DISCLAIMER:
Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and other companies. I don't own her (Grrr), and this story is written with the sole purpose of entertainment without any intention of commercial gain. No copyrights infringement is intended. ((Translation: I don't have any money, so please don't sue me, I'm poor!))
What has happened before:
War has erupted in three fronts. The Senshi, along with Syl and Luna-F had been ambushed by droids while heading for Demando's base. Serena is facing Demando alone, about to be converted. And the Lucky Star is in desperate need for help in the vicinity of Jupiter, not to mention being invaded by a squad of battle droids.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
1 SILVER TEARS
1.1 BY
COMMANDER GALOS
CHAPTER 16: BATTLES WITHIN BATTLES. PART 2.
"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!!"
Mercury's fog was cast once more in order to give the Senshi and their companions a little more time to regroup. The battle had been frantic since the start to say the very least; having lasted for a good thirty minutes, the combatants were starting to wear, while the droids kept attacking relentlessly. The droids were of all different kinds and shapes, ranging from plant-like droids to metal and rock ones. What was worse was that they were fighting in orchestrated ways, something none had done in the past. When the Senshi hurt one and were about to finish it, two more took its place, allowing the disabled one to regenerate.
As for them, Venus and Jupiter were sporting several bruises and cuts, Mars was favoring her left side after a particularly strong hit from a metal droid, Mercury was holding her left arm, which she suspected was broken, Tuxedo Kamen's cape was torn in a few places, only tattered remains kept their place on his shoulders, Syl's armor showed several dents and missing armor plates and his rifle had been discarded a few minutes ago due to lack of ammo. Luna-F wasn't faring any better but each hit only meant that she would fight even more fiercely. And as for the B.A.T.s, they were engaged in hit-and-run tactics, so far avoiding serious damage, at the same time petering the enemy with their attacks when they could.
As for the enemy, they had lost around 10 of their forces, but the bulk kept pressing. At such rate, it wouldn't be long before they'd overwhelm their victims.
Once the fog covered the area, the group retreated behind a crater crested by some ruins. That would cover them somewhat until the magical fog cleared.
"All right people, options. What do we have so far? How are we doing?" Asked Syl after tossing another grenade.
"Not good, I'm afraid." Said Mercury, looking at the display on her computer. "Those droids complement each other, canceling individual attacks lobbed at them. We are sustaining too much damage to keep going at this rate, eventually they'll get to us."
"The fact that they regenerate doesn't help one bit…" growled Luna-F.
"And I'm almost out of grenades… ok, I think it's a little too late to wish for some anti-matter bombs being stashed in the shuttle, eh?" said Syl with a grim smile. Risking a peek over the rubble, he noticed that Mercury's fog was dissipating. It wouldn't be long before the fight resumed, and then… he didn't want to think about it.
"So, what now?" asked Venus, sending another attack at some unaware droids still confused in the fog.
None said a word; nobody had a definite answer. However, they were sure of one thing: they'll keep fighting until they couldn't do it anymore. Without a word, Syl handed his medi-kit to Mercury, who understood the unspoken gesture. Grabbing it she applied it to her arm, the pain lessening. Once she was able to somewhat move her left arm again, she hurried to Mars' side to assist her. It was all she could do at the moment.
Unknown to them, the Silver Commander had been paying attention to their talk. Turning its head around, it 'addressed' the B.A.T. with the blue glowing lenses, apparently talking with it. After a couple of seconds of silent contemplation, the unit turned around silently and left the area.
It was a minute later when the fog finally dissipated, and the droid force once more converged over the besieged rescue party. And once more, the battle was joined. With their injuries somewhat cured, Mars and Mercury joined the fray again.
Giving their all, the Senshi and their companions renewed the struggle in an attempt to open a breach on the enemy lines and at least make a run through it towards Demando's fortress, but once again the enemy stopped their advance. Fire, ice, lightning, plasma, grenades, magically enhanced roses met an apparently impervious wall of droids. The B.A.T.s once more renewed their hit-and-run tactics, but the droids were aware of that tactic by then. It became painfully obvious to Jupiter when a metal droid grabbed a B.A.T. and tossed it in her direction, too fast for her to evade the impromptu projectile.
That single event became the catalyst to turn the tide… against the rescue party. Stunned by the action, the Senshi froze in place for one second, a second that proved to be all the droids needed to press their attack. Charging en-masse, the droids forced them towards the downed Jupiter, who was moaning and holding her ribcage, while the B.A.T. attempted to move away from her. However, sparks kept erupting from its joints and main body, unable to move.
It wasn't long before they were corralled against a wall of rubble, droids taking position around them to prevent any attempt of escape. Syl was down to his last grenade, Luna-F was sporting too many cuts and bruises, and her tail had been severed in half, a bloody stump remaining. Tuxedo Kamen was holding his right arm, which sported some cuts, Mars and Venus were favoring their injuries as well, and Mercury was at Jupiter's side removing the B.A.T. from her. As for the B.A.T.s they were arranged in front of the group in an attempt to protect them.
Once they were corralled, the droids stopped their advance, apparently savoring the moment of the group's impending destruction. The others, on the other hand, just glared in their direction.
"Ok… looks like this is it." Commented Luna-F, tensing.
"You always were a fatalist, Luna. Have a little faith." Said Syl, priming his last grenade.
"Faith in what? Look around you Syl!" Luna-F then gave a quick look at her companions. "We all are too injured and exhausted, you're out of ammo, and the enemy is still alive and kicking!" she then smiled ferociously in the droids' direction. "Heh… well, I always wished to go in a blaze of glory… to go down fighting till my last breath against impossible odds. Looks like I got my wish."
"How can you say that??" exclaimed Jupiter, standing up on wobbly legs after Mercury removed the damaged B.A.T. off her. "Are you giving up?"
"I never give up girl. I'm just facing reality." Was the felinoid's answer.
None said a word after that, the droids and the rescue party immobile for what seemed to them an eternity. The Senshi and co. stood as best as they could, glaring at their enemy; they were not going to give those things the satisfaction of hearing them cry in pain. The tension was so thick that the atmosphere was heavily charged.
So, it wasn't so surprising they failed to notice the distant whistling sound that was approaching them.
The droids were beginning to advance when they noticed the strange noise, freezing them in their place. Some began to look around, trying to pinpoint its origin. It was at that instant when the rescue party noticed the noise as well.
"What now?" moaned Venus, keeping her attention focused on her attackers.
"Don't know…" muttered Luna-F, tensing her exhausted body, "but that sounds familiar." She was too tired to think something else outside the battle just like the rest, so it wasn't surprising she couldn't identify the sound.
Suddenly, a bright flash appeared on the clouds above them. With that as their only warning, the heavy overcast parted briefly to reveal…
"The shuttle??" exclaimed Syl, surprised at seeing it. And effectively, it was their shuttle, heading in a hyperbolic trajectory towards the battlefield, engines roaring at full power. Syl made some quick mental calculations, the result making him gasp. "HIT THE DIRT!!"
All his companions heeded his advice, immediately dropping to the floor. And not a moment too soon; when it appeared that the shuttle would impact the attacking droids, it made a sharp climb that kept it parallel to the ground. And as soon as it approached the enemy, its landing thrusters came to life. Four lances of over-heated plasma hit the surface with the force of a hammer. The unfortunate droids that were on its path were either incinerated or gravely injured, the maneuver too fast for them to react in time and move aside.
As soon as the shuttle made its run, it stopped a little ways from the battlefield; the cargo ramp lowered, allowing its cargo to jump to the ground.
When she raised her face from the dirty floor, Luna-F looked in the direction the shuttle went and noticed what was going on. With a fierce smile, she exclaimed. "Well, we got our miracle… look!"
The rest of her companions did that, and couldn't help but sigh in relief at the sight. From the hovering shuttle, the second squad of B.A.T.s that they had left on the palace jumped to the ground and headed straight for the droids. The droids, meanwhile, were trying to regroup and attack, but the Battle Android Troopers were faster in the counterattack.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" exclaimed Jupiter, standing up quickly. "JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"
Her battle cry was the catalyst that sprung her companions back into action. This time, the droids didn't stand a chance. With two fronts to defend from, and with little more than half of their force either destroyed or injured, they were hard pressed to defend themselves. Taking advantage of the situation, Syl tossed his last grenade and made a mad dash towards the shuttle. Covered by withering attacks from his companions, he made it back safely. By then, the shuttle had landed, its cargo door still open. Hurrying to the arms locker, he retrieved a couple of extra plasma rifles with all the spare clips and grenades he could carry. But before leaving the shuttle, he took a peek at the controls, and couldn't help but smile at the sight.
There, linked with a cable protruding from its back with the ship's computer, was the B.A.T. that had left the battlefield previously. It was obvious now who had come to their rescue.
Giving it an approving nod, he joined the battle.
Ten minutes later, the last droid was destroyed. The battlefield was littered with quickly dissipating lumps of dust, all which remained of the droids.
"Phew! That was a close one!" exclaimed Mars. She had her hands on her knees, taking great gulps of air.
"You said it! Man, I hope we don't encounter more resistance like this one!" said Venus, leaning on Jupiter for support.
"Let's hope so. So, what now?" asked Tuxedo Kamen.
"We lost too much time as it is. I suggest we go into the shuttle and cover the rest of the way by air." Answered Luna-F, her injuries being tended by Mercury who still had the medi-kit.
"Good idea Luna. Let's go!" said Syl. The others nodded their agreement and headed towards the waiting ship. Once they were all inside, Syl closed the cargo door and headed to the front. He was about to start the engines when a thought crossed his mind.
'I hope the Star is faring better than us.'
* * * *
Unfortunately, the situation on the Lucky Star was far from better. The six dark crystal ships were engaged in evasive flight patterns, petering the Agency's ship with black lightning. Due to the intrusion of the last ship, the Star's shields were severely damaged, therefore unable to totally cope with the energy barrage coming from the enemy. And to make things worse…
"Captain, enemy forces had gone through the security bulks in deck 19-A. At this pace, they'll arrive to the engine room in three minutes!" the security officer reported from his station.
Captain Vardeen sighed heavily, racking his brain for a solution. The security detachment sent to stop the intruders had been ineffective in stopping them. What was worse, some soldiers had been prey of the droids when they were caught, their life force extracted from their bodies in the most painful ways and used to regenerate the damaged enemies. That forced the defenders to keep their distance, negating them the advantage of close combat weapons and tactics.
Unfortunately, he was running out of options. And fortunately, somebody else didn't…
"Artemis, where are you going??" Luna-C inquired, running behind her companion. She and the white moon cat had run out of the bridge once the first reports from the security detachment arrived. In all her life she had never felt so impotent.
Artemis didn't answer, instead running faster. He had a plan in mind, and hoped with all his being that it would work. Finally, they arrived at their destination. With the grace that characterizes all cats, he jumped and pressed his paw on the pad in the wall, opening the door. Without waiting for it to open completely, he rushed inside.
Luna-C watched his antics with both confusion and amazement. She had never seen him act so decidedly in her entire life, not even in the Moon Kingdom! Seeing him so focused, so intent, so… commanding… that knowledge caused a tingle run up and down her spine. Shaking her head, she followed him. And it was with great surprise that she noticed where they were. They had arrived at the cargo hold where the rest of the B.A.T.s were stored. Captain Vardeen wanted to keep them in storage until they arrived at Nemesis, planning to use them as shock troops against any resistance they might meet there.
But there was need for them now, and that's what Artemis had realized. Without saying a word, he approached one of the containers and opened it, once again jumping and touching the controls with his paws. Luna watched in complete and stunned silence, unable to comprehend what her companion was trying to accomplish.
From the open container one of the Silver Commanders emerged, activating once it was out. It remained still, waiting for its orders. Without wasting time Artemis dragged the control bracer out of the now empty container and activated it, drawing the attention of the B.A.T. to it.
"All right, listen up! This vessel is being invaded, and you and your companions are needed to save it!" the white cat said. "Now, activate them and hurry! There is not much time!" Acknowledging the order, the unit turned around and began to emit a series of electronic sounds.
"Artemis, what are you doing??" Luna-C screamed. "You can't do that!!"
Without looking at the black moon cat, Artemis said, his voice grave. "Frankly Luna, I don't care. We all are in danger, and since Usagi and the others modified these machines, they are the only hope we have."
Luna-C was speechless. Never, NEVER in her whole life did Artemis talk to her like that! And at the moment, she wasn't sure if to pound him to an inch of his life or… she didn't finish the thought, since in that instant the rest of the containers opened, releasing the rest of the mechanized forces. The B.A.T. that Artemis activated joined with the other three Silver Commanders that still remained in the hold.
"All right, listen up!" Artemis said, addressing the Commanders. "This ship is being invaded by hostile forces. Last reports indicate they're heading for Engineering. Stop and destroy them!"
The Silver Commander he activated hurried to the control panel next to the door, and from its back a thin fiber optic line emerged and attached itself to the panel. A few seconds later it had downloaded from the ship's computer the schematics of the passages and hallways; with that information it plotted an interception course, which it transmitted to its companions.
In an orderly fashion, the B.A.T.s began to exit the cargo hold, heading to Engineering; the only one remaining was the B.A.T. that Artemis had activated. Once the last android left the hold, it headed towards the white cat and, using its fore claws, it took the control bracer and opened it; and to Luna-C's surprise, it carefully attached the bracer around Artemis' body. And even more: it took Artemis and carefully placed him on its back.
"Artemis! You are not going to battle with those… those things!?!?" Luna-C screamed, too shocked to move.
"Looks like I've been drafted." Artemis answered, smirking. His gaze then softened, as well as his voice. "Luna… I want to do this. And not for the people on this ship, but for... for…" he couldn't say more, his throat closing due to the tsunami of emotions that crashed on him. Taking a deep breath he then addressed the Commander. "All right, let's go!" And in a second, the machine ran to join its brethren, with a white moon cat riding on top of it.
Luna-C remained frozen in place, her thoughts a jumble. She had a vague idea of what Artemis wanted to say, but she couldn't make sense of it at the moment. After what seemed hours to her, she finally whispered.
"Take care Artemis… and come back alive."
When Artemis and the Silver Commander joined the rest of the B.A.T.s, the androids were lining the sides of the corridor leading to Engineering. Some were even hanging from the ceiling using their claws, while the rest were lining the corridor's walls. But what looked more stunning was the fact that, due to their appearance, the whole corridor looked like it didn't have plating on the walls and roof, giving it the façade of being unfinished and vulnerable.
Artemis liked the idea.
Jumping off the back of the machine carrying him, he talked aloud. "All right, listen up! The best way to defeat the enemy is destroying the small gems on their heads. So, don't attack until you are sure you can do it, understood?" an almost deafening chorus of electronic beeps answered his order. Nodding in satisfaction, he walked to the door leading to Engineering and sat down, waiting patiently.
He didn't have to wait long. A minute later the first throng of invading Droids ran down the corridor, sure of their superiority and not paying attention to their surroundings. Fortunately they had stopped tearing the walls apart; otherwise Artemis' rouse would have been discovered.
To the Droids' surprise, they didn't encounter any resistance. In its stead, they only found a white cat with a golden moon sigil sitting in front of the door. Confused, they approached the cat.
"That's as far as you'll go." Artemis said, surprising the Droids even more. Raising his voice, he added. "ATTACK!!!"
It was as if the corridor came alive to stop the intruders. B.A.T.s began to attack the Droids from all angles, their offensive precise… and lethal.
Before the invading Droids could react, the B.A.T.s took out ten Droids by destroying the control crystals on the Droids' foreheads. However, the surprise didn't last. It wasn't long before the invaders reacted and began defending against the androids.
When the ship's security detachment arrived, the sight that greeted them left them with their jaws hanging. A veritable wave of B.A.T.s was facing the Droids… and keeping them in check right in front of Engineering. Cybernetic warriors vs. Magical constructs, none giving or taking quarters. Waves of fire, ice, lightning, silver and golden beams colliding against dark energies, tearing the corridor apart. Roars of anger overlapping the sounds of tearing metal and small explosions coming from the gutted B.A.T.s that fell on the onslaught. None of the security guards dared to fire in fear of hitting their allies.
Artemis, for his part, was running and jumping like mad between legs and metallic limbs in a desperate attempt of not ending crushed between either. He was glad the bracer didn't hinder his movements, otherwise the corridor would have a nice flat white-furred doorstep to grace it. He was making his way to the security detachment when, all of a sudden, he was rudely grasped; and the next moment he was looking into the eyes of a very angry Droid. Desperately, he clawed at the arm holding him, but his efforts were futile. He then cried in agony when the Droid began to apply pressure on his body, the creature's intent clear: it wanted to crush him like a bug! In desperation, Artemis cried with the last of his breath.
"HELP!!!"
The Droid grinned at the exclamation, but its grin didn't last long. One instant, Artemis felt the life being squished off his body, the next he was lying on the floor, gasping for breath. When he looked up, he was awed at seeing that one of the B.A.T.s with orange lenses had cut the Droid's arm, freeing the moon cat. The next second, the offending Droid was being tear apart by Artemis' rescuer and three other B.A.T.s. In an eye blink all that remained of the would-be killer was nothing more than a quickly dissipating pile of dust.
Nodding his thanks, Artemis hurried to leave the battlefield. With quick strides he finally reached the security detachment. Smirking, the white moon cat said. "Reporting that the enemy has been stopped and is on the process of being removed!" The squadron's leader only nodded, too stunned to talk.
A minute later the battle was over. The last Droid has been destroyed and the area had been secured. The B.A.T.s went to standby mode, waiting further instructions.
Smiling, Artemis said. "Good job! Now, search the ship and make sure no more of those creatures remain. Then, return to the cargo hold and wait further instructions. Go!" As soon as he said the last word, the androids hurried to carry on the order, leaving behind a stunned group of soldiers and a smirking cat.
However, once the adrenaline rush left his body, Artemis began to sway on his place. "I… I don't feel too good…" His eyes closing, he fainted on the deck. A guard immediately picked him up and hurried to the infirmary.
"Invaders have been neutralized, sir." Reported the security officer on the bridge.
"How?" the captain asked.
"According to the squad leader, it was a white cat, Artemis I think it's his name. He activated the B.A.T.s and lead them to defeat the invaders."
"And where is he now?"
"He was injured on the battle, so one of the soldiers took him to the infirmary. That white kitty saved the day." None on the bridge noticed a black cat arriving when the last report was handed, or when it bolted out of the bridge heading to the infirmary.
"Good." Said the captain, his attention back to the task at hand, namely staying alive. The ship had maneuvered away from Jupiter but their pursuers were still hot on their trail. It was at that moment when Hathaway talked.
"Captain, I suggest a new course. We're heading towards Io and it will be dangerous."
"Explain." Demanded captain Vardeen at the same time another shot rocked the ship.
"Readings indicate that the Flux corridor between Io and Jupiter is about to discharge. If we're caught in the blast as we are, we'll be sitting ducks!"
[A.N. The Flux Corridor is a real natural phenomenon documented by the Voyager probes and the most recent Galileo mission. And it's been used in the movie 2010: Odyssey two, as well as in the book.]
Captain Vardeen considered the information. He was about to order a course change when inspiration hit him. "Helm! Take course directly into the corridor! Hathaway, give me a countdown until the blast!"
Hathaway looked at the captain as if he had grown a second head, but the next instant he understood what the captain had in mind. "Yes sir! Discharge will occur in five minutes!"
"Excellent. Status of our impulse engines?"
"Still in good operational order sir." Reported the chief engineer from his station.
"Prepare for an emergency impulse burst at full power. This is going to be close, ladies and gentlemen." Said the captain.
Four minutes and a half later, the Star was positioned right in the middle of the Corridor, all the while desperately evading enemy fire.
"Thirty seconds for discharge." Reported Hathaway from his console.
Captain Vardeen nodded in acknowledgement of the report. "Engineering, charge the engines and prepare for emergency thrust. Helm, plot a course out of here and stand by!"
"Yes sir!" came a simultaneous answer from both stations. "Sir, engines primed and ready."
"Fifteen seconds, captain." Said Hathaway, swallowing a knot on his throat.
"Position of the enemy?"
"Right behind us, captain." Reported the security chief.
"Ten seconds…"
"Steady… steady…" the captain was grasping the arm holds of his seat until his knuckles were white, waiting for the precise moment to act.
"Eight… seven… six… five..."
"Helm, get us out of here! ENGAGE!!!" barked the captain, at the same time praying this desperate move wouldn't condemn his ship and crew to their deaths.
"Full impulse sir!"
From an outside view, it was as if the Lucky Star disappeared all of a sudden, only to reappear a hundred kilometers away from the attackers. The crystal ships, due to the suddenness of the maneuver didn't react in time… and that was their undoing. In that precise moment, the equivalent of a hundred thousand thunderstorms ran down the Flux Corridor from Jupiter to Io. The results were impressive, to say the very least.
Three of the six crystal ships exploded, haven't been able to raise a defense in time. The three remaining ships hardly had time to raise a black energy shield around them, however they did it one second too late. Lightning bolts jumped from one black spike to another, some of them breaking under the energy onslaught. One of the three survivors couldn't cope with the energy influx, its shielding failing and leaving it defenseless, exploding a second later. The whole phenomena lasted for a good ten minutes until if dissipated.
On the bridge of the Lucky Star a cheer was heard.
"Four enemy ships destroyed, sir." Reported the security chief. "The two remaining bandits are disabled."
"Excellent." Commented the captain, relaxing on his seat. "Helm, plot a course towards those remaining ships. Arm ion cannons and prepare to fire."
"Sir, yes sir!" said the helm. One minute later the Star was in firing position. On the screen the crew witnessed as the enemy ships were desperately trying to regenerate the lost parts.
"Aim at the closest ship and fire." Ordered the captain.
From the front of the Agency's ship two lances of concentrated energy emerged, impacting the target. The crystal ship tried to raise a shield, but it wasn't enough. A few moments later the ion blasts ripped through the enemy, destroying it completely. When the Star began to rotate to fire at the remaining ship, it tried to launch a last desperate attack, however due to the damage received the blasts were weak enough for the battered shields of the Star to withstand.
A minute later the last remaining dark crystal ship was nothing more than an expanding cloud of crystal shards.
"All enemy ships destroyed, sir." Reported the security chief. "No more echoes on the sensors. The area is clean."
"Good." Said the captain, relaxing on his seat. It had been a close call, but they had made it out of that situation alive, albeit barely. "Send more shuttles to gather resources. We need to repair the ship as much as we can before reaching Nemesis. Begin repairs immediately."
"Yes sir!" both the security chief and the main engineer relayed the orders.
In the infirmary, the doctor was checking the readings on the screen on the head of the most recently occupied bed. "Well, you were lucky. Two cracked ribs, some bruises and a small cut. It could have been worse."
The patient, a small white cat, sighed. He did it carefully since deep breaths hurt! "Yeah… I could have ended up as a glove for that droid." In that moment the door opened, and a black blur raced inside, immediately jumping in the bed. It took a moment for both the doctor and Artemis to identify the new arrival.
"Artemis… never, NEVER do that again, do you hear me??" Luna-C exclaimed, her eyes brimming with tears, which she refused to let go. "If you try something like that again, I… I… I'll skin you alive!"
"Luna, I…" Artemis tried to talk, but was interrupted.
"DON'T! Don't say a word!" Luna-C hissed. She then addressed the doctor, who watched the proceedings with a raised eyebrow. "How is this lunkhead?"
"A little mangled, but nothing really serious. He needs his rest, however. Now, if you please leave him to sleep and recover, I…" he stopped when Luna- C gave him a stare that sent chills down his spine. "On second thought, you can stay here, but don't overexert him."
"Very well Doctor." Said Luna, nodding in unspoken thanks. She then addressed Artemis. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go to sleep! Or do you want me to knock you out??" Artemis just gulped and closed his eyes; due to his recent experience and the light anesthetic the doctor gave him he was out like a light in seconds.
"Well, I have to return to my rounds." The doctor said. "Just make sure he has lots of rest, I'll come back to check on him later."
"Will do, doctor. And… thanks." Said Luna-C, the last two words coming out in a whisper. Nodding, the doctor returned to his other patients.
Luna-C waited until they were alone, then, she padded softly next to Artemis. She spent a few moments staring at his face, not saying a word. Finally, she curled up next to him and a moment later she was deeply asleep as well.
When the doctor returned half an hour later, he couldn't help but smile at the sight. Luna-C was resting quietly next to Artemis, her tail curled around his.
* * * *
A dark crystal platform flashed a black light for a second; when the light disappeared a figure was standing in its place. Without a word the figure hurried outside the chamber and to the exit.
Saffir looked at the sky of the planet of his birth, Nemesis. A completely dark sky with an impressive view of the Milky Way filled his eyes, but he didn't have time to admire such view. Extending his senses, he noticed that something was wrong… seriously wrong. The energy flows of the planet, they felt… askance, out of place… weakened somehow… erratic… and worse of all, weakening even more as time went by.
A chill ran down his spine, realizing the magnitude of what Wiseman had done. By removing the Dark Crystal from the planetary core, Nemesis was dying. It was the power of said crystal what made Nemesis habitable, albeit barely, and without it, the planet couldn't sustain life. Without the crystal to keep it balanced, Nemesis would literally fall apart! Saffir couldn't help but curse the lag between learning Wiseman's plans and returning to Nemesis. It had been almost four hours since, and he hated each wasted second for the planets to align and the energy to be gathered for the teleport.
Saffir was about to head to the only city in the planet in order to gather the population and begin the evacuation when he felt the teleport platform activate once more. Turning around, his face and eyes hardened when he saw the new arrival: Esmeraude.
The green haired woman approached Saffir, her attitude snobbish as always, but this time he noticed something else in her eyes: contempt.
"Esmeraude, what are you doing here?"
Opening her fan, she looked him up and down, as if examining a bug and considering if to crush it or not. "Wiseman sent me. He said that you were planning on betraying my dear Demando; that you would come here and try to stop our plans. Now seeing you here only confirms he's been telling the truth."
"That's false and you know it!" retorted Saffir, tensing. He knew that Esmeraude was in love with his brother, therefore making her vulnerable to manipulation… something Wiseman excelled at. "I'm here to save all of us! Don't you see?? Wiseman is trying to kill us all!"
"The only thing I see here is a traitor." Responded Esmeraude, sneering. "And traitors are for killing!" Without another word, Esmeraude jumped high, at the same time launching a barrage of dark energy at Saffir.
Gritting his teeth, Saffir raised an energy shield, stopping the attack. However, he grunted when he was launched back a good twenty meters, landing on his back. Frowning he looked at his attacker.
Laughing, Esmeraude couldn't help but brag. "Before coming here, Wiseman was kind enough to give me a little something!" She then produced a small dark crystal pendant from her bosom. "It's directly linked with the Dark Crystal, making me invincible! NOW DIE!!!"
Gritting his teeth, Saffir prepared for the battle.
Esmeraude opened the gambit with a blast that almost destroyed Saffir's shield. Gasping for breath after the attack was complete, Saffir immediately began to run around Esmeraude in erratic patterns in hopes of gaining time. However, during one of the evasive turns he took, Saffir witnessed how Esmeraude's blast destroyed the teleport facility.
(Damn! Now how am I going to evacuate the citizens!?!?) Was his thought at the moment. It was promptly removed from his attention when another blast almost burned him to smoking cinders. When the opportunity presented itself, Saffir launched attacks of his own; however, Esmeraude's own shield was too strong, his blasts didn't making a dent on her defenses.
They were too absorbed on their own battle to notice a small speck of light disappearing behind a nearby hill.
For Saffir, the battle against Esmeraude hadn't gone well from the beginning. He was exhausted, his own energy reserves were almost depleted and the area was a total and complete wreck, leaving no place to hide and regain his strength. And as for Esmeraude… her own laugh was a lethal weapon by itself, not to mention that the dark crystal shard she was wearing allowed her an almost limitless amount of power.
After another unsuccessful attempt with another energy blast, Saffir dropped to his knees, totally depleted. He hardly had the strength to look up when Esmeraude stood right in front of him. "You are making a terrible mistake…" he muttered.
"Perhaps… too bad you won't be here to see me gain my dear Demando's heart." Sneered Esmeraude. Opening her fan and making a pose, she added. "And now… you die." She opened her hand and began to gather energy for the final attack. Saffir, however, refused to look away or close his eyes. If he were going to die, he would do it looking at his end straight ahead, not flinching for a second.
Esmeraude smirked at the sight. The last traitor was about to die at her hands! Demando would finally see that she was the only woman worthy of his attention. She savored the moment for a couple of instants before slowly lowering her hand, aiming the attack straight between Saffir's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she took aim…
… And dropped dead the next moment, the crystal shard disappearing in a cloud of crystal dust and blood, a hole appearing suddenly in the middle of her chest. Before life left her body, her last word was: "Demando…"
Saffir remained transfixed in his position, unable to believe that he was safe. Warily, he stood up and, stumbling, approached the inert body. Esmeraude's face showed confusion, along with regret. Regret for what… he couldn't say for certain, but suspected because she couldn't be back with his brother.
Slowly turning around, he looked in the possible direction from where the attack that saved his life came from. His assumption was correct; from a nearby hill behind what used to be the teleport facility a group of people wearing armors approached him. On the hands of one was visible a strange looking gun, slightly larger and bulkier than a sniper rifle. He remained in his position, not moving a muscle.
When the figure with the rifle approached him, it stopped to look at him for a few instants. Its face was completely covered with a smoked crystal faceplate, making it impossible for him to see who or what was behind the plate. The figure then turned and looked at Esmeraude's corpse; slowly walking to its side, it looked at it for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, with a trembling hand, the figure reached for its faceplate and raised it. Saffir gasped when he saw the face of the person that apparently had saved his life. And even more after hearing the words such person uttered with the utmost contempt a voice can project.
"Nobody hurts Lord Saffir."
"Avery…" muttered Saffir. "But… I thought you had been killed along with the others and Rubeus. What are you doing here of all places?"
"Trying to stop this madness, my lord." Said Avery, smiling his way. "And… the news of our deaths have been exaggerated, it seems."
"Wiseman…" grumbled Saffir. It wasn't long before the rest of the Sisters, along with a security squadron and a full compliment of B.A.T.s joined them. One of the new arrivals, a man wearing the marks of a 1st lieutenant approached them. Raising his faceplate he presented himself. "Aoshi Nakamura, battle and tactics specialist. Are you in charge of this place?"
"No, my brother is." Answered Saffir, looking straight at the lieutenant in the eyes. "But I'm in need of your assistance."
"We'll help in any way we can. After all, this lady," he then pointed in Avery's direction, which blushed a faint pink, "vouched for you. But before we continue, what can you tell us of the actual situation?"
"No good news, I'm afraid." Said Saffir; he then began to recount what he had learned from listening to Wiseman and Sensei's talk, as well at the reason he was there at the moment.
"No good. No good at all. I'll report all this immediately. In the meantime…" he then addressed his group. "Everybody spread out and keep in contact. Keep out of sight from possible hostiles and wait further instructions. Now move it!" Immediately the battle group spread out in a fan formation, heading towards the nearby city to assess the situation.
On board the Star, the captain was currently in the infirmary waiting for either Luna-C or Artemis to wake up when he received the call from the bridge. Transferring the communication to the infirmary's communication system he received all the data. Rubbing his nose bridge he gave his orders.
"Security, deploy all available shuttles and teleport chambers to retrieve refugees. Prepare cargo holds 12 through 15 to receive them. Also, increase the speed of the repairs, giving priority to the Jump Drive in case we need a crash-jump back to Earth. From the remaining resources we might have after repairs, start producing battle drones, both land and air-based units for possible deploy upon our return to Earth."
+Understood sir. Will do ASAP. Bridge out.+
Captain Vardeen took a seat on the small waiting area, pondering the information. Unfortunately, it raised more questions that needed answers. What is the relationship between the Ethereal Ambassador and this being known as Wiseman? What is the connection between the Entropy Crystal, or Dark Crystal, whatever, and what was going on? What does Wiseman intend to do with that girl, Chibi-Usa, and what are his plans? And more importantly to him, what happened with Ambassador Moon and her companions? Saffir's recount didn't mention a thing, except the little girl's capture.
In short, what's going on here???
Recalling the last battle his ship and crew were involved into, he had to wonder… did they have a chance to survive? By all appearances, these were only grunt troops. Whatever enemy forces stationed on Earth must be far worse. So what were their chances, if they have any at all? The words that Ensign Sylpheed told him after the rescue of the Senshi came back to his mind.
(Sir, if you don't mind me telling you… if these people ever try to attack the Agency, I seriously doubt we'd stand a chance.)
Shaking his head to get rid of those depressing thoughts, he decided to leave his reunion with the moon cats for another moment. Right now, he needed to think in-depth about the situation. With that in mind, he left the infirmary and headed to his office. There was much to ponder, and little time to do it, and even less information to base decisions with.
* * * *
"We have the enemy stronghold on sight." Reported Luna-F, keeping the shuttle on hover mode. They were using the clouds to cover their trail, and so far the rouse seemed to work since the enemy hadn't sent any more troops against them. They had taken the chance to use the medikits and patch themselves up as best as they could.
"All right, let's try to locate Serena and get her and Chibi-Usa out of here." Syl said; looking over his shoulder at Mercury, he asked. "Is everything functioning?"
"Yes, the link is working perfectly." Said Mercury, activating her visor. During the flight she had suggested to link her computer to the shuttle's sensor suites in order to increase its range. And since the Mercury computer still had the translation protocols used during her stay on the Lucky Star, the link had gone smoothly. Pressing a button, she activated her scanning program; it didn't take her long to pinpoint the exact position where Serena's silver energy signature was emanating from.
"Got it! Transferring data to the H.U.D. [A.N. Heads-Up Display]"
Syl nodded, acknowledging the report. Pressing a switch, a small crosshair appeared on the cockpit's main screen. Seeing it, Luna-F began to adjust the shuttle's position, lowering the nose until they were seeing the dark crystal fortress, the crosshair centered a little to the right and above the middle of the structure.
"Well, there she is." Commented Luna-F. "Now, how are we going to get in?"
"I have an idea." Said Tuxedo Kamen, drawing attention to him. "Listen…"
A minute later, the shuttle emerged from the overcast, its engines roaring at full thrust. And standing on top of the vehicle were Mars, Jupiter and Venus, all holding onto one of the B.A.T.s, which were secured to the superstructure using its 'claws'. When they were a couple hundred meters away they let loose their attacks simultaneously.
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!" "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" VENUS CRESCENT BEAM!"
The three attacks combined in mid-flight, forming a huge energy discharge that detonated with great force against the fortress. The explosion shook the structure completely, making it vibrate in its entirety. But the most important part was that the explosion opened a hole big enough to allow the shuttle to enter the building.
Maneuvering with expertise borne from hundreds of hours of training and actual flight, Luna-F guided the shuttle inside the enemy fortress, landing promptly as soon as they were inside. She was still in the process of shutting down the engines when the rest of the rescue party opened the cargo doors and exited the shuttle, joining the three Senshi already outside.
Wasting no more time, Luna-F got off her seat, grabbed her sonic rifle and some grenades, and hurried to join her companions. The first thing she noticed was that they were just standing there, even the B.A.T.s. Fearing it was a trap of some sort and that the others had been captured, she released the safety of her rifle. Then, stepping to Syl's right she aimed her weapon… and stared at the sight in front of her.
In front of the shocked rescue party, sitting comfortably on a broken bed was Serena, dressed on a white dress, which presented a few tears on the fabric. But the shocking part was the battered, burnt and unconscious form of a man with silver hair and dressed in white at her feet.
"What kept you so long guys?" inquired Serena, raising an eyebrow. "And Luna… could you please aim that thing somewhere else? Thanks."
"But… but… but…" stuttered Mars, shocked.
"What happened here?" translated Syl, equally shocked.
"Oh yes. Let me present you my captor, Prince Demando." Said Serena, sparing a glance at the downed prince. "Obviously, he thought I was just a submissive girl that he could manipulate." Standing up, she walked two steps and kneeled next to Demando. "He tried to brainwash me and infuse me with dark energy."
Luna-F giggled at hearing that bit of news. "Oh boy, poor devil. He triggered your fail-safes, then?"
"What fail-safes? What are you talking about?" asked Mars, getting out of her shock.
"During the training with the Ethereals," began to explain Serena, "they programmed a failsafe system in my mind. In the case I encountered a telepathic being that attempted to take over my mind, they… well, I guess the term would be 'hardwired'… my psycho-motor reflexes to my battle training. So, if I blacked out, my body would take over by itself and defend with all my battle training. You remember the way I fought with Luna back in the ship?" that was a rhetorical question, so she didn't expect an answer.
"Anyway, when I regained consciousness, I found him like this. That should have been about five minutes ago."
"Should have guessed you didn't need our help, then." Commented Syl. That earned him a hard stare from Serena's part, making him take a step back involuntarily.
"I need your help, guys." She said. "My own powers are still too weak and can't do a thing to get out of here. Besides, we still have to find my daughter, remember?" without waiting for an answer, she turned her attention back to Demando, beginning to slap him. "Wake up Demando. Rest is over!"
She was promptly answered by a pain-filled groan, which heralded Demando's return to consciousness. Never in all his life had he felt so much pain! So much that he considered going unconscious again, but a feminine voice sweet but laced with steel hold his attention. "Good, you're awake. Now, are you going to cooperate, or should I go rough on you? And trust me, this is nothing compared to what I can do to you if I put my mind on it."
With a truly superhuman effort, Demando nodded indicating he was going to cooperate. That elicited a smile from Serena. "Perfect! Now, could you be a good boy and open the door out of this cell? And while you're at it, tell me where I can find Wiseman?"
Demando tried to resist, a valiant effort by itself. Unfortunately, Serena noticed. "Nuh-huh. No dice, my dear Demando. And don't try to summon more dark energy. If you do, I'm going to be VERY upset, and you don't want that, do you? Of course you don't." her expression and voice becoming serious, she added. "Now, do as I say."
Demando considered his options. By herself, Serena would very likely kill him in his current state. Heck, he didn't know that she was such a shrew! But when his blunted senses detected the rest of the Senshi in the room he knew he had no choice… for now. Gulping painfully he concentrated. Soon, a door appeared on the far side of the cell.
"Good!! Now, isn't it nice to cooperate?" chirped Serena. She then added. "Now, where is Wiseman?"
With a pain-laced voice, he answered. "Down corridor. Left. Second right. End of corridor."
"Thank you! Now… sweet dreams, Demando." Without more warnings, Serena struck him with a palm-open strike to the forehead. That was enough to send him back to the blackness of unconsciousness. Standing up Serena addressed the gathered people. "All right, let's go."
The Senshi and Tuxedo Mask watched stunned at the proceedings. They never imagined Serena could be so callous! "Was that really necessary?" Muttered a shocked Mercury.
"Standard procedure, really." Said Syl, keeping an eye on Demando. "Never leave a loose end behind." He then addressed Serena. "What do we do with him?"
"Tie him up and leave him in the shuttle. I want to interrogate him further once we rescue Chibi-Usa." Said Serena. Looking at her ruined attire she sighed, then with a resigned shrug proceeded to rip the skirt right up to mid-thigh. "Darn, my kingdom for a good battle suit! By now, I'd settle for a swimsuit!"
While Syl and Luna-F took care of Demando, Tuxedo Mask watched Serena's antics with rapt attention. During her spar session back on the ship, he had been amazed, but now… he was mesmerized at Serena's appearance. Her serious expression, her disheveled hair, her ripped clothes… to him, she had never looked more gorgeous!
Once Syl and Luna-F returned from securing their prisoner, Serena addressed the whole group. "All right, let's move. Stay alert, and don't attack anything unless it's absolutely necessary. Conserve energy and ammo as much as you all can; we don't want to alert Wiseman of more than he must know by now." Seeing everybody nodding in agreement, she nodded as well and headed towards the exit, the rest following.
The walk towards Wiseman's quarters went smoothly. There were no guards on their route, a fact they all were grateful for. It wasn't long before they arrived at Wiseman's door. Syl approached the door and place a couple of grenades on the border, signaling the others to stand back. Once they did, he activated them and rushed to their side. A few seconds later the grenades detonated, blowing apart the door.
Using the smoke to their advantage, the rescue party entered the room, taking flanking positions. The B.A.T.s entered first, followed by the Senshi, the last to enter being Serena, Tuxedo Mask, Syl and Luna-F. Using the columns as cover, the group began to move further into the chamber.
It wasn't long before they reached the end of the chamber, and to their surprise, the chamber was empty; no signs of life whatsoever.
"Damn it! That guy lied to us!" growled Luna-F.
"No. Someone's here." Muttered Mars, looking around. "I can sense something in here… it's too diffuse for me to pinpoint, but we're definitely not alone."
"Confirmed." Said Mercury, her computer and visor scanning the area. A second later a beep came from her compact. Looking around, she added. "The dark energy is concentrating."
"Where?" inquired Serena, assuming a battle stance.
"There!" said Mercury, pointing to a corner of the chamber. Everybody immediately took a semi-circle position around the area, preparing for the worse. They didn't have to wait much.
On the floor a circle of absolute darkness appeared, and from it the figure of the Wiseman emerged. Mars had to grit her teeth to withstand the waves of dark energy emanating from the figure, while Mercury had to close her compact to prevent an overload. The readings she had been getting were off the chart! When Wiseman finally talked, everybody flinched, creep out by his voice.
"You could have knocked, you know?" shifting his position slightly, he addressed Serena. "Looks like Demando was a little rough on you, Princess of the Moon."
"Nothing I couldn't handle." Said Serena, never relaxing. "Now, where is Chibi-Usa?"
The Wiseman didn't look impressed by her petition, however. "So much strength, so much passion, so much power. No wonder the Ethereals chose you to be their champion. A pity, really; you should have joined me in my quest."
"Never." Said Serena, her voice void of emotions. "Now, for the last time. Where. Is. My. Daughter?" taking that as a signal, all presents prepared to fire.
"Aah, yes. The little girl, you mean. She is fine. As a matter of fact, why don't you see it for yourselves" the crystal ball on Wiseman's hands began to glow violet, and from the darkness of the floor a small figure emerged. Everybody gasped at seeing the little girl they had come to rescue. Instead of her school uniform, she was wearing a black robe; similar to Wiseman's minus the hood, her pink hair contrasting deeply with the dark fabric. She had her head lowered and her hands were joined in front of her chest, hidden by the robe's long sleeves.
"What have you done with her, you monster??" exclaimed Tuxedo Mask, glaring at Wiseman.
"I just helped her reach her potential, something you and your wife in this time neglected. She is now ready to claim her destiny." Was the Wiseman's answer.
"Chibi-Usa, please, come with us. Let us help you!" exclaimed Serena.
"And why should I go with you? I'm perfectly fine here." Answered the pink- haired girl. She then raised her face. All in the rescue party gasped at what they saw. Chibi-Usa's skin had a yellowish tint, but the most shocking feature was her eyes. Where white should have been now complete blackness was shown; the red of her irises had become darker, like dried blood. And her pupils had changed as well. Instead of being circular, they were now slits, like a cat's. And her general demeanor; it didn't show the happiness and exuberance they had known from her. Instead she showed nothing but contempt and hatred directed towards them.
"Dear Lord…" muttered Syl, shocked to the core by the girl's appearance.
"This can't be happening." Muttered Luna-F, her hair almost standing on its end.
Wiseman ignored the comments and reactions coming from the others. Instead, he addressed Chibi-Usa. "Do you want to go with them, little one?"
And to the utter shock and horror of the rescue party, Chibi-Usa stepped closer to Wiseman… and embraced him.
"Of course not daddy. Why should I?"
TO BE CONTINUED.
Author's notes:
First and foremost, I want to thank everybody who sent their words of comfort and support either reviewing or e-mailing me. That's what helped me to go on despite the pressure hitting me from all sides.
At last, this chapter is done! Took me long enough, but here it is for your enjoyment. For those who might ask, yes, I haven't seen but a rare handful of stories where the moon cats, Artemis in particular, are the stars. I decided to give Artemis his "15 minutes of fame" here and make him a hero. Why not?
For those who think I'm making Serena too cold and callous, don't worry. I intend of changing that, but it will take time. Be patient, ok?
To close, thank you everybody for reviewing. And by now, you all know the drill: REVIEW!!! That's what keeps my inspiration alive and kicking.
And as always, special thanks go to my friend, pre-reader and editor Yohann DeSabrais. Thank (or blame) him for the scene between Luna-C and Artemis on the infirmary. It was his idea.
Ok… that's all for now. Later!
Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and other companies. I don't own her (Grrr), and this story is written with the sole purpose of entertainment without any intention of commercial gain. No copyrights infringement is intended. ((Translation: I don't have any money, so please don't sue me, I'm poor!))
What has happened before:
War has erupted in three fronts. The Senshi, along with Syl and Luna-F had been ambushed by droids while heading for Demando's base. Serena is facing Demando alone, about to be converted. And the Lucky Star is in desperate need for help in the vicinity of Jupiter, not to mention being invaded by a squad of battle droids.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
1 SILVER TEARS
1.1 BY
COMMANDER GALOS
CHAPTER 16: BATTLES WITHIN BATTLES. PART 2.
"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!!"
Mercury's fog was cast once more in order to give the Senshi and their companions a little more time to regroup. The battle had been frantic since the start to say the very least; having lasted for a good thirty minutes, the combatants were starting to wear, while the droids kept attacking relentlessly. The droids were of all different kinds and shapes, ranging from plant-like droids to metal and rock ones. What was worse was that they were fighting in orchestrated ways, something none had done in the past. When the Senshi hurt one and were about to finish it, two more took its place, allowing the disabled one to regenerate.
As for them, Venus and Jupiter were sporting several bruises and cuts, Mars was favoring her left side after a particularly strong hit from a metal droid, Mercury was holding her left arm, which she suspected was broken, Tuxedo Kamen's cape was torn in a few places, only tattered remains kept their place on his shoulders, Syl's armor showed several dents and missing armor plates and his rifle had been discarded a few minutes ago due to lack of ammo. Luna-F wasn't faring any better but each hit only meant that she would fight even more fiercely. And as for the B.A.T.s, they were engaged in hit-and-run tactics, so far avoiding serious damage, at the same time petering the enemy with their attacks when they could.
As for the enemy, they had lost around 10 of their forces, but the bulk kept pressing. At such rate, it wouldn't be long before they'd overwhelm their victims.
Once the fog covered the area, the group retreated behind a crater crested by some ruins. That would cover them somewhat until the magical fog cleared.
"All right people, options. What do we have so far? How are we doing?" Asked Syl after tossing another grenade.
"Not good, I'm afraid." Said Mercury, looking at the display on her computer. "Those droids complement each other, canceling individual attacks lobbed at them. We are sustaining too much damage to keep going at this rate, eventually they'll get to us."
"The fact that they regenerate doesn't help one bit…" growled Luna-F.
"And I'm almost out of grenades… ok, I think it's a little too late to wish for some anti-matter bombs being stashed in the shuttle, eh?" said Syl with a grim smile. Risking a peek over the rubble, he noticed that Mercury's fog was dissipating. It wouldn't be long before the fight resumed, and then… he didn't want to think about it.
"So, what now?" asked Venus, sending another attack at some unaware droids still confused in the fog.
None said a word; nobody had a definite answer. However, they were sure of one thing: they'll keep fighting until they couldn't do it anymore. Without a word, Syl handed his medi-kit to Mercury, who understood the unspoken gesture. Grabbing it she applied it to her arm, the pain lessening. Once she was able to somewhat move her left arm again, she hurried to Mars' side to assist her. It was all she could do at the moment.
Unknown to them, the Silver Commander had been paying attention to their talk. Turning its head around, it 'addressed' the B.A.T. with the blue glowing lenses, apparently talking with it. After a couple of seconds of silent contemplation, the unit turned around silently and left the area.
It was a minute later when the fog finally dissipated, and the droid force once more converged over the besieged rescue party. And once more, the battle was joined. With their injuries somewhat cured, Mars and Mercury joined the fray again.
Giving their all, the Senshi and their companions renewed the struggle in an attempt to open a breach on the enemy lines and at least make a run through it towards Demando's fortress, but once again the enemy stopped their advance. Fire, ice, lightning, plasma, grenades, magically enhanced roses met an apparently impervious wall of droids. The B.A.T.s once more renewed their hit-and-run tactics, but the droids were aware of that tactic by then. It became painfully obvious to Jupiter when a metal droid grabbed a B.A.T. and tossed it in her direction, too fast for her to evade the impromptu projectile.
That single event became the catalyst to turn the tide… against the rescue party. Stunned by the action, the Senshi froze in place for one second, a second that proved to be all the droids needed to press their attack. Charging en-masse, the droids forced them towards the downed Jupiter, who was moaning and holding her ribcage, while the B.A.T. attempted to move away from her. However, sparks kept erupting from its joints and main body, unable to move.
It wasn't long before they were corralled against a wall of rubble, droids taking position around them to prevent any attempt of escape. Syl was down to his last grenade, Luna-F was sporting too many cuts and bruises, and her tail had been severed in half, a bloody stump remaining. Tuxedo Kamen was holding his right arm, which sported some cuts, Mars and Venus were favoring their injuries as well, and Mercury was at Jupiter's side removing the B.A.T. from her. As for the B.A.T.s they were arranged in front of the group in an attempt to protect them.
Once they were corralled, the droids stopped their advance, apparently savoring the moment of the group's impending destruction. The others, on the other hand, just glared in their direction.
"Ok… looks like this is it." Commented Luna-F, tensing.
"You always were a fatalist, Luna. Have a little faith." Said Syl, priming his last grenade.
"Faith in what? Look around you Syl!" Luna-F then gave a quick look at her companions. "We all are too injured and exhausted, you're out of ammo, and the enemy is still alive and kicking!" she then smiled ferociously in the droids' direction. "Heh… well, I always wished to go in a blaze of glory… to go down fighting till my last breath against impossible odds. Looks like I got my wish."
"How can you say that??" exclaimed Jupiter, standing up on wobbly legs after Mercury removed the damaged B.A.T. off her. "Are you giving up?"
"I never give up girl. I'm just facing reality." Was the felinoid's answer.
None said a word after that, the droids and the rescue party immobile for what seemed to them an eternity. The Senshi and co. stood as best as they could, glaring at their enemy; they were not going to give those things the satisfaction of hearing them cry in pain. The tension was so thick that the atmosphere was heavily charged.
So, it wasn't so surprising they failed to notice the distant whistling sound that was approaching them.
The droids were beginning to advance when they noticed the strange noise, freezing them in their place. Some began to look around, trying to pinpoint its origin. It was at that instant when the rescue party noticed the noise as well.
"What now?" moaned Venus, keeping her attention focused on her attackers.
"Don't know…" muttered Luna-F, tensing her exhausted body, "but that sounds familiar." She was too tired to think something else outside the battle just like the rest, so it wasn't surprising she couldn't identify the sound.
Suddenly, a bright flash appeared on the clouds above them. With that as their only warning, the heavy overcast parted briefly to reveal…
"The shuttle??" exclaimed Syl, surprised at seeing it. And effectively, it was their shuttle, heading in a hyperbolic trajectory towards the battlefield, engines roaring at full power. Syl made some quick mental calculations, the result making him gasp. "HIT THE DIRT!!"
All his companions heeded his advice, immediately dropping to the floor. And not a moment too soon; when it appeared that the shuttle would impact the attacking droids, it made a sharp climb that kept it parallel to the ground. And as soon as it approached the enemy, its landing thrusters came to life. Four lances of over-heated plasma hit the surface with the force of a hammer. The unfortunate droids that were on its path were either incinerated or gravely injured, the maneuver too fast for them to react in time and move aside.
As soon as the shuttle made its run, it stopped a little ways from the battlefield; the cargo ramp lowered, allowing its cargo to jump to the ground.
When she raised her face from the dirty floor, Luna-F looked in the direction the shuttle went and noticed what was going on. With a fierce smile, she exclaimed. "Well, we got our miracle… look!"
The rest of her companions did that, and couldn't help but sigh in relief at the sight. From the hovering shuttle, the second squad of B.A.T.s that they had left on the palace jumped to the ground and headed straight for the droids. The droids, meanwhile, were trying to regroup and attack, but the Battle Android Troopers were faster in the counterattack.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" exclaimed Jupiter, standing up quickly. "JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"
Her battle cry was the catalyst that sprung her companions back into action. This time, the droids didn't stand a chance. With two fronts to defend from, and with little more than half of their force either destroyed or injured, they were hard pressed to defend themselves. Taking advantage of the situation, Syl tossed his last grenade and made a mad dash towards the shuttle. Covered by withering attacks from his companions, he made it back safely. By then, the shuttle had landed, its cargo door still open. Hurrying to the arms locker, he retrieved a couple of extra plasma rifles with all the spare clips and grenades he could carry. But before leaving the shuttle, he took a peek at the controls, and couldn't help but smile at the sight.
There, linked with a cable protruding from its back with the ship's computer, was the B.A.T. that had left the battlefield previously. It was obvious now who had come to their rescue.
Giving it an approving nod, he joined the battle.
Ten minutes later, the last droid was destroyed. The battlefield was littered with quickly dissipating lumps of dust, all which remained of the droids.
"Phew! That was a close one!" exclaimed Mars. She had her hands on her knees, taking great gulps of air.
"You said it! Man, I hope we don't encounter more resistance like this one!" said Venus, leaning on Jupiter for support.
"Let's hope so. So, what now?" asked Tuxedo Kamen.
"We lost too much time as it is. I suggest we go into the shuttle and cover the rest of the way by air." Answered Luna-F, her injuries being tended by Mercury who still had the medi-kit.
"Good idea Luna. Let's go!" said Syl. The others nodded their agreement and headed towards the waiting ship. Once they were all inside, Syl closed the cargo door and headed to the front. He was about to start the engines when a thought crossed his mind.
'I hope the Star is faring better than us.'
* * * *
Unfortunately, the situation on the Lucky Star was far from better. The six dark crystal ships were engaged in evasive flight patterns, petering the Agency's ship with black lightning. Due to the intrusion of the last ship, the Star's shields were severely damaged, therefore unable to totally cope with the energy barrage coming from the enemy. And to make things worse…
"Captain, enemy forces had gone through the security bulks in deck 19-A. At this pace, they'll arrive to the engine room in three minutes!" the security officer reported from his station.
Captain Vardeen sighed heavily, racking his brain for a solution. The security detachment sent to stop the intruders had been ineffective in stopping them. What was worse, some soldiers had been prey of the droids when they were caught, their life force extracted from their bodies in the most painful ways and used to regenerate the damaged enemies. That forced the defenders to keep their distance, negating them the advantage of close combat weapons and tactics.
Unfortunately, he was running out of options. And fortunately, somebody else didn't…
"Artemis, where are you going??" Luna-C inquired, running behind her companion. She and the white moon cat had run out of the bridge once the first reports from the security detachment arrived. In all her life she had never felt so impotent.
Artemis didn't answer, instead running faster. He had a plan in mind, and hoped with all his being that it would work. Finally, they arrived at their destination. With the grace that characterizes all cats, he jumped and pressed his paw on the pad in the wall, opening the door. Without waiting for it to open completely, he rushed inside.
Luna-C watched his antics with both confusion and amazement. She had never seen him act so decidedly in her entire life, not even in the Moon Kingdom! Seeing him so focused, so intent, so… commanding… that knowledge caused a tingle run up and down her spine. Shaking her head, she followed him. And it was with great surprise that she noticed where they were. They had arrived at the cargo hold where the rest of the B.A.T.s were stored. Captain Vardeen wanted to keep them in storage until they arrived at Nemesis, planning to use them as shock troops against any resistance they might meet there.
But there was need for them now, and that's what Artemis had realized. Without saying a word, he approached one of the containers and opened it, once again jumping and touching the controls with his paws. Luna watched in complete and stunned silence, unable to comprehend what her companion was trying to accomplish.
From the open container one of the Silver Commanders emerged, activating once it was out. It remained still, waiting for its orders. Without wasting time Artemis dragged the control bracer out of the now empty container and activated it, drawing the attention of the B.A.T. to it.
"All right, listen up! This vessel is being invaded, and you and your companions are needed to save it!" the white cat said. "Now, activate them and hurry! There is not much time!" Acknowledging the order, the unit turned around and began to emit a series of electronic sounds.
"Artemis, what are you doing??" Luna-C screamed. "You can't do that!!"
Without looking at the black moon cat, Artemis said, his voice grave. "Frankly Luna, I don't care. We all are in danger, and since Usagi and the others modified these machines, they are the only hope we have."
Luna-C was speechless. Never, NEVER in her whole life did Artemis talk to her like that! And at the moment, she wasn't sure if to pound him to an inch of his life or… she didn't finish the thought, since in that instant the rest of the containers opened, releasing the rest of the mechanized forces. The B.A.T. that Artemis activated joined with the other three Silver Commanders that still remained in the hold.
"All right, listen up!" Artemis said, addressing the Commanders. "This ship is being invaded by hostile forces. Last reports indicate they're heading for Engineering. Stop and destroy them!"
The Silver Commander he activated hurried to the control panel next to the door, and from its back a thin fiber optic line emerged and attached itself to the panel. A few seconds later it had downloaded from the ship's computer the schematics of the passages and hallways; with that information it plotted an interception course, which it transmitted to its companions.
In an orderly fashion, the B.A.T.s began to exit the cargo hold, heading to Engineering; the only one remaining was the B.A.T. that Artemis had activated. Once the last android left the hold, it headed towards the white cat and, using its fore claws, it took the control bracer and opened it; and to Luna-C's surprise, it carefully attached the bracer around Artemis' body. And even more: it took Artemis and carefully placed him on its back.
"Artemis! You are not going to battle with those… those things!?!?" Luna-C screamed, too shocked to move.
"Looks like I've been drafted." Artemis answered, smirking. His gaze then softened, as well as his voice. "Luna… I want to do this. And not for the people on this ship, but for... for…" he couldn't say more, his throat closing due to the tsunami of emotions that crashed on him. Taking a deep breath he then addressed the Commander. "All right, let's go!" And in a second, the machine ran to join its brethren, with a white moon cat riding on top of it.
Luna-C remained frozen in place, her thoughts a jumble. She had a vague idea of what Artemis wanted to say, but she couldn't make sense of it at the moment. After what seemed hours to her, she finally whispered.
"Take care Artemis… and come back alive."
When Artemis and the Silver Commander joined the rest of the B.A.T.s, the androids were lining the sides of the corridor leading to Engineering. Some were even hanging from the ceiling using their claws, while the rest were lining the corridor's walls. But what looked more stunning was the fact that, due to their appearance, the whole corridor looked like it didn't have plating on the walls and roof, giving it the façade of being unfinished and vulnerable.
Artemis liked the idea.
Jumping off the back of the machine carrying him, he talked aloud. "All right, listen up! The best way to defeat the enemy is destroying the small gems on their heads. So, don't attack until you are sure you can do it, understood?" an almost deafening chorus of electronic beeps answered his order. Nodding in satisfaction, he walked to the door leading to Engineering and sat down, waiting patiently.
He didn't have to wait long. A minute later the first throng of invading Droids ran down the corridor, sure of their superiority and not paying attention to their surroundings. Fortunately they had stopped tearing the walls apart; otherwise Artemis' rouse would have been discovered.
To the Droids' surprise, they didn't encounter any resistance. In its stead, they only found a white cat with a golden moon sigil sitting in front of the door. Confused, they approached the cat.
"That's as far as you'll go." Artemis said, surprising the Droids even more. Raising his voice, he added. "ATTACK!!!"
It was as if the corridor came alive to stop the intruders. B.A.T.s began to attack the Droids from all angles, their offensive precise… and lethal.
Before the invading Droids could react, the B.A.T.s took out ten Droids by destroying the control crystals on the Droids' foreheads. However, the surprise didn't last. It wasn't long before the invaders reacted and began defending against the androids.
When the ship's security detachment arrived, the sight that greeted them left them with their jaws hanging. A veritable wave of B.A.T.s was facing the Droids… and keeping them in check right in front of Engineering. Cybernetic warriors vs. Magical constructs, none giving or taking quarters. Waves of fire, ice, lightning, silver and golden beams colliding against dark energies, tearing the corridor apart. Roars of anger overlapping the sounds of tearing metal and small explosions coming from the gutted B.A.T.s that fell on the onslaught. None of the security guards dared to fire in fear of hitting their allies.
Artemis, for his part, was running and jumping like mad between legs and metallic limbs in a desperate attempt of not ending crushed between either. He was glad the bracer didn't hinder his movements, otherwise the corridor would have a nice flat white-furred doorstep to grace it. He was making his way to the security detachment when, all of a sudden, he was rudely grasped; and the next moment he was looking into the eyes of a very angry Droid. Desperately, he clawed at the arm holding him, but his efforts were futile. He then cried in agony when the Droid began to apply pressure on his body, the creature's intent clear: it wanted to crush him like a bug! In desperation, Artemis cried with the last of his breath.
"HELP!!!"
The Droid grinned at the exclamation, but its grin didn't last long. One instant, Artemis felt the life being squished off his body, the next he was lying on the floor, gasping for breath. When he looked up, he was awed at seeing that one of the B.A.T.s with orange lenses had cut the Droid's arm, freeing the moon cat. The next second, the offending Droid was being tear apart by Artemis' rescuer and three other B.A.T.s. In an eye blink all that remained of the would-be killer was nothing more than a quickly dissipating pile of dust.
Nodding his thanks, Artemis hurried to leave the battlefield. With quick strides he finally reached the security detachment. Smirking, the white moon cat said. "Reporting that the enemy has been stopped and is on the process of being removed!" The squadron's leader only nodded, too stunned to talk.
A minute later the battle was over. The last Droid has been destroyed and the area had been secured. The B.A.T.s went to standby mode, waiting further instructions.
Smiling, Artemis said. "Good job! Now, search the ship and make sure no more of those creatures remain. Then, return to the cargo hold and wait further instructions. Go!" As soon as he said the last word, the androids hurried to carry on the order, leaving behind a stunned group of soldiers and a smirking cat.
However, once the adrenaline rush left his body, Artemis began to sway on his place. "I… I don't feel too good…" His eyes closing, he fainted on the deck. A guard immediately picked him up and hurried to the infirmary.
"Invaders have been neutralized, sir." Reported the security officer on the bridge.
"How?" the captain asked.
"According to the squad leader, it was a white cat, Artemis I think it's his name. He activated the B.A.T.s and lead them to defeat the invaders."
"And where is he now?"
"He was injured on the battle, so one of the soldiers took him to the infirmary. That white kitty saved the day." None on the bridge noticed a black cat arriving when the last report was handed, or when it bolted out of the bridge heading to the infirmary.
"Good." Said the captain, his attention back to the task at hand, namely staying alive. The ship had maneuvered away from Jupiter but their pursuers were still hot on their trail. It was at that moment when Hathaway talked.
"Captain, I suggest a new course. We're heading towards Io and it will be dangerous."
"Explain." Demanded captain Vardeen at the same time another shot rocked the ship.
"Readings indicate that the Flux corridor between Io and Jupiter is about to discharge. If we're caught in the blast as we are, we'll be sitting ducks!"
[A.N. The Flux Corridor is a real natural phenomenon documented by the Voyager probes and the most recent Galileo mission. And it's been used in the movie 2010: Odyssey two, as well as in the book.]
Captain Vardeen considered the information. He was about to order a course change when inspiration hit him. "Helm! Take course directly into the corridor! Hathaway, give me a countdown until the blast!"
Hathaway looked at the captain as if he had grown a second head, but the next instant he understood what the captain had in mind. "Yes sir! Discharge will occur in five minutes!"
"Excellent. Status of our impulse engines?"
"Still in good operational order sir." Reported the chief engineer from his station.
"Prepare for an emergency impulse burst at full power. This is going to be close, ladies and gentlemen." Said the captain.
Four minutes and a half later, the Star was positioned right in the middle of the Corridor, all the while desperately evading enemy fire.
"Thirty seconds for discharge." Reported Hathaway from his console.
Captain Vardeen nodded in acknowledgement of the report. "Engineering, charge the engines and prepare for emergency thrust. Helm, plot a course out of here and stand by!"
"Yes sir!" came a simultaneous answer from both stations. "Sir, engines primed and ready."
"Fifteen seconds, captain." Said Hathaway, swallowing a knot on his throat.
"Position of the enemy?"
"Right behind us, captain." Reported the security chief.
"Ten seconds…"
"Steady… steady…" the captain was grasping the arm holds of his seat until his knuckles were white, waiting for the precise moment to act.
"Eight… seven… six… five..."
"Helm, get us out of here! ENGAGE!!!" barked the captain, at the same time praying this desperate move wouldn't condemn his ship and crew to their deaths.
"Full impulse sir!"
From an outside view, it was as if the Lucky Star disappeared all of a sudden, only to reappear a hundred kilometers away from the attackers. The crystal ships, due to the suddenness of the maneuver didn't react in time… and that was their undoing. In that precise moment, the equivalent of a hundred thousand thunderstorms ran down the Flux Corridor from Jupiter to Io. The results were impressive, to say the very least.
Three of the six crystal ships exploded, haven't been able to raise a defense in time. The three remaining ships hardly had time to raise a black energy shield around them, however they did it one second too late. Lightning bolts jumped from one black spike to another, some of them breaking under the energy onslaught. One of the three survivors couldn't cope with the energy influx, its shielding failing and leaving it defenseless, exploding a second later. The whole phenomena lasted for a good ten minutes until if dissipated.
On the bridge of the Lucky Star a cheer was heard.
"Four enemy ships destroyed, sir." Reported the security chief. "The two remaining bandits are disabled."
"Excellent." Commented the captain, relaxing on his seat. "Helm, plot a course towards those remaining ships. Arm ion cannons and prepare to fire."
"Sir, yes sir!" said the helm. One minute later the Star was in firing position. On the screen the crew witnessed as the enemy ships were desperately trying to regenerate the lost parts.
"Aim at the closest ship and fire." Ordered the captain.
From the front of the Agency's ship two lances of concentrated energy emerged, impacting the target. The crystal ship tried to raise a shield, but it wasn't enough. A few moments later the ion blasts ripped through the enemy, destroying it completely. When the Star began to rotate to fire at the remaining ship, it tried to launch a last desperate attack, however due to the damage received the blasts were weak enough for the battered shields of the Star to withstand.
A minute later the last remaining dark crystal ship was nothing more than an expanding cloud of crystal shards.
"All enemy ships destroyed, sir." Reported the security chief. "No more echoes on the sensors. The area is clean."
"Good." Said the captain, relaxing on his seat. It had been a close call, but they had made it out of that situation alive, albeit barely. "Send more shuttles to gather resources. We need to repair the ship as much as we can before reaching Nemesis. Begin repairs immediately."
"Yes sir!" both the security chief and the main engineer relayed the orders.
In the infirmary, the doctor was checking the readings on the screen on the head of the most recently occupied bed. "Well, you were lucky. Two cracked ribs, some bruises and a small cut. It could have been worse."
The patient, a small white cat, sighed. He did it carefully since deep breaths hurt! "Yeah… I could have ended up as a glove for that droid." In that moment the door opened, and a black blur raced inside, immediately jumping in the bed. It took a moment for both the doctor and Artemis to identify the new arrival.
"Artemis… never, NEVER do that again, do you hear me??" Luna-C exclaimed, her eyes brimming with tears, which she refused to let go. "If you try something like that again, I… I… I'll skin you alive!"
"Luna, I…" Artemis tried to talk, but was interrupted.
"DON'T! Don't say a word!" Luna-C hissed. She then addressed the doctor, who watched the proceedings with a raised eyebrow. "How is this lunkhead?"
"A little mangled, but nothing really serious. He needs his rest, however. Now, if you please leave him to sleep and recover, I…" he stopped when Luna- C gave him a stare that sent chills down his spine. "On second thought, you can stay here, but don't overexert him."
"Very well Doctor." Said Luna, nodding in unspoken thanks. She then addressed Artemis. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go to sleep! Or do you want me to knock you out??" Artemis just gulped and closed his eyes; due to his recent experience and the light anesthetic the doctor gave him he was out like a light in seconds.
"Well, I have to return to my rounds." The doctor said. "Just make sure he has lots of rest, I'll come back to check on him later."
"Will do, doctor. And… thanks." Said Luna-C, the last two words coming out in a whisper. Nodding, the doctor returned to his other patients.
Luna-C waited until they were alone, then, she padded softly next to Artemis. She spent a few moments staring at his face, not saying a word. Finally, she curled up next to him and a moment later she was deeply asleep as well.
When the doctor returned half an hour later, he couldn't help but smile at the sight. Luna-C was resting quietly next to Artemis, her tail curled around his.
* * * *
A dark crystal platform flashed a black light for a second; when the light disappeared a figure was standing in its place. Without a word the figure hurried outside the chamber and to the exit.
Saffir looked at the sky of the planet of his birth, Nemesis. A completely dark sky with an impressive view of the Milky Way filled his eyes, but he didn't have time to admire such view. Extending his senses, he noticed that something was wrong… seriously wrong. The energy flows of the planet, they felt… askance, out of place… weakened somehow… erratic… and worse of all, weakening even more as time went by.
A chill ran down his spine, realizing the magnitude of what Wiseman had done. By removing the Dark Crystal from the planetary core, Nemesis was dying. It was the power of said crystal what made Nemesis habitable, albeit barely, and without it, the planet couldn't sustain life. Without the crystal to keep it balanced, Nemesis would literally fall apart! Saffir couldn't help but curse the lag between learning Wiseman's plans and returning to Nemesis. It had been almost four hours since, and he hated each wasted second for the planets to align and the energy to be gathered for the teleport.
Saffir was about to head to the only city in the planet in order to gather the population and begin the evacuation when he felt the teleport platform activate once more. Turning around, his face and eyes hardened when he saw the new arrival: Esmeraude.
The green haired woman approached Saffir, her attitude snobbish as always, but this time he noticed something else in her eyes: contempt.
"Esmeraude, what are you doing here?"
Opening her fan, she looked him up and down, as if examining a bug and considering if to crush it or not. "Wiseman sent me. He said that you were planning on betraying my dear Demando; that you would come here and try to stop our plans. Now seeing you here only confirms he's been telling the truth."
"That's false and you know it!" retorted Saffir, tensing. He knew that Esmeraude was in love with his brother, therefore making her vulnerable to manipulation… something Wiseman excelled at. "I'm here to save all of us! Don't you see?? Wiseman is trying to kill us all!"
"The only thing I see here is a traitor." Responded Esmeraude, sneering. "And traitors are for killing!" Without another word, Esmeraude jumped high, at the same time launching a barrage of dark energy at Saffir.
Gritting his teeth, Saffir raised an energy shield, stopping the attack. However, he grunted when he was launched back a good twenty meters, landing on his back. Frowning he looked at his attacker.
Laughing, Esmeraude couldn't help but brag. "Before coming here, Wiseman was kind enough to give me a little something!" She then produced a small dark crystal pendant from her bosom. "It's directly linked with the Dark Crystal, making me invincible! NOW DIE!!!"
Gritting his teeth, Saffir prepared for the battle.
Esmeraude opened the gambit with a blast that almost destroyed Saffir's shield. Gasping for breath after the attack was complete, Saffir immediately began to run around Esmeraude in erratic patterns in hopes of gaining time. However, during one of the evasive turns he took, Saffir witnessed how Esmeraude's blast destroyed the teleport facility.
(Damn! Now how am I going to evacuate the citizens!?!?) Was his thought at the moment. It was promptly removed from his attention when another blast almost burned him to smoking cinders. When the opportunity presented itself, Saffir launched attacks of his own; however, Esmeraude's own shield was too strong, his blasts didn't making a dent on her defenses.
They were too absorbed on their own battle to notice a small speck of light disappearing behind a nearby hill.
For Saffir, the battle against Esmeraude hadn't gone well from the beginning. He was exhausted, his own energy reserves were almost depleted and the area was a total and complete wreck, leaving no place to hide and regain his strength. And as for Esmeraude… her own laugh was a lethal weapon by itself, not to mention that the dark crystal shard she was wearing allowed her an almost limitless amount of power.
After another unsuccessful attempt with another energy blast, Saffir dropped to his knees, totally depleted. He hardly had the strength to look up when Esmeraude stood right in front of him. "You are making a terrible mistake…" he muttered.
"Perhaps… too bad you won't be here to see me gain my dear Demando's heart." Sneered Esmeraude. Opening her fan and making a pose, she added. "And now… you die." She opened her hand and began to gather energy for the final attack. Saffir, however, refused to look away or close his eyes. If he were going to die, he would do it looking at his end straight ahead, not flinching for a second.
Esmeraude smirked at the sight. The last traitor was about to die at her hands! Demando would finally see that she was the only woman worthy of his attention. She savored the moment for a couple of instants before slowly lowering her hand, aiming the attack straight between Saffir's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she took aim…
… And dropped dead the next moment, the crystal shard disappearing in a cloud of crystal dust and blood, a hole appearing suddenly in the middle of her chest. Before life left her body, her last word was: "Demando…"
Saffir remained transfixed in his position, unable to believe that he was safe. Warily, he stood up and, stumbling, approached the inert body. Esmeraude's face showed confusion, along with regret. Regret for what… he couldn't say for certain, but suspected because she couldn't be back with his brother.
Slowly turning around, he looked in the possible direction from where the attack that saved his life came from. His assumption was correct; from a nearby hill behind what used to be the teleport facility a group of people wearing armors approached him. On the hands of one was visible a strange looking gun, slightly larger and bulkier than a sniper rifle. He remained in his position, not moving a muscle.
When the figure with the rifle approached him, it stopped to look at him for a few instants. Its face was completely covered with a smoked crystal faceplate, making it impossible for him to see who or what was behind the plate. The figure then turned and looked at Esmeraude's corpse; slowly walking to its side, it looked at it for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, with a trembling hand, the figure reached for its faceplate and raised it. Saffir gasped when he saw the face of the person that apparently had saved his life. And even more after hearing the words such person uttered with the utmost contempt a voice can project.
"Nobody hurts Lord Saffir."
"Avery…" muttered Saffir. "But… I thought you had been killed along with the others and Rubeus. What are you doing here of all places?"
"Trying to stop this madness, my lord." Said Avery, smiling his way. "And… the news of our deaths have been exaggerated, it seems."
"Wiseman…" grumbled Saffir. It wasn't long before the rest of the Sisters, along with a security squadron and a full compliment of B.A.T.s joined them. One of the new arrivals, a man wearing the marks of a 1st lieutenant approached them. Raising his faceplate he presented himself. "Aoshi Nakamura, battle and tactics specialist. Are you in charge of this place?"
"No, my brother is." Answered Saffir, looking straight at the lieutenant in the eyes. "But I'm in need of your assistance."
"We'll help in any way we can. After all, this lady," he then pointed in Avery's direction, which blushed a faint pink, "vouched for you. But before we continue, what can you tell us of the actual situation?"
"No good news, I'm afraid." Said Saffir; he then began to recount what he had learned from listening to Wiseman and Sensei's talk, as well at the reason he was there at the moment.
"No good. No good at all. I'll report all this immediately. In the meantime…" he then addressed his group. "Everybody spread out and keep in contact. Keep out of sight from possible hostiles and wait further instructions. Now move it!" Immediately the battle group spread out in a fan formation, heading towards the nearby city to assess the situation.
On board the Star, the captain was currently in the infirmary waiting for either Luna-C or Artemis to wake up when he received the call from the bridge. Transferring the communication to the infirmary's communication system he received all the data. Rubbing his nose bridge he gave his orders.
"Security, deploy all available shuttles and teleport chambers to retrieve refugees. Prepare cargo holds 12 through 15 to receive them. Also, increase the speed of the repairs, giving priority to the Jump Drive in case we need a crash-jump back to Earth. From the remaining resources we might have after repairs, start producing battle drones, both land and air-based units for possible deploy upon our return to Earth."
+Understood sir. Will do ASAP. Bridge out.+
Captain Vardeen took a seat on the small waiting area, pondering the information. Unfortunately, it raised more questions that needed answers. What is the relationship between the Ethereal Ambassador and this being known as Wiseman? What is the connection between the Entropy Crystal, or Dark Crystal, whatever, and what was going on? What does Wiseman intend to do with that girl, Chibi-Usa, and what are his plans? And more importantly to him, what happened with Ambassador Moon and her companions? Saffir's recount didn't mention a thing, except the little girl's capture.
In short, what's going on here???
Recalling the last battle his ship and crew were involved into, he had to wonder… did they have a chance to survive? By all appearances, these were only grunt troops. Whatever enemy forces stationed on Earth must be far worse. So what were their chances, if they have any at all? The words that Ensign Sylpheed told him after the rescue of the Senshi came back to his mind.
(Sir, if you don't mind me telling you… if these people ever try to attack the Agency, I seriously doubt we'd stand a chance.)
Shaking his head to get rid of those depressing thoughts, he decided to leave his reunion with the moon cats for another moment. Right now, he needed to think in-depth about the situation. With that in mind, he left the infirmary and headed to his office. There was much to ponder, and little time to do it, and even less information to base decisions with.
* * * *
"We have the enemy stronghold on sight." Reported Luna-F, keeping the shuttle on hover mode. They were using the clouds to cover their trail, and so far the rouse seemed to work since the enemy hadn't sent any more troops against them. They had taken the chance to use the medikits and patch themselves up as best as they could.
"All right, let's try to locate Serena and get her and Chibi-Usa out of here." Syl said; looking over his shoulder at Mercury, he asked. "Is everything functioning?"
"Yes, the link is working perfectly." Said Mercury, activating her visor. During the flight she had suggested to link her computer to the shuttle's sensor suites in order to increase its range. And since the Mercury computer still had the translation protocols used during her stay on the Lucky Star, the link had gone smoothly. Pressing a button, she activated her scanning program; it didn't take her long to pinpoint the exact position where Serena's silver energy signature was emanating from.
"Got it! Transferring data to the H.U.D. [A.N. Heads-Up Display]"
Syl nodded, acknowledging the report. Pressing a switch, a small crosshair appeared on the cockpit's main screen. Seeing it, Luna-F began to adjust the shuttle's position, lowering the nose until they were seeing the dark crystal fortress, the crosshair centered a little to the right and above the middle of the structure.
"Well, there she is." Commented Luna-F. "Now, how are we going to get in?"
"I have an idea." Said Tuxedo Kamen, drawing attention to him. "Listen…"
A minute later, the shuttle emerged from the overcast, its engines roaring at full thrust. And standing on top of the vehicle were Mars, Jupiter and Venus, all holding onto one of the B.A.T.s, which were secured to the superstructure using its 'claws'. When they were a couple hundred meters away they let loose their attacks simultaneously.
"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!" "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" VENUS CRESCENT BEAM!"
The three attacks combined in mid-flight, forming a huge energy discharge that detonated with great force against the fortress. The explosion shook the structure completely, making it vibrate in its entirety. But the most important part was that the explosion opened a hole big enough to allow the shuttle to enter the building.
Maneuvering with expertise borne from hundreds of hours of training and actual flight, Luna-F guided the shuttle inside the enemy fortress, landing promptly as soon as they were inside. She was still in the process of shutting down the engines when the rest of the rescue party opened the cargo doors and exited the shuttle, joining the three Senshi already outside.
Wasting no more time, Luna-F got off her seat, grabbed her sonic rifle and some grenades, and hurried to join her companions. The first thing she noticed was that they were just standing there, even the B.A.T.s. Fearing it was a trap of some sort and that the others had been captured, she released the safety of her rifle. Then, stepping to Syl's right she aimed her weapon… and stared at the sight in front of her.
In front of the shocked rescue party, sitting comfortably on a broken bed was Serena, dressed on a white dress, which presented a few tears on the fabric. But the shocking part was the battered, burnt and unconscious form of a man with silver hair and dressed in white at her feet.
"What kept you so long guys?" inquired Serena, raising an eyebrow. "And Luna… could you please aim that thing somewhere else? Thanks."
"But… but… but…" stuttered Mars, shocked.
"What happened here?" translated Syl, equally shocked.
"Oh yes. Let me present you my captor, Prince Demando." Said Serena, sparing a glance at the downed prince. "Obviously, he thought I was just a submissive girl that he could manipulate." Standing up, she walked two steps and kneeled next to Demando. "He tried to brainwash me and infuse me with dark energy."
Luna-F giggled at hearing that bit of news. "Oh boy, poor devil. He triggered your fail-safes, then?"
"What fail-safes? What are you talking about?" asked Mars, getting out of her shock.
"During the training with the Ethereals," began to explain Serena, "they programmed a failsafe system in my mind. In the case I encountered a telepathic being that attempted to take over my mind, they… well, I guess the term would be 'hardwired'… my psycho-motor reflexes to my battle training. So, if I blacked out, my body would take over by itself and defend with all my battle training. You remember the way I fought with Luna back in the ship?" that was a rhetorical question, so she didn't expect an answer.
"Anyway, when I regained consciousness, I found him like this. That should have been about five minutes ago."
"Should have guessed you didn't need our help, then." Commented Syl. That earned him a hard stare from Serena's part, making him take a step back involuntarily.
"I need your help, guys." She said. "My own powers are still too weak and can't do a thing to get out of here. Besides, we still have to find my daughter, remember?" without waiting for an answer, she turned her attention back to Demando, beginning to slap him. "Wake up Demando. Rest is over!"
She was promptly answered by a pain-filled groan, which heralded Demando's return to consciousness. Never in all his life had he felt so much pain! So much that he considered going unconscious again, but a feminine voice sweet but laced with steel hold his attention. "Good, you're awake. Now, are you going to cooperate, or should I go rough on you? And trust me, this is nothing compared to what I can do to you if I put my mind on it."
With a truly superhuman effort, Demando nodded indicating he was going to cooperate. That elicited a smile from Serena. "Perfect! Now, could you be a good boy and open the door out of this cell? And while you're at it, tell me where I can find Wiseman?"
Demando tried to resist, a valiant effort by itself. Unfortunately, Serena noticed. "Nuh-huh. No dice, my dear Demando. And don't try to summon more dark energy. If you do, I'm going to be VERY upset, and you don't want that, do you? Of course you don't." her expression and voice becoming serious, she added. "Now, do as I say."
Demando considered his options. By herself, Serena would very likely kill him in his current state. Heck, he didn't know that she was such a shrew! But when his blunted senses detected the rest of the Senshi in the room he knew he had no choice… for now. Gulping painfully he concentrated. Soon, a door appeared on the far side of the cell.
"Good!! Now, isn't it nice to cooperate?" chirped Serena. She then added. "Now, where is Wiseman?"
With a pain-laced voice, he answered. "Down corridor. Left. Second right. End of corridor."
"Thank you! Now… sweet dreams, Demando." Without more warnings, Serena struck him with a palm-open strike to the forehead. That was enough to send him back to the blackness of unconsciousness. Standing up Serena addressed the gathered people. "All right, let's go."
The Senshi and Tuxedo Mask watched stunned at the proceedings. They never imagined Serena could be so callous! "Was that really necessary?" Muttered a shocked Mercury.
"Standard procedure, really." Said Syl, keeping an eye on Demando. "Never leave a loose end behind." He then addressed Serena. "What do we do with him?"
"Tie him up and leave him in the shuttle. I want to interrogate him further once we rescue Chibi-Usa." Said Serena. Looking at her ruined attire she sighed, then with a resigned shrug proceeded to rip the skirt right up to mid-thigh. "Darn, my kingdom for a good battle suit! By now, I'd settle for a swimsuit!"
While Syl and Luna-F took care of Demando, Tuxedo Mask watched Serena's antics with rapt attention. During her spar session back on the ship, he had been amazed, but now… he was mesmerized at Serena's appearance. Her serious expression, her disheveled hair, her ripped clothes… to him, she had never looked more gorgeous!
Once Syl and Luna-F returned from securing their prisoner, Serena addressed the whole group. "All right, let's move. Stay alert, and don't attack anything unless it's absolutely necessary. Conserve energy and ammo as much as you all can; we don't want to alert Wiseman of more than he must know by now." Seeing everybody nodding in agreement, she nodded as well and headed towards the exit, the rest following.
The walk towards Wiseman's quarters went smoothly. There were no guards on their route, a fact they all were grateful for. It wasn't long before they arrived at Wiseman's door. Syl approached the door and place a couple of grenades on the border, signaling the others to stand back. Once they did, he activated them and rushed to their side. A few seconds later the grenades detonated, blowing apart the door.
Using the smoke to their advantage, the rescue party entered the room, taking flanking positions. The B.A.T.s entered first, followed by the Senshi, the last to enter being Serena, Tuxedo Mask, Syl and Luna-F. Using the columns as cover, the group began to move further into the chamber.
It wasn't long before they reached the end of the chamber, and to their surprise, the chamber was empty; no signs of life whatsoever.
"Damn it! That guy lied to us!" growled Luna-F.
"No. Someone's here." Muttered Mars, looking around. "I can sense something in here… it's too diffuse for me to pinpoint, but we're definitely not alone."
"Confirmed." Said Mercury, her computer and visor scanning the area. A second later a beep came from her compact. Looking around, she added. "The dark energy is concentrating."
"Where?" inquired Serena, assuming a battle stance.
"There!" said Mercury, pointing to a corner of the chamber. Everybody immediately took a semi-circle position around the area, preparing for the worse. They didn't have to wait much.
On the floor a circle of absolute darkness appeared, and from it the figure of the Wiseman emerged. Mars had to grit her teeth to withstand the waves of dark energy emanating from the figure, while Mercury had to close her compact to prevent an overload. The readings she had been getting were off the chart! When Wiseman finally talked, everybody flinched, creep out by his voice.
"You could have knocked, you know?" shifting his position slightly, he addressed Serena. "Looks like Demando was a little rough on you, Princess of the Moon."
"Nothing I couldn't handle." Said Serena, never relaxing. "Now, where is Chibi-Usa?"
The Wiseman didn't look impressed by her petition, however. "So much strength, so much passion, so much power. No wonder the Ethereals chose you to be their champion. A pity, really; you should have joined me in my quest."
"Never." Said Serena, her voice void of emotions. "Now, for the last time. Where. Is. My. Daughter?" taking that as a signal, all presents prepared to fire.
"Aah, yes. The little girl, you mean. She is fine. As a matter of fact, why don't you see it for yourselves" the crystal ball on Wiseman's hands began to glow violet, and from the darkness of the floor a small figure emerged. Everybody gasped at seeing the little girl they had come to rescue. Instead of her school uniform, she was wearing a black robe; similar to Wiseman's minus the hood, her pink hair contrasting deeply with the dark fabric. She had her head lowered and her hands were joined in front of her chest, hidden by the robe's long sleeves.
"What have you done with her, you monster??" exclaimed Tuxedo Mask, glaring at Wiseman.
"I just helped her reach her potential, something you and your wife in this time neglected. She is now ready to claim her destiny." Was the Wiseman's answer.
"Chibi-Usa, please, come with us. Let us help you!" exclaimed Serena.
"And why should I go with you? I'm perfectly fine here." Answered the pink- haired girl. She then raised her face. All in the rescue party gasped at what they saw. Chibi-Usa's skin had a yellowish tint, but the most shocking feature was her eyes. Where white should have been now complete blackness was shown; the red of her irises had become darker, like dried blood. And her pupils had changed as well. Instead of being circular, they were now slits, like a cat's. And her general demeanor; it didn't show the happiness and exuberance they had known from her. Instead she showed nothing but contempt and hatred directed towards them.
"Dear Lord…" muttered Syl, shocked to the core by the girl's appearance.
"This can't be happening." Muttered Luna-F, her hair almost standing on its end.
Wiseman ignored the comments and reactions coming from the others. Instead, he addressed Chibi-Usa. "Do you want to go with them, little one?"
And to the utter shock and horror of the rescue party, Chibi-Usa stepped closer to Wiseman… and embraced him.
"Of course not daddy. Why should I?"
TO BE CONTINUED.
Author's notes:
First and foremost, I want to thank everybody who sent their words of comfort and support either reviewing or e-mailing me. That's what helped me to go on despite the pressure hitting me from all sides.
At last, this chapter is done! Took me long enough, but here it is for your enjoyment. For those who might ask, yes, I haven't seen but a rare handful of stories where the moon cats, Artemis in particular, are the stars. I decided to give Artemis his "15 minutes of fame" here and make him a hero. Why not?
For those who think I'm making Serena too cold and callous, don't worry. I intend of changing that, but it will take time. Be patient, ok?
To close, thank you everybody for reviewing. And by now, you all know the drill: REVIEW!!! That's what keeps my inspiration alive and kicking.
And as always, special thanks go to my friend, pre-reader and editor Yohann DeSabrais. Thank (or blame) him for the scene between Luna-C and Artemis on the infirmary. It was his idea.
Ok… that's all for now. Later!