CLOSURE

An "alternate universe" piece centering around the heroine of "Battle of the Planets"-Princess. The show never really went into detail surrounding the past lives of the characters, unlike "Gatchaman," so I took some liberties with it. The usual disclaimer still stands-"Battle of the Planets" belongs to Sandy Frank Productions, and "Gatchaman" belongs to Tatsunoko Productions. Thanks to my beta-readers and very good friends, GoldAngel2 and Whiteswan; both exceptional writers and wonderful teachers. Also thanks to Jen23 and MistyGirl1 for all of their encouragement and support.

CHAPTER ONE

A promise. Years ago he made a promise, something he wished he hadn't have, to calm the fears of a distressed and emotionally abused 12 year old girl. A promise; defined in this case as a pledge to do something specified. He didn't want to find this woman but he had. And now that he found her, he had promised her daughter he would make her aware of the woman's whereabouts.

Chief William Anderson sat at the large oak desk of his study fingering the file he had in his possession. Sighing, he removed his eyeglasses and began to rub his eyes with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. This was beginning to be recognized as a trademark of his, whenever something was troubling him.

Before the adolescent came into his life, she had been shuffled between foster homes due in part to her mother's irresponsible behavior and chosen lifestyle. He discovered the girl had been abused in the majority of homes she was placed in by the Nevada region's social services department, the Vegas sector. A department which was headed by a corrupt federal agency said to have Spectran ties. An investigation later revealed that children were being exchanged, literally bought and sold, between so-called foster families for either hard labor or acts of perversion.

Anderson continued reminiscing, remembering how he rescued the green eyed girl from this world of depravity, away from her negligent mother, and adopting her as his own. But it had not been easy for him.

Having just been named Security Chief of the IFPP (Intergalactic Federation of Peaceful Planets), William Anderson's flight had stopped over in the Nevada region. He had shared the flight with his two young wards, Mark Beckham and Jason Devereaux. Both boys had lost their parents years earlier, and Anderson having known both the Beckham's and the Devereaux's, took the responsibility of caring for the boys himself as their legal guardian. The flight had been relatively brief, but the trip exhausting while listening to the ongoing arguing between two 13 year old boys. Anderson long ago forgot how it all started, but their seemingly endless bickering on the flight had given their mentor a monstrous headache. While walking toward the airport's cafeteria for a strong cup of black coffee along with some aspirin that Anderson prayed he had in his briefcase, a young dark haired girl bumped in between him and Mark, abruptly putting an end to the boys verbal sparring. She excused herself briefly and walked away quickly.

Jason eyed the girl shrewdly, his wolf gray eyes piercing. Not missing a beat, the male teenager immediately took off after the waif-like figure. The girl, sensing trouble, glanced over her shoulder to find a boy with light brown hair in pursuit of her. Frantically, she ran into the crowd, hoping to lose the boy among the throng of people, zigzagging between human beings as if though she was a lab mouse in a maze. Jason was too quick for her, however, and tackled the girl to the floor.

"Get the hell off of me!" she shouted while her pale face was rubbing against the linoleum floor.

Jason had pinned her arms behind her and shouted back, "I'll get off as soon as you give back that wallet you stole, thief!"

A small crowd had begun to form around the two kids, enclosing them within a circle. Chief Anderson and Mark managed to find an entrance within the crowd along with two members of the airport's security personnel.

Anderson thundered, "Jason what the hell are you doing?" while the security guards removed the boy off of the girl's back.

Jason pointed to the skinny figure with the short mop of jet black hair. "She stole your wallet! I saw her lift it from your coat when she bumped into you back there!'

Anderson immediately checked the inner lining of his sport coat to discover that his wallet was indeed missing. "Well I'll be damned!" He then cast a suspicious look to the defiant young girl held by the security guards.

"Give it back Jade!" one of the officer's warned. "Now!" he commanded as he thrust the embarrassed girl in front of the three angry males standing before her. The circle of onlookers witnessing the exchange appeared angry as well, and the girl called Jade felt as if though she had little choice but to comply. Reluctantly, she removed the stolen wallet from inside the denim jacket she wore and returned it to the larger man's outstretched hand.

Jason, crossing his arms and with a smug look on his face announced, "I'm from New York baby. There ain't nothing that gets past me!"

Mark's eyes rolled as he stated loudly, "It's not like you have an 'S' on your chest idiot! So you caught her lifting the chief's wallet! What do you want? A medal?"

Jason spat back, "Yeah, one that reads 'I caught a thief and pretty boy didn't!' Jerk!"

Exasperated, Anderson held up his hands. "Enough already! Jason, I thank you and Mark you should commend Jason on being so perceptive." Jason flashed Mark a feral grin while Mark answered with a snort.

The second officer held up his hands and instructed the crowd to disperse. "Alright people you've seen enough, break it up and go about your business!" The first officer kept a tight hold on his young captive, exposing hand cuffs and placing them on the girl's wrist. Her coal colored head was now facing the floor she had just been removed from.

Anderson responded sympathetically. "Is this necessary? I mean she gave the wallet back to me."

The first officer held up his hand to intervene. "Sir, this isn't Jade's first offense. She isn't even supposed to be within the vicinity of the airport. She just stole your wallet and didn't even apologize to you! Don't feel sorry for her!"

At that moment, the dark haired girl looked up and cast a glance at Anderson; her forest green eyes capturing his soulful brown ones mirrored behind his thin eyeglasses.

"Believe it or not mister, I'm truly sor…" she attempted but was cut short while the security guards led her away to the airport's holding cell.

Chief Anderson never got over the look that girl gave him over ten years ago. He carried that look and her wealth of pain with him once he took responsibility of her and adopted her as his own. As time passed, the girl had grown into a remarkable young woman. She had far surpassed his expectations, exhibiting a brilliant mind and extraordinary strength, both emotional and physical. She was now part of Earth's finest defense league, a league of superhuman soldiers known as G-Force. The unit was designed to obliterate alien forces that attempted to empower and dominate Earth and the planet's allies, eventually enslaving the population for their own evil purposes. Spectra was the largest threat and on several occasions, managed to infiltrate and almost destroy the G-Force team. Anderson strongly believed it was his adopted daughter that held the team together, and he couldn't have been more proud.

But something was missing from her life, Anderson could sense it. She seemed to lack direction now, and he could tell it troubled her. Ironic, because for the past several months she had begun a relationship with the commander of G-Force, Mark Beckham. Admittedly, Anderson didn't approve of the relationship at first; he was concerned that any romantic involvement between them might interfere with their roles as officers. The rules were meant to be followed, no fraternization allowed between male and female. But G-Force was a specialized unit designed by him, and he noticed while the two were growing up of an attraction between them. An attraction, as a father, he believed would pass once they became young adults and had more experiences with others of the opposite sex. Only that day never came, and the looks between them at his dinner table went from doe-eyed mutual affection to heated intensity. And, as a father, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep them apart for much longer.

Now a problem existed not only between his daughter and Mark, but his daughter as a whole. She was having difficulty in an area dominated by male figures, surprisingly an area that she didn't appear to have trouble adapting to before. She had spoken to him a few days ago; had come to her father with a single request. "Find my mother for me. I feel the need for closure; I can't give the best of myself anymore until I've dealt with whatever has been consuming me." Those luminous green eyes did it to Anderson every time.

A knock was heard at the door of his study. "Dad can I come in?" a throaty voice asked quietly.

Anderson replaced his eyeglasses above his nose and stood up from his desk, walking to stand in front of the mammoth piece of oak furniture. "Of course honey, come in." he answered.

The beautiful young woman entered and walked into her adoptive father's outstretched arms. No longer the skinny kid with the short mop of jet strands in disarray on an embarrassed head, but a tall, svelte figure with long hair the color of raven's wings and eyes that could sparkle like emeralds. Only now her eyes were opaque, blocking the passage of light that once illuminated from them.

She turned her face up towards her worried father. "You said you wanted to see me?" Her body was tense in his embrace.

Chief Anderson looked over his shoulder at the file he had placed on his desk. He then turned to look back at his daughter; Your adopted daughter he reminded himself. He heaved a huge sigh before answering, "Princess, I've found your mother."

Thanks for reading.