Power Rangers In Space/Power Rangers Lost Galaxy by Heather Ray (romantic novels to read TXT) 📕

She waves before switching off the communicator, leaving me alone.

I don't waste any time. We have the background information we need to plan a course of action. Damon has primed the Megaship's engines, carving nearly six hours off our projected travel time. Mike has convinced Commander Stanton that we need to go on an away mission, and the commander has learned to trust Mike enough to grant us all leave.

Each minute we linger here is a precious. Kendrix warned us that evil was already pressing itself upon the Saber, and I won't let anything happen to it.

"Damon," I state into my wrist communicator, "are we ready?"

^Ready, willing, and able! Maya and I have been working on another project I think you'll like. Now we can program the Megaship scanners to isolate the power signature of a Quasar Saber.^

"How is that possible?"

^We recorded the energy reading of that vortex from Rashon. Maya helped me tease out the Saber's energy from that amalgam.^

"That's terrific! Now we can scan the planet surface from orbit, and lock in on the Saber. We'll find it in no time!"

^We're coming up to the bridge now,^

Maya says. ^Are Mike and Leo there?^

"I just spoke to Mike. He'll be here any minute...hopefully with Leo."

The frustration in my voice must've been obvious, for Maya adds. ^He's going through a lot, Kai. Losing Kendrix has been particularly hard on him.^

Like hell it has! Does Maya seriously think Leo is the only person to love Kendrix?

We've been friends since we both joined the GSA. We were inseparable in our Academy days, helping each other get through tough exams and challenging assignments. She's the only person who really understands me, who doesn't just write me off as a cold jerk. She's like a sister

to me...the only family I have left.

I turn off the communicator without another word. I don't feel like explaining myself, and there's really nothing left to say.

A few minutes later, Mike steps through the sliding doors, with Leo standing just behind him. The open disappointment on our leader's face says more than words.

"No luck with the Galaxy Book," I note.

"I read through all the translated text with a fine-toothed comb," Leo mutters. "No mention of the Nexus."

"There's still a lot of ground to cover," Mike noted. "The Science team has only translated a fraction of the book."

I can't believe Mike is actually encouraging

Leo to waste more time. Personally, I think that damn Galaxy Book should be burned for all the trouble it caused us. Trakeena's tried to snatch it time and again, knowing it contains deadly spells and galactic secrets that could very well kill us all. If Kendrix hadn't been leafing through, she wouldn't have found out about the Savage Sword. She'd still be here now...

"We're wasting time," I growl, my helpless frustration making me even less tolerant than usual. I make my way to navigation, reviewing the journey Mike and I extrapolated as the most efficient route. "Let's go."

-Karone-

A strange urge draws my attention to a small porthole to my right. Through the thick glass pane I can make out the Earth, hanging like a sapphire in a blanket of black velvet, teeming with countless varieties of life.

I've seen this view a thousand times from the Dark Fortress, but I never gave it much thought. I never appreciated life. Now, I cherish it, as something beautiful and priceless, and so very fragile.

So fragile...after only a day of occupation by my armies, the Earth was forever marked. I can't remove the scars from the millions of lives I touched. I can't mend the millions of hearts I've broken, or erase the nightmares from the millions of minds that remember the Countdown vividly.

And that's only the Earth. When I try to imagine the pain and suffering of all the other planets...the scale of destruction is simply dizzying.

I must do all I can, though, to make amends. That's why I'm leaving. Please...understand.

^Mission control to Kerova-C. Miss Karone, how're things up there?^

"All systems optimal," I respond, reading the status systems with my full attention. "Preparing for Hyperdrive."

^Good luck, Miss.^

And then my last tie to Earth is severed.

It was absurdly easy to leave. It took only three hours' notice for NASADA to prepare one of the Kerovan flyers for launch. The dozen small starships were a gift from KO 35, acknowledging the aid the Rangers of Earth had offered them. The Rangers, of course, offered the ships to NASADA, who salivated at the prospect of investigating the advanced technology exposed to them.

The director of NASADA was eager to help me when I explained that the Rangers needed my help. The Rangers had often responded to his calls for aid, whenever a threat was detected or a satellite damaged. Even before that, he let the Turbo Rangers commandeer the prototype interplanetary shuttle.

Now, a mere eight hours after I received Cassie's call, I'm programming the Hyperdrive for Onyx.

The Galaxy Rangers are already heading for Guinit, and given the advanced engines of the Megaship, they should arrive just as quickly as I could, even though Guinit is in this sector of the galaxy. However, I can't shake my concern that perhaps what they seek is no longer on Guinit.

All the warriors are gone; I'm positive of that. My strategy was to utilize all of Dark Specter's warriors, even those new to training. I wanted to overwhelm the Federated Planets, and even several teams of Rangers would be hard pressed to combat the legions of mutants and mages who swore their lives to the United Alliance of Evil. They were all used in the Countdown, and they were all neutralized.

However, the merchants are very likely still on Guinit. Surely most of them have already left, given the erosion of their market, but if anyone lives on Guinit, he is surely a merchant. And what would a merchant do with one of the mythical Quasar Sabers of Mirinoi?

Sell it.

And where can a merchant find someone willing to purchase the signature weapon of a fallen Power Ranger?

Only on Onyx, the axis of netherworld commerce.

I could've told Cassie about my suspicions, but she's already en route to the Jyntarah system. It would take a solid week for them to backtrack to Onyx, which isn't very far from here. The Galaxy Rangers could make it much sooner, but there is still very good reason to travel to Guinit to investigate. I wouldn't send them on a potentially fruitless mission, and have them lose valuable time on a hunch.

I'm the only candidate. Fate has chosen me for this mission.

Zhane wouldn't understand that.

After all this time, he still sees me as the innocent victim Andros always remembered me as. The girl who would've been a scholar. He truly thinks Astronema is gone, though he assures me that he loves the "real" me, that pure inner self that survived a decade in Dark Specter's court.

I know he loves me. To him, I am precious and fragile, and he will do everything in his power to protect me.

He doesn't see me clearly.

If I'd told him my intentions, he would've tried to dissuade me. He would've yelled, I would've yelled back... and perhaps we might have said things we would regret. He would try to guilt me into staying, reminding me that Andros is risking his life to protect me. Reminding me that I am not a Ranger, and am not expected to fight.

I know this will hurt him. He will soon discover that I've left; he might already suspect. He may even try to follow me, but by the time he catches up, I will hopefully have completed this mission and restored the Galaxy Rangers. He will be angry that I deceived him, and horrified that took such a risk...but I'm confident he will forgive me if I return alive and unharmed. Perhaps, he might even be proud of me.

I remove my safety harness, and stretch my stiffened muscles. In a few hours I will be on Onyx, and I have to prepare myself.

A few strides bring me to my bag, which is pathetically small and half-empty. I unearth neatly folded black vinyl, leather boots, and a silver brassier.

My heart races as I carefully don the ensemble that was my signature since Ecliptor deemed me old enough to dress as I pleased. It disturbs me how easily I fit into the glove-tight outfit. As if all the internal changes I've experienced over my year of freedom should rightly be reflected physically.

My limbs are stiff with tension as I unfold a compact mirror, and set to work. I cake on the layers of makeup one at a time, creating a mask just as obscure as Zhane's helmet.

The process takes me nearly an hour, for each application is cautiously scrutinized. My mask must portray all the viciousness that embodied my former self. If the mercenaries and marauders on Onyx even suspect that I am no longer the dread Princess of Evil, then I will never leave the planet alive.

Finally, I am satisfied with my appearance. My skin is flawless, without even a hint of a freckle. My eyes are exaggerated with liner and false lashes, and bold strokes of shadow add a severity to my blue eyes that isn't truly there. My lips are plumped with heavy lipstick, all the better to sneer with.

I set the makeup down with unsteady hands. The sight of...her

...in the mirror makes my stomach roll. It's so easy to remember all that I did...what I would still do, if I fell into the temptation of the Darkness again.

Now, for the final touch. I reach for the sleek black wig I'd selected for this mission. Before, my magical skill manipulated my hair with ease, but now I refuse to resort to such methods.

I knot my own hair back, and slide the wig over my head.

I look into the mirror, and muster my most wicked smirk. A chill creeps up my spine as Astronema looks back at me, ice in her eyes and venom in her grin.

My transformation is complete.