Chapter 36: End of an Adventure Part I

Ryan and Zhane were walking when they found some ruins. "Do you think we could find something here?" Zhane asked.

"There might be, keep your eyes..." Ryan trailed off.

Just before Ryan could finish his sentence, Zhane fell into a hole. "Open," he finished. He sighed and went down next to the hole. "Zhane, are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm in a hole, Ryan. You tell me," Zhane answered.

"I see, are you sure you're okay?" Ryan asked.

"I think so. My back hurts though," Zhane replied.

"What do you see?"

"It looks like a tomb."

"Hold on, I'll be right down."

"Watch that first step, it's a doozy."

"I'll keep that in mind."

As Ryan got down into the hole, he saw that it was the tomb where the creatures were set free. "Let's look around a bit," Ryan stated. Zhane nodded and they started looking around. He found what looked like a drawing of a Golden Key.

"Ryan, I think I found something," he informed.

Ryan walked over to him to see the key. "Oh, no," he murmured.

"What?" Zhane asked.

They heard rumbling and laughter. "What is that?" Zhane asked.

"We have to call Carter," Ryan replied.

Zhane stood behind him as he tried to contact the Aqua-Base.

(At the Aqua-Base)

The team watched as Ryan tried to send his message. "Zhane and I found out Zafina and the Queen's plan. You've got to stop them," Ryan insisted.

"What is it?"

"They've resurrected all of the demons in the shadow world. The ceremony's going to happen..." Ryan started.

However, the screen went from clear to static.

"RYAN!" Dana yelled.

Carter grabbed her shoulder and Andros held onto Karone's hand when he saw the worry in her eyes.

(In the Cave)

Ryan and Zhane were both unconscious and Queen Bansheera and Zafina bent down beside them. "It's going to happen all right, and no one will be able to stop it," she stated.

"Yes, at last, the world will be ours and Andros will be mine," Zafina laughed.

"Come; let's get them back to the castle," Queen Bansheera stated.

"Yes, my lady."

(Back at the Aqua-Base)

"Someone has to go there and get them out," Karone insisted.

They were quiet, but then Carter got up. "Carter, where are you going?" Dana asked.

"I'm going after him," Carter replied.

"Carter, no," Dana objected.

Carter turned and looked at her. "I have to, Day. I have to save him," he insisted. Dana held onto his hands with worry in her eyes. Andros stood up and Ashley knew it all too well, he was going after Zhane.

"Zhane is my best friend. I have known him since we were kids. I'm going with you," Andros insisted.

"Andros," Ashley whispered.

She stood up and stood in front of him. He held onto her hands for a second before following Carter to the lab.

Once everything was set up, the two men were already in uniform when Dana, Ashley, and Karone came in. Dana walked over and stood in front of Carter. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug with sadness, fear, and hope. Carter hugged her back with a sigh. "I'll be back, Dana. I promise. I'll be back with Ryan and we'll finally be able to do what we want," he murmured. He pulled back and touched her face. "Just remember that I'll always love you," he added.

"I love you too," she whispered.

He kissed her and hugged her again. Ashley hugged Andros tight with tears rolling down her face and onto his uniform. "What if you don't come back this time?" She asked.

"I'll be back, Ashley. Then we can finally settle into that house and raise our baby," he replied.

He let her go and placed a hand on her stomach. "This baby is a blessing, a person made from you and me, and a person made out of our love. Remember that, Ashley," he told her.

"I know," she sighed.

Andros gave her a gentle kiss and hugged her one last time before looking at Karone. Karone knew she couldn't stop her brother, she knew that she couldn't go with him either. She just hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Just bring him back," she whispered.

"I will, don't worry," he assured her.

He let her go and walked over to his motorcycle. He pulled on his helmet and then he and Carter were off.

Ryan and Zhane were dragged in front of Queen Bansheera and Zafina. Zhane's eyes widened when he saw how beautiful Zafina turned because of the Star Power. Zafina walked over and touched his face. "Such strong power, but not strong enough to help me continue my father's bloodline," she sneered. Zhane jerked his head away from her touch.

"Even if I was compatible with your powers, I would never help you continue Scorpius's bloodline," Zhane snapped.

Zafina glared at him. "Fine, take him away," she ordered. Zhane and Ryan were taken to a prison cell and had each arm chained to low columns.

Back at the Aqua-Base, Ashley and Karone were sitting quietly when Karone grabbed her hand. "Andros is going to be okay. He's going to come back. He came back when he saved me," Karone pointed out.

"Yes, but now he's going to fight the woman that has wanted him for months," Ashley stated.

"He's a strong guy, he can fight her."

"I hope so, Karone. I don't think I can live without him."

Karone sighed and gasped when batlings and machine soldiers burst into the Aqua-Base. "How can that be?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know, but we have to protect the Aqua-Base," Ashley replied.

Ashley tried fighting and protecting her stomach at the same time. The two girls looked at each other and nodded when they became surrounded. "Ready?" Ashley asked.

"Ready," Karone replied.

"LET'S ROCKET!" Ashley shouted.

"GO GALACTIC!" Karone shouted.

They started fighting the batlings harder and Ashley knew that her baby was well protected. She saw Dana being pinned down. "HANG ON, DANA!" She shouted. She pulled out her Star Slinger. "STAR SLINGER!" She yelled. She blasted them away and helped her up. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I've been kicked a few times, but I'll be fine," Dana replied.

Then both girls fell when the Aqua-Base shook. "What was that?" Ashley asked. Dana stood up and they ran to the galley to find Karone and Joel already there. They looked out the window in disbelief. It was their new Megazord.

"Our Lifeforce Megazord!" Dana gasped.

"We have to get to Rescue Ops," Karone insisted.

"Right, let's go," Ashley agreed.

She gasped when she was grabbed by her arm and thrown to the floor. Soon, they were all attacked by the heard of batlings and machine soldiers. "DANA! Get out of here, and take Karone with you," Ashley instructed.

"We can't leave you here," Joel insisted.

"I'll be fine, just go," Ashley stated.

As soon as Joel and Dana dragged Karone out of the room, Ashley started fighting batlings and machine soldiers on her own. "This ends now," she murmured. She then held her Star Slinger up. "STAR SLINGER!" She shouted. She blasted them away and tried to get to Rescue Ops when she knocked most of them down.

Karone ran to the door once Joel got her into Rescue Ops. "DON'T CLOSE THE DOORS!" She shouted.

"Karone, we have to, the batlings and machine soldiers will get in," Chad insisted.

"Ashley's still out there, don't you dare close that door," Karone snapped.

Chad looked at her and nodded to see the seriousness in her eyes. "All right, just for a little bit longer though," he told her. Karone ran to the door and hoped that her sister-in-law would make it.

Ashley ran down the hall and saw the door to Rescue Ops coming into view. "ASHLEY, HURRY!" Karone exclaimed. Ashley ran as fast as she could and Karone grabbed her arm and got her inside.

Karone spun around and looked at Chad. "Close it, now," she ordered. Chad slammed the door and hurried over to Ashley. Ashley de-morphed and collapsed. Chad held the exhausted girl and she groaned. Ms. Fairweather bent down next to her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'll be fine. I'm just a little wiped and my shoulder hurts," Ashley replied.

Ms. Fairweather looked at her shoulder to see a slight bruising. She was glad to see that she was okay and tapped her hand. Dana stood next to her. "That was the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my life, but a brave thing too," Dana sighed.

"How's the baby?" Karone asked.

"The baby's fine, my powers can protect it," Ashley replied.

Ms. Fairweather then walked over to Captain Mitchell. We have to evacuate," she insisted. Ashley stood up and looked out the window to see that Pod Four of the Aqua-Base was gone because of their Megazord.

Andros and Carter stopped away from the cavern and got off their bikes. "Andros, can you send a message to Zhane from here?" Carter replied.

"No, not in the Queen's stronghold. It's too risky," Andros replied.

Carter nodded and they ran up the bill to get to their friends.

Back at the Aqua-Base, Dana and the rest of the team were trying to get the employees out of the base before they were killed or hurt. As they were about to leave, Ms. Fairweather noticed something. "Where's Captain Mitchell?" She asked. Dana turned back to Rescue Ops.

"He's still in Rescue Ops," she replied.

They hurried to get him out.

Ashley saw the man standing there looking out the window with sadness in his eyes. "Captain, what are you doing?" Ms. Fairweather asked.

"Everything I've worked so hard for is gone," he replied.

"That's not true, dad," Dana insisted.

Dana turned her father's head and looked at him. "You still have Ryan and me. And Ms. Fairweather, and the rest of the team needs you," she stated. Ashley nodded with a smile. Without Captain Mitchell's support throughout this journey, when Andros was evil, she would've given up. Captain Mitchell then wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"You're right, let's go," he stated.

Rescue Ops began to shake and Dana gasped when the Lifeforce Megazord was going to hit the connecting tube. Karone covered Ashley to protect her and the baby as the debris fell. She winced when a piece of debris hit her shoulder. "Is everyone all right?" Captain Mitchell asked.

"We're okay," Ashley replied.

"Just a scratch, Captain," Karone replied.

Ashley looked at the cut and sighed. "It's nothing, I'm okay," she assured her. They gasped when they heard glass break. They looked over at the window to see water seeping into Rescue Ops. The worse part is, they were trapped.

Andros and Carter had de-morphed and were searching for Zhane and Ryan. "Where is everyone?" Carter asked.

"It's way too quiet," Andros commented.

Then they saw Zafina and Queen Bansheera. "Make sure to destroy those Power Rangers if they're not destroyed already. Keep the Red Space Ranger alive," Zafina ordered. The batlings and machine soldiers screeched and ordered made their usual robotic sounds. "Go," Zafina ordered.

"Don't fail us," Queen Bansheera ordered.

Andros and Carter backed up as they ran past them. "Come on," Andros urged. Carter nodded and followed him.

They finally found them in front of a coffin and Andros ran over to him after defeating the batlings and machine soldiers that were guarding him. "Zhane," he murmured. Zhane opened his eyes and looked at him. He looked drained.

"Andros?" He asked.

"What happened to you?" Andros asked.

"Zafina used her magic on me."

Andros looked over to see Carter talking to Ryan. "Ryan, are you okay?" He asked.

"Carter, you have to hurry. The Queen and Zafina are going to start the ceremony when the eclipse happens," Ryan replied.

Zhane winced as Andros removed his shackles. Zhane fell against him in pain. "It's okay, buddy, we're going to get you out of here," Andros assured him. He looked over at Carter. "Zafina has tortured him," he stated.

"Well, that's not going to happen again," Carter commented.

He undid Ryan's shackles and was going to get him out when Queen Bansheera and Zafina came. Andros quickly put Zhane back and the Silver Ranger used the rest of his strength to hold himself up as Zafina stood in front of him. "Tell me how to get to your friend and your pain will be less," she insisted. Zhane glared at her.

"I will never betray my best friend," he snapped.

Zafina sighed. "Okay, I tried to help you, but you leave me no choice," she sighed. Andros watched behind his pillar as Zafina held her staff up at Zhane. Zhane cried in pain and fell to his knees. Queen Bansheera laughed with glee.

"Hang on, Zhane," Andros told him.

He jumped when the sarcophagus that Carter was hiding in moved. "What was that?" Queen Bansheera ordered. Zhane lowered his head in pain and Zafina walked over to the pillar when she felt another presence. "We have visitors," Queen Bansheera commented.

"Now, Ryan," Carter instructed.

"Go, Zhane," Andros insisted.

Zhane and Ryan got out of their unlocked shackles. "TITANIUM POWER!" Ryan shouted.

"LET'S ROCKET!" Zhane shouted.

"LIGHTSPEED RESCUE!" Carter shouted.

"LET'S ROCKET!" Andros shouted.

Andros ran over and helped his injured friend with the batlings and machine soldiers. "You Rangers are outnumbered," Zafina laughed. Andros caught Zhane when he fell, all of a sudden, he felt that his wife was in danger and Zhane felt it too. The worse part is, the Lifeforce Megazord was putting rocks in a circle around the cavern. Once the rocks are in place, the ceremony will be begin.

Ashley had an arm wrapped around Karone and heard the window crack some more. Dana gasped and Captain Mitchell wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Ashley lowered her head and touched her stomach that was keeping her baby safe. Karone sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. Dana was playing with her engagement ring with fear in her eyes. Worried that she wasn't going to get to share that future that she promised to have with Carter. Captain Mitchell placed a hand over her hands. "Don't worry, Dana," he whispered. Ashley gasped and stood up when she heard the window crack some more. The window was going to break soon and the ocean was going to go in.