Got to work the next few days straight so I thought I'd end the year with another chapter. Used both Hemmingway and Grammarly to edit this so hopefully we're good. I did have to write it largely on my phone thanks to my life/writing process and spell check is the enemy on phones. Let me know where I messed up if you see it.

MaRoS Ch5: What Happens Next pt 1

Sparks filled the control room, multicolored and flashing. They dazzled Willow's eyes, which did nothing for her headache. She squeezed through tight and prayed for the lights to stop.

When they did go away they were inconsiderate enough to leave her headache behind. She groaned as he blinked her eyes open, staring down at her ungloved hands.

She was back to being plain old Willow. She tried not to be too disappointed.

At least she wasn't alone. Her friends, and Cordelia, were there too. Together, in a spaceship.

Together in a spaceship, a thought that bared repeating. A concept that stuttered and stalled her brain. That left her blinking in what could generously be called bewilderment. Though that would only be scratching the surface of things.

"Wha?" She started, letting her words petter and die out in a groan. Her whole body felt like a bruise, her ankle especially. It felt like it was on fire. And, from the sounds of things, she was getting off lightly.

"Did anyone get the name of that bus that hit us?" Buffy asked, 'oofing' as she sat up. "Should be pretty easy since it backed up a few times."

Xander wasn't much better, in fact, he was worse. Much worse. His voice was hoarse and dry as he spoke. "Pretty sure I got its plate numbers tattooed to my sternum. It reads D Vader. Also, ow."

"So I didn't imagine that. Great."

"I think I'm going to puke." Was all Cordelia managed to say from her slump. And, frankly, Willow agreed with her. For once.

The whole room was slowly spinning, literally. Not that she felt it but it was nauseatingly obvious when she, or anyone else, looked forward. Forward and out the window towards the greatest sight she had ever seen. When it was in view.

The little blue dot didn't seem so little from where she was sitting. It was the largest thing she had ever seen, she had no scope to compare. With her view of the universe no longer constrained by the horizon she saw the true reaches of the world, of her home.

And more. So much more.

Without an atmosphere in the way, with no light pollution clouding her view, she could see the cosmos. Truly see it. Hundreds of thousands of millions of stars. Constellations she had never considered or dreamed of being born before her widening eyes.

It was all so beautiful, so awe inspiring, and, again, nauseating. For a few reasons really but one, in particular, was turning her tummy.

"Would someone stop this bloody thing?" Giles moaned as he leaned back in his seat, eyes covered.

"Uh, I got you G-man. Just let me- Okay. " There was a jolt as Xander did something, the giant robot righting itself and settling them in place. Though, going by the position of Australia, they were upside down.

Actually, was there an upside down in space? Everything would be relative to their perspective, right?

Not their biggest worry but it was a fun distraction.

Creaking her head overwhelmed on the others, giving them more than a glance from the corner of her eyes. Despite all the groaning and moaning no one seemed hurt. Well, not injured at least.

No bruises, no scrapes, no cuts. Just unmarred skin and a lot of complaining. Complaining that was distracting them from what was right in front of them.

But Willow, she had to know.

Squinting out the window, trying to ignore the splendor surrounding her, she searched. She thought she spotted it but she couldn't be sure.

A grey speck, a rough triangle jutting into the void above Earth. It seemed to be still, unmoving in anything more than a slow lean. Which was good because she didn't have Maddie's calm, or enough of her own, to deal with another space battle.

"Is, is the other ship… sunk?" She asked, yet again unsure of what term to use in space. She hoped her intent was clear, that what she said was a reality.

"The enemy ship is still at sufficient operational power according to my readings and predictions." A woman's voice chimed from behind her.

Willow spun, staring up at the red lensed camera as it angled down to peer at her. At them.

"DECA?" Xander asked, his voice close to wonder. Mystified.

"Correct Not-Andros." The voice, the AI, answered back. "I would like to be informed of the true nature of the situation at the soonest interval."

"Uh, yeah, it's Xander and once we figure it out ourselves we'll let you know."

"Appreciated, Rangers." The AI said, her red eye still focused on the group.

Willow shivered and not just from the alien gaze. Rangers. They had been…

Even with numb hands, she felt it. Smooth plastic held tight within trembling fingers.

A cell phone disguising a wand disguising a Morpher.

Every layer of that was something she needed time to unwrap. She NEEDED to. There was so much to consider. The implications of each thing weighed heavily on her every thought.

Implications given context by a dizzying array of foreign memories. She couldn't sort through them fast enough. They poured and poured into her mind like a broken spigot. Memories of an older girl from nearly a decade in the future.

So much had changed yet… was any of it real?

She hadn't thought magic was real either, not until it tried to bite her in the face. Literally. But Power Rangers weren't really real, they couldn't be. Yet, there she was. In a Megazord.

Willow searched her memory, looking for anything that could help her have it all make sense. In her search she stumbled into Maddie's overflowing memories. Into concepts all too common to even the causal comic book reader.

Alternate realities and the Multiverse Theory. What could exist would exist, in some form, somewhere.

That was if all of… that wasn't some form of waking dream or runaway nightmare. Like the year before, with the coma boy. It made a whole lot more sense that this was all the product of some little kid than her actually being a Power Ranger. In space. Because that was just too silly of a reality to accept.

Such a silly, ridiculous, reality

"Willow. Willow." A hand landed on her shoulder, Xander's. "I need you to breathe. Deep breaths okay? We don't exactly have paper bags up here but I need you to stay with me. We're going to need that big old brain of yours to figure this out."

She took a large gasping breath. It helped, a little. More so when her friend had her do it again, then a third time. Over and over until she could do it on her own. Until each breath was smooth and close to calm.

Which was good, she needed that calm. Especially when Giles started swearing.

"What are those bloody idiots doing?" The man cursed, his fist clenched tight and his eyes staring out the zord's window.

Following his gaze, the teens let out little sounds and quick curses. The spell, or whatever happened, may be over but the battle was not. Not for the defenders of Earth at least. They didn't know it was over, they didn't know that Darth Vader was gone. Replaced by some scared kid. All they knew was that their deadly opponent, the one who killed their friends and attacked their planet, was dead in the water. And they acted accordingly.

The window had zoomed in, like a camera lens, giving them a clear view of what happened next. Of missiles and turrets ripping into the motionless TIE Fighter. She couldn't hear it but Willow knew the following explosion have to be deafening. Someone held out a quick "No!" as the brief bloom of fire appeared. It died quickly in the void and Willow could only hope it was as quick for her fellow Sunnydale native.

With one target down the pair of fighters shifted their attention. Diving toward the listing Star Destroyer with the same ferocity. They aimed for the unrepaired slices in the hull, where the Astro Sword gouged out its due.

The ship shuttered against their efforts. Damage started building as it became rapidly apparent their shields were down. Galvanized the fighters kept up their onslaught, plumes of fire following in their wake.

"Can we stop them?" Buffy demanded.

"The Astro Megazord is currently unable to perform major maneuvers or movements." DECA responded, shooting down any ideas of rescue attempts before they could form. "If you wish I can open a line of communication to the fighters so you may speak."

Buffy opened her mouth, syllables forming only for a harsh beep to interrupt her words. The ship sensors had detected a number of Earth's satellites firing off what was left of their missiles.

In steady bursts and waves they came. Gripping onto their brief opportunity as quickly as they could. From what Willow could tell the missiles were mostly nuclear and ballistics but mixed in were the dangerous ones. The ones that seemed to eat space, imploding reality before her eyes. There weren't many of them but there were enough. Enough to threaten a Star Destroyer.

Enough to make a Star Destroyer run.

The ship seemed to stretch and zip from space, disappearing within the blink of an eye. If Willow had blinked, or been unfamiliar with the movies, she would have thought it had truly disappeared. Dissipating along with whatever spell changed them.

"What. Was. That." Cordelia demanded.

"I think, I think they warped away." Willow said, feeling a bit weak as she struggled with an obvious possibility. "I don't think they're in the solar system anymore."

"Then, where are they!?"

Willow could only shrug. How was she supposed to know that?

"Wait." Xander started, a bit of ill timed excitement in his voice. "If that ship can warp, can we?"

"Not until the Megaship's automated repairs are complete, sooner with assistance.." DECA announced. "Even then, the Astro Megaship's FTL system does not 'warp'."

"Xan, I love you, but that's not really important right now." Buffy said wryly, bumping him lightly even as her eyes were locked forward. Xander, meanwhile, almost blushed. He almost grinned. Then he swallowed it, nodding.

Good, because the situation was serious.

"What do we do now?" Buffy asked, looking to the sole adult in the room.

Giles reached up to his face as if to grab his glasses, when he didn't find them he pinched his nose instead.

"I, I don't rightfully know Buffy. I really don't." He said, looking out of his depth as he rubbed at his eyes. The look, Willow felt, did not suit him. It was honestly a disturbing sight to see.

Not even Cordelia had anything to say in the face of that.

But the silence had no chance to build or settle over them as a logical but still surprising event occurred.

"Incoming transmission from the allied fighter." DECA announced. Willow may have jumped at the sudden voice, just a bit.

"What? Do they want to get all shooty with us now too?" Cordelia said, glaring at the little ship as it made its way toward them

DECA paused before responding. "Unknowns. Playing message now.

A combination of grunts and wince inducing bellows blasted through the speakers. It went on for a short burst before changing, shifting into a pleasing series of whistles and clicks. Again, the sound came in a short burst before changing, turning into something almost like French.

"Language. It's language." Giles said. "They- do they think we're aliens?"

"I mean, why wouldn't they?" Cordelia quipped only for Giles to give her a flat stare.

"Because it would mean that they have met aliens before. Enough so to have an understanding of their languages." He explained. "At least three, four distinct cultures if that are sending us a message in each. And that may only be the major powers they know of."

"Soooo, Area 51 is real?"

Giles paused, lips compressing in displeasure as he dragged out that uncomfortable possibility. "I would tell you not to be foolish but that may very well be the case."

Willow's jaw had already dropped which made it easy for the word "alien" to croak from her mouth. Sure she's seen all sorts of demons but aliens? That was a whole different kind of cool! Hopefully, they'd be a whole lot more friendly and a whole lot less fancy.

The message cycled a time or so before landing on something a bit more local.

"Unknown ship." The voice said in lightly accented English. "This is Kofi Annan representing the United Nations of Earth. On the behalf of the people of this planet, you have our deepest thanks. But, please, what are your intentions."

They paused, they processed, and someone summed things up with a "Oh, right, they think we're aliens." Willow was fairly sure it was her as she continued with, "Uh, what do we say?"

"We come in peace?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, 'cause that's totally going to reassure them, you doofus."

"Hey! It might!"

"Nothing we say is going to reassure them. Use your brain."

"I'm afraid both of you are right." Giles said, interrupting before either could snip further. "Nothing we say is going to dissuade them of their suspensions but easy else CAN we say?"

"Not exactly like we tell them we got caught in a spell and ended up here." Buffy said through twisted lips. "So what do we say? That we mean no harm and that we'll be gone soon?"

"That would imply this ship would be leaving. Is it?" Giles paused, confused and worried. "What is going to happen to this ship?"

Willow hoped it didn't go anywhere.

"If I may make a suggestion." DECA broke it. "I will send a message of peace to them and ensure them we will leave once repairs are done. Repairs that will take an unknown amount of time to do."

"How much time are we talking? 'Need to buff it out' bad or 'stuck in space' bad?" Cordelia demanded more than asked.

Deca answered all the same. "While not most optimal most systems are still operational. And while the space flight functions may not be ready the teleporter system is still functional."

Most let out a sigh of relief at that. Worry dissipating with the words.

"Yes, well, thank you… Deca was it? That would be helpful." Giles said, more to their air than the red eye on the wall. "And, perhaps, take us out of their line of sight. In case they, uh, become trigger happy."

As the giant robot moved, as the message was sent, they planned. Giles continued to lead the charge of decisions and they let him, the smart adult that he was.

They would, with the ship's teleportation system, head back to Sunnydale. From there they'd check in with their loved ones. Then, and only then, would they investigate what happened last Halloween night.

It was a good plan, Willow would admit as she watched the stars, a solid plan. Then Xander through a wrench right into it.

"Good plan, G-Man." He said, mirroring Willows's thoughts. "But I think I'll be staying up here. Help DECA with repairs and stuff."

Buffy was the first to speak, "Xander? Did Vader knock you on the head?"

"More like he suffocated the last few brain cells he had left."

"Thank you, Cordelia." She said before the other girl could say more. "But, seriously, Xander, what's the what? Why would you want to stay up here?"

"Why wouldn't I want to stay up here? It's a spaceship Buff!"

"A spaceship that did not exist until a few hours ago." Giles pointed out. "A spaceship that may be dissipating as we speak."

"Feels pretty solid to me." He said, knocking on the console and trying to project confidence. "Besides, someone has to stay up here. It may as well be me."

"And why, pray, is that?"

"Someone needs to be here in case the government tries making a visit while we're away. And I'm the only one whose costume could fly this thing." Xander said, holding up a finger to preempt Buffy. "The only one whose parents won't notice he's missing."

While the others uncomfortably digested Willow jumped in. "I'll stay too!" She quickly said. "He might need help and I'd love to ask DECA some questions."

"I will gladly answer them if you are willing to answer some of my own."

"Sure!" She squeaked, excited about a prospect that had both Buffy and Cordelia give her a knowing look. She also dreaded it for the look Giles was giving her.

There was a brief argument but she, like Xander, didn't have to worry about her parents. They weren't even in the state, they were yet again at another conference to promote their research. They wouldn't even know something happened in Sunnyvale for days if she didn't tell them. All the people who would notice enough to look for her were already on the Megaship.

It was an argument that held more weight than her friends liked. Nor did they like how Xander was right. If the ship was going to continue to exist someone needed to watch over it.

There were still questions but they were also easily answered by the pair.

"What about food?" The cynthitrons on board could print food.

"How will they keep in touch?" The wrist communicators still worked.

"What about clothes?" They could teleport down whenever they want and grab some.

Cordelia even had a few questions of her own. Namely, "Are we done yet?" and "Can we go now?"

And they could. Buffy hugged both her friends even as DECA set in the coordinates back to Sunnydale. Willow waved to them as the streaks of Pink, Yellow, and Black raced back down to Earth.

Leaving her and Xander alone, with DECA too, on the ship. Though there was still one real question left.

"So, what's next?"

AN:

And done before the year is over. I had to restart this chapter once, then it felt weird to write this because of Jason David Frank, then holidays while being a parent. That last bit was busy but fun.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.

Happy New Year.