I am sooo sorry it took so long to update, but my mind was in a really deep gutter! Plus, I wanted this chapter to be explosive. I hope I didn't dissappoint
CHAPTER SIX: TAMING THE PHOENIX
Captain Juno stood at the main bridge viewport, watching the Earth below him. He still could not believe that somewhere down there was the very peak of his people's evolution: the Mechanopolan unit XR-4. So far, he knew that scout TK-421 had located the sector where XR-4 was, just before he got himself killed trying to capture him single-handed.
Of course, he considered the scout lucky, mainly because they still had about ten more hours until the Emperor arrived. After all, if he had survived, and Angmar learned of his failure, TK-421 would have been lucky to just be executed. That was one thing that Angmar was famous for: dealing out death to his enemies and failing subjects, in the most painful ways imaginable. Just thinking about some of the things he had done made Juno shudder.
Ensign Ackren interrupted his thoughts. "Captain, I have some news to report. We have a ship dropping out of quantum space in Sector B-3," she said.
Juno raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Ensign?" he asked her. "The Emperor isn't supposed to arrive for another ten hours."
Just then, the hologram of a figure materialized on the gangway. "That is correct, Captain," said the Satsujin officer who had just materialized. "I am the one who has arrived."
Juno took one look at the holographic being, and he felt his blood immediately freeze. "G-G-Grand Admiral Zeitar," he managed to breathe out before his voice failed him.
The hologram smiled in what appeared to be amusement. He was currently seated on an officer's throne that was common on the ships of high officers. Some sort of shadow hid his face, but Juno and Ackren could see his mouth and his shoulder-length brown hair. (A/N: That description sound a bit familiar to you?) He was dressed in the spotless white uniform of a Satsujin Grand Admiral; complete with black gloves and boots, a black belt, and golden shoulder covers. His rank insignia seemed to be glowing, emblazoned on the left side of the tunic.
"Why so nervous, Captain Juno?" asked Zeitar in mock surprise. "Are you not happy to see me?"
Quickly gaining some form of composure, Juno replied, "No, not at all, sir! I was just surprised to see you is all!"
"Yes, I have been kept pretty busy, what with that annoying Cluster and all," replied Zeitar, casually waving a hand.
Juno was interested at that. "Pardon me, sir, but what do you mean by that?" he asked.
"Oh, that's right, the Emperor didn't tell you yet," said Zeitar. "I've been commanding the 8th, 9th, and 10th fleets in a major campaign against the Cluster. It seems they have finally become enough of a nuisance that the Emperor has declared martial law against them."
"So, if I am understanding you, you have been launching attacks on the Cluster's territories in an effort to show them that they'd best stay out of our way," said Juno, a faint smile crossing his face as he though of how much he would have liked to be in a major offensive against the Cluster.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Admiral Kailon recently led a hit-and-run assault on their homeworld with the 9th fleet," said Zeitar, his grin widening.
This really grabbed Juno's attention. "You mean to say that our 9th fleet actually attacked Cluster Prime?" he asked. "How did it go, sir?"
"A perfect victory for us, with the exception of some lost fighters, two light cruisers, and minimal damage to several ships," replied Zeitar. "But, enough about me, tell me about how things are going in your search for XR-4."
"Well, it's kind of a mixed bag, sir. We've managed to determine the precise area in which XR-4 may be, but we haven't been able to retrieve him yet," said Juno, a cold feeling rising in the pit of his stomach.
"In that case, it seems like things are going fine," said Zeitar.
Juno was confused. "What do you mean, sir?"
"Simply that the Emperor wants to personally preside over XR-4's capture, so it's good that you haven't caught him yet," said Zeitar, seemingly oblivious to Juno's surprise. "Anyway, I am having a shuttle prepped to bring you and several officers of your choosing aboard the Derelict, Captain. I want you to be guests at a formal banquet to commemorate our victories against the Cluster, as well as our eventual capture of XR-4."
Juno stared at the hologram in shock for a few seconds. "Sir, I am deeply honored by this. We'll be waiting in the hanger for your shuttle!"
"Good, then I hope to see you soon," said Zeiter, giving the captain a salute before his hologram winked out.
"Hey, Jenny, are you okay?"
Jenny looked up in surprise and saw Xander looking at her with concern. She also noticed that he wasn't wearing his cap.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Xander, I was off in my own little world," she said, shaking her head slightly.
"Still in shock about what happened with your Hyper Mode yesterday?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
Jenny didn't say anything, but she nodded slowly.
Xander put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Hey, it's all right, Jenny. Anybody with that much power is bound to have these kinds of problems. You can't keep blaming yourself like this," he said.
"Xander, I put my friends and family in danger because I couldn't control my power!" said Jenny. "What if I had had really hurt them, or worse…" She couldn't bring herself to finish.
Xander gave the young girl robot a hug. "Jenny, I have something I think you should know. I haven't even told Dianna about this."
"What is it, Xander?" she asked.
"You know how I told you that the Satsujin is originally after me because I'm so powerful?" he asked her. "Well, this power that I wield isn't something I'm proud to have."
"Why not?" she asked.
Now, Xander was looking upset. "Because the first time I realized I had it…20 million Mechanopolans lost their lives in one moment."
Jenny's eyes widened. "Oh, dear God, are you saying that your powers got out of control and…you killed 20 million people?"
Xander nodded. "Yes, when the Satsujin tried to take over Mechanopolis, I was caught in the middle of the fighting. All I really remember is smoke, screaming, laser bolts flying everywhere, and I was so scared, I started wishing that I could do something, and then…" He paused for a moment before looking her right in the eye. "When my powers finally triggered, the power surge wiped out half of the city where the attack was taking place."
"Xander, that's awful," said Jenny. "I can see why you wouldn't want to tell Dianna about all of this."
Xander nodded. "After that day, I vowed I would never use my powers again for the rest of my life," he said. "Of course, I don't know how much longer I can keep that vow."
"Why not?"
Xander looked at her again, and his expression, coupled with the sound of his voice, chilled her. "Because, Jenny, they are here. They have come."
Jenny's eyes widened as she understood what he was saying. "You mean the Satsujin are here?" she asked.
"Yes, I sensed his presence," said Xander. "Whenever the Emperor or his right hand man are near, I can sense them. The Emperor hasn't arrived yet, but he will be soon. Still, the one I can sense, his right hand, is just as dangerous, even more so in certain ways."
He got up and continued, "That is why I'm going to ensure that it doesn't happen again. I won't let the tragedy of Mechanopolis happen to Earth. I will fight with you and your friends, even at the cost of my life."
"But, what about my Hyper Mode?" asked Jenny. "I don't think I'm ready to use it again, not now or ever. I might just be a bigger threat than a help."
Xander turned to face her and raised her up. "Just hold onto my hand and close your eyes," he said, placing his other hand on her forehead. "I'll show you how to master the powers of the Fire Phoenix, so that it will never endanger your loved ones again."
Jenny obeyed, closing her eyes and standing there as Xander began muttering something to himself in some strange alien language. After a few minutes, he told her to open her eyes. When she did, she found herself in what looked like an ancient coliseum, surrounded by a bluish-pink sky. "Where am I?" she asked out loud.
"I have taken you into my mind, Jenny," said Xander, who was standing next to her. "This is a battle arena based on ruins from Earth, but the location is my home world."
"So, I'm on a virtual Mechanopolis or something," said Jenny, both shocked and impressed. "But, what am I doing here?"
"You are afraid of your power, Jenny," said Xander. "In order to eliminate this fear, you must conquer it the same way I eliminated my fear of my own power."
Before Jenny could say anything, another figure flew in and landed about 20 feet away. "No, it can't be!" gasped Jenny. "It…it's me!"
The other robot, which was indeed an exact replica of Jenny, just glared at her and Xander with lifeless eyes that looked eerily like those of Fire Phoenix.
"Yes, you must defeat her," said Xander. "If you defeat her, I can promise you that the Fire Phoenix will never again conquer you."
"All right, then," said Jenny. "I won't back down from some illusion created in my image. I will defeat her." She charged at the other Jenny at full speed, ready to attack.
The clone Jenny blocked the true Jenny's kick with her arm, then followed up with a roundhouse kick. Jenny ducked under it and attacked with a sweep kick. The clone was caught off guard, but pushed herself out of a fall and into a series of flips. She glared at Jenny before leaping into the air and performing a dive kick. Jenny dodged, but the clone's impact punched a three-foot deep crater in the ground. The two robotic "twins" continued to attack each other in this manner, neither one of them ever gaining an advantage over the other.
"This is crazy!" said Jenny. "She's my exact double, in both strength and speed!"
"She is more than your double, Jenny," said Xander, who stood atop a stone column, his arms folded as he watched the fight. "Just watch what she does now."
The clone broke away from Jenny and landed in a crouching position. She finally showed a facial expression as she gave Jenny a sinister smile. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a tower of flames, and when they died down, she stood…clad in the armor of Fire Phoenix!
"Like I said Jenny, the only way to overcome the Fire Phoenix is to defeat her," said Xander. "Well, there she is, right in front of you."
"You can't be serious!" said Jenny. "Fire Phoenix's power is way beyond mine! How can you honestly expect me to beat her?"
"Power is not strength, Jenny! She may be powerful, but you possess immeasurable strength! Even if you can't fight her directly, you have other ways to fight! Try and outsmart her!" said Xander.
'What does he mean by outsmart her?' thought Jenny as she dodged one of Fire Phoenix's flaming punches. 'I'm not exactly an expert on tactics, and with her speed, she'd probably finish me off before I can think of a plan!'
Fire Phoenix kicked Jenny square in the gut, knocking her against one of the pillars. Without pausing, she converted one of her arms into the flamethrower and fired a beam of intense flames at Jenny.
"YEEOOWW!" yelled Jenny, managing to dodge, but the flames singed her clothes. "Jeez, I knew that thing was hot, but that was a whole other thing all together!"
'Wait a minute!' she suddenly thought. 'Fire Phoenix is a powerful Hyper Mode, but she also has incredible speed! If that's the case, and we're in the environment we're in…' Quickly getting an idea, she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Hey, Hot Head! Your momma was a propane torch!"
Fire Phoenix showed no signs of anger, but she took the bait, charging at Jenny. Jenny quickly shot backwards until she was back up against a chunk of a broken wall, making sure it was hidden from Fire Phoenix's view. She stood waiting as the flaming robot came closer…closer…until she knew the distance was right. She goosed her jets, shooting straight up into the air. Fire Phoenix, however, shot straight ahead at the wall, unable to veer away. Her face actually showed a hint of surprise just before she slammed into it headfirst.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to fly angry?" Jenny called down to her.
'Very impressive, Jenny,' thought Xander, as he watched with an amused smile. 'Still, you'll need more than that to defeat her. I only hope you realize what you must do before she gets you first.'
Fire Phoenix rose up out of the debris and glared furiously at Jenny for a few seconds before launching her next attack. She crossed her arms in front of her, then swung them back, releasing a storm of missiles made completely of fire.
"Yikes!" yelled the teenaged robot as she found herself dodging the missiles, which were tracking her like flies on a rib roast. "I didn't know about that little feature!"
"Stay focused, Jenny!" shouted Xander. "Don't let her break your concentration!"
Jenny quickly pulled herself together and stared at the missiles as they screamed towards her. "Okay, Jenny, it's time for batting practice!" She quickly deployed a wicked looking curved beam blade from each forearm, gripping them by a handle deployed from the back.
"Sheldon, when this is over, I'm really going to have to thank you!" she said as she swung each blade, swatting the missiles away and destroying them. Fire Phoenix shot up at her, flames surrounding each of her fists. Unfortunately, Jenny was ready for this and simply glided off to the side and counter attacked with one of the blades. The blade struck home, hitting Fire Phoenix right in the face, shattering her goggles. She screamed in agony, the first noise she had made yet, and began clutching her face.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt?" sneered Jenny.
However, her joy was short-lived when Fire Phoenix grabbed her arm and flung her towards the ground. Jenny slammed into the ground, and her blades retracted back into her arms. Not stopping, Fire Phoenix zipped down and smashed her with another dive kick, picked her up, and slamming her with a series of powerful punches, ending with a virtual cannon shot that smashed her up against the wall.
"Smooth move, Jenny," said the battered robot. "All you did was piss her off and make her even more dangerous. Now I'll never beat her."
"Don't be so stupid," said Xander, suddenly appearing right next to her. "Now that she is blinded by anger, her moves are erratic and uncontrollable! This leaves her at a big disadvantage!"
"Xander, I can't even get close enough to launch a decent attack, and her Heat Barrier will repel my projectile weapons!" protested Jenny.
"You're going about this the wrong way, Jenny," said Xander, giving her a knowing look. "You haven't bothered trying to understand just what your advantage is over her."
"What do you mean, Xander?" she asked.
"Think about it, Jenny! What is it that only you possess? What is it that you have, but that she, Fire Phoenix, does not?"
Jenny thought hard, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Fire Phoenix was charging at her, her flaming wings deployed to give her full power. Fortunately, just as she was ready to deliver the fatal blow, Jenny stopped her with a cold stare, fueled by her realization.
"I have it, Xander! The thing that I have, that only I possess…IS MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!" she shouted, and a bright light exploded around her. Fire Phoenix shielded her eyes, but Xander kept his eyes on her, arching an eyebrow in surprise.
"Well, this was certainly unexpected," he said as the light died down, revealing that Jenny had just undergone another transformation.
Instead of her tank top, she wore an indigo and gold chest armor with golden shoulder pads, and her lower body armor, once again resembling underwear, was also indigo. In fact, even her hair and leg armor was indigo, as were the arm covers she had gained. On her knees and wrists was a light blue rectangular gem. Golden metal wings were on her back, and on the right side of her head was a single-lens visor that covered her eye. She stared at Fire Phoenix, breathing deeply and flexing her fingers.
Overcoming her shock, Fire Phoenix charged again, ready to deliver a final blow. Unfortunately, she did not succeed.
"I AM XJ-9…CRYSTAL MATRIX MODE!" bellowed Jenny, raising her right hand and aiming it at her charging foe. "EMERALD LASER CANNON!" A green laser beam shot from her hand, hit Fire Phoenix square in the chest, and shot right out through her back. Fire Phoenix hovered there for a minute, her face a mixture of anger and disbelief, before screaming and exploding into a large sphere of flame.
The flames turned into small streams of red, which flew into Jenny's body and were absorbed. Afterwards, Jenny looked herself over, taking in her new look. "I don't believe it!" she said in awe. "I not only defeated Fire Phoenix, but I unlocked my next Hyper Mode!" She turned to look at Xander. "Will I still be able to access this Hyper Mode in the real world?"
"Of course," said Xander. "Everything in this world is directly connected to reality. Still, I am very surprised by this."
"Surprised by what?" asked Jenny.
"It seems that by unlocking Crystal Matrix, you mastered Fire Phoenix, but at the same time, you seem to have complete control of Crystal Matrix," explained Xander. "It's almost as if the two were supposed to be mastered simultaneously, as though mastering Fire Phoenix was the key to unlocking and mastering Crystal Matrix."
"Well, either way, thanks to you, I've grown considerably in strength and power," said Jenny, powering down back to her old self. "After all, something tells me I'll be needing it for what lies ahead."
"You will need it," said Xander, averting his gaze to the ground. "We'll need all we can get of both to survive this."