Disclaimer: If I haven't already said that it's mine, then it belongs to Saban or Disney or whoever I say it does.
Juzblue: Yup, they're going to be slaves. The rangers are heading to Earth, among other places.
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: You remembered to review again:P Narnia's awesome... finish Magyck yet? Here's more. Don't kill me.
Mz. Daydream: I know, it's so sad. :P Zhane's never the first to know anything, is he? Oh well. That other story should be up in a week, two at the most, depending how long it takes me to finish this.
the-power-of-love: Thanks, here's more.
Mel: I don't remember how many days you haven't reviewed in, but I haven't updated that much either, so it's all cool. :P
Chapter 23
"No, TJ, give that back," Cassie said, sighing with exasperation as she chased TJ Junior around the living room, trying to pry Chandra's doll out of his hand. TJ Junior shook his head stubbornly and swung the poor doll around by her neck as Chandra started wailing.
"He kill her!"
"What's going on here?"
"You're home!" Cassie exclaimed in relief as TJ walked in the door, catching TJ Junior in his arms.
"I didn't know you played with dolls," he remarked.
"Dolls are for girls!" TJ Junior said, throwing the doll towards his sister. Chandra snatched her up, rocking her back and forth as TJ grinned at Cassie.
"Are you two trying to kill your mom or something?" TJ demanded, setting TJ Junior on the floor. "Go get ready for dinner."
"That was good timing," Cassie said with a grin as she brushed her raven hair out of her face. "You should have seen what the day care looked like when I got them after work."
"Do I want to?"
"Probably not," Cassie sighed. "Next time we go visit KO-35, keep them away from Zhane... Let's have pizza for dinner, unless you're in the mood to cook."
"Pizza it is," TJ said hastily. "I'll get that," he added as there was a loud knock at the door.
Cassie nodded absently, reaching for the phone only to hasten to the doorway as TJ called her name, his voice sharp.
"Zhane!" Cassie exclaimed. "Karone! What's going on?"
"You have to come with us," Zhane said, his familiar grin still present but very strained. "Get TJ Junior and Chandra. We'll explain on the way to Aquitar."
"Something's happened to Andros and Ashley," Cassie said, her eyes widening as neither Zhane nor Karone responded. "Give us ten minutes."
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"Whoa," TJ said, holding up his hands for silence as ten voices babbled at him. "Start over."
"We're your kids," Ciaran said, gesturing to himself and Melanie.
"So I did hear right," TJ said, exhaling slowly. "How?"
"There was no one to stop the Overlords," Melanie said. "So... they took over the universe."
"We must have fought them," Cassie insisted. "We wouldn't just have sat back and watched while they did this."
"Then we must have all ended up like Andros and Ashley," Zhane said. "As slaves... except for Karone." His wife shifted uncomfortably, and Zhane hastened to add, "I didn't mean it like that."
"I know," Karone said stiffly. "It's just that... I must have fooled them into thinking I was Astronema again. How else could I have survived?"
Zhane shook his head. "I don't know."
"How do we stop this from happening again?" Cassie asked. "You have a plan, I know it."
"We've got part of a plan," Karone said. "We need more rangers."
"The only problem is, most of them don't have their powers anymore," Zhane said.
"That's not quite true," TJ said, leaning forward. "The red rangers do... and the Wild Force team..."
"Wait." Tempest spoke softly, but every head on the bridge turned to look at her. "If none of the rangers had their powers anymore, then how were the red rangers able to morph for the Serpenterra mission?"
"Zordon," Cassie said hoarsely, stunned. "The Countdown... his energy must have given it all back..."
"Deca, take us back to Angel Grove," TJ ordered. "I think there are some people that we need to see."
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The blood rushed back into her hands as the bonds on her wrists were finally cut, and Ashley tried not to wince at the almost painful sensation. She rubbed her wrists slowly, trying her hardest not to pay any attention to the man towering over her.
"You were the yellow ranger once." When he spoke, Ashley couldn't ignore him any longer and nodded her head slowly. When his cruel laughter reached her ears, Ashley blinked back tears, unable to block out his voice as he continued. "You were the yellow ranger once, and now you're my property."
Swallowing hard, Ashley nodded again. He seized a handful of her hair and yanked her head up, forcing her to look at him, laughing again when he saw the fear she couldn't keep out of her eyes. "I won't harm you if you do as you're told."
Ashley nodded another time, sighing with relief as he released her. A moment later, she stiffened as she felt his hand on her face and fought hard to keep herself from trembling before she realized he was only removing her earrings. His fingers slipped under the neckline of her shirt, tearing away the necklace she'd always worn. Tears filled her eyes, but Ashley didn't protest.
"Any more jewelry?" he questioned her. Ashley shook her head, cringing as he caught her left hand, demanding, "What's this?"
"My wedding ring," Ashley whispered, the tears welled in her eyes spilling over. "It can't be worth anything to you!"
"I can take the ring or I can take your entire hand."
Slowly, Ashley worked the ring off of her finger, her fingers clenching over it briefly before she dropped it into the man's waiting hand. His fist closed over it as his face broke into a satisfied grin.
"You'll be put to work now," he informed her. "The slaves here dig for the minerals that are used to create fuel for our ships. If you disobey orders once, you will be beaten. If you disobey orders twice, you will be killed. Do you understand?"
Ashley nodded her head slowly, the lump in her throat making speech impossible.
The man laughed one more time before forcing a shovel into her hands and snapping, "Get to work!"
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"This is Kenelm and Lyra," Andros was told. He glared down at the ground, refusing to look at either them or his owner, and nodded his head sullenly. "You will join them. Don't try anything."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Andros muttered. A split second later, he cried out in pain as a whip was cracked hard across his shoulders.
"I do not joke," his new owner said coldly. "I know you were the red ranger." Andros said nothing. A moment later, a man stepped in front of him, seizing his still-bound wrists, eyeing the golden ring he wore. "You won't be needing this anymore."
"I think I will be," Andros snapped, tearing his hands free and stepping back. An instant later, he felt the whip snap against his back again, and he wondered how long it would be before they killed him.
"I disagree," the man said, catching ahold of his arms. "As far as everyone is concerned, you no longer have a wife." Andros glared at him bitterly, but didn't struggle as the ring was pulled off of his finger. "You start work now. Kenelm and Lyra will show you what to do. If you cause trouble of any kind, I will purchase your wife and kill her before your eyes."
"I thought I didn't have a wife," Andros snapped before he caught himself. He saw Lyra wince and a moment later he was driven to his knees by the force of the blows raining down on him.
"If you say another word, she might not have a husband."
Andros clenched his teeth, refraining himself from saying any more. He was hauled ot his feet and the rope holding his wrists together was cut. He heard a door slam, and a moment later, he was alone with Lyra and Kenelm.
"Are you all right?" Lyra asked. Andros glared at her before his gaze softened.
"No," he said dully. "I'm not. But I'm not hurt, if that's what you meant."
"It was," Kenelm said anxiously. "Hurry. We have to get to work before he comes back."
"We do everything here," Lyra said. "Today we clean."
Andros nodded his head numbly. Retreating into his mind, he reached for Ashley. Her presence was diminished by distance, but she was still there, as she had always been since the day he'd first seen her. They were too far apart for words to carry between them, but Andros reached out to her nonetheless, strengthening her even as he drew on her own strength. Silently trying to convince himself that he would hold her in his arms again, Andros went to work.