SMSTSS 34: Journey to the Planet of the Apes! – DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST, the Planet of the Apes and other properties belong to their owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This is an adaptation to the "Planet of the Apes" lore.
Part 1
A long time ago: Cape Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
With the conclusion of the Apollo Project, the Void Engineers, through their "front", the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (or NASA), was looking for a few good men to explore a spatial anomaly within the Van Patten Radiator Belt. Deeming this a secret mission, a select few are chosen to participate…
"Me?" Dr. Serena von Mondkinder said, as she spoke over the phone.
"Yes, you," said the mysterious CONTROL, the head of the Technocratic Union. Ever since Serena (aka Usagi Tsukino, aka "Sailor Moon") stepped down from her role as the Lady-in-White, the supreme head of her secret organization, CONTROL has been screwing up her life with inane assignments, mostly recently that strange bit of business in Eastern Europe involving a certain a certain British spy…
"And why is that?"
"You and the other one have the most extensive record in investigating unusual phenomenon, that's why."
"The 'other one' is Ranma, my husband."
"I thought you two were separated?"
"It's…complicated."
"Whatever. The fact of the matter is that if the anomaly is useful to the Technocratic Union, then we would like to know. Initial telemetry readings have picked up the possibility of another planet beyond the anomaly. CONTROL wants to see if we can use this new world. Otherwise, we have ordered the Void Engineers to shut down the anomaly, or at least have the means of controlling its access."
"Sounds like a plan," Usagi said. "When do I go?"
"Twenty-four hours from now."
"WHAT?"
"You will replace the only female astronaut that had been originally assigned there. Your commander will be Colonel George Taylor. His psychological profile does not indicate him to be a social creature, but he is a fair leader. You will have others on this trip: Major Bobby Landon, the XO, and Dr. Jeffery Dodge, a mission specialist."
"And I am to be the other mission specialist, yes?"
"Correct. Your craft is an experimental one, capable of achieving subliminal speed. However, you are authorized to use your extraordinary talents to insure that you and your crew will return in a timely manner."
"Well, with all these resources, how can I refuse?"
"Don't get cute. The only reason you haven't been sanctioned is because you were the organization's founder. For that, we will allow you to live…comfortably."
"Gee, thanks!"
And so Usagi boards the Magellan, the space craft in question, and takes off to investigate the mysterious anomaly…
"Gee, thanks a lot!" Usagi yelled, as she fists the skies.
"What are you talking about, Dr. Mondkinder?" Taylor said, as he and the other crewmates gathered the remaining supplies from their sinking craft.
"Nothing sir," Usagi said, as towels her face off. "Just a little upset, is all we are."
"We certainly are that," Taylor replied.
"Well, we're in the middle of nowhere," Landon said. "There is this big lake here, and then there are miles of desert all around us."
"Not that this matters, if that's the case," Dodge said, as he finished taking soil samples.
"What is it?" Taylor said.
"This soil is sterile, that's what. For all we know, this entire world is sterile."
"But we also know that we experienced 2000 years worth of travel the moment we went through that anomaly," Taylor said.
"Then why are we…dead?" Usagi asked. "Time dialation? Or…yes, that's it!"
"What is?"
"The stasis chambers prevented us from feeling the effects of Time. We used them as a shelter to prevent us from experiencing the radiation from the Van Patten Radiator Belt, but they are useful for prolonged exposure. That's why you guys have beards."
"That does make sense," Dodge said.
"So, what's the plan, skip?" Landon asked.
Taylor looks up at the skies, and sees a bird passing by, heading away from the Sun…
"We move North," Taylor said. "And objections?"
"Just wanted to suggest that we have an impromptu map handy," Usagi said. "That way, we can keep track of our travels."
"Agreed," Taylor said, as he hands his compass to Usagi. "You can make our map."
"Gee, thanks!"
Hours would pass, as the four trekked through a virtual wasteland, they before reached what appeared to be a wooded area. However, it was not seeing their first forest that stunned the trekkers…
"Skip, look!" Landon said, as he points to what appeared a series of scarecrows perched over a nearby cliff.
Everyone looked up to see half a dozen scarecrows lined up.
"Well, we now know that there IS intelligent life on this planet," Usagi quipped.
"How do you know?" Landon said.
"Considering the fact that there are scarecrows up there is one clue," Taylor said. "And if I was to guess, the elements haven't gotten to them, which indicate that they were made relatively recent."
"We should check them out," Usagi said.
"What for?" Dodge asked.
"The design work of the structure will tell us what kind of society is out there," Usagi said.
"You mean how the material was assembled."
"Correct. If there is a complex society out there, pre-dawn civilization or otherwise, I'll know."
"Well, there is no time like the present," Taylor said. "Lead on, Lieutenant…"
With that, the explorers checked out the scarecrows, not realizing that they were being both watched and followed…
"Don't look!" Usagi said, as she was the last to dive into the pool of water beneath the waterfall. At Taylor's suggestion, everyone decided to take a break from exploring to relax. And since they didn't have extra-clothes with them, they all voted to "skinny-dip".
"You expect us not to?" Landon said jokingly.
"Hey, just because we're in the sticks, that doesn't mean we throw out conventional norms, yes?" Usagi said, as she swam about.
"I hope that there are other females out there," Dodge said. "Otherwise, Taylor, Landon and I would have to fight for you."
"As if!" Usagi said. "And hold that thought UNTIL it's necessary for me to be the new 'Eve'…"
"Well, as the commander of this mission, I do have first dips on being the new chief of our new tribe at least," Taylor said.
"You WOULD think that, Taylor," Landon said. "What if I want to be the leader? There's no one back home to say otherwise, you know…"
"Then, I would have to fight you for it," Taylor said with a smirk. "But, I would want that to happen, on account of affecting the necessary gene pool."
"What do you mean?" Dodge asked.
"Well, with just one female amongst us, in order to have a strong tribe, the Lieutenant here would have to have as many suitors as possible. And, if we live long enough, I would have to mate with your daughters, as you two would have to mate with mine."
"What if sons are procreated?" Landon said.
"Now that would be the tricky part, my friend."
"Not necessarily," Usagi said, as she wades in front of the males. In truth, her own physiology was designed to prevent inbreeding, due to her Lunarian—and xenomorphic—background. She could mate with anyone, parent or child even, and have healthy offspring. Of course, just because such a thing was possible, mating with family is still seen as improper conduct…
"If there is enough variety amongst us, the chances of inbreeding will be minuscule. It's when brothers and sisters of the same parents that inbreeding becomes a problem."
"You're right about that," Taylor said. "We'll have to be careful as to how to approach the subject matter to the next generation…"
As the conversation turned to other things, Usagi noticed that someone was stealing their stuff.
"Guys, look!" Usagi said, as she points towards the shore.
"What the hell?" Landon said.
"Those are…humans?" Dodge said.
"Wild ones, at that," Taylor said. "At least TWO of our concerns have been answered."
With that, Taylor and everyone swam to shore. Unfortunately, their stuff was totally trashed, and their clothes shredded. Forced to wear the remnants of their garb, the Taylor expedition ran after the culprits, and into a-
"Cornfield?" Landon asked.
"Yep," Dodge said, as he picked a cob off of a stock, as bit into it. "Sweet yellow corn…"
"And these people are just…eating away," Taylor said, as he took noticed on a raven-haired woman.
"They don't seem to have taken noticed of us in their field," Landon said.
"That's because this isn't their field," Usagi said.
"What do you mean?"
"Look at these people. They are running around nude like animals, and haven't taken notice of us at all, but are scanning the surrounding area like thieves. Those ape-like scarecrows were to keep these people out of this field."
"Then, whose field does this belong to?" Taylor asked.
Before Usagi could respond, a horn could be heard, followed by a series of whacking sounds on the other side of the cornfield. Immediately, the wild ones looked up and towards the source of the sound, before fleeing.
"Come on, we have to follow them!" Taylor said.
"Guys, I don't think that's a good idea," Usagi said, as she felt no choice but to follow her comrades. If nothing else, it was to protect them from…apes…
'This is SO embarrassing,' Usagi thought to herself, as she was huddled with the women, in a caged cart, stripped of her remaining dignity. On top of that, some of the women were picking at her hair, since she was the only one who was naturally blond. And the worst part was that these people smelled, as if they hadn't bathed…at all.
'So far, I prevented the guys and these people from getting killed, although Taylor got shot in the throat,' Usagi thought, as she assessed her situation. She could have easily over-powered the ape-men, but she wanted to get the lay of the situation before acting. She wanted to know why ape-men and the wild men were in the state that they were in; she also knew that her companions could reveal their "hand" if they become too agitated. So Usagi had warned them to "stay cool" for a while, and act like the wild-men until it was necessary to do otherwise. Landon and Dodge reluctantly agreed, although Taylor had no choice but to remain silent for the time being.
Not that any of them would be out of the woods yet…
"Ah, hello, there," said a chimpanzee female, as she looked into Usagi's cage. "How are you today, 'Golden Hair"?"
"Fine, Dr. Zira," Usagi said in an indignant matter. "I can do without the accommodations, though…"
"I'll see what I can do," Zira said. "But, tell me, why do you not mate with the 'stud' we have provided for you?"
"One, he stinks, two, he's pushy, and three, I'm not going to 'mate' with just anyone, you know," Usagi said defiantly. "Well, there was this cute guy on my Monte Carlo mission that I fancied, though…"
"Well, just think about it," Zira said. "There are many owners of humans who would like to purchase a litter of you."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Usagi said. "But enough of THAT, doctor. Can't I prove to you guys that humans are not beasts?"
"Well, normally Dr. Zaius would not allow such things, but many on the Science Council are fascinated with 'talking humans'," Zira said. "Plus, coupled with my fiancé's work in the coastal region of the Forbidden Zone, there is a belief growing that you and your companions are not some anomaly after all, and that, at one point in time, humans could be rational."
"I don't think humans were ever rational, but I know what you mean."
"Good, Golden Hair!" Zira said happily. "Now, get plenty of rest; we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
With that, the chimpanzee zoologist leaves Usagi alone…with her cage-mate.
"Oh, well," Usagi said with a sigh, as she tried to relax a bit, only to feel the clammy hands of the male that was designated to mate with her…
"What did I say would happen if you touch me again?" Usagi said in a loud voice, causing the male to shrink in fear. When he began to whimper, Usagi relented.
"Fine," Usagi said, in defeat. "But only this ONCE."
Now in a giddy delight, the male makes his move.
"Whoa! Slow down, will ya…?"
Tbc.
Next Time: It's Ranma to the rescue! Unfortunately, he arrives in a middle of a war between talking apes and telepathic mutants! See you then…