disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Also I don't own Zeri, Saryn, Aura and Cetaci and any other ranger from Aquintar, I read their names on Starhawk's website and thought they were kool.
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.
the-power-of-love; Glad you like it. Of course I update soon, see?
Jeanka; TJ's full name? Ah, it was nothing, it's how he was introduced in 'Forever Red' and I found it in a writers guide. The Time Force Rangers? I made them stay and they changed the future, so no they don't know what is going to happen. Oh and I'll speed it up a bit after the next chapter.
Protecting The Next Generation
Chapter 7
Inside they needed to flash their morphers and their names were crossed out. When Tommy flashed his morpher he muttered something to the person and another name was crossed out.
The rangers had silently agreed to stick together and walked though another door into the main room of the dome.
"Aura, Carlos, Cetaci is looking for you." Someone said from behind them.
They all turned around. A guy with sandy blond hair wearing the same kind of outfit as Aura and Carlos only with a blue tunic stood there grinning at them.
"How nice for her." Carlos grimaced.
"Billy." Zack exclaimed.
"Hey guys." Billy replied and looked around the group. "Wait, Kim not here?"
"Oh, she's on Eltar, but she decided it was better she didn't come to the meeting." Trini replied.
"Why?" Billy wanted to know.
"Because she's seven months pregnant and has a eleven month old baby to take care of." Aisha answered.
Billy quickly glanced at Tommy, but he kept his face neutral.
"O-kay." Billy said slowly. "Do I dare to ask or should I keep my mouth?"
"If you want to know who the father is, you better sit down. I know I was shocked when I heard the news." Jason laughed.
"Oh, be honest, Jason." Trini smirked. "Was there any doubt it would happen?"
Jason shook his head grinning.
"Okay, what did I miss?" Billy demanded.
"Tommy and Kim got back together." Rocky replied bluntly.
Billy blinked at him.
"You're being serious, aren't you?"
"Yep."
"How did that happen?"
Conner opened his mouth to reply, but Tommy quickly put his hand over it.
"We'll tell you later, Billy, together with all the other things you missed." He said.
"Agreed." Billy nodded.
"There you are." A voice said.
It belonged to one of the two Aquitians that were approaching, probably the one with the black tunic.
"Cetaci is furious." He grinned.
"Good for her." Carlos muttered and received an elbow in his side from Aura.
"Oh, give him a break, Aura." The Aquitian continued. "Everyone has to be sick and tired of her some time."
"But he's almost constantly sick and tired of Cetaci."
"And Cetaci of him, who cares?"
"Delphinius!" The other Aquitian warned. "You better not let Cetaci hear that."
"Hey, I can handle her." The one called Delphinius defended.
"I think you mean you can hide behind Sarlahe." The other Aquitian retorted.
"I have to agree with Cestria, Delphinius." Aura grinned.
Delphinius turned to Carlos.
"What about you."
"Well, it's great you pick my side and all, but I have to agree, you do hide behind Sarlahe a lot when it comes to you handling Cetaci."
"Traitor." Delphinius accused, but Carlos just smiled at him.
At that moment another Aquitian came stalking their way and she was obviously furious. She opened her mouth and was about to speak when a voice sounded through the hall.
"Well, everybody's here, so we'll begin won't we? A data-disk has been made for every attending planet. It will be handed to you, so that you can study the information you'll be getting here more closely and you'll be able to inform your planets leaders too."
"Who's that?" Leo hissed.
"Ysbaddaden." Andros whispered back. "Eltar's leader."
"Shut up!" The pissed Aquitain hissed.
Rocky shot her a look, but Andros just ignored her and turned his attention back to Ysbaddaden.
"We received new information from our spies yesterday. It appears our enemy calls himself Dannchadh. He is fixing his attention on the children of rangers, for he knows they are first in line for receiving a morpher. He is aware that finding new qualified rangers is hard. If he gets rid of the children there is a big chance planets will be without rangers for an unknown period of time. That would be when he attacks, because the planets' defences aren't enough to stop him and his army. He will go after the smaller planets first to strengthen his troops to attack bigger planets. Planets like Eltar and Aquintar are safe for now. From the information we've received we've concluded he will go after the eldest ranger children and their planets first. As much as I hate to say it, he has set his eyes on a planet and its ranger children already. The planet in question is KO35."
Ashley's grip on Andros' hand tightened, cutting of the blood circulation, but he didn't care. His children were in danger. There was a change he'd lose his family. Again.
Some Time Later
They were back on the Megaship. The rest of the meeting had passed in a blur for Ashley. Andros couldn't remember much more than Ashley for he had quickly locked away his feelings and turned his full attention to comfort Ashley.
Zhane, having the comfort of being married to the former queen of evil and both his children having inherited her magic, though Nathan rarely used it, had been able to keep his mind on the meeting. He had taken over Andros' duties as representative of KO35 and had gotten the data-disk at the end.
Some of the other rangers had promised to come by the Megaship that evening, but the Aquitian rangers had immediately joined them, except for Delphinius who went to pick up Sarlahe first.
"Are you okay, mom?" Paige asked when she and the others walked onto the bridge.
Ashley's face was pale and she was leaning heavily on Andros. Andros had suggested she should lay down for a while, but she had flatly refused. An immense sense of relieve rushed through her when her twin walked onto the bridge.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Paige didn't trust it and she got the feeling Armin didn't either, but they let themselves be pulled into a hug y their mother without protest.
Brian looked around the bridge, looking a bit lost. All his playmates were being hugged by their parents. Then his eyes fell on his father. Andros noticed the boy's lost look and kneeled, spreading his arms. A bright smile appeared on Brian's face and he ran into his father's awaiting arms. Andros staggered a bit because of the force with which his son hit him, as the young boy wrapped his arms around Andros' neck. Andros closed his arms around the boy and stood back up.
Cassie and Saryn were softly talking to each other in the corner, before turning to the other rangers.
"Hey guys, would you mind if me, Saryn and the kids stay on the Megaship tonight? We could stay on Eltar too, but with everything going on..."
"Don't be silly." Andros interrupted. "The Megaship belongs to the Astro rangers. It's as much yours as it is ours. Of course you're welcome to stay."
"Thanks." Cassie smiled.
"Just know that I won't be sleeping in a room alone." Ty'lee protested.
"I'm already sharing a room with Nathan, else I would've said you could sleep with me, Ty." Wyatt apologized.
Paige and Zeri looked at each other.
"We could arrange that, if mom and dad are willing to take Brian into their room." Paige offered.
Andros looked at Ashley and nodded.
"Alright, what did you have in mind?"
"Well, I can move to Armin's room, Nathan can move to Zeri's and than Ty can share with Wyatt."
"Great idea." Nathan smiled.
"I don't know." Zhane said thoughtfully.
"Oh, come on, dad. Nathan and I will be good." Zeri complained.
"Yeah." Nathan agreed. "We love each other."
To show he was telling the truth he hugged Zeri and she hugged him back.
"Well, alright you win." Zhane gave in.
"Could we stay too?" Carlos asked.
Cetaci looked like she was about to object when Delphinius teleported in with a two year old girl in his arms.
"Mommy." The girl cried happily when she saw Cetaci.
Cetaci pulled her daughter out of Delphinius arms, while Aura mouthed a thanks to him. Delphinius winked at her.
"Sure." Zhane answered Carlos. "It'll be just like old times."
"Yeah right." Andros muttered, bouncing Brian a little higher onto his arms.
"Okay, maybe not exactly like old times, but close enough."
"Zhane, you're crazy." Cassie laughed.
"You took until now to find out?" Ashley smiled.
The light heartiness of her friends made her forget about her problems for a while.
A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review.