Power Rangers In Space by Heather Ray (uplifting book club books .txt) 📕

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.*

Chapter Eighteen

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.

Chapter Nineteen

"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...

Chapter Twenty

"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.^

Chapter Twenty-One

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.

Chapter Twenty-Two

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."