disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Also I don't own Zeri, Saryn and Aura, I read their names on Starhawk's website and thought they were cute.
timeline: Nine years after 'Better Late Than Never'.
summary: Something has it's eyes set on ranger children. Every ranger is scared of losing his or her family, especially Andros.
Jeanka; This should explain a little more.
the-power-of-love; This soon enough?
Protecting The Next Generation
Chapter 4
They were on their way to Earth to pick up TJ and his family. Armin, Zeri, Wyatt, Nathan and Brian were playing on the Simudeck, but Paige hadn't wanted to join them and was now roaming the halls of the Megaship Mark II. She couldn't really remember the first Megaship for she had only been aboard it once when she was very little, but sometime she wished she could, for it had been her father's home for a few years.
At the moment her thoughts were wondering. After she and the others had returned from school, they had been told they were going to Earth to pick up uncle TJ and then to Eltar. Why they were going to Eltar she didn't know. Their grandparents had been informed about the trip and probably the reason behind it too.
Andros and Karone's parents had returned to KO35 a month after Zeri was born. They had been happy to see both their children again and that they were both happily married with children. When Andros and Ashley told them and Zhane and Karone about Ashley's pregnancy a week later, they had been overjoyed, for they had missed the birth of their first three grandchildren.
Paige turned a corner and found herself in front of the observatory. Having nothing better to do, she walked inside.
The observatory was empty and the iris was closed. She always loved to watch the stars, just like her mother, but when in hyperspace there weren't much stars to look at. Sighing she lay down on the floor anyway and stared at the iris.
She didn't know how long she lay there, but she must have been close to falling a sleep when the door opened. She slowly sat up and looked at the door, just as her mother walked in.
"Oh, hey sweetheart."
"Hey mom."
Ashley walked over and sat down next to her.
"Mom?"
"What is it?"
"What's going on? Why are we going to Eltar?"
Ashley sighed. She had been afraid this would happen.
"There is a very important ranger meeting on Eltar."
"If it's a ranger meeting, why are aunt Emma, Amy and Chris coming?"
"I wish I could tell you, Paige, but that'll have to wait until after the meeting, for even we don't know the details."
Paige looked at her mother. She looked upset and frustrated.
"This not knowing is scaring me, mom."
Ashley pulled her daughter into a hug.
"Don't worry, I promise you everything will be alright."
Paige let her mother comfort her and relaxed into the embrace. Soon the door opened again.
"So here are my girls." A voice said.
Neither Paige or Ashley moved and Andros walked over to them, sitting down next to Paige.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"No." Paige answered. "Just enjoying a moment."
Andros laughed and wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter. After a few minutes Paige spoke up.
"Mom, dad? How did you two ever meet? I mean, mom, you're from Earth and dad, you're from KO35, what is the change of running into each other?"
"Pure dumb luck." Ashley answered.
"She and the other rangers invaded the Megaship." Andros answered.
"Will you tell me?" Paige begged.
Ashley caught Andros' eye and he smiled.
"Well, you know I started my ranger carrier as a Turbo Ranger and our powers were destroyed so we decided to blast of into space to find new ones." Ashley started.
"Yeah." Paige agreed.
"Well, by pure dumb luck we found the Megaship and boarded it. At that moment your dad was risking his life by sneaking into one of Dark Spector's secret meetings."
"But I got found out and barely escaped with Astronema hot on my heels. You can imagine my shock when I entered the bridge of my spaceship and see four strangers in ripped clothes." (Thanks, Jeanka)
"So he did the first thing he could come up with and ran."
Paige laughed.
"Hey, what else should I have done, for all I knew you came to eat me up."
"But we didn't."
"You guys sure looked that way."
"Did not."
"Did."
"Did not."
"Did."
Paige laughed again.
"Could you please continue?"
Andros smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Hey." Paige protested.
"Anyway, I ran and they followed me all over the place, but I finally got back to the bridge and locked them out. Astronema was attacking all the while and I tried to enter hyper rush, but something was wrong with the engines, so I told DECA to put it on screen. What I saw was your mother and her friends fix a disconnected tube. Now I could enter hyper rush and I was out of there, but I still had four stowaways aboard."
"So what did you do?"
"Well, I had to land the Megaship because of the damage. I went outside to check out how bad it was and ran into the others again."
"Outside we were attacked by Quantrons, so we fought them off. After the fight your father finally decided to demorph. I have to say I was relieved he wasn't a giant lizard."
"And she decided to poke me to make sure of that." Andros grinned.
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Ashley asked.
"I don't think so." Andros smirked.
"Anyway..." Ashley continued.
"Entering Sol-system." Deca's voice interrupted.
"Well, I guess we'll have to save the rest for another time." Andros smiled and got up.
He held out his hand and helped Ashley of the floor. Then he turned to Paige and helped her to her feet too.
"I'm going to pick up TJ. Meet us on the bridge?"
"We'll be there." Ashley agreed.
"Can I come too, dad?" Paige begged.
Andros looked at Ashley and she nodded.
"Sure." Andros replied, turning back to his daughter. "I'm sure TJ would like that."
Paige beamed.
"Entering Earth's orbit." Deca's reported.
Andros offered his daughter his hand and she immediately took it. She watched her father quickly kiss her mother.
"Two to teleport, Deca."
Deca didn't reply, but Paige was enveloped by a bright yellow light. Ashley watched her husband and daughter disappear in the teleportation light. Sighing she left the observatory and turned her attention on her eldest son.
'Armin?'
'Yes, mom.' Came an immediate reply.
'We arrived at Earth, your dad and Paige are getting uncle TJ. We're going to meet him on the bridge.'
'We're on our way.' Armin replied.
Ashley smiled and stepped into the nearest lift.
"The bridge please, Deca."
The lift hummed to life.
"The bridge." Deca said when the lift stopped.
"Thanks, Deca."
"No problem, Ashley."
Ashley smiled again. Even though it was natural Deca controlled most of the Megaship's functions for them, she couldn't help back thank Deca for it. Old habits die hard, they say. Deca always replied in the same way. Some things just never changed, Deca being one of them and that was comforting in a way she needed right now.
She let herself fall into Andros' chair and a few moments later Armin entered, followed by his brothers and cousins. As soon as Brian spotted his mother he ran past Armin and crawled onto her lap. Ashley laughed and wrapped her arms around him.
It didn't take long for Zhane and Karone to arrive on the bridge.
"Hey, where's Paige?" Zhane asked, looking at the children on the bridge.
"On Earth with Andros." Ashley replied.
Zhane nodded and leaned against the console next to her. Soon the bridge was filled with the light of four teleportation beams. When the light faded Ashley got up, Brian collected in her arms.
"TJ." She smiled. "Emma. Long time no seen."
"Ashley." TJ smiled and quickly walked over to her, pulled her into a hug, careful not to crush Brian.
When he released her he stole Brian from her arms.
"How's my favourite godson?" He asked.
"He's your only godson, uncle TJ." Armin smiled.
"Smartass." TJ accused.
It was true though. TJ and Emma were the godparents of three of the twelve Astro Ranger children; Brian, Sulynn (Saryn's and Cassie's daughter) and Amadahy (Carlos and Aura's second daughter).
Armin smiled and walked over to hug his 'uncle'. Zhane, Karone and the other three children followed his example. Ashley turned to Emma who held Amy in her arms.
"Ash." Emma smiled and hugged her with one arm. "How's life?"
"It's been good." Ashley smiled back. "How's Amy, TJ said she tried home sick yesterday."
"Yeah, she has a slight fever." Emma replied.
Ashley looked at the five year old girl in her arms and noticed her face was a little red.
"You can put her in bed if you want. I'll show you your room."
"That would be great." Emma looked at her gratefully.
"I think Chris is going to fall asleep soon." Karone cut in and pointed to the yawning four year old in Paige's arms. "It would be smart to put him to bed too."
"Right." Emma agreed.
"We'll be right back." Ashley told Andros and stepped into the lift, followed by Emma, Paige and Karone.
The last thing they saw when the doors closed, was TJ being surrounded by the Armin, Wyatt, Zeri and Nathan and Andros quickly rescuing Brian from his arms.
A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review.