Chapter 11. Colors of the night

"That's it. You've got it, now pay attention to where it is." Ashley said and Dana could hear the voice in her mind. Dana blocked out the voice then and using the energy field she'd learned was about her, felt the telekinesis ball bump against it. Putting out her hand she caught it.

"There you go." A new voice said and Dana frowned. Who was that? She didn't know that one. "Now try this." And she just in time to fall into the field before she felt something smack into it. She shot up a hand before her and found the pillow. "Well Ash, we must have taught you well. She's on the ball."

"Dana meet the joker, or better known as the silver Astro ranger Zhane." Ashley laughed and Dana was a little surprised to receive a huge hug. It struck her that all of the past rangers were very touchy touchy.  Well, all she'd met.  Ashley was always resting a hand on her shoulder when things got hard to deal with, now this hug and even Andros seemed to do a lot of touching.  When ever he was around when she did something right he would clap her on the shoulder in a buddy way that was becoming like a second nature.  Dana figured that was a good thing since she could no longer see their faces and she had to now rely on both textile and auditory cues. 

"It's good to meet the new blood." He said and Dana realized then just who he was, Zhane Sourk of KO-35, and the former Silver astro ranger. She had no chance to be tongue tied as he draped an arm around her shoulder and was leading her from the room.

"My wife wants to meat you." He said and she didn't have a chance to grab her cane. Luckily Ashley slid it into her hand obviously his other arm was around his sister-in-law's shoulders as well.  "Nuvia where is my wife?" Zhane asked the ship's on-board computer.

"Karone is on the Simudeck." Happy sounding voice replied.

"Thank you." With that he led them to the lift.

***

"What's wrong? Getting tired?" Joel asked him as the other ranger just managed to miss a blow from a Batling.

"I'll make you eat those words." Ryan said and he used his strength and a sliver of rage to take out that foot soldier. Then he ran at the green ranger. Joel was ready and dove out of the way just in time as Ryan landed a corkscrew kick in the spot where he'd just been.

They'd been sparring for over 3 hours so Joel was used to it. It was not only a good way for them to work through their feelings about what happened back home. For the last day and a half. It seemed to at least help them train.

Carter was busy not far away taking on a simulated Vypra. The Chimera was almost as good a fighter as the real demon. Still he was pulverizing her just the way he was going to the next time he saw the witch. The little sorceress was going down and hard. She'd pay for what she did to Dana. The red ranger dealt the specter a flying kick that sent her flying and jumped at the sound of a voice in his head.

"If you fight with so much anger you'll do a Luke Skywalker thing." Glancing around he spotted the blond haired woman standing off to one side. Suddenly she walked forward and the image of Vypra vanished.

"Who are you?" He asked and she smiled and extended a hand.

"My name is Karone Sourk I'm... I'm also the one time pink galaxy ranger." She said even as he shook her hand.

Before he could blink they were no longer in the invented Mariner Bay Park. He found they stood on the ship of a shadowy looking ship. The control panels were off to the right a huge view screen stood to the left.

"Where are we?"

"Simudeck 2, it's programmed to look like the place where I grew up." That bit of information mace Carter frown. It looked like the...

Carter's eyes flew to her face.

"Your..."

"Once, a very long time ago." She agreed with a little nod. Suddenly she changed. Her hair went from gold to an angry crimson, her clothes were all black leather and a nasty looking blade hung from her hip. Then in a flash Karone looked like herself again. "After I was myself again, when my brother destroyed Zordon and things were righted, I had to deal with what I did; true I couldn't control a great deal of it. She looked right into his eyes as if trying to convey a silent message. Andros and my friends all said it was not my doing but still there's the rage at being helpless to change it. It's not the same but when I took Kendrix's place after she was killed I was driven by the need to make up for what I couldn't control in my own life."

"Sounds like you and Andros had allot in common." Carter said and she nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips.

"The thing about the powers that you have to understand is that each power chooses it's people by their personalities. Green rangers are self confident but they have more sensitivity then most people.

"Well, Joel's a little nuts sometimes." Carder nodded.

"Pink rangers are nurturing, caring and are always willing to try and help."

Thinking of Dana Carter silently nodded; she always possessed a quiet courage. "Blue are insightful and honest." That was Chad. His friend was honest to a fault and was always thinking.

"Yellow rangers are crazy and yet outgoing."

"That's Kelsey." Carter said shaking his head at some of the memories of her foolish actions.

"Then there's the sixth. As they come in last they are usually loners and tend to keep to themselves, when it comes to fighting they can do foolish things but they always come through in the end."

Carter nodded, that was Ryan through and through. Well, at least he thought so from what he'd seen. 

"The red ranger is always hardest headed, their born leaders but the minute something goes wrong they immediately think it's their fault." Karone saw him look away at this last and nodded as if to herself. "They are fiercely loyal though and will do anything to achieve their goal, even risk their own lives." She finished and then she went on quietly. "The power chose you, not captain Mitchell. If it had been him your spirit could have rejected them. When you were a child what color did you like best?"

"Red."

"And Chad blue, Kelsey yellow. The powers are a part of you, so although you will not actually have your morphers, weapons or protective suits you will their essence." She said and Carter felt as if for the first time he truly understood. He was meant to be a ranger, the leader of a team. Many things came clear, things he'd done, that the others had done, they all made sense. Slowly he was starting to feel like they didn't just stand a slim chance, he knew deep down inside they could do this. The knowledge came from the same spot that told him how to handle fires.

"Nuvia initialize program 5115alpha."Karone called to the computer. "You just have to remember that when things look the darkest things could always be worse." The ship was gone and was replaced was an evil looking stronghold.

"What's this?"

"You've heard of Queen Rita and Lord Zed?" At his nod she added. "This was there palace on the moon.

"Man..." He looked around and saw the ghoulish looking being standing a few feet away.

"Foolish ranger." He sneered and Carter hopped backwards as a sword was swung in his general direction."

"He went from good," Suddenly the image was of a young man with sandy blond hair and a little smile. "To bad." He was again the monster. "To good. The power can do that." Then the scene changed again and before them was what he knew was a cryo stasis chamber. Inside was a young man with white blond hair.

"Internal injuries, head trauma and so much that he should have died."

"But I didn't." Carter turned to see a threesome standing nearby. It was the first time he'd truly seen Dana in days. She was not around much lately. She was always off, he'd not felt right asking where she was but now he could see she looked different. She wore an outfit much like the one the yellow Astro ranger wore; the only difference was her top was pink. She was also standing a little more at ease but straighter. He thought she'd never looked more confident or so beautiful. A ball of joy welled up. He didn't know what she'd been doing but she looked so much better. The man's words brought him back to the present.

"Some times we think things are worse then they truly are." The man in silver smiled and took a deep breath. As Dana began forward the ground began to shake.

"Woe!" She yelped nearly falling. Carter was there though catching her and holding her tight he looked at Karone.

"Andros what's going on?" Zhane was asking with his communicator.

"We ran into an asteroid field. Everyone just hold tight." The red Astro ranger called.

"We're holding." His sister called sarcastically.

"The baby alright?"

"Yes but I'm getting queasy."

"Ok, we'll get situated as soon as possible." He called and she smiled even as Zhane had to catch her, the ship lurching again.

"You ok?" Carter asked Dana who was still in his arms.

"I'm fine, you?" Her lips were a bare breath away and he couldn't help himself, the impulse took over and he kissed her.

Dana didn't know what to do, the feel of Carter's lips on hers was so unexpected that she was not braced for it, her knees threatened to buckle. Dana's belly began to flutter, her head to go light and her hands to slide up about his neck. Then she was kissing him back, the feelings she'd felt for him in the past welling up from deep inside.

"I think," Zhane began as he now stood beside his wife and sister-in-law. "They may have one more leg up on this trip then they know."

"I'd say." Ashley grinned as well.

"Dana I..." He began but she cut him off with another kiss this one full of passion.

"Yes they'll be just fine." [

*** 

After dinner Carter called for a meeting of rangers. Earlier he had had Andros run a program that turned Simudeck 1 into Rescue ops. Now the group all sat around a large table in the back of the room.

"Alright as we are not to really know anything about Fetos before our arrival I have been doing some thinking and I think there are three things we need to do before we even leave this ship."

The others waited in silence, Dana sat holding her cane on her lap toying with the wholes on either side from which the elastic rope that held it together protruded. She'd not really thought she should be there, she wasn't a ranger now, the thing was Carter had said since she was coming it was important she be in sink with the group. She was more afraid of being a liability. After all she could feel things but she still couldn't fight. If they were attacked by monsters she'd be completely useless.

"First," As Kelsey glanced around at the others she wondered if they'd survive to stop the demons. True they had been chosen but if they weren't strong enough, not smart enough.

"We need to," Chad was listening to Carter beginning his speech but his mind was still so jumbled, he'd never expected any of this and now all he wanted to do was run and hide. True he'd felt that way when he'd first been asked to go to the Aquabase but he'd not. Now though he was kind of scared. If they could do this to Dana then.

"form fighting teams, this will make sure that everyone is covered at all times, this will also help guard against anyone getting lost."

"So have you pared us off?" Joel asked his leader his dark eyes unreadable. Although he'd not been as vocal about his feelings he was just as upset about the whole situation, if they failed. He thought of the demons, of Angela and what would happen to her and to all the people who might die. They had to do this.

"Yes, Joel you and Chad will go together, Ryan you and Kelsey and Dana and I." Carter said and looked to Kelsey and Ryan for any objections.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Dana asked, he'd not expected her to speak up. She'd been very quiet all day.

"You don't think it's a good idea?"

"No, the way I see it is I'm learning how to sense things but I'm not much of a fighter, I'd be a danger to anyone paired up with me."

"Well alright lets take a vote. Who thinks Dana should be alone?" Kelsey said and no one made a sound or a single move to disagree.

"There you have it."

"I."

"Alright," Carter didn't listen to anymore of her objections as he continued. "Second we will have to have someone on watch at night, we can take shifts and so I think we should order them now." He said and they all volunteered, and Dana too, this she could do, thanks to the telekinesis training Ashley had been giving her.

"Alright, Kelse your on first, Dana you can have the second shift."

"How can you Keep watch?" Joel knew it was wrong to ask but he didn't know.

"I've been learning to do something's, sense things." She said picking up her cane and handing it to the person to her left she said. "Try and throw it at me." Ryan just stared at her. "go on, You won't be able to really hurt me." she said and at a nod from his leader Ryan rose, moved back a few paces and tossed the folded metal walking stick at his sister.

Dana was very ready, she felt the bump and reaching out a hand she caught it.

Ryan just stared at his little sister, she'd caught it and it wasn't even within a foot of her.

"Well," Kelsey grinned for the first time in what felt like a very long time. "I think that settles that."

"Yes, and Chad you can have the next watch." Carter went on adding that he'd take the fourth. They finished the guard roster, then they each took jobs,

Dana and Carter had cooking duty, Chad and Joel had the responsibility of gathering wood and setting up camp while Ryan and Kelsey had scouting detail.

"Well I have to admit for the first time I think that being organized might help." Kelsey commented and Joel nodded in agreement.

"The third thing is we all have to relax, we've been training since boarding the ship and once we land there won't be time for personal space or reflection. After giving a command the base turned into a Carnival.

"What the."

"Well, most people find carnival's fun." Kelsey grinned and Joel nodded.

"Well then," Chad looked around at his friends, "shall we go?"

Dana didn't have a chance to object as her arm was grabbed and she felt herself being tugged along. The Group walked around together, RIDING on ride after ride and Kelsey tried her hand at a ring toss game. Dana couldn't win anything so didn't even bothering to aim.

Seeing this Chad and JOEL tried to win both girls stuffed animals they managed with out a thought.

"Carter is something wrong?" Dana asked.

"Nothing, I was just thinking." Carter said quietly. "Listen can we talk about that kiss?" the question seemed simple enough but she knew what he wanted to know.

"Alright, can we find a place to sit down?" She asked.

Once they were seated on a bench Dana felt nerves jangling, what was he going to say? Would he say it was a mistake? Is that why he said her name after that first kiss? Of course it was, they were just friends, why would he be interested in her? Especially now? For goodness sake she wasn't even really whole.

"Listen, I."

"Carter you don't have to say it, I understand, it never should have." She broke in and was stopped herself by a finger pressing against her lips.

"Dana, I wanted to say that I know the timing is bad, that I wish it could be under better circumstances but I've had feelings for you for a long time now. I never said anything because I was afraid but, when I thought you'd die after the attack I knew that I couldn't let it unsaid."

Sitting there she could hear the sincerity in his voice, he'd had feelings for her? He still did?

"I know it's a lot to ask especially with your life in such an upheaval but I was wondering if you might like to go out with me, you know like on a date?" Carter asked and she felt tears sting the back of her eyes, she'd not be good for him, she'd just put him at risk.

"Carter I don't know if it's such a good idea, I'm not like before, I'd be a hazard to you and..."

"Bull, the next time you say that I'm going to put you on duty with Joel." He said and she blinked. It was funny to do that even though she still couldn't see. "Blind or sighted, short or tall, Dana your still you, that's who I want to date." He said quietly.

"If your sure." She spoke with a shrug.

"Positive." He smiled and added. "I just want you to think of this as our first date, that is if you'd like to go out with." She was the one to rest a hand on his lips.

"I would love to."

"Alright then," Carter rose bringing her with him. "Just take my arm and we're off." He instructed.

"Sounds good to me." Dana said and Carter led her through the crowd. They rode on rides and talked about things like their childhoods, their friends, and things they'd never thought to talk about. It was amazing just how much they had in common. Dana felt her heart tugging as he told her about his time growing up. She'd never realized just how much he'd been through before ever becoming a ranger.

*****

"Hey where'd Carter and Dana go?" Kelsey asked upon returning from the restroom.

"On a date." Chad informed her and Kelsey grinned.

"It's about time." The yellow ranger said and Ryan noticed just how pretty her eyes were whenever they lit up.

"Come on lets go on the coaster." She said but Chad shook his head.

"Sorry Kelse, you know I don't do those things." He told her making his friend sigh.

"Joel?"

"Not me, I only go in the air in a closed in space." They went into

"Come on, someone has to ride with me, you have3 to have two riders." She said and glanced at Ryan who looked as dower as ever.

"Fine." He said and grinning she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the line.

*****

Ryan watched the girl beside him as they began their climb up the coaster. She looked as if she were working really hard at being carefree. He understood that feeling, he'd been trying that since Carter said they should try and relax. She was such a good friend to everyone. He idly wondered if he'd have come through the last weeks with out her silent understanding.

Ryan never mentioned it was his first ride on a roller coaster, but as the car plummeted down the hill he felt his gut drop. Glancing over at his companion once again he couldn't believe she was laughing and tossing her hands over her head. It made him grin, she really was something.

*****

They entered the laugh in the dark and as they entered the maze of mirrors Kelsey found herself alone.

"Alright Ryan where are you!" She called and when there was no answer she headed through the mirrors. When she found the exit there he was. Coming out of the building the couple decided to go on the Farris wheel.

"Hey Ryan Look!" the yellow ranger tugged on his arm as she spotted the couple two cars below them.

*****

"Woe." Dana said at the shaking of the car and involuntarily grabbed Carter's arm when they stopped suddenly at the top. When a man yelled up that they were having trouble with the ride Dana's face went white. Carter wriggled his arm free and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Don't worry. I have a feeling it will only take a second or two for them to fix it." Carter's voice was soft in Dana's ear. The feeling of his breath just

There sent shivers over her skin and she snuggled a little closer relishing the feeling.

*****

"Looks like they finally got things together." Kelsey commented from where they'd been watching the scene unfold. The ride started again and Ryan wondered just how much more there was to this daredevil. So far he'd seen the wild side, the caring side and the wistful romantic.

"Hey guys!" they turned after climbing from the car to find Carter waving at them. He was leading Dana who was actually smiling.

"Hey you two look happy." Ryan said looking at Carter with a slight warning look. The other man nodded in acknowledgement.

"Well, we've had worse days." Dana grinned.

"That's good to hear." Kelsey grinned in return. Others walking towards them.

"Hey guys how about we grab a bite?" Joel asked.

"You got it."

Kelsey and Dana talked at a table while the men went to get the food. All of the men came back together. The young people talked and ate together. Carter's eyes assessing Dana the entire time.

"You know it's probably getting late." Dana said and Carter added that they were going to need their rest.

Ryan glanced at Kelsey and made up his mind. He had a feeling they'd need this little time for themselves and she seemed to understand saying that they were going to stick around for a little while. After throwing away the trash Ryan led Kelsey to a ball toss game and easily one her a prize. Ryan told her to choose and she picked a little dog, when he told the man to give her the larger dog which was the same she laughed.

"You know your sweet." she smiled at him as they walked away.

"Shush." he fained scandal. Kelsey just laughed.

"We're going to cut out, you know, better rest up." Joel said looking at the two of his team mates, they looked very at ease. It wasn't the first time he'd noted how the pair seemed that way more and more lately.

"Yeah, it makes sense," Kelsey said and her eyes lowered.

"We'll hang a little then head off too." Ryan said and Kelsey glanced up to find the young man not watching her. Still she wondered what had prompted him to do that. He wasn't exactly the relaxing type.

"Right, catch you in the morning." Joel said and the blue and Green rangers were off.

"I thought you'd want to get some sleep." Kelsey said once they were once more alone.

"You know, with all that's going to happen we can use all the fun we can get." He said and with that he was pulling her along once more.

TBC

***