Back Home – The Dual War
by Warringer
Chapter 55 (Party written by Reikson and Cobalt Greywalker over at the Maximum Addventure)
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Within Quantum-Slipstream, the oddly-built form of the customized Washu-masterpiece known as the Kamidake-II, was on final approach towards Earth.
The captain of the Kamidake-II, Seina Yamada, widely known as a hero and infamous pirate hunter, smiled in anticipation of seeing his homeworld once more. For the last three years, Seina, along with his eight wives, who made up his exclusively-female crew, had been busy culling the Renza Alliance of its pirate problem. It was mostly due to his unusual luck, that his efforts had been successful.
But when Earth officially made its presence known in the greater galactic arena, back in late 2003, Seina had still been hunting down the remnants of the Daluma Pirate Guild, which had once controlled what was currently acknowledged as the sovereign territory of the independent Balta Kingdom.
When he'd finally learned of Earth's unorthodox ascension into the greater galaxy, in January of 2004, Seina was extremely proud of his people. And needless to say, each of his eight wives had never seen him so happy before.
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Already considered a hero by the members of the Renza Alliance, its administration, eager to ally itself with the homeworld of its greatest hero, had approached Seina with a formal request: to act as an escort for the Renza Alliance's first contact with Earth.
To that end, a Dai-Kaiesha-class warship, named Balance of Extremes, had been tasked with not only supporting the Renza Alliance's ambassador, a handsome humanoid man named Takeru Strife, but to also serve as, if necessary, a military asset in defense of the homeworld of the Alliance's greatest hero.
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Within the cockpit of the Kamidake-II, Amane Kaunaq-Yamada reported aloud, "Captain, sensors are indicating a null-slipstream zone surrounding our destination."
Ryoko Balta-Yamada said, "We might have to travel the rest of the way to Earth at sublight speeds."
Hakuren Yamada, who'd been busy crunching the numbers, said, "If Balance of Extremes is side-by-side with Kamidake-II at its maximum sublight speeds, it's going to take the both of us several minutes before we reach Earth's upper orbit."
Seina said, "Well, we're just going to have to do that, then. Inform Balance of Extremes of this new development and then have Kamidake-II drop out of slipstream."
Along with his other wives, namely Neju na Melmas-Yamada, Kiriko Masaki-Yamada, Karen Yamada, Surien Yamada and Gyokuren Yamada, Hakuren, Amane and Ryoko all said, in unison, "Understood, Captain!"
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Meanwhile, aboard Shabazza, the Dyson Tree announced over its Public-Assembly system, "Red alert. Red alert. Inbound slipstream events. Unknown signatures. Aagenfelt Barrier system online."
Even as several squadrons of Thunderbolt-class Starfury fighters swarmed out of Shabazza's launch bays, a G.O.D satellite promptly fired a heavy particle-beam blast in front of the two unknown ships, as a warning shot.
"This is Global-Defense Initiative Center Shabazza to unknown craft. Identify yourselves and your purpose for being in this system immediately, or risk being fired upon." The Dyson Tree intoned.
The response was immediate. A male voice said, "This is the Renza Alliance warship Balance of Extremes. We have come to support our ambassador to this world, Takeru Strife, and also to establish both formal diplomatic relations, and a true alliance, with the homeworld of our people's greatest hero."
For about a minute, silence was the only answer that the Renza warship received. Now uneasy, the voice added, "Hello? Anyone there?"
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Admiral Dubinin stared at the holographic display for a long time, as did many of the men and women that were on duty in the Earth Defense Center and the two vessels that held course towards Earth.
Slowly he got himself back under control and breathed in deep.
"Do we have any ship close to them?"
"HMS Thunder Child with her escort of four Monsoons is close them."
Dubinin nodded and grinned slightly. Thunder Child, one of the two new Warlocks. As much he hated the thought of the Americans and the Brits getting the first two Warlocks, as they were clearly a Russian design, Russia would get one of the next finished Warlocks. He chuckled a little about the reason of the British Admiralty naming her Thunder Child. In a sense it was like the Americans calling their first space shuttle Enterprise, even if it didn't leave the atmosphere.
"Order Thunder Child to act as escort for them and put me through," he said finally, before switching to Japanese with a heavy Russian accent." Balance of Extremes, this is Admiral Dubinin of Earth Defense Center. Welcome to the Solar System. Please excuse us for firing on you, but we are a little paranoid after three Doranian Attacks on Earth. We will sending you an escort to accompany you towards Shabazza."
"We will follow your escort," was the reply.
"May I ask, who your hero is? Commodore Tenchi Masaki?"
"No, Seina Yamada, haven't you heard of him?"
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Three years in space and on the hunt on pirates had changed Seina Yamada. Sure he was still the same 'unlucky' and lovable guy he had been before, but he had learned a great deal. Especially when it came down to battling with pirates, through most of the battles were different to the battles he knew from Anime and Manga.
It certainly wasn't like in 'Macross' or 'Legend of Galactic Heroes'. The way of fighing out here wasn't anything like that.
"Balance of Extremes, Kamidake II, this is HMS Thunder Child," said a voice over com, while he and his wifes looked at the massive and ugly hulk of the warship," We are your escort."
Seina absentmindedly noted that Thunder Child was a British ship, what explained the English accent in the speakers Japanese, while he watched how nimbly it and its four vastly smaller escorts moved to fall alongside Kamidake II.
"Thank you Thunder Child," he heard the commander of Balance of Extremes reply, followed by the same reply from one of his wives, who knew that he was staring at the massive Earth warship.
"What an ugly and big ship," Amane noted.
Seina shook his head and turned away from the hologram to exchange a look with Kiriko, like him she was 'born and bred' on Earth and knew a good deal about the planet. And he guessed that she thought much along the same line as him. Thunder Child would be able to completely destroy Balance of Extremes with its broadside armament if she needed to.
"I think it does it's intended job," he answered, keeping his thoughts to himself.
"And that would be? Looking ugly?"
He exchanged another look with Kiriko.
"Looking menacing and fighting a war."
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"Multiple unknown slipstream events just outside the Aagenfelt Barrier perimeter," Seiler noted in his usual tone of voice.
Dubinin was close to banging his head on a nearby wooden bulkhead where someone had hung a sheet of paper which was printed with a 'Stress Reduction Kit', consisting of a circle with the sentence 'Bang head here'.
"Doranians?"
Seiler shook his head.
"No sir," was the reply." No identification possible at the moment. But they are firmly in the Quantum 2 level."
Dubinin nodded as the 'automatic response protocol' went into effect as one of the GODs fired towards the unknown contacts, followed by Shabazzas challenge for identification. He was surprised when the response to the challenge was that the unknown ships increased their acceleration towards Earth.
"We got visual," Seiler said finally and the hologram changed to show a number of ships." We count at least one hundred ships of different shapes, forms and sized. They are also rerouting energy to their weapons and shielding systems."
Dubinin frowned. The diversity and tech level of the ships could only mean one thing, pirates. They would get their noses very bloody.
"Flag the unknowns as hostile and commerce defense procedures. Order Kamidake and Balance to remain on course to Shabazza. Thunder Child is to defend them."
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The shrine hadn't changed much since they saw it last year, but then most shrines didn't. The only real differences were the landscape (looking greener than the last time, but then it was mid August) and the crowds (far reduced in number, but persistent).
Rei liked the scenery of the area. Sure it was a secured area, being as it was part of the Juraian Embassy's grounds and Yosho's personal property, but that just meant those who came here out of the tours were devout.
Are you sure it was a good idea to leave Hotaru alone at the house? Minako whined telepathically for what seemed the fiftieth time since they started climbing the stairs.
You're such a worry wart. Makoto teased. Being such an old maid will never get you a boyfriend.
Hey! Minako shot a glare at the brunette.
At least I didn't come here to see if the help was cute. Makoto shot back. Besides, Sasami seems a perfectly good person for a member of an arrogant royalty. She teased.
Have I mentioned how grateful I am that Ami managed to unlock most of our abilities last month? Rei asked rhetorically. If anyone could overhear this telepathic conversation I'd be so embarrassed. Minako, Princess Sasami is more than she seems, like Professor Washuu. My instincts say she'll be good for Hotaru. And Makoto, YOU came here to see if the help was cute AND to see if you could examine the holy but Juraian tree. So no more Pot and Kettle comments please?
And I thought Mama and Papa were loud. Hotaru mused from the house at the bottom of the hill.
HUSH. The three Senshi walking up the hill shot back, followed by much telepathic giggling (though it got Hotaru a strange look from Sasami in the house).
"So Rei, what did Gramps want you to discuss with the shrine prince, I mean priest?" Makoto asked aloud.
Rei spared her fellow Senshi a glance before responding. "Grandpa wanted to discuss the evolution of certain Shinto practices with Yosho. He HAS been around for seven hundred years. It IS what Grandpa did his religious studies major on at university. But then we had the war and he never got to pursue it, first with national service then taking over the Shrine."
"That old pervert? At university?" Makoto scoffed lightly.
"There weren't many, if any, women at university at those times." Minako reminded her. "The old plastic roof was crawling in the dirt in those times."
"That's the glass ceiling was much lower, but yes." Rei acknowledged, then tensed up. She continued, "Grandpa didn't meet Grandmother until he had taken over the shrine."
What's up? Minako asked tersely, trying to slowly scan the surroundings without showing.
I don't know. Something dark is around. Rei replied, then reluctantly added. I want to kill it with all my being, but I don't know WHY.
Makoto took a deep breath. "Man the air around here is so crisp." I get the same sort of feeling Rei. She confirmed. Something is distorting Nature around here, and that's WRONG.
Start pre-transformation stage and prime transformation. Minako ordered. "Yeah, I wish I could get out of the city more. England was great for that." Incoming.
It looks like Crown Princess Ayeka and the Ambassadorial Aide Sairyo Tennan. Rei identified them as they came down the stairs.
Is that PINK hair? Makoto asked incredulously. Why would ANY man want PINK hair?
Galactic tastes get weirder and weirder. Minako noted Ready.
Ready. And we complained about Mamoru's taste? Makoto snorted.
Yeah, it does seem-Arm super stage. Rei interrupted her reply.
What? Minako asked while preparing. She knew she'd hate the answer.
Shadows. Rei intoned, preparing some wards. Looks like a Keeper on Ayeka.
Ayeka? Damn they're bold. Makoto noted.
Point. Minako acknowledged. It helps that Pinky is blind as a bat, given the way he's hanging on her.
"What are you doing here?" Sairyo asked with a slight condescending tone as they met on one of the stairway landings from both sides.
Minako and Makoto moved to either side of Rei as they drew up to the Juraians.
"We are here to meet with the priest of this shrine to discuss the business of our mutual history." Rei intoned formally, then added in a stage whisper. "But these two wanted to see if any of the shrine help were cute." Steady... She warned telepathically.
"Rei!" The two of them complained, embarrassed. Sitrep? Minako asked.
I can't tell where it is. Rei replied worriedly. That makes it difficult as we have Pinky and the brain spiders to deal with. Two, maybe three.
Definitely three, probably four. Makoto corrected. "I'm not here to see if there is good looking help here. I was coming to ask if I could have a look at the holy tree, as I've heard it is unique in Japan." What was that?
"The two of you are too easy to tease." Rei chuckled. Not sure. "But we shouldn't keep His Highness the Ambassador waiting. Your Highness, Mr Tennan." She nodded to them and started to go past them. It's getting wor-Oh SH-
GO! Minako ordered.
Later reconstructions would show just how quickly it all went. The three Senshi sprang forward almost too fast for Ayeka to see, and she had watched her brother and Tenchi dueling near equally skilled opponents. It was certainly too fast for her to react with a Keeper trying to control her, and then she knew nothing as Mars slapped a half dozen wards on her critical points.
Sairyo barely noticed the change, as Venus unloaded a right hook as she passed which smacked him into a tree. His hard head prevented him from being knocked out, but that was about it. Venus turned her right hook to a wide left sweep as her fist suddenly contained her Star-headed Crystal Sword. There was a ching sound, then a terrible screech as a Shadow appeared screaming in pain for its lost leg.
The scream was just about drowned out as Jupiter swept left and unloaded a lightning storm over the area she suspected the others were hidden, zapping them and dropping their cloaking fields. The closest had its head smashed in by the end of Jupiter's Thunder Rose Staff, then fried to a crisp and exploded by nearly three million volts of electricity discharging through it.
The third leapt at Mars, who pulled the unconscious princess to her and put her Obsidian Bow against the Shadow's razor clawed legs and called out her attack as it clashed against the unexpectedly bladed outer edge.
"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"
The plasma bolt instantly vaporised the head and torso of the spider-like being, then carved a glowing, glass lined, and twenty meter long trench up the hill.
This woke up Sairyo enough for him to witness Venus carving a large chunk out of the last Shadow. Struggling to bring out his sword he caught Mars holding Ayeka and came to an erroneous conclusion.
"Unhand the Princess-!" He was cut off as Venus beheaded the last Shadow and halted her blade against his neck to the sound of log guardians materializing.
"Clear!"
"Clear!" Jupiter agreed.
Mars disagreed, turning to yell down the hill.
SATURN! LOOK OUT! Her mental voice echoed in the minds of those there.
Sairyo then realized just WHO he was facing and the almost mythical weapon being held against his neck. And fainted, soiling himself.
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It took a little while to get over the little giggle fit induced by her friends, but Hotaru was enjoying Sasami's company as they wandered by the lake in the embassy grounds opposite of the house, the two of them being older in spirit then most would guess.
Which was why Mars' warning caused Saturn to swing her Glaive a little more violently than she otherwise would have.
The Shadow sneaking up on them got to experience that 'bug on a windshield' feeling as the accompanying Silence Wall swatted it back into the tree line and through several trees. Its retaliatory strike of throwing two of these newly forged weapons back wasn't as effective as hoped as Saturn's charge was barely slowed as in one move she sliced the first tree trunk in half length ways, the halves impacting well to the sides of Sasami, and pulverized the second into harmless splinters as the blade of her glaive dropped to the horizontal and speared the Shadow at nearly 100kph. Unfortunately for the Shadow this meant it got painfully impaled in a crater its body had created in a surviving tree and hit by debris from the explosion.
Saturn glared at the spider-like creature with all the hate and malice in her petite body before understanding and teleporting out, screaming telepathically DEAD MAN'S! as she grabbed Sasami.
The Shadows' anti-capture implosion device detonated, the blast wave leveling everything unshielded in a kilometer radius.