the future will not repeat the past
Silver Millennium- the war with Metallia was taking its toll, and General Selene must make the most difficult decision of the war so far: to contact Earth and seek their support. Selene, Serenity, Inner Senshi, Outer Senshi, Endymion and Shittennou.
First fanfic! please R&R :)
I own nothing Sailor Moon, sadly.
Chapter 1
NEPTUNE, Operating Base of the Silver Alliance
"We lost contact with Uranus two days ago-" General Selene, Queen of the Silver Alliance and Supreme Commander of the Bishouju Senshi Armies, paces the war room of Neptune's last standing operating base, listening to her commanders' reports "-We must assume the few scouts left on my planet were discovered... Another planet lost to the enemy. And now, we are outnumbered here, too. My windwalker scouts tell me we are outnumbered 5:1. I don't like these odds, General."
Amara, Princess Amara to be exact, leader of the elite Windwalker Scouts from Uranus finishes her reconnaissance report. Her speed is unmatched, as is her skill with the scimitar. Selene considers the intelligence Amara delivers with silent steps around the elegant seafoam table in this bare war room, a small reminder of the beauty that once was part of this house on Neptune's coast, before the war visited this quiet place. Now, maps and reports are strewn across it's surface with the day's meager meal forgotten hours ago and outside the moans from the infirmary drift through the window. General Selene says nothing, instead continuing her steady, silent pacing around the table.
"They are well supplied, General. They have established a source of dark energy by-" Michiru, Commander of their Amphibious units, pauses. "-by draining the energy of the remaining citizens that were in the Capital." she tells Selene. Like Amara, She is skilled in ascertaining the most accurate intelligence, but Selene knows this particular knowledge came at a price. The room is silent as the war council takes in this terrible news.
Amara speaks up, "Sir, we must evacuate whoever we can and strengthen the perimeter from Jupiter. We must protect the inner planets. I fear the Outer planets are lost."
Selene stops her steps, and looks out the window to the ocean. On the other side of the ocean was the Capital of Neptune. It must be turned to ash now. How many dead are now part of Metallia's army? Selene's mind knew the math but couldn't accept it just yet.
General Rei, ever the fiery temper, cuts in via hologram from her home world. "So Amara, you would abandon your home worlds completely and leave no way for us to regain strongholds on the Outer Planets?"
"Perhaps when your family is murdered in front of your eyes like mine was, you would accept it is better to spare others the same fate, Rei-kun." Spits Amara. Rei lets out an angry huff at Amara's insult, flames beginning to swirl in the background of her hologram.
"Amara-chan, Rei-chan you forget yourselves. General, we can't stay on Neptune." Minako says. The Commander from Venus always did her best to end an argument before it could begin.
"But we must find a way to know the enemy's movements. If we are to keep the Inner Planets protected, Jupiter must be properly defended." Lita pipes in.
"I'm with Lita, we need adequate intelligence." Ami quietly adds.
I need more time, Selene thinks. She stops to face the present party of the Outer Senshi and the holograms of the Inners behind.
"Enough," Selene finally speaks. "Inner Senshi, you will build our defenses on Jupiter. Mercury must ensure we have enough reserve power to supply the defense shield by boosting energy exports from the remaining three planets. Do what you can without exhausting resources."
"As you command, General. We will use the planets's cores accordingly, the Moon we leave in case we must retreat again." says Ami. Lita nods, and the two silently turn off their holographic devices, now that they have orders.
"Mars, initiate the draft on your planet. We must prepare, in case Jupiter becomes compromised." Selene states.
"Selene-sama, surely it wouldn't come to that..." Rei stammers.
"You are the Oracle, are you not? Did you not foresee this great turmoil? Only by preparing for the worst can we hope to win this war. Now follow your orders." Selene calmly says.
"Yes, General. My apologies for questioning you... it won't happen again." Rei salutes Selene, before turning off her own holographic communicator. When this war started, and Rei first approached her about the visions the Fire brought her, Selene was kinder, more patient with the girl. But too many have died already for the General to be delicate now. The child must learn, and soon if we are abandoning the Outers. Soon, her planet may be all that is left and she must defend it with more than her life.
"Uranus and Neptune cannot be completely abandoned, but I cannot spare any troops. Amara, Michiru… I need you to promote someone from your staff to take your places as Commanders of the remaining armies from your planets. You two are the only ones I trust with scouting the Outer Planets going forward. You cannot be caught by the Enemy. If you are, know that I will not send anyone to rescue you. Gather as much intelligence as you can without getting caught. I trust you two completely in this matter." Selene says. They have seen enough bloodshed to know what must be done to save the rest of the system the same fate.
"Yes General, you can count on us," Michiru says. She and Amara share a nod to each other, and leave the war room lockstep.
The only person left was Venus, her golden hair a beacon of radiant light in her hologram.
"Minako, I am relocating headquarters to Jupiter at once. Continue to train my daughter in the art of defense. She must be ready to defend the system, at all costs. Do not educate her on the war's current state, she is not yet ready and I can't have her overwhelmed." Selene murmurs.
"Sir? She is almost sixteen... She should know what she will be facing when she embraces the silver crystal-" Venus starts.
"NO." Selene's voice is firm with the finality of an argument long-repeated. "She cannot be made aware, It is for the protection of the Silver Crystal, and therefore the power that protects this system, that she must master the ability to defend herself and those around her first, before she can enlist and join her sisters. You must work with Luna and Artemis and continue her training. Promise me you will protect her at all costs. She is the only heir to the power of the Silver Crystal, and until she is of age for the Embrace, she will be vulnerable." Selene turns away from the screen, signaling the end of her orders. "Now go."
"Yes, General." Venus sighs in reply, before signing out. the wall of holograms is now black and silent.
Selene pounds her fist on the war room table. I need more time. Serenity is not ready for the Embrace.
"You do not have the time, your Majesty. The time is now, you must let her take the Embrace." The low lilt of Pluto's voice washes over Selene, like the coo of a dove.
"She is not ready to guard the system, let alone the Golden Crystal's Ascension, Setsuna-chan. I will not make the same mistake my Mother made. I was not ready, and it cost us Elysian for a generation and Earth abandoning the Alliance."
Selene turns to face Sailor Pluto, her most trusted, elusive advisor. She wouldn't have left her post unless she were truly concerned I was making the wrong decision, Selene thought. But memories of a young woman, lifeless on the steps of Earth's most holy temple flood back to Selene's head and heart, and her resolve returns with grim determination. "Serenity will be ready for her responsibilities, when she is thoroughly trained and prepared."
"Oblivion hangs on the edge of a knife, my Queen. There is a fine line between being prepared and being too cautious. I see a faint golden light through the mists of Kronos, the time for Earth to awaken its guardian is near, and Serenity must be ready to guard Earth's Senshi during his coronation."
"His?" Selene asks. She had believed Helios always chose a female when he did decide to name one of Earth's royals worthy to be the bearer of the Golden Crystal. The few men to wield it were legends of their times. Perhaps we can use this turn of events to our favor… "Is this why you've come to visit?"
Setsuna's red eyes bored into Selene's, never blinking. "Yes, if we are to survive this war without awaking Hotaru-chan, you must contact Earth for support. Without Earth, you will fail Selene-sama. I can say no more."
Setsuna tapped the gem in her tiara and she disappeared in a cloud of billowing, purple smoke that faded into nothingness too fast for Selene's liking. She always got chills seeing the fog from the Gates of Time, cloying to come into contact with the present. Selene sat at her table and mused over the scattered war plans. She knew her next steps but dreaded having to execute her plan. Selene took a deep, steadying breath before she called in her Lieutenant Io, who entered and saluted.
"Io, we are evacuating Neptune, send word to every citizen you can to find refuge in the Inner Planet of their choice, and move the armies to Jupiter. Setup my headquarters at the royal palace, though I will not join you for a week."
"Selene-sama, it will be done. Is that all, your majesty?"
She could always count on Io to follow orders to the letter but the old battle-ax of a woman wanted to know Selene's complete strategy, too. If she's to run HQ while I do this, I may as well tell her the truth.
"Not quite Io. I'm visiting my daughter back on the Moon for a day, before visiting Earth. They must come back to the Alliance if we are to win this war."
