Ch 24

Finding Zordon wasn't easy. They hadn't expected it to be. Dark Specter's ship moved constantly and Zordon along with it. And there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for the movement other than to keep anyone (especially the rangers) off his trail.

It was working.

Three weeks later and the rangers were no closer to finding Zordon than they were to telling Astronema about the Veo Prism. Astronema continued her polite routine, and her destruction of Andros' room had been forgotten. She had even been helpful. That's how they knew that Dark Specter's ship was moving. That's how they were able to figure out where to go next. And she hadn't asked about the prism shards. Zhane would make a show of mentioning a lead on the shards whenever she was around and she seemed satisfied with that even though none of the leads had panned out.

Honestly, she had been more and more distracted lately. She and Andros met in the cargo bay to talk often. They talked about everything. Their parents. Their old house. KO-35. How they were raised. Only one subject was brought up once and then never again –what they would do once the Veo Prism was destroyed.

Astronema had asked and Andros had nearly blown their cover. The prism couldn't be destroyed, but he'd caught himself before the words came out. Besides, it hadn't been what she'd meant. He's sure that what she'd wanted to ask was whether they would go back to fighting on opposite sides again. Would she go back to trying to kill him and his friends? Would she go back to trying to take over the universe?

Andros couldn't answer any of that. Only she would be able to do that. He certainly didn't want to go back to fighting her. He told her as much and she had agreed, but then things grew very quiet. If she stopped doing any of those things, what would she do then? Quit and hope that her colony took her back –the colony of people that Dark Specter's forces had driven from their homes? Join the team of rangers that didn't trust her?

But then she had asked about something else and things had gotten less confusing again.

Andros felt bad for lying to her about the shards. He felt bad for not telling Ashley and the others about Astronema being his sister. Every day, Andros felt bad about those things. But he let other things distract him long enough to push the bad away for a while. Training with Ashley helped.

The muscle accelerator had done a good job of making Ashley look stronger, but her parents and brother still worried about her leaving the hospital so soon. Nothing would change, Mrs. Hammond had told him. She still expected to hear from Andros. So every day, Andros told the Hammonds that he was doing well and that Ashley's physical therapy was going well and that she was getting stronger every day. And that was true. But the muscle accelerator effects hadn't worn off yet either, and there was no telling how strong or weak Ashley would be once it did.

But Ashley told Andros and her family not to worry. She was okay and where she belonged –fighting beside her friends. After stumbling a little during physical therapy today, she was telling Andros again as he rushed to her side.

"Andros, I'm okay," she said. "My legs are just a little shaky today. We've been training almost all day."

Andros sighed. "I know. I just want you strong. The last thing we want is for you to lose the use of your legs during a fight. I want you –"

" –stronger than you," she finished with a smile. "Yes, I know. We're getting there. But we also don't want to overdo it."

He nodded. "Are you tired? Do you need to take a break for a while? You probably need to–"

"Andros," Ashley started, a little warning in her voice as she stood from the exercise bike and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Relax. I feel okay. My legs feel okay. And I promise that the second I think that might not be true, I will let you know."

Andros nodded again, taking a deep breath and wrapping his arms around her waist. He loved how comfortable they had gotten with each other since their kiss. He loved the kisses that had followed over the following weeks. He loved her more and more with each moment they spent together. And Ashley, when she wasn't being stressed out by his anxious energy, seemed to feel the same.

"Hey," Ashley said softly, when he seemed to blank out for a moment. "Where are you right now?"

Andros just looked at her, into her eyes and then away from them because there was so much worry there. Worry and expectations and fear and hope. It was all too much. But a gentle hand under his chin shifted his attention back to her and he sighed. He had already spilled the biggest secret he'd had to her. Lying to her didn't feel good and he wasn't about to do it again.

"I have to tell you something," he said. The door was closed and everyone was either on the bridge or on the Simudeck. No one would come in, but he still had to fight every instinct to have DECA completely lock the ship down just in case.

Andros led Ashley to a weight bench and sat down beside her. "Okay… So, right before you got here –the same day Zhane brought you the muscle accelerator –I…" He cleared his throat and started over. "Astronema is, um…"

Why won't the words come out? It should be easy. Astronema is his sister and he's been lying about it because he was afraid all the trust he'd worked so hard to build back up would instantly dissolve. And he's sorry for lying, but here's the truth now and hopefully that will make up for three weeks of keeping this festering secret.

Ashley lowered her eyes. "Did you and Astronema –?"

"No!" Andros shook his head violently. "Absolutely not." He's not even sure what she was going to say, but her tone of voice had suggested something romantic or sexual and he wasn't mentally prepared to even allow the words into existence. "Astronema is my sister."

The words just sat there a while, existing in the world the same way air does. Andros waited for the blowback, but the only response he received was: "Are you sure?"

"Yes. She saw the pictures of us when we were children and thought I had stolen them from her. She had those same pictures in a locket around her neck. And looking at her –talkingwith her, I'm sure."

Ashley raised her eyebrows. "Okay. So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. She and I talk a lot now –about home and our family. Little things we remember from when we were kids. It's been really nice. She's been nice." He smiled and Ashley slid her hand over his.

"Then, this is a good thing."

"I really hope so," he replied. "Because I want to trust her. I want to believe that maybe she's willing to stay on our side. But I don't know. It could be a trick. Maybe she's getting closer to me so she can find out about the shards or…" He sighed and shook his head. "I want to trust her."

Ashley rested her head against his. "Then, trust her."

"Easier said than done." Andros smiled. "And Zhane's never going to trust her. But I want to tell him about her. Maybe once I tell him, he'll see how much she's already started to change… Is that stupid?"

"That you want your best friend to know that you finally found your sister? No, it's not stupid." Ashley smiled and stood up, reaching out for him. "Come on."

Andros took her hand and stood up. "Where are we going?"

"To tell Zhane."

Andros raised his eyebrows. "Now?"

"Don't you want to get it over with?"

He really did, but right at this second? But then, he couldn't really think of a reason not to. He wanted Zhane to know and he was tired of being in his head all day whenever he was around him. Things were still good between them and he should know.

Andros let Ashley lead him to the bridge, surprised to see everyone standing in there. Even Astronema was there. For what, he couldn't guess.

"Good, you're here," Zhane said as they joined the others. "Now we can start."

"What's going on?" Andros asked.

Zhane nodded at the viewing screen, where footage of destruction was playing. In the center of it all was Darkonda, Tsukon, and Mirit.

"Where are they?" Andros asked, already knowing the answer.

"Earth," Zhane replied. "We're on our way, but it'll take an hour or so. They attacked the hospital a little while ago. They've moved on, but…"

"They were looking for us," Andros said.

Ashley lowered her eyes. "Looking for me. Was anyone hurt?"

Zhane hesitated a moment before he nodded. "A handful of injuries, no deaths… And there was another pulse."

Andros looked to the Veo Tech Rangers. "Why? What happened?"

Tommy shook his head. "Not sure. But it was a big enough pulse that we all felt it this time."

Kimberly raised her arm to show off her morpher, which was flashing brightly. "And our morphers are reacting to something. It started about half an hour ago."

"Let me guess –about the time the monsters started attacking?" Andros asked.

"Yeah," Zhane replied. "So it's safe to say that this fight could be leading to something big, which means that we're going to need all the help we can get." He sighed and turned to Astronema. "Astronema? Think you can stand to fight with us?"

Without an ounce of defiance or rudeness on her face, Astronema nodded. "The last time I saw Darkonda, I destroyed him. I doubt he'll think us allies now."

Andros bit the inside of his cheeks to stay silent. On one hand, he was ecstatic that his sister would be fighting by his side –Ashley too. And maybe they were strong enough to win this fight. But what if they weren't? He had just started connecting with Astronema –no, with Karone. He couldn't lose her. And he had barely made it through Ashley's coma. He didn't want to lose her again either.

For the first time in a long time, Andros didn't want to fight and he didn't want anyone else to fight either. It was the most selfish thought he'd had in a while, and he had almost said it out loud.

He had nearly killed himself trying to take these monsters down before. Even with everyone, Super Veo Tech mode, Astronema, and Ashley at one hundred percent, it might not be enough to win. If only they had defeated those monsters the first time, then none of this would be happening.

And that's when he felt it.

A sharp wave of energy that shook his vision and moved through his body.

Couldn't be anything else.

A pulse.

No one else reacted. No one else seemed to see everything growing brighter and brighter.

Then, everything went dark.

-0-0-0-0-0-

A huge explosion sounded behind Andros and the surrounding darkness went away as Andros was knocked to the ground by the blast. A familiar laugh turned Andros' head and sent a chill down his spine.

Darkonda –no, Tsukonda was standing several feet away and in front of the Astro Megaship with Mirit by his side.

Andros frowned. This didn't fit the pattern of his most recent nightmares. This felt real. But where was he? The Veo Tech Rangers weren't anywhere that he could see. It was just him and the other Astrorangers.

"What's the matter, rangers? Too tired to play?" Tsukonda laughed again, walking towards the rangers. "Here, let's see if we can get you all back to sleep."

Andros remembered this. He was back on Wateth, where he had first fought Darkonda, Tsukon, and Mirit. But he wasn't just back on the planet, he was back to the exact day that his friends had been killed. Except, everyone was still alive.

The Veo Prism must have sent him back, but how? He hadn't meant to activate it, but he couldn't deny that he was exactly where he would have wanted to be.

This was it. This was just before Arcadia had died. She would run toward him, trying to save him before Tsukonda's blast could reach him. And then, she would die on the ground in front of him. The others would follow shortly thereafter.

Not today.

Andros ran to Zhane, who had practically frozen in place, just watching everything unfold. The other rangers were fighting off Mirit, but Tsukonda had zeroed in on Andros and Zhane, walking toward them. They didn't have much time.

Andros put a hand on Zhane's shoulder, slowly getting his full attention. "We have to retreat," he said.

Zhane shook his head. "No, you were right. The ship's damaged. We'll never get off the ground fast enough to keep those monsters off our tail. We have to finish this now, like you said."

He had said that. Not long before this, Andros had blown off Zhane's suggestion of retreat. He had told him that their team could put those monsters down. But he knew better now.

"Red Ranger," Tsukonda called out, pointing at him with his sword. "Did I hear the word 'retreat'? What's the matter, not feeling so confident anymore?"

Engaging him wouldn't do him any favors, but he was coming closer. Not too likely he'd just let him and Zhane keep talking. Andros called for his Spiral Saber, but he kept his attention mainly on Zhane. "I know what I said, but just listen to me. We can't win this fight, and we have to get off of this planet right now or our friends are going to die."

Andros could have made this easier on himself. He had the same ability as Zhane to call everyone back, but this was Zhane's team and so this was his decision. Andros wasn't about to step on his toes. Unless he made the wrong call. Then, Andros would handle it.

"Destroying you two will make us legends." Tsukonda laughed and raised his sword at them.

Andros blocked with his Spiral Saber, but didn't attack further. "Zhane, make the call!"

Zhane nodded and raised his communicator to his face. "DECA, teleport six!"

The second Andros felt his feet touch the Megaship floor, he rushed around the bridge, pressing buttons to lock down the ship and checking system functions. He easily ignored the clearly annoyed rangers standing behind him with their arms folded.

"What was that?" Camilla asked, looking from the seemingly still frozen Silver Ranger and the Red Ranger that kept his eyes on the small screens in front of him. After a moment, she walked up to Zhane and waited for his troubled eyes to focus on hers. "Zhane? What happened?"

Zhane sighed. "We weren't winning."

Zeke shook his head. "No, that's not what happened. We were all on the same page until Andros took that hit and walked over to you. He said something to you before you made that call." He reached out and turned Andros around with a frown, confused by the glistening tears reflected in them. "Explain."

"We weren't going to win that fight," Andros replied softly.

"How do you know?" Zeke asked.

"Because I do!" he snapped. "Those weren't just any monsters! They were the best of Dark Specter's arsenal! They weren't going to go down after a few hits with the Quadroblaster! We were lucky to get out of there alive!"

Zeke turned to Zhane. "You made us look like cowards based on Andros' gut feeling? Is that right?"

"Look at us." Zhane gestured at the others and himself, his eyes scanning their darkening bruises and tattered clothing. "We were losing. And I wanted to make the call earlier, but I figured those monsters would just go in harder on the ship and we'd lose it completely. I don't care if we look like cowards. If this one moment ruins our reputation after two years of fighting evil, then so be it. I'm not worried. But I'm alive, and so are you. So, let's heal ourselves, heal the ship, and move on."

Tylan lowered his eyes. "Sorry, but all I'm hearing is that some time between Andros telling us how great a team we are and right now, you got scared and lost faith in what we can do. We're the Power Rangers. We make sacrifices that no one else can. We fight. We win. And when we don't win, we go down fighting. We don't run away."

Andros shook his head. "We make sacrifices to save others, sometimes each other, but it's not a sacrifice if it doesn't mean anything. And I wasn't going to let any of us die for nothing… It would've been for nothing! We wouldn't have destroyed those monsters, not for good. They were too strong. And I'm sorry. I get that you're angry, but I'd rather have you angry and alive."

Andros met eyes with Arcadia, who had been surprisingly quiet through everything. He started toward her, but she was fading into a bright white light that continued to grow brighter and brighter.

"No," Andros whispered. "No, wait. Not yet!"

Then, there was darkness again.