Author gushes: This ranks among the most amazing and fulfilling writing experiences of my life, and I can't thank the readers and reviewers enough. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try (If gushing 'thank you' speeches bore you, then just skip down to the line break).
Muttly – Thanks for all the nice stuff you said, and for your fantastic pics. Man, I can feel you snappin' at my heels. Don't worry, Indy's a comin'…
MrDrP – I really appreciate all your kind words. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
Scoutcraft Piratess – Sorry of it wasn't totally crowd-pleasing, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for reading.
Jezriana2.0 – These attempts to hide your latent attraction to me are making me blush. It's OK to admit that you want me. Thanks for reading.
Classic Cowboy – Since you're easily the most popular and admired writer on the KP fanfic boards, I shall be using your review as an endorsement, and putting it on all the UNION posters ("'Two Thumbs Up!' - raves Classic Cowboy of the Ridgefield Press") Thanks so much for reading.
Dreammergurl2007 – One of the best compliments a writer can receive is just knowing someone is actually going to read something of his more than once. Thanks for all your reviews, and all your kind words.
Pwn Master Paladin – Dude! Thanks a bunch for listing this on your C2 archive, and thanks for all your great reviews.
The Incredible Werekitty – It has indeed been a long, strange trip. Thank you for taking this journey with me, and for all your kind words.
Mattb3671 – If only said skillz would pay the billz. I left a few threads intentionally open, hope you don't mind. THANKS… for reading.
Spooks-a-lot – It does wonders for a writer when you tell him you'd actually buy one of his stories. That meant a lot to me. Thanks for all your reviews through REUNION and this story.
WesUAH – compliments mean a great deal coming from a writer as talented as you. I can't thank you enough.
Commander Argus – Thanks a bunch.
Ezbok58a – I will indeed be taking a rest. Thanks for your great reviews.
Mobius97 – actually I think you said you were late for work in one of your reviews. I'd hate to be responsible for all that lost productive time… anyway, thanks for reading and thanks for all your kind words.
aimtbj – there aren't adequate words in the English language to thank you enough. I appreciate your hanging with me through REUNION and this story as well.
JPMod – Yet another who's been with me through REUNION and UNION. Thanks so much for all your kind reviews. I hope you find the epilogue to your satisfaction.
Zaratan – Thanks. Sorry if it wasn't quite what you expected, but thanks for hanging in there, and for all your kind words.
Texas Dad – Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. I remember in one of your reviews you said this was some of the best fiction you'd read in a decade. Those words have stayed with me, and meant a lot.
TAZER ZERO – thank you very much.
KC England – thank you, I really appreciate it.
Widow Shark – The Christmas Story reference was the part where the Drakkenites sing the Oh Boyz song, much the way the Chinese Waiters sang Christmas carols to Ralphie's family at the restaurant. Thank you for reading through REUNION and UNION, all your kind words mean a great deal to me.
Sestren NK – I am touched that you were emotionally affected by this story. Thanks so much for all your kind reviews.
Porphyria-Kris – You are a writer's dream come true. All your detailed reviews and kind words can never be properly repaid. Thank you… I wish there were a better way to say it, but thank you.
Invader Thing – Thanks for the booyah, and for all your great reviews.
Jokerisdaking – Ah, another sojourner who accompanied me through REUNION and UNION. Your reviews have always been greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Ace Ian Combat – Hope your parents weren't disturbed. Thanks so much for reading and sharing your kind words with me.
John – I will try. Thank you.
Dixon San – I, too am sad it's over. Thank you for your great reviews.
Brimmstone – one word: Thanks.
Recon228 – Dude, you are the man. Again, receiving such a compliment from such a talented writer is great praise indeed. Thanks for all your reviews.
Kemiztri – Thank you for inspiring me to bring Veronica back to Ancient Japan (for anyone else reading, originally TJ was the only one who was going to go back in time with Ron, but Kemiztri gave me an idea…), I think the story turned out better because of it. Thanks for reading, and for all your kind words.
Manchester Black – Your compliments mean a lot. Thank you, and thank you for reading.
Zero9g9 – Thanks for reading.
Lennex – Thanks a bunch for reading. Glad you liked it.
Visigoth29527 – I hope the inquiring minds are satisfied. Glad you like the story and thanks for reading.
And thanks to everyone who has listed UNION among their favorite stories. It means a lot to me.
Thanks to all who read UNION, I hope you liked it.
See you guys in a few weeks.
Epilogue
"Sir? We are approaching the designated coordinates."
"Full stop, Sub-Commander."
"Answering full stop, aye."
The four ships of the SPS Titan Carrier Group slowed their momentum to a relative stop just beyond the outer boundary of the Solar System and held position in tight formation. The Titan herself continued forward at a crawl, then came to a halt.
The two escort Battle Cruisers; the Zeus, and the Hercules, rotated slightly and faced outward, away from the flagship, and went on heightened alert while the Supply Cruiser Athena took up station just astern of the massive starcraft carrier.
"What do we do now, sir?" The sub-commander asked his superior officer.
"We wait," Admiral Amanda Flagg replied curtly.
Silence for a short while.
"I've never been to Earth," The sub-commander chatted idly, "What's it like?"
"It has its own unique beauty," Amanda said quietly, "Though I was only there for a few years, and didn't see as much of Earth as I would have liked. I was too busy studying."
"You never told us where you went to school."
"That's because I was sent there by Central Command after I graduated from the academy, which means it's a matter of some secrecy. Anything yet?"
Amanda glanced over at the operations officer who simply shook his head silently, indicating that nothing was being picked up on sensors. She eyed the container near her feet nervously. It was a long way to come for such a small package.
Admiral Flagg strode purposefully over to the large observation windows of the command deck and looked out along the length of the carrier. The damage teams had nearly finished their work. Originally, she was annoyed that she had been chosen to carry out this particular mission, and further annoyed that her entire carrier group was committed to its completion. She had petitioned Central Command to allow her to conduct her mission with either the Zeus or the Hercules, but they had issued strict orders that she was to utilize her entire carrier group for the operation.
She soon found out why.
The war had been going for two years now, longer than any war had gone on for at least a century. A minor territorial dispute had erupted between the Union of Socialist Planetary Systems (USPS) – the largest alliance of planets in the galaxy – and a loose affiliation of planetary democracies called the Federation of Ten (Fed-X). The dispute erupted into a full-scale war when diplomatic efforts over the territory in question failed. While Fed-X and the USPS fought it out, the other two major factions in the galaxy; the United Planets of Sol (UPS) - which consisted of Earth, and the terra-formed planets of Mars, Venus and several of Jupiter's moons - and the Desolate Habitats League (DHL) – a group of nearly inhospitable planets on the extreme outer rim of the galaxy – remained neutral.
At the outset of the conflict, there were a few rules that governed the conduct of war as set forth in the Treaties of New Geneva. A majority of the rules dealt with treatment of prisoners and the forbidding of civilian habitations as military targets. But the most important laws of war were those banning certain types of weapons.
Ancient nuclear weaponry was outlawed, as were chemical and biological weapons. Cascade and anti-matter weapons were also forbidden. Certain types of proto-matter weapons were allowed but the restrictions were so tight, no one bothered to manufacture them. And, of course, any kind of device that utilized or generated Chronotheta Radiation was absolutely prohibited.
Time travel, and specifically, the use of Chronotheta Radiation for any purpose, had been outlawed since before the human and molerat races began to colonize other planets. Every planet with even a scattering of settlements had a network of satellites designed to detect all sorts of substances, including Chronotheta Radiation. If any such radiation was detected, those attempting to use it were dealt with swiftly and firmly. In fact, attempted manipulation of the Space/Time Continuum was one of a few crimes for which due process was exempt. Mess with the time stream and you were either going to die or get locked up without question. Each of the societies in the galaxy saw the necessity of this. No one could be allowed to time travel and tear apart the continuum.
But, of course, that didn't mean someone didn't try every now and then.
Which was why Admiral Flagg and the Titan carrier group had been dispatched to a tiny, out-of-the-way planet just outside the boundaries of DHL territory. There, she and her soldiers had encountered a being who called herself Saru. She was a sentient primate, though Flagg couldn't tell if she was Gorilla, or Monkey, or both. Whatever Saru was, she had developed a time travel device and had apparently already used it, though where she had gone, nobody knew. Wherever is was, she didn't stay long enough to pull apart the timeline.
Saru's device, as it turned out, was not just any ordinary time travel device. It had been equipped with a Molecular Manipulator; an advanced piece of technology that allowed Saru to transform stone into creatures who would do her bidding. Molecular Manipulators had been in use before, though none to any great success and none had been developed that were portable. But Saru had discovered the secret to making a Molecular Manipulator work; the denser the material, the more likely it would remain cohesive and able to function under her control. Less dense materials such as flesh or even wood would eventually lose their ability to function and whatever form they assumed simply shut down. But denser materials could operate under their own will.
When the Titan assumed an orbital position above Saru's planet, it soon found itself under attack by an army of stone monkeys flying rather heavily armed fighter craft. Admiral Flagg was barely able to launch her squadrons of starcraft in time and a heavy battle raged for the better part of the afternoon.
Eventually, however, Saru was captured and put into cryogenic captivity and Flagg handed her over to the DHL authorities who had demanded she be left with them to deal with. Before Saru was frozen, however, Flagg had her subjected to mindscan interrogation and learned some very interesting things about her simian prisoner. Among them was the fact that Saru was a descendent of two genetically altered humans who had lived on Earth five hundred years ago; an English lord who was known as Montgomery Fiske and a geneticist by the name of Doctor Amy Hall.
Admiral Flagg sent a request through diplomatic channels to Earth, asking for information on Fiske and Hall. But instead of the expected information, Admiral Amanda Flagg was ordered to deliver the captured time travel device to UPS; specifically Earth, to a school she had attended when she was young.
When she asked for the details on who had made the request, she began to believe the legends were true. As a student at Yamanuchi, rumors circulated every year about the almost mythical Ron Stoppable and his cohorts, and how he had once attended the school. In addition, the rumors always seemed to include Master-
"Sir?" The ensign's voice at Tactical interrupted Amanda's thoughts, "Two inbound vessels."
"What do you make of them, Ensign?"
"Ronin class Star Destroyers, sir, heavily armed."
"That'll be our escort," Flagg muttered, "Open a communication frequency."
"Open."
"This is Admiral Amanda Flagg of the SPS Titan. I am officially requesting safe passage to the planet Earth to carry out a mission assigned to me by both our governments." She said in a serious tone.
On the command deck in front of the communications station, a holographic image of a rodent appeared. It was hairless, pink, and stood about two feet tall.
"I am Field Marshall Ronaldus Ten Thousand of the SD Raitaro, we will be escorting you to Earth, Admiral Flagg. However, we regret to inform you that only your flagship may cross over into our territory. The remainder of your battle group must hold this position until you return."
"Understood, Field Marshall Ronaldus, I will transfer my flag to the Battlecruiser Hercules and we will accompany you to Earth."
"Acknowledged," and the mole rat disappeared.
Amanda turned to leave the command deck, then halted, a thought crossing her mind.
"Lieutenant," She turned to the officer manning the tactical console, "Just out of curiosity, if we were to launch fighters as well as engage with the battlecruisers-"
"We wouldn't last three minutes, sir." The Lieutenant said with a rueful grin.
"Like I said," Admiral Flagg picked up the small container and turned to leave, "Just curious."
The small convoy maintained a tight formation, with the SD Raitaro out front and the second Star Destroyer, Katana, bringing up the rear. Amanda invited the Field Marshall and his senior staff to the Hercules and gave them a tour. She noted their polite responses and courteous, though feigned, interest in her ship. They were simply being diplomatic. Though their ships were half the size of the Hercules, they were far more powerful, more advanced, and much more deadly.
"I would offer you a tour of the Raitaro," Field Marshall Ronaldus said politely, "But both our Star Destroyers are comprised solely of molerat crews. You would find yourself having to crawl uncomfortably through the corridors."
"I understand completely," Amanda hid her disappointment. She would have gladly crawled through every deck of the Raitaro just to get a glimpse inside one vessel of the most powerful galactic fleet in the known universe.
There were plenty of ships in the UPS fleet that had human crews, and most of those had molerat crewmembers working alongside human crewmates. But there were four vessels in the fleet that were made up solely of molerat crews, and it was considered the highest honor of a molerat to not only to serve in the protection of the system of planets that orbited the small star called 'Sol', but to be assigned to one of those four vessels.
There were no military vessels in the UPS fleet that had an all-human crew. Once, when the molerats saved the Earth from destruction by a hostile armada of DHL heavy Starcruisers, the decision was made to commission four vessels that would be crewed and maintained by molerats only. It was a gesture of implicit trust on the part of the human government to place their protection in the hands of their molerat allies.
Though many molerats still lived on Earth, most of them had migrated to Mars some two hundred years ago. Humans had attempted to colonize the red planet, but were unsuccessful; Mars was simply too inhospitable.
However, one group of intrepid molerats led by the legendary explorer Wade Six Thousand (his actual name was Wade Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty-Eight, but even the molerat historians grew tired of writing it all out and simply rounded off the figure), managed to establish a base on Mars and soon, a full-sized colony was thriving where humanity had been unable to make a go of it.
They were granted full autonomy by Earth's parliament and quickly established an alliance that remains yet unbroken.
"Admiral Flagg," the Field Marshall spoke with a courteous tone, "We will be in Earth's orbit in less than three minutes. Will you be taking a shuttle to the surface or do you wish us to teleport you planetside?"
"You can teleport me without my having to be on your ship?" Amanda asked with unabashed awe.
"Affirmative." The rodent replied simply "We will remain in orbit until you complete delivery of the time travel device."
"You are aware of my mission?"
"Our sensors picked up the Chronotheta radiation when we approached your position on the outer edge of the system. After we alerted Fleet HQ, we were informed this was to be expected. This is why we were delayed slightly in our rendezvous with you. We had our weapons charged and were preparing to obliterate your carrier group, but were told to stand down."
Amanda looked down at the rodent standing opposite her, "You had your weapons fully charged and were within range."
"As soon as you arrived at the coordinates." The molerat confirmed.
"I'll take a shuttle down", Amanda said in a shaky voice. The idea that they were poised to destroy her and her entire battlegroup without once being picked up by sensors was unnerving.
"As you wish," Field Marshall Ronaldus turned slightly to his right and raised a fist, exhorting her with the molerat word for 'success', "Hooshah!"
Without so much as a flash or an accompanying noise, the molerat appeared blurry, then disappeared altogether.
Amanda calmed her nerves as the shuttle descended though Earth's atmosphere and automatically adjusted its trajectory for the large island off the coast of mainland China. She didn't look forward to the report she would have to give her superiors, but then began to wonder if USPS NavComHQ might not have sent her on this particular mission just to test the defensive waters at the United Planets of the Solar System.
They would be in for quite a surprise when they received her report.
Admiral Flagg smoothed her uniform and marveled at the clear skies around her. As far as she could tell, she was the only craft within a several hundred mile radius. On her home planet of Yusei, one could almost climb into the upper atmosphere by simply hopping from one craft to another. Indeed, even the space between Yusei and the next inhabited planet of the USPS was so crowded with traffic, strict travel corridors were established to reduce the number of collisions that occurred on an hourly basis.
The shuttle's retrothrusters fired and the craft settled into a hover over a landing pad at the base of Mount Yamanuchi. When she emerged from the craft, Amanda was startled to see the two people had come to meet her.
They were old, almost ancient. The woman had pure white hair that fell to her waist. Despite her aged appearance, there was still an ethereal beauty about her. Next to her was an old man with a long, white beard that cascaded down over his chest, and a bald, wrinkled head.
"Yori-sensei," Amanda said with a low bow, "Kintaro-sensei. You honor me by meeting here at the base of the mountain. I would have been content to be escorted by one or two of your students."
"Hello, Amanda," Yori returned the bow, but did not stoop quite as low, "I would not insult one of such high rank by sending a mere student to escort her."
"Besides," Kintaro said with a chuckle, "There were no students to send. Yamanuchi has trained its last ninja."
"Forgive me if I am somewhat self-conscious." Amanda said quietly, "I find myself embarrassed that we should meet under such circumstances. Just so you know, I am not fighting this war willingly."
Yori looked at her and smiled, "It is our hope that no one fights a war willingly."
"War is never the answer," Kintaro added, "But at times it must be a solution. If you are performing your duties with honor, then we can ask nothing else of you. But come, we wish for you to share a meal with us."
"I have brought the requested item," Amanda turned around and produced the medium-sized box, holding it out to Yori.
Yori looked momentarily terrified, then recovered quickly with a smile, "It will be your honor to carry it up the mountain for us."
Amanda laughed, tucking the box under her arm. Yori-sensei had once gotten a young, rebellious Amanda to do many things she didn't want to by telling her she would gain honor in finishing the tasks; homework, sparring matches, running the dragon course early in the morning… She breathed in the pure, warm summer air and felt like she was eighteen years old once more.
As if reading her thoughts, Kintaro-sensei remarked, "The river still runs at full capacity, should you wish to take a swim this afternoon."
Yori shot a glare at her husband, "As long as Kintaro-sensei is nowhere in the vicinity."
Amanda laughed but blushed as well. She had created quite a scandal one summer day in her first year at Yamanuchi by cooling off in the river below the school. Several of the boys had followed her down, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful blonde in her birthday suit. Amanda, knowing the boys had followed and liking the idea of being a tease, slipped out of her clothes and plunged into the deep, green pool. When she surfaced, she was startled to find herself staring into the less-than-amused eyes of Yori and the slightly amused eyes of Kintaro who were in the midst of their customary mid-morning bathing session.
Amanda scrambled to the shore and dressed hurriedly, realizing the boys had abandoned their hopes of seeing her in the altogether when they realized the spot in the river she was heading for.
Yori wanted to make Amanda run the dragon course in the nude.
"If she wants to show herself off, let her do so!" Yori barked at her husband, loud enough for Amanda and the rest of the school to hear.
Kintaro pretended to consider it, and they went inside.
Amanda spent the afternoon in terror, waiting for Yori-sensei's wrath to come crashing down upon her. But it never did. Later Amanda would realize it had all been an act, and they never intended to humiliate her in that manner. The rumors flew about how Amanda had known the boys were following her to the river, and she had to endure several crass proposals from some of the more brazen boys in the school. A few days later Yori called her to her quarters.
"I understand you have had a few unwanted advances from other students."
"Yes, Yori-sensei." Amanda said quietly.
"Whose fault is this?" Yori demanded.
"Mine." Amanda whispered.
"Not entirely," Yori's tone softened, "Self-control is a virtue all ninjas must exercise, but we cannot ignore the fact that these boys have gotten an idea in their heads, and that idea had to come from somewhere. One should not advertise unless one is willing to entertain clients. If anyone propositions you again, let me know, and they will be dealt with."
And with that, Amanda was dismissed.
She had been expecting something much more severe, perhaps expulsion for being a disruption at the school. But she had been given a lesson, and granted grace. Amanda soon found herself wanting nothing more than to please and win the approval of her masters. She worked hard the rest of her time at Yamanuchi, and never forgot her training, or the lessons she learned outside of class.
Lost in her memories, Amanda was surprised when they came upon the waterfall. How many years had it been since she walked through here? The three of them walked behind the cascading water and through a narrow passageway, out to a precipice beyond. There, a narrow rope-and-board bridge spanned a deep chasm to a small outcropping, then another similar bridge led across a canyon to a compound perched on the edge of a cliff. The dull roar of the rushing river far below filled her ears.
"How long has it been?" Kintaro turned and asked Amanda.
"Too long, Kintaro-sensei." Amanda replied, "Far too long."
It was eerie walking through the gates of the school and being met by no one. The compound was empty and silent, only the river below could be heard. There was such an air of solemnity and history about the place, Amanda felt as though she shouldn't talk above a whisper. Doors were shut tight, sparring staffs rested neatly against a nearby wall, windows were closed.
Yori led them into the large, empty dining hall. Kintaro scurried into the kitchen and made the last preparations that needed to be made for the meal, and brought out the food. Amanda looked around, remembering the hall as a place of lively conversation and laughter, filled with students chattering excitedly about one thing or another. Many was the time when she and her fellow students would try to guess which table it was where Ron Stoppable had eaten while he was a student there. Sometimes they would talk about his twin granddaughters Dawn and Sharon; legendary ninjas who could shoot greenish energy beams from their hands and eyes, and shared possession of a mystical sword with great powers.
Amanda set the box on the table next to her and noted the sideways glance that Yori gave it just before sitting down herself.
"We are glad you are here, Amanda." Kintaro-sensei said, setting food on the table and sitting down, "It is good for us to share a final meal with one of our students."
"'Final Meal'?" Amanda asked with alarm.
"It is not what you think." Yori-sensei said quietly, "We are not dying. Not yet at any rate."
"We will soon be taking a journey," Kintaro added, "But we would like to tell you a story first."
Over the course of the next several hours, Amanda sat in utter astonishment and incredulity, barely touching the meal set before her, as the voices of her two former masters echoed through the empty dining area.
There had always been rumors, of course, that Yori-sensei and Kintaro-sensei were immortal, that they could not die. But they were always treated as rumors. No one lived forever. Howeverf, this possibility was overshadowed by certain details that seemed even more incredible to Amanda Flagg.
"Please forgive my interruption," She finally was unable to keep quiet, "But I… I mean… I've been to the Middleton Monument where the members of the legendary Stoppable family are buried… but… you actually knew Ron and Kim Stoppable?"
Yori-sensei said nothing, but Kintaro-sensei smiled widely.
"Master Yori actually had a brief love affair with Ron Stoppable." He beamed, almost as if he were proud of this fact.
"I did not see the need to mention that." Yori said quietly to her husband, "My feelings for Stoppable-san-"
"Were genuine," Kintaro said with a grin, "At least early on. And I think it is fair to say he felt something for you in those days. Besides, you know I've been wanting to tell at least one person about it. Keeping a secret for five hundred years can be difficult. And look, she does not believe me anyway."
Amanda's jaw had practically hit the table. Admiral Amanda Flagg was a decorated, high-ranking officer in the USPS Galactic Fleet. She had seen combat on more occasions than she wanted to remember, had heard tales and seen events that would confound the human mind. Her crew knew her as a proper, dignified, level-headed tactician who kept her cool even in the hottest of combat situations. But today she was a giddy school-girl being told the secrets of the universe.
"This is true?" She breathed.
"We were involved for a time." Yori said simply, "But there is much more to this story. In fact, did you know my husband is two thousand years old?"
"And I don't look a day over two hundred!" Kintaro-sensei said proudly, while his wife giggled. She never seemed to tire of that joke.
Amanda suddenly noticed it had gotten dark outside. She abruptly stood up.
"This journey you are taking; it has something to do with this, doesn't it?" Amanda took the Tempus Simia out of the box and placed it on the table.
Yori-sensei gasped and covered her mouth.
Kintaro nodded, "We were not completely sure until just now. What can you tell us about it?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. It's made of synthetic materials intended to resemble stone. Housed within it are several nano-components that generate a Chronotheta radiation field. We believe it operates on the principle of the 'cosmic tether'; that once activated, an energy band will engage and stay connected to whoever is using the device so that person can return the approximate moment when they left."
"And is it generating the radiation now?" Kintaro-sensei asked calmly.
"Yes," Amanda confirmed, "But it is unfocused. Two things need to be done in order for this device to work. First, the head needs to be connected to the body."
And here Amanda twisted the head of the Tempus Simia slightly and removed it. Yori-sensei bit her lip but said nothing..
"Second", Amanda continued, "The device needs to be exposed to a specific frequency of ultraviolet ray. Now, on Saru's planet she could activate it just about anywhere. But here on Earth, you'd have to be fairly close to the equator in order to get the correct frequency of ultraviolet to make the device function."
"Say, for instance, a temple in central Africa." Kintaro speculated.
"Wouldn't have to be a temple," Amanda replied, "But yes, some time around noon when Sol – your sun – is in a specific position would be best. Central Africa, or the central portion of the South American continent. If I might be allowed to ask… where are you planning to go on this journey? I mean, it's actually a mater of interstellar law that all time travel devices are to be destroyed, no exceptions."
"It would take quite some time to tell this tale." Yori finally spoke, "And we do not wish to keep you from your duties."
"I will go if you wish me to," Amanda spoke softly, "But if I can arrange it, I would like to hear your tale. I have damage teams repairing my carrier and it will take several days for them to complete their work."
Yori looked at Kintaro who shrugged and nodded, "It would be nice to tell at least one person."
"Make whatever arrangements are necessary," Yori said to Amanda, "But we must leave in the morning."
The admiral nodded and walked outside into the cool night air. She produced a small communications device and was soon speaking to Field Marshall Ronaldus Ten Thousand.
Amanda could tell the molerat was less than pleased about her request, but consented. They would maintain orbit until Nine a.m. Japanese local time, but not a moment later.
Up until that point, Yori and Kintaro had only told Amanda about Ron and Kim and Sensei, and one or two stories about Ron's adventures at Yamanuchi. But now, Amanda was told about the War of the Tempus Simia, Yori's betrayal, and the brief collapse of the timeline.
"So that's what that is?" Amanda was aghast, "That thing that happens roughly every thirty years, when everyone in the galaxy seems to black out at the same time? I thought Astral-scientists had determined this to be a 'universal shift', when an event horizon ripples through space."
"That's the cover story," Kintaro explained, "It was decided several hundred years ago that telling the general populace the universe would briefly collapse every thirty years was not a good idea."
"Wow." Amanda mused, "I remember going to a 'Shift Party' in college. I think another event is due to occur in about five years, yes?"
"I don't keep track," Kintaro answered, then continued his story.
The light was just beginning to come up in the east before Kintaro and Yori finished their tale. Amanda sat dumbfounded at all she had learned that night. For all the legendary exploits of the Stoppable family, what was perhaps their most epic adventure was never made known to history.
"Now you understand why we cannot simply destroy the Tempus Simia." Yori said evenly.
Amanda nodded. Her head reeled with the implications. If the Tempus Simia device were destroyed now… the effect it would have on events throughout history was mind boggling. The molerat race might never have come into being, and thus never have saved Earth. Had the invasion been a success, the DHL marauders (who were a very savage and barbaric society in those days) would have gotten their hands on certain kinds of technology that might have allowed them to conquer the rest of the galaxy. Indeed, now they were a developing civilization with laws and a governing body. But in those days, they probably would not have thought twice about using a cascade weapon or a meta-biological device. Entire systems would have been laid waste.
And that was just one example connected to the existence of the Tempus Simia. Then a realization hit Amanda like a thunderclap.
"You are just now realizing that Saru was actually successful in her scheme." Kintaro noted the look on her face.
Amanda nodded numbly. Saru had already been to the past, and had probably tested her device in the mountains of ancient Satsuma Province. But if she had stayed in the past, she would have been pursued, brought back, and any damage she had done would have been corrected.
"By coming back to almost the exact point when she had left, we just assumed she had never gone." Amanda concluded, "There were no noticeable shifts in the timeline."
"Time travel is a yatuka na of disturbing aidia." Yori complained.
"The timeline we know includes the existence of the Tempus Simia," Kintaro added, "If we were to destroy it now…"
"It could produce a cataclysmic shift in the continuum," Amanda finished, "And leave us with what would very likely be a much worse timeline. Better to deal with the known, than risk the unknown. You two are taking the device into the past, and you aren't returning."
Yori-sensei and Kintaro-sensei looked at each other, then Kintaro spoke to Amanda, "Sometimes we choose our destiny, sometimes Destiny chooses us. We were not sure what the task was that we were supposed to stay alive all these years for, but when word reached our ears that you had discovered a simian-shaped time travel device… It is time we began our journey. Can you take us to the vicinity of the equator?"
Amanda nodded solemnly. She handed the head and body of the device to Kintaro-sensei, and went outside to remote pilot her shuttle to a clearing just beyond the waterfall. Soon, Yori-sensei and Kintaro-sensei made their way to the gates of Yamanuchi and turned for one final look at what had been their home for the last five hundred years. Yori had taken Sensei's ashes from the room up in the cliff and spread them upon the courtyard of the school.
The Governor of Japan had already taken steps to keep the area secure from any unwanted visitors. After a few years, Yamanuchi would become a museum of Japanese history. But for the time being, it would remain empty in honor of those who had trained as well as taught at this school.
Yori took her husband's hand, said a silent goodbye to Yamanuchi, then walked across the bridge to the waterfall and the waiting shuttlecraft.
Finding the position of the sun at noon, as well as the equator, had taken them Southeast over the vast Pacific Ocean. They were unable to locate a suitable island, so Amanda brought the shuttle to a hover near the surface of the water. Yori and Kintaro took up their packs - simple wooden containers with a few day's worth of food – and Yori at last picked up the Tempus Simia.
"Goodbye Admiral Flagg," Kintaro bowed to Amanda, "We are honored that you should be here at our departure."
"The honor is mine," Amanda said in an emotional voice, "Thank you, for everything you taught me."
Yori stepped forward and blessed her former pupil with a hug, then placed the head of the Tempus Simia upon the body of the device. A burst of reddish light accompanied a deep, pulsating explosive kind of sound. A visible, pale red shockwave emanated from the light-burst and spread out in all directions, almost knocking the three of them off their feet. A crimson vortex opened in the shuttle before them.
Yori grasped Kintaro's hand and they stepped through together.
"Admiral Flagg to Saru. Admiral Flagg to Saru. Please acknowledge."
"This is Saru, go ahead Admiral Flagg… I hope you are transmitting on a secure channel."
"I am. Mission accomplished."
"You sent the device into the past?"
"Affirmative. The enemies of your ancestor Monkey Fist actually took it into the past willingly. Just before the vortex closed, I initiated a burst of anti-Chronotheta radiation as you instructed. If you are correct, the tether should have been severed and they will be unable to return to this time or any other. But I still have many questions. Are you sure of all this?
"I am. I have studied this matter thoroughly. If the Simia device had not been taken into the past – if it had simply been destroyed and not allowed to corrupt the timeline – then many events would have taken place that would have been detrimental to my cause. The molerat race would have flourished, and a great leader would have emerged from among them. He would have ushered in an era of unprecedented peace and tranquility throughout the galaxy, uniting all the peoples of the universe under one harmonious banner."
"Such a society would not have been so easy to conquer."
"Correct. But now, with the timeline corrupted and the factions divided, I will soon lead the warriors of the DHL against the Federation of Ten and their leader – James Tiberius Stoppable – will perish in a most hideous manner. I will exact upon him the revenge his family deserves for the death of my forefather Monkey Fist. Then with your help, I will conquer the USPS. Soon after, Earth and the UPS will fall under my rule. You have served me well, Amanda, and you will be rewarded under my new order. Return to USPS territory and await my instructions."
"Acknowledged."
Chronotheta radiation is a type of energy similar to certain kinds of radiation produced by the human mind under specific circumstances. In the case of the Tempus Simia, the person using it simply had to think of the desired destination in the timeline and the other end of the vortex would lead to that destination.
In addition, this type of thought-produced energy was how Monkey Fist was initially able to control his monkey army; at least the stone figures. The living ones, such as the Kappa and the dragons were simply influenced by the power of the Chronotheta radiation, as focused by Monkey Fist's desire to use these creatures as part of his army.
Yori and Kintaro knew they could not journey too far beyond their energy signatures in the timeline, and so they emerged from the vortex near Yamanuchi, in ancient Japan some forty-five years before the War of the Tempus Simia.
Not wishing to corrupt the timeline, they sought out Sensei and told him only that they had found an evil talisman that needed to be hidden so that it would not fall into the wrong hands. And though they possessed the mystical monkey power, they did not tell him they had it; only that a master of Tai Xing Pek Wah could use the powers of the simian idol to conquer the earth.
Sensei's experience with the Ohana Wraith was enough to make him believe these two strangers, so he advised them to seek out the same Shao Lin Monks who had gifted him with the power of Monkey Kung Fu. But these monks were in China, and neither Yori nor Kintaro could speak Manderin.
So, to Yori and Kintaro's great delight, Sensei left the operation of Yamanuchi in the hands of his chief instructors and journeyed to China with two people who had been his students, as well as the subsequent masters of Yamanuchi after his death.
Both Yori and Kintaro soon found themselves on perhaps the most enjoyable journey of their lives. Though they could not reveal to Sensei just exactly who they were, they were able to share with him their knowledge of ninjitsu, and the art of training ninjas. Many evenings were spent aboard a sailing vessel or around a campfire chatting and discussing various techniques of combat, or a code of conduct for a ninja, or any number of subjects the three of them had knowledge of. Yori was able to come to know and see Sensei in a way she never had before. As her teacher, Sensei was always the proud, quiet, dignified master. But here he treated her as an equal. For all the experiences she had with Sensei, these would be her favorite memories of him.
When they reached the Shao Lin Monastery, Yori and Kintaro once again told the monks only the pertinent information; evil talisman, very powerful and very deadly. None of the monks seemed overly surprised, as some of their predecessors had once instilled four simian statues with the power of Tai Xing Pek Wah and sent them to the far corners of the earth.
It was decided the best course of action would be to deal with the Tempus Simia in a like manner. The head of the idol would be taken to one end of the Earth, while the body would be taken to the other; both to be enshrined in small, but hidden temples for safekeeping.
"And now," the chief Monk said through Sensei, "You must tell us how to call forth the powers of the talisman. We will construct a temple with instructions on what must be done to use this power."
"'Instructions?'" Yori was astonished, "Do we not simply wish to hide the idol and be done with it?"
"Ah," The monk observed thoughtfully, "I do not believe that to be a wise course of action. Notice the flame of the ceremonial fire here."
The monk walked over to a small cauldron and pulled a burning stick from it.
"I could hand this to a child and be done with it, hoping the child will understand that fire is dangerous." The monk said placidly, "But if I did not leave instructions with this child, invariably the child would end up burned, or even dead. Indeed, others could even suffer from the child's ignorant actions."
"So, just hiding the talisman is not enough, because someone would likely find it, and unintentionally call forth its power." Kintaro concluded.
"Precisely," The monk said with a smile, "Better to pass along the knowledge so that he who finds the talisman can make an informed decision on what to do with its power. Much like this flame; an educated man can use fire to warm himself, cook his meals, or any number of other ways fire can be used for good. But an educated man who is evil could also use fire to destroy crops, or kill others. Let those who would actively seek the talisman have the full knowledge of it, and let no one who uses it claim they did not know what they were doing."
"But if an evil man should find it, and use its power…" Yori
"Then the task would rest with those who profess to be good to deal with him." The monk said plainly, "We are all endowed with Free Will. It is both a blessing and a curse. The ability of one man to choose evil shows the rest of us why it is better to choose the Light over the darkness. Without evil, we do not know what good is; without the bitter, we cannot know the sweet."
For the next several days, Yori explained as best she could, how the Tempus Simia worked; the need to place the head on the idol when the sun was at a certain position near the equator. To her surprise, no vortex opened up when she separated the head of the idol from the body as it had in the void.
She even produced a crude map, showing the monks how they could work their way across Asia, through the middle east and into Africa.
"The journey would take many months, even years." Yori concluded, "Perhaps we should take the idol and construct the temples ourselves."
"Stories are told among us of the sixteen monks who journeyed forth with the four statues containing the power of Tai Xing Pek Wah." The chief monk explained, "None of them ever returned, but we all know within our hearts they had many adventures and received great enlightenment. Even now, those in our order are eager to claim the same honor for themselves. I know by your story there is much you are not telling us. Indeed, I believe you have told us what we needed to know, and no more. The two of you have taken your own journey to bring the talisman to us. Now let us relieve you of your burden and write our own chapter in this story."
Neither Kintaro nor Yori argued the point with him.
The journey back to Japan seemed much shorter, and was over all too soon.
They parted with Sensei at the base of Mount Yamanuchi and journeyed northward, both of them knowing where they would live out the rest of their days. Kintaro was going home to Mutsu province, and his wife could think of nowhere she would rather be than with him near his boyhood home.
When they arrived at Mutsu castle, they paid their respects to lord Senzo, Kintaro's grandfather. They were even amused to see ten-year-old Hidesato training in the main courtyard with a wooden katana. Upon seeing the old man, Hidesato mischievously stuck his tongue out and made a face.
Kintaro couldn't resist publicly scolding the boy on showing the proper respect for his elders.
They spent one night at the castle, then made their way into the lonely and remote hill country northeast of Itsu village. Yori, who had not been there before, fell in love with it immediately.
They built a house together under a great shade tree. Then they constructed a small lean-to barn against the side of the nearby cliff. Yori grew vegetables, and loved her garden almost as much as she loved her husband. Kintaro raised a few chickens, and one or two goats, and occasionally hunted wild game.
Soon, they began to age once more. Yori noticed it first.
"Well, husband," She said with a cackle, "We are growing old once again. In fact, you are beginning to look ancient."
And though it was meant as a joke, Kintaro did not laugh, but instead stared at his wife in astonishment. It had not occurred to him until he had heard it just now, the Japanese word for 'ancient': mukashi.
From that moment on, 'Mukashi' was the only name he would call himself
They lived for twenty-five very happy years in their remote little home, each of them only needing the other to live as well as love. Mukashi occasionally fought in battles for Senzo, and then Hidesato when he came of age. For though Mukashi was old, he was very spry, and had a great deal of knowledge in the ways of battle.
On occasion they would visit Sensei, and relish a few days at Yamanuchi, just soaking up the atmosphere of the school and visiting with their old master. Sensei asked them for their story only once, and could tell by the vague explanations they gave him that he was not meant to know more. He never asked again, but came to regard them both as friends.
One day, they journeyed to Mutsu Castle to welcome the birth of Hidesato's only son. They held hands and smiled knowingly at each other when Hidesato came out to the balcony and proudly held his son aloft.
The days went by.
For Kintaro's fifth birthday, Mukashi carved a wooden katana. And though Yori appreciated the joke of Kintaro receiving a training sword from himself, she had become increasingly agitated in those days. She would never talk about it, and Mukashi never asked. They both knew what was bothering her.
Then, in the tenth year of young Kintaro's life, a typhoon swept across northern Japan. It destroyed many farms and killed both people and livestock.
Yori and Mukashi spent the better part of a frightened night listening to the wind howl through the rafters of their little home, while rain lashed at the walls.
"I do not like this," Yori squeaked, "We should be outside."
"I don't think we would fare much better if-"
He was interrupted by a horrendous, roaring, splintering crash. Before he could react, hands with surprising strength caught hold of him and flung him through the window. Mukashi went sprawling into the mud outside. He turned and, for an instant, saw his wife's pale and frightened face framed by the window. Then Yori disappeared as she stepped backward, further into the house.
A second later, the great tree obliterated their home.
Howling with anguish, Mukashi scrambled through the wreckage, but he knew what he would find, and why she had allowed herself to perish. Yori had lived long enough. She had brought the Tempus Simia into the past and completed the task she had been waiting for. But while she was a hero, and a woman of great strength, she simply did not have the power to watch her younger self betray her friends and loved ones. It was a burden she had carried long enough, but was unable to carry further.
Mukashi buried his beloved in her garden, and spent many lonely, grieving nights in the barn. But already he knew what needed to be done.
A long time ago, on the day before Veronica perished, she had come to him and given him a message:
'She is not evil, though she may seem so. Within her beats the heart of a hero.'
Mukashi knew the time would be coming when he would need to deliver that message to Veronica… to Raitaro.
He knew there would be a time when Yori and Kintaro would be stumbling through the dark, and would need a good meal. Perhaps his younger self might need encouragement on how to express his feelings for Yori.
He also knew that Mutsu castle would be taken, and three warrior women would wander through the wilderness, and need his assistance. He would tell them his wife died thirty years before, so as not to burden them with more concern than they needed.
And he also knew he would need to sacrifice himself to save Veronica, so that she might live to deliver his message. Thus, Mukashi would follow Yori into the next world…
("…or any other, for that matter…")
…and would be spared the pain of having to watch her betrayal. He had known five hundred years of happiness with the true Yori. He did not need to relive her treachery.
He constructed a lean-to hut near the barn, and waited.
Sometimes, when the wind howled across the hills in the winter, Mukashi would dream of his wife's ghostly face in the window of their home.
On a chilly December 3 afternoon, a terrified Ron Stoppable numbly made his way to his car with an armload of holiday gifts. These were to be the last few seconds of his life, and it would end miserably for him.
He hadn't spoken to Kim in days. More to the point she hadn't spoken to him. In the interests of preserving the timeline, Ron had decided to allow himself to be killed by Ray Beam, knowing full well what it meant for Veronica as well as the anguish Kim would be put through.
He hadn't told Kim of his decision to let himself be killed, but his weird behavior over the last few days tipped her off. They had argued, and Ron told her everything he and Wil Due had discussed several weeks before. He'd gone to Wil because Wade – Wade's older self – was the one who had given him the piece of paper with the date of his death written on it.
"Fine!" Kim shouted, "Go and let yourself be killed, Ron Stoppable. This is the stupidest decision you've ever made, and I am not about to support it."
Wil, who had heard all about the War of the Tempus Simia, sat down with Ron and drew a diagram of events that would be corrupted if Ron avoided his death.
If Ron lived, then his younger self wouldn't enter the timeline so soon, because his energy signature would be shown to extend beyond the time of his intended death. Thus there was no telling when his younger self would re-enter the timeline, and therefore it was very likely that Veronica would not be there to save Hidesato's army; they would all be overrun by Ishigawa's forces, and then the timeline really would collapse.
Although, as Ron fumbled for the keys to the Ninjet, it was just now occurring to him that Kim knew Veronica's story, which meant she wouldn't be buying Ray's bluff, which meant she wouldn't let Veronica run off and marry Ray Beam, which meant… well, who knows what it meant?
"The timeline's already been corrupted!" Ron said to himself in horrified realization. "There's already been a shift!"
Ron noticed he was standing next to his car.
It was too late.
Then, a crash followed by a scream. Ron looked up to see a body hurtling down the side of an office building across the street. It had come crashing through the window of one of the upper floors. But while no one else noticed, Ron had seen a short burst of green energy dissipate from the shattered window.
And he knew Kimono was in school that day.
"Looks like you're going to live after all, Ron," said a voice behind him. "What is it with you and your 'I'm gonna sacrifice myself for the greater good' complex?"
Ron spun around, dropping his gifts, to see his wife standing there with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her otherwise angry face.
"You had this planned all along!" Ron said accusingly.
"Maybe." Kim allowed.
"But the timeline could shift!"
"Shift happens!"
Ron had no answer for that particular bit of reasoning.
"So what happens when my younger self doesn't drop back into the timeline twelve years from now? I won't be able to take TJ, Kimono and Ronnie-Anne back with me!" Ron argued.
"Actually," Kim explained, "Wade's got an idea about that. He and Justine think they can modify her Quantum Disruptor to scan for your particular energy signal outside the timeline. With the proper burst of Chronotheta radiation, they're pretty sure they can pull your younger self back into the timeline in order to take the kids to ancient Japan with you. Kind of like catching a fish with a net. Cool, no?"
"So that's how it is?"
"Pretty much." Kim looked quite smug.
"Fine." Ron said, ignoring the gifts and walking over to his wife, "If we're going to play with the timeline, let's not monkey around. I think we should engage in some serious timeline corruption… In fact, we'd better hurry."
"Hurry where?" Kim looked puzzled.
"You'll see!" Ron said lightly as he grabbed her hand and led her way away from the scene.
The body across the street was identified as Raymond Beam.
The man he'd been with in the upper floor was arrested on suspicion of murder. Eventually his plot was discovered and his satellite weapon destroyed.
His story of a black-haired female assassin who shot green lasers from her hands was never corroborated by witnesses, and his government arranged for him to eliminated in the Middleton jail while he was awaiting trial.
Toshi, having grown up at Yamanuchi, knew little of the world beyond the walls of the school. He also cared little for it.
He was a very quiet child, very serious, and kept to himself most of the time.
Not that he was necessarily shunned by others in any way. Quite the opposite in fact.
Growing up at a ninja school, he learned the ways of ninjitsu from before he was able to walk. When he came of age, he was very skilled.
He was also devastatingly handsome.
From roughly his fifteenth birthday, and for the next five years, the young women who came to train at Yamanuchi practically threw themselves at him; including those who normally found no interest in romance. But Toshi had time for none of them. To him they were all just distractions from his studies. Toshi was not in the least bit interested in romance or relationships of any kind. He loved his mother and father, and they loved him. That was enough.
Until that day she walked through the gates.
He spied her from his second story window and thought he had never seen anyone so achingly beautiful. Before he realized what he was doing, he was bounding down the stairs on all fours, out into the courtyard, and pushing past his parents who had come out to greet the new student.
"Toshi! What is this display of disrespect in front of our guests?"
He turned around with a sheepish look on his face, "Forgive me, Mother, I only wished to show the new student to her quarters."
Everyone within earshot was astonished. For Toshi to lavish such attention on anyone was unprecedented. Some of the young women in the courtyard were instantly jealous.
"Very well," Yori said sternly to her son, "But return immediately. She will want to say goodbye to her parents."
"As you wish!" Toshi said excitedly and snatched up the young woman's suitcase.
"I am Toshimiru," He said as he showed her to the new student's quarters, "But I would like you to call me 'Toshi.'"
"Hello," The young woman said with a shy smile, "My name is Veronica. Everyone calls me Ronnie-Anne."
Outside, four parents were speaking to each other.
"This is a great honor you have bestowed upon us, Stoppable-san, and Mrs. Stoppable-san." Yori said quietly.
"We figured you could teach her a few things. There might be a need for ninja skills in her future." Ron said with a hopeful smile.
"Of course," Kintaro nodded, "There is much we can teach her, such as how to be seemingly invisible even in an open space, or train her to hear an incoming arrow in time to remove herself from its path."
"That could prove very useful." Kim acknowledged.
They talked quietly for a time, until Toshi brought Ronnie-Anne back out to say goodbye to her parents. They all bade each other an affectionate farewell, then Kim and Ron walked across the bridge and through the waterfall beyond to begin the hike down the mountain. The Ninjet was waiting at the bottom.
"Did that kid have opposable toes?" Ron asked his wife.
She smiled and took his hand.
"You're weird, but I love you."