Voyage: Part I, Chapter II

Disclaimer: I don't own power rangers or any of the characters in this story.

Silence deafened the room as Tori's claim was digested. Tori couldn't help but smile as she saw Shane looking from her to her brother Billy. "But…but…but how?" Blake stammered. Tori gestured her hand, indicating that Billy should tell the story.

"Well remember how I told you that I lived in Blue Bay Harbor at one time?" Everyone nodded. "Well, when my parents split up I ended up living with my mother when she moved here. Soon after she moved, she fell in love and married a marine biologist. About a year into their marriage Tori was born. We lived together happily for a few years. Tori and I became close, but a few moments after she turned eight, our mother died in an 'accident.'"

Hunter's brow furrowed as he asked Billy, "it sounds like you want to use another word for accident," he observed. Billy paused for a moment as he looked to Tori, she nodded her consent.

"We were there when she died, and I can tell you that it was no accident." He took a deep breath trying to bring back the memories he had buried so long ago. "You've got to keep in mind that this was before any of the evils were unleashed on Earth. Anyway-."

"Anyway," Tori cut him off, "it was a pretty normal day, and we were walking home from the beach when lightning struck the ground before us. We were both thrown back several feet, but what came next really surprised us. Another bolt of lightning hit our mother just as she turned to me in concern. I wanted to help her, but I...I was so scared that I fainted." Tears began streaming down her face as she tried to continue the story. Blake saw this and wrapped her in a hug in an effort to calm her down.

Billy took the narrative. "After that last bolt I was in tears as I tried to move to our mother. Although I was sobbing uncontrollably I swore that I could hear laughter coming from nearby. I looked around and couldn't see anyone. Then slowly I began to fade into unconsciousness, but the last thing I saw a pair of glowing red eyes, staring at me." Billy took a deep breath as he tried to overcome the power of the memory. Seeming to regain some of his composure, he continued. "The police called this an accident, but there are just too many things that make me believe otherwise: First, there wasn't a cloud in the sky at that time. Second, my experiences as a power ranger have taught me to believe in the unexpected. And finally, there was no sign of any electrical discharge on any of us. Our mother was more burned than electrocuted."

Once again gathering his emotions he continued the story. "Anyway, soon after that I moved back to Angel Grove to live with my father. We managed to stay close despite the distance. After finding the sword, and voicing my concerns to her, Tori suggested I come here to request the aid of you, Sensei Watanabe."

Billy clenched his fists as fought the tears that he knew would come. Tori walked to him, and quickly wrapped him in her embrace. Still fighting the tears, he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, he found himself looking into the eyes of Cam. "It's okay man," he said, "there's no need to fight them. I've been there too. We all have to let them out sometimes."

Billy roughly wiped the tears from his face. "No," Billy shook his head firmly, "there's no time for that. Right now, I've got to figure out what to do." Billy untangled himself from Tori and walked to the console and took a seat. "Hmmm…" he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I'm going to need a space ship, a fast and powerful one preferably." Billy continued his musings in silence as Dustin spoke up.

"Wait, wasn't there a set of space rangers with a ship?" Everyone regarded him in surprise. When he finally noticed everyone's stares he grinned. "What? I know a lot about rangers. How else did you think I learned how to morph?"

Billy looked at him in surprise, then shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, I think he's right. I'm just not sure how to get a hold of them…" Billy paused for a moment as his eyes widened, "but I think I know someone who can." Billy started to pace excitedly. "I think that I can confirm it too, uh Cam? Could I borrow your computer for a sec?"

Cam nodded his head. "Go ahead, you built most of it anyway." Billy once again sat down at the console and familiarized himself with the keyboard's layout. In a flash, Billy's hands shot out and started to fly over the pad. Once again, everyone's mouths stood agape. They had never seen anyone, not even Cam, type that fast. Cam was even more shocked than anyone else, because although Billy had created and built most of the computer, Cam had been the one to program it, and rebuild it after it had been destroyed, several times. 'He shouldn't even be able to access the computer without my passwords,' he thought.

While everyone stood in shock, Billy had been cruising their extensive archives looking for the one link that would allow him to accomplish his mission. When he found what he was looking for, he shut down the computer once again. When he turned and saw the slack-jawed expressions of the others, he shrugged them off. Slowly everyone appeared to come out of their stupor, as he started towards the stairway that would lead him out of Ninja Ops.

Tori noted his path and stood in the way. "Billy, where are you going?" Billy hugged Tori and said, "Sorry Tor, but I need to see an old friend of mine. I'm sorry to leave so abruptly, but this is kind of important." He went to each ranger and shook their hands.

When he reached Sensei Watanabe, he took the sword back. "Thank you Sensei, you've helped me out a lot." He regarded Billy and shook the offered hand, "I think I can help you a little bit more." Billy regarded him curiously, "what do you mean?" Looking away from Billy, he said, "Tori, Cam, you will go with Billy to Eltar. Assist him in any way possible." Billy looked like he was about to protest, but shut his mouth as he thought it through. 'It would be nice to spend some time with Tori, and Cam could also be invaluable on the ship.' He gave a little bow, "thank you Sensei, their help will be greatly appreciated."

"Wait," Dustin spoke up, "how come we can't come?" Shane wanted to slap the back of his head, as he saw the expression on Sensei's face. "Because, this doesn't involve us," he said simply." Dustin appeared to consider this for a moment, and then widened his eyes in understanding. "I'm sorry to question your judgment Sensei." Shane looked at Tori and Cam in turn. "This is something that you guys need to resolve," he said, "but if you guys need anything, don't even hesitate to call on us."

He finally locked eyes with Billy, and extended his hand with a nod. "It's been an honor sir." Billy shook his head, "no sir, just Billy, and the honor is mine Shane." Billy clasped Shane's wrist in a gesture of camaraderie. As Billy turned to go up the stairway he heard Sensei Watanabe say, "Be strong my friends, and go with honor." A smile worked its way onto his face as he ascended the steps.

It didn't take them long to pack, so after saying their goodbyes, Tori and Cam were ready to go. "So where exactly are we headed?" Tori asked. Billy paused with a far away look in his eyes before saying, "to find a falcon." Cam looked at Tori in confusion. "What does that mean?" he asked her. Tori grinned and said, "I think that means we're off to Reefside."

Cam pondered that for a moment then asked, "how are we going to get there?" At the question, Billy's smile grew wider. Tori looked at her brother, wondering what was so funny. "He's right, I mean, me and Cam could use Ninja Speed, but what about you?" Billy stopped walking abruptly, "you guys definitely do things the hard way." Both rangers regarded him in disbelief. "What do you mean?" Cam asked. "All I'm saying," Billy said, "is that that would take an awfully long time, even if we all could do that."

Both wind rangers looked surprised at Billy's boast. Then a sly grin appeared on Tori's face. "If that's how you feel, I think you should put your money where your mouth is." Billy considered that statement then said, "I'm intrigued, what exactly do you have in mind?" Tori whispered softly in Cam's ear, then a grin appeared on his face as he nodded. "Let's have a race, whoever gets to Reefside first, wins." He regarded both wind rangers with a look. "What does the winner get?" he asked. "If we win, you give us fifty dollars a piece, but if you win, then we give you fifty dollars a piece."

"This really isn't fair though…" Billy started to say before he was cut off by Cam, "don't back off now, I need the money." Billy shrugged. "Okay," he said, when do we…" both Cam and Tori ran from sight in a blur of blue and green. "Go," he concluded. A small chuckle found its way to his lips, 'maybe I should have told them that I could've teleported us, oh well.' Billy looked to the direction that they had sped off in and shook his head. "Newbies," he said. Then he to was gone in a flash of blue light.