THE EXTERMINATORS

Chapter 5: "First Strike"

By Bill K.

Spring was in the air. The last coolness of winter had finally been eradicated. The air was filled with the scent of tree and flower blossoms trying to lure insects to them. There was a general vigor to the world, a vigor that had been suppressed by the cold of February.

Usa sat against a tree in the modest back yard of the Tsukino residence. Diana was curled up beside her thigh and together they were enjoying the spring. Usa was dressed in jeans with rolled up cuffs and a yellow and maroon horizontally striped short sleeve knit blouse. It fit close to the teen's torso, which seemed to get bigger and rounder every day. It was too close, in Diana's opinion, but the blouse had been a compromise. Usa had originally wanted to wear her pink and white body suit with astro-boots and collar, as replicated by Luna-P. It took twenty minutes for the cat to argue the Princess out of it, and only by pointing out that it was conspicuous fashion in the twentieth century and they WERE undercover.

"I'd forgotten how nice the springs were back in this time," Usa sighed. She absently stroked Diana's back.

"There's much to be said for it," the cat responded. "Sometimes I feel we lose as much from technological advance as we gain. The old alchemists had a term for it: equivalent exchange."

"What do you know about alchemy?" Usa wondered.

"Unlike Dad, I don't spend ALL my time sleeping," Diana replied. Usa grinned.

"Why would anyone want to destroy this?" Usa asked. "And why would anyone want to kill Mom?"

"Sociologists have wondered about the workings of the criminal mind for centuries," Diana mumbled, snuggling closer to Usa's thigh.

"You don't have any way to find out who does it, do you? I mean, does Viluy come back into the past herself or does she send an assassin? Because if she does, it could be anybody."

"Unfortunately, I don't possess Sailor Pluto's ability to see into the past. I was only able to bring us to this point in time because I willed the door of time to take us to a little bit before when the deed was done. It's a complex process involving the Time Keys. Fortunately Sailor Pluto demonstrated this to me once."

Usa fell silent. Diana resumed lightly sleeping.

"One act could change everything so drastically," Usa mumbled. "I know Mom was an important person, but even I didn't realize she was THIS important."

"Perhaps because you've spent a good portion of your life thinking of her as 'Mommy'," Diana replied. They she grew a wicked smile. "Or 'Baka Usagi'."

"Hey, I was right to think that! Mom was a screwball when she was a teenager!" Usa relented and smiled fondly. "Kind of fun, though, in her own way." The girl's smile dimmed. "I wish I knew what happened to Puu?" Usa posed. "She would have seen this coming and done something to stop it, wouldn't she?"

"Isn't that why we're here?" Diana asked.

"No, SHE would have done something. She would have prevented it. But it happened. And you saw the way she looked. It was like she'd been taken by surprise."

"Yes, I see where you're headed," nodded Diana, sitting up. "It certainly would be difficult to surprise someone who can see every moment of the past and all alternate futures."

Diana was about to go further, but a nudge from Usa caught her attention. She looked just in time to see little Usagi approaching.

"Were you talking to your cat?" Usagi asked, visibly perplexed.

"Sure," Usa smiled. "I talk to Diana all the time." The teen grew melancholy. "Sometimes she was the only one who'd listen."

"What about your Mommy and Daddy?" Usagi asked and both time travelers noticed the irony.

"Well, sometimes they'd listen," Usa shrugged, "and sometimes they were too busy being my Mommy and Daddy to listen." She peeked over at Usagi, who was dressed in a blue pinafore with a cream long-sleeve blouse. "You wouldn't do that to your child, would you?"

"Oh, no!" Usagi gasped, violently shaking her head. Usa grew a misty grin on her face.

"Good girl," the teen said. "So when do you start school?"

"In eleventy-six months," Usagi responded, proud that she knew a big number like 'eleventy-six'.

"You're not in pre-school now? I figure grand . . . Ikuko-Mama might want to start you in the pre-school cram schools."

Usagi's face fell. She looked down, embarrassed. "She did. But I couldn't pass the test."

Sympathy filled the pink-haired teen. She reached out and put her hand on the young girl's shoulder.

"Passing tests aren't everything in life," Usa told her. "Sometimes grown-ups get too wrapped up in tests and scores and they forget to worry about what kind of person the kid is. It's just as important to be nice to people. You're nice to people, aren't you?"

Usagi nodded enthusiastically.

"Like your friends, and your mom and dad?"

Usagi nodded again.

"And your brother Shingo?"

Usagi didn't nod that time. Usa gave her a questioning look.

"Well, he cries too much," huffed Usagi. "And he always wants his way. He's selfish."

"Yeah, but he's still your brother. And some day that's going to be important to you. I'm an only child. I can remember lots of times when I wished I had a brother or sister. You're lucky to have him, Usagi. Don't knock it."

Usagi nodded, then gave the teen a cherubic grin.

Suddenly seized by inspiration, the flighty young girl bounded off into the house. Usa watched her go.

"Hardly the type of child who'll grow into the 'terrible ogre parent' you sometimes make her out to be," commented Diana.

"Would you stop!" fussed Usa. "I never said she was an ogre."

"August 18, 2993," Diana countered.

"Gosh, what an amazing memory you have - - 'LUNA'."

"Call me that again and I'll sharpen my claws on every outfit in your closet," Diana replied with clenched teeth.

Just then Usa caught a fleeting glimpse of Usagi pushing open the front gate and heading north. Springing up, the teen flew into the kitchen.

"Ikuko-mama!" Usa gasped. "I just saw Usagi leave!"

"Don't worry," Ikuko smiled. "She's just going down to the park to play with her friends. My little Usagi gets bored very easily and loves playing." The woman sighed. "Someday she'll grow out of it."

"Yeah. Um, I'm going to go for a walk, OK?" Usa said, angling for the door.

"That's fine. Lunch is at twelve."

Like that, Usa was out the door and down the street in pursuit of Usagi. Diana was at her heels.

"Has something aroused your suspicions, My Lady?" Diana inquired.

"No," Usa replied, slowing so she didn't overtake the little four year old. "But think about it - - we don't know who's coming after her, or when or how. Can we risk leaving her alone, even if she's in a playground full of kids?"

"Sound thinking, My Lady. Prudence would suggest such a course."

"Prudence? Who's she?" Usa quipped and glanced down at the gray cat. Diana returned the glance with playful scorn.

The playground was just two blocks away. Usa and Diana kept their quarry in sight at all times, but kept enough distance from the child that she didn't notice she was being followed. At the mouth of the park, Usagi stopped at a cart selling ice cream.

"Hello, little girl," the salesman smiled. Usagi returned the smile with a blinding one of her own, complete with dimples. "Did you want an ice cream?"

"Yes, please!" beamed Usagi, her innate charm going full bore. The man reached into the cart and pulled out an ice cream on a stick.

"That'll be fifty yen," he said happily.

Usagi's face clouded over. "But I don't have any money," she whimpered.

The man's smile dimmed. He started to return the ice cream to the cooler. Then his eye caught Usagi's. She was staring up at him, disappointed but hopeful that a happy ending could still be achieved through the magic that existed to grant the wishes of little girls. Her golden blonde hair framed big blue eyes that seemed to possess a magic of their own. And suddenly the poor vendor couldn't conceive of possibly disappointing this delightful little cherub.

"Well," he hesitated, then brought the ice cream back out again, "then consider it a present." He handed it to the genuinely excited Usagi. "This time!"

"THANK YOU!" she beamed and skipped off with her sweet treasure. The vendor watched her leave and suddenly felt like he'd cured cancer.

"How shameless can you get?" Usa muttered, watching the tableau from a distance.

"I seem to recall a young girl with pink hair accomplishing much the same things in much the same way when she was that age," Diana replied.

"Yeah, but I was an amateur," Usa grumbled good-naturedly. "She's a pro."

In the scant minute it took for Usagi to find the three other girls her age she'd been searching for, the ice cream was gone. The other four year olds waved enthusiastically at the approaching blonde girl. Usagi instantly fell in with them and the four girls began playing as if they'd never been separated.

Diana heard Usa sigh.

"My Lady?" the cat asked.

"She does it so easily," Usa stated, her admiration tinged with a touch of envy, "even now. Everybody who meets her is automatically her friend. Everyone who knows her can't help but love her." She glanced down at the cat. "Don't worry, Diana. I've accepted it. Mom just has a gift. Obviously she's always had it."

"My Lady, you're much more popular than you think you are," the cat advised her.

"Yeah, but I have to work at it. It's always so effortless with her." The teen glanced around her. "Boy, I wish I'd brought my sketch pad. This is such a beautiful place."

The four girls went chasing off into the park. Usa and Diana moved to keep them in sight. When they neared the lake, Diana began to observe their surroundings more keenly.

"My Lady," Diana ventured, "do you realize where we are?"

"Um, I think it was called Juuban Park back in these days."

"Yes, but do you recognize the spot for what it will become?" Diana saw the blank look on Usa's face. "This is where the Queen's garden will be in the thirtieth century. And where the lake is now, that's where the palace will be."

Usa looked around. "I guess so. Never looked at it that way before."

"And right above that boat dock is the temporal nexus - - or rather where it shall be."

"Hey, that tree over there!" Usa exclaimed, pointing to a young tree to their west. "You don't suppose that's Gallan, do you?"

"Well," Diana stammered, "that's difficult to say."

"What are you doing here?" they heard Usagi demand. The pair turned and found Usagi and her three friends standing near them, looking up.

"Oh, hi Usagi," Usa said, inwardly reeling over the fact that the young Usagi she knew could possibly be stealthy. "I was, uh, just taking Diana for a walk. Yeah, she loves sniffing new places." For effect, Diana began sniffing the air. "Who are your friends?"

Innocently Usagi accepted the explanation. "This is Ruka-chan," Usagi said, gesturing to a robust youngster with dimples, large glasses and brown hair. "This is Yumiko-chan," and her hand moved to a pleasant young girl with thick black hair, the end held with a pink ribbon. "And this is Kuri-chan," and her hand moved to a thin girl with and short black hair. "Everyone, this is my cousin Usa. She's staying with us."

"How did you get your hair to look like that!" gasped Ruka.

"Oh, you're so pretty!" Yumiko exclaimed. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Thanks," blushed Usa. "Yeah, I do."

"Do you love him a lot?"

"I sure do," Usa smiled.

"Oh, what a pretty cat!" Kumi beamed. "Can I pet her?"

Usa nodded, then glanced at Usagi to see if the girl was jealous or disappointed in all the attention the older girl was getting. But to her surprise, Usagi seemed about to burst with pride that her relative could gain such quick acceptance. It made Usa feel small for even momentarily doubting the girl who would become her mother.

Yumiko questioned Usa incessantly about her boyfriend, while Ruka and Kumi fussed over Diana until the cat was rolling and purring in the grass. Usagi just silently lapped it up. The persistent questions of Yumiko momentarily distracted Usa. It wasn't until she heard her Luna-P pendant beep and felt the eyes light up that she realized that a man was approaching Usagi.

"What's he want? Is he the assassin?" Usa thought. Then a realization struck her. "I didn't disengage Luna-P's sensors! It's still reacting to androids!"

The strange man seemed ordinary. He was dressed in a light jacket and beige slacks. His dark hair and features were as unremarkable as anyone else in the park at the time. But he was clearly walking straight for Usagi at an even but determined pace. And Luna-P had him pegged as an artificial life form. In a moment Usa acted.

"Usagi, get down!" she screamed, lurching away from Usagi's playmates.

As she crossed the distance between them as fast as she could, time seemed to slow down for Usa. Usagi's expression of joy was morphing into surprise. The other three girls turned toward the motion of Usa's lunge, confused and anxious. The man - - the android - - recognized the belligerence of Usa's tone and her charge. He turned toward her, momentarily distracted from Usagi by Usa's action.

Usagi froze in place, confused by Usa's scream and by her charge. It was a trait Usa was all too familiar with. She tried to quell her irritation by reminding herself that Usagi was only four and four year olds didn't react too well in crises - - take her own history for example. If only it wasn't a trait that would follow her mother through her life - - but that was moot at the moment.

Her charge brought her between Usagi and the android. Usa hoped to tackle him. She further hoped that would spur Usagi to run so she could change into Sailor Moon and dispense with this assassin. Then out of nowhere the speed of the android came into play. A backhand blow came so fast that Usa didn't even see it before it struck her. The teen twisted in mid-air, propelled roughly to the ground, and impacted hard.

Dimly through her haze she heard a shriek and for a moment feared it was Usagi. When her head cleared, she saw Ritsuko, Kobu and Ruka fleeing the scene as fast as the terrified girls' legs could go. Turning, she saw Diana had leaped up into the android's face and, in what seemed to be the family fighting style, was raking at the mechanical monster's face with her claws. Where was Usagi though? Struggling to clear her head, Usa scanned with her eyes until she spotted Usagi. The girl was rooted to the same spot. Her hands were jammed to her mouth and her big blue eyes were wide with terror and staring. However, she wasn't staring in terror at the thing about to snuff out her young life. She was staring at Usa, terrified that her 'cousin' and friend had been seriously hurt.

"Usagi, get out of here!" Usa bellowed, clutching at her head to try to make things stop spinning. "Get out of here now!"

But Usagi wouldn't move, wouldn't abandon the teen until she knew Usa would be all right. She wouldn't do it.

"Damn it, Mom!" Usa murmured angrily under her breath. "I didn't want to have to do this!" Forcing back her dizziness, Usa jammed her hand into the air, fingers splayed. "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"

One would have thought it wasn't possible for Usagi's eyes to grow any bigger - - but they did.

From her knees, Sailor Moon ripped off her tiara.

"Moon Tiara Action!" Sailor Moon shouted.

The tiara converted into an energy disk and Sailor Moon flung it at the android, just as it was swatting Diana away. The energy disk flew straight and true. It impacted the android chest high and the park shook with a sudden explosion. Sailor Moon was knocked onto her back by the force of the explosion. Though still dazed, she forced herself back to a battle ready position.

The android was gone, apparently disintegrated from the force of Sailor Moon's energy disk. Usagi was face down on the ground, knocked down by the explosion. Letting herself fade back to Usa, the teen hurried over and picked the fallen girl up.

"Usagi, are you all right?" Usa asked pensively. Usagi was alive, but tears streamed rivers down her cheeks. Usa worried about the effect the shock of these events might have on her.

"Usa, I hurt my elbow!" Usagi reported with a very immature, but somewhat familiar wail, then began crying. There was a minor scrape on her right elbow.

Yeah, she was fine.

Usa held the girl close to console her. But a thought nagged at the teen. She's just revealed herself to her mother-to-be.

Had she just now managed to alter the future even worse than Viluy had?

Continued in Chapter 6