Disclaimer: Check part one. . .

First Step
Part three: Bad News
By: stargazer_1017

"Please tell me you have something to report," Astronema said in a monotone voice, glaring at Elgar. "I'm tired of hearing nothing new."

"I went down to Earth and found nothing! No one even talks about the her on Earth."

"Aughh!" Astronema groaned loudly. "I'm surrounded by idiots! No wonder nothing ever gets done. . .do I have to do everything myself?" She grabbed Elgar at the neck. "Do I have to go down there myself to make sure I get something?"

"Geez. . .why don't you just go after that Phantom Ranger guy? I mean, everyone knows she's got the hugest crush on him."

Astronema gave another loud groan. "Are you stupid? Not even the rangers can find the Phantom Ranger--how do you expect us to find him?"

"You could always send out a signal pretending to be the Pink Ranger--"

"Princess!" Ecliptor called as he walked into the room.

Astronema shoved Elgar away. "Tell me you've got something. . .anything better than what he just brought me," she said, walking towards Ecliptor.

"A spy has spotted the Pink and Yellow Rangers down on Earth. . .it appears the Pink Ranger has a very difficult relations with her mother."

"Difficult? And how am I to use this against her if she hates her mother's guts?"

"Earthers are very weird creatures, my princess. I've observed them to be very tortured by the idea that someone dear is being hurt or tortured. Even as the Pink Ranger claims she hates her mother, I'm certain if the need arises, she'll be there to protect her mother."

"Hey, what's this?" Elgar asked from behind Astronema and Ecliptor.

Astronema slammed her fist down on a panel at her side. "It's like keeping a irritating little child in tact," she muttered as she turned around. "What?" she snapped at him. She gasped when she realized what Elgar was playing with. "Don't!"

Elgar tossed the little ball in the air and caught it. "Catch!" he called out, throwing the ball towards Astronema. Astronema screamed as the ball hit her--and absorbed into her body.

"Princess!" Ecliptor called out as Astronema fell to the ground, unconscious. He knelt over Astronema and watched as her face contorted into different shapes for a few seconds--and then returned to normal.

***

"Hey Andros!"

Andros turned around to see Ashley walking towards him. "Hey Ashley," he replied, smiling.

"Are you up to anything?"

Andros shook his head as he looked down at the clipboard in his hand and then back at Ashley. "I'm just going over some of the system checks, that's all," he said. When Ashley stood by and didn't reply, he asked, "Was there something that you needed?"

Ashley shook her head. "No. . .I thought that you might've needed help with something, that's all."

"I'm fine," Andros replied, smiling.

"Oh."

Why does it feel like there's something else? "You sure everything's okay?" Andros asked again. For as long as he knew Ashley, it wasn't like her to just beat around the bush like this.

"Well, I was just hoping we could talk. I mean, I haven't talked to you--really talk to you since you got back. I just wanted to know how you've been."

Andros gestured towards the seat in front of him. When Ashley took a seat, he took the seat next to her. "Okay. . .what exactly did you want to talk about?"

"You've never really told me about the other dimension. How you were. . .how I was. . ."

Andros took a deep breath. "Well. . .you were fine! Everyone was basically the same as they are here, except the other dimension is about several months head of us in time."

"You said that there was an explosion?"

"Yeah," Andros replied, nodding. "I was able to come home from one of the blasts. . .but Astronema rigged all of the populated planets in that dimension so that the planets would blow up."

"So as long as people aren't on those planets, then they'd be fine."

"Not exactly. You see, once a planet is destroyed--blown up like how Astronema describes it, it instantaneously builds a black hole. Something like a planet creates a huge mass of void space. Imagine how it'd be if one planet out of every solar system blew up. . ."

Ashley shook her head. "Think everyone made it?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. I'd like to think they did. . .maybe somehow, found a way out. Only time will tell."

"But the experience there certainly changed your perspective on things here."

"You could tell?" Andros asked.

Ashley shook her head. "Cassie told me."

"Ash--"

"If you're going to apologize, Andros, don't. I mean, I'm sure there are some things you can tell me, and some things you'd rather not," Ashley replied. "We're still friends, right?"

"We'll always be friends."

Andros could tell that that wasn't the real answer that Ashley wanted to hear--and for a moment, he was confused. I do like Ashley. . .but there's a part of me that also likes Cassie, and an even stronger part that wants to get to know her more. . .

His thoughts were interrupted when Cassie ran onto the Bridge. She had worry all over her face. "Guys, I've gotta go."

Andros jumped from his seat. "Where? Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I just got an emergency page on my beeper," Cassie replied, holding up the device. "It's from one of my mom's friends, and she said it might be my mother."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Andros replied, trying to reassure her.

Cassie shook her head. "The only person who knows my pager number that might get in touch with my mom is a friend back at my hometown--she wouldn't be joking about this. I've gotta make sure she's all right."

Andros walked towards her. "I'll come with you," he said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"No, we'll come with you," Ashley spoke up, walking towards the two.

***

Cassie ran through the doors of the emergency room and up to the information desk. "Evelyn Chan--where is she?" she demanded at the person behind the desk.

"Are you family?" the man replied.

"I'm her daughter," Cassie said. At that moment, Andros and Ashley ran up behind her.

"She's fine, Miss," the man said.

"What happened to her?" Andros asked, moving up to the desk as well.

The man looked at him before turning back to Cassie. "She was attacked on the street, going to her car from a convenience store."

"By whom?" Cassie asked.

"We don't know exactly," the man replied, "and I don't mean to sound crude, but she might've been just a random victim. After all, your mother was walking around at the wrong hours--it's almost midnight, and it's not safe anywhere for someone to be outside alone."

"Can I see her?"

"We're going to check her out in about thirty-minutes," the man reported. "If you'd like to wait here until she checks out. . ."

Cassie hesitated. I don't know if I'm ready to see her. . .Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand being placed on her shoulder. She turned and saw Andros looking at her with concern. "We'll stay here with you if you want," he replied.

Cassie took a deep breath and smiled. "That's really nice. . ." she thought about having Andros and Ashley stay with her. She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I can handle it." Cassie could see the disbelief in Andros' eyes, but much to Cassie's relief, he nodded. She watched as Andros and Ashley turned around and headed outside. Andros turned back to her briefly, but Cassie gave him a reassuring smile, and Andros smiled back.

After both had exited, Cassie turned back to the man. "I'll wait."