Summary: Andros has lost everything that ever meant something to him… did he?

Scarred

Chapter 25

"There." Nathi sighed, "That's the last. He should be okay now. If he doesn't decide to act up again."

"You know Andros." Zhane shrugged. "Be as difficult as you can be, except maybe when someone asks really, really nicely and even then a hard time is assured. Someone needs to take the liberty to pound some sense into him."

"Hasn't worked before, why would it now?" Elias pointed out with a faint smile.

"I didn't say it had to work, but it does make me feel better." Zhane shot back. "Besides, he has a thick head."

"He does. I've lost count of all the times he should have been knocked out when he just got up and walked away." Nathi giggled quietly at that.

"Oh, about a million or so." Kobin put in, grinning. "Of course, he did pass out later half the time."

"Sounds like Andros has a long history of getting knocked down." Cassie observed, a little overwhelmed.

"Andros's sole purpose in life is to set a universal record of biting the dust." Zhane grinned. "Of course, you should see him when he's drunk. Can't tell up from down."

"You'd have to get him drunk first." Nathi pointed out. "And since he doesn't touch alcohol, you'd have a hard time doing so."

"Yeah…" Zhane replied distantly. "Something like that."

Obviously Zhane's mind was miles, maybe even light-years, away, but none of them felt like calling him back. Cassie's eyes fell on Andros. His chest was slowly rising and falling, as if he was merely asleep and hadn't just kicked a few gods and taunted them to take his life away 'if they dared'. Then again, she reflected wryly, from what the other rangers said, it sounded as if he did that a lot.

He felt he had killed someone, she remembered. Desperately she wanted to know whom and she was sure the others would too. Sure Andros was a hothead and reckless at times, but never once had she considered him a murderer, for lack of a better word. Clearly she remembered the look on his face when he told them what happened to Ashley. Could that possibly have anything to do with his mutterings?

"When Andros has recovered, we'll have to visit the Ranger Dome." Zhane muttered suddenly. "We'll have to make sure you're you."

"Can't Deca just do that?" Cassie inquired a bit surprised the almighty AI might not be able to do everything.

"Yes, but she needs something to compare them to. Files on them could have been altered without leaving a trace. That's why we've got ranger IDs, they can only be changed on Eltar and even then they need to make new ones. Our old ones should still be in the Ranger Dome, might as well pick them up."

"We should get Andros to make you and your friends temporary ones too." Nathi told Cassie. "You never know when you need them."

"But Eltar has fallen." Cassie protested.

"What?!" Elias and Kobin exclaimed, jumping up.

"Sit down." Nathi ordered them, slightly annoyed. "And I know that. The planet I landed on was more aware of the universe and on-goings in the League than they were of them. I told them to hide when they figured out Darkonda was coming to collect me. No one seems to know about the Ferastee and I wasn't planning on leaving them any wiser. Their safety was more important than my life."

"Spoken like a true ranger." Zhane agreed.

"But anyway, that's not what we were discussing. I didn't say we'd go to Eltar to have Andros fix you up with IDs. Rangers weren't always able to reach Eltar when in need of a new ID. Team leaders were able to make temporary IDs until Eltar can be reached. So, Andros should be able to make some for you, until we get Eltar back under our control."

"That's good." Cassie agreed.

She was about to say something, but was interrupted by Kobin's grumbling stomach. Elias looked up and gently rubbed his stomach.

"Okay, who else is hungry?" He asked.

"Everyone?" Nathi suggested, her face sour.

"Go eat something, I'll stay here with Andros." Zhane offered.

"I don't know…" Nathi started, hesitant at leaving.

"Food. Now – no complaining. Come." Kobin ordered, grabbing hold of her upper arm and dragging her with him.

Elias and Cassie followed with amused looks on their faces.

"I'll bring you something later." Cassie promised.

Holding Bay

When they walked into holding bay, Laura and Carlos were already picking at their food in silence. They barely looked up when they entered, but Carlos gave them a brief nod in greeting.

"Hey, you got pierced ears." Nathi noticed when as she sat down across from Laura.

"So?" The yellow ranger shrugged, taking a half-hearted bite of her food.

"Where can you do that?" Nathi asked.

"Why? Two holes in your ears not enough?" Laura shot back.

"No, two's just fine, but in case you haven't noticed, Kobin's only got one." Nathi glared at her.

"Nathi!" Kobin groaned.

"Jewellers." Cassie answered distantly. "I'll take you later if you want. But why do you want to pierce Kobin's ear again?"

"It's tradition." Elias explained. "When half a year old, girls get both their ears pierced, boys only their left. Then the day they turn sixteen, their ears get pierced a second time. It's kind of like a sign of maturity. Sixteen is also the legal age to join the army."

"That actually sounds kinda cool." Cassie smiled.

"Yeah, but we had to fight the moment we could hold our own as a team. I know I was eleven at that time, though I think Andros was too." Kobin put in.

"I know for sure Andros was still eleven, we got put into action about six days after Zhane turned twelve." Elias pointed out.

"You pretty much grew up fighting, haven't you?" Carlos spoke for the first time, a hint of sorrow in her voice.

"Not an ideal way to grow up, but yeah, it's life. I think you can imagine why we so desperately would want our kids to grow up in a safe universe." Nathi whispered.

"Yeah." Cassie muttered. "I see."

A/N: Hope you liked it. Review!