Version 1.0 - 19th Jul 1998
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B I S H O U J O S E N S H I S A I L O R M O O N
A C R O S S T H E B O R D E R
by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page)
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Disclaimer - This is a story containing characters who were created
by anyone but me. That anyone would happen to be Takeuchi Naoko.
Handle it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
W H A T H A S G O N E B E F O R E
The DEATH SAILORS, TSUKINO USAGI III, HINO REI JNR and PROFESSOR
MIZUNO AMI, operatives of PRESIDENT SERENITY and the REPUBLIC
OF SURREALISM, have survived what is, for them, a dangerous trek
through their capital city, even if a very short one. Enemies lie
in wait at every turn, ready to kill them, and their only hope is to
reach the prepared safe houses that dot the capital.
Surving such an ordeal, they began a debriefing session with their
President when the LADY LUNA DE SADE makes an appearance. Luna is
to be their guide throughout the region known as NEMESIS GATE, where
their next target, the Reality Extremist leader, ADAM JADE, is
planning to gather together all the terrorist groups dedicated to
the cause of reality.
The relationship between Lady Luna and Usagi is exposed to be less
than friendly, even though Luna had saved Usagi from death in the
past after a terrorist bomb had killed her family. It is obvious
that Usagi still feels a sense of shame in not having died with her
family, and is taking out that shame on Luna.
Meanwhile, overlooking the scene of Jade's gathering are the
AMAZONESS QUARTET.... Four rogues within the Republic's operative
network. Luna tells the Death Sailors about the Quartet, and they
are less than impressed by the thought that they may have to work
alongside, or worse, in opposition to the four, in the effort to
kill Jade.
Luna also intimates that there is something about the Quartet that
makes them not quite as human as they appear to be. But before they
can discuss the matter further, Realist terrorists, who have been
watching the safe house, explode a car bomb outside in the hope of
drawing in the local constabulary.
Knowing that any search by the constabulary may eventuate with them
getting hurt by the safe house's electronic defenses, Lady Luna and
the Death Sailors scuttle their sanctuary and make a head on attack
on the Realists, escaping into the sewer system.
A single Realist soldier, by the name of DETERN, has pursued them
into the sewers, and has managed to catch up with them....
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"You must think I'm stupid..." Came Detern's voice, as he
leaned against the wall of the tunnel, glancing down at the tripwire
mine that Ami had set, lit by his service torch. "A trap that
obvious.... Even I could see it coming."
"Even I could see it coming." Ami whispered in a mocking
tone. "Does he realise he's putting himself down?"
"Oh be quiet, you fool...." Usagi hissed back, nervously.
Ami shrugged and lifted up the small device she had taken from her
overcoat, thumbing the single orange button that sat within its
curved black plastic with an almost fetishist attraction.
Ignoring her, Usagi swallowed, and jumped out from the
depression in the sewer wall she and Ami had been hiding behind,
firing a round from her double-barrelled revolver into the opposite
wall of the junction, around which Detern was hiding.
The shot ricocheted off the wall and missed his head by
inches, ricocheting from there, down the older sewer branch. He
nervously stared at the mark in the wall where the bullet had
struck, swallowing, then turned and watched as the sparks flew from
the shot's zigzag journey.
Shivering, Detern turned back, his next few words said in a
quavering tone. "That didn't work either...." He lifted up his
rifle as he heard Usagi duck back behind the corner of the
depression.
Ami watched as Usagi shivered, clutching onto her revolver as
if it were her lifeline. "Jeez, I hate these close fights...." The
blond swallowed, closing her eyes, momentarily. She then turned to
Ami and grimaced. "You hear him? 'That didn't work either', he
says...."
Ami shook her head. "This will, though..." She smiled and
pressed the button on the device.
The mines went off, blowing Detern back along the sewer tunnel
for some distance, with shrapnel wounds to his legs. He let out a
short shriek of shock and pain, falling dazed onto the bricked floor
of the sewer, his torch and rifle clattering to the floor beside
him.
He only just managed to lift his head in time to see the roof
cave in on the junction. Dust filled the passage, making it
impossible to see anything, the light cast by the torch smothered,
matching the darkness that overcame his senses as shock set in....
As the dust cleared on the other side of the cave in, Usagi
looked back at Ami, who was pocketing the small device with a wry
smile on her face.
"Don't tell me.... The trip wire was a dummy, right?" Usagi
replaced her revolver back in her overcoat as the realisation hit
her that Ami had been having a lend of her.
"Oh come on...." Ami giggled. "You know me better than that."
Ami picked up her backpack and started after Rei and Luna, who
could still be seen some short distance along the tunnel, her back
receiving some very dark looks from Usagi....
----o
Part Five
Delicate Dance of Death
----o
Jade smiled as he stepped through the foyer of his stronghold,
flanked by his personal bodyguard and several senior members of his
militia, all smiling and applauding his recent speech with much
appreciation.
He smiled back and acknowledged the applause with nods,
knowing, deep down, that they were doing nothing more than trying to
stay in his good books.... Maybe even, hopefully, catch his eye....
Increase the power of their own positions within the militia
establishment. He knew all this, and didn't care. The sounds of
the cheering multitudes, outside, were enough to drown out the
cynicism in his heart.
He had crafted his art well, preaching the half-truths and
pseudopolitical babble that came with the terrirory of being so high
up in an organisation like the Reality Militia. He told then what
they wanted to hear.... Or what they THOUGHT they wanted to hear,
for they had no minds or will of their own.... He loved the
applause he received from them, yet despised them for being so easy
to control, to be so deeply unimaginative....
They were tools, he had to keep reminding himself.... It was
a bad craftsman who blamed his tools for his unhappiness.... Or
something like that. He chuckled as he, once more, entered his
office, sighing as he saw Titus, waiting for him.
He turned to his bodyguard and nodded to him purposely. The
tall, broad shouldered young man looked down at him, coldly, and
nodded back, shutting the door on the milling crowd, outside the
office and standing guard. Nobody was going to disturb Jade's
musings, today. Nobody, that was, except Titus.
"I take it you have information for me? Otherwise, you're
a lot smarter than to be waiting for me in my office after such a
raging success." Jade said, finally, after contemplating the silent
woman, clutching her checkboard with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes, and it is not good news." She simpered. The voice sent
shivers down Jade's spine. There were moments where he really
believed she had something for him.... Where her tone and
expression would become suggestive. The very thought of someone
like her having such expressions of preference.... He took a breath
and turned, pacing around his desk and sitting in the large chair,
set behind, with an expansive gesture of disconcern.
"Go ahead, then. Spoil my day for me." He said that with a
smile. Titus raised an eyebrow and grinned.
"The Death Sailors have survived the ambush attempt on the
safe house in Lockheed Moor."
Jade's heart sank, but he kept the smiling mask going.
"Really? How disappointing." He swivelled his chair and looked out
of the window. "They must be quite determined to kill me, then."
"They're Republican operatives, sir.... They're quite
dedicated, and anything but stupid."
"You sound like you admire them."
Titus swallowed. "I admire them? I merely wish we had
someone within our soldiers as experienced and as dedicated as they
are." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. The bastard
always knew which kind of lines to use to upset her. Why was he
always on guard like this? There simply never seemed to be an
opportunity to make her play for him....
"I, too, wish there were such people within my army." He
chuckled. "I would not be as frightened for my future as I am at
this very moment." He turned back to her. "How many days will it
take them, on foot, to reach Nemesis Gate?"
"They have escaped via the sewers. We have a party pursuing
them, right at this very moment."
"That's not what I asked you."
"Via the sewers, sir.... About two and a half days."
Jade clenched his teeth and exclaimed in a manner that
suggested he'd just been bitten by someone. "They should have had
someone covering those sewers."
"Considering the effect the spearhead squad had within the old
school building, in which the safe house was placed, I don't think
it would have made much difference."
"It would have changed the nature of the fight. The sewers
would have made the battle arena just a little more level....
Nowhere to hide... Just shoot and run."
"There are alcoves within the newer sections, sir. That would
have made the situation less equal."
"But Lockheed Moor is NOT one of the newer sections, is it?
It was anything BUT." Jade spat. "If they'd been pinned down in
the old sewers, then we wouldn't be having this conversation, now."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll have the squad leaders replaced with
someone more suitable."
"That's not the point, now, is it? They've managed to escape
into the sewers, and are probably somewhere well along the network
of tunnels, making their way here."
"If they know the sewers well enough not to get lost."
"They wouldn't have scuttled the safe house and run down there
if they didn't know where they were going."
Silence passed between them for close to a minute as they both
made to recover from their verbal stoush. Titus swallowed and
clutched onto her workboard with both hands, tightly. "Well, we'll
soon know how far they've gone.... The pursuit squad is currently
making its way along the sewers."
"For your sake, Titus, and theirs, I certainly hope they catch
them. I don't like the thought of having to deal with them,
myself."
Titus swallowed again, saluted, and left the office.
----o
The small but heavily armed pursuit squad paced through the
old sewer tunnel in as good a tactical manner that could be achieved
in a straight stretch without anywhere to hide. Their shoulder-
mounted spot torches bobbed within the darkness, making their
approach to the cave in look a tad silly. At least, that was what
Detern thought as he opened his eyes and wondered why he was still
capable of seeing something.
"There's someone down there, on the floor." He heard one of
them say. Well, duh.... He thought to himself, trying to sit up,
marvelling the fact that he still seemed to have some semblance of
movement in his legs.
"They're moving. Should we shoot them?" He heard another one
say. There was a sigh from the squad's leader.
"Look at the uniform! It's one of OUR guys, fer chrissakes."
"It was only a suggestion." Said the beleaguered soldier.
Yes, Detern thought to himself, another fine example of the Reality
Militia's intellectuals, that one.
He heard their footsteps approaching, showing less caution as
they saw the cave in. "Jesus! The whole thing's come down." One
of the flank soldiers ran up to the mound of brickwork, cement and
soil that blocked their path.
The squad leader knelt down beside Detern as he managed to sit
up against the wall. "Are you okay?"
"No, I am not okay. They got me with a mine." He winced as
he felt the first telltale signs that things were going to be
painful for a while, forgetting to include the fact that he'd just
about walked into their trap....
"I'd say you're lucky to be alive." The squad leader looked
down at Detern's legs. "Light shrapnel grenade. Made to go bang
with much force than scatter the bits and pieces."
"Made to level the roof of the tunnel, more likely." Detern
clenched his teeth. "You don't happen to have anything that will
make me feel REAL happy for the next few ours on you, do you? This
is beginning to hurt."
The squad leader nodded, and snapped his fingers at the medic,
a small girl who had stood at the rear of the group. As she ran
forward to attend to Detern's wounds and desire for happy juice, the
squad leader stood and unhitched his transceiver from his belt.
"Squad 30 to Youma One, copy?"
"Youma One, Squad 30, we copy." Was his crackling reply. It
was a good thing radio communications were still working this far
underground....
"Youma One, we have found one watch soldier, wounded, within
the sewer tunnels. He was apparently caught out by a mine laid by
the targets.... The tunnel has been subsequently sealed, over."
There were a few silent moments of crackling static as the
squad leader watched his subordinates eye the cave in,
appreciatively. Eventually, he recived a reply. "Well, he's a
silly little man, isn't he? Over."
The squad leader sighed....
----o
"There is no doubt about it, Madam President. The safe house
has been lost...." Serenity's secretary paced the floor of her
office as she leaned her head in her hands, against her desk,
thinking deeply.
"When did communications with the security system cease?" She
asked, her face pale.
"About an hour ago. There was, apparently, an almighty blast,
virtually eradicating the entire safe house and the automatic
gaurd." The secretary put his hands behind his back, sighing.
"Then they scuttled the safe house...." Serenity rubbed her
face with her hands. "Were the militia really that close to
cracking the security?"
"More likely they tried to drag the local authorities into
their fight. In that kind of situation, it would have been only
natural that Lady Luna and the Death Sailors would have chosen to
scuttle the safe house and run."
"Usagi...." Serenity whispered to herself. Her secretary
gave her a quizzical look.
"Did you say something, Madam President?"
Serenity looked up at him, realising that he must have heard
her remark. She put up her hands, smiling nervously. "It is
nothing. I was.... merely thinking aloud."
"You were thinking of Usagi, weren't you?" His tone softened
quite deeply. Serenity swallowed, nodding. "I'm sure she'd
alright, Madam President. She's a lot like you used to be when you
were her age."
"I most certainly hope so." Serenity cast her mind back to
the days when she used to be a member of the Republican
Resistance... "Although, I must say, I only ever seemed to escape
the tighter spots by the skin of my teeth.... That is one thing I
hope she inhe...."
"Madam President!" Her secretary barked. She looked up at
him with surprise. "Need I remind you? The walls have ears."
Serenity opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, nodding.
"I'm sorry. Get our people to the scene as quickly as
possible. I want it confirmed, or not, that Lady Luna and the Death
Sailors are alive and well...."
"Yes, Madam President." The secretary bowed, and strode from
her office.
Serenity sat back, crossing her hands in front of her mouth,
remembering back to the cold days of the civil war, and the child
she bore....
----o
Rei sat on the access ledge as Luna looked down at her wet
feet with much disgust. "This sludge is probably full of the worst
parasites known to medical science.... We'll be ill for years, if
not dead." The noble leaned against the wall on the ledge, now glad
to be away from the running stream of the sewer
"This is just drainwater, you know. It's not as if every
toilet in the city empties into here, or anything."
"You're just trying to make me feel better, I can see it in
your eyes." Luna sniffed and turned back to the door, set into the
wall at the back of the access ledge. "Are we to leave this
disgusting place here?"
"You're kidding, right? This is Bardon Park.... We're
nowhere near Vermion Lock, yet."
"Wonderful." Luna turned up her nose. "I should have
listened to my mother's advice when she told me never to become
involved in politics."
"You were one of the aristocracy.... You weren't going to be
able to avoid it." Rei leaned against her backpack, which she had
removed. "We only stopped here to wait for the others."
"If they're still alive."
"Oh, I'm quite sure they're still alive. That blast we heard
was one of Ami's mines."
"She probably blew herself up with it, in which case we should
expect the enemy to come rounding the corner any minute now."
"Oh ye of little faith."
Luna sniffed. "Experience has taught me never to discount any
possibility."
"Nor has it taught you when it is a good time to voice your
personal opinions." Rei snorted.
"So what if I like to mouth off? At least you know how I feel
about things."
"Oh yes.... Rei nodded, dubiously. "I know EXACTLY how you
feel about things, right at this very moment."
"Trying to kill us off before our time, is she?" Rei and Luna
turned to Usagi as the girl peered around the corner of the ledge,
half smiling. "So typical for Luna.... She never had any faith in
me...."
Luna crossed her arms as Usagi and Ami stepped into view and
jumped up onto the ledge. "Can you blame me? I know you better
than they do." She pointed to Ami and Rei. "I was there when you
made the greatest mistakes of your life."
"Yeah, having you there at the time was one of them." Usagi
snorted as she dumped her backpack next to Rei's, mirroring her by
sitting on the ledge. "The tunnel has been blocked off by the mine.
We aren't going to get any chasing us from that direction." Usagi
nodded back the way they came. Rei looked down into the stream at
the base of the ledge.
"That probably means they'll try and get to us through
accessways like this." She thumbed the doorway behind them. Luna
instinctively back from the door.
"You're kidding? And we've been sitting here for, what, ten
minutes?" Luna swallowed. Rei sighed and shook her head.
"They're probably still pouring over the plans of the sewer
system. Not having posted any soldiers within the tunnels, it is
obvious they never considered this to be a potential escape route,
and therefore wouldn't have a blind idea where to go in the process
of chasing us."
"So it isn't likely they'll have spotted this entrance on the
plans, yet." Ami finished, stepping up to the access door and
running her hand down it. "Should I fix it for them?"
"I think mining it would be, right at this very moment, a bit
premature." Rei mumbled.
"What if the next person who came through that door was a city
maintainance worker? I'm quite sure the President would be happy to
compensate his or her family for the loss of their loved one." Luna
barked in her own inimitable fashion. Ami cringed.
"It was only a suggestion. No need to bite my head off about
it." She stepped over to the ledge and sat down, sulking. Luna
looked down at her, haughtily.
"I think moving on from here, as quickly as possible, would be
the best plan of action, don't you think so?"
The trio looked at each other for a few moments.
"I think she's right, Usagi." Rei said, chuckling, as Usagi
grumped.
"Very well, then.... Let us move out." Luna took a hold of
her backpack, which was sitting at her feet, and started to heave it
over her shoulder. Rei looked back at her, grinning.
"Of course, you can lead the way, if you wish."
"What?" Luna stared at her in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's right. If there are any holes or anything in
the floor of the sewer, we'll soon know when you disappear into the
water's murky depths...." Usagi continued Rei's line, a grin
speading across her face.
"Uhuh.... Down into the deep, dark sludge, where you can play
with your little parasitic friends." Rei snorted.
"I don't need the pair of you to patronise me...." Luna
huffed and secured her backpack over her shoulders.
"Oh my.... You mean it's that dangerous to traverse these
sewer tunnels?" Ami rubbed her chin. Rei, Usagi and Luna
sweatdropped. Usagi put a hand on Ami's shoulder.
"It's okay, Ami.... You can go back to your little
dreamworld, now." She and Rei stood up and surveyed the darkness
of the tunnel ahead with their torches. "How much further before we
reach an accessway like this to Vermion Lock?" Usagi bit her lower
lip, thinking to herself.
"Uh, guys...." They heard Luna say, quietly, but ignored her.
"It's quite a long walk. We'll have to replace the batteries
on our torches before then." Rei took a deep breath as Ami stood up
beside them.
"We could always use the infrared goggles. That'll save on
the batteries, and make us a less easy target to find down here."
"Uh... Peoples...." Luna continued.
"Shh!" Usagi chided her, making a quick glance backwards.
She turned to Ami. "Yes, I think that might be the best idea."
"Uh, I really think you should turn. I have something of a
small problem, here." Luna's voice was rather insistent, so they
did turn, and saw something they didn't want to see.
Two masked soldiers were standing either side of Luna, holding
rifles up to her head, as a third emerged from a ventilation shaft
set above the access door, jumping down and holding the trio at bay
with his own rifle.
As they moved for their own weapons, they heard clicking
noises and splashing sounds from the water channel behind them.
They turned back to the stream to see another ten or so soldiers,
standing in the water, aiming their weapons a the three operatives.
"Oh shit bugger damn." Rei muttered.
"Yes.... Not the best of positions to be in." Ami swallowed
as the three lifted their hands from their weapons, trying to smile
and look unthreatening.
"Nice people...." Usagi croaked pathetically. "We don't want
to mess up your nice, clean sewer, or anything. We'll leave, if you
want...."
"Who are you?" The figure at the front of those standing
within the stream strode forward. The voice was that of a stern
young woman.
"More to the point...." Usagi swallowed. "Who are you?"
The woman paused, lowering her rifle, cautiously. Slowly, she
lifted up her free hand and took hold of the top of her mask,
removing it.
The woman's face was regally attractive, with a soft, round
face with high cheekbones, fringed by dark, wavy hair that had
small, wavy cowlicks, falling across her forehead. Dark eyes
pierced the very souls of the four within the twilight of the
tunnel. She lifted her face and stared at them, arrogantly.
"I am Angelique Petz, commander of the brave soldiers of the
Republic of Darkness. I repeat my question. Who are you?"
END OF PART 5
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ACROSS THE BORDER
In the heat of the day
Many miles away when the
Sun is beating downthe main street.
I'll be waiting at the station,
I gotta move down the line.
They'll be dancing and singin'
And doin' their thing
And they'll be rockin' and rollin'
Until the day is done.
You know I've got to
Make the deadline-
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
The Mardis Gras
Will be blowing strong
And the people dancing
All across the city
I'm leavin' here tonight
I gotta move down the line.
I'm gonna catch a ride
On the 9.05
I'm gonna ride the rails
Until we reach the morning,
Maybe three or four
Hundred miles.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
When the wind is blowing
Softly throught the streets
of a little town
And the music's playin',
You're waitin' somewhere
Over the horizon.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
-Jeff Lynne-
"Across the Border" is the 4th track from the Electric Light
Orchestra's 1977 double album, "Out of the Blue".
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Next Chapter - "The Festival of Ephis"
_________
/ @ \ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page)
/ / ^ ^ \ \ ayanami@internode.on.net
/\
\/ \/
\___________/
/_/ \_\ PU
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
B I S H O U J O S E N S H I S A I L O R M O O N
A C R O S S T H E B O R D E R
by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer - This is a story containing characters who were created
by anyone but me. That anyone would happen to be Takeuchi Naoko.
Handle it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
W H A T H A S G O N E B E F O R E
The DEATH SAILORS, TSUKINO USAGI III, HINO REI JNR and PROFESSOR
MIZUNO AMI, operatives of PRESIDENT SERENITY and the REPUBLIC
OF SURREALISM, have survived what is, for them, a dangerous trek
through their capital city, even if a very short one. Enemies lie
in wait at every turn, ready to kill them, and their only hope is to
reach the prepared safe houses that dot the capital.
Surving such an ordeal, they began a debriefing session with their
President when the LADY LUNA DE SADE makes an appearance. Luna is
to be their guide throughout the region known as NEMESIS GATE, where
their next target, the Reality Extremist leader, ADAM JADE, is
planning to gather together all the terrorist groups dedicated to
the cause of reality.
The relationship between Lady Luna and Usagi is exposed to be less
than friendly, even though Luna had saved Usagi from death in the
past after a terrorist bomb had killed her family. It is obvious
that Usagi still feels a sense of shame in not having died with her
family, and is taking out that shame on Luna.
Meanwhile, overlooking the scene of Jade's gathering are the
AMAZONESS QUARTET.... Four rogues within the Republic's operative
network. Luna tells the Death Sailors about the Quartet, and they
are less than impressed by the thought that they may have to work
alongside, or worse, in opposition to the four, in the effort to
kill Jade.
Luna also intimates that there is something about the Quartet that
makes them not quite as human as they appear to be. But before they
can discuss the matter further, Realist terrorists, who have been
watching the safe house, explode a car bomb outside in the hope of
drawing in the local constabulary.
Knowing that any search by the constabulary may eventuate with them
getting hurt by the safe house's electronic defenses, Lady Luna and
the Death Sailors scuttle their sanctuary and make a head on attack
on the Realists, escaping into the sewer system.
A single Realist soldier, by the name of DETERN, has pursued them
into the sewers, and has managed to catch up with them....
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"You must think I'm stupid..." Came Detern's voice, as he
leaned against the wall of the tunnel, glancing down at the tripwire
mine that Ami had set, lit by his service torch. "A trap that
obvious.... Even I could see it coming."
"Even I could see it coming." Ami whispered in a mocking
tone. "Does he realise he's putting himself down?"
"Oh be quiet, you fool...." Usagi hissed back, nervously.
Ami shrugged and lifted up the small device she had taken from her
overcoat, thumbing the single orange button that sat within its
curved black plastic with an almost fetishist attraction.
Ignoring her, Usagi swallowed, and jumped out from the
depression in the sewer wall she and Ami had been hiding behind,
firing a round from her double-barrelled revolver into the opposite
wall of the junction, around which Detern was hiding.
The shot ricocheted off the wall and missed his head by
inches, ricocheting from there, down the older sewer branch. He
nervously stared at the mark in the wall where the bullet had
struck, swallowing, then turned and watched as the sparks flew from
the shot's zigzag journey.
Shivering, Detern turned back, his next few words said in a
quavering tone. "That didn't work either...." He lifted up his
rifle as he heard Usagi duck back behind the corner of the
depression.
Ami watched as Usagi shivered, clutching onto her revolver as
if it were her lifeline. "Jeez, I hate these close fights...." The
blond swallowed, closing her eyes, momentarily. She then turned to
Ami and grimaced. "You hear him? 'That didn't work either', he
says...."
Ami shook her head. "This will, though..." She smiled and
pressed the button on the device.
The mines went off, blowing Detern back along the sewer tunnel
for some distance, with shrapnel wounds to his legs. He let out a
short shriek of shock and pain, falling dazed onto the bricked floor
of the sewer, his torch and rifle clattering to the floor beside
him.
He only just managed to lift his head in time to see the roof
cave in on the junction. Dust filled the passage, making it
impossible to see anything, the light cast by the torch smothered,
matching the darkness that overcame his senses as shock set in....
As the dust cleared on the other side of the cave in, Usagi
looked back at Ami, who was pocketing the small device with a wry
smile on her face.
"Don't tell me.... The trip wire was a dummy, right?" Usagi
replaced her revolver back in her overcoat as the realisation hit
her that Ami had been having a lend of her.
"Oh come on...." Ami giggled. "You know me better than that."
Ami picked up her backpack and started after Rei and Luna, who
could still be seen some short distance along the tunnel, her back
receiving some very dark looks from Usagi....
----o
Part Five
Delicate Dance of Death
----o
Jade smiled as he stepped through the foyer of his stronghold,
flanked by his personal bodyguard and several senior members of his
militia, all smiling and applauding his recent speech with much
appreciation.
He smiled back and acknowledged the applause with nods,
knowing, deep down, that they were doing nothing more than trying to
stay in his good books.... Maybe even, hopefully, catch his eye....
Increase the power of their own positions within the militia
establishment. He knew all this, and didn't care. The sounds of
the cheering multitudes, outside, were enough to drown out the
cynicism in his heart.
He had crafted his art well, preaching the half-truths and
pseudopolitical babble that came with the terrirory of being so high
up in an organisation like the Reality Militia. He told then what
they wanted to hear.... Or what they THOUGHT they wanted to hear,
for they had no minds or will of their own.... He loved the
applause he received from them, yet despised them for being so easy
to control, to be so deeply unimaginative....
They were tools, he had to keep reminding himself.... It was
a bad craftsman who blamed his tools for his unhappiness.... Or
something like that. He chuckled as he, once more, entered his
office, sighing as he saw Titus, waiting for him.
He turned to his bodyguard and nodded to him purposely. The
tall, broad shouldered young man looked down at him, coldly, and
nodded back, shutting the door on the milling crowd, outside the
office and standing guard. Nobody was going to disturb Jade's
musings, today. Nobody, that was, except Titus.
"I take it you have information for me? Otherwise, you're
a lot smarter than to be waiting for me in my office after such a
raging success." Jade said, finally, after contemplating the silent
woman, clutching her checkboard with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes, and it is not good news." She simpered. The voice sent
shivers down Jade's spine. There were moments where he really
believed she had something for him.... Where her tone and
expression would become suggestive. The very thought of someone
like her having such expressions of preference.... He took a breath
and turned, pacing around his desk and sitting in the large chair,
set behind, with an expansive gesture of disconcern.
"Go ahead, then. Spoil my day for me." He said that with a
smile. Titus raised an eyebrow and grinned.
"The Death Sailors have survived the ambush attempt on the
safe house in Lockheed Moor."
Jade's heart sank, but he kept the smiling mask going.
"Really? How disappointing." He swivelled his chair and looked out
of the window. "They must be quite determined to kill me, then."
"They're Republican operatives, sir.... They're quite
dedicated, and anything but stupid."
"You sound like you admire them."
Titus swallowed. "I admire them? I merely wish we had
someone within our soldiers as experienced and as dedicated as they
are." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. The bastard
always knew which kind of lines to use to upset her. Why was he
always on guard like this? There simply never seemed to be an
opportunity to make her play for him....
"I, too, wish there were such people within my army." He
chuckled. "I would not be as frightened for my future as I am at
this very moment." He turned back to her. "How many days will it
take them, on foot, to reach Nemesis Gate?"
"They have escaped via the sewers. We have a party pursuing
them, right at this very moment."
"That's not what I asked you."
"Via the sewers, sir.... About two and a half days."
Jade clenched his teeth and exclaimed in a manner that
suggested he'd just been bitten by someone. "They should have had
someone covering those sewers."
"Considering the effect the spearhead squad had within the old
school building, in which the safe house was placed, I don't think
it would have made much difference."
"It would have changed the nature of the fight. The sewers
would have made the battle arena just a little more level....
Nowhere to hide... Just shoot and run."
"There are alcoves within the newer sections, sir. That would
have made the situation less equal."
"But Lockheed Moor is NOT one of the newer sections, is it?
It was anything BUT." Jade spat. "If they'd been pinned down in
the old sewers, then we wouldn't be having this conversation, now."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll have the squad leaders replaced with
someone more suitable."
"That's not the point, now, is it? They've managed to escape
into the sewers, and are probably somewhere well along the network
of tunnels, making their way here."
"If they know the sewers well enough not to get lost."
"They wouldn't have scuttled the safe house and run down there
if they didn't know where they were going."
Silence passed between them for close to a minute as they both
made to recover from their verbal stoush. Titus swallowed and
clutched onto her workboard with both hands, tightly. "Well, we'll
soon know how far they've gone.... The pursuit squad is currently
making its way along the sewers."
"For your sake, Titus, and theirs, I certainly hope they catch
them. I don't like the thought of having to deal with them,
myself."
Titus swallowed again, saluted, and left the office.
----o
The small but heavily armed pursuit squad paced through the
old sewer tunnel in as good a tactical manner that could be achieved
in a straight stretch without anywhere to hide. Their shoulder-
mounted spot torches bobbed within the darkness, making their
approach to the cave in look a tad silly. At least, that was what
Detern thought as he opened his eyes and wondered why he was still
capable of seeing something.
"There's someone down there, on the floor." He heard one of
them say. Well, duh.... He thought to himself, trying to sit up,
marvelling the fact that he still seemed to have some semblance of
movement in his legs.
"They're moving. Should we shoot them?" He heard another one
say. There was a sigh from the squad's leader.
"Look at the uniform! It's one of OUR guys, fer chrissakes."
"It was only a suggestion." Said the beleaguered soldier.
Yes, Detern thought to himself, another fine example of the Reality
Militia's intellectuals, that one.
He heard their footsteps approaching, showing less caution as
they saw the cave in. "Jesus! The whole thing's come down." One
of the flank soldiers ran up to the mound of brickwork, cement and
soil that blocked their path.
The squad leader knelt down beside Detern as he managed to sit
up against the wall. "Are you okay?"
"No, I am not okay. They got me with a mine." He winced as
he felt the first telltale signs that things were going to be
painful for a while, forgetting to include the fact that he'd just
about walked into their trap....
"I'd say you're lucky to be alive." The squad leader looked
down at Detern's legs. "Light shrapnel grenade. Made to go bang
with much force than scatter the bits and pieces."
"Made to level the roof of the tunnel, more likely." Detern
clenched his teeth. "You don't happen to have anything that will
make me feel REAL happy for the next few ours on you, do you? This
is beginning to hurt."
The squad leader nodded, and snapped his fingers at the medic,
a small girl who had stood at the rear of the group. As she ran
forward to attend to Detern's wounds and desire for happy juice, the
squad leader stood and unhitched his transceiver from his belt.
"Squad 30 to Youma One, copy?"
"Youma One, Squad 30, we copy." Was his crackling reply. It
was a good thing radio communications were still working this far
underground....
"Youma One, we have found one watch soldier, wounded, within
the sewer tunnels. He was apparently caught out by a mine laid by
the targets.... The tunnel has been subsequently sealed, over."
There were a few silent moments of crackling static as the
squad leader watched his subordinates eye the cave in,
appreciatively. Eventually, he recived a reply. "Well, he's a
silly little man, isn't he? Over."
The squad leader sighed....
----o
"There is no doubt about it, Madam President. The safe house
has been lost...." Serenity's secretary paced the floor of her
office as she leaned her head in her hands, against her desk,
thinking deeply.
"When did communications with the security system cease?" She
asked, her face pale.
"About an hour ago. There was, apparently, an almighty blast,
virtually eradicating the entire safe house and the automatic
gaurd." The secretary put his hands behind his back, sighing.
"Then they scuttled the safe house...." Serenity rubbed her
face with her hands. "Were the militia really that close to
cracking the security?"
"More likely they tried to drag the local authorities into
their fight. In that kind of situation, it would have been only
natural that Lady Luna and the Death Sailors would have chosen to
scuttle the safe house and run."
"Usagi...." Serenity whispered to herself. Her secretary
gave her a quizzical look.
"Did you say something, Madam President?"
Serenity looked up at him, realising that he must have heard
her remark. She put up her hands, smiling nervously. "It is
nothing. I was.... merely thinking aloud."
"You were thinking of Usagi, weren't you?" His tone softened
quite deeply. Serenity swallowed, nodding. "I'm sure she'd
alright, Madam President. She's a lot like you used to be when you
were her age."
"I most certainly hope so." Serenity cast her mind back to
the days when she used to be a member of the Republican
Resistance... "Although, I must say, I only ever seemed to escape
the tighter spots by the skin of my teeth.... That is one thing I
hope she inhe...."
"Madam President!" Her secretary barked. She looked up at
him with surprise. "Need I remind you? The walls have ears."
Serenity opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, nodding.
"I'm sorry. Get our people to the scene as quickly as
possible. I want it confirmed, or not, that Lady Luna and the Death
Sailors are alive and well...."
"Yes, Madam President." The secretary bowed, and strode from
her office.
Serenity sat back, crossing her hands in front of her mouth,
remembering back to the cold days of the civil war, and the child
she bore....
----o
Rei sat on the access ledge as Luna looked down at her wet
feet with much disgust. "This sludge is probably full of the worst
parasites known to medical science.... We'll be ill for years, if
not dead." The noble leaned against the wall on the ledge, now glad
to be away from the running stream of the sewer
"This is just drainwater, you know. It's not as if every
toilet in the city empties into here, or anything."
"You're just trying to make me feel better, I can see it in
your eyes." Luna sniffed and turned back to the door, set into the
wall at the back of the access ledge. "Are we to leave this
disgusting place here?"
"You're kidding, right? This is Bardon Park.... We're
nowhere near Vermion Lock, yet."
"Wonderful." Luna turned up her nose. "I should have
listened to my mother's advice when she told me never to become
involved in politics."
"You were one of the aristocracy.... You weren't going to be
able to avoid it." Rei leaned against her backpack, which she had
removed. "We only stopped here to wait for the others."
"If they're still alive."
"Oh, I'm quite sure they're still alive. That blast we heard
was one of Ami's mines."
"She probably blew herself up with it, in which case we should
expect the enemy to come rounding the corner any minute now."
"Oh ye of little faith."
Luna sniffed. "Experience has taught me never to discount any
possibility."
"Nor has it taught you when it is a good time to voice your
personal opinions." Rei snorted.
"So what if I like to mouth off? At least you know how I feel
about things."
"Oh yes.... Rei nodded, dubiously. "I know EXACTLY how you
feel about things, right at this very moment."
"Trying to kill us off before our time, is she?" Rei and Luna
turned to Usagi as the girl peered around the corner of the ledge,
half smiling. "So typical for Luna.... She never had any faith in
me...."
Luna crossed her arms as Usagi and Ami stepped into view and
jumped up onto the ledge. "Can you blame me? I know you better
than they do." She pointed to Ami and Rei. "I was there when you
made the greatest mistakes of your life."
"Yeah, having you there at the time was one of them." Usagi
snorted as she dumped her backpack next to Rei's, mirroring her by
sitting on the ledge. "The tunnel has been blocked off by the mine.
We aren't going to get any chasing us from that direction." Usagi
nodded back the way they came. Rei looked down into the stream at
the base of the ledge.
"That probably means they'll try and get to us through
accessways like this." She thumbed the doorway behind them. Luna
instinctively back from the door.
"You're kidding? And we've been sitting here for, what, ten
minutes?" Luna swallowed. Rei sighed and shook her head.
"They're probably still pouring over the plans of the sewer
system. Not having posted any soldiers within the tunnels, it is
obvious they never considered this to be a potential escape route,
and therefore wouldn't have a blind idea where to go in the process
of chasing us."
"So it isn't likely they'll have spotted this entrance on the
plans, yet." Ami finished, stepping up to the access door and
running her hand down it. "Should I fix it for them?"
"I think mining it would be, right at this very moment, a bit
premature." Rei mumbled.
"What if the next person who came through that door was a city
maintainance worker? I'm quite sure the President would be happy to
compensate his or her family for the loss of their loved one." Luna
barked in her own inimitable fashion. Ami cringed.
"It was only a suggestion. No need to bite my head off about
it." She stepped over to the ledge and sat down, sulking. Luna
looked down at her, haughtily.
"I think moving on from here, as quickly as possible, would be
the best plan of action, don't you think so?"
The trio looked at each other for a few moments.
"I think she's right, Usagi." Rei said, chuckling, as Usagi
grumped.
"Very well, then.... Let us move out." Luna took a hold of
her backpack, which was sitting at her feet, and started to heave it
over her shoulder. Rei looked back at her, grinning.
"Of course, you can lead the way, if you wish."
"What?" Luna stared at her in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's right. If there are any holes or anything in
the floor of the sewer, we'll soon know when you disappear into the
water's murky depths...." Usagi continued Rei's line, a grin
speading across her face.
"Uhuh.... Down into the deep, dark sludge, where you can play
with your little parasitic friends." Rei snorted.
"I don't need the pair of you to patronise me...." Luna
huffed and secured her backpack over her shoulders.
"Oh my.... You mean it's that dangerous to traverse these
sewer tunnels?" Ami rubbed her chin. Rei, Usagi and Luna
sweatdropped. Usagi put a hand on Ami's shoulder.
"It's okay, Ami.... You can go back to your little
dreamworld, now." She and Rei stood up and surveyed the darkness
of the tunnel ahead with their torches. "How much further before we
reach an accessway like this to Vermion Lock?" Usagi bit her lower
lip, thinking to herself.
"Uh, guys...." They heard Luna say, quietly, but ignored her.
"It's quite a long walk. We'll have to replace the batteries
on our torches before then." Rei took a deep breath as Ami stood up
beside them.
"We could always use the infrared goggles. That'll save on
the batteries, and make us a less easy target to find down here."
"Uh... Peoples...." Luna continued.
"Shh!" Usagi chided her, making a quick glance backwards.
She turned to Ami. "Yes, I think that might be the best idea."
"Uh, I really think you should turn. I have something of a
small problem, here." Luna's voice was rather insistent, so they
did turn, and saw something they didn't want to see.
Two masked soldiers were standing either side of Luna, holding
rifles up to her head, as a third emerged from a ventilation shaft
set above the access door, jumping down and holding the trio at bay
with his own rifle.
As they moved for their own weapons, they heard clicking
noises and splashing sounds from the water channel behind them.
They turned back to the stream to see another ten or so soldiers,
standing in the water, aiming their weapons a the three operatives.
"Oh shit bugger damn." Rei muttered.
"Yes.... Not the best of positions to be in." Ami swallowed
as the three lifted their hands from their weapons, trying to smile
and look unthreatening.
"Nice people...." Usagi croaked pathetically. "We don't want
to mess up your nice, clean sewer, or anything. We'll leave, if you
want...."
"Who are you?" The figure at the front of those standing
within the stream strode forward. The voice was that of a stern
young woman.
"More to the point...." Usagi swallowed. "Who are you?"
The woman paused, lowering her rifle, cautiously. Slowly, she
lifted up her free hand and took hold of the top of her mask,
removing it.
The woman's face was regally attractive, with a soft, round
face with high cheekbones, fringed by dark, wavy hair that had
small, wavy cowlicks, falling across her forehead. Dark eyes
pierced the very souls of the four within the twilight of the
tunnel. She lifted her face and stared at them, arrogantly.
"I am Angelique Petz, commander of the brave soldiers of the
Republic of Darkness. I repeat my question. Who are you?"
END OF PART 5
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ACROSS THE BORDER
In the heat of the day
Many miles away when the
Sun is beating downthe main street.
I'll be waiting at the station,
I gotta move down the line.
They'll be dancing and singin'
And doin' their thing
And they'll be rockin' and rollin'
Until the day is done.
You know I've got to
Make the deadline-
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
The Mardis Gras
Will be blowing strong
And the people dancing
All across the city
I'm leavin' here tonight
I gotta move down the line.
I'm gonna catch a ride
On the 9.05
I'm gonna ride the rails
Until we reach the morning,
Maybe three or four
Hundred miles.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
When the wind is blowing
Softly throught the streets
of a little town
And the music's playin',
You're waitin' somewhere
Over the horizon.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
-Jeff Lynne-
"Across the Border" is the 4th track from the Electric Light
Orchestra's 1977 double album, "Out of the Blue".
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Next Chapter - "The Festival of Ephis"
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/ @ \ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page)
/ / ^ ^ \ \ ayanami@internode.on.net
/\
\/ \/
\___________/
/_/ \_\ PU
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