Key to the Past

After surveying the restaurant, which was more out of habit than actual precaution of a threat, Andros Wiengart took a seat at a round table, in the corner near the counter. From his position, he could easily see the entrance to the establishment, meaning he would see his fellow Power Rangers enter.

Final exams, he pondered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table, I simply can't understand the logic in them. Forcing students to memorize a year's worth of facts-- most of which are useless in the grand scheme of things-- and having them prove they've "learned" by regurgitating them to the instructor. As soon as the exam is over, more than likely the students forget what they've learned, to make room for new material in their short-term memory. What a waste of effort. And until these final exams are completed, we are stuck on Earth. We are getting no closer to finding Zordon... or my sister...

Andros absently pulled the chain peeking out from under his red t-shirt, and fingered the pendant hanging from it. It was a half of a golden medallion about the size of a silver dollar. The medallion was blank on one side, but on the other side was half of an inscription. For all his worth, Andros tried to recall what the full inscription said. But it was of no use, for he hadn't seen the other half in over ten years. That, and the only people who could have known the full inscription were gone.

Although the young man tried, he couldn't force himself to block out the memories of happier times. It didn't seem all that long ago when he, his sister Karone, and his parents Arethusa and Ninevah lived happily on the bright, blooming planet of KO 35, in the system they call Kerola, but on Earth is known as Alpha Centauri. That planet housed a colony of human beings, who were brought there centuries ago by an alien race, who feared mankind's extinction due to the Black Death, which spread across Europe like wildfire, and killed over a quarter of the population. The travelling aliens hypothesized that Earth could become a dead wasteland, so they selected five-hundred healthy human beings of a variety of races, and brought them to the closest planet that resembled Earth in terms of size, atmosphere, weather, and mineral content. That planet, called KO 35, was a land of prosperity since its establishment in the forteenth century. However, peace is often followed by war.

A few years after Karone's mysterious abduction, Andros' entire world fell apart. Alien forces, desiring the natural resources of the planet, laid waste to it. The Prime Minister, the leader of the colony, managed to contact the benevolent aliens who saved them from extinction six hundred years ago, to do the same again. They did indeed help, and they sent a representative, a master in the fighting and strategic arts, to assemble a team of Power Rangers. There were five, called the Astro Rangers, and the accomplished warrior Andros was selected as the Red Ranger, the leader of the Astro Rangers.

Unfortunately for KO 35, the rangers were banded too late to save the planet. The rangers were defeated, due to Andros' faulty appraisal of just how powerful the enemy forces were. At his command, the rangers fought the invasion, lead by Dark Specter himself, just outside the capital city. One at a time, the brave rangers fell, including the leader. However, as luck would have it, Andros survived the massacre. Perhaps Dark Specter knew how to truly torture the Red Ranger, without allowing him the release of death. Andros was forced to witness the brutal execution of his family and friends. Only those who escaped KO 35 managed to survive. Dark Specter stripped the beautiful world of the material he desired, and left the cities standing, as a cold grave to forever remind others of the truly advanced, peaceful society he had lain to waste.

Andros' suffering was, and still is, a bottomless well. The only way he could function was to live for revenge, but he learned quickly how empty that was. So he coupled his thirst for revenge with hope, small at it was, that perhaps he could someday find his missing sister, as well as the handful of survivers of KO 35. Perhaps the Kerolian race wasn't forever destroyed. Perhaps it could be reborn. It is the dream that had kept the young man alive these past two agonizingly lonely years.

"Hey Andros," said a familiar female voice. The startled Red Ranger looked up in surprise, and saw Ashley Hammond, the Yellow Ranger, standing behind him. She smiled at him, and took a seat beside him.

"Hello, Ashley," he greeted, releasing the medallion, "How did your exams go?"

Ashley's smile creased into an annoyed frown. "I knew I should've studied more," she sighed, "Trigonometry was murder, and I don't want to even think about Biology! But the others were okay."

"So are you finally finished?"

"Yes," she answered, stretching her arms, "after three agonizing days, final exams are done!!"

Ashley leaned closer to Andros, and looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. "Now that we're done with school, we can comb the universe for Zordon. Dark Specter can't stay one step ahead of us any longer!"

Andros smiled at Ashley's enthusiasm. His smile fell when he noticed she was looking at his chest curiously.

"I don't think I've ever seen this," Ashley said, reaching across the table and lifting Andros' medallion. Andros had to supress his instinct to knock her hand away. "Its really pretty. Is it a friendship charm?"

"A what?" asked Andros, gently pushing Ashley's hand away.

"You know, a friendship charm. You have one half, and someone really special to you, usually a best friend, has the other half."

"Oh. Well, that's not far from the truth. Its more of a family heirlomb, though."

"Wow. Is it worth something?"

Andros frowned. "It contains a secret, but only with both halves can the secret be unlocked."

"So where's the other half?"

Although he tried to hide it, Ashley saw the emotional reaction the question created. It didn't take long to realize Ashley had broached a delicate subject, but that just made her curiosity increase.

He's always so distant with us, she thought, If only he'd open up a little. We all would like to be his friends, but its like he's trying so hard to keep us at a distance!

"I... I'd rather not discuss it," Andros said, turning away from Ashley to the entrance. Ashley nodded, and leaned back in her chair. There was an awkward silence between the pair that lasted a full five minutes, until Carlos, Cassie, and TJ, the three remaining Astro Rangers, entered the Surf Spot, and joined their friends.

"Wow, Andros," commented TJ, turning his chair around and sitting on it backwards, "I didn't think you'd meet us here."

"Yeah," said Carlos, "you never leave the Megaship."

Andros' eyebrow arched. "Well, I thought the best way to understand you Earthbound humans is to observe. Besides, DECA is running an infestation sweep of the lower decks of the ship, and the gases are rather poisonous in their concentrated form."

"What do you mean infestation sweep?" Cassie inquired, "You mean from germs."

Andros nodded. "Each planet has its own germs, and the inhabitants in that planet are typically immune to many of the germs they are exposed to. However, other beings, who have never been exposed to those germs, could find them deadly. Therefore, since we visit so many planets, we do a full infestation sweep, to kill any germs that have been brought to the ship, so we don't in turn infect another planet in our search for Zordon. DECA tries to keep the Megaship completely sterile."

"But when we come back aboard, we're going to just infect the ship over again," Carlos commented.

"Not if you go through some simple sanitation procedures when you come aboard. Don't worry, its a painless white mist, somewhat similar in appearance to the chemical found in your fire extinguishers. But it evaporates in seconds."

"So when are we leaving the planet?" Ashley asked.

"As soon as possible," said Andros, "We have to catch up with Dark Spectre, and find some clue as to where he's hiding Zordon. If we don't hurry, we'll never be able to rescue him."

"Well," said Cassie, "Could we maybe leave late tonight, instead of immediately?"

Andros looked up at the Pink Ranger. "Why?"

"There's a party for the entire school," said TJ, "We'd like to say goodbye to all our friends and stuff. After all, we probably won't see them until September."

Andros sighed. "We can't waste any time."

"Its only a couple of hours," Ashley protested, "You can come with us!"

Andros frowned. "That's alright. I'll wait for you in the Megaship. I'll take inventory, to make sure we have everything we need from Earth before our departure. So, can we return to the Megaship now?"

"After we have a snack," said Carlos, picking up the menu, "That food replicator just can't do a chili-dog justice."

Meanwhile, in the mobile Dark Fortress that has become a home to her, the young, ambitious villainess Astronema sat on her throne, fingering a lock of bright purple hair. Her other hand firmly grasped her sceptor, and she tapped her foot impatiently. To her right stood Ecliptor, the menacing warrior who had served Astronema faithfully for years. Finally, the chamber door opened, and two Quantrons entered. They stepped to either side of the door, and bowed to their leader. Then, a tall, red creature with an evil glare and a cold grin confidently strode into the chamber. He walked towards the throne, but Ecliptor stepped in front of his mistress, and brandished his sharp double-edged sword. The visitor's grin broadened.

"That is as far as you come, Vermin," Ecliptor spat, "You can make your case to the Queen of Evil at a distance."

"A little jumpy there, aren't you, Captain?" the visitor smirked, "And aren't you being a little presumptuous with the title 'Queen of Evil'? After all, rumor has it Astronema must prove herself to be the most vile villainess in the cosmos to earn that title, and the great Dark Spectre assigned her the mission no one else can fulfill-- the destruction of the Power Rangers."

"Indeed," Astronema said, waving Ecliptor out of the way, "and according to the message you sent me, you have a way for me to do just so. Tell me your plan, Darkonda, and make it quick."

"As you wish," Darkonda said, opening his closed fist. Inside his hand was a thin gold chain, with a half of a medallion as a pendant. He tossed it to Astronema, who caught it with her quick reflexes. She glanced at the necklace curiously, and then looked up at Darkonda.

"What is this?" she demanded.

"It is your key to the destruction of the Astro Rangers. You see, about ten years ago, I was offered a great amount of money to kidnap one of the two children of Arethusa Wiengart, the Prime Minister of KO 35, a human colony in the Kerola system. Apparently, my employer had a score to settle with the gentleman. So, after being paid in advance, I went to the planet, and grabbed the child Karone Wiengart, the youngest of the two children. She wore this necklace.

"Once I was safely inside my ship, I gave the girl tranquilizers, to keep her out of my hair during the journey. I also took the necklace, planning on sending it to Arethusa, informing him of his daughter's abduction. But I made the mistake of flying along the trade route of Triforia. I'm notorious on that planet, so the officers escorting a convoy demanded my surrender, and opened fire. I did as was ordered, because they would surely have destroyed my ship. I managed to escape, of course, but not with the girl. So I left, with the necklace."

"What does all this have to do with the Power Rangers?" Ecliptor asked.

"Well, Arethusa had two children. One was Karone, and the other was her older brother Andros."

"The Red Astro Ranger?!" Astronema exclaimed, a dark grin crossing her face.

"The very same. No one knows what has become of Karone Wiengart, but I know for a fact the Red Ranger has never discontinued his search for his sister. Of course, after over ten years, there is no way he would recognize her. Except for the medallion that she wore upon her neck."

Astronema nodded, glancing down at the medallion in her hand. She rose to her feet, and walked along the marble floor, her blue eyes never leaving the smooth golden surface of the medallion half.

"Do you recall what Karone Wiengart of KO 35 looked like?" she asked.

"I remember well," Darkonda responded, "She had light brown hair, and grayish-brown eyes. Rather pale complexion."

"You mean like this?" Astronema asked, closing her eyes. When she opened them, her bright blue eyes were suddenly a shade of grayish brown. She then ran her gloved fingers through her lavender locks, and each strand she touched became brown. Once her appearance was adequately altered, she flashed a smile at Darkonda, and tossed her dark curls over her shoulder.

"Perfect," he said, nodding.

"Wait a minute," Ecliptor said, stepping forward, "You don't actually think you can impersonate this 'Karone' girl, do you?"

"Why not?" Darkonda asked, "Lady Astronema, how good are you at deception."

Astronema grinned evilly. "Only Satan himself is better."

"Then it shall be easy!" Darkonda said, "Andros will recognize the medallion easily! We can stage the entire thing. Astronema can lead some Quantrons to attack Earth, and the Astro Rangers will interfere. She can allow herself to be captured, and the rangers will surely find the medallion. You can feign amnesia, claiming that you have no memories before ten years ago, but you were raised according to evil. The medallion will speak for you."

"But what if the rangers do not believe it?" Ecliptor pressed, "What will happen to her?"

"I'll be fine," Astronema said, "All I have to do is get a few minutes of free reign in the ship. I'll sabotage the controls, maybe throwing off the Megazord sequence or the deflector shields. Then, the ship will be an easy target. An excellent plan, Darkonda! Very soon, I will be crowned Queen of Evil!"

Ecliptor frowned, and discretely left the throne room, gripping his sword tightly.

In the quiet bridge of the Megaship, Andros continued skimming computer readouts of inventory. After making sure the ship had everything necessary for a voyage of a few months, he turned away from the computer, and sat down at the large viewscreen. From his pocket, he pulled a small box, and took the tiny CD from it. He placed the disc into the computer, and sat back, his lips tight and his green eyes glassy.

The static of the screen took shape. In a lush park, two children, one seven and the other ten, were playing a game similar to catch. However, both children were telekinetics, and therefore their hands never touched the ball. The children continued their innocent play, until the ball was accidentally thrown out of their reach. The boy got up, and chased the ball into the bushes. The camera focused on the girl, who waited patiently for her playmate to return. Suddenly, her head snapped up when she heard a branch breaking behind her. Something moved from the shadows, too quickly to be seen, and whisked the child away. All that was left of her was her terrified scream, that echoed through the emptiness of the glade, and the emptiness in Andros' heart.

^Andros!! Andros, help me!! AAAHH!!^

Andros lowered his head, his eyes closed tightly as the image faded, the screams of the girl and the cruel laughter of her captor fading as well. He took a deep breath, and clasped his hands together to release the tension.

"Oh my God..." came a soft whisper from behind.

The second time that day, Andros was startled by the unexpected presence of the Yellow Ranger. She stood at the entrance to the bridge, still wearing her lemon yellow party dress.

"What are you doing here?!" he demanded. Ashley was disturbed by the harshness in his voice.

"I... I wanted to see how you were doing," she said, keeping her distance, "The party was a little dull. The others are still there, though."

Andros nodded, and sat back down. Quickly, he removed the small CD from the computer, and placed it back into its case, and in his pocket. "How much did you see?" he inquired, his back to her.

"Enough," Ashley said gently. She approached the Red Ranger cautiously, as if afraid he would lash out his anger. Of course, Ashley knew he wasn't angry with her perse'. Rather, he was angry at the breach of his privacy. And if there was one word to describe Andros Wiengart, its private.

"She was my sister," Andros said quietly, feeling compelled to answer Ashley's unspoken question, "She was kidnapped over ten years ago, right from our backyard. This recording is from the security cameras. Even the best computer technicians on KO 35 could not clear up the image of the kidnapper. And strangely enough, there was never any ransom asked, or anything. It was as if Karone vanished from the universe."

"And you've been looking for her ever since," Ashley said, nodding slightly, "Have you... found anything?"

Andros shook his head. For some reason, he felt the need to be completely open with Ashley. After all, he sensed her genuine concern. It was something he hadn't experienced for years.

"I've searched for human life in every sector we have ever been in," Andros said, "and each time, I find nothing. Humans are not space-travellers. There is only one concentration of humans, and that's on Earth. My homeworld used to be populated, but now it is abandoned. I haven't found Karone, nor the remnant of Kerolians that escaped the massacre. I am alone."

Ashley lay a hand on Andros' shoulder, and smiled warmly at him. "You're not alone. You have the four of us, and your sister is out there somewhere. And so are other Kerolians. You just haven't found them yet."

That said, Ashley took a seat beside Andros, and turned to face him, her arms crossed. "So, how do you plan on figuring out who she is? I mean, you're looking for humans at this point, but billions of individuals fit that bill."

Andros nodded, and pulled the pendant from beneath his red turtleneck sweater. "Karone has the other half of this medallion. That will be the identifying mark. That is what I'm searching for."

"Have you ever thought of searching Earth?" Ashley asked, "I mean, what better place to hide a human than amongst other humans?"

Andros shook his head. "It makes no sense. Why would someone kidnap Karone, and drop her off on Earth? Besides, there are six billion humans. That number is quite difficult to narrow down."

"Well, maybe you can scan for telekinetic brain patterns or something," Ashley suggested, tapping her chin, "After all, in that recording, you and Karone were both using TK. Doesn't TK take a special skill, that therefore creates a readable difference in brain patterns?"

A small smile crept onto Andros' face. Ashley was surprised to see such a hopeful expression on the morbid leader. On occasion he smiled, most often in amusement. But this was a smile of hope, by far a brighter smile in comparison.

"Perhaps," Andros said, rising to his feet, "DECA, could you start readjusting the scan, to brain patterns? Specifically, activity in the occipital lobe?"

^Affirmative,^ the computer relayed, ^Adjustment will be complete in twenty-four hours.^

"Not too long to wait, if it'll find your sister," Ashley said, a satisfied grin on her face. Andros beamed at the Yellow Ranger.

"You're absolutely brilliant, Ashley!" Andros exclaimed, hurrying to the computer keyboard to study an image of what appeared to be a PET scan of a human brain. "You see, the bright color shows a great amount of activity in that portion of the brain. Telekinetics show increased activity in the occipital lobe. Its probably not enough for Earth technology to register, but DECA will be able to tell the difference."

Suddenly, alarms sounded throughout the bridge, nearly causing Ashley to fall out of her seat. She stood up quickly, and turned full circle. "One of these days, I'll get used to that," she muttered.

"Aye yi yi!" shrieked Alpha Five, hurrying onto the bridge, "We've got trouble! Astronema and a group of Quantrons are raiding the old Power Chamber site!"

"What?" said Ashley in surprise, "Astronema's here, in person?"

"What could they gain from the Power Chamber?" Andros asked the small robot, "Everything of value was destroyed when Divatox razed it weeks ago!"

"Knowing Astronema, she'll find some way to cause trouble," Ashley said, hurrying towards the chutes, "Let's Rocket!"

At first, Andros was surprised to hear his teammate call the battle cry, but he pushed it aside to deal with other matters. He hurried to his own chute, and turned to Alpha.

"Contact TJ, Cassie, and Carlos, and inform them of our trip to the Power Chamber," he said, "Tell them to back us up as soon as they can."

"You got it, Andros!" said Alpha, saluting. Andros and Ashley slid through the tubes, and were instantly morphed into the Yellow and Red Astro Rangers, atop their Galaxy Gliders. Together, they streaked towards Earth.

Astronema stood atop the cliff, the strong winds of the mountains weaving through her golden brown hair. Her brown eyes kept watch as her Quantrons searched through the rubble of the Power Chamber. She tried hard to supress a maniacal laugh as her fingers wandered to the gold pendant around her neck.

This is too easy, she reflected, The rangers will certainly feel violated, with us digging through their private property. And so, they'll show up. And the necklace will do all the talking. Of course, I'm not human, so any scans wouldn't give evidence. However, my body is so full of magical energy, any scan would be inconclusive. I can attribute this to my "abduction". And now that Darkonda has filled me in on exactly what happened that fateful day, only two other people know what really happened-- Andros, and the real Karone. If she's even alive.

Astronema snapped out of her reverie when she saw two streaks of light from over the horizon. Her excited grin quickly fell into a disappointed frown.

"Well, they don't think I'm enough of a threat to warrant a full-on attack?!" she shouted, her pride injured, "Well fine then!"

Astronema slipped the medallion beneath the collar of her black leather catsuit, and held her sceptor with both hands. A stream of lavender energy shot from the tip, slicing through the warm summer breeze, directly towards the rangers. Both rangers veered to opposite sides, allowing the blast to fly harmlessly past them. Then, the Yellow and Red Rangers leapt to the ground, and stood before the crowd of Quantrons.

"Doing your own dirty work, Astronema?" Andros asked, "Did Dark Spectre demote you?"

Astronema's frown deepened. "Witty reparte' doesn't suit you, Red Ranger," she spat, "You should leave that up to your overactive Earthling friends!"

With that, Astronema leapt to the ground, balancing her scepter with both hands. "Shall we dance?"

"Always a pleasure," Andros retorted, his Spiral Sabre appearing in his hand. The two seasoned warriors battled, as they had done dozens of times before. But this time, Andros noted a distinct difference between this battle and the previous ones. For one thing, Astronema seemed to be slightly off balance, as if she weren't fighting at her best. Also, her taste in hair and eye color disturbed him. Andros was accustomed to Astronema sporting a variety of colorful wigs, from electric blue to canary yellow. However, he was always convinced her natural color was purple. But now, her hair was such a natural shade of brown, with streaks of reddish gold, that it couldn't merely be a wig. Also, her eyes, which usually were bright fiery blue, were a soft brown, with traces of gray. It chilled Andros to the bone when he realized how similar those eyes were to those of his father. Or at least, what he remembered his father's eyes to be like.

"I see you've changed your hair again, Astronema," Andros commented, bending backwards to avoid a swing from her sceptor.

"I decided to go au natural," she responded, blocking Andros' retaliatory swing with her sceptor, "Its not as fun as lavender, but it'll have to do."

Meanwhile, as Ashley fought the dozen or so Quantrons that accompanied Astronema to Earth, she couldn't keep her eyes off the fight that took place only yards away. Although Ashley had never seen Astronema in person, she had seen images of her on the computer. Astronema was certainly humanoid, but her wild taste in bright wigs, glittery makeup, and her fiery blue eyes kept the beautiful villainess alien. However, this time Astronema looked too human for comfort. Her hair was normal, and it wasn't even adorned in some peculiar fashion. The glittery makeup was gone, leaving a pale complexion to shine. And her eyes looked soulful, as opposed to demonic or possessed. Ashley couldn't figure out what this sudden change in appearence meant, but she didn't have time to ponder it, as she discovered the Quantrons were fighting for keeps.

"Okay," she said, focusing on her own predicament, "the kid gloves are off! Star Slinger!!"

The yellow slingshot appeared at the Yellow Ranger's command, and she fired out bolts of bright energy at the Quantrons, showering the creatures with powerful radiation. She managed to keep them at bay, but she had difficulty destroying them. She felt a wave of relief as three bright streaks of light landed nearby, and took the shape of the Blue, Black, and Pink Rangers. The late-arriving rangers quickly came to the aid of the Yellow Ranger, and began cutting down the number of Quantrons.

"What took you guys so long?" Ashley inquired.

"We were in the middle of a conga line," Cassie answered.

Ashley giggled. "Man, am I glad I left early!"

It didn't take long before the Quantrons were all dust. The four rangers brushed the desert dust from their uniforms, and all glanced up at their leader, who was still involved in a heated duel with Astronema.

"Is that Astronema?" Carlos asked, "She doesn't look like the photo in her date file."

"That purple hairdo was a fashion no-no," Cassie commented.

"We should help Andros out," TJ said, stepping closer to the fight. But Ashley quickly grabbed the Blue Ranger's arm.

"You know how Andros is about receiving help," Ashley pointed out, "He'll think we thought he couldn't handle it himself."

TJ nodded grudgingly, and continued to act as a spectator. Up higher on the cliff, Astronema and Andros continued to clash weapons, slowly nearing the edge. Andros was quite surprised by the fact that the fight had dragged out for so long. Usually, after about five minutes of neither gaining the upper hand, Astronema would teleport away. Now that the Quantrons have all been destroyed, Andros was even more surprised that Astronema didn't make a tactical retreat. Still, he continued to fight his opponent, letting his warrior instinct lead his sword. He didn't want to think too hard at this moment.

Suddenly, a startled shriek passed through Astronema's lips, as she lost her footing and dropped her sceptor. She had slipped off the cliff, and had just barely managed to grab onto the edge, before plummeting to the rocky terrain below. She stared up at the Red Ranger, panic widening her brown eyes to the proportion of a scared child's.

"Andros!" she cried, her grip slipping, "Andros help me!! AAHHH!!"

Andros froze, dropping his Spiral Sabre in mute shock. He had never heard Astronema refer to him by his name, although he knew she was familiar with it. And her choice of words, along with her terrified, childlike expression, shook the Red Ranger to the core. In her moment of vulnerability and weakness, Astronema looked like a lost child. She couldn't have been more than eighteen years old. Why hadn't he seen that before?

"Hang on!" Andros shouted, as soon as he found his voice again. He tossed himself to the ground, and grabbed Astronema's arms with both his hands. His enhanced Power Ranger strength allowed him to pull her over the cliff safely. Astronema sprawled out on the sand, panting heavily. Andros himself remained at his knees, shaking his head in disbelief. The four other Astro Rangers hurried to the cliff, and surrounded their leader.

"Andros!" Ashley cried, helping the Red Ranger to his feet, "Are you okay?"

Andros remained silent, still shaking his head. Ashley gazed at Astronema worriedly. She had heard the villainess' panicked exclaimation, and she knew where she had heard it before. A wave of mistrust struck the Yellow Ranger, as she watched Astronema rise to her feet shakily.

"Very well, Red Ranger," Astronema said, brushing the dust from her black leather uniform, "this round goes to you. As they say on Earth, 'he that fights and runs away,' yadda yadda."

With that, Astronema raised her hand, as she always did when teleporting. But to her surprise, she didn't vanish in her signature display of bright lavender energy. She remained at her position, and then looked towards the cliff, where she had almost fallen.

"My sceptor..." she whispered, touching her forehead, "Well, this is certainly a great way to end a day!"

Astronema then turned to the five Astro Rangers, who were standing in a line. "So, now what are you going to do with me? Chances are, you won't escort me back to my Dark Fortress."

TJ turned to Andros. "What are we gonna do with her?"

Andros remained silent for a moment, apparently staring at Astronema through his visor. Finally, he rose his communicator to his mouth. "Alpha, teleport me a pair of energy-siphoning manacles, on the double. We have a hostage."

Meanwhile, in the cloaked Dark Fortress that hung in outer space, the wicked Darkonda laughed hysterically, gripping a steaming cup of some alien beverage.

"I'll tell you, Ecliptor," he said, sipping from his glass, "Lady Astronema is one talented actress. I especially loved that whole 'Andros, help me!' bit. It was so perfect! That Red Ranger's probably so shaken, he won't know up from down!"

Ecliptor merely scoffed. "Astronema had to abandon her sceptor, which is the main focus of her magical power. If she is forced to fight the rangers again, she will be at a severe disadvantage."

"So? She's still a powerful sorceress, even without the sceptor. However, the rangers don't know that. So just sit down, and enjoy the show. We'll be able to see everything through Astronema's mind-link with the viewscreen. She's also a talented telepath, and telekinetic-- abilities she may need, if Andros requires further proof of her identity."

"Tell me Darkonda, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Helping Astronema defeat the Astro Rangers. Why? You haven't asked for money. What have you to gain from all this? Or are you merely trying to get rid of Astronema, just like you were hired to get rid of Karone all those years ago?"

Darkonda feigned hurt. "Moi? Trust me, Ecliptor, once Astronema becomes Queen of Evil, I do indeed plan to be paid handsomely. If not in money, then at least in connections, or a reliable starship to roam the galaxy in. And even if I don't get paid directly, just having those do-good Power Rangers gone will certainly make the life of a mercenary much easier. After all, it was a Power Ranger that ruined the biggest deal I ever made!"

"Are you referring to the Karone abduction?" Ecliptor asked.

"You know it. My employer was willing to pay me cash up front, but upon delivery, I'd get a galaxy class starship! That would be the biggest payoff imaginable, especially for grabbing a little girl. But the Gold Ranger had to get in my way, and force me to surrender. If it were only a couple of Triforian soldiers, I would've tried to get away. But I knew my ship didn't have the capability to out-maneuvre or out-gun Pyramidas."

"So Prince Trey of Triforia is the one who rescued Karone."

"Yeah. But he obviously didn't return her to KO 35, or Andros wouldn't be searching for her now. I almost wonder what became of that little brat. Her head's still worth a fortune."

"You'd best keep your mind on what will become of Astronema," Ecliptor snapped, "and if anything happens to her, I'll hold you personally responsible."

"Was that intended to be a threat?" Darkonda asked darkly.

"You be the judge," Ecliptor responded, gripping the hilt of his sword.

Inside the brig, which was the collection of jail cells in the bottom level of the Megaship, Astronema sat on a bench, her arms still tied by energy manacles, and bars of green energy separating her from freedom. Just outside the cell, the five Astro Rangers stood, wearing their gray suits instead of their uniforms. Andros stepped forward, his arms clasped behind his back, and a calm expression on his face.

"What were you hoping to gain from the remains of the Power Chamber?" he asked. Astronema shrugged.

"I was hoping to find some memento, that I could get Zordon to sign for me, now that he's Dark Spectre's prisoner. Zordon of Eltar is quite famous, you know."

TJ frowned, his arms crossed. "Don't play games with us, Astronema. Don't make us regret saving you life."

"What are you going to do? You're Power Rangers! You wouldn't kill a helpless villainess, who can't even fight back! Its against that bothersome code of ethics you follow so religiously. And if you're thinking of trading me for Zordon, it won't work. Dark Spectre knows you won't do anything to me."

Ashley sighed, and turned to Andros. "Let's call it a day. Maybe a couple of nights in the brig will make her more reasonable."

Andros nodded. "Alpha, do a quick metal detection. I want to make sure she doesn't have any concealed weapons on her."

Alpha nodded, and pressed a few buttons on a panel against the wall just outside the cell. A soft red light brightened the cell, and a light on the panel began to flash. "Its picking up two pieces of metal. One is her body armor, and the other is concealed, around her neck."

"Rather be safe than sorry," said Carlos, "Lower the shield. I'll get it."

Alpha nodded, and the green bars of light vanished. The Black Ranger stepped into the cell, and noticed the gold chain peeking out from Astronema's collar. She glared at the Black Ranger menacingly.

"No one ever touches my necklace," she warned, "That includes you Power Pests."

Carlos ignored her warning, and unclasped the golden chain. He pulled it off of Astronema's neck, despite her wild wiggling to prevent it. Once he had the necklace, he left the cell, and Alpha reconstructed the bars.

"Give it back!!" Astronema screamed, "You'll regret this, you hear me?!?!"

"Maybe we have something to bargain with," Carlos said, holding up the necklace, "It looks like Astronema values this pendant. What do you think Andros?"

But Andros didn't reply. His green eyes were wide, fixed completely on the pendant. Instantly, he grabbed the necklace from his friend's grasp, and turned to Astronema. "Where did you get this?" he demanded.

"Its mine," she responded, "Its always been mine. Now, give it back!!"

"It... can't be," Andros whispered, closing his eyes, "Its impossible!!"

Suddenly, Andros stormed out of the brig, leaving four stunned Power Rangers, a dumfounded robot, and a furious villainess.

"What was that all about?" Cassie asked no one in particular.

Ashley continued to watch the door, which Andros had just left through. She shook her head in disbelief, and turned to her friends. "I'm going to follow him."

Inside his quarters, Andros Wiengart sat at a chair, leaning his elbows on the table with his hands clasped tightly together. His eyes were focused on a golden medallion, that floated a few inches in front of him, courtesy of the telekinesis he was trained to use since childhood. Although his pale green eyes seemed to be studying the two halves, that floated millimeters from each other, a closer look would reveal that his eyes were truly unfocused. He didn't see the medallion before him. He saw memories of a time long ago, of a child that was cruelly abducted from her home.

How could it be? he thought, How could Astronema, an ally of the dark being that destroyed KO 35, actually be Karone? How can I trust her? Although, she never did claim to be Karone. But... how? How could she be evil? My sister... a villainess? There is so much I don't understand. But no matter how unbelievable it seems, even if there is the slightest chance that Astronema is truly Karone, I must consider the possibility. And all the signs tell me that she is...

The sound of the door chime broke Andros' thoughts. He leaned back in his chair, and straightened his gray jacket slightly. "Enter."

Ashley Hammond, the Yellow Astro Ranger, slowly entered the room, her hands clasped behind her back. "Are you okay, Andros?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he replied, turning back to the medallion floating in front of him, "You... recall the recording you saw earlier?"

"Yes," Ashley admitted, sitting down at the table opposite Andros, "I remember the recording. And what you told me about your sister, and the medallion."

Andros nodded, his lips pursed in a tight line. "I thought that when I would see this medallion whole again, all my questions would be answered. And yet, instead I am bombarded with still more questions. Did I find Karone, after over ten years?"

"I... I don't know," Ashley answered, "Astronema has the medallion, but that isn't enough to prove she's Karone. She could have found it, or perhaps its a replica or something."

"No, it is the second medallion half," Andros replied, "I know it is. And you're right, Astronema could have found the medallion. But even if she did, how would she have known what it meant to me? How could she have known what Karone looked like, or what she said when she was abducted. There is only one copy of the recording, and I have it. Only the creature that kidnapped Karone, myself, or my sister could know what happened that day. And Astronema repeated exactly what Karone cried out all those years ago."

"Isn't there some kind of conclusive scan you can conduct, to determine whether Astronema is Kerolian? Some kind of DNA test, maybe?"

"I have thought of that. Tomorrow, I will try to conduct some tests, both psychological and physical, to determine if Astronema is Karone. But still, the scans are never one-hundred percent accurate. What will I do if I find Astronema is Karone? And what will I do if I find she isn't? I counted on the medallion being the key to finding my sister, and if Astronema isn't Karone, I may never be able to identify her."

Ashley shook her head, and rose to leave. "Get some rest, Andros. Its been a rough day for you. We'll all figure it out in the morning."

Ashley squeezed Andros' shoulder, and stepped out of the room. Her shoulders slumped, and she glanced back at the door that closed behind her.

I... I don't want to tell Andros this, but I just don't trust Astronema, she reflected, slowly walking down the corridor, I don't have an especially good reason, other than the simplistic one that she's evil. All the evidence so far points to her being Karone, but I just can't believe it. Something in the back of my mind is screaming for me to keep my eyes on Astronema...

Ashley paused outside her quarters. The doors parted for her, and Ashley was startled to see Carlos standing by the window, looking at the Earth floating below.

"What's up, Carlos?" she asked, gaining the young man's attention. Carlos turned around, and approached his friend.

"What's going on here?" Carlos asked, "Cassie, TJ, and I are totally lost, and it certainly looks like you know something we don't. What is that medallion? Why is Andros acting so strangely?"

"I... its not really my business. I think you should ask Andros about it."

Carlos frowned slightly. "I figured it'd be easier not to bury Andros with questions now. He's obviously shaken up about what happened today. I thought that if he entrusted this information with you, its not so secret that it can't be shared with the rest of us."

Ashley shook her head, a small grin crossing her lips. "Believe me, Carlos, Andros doesn't trust me any more than he does the rest of you. I just happened to have seen something that I shouldn't have. That's why I know what's going on. And believe me, Andros will explain everything to you, and clarify things for me. Just give him a chance."

Carlos nodded. "Fine. I'll ask him in the morning. Good night, Ashe."

Carlos moved to leave, but stopped when he noticed the stressed expression on Ashley's face.

"Are you okay?" he questioned.

Ashley nodded. "Its just been one of those days. G'night, Carlos."

Early the following morning, Andros stepped onto the bridge of the Megaship. It was obvious to the four rangers waiting for him that their leader hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night.

"Good morning," Andros said quietly, "Thanks for waiting for me."

"No problem, Chief," TJ said, "So, are you going to fill us in, or leave us in the dark?"

Andros sighed. "You deserve and explanation. No doubt you're all bewildered as to what happened last night."

"You could say that again," Cassie muttered under her breath.

"Well, the best way to explain it is to show you," Andros said, walking to the projector. He slid the small CD into the machine, and played the program of Karone's abduction. Cassie, TJ, and Carlos watched the film in quiet shock, while Ashley watched her friends, studying the reactions on their faces. After the scene faded, Andros turned off the monitor, and waited. Silence reigned for a few moments.

"So," said Cassie quietly, "who's Karone?"

"My sister," Andros answered, "I never saw her again after that incident."

"What she said," TJ said, "its exactly what Astronema said yesterday, out on the cliff."

"...and Astronema does kinda look like her," Carlos added.

Andros nodded. "So, you see my predicament. For years, I've been searching for my missing sister. I relied on the medallion to guide me to her, because each of us have a half of it. Now, I learn that Astronema is the one in possession of that second half. And she knew what happened the day when Karone was kidnapped. I... I don't know what to do. I need your help."

"You need our help?" Cassie repeated, her eyes wide with surprise. Andros always chose to work alone, and seldom even informed the rangers about his personal life-- much less ask for their opinions regarding it.

"Yes. I want your help. I... don't know just how to approach this situation rationally. I can't conclude Astronema isn't my sister, simply because she is our enemy. And I can't conclude that she is based on the evidence we've seen so far."

Andros turned his back to his friends, and lowered his head. After taking a deep breath, and turned back to his team. "Will you help me find my sister?"

The four other Astro Rangers remained silent for a few moments, absorbing the weight of the situation that faced them. Finally, TJ stepped forward.

"We're a team, Andros," he said firmly, "to the end. You know you can count on us for backup, no matter what the situation."

"We'll do what we can," Cassie added, "So, what's the plan?"

"I plan on running every exam, test, and study that DECA has in her program, to determine first if Astronema could be Kerolian, and then, if she could be my sister. But, like I told Ashley, there is no such thing as a fool-proof test. Readings could be thrown off. Alot of factors could interfere with the accuracy of the scans. Somewhere along the line, judgement will have to make the final decision."

"Well, let's start from the beginning, and run the tests," said Carlos, walking to the door, "Let's go."

Astronema lay on the small cot inside her small cell. Her eyes were closed, and she consciously slowed her breathing, to make it appear that she was asleep. In fact, she had maintained this state of feigned sleep through most of the night. Alpha V stood vigil by her cell, and Astronema knew for a fact that human beings required sleep. Even though her species didn't.

After all, I need to keep up appearances, she thought, So far, so good. Andros really is starting to believe I'm Karone! That's the only reason why he acted so upset last night. Now, all I have to do is maintain that I don't recall anything beyond ten years ago. No matter how suspicious he'll be, he won't be able to deny the fact that I could very well be Karone. And as soon as he lets down his defenses for his 'sister', the Power Rangers will be mine...

Astronema's train of thought was broken by the sounds of the entrance sliding open. She continued to "sleep", even thought she heard five pairs of feet walk into the room. She felt their scrutinous eyes on her, but she continued the masquerade nonetheless.

"Alpha," Andros said, turning his attention from the prisoner to the overnight sentry, "how's our guest?"

"She's been asleep almost all night," Alpha said, "She hasn't been giving me any trouble."

"Good," Andros said, glancing back at Astronema. He frowned slightly, and took a deep breath. "Time to wake up, Astronema. You've got a long day ahead of you."

"So you say," Astronema muttered, her eyes fluttering. She then let a yawn escape her lips. "I won't be cooperating with you. Like I said, you won't get anything from me!"

"Really?" TJ said, a grin on his face, "Well, then you won't be seeing this again."

With that, he glanced at the Red Ranger. Andros nodded, and held up the medallion half he had gotten from the villainess the previous day. Astronema's brown eyes widened, and a scowl crossed her face.

"We thought you'd be more cooperative," TJ said, crossing his arms, "So, I guess we'll start with some questions."

TJ then glanced at Alpha. In response, Alpha nodded, and activated a few computers. Astronema didn't notice the robot, her entire attention focused on her pendant. After a few seconds of silence, Astronema's gaze rose from the pendant to the Red Ranger's face.

"I won't tell you about Zordon, or Dark Spectre's whereabouts," she maintained, "Like I said, you won't get anything from me."

"Then let's not ask questions about Zordon and Dark Spectre," Carlos said, stepping forward, "Let's start with something less threatening. Where did you get this necklace from?"

"What do you mean?" Astronema asked, seemingly perplexed by the question.

"I mean just what I said. Is it some valuable crown jewel from some planet you destroyed? Is it the magical center of your powers? A good luck charm, maybe?"

Astronema frowned. She remained silent for a few moments, as if she were deciding whether or not to be honest with her questioners. Finally, she nodded.

"Fine, I'll play your little game," she said, "I've always had this medallion, since the beginning. Its mine, and that's why I want it back."

Her voice lowered, and she seemed hesitant to continue. "Its all I have that's really mine."

Astronema's last few words were nearly a whisper, but the ranger's heard it. Carlos raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Andros. Andros kept his gaze on Astronema carefully, but still kept his distance. He didn't want to ask anything that would give too much away. He was waiting for his friends to milk information from the villainess.

"What do you mean by that?" Cassie asked as gently as possible.

"What do you think it means?!" Astronema yelled suddenly, "Its none of your business anyway!"

"Humor us," TJ said.

"Why should I?" Astronema demanded, "You're just trying to get into my head or something. I have nothing to gain from this little interview."

With that, Astronema rose from her cot, and turned her back to the rangers, walking towards the back wall.

"Or, maybe you have everything to gain," Andros said quietly, "How about we make a deal, Astronema?"

Astronema turned around, and regarded the Red Ranger curiously. "Such as?"

"You give us the information we desire, that will have absolutely nothing to do with Zordon, Dark Spectre, or anything of that nature. Once we have what we need, we set you free."

"What?!" Ashley said in surprise, "You're not serious, Andros!"

Andros held up his hand, signalling silence. Astronema tapped her chin in thought, and then a smile crept onto her face.

"Deal," she answered, making herself comfortable on her cot, "So, shall we begin?"

"Not yet," Andros said, walking towards the brig exit, "Alpha, give Astronema some breakfast."

"You got it," said Alpha, watching as the rangers left the brig. After TJ, the door sealed behind them, completely cutting the rangers' off from Astronema and Alpha.

"What are you doing?!" Ashley demanded, "You're actually gonna let her go?!"

"Yes," Andros affirmed, "We have to get Astronema to open up about her past. Its obviously a touchy subject. If she really is Karone, all we have to do is jog her memory. Then, she'll be willing to help us find Zordon, and end Dark Spectre's reign of tyranny. She's our key to victory."

"And what if she's not Karone?" Ashley pressed, "What then?"

"Then we let her go. Like she said, Dark Spectre won't trade Zordon for her life. Villains don't grow close when they work together, and Dark Spectre is as cold-hearted as they come. He'd kill his own mother if it suited him. So what would we do with her as a prisoner?"

Ashley remained quiet, even though her eyes still gave testimony to her feelings.

"She could be lying to us, Andros," Carlos said, "There's really no way we would know. She could have been lying the whole time, playing on your emotions."

"What would she have to gain from that?" Andros asked.

"Our trust," Ashley spat, contempt evident in her voice.

"Look, Andros, all we're saying is that we should've discussed this before you made the offer," Cassie said, "You did ask for our help."

"I... I wasn't planning on it," Andros said, "It just came to me after she put up her defenses. You saw it-- she opened up for a second, and actually spoke from her heart. Then, she closed off again. I had to give her a reason to open up, so we can reach her. How else will we know the truth?"

Ashley, Carlos, Cassie, and TJ didn't answer. In fact, they had no answer. Andros' reasoning seemed sound, so they really couldn't object. However, the thought of letting a known villainess go free left a bad tast in their mouths.

Ashley was particularly indignant. Her distrust of Astronema only increased by the show she carried on. Its all an act! Ashley maintained, Why would she have opened up about the medallion? It was a window, to give Andros the idea that she really does have the answers! But I know deep down that she doesn't! This whole thing is gonna hurt Andros. If it doesn't get us all killed, that is...

"So, what do we do now?" Cassie asked.

"Let's get some breakfast, and plan out our questions," Andros said, "We want her to open up, so we have to appear as non-threatening as possible. Also, we should change clothes."

"Why?" TJ inquired, glancing down at his gray and blue uniform.

"We look too intimidating. The more casual we appear, the more relaxed Astronema will be."

"If you think it'll make a difference," Carlos said with a shrug, "Let's say we change our clothes, and then meet in the mess hall for breakfast?"

Andros felt uncomfortable. He continued to finger the collar of his chosen attire. While the other rangers no doubt would select typical human clothing, Andros had chosen to wear something more representative of KO 35, hoping that perhaps it would impress upon Astronema. He stood in front of the mirror, shaking his head at his reflection. The loose black pants, red sash, and maroon sleeveless turtleneck all fit him perfectly, along with the gold headband with his family's shield. Despite the fact that he fit in his old clothing, it felt wrong to him. He hadn't worn anything other than his uniform in years, other than the few hours he'd spent on Earth. But to wear something from KO 35 made him feel cold inside. After his failure to rescue Karone all those years ago, added to the fact that he couldn't save the rest of the planet as the Red Ranger, made the young man ashamed. Too ashamed to ever wear his family's shield proudly.

If it will bring my sister back to me, then I'll do it... he reflected, straightening his headband. He turned away from his reflection when the door chime sounded.

"Enter," he called. Ashley stepped in, her hands clasped behind her back. She had selected a simple pair of black denim shorts and a yellow tank top, just as Andros had predicted.

"You... you look nice," Ashley said, looking at Andros' clothing with interest, "I've never seen you wear something like that. Its Kerolian, right?"

"Yes," Andros said, "Its one of the very few pieces of home I still have."

"And your family's shield," Ashley said, approaching the Red Ranger to see his headband more closely, "A sword and a paintbrush, crossed over a book. A family of fighters, scholars, and artists. Impressive. Why don't you ever wear this?"

"Because I don't want to be constantly reminded of the loved ones I lost, and the hero I should have been when they all needed me."

Ashley remained silent, casting her eyes to the ground. Andros took a step back, to make some room between them. "So why did you come here?"

"Andros," said Ashley, looking up from the ground at her leader, "I... I really think I should be honest."

"How so?"

"Well, you asked for our help regarding this matter, and so its only right that I give you my opinion. I think you have to be really careful about Astronema. I understand that she may be Karone, but we can't forget what we do know about her. Astronema is a lying, cheating, evil henchwoman of Dark Spectre. You know her better than anyone here! You must know what she's capable of!"

"Can you judge her better than I?" Andros asked calmly, locking eyes with the Yellow Ranger, "Do you know what she's capable of?"

"All I know is what you told me," Ashley responded matter-of-factly, "and from what you've told me, I wouldn't trust Astronema further than I could throw her. That's what I know."

With that, Ashley turned to leave. "Don't forget, you asked us to help you. That's what I'm trying to do. I know you want to find your sister again, but don't let that get in the way. You're a Power Ranger. You know how to tell good from evil. That's your job."

Andros watched as Ashley left the room, the door sliding closed behind her. He kept his gaze fixed on the door for a few moments, reflecting over what Ashley had said. He knew he could have handled the situation better, instead of allowing his frustration over the Astronema incident to bubble to the surface and lash out at his friend. He also knew that Ashley did have a point.

"I have to stop thinking with my heart, and start thinking with my head," he muttered to himself, walking out of his room to meet the others, "But its my heart-- not my head-- that will lead me to my sister. If I can't bring myself to trust that what Astronema tells me is true, then I will never know the truth about her."

Astronema was still picking at her selection of sliced Kerolian fruits when the five rangers walked into the brig. Her eyebrow arched when she realized the teens had traded their formal attire for something more casual.

"Well," she commented, "is it Dress-Down Day or something? Shouldn't you look more professional when you skewer villains for answers?"

"Don't forget, we made a deal," Andros said, "So, whenever you're ready, we'll begin."

"Considering that the sooner we begin, the sooner I can blow this popsicle stand, there's no time like the present," Astronema said, placing her tray on the floor beside the small bench she was sitting on. "So, what's the first question?"

"I want to know more about the medallion," Andros said, "Earlier, you said you had it from 'the beginning' and that it was 'the only thing truly yours'. Would you care to elaborate?"

Astronema's smug grin fell instantly. "I... I'd really rather not talk about that."

"Suit yourself," Cassie commented with a shrug, "Would you like a book to read or something? Those jail cell walls are kinda boring to look at, and that's all you'll be seeing for a while."

Astronema frowned at Cassie's wit, and folded her arms. "The medallion is the only thing that's mine, and that's because everything else was given to me, or I had to steal it. Ecliptor taught me how to fight, and how to use my mental abilities in battle. Dark Spectre gave me the armies I needed, when I demonstrated my fighting prowess and leadership capabilities. The magic I gained was from a planet my armies razed to the ground. But the medallion, I've always had, and I feel like its truly mine. Like its a part of me. That's why its mine, and I want it back!"

"You'll get it back, so long as you keep cooperating," Carlos said, "So, what did you mean from 'the beginning'? You got the medallion half when you were born?"

"I... I don't know when I actually received it," Astronema answered, "but I can't remember a time when I didn't have it. So, I've always had it."

Carlos glanced up at Andros for his opinion. Andros' face remained stoic, and his green eyes stared deeply into Astronema's brown ones. Finally, a scowl crossed her face.

"And what are you staring at?!" she demanded. Andros chose not to answer her.

"What was your childhood like?" he asked. All the rangers looked at the Red Ranger in surprise. And apparently, so did Astronema.

"My what?"

"Your childhood," Andros repeated, "Where did you grow up? What are your parents like? What species are you?"

"I didn't have a childhood," Astronema answered indignantly, "Unlike you inferior Humans, I was already somewhat physically mature when I was created. I am Lucian."

"What's that?" TJ asked, turning to Andros.

"Lucians are beings who were created by an ancient race known as the Nanaku. The Nanaku were brilliant scientists, who had the technology to create living beings and incubate them in machines, rather than through natural means. The Lucians aren't born. They are simply released from the incubators, fully grown. That would be something like the late teens in human terms."

"But, if they were an ancient race, how old would Astronema be?" Ashley asked.

"The Nanaku were destroyed almost a decade ago," Andros answered, "Nanak was the planet Dark Spectre crushed right before he leveled KO 35. He traveled nearly a quarter across the galaxy to get to my homeworld, and lay it to waste."

"How old are you, Astronema?" Ashley asked, turning to the villainess with a suspicious gaze, "One hundred? One thousand?"

"I'm practically an infant relative to most species, including yours," Astronema said, "I have been alive for eleven Standard years, and I was the physical maturity of a human seven year old."

"That doesn't make sense," TJ said, "Lucians are bred to be mature."

"I was an exception," Astronema barked, "Deal with it."

"Do you remember the Nanaku laboratory?" Andros asked, "Lucians are famous for perfect memories."

Astronema glared at Andros. "No, I don't. Maybe its because I was released from incubation early, due to Dark Spectre's invasion. Maybe he saved me, when he let everyone else on the planet die."

"If you don't remember, then where did you get all this from?" Carlos inquired.

"Because my first memory was opening my eyes on Dark Spectre's flagship," Astronema muttered, "That's what he told me-- that my world had to be destroyed for the greater good. I owed my existence to Dark Spectre. If he hadn't let me live, I never would have lived. I would have been like an aborted child."

"And you believed him?" Andros asked.

"Why shouldn't I have?" Astronema asked, "He is the reason I exist, and so I serve him forever."

"And what about the medallion?" Andros pressed, "Did he give you an explanation for it?"

"He said it was mine, from before I awoke," Astronema answered, "Its mine, since the beginning."

"How convenient," Ashley muttered. Andros turned around, and looked at Ashley in suprise. But her frown remained intact as she returned Andros' gaze.

"I... I think that's enough for now," Andros said finally, releasing a long breath, "Alpha, did you get the results of those scans?"

"Yes," Alpha responded, stepping out of the corner he had taken refuge in, "DECA has all the results ready for your perusal."

"Good," Andros said, leaving the brig abruptly, "Let's take a break."

"Incredible!!" Darkonda roared, his words mixed into his uproarious laughter. His laughter nearly caused him to fall off Astronema's throne, where he had made himself comfortable. "Simply incredible! Ecliptor! You have to see this!"

"See what?" Ecliptor answered, entering the throne room. He gazed at Ecliptor, and pulled his sword from its hilt. "I thought I told you not to insult my mistress by sitting on her throne."

"Fine, fine, whatever," Darkonda mumbled, stepping away from the throne, "Take a look at the screen!"

Through the magical mind-link Astronema created herself and the monitor in the throne room, both Ecliptor and Darkonda could witness everything Astronema saw and heard. Ecliptor gazed at the screen, and listened to the conversation between his mistress and the Astro Rangers. He frowned.

"I wonder when Astronema decided to be Lucian?" Darkonda wondered aloud.

"Perhaps during all those hours she pretended to sleep," Ecliptor scoffed, "Seeing the inside of her eyelids for hours was enough to make me lose my interest in this little display."

"Pure brilliance. It explains away her lack of memories, and its perfectly timed. The planet Nanak was destroyed a few months before Karone's abduction. It works perfectly!!"

"Wonderful," Ecliptor muttered sarcastically.

"Why aren't you a bit more enthusiastic?" Darkonda questioned, "Your mistress is only a few steps away from being the Queen of Evil! She's got them hook, line, and sinker!"

"In case you didn't notice, we have a very clear view of the Power Rangers," Ecliptor said, pointing to the small screen, "and I for one see an extremely suspicious Yellow Ranger."

"So?" Darkonda asked, "All Astronema needs to do is convince Andros. Actually, that isn't even necessary! She just has to make him wonder enough about her real identity to let her out of the brig. Then, she can sabotage the ship, and we're in! The rangers'll be history!"

"And what if Andros isn't convinced at all? I don't know if you've noticed, but the Yellow Ranger's opinion matters a great deal to him."

"Then Andros'll let Astronema go, just like he promised. Power Rangers don't go back on their word. In either case, Astronema comes home safe and sound. So anyway, what've you been up to?"

"I've been organizing the next phase in this plan," Ecliptor answered, "The way I see it, our prime opportunity to strike will be once Astronema gets out of the brig, to a lower security area. We shall use the Velocifighters to create the diversion that will give her the chance to sabotage the ship's shields. Once the shields are down, we can teleport Astronema to safety, and teleport the Quantrons on board. Also, if I feel it necessary, the two of us can also teleport to the ship, and do some more specific damage. Of course, this is all assuming Astronema manages to trick Andros."

Darkonda laughed deeply. "Are you kidding?! She's already got 'im eating out of her hand!" Ecliptor frowned. "You underestimate the Red Ranger."

"No, I think I've measured the boy up pretty well," Darkonda chuckled, "He's a failure when it counts most-- when his planet was destroyed, and when his sister was kidnapped. He'll fail again. After all, why break a perfect record?"

"Nothing," Andros muttered, his fists clenched tightly, "Absolutely nothing..."

"This is unbelievable," Carlos said, staring at the computer screen again, "Every single one of the readings has proved inconclusive! Every one!"

"Like I said, pretty convenient," Ashley said, folding her arms, "Astronema has managed to obscure the data from the scans we've conducted. That way, we can't have any hard proof she's not Karone."

"Or, maybe she just naturally has so much energy in her system, that she automatically threw the scans off," TJ suggested, "We need to consider every possibility."

"Fine," said Andros, turning his back on the data screen of the medical lab, the location of the most highly advanced biological computers. He sat down on the bench along the wall, and touched his forehead, "Where do we go from here?"

"Well, are there any aliens you're familiar with that can't be scanned?" Cassie asked.

"No. But that doesn't mean there aren't any. I haven't travelled the entire universe."

"Then you're saying Lucians can be scanned," Ashley said.

"They can. They do have abilities, but nothing so powerful as to throw off all those different bio-scans," Andros said, "That is nearly impossible."

"How would someone throw off a bio-scan?"asked TJ, "What are the circumstances?"

Andros sighed deeply. "All the scans are different, so different energy sources within the individual would do the trick. But since every single one of the scans came up inconclusive, that would mean Astronema is a center for powerful magical energy."

"If she is so powerful, then why didn't she break out of prison yet?" Ashley questioned.

"Just because Astronema is a center for magical energy, doesn't mean she can control it," Andros answered, "She lost her scepter back on Earth, remember? That may have been the focus, to concentrate the magic in her body into an attack spell. Also, if the energy in Astronema is foreign, then she wouldn't be able to control it, yet she still would possess it in her system."

"How would the energy be 'foreign'?" Cassie inquired.

"As in, maybe the energy was placed into her by someone else," TJ said, rubbing his chin, "Like... Dark Spectre! She could be under some kind of empowering spell!"

"Then it could be like us," Carlos said, "We don't have magical power, but the Astro Morphers are a focus for the energies given to us."

"Close," said Andros, "The Astro powers are as much techological as magical. But the Great Power, which was the energy pool for a different team of Power Rangers, would follow those lines. And so would the Zeo Crystal. Still, I don't think the Great Power itself could infuse a being with that much power!"

"But nothing we've said is a fact," Ashley said, "We could be running down the completely wrong path here!"

"Wait," said Andros, rising to his feet, "maybe not..."

Andros walked back to the main computer screen, and stood beside his fellow Power Rangers. "DECA, what bio-structure class are the Lucians?"

After almost a minute, DECA located the answer. ^Bio-structure 8.^

"Then that's it," said Andros, nodding.

"That's what?" asked Cassie, "What's that mean?"

"The bio-structure is a measure of the basic magical immunity of a species. Species with low bio-structure classes are vulnerable to magic, which means they are easily influenced by foreign magic. Humans would be pretty low on the spectrum, at class 2. But species with high bio-structures are far more difficult to manipulate, or even injure with magical assaults. Eltarians are at class 9, for example. Lower bio-structure class organisms tend to also have very little magical power, and the opposite for the higher classes... but that isn't always the case. However, lower class species can be empowered by the magic of others, giving them magical abilities, but filling that one with foreign magic."

"Then that would mean Astronema has a low class bio-structure," Carlos said, "if we're right in assuming the magic that's exuding from her body is foreign in origin. If its natural, then she's a high class."

"But, there's still nothing conclusive," TJ said, "We don't know which case she is."

"What we can be sure of is that she's not Lucian," Andros said, "Like I told you, Lucians don't have so much magical energy so as to throw off such sophisticated scans as the ones we tried on Astronema."

"...and Lucians have high immunity to magic cast on them, so no magic in the cosmos can infuse a Lucian with as much raw magical power as Astronema has," Cassie added, "So she can't be Lucian."

"Then she lied," Ashley said.

"Or maybe she was lied to," Andros remarked, stepping towards the exit, "I'm taking a break. I need to think about all this."

The four other rangers watched Andros leave the medical lab. Ashley glared furiously at the point where Andros left the room. TJ shook his head.

"This is terrible. Having no answers is far worse than having the answers you weren't looking for."

"This is all too convenient," Ashley said, "Don't you see? She's made sure there is absolutely no way we can prove she isn't Karone! All we have are clues-- not evidence-- that she could be Karone. But nothing solid! I've had enough of this."

With that, Ashley marched toward the exit. Carlos traded glances with TJ and Cassie, and then hurried out into the corridor to follow the Yellow Ranger.

"Wait up!" he called. Ashley stopped, but didn't turn around to face her friend. Carlos caught up with her, and touched her shoulder gently.

"Are you following Andros?" Carlos asked. Ashley frowned.

"I give up on him," she muttered. Carlos walked in front of her, in an attempt to see her face. But Ashley's eyes were focused on the floor, and her arms where folded tightly.

"Are you okay?" he questioned.

"I... I will be," she sighed, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up like that."

"Its okay. We're all under stress."

"Carlos," Ashley said, looking up to face the Black Ranger, "Do you honestly believe Astronema could be Karone?"

Carlos remained quiet for a moment. "Well, I'm one to believe there's two sides to every story. Sure, Astronema's our enemy. But the question is why? And could things be different? I like to consider all possibilities."

Ashley nodded, "I guess I should too. But... I can't shake the feeling that Astronema is lying to us. Sure, I guess its feasible that she's telling the truth. But I just can't accept that. I don't know why."

"I think I do," Carlos said, "I've known you longer than anyone else here, Ashe. I know what kind of friend you are. You're very protective of those you care about. You know what this whole Karone thing means to Andros, and you know how much it'll hurt him if it does turn out Astronema's faking it. And better than anyone else here, you know what Andros has gone through. You're probably the only person here who I can say understands him."

"He's so... pig-headed!" Ashley complained, "He asked for my help, but he totally disregarded my opinion."

"I don't think he did," Carlos said quietly, "Its in the back of his mind, and it carries weight. But in the end, its Andros who'll have to decide whether or not Astronema is being honest with us. Its his problem. We can only help him out."

"I... I'm just so worried that this whole thing will blow up in all our faces," Ashley sighed, "I usually try to be open-minded, but this time, my instincts won't let me."

"Instincts are often right, Ashe. But, they're not always right. We'll figure this whole thing out. C'mon."

"Where are we going?" Ashley asked, as Carlos led her back to the medical lab.

"We're going to look over those tests again," Carlos answered, "Maybe there's something we overlooked. If this is just a big hoax, and Astronema did somehow screw up the readings, then there may be something she missed. All we need to do is find it."

"Sounds like a plan," Ashley said with a grin, as the Yellow and Black Rangers hurried through the corridor to join their friends.

For the third time that day, Andros stepped into the brig. For the first time that day, he came alone. He knew the other Astro Rangers were still in the medical lab, no doubt going over the test results with a fine tooth comb. But Andros' patience was running thin. After all the effort he and his team put into finding the truth, it still alluded them. Andros wasn't a man ruled by his emotions, but nonetheless, he was quite capable of very strong emotions. Recently, when emotion did surface, it was hatred, frustration, or sorrow. Of the three, it was the second that plagued the young Red Ranger.

"Back again?" Astronema asked, looking up at Andros, "I suppose you now want to know about my early years in Dark Spectre's army. What is it with you? Are you planning on writing my biography?"

"No," Andros said, standing still right outside the energy bars separating him from the famed villainess, "I... I'm looking for answers. I just thought that you might have them."

Astronema chuckled. "Trust me, I'm not helping you. Whatever answers you're looking for, your asking the wrong girl."

Andros' face remained stone. "DECA, lower the bars."

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked in surprise, looking at the Red Ranger from his position by the computers.

^That is inadvisable,^ DECA sounded, ^Astronema is a known felon. Any reduction in security measures is prohibited by protocol 321-89973...^

"Enough, DECA," Andros said, "Verbal command, voice scan Andros Wiengart, commander of Megaship."

^Voice scan confirmed.^

"Security override AW1-RR85."

^Override confirmed.^

"Now, lower the energy bars."

Astronema's eyes widened in shock as the green bars of energy lowered from the ceiling down. The only partition between herself and the rest of the Megaship down, Astronema slowly rose to her feet, and kept a watchful eye on Andros. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Tell me, Astronema, you joined Dark Spectre's army right before his invasion of KO 35. Were you part of his attack force?"

Astronema shook her head. "He wouldn't let me set foot on that planet."

"Then I'm going to show it to you. Interior teleport-- two to Simudeck."

^Affirmative,^ said DECA, as the two vanished in bright flashes of red and lavender light. Milliseconds later, they reappeared inside a large black room with high ceilings. The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered in small, pitch black tiles.

"So now what are you gonna do?" Astronema inquired.

"Well, first I'm going to let you know that there's no way you can escape," Andros said sternly, "DECA has a security field around the Simudeck, so you can't leave here without the password. And the passwords must all match my voiceprint. So, no trying to escape. It won't get you anywhere."

"Fine," Astronema mumbled, "Just get to the point."

Andros looked up to the small red light flashing on the ceiling.

"DECA, run Simudeck program A-1."

^Program A-1 is a restricted file. Password.^

"Karone," Andros said quietly.

^Password verified. Initiating program A-1^

Before Astronema's eyes, the blackness of the holographic chamber melted, and in its stead stood a lush garden, with flowers larger than people blossoming near a marble fountain. The fountain stood in a ring of green grass, in the center of a cobblestone walkway. The path led to a gate in one direction, and beyond the gate was a blooming metropolis. In the other direction was a large two story residence, with outer walls of white stone. Above, the bright sun warmed the countryside, and a few clouds passed slowly through the azure sky.

"Does any of this look familiar?" Andros asked, glancing at Astronema. The villainess shook her head, causing her brown locks to tumble over her shoulders.

"Never been here."

"Why?" Andros questioned, "You were part of Dark Spectre's forces for a few years before he launched his invasion of KO 35. Surely by then, you would have been skilled enough to best a good many of his warriors. Lucians are amazing fighters."

Astronema shrugged. "He didn't want me to come here. I did help with the invasion plans, but I wasn't part of the ground forces. So what?"

"So, maybe its more than that. Maybe there's more to your past than you know."

Astronema looked at Andros, and shook her head. "I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but it won't work! I won't betray Dark Spectre!"

"Maybe Dark Spectre betrayed you," Andros suggested calmly. Astronema glared at the Red Ranger furiously.

"You can't manipulate me, Red Ranger. Trust me, you don't know how its done."

Andros met Astronema's gaze without flinching or displaying anger. Astronema then turned away, and began walking through the garden.

"Let me outta here!" she yelled.

"Why does this scene bother you?"

"Maybe you're the one bothering me!" Astronema snapped.

"Keep our deal in mind, Astronema," Andros said, "I told you before that I wanted answers. Once I have them, you're free to go. We'll teleport you back to Earth, so you can contact your fortress. You know Ecliptor didn't go far without you."

Astronema continued walking through the lush yard. Andros followed her. "What are you so afraid of?"

Astronema stopped dead in her tracks. "I fear nothing and no one."

"Then go over there," Andros said, pointing to the large mansion. Astronema looked at the building, and proceeded to walk in the other directon on the path. She passed Andros and the fountain, and continued into the open front door. Inside the room she entered, the walls were lined with portraits of all the former leaders of KO 35. At the end of the long hall was a new portrait, with the special place of being at the top of the door leading out of the hall. Astronema looked at that particular portrait for a longer while, and squinted at it.

"That is Arethusa Wiengart, Prime Minister of the entire planet," Andros said, walking behind her. He stopped at a safe distance from Astronema. "This is the mansion of the Prime Minister, and the scores of noble men and women who held that position are forever remembered in this Hall of Faces. Each Prime Minister is elected for life term, unless he is found unable to accomplish his task. Arethusa was the last Prime Minister to serve. The real mansion is still on KO 35, you know. Its a cold grave, dark and vacant."

"That's what the Kerolians get for standing in Dark Spectre's way," Astronema said nonchalantly, "They deserved it."

Andros stopped himself from responding to Astronema's brazen comment. He then past Astronema, and continued into the reception hall, located right after the Hall of Faces. He climbed the stairs, and soon found himself in the hallway that housed all the bedrooms. He stopped at the first bedroom to the left, and opened the door. He then turned to Astronema. "Go ahead."

Astronema stepped into the room, and surveyed her surroundings. It was obviously a young girl's room, with toys neatly placed on shelves, a stuffed toy atop the cream colored lace bedsheet, and yellow drapes. On the dresser was a photograph, of a middle aged couple and their two children. Astronema scoffed.

"So this is your little family," she smirked, "How sweet."

"Take a closer look at Arethusa," Andros asked, "Notice his medallion, on his neck."

Sure enough, there was a gold medallion, that shimmered with a magical light. Astronema's eyes narrowed.

"Big deal. This whole place is a big illusion. You can't convince me of anything."

"Maybe seeing truly is believing," Andros said, pulling two halves of the medallion from beneath his shirt. He held them before Astronema.

"This one is yours," he said, holding up the half he had taken from her earlier, "and this half has been mine for over ten years. Father gave each of us half of his trusted medallion, to remind us that we drew strength from one another."

To punctuate the statement, Andros held the two medallion halves together. "See the inscription? 'Two halves of a whole, a rope of two strands. Weak is the one, unless with the other he stands.' Karone was far more than just my sister. She was my best friend, my strongest ally. Mother and Father both told us that we would be unbeatable so long as we stood together. And I'm sure we would have been, if only she weren't kidnapped years ago."

"What does that have to do with me?" Astronema asked casually.

"Its simple. My sister had the other half of this medallion, and now, you are in possession of it. You have no recollection of a life before ten years ago, when my sister was taken from us ten years ago."

"Stop right there," Astronema barked, "Don't even suggest it."

"You can't deny the possibility," Andros said, handing Astronema the two halves of the medallion, "See? How could I make this up? This is your medallion, right?"

Astronema remained silent, her eyes nearly burning with anger. Finally, Astronema threw the two halves to the ground, and turned her back to Andros.

"Get me out of here," she said quietly, "I've seen enough."

"DECA," Andros called, "End program."

In a wash of light, Astronema and Andros materialized inside the brig. Without saying a single word, Astronema lay down on the cot in the corner of the small cell. She turned her back to Andros, as the energy bars emerged once again from the floor, separating her from freedom. She lay perfectly still, her face hidden from view. Andros watched her silently for a few moments, pondering on what his next move should be. Finally, he decided to leave her alone. He slowly left the brig, tightly grasping the two halves of the medallion in his hand. As soon as the door irised closed behind him, Andros noticed that the other Astro Rangers were standing there, waiting for him.

"What happened?" Cassie asked, "Where did you go?"

"I took Astronema to the Simudeck, to show her KO 35," he answered, "I was hoping the images would spark a forgotten memory."

"WHAT?!" Ashley shrieked, "Are you nuts? Astronema's Dark Spectre's most powerful henchman, and you let her out of her cell?!"

"Calm down, Ashe," Carlos advised, "I'm sure Andros took every precaution." He then glanced at the Red Ranger. "Right?"

"Of course I did," Andros sighed, "DECA's security field was on maximum. There was no way for her to overpower me and make a getaway! Besides, there's nowhere for her to go. As long as she cooperates, I've given her my word that she'll be delivered safe and sound."

"Don't remind me," Ashley muttered. Andros frowned at the Yellow Ranger.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded, "Why don't you accept that Astronema's story could be true? How can you be so sure she's lying to me? Do you have any indisputable evidence that confirms that she couldn't possibly be Karone?!"

Ashley bit her lower lip. "I..."

"I didn't think so," Andros said, turning away from her and walking down the hall, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do on the bridge."

Ashley glared at Andros angrily, and then turned on her heel, walking into the brig. TJ, Cassie, and Carlos followed her inside.

"What're you doing, Ashley?" Carlos asked gently. Ashley paid the Black Ranger no heed, and stood right in front of Astronema's cell.

"What kind of fools do you take us for?" Ashley demanded, "Do you really think we're going to fall for this?!"

Ashley's frown deepened when Astronema didn't respond. She remained lying on her cot, her back toward the Yellow Ranger.

"Answer me!!" Ashley shouted, "Or else, the deal Andros made with you is shot! You can spend the rest of your life in that cell."

"Just leave me alone," Astronema said, her voice barely audible, "Please."

TJ's eyes widened when he heard how shaky and unsure Astronema's voice sounded. He stared at her more closely, and saw her shoulders quiver slightly.

"Ashe," TJ said, taking hold of her shoulder, "we should get going."

"Why?" Ashley asked, "She's not gonna weasel her way outta this."

"Later," TJ said, pulling the Yellow Ranger out of the brig. Ashley was shocked by TJ's action, but she didn't fight him. Carlos and Cassie followed, leaving Astronema and Alpha alone in the brig.

"Why did you do that?" Ashley asked once they were out of earshot, "Maybe we can break through her little charade with force!"

"Ashe, she was crying," TJ said, "Couldn't you tell?"

"Probably crocodile tears," Ashley muttered.

"Maybe," TJ conceeded, "but maybe not. If she isn't Karone, then she's one heck of an actress. But if she is Karone, no matter how unlikely that is, then she's been through a lot just now. Andros just took her on a tour of her destroyed home world! No matter what kind of spell she may be under, that's too powerful a stimulus to not evoke any reaction at all."

"So you think she's Karone too?" Ashley said in shock.

"Like I said, its possible. So why badger her now? If she's really lying, and those are false tears, then she really isn't in any weakened emotional state, and therefore it doesn't matter if we interrogate her now, or once she's calmed down a bit. Right?"

"Right," Ashley sighed, "You're right, of course. Sorry, Teej."

"Let's go join Andros on the bridge," Cassie suggested, "I'm actually pretty surprised Ecliptor hasn't done anything to try and save Astronema yet. We should keep our eyes peeled for the Dark Fortress."

"Good idea," Carlos affirmed, "Let's move."

"You guys go ahead," Ashley said, "I'm going back to the medical lab. I'm going over those test results one more time."

"Ashe, we've been over them a dozen times," Cassie said gently, "There's nothing to find there."

"There has to be," Ashley said quietly, "Andros asked for hard evidence, and I'm going to find it!"

Inside her cell, her brown eyes wet with false tears, Astronema remained with her back towards the energy bars, her eyes on the back wall. She breathed heavily, and sniffled quietly.

"Um, Astronema?" came the timid voice of Alpha.

"Just leave me alone," Astronema muttered.

"Sure thing," he replied, "I just wanted to give you this."

Alpha reached into the brig, and lay down a cotton handkerchief. Astronema turned around, and realizing what the robot left, rose to her feet to accept the token. She then took her seat again, without saying thanks. As she dried the false tears from her cheeks, a small grin crossed her face.

Its working splendidly. Not only do I have the Red Ranger fooled, I even have the rest of the team unsure. Its only that blasted Yellow Ranger who hasn't bought my story, and its her constant meddling that's stopping them all from completely believing me. Still, now is the time to act. *Ecliptor! Darkonda! Can you hear me?*

Aboard the cloaked Dark Fortress, Ecliptor and Darkonda heard the echoing sound of Astronema's telepathic voice.

"We hear every word," Ecliptor said.

*Good. Now listen carefully. We finally have them right where I want them. All I have to do is get out of the brig to a less secure area. Once I'm clear, I'll need you two to come up with a fantastic distraction. Keep the rangers busy fighting for their lives, and I'll try and disable the shields. Once the shields are down, board the vessel. We're taking this baby over!*

"I have a complete squadron of Velocifighters prepared to engage the Megaship," Ecliptor announced proudly, "and once the ship's defenses are down, Darkonda, Elgar and I will board the ship. We shall make short work of the Astro Rangers."

*See that you do not fail. I will contact you again soon.*

On the bridge of the Megaship, Andros quietly reviewed all the information he had learned in his head, while tightly grasping the two halves of the medallion in his hand. As he reflected, TJ, Carlos, and Cassie walked onto the bridge to join him.

"Andros?" Cassie asked gently, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Cassie," he answered with a heavy sigh, "I suppose I'm just... frustrated."

Andros turned around in his chair, and noticed that only three of the four remaining rangers had arrived. "Where's Ashley?"

"She went to the medical lab," Carlos responded, "She's trying to find that 'indisputable evidence' you asked her for."

Andros winced slightly when he heard his own words shot back at him, even though the strong emotion behind them wasn't repeated. "I suppose I could have handled the situation better."

"She's just trying to help you," TJ said, "We all are. You can't blame her, or any of us, for being skeptical. Ashley did have a point: everything seems incredibly convenient, to blur the evidence that could incriminate Astronema. We have to take this info with a grain of salt, or we could fall in a serious trap."

Andros nodded. "Perhaps my thinking isn't quite as clear as it should be. Maybe I'm... afraid. If Astronema does have Karone's necklace, and she's not Karone, then what does that mean? What could have happened to my sister? And, how will I ever find her without the identifying mark? She could be anyone!"

Suddenly, Andros' communicator sounded. "Yes?"

^Andros, its me, Alpha. Astronema wants to see you right away.^

Andros blinked, and glanced up at the others.

"You'd better go ahead," TJ said, "Maybe you did make some headway after all."

Andros nodded, rising to his feet. He briskly walked through the bridge, and onto the deck.

"You wished to see me?" Andros asked, stepping into the brig. Astronema's eyes were still moist, but she was mostly composed. She stood at the bars, a bland expression on her face.

"Yes," she said quietly, "I was... wondering if I could visit KO 35 again. Alone."

"Why? If I may ask."

Astronema cast her eyes to the floor. "I... I don't know. I'd just like to take another look at the mansion, but without you peeking over my shoulder."

Andros nodded. "I suppose I can understand that. But, how can I trust you?"

Astronema rolled her eyes. "You do have security measures on it," she pointed out, "and you constantly tell me that I should trust you. Perhaps its your turn to reciprocate."

"Fine," Andros said, "DECA, please bring Astronema to the Simudeck. Security override AW1-RR85. And also, activate program A-1, password Karone."

^Passwords verified,^ DECA sounded, and Astronema vanished from the small cell that had become her home. She soon rematerialized inside the spacious garden that she was in earlier that day.

Now, all I have to do is figure out how to get out of here. But first, I'll wait for Ecliptor's distraction. Hopefully, with DECA operating to defend the ship from outside invaders, she won't be able to pay as much attention to little ole' me...

"Okay, Carlos," Andros said, sitting back down in his swivel chair, "anything in your quadrant?"

"Not a whisper," he responded, studying the screen he was looking at closely, "There isn't so much as spacedust over here. I'm not picking up any tacheon particles, or anything else that would be left behind by a space vessel."

"It must be out there somewhere," Andros said, touching his chin, "Ecliptor has served Astronema faithfully for... as long as I can remember! I know he wouldn't just leave her in the hands of the law."

"Maybe he wanted his own chance in the throne?" Cassie suggested.

"No," Andros said confidently, "he'd never betray her like that. Have you ever seen him defend her? Its whole-hearted. He's no groveling servant. He's a loyal warrior. Loyal to the death."

"Could they have gone for reinforcements?" TJ asked, "Maybe they want to hit us hard from both ends, to make sure they beat us?"

"Where would he find reinforcements in the Terran system?" Carlos pointed out, "Dark Spectre's main army is light years from here."

Suddenly, the alarms screamed to life. The four rangers immediately stopped their hypothesizing, and turned on the viewscreen.

"I'm reading four... no seven Velocifighters moving in our direction," Cassie reported, "Fast!"

"Okay, team," Andros, putting both hands on the arms of his chair, "Prepare for evasive action! DECA, take Megaship off standby. Put all available power to weapons and shields."

^Affirmative.^

Inside the medical laboratory, Ashley looked up from her microscope in alarm as the alert signals sounded, and the ship shook from impact.

"We're under attack!" she exclaimed, "Maybe Ecliptor's trying to free Astronema? Figures..."

Ashley rose from her seat and ran down the hallway. She soon arrived at the brig, and realized instantly that their captive wasn't there.

"Alpha!" she panted, looking around the brig, "Alpha?"

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked, walking out of a storage closet, "There's no reason to yell, Ashley. I can hear you perfec--"

"Where's Astronema?" she interrupted, "She's escaped!"

"No she didn't. Andros brought her to the Simudeck again."

"Andros is on the Simudeck at a time like this?!" Ashley cried in disbelief.

"No, Astronema wanted to be alone," Alpha clarified.

"She wanted to be alone on the Simudeck?" Ashley repeated, her eyes widening with realization, "Of course! The Simudeck may have security protocols, but they aren't top priority, neither are they as powerful as the brig's! If the ship is in battle mode, energy is taken directly from the Simudeck, since its a non-necessary program, to give a boost to the weapons! Astronema may get loose!"

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked in alarm, "You're right!"

Wasting no time, Ashley dashed down the corridors.

Astronema began to cackle with joy as the image of KO 35 melted away, and then phased back into reality.

"As I figured," she said, her hands on her hips, "the ship's diverting power from all non-necessary systems, including the Simudeck. Ecliptor's timing is perfect!"

Astronema tossed back her brown curls, and walked toward where she knew the exit was. The door appeared as the image of KO 35 once again blinked out of reality. Astronema stared at the doors, trying to force them open with her powers, but they wouldn't budge.

"DECA!" she called, "Open the door!"

^Opening the Simudeck gate while the program is on maximum security is prohibited by protocol 321-89973556.^

Maybe enough energy hasn't been diverted yet to completely shut down this maximum security thing, but I'm sure its enough to make DECA herself a little more susceptible to deception...

With a conspiring grin, Astronema cleared her throat. "Verbal command, voice scan Andros Wiengart, commander of Megaship," she said in an exact replica of Andros' own voice. She had recalled perfectly what Andros had said to deactivate security, although usually, DECA would be able to detect the slight differences of the manufactured voice. This time, however, DECA wasn't paying enough attention.

^Voice scan confirmed.^

Astronema's grin widened. "Security override AW1-RR85."

^Override confirmed.^

"Now open the door."

Astronema chuckled as the door opened before her, giving her total access to the famed Megaship. However, she gasped with surprise as the door parted, and a fully morphed Yellow Ranger blocked her path, her arms crossed.

"I was right," she said, walking into the Simudeck, "You were playing us for fools!"

Astronema snarled. "And all this time, you were the only thing standing in my way..."

With that, Astronema bent her arm at the elbow, the back of her palm just reaching her chin. She then extended her arm, a wave of purple energy streaking the path her hand moved, and flying at the Yellow Ranger full force. Ashley cartwheeled out of the way, and replied to the attack with her Star Slinger. She fired four consecutive beams of light at her opponent. The first three all missed their intended targets, but the forth made contact, striking Astronema on the left cheek and cutting through her supple skin like a knife. Astronema shrieked with rage and fell onto her back. Ashley confidently stood above her, holding her Star Slinger ready to fire.

"You breathe, I fire," Ashley threatened. Astronema remained still, her brown eyes tinted with a purple glow. However, a particularly powerful hit to the Megaship caused both women to roll along the Simudeck floor. Quickly, Astronema lifted herself into the air, protecting her from the shaking of the ship, and watched as Ashley tried to get back on her feet.

"No you don't, little ranger!" she yelled, holding both hands at the Yellow Ranger. Vines of purple energy entangled the Yellow Ranger, forcing her to drop to the ground. As she struggled against Astronema's magic, the young sorceress walked towards the entrance, which was still open.

"You'll pay for this with your life," Astronema muttered, touching the blood that streaked down her cheek. "DECA," she said in Andros' voice, "turn on the most dangerous training program on file, and turn off safeties. Computer Lockout, priority one."

^Lockout confirmed,^ DECA said, as fading image of KO 35 vanished completely. The scene slowly became a jungle, with vicious animal sounds echoing in the area. Astronema laughed deeply, and glanced at the Yellow Ranger, who was still struggling against her bonds.

"Good luck," she called, stepping out of the chamber. The door closed behind her, and sealed.

"Only Andros can undo a priority one lockout," Astronema said to herself, walking down the corridor, "and by the time he finds out what's happened to his precious Yellow Ranger, she'll have more holes in her than the moon!"

Astronema continued to laugh as she moved through the corridors.

Finally, she arrived at a computer terminal. Astronema's laughter died down a little, and she held both her hands on the terminal.

"And they thought I needed my scepter to use my powers?" she chuckled, purple sparks of energy flowing from her body into the computer, "Ha!"

As the energy flashed throughout the system, it traveled through the interworking connections at light speed. Soon, the lights flashed on and off, and the engines came to a halt.

So long as I focus my dark powers through the ship, all its systems will be stalled. Ecliptor had better arrive soon with reinforcements, so we can level this ship, and everyone on it!!

On the bridge, the lights suddenly cut off.

"What happened?!" Cassie shrieked, turning around in her seat.

"All systems are non-responsive!" Carlos yelled, madly pressing buttons, "Nothing's happening!"

Andros' eyes widened, and he watched the dark screen that previously showed the three remaining Velocifighters. "Without power," he said quietly, "the shields--"

To punctuate his statement, the ship rocked even harder than before, throwing all the rangers from their seats, and causing control panels to spark with fury.

"Could the Velocifighters' lasers have cut off the power?" TJ asked, shakily rising to his feet.

"I doubt it," Cassie muttered, tossing back her black hair, "It must have happened from the inside--"

"Astronema!" Andros shouted, "She was in the Simudeck. DECA!"

But DECA wouldn't respond, and the ship once again shook madly.

"TJ! Carlos!" Andros ordered, "Go check out the Simudeck, and see if she's still in there!"

"You got it," TJ said, grabbing a flashlight from beneath his control panel. Carlos did the same, and the two rangers hurried to the gate. Meanwhile, Andros and Cassie both managed to sit back in their seats, and buckle themselves in.

"Without interior power, we can't contact any of the ship's communications relays," Andros said, lifting his wrist communicator, "But we should be able to reach Ashley. Ashley? Come in. Do you read me?"

Andros frowned when he received no answer. He then changed the frequency of his communicator. "TJ?"

^I read you, Andros,^ the Blue Ranger responded.

"Ashley's not answering her communicator, and with the systems down, I can't figure out where on the ship she is."

^We'll keep an eye out for her, but without internal power, its hard maneuvering through the ship! We have to pry open all the electronic doors.^ "Keep moving," Andros said solemnly, "We don't know how much time we have left."

Inside the darkened Simudeck, Ashley heard her communicator sound. However, she couldn't respond, for she was still trapped within the purple vines of energy Astronema had entangled her in. She tried to pry her arms free, but it was no use. She couldn't reach her communicator, which meant she was completely cut off from her friends.

"DECA!" she called into the darkness, "DECA! Can you hear me?"

Suddenly, the lights turned on again in the Simudeck, leaving Ashley in the dark tiled room she was familiar with.

"DECA, can you hear me now?" she asked.

^Affirmative,^ DECA answered, ^Now starting training program level Sigma.^

"No!" Ashley shouted, "DECA, discontinue program!"

^Program lockout,^ DECA sounded tonelessly, as the tiled room once again transformed in appearance. Ashley gasped as she found herself in the jungle she had seen moments before all the power cut off, with the threatening voices of dozens of animals all around. Ashley felt herself quake with fear when she saw the bushes nearby teem with motion. Suddenly, a large wolven creature leapt out of the bush, bearing claws over a foot in length. Ashley struggled to push herself away as the creature slowly approached.

I've got to get free, she thought, forcing herself on her back. When the creature leapt at her again, she pushed her legs out, holding the creature back. However, it roared angrily, and slashed at Ashley nonetheless. The razor claws managed to break through the energy chains that restrained her, but they also penetrated Ashley's armor, leaving three six inch long cuts along her upper left arm. Ashley struggled to get up, and grasped her wound painfully. She was shocked to see how easily its claws sliced through her armor.

"Push past the pain," she ordered herself, taking a fighting position. The creature leapt at her again, its claws at the ready and saliva dripping from its fangs. Ashley managed to sidestep the monster, delivering a mighty spinning kick to the monster's back as it sailed past her. The added force of Ashley's attack, compounded with the monster's own momentum, caused it to fly uncontrollably into a tree. It crashed through the tree, causing the top portion to fall in Ashley's direction. Ashley quickly caught the falling tree at the base, and pushed it the other way, crashing onto the monster and pinning it to the ground. Ashley gasped with relief, and began looking around the jungle for something to bandage her wound with. But she soon noticed another bush moving slightly.

"I hate Vermillian Wolverines," she muttered, once again taking a defensive stance, "They always travel in packs!"

Not far from the Simudeck, Astronema regrouped with Elgar, Ecliptor, and Darkonda at the station where she had disrupted the ship's systems. As soon as Ecliptor saw Astronema, he kneeled before his mistress. Elgar mimicked his motions, but Darkonda merely nodded slightly.

"You will show the Dark Princess some respect!" Ecliptor growled. Darkonda rolled his eyes, and bowed more deeply.

"Pleasantries don't matter at this point," Astronema said, "I only took the shields down long enough for a skeleton crew to come aboard. Now we have to disable the shields for good, so we can teleport some Quantrons over to help us scour the ship."

"We don't really need them," Elgar mentioned, "After all, there's only five Rangers to worry about."

"Four, actually," Astromena chuckled, glancing at the Simudeck gate down the hall, "The Yellow Ranger is out of our way for good."

"Then we need to find the four remaining Rangers, and secure the bridge and engineering," Darkonda said, "From either station, we can deactivate the shields and whatever other systems we want for an extended period of time."

"Excellent," Astronema said, "Darkonda, you find the bridge, and Ecliptor, you find engineering. Elgar, you find the brig, and make sure that little robot Alpha is out of commission. I'll search the ship for any more Rangers."

"Yes, Astronema," Ecliptor said, rising to his feet. He then reached out, and handed his mistress her scepter. "I thought you might like to have it."

Astronema grinned, accepting her scepter. Her eyes began to glow brightly as she strode through the hallway. Ecliptor, Darkonda, and Elgar went their own ways, making their way through the damaged vessel.

On the other side of the vessel, Carlos and TJ continued moving through the empty corridors.

"Well, Ashley's not in the medical lab," Carlos sighed, closing the door behind him as he returned to the hallway, "It looks like she hurried out of there. All the files she was studying are all over the place."

"At least the power's back on," TJ sighed, glancing back into the lab, "Maybe we can scan the ship for Ashley and Astronema? It'll be easier."

TJ walked back into the lab, and tried to turn on the computer system there. However, the keyboard sparked as he typed.

"This system's shot," he sighed, "I guess the Megaship sustained more damage during the blackout than we realized."

"There's a computer at the brig," Carlos recalled, "and that's just down the corridor. Let's check it out!"

Carlos and TJ hurried down the hall, and walked into the brig. They were surprised to see smoke pouring out of that chamber once the door opened.

"Oh no," TJ whispered, waving the smoke from his face, "This whole system suffered some kind of feedback!"

"Rrrangers," came a weak, shaky whisper from beneath a pile of sparking debris. Carlos and TJ immediately hurried to the pile, and began unearthing the individual trapped within. Carlos glanced upwards, and noticed the ceiling had caved in completely, creating the majority of the rubble that littered the brig.

"Alpha!" TJ said in relief, pulling the robot into a sitting position. Alpha shook his head, and struggled to his feet.

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked, "Thanks, guys! I thought I'd be trapped forever!"

"What happened?" Carlos asked.

"During the blackout, there were about four serious hits sustained by the Megaship," Alpha explained, "One of them sent a shockwave through the periphery systems, which ended up causing this computer station to override. It basically exploded, bringing the ceiling down with it."

"Have you seen Ashley or Astronema?" TJ asked.

"Ashley came in here right before the blackout. She went to the Simudeck to make sure Astronema was still inside, but I never heard from her again. When I tried to contact her, the whole ship blacked out."

"We'd better get to the Simudeck," Carlos said, "I doubt there's much chance Astronema is still there, but its a good place to start looking for her and Ashley."

TJ nodded, and the Blue and Black Rangers hurried to the door. TJ paused, and glanced back at Alpha. "Will you be okay?"

"I'm fine," Alpha affirmed, "I'll hold the fort over here."

"Keep in touch," Carlos recommended, and the Rangers continued down the corridor. As they moved, they heard footsteps echoing in the hall. TJ perked at the sound, and grabbed Carlos' arm, forcing the Black Ranger to stop.

"Do you hear that?" TJ whispered. Carlos listened for a moment, and then nodded.

"Could it be Ashley?" he asked. TJ frowned, and stepped closer to the corner of the wall they were leaning against. Quickly, he peeked into the connecting corridor, to see who was making the sounds. His eyes narrowed when he saw Elgar clumsily moving down the hallway, polishing his sword and muttering to himself.

"Find the robot?" he mumbled, "What kind of a pointless mission is that? And the brig? That place gives me goosebumps!"

"That sounds like Elgar," Carlos whispered in disbelief. TJ nodded.

"It is. Astronema's forces must've boarded the ship during the blackout! Who knows how many of them are aboard?"

"He's looking for Alpha," Carlos recalled, "We gotta stop him!"

"He's headed for the brig," TJ said, as both he and Carlos moved quietly back through the corridor and past the brig, "We'll wait 'til he goes in, and then surprise him."

Carlos nodded, and the two Rangers ducked around another corner. They heard Elgar's voice grow louder as he moved closer to them.

"Find the robot, find the robot," Elgar repeated with a sigh, "While Darkonda and Ecliptor get to go to the bridge and engineering?! Why do I get the feeling Astronema doesn't consider me on par with them? Hmm, must be my imagination..."

Elgar shrugged, and walked into the brig. He smirked when he saw Alpha, who was busy trying to repair the systems.

"Boo!" Elgar shrieked. Alpha screamed in surprise, and turned around.

"Elgar!" he shouted, "Oh, aye yi yi yi yi..."

Elgar unsheathed his sword, and pointed it threateningly at the small robot. "Now, what am I supposed to do with you? Astronema didn't specify."

"Uh, how about letting me go?" Alpha suggested innocently.

"Yes," said a commanding voice, "and from where I'm standing, that's the only option you have, Elgar."

Elgar whirled around in surprise, and saw Carlos and TJ standing in the entrance to the brig, both holding their Astro-Blasters with their fingers on the trigger.

"Uh..." Elgar muttered dropping his sword and raising his hands, "you got it all wrong! I'm here under coercion! Yeah, that's it! I'm only following orders."

"Stop babbling," Carlos said, stepping into the brig. He tilted his head towards the vacant detention cell. "Make yourself at home."

"Uh... okey dokey. No reason to get violent here," Elgar proclaimed, walking into the cell and sitting down on the cot where Astronema had been only hours ago. TJ and Carlos lowered their weapons, and TJ activated the energy grid.

"In the hall, Elgar said Darkonda and Ecliptor are on board, heading for the bridge and engineering," Carlos recalled aloud, "They're trying to get a foothold on the Megaship!"

"We'd better get moving," TJ said, "We need to alert Andros and Cassie that they're about to get company. Then, we head for engineering."

Carlos shook his head. "I'm gonna keep looking for Ashley. If she's in the Simudeck, she may be in trouble."

TJ nodded as the two young men hurried out of the brig. Carlos rushed down the hall to the Simudeck, while TJ moved towards the lift to take him to Deck 6, where the main engineering station was found. Once he reached the lift, he activated his communicator. "Andros? Cassie? Do you read me?"

The sound of TJ's voice stirred Cassie to consciousness. She opened her eyes groggily, and startled when she saw sparks flying from the console nearby.

Cassie tried to lift herself from the computer console she was draped upon. That's when the throbbing pain shot through her entire body, causing a groan to escape her lips. Dazed and weak, Cassie managed to push herself back into her chair and activate her wrist unit's communication function.

^Cassie?!^ TJ's voice continued, ^Was that you? Are you okay?^

"We're fine, but Darkonda got the jump on us," she said, managing to focus on TJ's voice rather than the sounds of swordplay that rocked the bridge, "Andros is holding him off, but I think he needs my help. Cassie out."

Cassie deactivated the communicator, and forced herself onto her feet. The resounding pain continued to strain her muscles, but she managed to steady herself.

It had all happened so fast. Cassie and Andros were doing their best to reboot the systems, hoping to be able to run a full scan of the ship and determine where Ashley and Astronema were located. It was then that Darkonda somehow blew in the door, and released random fire into the bridge. Consoles exploded in flames, and Cassie was struck in the back by a rebounded laser shot, throwing her into her console and promptly knocking her unconscious. She was fortunate the beam struck her on the rebound, for it likely would have killed her had it hit head-on.

From the sounds of battle, it seemed clear that Andros wasn't greatly injured by the laser volley that caught the pair by surprise. He managed to morph into the Red Astro Ranger, and was doing an excellent job warding off Darkonda. He was able to beat him back from the bridge itself into the outer room right before the lift. At least there, he wouldn't be able to damage too many systems. However, there was less room to maneuver for both combatants.

"Let's Rocket!" Cassie said, flipping open her wrist unit and pressing a sequence of buttons. In a flash of bright rose-colored light, the Pink Astro Ranger was ready for action. She immediately ran out of the bridge, and saw the Red Ranger and Darkonda engaged in a heated sword match.

"You can't beat me, little Ranger," Darkonda jeered, "I was clashing swords while you were in diapers!"

Andros didn't bother to respond to the derogation. Instead, he continued to block every swing of Darkonda's long broadsword, keeping in mind that the famed bounty hunter was quite tricky, and unbothered by the nuisance of fighting fairly.

"Now I've got ya!" Darkonda squealed, firing a stream of flames from his sword. Andros flipped out of the way, but had little room to land, considering the small size of the antechamber. As soon as he landed, Darkonda struck Andros with the blunt end of his sword in the back of his knees, forcing him to the ground. His sword poised at Andros' neck, he began to cackle.

"Poor little boy, so easily tricked. So gullible..."

Suddenly, Darkonda felt himself sliding backwards. He struggled against the pull, yet he couldn't free himself from the pink force that dragged him away from his conquest.

"I've got him in my tractor beam," Cassie said, her Satellite Stunner continuing to fire upon Darkonda. Andros rose to his feet, and lifted his Spiral Saber.

"Now, let's finish this," Andros muttered, holding his sword high.

"Wait!" Darkonda shouted, throwing his hands up in surrender, "You're not going to kill me, are you?"

Andros didn't flinch. "Why not? You're wanted for murder, theft, treason, terrorism, and hundreds of other charges on planets throughout the Milky Way. There's a price on your head, you know... but I'll take care of it for free."

"But, if you kill me, you'll never know what happened to Karone," Darkonda pointed out, a grin on his demonic face.

Andros shuddered in surprise. "...what?"

"Come on, by now you've realized Astronema isn't your sister. She's played you for a fool. And as for the necklace... I'm the one that provided it to enhance the illusion."

Andros' surprise quickly transformed into blinding ire. "Where did you get it?!"

"You'll never know if you kill me."

Then, Darkonda began to laugh mockingly. Cassie gazed at the creature, and then at Andros, in confusion and worry. Although his helmet hid his features, Cassie could tell Andros was enraged by the back-stabbing felon.

The laugh echoed in his skull, as if it were a hundred times louder than it actually was. The laugh of triumph, of cruelty and evil, without sympathy. Reveling in the torment of others. He realized he had heard this very same laughter years ago, in a moment of heart-wrenching emotional pain.

"It was you!!" Andros suddenly shrieked, his grip tightening on his saber, "You kidnapped my sister!! Didn't you?!"

Darkonda grinned. "Well, I don't want to incriminate myself..."

"Where is she?" Andros demanded in an impassioned voice, "If you don't tell me--"

"Andros!" Cassie suddenly shouted, "Look out!!"

Andros whirled around in surprise, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the streak of purple lightning that struck him on the side, throwing him through the doorway into the bridge. Cassie gasped as Astronema walked off the lift, her scepter sparking with energy.

"Nice timing," Darkonda commented, "I'd bow, but I'm unable to control my muscles, at the moment."

Astronema's icy gaze turned to Cassie, who was still holding the Satellite Stunner to encase Darkonda in an inhibiting field of pink energy. She was forced to drop the shield as she threw herself into the bridge, narrowly missing the lavender lightning that struck the ground she was standing on before.

Scrambling to her feet, Cassie raced to the door itself, and smashed her fist into the emergency lock button. The door sealed closed, keeping Astronema and Darkonda outside.

Cassie then pulled herself to her feet, and turned to the door. She knew it wouldn't be able to keep Astronema and Darkonda out of the bridge for long, but everything counted on keeping the Megaship out of Astronema's control.

"DECA," Cassie heard from behind the door, "open the door, please."

Cassie gasped in horror when she heard her own voice disregard her former order. Somehow, Astronema mimicked her voice perfectly.

"Gotta keep them out," she decided, pulling her Astro-Blaster from her holster. She held her weapon poised, ready to fire the instant the door cracked open. To her surprise, it never did.

^DECA is currently offline. Please wait for system realignment.^

Cassie sighed in relief. For the moment, she and Andros were safe. However, not having DECA could pose problems later on.

She barely holstered the weapon before a resounding shockwave shook the entire bridge, accompanied by a resonating clang.

"They're breaking in," she gasped, pulling her helmet off. She raced back into the bridge, and checked on Andros, who was finally orienting himself after his flight through the room.

"Astronema and Darkonda are in the antechamber," she explained, pulling the Red Ranger to his feet, "They're trying to break in."

"All this time," Andros whispered, "Darkonda had kidnapped Karone..."

Cassie's eyes flared with impatience. "Andros, we don't have time to reflect on that now! We need to figure out how to get out of here alive! And we need to regroup."

Andros nodded, and pulled his helmet off. He rubbed his sore forehead, his eyes narrowed in thought. "What systems aren't operational?"

Cassie raced to her console. "Engines are fried, no internal or external teleportation or communication, no internal sensors, and DECA's program is compromised."

Cassie blinked in surprise. "According to the energy readouts, the only systems functioning within normal parameters are life support, environment, the shields, and... the Simudeck."

"The Simudeck?" Andros repeated, "Can you shut it off?"

"Not from here," Cassie said in frustration, typing commands furiously, "The remote system's malfunctioning."

"DECA?!" Andros called, raising his head to the small projector that served as the DECA interface on the bridge.

^DECA is currently offline. Please wait for system realignment.^

"Damn," Cassie swore, "Who knows how long it'll take DECA to realign? We have to do everything manually."

Andros stared at the sealed door as the pounding continued. "You and I can evacuate the ship via the Galaxy Glider jump tubes, but the others would still be trapped, and that leaves the Megaship in Astronema's hands."

"Then we need to get everyone off the ship," Cassie said, "but how?"

"The shuttle bay," Andros said, "It's on the lowest deck. Hopefully TJ, Carlos, and Ashley can reach it."

"But what about Astronema and her forces?"

Andros frowned, his fists clenched tightly. "I just don't know."

His blood boiling, the Black Ranger continued firing his Astro-Blaster/Lunar Lance combination at the gate to the Simudeck. He held the weapon on prolonged fire for nearly a minute, until the red overheat warning light flashed. Infuriated, Carlos deactivated the laser.

He heard growling within. It was something like a wolf's howl, mixed with a lion's predatory roar. It was strange and blood-curdling, and the young Ranger couldn't place what kind of beast could make that sound. But whatever it was, Carlos was convinced it wasn't friendly.

Carlos disconnected the Astro-Blaster from the Lunar Lance, and holstered the pistol in his belt. Gripping the pole arm with both hands, he hacked at the door as if his weapon were a hammer, mustering all his strength for each blow. He didn't let it hinder him when he noticed all his efforts barely made a dent in the reinforced steel of the door.

"Ah!" he heard from within the Simudeck. A cold chill engulfed him as he wondered what that meant.

"Ashe?!" he called, stopping his brutal attack on the door for a moment, "Can you hear me?"

"Carlos?" she responded, her voice just loud enough for Carlos to perceive through the thick door, "Get me outta here!!"

"I'm working on it," he said with determination, "Just... hold on."

Finally deciding to stop hammering the door, he stepped back and reflected upon his options. Several times he asked DECA to open the door or to end the program, but for some reason DECA wasn't operating properly. He also tried to open the door using the panel on the outside of the Simudeck, but there was some kind of system lockout preventing him from altering the program.

Maybe I can somehow cut the power? he asked himself, grabbing the panel and pulling it off. Sparks flew as the wires and circuit boards behind the panel were exposed. It was then that the Black Ranger realized how complicated the electrical circuitry was aboard the Megaship.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted, tossing down the panel in frustration. An idea then struck him, and he began bounding down the hallway towards the brig.

"Carlos?" Ashley cried, flipping to the side just in time to avoid receiving another deep wound, "Carlos?! Hurry up!!"

Panic began to settle in once again, as she began to wonder if her friend had abandoned her. He wouldn't give up, would he?

No, she decided, Carlos would never leave me behind.

Somewhat heartened by that conclusion, she dodged the Wolverine's claw, grabbed its wrist as it passed her helmet, and while holding it steady, she delivered two powerful front kicks to its ribcage. The Wolverine cried out in pain, and she then tossed it into the two Wolverines that approached her.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Ashley backed away as the three creatures regained their bearings. After battling these deadly monsters for what seemed like hours, she was slowly learning how they fought and moved. Still, for every mistake she made, she received a painful blow.

The problem was, every time a Wolverine was destroyed, another took its place. That's how the Simudeck's practice programs function: a certain number of opponents at a time, without an end until the program is shut off. She was fortunate that the Simudeck was programmed for three opponents, rather than a higher number.

Still, three Vermillion Wolverines at a time was still more than Ashley thought she could handle for long.

A burning pain ran throughout her body, each time a single muscle moved. But that didn't stop Ashley from moving, for idleness would surely mark her death.

Her entire uniform was blotched red with her blood, flowing from many wounds. Most of them were superficial, but a few were very deep. It was a wonder that Ashley was able to move. Only the Power could protect her in that way, coupled with the sustenance of determination.

The Wolverines decided then to attack her from all angles at once. They'd tried that tactic earlier, and while Ashley managed to ward off two, the third sunk its claws into her shoulders, and tossed her through the artificial jungle, crashing her head into a tree upon landing. If she hadn't been quick to pick up a tree branch that fell from the tree as she impacted, she wouldn't have been able to hold the creature off as it tried to take advantage of her disorientation.

This time, however, Ashley wasn't going to let them trick her. She waited, her knees bent to maintain perfect balance, and her left hand tightly holding her Star Slinger. The instant the beasts pounced, Ashley shifted her weight to her left leg, pushing off and spinning on her right foot like an ice skater. As she spun, she fired her weapon in all directions, the roars of pain from her victims bringing a smile of success to her sweaty face. She stopped spinning, and looked around. The three Wolverines were slowly vanishing into nothing, meaning the next batch would be arriving soon. Also, the artificial forest that served as the background was on fire.

"Uh oh," she muttered, realizing she had trapped herself in a holographic forest fire, "this program is a little too realistic for my tastes!"

In addition, three new Wolverines leapt from the burning trees, landing in a row in front of Ashley. She was so startled by their sudden appearance that she was totally defenseless, leaving herself open for a savage swing that dug into her stomach and swept across her entire midsection. Ashley choked in surprise and pain, and collapsed to the ground. She tried to keep her eyes open, but as she saw the monsters close in for the kill, her determination faded, and she awaited the inevitable.

It never came.

"Ashley!" Carlos voice rang, bringing Ashley to force her eyes open. To her astonishment, the burning forest was gone, and the Wolverines had vanished as well. All she saw was the black and green grid of the Simudeck's walls, until the Black Ranger rushed into her field of vision, tearing off his helmet and gazing at her worriedly. She discerned the panic in Carlos' dark eyes, and the sweat on his face.

Ashley was ready to make some wry comment, but she couldn't force air through her lungs. Instead, her mouth moved slightly, and her eyes fluttered closed.

"No!" Carlos ordered, holding her face between his hands, "Stay awake, Ashe! Keep your eyes on me!! Look at me!!"

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked, kneeling beside Ashley on the other side, "It's a good thing we managed to cut off the power to the Simudeck when we did!"

"Alpha," Carlos gasped, turning to the robot, "we have to get her to the med lab!"

"Contact Andros first," Alpha decided, opening his chest plate and pulling out a small scanner, "I'll start registering her wounds. I have one with me all