"How about over here?" Cassie suggested, pointing off to the right.

"No," she amended before Ashley could answer. "Just kidding; there's already a car there."

"Small car," Ashley grumbled, scanning for a parking space as they cruised slowly past the high school. "What's everyone doing here, anyway? You'd think it was graduation or something."

Cassie rolled her eyes and kept looking. "Hey, how about over there? I think there's a space down the street a little farther."

"We should have just let my parents drop us off," Ashley complained. "This is ridiculous." But she kept going, heading for the spot Cassie had pointed out, and when it turned out to be empty she pulled up and started to squeeze in. "We're only about three miles from the school," she muttered.

Cassie shook her head. "What's wrong with you?" she wanted to know. "Come on; you're not allowed to be grumpy at graduation."

"I'll be grumpy when I want to be," Ashley informed her, but she smiled a little as she unfastened her seatbelt. "I might as well go out the way I came in, anyway."

"You'll never convince me that you weren't absurdly cheerful the day you started high school," Cassie said with a laugh. "Don't even try."

Ashley shrugged innocently. "Fine," she said, pushing the door open. "Then don't ask Carlos about how we met."

Cassie eyed her, but Ashley was already turning toward Andros as he climbed out of the backseat. "My parents said they'd meet us by the main doors," she was saying. "You guys can hook up with them there."

Cassie smoothed her sundress distractedly, glancing toward the high school as though she could see Ashley's parents from where they were. She didn't really know what she was looking for, when it came right down to it, but now that graduation had finally arrived it seemed... anticlimactic somehow. All she could really think about was how much cleaning she still had to do in her room before she left.

"Smile," Saryn said quietly, and she looked up in surprise. He wore a half-smile himself, and he looked as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. "This day will never come again," he reminded her. "Don't miss it worrying about tomorrow."

She had to smile at that, and she linked her arm through his companionably as the four of them headed toward the main doors. "I won't. I'm afraid you guys are going to be a little bored, though."

Saryn shrugged. "I came for you, not for me. I shall enjoy seeing you honored."

"And I'll enjoy going out tonight," Ashley interjected, her tone noticeably lighter now that she was the subject of Andros' undivided attention. "Are you sure you won't tell us where we're going?"

Andros appeared to give it a moment's thought, then shook his head. "I think that might ruin the 'surprise' part," he said thoughtfully. "So... let me think--no."

Ashley gave him a shove, but he took it good-naturedly and finally she laughed at his smug expression. "Zhane is a horrible influence on you," she scolded, but she didn't sound particularly upset about it.

Nevertheless, Andros gave her a wide-eyed look of agreement. "I know! It's terrible; I've tried to tell him, but he just doesn't know when to stop."

Ashley rolled her eyes, and Cassie exchanged amused glances with Saryn. If there was anyone who could cheer Ashley up, it was Andros, and he seemed more than willing to take on the task. He was good at it, too, which would have surprised her once, but the longer she knew him the more aware she became of the wry humor and genuine caring that lurked just beneath the surface.

"Zhane doesn't appear to be inconvenienced by our late arrival," Saryn remarked, and she looked around in time to catch a glimpse of him near the front of the school.

Cassie giggled as she realized Zhane was flirting with Lindsay while he waited. Zhane and Kerone had promised to meet them at the school, and they were there by the doors as they had said they would be. It was somewhat ironic that Andros and Saryn had ridden in to school from the house, and yet Zhane and Kerone were probably spending more time with the Hammonds than anyone. They stood close enough to Ashley's parents to acknowledge their connection, but not near enough that they actually had to socialize.

"Well, we wouldn't have been late if we had left on time," Ashley muttered.

"We're not late," Andros told her, his tone conveying just the right amount of unconcern. "They're actually a little early."

Kerone was sitting on the railing as they walked up, watching students hurry by while parents idled outside the doors. She might not have known Zhane for all the attention she paid to his conversation with Lindsay, but a smile lit her face as she saw them approaching. "Hi!" she called cheerfully, sounding for all the world like any other teenager at graduation.

Zhane glanced up long enough to wave before turning his attention back to whatever story he was telling Lindsay. Lindsay looked as absorbed as he was, and it crossed Cassie's mind to wonder where her girlfriend was. Sarah and Lindsay were both graduating this afternoon, and she had expected the two of them to come together.

"You'll want to go straight to the library," Ashley's mom was telling them, apparently thinking she had both girls' attention. "They're robing people as they come in, and I think you all get flowers, too."

"Ooh," Ashley murmured, and Cassie didn't miss the note of sarcasm in her friend's voice. She gave her a warning look, and to her surprise, Ashley smirked at her. *Just kidding,* her friend's expression seemed to say.

"We'll catch up with you after the ceremony, then," Ashley said, so smoothly that neither parent had the chance to call her on her attitude. "See you then!"

She caught Cassie's hand and pulled her toward the doors, and Cassie couldn't help laughing at her enthusiasm. "You're in a *weird* mood today," she told her, tugging on her arm to make her slow down as Lindsay waved to Zhane and ran after them.

"I know," Ashley agreed unrepentantly. "I'm graduating; I'm entitled." She held the door for Cassie and Lindsay as the other girl caught up, and she shot a look over her shoulder before following them through.

"Thanks," Lindsay said breathlessly. "I was hoping to stay outside as long as possible, but I guess if I don't get a gown they won't let me graduate."

Cassie grinned. "They're not going to keep anyone here tonight from graduating. They don't *want* us back next year."

"Especially you," Ashley added. "Miss Erratic GPA!"

Cassie tried not to smirk. "I'm an honors student!" She waved one end of the cord she'd draped around her neck, pretending to be miffed. "Don't talk to me about GPA!"

"Barely," Ashley muttered, but she was teasing and Cassie knew it. Ashley was in the top ten, and it escaped no one's notice that Cassie could have been too if she had been more consistent with her studies.

"At this point, I'm just glad they're giving me a diploma," Lindsay offered, as they rounded the last corner before the library. "Honors student or no. Whoa..."

She trailed off, and Cassie nodded emphatically. "Whoa," she agreed, watching the students in caps and gowns milling through the open library doors. "We're actually... graduating."

"Unless you came for the food," Ashley said, unfazed. "Let's go get our gowns."

*A very weird mood,* Cassie decided, watching her friend head for the greeting table just inside the doors. Maybe it was just the stress.

"Linz!" Sarah wormed her way out of the crowd and joined them, giving Lindsay a quick peck on the cheek. "You okay? I thought you'd gotten lost!"

Karen was right behind her, and Cassie greeted her with a smile. "Happy graduation," she told Carlos' ex-girlfriend, and Karen grinned.

"Right back at you," she agreed. "Can you believe we're really here?"

Cassie hesitated. "Yes and no," she admitted, and Karen laughed.

"Been a long time coming, huh?" The other girl gave her a knowing look. "I remember you threatening to drop out back in December... are you glad you stuck it out?"

"Yes!" Cassie said fervently. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"I do," Karen replied, her eyes sparkling with shared amusement. "I would have been thinking it too, believe me."

"Is this straight?" someone wanted to know, and Cassie turned to see Shana fussing with her cap. The caps had been given out early, so that students were free to decorate them, and Shana's had two words scrawled across the top: "certified organic".

Cassie couldn't help giggling. "Nice cap!"

"Thanks," Shana said, tugging at it again. "Is it straight?"

"I wouldn't know," Sarah remarked, winking at them over her shoulder as she took hold of Lindsay's elbow.

Shana stuck her tongue out at them, and Sarah laughed. "Is that an invitation?" she teased, steering her girlfriend toward the greeting table.

"I'll invite you to the loony bin," Shana retorted, but Sarah just waved back at her while Lindsay waited for her gown.

"Here," Karen said, adjusting the other girl's cap. "There--now just don't touch it, and you'll be all set."

"Thanks..." Shana lifted her hand automatically, and Karen caught it before it could reach her cap.

"Don't *touch* it!" she repeated, her tone friendly enough that Shana couldn't take offense. "Just trust me!"

"Have a gown," Ashley's voice offered, and Cassie started.

"Take it easy," her friend advised, sounding amused. "I just figured if you were going to stand around talking all day, I'd get yours for you. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't," Cassie said quickly, accepting the gown Ashley handed her. She looked at it for a moment, then glanced up to find Ashley watching her expectantly. "I guess I was just thinking..."

She looked around, wondering if it was just her imagination that had suddenly put the room into fast forward. Sarah was helping Lindsay pull her gown on, both girls giggling when her cap slid off and Lindsay dropped her own in an effort to catch it. Shana was already wandering off again, waving to her coworkers as she passed: Suzy waved back, but David was complaining loudly about his tassel and Chip was stuffing a deflated beach ball into each pocket, neither of them paying much attention to the room around them.

Closer to the door to the courtyard, where the ceremony would actually be held, Cassie caught a glimpse of Carlos and TJ. They were both lounging against the doorframe, trying to pick out people in the crowd and apparently totally unaware that the girls had arrived. One of Ashley's classmates was nearby, pretending to play Cat's Cradle with his tassel and a friend, and his cap made her shake her head. Amos had covered his mortarboard with thimbles, arranged to form a laughing smiley face.

"It just feels weird," she said at last, looking back at Ashley. "I mean... Some of us will never see each other again. This is the last time we'll all be together like this, and it's just... strange."

Ashley just looked at her for a moment. "Okay," she said after a moment. "That's not a cheery thing to say, all right? Hello, I'm trying not to be depressed here!"

Her indignation was only half-feigned and Cassie apologized even as she giggled. "Sorry," she said, shaking her gown out. "Have you seen Amos' cap?"

"Yeah." Ashley's voice had a grin in it now. "He claims he's deathly afraid of needles, so it's twice as funny. In Design class, he has to have one for every finger."

"That would be Amos," someone remarked, pausing on her way toward the courtyard doors where the students were starting to gather. "His thimble cap?"

"Hi, Marusia," Ashley said with a smile. "Yeah, that's what we were just talking about."

"Cassie," Marusia scolded, reaching out to help her with her gown. "Put your gown on already! Where's your flower?"

"I have it," Ashley put in. "You go ahead; we'll be right there."

"Right... Happy graduation, girls," Marusia said with a smile. "Oh!" She stopped in her tracks almost before she'd started and turned an inquisitive look on Cassie. "Hiking? Where?"

"Massachusetts," Cassie answered, deciphering the question instantly. "Heading north on the AT; we'll do most of New England before we start trail-hopping."

Marusia clapped her hands delightedly, in a rather eerie imitation of Ashley. "Great! We'll meet each other!"

"See you then," Cassie promised.

"See you!"

As soon as Marusia had vanished, Ashley gave her friend an incredulous look. "Tell me you're not serious," she said, pinning the flower carefully to Cassie's gown. "You and Saryn, hiking? When?"

"Next week," Cassie said, glancing down to watch the process as best she could. "He owes me a honeymoon. Thanks, by the way."

"He owes you a honeymoon!" Ashley repeated it in such a tone that it was impossible to say whether she was incredulous or amused.

"It's time to line up, girls," Mrs. Applebee told them, moving her arms in a herding motion as she hurried past. "Alphabetical except for the top ten, you remember." She kept moving, but she did add over her shoulder, "You look very nice!"

Ashley sighed. "Why can't we sit wherever we want?" she complained, as they obediently headed toward the doors. "I want someone to talk to!"

"Do you have your bubble stuff?" Cassie asked, slipping her own plastic necklace on over her head. "I bet Carlos brought a beach ball."

Ashley shook her head, a smile lightening her face again. "He brought one of those animal noisemakers. You know, where you shake it and it does some barn animal?"

Cassie stared at her. "Should I even ask what animal it is?"

"It's a cow," Ashley said, giggling a little. "He says he's going to shake it at least once during every speech."

"Everyone in pairs, please!" Mrs. K called, taking her place at the head of the growing line. "We're almost ready to start! Remember, this is graduation--look happy, but dignified."

"This is graduation," Ashley mimicked under her breath. "In case any of you might have forgotten, we're going to remind you now and then..."

"Get in line," Cassie whispered, trying not to giggle. She gave her friend a shove.

As Ashley headed forward, Mrs. K continued, "Remember not to walk to fast! Family and friends will want to take pictures... this is graduation, after all."

Cassie tried to stifle a snicker. She wasn't the only one, either--her line partner giggled, and from somewhere behind her she heard a very distinct, "Moooo..."

***

"Why do they all wear the same thing?" Zhane wanted to know, staring down at the robed students who filled the courtyard in surprisingly uncomfortable folding chairs.

Andros shrugged. "You're asking me?" He tried to keep his voice quiet; the current speaker showed no sign of ending his speech any time soon, and the Hammonds were sitting directly to Andros' left. "I don't have the faintest idea."

Zhane was quiet for a moment, but then he asked, "How come they're not sitting together?"

"It's alphabetical by name," Andros answered. He knew that one; Ashley had explained the meaning of her "honors cord", the "top ten", and how each of those things differed from the regular gown or seating arrangements.

He could almost hear Zhane frown. "Then why does TJ come before Cassie and Carlos?"

"Last name," Andros told him. "Alphabetical by last name."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhane shake his head. "I've never understood why they're born with two names," he muttered. "Who needs two names before they're married?"

Andros didn't even try. He just watched the students, who frankly looked about as bored as he felt--possibly more, since this wasn't as new to any of them as it was to him. Apparently boredom was expected, though, and possibly even condoned, since most of the students were making no attempt to conceal the fact that they weren't interested.

Ashley was sitting in the front row--he had picked her out as soon as the students had emerged from the building--and she was one of the "clearly not paying attention" students. She had something in each hand, and was using whatever it was to blow soap bubbles toward the stage. Andros had long ago decided that the soap bubbles were far more interesting than the speaker, and it seemed that a lot of other people agreed. Three more soap bubble sources had emerged in the last few minutes.

"Why don't they put a time limit on how long each person can speak?" Andros wondered quietly, still watching the soap bubbles.

"That's easy," Zhane whispered back. "For the sole purpose of allowing the audience to be bored to tears."

Andros tried not to grin, but he couldn't help it. Luckily, Kerone leaned closer to Zhane and said something to him too softly for Andros to hear, and a moment later Zhane turned to relay the message. "She wants to know if we're still going to KaliKay's tonight."

Andros nodded once, keeping his eyes on the scene in front of him. "Ash says everyone's in."

Before Zhane passed the answer to Kerone he wanted to know, "What do her parents think?"

He felt his lips quirk. "I don't think she's told them."

Zhane turned to whisper to Kerone, and Andros glanced sideways at the Hammonds. He was somewhat disconcerted to find Ashley's brother looking back at him, and he nodded awkwardly. Jeff just looked at him for a moment, then finally leaned closer to ask the question Andros would have dreaded if it had occurred to him that it would come up.

"You taking Ash out tonight?" Jeff whispered. "Where?"

Andros cleared his throat as quietly as he could. "Just someplace offplanet," he murmured. "The whole team's going out to celebrate their graduation."

"Ash said you guys were throwing them a party," Jeff said, just as softly. "She made it sound like you'd all be on the Megaship."

Andros shrugged uncomfortably. "We will be, for a while."

"As long as it takes to get wherever you're going?" Jeff suggested dryly. "Andros, tell me you're not taking her anywhere dangerous."

Startled, Andros caught his eye. "It's not dangerous," he said, surprised that Jeff could think that of him. "We risk our lives every time we fight; we don't need danger to have fun."

Jeff eyed him consideringly. "Why am I not reassured," he muttered at last. "Let me just note two things here. One, your definition of 'danger' is probably substantially different than mine. Two--what *do* you need to have fun? You and Zhane looked pretty smug there for a few seconds."

Andros managed to keep from glancing over at the Silver Ranger again. He and Zhane had been without permanent parental authority for years now, but deceiving family had never been something he enjoyed. While there was nothing dangerous about KaliKay's--at least, nothing more dangerous than most places in the local galaxies--it probably wasn't the sort of hangout that parents like the Hammonds would want their daughter spending a lot of time in.

"If our definitions of danger are different," he said finally, avoiding the more important question, "it's just because our abilities are different. No offense," he added hastily, shooting a sideways look at Jeff.

Jeff actually grinned. "None taken," he agreed. "But I still want to know what you're going to be doing at this 'not dangerous' place."

"Dancing," Andros answered immediately. That was an easy one.

Jeff frowned at him. "I get the feeling that I'm not asking the right questions."

Andros smiled a little, lifting his hands to clap politely as the speaker on stage finally finished speaking. There was a low but noticeable "mooo" from the students assembled below, and he tried to isolate the sound. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone he knew was doing that.

"I want to come," Jeff said suddenly.

Andros looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I want to come," Jeff repeated. "I won't get in your way. I just want to see what's got Ashley lying to our parents and you and Zhane smirking at each other."

Andros frowned. "You make it sound like... I don't know. It isn't anything bad, Jeff."

"Then let me come. I'll check it out, be appropriately chagrinned, and come home."

"What's going on?" Zhane whispered.

Grateful for the distraction, Andros turned his head a little and whispered, "Jeff wants to come to KaliKay's with us."

Zhane leaned around him to study Jeff for a moment, then shrugged. "It's not like he'd stand out," he remarked, just loud enough for Jeff to hear too.

"Ash would kill me," Andros told him. "I can't let her brother come with us."

Zhane grinned. "Your sister's coming."

Andros rolled his eyes. "My sister has probably been to KaliKay's more times than I want to think about. As several different people."

Zhane's eyes widened. Clearly, he'd never thought of that. He turned to say something to Kerone, leaving Andros to explain things to Jeff.

"I admit I can't top Kerone in the 'coolness' department," Jeff said, before Andros could say anything. "But if it's the kind of place I think it is, you won't even know I'm with you. Just don't leave me behind, and I'll be fine.

"I'm not checking up on you," he added, when Andros opened his mouth to protest. "The truth is I have nothing better to do tonight, and I figure anything you guys are this defensive about must be fun."

Andros hesitated. If he just wanted to come as a friend, then there wasn't really anything wrong with that. "I'll have to ask Ashley," he said at last. "But I don't mind giving you a ride if she says it's okay with her."

Jeff looked nonplussed, but Andros wasn't about to get Ashley upset with him just to make her brother happy. He poked Zhane and whispered, "I'm going to ask Ashley if she wants him to come. Don't say anything to her until I do, okay?"

"Sure," Zhane agreed. "Hey, did you know that a true shapeshifter can drink different amounts depending on what form they're in?"

Andros sighed. "I don't want to know how she knows that." Glancing back at the stage, he added, "How much longer is this going to last, anyway?"

Zhane pretended to think about it. "I think the real question," he said at last, contemplating the open courtyard with what looked like genuine curiosity, "is what happens to those beachballs after the ceremony."

***

"You look nice," Jeff remarked, lounging by the kitchen table.

Ashley gave him her most level look. "You're coming on the condition that you don't speak to me, remember?"

Without waiting for a reply, she bounced down the hallway to Cassie's room. "Cassie," she called, tapping on the door with her fingernails. "Are you ready? Let's go!"

The door swung open almost at her touch and Cassie popped out, wearing the same sundress she'd had on at graduation. Ashley rolled her eyes. "It took us this long to decide not to change?"

"You just know Andros likes that dress," Cassie teased, pulling her door shut behind her. The door obscured a scene of sheer devastation, and Ashley didn't blame her for keeping it shut. Cassie didn't go for surface organization--when she cleaned, she did it all the way, and unfortunately that always seemed to require the "it gets worse before it gets better" approach.

"I think he looks cute when he gets all starry-eyed, that's all," Ashley declared. She pointed at Jeff as they entered the kitchen. "Not a word."

He held up his hands in silent agreement, and she reached for her morpher. "Everyone ready?"

"All set," Cassie confirmed.

Jeff only nodded, which was wise as far as she was concerned. Andros had said she could invite Jeff or not, but as soon as it was her decision it would have been horribly rude not to let him come. She wasn't thrilled about it, but he had promised not to lecture, tattle, or otherwise spoil the evening, so she had grudgingly allowed her older brother to join them.

"DECA," she told her communicator. "This is Ashley. We're ready to go."

"Acknowledge," DECA replied. "Teleporting now."

The world flashed sparkling gold, and she wondered if they should have left a note. Her parents had taken her and Cassie out to dinner, and then they had stayed behind while the girls went home to change into something more comfortable before their "party". Her parents knew they might not be back that night--after all, she had pointed out, if they were going to be on the Megaship anyway they might as well sleep there--but it probably would have been nice to leave them a "good night" note.

The thought flew out of her mind the moment she saw Zhane, leaning idly against the half-deck in front of the jump tubes. He was wearing a skirt... a long, flowy, print skirt, and it took her mind several extended seconds to process that fact. She shot a quick look around at the others, but they all looked perfectly normal--she hadn't gotten swapped into some alternate dimension by accident.

"We're ready, I think," Andros observed. "DECA, let's get going."

"We are underway now," DECA replied. "Hyperrush nine; ETA thirty four minutes."

"How was dinner?" TJ asked, just as Carlos caught Kerone's hand and made a show of inspecting her palm.

"It doesn't say that!" the Black Ranger exclaimed, looking torn between skepticism and surprise. "Where do you come up with these things?"

"It was nice," Ashley answered, giving Carlos a bemused look before letting her gaze slide back toward Zhane. "I have to ask, though... why is Zhane wearing a skirt?"

"Because dancing wasn't meant to be done in anything else," Zhane replied promptly, not looking the slightest bit self-conscious.

"Plus it gets really hot inside KaliKay's," Kerone put in, glancing away from Carlos to trade amused looks with Zhane. She was wearing a long skirt as well, the same floral design she had worn to graduation but extending to her ankles instead of her knees. "Zhane would rather wear a skirt than shorts."

"It's safer," the Silver Ranger agreed cryptically.

"Say I believe you," Carlos told Kerone, as single-minded as ever. "Does it only work on humans?"

"Safer?" Ashley repeated, but Zhane just shrugged.

She glanced at Andros for an explanation, but he was greeting Jeff. "Ashley let you come, huh?"

"Yeah," Jeff said with a grin. "It's kind of humbling to have your little sister making your Friday night plans for you."

"I wasn't the one who asked you to come," Ashley reminded him. "I thought you were going out with that girl from work tonight."

Jeff shrugged. "She had other plans. It's possible they involved the boyfriend she forgot to mention in some way; I don't know."

"Ouch," TJ interjected with a sympathetic wince. "Too bad that didn't come up earlier."

"You don't know until you ask," Tessa countered.

"Aura, come here for a second," Carlos said. He was paying no attention to the conversations going on around him, from Andros and Zhane arguing over long-term zord storage to Jeff and TJ's commiseration on girls. He certainly didn't seem to notice that Aura was currently being introduced to two very sleepy kittens, and she seemed charmed by the experience.

"Why?" Aura wanted to know, stroking the brown kitten gently with one hand while she cradled it in her arm with the other. "What's his name?" she asked Cassie, not waiting for Carlos to answer.

Cassie glanced over at her. "Ash?"

"They don't have names yet," Ashley admitted, coming over to stand with them. "We're still working on that part."

"Andros makes a credible attempt at calling them 'bad kitty,'" Saryn offered. "As per your request, I believe."

"Kerone says she can read palms," Carlos interrupted, wandering over to them with Kerone in tow. "I want to know if it works on anyone, or just people she already knows."

Saryn glanced at Kerone. "I speak from personal experience when I say she is well able to read people she doesn't know."

"Besides, this isn't a good test," Kerone put in. "I already know what Aura's palm will say."

"How?" Carlos wanted to know. "What does it say?"

Kerone didn't bat an eye. "It says she's attracted to unstable personalities and will, in the not too distant future, spend a long night at KaliKay's trying to keep one out of trouble."

Ashley giggled, but Aura didn't smile. "I believe you are correct," she said, pausing in her attention to the kitten to give her right hand a cursory inspection. With perfect equanimity, she agreed, "That is no doubt exactly what it says."

Carlos sighed, glancing up at DECA's nearest camera. "DECA?" he asked, in a much-abused tone. "Are we there yet?"

***

She closed her eyes as the world started to brighten, and when she opened them again she found herself standing on rocky ground beneath a sky full of starlight. The air was cool, touched with a scent Tessa couldn't identify, and it seemed to be absolutely still. There was no vegetation to be seen anywhere--the only break in the starry horizon was the sheer glass dome directly in front of them, throwing out light in every direction and fairly humming with energy.

"Terraformed," TJ whispered in her ear, and she nodded as though that meant something to her. "Thinner air," he added, apparently seeing her confusion. "Let me know if you start to notice."

She nodded again, grateful when he took her hand. The walkway around the dome was crowded with figures, some human looking, some not... some definitely not. She hadn't seen this many aliens since the ceremony on Aquitar last fall, and then everyone had been on their best behavior--whatever that was. Here, she doubted that would be the case.

Everyone was looking at them. At first she told herself it was her imagination, but then she realized that their unusually conspicuous appearance had probably drawn every eye in the vicinity. Had they done that on purpose? It was strange not to worry about people seeing them teleport.

Her fingers tightened on TJ's as they strode up to the dome, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Andros and Zhane had taken the lead, though they were still arguing about something she couldn't quite follow and didn't seem to be paying much attention to the crowd. Kerone was pacing Saryn and Cassie, and from what Tessa could overhear she was competing with Saryn to see who could name more of the species gathered around the dome.

Of any of them, Jeff looked the least nonchalant, and she took some comfort in his expression. She was a little alarmed when Andros and Zhane strolled past what was clearly the end of a long line, but no one complained. No one stopped staring at them, either, but they didn't complain.

"Red Astro Ranger," Andros told the being at the door. He wore his flight suit jacket over clothes that she assumed were civilian wear on KO-35, and the bouncer--if that was what the lumbering green thing was--gave his insignia only a cursory glance before waving him in.

Zhane, too, wore his jacket--which she couldn't help thinking looked odd over his skirt and silver t-shirt--and finally Tessa understood why they had all put their uniform jackets on over their regular clothes. The bouncer waved Zhane in before he could say a word, and Ashley and Cassie followed.

Saryn paused to show his sunburst emblem, but it was clearly a formality. The green thing didn't look inclined to stop any of them, and though the crowd in line outside the door was murmuring, they looked more amazed then resentful. Cassie followed Saryn, and as Kerone passed she tossed a miniature violet glow into the air--it spread into a tiny representation of Astronema's staff symbol before dissipating, and the murmuring from the crowd grew louder.

Carlos and Aura didn't even bother to halt their conversation as they passed, but TJ paused and pointed to her and Jeff. "They're with us," he told the green bouncer thing, and it just waved again.

A wave of hot air washed over her as she stepped through the door, and she blinked quickly in an effort to adjust her eyes to the sudden dimness. Then a flash of blue light struck her eyes, killing any night vision she might have had, and a fountain of red sparks erupted from somewhere off to her left. For a moment, she couldn't see anything at all, and she could only follow blindly as TJ drew her forward.

"Whoa," he said in her ear, just loud enough to be heard over the low rumble of noise and occasional snippet of recognizable music. "Wait up a second."

"I can't see!" she complained, not sure even where they were.

She felt hands on her shoulders, and he turned her in a different direction. "Don't look to your left," he told her. "It's probably for light-intensive species. We're just getting hit with it because the door's open."

Her vision started to clear, slowly, and she realized they were in some sort of entryway. "How many doors are there in this place?" she wanted to know.

"A lot," TJ told her. "Different environments for different species--hold out your hand."

She did, and a shadowy looking thing that she hadn't even noticed before took hold of her fingers. She did her best not to jerk back, but it was a feeling like sticking her hand into jello. The being wrapped a blue band around her wrist and fastened it with some sort of plastic clip before letting her go.

"What's this for?" she asked TJ.

"We are honored by your presence," a gravelly voice replied, and she tried not to jump. The voice was coming from the shadowy thing. "The wristband lets the bartender know that you are not to be charged."

"Oh--thank you," she said, since it seemed to be the right response.

She gave TJ a bewildered look as he pulled her away, and he explained, "Rangers don't pay for things. Drinks and dancing are on the house."

She glanced down at her wrist, then up at the door that they seemed to be headed for. With some amount of trepidation, she noticed that the noise was increasing disproportionate to the distance traveled, and she wondered if the people inside could hear anything at all. She was tempted to ask where they were going, but not only would she find out for herself soon enough, she also wasn't sure TJ would be able to catch her question.

She did indeed find out. As they stepped through one of the doors closest to the entrance, they found themselves in a room that looked like a warped version of a classic San Francisco bar. It had an unmistakable serving counter, tables, and even a stage where some kind of live band was performing. The music sounded vaguely familiar, and she frowned at the musicians. They looked human, but as Saryn proved, that didn't necessarily mean much.

"Come on," TJ said in her ear. "Want to sit down?"

She nodded emphatically, unable to stop staring around the room. Despite the familiar elements, there was no way to disguise the fact that they were in a glass dome. One whole wall was transparent and rounded, and the clear ceiling arced overhead, revealing a stunning array of stars just beyond the minimal atmosphere.

She was sure there hadn't been any empty tables by that clear wall when they entered, but somehow by the time they got there one of them had been vacated. She didn't know if that was another Ranger status thing or what, but she was starting to suspect that the Rangers hadn't given up quite as much as she thought when they put their morphers away.

Kerone and Zhane were gone by the time the rest of them sat down, and she saw Andros wave to someone on the other side of the room. The band, which must have paused when she wasn't paying attention, started up again with a vengeance and this time it was a song with a distinctly country and western feel. The red-haired singer had a nice voice, and TJ was pulling her to her feet before she knew what was happening.

"Come on," he said again, grinning at her. "Let's dance!"

"But I don't know how!" she protested. He paid no attention, pulling her away from the transparent wall to merge with the swirls of people on the makeshift dance floor.

Someone caught her up before she had a chance to repeat her objection, and she could do nothing but let herself be spun around. It was more like square-dancing than anything else, and as she was passed on to a new partner she couldn't comprehend how such a mass of potentially less than sober people could coordinate anything, let alone something as complex as this. It wasn't like any dancing she'd ever seen in a bar, and she was forced to let her partners guide her through the motions.

Luckily, everyone seemed perfectly willing to help her, and she realized as she came face to face with TJ again that they were doing as much for him as for her. "This is so random!" she shouted, over the sound of a song she now vaguely recognized as "Mountain Music".

"I know!" he answered, sliding around her and swinging her with him. "Isn't it great!"

She could only laugh, turning away and letting the next person on the floor twirl her under their arm. She had no idea what she was doing, but they seemed to, and there was a kind of exhilaration in the constant motion and lack of control. The lights seemed to be flashing in time to the music, but somehow it didn't bother her the way it had before. Different light intensities, TJ had said--

She caught a glimpse of Kerone among the dancers, and a second later she found herself in Zhane's arms. "Hi!" he shouted, over the sound of the music. "You look familiar!"

She just laughed again, letting him pull her underneath the pair beside them. He lifted their joined hands to form an arch like the one they had just come through, and as two people darted underneath she realized he wasn't the only guy wearing a skirt. She wondered if it was cultural, or dance-related, or just more fun.

The dance seemed to go on forever, but as long as she kept moving her energy refused to run out. She was torn between disappointment and relief when the music came to an end, sure that she wouldn't have been able to keep going indefinitely no matter how good she felt, but wishing--just a little--for the chance to find out. The whirl of lights and the easy confidence of the other dancers were spectacular.

"How are you doing?" TJ asked loudly, leaning closer to her as he caught hold of her elbow.

"Great!" She let him tug her off the main floor with some amount of reluctance, but it did occur to her that she was extremely thirsty. "That's so fun! How do they know what to do?"

"Some of these people probably come here all the time," TJ said with a grin. "They're nice, though. I've heard Amanda sing before, and she draws a pretty respectable sort of crowd."

"You've heard her sing? When?"

"At a fair last summer," he answered, surprising her. "She used to be the lead singer for the Skywalkers--remember them?"

She stared at him in astonishment. The Skywalkers had been one of the best local bands around for years, until they disbanded for no apparent reason. Now she supposed she knew why they had split up. "She's from Earth? What's she doing out here?"

TJ just grinned at her. "You don't think you're the only one who would jump at a chance to ride in a spaceship, do you? Hey," he added, pulling his chair out from their table and offering it to her, "our drinks are here!"

"I don't drink," she said automatically, hanging his jacket over the back of the chair before sitting down. It felt better than she'd expected to get off of her feet, and she glanced at her watch. Her eyes widened. *Half an hour?*

"Neither do Saryn and Ashley," he remarked, taking the seat next to her. "There won't be anything in them; Andros isn't big on mind-altering stuff either and he's the one who ordered them.*

She took a hesitant sip, and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. "Wow," she said aloud. "This is actually good."

"Surprise," TJ said with a grin. "Oh, look!" He was craning his neck even as he spoke, trying to get a clear look at the stage from where they sat. "I think Cassie's going to sing one."

In fact, Amanda was introducing Cassie Chan as Tessa turned around to watch. Cassie looked adorable as she apologized for disrupting the dance routine, but when she said the words "slow song" a good number of people cheered. Tessa couldn't help giggling--everyone was in such high spirits. She had to admit that this had been a good idea.

Cassie started to sing, and as the people on the dance floor shifted Tessa could see Saryn lingering near the stage. He was actually leaning back against it, elbows on the stage as he looked out across the dance floor... but he wasn't watching for trouble. She knew that look, the one he wore whenever he was convinced danger was imminent, and he didn't have that expression on now. Now he just looked like any other guy, taking it easy while he listened to his girlfriend sing.

The sight made her smile, and she looked around for the others. She finally found Ashley over by the bar, lifting two drinks over her head as she turned away, heading for someone in the crowd. It turned out to be Kerone, sitting on one of the tables at the other end of the clear wall, but the two of them were obscured by dancers before Tessa saw Ashley do more than hand her a glass.

There was Andros, out on the dance floor, and she laughed again when she saw who he was dancing with. The more she got used to Zhane's skirt, the more she realized it didn't make him look even slightly feminine, but the two of them did make a sight together on the dance floor. Especially during a slow song. She couldn't tell if they were just clowning around or actually dancing, but either way she found it oddly touching.

Carlos and Aura were absent no matter how long she looked for them, and she remembered belatedly that Aura didn't like flashing lights. She wondered if they had found another room, or maybe even left all together. Carlos had been complaining of fatigue ever since graduation that afternoon, though he had seemed alert enough in the holding bay earlier.

"Hey," TJ said, as quietly as he could and still be heard. "Tired?"

She shook her head and smiled as he scooted his chair closer to hers. "No... but thanks. Just watching everybody enjoying themselves."

He put an arm around her, and she leaned against his shoulder contentedly. "Is this one of Cassie's songs?" she asked after a moment.

She felt him nod. "She wrote it for Saryn."

She smiled, the words "I see forever in your eyes" echoing in her own thoughts. "It shows," she said simply.