Disclaimer: Not mine
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Wow, you babble more than Jenny. Almost. :P I would have been online, but then my parents think playing games online at two in the morning is bad. Hey, I'll trade you my demon brother for yours!
Jenny: Yeah, this is the part where I use the light crystal thing I borrowed from you. I changed it a lot more than I thought I would, though. And do you really think I'd kill off Andros and Ashley's five month old children? I'm not THAT twisted. : D And why is AH/AY babbling more than you? What did you do to her?
the-power-of-love: Here's more.
Arwennicole: You'll have to wait and see. : )
Melissa: I can't cook, either. I space out too much, and the results are always interesting. :P
Chapter 3: The Light Rangers
The Megaship, two hours later
"Aria," Andros said sternly. His sister had teleported the entire team of former rangers to the Megaship. "Explain."
"It's a long story," she sighed, putting up no resistance to explaining, which was Andros' first clue that there was something very wrong. "Have you ever heard of Samael?"
"Samael?" Andros repeated blankly. "How did you manage to get the attention of someone most people don't even believe is real?"
"It's another long story," Aria said. "We have his crystals."
"We have the Light Crystals?" Zhane asked dubiously. "The real ones?"
"They've been locked up at NASADA for the last year and a half," Aria confirmed. "We apparently picked them up on one of our scavenging missions."
"So Samael wants the crystals back, then," Gabriel finished. "Now... someone tell me who Samael is."
"I will."
Andros started as he heard the voice. It was disturbingly familiar, but he couldn't place it. There was nothing familiar about the appearance of the black-clad young man, which unnerved him even more. He saw Aria whiten, and slowly turn to face the man who was standing almost directly behind her. Andros stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out just what was going on.
"Cathan," Aria gasped. "What... why... you... here... but..."
"Eltar wishes me to be here," Cathan said. He lowered his voice so only Aria could hear him. "I told you," he said quietly, his serious gray eyes shimmering. "I am not about to let you turn this into a suicide mission."
Aria seemed too stunned at his presence in the room to voice a reply. Cathan gave her a semi-amused, semi-sorrowful look before turning to Gabriel, serious once more.
"Samael is more or less the equivalent of Dark Specter in human form," he said somberly. "He first appeared ten thousand centuries ago, but the first Light Rangers imprisoned him. However, they are long gone, and the binding they put him under vanished, leaving him free. He is back, as strong as he was before, and he will succed where Dark Specter did not, unless he is stopped now, before he is returned to his full strength. Eltar sent me to see to it that he does not succed. I've recruited you for the mission, if you will accept."
Cathan paused, and looked over his shoulder at Aria, who was still unusually pale. "Aria," he said, stuttering slightly on her name. "Will you tell them the rest while I go retrieve the crystals?"
Aria nodded silently, waiting until Cathan was gone before speaking. "Samael's ultimate goal is the destruction of Eltar."
"That's not possible," Justin scoffed. "Samael is one person. He'd need an army ten times the size of Dark Specter's to capture Eltar."
"He has one," Aria said grimly. "Thank god that they, at least, are still imprisoned. But he's got a sorceress, Enni, and she'll release them."
"Enni?" Karone repeated, a flash of purple sparking in her hands as both her pride and her magic flared up. "She's once of the weakest. What's he thinking choosing her?"
"That she's weak," Aria said. "Too weak to challenge him."
"How long before Samael sets his army free?" Ashley asked, thinking of her children. They were on the Megaship as well, under Issia's watch, but being away from them caused her enough anxiety without imagining them at the hands of a monster.
"They're imprisoned on Lamya," Aria said. "One of the moons of Tinuviel."
"Tinuviel?" Andros, Karone, and Zhane said as one.
"Are you crazy?" Zhane added. "Tinuviel's not real."
"If an Eltarian says Tinuviel is real, Tinuviel is real," Aria said quietly. "Cathan is one of the Eltarian sorcerers."
"I know," Karone said. "I can sense it." Her frame sparked purple for a moment. "It never fades away."
Cathan reappeared in the room, clutching a thick parcel to his chest, panting slightly.
"Are you all right?" Aria asked, true concern in her hazel eyes. "What happened?"
"Samael decided to follow me," Cathan said. "I am all right."
"Are you sure?"
"Here are the crystals," Cathan said, ignoring Aria's question. "There are eight of them. If you chose to take one, it cannot be undone. You will be bound, and obligated to become a ranger again."
The former rangers looked at each other for a long moment before each one slowly nodded, Aria last and seemingly the most reluctant. Cathan unwound the heavy black material that protected the crystals, and set them down on one of the control consoles, where they were within everyone's line of vision. The crystals were looked ordinary enough, nothing about them suggesting their hidden power.
"I thought you said there were eight," Gabriel said. "Where's the last one?"
"It is safetly hidden," Cathan said. "The eigth crystal is intended for the Light itself."
"Light itself?"
"The human personification of the Light of Eltar," Cathan elaborated. "Should Samael find the eigth crystal, he will be capable of dooming us all."
"All right, then," Justin said, deciding he'd rather not hear more. "So... how do these things work?"
Cathan gave Justin a look that clearly said that he did not appreciate hearing the Light Crystals referred to as 'these things.'
"Have you all decided?" he asked once more, just to be sure.
"Yes," they chorused together.
"Very well, then," Cathan said. "Some of you will not be the same color that you were previously. Green Ranger."
Gabriel stepped forward and was handed the green crystal.
"Blue Ranger."
Justin accepted the blue crystal.
"Purple Ranger."
Karone took the purple crystal that she was handed, a little surprised.
"Silver Ranger."
Zhane reached for the silver crystal almost eagerly.
"Yellow Ranger."
The yellow crystal was for Ashley.
"Red Ranger."
Andros took the red crystal.
Cathan hesitated, briefly but obviously, before saying, "White Ranger."
Aria stepped forward and took the white crystal, ignoring the stunned looks on her teammates faces.
"White?" Zhane gasped out, when he'd recovered from his shock enough to speak. "That's... wow."
"Aria is the White Ranger," Cathan said firmly. "I suggest that you resume training as soon as possible."
"Simudeck, everybody," Ashley said brightly.
"Red Ranger," Cathan said as the other filed out. "A moment, please."
"Go on," Andros said to Ashley, who looked as if to wait for him. "I'll be there in a minute."
"Red Ranger," Cathan began, and hesitated. "May I use your name?"
"Please do," Andros said. Every time he was addressed as 'Red Ranger,' he found himself wincing inwardly.
"Andros," Cathan said. "A Light Ranger is the highest form of ranger, and you should be honored that you are one. However, Eltar has one unbendable rule when it comes to Light Rangers. Do you know this?"
"Yes," Andros sighed. "I do."
"I know that Aria is your sister," Cathan continued. "And it is not my wish to cause awkwardness or trouble of any sort between the two of you, but I have no choice. Although, I think it only fair to tell you that if I did have the choice, I would find myself making this decision anyway."
"What?" Andros felt his temper stir. "Why?"
"It is a question of loyalty," Cathan said simply. "Where does your first loyalty lie?"
"Oh," Andros said, the fight leaving him completely as he realized that what Cathan was saying was the truth. "How did you-"
"It is the very reason why I am not a ranger," Cathan said, anticipating the question. "My loyalty lies in a precarious place for a ranger, as does yours."
"Do you need me here any longer?" Andros asked. Upon hearing himself, he added, "I don't mean to be rude, but I should really go tell them."
"I suggest you speak with Aria first," Cathan said, his familiar voice almost reluctant. He shook his head before continuing. "But if you would do me a favor, do not tell her that we spoke of loyalty. She will be furious enough without hearing of it."
Andros gave Cathan a curious look and left. Cathan watched the red ranger go, dreading the rage of the white ranger.