Chapter 10

Old Friends and New Life

Planet Mirinoi

Karone Kodra had invited her brother Andros and all their friends on the Astro Megaship to visit her and her friends on Mirinoi a few days before, to which Andros had gratefully accepted. Now Karone was rushing all over Terra Venture, which had been turned into the capital city of Mirinoi, thanks to Damon Henderson and the engineering crew and Kai Chen and the research crew working together to find power sources based on the natural resources Mirinoi had to offer.

Karone was trying to make preparations in the last few minutes before her brother and his team arrived when Leo Corbett happened to find her. "Hey, Karone," Leo greeted her with a smile.

"Oh, hey, Leo," Karone smiled back. "I'm just getting ready for when Andros and the rest of the guys get here."

"I heard they were coming," Leo replied, "It's going to be great."

"It's been so long since I've seen my brother. I can't wait. See ya later, Leo."

"See ya." Leo headed off to continue his business as Karone went to finish her preparations.

A few hours later; Leo, Karone, Kai, Damon, the native Mirinoid Maya Lunara, Kendrix Morgan, and Leo's brother Mike were waiting at the designated rendezvous point, and just at that moment a blue and red space craft came floating across the trees came to the clearing, hovered to a stop and opened its hatch. Out stepped Andros Kodra, Red Space Ranger. He immediately rushed out and embraced his sister.

"Haven't seen you in a long time, Karone," said Andros.

"I missed you too, Andros."

"What's up, Leo?" Andros asked his fellow Red Ranger. "Are you doing well?"

"Can't complain."

"I guess I should bring everyone out. Come on out, guys." Andros called to the Megaship.

With that, Ashley Hammond, Cassie Chan, Carlos Vallerte, T.J. Johnson and Zhane Platoro stepped out and greeted everyone.

"Sorry we're late, Princess," Zhane quipped, "but we had to pick up a friend."

"So this is Mirinoi, huh?" came a voice from inside the Astro Megaship Mk. II. "Not that bad. I like it already." Then out stepped a younger man in blue jeans and a navy blue denim jacket.

"Justin Stewart," T.J. introduced, "these are the Galaxy Rangers: Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Maya, Kai, Damon, and my sister Karone. Guys, this is Justin, the Blue Turbo Ranger."

"Nice to meet you guys," said Justin, shaking each one's hand.

"Right back at you," said Leo.

"Always nice to meet a fellow Blue," Kai said.

"Likewise," said Justin.

"So what do you guys wanna do?" asked Damon.

"I brought a bunch of gloves and all that," said T.J. "How 'bouts a little batting practice?"

"Fine by me," Kendrix replied. "I played softball in high school. I bet I could strike you out, T.J."

"Do I smell a challenge?"

"Indeed, you do."

"Oh, I accept. Let's do this."

"We'll take you to the baseball field in Terra Venture."

"Alright, let's go."

"Hey, Ashley wanna go see the Galactabeasts?" Maya asked.

"Sure. I haven't seen them in so long."

"Karone, you want to come with us?"

"OK. We'll catch up with you guys later, OK, Andros?"

"You got it."

The Rangers, minus Karone, Ashley, and Maya, headed towards to the baseball field in Terra Venture. T.J. and Andros had grabbed T.J.'s baseball equipment that T.J. had brought with him from his job as a baseball coach, so he had plenty of gloves and balls and a couple of bats. Everyone warmed up with a few long tosses and ground balls as each player took a couple swings in preparation for the showdown that was about to occur.

"This all seems kinda familiar." Carlos said to Justin. "Like a story I heard from a while back."

"That was Rocky and Adam's story, bro. And yes, it did happen; Tanya confirmed it."

"Uh-oh. Is history gonna repeat itself here, Justin?"

"You never know, Los."

"Think we should warn Teej before he embarrasses himself?"

"Say one word," Cassie told them with fire in her eyes, "and you'll regret it."

"Yeesh, Cass." Carlos shuddered. "I get standing up for your sister Pink, but does TJ have to suffer?"

"Let's just say I feel like TJ needs to be humbled a little bit."

"You know what that means, right Justin?" Carlos asked the former child Ranger out of earshot.

"Yep. Teej made Cassie mad somehow by being…arrogant, I guess."

"So which of our teammates do we side with?"

"We stay out of this and let them sort it out."

"Good call."

"All right, Miss Morgan," said T.J. "Let's rock."

"You got it," Kendrix said, taking the pitcher's mound. T.J. grabbed his favorite bat and stepped into the batter's box. Leo stepped in behind the plate to catch while Andros took his place behind him to umpire. Everyone else took positions around the field.

"Play ball!" Andros shouted.

Kendrix looked in for the sign from Leo, wound up and fired. It was a little high. Ball one. The next pitch was right over the plate and waist high for a strike. The third pitch was inside and low making the count two and one. The next pitch looked good. T.J. swung…and missed.

"Strike Two!" shouted Andros.

"You're in trouble now, Teej," said Kendrix.

"We'll see."

Kendrix wound up and threw again. CRACK! A deep drive to left field! "See ya!" shouted T.J., already starting his home run trot. But the ball was hooking to the left…

"Foul Ball!" Andros called. "Back you come, Teej."

"You got lucky," T.J. growled.

"Speak for yourself," Kendrix grinned. She stretched, wound up and threw. T.J. saw it clean, swung…and missed!

"Strike Three! He's out!" Andros shouted.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Kendrix yelled.

"No way! I don't believe this!" T.J. groaned.

"Should've warned ya, Teej." Justin yelled from the infield. "History just repeated itself."

"Yeah, but this time, I'm on the losing end of it."

Cassie smirked. TJ noticed.

"You think I deserved that, don't you?" He said with his eyebrow raised.

"Maybe."

"All right, what did I do?" TJ deadpanned.

Cassie chuckled. "I'll let you figure that out. You need to squirm a little bit more."

TJ laughed. "All right. But whatever it is, I'm sorry."

"You're putting the cart in front of the horse, Teej. Seems to be a trend with you."

As Cassie walked away, TJ stood there confused. When had he recently done things out of order?

Suddenly, the three girls that were out of the action came running into the field. "You guys, you're not going to believe what I just heard," Ashley said excitedly.

"It's big news, isn't it, Maya?" said Karone.

"Yep. A new Galactabeast is about to be born!"

"Really? That is big news! This we've got to see." said a shocked Leo.

Maya led the other Rangers to the site of the temple.

"It says here that a white Galactabeast will be born when 14 great souls are gathered together." Maya said, translating the ancient text. "I guess that means all of us united."

"Why did it have to be 14? Why not 13 with just the two teams."

"I'm not entirely sure. Though I have heard that the number 13 is sometimes considered unlucky…"

"Well," TJ laughed slapping Justin on the back, "it's a good thing we brought Bilbo Baggins with us this time."

"Dude, enough with the hobbit jokes. I got enough of that when I was a Ranger. Besides, you know I could take you now."

Just at that moment, a bright light shone from a jewel atop the temple. The Red Lion, the Blue Gorilla, the Green Condor, the Yellow Wolf, and the Pink Wildcat Galactabeasts all stepped towards the temple. The Rangers matching them did the same. Suddenly, a white light shone into the temple, then reflected through a jewel above a porthole. Appearing in the light was a white leopard. The newest Galactabeast had arrived.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Maya said in wonder.

"I know," Karone said. "Something about this just feels right." Karone stepped ahead and into the light and the Leopard Galactabeast looked toward her. "It's okay," Karone whispered. "I'm your friend." The Leopard looked into Karone's eyes and lowered its head as if to say "I trust you."

"She's already bonding with it," said Leo with a smile on his face.

"Karone always had a way with animals," Andros responded. "Even before Darkonda took her, she always seemed to get along well with them." And the way she and the newest Galactabeast were getting along, this certainly seemed to be the case.

"Leo, don't you think Karone deserves this?" Kendrix asked.

"Yeah, she's had to fill in for you enough."

"Just what are you trying to say?"

"That I wish you hadn't had to leave us back then."

Kendrix was stunned. "I know, but I did what I had to do. There was no other way. And Karone was a great Ranger. She still is."

"I know. But you both deserve to be in the fight. And I hope I-we never have to lose you again."

Kendrix wasn't sure she had heard Leo's last words correctly, but decided not to probe the matter.