Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.

Chapter 19

"You're not going anywhere," Andros said firmly. "You're still injured and you are not going to fight."

"Andros, you and Ashley already make two rangers down," Karone argued. "There's still six Psychos and if I stay here too, we don't stand a chance."

"I don't care," Zhane and Andros retorted together.

"It's not like we were doing so great yesterday with six against six," Carlos added. "We won't lose just because you're here."

Karone growled and muttered something under her breath. She shot a healthy glare in Zhane's direction before sliding into her seat, arms crossed against her chest.

"Good luck, you guys," Ashley said softly. She turned her seat to face the viewing screen, glancing over at Andros when he sat next to her. "I hate this."

"So do I," he sighed, toying with his morpher absently. "Deca, main viewing screen."

Deca complied wordlessly, showing them a deserted street in downtown Angel Grove. The Psycho Rangers were waiting, prowling up and down while they waited. Four streaks of color flashed by and then TJ leaped down from his glider, the other three on his heels.

"There's only five," Karone said suddenly, moving into the seat on Andros's left. "There should be one more."

"Psycho Black," Ashley muttered, quickly scanning the Psycho Rangers. "What's he up to?"

"We wait to find out," Andros said tersely, his fingers flying across the console. "Deca, shields up. Scan the area around the others. See if he's hiding down there somewhere."

"Acknowledged," Deca replied, and Andros sat back.

"Am I seeing things, or do they seem to be doing okay?" Ashley pointed at the screen in front of them, where the rangers all were still on their feet. They even seemed to be landing in a few blows every now and then.

"No," Andros said slowly, his eyes narrowing. "You're right."

"I'm going to help them." Karone stood up, cutting off their protests before they were fully formed. "Look, I'm fine. They're so close to winning right now, they need me. Don't worry about me."

"Karone--" Andros stopped abruptly as he realized she was gone. He sighed and slumped back into his seat, glaring down at his morpher.

Ashley reached out, touching his shoulder gently. "You know she's right," she said quietly. "She'll be fine."

He shot her an empty smile. "I--"

He was cut off as the Megaship shuddered violently. Both Andros and Ashley were thrown up against their consoles as Deca reported belatedly, "We are under attack."

---

"I told you that wouldn't work," Cosmos said abruptly, breaking the long silence between them. "Yesterday, with the rangers."

"It was worth a try." Lyra shrugged her shoulders, never taking her eyes off of the trees directly in front of her. "Same with Andros later. I half expected him to take me up on that, though," she admitted, a sly smile on her lips. "It wouldn't have surprised me if he'd been that stupid."

Cosmos laughed, though it really wasn't funny. "We don't really have plans for them."

"They don't need to know that." Lyra curled her fingers experimentally, pleased to find herself cradling a small ball of lightning. Good; she'd rested enough. "We'll worry about that later--my magic's back."

Cosmos brightened. "Then let's go."

---

Zhane hit the ground and rolled cleanly out of the way, hopping to his feet just as Psycho Red flew at him another time. Somehow, they had managed to switch places on each other again and no matter how hard they tried, the Psychos weren't switching them back.

He sensed her at his side before he had the chance to attack again. Karone brandished her staff at Psycho Red, dealing him a solid blow before he had the chance to attack.

"I told you," she said smugly. "I'm fine."

"Okay," he agreed, ducking as Psycho Blue rushed for him. "You are."

"Now that you've got that settled," TJ called over at them, "a little help here?"

"Well since you asked..." Karone glanced over at them, surprised to see most of their attacks landing on Psychos Pink and Silver. "What's wrong with them today?"

"Exactly what we've been wondering," Carlos grunted, as he slashed Psycho Pink across the chest. "But we're not complaining."

Karone laughed a little and then joined Cassie in kicking Psycho Pink back several feet. "Neither am I."

"C'mon guys," Cassie shouted, ducking as Psycho Blue swung his ax at her. "Everyone together."

"Right," they agreed, and five Astroblasters fired at once. Most hit Psycho Pink, a few clipped Psycho Violet, but it weakened them all just enough that the rangers could attack.

Karone put the full force of her weight into the next swing of her staff. TJ did the same with his ax, both of them catching Psycho Pink hard while Zhane and Carlos attacked from the air. Cassie went for the kill, firing her Satellite Stunner point-blank.

The rangers fell back then, bracing themselves against the explosion.

---

No matter how he set his feet, he couldn't seem to keep his balance. Andros gripped the controls, struggling to keep the Megaship steady as she trembled under the strain of the barrage of laser fire.

Ashley was still in her seat, firing the Megalasers over and over again without much success. The Dark Fortress had caught them by surprise, blasting through their shields while the two of them had struggled to do the work of at least five people on their own.

"How are we doing?" Andros dared ask, hoping he wouldn't distract her too much.

"Well, our shields are holding steady around fifty percent," Ashley replied after a moment. "So it could be worse... but the Megalasers are running out of energy."

"What?" Andros's head snapped up. "That's not supposed to happen."

"Aren't you supposed to recharge them or something?"

"I did... I think," he amended, frowning. He couldn't remember when he last had. "I didn't, did I."

"Don't worry about that now," she said, shooting him a reassuring glance. "It's okay."

Andros doubted that it was but he really couldn't worry about it now. He jerked the controls, bringing the Megaship about in a sharp turn. He felt the floor tremble beneath his feet and swallowed, the laser fire coming much too close for comfort.

It was with an effort that he managed to hold the ship steady enough for Ashley to fire again. They managed to hit the Dark Fortress this time--but the lasers had lost enough power that at this point it made little difference.

Andros couldn't keep his balance this time; the Megaship bucked and tossed him forward over the back row of consoles. He rolled over onto his back with a groan, hacking air back into his lungs while Ashley fired one last shot.

"We've got to get out of here," she said urgently, sliding down to help him sit up. "Come on, I'll help you up."

"No." He shook off her arm and sat up himself. "I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are." Ashley struggled to her feet and somehow managed to haul him up with her. "Andros--"

"Ash, I'm not leaving," he said quietly. "There has to be something--"

"There's nothing you can do." Ashley took a shaky step towards him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Another minute and it'll all shut down. Come on."

"But--" The word slipped out before he could help himself. Andros knew she was right even before the warning lights lit up. But he couldn't lose another home.

"Come on," Ashley said again, more softly this time. "We can make it to the shuttle."

He swallowed hard and stood up to follow her--and all fire ceased. Andros stopped abruptly, forcing Ashley, who was leaning against him for support, to halt as well.

"Deca?"

"There is an incoming transmission from the Dark Fortress," she reported, and Andros froze.

"Play it," he ordered, pleased at how steady his voice was.

"Hello, little brother," Cosmos's voice greeted him. "I just thought you'd be interested in knowing that we had nothing to do with that."

"What do you want?" Andros demanded, glaring furiously at the screen. "I don't care what it is, you can't have it."

"You don't listen, do you?" Cosmos sighed loudly. "We had nothing to do with that."

Andros unclenched his jaw slightly. "Then what do you want?"

"Are you this dumb on purpose?" Lyra sauntered into view, arms crossed over her chest. "We thought we'd call to let you know Psycho Black's gone."

"You did it yourself?" Ashley sounded just as suspicious as Andros felt. "Why?"

"You are," Lyra decided, then shrugged. "I answered that yesterday. I don't feel like doing it again."

"We'll fight you on our own terms, little brother," Cosmos told him, and then the screen went black.

"Wow," Ashley murmured into the silence. "That was... do you have any idea what their own terms are?"

Andros just shook his head. He didn't want to find out.

A/N: Just another five, six chapters to go! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Please review!