Chapter 14: More Secrets Revealed

Andros slowly woke up and saw Ashley sitting beside his bed. "Ashley," he murmured. Ashley looked up at him and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel like a bus just hit me," he replied.

Ashley sighed as she touched the cut on Andros's eye. "Can you still see out of that eye?" She asked.

"Yeah, I can see, it just hurts,' he replied.

Ashley sighed as she held onto his hand. "I was so worried about you. What were you thinking?" She asked.

"I wanted to protect you," he replied.

"Andros, if I recall, I think I can protect myself," she informed.

Andros slowly sat up while holding his side. "Ashley, you don't understand. He's after you. Balavan wants you and Karone," he informed. Ashley sighed as she continued to hold onto his hand.

"Why is he after Karone and me?" She asked.

"When I was evil, I made a promise to Lord Braedan. I promised him that if I kept Aiko alive, that she will go to his son, Balavan. If I did end up killing her, he would get Astronema."

"Why would he want me, Aiko's dead."

Andros sighed. "I don't know," he replied. Andros then stood up and led Ashley out of the infirmary.

They came into his room and Andros sat Ashley down on his bed. He grabbed his shirt and then he turned to look at her. "Ashley, this is going to be hard for you to hear. There's a chance I might die out there," he informed.

"No…" she trailed off.

"Ashley, just hear me out. I might not survive, because Balavan will stop at nothing until I'm dead. He's strong, look what he did to me when I tried to fight him on my own. I know this is difficult for you to hear. If I do die, I want you to move on with your life. Mourn for me for awhile, but don't do it to take over your life."

Andros walked over and kneeled in front of her. "But if I do die, I want you to be happy, that's all I ask for," he told her. Ashley touched his face with tears falling down her face. "Promise me, Ashley. Promise me you'll move on and you'll enjoy the rest of your life," he almost begged. Ashley let out a sob.

"I--I--I promise, Andros," she whispered.

Andros looked down, but then she lifted his head. Ashley leaned forward and pulled him into a kiss. Andros kissed her back and he wrapped his arms around her. Ashley leaned back onto the bed while Andros towered over her, but never once broke the kiss.

On the Bridge, Karone came out from the infirmary and sat down in front of the controls. "Karone, are you okay?" Zhane asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.

Zhane wrapped his arms around Karone and they were looking over the map of their last fight with Balavan. "How's Andros doing?" Zhane asked.

"Well, he's up, he and Ashley are alone in his room right now," she replied.

Zhane knew as well as Karone knew what was going on, so they quickly dropped the subject and then, DECA's alarms went off. "Transmission intercepted," she informed.

"Can you pinpoint where it's from?" Zhane asked.

"Location unknown," DECA replied.

Zhane knew who it was sent from and he knew who was supposed to receive the message. "I should get Andros and Ashley," he informed. Karone sighed and let out a nod. The other Rangers, besides Andros and Ashley came in.

"What's going on?" T. J. asked.

"We just received a transmission. Zhane's getting Ashley and Andros now."

Andros and Ashley pulled back when there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Andros asked.

"It's Zhane. Guys, come down to the bridge. Balavan's sent a transmission," Zhane informed.

Andros sighed and looked at Ashley before answering. "We'll be right there," Andros answered. Andros then handed Ashley the clothes they had removed while he pulled on his shirt and jacket.

"What a way to ruin a moment," she mumbled.

Andros wrapped is arm around her shoulders as they started for the Bridge.

Once they arrived, the message started playing. "Red Ranger, remember you promised to hand over Ashley and Astronema. Don't worry, I'll make sure to take care of both of them," Balavan cackled. Ashley held onto Andros's hand and Andros closed his eyes. He had to find out why he was after Ashley, she wasn't Aiko. He killed Aiko years ago.

Later that afternoon, Andros quietly made it down the old hallway towards Aiko's old room. He entered the room and started searching everywhere to find evidence of a link between Ashley and Aiko. Andros looked under her pillow and found a series of microchips under her pillow. He picked the up and then he went straight to the bridge.

Ashley looked up when Andros came in. "I found these in Aiko's room. Maybe she has something to say about it on here," he informed. Ashley nodded and then she popped the first chip into the player. Then they watched as Aiko's image appeared on the screen.

"Hello, I'm Aiko, daughter of Alejandro. I'm the Yellow Space Ranger and if you found these series of chips, I must be dead by now. If you find these chips, I have a request, I had a mission and that was to find my sister for my family," Aiko started.

Ashley looked at Andros confused and Andros held onto her hand. "Fourteen years ago, my mother, Asta, gave birth to two twin girls, my sister, Astera, and me. Lord Braedan learned of our existence and wanted one of us to be his servants. My mother wouldn't let that happen, so she sent my sister to Earth to be protected. I was kept on KO-35 to be trained as a Ranger. My mother kept track of my sister over the last fourteen years. My mother knows that my sister, Astera of KO-35, is now Ashley Hammond of Earth," she explained. Ashley gasped and Andros lowered his head in disbelief. Aiko was Ashley's sister. Now he could see why Balavan's after her.

"What have I done?" He whispered.