Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers. Obviously.
Rating: T
Author's notes: Thanks go to Panache for arm twisting me into writing something and helping with the good bits. Right then, off we go.
Prologue
She waits with barely concealed impatience until the connection is finally established and a large floating head appears on the screen. "CESTRIA, IS THAT YOU? THIS SIGNAL APPEARS VERY WEAK." With a quick nod she replies, "yes Zordon. Our communications have been compromised by our heavy use of the teleporters. Can you understand me? I have something I would like to talk to the Rangers about." She adjusts a few instruments to improve the signal as Zordon turns to get the Rangers attention.
Alpha and the Rangers appear on her screen, "Greetings Rangers. We wanted to let you know the Eternal Falls worked," as she says this he steps up beside her, "Billy is young again." She steps out of the cameras narrow field of view as Jason steps forward to express his relief, "All right Billy!" Kat follows quickly by asking him, "That's terrific, when are you coming home Billy?"
He watches them quietly for a moment before answering, "actually I'm ... I'm not. Guys, I've made a really important decision. I'll miss you all but I'm going to stay here on Aquitar with Cestria. I think I've finally found someone I can really relate to." Tommy doesn't even blink before he steps up to the globe and offers his congratulations and well wishes, followed quickly by the others.
After everyone in the power chamber offered tells him how happy they are for him and that they'll miss him he just continues to stand there until she finally pushes her way back into frame, "He's so happy, he's speechless." With that the team offer final farewells and the camera zooms out slightly so the Rangers can see both of them as he says, "All right, keep in touch, everybody. Bye!"
With that she reaches forward and shuts down the signal as planned, including a switch labeled 'holographic overlay'. She turns to her silent companion and screams, "YOU IDIOT! You couldn't remember to say 'THANK YOU' while they babbled their little guts out? Useless! As if the grainy images and distorted voices weren't suspicious enough!" Of course he just stands there passively as she rants which just pisses her off more. He doesn't even react as she jams her fist into his chest and tears out a handful of circuitry and wires and watches him flop lifelessly to the deck. "Still, they did fall for it. Good job drone."
Spinning around she picks out another mannequin like crewman sitting at a console. There are at least a dozen of the mechanical sitting at stations around the dimly lit bridge, annoying her with their lack of emotion. "You, drone, have the Aquitians detected us?" Without even looking back it replies in a monotone voice, "there are no signs of detection." With a pleased smile the woman stands up and stretches, "Good! Bring the engines on line and get us out of their star system, I'm going to go greet my guest."
Not waiting for a response she swishes out of the room and makes her way deeper into the starship. The rest of the ship is very much like the bridge, plain white construction with no deviation beyond the occasional computer screen. Even those are white, driving her to distraction. The only thing making the ship tolerable to her now was the dim lighting made everything appear gray, it would have to do until something better came along. She still muttered to herself after the stepping into the elevator, "stupid cheap starship."
Her irritation vanished as soon as she reached the holding cell though, she was eager to greet her guest. Inside the room was none other than William 'Billy' Cranston looking much the same as she remembered him, except he was now wearing off-white colors instead of his typical blue. Stopping just inside the door she greeted him with a gleeful smile, "Hello Billy, we're going to have ever so much fun." She truly enjoys the moment that recognition flashes in his eyes and he whispers her name, "Scorpina."
End prologue