By Angel Mouse
KO35
Zhane had made his way outside the underground complex, but Merrick had no trouble tracking him. The wolf spirit that was his guide was an excellent tracker. Plus Merrick was a good tracker in his own right. And it helped that Zhane had made a trail that anyone could follow. Merrick found him standing outside the entrance to the military headquarters, staring up at the stars. He moved along side him and stood next to him for a few minutes. They stood their in silence and finally Merrick broke it, speaking softly, respecting Zhane's space.
"He probably thought he was doing the right thing you know."
"I know." The silence streched out for a while longer and then Zhane gave a sigh, unasshamadly wiping his eyes. Merrick had noticed the tears streaming down the young man's face but hadn't said anything. If he had suddenly come across himself frozen in a cryo chamber after a few thousand years he'd be pretty upset as well.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"Probably. I don't know. The thing is I made Andros promise that if anything ever happened to me like that again, he wouldn't try to keep me alive like that." Zhane's voice broke slightly and after a moment he continued. "Last time I was stuck in that thing for over two years. When I woke up I had a lot to adjust to." Merrick nodded in understanding, and began to speak softly.
"I woke up after three thousand years being trapped in a evil Org's body in a tomb. I told my friends to put me there." Merrick paused a moment. "I asked my friends to put me there, my fellow ancient warriors after we lost the battle of Anamaria because I couldn't control the evil that I awoke by doning a cursed mask. So I guess we have that in common. We both had a lot to understand and cope with when we awoke." Zhane finally looked over at him and Merrick could see the pain and loss in his eyes. For a moment, just a moment, Merrick let him see the same pain in his eyes and soul. Zhane just stared and then after a moment he spoke, his voice soft and understanding.
"Thank you, for telling me." Merrick nodded, his mask back in place.
"One thing I have learnt since waking up Zhane is that it's better to let your friends help you, than try to cope and understand things on your own." Zhane ran a hand through his white blonde hair, his blue eyes still upset and confused.
"I guess I need to talk to Andros don't I then. Find out what happened and why after a few thousand years I'm still in that thing." The last was said with an enourmous amount of distaste as if he couldn't bare to name the cyro chamber.
"And I need to explain why I did it." They turned around to find Andros standing behind them. Andros nodded at Merrick. "Thank you Merrick. The others are in the Mega Ship, the repairs are finished and they are getting something to eat and organising quarters. Karone and Ashley will help you." Merrick nodded, resting his hand on Zhane's shoulder a moment, then he left them alone. Andros walked over to Zhane, his eyes worried and concerned. Zhane held them a moment and then turned away, looking back at the stars. Andros came and stood next to him. After a few minutes Andros finally spoke.
"I guess you hate me now, don't you." Zhane rounded quickly on him, surprise on his face.
"Andros, I could never, ever hate you! You're my best friend, I'd do anything for you." Andros looked at him, his eyes full of pain and guilt.
"I know you would Zhane, and I would do the same for you. But I left you in that thing, after I promised I wouldn't." Zhane just looked at him and finally spoke after a few long agonising moments, his eyes confused and his voice full of pain.
"Why Andros?" Andros sighed and began to speak softly, his eyes never leaving Zhane's.
"Apparently, in about fifteen years from when we get back home, there's going to be some sort of massive battle. We both get injured so severly that the only way they can save us both is put us in cyro sleep. Ashley and Karone were injured as well, but not as badly as we were. When they awoke a few days after the battle and were told what had been done to us, it was too late to have us removed from cyro sleep. No one but the three of us knew that you'd never wanted to be saved like that again. And when I was finally healed and woke up, three months later, they said you were still healing but if they took you out like I would have demanded, it would kill you. So, apparently, I decide to leave you in it. But now we know this future, we can change it. I can fix things so that your not put in that again! I can keep my promise to you." Zhane shook his head, looking at Andros, his eyes slightly clearer as he reached over and put his hand on Andros's shoulder.
"Andros, your heart is always in the right place, we can't change the future when we get home, you know we can't. I just wish I hadn't stumbled across it, that's all. It may take me a little bit, but I will be okay Andros." Andros nodded, guilt still riding over his face.
"I tried to get down in time to stop you once DECA had told me about you being down there. I'm sorry you had to see that." Zhane took a deep breath and tried to push away the pain and horror he was feeling at the moment. He had to try and convince Andros that it wasn't his fault. Now he knew the facts, he could see that clearly and he now regretted his hasty words earlier.
"Andros, you're my best friend, and we'll always fight together. I'm sorry about what I said earlier." Zhane swallowed against the lump in his throat. "I guess I'll just have to make sure I leave instructions or something to say that if I don't wake up by the time you die, they are to turn that thing off. No way do I want to still be around without you." Andros stared at him stunned and then reached out, putting his hand on Zhane's shoulder. He managed to speak after a moment, his words catching in his throat.
"You're my best friend to Zhane. I don't want to even consider a world without you." And that did it for Zhane, tears formed in his eyes again and without thinking, Andros reached out and embraced his best friend, and Zhane returned it, clinging to Andros. For the moment, all else was forgotten as the two friends embraced and comforted each other.
Merrick returned the Mega Ship and made his way inside. It was now brightly lit and feeling warmer as long unused systems began to work again. He followed the sounds of voices and found the four other rangers in a common room with food and drink in front of them. Karone looked up, her expression worried.
"How's Zhane?"
"Upset. But I think he will be okay. He's talking to Andros right now." Karone rose to her feet but Ashley stopped her.
"Wait Karone. Those two are closer than brothers. This has been a shock to the pair of them and they need to work through this." Karone slowly sat back down and Cam wordlessly pushed out a stool for Merrick to sit down, which he did with a nod of thanks.
"I know. I just worry." Karone's voice was soft, her eyes far away when she spoke again.
"He still has nightmares occasionally you know. He'll wake up screaming sometimes and then won't go back to sleep. It takes a long time for me to calm him down. But thankfully that's been occurring less and less as time goes by." Ashley frowned.
"I didn't know that. Neither did Andros." Karone looked at her, shaking her head slightly.
"Zhane didn't want Andros to know. He knew Andros felt guilty enough over him being there for two years as it was. This, this I don't know how it will go, for either of them." Karone sighed and Ashley put her arm around her sister in law.
"It will be fine Karone. I've never seen two people as close as those them. After everything they have been through, everything that they have suffered, their friendship just keeps getting stronger and stronger." Karone just nodded.
"I hope so. I truly do." Ashley nodded and sighed softly. They all sat around, absently playing with their food and sat that way for a few more minutes until Ashley broke the silence again.
"Well, since we're going to be here for a while, lets get you guys situated. Karone and Zhane are in his old room, Andros and I are in his. Cam can have TJ's room and I think Billy can have Cassie's old room and Merrick in Carlos's. Come on then guys, let's show you your rooms. DECA said that it'll be at least another two hours before we have enough power to lift off. We also have to make sure we can transfer enough power to the hanger doors so we can get the Mega Ship out of here, without blasting the doors open." They all stood up and began to follow her along the coridor. Ashley gifted them all with a bright smile. "Which is pretty sound thinking if you ask me. DECA, are the personal quarters in the same places as they were for us?"
"Yes they are Ashley." Ashley smiled, linking her arm through Karone's, led them through the coridors.
"The quarters are reasonably large, the bunks mostly comfortable." The two girls laughed at this, grinning at each other. For the moment, they pushed the worries over their partners out of their minds. Cam turned to Billy, a small grin on his face.
"Get the feeling we're missing heaps?" Billy grinned back.
"Oh yeah. But somehow, I don't think we really want to know, do you?" The three male rangers glanced at each other and then laughed softly at the girls antics. Having them around would be good fun and certainly make the place more cheerful. They quickly were shown their rooms and each of them noted the location for future use. Ashley and Karone made sure that they all had enough blankets and pillows, getting them from where they had been sealed in storage and then after about almost an hour, they headed to the bridge to give the guys a quick lesson on the Mega Ships operations and functions. They turned the corner to the bridge and entered it to find Andros and Zhane already there, standing together, talking softly by the main panel. They were standing close together, like they always did and that relieved the girls minds somewhat. They glanced up and both managed small smiles. Karone and Ashley went over to them, putting their arms around them both.
"Are you okay now?" Zhane nodded slightly, smiling down at Karone. His eyes were slightly red and his face was still pale, but he looked a little better, his eyes weren't so haunted any more. Andros was much the same. Zhane looked around at all of them.
"I just want to apoligise for my outburst." Cam shook his head.
"Perfectly understandably. Don't worry about it." Billy smiled as well.
"Yeah, I'd be upset as well. Now, let's get some work done." They all laughed and Andros's expression lightened up a bit as he moved over to the panel to begin their lessons.
Phaedos
The Mega Ship drifted into orbit around Phaedos after making the journey from KO35. Andros had been extremely pleased with a newly discovered feature of the Mega Ship. It had a new stealth shield that allowed it to hide from prying eyes. Cam had been able to even upgrade it slightly due to his experience with the holographic masking and shielding he was responsible for at the Ninja academies. It had allowed them to back to Phaedos without detection, a tatic that they all knew would come in handy during the next few days and weeks. They teleported down and found Dulcea and Zaron waiting for them. Dulcea smiled at them.
"Welcome back Rangers, I can see by the smiles on your faces, you were succesful in your journey." Andros carefully refrained from looking at Zhane and nodded. Zhane was still being unusally quiet, but had been better over the last few hours.
"Yes we were. We found the Astro Mega ship Mark five in storage on KO35, complete with DECA and upgrades. So now we have transport, somewhere to be based, mobility and some weapons."
"Things have turned out well for you then Rangers." Andros couldn't help glancing at Zhane, who had flinched slightly at Dulcea's words and had glanced at Andros at the same time.
"For the most part. We've come back to tell you what we found and collect Zaron. If he's going to be a part of this, he'll need to come with us." Zaron nodded.
"I thought as much. I don't have many possesions left, most of them are on Eltare." Andros nodded.
"We thought as much. If you can gather them, we'll go. We were thinking that our next stop will be Eltare and then we'll go from there ." Zaron nodded.
"Dulcea and I gathered some possibly helpful technology from the wreckage of my ship. We've gathered it nearby. And there are some things at home that I did manage to salvage that may be of use." Andros glanced over at Billy and Cam who had visibly perked up at his words and smiled, his tone warm.
"Guys, why don't you go give him a hand. Ashley, if you could go back to the Mega Ship to organise the teleportation of those things to the hold, that would be great." Ashley nodded and went over to Dulcea.
"I hope we'll see each other soon, it was an honour to meet you."
"And you Yellow Ranger." Ashley smiled and disappeared in a stream of yellow light. The guys went with Zaron leaving Karone with Andros and Zhane. Dulcea frowned and looked at Zhane.
"Something has happened, hasn't it."
Andros stared at the ground and Zhane looked away. Sighing softly Karone spoke finally, seeing that neither Andros or Zhane could bare to speak.
"When we were exploring the Mega Ship, we came across the cyro chamber. Zhane was in it again. Apparently he had been in it for a long time. According to DECA, he was placed in their about fifteen years from our time after being horrendously injured in an attack against our home." Karone looked at Zhane, not sure how to continue. Zhane looked at her and squeezed her hand before he looked over at Dulcea. His voice was strong but soft when he spoke.
"I want to take my body out of it and bury it here." Dulcea looked at him, studying him intensly for the longest time. He returned her stare calmly, his decision having been made. It had been a long, intense, heart wrenching discussion with Andros on the surface of KO35 after the discovery of the chamber, but that was what had been decided. Andros was dead in this time, they all were technically, and Zhane didn't want to be awoken and made into some curiosity or hero or anything like that. All that mattered was that he didn't die by his best friends side like he was supposed to. Like he wanted to. Like he was destined to do. And Dulcea knew this, something had gone wrong. Finally, Dulcea frowned and looked at Karone and Andros.
"Karone, Andros, please leave us for a few minutes. There is something I must discuss with Zhane a moment." Karone nodded, squeezing Zhane's hand and moving in the direction the others had gone. Andros stared at Dulcea and then over at Zhane. Zhane shook his head.
"No, Andros stays. What you say to one of us, you say to both of us." Dulcea nodded.
"All right Zhane, but you may wish you hadn't had him hear this." Dulcea moved over to the fire and waved her hand over it. Flames rose high and she concentrated a moment. Suddenly the fire showed the two of them, well into their senior years, standing together, armed, but not as Rangers but as civilians, facing off against a large over whelming force.
"History is supposed to show that Andros and Zhane of KO35, elders and leaders of their planet, died defending a small colony of farmers on the southern continent of their planet at the age 87 years. Their deaths were mourned by friend and foe alike, as they had made a formidable duo both on and off the battle field and they were responsible for an era of galactic peace that hadn't been seen for the longest time and their like would never be seen again." Dulcea frowned and looked up at them, the fire dying down. "Someone or something has gone back and tampered with history. What you have described to me is not how your fate is meant to play out. Andros, did DECA say what happened to you eventually?" Andros winced and nodded.
"Yes, five years after the incident that put Zhane in cyro sleep again I was killed in an explosion at a factory I was visiting. They ruled it an accident as five other people were killed. Dulcea, are you saying that the fate that happened to us now - me dying in an explosion and Zhane being in that tube isn't supposed to happen?" The disbelief in his tone was evident.
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Being the keeper of the Great Power Andros has given me special insight and abilities over the thousand and thousand of years I have been here. I know how each and every ranger meets their fate, how they live, how they die, how they are born. Everything. And I know that this fate that has occurred is not yours. Something has gone wrong with the time line. And I don't know how to fix it."
Mega Ship
Ashley had finished teleporting the rest of the Zaron's things to the hold and then the rest of the rangers themselves. Andros and Zhane arrived moments later, both looking pale but detirmined. Andros smiled gently at her and went to his chair, sliding into it with ease.
"Alright, we have a lot of work to do. Billy, can you go and help Zaron sort through all his stuff. See what can be salvaged and what might be useful. We're going to go to Eltare and see what we can salvage from their as well." Billy nodded and he and Zaron left the bridge.
"On it Andros. " Andros turned to Karone and smiled gently at his sister.
"Karone, I need you to take Merrick and go over the Mega Ship top to bottom, make a note of all improvements, changes and anything from what we remember." Karone nodded.
"Sure Andros. Come on Merrick, let's go exploring. And you can tell me all about this lovely Princess Shayla I keep hearing about." Merrick blushed but went with her. Andros turned to Ashley, who was staring at him in confusion. She knew her husband and knew he was getting rid of practically everyone, but for what reason she couldn't gather.
"Ashley, can you make sure we've got enough food and water supplies. I know we beamed up a whole heap of them from Phaedos, can you make sure that they are all stored okay?"
"Sure thing Andros." Gracing his cheek with a kiss, she left him to it. Zhane hadn't moved from where he was leaning against the sensor station and Cam was looking slightly confused.
"DECA, seal the bridge and stop all recording functions on the bridge."
"Yes Andros." The doors closed and Andros swung around in his seat, facing Cam. Zhane suddenly moved and walked over to stand behind Andros.
"Cam, we have a special task for you. One that you can't talk about to anyone. And I mean anyone. If you try and discuss it outside this room with either of us, we won't. Do you understand?" Cam looked confused but nodded.
"You have my word I won't mention what ever it is outside this room. What's going on?"Andros sighed and Zhane put his hand on his friends shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly.
"Someone's tampered with time. Zhane isn't supposed to be in that cyro tube and none of us are meant to die as early as we apparently do. Dulcea wasn't able to give us much to go on, but eveyrthing she could is on this disc. Study it and see what you can make of it. Dulcea tells us that you've got experience with time travel, so if anyone can make sense of this mess, you can." Andros held out the disc to Cam who walked over and took it, his expresison stunned.
"You mean that terrible thing that you two have just gone through wasn't supposed to happen." Zhane nodded.
"Apparently, according to Dulcea in the true version of our history, Andros and I die side by side fighting together when we're 73. And since both of us are only 22 of your earth years old, that's a fair chunk of our lives that have been messed with."
"I'll say. I'll see what I can find out and what we can do to reserve this." Andros smiled, the first relieved smile since this whole mess had happened.
"Thank you Cam. That's all we ask. DECA, unseal the bridge and resume recording."
"Yes Andros." Cam put the disc in his pocket and grinned slightly.
"Guess I'll be heading for that lab I saw on deck three then." With a wave at them, he was gone and Zhane sat down in the chair next to Andros.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" Andros turned and looked at Zhane.
"Yes. Because right now I'll do anything to make sure that what's down in the engine room never, ever happens."
Eltare
It had taken five days to get to Eltare and they had used that five days to talk and plan their next move. They had also settled somewhat into a routine and had gotten to know one another a little. Andros and Zhane hadn't said much about what had happened on KO35 and after the first couple of days, they had gotten back to their normal selves somewhat. Ashley and Karone were both worried about them, but they weren't saying anything, so, for the moment, they left things alone. Zaron, Cam and Billy had been working flat chat salvaging what little they could from the ruins of Zaron's ship that they had brought on boad the Mega Ship. So far they had gottena few useful things but nothing that would give them a major edge in what was looking more and more like an uphill battle. But so far, they weren't sure what they were up against as they only had Zaron's word on what had been going on in the universe. Andros settled the Mega Ship into orbit around Eltare and put the ship on standby. He turned to the assembled rangers and smiled.
"Alright, here's what we do. Ashley, you and Karone stay here. The rest of us will go down with Zaron and check things out." Ashley crossed her arms and frowned at him.
"Andros, you are not leaving us here to keep us safe." Andros sighed and Zhane sniggered behind his hand. Karone hit him on the arm and he composed himself.
"No, I want you and Karone to stay here because your more familiar with the mega ships systems at the moment. We need you girls watching the skies for us in case we get any visitors. Okay?" Ashley sighed and then smiled.
"Alright then. We'll stay. But next time, we go along and you two stay at home." The male rangers laughed as they headed for the jump tubes. The two girls watched them go as they settled into the chairs at the control panel. Sighing, they settled in for a long wait.
They had teleported down to the surface and began to pick their way along the rubble and debris towards where Zaron said his house had been. He was leading the way with Andros and Zhane beside him. Billy and Cam were behind them and Merrick brought up the rear. Merrick was looking around, something didn't feel right to him but he kept walking, following the others. He felt like something was watching them, but he couldn't see anything. He frowned and kept walking, slowly falling behind. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. Zaron began to walk faster and faster, eager to get home. Andros and Zhane kept pace but feel slightly behind, falling into step with Billy and Cam. Cam looked around, beginning to feel uneasy as well. He fell back slightly and fell into step with Merrick.
"You feel it to, don't you?" Merrick nodded.
"Yes, something's not right." Andros finally took noticed of their behaviour and looked at him.
"What is it?"
"Something's not right." Andros looked around, beginning to feel uneasy himself. He glanced at Zhane and he nodded.
"On it." Zhane turned and took off at a jog, quickly catch up to Zaron's side and sticking with him. The other four rangers kept walking, keeping back slightly as they all looked around. All four now were beginning to feel edgy. Something wasn't right, that was for sure. Andros lowered his voice.
"They'll strike any moment. When they do, morph straight away." Cam frowned.
"What about Zaron and Zhane?" Andros managed a grim smile as they kept walking along, trying to look every where at once.
"Zhane will protect him. Don't you worry about that. Zhane and I have been doing this a long time. He knows what to do." Cam just nodded and they walked in silence for a few minutes, slowly catching up with the others but still behind them.
Suddenly, from out of no where, they were attacked.
The creatures were about six feet tall. They were faceless, featurless looking creatures. They had glowing red eyes and down their rougly humanoid looking bodies, strange looking symbols were marked and they glowed an eirie blue. They were solidly built and immediately all the rangers took up positions to fight them. Cam shuddered suddenly.
"I feel that they are just pure evil. Totally, pure evil. I can sense nothing good about them." Andros nodded.
"I thought as much. Zhane, you know what to do!"
"Right!" Andros smiled grimly.
"Let's do it!" As one, the rangers brought out their morphers. In unison Andros and Zhane yelled out.
"Let's Rocket!"
"Blue Ranger Power!"
"Wild Access!"
"Samurai Storm, Ranger form!" The five rangers had morphed in an instant, with a flash of light and power. Zhane grabbed Zaron's arm and pushed him behind him.
"Stay out of my way and stay back. Do you know what those things are?" Zhane took up a fighting stance, his whole fibre concentrating on what was happening in front of them. For the moment he ignored the others, Andros could take care of himself and he had told Zhane to look after Zaron.
"They are the Shackra. Well, one of the types of them anyway. Theres about three different types as far as I know. This one does all the dirty work. Nothing we did could destroy them." Zhane grinned beneath the helmut.
"They haven't come up against us now, have they. Andros, these are Shackra. Zaron says he doesn't know how to destroy them." Andros grinned as well, drawing out his astro blaster.
"Well, let's do something about that." Andros raised his blaster and fired, hitting the first of the dozen beings a few times. It stumbled a few times but kept coming. Merrick drew out his luna cue and spoke softly, his words full of irony.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."
"Right, let's do it. Zhane, get him out of here."
"On it." Zhane grabbed Zaron's arm and pulled him back further, away from the closing Shackra, raising his wrist. "Karone, get Zaron out of here then get yourselves down here. We've got trouble."
"Understood Zhane." Suddenly Zaron disappeared in a stream of light and then moments later, two coloured beams - one pink, one yellow - joined him and the girls were suddenly there, by his side.
"DECA says there is nothing detectable in space." They watched the appoaching Shackra with wary eyes.
"Good. Let's join the others. I have the feeling spliting up won't be such a hot idea." The three rangers quickly ran the short distance to the others and Andros nodded in greeting.
"Right, form a circle, don't get seperated. If you do, stick with a partner. Billy and Cam, you two stay together. Ashley and Karone together. Zhane, Merrick and I will stay together. Watch yourselves." Nods greeted his words and then there was no time for anything else as they were upon them.
Cam took out his sword and Billy quickly called forth his power lance. They were quickly forced to fight back to back. Cam's sword did slightly more damage than Billy's lance, but it still wasn't enough. The huge brute like creatures felt like stone when their blows landed.
"Tough buggers aren't they." Billy grunted as he ducked a blow that would have taken his head off his shoulders. He slammed upwards with his lance, hitting one of the glowing blue glyphs under the arm on the side of the monster and suddenly it went down, collapsing into a pile of dust. He stared in shock for a moment, but a moment was all that was required for another to take it's place and slam it's fist into the side of Billy's body and he went down, calling out in pain. Moments later Cam was standing over him, fending off the monsters for a moment.
"Are you alright?" Billy was struggling to breath, he felt like a couple of ribs had been broken. But the Power was already coursing through him, healing him, albeit slowly.
"No. Broken ribs I think. But hit them under the arm. The glyph that looks like an upside down cartoon cat. Destroys them." Billy winced as the pain started getting worse. Cam nodded and called out, blocking blows with his sword from the three Shackra that were concentrating on them.
"Andros, Billy's down. Hit the glyph on the underside of their arms, it'll destroy them."
Andros, Zhane and Merrick had formed a triangle and were fighting almost as one unit. Merrick was such a skilled warrior that he fit in with Andros's and Zhane's fighting styles with very little problems. Andros parried a blow with his spiral sabre and raised his wrist.
"DECA, teleport Billy back to the Mega Ship."
"Acknowledged Andros." Andros pushed the Shackra away with his sabre and swung out with all his might, hitting the Shackra under the arm and he watched it disappear into dust. He grinned under his helmet and spoke quickly.
"Merrick, join Cam. We know how to destroy them now. Watch your back."
"Got it." Merrick moved away and Andros quickly felt the familiar presence of Zhane pressing against his back. He could hear the smile in Zhane's voice.
"Boy, just like old times isn't it?" Zhane quickly dispatched one of them, leaning to one side as he did so, missing a blow from another. Andros swept the feet out from another and slashed down with his sabre and destroyed another. Andros couldn't help but laugh at his remark.
"Oh yeah, just like old times." The two Astro rangers waded into the fight, slashing and hacking, moving as one.
Karone and Ashley were holding their own, but only just. Ashley's star slinger wasn't proving much of a weapon against them, but Karone's Galaxy sabre was. When Andros called out how to defeat the monsters, Karone had quickly swung into action, with Ashley watching her back. Ashley frowned inside her helmet, it wasn't working very well.
"Karone, we need to get back to the others. I can't keep them back much longer." Ashley tried aiming her star slinger for their weak spot, but wasn't having much luck. And each blow she blocked from them hurt more and more. Karone nodded even though Ashley couldn't see it.
"I know. Ready to start moving?"
"Ready." They began to slowly move sideways, trying to make their way towards the others. But the Shackra saw this and instinctively seemed to know that this pairing wasn't quite as strong as the others, pressed their attack against the girls. Karone became hard pressed to fight against three of the Shackra, as two more went for Ashley. Karone saw what was happening but could do nothing to stop it.
"Andros! We need help!" Suddenly Ashley screamed and went down in a heap onto the ground. Karone tried to turn in time but couldn't make and was stuck across her back and she screamed as well, stumbling and falling over Ashley's prone body.
"Karone! Ashley!" The two Astro rangers broke away from their opponents and came running over. "Cam! Merrick! Cover us!" The two remaining Rangers intensified their attacks, pushing the Shackra back. By now though, there was only three left and they were quickly being pushed back. Andros skidded to a halt by Ashley, kneeling down to check her for injuries, Zhane doing the same for Karone. Ashley was holding her arm and breathing hard.
"Ashley, are you alright?"
"I'm pretty sure my arm and shoulder possibly is broken. It hurts Andros." Andros gathered her gently into his arms.
"I know. I know. Come on, we'll get you back to the Mega Ship. Zhane, how's Karone?" Andros was consumed by worry for his sister and his wife. Zhane looked up from where he had been examining her.
"She's unconscious. Looks like possible broken ribs and maybe a concussion. I won't know until we get back to the ship." Just then Cam and Merrick came over.
"Are the girls alright?" Zhane picked Karone up and stood next to Andros.
"No, we need to go back to the ship. Are they all gone?" Merrick nodded, sheathing his sword, as had Cam.
"Yes." Andros nodded.
"Alright, lets go." He touched the button on his morpher and suddenly they all teleported back to the ship. Moments after they had left, a wind came up and swept the dust away. Then all became quiet again.
Tbc… In the next chapter the Rangers heal and finally manage to get what they came for..