Chapter 5

"I'm not sure where to start; things have been really crazy lately..." Billy paused for a moment, trying to delay the inevitable. "I guess I should start by saying that I was the one who called you all here."

Twelve pairs of eyes stared at the former technical advisor... He ran a hand through his hair and continued: "As you all are aware, I left for Aquitar several years ago. What you don't know is what happened once I was there."

Andrea leaned back against Billy and looked up. He held her tighter and kissed her forehead; her support meant everything to him. "It didn't take very long for me to get back to normal, and I really did want to come back to Earth, back home. Anyway, I was looking around the Alien Rangers' version of the Command Center, checking out some of their extremely high- tech equipment... You wouldn't believe the things they're doing with Van de Graaff generators and neutrinos!... Not electron-neutrinos, though. Just muon-neutrinos and tau-neutrinos. Also, their work with Gluons and quarks is absolutely astounding!"

"Uh. what-what and what?" Rocky asked, completely confused.

Billy smiled. "Nevermind. Let's just leave it at I was checking some very high-tech equipment..." He paused before continuing. "I was leaning over a control panel, when Delphine attacked me from behind with some sort of metal rod..."

"What?!" Tanya exclaimed, cutting him off.

"Yeah, I know... I was still pretty weak from my experience, so I was basically helpless." Billy sighed, and Andrea turned around and hugged him. "You would think all those years as a Ranger would've taught me to watch my back no matter what," he chuckled ruefully, resting his head on top of Andy's again.

"Wait a minute... How do you know it was Delphine?" Jason asked. "I mean, no offense, bro., but that seems a little far-fetched."

"Well, in those brief few moments of consciousness after I hit my head on a control panel, I was able to get a good look at my attacker's face..." Billy stopped for a moment, the memories flooding his mind. "I remember lying down on a table of some kind, being unconscious, but able to hear everything that went on. I remember trying to move, but not being able to. Delphine was talking to Cestria, saying something about a transmission to Earth... They were planning on keeping me on Aquitar in order to help them..."

Kimberly and Zack could do nothing more than stare at the former blue Ranger as they absorbed all of the information he was giving them.

Billy continued to talk, never pausing to see their reactions. "Cestria thought she could keep pretending to be romantically interested in me, and that I returned the emotion. She wasn't interested in me, just my brain... what I could tell her about your weaknesses. She had no clue about Andy..."

"Oh, but I had heard all about her!" Andrea muttered against Billy's chest. "That little sl..."

Billy grinned, silencing Andy by placing two fingers over her mouth. "Anyway, from what I recall, they used an old transmission and then used a voice-over effect..."

"So that's why it sounded nothing like you!" Katherine exclaimed.

He nodded. "Exactly. And when Cestria told you all that I was so happy I was speechless, the reason I was speechless was that I was unconscious... Well, to make a very long story short, when the Alien Rangers were fighting with you, they were just assessing you. Seriously. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me. They've had their whole plot outlined for years... Which brings me to why you all are here."

Billy finally took a long pause, glancing at everyone in the Power Chamber. After what seemed like ages, he started to speak again.

"Guys, in three days, the Alien Rangers, with the exception of Cestro and Aurico, will try to destroy the Power." He sighed deeply. "Problem is: they're also using the Power. So, here's the challenge: What do you do when you have to fight the Power in order to keep the Power? Now, that's something to think about... " Billy closed his eyes for a moment, and rubbed his forehead as a horrible headache crashed through his head. "I really need to go lie down," He murmured to Andrea before stumbling out of the Power Chamber, not even awaiting a reaction from the others.

No one knew how hard it was for him to talk about what happened; not even Andy knew the whole story. Not even she, the love of his life, knew about the nightmares that still haunted his sleep after all these years...