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:
Just when things were starting to look better... The Senshi and the Lucky Star emerged victorious from their desperate battles against impossible odds. Even Saffir managed to make it on top after his battle against Esmeraude, with the help of Avery. But once more, complications emerged. The Senshi, after finally joining with Serena and storing a battered Demando on the shuttle, stormed Wiseman's quarters, only to find out that Chibi-Usa had been converted by Wiseman.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
SILVER TEARS
BY
COMMANDER GALOS
CHAPTER 16: ANSWERS TO DIE FOR.
Nobody said a word for a few seconds, everybody mesmerized by the sight of a converted Chibi-Usa embracing Wiseman. But that was nothing compared to what happened next.
Releasing her hold on Wiseman, Chibi-Usa began to float until she was on level with the being's head; then with a slight tug removed the hood from Wiseman's head, revealing his true features. That caused more than one present to feel the need to retch.
Wiseman's face was that of a skeleton, skin grayish and taut on the skull. Sharp, yellowish teeth making a parody of a smile, while small, red glowing pinpricks were visible instead of eyes inside the skull's sockets. But the most horrendous feature was the top of the cranium. It was easily three times bigger than a normal skull's, with a slit going from the top of the forehead to the back of the neck, the skin flaps moving slightly. And through the open slit, a pulsing brain was clearly visible.
Chibi-Usa didn't pay attention to those details. Instead, she lovingly embraced the being by its neck and gave it a kiss on its cheek. Syl and Mercury covered their mouths, their faces showing a greenish hue.
"Please tell me this is a nightmare..." muttered Luna-F, shaking slightly.
Wiseman chose that moment to talk. "Our job here is done, little one. Time to go."
"Yes, daddy." And in a flash for dark light, they were gone.
Nobody moved for a few seconds, still in shock by what happened in front of them. Suddenly, Serena dropped to her knees, all pretensions of strength drained from her body. Sobbing, she said. "No... no... my girl... my baby... what did that monster do to her??"
Snapping out of his trance, Tuxedo Mask hurried to her side. Kneeling next to her, he embraced her sob-wrecked frame. Fortunately for him, she didn't refuse his advances. "We'll save her. We'll get her back, don't worry. We won't let that beast defeat us."
In that instant, the whole dark fortress began to shake, pieces of crystal falling from the ceiling and columns.
"Let's get out of here, this place is falling apart!" exclaimed Syl, strangely alleviated by the distraction. "Come on people, move, move, move!"
Without thinking, Tuxedo Mask grabbed Serena who didn't react. Safely cradled in his arms, he rushed towards the exit, closely followed by the rest. The run back to the shuttle wasn't an easy one, the group having to evade falling pieces of crystal all the way.
Once everybody was on board and secured inside the shuttle, Syl and Luna-F blasted off, leaving through the hole their previous entrance created. And not a moment too soon; as soon as they cleared, the whole fortress collapsed on itself, a huge dust cloud covering the area.
Once they were cleared, Luna-F turned the shuttle around until they were facing the remains of the dark fortress. A heavy silence permeated the interior of the vehicle, no one not knowing what to say. It was Venus who noticed movement among the dust cloud.
"Hey, what's that?" Everybody's attention focused on the shuttle's main screen when she said that.
From the cloud, a dark crystal ship emerged. It was bigger than Rubeus' one, with more spires on its surface and radiating menace, easily felt even through the distance separating both ships. When she saw that ship, Serena snapped out of her trance. "Chibi-Usa... she's on that ship. We have to get her back!"
"Working on it! Plotting interception course now!" said Syl, working on his controls. But before he could finish, the black ship began to move up, accelerating.
"Oooh no you won't!" Exclaimed Luna-F. She then began to pursue the ship. Everybody tensed, not sure what to do, but knowing that they had to rescue Chibi-Usa, no matter what. However, despite their efforts, the black ship remained out of their range. They followed it until it cleared the atmosphere. Helplessly, they watched as a black portal appeared in front of the black ship, which crossed it as soon as it could. A moment later the portal closed without a trace.
Once more, a heavy silence shrouded the shuttle, a sense of defeat permeating the atmosphere. The silence was broke by Serena's sobs. "My baby... I lost her... no...no God, no..."
"Luna..." Syl finally said, his voice subdued. "Open a channel back to the Star. Let them know what happened."
"Sure thing, Syl. Then what?" asked the felinoid, her voice cracking a little.
"Then let's go back to the Crystal Palace and wait for further instructions. Besides," he then looked over his shoulder to glare at Demando's unconscious form, "we have to start the interrogation of our prisoner."
That part perked up Luna-F a little, a feral grin finding its place on her face. "Oh yes. Him. Just leave it to me, please. After I'm through with him, he'll be singing like a bird all he knows, trust me on that one."
* * * *
On board the Lucky Star, Captain Vardeen was reading the latest reports on his office's desk screen. Repairs were almost finished, and Artemis was recovering nicely from his ordeal; the evacuation procedure was going smoothly, no opposition hindering their efforts. The last mainly to Saffir's and the Four Sister's efforts. The last report from the ground forces indicated that they had found a tunnel shaft inside Nemesis' palace and they were going to investigate it. In that moment his screen changed to visual, the image of the communications officer appearing on the screen.
+Captain, report from the group on Earth. They were successful on destroying the enemy fortress, however the enemy brainwashed the girl known as Chibi-Usa. They also report the successful capture of the enemy leader. They're requesting instructions. +
Captain Vardeen sighed, rubbing his nose. (A partial victory. One step ahead, two backwards.) "Tell them that we'll rendezvous with them as soon as we can and to wait further instructions."
+Yes Sir. + With that, the screen returned to its previous state.
The captain stood up and headed towards the wall-mounted matter replicator on his office. After getting a cup of tea he returned to his desk. Sipping at his tea, he wondered what else was in store for them.
"Approaching planetary core, sir." Reported the combat engineer on the group.
"Understood. Keep channels open and stay sharp." Answered the group leader.
A battle group consisting on Saffir, Avery, Prisma, four soldiers, eight B.A.T.s and one Silver Commander had gone down the shaft in the hopes of finding out what were Wiseman's ultimate plans. Another group was gathering all the information they could find inside the Palace with the same purpose. Saffir was satisfied with the evacuation so far; there were only two thousand Nemesians on the city, but even that number was taking time to evacuate. Fortunately, with the shuttles and the teleporters on the Lucky Star, the process was proceeding smoothly. They expected to have finished by the time they emerged from the shaft.
Saffir's thoughts were interrupted when the hover-platform they were using stopped all of a sudden. "We have touchdown." Reported the engineer on their group.
"Everybody, stay alert. Who knows what Wiseman left behind." Cautioned Saffir. All presents acknowledged his warning; he and Avery took point, alert for anything out of the ordinary. The group began walking down a cavern made of black crystal, watching every corner for signs of booby traps.
Five minutes of cautious walking finally took them to the entrance of a lit cavern. Sending the B.A.T.s ahead, the rest waited. When the signal of 'all clear' was received, they entered.
What they encountered was nothing like they were expecting, however.
The place was a rough sphere made of crystalline formations. The chamber's walls were emitting a soft violet light, while spires of black crystal protruded from every surface. And at the bottom, what seemed to be three polyhedrons made of semi-transparent crystal were visible. Navigating their way around the spires, the group approached said formations. The first one to arrive was Prisma.
"These are crystal coffins!" she exclaimed. "We use them as holding cells, but what are they doing here?" Lifting the visor from her helmet, she approached the closest one. Cautiously, she began to remove the dust layer obscuring her vision. But when she finally was able the coffin's content, she jumped back in shock.
Noticing her reaction, Saffir hurried to her side and took a look himself. "It can't be..." he muttered. Immediately, he repeated the same process with the other two coffins, confirming his suspicions. "That bastard! No wonder we didn't encounter their opposition at the beginning of the campaign!! No wonder the energy flux of Nemesis is all wrong!!!"
"My Lord Saffir, what's the matter? What's in there?" asked Avery, puzzled. Saffir only pointed to the coffins. Curious, she approached and took a look. "The Outer Senshi..."
Effectively, inside the coffins were the Senshi of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Their expressions ones of pain and suffering. Their expressions were explained when, without warning, bolts of energy emerged from the coffins, impacting the surrounding spires. The energy was promptly absorbed, all the while muted screams were heard from the prisoners.
Avery looked at Saffir, equally shocked. Without looking at her, Saffir began to explain. "I was wondering why we never faced the Outers when we began our attack. And recently, after listening to Wiseman and that stranger talk, I wondered why Nemesis hadn't been destroyed. This is why.
"Wiseman captured the Outer Senshi, placed them in these coffins, and used them as living batteries to feed Nemesis, then removed the Dark Crystal from this place."
The group leader approached them as well. After assessing the situation, he addressed Saffir. "Is there a way to get these girls out of there?"
"Only the caster of the spell can undo it." Replied Saffir, frowning. "And I doubt Wiseman would."
"Wait!" said Prisma, looking at Saffir. "When Sailor Moon and her friends attacked Rubeus, one of them used a strange weapon that destroyed the coffin where Rubeus had placed the Rabbit."
"Yes, you're right... the cat-woman, I think" added Avery.
"Ensign Luna, you mean?" inquired the group leader. "If I recall correctly, she doesn't like to use plasma weaponry; something about messing up her fur or something. She prefers to use sonic weapons." Then the idea hit him. "Of course! Sonic waves!" Turning around, he addressed the rest of his group. "You two, use your sonic pistols. Medic, stand by."
As soon as Saffir, Avery and Prisma were outside the blast area, the group leader positioned his men around, he and two others in front of a coffin each, while the medic waited for the Senshi to be released.
"On my mark, people." Ordered the leader, taking aim at the coffin containing Uranus. "Ready, aim... FIRE!"
In unison, three sonic bursts were fired to the coffins. As soon as the shots hit them, the crystal coffins broke, releasing the Outers. Moving at the same time the crystal shards were falling, the three shooters immediately grabbed a Senshi each, preventing them from hitting the glass-covered floor. Taking them to the chamber's entrance, they placed them gently on the ground, while the medic began examining them with his medi-kit. A moment later he had his diagnosis.
"They're suffering from extreme exhaustion, malnutrition and systemic shock. I'll apply some stimulants to prevent them from entering a deep coma, but that's all I can do."
"We'll take them back to the ship's infirmary then. Let's get out of here." Said the group leader. It was in that moment that a series of energy bolts began to emerge from the spires, hitting the place where the coffins used to be. The resulting explosion was tremendous, sending everybody to the floor. At the same time, the spires began to break and explode all around them, at the same moment the ground began to tremble.
"What's going on??" shouted the group leader.
"Feedback!!" screamed Saffir, using his body to cover Avery. "Without the Senshi or the Black Crystal, the whole planet will fall apart!!!"
After listening that, the leader began to bark orders. "Let's get back to the surface! MOVE PEOPLE, MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!!!!"
Without hesitation, the explorers grabbed a Senshi and the whole of them began a frantic race towards the exit. The escape was perilous in extreme. During their race, three B.A.T.s were crushed by falling debris, and more than once Saffir broke the crystal blocks that fell from the roof and blocked their escape route. When they finally reached the shaft, they watched in dismay as one big hunk of crystal crushed the hover-platform that would take them to the surface.
"We're doomed..." muttered Prisma, staring at the remains of the platform. Avery hugged Saffir, closing her eyes.
The group leader, however, had an idea. After maneuvering Saturn to his left shoulder in a fireman carry position, he fumbled with his utility belt until he retrieved his communicator. Without wasting another second, he opened it and activated his emergency beacon. "Please God... let them receive it." He muttered.
On the Star's bridge, the security officer was receiving the last report from the evacuation process. The last shuttle had docked, and the refugees were being taken to the stage area. In that moment Hathaway reported.
"Sir... the planet. It's falling apart!"
"On screen!" ordered the officer. All on the bridge saw something they hadn't seen in all their lives. The surface of Nemesis was cracking, while huge gas pockets began to fume from the cracks. All of a sudden, huge chunks of planetary mass began to be ejected from the main body, getting lost in the deepness of space.
"Sir, receiving emergency beacon from the planet! It's the exploration group!" reported the communications officer.
Hearing this, the security officer opened a line to one of the teleport rooms. "Lock on the signal coming down planet and get our people out of there!"
+I'm trying sir! + Answered the technician in charge. +But there is too much interference and can't get a lock! +
"I don't care how you do it, but get them out!" said the officer, cutting the communications. He then addressed Hathaway. "Time before the planet explodes?"
"Five minutes until we have to retreat. Ten minutes before planetary collapse." Answered the scientist.
"Your orders, sir?" inquired the helm.
"We'll wait until the last second." Said the officer. "We're not leaving them to die, I can assure you that."
Inside the shaft, things weren't going well. A gas pocket had opened and superheated gas was filling the area, at the same time the tunnel continued its collapse at their backs. The group had huddled on one side of the shaft where the rocks and crystals had created a sort of temporary shelter. Nobody said a word; it would have been futile anyway, with all the sound created by the debacle. Avery was huddled next to Saffir, who unconsciously returned the embrace. Prisma was trembling nearby, curled in a fetal position. The other four members of the group were using their armored bodies to protect the unconscious Senshi, while the remaining six B.A.T.s were shooting at the debris falling too close to the group.
Just when a house-sized chunk of crystal began its descent right on top of the besieged group, shafts of blue energy suddenly surrounded them. Three seconds later they were gone, at the same instant the crystal crushed their refuge.
+Group retrieved. + Was the report from the teleport room. +Plus three more survivors. +
Captain Vardeen had entered the bridge a minute after the emergency beacon was received. After listening to the situation, he had agreed with his officer and waited. As soon as he heard those words, he ordered. "Helm, let's get out of here!"
"Yes sir!"
The Lucky Star immediately began to move away from Nemesis. They hadn't gone more than a couple of light-minutes away when the planet finally exploded.
"Incoming shockwave!" reported Hathaway.
"Sound red alert! Everybody, brace for impact!" ordered the captain.
From the collapsed planet, a force wave composed of superheated gases and planetary debris gained speed, heading towards the ship. A minute later the wave reached the Lucky Star, enveloping it. Tossed like a leaf in a sea storm, the ship did its best to weather the event. Two minutes later it was over.
On the bridge, everybody was standing up and returning to their stations. As soon as he returned to his seat, captain Vardeen asked. "Damage report?"
"We raised the shields just in time, captain." Reported the chief engineer. "They took the brunt of the shock wave. Minimal damage in decks 8, 14 and 22. Repairs are underway. Captain, if you don't mind me saying so, we are going to need one heck of an overhaul once we return back to base."
"Let's be grateful we still have a ship to overhaul." Commented the captain, getting a heartfelt agreement in response. He then addressed the helm. "Plot a course back to Earth, full impulse."
"Yes sir. Plotting course."
A moment later the Lucky Star was heading towards Earth to rendezvous with the group there.
* * * *
Back at the Crystal Palace, the Senshi, along with Tuxedo Mask were waiting outside the room where Serena was resting in. In another room at the end of the corridor, muted screams were heard.
Mercury shivered when she heard the last scream, embracing herself tighter. "I never thought Luna was so serious..."
"At least I hope she leaves something for me." Muttered Jupiter, scowling. She ignored her companions' expressions and continued. "That beast doesn't deserve to live, if you ask me."
"Somewhat, I agree with you, Jupiter." Said Mars, her fists clinched at her side. Raising her hands, she looked once more at her stained gloves. "His actions cost us a lot."
In that moment the door to Serena's room opened, allowing Syl to join them. Seeing their expressions, he sighed. "She's resting at last. I'm no doctor, but I think she's gotten over her shock. Poor Serena, too many things happening all at once." He shook his head in disbelief.
"Can we go and see her now?" Tuxedo Mask inquired. Syl took a look at him; Mask was trying to hide his emotions, donning his stone mask, however his eyes were another story entirely. They conveyed a need, a desperation that touched Syl.
Placing a hand on Mask's shoulder, Syl answered. "Only you for now. But let her rest; I gave her a mild tranquilizer to help her sleep."
Nodding his thanks, Tuxedo Mask hurried to enter the room. Syl stood in front of the now closed door, preventing access to the Senshi. "Only him. She's sleeping now, and he won't perturb her rest. Please, let them be for now." Grudgingly, the Senshi accepted, however Mars gave him a glare, which he ignored.
As soon as Tuxedo Mask entered Serena's room, Luna-F joined them. The smirk in her face made all of them shudder. "He's a tough one, but I think he learned the wrong of his ways by now." She commented.
Mercury was about to ask Luna-F what she had done to Demando, but decided not to when the felinoid cracked her knuckles while looking at the door where the former Dark Moon Family's leader was locked up.
It was in that instant that Syl's communicator beeped. He took it in his hand and activated it. "Ensign Sylpheed here."
+ Ensign, prepare for retrieval. Meet us in orbit in two hours. +
"Understood. Sylpheed out." Closing his unit, he addressed the others. "Well, help is on the way... a little late, I admit."
"Well, let's get ready then. I'll collect the B.A.T.s and prime the shuttle." Said Luna-F.
"I suggest we talk with king Endymion. We'll need to get his permission to give the science guys a shot at freeing the Queen." Added Syl, everybody nodding in agreement. After giving one last look at Serena's room, the group went to their tasks.
* * * *
Two and a half hours later, Luna-F was maneuvering the shuttle to land on her designated docking pad. King Endymion had been understanding of their situation and gave his permission for the Star's science staff to try and free the Queen. Once they docked, Syl ordered the B.A.T.s to join their brethren in the cargo holds, while an armored security detachment escorted Demando to a specially modified brig.
The Senshi, Syl and Luna-F watched the proceedings, as well as a medical gurney took Serena and the Outer Senshi to the infirmary, Tuxedo Mask following close by. Sighing, Syl addressed his companions.
"I don't know about you, but I'm going to take a shower and a nap."
"How can you say that??" exclaimed Mars, glaring daggers at him. "We have to rescue Chibi-Usa!!"
"And how do you want us to do that?" retorted Syl with a tire-laced voice, unfazed by her glare. "We don't know where Wiseman took her, or how to get there. We don't know what we're facing, what are his capabilities or how to counteract his powers. And that's not adding the fact that we all are exhausted, stranded in the future and with a ship full of refugees.
"Besides, going half-cocked is a sure way for defeat. Consider all possibilities, act upon the information at hand, and plan for the worst. We did that during all those reunions, and that's why we still are able to fight back. We can't always depend on luck, you know?"
Mars redoubled her glares, but unable to say a thing to contradict him. Her body was so tense that she was trembling. And the worse part for her to admit was that Syl was right! She wanted to do something, anything to get rid of the frustration and sense of failure that invaded her.
She almost jumped out of her clothes when a hand touched gently her shoulder. Turning her head she saw Jupiter. "He's right, you know?" said the Senshi of Thunder. "We can't do much as we are now."
"Besides, the raid on Nemesis might shed some light on Wiseman's motives. Let's wait until we know all we can." Added Mercury. Mars took a good look around, and finally noticed the exhausted look all the others had.
"All right." She finally conceded with a heavy sigh. "But as soon as a chance presents itself, we're taking it, with or without you!" the last she said looking at Syl and Luna-F.
"Fair enough." Said the felinoid, nodding. "I'm going to grab some chow after a shower. Someone wants to come?"
Twelve hours later, the command crew, the Senshi, Saffir, Avery representing her sisters, Syl, Luna-F, both moon cats and Serena were gathered in the War Room. Noticing that everybody was present and paying attention, Captain Vardeen began the meeting.
"As some of you might know by now, nobody on the science staff can even begin to understand the crystal that imprisons the Queen. One thing they have determined though, is that nothing short of full orbital bombardment could even dent that thing, and for obvious reasons we won't attempt such action."
"What I could understand," added the chief engineer, "is that... that thing is something similar to our own force fields, but on a level I can't imagine duplicating. It's so powerful that the best way to describe it is as 'solid energy', on a frequency so high we can't disrupt it with our available equipment."
"So there's nothing you can do to free her?" inquired Tuxedo Mask.
"I'm afraid not." Was the captain's response.
"What do you know of the Senshi you rescued from Nemesis' core?" inquired Serena.
"We returned them to the Crystal Palace on Earth. King Endymion requested it and I didn't see any reason to not do it." Answered the captain.
"What about my people? What have you planned to do with them?" asked Saffir.
"We originally planned to send them down planet." Answered the security officer. "However, King Endymion refused. And in good conscience, we can't abandon them all." Saffir and Avery nodded, satisfied by the answer so far. The officer continued. "So, if you all approve, I suggest we take them with us. We have found some M-class planets in our explorations, some with no native life, and there's a high chance they exist in this universe as well."
"So, what you're suggesting is that we become exiles once more." Stated Saffir, his face impassive.
"Considering that this planet is, for all practical purposes dead, it would be better." Stated Hathaway, adding his two cents to the conversation. "Terraforming it again would take centuries with normal means, and by then you all would be dead. There's no food, potable water and the atmosphere is slowly turning poisonous. What we're offering is a new beginning in a new, far more hospitable place than Nemesis."
Saffir remained silent for a few seconds, nobody talking. Finally, he said. "I'll have to discuss this with my brother; after all, he is the leader of the Dark Moon Family."
"And how is he, by the way?" inquired Avery.
"Secured in the brig." Responded the security officer. "He's recovering from his... encounter with Ambassador Moon fairly well, by the way."
"I told you I didn't do even half the things the doctor found on him." Commented Luna-F, slightly indignated. And with good reason; the ship's doctor had diagnosed three cracked ribs, two broken ones, multiple fracture on the right arm, a composed one on the right leg, a literally pulverized knee cap on his left leg, both shoulders dislocated, a hair fracture on the jaw, the loss of a few teeth, not to mention multiple bruises and cuts all over Demando's body. Even with his healing factor, it would take him weeks to regain his full health.
"We'll discuss that sometime later, Ensign." Said the captain, steering the meeting back in course. "What we need to do now is decide what to do next. Security, what have you found on the files retrieved from Nemesis?"
"So far, nothing truly useful I'm afraid." Answered the Security officer. "Most of those files are census documents, stating normal info about life on that planet." He then looked at Saffir, a spark of respect shinning in his eyes. "You really led a hard existence there." Saffir didn't react, so he continued. "The only thing of notice is that, by the time Wiseman raised to his position, life on Nemesis became harsher. That explains why Demando accepted the help, seeing how his people was suffering more than ever."
"But there's nothing in there that can explain his actions, is that right?" inquired Mercury. Receiving a no for answer, she sighed. "Now what?"
There was a minute of heavy silence, all present trying to reorder their ideas. All of a sudden, the silence was broken by the sound of the door sliding open. It was Serena who spoke to the new arrival. "Sensei, is there something you can tell us?"
The Ethereal didn't answer immediately. Heading towards the blonde, he positioned himself behind her, slightly to her right. He then finally answered. (Yes, young one. The time has come for you all to know the truth behind Wiseman... and myself.) That last statement drove the general attention straight to him. And before someone could make any questions, he began his story.
(I am aware that the majority of all present know the old legends of gods and supernatural beings, present in all planets with sentient life. But what most of you aren't aware of is that most of those stories have a base of truth. Let me explain.
(Right at the beginning of the universe as you perceive it, there was a race of beings that were the first to achieve consciousness and self-awareness. They followed the evolutionary paths that most races actually follow, with the great difference that there was nobody else for them to relate with. When the time came for them to leave their planetary crib, they began to wonder. They asked themselves 'what if there was someone else? Is there something we can do about it?'
(Thus began the period known to them as the Great Seeding. As the name implies, they began to wander the universe, finding planets where life could exist. They promoted the growth of life, hoping that from even one of those places Sentience would arise. That period took eons, but finally they finished. And waited.
(It was during that same period that they, just like the Agency now, discovered ways to go to parallel worlds, therefore starting their exploration of such places. It was in one of those universes that they stumbled upon a particularly interesting solar system, one their forefathers had visited millennia before and where Life had taken strong roots.
(They found that intelligent life had evolved in almost all the planets of such place. But they were dismayed to encounter strife, watching how the inhabitants were engaged in senseless fights and petty concerns. Taking samples from each planet, they discovered that those beings had enormous potential, being naturally attuned to the elemental forces of the universe. However, those latent abilities were untrained, unfocussed, and with their natural inclination to fight those powers, left untrained, would spell doom to them. That was something the original explorers found revolting. After all, being alone for so long they yearned for company, for someone that could be called equal.
(It was then that a young scientist came with the idea. They could train and help these beings, they could help them reach their potential and take their place among the stars, and in the process become the company these first ones ached to have. The idea was approved by unanimity.
(Once again, they began studying and cataloguing the inhabitants, always working from the shadows in order to not interfere more than necessary. Finally, they encountered the perfect candidates for such monumental task. These candidates had the common goal to work for what was right for all, not only their people; they wanted to lead a peaceful existence, with equality for all. Those were goals the first ones could relate wholeheartedly, and so they began to train them.
(Those beings were known as the first Senshi.)
All the present looked at the Ethereal, stunned beyond their limit. In a very abridged way, they were learning the Genesis of this particular universe, among with confirmation of what the old legends indicated. If what Sensei was telling them was true, then the whole of sentience not only in that original universe, but most probably the Multiverse as a whole was due to the actions of those fabled First Ones.
After a few moments to let them digest that information, Sensei continued his story. (Finally, the time came when those first Senshi were ready. But right before they could return with their own kind and establish a new, more peaceful way of life, something came up. The Senshi as they were and as powerful as the training had made them... were unstable. Their powers showed a tendency to overpower their young minds, so if they had been sent as that, the forces unleashed by them could have destroyed their worlds. So, a measure of control was sought.
(Once again, it was that same scientist who came with the solution. Noticing that the Senshi as a race had an affinity to certain crystalline formations, he estimated that a sort of crystal-based control system might help them achieve the total control they needed for the task at hand. Further studies finally bear fruit: by combining the elemental manna of those planets, along with mineral samples taken from each planet, a series of control amulets, or talismans, were created. Among those, one showed the greatest promise. On the moon of the third planet, a very special crystal was found, one that could resonate with all the other planets' powers perfectly, along with other frequencies related to love, life and existence as a whole. But there was more: only one person in the whole system could use it, since it was particularly attuned to her lifeforce. Thus, she was designated the user of that crystal. Said artifact was known as the Ginzuishou.
(What followed was a long period of fights and civil wars, but finally peace was achieved. Using the Ginzuishou, the leader of the Senshi brought a new era of peace and prosperity that hadn't been seen in that universe. That period was known as the Silver Millennium.
(However, there was a side effect from all this. That same young scientist got intrigued. Never before in the history of the First Ones have they ever encountered negative feelings such as hate, envy, greed and such. Curious, he began to study them. And unfortunately, he learned the meaning of obsession.
(He became obsessed with the dark side of what the First Ones had been looking through all their existence. For each being that knew love, he would study hate. For charity, he analyzed greed. For unity, he looked for dissension, and so forth. At first, his companions didn't pay attention, but soon it became obvious that such line of study would lead to what the Senshi had averted with their efforts. In the end, that promising scientist was stripped from all his recognitions and merits. But by that time, he didn't care; he only wanted to continue down that dark path and nothing would stop him. In the end, he believed that the only way to create the perfect society, the perfect race, was to destroy an imperfect Multiverse and start all over again, this time under what he thought was the correct path, using those dark emotions. That kind of reasoning could only lead to total Entropy, the complete annihilation of Existence, or what he called the return to the Perfect State, the return to the Beginning.
(Finally, the First Ones expelled that rogue element, but that wasn't the end of the story. The rogue swore that he'd find a way to make his dream come true, no matter how long it would take him or what he had to do. He was going to prove to everybody that his theory was right despite the cost to pay. One thing his initial research showed was that, if the Ginzuishou had evolved to represent the Light, then logic dictated that another crystal had to have evolved to represent the Dark.)
"Let me guess," interrupted Saffir, "That's Nemesis' Dark Crystal."
(That is correct. Ironic, that such crystal was found in the same system where the Ginzuishou resided and nobody had found it in the past. However, due to that same fact the Dark Crystal, or Entropy Crystal as he called it, being so close to the Ginzuishou, it lacked power. So, the only way to do it was to charge it with dark energies. And nothing can be darker in that respect than the annihilation of Life in a sudden and gruesome way. For that effect, he manipulated events from outside Time and Space to lure a xenophobic being towards the Silver Millennium. Said being was known as Metallia.)
"Sensei... what you're saying is that this rogue caused the destruction of the Silver Millennium just to charge the Dark Crystal?" Serena asked, amazed and shocked by this revelation.
(I'm afraid so, Young One. His original plan called for destroying all of the inhabitants of the solar system in horrible ways, something easy to do since Metallia used Youma that preyed using dark energies. However, what he didn't count on was that a descendant of the first leader of the Senshi used the Ginzuishou to save the souls of her subjects. The energy released by that act dispersed a great deal of dark energies, preventing the activation of the Entropy Crystal. Therefore, another wait for the rogue began. With the third planet being the only one able to sustain life, he had to wait for a long time for another opportunity.
(Another side effect that he took advantage of was that the dark energies released during that titanic battle took root in the inhabitants of that planet. It was a trickle compared to that first attempt, but with all the centuries of inner fight and petty concerns, he was able to activate the Crystal, albeit to its lowest power level. It was until the creation of the kingdom known as Crystal Tokyo that another chance presented itself.)
"What do you mean by that?" inquired Captain Vardeen, intrigued. "If what we learned is correct, this Crystal Tokyo was nothing this rogue could use."
(By itself, that's correct. However, he manipulated events so that a percentage of the world's population wouldn't accept the new order. The Queen, by virtue of her advisors, decided to exile those dissidents to the fringes of the solar system. But unknown to her, that world was also the resting place of the Entropy Crystal.
(When she cleansed the planet of all dark emotions, said energies latched onto those exiles, being transported right where the rogue needed it. Even more, with the population now residing in that place, there was a self-perpetuating source of new dark energies at hand. It took only a few short decades for the Entropy Crystal to gain enough power to be a rival for the Ginzuishou. However, just like in the original Silver Millennium's genesis, a controller was needed. But no person with the necessary qualities was found among Nemesis' population. However, a solution was promptly found.) Upon hearing those words, Serena paled noticeably. Nodding, Sensei confirmed her nascent fears.
(That's right, Young One. Since that particular bloodline was able to control the Ginzuishou, he deducted that a descendant attuned to dark energies would control the Entropy Crystal. Therefore, the daughter of the Neo-Queen was needed.)
"Wait a minute... so, this rogue is Wiseman??" asked Avery, finally making the connection. "But then, that means that he has been around since before the Silver Millennium!"
(That is correct. His original form could not have gained acceptance among the inhabitants of Nemesis, though. So, when a suitable vessel was found, it was child's play for him to take over that body, thus becoming the one you know as Wiseman.)
"This is insane." Commented the Security Officer, shaking his head in disbelief. "What you're implying here is that a being that's been around literally since the beginning of time is the one that's trying to destroy everything?"
(Crude summation, but that's correct.)
"Something's wrong with this picture." Said Syl. He then addressed the Ethereal directly. "You mentioned that this rogue, or Wiseman, manipulated events from outside the space-time continuum. Didn't the rest of the First Ones could have stopped him somehow when he started doing that?"
(Unfortunately, no. During that time, their ruling body had dictated that no direct interference had to be inferred upon the studied subjects, no matter what. To disobey such rule would have meant the emergence of another rogue element. To this day, nobody has done that.)
"But that's still a good question." Interjected Mercury. "Couldn't these First Ones have established some sort of control, something to prevent all this from happening without direct interference?"
(And that is what they did. You see, during their stay in the genesis of the Silver Millennium, they encountered a rift, a rip in the space-time continuum. This particular rip had the ability to allow displacement through what you call the fourth dimension.)
"Time travel..." muttered Hathaway, making the connection in that instant and showing it by snapping his fingers. "So, they decided to place a plug on it. And that's precisely what the Time Gates are in reality... a plug!"
(That is correct. The Time Gates are a control system to prevent misuse of the fourth dimension. By themselves, they can't do a thing, so a guard was needed. The original plan called for the establishment of a rotation guard, since the stress of standing in the time stream could drive a single guardian to madness. However, only a very precious few had the mental fortitude to stand such pressures, so the only solution available was to designate a guardian until a replacement could be found.)
"And that's what the position as Sailor Pluto entails... to be the guardian of the Time Gates!" finished Luna-C, an expression of wonder in her face. "And since the only people that can be Senshi are the princesses of their respective planets..."
(Only the princess of Pluto could handle the position, yes.) Concluded the Ethereal. (And we all know that the royal houses were known for not being able to sire more than one child. Obviously, said position wasn't, and isn't, ideal to find a mate and continue the bloodline, since it has the effect of... what's the expression? Oh yes, turn down suitors.)
"Geez... poor Pluto. No wonder she had that look." Commented Syl, pondering what he saw during his encounter with the Senshi of Time. Serena glanced at him through the corner of her eye but made no comment.
"That is very interesting Ambassador, and I appreciate you sharing that information." Said Captain Vardeen. "However, how does it relate with the current situation? I don't see that point clearly."
(The point here, captain, is that Wiseman needs someone that can control the Entropy Crystal, someone that he can control. But this particular girl was born from a direct descendant of the user of the Ginzuishou, therefore her karmic and akashic orientation is towards the light. What he did, I'm afraid, is to infuse her with dark energies to suppress that orientation. That done, the next step was to totally and completely erase all memories of her previous life. The final step... is a rewrite of her soul, so her orientation is towards dark energies, thus enabling her to have absolute control over the Entropy Crystal.
(In short, the girl you knew as Chibi-Usa is no more. What stands in her place is an enemy, someone that needs to be destroyed in order to save the Multiverse.)
That last bit of information had the same effect as pouring freezing water on all present. Nobody said a word for a few minutes, until Serena broke the silence. Addressing the Ethereal she said.
"Sensei... with all due respect, I can't believe that! You, of all people, taught me that there is always a solution for every problem! We have to look for the proper answer! I refuse to believe that Chibi-Usa is lost forever!!!"
(Maybe there is, Young One...) answered Sensei. (The final step of this process calls for her to manipulate massive amounts of dark energy so the programming is complete. But such step calls for the annihilation of a planet.)
"Oh, that's wonderful." Commented the security officer. "So, we only have to look for them all over the Multiverse, and hope we can find them in time before they can bring the apocalypse to some unsuspecting race! Just organizing such search will take years, if not centuries! And that's supposing we can coordinate all the Agency's allies for such a task and dedicate all our resources to it!"
(Under other circumstances, I'd agree with you. But I know Wiseman. He won't lose time now that his goal is so close, so he will go to some place that he already knows.)
"Oh no..." muttered Serena, drawing attention to her. It was Mars who made the question. "Serena? What's wrong?"
"I know where he is then..." began the blond, her expression haunted. "Think everybody! He already activated the Crystal by destroying earth here! He knows that he can get all the energy he needs by destroying it, so there is only one place he could have gone!"
"But of course!" said Saffir, standing to attention. "The past! Where the Dark Moon Family was operating! He knows all he needs thanks to the reports sent by the previous attempts to destroy the past! That's where he is!"
"In that case, he'll have a nasty surprise." Said Captain Vardeen, nodding in agreement with the conclusions reached so far. "Remember, the battle group is already there. We have to go back and prevent this debacle from happening."
The ethereal said nothing else, but he appeared to be satisfied that the crew had realized where to go by themselves. (It took them long enough to realize it, but they did it in the end.) He thought to himself.
"But how are we going to get there? I mean, without conflict with Pluto again for crossing her Time Gates." Inquired Luna-F.
"She'll have to understand. After all, this situation affects her guardianship directly." Said Hathaway, his right hand on his chin. "I mean, destroying the past will cause the events originated now, in the future, to have never occurred. But since they DID occurred, there will be a self-perpetuating loop in the continuum. In short, a paradox of enough proportions to eradicate all existence. Best case scenario, only this galaxy is affected; worse case scenario, this whole universe goes kaboom."
"And knowing Wiseman, he must have rigged things for the worst case." Commented Saffir, his face impassive.
(A safe assumption.) Commented the Ethereal. (The destruction of the past will jump-start the Entropy Crystal to almost its full capacity. The destruction of a whole universe will give the Wiseman enough dark energies to destroy the Multiverse, one sector at a time and gaining more power with each apocalypse. Even if in the process the little girl dies due to burn-up, he'll be able to fully control the Crystal by the end without her assistance.)
"Very well, our goals are now clear." Said the Captain, reaching for a cup of tea. "This Wiseman is a menace to the Agency, not to mention existence in general. Our main goal is to stop him. As I see it, we have to go in three steps.
"One, to rescue Chibi-Usa if possible, or if that's no longer an option... eliminate her." He hardly managed to stop the deluge of comments from the Senshi. "Understand, if she can't be saved, then we'll have to take steps to prevent her use by Wiseman and control the Dark Crystal. She is his control, and without her, his plans at this stage will come to a screeching halt.
"Second, either seize of destroy the Dark Crystal. There is no other option there; personally, I prefer to destroy it.
"And third, the capture or destruction of the Wiseman. I don't know if we'll be able to do it, but we all have to give it our best shot." Seeing that all present agreed with those points, he added. "Very well, let's begin. Engineering, reinsert the crystal key in the Drive and prepare for another time cross. Security, keep a task force ready in case Sailor Pluto once more tries to stop us. Ambassador Moon, the same goes for your companions due to your previous experience with this particular Senshi. Prince Saffir, as soon as we return, we'll transfer your people to one of the other battlecruisers already there and begin their relocation to a world of your choice; please discuss this with your brother.
"If there is nothing else to add, then this meeting is adjourned. Dismissed."
Nobody said a thing, and then began to exit the room in silence. However, Serena and the Ethereal remained in the now empty room. Once they were sure of being alone, Serena made telepathic contact with the Ethereal.
(Sensei... can I ask you a few questions?)
(Of course young one. What do you want to know?)
(There's been something that's been nagging me in the back of my mind. I already know that your people know a lot of things... but then, why didn't you tell me a thing about all this?)
(Young one... you weren't ready. To have burdened you with this knowledge back then would have stalled your development a great deal. You wouldn't have been ready for this series of events and would have fallen otherwise.)
(I understand Sensei, and I thank you for your foresight. However... the way you talked of the history of the Multiverse, Wiseman's origins, his plans... there is more to it than a simple history class, isn't it?) When the Ethereal didn't answer, she knew that she was right in her assumptions. (You were there, right? The Ethereals are the First Ones, right?)
The Ethereal didn't answer immediately, carefully choosing what to say. Finally, he just said one word. (Yes.)
(Then why? Why going through all the trouble of helping me? Why not stop Wiseman since you know where he was? Why letting all this to happen?)
(You have to remember Young One... we can't interfere. At least not directly, as I mentioned during the meeting. As for why helping you... I'll tell you when the time is right.)
Serena considered for a brief moment to press the Ethereal, but from past experiences she knew that such feat was like pulling teeth from a crocodile: a really long, tedious and painful experience at best. Standing up, she headed towards the exit, not before adding.
(Thank you for your patience Sensei. Now, if you excuse me, I want to be alone for a while.) Without waiting for an answer she left the war room. The Ethereal remained for a couple more minutes; just before he left a thought crossed his mind.
(I am sorry Princess, but you can't know the full truth yet. You still aren't ready for it, but I'm confident that you'll reach that point before the final battle.)
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's notes:
Phew! Another chapter done! First of all, thank you all readers for your patience. Real Life has been hitting me with a vengeance, therefore interfering quite hard with my inspiration. There were days that I was tempted to shelve this story, but then I re-read all your wonderful reviews and forced me to continue. For that, thanks again!!!
Well, this chapter interprets some of my personal points of view of what might have been the origin of the Silver Millennium. Hope you all liked it! And if you have questions, either ask in your reviews or directly e-mail me at gabinol@infosel.net.mx
Thanks are in order to my friend and pre-reader Yohann DeSabrais. Your idea for the origin of the Dark Crystal was incredible. Thanks for letting me run wild with it!
Now, you all know by now the drill, but let me say it again. REVIEW!!!
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:
Just when things were starting to look better... The Senshi and the Lucky Star emerged victorious from their desperate battles against impossible odds. Even Saffir managed to make it on top after his battle against Esmeraude, with the help of Avery. But once more, complications emerged. The Senshi, after finally joining with Serena and storing a battered Demando on the shuttle, stormed Wiseman's quarters, only to find out that Chibi-Usa had been converted by Wiseman.
* = Change of Scene
( ) = Thoughts
+ + = Computer Responses or Electronic Communications
SILVER TEARS
BY
COMMANDER GALOS
CHAPTER 16: ANSWERS TO DIE FOR.
Nobody said a word for a few seconds, everybody mesmerized by the sight of a converted Chibi-Usa embracing Wiseman. But that was nothing compared to what happened next.
Releasing her hold on Wiseman, Chibi-Usa began to float until she was on level with the being's head; then with a slight tug removed the hood from Wiseman's head, revealing his true features. That caused more than one present to feel the need to retch.
Wiseman's face was that of a skeleton, skin grayish and taut on the skull. Sharp, yellowish teeth making a parody of a smile, while small, red glowing pinpricks were visible instead of eyes inside the skull's sockets. But the most horrendous feature was the top of the cranium. It was easily three times bigger than a normal skull's, with a slit going from the top of the forehead to the back of the neck, the skin flaps moving slightly. And through the open slit, a pulsing brain was clearly visible.
Chibi-Usa didn't pay attention to those details. Instead, she lovingly embraced the being by its neck and gave it a kiss on its cheek. Syl and Mercury covered their mouths, their faces showing a greenish hue.
"Please tell me this is a nightmare..." muttered Luna-F, shaking slightly.
Wiseman chose that moment to talk. "Our job here is done, little one. Time to go."
"Yes, daddy." And in a flash for dark light, they were gone.
Nobody moved for a few seconds, still in shock by what happened in front of them. Suddenly, Serena dropped to her knees, all pretensions of strength drained from her body. Sobbing, she said. "No... no... my girl... my baby... what did that monster do to her??"
Snapping out of his trance, Tuxedo Mask hurried to her side. Kneeling next to her, he embraced her sob-wrecked frame. Fortunately for him, she didn't refuse his advances. "We'll save her. We'll get her back, don't worry. We won't let that beast defeat us."
In that instant, the whole dark fortress began to shake, pieces of crystal falling from the ceiling and columns.
"Let's get out of here, this place is falling apart!" exclaimed Syl, strangely alleviated by the distraction. "Come on people, move, move, move!"
Without thinking, Tuxedo Mask grabbed Serena who didn't react. Safely cradled in his arms, he rushed towards the exit, closely followed by the rest. The run back to the shuttle wasn't an easy one, the group having to evade falling pieces of crystal all the way.
Once everybody was on board and secured inside the shuttle, Syl and Luna-F blasted off, leaving through the hole their previous entrance created. And not a moment too soon; as soon as they cleared, the whole fortress collapsed on itself, a huge dust cloud covering the area.
Once they were cleared, Luna-F turned the shuttle around until they were facing the remains of the dark fortress. A heavy silence permeated the interior of the vehicle, no one not knowing what to say. It was Venus who noticed movement among the dust cloud.
"Hey, what's that?" Everybody's attention focused on the shuttle's main screen when she said that.
From the cloud, a dark crystal ship emerged. It was bigger than Rubeus' one, with more spires on its surface and radiating menace, easily felt even through the distance separating both ships. When she saw that ship, Serena snapped out of her trance. "Chibi-Usa... she's on that ship. We have to get her back!"
"Working on it! Plotting interception course now!" said Syl, working on his controls. But before he could finish, the black ship began to move up, accelerating.
"Oooh no you won't!" Exclaimed Luna-F. She then began to pursue the ship. Everybody tensed, not sure what to do, but knowing that they had to rescue Chibi-Usa, no matter what. However, despite their efforts, the black ship remained out of their range. They followed it until it cleared the atmosphere. Helplessly, they watched as a black portal appeared in front of the black ship, which crossed it as soon as it could. A moment later the portal closed without a trace.
Once more, a heavy silence shrouded the shuttle, a sense of defeat permeating the atmosphere. The silence was broke by Serena's sobs. "My baby... I lost her... no...no God, no..."
"Luna..." Syl finally said, his voice subdued. "Open a channel back to the Star. Let them know what happened."
"Sure thing, Syl. Then what?" asked the felinoid, her voice cracking a little.
"Then let's go back to the Crystal Palace and wait for further instructions. Besides," he then looked over his shoulder to glare at Demando's unconscious form, "we have to start the interrogation of our prisoner."
That part perked up Luna-F a little, a feral grin finding its place on her face. "Oh yes. Him. Just leave it to me, please. After I'm through with him, he'll be singing like a bird all he knows, trust me on that one."
* * * *
On board the Lucky Star, Captain Vardeen was reading the latest reports on his office's desk screen. Repairs were almost finished, and Artemis was recovering nicely from his ordeal; the evacuation procedure was going smoothly, no opposition hindering their efforts. The last mainly to Saffir's and the Four Sister's efforts. The last report from the ground forces indicated that they had found a tunnel shaft inside Nemesis' palace and they were going to investigate it. In that moment his screen changed to visual, the image of the communications officer appearing on the screen.
+Captain, report from the group on Earth. They were successful on destroying the enemy fortress, however the enemy brainwashed the girl known as Chibi-Usa. They also report the successful capture of the enemy leader. They're requesting instructions. +
Captain Vardeen sighed, rubbing his nose. (A partial victory. One step ahead, two backwards.) "Tell them that we'll rendezvous with them as soon as we can and to wait further instructions."
+Yes Sir. + With that, the screen returned to its previous state.
The captain stood up and headed towards the wall-mounted matter replicator on his office. After getting a cup of tea he returned to his desk. Sipping at his tea, he wondered what else was in store for them.
"Approaching planetary core, sir." Reported the combat engineer on the group.
"Understood. Keep channels open and stay sharp." Answered the group leader.
A battle group consisting on Saffir, Avery, Prisma, four soldiers, eight B.A.T.s and one Silver Commander had gone down the shaft in the hopes of finding out what were Wiseman's ultimate plans. Another group was gathering all the information they could find inside the Palace with the same purpose. Saffir was satisfied with the evacuation so far; there were only two thousand Nemesians on the city, but even that number was taking time to evacuate. Fortunately, with the shuttles and the teleporters on the Lucky Star, the process was proceeding smoothly. They expected to have finished by the time they emerged from the shaft.
Saffir's thoughts were interrupted when the hover-platform they were using stopped all of a sudden. "We have touchdown." Reported the engineer on their group.
"Everybody, stay alert. Who knows what Wiseman left behind." Cautioned Saffir. All presents acknowledged his warning; he and Avery took point, alert for anything out of the ordinary. The group began walking down a cavern made of black crystal, watching every corner for signs of booby traps.
Five minutes of cautious walking finally took them to the entrance of a lit cavern. Sending the B.A.T.s ahead, the rest waited. When the signal of 'all clear' was received, they entered.
What they encountered was nothing like they were expecting, however.
The place was a rough sphere made of crystalline formations. The chamber's walls were emitting a soft violet light, while spires of black crystal protruded from every surface. And at the bottom, what seemed to be three polyhedrons made of semi-transparent crystal were visible. Navigating their way around the spires, the group approached said formations. The first one to arrive was Prisma.
"These are crystal coffins!" she exclaimed. "We use them as holding cells, but what are they doing here?" Lifting the visor from her helmet, she approached the closest one. Cautiously, she began to remove the dust layer obscuring her vision. But when she finally was able the coffin's content, she jumped back in shock.
Noticing her reaction, Saffir hurried to her side and took a look himself. "It can't be..." he muttered. Immediately, he repeated the same process with the other two coffins, confirming his suspicions. "That bastard! No wonder we didn't encounter their opposition at the beginning of the campaign!! No wonder the energy flux of Nemesis is all wrong!!!"
"My Lord Saffir, what's the matter? What's in there?" asked Avery, puzzled. Saffir only pointed to the coffins. Curious, she approached and took a look. "The Outer Senshi..."
Effectively, inside the coffins were the Senshi of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Their expressions ones of pain and suffering. Their expressions were explained when, without warning, bolts of energy emerged from the coffins, impacting the surrounding spires. The energy was promptly absorbed, all the while muted screams were heard from the prisoners.
Avery looked at Saffir, equally shocked. Without looking at her, Saffir began to explain. "I was wondering why we never faced the Outers when we began our attack. And recently, after listening to Wiseman and that stranger talk, I wondered why Nemesis hadn't been destroyed. This is why.
"Wiseman captured the Outer Senshi, placed them in these coffins, and used them as living batteries to feed Nemesis, then removed the Dark Crystal from this place."
The group leader approached them as well. After assessing the situation, he addressed Saffir. "Is there a way to get these girls out of there?"
"Only the caster of the spell can undo it." Replied Saffir, frowning. "And I doubt Wiseman would."
"Wait!" said Prisma, looking at Saffir. "When Sailor Moon and her friends attacked Rubeus, one of them used a strange weapon that destroyed the coffin where Rubeus had placed the Rabbit."
"Yes, you're right... the cat-woman, I think" added Avery.
"Ensign Luna, you mean?" inquired the group leader. "If I recall correctly, she doesn't like to use plasma weaponry; something about messing up her fur or something. She prefers to use sonic weapons." Then the idea hit him. "Of course! Sonic waves!" Turning around, he addressed the rest of his group. "You two, use your sonic pistols. Medic, stand by."
As soon as Saffir, Avery and Prisma were outside the blast area, the group leader positioned his men around, he and two others in front of a coffin each, while the medic waited for the Senshi to be released.
"On my mark, people." Ordered the leader, taking aim at the coffin containing Uranus. "Ready, aim... FIRE!"
In unison, three sonic bursts were fired to the coffins. As soon as the shots hit them, the crystal coffins broke, releasing the Outers. Moving at the same time the crystal shards were falling, the three shooters immediately grabbed a Senshi each, preventing them from hitting the glass-covered floor. Taking them to the chamber's entrance, they placed them gently on the ground, while the medic began examining them with his medi-kit. A moment later he had his diagnosis.
"They're suffering from extreme exhaustion, malnutrition and systemic shock. I'll apply some stimulants to prevent them from entering a deep coma, but that's all I can do."
"We'll take them back to the ship's infirmary then. Let's get out of here." Said the group leader. It was in that moment that a series of energy bolts began to emerge from the spires, hitting the place where the coffins used to be. The resulting explosion was tremendous, sending everybody to the floor. At the same time, the spires began to break and explode all around them, at the same moment the ground began to tremble.
"What's going on??" shouted the group leader.
"Feedback!!" screamed Saffir, using his body to cover Avery. "Without the Senshi or the Black Crystal, the whole planet will fall apart!!!"
After listening that, the leader began to bark orders. "Let's get back to the surface! MOVE PEOPLE, MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!!!!"
Without hesitation, the explorers grabbed a Senshi and the whole of them began a frantic race towards the exit. The escape was perilous in extreme. During their race, three B.A.T.s were crushed by falling debris, and more than once Saffir broke the crystal blocks that fell from the roof and blocked their escape route. When they finally reached the shaft, they watched in dismay as one big hunk of crystal crushed the hover-platform that would take them to the surface.
"We're doomed..." muttered Prisma, staring at the remains of the platform. Avery hugged Saffir, closing her eyes.
The group leader, however, had an idea. After maneuvering Saturn to his left shoulder in a fireman carry position, he fumbled with his utility belt until he retrieved his communicator. Without wasting another second, he opened it and activated his emergency beacon. "Please God... let them receive it." He muttered.
On the Star's bridge, the security officer was receiving the last report from the evacuation process. The last shuttle had docked, and the refugees were being taken to the stage area. In that moment Hathaway reported.
"Sir... the planet. It's falling apart!"
"On screen!" ordered the officer. All on the bridge saw something they hadn't seen in all their lives. The surface of Nemesis was cracking, while huge gas pockets began to fume from the cracks. All of a sudden, huge chunks of planetary mass began to be ejected from the main body, getting lost in the deepness of space.
"Sir, receiving emergency beacon from the planet! It's the exploration group!" reported the communications officer.
Hearing this, the security officer opened a line to one of the teleport rooms. "Lock on the signal coming down planet and get our people out of there!"
+I'm trying sir! + Answered the technician in charge. +But there is too much interference and can't get a lock! +
"I don't care how you do it, but get them out!" said the officer, cutting the communications. He then addressed Hathaway. "Time before the planet explodes?"
"Five minutes until we have to retreat. Ten minutes before planetary collapse." Answered the scientist.
"Your orders, sir?" inquired the helm.
"We'll wait until the last second." Said the officer. "We're not leaving them to die, I can assure you that."
Inside the shaft, things weren't going well. A gas pocket had opened and superheated gas was filling the area, at the same time the tunnel continued its collapse at their backs. The group had huddled on one side of the shaft where the rocks and crystals had created a sort of temporary shelter. Nobody said a word; it would have been futile anyway, with all the sound created by the debacle. Avery was huddled next to Saffir, who unconsciously returned the embrace. Prisma was trembling nearby, curled in a fetal position. The other four members of the group were using their armored bodies to protect the unconscious Senshi, while the remaining six B.A.T.s were shooting at the debris falling too close to the group.
Just when a house-sized chunk of crystal began its descent right on top of the besieged group, shafts of blue energy suddenly surrounded them. Three seconds later they were gone, at the same instant the crystal crushed their refuge.
+Group retrieved. + Was the report from the teleport room. +Plus three more survivors. +
Captain Vardeen had entered the bridge a minute after the emergency beacon was received. After listening to the situation, he had agreed with his officer and waited. As soon as he heard those words, he ordered. "Helm, let's get out of here!"
"Yes sir!"
The Lucky Star immediately began to move away from Nemesis. They hadn't gone more than a couple of light-minutes away when the planet finally exploded.
"Incoming shockwave!" reported Hathaway.
"Sound red alert! Everybody, brace for impact!" ordered the captain.
From the collapsed planet, a force wave composed of superheated gases and planetary debris gained speed, heading towards the ship. A minute later the wave reached the Lucky Star, enveloping it. Tossed like a leaf in a sea storm, the ship did its best to weather the event. Two minutes later it was over.
On the bridge, everybody was standing up and returning to their stations. As soon as he returned to his seat, captain Vardeen asked. "Damage report?"
"We raised the shields just in time, captain." Reported the chief engineer. "They took the brunt of the shock wave. Minimal damage in decks 8, 14 and 22. Repairs are underway. Captain, if you don't mind me saying so, we are going to need one heck of an overhaul once we return back to base."
"Let's be grateful we still have a ship to overhaul." Commented the captain, getting a heartfelt agreement in response. He then addressed the helm. "Plot a course back to Earth, full impulse."
"Yes sir. Plotting course."
A moment later the Lucky Star was heading towards Earth to rendezvous with the group there.
* * * *
Back at the Crystal Palace, the Senshi, along with Tuxedo Mask were waiting outside the room where Serena was resting in. In another room at the end of the corridor, muted screams were heard.
Mercury shivered when she heard the last scream, embracing herself tighter. "I never thought Luna was so serious..."
"At least I hope she leaves something for me." Muttered Jupiter, scowling. She ignored her companions' expressions and continued. "That beast doesn't deserve to live, if you ask me."
"Somewhat, I agree with you, Jupiter." Said Mars, her fists clinched at her side. Raising her hands, she looked once more at her stained gloves. "His actions cost us a lot."
In that moment the door to Serena's room opened, allowing Syl to join them. Seeing their expressions, he sighed. "She's resting at last. I'm no doctor, but I think she's gotten over her shock. Poor Serena, too many things happening all at once." He shook his head in disbelief.
"Can we go and see her now?" Tuxedo Mask inquired. Syl took a look at him; Mask was trying to hide his emotions, donning his stone mask, however his eyes were another story entirely. They conveyed a need, a desperation that touched Syl.
Placing a hand on Mask's shoulder, Syl answered. "Only you for now. But let her rest; I gave her a mild tranquilizer to help her sleep."
Nodding his thanks, Tuxedo Mask hurried to enter the room. Syl stood in front of the now closed door, preventing access to the Senshi. "Only him. She's sleeping now, and he won't perturb her rest. Please, let them be for now." Grudgingly, the Senshi accepted, however Mars gave him a glare, which he ignored.
As soon as Tuxedo Mask entered Serena's room, Luna-F joined them. The smirk in her face made all of them shudder. "He's a tough one, but I think he learned the wrong of his ways by now." She commented.
Mercury was about to ask Luna-F what she had done to Demando, but decided not to when the felinoid cracked her knuckles while looking at the door where the former Dark Moon Family's leader was locked up.
It was in that instant that Syl's communicator beeped. He took it in his hand and activated it. "Ensign Sylpheed here."
+ Ensign, prepare for retrieval. Meet us in orbit in two hours. +
"Understood. Sylpheed out." Closing his unit, he addressed the others. "Well, help is on the way... a little late, I admit."
"Well, let's get ready then. I'll collect the B.A.T.s and prime the shuttle." Said Luna-F.
"I suggest we talk with king Endymion. We'll need to get his permission to give the science guys a shot at freeing the Queen." Added Syl, everybody nodding in agreement. After giving one last look at Serena's room, the group went to their tasks.
* * * *
Two and a half hours later, Luna-F was maneuvering the shuttle to land on her designated docking pad. King Endymion had been understanding of their situation and gave his permission for the Star's science staff to try and free the Queen. Once they docked, Syl ordered the B.A.T.s to join their brethren in the cargo holds, while an armored security detachment escorted Demando to a specially modified brig.
The Senshi, Syl and Luna-F watched the proceedings, as well as a medical gurney took Serena and the Outer Senshi to the infirmary, Tuxedo Mask following close by. Sighing, Syl addressed his companions.
"I don't know about you, but I'm going to take a shower and a nap."
"How can you say that??" exclaimed Mars, glaring daggers at him. "We have to rescue Chibi-Usa!!"
"And how do you want us to do that?" retorted Syl with a tire-laced voice, unfazed by her glare. "We don't know where Wiseman took her, or how to get there. We don't know what we're facing, what are his capabilities or how to counteract his powers. And that's not adding the fact that we all are exhausted, stranded in the future and with a ship full of refugees.
"Besides, going half-cocked is a sure way for defeat. Consider all possibilities, act upon the information at hand, and plan for the worst. We did that during all those reunions, and that's why we still are able to fight back. We can't always depend on luck, you know?"
Mars redoubled her glares, but unable to say a thing to contradict him. Her body was so tense that she was trembling. And the worse part for her to admit was that Syl was right! She wanted to do something, anything to get rid of the frustration and sense of failure that invaded her.
She almost jumped out of her clothes when a hand touched gently her shoulder. Turning her head she saw Jupiter. "He's right, you know?" said the Senshi of Thunder. "We can't do much as we are now."
"Besides, the raid on Nemesis might shed some light on Wiseman's motives. Let's wait until we know all we can." Added Mercury. Mars took a good look around, and finally noticed the exhausted look all the others had.
"All right." She finally conceded with a heavy sigh. "But as soon as a chance presents itself, we're taking it, with or without you!" the last she said looking at Syl and Luna-F.
"Fair enough." Said the felinoid, nodding. "I'm going to grab some chow after a shower. Someone wants to come?"
Twelve hours later, the command crew, the Senshi, Saffir, Avery representing her sisters, Syl, Luna-F, both moon cats and Serena were gathered in the War Room. Noticing that everybody was present and paying attention, Captain Vardeen began the meeting.
"As some of you might know by now, nobody on the science staff can even begin to understand the crystal that imprisons the Queen. One thing they have determined though, is that nothing short of full orbital bombardment could even dent that thing, and for obvious reasons we won't attempt such action."
"What I could understand," added the chief engineer, "is that... that thing is something similar to our own force fields, but on a level I can't imagine duplicating. It's so powerful that the best way to describe it is as 'solid energy', on a frequency so high we can't disrupt it with our available equipment."
"So there's nothing you can do to free her?" inquired Tuxedo Mask.
"I'm afraid not." Was the captain's response.
"What do you know of the Senshi you rescued from Nemesis' core?" inquired Serena.
"We returned them to the Crystal Palace on Earth. King Endymion requested it and I didn't see any reason to not do it." Answered the captain.
"What about my people? What have you planned to do with them?" asked Saffir.
"We originally planned to send them down planet." Answered the security officer. "However, King Endymion refused. And in good conscience, we can't abandon them all." Saffir and Avery nodded, satisfied by the answer so far. The officer continued. "So, if you all approve, I suggest we take them with us. We have found some M-class planets in our explorations, some with no native life, and there's a high chance they exist in this universe as well."
"So, what you're suggesting is that we become exiles once more." Stated Saffir, his face impassive.
"Considering that this planet is, for all practical purposes dead, it would be better." Stated Hathaway, adding his two cents to the conversation. "Terraforming it again would take centuries with normal means, and by then you all would be dead. There's no food, potable water and the atmosphere is slowly turning poisonous. What we're offering is a new beginning in a new, far more hospitable place than Nemesis."
Saffir remained silent for a few seconds, nobody talking. Finally, he said. "I'll have to discuss this with my brother; after all, he is the leader of the Dark Moon Family."
"And how is he, by the way?" inquired Avery.
"Secured in the brig." Responded the security officer. "He's recovering from his... encounter with Ambassador Moon fairly well, by the way."
"I told you I didn't do even half the things the doctor found on him." Commented Luna-F, slightly indignated. And with good reason; the ship's doctor had diagnosed three cracked ribs, two broken ones, multiple fracture on the right arm, a composed one on the right leg, a literally pulverized knee cap on his left leg, both shoulders dislocated, a hair fracture on the jaw, the loss of a few teeth, not to mention multiple bruises and cuts all over Demando's body. Even with his healing factor, it would take him weeks to regain his full health.
"We'll discuss that sometime later, Ensign." Said the captain, steering the meeting back in course. "What we need to do now is decide what to do next. Security, what have you found on the files retrieved from Nemesis?"
"So far, nothing truly useful I'm afraid." Answered the Security officer. "Most of those files are census documents, stating normal info about life on that planet." He then looked at Saffir, a spark of respect shinning in his eyes. "You really led a hard existence there." Saffir didn't react, so he continued. "The only thing of notice is that, by the time Wiseman raised to his position, life on Nemesis became harsher. That explains why Demando accepted the help, seeing how his people was suffering more than ever."
"But there's nothing in there that can explain his actions, is that right?" inquired Mercury. Receiving a no for answer, she sighed. "Now what?"
There was a minute of heavy silence, all present trying to reorder their ideas. All of a sudden, the silence was broken by the sound of the door sliding open. It was Serena who spoke to the new arrival. "Sensei, is there something you can tell us?"
The Ethereal didn't answer immediately. Heading towards the blonde, he positioned himself behind her, slightly to her right. He then finally answered. (Yes, young one. The time has come for you all to know the truth behind Wiseman... and myself.) That last statement drove the general attention straight to him. And before someone could make any questions, he began his story.
(I am aware that the majority of all present know the old legends of gods and supernatural beings, present in all planets with sentient life. But what most of you aren't aware of is that most of those stories have a base of truth. Let me explain.
(Right at the beginning of the universe as you perceive it, there was a race of beings that were the first to achieve consciousness and self-awareness. They followed the evolutionary paths that most races actually follow, with the great difference that there was nobody else for them to relate with. When the time came for them to leave their planetary crib, they began to wonder. They asked themselves 'what if there was someone else? Is there something we can do about it?'
(Thus began the period known to them as the Great Seeding. As the name implies, they began to wander the universe, finding planets where life could exist. They promoted the growth of life, hoping that from even one of those places Sentience would arise. That period took eons, but finally they finished. And waited.
(It was during that same period that they, just like the Agency now, discovered ways to go to parallel worlds, therefore starting their exploration of such places. It was in one of those universes that they stumbled upon a particularly interesting solar system, one their forefathers had visited millennia before and where Life had taken strong roots.
(They found that intelligent life had evolved in almost all the planets of such place. But they were dismayed to encounter strife, watching how the inhabitants were engaged in senseless fights and petty concerns. Taking samples from each planet, they discovered that those beings had enormous potential, being naturally attuned to the elemental forces of the universe. However, those latent abilities were untrained, unfocussed, and with their natural inclination to fight those powers, left untrained, would spell doom to them. That was something the original explorers found revolting. After all, being alone for so long they yearned for company, for someone that could be called equal.
(It was then that a young scientist came with the idea. They could train and help these beings, they could help them reach their potential and take their place among the stars, and in the process become the company these first ones ached to have. The idea was approved by unanimity.
(Once again, they began studying and cataloguing the inhabitants, always working from the shadows in order to not interfere more than necessary. Finally, they encountered the perfect candidates for such monumental task. These candidates had the common goal to work for what was right for all, not only their people; they wanted to lead a peaceful existence, with equality for all. Those were goals the first ones could relate wholeheartedly, and so they began to train them.
(Those beings were known as the first Senshi.)
All the present looked at the Ethereal, stunned beyond their limit. In a very abridged way, they were learning the Genesis of this particular universe, among with confirmation of what the old legends indicated. If what Sensei was telling them was true, then the whole of sentience not only in that original universe, but most probably the Multiverse as a whole was due to the actions of those fabled First Ones.
After a few moments to let them digest that information, Sensei continued his story. (Finally, the time came when those first Senshi were ready. But right before they could return with their own kind and establish a new, more peaceful way of life, something came up. The Senshi as they were and as powerful as the training had made them... were unstable. Their powers showed a tendency to overpower their young minds, so if they had been sent as that, the forces unleashed by them could have destroyed their worlds. So, a measure of control was sought.
(Once again, it was that same scientist who came with the solution. Noticing that the Senshi as a race had an affinity to certain crystalline formations, he estimated that a sort of crystal-based control system might help them achieve the total control they needed for the task at hand. Further studies finally bear fruit: by combining the elemental manna of those planets, along with mineral samples taken from each planet, a series of control amulets, or talismans, were created. Among those, one showed the greatest promise. On the moon of the third planet, a very special crystal was found, one that could resonate with all the other planets' powers perfectly, along with other frequencies related to love, life and existence as a whole. But there was more: only one person in the whole system could use it, since it was particularly attuned to her lifeforce. Thus, she was designated the user of that crystal. Said artifact was known as the Ginzuishou.
(What followed was a long period of fights and civil wars, but finally peace was achieved. Using the Ginzuishou, the leader of the Senshi brought a new era of peace and prosperity that hadn't been seen in that universe. That period was known as the Silver Millennium.
(However, there was a side effect from all this. That same young scientist got intrigued. Never before in the history of the First Ones have they ever encountered negative feelings such as hate, envy, greed and such. Curious, he began to study them. And unfortunately, he learned the meaning of obsession.
(He became obsessed with the dark side of what the First Ones had been looking through all their existence. For each being that knew love, he would study hate. For charity, he analyzed greed. For unity, he looked for dissension, and so forth. At first, his companions didn't pay attention, but soon it became obvious that such line of study would lead to what the Senshi had averted with their efforts. In the end, that promising scientist was stripped from all his recognitions and merits. But by that time, he didn't care; he only wanted to continue down that dark path and nothing would stop him. In the end, he believed that the only way to create the perfect society, the perfect race, was to destroy an imperfect Multiverse and start all over again, this time under what he thought was the correct path, using those dark emotions. That kind of reasoning could only lead to total Entropy, the complete annihilation of Existence, or what he called the return to the Perfect State, the return to the Beginning.
(Finally, the First Ones expelled that rogue element, but that wasn't the end of the story. The rogue swore that he'd find a way to make his dream come true, no matter how long it would take him or what he had to do. He was going to prove to everybody that his theory was right despite the cost to pay. One thing his initial research showed was that, if the Ginzuishou had evolved to represent the Light, then logic dictated that another crystal had to have evolved to represent the Dark.)
"Let me guess," interrupted Saffir, "That's Nemesis' Dark Crystal."
(That is correct. Ironic, that such crystal was found in the same system where the Ginzuishou resided and nobody had found it in the past. However, due to that same fact the Dark Crystal, or Entropy Crystal as he called it, being so close to the Ginzuishou, it lacked power. So, the only way to do it was to charge it with dark energies. And nothing can be darker in that respect than the annihilation of Life in a sudden and gruesome way. For that effect, he manipulated events from outside Time and Space to lure a xenophobic being towards the Silver Millennium. Said being was known as Metallia.)
"Sensei... what you're saying is that this rogue caused the destruction of the Silver Millennium just to charge the Dark Crystal?" Serena asked, amazed and shocked by this revelation.
(I'm afraid so, Young One. His original plan called for destroying all of the inhabitants of the solar system in horrible ways, something easy to do since Metallia used Youma that preyed using dark energies. However, what he didn't count on was that a descendant of the first leader of the Senshi used the Ginzuishou to save the souls of her subjects. The energy released by that act dispersed a great deal of dark energies, preventing the activation of the Entropy Crystal. Therefore, another wait for the rogue began. With the third planet being the only one able to sustain life, he had to wait for a long time for another opportunity.
(Another side effect that he took advantage of was that the dark energies released during that titanic battle took root in the inhabitants of that planet. It was a trickle compared to that first attempt, but with all the centuries of inner fight and petty concerns, he was able to activate the Crystal, albeit to its lowest power level. It was until the creation of the kingdom known as Crystal Tokyo that another chance presented itself.)
"What do you mean by that?" inquired Captain Vardeen, intrigued. "If what we learned is correct, this Crystal Tokyo was nothing this rogue could use."
(By itself, that's correct. However, he manipulated events so that a percentage of the world's population wouldn't accept the new order. The Queen, by virtue of her advisors, decided to exile those dissidents to the fringes of the solar system. But unknown to her, that world was also the resting place of the Entropy Crystal.
(When she cleansed the planet of all dark emotions, said energies latched onto those exiles, being transported right where the rogue needed it. Even more, with the population now residing in that place, there was a self-perpetuating source of new dark energies at hand. It took only a few short decades for the Entropy Crystal to gain enough power to be a rival for the Ginzuishou. However, just like in the original Silver Millennium's genesis, a controller was needed. But no person with the necessary qualities was found among Nemesis' population. However, a solution was promptly found.) Upon hearing those words, Serena paled noticeably. Nodding, Sensei confirmed her nascent fears.
(That's right, Young One. Since that particular bloodline was able to control the Ginzuishou, he deducted that a descendant attuned to dark energies would control the Entropy Crystal. Therefore, the daughter of the Neo-Queen was needed.)
"Wait a minute... so, this rogue is Wiseman??" asked Avery, finally making the connection. "But then, that means that he has been around since before the Silver Millennium!"
(That is correct. His original form could not have gained acceptance among the inhabitants of Nemesis, though. So, when a suitable vessel was found, it was child's play for him to take over that body, thus becoming the one you know as Wiseman.)
"This is insane." Commented the Security Officer, shaking his head in disbelief. "What you're implying here is that a being that's been around literally since the beginning of time is the one that's trying to destroy everything?"
(Crude summation, but that's correct.)
"Something's wrong with this picture." Said Syl. He then addressed the Ethereal directly. "You mentioned that this rogue, or Wiseman, manipulated events from outside the space-time continuum. Didn't the rest of the First Ones could have stopped him somehow when he started doing that?"
(Unfortunately, no. During that time, their ruling body had dictated that no direct interference had to be inferred upon the studied subjects, no matter what. To disobey such rule would have meant the emergence of another rogue element. To this day, nobody has done that.)
"But that's still a good question." Interjected Mercury. "Couldn't these First Ones have established some sort of control, something to prevent all this from happening without direct interference?"
(And that is what they did. You see, during their stay in the genesis of the Silver Millennium, they encountered a rift, a rip in the space-time continuum. This particular rip had the ability to allow displacement through what you call the fourth dimension.)
"Time travel..." muttered Hathaway, making the connection in that instant and showing it by snapping his fingers. "So, they decided to place a plug on it. And that's precisely what the Time Gates are in reality... a plug!"
(That is correct. The Time Gates are a control system to prevent misuse of the fourth dimension. By themselves, they can't do a thing, so a guard was needed. The original plan called for the establishment of a rotation guard, since the stress of standing in the time stream could drive a single guardian to madness. However, only a very precious few had the mental fortitude to stand such pressures, so the only solution available was to designate a guardian until a replacement could be found.)
"And that's what the position as Sailor Pluto entails... to be the guardian of the Time Gates!" finished Luna-C, an expression of wonder in her face. "And since the only people that can be Senshi are the princesses of their respective planets..."
(Only the princess of Pluto could handle the position, yes.) Concluded the Ethereal. (And we all know that the royal houses were known for not being able to sire more than one child. Obviously, said position wasn't, and isn't, ideal to find a mate and continue the bloodline, since it has the effect of... what's the expression? Oh yes, turn down suitors.)
"Geez... poor Pluto. No wonder she had that look." Commented Syl, pondering what he saw during his encounter with the Senshi of Time. Serena glanced at him through the corner of her eye but made no comment.
"That is very interesting Ambassador, and I appreciate you sharing that information." Said Captain Vardeen. "However, how does it relate with the current situation? I don't see that point clearly."
(The point here, captain, is that Wiseman needs someone that can control the Entropy Crystal, someone that he can control. But this particular girl was born from a direct descendant of the user of the Ginzuishou, therefore her karmic and akashic orientation is towards the light. What he did, I'm afraid, is to infuse her with dark energies to suppress that orientation. That done, the next step was to totally and completely erase all memories of her previous life. The final step... is a rewrite of her soul, so her orientation is towards dark energies, thus enabling her to have absolute control over the Entropy Crystal.
(In short, the girl you knew as Chibi-Usa is no more. What stands in her place is an enemy, someone that needs to be destroyed in order to save the Multiverse.)
That last bit of information had the same effect as pouring freezing water on all present. Nobody said a word for a few minutes, until Serena broke the silence. Addressing the Ethereal she said.
"Sensei... with all due respect, I can't believe that! You, of all people, taught me that there is always a solution for every problem! We have to look for the proper answer! I refuse to believe that Chibi-Usa is lost forever!!!"
(Maybe there is, Young One...) answered Sensei. (The final step of this process calls for her to manipulate massive amounts of dark energy so the programming is complete. But such step calls for the annihilation of a planet.)
"Oh, that's wonderful." Commented the security officer. "So, we only have to look for them all over the Multiverse, and hope we can find them in time before they can bring the apocalypse to some unsuspecting race! Just organizing such search will take years, if not centuries! And that's supposing we can coordinate all the Agency's allies for such a task and dedicate all our resources to it!"
(Under other circumstances, I'd agree with you. But I know Wiseman. He won't lose time now that his goal is so close, so he will go to some place that he already knows.)
"Oh no..." muttered Serena, drawing attention to her. It was Mars who made the question. "Serena? What's wrong?"
"I know where he is then..." began the blond, her expression haunted. "Think everybody! He already activated the Crystal by destroying earth here! He knows that he can get all the energy he needs by destroying it, so there is only one place he could have gone!"
"But of course!" said Saffir, standing to attention. "The past! Where the Dark Moon Family was operating! He knows all he needs thanks to the reports sent by the previous attempts to destroy the past! That's where he is!"
"In that case, he'll have a nasty surprise." Said Captain Vardeen, nodding in agreement with the conclusions reached so far. "Remember, the battle group is already there. We have to go back and prevent this debacle from happening."
The ethereal said nothing else, but he appeared to be satisfied that the crew had realized where to go by themselves. (It took them long enough to realize it, but they did it in the end.) He thought to himself.
"But how are we going to get there? I mean, without conflict with Pluto again for crossing her Time Gates." Inquired Luna-F.
"She'll have to understand. After all, this situation affects her guardianship directly." Said Hathaway, his right hand on his chin. "I mean, destroying the past will cause the events originated now, in the future, to have never occurred. But since they DID occurred, there will be a self-perpetuating loop in the continuum. In short, a paradox of enough proportions to eradicate all existence. Best case scenario, only this galaxy is affected; worse case scenario, this whole universe goes kaboom."
"And knowing Wiseman, he must have rigged things for the worst case." Commented Saffir, his face impassive.
(A safe assumption.) Commented the Ethereal. (The destruction of the past will jump-start the Entropy Crystal to almost its full capacity. The destruction of a whole universe will give the Wiseman enough dark energies to destroy the Multiverse, one sector at a time and gaining more power with each apocalypse. Even if in the process the little girl dies due to burn-up, he'll be able to fully control the Crystal by the end without her assistance.)
"Very well, our goals are now clear." Said the Captain, reaching for a cup of tea. "This Wiseman is a menace to the Agency, not to mention existence in general. Our main goal is to stop him. As I see it, we have to go in three steps.
"One, to rescue Chibi-Usa if possible, or if that's no longer an option... eliminate her." He hardly managed to stop the deluge of comments from the Senshi. "Understand, if she can't be saved, then we'll have to take steps to prevent her use by Wiseman and control the Dark Crystal. She is his control, and without her, his plans at this stage will come to a screeching halt.
"Second, either seize of destroy the Dark Crystal. There is no other option there; personally, I prefer to destroy it.
"And third, the capture or destruction of the Wiseman. I don't know if we'll be able to do it, but we all have to give it our best shot." Seeing that all present agreed with those points, he added. "Very well, let's begin. Engineering, reinsert the crystal key in the Drive and prepare for another time cross. Security, keep a task force ready in case Sailor Pluto once more tries to stop us. Ambassador Moon, the same goes for your companions due to your previous experience with this particular Senshi. Prince Saffir, as soon as we return, we'll transfer your people to one of the other battlecruisers already there and begin their relocation to a world of your choice; please discuss this with your brother.
"If there is nothing else to add, then this meeting is adjourned. Dismissed."
Nobody said a thing, and then began to exit the room in silence. However, Serena and the Ethereal remained in the now empty room. Once they were sure of being alone, Serena made telepathic contact with the Ethereal.
(Sensei... can I ask you a few questions?)
(Of course young one. What do you want to know?)
(There's been something that's been nagging me in the back of my mind. I already know that your people know a lot of things... but then, why didn't you tell me a thing about all this?)
(Young one... you weren't ready. To have burdened you with this knowledge back then would have stalled your development a great deal. You wouldn't have been ready for this series of events and would have fallen otherwise.)
(I understand Sensei, and I thank you for your foresight. However... the way you talked of the history of the Multiverse, Wiseman's origins, his plans... there is more to it than a simple history class, isn't it?) When the Ethereal didn't answer, she knew that she was right in her assumptions. (You were there, right? The Ethereals are the First Ones, right?)
The Ethereal didn't answer immediately, carefully choosing what to say. Finally, he just said one word. (Yes.)
(Then why? Why going through all the trouble of helping me? Why not stop Wiseman since you know where he was? Why letting all this to happen?)
(You have to remember Young One... we can't interfere. At least not directly, as I mentioned during the meeting. As for why helping you... I'll tell you when the time is right.)
Serena considered for a brief moment to press the Ethereal, but from past experiences she knew that such feat was like pulling teeth from a crocodile: a really long, tedious and painful experience at best. Standing up, she headed towards the exit, not before adding.
(Thank you for your patience Sensei. Now, if you excuse me, I want to be alone for a while.) Without waiting for an answer she left the war room. The Ethereal remained for a couple more minutes; just before he left a thought crossed his mind.
(I am sorry Princess, but you can't know the full truth yet. You still aren't ready for it, but I'm confident that you'll reach that point before the final battle.)
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's notes:
Phew! Another chapter done! First of all, thank you all readers for your patience. Real Life has been hitting me with a vengeance, therefore interfering quite hard with my inspiration. There were days that I was tempted to shelve this story, but then I re-read all your wonderful reviews and forced me to continue. For that, thanks again!!!
Well, this chapter interprets some of my personal points of view of what might have been the origin of the Silver Millennium. Hope you all liked it! And if you have questions, either ask in your reviews or directly e-mail me at gabinol@infosel.net.mx
Thanks are in order to my friend and pre-reader Yohann DeSabrais. Your idea for the origin of the Dark Crystal was incredible. Thanks for letting me run wild with it!
Now, you all know by now the drill, but let me say it again. REVIEW!!!
Ok, that's all for now... later!