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

is --" she started, right before her first inhalation of the substance. She immediately fell into a fit of coughs, her lungs and throat trying desperately to remove the burning substance from within her.

"Astronema?" Darkonda said, waving the mist from his face. He felt the burning in his organs, but it wasn't as powerful a reaction as that of the dark princess. He watched her as she fell to her knees, weakened by the hacking coughs that racked her entire body.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not dying over this little game," he muttered, his body vanishing from the bridge. Hatred glinted in Astronema's watery eyes when she noticed her associate had abandoned her. However it didn't last long, as Astronema quickly passed out due to oxygen deprivation.

"My...Princess!" Ecliptor choked, rushing into the bridge. He stared around the fog, and lifted the limp villainess into his arms. He then continued to scan the bridge.

"Well, you got Astronema," Elgar said, following Ecliptor into the bridge, "but...where's Darkonda?"

Ecliptor frowned deeply. "He ran for his life, leaving Astronema behind. He shall pay for that!!"


Chapter Thirty-Six

Aboard the shuttle, TJ and Cassie watch the Megaship on the viewscreen while keeping the ship a few miles from it. A grin crept on Cassie's face as she glanced on the scanners that were programmed to monitor life on the Megaship.

"The Megaship's been abandoned," she announced, "All four life forms that were on when we left have fled, and I'm also picking up a tacheon trail. The Dark Fortress is leaving Earth's orbit."

"That's good news," TJ said, flipping on the communications relay, "Alpha? Do you read me?"

^I read you TJ,^

Alpha responded, ^I'm in engineering.^

"Put up the deflector shields, in case Astronema decides to send another wave of Velocifighters or something."

^You got it.^

"Alpha," Cassie said into the communicator, "what's the status of the Megaship?"

^There isn't a basic function that hasn't been damaged,^

Alpha said grimly, ^but it isn't too extensive. I guess Astronema planned on flying the Megaship once she got command of it, so the damage was just enough to make it temporarily inoperable. Still, we have plenty to do before it becomes fully functional. Since I've turned off all the systems other than lights and gravity, I was able to divert all the energy to the shields, bringing them to 87% functionality. That should be enough to keep the ship in one piece. Also, DECA's mainframe has sustained some minimal damage, but I'm working on that now. Once I get her fully functional, she can help me get the air purifiers back in working order, so we can detoxify the ship.^

"Well, the Megaship may not work, but at least we know its clean," TJ quipped.

"Can you estimate how long it'll be before we can come aboard?" Cassie inquired.

^According to my calculations, it'll be at least 24 hours before its safe for humans to board the Megaship. So I'll get a head start on the repairs, and keep you all posted via communicator.^

"You're the best, Alpha," TJ said with a grin.

^Ha, ha,^

Alpha giggled modestly over the line. He quickly sobered. ^So, how's Ashley doing?^

TJ's grin fell, and he glanced at Cassie.

"She's doing better," Cassie answered, "but she's still in pretty serious condition. Whatever program Astronema activated pit Ashley against some of the fiercest creatures in the known universe. She's got gashes all over her body, broken bones and she's lost a lot of blood. But at least she's regained consciousness."

^That's a good sign. Well, keep me posted. Alpha out.^

"Bye, Alpha," TJ said, turning off communications. He then locked eyes with Cassie.

"Let's go check on the others," he suggested, rising from his seat.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Cassie agreed.

The Pink and Blue Rangers climbed down the ladder connecting the main bridge to the lower deck of the small shuttle, where an emergency medical ward was situated. Ashley was lying on the single cot, bandages covering the multiple abrasions on her arms, legs and torso. She was breathing laboredly, and her eyes were weary yet open. Carlos busily prepared a hypo-spray at the lab table beside the cot, while Andros watched anxiously, his arms folded over his chest.

"Hey guys," Cassie said, as she and TJ entered the ward. Andros glanced at them in passing, and then returned his gaze to the Yellow Ranger. Ashley turned her head slightly, and tried to smile at her friends.

"Hey yourself," she whispered, "How's the ship?"

"It's in one piece," TJ answered, "Well, sort of."

"It's in pretty bad shape," Cassie added, "and we can't really do anything about it for at least a day. The disinfectant mists are still saturating the air, and the life support system's sluggish, so the air isn't being purified too quickly. So it looks like we have the day off."

"Great," Ashley sighed, breathing out slowly, "That'll give me enough time to mend."

"It'll take a lot more time than that," Carlos said, turning to Ashley and holding the hypo, "You've suffered broken ribs, a broken ankle, cuts nearly reaching your bones--"

"Stop over-dramatizing things," Ashley chided weakly, "There's nothing wrong with me that our equipment won't fix."

"That's not entirely true," Andros said quietly, "This medical ward is skimpy in comparison to the lab on the Megaship. There's the right equipment to stitch up life-threatening wounds, but not enough to heal you completely. There's not much else we can do until we get you on the Megaship."

"And that won't be for at least a day," TJ said quietly, "Maybe we should take her to a hospital?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ashley said, "I can hang on just fine until we can get back on the Megaship."

"Okay, gang, that's enough," Carlos said, pressing the hypo-spray to Ashley's neck, "This should dull the pain, and help you sleep."

"Did you give her a Hemophannil syringe?" Andros asked. Carlos looked at the Red Ranger strangely.

"What is that?" he inquired.

"It helps Ashley's body produce more blood, to make up for all the blood she lost," Andros explained, "It's a Kerolian invention, and it's far safer than a blood transfusion. Fewer possible side-effects."

Andros walked to the lab table, and opened a small vial of pale red liquid. "I'll take care of it," he said, "The rest of you can get back to your stations. Astronema may decide to take advantage of our weakened state."

"You got it, Andros," TJ said, as he and Cassie left the ward. Carlos lingered for a few moments, and then followed his friends. Andros poured a small amount of the vial into a petri dish, and took a fresh needle, with an empty container attached.

"I'll need a few drops of your blood to coordinate the Hemophannil with," he explained, wiping Ashley's arm with a cotton soaked with alcohol, "It'll only hurt for a moment."

"I've had shots before," Ashley said with a smile.

Andros smiled back weakly, and gently sank the needle into a visible vein where he cleaned her skin. She cringed slightly, but didn't utter a sound. She then watched Andros as he placed the blood onto a slide, and examined it under a computerized microscope.

"I'm really sorry about what happened with Astronema," she said quietly, "I know you must be very disappointed that she isn't Karone."

Andros bowed his head, and breathed out slowly. "You have nothing to be sorry about," he said to her, "You tried to keep me based in reality throughout this entire ordeal. You were never convinced that she was Karone, and you kept trying to remind me that the facts weren't truly on her side. I was foolish and pig-headed, and I didn't listen to you. And you're the one who paid the price. I'm eternally sorry for what happened to you, Ashley."

Ashley shook her head. "It's not your fault. Astronema proved to be more conniving than any of us gave her credit for."

Andros nodded, pressing a few buttons on a connected keyboard. A soft blue light shined from a small lamp onto the tray of Hemophannil, and Andros watched the chemical slightly change color as a result of the light exposure.

"I must say," he said, "I'm very impressed by your survival skills. That training program was never meant for anyone to use without the conventional safeties. The program Astronema set up had you fighting against Vermillion Wolverines. They are some of the most ferocious creatures in the galaxy!"

"I know," Ashley sighed, "I'm a bit surprised myself I was able to hold out until Carlos and Alpha shut down the Simudeck. I never thought I was a good enough fighter to defeat even one Wolverine."

Andros turned around from his work, and gazed at Ashley in shock. "How did you know about Vermillion Wolverines? You have never encountered them before, and I never mentioned them to you."

Ashley narrowed her eyes in thought. "I guess I just stumbled on their file or something. I can't remember how I found out about them. Weird, huh?"

Andros shrugged, pumping the chemical into a fresh syringe, "Yes, it is. But no stranger than the rest of today's events."

Andros walked back to Ashley's side, and held up the exceptionally long needle. Ashley's eyes widened when she saw it, and she gazed at Andros questioningly.

"Where do you plan on putting that thing?"

"The Hemophannil must be introduced to your bloodstream directly from your heart, so it can be pumped easier throughout your system. This needle is designed to penetrate your chestplate, which is why its so long. I'll warn you, this will hurt more than the blood extraction."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Ashley asked wryly, biting her lip nervously, "Well, get it over with."

Ashley pursed her lips tightly, and squeezed her eyes shut. Andros gently pushed down the collar of Ashley's paper gown, exposing the upper portion of her chest where her heart was located. After taking a deep breath to steady himself, Andros pushed the needle through Ashley's skin and bone, and injected the liquid into her heart. He then removed the needle quickly, and pressed a cotton over the hole the needle made to absorb the fresh blood. "You can relax, now," Andros said gently, "It's over."

"Yeah," she gasped, "that did hurt more. A lot more."

"Sorry about that," Andros said, dropping the needle in the sterilizing liquid in a flask nearby. After he had put away all the materials he had used, he stole a quick glance at Ashley. He smiled weakly when he noticed she was sound asleep.

"That sedative worked rather quickly," he reflected, pulling the sheet over Ashley's chest. He kept his gaze on Ashley's bruised sleeping