much. She is complete with Honor, and seeks to bring light to the darkness.' Resides brief? You just said so yourself that your tour of duty was the shortest one among the Rangers. And Zordon gave you a key. 'Hold much?' Get it?"
"I got it," Aisha shut her eyes and nodded her head. "But what about this part about 'Honor,' I mean how is it that...."
"Isn't it obvious?" Tanya tugged at her arm, pulling her toward the door. "Honor is going to have to be Rocky cause everyone knows that the two of you were practically tailor made for one another. Zordon certainly did. Come on, come on..."
"Where are we going?" Tripping along after her own arm, which was not firmly in Tanya's hand.
"The command deck, we so have to tell the others."
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"The kind of fighting you're describing here is going to cost thousands of lives," Tommy murmured quietly, hating that he was even considering the idea.
"I understand that Ranger," Elder Trocial replied, his eyes heavy with regret. "But you must understand that we are all soldiers of this war. We all understand the risks that we take."
"Do you?" Jason shook his head, his heart heavy with burden. "It doesn't sit well with any of us here to leave the fleet to face invincible armies that have no conscience and does not see any of the consequences of their actions. If what you know is true, these are merely drones. They are incapable of feeling regret or mercy on their opponents."
"Yes," Elder Marrian nodded, her eyes aging ten years in the past two days. "But it does allow our troops to feel less when they open fire." She pleaded with her eyes for them to understand. "We understand your concern for the fleet moving in on your position. By the time Jorian's armada is in place to open fire upon you, our troops will be in place to defend. With our numbers, we will prove to be an adequate diversion for the armada. You will have no need to risk time to deal with this."
Andros shook his head. "While I know that I am but one voice, I have to object to this. Our lives are not worth more than those that serve the fleet."
"Yes they are," Elder Coran interjected from the split view screen. His ship was running on full burn in order to get there in time to give the Rangers their parting gift from Zordon. "None of us here have the power to deflect the disaster that can and still may befall us all. You do." He shook his head. "For light's sake Andros, you are a bearer of one of Zordon's keys."
"I don't like it," Rocky shook his head in dead seriousness, his eyes reflecting his disgust over the whole argument. "I second Andros opinion on this one. Leaving the troops to fend for themselves isn't right and I cannot with good conscience agree to this plan."
"I concur with Rocky," Adam sighed and looked at the troop movements from a side monitor. "The ratio is... It's like sending troops to be slaughtered out there."
"We have fire power," Zhane said quietly from the side. "I say we use it. The delay will have to be dealt with at a later time. I think saving some lives is more important now."
"And what of the lives that will be lost should you not make it to Gildon in time?" Elder Zilda asked, her silvery mane fluttering in the slight sway of the ship. Of the six elders that were currently sharing the split view screen, she was the only one on board the ships headed to divert Jorian's armada. "Can you with good conscience live with that?"
"I hate to say it," Cassie interjected, hoping she wasn't going to be clobbered for this one. "But I have to agree with the elders. I think we should forge ahead and let the fleet deal with Jorian's troops."
"I second Cassie on this one," Kimberly turned with regret to Tommy. "I'm sorry but I do. We have to look at the big picture here boys. Balancing the lives of a couple of thousand with lives of a few million is not worth it."
"Kim..." Adam stared in disbelief.
"She's right," Elder Marrian murmured. "To save the whole, we must sacrifice the few."
"I am more than willing to give my life if my children can be saved," Elder Zilda added. "It is the way of the universe."
"Kim," Jason looked at her. "What are the odds?"
"Three to one," she turned to the computer. "Without us, each Aquitian ship will be facing three Jorian ships."
"If it is any consolation," Coran interjected. "The Kerovan fleet is also on it's way. But they are behind and traveling at a much slower speed. It'll take at least six to eight more hours before they can be of any help."
"I don't like the odds," Andros murmured, brows furrowed in concentration. There had to be more they could do.
Karone watched her brother's face. Conflicting emotions flickered there, mentally torturing the young man. She hated that look on his face, especially after the shock and thrill he displayed only hours before at the new of the latest addition to their family. Touching her stomach tentatively, she silently hoped that her child was more like its uncle and father than her. [You are going to have all the love in the universe... If we survive this.] "Achem..."
The others turned to her. "What is it, Karone?" Tommy asked, his face set in stone
"I..." she hesitated. While place within the Rangers have been firmly established, she had no illusions as to what the other planets that Astronema had conquered thought of her.
Jason nodded her. "Go on."
"The ship has a shielding the is superior to those of the fleet. We are sleeker, lighter and faster than any of the bulky ships that were designed to carry solders in. As the Elders predicted," she glanced up at the serious faces of the men and women that had once been her enemy and cringed inwardly. "The Aquitian fleet will be here in time to divert the troops, but it does not mean that we have to avoid the fight completely. Perhaps we can prove to be an effective a distraction from the Aquitian fleet as they are to us."
"I get it," Jason snapped his finger and looked expectedly at Tommy. "The last thing Jorian's armada is going to be expected, especially given the light that an entire fleet in there, is for us is to run at them head on. If we scatter their troops by cutting into the ranks..."
Tommy nodded his head. "Then we can give the Aquitian more than enough time to pick them off for a bit while they are disoriented." He grinned, liking this idea. "That will probably smooth down the odds to two to one."
Andros nodded his head and beamed at his sister. "That is an opinion that I can accept."
"Me too," Rocky seconded it with enthusiasm. "Especially if I get to man a gun and cut off a couple of bad-guy heads at the same time."
"Agreed," Cassie interjected, her face infused with relief.
"Kim?" Tommy asked, his eyes on his thoughtful girl, hoping, praying that she could live with what they were going to do.
Kimberly felt her heart stop and start again. All the lives that they would be sacrificing... But what can she do that is more? "Okay, let's do it."
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Teaser from the next chapter: "To be true to Zordon's dreams, we must be true to ourselves. Any less and we dishonor the man that we fight for now."
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.
Summary: With Zordon gone, who is there to guard those he defeated before?
Note: Sorry for the delay, you can blame it on life and the million of papers sitting on my desk.
"Spoken words." [Thoughts]
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Chapter Twenty Five - Hard Decisions
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-Astro Mega Ship -
"HOW BIG?" Rocky's eyes were nearly falling out of his head as he stared at the viewing screen in front of him. The day was just looking so good too.
"We're looking at over six hundred troops." Cassie explained as she glanced at Andros ever once in a while, waiting for their leader to say something. But so far, he's only stared at the screen without a word. "A little over fifty percent are single fighter capacity but there are some that are big enough to crack us in half."
"And they look like they mean business," Zack murmured as he sipped his coffee and ignored the fact that his ankle had swollen up like a water balloon. The only thing he knew to do was apply ice. He couldn't find anything in the infirmary to help and was unwilling to call Trini down for something so minor.
"We so need a major plan," Tanya groaned and sat down with her back against the bulkhead. "This is so not what..."
"Tell me what's up," Tommy asked as he entered with Jason and Trini right behind him.
"About time," Adam grinned. "What did you do, take a nap?"
"I was in the engine room. Carlos and I were discussing some..." Tommy stopped and stared at the screen. "Holy..."
"Yeah, we know the feeling," Aisha replied.
"Close you mouth Tommy," Kimberly suggested helpfully. "That's a very unattractive look on you."
Jason and Trini traded quick worried glances. "What's the ETA?"
"Three hours," Cassie replied.
"That's it?" Tanya's face reflected her disbelief. "How could we not have more warning than..."
"We picked it up on the long range sensors but they're coming in on us fast." Ashley explained, her eyes going to Andros and Zhane, both were just staring at the screen. "What do we do?"
"What can we do?" Zhane shrugged. "We keep going and we fight our way through it like we always do."
"Zack," Trini stared at his iced foot. "What happened to you?"
"A little accident," he smiled as she rushed over to examine the wounded appendage. "Don't worry about it, looks worse than it feels."
"Then you must be dying cause this foot looks ready to be amputated," Trini murmured. "Why didn't you call me?"
"You were sleeping."
"And?"
Zack blinked at her, as it was explanation enough.
"Don't bother, Trini. He's a guy," Tanya teased with a quick grin.
Tommy traded looks with the other men. "I feel insulted."
"Get use to it," Kimberly suggested as she stood. "Now, what do we do?"
Andros shook his head. "Call the council, they were moving troops before. I want to know where those troops are now. If they can get here in time pull the bulk of the enemy ships away, we may be able to get through."
"And let's see if we have anyway to divert the force a little without the risk of lives," Jason suggested as he mentally calculated how much of a delay this would be. "Plus we've only got a little under two hours before the next seal goes."
The others groaned at the reminder. Kimberly sighed and went to work on the communications. "Hey, anyone seen Billy?"
"I have," Kat replied as she walked slowly into the room. The walls were slightly tilted and her legs felt like rubber. She's got a pretty sure that she's got a concussion and would be so embarrassed should she upchuck her lunch on the floor. "And I don't think I did a very good thing."
"What do you mean?" Trini asked as she helped Zack to his feet. "You're coming with me so I can fix that foot of yours. Let's get you at least walking before we... Kat, you all right?"
She winced and decided that shaking her head was not a good idea. "I believe I have a mild concession."
"How did that happened?" Aisha asked, going to her friend.
"You want the long or short version of things," Kat asked, sitting down in a effort to get the room to stop spinning about.
"Short please," Adam advised, grime faced as he stared at the viewing screen. "We're kind of in a time crunch right now."
"Then the short of it was that I made a mess," Kat winced as Trini flashed a light in her eyes. "Do you have to do that?"
"Yes," the doctor's answered sharply. "Follow the light."
As Trini examined her patient, Kat began her explanation. "I tried to help, tried to talk to Billy. Call me naïve but I thought I could bring him out of his angry shell."
"Let me guess," Jason groaned, " Not only did he not come out of angry shell, he probably retreated more into himself cause how you've pushed him when he's not ready to budge. And because he is as stubborn as most of us are, he's going to resist as long as he likes."
Kat blinked at him for a moment.
Tommy made a face. "Jason, stop hanging out with Trini. Makes you as hard to understand as Billy and Trini is sometimes."
"I heard that," Trini warned then clicked her pen light off. "So how did your talk with Billy end up giving you a concussion?"
"Well, like I said, I didn't do a very good job." Kat winced remembering the cold, chilling look he got from Billy. "And everything I said just seem to make him more angry. But with so little time left, I thought to try harder. Then he just didn't want to hear any more from me. He got up, I reached out and..."
"He pushed you?" Rocky asked in disbelief.
"Don't jump to conclusion," Tanya wiggled a finger at Zack before turning to Kat again with some uncertainty. "He didn't, did he?"
"Of course not, Billy wouldn't do that!" Aisha stated with absolute conviction.
"Of course he didn't," Kat agreed with a quick nod that made her groan in pain again. "I got up, I reached out, he pulled away and I lost my balance."
"The ballet dancer lost her balance," Zack grinned with amusement.
She scowled at him. "Keep it up Mr. Zackary I-broke-my-leg-falling-off-the-stage Taylor."
"Ouch," Adam muttered and shook his head. "Then what happened?"
Kat wanted to cry now. "What do you think happened?"
Kim sighed. "He thought he caused you to fall and ran out like a bat out of hell."
"Bingo."
"Were you at least conscious by that time?" Trini asked, even knowing that answer.
"Of course," she whimpered as Trini pulled her to her feet. "Where are we going?"
"You and Zack are going to come with me to the infirmary so I can do a full check on the two of you." She turned to the Tommy and Jason. "I'd like to be here when you call the elders but I think this may take a while. I want to make sure Zack doesn't have any internal bleeding, that'll cost him his leg."
"WHAT?!?" Zack practically jumped up, smashing his knee against the low console. "Ow...."
Trini turned and smiled sweetly at him.
"You did that on purpose," he accused.
"Why, yes," she turned to Kim. "Want to help?"
"Looks like you're going to need it," she said looping an arm around Zack.
"Er... Trini," Tommy said hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"About Billy..."
"He'll have to wait," Trini shook her head, not sure if she was relieved or not at having not to talk to one of her eldest friends.
"Trini, we can't wait," Jason pointed out. "This is coming in too close for us to wait on this."
"Jason, in case you haven't noticed," she waved her hand to Kat and Zack, both gaining support in an effort to stay standing.
"He's right," Andros murmured, his eyes staying the formation of the fleet. They were posed to box them in, keep them here before while their master was on the verge of awaking from he's prison. There was no way they can allow that to happen. "We need Billy in top form, his need to retreat cannot be allowed at this time. This team needs all the member functioning."
Aisha sighed. "Hate to agree with the boys but we do need Billy's expertise at all the stuff Zordon has locked away in his journal entries."
"So what do you expect me to do? Beat the truth into him?" Trini asked, annoyed that they were taking Billy's mental health so lightly.
"No, that's not what we want," Rocky shrugged. "He just needs to get past this anger he has and start working again. He can do all the screaming, yelling, raging he wants after we get through this little trial of terror. He needs a distraction.... Yeah, that's it. Billy boy needs a good distraction from his anger."
"Distraction?" Cassie asked with a frown. "I suppose it would be a good distraction for both him and TJ if they just beat the shit out of each other. That's one way to get some of that frustration and anger out."
"We want them alive and functioning, thank you." Tommy laughed.
"Trini, you're the smart one. Can't you come up with something?" Adam asked.
"Why is it that I'm always the problem solver around her?" Trini muttered, wrinkling her nose as she help to steady Kat more.
Jason grinned at the disgruntle look on her face. "Because you are so incredibly good at what you do."
She gave him a good frown for that helpful comment then mused, "I suppose I could always hop into bed with him. That ought to distract him if nothing else."
Jason lost his smile almost instantly.
Kimberly burst into laughter, distracting the others from seeing Jason's reaction. "Now there's an idea. "There's nothing like a naked woman to get a guy's mind off other things." She shook her head and helped Zack toward the door. "Let's get these guy patched up and let Trini get to work on Billy."
"Here, let me help," Cassie offered as Kat stumbled again even with Trini's support.
Jason snagged Trini's arm just before she could leave. "Trini..." he warned quietly.
"Yes?" Smiling sweetly at him.
"Tell me that you are not going to... That you wouldn't...."
"Wouldn't what?" She asked, batting her lashes suggestively.
He frowned at her, pulling her into the hallway for a little more privacy as the other turn back to work. "Trini, you cannot possibly be thinking of... of..." He couldn't even think about it without wanting to do someone bodily harm. "Trini..."
"Tell you what," she leaned against wall and allowed him to crowd her for a moment. "If someone else were to...'volunteer' to be my bed warmer tonight, then I guess Billy will just have to fend for himself."
It wasn't easy but Jason somehow managed not to laugh out loud. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead with pure fondness. "Oh, I think I can arrange for someone else to keep you company tonight."
She sighed in greatly exaggerated regret. "Poor Billy. Left all my his lonesome."
He rolled his eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sounds..." Carlos began but couldn't finish.
"Horrible?" Ashley suggested helpfully as she leaned against the readout console. "Yeah, that's the least of our problems right now."
TJ sighed, his eyes hooded with expressionless emotions.
"Kat made a boo-boo with Billy, it happens." Ashley had to fill them in on all the details of the conversation an hour before. She had been rather taken aback initially by Billy's actions. But looking back, she could see that the others all understood and knew that their friend had not done anything wrong on purpose. Bad circumstances were at fault there, unfortunately that still didn't solve the problem of a missing Billy, who appeared to have fallen off the ship's sensors. "So, on top of enemy ships, we now have a missing crewmember that is probably one of the few beings in the galaxy that understands half of what Zordon wrote."
"And DECA can't find hid nor hair of him yet?" Carlos asked, his eyes straying to TJ for a second without his friend's notice.
"No," Ashely made a face. "Tommy says that Billy has always been very good with computers. It wouldn't surprise any of them if he bypassed a couple of security protocols to give himself some space."
"And interfere with the system in the mean time?" TJ asked, quietly. It was the first words his has spoken since Ashley sought him out and brought him to the engine room. "A little risky, don't you think?"
"Jason says that Billy knows computers like no body's business," she shrugged, hoping TJ would not get into it right now. She was too tired, and frankly too scared, to deal with it. "None of them seem concerned with that part so I'm not going to borrow trouble. Everyone is more concern with his state of mind at this moment."
"His state of mind," TJ repeated without the least bit concern.
"Let's move on from the subject of the missing Billy to something a little more important. What's happening wit the fleet movements?" Carlos interjected with some concern.
"They are up there talking to the Elder's Council now."
"Then I guess we better get up there then," TJ suggested, his eyes cold and impassive. "After all, it would be nice to know what's going on our own ship." He walked out without waiting for either one of his friends.
Carlos and Ashley exchanged looks of resign. It was a moment before Carlos could speak. "Think this is going to get us anywhere?"
"Yes," she nodded mournfully. "Right into some really huge troubles."
He chuckled and reached of her hand to squeeze affectionately. "How are you holding up, Ash?" She looked pale and slightly worn around the edge. And while he's been taking care to minimize the effect of TJ's anger, she's had to deal with the blunt of the other Rangers. "They are treating you okay?"
"What?" she looked surprised at first before a twinkle of laughter erupted from her lips. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about me, I'm doing good. The girls have been everything this is kind to Cassie and me. You boys are the ones that are having problems."
He grinned at her. "Is that your way of saying that society would fall into savagery should it be left to us men?"
She raised one brow in silent inquiry.
"Psychology 101, Mrs. McCrea's class, sophomore year, third period." He answered easily.
Ashley laughed again. "I figured. And to answer your question: something like that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey there," Tanya sat down on the lower bunk and propped her feet up on the bed frame and bumped her friend's shoulder with her own. "Why are you here all by your lonesome when the guys are talking to the elders."
Aisha shrugged her shoulders. "I really didn't care to hear what they have to say. We do what we can. They do what they can. And we leave the rest up to fate. I'm sure everything will work out for the best."
Swinging an arm around Aisha's shoulder, Tanya smiled. "You know what I love the most about you? It is your never-ending sense of belief that everything will work out for the best for everyone. And while I hate to burst this happy bubble of yours, I have to say that you're being awfully optimistic given that we may be looking at a battle of epic proportions here in about an hour or two."
"Would you say that I'm a hopeless optimist?"
"Absolutely."
"With a lack of connection to reality?"
"What?"
"Totally naïve and unable to comprehend the enormity of what is..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." pulling back to look at Aisha' distressed face. "What is all this?"
Giving her head a firm shake, Aisha got up and began to pace the room. "I need to talk to someone about this and I know I can count on you not to take this to Rocky at the first given opportunity." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'd talk to Trini about it, given her unofficial position as team counselor, but we've been really running her ragged these couple of days that I really do hate to burden her with it. But if I don't talk to someone about it, I'd go completely and utterly insane!"
"Talk to me then," alarmed by her sudden outburst.
"ZORDON WAS INSANE!"
Tanya blinked.
"What was he thinking of giving a key to me???" she threw up her hand and resumed her pacing. "I was there... all of what? Three minutes? And he chose me?" her face reflected her dismay and disbelief. "Any of the other would have been more suitable. You! You would have made a perfect keeper of a key. You were on the team for what seemed like forever. Heck, you nearly had to relive your childhood because of it. Oh god, what insanity possessed him to..."
"Hold it!" Tanya jumped up and shook Aisha about the shoulders. "What nonsense is this!"
"It's not nonsense..."
"Sure it is. It's so full of crap that flies won't go near it." Tanya stared at her as Aisha gurgled at the analogy. She wondered for the first time if her friend had been in the cold too long. "Have you told Rocky about how you feel?"
"Of course not," she pulled away and began to pace again. "Rocky has more important things to worry about than my questioning Zordon's sanity."
"He loves you," Tanya stressed carefully. "Now as much as I tease Rocky about his lack of maturity and sense of responsibility, I know he is all that and than some when it comes to the things that are important. And you are very, very important to him."
"I know that Rocky loves me," Aisha sighed and sat on the ground, not wanting to feel the cramp space that the lower bunk creates. "I know that with all his jokes and pranks, he would do anything for me. And that's why I don't want to talk to him about this. He does not need to add this to his plate of things."
"Aisha..."
"Did you know one of the reasons that I left the Rangers was cause of this?"
"This?"
"Yeah, all this. Being pulled back into action again and again. It's like a soldier after war; you can't just leave it behind. It haunts you. Just when you think you're free of it, that you're living a normal life with your guy, it comes back and slaps you in the face." She closed her eyes. "I wasn't strong enough to face it, as much as I thought I was, I wasn't the first time around. I ran from it, ran to Africa. And now... a piece of it is in me." She laughed at the irony of it. "Of all the members that have ever graced the ranks of the Rangers, I was probably the least equipped, least willing to carry on the legacy. And yet..."
Tanya shook her head. She had never known this. "Zordon understood why you left. He did."
"I know he did," she smiled in fond memory. "I talked to him about it before I actually made the decision."
"You did?"
"Yeah." She could remember it like it was yesterday. A long conversation in the deserted command center in the dead of the night. She hadn't been able to face the others, not with the way she was feeling about her position on the team. Aisha had been perfectly ready to stand there and lie to him about her reasons, cover up her fears and just give a good reason for her to leave while she can, while she was still alive and breathing. But Zordon, in all this awesome wisdom, had seen right through her anxieties. Looking at him that night, she found that she couldn't lie to him. Two hours and a good cry later, she begged for his forgiveness. [God, he was so good to me.] Wishing her luck and telling her that he was proud to have had her in his ranks, he had sent her back to Africa with his love in her last ride on the teleporter. "He understood all too well. That's why I wonder why he chose me."
"You want to know why he chose you?" Tanya asked as she sat down across from her friend Indian style and folded her hands together. "Zordon saw in you what Rocky fell in love with."
"By willingness to let him eat in bed?"
Tanya laughed. "Well, at least you still have your sense of humor."
"Too many hours with Rocky."
"I can see that" She squeezed Aisha's knee with her hand and offered a sympathetic look. "Zordon saw in you what we all see now. You are loyal, kind, generous, full of hope and dreams; you see the best in everything and everyone. Your unfaltering belief gives us the strength to..." Tanya blinked, startled by her own thoughts. "Oh my god..."
"What?" Aisha frowned. "What is it?"
Tanya glanced around the room frantically. "Where's your copy?"
"Copy of what?" she asked a she followed Tanya's lead and got up to search the room.
"The Riddle. I want to see it."
Pulling the paper out from her back pocket, where it has not taken permanent residence, she opened the folded sheet. "Here."
Smoothing out the crinkles and ran a finger over the stanzas. "Oh my god, I so cannot believe we didn't see this before!" She smacked herself hard on the forehead. "What an idiot I am!"
Aisha stared at her. "Are you going to let me in on it or do I have to make wild guesses?"
"Your are so definitely 'belief,' no doubt about it in my mind!"
"What?"
"You girl, you are 'belief.' Here, in the riddle." She pointed to the stanza and family giggled with delight. "Everything is this part screams Aisha!"
The girl in question was less sure. "I'm not sure if..."
"No, no," Tanya wiggled a finger at her. "I'm positive. Listen to this: 'Belief is pure and loyal with Honor to hold. She resides brief but hold much. She is complete with Honor, and seeks to bring light to the darkness.' Resides brief? You just said so yourself that your tour of duty was the shortest one among the Rangers. And Zordon gave you a key. 'Hold much?' Get it?"
"I got it," Aisha shut her eyes and nodded her head. "But what about this part about 'Honor,' I mean how is it that...."
"Isn't it obvious?" Tanya tugged at her arm, pulling her toward the door. "Honor is going to have to be Rocky cause everyone knows that the two of you were practically tailor made for one another. Zordon certainly did. Come on, come on..."
"Where are we going?" Tripping along after her own arm, which was not firmly in Tanya's hand.
"The command deck, we so have to tell the others."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The kind of fighting you're describing here is going to cost thousands of lives," Tommy murmured quietly, hating that he was even considering the idea.
"I understand that Ranger," Elder Trocial replied, his eyes heavy with regret. "But you must understand that we are all soldiers of this war. We all understand the risks that we take."
"Do you?" Jason shook his head, his heart heavy with burden. "It doesn't sit well with any of us here to leave the fleet to face invincible armies that have no conscience and does not see any of the consequences of their actions. If what you know is true, these are merely drones. They are incapable of feeling regret or mercy on their opponents."
"Yes," Elder Marrian nodded, her eyes aging ten years in the past two days. "But it does allow our troops to feel less when they open fire." She pleaded with her eyes for them to understand. "We understand your concern for the fleet moving in on your position. By the time Jorian's armada is in place to open fire upon you, our troops will be in place to defend. With our numbers, we will prove to be an adequate diversion for the armada. You will have no need to risk time to deal with this."
Andros shook his head. "While I know that I am but one voice, I have to object to this. Our lives are not worth more than those that serve the fleet."
"Yes they are," Elder Coran interjected from the split view screen. His ship was running on full burn in order to get there in time to give the Rangers their parting gift from Zordon. "None of us here have the power to deflect the disaster that can and still may befall us all. You do." He shook his head. "For light's sake Andros, you are a bearer of one of Zordon's keys."
"I don't like it," Rocky shook his head in dead seriousness, his eyes reflecting his disgust over the whole argument. "I second Andros opinion on this one. Leaving the troops to fend for themselves isn't right and I cannot with good conscience agree to this plan."
"I concur with Rocky," Adam sighed and looked at the troop movements from a side monitor. "The ratio is... It's like sending troops to be slaughtered out there."
"We have fire power," Zhane said quietly from the side. "I say we use it. The delay will have to be dealt with at a later time. I think saving some lives is more important now."
"And what of the lives that will be lost should you not make it to Gildon in time?" Elder Zilda asked, her silvery mane fluttering in the slight sway of the ship. Of the six elders that were currently sharing the split view screen, she was the only one on board the ships headed to divert Jorian's armada. "Can you with good conscience live with that?"
"I hate to say it," Cassie interjected, hoping she wasn't going to be clobbered for this one. "But I have to agree with the elders. I think we should forge ahead and let the fleet deal with Jorian's troops."
"I second Cassie on this one," Kimberly turned with regret to Tommy. "I'm sorry but I do. We have to look at the big picture here boys. Balancing the lives of a couple of thousand with lives of a few million is not worth it."
"Kim..." Adam stared in disbelief.
"She's right," Elder Marrian murmured. "To save the whole, we must sacrifice the few."
"I am more than willing to give my life if my children can be saved," Elder Zilda added. "It is the way of the universe."
"Kim," Jason looked at her. "What are the odds?"
"Three to one," she turned to the computer. "Without us, each Aquitian ship will be facing three Jorian ships."
"If it is any consolation," Coran interjected. "The Kerovan fleet is also on it's way. But they are behind and traveling at a much slower speed. It'll take at least six to eight more hours before they can be of any help."
"I don't like the odds," Andros murmured, brows furrowed in concentration. There had to be more they could do.
Karone watched her brother's face. Conflicting emotions flickered there, mentally torturing the young man. She hated that look on his face, especially after the shock and thrill he displayed only hours before at the new of the latest addition to their family. Touching her stomach tentatively, she silently hoped that her child was more like its uncle and father than her. [You are going to have all the love in the universe... If we survive this.] "Achem..."
The others turned to her. "What is it, Karone?" Tommy asked, his face set in stone
"I..." she hesitated. While place within the Rangers have been firmly established, she had no illusions as to what the other planets that Astronema had conquered thought of her.
Jason nodded her. "Go on."
"The ship has a shielding the is superior to those of the fleet. We are sleeker, lighter and faster than any of the bulky ships that were designed to carry solders in. As the Elders predicted," she glanced up at the serious faces of the men and women that had once been her enemy and cringed inwardly. "The Aquitian fleet will be here in time to divert the troops, but it does not mean that we have to avoid the fight completely. Perhaps we can prove to be an effective a distraction from the Aquitian fleet as they are to us."
"I get it," Jason snapped his finger and looked expectedly at Tommy. "The last thing Jorian's armada is going to be expected, especially given the light that an entire fleet in there, is for us is to run at them head on. If we scatter their troops by cutting into the ranks..."
Tommy nodded his head. "Then we can give the Aquitian more than enough time to pick them off for a bit while they are disoriented." He grinned, liking this idea. "That will probably smooth down the odds to two to one."
Andros nodded his head and beamed at his sister. "That is an opinion that I can accept."
"Me too," Rocky seconded it with enthusiasm. "Especially if I get to man a gun and cut off a couple of bad-guy heads at the same time."
"Agreed," Cassie interjected, her face infused with relief.
"Kim?" Tommy asked, his eyes on his thoughtful girl, hoping, praying that she could live with what they were going to do.
Kimberly felt her heart stop and start again. All the lives that they would be sacrificing... But what can she do that is more? "Okay, let's do it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teaser from the next chapter: "To be true to Zordon's dreams, we must be true to ourselves. Any less and we dishonor the man that we fight for now."