Disclaimer: The basic concept belongs to whoever Disney assigned it to but the characters belong to us. Like our previous fic series Viva La Resistance this series requires a lot of work due to differences in Time Zone and Hemispheres.

Power Rangers: To The Tenth Power
Questioning
by Robert and Mistri, Cho's Observer

May 26th, 4124. Charda took a look at the date and sighed. Not much longer before Kylara would be leaving. For that archery camp, no less. He was deciding whether he should go and speak with Kylara when he was beeped.

"Articula?" he said.

"Report immediately, I wish to speak with you," came the response.

Charda teleported into the kitchens, grabbed a hot chocolate, and reported to Articula's private rooms. "You wanted to see me?"

"I must say that I'm a little concerned, Charda. Upon reviewing your files, you seem to be hiding a great secret. While that is your right, it's also best that we be informed of all factors," said Articula.

"Um... right," said Charda.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me?"

"My mother's pregnant again," Charda began. "It's the eighth month. It's the sixteenth baby. Every one of the previous fifteen babies miscarried in the eighth month or were stillborn. I'm a little tense and strained at the moment." Articula nodded.

"Why?"

"Because we want to break this curse, such as it is. And I don't want my mother to fall into depression again, cause each time it's gotten worse."

"Understandable, Charda. After all, it would have to feel like a personal failure on the woman's part, that she is unable to bear a child."

"But she bore me!" Charda yelled. "And since then, she's been unable to!!"

"So you blame yourself? It's not your fault, Charda," said Articula. He was trying to keep cool, allow Charda to explode. In all honesty, he wanted Charda to explode, and so he was trying to provoke that in him. He figured Charda was keeping it all bottled up.

"I kinda know that. Now," Charda whispered. "But it's not so much that... I almost killed myself, because I thought I was the problem. And each time it fails, I wonder if I'd do it again... I don't want to, but the temptation is always there... after you try and fail the first time."

"Do you think you will?"

"I don't want to," repeated Charda. "But... why though?"

Articula sighed. "Charda. There is one certain event in each of your lives, each Ranger, that had to happen so you would become Rangers. Yours just happened to be your failed suicide attempt."

Charda was about to reply, when the alarms alerted them to an attack on Kylara's house. Putting the other Rangers on standby, Articula nodded for Charda to go.

~*~

"I so didn't just see what I thought I saw," Salendra muttered. She then grabbed a long piece of wood like Kylara tended to use to make a bow in one hand. Kylara used as much hand to hand as she could not wanting to use her sword in the small room and also not wanting to use a blaster in case a stray shot was to hit her sister. At one point she noticed a curved sword block a blow from Dani's own sword. She looked over to see Charda already morphed his cutlass in hand.

"Thanks Charda," Kylara said.

"Valdi and the others are on standby. It was pure luck what with their attack pattern lately that Articula was monitoring our homes. While Xelia's house wasn't specifically targeted the legislative complex was her intended location that day. Adria's has been attacked a couple times and Jolik had taken a bunch of Tylai to Landre's." I wonder what more Articula will have to say . . .

"This wouldn't be my first choice for a battlefield too well contained. As it is I don't even want to think about what it will look like when we get done. I'll have a lot of cleaning up to do by the time we get done."

"I'll assist you Kylara," Charda said. Unless Articula wants me to talk some more.

Kylara then got an idea. She headed for the back door and out onto their back deck which surrounded a fairly spacious pool. Charda and Salendra also fell back. Salendra got a crazy idea.

"Hey Fashion Nightmare, bet you can't get me," she teased. Dani then went after her sword sticking out in front of her. At the last second Salendra ducked and rolled aside causing the Villainess to land in the pool.

"You'll pay for that you brat," Dani growled as she went to climb out. Charda though stepped on her hands and pointed his Cutlass at her.

"Having to resort to threatening Civilians huh Dani. Talk about bad form," Charda commented. Expected from you, though, he added silently. Kylara meanwhile saw to her sister who had a slight cut to her scalp from when she had ducked and Dani's sword nicked her.

"I have to admit that was a pretty brave but stupid move Salendra," Kylara said. "She's not attacking us right now."

Right then Charda fell back onto his seat as Dani teleported away.

"We better check in with Articula," Kylara said.

"What about your sister?"

"Maybe E-Berg can help her. She will need Medical Attention as it is."

Kylara then held her sister as they teleported to Fortress Articia. Sita ran over.

"What happened?"

"She got nicked by Dani's sword."

"E-Berg," Sita said as she led Salendra out into the corridor. E-Berg followed along.

"Articula, Charda mentioned something about our houses being targeted."

"Yes one tactic that T'Aldr is known for is threatening the families and close associates of those that oppose him. One thing we haven't figured out is whose house will get attacked in what order."

"T'Aldr?" Kylara questioned.

"Yes The Nameless One way back was a being known as T'Aldr Yl'oka. Even I had forgotten his real name and had to look it up. All I can say is this rangers be extremely vigilant. It's hard to know who will be the next target."

"That means Sita is safe since she basically lives here doesn't she?" Isidore inquired.

"I wouldn't put it past T'Aldr to attack Fortress Articia Isidore. It would be difficult but he'd probably find a way. Unless he attacked her family home such as it is."

Kylara then went out in the hall and turned down the corridor eventually finding the medical bay where Salendra was sleeping away.

"She asleep due to her injury?"

"Not exactly. Dani's sword was laced with a narcotic like substance that causes a quick but short lived infusion of energy then a rapid loss of energy. She almost knocked me out of the air when we were treating her before she lost all energy and fell asleep," E-Berg commented. "After she fell asleep we patched her up."

~*~

Meanwhile, Charda was finishing his talk with Articula.

"When will we know about the other events?"

"When the need comes, Charda," Articula replied. Charda nodded and left. Afterwards, Articula looked at the screen of his computer and sighed.

End