Power Rangers In Space, Heather Ray [top reads txt] 📗

of him. This time, I'm careful to keep the edge off my voice. "What did you expect to find out here?"

"I wasn't around when KO 35 fell." His voice is soft, barely loud enough to hear over the crashing waves below us. "I'd been injured; I was recuperating in cryogenic stasis at the time. This is actually my first time back."

He takes a breath, looking up at the sky. "Believe me, I knew what happened… what Dark Specter did to this world. I knew in my head

, at least. When I woke up, Andros told me the whole planet was abandoned. But, I guess, in my heart, I always hoped that maybe it wasn't… all

gone."

His gaze drops to mine. "Of course, any invader worth his salt would take out the cities, but I thought that maybe some of the rural spots would've been spared. I guess I rationalized Dark Specter had bigger fish to fry than a little shore village half a day's flight from the capital." He brushes his hand along the battered pier. "Turns out Specter was pretty thorough, huh."

My stomach clenches at his empty smile. "Zhane…"

"I'm sorry Karone," he interrupts me. "I wanted you to see what KO 35 was like before the nightmare began."

With a wistful sigh Zhane rises to his feet. He takes his time brushing the dust from his black pants. "I'm sorry there's nothing here but rocks and memories."

He then offers me his hand. "Ready to go?"

I stare at his open palm before looking out at the ocean. It only takes me a moment to make my decision. "No, I'm not ready to go. You haven't shown me anything yet."

He blinks down at me, confused. "Huh?"

"I've seen the rocks," I note, taking his hand. "But I haven't heard the memories. I'd like to know why this place is so special to you."

He helps me to my feet, but our hands stay entwined. I tug him toward the edge of the pier, looking into the distance. "How far into the ocean did this pier go? Far enough to dive?"

His eyes linger on our joined hands for a moment longer, before he looks up. A small but genuine smile brightens his face, and I can't describe how much better I feel upon seeing it.

"The ocean was about twenty feet deep at the edge of the pier," he explains. "But we didn't do much swimming here; there was too much boating traffic. We swam south of here; at the lagoon."

I let him guide me over the damaged pier to the sturdier ground that was once a paved street.

"Right here used to be the fresh seafood market, where dozens of vendors sold their catch of the day. Really, the food here spoiled me rotten. I wouldn't touch fish as a little kid, but when I tried cree fillet, I found out pretty quick that I could eat my weight of it."

I smile at the thought of a rambunctious young Zhane, attempting that very feat at a table piled high with plates of seafood.

"And I thought you only had a taste for sweets," I tease, thinking fondly of our first encounter at a park in Angel Grove… a lifetime ago.

"Speaking of sweets," his grasp on my hand tightens as he pulls me along the road with purpose, "right here used to be the shop that sold the best candy in the town. They had everything you could think of... but the best was the sea salt chew."

I can't help but grimace at the idea. "Sea salt? Doesn't sound very sweet."

"It was a salty-sweet. Trust me, it worked. The lines were always outside the shop over the summer; whenever I came, I stocked up on the stuff..."

His stories continue, from adventures on the shore to life with his family in the summers, to just his youth in general, or life on KO 35. And I listened with rapt attention, watching him smile with the memories, stand up on a pile of rocks to re-enact a particularly memorable event, or wave his arms to help describe a long lost building.

After crossing the town at a leisurely pace, we reach the southern lagoon at dusk. And this shore, sandy and secluded, is as serene as his stories described.

I can tell by his smile that he feels the same way. "And, well, this is the beach where we did most of our swimming. In fact, when I was a kid, my dad taught me how to swim out here."

"It's beautiful, Zhane."

I look out into the horizon, at the peaceful ocean with its calm waters. It isn't hard to imagine dozens of families sunbathing, swimming, and picnicking on this very spot, enjoying the gentle breeze of the inlet.

With a sad smile, I turn back to the city.

Perhaps it's just a trick of the setting sun. Or, with all the day's activities, I might be tired. Or, maybe Zhane is just that good of a storyteller. But in the golden haze of sunset, it feels like I can almost see what this town would've looked like; sturdy buildings that are proudly built, but unpretentious. Scores of locals and visitors filling the stone-paved streets. Vendors lining the roads, selling food, clothing, and trinkets.

Is this... a memory?

"Karone? Are you okay?"

I turn around, blinking to bring Zhane's puzzled face into focus. And that's when I first feel the tickle against my cheek.

My senses seem to have slowed to a crawl. Zhane responds first, brushing the tears from my eyes. "Karone?" he repeats, his face darkening with concern.

"Zhane, do you know if I've ever been here?"

"I don't know," he admits. "Andros never said anything to me. But it's possible; your family is from the same city, and this was a popular vacation town."

I nod, bending to the sand and taking a handful in my fist. As I watch the sand sift through my fingers, I realize I can't seem to stop the tears from falling.

The town Zhane just described is gone. For a few brief moments, I could feel it living again; but I know it isn't. All the joy that Zhane experienced in his childhood; the fun, the adventure, the new experiences... they are only memories now. This town won't be there for the Kerovan children of today to enjoy.

This is what it means to destroy a world; to destroy the culture and environment that molds the people.

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Zhane," I murmur, dusting the residual sand from my hands. "It was a beautiful town."

"It will be again."

I look up, and I'm relieved to see his smile has returned with all its characteristic brilliance. "It'll be different, of course; but this town, and all of KO 35, will be rebuilt."

Rebuilt. It has the ring of hope to it. A bright future; different, but rooted in the past to preserve the memory.

It's enough to make me smile, and be truly grateful for the trip.

I stand up, accepting Zhane's offered hand as we head back through the town toward our shuttle car.

Chapter Seven: The Truth

This scene was inspired by a conversation I had on Rangerboard awhile ago, centering on whether the series gave us any evidence that Zhane had feelings for Karone, or if he was attracted only to "bad-girl"

Astronema. A good question, and one I'd imagine Karone wondered about as well. As for timing, it takes place after "Let Me Tell You a Story,"

once again, before the Rangers leave KO 35 at the end of "Countdown to Destruction, Part II."

She'd thought about it before.

It crossed her mind the day she betrayed Dark Specter, the master she had served for as long as she could remember. She had boarded the Megaship with the Red Ranger… no, her brother

… her stomach fluttering with unusual nervousness as four Power Rangers glared at her with suspicion in their eyes. She met all their glares with an air of cool disdain, but privately she considered the Ranger who was missing. She wondered… what would he think of all this?

But he wasn't there, so the thought quickly passed.

Then, a few days later, she had proven to the Rangers that her change of heart was genuine. She saved their lives on Yotoba, and won their trust. She was welcomed aboard the Megaship and offered new clothes, a symbolic outward change to reflect the change within.

She complied, exchanging snug leather and heels for a roomy cotton flight suit. Flowing electric blue curls reverted to her natural, simple blonde hair. Carefully painted makeup faded, revealing her true face, with all its human imperfections.

She'd stared at her reflection then, and wondered… would he find her attractive?

Once again, she couldn't spend much time thinking about it. Again, he was gone, traveling with the refugees from Sentar B, and she had more pressing matters: getting to know her brother, learning about her lost family and forgotten childhood, and getting acquainted with the Rangers. And then came Dark Specter's vindictive plan to restore his Princess of Evil, which propelled Karone into a darkness deeper than she ever experienced before, with cybernetic implants distorting her sense of reason and silencing her conscience.

When she awoke from that nightmare, the thought didn't immediately form. That time, Zhane was there, visiting her while she recuperated, introducing her to the Kerovan rebels he'd befriended, and trying to get her mind off the fear and guilt that had settled upon her.

He was there, and he was kind to her, demonstrating consideration and attention that was only seconded by her brother; and not by much. And that was impressive, considering Andros' near-pathological over-protectiveness following the Countdown.

The thought didn't form again until T.J., Cassie, Ashley, and Carlos announced they would return to Earth within the next few days. Karone was helping clean up the Megaship, making sure none of the Kerovan passengers had left any personal items on board.

She stumbled upon a photograph of Astronema.

At first, she didn't know what to think. She immediately felt a touch of guilt; not that she was snooping, since she wasn't looking for anything incriminating, or anything at all in particular.

But… was

this incriminating? Did it mean something?

Struck with a strange combination of feelings, Karone felt the need to examine them. She realized she was both flattered and jealous at the same time. Flattered, since she remembered giving that photograph to Zhane, along with an invitation to a date in the park. It was touching that he kept it, after she'd nearly blown him up.

But, it was a picture of Astronema

.

That's when she studied the picture, noting the