****************Command Chamber******************************
"Rocky? Have you got a minute?"
Her voice was so very quiet that Rocky almost hadn't heard her. "Sure Aisha, what's up?"
Aisha looked around before speaking. She had caught up to Rocky in the hallway and although they seemed alone, she didn't want to risk being over heard. Her eyes sparkled with worry. "I think somethings up with Kat, that girl isn't acting normal at all."
"Sure she been a little distant. Not eating meals with us and going to bed early and stuff." Rocky tried to down play the worry he had also been feeling. He and Aisha hadn't known Kat that long but in the past few days, it was as if her personality was turned around. Her smiles had felt fake every time Rocky looked at her face.
Aisha frowned, "It's more than that Rocky. They way she just seems to come and go. The way she tossed Adam across the room during sparring practice yesterday. Did that seemed normal to you? Maybe you or Tommy could have done that throw without powers, but Kat? She didn't even apologies for hurting him! And she seems to always have an excuse when it comes to using her zord? She hasn't touched her crane zord in almost a week. That's not right." Aisha spoke, her eyes bright and Rocky knew she was right. Something had to be wrong with Katherine.
"Let's talk to Billy. Maybe he'll have some ideas. I don't want to bother Zordon with this. Not if it isn't something serious."
Aisha sighed but agreed. There mentor had enough to worry about. As she and Rocky walked towards the medical lab her mind went to Ninjor. Aisha was worried sick about him. Sure, he was sort of annoying in his confidence but he wasn't a bad robot ninja guy. He was brave, kind and gentle. He was... is her friend. She hoped he was still alive. She didn't want to think about the torture that could be happening to him right now.
It made her heart hurt...
"Hey Billy, got a moment?" Rocky called, drawing Aisha from her thoughts. She hadn't even realized they were in the lab until Rocky spoke.
Billy didn't look up from his microscope looking thing. "Is it important Rocky? I'm a bit busy."
Rocky rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah kinda."
Billy pushed back from his chair and gave them both a small but warm, welcoming smile. "What can I do for you?"
Aisha spoke. "It's Kat. Have you noticed?... she's not acting normal."
"I'll have to take your word for it. I know I haven't been around much for hanging out lately." Billy's blue eyes held a sadness that seemed to reflex in his crystal horn.
Aisha sighed, as if she wasn't feeling bad enough already... they had, in a way, been regulating Billy to the side lines. Yet he did so much for them. She felt terrible. As if Billy could read her mind he stood and came over to her. "It's nothing you've done. Either of you. My seclusion is by choice." He said turning his gaze to Rocky. "Now what's this about Katherine?"
So Aisha and Rocky told Billy all they had seen and noticed and just felt. There words echoed in his mind of the things he had noticed. Just little things. The way Kat seemed to slink through the halls, the way she would send a shiver up his spine for no reason at all. He was embarrassed to admit she had actually scared him the other day when he was in Kimberly's room checking on his sleeping friend.
He had actually whinnied, like a horse, in surprise. Something about her face. Such evil in her eyes but it had been gone in a blink. Billy assumed he had just been tired and imagined it but now... "We need to talk to Zordon. Now." His voice left no room for argument.
************************* Divatox submarine*************************
"He still won't talk?" Divatox growled at Rygog. "You've had him for days! How hard is it to get information?"
"I'm sorry. I've been using all sorts of torture but..."
Divatox hit the bars of the cage Ninjor was currently laying in. "What is with you good guys and dying for your beliefs? Don't you want to pain to stop? Just tell me where the key is..." She spoke sweeter and softer now. "Just give in."
Ninjor said nothing, merely looked at her while keeping his hand tightly over one of his deeper injuries.
Divatox frowned, the great ninja would not live much longer if Rygog continued to try and make him speak through pain. "He won't talk. He'll die first." She smiled sickly sweet. "What we need is a reason for him to talk." She stood and addressed her minions. "Bring me a ranger."
"No!" Ninjor called with a grunt of pain from his cage. "Leave them alone."
She turned to him. "And that reaction is why I need one. You'll talk or you can watch as Rygog rips a ranger apart bit by bit." She laughed and turned back to her servants. "What are you waiting for! Go!"
*********************** Park******************************
"I'm glad we could get out Kat. Just the two of us." Tommy said with a smile. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"What is it Tommy?"
"Well I know things have been weird with Kim being back and she... well we are sort of talked and.. geez..." Tommy blushed, awkwardly.
Scorpina had to bite her tongue from yelling at him to just spit it out. What was it with humans and such useless emotions? Tommy looked like he was about to be sick. "Well what?" she snapped slightly.
Tommy stood up and took Katherine's hand and 'Katherine' had to fight the urge to pull free. "Kat. I really like you, and I really like Kim too what I'm saying is. If its alright with you. I would like to go on a date with you."
Katherine blinked at this. Was the white rangers love not as true as she thought? A twisted smile reached her lips. Maybe Tommy still had some darkness in him. Why else would he want more than he could handle? Scorpina wasn't stupid. In the few moments she had watched Kimberly sleeping, she had seen the ripples of energy dance over her body. Anyone who that girl loved would be a force to recon with in the universe.
And Tommy was just throwing that power away?
"Still a fool Oliver..." She thought before replying. "I'd love that Tommy. I know this really romantic little hike out in the mountains. Has some really cool caves I'd love to take you into. They're to die for."
"Sure that sounds great... Kat watch out!" Tommy shouted as Divatox's minions appeared out of no where.
They had been out numbered so fast. Tommy had fought as hard as he could but something had been tossed over his head. By the time he got free, Katherine was no where to be seen.
This wasn't good...
******************** Divatox submarine****************************
Divatox looked at the struggling bundle of fabric. "Well you actually did it. I'm impressed."
"Really Auntie D?" Elgar asked smiling, pulling the hood off the blonde girl.
"No not really. Throw pinkie in the cell next to Ninjor and well get started with interrogation." Divatox smiled.
"No! Katherine!" Ninjor called out weakly. "Divatox you fiend!"
"Get off me!" Katherine shouted in a voice very much not her own. Ninjor watched in surprise as Katherine changed becoming Scorpina in an instant. The golden armored lady drew her sword.
"I told you to get a ranger!" Divatox smacked Elgar on the head. "Instead you bring me... who are you?"
"I am Scorpina! And you will let me go at once if you know what's good for you."
"Listen girlie." Elgar said, making the mistake of putting his hand on Scorpina's shoulder. She cut it off with one swift motion.
"Ow! I just got that replaced!" Elgar grumbled now holding his little stump that sparked with wires. "Robotic hands are expensive!"
"Oh feisty. I like." Divatox smiled. "So, who do you work for?"
"I'm freelance." Scorpina replied.
"Then maybe we can make a deal. How about we talk over some lunch?"
Scorpina shielded her sword. "What kind of deal did you have in mind?"
"Well if you are impersonating a ranger... that means you must have the real one stashed away some place..."
*******************Command Chamber**********************
"And that's what's happening Zordon." Rocky said.
Zordon sighed. "I have noticed similar things. We must handle this carefully rangers. If Katherine is not who she claims to be, then any move not perfectly executed could be dangerous. There is no telling who we are up against or there intentions."
"Is Kim safe?" Aisha suddenly asked. The original pink was the most vulnerable out of all of them.
Billy nodded. "Yeah I asked Adam to sit with her. He and Justin are playing cards in her room while she sleeps."
"Must be hard, having to sleep between sixteen and eighteen hours a day just to function." Rocky added.
"Rangers, back to the task at hand. We must find a way to capture Katherine without harming her. While I do not know if this is a spell, at the moment it cannot be ruled out." Zordon said.
"If we could lure her into this part of the command chamber I could erect a temporary force field that would keep her contained." Billy offered. Pushing a few buttons as Tommy suddenly appeared.
"Zordon! Divatox captured Katherine!"
"Are you sure Tommy?" Rocky asked looking at the leader.
"Of course I am! I was there. We've got to do something! What is everyone waiting for?" Tommy asked.
"Tommy, there's something you should know." Billy said, speaking there concerns.
"No! I refuse to believe it! Billy can't you track Katherine by her power coin?"
"I can try." Billy replied, working the computer like a musician works an instrument. "There! I have a lock!" Billy exclaimed in pure amazement. If Katherine had been captured, why in the world would she still have her coin? Villains always removed that first thing. And it wasn't shielded. "This is too easy. I don't like it."
"Billy, teleport her, hurry!" Tommy ordered.
"No, I agree with Billy." Rocky said. "We need to be careful."
Tommy almost came to blows over that. Only Zordon's voice stopped the white ranger from seeing red. "Your teammates have a point. Billy set up the force field and teleport Katherine into it."
"Right Zordon." Billy pushed a few buttons. It only took two minutes but it felt so much longer to Tommy as Billy said. "Teleporting now."
Tommy turned with a smile on his face. "Beau..." His voice faded as the woman in the force field was not Katherine. "Scorpina!"
She pouted slightly. "Oh dear. You've found me out." her voice teased. "I suppose you'll want these back." She held out the power coin and communicator. Billy teleported the away as Scorpina shrugged. "It was fun while it lasted."
"What have you done with Katherine?" Rocky growled.
"She's alive for now. Of course once Divatox gets her that may change."
"WHERE IS SHE!?" Tommy demanded, practically screaming.
Scorpina simply laughed. "You won't find her. Not until its too late."
Tommy hissed, "Talk or..."
Scorpina smirked, "Or what Tommy Oliver? Will you let the green dragon ranger out to play? That darkness is still in there, isn't it? Wanting to punish me? Ooh... naughty ranger." She laughed as Tommy backed away, like he had physically been pushed.
"Zordon, what do we do?" Aisha asked.
"Change the computer parameters Billy. We must now search for Katherine life force or any indication of where they might be keeping her."
"Tick Tock rangers. Your little bird doesn't have long now." Scorpina laughed.
After all, Elgar, Rygog and a troop of Piranhatrons were on there way to the caves right now. To take Katherine from Goldar. She didn't feel bad about selling out Goldar.
She was evil after all...