Title: Aftermath
Fandom: Power Rangers: in Space
Characters: Sylvie, Carlos, Cassie, Trey, Hunter, Jade, Marc, Steve, Tacy
Universe: Ranger Academy
Prompt: 097 - Writer's Choice
Word Count: 2025
Date finished: 05/25/2006
Rating: PG
Summary: Hunter's Team is sent in to retrieve a captured Ranger.
Author's Notes: I have no idea what I was thinking; it's a strange little world I live in! I don't think this particular part of this bunch is going to actually be in the fic - but it was something to add. And I wish I could remember what it was Carlos was going to say, when he said "nothing" instead.
Also, if you're interested in where Hunter's team came from, check out Commando Team.
Disclaimer: I don't know who owns the Rangers at this point: I'd guess Disney. At any rate, it isn't me. The Ranger Academy is owned by Sparticus.

"Careful," Tacy said softly as Hunter gently lay their target down on the blankets near her. "How is she?"

He gave her an irritated look, then softened. "I think she'll be okay," he said. "But I couldn't find her morpher."

Tacy nodded and bent over the slender girl they'd been sent to retrieve. She was pretty beat up; bruises covered her face and arms where they weren't covered by her shirt, and one leg had been crudely splinted. Glancing it over, she decided it could stay that way for now, and turned her attention to finding the source of the blood in the girl's hair.

She'd found a scabbed over wound just over her ear when Hunter returned. "Jade has the explosives set. We need to move."

"Let's go." She got up and took one end of the blanket; Hunter took the other one until Steve showed up and took it from him. Marc joined them so quietly no one noticed until he took the blanket from Tacy; she ran ahead to where the Zords were parked so they could put the girl in hers.

Jade showed up just as they were finished, and vaulted into the open cockpit of her Zord. "Let's go!" she shouted as the cockpit closed.

"That's never good," Steve remarked as the rest of them did the same, and the Zords took off.

"Jade, how big is this going to be?" Hunter asked.

"Andros said to send a message. What is this, anyway?" she demanded. "This is the third Ranger we've had to rescue, and only the third time it's ever happened!"

"Send a message?" Steve repeated. "What did you do?"

"A lot," Jade said, all the humor gone from her voice. "I'm sick of this, and I saw what they did to her. Do you have any idea what Carlos is going to do when he sees her?"

Before anyone could answer, Marc whistled low. "Wow, Jade," he said.

"Marc?" Hunter asked, a guarded tone to his voice.

"You've got to see this."

They turned, even Tacy, who wanted to get back to somewhere they could get their mission seen to properly, and gaped.

"Sweet," Jade breathed, and they could hear the smile in her voice.

A plume of smoke rose into the air; the walls of the estate had crumpled on themselves. The gates still stood, however. Inside, one wall of the house had opened to any observer the rooms there; one of them was the prize of the owner, a shrine to those who had gone before him - as Rangers. "Maybe someone will help themselves," Jade said, and sighed softly.

"Well done, Jade," Hunter said as Tacy turned her Zord back toward Drietal.

"I cleared the servants out before it happened," she added. "I didn't want them to pay for what he'd done."

"Good. Make sure Prince Trey knows; he may be able to help them if they want to leave their current positions."

"I hope so," Tacy said. "They weren't treated very well, either."

"How is she?"

"Stable, but I want to get her somewhere better than this."

"I'll contact the Academy," Hunter said.

"That was nice, Jade," Steve said, grinning. "Did you leave a calling card?"

"Naturally," Jade said, sounding cheerful again. "He can't miss that the Rangers were there. He won't know which team, but he knows we were there."

"What did you do?" Tacy asked.

Jade chuckled. "Burned the lightning bolt in his most valuable field," she said. "Might have ruined his crop."

Marc snorted softly. "It was the least you could do."

"Tacy, they're waiting for you," Hunter said firmly. "As soon as you land, they'll take her to Medical. As soon as she's clear, we make for Earth."

"We don't get to see Carlos go off the deep end?" Jade asked. "Drat!"

Hunter chuckled. "No, we don't, but I'm sure Andros will let us see any video he gets from him if we ask nicely."

They waited, their Zords on stealth, as Tacy landed hers. Medical personnel extracted the rescued girl, and as soon as she was free, they made for Earth.

Cassie was not particularly happy about the message she was about to send, but she composed her face and connected. "Cassie Chan to Headmaster Valerte," she said to the communications man who answered. A moment later, she was looking at Carlos. "You've got someone in medical who wants to see you."

"I'll be right there."

It was a typical response; it was important to him that each of the cadets felt they could speak to him, no matter what the situation, and one in medical was cause for worry.

Only this wasn't a cadet.

Cassie turned back to the girl on the bed, and took a deep breath. "He's on his way down."

"He's going to be mad, isn't he?" Sylvie asked, her voice weak.

"Probably, but I doubt you'll get the brunt of it. He'll take it out on…"

The main door to medical opened, and Cassie excused herself without finishing the sentence. Carlos stood there, looking calm. If she didn't know him so well, she'd think he was calm. But he wasn't. "I didn't know there had been an accident," he said. "No one informed me…."

She shook her head and he ground to a halt. "There wasn't an accident, Carlos," she said. "Someone did this on purpose."

His expression grew stormy. "Which cadet is injured?"

"This way." She gestured him into the room.

He stepped in and stopped dead. "Sylvie?"

"Hi, Carlos."

Cassie quietly closed the door and left them their privacy.

Carlos didn't even notice. "What happened?"

"He wanted my chameleon," she said softly.

Carlos sighed, pulling a chair over and sinking down in it. "You didn't go back home."

Sylvie tried a smile. "Yes, I did," she said softly. "But I didn't stay there. I had another mission. When it ended, I stopped by to see you again, and he caught me before I reached the Academy."

He shook his head. "And your chameleon?"

Her hand shook as she lifted it to her hair, running her fingers through it. When it came out, there was a thick ring on her finger. "I hid it," she said. "There were times it had to hide elsewhere - he had a metal detector - and those times I got really sick. I think he was trying to make me sick," she added, gently stroking the ring. It flowed, quicksilver, down her hand to encircle her wrist.

"Do you know who it was?"

Sylvie closed her eyes. "I'd seen him before," she said. "At the opening ceremony for the Academy. But I never knew his name."

"I'll talk to Trey; maybe he can help us figure it out."

"Yeah, okay."

She was fading. Carlos reached over to take her hand. "Get well. I'll see you later."

"Thanks for coming," she said, her voice so soft that he barely heard it. Then her eyes closed and she settled into sleep.

Carlos straightened, then got up and stepped from the room. "Keep me updated, please," he said to Cassie, who nodded. He hesitated, then gestured to the room. "Why are you working with her?" he asked.

She gave him a mirthless smile. "My purpose is your well-being, Carlos. Mental and physical."

He snorted lightly. "Well, thanks." He strode quickly from Medical. He had a call to make.

Andros answered immediately. "How's Sylvie?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Carlos said. "I need to find the guy who did that to her."

Andros took a deep breath. "Ask Trey about someone who has recently lost the walls around his estate, and on one side of the manor. It is also likely that he's lost most, if not all, of his servants, and he has a lightning bold scarred into one of his more productive fields."

Carlos almost smiled. "Vicious lot you've got," he said.

"I'll introduce you some time."

"Thank you. I'd like that."

He cut off and leaned back, musing. Whoever had gotten Sylvie out - and he was sure he knew who it was, if not exactly who held the morphers - had left him enough clues to get the man legally. He reached forward and touched his comm. "Prince Trey, please."

This took a little longer, and in fact, Carlos had to wait for a return call. He attended to the necessities of the school, watching the cadets work through one of the situations he'd been in, once, and found some of them handled it better than he had.

His secretary found him as he left, with the message that Trey had commed and if he hurried, he might still speak with him. Carlos strode after her to his office, sat down, and activated his comm.

"Headmaster Valerte," Trey said, looking serious. "You've been trying to reach me."

"I have a question concerning one of your citizens," Carlos said. "Has anyone had… extensive damage done to their estate?"

Trey hesitated. "I was… attending to that when you called. Why?"

"Let me guess," Carlos said. "Loss of walls, both around the estate and the manor. Loss of servants. And loss of a good crop."

"He said it was a fire."

"Tell him to look from the air. It's a Ranger lightning bolt."

Trey was silent for a long moment. "Why?"

"That's where they found the Chameleon Ranger."

The silence lasted longer this time. Carlos waited it out. "I'd like to see her."

"Cassie is taking care of her. She'll let you know when she's awake."

Trey straightened. "She is?"

"Yes. Aside from being human, apparently she is here to keep me mentally fit, as well."

Trey chuckled. "She was surprised when she found out, too." Then he sobered. "I'll talk to her."

"Let me know when you come," Carlos said. "I'll join you."

The next afternoon, Carlos met Trey in Medical, and they waited for Cassie to arrive as well. She did a few moments later, looking satisfied with herself, and ushered them into the room.

Carlos was surprised. Sylvie looked much better this time around. He supposed he shouldn't have been, however. She was a Ranger.

"I understand you might know who kidnapped me?" she asked Trey.

"It is possible." He considered a moment. "Would you be able to point out the person, if you saw him or her again?"

"Him," Sylvie said firmly. "Yes."

"Good. Thank you." He turned to Cassie. "Is there any way to make her look less healed?"

Cassie hesitated. "It will be possible. I'll speak with some people who can help me. When do you need her?"

"Tomorrow will be best, I believe," he said. "Sylvie, you must act as if you are still weak and have not recovered." Then, slowly, he turned to Carlos. "And I think you should be there, as well, Headmaster."

"What?" Carlos asked.

"He knew Sylvie well enough to know that a threat to you would bring her running. Chances are he knows that a threat to her will bring you as well."

Carlos stared. He opened his mouth, thought better of it, closed it, and nodded. "Very well."

Trey nodded. "Good." He turned away with a smile at Cassie, and left.

Carlos sat down next to the bed, looking stunned. "What were you going to say?" Sylvie asked. He looked at her, blinked, and shook his head.

"Nothing."

She didn't believe him. "Nothing?"

He looked at her and sighed. "Nothing that I care to repeat, even in my thoughts," he said.

She lifted an eyebrow. "Must not have been good."

"It would have been a lie."

The silence hung between them. "Was it a lie, what Trey said?"

He blinked at her. "What?"

"Trey assumed that if I'd been threatened you would have come to my defense," she said softly. "Was that a lie?"

He stared at her. "I came, didn't I?" he asked, and her eyes narrowed at his attempt to avoid answering the question. Then her expression cleared, and she lay back on the bed.

"Yes, you did," she said, but even though her tone was perfectly agreeable, he wondered if he'd said something wrong.

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