Forever Alone
By Jeni
Peace, Love, and a whole lot of candles.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. I know this, but I don't like it.
Author's Note: I apologize in advance for any typos or mistakes I might make… I sprained my wrist so it's a little difficult to type… I should catch most of the mistakes but a few will probably escape my notice. Again, sorry in advance. Oh, um... Is this the fourth? Yeah. This is the fourth chapter in the Color Trouble series, hope you like it. Big, Big, BIG thanks to Starhawk for letting me borrow Saryn's character, and for providing me with his history so I could write this fic. Linnse and Tobin, and the Frontier Defense for the Border worlds also belong to Starhawk, which means the history belongs to her as well, and is used with her permission. And remember: If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But if you don't like lemonade, you're screwed.
"Two hundred and twenty-one, two hundred and twenty-two…"
Beside him, Cassie stirred and pushed herself up on her elbows to squint at him through sleep-filled eyes. "What are you doing?" she murmured.
He shrugged. "Counting."
She stared at him, and he squirmed a little under the gaze. He wasn't used to being stared at, and it was even more disconcerting when the stare came from her. "Counting what?" she asked, her tone sounding a little exasperated but at the same time amused. "How many hours we've been here?"
He turned his head, thankful once again for the helmet that masked his face. He didn't trust himself when around the Pink Ranger. She was so beautiful, from her midnight black hair to the light tint of brown in her eyes, and he was desperately afraid she would one day find out how much he cared for her.
But he shook the thought away with a tilt of his head. As long as he stayed morphed he would be okay. *Just,* he reluctantly admitted, *until my crystal overtaxes. We have to escape before that happens.*
"We have not been here for two hundred and twenty-three hours," he informed Cassie. Surely she must know that.
The pink ranger laughed shortly, and he blinked at the loveliness of the sound. "I know," she grinned. "It's just a form of speech. It feels like we've been here for ages."
He frowned, knowing she wouldn't be able to see his expression under his visor, and offered, "You have been here for approximately two days." He paused, then added quietly, "I am sure your team will be searching for you."
Cassie sighed, her demeanor immediately turning serious. "Searching for me, yes." She shook her head. "Finding me, though? That's another matter. They'll have no idea were the Dark Fortress is, so they'll most likely scan sector be sector. And that kind of scanning can take *forever.*"
"Yet they have no other choice." He didn't understand why he was defending the Astro Rangers. In truth, he had met all of them before, most of them when they were turbo rangers, but that wasn't what had prompted him to speak. After all, he barely even knew them. The only ranger he knew well enough to call a friend was the red astro ranger, Andros.
He could recall the day he met Andros clearly. Depressed, angry and in pain, the red ranger had just witnessed the death of his entire ranger team. He had gone to Eltar in search of Zordon, but Phantom didn't know why. He had never asked, and the other ranger had never offered any explanation. But the red ranger had been present at the Battle of Eltar, and had fought valiantly with Phantom until they were forced to retreat and go their separate ways.
"Oh, I'm not angry with them," Cassie shook her head, sending her long hair rippling in the dim light, and his breath caught as it shimmered. "I know it's not their fault. In fact…" she sighed. "If it's anyone's fault it's mine. I should have listened to them and stayed on the ship. But instead I went down to help fight a monster and was captured."
"Elisia is nearly defenseless," he countered harshly. "I will not stand by and do nothing to aid my planet during its time of need."
Linnse flung up her hands. "Of course not!" she cried. "What was I thinking? Listen," her voice softened and she folded her arms across her chest- a sure sign that she was both sympathetic and irritated. "I know you just lost your team. And I know Elisia is defenseless. But if you go back there now, you'll be killed."
He turned away from Eltar's only female ranger. Staring down at his ruby, he muttered quietly, "There are worse things."
With a start he jerked back to present day. Cassie was still watching him, waiting for his response as if she had just finished speaking. But what had she been saying? Her mouth was moving again. He strained to hear, desperately trying to make out what she was saying, but it was of no use. His crystal was overtaxed; he had remained morphed for too long. Yet he couldn't demorph now, not in front of her…
Black obscured his vision and at the same instant a wave of exhaustion overcame him. He struggled to stay upright, to assure Cassie he was fine, but it was all he could do to remain conscious. He would have frowned, if he had the energy. His crystal overtaxed frequently; whenever he stayed in his morph too long it would drain his strength, but it had never acted so swiftly and with so little warning.
He shook his head in desperation, but it was no good. He was losing consciousness rapidly. A bright flash of white before his eyes, a humbled voice saying he had failed his team and was searching for Zordon, then black, blacker even than the deepened color of Cassie's hair, and then he knew no more.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Simudeck was in use. Frowning, Ashley still managed to somehow maintain her usual cheerful expression, and asked, "Deca? Are you sure I'm supposed to be here?"
The computer blinked at her. "You may enter while the program is running. It will not disrupt the program and will not cause injury to yourself or the person in there."
"Oh, I know it won't," Ashley replied hastily, still looking at the camera. "I've done it before. But I don't want to intrude."
"You will not be intruding." Deca's voice answered primly, with a touch of what Ashley could have sworn was impatience.
She shrugged. "Very well, if you say so."
She was about to take a step forward, when Deca replied, "I do say so."
Surprised, Ashley halted in mid-step, throwing her arms out to catch herself on the wall before she stumbled. "What?"
She knew Deca could get an attitude. All the astro rangers did. To make Deca mad meant something totally unexpected and unwanted was going to happen to you. But the computer had never before talked to her in such a manner. She would have smiled, if she hadn't been so confused. Deca sounded like a sulky little kid.
"I said you will not be intruding." If there had been any doubt left in Ashley's mind whether Deca was more than just a computer, the simple statement washed it away. Computers didn't get impatient, and Deca was definitely impatient, judging by the tone of her voice.
"Okay," Ashley sighed. "I won't be intruding." She began walking to the entrance, when Deca interrupted her once again.
"No matter what anyone says, you are not intruding."
This time Ashley did stumble. When she had recovered her balance, she turned again to the computer, a sense of uneasiness beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. "Just what is that remark supposed to mean?" she asked hesitantly.
The computer blinked. "It means you might not be welcome at first. And you most likely will have an argument."
"An argument with who? And why do you want me to go in if I'm not wanted?"
"You are wanted," Deca answered, her voice softening. "You are desperately wanted and needed, even if he doesn't yet realize it."
He. That meant Deca was probably referring to Andros. Ashley sighed, shifting so her back was facing the simudeck's door and sat down.
"He doesn't like me, Deca. He doesn't like anyone." Ashley drew her legs to her chest and clasped her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees. She had liked Andros the instant he had demorphed for the first time in front of her.
She had been foolish, then, she knew. Walking around and poking him like he was some type of an exotic exhibit at one of Earth's museums. He had looked at her as coldly then as he still did to this very day. She sighed dejectedly. "My regard means nothing to him, Deca. You made a mistake."
"Your regard," Deca stated flatly, "means everything to him. He just doesn't realize it."
"Yeah," Ashley muttered, "and that's why he's so mean to me." She knew in a way that she was being unfair. Andros had, after all, been very gentle when cleaning her wound. Yet she still didn't understand him. During that time she had thought she had finally, to some extent, broken through his shell. His sudden kindness and concern had been completely unexpected. Thinking back, she could remember seeing the surprise on his face, as if he thought he wasn't capable of feeling anything anymore.
She curled her fist in determination. She had reached him for a brief time. He was still capable of feeling hurt, pain… concern. She would reach him again, but this time, she wouldn't stop until he admitted it to himself. No matter what he, or anyone else, said.
She stood up and walked purposely to the Simudeck's entrance. She had a mission. One more important than any other she had ever had before, and one ten times harder than fighting Astronema or her army.
Engrossed in her thinking, she didn't see Deca's smug blink before the computer regained her usual air of pretence indifference.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You can't help Elisia like this," Linnse stated flatly. She was positioned between himself and the door, blocking his only way out.
"I can, and I will!" He clenched his fist angrily. "You would do the same if Eltar were under attack."
Linnse shook her head. "That is different. Eltar has more than one ranger. Elisia only has one. You."
"Which is why I must go there!" He limped forward, clutching his newly-obtained ruby. "It will be unprotected! You must let me go!"
"No." The voice was spoken from behind him. He whirled, wincing slightly as a veil of black danced before his eyes. He was still unused to this form of power.
The voice belonged to Tobin, an Eltaran ranger with Linnse. "No," Tobin repeated. "You must not go. You are alone. You would have no chance against Dark Spectre's forces."
"I will have a better chance than anyone on Elisia right now," the Shadow ranger muttered. "It is wrong for you to detain me here."
"Listen to us, Saryn!" Linnse pleaded. "There has to be another way. You won't do Elisia any good if you are killed."
"And I'm not doing them any good alive, either, so what difference does it make?" He didn't even notice the use of his name.
Tobin's voice sounded from the Shadow Ranger's left, and he tried very hard not to jump. "One ranger is not enough to defend Elisia. Even if he can turn invisible-" Tobin shot a meaningful look in his direction, "Or the worlds in a similar predicament. We need something bigger, something stronger."
Linnse snapped her fingers. "What if the rangers were only used for secondary defense? You know, if some of Dark Spectre's forces somehow managed to get to the targeted planet…" she trailed off, her eyes bright in excitement.
The Shadow Ranger of Elisia, also known as Saryn, nodded. "Perhaps," he said quietly, "if we could form a defense system- one so powerful and large it could prevent any forces from reaching a planet's surface, we would have a chance."
"And the citizens of every non-ranger protected planet that petitions for protection would not unguarded," Linnse smiled. "That's a great idea! But can we do it?"
"We have no choice," Saryn crossed his arms tiredly. "If we could form a defense system to defend the Border worlds then any danger could be destroyed before doing any real harm."
Tobin shrugged. "We have to try," he said. "If anyone can form this Defense, we rangers can."
Linnse smiled. "You're right. Even if we fail, at least we tried."
As one, each ranger extended one arm and clasped wrists. "And if we do succeed," Saryn began, and Linnse smiled. "Then Elisia and all the other Border worlds will be safe," she finished.
"All the other Border worlds will be safe… all the other Border worlds will be safe…" the voice echoed, slowly fading from his hearing. Blackness returned, and a strange voice, whispering something he couldn't quite hear…
The voice faded into nothingness as a different image took the place of Linnse and Tobin. He saw himself, unmorphed, staring into the deep darkness of space, in the direction of Earth. He wasn't morphed…
He wasn't morphed…
Slowly, he reached up to touch his forehead when a hand intercepted his arm. He could feel the soft skin against his own. Startled, he jerked away, realizing he had somehow demorphed without meaning to. He didn't understand. Never before had he demorphed unless he willed it to happen, and never before had he demorphed in his sleep.
"Phantom?" Cassie's voice. She was right there, next to him. She was the one who had pulled him out of the daze he had fallen into. But how? No other person, ranger or non, had been able to wake him after his crystal overtaxed.
"Phantom? Are you…" the hesitation in the pink astro ranger's voice was strong. "Are you all right?"
He sighed, recognizing the genuine concern the other ranger held for him. It was the same concern he held for her, and no matter what he told himself, he knew he cared for her greatly.
"Phantom?" He nodded slightly and was surprised when the movement caused nothing more than a slight sense of dizziness.
"I am… well," he managed at last, only it wasn't as difficult to say as it seemed it should have been, and with sudden clarity he realized his response was very near the truth. Aside from being slightly tired, he felt normal. Yet he had collapsed from sheer exhaustion, caused by remaining in his morph too long, and had been healed somehow.
That was the only explanation. His exhaustion had been drained away, leaving a mere spark of sleepiness in its wake.
But who healed him? Astronema was the only sorceress powerful enough to do so, but he highly doubted she wanted him alive and well, even for possible hostage use. Another factor was that she didn't even know where he was, therefore it making it nearly impossible for her to perform any healing ritual well enough for it to take immediate effect.
That still left the question unanswered. He leaned back against the cold wall of the dungeon with a tired sigh.
Cassie must have interpreted the sigh the wrong way, for she was at his side in an instant. "Are you all right?" Her voice was soft, gentle, and he nearly lost himself in the sweetness of the tone.
"I am well," he answered, feeling her hand on his arm. The slight form of physical contact instantly reminded him of the fact that he was still unmorphed. He avoided her gaze, afraid to see repulsion or anger in her eyes.
A whisper of air startled him and he looked at her as she sat by his side. "Look at me when you say it," she instructed, her voice low and husky, and he swallowed.
Fixing his gaze on her nose, he repeated, "I am well."
She shook her head. "Look in my eyes and say it."
He frowned, reaching up to brush a dark lock of hair away from his icy blue eyes. Slowly, he raised his gaze to that of hers, hesitant in the fear of what he might see.
What he saw took his breath away. Love and compassion shone from her dark brown eyes with concern underlying the two stronger emotions. Gazing deep into the depths of her crystal eyes, he was at her mercy. "I am well," he breathed. Silently, he added that he was better now then he had been in years. He did not say it aloud for fear of alarming her. She may like him now but if he came onto her too fast it might scare her away.
Her eyebrow furrowed, her gaze still fixed on his, until at last she nodded as if satisfied. "I believe you."
He allowed a brief quirk of his lips before turning his face away. "Thank you."
He sensed her shrug. "Sure." She cuddled up next to him. "So what do you say?"
Surprised, he looked at her. She was staring at him eagerly, radiating a sense of overly enthusiastic optimism. Hesitantly, not sure what she meant, he asked, "What do I say about what?"
She shrugged again. "About escaping. We can't just sit here and wait for my team to arrive. We should-"
She broke off at his sudden hiss in warning as a soft clanking sound reached his ears. Moving as one, they slid silently into the darkest corner of the cell in hopes the shadows would be enough cover. If not… Saryn flexed his wrist experimentally. He was no longer tired, which meant his crystal was back to full strength. Not only would he be able to morph, but he would be able to fight. And he could defend Cassie if he needed to. But he hoped there would be no cause for that.
A bright flash of silver bobbed into focus, slowly drawing nearer. It appeared to be a Quantron, but between the distance and the darkened light he wasn't sure. It moved forward at a steady pace until it reached the cell in which he and Cassie were hidden.
The quantron made no move to enter, instead it reached out, closing the cell doors firmly and latching them tightly together. A quick shake informed it they wouldn't be opened without a key, and it moved on, echos resounding as a result of it testing the doors.
From her position next to him, Cassie sighed, slumping down to the floor in a dejected manner. "Great," he heard her mutter. "Just great. We're right back where we started."
He shrugged, knowing she couldn't see the movement as she wasn't looking at him, and sat down beside her. "All we can do is wait and hope your team finds us."
Her head turned toward him and their gazes locked. Neither one of them wanted to say it, but they both felt they couldn't afford to wait that long.
They remained silent, listening to the squeaks and groans of the Dark Fortress, and slowly drifted off into an unpleasant and dreamless sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Look, I'm not saying you don't care about us, I'm just saying that you act like you don't!" Ashley crossed her arms in irritation. Andros sat next to her, glaring at her furiously.
She had walked into his simudeck program to see him sitting under a tree in what she assumed was a simulaton of a park from his home world. She had approached him boldly, sitting next to him before he noticed her and commenting on the beauty of the place. He had brushed her aside with a simple shrug, obviously intending to ignore her until she went away.
But she didn't go away, and what had started as a one sided conversation quickly turned into a heated debate.
"If you don't like how I act, then leave me alone!" Andros snapped. Sitting under the tree on the bright green grass he looked for all the world like a rebellious teenager. Long hair, earrings, wearing red and gray… Ashley pushed the sudden image of him in one of California's many gangs to the back of her mind. Any other time it might have been funny, but now…
"I can't leave you alone."
Andros snorted. "You mean you won't! Just because you're my teammate doesn't mean I have to like you- or your company."
Ashley's own temper finally snapped. It took a lot to make her angry, but when she reached that point she could be incredibly nasty. "Do you actually think of us as your teammates?" She demanded hotly. "Do you? Or do you consider us to be some people who you have to share your ship with?"
"Hey, I don't have to share my ship with anyone," Andros retorted. "I chose to let you stay on my ship."
"You had no choice at all," Ashley snapped. "Sooner or later you would have had to have let us on your precious ship. And no, just because I'm your teammate doesn't mean that you have to like me. But it does mean that you have to keep us informed. You can't keep us at a distance all the time!"
Andros rolled his eyes. "I don't. Now leave me alone."
Ashley shook her head. "Not good enough!" she cried. "You put up with us when you have to. You didn't come tell us about the Dark Fortress in person. You had Deca do it. That's not good enough."
Andros whirled. His face was a light shade of red, but whether it was from embarrassment or anger Ashley couldn't tell. "Not good enough?" he roared, and she blinked at the strength in his voice. "Not good enough. Since when do I have to live up to expectations, to regulations regarding your team?"
"Hey!" Ashley began hotly, rising on her knees. "It's not my team. It's our team. It's your team! It's everyone's team! Got it?"
Andros raised himself on his knees to match her stare to stare. His aggressiveness actually surprised Ashley, for he usually avoided looking at her when he spoke. "No! It is NOT my team! I didn't ask for one. I came back from a mission to find you snooping around. I did fine on my own. I didn't need your help then, and I don't need it now! I don't need anyone but myself!"
Ashley shook her head. "No," she countered. "That isn't true. You do need our help and you know it. Admit it."
Andros laughed bitterly. The sound made Ashley's back shiver slightly. "Help?" he asked scornfully. "I get no help from you. You want to know what I get from you? Nothing. You're a burden. All of you. You don't know anything about the ship, you don't know anything about Astronema, and you don't know anything about space. So no! Don't say I need your help." He accented the last word with a sneer and plopped back on the ground, face turned away so he couldn't see her.
His words stung Ashley as surely as if he had slapped her in the face. "That's how you think of us?" she whispered, stunned. "As a burden?" Swallowing against the tears which threatened to consume her, she leaned as close to him as she dared. "Then I'm sorry you feel that way. Maybe it would all be better if we just left you alone. I'm sorry." She stood up and walked away, not looking back. She managed to reach her room before she burst into tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andros remained in the same spot several hours after Ashley had left. His legs were drawn up to his chest, arms clasped around them with his chin resting on his knees.
What had he done? What had he said?
*Just because you're my teammate doesn't mean I have to like you- or your company.*
He closed his eyes, swallowing as tears attempted to escape his lashes. The truth was, he did like her, and he did enjoy her company. And that's what scared him. Her coming to confront him had been completely unexpected.
He opened his eyes and turned his glare to Deca. "Thanks, Deca," he said sarcastically. "Thanks for not disturbing me." The camera blinked at him but said nothing. He turned away with a sigh, automatically returning to his original position.
*You want to know what I get from you? Nothing.* He swallowed again, feeling a tear trickle down his cheek. He didn't bother brushing it away. "You want to know what I get from you?" he muttered quietly, miserably. "Compassion." He opened his eyes then shut them again. "And that's what bothers me."
*You're a burden.* He shook his head. "You're not that much of a burden. Only in some battles."
*It is NOT my team!* "But it is," he whispered softly. "It is my team. It's as much my team as it is theirs. We're all a part of it."
*I didn't ask for one. I came back from a mission to find you snooping around. I did fine on my own. I didn't need your help then, and I don't need it now! I don't need anyone but myself!* He winced, remembering the heartbreaking expression of stunned hurt on her face.
"I need to apologize," he whispered hoarsely, and the floodgate of tears opened. Burying his face in his knees, he cried. He cried for the loss of Karone, and for the destruction of KO-35.
He cried to Tyline, for Zyle, for Tsarmina and Desira, his first and only ranger team.
He cried for Zhane, the irrepressible cocky silver ranger, his best friend. For Tammon, his ranger instructor, the stern yet kind hearted man who had always been there when he needed him.
He cried for Kinwon. For his parents.
He cried for himself.
*Well, that's it for the fourth chapter, hope you liked it!*
By Jeni
Peace, Love, and a whole lot of candles.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. I know this, but I don't like it.
Author's Note: I apologize in advance for any typos or mistakes I might make… I sprained my wrist so it's a little difficult to type… I should catch most of the mistakes but a few will probably escape my notice. Again, sorry in advance. Oh, um... Is this the fourth? Yeah. This is the fourth chapter in the Color Trouble series, hope you like it. Big, Big, BIG thanks to Starhawk for letting me borrow Saryn's character, and for providing me with his history so I could write this fic. Linnse and Tobin, and the Frontier Defense for the Border worlds also belong to Starhawk, which means the history belongs to her as well, and is used with her permission. And remember: If life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But if you don't like lemonade, you're screwed.
"Two hundred and twenty-one, two hundred and twenty-two…"
Beside him, Cassie stirred and pushed herself up on her elbows to squint at him through sleep-filled eyes. "What are you doing?" she murmured.
He shrugged. "Counting."
She stared at him, and he squirmed a little under the gaze. He wasn't used to being stared at, and it was even more disconcerting when the stare came from her. "Counting what?" she asked, her tone sounding a little exasperated but at the same time amused. "How many hours we've been here?"
He turned his head, thankful once again for the helmet that masked his face. He didn't trust himself when around the Pink Ranger. She was so beautiful, from her midnight black hair to the light tint of brown in her eyes, and he was desperately afraid she would one day find out how much he cared for her.
But he shook the thought away with a tilt of his head. As long as he stayed morphed he would be okay. *Just,* he reluctantly admitted, *until my crystal overtaxes. We have to escape before that happens.*
"We have not been here for two hundred and twenty-three hours," he informed Cassie. Surely she must know that.
The pink ranger laughed shortly, and he blinked at the loveliness of the sound. "I know," she grinned. "It's just a form of speech. It feels like we've been here for ages."
He frowned, knowing she wouldn't be able to see his expression under his visor, and offered, "You have been here for approximately two days." He paused, then added quietly, "I am sure your team will be searching for you."
Cassie sighed, her demeanor immediately turning serious. "Searching for me, yes." She shook her head. "Finding me, though? That's another matter. They'll have no idea were the Dark Fortress is, so they'll most likely scan sector be sector. And that kind of scanning can take *forever.*"
"Yet they have no other choice." He didn't understand why he was defending the Astro Rangers. In truth, he had met all of them before, most of them when they were turbo rangers, but that wasn't what had prompted him to speak. After all, he barely even knew them. The only ranger he knew well enough to call a friend was the red astro ranger, Andros.
He could recall the day he met Andros clearly. Depressed, angry and in pain, the red ranger had just witnessed the death of his entire ranger team. He had gone to Eltar in search of Zordon, but Phantom didn't know why. He had never asked, and the other ranger had never offered any explanation. But the red ranger had been present at the Battle of Eltar, and had fought valiantly with Phantom until they were forced to retreat and go their separate ways.
"Oh, I'm not angry with them," Cassie shook her head, sending her long hair rippling in the dim light, and his breath caught as it shimmered. "I know it's not their fault. In fact…" she sighed. "If it's anyone's fault it's mine. I should have listened to them and stayed on the ship. But instead I went down to help fight a monster and was captured."
"Elisia is nearly defenseless," he countered harshly. "I will not stand by and do nothing to aid my planet during its time of need."
Linnse flung up her hands. "Of course not!" she cried. "What was I thinking? Listen," her voice softened and she folded her arms across her chest- a sure sign that she was both sympathetic and irritated. "I know you just lost your team. And I know Elisia is defenseless. But if you go back there now, you'll be killed."
He turned away from Eltar's only female ranger. Staring down at his ruby, he muttered quietly, "There are worse things."
With a start he jerked back to present day. Cassie was still watching him, waiting for his response as if she had just finished speaking. But what had she been saying? Her mouth was moving again. He strained to hear, desperately trying to make out what she was saying, but it was of no use. His crystal was overtaxed; he had remained morphed for too long. Yet he couldn't demorph now, not in front of her…
Black obscured his vision and at the same instant a wave of exhaustion overcame him. He struggled to stay upright, to assure Cassie he was fine, but it was all he could do to remain conscious. He would have frowned, if he had the energy. His crystal overtaxed frequently; whenever he stayed in his morph too long it would drain his strength, but it had never acted so swiftly and with so little warning.
He shook his head in desperation, but it was no good. He was losing consciousness rapidly. A bright flash of white before his eyes, a humbled voice saying he had failed his team and was searching for Zordon, then black, blacker even than the deepened color of Cassie's hair, and then he knew no more.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Simudeck was in use. Frowning, Ashley still managed to somehow maintain her usual cheerful expression, and asked, "Deca? Are you sure I'm supposed to be here?"
The computer blinked at her. "You may enter while the program is running. It will not disrupt the program and will not cause injury to yourself or the person in there."
"Oh, I know it won't," Ashley replied hastily, still looking at the camera. "I've done it before. But I don't want to intrude."
"You will not be intruding." Deca's voice answered primly, with a touch of what Ashley could have sworn was impatience.
She shrugged. "Very well, if you say so."
She was about to take a step forward, when Deca replied, "I do say so."
Surprised, Ashley halted in mid-step, throwing her arms out to catch herself on the wall before she stumbled. "What?"
She knew Deca could get an attitude. All the astro rangers did. To make Deca mad meant something totally unexpected and unwanted was going to happen to you. But the computer had never before talked to her in such a manner. She would have smiled, if she hadn't been so confused. Deca sounded like a sulky little kid.
"I said you will not be intruding." If there had been any doubt left in Ashley's mind whether Deca was more than just a computer, the simple statement washed it away. Computers didn't get impatient, and Deca was definitely impatient, judging by the tone of her voice.
"Okay," Ashley sighed. "I won't be intruding." She began walking to the entrance, when Deca interrupted her once again.
"No matter what anyone says, you are not intruding."
This time Ashley did stumble. When she had recovered her balance, she turned again to the computer, a sense of uneasiness beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. "Just what is that remark supposed to mean?" she asked hesitantly.
The computer blinked. "It means you might not be welcome at first. And you most likely will have an argument."
"An argument with who? And why do you want me to go in if I'm not wanted?"
"You are wanted," Deca answered, her voice softening. "You are desperately wanted and needed, even if he doesn't yet realize it."
He. That meant Deca was probably referring to Andros. Ashley sighed, shifting so her back was facing the simudeck's door and sat down.
"He doesn't like me, Deca. He doesn't like anyone." Ashley drew her legs to her chest and clasped her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees. She had liked Andros the instant he had demorphed for the first time in front of her.
She had been foolish, then, she knew. Walking around and poking him like he was some type of an exotic exhibit at one of Earth's museums. He had looked at her as coldly then as he still did to this very day. She sighed dejectedly. "My regard means nothing to him, Deca. You made a mistake."
"Your regard," Deca stated flatly, "means everything to him. He just doesn't realize it."
"Yeah," Ashley muttered, "and that's why he's so mean to me." She knew in a way that she was being unfair. Andros had, after all, been very gentle when cleaning her wound. Yet she still didn't understand him. During that time she had thought she had finally, to some extent, broken through his shell. His sudden kindness and concern had been completely unexpected. Thinking back, she could remember seeing the surprise on his face, as if he thought he wasn't capable of feeling anything anymore.
She curled her fist in determination. She had reached him for a brief time. He was still capable of feeling hurt, pain… concern. She would reach him again, but this time, she wouldn't stop until he admitted it to himself. No matter what he, or anyone else, said.
She stood up and walked purposely to the Simudeck's entrance. She had a mission. One more important than any other she had ever had before, and one ten times harder than fighting Astronema or her army.
Engrossed in her thinking, she didn't see Deca's smug blink before the computer regained her usual air of pretence indifference.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You can't help Elisia like this," Linnse stated flatly. She was positioned between himself and the door, blocking his only way out.
"I can, and I will!" He clenched his fist angrily. "You would do the same if Eltar were under attack."
Linnse shook her head. "That is different. Eltar has more than one ranger. Elisia only has one. You."
"Which is why I must go there!" He limped forward, clutching his newly-obtained ruby. "It will be unprotected! You must let me go!"
"No." The voice was spoken from behind him. He whirled, wincing slightly as a veil of black danced before his eyes. He was still unused to this form of power.
The voice belonged to Tobin, an Eltaran ranger with Linnse. "No," Tobin repeated. "You must not go. You are alone. You would have no chance against Dark Spectre's forces."
"I will have a better chance than anyone on Elisia right now," the Shadow ranger muttered. "It is wrong for you to detain me here."
"Listen to us, Saryn!" Linnse pleaded. "There has to be another way. You won't do Elisia any good if you are killed."
"And I'm not doing them any good alive, either, so what difference does it make?" He didn't even notice the use of his name.
Tobin's voice sounded from the Shadow Ranger's left, and he tried very hard not to jump. "One ranger is not enough to defend Elisia. Even if he can turn invisible-" Tobin shot a meaningful look in his direction, "Or the worlds in a similar predicament. We need something bigger, something stronger."
Linnse snapped her fingers. "What if the rangers were only used for secondary defense? You know, if some of Dark Spectre's forces somehow managed to get to the targeted planet…" she trailed off, her eyes bright in excitement.
The Shadow Ranger of Elisia, also known as Saryn, nodded. "Perhaps," he said quietly, "if we could form a defense system- one so powerful and large it could prevent any forces from reaching a planet's surface, we would have a chance."
"And the citizens of every non-ranger protected planet that petitions for protection would not unguarded," Linnse smiled. "That's a great idea! But can we do it?"
"We have no choice," Saryn crossed his arms tiredly. "If we could form a defense system to defend the Border worlds then any danger could be destroyed before doing any real harm."
Tobin shrugged. "We have to try," he said. "If anyone can form this Defense, we rangers can."
Linnse smiled. "You're right. Even if we fail, at least we tried."
As one, each ranger extended one arm and clasped wrists. "And if we do succeed," Saryn began, and Linnse smiled. "Then Elisia and all the other Border worlds will be safe," she finished.
"All the other Border worlds will be safe… all the other Border worlds will be safe…" the voice echoed, slowly fading from his hearing. Blackness returned, and a strange voice, whispering something he couldn't quite hear…
The voice faded into nothingness as a different image took the place of Linnse and Tobin. He saw himself, unmorphed, staring into the deep darkness of space, in the direction of Earth. He wasn't morphed…
He wasn't morphed…
Slowly, he reached up to touch his forehead when a hand intercepted his arm. He could feel the soft skin against his own. Startled, he jerked away, realizing he had somehow demorphed without meaning to. He didn't understand. Never before had he demorphed unless he willed it to happen, and never before had he demorphed in his sleep.
"Phantom?" Cassie's voice. She was right there, next to him. She was the one who had pulled him out of the daze he had fallen into. But how? No other person, ranger or non, had been able to wake him after his crystal overtaxed.
"Phantom? Are you…" the hesitation in the pink astro ranger's voice was strong. "Are you all right?"
He sighed, recognizing the genuine concern the other ranger held for him. It was the same concern he held for her, and no matter what he told himself, he knew he cared for her greatly.
"Phantom?" He nodded slightly and was surprised when the movement caused nothing more than a slight sense of dizziness.
"I am… well," he managed at last, only it wasn't as difficult to say as it seemed it should have been, and with sudden clarity he realized his response was very near the truth. Aside from being slightly tired, he felt normal. Yet he had collapsed from sheer exhaustion, caused by remaining in his morph too long, and had been healed somehow.
That was the only explanation. His exhaustion had been drained away, leaving a mere spark of sleepiness in its wake.
But who healed him? Astronema was the only sorceress powerful enough to do so, but he highly doubted she wanted him alive and well, even for possible hostage use. Another factor was that she didn't even know where he was, therefore it making it nearly impossible for her to perform any healing ritual well enough for it to take immediate effect.
That still left the question unanswered. He leaned back against the cold wall of the dungeon with a tired sigh.
Cassie must have interpreted the sigh the wrong way, for she was at his side in an instant. "Are you all right?" Her voice was soft, gentle, and he nearly lost himself in the sweetness of the tone.
"I am well," he answered, feeling her hand on his arm. The slight form of physical contact instantly reminded him of the fact that he was still unmorphed. He avoided her gaze, afraid to see repulsion or anger in her eyes.
A whisper of air startled him and he looked at her as she sat by his side. "Look at me when you say it," she instructed, her voice low and husky, and he swallowed.
Fixing his gaze on her nose, he repeated, "I am well."
She shook her head. "Look in my eyes and say it."
He frowned, reaching up to brush a dark lock of hair away from his icy blue eyes. Slowly, he raised his gaze to that of hers, hesitant in the fear of what he might see.
What he saw took his breath away. Love and compassion shone from her dark brown eyes with concern underlying the two stronger emotions. Gazing deep into the depths of her crystal eyes, he was at her mercy. "I am well," he breathed. Silently, he added that he was better now then he had been in years. He did not say it aloud for fear of alarming her. She may like him now but if he came onto her too fast it might scare her away.
Her eyebrow furrowed, her gaze still fixed on his, until at last she nodded as if satisfied. "I believe you."
He allowed a brief quirk of his lips before turning his face away. "Thank you."
He sensed her shrug. "Sure." She cuddled up next to him. "So what do you say?"
Surprised, he looked at her. She was staring at him eagerly, radiating a sense of overly enthusiastic optimism. Hesitantly, not sure what she meant, he asked, "What do I say about what?"
She shrugged again. "About escaping. We can't just sit here and wait for my team to arrive. We should-"
She broke off at his sudden hiss in warning as a soft clanking sound reached his ears. Moving as one, they slid silently into the darkest corner of the cell in hopes the shadows would be enough cover. If not… Saryn flexed his wrist experimentally. He was no longer tired, which meant his crystal was back to full strength. Not only would he be able to morph, but he would be able to fight. And he could defend Cassie if he needed to. But he hoped there would be no cause for that.
A bright flash of silver bobbed into focus, slowly drawing nearer. It appeared to be a Quantron, but between the distance and the darkened light he wasn't sure. It moved forward at a steady pace until it reached the cell in which he and Cassie were hidden.
The quantron made no move to enter, instead it reached out, closing the cell doors firmly and latching them tightly together. A quick shake informed it they wouldn't be opened without a key, and it moved on, echos resounding as a result of it testing the doors.
From her position next to him, Cassie sighed, slumping down to the floor in a dejected manner. "Great," he heard her mutter. "Just great. We're right back where we started."
He shrugged, knowing she couldn't see the movement as she wasn't looking at him, and sat down beside her. "All we can do is wait and hope your team finds us."
Her head turned toward him and their gazes locked. Neither one of them wanted to say it, but they both felt they couldn't afford to wait that long.
They remained silent, listening to the squeaks and groans of the Dark Fortress, and slowly drifted off into an unpleasant and dreamless sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Look, I'm not saying you don't care about us, I'm just saying that you act like you don't!" Ashley crossed her arms in irritation. Andros sat next to her, glaring at her furiously.
She had walked into his simudeck program to see him sitting under a tree in what she assumed was a simulaton of a park from his home world. She had approached him boldly, sitting next to him before he noticed her and commenting on the beauty of the place. He had brushed her aside with a simple shrug, obviously intending to ignore her until she went away.
But she didn't go away, and what had started as a one sided conversation quickly turned into a heated debate.
"If you don't like how I act, then leave me alone!" Andros snapped. Sitting under the tree on the bright green grass he looked for all the world like a rebellious teenager. Long hair, earrings, wearing red and gray… Ashley pushed the sudden image of him in one of California's many gangs to the back of her mind. Any other time it might have been funny, but now…
"I can't leave you alone."
Andros snorted. "You mean you won't! Just because you're my teammate doesn't mean I have to like you- or your company."
Ashley's own temper finally snapped. It took a lot to make her angry, but when she reached that point she could be incredibly nasty. "Do you actually think of us as your teammates?" She demanded hotly. "Do you? Or do you consider us to be some people who you have to share your ship with?"
"Hey, I don't have to share my ship with anyone," Andros retorted. "I chose to let you stay on my ship."
"You had no choice at all," Ashley snapped. "Sooner or later you would have had to have let us on your precious ship. And no, just because I'm your teammate doesn't mean that you have to like me. But it does mean that you have to keep us informed. You can't keep us at a distance all the time!"
Andros rolled his eyes. "I don't. Now leave me alone."
Ashley shook her head. "Not good enough!" she cried. "You put up with us when you have to. You didn't come tell us about the Dark Fortress in person. You had Deca do it. That's not good enough."
Andros whirled. His face was a light shade of red, but whether it was from embarrassment or anger Ashley couldn't tell. "Not good enough?" he roared, and she blinked at the strength in his voice. "Not good enough. Since when do I have to live up to expectations, to regulations regarding your team?"
"Hey!" Ashley began hotly, rising on her knees. "It's not my team. It's our team. It's your team! It's everyone's team! Got it?"
Andros raised himself on his knees to match her stare to stare. His aggressiveness actually surprised Ashley, for he usually avoided looking at her when he spoke. "No! It is NOT my team! I didn't ask for one. I came back from a mission to find you snooping around. I did fine on my own. I didn't need your help then, and I don't need it now! I don't need anyone but myself!"
Ashley shook her head. "No," she countered. "That isn't true. You do need our help and you know it. Admit it."
Andros laughed bitterly. The sound made Ashley's back shiver slightly. "Help?" he asked scornfully. "I get no help from you. You want to know what I get from you? Nothing. You're a burden. All of you. You don't know anything about the ship, you don't know anything about Astronema, and you don't know anything about space. So no! Don't say I need your help." He accented the last word with a sneer and plopped back on the ground, face turned away so he couldn't see her.
His words stung Ashley as surely as if he had slapped her in the face. "That's how you think of us?" she whispered, stunned. "As a burden?" Swallowing against the tears which threatened to consume her, she leaned as close to him as she dared. "Then I'm sorry you feel that way. Maybe it would all be better if we just left you alone. I'm sorry." She stood up and walked away, not looking back. She managed to reach her room before she burst into tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andros remained in the same spot several hours after Ashley had left. His legs were drawn up to his chest, arms clasped around them with his chin resting on his knees.
What had he done? What had he said?
*Just because you're my teammate doesn't mean I have to like you- or your company.*
He closed his eyes, swallowing as tears attempted to escape his lashes. The truth was, he did like her, and he did enjoy her company. And that's what scared him. Her coming to confront him had been completely unexpected.
He opened his eyes and turned his glare to Deca. "Thanks, Deca," he said sarcastically. "Thanks for not disturbing me." The camera blinked at him but said nothing. He turned away with a sigh, automatically returning to his original position.
*You want to know what I get from you? Nothing.* He swallowed again, feeling a tear trickle down his cheek. He didn't bother brushing it away. "You want to know what I get from you?" he muttered quietly, miserably. "Compassion." He opened his eyes then shut them again. "And that's what bothers me."
*You're a burden.* He shook his head. "You're not that much of a burden. Only in some battles."
*It is NOT my team!* "But it is," he whispered softly. "It is my team. It's as much my team as it is theirs. We're all a part of it."
*I didn't ask for one. I came back from a mission to find you snooping around. I did fine on my own. I didn't need your help then, and I don't need it now! I don't need anyone but myself!* He winced, remembering the heartbreaking expression of stunned hurt on her face.
"I need to apologize," he whispered hoarsely, and the floodgate of tears opened. Burying his face in his knees, he cried. He cried for the loss of Karone, and for the destruction of KO-35.
He cried to Tyline, for Zyle, for Tsarmina and Desira, his first and only ranger team.
He cried for Zhane, the irrepressible cocky silver ranger, his best friend. For Tammon, his ranger instructor, the stern yet kind hearted man who had always been there when he needed him.
He cried for Kinwon. For his parents.
He cried for himself.
*Well, that's it for the fourth chapter, hope you liked it!*
