Disclaimer: Ranma ½, Star Trek, Sailor Moon and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Author's note: I've decided to do a sequel to "Star Trek: Ranma's Story". It will be called "Star Trek: Ranma's Chronicle". This new story will feature the DS9 Saga, Voyager Saga, the Mirror Universe Saga and finally the Millennium Saga. The Millennium Saga features Ranma's adventures between the 25th and 31st centuries (which means that Marvel's Galactic Guardian and DC's Legion of Superheroes)…and beyond! Hopefully, you all will like what I have in store for the pigtail martial artist.
Part 88
Lt/Com. Usagi Tsukino sat in the conference room alone on this ship called the Enterprise-D. From what she could tell, she was at least twenty years into the future. And based on the familiar decal, which depicted the UN symbol, but with a dagger through it, Usagi was sure that she had returned to the so-called "Mirror Universe". Which meant…that she was in deep, deep trouble.
Then again, there was something odd going on. According to her temporal senses, she must have initiated her emergency warp jump at a key nexus point. So, point of fact, both the where and when COULD be a possible future OR an alternate timeline that intersects with her own. Sigh. As Ranma would put it, trans-dimensional and time traveling was a headache to deal with.
A moment later, Starfleet Captain Ranma Saotome and his aide PsyCorp operative Deanna Troi enters the conference room. It's hard to believe that the battle-hardened starship captain looked so much like her own Ranma, even with the eyepatch-
Usagi immediately felt her mind being probed.
"Get out of my head, witch," Usagi said, as she squinted her eyes in defiance. "You don't want to play head games with me…"
"At ease, Deanna," Saotome says, as he kept his eyes on Usagi.
"But sir, if our…guest is indeed the Empress-"
"-Then you would have been the first to be taken OUT. I know these things from my experience with Empress Serenity."
"By your command, Captain," Troi says with a curt bow. "May I be dismissed? There are others that need to be…'interviewed'."
"You're going to interrogate Captain Garret and the others, aren't you?" Usagi asked.
"No, I will simply interview them. That's all. Interrogations are done sparingly, and they, unlike YOU, poise neither a threat nor an inconvenience to this ship and crew. Good day."
Once Troi leaves, Usagi turns her attention back towards Saotome.
"I thought that the Terran Empire was suppose to have changed?" Usagi asked.
"We have in many ways, Usagi," Ranma says. "After we broke away from the rule of the Galactic Imperium, Chancellor Spock and I were on the verge of instituting many of the reforms needed to reform the Empire. Unfortunately, our enemies saw our overtures as a sign of weakness, and thus waged a war against us. Usagi, Earth has been at war, off and on, for the past 100 years."
"Oh, my. Wait. Why did your first officer call ME this 'Empress Serenity' person?"
"Don't you remember how Chancellor Spock acted towards you, when you and the others first arrived in this universe?"
"Oh, yeah…"
Usagi remembered the day when she, Captain James T. Kirk of the original Federation starship Enterprise and a Landing Party were caught in a cosmic storm while returning from a survey mission, and ended in a parallel timeline. Dubbed "the Mirror Universe", Usagi and company witnessed an environment where their doppelgangers were cruel and sadistic. One of the things that struck Usagi as odd was the fact that there were seemingly clones of her that were assigned to serve as "the Captain's Woman".
Still, she should have expected something, when the mission started normal enough...
"Are you sure you won't reconsider?" asked Captain Kirk, who was frustrated that he didn't secure the mineral rights. "You know that the Klingons won't be as understanding."
"That may be, Captain," replied the elder, "But we are steadfast in our beliefs in non-violence. To use our resources for war is the same as our participation. Of course, you can always take what you want."
"We are not barbarian, sir. Still, if you change your mind, our channels are still available for dialogue."
"Well, Jim?" asked McCoy, who was cataloging the various herbs that this world's healers have allowed to change hands. Lt/ Commander Usagi was assisting the doctor in this effort.
At least, she tried to.
BOOM!
"Ah!" Usagi replied, as she almost dropped some vials. She hated lightning storms with a passion.
"Easy, commander," said Kirk, as he steadied his officer.
"Thanks, Captain. I don't know what I'd do without you being around."
"Yes, I agree," replied Kirk with a sigh, remembering all the times he and his crew had to fight everything from Greek gods to Alien superbeings on his officer's behalf. It certainly didn't help that Usagi would occasionally get caught up in a planet's politics, like becoming a Gun moll for instance. Or being captured as a war bride during a tribal skirmish involving the Klingons, though it did help that Usagi became the godmother of the planet's new leader, Leonard James Usama Akkar. Or the time when Usagi was supposedly brainwashed in becoming a Gestapo Agent (which turned out to be a ruse for the Freedom Fighters later). On the other hand, the Archonian supercomputer Landau went insane after trying to absorb Usagi's mental patterns, which helped to free the citizens.
"Captain?"
"No go, Bones. I guess the brass won't like these turn of events."
"Captain, we better get goin'," said Scotty, who had inspected the quality of the crystals.
"Yes, Commander Spock has confirmed that the anti-matter storm is increasing in intensity."
"Alright, let's pack it up."
During transport, Usagi felt a strange shift in her being, thanks to her sensitivity to energy. When she finally reappeared in the transporter room, she felt weak.
"All right, Spock," said Captain Kirk, as he stepped off the transporter pad. "I think that we-"
That's when he noticed something.
Spock had a goatee. And a different set of clothing on.
"What are your orders, Captain?" Spock asked coldly.
"Uh…"
"Mister Kyle reported a slight anomaly during transport. Are you well?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe a little dizzy…"
"I see. Mister Kyle, your stunner please."
Reluctantly, the transporter chief handed his stunner to Mr. Spock.
A few minutes later, Kyle was on the floor in agony.
"Perhaps you should have the doctor exam Mistress Tsukino. She doesn't appear to be well."
"Mistress?" thought Usagi, as she struggled to stay functional.
"You may be right. Dr. McCoy, escort…Mistress Tsukino to Sickbay."
"I'm fine, captain. Really. I just need to get my bearings."
"Fine. The rest of you, go to your stations."
"And what about the Elders below?" asked Spock. "What was their response?"
"They declined."
"I see."
Then, the First Officer turned to a nearby intercom.
"Mr. Chekov? You may begin the purging of the planet-"
"Wait! Belay that order."
"Captain, you know that the standard procedure of the Empire is the elimination of a belligerent people."
"I know that. I simply am…generous. We aren't pressed for time, are we?"
"No, no we are not."
"Then we sit tight. Dismiss."
After Usagi was well enough to walk properly, she went to go her quarters, only to be shocked to find out what type of person she was in this…place. Almost immediately, she felt the darkness emanating from her quarters, so much so that she almost transformed into a Sailor Moon persona to protect herself. Her quarters reeked with Sith-taint; finding the artifacts that were related to the Sith was evident. She was about to look into "her" journal, when-
"Mistress?"
"Huh?" replied Usagi. When she saw who it was, her eyes bulged out. Before her was a familiar person, except highly sexualized for one apparent purpose.
"I'm sorry for not preparing for your arrival," said a redheaded girl, who wore very little. "I wasn't expecting you back from your…fun so soon."
"Ranma?"
"No, Ranko isn't supposed to answer to that name, Mistress."
"Oh, my…what happened to you?"
"What do you mean, Mistress?"
Usagi examined "Ranko" with an examiner's eye. Even from her vantage point, Usagi could tell how that the person standing before her had been thoroughly brain washed, and had layers upon layers of psychic barriers placed upon "Ranko". Whoever, whatever did this to "Ranko" was a master at his or her craft.
"Come here. Please."
Hesitantly, Ranko came over to Usagi.
"Now, remain calm."
Usagi touched "Ranko" on her temples. Slowly, but surely, Ranko's life became an open book to her. She could see two teenagers from the 20th century falling into a type of hell that would enslave them BOTH. Usagi could see these two teens tortured for information, and then for fun.
Those teens were Ranma Saotome and Usagi Tsukino.
And when Ranma's curse was discovered, it was taken advantage fully.
And then, the two were sold off, separated by fate. Ranma would be sold in various slave circles, either as a gladiator or concubine…depending on the needs of the client, while Usagi simply…disappeared to parts unknown.
However, the fire in Ranma was not yet quenched. He had to plan and strategize for not only NHIS freedom, but for the girl he had met. So, when given an opportunity, Ranma escaped his captivity, and began the push to liberate oppressed worlds. And it was all in the name of the girl who he had just met.
And finally, the last push to defeat the oppressive Terran Empire on Earth was at hand. He and his allies were about to topple the Emperor's reign, when a fleet of delta-shaped ships and advanced starships (which turned out to be based upon the ship design of a mid-23rd century Federation starship) entered the fray. Led by the then-Supreme Moff Hoshi Sato of the Galactic Imperium, the forces of both the Terran Empire and the Rebels was thoroughly crushed. And in a twisted sense of irony, Ranma was brought back to the seat of power on a far-off, in time and in space, planet in the Lucas Galaxy…in chains, where Ranma received the biggest shock of his life.
The ruler of the Imperial forces was none other than Usagi Tsukino…now known as the Sith Lord Empress Serenity. Her power and authority was absolute, as well as the darkness in her soul. In a fit of rage, Ranma attacked Serenity, for her seeming betrayal of the ideals that he stood for. What Ranma did not know was that Serenity was vastly more powerful than he was, having studied the darkest arts of the Sith, as well as incorporating the secrets of the Jedi, both group possessed mastery over an aspect nature known as "The Force". Unlike his other have, this Ranma did not have the same training that the other Ranma had, nor was this Ranma trained in the ways of the Force. So…
"ARRGH!" Ranma cried, as he was held in an invisible iron grip. He was battered, bruised, and his awesome power was either being drained or was used against him. And example of the latter was when he tried to attack Serenity with a chi-sphere. However, since chi is life, and life was part of the Force, Serenity caused a feedback loop that overly-taxed his physiology. Thus, Ranma was rendered impotent.
Standing in front of Ranma, with her left arm raised was the cloaked Serenity. She wore a tiara and a specialized version of an all-black sailor fuku. And in her right hand was a red-colored energy-weapon called a lightsaber, and it was slightly lowered.
"You dare attack me?" Serenity yelled.
SLICE!
"Ah!" Ranma screamed, as his stomach was opened up.
"I thought that you would have been proud of my accomplishments, but nooooo! You had to get all upset at the fact that I prefer totalitarian rule."
"This…is…not…I fought for-!"
"Then we have a problem. I LIKE the new me. For years, people abused me. YOU remember what happened to me…to US."
Ranma closed his eyes in sadness. The abuse that Usagi had suffered had obviously driven her insane.
"Last chance, Ranma. Join me by my side, or be sent to Oblivion."
"I will NOT-!"
Serenity stopped for a moment. She then pulled Ranma to her, and Usagi kissed the pigtailed martial artist deeply, as a single tear fell from her left red eye.
"Then, if you will not serve me as an ally…you will serve me as a SLAVE!"
Energy bolts leapt from Serenity's outstretched fingers, knocking Ranma up against the wall. As Serenity delivered her final assault, her Sith Lord Apprentice, the darkly armored Darth Vader stepped to his mistress' side.
"What shall be done to this rebel?" Vader asked.
"I find him a very attractive prize, Lord Vader. However, he is too dangerous as is, so…"
Soon, Ranma was changed permanently into his female form. Serenity then began to alter his mind to something more…manageable.
"Ohhhhh…"
Ranko curled up in a ball, sobbing, as a pair of Storm Troopers grabbed her.
"Lord Vader, see to it that…Ranko is properly managed," Serenity said, as she resumes her sitting on her throne.
"As you wish, my Mistress," Vader says.
And thus, Ranma's life was changed to that of a courtesan, and has remained that way for a hundred years. Eventually, "Ranko" came into the possession of one of Usagi's numerous clones (which the Empress has decreed in order to serve as her eyes and ears, arranged to be her personal "intelligence network").
Unfortunately, when Usagi "rebooted" Ranko's core memories, Ranko/Ranma did know that she was dealing with the REAL Usagi Tsukino.
FWAK!
Ranma-chan was holding Usagi by the neck, as Ranma-chan cocked her fist.
"I WILL KILL YOU-!"
"Hold…it…"
"Why should I? You betrayed me, you used me-!"
"If I was the one who did this to you, why would I free you from your mental captivity?"
Ranma-chan thought for a moment.
"Okay, talk."
"Well, it's like this…"
Meanwhile, back in Usagi's own universe…
"Let's begin again, Spock-kun," alt-Usagi said, as she held Mr. Spock a foot off the floor by the neck. "We are not in our own universe. Correct?"
"Yes…"
"Hmm. And you say that there is another me, correct?"
"Yes…"
"Excellent!" alt-Usagi replied, as she dropped the Vulcan. "I want your help in preparing a way for me to meet this girl. I always wanted a twin to 'play' with."
Back in the evil universe…
"So you're saying that your counterpart could have taken over the ship by now?" asked Kirk.
"Captain, based on what my counterpart has written in her journals, I can bet on this."
"I see. Bones, you sure you want to wait to see if Spock here is healthy?"
"Dammit, Jim, I can't let this man die!"
Alt-Spock had discovered that dimensional switch had occurred, but was stopped by a blow to the head by Uhura. In the meantime, the intrepid crew of the normal Enterprise was realigning the warp engines in order to create a way to return home.
"Captain, I could heal him-"
"No, Usagi. If your counterpart is preparing for you, I need you to be at your best."
"Okay."
"Bones, you meet us in the transporter room as soon as you can."
"Will do, captain."
Sure enough, alt-Spock does recover, but has allowed the Usagi and her friend to return home, since Dr. McCoy saved his life. He even allows Ranko to go with them.
"You know, Empires don't last long," began Captain Kirk. "Perhaps, you can forge a new path for your people."
"Captain, I will consider it," replied alt-Spock. "Energize!"
As they were being transported, Usagi felt a weird feeling of déjà vu.
"Hello, beautiful," said a voice.
Usagi turned to face a mirror image of herself.
"You."
"Ah, my reputation proceeds me. Never mind that. I think that I can use you."
"Not on your life, WITCH! Moon Prism MAKE-UP!"
Usagi was now Sailor Moon, champion of Love and Justice.
"Cute. I guess it's my turn. Moon Prism MAKE-UP!"
Alt-Usagi was now Sailor Moon, the champion of Hate and Vengeance.
"Well, if I can't break you, then I have to destroy you. Eclipsed WAVE!"
"Spock, was going on?" asked Kirk. He had hoped to have everyone safe and sound after dealing with the people of the so-called "Mirror Universe".
"Usagi's counterpart forced me to change the conditions of the transport," Spock replied. "While everyone else would be exchanged, both she and our Usagi have met in a neutral zone of sorts."
"So they are fighting. Great."
"Sir, let me go back in there!" pleaded Ranko. Though she was glad to be free, she wasn't about to let a friend get injured because of her. "Maybe she'll relent if she's sees me. Please!"
"Alright. Mr. Kyle, prepare the transporter."
"AGGGH!" said Sailor Moon, as she clutched her abdomen. Existing on an immaterial plane was bad enough, but fighting on it was tough.
"Give it up, Usa-chan!" yelled alt-Sailor Moon. "My strength is unfettered. I am an extension of the Sith Lord "Darth Lune"…a Lord of Nightmares, and servant of the Dark Side. And I am not afraid to use my true potential!"
"I will never yield. Not to Ohelem, or Lacroix, or Sauron, and certainly not to YOU!"
"Very well. I suppose that I should be thankful that my counterpart is not such a weakling."
Alt-Sailor Moon unleashed a wave of negative energy on her foe. Just as Usagi was about to get killed-
"MOKO TAKIBASHA: PERFECT!"
"AHHHHHH!" Dark Sailor Moon said, as she took the full bore of the attack.
"Ranko?"
"No, it's Ranma Saotome!" Ranma-chan said, as she took aim at her tormentor. Ranma-chan had been thinking about Usagi's words, as well as her conversations with her allies, and made the decision to make sure that she went home safely. Seeing alt-Usagi was the icing on the cake.
"You…YOU BTCH!" yelled the evil Sailor Moon. "I made you, and I will break you!"
"No," Ranma-chan replied simply, as she took aim yet again. Seeing this, Sailor Moon took aim.
"MOKO TAKIBASHA: PERFECT!"
"CRESCENT MOON BEAM!"
The combined attack cut through the evil Sailor Moon's defenses, and-
"AHHHHHH-!"
And with that, the evil Sailor Moon was no more.
"Dusted!" Sailor Moon yelled in triumphant.
Ranma-chan sighs, as she felt herself being drawn back to the Mirror Universe. At least this time, she was able to save the right Usagi Tsukino this time. She was certainly envious of this other Ranma Saotome.
"Good-bye..."
And with that, Ranma-chan disappears...
"Ranma? Ranma?" Usagi said.
"He's not here, remember?" Spock replied. "He is on special assignment."
Usagi, who had transformed out of costume, looked around the transporter room of the RIGHT USS Enterprise.
"Oh..."
Later...
"Well, you seem to be alright," said Dr. McCoy, as he finished his examination of Lt. Commander Tsukino.
"Thanks, doctor," Usagi replied, as she got off the bio-bed.
"If you don't mind me asking, what did you do to your counterpart anyway?"
"She...died during transport. Something about our patterns causing a destabilizing effect or something."
"Alright..."
Meanwhile, in the "Mirror-verse"…
Coruscant.
Empress Serenity (or, as she is sometimes known, "Darth Lune") sighed, as she opened her eyes. Her "meat puppet" on the ISS Enterprise was destroyed by her "positive" counterpart. It was interesting to learn that she had become one of those wretched Jedi Masters in an altered timeline. Usagi Tsukino #364 deserved the fate that she received at the hands of her doppelganger and her dear Ranma Saotome.
And speaking of which, the fates are changing because of him and the Vulcan. She could see a new rebellion brewing because of them.
"Lord Vader?"
The Sith Lord enters Serenity's throne room. He had stepped away from his activities in dealing with the brewing rebellion in THIS galaxy.
Darth Vader kneels before Serenity.
"What is thy bidding, my Mistress?"
"I would like for you to begin talks with the Romulan Empire. I am very interested forging an alliance...even if it means marrying the Praetor."
Vader bristled at the notion that his lover would be forced into a marriage of inconvenience.
"Still your jealousy, my beloved. Once I marry the Praetor and bare an heir, the Praetor's usefulness will be at an end."
Empress Serenity rose from her throne.
"If I cannot depend on Queen Hoshi to keep things managed, then I will have to take things into my own hands. One way or another, the Milky Way galaxy, like the Lucas Galaxy, will be ruled by ME...by hook or by crook!"
Vader nods.
"As you wish, my Mistress."
Of course NO one will know of Empress Serenity's long term plans when the Empress made this decree...
"So you're telling me that the evil version of me was this...Empress Serenity?" Usagi asked Saotome.
"No," Saotome replied. "The Usagi you fought was a specialized clone dedicated to act as the Empress' eyes and ears. Unfortunately, each and every one of them could access the Empress' potent powers."
"Did you ever-"
"She has grown steadily more powerful as the years have gone on, both personally and politically. How, I don't know. Plus, as soon as we got rid of the Usagi clones, or, at least kicked them out of Earth's territories, the Empress ended up creating a clone army of Rankos."
"'Rankos'?"
Ranma closed his eyes in apparent disgust.
"It was Serenity's way of saying that she was in control of the situation, especially since she had my skills imprinted in the psyches of the Rankos."
"Oh."
"Plus, there is a non-aggression pact between Earth and Coruscant, and the Galactic Imperium as extended its authority when the Romulan territories were annexed. Now, she is both Empress AND Praetor. There's...nothing much that can be done, I'm afraid..."
"I...see..."
"But enough of my problems. The problem before us is what to do with you and the others from your ship."
"Maybe...maybe we can correct something."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if the Klingons think that Earth was responsible for the attack on Merandra III, then if we get sent back to that proper point in time, perhaps this war could be avoided."
Saotome thought for a moment.
"It could work, since you do come from a key nexus point. Alright, let's do this!"
Usagi nods her reply.
Soon, the Enterprise-C heads back to her proper time, while the Enterprise-D fended off a combined Klingon-Cardassian attack. More to the point, some of the Enterprise-D's crew had joined the crew of the Enterprise-C, in order to help even the odds between the Enterprise-C and her Romulan attackers.
"Miss Yar, fire when ready," Captain Garret said.
"Yes. Ma'am," Yar replies.
"You should have stayed behind," Usagi says.
"If this war can be avoided, then my sacrifice will be worth it."
And that was that.
By fending off the Romulan attack, the Klingons never accused either the Federation nor the Terran Empire of a preemptive attack, thus avoiding twenty years of war. Still, that did not stop Empress Serenity from expanding Romulan territory, nor did it prevent her from solidifying her alliances with many races who despise Earth. Thus, by 2366 CE, Empress Serenity had control, in one for or another, of 1/3rd of the Milky Way galaxy. So, even if the war was prevented between the Terran Empire and The Alliance early on, Serenity's in backing the Alliance's efforts would ensure an ever-decrease in the territories of the Earth Empire.
Thus, by hook or by crook, Serenity's quest for complete dominance of TWO galaxies continue unabated.
2344 CE: Nerandra III.
Usagi held Tasha close, as their escape pod left their moors of the soon-to-be destroyed Enterprise.
"We did it..." Tasha says, as she and Usagi witnesses the destruction of their ship.
BOOM!
"At least we took those three Romulan warbirds with us-"
BRRING!
There was a FOURTH Romulan warbird nearby.
Quickly, Usagi punched in some codes on her flight computer.
"What are you-?" Tasha began.
"I'm making sure that the Federation gets this information," Usagi replied, as she pressed the final launch sequence...
WHOOSH!
And that was that.
As the survivors of the Enterprise-C are taking prisoner, Usagi hopes that Ranma behaves himself, especially since he'd go through heaven and hell for her...
Earth: Starfleet Command Headquarters.
"What do you mean I can't get back my wife?" Ranma Saotome demanded.
"If you go to Romulus now, it could plunge the Federation into a new war," said Ranma's contact. "Everything you and Mrs. Saotome has built up could blow up because YOU are ignoring your first responsibility to the Federation. Besides, SHE was the one who is asking you to NOT go after her until its time to do so...by diplomacy."
"GAH!" Ranma said, as he smashed his contact's desk.
"Sigh, that's the fourth desk you have busted up, ever since I was assigned to your case."
"Whatever, just take it out of my accounts. But remember to tell your Romulan contact that if Usagi is harmed in any way-"
"I know...so does the Romulans. She will be safe for the time being, even if she is...an indentured servant to the Praetor."
As Ranma looks on, he hopes that Usagi knew what she was doing.
Tbc.