Formatting note: In order to make the Astronema/Karone "watcher" scenes clearly distinguishable from the action in the alternate timeline, they are written in purple.

If I Never Knew You

Part Two

The atmosphere of the Megaship was thicker than it had ever been to the Rangers of Earth. A curtain of despair hung over the ship like a miasma, and everyone was affected by it. Carlos couldn't kick a ball right, Cassie was suddenly singing off-key, Ashley was uncharacteristically gloomy...

And for the first time since becoming the Blue Ranger, T.J. was questioning Andros' actions.

In the beginning, he'd been mistrustful of Andros... who was this stranger to just drop in and steal leadership of the Rangers from him? But over time, Andros had proven himself to be a level-headed, calculating person, and he had never failed them.

But the man had just lost his best friend. That was enough to mess anyone up.

Lately Astronema's attacks had been growing in strength. Her plans were becoming more and more devious.

A sixth Ranger would have helped the odds.

But they didn't have a sixth Ranger, because the Silver Morpher was on KO-35, in the middle of a lake. For anyone to claim.

Of course, T.J. wasn't the most insensitive person in the world. Andros had just suffered an incredible loss, one that had left deep emotional scars. Scars that would last a very long time.

Balling his fists in resolution, the Blue Ranger headed for Andros' quarters. Certainly the Karovan could use all the friends he had right now.

Andros' quarters were, if such a thing was possible, darker and quieter than the rest of the ship. The door was unlocked, but T.J. got the distinct feeling that he was unwelcome.

That didn't stop him, though.

The room was pitch-black. Either Andros had cut the power to the lights, or he'd smashed them. Everything was trashed... it looked like Andros had just come apart, unleashing a telekinetic storm that had torn through the room, devastating everything.

The Blue Ranger never thought he'd see such a mess. Andros' quarters were Spartan to begin with, which lessened the amount of carnage he had effectively wrought... but it was still bad. The metal drawers were all open, and their contents had been thrown against the far wall. The bedsheets were torn to shreds, and the pillow had literally exploded, spraying synthetic cotton everywhere. The synthetron was smashed, sparks occasionally shooting out of the damaged circuits. Even the windows which looked out into space were cracked... though Andros apparently had enough sense to stop before all the air in his room was sucked out into space.

Sticking out like a sore thumb, the only undamaged item he could see, was Andros' picture of Karone. It remained on his nightstand, untouched by the chaos around it. Such an odd sight.

Then T.J. turned... and he was treated to an even more unbelievable sight.

Andros was sitting against the far wall, ensconced in shadows. He had an unmarked bottle of clear liquid in one hand, and currently the mouth of the bottle was pressed against his lips. His throat was glistening and his shirt was damp, but T.J. guessed that Andros was so drunk he didn't even know he was spilling most of the stuff.

Upon sighting T.J., Andros put the bottle down. It was almost empty anyway, and from the glazed look in the Red Ranger's eyes, T.J. was pretty sure most of its contents had found its way into Andros.

"Can we talk?" T.J. asked quietly.

"Sure." Andros stumbled to his feet and unceremoniously collapsed onto the bed. Motioning nonchalantly, he telekinetically sent the bottle crashing against the wall behind T.J., shattering it. The Karovan's casual look unnerved the Blue Ranger.

"Talk." he prompted flatly.

Not knowing quite how to bring up the subject, T.J. just dove in. "I... um, I know it probably felt like the right thing to do at the time... but I don't think we should have left the Silver Morpher on KO-35."

Andros' eyes suddenly went hard, and T.J. felt like kicking himself. Subtle like a ton of bricks.

"Is that so?" Fury seemed to overtake Andros' drunkeness, and he got to his feet, every bit the formidable warrior. His voice grew deadly serious as he leaned close to T.J.

"Let me tell you something, Earthling." The Karovan spat the word out like it was an insult. "Zhane wasn't like you. His powers weren't presented to him like a gift. He earned that Morpher... and I'll die before letting someone else dishonor his memory." Backing away, Andros lowered his head as he turned away from T.J. "The Silver Ranger is dead."

T.J. tried to keep cool. Andros was in much more pain than he'd thought. "But, Andros, at least with a Silver Ranger we'll have a chance at actually winning this war. What if Dark Specter finds out and decides to use it against us?"

The Red Ranger chuckled bitterly. "Only two people know the activation code. One is dead..." he wiped his eyes "..and the other's close enough."

T.J. exhaled softly. "I know things are hard for you right now..." He stepped forward, but Andros took a step away, running his hands through his hair. He seemed to be visibly pulling himself together.

"Whatever. Was there something else?"

The Blue Ranger hesitated at Andros' sudden dismissiveness. "Look... it was an accident. You still have all of us."

The Karovan backed away further. "I have me. That's enough."

"Not always." T.J. countered.

There was a moment of silence. Andros broke it with a shrug. "Are you done?"

Disheartened, T.J. accepted defeat. "Yeah. I guess so."

Walking over to the door, Andros stood by it as it opened. "Okay. Well, then, good night."

The Blue Ranger sighed and walked out the door. And then he heard Andros' voice... this time full of uncertainty, doubt. The confusion and fear the Karovan was trying to hide was slipping through his carefully-constructed facade.

"Um... T.J.?" He sounded near tears.

T.J. turned back to their leader, doing his best to project an air of support and compassion. "Yeah?"

The air was still with anticipation. Then...

A withdrawal. He could sense it even before Andros said: "Never mind."

And with that the doors closed.

T.J lowered his eyes in disappointment. Shaking his head sadly, he headed to his own quarters... though he doubted he'd be getting much sleep.

It was hardly a surprise when Andros didn't come down to the holding bay for breakfast the next morning. Also unsurprisingly, no one had much of an appetite.

"I feel so bad for him." Cassie murmured, absently dragging her spoon through her cereal.

"It was a totally senseless death." T.J. slammed a hand on the table. "I wish I could fry every last one of those Kadixian bastards. I've always known the risks of wearing a Ranger uniform... but if I'm going to die in one, I'd like it to count for something."

"Carlos, did you hear from him last night?" the Pink Ranger inquired.

"No." he replied. "He's shutting us out. He probably won't talk to anyone."

"I'm gonna try." a new voice cut in, and the three Rangers turned to their yellow-clad companion. Ashley looked like she hadn't slept all night, and she was staring into her scrambled eggs like they were her final meal.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Cassie put a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "I mean, he's not exactly on the cover of Sanity Fair right now, Ashe. He might..."

The Yellow Ranger offered her a wavering smile. The other three Rangers could see that she was terrified... her relationship with Andros had only just been starting to bloom, and now this.

But still, another fact they were all aware of was that Ashley was probably the only one Andros really trusted. One the same level as Zhane, or maybe even his lost sister Karone.

"Now." she decided suddenly. "Before I lose my nerve." Getting to her feet, she tossed her napkin on the table. "DECA, locate Andros."

"Andros is in Zhane's quarters." the computer answered dutifully, and Ashley smiled weakly. DECA could be very uncooperative when she chose to be. If the AI was helping them, maybe she wanted them to help their leader. It was a good sign.

Mustering her confidence, Ashley strode out of the bay.

It wasn't too hard to find her would-be boyfriend... Ashley had wondered about that sealed room at the end of the hall from the first day she came aboard. Andros had always dismissed her queries... "Not worth talking about," he'd repeated over and over again. Ashley had concluded that it was probably just a utilities closet or something of the sort.

But the truth was out now. It was Zhane's room. Andros' only living companion aboard the Megaship for who knew how long. Two best friends exploring the universe together.

To her surprise, she found the door unlocked. She pressed the chime, but there was no response from within the room. Steeling herself, Ashley stepped through the doors, which slid open to receive her.

The sensation was immediate, and struck her like a hammer.

Someone had once lived here, in this very room. Someone had slept in the bed Andros was currently sitting on. She was sure that if she concentrated just a bit, she'd be able to see Zhane meditating on the floor, or reading a book by the dresser, or doing whatever he had done when not fighting monsters or spending time with Andros. The whole place was practically charged with his presence.

"You feel it too?" the Karovan suddenly whispered. She looked at him with misty eyes and nodded silently. It was hard to ignore that someone had spent several years of his life in this room. Who knew what memories and secrets these walls held...

"I ca..." Andros choked, arms wrapped around himself. "I can't believe he's gone... I keep thinking he's just... going to show up... I can still feel him!"

"Oh, Andros..." Ashley whispered, taking a step forward. The Red Ranger held his hand up to stop her.

"Get back." he... warned? Pleaded? She couldn't tell.

"Don't push me away." Ashley countered, coming the rest of the way and kneeling by his side. It was disconcerting... even though she knew better, she couldn't shake the feeling that Zhane was still with them in the room, looking over her shoulder.

She tilted his chin up so that their eyes met, and she hoped she was doing the right thing. But she had no other option, no other hope but to believe she could somehow make some of Andros' pain go away.

"I love you." she whispered, admitting her feelings not only to him but to herself for the first time. She loved Andros, in a way she'd only heard about but had never known herself.

For a moment, Andros stared at her, the sheer enormity of her words not completely registering. He just looked at her in confusion, like she'd suddenly switched to a different language. Ashley felt a glimmer of hope... maybe they'd survive this after all.

Then the clouds gathered, and that glimmer was gone like it'd never existed in the first place.

Andros' expression darkened almost visibly, and Ashley knew she was about to pay the price for her mistake.

"No. No, this isn't happening." The Red Ranger sprung to his feet and pointed at the door. "Get out, Ashley. Now."

Ashley stood, but held her ground against the sudden wave of anger flowing from the Karovan warrior. "Andros, I want to help you." she began awkwardly. "Talk to me, let me..."

"I SAID GET OUT!" he bellowed at her, causing her to shrink away slightly. He'd never, ever screamed at her before...

Before she could come up with a reply, he lashed out and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her hard. "I'm poison, do you understand?! Everyone I love dies!" He released her, and Ashley felt her knees almost give out.

"Do you want to die? DO YOU?!" he demanded loudly.

In spite of herself, she shook her head.

Andros seemed to deflate a bit, the sting of his rage diminishing. In a calmer, quieter voice, he said: "Then don't you ever say you love me again. It's signing your own death warrant."

Silence fell, but it was unbearable, because the sense of another was still so strong. It was one thing to cry in front of Andros, but she wouldn't let some stranger she didn't even know see how weak she was.

Without looking back, Ashley composed herself and marched out the door as fast as she could without running.

The farther she got, the harder her body shook, until she could barely maintain her pace. The tears finally came, hot and wet as they slid down her cheeks.

She started to run... it was crazy, it was paranoid, but this was his ship, and she could almost feel his eyes on her back.

Turning the corner as she instinctively looked behind her, Ashley plowed into an unyielding body, knocking her off-balance.

His reflexes kicking in instantly, Carlos caught Ashley as she fell and righted her effortlessly.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, deep eyes wide with surprise as he stepped back from her. As he took in Ashley's appearance, he suddenly stiffened.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" The Black Ranger brushed away the hair out of her eyes, and she could see shocked anger slowly building up in his eyes. She quickly shook her head to dispel any murderous thoughts from her ex-boyfriend's mind.

"I... I just..." Ashley found herself unable to continue her sentence, but Carlos seemed to understand anyway. Gently pulling her against him, he held her as she finally began to sob in earnest.

"Don't give up, Ashley." he encouraged quietly, stroking her hair as she unloaded all her fear and pain onto him. "Give him some time... he'll come around, you'll see. Just let him pull himself together first... everything's going to be okay..."

"Have you ever seen a pair of humans more deluded than them?" Astronema scoffed. Karone didn't answer, too absorbed in watching Ashley and Carlos. It was still disconcerting to stand right next to them and not even have them acknowledge her, but she was slowly getting used to it as she observed the events all over the Megaship, her hopes for the future diminishing with each passing event.

The Princess' hair had changed again. It was now cut to neck-length, black and highlighted by curly strings of a metallic alloy.

"Carlos is right." Karone stubbornly refused to believe otherwise: her brother was pigheaded and stubborn, and he was suffering incomprehensible pain... but he'd survive. She knew Andros.

"You still don't understand." Astronema sighed. "He's not your brother anymore, Karone. You don't know this person."

"He may have changed, but he's still Andros." the Karovan girl shot back. "He loves Ashley. Zhane didn't have anything to do with that!"

"Maybe." Astronema conceded. She then snickered. "Maybe not. There's only one way to find out."

"Ashley! Carlos!" Cassie called as Ashley and Carlos broke apart. The Pink Ranger had an urgent look on her face as she skidded to a halt in front of them.

"What's going on?" Carlos asked as Ashley wiped her eyes. She didn't want anyone's pity right now. What she needed was a good fight.

And it seemed she was going to get what she wanted.

"There's a monster on Earth." the Pink Ranger reported. "T.J. went to get Andros, but he said we should keep it busy in the meantime."

Ashley nodded, quietly following Cassie and Carlos to the jump tubes. There would be plenty of time to sulk about her screwy romantic life later.

The Rangers had a monster to kill.

"ANDROS!" T.J. bellowed, bursting onto the bridge.

His entrance was not acknowledged by the Red Ranger, who was slumped in his center chair, staring at the viewscreen. His face was utterly blank as he watched the stars twinkle in the distance.

"Andros, Astronema sent a monster to Angel Grove! We have to stop it!" T.J. barely refrained from grabbing Andros' shoulder, but Andros didn't acknowledge T.J. in any way.

The Blue Ranger looked back at the door in frustration. He had two choices: he could stay aboard the Megaship and talk their "leader" out of his self-induced stupor, or he could join his friends on Earth and do some actual good.

Waving his hands dismissively at Andros, T.J. reversed course and dashed out the door.

"Angel Grove." Astronema hissed urgently, poking Karone in the arm.

"What?" the Karovan stammered, transfixed by her catatonic brother.

"We have to follow them! Send us to Angel Grove! Hurry!"

Karone nodded, and though she had her doubts about leaving Andros "alone", she closed her eyes, envisioning the town as she remembered it...

And just like that, they were standing on asphalt.

And Karone saw Astronema.

The other Astronema.

Her blood ran cold. Standing only a few feet away from them, unaware of their presence, was the Princess of Evil of this timeline. The Astronema who would never know true love.

The astonishment of seeing herself yet again was coupled when Karone suddenly sensed the emotions rolling off that Astronema. The Karovan girl was so overwhelmed she took a step back.

There was only emptiness there. A dark, cold void, an entire existence rendered meaningless.

It was shocking to feel such a stark hollowness. She never recalled feeling so empty... but then again, at the time she had nothing with which to compare. She only had mild tinglings, occasional moments when she felt her life served no purpose... and then she met Zhane, and everything changed.

That wouldn't happen here.

And as the battle raged on, Karone wondered who would fill that abyss. If not Zhane, who would save Astronema from herself?

The Rangers regrouped a few feet away from the monstrosity of the week: HorrorBull. T.J. narrowed his eyes, formulating a quick strategy. "All right, everybody... Astro Blasters!" he called.

The Rangers didn't even think. They obeyed. It was a reflex drilled into them from their days as Turbo Rangers: follow the leader. And T.J. was radiating that sure aura again, the same reassuring presence that had caused Cassie to instinctively trust him, without even knowing him.

The four Space Rangers may have felt the absence of their official leader... but they'd been a team long before Andros. They could be so again.

The Astro Blasters cut loose, and as the four beams converged, HorrorBull stumbled back. At T.J.'s silent command, the Rangers charged the stunned beast and attacked it head-on.

With six Quantrons around her, Astronema stepped out of the corner of a nearby building, studying the Rangers with a cold and calculating precision.

While hacking away at HorrorBull, T.J. noticed the villainess watching them, and his eyes lit up excitedly. They'd never had such a clear shot at Astronema before... if he could capture her, they'd be a whole lot closer to finding Zordon!

"Keep it up, Rangers!" the Blue Ranger commanded, readying his Astro Axes. "I'm going after Astronema!"

Astronema gasped in surprise as T.J. broke away, leaving the Pink, Black and Yellow Rangers to press their advantage against HorrorBull. As he ran at her, she growled in anger.

"The Blue Ranger..." she spat hatefully. The Quantrons snapped to attention and placed themselves between their leader and her attacker.

But T.J. could be ruthless if he wanted to. He hadn't survived through Divatox's most vicious assaults without resorting to a little juggernaut-style destruction every now and then.

Plowing through the Quantrons with ease, T.J. honed in on Astronema. But by that point, she was ready for him. Snapping her fingers, she summoned another monster, this time resembling a wolf. The creature instantly threw itself at T.J., knocking the Blue Ranger away from Astronema.

But T.J. had fought monsters hand-to-hand as well, and he was driven by the sudden need to end the battle and the war, once and for all. It was as if somewhere, in the periphery of his consciousness, he could sense disastrous events lurking on the horizon, and if they weren't prevented, there would be dire consequences.

Slashing his Axes viciously, T.J. carved numerous gashes on the wolf's furry chest, spinning away from it as it collapsed on its back.

The Blue Ranger regarded his nemesis with a cool look. "Is that the best you've got?" he mocked.

Enraged, Astronema twirled her staff. "Oh, I'll do it myself!" she growled, thrusting it at him. Purple bolts of lightning arced out at T.J., but he rolled along the ground, making it impossible to hit him. The pavement burned where the bolts scorched it.

Anticipating his next dodge, Astronema fired a bit ahead of the nimble human. And that was her fatal error.

She hadn't noticed her own monster, recovering from T.J.'s attack and getting to its feet. Her blasts struck the wolf dead-on, and it howled like a werewolf as its fur was singed.

Despite being slightly out of breath, T.J. still managed a laugh at Astronema's predicament.

His amused smile quickly dropped when he noticed the monster turning to Astronema, murder in its eyes. She lowered her weapon, her sudden nervousness apparent as it snarled out her name.

Stepping back, she narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?!" she exclaimed as it came at her.

"NO ONE DOES THAT TO ME!" it bellowed back at her, batting away the Quantrons who tried to protect their mistress.

T.J. watched in grim satisfaction as the creature attacked Astronema with its claws. She deflected the first few blows with her Wrath Staff, but the monster retaliated by tearing the weapon from her grasp and striking her with all the deadly strength she had given him.

Astronema collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Before the wolf could finish her off, a sudden flare of green appeared in front of the Princess' prone form, heralding the arrival of Ecliptor.

He was as silent as he was deadly. With one fluid blow, he severed the wolf's head with its sword, causing the decapitated body to disintegrate.

Without a single break in his movements, the android swept Astronema into his arms and teleported away.

"We've got a problem." T.J. announced as he took his seat at the table. Cassie, Carlos and Ashley, looking slightly exhausted from their battles with the late HorrorBull, were nonetheless giving their former leader complete attention.

Cassie nodded her agreement. "I saw Andros on the bridge today. He was just staring. It's like he wasn't really there."

"Zhane was important to him." Ashley protested weakly. "He'll get over it with time."

"Time we don't have." T.J. shook his head sadly. "Ranger teams need five members. We barely walked away from that fight with HorrorBull. And Astronema's next monster could be even worse."

"All the more reason to help Andros get through this." Carlos pointed out, taking Ashley's side of the argument.

"But does he want us to help him?" Cassie sighed. "He's been on his own for a long time. Maybe it's the only way he knows how to deal with stuff. Besides, even if he does want help, he wouldn't accept ours. He didn't even trust us enough to tell us about Zhane in the first place."

"This is really bad, guys." T.J. summarized, leaning back in his chair. "I don't think Andros cares anymore. Not about finding Zordon, not about protecting Earth, nothing. A leader with a death wish is dangerous, not just to himself but to his teammates."

"Aren't we going to extremes?" Carlos asked hesitantly. "It's perfectly logical to isolate yourself when you lose someone you love. When my dad died, I did exactly what Andros is doing right now. He'll come out of it on his own."

"It's not like the Andros we knew is just gone." Ashley added. "He's in there somewhere. All we have to do is reach him."

T.J. regarded his friends carefully. He still had his doubts, but his compassion outweighed that. Exhaling in resignation, the Blue Ranger stood.

"Okay. I guess we can give him a little more time. But if he doesn't snap out of it..." His expression darkened. "Then we'll have to do something."

"Like what?" Cassie inquired, curious. "Take his powers away?"

T.J. shrugged. "I'm hoping it won't come to that... but the bottom line is that we need five Rangers. If Andros wants to call it quits, that's fine with me... but he leaves his powers with us."

"He'll never just hand them over to us, you know." Ashley pointed out.

T.J.'s eyes hardened. "Then we'll take them."

Once the room was empty, Karone collapsed heavily into the chair T.J. had just vacated.

"This can't be happening." Karone whispered, unable to digest what she'd just heard. "T.J. would never betray Andros!"

"Isn't it amazing how fragile reality is?" Astronema asked lightly, brushing ebony hair out of her eyes. "You make the most infintesimal change in the timeline, and everything we know and percieve as the truth is changed. And the amazing thing is that everything that's happened is completely natural!"

"Natural?!" Karone repeated angrily, standing up sharply. "You killed Zhane!"

"All I did was grant your wish." Astronema retorted coolly. "You wished you never met him. So now you haven't." A small smile curved her lips. "I must admit, though, I had no idea this world would be so exciting! Almost makes me wish I was alive again!"

A chill ran up Karone's spine.

His lungs hurt. Andros kicked helplessly, clawing through the thickness of the water as bubbles floated out of his mouth and nose, taking with them his precious oxygen.

Had it been like this for Zhane? Had his friend flailed in vain, the air freezing in his lungs as he screamed for air, for life? He remembered the Silver Ranger screaming in his mind, begging Andros to help him.

And Zhane had died alone, trapped in a coffin of ice, waiting for Andros to save him.

But Andros had failed. Zhane had saved his life... and in turn, Andros had denied him his.

The Red Ranger kept swimming upward, light-headed from lack of air, and finally broke through the surface. He gave a deep gasp, allowing his pained lungs to take in air.

As his vision cleared, he saw two feet planted firmly on the rippling water.

Looking up, Andros gave a choked scream.

Zhane was standing there, dripping wet. His blond hair was matted to his head and full of green moss. Clumps of ice hung from his tattered uniform, and those brilliant green eyes were rolled up to the back of his head.

Reaching down, the Silver Ranger placed his hand on Andros' head... and shoved his friend back underwater.

With an animal scream, Andros lurched up, hands going to his throat. But it was just a nightmare. Just another nightmare.

As he wiped the tears of panic from his face, he found the cause of his nightmare clenched tightly in his fist: Zhane's goodbye message, probably recorded before the attack on KO-35. It had been on Andros' nightstand after Zhane was buried... the work of DECA, no doubt.

He'd meant to run it, but could never bring himself to place the chip in the Simudeck computer. It was like that had a finality about it that Andros wouldn't be able to escape. As if by running the last program Zhane left behind, he would be admitting that Zhane was really dead.

But how long could he run from reality? Zhane was dead. He'd died on the floor of the healing chamber, his last mental scream ringing in Andros' mind. It hurt so much, to think of Zhane cold and alone, begging for help, with no one around.

He picked up the chip and studied it. Then, making his decision, he got to his feet. He couldn't go around pretending everything was all right when he'd finally convinced himself it wasn't.

Minutes later, Andros was standing in his Megaship uniform at the doors to the Simudeck. The chip was inside, and he awaited the dreaded announcement...

"Program loaded. Enter when ready." DECA stated.

"I'm not ready." Andros whispered. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

And Zhane was there.

Tears immediately sprang to Andros' eyes, and he pressed his hand to his mouth to stifle a loud sob. The computer wouldn't recognize the noise, and he didn't want to interrupt the loading process.

Finally, the simulated Silver Ranger blinked. And suddenly the essence of Zhane was there: the glint of mischief in his eyes, the slight curve of his lips as he gave his patented half-smile...

"Hi, Andros." Gods, even the voice was the same. It wasn't Zhane, it wasn't...

"Okay." He exhaled, green eyes looking around nervously. How could he know that soon after recording this message, Andros would actually view it? "Well, I'm dead, I guess. Otherwise you wouldn't be seeing this. I hope it was in battle or something... I didn't survive being your best friend all those years just to get killed because I stuck my finger in an EPS power tap or something."

Typical Zhane humor. Andros bit into his finger to keep from falling apart.

The holographic Zhane's eyes focused on Andros, the Simudeck's systems allowing the limited illusion of reality.

"I know it's hard for you, Andros. Gods, you're probably falling apart. If I lost you, I don't know how I'd be able to go on. I've never needed anyone in my life the way I need you. We swore we'd be side by side forever, and you have to know that I died fighting to keep that promise."

Following the instructions Zhane had encoded, the replica took Andros' chin and looked into his eyes. "Remember that I love you, Andros. Being dead won't ever change that. You don't have to suffer alone. Open your heart. Let someone, anyone, in."

"I miss you so much..." Andros whispered, wondering if the real Zhane could hear him somewhere.

And maybe this hologram could too. With another half-smile, Zhane whispered: "I'll always be here." Leaning in, he touched his lips to Andros' forehead.

The Red Ranger blinked, but when he opened his eyes again, the room was empty.

Outside the Section 4-C Top Secret research facility, four Rangers ran towards the entrance in a single line. T.J. was in the lead, followed by Ashley, Cassie and Carlos taking up the rear.

And once again, Andros was nowhere to be seen.

T.J. pushed thoughts of his "leader" out of his mind. They had a mission to accomplish.

"This way." he announced.

Peering through a clear panel on the door, the Rangers watched in shock as an upright lizard monster laughed. His tongue was attached to a computer, and pulses of energy were rushing from the unconscious scientists to it.

"He's stealing their knowledge." T.J. realized. "We can't attack yet, not until we know the scientists are safe."

As if his words were some sort of inaudible cue, the monster retracted its tongue, causing the scientists to collapse.

"All right! Let's go!" T.J. called, pulling the door open.

The lizard and its Quantron escorts were on their way out when a laser blast disintegrated one of the robot warriors. The monster turned.

"Huh? Rangers!" he did his equivalent of a double-take.

T.J. didn't waste any time with verbal sparring. He rushed at the monster, his friends behind him.

Gulping, the LizWizard opened his mouth to catch the attacker with his tongue... but this Ranger looked like a berserker on the loose.

Whirling, the reptilian ran out the door, closely followed by T.J.

Outside the research facility, T.J. skidded to a halt as Quantrons surrounded them.

"Quantrons!" the monster desperately called. "Get him!"

Loyal to Astronema's newest creation, the Quantrons obeyed, closing in on the Blue Ranger.

His teammates were right behind him, though, and soon a melee erupted as Carlos, Cassie and Ashley bought T.J. enough time to call on his weapons.

Whacking two Quantrons with an axe, he immediately leapt through the air, chopping at the reptile monster on his way down. LizWizard shoved the Blue Ranger away, but T.J. fell willingly, having perfected this tactic with his long-time friends.

"STAR SLINGER!" Ashley announced out of nowhere, opening fire on the lizard. He recoiled, smoke rising from the injuries she'd caused him.

T.J. flashed Ashley a thumbs-up, and she grinned at him behind her helmet.

It was like stepping onto the bridge for the first time. There was none of the wonder that came with his first impression of the ship, but nonetheless, Andros felt like a weight had been lifted, and he could see the world with new eyes.

A cry caught his attention, and he turned to a small side screen. His four teammates were fighting a monster... and not doing very well, from the looks of it.

Andros felt a pang of regret. He'd neglected his new friends, and his duty as a Ranger. If Zhane were still alive, this surely would have killed him.

A small half-smile rose to Andros' lips. "I never buried Zhane." he chuckled to himself, wondering at his blindness. Just now, that little joke about Zhane was the first time he'd actually acknowledged his friend's death. That goodbye message had finally lain the phantoms of the past to rest.

Andros raised his Morpher to the light, setting the teleport coordinates for the battle.

He'd make Zhane proud.

As Ashley and Carlos kept the LizWizard busy, Cassie crept behind him, taking careful aim with her Satellite Stunner.

It seemed to hear her despite her stealth and spun, lashing out at her with its tongue. The appendage wrapped around the Pink Ranger's arm, snaring her tightly.

A flare of red caught everyone by surprise as the Red Ranger materialized, Spiral Saber in hand.

The Karovan quickly assessed the situation. Upon seeing the LizWizard grappling with Cassie, Andros gave a cold grin of satisfaction and threw himself into the air, heading for the monster with his sword outstretched to impale it.

LizWizard looked up at the incoming Ranger and hissed. A current of energy rushed over him and through his tongue, and suddenly Cassie had switched places with the monster. Unable to stop himself, Andros flinched as his sword drove into Cassie's shoulder, prompting her to scream in pain.

The Red Ranger landed as behind him, his pink-clad teammate collapsed, blood gushing from the wound. Focusing on the monster, Andros rushed after it, leaving Cassie writhing on the street.

"CASSIE!" T.J. called, catching the attention of his other two friends. The Yellow, Blue and Black Rangers rushed over to help her to her feet, wincing at her injury.

All four of them then turned shocked and angered stares to Andros, who was wiping lizard slime from his sword. The monster's smoking carcass was on the floor behind him. After a few seconds, it disappeared in a rush of sparks and flame.

Andros gave a sigh of satisfaction. "I'm back, guys!" he called victoriously, thrusting his sword into the air. For you, Zhane, he thought.

Only cold silence greeted him.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" T.J. roared in Andros' face.

"I was thinking Cassie needed my help!" Andros shouted back, not understanding why his subordinate was being so... loud.

"We were doing fine without you." T.J. hissed. "And you didn't help Cassie... you could have killed her!"

Andros waved a hand dismissively. "That was an accident!"

T.J.'s eyes blazed. "Was it?"

Andros gaped at the Earther in astonishment. "It wasn't my fault!"

"Yes it was!" T.J. exploded. "If you'd been watching the fight instead of sulking, or even asked DECA, you would've known the LizWizard could transpose himself! But you had to be the big hero, and you didn't even look at Cassie after you damn-near ran her through!"

Before Andros could think of an appropriate response, T.J. stormed off, knocking the medical kit off the table as he left.

Cassie left after him, unable to make eye contact with Andros. Carlos gave him a sad look and walked out too.

Ashley opened her mouth to say something, but instead, she just threw him an almost sympathetic look and a forgiving smile. Then she left too.

And Andros was alone again.

Doomed to be alone forever, it seemed.

Astronema ran her fingers around a lock of blond hair as she idly dangled her feet in the air. She was sitting on the table Cassie just vacated, staring at the wall with an indifferent air around her.

"So what happens now?" Karone prompted once she found her voice again.

Astronema shrugged. "Andros finds out about you, of course. Or rather, her. You were half-right about something, Karone. Some of the things that happened in those days didn't have anything to do with Zhane. Some events actually went down exactly the same way. In this case, Andros fights her, rips off her necklace and finds out the truth."

"Zhane wasn't involved in what happened on Yotoba either." Karone murmured to herself thoughtfully.

"Not directly." the villainess corrected, brushing a black highlight out of her face. "But it didn't go down quite the way you remember it." A muscle twitched in her cheek, and she smiled. "Let's go to the bridge. It's time for the real fun to start."

With the exception of random beeps and the smooth hum of the bridge systems, all was quiet. The Rangers of Earth were too preoccupied to start up any sort of conversation.

T.J. did his best to keep busy by watching the system status. He wandered around the bridge, every so often pausing at a console to make sure everything was in order. Carlos and Cassie took T.J.'s example to heart, busying themselves by insuring that the Megaship would be prepared for any consequences that could result from Andros' reckless journey to KO-35 to confront Astronema.

Ashley, on the other hand, couldn't focus her attention on anything. Instead, she found her mind floating through all the possible results of Andros' rendezvous with the Princess of Evil. It was evident to everyone that nothing other than the safe return of their leader would calm the Yellow Ranger's nerves.

The sound of the doors sliding open triggered a sigh of relief from Ashley, and she turned around and smiled broadly at the figure standing in the doorway. He strode onto the bridge with a confidence and pride that had been lacking since Zhane's death, and for the first time she could remember, Ashley saw a joyful smile on his face.

"Andros!" she cried. Her voice stole the attention of the other Rangers.

"So?" T.J. demanded, as he, Carlos and Cassie began to approach. "What happened?"

Andros turned back to the hallway and waved his hand. "Well..."

At his beckon, Astronema crept into the room. In a reflexive response, the other four Rangers jumped back, and T.J. and Cassie fell into automatic defensive stances. Astronema hovered at the entrance, her face impassive despite the Rangers' strong recoil.

Cassie's arms slowly lowered when she realized Astronema didn't immediately vaporize anything. "You brought her onto the ship?"

Andros nodded eagerly.

"What do you think you're doing, Andros?" T.J. demanded harshly.

Andros was visibly perplexed by the question, as though the answer was almost too obvious. "She's my sister!" he declared, glancing back at Astronema. In response to his silent reassurance, Astronema slowly walked onto the bridge and stood close at her brother's side.

Andros smiled at her, then turned back to his team, deciding to play his trump card. "And she knows where Zordon is."

T.J. rolled his eyes in sheer disdain. "Of course she does! She helped kidnap him!"

Astronema then stepped away from the shadow of her brother and walked along the row of Rangers that formed behind T.J. She fixed her piercing gaze on each Earthling and was met by vehemence every time.

"Actually, I didn't." she responded calmly, pausing at the edge of the raised platform that led to the bridge's nerve center. "But I'll help you rescue him."

"Just... give us the coordinates." Cassie requested.

Carlos nodded beside her. "We don't need any help from you."

"As a matter of fact, you do." She contradicted coolly. "There's a force field surrounding the planet. I can get Dark Specter to lower it so we can get in." She then casually wandered back towards Andros.

"We?!" Carlos repeated, casting an astonished glance at Andros. "Yesterday she tried to kill us!"

Andros ignored Carlos' warning, prompting Ashley to grab his arm in an effort to force him to understand. "Andros, listen." she begged. "If this is a trap, we're walking right into it."

Andros glared at the well-meaning Yellow Ranger and yanked his arm from her grip. Ashley backed away from him, the cold anger in his eyes quelling any sympathy she felt for his situation.

T.J. approached the Karovans, followed by Cassie, who stood supportively behind him. "No way." he decided, shaking his head slowly for emphasis. "You may not care if she stabs you in the back, but I'm not letting either of you put my friends in danger."

Andros' eyes widened, his anger building. "I think you're forgetting where you are, T.J." he threatened. "I'm in command of this mission. She's coming with us whether you like it or not."

T.J.'s lips parted for a sharp rebuttal, yet he managed to hold back response to the blatant pull of rank. Instead, his eyes narrowed into a heated look of contempt.

Satisfied that all arguments had ceased, Andros turned to Astronema triumphantly. "Karone, where's Zordon?"

She gazed at him in silence for a moment, finally uttering: "Kerak Galaxy. On the jungle planet of Yotoba."

"DECA, set course for Yotoba. Maximum velocity." Andros commanded firmly. As he turned, his gaze fell upon T.J., and suspicion hardened his features. "And lock out any course changes." he added. "Authorization: Red-Seven-Seven."

"Course plotted." the computer droned. "Mega-Accelerator set to maximum. Command code recognized, navigation systems locked."

T.J. nodded as if accepting a challenge, and he turned his back to Andros and Astronema. He leaned towards Ashley, who was still standing in bewilderment nearby.

"Let's hope she's telling the truth." he muttered darkly, loud enough for all present to hear.

Astronema glared silently at the retreating form of the Blue Ranger, her arms slowly crossing over her chest. Andros laid his hand on her shoulder and favored her with an apologetic glance.

Astronema heaved a bitter sigh, leaning against the steel beam she'd been chained to. Her heavy iron manacles clinked as she shifted again, trying to find a more comfortable position. Her gaze passed along the chilly, darkened cargo bay and focused on the string of light that poured in when the door slid open. She locked eyes with Andros, who hovered just outside the cluttered chamber holding a tray of food. After a moment, her ambivalent gaze hardened and she turned away. Andros slowly entered the room, the lights brightening as his presence was registered by the computer.

"I didn't know what you liked, so... I brought a little of everything." Andros said quietly, kneeling to set the offering beside Astronema and patiently waiting for some form of acknowledgement. Finally, she glanced at the tray coldly and then gave Andros an angry scowl before once again turning her back to him. Rejected, he rose to his feet.

"Look, I'm sorry you're tied up..."

"I understand." she interrupted, not turning around. "Your friends don't trust me." She paused, slowly inclining her head to her brother and looking at him suspiciously. "And you, Andros? Do you trust me?"

Andros responded without hesitation. "Yes." He exhaled slowly as she turned away from him. "I think the question should be... do you trust me?"

Astronema took a moment to respond, her face curled into a thoughtful frown. "Not really." she decided. She then shrugged nonchalantly and added as an afterthought: "I'll work on it. I've never had a reason to trust anyone before."

"You're family." Andros asserted simply. "You're all I've got left. That's reason enough."

"I wish I could prove to your friends that I'm different." she whispered, still keeping her gaze away from her brother. "I just... I don't know what it's like to love, or to be loved. I... I don't understand it."

Andros smiled at the progress she was making, being able to confess her feelings to him. Satisfied, he turned to leave, but he froze when she called out to him.

"Andros?" she inquired, a hint of fear evident in her voice. "What did you mean when you said I'm all you have? Our parents... are they..."

"I don't know." he confessed, clasping his hands tightly. "They might have escaped the attack. But I haven't heard anything from them." His face paled when his mind trailed to Zhane, his crooked fingers stretching desperately from his icy coffin. "There's no one else," he added in a monotone.

Astronema favored her brother with a half-smile, which in turn inclined him to smile back. "I know how you feel. At least we have each other."

The reunited siblings spent hours talking, bridging the gap between them, coming to understand each other in ways no one else ever had. If Andros had the slightest doubt, now he was sure that this woman was his flesh and blood. Eventually, they fell asleep, Andros leaning against the far wall and Astronema lying down on the floor.

Their peaceful slumber was interrupted by the drone of the onboard AI. "Good morning. We are approaching the planet Yotoba."

Andros roused himself, slowly stretching his cramped muscles. "Thanks, DECA," he responded, rising to his feet. He moved over to Astronema, who was also awakening.

"Come on." he urged, bending over to unlock her chains. "It's show-time."

The four human Rangers worked silently at their stations, occasionally glancing at the monitor and the green world it displayed, growing larger and larger by the second. A transparent honeycomb-shaped shield surrounded the entire planet, blocking any and all scans. Whatever was down there, the Rangers wouldn't know until it came at them. And by then it might be too late.

T.J.'s frown wore deeply on his face. The sound of his leader's voice did nothing to ease his tension.

"Hey, guys."

The other three Rangers turned around, each of them wearing anxious and worried expressions. The last to react, T.J. rose from his station, his eyes instantly falling on the chains gathered in Andros' arms.

"What's this?" he asked quietly.

Andros shook his head with slight impatience, once again stunned that his teammates couldn't discern the obvious answer. "It has to look like she captured us."

T.J. snorted, his biting tone heavy with sarcasm. "How convenient. So if she has a sudden change of heart, we're already gift-wrapped for Dark Specter?"

"That's not going to happen." Andros said sharply.

Cassie moved beside T.J. and gave one last attempt to help Andros see the risk he was taking. "Are you sure? She's been Karone for less than a day, but she's been Astronema all her life."

Astronema stepped forward, sternly glaring at the doubting Rangers. "Look, do you want to save Zordon or not?" she muttered impatiently.

T.J. remained silent as he maneuvered around the main navigation board, forcibly snatching the chains from Andros. He glowered darkly at the Red Ranger.

"You'd better hope your sister's got her loyalties straightened out," He warned before turning his back to the Karovan, handing out manacles and organizing the team in a row. Once they were all standing together, wrists bound with iron, Astronema moved in front of them and watched as the chains were fastened.

She then turned to the viewscreen, her scepter flashing into existence in her grasp. "Robot!" she demanded, her gaze fixed on the star-filled screen.

"Please call me ALPHA." the automaton requested.

"Open a communication channel." she commanded, as if she hadn't even heard him.

"As you command." he stated with a sigh, waddling towards the wall console. "Couldn't hurt to say 'please', you know." he added under his breath.

Astronema looked at him for a moment, then returned her attention to the screen.

"Communications open." Alpha sighed in disappointment.

The screen flashed to life, and the intimidating image of Dark Specter took shape, surrounded by an obscure darkness.

"Astronema!" he stated in surprise. "I've been trying to find you."

"I've been busy, Dark Specter." she responded smoothly. "I'm coming in with all five Rangers."

Dark Specter took a moment to examine the five chained figures behind her. He nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent! You've done well. Bring them to me at once." he decreed.

"As you command." she answered, bowing humbly.

"I am lowering the force field." Dark Specter announced, his image evaporating from the screen. Once he was gone, a cold smirk spread on Astronema's lips. "Old fool." she muttered.

On the viewscreen, the honeycomb grid vanished. The Rangers wasted no time, quickly pulling off the manacles and dropping the heavy chains into Andros' arms. Without uttering a word to either Karovan, Ashley and Cassie hurried to their seats by the viewscreen, while Carlos took the helm.

"All right, let's move!" T.J. declared, clapping his hands once. "DECA, shields up, maximum strength. Ashley, set scanners to full resolution. And Carlos... take us in."

The Blue Ranger eased his body into the command chair, ignoring the sharp glare Andros shot at him. The Red Ranger seethed quietly when he realized that none of the other Rangers seemed to have a problem with T.J. giving the orders.

"We're moving in." Carlos stated.

"Scanning for Zordon's bio-signature..." Ashley added, her fingers racing over the sensor console.

Astronema turned to Andros, who hadn't moved an inch since T.J.'s brash assumption of command.

"Cassie, power up the forward guns just in case." T.J. continued, typing some commands into the sidearm panel.

"Come on." Andros said quietly, fumbling with the chains. He and Astronema turned to leave when the shrill ring of a battle alert stopped them cold.

"Velocifighters approaching off the port bow." DECA announced. Every set of human eyes turned to Astronema, all but Andros' narrowing with suspicion.

"They're escorts." she informed them simply. "You have to follow them."

"Nice of you to warn us." T.J. stated coldly. His eyes narrowed as he turned back to the viewscreen. "All right, we'll play their game for now. Carlos, match course."

Astronema frowned at T.J.'s tone. Before she could say anything more, Andros touched her shoulder gently.

"Let's go." he whispered.

T.J. stole a glance at the departing pair, shaking his head in frustration. He then leaned back in the command chair, pressing his fingertips together as his even gaze remained locked on the dense storm clouds that filled the screen. His eyes narrowed as lightning flashed in the distance.

"The atmosphere is highly unstable!" Alpha warned.

T.J. sharply rose from his seat as the Megaship jostled due to turbulence.

"I want to know where they're leading us." he said aloud. The Blue Ranger's jaw set as the two Velocifighters moved in closer.

Okay, this has gone on long enough, he seethed silently. Those two are going to get us all killed.

"DECA, change course!" he commanded, bracing himself as the ship veered away sharply from the heavy fighters. The other three Rangers lost their footing, but quickly regained their balance.

"We lost the Velocifighters!" Carlos declared, smiling at T.J.

T.J. nodded, a smile of his own forming on his face. "Bring us down on the planet's surface, Carlos."

The Megaship sailed towards the ground smoothly, but a bolt of lightning struck the hull out of nowhere, sending tremors through the entire vessel. The lights flickered and died.

"Ai yi yi! We've been hit by lightning!" Alpha wailed, struggling to his feet as he stated the obvious.

Carlos disappeared underneath his console and emerged with a powerful flashlight. He then raced into the hallway, following a trail of smoke leaking into the bridge.

"DECA, keep us level!" T.J. cried, dashing to the back of the bridge and grabbing the helm controls. He grit his teeth, struggling with the ship's wild shaking.

Seconds after Carlos' departure, Andros raced into the darkened bridge. He hovered near the door, staring at the viewscreen in horror as the dense storm clouds rapidly gave way to thick green jungle.

"What's happening?" he demanded.

"Hold on!" T.J. ordered, not bothering to look at the Karovan. Carlos raced back onto the bridge, pushing past the astonished Red Ranger and hurrying to T.J.'s side. They both tried to gain control of the helm, but it was a clearly futile gesture. Andros slowly moved to T.J.'s other side and glanced over his shoulder.

"Massive system failure." DECA announced. "All guidance operations are off-line. Prepare for crash landing."

Springing to life, Andros rushed to the console between Cassie and Ashley, hurriedly typing in a few commands. He then braced himself as the jungle filled the screen.

The Megaship bounced against the planet surface, sending the Rangers flying towards the viewscreen. They slammed onto the ground painfully, then quickly sought something to hold onto as the large vessel dragged itself across the surface, sending shock waves through the hull.

Finally, the ship slowed to a halt, smoking and badly damaged. Amidst the flickering lights, painful groans and smoking control panels, Andros forced himself to his feet.

"Karone!" he shouted in horror, eyes wide. He then raced off the bridge, leaping over T.J.'s body as he made his exit. T.J. slowly lifted his head off the hard floor, rubbing his bruised forehead and glaring at the door.

"Everyone all right?" the Blue Ranger inquired, using the command chair to haul himself to his feet.

A chorus of weak replies eased T.J.'s dread, and the Rangers pulled themselves together, shaken but alert.

"Ai yi yi..." Alpha groaned dazedly.

Anxiety pushing his body to the limit, Andros raced down the darkened halls with a purpose, leaping over fallen debris without losing his momentum. Only moments after his hasty departure from the bridge, he arrived at the sealed doors of the cargo bay.

Thankfully, the door slid open as it registered his approach, and Andros took a careful step into the smoky chamber.

His body froze as his eyes reached the steel beam where he had left his sister, once the Megaship seemed safely inside the shield. He swallowed hard, slowly walking toward the dangling chains that mocked him with their soft chime.

His expression was grim as he kneeled on the floor, and scooped the manacles in his hands. Slowly, his stiff neck turned, and his bland eyes fell upon the cargo doors. Bright sunlight and jungle steam poured into the bay through a crack in the doors, about a yard wide.

Easily wide enough for a person to squeeze through.

He held his breath as the fall of rushing footsteps reached his ear, and the other Rangers poured into the chamber urgently.

"I knew it!" T.J. growled, his eyes narrowing furiously. "This was a trap!" He threw Andros a chilling glare before he marched towards the cargo bay doors, and peered out at the dense jungle before them.

Cassie was right behind him as he entered, and she walked beside her old friend steadily, her hands fixed upon her hips and a tiny smirk of understanding tugging on her lips. "Yeah... only we didn't play by her rules."

Andros began shaking his head steadily, his blonde hair brushing against his shoulders in obstinate denial. "I don't believe it." he stated firmly, his jaw tightening with panic and fury.

Ashley glanced at Andros, a twinge of pity softening her heart as she absorbed his desperate hold onto hope. Her lips began to tremble with her own frustration, and she threw up her arms tiredly. "They why did she jump ship?" she demanded, not quite as gently as she would've liked.

Andros cast a betrayed gaze towards the Yellow Ranger, his dry lips slowly parting to defend his sister. However, instead of uttering a sound, he dropped his piercing eyes from her, his brow wrinkling as his eyes once again focused on the heavy iron manacles in his grasp.

He couldn't answer her.

T.J. released a small groan of exertion as he climbed up a sloping hill covered with dense foliage. His face was grim with a blend of indignation and determination as he pushed through the flora, his every step measured with the greatest care to keep a mask of silence over the party. Cassie, Carlos, Andros and Ashley closely followed T.J., holding back the branches he pushed out of the way, while ducking low to keep their heads hidden in the dense verdure.

Suddenly, T.J. comes to a halt, swiftly raising his finger to hold the others. "Hide!" he whispered.

The Rangers ducked, peeking over a large boulder as footsteps drew nearer. They all watched through narrowed eyes as a half-dozen Piranhatrons marched through the small clearing in formation. The team followed the troops with their harsh gazes, and slowly rose once they were out of sight.

"This place is crawling with Piranhatrons." Cassie sighed.

"Maybe Zordon really is here?" Carlos hypothesized.

"Or maybe they know we're here." T.J. stated, glancing at Andros through the corner of his eye. "Your sister probably told them everything she could find out."

The leader frowned vehemently, turning his blazing gaze at his second-in-command. "You broke formation with the Velocifighters. So it's your fault we crashed."

"At least we're free!" T.J. growled defensively. "And I'm going to make sure we stay that way."

Suddenly, a group of Piranhatrons emerged through the foliage behind them, most likely drawn by the raised voices in the argument. The surprised Rangers whirl around urgently.

"Watch it!" Andros cried, leaping over the boulder to the larger clearing. The other Rangers followed, and the team began to run from their pursuers. However, they didn't get far before a shadowy form flipped into their path, brandishing a powerful sword menacingly.

"Well, look what we have here!" Darkonda mocked, slowly waving his sword in their direction. "Five little Rangers who've lost their way. Ha!"

An army of Piranhatrons emerged from the surrounding jungle, and congregated behind Dark Specter's general. Andros' frown deepened, as he thrust out his arm, his wrist unit flashing.

"Let's Rocket!"

For once, the five teens moved in unison as they activated their morphin' codes, and transformed into the Astro Rangers. Immediately, they countered the army of Piranhatrons that surrounded them, reacting to the overwhelming odds with a flurry of kicks, punches, rolls, and flips.

Yet, the stealthy Darkonda was able to sneak upon the Red Ranger. Perhaps he was distracted... for never was Darkonda so readily able to surprise the typically wary Karovan. In one solid swing, Darkonda's sword dug into the chest of the Red Ranger, causing him to recoil in pain, and reel to the grass below.

Darkonda slowly approached the Red Ranger, who was still trying to catch his bearings. "Now to finish you off!" the monster growled, preparing to charge.

The ferocious growl did not go unheard by the nearby Yellow Ranger, who immediately dodged the Piranhatrons she was engaged with, and raced to Andros' aid. She grabbed Darkonda's arm steadily, preventing him from drawing closer to Andros.

"Ashley! What are you doing?!" Andros demanded, rising to his feet.

"Go find Zordon!" she shouted in reply, mustering all her might to keep Darkonda's attack arm held tight. Andros gazed at her for a moment, seeing how taxed she was against the might of the otherworldly creature.

"Right!" he answered, hurrying into the jungle.

Darkonda ceased his struggles with the Yellow Ranger for a moment, his cold amber eyes following the Red Ranger into the verdure. His eyes narrowed furiously, as he kicked the Yellow Ranger off him. She stumbled back, releasing her grip, and was vulnerable to a powerful backhand slice that crashed directly into her midsection. After releasing a cry of pain, she collapsed to the ground, quivering with effort to remain conscious.

"I don't like this." Darkonda muttered, racing after Andros. He thrust his sword forward, releasing a bolt of lightning that streaked ahead of him far faster than he could run. The bolt made contact with the retreating form of the Red Ranger, sending him tumbling to the ground helplessly.

Darkonda cackled as he confidently approached the downed Red Ranger. However, the Pink and Blue Rangers raced forward, each leaping upon the villain and attacking with all their furor.

A pair of icy eyes gazed at Darkonda, and noted that he was completely focused upon his battle with the two fiercest human Power Rangers. She then let her gaze drop before her, at the groaning form of the Red Ranger. He struggled to lift himself with his arms, but his limbs trembled with the effort.

"Andros."

The Red Ranger looked up at the concerned voice, and smiled weakly beneath his helmet as he beheld Astronema, now wearing her full battle armor. She kneeled beside him, supporting his arm over her shoulder and pulling him to his feet. "Come on!"

Darkonda, who meanwhile had managed to deflect all the Rangers' attacks, caught a glimpse of Andros fleeing with a familiar silver-clad woman with flowing blue hair.

"WHAT?!" he growled, his jaw trembling with ire. He whirled around, and gazed at his army.

By now, four Rangers were held captive. The Yellow Ranger was still dazed from her wound by Darkonda's sword, and was rather limp as she dangled from the grasp of two Piranhatrons. The Black Ranger was also rather still, his attention seemingly fixed upon the motionless Yellow Ranger. The Blue and Pink Rangers, however, struggled against the soldiers fiercely. Each of them required four Piranhatrons to hold them securely.

"Go get Astronema and the Red Ranger," he commanded to the extra Piranhatrons, "and bring them to me!"

T.J. ceased his struggles for a moment, and watched as about a half-dozen Piranhatrons raced into the jungle after Andros and Astronema. His face was hard, and his jaw clenched.

Andros rasped for breath, leaning heavily upon his sister as the pair tore through the jungle desperately. They needed to get to safety, to recover their bearings and plan what they'd do next.

Zordon still had to be found. And Andros realized with dismay that his fellow Rangers were in dire need of his aid.

Suddenly, their speedy departure came to a grinding halt when they emerged from a dense patch of trees... only to see Ecliptor stand in their path.

"You're mine." he growled, his voice deep with malice as he raised his sword towards the weary Red Ranger.

Astronema gazed at her protector, blue eyes transfixed by the sword at her brother's throat.

Where did her loyalties lie? With the boy who protected her for the first few years of her life, or the being who stood by her side all the rest?

"Stop!" she commanded, pushing her brother behind her and standing before the sword. She stood tall, her glance moving from the sharp edge of the sword to the fathomless eyes of its wielder.

Ecliptor held his hand steady, the blade nearly grazing the princess' throat. His attention was captured by the cold glint in Astronema's eyes, and the stony expression on her face.

In silence, he drew back his sword and turned away from her.

Astronema blinked as she stared at Ecliptor's back in surprise. She felt the warmth of Andros' gloved hand over hers, but she pulled away urgently.

"Ecliptor..."

"Just go." he said, with an approximation of a sigh. It struck Astronema's ears so strangely... she'd never heard the android sigh before. And she'd never seen him hesitate when confronting a willful traitor.

She stood still, frozen in confusion as she stared at Ecliptor.

Her servant. Her guardian.

Her friend.

Then, Andros grabbed her arm, dragging her away. And as she moved, the urgency of the situation came back to her. She couldn't afford to stand still, not with Zordon and the Rangers to locate, and countless drones on the lookout for her.

Ecliptor watched her vanish into the surrounding forest.

"Be careful, my Princess."

After several more agonizing minutes of searching, a weak voice cut through the creepy silence of the jungle, just reaching their ears.

"ANDROS..."

His eyes widening with surprise, the Red Ranger released his grip on his sister's hand, and followed the call. He turned a corner of rock, leaning against the heavy boulder for support, and scanned the clearing swiftly.

He released a deep breath of relief when his eyes fell upon a large platform, with a long cylinder resting at the top. While a dense lava cloud built at the bottom of the tube, it seemed that Zordon was more or less all right.

"Zordon! It's really you!" he gasped. He then turned towards his sister, who stood beside him. "Thanks, Karone."

She smiled widely in reply, and followed as Andros crept towards the platform.

"Zordon, I can't believe it." he stated. "We were starting to lose hope of ever finding you!"

"ANDROS, I..." Zordon whispered.

Andros stepped upon the platform. "What is it, Zordon?"

A smile spread on Zordon's clouded face. "IT'S JUST THAT, AFTER ALL THIS TIME... I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE STILL SUCH A FOOL!"

The Red Ranger stepped back in alarm. "Huh? What are you talking about, Zordon?"

Suddenly, a deep, maniacal cackle erupted from the tube, as Zordon vanished, only to be replaced with the molten form of Dark Specter.

Astronema, who stood several yards behind her brother, gazed at the tube with hard eyes. If she was surprised by this, she gave no indication.

"No! NO!" Andros cried in denial, leaping off the platform.

"Surprise, Red Ranger!" the demon mocked. Suddenly, Darkonda and a legion of Piranhatrons emerged from the surrounding foliage. In their grip were the Yellow, Blue, Black, and Pink Rangers, their arms shackled.

"Darkonda!" Andros growled, spinning around defensively. He realized quickly that he was surrounded, and greatly outnumbered.

Astronema narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"Seize him!" Darkonda ordered, pointing his sword at the helpless Ranger. Andros struggled against the Piranhatrons that assailed him, gazing at his sister in desperation.

"Karone, what's going on?" he demanded. "What are you doing?!"

"Tell them, Karone!" Dark Specter declared. "Tell them what you're doing!"

Astronema approached Dark Specter, glancing at her helpless brother sidelong as she passed him. "What I do best."

"Karone... no..." he pleaded, watching her take her place in front of Zordon's tube, leaning against her staff. She grinned smugly in his direction.

"You back-stabbing witch!" Cassie growled, pulling against her chains with all her might.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted you!" T.J. yelled. Her cold smile widened as she gazed down at him. "I'll kill you for this, Astronema!"

"Karone, you're my sister! Help me!" Andros begged, as the Piranhatrons forced him to his knees.

Astronema's cold smile collapsed, forming a flat, inexpressive line. She then turned her penetrating gaze toward Darkonda, who boldly stepped onto the raised platform, gripping his sword menacingly.

"You may think you're clever, Astronema." he chuckled. "but we know full well that you're trying to help the Rangers save Zordon!"

Her eyes narrowed inperceivably, and with one solid motion she knocked Darkonda's sword clean out of his hand with her mighty scepter. An immediate follow-up swing sent the butt of her scepter into his stomach, sending him sprawling off the platform. Darkonda growled as he fell flat on his back.

Wasting no time, Astronema leaped off the platform and hovered over him. With a feral grunt, she jammed the razor sharp edge into his forearm.

Darkonda howled in agony as black blood poured from the deep wound. She pressed the pole in deeper, leaning just over his face.

The downed warrior trembled at the murderous glint in her ice eyes.

"Then I fooled you like I fooled them." she stated matter-of-factly.

"Maybe... I misjudged." Darkonda rasped, wincing as she turned the blade slightly in his arm.

She smiled coldly, yanking the bloodstained weapon from Darkonda's flesh. She then turned to Dark Specter, planting her scepter into the dirt. "My trap worked perfectly."

"Yes, but your task is not complete." Dark Specter rumbled. "You must destroy them now and be done with it forever!"

Dark Specter's wicked cackle vanished with him as the tube was suddenly empty. After he had disappeared completely, Astronema sauntered towards the Red Ranger.

"Karone, you're my own flesh and blood! I trusted you!"

She smirked coldly at him, her eyes never leaving the visor that covered his eyes. "Darkonda?"

"Yes, my Queen?" he beseeched, with newfound humility.

"Kill him first."

"What?" Andros whispered incredulously. "Karone, no!" His struggles against the Piranhatrons revived, and he fought against their grip with all his might. "You don't know what you're doing! You've got to come to your senses!"

Darkonda released a harsh, mocking laugh, lunging toward the Red Ranger with his sword held high. However, just as he heaved his sword for the ultimate swing, an arc of lavender energy crashed into his back. He groaned loudly, fighting against the pain to turn around.

His eyes narrowed as he perceived Astronema standing behind him, pointing her sparking scepter high. He then released a final groan, and collapsed to the ground.

"Karone?" Andros questioned carefully.

Astronema then reached to her armband, and pulled out her deadly k'lothos. Her eyes narrowing, she thrust the weapon towards the Rangers, who stood in a line.

She didn't bother to call warning.

T.J.'s eyes widened as he saw the spinning blade approaching. "Look out!"

The Rangers managed to duck at the last minute. The blade sliced through the first row of Piranhatrons, releasing the Rangers from their grip. The weapon then boomeranged back to its owner. Meanwhile, Andros managed to struggle free from his own captors.

Amidst the confusion, Astronema raced to the other Rangers. "This way! Quickly!" she ordered. The four followed her away from the chaos, until she stopped running, and turned to them. "Hold your hands out." She then sliced through the manacles with her blade.

"We've got some serious talking to do after this." T.J. said sharply. Astronema gazed at him icily.

Then, Andros caught up with the group, and together they made an attempt to escape. However, the Piranhatrons recovered their bearings, and formed a wall, enclosing the Rangers within.

Darkonda then regained consciousness, and was helped to his feet by several loyal Piranhatrons.

"You traitor!" he growled menacingly, his fist tightening around his sword. He lunged at the startled princess, but was struck by a series of green laser beams that appeared from nowhere. Overcome by the surprise onslaught, he tumbled to the ground, disappearing in a fiery explosion.

Ecliptor appeared within the bushes, and pushed through the line of Piranhatrons. "Get... out... of my way, imbeciles!" he roared. Once he penetrated the wall, he stumbled slightly from the effort.

Astronema's eyes widened. "Ecliptor!"

She managed to catch him before he collapsed to the ground. The Rangers were quick to follow, and formed a protective ring around the pair, to keep them safe from the confused Piranhatrons.

"You saved my life... again." she realized. She then grabbed his arm securely, and tried to pull him up. "Come on..."

"No, you must go." he said sternly. He then forced his weary body to its feet, and gazed at his princess almost tenderly. "Dark Specter will be back for you."

"I won't leave you like this!" she asserted.

Ecliptor pulled his arm from her grasp. "Get going. I'll survive."

Astronema's panicked expression melted into a mask of steely determination. "I'll be back for you." she vowed. She then rose to her feet, her attention turning to the Power Rangers. "Let's get out of here!" she screamed.

In silent agreement, the Rangers retreated through a crack in the wall of Piranhatrons. The soldiers moved to follow, but Ecliptor released a battle roar, and dove into the pool of soldiers to slow their pursuit. However, it didn't take long before the wounded, exhausted warrior fell victim to the countless drones.

A streak of color tore through the jungle as the Rangers and Astronema raced through the dense foliage, a horde of Piranhatrons rapidly gaining on them.

"Right up there! Hurry!" Andros ordered, blindly firing his Astro Blaster behind him to stall the foot soldiers. As the Megaship emerged from its verdure, the Rangers raced into the opened hangar door.

As Astronema reached the ship, she paused and turned around, thrusting her scepter at the Piranhatrons with a bone-chilling scream of rage. Bolts of white-purple lightning, enhanced by her boiling anger, burst from the staff, disintegrating two whole rows of Piranhatrons and forcing the rest to about-face and flee into the jungle. She continued to fire regardless, eradicating the trees the Piranhatrons were hiding behind and blasting more of the fish soldiers into dust. Smoldering chips of wood rained down from the sky, remants of once-mighty oaks the sorceress' fury had reduced to splinters.

Her vicious assault would have gone on indefinitely if Andros hadn't grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in. The door closed behind them.

"Come on!" her brother begged. Finally, taking a deep breath to quell her anger at the loss of Ecliptor, Astronema nodded, following Andros deeper into the ship. The Blue Ranger cast a disbelieving gaze at them before raising his wrist to his mouth.

"DECA, get us out of here!" he ordered, typing a sequence of commands into the keypad beside the door. The engines fired up, and the Megaship was airborne.