Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Three - Heather Ray (bts book recommendations .TXT) 📗

The flash of rich blue energy temporarily lit up the darkness of the Command Center.

Billy stepped away from his entry point, giving his eyes a few moments to adjust to the engulfing darkness. Then, he slowly made his way to the area he had scanned only hours ago.

He came to a stop when he felt a tingle, almost like static electricity. That must be the fissure... what Zack felt earlier.

Wasting no time, he hurried to the control system Trini had discovered. Blue eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the keyboard, fingers hovering thoughtfully above them as he worked out the design of the buttons.

It looks a great deal like the teleporter,

he realized, The keys are set in a similar pattern. A ring of buttons to the center, most likely designed to set the coordinates. Perhaps this is a transportable door, cutting through dimensional walls and allowing access? Hmm... then, it would serve a purpose similar to my Portal-Com.

Billy tapped his chin as he visualized the Portal-Com, the device he invented to allow the Rangers to enter Rita's Dark Dimension, and attempt to capture the Green Candle.

So if this is based on the Portal-Com design, then it is safe to assume that the coordinates have already been set,

he reasoned. We can tactilely perceive the location of the hidden door, meaning it is still operational, only 'closed.' It is still active. So one of these buttons must 'open' it. An 'execution' key, similar to the actual transporter button, a laser trigger in the Unicorn Zord, or even an 'Enter' key on a computer keyboard. The action key, to follow through the command programmed.

The execution key was easy to find; for a conspicuous larger square button sat just to the left of the programming keys.

"Bingo," he whispered, a self-satisfied smile pulling his lips. He depressed the button.

Suddenly, the fissure came to life behind him, blinding his eyes in brilliant white before it swallowed him whole.

Billy found himself hanging, utterly weightless, in a tunnel of solid white. His limbs dangled helplessly, curious eyes darting in wonder at the swirls of white that greeted him, until he felt the familiar pull of gravity.

He fell into darkness again, crouching to buffer his fall properly. The only source of light was from directly before him; what looked like a grate connecting to a room beneath him.

"Should I set the intermorphin' sequencer before I regulate the energy converter, Zordon?"

Hey, that's Alpha's voice!

Billy realized. He quickly began crawling toward the grate, from which the voice originated.

"YES ALPHA. MEANWHILE, I SHALL TEST THE PHASE-CAPACITANCE PROGRAM."

So they're both all right...

"Sequencer is online and working properly. I'll start on the converter now."

Billy finally reached the grate and looked into the room beneath. His green eyes widened to new proportions as he stared into the laboratory. Below, Alpha scuttled around a figure in white and gold, stretched motionless on a surgical bed.

"BE CAREFUL. THE SMALLEST MISTAKE IN THE ENERGY FLOW COULD SPELL DISASTER."

Billy felt his throat go dry as he finally realized exactly what he was bearing witness to. "I've got to tell the others."

Five pairs of worried eyes followed the tracks of the young genius. His steps tapped methodically against the paved ground of his garage laboratory, fingers knit tightly behind him as he silently pondered just how to break the startling news.

Finally, he swallowed to moisten his dry throat, and began his announcement. "Well, after tinkering with the control systems that Trini noticed remained functional given the universal shutdown, I managed to access the door of energy we were detect-"

Kimberly sighed impatiently. "No offense, but can you just cut to the chase?"

"Yes," Trini prodded, "what exactly did you find in the Command Center?"

Billy swallowed again. "Alpha and Zordon are creating a new Ranger."

At first, stunned silence reigned as the Power Rangers slowly registered the enormity of Billy's discovery.

Then, the questions struck all at once.

"What?"

"Are you sure?"

"Man... another

new Ranger?"

"Who is it, do you know?"

"Where exactly are they?"

"Could you be wrong?"

The Blue Ranger frowned at the last question. "I'm definitely not wrong."

"That explains why the Command Center was shut down," Jason noted.

Billy nodded. "Exactly. All the energy is being concentrated into the creation of this new Ranger."

The Rangers fell into awed silence again, considering the ramifications of this new teammate.

All except one, who couldn't seem to wrap her mind around a surprising oversight. "How come Tommy couldn't have gotten these new powers?" Kimberly wondered. "He's already one of us."

All eyes fell upon the Pink Ranger. Her voice was so plaintive that the awe that infused the other Rangers almost immediately transformed to outrage.

"Yeah... who's this new guy?" Zack demanded.

Realizing the connotations of his statement, the Black Ranger turned to Alexis, offering an embarrassed smile. "N...not that there's anything wrong with a new Ranger-"

Alexis grinned. "Don't worry; no offense taken."

"Guys, we need to get a grip," Jason uttered, folding his arms, "I'm sure Zordon's got a good reason for this."

His team nodded, falling into a contemplative silence once again. Moments later, a familiar six-tone signal pierced the dead air like a knife.

"Zordon must be finished," Zack realized.

The Rangers exchanged unsure looks as they huddled around their leader.

"This is Jason."

^RANGERS, PLEASE REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTER IMMEDIATELY.^

"Right away."

"Remember, Zordon and Alpha know what they're doing," Billy assured his teammates.

In unison, the six active Power Rangers activated their wrist units, holding their collective breath as they wondered who their newest member could possibly be.

Zordon smiled widely as his Rangers materialized, standing in an attentive assembly before him in the revitalized Command Center. He couldn't keep his enthusiasm out of his voice if he'd wanted to. "WELCOME, POWER RANGERS. THIS PROMISES TO BE A MOMENTOUS OCCASION. YOU ARE ABOUT TO MEET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM."

Surprisingly, the Rangers didn't seem overly shocked at the news. But their perceptive mentor noticed the discomfort they tried to cover. Especially Kimberly.

"AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE GREEN RANGER'S POWERS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DECIMATED BY HIS LAST FEW BATTLES. ALPHA AND I FELT IT WAS TIME TO CREATE A MORE POWERFUL RANGER TO COMBAT LORD ZEDD'S INCREASINGLY POWERFUL FORCES. TO THAT END, A CANDIDATE WAS SELECTED, AND A NEW POWER RANGER WAS CREATED."

After a dramatic pause, Zordon unveiled the mystery. "AND NOW, MY CHILDREN, I PRESENT TO YOU... THE WHITE RANGER."

The teens squinted as the blinding energy of the Hidden Chamber blazed into existence. Shielding their eyes warily, they noted a silhouette drift to the ground from above.

Finally, the light faded, and all eyes fell upon the White Ranger.

He (or she) stood proud and tall, lustrous white armor plated with black-gold accents. Unlike the other Rangers, no Power Coin was visible on the golden belt, and an ornate black and gold shield covered the chest area almost to the belt.

The White Ranger's uniform was such a deviation from the others that the Rangers were absolutely thunderstruck.

"WELCOME, WHITE RANGER. THE TIME HAS COME TO REVEAL YOUR IDENTITY."

The Rangers watched as their newest member reached up. With unnerving slowness, he undid the latches of his helmet, and pulled it off with expert ease.

The Rangers' worried expressions melted into astonishment as they registered the familiar face. Kimberly was so shocked she clutched a console, trying desperately to moderate her breath.

Finally losing her battle against gravity, the Pink Ranger fainted.

Tommy grinned. "Guess who's back!"

After a fraction of a second, Zack, Billy, Jason, and Trini recovered themselves. They swarmed around Tommy, offering welcoming hugs and handshakes.

"What's up, man?" Zack chimed, slapping the White Ranger's back, "You look good! When do I

get a funky shield?"

Billy smiled his relief. "We were all hoping it would be you... especially Kimberly."

Zordon chuckled.

Alexis watched the reunion scene unfold, an overwhelming sense of not belonging

preventing her from joining her friends.

For some inexplicable reason, seeing Tommy in that new uniform made her suddenly nauseous.

She blinked, trying to sort through her conflicting emotions as her confounded gaze leapt from Tommy's smiling face, to the other Ranger's jubilation, to Kimberly, whom she just noticed was lying unconscious on the ground.

"Speaking of Kimberly..." Jason uttered, jerking his thumb.

A small smile quirked Tommy's lip as he excused himself from the others. After offering a thumbs-up to Alexis, he knelt beside Kimberly, gently stroking the stray hairs from her forehead.

Her eyes fluttered.

"Hey Beautiful... time to wake up," he coaxed gently.

She blinked, her disoriented gaze slowly focusing on the man she had hoped against all hope would be within the strange new armor. She smiled, tears shining brightly in her eyes. "I don't believe it! I must be dreaming!" she declared, throwing her