"First thing's first.I am going to challenge them." Andros stood in the Control Room, polishing the twirling blade of his spiral saber.
Ashley stood in the doorway where he could not see her, just watching him. For the past few weeks, the two lovers had done barely any speaking to each other since their argument. And if they had spoken, it was brief and painful. She hadn't been feeling well lately either, getting sick every morning, and constantly having mood swings. For some reason, those mood swings only seemed to kick in when she was around Andros.
"D.E.C.A., I'm going to be leaving soon. I'm going to program you to where you and the others can't track or come after me. I don't want my mission interefered with."
"Yes, Andros." The shipboard computer replied.
Ashley stepped out of the doorway and into the room, eyes narrowed. "LEAVING?" she asked. "You're LEAVING?"
Andros turned around to face her, nodded slowly, then turned back away and continued to polish his weapon.
"And just WHERE do you think you're GOING?" Ashley put her hands on her hips, and winced when a pang of nausea swept over her. This had been happening often in the past few weeks.
"Where do you THINK, " He replied, his voice cold.
She sighed. They'd argued over this many times. Andros wanted revenge on Dark Specter and Astronema for Carlos' death.and he was convinced that by destroying them both, that it would avenge what had happened. "It's not going to bring Carlos back, Andros. Revenge is blind.don't let it overcome you."
Andros shot her a glare. "It WILL prevent any others from getting killed by them." He muttered.
"Maybe... and maybe NOT! What if YOU get killed!?!?" Ashley walked over to him and took his hand, starting to kiss his fingers gently. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Andros. I love you."
"As long as they are dead before I die, then I'm not overly concerned with my own death."
She dropped his hand suddenly, and wrapped him up in her warm embrace. "I AM concerned over whether you die or not! Andros, contrary to your belief, I love you! I don't want anything happening to you!"
Andros put the weapon in a sheath at his hip. "I don't understand why you care so much about me. There is absolutely nothing you could possibly love about someone like me. I'm no one special."
"You are! And I am not the only one who cares! All of the others care too! We... we don't want to see you kill yourself like this... or at all."
"Ashley, Dark Specter and Astronema need to be killed. Why wait and let other innocents get hurt or murdered when I am ready to rid the universe of them now?" Andros inquired. It was an innocent question, and he was right. But why did he have to be so darn right all the time! He'd still get killed!
"At least let us go with you!" Ashley practically begged. "You'll have better odds!"
Andros shook his head fiercely. "You've been getting sick. I don't want you anywhere NEAR Specter, do you understand me? I don't want you, Cassie, or T.J. anywhere near him. I don't want him to kill you like he did my first crew!"
"It wont happen!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to lose you, Andros. Can't you bring youself to understand that?"
"I understand, Ashley." He whispered. "But I don't want to lose YOU."
Ashley shook her head and stared at him. The beginnings of tears began to pool up in her eyes. "Andros... please."
He swallowed hard, trying to hard not to look into her eyes. "I... I have to do this." His voice was quavering, and he shut his eyes. "I've got to."
Bursting into tears, The Yellow Ranger ran out of the room.
Andros sighed as he watched after her. "Goodbye, Ashley." He turned to the window. "D.E.C.A., send out that challenge transmission to Dark Specter and Astronema immediately, I want to get this over with."
"Yes, Andros."
Cassie backed up into the wall as a sobbing yellow blur streaked past her and ran into the room right next to hers. "Ashley!? Ashley, what's wrong?" she walked to the door of Ashley's quarters.
She was laying on her bed, quivering as she cried. No answer came from her for Cassie's concerned question.
Cassie ran down the hall into the Blue Ranger's quarters. "T.J.! Ashley's crying!"
"What?" he asked. "What's happened now?"
She shook her head. "I donno, but I think it's Andros again!"
"I'm going to have to go and talk to him." T.J. sighed and sat up from his bed. He had obviously just been asleep, as Cassie had run into his room, screaming about Ashley.
"I wonder what he's up to this time." Cassie growled. Andros had failed to get on her good side ever since the Carlos incident. He had done nothing but hurt Ashley ever since. "He's really upset her this time!"
"It must be bad." He got to his feet and headed towards the door. "I think I am going to have a word with Mr. Andros in there."
Cassie nodded. "Good idea. You talk to him, and I'll go talk to Ashley. I'll see if I can calm her down enough to talk to me."
T.J. gave Cassie a short salute and headed out of the room with her at his heels. He continued down the corridor to head into the control room, while Cassie walked into Ashley's room.
"Ashley?" she asked carefully.
Still crying, Ashley replied. "What?"
"What's the matter?"
"ANDROS!"
_I only figured as much,_ Cassie scowled _He's been like this a lot lately._ "What has he done now?"
Ashley sniffled. "It's what he's GOING to do... the IDIOT!!"
Cassie groaned inwardly. "You guys have done nothing but fight since Carlos died! I am tired of it." She sighed. "What is he going to do?"
"He's going to try and kill Dark Specter and Astronema by himself!" Ashley declared as the tears started to pour down again.
"That IDIOT!" Cassie declared.
Ashley nodded her head fiercly. "He isn't thinking straight at all. And I tried to talk some sense into him, but he wont even listen to me! It's like I'm talking to a brick wall! No... wait... Andros is denser than that!"
"Neither of you has thought straight since Carlos died, Ashley." Cassie pointed out.
"Carlos and I knew each other all of our lives, and we were the best of friends! Practically brother and sister to each other! How can I possibly think straight!? That, and I haven't been feeling top notch lately either!"
Her friend laid a hand on her forehead. "I think you need to get D.E.C.A. to check you out, Ash. How long has this been going on?"
"A couple of weeks," Was Ashley's answer.
Cassie bit her lip, then nodded. "Okay, what are your symptoms?"
Ashley leaned back against the wall. "I've been throwing up every morning. I have constant nausea, and major moodswings. That... and I have the most BIZZARE food cravings. I can't understand it at all!"
Reflecting back on the time before Carlos had died, Cassie remembered that Ashley and Andros had a rumored sexual relationship. No one knew about it for sure, except for Ashley and Andros.and they were never willing to share on that information. "You had better tell Andros this before he gets his ass killed in battle!"
"He knows that I'm not feeling good." Ashley grumbled. "He wants me to get better."
"But he DOESN'T know you're pregnant!"
Ashley's jaw dropped practically down to the floor. "Say what?"
"Girl, it doesn't take D.E.C.A. to tell that you're pregnant! Those symptoms are ENOUGH!"
"Ohhh...." she realized that Cassie was right, and jumped to her feet. "I've got to tell Andros!"
Cassie grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. "Come on, let's go!" and with that the two of them ran into the Control room, where Andros and T.J. were in a heated argument over the current situation.
"I don't know what exactly you think you're doing, buddy, but you aren't going ANYWHERE!"
"Look, T.J.! I am going whether you want me to or not! None of you understand!"
Cassie pressed her lips together tightly, letting out a loud, piercing whistle that split the air. Everyone turned to look at her, but her eyes were only on Andros. "Look now, HOLD UP!"
"Andros! Don't go!!" Ashley begged.
"You're not thinking straight!" T.J. insisted.
Andros sighed. "I'm thinking a lot straighter than any of you are in this situation." He muttered. He then turned to look at Ashley. "I don't have a choice!"
"You have to stay!" she cried. "I have news!"
"BIG news!" Cassie declared.
"REALLY big news!" Ashley's voice rang through the room, and she started to move closer to her boyfriend. "Andros, I'm." before she could finish, she was cut off.
"There is a reply transmission coming in, Andros." D.E.C.A. told him.
Ignoring everyone else in the room, and forgetting Ashley, Andros walked over to the controls. "From who?"
The rangers wished that they had not heard D.E.C.A.'s response. "Dark Specter."
Andros growled deep within his throat. "Let the transmission through!" he demanded.
Dark Specters image suddenly appeared on a large screen that stood before them. He laughed evilly. "Greetings, Rangers!" he rumbled.
"I see that you received my challenge, Specter." Andros said, a strangly calm tinge to his voice.
"Indeed!" he chuckled. "Come, Red Ranger! Come to your DEATH! Just like your little Black Ranger friend!"
Andros scowled. "I come, Specter, not to just my death, but to YOURS!" his calmness was broken by the mention of Carlos.
"I seriously DOUBT that!" the monster laughed maniacally.
"We'll see what you are able to doubt once this battle is through!" Andros pointed at Dark Specter, a deep frown creasing his face. "I have waited long to destroy you!"
"ANDROS!" Cassie called.
"Andros, at least listen to me for a second! I have to tell you something!" Ashley's voice was drowned out by the deep growling laugh of the Darkest of Evil-doers.
"Come. And soon I'll have TWO Ranger heads to mount over my fireplace!"
Andros looked to Ashley. "I have to go."
"NO!" she started towards him again. When she was close enough, he pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her, then kissed her passionately on the lips.
"Good bye, Ashley."
And then he was gone.
The place set for the battle was Astronema's Dark Fortress, a dark and frigid place, reeking with evil and hatred. As Andros appeared on his Galaxy Glider, he called out, "Spectre, I'm here!"
The hideous form of the master of evil appeared, glaring at the Red Ranger. "As am I!"
Andros ignored the uglyness, though, he had other things on his mind. "Where is Astronema?" he wanted to know. The Queen of Evil appeared behind him, causing him to whirl around to keep an eye on them both.
"Right here!" she snarled. Andros nodded briefly.
"Good!" he had come a long way for this, and he was ready. It didn't matter if he left this battlefield, as long as they didn't!
Spectre took a long look at him. "Ready to die?" he asked, a sword appearing in his hand. Andros gave a smile that had no humor in it.
"Only if you are!" Andros declared. Dark Spectre gave a hideous laugh and fixed him with a baleful eye.
"I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that!" he declared.
Andros pulled out his Spiral Saber, accessible to him whether or not he was morphed, and laughed softly. Even Dark Spectre and Astronema shook at that laugh. "I think you do."
Ashley sunk down onto her knees and screamed. "NO!! ANDROS!!!"
Cassie covered her mouth, trying to hold her tears back. "No.D.E.C.A. GET HIM BACK HERE!"
"Andros has cut off communications with the MegaShip." D.E.C.A. replied as sadly as a computer could.
"Then send us where he is!" T.J. demanded.
"I have been programmed not to let anyone interfere with Andros' mission. I am sorry."
"But we have something to tell him! It's IMPORTANT!" Cassie was almost whining, and she was now punching furiously at buttons. There was no response to her efforts, however.
"I am sorry." D.E.C.A. repeated.
"BUT ASHLEY'S PREGNANT! IF ANDROS GETS OFF AND KILLS HIMSELF, THEN SHE'LL BE ALONE!" Cassie was yelling now, unable to control herself.
"Congratulations, Ashley. But I still cannot send you to Andros."
T.J. sat down in a chair and put his chin in his hands. "I guess all we can do now... is sit back and wait."
Ashley's voice was now only a broken whisper as she buried her face in her hands. "Andros."
T.J. stood up and made his way to the window. Staring out of it, he growled an oath to the Red Ranger. "Andros, you had better come back in one piece and alive... or... I don't know what I'll do."
Astronema charged on Andros from behind, her staff held out. Just as she had almost impacted it with his head, he swung around and swung the Spiral Saber, hitting her staff. She jumped back, then twirled the staff in front of her.
"You shall DIE Red Ranger!"
"If that is the way it must be! But I will not die until the blood of you both has run cold with death!!"
Dark Specter chuckled darkly from behind him. "I don't think so!"
Andros laughed and turned to face him. "That is no different from usual, Specter! You usually don't think!"
"GRRRRRRR!!!" Dark Specter charged at him, claws spread out in front of him, ready to slam them into Andros' chest. Andros dodged swiftly, then slammed Dark Spectre in the stomach with his sabre. He felt the hot taste of victory in his mouth as he backed away to catch his breath. This was why he'd come all this way, this was what he'd wanted to do.
Get revenge.
He whirled around suddenly as he heard Astronema coming up behind him, and managed to block a blow from her staff that would've taken his head off if it had connected. "Time to die, Red Ranger!" she hissed, eyes glowing a fearsome shade of black.
"You guys are as stuck on my death as I am on yours!" Andros observed. Astronema shrugged casually.
"So? We're the ones who are going to win!" she declared. Andros only laughed in response, making certain not to slip on the slime and worse that coated the floor, legacy of his attack on Dark Spectre.
"Uh huh, sure you are!" Andros mocked her as she charged again. Andros attacked in return, growling like a wild animal as he went completly ballistic, slicing and dicing at her as if she were a head of lettuce and he the Salad Shooter. He paused for a moment to gather his strength, then slammed her in the stomach with his sabre. "For you, Carlos!" he declared as she collapsed, holding onto her wound and swearing. He stood over her, a cold and heartless grin on his lips. "And now, Astronema, you die!"
She stared up at him with icy eyes, then smiled suddenly as Dark Spectre tripped Andros up suddenly. The master of evil gave an 'urk' as the Spiral Sabre flew from Andros' hand, bounced off the floor, and buried itself in Spectre's chest. Andros collapsed to the floor, consciousness fading fast.
His head spun wildly, as he tried in vain to focus on something, anything. Every part of his body hurt incredibly. Ashley was right. I wasn't thinking clearly.
He barely noticed Astronema and Dark Spectre standing over him, weapons in hand. "Time... for you to die." Astronema grunted, her wound already beginning to heal. He cursed himself for not remembering just how hard these two were to kill.
"I'm... sorry... Ashley," he whispered, though he knew that it was very possible that she'd never hear him again. "You were right... revenge is... blind."