Chapter 13: On my Own

Andros walked into the infirmary and found Ashley asleep. She had started to heal, but they kept her in the infirmary just incase. Andros stroked Ashley's face with a sad sigh. "Ashley, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered. He lowered his head and held onto her hand. "Because of my secret, this happened to you," he murmured. Andros stood up with her hand still in his. "I promise, this won't happen again," he vowed. He kissed the top of her hand and then he grabbed his PDA. He went ran towards the jump tubes. "DECA, I've gone a mission. Don't tell any of the others where I am," he instructed.

"Acknowledged," DECA answered.

Andros went down his jump tube.

Andros arrived on a distant planet for away from the Megaship. "BALAVAN! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! COME HERE AND FIGHT ME COWARD!" Andros shouted. He heard a cackle and turned around to see Balavan appear.

"I'm the coward?" Balavan laughed.

"You had to attack Ashley to show that you're not a coward? Why did you have to attack Ashley and Karone?" Andros demanded.

"I came to take what is rightfully mine."

"What?"

Balavan laughed as he started fighting Andros. "I was to have Aiko at first, but then you killed her. Then I was supposed to have Astronema, but then you turned her back to Karone. I have been promised to have one of the girls you love. It's either Karone or Ashley, take your pick," he laughed.

"I don't remember making such a promise," Andros snapped.

"You were my father's loyal servant, before you killed him. When you were Hadrian, you had promised Aiko to me. Then once she died, I was promised to have Astronema," he answered.

"You won't touch them."

Balavan laughed as he fought Andros, and he was winning. Andros cried out in pain as he was thrown to the ground. Andros groaned in pain as Balavan slammed his foot onto his chest. "Now, let's see, which girl should I take?" He asked.

"You'll leave Ashley and Karone alone," Andros insisted.

"I don't have to listen to you, Red Ranger. If I want to take Ashley or Karone, I will do it."

Andros kicked Balavan and he rolled to grab his sword to block his attack. "My, my, it seems whenever I mention that precious girl of yours, you get this fire in your eyes. Like what you used to get when you would fight along side Aiko," he taunted. Andros's heart cracked when he mentioned the girl he killed in cold blood, his first love. "You loved Aiko, I knew that much. If only you didn't kill her, then maybe she would've been my queen," he cackled. Andros felt his blood start to boil and glared at him. "Now, you have that precious Ashley," he laughed.

"SHUT UP!" Andros shouted.

Andros flipped over Balavan's head and started fighting him as hard as he could. "YOU WON'T TOUCH HER! YOU WON'T!" He shouted. Balavan fought back while laughing at Andros.

"Come back and join me, Andros. You could keep her and Karone safe," he commented.

"No, you'll just order me to kill them, just like how your father ordered me to kill Aiko and my other friends."

(Megaship)

Ashley was walking around the Megaship trying to find Andros. "DECA, have you seen Andros?" She asked. DECA didn't answer and Ashley groaned. "Not again," she whispered. She ran to the bridge.

Carlos and Cassie looked up when Ashley came running in. "Have you guys seen Andros?" She asked.

"Not since last night," Cassie replied.

Ashley went straight for the computers. "His Galaxy Glider's gone again," she informed. She grabbed her PDA, but Carlos grabbed her arm.

"Ashley, you can't fight right now," he told her.

"I'm fine, Carlos, it's Andros I'm worried about Andros," she insisted.

She then went straight towards the jump tubes and she was gone. The other Rangers shared a glance before grabbing their PDA's and went down their jump tubes.

Ashley had her scanner out and she was looking for Andros's signal. "Blast it, Andros where are you?" She mumbled.

(Planet)

Balavan raised his sword and brought it down towards Andros's helmet. Andros jumped back, but the sword broke through the front and Andros cried out in pain. He fell onto his knees holding his right eye. Balavan walked over and kicked Andros as hard as he could. Andros fell to the ground and he was still holding his eye. "Now, Red Ranger, you'll die," he laughed. He raised his sword to finish Andros off.

(Galaxy Glider)

Ashley found Andros's signal and went down onto the planet. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw that Balavan was going to kill Andros. "ANDROS!" She screamed. She pulled out her sais and threw one at Balavan's arm.

Balavan dropped his sword when a sai hit in and looked up when Ashley came down. Andros was pretty beaten up. Balavan grabbed Andros and stood up. "No!" Ashley gasped. Andros was looking at Ashley with pain showing in his eyes. He could barely move because of his pain.

"Give it up, Yellow Ranger, and I'll let him live," Balavan threatened.

"CERBERUS STORM BLASTER!" A voice shouted.

Balavan dropped Andros after a blast hit him in the back. Zhane jumped off his glider and they looked up when Balavan stood up. "We will meet again," he snapped. Ashley got up from the ground and ran over to Andros.

"Andros, Andros, speak to me," she begged.

She touched his face only to see the injury over his eye and the blood running down his face. Cassie had a medical scanner and scanned him over. "We better get him back to the ship," she instructed. Zhane threw Andros over his shoulders and they went back to the Megaship.

(Megaship)

Ashley was cleaning out his cut when she knew that she had to look at the rest of his injuries, but she was afraid of what she'd see if she removed his jacket and shirt. She bit her lip as she first took his jacket off and then she slowly took off his shirt. Tears started to fall down his face as she saw all the bruises and small cuts. She touched the bruise on his chest and she let out a small sob. She looked at Andros and touched his face. "Why? Why did you do this?" She whispered.

"He's afraid of history repeating itself," Zhane replied.

Ashley looked over her shoulder confused. "What do you mean?" She asked. Zhane stepped forward into the infirmary and sighed.

"Ashley, while you were unconscious, he told the rest of the team his story. I believe it's time you knew why Andros was evil," he replied.

After he helped her put the rest of the bandages on Andros, Zhane led her to the bridge. Zhane had Ashley sit down and he told her everything that she needed to know, even Andros's relationship with Aiko.