Friday Night
by Starhawk

"I decree," Carlos began, the frisbee held high above his head.

"That we're going to be late for dinner," Karen interrupted.

"Hey!" He glared at her. "Do you have the talking frisbee? No. Stay quiet!"

She giggled. "Then give me the talking frisbee!"

"Make me!"

Karen tackled him, dragging his arm down and reaching for the frisbee. He switched it to his other hand, laughing at her, but he let her grab it when she went for it again.

"*I* decree," Karen declared, holding the frisbee aloft triumphantly, "That it's quarter of five, and if you want to eat before we go to the theater, we have to leave right now."

"Eating?" Carlos pretended to be surprised. "What's that?"

She slapped his shoulder with the frisbee. "Nothing you'd know about, Mr. I-only-eat-breakfast-once-a-week."

The frisbee circle started to break up, and Carlos said their goodbyes while Karen went to get their backpacks. Passing the frisbee back to TJ, he glanced around, looking for Zhane.

"Astrea" was still sitting next to him, watching the group gather in the middle of the clearing. They two were the only ones who hadn't gotten up to see Carlos and Karen off, but Carlos figured he could forgive them that. He still wasn't sure how he felt about one of Dark Spectre's lackeys joining them in the park, Andros's sister or not.

"Hey," Karen said, putting a hand on his arm as she came up behind him. "You ready?"

He flashed a smile in her direction, taking his backpack from her and swinging it over his shoulder. "Sure. See you guys later, all right?"

"Have a good night," Ashley said, waving after them.

He waved as he turned away, reaching for Karen's hand as he let his arm fall. "So, did you have a good time?" he asked, when they were far enough away that they didn't have to worry about being overheard.

"Yeah," Karen said immediately. "I like your friends. They're not like the people I hang out with."

Carlos looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged a little. "A lot of the people I know are really--stressed, I guess. Too serious. You know how to have fun."

Swinging their clasped hands, she smiled up at him, and he found himself smiling back. "I'm glad you like them," Carlos told her.

"Who's Cassie's artist boyfriend?" Karen asked a moment later, as they stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Artist boyfriend?" he repeated, amused at the description. "You mean Saryn?"

"Yeah," Karen agreed. "Is he not an artist? He dresses like one. And he's really quiet."

Carlos tried not to laugh. Cassie was going to love this, he thought. "I don't know," he said. "He goes to the university--Andros introduced them."

*Convenient that this is a college town,* Carlos mused wryly, as Karen appeared to accept that explanation. They had so far explained every offworld visitor as a university student, and no one had questioned it. The former Rangers had told Andros and Zhane enough about college life to get them by in casual conversation, and AGU was a big campus. No one was surprised when they didn't know someone's older brother or sister.

"What about that girl with Zhane?" Karen asked, glancing over at him. "I don't think I've ever seen her with you guys before."

Carlos frowned a little. "I'm not really sure," he said truthfully. "I've seen her with Zhane once or twice." That was certainly no lie. "But I don't really know anything about her, and he's never introduced us."

"Maybe she's shy," Karen suggested, sounding a little doubtful. "She didn't really *look* it, but I thought she'd have come over or something."

"She didn't look shy, did she," Carlos said thoughtfully. "She looked sort of--distant. Like she belonged somewhere else," he added, thinking how true that was.

"Really?" Karen glanced over at him. "She looked like she wanted to play frisbee, to me. That's why I was surprised she didn't join us."

Carlos tried to picture Astronema playing frisbee with them, and failed miserably. "You're kidding."

"What's wrong with frisbee?" she teased, elbowing him gently.

"Nothing," he said quickly. He tried to smile. "I just didn't think of her that way, I guess."

Karen gave him an odd look. "But you said you don't know her."

He shrugged uncomfortably. "Maybe she just didn't look like the frisbee type to me."

"Carlos," she said, a puzzled smile on her face. "You know something about her. What?"

"No, I really don't," he said, realizing at last how complete Astronema's disguise was. When Karen looked at her, she saw nothing more than a girl, about their age, whom she assumed had just gotten out of school and was enjoying the beginning of the weekend like everyone else.

"Let's see," Karen began speculatively. "Is she… pregnant?"

When Carlos gave her a startled look, she giggled. "Didn't think so. Is she a runaway? Maybe that's it; she's living with Zhane until she's eighteen and her parents can't come after her."

Carlos tried not to grin at the thought of Zhane and Astronema sharing a dorm room on the AGU campus somewhere. He didn't quite hide his amusement, though, and Karen saw it.

"That's it, isn't it! She's going to be a police officer when she gets old enough--" She grinned when Carlos chuckled, but she kept going. "And she'll hang around parks, just waiting to catch illegal frisbee players! You were right after all; she *isn't* the frisbee type!"

She let out a shriek of laughter when Carlos let go of her hand to tickle her affectionately. They had made it to the AGH parking lot by now, but their progress stopped when she doubled over, laughing as he wrapped his arms around her and tickled her sides unrepentantly.

In between giggles, she managed to gasp, "Dinner, remember?"

Reluctantly, Carlos let go, shaking his head at her. "You have such a one-track mind," he complained good-naturedly, picking up her bag from where it had fallen on the sidewalk.

She took it, grinning up at him. "No, I just know how irritable you get when you don't eat in the evenings."

He chuckled, putting an arm around her shoulders as they walked toward her car. "Well, I wouldn't want you to suffer unnecessarily, so let's go."

"Me!" she squeaked, letting him guide her across the pavement. "You make it sound like *I'm* the one who'll complain!"

He just grinned at her, pausing by the driver's side door. Reaching for her wrist, he slipped her key bracelet off and opened the door for her. "After you," he said gallantly, gesturing to the car.

She tossed her bag in and started to duck inside, but suddenly she stopped. "Carlos, wait!" Her expression was so serious that he paused.

"What?" he asked, concerned.

"I've got it!" She stared at him with wide eyes. "The girl with Zhane--she's an alien, isn't she!"

He froze, unable to come up with a suitable reply.

Karen burst into giggles, snatching her keys out of his hand. "Gotcha!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he managed to roll his eyes at her. "An alien, right. I'm sure that's it, Karen."

Still giggling, she climbed into the car and unlocked the passenger door for him. He closed her door and walked around the front of the car, shaking his head.

***

"I'm just going to tell him we're going," Andros argued.

"I think he knows," Ashley told him gently. "Look, if he thought she could take it, he would have brought her over here instead of just watching."

"I'll be right back," he said, and turned away.

Ashley sighed, watching him walk across the grass toward his sister and Zhane. The girl jumped to her feet as he approached, and Ashley shook her head, hoping he hadn't scared her off.

"They never listen, do they," Cassie said from behind her.

Looking over her shoulder, she couldn't help grinning at the expression of mock-dismay on her friend's face. "They don't," she agreed, glancing after Andros again.

Zhane had gotten to his feet as well, standing a little away from the girl as he spoke to Andros. That probably helped more than anything, and Ashley could see Kerone relaxing a little when neither of them so much as looked at her.

Then TJ stepped in front of her, tossing Justin's hackey sack up in the air and catching it again. "If you're trying not freak her out, we probably shouldn't stand here staring at them," he pointed out, smiling.

Ashley sighed. "I know," she admitted, shifting slightly to glance over his shoulder. Zhane was stretching, a deliberately casual counterpoint to Kerone's stiffness as Andros turned to face her.

"I can't help it," she said sheepishly, looking back at TJ when she realized she was staring again. "I'll get better, I promise."

"Sure you will," TJ said, exchanging knowing looks with Justin. "So what's happening?"

She shot a quick look over his shoulder again, and to her relief she saw Andros on his way back. "Andros is coming over here--Kerone's still with Zhane, so I guess he didn't scare her too much."

"The princess of evil?" Justin scoffed. "What's going to scare her?"

"Sometimes what you do not know is more frightening that what you do," Saryn interjected quietly.

Andros paused between TJ and Ashley, looking over at her. "Zhane's going to stay here for a little while," he said, as though he wasn't quite sure what to think of that.

"Kerone too?" Ashley asked, catching his eye.

He nodded wordlessly.

"Well," Justin said into the quiet, glancing down at his watch. "It was great hanging out with you guys, but I've got to go."

"I'll walk you home," TJ offered. "I've got some time to kill."

"Sure," Justin said, snatching his hackey sack away from the Blue Ranger. "And hey, Ashley, Cassie." He shook his head, a disapproving look on his face. "Try not to miss so much school next time."

Cassie gave him a push, and he tossed the hackey sack at her. "Hey!" She ducked, but the beanbag hit her shoulder anyway and she grabbed it, throwing it back at him.

Justin caught it out of the air with a grin. "Stay out of trouble, guys," he said cheerfully, heading over toward the pile of backpacks.

"See you later," TJ said with a wave, as he followed their younger friend.

Ashley waved back, glancing over at Andros as she did so. He was still silent, an impassive expression on his face as he stared down at the ground, and she gave him a gentle nudge. "You okay?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he said, looking up and trying to muster a smile. "Just thinking about Kerone, I guess."

"Just because she has been evil," Saryn offered, one hand on Cassie's shoulder, "it does not mean that she doesn't care about you."

Ashley didn't miss the look Cassie gave Saryn, and she smiled at the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at her friend.

Andros nodded, looking over his shoulder. "I know," he said, and she followed his gaze. Zhane was leaning against the trunk of the tree he had been sitting under earlier, saying something to the girl who lingered nearby.

"She's wearing her locket," Ashley pointed out, squinting over at them.

"I know," Andros repeated, looking back at them. "Zhane thinks she just needs time."

Ashley linked her arm through his, tugging him gently away from the scene. "He's probably right; he knows her better than any of us."

"Yeah," Andros admitted, and she wondered suddenly if that was what was bothering him. But then he smiled at her, and added, "We'd better hurry if we're going to be at your parents' house by five."

"We don't have to go," she said, searching his expression. "I'm sure they'd understand if--"

He reached for her backpack, picking it up and holding it for her as she slipped the straps over her shoulders. "No, it'll be fun. I like your parents. Besides, it's been days since you saw them--they probably think you've been kidnapped or something."

"What, by you?" she teased, turning toward him to give him a quick kiss.

"Don't give me any ideas," he said softly, and she grinned at him.

"We'll see you later," Ashley offered, seeing Cassie and Saryn waiting nearby.

"Have a good night," Cassie said, smiling calmly. When Andros looked away, though, she caught Ashley's eye and winked.

"You too," Ashley said, doing her best not to giggle. She reached for Andros's hand, and they headed for the edge of the park together.

***

"Where are we going?" she wanted to know.

Zhane, strolling casually at her side, refused to tell her. "It's a surprise," was all he would say.

"I don't like surprises," she warned him.

At that he stopped, and squinted off across the park. "There," he said finally, pointing. "That's where we're going."

She looked where he indicated, but she saw nothing more than a small tangled structure of metal and wood. "What's over there?"

"The playground."

She frowned. "What's a playground?"

He grinned at her. "If you come with me, you'll see."

She followed him, making sure he knew it was with reluctance, but the truth was that she knew better than to be suspicious of anything Zhane suggested. She had taken to watching for him when the Megaship was in orbit around Earth, waiting for him to be alone and then slipping away from her own ship to join him.

In all that time, he had never done anything to make her wary. True, he hadn't known who she was for most of that time, but somewhere in among those haphazard meetings she had started to trust him. Trust wasn't something she was used to having with most people, and she found that it was difficult to stop trusting once she started.

"Here we are," he said simply, interrupting her musings.

She looked around, somewhat bemused. She said nothing, though, accustomed to hiding her confusion. Confusion, like so many other things, was a sign of weakness that she would not tolerate.

"Do you remember swings?" he asked, sitting down on one of the hanging supports.

"Remember?" she repeated in spite of herself.

"They're not exactly like the ones we had on KO-35," he admitted, pushing his feet against the ground. The swing moved gently, taking him with it, and he smiled a little.

His blond hair caught the sunlight, and she found herself envisioning him in silver instead of grey. "Do I know you?" she asked suddenly.

He cocked his head, frowning at her. She tried not to blush, letting her hair fall in front of her eyes as she turned toward the swing next to his. She sat gingerly on it, clasping the metal chain links to either side with both hands.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

Without looking at him, she nodded.

He didn't say anything, and finally she confessed, "I--I feel like I know you from somewhere. Somewhere before here."

It sounded silly to her even as she said it, but Zhane appeared to take it seriously. "You do," he said after a moment. "I was so young when we met that I don't even remember it, but me and your brother used to play together all the time."

She reached for her locket inadvertently. "Andros," she murmured, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Zhane nod.

He was quiet for a while, and finally she had to know. "Ecliptor says my whole family was killed by Power Rangers." She looked over at him, saw the shock on his face. "That's not true, is it."

Instead of immediately denying it, he just stared back at her. "Do you think it is?"

She looked away. "Andros is alive," she said uncertainly.

"Astrea." She bit her lip, grateful that he had not yet started calling her Kerone. "That's not what I asked. Do *you* think Power Rangers killed your family?"

She hesitated a moment longer, then shook her head wordlessly.

She heard him sigh in relief, but he didn't press the issue any farther. She watched him, sideways, as he dug his sneakers into the ground and pushed his swing back and forth a little.

"You're a Ranger," she said abruptly, and saw him look up. "Andros… he was always going to be a Ranger, wasn't he."

Zhane nodded. "Andros was. You were too, you know, until you were kidnapped. I wasn't."

"You weren't?" She looked at him in surprise, ignoring what he had said about her. "Why not?"

He gave her his best devilish grin. "I wasn't responsible enough. They thought I'd get someone hurt, I suppose."

"I can't imagine you hurting anyone," she said, before she could stop herself. She looked down, embarrassed that she had spoken before she thought, but she couldn't help darting a glance in his direction to catch his reaction.

He looked, if anything, pleased. "Thanks," he said sincerely. "Luckily for me, Andros couldn't either, and we've been teammates for a long time."

She smiled, a little wistfully. Andros was red--she had been yellow, she was sure. Ironic that her magic was now purple; the exact opposite of the color she must once have worn. "I wish I could have been on your team," she whispered without thinking.

Zhane was silent for a moment, and she heard the clink of his swing as he twisted it in her direction. "Astrea," he said quietly. "You're going to have to choose, you know. Maybe not now, but someday. You can't keep being the princess of evil *and* the friend of the Power Rangers."

She tilted her head a little, her hair sliding farther forward as she stared down at the ground. She couldn't let him see the tears she knew were lurking in her eyes--she had not cried in years, and she would not start again now.

"Astrea?" he repeated gently, and she felt his fingers brushing her hair away from her face.

She jerked away, her swing twisting as she pushed it back, away from him. She blinked fiercely, trying to keep her eyes dry.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice awkward. "I didn't mean to…"

He trailed off as she whispered, "I did choose."

He froze, staring at her. "What?"

"I did choose," she repeated, a little more loudly. He did not look over his shoulder, as would have been her first instinct. After all, if her next words were just slightly different, he would be finding himself in the middle of a particularly vicious quantron attack.

But something had ensured his safety. His own charm, his unquestioning friendship--she wasn't sure. Or maybe it was simply her own resurfacing memories, once again due to him, of the way things were supposed to be that had made her choose as she did.

"The Dark Fortress was ordered to Aquitar two days ago," she said, swallowing hard. "It came to Earth instead."

He just kept looking at her with an intent regard that she couldn't read. "But… you were already *at* Aquitar," he said finally, as though he didn't understand what she was saying.

"Not by Dark Spectre's order. I went--" She hesitated. There were the reasons she had giving Ecliptor, even told herself, and then there was the real reason. "I went so I wouldn't have to fight you. And then you were there anyway."

His lips quirked a little. "Sorry," he offered wryly.

She sniffed, but she found herself almost giggling at his apology. It was so ridiculous that she couldn't help but smile.

"Then Cassie was evil, and I asked you to meet me here," he said suddenly, his own smile fading. "Oh, I'm sorry, Astrea. I didn't know--"

She shook her head, letting go of the swing's chains to rub her eyes. "No," she told him. "You were right. I had to choose. You, or the Alliance of Evil."

"I had no idea what I was up against," he said, but his quick smile assured her that he was teasing.

She took a deep breath, gripping the chains again. "The Dark Fortress came here," she repeated, hearing her voice steady a little. "It's been here ever since, against Dark Spectre's explicit orders."

"You're a rogue ship," he said softly, and she nodded.

He got to his feet abruptly, circling around behind her. She twisted to follow his movement, and he shook his head. "No, turn back the other way. Trust me," he added, catching her eye.

She gazed at him for a moment, then, hesitantly, turned around. "Now pick your feet up," he said, from right next to her shoulder. "And hold on."

She did as she was told, then drew in a sharp breath as he grabbed the chains near the base of her swing and pulled them backward. She tensed, waiting for him to let go, but when he did it didn't feel as much like falling as she had expected.

She swung backward again, and this time she felt his hands on her lower back, giving her a gentle shove forward. She smiled as the breeze blew her hair away from her face, and then into her face again as the swing changed direction.

Zhane pushed her again, and she put her feet out instinctively as the swing climbed higher. She tucked them underneath her as she fell backward, and she heard Zhane laugh as he pushed her. "You do remember!"

Her smile widened and she stretched her legs out again, feeling safe for the first time since the Dark Fortress had disobeyed Dark Spectre to come to Earth.

***

She watched him stare down at the board she had set up. Saryn's hair was in his eyes, as usual, but his gaze was so intent that she wasn't sure he had noticed. Finally, he reached out and skipped one of the dark glass marbles over top of one of hers and looked at her expectantly.

She braced her hands on either side of the checkerboard and leaned forward to kiss him gently. The rule about kissing the player who captured your piece wasn't one she had been taught, of course, but right now it suited Cassie just fine.

He sighed as she pulled away. "I wish you would take one of my pieces," he complained. "I don't think this game is fair."

She studied the board, but he was too tactically minded to allow her any openings. She moved one of the clear pink marbles forward and shrugged at him in amusement. "How was I supposed to know you'd be so good at it?"

He shook his head, taking another one of her pieces. She leaned forward to kiss him again, just barely touching her lips to his. He closed his eyes when she drew back, and she didn't miss the way he clenched his hand around the piece he had just captured. "You are doing this to me on purpose," he muttered.

She bit her lip to keep from giggling. "Maybe a little," she admitted, moving another marble forward.

He gave her a dark look, but having to shake his hair away from his face to do it lessened the impact somewhat. She just smiled back at him innocently.

He looked back down at the board, and after a moment's consideration, moved one of his pieces. She looked at him in surprise--he hadn't failed to take one of her "checkers" since their two sides had met in the middle of the playing board.

He just stared back at her, waiting, and she glanced at the board again. Her eyes widened as she realized what he had done. And done deliberately, she had no doubt.

Without hesitation, she hopped one of her pieces over his and captured the first black marble he had let her have. She drew back in surprise as he pushed the board out of the way. Sliding across the floor toward her, he murmured, "I want a real kiss."

"A *real* kiss?" she exclaimed indignantly, but then his mouth covered hers and she forgot how to breathe, let alone speak.

His hand cupped the side of her face, his fingers slipping into her hair, and she leaned forward, pressing closer to him. His other hand slid around behind her neck and he kissed her harder, making her pay for every time she had only just touched him during their game. It was a debt she was only too happy to let him collect on.

Finally he pulled away, and she could barely hear his whisper over the pounding of her heart. "Do you--do you wish to finish our game?"

She reached out, knowing what it would do to him but unable to stop herself, and ran her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, and she smiled a little. "What did you have in mind?" she asked softly.

His eyes flickered open, and he caught her hand as she let it fall. Raising her fingers to his lips, he kissed them gently, his gaze not wavering from hers. "I want you," he breathed.

For answer, she leaned over their clasped hands and pressed her lips to his. She felt some of the tension drain out of him as he slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and returning her kiss with a passion she could feel in her own heart. She uncurled the fingers of her left hand and let the captured game piece slide to the floor, unnoticed.

She didn't see DECA's camera light turn on, but a moment later the computer's voice announced, "Incoming transmission for the Phantom Ranger."

Cassie turned her head, trying to focus as he kissed her neck softly, his fingers trailing down her spine. "Saryn," she whispered, and she heard him sigh.

He drew away, closing his eyes and tilting his head toward the ceiling. "Who is it, DECA?"

"Transmission from Linnse, of the Frontier Defense," DECA answered.

He didn't move. "Put her through, please, audio only."

Cassie shifted, and his hand rubbed her back soothingly. "I don't mind," she whispered, but he cut her off.

"*I* mind," he said firmly, catching her eye and brushing her hair away from her face. "If it isn't important--"

"Phantom?" Linnse's voice intruded.

She glanced toward the computer terminal, but it remained dark, as he had requested. "Yes, Linnse?" His tone was nothing less than impatient.

"Not very subtle," Linnse remarked dryly. "Your departure yesterday afternoon, that is. If you don't want anyone to know where you're going, you could at least take your starfighter."

He sighed, tightening his arm around her. "I will remember that next time. Is there something you wished to speak with me about?"

"Actually, yes." Linnse's tone was suddenly serious. "It's about that girl."

Cassie gave him a puzzled look, and the angry expression on his face made her heart sink. Linnse was talking about *her*.

"Her name is Cassie, Linnse," he said, his voice hard. "I would appreciate it if you would use it."

There was a brief silence, and when Linnse answered, her words were as formal as his. "Very well. I want to speak to you about Cassie."

His jaw clenched, and he glanced at her. "Should I go?" she breathed, very quietly.

He shook his head. "Please stay," he whispered in her ear, and she nodded wordlessly, relieved.

"One moment," he told the air. "I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing her cheek softly.

She smiled to let him know it was all right, and he climbed to his feet and walked over to her computer terminal. "DECA, route the audio-visual signal through this station."

The camera light blinked, and Linnse's face appeared on the small screen. He sat down, folding his arms in an oddly human gesture, and waited for her to speak first.

Cassie leaned back against her bunk, out of the terminal's visual pickup range, and pulled her knees up to her chest. She had never officially met Linnse, though she had been present for some of the communications between Aquitar and the Defense. She had always rather liked the woman, but her sudden description of Cassie as "that girl" was not an endearing development.

"This girl," Linnse began, and Cassie made a face at her image. "I've seen her a few times in the Ranger dome on Aquitar recently."

"Yes."

Cassie couldn't help smiling.

"But she's not Aquitian," Linnse pressed.

"No."

She bit her lip to keep from giggling. This was Saryn at his most uncooperative, and she found it terribly funny when it was turned on someone else.

"Phantom, help me out here!" Linnse demanded. It was the appeal of a friend to another friend, but Cassie found it somehow intrusive anyway.

Apparently, Saryn did too. Slumped in the chair in front of the computer, his arms were still crossed over his chest in what would be a defensive gesture in a human. She could almost see him raising an eyebrow at the screen. "Why?"

Linnse glared at him. "Because I'm worried about you!"

He seemed to consider that. "Why?" he repeated, but his tone was no longer deliberately antagonistic, just curious.

She sighed a little, and as her glare faded her expression did indeed look concerned. "Phantom, you've answered a comm transmission unmorphed twice in as many days. If you've decided not to conceal your identity anymore, I wish you'd tell me."

"I have not," he answered steadily. "Both times, I have known it was you calling for me. You know who I am, thus there is no danger."

"You're on the Megaship," she said. "Does that mean the Astro Rangers know who you are as well?"

"They are Cassie's team," he said quietly. "They will not betray me."

"What about the people *they* tell?" Linnse persisted. "Do you trust them, also? That girl must be spending a good deal of time with the Aquitians, after all, and her friends--"

"Stop," Saryn said, his voice tight.

"--could be telling anyone," Linnse said, heedless of his warning.

"Linnse." Saryn spoke over her when she did not pause. "If you do not stop referring to Cassie as 'that girl', I will take offense. I object to your inference that she is not trustworthy as well.

"The Aquitian Rangers know," he continued, and Linnse's eyes widened. Before she could get another word in, though, he added, "Both the Aquitian and Astro teams have sworn to keep this secret, though I have never asked such a vow of Cassie. I love her, Linnse, and I can not believe she would ever hurt me."

Cassie shivered at his intensity, but she couldn't help a tiny bit of satisfaction when Linnse had no immediate reply.

"I trust these Rangers to stay silent," Saryn said after a moment. "Even as I trusted your team years ago. I do not believe either trust has been misplaced."

Linnse didn't look away, but at last she nodded a little. "Your trust in us was not misplaced. I only hope your judgement when it comes to this--to Cassie's friends is equally sound."

When he didn't volunteer a reply, she sighed. "May it go well," Linnse offered, and the screen went black.

He didn't move. Tentatively, Cassie said, "She's just worried about you, you know."

The chair swiveled, and he turned to look at her. His expression of dismay startled her. "I am sorry you heard that," he said quietly. "She *is* worried, but she does not know you. I hope you have never doubted my trust in you."

She shook her head, looking up at him as he stood and walked over to her. "No," she assured him, taking his hand when he offered it. "I never have. I love you, Saryn."

He pulled her to her feet, and she leaned closer when he put his arms around her. "I love you, too," he whispered, and his embrace was all she needed in the face of Linnse's skepticism.

"Thank you for being who you are," she murmured suddenly, and she felt his arms tighten around her.

"I could say the same of you," he answered softly.

***

It was just after midnight when TJ returned to the Megaship, but by DECA's tally--which, to his surprise, she gave to him without argument--there were still four Rangers unaccounted for on Earth.

*To get up at seven, or not to get up at seven,* he thought to himself as he headed for the Bridge. *That is not much of a question.*

Standing in front of the console, he glanced over at DECA's camera. It was lit, and glowing at him reprovingly. He hesitated over the controls that would disable her voice. She *had* been oddly polite to him ever since last night, after all.

"Hey, DECA?" The red light blinked at him in acknowledgement, and he asked, "Could I convince you to wake us up at, say, ten, instead of seven?"

The computer considered that. "That is within my programming," she allowed at last, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Would you do that tomorrow, then?"

"Certainly," DECA agreed, and he gave her a suspicious look.

"DECA?" *I can't leave well enough alone,* he mused. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"

He got the impression that if DECA could have cocked her head, she would have. "You were correct when you said you were not responsible for blacking out shipboard viewscreens last week," she said finally. "I was in error when I believed the prank was yours, and I am attempting to remedy my mistake."

TJ tried not to look as surprised as he felt. "How did you find out?"

"The viewscreens were programmed to fail simultaneously." DECA's camera blinked once. "I did not investigate the source of the programming until you protested last night. It did not originate in your room."

"Zhane's," TJ guessed, and there was a brief pause.

"Yes," DECA confirmed. "How did *you* discover this?"

TJ grinned. "Ashley told me about the deck plates after school. The only people who had the opportunity to pull that one off were Andros, Saryn, and Zhane. Zhane was the logical suspect."

"Neither Andros nor the Phantom Ranger are prone to practical jokes," DECA agreed.

TJ frowned at that, and wondered if he should push his luck by asking. *What the heck,* he decided at last. "Why do you keep calling him the Phantom Ranger? He told us we could call him Saryn."

DECA's camera blinked again. "He told *you* you could call him by his name," she corrected. "He informed me some time ago that I was to refer to him only as the Phantom Ranger, and he has never revoked that command."

Surprised, TJ asked, "How long have you known who he was?"

"Longer than you," she said simply.

TJ laughed. "That's the DECA I know and love. All right, I know when to stop asking questions." He looked at her camera out of the corner of his eye. "You're still going to let us sleep till ten, right?"

"Of course," she replied, sounding miffed.

"All of us?" TJ persisted.

"Yes, TJ," DECA said, sounding as close to sighing as he had ever heard her. "Even you."

She sounded remarkably human at that moment, and TJ grinned at her. "Thanks, DECA."

The red light blinked at him. "Good night, TJ."

" 'Night, DECA."