Disclaimer: Saban still owns Power Rangers. Gee, was anyone surprised by that?

Author's Note: Enjoy the story! Feedback is always welcome! :)

White Awakening
By Crystal Maiden

"Collier? But, how could he help us?" TJ asked curiously.

"Well, he helped us with our new powers." Ashley said, "Maybe he can at least give us some advice on what to do now."

"It's worth a shot but how do we contact him?" Carlos asked.

Ashley shrugged, "I don't know."

"Last time he just seemed to know we needed help." Andros speculated, "We'll just have to wait until he contacts us."

"But last time was different. Last time Karone was having the visions, remember? What if Karone was our link to him." Ashley asked.

"We have to try." TJ argued and Andros nodded his head.

"DECA, establish a communication link with Collier." Andros instructed and the camera blinked.

"Affirmative. Attempting to establish connection now." DECA replied.

"I hope he can help us."

"Connection Established." DECA interrupted.

"Main viewing screen." Andros commanded and they all walked in front of it.

A picture of Collier appeared on the screen.

"Rangers it is good to hear from you." Collier said.

"It's good to see you again too. But I'm afraid our reason for contacting you isn't good." Andros said and the others exchanged glances.

"I am aware of Karone's disappearance and Zhane's injury. But I can only help you with one. I am transporting you to my location now." Collier told them, and then the link was cut.

"Who is he going to help us with? Karone or Zhane?" Ashley asked Andros.

He just shook his head, "I guess we'll find out."

The ship suddenly started shaking, like the time it had before when they had been transported to Colliers location. Then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.

"Let's go." Andros said and they walked to the back door and it slid open.

As they walked off the ship, the realized this was the exact same place where they had gotten their powers. Collier came from the shadows.

"Rangers, come this way. There is very little time. I feel Astronema is on the move." Collier said and they rushed inside the cave.

They all stood around a large rock like table and Collier walked around them.

"Rangers, deep inside you there is a power to heal your friend." Collier started, then closed his eyes and suddenly, Zhane's cryogenic tube appeared on the rock table, "You must focus, deep inside yourself and the power will do as you command."

The rangers exchanged glances, then joined hands and closed their eyes.

After a few minutes of nothing, they suddenly felt themselves surrounded by light.

Ashley was the first to open her eyes, and she gasped at the sight.

A brilliant light had surrounded Zhane's tube. The others quickly opened their eyes to see the magnificent sight.

Zhane's cryogenic tube was slowly becoming invincible and they didn't know if their eyes were playing tricks on them, but they thought his hand moved.

"Oh my gosh!" Ashley squealed in excitement, unable to hold back. They let go of hands and just stared at Zhane. They tube was completely gone now, and Zhane just lay there, unmoving.

"What...what's going on?" Ashley stuttered.

"I thought that.... That he was supposed to be healed." TJ commented.

Collier closed his eyes and said nothing.

"What did you do to Zhane?" Andros demanded and walked over to him.

"What did you do?" Carlos shouted at Collier and they walked away from Zhane to face Collier.

"Huh?" A confused voice asked from behind them.

The Rangers turned around quickly to face what looked like a very confused Zhane.

"Zhane!" Andros yelled at his friend and ran over to him, "Are you okay?"

"Zhane!" The others yelled happily and ran over to him and Andros.

They asked him a zillion questions at once, and he looked even more confused.

"Hold up, guys. Hold up." Zhane laughed, "One at a time."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ashley asked, concerned.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just a little tired." Zhane laughed at the tone of concern in their voices.

"It's good to have you back." Carlos smiled and patted his back.

Zhane lifted his head up to the group and smiled at them all, then gave them a confused look, "Where's Karone?"

Their smiles faded at that question and they all exchanged worried glances.


"So you're saying everyone's name on this colony is on these papers?" Karone asked the man as she took about 20 sheets of crumpled paper from him.

"Yes ma'am." The man declared.

Karone exchanged glances with Virola, then asked him, "Do you mind if I keep these for awhile."

The man exchanged a worried look with Virola.

"Don't worry Leres. She's a Power Ranger." Virola assured the man and he nodded his head, then walked away.

"Is there any place I can sneak off to, to read these?" Karone whispered.

"The only place that you can be by yourself here is in the changing room. But you'll have to get past the guard." Virola informed her.

"Sounds good." Karone said, then looked around, making sure a guard wasn't anywhere around her, then looked back to Virola.

"What are you planning to do?" She asked.

"I'm gonna try my hardest to look over these names and hope some of them sound familiar. Maybe then I can figure out some way to get off this mud planet." Karone told her.

"Good luck." Virola offered and smiled.

"Look, if I don't come back before I escape, I just wanted to let you know you've been a really great friend to me these past 2 days. And I'll never forget that." Karone smiled, then added in a whisper, "We'll come from the northeastern sector. Be there when you see a ship land. It will probably take at least 3 days. Tell the others."

Virola gave her a confused look, but Karone ran as fast as she could towards the changing room.


"Don't you remember?" Andros asked his friend.

"I remember she was taken by Darkonda but...she's back now right?" Zhane asked them and when he didn't get a reply, he asked again, more worried this time, "Right?"

The others shook their heads sadly and Zhane rubbed his fingers over his temples.

"I can't believe this." He muttered, "How long was I asleep?"

"Only a week and a half." Andros cleared.

Zhane sighed angrily. If only he hadn't gotten injured, and put back into hyper sleep. Maybe they would have found her by now.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the cave began shaking violently.

"What's going on?" Ashley asked as she grabbed on to Andros' arm so she wouldn't fall.

"Astronema, she's here. You must leave, quickly!" Collier warned.

"How did she know?" TJ asked as they ran out of the cave.

"Dark Specter." Was all Collier said.

They ran to the mouth of the cave, but found that coming right towards them, were the remaining 3 metallic monsters.

"Man, what are we gonna do now?" Carlos asked.

"I say we turn around and--" Ashley started.

"Run!" Zhane finished and they ran the other direction, back into the cave.

Ashley looked behind her and saw them coming behind them; "They're gaining on us! Hurry!"

"It's no use, we can't out run them!" TJ yelled.

"Let's call on our Turbo Cars!" Andros suggested.

"What about Collier?" Ashley asked.

"They can't hurt me. Quickly, go!" Collier told them and stopped running.

"Black Thunder!" Carlos yells and his car appears behind him, then teleports him inside.

"Blue Crush!" TJ yells and he teleports into his car, beside Carlos.

"Yellow Bolt!" Ashley yells and teleports into her car.

"Red Lightening!" Andros yells and teleports into his car.

"White Jackal!" Zhane yells and teleports into his car, just before the monsters catch up with him.

They raced through the other end of the cave, and looked back. The monsters had picked up pace and were gaining on them again.

"These guys just don't know when to quit!" Zhane said over the intercom.

"Let's do it you guys!" Ashley encouraged.

"Right, Shift into Turbo!" Andros commanded and they shifted to Turbo speed, leaving the monsters far behind.


Karone ran up to the small building where she changed into her clothes a couple of days earlier and the guard had his face turned away from her.

She patted his back, "Excuse me, sir?"

The quantron spun around and she right-hooked him, making him fall to the ground. She looked around to make sure no one saw her, and she drug the quantron in with her into the small building, locking the door behind her.

Karone sat the quantron on the opposite side of the room and she pulled up the chair and sat down in it.

She scanned her eyes quickly over the papers then closed them in anger. Not one of them looked familiar.

"Come on Karone, focus. You've got to at least remember somebody here." She told herself.

She opened her eyes again and looked at the papers.

After 30 minutes she finally got to the last paper. She looked over it, then nearly froze at the two names that were near the middle of the list. Collene Lanrydan and Daven Lanrydan.

She wiped her eyes to make sure she was actually seeing this. Could it really be.....

"Mom....Dad?" She asked herself, tears coming to her eyes.

But a pounding on the door interrupted her train of thought and she quickly shot up out of the chair.

She heard a quantrons' voice outside and she began to panic.

She looked all around for a way to escape but nothing. She stomped her foot in anger, then suddenly, a square piece of floor gave way. She looked down at it. Someone had created an escape hatch through the floor. She smiled at her good fortune, then wondered where it led.

"Guess there's only one way to find out." She said to herself and lowered herself down under it, closing it quickly, just as the quantron stepped inside.

Karone looked around her and noticed she was now underground. A small path led to a lighted outlet.

"Guess that's where I'll go." She whispered and walked down the dark tunnel, towards the light at the end.


"Elgar! Did you get them?" Astronema asked angrily.

"Uh...well....no....not.....Exactly." Elgar stuttered and she stomped her foot.

"I can't trust you to do anything can I?" She whined and sat down on her throne.

"What do you want us to do now?" Ecliptor asked.

"Send Metallic Monster #4, Protactinium." Astronema groaned, "And this time kill the rangers!"

"Right-o Astronema!" Elgar saluted, then left the room.

"Ecliptor!" Astronema yelled before he left.

"Yes princess?" He asked.

"Don't fail me again. I don't think I can take it anymore!" She whined.


"Shift back to regular mode, I think we've lost them." Andros commanded and everyone obeyed.

"Collier must have sent the Ship back into orbit of Earth." TJ said, looking at his radar screen.

"Let's put the cars away and teleport to Angel Grove." Andros suggested and they did.

After 5 minutes, everyone was in Angel Grove Park, trying to decide what to do next.

"Astronema is definitely up to something. After all, she did send the last three of Dark Specters metallic monsters after us." TJ mused.

"DECA, Alpha, and Zordon are monitoring the Earth. So all we have to do is plan on how we're going to find Karone." Andros said.

"We've searched half the universe, and there isn't the faintest sign of her anywhere." Ashley said, discouraged.

"Have you scanned the Dark Fortress yet? What about Dark Specters Ship?" Zhane asked but they all shook their heads.

"That's the first place we looked." Ashley said.

"And?" Zhane asked.

"Nothing." Carlos answered.

"Last time Darkonda put her someplace that was obvious, yet the last place we would look. Maybe he did that again." TJ suggested.

"Nah, that'd be too easy. Karone's older now. She's smarter. He had to have put her someplace where it would be very hard to escape." Carlos said.

"Doesn't Dark Specter have a Prison Planet?" Zhane asked Andros.

"Yeah but, no one knows the location." He confirmed, then raised his eyebrow, "You think she might be there?"

"I don't know. I just keep getting this feeling, that she's someplace where it's almost impossible to get out." Zhane said. He'd had that feeling ever since he woke up, which is why he was going crazy in worry about her. Somehow he knew that she was okay...for now that is.

"Rangers!" A deep voice yelled from behind them and they spun around to face a monster, "Sorry to interrupt, but your living days are over!"

"Let's can this trash!" Ashley encouraged.

"It's morphin time!" Andros yells.

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"White Ranger Power!" Zhane yells and draws out Saba.

"It's so good to see you back, Zhane!" Saba says cheerfully.

"Nice to be back. Let's take care of business." Zhane says to the sword.


Karone made her way down the dark tunnel, and slowly poked her head outside.

She saw exactly what was on the other end where she was. Hundreds of people digging. But this time, she saw something in the dirt.

"Maybe that's what they're digging up." She speculated and walked out of the cave, trying to get a closer view.

She saw a huge hole and she walked to the edge of it looking down at what the people were digging up. She gasped at the sight she saw.

"The Ectomorphican Titans." She whispered, "But, how can this be?"

She walked down the mud stairs to the lower level and stood by the leg of the first Ecto-Morphicon. She ran her hand across it's shiny metal.

"But, these were destroyed years ago. Along with Ivan--" She started.

"Ooze." Someone said behind her and she turned around quickly to face a guy around her age, "Ivan Ooze. Ivan was destroyed, but the Titans never were. No one knows how they got here, but everyone's guessing Dark Specter had something to do with it."

"So Dark Specter is en-slaving people to dig them up." Karone realized.

"Yeah. This one is almost dug up. But I've heard they aren't getting very far with the other one." He said, then added, "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?"

"Yeah, well, sorta. I just got here a few days ago. I work on the other side." Karone explained.

"Are you trying to escape?" The guy asked incredulously.

Karone looked around, to make sure no one was listening, "Yeah. But first, I was wondering if you could help me find two people."

"Sure, I'll do anything to help." The guy replied eagerly.

"I need to find Collene and Daven Lanrydan." She said urgently, "It's very important that I speak with them."

The guy started grinning; "You've come to the right place! I'll take you to them now!"

Karone started smiling and trailed the guy as they climbed back up to the top in search of her parents.


"Man that fight was awesome!" TJ marveled as they all walked onto the bridge.

"One hit of the Turbo Sword, and he went down." Carlos approved.

"Maybe Astronema will get the hint and leave us alone for awhile." Ashley hoped.

"This should give us some time to search for my sister." Andros said and they all sat down to get to work.

"Wait a minute.... Where's Zhane?" Ashley asked, not seeing the White Ranger anywhere.

"Maybe we should go check--" Carlos started.

But Andros interrupted him, "No. Let's give him some time alone. He's had a pretty big day."

They nodded their heads, and continued working figuring it was best if they leave their friend alone to deal with all that had gone on.


Zhane slowly walked into his room on the Astro Megaship and looked around. His clothes were all over the place, and it looked like it always had. But something was wrong. Something was missing. And he knew very well what it was.

He sat down on the floor and leaned his back against his bunk and closed his eyes. Letting his mind flashback to about a month ago.....

"Quit tickling me!" Karone yelled as she rolled over laughing on the floor, with Zhane right beside her, still tickling her viciously.

"Nope, sorry. Can't do that." He laughed.

"Zhane this is so not fair!" she yelled, rolling trying to avoid his fingers.

"Why, Miss Lanrydan, I think it's very fair." Zhane stopped tickling her and helped her sit up.

She sat up and calmed down, her heart rate creeping down to the regular beat.

He looked at her as she re-poised herself. Straightening her hair, her clothes, so everything was perfect once more.

"You are absolutely beautiful you know that?" he asked her in all seriousness.

She smirked doubtfully, "Beautiful? Not hardly."

"You are." He smiled, "It's the truth."

"Well, thank you for saying that even though it isn't the truth." She smiled back at him; "You aren't too bad yourself."

His mind shifted to the present and he wondered something.

"Did she really know? Did she really know how much I care about her?" Zhane asked himself, then shrugged, "I should've said it more often."

His mind shifted back again to the same time. . . . . .

"Yeah, I know." Zhane smiled at her compliment.

"You sound pretty sure of yourself," she mused, and smiled mischievously, "What if I were lying?

"Were you?" he asked.

"No." She admitted simply.

"Well then, looks like I don't have anything to worry about." He smiled put his arm around her shoulders and they cuddled close together, both their backs against the bed, sitting on the floor.

"I like this." Karone said, feeling content.

"Like what?" he asked curiously, as she laid her head against his chest and relaxed, "Not getting kidnapped?"

Karone laughed, "No! Well, that too, but that's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" he pressed.

"Just being here, with you, and not having to worry about anything. Just, feeling safe." She said softly.

Zhane smiled and rubbed her shoulder, and she lifted her head up to his.

"There is only one thing that would make this moment even more perfect than it already is." Karone whispered and moved her head towards his to kiss him.

He smiled and leaned in then.... WHAM! She grabbed her feather pillow and whacked him on the shoulder. The pillow split open and feathers went flying everywhere, leaving him covered in feathers, and Karone rolling on the floor laughing.

"Oh, You think this is funny, do you? I'll show you funny!" Zhane yelled and started tickling her again.

*Karone, wherever you are.... * His mind sent out, *I love you. And I hope you know it. *

The End

Rule

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