WRATH OF THE GODS
Chapter 10: Aid And Comfort
A Sailor Moon fanfiction
by Bill K.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Twenty kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter watched anxiously as plant personnel in radiation suits worked their way back into the plant to reconnect power to the plant. With the main power source, the plant itself, still off-line and the backup generators in the basement rendered useless by flooding sea water from the tsunami, the only choice they had was to connect the plant's electronics to generators brought in from outside. It was slow work, as the workers could only stay in the plant for a fixed amount of time or suffer radiation burns even through their protective suits.
"Those are some really brave guys," Jupiter said softly.
"At least they're protected by those suits," Sailor Moon added.
"Even with the suits, they're risking developing cancer or leukemia in their later years," Sailor Mercury commented flatly. She still studied her computer. That and her emotionless tone suggested to Jupiter that Mercury was still not emotionally fit. "The exposure they're receiving, even with the safeguards in place, is pushing the limit of safe human tolerance."
"Loyal soldiers sacrificing for the good of their masters," Jupiter sighed. "Some things in this culture just will not change no matter how far we come."
Almost to punctuate her observation, another explosion rocked the area. As everyone turned to the plant in alarm, Mercury began furiously working her computer.
"It's another hydrogen explosion!" Mercury exclaimed. "Reactor Number Three this time! All three cores are dangerously hot!"
"Can you put more ice down, Mercury?" Sailor Moon asked. "I'll help you!"
"It won't do any good," Mercury shook her head. "The energy transference through the concrete walls of the containment units are too slow! The cores are super-heating faster than my ice can cool them! There needs to be direct application of the coolant! And at this point, I'm not even certain that will help!"
It was then that they noticed Shinjiro Hino standing nearby. He had heard everything that had been said. The three senshi locked eyes with the Dietman for a moment. Then Hino turned and headed for the Emergency Response Team truck.
"What do you suppose he's going to do?" Jupiter asked.
"I don't know," Sailor Moon responded. "Didn't they talk earlier about pumping sea water into those reactors? That sounds like a good idea."
"It has dangers as well," Mercury explained. "The salt in the sea water will corrode the containment chamber over time if left in there, potentially creating another disaster down the road. Also the salt will react chemically with the fuel rods, creating isotopes that can be potentially harmful."
"Then what can be done? That's got to be better than letting that core melt into the ground," Jupiter stated.
"I agree. Flooding the chambers with sea water is the best of several less than desirable options at the moment," Mercury nodded. "But if that's what we're going to do, we need to do it NOW! Someone at TEPCO or at the government level needs to make a decision!"
Even though the drive back to Tokyo from Fukushima was only a couple of hours, the end couldn't come fast enough for Sailor Mars. Though it was not a pleasant prospect for Sailor Venus, for she remembered the story Ogami-Sensei had told them, to her it was just another battle to be waged. To Mars, it was a personal failure. The spirit of Bachikasai had been entrusted to her Grandfather and he had entrusted it to her. That it returned under her watch privately stung her.
Once the vehicle reached the bottom of the steps to the shrine, Mars flew up the steps. Venus was at her heels, eyes darting back and forth, watchful for any attack.
"Is there some reason we're coming back here?" Venus asked as they mounted the steps and set foot on the grounds of the shrine. "Bachi-boy has already flown the coop."
"I need to make certain that it is Bachikasai first," Mars replied. They both came to a stop by a thick, ancient tree.
"So how many giant lizard demons are there?" Venus shot back. Mars didn't answer. She just held the charred remnants of the sacred binding wards that had circled the tree. "Busted out, huh?"
"He's gone," Mars said, not bothering to conceal her disappointment. "Maybe I can track him."
"What's to track? We know where he'll go," Venus argued. "He's gone gunning for TEPCO execs, because TEPCO owns that nuclear plant. He'll feel they're responsible for - - what did she say he said - - 'letting loose the man-made sun'?"
"Yes, but WHICH TEPCO exec?" Mars queried. "How do we know who the next target is? There's only two of us. We can't guard the entire employee roster of TEPCO."
"If we herd them into a small room," quipped Venus.
Mars ignored the remark and placed her flat hand against her face so it divided it vertically. She closed her eyes and began softly chanting. Venus gave her a curious look, then shrugged her shoulders.
As if summoned, Deimos and Phobos flew out of the trees and perched on either shoulder of the fire senshi. Each crow cawed once, then put its head down.
"Now there's a supper club act you don't see every day," Venus muttered.
Suddenly aware of a presence, Venus turned and found Akira-Sensei standing off about ten paces from them. He was looking directly at Sailor Mars.
"So it's true," he said, to himself more than to Venus. "When the woman in the gown appeared earlier and whisked Hino-Sensei off, I thought I felt the connection again to Sailor Moon. I have wondered about that connection for some time. But this confirms it."
"Confirms what?" Venus asked warily. "Mars is just using, um, Super-Senshi Sight."
"No, she is using a chant only a priest with the second sight would use," Akira-Sensei replied calmly. "And the birds that sit on her shoulders - - one of them will only trust two living humans. So Hino-Sensei wears a different face for different trials?"
"Uh, I'm going to have to give you a great big 'no comment' on that," Venus replied. "It's not my place to say."
"I understand," Akira-Sensei nodded. "Later, when things have calmed, Hino-Sensei and I will talk."
As the priest walked off, Mars came out of her trance. She seemed frustrated. Phobos cawed at her while Deimos cast a wary glance at Venus.
"I can sense him," Mars said, "but not so I can pinpoint his location. It's like he's - - at low energy ebb."
"Maybe he has to rest after an attack," Venus suggested. "Remember how long it took him to get from Hiroshima to Tokyo way back when? We're just going to have to apply some logic to this situation. Tokyo's a pretty big haystack to be searching through."
"Logic? You?" Mars needled.
"I admit it's not my strong suit," Venus smirked. She brought up her senshi communicator. "Fortunately I have an ace in the hole. Oh, Artemis," she cooed.
"She's buttering me up, Luna," Artemis was heard over the communicator. "Here comes the kick in the backside."
Steam belched from the coolant towers of the three crippled nuclear reactors. Sailor Jupiter watched the steam cloud with dread, a little voice inside of her whispering that it was the end of everything. She thought of Akiko and Ichiro at home, waiting and wondering where she was, when she would come back to them. She thought of Sanjuro and longed to burrow into his strong, massive frame where she could be safe and not have to be the strong one.
A gust of wind pushed the steam cloud in the direction of the Pacific Ocean, dissipating it somewhat and reducing its immediate menace. At least it wouldn't descend upon them, spreading that invisible, unknown yet terrifying goblin known as radioactivity. But what would it do to the ocean and the life that lived within it? What long term menace was being bred this day?
Her attention was caught by a flurry of activity. She heard Sailor Moon gasp out loud. A small group of men in radiation suits were scurrying to the plant, a gurney and medical supplies in their hands. Jupiter could feel Sailor Moon's anxiety. She could sense Mercury's attentiveness as the woman's medical instincts kicked in and fought with her depression for control of her.
Tense moments passed. Every second where nothing happened increased the anxiety everyone felt. As other men in radiation suits began filing out of the plant and toward the decontamination station, on-lookers watched and wondered. The TV crew from NHK taped from the edge of the evacuation zone. Dietman Hino was in another animated discussion with the TEPCO liaison. A member of the Emergency Response team was on a handheld radio.
"What do you suppose happened?" Sailor Moon wondered. "You don't think somebody was killed, do you?"
"It's hard to know, Hon'," Jupiter replied. "I hope not. Maybe someone was just overcome by the heat. It's got to be pretty hot in there."
Moments later a procession of emergency workers and plant personnel emerged from the building. On the gurney they wheeled was a man. An audible gasp rose up from everyone. Even at the great distance, they could tell he was in bad shape. Mercury brought up her computer.
"Oh dear," she whispered. Sailor Moon jerked around and stared pensively at her. "He's suffered third degree radiation burns."
"Is he going to die?" Sailor Moon cried.
"It's possible," Mercury said, bowing her head. "Regardless, he's facing a great deal of suffering. Those burns must be debrided immediately. And he'll be scarred for the rest of his life. Couple that with the radiation exposure he's undoubtedly suffered. . ."
Movement made Mercury look up. Sailor Moon had lunged for the nuclear plant. However, Jupiter had swiftly intercepted her and held her in place with an arm crooked around the senshi's waist.
"Jupiter, let me go!" wailed Sailor Moon. She fought to get free, but had no hope of besting Jupiter's superior strength.
"You can't, Hon'!" Jupiter pleaded with her friend.
"I have to! I can't let anyone else get hurt! I don't want to see anyone else hurt!"
"You'll fry to a crisp, just like that poor man did!" Jupiter argued. She had her other arm hooked under Sailor Moon's arm.
Sailor Moon struggled some more, then finally went limp in Jupiter's arms. Jupiter eased up and the weight of Sailor Moon dragged them both to a kneeling position.
"Then what good am I?" sobbed Sailor Moon. "What good am I doing? Why am I here? What's the point of having this power? What?"
Jupiter covered her protectively and let her cry. She didn't have any answers. All she had were lightning bolts and a strong back.
It took some time to sift through the personnel roster of Tokyo Electric Power, whittle the list down to those executives in charge of the nuclear energy division and build a hierarchy of who was over whom in the decision-making process. Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus waited anxiously, Mars hovering near the tree that had held Bachikasai for over sixty years. Phobos sat on Mars' shoulder while Deimos perched in a nearby tree and cawed repeatedly.
"I wonder how Sailor Moon and the others are doing," Mars wondered suddenly.
"They'll handle it," Venus offered. "We've handled everything thrown at us so far." She glanced down. "Well, except for that tsunami - - and that nuclear plant. Man, I used to be good at pep talks."
"I wonder how Mamoru's handling it."
"Artemis says Luna told him Mamoru couldn't take it anymore," Venus reported. "He got in his car and is driving up to Fukushima."
"Must be nice having someone who cares that much about you," Mars sighed.
"Yeah, it is," Venus whispered, thinking of her wrecked marriage.
"Got your list, Venus," Artemis reported.
"'bout time," she replied. "Mercury probably would have had it in five minutes."
"Mercury has better equipment than I do," Artemis shot back. After a moment, he realized what he'd said. "Let it go, Venus," he warned.
"Spoil sport," Venus smirked. "So which one of the people on this list is our victim?"
"Uehara - - number six," Artemis answered. "I've cross-referenced the addresses of the others on the list. You figure he's going to attack in order of importance?"
"Could be," Venus responded. "But that wasn't his pattern back in World War II. He sort of attacked as he went, with the ultimate goal being the American General who was in charge of the occupation."
"Yeah, that fits," Mars nodded. "Especially if he has to go into a low energy cycle after an attack. Under those conditions, he'd be more likely to attack the closest target he found that fit his criteria for responsibility."
"And that golf course isn't far from the shrine," Artemis added.
"Who's next closest on the list?" Venus asked.
"Takahara, number thirty-six," Artemis replied. "But he's just a low-level manager."
"And most of the people it killed in World War II were low level soldiers. Doesn't matter," Mars countered.
"Then let's go," Venus nodded. Together they headed off.
"But what if someone else on the list is at a closer location?" Mars asked as they ran down the street past staring and pointing Tokyo citizens. "We're assuming everyone is at home right now."
"It's our only lead," Venus argued. "Unless something else comes up, or Bachi-Boy makes his move, we have to play this one."
Arriving at the Takahara home, the senshi determined that Bachikasai had not been there. To avoid telegraphing their presence to Bachikasai when he attacked, the pair took refuge in a tree across the street from the home. There they could observe in secret and surprise the demon when he arrived. It was a good plan in the afternoon.
By nightfall, though, opinions had changed.
"Man, this blows," sighed Venus.
"That's the fourteenth time you've said that," Mars said thinly.
"You counted? How anal are you?"
"I wish I had a ward that would cover your mouth."
"This isn't going anywhere," Venus assessed. "Maybe we should pack this in."
"No," Mars shook her head. "I'm feeling his presence. He's not close - - but I think this is his next target."
"Then why hasn't he moved yet? Artemis hasn't reported any other attacks in the city. You think he's made us?"
"It's possible," Mars answered. "Or maybe he's still rest . . ."
She stopped and sat up straight. That got Venus on the alert. Cautiously they looked around. Nothing seemed to be there. And then suddenly there was something moving at them in the tree. Mars dived forward. Venus fell backwards, avoiding the impression of movement and the two senshi tumbled out of the tree onto the ground below.
Quickly the two senshi scrambled to their feet, crouching defensively. In the middle of the street, shadowed by the approaching night, was a giant dragon-like lizard. Venus glanced at Mars and saw the recognition on her face, not recognition of appearance but recognition of spirit. This had to be Bachikasai. Her estimation of Sakura Ogami's prowess went up, for this creature was out of a childhood nightmare.
"You are connected to the priest who bound us to the tree!" hissed Bachikasai, glaring malevolently at Sailor Mars. "We sense the kindred spiritual energy! Be warned! We have no quarrel with you, but if you seek to stop us, we will slay you!"
"And I am bound to protect life and oppose your intentions!" Mars proclaimed. "If you choose to go to your rest, angry spirits, I will provide you comfort and guidance! Otherwise we are destined to fight! Mars! Flame Sniper!"
The fiery bow formed in her hands as Sailor Mars brought it to bear. The flaming arrow pointed at the crouching lizard and it hissed defiantly at her. Venus was ready should she miss, but she didn't anticipate Mars missing. Bachikasai lunged for her with unexpected speed for a creature its size. Mars stood firm and let loose her arrow. It sped true and struck the beast in its scaly side. But the arrow exploded in a plume of flame and snuffed out.
"What?" gasped Mars. Bachikasai was almost upon her.
"Venus! Love And Beauty Shock!" Venus shouted. Golden energy slammed into the gigantic lizard, knocking him aside before he could get to Mars. The beast rolled several times, then scrambled to its feet.
"I don't understand!" Mars said in shock. "That arrow should have pinned it down so I could bind it!" Then her eyes widened. "Ogami-Sensei's family sword! It must be still lodged in that demon!"
"Yes, the sword the priest sought to use to slay us is still within our body!" Bachikasai hissed. "We have bonded with it and have grown much stronger over the years. We are more than a match for your spiritual energy now, disciple of Ogami. Run! Run and we will choose not to tear you to pieces!"
Rather than react with the fear Bachikasai expected, Mars' response was one of anger and offense. Venus recognized the look and knew the fight had just started.
"BURNING MANDALA!" Mars roared.
Sacred symbols etched by flame formed around the demon. It pulled back in surprise as fire erupted from the symbols, surrounding and trapping it in a mystic circle of hungry fire. Angrily Bachikasai roared at the flames. The two senshi thought they had the demon trapped.
Then Bachikasai crouched and leaped through the fire. Its scaly hide was scorched and it roared its displeasure. But it landed outside the mystic circle, unhindered by its spiritual presence and undaunted by the wall of fire.
"Clearly he's been working out while he was in that tree," Venus commented.
"Ogami-Sensei's sword is neutralizing my spiritual ability," Mars assessed. "You're going to have to put it down. Once you get it down, I should be able to bind it."
"Should?" Venus asked.
"I can't guarantee anything right now," Mars responded.
And Bachikasai lunged, talons out and teeth bared.
Continued in Chapter 11