A/N: Yea... I'm back and with a story that my idle mind has been thinking of for a while now. I just hope you guys like it.
As always, Sailor Moon belongs to it's respective owners and not me. This story is just for fun, not profit so please do not sue me, I am broke AF.
Now with that out of the way, on to the story...
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{ Prologue: One Small Step }
"That's One Small Step for a Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind"
These were the immortal words spoken by Astronaut Niel Armstrong, as he stepped foot upon the Lunar surface on July 24th, 1969. Thus cementing his place in history as the first man to step foot on Earth's natural Satellite.
In an event which was broadcasted live to millions around the world, both Armstrong and his companion Buzz Aldrin left the Lunar Landing Module and began to explore the seemingly barren surface. Taking samples and conducting numerous tests during their time on the Lunar surface.
For some, the Lunar Landing was a major win for the United States in not only the Space Race, but a victory over their Soviet counterparts during the Cold War. While others celebrated the event as a triumph for science and saw it as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars and the other Planets in the Solar System.
But for a select few within the highest levels of the U.S. Government, the Apollo Program was means to solve a mystery which began just over a decade prior.
In 1958, at an undisclosed location within the continental United States, an experimental radio telescope had just been completed and was in the process of being tested. As part of this, , the scientists at the test site decided to aim said telescope at the moon. Thinking that the moon would not give them any surprises, and the device would be able to track the cosmic entity... But there would be a surprise. One that would forever alter the course of Humanity...
"Are you sure it's coming from the moon?" Eisenhower asked his generals, as the President met with some of his military commanders. As well as several scientist who were attached to the recently established National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
"We are positive, sir." An Air Force General replied, as he handed over the files which had been created since the lunar signals were first detected.
Eisenhower looked over the documents and scowled a bit, "Are you sure this is not just some natural phenomenon. Maybe the Soviets have something to do with it?"
"We're positive that these signals are not natural and we have not detected any Soviet launches in the last few weeks." Thomas K. Glennan, the Administrator for NASA, replied. "The Lab Coats think it might be some kind of message or homing beacon of some kind
"Well... what is it saying?" the President asked.
Glennan shifted a bit before he replied, "We... don't know. but we have been able to track it back towards the moon near the Sea of Tranquility."
Their was a moment of silence as Eisenhower mulled over what he had just been told and what he had just read in the files. Obviously, the public was not to know about what had been detected. The past decade had seen a rash of "flying saucer" sightings across the nation and there were many who were still on edge over those events. There was no telling as to just what might happen if the country found out they were detecting signals from the Moon.
But It seemed that there was indeed something happening on the Celestial object and if America was able to detect it, then it was more than likely that the Soviets were able to as well.
The President sighed before he asked... "How soon can we get a man to the moon?"
What came next was what history remembers as the "Space Race" between the United States and the Soviet Union. With the ultimate goal of landing a man on the moon and bringing them back home safely. But while most saw this as a matter of national prestige and pride for the rival nations, only a select few within the government knew the truth.
It was a up hill battle, with billions being spent on the development of new technologies and training the men who would be the first to land on the moon. But on the seventh month of 1969, The United States accomplished this task with the establishment of Tranquility Base.
But while the landing itself was a accomplishment in its own right, the true purpose of the Apollo missions soon began. With pre recorded transmissions being fed to the world, both Armstrong and Aldrin left their lander and began to track the source of the still mysterious signals.
Eventually, said signal lead them to a rather deep crater and the two men went in. With their suits providing some illumination, the pair came upon a sight they were not expecting. For resting at the bottom of said crater, were rock formations that did not match the surrounding environment. Ruins... there were ruins on the lunar surface! It looked as if there was once a settlement of some kind had one existed. But it soon became clear that this settlement, was actually a city of decent size. But something bad had happened, as the seen suggested their had been some kind of battle which had taken place many centuries ago.
Just who or what made them? More importantly, just what happened?
"Mission Control, are you seeing this?" Aldrin asked in awe, as both he and Armstrong moved through the ruins.
"Mission Control to Tranquility base, we're seeing it." The man on the other end replied, just as everyone else in the Command Center were trying their best not to lose their collective minds over the discovery.
But more was to come, as the two astronauts soon came upon the remains of what must have been a castle of some kind. It was in here that the signal had been originating from. As the pair continued on, they could see strange symbols carved into some of the pillars. As well as the remains of statues which had been destroyed , though the remains still looked humanoid in appearance.
But eventually both Aldrin and Armstrong came upon what they believed to be the throne room and what they found there left them both speechless.
For laying on one of the fallen pillars, was a skeleton... a Human Skeleton and it was wrapped in what looked like the remains of a gown. Which suggested that who or what ever this person was, was female. Curiously enough, the skeleton had what looked like a crown resting on its head, while what looked like a scepter of ornate design rested on the dust covered floors next to the remains.
All the while, Ground Control were taking notes and recording as much video as they could with their equipment. Up until this point, it was believed that that moon was unable to support life, let alone show any signs that life had once existed on its surface. Now they had discovered evidence that supported the idea that an civilization had once existed on the Lunar Surface. Not only that, the designs of the structures found, mimic that of ancient ruins that have been found on Earth.
Just how was this even possible?
But unfortunately for the two man team and Mission control, these questions would not be answered today. As the oxygen supply in the space suits were limited and the two men needed to have enough time return to their lander. But before they left, Armstrong took the "Scepter" they had found, along with what ever photos they took as well as a few samples. Before making the long walk back towards Tranquility Base and from there, back to Earth.
In all, the mission had been a success and the source of the signals which had been detected just over a decade before, had finally been discovered. But now there was another mystery that needed to be solved, just so many questions that needed to be answered.
Structures on the Moon? Who built them? Was the moon once capable of supporting life? Just who was that Skeleton they found? Was she even human? Most worryingly of all... Just who or what was responsible for the destruction... and could/would they come back?
It would take several more manned missions to the Moon to finally solve this mystery and what was discovered, would make the complex nature of the ongoing Cold War with the USSR look trivial. Nuclear Armageddon now seemed the least of the U.S. Government's worries and although the Apollo Program would officially end with Apollo 17, America's activities on the Moon was just begining.
In the years that followed, new technologies were developed in secret. While new agencies and infrastructure was being set up to deal with a looming threat. New, Clandestine bases were built across the continental United States, while existing ones were expanded and upgraded.
Persons who had claimed to have seen "Unidentified Flying Objects" in the years following the Apollo missions, were actually unknowing witnesses to a growing "Space Force" which now existed within the American Armed Forces. While specialized teams were created with the sole intent to investigating possible "Incursions" but this new threat.
Even after the Cold War ended and the world breath collective sigh of relief, the new entity which now existed continued to monitor the planet for possible threats. A entity that was now collectively known as...
The Office of Homeworld Defense
Yet by the year of 1992, no one could have guessed just how important a role the "O.H.D." would play in the years to come.
Especially when they discover that their already another group who's mission it was to defend the planet against the very same threat that destroyed the civilization that once existed on the moon..
A group who fought evil by Moon light and would soon become a close ally...