TRTSS31: Martian Encounters!– By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, War of the Worlds and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre limited series.
Special Note: This is a "Thanksgiving Holiday Special" story.
Part 2
The woman in question gives Ranma-onna a quizzical look.
"What?" the woman replied, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Rei Hino. "No, I am 'Dejah' of the House of Thoris, and heir to the kingdom of Helium. What pray tell are you?"
"I am…'Ranko' of the Tendo clan," Ranma-onna said, as she quickly thought up a story. "I am from Earth."
"Ah, then you are a Tau'ri," Dejah replied knowingly. "My ancestors were Tau'ri, before being brought here to this world by the Ancients."
"Tau'ri" was the name Earth humans are called, even in modern times…
"How did you get here?"
"We used a place called 'Miracle Mesa', intending to travel to another part of Earth, but came to Mars instead," Ranma-onna replied.
"Ah, it sounds like you visited the 'Revolving Castle', a place where one travels to where he or she needs to be, not necessarily where he or she wants to go," Dejah replied. "Well, I apologize on your behalf for being caught by the slavers."
"Actually, I am here to save you," Ranma-onna said.
"And how so?"
"I have a friend who is gifted with great strength," Ranma-onna said. "And guess what?"
Ranma-onna easily snaps the chains that bounded her.
"I do, too."
"Excellent!" Dejah said happily. "But we can't leave without the others."
"What others?"
Dejah motions towards the other women who were captured.
"Okay," Ranma-onna said with a nod. "My friend and I will shut down this camp and free these people."
"You promise?" Dejah asked.
"I promise on my word of honor."
"Then I shall keep you to your world, Ranko Tendo of Earth."
And that was that.
When the slavers were on their down-time, John and Ranma-onna made their move to make their great escape.
"Ha!" Ranma-onna yelled, as she delivered a flying kick that knocks over a few of the opposition.
"Oof!" said the lead green Martian, as he and his companions fell over.
Meanwhile, John used a sword to ward off his own attackers.
"I didn't know you knew fencing, John," Ranma-onna said, as she glances towards her business partner.
"I was a graduate of West Point, before the war," John said, as he parried an intended sword blow to his head. "I took the required fencing course."
"Ah," Ranma-onna said, as she picked up a fallen spear, and took aim, and let it fly...
"Ah-!" said another green Martian yelled, as the canopy that Ranma-onna knocked over falls on him and his companions.
Just then, Dejah rides up on some camel-like creature, and twice as big.
"Come!" Dejah said, as she held the creature's reins. "All the prisoners and slaves are free!"
"Thank gawd," Ranma-onna said, as she grabs John by the harness. "John, we're leaving!"
"Right," John said, as he runs with Ranma-onna to the camel-like creature, and, together, hops onto animal.
"Ha!" Dejah yelled, as she flaps the reins and flees the slavers' campsite.
"You must be John Carter," Dejah said, as she glances towards her companions.
"Yes," John replied. "And you must be Princess Dejah Thoris."
"You are correct."
"Where are we going?" Ranma-onna asked.
"We're going to hide in the valley below us, until my father's forces arrive," Dejah said.
"And then he'll help us go home?" John asked.
"He will try. However, the slavers of late have taken most of his attention. After wards, I am sure that my father will help you."
"Great, just great," Ranma-onna sighed.
"What?" John asked.
"It means that we'll be stuck on this world for at least ten years…"
Pause.
"Then again, maybe we can assist the king in dealing with the slavers," Ranma-onna said, as she glances behind her. "That way, we can get back home sooner."
"That sounds like a plan," John said, before tapping Dejah's shoulders. "Princess, what do you say?"
"We can use all the help we can get to rid these slavers," Dejah said.
"Then you got yourself a deal," Ranma-onna said. "I hope Usagi will be okay…"
And thus, the legend of Warlord of Mars (i.e. John Carter) and the Lady of Mars (i.e. Ranko Tendo) began. The pair would use their knowledge of warfare and martial arts to reorganize the kingdom of Helium to free Mars, called Bar'Soom by the natives, from the slavers' reign of terror. And while Ranma-onna was glad to free Helium, she was annoyed by the constant suitors Dejah was sending her way. And by the time the war against the slavers ended in victory, John and Dejah married, and Ranma-onna learned that the two were the direct ancestors of her future spouse R'ei H'no, born of a union between the native Martians and T'auri, and the last princess of Mars before the fall of the Silver Millennium, and who would become the planetary guardian warrior—a "senshi—"Sailor Mars". Meanwhile, Ranma-onna would return to Earth, and back in her normal body, but would have additional encounters with Mars…
1898 CE: Ottershaw, England.
"And so I soundly thrash Lord Blackadder, and his despicable servant Baldrick," said Lord Ranshin Rantsu (i.e. Ranma), as he, his wife Lady Usashinko Rantsu (i.e. Usagi) and their companion Miss Akane Tendo traveled down a cobblestone road towards their destination. All three were dressed as upper-crusted Victorians, particularly since Ranma was the Japanese ambassador to the British Empire.
"And thus, I recovered the Jewel of Zanzibar, thanks to the help of my personal physician, Dr. Conan Doyle."
Akane looked at Ranma, and sighed. She still was trying to find a way back to her own temporal era, after spending a year in America with the Lakota Amerind tribe in the Dakota Territories. Akane didn't like the fact that Ranma left her alone in America, when he and Usagi took off for England in a hurry. Still, she did like the fact that she was finally brought over to be with Ranma, only to learn that he was experiencing a mild psychosis that he has had for a decade at least, but made sure to hide from her…
At least, until now, that is.
"Ranma, I appreciate these stories of yours, but none of them sound like YOU," Akane said. "They sound like those famous detective stories I read in literature class."
"That's because Ranma and Dr. Conan Doyle were the inspiration of those stories," Usagi said, as she continue to do some crochet work.
"And why do we have to be here in this era?" Akane complained. "There's no television, or radio or anything. And we, as women, have to wear these heavy clothes, and deal with sexist jerks all the time."
"That's because the women of this era are ladies, and not 'girls'," Ranma said between puffs.
"You're saying that I'm not a woman?" Akane said angrily.
"See what I mean? Your sisters, in their own way, are more lady-like, from different outlooks, are more lady-like than you are."
"RANMA!" Akane yelled, as she punched Ranma in the face, breaking his pipe in the process.
"And predictable as well," Ranma said, as he pulls out another pipe to smoke it.
"Humph!"
"Akane, being a lady, as opposed to being a girl, is about style and charm," Usagi said, as she puts away her crochet work in her bag. "You got to remember that, like it or not, the women of this era don't have a lot of options."
"And so we use our sex as a weapon?" Akane asked incredulously.
"Precisely. In fact, very little has changed back home in that regard, although it's not a requirement to do our business in the world."
"Well, it's not fair, or right," Akane groused.
"No, it isn't, but things will change when women and men can be true equals without the need for theatrics," Ranma said, as he puffed away.
"Look on the bright side, Akane," Usagi said, as she leans forward. "Only women can look…KWAIIIIIII!"
Akane looks on in horror as Usagi made a cat-like expression on her face.
"I see…"
Later, the trio arrives at their destination, where the real purpose for the trip is revealed…
"ALIENS?" Akane exclaimed in fear and surprise.
"I believe the correct terminology is 'extraterrestrial', Miss Tendo," said the astronomer Professor Wellesley.
"There are aliens from Mars?" Lord Ranshin Rantsu said, as he and his wife Lady Usashinko was giving the tour of the Ottershaw Observatory, as a way of thanking Ranma and Usagi for their donation to promote literacy in astronomy.
"Indeed, Lord Ranshin," Wellesley replied. "A few weeks ago, and this was confirmed by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, explosions could be seen along the canals of the surface of Mars."
"Perhaps it is a natural phenomenon?" Usagi asked.
"Possible, but the explosions were too regular to occur naturally."
"Well, let's just hope that the phenomenon is just that: something that is naturally occurring-"
Just then, the air cracked, as something falls from the skies, followed by thunderous roar that could be felt miles away.
"My word!" Professor Wellesley said.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Akane said, as she clutched Ranma's shoulder out of fear.
"Akane, it's okay," Ranma said, as he calmed his fiancée. "I will protect you."
"I don't need your protection!" Akane replied, as she let's go in a hurry. "I AM a martial artist, you know!"
"Then I shall investigate the matter personally," Ranma said, as he begins to move off.
"Please don't leave me!" Akane said, as she immediately grabs Ranma again.
"Are you SURE you don't need my protection?"
"Just…just stay here for a moment, you jerk," Akane said with a contented sigh. Truth to be known, Akane was reassured by Ranma's presence…
Usagi turns towards her husband Ranma.
"I guess those explosions on Mars weren't 'natural', eh?" Usagi replied with a smirk.
"It appears so," Ranma replied, as he turns towards Wellesley. "Professor, may I use your phone?"
"Of course," Wellesley said, as he signals his assistant to show Ranma the phone.
"Thanks," Ranma said, as he forces Akane to let go of him.
"But-"
"I'll be right in the other room, okay?" Ranma said. "You'll always be safe here."
Akane nods her head, as she lets Ranma to make his phone call. She then turns towards Usagi.
"I'm not going to go home, am I?" Akane asked fearfully.
"Don't worry about it," Usagi said with a pleasant smile. "Whatever happens, you'll be with us, if you want. And after this crisis, we'll take you to see a colleague of ours in Richmond, who has a time machine."
"Really?" Akane said in astonishment.
"Really. The only reason why Ranma and I haven't utilized his services is because of some weird barrier that prevents us from skipping years."
"That sounds strange."
"Tell me about it…"
A few days later, in London…
"As you can see from our aerial surveillance, the falling objects are, in fact, extra-terrestrial crafts," said Commander Sir Campion Bond of British Intelligence, and the handler of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. While the meeting was taking place, Akane was upstairs with a servant of the Rantsu to prepare for the arrival of the Martians…
"They appear to be some sort of tripods," said Captain Nemo, who was an inventor of the world's first true submarine, "The Nautilus".
"That is correct. From the initial skirmishes, it is clear that the hull of these tripods is made from material that can withstand artillery rounds."
"What are the casualties thus far?" asked Mina Harker, demi-vampiress and the present leader of the League, while the hunter Allan Quatermain was recuperating from the League's last adventure…
"Thus far, several dozens, with more to come," Bond said. "Your mission is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of these Martian invaders, and, if possible, stop them from reaching London."
"Well, what are we going to stop them with?" said the immortal Dorian Gray. "Use clubs and knives? Because that's what we have left, if the British military cannot stop them."
"Perhaps the simplest solution is our answer?" Ranma said, as he smoked his pipe.
"Oh, he's playing 'detective again'," said the gentlemen thief Rodney Skinner, aka "The Invisible Man".
"I never play; I do. But think about it; when European first went to Africa and the Americas, what was the number one challenge that these early explorers faced?"
"Germs," said Dr. Jekyll, as he said in surprise. "Of course! There is a good possibility that these invaders do not have immunity to Earth viruses."
"Then we should find out soon," Usagi said, as she used her magics to keep track of the marching alien tripods via a crystal ball. "From their movements, I say that they will have control of the outlining counties by morning."
"Then there is no time to waste," Bond said. "You have your mission. Good luck…"
"Well," said Tom Sawyer with a grin. "We get to meet some real life space invaders."
"Yes, indeed," Ranma replied, as wondered if his previous experience on ancient Mars will be enough to ward off a catastrophe…
"Ranma, are you okay?" Usagi asked, as husband, as the League began to file out of the conference room.
"Yes, my dear," Ranma said, as he kissed Usagi's hand. "I just hope that we can end this crisis peacefully."
"Yeah…"
Tbc.