Disclaimer: The Sailormoon universe belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. This fic and all it's characters belong to me. Do not take their likenesses, names, or plot developments from me. If you do, I will hunt you down... :D
Also, this fanfiction is rated PG-13, bordering on R, for a few reasons: implied situations, language, violence, and general gothic mood. You have now been warned, don't you come complaining to me if any of the above makes you uncomfortable!
~~~
During the age of the Silver Millennium, the Sol System was united in peace
under the rule of the good and kind Queen Selenity of the Moon. But not
just the solar system abided by the rule of the Moon Queen. The entire
galaxy bowed to her will, each smaller system acting as smaller states
under the federal rule. When the Silver Millennium fell, however, the
galaxy was brought to ruination. Once united, now divided, each system
retreated to its own individual rule. Broken beyond repair, exo-planetary
travel ceased. The Sol System only managed to rebuild one planet...Earth.
Other systems were not so lucky, and some died out altogether. The ones
that did manage to retain one or two planets tried to recreate the beauty
of the Millennium, but it was futile. Upsilon Andromedae, the only system
to retain three of its original planets, did manage to unite a small group
of the exo-systems into a vague mirror of the past, but it was nowhere near
the same. Time passed, and slowly the Andromedae system pulled itself into
a working order. All memory of the Silver Millennium was forgotten. Never
again would the galaxy unite in such a way. Slowly, exo-planetary travel
began again, though nowhere near as prominently as before. The galaxy was
broken, true, but it was peaceful. Yet peace cannot survive without war,
and it was only a matter of time before the galaxy would be tried against
the hands of evil once again...
***
The station window looked out onto the vast desert that was Earth 314. The
yellowed sand blew in raging storms across the dunes, obscuring the crater
wall that surrounded the large city of Yisn. The girl standing inside the
station leaned her face against the glass pane and closed her eyes,
imagining the city, her home for the past seventeen years, with perfect
clarity in her mind's eye. The brown, jagged walls of the crater reached
their sharp fingers to the stormy sky to protect the city built at the
bottom of the large hole from the violent winds of the planet. The teen
pictured her house, a large adobe mansion near the center of the city, her
window overlooking the streets and always left open in the heat. Standing
in the shuttle station, gazing out the window in longing, the girl was a
vision of piety, albeit a strange one. At eighteen years of age, the girl
stood tall and proud, her slender figure dressed in high black leather
boots, black shorts and a bright pink sports bra. Her chocolate colored
hair was a spiky crown upon her head, while two long ponytails swung down
her back and around her knees. Tears collected somewhere in her soul, but
long ago they ceased to visit her cool grey eyes. She placed a slender hand
on the window, forever engraving the image in her memory.
"Departure flight to Earth 721 in Upsilon Andromedae now loading. Please
enter into locking bay 4A with tickets readily available." A soft voice
intoned over the speakers. The girl's eyes desperately searched through the
gathering crowd of people at the dock, but they found no one.
Disappointment clouded her eyes.
"Xi," a deep voice called behind her. "Hurry up, it's time to go." With a
sigh, the girl picked up the bag that lay at her feet and swung it over her
shoulder, heading towards the man and woman who had called her name. The
man wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Xi leaned against his chest for
support. The woman rubbed the teen's arm affectionately.
"I know you don't want to leave home, but your father and I need some time
alone to work things out, and Upsilon has the best education process in our
sector...Please don't think we don't love you, we'll miss you like mad. If
all goes well, you'll be home by the end of the year, I promise." Xi nodded
mutely to her mother's comforting words and nuzzled further into her
father's chest. She felt silly, nearly an adult cowering like a babe in the
arms of her parents, but leaving them was harder than expected, as was the
thought of leaving her home planet.
"Xiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!" A shrill voice called through the crowd of people.
Xi looked up hurriedly, and her eyes lit with happiness as she saw a figure
racing towards her at top speed. Quickly she broke away from her father and
dropped her bag, opening her arms as another girl leapt into them. This
girl had nut brown hair that hung around her hips, plaited into hundreds of
tiny braids all secured with colorful beads. Her olive skin was smooth and
contrasted to her golden eyes, which were filling with tears as she hugged
her best friend. In the centre of her forehead was a shining green bindi.
Her clothing was loose and truly put her as one of the gypsy clans
inhabiting the planet. A loose patchwork jacket was her main article of
clothing, colorful and with the sleeves torn from it. The name embroidered
on her bosom pronounced her as 'Tira'.
"I didn't think you'd make it!" Xi exclaimed, burying her face in the
girl's neck as the newcomer's brown braids tumbled onto her face. The girl
chucked and squeezed Xi tightly.
"I promised you I'd be here, Xi Lan, and I always keep my promises." The
girl murmured, grinning broadly as she held Xi out in front of her. A look
of sadness came into the girl's eyes. "But I didn't promise I wouldn't miss
you. Here, I made this for you." She dug in her deep pockets and pulled out
a small box that fit in the palm of her hand. Xi took it gently.
"Oh Tira...I'm going to miss you so much." She felt the threatening lump in
her throat, but quickly pushed it aside. It wouldn't do to be emotional
now; she needed to stay strong. "I'll never find a best friend like you. I
swear, I'll be back within the year." Tira grinned and pulled Xi into
another hug. Xi could feel the gentle drop of tears on her shoulder.
"Don't open it until you're on the flight. Promise me?" Tira choked out
hrough her tears. Xi nodded mutely, hugging her best friend tightly. "It's
something special, so you'll always remember me and so you can find me when
you come back."
"Final call for flight to Upsilon Andromedae, Earth 721. Final boarding
call." Tira released her friend and wiped the tears from her eyes with the
back of her hand.
"That's you, huh." Xi nodded and tucked away the small present Tira had
given her. "You have to write to me. I'll murder you if you don't." she
laughed weakly.
"Only if you write to me too. And keep my parents company, will you?
They'll need a juvenile delinquent around every one and a while, just to
keep them in line." The girls forced a laugh and Xi picked up her bag and
walked towards the locking bay. She fiercely embraced her parents and gave
them her final kisses before stepping onto the loading platform. Three
figures watched sadly as she was loaded into the shuttle. Final waves were
exchanged, and Xi found herself completely alone, for the first time in her
life.
She hated it.
***
Morgan O'Claire watched the people slowly boarding the shuttle. Tucking a
clump of vibrant red shoulder-length curls behind her ear, she hunkered
down in her seat and gazed out of the window at the vast expanses of sand,
grimacing. So this was Earth 314. She was glad she was only staying for the
cross flight. The thought of visiting, much less living in such a bleak
place made her ill. The swirling green sky and grassy hills of her own home
filled her mind and she avoided the morbid desert outside her window.
"Please fasten all items as we prepare for liftoff." The stewardess' voice
said cheerfully over the intercom system. "You will find earplugs in the
compartment over your head. We advise you to use them, as traveling through
the atmosphere is quite noisy and the absence of earplugs may result in
hearing loss. When we have reached space, the captain will turn on the
lights overhead as a signal that your earplugs are no longer needed. Thank
you!"
With bored motions, Morgan placed the plugs on her ears and waited for the
liftoff. A few seats ahead of her, she noticed a girl about her age with
spiky brown hair and long ponytails fumbling with the compartment lock. A
look of determination was on her face as she pounded on the small door that
was access to the earplugs. Morgan took off her earplugs, quickly undid her
seatbelt and went over to the girl. With deft hands she popped open the
compartment and handed the girl the plugs.
"The locks are kinda touchy." Morgan said with a smile.
"So I noticed." The girl said dryly, placing the plugs in her ears. With a
nod, Morgan also placed her plugs back in, and all sound disappeared. The
shuttle vibrated beneath her feet and she scurried back to her seat,
buckling herself back in just as the shuttle began to take off. She leaned
back into her seat, letting the cushions absorb most of the tremors of the
take-off. After years of flying between home and Earth 721 she felt like a
pro compared to some of the people on the ship. Morgan watched the girl
ahead of her with interest. Everything in her manner was cool and
collected, she didn't look phased by the take-off at all, yet Morgan could
see by the grip she held on her armrest that this was her first time in
space. A small smile played on her lips. She was beginning to like this
girl already, though she couldn't exactly say why. Her cold mannerisms were
completely in opposition to Morgan's own style.
The takeoff didn't take long, and soon Morgan gazed out her window at Earth
314, growing steadily smaller as the shuttle began its route to Earth 721.
Morgan looked over at the girl, who was gazing steadily at the seat back in
front of her. The redhead could sympathize with the stranger. The first
time she left home on a shuttle, she was too stunned to realize the beauty
of a flight through space. The overhead lights came on and Morgan took off
her earplugs and went over to the girl again.
"If you look out your window, you can see Earth. It always makes a lovely
picture."
"I realize that. I don't want to look. There is no need." Her cool grey
eyes burned into Morgan's blue ones and Morgan looked away, feeling
abashed. This was absurd! She had done nothing to deserve this girl's cold
shoulder. Valiantly she pressed on.
"My name's Morgan O'Claire." She held out her hand. The teen took it with a
half smile and shook firmly.
"Xi Lan."
"That's an interesting name."
"It's my name."
"So you said." Morgan grinned, taking an empty seat beside Xi. "So why are
you going to the Andromedae system? Or are you just taking a cross flight?"
Xi looked at this cheerful girl and sighed. After going through so much,
this girl wanted to talk about all her problems. Well fine, she'd talk.
"My parents were having some troubles with each other and with me. It was
decided that I should finish up my school term elsewhere. A very far
elsewhere." Xi replied caustically.
"Ouch." Morgan winced sympathetically. "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm
going to visit my dad...my parents have been apart for the past few years
and I guess being on the same planet was still too close for them." Morgan
looked apologetically at Xi's impassive face. "Sorry, I guess I've said too
much. Didn't mean to lecture you on my family history. Anyway, I'm sure
things will work out eventually. They almost always do."
"Not for you." Xi observed, cocking an eyebrow.
"I don't like to dwell on the past. I'd rather dwell on the future." Morgan
said with a shrug.
"Dreamer."
"Label me as you will." A smile passed between the two. Morgan chuckled.
"Maybe I'll see you around when we get to Earth. It's mostly ocean, so
there are only so many places a person can be."
"Ocean..." Xi murmured, trying to picture it. Impossible.
"You should try to nap." Morgan advised as she stood to return to her seat.
"Normally first-flighters want to see the journey, but I assure you,
jet-lag is a pain. It was nice meeting you, Xi."
"And the same to you." Xi watched the other young woman retreat back to her
seat. She looked out her window. Earth 314 was progressively getting
smaller, and Xi smiled. Soon it would disappear into the blackness...maybe,
it would take her with it. She settled back into her seat and tried to
sleep.
***
The shuttle station on Earth 721 was directly joined to the airport, and
hence was one of the busiest places in the city. It contained a small mall
filled with overpriced souvenirs and plenty of food courts and bars. A
young woman in her early twenties sat languidly at the bar, watching as the
people walked by. In one hand she held an empty shot glass, in the other a
lit cigarette. Both were purely for show. A smirk was attached firmly to
the woman's face as she watched with satisfaction the reactions from those
around her. Her bleached blonde hair hung around her shoulders and was
streaked throughout with highlights the color of fresh blood. Her thick
body was clothed in a torn red T-shirt and baggy black pants with multiple
pockets. A wide variety of necklaces adorned her neck, selected to match
the jeweled earrings in her lip, nose and eyebrow. On her arm a black
knotted tattoo resided, curving over thick muscle. A pair of yellow tinted
square sunglasses rested on her nose and her dark red eyes watched people
over their tops. Multiple colored and silver bracelets jangled effectively
on her arms as she watched the gates. She was going to arrive any moment;
the woman could feel it.
"Please stand clear, locking bay 17G is now opening. Flight 1064 from Earth
314 now unloading." The young adult sat up straighter and focused her
attention on the gates. Slowly the people began to file out, but the one
she was looking for never appeared. A nearby flight of passengers walked
through her line of vision. With an exasperated sigh, the woman strained
her neck to see above the crowd when a passing flash of light blue caught
her eye. Startled, woman focused her gaze on the passing crowd. There, the
blue glow was apparent again. The woman quickly put out her unsmoked
cigarette and hopped off her stool, shoving her way through the crowd
towards the vision that only she could see. Was she really lucky enough to
find both of them in one day? The color stopped moving, as it neared a side
wall.
There stood a girl on the verge of eighteen, looking lost and forlorn as
she leaned unsteadily against the wall. She was short and bordering between
huggable and plump. Skin a golden brown color, she appeared Asian, with
silky black hair hanging straight down her back and bangs ruffling over her
eyebrows. Her dark eyes were slightly hidden behind a large pair of glasses
and her full lips were set in a worried frown as she hugged herself
tightly. Behind her thin-rimmed glasses, she scanned the crowd anxiously.
Her observer smiled and chewed on her lip ring as she thought a moment. The
coloring around this girl was so faint, she wasn't sure if perhaps she was
hallucinating. This shy, insecure girl was a great leader? However, with a
pushy traveler bumped against the frightened girl, blue color flared around
her entire figure. There was no question. The young woman approached her
quickly, not forgetting that she still had another person to meet.
"Hello there, my name is Astraea. I've been looking for you, Miss..." The
girl looked up, startled, shy and frightened.
"Oh excuse me." She said softly, pushing her glasses back upon her nose.
"Are you the one I'm supposed to meet? A representative of my school was
coming to meet me today..."
Astraea grinned. This was easier than she had expected. She knew exactly
how to ruse this girl.
"That's me, I'm your representative." Astraea replied, the lie flowing
smoothly. The girl's face washed with relief.
"Thank goodness. My name is Tien Sao." A blush crept across her cheeks and
she gazed down in shame. "Forgive me, you do not look as I suspected you
would. Is your attire normal school wear? It's...different that what I
believed after receiving the list sent to me..."
Astraea cursed silently. She would have known that her eccentricity would
startle such a shy creature.
"Don't worry, the school does issue uniforms that are quite conservative."
Astraea grinned. Tien's blush deepened.
"I hope I haven't offended." She murmured. Astraea shook her head.
"No, no, don't worry about it. I'm not actually directly associated with
the school." She grabbed Tien's arm. The girl looked up in shock as Astraea
dragged her through the crowds. She had just remembered why she was here in
the first place.
"Um, excuse me, Miss Astraea? Where are we going?" Tien asked as she
followed behind the older woman.
"I have someone else I need to pick up, I just hope we haven't missed her."
She responded, shoving through people to get to gate and pulling Tien
quickly behind her. She let go of Tien's arm when she stopped and yanked
off her yellow glasses in frustration. Bay 17G was completely empty. "Shit,
damn and fuck!" she cursed angrily, throwing her glasses on the floor.
"Are you quite all right?" Tien asked, placing her hand upon her chest in a
motion of shock and concern. "I take it the person you were to meet has not
arrived?"
"She's arrived, I can tell. I just missed her, that's all." Astraea sighed
in frustration and picked up her glasses. She turned to Tien and smiled. "I
can look for her as we head out. Let's get you back to the school so you
can get situated." Tien gave a small smile and nod and Astraea shoved her
hands in her pockets before heading towards the exit. Tien followed a short
ways behind her.
"Miss Astraea? Don't we need to go get my bags?" Tien pointed out as they
neared the exit. Astraea cursed. She had forgotten. Playing trickster was
harder than she imagined.
"Of course, how silly of me." She turned towards the escalator that led
down to the luggage collection area. "What gate did you come in from?"
"Shouldn't you know that, seeing how you were sent to pick me up?" Tien
asked softly. Astraea choked. The girl had pinned her again. She was no
good at lying about this. Still, she had to do something to keep Tien from
realizing that she wasn't a representative from school. Astraea was
determined to keep this foreigner with her. She was about to respond when a
bright flash of purple caught her eye. Someone was shouting angrily.
"Hold that thought..." Astraea demanded, rushing into the gathering circle
of people. "Go find your stuff and meet me back here!" she called over her
shoulder to Tien. She elbowed her way to the front of the crowd and saw the
source of the red flare... a young girl of eighteen with spiky brown hair
and two long ponytails arguing with a guard. Beside her, a girl with red
curls and an abundance of freckles tried to calm her down. It seemed to be
working, and slowly the purple haze subsided into an almost invisible hue. In
a huff, the girl shoved through the crowd. Astraea chased after her.
"Wait! Hey you, I need to talk to you!" the hustle of the crowd was too
much, however, and the girl was lost. Astraea bit her lip in irritation.
Today was just not her day. Dejected, she went back to find Tien.
***
Circling the planet Saturn was the icy moon of Titan. Cruel winds blew
across the rocky surface, sending piercing shards of ice in violent winds
across the moon. Not a soul was present.
Yet under the surface, a network of caves contained three prominent life
forms. The Gorgon sisters were triplets, three women with cold green eyes
and blonde hair. The eldest was Queen Regina, who sat upon her throne of
ice with a cold expression, her blonde hair curling around her feet and a
crown of stone upon her head. She and her sisters were watching a pool
filled with water at her feet, encased by a circle of ice stalagmites. The
water flickered with colorful images, and the triplets watched the show
with dark emerald eyes. Then the images disappeared and Regina turned to
her sisters.
"So you see how we cannot yet win a battle in the Sol System. The Sailor
Senshi are too powerful yet. We need target practice." The middle woman
stood by her sister's throne. She wore leather breeches and a tunic, her
hair pulled away on the sides by two strands of leather that crossed over
each other, forming two wraps by her ears. The rest of her hair was cut
short partially past her shoulders, and she tossed a blade back and forth
between her hands.
"We could take them, Sister! You're too cautious!" she growled, snatching
her blade from its flight and jabbing it angrily into the wall. The third
triplet giggled childishly on the floor.
"Amazonia thirsts for battle..." She rocked slowly on the stairs as she
toyed with her ragged blonde hair that hung in matted clumps around her
ears. "Blood to drink, blood to smell, blood, blood, blood..." she giggled
again and gazed up at her sisters with a devilish smile. Amazonia glared at
her and yanked the blade from the wall.
"Shut your trap, Iaia." She snarled, raising the knife menacingly. Iaia
giggled again, stuffed her fist in her mouth and continued to rock as she
grinned like a mad cheshire cat.
"You'll have your battle soon enough, Amazonia." Queen Regina replied
coolly, stoking Iaia's hair as the youngest triplet leaned against her leg.
"I have chosen a system void of senshi to conquer first. They will fall
quickly, but not without a fight."
"And where exactly is this system you speak of, dear Sister?"
"The babes will weep, the mothers die, and on the blood-soaked ground I'll
lie..." Iaia twittered in a singsong voice. The other two ignored her.
Regina waved a hand at the pool and the picture shifted to a three-planet
system.
"Upsilon Andromedae."
***
"I'm sorry sir, I did not see here when I went to pick her up." The young
woman's voice remained calm where normally worry would reside.
"Perhaps you missed the flight, Miss LeGruin. It won't look good on our
records when a student goes missing." The masculine voice was filled with
authority.
"No sir. I understand sir. I shall return to the station if you like." The
two speakers were in the main office of Thadeus Quincy Academy, the most
elite school in the sector under Upsilon Andromedae. The school taught
students up to the age of 21, far longer than any other school, yet the
extra schooling was well worth it. The walls of the office were white and
mostly bare, save for a few select awards of achievement mounted
strategically over the principal's desk.
The principal himself sat in his chair, his hands folded neatly upon his
desk. His hair was slicked back and his suit crisp and spotless. He was
speaking to third year student Cecelia LeGruin. She wore the TQ Academy
uniform, with her pleated forest green skirt hanging neatly around her
knees and her green vest was buttoned over a short white blazer. Her
lavender hair was pulled into two large buns on either side of her head and
long tendrils of loose hair hung by her ears and fell around her mid-torso.
"Don't worry about it, Miss LeGruin. The day is nearly over. You may return
to your dorm if you wish, there is little point in return to final classes.
I shall have one of the staff look into the matter later on." The principal
nodded her dismissal.
"Thank you sir. I'm sorry to cause such trouble, sir." Cecelia bowed and
left the office. The halls of the Academy were empty save for a few
wandering students, and her shoes echoed on the stone floor. Cecelia gazed
out the long rows of windows at the expanse of ocean crashing against the
beach that surrounded three quarters of the academic building. The golden
shine of the setting sun glimmered brightly on the water. Cecelia entered
her dorm building and calmly climbed the three flights of stairs to her
room. As she approached the door sounds of giggles and rough laughter
floated towards her.
She opened the door with a sigh and glanced around. The normally clean room
was littered with half empty drinks, opened bags of chips, dirty laundry,
and an abundance of dirty dishes. Cecelia leaned down and picked up a
freshly discarded blouse and cocked an eyebrow. In the center of the room
with a deck of cards was her roommate Erica Johannson. Her blonde hair hung
around her bare shoulders and her blue eyes squinted with giggles. Her
shoes and socks were tossed to various corners of the room, and her vest
lay recently crumpled beside her. Her large chest bounced as she laughed
gaily, barely contained by the black lacy bra she wore. All that Cecelia
could think was that she was at least still wearing that bra, as well as
her skirt. Across from Erica sat Dean "Castor" Castor, another student in
their class. His shirt had been removed as well. Both held cards in their
hands.
"Honestly, you two." Cecelia groaned as she began picking up the mess. "You
had quite a party in my absence, I see."
"Hey Cece!" Erica greeted her roommate joyously, waving her cards. "We're
playing strip poker, wanna join?"
"No." Cecelia cast a look of displeasure over her shoulder. Dean laughed.
"Of course she doesn't. She just doesn't strike me as the type, don't you
agree Erica?" Erica laughed again and bounced flirtatiously.
"No, I suppose you're right."
"Well congratulations, you read me right." Cece smiled. "I don't want to
play, and I'd rather you play somewhere else. Skipping class to play poker?
How you two got into TQ I have no idea."
"Ouch, that was harsh." Dean mocked offense. "I think you're just afraid to
lose as badly as Erica is losing."
"I think she wants to lose." Cece chuckled. "She's a master when we play
regular poker."
Erica's mouth opened into a perfect 'o' as she batted her eyes. "Castor,
she's lying! Playing regular poker is an entirely different matter!"
"You always play to win!" Cece laughed, tossing the garbage into a large
plastic bag. "Even now, I see, I was mistaken. I guess you really aren't
losing..."
"I'm offended." Erica mocked. She stood and grabbed Castor's hand, dragging
him to his feet as well. "Come on, let's go back to your dorm. I'm sure
we'll get a better reception there." She headed for the door, but Cecelia
tossed the blazer and vest across her path.
"You might want to get dressed first, in case any teachers see you." She
recommended. Still faking a huff, Erica and Castor quickly dressed
themselves and headed for the door again. "Don't get too naughty, you two."
Cece called as they left. Erica leaned her head back in and blew her a kiss
before finally ducking out.
Cecelia shook her head. The campus playboy and playgirl-- they could never
get enough. With a sigh, Cecelia returned to tidying the small dorm room.
Her friends were all play and no work, as made obvious by their adventures.
She, on the other hand, was the ideal image of perfection. She studied
hard, kept her grades, and for it she was near the top of her class. She
was involved in the Student Government program and had recently been
elected Vice President. The teachers respected her, younger students
admired her, and it seemed as though to school had been created simply to
teach her. With all those high expectations, there was no room for fun in
her life. ~ All work and no play makes Cece one dull chica. ~ Cecelia
thought morbidly. She needed a cigarette.
Also, this fanfiction is rated PG-13, bordering on R, for a few reasons: implied situations, language, violence, and general gothic mood. You have now been warned, don't you come complaining to me if any of the above makes you uncomfortable!
~~~
During the age of the Silver Millennium, the Sol System was united in peace
under the rule of the good and kind Queen Selenity of the Moon. But not
just the solar system abided by the rule of the Moon Queen. The entire
galaxy bowed to her will, each smaller system acting as smaller states
under the federal rule. When the Silver Millennium fell, however, the
galaxy was brought to ruination. Once united, now divided, each system
retreated to its own individual rule. Broken beyond repair, exo-planetary
travel ceased. The Sol System only managed to rebuild one planet...Earth.
Other systems were not so lucky, and some died out altogether. The ones
that did manage to retain one or two planets tried to recreate the beauty
of the Millennium, but it was futile. Upsilon Andromedae, the only system
to retain three of its original planets, did manage to unite a small group
of the exo-systems into a vague mirror of the past, but it was nowhere near
the same. Time passed, and slowly the Andromedae system pulled itself into
a working order. All memory of the Silver Millennium was forgotten. Never
again would the galaxy unite in such a way. Slowly, exo-planetary travel
began again, though nowhere near as prominently as before. The galaxy was
broken, true, but it was peaceful. Yet peace cannot survive without war,
and it was only a matter of time before the galaxy would be tried against
the hands of evil once again...
***
The station window looked out onto the vast desert that was Earth 314. The
yellowed sand blew in raging storms across the dunes, obscuring the crater
wall that surrounded the large city of Yisn. The girl standing inside the
station leaned her face against the glass pane and closed her eyes,
imagining the city, her home for the past seventeen years, with perfect
clarity in her mind's eye. The brown, jagged walls of the crater reached
their sharp fingers to the stormy sky to protect the city built at the
bottom of the large hole from the violent winds of the planet. The teen
pictured her house, a large adobe mansion near the center of the city, her
window overlooking the streets and always left open in the heat. Standing
in the shuttle station, gazing out the window in longing, the girl was a
vision of piety, albeit a strange one. At eighteen years of age, the girl
stood tall and proud, her slender figure dressed in high black leather
boots, black shorts and a bright pink sports bra. Her chocolate colored
hair was a spiky crown upon her head, while two long ponytails swung down
her back and around her knees. Tears collected somewhere in her soul, but
long ago they ceased to visit her cool grey eyes. She placed a slender hand
on the window, forever engraving the image in her memory.
"Departure flight to Earth 721 in Upsilon Andromedae now loading. Please
enter into locking bay 4A with tickets readily available." A soft voice
intoned over the speakers. The girl's eyes desperately searched through the
gathering crowd of people at the dock, but they found no one.
Disappointment clouded her eyes.
"Xi," a deep voice called behind her. "Hurry up, it's time to go." With a
sigh, the girl picked up the bag that lay at her feet and swung it over her
shoulder, heading towards the man and woman who had called her name. The
man wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Xi leaned against his chest for
support. The woman rubbed the teen's arm affectionately.
"I know you don't want to leave home, but your father and I need some time
alone to work things out, and Upsilon has the best education process in our
sector...Please don't think we don't love you, we'll miss you like mad. If
all goes well, you'll be home by the end of the year, I promise." Xi nodded
mutely to her mother's comforting words and nuzzled further into her
father's chest. She felt silly, nearly an adult cowering like a babe in the
arms of her parents, but leaving them was harder than expected, as was the
thought of leaving her home planet.
"Xiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!" A shrill voice called through the crowd of people.
Xi looked up hurriedly, and her eyes lit with happiness as she saw a figure
racing towards her at top speed. Quickly she broke away from her father and
dropped her bag, opening her arms as another girl leapt into them. This
girl had nut brown hair that hung around her hips, plaited into hundreds of
tiny braids all secured with colorful beads. Her olive skin was smooth and
contrasted to her golden eyes, which were filling with tears as she hugged
her best friend. In the centre of her forehead was a shining green bindi.
Her clothing was loose and truly put her as one of the gypsy clans
inhabiting the planet. A loose patchwork jacket was her main article of
clothing, colorful and with the sleeves torn from it. The name embroidered
on her bosom pronounced her as 'Tira'.
"I didn't think you'd make it!" Xi exclaimed, burying her face in the
girl's neck as the newcomer's brown braids tumbled onto her face. The girl
chucked and squeezed Xi tightly.
"I promised you I'd be here, Xi Lan, and I always keep my promises." The
girl murmured, grinning broadly as she held Xi out in front of her. A look
of sadness came into the girl's eyes. "But I didn't promise I wouldn't miss
you. Here, I made this for you." She dug in her deep pockets and pulled out
a small box that fit in the palm of her hand. Xi took it gently.
"Oh Tira...I'm going to miss you so much." She felt the threatening lump in
her throat, but quickly pushed it aside. It wouldn't do to be emotional
now; she needed to stay strong. "I'll never find a best friend like you. I
swear, I'll be back within the year." Tira grinned and pulled Xi into
another hug. Xi could feel the gentle drop of tears on her shoulder.
"Don't open it until you're on the flight. Promise me?" Tira choked out
hrough her tears. Xi nodded mutely, hugging her best friend tightly. "It's
something special, so you'll always remember me and so you can find me when
you come back."
"Final call for flight to Upsilon Andromedae, Earth 721. Final boarding
call." Tira released her friend and wiped the tears from her eyes with the
back of her hand.
"That's you, huh." Xi nodded and tucked away the small present Tira had
given her. "You have to write to me. I'll murder you if you don't." she
laughed weakly.
"Only if you write to me too. And keep my parents company, will you?
They'll need a juvenile delinquent around every one and a while, just to
keep them in line." The girls forced a laugh and Xi picked up her bag and
walked towards the locking bay. She fiercely embraced her parents and gave
them her final kisses before stepping onto the loading platform. Three
figures watched sadly as she was loaded into the shuttle. Final waves were
exchanged, and Xi found herself completely alone, for the first time in her
life.
She hated it.
***
Morgan O'Claire watched the people slowly boarding the shuttle. Tucking a
clump of vibrant red shoulder-length curls behind her ear, she hunkered
down in her seat and gazed out of the window at the vast expanses of sand,
grimacing. So this was Earth 314. She was glad she was only staying for the
cross flight. The thought of visiting, much less living in such a bleak
place made her ill. The swirling green sky and grassy hills of her own home
filled her mind and she avoided the morbid desert outside her window.
"Please fasten all items as we prepare for liftoff." The stewardess' voice
said cheerfully over the intercom system. "You will find earplugs in the
compartment over your head. We advise you to use them, as traveling through
the atmosphere is quite noisy and the absence of earplugs may result in
hearing loss. When we have reached space, the captain will turn on the
lights overhead as a signal that your earplugs are no longer needed. Thank
you!"
With bored motions, Morgan placed the plugs on her ears and waited for the
liftoff. A few seats ahead of her, she noticed a girl about her age with
spiky brown hair and long ponytails fumbling with the compartment lock. A
look of determination was on her face as she pounded on the small door that
was access to the earplugs. Morgan took off her earplugs, quickly undid her
seatbelt and went over to the girl. With deft hands she popped open the
compartment and handed the girl the plugs.
"The locks are kinda touchy." Morgan said with a smile.
"So I noticed." The girl said dryly, placing the plugs in her ears. With a
nod, Morgan also placed her plugs back in, and all sound disappeared. The
shuttle vibrated beneath her feet and she scurried back to her seat,
buckling herself back in just as the shuttle began to take off. She leaned
back into her seat, letting the cushions absorb most of the tremors of the
take-off. After years of flying between home and Earth 721 she felt like a
pro compared to some of the people on the ship. Morgan watched the girl
ahead of her with interest. Everything in her manner was cool and
collected, she didn't look phased by the take-off at all, yet Morgan could
see by the grip she held on her armrest that this was her first time in
space. A small smile played on her lips. She was beginning to like this
girl already, though she couldn't exactly say why. Her cold mannerisms were
completely in opposition to Morgan's own style.
The takeoff didn't take long, and soon Morgan gazed out her window at Earth
314, growing steadily smaller as the shuttle began its route to Earth 721.
Morgan looked over at the girl, who was gazing steadily at the seat back in
front of her. The redhead could sympathize with the stranger. The first
time she left home on a shuttle, she was too stunned to realize the beauty
of a flight through space. The overhead lights came on and Morgan took off
her earplugs and went over to the girl again.
"If you look out your window, you can see Earth. It always makes a lovely
picture."
"I realize that. I don't want to look. There is no need." Her cool grey
eyes burned into Morgan's blue ones and Morgan looked away, feeling
abashed. This was absurd! She had done nothing to deserve this girl's cold
shoulder. Valiantly she pressed on.
"My name's Morgan O'Claire." She held out her hand. The teen took it with a
half smile and shook firmly.
"Xi Lan."
"That's an interesting name."
"It's my name."
"So you said." Morgan grinned, taking an empty seat beside Xi. "So why are
you going to the Andromedae system? Or are you just taking a cross flight?"
Xi looked at this cheerful girl and sighed. After going through so much,
this girl wanted to talk about all her problems. Well fine, she'd talk.
"My parents were having some troubles with each other and with me. It was
decided that I should finish up my school term elsewhere. A very far
elsewhere." Xi replied caustically.
"Ouch." Morgan winced sympathetically. "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm
going to visit my dad...my parents have been apart for the past few years
and I guess being on the same planet was still too close for them." Morgan
looked apologetically at Xi's impassive face. "Sorry, I guess I've said too
much. Didn't mean to lecture you on my family history. Anyway, I'm sure
things will work out eventually. They almost always do."
"Not for you." Xi observed, cocking an eyebrow.
"I don't like to dwell on the past. I'd rather dwell on the future." Morgan
said with a shrug.
"Dreamer."
"Label me as you will." A smile passed between the two. Morgan chuckled.
"Maybe I'll see you around when we get to Earth. It's mostly ocean, so
there are only so many places a person can be."
"Ocean..." Xi murmured, trying to picture it. Impossible.
"You should try to nap." Morgan advised as she stood to return to her seat.
"Normally first-flighters want to see the journey, but I assure you,
jet-lag is a pain. It was nice meeting you, Xi."
"And the same to you." Xi watched the other young woman retreat back to her
seat. She looked out her window. Earth 314 was progressively getting
smaller, and Xi smiled. Soon it would disappear into the blackness...maybe,
it would take her with it. She settled back into her seat and tried to
sleep.
***
The shuttle station on Earth 721 was directly joined to the airport, and
hence was one of the busiest places in the city. It contained a small mall
filled with overpriced souvenirs and plenty of food courts and bars. A
young woman in her early twenties sat languidly at the bar, watching as the
people walked by. In one hand she held an empty shot glass, in the other a
lit cigarette. Both were purely for show. A smirk was attached firmly to
the woman's face as she watched with satisfaction the reactions from those
around her. Her bleached blonde hair hung around her shoulders and was
streaked throughout with highlights the color of fresh blood. Her thick
body was clothed in a torn red T-shirt and baggy black pants with multiple
pockets. A wide variety of necklaces adorned her neck, selected to match
the jeweled earrings in her lip, nose and eyebrow. On her arm a black
knotted tattoo resided, curving over thick muscle. A pair of yellow tinted
square sunglasses rested on her nose and her dark red eyes watched people
over their tops. Multiple colored and silver bracelets jangled effectively
on her arms as she watched the gates. She was going to arrive any moment;
the woman could feel it.
"Please stand clear, locking bay 17G is now opening. Flight 1064 from Earth
314 now unloading." The young adult sat up straighter and focused her
attention on the gates. Slowly the people began to file out, but the one
she was looking for never appeared. A nearby flight of passengers walked
through her line of vision. With an exasperated sigh, the woman strained
her neck to see above the crowd when a passing flash of light blue caught
her eye. Startled, woman focused her gaze on the passing crowd. There, the
blue glow was apparent again. The woman quickly put out her unsmoked
cigarette and hopped off her stool, shoving her way through the crowd
towards the vision that only she could see. Was she really lucky enough to
find both of them in one day? The color stopped moving, as it neared a side
wall.
There stood a girl on the verge of eighteen, looking lost and forlorn as
she leaned unsteadily against the wall. She was short and bordering between
huggable and plump. Skin a golden brown color, she appeared Asian, with
silky black hair hanging straight down her back and bangs ruffling over her
eyebrows. Her dark eyes were slightly hidden behind a large pair of glasses
and her full lips were set in a worried frown as she hugged herself
tightly. Behind her thin-rimmed glasses, she scanned the crowd anxiously.
Her observer smiled and chewed on her lip ring as she thought a moment. The
coloring around this girl was so faint, she wasn't sure if perhaps she was
hallucinating. This shy, insecure girl was a great leader? However, with a
pushy traveler bumped against the frightened girl, blue color flared around
her entire figure. There was no question. The young woman approached her
quickly, not forgetting that she still had another person to meet.
"Hello there, my name is Astraea. I've been looking for you, Miss..." The
girl looked up, startled, shy and frightened.
"Oh excuse me." She said softly, pushing her glasses back upon her nose.
"Are you the one I'm supposed to meet? A representative of my school was
coming to meet me today..."
Astraea grinned. This was easier than she had expected. She knew exactly
how to ruse this girl.
"That's me, I'm your representative." Astraea replied, the lie flowing
smoothly. The girl's face washed with relief.
"Thank goodness. My name is Tien Sao." A blush crept across her cheeks and
she gazed down in shame. "Forgive me, you do not look as I suspected you
would. Is your attire normal school wear? It's...different that what I
believed after receiving the list sent to me..."
Astraea cursed silently. She would have known that her eccentricity would
startle such a shy creature.
"Don't worry, the school does issue uniforms that are quite conservative."
Astraea grinned. Tien's blush deepened.
"I hope I haven't offended." She murmured. Astraea shook her head.
"No, no, don't worry about it. I'm not actually directly associated with
the school." She grabbed Tien's arm. The girl looked up in shock as Astraea
dragged her through the crowds. She had just remembered why she was here in
the first place.
"Um, excuse me, Miss Astraea? Where are we going?" Tien asked as she
followed behind the older woman.
"I have someone else I need to pick up, I just hope we haven't missed her."
She responded, shoving through people to get to gate and pulling Tien
quickly behind her. She let go of Tien's arm when she stopped and yanked
off her yellow glasses in frustration. Bay 17G was completely empty. "Shit,
damn and fuck!" she cursed angrily, throwing her glasses on the floor.
"Are you quite all right?" Tien asked, placing her hand upon her chest in a
motion of shock and concern. "I take it the person you were to meet has not
arrived?"
"She's arrived, I can tell. I just missed her, that's all." Astraea sighed
in frustration and picked up her glasses. She turned to Tien and smiled. "I
can look for her as we head out. Let's get you back to the school so you
can get situated." Tien gave a small smile and nod and Astraea shoved her
hands in her pockets before heading towards the exit. Tien followed a short
ways behind her.
"Miss Astraea? Don't we need to go get my bags?" Tien pointed out as they
neared the exit. Astraea cursed. She had forgotten. Playing trickster was
harder than she imagined.
"Of course, how silly of me." She turned towards the escalator that led
down to the luggage collection area. "What gate did you come in from?"
"Shouldn't you know that, seeing how you were sent to pick me up?" Tien
asked softly. Astraea choked. The girl had pinned her again. She was no
good at lying about this. Still, she had to do something to keep Tien from
realizing that she wasn't a representative from school. Astraea was
determined to keep this foreigner with her. She was about to respond when a
bright flash of purple caught her eye. Someone was shouting angrily.
"Hold that thought..." Astraea demanded, rushing into the gathering circle
of people. "Go find your stuff and meet me back here!" she called over her
shoulder to Tien. She elbowed her way to the front of the crowd and saw the
source of the red flare... a young girl of eighteen with spiky brown hair
and two long ponytails arguing with a guard. Beside her, a girl with red
curls and an abundance of freckles tried to calm her down. It seemed to be
working, and slowly the purple haze subsided into an almost invisible hue. In
a huff, the girl shoved through the crowd. Astraea chased after her.
"Wait! Hey you, I need to talk to you!" the hustle of the crowd was too
much, however, and the girl was lost. Astraea bit her lip in irritation.
Today was just not her day. Dejected, she went back to find Tien.
***
Circling the planet Saturn was the icy moon of Titan. Cruel winds blew
across the rocky surface, sending piercing shards of ice in violent winds
across the moon. Not a soul was present.
Yet under the surface, a network of caves contained three prominent life
forms. The Gorgon sisters were triplets, three women with cold green eyes
and blonde hair. The eldest was Queen Regina, who sat upon her throne of
ice with a cold expression, her blonde hair curling around her feet and a
crown of stone upon her head. She and her sisters were watching a pool
filled with water at her feet, encased by a circle of ice stalagmites. The
water flickered with colorful images, and the triplets watched the show
with dark emerald eyes. Then the images disappeared and Regina turned to
her sisters.
"So you see how we cannot yet win a battle in the Sol System. The Sailor
Senshi are too powerful yet. We need target practice." The middle woman
stood by her sister's throne. She wore leather breeches and a tunic, her
hair pulled away on the sides by two strands of leather that crossed over
each other, forming two wraps by her ears. The rest of her hair was cut
short partially past her shoulders, and she tossed a blade back and forth
between her hands.
"We could take them, Sister! You're too cautious!" she growled, snatching
her blade from its flight and jabbing it angrily into the wall. The third
triplet giggled childishly on the floor.
"Amazonia thirsts for battle..." She rocked slowly on the stairs as she
toyed with her ragged blonde hair that hung in matted clumps around her
ears. "Blood to drink, blood to smell, blood, blood, blood..." she giggled
again and gazed up at her sisters with a devilish smile. Amazonia glared at
her and yanked the blade from the wall.
"Shut your trap, Iaia." She snarled, raising the knife menacingly. Iaia
giggled again, stuffed her fist in her mouth and continued to rock as she
grinned like a mad cheshire cat.
"You'll have your battle soon enough, Amazonia." Queen Regina replied
coolly, stoking Iaia's hair as the youngest triplet leaned against her leg.
"I have chosen a system void of senshi to conquer first. They will fall
quickly, but not without a fight."
"And where exactly is this system you speak of, dear Sister?"
"The babes will weep, the mothers die, and on the blood-soaked ground I'll
lie..." Iaia twittered in a singsong voice. The other two ignored her.
Regina waved a hand at the pool and the picture shifted to a three-planet
system.
"Upsilon Andromedae."
***
"I'm sorry sir, I did not see here when I went to pick her up." The young
woman's voice remained calm where normally worry would reside.
"Perhaps you missed the flight, Miss LeGruin. It won't look good on our
records when a student goes missing." The masculine voice was filled with
authority.
"No sir. I understand sir. I shall return to the station if you like." The
two speakers were in the main office of Thadeus Quincy Academy, the most
elite school in the sector under Upsilon Andromedae. The school taught
students up to the age of 21, far longer than any other school, yet the
extra schooling was well worth it. The walls of the office were white and
mostly bare, save for a few select awards of achievement mounted
strategically over the principal's desk.
The principal himself sat in his chair, his hands folded neatly upon his
desk. His hair was slicked back and his suit crisp and spotless. He was
speaking to third year student Cecelia LeGruin. She wore the TQ Academy
uniform, with her pleated forest green skirt hanging neatly around her
knees and her green vest was buttoned over a short white blazer. Her
lavender hair was pulled into two large buns on either side of her head and
long tendrils of loose hair hung by her ears and fell around her mid-torso.
"Don't worry about it, Miss LeGruin. The day is nearly over. You may return
to your dorm if you wish, there is little point in return to final classes.
I shall have one of the staff look into the matter later on." The principal
nodded her dismissal.
"Thank you sir. I'm sorry to cause such trouble, sir." Cecelia bowed and
left the office. The halls of the Academy were empty save for a few
wandering students, and her shoes echoed on the stone floor. Cecelia gazed
out the long rows of windows at the expanse of ocean crashing against the
beach that surrounded three quarters of the academic building. The golden
shine of the setting sun glimmered brightly on the water. Cecelia entered
her dorm building and calmly climbed the three flights of stairs to her
room. As she approached the door sounds of giggles and rough laughter
floated towards her.
She opened the door with a sigh and glanced around. The normally clean room
was littered with half empty drinks, opened bags of chips, dirty laundry,
and an abundance of dirty dishes. Cecelia leaned down and picked up a
freshly discarded blouse and cocked an eyebrow. In the center of the room
with a deck of cards was her roommate Erica Johannson. Her blonde hair hung
around her bare shoulders and her blue eyes squinted with giggles. Her
shoes and socks were tossed to various corners of the room, and her vest
lay recently crumpled beside her. Her large chest bounced as she laughed
gaily, barely contained by the black lacy bra she wore. All that Cecelia
could think was that she was at least still wearing that bra, as well as
her skirt. Across from Erica sat Dean "Castor" Castor, another student in
their class. His shirt had been removed as well. Both held cards in their
hands.
"Honestly, you two." Cecelia groaned as she began picking up the mess. "You
had quite a party in my absence, I see."
"Hey Cece!" Erica greeted her roommate joyously, waving her cards. "We're
playing strip poker, wanna join?"
"No." Cecelia cast a look of displeasure over her shoulder. Dean laughed.
"Of course she doesn't. She just doesn't strike me as the type, don't you
agree Erica?" Erica laughed again and bounced flirtatiously.
"No, I suppose you're right."
"Well congratulations, you read me right." Cece smiled. "I don't want to
play, and I'd rather you play somewhere else. Skipping class to play poker?
How you two got into TQ I have no idea."
"Ouch, that was harsh." Dean mocked offense. "I think you're just afraid to
lose as badly as Erica is losing."
"I think she wants to lose." Cece chuckled. "She's a master when we play
regular poker."
Erica's mouth opened into a perfect 'o' as she batted her eyes. "Castor,
she's lying! Playing regular poker is an entirely different matter!"
"You always play to win!" Cece laughed, tossing the garbage into a large
plastic bag. "Even now, I see, I was mistaken. I guess you really aren't
losing..."
"I'm offended." Erica mocked. She stood and grabbed Castor's hand, dragging
him to his feet as well. "Come on, let's go back to your dorm. I'm sure
we'll get a better reception there." She headed for the door, but Cecelia
tossed the blazer and vest across her path.
"You might want to get dressed first, in case any teachers see you." She
recommended. Still faking a huff, Erica and Castor quickly dressed
themselves and headed for the door again. "Don't get too naughty, you two."
Cece called as they left. Erica leaned her head back in and blew her a kiss
before finally ducking out.
Cecelia shook her head. The campus playboy and playgirl-- they could never
get enough. With a sigh, Cecelia returned to tidying the small dorm room.
Her friends were all play and no work, as made obvious by their adventures.
She, on the other hand, was the ideal image of perfection. She studied
hard, kept her grades, and for it she was near the top of her class. She
was involved in the Student Government program and had recently been
elected Vice President. The teachers respected her, younger students
admired her, and it seemed as though to school had been created simply to
teach her. With all those high expectations, there was no room for fun in
her life. ~ All work and no play makes Cece one dull chica. ~ Cecelia
thought morbidly. She needed a cigarette.