Disclaimer:I don't own the Power Rangers.

Author's Note: I'm back::grins:: My love to you all for being so patient!

Happy New Year, everyone. :)

Chapter 32

Ashley had slept snuggled close to him, all warmth and soft skin where she pressed against him. Somewhere between wakefulness and dreaming, Andros felt her there beside him; he opened his eyes expecting to find her still there.

Finding her wide awake and smiling at him was more than he had anticipated.

He swallowed, suddenly anxious, his heart thudding so quickly he could barely breathe, his palms sweaty as he clenched his fists. Her mouth covered his before he could think, her kiss soft and gentle but insistent, unrelenting until he returned it.

"Morning," she whispered against his mouth, tickling his lips with her breath.

"Hi," he muttered back. She kissed him again, and this time he couldn't help but smile.

"I like this," Ashley offered quietly a few moments later.

"So do I..." He caught his breath when she nuzzled closer. She tensed for just an instant. Andros wasn't so quick to relax; her bare skin rubbed against his and for that moment, it was all that he was aware of.

Her fingers brushed his cheek. "Andros?"

Only when he opened his eyes did he realize that he had closed them. "I'm fine," he said, in answer to her unasked question. He touched her hair, brushing it out of her eyes as he realized that he was smiling again. "Thank you."

She looked confused, but she laughed warmly and tucked her head against his shoulder. "Of course," she murmured. She touched a kiss to his skin. "I love you."

He closed his eyes as her words washed over him, warm and peaceful and perfectly content to lie here with her forever. There was nothing more important than this; there was nothing that couldn't wait.

Ashley kissed his neck as she shifted beside him, her fingers brushing lightly over his chest. Andros caught her hand and raised himself up on one elbow, studying her closely with her fingers still in his.

"Andros?" She pushed herself halfway up, her free hand holding the blankets to her chest.

He kissed her fingers. Her face relaxed into a smile and she lay back, giggling quietly as he kissed the tip of her thumb.

"You're sweet," she murmured, her voice swallowed by a yawn. "I love you."

She'd said that twice now, he realized, brushing his lips over the inside of her wrist. He lay his head down on her arm, for a moment just watching her. "I love you too, Ash."


"Hmph." Astronema narrowed her eyes at the screen in front of her as it went black. Yesterday it had been Divatox, today it was Lord Zedd. Could none of them solve their own problems? Why must they bother her with their nonsense?

The comm chimed again, and she growled. "What!"

"Astronema!"

She swallowed her fury instantly. "Dark Spectre," she murmured. "I did not expect--"

"There is a traitor amongst us," he spat at her. "Find them."

"A traitor, you say?" She frowned at him. "What makes you suspect--"

"My powers are being drained," he said. His arms flailed about as he spoke, perhaps for emphasis. Or perhaps not. If she didn't know better, she would think that he was panicked. "You must find the traitor, Astronema."

"Of course," she said. "I will not disappoint you, Dark Spectre."

"You had better not." He terminated the connection from his end, and she smiled to herself.

"Old fool," she muttered. "Ecliptor!"

"Yes, my princess?" He came from nowhere to stand at her side.

Astronema frowned at him. What did he know? "Dark Spectre fears a traitor," was all she said. "I want you to find Darkonda."

"You suspect him?" His eyes glinted. "Excellent."

"Yes," she whispered as he bowed and then left her. "Excellent."

Alone in her quarters, she contemplated her options now. She hadn't realized how quickly the Psychos would drain the monarch, though perhaps it was best that way. He would be gone too quickly to suspect her.

Darkonda was an easy target, almost too easy, she feared. Yet it would keep Ecliptor from becoming aware of her plan, and that was as she wanted it. For now, at least, there was no one to trust but herself.

Astronema stroked the locket around her neck idly. Yes... it was best to trust only herself. She had nearly fallen for the Red Ranger's trap. It had been a moment of startling foolishness, but Dark Spectre had forgiven her and she would see to it that she never made that mistake again. The Rangers wanted only to defeat her. She must never trust them.

Why, then, she wondered, did she keep this useless trinket? It was a useless piece of trash, part of the Red Ranger's plan to brainwash her. Her fingers curled around the locket, but she did not remove it. She could not think of a reason to keep it, but still she wore it.

Her head ached. Astronema rubbed her eyes with a sigh, then stood and strode out of the room. The Psycho Rangers stood waiting on the Bridge where she had summoned them.

Her mood brightened. She smiled at them sweetly. "I want you to bring me a Ranger."


Andros tried not to smile too much. He couldn't seem to help it, though, and found himself biting his lip through breakfast. Ashley took longer to shower than he did, and he supposed he should be thankful for that, at least.

He'd hardly managed to make it through three bites when Zhane shot him a sharp look. "Well, what is it?"

"What?" Out of the corner of his eye, Andros saw TJ watching them curiously. He took a larger than normal bite and took his time chewing.

If Ashley hadn't walked in, Zhane might have let it go. But she came and slid her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and there was nothing he could do but hug her back. He felt his smile widen as Ashley leaned her head against his, and he almost didn't care that Zhane's look was suddenly knowing.

"So it's true, then."

"What?" Andros followed Ashley with his eyes as she went to the Synthetron, glancing back at Zhane with a frown.

His friend just smirked at him. "I'd heard getting laid was an excellent stress reliever."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Ashley's hand brushed his shoulder as she took the stool next to his. He turned to smile at her, happily ignoring Zhane. "Hi," he said quietly.

She grinned at him over the top of her juice. "Morning."

TJ spoke before Zhane could. "I had an idea."

Andros nodded to him. "Go on."

"Have you guys noticed there's a Psycho Ranger for each of us but him?" TJ waved his hand in Zhane's direction. "That first time, it was like they read our minds."

"Theydid read our minds." Andros frowned. "What are you thinking?"

TJ leaned his elbows on the table as he glanced at each of them. "What do you think would happen if I fought Psycho Black? Or if you, Ash, fought Psycho Red?"

"Oh!" Ashley's face brightened as she understood. "Do you think it'll work?"

"It's worth a try," Andros decided. He glanced at TJ and Zhane; both nodded, and he smiled faintly. "Deca, are Cassie and Carlos awake?"

"Affirmative," she replied.

"Tell them to meet us on the Simudeck," he said. "Let's see if it works in simulation."


Cassie was in danger. Arietis sipped his drink with a sigh. She was always in danger, as was he. Such was the life of a Ranger. More danger than was usual, then--the Psycho Rangers that she had spoken of the night before were nothing like he had ever encountered.

He couldn't ignore her this time. Andros's team was certainly capable of defending itself, but he could not leave her--or the rest of his friends--to fight this battle on their own when he could offer some assistance.

He paused.

Friends.

It had been a long time coming, he thought, and took another sip. Two years, almost, ever since he had crash-landed on Earth. They had been Rangers only a short time, he'd discovered later. At the time, he'd thought it odd that the child Ranger was the veteran member of the team; he'd trained since childhood, as had many of the Rangers that he knew of. His mother had later explained the complicated nature of being a Ranger for Earth, making him surprisingly glad to be Eltaran. Or half Eltaran, at least, and both his father's homeworld and his mother's were capable of accepting reality. There was no need to shelter the citizens of either world, and he sometimes wondered how either of his parents had managed to deal with Earth.

Arietis shook his head as his thoughts strayed. His ship should be refueled by now, and he would stay just for a drink or two more. Tan and Cia were less than pleased by his prolonging the search for Zordon and would be even less so when they learned why. If he could pick up even a few tidbits of information here to placate them, it would be well worth it.

So far, though, he'd found no useful leads. With a sigh, he drained his drink and signaled for another.

"That'll be twenty," the bartender snapped at him. "And none of your cheap coins, neither."

"Certainly." He set the coins on the counter in front of him. As the drink was set in front of him, he dropped another handful on top of him. "Perhaps you could assist me."

"Depends," the woman grunted at him, "on whatcha looking to buy."

"Information," he said quietly.

"Oh, I've got plenty of that," she boasted to him. "I've seen things in here like you wouldn't believe. So, what is it?"

"Not here."

She snorted and swept the coins into the pouch she wore at her waist. "I'm going nowhere with you."

"Excuse me!" An irritated tap on the counter drew her attention away. "I've been waiting--"

"And you'll keep waiting if you don't shut up," she snapped, but she stepped towards them. "What'll it be? Make it quick."

Arietis sighed. He doubted that he would get anything from her now. He watched her a moment longer, debating with himself whether he should try one more time. Deciding against it, he stood to go. He would only waste his time, and he knew better than to attempt to pilot his ship while inebriated.

He glanced at the other customers out of habit before he headed for the door. There was no one else that appeared as though they would be useful to him, though his eyes lingered on the man who had interrupted his conversation a moment ago. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and that alone was more than enough to convince him that it was time to return to his ship.


"Ashley, look out!"

The warning came just an instant too late. Ashley stumbled forward as she was hit from behind. She broke her fall and rolled, hopping back to her feet seconds later, but it was all the time that Psycho Yellow needed.

For the first few moments of battle, TJ's plan had seemed to be working. They had done the best that they could to simulate it beforehand, but even Deca and the Simudeck were no match for the real Psycho Rangers.

She swallowed as she found herself face to face again with Psycho Yellow. A quick glance to the sides told her that her teammates all were against their "own" Psycho Ranger once again, and that none of them had managed to do much damage in the past few minutes.

It had seemed like such a good plan, too...

Something exploded behind her. Ashley heard herself scream as she was knocked off of her feet by the blast, completely weightless for just one instant. She landed in a heap halfway down the block a second later and groaned, dizzy and nauseous as she tried to lift her head.

Far away, she heard someone--Zhane?--yelling for TJ. She thought she heard her name, too, but...

"Yellow Ranger."

This time she was sure of it. Psycho Yellow.

Ashley moved too slowly as she struggled to get back up. To reach for her blaster. Anything. Psycho Yellow caught her firmly, and her world spun again as she was hauled to her feet.

"You're coming with me, Yellow Ranger."

Without warning, darkness came.