CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Under the helmet of the Red Space Ranger, tears began to well up behind the brown eyes of Andros. Tears of anger, tears of rage, tears of a soul splitting pain that no man should ever have to know…

He stared through his visor at the icy blue colored form of General Steelon, the being he'd grown to loathe and despise with every fiber in his being, and every beat of his heart. Ironically, he couldn't really see him. All he could see was the face of the woman he loved, Ashley Hammond. Her caring, sensitive eyes. Her full, luscious lips. The silky soft skin, which his fingers longed to caress once again. And her long, flowing brownish blonde hair.

He reached his gloved hand out toward her…his soul in agony from not being with her.

But then, her beautiful expression faded, and was replaced by a cold, heartless robot. The mindless machine who had stepped on the blooming flower that was her life, and their love for each other. Steelon had taken a dream, and warped it into a hellish nightmare that Andros had been forced to live since that day three years ago.

His outstretched hand curled into a trembling fist of rage. He was a coward, and he knew it. If he had been a true warrior, a real Power Ranger, he could have saved her. He could have stopped Steelon, and destroyed him right then and there. But he didn't. He'd succumbed to his own pain, and let this worthless piece of scrap metal take her legs away from her.

Andros' knees started to shake. His stomach was a mess of proverbial knots, as his face became a river of tears. He'd failed her once, and for that he'd never forgive himself. But he would not fail her again, not on this day.

And not ever again.

The Red Space Ranger flicked his wrist, in which appeared a sword with a blade that swirled around into a cone shape, his Spiral Saber. He looked over to Carter, the Red Lightspeed Ranger, who gave him an assuring nod.

"Hang back Carter." He said.

Carter stared at his partner in surprise. "What?"

Through his helmet, Andros glared at him. "I said, hang back. This isn't your fight."

The Red Lightspeed Ranger couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed his partner by the shoulder. "Andros, you can't mean that. I'm as much a part of this as-"

Andros grabbed Carter's arm, and held it tight in his grip. "-As I am?" he finished. The Kerovan shook his head. "You have no idea Carter…no idea."

Releasing the younger man, Andros turned to look at Steelon, who in his arm, grasped that same hammer…

"Hang back." He repeated. "That's an order."

With those words, the Red Space Ranger left his partner behind, and proceeded in what proved to be the longest walk of his life. With each step, it seemed as if he was moving further away from the present, back into the past. The memories once again began flowing through his mind like blood through a vein.

The loose fragments of her broken helmet dropping to the ground.

That final terrified look in her eyes

Her scream.

The sound of steel on flesh.

The weight of her limp body in his arms…

And then, he stood face to face with his nightmare. The bulky, massive metallic blue form of General Steelon.

Tasting a salty tear on his tongue. He opened his mouth to speak.

"I wish you could bleed."

The evil general cocked his head. "What?"

"I said…" The Kerovan repeated. "I wish you could bleed."

The robot seemed speechless, taken aback by his words. Behind him, Andros could feel Carter's eyes, staring at him in awe.

"And why is that, human?" the robot asked.

Andros' lips tightened. "So that I could see it…taste it…, as I squeezed the life from your heart."

His words seemed to infuriate Steelon. But alas, he didn't really know what fury, or anger even was. "But you have no heart. You're just a worthless piece of machinery, a weapon, a tool."

The Red Ranger reached up for the release latch on his helmet. "But you do have a brain don't you? A lifeless, mechanical brain. So tell me…"

"Andros, no!" Carter called from behind.

But his plea fell on deaf ears. Lifting the helmet of the Red Space Ranger away, Andros unmasked, revealing his face. His cheeks dry from tears, and his eyes bloodshot, he stared a hole through Steelon.

"…Do you remember this face?"

The robot nodded, seemingly in recognition. "Ah yes…" He said. "It's you…I do remember. The planet Gerraria wasn't it? We battled in one of the Machine Empire's prison facilities. Your partners were there as well, were they not?"

Andros nodded, glad that the robot's memory banks worked. He wanted him to know who his executioner was.

"And if I do recall…you had one partner in particular…what was her name…?"

The Kerovan's body began to tremble. His heart and his soul unable to withstand the murderous rage brewing within him. His grip tightened on his Spiral Saber, as if his very life depended on his possession of it.

"…Ashley?"

His breathing grew quicker, as a new wave of tears began to form behind his eyes.

"Tell me…how is the little vermin today?"

His insides burned with the heat of a towering inferno…

"How are her…legs?"

Suddenly, the nightmare was real.

He let out a spine-chilling cry as he charged for Steelon, with a tidal wave of hatred, anger, frustration, depression, and heartache crashing down within him.

Screaming the name of his love, Andros leapt into the air, preparing to slash downward with his Spiral Saber, the wind from the oxygen field dancing through his hair as he descended to the ground. The handle of Steelon's weapon dented a bit as he hacked down hard with all his fury. His violent, sinful rage was unending.

But Steelon would not be defeated so easily. Shoving the weapon up into the Kerovan's face, the robot took initiative by swinging for his opponent's skull. But Andros ducked, and threw a high kick that connected with Steelon's robotic cranium. The evil general staggered backward, giving Andros an opening. He raised his Saber into the air, and sliced downward, feeling the hate surge through him.

His face hit the ground hard as Steelon moved out of the way. Andros violently swore at himself, and quickly rolled away from a crushing blow from the hammer,

Just like the one that had crippled Ashley…

Andros pushed off and twirled into a sweep kick. But Steelon hopped over it, and swung down with the hammer yet again. The Red Space Ranger dodged it, inhaling the dust as the weapon smashed against the rocky ground. He kipped up and swung for Steelon's chest. But the robot blocked it. Andros ducked under a head shot, which only served to fuel his rage more. He shot a kick into Steelon's abdomen, hearing the gratifying clang of impact. The Kerovan blocked a kick, and then tried for a forearm shot to the face, but Steelon was ready. The robot grabbed Andros by the wrist and flipped him over, sending his Spiral Saber flying through the air.

Gritting his teeth, Andros tried a kip up, but was met with a cyclone kick that knocked him right back down. He literally heard the bones in his nose snapping as the steel smashed his face.

Tasting his own blood on his tongue, Andros just barely shot his Spiral Saber up to block another hammer shot. His arms started to spasm, as Steelon pushed downward, the flat end of

the weapon closing in on his unprotected face.

No, he panicked, his stomach suddenly coming alive with fear. He was failing her, he couldn't fail her…

But his arms had nothing left. As the blood poured down his cheeks, Andros shed one final tear. "No…" he whispered softly. "Ashley…"

Suddenly, sparks flew from behind Steelon as the robot fell forward on top of Andros. As his muscles relaxed, the Kerovan wasted no time. He shoved the evil general off of him, and straddled his waist. As his blood sizzled with animosity, Andros began to deliver stiff, hard right hands that bounced off the cranium of the robot. He almost wished he could take his glove off so that he could use his bare knuckles. With every punch there came a sick thud of bone on steel. Andros soon began to sob uncontrollably as he pounded, trying to beat the pain to death. Trying to kill these feelings that haunted him.

The tears fell on Steelon's armor. He just wanted this to be over.

Suddenly, another gloved hand reached out to stop his clenched fist. Andros looked back to see the Red Lightspeed Ranger, V-Lancer in his hands.

"That's enough Andros." Carter demanded. "Let's just finish this and go home."

He could barely hear Carter's words. Andros had told him to stay back, and let him fight this battle alone.

He turned to Steelon. Though he seemed wounded, the robot's emotionless face hadn't even been dented by his punches. But then, he'd nearly been killed moments ago. The only reason he was breathing was due to his partner's interference. And now, Carter had taken Steelon down, something that he had failed to do.

Failed…

Andros looked up at him again. Maybe Ashley would have been better off loving someone like Carter…

"Leave me alone Carter." he hissed. "This has nothing to do with you." He tried to pull his hand back.

But Carter held on, ever so persistent. "I think it does. You need to cool down."

"Cool down…" Andros repeated. His eyes seemed to stare through the Red Lightspeed Ranger.

"Yeah…just cool-"

He never saw it coming.

Crying out in rage, Andros' fist bounced off Carter's helmet, knocking him to the ground. He mounted the Red Lightspeed Ranger, and proceeded to pound him into the

dirt. "I said leave me alone mother fucker!!!! Stay out of this! Stay out of my life!!!"

No, Andros thought to himself as his fists rattled against Carter's helmet. This wasn't who he was, this wasn't how he handled things.

But he couldn't stop now. It felt so good, so right…

Suddenly, two laser blasts exploded behind him. He looked back to see Steelon, hammer in the air, collapse in pain.

"Andros!" he heard T.J.'s voice shout out to him. The Red Turbo Ranger, with the Red Galaxy Ranger at his side rushed to pull Andros off his teammate.

T.J. gripped Andros' face in his gloved hands. "Andros!! What the hell are you doing??? What are you thinking??"

Now hyperventilating, Andros shook his head. "I…I don't know…anymore…T.J…"

The Red Turbo Ranger nodded to Leo, who rushed to engage Steelon. He handed Andros his helmet, and sat him up against a nearby boulder. "Don't move, I'll be right there."

T.J. pulled Carter up from the ground. Carter pressed a button on the side of his helmet. Instantly, his visor opened, revealing his shocked and confused eyes. He started for Andros. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with-"

Carter stopped as T.J. placed his hand on his chest, shaking his head. "Carter, you go help Leo with Steelon. I'll be there to help you in a minute. Hurry!"

Reluctantly, Carter nodded, and picked up his V-Lancer from the ground. He rushed into battle, taking a quick look back at the two men as he charged forth.

Andros rested his neck against the rock, clutching his helmet in his gloved hands. Just then, he noticed the slight limp in T.J.'s right knee as he crouched down beside him.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Through the mask of the Red Turbo Ranger, the Kerovan could almost see his eyes looking on him. Eyes that expressed concern, sympathy, and a sense of brotherly protectiveness.

T.J., Andros realized, was a true friend.

He shook his head. "I've failed her T.J.. I've failed everyone." He wiped a trickle of blood from his nose. His eyes could no longer cry.

T.J.'s helmet drooped. He put his hand on Andros' shoulder. "Stay here. We'll take care of this."

Andros nodded as the Red Turbo Ranger hobbled off, still favoring his right knee.

This was their fight now.