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 liked it. Here's the next chapter.

Jeanka; Rescuing the kids will mean this story is almost finished, but I'm already starting the first chapter for the sequel. It won't be up when this story is finished though, I'm first going to put up a fic called 'Ashley's Diary'.

TF princess; I liked the flashback too, seeing it filled most of the chapter and thus making me able to keep a few things for other chapters, making this story a bit longer.

Protecting The Next Generation

Chapter 20

Armin Paige and Brian watched the ship on the screen shake, indicating the gravitational pull had gotten a grip on it. Suddenly Paige gasped. It couldn't be, that's not how a black hole worked, was it? Apparently Donnchadh didn't know much about black holes either, for he laughed evilly.

"I never expected it would be so easy to rid the universe of that blasted ship."

Paige felt rage bubble up inside of her and everything seemed to turn red.

"You monster." She yelled as she threw herself at him.

Donnchadh was stunned as he tumbled out of his chair. Paige was now sitting on him and her hands were tightly wrapped around his throat, sealing of his air pipe.

Unfortunate for the girl Hypnopotamus recovered from his shock and lifted her of his master.

"Bring them back to their cell and make sure they can't escape this time." Donnchadh barked, rubbing his sore throat.

Hypnopotamus carried Paige out of the room. Goldy was hot on his heels, carrying Brian and dragging Armin by his upper arm. The viewing screen in the room still showed the image that had caused this distress. The black hole was visible, but the Megaship was nowhere to be seen.

Earth

Ashley, Wyatt's heads flew up and they looked at each other. Something was going to happen very soon. If it was good or bad they couldn't tell, but they had felt the panic radiating from the three missing children. Non of the Karovans were empathic, but when their bond was strong enough they could sense some emotions when another felt them strong enough, panic being one of them.

"You okay, Ash?" Karone asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ashley replied distantly.

Karone shook her head. Andros had better return with Armin, Paige and Brian soon and unharmed or Ashley would really flip.

A cell

"Great and what do we do now?" Paige grumbled.

"Calm down, Paige. There is nothing we can do." Armin sighed.

"I'm sorry, Armin. I just can believe their gone." Paige replied, a tear running down her cheek.

Armin held out his free hand to her, the other being wrapped around a frightened Brian. Paige dropped down next to her brother. Armin wrapped his arm around Paige's shoulders and Paige nuzzled against his side, her head on Armin's shoulder. Armin ran his hand up and down Paige's upper arm, trying to comfort her. He himself wanted to cry, hit something, it didn't matter, as long as he got rid of all this hurt and anger inside of him, but he knew better. His siblings needed comfort right now and he was the only one able to give it, so his feelings would have to wait for now.

He didn't know how long he sat there, but Paige's sobs had turned into whimpering and now the only sound she made come from her slow and even breathing, indicating she was asleep. Brian had fallen asleep not too long before her. His own eyes began to droop too. He lay his had on his sister's and let his eyes slip shut. Maybe this was all a bad dream and when he woke up he would be safely in his bed on KO35.

They didn't know how much time had passed, but the three were shook out of their sleep by the sound of an explosion. The whole building seemed to shake.

"What was that?" Brian asked.

"I don't know, but it can't be good." Paige replied.

They sounds of a fight reached their ears. They seemed to come from the room Laughalot stood guard.

"What the hell is going on?" Paige exclaimed when the building shook again and more explosions were heard.

"I wish I knew, but I don't think we'll be very safe here. If the building gives, we'll be crushed." Armin answered, getting to his feet.

"What are you doing? You know we can't get out of here again." Paige asked.

"Everything I can to get out of here. I don't care they say we can't get out of here, I'm going to try anyway."

With that Armin threw himself against the cell door. The door didn't buckle, but Armin indeed didn't care and tried again and again. He was to absorbed into getting the door down he didn't notice the sounds of the fight had gone, or the footsteps heading their way. When Armin stormed to the door again it swung open and a hooded figure appeared. It was too late for Armin to stop himself and he ran right into the person, knocking them both to the floor.

"Armin!" Paige screamed, running to her brother with Brian on her heels.

Armin scrambled to his feet with the help of Paige and the figure beneath him groaned.

"Definitely not one of my brighter moves." A familiar voice muttered.

"Come on you three, let's get out of here." Another familiar voice said.

They looked to the left and saw another cloaked figure.

"Your voices sound familiar, but as long as we don't see who you are, we're not going anywhere." Armin challenged.

The second figure chuckled and lowered his hoot.

"Tommy!" Paige exclaimed.

"The one and only. Now let's go, the Megaship won't be able to hold up the cloak for much longer and they won't destroy this building until we're out." Tommy ordered.

"The Megaship? But it disappeared." Brian protested.

"We got the cloaking and engines back online. We used the cloaking when we were caught in the gravitational pull of the black hole before trying to get out of it. That way Donnchadh wouldn't know what we were up to."

"Yeah, it took Deca all she had and more to get us out of there, but somehow she made it." The first figure said.

When Armin and Paige looked at him sceptically he finally sat up and lowered his hood too.

"Rocky." Armin smiled.

By now Brian was hiding behind his brother's legs.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Brian, these are Tommy and Rocky, you missed them when they were on the Megaship. They're rangers too." Armin explained.

Brian nodded, but refused to leave his place. Paige picked him up and turned back to Tommy.

"We're ready."

Tommy nodded and turned to Rocky.

"You take Armin, I'll take these two with me."

"You got it." Rocky replied as he scramble to his feet and held out his hand to Armin. "We're teleporting out of here."

Tommy place a hand on Paige's shoulder and lifted his communicator to his mouth.

"We've got them. Five to teleport, Deca."

The teleportation lights surrounded them and soon they appeared on the bridge of the Megaship. Andros immediately left his spot at the helm, which TJ took over, and pulled his children into his arms.

"Daddy." Brian exclaimed and wrapped his arms around Andros' neck.

Andros released his children and took Brian from Paige's arms.

"Target locked." Deca reported.

"Fire." Carlos ordered.

"Launching torpedoes." Deca replied.

The viewing screen showed a big castle like building, hidden half within a mountain. It was already heavily damaged as the torpedoes raced towards it. They exploded on impact, taking not only the castle, but also the mountain down.

"It's over." Jason sighed.

"Finally." Carlos said.

"I agree." Saryn agreed with a small smiled.

"Come on. Let's get you three check out." Andros said to his children. "No need in you getting sick or something if it can be prevented."

"Come to think of it, it was pretty damp and cold in that cell." Armin admitted.

"Not to mention filthy." Paige added, making a yucky face. "I can't wait to take a shower and into some clean cloths."

"Now you're talking my language." Armin laughed.

The other rangers watched Andros leave the bridge with his children.

"Set course to Earth, Deca. Maximum hyper rush." TJ ordered, dropping into the chair behind him. "Man, I'm glad that's over with."

"I can't wait to get back home." Tommy commented.

"I think that goes for all of us, bro." Jason laughed.

"Okay, who's in for a game of basketball on the Simudeck?" TJ asked.

All rangers agreed to it, wanting to finally relax completely after months of tension and insecurity.

A/N: Hope you liked it. I had some time to spare this morning and I thought I'd do you all a favour. Please review. The next chapter will probably be the last, but as I said to Jeanka, another sequel will follow once I worked out the details, though I already started the first chapter.