Down for the Count

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, I'm just borrowing.

Note: Consider this AU. Just an idea I had. I know re-telling the events in 'C2D' has been done to death, but I have this thing about beating dead horses… umm…not literally, of course.

And, yes, I changed the story summary. My friend thought the one I had written was bland and suggested I try to spice it up a little. Thanks to everyone for the feedback, by the way. Please keep it coming.


6: Army of Me

She moved with deadly precision, arms and legs cutting through empty space, brown eyes focused on something beyond the four walls that surrounded her. The kata required total concentration, as well as grace and skill, but no matter how hard she tried, there was the distraction of missing a familiar face. In all the times she'd done this, he had always been there; a strong, comforting presence, lurking at the edge of her vision, mirroring her movements. The absence of her teacher and partner felt unnatural, as if the universe were somehow out of kilter…

Perhaps, because it was.

Ashley pushed back the pang of longing, working harder to maintain her focus, her tired and aching muscles beginning to protest as she pushed them further than she should. Her body was healing, but the progress felt too slow. If an opportunity to escape her prison ever presented itself, she needed to be ready.

She was still morphed, and had been since Astronema's brief visit some hours ago. She wasn't used to wearing her armor for this long without the physical exertion of a fight, or the adrenaline rush that always accompanied her into battle -- another reason why she needed to push herself, as if the Power were compelling her to do so.

Having opted to remove her helmet, a light sheen of perspiration now covered her face, causing errant strands of chestnut hair to stick to her forehead. The air in the room was almost frigid, but the tempered confines of her suit kept her body comfortable and her muscles loose.

Just as her fist, once again, struck out at her imaginary foe, the cell door opened and Ashley immediately stopped, her extended arm still poised in the air… and aiming directly at the face she'd been envisioning only a second ago.

"I see you're feeling better," Astronema remarked, her icy gaze lingering on Ashley for a long, disquieting moment. Something in that look sent a quiver of fear through the young ranger, but her expression remained neutral.

"Where's Zhane?" Ashley questioned as her body uncoiled from its position of attack. She straightened up and dropped her arms to her sides, still battle-ready, but looking somewhat less threatening. Her dark eyes followed her enemy's movements, warily. "And what happened to the rest of my friends?"

"At the moment, I believe you have more pressing concerns."

A procession of armed guards followed Astronema into the room, quickly flanking Ashley on all sides. She was sorely tempted to lash out, but wisely decided against it as a familiar figure appeared in the open doorway. A squad of Quantrons she could probably handle at this point, but taking on both Astronema and Ecliptor would be little more than a suicide mission.

She looked around at her escort. "Where are we going?"

"We have some business to discuss," Astronema announced, her eyes dropping to focus on Ashley's helmet still sitting on the floor nearby. With a slight twitch of her fingers, the object was suddenly airborne, crossing the small expanse in an instant, where it hovered within Ashley's reach. "You'll be needing it."

Despite having watched both Andros and Zhane demonstrate their telekinetic ability, the display still caught Ashley off guard. It was a painful reminder that, somewhere beneath the evil visage before her, at least some small part of Karone still existed.

Reluctantly, she reached out and grabbed her helmet, tucking it under her left arm.

Apparently satisfied, Astronema spun on her heel and strode from the room. Ecliptor moved aside as she passed, then indicated for Ashley to follow. After a less than subtle jab in the back from a Q-Blade, she stepped forward and the guards pressed in closer, purposely denying her any room to maneuver in the event she attempted to escape.

When she reached the doorway, Ecliptor suddenly pushed the lead guard aside and blocked her path, placing the tip of his sword against her chest.

"Do anything foolish, Ranger," he warned in a low, menacing tone, "and I will cut you down." Ashley lifted her chin and met his gaze, squarely, refusing to show any fear. After a tense moment, he lowered his weapon and gestured for her to exit the room.

The group started out down a long corridor, each guard keeping their weapon trained on Ashley as they progressed. The Quantrons didn't bother her much, but having Ecliptor at her back was more than a little unsettling. Strangely, Astronema was nowhere to be seen, though she should have been only seconds ahead of them. Already feeling more than a little apprehensive, Ashley decided it best to turn her attention to her current surroundings.

Enormous steel doors lined the walls on either side of the gloomy, cavernous hallway, and Ashley wondered if her friends might be somewhere nearby. She recalled Zhane saying they were all brought aboard the Dark Fortress following the battle, which probably meant that the others were locked up down here just as she had been. Unfortunately, after being led through a labyrinth of identical corridors, Ashley realized that, even if she did somehow manage to break free, finding her way around would prove to be difficult.

The group finally came to a halt, and Ecliptor gripped Ashley's shoulder painfully tight as the guards all stepped aside. The door they were facing opened upon his verbal command, and he urged the yellow ranger forward while still maintaining his hold on her.

"Remember…" was his only warning to her as they both entered.

When the door closed behind them, the room was plunged into darkness… except that Ashley could clearly see herself. The colors of her power suit were as bright as if she were standing in broad daylight. She lifted her gloved hands, marveling at the odd phenomenon despite her dire circumstances. Powerful magic was obviously at work here.

Her attention was so focused that she started a bit when Ecliptor suddenly took his hand away, releasing her. She turned and took a few steps back, putting a small amount of distance between them. Unlike her, Astronema's henchman was barely visible in the darkness. Save for the green etching of his armor, Ecliptor resembled little more than a shadow.

"Why was I brought here, Ecliptor?" Ashley demanded, trying to portray a level of strength and confidence that she didn't quite feel. "And what have you done with my friends?"

The hair on the back of Ashley's neck began to tingle as she suddenly detected another presence in the room. She spun around, peering into the darkness with a growing sense of unease…

"Astronema!" she shouted into the inky blackness, masking her fear with a healthy dose of bravado. "I know you're here, so just knock off the dramatics and come out where I can see you!" As the echo of her voice died away, a dark, lavender aura of color began to materialize before her very eyes. Gradually, it coalesced into the outline of her nemesis.

Astronema's pale, oval shaped face seemed to be hovering in the dimness.

"Tell me something… Ashley…"

The young woman shivered, involuntarily. She'd never heard Astronema speak her name before.

"As a Ranger, what is the one thing you fear the most?"

Ashley narrowed her eyes. "I guess that would have to be… you taking over the universe."

The Karovan drew closer, literally stepping out of the darkness. Now standing only a few feet away from Ashley, she stretched an arm up over her head and called forth her power.

"Guess again."

Streaks of purple lightning erupted from her fingertips, forcing Ashley to squint at the bright light suddenly filling every corner of the room. The energy rippled across the air in waves, gaining in both size and strength as it arced high above them, then cascaded down into a spider's web of electrical current, forming itself into a large dome-like shape in the center of the room.

Once her eyes adjusted to the light, Ashley stood there staring, intently, at the bizarre spectacle, all her instincts on high alert. Astronema was obviously putting on this display for her benefit, which meant there was something here she was supposed to see, something her enemy had devised to use against her.

Without even realizing she was doing it, Ashley began to move forward, her eyes drawn to something held within the energy field. Two large cylinders, approximately six feet high, were standing side by side in its center. They looked similar to the containment tubes in the power chamber that had been used to display some of the older Ranger suits.

Her heart was hammering in her chest, fearful of what was in those tubes. They were certainly large enough to contain a human being. She tried to prepare herself for the worst, expecting to see the faces of some of her friends as she approached. But, when she was finally able to see beyond the purple glare reflecting off the clear exterior, what she saw inside was far worse than she could have ever imagined.

With a strangled cry, Ashley's helmet slipped from her grasp and she charged forward, recklessly, without a single thought as to what she was about to do. Upon reaching the barrier, a tremendous discharge of power flung her back like a rag doll, sending her body hurtling through the darkness, where she finally met the far wall with bone-shattering force.

Astronema watched with some amusement as the yellow ranger tried to lift herself off the floor, obviously in a great deal of pain, one hand leaning on the wall for support.

"I wouldn't do that again, if I were you."

Ashley, still on her knees, looked up at her enemy, dark eyes burning with rage and anger.

"What have you done to them!" she screamed.

"They are unharmed," the villainess replied matter-of-factly. "Whether they remain that way or not, however, is up to you."

Ashley felt as if the world had just dropped out from under her. This was the last thing she'd ever expected. But, Astronema was absolutely right. Since becoming a Ranger, it was the very thing she'd feared the most.

'God, I'm so sorry. I should have told you. I should have warned you…'

With agonizing slowness, Ashley got to her feet and came forward again, only this time, with a far different objective in mind. She called the weapon with a mental command, feeling it materialize in her hands, her steps becoming more purposeful as she moved closer to her target.

She lifted the Star Slinger and aimed it straight at Dark Specter's one-time protégé, no longer caring whether she was Andros' sister or not. Astronema was nothing more than a plague on humanity. A plague that Ashley intended to obliterate right then and there.

The blow to her arm took the ranger completely by surprise and she cried out in pain and dropped her weapon, silently cursing herself for forgetting about Ecliptor, who now stood between her and Astronema. Before she even had time to recover, the edge of his blade was pressed to her throat.

"Another step and they die."

Ashley froze. She knew it was no idle threat. She also knew it was time to start using her head. Trying to get to Astronema certainly wasn't going to help her situation, not with Ecliptor watching her every move. Besides, she couldn't risk endangering their lives any further. Astronema wanted something, and was only using them to ensure her cooperation. Once Ashley knew exactly what that something was, she would find some way to save them.

Or die trying.

Ecliptor seemed to sense her silent capitulation and slowly lowered his sword, though he was careful not to remove it completely. With a gesture from Astronema, however, he stepped aside, allowing the two young women to face each other fully.

"Why are you doing this?" Ashley demanded though gritted teeth. "What the hell do you want from me?"

Astronema's cold blue eyes regarded the ranger for a moment.

"There is a rebellion taking shape on your planet," she stated with a hint of annoyance in her tone. "It's a small group, but they are quickly becoming organized, which means they could someday pose a threat to me. I want you to find the ones responsible for this insurgency, and bring them to me."

Ashley could hardly believe her ears. "You expect me to help you conquer Earth?"

"The Earth has already been conquered," the Queen of Evil remarked with a condescending smile. "All that's left for you to do now is save a few lives." She gestured toward the containment tubes behind her. "Theirs… and maybe even your own."

And there it was. The ransom Ashley was to pay in order to save the people she loved. Of course, it was all a lie. As soon as Astronema had what she wanted, they would die, and so would she. The weight of that knowledge pressed down on her, filling her heart and soul with utter despair.

She couldn't do it. A rebellion might be Earth's only hope. There was no way she could betray billions of lives for the sake of two, especially when she knew that, in the end, those lives would be forfeited anyway.

But, if she refused, they would die right now. Of that, the yellow ranger was absolutely certain.

Astronema lifted her hand. The dome of energy seemed to pulsate faster in response. "Make your choice, Ranger."

Brown eyes brimming with tears, Ashley stood there staring beyond the glass at the faces within, wishing she could talk to them, comfort them, tell them not to be afraid, just like they'd done for her so many times. She could feel the edge of Ecliptor's sword pressing harder against her stomach in case she should make another attempt to eviscerate his Queen, but she no longer cared. Physical pain would have been a welcome respite against the tortuous agony of her conflicted emotions.

She couldn't even bear to look away from them as she spoke. "How am I supposed to find these rebels, if you can't?"

"It's quite simple. You know them."

That comment seemed to break through Ashley's haze of misery. She blinked away fresh tears and looked at Astronema in surprise. "What?"

"The rebels are your predecessors," the Karovan informed her in a measured tone. "And who better to defeat a Ranger… than another Ranger."

Other Rangers! Of course! Ashley couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner.

There were as many as a dozen people who had been Earth's protectors long before she and her friends came along. Who better to organize an offensive against the Alliance than the very Rangers who'd gone up against so many of its members in the past?She'd often heard Alpha telling Justin stories about the former teams, and even from what little she knew of Tommy and the others, there was no way they would all just sit idly by and allow the Earth to be taken.

Astronema wanted her to find the rebels. Ashley now realized that doing so might be her only chance.

"In case you should entertain any idea of a rescue attempt," Astronema suddenly interjected, apparently reading the hopeful expression on Ashley's face, "you would be wise to remember that only I can control the energy field." Her hand was still extended, and she flexed her fingers, almost casually.

The dome began to shrink.

Ashley's eyes went wide in horror. "Stop! What are you doing!"

"Showing you what will happen if you side with the rebels against me," the villainess sneered.

In a sudden act of desperation, the ranger immediately dropped onto her back and slammed her booted feet into Ecliptor's extended arm, effectively knocking the sword from his grasp. With lightning speed, she flipped over, pressed her hands to the floor, and lifted her body, putting every ounce of power into her legs as she knocked her much larger opponent several feet into the air. Ecliptor was caught completely by surprise and couldn't stop his momentum.

Ashley was on Astronema before Ecliptor even hit the floor.

"Stop it or I'll kill you." She had the Karovan flat on her back and pinned beneath her, the fingers of her left hand, twisted, painfully, into the young woman's hair and her right forearm pressed against her throat. Astronema grunted in response, bucking her hips in an attempt to dislodge her attacker, but to no avail.

Ashley's eyes burned into Astronema, and she pushed harder against the young woman's slender throat, completely cutting off her oxygen.

"Even a monster like you needs air," the Yellow Ranger snarled, already sensing Ecliptor's approach. She could see a flicker of something in Astronema's eyes and looked up to see that the dome was no longer collapsing upon itself. The split-second she would have used to sigh in relief was all it took for Ecliptor to drive a vicious kick into her ribs and dislodge her from her perch atop his charge.

Ashley rolled away from them, clutching her side and moaning in pain. Ecliptor roared in anger and lifted his sword, preparing to finish her off.

"No, Ecliptor!"

He halted, sword in mid-air, and turned to see Astronema sitting up, one hand, gingerly, massaging her neck.

"She should die for hurting you," he growled.

"Our little ranger was only proving that she will do anything I tell her to," Astronema replied, holding a hand out to him for assistance. Ecliptor hesitated only briefly before stepping away from Ashley to help her to her feet.

The evil villainess stalked over to where Ashley still lay on the floor, one hand beneath her as she tried to sit up, the other clutching her injured side. She placed a single black boot on Ashley's chest and pushed the young woman back down to the floor with enough strength to hear the rush of breath as it was forcefully expelled from her lungs.

"Isn't that right?"

Ashley glared up at her, hatefully. "If you hurt them-"

"It will be because you failed to follow my orders," Astronema cut in, grinding the heel of her boot, spitefully. "Now, it's time for you to go. When you find the rebels, report back to me immediately."

"And how am I supposed to contact you?"

Astronema smiled, sinisterly. "Simply return to where you started."

And with a wave of her hand, Ashley disappeared from sight.

xxxxxxxx

Everything blurred for a moment. Shadows drifted and formed. The face looming above her slowly evaporated…

Ashley closed her eyes against the momentary disorientation she always felt during teleportation. No matter how many times she'd done it, it always made her feel sick to her stomach. When her body told her she was back together, and back on solid ground, she slowly opened her eyes.

"What the…?"

She sat bolt upright, staring in disbelief at where she'd just arrived. It was a place she knew very well.

The carpeting beneath her was dark and plush, and she ran her gloved hands through the thick pile, as if to verify it was real. Everything around her was painfully familiar: the furniture, the delicate lace curtains over the bay window, the stone fireplace with the marble mantle…

And the pictures.

After a moment, she got to her feet, releasing a tremulous sigh as she reached for a particular photo resting on a small table beside her. The print was only just beginning to show a hint of age, but the image of the couple was of a time many years ago.

Ashley traced her finger along the outer edge of the frame, her heart aching for them. They had no idea who or what she really was, and now they were paying a terrible price for their ignorance.

A tremendous wave of guilt threatened to engulf her, and she carefully placed the picture back where it belonged, a determined look on her face. Now was not the time for self-recrimination. Too many people were depending on her.

Once again, her thoughts turned to her friends. They had to be alive. She just refused to believe anything else. And if Andros was still out there somewhere, it was certain he was trying to find a way to rescue them.

But, her first priority was to find the rebels.

She picked her helmet up from where it lay on the floor and stared at it, thoughtfully. Concealing her identity was no longer an issue, she realized, but protecting her head still was. She tucked her hair up with one hand and put it on, snapping it firmly into place before heading for the door.

With a hand on the doorknob, Ashley paused to take one final look around the room, knowing she might never be back. Once again, her eyes fell on the picture.

"I'll find a way to save you, Mom and Dad," she whispered softly. "I promise."

And with that, Ashley Hammond left her home for the last time.


To be continued…