Chapter Five
7 Mars Sign
As the day of the Eclipse dawned the colony was bustling with energy. The last Eclipse took place over twenty years ago, so the children and youths in particular were very excited to see their first Celestial Eclipse. The power rangers were no exception to the excitement. Even the normally serious Raja was smiling and laughing.
Andros and Zhane walked along the plateau, which overlooked the city, together at daybreak. The colony had declared a holiday. Most of the workers were off for the festival week. Most, because the colony was on a heightened security alert. Security personal were hiding, in plain sight, amongst the citizens. They were outfitted the night before with frontal lobe implants to, hopefully, make it impossible for Galactica to read their minds. Eri himself had created them.
As they surveyed the colony Andros scanned the crowds for new faces, people who didn't belong to KO-35. Zhane noticed his friend's calculating gaze and shook his head. Hard to believe but Andros knew the name and face of every citizen on the colony. He had once confided in Zhane that he often felt as though these people were his family. Andros fought to protect them from the horrors that Evil brought: pain, suffering, unnatural death.
"Protecting your family?"
"Someone must."
"I can help you, but first you must let me in. I am powerless to help if you refuse to let me in."
"My apologies. I just want peace, a refuge from war. Look at the children's smiles; I want to keep them shining brightly. Do I ask for too much Zhane?"
Zhane hid the small smile that appeared at his friend's passionate words. Andros rarely spoke freely about his emotions, even to Zhane. These quiet talks meant everything in the world to Zhane; they told him that Andros loved and trusted him. Zhane had realized early on in their friendship that Andros would always have two loves, his soulmate, his one true love, and his protectorate, his only family. Zhane was honored to be counted among those that Andros loved.
Andros had now turned his attention back towards his second love, his colony. Try as he might, Zhane had not been able to convince his friend to relax and enjoy the festival. He had however convinced the young red ranger to at least change out of his uniform and into civilian clothes.
As they stood there (side-by-side, shoulder gently brushing), a young child of no more then five years ran around them, giggling madly. She was perused by a flock of honking mallards and a gaggle of laughing children. The two rangers turned to watch the scene as it unfolded in front of them.
The five year began to run in wide circles, the mallards chasing close behind, and the other children stood back and laughed as their friend tried in vain to confuse the pea-brained animals. Andros moved to intervene when he was stopped by Zhane.
"Let them be, Andros. You can not possibly tell me that you have never played the childrens' game before."
"Infuriate the mallards? Yes, Karone and I used to play, but father was always there in case they ever caught up to us."
"And there are no adults on this plain?"
"YOU do not count Zhane."
"Why not?" Zhane made his eyes big and pouted cutely at his friend, all while dramatically wiping an imaginary tear off of his face.
"Because you never grew up, and if you need an example as proof..." Andros trailed off as he stepped closer to Zhane and gently caressed the tender skin underneath his eye with the pad of his thumb.
"...You have shed no tears recently." Andros finished. He then trailed this thumb down the side of Zhane's cheek and brought the rest of his had up to join its thumb. Zhane leaned into Andros' gentle caress and placed his own hand on top of his soulmate's. They stood there, staring into each other's eyes (and through their eyes, they searched the other's soul), until they heard screams echo from below them.
It had finally begun. The battle to save the Alliance would be fought here, surrounded by innocent civilians and children.
The beginning of the end.
Author's note: Just a little fluff before the big, bad battle ( I dare you to say that five times, fast!). E-mail me if you can name the fandoms I got the names from (hint: I didn't make them up). We won't be able to update this story for awhile. If you'll all be kind enough to put this story on your story alertsyou will be e-mailed when I can finish it. Especially for those of you without accounts, please check the reviews for messages from us about the progress of our stories; this is now effective for all of them. The message will be anonymous with the screename Author. Our thanks and apologies,
Renee and Serene