First of all, I want to clarify that this is a fanfic adaptation work mixing with the pulp comics series "Captain Future", from1940 Edmond Hamilton and the Japanese anime version from 1979. The main characters have been replaced by their equivalent from oh my goddess and the two universes have been mixed even if the shading remains about 85% of that of the original novels by Hamilton. This is a work of adaptation, modernization (at 1940, it starts to date a little) and a merge with the ah my goddess universe. Some chapters have been adapted and their fate and the role of some characters have been changed. I think I did a pretty good job overall and hope you will enjoy reading it. Besides Edmond Hamilton, I particularly thank Kosuke Fujishima for his work "ah my goddess." For this fanfic I want to explain that nothing would have been possible without the beta reading of "Nena Camadera", I therefore thank them with all my heart. I also thank all those who worked on the series "Captain Flam", which is the French adaptation of the anime series "Captain Future" inspired by the work of Hamilton.
03) THE ANCIENT CITY
An incredible event occurs in space. On the planet Deneph, Earthlings, suddenly, refound their cavemen characteristics, because of a plot to foment by a strange individual who calls himself "the Space Emperor". The Captain Keiichi and his sisters tries to fight against this tyrant, but they can do nothing against him as they pass through his body as if he were a ghost.
In an attempt to obstruct his plan, Keiichi decides to send her sister Urd, disguised, amongst Deneph's residents and load retrieve all possible information about their enemy. But this will suffice?
"According to information gathered by Urd, the Space Emperor should appear before his troops tomorrow evening. The people of Deneph will be gathering by the thousands in the ruins of an ancient city," explained Keiichi, indicating a point on a map he'd unfolded before Bell and Sen.
"There's a town there?" Asked Sen.
"No. As I said it is only the ruins of an ancient city. The people of Deneph once had a very advanced civilization, but with time this civilization declined and eventually disappeared."
"What is that this "O" marked on the map?" Asks the boy.
"Oh, it shows the location of factories "Brewer and Co". If I remember correctly it is ruled by Mr. Cannig." Bell answered.
"That's interesting, and I think it's worth a quick look." Keiichi decided.
At this time a screen behind them flashed, revealing the image of Chihiro.
"Hello Colonel. Do you have interesting news?"
"I just learned that Mr. Cannig returned to Brewer factories because the labor was running." Chihiro explained before adding, "There is a possibility that one of them is actually the Space Emperor. It's a trail worth following."
"I had planned" Replied the boy.
Meanwhile, Megumi and Skuld proceeded to analyzes of the ape-man brought from the prison, in the hopes of creating a cure.
"Wait a minute. I think the professor will give us an explanation of this phenomenon back to prehistoric man."
"The professor is really an extraordinary woman, but can she find an effective remedy against this plague?" Chihiro asked.
"Yes. I think this will be possible. The cause of this phenomenon is the pituitary gland." Said Megumi.
"What is that this Pitui-gland thing?" Asked Sen.
"This is the gland that controls the development of the human body. You were not taught this in school?" Skuld answered.
"Be nice." Sen sighed, "and please don't ask me about school."
"Some kind of ray is affecting the pituitary gland. I don't know the ray's source, though. It completely reversed the effect of the pituitary gland, and this change has transformed the people into their prehistoric ancestors." Megumi explained.
Later, as he returned on Deneph, Belldandy had a conversation with Keiichi.
"Say Captain, tomorrow I was thinking about to going to Brewers factory for investigate about Mr. Brewer and Cannig." Belldandy said.
"No way."
"But why not? I am a secret agent like the others. I can defend myself."
"The Space Emperor is too formidable an opponent. I myself am not enough strong to fight against him. So please, do not act imprudently, all right?" Keiichi explained.
"... Okay," Belldandy agreed in a small voice.
"Good, I knew you'd understand."
Later, the "Beemerlem" landed on Deneph, leaving Bell while Captain Keiichi took off again.
"Goodbye Captain of my heart and good luck for your return to your spacecraft. I hate to lie but you must never believe what a woman says. Tomorrow morning I am still making that trip to the factory." Belldandy said, waving goodbye to Keiichi, who could see her but was too far to hear her, especially over the noise of the Beemerlem's engines."
The next morning, while Belldandy boarded a helicopter service, she was intercepted by Chihiro.
"It surprises me that the Captain allowed you to go alone." She said.
"Oh do not worry ma'am. I intend to unravel the secret of the Space Emperor." Belldandy replied, ignoring Chihiro's question before taking off.
"Ah. To listen you'd swear she go to a party" Chihiro sighed, shrugging.
Urd noticed the helicopter approaching IN THE SKY.
"Looks like someone is going into the factory."
At that time, one of the Denephean's returned, this time armed with a weapon.
"Here. I came to tell you that from now on you are to eliminate any intruders." He told Urd handing her a gun.
"A Proton gun? But where did it come from? Even the Humans have trouble getting these weapons here." Urd asked.
"The plans are moving up. We distributed pistols and Proton rifles to all Denephean volunteers by order of the Emperor. The only rules is that these weapons do not fall into the hands of Humans."
"Of course not." Urd said while thinking "I wonder how they could have all these weapons."
Meanwhile, Megumi had begun the curative treatment she developed with Skuld.
"All we can do now is arm ourselves with patience to see if my remedy work or not. On another topic, the Emperor is a "shadow". How will you face it?" She asked Keiichi.
"I do not think he is always a shadow or image. At certain moments, he must be a palpable body, otherwise he would be impossible for him to hold a weapon, and don't forget that he shoot Etsuchi."
"That's right. I will reproduce the scene as I have registered." said his sister.
On this, the floating brain came near the wall, and used the device installed at the end of her two small robotic arms, she broadcast the scene on the wall, like a movie projector. "We can now see when the Emperor had boarded the "Space Goddess"".
"Watch. He has a command button on the belt." Said Keiichi.
"Perfectly true. In turning, he becomes at will an image or a real being, and by jointly using the conventional mass controller in his belt, he can sink through the floor or flying through the ceiling" adds the woman brain.
"So it's clear. If I want to succeed in the fight, I have to do it before he touches the button, as he will be a palpable body. "
oOo
Belldandy explored the factory. "I do not know if everyone ran away, but it is quiet here, too quiet." She said to herself.
She was quickly discovered when a huge shadow descended. Turning around she saw a man who had devolved into an ape and was preparing to attack her. She had just enough time to neutralize the attack with the paralyzing function of her pistol.
Then she heard a scream.
"HELP !"
"MISTER BREWER !"
Rushing towards the cry, Belldandy saw the factory manager trying to escape another Ape-man. Quickly she shot it, paralyzing it as she had the other.
"Thank You. That was very close." Brewer sighed.
"You're not hurt I hope?"
"No, fortunately. Thank to you."
"You are very brave or very foolish to walk without bodyguards with whatever is happening here." Bell said.
"No," Brewer disagreed, "look at what's left for clothing on the poor devil." The man said evenly with the voice of a man in shock as he pointed to the ape-man.
Bell examined the body of the unconscious ape-man.
"Indeed. It is one of the guards of the factory."
"All earthlings who worked here have been affected by this terrible plague." Brewer sighed.
"Where is Mr. Cannig?"
"I do not know. I have not seen him for quite some time."
Belldandy and Brewer sought Cannig in the factory, screaming his name, prey to the worst concerns.
After a moment, Brewer fell to his knees in despair.
"He has surely gone too. Oh, he was an outstanding engineer and a good friend."
That's when Belldandy noticed something strange for a factory where the staff was absent.
"Tell me, I did not know that the factory was still operating." She asked to Brewer.
"Huh? But there are no more operations! The largest multi-production factory of Deneph has become a graveyard !" Said the director, surprised by the question.
"But look at these machines. A great deal of energy is used somewhere in the factory."
"What? What are you saying?"
Looking at the main control panel of the room where they were in, the director was forced to agree with Bell's words.
"Wait, we'll know right away where."
Brewer pressed a panel button, and then a surprising and disturbing spectacle took place under the eyes of the secret agent and manager.
A panel slid revealing an assembly line that displayed Proton pistols.
"That's impossible! The factory went into automatic mode and is making weapons!" Said the manager, who could not hide his surprise.
"It is perfectly true," said Cannig's voice that came through the door behind them, brandishing a gun at the two nosy intruders.
"Mr. Cannig!?" Marveled Belldandy.
"Throw your gun right now or I shoot him"
Belldandy could only obey.
"It's really insane ! But why are you doing this?" Asked Brewer, who could not believe in the reality of his situation.
Cannig was shaking, clearly reluctant to act on his threats, like he'd prefer to be elsewhere in the world.
"I ... I build these weapons and supply them to Deneph soldiers." He confessed, ashamed before adding "We trigger the de-evolution of the human species for the secret of this plan is well guarded."
Cannig took a breath to try to calm down before adding.
"It started with prospectors who approached too close to the Ancient city and then the inspectors of the factory, then a number of people having a key position in the chain of command, government, etc... To do believe an epidemic rather than a systematic targeting, some unwanted persons were infected at random... Including civilians. Another reason was to ensure the support of Denepheans into believing the "curse of the Ancients"".
"I understand ... So you are the Space Emperor." Brewer said, flabbergasted.
"Not at all. I don't know who the Space Emperor is but it's not me. I even fought against working for him at first. But soon he forced me to make proton guns, vehicles, shuttles and all military equipment to weaponize the population of Deneph who rallied to his orders. If I had refused to obey he... He would have turned me into a monster like the others."
Obviously, Cannig was disgusted, terrified, and sad. He was as an accomplice against his will, forced to betray his colleagues and friends.
"You... You know too much. I... I'm sorry, but I have... To make you shut up." He said, trembling more and more... Until his tremors became so uncontrollable that obviously they were not due to stress.
The spirit of Cannig was being let go while de-evolution syndrome prevailed before the terrified eyes of Belldandy and Brewer.
Bell had no trouble picking up the gun, and break down the creature before it regains a semblance of his senses for fight.
"Cannig, old friend… poor unfortunate soul…" lamented director Brewer, who cradled him gently.
"From the beginning, the Space Emperor planned to get rid of him when he was no longer needed." added Belldandy.
"What a truly despicable character. I hope the law succeeds in punishing him for his many crimes." Commented the director.
"The reality does not work like that. We are not in a Space Opera" said a voice .
"Who is here?" Bell asked, pointing her gun toward the voice.
"The Living Ancient, that you name "Space Emperor". Answered the voice, as the individual in question materialized before them.
Belldandy fired repeatedly without warning, but her shots passed through the body of the Emperor without doing him any harm.
"It will not help. Kei-boy should have warned you that nobody can do anything against me. He should also have warned you both that I have more than one trick up my sleeve."
The Emperor activated a button on his belt, allowing him to become solid once more, then press a second button on its mass controller, making him float slightly above the ground, then he pressed a last button on the control panel behind him. At this time an electric shock passed through the floor and knocked the director and Belldandy who barely had time to whisper.
"Captain..."
oOo
Megumi was about to prepare a new chemical formula which, she hoped, would prove able to restore the pituitary gland on victims of the epidemic, and provide them and healing. She had already tested several such formulas on "Solitary" that still there lay an artificial sleep, but without success.
With her "body" of metal placed on the pedestal, Megumi determined the exact quantities and operations to combine, and Skuld realized with an accuracy that only a robot or a god was capable of performing, pouring, mixing, weighing, and heating according to the instructions of the brain.
Together, Megumi and Skuld had worked well for years. Urd was too restless and eager to make an ideal partner for the brain, except when it came to chemistry-related cosmetics. But Skuld with inhuman patience and precision was the ideal partner.
The formula was finally over. Night had fallen since long. Megumi dictated to Skuld which inject the pink liquid in the veins of drugged Earthling.
Then, the brain and robot connect various analysis camera and made several observations in the skull of the man addict for several hours.
"It seems to work!" Exclaimed finally Megumi. "We found a remedy, Skuld!"
"But this man seems always the same," objected the robot dubiously watched the brutal victim.
"Of course, he will not heal in one minute," quipped Megumi before adding, "But now his pituitary gland to function normally again, and his body and his brain become human again in a few days. If course this remedy is as effective as it looks."
Meanwhile, Keiichi was in a video link with Chihiro.
"Her name is Shiho Sakakibara. There's been no news of her since she left the jungle, which was almost a month ago." Explained the colonel.
"Megumi think that the Space Emperor is relying on the people of Deneph, in order to complete his plan against humanity." Keiichi said.
"Yes. He must make them believe that he is the "Living Ancient" of the Denephean legends and that is probably why they accept to obey him."
"Do you know where is Belldandy? She doesn't answer on the videolink." Asked Sen.
"What do you mean? You don't know she's gone to Brewer's factory this morning?" Chihiro replied in astonishment.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Keiichi exclaimed surprised and worried.
"She even told me that you agreed."
Panicked, the Captain immediately went to the Brewer factory, hoping to find Belldandy safe.
There, he found the body of the director Brewer, left there by the Space Emperor.
Approaching, Keiichi saw that the director was still alive but in very bad shape.
"Mr. Brewer!" the boy said, rolling the man onto his back from where he laid on the ground
Regaining consciousness, the director told the Captain all he knew.
"Captain, you're too late."
"What happened to Belldandy?" Keiichi asked, very worried.
"The Space Emperor... abducted her."
"The Space Emperor? But then he was in this factory? Why was he here?"
"I think... That he was picked weapons. The agent Belldandy came... This morning. We discovered that the Space Emperor... Had forced Cannig... Manufactured weapons. The... weapons to arm Denepheans. Ca... Cannig said... said the de-evolution process of humanity... had been triggered to... to keep away the curious and... to get rid some important people."
Brewer stopped to catch his breath, he was becoming weaker.
He... He forced Cannig work for him and later…. Devolve him... He took Belldandy. I... I do not know where. I... I guess if... If he no longer needs Cannig is that he must be ready, now."
"Ready for what?" Asked Keiichi
"I do not know... But Denepheans now have weapons... Proton's weapon."
The director Brewer fainted again, out of strength.
The Captain took the director over his shoulders and brought him to the "Space Goddess" for him to receive care.
With the information provided secretly by Urd, the Captain Keiichi knew that the Space Emperor should make an appearance tonight in the ancient city of Deneph.
Given its size it was not hard to find. It was old ruins located in the heart of the jungle, discovered at the beginning of the exploration of the planet by humans. On Earth it would have been a great tourist attraction, but tourism was absolutely not developed on Deneph.
After leaving Brewer in the "Space-goddess" to the professor, he took the "Beemerlem" and approached as close as possible to the ancient city. To not aroused suspicion, he put about twenty kilometers. From there, join the city only take a few hours. The real challenge was to avoid Denepheans he saw from time to time. This is to avoid being spotted he had deliberately chosen a difficult path from maps, where Denepheans mount could not move.
It was not difficult to move though. As on Earth, there was on Deneph a developed satellite geolocation system that allowed him to know at all times where he was just by looking at one of the dials on the left cuff of his suit. Even though the system would have had difficulties in getting its signal through the jungle, Keiichi only had to strain to hear the distant sound of drums. Obviously, the Denepheans was preparing to an important event.
The earth drums pulsing green men in the night, as the dark heart of the wild Deneph! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Captain watched solemnly beyond the tree-ferns roof. The moons of the planet converged their zenith. Three bright moons approaching in a wonderful combination.
"The time of the conjunction of the three moons surely is the time when the Space Emperor will appear," he muttered to himself.
A moment later he stiffened, as he hurried along a small trail he was following a mountainside, the ground controller allowing him to fly slightly, and crossing barriers no man could crossed otherwise.
He infallibly follow narrow trails that meandered through the hard rocks. And he had always kept the red and furious burst of the Sea of Fire on his right.
The jungle was weird tonight! The penetrating radiance of the three moons was a fantastic and enchanted land with deep black shadows, draped in a silver light.
High above his head stretched-tree ferns, the ends darted their spores buds. The blinding light of the moon revealed the metallic sheen of the brass-trees. Blind snakes dangling vine hanging from the branches.
Between the huge trunks of ferns bloomed beautiful and tempting "shocking flowers", their buds ready to administer an electric shock from biochemical "batteries" inside their calyx to small insects who approached before engulf and dissolve them.
Giant lily bloomed night in the shadows, their broad petals opened and closed smoothly. Descendant of the tallest trees, spores dust clouds floated and glittered, and when the wind moved them, they covered all the things below.
While he would travel the distance that separated him from the city, Keiichi forestay prey to dark thoughts.
At first he thought the Space Emperor was a kind of bandit trying to start a crime syndicate and become rich and had got hold of a "thing" for him to establish his power, or at worst, a terrorist who will commit attacks. He now understood that he had seriously underestimated just how dangerous his enemy was.
If the population of Deneph was really under him, and if they now had proton weapons in hand, then the ambitions of the Emperor went far beyond a crime syndicate, or even terrorism.
"The Space Emperor should appear before his troops this evening in the city, according Urd. This is surely there that all Denepheans should be gone. If I can be there when the Space Emperor will appear, and if I can catch him when he is not in an intangible state... "
Somewhere ahead, he knew, stood the place of appointment which his sister had spoken, the place that Denepheans called the "Place of the Dead". There the earth drums resounded. And there, if he was lucky, he could confront the terrible criminal who terrorized an entire world.
A voltage such that he had rarely felt rising inside the boy hurrying. He felt that his second meeting with the Space Emperor approaching.
But what would be the result? Would he be able to catch the individual, inattentive, in its normal physical state or was there no chance for that to happen? And otherwise?
"Almost there" thought Keiichi, while the sound of drums indicated that he was just one or two kilometers from its destination.
The good news is that there was virtually no more Denepheans in the jungle. All had gathered in their city. No one wants to be late or absent when the "Living ancient" will appear.
The bad news is that there were probably no more a long time before that moment arrives. Keiichi had not much time to find its target.
The Captain found himself facing a fantastic scene. It was a circular land one kilometer and a half wide in the jungle, where only a few ferns, trees, bushes and vines grew.
In this clearing, bathed in silvery rays of the three moons, lay the crumbled ruins of what had once been a beautiful city.
A city of the past unknown Deneph, a mysterious metropolis, there are long, had fallen into ruin and was absorbed by the jungle! Gigantic black buildings collapsed unveiled an advanced architecture, solemnly towered well above shrubs and creeping vines.
Keiichi saw that the cobbled streets and squares were broken and covered with mold and fungus climbing. Arched colonnades had existed, but of these, only remained the pillars, black stone isolated and broken.
"The "Place of the Dead", this is how the Denepheans call this city. The name is well chosen." He whispered to himself.
The boy had previously looked some planetary Necropolis in other worlds. He had seen the wonderful lost cities of Tetrias, Sigoon moon, that nobody remembered the story. He was accustomed to the mysterious ruins found around the deserts of Phacyr.
But he had, he felt, ever seen a dark place dimly awake this ruined and forgotten metropolis lying there under the bright Deneph moons. This city had to be so glorious past that, millions of years later, he could still feel his greatness fill the air.
A crowd of Denepheans was assembled in the city, the Captain looked for the largest concentration of people, as it would be a sure indication on where the Space Emperor would appear. Almost all seemed have Proton weapons.
Keiichi had managed to sneak between Denepheans unnoticed, thanks to a small cloaking device he wore on his belt. The problem was that the device was using a lot of energy and he only had a few minutes of battery life when the Captain arrived in the great Colosseum in the city.
Another small weakness of the mechanism is that when used it, Keiichi had to wear special lenses to his eyes, which refracted invisibility. Otherwise, Keiichi, would have been blind since no light could reach his eyes. The lenses allow him to see, but then his own eyes were visible. That's why he had followed a rather special training to use this device, moving with his eyes narrowed to counter this flaw maximum.
The Colosseum was filled with Denepheans, all awaiting the appearance of the Emperor. Keiichi was hidden behind a pillar on the Colosseum border.
Looking in the sky, the Captain could see the gigantic satellite 9 approaching.
Awaiting the appearance of the Emperor, Keiichi took advantage of this time to install the Proton gun sniper he had brought with him, to shoot his target.
Until now, he had never killed anyone. Unfortunately, this time he had no choice. He could not come closer and it was too far for a ray set to a paralyzing frequency can be effective on his target. He was therefore obliged to resort to drastic means.
Keiichi felt something inside himself about to break. A large part of his innocence would disappear forever when he would shoot. He had never had any illusions. He knew that one day, he would be forced to make such a decision if he was not dead before. He had hoped it would be as late as possible, but whatever the time, it would still be too soon.
To give himself courage he thought, not what the Emperor had done or that he "deserved" to die, or even that himself had no choice.
No, he thought that the Emperor was about to do. He now had a good idea of the plans of his enemy, and when to avoid such horror, the price was the life of the Space Emperor and his own innocence, then this would be a small price to pay. This murder would weigh on his conscience for the rest of his life, but much less than all the dead who come back to haunt him if the Emperor reached his purposes.
As terrible as it was, the choice was simple.
The situation had become far too serious with the knowledge that the Emperor was arming the Deneph population.
The three moons had just line up.
"He is coming! The Living ancient coming!" Howled the Denepheans into a joyful cry.
That's when three lights beams appeared in the ground from the center to the Colosseum with the Emperor in the center, holding bound and gagged Belldandy.
While the action plan mounted in haste by Keiichi fell into the water with this disastrous surprise, he knew that the Space Emperor was for the moment material and vulnerable. But he could not pull him so he would... Bell. However he had to admit, with some shame, that part of him was relieved not to shoot.
"I can not shoot. I might hit Bell." Keiichi thought.
That's when the Emperor spoke.
"Hail the mighty descendant of the ancient and powerful Deneph civilization. Your Living Ancient, the Space Emperor, just announce that the time sounded. You will once again obtain the glory and power that were yours in the past. We will soon exterminate the wretched inhabitants of the Earth."
He confided her prisoner at Reemook.
Keiichi was about to shoot, but before he had time, the Emperor turned the knob of his belt, becoming intangible.
"As long as we keep she like an hostage the Captain Keiichi will not attack us." Said the Emperor.
"So he thinks." Keiichi thought.
"Now my loyal subjects, we will gather and pray our gods, FOR THEY WILL GIVE US TOTAL VICTORY!"
The Denepheans then joined their hands and began to pray.
"I need to save Bell." thought Keiichi by operating the invisibility of the belt system, hoping he still had enough energy to cover him and Bell long enough to leave the city.
Become invisible again, the Captain broke through the crowd between him and the emperor quickly. Some Denepheans were somewhat rushed, but seeing nothing, they did not understood that an invisible man passed among them.
Keiichi was able to get close to Bell and began to detach, in ordering her to stay calm.
He felt Belldandy freeze, then relax. He worked on her bonds, which he discovered were made of metal strings and unfortunately, the chain that bound her was particularly strong.
Keiichi could neither undo nor break. When firing the gun Proton, it would have made too much noise, and seriously burn the Bell's arm.
Madly, he searched his belt, then pulled out a small sharp tool. Gently, to make no sound, cut the cord after a while.
And the cloaking device fell short of energy. Keiichi appeared in the center of the Colloseum before the whole crowd of hostile Denepheans.
"A HUMAN!" Exclaimed Reemook.
"Now things get complicated." said the Captain..
"Hello Kei-boy. You made a mistake coming here." Said the Emperor, delighted his foe had fallen into his hands.
Keiichi drew his gun and pulled the trigger towards the sinister black silhouette. Now that he was discovered, he would try at least once more to destroy the Emperor.
The attempt was futile as he foresaw. The proton beam is scattered through the immaterial form of the Space Emperor without hurting him.
The situation was hopeless. If he had tried to run away, literally surrounded by Denepheans, he would not get far before being shot.
At that moment, shots are triggered from the back of the Colloseum towards the Emperor from where Urd was. She continued to shoot while rushing to the aid of her brother. Her agility allows she to pass through the Denepheans (by jump on their heads eventually) fast like a panther. The Denepheans, completely taken by surprise, did not even try to stop her. She need only a few seconds to cover the distance that separated her of the center of the Colosseum.
"STOP THEM !" Commanded the Emperor, quicker to recover from the surprise that his troops.
Too late, Urd, Belldandy and Keiichi had jumped in the three openings in the center of the Colosseum. They knew that there would surely be trapped but maybe they could sneak out of the city by underground. At worst, they would be much more difficult to capture.
What they did not know was that the three openings in the ground does not lead to an underground city as they had thought in an emergency, but directly in a cul de sac.
"They jumped into the prison" smiled the Emperor knowing that his enemies could not escape him.
With their ground controllers incorporated, Bell and Keiichi could land without risk, Urd, for her part, had nothing to fear from a fall from that height.
No longer needing to hide, Urd resumed her original appearance of a young woman with brown skin and white hair.
"I think this time it was really dangerous." Urd said.
"Yes, you saved us this time." Keiichi said before adding "This ray of light is blinding. I wonder what it is."
Aboard the "Space Goddess", Sen made a remark.
"The giant meteor is emitting light rays."
"That isn't normal. Something must be causing it." adds Megumi.
"Does anyone know where we are?" Belldandy asked.
"No, but we'll have to find a way to get out fast" said Keiichi.
"You will not escape, Kei-boy. Rest assured, you will not grow bored with us. I'll keep you well entertained with the de-evolution of humanity." Declared the Space Emperor located about ten meters above them.
With this, Reemook brandished some kind of beam-emitting device towards Urd and Keiichi…. But not on Belldandy.
"I'm guessing that ray acts on the pituitary gland and reverses the function." Keiichi said.
"It seems we can hide nothing from you. In a few hours we will be pleased to see you turn into prehistoric man." Confirmed the Emperor on a tone playful and sadistic.
This was mostly true. Only Urd was immune to the device thanks to her own biology.
Keiichi used his ground controller to jump towards the Emperor, only to be pushed back by a protective screen.
"You are in the prison of the ancient city. An electromagnetic wall prevents you from escaping. It is too powerful to be able to cross it... But you won't have to wait long. Soon you will become harmless and then no one will oppose our plans. HAHAHAHA! So "Captain" Kei-boy, I wish to know, what does a "hero" like you, when he is overcome by his adversary?"
"I don't understand why you think I've admitted defeat. I haven't stopped fighting." Said Keiichi.
"You have no choice."
"You will cannot keep me a prisoner."
"I do not have time to chat with you. I have something more important to do." Said the Space Emperor before to leave.
"Why did he spare me there in your opinion? He does not forgotten me in conversation isn't it? He is one to spare the women and children, you think?" Belldandy asked.
"Given what he has done to all these people, including women, and the war that he is about to start, I do not think that's the reason. I do not understand either." Admitted Keiichi.
"In any case he does not spare you Captain. I am really sad for you." Belldandy sighed bitterly.
The young woman, fully aware of what was going to happen, watched the Captain…. No…. Keiichi, her blue eyes were widened in horror. It was as if the girl still not able to admit what was happening.
"You... Become a beast, here," she muttered hoarsely. "Change... More horrible, every day..."
The Keiichi's silhouette stood before her, he grabbed her shoulders with his hands and shook it.
"Bell, calm down!" He ordered harshly. "This is not the time to become hysterical. We are in a lot of trouble and we need our two entire brain and nerves to get us out of here."
"I do not care for me but for you Captain. What a horrible fate!" Said the girl. "Even if we succeed to escape, you still will change again and again, as these horrors in the hospital...
She taken Keiichi's hand inside his own.
"Captain... I mean... Keiichi. Know that even if we remain locked up here, I would not abandon you. Even if you become a horrible hairy monster, I will make all what I can to relieve you. It's my fault if you are a prisoner here. Whatever happens, I'll stay with you," she said in a determinedly seeking to reassure Keiichi (which remained surprisingly quiet considering its situation).
"I'm... sorry," she stammered. "It is you who are truly in danger and it is I who has almost cracked nervously. Excuse me for letting myself go. I worried so much for you"
Indeed. Belldandy will be absolutely no concern her own fate or Emperor's plan. She saw only Keiichi and the fate that awaited him. She regretted that her human limitations do not allow her to help him in this situation. She swore that even if Keiichi turned into ape-man, or worst, rat-man, and could not be cured, so she would take care of him and would remain by his side no matter what. Forever if she had to.
"No worries Bell. There is nothing to fear. I'm sure the professor was able to develop an effective remedy. She was working on it when I left. We're not going to die and I will not change!" Keiichi said with determination before adding "It will take hours, maybe even days, before the disorder of the pituitary gland begins to affect me, softly. This gives us a reasonable time to try to escape."
His eyes flashed when he added:
"And that's probably the most important thing we have done so far in our lives, not just for ourselves but to prevent this megalomaniac to do what he intends to do. He urges Denephean to engage in a war against the earthling, and this attack could start in a few hours! If I put myself to imagine the carnage, I could not think of anything, and yet it is what I must do now."
His fists clenched.
"I have an idea now of how the Space Emperor can be beat: the only way. But it is useless as we are trapped here. "
"You would not be here if you had not tried to help me after I disobeyed your instructions," said Bell with guilt.
"No. In fact it is you were right to act. Thanks to you and Mr Brewer, we learned that the Emperor was arming the Denepheans, and I could prevent the authorities. At least they will not be taken by surprise. Your only mistake was to go without a squad" consoled the Captain.
"Keiichi, do you think we can dig stairs and climb up there to get out of here?"
"That we would not be very useful, Emperor surely left some guards at the top" said Keiichi. His eyes scrutinized the metal walls surrounding them. "But there must be a way."
"Yes, perhaps, but unfortunately our transmitters are malfunctioning and I can't communicate with the others." Urd said, worried.
"So we will have to fend for ourselves."
A moment later, three more rays of light sprang from Satellite 9 and connected to those of the ancient city.
The Space Emperor then addressed his people.
"In the legends of our most distant ancestors, it is said that one day, three powerful light rays will come down from heaven, and will shed light on our ancient city... And on that day, a miracle will happen. The long awaited moment has arrived. Do not be afraid, the legend also says that the weapons that will defeat the people of Earth will be inside the giant meteor. Follow me! Follow me without fear!"
The Emperor then disappeared, teleported aboard the satellite, soon followed by his soldiers.
"This is worrying. We still have no news of the Captain" Skuld said.
"Yes. This is not normal. Let's go to the ancient city." Megumi nodded.
In the prison, Keiichi examined their surroundings. Apparently the imprisoning magnetic field was generated by a sort of control tower located in the center of the room.
"We need to leave here, so, we must destroy this device," said the boy.
"We've lost enough time. We must act quickly," adds Urd.
However, the firing of their weapons did not reach the target.
"It is useless. The magnetic field diverts rays." Muttered the Captain.
Moreover... The control tower was not disarmed. The firing of Protons guns sparked a defense mechanism. Four mechanical arms became active, trying to catch and to immobilize the three prisoners.
What neither Keiichi nor the Emperor did not know is that this place was not strictly speaking a prison... But a sports field.
Formerly the people of Deneph used this place for circus games, comparable to those of ancient Rome on Earth. There was no fight to the death but the machine function was to catch members of the "team" on inside the room. The goal was to escape it as long as possible.
Of course, nobody entered the arena with weapons. The magnetic field that deflected their ray was simply there to protect the spectators who watched over by three openings, rather than to prevent players out. If the machine was itself protected against the rays, it was a pure coincidence design, not voluntary coverage.
Unfortunately, this old harmless sport now turned into a trap.
The Urd's flexibility allowed her to easily avoid these mechanical arms, Keiichi managed it pretty well too, but Belldandy was quickly caught.
Urd was still hoping to get a successful shot in but it was useless.
"Stop. The machine is not afraid of laser, but she grabbed Bell."
"What do you mean?" Urd asked.
"That means we can approach the machine without the force field prevents us, so attack it with bare hands. Go ahead. Your body is much stronger than mine, you should be able to damage it."
With that, Urd threw herself against the machine with as much force as her body would allow. Keiichi also fell on it, shoulder first.
The machine was designed in the sport, not a defense. It was not supposed to resist any attack, on the contrary. It had been made with a relative fragility to be destroyed quickly if something goes wrong.
After a few moments, one of the mechanical arm released Bell.
"See if you can contact the "Space Goddess." Keiichi ordered.
"Okay."
Belldandy opened her communicator while Urd and Keiichi continued to attack the machine.
Aboard the "Space Goddess", Sen was monitoring communications when Bell's face appeared.
"That's Belldandy on the screen." said Sen.
"We are prisoners somewhere in the ancient city of Deneph, in the centre of Colosseum where there are three big holes." Belldandy explained.
"We'll be there in a moment. Skuld, prepare to shoot with the Proton cannon." Megumi said.
Skuld quickly approached the "Space Goddess" and with her electronic brain made the necessary calculations to get the Proton cannon on prison. She needed to be accurate and properly adjust the weapon to ensure it was just strong enough to destroy the prison without killing the prisoners within.
Some minutes later, Skuld used the cannon. The flash of light was powerful, but very good target. The surface of the prison exploded, however, the inside was spared.
The explosion, however, provoked a collapse of the walls. Keiichi threw himself to the ground protecting Belldandy from the rubble as best he could. It takes a few minutes for the smoke and dust to settle.
"That pile of scrap metal nearly killed up!" Urd cried, dusting herself off as best she could. She stared in horror at the dirt that covered her beautiful body.
Meanwhile, the antidote developed by the professor, which had been injected into "solitary" had gotten satisfactory results. "Now we have to deal with Keiichi."
"You have received a massive dose of this ray. If I had not managed to develop this medicine so quickly, you'd a prehistoric man by now." Megumi said with some pride.
"I always had faith in your genius, to you and Skuld." Keiichi replied with a smile.
"Look, the giant meteor" Belldandy told.
Indeed, light was clearly visible on its surface, as well as battle ship.
Aboard the meteor, the Emperor was giving orders.
"Soldiers of the planet Deneph, the hour of victory approach. We will trigger a total attack against our enemies when we fly over Jovopolis in 8 hours and 20 minutes."
The evil Space Emperor, decided to launch Deneph planet troops in a mad enterprise of conquest and domination. Only Captain Keiichi can still prevent this massacre.