DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE (AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE IT TO BE) SO DON'T SUE ME
Jenny: Thanks for the new title! When I named it 'Wanderer,' it was going to be about the two years between the invasion of KO-35 and Andros meeting the others plus their adventures, but I got lazy and cut out the first part, so the title doesn't make much sense anymore.
Alexis: I'm sad too, I don't really want it to end. But I really, really want to write something that has this thing called an ending, so I'm going to finish it. The next few chapters will be kinda long and drawn out, though. This one especially.
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Yay, thank you!
serenitylovegod: Thanks.
rynidgrl: Thanks. I see Andros as the kind of guy who keeps everything inside, so he seems cold, but he's really soft on this inside. Plus, he's a normal, horomonal teenager, like you said.
Chapter 14: Taking the Universe
Weeks passed. Zhane didn't return, and they were no closer to having Karone back. To everyone's relief, they didn't have to fight Astronema directly. They doubted Andros could have stood it. They had lost the Delta Megazord, and were now standing beside the ruin of the Mega Voyager.
Ashley climbed to her feet and did her best to rub soot and smoke off her face. Tears started streaming down her face. Andros placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned and hid her face in his shoulder.
"You were right," she said, her voice muffled. "We have no hope."
"Don't say that," Andros said, shocked that Ashley was giving up. "You can't give up."
"So you've already given up then?" Ashley pulled her head back to look him in the eye. "Is that it?"
"I'll never stop fighting," Andros said fiercely. "But I don't see how we can win this."
"Neither do I," Ashley whispered. "But we'll all die trying." Andros held her close, trying not to think about her last words.
"Let's go," Andros said. "I don't like being here."
Ashley nodded. They joined the others, who were still picking themselves up. They looked at each other, failure and hopelessness evident in all their faces.
"Let's go," Andros said again. "We can talk on the Megaship. Deca, teleport five."
They landed on the bridge, still in their torn and dirty clothes. "Everyone clean up first," Andros said. "It'll give you some time to think about what just happened before we all talk as a group."
Andros showered and dressed quickly, but when he returned to the bridge, Ashley was already there. Her damp hair was pulled back from her face, and her head was buried in her hands.
"Ash, don't cry," Andros said. "It's okay."
Ashley looked at him. "I was watching it on screen. It felt like it was happening all over again."
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Andros asked. She nodded. Andros sighed, and pulled Ashley into his lap. She was still crying.
"I know we still have the Megaship," she said. "But it feels like we've grown weaker and they've grown stronger."
"I know," Andros said. "But we are just as strong as they are."
"Stronger," said three more voices as the other rangers joined them. "Because we will never give up," T.J. added.
Ashley smiled weakly. "I thought I was supposed to say that."
"Looks like your optimism rubbed off on the rest of us," Cassie said.
"So what do we do now?" Andros asked seriously. "Dark Specter's been gearing up for an enormous battle."
"How can you tell?" Carlos asked. "Everything seems the same. Except for the part where we lost two zords."
"Every monster that we've fought has been stronger than the last," Andros said. "It's gotten to the point where we almost can't win. The next thing he'll do is send in everything and everyone that he's got. He did this when he attacked KO-35, and several other colonies."
"I see," T.J. said. "Were you planning on telling us this?"
"Would it have mattered?" Andros said. "KO-35 knew what would happen. It made no difference."
"Are there any signs?" Cassie asked. "Troops sent ahead? Anything?"
Andros shook his head. "There is just the invasion."
Ashley shuddered at the word 'invasion.' Andros wrapped his arms around her. "What do we do when that happens?" she asked.
"We fight," Andros said. "Until we have either won or are killed."
"Is there any way to get the people out?" Carlos asked. "You said KO-35 was evacuated."
"KO-35 had access to thousands of ships," Andros said. "The Megaship is big, but not that big. We can't fit billions of people in it."
"Can we finish this tomorrow?" Cassie asked. "I need to think."
Andros nodded. "We'll come up with a battle plan tomorrow. But remember that we don't have very long."
The others nodded and left soberly.
"Ash?" Andros said. She was still in his lap. "Can I get up?"
Ashley nodded, but didn't move. Andros stood up still holding her and carried her to her room. He set her down on her bed, but when he turned to go, she grabbed his arm.
"How long do we have?" Ashley asked.
Andros hesitated. "I don't know."
"Andros!"
"I don't know for sure," Andros said finally. "At best, a month. At worst, tomorrow."
"A month?" Ashley repeated. "At best?"
Andros nodded. "I'd say about a week, no more than two."
Ashley looked stunned. "I never thought that it would end. Whenever I thought of the future, I saw us all fighting for years, and then training new replacements. I thought that this fight would have lasted a few thousand years."
"It already has," Andros pointed out. "And it's time for it to end. One way or another."
Ashley nodded. "I guess you're right."
She yawned.
"You should get some rest," Andros told her.
She nodded sleepily. "Good night."
Andros kissed her good night.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, Ash," Andros replied, going to his own room.
Andros couldn't sleep. Something had been bothering him for several, and he couldn't figure it out. He spent several hours tossing and turning in bed, wondering what Dark Specter was up to. He felt like he was missing something.
"Deca, what did Kin Won tell Zhane?" he asked.
"Would you like me to play the message for you?" Deca asked.
"Yes, please," Andros said, yawning. He listened until Kin Won said 'Dark Specter has been scanning this system frequently.'
Andros frowned. "Deca, has Dark Specter been scanning systems routinely?"
"Yes," Deca said.
"Abandoned systems or habited sytems?"
"Both," Deca said. "Habited systems more often than the abandoned ones."
"Deca, who has been in communication with Dark Specter over the last few weeks?"
"Lord Zedd, Rita and Divatox," Deca replied. "But I do not have sufficient information as to why."
"Where are Rita and Zedd now? Where's Divatox?" Andros demanded, sitting up.
"They are not within scanning range."
"Scan for transmissions, then."
"I have one," Deca announced several minutes later. "Shall I play it?"
"Yes," Andros said tersely. He listened silently and groaned. "Deca, who else is still awake?"
"The brainwaves emitted by T.J. and Carlos are consistent with their normal sleeping patterns," Deca replied.
"So Ashley and Cassie are awake?"
"Yes," Deca said. "Do you want to speak with them?"
"Yes," said Andros. "Wake up T.J. and Carlos. I want to see everyone on the bridge in five minutes."
"What's so important it couldn't wait until morning?" T.J. grumbled sleepily, once they were all assembled on the bridge.
"I know what Dark Specters planning," Andros said grimly. "It can't wait until morning."
"Why not?" Ashley yawned. Her blanket was wrapped around her shoulders, but she was shivering. Andros realized that he was cold, too.
"Every other attack that Dark Specter has orchestrated, a single planet was the target," Andros began. "That isn't the case here."
"Why not?" Cassie asked.
Andros sighed. "Deca has informed me that Zedd, Rita, and Divatox have been in communication with Dark Specter recently. Deca managed to intercept a fragment of one transmission."
He stopped.
"Andros," Ashley said. "Tell us."
Andros swallowed. "In the morning, Dark Specter plans to launch his invasion. He plans to attack the entire universe."
A/N: Okay, long drawn-out chapter that there was really no point to. The invasion will come whether they know it or not, and they would have figured out the universe thing eventually. Anyway . . .
