Note: I apologize for the length of time for updates from the previous chapter to this one. After deciding to take a break, and enjoy what was left of summer, I am finally back on the norm "school schedule". It'll be fun and refreshing to return to this storyline. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 12- The Staff of Conviction Part Two
The aqua stone paved streets of the capital of Aquitar were lined with the Aquitan species, making their daily rounds to the various markets that lined the path leading up to the planet's capital building. Many however, were tiredly awaiting the return of the Aquitan Power Rangers, for everyday, a daily prophet predicted the return of the planet's leaders, but it was usually just a ploy to sell a few extra copies.
A small Aquitan child named Gephri turned to his mother and pulled on her flowing purple robe. "Momma, when are the Power Rangers coming home?" the child asked with a hint of pleading in his voice.
The woman smiled at her son, and picked him up into his arms. "I don't know darling, hopefully soon," she answered faithfully.
The truth was, none of the Aquitans knew when their protectors were returning, and every time they requested a meeting with the next in chare, who happened to be Cestria, they were given a blasphemous response. Many had recognized Cestria's recent change of attitude, and some had already filed reports to the Aquitan Rangers about her.
The Aquitan mother placed her son back down to the ground, and turned to her husband. "Bucri, do you think Cestria is having relations with the Alliance of Evil?"
Bucri, who had always respected Cestria's pride in being a personal assistant to the Aquitan Rangers, nodded at his wife. "She's been acting rather odd lately, especially with all of the surprise visits we've had from Astronema...I think there is more then meets the eye,"
"Speaking of surprise visits...." the woman turned and pointed towards the large steal doors the permitted entrance to the Aquitan city. "Do you think it's the Aquitan Rangers?"
Bucri shook his head, as the doors slowly opened, and the large vortex appeared from behind them, a large ship emerged from the shadows of the ocean. "It appears to be the arsenal of Dark Specter...a Veloci-fighter,"
The Aquitan was correct, the mighty fighter ship peered its nose through the vortex that separated the Aquitan city from the water, and landed in the center of the pathway, as hundreds of frightened Aquitans scattered to the side. Steam erupted through the fuel outputs of the ship, and the hatch door let off a loud streaking noise as it pulled itself open.
The Aquitans started on in awe and the steam cleared, and out stepped a human female. She was small and slender, but muscular in the parts that counted, and her shoulder length Brown hair twirled in the stream of gust the ship had let off. The girl's innocent face presented a quality of meekness that eased the frightened species who were cowering behind anything they could find. Some of them eased out from their hiding places, suddenly interested in why the human had come to their planet.
The girl was none other then Kimberly Hart, the former Pink Power Ranger. She'd just resurrected her Ninja Powers, and escaped the clutches of Astronema on the Dark Fortress. She'd finally made it to Aquitar, and was amazed at what she saw. Hundreds of eyes stared back at her, but she was speechless. Never in her life had she seen such beauty, and felt like she was in a Star Wars movie. She gazed at the beautiful architecture and back to the strange creatures who occupied them. They were almost human, the only thing separating the two races being the alien features that were imposed on the heads of the Aquitan species. Kimberly searched her brain for something to say, but still found herself speechless. Finally, she managed to speak. "Hello out there," she coughed. "Um, can someone talk me to Billy Cranston?"
The crowd erupted with murmurs, but soon a boy stepped forward and nodded with a smile. "I'll take you to him, he's in the Capital Building," the boy pointed towards the end of the street.
Billy Cranston stood in the Aquitan Meeting Chamber, fiddling with the Viewing Screen due to recent reports of incorrect recipients. Billy punched in a few codes, and a message appeared on the screen. The screen flickered, and the message wouldn't appear, but Billy instantly recognized the girl on the message. It was Kimberly. Billy attempted to play the message again, but the screen went black.
"What's wrong Bill?" asked Groi, the Aquitan head tech advisor.
Billy turned to Groi and shook his head. "It's a message, from one of my friends on Earth, but for some reason it won't play. It looks as if its situational contexture has been interrupted by an outside force.
"In other words, it has been deleted?" Groi asked.
Billy nodded. "It was attempted, but for some reason it has downloaded itself onto the systems hard drive, and its coding reminds me of something I built,"
"Who would have deleted a message from your friend?" Groi asked.
Billy pondered. "That's the strange thing, the only ones who have access, are namely the Aquitan Rangers, myself, and Cestria," he answered. "Hmm...this coding is somewhat familiar..."
"The coding of the message?" asked Groi.
Billy ignored the Aquitar, and suddenly remembered. "Yes! Of course, she must have used the communication device I constructed on Earth. It was one of my best inventions, I programmed it with a special code that blocked an outside force from destroying the message coding,"
"So, when whoever tried to delete the message, it downloaded itself to the computer hard drive anyway?"
"Affirmative," Billy responded. "Now, we can watch the message, I just have to recall the code I used," Billy thought long and hard, and searched his brain thoroughly, and soon it came to him. "5-4-1," the human genius said.
"5-4-1?" questioned Groi.
"Yes," Billy answered. "That is the code, now all I have to do is punch it in, and the message will play," Billy followed suite, and punched the code into the data pad. "Whoever deleted this message...let's just say that they didn't get away with it.
Billy pressed enter, and the viewing screen lit up. Kimberly stared at Billy, a worried expression filled her face. "Billy, it's Kimberly, listen to me, I don't know if you know this or not, but Zordon has been captured, and I really think you need to come home, because we really need you. Please come home Billy, I know you must be happy there, but we are your friends. Do it for us," the image ended, causing Billy to sink to the ground. "Zordon.....he's been captured...I don't believe it,"
"Who would have deleted this message?" said Groi, not realizing he'd asked a question. "Why?"
"Cestria..." Billy discovered. "It had to be Cestria.."
"You called?" Cestria's voice echoed into the room. She'd been standing outside spying on the two the entire time, waiting for the right moment to strike. She clutched the staff of conviction in her hands, she was nervous, acting out in an evil way like she was. "How are you darling?"
"Cestria..." Groi mumbled. "Why did you delete the message?"
"Message?" Cestria asked. "I didn't know I had the power to delete messages. You are quite mistaken,"
"Don't play games with me," Groi answered. "I was there when the Aquitan Rangers granted you the power," he said angrily.
Billy looked at her, lost in thought. He searched for words to way, but couldn't find the right ones.
"Leave William and I be," Cestria said to the Aquitan. "We have business to attend to,"
"But--" Groi turned to Billy. "She's got the staf-" he paused suddenly feeling a wave of invisible energy controlling his mind. He could see the staff of conviction pointed towards him from the corner of his eye. "All right Lady Cestria, I will leave the two of you to attend to your business," Groi turned and exited the room.
Cestria's face lit up. "The staff still works," she thought to herself, and she turned to Billy. "Hello love, attending to the message systems I see?"
Billy nodded. "Cestria...we should talk,"
She pointed the staff in his direction. "About our love?"
The staff overtook Billy's mind, and responded to every word Cestria spoke. "Yes, about our love. I think it's time we've married. Will you marry me Cestria?" he said forcefully.
"Of course I'll marry you Billy!" Cestria smiled, she felt all powerful. She glanced at the staff. "Billy, I want you to promise me something,"
"Anything," Billy responded in his trance.
"Promise me, that you will never leave me," Cestria said. "That's all I ask,"
"I promise..." Billy answered.
The doors to the Meeting Room opened, Kimberly Hart, and the teenage boy entered. "There he is," the boy said.
Kimberly smiled and ran towards her old friend, and threw her arms around him. "Billy, I can't believe it's you! You look amazing!" Kimberly pulled away from her old friend, who gave her no attention, his eyes stayed fixated on Cestria. "Billy are you okay?" Kimberly finally realized that Billy hadn't been alone.
Cestria stood, horrified at the site. She turned to the boy who'd led Kimberly into the building. "Get out of here peasant!"
"Hey!" Kimberly said. "He was just trying to help me, you shouldn't have yelled at him.
Cestria yawned, prepared to use the staff again, she raised it towards Kimberly, but decided that using Billy against her would be an even better tactic "Billy, tell this girl that you never want to see her anymore,"
Billy pushed Kimberly away, and pursed his lips. "I never want to see you anymore Kimberly, I'll send a shuttle to return you to Earth..."
"What?" Kimberly asked. "Billy, what's wrong with you? Didn't you get my message?"
Billy nodded. "Yes, I received your message," he answered. "It is no longer my concern, my only concern is Cestria,"
"But Billy! Jason, Trini, and Zack have been captured by Lord Zedd, he's going to attack Earth! What is wrong with you?" she turned to Cestria. "What have you done to him? Have you brainwashed him?"
"Making accusations against me, will only get you thrown into the dungeon," Cestria grinned, and turned the staff in her fingers.
Kimberly fixated her eyes on the strange staff Cestria held in her hands, realizing that she had been using it all along against Billy. She lept forward, catching Cestria, and grabbed the staff from her hands. "You've been using this?"
Cestria screamed. "Guards! Seize her!"
"I knew it!" Kimberly yelled. "I may act like a ditz, but I'm not stupid!" Kimberly tossed the staff hard into the stone floor, shattering the crystal orb that powered the weapon.
"NO!" Cestria screamed dropping down, attempting to catch the staff.
Billy snapped back into reality. "What happened?"
"Billy!" Kimberly exclaimed, realizing that her friend was back for real this time. She threw her arms around him, and her returned the embrace.
"The last thing I remember was seeing your message..." he said. "And realizing that Cestria had deleted it,"
Kimberly turned to the sobbing Aquitan on the floor, and picked up the shattered staff. "She was using this to control you,"
"Cestria, is this true?" Billy asked.
"YES!" Cestria sobbed. "It's all true, all of it! I knew the minute she came back you would jump on the next shuttle back to Earth with her! I knew it!"
The doors of the room opened once more, and all five Aquitan Rangers stepped in.
"What's going on?" asked the female Ranger Delphine.
To Be Continued
Special Note: My first website is now open, not only can you read stories, there but I will also be posting special exclusive images created specifically for After the Power! You can also take a look at some of the other art projects I'm working on, as well as a special preview of the story I plan to do after I finish writing "After the Power" the website is