Authors Note: You can now send in your fan fiction to my new fan fiction website, ! After the Power will also be posted there, but don't worry, you guys will get the new chapters before I post them there! Enjoy!
Chapter 16- Rescue Mission Pt. 3
The dungeons of the lunar moon palace stood in silence as the imprisoned citizens of Angel Grove remained in their starvation sleep deprived mood. They found themselves without hope, finally accepting the fact that the Power Rangers had forgotten them. However, not all had given up hope. Jason Scott, Trini Kwan, and Zack Taylor sat in hope, knowing that their friend Kimberly Hart would not let them down.
Jason's mind was fixated on Kimberly, he'd had a long time to organize the strong feelings that he hadn't felt since his freshman year of high school, feelings that he thought he'd never feel again. He looked at the two of his closest friends, wishing he could fill them in on how he felt, but he knew that they could never understand. It had always been "Kimberly and Tommy" that they'd been familiar with.
Zack was unable to keep his mind on one thing, but that was normal for him. He tried to remember the last time when he had only been able to think of one thing, and then it hit him, Angela. The girl he still found himself pawning over, but still, she rejected him. Angela was attending Angel Grove University, and she constantly reminded him that he was foolish for not going to college. Most of all he thought about his days as the Black Power Ranger, and realized that he really did regret giving up his powers.
Trini thought about Billy, the man she loved. She would never forgive herself for never revealing her true feelings for him, and wondered why her hints never ignited a spark in the mind of the former Blue Ranger. Sure, there were looks, and flirting, but it never went past that. Once, she thought it was because she was Asian, but she realized her theory was foolish if Billy could be interested in what was described to her as an Aquitan. She admired Jason for telling Kimberly how he felt, and realized that her chance to redeem her feelings may never come.
"I'm scared," Trini whispered.
Jason looked at her and nodded. "I am too," he whispered back, ashamed to admit it. He had every reason to be afraid, because this time was different. They weren't trapped in a silly pocket-dimension, this was serious, and Zordon wasn't there to get them out if it. Things were looking grim, and although he knew Kimberly wouldn't let them down if she could help it, he wasn't sure she was going to be there in time.
Zack looked at his two friends, coming to a realization. "Guys, I need to make an apology,"
Jason and Trini looked at Zack with confused expressions on their faces. To their knowledge, Zack hadn't done anything that required for him to make an apology. But instead of questioning him, both paused waiting for him to respond.
"I've been really negative about this whole thing. Jase, when you and Kimberly informed me about the recent happenings, I acted un cool, as if I didn't care," Zack whispered. "Spending all of this time locked up, fearing my life, well… it's made me realize that I have a lot to be thankful for,"
Jason and Trini understood. Jason especially, he wanted to further question his Zack's strange reaction to the news of Zordon's capture but let it slide for obvious reasons. "It's all right bro," Jason replied with a slim grin. "Sometimes it takes fear to bring out the best in everyone, believe me, that was one of the major things being a Power Ranger taught me,"
"Yeah Zack," grinned Trini. "Just because you were a jerk, doesn't mean we don't love you anymore," she said playfully.
Zack was relieved that his friends accepted his apology. "Thanks guys, that means a lot to me,"
---
Tommy Oliver sat in a special air tight holding cell, several rooms down from the one where his three best friends were. Chains placed under special enchantments by Rita Repulsa insured that he was there to stay, for Lord Zedd wasn't going to let his most prized prisoner escape without a fight. Tommy sat in a meditation position, lost in deep thought. He wondered if the others were captured too, he knew that together they could devise a plan that would set them free.
"Zedd may have finally won," Tommy muttered to himself. "No!" he pounded the concrete ground in anger. "I can't think like this, I know I'm better then that,"
He glanced down at his watch, it was late in the evening, past midnight. He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a picture of a young brunette female. "Hayley," Tommy said solemnly. Hayley was a girl that Tommy had met at the start of his freshman year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "If only she were here," he placed the picture back into his wallet. "She'd know what to do," Hayley was indeed brilliant when it came to getting out of tough situations, but she was two hundred miles away in Reefside enjoying her Thanksgiving Break with her family. Tommy wondered if she'd heard the news about the troubles in Angel Grove.
His thoughts drifted onto Katherine, who was far away in Austrailia living her dream of becoming a teacher. He regretted the fight they had when she left, the things he said to hurt her. The memory was as clear as day… it had happened on the day after they'd transferred their powers to Carlos, TJ, Ashley, and Cassie.
Katherine Hilliard stood patiently in front of him, tears flowing down her face. "Tommy, I'm sorry," she said.
"Sorry?" Tommy asked. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to college in Austrailia?" he demanded.
"Because, I knew you'd act exactly the way you are now. I was going to tell you, but knew you'd be upset over loosing your powers. Face reality! Can't you see Tommy? We're no longer Rangers, did you really think we'd stay in California forever?"
"Of course not Kat," he looked at the ground. "I've learned that the hard way, and you know that. I lost Kim, and now you're bailing out on me just like she did!"
"Tommy Oliver!" Kat screamed. "You just can't expect that I'm going to go to college in Massachusetts just because I'm your girlfriend. This is my future Tommy, so face reality,"
"All right, fine Kat! I will face reality… and you know what? We're over!"
"What?" she asked.
"You heard me pretty in pink! I said we're through," he yelled angrily.
Katherine erupted into full fledged tears, and buried her face into her hands. She looked at him, hoping that she was just dreaming, knowing that the man she loved would never act like this. But she saw him, standing there with the evil look on his face. "Get out Tommy! I never want to see you again! Ever!"
"Fine princess," Tommy growled. "Good riddance!" he stumbled out the door, smirking angrily to Katherine who fell to the floor in tears.
Coming back to reality, Tommy's eyes swelled. He'd been drunk, something that he would have to be ashamed of for the rest of his life. Of course he'd been upset over loosing his powers, Dimitria had treated them like garbage, getting rid of the old, and bringing in the new. It was something he knew that Zordon would never submit them to, and it led him to his drunken state. He hadn't heard from Katherine since that incident, unable to find the right words every time he dialed her cell phone number. He'd let her see a side of him that he didn't even know he had, a side that he'd never show before anyone again.
"Things are getting quiet up above," Tommy thought. "Although, it can't get much worse,"
---
Tommy was right, things remained surprisingly quiet above the massive dungeons. Snores erupted from the royal bedroom chambers that Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa slept in. However, things wouldn't remain quiet for very long. Billy and Kimberly's Aquitan shuttle arrived in the nebula that surrounded the conquered planet of Earth. The towering palace of Lord Zedd could be seen clear as day, as it stood watch over the conquered planet.
"Billy," said Kimberly. "I hope they're all right,"
"I'm sure they will be Kim," answered Billy. "Remember, we were all Rangers, and we know how Zedd's twisted mind works,."
Kimberly gazed at the towers of the Lunar Palace as the shuttle steered closer, her thoughts fixated deeply on Jason. Something told her that she was too late, and that she'd never have a chance to understand why he told her that he loved her. She asked herself if his words were true, if he meant them, or if they were just words coming from a close friend, a brother.
"I'm sure they're fine," Billy answered. "This is probably another one of Zedd's bogus schemes, they certainly have tried to capture people numerous times, and tell me what happened.."
"They failed," Kimberly answered. "But that was different Billy, we were there to stop them, and this time, the Astro Rangers are stuck in the Lost Galaxy,"
"Don't forget," Billy answered. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't know that we still had our Ninja powers flowing inside of us,"
Kimberly grinned. "Well, I can't take all of the credit, Alpha helped me realize that Ninjor's words were true. The power is still deep within us,"
"Ninjor…" Billy thought. The thought never entered his mind, he'd been too busy worrying about the Machine Empire after time had been restored by the Zeo Crystal. He hoped their old friend was still all right. "I shouldn't have judged Ninjor based on what Delphine told us about him,"
Kimberly nodded. "Everybody makes mistakes Billy, but for some reason, I think Ninjor made the right one,"
"Aquitian Shuttle has reached its destination, do you wish to land?" a robot voice spoke through the ships speakers.
Billy looked at Kimberly. "Looks like this is it,"
Kimberly nodded, as she watched Billy punch in the landing code. "Don't forget our plan,"
---
"This is Connie Spice, and you're listening to Angel Grove Radio! On this sunny day, August 31st, 1993. If you haven't heard yet, you're in for a big one! Strange species have invaded downtown Silver Hills, located twenty five miles south of Angel Grove. These un-identified creatures have shown violent acts, and have resisted arrest,"
Fifteen year old Jason Scott shut off the radio, as he buckled his belt he looked into the large mirror that rested on his dresser. He was starting high school today, a whole new league of possibilities. Not that he needed possibilities, because he considered himself popular, or at least Junior High made it seem that way.
Jason jumped at the noise of his ringing telephone, he quickly picked up the receiver. "Talk to me," he spoke into it.
"Bro! Have you seen the television? We're like seriously under attack!" answered an excited Zachary Taylor.
"Come on Zack," Jason responded. "Don't tell me you've fallen for Hollywood's latest stunt… it's obviously some weird way of promoting some new Star Trek movie,"
Zack Taylor considered the thought, but he soon realized that people were really in danger as the Silver Hills news crew covered the scene. "No, bro, it's real!"
"Whatever bro," Jason replied, shaking his head at Zack's humor. "I'm sure it will be an awesome flick, I'll see you in home room,"
"All right, cool, I'll see you then," Zack responded.
Jason placed down the phone receiver and glanced down at a collection of pictures which featured himself, and his best friends. "Wow," he thought. He glanced at Kimberly Hart, realizing that she was no longer a girl, she was a woman. "I've got to do something about my feelings for her," Jason whispered to himself.
At the house next door to the Scott residence, Kimberly Hart stood in her pink wall-papered bedroom staring in horror at the events that flashed around on her television screen. People were scrambling everywhere as hundreds of tiny nuts and bolts fell from the sky, forming into numerous soldiers.
"I am Victoria Wyn, and what is happening is unbelievable! It was just confirmed that this invader is called Ransik, and that he is a time traveler from the year 2001, determined to rule the flow of time," a brunette reporter spoke into the camera as explosions erupted yards behind her. "The mayor of Silver Hills has declared a state of emergency, and has ordered all citizens of Silver Hills out of the city, and into safety. Reports are in that the National Guard is being dispatched just as we speak,"
---
Alpha 5 scrambled around the control units of the Command Center, awaiting Zordon to exit from a frequency communication with the year 3000. Alpha could still remember the day that Commander Stanton appeared spontaneously in the Viewing Globe, warning Zordon that four time police had stolen five Power Ranger Morphers, and to closely monitor the time flow.
Two energy bolts appeared in the high spirals that stood next to Zordon's plasma tube, as the wise wizard appeared. "Alpha, it seems Time Force is dispatching the five Time Force Power Rangers to capture Ransik at his landing point in Silver Hills,"
"Ay yi yi, you mean they are going to the point in time when Ransik landed in the year 1993?" the little robot asked.
"Precisely," Zordon answered. "They've pin-pointed the coordinates to Ransik's land, and will arrive one hour before it,"
"So, it will be like none of these events ever occurred?" Alpha 5 asked.
"Yes, Alpha," Zordon answered. "However, you and myself will still know the knowledge of this occurrence, thanks to the time warp placed on the Command Center. Remember Alpha, in about one hour, two astronauts will unleash Rita Repulsa from her dumpster. According to Kimberly's story during her visit in the 1800's, we will have almost six hours before we have to teleport five teenagers to the Command Center,"
"Ayi yi yi," Alpha said. "I can't wait to see Kimberly again,"
"Alpha, don't forget." Zordon said. "You mustn't inform Kimberly of her time travel to the Wild West, for she has not yet experienced it. It would cause a flux in time,"
"Don't worry, I won't," Alpha said proudly. "Ayi yi, the power of time travel is a very dangerous thing,"
"That is it, my little friend," said Zordon wisely. "Especially in the hands of humans… they attempt to use it for good, but some how something dangerous happens, and in the case of Time Force, it is living proof that the creation of human time travel technology will one day end the world,"
---
Back in the future, high above the planet Earth, the Aquitan space craft slowly docked in front of the massive stone doors that marked the entrance to the moon palace. Inside of the shuttle, Kimberly and Billy stood and looked at each other.
"Are you ready?" asked Kimberly.
"More then ever!" Billy proclaimed proudly. "It'll be great to feel the power flowing inside of my veins again,"
From outside of the shuttle, the emission of Blue and Pink could be seen, as Billy and Kimberly called upon the power of the Ninja. The energy spread over their bodies like wild fire as their traditional Ninja garb appeared magically on their bodies.
"We're back," Billy exclaimed with a whoop, touching the emblem of the wolf that was connected to his chest.
"Let's do this!" Kimberly exclaimed as Billy punched in the code to open the hatch bay door.
"I've been expecting you, Power Rangers," a twisted voice echoed from the shadows.
"Who's there?" asked Kimberly nervously.
"I'll reveal myself to you, Rangers," said the evil voice.
A shadow moved from out behind the side of the moon palace, stepping into the light emitted by the Aquitan ship. Its skin was pale blue, and it wore a black robe. From the top of its head, dark blue spikes formed, replacing the beings hair.
"I can't believe it!" Billy gasped. "Lokar…"
"That's right Billy, and I'm afraid your little rescue mission ends here…" Lokar laughed evilly.
To Be Continued…
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