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

to believe she...didn't make it.

I've walked away from too many close calls, and have seen my friends survive too many near-death battles, to just give up on her.

My brother fell into a great crevice on the surface of a planet rapidy dying, protected only by his GSA standard battle suit, and he survived. I battled Scorpius himself, and I live to tell the tale.

Kendrix must

be alive.

So I continue to research my initial ideas with avid attention. Is there any reason to believe the Savage Sword had any inter-dimensional properties? Why not? After all, this entire book discusses a Lost Galaxy, a realm only accessible through a wormhole into the Milky Way. And when we first endured the GSA training exercise on the moon, a random wormhole opened up to take us to Mirinoi, and our destinies.

It's not such a stretch that she was caught in another spatial anomaly.

I'm not

in denial. I'm just focusing on the scenario that gives me something to do about the situation. If Kendrix is...if she didn't make it, there's no harm in leaving no stone unturned. But if she is out there somewhere, then by just assuming she's out of our reach, we'd be abandoning her. I refuse to take that chance.

I won't let her down.

The dead silence is broken by the jarring pulse of my communicator. ^Guys, meet me in the Megaship. We have an emergency.^

Finally, there is a break in the monotony of the past few days. Something's going on...we can finally take action.

I jump from the computer station and dash to the Megaship hangar in record time. By the time I reach the bridge of the Kerovan vessel, my heart beats a mile a minute.

Maya stands by the theater-sized view screen, her arms tightly folded as she studies the stars hanging in the endless expanse of outer space.

I don't speak. My tongue is knotted by too much anxious impatience as I wonder what Maya wants us to see. After a few eternal minutes, the rest of the team pours through the sliding doors.

Kai stares at Maya through bloodshot eyes. "What's the emergency?"

Maya doesn't turn to face us. "Kendrix's Quasar Saber has fallen into evil hands," she reveals. "We have to find it."

It takes me a while to process this information. "How do you know that?"

Her arms fall to her sides. "Kendrix came to me."

The questions come all at once, flying in from all sides.

"Kendrix?"

"Where is she?"

"When did you see her? Tonight?"

"What happened to her?"

I remain silent, listening to the bombardment of questions in a state of wonder. She's alive! I knew

it! Now all I have to do is find her, and everything will be okay again...

The severity in Maya's gaze snatches my attention. "Kendrix is trying to get back to us. But she doesn't have the Quasar Saber. It's on the planet Guinit. And we need to find it, before it's too late."

"I've never even heard of that planet," Kai confesses, hurrying to the computers. After a few moments' processing delay the screen zooms in on a system, and draws a broken line toward it. "There's not much information here, either. It's near the center of Dark Specter's empire before the Great Purge, and is in the Parphen system, about a four-day flight from here."

"We're gonna need to call in some vacation time," Damon murmurs, rolling up his sleeves. "Lemme take a look at the engines; maybe I can give them a boost to save us some time?"

"Mike, we need to see Commander Stanton," Kai realizes. "First thing in the morning."

I watch incredulously as Damon, Kai, and Mike turn to leave. Didn't they hear what Maya said?

"What about Kendrix?" I demand. "We have to find her!"

I turn to Maya, jumping over the navigation station to close the gap between us. "You said Kendrix 'came' to you. What does that mean?"

I can see the tension knotting her face. She doesn't want to tell me.

"Maya, please!" I insist, taking her shoulders. "We need to find her."

She bites her lip before answering. "No," she murmurs faintly, "she told me we need to find the Quasar Saber. It's more important to protect-"

"Screw the Saber!" I yell, my frustration reaching a boiling point.

I back down when my brother approaches us, separating me from Maya with his firm grip and commanding stare.

"Leo, we need to respect Kendrix's wishes here. And we need to think about Terra Venture, too. Without the Pink Ranger, there's no Megazord, and no Lights of Orion. If Trakeena gets her act together and makes a move, we might not have the strength to stop her!"

My jaw drops as I turn to Mike. "Are you telling me that we're gonna replace

her?"

He meets my accusing glare evenly. "No, I'm not. But I am saying that we have to remember our duty, and Kendrix's duty as well. If she's asking us to save the Saber, that means she's not in a position to do it herself. How do you think she'll react if we find her, but have to tell her that we lost her Saber forever?"

I have no answer. My outrage slowly fizzles to helpless irritation.

Maya then takes my shaking fist in her hands, and offers a faint smile. "I know how you feel," she assures me, in her most soothing tone, "but Kendrix doesn't need our help as urgently as you think. She's in a pocket dimension called the Nexus; she said she's not in any danger..."

I don't hear another word of Maya's argument. Instead, I latch onto that critical piece of information, and hurry off the bridge. I dodge passed my stunned teammates, rushing back to Terra Venture to take advantage of the few more hours of night I have.

The Nexus...it must

be referenced in the Galaxy Book somewhere!

-Karone-

I am Karone of KO 35. Even after over a year, my birth name still sounds foreign.

I was Astronema for a decade. I had been feared, respected, and sometimes worshiped as heir to Dark Specter's domain. I had power and influence beyond the imagination of most humans, and confidence that some day, I would rule the galaxy.

The one thing I miss most about being Astronema is the confidence. The absolute certainty of what role I would play throughout my life. The clear vision of who I was, and what I was capable of.

Now, I don't know. I have no goals to reach for, no skills I can utilize in this new era governed by interplanetary peace. I have no clear understanding of who I am. Before, I was a cold mistress of Darkness, armed with magic, thousands of foot soldiers, and insatiable ambition. That image does not mesh with the memories of my childhood, awakened by my brother and his infallible love for me. That image now haunts me as I live with the consequences of my past life.

I am no longer Astronema, but I see her in my reflection sometimes. I remember her life and actions clearly. Zordon's cleansing power erased Dark Specter's unnatural hold on me, but that's all it did. It didn't erase my memories, or the skills I acquired during my rigorous training. Deep within, I retain all the darkness that once governed my life, only I've chosen not to embrace it.

Instead, I've embraced humanity. I embraced the selfless philosophy embodied by the Rangers, and their dedication to life and freedom. I embrace the love of my friends, my brother, and Zhane...and that love is the one reliable factor in my new existence.

But love doesn't grant me peace, because I'm still haunted by doubts. I wonder who I am, and what I can contribute to the protection and restoration of Earth, KO 35, and all the planets I had threatened.

I rise from my meditative stance, opening my eyes to see the sun rise over the thriving city of Angel Grove. I reflect on my deepest longings and darkest fears each morning, desperate to calm my anxiety lest it slowly eat me alive.

Then, the exercise begins.

I stretch my body, performing the brisk warm-up that has been a staple in my life as long as I can remember. I begin with simple kicks and jabs, and work toward a true battle pace, with arms and legs flying at breakneck speed. I build momentum, taking a few steps before throwing myself into a series of handsprings and flips, weaving around and between the spray of laser darts my imagination creates, flying toward me with deadly accuracy.

Of course, there are no laser darts. There is no threat at all, but that doesn't put my soul at ease. Andros tells me I was born to be a scholar, like my father before me. Only, I was bred to be a warrior: fierce, focused, and strong. While the teachings of Dark Specter's court now make me bow my head in shame, one lesson I can still take to heart echoes in my mind. The truth instilled into me by Ecliptor.

"The universe is a vast, dangerous place. You must be strong, my Princess...as strong as you can possibly be. If you cannot defend yourself, eventually someone will make you his victim."

I was victimized as a child, snatched from my playground by the monstrous Darkonda. My memories were obscured and my conscience poisoned by the brainwashing of Dark Specter's court, in which I served with misguided loyalty for more than half my life. I know the truth of Ecliptor's words, and they will never leave me.

Even in this new era, when no great evil hangs in the skies above, I cannot lay the warrior within to rest.

Zhane doesn't understand. He can't fathom this need for strength, this yearning to be in control of