A/N: Reuploded with changes. I really wasn't satisfied with the Ami's scene. It seemed too out of nowhere that she knew how to play the harp... Even if she has a harp as a weapon. Made few minor changes to a couple of other scenes
Anyway, I forgot to say this in chapter one; I do not own Shadow Raiders/War Planets, nor SailorMoon. They belong to their respective affiliates.
Enjoy.
Jade was not looking foreward to the coming conversation with Graveheart. Now that she had managed to get through her Royal duties she had no more excuses for delaying the inevitable.
Her primary problem in this instance was that she had no idea how Graveheart was going to react. They generally hadn't spoken about his family since Mica's funeral except when Graveheart broached the subject and... Well, Jade knew that she had absolutely no tact. If this was still a delicate subject then she was about to rip open a wound. Hopefully, it wouldn't be as bad as when she tried to get him to open up about Meca's death...
She turned her feet down the Embassy corridor and started towards Graveheart's favorite spot on Planet Ice.
"Your Highness!" One of the Ice soldiers called.
Jade cringed, sighed and turned around to see if the soldier was talking to her.
"If you're going to get Graveheart there's something both of you -- and everyone else for that matter -- needs to see." The soldier told her.
Jade raised an eyebrow at that.
"I would reccomend," The soldier went on, "Going to the meeting room."
"All right..." Jade replied with a nod and turned to retrieve Graveheart.
She didn't see the soldier vanish in a digital flicker.
/
Under Inferno Law all first borns -- whether male, or female -- are to be educated. Lesma and Lasma were identical twin girls. Lasma was second born and was made to stay at home. Lesma went to a State School.
Both of them had been miserable.
The school had been abusive. Their parents had been abusive. Neither of them trusted anyone older than them... Except Incandescence (and Meca, but that's because he starved himself to make certain that they were fed). Both of them prefered to be orphans.
For the first time since coming to the State School they were finally able to get away from the adults long enough to discuss their situation.
Incandescence started with pulling a slate from her satchel. Turning the device on she showed them images she had drawn.
"A dream?" The twins asked, Lasma softly and Lesma in a whisper.
"Yes." Incandescence answered quietly, adding, "It was weird and... Jumbled up in weird ways."
The twins nodded, having dealt with this before, and started going to work.
"Before," Incandescence interrupted, "You two begin..."
They looked up at her expectantly.
"...Are there any complaints about the School?" She asked.
Lesma and Lasma exchanged glances, then -- Lasma with her brows raised in worry, Lesma bare-faced and brows furrowed with hardened resolve -- asked, "Have they been treating you badly?"
That piqued Incandescence's suspicions.
"Have they been treating you guys badly?" She countered, ready to beat someone up if necessary.
"No." Lasma answered.
She wouldn't lie about something like that; the girl knew better.
Incandescence relaxed and admitted, "Me either."
The twins nodded -- Lesma curtly and Lasma a few bobs of the head -- and then turned their attention back to the images.
/
Princess Tekla stared up at the fuzzy image on the screen, surprised. She had been wondering for some time where the world engines had been taking them. Even several hours after finding out she couldn't quite believe it.
"You wished to see us?" King Cryos asked as he walked into the computer room.
It was something that Tekla had been continuously building since the early days of the war with the Beast Planet. King Cryos had been more than happy to supply her with whatever she needed for her endeavors.
Trailing behind the King of Ice were Queen Jade, Graveheart, Prince Pyrus, Emperor Femur with -- as always (at least since they had tried to dethrone him last month) -- Pelvus and Sternum. In Femur's left hand was a plant that was the last of it's entire planet.
Zuma and Zera were already present and staring up at the screen, the latter in open-mouthed surprise.
Unlike the group entering the room Zera and Zuma had already been told which solar system they were most likely heading towards. Zuma had decided to stay silent and observe for the time being.
For Zera it was all a bit fantastical to think about, but it also sounded somewhat delightful.
Zera turned to the King of Planet Ice and said, "Father! You're never going ro believe this, but Tekla says that we may be heading towards the Silver Millennium!"
"What...?" He breathed in disblief, then more firmly to Tekla, "Are you sure?"
"Relatively." She answered, pulling her gaze away from the screen.
"But... It's just a legend..." He persisted.
"So was the Beast Planet, your Majesty." Graveheart pointed out, ever respecful as he came over to the screens and scrutinized the blurry image.
"I don't know..." Femur said, "I'm with King Cryos on this one and even if Tekla's right... I'm not sure I want another legend coming true after the last one."
"But this is a good one!" Zera said earnestly.
"The past always looks brighter than the present, Snowflake." Cryos told his daughter.
"Not always." She disagreed.
"Be that as it may," Sternum interceded, eyeing his brother's shoulder-mounted gun as it swivelled to point at him, "The fact remains that we're still on approach to a new solar system." Sternum turned his attention to Tekla, "Why do you think that we are approaching the Silver Millennium?"
Tekla's expression turned said at that question.
"Because," She said, "I have been here before. Before my home planet was devoured by The Beast."
Jade raised an eyebrow as all eyes turned to stare at the cyborg Princess in surprise. Before anyone could ask Tekla explained.
"My father had been around at the time of Serenity. I grew up on his stories of Serenity's Court. When I found out it's location I decided to investigate... And found vast ruins across the entire solar system."
"Huh..." Graveheart said, "My father raised me on stories of Queen Serenity and her court. I didn't think that they were real..."
"Yes, I don't doubt it." Tekla responded, "The stories are persistent across the known universe, but hardly anyone believes them anymore unless they were there at the time when she lived."
That was not the response that anyone had expected. Jade and Graveheart exchanged glances with a raised eyebrow each, but siad nothing.
"Given what the stories say and how old they are I do wonder if they are in anyway connected to the World Engines." Cryos mused.
"I have wondered the same, myself." Tekla commented, turning to the screens and bringing up the data that she had wanted to show them.
"What is that?" Jade asked.
"A very old signal frequency. One that has not been used since the Fall of the Silver Millennium."
That surprised, startled, outright shocked, or just intrigued those present.
"Where is it going?" Zera asked.
"To that blob on the screen." Jade answered for Tekla.
"Jade is correct." The older princess comfirmed, "I believe that may be Castle Charon."
"That's an outbound signal..." Pyrus stated thoughtfully, "Where is it coming from?"
"Good question..." Femur agreed, then said to Pelvus, "You're awfully quiet."
Pelvus acted innocent.
"Yes you are being rather quiet Pelvus." Sternum commented
Attention swivelled to him.
"Unlike his Illustriousness, the Glorious Emperor Femur of Bone, I actually have an interest in the academic." Femur rolled his eyes but didn't interrupt, "Those stellar co-ordinates match where Mother estimated the solar system in which the Silver Millennium is located would be."
"Holly moley." Femur muttered, eyes going wide.
"So we might really be..." Sternum started, then trailed off, "Well... That changes everything. If the legends are true..."
"Then the legends of our planets may really have originated somewhere in this solar system." Graveheart finished for him.
"And Pelvus' mother knew it." Femur concluded, astounded
"She sounds like an impressive woman..." Tekla commented.
"She was a renowned astrophysicist in her time." Cryos explained, "And was also the previous monarch of Planet Bone after her husband died at the Golden Jubilation. But back to the question at hand; where is that signal coming from?"
Having been silently scrutinizing the data on the screen Jade spoke up.
"It's coming from Prince Pyrus' castle."
"Uhhh... I swear I didn't know." Pyrus immediately and honestly stated, holding his hands up, palms out to the others.
"It's likely just an automated system." Tekla explained, "Your Castle dates back to the time of Queen Serenity's reign. For all we know that signal may be what is allowing is to approach uncontested thus far."
"How far out are we then?" Cryos asked.
"A few weeks." She answered.
"A few weeks?!" Cryos echoed, shocked, "And you think that this Castle could have contested our approach from this far out?"
"I know it can. You forget; I have been here before. I was allowed entrance to the Solar System to study... Believe me; if they did not want us here we would know by now."
"And how many Castles are there?" Zera asked.
"Many. Ten large ones in the primary solar system and several others scattered in the outer shell."
"That's incredible..." Zera breathed.
"Is my Castle sending any signals to those other Castles?" Pyrus asked.
"I do not know. We are still too far out for me to be certain."
/
A scout group was being organized to go ahead of the Alliance and investigate. Their would be two Capital ships sent with them, with one hanging further back for safety.
"This is a strictly volunteer only mission!" Graveheart called out to the assembled group, Jade and the rest of the Alliance leaders scrutinizing it all from above, "You're here to decide whether or not you go because of your skills both in and out of combat. We need you level-headed, creative and at your best."
That got their attention. Jade smirked, knowing full well what he was doing.
"Where you're going... It's a place that may very well be straight out of mythology. Anyone interested?"
Several volunteered, others decided to stay out of it. Geaveheart nodded to himself. This was he had wanted; the curious ones.
The ones who did not wish to go on the mission were sent back to their usual duties. The rest got briefed.
/
Minako sat sideways to her vanity, golden eyes staring into her mirror without seeing her reflection. Next to where her arm rested on the vanity top were her color contact lenses. Over the last year or so changes had occurred in their physical appearances that made her wonder; can they still say that they are Human?
The answer, she was beginning to suspect, was 'no'. Somehow, she comfortable with this.
/
Ami listened to instrumental music to sooth her nerves as Luna spoke with her mother. She had made the difficult decision to tell her mother that she is Sailor Mercury.
Mrs. Mizuno's response had been -- unsurprisingly -- shock.
Luna was in the livingroom with the woman, talking to her.
Luna nudged open Ami's study door quietly and listened to the melody. Michiru had always found Ami's amazement at her violin skills amusing. The young genius had no idea why. As Princess Mercury she had been renowned for her musical skills as well as her engineering and mental accuietty.
Luna sat and listened until Ami noticed her and paused the music. She turned her attention to the talking feline.
"Your mother will be coming with us on the mission."
At Ami's surprise Luna added, "It would be best to have a doctor on hand."
"Are sure that it will be safe enough...?" Ami asked, worried.
One of Luna's ears swivelled back and she said, "Your mother would like to speak with you."
With mixed emotions Ami got up from her seat and went into the livingroom.
"Yes, Mother?"
"Sit down Ami. We need to talk."
/
The radio played as Makoto sat waiting anxiously on her couch. Everytime they had delt with someone from off world it was always an enemy. Intelectually she knew that the ones coming were allies. That it was what was following them that was the enemy, but... If she were being completely honest, she was scared.
What were they going to do should the Princess be attacked while they're so far away? What were they even going to accomplish being so far from her? And -- God help them -- what if the Princess has to rescue them? Again.
She hated that; having to be rescued. Failing so miserably in her duty to protect her princess.
The timer went off and Makoto got up -- her thoughts in turmoil and her heart frustrated -- to rinse the brown dye out of her hair. Making her way down the hallway she knawed on her lower lip, slipping into the bathroom as one of the Starlights' songs began playing on the radio.
She did not consciously notice the song, but it did trigger the memory of the other team. By the time she was done rinsing her hair she felt much better. Then she noticed the mess the dye had left in and around the tub and was distracted for awhile cleaning the bathroom.
/
Rei meditated, trying to sort not visions of a terrible future to come for once, but visions of the past. From what little Setsuna had revealed to them they were going to need their memories.
Mostly, though, she was just trying to forget about having to work with her father. On a subconscious level she was searching for happier family memories of her previous life.
It broke Demos and Phobos' hearts to watch her. Should she succeed in remembering... They knew what she would find.
/
Ittou woke up from another dream of the Silver Millennium. It had been a happier one, but still left him feeling vaguely uneasy.
His gaze was pulled against his will up to the full moon and he stared, pensive. With an effort he looked away and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom to get some water.
Walking into the cool room he fumbled around until he found the light switch. Waiting for him was a translucent vision of a blond man in Elysian military uniform, his visage sad.
Ittou's blood froze in his veins.
He knew who this man was and what he had done.
"Do you remember?" He asked Ittou.
"You killed her." Ittou answered, voice faint, breathless, quavering and lower jaw trembling, "Ran her through with your own sword!"
"...I suppose that answers my question."
The man wavered in the air and faded away.
Ittou tumbled out of the room and made a mad dash for his phone.
/
Mamoru woke to the sound of his cell phone ringing. Next to him Usagi made a discontented noise, but otherwise remained asleep.
The ringing stopped and Mamoru almost rolled over and closed his eyes. Instead he checked who had called.
Ittou.
Ittou doesn't call unless it's urgent.
Mamoru dialed him immediately.
He listened to the young man's garbled up story, helped him calm down and got him to try again. When the story finally came out Ittou let slip a detail or two that -- in conjunction with the description of the ghost -- made Ittou's role in their past lives suddenly very clear.
When the call was over Mamoru sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the blank screen of his phone in shock. Memories surfacing he felt his heart breaking all over again and wished that he had not remembered at all. Not this.
"Mamo-chan...?" Usagi asked behind him, sitting up and placing a hand on one shoulder, leaning over the other, "What's the matter?"
He must have been broadcasting his emotions.
"I..." Mamoru began, but words failed him at that moment.
Instead he got up and headed to the wooden box that held the four gems of his Shitennou, Usagi watching, worried. Opening it he focused and called them from their sleep. They appeared to his right, on bent knee, clenched fists over their hearts.
"Jadite," Mamoru said, "Went to talk with Ittou."
Usagi's brows furrowed. She turned to look at Jadite in confusion and asked, "Why did you go to talk to Ittou-kun?"
"My apologies, Princess..." He looked up at her, expression pained, "I... He was dreaming and... Reached out in his sleep. I felt the call and answered. Do you remember yet, who he is?"
Her brows pinched together as she hesitated to answer.
"Just tell her." Mamoru said quietly.
Kunzite nodded and took up the explaination for Jadite, "He is the reincarnation of Prince Endymion's younger brother."
Usagi was quiet.
"You already remembered." The Nephrite stated.
"...Yes." She admitted, "But I wasn't sure."
"He was the one who had helped the Prince get to the Moon to warn everyone." Nephrite told her.
Usagi nodded, then looked at the clock.
"Ack! This is way too early to be talking about serious stuff!"
She promptly flopped over, face-first into the pillow to the amusement of the Shitennou.
/
Castle Charon was managing a thousand tasks preparing for what was to come, trying to manage on very low reserves.
She was determined to be prepaired for the enemy this time; to not be caught without any defenses ready. So many of the enemy had slipped into the system without any of the Castles being aware of it. It was a failure none of them wanted to repeat again.
In the outer shell of of what Humans call the Oort cloud was a passive relay satellite that Castle Miranda had launched to pick up any further communications from Castle Ajax. That satellite pinged the System Castles, alerting them to an in-coming communication from Castle Ajax.
The Castle Charon opened the communications chanel.
"Castle Charon, do you read?" Ajax's static voice hailed her.
"I copy." She returned.
"They're organizing a scouting detail. Their target landing point is you."
"Understood. Send me their biological parameters so that I can get things set up for them. But Ajax... I'm very low on power."
"Understood Castle Charon. Ajax out."
The Castles started organizing resources to be sent to Castle Charon... Including upgraded power cells from Castle Mariner.
/
Artemis was on watch duty in the Command Centre when the Castles sent the update.
A scouting party? I'll have to call a meeting tomorrow...
For now, though, he'd let them sleep.
/
A/N:Comments and questions welcome... They also let me know that people are actually reading so please say hi.