20 hours ago
The Sailor senshi intended to help rescue their friends from the Global Community. But before departing, they had come clean to Usagi's parents, Saki, Umino Naru and her mother about the Moon Kingdom, how they became the Sailor Senshi, all the enemies they've faced, what truly caused the disappearances and what's happening now.
"This is… beyond unusual." Mrs. Osaka sunk into her chair, utterly bewildered.
Naru and Umino nodded speechlessly. Saki downed a cup of water looking solemn. They'd already come to terms that the disappearances was the Rapture and of the judgements, however the true story behind the sailor senshi and the Moon kingdom threw them for a loop. If Nehelenia hadn't confirmed it, it might've sounded like a bizarre fairy tale.
There was an awed silence and Mrs. Tsukino suddenly scowled. "Wait a minute, you mean our future own granddaughter – Chibi-Usa – deliberately used mind control on us?"
"AND you didn't teach her about talking to strangers and keeping secrets about them?!" Mr. Tsukino shared her indignant expression. "And what's this about two different men whop were stalking you?!"
Saki chuckled sarcastically. "Yeah, and not to be that girl but… talking to someone that secretive who quickly ditches you when you notice his shadiness is suspicious. For all she knew he could've been something more dangerous."
"What's more," Umino adds. "Why did it necessarily have to be that particular dream that freed him, when there so many others with altruistic motives? I'm rather skeptical on that."
Usagi and the senshi took this opportunity to hurry up the stairs to avoid the questions.
"Uh – no time, I gotta help our friends! We'll contact you later!"
Present
A few minutes after the sun came out, most of the hail and blood had dissolved into the ground. A helicopter passed nearby. Judd guessed the pilot had lost the bikers in the woods. He glanced at Conrad. The boy looked grim. Pete found a main road and picked up speed. They passed abandoned cars with broken windshields. A crater had opened in the middle of the road. The remains of an exploded fuel truck lay in the bottom of the hole. They drove through the crater and on the other side saw a helicopter coming right for them. Pete stopped. The aircraft was pocked with dents from the hail. To Judd's surprise, the helicopter landed and Taylor Graham stepped out.
By sunset, the inner Senshi minus Rei, who was still recovering in Tokyo with their other friends. Luna, Artemis, Hotaru, Conrad and the Young Trib-force are all gathered together in the burnt forest where Lionel gives the gang the rub-down of what happened with his 'relative' and how he ended up at some GC boot camp that was training the Morale Monitors, how he met Conrad there, how he lost his memory in the global earthquake/meteor disaster, and how the people at the camp were training him, Conrad and the other kids to be spies for the GC. They even trained them how to fire guns.
Sailor Moon and the rest of the Senshi are sickened by this. The Global Community was drafting kids and training them to be killers? All of their other enemies didn't even do that, unlessyou count Wiseman feeding lies to Chibi-Usa.
"It sure explains why they took all those other school kids in Tokyo too." Sailor Jupiter said.
"Yeah, that's about right." Lionel said.
"Lionel...I need to know...did you see any Japanese boys among the other kids at the GC camp?" Sailor Moon inquired, her gloved hands were clasped.
"No, I'm sorry." Lionel shook his head.
"Is it possible that there could've been Japanese children at the camp and the GC relocated them before Lionel arrived?" Sailor Mercury speculates.
"Nope, not possible. I was there long before Lionel showed up, and there were no Asian kids of any kind at the camp. Not one." Conrad said.
"So much for that theory." Sailor Jupiter said.
"Why? Is that important or something?" Conrad asked.
"Yeah, I'm afraid it is. You see, some Japanese kids were taken from their homes by the GC a few weeks ago and the Sailor Senshi have been trying to figure out where they are so to rescue them." Vicki explained.
"Rescue? Just why would a group of alien invaders want to rescue a bunch of Asian kids? Are they planning another global abduction?" Taylor questioned.
"No, of course not. Sailor Moon and her friends aren't the enemy." Darrion said.
"Then why did they take all of those millions of people, including all kids under twelve, two years ago? Why did they cause the war, the famines and the plagues?" Taylor demanded. "Why did they cause that global earthquake/meteor shower? Why would they do all of this to our planet if they're not the enemy?"
"You just saw us rescue you and the others from those GC thugs back there and wreck any meteors headed your way, didn't you?" Sailor Venus reminded.
"Yeah, but-"
"Right." Sailor Star Fighter said, cutting Taylor off. "So why would we bother saving your lives if we allegedly caused those disasters?"
"I don't know, you tell me! You're the ones who made all those people disappear off the face of the Earth without a trace!" Taylor said.
"Sailor Moon and her friends didn't cause the disappearances!" Judd snapped.
"Then what did? There's no other explanation for what happened other than alien abduction! And they're aliens!" Conrad said.
There was a sharp whistle from Pete, and Mr. Stein threw up his hands to get their attention. "Hold it! Hold it! Now, what we've seen with the fiery meteors and blood is judgement from God… that I comprehend." He then turned his gaze on the Sailor senshi, "But as for you uniformed young ladies, I've got some questions of my own and I'm certain nearly everyone else does as well."
The Sailor senshi noticed that Mr. Stein and some of the bikers looked a wary. Although Pete spoke up, "I dunno. They came to help, I'm willing to go on a little faith here."
"Make some sense. If Sailor Moon and her friends were behind the disappearances, then why are they still here on Earth? Don't you think if they were responsible, they would be gone too?" Hotaru points out.
"Actually, no, I don't. Carpathia said they were here to invade Earth, which is exactly what they're doing."
"Why are you doing this to us? What did we ever do to deserve this?"
"Is Carpathia right? Is this about what happened to your Moon Kingdom 1000 years ago? We destroyed your planet, so why not destroy ours?"
"No." Sailor Moon said. "That has nothing to do with it."
"Let's clear up a few things here." Sailor Star Healer interrupts. "THEY'RE from the ancient Moon kingdom, my comrades and I are from Kinmoku."
"Then why? Why would you-" Taylor began.
"Wait, wait, wait, stop right there." Sailor Moon said, cutting him off. "It'll be easier to show you rather than tell you."
"You don't mean-"
"Yep, we've gotta show him our history." Sailor Moon nods. "You know how people are when they want good, solid facts. Luna?"
"Are you sure? This could risk them knowing…" Luna asked, seeing her speak caused quite a shocked reaction from the bikers, Mr. Stein and from the Graham siblings.
"Yes, I'm certain." Sailor Moon confirmed. "I know this is big risk of them knowing my civilian identity and more, but I just can't stand having good people continue to believe in the lies of that horrible man instead of the truth that's right under their noses."
"Your cat talks?!" Darrion yelped, this was the first time she'd seen this.
Hotaru raises her eyebrows. "And this is what surprises you?"
Sailor Moon had been ready to remove the article and show them the silver crystal, but someone else would be speaking to their new potential friends.
The Moon was bright enough to be seen above the current hue of the sky where the stars were twinkling into view. Just then, a gentle, silvery beam of light shines down from the moon and onto the ground in front of the group, followed by the small image of Queen Serenity appearing before them.
"Greetings, people of Earth. Fancy meeting you all again and with new faces." Serenity said, before she focused on Judd. "Hello, Judd Thompson Jr. It is an honor to meet you for the first time."
Judd was baffled. He couldn't believe he was talking to another being from what once had been another planet 1000 years ago. He had heard about Queen Serenity from both Usagi and Luna, but seeing and hearing were two different things. And seeing her now-he didn't know what to think. "You… know my name?"
"Of course I do. Your family talks about you all the time. Your younger brother especially." Queen Serenity said.
"They do? Wow. Good to know." Judd said.
Queen Serenity then addressed the others with them, "Steadfast Peter Davidson. Although you lived not wishing to see, you opened your eyes to the truth your mother had so long wished to share."
The biker's mouth popped open with surprise, but he nodded respectfully. "Thank you kindly, Ma'am."
"Steadfast Darrion." Queen Serenity addressed Darrion next. "Although you lost two members of your family, even now you show great dedication to the truth in a world that refuses to hear. I know that your parents are proud of you."
"Your er, Majesty," Darrion was taken aback.
The late Queen of the Moon then smiled warmly at Mr. Stein. "Mitchel Stein, at last you've accepted what your beloved daughter and daughter attempted to tell you for so long. There is still so much for you and so many others to do here on the Earth."
Serenity then noticed Conrad. "And you must be Conrad Graham. And the bold Taylor Graham. How do you do?"
"I-I-I-I-I-" Conrad stammered, not sure what to think. This couldn't be. Was he really talking to a being from outer space? This was so not normal. Then again, nothing was normal or logical anymore. Normal was gone. Stuff that wasn't normal was normal now.
"I can see you're in shock, so let me just do all the talking. I am Queen Serenity, the late Queen of the Moon Kingdom, and Sailor Moon's mother. And I am here to shed some light on this situation. If that's what you want. Is it?"
Unable to speak due to shock, Conrad and the rest simply nodded. Nevertheless, Pete, Mr. Stein and Darrion had chosen to trust their friends and thus would be hearing more about the truth soon.
"A wise answer." Serenity said. A gold crescent moon appeared on her forehead and fired a beam of gold light at the Graham siblings foreheads, creating a white crescent moon on it, their eyes stared ahead blankly. As though they were seeing something the others did not.
However in their mind, everything flashed before their eyes as the events involving the Sailor Senshi played out like a film projector, showing everything from the Moon Kingdom all the way to the battle with Sailor Galaxia. The beam then disappeared along with the crescent moon on their foreheads, as did the one on Serenity's.
Taylor stumbled backwards. Conrad's eyes went wide. "Holy cow." He said, stunned. He couldn't believe it. Within seconds, his whole life and everything he thought he knew about the world and the universe...had changed. "Wha-what was that? That couldn't have all happened, could it?"
"From start to finish. And as for the events that are befalling the Earth...I think I shall let Judd and his friends explain that one." Queen Serenity said.
"Wait." Vicki said.
"Yes, Victoria?" Serenity asked.
"I need to know. How are Ryan, Chaya, Loretta and Amanda?" Vicki said.
"Young Ryan is doing just fine. As are Chaya, Amanda and Loretta. And they wanted me to let you know that we're praying for all of you. May Heaven be with you all. Farewell for now." Queen Serenity said before she disappeared along with the light from the moon.
"Now do you believe us?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Uh-huh." Conrad nodded, still stunned.
"Thank Heaven we got that straightened out." Luna said.
Conrad stared at Luna. "Wha-wha-wha did you just say?"
"She said 'Thank Heaven we got that straightened out'." Artemis said.
Conrad focused his staring on Artemis. He groaned wearily, his eyes rolled up in his head before they closed, and he fainted.
"And there he goes." Sailor Star Maker said.
"I guess it must've been too much for him." Vicki said.
And so, they drove onwards without resting, the wind in their faces. In the night, the motorcycles looked eerie with their headlights piercing the darkness. They were exhausted when they finally reached a gas station.
The manager came outside with a gun, then grinned at Pete – the biker who'd warned Judd about the snipers. "Don't park out here, bring them on in," the man said.
The kids, the sailor guardians and Mr. Stein went inside while the others pulled their motorcycles into the garage. Shelly had prepared hot chocolate and sandwiches. The kids and sailors ate hungrily. Shelley and Sailor Star Healer had pulled out saucers of almond milk for Luna and Artemis, which they drank without much protest.
"Boyd Walker," the man said, extending a hand to each of the kids and to the sailor senshi. He pointed at Judd. "This young fellow and Pete helped me out in more ways than one."
Along with grease stains, the group saw that the man had the mark of a true believer on his forehead. Boyd told the story again of how Pete had saved his station from the motorcycle gang. Then Pete had returned and told him the truth about Christ's return.
"I been readin' that rabbi on the Internet," Boyd said. "Got a computer in the back."
Conrad and Taylor Graham were in a heated discussion outside, the older girls preferred not to get involved too much.
"That's not how we do things," Conrad said. "How many did you kill to get that bird from the GC?"
"I saved your tail back there," Taylor said. "A simple thank-you would be nice. Besides, I gave those guys warning before I shot."
Conrad shook his head. "I'm glad you're alive. But you have to stop trying to get revenge against the GC and start listening to what I'm saying."
Sailor Mercury was informing the rest on what had happened to everyone else back in Japan. They were now attempting to contact Rei, who was still recovering with some of their injured comrades.
Boyd had given Mr. Stein a T-shirt to replace the bloodstained one. Mr. Stein embraced Vicki. "I didn't think I would ever see you again," he said. "I still have so many questions, but Rabbi Ben-Judah is answering them now."
"Chaya would be so happy," Vicki said.
Mr. Stein blinked tears away. "She will be when I see her again. I can only tell you how sorry I am," he said. "God has forgiven me for my hard heart. I know one day I will see Chaya and Judith again."
"Conrad said you're determined to get to Israel," Hotaru said.
"The meeting is this weekend," Mr. Stein said. "I'm afraid I'll have to watch it on the Net like the rest of the world."
Vicki thought about Phoenix. It would have been impossible to bring him with them, even if she had found him. But she still felt guilty not keeping her promise to Ryan.
"Ma- I mean, my partner is planning to meet me and a small group over there for the meeting." Sailor Moon commented. "You're more than welcome to join us."
"Usagi, girls!" Rei's voice came through the communicators, much to their relief.
Sailor Moon hurried over and pulled at Judd's communicator to talk, "Rei! Are you alright? And the others?"
"We're fine, but we had to run into the buildings to take cover."
A few feet away, Lionel had found Boyd's tiny black-and-white television and tuned in a station. Hotaru joined him, bringing a plate of sandwiches. Darrion sat beside him with a cold drink. "I can't wait to see what kind of spin Carpathia's newsmen put on what's happened!" she said.
The news anchor looked flustered, as if he had witnessed the hail and didn't believe what he was reading. The anchor gave staggering statistics about the amount of hail the area received in the few minutes the storm raged. "But Illinois was not the only area hit. In fact, this seems to have happened world-wide at the exact same time."
"So how do you explain it?" Lionel said to the TV.
The anchor introduced an expert who said the event was a 'one-time occurrence' and was easily explained as an "atmospheric disturbance."
Darrion shook her head. "Yeah, and it definitely did not have anything to do with God or with his judgment of the earth."
"Too many of them have the makings of disaster or horror film: they don't believe the truth until it's too late." Hotaru sighed with a huff.
"As many of you saw earlier, Potentate Nicolae Carpathia responded to this world crisis with decisive action," the news anchor said. "He held a news conference less than an hour ago in which he outlined the Global Community response."
Nicolae was dressed casually, as if he had strolled in from a dinner party to answer questions. But the man was obviously concerned. If he had been reading Dr. Ben-Judah's Web site as Pavel said he had, he knew this was no fluke. This was God speaking in a forceful way.
"Because of the momentary disruption in communications, I have called a halt to all travel. This means the meeting scheduled in Israel that I had approved will have to be rescheduled."
"How convenient," Hotaru deadpanned.
"Citizens of the Global Community should not be alarmed," Carpathia continued. "We have everything under control, and the effects of this storm should not hinder us as we move forward in our quest for a better world."
"So if it's no problem," Lionel questioned, "why does he have to postpone the Meeting of the Witnesses?"
The news shifted to local effects of the storm. Video showed traffic snarls and streets filled with hail. The anchor referred to the 'sticky red substance' but never called it blood. He said a few fires were also reported.
"Look!" Darrion shouted.
Bikers gathered from around the station. A shot of a downed GC helicopter flashed on the screen. Several GC soldiers lay face down in a field near New Hope Village Church.
"At the time of the storm," the anchor continued, "the Global Community was conducting a training exercise in Mount Prospect."
"Training exercise!" Lionel yelled indignantly.
"Seven soldiers were killed by the hail-storm, and a dozen others were treated for fractures and bums at a local shelter. The leader of the exercise, Commander Terrel Blancka, has reportedly been reprimanded and will be given another assignment."
"You know the actual reason they're upset with him," Darrion said.
"Yeah," Lionel said. "He let us get away."
"At least we know most of our family and friends are safe." Sailor Mercury sighed walking over.
"Where they?" Mr. Stein looked at her, as if he was just noticing that the sailor senshi were just young women.
Sailor Star Maker replied. "We gathered some of them into a literal underground hiding place."
"We just finished talking to one of our injured friends back home," Sailor Mercury adds. "They and my mother – she's the doctor tending to them are safe for the time being."
Judd found the laptop in the saddlebag of Pete's motorcycle. It had taken a beating from the hail but still worked. He hooked it up beside Boyd's ancient machine and logged on to the Net.
"That thing's got some speed," Boyd said, admiring the laptop.
The list of forwarded E-mails from Tsion was growing. Now that they were away from the GC, Judd thought he might have a chance to answer some of them. He brought Sailor Jupiter over, asking her if she knew a Noah Kohen. The green clad senshi blushed and nodded. "He's the young soldier we helped during the shoot out in the Kotel."
As it turns out, the young man and his entire family survived. He and his brother-in-law were beginning to understand the truth with the judgements and disappearances.
Minutes after Sailor Jupiter finished her reply and allowed Judd to sort out the other emails, Judd let out a whoop and yelled for Mark. "What's up?" Mark said. "It's from John," Judd said.
The email contained it left Mark quite grave and eventually the rest as well when they found out moments later. Somehow John had gotten drafted into the Global Community Navy.
"The quake hit in the middle of classes at college. I saw the lights shake and remembered what Tsion said. I made it out the window before the whole building came down. Then everything went crazy. I helped pull bodies out of buildings and get help to the injured. The GC showed up a couple days later looking for anyone who could walk. There's a naval base on the coast, and some of their guys didn't make it."
And they know full well you don't precisely volunteer with the GC. John said he was a first-year engineering student, and they told him to get in the truck. He didn't have a choice. So John was finishing up training, and they put him in a communications post on the Peacekeeper 1. They're in the Atlantic right now.
"He said he just received a communique from New Babylon."
"What about?"
Mark looked at them grimly. "There's something headed for the Earth."
It could only be another incoming judgement.
Judd called a meeting of the Young Trib Force and called the senshi to join them. Pete and a few of the other bikers sat in, along with Boyd.
"I have a message from Tsion I want to read," Judd said, "but first, I have to say something. Much like our sailor senshi friends here. We're now wanted by the GC. They know about Darrion, Vicki, Hotaru, Lionel, Mr. Stein, and me."
"But they don't know about Hotaru being…?" Sailor Venus was concerned.
Hotaru shook her head. "No, I don't think so. If they did we'd all be hearing about it right about now."
"At the most they only know she's a believer and with us." Lionel agreed.
"We have to make a choice. Do we stay together? And when the GC school starts, should we attend? Where do we go?" Mark raised a hand.
"If it's OK," Judd said, "I'd like you all to sleep on it, make some notes, and be ready to talk tomorrow."
A couple of days later, the youngsters were still discussing what needed to be done. By then, the girls had already entrusted Conrad, Pete, Mr. Stein and Boyd with the truth about their secret identities.
And there was the matter of finding a place to stay, for they couldn't stay in the gas station forever. The Stahley's place in Wisconsin was out since the GC knows where it is. The Sailor senshi communications center in Japan was too far. Although Boyd knew someone named Zeke up in Des Plaines with his own gas station: Zeke and Zeke Jr., the man's son runs a tattoo business that can help them with phony IDs and such. Once he does, the youngsters on the GC's wanted list can go most anywhere. In the meantime, Shelley intended to give a hand with altering their appearances. She got scissors and some hair coloring for sale on a dusty shelf. Vicki's hair went from strawberry red to jet black and shorter than ever. Judd was almost bald when Shelly was through with him. Hotaru's hair had been growing out, so she asked Shelley if she could cut it to chin length again. The other girl agreed.
The kids stood in a line. "Not bad," Mark said. "Now all you guys need are some fake IDs."
Back in Japan, Rei was still recovering, Yuiichiro had not left her side. Her grandfather had been attempted to make legal arrangements with the death of her father. Nanako and the Amazon Quartet had been tended. Vesves was wheelchair bound for the time being, much to her chagrin.
Petz had offered to take responsibility for the girls so that they could be treated since, the girls were now essentially orphans.
Ann needed urgent surgery and more, lest she risked an infection. Rei had to come clean about Ann being an actual alien.
The female alien in turn is too terrified about her losing consciousness while going under anesthesia.
Dr. Mizuno (Ami's mom) reassures her. "I haven't lost a patient yet,"
"No, that's not it. I don't want to be unconscious. What if the Global Community officials find out what we are and try to take us away or worse?! "
It was all they could do to calm her. So it was Rei with the rest who waited in the makeshift hospital section. It was a success, while they waited for Ann to awaken, PallaPalla had flicked on the television and was disgusted with the content then something got the attention in the same room as her.
News bulletins interrupted every station. Newscasters reported that only a few hours ago astronomers had discovered a brand-new comet on a collision course with Earth. The Global Community Aeronautics and Space Administration (GCASA) had probes circling the object. The data they sent back was startling. "Under normal conditions," a spokesman for GCASA said, "we would have seen this a few months or even a few years ago. But these aren't normal conditions. I can't explain why we just located it today."
"Doctor, this meteor is how far from us right now?" the male anchor said.
"Meteor is the wrong term," the scientist said. "You were correct when you called it a comet. The data shows the comet to have a consistency of sandstone. Very brittle. When it enters Earth's atmosphere, it should disintegrate."
"Should?"
"It's impossible that it will miss us, unless it can be destroyed before it enters the atmosphere."
"And when will that happen?" the anchor said.
The scientist squirmed. "I'd rather let our director address that when he gives an update."
A picture from the probe flashed on the screen.
"Look at the size of that thing." Judd remarked.
"What else have you learned?" the anchor said.
"The comet is irregularly shaped, but it's immense. Global Community astronomers estimate it is no less than the mass of the entire Appalachian Mountain range."
This newscast was also being watched by the others back in the United States. The anchor furrowed his brow. "And what kind of damage could something that big actually do?"
"The potential is enormous," the scientist said. "On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, I'd say this is a . . . ten and a half."
"We're all gonna die!" Shelly said. "W-w-we studied this in school," she stammered.
Vicki hugged Shelly. "It's gonna be okay."
"That's not gonna happen," Makoto said, then frowned thoughtfully. I think this is something else completely."
"Let's say it is as hard as granite," the anchor said. "What then?"
"Once the object comes into Earth's gravitational pull, it will accelerate to thirty-two feet per second squared. No matter what it is made of it will burst into flames. Pieces will fall to Earth."
"Worst case, what could happen?" The scientist stared at the camera. "Worst case? Earth would be split in two."
The news anchor sat speechless. The scientist added, "Or our orbit could be altered. Either would be disastrous for the planet."
Someone handed the anchor a piece of paper from off camera. "This message from GCASA," he said, stunned. "The ... uh . . . collision will occur at approximately 6 P.M. New Babylon time, which is midnight in Tokyo, 3 P.M. in London, and 10 A.M. New York time."
"Nine our time," Ami said grimly.
"It's seven now," Lionel said, looking at a watch.
The news anchor then reported the comet was headed for the Atlantic ocean.
Upon Makoto's hunch, Ami searched through her minicomputer and read. "Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. And one-third of the water in the sea became blood. And one-third of all things living in the sea died. And one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed."
Mark had asked Lionel if he still had the web camera from the computer they'd taken from the Stahley house. Lionel responded that he put in the bag with the food. John would be making a video call from the ship he's on. They're using a satellite, Mark set it up and they were finally speaking to John via video conference. Vicki called for Judd and the Inners. They too wanted to know if he would be safe from what was coming.
Finally John's face appeared on the screen a little glitchy but there, he was saying something.
"What was that? I didn't catch it." Mark said.
"I said you better not be anywhere near the ocean." John answered. "When the meteor hits, it's gonna cause some extreme tidal waves."
"Where's the ship?" asked Ami.
"I don't wanna say." John replied.
"Why not?"
"C'mon man, you cant leave us hanging!" Judd insisted. "We're worried about you."
"Spill it, dude!"
"Uhm… we're in the Atlantic not far from where the meteor's projected to hit."
The news hit them like a bucket of ice water.
"What?!"
"Oh no!"
"You've got to get out of there!"
"We're moving away. And the fact of the matter is, there's nothing we can do " John said stoically.
Mark looked intensely at his cousin. "What are you saying?!"
"I guess goodbye…"
"Oh, John…" Luna and Artemis were saddened.
"No, you can't!"
"Just stay put, we'll come and get you and anyone who wants to escape!" Usagi insisted, her hand on the article.
John shook his head. "No. Everyone needs you where you are. This is something that's gonna happen either way."
"How can you be so calm about this, man?" Judd questioned.
"Nope. What can I do? I'm not gonna say I'm not scared, but I can still accept it. Somebody once said, when it's time for you to die, make sure that's all you have to do. Well that's all I have to do."
"I can't do this…" Vicki shook her head sadly.
"Me either." Usagi's eyes were filling with tears.
"C'mon Lionel, let's get out of here." Judd got up sadly.
"See ya later bro," Lionel said somberly.
"Goodbye John." Hotaru said sadly.
Then Judd told John "Tell my family, I'll uh… be with them soon."
"Anyone else there?" John asked.
"Just me and a couple of the girls." Mark said motioning to the Inners.
"…God put me here for reason."
"Yeah why is that?"
"To tell the guys on the ship about Christ. A few of them are believers now because I was here."
"That's great."
"Now it's to you cousin. You gonna need to step it up some. I know you got a lot of ideas about how to fight the enemy but you gotta learn how to let God use you and I guarantee it's gonna be the hardest thing you've ever done."
"I'm not sure I can do it."
"You can I know you can."
"I'll miss you man…"
"What's that noise?"
And the video went blank to static. The feed must've been cut off.
The Inners sans Rei were dismayed. Mark came out with his shoulder slumped.
"We've been through so much," Mark said.
The group gathered around the television, intently watching the coverage. An anchorman put a hand to his ear and nodded. "We're being told now that His Excellency, Potentate Nicolae Carpathia, is prepared to address this crisis. We go now to the Global Community Headquarters in New Babylon."
Nicolae spoke from his plush office. "My brothers and sisters in the Global Community, we have weathered many storms together, and it appears there is another on the horizon. Let me first answer a question that has come up, and that is, How could we not have known? I assure you, our personnel alerted us to this potential disaster as quickly as possible. We could not have known about this phenomenon any earlier. I am also confident, having taken precautions with my military advisors some time ago, that we have the firepower to destroy this object. However, we have been advised that an attempt to destroy the comet would be too great a risk to life on our planet. We cannot predict where the fragments might fall. The risk is simply unacceptable, considering that this falling mountain is on course to land in the ocean.
"We will keep you informed of any developments as we know them. Please cooperate with the officials in your area. We will get through this difficult time together, as we build a stronger world."
Then came the news that he wouldn't shoot it down.
Updated pictures from the probes showed the comet in more detail. It was light in color. The anchorman reported, "Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to put this in perspective. This object is about to enter Earth's atmosphere. It should burst into flames any second."
The coverage switched to a local reporter. The man's voice sounded urgent. "GCASA projects the collision at approximately 9:00 A.M. Chicago time. If the predictions are accurate, the collision will take place in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. But keep in mind that if the comet splits, fragments could possibly fall in the Midwest."
"Splashdown is less than an hour away," Ami informed grimly.
The reporter continued, "I'm told by one meteorologist that this kind of disruption could cause severe weather around the globe. We won't deal with tidal waves like the coastal areas, but we may see strong winds and possibly tornadoes."
Even though it was supposed to land in the ocean part of them felt they were still in danger. As the moments ticked down, the entire group watched the updates. A disabled cruise ship was stranded in the Atlantic.
Shelly put a hand to her mouth. "Those poor people," she said.
"Other Global Community vessels are a sea," the reporter continued, "but rescue operations are impossible with the splash down so close. Efforts to move boats to safety along the Atlantic shoreline have stopped." There were reports of some who refused to evacuate their homes.
"Stayin' right here," a grizzled old man said. "Lived through the disappearances and the earthquake. Don't see any reason why I can't live through a big wave."
An eerie silence fell over the gas station as they watched. As the news anchor talked, he picked up a pen, then repeatedly pulled off its cap and put it back on. "The Global Community military has positioned aircraft so we can see the first glimpse of this more than one-thousand-mile-square mountain as it enters our atmosphere," the anchor said.
A spokesman for the Global Community Aeronautics and Space Administration revealed a final report. The object consisted largely of sulfur. When the mountain broke through the atmosphere, Judd and the others heard a terrific boom. Windows in the station shattered. "The comet has now entered our atmosphere and has burst into flames," the spokesman said. "The trajectory will take it into the Atlantic as expected." He paused. "The next few minutes should be spectacular."
That's it. They've lost another friend and ally. Usagi, Hotaru, Vicki and Shelley held each other and cried. As speculated, the comet affected weather all over the globe.
Newscasters described the devastation. Hovering aircraft showed America's Atlantic coast. Billions of tons of water crashed onto homes and businesses up to fifty miles inland. The remains of shrimp boats were scattered over roadways. An oil freighter, whose crew had been plucked from the deck by a helicopter just in time, lay on a mountainside in Virginia. A plane flew over the area where the old man had refused to leave his house. It was completely underwater.
Nicolae Carpathia responded to the crisis with a grim face. In another address to the world he revealed that all travel would be affected by the damage. The meeting of the Jewish witnesses would be postponed another ten weeks. "The loss of any human life is tragic," Carpathia said. "We grieve with the families whose loved ones perished in this latest catastrophe. However, our experts were correct. Had we attempted to explode the object, many more lives would have been lost. "But we can do something in memory of those who died. We can rebuild. Travel routes and cities that have been wiped out will be restored. Let this hardship draw us together to create a new world that loves peace."
In response to the potentate, the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall went on the offensive. The group watched on the Internet as Moishe and Eli boiled in anger. "Behold, the land of Israel will continue to be dry, as it has been since the signing of the unholy treaty!" Moishe said.
Eli picked up the message. "Any threat to the evangelists who are sealed will be met with rivers of blood!" he said.
To prove their power was from the Almighty, Moishe and Eli called upon God to let it rain only on the Temple Mount for seven minutes. From a dear, blue sky came a sheet of rain. The dust turned to mud. Televised reports showed families running from their homes, laughing and dancing. They believed their crops were saved. But seven minutes later the rain stopped. The mud returned to dust. The people were speechless.
"Woe unto you, mockers of the one true God!" Eli and Moishe shouted. "Until the due time, when God allows us to be felled and later returns us to his side, you shall have no power over us or over those God has called to proclaim his name throughout the earth!"
Judd and Mr. Stein had gone to the laptop, the latter was able to speak to Dr. Ben-Judah.
"I'm sure," Tsion said. "Continue studying. See if what I say is true. It is dear now. The world is taking sides. Many people will follow the Antichrist. But many will believe in God's only Son. It is our job to take that message to everyone."
Tsion's talk with Mr. Stein gave the girls the encouragement they needed. Before he signed off Vicki and the girls asked about Chloe. "She is making great improvement," Tsion said. "Wait right there."
Chloe hobbled to Tsion's computer. She smiled when she saw Vicki and the Inners.
"I want you to know how saddened I was about Ryan," Chloe said.
"What happened to you?" Usagi said.
"Long story," Chloe said. "When the earth-quake hit, I ran from Loretta's house. Some-one found me and transported me to a Wisconsin hospital. Buck caught up to me in Minneapolis. The GC had some kind of plan, but we were able to escape."
"Is it true about you having a baby?" Vicki said.
Chloe beamed. "It's true," she said. "Buck's acting like a mother hen, but we're both really excited."
"Congratulations." Usagi smiled warmly.
"What about Captain Rayford Steele?" asked Makoto.
"Pray for him," Chloe said solemnly. "Amanda's body was found in the plane wreckage. He had to dive into the Tigris River. Her death really shook him up."
The senshi were dismayed, they'd found out from Ami's people search and Queen Serenity's words but hearing Chloe confirm it was sobering.
Chloe said hello to Judd and the others. Judd asked about Buck and what happened in Denver. "Is he really being charged with murder?"
Chloe whispered something to Tsion. The rabbi nodded. Chloe said, "Buck and Sailor Uranus went there to get Hattie Durham. She's pregnant with Nicolae Carpathia's child."
Vicki gasped.
"Haruka and Michiru are probably pacing like lions as we speak." Minako remarked in bewilderment.
"Yeah, they weren't too happy with it. Especially with the Global Community is after Hattie," Chloe said. "Sailor Uranus helped disable the roads so they wouldn't follow further when she and Buck went to rescue Hattie. He hit a guard in self-defense after the guard killed a staff worker. The guard died. They blame Buck, but it's not true."
"Is Hattie alright?" Ami said.
"As well as can be expected," Chloe said. "We've got a new member of the Trib Force. A doctor. He's been helping both of us as we try to recover."
"Is Buck still working for Carpathia?" Judd said.
"He's putting the magazine together on the Internet," Chloe said. "He doesn't know how much longer he can work for such an evil man."
"And Setsuna?" asked Makoto.
"She and Tsion are preparing a little something new very soon." Chloe winks.
Vicki wanted to talk with Chloe about Judd. Vicki had remained cordial to him, but she felt something brewing under the surface. Chloe asked about the group's escape from the GC and heard the story of Mr. Stein.
"We really need your help with E-mail," Chloe said. "Some of the messages are people saying they're praying. But many need replies."
"As soon as we figure out our next move," Judd said, "we'll get two or three people on it."
Chloe thanked them. "I miss having you guys around. I wish we could keep you all here."
"We understand," Usagi said. "I hope we can talk more sometime."
Chloe gave them her cell phone number for an emergency. Tsion prayed for them and dosed the connection.
Less than a few minutes later, Pete had been taken in by the GC for questioning the youngsters had been thinking of springing him after getting what they needed: their disguises.
They reached the gas station run by Zeke and his son, who was nicknamed Z. During the wait, Vicki had an unusual dream about Ryan leading her to a schoolhouse out in the country somewhere they could hide.
As it turns out the IDs belonged to many deceased who perished in the quake or other circumstances. In a box they found recent ones, one of them they belonged to Commander Blanka. To Vicki and Hotaru's shock, they found one that belonged to Joyce, the mean-spirited girl who unjustly accused Vicki of murdering Mrs. Jenness. Hotaru gingerly put the card back in the box, not wishing to think about it too hard.
Thanks to a little touch up, Vicki was now Jackie brown. Judd is Leland Brayfield. Conrad is James Lindley. Darrion became Rosemary Bishop. Lionel is Greg Butler. Hotaru became Nicole Chae.
Finally they got new identities, the Inner sailor senshi were in the clear because no one in the States save for their allies knew who they truly were. Pete was detained but soon freed since his story involving some old bike members during a dreadful scuffle that ended with Red and Clyde ended up losing their lives to one bad move by falling down a rock quarry. That was the reason Pete had been so grim the previous days. Taylor had attempted a daring rescue but the Sailor Starlights had stopped him from needlessly murdering a GC officer.
Lionel and Mr. Stein had retrieved money from Mr. Steins office and hurried back. The latter was insistent on getting to Israel for the meeting of the witnesses, but with no clue how.
After a disagreement with Judd, Vicki had taken the keys intending to keep her promise to Ryan about Phoenix, and intending to rescue Charlie as a bonus. Darrion and Conrad agreed to help, while Usagi and Minako quickly volunteered to keep an eye on them.
To be continued...
