Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie by Heather Ray (beach read book .TXT) 📕

that she could take Kimberly's place in this most personal, intimate way. But hesitantly, over the months that followed, their relationship moved in that direction.

She wanted to ease his pain, and she eventually helped fill the void her predecessor created. Three scant weeks ago, while they weren't overly affectionate with one another, they were officially a couple.

But as it turned out, Kimberly didn't

create that void. She didn't hurt him. Some other, as yet unidentified, player was to blame for four months of heartache for both of them… not to mention tireless commiseration from their friends.

And for the past few months, she'd been slowly forging a relationship with a man still technically involved with someone else.

Her fists clenched the folds of her gown. She hated

it when her mind wove down that dangerous, stomach-turning track! I have nothing to be ashamed of…nothing

! None of us knew we were being played for fools!

Still, she couldn't explain where the letter came from.

Unless…it came from her

.

Unlikely, yes; but not impossible. And what other explanation could there be? Who else had any vested interest in Kim and Tommy's relationship? Who else had that seed of evil, planted long ago, but never completely uprooted?

She had no memory of even dreaming up such a scheme… but she also had no memory of some parts of her service to Rita Repulsa.

She felt her lip tremble, and anxiously bit down to suppress it.

She couldn't put the unease to rest. She simply didn't know

what Rita had done to her… how she had corrupted her. She didn't know what feelings, or powers, could possibly linger just under the surface of her consciousness.

And she couldn't confide in anyone. Tanya was her closest friend, but she wasn't a Ranger during Katherine's stint as Rita's pet kitten. She couldn't relate, either… she'd never been evil. Neither had Adam. Justin was far too young and inexperienced to unload such fears on. And even though Jason had been stripped of his purity by the Flame of Destruction, that spell was so completely different than Rita's magic, they weren't even comparable.

Only one person knew what it felt like…locked inside your body yet unable to influence its actions. Only one other person was freed from that influence, and had to face the questions that followed.

Only one person had the power to convince her it wasn't her fault. Yet every action he'd taken since Muiranthias only made her feel worse.

Three weeks ago, they were so close. Now…he couldn't even look at her anymore.

"…to address the class, the valedictorian and representative speaker, Miss Katherine Hillard."

One is always acutely attuned to the sound of their name. Despite the turmoil that swirled in her mind, Kat glanced up, momentarily startled by the applause that urged her to the podium.

Her smile returned, and somehow she found the resolve to rise to her feet, and take the dozen steps to the microphone.

She took a deep breath, clasping the edges of the podium with both hands. Despite herself her eyes kept searching…looking for an encouraging smile.

She had hoped Tommy would come. She had hoped he'd sit in the audience, just to hear her speak. To lend her silent support, and bolster her confidence with his smile.

Just a fleeting smile from him would mean the world to her… calm her fears, ease her self-deprecation.

Well…I'll just have to do without it.

She opened her mouth, and somehow found her voice.

"This is so unreal…"

Divatox glanced up from her compact mirror, her lip quirking as she watched her newest crewmember stare through the periscope.

"What?"

"They actually made her

the valedictorian!"

Her grip tightened on the handles. "What the hell happened… did all the brain power at that school migrate? She only went to Angel Grove High for one year! How could she possibly have the highest GPA?"

The Pirate Queen frowned at the smell of heated metal. "Calm down, Kim, or you'll melt my periscope!"

With a hiss of annoyance, the spawn of evil obliged, backing away from the device and folding her arms in outrage.

Divatox snapped her compact shut, and rose to her feet. "All right, you walking Marshmallow!" she screeched, glaring at Porto. "Is that bomb ready yet?"

The resident scientist glanced up from his workstation, his hands still carefully adjusting and connecting wires. "Just about…" he said distractedly. "There!"

He re-attached the front panel, and held up the cubical explosive for all to see. "It's been set for thirty minutes. It should give Miss Kimberly plenty of time to escape the complex."

Kimberly scowled. "What would I need that much time for? It just gives the Rangers a bigger window to deactivate it."

Porto cringed at the impatience in her tone. "Our teleporter won't work within the power facility," he carefully explained. "The energy that is being generated disrupts our scanners and communicators as well." He meekly offered the bomb. "It will achieve maximum devastation if placed as near the generator as possible, meaning you will have to wind your way through the complex, and back out again."

"Fine,"

she huffed, snatching the device from Porto's hands. "Just teleport me to the entrance of the plant, and leave the rest to me."

^…we made it through the good times, and the bad. We'll cherish the memories of three championship Varsity football seasons, and the class trip to Australia. These memories give us pride, to build our future dreams upon. We survived the standardized testing, monster attacks, and… and the loss of friends. These memories give us determination, to fight whatever challenges cross our paths… to leap over any stumbling blocks Life puts before our feet. And now we're adults. We're ready for those dreams. We're ready for those challenges. We're ready to succeed.^

Katherine's voice was drowned out by uproarious applause, as all the students, faculty, and parents eagerly agreed.

"Oh, aye yi yi," Alpha sighed, his robotic voice oddly choked, "I can't believe they're graduating."

"YES."

Zordon concurred. "KATHERINE MANAGED TO GIVE A SUPERLATIVE SPEECH."

His voice grew wistful. "THEY ARE ALL SO STRONG. SO MATURE."

"I wish I could've been there," Alpha continued. "Oh, I know! We can decorate the Turbo Chamber, and have a party for them!" He jumped eagerly. "Justin, can you help me --"

Alpha stopped, noticing how the young Blue Ranger sat in absolute silence on a nearby console. He barely paid any attention to the ceremony displayed on the Viewing Globe. His expression was contemplative as he stared at the nearest wall.

A monument to the Power Rangers, back when Power Coins fueled them with strength from the Great Power. Six bright costumes, shimmering with their signature color, adorning mannequins frozen in ready stances.

Yet he was only looking at one of them.

"This was her…wasn't it?"

The boy's soft question doused Alpha's excitement like rain on a campfire.

Zordon decided to speak, his booming voice gentle. "YES."

Justin hopped off the console, and slowly made his way to the wall. His rested his palm against the thick glass, and gazed wonderingly at the pink armor.

He'd been to the Turbo Chamber a few times since his assumption of the Blue Turbo Power…but he never had the opportunity to ask the questions that had burned in his mind for three weeks.

He felt he was missing something. He didn't belong with the others. They all suffered, mourning for a person he didn't know. They never spoke about it in his presence, perhaps assuming he was too young to burden with their own pain.

Little did they realize that it hurt him, too. He was a Power Ranger too… dedicated to saving innocent lives just like all the others. And on his very first mission, he'd failed.

When that reality finally sank in, it felt like a small bit of his spirit died with her.

"What was she like?" he wondered.

He only knew her when she was under Maligore's spell. He remembered her as a vicious fighter, driven to destroy the Power Rangers. His memory didn't do her justice; he wanted to replace it with an impression of who she really

was. The young woman the other Rangers so obviously loved dearly.

Alpha sighed, glancing up at Zordon to defer the question.

"KIMBERLY WAS THE HEART OF THE TEAM,"

he uttered. "SHE HAD AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO CARE FOR EVERYONE. SHE COULD MAKE FRIENDS WITH JUST ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL SHE MET. WHENEVER SOMEONE SUFFERED, SHE TOOK A PIECE OF THAT PAIN WITH HER, AND RESOLVED TO END IT TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITY."

After a brief pause, Alpha felt moved to continue. "She was always optimistic," he murmured, "She believed in all of us so much. Her faith made you feel like you could move mountains."

Silence fell, as each dwelled on his own thoughts. The silence was short-lived, however; the alarm claxons shrieked to life, shaking everyone out of his reverie.

"What's going on?" Justin demanded, shouting over the loud alarm.

"Aye yi yi!" Alpha shrieked. "The sensors have picked up a teleportation signal in Angel Grove!"

"THEN THE UNEASY PEACE IS AT AN END,"

Zordon realized. "ALPHA, BRING UP A VISUAL OF OUR VISITOR."

The small robot huffed. "I can't! The destination was right outside the Angel Grove Power Plant, but I'm not reading any unusual life signs. I can't scan inside the complex, either."

"Why not?" Justin wondered.

"THE GENERATOR INTERFERES WITH THE SIGNAL, CREATING TOO MUCH SENSORY STATIC TO DETECT ANYTHING CLEARLY."

His tone turned grim. "IF A MALEVOLENT BEING WERE TO DO SOMETHING TO THE POWER PLANT, THE DESTRUCTION COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE HUNDREDS OF LIVES."

"Then let's get going!" the Blue Ranger determined, digging for his Turbo key.

"We can't contact the Rangers," Alpha noted, pointing to the Viewing Globe. "They're in the procession to receive their diplomas! We'll have to wait until the ceremony's over."

Justin's face lit up with inspiration. "Why don't I run interference in the meantime? That way, we