Andros sighed in frustration as Deca lowered the Megaship down through the atmosphere of a barren desert planet. Clouds that threatened to crash all systems on the Megaship had forced them to abandon their search for Zordon temporarily.
"Should we go explore?" Ashley asked. "We might as well, while we're here."
"I'll go," Cassie agreed. "It's better than being cooped up in here until the storm passes."
"Yeah, okay," T.J. said. "As long as we go somewhere cold for our next vacation."
"Andros?" Ashley asked. "Are you coming?"
"Someone has to keep you guys out of trouble," Andros said with a grin.
So you do know how to joke.
Aloud, Ashley said, "Carlos? What about you?"
"I'm not staying here alone," the black ranger said quickly. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he added, "I don't think Deca likes me very much."
"I wonder why," Cassie murmured. The rest of them stifled their laughter.
"Deca, alert us if anything changes," Andros ordered. "We should go down morphed. The air might not be breathable, or we might be attacked."
The others nodded. "Let's rocket!"
Even through the protection that their suits offered the planet was a sunbaked ruin. The rangers spent several hours wandering around, always keeping the Megaship in sight.
"Hey what's that over there?" Cassie asked, pointing.
"Mirage," Carlos said.
"No, it's moving," T.J. said, frowning.
"Hey, you guys," Ashley said. "Maybe we should -"
"Run!" Andros shouted.
Coming toward them was a horde of natives. The rangers took off back to the Megaship.
"Deca, lower the doors!" Andros shouted into his communicator.
"System unable comply," Deca replied.
"Dammit," Andros shouted. "We must have brushed those clouds. Deca, tell Alpha to do it manually."
"Affirmative."
"Think they're friendly?" Andros asked Cassie as she drew her Astroblaster for good measure.
"Nope," she said, hoisting her weapon.
"Me either," he said, drawing his.
"Here they come," Ashley said, stepping closer to Andros and taking a defensive stance. Something seemed odd about the way she was standing, and Andros realized that she had positioned herself between him and the natives. Had it been anyone else, he would have taken it as an insult to his ability to fight, but because it was Ashley, he was oddly grateful.
Just as the natives charged at them, the doors to the Megaship slid open, and the rangers ran on, firing a few warning shots to cover themselves.
"Deca, lift off!" Andros shouted as soon as the doors had closed. For a moment nothing happened, and he worried that they had taken more damage than he realized but then the engines roared to life, and they were in the air.
"Power down!" they all said together, taking their seats in the bridge.
"It is not advisable to continue under present conditions," Deca warned.
"Andros, will you take over?" Cassie asked. "The rest of us can go check out the engine room. I don't think I'm the only one to notice how long it took to get into the air."
