Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Author's Note: Everyone knows this story isn't remotely historically accurate, right? The Mayans, both the ones who built all those cities in Mexico centuries ago, and their millions of descendants who still live in Mexico, aren't aliens. No matter what all those talking heads on those UFO/Ancient Alien pseudo-documentaries on cable tv say.
And call me a skeptic but IMO aliens didn't help the real Mayans build their own pyramids. Ancient peoples like the Mayans, Egyptians, and those guys who built Stonehenge, and more recent non-European ones like Incas, etc, (and all the others I'm leaving out for the sake of brevity) were clever/smart/awesome and didn't need alien help to get the job done. Just because we haven't figured out how they did things doesn't mean someone else did it for them.
Word Count: 3,429 (10 of 18)
A week after the first graduation ceremony, Brittany cornered Rachel in the busy asteroid base dining hall.
"How are your new Housemates settling in?" Brittany asked. "Do you know all of their names yet?"
"I can recognize them all," Rachel said. "Haven't quite gotten all of their names down."
"It'll happen," Brittany said. "Before the next influx."
"Do we know when that will be?" Rachel said.
"Do you want to see the complete chart?" Brittany asked. "Of who moves out here and when?"
"We have that?"
"Of course," Brittany said. "San and Q are really getting into planning things up close and personal."
"But you aren't?"
"I'm planning," Brittany said. "But most of my work won't start until we invade."
"We're not invading," Rachel said, protesting, as she sat down.
"It's not our land, and nobody is asking for our help," Brittany said. "Seems like we're invading to me. What do you want to call it instead?"
"It's a rescue... yes, a rescue," Rachel said. "We're rescuing the Lost Clan and then we're going to protect the rest of our corner of the galaxy from the invaders."
"You know the World's governments aren't going to agree with us doing this. They aren't going to be very happy."
"So, why don't we just tell them what will happen and give them all of our war tech?" Rachel said. "I'm sure they would be grateful," she said sarcastically.
"No, they wouldn't. They'd spend the next decade fighting over it and get wiped out when the Enemy really appears. I think our original plan is so much better. We have time to get them used to the idea so they won't interfere. Besides, our tech fu is better than theirs. They won't be able to stop us."
"Planning a coup, ladies?" Santana asked, slipping into the seat next to Brittany. "Shouldn't you check with us first?"
"It wouldn't be a coup then," Rachel said, sticking her tongue out at Santana.
"No, just a discussion of terminology," Brittany said. "You know Rachel."
"What exactly needs to be discussed?" Quinn asked, sitting on Brittany's other side.
"What exactly are we doing?" Rachel asked them. "Are we invading or are we swooping down out of the heavens and rescuing our lost Clan? Or is this something else?"
"Ah," Santana said. "You're doing that Memory thing, trying to turn this into something people will remember. Maybe Quinn should answer this, she's been thinking about it also. Calling this an invasion makes her queasy too."
"Gee, thanks Bitch," Quinn muttered. "Umm... it's kind of like one of those 'actions' during the Cold War. We go in, capture the part of the Yucatan that belonged to the Lost Clan. Set up a government for them. Set up our base. Get ready for the real invasion. We're basically doing a Search and Rescue in hostile territory where we have to wait out the enemy attacks."
"Okay, that's a different way of looking at it. But it still feels like an invasion of an unsuspecting society by a more advanced one," Rachel said.
"Don't worry about it," Santana said. "It's not like they can arrest you. You'll have diplomatic immunity as Clan Ambassador."
"Clan What?" Rachel squeaked. "I thought I was just the bard slash troubadour slash historian for this project?"
"Well, someone has to do it. I've got the fleet to keep an eye on," Santana said. "Once we're full staffed I won't have any time for that fluffy happy people nonsense."
"And I'll be busy with enforcing our plans on the ground," Quinn said.
"Brittany?" Rachel asked hopefully.
"Nope. Not me. No way," she answered. "You're perfect for the job. You'll have them eating out of the palm of your hand in no time."
"And you need to start being serious about your staff. You won't have a lot of minions, since Q and I need a bunch to fill our ranks but they need to be employed."
"Minions?" Rachel muttered. "What am I supposed to do with minions?"
"Couldn't tell you, shorty," Santana said. "Have them build churches or roads or something."
"Do we actually have a religion in the Clans?" Rachel asked.
"Isn't that something you're supposed to know?" Santana asked.
"Well, all of the Clans had their own gods they worshipped, but we haven't introduced them to our minions," Rachel said. "I'm not sure I want us to have a real religion."
"Your call," Quinn said. "And I can't believe I just said that," she grumbled.
"No Streisand worshipping," Santana said. "That's where I draw the line."
Rachel pouted at Santana's pronouncement. "Not even a little bit?"
"No!"
"I think we should be Donald Duck worshipers," Brittany said, winking at Rachel. "We can claim Disney Land as our Holy Land."
Rachel giggled. "And all of the Disney princesses can be priestesses," she added.
"We should probably adopt the Mayan gods, the non-bloodthirsty one," Quinn said. "It'll make it easier to integrate them into our clan."
"That's brilliant," Rachel said, jumping up out of her seat to hug her.
Quinn rolled her eyes at Santana's burst of laughter.
"Explain this part of the plan to me one more time," Rachel said, poking Quinn in the shoulder to get her attention.
"You don't have to do anything," Quinn told her, "and, Ouch!"
"But I want to be ready in case you need me," Rachel said.
"It's really simple," Quinn told her. "Brittany's SpecOps crew sneaks down and sets up the Clan zone shield. When we're ready to go, we land teams in some of the abandoned Clan cities and turn on the containment shields and turn them into bases for us. We then take over the cities inside the main shield and start removing anyone who doesn't belong and set up local Clan governments. We then introduce ourselves to the world."
"It can't be that simple," Rachel said.
"Well, no, it isn't. That's the five thousand foot view. There's actually quite a bit more that must happen, some of which is happening now," Quinn said.
"Like what?" Rachel asked.
"Well, Artie is scanning everyone in the Clan Zone to get a good genetic scan so we know who is Clan and who isn't. Brittany's hackers are digging up as much information as they can find about who owns the land and other property in the Zone. They'll then cross match it against Artie's scans."
"How?"
"No idea," Quinn said. "One of those magic Intelligence ops things, I suspect. Brittany is really good at taking lots of random data and turning it into useful information."
"Has she always been like that?" Rachel asked. "She seems to be a completely different person here than she was in school."
"I don't know," Quinn said, leaning back against the cushion. "Santana always claimed that Brit was a lot smarter than she acted but I never saw it, until now."
"Well, I'm impressed," Rachel said. "I'm just glad she's on our side."
"Oh yeah," Quinn said in agreement. "Santana seems to have a knack for managing the Fleet, and I'd like to think my troopers are in good hands, but if we didn't have Brittany we wouldn't have a chance."
"Hey! What about me?" Rachel said.
"What about you?" Quinn asked.
"Don't I have an important role in all this?"
"Not yet," Quinn said. "Once we've secured the Zone, and removed all of the extra people, we'll definitely need you to do the whole communication thing to get everyone in the Lost Clan on our side. That is important but we could still accomplish our main goals without you."
"Gee, thanks," Rachel said, flopping down on the floor next to her cushion. "I feel really wanted here."
"Sorry, it's the truth."
"What happens when Brittany combines Artie's scans with her own data," Rachel asked, deciding to move on.
"Well, I think we should pay the people who own things in the Zone if we kick them out. Santana doesn't want to become a landowner but she doesn't think the people who stole the land deserve to profit from it." Quinn shook her head. "She's still carrying a grudge against the Conquistadors. But we can't just take it away if we want to avoid government entanglements."
"Who do we have to pay?" Rachel asked.
"Lots of people," Brittany said, joining them in the room. "Anyone who owns land but isn't clan should be paid for it. That means, hotels, restaurants, stores, anything like that. And there are several cities. We'll have to work out deals with all of them. And the Mexican government. They aren't going to be too happy about our land grab. And that's just the beginning. It's going to take years to settle any legitimate claims."
"Oh," Rachel muttered.
"We also have to do something about the airports and docks. The whole thing is really complex. And, we need to keep the people fed, and find a way for the Clan's people to be self-sufficient."
"I'm not sure where we're going to get money to pay any of them with," Quinn said. "Or pay people after we take over the businesses their businesses depend on."
"Gold, of course," Brittany said, flopping down next to Quinn.
"Where are we going to get enough to do that?" Rachel asked.
"We're sitting in the middle of an asteroid field," Santana said, sitting down and pulling Brittany onto her lap. "I've got a crew out there now, searching for all sorts of precious metals, some for us and some to use for money."
"Oh," Rachel said, perking up. "Will there be any gems?"
"I'm not a planetologist, but Artie said not to expect anything like that. The conditions just aren't right for that kind of thing. But we already have a ton of gold."
"How much?" Brittany asked, pulling out her tablet.
"A ton," Santana said. "It wouldn't be worth a whole lot if we just dumped it on the market, but we can use some of it for other things."
"Like what?" Rachel asked.
"Decorations," Santana said. "The Lost Clan descendants were really into decorating with it."
"According to the few records I've found about them, the Lost Clan had several tons of the stuff on their ships when they disappeared," Brittany said.
"And then the Spanish showed up, and wondered where they'd gotten it?" Quinn asked.
"Yup. It was all downhill from there," Brittany said. "All sorts of uncivilized nastiness."
"So, we aren't just going to squat on the land?" Rachel asked, standing up and pacing.
"We could," Santana said. "I don't think anyone could stop us. Even the US Air Force doesn't have true space capability. I could wipe out everything in orbit in seconds."
"My girls aren't quite so powerful," Quinn said, "but it would take a large nuke to stop them when they're suited up."
"Where did you get the idea for the armor suits your troopers wear?" Rachel asked. "I don't recall seeing anything like them being used by any of the Clan armies in the past."
"Well, the Clans wear bulky armor suits designed for their male troopers," Quinn said, pointing at a figure that appeared on the room's view-screen. "They started out bulky and stayed that way even though there was no reason for it as their tech advanced. We could use the same design but since we didn't have to, I found a design I liked better."
"They do look familiar," Brittany said. "And distinctly feminine."
"This would be where somebody's hidden geek side comes out," Santana said, laughing at a blushing Quinn. "She's dressed her troops up in hard suits from Bubble Gum Crisis. Artie? Could you pull up some still from that show?"
"Yes," Artie said. Several colorful figures in armor appeared next to the old Clan combat suits. "The hard suits displayed here were fairly easy to duplicate," she said. "A number of improvements were made that allow the wearer to stay in them for a longer duration."
"Which is a good thing," Quinn added, still blushing. "The power can last for up to a month of continuous use, though for practical purposes they shouldn't be worn for more than a week straight. And they're very durable. I don't think anyone wearing one could take on Iron Man but they won't have any problems with current Earth combat tech."
"Do we get hard suits?" Brittany asked. "I'd like mine in neon pink."
"You already have your stealth combat suit," Quinn said. "These aren't really meant to replace specialized enviro suits like that."
"But these look like so much fun," Brittany said, pouting.
"Anything else you want?" Santana said, shaking her head.
"Yeah! I'd like one of those air bikes!" Brittany said. "We need to set up a track and then we can have races."
"If Brittany gets her track, I want my own theater," Rachel said.
"Guys! What about the job?" Santana said. "Doesn't that come first?"
"If we can't have fun, why are we doing this?" Brittany said. "We aren't getting paid. But I can wait. At least we'll have the beach at Cancun."
"As soon as we deal with all the tourists," Quinn said. "And our families."
"I thought our families were safe," Rachel said.
"Brittany has a plan," Santana said.
"Yeah, and it's a doozy," she said, perching on the table. "At some point, we know that the Earth governments will find out who we are."
"We do?" Rachel said.
"Yup. I know we look a little different, older and sexier, but at some point they will see us and make a connection. It might take a while but it will happen. So, to avoid the inevitable attempts to blackmail us, I've figured out a way to proactively deal with this issue." Brittany smirked. "I've sent a message to my guardians, using standard family codes so they know it's me. I've asked them to move to Cancun as soon as possible, meaning before we put our plan in action."
"What about everyone else's family?" Rachel asked.
"Prizes," Brittany said. "We buy a hotel, I know just the one, and award them vacations as part of a 'Grande Reopening'. No one will suspect a thing."
"My parents won't go for that," Quinn said, shaking her head.
"Well, we can always kidnap them and put them on 'ice'," Santana said. "I know you don't really like them but do you really want them arrested by some secret government black ops squad and used against us?"
"Well, no," Quinn said. "But how deep do we go? Just our parents? Aunts and Uncles?First cousins?"
"You're making a simple plan too complicated, Quinn," Brittany said. "Parents and siblings should be enough."
"What about my mother?" Rachel asked. "Do we include her? And what about the Gleeks?"
""No, no, and no!" Brittany said, loudly. "Parents and siblings. So your mother? Yes. None of us have any secret children, do we?"
"No."
"No."
"Dodged that bullet," Quinn said, grimacing at an ancient memory.
"So, are we all happy?" Brittany asked. "Can I put this plan into action?"
"Go for it," Santana said. "What are you so happy about, Shorty?"
"I'll get to see my Dads," she said.
"Rach, it isn't going to be that simple," Brittany said.
"I don't care!" Rachel said, picking up her tablet. "I can't wait to show them all of these new songs and plays."
"So Q, already planning the joyous reunion with the Stepford family?" Santana said, poking her.
"Would it be bad if I said no? And hope they don't come?"
"I've met your parents. So, no." Santana shook her head. "Okay gang, do we have any other important topics? No? Good. I've got a mock battle between Red and Blue flights to oversee." Nodding at them, she stood up, pulling Brittany along with her. "Come on Brit, you can help."
Quinn shook her head, watching them leave. "Anything else you wanted to discuss?" she asked Rachel.
"Nope," Rachel said. "I need to start planning for our celebration."
"Celebration?"
"Yes, celebration. I think everyone deserves a party after we rescue the Lost Clan," Rachel said. "On the beach."
"If you say so," Quinn said. "It might do morale some good."
"Your troopers aren't happy?" Rachel asked. "They seem to be very eager to start whenever I talk to any of them."
"Happy? Mostly, but they are a bit stressed. None of them have seen any real action, so they're a bit nervous."
"Neither have we, Quinn," Rachel said.
"That's different," Quinn told her.
"How?"
"It just is," Quinn said.
Rachel nodded, though she didn't really agree. Quinn could be very prickly if challenged.
"I think I'd like one of those suits, also," Rachel said, with a straight face.
"Do you know how to use one?"
"It can't be that hard," Rachel said. "I think neon pink and yellow."
"Do you know how long my girls spend learning how to use their hard suits?" Quinn asked.
"No. But I can learn it in the pods. That'll give me plenty of time."
"Yes, you could do it that way but what about your projects?"
"You said my things aren't important," Rachel said. "So why don't I learn something that is important?"
"Argh!" Quinn shouted. "You're just being difficult!"
"Better difficult than useless," Rachel said.
"I didn't mean you were useless," Quinn said. "We just need your skills at a different point."
"It doesn't always feel like that," Rachel said. "Why can't I do exciting things also?"
"Artie? Help me out here," Quinn said.
"Early Memories went into battle with their clans," Artie said. "They were trained in all forms of personal combat. One famous Memory, Arktorous of the White Hills, could out-fly every pilot in the fleet."
"Not helping!" Quinn said. "Why did they stop allowing Memories to go into battle?"
"In the Battle of Corin's Reef, the Senior Memory, Talon, and his two apprentices were lost when a Purple Horde lightship collided with the shuttle they were traveling on. The clans agreed to never send a Memory out into a situation like that again."
"We aren't fighting the Purple Horde," Rachel said. "In fact, they've been extinct for over a thousand years. They were wiped out after that battle."
"That's not the point," Quinn said. "A Memory isn't just the Clan version of a bard. They are keepers of the culture of the Clans. I know we aren't quite a clan yet, with our instant minions and the Lost Clan having no idea who they really are. But we need to be by the time the Enemy reaches this part of the galaxy."
"But I don't feel important," Rachel said. "I'm just the song and dance person."
Quinn shook her head. "I want to show you something," she said. "Artie? Can you put up yesterday's training session?"
"Yes, Lady Quinn," Artie said.
"Lady Quinn?" Rachel said. "Does that make me Lady Rachel?" she asked, giggling.
"Not my idea," Quinn said. "My girls felt I needed a fancy title."
"If you say so," Rachel said, winking at her. "What did you want to show me?"
"Watch this," Quinn said, pointing at the screen. The screen filled with a group of Quinn's troops in their hard suits.
"What are they doing?" Rachel asked, mystified by what she was seeing.
"Dancing," Quinn said. "That's from a dance you taught some of the girls in your House."
"Dancing in their armor?" Rachel said, surprised.
"Yes," Quinn said. "Watch how they move. They've taken your dance, and used it to train with. Before they did this, they were having problems adjusting to the suits. They were awkward. But adding your dance moves? Something just clicked for them. And it makes them better. More fluid."
"Wow!" Rachel said, staring at the screen. "I know martial arts are a form of dance, but I've never thought of it being used in this way."
"It's a good thing," Quinn told her. "I don't recommend teaching Santana's comm specialists to sing on the job, she wouldn't be happy with that, but your skills apply in so many other places. You don't have to go into combat with us to help."
"I don't know. A little music might be a good thing," Rachel said. "It could be a secret code."
"Why do I even try?" Quinn said.
"Because I'm cute, and you know it," Rachel said, grinning at her. "What are you doing for dinner?"
"I was just going to get something in the mess," Quinn said. "We're working on night maneuver protocols. And you have no idea what that means..."
"No," Rachel admitted. "Why don't you explain over dinner," she said, standing up. "I'm sure it's something exciting."
"Actually, it's not," Quinn said. "But we can do dinner."
"Great!" Rachel said.
Next: Getting to Know You!