Disclaimer: If I haven't mentioned that it's mine, then it belongs to Saban, Disney, or whoever I tell you it belongs to.
Mz. Daydream: They're at the park, but I guess it's a really big park, so they don't see the twins. I like stories where I change the future, so things don't work out so well for the Overlords. Things don't work out so well for Andros and Ashley, either... :P
the-power-of-love: Thanks, here's more.
Jenny: You want to kill people because... um... because you do! Bad answer? How about if I let you save someone:P
Chapter 21
"What do we do now?" Mira asked, demorphing as the rangers collapsed weakly on the bridge of the Astro Megaship. "We can't hide in here forever."
"We're not supposed to be hiding at all," Tempest said, a trace of bitterness in her voice.
"Would you rather be dead?" Ryan snapped defensively, and sighed. He hadn't wanted to run any more than she had.
"Can we shoot them down from here?" Ciaran wondered. "The Megalasers are powerful enough."
"But there are innocent people down there," Damien reminded him. "We can't go killing the civilians."
"Can't we turn this thing into the Astro Megazord?" Melanie asked.
"No," Deca informed them. "This is the Astro Megaship Mark II. The shuttle, as well as the necessary schematics, were destroyed three years ago in the battle against Trakeena."
"Oh," Melanie said. "Anyone got another idea?"
"Rangers!" Aidan shouted, appearing out of nowhere, still clutching his sister. "You have to help them."
"We're trying, Aidan," Ciaran told him. "We'll find a way."
"No, you don't understand," Aidan shouted. "My parents are down there."
"What?" Ryan cried. "Where?"
"I don't know!" Aidan said, looking about to cry. "They were looking for Jenny and Marieke."
"Tem, you're coming with me," Ryan said, grabbing the yellow ranger by the arm. If one thing was clear to him, it was that they had to keep the Overlords from capturing the twins. He wasn't sure that Skylar and Ximena would vanish, but anything that could possibly even the odds was a chance worth taking. "Deca, fire the Megalasers into all areas empty of human life." He glanced at Aidan. "Where were your sisters?"
"They were playing," Aidan said shakily. "They went outside."
"Deca, where are the Overlords?" Tempest asked suddenly. "We don't have to find the twins. We just have to find the Overlords."
"The Overlords are in the park."
"Then teleport me and Ryan to the park."
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"Jenny!" Ashley shouted, not bothering to keep herself from panicking any longer. "Marieke!"
"Ash!" Andros called, his voice suddenly strangled. Afraid of what she would see, Ashley sprinted to his side, her eyes widening in horror. The gold and crimson Overlords, Idris and Ailbhe, stood before them, grinning, each holding a struggling girl.
"Daddy!" Jenny wailed. "Mommy!"
"Let them go!" Ashley shouted, falling instinctively into a defensive stance.
"Why do you even bother?" Idris sneered at her. He touched one finger to Marieke's forehead and she went limp as Ailbhe did the same to Jenny. "We've got wonderful plans for your daughters, and for you two as well."
Andros had had enough talking, and without a word of warning, he flew at them, not about to let his daughters be taken from him. Ashley was at his side an instant later, and they fell into their old habit of fighting back to back.
It wasn't long before Ashley noticed that she was taking more blows than she was blocking. She struggled to keep up the fight, but it had been over a year since she'd even sparred against Andros.
Andros spun around as he heard Ashley try to force back a scream of pain, catching her as she fell. Unfortunately, this left his back open to attack, and Ailbhe wasted no time in making use of the opportunity. Andros groaned as Ailbhe's hand connected with the back of his neck, slumping forward, stunned.
He fell forward, dragging Ashley with him, the both of them collapsing in a heap on the ground. Ashley shook herself free of his arms, and scrambled to her feet, knowing that the situation was not looking good. Ailbhe was on one side of her, and Idris on another, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw another figure appear.
"Ciela." Idris acknowledged the black Overlord with a curt nod. "Take the children."
"I am not a baby sitter," Ciela snapped back. "I have just enough reason and desire to capture these two as you do."
"True enough," Idris agreed.
"You'll never win," Ashley said stubbornly, although her heart was sinking fast. Andros was still only half conscious, and there was no way that Ashley was going to be able to fight all three of them.
"We already have won," Ailbhe said, his smooth, icy voice sending chills up Ashley's spine. "If you surrender now, you keep your lives."
"If you continue to struggle, we kill your children in front of you," Idris said, barely containing the glee in his voice. "We hope you continue to struggle."
Andros forced himself up, leaning heavily on Ashley as he stood. She was trembling from head to toe, on the verge of tears as the realization that they were trapped hit her hard.
"It's your choice, rangers," Ciela said. "Surrender to us now, or watch your children die slowly."
"Let them go!"
Ashley's heart started beating wildly with relief as she heard Ryan's voice, and a moment later, she saw him, struggling with Ailbhe over Jenny. Tempest appeared out of nowhere to be at his side, attacking Idris. Andros caught her eye and jerked his head slightly in Ciela's direction. Ashley took a deep breath and nodded, unable to put Idris's threat out of her mind.
Tempest managed to wrestle Marieke away from Idris and quickly leaped away from him, walking backward until she bumped into Ryan, never taking her eyes off of Idris.
"Go back to the Megaship," Ryan ordered her.
"But-"
"Go!" Ryan said forcefully. "I'll be right there."
For once in her life, Tempest obeyed, and vanished, taking Marieke with her. Andros breathed a little easier as he saw that one of his daughters was safe, and began putting more force in the blows he managed to land. Ciela blocked him easily and Ashley as well, but they managed to keep her distracted.
"Give me the girl!" Ryan shouted, unable to pry Jenny away from Ailbhe.
"I don't think so, Red Ranger," Ailbhe laughed. "She will be so very useful to me, as you well know."
"She's not yours to brainwash," Ryan spat at him. "She doesn't belong to you."
"I disagree," Ailbhe said camly.
Ryan groaned. He'd managed to catch ahold of Jenny's small waist, but Ailbhe still held her upper and lower body, and Ryan wasn't sure he could pull her out of Ailbhe's grip without harming her.
Ailbhe swore loudly as Andros attacked him from the side, somehow able to wrench his left arm away from Jenny. Ryan twisted around, driving his elbow hard into Ailbhe's stomach, feeling his other hand release Jenny as he concentrated on breathing.
"What are you waiting for?" Andros shouted when he saw Ryan hesitating. "Get her out of here!"
"You-"
"We're fine," Andros said quickly. "We've still got one communicator. Get her out of here."
Ryan nodded and vanished in a streak of red. Andros whirled around, realizing too late that he'd left Ashley fighting alone against all three Overlords. She was still struggling, but so weakly that it was hardly noticable. He fought his way to her side, supporting her as she started to collapse.
"I've got you, Ash," he said in her ear as she moaned. "Let's get out of here."
"You might need this," Ciela said. Andros glanced up and his heart sank as he saw that she held his communicator in her hand. Ciela laughed. "Which of your children do you want to die first? Aidan? Seren?"
"Shut up," Ashley screamed, struggling against Andros as he held her back. "You can't kill my children."
"But we will," Idris said cooly.
Andros had no idea where Ashley found the strength to move as quickly as she did, but she tore herself away from him, heading straight for Ciela. Ashley's sudden movement caught her off-guard, and she didn't react in time. Ashley's hand clenched over the communicator, and she ripped it out of Ciela's hand.
"Deca..." Ashley began, her voice trailing off as she saw Ailbhe's sword at Andros's throat. Her fingers clenched around the communicator, having no doubts that if she spoke another word, she would watch him die. Thinking that she was probably sentencing both of them to death anyway, Ashley flung to communicator to the ground, smashing it beneath her foot.
"That was a foolish thing to do," Ailbhe observed. He released Andros, shoving him forward.
Ashley glared at him as Andros climbed to his feet. "You can't kill my children."
"Maybe not," Idris said. "But the two of you are at our mercy."
"We'll give you one chance," Ailbhe said. "You can't fight us, and you know it. Surrender now, and we'll let you live. Continue to fight, and you'll watch each other die."
Andros's first impulse was to die fighting, as he had always been prepared to do. Then his eyes fell on Ashley standing stiffly next to him, and he met her sad eyes, the fight slowly leaving him.
"You promised me you'd live," she reminded him plantively. "Andros, you can't help anyone by dying."
"Well?" Ailbhe demanded. "We're not going to wait around for you to decide. We've been generous enough as it is."
Andros cast his eyes downward, slowly raising his hands in surrender.