Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: I'm back! Moving has been disasterous and chaotic, but things are finally settling down enough for me to continue writing! I appreciate everyone's patience and continued support. Hopefully a long chapter will help make up for the long wait! :)

Chapter 6: Advances in Technology

-Distant Future: Orbit of Mercury-

Chibi-Usa was sitting in the pilot's seat when Hotaru walked onto the bridge. Her coral hair was pulled back in a ponytail and covered in a white bandana. A box of papers sat beside her seat and more were lain out across the control panel. She looked up and smiled when she heard the door.

Hotaru made herself smile back even though her stomach was in knots. They'd gotten a proximity warning an hour before and now their ship was hovering just outside the gravitational field of Mercury.

"Do you have everything you'll need?" Chibi-Usa asked, setting aside a sheet of paper. Hotaru's hand dropped to the pistol at her hip before nodding.

According to the ship's computers, the temperature inside the city was a sweltering 102 degrees so both girls wore tank tops. Hotaru still had her modified gloves on, but had opted to leave her jacket behind. The absence of the thick leather left her feeling unprotected.

To distract herself, she glanced out the window. Since Mercury had no atmosphere, she had a clear view of the domes that covered the small planet's surface. According to the plans they'd found, each one housed a small city that served a different purpose.

The sun was behind them but its light glinted off the multitude of panels that comprised the protective domes. Long ago, Ami had told them the story of how Old Mercury was destroyed during the Silver Millennium. One of the domes had cracked and collapsed. Since each sphere was connected, the entire planet's population had been killed in minutes. To avoid a similar disaster, Ami had redesigned the system with two layers of thick silicon plates that connected to form the spheres. It was a beautiful sight now, making the entire planet glitter against the darkness.

"I think I've got all of the relevant notes," Chibi-Usa said, drawing Hotaru's attention from the window. She was carefully packing a stack of papers against her knee as she spoke. "All of the maps and location codes are in here." She placed the papers in a backpack balanced between her feet.

Hotaru looked at the larger stack of papers still sitting on the dash, then at the box that contained the notes on the other planets. She was sure they'd read every page at least twice over the course of their trip. As nervous as she was, it was a relief to have the chance to actually do something.

Chibi-Usa swept up the rest of the papers and placed them in the box. "We can leave these here for now," she decided. "I'm sure Ami will want to take a look at it when she gets here." Hotaru could only nod at her optimism. Her mind was swirling with doubts that she didn't want to voice. It helped to be able to cling to Chibi-Usa's cheerfulness. She stared thoughtfully down at her bag before zipping it shut. "I think that's it."

Hotaru moved to stand beside her and for a moment both girls just stared silently out the window. Then Chibi-Usa took a deep breath and turned to fully face the controls. She handed a single sheet of paper to Hotaru before switching off the autopilot.

Hotaru read over the notes they'd compiled over the last few days. There were over four hundred city-spheres on the planet, but they'd decided on which one to search first. The control center for planetary life support was located in the same city as a large research facility. It seemed like the most likely location to find their wayward friend. The paper Hotaru held was a map of that city with both locations marked.

Hotaru was quiet as Chibi-Usa maneuvered the ship toward one of the many domes. The land between the structures was a sandy brown and several large craters were visible. The port came into sight and Chibi-Usa keyed the code they'd found earlier into the computer. After a tense moment, several panels began to shift to the side, revealing an opening large enough for their ship to enter. They eased the ship down and Hotaru leaned forward to watch through the top of the window as the panels slid shut again above them. There was a slight bump as they touched down, but their landing was otherwise uneventful.

Chibi-Usa shut down the ship and stood, grinning. "Well, that wasn't so hard."

Hotaru smirked and picked the backpack up from the floor. Chibi-Usa took it and slipped the straps over her shoulders. Hotaru glanced at her white tank top, wishing again for some better protection. I'm all the protection she'll need, she decided. She reminded herself that everyone at home was counting on them. She pictured Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna in her mind and felt her resolve strengthen. She gave Chibi-Usa a confidant smile, the first genuine one she'd managed in days, and led the way out of the ship.

Chibi-Usa kept close to Hotaru as they walked along a short hall to a bank of what looked like elevators. The floor appeared to be concrete but felt soft under her feet and muffled the sound of their progress. The walls and ceiling were oddly smooth, as though they'd been melted together. It was a little eerie, even though bright lights shone overhead.

Chibi-Usa glanced at the paper that was starting to wrinkle where she clutched it. "Number four will take us to the research facility," she said quietly. Something about the too-smooth hallway made her want to whisper. "Or we can take seven to the control center."

Hotaru paused and looked up at the numbers over the rounded doorways. "Let's try the control center first," she muttered, turning right. "That's also where the security hub is so maybe we can use the cameras there to find her faster."

The elevator doors slid open with a soft whir and both girls stepped inside. Chibi-Usa consulted the paper again before pressing the third button in an unnumbered row. She could feel herself moving down even though there was no sound inside the cubicle. They slowed and switched directions, moving sideways instead. She wished there were windows so they could see where they were going.

A low pitched tone made both girls jump. "Control and security plaza," a computerized voice announced. The doors slid open to reveal another short hallway. Chibi-Usa adjusted the straps on her shoulders to give herself a moment to calm her breathing. She glanced up at Hotaru, but the raven was focused straight ahead. She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

When they came out of the hallway, they were met with a surprising sight. They were standing on a wide open area that seemed to be a courtyard for the surrounding buildings. The buildings were colored various shades of blue and made of the same smooth material as the halls. The sunlight shining down on them gave the impression that they were surrounded by flowing water.

Chibi-Usa caught her breath and stepped back reflexively as she looked around. She wasn't sure exactly what she'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. The plaza was filled with people. The ground muffled their footsteps but lines of people were filing in and out of the buildings. None of them spoke to each other or looked away from the direction they were walking. They didn't seem to be aware that two strangers were standing in their midst.

Chibi-Usa looked at Hotaru, who seemed too shocked to speak. Her dark eyes were wide as they darted around but her hand was steady, hovering over the holster on her belt. Chibi-Usa kept her movements slow to avoid drawing their attention. She pulled the folded paper from her pocket and scanned their notes. Everything they'd read gave the impression that Ami was alone here, but clearly she'd come farther in her work than anyone realized.

Chibi-Usa replaced the paper and studied the people who hurried past. Their skin was pale and soft looking, as though the heavily filtered sunlight wasn't touching them enough. And even though their hair was all different shades, she could see that many had a tint of blue as well. She remembered a note that Ami had scrawled at the bottom of a page. She'd theorized that the differences in appearance on each planet would return once they were repopulated. In the case of Mercury, the altered light and chemical mix of the air seemed to be having the effect she'd expected.

Hotaru touched her arm lightly. She didn't speak but gestured to the side of her head and then toward the people in front of them. Chibi-Usa watched them in confusion until she noticed what had caught Hotaru's attention. Each person had some sort of device attached to their temple, just in front of their left ears. She'd been so preoccupied by their overall appearance and movements that she hadn't noticed. The machines were no bigger than a fingernail, but everyone seemed to have one.

Chibi-Usa wondered suddenly if Ami had done this to them. They were walking as though in a trance and it occurred to her that these people couldn't notice them. She couldn't bring herself to voice the thought at the moment. They already had enough doubts about the Senshi of Wisdom.

Hotaru motioned for her to follow and the two of them crept forward. They were careful to avoid the purposeful strides of the people around them as they made their way toward the tall building directly across the way. According to the maps, that was the security hub where they could begin their search.

Chibi-Usa felt unsettled as she dodged between the bodies that didn't so much as flinch at her movements. She tried to only think about their destination and Hotaru's lean back in front of her. One of her hands still rested on her gun as she walked and her steps were stiff and tense. She wore a dark military style cap pulled low over her eyes and the tips of her choppy hair stuck out around her ears.

The moment of inattention caused Chibi-Usa to collide with one of the Mercurians. Hotaru caught her arm before she fell and pulled her back toward the wall. The woman she'd run into stopped and frowned. "Route altered," she muttered to herself. "Resetting course to bio-research center, level seven, cubicle three." Her features relaxed and she started forward again as though nothing had happened.

Chibi-Usa and Hotaru stared after her until she disappeared through a doorway. Moving more carefully, they inched along the wall until they were outside the door to one of the smaller buildings. Chibi-Usa's hands were trembling as she tried to pull their notes from her pocket. The woman's reaction had shaken her more than the actual collision.

Hotaru let a hand rest gently on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.

Before Chibi-Usa could begin to form a response, a series of beeps sounded behind them, loud in the surrounding quiet. "Voice pattern recognized," a tinny voice informed them from a box beside the door. "Please confirm."

Both girls turned to the box in bewilderment. A small circular grate and blue light were positioned in the center of the box above a number keypad.

Chibi-Usa hurriedly dug the paper out and typed in the six digit code. Nothing happened so she tried it again. "It's not working," she said through gritted teeth.

The blue light blinked once. "Authorization failure."

Chibi-Usa considered the machine thoughtfully, and then it dawned on her. She nudged Hotaru. "Say something. I think it knows your voice."

"Why would it?" Hotaru wondered. She stepped closer but jerked back when the machine spoke again.

"Voice pattern recognized. Please confirm."

Chibi-Usa silently encouraged her to continue. She frowned before leaning closer to speak directly into the box. "Um… This is Hotaru Tomoe."

She straightened, waiting as the blue light blinked a few times then went dark. "Maybe it didn't work?" They looked at each other, then Hotaru's attention was drawn to something behind her. Chibi-Usa glanced over her shoulder and found that everyone in the plaza had stopped and was now staring at them. She gasped and spun around, then stepped back from the sea of unblinking stares.

"Voice pattern confirmed." Chibi-Usa backed toward the door, not wanting to turn away from the silent crowd of onlookers. "Welcome, Senshi of Saturn." At that, they both glanced back. The blue light had turned red. "Threat level five," the voice continued. "Now beginning security measures." Chibi-Usa looked over the crowd and saw that the tiny lights on each of their machines had turned red as well. They were stirring restlessly and watching the girls with growing hostility.

A static buzz sounded behind them and a new voice issued out at them, this one painfully familiar. "It was a mistake to come here," Ami said in a low voice. "Leave now. If you try to interfere with my work you will force me to take drastic measures." The machine clicked with finality and the light went dark again.

Chibi-Usa pushed the keypad buttons desperately, trying to reopen the channel. "Ami? We just want to talk. Please?" There was no answer and she pounded the top of the box in frustration.

"Usa." She ignored the soft tap on her shoulder from Hotaru. She tried the code again then began pushing buttons at random, feeling the beginnings of panic and despair creeping in. "Usa," Hotaru said again, her voice calm but firm. "I think we should get out of here."

"We can't just give up," Chibi-Usa replied in frustration. Her anger quickly gave way to alarm, however, when she realized that the crowd was moving in to surround them.

Hotaru drew her gun and leveled it at the nearest person, but her eyes narrowed in uncertainty. "I don't want to hurt them," she said softly. "They're innocent in all of this."

Chibi-Usa looked around and realized that all the doors were now closed. The glass reflected the buildings around them. Her gaze settled on the door to their left, that led to the tallest building. "We need to get into the security building somehow without anyone following us." She stressed the last part, hoping Hotaru would understand her meaning.

Hotaru glanced over and nodded once. With her thumb she spun the dial that controlled the mode of fire on her pistol and aimed at the ground in front of them. The report when she fired echoed around them as the plaza began to fill with thick gray smoke. Chibi-Usa caught her hand and charged blindly forward. She pushed past the bodies around her, keeping hold of Hotaru as she ran toward the door. The moment they reached it, she stopped and gathered energy in her hand until she could see the pink glow through the fog. She slammed her fist through the thick glass, shattering it with her power rather than her actual hand. They hurried through the jagged opening and Hotaru threw up a shimmering purple wall behind them, blocking the entrance.

From there they ran forward, their only thought to put distance between themselves and the crowd outside. "Which way?" Hotaru hissed.

"We need to go up," Chibi-Usa replied, trying to remember the details of the map she'd read earlier. "The security offices are on the top of the building."

She took a turn at random but skidded to a halt when it split into three more directions. She was panting as she fumbled for the paper in her pocket. Chibi-Usa froze as a tearing sounded into the quiet. With trembling hands, she extracted the two jagged halves of the page. She felt tears beginning to form but furiously blinked them away. This was not the time to fall apart. She needed to calm down and think.

"It's this way," Hotaru said, gripping her shoulder tightly. Chibi-Usa looked in the direction she was pointing. The edge of a staircase was visible at the end of one of the halls. Nodding, she stuffed the torn paper back into her pocket and followed her friend down the hall.

Chibi-Usa tried to listen for a hint of people following them, but their own footsteps barely made a sound on the soft ground. The ran up so many flights she lost count. Her muscles were burning and a stitch was forming in her side. Finally they reached what had to be the top landing. She braced her hands on her knees and leaned forward, panting. Hotaru put a palm against the wall as she took a few heaving breaths.

Still, there was no sign of anyone else coming up the stairs. After a short rest, the girls straightened. There was only one door and it slid open automatically when they approached it.

The room they entered was large and circular, with banks of computers and video monitors taking up most of the wall space. The wall on the left was a solid pane of glass and several more doors were on the right.

While Chibi-Usa approached the nearest computer, Hotaru walked over to the huge window. They were higher than most of the surrounding buildings, so she had a clear view of the city. The sunlight was nearly blinding as it reflected from the shining rooftops. It was pretty in a strange way, but unsettling in its vastness. Ami could be anywhere.

She glanced at Chibi-Usa, who was going through the papers in her backpack, before moving toward the doors. The first two sets seemed to be elevators. She suspected that they would be silent, just like everything seemed to be here, and made a mental note to keep an eye on them. There was a third single door beside them, this one with a small circular window. She stood on her toes, trying to see into the next room. It was dark and, strangely, seemed to be filled with water. She thought she could see hazy shadows moving across her vision and stepped back uneasily. A blue dome light shone dully above the door.

"Taru," Chibi-Usa called from her seat by the computers. Hotaru returned to her side as she finished returning the papers to the bag. Two more sat on the keyboard in front of her and she pulled a third from her pocket. She scowled at the torn halves before setting them on the other two. "I'm going to try to access the security network."

Hotaru nodded, resting a hand on the back of her friend's chair as she watched the monitors. "See if you can find a way to talk to Ami again," she suggested. "I'm sure if she knows why we're here, she'll want to help." Chibi-Usa nodded and began typing in numbers from the list in front of her.

The screen came to life and words flashed across the screen. 'Security Network Secure: Select Area To View.' This was followed by a long list of locations. Chibi-Usa scrolled down to Control and Security Plaza. Another screen flickered to life beside the first, showing a down view of the area they'd just left. The courtyard was deserted now and she wondered where the drone-like workers had gone.

"Let's try somewhere else," Chibi-Usa mumbled, quickly switching the view. Images of different buildings and rooms appeared on screen, some empty and others with people trudging single-mindedly through them. Then an image of the room they were in came up. The camera seemed to be behind them but a quick glance back didn't reveal it. Hotaru scanned the walls more carefully but still didn't see anything that could have been a camera.

Beside her, Chibi-Usa let out a frustrated growl. "It's stuck," she sighed. She leaned back and rubbed her face with her hands. Hotaru looked at the screen and saw that it was still focused on their backs at the computer.

"I thought I told you to go?" Ami's voice startled them as it snapped out from a speaker in front of them.

Chibi-Usa sat forward so fast she knocked her papers to the floor. "Ami, please, we need to talk to you!"

"Talking didn't solve anything before," Ami replied. She sounded angry now and Hotaru glanced at the elevator doors before moving closer. "I don't see any of the others with you either, so I doubt anything has changed."

"Things have changed," Chibi-Usa insisted, "That's why we need your help."

"I have been helping. I told them I would find a way to harness the darkness and use it," Ami reminded them. Hotaru thought back to her last visit to Ami's labs and the youma experiments she'd seen. Her reasoning then had been the same: control the darkness and use it themselves. An impossible plan that had nearly driven the water senshi mad. "I told them I would find a way to conquer it. And I did."

Hotaru's eyebrows shot up at her words and she exchanged an anxious look with Chibi-Usa. Their earlier line of conversation was forgotten as they tried to process what she'd just said.

"What do you mean, Ami?" Hotaru asked tentatively. A maniacal chuckle was the only answer she received. Hotaru shook her head, amazed at what their old friend had become.

"Ami," she tried again, "We need you to come back to Crystal Tokyo with us."

There was a long pause. "Who sent you here?" she finally asked.

"Well," Chibi-Usa said slowly, "Setsuna thought that-"

"I knew it!" Ami interrupted furiously. "She sent you here as part of some convoluted plan to bring me back where she can keep an eye on me and my work!" There was a crash through the speaker, as though something on Ami's side had just been thrown against the wall. "For a moment I actually thought she sent you! I thought Serenity wanted me to come back."

"She does, but she's-"

Another crash interrupted Chibi-Usa's sentence. "You tried to trick me!" Ami accused. "You made me think she actually still cared! But you're only here to spy for Setsuna!"

"Ami, we're not!" Hotaru yelled. It was clear that Ami was no longer listening to either of them. It sounded like she'd stepped away from the communicator. They could hear her muttering to herself and things slamming, but it sounded far away.

"…never had faith in my work." Her words began to clear as she moved closer again. "I'll show her. Saturn, are you still there?"

"Yes," she replied, frowning. Ami sounded calm again but it wasn't very reassuring. The use of her planet instead of her name warned that Ami was not in a forgiving mood.

"I'm sorry it's come to this, but she's really left me no choice. If you want to know what I've been doing here, I'll show you. Then you can tell Setsuna that you've witnessed my success. If you live long enough, that is." Hotaru felt a shiver run down her spine at Ami's words. She jumped as all the computer screens went black.

Chibi-Usa was staring at the dark screen with tears in her eyes. "What happened to her?" she asked in a whimper.

Hotaru squeezed her shoulder gently. "I don't know. It's been ten years, maybe she's just been away for too long." She sighed but forced herself to continue. "I don't think we're going to convince her to come with us. We should go back home and try to think of a new plan."

Chibi-Usa wiped her eyes miserably. "We can't just leave." But she didn't sound sure. The encounter with their old friend had shaken her badly.

"We'll come back," Hotaru promised. "We'll find a way to get through to her."

Both girls fell silent and Hotaru noticed a strange sound behind her. She'd been hearing it for a few minutes, she realized, it just hadn't registered. An odd gurgling like water going down a drain. She slid her gun out of its holster and turned toward the elevators. They didn't seem to be active, but something was happening to the door beside them. Hotaru took a few steps closer, head cocked curiously. The light above the door was flashing red and the black that had filled the round window was slowly disappearing. It seemed that the room was, indeed, full of liquid and it was draining at an alarming rate.

"What's going on?" Chibi-Usa asked, twisting in her seat. She sounded more confused than worried. Hotaru shrugged, keeping her attention on the door. The liquid had drained below the level of the window and she could see a shadowy shape through the glass. "I wonder if there's anything about that room…" Papers rustled beside her as Chibi-Usa dug through her backpack.

There was a sucking sound as the door slid open and Hotaru raised her pistol and aimed at the dark doorway. "I think we're about to find out what Ami was working on in here."

Hotaru carefully changed the rate of fire on her gun to stun pulse. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the outline of whatever was in the room. She flinched when it twitched violently and seemed to uncurl from the back wall.

What stepped forward seemed at first to be a tall man in all black. But as it took a jerking step forward, the light hit it and Hotaru could only stare in horror. The creature had thick black skin that shone like polished leather. Its shoulders were nearly as wide as the doorway and its head was only a few inches below the top of the frame. It took another slow, unsteady step into the room.

Hotaru raised her aim to the middle of the creature's chest, but her eyes were drawn to its head. It seemed to have the vaguest of human features, with a slight, rounded protrusion where its nose would be. There was no mouth but its glassy eyes were flecked with flashes of red.

Hotaru looked away from the monster to where Chibi-Usa seemed to be frozen in her seat. Her eyes were wide and her backpack hung from her slack grip. "Usa," Hotaru hissed through gritted teeth. The princess jerked out of her trance and turned her fearful stare on her friend. "Get up and get behind me."

She stood up, keeping her movements slow and controlled. Hotaru turned back to the creature and saw that its head was tilted and its eyes were focused on Chibi-Usa. It shivered, causing a ripple of electric blue lines to race across its skin. Abruptly it raised its arm, lifting a black baton that Hotaru hadn't noticed before.

She fired at the creature's chest, and the ball of energy knocked it back against the wall. Chibi-Usa scrambled to her side, nearly dropping her bag as she skirted around the chair. The creature straightened and seemed to frown at the two of them. It dropped the baton back to its side then lifted the opposite arm and curled its empty hand. A reddish glow started in its chest and grew brighter until the light traveled down its arm to collect in its palm. With alarming speed, the monster cocked its arm back and threw a ball of bright energy at them.

Hotaru dove out of the way, taking Chibi-Usa with her to the floor. Behind them the computer terminal was blasted apart in a deafening explosion. Hotaru rolled onto her back, switching her gun to electromagnetic bursts. She fired at the creature again. Sparks ran over its skin and it stiffened. Then, the bright red light came to life in its chest. The sparks surged toward the light and seemed to get sucked into it. The monster pointed a hand toward her and she hurled herself back as it shot a bolt of lightning at the floor, right where she'd been moments before.

"Nothing's working," she growled in frustration as she struggled to her feet. "It's just throwing everything back at me." She took a few steps sideways, making more space between herself and Chibi-Usa.

The monster twitched as it took several uneven steps toward her and raised the baton again. She ducked out of the way as it swung, but she felt the breeze of the heavy blow on her face. She was forced to step back when it swung at her again. She tried to take the offensive by shooting at its knee, but the ball of electricity simply absorbed into its thick skin. It clenched its free hand and she could see the red glow between its fingers. She threw up a barrier just as it hurled another ball of energy at her.

The back of Hotaru's leg touched a chair and she realized the creature had backed her nearly to the wall. She saw movement behind it and saw Chibi-Usa raising her silver staff over her head. She swung down, connecting solidly with the back of the creature's head. It stumbled forward as though wounded, but almost immediately spun around to face her. It lifted its arm and shot bolts of electricity toward Chibi-Usa. She jumped back and the shot missed, colliding with the window behind her and shattering it.

Chibi-Usa dodged and blocked expertly as the creature attacked her with a series of heavy blows from its baton. While it was distracted, Hotaru holstered her gun and called her glaive in its place. She lifted it over her shoulder like a javelin and heaved it at the creature. It reared back in agony as the razor sharp blade bit deep into its back. The weapon vanished in a purple haze and reappeared in Hotaru's waiting fist. She could see the ragged hole left behind. It didn't bleed, instead sparks sprayed from the wound.

Chibi-Usa swung her staff at the creature's face, sending it staggering sideways. She darted past while it was off balance and crossed the room. She stayed close to Hotaru's side, keeping their arms lightly touching. "I think we hurt it," Chibi-Usa panted, trying to catch her breath as she watched the monster twitch and shudder before straightening.

"It's a machine," Hotaru said, frowning. "We're not going to be able to hurt it."

Chibi-Usa shook her head. "It can't be. It acts just like a youma, that's why only our senshi weapons are working."

The creature lurched toward them and both girls dropped into a fighting stance. It stopped and studied them, red lights chasing across its eyes. Now that they were closer, Hotaru could see that it was actually a series of numbers. The red light in its chest dimmed as its hand brightened with renewed energy. Hotaru gasped softly, her weapon dropping a fraction as she put everything together. "I think it's both," she whispered in amazement.

They tensed as it took another uncertain step toward them. "This must be what she meant," Chibi-Usa replied quietly. "Harness the darkness and use it," she repeated Ami's ominous words in awe.

It lunged toward them and they jumped away in opposite directions. "Well then, how are we supposed to kill it?" Hotaru called, maneuvering away from the corner.

Chibi-Usa held her weapon protectively in front of herself while she studied it. The light in its chest began to brighten and she grinned with sudden inspiration. "Taru!" She didn't voice her idea, just in case the creature could understand her. Instead, she tapped the middle of her chest, then indicated the light that was shining through the leathery skin.

Hotaru understood immediately and nodded. She began to move sideways until her back was to the jagged remains of the window. The creature followed her movements until she stopped, then returned its attention to Chibi-Usa. It started toward the Princess so Hotaru used her power to block it. It touched the shimmering purple wall, then jerked back as though burned. It turned furiously toward Hotaru.

Hotaru held her ground, bracing herself for an attack. The creature crouched then jumped at her, closing the distance between them in seconds. She held her glaive ready, then dropped the point just before the monster reached her. The blade sunk deep into its chest, straight through the dimming red light. Its eyes brightened as a frenzy of numbers flashed across the glassy globes. Hotaru used the creatures momentum to keep it moving forward. She let herself fall back, pulling her glaive forward so the creature was lifted up and fell behind her. She let go of her weapon and let it and the monster both fall out the broken window.

Panting, she rolled onto her stomach and scooted forward to hang her head over the ledge. The monster was already out of sight but she imagined it crushed in the middle of the courtyard far below.

She got shakily to her feet and Chibi-Usa rushed to her side. She held her arm tightly as she peered over the edge with her. "Do you think it's dead?" she asked quietly.

Hotaru nodded then looked over at her friend. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Chibi-Usa replied. "You?"

Hotaru nodded again and turned back to the room. A few of the broken monitors were sparking, but otherwise it was as quiet as when they'd arrived. Then her gaze traveled to the elevators, where a light had just blinked off. She pulled Chibi-Usa away from the window and called her glaive back to her just as the doors slid silently open.

"That was a prototype you just destroyed," a cold voice informed them.

Both girls could do no more than stare as, for the first time in a decade, they found themselves face to face with Ami.