A sparkle of violet energy crackled in the air, and Zhane yanked his hand back. "Ow!"

Astrea tossed her head, giving him a defiant look. "I *said* I can do it."

"I was just trying to help," he exclaimed indignantly, grabbing a different corner of the blanket and moving away from her. "You didn't have to shock me!"

Ashley gave him an affectionate shove as he laid his edge of the blanket down next to her. "Maybe you should have listened to her when she said she'd get it."

"Nineties women are all the same," Carlos complained, tugging at the blanket from the other side to get it to lie flat. "You offer to help them, and they hurt you."

Karen slapped his shoulder, and he clutched it dramatically. "Ow! See what I mean?"

Karen laughed. "I wouldn't have to hit you if you didn't say stupid things!"

"Zhane," Ashley whispered, before he could straighten up. She gestured him closer.

He crouched down next to the cooler she was rummaging through and cocked his head. "What's up?"

"Tell Kerone not to do that, okay?" she murmured, glancing in Karen's direction. "There aren't many sorceresses on Earth."

"Like she'll listen to me," he muttered, rolling his eyes. At Ashley's look, he added hastily, "But I'll try."

"Hey, TJ," Andros' voice greeted their teammate, and Zhane looked up to see TJ and Tessa strolling in their direction.

"Hi Tessa," Ashley chimed in cheerfully, giving Andros a pointed look. Zhane grinned as his friend pretended not to notice.

"You guys," TJ said, not bothering to say "hello" in return. The serious note in his voice got Zhane's attention, and the rest of the team looked up. The Blue Ranger said simply, "They know."

Zhane raised an eyebrow. Glancing around, he wondered if that was some sort of cryptic message he was *supposed* to understand, for the glances everyone else was exchanging looked more apprehensive than confused.

"Both of you?" Ashley was staring at Karen as though she'd never seen her before, and Zhane followed her gaze.

Karen caught Carlos' eye and nodded. "We've been pretty sure for a couple weeks now."

"And I screwed up last night," Carlos admitted. "Andros called me about Cassie…"

"And not only did he get up and leave the theater when his 'watch' beeped," Karen added, "but the first thing he said when he came back was, 'Cassie's all right.'"

"Sorry," Andros said, looking a little sheepish. "I should have checked where you were before I called you."

"Yeah, well, just remember that next time I walk in on you and Ashley in the observatory," Carlos muttered. Andros blushed, and Zhane heard Ashley trying to stifle a giggle.

"And no offense, but Zhane doesn't help either," Tessa added.

"No kidding!" Karen exclaimed. "You're not very good at the secret identity thing, are you."

Startled, Zhane held his hands out to the side. He had assumed the conversation would eventually become clear to him, but it hadn't happened yet. "What did I do? I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"Tessa and Karen know we're Power Rangers," Carlos said, taking pity on him. "They seem to think you're the worst at keeping it a secret."

Karen shoved him. "At least he didn't talk to his 'watch' right outside my open window two weeks ago!"

Carlos grabbed the hand that had shoved him and pulled her close, leaning in to give her a kiss. She relaxed visibly, clearly willing to forgive the slip, and TJ cleared his throat.

"So anyway, Zhane, Tessa's right--do you think you could possibly remember not to use names when we're fighting?"

"I don't," he protested, trying not to let his exasperation with the need for secrecy show.

"You used Andros' this morning," Tessa put in. "You yelled to him to get out of the way."

He shrugged helplessly. "So what was I *supposed* to call him?"

"Red Ranger," Ashley supplied. "We should all get in the habit of doing that--calling each other by our colors when we're morphed. At least on Earth."

"So people… not on Earth… know who you are?" Karen asked curiously.

Ashley nodded. "Andros says most planets know who their Rangers are. Earth's just too primitive to deal with it."

"I didn't say that," Andros objected immediately. "I didn't call it primitive, just… isolated."

"You're right, though," Karen admitted. "If I was a Ranger, I wouldn't want anyone to know who I was either. Can you imagine the media attention? You'd never have a normal life…" She trailed off, then added quickly, "Well, not that you do anyway, I guess."

"At least this way we can go to school, though," Carlos said. "And play sports, and hang out at the Surf Spot without having people following us around every minute. It's more normal than it *would* be, if people knew."

Karen nodded, but Tessa was regarding Andros quizzically. "Where are *you* from, then?"

He looked up in surprise, then glanced over at Zhane for support. Zhane just shrugged. *She did ask,* he told his friend silently.

"You said Earth was isolated," Tessa persisted. "That's not a very… human statement."

This time, Ashley did giggle, and Andros looked indignant. "We're as human as you are. We're just from a different planet."

"'We'?" Karen repeated, deadpan.

Andros caught Zhane's eye again, and Tessa and Karen followed his gaze.

"Oh, come on," TJ said, into the ensuing silence. "With a name like 'Zhane', where did you expect him to be from?"

"Hey!" Zhane complained good-naturedly. "Your name's just letters, so leave mine alone."

"We're from KO-35," Andros added. "Me and Zhane and Kerone."

"Kerone?" Karen repeated, shooting Carlos an amused glance. "Carlos, when I asked if she was an alien I was *kidding*."

Before Zhane could correct her, Tessa asked thoughtfully, "Astronema?"

Astrea looked up, her expression perfectly calm. "Yes?"

"What?!" Karen yelped.

Andros put a hand on her shoulder and stared back at Carlos' girlfriend. "She's my sister."

"And she's not evil," Zhane added.

"Anymore," Ashley amended. "She's on our side now."

"How did you know?" TJ demanded, studying Tessa. "They don't look *that* much alike."

Tessa gave him a fondly exasperated look. "Process of elimination. If you all wear your respective colors, then counting Cassie, that's six. That means Kerone can't be a Ranger, and Astronema was with Zhane this morning during the fight."

"So…" Karen didn't look at all intimidated by Andros' gaze. "You're still Astronema, but you're fighting *with* the Rangers?"

"I was born Kerone," Andros' sister replied. "That's the name I use now. But yes, I'm the same person I was when I was Astronema."

"Then what made you switch sides?" Karen asked, frowning.

Zhane, watching her, blinked when her gaze swung in his direction. Startled to be caught staring, he couldn't look away, and her hazel eyes locked with his. "Zhane," she said quietly.

He roused himself from the trance her eyes had put him into, trying to focus. "Hmm?"

Her lips curved gently, and she elaborated, "Zhane made me switch sides."

"You're kidding," Tessa said, then clapped her hand over her mouth when Zhane looked over at her. "Um… I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Beside him, Ashley laughed. "I hope not. Don't mess with someone who has a sorceress for a girlfriend."

Startled into looking at her, Zhane was just in time to catch the wink she threw in Astrea's direction. To his infinite surprise, Astrea returned it even as Karen squeaked, "Sorceress?"

Carlos poked her. "You didn't think Astronema's staff was supertechnology, did you?"

She poked him right back. "I didn't know it was *magic*!"

A muted purple flash caught their attention, and a sparkling violet sphere appeared over Astrea's upturned palm. "Magic is magic," she said, and the glow shrank a little. "And mine won't go away just because I'm good again."

Catching him off guard, she tossed the tiny globe in his direction and his telekinesis reached for it instinctively. The light responded to his mental push and skidded to a halt just in front of his upraised hands.

He lowered his hands a little, so the sphere appeared to float over them the same way it had when Astrea "held" it. "What am I supposed to do with this?" he demanded, and she actually smirked at him.

Karen's eyes were wide. "You have it too?"

He frowned, keeping one eye on the sphere as he glanced over at her. "What, magic? No."

"Telekinesis," Andros put in.

"Just as useful, and a lot more subtle," Zhane cracked--and the violet light burst into a miniature explosion in front of him. He let his hands fall and blinked rapidly in a futile attempt to clear his vision. "Okay, not *quite* as useful," he admitted.

"More subtle though," Andros said with a grin.

"Definitely more subtle," Zhane agreed, rubbing his eyes. "I think you blinded me!"

"Ashley told you to be careful," Carlos reminded him, obviously amused.

"She told Tessa to be careful!" Zhane protested, giving Astrea his best wounded look. "I thought I was safe!"

"No, before," Carlos said, laughing. "When she shocked you. I'm telling you, you have to walk the line around women these days--"

"Or before you know it they're running the universe," Karen interrupted, grinning at Astrea.

Astrea smiled back, a little uncertainly, and Zhane tried to change the subject. "Hey, are we just going to talk all afternoon or do we actually get to eat at some point?"

"Maybe you should ask Kerone's permission," Ashley teased, and he tried not to wince.

*Ashley, I'm trying to get the attention *off* of her.*

She looked a little startled, but one glance in Astrea's direction must have convinced her. "Andros," she scolded suddenly, "stop standing on the blanket. You're getting it sandy. And Kerone, TJ, Tessa, sit down. Unless you *want* to eat standing up…"

TJ just laughed. "Yes, ma'am!" he said good-naturedly.

Tessa took his hand and pulled him down onto a corner of the blanket, and Andros wandered around the edge to join Ashley. "Any more orders for me?" Zhane heard him whisper, and she favored him with a bright smile.

Astrea still looked a little uncomfortable, even if, from Ashley's reaction, it wasn't obvious to everyone else. He motioned to her, cocking his head at the empty space next to him. She lifted her chin, staring back at him, and he sighed inwardly.

*I'm not trying to "help" you,* he thought, this time counting on her to be listening for him. He could project to Ashley now, barely and only most of the time, but he still relied on Astrea's claim that she could "link" with anyone to get things across to her. *But if you sit across from me I'll stare at you all afternoon and be totally distracted.*

He knew she had heard him when her lips quirked a little, and without a word she walked around the blanket as Andros had done. She stopped next to Ashley, and the Yellow Ranger grinned up at her. "First choice?"

"An apple?" Astrea said tentatively, and Ashley handed her one.

"Done. No sandwich?"

"I'm not hungry," she answered automatically, and Ashley wrinkled her nose.

"How could I forget? How 'bout you, Andros?"

"Favoritism," TJ complained. "You're supposed to serve the people farthest away from you first!"

"Oh, right, the lazy people," Ashley agreed. "Feel free to come over here and help me!"

"I'll help," Andros said quickly.

Watching Astrea carefully seat herself next to him, Zhane missed the reply. He smiled as she bit into her apple, and she looked up, seeming to sense his regard.

Then someone tapped his shoulder, and he twisted to see Andros holding a sandwich out to him. "Thanks," he told his friend, and Andros grinned at him.

"No problem." Silently, he added, *Remember to eat it.*

*Oh, like you should talk,* Zhane retorted. *I've seen you stare at Ashley!*

Andros' irritatingly smug look didn't fade as he turned away, and Zhane rolled his eyes. Andros seemed to get no end of amusement out of his best friend's attraction to his sister, and Zhane had no idea why.

*He's probably getting even with you for all the times you've teased *him*,* Astrea said, calmly taking another bite of her apple.

*Don't do that!* he exclaimed, glaring at her.

She only shrugged. *How am I supposed to know what you do and don't want me to pick up?*

"Thanks, Andros," Karen said, cutting into his train of thought as she reached in front of him.

"Wasn't Cassie going to come?" Tessa was asking, as Zhane became aware of the spoken conversation again.

"She got held up," Ashley said over her shoulder.

"She's still on the Megaship," TJ added, and Ashley shook her head.

"Yeah. Sorry, Tessa. I'm so in the habit of watching what I say."

"It's all right," Tessa said quickly. "The Megaship is--your ship?" she guessed, looking over at Andros.

"It was," he agreed, sitting down on the blanket with his own sandwich. "It used to be mine and Zhane's. It belongs to all of us, now."

Zhane looked up automatically, though the trees overhead made it impossible to see even the sky, let alone anything beyond it. Things were different now, Andros was right about that… but at last "now" was starting to feel like the present and not the future. The Megaship was beginning to feel more like home than Rayven, and the Astro team once more seemed like *his* team.

There was movement beside him, and he felt Astrea's hand brush against his. He glanced over at her, but she was scrutinizing her apple as though the next bite was the most important thing on her mind.

He smiled, once more losing the thread of the conversation as he looked at her. *Thanks for being here when I woke up.*

She didn't look up, but he heard her words echo in his mind nonetheless. *You too...*

***

The room was almost completely silent, save for the hum of the air recyclers and the steady whisper of their breathing. With her leaning against him, her head on his chest as they perched on one of the patient beds, he didn't dare move. And after her story, he found himself, for once, at a loss for words.

"I hadn't seen either of them for more than a year," Cassie murmured at last, breaking into the quiet. "And then to have *her* turn up at our front door… something inside me just turned off. It--it was the only way I could deal with it."

He lifted his fingers to stroke her hair, keeping his arm wrapped around her as he tried to decide what to say. "I'm sorry," he said at last, knowing it wasn't enough but not knowing how else to start. "I… you never spoke of your family."

"I never *think* of my family," she said, with a bitterness that shouldn't have surprised him. "I used to call them, almost every week. I don't think they noticed when I stopped."

"Cassie," he whispered, not knowing how to comfort her. He was so used to having words for every situation, to always knowing what and how much--or how little--to say. But he didn't know what to say to help the one person who meant the most to him.

She sighed, shifting a little as she leaned on him. "I'm sorry I was so short with you last night," she said. "I didn't mean it--"

"Do not apologize," he said quickly. "*I* am sorry; I should have asked, I should have *known* something was wrong. I'm sorry," he repeated. "I was only thinking of myself."

"You weren't," she protested, tilting her head a little as though she was going to look up at him. "I saw your present, Saryn; it's beautiful. I didn't even think of yesterday as…"

She trailed off, and he managed to smile a little. "It was a somewhat--unconventional choice, even by your traditions. But I knew you were not content, and I wished to cheer you up somehow."

"It was a wonderful thing to do," she murmured, and he sighed.

"The intent was there. But you must admit it backfired in spectacular fashion."

She actually giggled, and he smiled again, somewhat relieved. "The intent was there," she repeated. "That's all that matters."

"It is *not* all that matters," he contradicted her, trying not to be sharp. He was angry with himself for not seeing this, for not realizing how Linnse's suspicions were grating on her, how the constant time away from her friends was making her lonely, and for reacting as he had the night before, in a way so completely opposite to what she had needed.

He was trying very hard not to let her feel his distress, but he couldn't help saying, "I have failed you, Cassie, as both your friend and your love."

"No," she objected, trying to pull away from him. "You never have--"

He let her sit up, but he put two fingers over her mouth and did not let her pull his hand away. "I have," he said firmly. "Do not try to take the blame, because it is not yours and it will only make me feel worse."

Her lips curved a little under his fingers, and he tried his hardest to concentrate on what he had to say. "Please, Cassie," he said quietly. "Tell me when you hurt. I will know--I *will* learn to know--but I do not wish for anything like this to happen to us again in the meantime."

Her smile faded a little, and he let his hand fall. "I love you," she whispered after a moment.

He could only stare at her, finally giving in to the tug of her emotions as they engulfed his senses. "I love you, too," he murmured, feeling the words even as they were spoken, and trying to deny the disturbance he felt growing with his simple statement.

She bit her lip and stared back at him, until he could no longer ignore that discontent. "What?" he pleaded at last. "What have I done?"

He could feel her bracing herself, feel her longing to throw herself into his arms and fighting it. "I know you love me," she said quietly. "But do you believe me?"

She should never have to ask something like that--the question latched onto his heart and he knew, somehow, that he would hear those sad words in his mind for days to come. "Above all others," he answered seriously, willing her not to look away.

She swallowed, and he tried not to clench his fingers on her shoulder when she looked away. She glanced back at him after a moment that was far too long for his peace of mind, and the distress in her eyes caught him off guard. "Then *why* don't you trust me?"

The question once more rendered him speechless--he couldn't believe he had been at such a loss twice in only the past hour. "I--I *do* trust you," he managed to insist at last. "Without question, and without fail. How can you doubt that?"

"How can you doubt *me*?" she cried. "Last night, how could you have thought I was with someone else? Why can't I even *talk* to a guy without you glaring at me from across the room?"

He stared at her, knowing he had no defense against her accusation. "How--how did you know about last night?" he asked, trying not to flinch as he realized how that sounded. But he could think of nothing else to say…

"Aura had to block you again," she muttered. "The third time in as many weeks, Saryn; I *wish* you would think about having Cestria help you."

He closed his eyes. Her tone was that of someone repeating advice given often in the past, but she had never mentioned it before. He had long suspected that she hid her true thoughts behind that beautiful smile and somewhat flamboyant exterior, and he had yearned to know them.

He had thought, with the return of his empathy, that perhaps he had been wrong. That maybe he *did* truly know the girl behind the mask, and that his doubt was just what she confronted him with now--the all-consuming fear that he would somehow lose her to things he didn't understand.

But as she had pointed out, his empathy was long out of practice, and he had never been properly trained to deal with it. He suspected now that it had been Lyris' constant presence that had allowed him to control it as well as he had after he joined the Elisian Rangers. And Cassie had had years of recent experience in concealing her feelings…

"You are right," he whispered. "I will ask Cestria for assistance."

He expected her to protest, expected to have to reword his declaration to make her believe he was not doing it merely for her. But instead she asked only, "And you'll stop being so jealous?"

He opened his eyes in surprise. It was the first time she had demanded anything of him, without apology or reassurance, but that was one thing he could not do. "I can't control what I feel," he pleaded, reaching for her hand. "If I am--jealous, of some people you spend time with, it is only because I love you too much to bear the thought, however unreasonable, of one day losing you."

"You *won't*," she said fiercely. "Saryn, I've never loved anyone like this, and I don't think I ever can again. You're stuck with me--forever."

He caught his breath, suddenly struggling to get the words out. "Do you… mean that?"

"No, I'm lying!" she exclaimed. "Of *course* I mean it! I'm tired of you not believing in us, Saryn!"

Her anger hurt him in a way he could never have defined, and his soul ached as it hadn't since he had awoken alone in a medical ward on Eltare three and a half years ago. But… something in him was perversely--glad, to hear her shout at him. He knew at last that he was hearing exactly what she thought, with nothing held back.

"And yet," he said quietly, clinging to the hope her declaration had given him, "you said 'forever'."

"Because I *mean* forever," she answered, wilting a little as her temper seemed to drain away. "Every time I say I love you, I mean I'll always love you. I can't change it, and I don't think you can, either."

"I would not wish to," he said fervently. "Your love is what I treasure most in the universe, and it is the one thing I could not live without."

She sighed, looking away. "Not when I'm like this. I'm sorry; it's been a really long week--"

"*Especially* when you're like this," he corrected firmly. "I love who you truly are, Cassie, not just the person you want me to see. In all truth, I… have sometimes wished for you to lose your temper with me more often."

"You're kidding." Her expression was startled when she caught his eye, and he smiled involuntarily, starting to relax.

"I'm not. It is a side of you that you restrain too often, and I wish you wouldn't. Not around me."

"Are you saying you can take it?" she teased gently, edging closer to him.

"That is exactly what I'm saying," he agreed, drawing her into his embrace as she leaned against him again. "And--" He took a deep breath. "I will endeavor to… control my jealousy, as you say."

"You don't *have* any reason to be jealous," she insisted. "Not if you trust me. I *love* you."

"I know," he whispered. He would tell himself that next time, over and over--it had never worked before, but he would try it again, for her. At the very least, if it came to that, he would do his best to keep her from sensing his feelings.

She seemed content to let him hold her, and they stayed that way, silently, for several minutes. He didn't know exactly how much time passed, but he knew it wasn't long enough when she pulled away with a reluctant sigh. "I suppose the others are wondering what happened to us."

"No one has called looking for us," he pointed out hopefully.

She smiled a little at his tone. "I'm sure it won't be long… they tend to have the worst timing."

She slid off the edge of the patient bed before he could protest further, taking her energy with her. It was the first time he had been without her touch since he had demorphed, and he was shocked by how quickly exhaustion overtook him. This wasn't the mild fatigue he'd been pushing aside for the last few days--he was *tired*, and all of a sudden nothing but sleep sounded even remotely appealing.

"Saryn?" She turned back to him, surprise in her dark eyes. "*I* can feel that--are you all right?"

He nodded quickly, then changed his mind. "No… I do not think I am." He barely heard his own words, his focus somewhere just past the edge of his consciousness. He thought he heard her communicator beep… He knew that should be funny, but couldn't remember why.

Then her hand was on his arm, her own awareness crashing home and bringing his concentration back to something like its normal clarity. She tilted her morpher to snap it shut one-handed, and to his surprise a red glow lit the Medical bay as Andros teleported in.

"Come on," he said without preamble. "Saryn," he added, heading for the door, "you could have said something before this, you know."

Cassie sighed, tugging him to his feet to follow Andros. "Believe me, I've told him. He doesn't think he's 'worthy' of red."

"No," he tried to protest, realizing their intent. "I do not--"

Neither paid any attention. "If it doesn't work, I promise to stop bothering you about it," Cassie said, as the lift doors closed on them. Then she seemed to consider. "Well, I might. But you could at least *try* it first, and see."

He couldn't organize his thoughts quickly enough to come up with a counterargument, and within moments she was hesitating outside Andros' door. "I was going to change, too--should I wait?"

"No," Andros said, when he didn't answer. "We'll be okay; go ahead."

She hesitated, and he tried again to protest. But then she was gone, and the world blurred into something he almost couldn't recognize, let alone care about. He managed to wonder if he looked as bad as he felt, but he wasn't aware of Andros' reaction until the other pressed something into his hands a moment later.

He blinked, suddenly noticing they were in Andros' room. He didn't even remember entering it--but when he glanced down, he found his fingers wrapped around a bright red t-shirt, with a single black stripe across the chest.

"Andros," he said with a sigh.

Andros shrugged. "TJ used to wear it, but it's a little big for me. And it's not really my style."

The Red Ranger tilted his head to the side then, an exasperated look crossing his face. "I can't believe I just said that," he muttered, talking at least half to himself. "Ashley's a bad influence on me."

He stared down at the shirt in his hands, trying not to see it, not to think about it. There was no denying that Cassie had been right--he was still tired, but not overwhelmingly so, and things around him made sense again. He didn't understand why this "withdrawal" had chosen now to affect him so strongly, but logic told him to accept their gesture.

"Andros," he repeated, lifting his gaze to regard the Astro team leader. "I do not wish to infringe in any way--"

"We're not going to throw you off the team because you're a leader, Saryn," Andros said, sounding amused. "Just put it on."

He hesitated, but it seemed to be that or depend on Cassie for the rest of the day. He didn't want to put that kind of burden on her, so he shrugged out of his overshirt and pulled the black tunic off as well. He drew in an inadvertent breath as Andros' red t-shirt settled over his shoulders.

He felt Andros' gaze on him, and he closed his eyes. He wasn't sure if he would smile or cry, and for a moment, as his emotions warred within him, he honestly didn't know which would win. Finally, he managed a tentative smile, opening his eyes to find Andros still waiting.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "It feels--" He stopped. He couldn't quite bring himself to say it felt *right*, because he wasn't sure it did anymore. But it did feel *better*, and he swallowed. "Cassie was right."

Andros smiled a little in return. "She'll be glad to hear it. Are you up to joining us, then?"

He nodded slowly, glancing down at his abandoned tunic. Then his gaze shifted to his overshirt, and he picked it up and put it on over his t-shirt. Andros watched with a wry look on his face. "That's convenient," he remarked.

The red, while still unmistakable, was now mostly hidden by the long-sleeved black shirt he so rarely went without. He folded his tunic without a word and nodded to Andros. "Thank you--I will leave this in my room."

He froze when he realized what he had said, but Andros just smiled again. "Right," he agreed, making no comment on the "my room" statement.

He tried not to sigh as he stepped out into the hallway. He *was* a part of the team--they had told him so often enough, and he knew he was always welcome on the Megaship. Why was it so hard to break his old habits, his old reactions?

He left his tunic and reemerged into the corridor just in time to witness Cassie's entrance. She was still wearing her jean shorts, but her t-shirt had been replaced with a skintight pink top that made him catch his breath and stare.

She grinned at his reaction and lifted her hands over her head, twirling around once in the hallway. "You like it?"

"Cassie…" He tried not to stammer over the words and failed miserably. "Wh--what are you *wearing*?"

"Swimsuit," she replied, waving at Andros as he came down the hall. "Actually--" She regarded him curiously. "Have you ever been swimming? It never occurred to me to ask."

"Swimming," he said uncertainly, trying to stop staring at her long enough to answer the question. Kris could swim, he remembered. But she had never worn special clothes for the activity…

From somewhere next to him, Andros cleared his throat, and he blinked. "I--we used to…" He tried to sort his thoughts out into some sort of coherent sentence. Cassie was grinning, and Andros' obvious amusement only made him more flustered.

"There was a river, near where I lived," he said quickly, fixing his gaze on Cassie's eyes. "But I never--swam, as such."

"Well, we'll have to teach you," Cassie decided. "Do you have some shorts?"

He wasn't sure this was a good idea, but reluctantly he admitted, "Yes. Carlos insisted--"

"Good," she interrupted. "Go put them on; we'll wait."

He tried to come up with a reason to argue, and found he couldn't. Not with her smiling at him and wearing… almost nothing. He tore his gaze away and retreated back into his room, wondering if he wouldn't have been better off to have DECA keep him in the Medical bay.

As the door slid shut, he was sure he heard Andros' chuckle from the hallway.

***

"Cheating!" Zhane exclaimed, as the beach ball bounced to the ground centimeters from the line drawn in the sand. "That was on your side until half a second ago!"

"Oh, it was not," Karen shot back. "What, you think it moved on its own?"

Stilling the ball's roll with a glance, Zhane extended his hand and summoned it toward him. The inflated toy rose into the air and came to rest gently on his palm, and he gave Karen a pointed look. "No. I think it moved without someone *touching* it."

She smirked. "Well, if it was you or Kerone, I think you've forgotten which side you're on."

"It wasn't us," he said firmly, and he turned his stare on Ashley.

"You can't blame Andros," TJ said, amused. "He's not even here. So they get another point--there's no way we're going to win this anyway, Zhane."

"What are you looking at me for?" Ashley demanded, ignoring TJ. "*I* didn't do anything."

"She's not telekinetic," TJ reminded him with a grin. "Nice try."

"That's what she wants you to think!" Zhane exclaimed. "Andros has been teaching her for months!"

Tessa looked interested. "You can do that?"

"No," Ashley interjected. "I can move a telekinesis ball, and that's *it*. Really!"

"A beach ball isn't that much heavier," Zhane said suspiciously. "And *someone* moved it."

"Zhane, beach volleyball isn't a competitive sport," Carlos put in, looking smug. "Chill."

"You would say that," Astrea observed, speaking up for the first time. "The point went to your team."

Zhane tried not to grin as she came in on his side. "I move we suspend Ashley until Andros gets back," he said, pretending to be serious. "He can tell us if she's telling the truth."

Karen burst out laughing. "Oh, whatever! That leaves our team *two* short!"

The flare of red sparkles nearby put an end to the debate, and they all turned to see Andros arrive, Cassie and Saryn behind him. Zhane's eyes widened as he saw a flash of red through Saryn's unbuttoned overshirt, and he looked to Andros for an explanation.

His friend had stepped out of the volleyball game almost half an hour ago to check on Cassie, and had left for the Megaship without comment moments later. Zhane said nothing, trusting Andros to tell him if something was wrong. He had half-expected his friend to return with Cassie and Saryn, but he certainly hadn't thought to see the latter wearing *red*--and shorts, no less.

*Color withdrawal,* Andros said, using their old phrase. *I'll tell you later.*

"Hey Saryn, Cassie!" TJ greeted them cheerfully. "About time you showed up."

"He knows too?" Karen demanded, and Zhane tried not to roll his eyes.

"What?" Cassie asked, looking uncertainly from one to the other.

"He's a Ranger too," Carlos told Karen.

"Tessa and Karen know we're Power Rangers," TJ told Cassie, and her eyes widened. "Don't ask how they found out," he added, and she closed her mouth.

Ashley laughed. "They're girls, of course they found out."

"So you're saying a guy wouldn't have?" Carlos challenged, and she made a face at him.

Zhane was sure her answer was going to be "yes", but Karen interrupted before she could say it. "How long have you been dating guys, Carlos?"

TJ snickered, and Carlos sighed in defeat.

"That makes seven of you," Tessa said, glancing at TJ. "There's only six Rangers."

He shook his head. "There are seven--the Phantom Ranger's from another planet, but he's been helping us ever since we were Turbo Rangers."

"He's never on the news." Tessa looked puzzled, and Ashley laughed.

"There was a reason we called him 'Phantom'," she reminded them.

"Because Cassie liked it?" TJ suggested, and Zhane saw Carlos grin.

"So are *you* an alien?" Karen wanted to know, and her boyfriend gave her a playful push.

"You're really fixated on this alien thing, aren't you," he teased.

"I just want to know!" she protested, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders affectionately.

"I am… not human," Saryn said slowly, and Zhane almost felt sorry for him. The other looked as though he would rather be anywhere but here right now. "By your standards, yes, I am an alien."

"You *look* human," Tessa added helpfully, and he cocked his head at her.

"The physiological differences are minimal," he answered, obviously uncomfortable with the questioning.

Saryn's attention shifted to Cassie as she was suddenly overtaken by a coughing fit, and Zhane found himself hard-pressed not to laugh. Not so far away, Ashley dissolved into giggles, and he was sure he heard TJ laugh once before catching himself.

"I see," Karen deadpanned. "Glad to hear it."

At her side, Carlos choked, and she elbowed him hard. "Beach volleyball?" she offered innocently.

"Yeah, you guys can take my place," Ashley said quickly, getting herself under control. "I've been banned," she added, shooting a mock-glare in Zhane's direction.

"Not--" Very faintly, he heard her voice whisper in his mind. *Go along with it, Zhane?* "Suspicion of cheating," he amended. "You're not allowed to play until we know who moved the ball."

"What?" Andros asked, and Ashley rolled her eyes.

"You can't play either," she informed him. "New rules. Cassie," she said, grabbing her friend's arm and drawing her forward. "You have to teach Saryn how to play this game--it's just Carlos and Karen now, and to tell the truth, they need all the help they can get."

"Hey!" Carlos protested.

"Were we winning?" Karen demanded. "I think yes!"

Ashley grinned unrepentantly at them. "That's just because Andros turned out to be so good. Now Saryn, come over here and I'll show you where to stand."

"I would rather not," Saryn said, surprising Zhane.

Ashley blinked, then shrugged amiably. "All right. Me and Andros will keep you company; hang on."

Cassie stepped away from them as Ashley proceeded to give Carlos and Karen a mock lecture on the "proper" way to keep up "their" team's reputation. Cassie's words were still perfectly clear to Zhane, despite Ashley's monologue. "Tired?" she asked.

"No," he said calmly. "I simply do not wish to play."

Zhane suddenly wished there were some graceful way *he* could get out of the game--he recognized the look on Saryn's face. He didn't know what exactly had happened on the Megaship, but the other had the look of someone who had been pushed too far. Now he was done, and the expression on his face said clearly, "No further."

Although it was obvious to Zhane, Cassie didn't seem to see it. Instead, she turned away with a hurt look on her face. "Fine," she said softly, returning to her place on the arbitrarily designated "volleyball court". Saryn took a single step forward, as though he might stop her, but after a brief moment he said nothing.

Coincidentally, Ashley's "lesson" stopped at exactly the same time and she joined Andros and Saryn on the sidelines with a bounce that was not lost on Zhane. She was determined to cover for Saryn, keeping the mood as cheerful as she could until she could get him away from the rest of them.

He wanted to talk to her, but it was easier to reach for Andros, and he did so without hesitation. *Andros, he *is* tired,* Zhane said, knowing he didn't have to specify whom he was talking about. *He's tired of being pushed around--just back off and give him some space. He looks like you, when you're trying to take in too much.*

Andros caught his eye with a quick smile, and Zhane knew his best friend understood. Turning back to the game, he tossed the ball in Astrea's direction, underhanded and just hard enough that she didn't have to reach for it.

With a cocky grin, he told her, "Your serve."