THE SECRET COLONY OF YAKUSHIMA
Chapter 9: "Protect The Secret"
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.


Sailor Neptune, accompanied by Sailor Venus, raced through unfamiliar jungle in a general northwest direction. At speeds that would qualify them for a track meet and at distances that would tax a marathoner, the two Senshi drove into the heart of the Yakushima Island jungle. But it wasn't without comment.

"Tell me again why we couldn't take a four-wheel drive," puffed Venus, "instead of running?"

"The jungle's too thick," Neptune replied, keeping her focus ahead the entire time. "A vehicle wouldn't be able to get through this dense foliage, unless it was a tank."

"I've got nothing against tanks," Venus said.

"They tend to leave a footprint," Neptune countered. "I doubt Serenity would approve, given her ecological leanings. Besides, this way is faster."

"A helicopter would be even faster."

"The Self-Defense Force grounded all flights over the area, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Venus frowned. "So what makes you think Haruka is at that Research Facility? That's not where the helicopter went down."

"It's where she'd head for," Neptune responded, "if she could. We check there first, maybe we'll get lucky and find her and the others. If not," Neptune paused a moment, "we'll search along a straight line from the facility to the crash site."

"And if we don't find them?"

Neptune looked ahead grimly as she ran. "I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. If you want to go back . . ."

"I'm just saying," Venus replied. "I mean, what if they got eaten by tigers? More importantly, what if WE get eaten by tigers?"

"The only predators on this island are poisonous snakes," Neptune said calmly. "We won't get eaten by tigers."

"OK, what if somebody gets a picture of me drenched in sweat and posts it to the net?" Venus persisted as they leaped over a clump of bushes. "I have a reputation to maintain."

"You don't think a truly radiant beauty only glows more brilliantly when coated in a fine sheen of athletic perspiration?" Neptune asked.

"You think?" Venus asked. "Come to think of it, there were a lot of guys hanging around the court back in my volleyball days in high school. Maybe there's something to that."

They continued on.

"So what if . . .?" Venus began.

"Venus, please don't take this the wrong way," Neptune sighed, "but why must you keep up this endless stream of chatter?"

"Why else? To get your mind off of worrying about whether Haruka's dead," Venus responded. Neptune glanced back at her and she flashed the Senshi a grin. "Worked, didn't it?"

And Neptune wanted to laugh. "Yes, I suppose it did. Thank you, Venus."

"No prob," Venus nodded. "So what if . . .?"

"Um, but you can stop now," Neptune added.


Through the jungle Sailor Uranus ran, Cheegah clinging to her shoulder. Even with her vaunted Senshi stamina, all the running and fighting she had done was beginning to wear on her. Part of her wanted to rest. But she kept on, pushing herself forward. Night was coming and as difficult as it was for her to navigate in a jungle she was barely familiar with, it would be that much more difficult at night. Perhaps Cheegah might be able to guide them. But the recent violence they had experienced had taken an emotional toll on the little female. Every time Uranus glanced at her, the macaque just seemed lost in her own world.

As she ran, Uranus kept her eyes and ears open for any sort of threat. Because of that, Uranus heard signs of a group up ahead. At that moment, Cheegah pulled on her kerchief.

"Yeah, I heard it," Uranus said, stopping and dropping to one knee.

The pair watched and listened intently. There was a group coming through the bush toward them. Senshi and primate both listened to determine whether it was Bungah. Quickly that idea was dismissed. These people were humans - - humans who had never heard of the concept of stealth.

"Human," Uranus said. "Probably a Self-Defense Force patrol looking for the copter crash site. I'll handle them. You get up in the trees until they're gone." She looked at Cheegah. "Don't worry. I'll keep your secret."

Cheegah looked Uranus directly in the eye. Once more Uranus was amazed at the amount of intelligence that was in the macaque's expression. Cheegah stared for the longest time. Finally she launched herself from the Senshi's shoulder to a nearby tree trunk, then scurried up the tree like Uranus climbed a staircase. Uranus raised up to full height, then headed toward the approaching patrol.

When she exited a thick bush and became visible, several nervous soldiers whirled and pointed their Colt AR-15 assault rifles at her. Uranus calmly put up her hands.

"Whoa, guys," she said emotionlessly. "We're on the same side."

"Stand down," the squad leader said. "We were told there would be Senshi in the area, remember?" Uranus remained outwardly calm, but that news was something she would need to ponder.

"You looking for the downed helicopter?" Uranus asked. "It's about two point three kilometers that way," and she pointed northwest. "There's a body there. Poor guy didn't make it."

"And the other two?" the squad leader asked.

"I'm one of the other two," Uranus told them. "I'm looking for the third one. If you find her before me, get her to safety."

"Understood," the squad leader nodded. "Any sign of the terrorists?" Again Uranus masked inner surprise with a stony exterior.

"Had a scrape with them about a kilometer back," Uranus replied. "They're not there now. You'll find what's left of their weapons, though - - and a few dead macaques."

"Did you get a good look at them? What do they want?"

"Nope. They fired on me, I fired on them, and they disappeared minus their weapons. They don't strike me as that much of a threat anymore. But I'd still stay alert."

"We'll do that," the squad leader said. "Sure you'll be all right?"

"I've tangled with Sailor Galaxia. This is nothing."

Uranus waited while the squad of soldiers moved off. She began thinking about what the squad leader said. If the assault on the helicopter was thought to be an act of terrorism, that could be the key to keeping the existence of the intelligent macaques a secret. Of course, they'd still have to find Bungah and what was left of his band first. But it could work.

And "Senshi being in the area" meant either Serenity had sent in the Sailors to look for her or Michiru had come on her own. Probably the latter. And knowing Michiru as she did, the first place the woman would go was the Research Facility. Noting movement on her right, Uranus turned and saw Cheegah climbing down to her.

"Hey," Uranus nodded. "Still want to head for the Research Facility? You can link up with the others."

Cheegah's answer was to leap onto Uranus's shoulder. Nodding, Uranus waited for the macaque to get a good grip on her kerchief and then started running. Night was even closer now and she wanted to reach the facility while she could still see.


As dusk settled over the city of Darwin, Australia, Makoto entered a hospital solarium and found Ami staring at the coming night sky in the east. Her friend seemed subdued and Makoto at first assumed that she was worried about Serenity and her condition.

But that was wrong, she realized. Ami was a proponent of science and medicine, perhaps its chief proponent in the world. She practiced logic and rational thinking, and once a patient was past a critical stage, as Serenity was, Ami would dismiss all thought of potential catastrophe unless new conditions arose. Something else was bothering her.

"Serenity's finally asleep," Makoto informed her. "Funny how cuddling up next to Endymion will do that for her. Sort of like when I cuddle up next to San-San."

"A sense of security does contribute to ease in sleeping," Ami replied absently.

"So is there something else wrong with her?" Makoto probed. "Something we should know about?"

Ami looked at her curiously over her glasses. Makoto's question had surprised her.

"Come on, Ames. How long have we known each other?" Makoto said. "You're feeling guilty about something. Beating yourself up over not seeing Serenity's condition coming? Or not acting sooner? Or is it something else?"

A sigh escaped Ami. "Serenity has been diagnosed to my satisfaction. If she follows instructions, she should recover fully."

"Then it's something else," Makoto concluded. "Haruka?"

"Bravo," Ami said with a melancholy smile. "Your logic is flawless. Or your intuition. I must determine where one ends and the other begins some day."

"She'll be OK. She's too ornery to die," Makoto assured her. It didn't help. "Hey, weren't you the one who suggested she go on that trip? It's not your fault . . ."

"I'm aware of that. No one could have predicted a terrorist attack in a region that hasn't experienced such things before."

Makoto was frowning suspiciously now. "So what is it? Why were you so eager for her to go on that flight? I remember wondering if you expected some sort of trouble. Apparently you did."

"I didn't 'expect' it," Ami corrected her. "I was familiar with some of the theories of one of the research scientists, a Dr. Kunio Hirokane, on genetic augmentation through synthetic chemical stimulation."

"Whoa, Ames. Dummy here," Makoto grinned.

"So you keep telling yourself," Ami scoffed. "Dr. Hirokane had advanced some speculative theories that a lesser animal could be artificially evolved to more advanced mental states. He speculated that cognitive, retentive and motor skills could be enhanced, almost to human levels in a best case scenario."

"What, like Luna and Artemis?"

"Essentially," nodded Ami. "And the jungles of Yakushima could conceivably be the perfect place to test those theories, provided a chemical enhancement agent had been developed. When I learned that Dr. Hirokane and the rest of Dr. Hashimoto's party hadn't been heard from in months . . ."

"You put two and two together," Makoto finished the statement.

"It was just one possibility," Ami shook her head. "They could have been injured by the Ice Disaster, or run into one of several technological problems that could have prevented communication. But having Haruka there, just in case, seemed like a rational precaution."

"Don't blame yourself, Ames. Haruka must have agreed or she wouldn't have gone. And I think you were right to play it safe."

"Perhaps more right than either of us know," Ami sighed. "I'm concerned for Haruka, of course. But right now I'm more concerned with the possibility that these 'terrorists' that the media is speculating about aren't human."

And finally Makoto understood.


Night was beginning to fall. Bungah and his remaining ally Sachee observed the Research Facility for some sign of life. The hut was dark and silent. Still the two macaques waited.

"Perhaps the humans didn't come here," Sachee said in a language only macaques could understand. He gripped his Kel-Tec PRM-30 in his paw.

"They came here," Bungah replied, nervously stroking his PRM-30. "Their trail clearly leads here. And I can still catch the scent of the human who throws the bombs from her hands."

"Perhaps they left."

"No," Bungah mumbled. "The other human is still here. Her scent is stronger. And even if the others are gone, we need to access the Research Facility. I must secure more ammunition for our guns. For that we will need the computers in the facility." The macaque's mouth hardened. "Perhaps the other human is hiding inside. One more human to be killed."

Sachee glanced at his companion. The macaque felt fearful of Bungah the longer this played out. Bungah was not acting in a manner that might benefit the group. The macaque began to wonder if Bungah was becoming a threat to him and to the group.

"Yes, that must be it," Bungah nodded. His grip tightened on the PRM-30. "Follow me. We have a human to kill."

Silently Bungah stole across the open space and leaped up to a vent above the door. Sachee followed. Even if Bungah was becoming worrisome, he was still less dangerous than the humans were.

As Bungah pried the vent cover off, Sachee stood and watched for attack. Once the cover was off, the two primates slipped through the hole and into the facility. Inside, the macaques climbed to the floor and began cautiously walking. Bungah gestured Sachee to the computer, then veered right. He sniffed the air once.

"Come out, human," the macaque said in a high-pitched voice that, were it not for the gun in his paw, would have been comical. "You can't hide from me."

Suddenly from the rafters of the hut two large nets fell, followed by two macaques. Bungah and Sachee were trapped by the nets, then felt the weight of the rival macaques pinning each of them down. The dark shapes wrestled with each other, the trapped primates kicking and scratching, trying to get away.

"Don't let them use their pistols!" the lead macaque advised them, walking on all fours from behind a desk. Appearing out of an upright locker across the room was Dr. Kuroi.

"Gegah, you traitor!" Bungah bitterly howled as he struggled under the weight of the other two macaques. "You turn on your own kind? For a human?"

"Bungah, we have been over this," Gegah said, approaching the two writhing nets. "Your path is not the way to salvation! You only make things worse!"

"Blind, stupid idiot!" Bungah raged. "You're going to doom us all!"

"Bungah!" the macaque pleaded. "We have been given a gift! We have been given the chance to advance beyond what we were! A chance to evolve and ascend to something that will rival the humans as dominants of this world!"

"You actually think the humans will let that happen?" Bungah roared. "They fear what they can't control and they destroy what they fear! They'll find us! It's already happening! And once they find us, it will be our end unless we fight for our survival!"

"It doesn't have to be that way!"

"Do you think the metal bird we killed will be the last one? They will come looking for it, just as they come looking for the ones who built this shelter!"

"They need not find us," Gegah argued. "When they come, we can be deep in the jungle. They will find a deserted shelter. They will search and find nothing. Or if the jungle has not claimed the bodies of the other humans, they will be found and thought to be victims of the land. Eventually they will go back to their world and we . . ."

"And what of her?" Bungah demanded. "Is this human going to stay quiet about us? Or will she tell the first human she meets about us? Your way has already slipped through your paws! Kill her while you can!"

"No!" the macaque barked.

"IDIOT!" Bungah snapped. "They will learn of our existence and they will search for us until they find us! Then they will kill us all! Or put us in cages and torture us! The only way we will be safe from them is if we make it too dangerous for them to come!"

"You're so sure," Gegah fumed.

"Yes, I'm sure! I said it before: humans kill what they fear!"

"And are you so different?" Gegah asked.

"I never said I was different," Bungah said bitterly. "There is still enough survival instinct left in me to know when running is useless and it's time to make a stand."

Gegah uttered a sigh. He picked up some cord and brought it over to the macaque holding Bungah down.

"Hold him while I bind him into the net and then get his gun away from him," Gegah told the others. The macaque nodded.

"What are you going to do with him?" Dr. Kuroi asked.

"I don't know," Gegah replied. "If I kill him, I'm no better than he is. If I don't, he'll get free eventually and try again. Or others will rally to his thinking." The macaque sat on the floor, looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I was so much happier when the only thing I had to worry about was an empty stomach."

Just then there was a shriek of pain. They looked and saw Bungah had bitten the macaque holding him. He lashed out with his hind leg, kicking his captor away, then through the net picked up the pistol and began firing wildly.

Angrily.

Continued in Chapter 10