"Watch out evil doers it's the Baby Ranger!" year old Paige cooed in delight as her Uncle Zhane spun her around in the air. In a tiny baby voice he called out, "Galaxy Glider Hang Ten!"
"Will you stop that before you end up dropping her," Karone scolded the silver ranger. She reached out her arms to take Paige but the young girl whimpered in protest until Karone gave in and let Zhane keep her, then went back to her joyful giggles as Zhane continued to spin her around in the air.
Just then Andros walked into the room setting his jacket on a nearby chair. A sound of per excitement cried from Paige's mouth as she almost jumped out Zhane's grasp to get to her father. Andros took her in his arms and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and then turned to his sister and best friend noticing them all dressed up. "Hey guys what brings you here?"
"Don't you remember brother dearest? Ashley, you and us are supposed to go out tonight." Karone said.
"Oh...I forgot," Andros said as he bounced Paige in his arms.
"Which means you probably forgot the babysitter you said you were going to call?" Everyone turned as Ashley entered the room dressed up in a yellow spaghetti strap dress with matching yellow pumps.
"I'm sorry, Work has been killing me lately." Andros missing the good old days when he would fly around the galaxy fighting evil as the red ranger instead of working on mundane space projects for NASA.
"Well that just means Paige is coming with us," Ashley said with a wide smile. "Come on sweetie come to mommy so I can get you ready."
Paige swatted away her mother's hand and clenched herself close to Andros telling everyone she wanted her daddy right now. Andros laughed lightly and watched Ashley frowns lightly but then she smiled and shook her head lightly. "Guess we got ourselves a daddy's girl. Come on sweetie, daddy needs to go get himself changed so we can go. "
Paige shook her head no and clutched Andros harder. Andros laughed, "Here I will get her ready and hopefully by then I can give her back to you so I can change."
Andros then took Paige and put on one of her yellow dresses and her little black sandals and then finally her jacket. Rejoining the others he handed, Paige whom went reluctantly, over to Ashley. Then he excused himself to his room where he quickly changed into his best dress outfit. A white dress shirt with red tie and a pair of black slacks and a pair of dress shoes that always felt funny on his feet. He preferred his boots that were part of his Megaship uniform.
A few minutes later, he was out in the living room with everyone else who were getting their own jackets on and preparing to head for the door. Paige immediately demanded Andros take her again so he found himself carrying her out the door to the jeep. He strapped her in to her car seat in the back with Zhane and Karone, and then climbed into the drivers side beside Ashley. "So where are we going again?"
"That little Italian place we went to a few weeks ago," Ashley said.
"Ok," Andros said pulling out of the driveway and headed in the direction of downtown Angel Grove.
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Then minutes later a figure found itself at the door of the now empty house. It had taken a year but now his senses told him this was Andros' home. Without even attempting to open the locked door the creature bashed it down and entered the house its eyes searching for its target. Walking the empty hall by the door he made his way into the living room where pictures on the mantel caught his attention. Picking up one picture he looked at the smiling faces. The first face was familiar "Astronema? Why is Astronema friends with Andros? She was here though I can feel her stronger then I can Andros., Zhane the Silver Ranger, a woman and child must be Andros' mate and child.* But the last face filled him with anger. The picture burned to ashes as he growled, "ANDROS! WHERE ARE YOU?"
*He is not here. I must find him. I must destroy him.* The creature disappeared in a burst of flame and went flying back out the door and into the night in search of his prey. He knew now an easier way to track him. He would find Astronema and he knew she could tell him where Andros is.
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At the restaurant everything was going well except for Andro's failing attempt to keep Paige from making a mess with the spaghetti he was feeding her. Andros felt himself becoming as red as his tie as he sat there holding a child that was covered head to toe in pasta sauce while his wife, sister and best friend sat laughing and other customers sitting nearby were looking on with their own grins. He realized his own white shirt was now stained red from the sauce that managed evade both her and her mouth. "Paige, I am going to hope you at least got some of this in your mouth cause I think I'll put it up for now."
"Oh come on daddy, I still need to get more on you," Zhane said in a baby voice between laughs.
"Funny Zhane," Andros said trying to pretend he wasn't just as amused.
"I thought so," Ashley said almost doubled over in laughter. Karone couldn't even speak she was laughing so hard.
"I'm going to go get her cleaned up some," Ashley said picking up Paige.
"I think I'll help," Karone said following Ashley to the ladies room.
"They always travel in groups don't they?" Zhane mused as he watched them leave. Then he turned back to Andros' "So how is the life of normal man with family going? How's work?"
"Everything is wonderful." Andros said, "I never thought I would find this much happiness in my life. Well with Ashley and Paige that is. Work I could do without. I just helped install a new computer system this week so it could be ready for a satellite they are launching tomorrow morning. I thought the Megaship was a pain sometimes. Anyway what about you and Karone, you ever going to settle down and marry my sister?"
"Well.....uh........I.......thing is......uh," Zhane stuttered furiously but before he could come out with an answer Andros' pager beeped. Zhane sighed saved by the bell.
"You had to mention work," Andros said looking at the number but knowing what it was before that. "Excuse me."
He left the table and went to the phone booths back by the restrooms and dialed the number. It rang three times before a gruff voice answered, "Andros?"
"Yea, its me Ken, what's the problem."
"There is some kind of glitch in the system and I need you here to check it out."
"I'm kind of out with my wife and kid."
"I'm sorry, Andros but you are the best one with this system and we have to get it fixed before first thing tomorrow morning."
"Alright I'll be right there."
"Thanks kid, I owe you one."
"Actually it is more like you owe me twelve but who's counting." Andros hung up the phone and turned around to see Ashley and Karone standing there with Paige.
"You got to go don't you?" Ashley said sounding a little upset.
"I'm sorry. I-"
"Don't worry about it, you have to bring home some bacon right?"
"Well I could stop at the store on the way home and grab some."
"You know what I mean."
"I know. Here take these so you can guys can get home," Andros handed her the keys to the jeep. "Love you see you when I get home."
He kissed her and then turned to Paige and gave her a big hug and kiss. He gave Karone a hug and peck on the cheek and head for the door waving goodbye to Zhane. He went out the door and flagged down a taxi.
Ashley watched him through the window as he climbed in the taxi and it pulled away. She looked down at Paige who was still waving her hand in the direction her daddy went. Ashley smiled and looked at Karone who seemed a bit surprised.
"You aren't mad?" She asked as she followed Ashley back toward the table.
"A little but you know Andros when it comes to work," Ashley said, "Besides it isn't like he is just blowing me off for something unimportant. That's the nice thing about having a husband from another planet, he knows his priorities and responsibilities."
Karone looked at Zhane sitting alone at the table, "Actually maybe its just Andros' one in a million." She paused a moment. "Oh no I forgot my purse in bathroom be right back."
Karone headed back to the bathroom, she spotted the purse on the sink where she left it. As she reached out to grab she caught a glimpse of figure in the mirror. Out of pure instinct she spun around bringing her fist at the figure only to have her hand caught. She felt her hand burning as she struggled to pull it free. She looked up at her captor as he said, "Hello Astronema. Tell me where is Andros the Red Astro Ranger?"
----------------------------
She's coming around."
Karone didn't recognize the voice but she realized she was no longer at the restaurant. She was in a bed. As she opened her eyes she learned she was in a hospital bed. The voice belonged to a doctor who began checking her over by shining a light in her eyes. Pushing the light away she looked around. Zhane and Ashley were standing nearby looking worried. That's when she remembered everything.
"Where's Paige??" She exclaimed shooting up.
"I dropped her with Carlos after they rushed you out of the restaurant where you were found unconscious. Why?" Ashley asked.
"I was attacked. He wanted Andros. He plans on luring him into a trap with Paige."
"Oh God, Paige," Ashley took off for a phone.
"Karone who attacked?" Zhane asked.
"Dysfiery." Karone felt Zhane shutter at the name. She realized she had shuttered also.
"Will you stop that before you end up dropping her," Karone scolded the silver ranger. She reached out her arms to take Paige but the young girl whimpered in protest until Karone gave in and let Zhane keep her, then went back to her joyful giggles as Zhane continued to spin her around in the air.
Just then Andros walked into the room setting his jacket on a nearby chair. A sound of per excitement cried from Paige's mouth as she almost jumped out Zhane's grasp to get to her father. Andros took her in his arms and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and then turned to his sister and best friend noticing them all dressed up. "Hey guys what brings you here?"
"Don't you remember brother dearest? Ashley, you and us are supposed to go out tonight." Karone said.
"Oh...I forgot," Andros said as he bounced Paige in his arms.
"Which means you probably forgot the babysitter you said you were going to call?" Everyone turned as Ashley entered the room dressed up in a yellow spaghetti strap dress with matching yellow pumps.
"I'm sorry, Work has been killing me lately." Andros missing the good old days when he would fly around the galaxy fighting evil as the red ranger instead of working on mundane space projects for NASA.
"Well that just means Paige is coming with us," Ashley said with a wide smile. "Come on sweetie come to mommy so I can get you ready."
Paige swatted away her mother's hand and clenched herself close to Andros telling everyone she wanted her daddy right now. Andros laughed lightly and watched Ashley frowns lightly but then she smiled and shook her head lightly. "Guess we got ourselves a daddy's girl. Come on sweetie, daddy needs to go get himself changed so we can go. "
Paige shook her head no and clutched Andros harder. Andros laughed, "Here I will get her ready and hopefully by then I can give her back to you so I can change."
Andros then took Paige and put on one of her yellow dresses and her little black sandals and then finally her jacket. Rejoining the others he handed, Paige whom went reluctantly, over to Ashley. Then he excused himself to his room where he quickly changed into his best dress outfit. A white dress shirt with red tie and a pair of black slacks and a pair of dress shoes that always felt funny on his feet. He preferred his boots that were part of his Megaship uniform.
A few minutes later, he was out in the living room with everyone else who were getting their own jackets on and preparing to head for the door. Paige immediately demanded Andros take her again so he found himself carrying her out the door to the jeep. He strapped her in to her car seat in the back with Zhane and Karone, and then climbed into the drivers side beside Ashley. "So where are we going again?"
"That little Italian place we went to a few weeks ago," Ashley said.
"Ok," Andros said pulling out of the driveway and headed in the direction of downtown Angel Grove.
----------------------
Then minutes later a figure found itself at the door of the now empty house. It had taken a year but now his senses told him this was Andros' home. Without even attempting to open the locked door the creature bashed it down and entered the house its eyes searching for its target. Walking the empty hall by the door he made his way into the living room where pictures on the mantel caught his attention. Picking up one picture he looked at the smiling faces. The first face was familiar "Astronema? Why is Astronema friends with Andros? She was here though I can feel her stronger then I can Andros., Zhane the Silver Ranger, a woman and child must be Andros' mate and child.* But the last face filled him with anger. The picture burned to ashes as he growled, "ANDROS! WHERE ARE YOU?"
*He is not here. I must find him. I must destroy him.* The creature disappeared in a burst of flame and went flying back out the door and into the night in search of his prey. He knew now an easier way to track him. He would find Astronema and he knew she could tell him where Andros is.
----------------------
At the restaurant everything was going well except for Andro's failing attempt to keep Paige from making a mess with the spaghetti he was feeding her. Andros felt himself becoming as red as his tie as he sat there holding a child that was covered head to toe in pasta sauce while his wife, sister and best friend sat laughing and other customers sitting nearby were looking on with their own grins. He realized his own white shirt was now stained red from the sauce that managed evade both her and her mouth. "Paige, I am going to hope you at least got some of this in your mouth cause I think I'll put it up for now."
"Oh come on daddy, I still need to get more on you," Zhane said in a baby voice between laughs.
"Funny Zhane," Andros said trying to pretend he wasn't just as amused.
"I thought so," Ashley said almost doubled over in laughter. Karone couldn't even speak she was laughing so hard.
"I'm going to go get her cleaned up some," Ashley said picking up Paige.
"I think I'll help," Karone said following Ashley to the ladies room.
"They always travel in groups don't they?" Zhane mused as he watched them leave. Then he turned back to Andros' "So how is the life of normal man with family going? How's work?"
"Everything is wonderful." Andros said, "I never thought I would find this much happiness in my life. Well with Ashley and Paige that is. Work I could do without. I just helped install a new computer system this week so it could be ready for a satellite they are launching tomorrow morning. I thought the Megaship was a pain sometimes. Anyway what about you and Karone, you ever going to settle down and marry my sister?"
"Well.....uh........I.......thing is......uh," Zhane stuttered furiously but before he could come out with an answer Andros' pager beeped. Zhane sighed saved by the bell.
"You had to mention work," Andros said looking at the number but knowing what it was before that. "Excuse me."
He left the table and went to the phone booths back by the restrooms and dialed the number. It rang three times before a gruff voice answered, "Andros?"
"Yea, its me Ken, what's the problem."
"There is some kind of glitch in the system and I need you here to check it out."
"I'm kind of out with my wife and kid."
"I'm sorry, Andros but you are the best one with this system and we have to get it fixed before first thing tomorrow morning."
"Alright I'll be right there."
"Thanks kid, I owe you one."
"Actually it is more like you owe me twelve but who's counting." Andros hung up the phone and turned around to see Ashley and Karone standing there with Paige.
"You got to go don't you?" Ashley said sounding a little upset.
"I'm sorry. I-"
"Don't worry about it, you have to bring home some bacon right?"
"Well I could stop at the store on the way home and grab some."
"You know what I mean."
"I know. Here take these so you can guys can get home," Andros handed her the keys to the jeep. "Love you see you when I get home."
He kissed her and then turned to Paige and gave her a big hug and kiss. He gave Karone a hug and peck on the cheek and head for the door waving goodbye to Zhane. He went out the door and flagged down a taxi.
Ashley watched him through the window as he climbed in the taxi and it pulled away. She looked down at Paige who was still waving her hand in the direction her daddy went. Ashley smiled and looked at Karone who seemed a bit surprised.
"You aren't mad?" She asked as she followed Ashley back toward the table.
"A little but you know Andros when it comes to work," Ashley said, "Besides it isn't like he is just blowing me off for something unimportant. That's the nice thing about having a husband from another planet, he knows his priorities and responsibilities."
Karone looked at Zhane sitting alone at the table, "Actually maybe its just Andros' one in a million." She paused a moment. "Oh no I forgot my purse in bathroom be right back."
Karone headed back to the bathroom, she spotted the purse on the sink where she left it. As she reached out to grab she caught a glimpse of figure in the mirror. Out of pure instinct she spun around bringing her fist at the figure only to have her hand caught. She felt her hand burning as she struggled to pull it free. She looked up at her captor as he said, "Hello Astronema. Tell me where is Andros the Red Astro Ranger?"
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She's coming around."
Karone didn't recognize the voice but she realized she was no longer at the restaurant. She was in a bed. As she opened her eyes she learned she was in a hospital bed. The voice belonged to a doctor who began checking her over by shining a light in her eyes. Pushing the light away she looked around. Zhane and Ashley were standing nearby looking worried. That's when she remembered everything.
"Where's Paige??" She exclaimed shooting up.
"I dropped her with Carlos after they rushed you out of the restaurant where you were found unconscious. Why?" Ashley asked.
"I was attacked. He wanted Andros. He plans on luring him into a trap with Paige."
"Oh God, Paige," Ashley took off for a phone.
"Karone who attacked?" Zhane asked.
"Dysfiery." Karone felt Zhane shutter at the name. She realized she had shuttered also.