Power Rangers In Space/Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, Heather Ray [best novels ever TXT] 📗

You're my teammate, and I accept it. And as my teammate, you deserve my respect. I'll...do my best to be civil to you. You can count on me to have your back whenever Trakeena tries something. And I always give 100% when Terra Venture is at risk."

He closes the gap between us. "Does this seem reasonable to you?"

I consider his words carefully. Never have I heard a relationship put into words quite like that, but I do understand the challenge he struggles with. His sense of justice is so strong, and unlike the Space Rangers and even the other Galaxy Rangers, he refuses to take my transformation at face value.

Honestly, I appreciate his point of view. When he isn't screaming in my face...Kai makes a lot of sense.

"Yes, it does," I finally respond. "We can make this team work, Kai."

His severe expression softens somewhat, and he offers me his hand. "Then, let me be the...well, last

...to welcome you to the team, Karone."

I shake his hand, and in doing so it feels like we've just made a pact.

"So, now that's all cleared up, I can get back to my station." And then, with an impersonal nod, Kai briskly walks out of the infirmary.

I continue staring at the exit long after the sliding doors have closed. As I consider the progress I just made, both with Beruch and with Kai, I can't suppress the excitement that brightens my face. This is what it feels like, to feel true accomplishment!

Energized, I climb off the medical cot. I'm halfway to the door when a voice calls out to me. "Karone! You're awake!"

I turn and smile at Alpha. "Yes, and I'm feeling pretty well, all things considered."

He giggles with relief. "I'm so glad to hear it! While you were out, you got an urgent message."

My smile slowly falls. "A message? Who would think to contact me on Terra Venture?"

"Actually, it was routed to the Megaship from KO 35. It's from Zhane."

It feels like my heart stops dead in my chest. Suddenly, all the niggling guilt I've felt for leaving Earth without a word crashes into me like a tidal wave. It's been almost two weeks since I left Earth! I can't believe I've put this off for so long...

"He requests that you contact him as soon as it's convenient for you," Alpha adds helpfully.

I wince. Alpha didn't add the sarcastic drone to the words that I'm certain Zhane inflected. He's angry. And he has every right to be.

"Did you talk to him yourself, Alpha?"

"Yes; I spoke to him about an hour ago." Alpha places his small hand on my arm. "He's scared for you, Karone. I told him that you're here, and that you're safe."

I sigh with relief that Alpha had the foresight to bend the truth. I'm sure telling Zhane that I'd nearly been killed by a vengeful ghost is not the way to convince him that I belong out here.

But I do; there's not a doubt in my mind now. This is where I'm supposed to be: here on Terra Venture, serving as the Pink Ranger.

If only I can make him understand that...

"Thanks Alpha," I murmur with a smile. "I'll call him back. Now."

There's no point in postponing this any longer.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

-Zhane-

She's on Terra Venture.

Alpha told me the story just over an hour ago, and I still can't wrap my mind around it.

She's on Terra Venture...the Earth colony that left to seek a new world and never return.

I can't believe it. I just...can't

. It's not like I wasn't involved with the work to get Terra Venture off the ground; frankly, without Kerovan technology Earth would never have been able to put together a ship for interstellar travel in such a short period of time. With all those months of collaborative effort, Karone never expressed the slightest interest in joining the crew.

I thought she'd wanted to stay. Stay on Earth, stay with me. She could've told me she wasn't happy on Earth. We could've figured something out.

She didn't have to just vanish into thin air.

At first, I'd panicked. Maybe it's Andros' paranoia rubbing off on me, but the first thought to cross my mind was 'Karone's been kidnapped!'

I mean, it's not unprecedented, and I'm sure she's got enemies lingering somewhere in the universe. How else could I explain her sudden disappearance? I called her as soon as I arrived in Switzerland. I didn't start to worry until a full day had passed, and I never got a call back.

That's when I made a few more calls, and NASADA told me they'd sent another Kerovan ship into space the same day I'd left Angel Grove.

It hit me harder than Specter's goons ever did. She left the planet -- the solar system -- without even telling me. What...did she think I wouldn't notice? That I could just stroll back into our apartment and keep on living as if she'd never existed?

How the hell can anyone do this to someone they love?

I cut my trip short so I could focus on tracking her down, but the moment I stepped into that empty apartment, I just knew I couldn't stay. It was too empty. Too quiet. It felt like a tomb.

I couldn't stay on Earth. Everyone I cared about was off-planet. Without Andros and Karone, Earth is just another planet. Not a home.

I thought I'd find some comfort on KO 35. But even now, as I stand at a window overlooking the half-restored capitol city, I hardly feel anything. I was born in this city, and I lived here until the day I "died"

...but it's no longer home, either.

Everything that made it home is gone. Am I doomed to feel isolated for the rest of my life?

"Zhane. So you have

returned."

I turn around, bowing deeply to the leader of KO 35.

"Stand up," Kinwon insists, waving his hand. "There's no need for protocol for one of KO 35's greatest heroes."

I straighten as Kinwon grasps my hands in a more personal greeting. "You're looking well, Sir. It's good to see you again."

"I'm glad you've come home, Zhane." He stands beside me, looking out at the expansive vista of the city with pride shining in his eyes. "We've made a lot of progress since you left for Earth, son. But we'd be glad to have you join us again. The Silver morpher still waits for you."

I wince guiltily. Every time I cross paths with Kinwon, he brings up my service as the Silver Ranger. He just can't disassociate me from that uniform, even after all the work I've done without it. I'd given him the morpher so he could find someone else...but he insisted that, as he once put it: "You are the Silver Ranger, Zhane. I can't just hand your morpher to someone else."

I admit it's kind of flattering that he thinks I'm irreplaceable. I guess my time with the rebels of Sentar B made quite an impression. But...that part of my life is finally over. And I honestly don't miss it one bit.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I'm not here to stay."

He glances at me, nodding his head. "I understand; the work you do on Earth as our representative is also important. So, what brings you to KO 35, then? Has something happened?"

I find myself staring at the polished wood floor, more embarrassed than I've ever been in my life. Funny...when I came out here, pushing the engines on the Flyer to their maximum, 'I'm tracking down my runaway girlfriend'

seemed like a perfectly rational explanation. "I needed to use long-range scanning and communication systems, and it was just easier to come here than make due with what I have on Earth."

Then, a sudden beeping steals my attention, making me whirl around. On the main long-range communicator propped against the wall, a flashing message with my code is clearly visible.

Finally.

My heart drums restlessly in my chest, and I turn to meet Kinwon's gaze.

My impatience must be obvious; before I can even come up with a polite way to ask the leader of all KO 35 to scram, he smiles at me. "I hope you find what you're looking for." He then glances at the chronometer on the wall. "I have a conference to attend in Parnis, but I hope I'll have the chance to speak to you more before you leave. Perhaps if you're still on-planet, we can share a meal when I return?"

Frankly, I can't think that far ahead. All I know is, I have to answer that communicator. Of course, it would be rude to reject the invitation, and the past year of diplomatic work has taught me at least a little tact. "I'll do my best."

He then squeezes my shoulder. "And if you need my help with anything, Zhane, don't hesitate to ask."

I nod, smiling with true appreciation at the offer, and watch as Kinwon leaves. Then, I jump to the communicator, stamping my access code into the keyboard with much more force than necessary.

The flashing screen slowly reshapes, revealing the pale, freckled, beautiful face I honestly feared I'd never see again.

Some of my anger eases just at seeing her face...but not all of it.

"Nice to know you're still alive."

She blinks, and the tentative smile on her lips fails. But it's hard to feel bad for her after the hell I've been going through the past eleven days.

^I'm sorry I worried you,^ she answers softly.

"You know, it'd be a lot

easier for me to believe that if you

had contacted me

," I grumble. I watch her blue gaze drop to her lap, steeling myself against a twinge of guilt for purposely hurting her. But isn't that what she did to me? Don't I have the right to be upset about this?

Heavy silence fills the space between us before she speaks again. ^I should've contacted you sooner, but things have been hectic since I arrived on Terra Venture.^

I never thought I'd come to hate the sound of those two words. "And why are you on Terra Venture, Karone? I mean, you remember what their mission is, right? This isn't a little sight-seeing tour they're on; they're boldly going where no Earthling or Kerovan has gone before!"

Her eyes lock with mine despite the billions of miles separating us. Then, she slowly lifts her wrist, and my heart stops.

It's a morpher.

Dammit, I should've known! I was there when Cassie told her that Psycho Pink banished the Pink Galaxy Ranger to another dimension! I should've known

she'd take responsibility!

I should've seen