Disclaimer: Not mine, please don't sue me, I have no money anyway

TrueRomantic: Zhane actually did shoot at Aria, he just didn't hit her with the shot.

Juzblue: Thanks.

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: I'm happy I can update again too. I was going crazy not being able to write what was going to happen next. (I'm too lazy to write it down and type it later.) You'll see what I've done with it in this chapter. No cliffy this time. : )

Melissa: You'll see what the surprise is in this chapter. No, Zhane and Karone are together. Zhane and Aria are just similar in their thinking patterns and suicidal tendencies. I will for sure update sooner than last time, but this might be it for about a week, unless there are any readers who love me enough to come take my finals for me. : )

Jenny: I'm a girl, and I totally agree. Male chauvanism is bad. : ) Andros just likes to blame himself for things that he really has no control of. And he didn't really feel like going, either.

angelbaby: Don't worry, there's plenty more.

Ghostwriter: Not quite, but close.

Princess Emmie: Don't worry, this chapter has an ending that is not a cliffhanger.

Chapter 26: An End To It All

The Dark Fortress

Zhane paced back and forth in a dark, forgotten corner of the Dark Fortress, formulating plan after plan in his mind, and discarding them just as quickly as he had thought them up. It was useless, he decided. He had no clue as to the layout of the Dark Fortress, nor to how many Quantrons and other footsoldiers were onboard. Doing his best to shrug off all his reservations, he crept silently out into the hall.

There was no one or nothing in sight, and he breathed a little easier, all the while keeping an eye out for surveillence devices. Even if he was caught on camera, he doubted that anyone was actually watching. They were much too preoccupied worshiping their queen.

He spotted a door, and after glancing around quickly and spotting no Quantrons, he slipped through it. His breath stalled for a brief second as he realized where he was: the bridge of the Dark Fortress. So this was where Astronema had directed all her attacks...

Zhane jumped, his heart in his throat, when he heard someone speaking behind him.

Angel Grove

The sun was rising, and time was running out. The remaining rangers had no battle plan other than to fight to the death, and they were all painfully aware of how short a time that would be. All their hopes now rested on Zhane. If he could find Karone in time, they would have a chance.

"Wake up." Aria shook Justin by the shoulder firmly, snapping her twin out of a fitful sleep. As the night had worn on, Andros had ordered them all to at least try and sleep, pointing out that they couldn't fight on the brink of exhaustion. While it was true, Aria had found sleep impossible, and instead had found herself sitting silently, wondering the fate of the rest of the universe, and the other rangers that defended it.

"Anything change?" Justin was wide awake at once. Aria shook her head, and Justin turned to wake Gabriel.

"Andros," Aria hissed, stepping over to where he and Ashley were dozing uneasily in each other's arms. Her brother opened his eyes slowly, the realization that it was all not just a nightmare registering. As it did, Andros cast a long look up at the sky, tightening his arms around Ashley, before looking his sister in the eye.

"Remind me to thank Zhane when he gets back," he said softly, staring at the yellow ranger in his arms. Sighing heavily, he moved one arm from Ashley's waist to her shoulder, shaking her as gently as possible. "Ash," he whispered into her ear. "Come on, wake up."

"I'm awake," Ashley muttered. Andros felt her arms tighten around him as she opened her eyes. He stood slowly, setting Ashley on her feet, both swaying slightly as blood rushed back into their legs.

"Quantrons," Aria announced quietly. Andros saw her reaching for her morpher, and touched her arm lightly, shaking his head no. "Not yet," he said softly. "If they don't attack, there's no reason why we should. Save your strength." Aria nodded reluctantly, watching as the Quantrons returned, preparing themselves for battle.

The Dark Fortress

"Zordon?" Zhane gasped. "You're here?"

Why didn't we think of that? he wondered, as the wizard stared at him calmly.

"There is little time," Zordon said, his tone as even as it always was, as if he was simply announcing an attack, not watching the fall of the rangers. Zhane nodded, unable to keep himself from blurting out, "Is there any hope?"

"There is always hope," Zordon replied. "In this instance, there is only one way you can win this battle."

"How?" Zhane demanded. "I'll do anything."

"Shatter my energy tube," Zordon instructed.

From behind his visor, Zhane blinked, stunned. "But what about you?"

"Only the good energy from my tube can destroy the great evil that you are facing," the wizard told him.

"There's no other way?" Zhane slowly summoned his Super Silverizer, dreading what he knew he had to do. "There is no other way," Zordon said. Zhane sighed heavily, and raised his weapon.

"So the Silver Ranger came to visit," came a horribly familiar voice.

"Karone!" Zhane gasped.

"I am Astronema," she snapped, her face blank. In one hand, she raised her staff.

Angel Grove

"Rangers," Ecliptor decreed, his voice carrying through the masses of citizens. "Your time has ended."

"What do you think?" Aria murmured. "Can we fight now?"

Andros exhaled and nodded. "So, how are we doing this?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Justin demanded. "We morph, and then about twenty minutes later, we die."

"Justin," Gabriel began, but was cut off by Ashley.

"All of you, shut up," she said furiously, her face set and determind. "If we don't believe that we can win, we will lose. We have to fight as a team, and trust each other more than we've ever had to before. Whatever differences we have don't matter now. What matters now is that we fight as hard as we can, and if we die, we die fighting for what's right."

"I agree," Aria said softly. Gabriel nodded silently, and after a moment, Justin did too. Andros looked from one member of his team to another. "Ready?"

"Let's Rocket!" they cried together.

The Dark Fortress

"Karone, you have to listen to me," Zhane pleaded, dodging yet another of her shots while at the same time searching desperately for the telepathic link that they had shared only hours before. He nearly gave up hope when he found no trace of it, almost allowing himself to believe that his love was gone, and he was left facing only an empty shell, but he forced himself to remember that this was bigger than his broken heart. There were billions of people on Earth alone for whom he was their last chance.

"You didn't send the red ranger?" Astronema taunted. "I thought he was my brother. Or the blue ranger? My other brother, remember? Wait, wasn't the pink ranger my sister?"

She laughed, and Zhane clenched his teeth to keep himself from responding. Oh, if he ever caught even the smallest glimpse of Ecliptor ever again, the silver ranger vowed to see to it that his existence was blotted out in a most painful way.

"Zhane, you must shatter my energy tube," Zordon insisted from across the room.

"I'm trying to," Zhane gasped out, winded as Astronema landed a hard kick to his stomach.

"You'll have to kill me to get to him," Astronema laughed. "And you won't. You think Karone's still in me, and you won't risk killing her."

"Karone, I know you can hear me," Zhane said.

"Zhane?" The change in tone was startling, and Zhane paused.

"Karone?"

"Nope," Astronema took advantage of his slip to sent several shots his way, none of which he managed to dodge. He fell, his breath becoming erratic and uneven. "Well, Silver Ranger, you have failed." She drew back her staff for one final blow, the one that would kill him, and seal the doom of the universe.

Angel Grove

"Andros!" Aria shouted, too exhausted to bother with telepathy, hoping her voice would carry. It did, but registered too late, her brother already caught fast in the grip of several Quantrons. Ecliptor materialized alongside them, basking in the delight that came along with his old enemy's impending death.

Andros saw Ecliptor raise his sword, and swallowed hard, bracing himself as best he was able for his death. "Ashley!" he screamed out desperately, grateful that he had lost sight of her, not wanting her to have to watch him die. Ecliptor's sword descended, and he closed his eyes, waiting. Instead of feeling the blade slice through him, as he'd expected, he felt his left arm wrenched painfully as someone grabbed him, pulling him away.

He stumbled and opened his eyes, taking in the scene quickly. He saw Justin engaged in a fierce battle with Ecliptor, and realized that it had been the ranger that resented him the most that had saved him.Instantly, Ashley was at his side again, supporting him as they all regrouped around him. Completely surrounded, they stood back to back as various villians advanced.

The Dark Fortress

Zhane kicked Astronema's staff away, and summoned the rest of his remaining strength. Staggering to his feet, he stumbled across the room, his eyes fixed on Zordon. Astronema recovered quickly, and came at him again. Zhane turned to face her, his Silverizer raised. This time, when Astronema swung her staff at him, he ducked, throwing himself out of the way, the sound of glass shattering his cue to start breathing again.

Angel Grove

Andros watched in stunned disbelief as the creatures around him disintegrated, crumbling into sand. Not daring to believe that they had won, he suddenly realized that their suits had vanished. He felt Ashley throw her arms around him, and he returned her embrace weakly, pressing his lips against hers, momentarily forgetting everything else as he held her, grateful beyond belief that they were still together. Justin's exulent whoop of joy, coupled with Aria's wordless scream snapped him out of his daze, and he turned to his brother.

"Thank you," he said, looking at him over Ashley's shoulder. The former blue ranger shrugged, but grinned at him.

"We actually won," Gabriel said. His words carried to the crowds, who began cheering wildly.

"What about Zhane?" Andros asked in a low voice, concern for his sister and best friend settling in. A loud explosion filled the air, and he heard loud gasps of fear.

"That would be the Dark Fortress," Aria said from behind him. He turned to look at his sister, unable to read anything from her expression. He searched through the crowd vainly, looking for any sign that Zhane or Karone might have survived. Then he heard Aria's strangled cheer, and he saw Zhane struggling through the crowds towards them, hand in hand with the former queen of evil, who was pale, but very much alive.