Chapter 8: Hidden Secrets

Ashley was pacing back and forth in her cell, waiting for help to come. She was worried about Andros and Zhane, they had lost contact with them when they were on the planet's surface. A woman came up to the cell.

She had shoulder-length light brown hair, brown eyes, and she was wearing a brown uniform.

"Adora?" The woman asked. Ashley shook her head slowly.

"No…I'm Ashley," she answered.

"I'm sorry, its just that, you look just like my baby girl. Too much like her."

Ashley bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry, Andros told me of what happened to her," Ashley told her. The woman looked at Ashley in disbelief.

"Andros is still alive?" She asked.

"Yes," Ashley replied.

The woman smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "There is still hope then. If Emperor Aldarico's son is still alive, there is still hope for KO-35," she stated. Ashley looked at the woman.

"What is your name?" She asked.

The woman smiled. "I am Alejandra, I was Adora's mother," she replied. Ashley felt sympathy towards the woman. "Is Zhane, son of Zalman, still alive?" Alejandra asked.

"He is," Ashley replied.

Her smile brightened. "There is still much hope if they are both alive," she murmured. Ashley reached through the bars and held the woman's hand. Alejandra placed her hand over Ashley's with a gentle smile. "You must be my Adora," she insisted. Ashley looked at her confused.

"I can't be," she answered.

"And why not?"

Ashley bit her lip. "My name's Ashley Hammond, I'm from Earth," she answered. Alejandra kept a grip on Ashley's hand.

"My dear child, you do not remember at all. You had survived the explosion two years ago. However, when you awoke you had no memory of what happened. Kinwon and Tykwa had to send you to Earth to keep you safe. You were sent to live with Arianna and Benjamin Hammond to keep you protected. You are Adora, you are my daughter," she explained.

Ashley held her head feeling a bit lightheaded.

(Flashback)

"Hurry! This way!" She called out. She helped the people get onto their escape ships.

"Adora get to the ship," Andros ordered.

"I'm not leaving," She answered.

"This isn't a request, Adora this is an order, get on the ship."

"I'm not leaving."

She quickly ran back into the building and heard Kinwon ordering Andros get back onto the ship. "I'll be okay, just get yourself and Zhane to safety. I'll catch up," she assured him. She cut the transmission and ran over to a fallen civilian. "You okay?" She asked.

"Yes," he replied.

She helped him up and she gasped when she saw a bomb planted inside. "GET OUT OF HERE!" She shouted. She pushed the man outside of the building just as it blew.

(End Flashback)

Ashley's eyes widened when she remembered. "Mom?" She asked. Alejandra smiled as she embraced her daughter the best she could through the bars.

"Step back," a voice barked.

Ashley bit her lip when Alejandra was pulled from her grasp. "Come on," the man dressed in black snapped. Ashley was pulled out of the cell and she was placed in front of Kinwon and Tykwa. Their eyes widened when they saw Ashley. "These are the spies," he snapped.

"No, we're not spies," Ashley insisted.

Alejandra watched with a lump in her throat to see her daughter in chains. "We're Power Rangers," Carlos put in. Just then, the guy in black walked over to Ashley and grabbed her waist.

"HEY!" She shouted.

She watched in horror as he pulled a tube from his sleeve to make it look like he took it from her. "What would a Power Ranger be doing with this?" He asked. They watched as he threw the tube against the wall and it turned into coral.

"That is not mine! He planted it on me," Ashley insisted.

"They are the spies for Dark Specter. They are the ones that caused the deaths of Emperor Aldarico, Empress Angeni, Andros, Zhane, and Adora," he snapped.

"No! Andros and Zhane are alive," Ashley insisted.

"And what of Adora?" The man asked.

Ashley bit her lip to keep her mouth quiet, not wanting to reveal who she really was, when she was just getting over the shock. "They are guilty," the man snapped.

"That is not your decision," Kinwon insisted.

They were taken back to their prison cell and Ashley sat down pondering of what she was remembering and what she was having a hard time coping with it. "Psst," Alejandra whispered. They looked up and walked over to her. "Come with me," She whispered. She unlocked the doors and helped them out.

"But…" Alejandra cut Ashley off.

"You have to get back to the new emperor and Zhane before it's too late," she insisted.

Ashley nodded and looked up when Kinwon fell to the ground in front of them in coral. She ran over to him. "What happened?" She asked. Just then, they were caught.

"They've got Kinwon!" The man shouted.

Ashley fought against them. "Is this what you did to destroy Lady Adora as well?" He snapped.

"WE DIDN'T KILL ADORA!" Carlos shouted.

Ashley looked around as her own people were saying she was guilty. "It's unanimous take them to the outer planet," he ordered. Ashley fought against them as they started to drag her.

"Hold it right there!" A voice snapped.

They looked up to see two cloaked figures in front of them. "More spies," the man snapped. They quickly held up their blasters.

"We're not spies, we're Power Rangers," Andros insisted as he took off his hood.

Tykwa and the other Karovans gasped. "Andros! Zhane!" Tykwa gasped. Everyone started to whisper that the sons of Aldarico and Zalman were still alive.

"Tykwa what are you doing here?" Andros asked.

"We've been here since we escaped KO-35," she replied.

"ZHANE!" A voice shouted.

Zhane looked over his shoulder to see a girl pushing through the crowd to get to him.

She had shoulder-length sandy-blonde hair, blue eyes, and she was wearing the same uniform.

Zhane took the girl into his free arm. "Drisana," he murmured.

"They are spies, destroy them," The man snapped.

No one moved. "Fine, I'll destroy them myself if I have to," he snapped. Zhane glared at him.

"You and what army?" Zhane asked.

"I don't need an army, I just need one monster," he snapped.

Ashley gasped when the monster aimed it's arm at her to spray the coral on her. "NO!" Alejandra shouted. She pushed Ashley away and was hit instead.

"MOM!" Ashley shouted.

The Rangers looked at each other in shock when their Yellow Ranger called Alejandra mom. Andros's heart stopped, recognizing the woman as Alejandra, Adora's mother. "It can't be," his mind insisted. Zhane looked at Drisana.

"Get to safety," he insisted.

Drisana nodded and went to safety with the others. Zhane and Andros started to fight the monster until it overpowered them. Andros looked up as Zhane went after the real spy. Ashley stood up as Tykwa undid their chains. Tykwa looked at Ashley. "Don't worry, we'll take care of Alejandra," she assured her. Ashley nodded and went to fight the monster. The monster overpowered them all. Tykwa threw their morphers over to them.

"LET'S ROCKET!" They shouted.

(After the Fight)

After the fight against the monster and the man who was really Darkonda, Ashley went over to the spot where they put Alejandra to see that she was okay. A smile came across Alejandra's face when she saw Ashley. "My little Adora," she murmured. Ashley smiled and held Alejandra's hand.

"How did you know? How did you really know it was me?" She asked.

"A mother knows her child," Alejandra replied.

However, she didn't see Andros come in. "Ashley?" Andros called. Ashley looked over her shoulder to see Andros standing there.

"Go on, I'll be okay," Alejandra assured her.

Ashley nodded and stood up. She walked over to Andros and he pulled her aside. "Ashley…are you really…Adora?" He asked. Ashley nodded her head slowly.

"Yes," she replied.

Ashley saw the light come back in his eyes and he placed his hands on her face. "I knew it, but Kinwon told me you were dead," he insisted. Ashley placed her hands over his.

"I just remembered who I was. I was in that explosion, I just didn't remember until now," Ashley answered.

Andros hugged her tight and let out a sigh. Ashley hugged him back with a smile. He pulled back and removed the chain around his neck. "I think, this belongs to you," he commented. Ashley laughed as he removed the glove on her hand and placed the ring back on her finger.

"When we get back to the ship, I think you have to return yours," she commented.

"You think?" He asked.

"I know."

Andros laughed as he hugged her again. He looked over to see Zhane and Drisana enjoying their reunion as well.

After helping the colony evacuate, Zhane had told them that he was staying behind. "You sure?" Andros asked.

"Yeah, I think I could be some help around her. Besides, need to get to know my wife again as well," Zhane replied.

Ashley smiled and kissed Zhane's cheek. "Take care," she told him.

"You know it," he answered.

Ashley said goodbye to Alejandra before getting back onto the ship.

Once they were back to work, Ashley came up to Andros when he was sitting on the bridge. "Hard at work as always," she commented. Andros grinned and Ashley sat next to him. "Here," she said. She placed the ring back on his hand.

"Going to be different now," he commented.

Ashley placed her head on his shoulder. "Not that much different," she answered. Andros held her tight and closed his eyes.

"I love you," he murmured.

She buried her head into his chest. "I love you too," she answered. Ashley lifted her head and smiled at him. "See, I told you I'd catch up," she told him. Andros smiled and kissed her forehead while holding her closer to him, never wanting to let her go.