Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.
Chapter 12
Locking himself sullenly in his room became not an option the moment Andros teleported back onto the Megaship. Deca requested him to report to the bridge before the sparkles had cleared from his vision, and as soon as he had he knew intuitively that it was going to be a very long day.
"Phantom." He greeted the ever-morphed Ranger with a small smile and a curt nod, and more than just a bit of surprise. "What brings you here again?"
"I believe I have picked up Zordon's trail once again," Phantom reported. "Divatox has him still, and she is heading towards the Vica Galaxy."
Andros looked away suddenly, a deep unease welling up in his stomach. "D--divatox?"
He silently cursed himself for the stutter, knowing that no one would miss that. He was right.
"Andros?" Cassie said quietly. "You okay?"
"I, um... yeah. I'm fine." He forced a quick smile and shook his head. "It's nothing really. Deca, notify Ashley and get her here immediately. We're going after them."
"As you wish, Andros." He caught the distinct note of disapproval in her voice, but she didn't comment.
"I'm going to check on the Mega-Accelerator," Andros announced to all assembled on the Bridge. "Call me when we're ready to leave."
He escaped without the need for further excuses and climbed up to the small deck that put him level with the engine, slumping back against the wall. Divatox would be only too happy to see him again, though he doubted she would actually return him to Darkonda.
"Hey."
Andros started when the hand touched his shoulder, instinctively grabbing ahold of the wrist attached to it before his mind caught up. "You," he sighed.
"The one and only." Zhane slid down to sit beside him. "You gonna tell me what's wrong or do I have to force it out of you?"
"It's really nothing," Andros insisted, his shoulders slumped. Zhane just quirked an eyebrow at him, and he muttered, "It wasn't Darkonda that I escaped from."
A moment's pause as Zhane hesitated, then: "How'd you end up with Divatox?"
"I was his bargaining tool." Andros waited for a reaction, got none, and then explained. "Divatox was furious when Dark Spectre appointed Astronema to take the Dark Fortress. Darkonda lusts for power. He thought he could... use me to his advantage. She would help him overthrow Dark Spectre, and he would eliminate Ast--"
He stopped abruptly. "Karone..."
Zhane cocked his head in confusion. "Karone?"
Andros winced suddenly. "I didn't tell you, did I."
"Tell me what?" Zhane demanded warily.
"Karone," Andros murmured softly. "She--she's Astronema."
That did prompt a reaction from the Silver Ranger. Zhane grabbed both Andros's shoulders and turned him forcibly until they were face to face. "She's what!"
"She has the locket," Andros mumbled, and his voice was smaller now. If there was anyone that could convince him that he was wrong, that person would be Zhane.
"I've noticed that," Zhane said finally, sounding strained. "That's your sister's locket?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Zhane's voice still sounded odd. "Wow."
"I have to talk to her somehow," Andros said. "I have to know for sure."
Zhane remained curiously quiet. "Why didn't you say anything?" he said at last, and Andros sighed.
"I did," he muttered.
"To who?"
"Ashley."
"Oh," Zhane said again. He hesitated. "Well, what'd she say?"
"She promised she'd help me." Andros didn't feel like saying much more about Ashley. Just the mention of her name had his stomach in knots over the memory of what had almost happened in her bedroom.
Zhane wasn't fooled. "What else is bothering you?"
"I..." Andros swallowed. "I--she--"
"Yes?" Zhane prompted quickly. "What did you do now?"
"I--I... I almost... I almost kissed her," Andros mumbled, too anxious to wonder at Zhane's eagerness to change the subject. "I... I don't know."
"What happened?"
"I left."
Zhane considered that. "Why?"
"I've never... She... I..." Andros turned a helpless gaze towards the Silver Ranger. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
"You could start with talking to her," Zhane suggested. "She'd understand."
"I don't know," Andros said finally, "if this is what I want." He really didn't. He had enough trouble with friendships, anything beyond that he was completely unused to.
"You should still talk to her." Zhane held his gaze unrelentingly until Andros dropped his eyes.
"I know," he murmured reluctantly. "But what do I say?"
"Anything you want to." Zhane shrugged. "It won't matter to her."
"You would know," he muttered. "You dated her, didn't you."
"Twice," Zhane admitted. "But it really wasn't anything, and I know she likes you."
Andros didn't answer, just tried to imagine himself taking Zhane's advice and talking to Ashley. He couldn't do it. What does she see in me, anyway, he pondered, unaware that he had projected the thought towards Zhane until he received an answer.
"Well, if I had to guess..." Zhane grinned widely at him. "I'd say everything that makes me want to take a baseball bat to your head she thinks is cute."
Andros looked at him blankly. "Baseball bat?"
"A big stick. TJ plays on this team... that's not the point." Zhane shrugged. "If you won't talk to her, I can't help you."
"Last time you "helped" me, you paid a girl to dance with me," Andros reminded him. "I'm not sure I want your help."
"You were thirteen!" Zhane burst out in semi-annoyance, but Andros was pleased to see him squirm uncomfortably. "And sorry about that, by the way."
"I started speaking to you again, didn't I?" Andros said dryly, and sighed. "I just don't know what to say to her."
"You'll figure it out."
"I..." Andros looked at him hesitantly. "She really likes me."
"And I had nothing to do with it," Zhane assured him. He paused, adding, "Well, I did talk about you a lot. But besides that, I had nothing to do with it."
Andros's head came up. "W--what did you tell her?"
"The Megaship is prepared for departure and all Rangers are onboard," Deca interrupted them, her voice more muted than was usual. "Will you be reporting to the Bridge?"
"In a minute, Deca," Zhane said quietly, catching ahold of Andros when he moved to stand. "We're not done yet."
Andros sat back down when Zhane pushed him, avoiding his gaze.
"First off," Zhane began, "I'd never tell anyone anything about your life if I didn't have your permission. Ever, Andros. Second, no matter what she knows, it's not going to change how she feels about you."
"You know what I look like," Andros muttered. "I think that's bound to matter to her."
"Third," Zhane continued loudly, "scars are sexy, haven't you heard?" He smirked, adding lightly, "At least, Ashley thinks so."
"And how would you know?" Andros snapped, more harshly than he'd meant to.
Zhane slipped off his jacket without a word, and a decidedly uneasy feeling welled up deep in Andros's stomach. His suspicions were confirmed when the silver shirt followed. An angry red line ran the length of Zhane's ribcage, and all the guilt Andros had thought gone came crashing down in a flood of emotion. He'd been so, so... stupid.
Of all the mistakes that he had made back on KO-35, this one had been the worst. He was responsible for the fall of KO-35 to Dark Spectre, and there was no way that he could ever atone for the massacre that had followed.
"Hey." Zhane's voice was sharp, if slightly muffled, as he tugged his shirt back on. "Don't look at me like that. It's not like you shoved me in front of that monster. Besides, I think it looks kind of cool... Andros?"
"It's not that," Andros said dully. He'd never told Zhane, and he didn't intend to change that now. "It's nothing."
Zhane shook his head. "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Andros growled defensively, as his hands clenched involuntarily. "Please, Zhane."
His friend sighed unhappily. "Andros..."
"Please," he said, more forcefully. "It's not important."
Andros felt two arms wrap around his shoulders as he was drawn into a fierce hug. He tensed in surprise and then closed his eyes in pain, even as his muscles relaxed. Rangers had an unspoken code to take care of their own. Andros didn't like to think of how many times he had forgotten.
"I'm fine," he insisted, as Zhane drew away. "Really, it's nothing."
"You're not and it's not," Zhane stated flatly. "I'll take care of everything on the Bridge. You can stay here."
"I... thanks," Andros murmured. He needed to be alone for awhile.
Zhane smiled briefly, then hopped down to the deck six feet below. Andros waved slightly and curled himself into a corner. He found the sudden silence soothing as his mind began to wander.
"Will you wait?"
She hesitated in the doorway to the Megalift. "I might."
"I want to speak with you," he said quietly, and that made up her mind.
"I have work to do."
See how he likes it. Cassie sighed. The bitterness she felt surprised her, but she was too annoyed with him to care. After all, he hadn't stayed when she had wanted to talk. The Megalift swallowed her up before he could say another word.
"Where do you wish to go, Cassie?"
"Hmm, wha... Oh." She pushed her hair past her shoulders with a sigh. "Deck One, I guess."
The Observatory had become the place to sit and think, not just for her but for most of the team as well. She had spotted TJ on the couch inside more than once, and Carlos had taken a sudden liking to the stars. Cassie was relieved to find no one else there and flung herself down onto the couch, hugging the pillow to her chest glumly.
She should have stayed. She should have let him explain... Cassie sighed in regret. They wouldn't work. His duty as a Ranger came first, and she could almost totally respect that, but she couldn't stand to watch him walk away from her time after time, never knowing when or if she would see him again.
No, they wouldn't work at all. Her sigh was wistful this time, as she tried to conjure up the face beneath that visor. As always before, she came up blank. None of the features that she dreamed up seemed quite fitting, though after meeting Andros and his... unique hairstyle, several more peculiar looks had occured to her. Cassie couldn't help but hope that Phantom didn't resemble their Red Ranger too closely--Ashley might go for the stripey hair, but Cassie preferred something a little more... well, normal.
And there she was daydreaming about him again. Cassie groaned to herself and sat up. "Deca, where is he?"
"Phantom Ranger is in Hangar Two," Deca replied, and Cassie's head snapped up.
"He can't be leaving!" she protested. "He's supposed to stick with us on this mission."
"I believe he is only seeing to the maintenance of his ship," Deca said. "Shall I tell him you wish to speak with him?"
"No, I'll find him myself; thanks." Cassie tossed the pillow to the side and dashed out of the Observatory, winded as she reached her destination less than two minutes later.
She skidded to a halt just outside the doorway. Straightening her jacket slightly, Cassie took a step forward into the room and wondered what she was supposed to say now.
As it turned out, she didn't have to say anything. He turned towards her before she had the chance to speak, and then he froze. Cassie wished dearly that she could see his face.
"Hello," he greeted her quietly. An awkward pause later: "I was hoping to see you."
"Were you?" she couldn't help asking, and he nodded his head slowly.
"I was." Phantom hesitated. "Cassie..."
"What's your name?" she blurted out, not thinking. The question had been on the tip of her tongue ever since he had first spoken her own name, but she had never asked.
"My name?" he repeated.
"Yeah." She could tell that she'd surprised him, but didn't care. "You do have one, don't you?"
"Of course I do," he said calmly. "My name is Arietis."
Cassie just stared at him, beyond amazed that all she'd had to do was ask... "Arietis," she repeated slowly, smiling. She liked it. "It's nice to meet you."
He was right where Zhane said he would be, burrowed into the walkway above the engine. Ashley sighed to herself and climbed up to him, leaving her legs dangling over the edge of the platform.
"Hi," she murmured.
He watched her for a few moments before he said anything. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to you," she replied. "But I'll leave if you want."
"No," he said quickly. "I didn't mean... I..." He paused, and she watched him exhale slowly. "I didn't get you into trouble, did I?"
She shook her head. "I think my mom was upset over something else."
"Oh." Andros hesitated. "Ashley?"
"Yeah?"
"I... I, um..." He took another deep breath. "I want to talk to you, too."
"You want to start?" she prompted after a moment of silence. "Or should I?"
"I... I probably should," he said hesitantly. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to say."
"That's all right," she told him, but he shook his head.
"It's not," he insisted. "I feel like I should either be apologizing to you or explaining... but I don't know for what."
"You don't owe me an apology," Ashley said firmly. "And I don't want one. But an explanation would be nice--if you felt like it."
He nodded slowly. "I'm not--I've never had a... relationship, I guess is how you'd say it, with anyone. Besides friendship, I mean, and even then... And honestly? I don't know if I want or need one."
"Oh." Ashley tried to quell the rush of disappointment she felt at his words. She'd asked for it, after all, and he wasn't having the easiest time saying the words, either.
"I--I didn't mean to upset you," he said, worried, and she shook her head.
"Don't be silly," she said. "I'm not upset, and you shouldn't rush into anything that you're not ready for."
"You are upset." Andros stared at her unhappily for a moment. "But... I--if I... I really like you," he whispered. He looked away and added softly, "I wanted to... I almost kissed you. While we were at your house."
"Oh," she said again. A smile tried to worm its way out, a smile that she just barely managed to keep off her face. She shouldn't feel so pleased.
"Why didn't you?" she wanted to know.
"Because..." He shrugged, his eyes focused firmly on the railing. "I--I'm not... used to feeling this way. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, or what you're expecting, or... anything."
His voice came reluctantly as he finished, and Ashley touched his hand before she could help herself. "I don't expect you to be anything besides you," she said quietly. "And--"
She wondered for a moment if her words would only complicate things further, but then just went ahead. "If it's really something that you're not ready for, I don't want to push you... but I really like you too," she finished awkwardly.
He turned to look at her again, his intense hazel eyes boring into her own. His attention was focused wholly on her and for one long minute, he was staring straight through her. Ashley felt a blush spread across her cheeks when he didn't look away, trapped in his gaze.
"I... I'd like to find out," he said finally. "If it's all right with you."
His words flowed right over her head, but brought her out of her daze. "Sorry, what?" Ashley finally tore her eyes off off his.
"Would you..." Andros looked at her helplessly, blushing. "What do you normally do on a date?"
"Um..." It took her the longest time to think of something. "Go out to dinner."
Had she ever done that? Ashley couldn't remember, but she didn't really want to go to a movie with him, and she couldn't think of anything else...
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me, then?" His face was a near-perfect match with his shirt now, and she fought hard not to smile. He was cute when he was blushing.
"Of course I would," she answered. She let the smile spread across her face this time. "When?"
"When we get back to Earth?" he suggested, and she knew he was floundering now.
"Sounds good to me," she said cheerfully. "Andros?"
He looked at her curiously, and she smiled. "Last I checked, our ETA was still around two hours. TJ and Carlos were going to start a basketball game or something. You want to join them?"
Andros considered that for a few moments. "I'd rather not," he said hesitantly. "But you go on if you want to."
Ashley shook her head. "I'd rather stay here with you," she said. "If that's all right."
"Stay if you want to," he said. "I was just... thinking about some things."
Ashley frowned when pain flashed through his eyes. "Hey," she said quietly, "if you ever want to talk, I'll listen."
"I'll remember that," he said, and she thought he tried not to sigh. "Thank you."
"Don't worry about it." Ashley laid a hand on his arm, thinking quickly to banish the gloomy look that was settling rapidly over his face again. He tensed slightly at her touch, but he didn't draw away, and she gave his elbow a squeeze.
"Hey, Andros?" she asked. "You think that you could teach me telekinesis?"
His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at her request, but his expression was thoughtful as he studied her. "You know about it?"
"Zhane showed us," she explained, with a shrug. "He even tried to teach us a little, but we never caught on."
"Then what makes you think that I can?" he wanted to know.
"Couldn't you at least try?" she asked, giving him her best smile. "Please?"
"I... if you wanted to, maybe," he relented, still uncertain. "I've never tried to teach anyone before," he added dubiously.
"I don't care," she said immediately, and she didn't really. Learning telekinesis wasn't the point. "So you'll try, then?"
"If you want to," he repeated, finally emerging out of the corner he had hidden himself in. "I have some things lightweight enough to start with..."
Ashley nodded and hopped down as Andros followed more slowly, climbing down the ladder. There was a tiny smile lighting his face as she reached for his hand, and Ashley couldn't help smiling herself. He really was too cute when he relaxed just a little bit. She liked him like this.
