Sailor X #8 Order or Chaos
By: John Brengman
Edited by: Thomas Schell
"Order versus Chaos …choose one."
- Marcus (Shadow)
Babylon 5
Baltic Sea Near Latvia 3:24 AM
A UN helicopter skimmed over the surface of the ocean, its rotors whipping the sea into a seething froth as it passed. The three people aboard the chopper had to restrain their excitement. After weeks of training and exercises, they were on a true mission. The mission might be a simple rescue or recovery of a downed pilot, but it was a mission nonetheless.
Composite radar screens were activated, showing the land mass of Europe to the south and east, blips of ships as they went about their business in the transit lanes, along with their own location. The radar pinged loudly as the small scanning dish atop the chopper made a revolution.
A new object entered the extreme range of the radar, and it was tagged with an ID number and a location.
"Sir," the co-pilot said. "New transient object, ID number 436, bearing zero-one-six, angle down thirty-five."
"Any movement from the transient?" The pilot asked.
"No," the co-pilot replied. "Range, seven miles and closing….picking up tight-beam UN distress signal…"
A third man was sitting in the back compartment of the chopper. At a signal from the pilot, this man would open the chopper's side door and drop a grab line to the downed person. He busied himself by readying the gear now.
As the distance closed, the co-pilot counted down their ETA, until finally, "We're coming up on the signal now. It's about thirty yards forward and starboard."
"Switching search light," the pilot replied. A bright light lanced out from the chopper into the darkness and stabbed at the roiling surface of the ocean. The co-pilot steered the search light using his radar fix as a guide, until the light centered on a wind-whipped figure surrounded in the bright orange of a life-preserver.
"Got it!" The co-pilot yelled. "Locking the beam."
"Okay," the pilot said. He then nosed the chopper forward until the search light pointed straight down at the water-logged figure.
Turning his head to one side, the pilot looked at the third man, who was already opening the side door.
"Roll out the red carpet."
The figure was quickly brought aboard the chopper and placed on a cot behind the pilot's seat. The
co-pilot did a cursory medical exam. "A mild case of hypothermia," he reported, "but nothing modern medicine can't fix."
After a spasm of coughs, the drenched pilot awoke and took a quick look around. She wiped her hair back from her face and fixed both soldiers with a glare.
"I am Tenoh Haruka, commander of the Second Air Wing, currently based at Havel Air Base, in the Czech Republic."
The co-pilot took this opportunity to return to his seat. He looked over at the pilot as he did so. "Radio to base. We've found her."
When the remaining soldier did not answer immediately, Haruka asked, "Who are you?"
"The man responsible for ordering your mission," Air Marshall Irwin replied.
"May I ask why you took such an interest in my recovery?"
Irwin ignored the slight neglect of military protocol. The truth was, the military did not quite know where to place the Moon Kingdom in its hierarchy, since the Kingdom and the Luna Foundation wished their existence to remain a guarded secret.
"This mission was important to the security of the United Nations, and the maintenance of law and order," Irwin replied. Haruka could tell that the man was not sure he believed his own words. "As such,"
he continued. "It was important that no "loose ends" be left, and that included the pilot who flew the mission."
Irwin paused for a second, then: "May I ask you a question?"
When Haruka nodded, he went on, "Why did you order your squadron to stay on the base?"
"What?" Haruka asked.
"Why did you fly this mission alone?" Irwin asked. "If the entire squadron had flown, you would have completed the mission without having to ditch a specially-built plane that cost more than a few million dollars to build…"
"Well damn," Haruka growled. "You can bill me."
"Now wait a minute," a flustered Irwin started to say, but Haruka cut him off.
"If you are going to do more of these missions, then that is how they are going to be done," Haruka stated. "These missions have one purpose…to kill people. Those kind of missions are something I don't want the rest of the squadron caught up in. So, if there are going to be more of these missions, or any UN missions in the future involving my squadron, you are going to have to take them up with me."
"Are you saying that you won't be doing any more UN missions?" Irwin asked.
"I am saying that as the commander of this particular air wing, my superiors will probably not approve of missions which involve the killing of innocents. You will be very lucky if the only thing they ask for is our reassignment to another base."
"We'll see." Irwin said. The remainder of the trip to Havel Air Base was largely a silent one.
== SM ==
The Medical Center at
The Luna Foundation
Amy took a cloth and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The overhead lights that had been brought into this portion of the base's hospital illuminated the bed she was working at, and the body of the woman who lay upon it.
Queen Serenity's body lay covered with a green sheet. Her face was masked by oxygen breathing gear that sat beside the bed.
An incision had been made in Serenity's abdomen, and Amy had spent the last six hours repairing damage that had been caused when the roof of the throne room had collapsed upon the queen.
There was damage that she could not repair however, and she tried to face that fact as she started to close the incision.
Almost before the first stitch was sewn, Amy's nurse inquired, "What about the spinal damage?"
"There's nothing I can do," Amy said quietly, although inside she screamed, "It's not supposed to happen like this!"
After a brief pause, the nurse tried again. "What about the bones?"
Amy fixed the nurse with a quick stare. "I'm a doctor, Jim…not a miracle worker. I won't be needing any other assistance here. Attend to your other duties."
A frown crossed the man's face. Amy was sure he was thinking of how the queen would spend the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair. It was so unfair.
The nurse left, and Amy finished the stitches, pausing every so often to wipe the tears from her eyes.
== SM ==
"You're trying to force us to decide which of
you is right…..but what if
the right choice…is not to choose at all?"
- Captain John Sheridan
Babylon 5
Bethany Dell's House 11:04 PM
South Side of Tokyo
"I don't believe this," Bethany said as she and some of the others watched the riots on the television.
On the screen, rioters were throwing stones at police in front of the Macross Building, which was nearly totally engulfed in flames.
"What's not to believe?" Cass said. "This is live TV"
Sandra stood at the window and looked to the north. Through the overcast sky and the light rain, she could see several fires to the north. "It's unbelievable alright," she said.
"See! Sandra agrees with me!" Cass yelled triumphantly. Vanessa shrunk back in her chair at this outburst.
"Please contain the insanity," Bethany said as she and Brandy entered the room carrying milk and cookies. Brandy set the munchies down on the coffee table in front of the plush couch and looked around. "Now, what was all the celebrating about?"
"Sandra agrees with me!" Cass yelled again.
"A true accomplishment," Vanessa quipped. She got a glare from Cass for that remark.
Sandra looked over at Cass. "I wasn't talking about the TV."
"Oh…" An almost visibly diminished Cass sat back on the couch.
"I assume there was a point to the remark though," Vanessa said. Sandra stopped herself from admonishing Vanessa about respect for the leader of the Sailors…it would be nearly pointless…Vanessa didn't respect anyone she didn't feel was as smart as she was. What mattered to Sandra was that Vanessa would follow orders when asked.
"Can anyone tell me the causes of this rioting?" Sandra asked. Dead silence answered the question.
"Exactly," she said.
"This isn't like the Food Riots or the other protests against the UN?" Brandy asked.
"The Food Riots occurred because of the lack of food in Tokyo following the earthquake of April, 2012."
Vanessa said. "The Outreach Protests were caused by the passage of the UN Outreach Code of 2010. People thought that the passage of the code signaled the beginnings of a world unity dominated by the UN." All of them knew that much about what was still relatively recent history.
Vanessa continued. "Although the Food Riots came close, neither they, nor the Outreach Protests were as large as this latest outbreak of unrest is."
"The Outreach Protests are still going on," Cass reminded the group.
"Yes," Vanessa said. "But they are treated like protests in front of the White House in the US are. They are mostly for show, and not a lot of attention is paid to them."
"I went to that protest a couple of times," Bethany offered. When the others gave her funny looks, she quickly went on the defensive. "Hey, it was our way of rebelling against our parents!" She said, referring to her and her twin brother. Bethany's parents worked for some time with the UN.
"And so begins the Secret Lives of Sailor Scouts," Vanessa remarked.
"She points out something though," Sandra said, defending another friend. "These protests are about a subject that was being protested a lot more peacefully only a few days before now. This whole thing doesn't make sense."
"And then there was the attacks at the palace," Cass added.
"What are you suggesting?" Vanessa asked.
"This whole thing is wrong," Sandra said. "Plus, I am getting an impression of singularity, of unity."
"From where?" Brandy asked.
"From out there," Sandra replied as she pointed out the window. "There is so much hatred out there that my telepathy is picking it up…But it feels like only one or two people are involved."
"Could you be wrong?" Bethany asked.
"Of course," Sandra murmured as she concentrated on her mental powers. "But the more I concentrate on it, the more sure I am. It is two sources causing all of this."
"It could be the Negaverse," Brandy said. "Jedite used to pull mind tricks all the time."
"But what is their target?" Cass asked.
"If this is the Negaverse," Sandra replied, "they have already hit their target." Silence filled the room as they remembered the fire at the palace.
"So what do we do about it?" Cass asked.
Sandra stepped to the center of the room. "Let's go shake them down," she said grimly.
== SM ==
The Medical Center at 1:47 AM
The Luna Foundation
A shadowy figure passed through the door into the Medical Center and allowed it to silently close. It paused to look around the darkened room. Control boards beeped and whirred and blinked to no one in particular, and monitoring devices lent their audible and visual cues to the mix that permeated the background.
The shadow figure noticed all of this. It noticed the remaining patients who were recovering from burns or other injuries suffered during the fire. It also noticed that Amy lay in one of the beds…she had promised not to leave the Medical Center until the queen was able to do so.
The queen and her doctor were both exhausted.
The shadow form turned to the left and entered the isolation ward where the queen rested. The monitors above her head and at her wrist gently illuminated her body in pale flickering. The shadow form studied the diagnostics….and noted the queen's prognosis.
"This can't be allowed," the figure thought as she laid her right hand gently on the queen's shoulder. The shadow figure and the queen began to glow with a dull blue glow. After a few minutes, the glow faded, and the figure studied the diagnostics.
Satisfied with the results, the shadow turned and left the Medical Center.
== SM ==
"They will not follow you if you are dead."
- Shadows
Babylon 5
The Top of the Animanga Building 11:53 PM
The Animanga Corporation was formed in 1999 after large numbers of complaints surfaced regarding the quality of foreign language dubs that were produced from Japanese-made original anime and manga. The company had grown with the underground growth of the anime market, and it was now one of the main producers of anime in Japan…with subsidiary offices in Los Angeles and London.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Sailor Mars asked as she landed the shuttle on the roof.
"Yes," Sailor Moon replied softly. "We are very close to one of the sources." She opened the side hatchway of the shuttle and jumped out, followed by the others. They spread out and started to search the top of the building for any clues to the identity of their prey. The area was full of vents, ductwork, crawlways, and corners. Any of these could hide someone…or something.
The search ended about five minutes after it began, when Sailor Moon saw a dark-clothed figure standing near the edge of the building. A thick red fog drifted around his feet. Tapping her wrist communicator twice to signal the other Sailors, Sailor Moon approached the figure.
"Nice view," Sailor Moon stated matter-of-factly.
"I like it," the villain said.
"Do you come here often?" Sailor Moon asked, "or do you only visit during the really exciting riots?"
"You don't understand," the villain replied. "I am Malik, and I am not simply an observer of these riots…I am their master."
"Yeah, right!" Sailor Jupiter goaded from her perch atop the building's penthouse. "You're responsible for this?" She laughed at that thought.
"Yeah," Sailor Venus quipped as she rounded a nearby corner. "You forgot to sign in with us!"
Malik seemed to ignore the insults. "Really," he said. "It's quite simple. I borrow the hatred that ordinary people have, in this case toward the UN, I amplify it, and I give it back."
"So you are the cause of this," Sailor Moon replied.
"Yes," Malik said, "and now that you know my secret, you will have to die."
The fog around Malik's feet swirled upward and surrounded the Sailors. It seemed to penetrate their skin. Venus stumbled as if she were drunk.
"Good," Malik said. "And now I will demonstrate that I am, in fact, the cause of the riots….." He paused to approach Sailor Moon. "I sense that you do not know your team-mates very well. They are suspicious of each other, and you. Suspicion breeds hate…." Now his voice echoed. "Feel the hate, my friends. Bask in it. Let it flow from you!"
The Sailors drank in the fog that Malik exuded. When he was certain they were under his control, the fog faded away. "Now, how do you feel?"
He was answered with "MARS FIRE…IGNITE!" The primal fire slammed into Malik and he was driven backward against the railing. The fire scoured the villain for a few moments, then vanished.
After Malik recovered, he struggled forward. "Why? Why didn't it work?"
Suddenly Sailor
Moon stepped forward and grabbed him by what passed for his collar. "You are a
fool!"
She growled. "Sure we are just getting to know each other, but I would put my
life in their hands, and they would do the same!"
Shaking Malik, Sailor Moon grinned a wicked smile. "If there's someone we hate or distrust, it's you!" With the other Sailors looking on dispassionately, Sailor Moon pronounced judgement. "You have inflamed the passions of the people beyond what they really are. You have made them kill dozens of innocent people! You have attacked me, my family, and my friends!"
Malik tried to struggle out of Sailor Moon's grip, but it was no use.
"In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!" With that, Sailor Moon threw Malik off the building. His death scream seemed to echo up at her and the others as they watched his body plummet to the concrete sidewalk. He landed on his neck twenty-six stories later and his skull was crushed. In all of the rush from the nearby riots, he was then trampled by ruffians who were fleeing the scene from newly-arrived police reinforcements…
== SM ==
The Medical Center of 8:05 AM
The Luna Foundation
Amy awoke from her sleep and got herself something to eat from the food dispenser in the Medical Center. As she sat down to eat, her nurse walked by and entered the queen's isolation ward.
A few seconds later, Amy was startled when she heard a clipboard drop to the floor and a shout of excitement. "Doc! Get in here! You won't believe this!"
Amy stood
flabbergasted at the sight in front of her. On the bed sat an awake,
fully-aware Neo-Queen Serenity who was quite confused at all the attention she
was getting. She then noticed that she was not quite dressed, and she glanced
at Amy. "Does he have to be here?" She asked, pointing at the nurse.
Jim looked over at Amy, who nodded her permission to leave the room.
After the nurse left, Serenity rose to her feet and snatched a robe from the next bed.
When she leaned to grab the robe, Amy noticed that the incision had not only completely healed…but there was no scar…
== SM ==
United Nations HQ – New York 9:02 AM
The general had just put the phone receiver back on its hook and turned to consult with Air Marshall Irwin when three shapes shimmered into view in front of both of them. Irwin recognized Haruka as one of them. While he did not recognize the others, all three wore the same form-fitting, short uniforms.
"These must be the 'superiors' she was talking about," Irwin thought as the general rose from his chair to protest.
"How dare you simply pop in here without an invitation!" He yelled, forgetting that he did not know how these intruders had managed such a feat.
Sailor Moon stepped forward. "I'm sure you have met Sailor Uranus," she said, gesturing to her comrade to her left. "My other friend is Sailor Mars. I am Sailor Moon."
"Glad to meet you," the general said wryly. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"There are two things I need," Sailor Moon replied. "The first is that the air wing attached to the Crystal Palace will be relocated off-planet
"That is in violation of the agreement between the Luna Foundation and the United Nations!" The general stammered.
Sailor Moon stepped forward and nearly came nose to nose with the general. "I am altering that agreement, you murderous son-of-a-bitch! You will give the order relocating the air wing, or I will give the
order releasing everything we know about this operation and the attack on St. Petersburg, and by the end of the week there won't be enough left of the UN to scoop up with a spatula!"
"You can't threaten us!" Irwin protested.
Sailor Moon turned to him. "Oh really?" She quipped sharply. "I can do a lot when I put my mind to it."
"I wouldn't tick her off," Mars advised. "She's had a really bad day."
Sailor Moon stood back and tapped her wrist comm. "Get ready to pull us out, Sailor Jupiter." The three women backed up toward the back of the office.
"Remember what I said," Sailor Moon warned.
Irwin tried again. "We don't follow orders from you, or the Luna Foundation," he said.
Sailor Mars pulled a video cassette from a carry-all she was carrying and tossed it to the general.
"By the way,' Sailor Moon said. "My second request is on that video tape, followed by the report we will release if you don't comply." She paused, then added, "Consider these your first orders from the Moon Kingdom. You would do well to obey them."
With that, the three Sailors vanished.
== SM ==
"In our top story, United Nations spokesmen said today that the near-destruction of St. Petersburg was
caused by a rogue air pilot who sided with the anti-UN faction," the newscaster said.. "UN naval forces are
searching the waters off Latvia for any remains of the pilot or plane. Although the anti-UN faction in St. Petersburg denies involvement in the bombing of the city, there is no information at this time to determine who was behind the attack.
"In other news, national defense forces have been called in to assist local police in subduing the riots which have disrupted the center of Tokyo for the past three days. Officials in Tokyo say that they are rapidly gaining the upper hand on the situation, and that the riots should be over by this time tomorrow… On world stock markets, the Dow reacted to the police announcement with a sharp gain….."
Fanfic ã1999 – John Brengman and Artemis Publishing
Sailor X series inspired by Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon,
ã 1992 by Toei Animation Co Ltd. and based on Kodansha's
manga production of "Sailor Moon", written by Naoko Takeuchi
This fanfic is freely distributed. Release date: January 11, 1999
Release: 3rd Edition: Released on January 22, 2001