Chapter 1: The Gathering Storm
"Tragedy befell the country of America again yesterday as another one its military soldiers was killed while stationed in Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Andrew Stokes died when his company encountered an improvised explosive device at a roadside checkpoint near the capital city of Kabul. The corporal is survived…"
The television screen flashed white as it was abruptly clicked off. In Japan, the local news reports were hard at work to keep the country's population informed of the world's current events even the ones that didn't directly affect the country. Unfortunately, the majority of the Japanese people were not overly concerned with what was presently going on in the world especially if it was occurring on the other side of the globe.
For Haruka Tenoh, these events plus the other examples of the growing planetary anarchy only served to worry her even more about the growing evil she was sensing. She put down the remote control and returned her gaze outside the bay window she sat next too. She was dressed in a white button-up men's shirt. It was un-tucked and hung free from her black slacks. She was leaning against the side of the window frame with one white sock covered foot on the floor and the other on the window seat. Her short blonde hair could not hide the look of intense concentration she was currently engrossed in.
"The winds are picking up. I feel a storm coming!"
She looked over at her partner, and girlfriend, Michiru Kaioh. She was dressed in a light purple dress. Her aquamarine coloured hair was long enough that it fell just below her shoulders which only enhance her porcelain white skin's natural beauty. She was sitting on the light blue couch in the center of the room. She did not acknowledge her lover's comment. She chose instead to continue looking at the small item she held in her hands. Her expression was stern and unemotional but her eyes alive with an intense level of concern.
She held her enchanted mirror, one of the three sacred treasures they had found while fighting against their former enemy, the Death Busters. The mirror allowed Michiru to see through illusions and expose hidden secrets about people or places. It had proven quite invaluable when she and Haruka had to locate the camouflaged castle of Queen Badiane when she had kidnapped many of the Earth's children to steal their innocent dream energy to fuel her Black Dream Hole. After another minute of silence, Michiru finally looked up at her lover and returned her stare.
"The sea is churning violently and becoming very restless as well. My mirror cannot seem to find the source of these negative energies though."
Haruka's eyes narrowed as she processed that information. They were both Sailor Soldiers. Haruka was Sailor Uranus and Michiru was the sailor of the oceans, Sailor Neptune. They were part of the Outer Solar System team, whose highest priority was to protect the Milky Way Galaxy from outer space threats outside its galactic boundaries. If there was a new enemy beginning to make its move against Earth and their galaxy they had to find it and destroy it before it was too late.
As they sat in silence again the front door of their house opened and their two house mates briskly walked in. Setsuna Meiou, better known as Sailor Pluto, walked through the door carrying two large bags of groceries in her hands. Her long straight dark green hair hung all the way down to the back of her knees. She wore a light purple long sleeve jacket with matching skirt. The jacket had a collar design that made it appear much more formal than it really was. Under the jacket she wore a silk white button-up blouse with a large dark red bowtie in the centre. On her feet she wore a stylish-looking pair of black high heel shoes. They had straps that encircled her just above the ankle with a single thick band that ran down the middle to the top of her exposed foot to connect to its main body.
Her companion, Hotaru Tomoe, followed closely behind carrying a smaller bag of groceries in her hands. The bags appeared to be full of a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Hotaru followed Setsuna into the kitchen where she placed her bag on the counter with the others. She ran the palms of her hands down the front of her yellow long sleeve shirt to smooth out any wrinkles that carrying the bag may have caused. She fixed the thick white collar of her shirt before looking down to inspect her dark purple and pink skirt. A pair of light brown loafers and light purple socks completed her outfit. When she was satisfied that she had not soiled her clothes, she sharply lifted her head causing her shoulder length black hair to jerk backwards before falling back into place.
"Haruka, have you been sensing any negative feelings recently?"
Haruka turned to look at her as Michiru broke her glance from her mirror. Setsuna stopped briefly from putting the food items away into their appropriate cabinets. All of them remained silent. It was clear that every single one of them had indeed felt some sort of ominous energy in their own way, and that it was strong enough to cause some level of concern in each of them.
"Has your mirror been able to reveal anything?" Hotaru asked as she looked at Michiru.
"No Hotaru. My mirror is only giving me blurry images." She replied.
"Something is approaching. We need to find out what it is and stop it." Haruka added.
"I agree Haruka. Should we tell the others about our concerns?" Setsuna asked the group.
Setsuna and Hotaru remained silent as they waited for Haruka's response to Michiru's question. Setsuna as the guardian of time was privy to knowing the events of the past and the future. She was well aware of events that were yet to come and when they would occur. Her sacred responsibility made her duty bound to let those events unfold as they were meant to, regardless of how terrible or lethal those events were. Her personal mission that had been assigned her, in addition to the protection of the Moon Princess, was to ensure that Crystal Tokyo was created and the Earth and Moon Kingdoms be reunited in peace and harmony. It put her in a very difficult position which her team mates tried very hard to understand. They knew that she could provide the answers or information that would allow them to stop whatever was coming, but she could not reveal those details as that could lead to a change in future events.
Hotaru looked up at Setsuna as her expressive eyes flashed with concern enhancing the worried look that spreading across her young face. Although, physically, her body was that of a seven year old her level of maturity was on par with her older comrades. She was the designated leader of the Outer Sailor Soldiers and the others respected her authority despite her youth.
As she looked at Setsuna she contemplated about whether to ask for advice. A true leader knew when to seek the counsel of others when faced with difficult decisions. Having the Inner Sailor Soldiers on alert and searching for information on the coming menace might prove useful to their overall situation. All they had right now were intuitions and feelings which was giving them nothing solid to go on. Alarming their friends with no real evidence would serve no purpose other than ruining the peace they were all enjoying since the final battle against Galaxia and the Shadow Galactica Empire about a month ago.
"No. For right now, let us gather more information about our new enemy. When we have uncovered enough, we will tell them."
The other women quietly nodded their heads to show that they acknowledged her viewpoint and response. Setsuna turned and resumed putting the groceries away with Hotaru's help. Michiru put her mirror on the table before her before leaning back on the couch. Her hands rested lightly on her lap as her body language showed that she was concentrating her Sailor intuition on the waters of the Earth. She hoped that her connection with the seas would provide a clue as to what their next move should be or what was behind the possible threat they were sensing. Haruka returned to look out the bay window. She stared at the outside world that was currently bathed in warm sunshine and a baby blue sky.
Let them enjoy this well-deserved time of peace a little while longer She thought to herself.
16 years ago…
In a remote region of the Hindu Kush Mountains that ran from the northeast to the southwest regions of the country of Afghanistan, was a large cavern. This particular area was known as the Central Highlands, which formed a part of the Himalayas mountain range and accounted for roughly two thirds of the country's land. This specific region contained thousands of caves and grottoes that were created through thousands of years of weather erosion and land upheavals. The various mountain ranges also offered numerous and extensive underground tunnels and dozens of large open caverns.
In America, and several other countries, such natural formations were often used as tourist attractions. They drew thousands of people each year to their locations with the offer to explore the world below the surface of the Earth and see the natural sights. The caves also provided an opportunity for thrill-seekers who enjoyed participating in the activity of spelunking or cave diving. In the Hindu Kush Mountains, the caves of these mountain ranges had another more sinister use. They served as hideouts and staging areas for several large groups of terrorists and anarchists. The largest group to use these mountains was the Al-Qaeda global terrorist organization.
A small group of men were huddled over a large wood table in the centre of a small cavern. Across the top of the table, were various pieces of paper and large photographs. Some were blueprints for various world-renowned buildings or other strategic targets, such as military ships or outposts. There were several hand-written notes or printed documents in Arabic. These contained either orders from senior officials of the organization or intelligence information from other Al-Qaeda teams around the world. Mixed in with the mess of papers were several photographs and satellite surveillance pictures of potential targets and specific land areas that they were currently monitoring.
Along the stone walls that made up the cavern a series of simple electric lamps were hung up around the cavern. In the limited light that they provided, one could see that they were loosely nailed into the hard stone and were all connected by a thick extension cord that looped down between the units. An extension cord was braced against the rock wall with cheap steel fastener clips. In the confines of the cavern, the artificial light emitted from the lamps created a dim and gloomy atmosphere inside the cavern. On the edges of the wood table two modest desk lamps with adjustable necks were securely attached to the tabletop. Their electric cords were plugged into another extension cord that joined with another before extending down an adjacent tunnel. The loud echoing of a mechanical machine would lead someone to make the logical conclusion that the cords connected to a gas-powered generator located in a small alcove off of the main room and about halfway down the side passageway.
"America is continuing to exert its military might in Israel. Our brothers in HAMAS are suffering heavy losses due to the weapons being supplied to the Israelis!" One of the men said, addressing the group around him.
"We must show them that we are serious in our cause. America must learn to not interfere in affairs that do not concern them!" Another man added, visibly the youngest of the squad.
"I agree!" A deep voice said from somewhere behind them.
The men jerked their bodies around and looked towards a darkened corner of the cavern's open space. There shouldn't have been anyone else with them inside their base. They weren't expecting any visitors so the sudden announcement put them into extreme panic. They all quickly grabbed their automatic machine guns that had been leaning against the sides of the table and nearest wall. In short order, the gun barrels were trained and pointed at the spot where they had heard the foreign-sounding voice.
"Who is there? Show yourself!" One of the men shouted as he trained his gun in a wide left-to-right pan.
"As you wish."
A tall man with shoulder length black hair casually withdrew from the shadows. His hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail. His hands were behind his back as he casually walked into the light emitted from the desk lamps and wall lights. His brown knee high boots made a thumping sound as they struck the rough stone floor with each step he took. His light grey uniform with red seams was completed with a pair of white silk gloves. He took position in front of them, leaving about five feet of open space between him and the clearly nervous group of men around the table.
"Is that better?"
The men trained their guns on the intruder aiming for his head and heart. Their minds were a fury of thoughts. Was this person part of a squad? If so, how many other members of his team were with him and where were they now?
Their vast knowledge of various counter-terrorism and military units from across the world was telling them that this man was not part of a known organization. A man with such training would not expose himself so causally, and by all appearances he was not carrying a weapon on his person.
Several seconds had passed and no other attack or offensive had occurred. This made them begin to believe that this person was just as he appeared to be: all alone. This did little to ease their anxiety. If he was truly on his own, what had he done to ensure his safety that allowed him to expose himself? Even a novice mercenary would not take on a group of heavily armed men without some sort of plan.
"Who are you? How did you find us?"
"My name is not important. As to how did I find you , people like you are cockroaches. You are despised by all except a select few and serve no real purpose other than being an annoyance. Like most insects, you enjoy the comfort of dark spots. It was only logical that a cave would be a natural location to look for you."
"You American dog! How dare you speak to us like that! We will kill you where you stand for the glory of our cause!"
The men lifted their guns and fired in a simultaneous barrage of bullets. The man showed no signs of fear. Instead, he smirk as the hail of deadly metal rocketed towards him. He lifted his right hand as the men pressed the triggers of their AK-47s. As the first light flares erupted from the barrels of their guns a semi-transparent blue wall instantly became visible in front of him.
As the bullets struck the barrier a circular hue of white appeared at the points of impact and the blue energy rippled across its surface. It gave the visual of a heavy rainfall striking the surface of a body of water. The man continued to stare at his attackers through the hazy barrier as his body maintained its original aura of supreme confidence and arrogance.
After a minute, the men one by one stopped shooting. Their faces held expressions of bewilderment and surprise as they looked upon the after effects of their violent assault. The man remained where he stood with no visible signs that their bullets had made contact with his body. As his attackers stared, the man lowered his hand and the simmering blue barrier flashed once before disappearing completely from sight.
"My turn—"
The man snapped the fingers on his right hand. In an instant, each one of the guns imploded in the men's hands. The implosions were not big enough to seriously harm them, but more than sufficient to render the guns useless. The men dropped what was left of their weapons to the floor. Grey smoke billowed out from inside them. Their facial expressions shifted from surprise and confusion to terror and panic.
"What are you?" The young terrorist asked, the tone of fear clear in his voice.
"I am someone that can help you realize your full potentials. My superior wants to support your cause and bring your message to the people of this world. Your attack on the World Trade Center in America three years ago got my leader's attention."
The man began to walk around the room, his hands seeking a spot against his lower back. He stopped as he passed by the wooden table and turned to look at it. He spread some of the papers around with his hand as he looked at the different material that lay out across its surface. His mouth curled up into a cruel smile as his white gloved fingers continued to slide the papers around, allowing him to see the materials underneath. A single 'humph' escaped his lips as he lifted his head and resumed his pace around the room.
"In that little bit of chaos you managed to only kill six people. The fear that you created as a result of that was far more memorable. Yes, my master was quite pleased with that result of your little operation!"
He stopped walking and turned to once again face the men. He stood straight, reaching his full height of 6-foot-3. His body became tense and rigid giving hints to the hidden physical strength that was concealed beneath his uniform. His face again displayed the cruel smile showing the top row of impossibly white teeth. His eyes were the most noticeable feature. They were light brown, cold and emotionless. Looking in to them was like looking into the eyes of a sociopath or inanimate doll.
The look he gave the men as they stared filled them with feelings of extreme nervousness and fear. The hatred they felt towards the western world and their ideologies was nothing compared to the sense of malevolence that this man radiated in spades. They could tell that his words of respect at their past accomplishment meant nothing. This person was completely filled with evil and would no doubt slaughter each of them in an instant without a second thought if it served his or his master's overall purpose.
"As I stated earlier, we feel that you could do far better in accomplishing your overall goals. Killing six people at once is a tragedy. Killing a thousand people or more in one event, that is not only memorable but legendary!"
The man paused, his motivational speech to let his words sink in with each of the men. They risked exchanging glances with each other as their eyes silently conversed among themselves. It was true that their attack on the World Trade Center had accomplished little in terms of long term effects on America and its allies. They needed something far grander for the world to stand up and take notice of them and their cause.
"What do you purpose we do?"
The man's smile instantly grew wider. A small spark of what possibly passed for excitement flashed across his cold brown eyes. His body noticeably loosened and became more relaxed. These humans were not as dumb as Queen Beryl had led me to believe, he thought.
He returned to the table and spread the assortment of papers aside to expose a clean section. He motioned for the men to gather around him so he could tell them his idea. The men hesitated, but slowly began to file around the table. When they finished taking their individual positions the tall man panned his eyes around at them, catching each of their gazes as they waited eagerly to hear his plan.
"This is what we have in mind for you and your organization."
The man waved his hand over the cleared section of the table. As his hand passed over its surface a pile of blueprints, pictures and schematics appeared underneath. The sudden materializing of the items caused some of the men to gasp and a few whispered a quiet utter of their lord's name, Allah.
A smile appeared on the man's face when he saw and heard their reactions. He now understood why Queen Beryl had picked this part of the world to start his ultimate mission. In this region, the people here were far too superstitious, believing that any sign of something magical or unnatural was the work of their fictitious god. This would make his work much easier than he had expected, but also disappointed him some. A victory without battle or challenge was hollow and unworthy for the Grand General of the Dark Kingdom.
"If you destroy these targets," he said, pointing to differing locations on his map, "the world will forever know of your organization and your names will echo throughout the historical ages."
In reaction, the men's eyes lit up with that bold statement. Even in the most remote parts of the world the images of the Pentagon, the military centre for America, and the White House, the home of the American President, were instantly recognizable. In seemingly no time at all, the exhilaration the men were feeling rapidly built up inside them. They all silently agreed that the man was indeed correct if they could launch a successful attack on both or, at the very least, one of these locations, America's spirit would be forever broken and they could claim victory at long last.
After a few quiet seconds, the mysterious man held up the image of the third and final target. Like the others, it was immediately recognizable but the men's faces immediately lost some of their newly gained lustre. They glanced around at each other unsure of what they should do. After a minute, one of the men cleared his throat and bravely began to speak shakily of the concern they all shared.
"My dear servant of Allah, with all due respect, that target will be near impossible to get to. Since our attack on, it three years ago, the American authorities have increased the security around it. We will not be able to get close enough to it on the ground to have any real effect."
The man began to laugh manically, matching his cold dead eyes, and dripping with contempt and scorn which lightly concealed his amusement. His laughter brought the overwhelming feeling of nervousness back to the men as they remained around the table. They could not predict what this messenger of Allah was going to do next. Some of them prepared themselves to witness some form of brutal punishment against the man that had dared to question Allah's plan.
The man stopped laughing and stood fully upright once again. He ran his white gloved hands down the front of his uniform, from his chest down to the bottom of his jacket, to smooth out any wrinkles that his outburst had caused. When he was satisfied that his appearance matched the level of respect he demanded, he turned to face the man that had dared to speak up.
"My dear comrade, I never said that you would be attacking from the ground."
He reached for a schematic and held it up for the men to see. The image on the paper was of a passenger airplane. He could immediately tell that they still hadn't fully grasped what he was alluding to. He sighed to himself and fought off the urge to rip these ignorant flesh bags to pieces for their utter stupidity.
"You are going to attack from the air."
End of Chapter One…