They needed a bigger bed. It was strange to think such a thing when just months ago he had been literally sleeping in the streets, but there it was. He gazed into the darkness, contemplating the situation idly. There wasn't a lot he could do about it, but it seemed worthy of note nonetheless.

There was no question that he preferred the crowded closeness of Cassie's bed to his own lonelier accommodations on Elisia, but there was also no getting around the fact that the bunks on the Megaship were designed for single occupancy. There really wasn't enough room for two people to sleep comfortably on a regular basis... and there was even less room when a seventy-pound quadruped made his presence felt.

The dog in question whined softly from the floor, which was, as far as Saryn was concerned, the appropriate place for him. Cassie apparently let the creature sleep on the bed during the week, and he seemed to feel that the arrangement was now one of his inalienable rights. Saryn was repeatedly required to correct him.

Cassie stirred as the dog whined again, and he sighed without a sound. The lights might still be dark, but the night was about to come to an end. Each precious night with her was one that he hated to leave behind.

She mumbled something that sounded like "morning" as she rolled over onto her back, and he regarded her fondly as she struggled to open her eyes. "Good morning," he agreed, keeping his arm around her in a futile effort to hold onto the moment.

The dog had jumped to his feet as soon as he realized she was awake. Now he let out an impatient bark, clearly a moment away from putting his paws on the bed and nosing Cassie to make sure she hadn't forgotten him.

"Hey, Jetson," she muttered, reaching out for him blindly. The dog licked her hand eagerly and barked again. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she promised, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she started to sit up.

"You are not," Saryn told her. He didn't let her go, and she blinked sleepily at him.

"I have to take Jetson for a walk," she said, leaning over to give him a kiss. He didn't interrupt, but when she pulled away and tried to sit up he stopped her again.

"You aren't going down to Earth." When she opened her mouth to protest, he added, "The Psycho Rangers?"

That gave her pause. "Oh," she said at last, but she didn't settle back against the pillows. "Well, I'll only be a few minutes. They won't even know I'm there."

"They shouldn't have known you were there last night, either," he reminded her. "I will take your dog for a walk, but you must stay here."

She hesitated, and the look in her eyes said she knew exactly how he and Jetson felt about each other. "I know it's not your favorite thing..."

"'Love me, love my pet'," he said with a smile, kissing her gently. "Believe me, I am familiar with the concept."

She let out her breath in amusement. "You'll have to tell me about it some time."

He braced one arm on the other side of her and kissed her in passing before shifting his weight to edge off the bed. His clothes were in the chair where he had left them the night before, and as he dressed he said over his shoulder, "Jenna had a raptor. She was quite attached to it, and soon after we became involved I had to learn to hunt it."

"Hunt it?" Cassie repeated, sounding startled.

"Send it off in search of prey," he elaborated. "And I assure you, the only thing stranger than launching a bird of prey from your arm is having that same bird return with something in its beak."

She giggled. "I can imagine. At least Jetson doesn't eat live animals."

*And the raptor didn't sleep on the bed,* he thought, but he didn't say it aloud. "DECA?" he asked instead.

The camera light blinked on, and without being prompted she informed him, "Three transmissions were recorded for you last night."

Cassie murmured in surprise. "You're popular today."

Jetson barked again, and he raised an eyebrow at the dog. "You'll have to wait your turn, like the rest of the universe. DECA, would you route the transmissions through Cassie's terminal?"

"Certainly, Saryn."

DECA was in a pleasant mood this morning, he thought. That probably boded ill for TJ, or possibly Zhane when she next saw him, but when the seal of the Frontier Defense appeared on the screen he didn't bother to wonder. The seal didn't fade immediately, and a blur of numbers across the bottom of the screen indicated an encryption code in use.

"Tobin, for Saryn," the former Eltaran Ranger said at last, as his face replaced the seal. "I need to speak to you when you have a moment. The Kerova system is petitioning for official Defense membership. Clearly there are problems, but frankly there are few arguments we can make against them that don't apply equally to already established members right now. Whenever you're free," he repeated, and his image vanished.

He heard Cassie stir behind him. "That's funny... Andros didn't say anything about that."

"No," he agreed thoughtfully, as the timestamp for the next message appeared on the screen. "I would have expected him to at least mention it."

The Elisian sunburst logo replaced the timestamp, indicating an official Ranger transmission, and he straightened. But Mirine's face was delighted when she appeared on the screen, and she didn't bother to identify herself. "Saryn!" she cried, obviously out of breath. Water droplets glittered in her unbound hair, and she was grinning at the screen. "It's raining!"

The transmission ended with those words, and the screen went blank. He smiled to himself, and he heard Cassie laugh from somewhere behind him. He hadn't heard her get up, but when he turned his head she slid her arms over his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "It's going to be all right," she murmured.

"Yes," he agreed, lifting his face toward hers. The arrival of winter would not solve all of Elisia's problems, but at least it meant that the atmosphere could still support seasonal rainfall. And sharing Cassie's tender kiss only made the outlook seem more optimistic.

"Hi, Saryn," the last message interrupted. He drew away, startled by the voice, and found familiar hazel eyes looking back at him. Hers was a gaze he hadn't met in person for quite some time now.

"It's Kerone," she added, as though she didn't expect him to remember. "I just wanted to say... well, congratulations. I heard the Rangers are back on Elisia, and I've been meaning to tell you how happy I am for you.

"That's--" she hesitated a moment before continuing, "That's really all. I'm sorry," she said with an apologetic smile. "I'm tired, and I guess I'm not thinking clearly. Say hi to Cassie for me, please? ...'Night."

She disappeared, and he frowned at the darkened screen.

The room was silent, save for the insistent whine of Cassie's dog. For once, though, even Cassie made no move to comfort him. "That didn't sound much like Kerone, did it," she said at last.

Still staring at the screen, he didn't answer.

"Have you heard from her before?" Cassie wanted to know.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "DECA--did she ask you to hold that transmission for me?"

"Yes," DECA replied. "She requested that it be held overnight, so as not to wake you."

There was a pause. Then Cassie seemed to realize what that meant. "She knew you were here," she said slowly. "But how?"

"She must have sources on the Border." He frowned again, considering how quickly she would have had to get the information. "Or--she's on the Border herself. DECA, can you trace that message?"

"Andros and Zhane have never been able to," Cassie said quietly.

He waited anyway, wondering if the odd message might be different from the ones she had sent to her brother and his best friend. The League relays all had hyperboost capability and Ranger recognition codes, so if she had used them DECA ought to be able to backtrack the transmission's path relatively quickly.

"Message originated on KO-35," DECA said at last.

He nodded to himself, not particularly surprised. The Border kept a close eye on its Rangers; it wouldn't have been hard for her to find out when he left or to guess where he was going. She was looking for home, as he was, and if her tone was any indication, she was learning just how lonely that search could be.

"You knew?" Cassie demanded.

"No." He lifted one hand to his ring, and he heard Cassie's voice say quietly, *I love you, Saryn.* "I did not know. But it is a difficult quest she is on."

"Yeah," Cassie said sympathetically. "Finding a place to belong always is."

He blinked, then smiled to himself. Of course she understood. She had gone off on her own search for something to care about two years ago, leaving behind not only her family but her entire life. By ending up in Angel Grove, he knew she had saved more than just herself.

The dog barked again, and he shook his head. Cassie took a step back as he stood up, and he motioned to her dog. "Come on," he said. "Let's go to the park."

The dog leapt forward, needing no further prompting, but Cassie's voice stopped him in the doorway. "I'll let Andros know Kerone called."

"I would rather you did not," he said, turning back toward her. "She could have gotten a message to him just as easily. I am not sure she would thank me for passing this on."

She didn't look convinced, but the barking in the hallway seemed to make up her mind for her. "It's your message," she said with a small smile. "Go ahead; I'll see you in a few minutes."

He lifted a hand in farewell and strode after her dog. The creature threatened to wake everyone on deck five, so he didn't bother going to the holding bay. He just grabbed the dog's collar and teleported them both from the hallway.

The dog wrenched free as soon as there was grass under his feet, and Saryn watched him go with mild exasperation. "Enjoy yourself," he said under his breath, watching the dog bound away into the park.

He couldn't help wondering what the animal would think of Elisia. The scrub grass there was certainly not what he was used to, and they would have to be careful about when they let him out. The sand could burn when the sun got high enough.

He sighed, hooking his thumbs into his pockets as he wandered in the dog's wake. The real question, and the one that he had been trying to avoid for some time now, was what Cassie would think of Elisia. Could she be happy somewhere so...

He frowned down at the ground. Alien. The word was alien, and he couldn't let himself forget it. The consequences of forgetting had become all too clear in Carlos' and Aura's failed relationship.

So could Cassie be happy somewhere as alien as Elisia? Even when the terraforming had been at its height, the planet had been less than hospitable to offworlders. And with conditions the way they were now...

He lifted his head, staring after her dog. She hadn't even seen the planet. She had told him that she would spend the rest of her life on a spaceship if that were what it took for them to be together, but he wouldn't want that for her. He didn't want her to be anywhere that she couldn't truly love.

The dog was chasing some sort of small grey animal, and he wondered briefly if he ought to stop him. When the grey animal disappeared up a tree, though, the dog turned and went about his business without another thought.

*Out of sight, out of mind,* he thought. It wouldn't be that way for Cassie, he was sure. But would she remember Earth fondly as a place where she had once lived, or would she long for it the way he yearned to be back on Elisia?

What would he do if she did?

She herself seemed convinced that her time as a resident of Earth was almost over. Her citizenship could not legally transfer, of course, given the ignorance of most government officials on her home planet, but their marriage would grant her dual citizenship with a minimum of hassle. But citizenship did not confer appreciation, and he couldn't stop worrying.

Kerone had lasted five months on a ship not her own before she decided there had to be something more. Carlos and Aura had only been together four months before their sheer alienness had started to cause problems. And Cassie had already given up one home... how could he ask her to do it again?

His communicator beeped, and he glanced down in surprise. No matter how many times the Astro Rangers used it to page him, he was not completely used to the noise. "This is Saryn," he said, lifting his wrist so that the pickup would be clearer.

"Could you stop that?" Cassie's voice inquired. She sounded as amused as she did indignant. "You're making me nervous."

Chagrinned, he realized that he hadn't put enough effort into keeping his feelings to himself. She was the one person he could not seem to block unconditionally, no matter how many lessons Cestria gave him. "How much of that did you hear?" he asked, wincing a little.

"I didn't hear anything," she replied. "You're just making me nervous, that's all. And you're too distracted to hear me."

"I am... concerned about your reaction to Elisia," he admitted, leaning mentally on her dog's mind. The creature turned around and trotted back toward him obediently. Cestria would probably stare long and hard if she saw him do that.

Cassie didn't answer immediately. "Me too, sometimes," she said at last. "If you want to know the truth. But I am never, ever giving you up, and I'd rather be with you than anywhere else in the universe. So come up here and let's have breakfast before I starve."

Strangely, her confession made him feel a little bit better, and he smiled at her enjoinder to come have breakfast. At least he could count on her to tell him if she was unhappy...

He dropped a hand to the dog's collar, and the world washed away in fiery crimson.

***

"Greetings," Cestria said, sounding distinctly cheerful. "I hope the dawn finds you well."

She sounded as though it found *her* well--or would, when dawn eventually reached the Ranger dome in Coralside. He turned his back on the pre-recorded message, pulling his shirt on over his head and listening with half an ear as she said something about the latest shift rotation.

"The change in schedule is of course convenient for Cetaci," she continued, as he turned back to the screen. "It means that she is no longer slated to represent the team at the Alliance conference tomorrow afternoon--"

*Today,* he thought, correcting automatically for the lag between the message's arrival and his viewing of it. He had forgotten about the conference, but it didn't particularly affect him one way or the other. As team leader and the only one other than Zhane who could rearrange his schedule at will, Andros usually took care of things like that.

He reached for a hair elastic as Cestria's image added, "Diplomacy isn't Aura's strongest suit, as I'm sure you've noticed. Nonetheless, Delphinius is off-shift as well, and Billy and I have a prior commitment."

*Besides,* he thought wryly, *diplomacy isn't really Cetaci's strongest area either, so it shouldn't make that much difference.*

"She will do well, I'm certain," Cestria said, but the fact that she had to say it told him she wasn't sure at all. He didn't doubt Aura's ability to represent what was currently the second most powerful world in the League, but he was frankly glad that he wouldn't be there.

*All we need is another fight like the last one,* he thought ruefully. *In public. In front of Rangers from half the League worlds. That would really make us look good.*

"You might mention to Andros that he may be asked to stand with the governing Alliance delegation," Cestria went on, as he looked around for his chapstick. One of the side effects of so much time on Aquitar seemed to be that the California air felt dryer than usual.

"I don't believe a final decision has been reached," Cestria's image remarked, "but it is possible that they will want to honor your team for its part in the Alliance's foundation."

He found the chapstick on his bureau, along with his wallet, keys, and miscellaneous other items he had pulled out of his pockets the night before. The wire frame that had been his "Christmas present" from Aura stood beside the clutter, and he touched the picture with one finger before turning away.

"Aside from the conference," Cestria was saying, "there is one other small issue that you might wish to be aware of. I don't know how much time you're planning to spend on Aquitar in the near future, but it would be in all our best interests if you could refrain from mentioning the words 'children' or 'parenting' in Cetaci's presence."

He raised an eyebrow at that, staring back at the screen as though she could see him. Did he want to know where that had come from?

*Yes,* he decided, seeing Cestria hesitate. There had to be a story worth telling behind that one.

"Delphinius made a... well, an admittedly big mistake," Cestria said, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "And I'm afraid the rest of us have not been exempt from Cetaci's wrath."

She wasn't going to tell it, he thought, studying her expression. At least, not over a comm link. Maybe he would pay Aquitar a visit, later today while Aura was at the conference.

With a nod of her head, Cestria touched her fingertips together and wished him a good day before signing off. It would have been an abrupt farewell, if he hadn't been getting regular messages from her for some time now. Sometimes he thought he knew her better than he knew Aura... he was certainly more comfortable in Cestria's presence right now.

He turned away from the now blank terminal and headed for the door, only belatedly remembering to thank DECA for playing the message. He wouldn't have said it a week ago, or even a day. This morning, though, he couldn't keep the image of a young woman with blonde hair and golden eyes from surfacing every time he looked at one of her cameras. It was easier to take something--or someone--for granted when it didn't have a face associated with it.

Her reply was simple and perfectly polite: just "you're welcome," nothing more and nothing less. He imagined her tone had a slightly knowing quality to it anyway, as though she was aware of the reason behind his change in habits and found it amusing.

He shook his head, stepping out into the hallway and making his way toward the lift. Now he was second-guessing computers. He didn't know what that meant, but he doubted it was a good sign.

"Deck six," he told the lift, and it hummed to life without acknowledgement. He could only assume that that freed him from the responsibility of thanking her yet again, and he stepped out of the lift without a word. He needed to have a long talk with someone about this whole sentient computer thing.

He could hear Cassie before he even walked into the holding bay, and he grinned as he heard her telling TJ to stop feeding Jetson from the table. "Honestly," she was saying as he came in, "You'd think he never ate otherwise!"

"He's a growing dog," TJ informed her, no trace of repentance in his tone. "A few extra scraps won't hurt him."

"I assure you, he's quite big enough already," Saryn put in. "If it were your bed he slept on, you might look at the situation differently."

"Oh, you!" Cassie gave him an affectionate shove. "He doesn't sleep on the bed when you're here."

Saryn gave her an amused look. "Just because you don't wake up when he jumps on top of us doesn't mean it doesn't happen."

"Want another piece of pancake, Jetson?" TJ inquired solicitously.

Carlos couldn't help chuckling at the look Saryn gave TJ. "'Morning," he said, heading for the Synthetron. "What did DECA do to your pancakes this time, TJ?"

"They're blueberry!" he exclaimed. "I asked for chocolate chip!"

"I thought you liked blueberry," Cassie commented, not sounding particularly sorry for TJ's plight.

"I do," TJ answered. His tone was no less indignant than it had been before. "That's not the point. I wanted chocolate chip!"

Carlos shook his head as he set his plate down on the table and took a seat next to TJ. "And what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," TJ protested, cutting off another few pieces with his fork. "I think someone just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"I should not have to remind you that I do not sleep, TJ," DECA interjected. Carlos hadn't noticed the light on her camera come on, but she had clearly been following the conversation.

"And I shouldn't have to remind you to use contractions like the rest of us," TJ replied. "Don't get all formal on a person when you've just deliberately screwed up his pancake order."

"My speech subroutines are hardly relevant to this conversation," DECA told him.

"Yeah, neither is your mother," TJ muttered under his breath.

Carlos tried to stifle a laugh when DECA's response sounded distinctly puzzled. "Your remark is a non sequitur," she said. "I do not understand its significance."

TJ grinned, looking as though he'd just gotten away with something. "No one does, DECA; that's why it's such a good insult."

Carlos thought she was trying to process that when he noticed what Cassie was eating. He frowned a little, exaggerating his disbelief as he squinted at her bowl. "If that's cereal, then General Mills seriously needs to work on their presentation."

She rolled her eyes at him. "It's keris. I'm just trying something new."

"It's what?" he demanded. He'd seen some strange foods in his time on Aquitar, but this was a new one. "Is that stuff even legal?"

"You think they serve poppy seeds on Elisia?" Cassie retorted, and he grinned. It was a reference to an earlier discussion they'd had about how not to test positive for opium after eating poppy-seed bagels.

"I think they probably don't need to," he answered, shooting a significant glance at her bowl.

She just laughed, and TJ gave them a strange look. "You're both on poppy seeds," he muttered, which only set Cassie off again.

Saryn looked from one to the other, clearly not sure what he had missed.

"Don't ask," Carlos advised. "It's not nearly as funny as we think it is."

"But if you get pulled over while you're eating a poppy-seed bagel," TJ added helpfully, "make sure you have peanut butter in the car."

Saryn paused, watching Cassie giggle. After a moment, he nodded to TJ and offered, "I will give your suggestion the consideration it is due."

"'None' would be about right," Carlos put in.

Saryn smiled.

"You're the one who brought it up," TJ reminded Carlos. "I was just offering my opinion on your state of mind."

"The diagnosis of hallucinogenic use is probably not one that you are qualified to give," DECA told him.

TJ glared at her good-naturedly. "I don't think a computer who can't get a simple pancake recipe right has any business criticizing my professional medical ability!"

"Is this the point at which I ought to say something about your mother?" DECA inquired.

Carlos laughed, catching Cassie's eye across the table. She grinned back at him, and he decided that no matter what happened with the Psycho Rangers, he was glad for the enforced company of his teammates. They hadn't all had breakfast together in a long time.

As if on cue, Jetson's head swiveled toward the doorway, and TJ turned to look over his shoulder. Ashley's voice greeted them, and Andros' was only a moment behind her.

Carlos turned to watch them enter, wondering if Ashley's slightly subdued tone had been his imagination. "Morning," he echoed belatedly, when it occurred to him that even Saryn had returned their "hello"s. Ashley did look... quieter than usual, somehow, but that could just be the aftereffects of last night's attack.

"How are you feeling?" Cassie asked quickly, getting to her feet as though they might need help. "Any better this morning?"

"Much," Ashley said, giving her friend a grateful look. "Still a little tired and achy, but at least the flashbacks have stopped." A hint of humor slid across her face, and she added, "I did have some of the weirdest dreams, though."

"I know what that's like," Cassie said dryly, shooting Saryn an uninterpretable look.

Ashley laughed at what was probably a private joke, but the sound wasn't as light-hearted as it usually seemed. Andros didn't answer at all, as though the question had been directed only at Ashley. They were definitely a little off this morning, but whether it was the attack or something more, he couldn't tell.

"How are you doing, Andros?" TJ asked easily, as the Red Ranger sat down. The question was casual, but it was also direct enough that it couldn't be ignored.

"I'm fine." Andros focused on his food, clearly not in the mood to be maneuvered. "I think Saryn and DECA are right about the Psychos using our Power to strengthen themselves. DECA did some checking for me, and there's a precedent for a kind of 'dark Ranger' that replaces or coexists with the original until one or the other is destroyed."

There was silence for a moment, and the comfortable atmosphere slipped away without another word.

"Well, that's a cheery thought," Cassie said at last. "Thanks, Andros; you always know how to brighten things up."

"I'm just telling you what I found out," Andros answered, not looking up. "I thought you'd want to know."

"We do." TJ was suddenly serious, all trace of his earlier banter gone. "So you're saying it's us or them."

"We had no reasonable cause to expect otherwise," Saryn put in quietly.

"What about this replacing thing?" Cassie asked, before anyone could respond. "That doesn't sound good, especially with them trying to steal our memories. Why would they bother if they just wanted to get rid of us? Or Earth?"

"Both," Carlos muttered grimly.

"Not both," Saryn corrected. "Not right away. If they're using you to tap the Power, it is in their best interests to keep you alive long enough to accomplish their goal."

"Destroying Earth?" Cassie guessed. "But how do our memories help them? And why haven't they started yet? Not that I'm complaining," she added hastily, "but if they have the Power, then why haven't they done anything with it?"

"They're missing a member of their attack force," Andros said simply.

Carlos felt five pairs of eyes turn to look at him. "I think I just volunteered to be bait," he said with a sigh.

"No." Andros' sharp reply surprised him. "We need to keep you as far away from them as possible."

Carlos frowned, but the Red Ranger didn't elaborate. He just continued eating as though it was the only thing on his mind, as though the others were having a discussion of which he was not a part. Carlos exchanged glances with TJ, but his friend just raised an eyebrow.

"Andros," Carlos said slowly, "we have the perfect opportunity here. We know what they want--what they'll do next given the slightest chance. All we have to do is be ready for them."

"An ambush," Cassie agreed. "If we keep them from getting to Carlos, it'll be the six of us against four of them."

Out of the corner of his eye, Carlos could see TJ frowning, but Andros spoke first. "We don't know enough about them yet. We don't even know for sure what they want."

"We know that they've come after us one by one, and we know that I can't stay on the Megaship forever," Carlos pointed out. "We'll have to go up against them eventually. It might as well be on our terms."

"And if we fail, Earth is next." Andros still didn't look up. "We need more time, and if we can get it by keeping you free of them, then that's what we're going to do."

"I'd like to know more about these 'dark Rangers' that DECA's found," TJ said unexpectedly. "But I'm not convinced that Carlos is the only one who needs to watch his back. He may be the next in line, but none of the rest of us are at full strength."

"They won't hurt us," Andros said with certainty. "Saryn's right; they need us alive to siphon our Power. I don't think they'll come after us again until they've destroyed Earth, and I don't think they'll try to do *that* until they have a link to Carlos' Power."

*And when did you become such an expert?* Carlos demanded silently. He didn't say it aloud, but Andros hadn't been this short with them since their first months on the Megaship.

"Even if you're right," Cassie began. She sounded just the slightest bit irritated too, which surprised Carlos. Aside from Ashley, Cassie had always been the most tolerant of Andros' moods. "We can't ask Carlos to stay on the Megaship forever. It's not practical, it's not fair, and it won't work indefinitely. They'll either get tired of waiting for him and attack anyway, or they'll try to come after him here."

"They wouldn't get past DECA." Andros barely seemed to be listening. "Besides, it won't be for that long. Carlos will have to go to Irini this afternoon anyway."

Carlos froze, tumbler halfway to his mouth. "Excuse me?"

"The Alliance conference is on Irini." Andros caught his eye briefly before his gaze slid away again. "You guys are going to have to start taking responsibility for Earth's obligations to the Alliance."

Cassie gave him an odd look. "I thought you said we were taking care of that."

"I said *I* was taking care of it," Andros corrected, looking up again. "But I can't keep doing it. KO-35's petitioning for Defense membership, and I can't keep representing two different worlds."

An uneasy silence settled over the table, and Carlos finally remembered the glass in his hand. He set it down, letting the tumbler hit the table with a little more force than was necessary. "So what are you saying? Now that KO-35's back, we're not worth your time anymore?"

"That's not fair, Carlos," Ashley said quietly. It was the first time she'd spoken since Cassie had asked her how she was. "Andros has been doing more than his share of the Alliance work these last few months. We can't ask him to do that on top of everything he owes to KO-35."

"KO-35 is my home!" Andros burst out. "Stop talking about it like it's something I 'have' to do! Why am I allowed to put my life on the line for Earth, but when it comes to KO-35, the smallest thing is suddenly a huge deal? Why can't I be as passionate about my world as you are about yours?"

No one said anything for a moment. Then, just as Andros looked as though he was about to get up, Cassie murmured, "Maybe we're just scared to let you go, Andros. We've been through a lot together, after all. We can't help being a little... clingy."

"That's what makes us good teammates," TJ added, smiling slightly. Cassie smiled back at him.

"We know how much your home means to you," she continued, when Andros didn't answer. "And we'd never stand in the way of that. Sometimes it's just hard for everyone to remember that you have a life away from us, you know?"

"Yeah, well," Andros muttered. "I certainly can't stay on Earth for the rest of my life."

The scrape of a stool was loud on the metal deck, and Ashley dropped her napkin on the table beside her plate. "Excuse me," she said, very deliberately. She turned and walked out of the holding bay.

Andros didn't go after her.

Carlos caught Cassie's eye, but she looked just as confused as he felt. Finally, he pushed his own stool back and got up, following Ashley out into the hallway. As he left, he heard TJ ask carefully, "Did I miss something here?"

***

She heard Carlos leave the holding bay, but she didn't turn to look at him as he joined her. She put her hands against the wall behind her and leaned back against them, staring across the corridor at the window on the other side. The stars stared back at her, silent and small against the darkness... it was always night in space.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carlos imitate her posture and follow her gaze, but he didn't say anything. Not that the guy who had never gotten through more than a semester with the same girl had room to talk, but his company was nice.

There were more footsteps a minute or two later, and Andros strode out of the holding bay. He didn't even glance in their direction, instead turning left and disappearing onto the Bridge. Whether he had seen them at all was open to question, but she was inclined to think he had.

There was another quiet moment. She could just make out the muted sounds of resumed conversation from inside the bay, and she wondered what they were talking about. Saryn had barely said a word since she and Andros had arrived, but then, he wasn't particularly talkative under the best of circumstances.

"You going to make it?" Carlos asked at last, breaking into her reverie.

She looked sideways at him, but he was still staring out the window. His thoughts could have been a million miles away--or, more likely, about two hundred thousand light years, she thought--except for his question.

She sighed, turning her gaze back to the stars. "I don't know," she said softly. It was the most honest answer she could give.

"Fair enough," he said a moment later.

When he said nothing else, she looked over at him again. "What about you?" she had to ask. "How are you doing?"

He shrugged, but he did glance over at her. His expression was wry, though she didn't understand why. "Andros picked a lousy time to cop out on us, but other than that, I'm fine."

For once, she didn't bother defending Andros. "You mean the conference?"

"Yeah. The conference." He rested his head against the wall behind him. "Aura's going to be there."

"Oh." She didn't question how he knew. "TJ would probably go instead," she offered instead. "If you asked him."

He just shook his head. "You heard him in there. He wants to do some research, for whatever good it will do. Besides, it's stupid not to go just because she is."

"I don't think it's stupid," Ashley said quietly. She glanced down the hall toward the Bridge, but there was no sign of the Red Ranger.

He didn't answer. She stared out at the stars for a while longer. Finally she wondered aloud, "Why does it feel like this is the end?"

He turned his head to look at her again. "Where did that come from?" The question was might have been natural enough, but he didn't sound curious. It was as though he already knew what she meant.

"I've been waiting for graduation all year," she mused, to herself as much as to him. "I just wanted school to be over so we could get on with our lives. But now it's like... this *is* my life, you know? Going to school, and Rangering, and being with you guys."

She couldn't help sighing again. "I want to graduate, but... sometimes I wish everything could just stay the way it's always been."

"I know what you mean," Carlos admitted, looking back at the window. "You get to a point where everything is good, and you think that maybe if you just don't do anything, it will stay that way."

"Yeah." She put one foot behind her against the wall. "But it never does."

"No," he agreed. He was still watching the stars slide slowly past. "That's life, I guess."

"Why," she said, indulging in a little bit of sullenness. "Why does that have to be life; that's what I want to know."

"To show us what's important, I guess." His tone held a hint of amusement for her theatrics. "Hold on to the best and deal with the rest."

She kicked the wall behind her sulkily. "He didn't even ask me to come with him."

"Would you go?" he inquired. He didn't sound surprised, didn't look at her, even, and his tone was idle. It was as though he had expected her complaint, and had prepared a reply ahead of time. "If he asked you?"

"I don't know." She frowned down at the floor. "That's not the point."

"Have you asked him to stay here?"

"Of course not," she said automatically. "It wouldn't be fair."

Carlos gave her an absent smile. "So it's more fair for him to ask you to give up the only life you've ever known to go live on a starving, barely stable planet in a part of space that was a war zone six months ago?"

She opened her mouth. "I--" She stared at him, startled at the feeling his words had evoked. "I don't care about that," she said slowly. "I just..." *I just want to be with Andros.*

"Dammit, Carlos," she muttered, looking helplessly out at the stars. "Why does that suddenly sound so much better than college?"

"Hold on to the best," he repeated calmly. But his words sounded quiet and a bit reflective as he followed her gaze to the window.