Chapter 10
MOUKA TAKABISHA!!"
The chi-blast smashed Sailorpluto to the ground,
collapsing the "Black Dome Close". Sailorpluto vanished, leaving
Akane sobbing in the middle of the street like an abandoned child.
Ranma scooped her up in his arms and cuddled her tightly against
his chest. Even as he held the weeping girl in his arms his head
swivelled back and forth, searching the darkness for the aura he'd felt
from across the street. Blood and madness . . . so strong now that he
could almost taste it. Old blood and bright madness . . .just standing
in the same spot occupied by that . . .woman . . . made his skin crawl.
"Dammit Tomboy," he whispered fiercely, "What the
hell have you gotten yourself into now?"
*************************************************
"You want me to what?"
Tendou Nabiki stared at her little sister with narrowed eyes.
"Get me transferred to another school." "Would you like an
Imperial Audience while I'm at it?"
Nabiki asked sarcastically. "Or perhaps instead of. After all the
Emperor is no longer a god . . . I can probably get you in to see
the Emperor." Akane looked at her sister with shuttered eyes. Nabiki
hated that. Always before she'd been able to read her little sister
like a cheap manga. Now . . .And Ranma. Ranma was acting . . ."
"What do you need?"
Nabiki stared down at her little sister with a twisted smile.
"Well, a couple of HUNDRED million yen would be
nice to start with. You know, for the little things . . .new school
uniform . . .bribes . . .transfer authorizations . . .bribes . .
.record transfers . . .BRIBES."Nabiki tilted her head thoughtfully.
"You know, I sense a pattern here. M . .O . . N . .E . .Y. To get
you transferred to another school for next year . . ."
"Tomorrow."
Nabiki's mouth dropped open with a surprised bark of laughter.
"TOMORROW! Go with an Imperial Audience little
sister. Breakfast with the Emperor . . .hell I could get you lunch
with God for what it would cost to get you transferred . . .IF I
could get you transferred . . . by the end of the YEAR. By TOMORROW
. . . I'd have to bribe half the Prefecture . . .no . . .the entire
Prefecture up to the Governor's office. And not little bribes either
. . .getting people up this time of night adds a surcharge . . ."
Akane's expression went blank for a moment and she tilted her head
slightly to the side as if listening. Then, suddenly and silently she
turned and went into her room. Nabiki stared at the closed door and
was startled by a harsh light that spilled out around the edges. She
took a tentative step toward the door then stopped, startled as it
opened and Akane stepped out.
"Here, will this help?"
Nabiki automatically held out her hands as Akane poured a stream of
raw gold from a bulging pillow case into her cupped palms.
"If you need more . . ." "No . . .thank you." Nabiki said
faintly. "Tell me. Do
you want to change schools . . .or BUY one?"
*************************************************
"Haruna sensei! What are you . . .I mean please come
in." That Minako was surprised to see Usagi's old teacher was beyond
understatement. And who was the nondescript man in the expensive suit?
"What a . . .surprise to see you Haruna sensei. I'm sorry
but I was just on my way out."
"I'm sorry to bother you Minakosan, but this is very
important. I would like to introduce you to Nagumo Seiji from MITI. He
is very concerned about recent . . .events on the Home Islands. He
would like to talk to you about them. Minako controlled her expression
with some effort. She was not helped in this when Artemis dug his claws
into her shoulder in involuntary reflex. The Ministry of International
Trade and Industry RAN Japan Inc. The government and military reported
to them and they send orders down as to how the country should be run.
"I'm afraid I don't understand Haruna sensei. Why would
a government official want to talk to me?"
"Talk to Aino Minako? No interest at all." The
nondescript man stepped forward for the first time. "To talk with
Sailor V? A great deal of interest." Minako didn't even blink. She'd
had a great deal of practice dissembling as Sailor V, and even more
as Sailorvenus.
"M . . .m .me? Sailor V." Minako almost bent in two
with a great sputtering laugh. "You've been talking to my agent. I
used to MODEL as Sailor V. Promotional stuff and . . ."
"Perhaps it would assist the discussion if you were to
know . . ."
"You said you wouldn't tell her!" Haruna sensei hissed
grabbing the man by the sleeve. "You promised . . ."
"If it were possible. We do not have time for foolishness.
She is, as you yourself have reported, a professional."
"Reported?" Minako was starting to have a bad feeling
about this. "Haruna sensei, what is going on?"
"I'm sorry Minakochan." Haruna sensei took a deep
breath and let it out slowly. "I KNOW you are Sailor V . . .and
Sailorvenus. I know because I watched you . . .followed you to Hikawa
Jinja. I have pictures . .. recordings. I know all about you. About
Artemis, Luna, the Princess. I know . . ." Minako had to believe
. . .the mention of the shrine by itself was almost enough. Luna and
the Princess clinched it.
"Why?" "Because your Haruna sensei is a spy . . .for the American
CIA."
Minako couldn't help it. She burst out laughing . . .so hard she
thought she was going to hurt herself. Strangely the little man from
the ministry seemed offended while Haruna sensei had a small smile
of sympathetic humor on her face.
"Heheheheheh."Minako clutched at her aching sides. "Oh
. .oh . .oh . . .you really had me going there."
"It is funny." Haruka sensei said. "But it's no joke."
"But . . .how . . .who . . .I mean . . .why would the CIA
want to spy on a school. Why would you DO it . . .I mean . . ."
"I'm an American citizen Minako. And all I did was
watch and remember and report. The CIA knows that everything in
Japan depends on the entrance exams . . .who will be running the
businesses . . .the government ministries . . .everything depends on
the entrance exams . . . what high school you graduate from decides
what University you attend. And University decides all the rest of
your life. All they wanted was advance warning on who was going to
be running the country and the industry in the next century."
"And . . .us?"
Haruna sensei gave Minako a small smile.
"Usagi and the rest of you were an accident. The farm . . .ummm
the CIA school teaches you to be aware of everything . ..and
suspicious of
everyone. Usagi and Ami and the rest of you were just a little
. . .strange. I looked . . .and I found."
"And . . .told." It wasn't a question. "Not everything. Just
enough to protect you." "Protect us? How?" "People are afraid
of what they don't know . . .don't
understand. I gave the Agency enough information so that they
felt comfortable with each new situation. So that they knew enough
about what was going on that they didn't feel it was necessary to
. . .interfere. You have to admit that there have been some interesting
things happening around here."
"You didn't feel it was necessary to inform the Japanese
government though, did you?" Haruna sensei looked at small man.
"I don't work for you Seiji."
Nagumo's lips tightened with suppressed fury at the insulting tone. It
was bad enough that these . . .these girls . . .had been running
around Japan for years with absolutely no governmental control.
Acting without supervision, without orders . . .doing whatever THEY
thought was right instead of what had been decided by policy. And now
this . . .this . . .spy . . .this gaijin . . .this woman . . .talking
to him this way.
"No. You are a foreign national engaged in espionage. A
crime that carries the death penalty. You can be shot . . .taken
out and shot as a spy. A dirty, gaijin whoruurrrrrk" Nagumo Seiji
scrabbled desperately at the hand that had clamped around his throat.
"I don't think you should take that tone with Haruna
sensei. Not in MY house." Minako ignored the ministry flunky gasping
in her grasp and turned back to Haruna sensei.
"I'm very sorry. Please continue." "There's not much more. I
haven't been active for years.
Not much interest anymore. Or funding. Then I got a call. There has
been a lot of activity world wide. Strange sightings, explosions. I'm
not sure of everything that's going on. I do know that I have been
instructed to contact you . . .and the Japanese government." She
glances at Nagumo, slowly turning blue. "He's . . .well he's all the
ministry could spare on short notice. I am suppose to tell you and
your friends that the American government is aware of your existence
and prepared to render whatever aid they can to support you and the
Japanese people." Haruna sensei pulled a folded square of paper out of
her pocket and handed it to Minako. "This is a list of authentication
codes and radio frequencies. You get to pick your own code names."
Minako grinned beatifically . . . Artemis dropped his head in sudden
fear.
*************************************************
"Class, I would like to introduce Tendou Akane, a
new transfer student . Now who would like to show her. . ."
"AKA-CHAN! AKA-CHAAAN! Hiiiiiiii!" Tsukino
Usagi bounced up and down in her seat in a manner very unlike a high
school student but very like Tsukino Usagi. There was a moment
of stunned silence followed by a round of snickering as the class
realized what Usagi had named her new friend.
"Usagi!" The sensei began sternly. "Please control
yourself. I need someone to show Tendousan . . ."
"Thank you sensei" Akane broke in politely, " I
appreciate you letting Tsukinosan be my guide."
"But . . .I didn't. . .She's not . . ."
Sensei's mouth snapped shut.
"Very well. There is an empty desk in the back of. . ."
Sensei's mouth dropped as Akane lifted the desk in front of Usagi,
student included, and exchanged it for the empty one he had started
to indicate.
"Hrrmmph. Very well. If we can all just settle down
class will start." ************************************************
". . .swer the question Tsukinochan. Tsukinochan!"
A delicate buzzing snore, like a band-saw cutting through glass, was
Sensei's only answer. Sensei's lips tightened and he launched a piece
of chalk at Usagi's head. Five hundred centimeters from it's target
the chalk vanished. Sensei blinked, then saw the chalk pinched
between Tendou Akane's thumb and forefinger. Her grip tightened and
the chalk vanished in a small explosion of dust. Sensei paled at the
look in her eyes and stumbled back a step.
"Usagi-chan!" Ami shook her friend urgently
"Usagi-chan!"
"Jus' five more min'ts mom, jus fiv. . ."
Minako yanked Usagi 's head up by her braid.
"Look, somebody lost a gallon of 'Rocky Road'."
"WHAT! WHERE? It'smineIsawit first!!"
Everyone ducked as Usagi's braids lashed the air like a flail.
"Usagi" Minako twisted Usagi's head toward the front
of the room. "Tendousan is in Samurai pit-bull mode. Do you think
you can stop her before she bends the sensei?"
"Yeah" Makoto added "we might miss lunch if we're
all in jail."
"LUNCH? "Usagi screamed the word, as a martyr
might have cried a saints name in the flames.
"Is it lunch time?"
The sensei looked at the clock, which read forty five minutes 'till the
noon recess, then looked at Tendou Akane. Twelve years of training and
education crammed into his cerebral cortex demanded that he maintain
discipline in his class room. Ten million years of survival instinct
imbedded in his pre-brain told the cerebral cortex to shut-the-hell-up.
"Lunch time! Class dismissed!"
*************************************************
"Ami can I. . ." "No.!" "Minako, are you going to
eat. . ." "Yes." "Makotoooo. Could I have a little. . ."
"You already ate mine during first period, remember?" "But I'm
starvvvvving." "Here Usagisan." Akane handed Usagi a bentou.
"Thiffgooojewmatii?" "She says 'This is good. Did you make
it?'" Ami
translated helpfully.
"Any bentou Akane makes is considered a lethal
weapon." Usagi and her friends were startled when a petite red-head
swung down from the tree.
"RANMA!. . ." Akane screeched in the most normal
tone the senshi had heard that day. " What are you wearing?"
Ranma swung in a circle, skirts flaring cutely.
"It's my new school uniform. Like it ?" "You Pervert! What are
you doing wearing a dress?" "Who you calling a pervert, tomboy ?"
"Tomboy! TOMBOY!! WHY YOU . . ." "Ummm. Akachan. Whose your
friend?"
Akane turned sheepishly to Usagi.
"Ahhh this is. . .ah. . .Ranko. A, uh, friend of mine."
"Ranko? I thought she said Ranma?" Minako
wondered aloud.
"Just call him a pervert." Akane fumed while Ranko
grinned at her.
"Him?" "Akane just called Ranko him?" "I thought it was Ranma?"
Akane ignored the chattering voices and turned fiercely on a chuckling
"Ranko".
"What are you laughing at?" "AKA . . .chan?" Ranko smirked at
the fuming Akane.
"Aka . . .CHAN. That's a perfect . .."
" Would you SHUT UP!" Akane ground her teeth in
frustration, turning an alarming shade of . . .
"Just what are you DOING here." she hissed "and
wearing a DRESS!"
"I go to school here now. I'm in your class as a matter
of fact. I would have been here earlier but Nabiki insisted on cash
up front. She gave me a discount 'cause she'd already done the hard
work gettin' you in." Fascinated Ranma watched Akane turn colors he
never even knew existed.
"You . . .school . . .HERE!! . . ." Akane sputtered
incoherently as she tried to grapple with the concept. Almost
immediately she latched onto another grievance.
"That . . .that skirt. Just what do you think . . ." "You're just
jealous 'cause it looks better on me than
on you." Ranko backpedaled hastily as Akane's aura flared, creating
a double shadow of everything in front of her.
"I'm wearing a dress 'cause I'm registered as a girl. A
lota' the classes, like Gym, are segregated. An I'm not lettin' you
outta my sight. Not 'till I find out what's goin' on." Akane's aura
flickered out like a match in a typhoon. Ranko gently reached out
and pushed her jaw shut.
"Wha. . .what are you talking about." "I'm talking about you
disappearing all the time. I'm
talking about your new 'friends'." Ranko swept a hand to indicate Usagi
and the others. "I'm talking" Ranko backed Akane against the tree
"about last night" slender arms like silk covered steel snapped out
to either side of Akane's head, pinning her in place "and the strange
woman" Ranko stretched up on tip-toe 'till her eyes were level with
Akane's "who tried to KILL YOU!"
"What!" "What happened?" "You didn't say any. . ."
"Why didn't. . ." AKA-CHAN!" Usagi nearly bowled Akane and
Ranko over as she hurtled herself at her friend. "Are you all right!"
"Aaaaaak! Can't breath!" gasped Ranko who found
herself the filling in an Usagi/Akane sandwich.
"I'm fine Usagisan." Akane replied peeling Usagi off
her, thereby saving the Saotome line from extinction. "Ranko is
exaggerating as usual."
"What did this woman look like." Ami asked worridly. "It's
nothing to be concerned. . ." "She was about this high" Ranko
held her arm above
her head. "She had long dark hair, an' it may have been the light but
it had a funny shine to it . . .kinda . . .greenish." Ranko didn't
miss the looks the girls exchanged.
"An' she carried this long stick with a big ball on top,
sittin' inside this valentine heart thingy."
"That's S. . ." Usagi blurted. "Strange. Really Strange" Makoto
finished, slamming
a hand over Usagi's mouth. "Did you tell the police. . . or anyone?"
"You guys have got idea who it coulda been?" Ranko
ignored the question and pinned Makoto with a hard look.
"Who it could have been? Uh . . .no . .no idea at all?"
"You're lyin'!" Ranko said flatly.
Makoto stiffened at the insult and took a combative step forward. She
stopped suddenly, unsure what to do as she realized the charge
was true.
"Ranma!" Akane was furious "How can you say some
thing like. . ."
"I find you unconscious in an ally, beaten half to
death" Ranko held up a hand and folded down a finger "You disappear and
no one know where you've gone" another finger disappeared "some strange
woman tries to kill you , you transfer to a new school and suddenly
you've got all these new 'friends'." The fingers had turned into a
fist which Ranko shook in Akane's face. "THAT'S how I can say something
like that." He glared up at the taller girl shaking with emotion.
"But it don't matter what's goin' on 'cause I"M here
and I ain't leavin'"
"Are you saying I can't take care of myself? That I
need someone to look after me?"
"Listen ya stupid tomboy. . ." "OH! Now I' m stupid."
"Listen.Ya nearly got killed on Phoenix Mountain. An'
I'm always havin' ta chase after you 'cause some prince or somethin'
has kidnaped you or. . ." Usagi and her friends in amazement as
Ranko catalogued the misadventures of Tendou and Saotome.
". . .ve you from some ridiculously huge animals or . . ."
"Well if I'm so much trouble. . ." Akane tearfully tried
to shove Ranko away from her.
"You never LISTEN" Ranko shouted in frustration
"You just NEVER listen. If ya would just. . . AH Hell!" Pietite
hands grabbed Akane by the ears and jerked the startled girl off
balance. Akane opened her mouth to protest this rough treatment just
as Ranko opened her mouth to berate Akane about her stupidity. Time
slowed to a crawl. The two teen's froze in place . . .so close
to each other that a hydraulic ram couldn't have forced a postage
stamp through the gap . . .yet not touching still. There was a tiny
freckle in the corner of Akane's mouth. Ranma had never noticed that
before. Fascinated he watched her nostrils gently flair with each
breath she took He could spend hours just watching her breath. Often
at night he would hang outside her window just . . .listening.
Each breath she took brought Akane an aroma that was
Ranma . . .no matter what form he took . . .uniquely Ranma. It made
her feel . . .warm . . .safe. Akane could see a vein in Ranko's throat
gently pulse. With life . . .Ranma's life. She could feel her insides
get all squishy as she inhaled and Ranma's essence filled her lungs.
Her eyelids felt heavy and against her will closed. She could just
. . .
"Wooooo! Somebody get a bucket!" "Bucket! We need the fire
hose!." "Akachan. Doesn't that hurt?"
Akane was distantly aware of an annoying buzzing sound that gradually
resolved itself into voices. She opened her eyes to confront a pair
of dazed sky blue orbs peering muzzily back at her. She opened her
eyes to confront a pair of dazed sky blue orbs peering muzzily back
at her. Startled she tried to pull back only to find her hands had
somehow trapped themselves inside the waistband of "Ranko's" skirt
and were cupping. . ."
"Eeeeeeep!!"
The two blushing teens hurriedly disentangled themselves.
"An' let that be a lesson to ya'" Ranko panted.
Akane flushed with embarrassment . . .and something else . . .something
that she chose to identify as anger. Anger was safer . . .much safer
than . . .something else.
"PERVERT! Just what do you think you're doing?"
Akane didn't pause to give Ranko time to answer.
"How dare you follow me. And how dare you call
my friends liars. And another thing . . ." Akane was on a roll. "What
were you doing following me. And what's this business about someone
trying to KILL me?" Akane laughed sarcastically. "That's the stupidest
thing . . ." Usagi and her friends watched apprehensively as Akane
tore a strip off the petite red-head. Apprehensive partially because
of the slight tic beside Ranko's right eye . . .evidence of superhuman
effort to hold back a retort. But also because the small red-head
was absent-mindedly folding a section of chain-link fence between
her fingers like a piece of paper.
". . . can't believe the nerve you have . . ."
Akane stopped abruptly when Ranko held up a hand, palm out.
"All right. You had your say . . .now it's MY turn. Ya
got other people worried . . . Kasumi for one. An' Nabiki. Ya got her
worried enough that she helped me change schools . . .at COST!! Don'
ya think that comin' home all beat up . . .talking to yourself .
. . transferring to a new school . . .well they're all worried about
you." Ranko paused. "Me too." Akane looked down at the ground,
seemingly fascinated by her toes.
"Y . . .they don't need to be worried. I'm fine. I . . ."
Ranko cut through her protestations.
"An' that . . .woman . . .that tried to kill you. We don't
gotta worry about her neither?" Akane's head came up . . .intending to
object. That protest died under Ranko's glare like a moth in a furnace.
"Umm . . .Rankosan?"
Ranko turned at Ami's softly questioning voice.
"Rankosan. What makes you think this woman was
trying to kill Akanesan. I mean . . .what evidence do you have . . ."
"I'm a martial artist. That's all I've done my whole life.
Maybe I ain't so good at other stuff . . .but the Art . . .there
ain't no one better than me. I know when someone's ready for a fight
. . .how good they are . . .if they mean business. I KNOW! An that
woman was tryin' to KILL Akane."
"What do you mean . . .you know." Makoto put in
skeptically. "How could you just look . . ."
"The way I know about you." Ranma speared Makoto
with a look. "I know that you try to act big and tough. An' you're
brave all right. Got a lotta heart. Ain't no one gonna stop you . . .
But deep down . . .you're scared. Scared you're gonna' be alone."
Makoto paled at this summation, but Ranko had already started on her
next target.
"And you." She pointed to Ami, who shrank slightly
under Ranko's consideration.
"Cool, calm. Real smart." Ranko paused. "Real . . .real
smart. Got good instincts . . .but don't believe in 'em. Don't
believe in yourself. So you hide behind your smarts. So no one will
see . . .you." Ami paled and hid her head in her hands as Ranko
swung on her next target, Minako.
"And you . . ." Ranko paused, puzzled. "You're a deep one."
Ranko's brow wrinkled. "You . . .you're dangerous. There's blood on
your hands." Minako stiffened slightly, then relaxed.
"There's blood." Ranko continued. "But it's clean. Just
like you." Ranko bowed slightly, one equal to another. "We ought to
spar sometime." Minako brightened and returned the bow.
"An' You." Ranko stepped up to Rei, who stood her
ground and glared at Ranko, daring her to do her worst.
"You . . .try to make people think you're tough. And
you are. Ya got a lotta chi . . .a whole lot." Ranko cocked her head
and raked Rei with a long searching gaze. Rei resisted a compulsion
to cover herself with her hands at the sudden sensation of being
naked in public.
"You're always . . .afraid . . .but not for yourself . . .never
for yourself. You're afraid of failing . . .someone . . .else.
Someone you love more than your life . . .some . . .one . . ."
Rei paled, swayed and would have fallen if not for small hands which
suddenly were there to catch her.
"And as for you." Ranko turned her gaze to the small
blond figure supporting Hino Rei. "As for you . . ." Ranko's cocky
attitude disappeared and her eyes went wide with shock Straightening
suddenly she executed a very low, profoundly respectful bow.
"Forgive me for my impertinence master. I meant no
disrespect. But I believe that I have demonstrated why I believed
the . . .woman . . .I saw was a threat . . .a deadly threat to
Tendou Akane." The other senshi were amazed at the transformation
. . .from sarcastic, rough talking . . .to polite almost formal . . ."
Akane was beyond amazement and well on her way to shocked. She grabbed
Ranko by one sleeve and spun her around.
"Just what are you doing." Akane hissed. "Mr. "I bow
to nobody". I thought you didn't call anyone master."
"I didn't." Ranko replied so simply that Akane could
think of nothing to say.
*************************************************
"Setsuna! Where have you been? There's a new
enemy and . . ."
"Weapon 4 is active. Yes I know." the guardian of
time looked at her companions. "We are facing the strongest enemy
yet. If we loose this battle every living thing on Earth will die."
Kaiou Michiru and Ten'ou Haruka looked at each other then back at
Meiou Setsuna, Sailorpluto.
"What do you want us to do?" "You must retrieve Weapon 4. Without
it we have no
chance of defeating this enemy."
"That should not be a problem." Michiru started "she
has already helped in two battles and . . ."
"That is not enough. Weapon 4 must be FULLY
activated under our control." Haruka hissed in dismay.
"That. . . may present problems" Michiru said slowly
"the Princess will not. . ."
"What the princess does or does not want is
irrelevant." Setsuna said cooly. "Our mandate is to guard the outer
reaches of the solar system against invaders or to repel them by any
means necessary. By any means."she repeated flatly. "Against the
loss of billions of lives and the life of an entire world, the loss
of one individual is a small price."
"What do you want us to do?"
*************************************************
Shoho (Rear Admiral) Ugaki Yusho was waiting for the Americans. As
he stood on the port wing of his flagship Kurushio he wondered if
his father has felt the same way fifty years earlier. If he had
it had not, he thought sourly, been for the same reasons. Then his
father, under the command of Tanaka Raizo Japans greatest Destroyer
commander, had lain in ambush to destroy the Americans. Now he was
burning incense and saying prayers for the safe and quick arrival
of the American task force from the Indian Ocean. The Admiral paced
slowly up and back on the small wing.
"Measles!"
He still couldn't believe it. Two weeks earlier there had been a
carrier group within six hours steaming of Japan. Then an outbreak of
. . .MEASLES . . .of all things had sent the Americans on their way
back to Hawaii. A new strain the doctors had said. Very dangerous.
Now he was waiting on the task force the Americans had diverted from
the Indian Ocean. Admiral Ugaki paced to the rail and looked at his
force; twenty ships to defend all Japan. Under normal circumstances he
would have been confident. The JSDF utilized one of the worlds most
sophisticated coastal and air-born radar networks. Admiral Ugaki was
confident his ships, especially the new Aegis destroyers backed by
the F15J's, F3's and older Phantoms of the Air Defense Force could
pin any normal enemy on the beaches where the Ground Defense forces
could deal with them. But now . . .he took another quick turn and
stared at the ships wake. Now . . .there would be no warning . . .no
time to move forces . . .to alert air wings. Not against an enemy
who could appear from nowhere . . .appear INSIDE the Home Islands
with no warning. How could he defend . . .
"Admiral! Sir . . .The Capitol . . .it's under attack!"
Ukagi bolted through the opening into the bridge in time to see a
brilliant white flash that lit Tokyo bay.
"Captain , take us into the bay . .. flank speed. CIC,
what do you have?" There was a rumbling whine as the big jet turbine
slammed to full power and Kurushio heeled sharply in a crash turn
to port. The rating at the console that linked the bridge to the
combat information center turned slightly toward his Admiral.
"Sir, CIC reports many air-born objects. Very small . .
.fast . . .hard to lock up. Tentative count . . .15 . . .no . . .18.
And a large distortion that appears to match reports of the enemy's
transport effect."
"Flag to all ships." Ukagi settled himself in his leather
chair. "Form on Kurushio. The enemy is inside the bay. Fire plan
Autumn Wind." He could hear the atonal shriek of the General
Quarters alarm, the pounding feet of sailors . . .young men in his
care . . .racing for their action stations. Forward he could see
the single 176 mm mount traversing as the gun crew made last minute
checks. Aft he knew the missile crews were readying their SAM's and
hoping they wouldn't need the Phalanx Gatling gun. Ukagi hesitated
for a moment then continued. "I know every man will do his duty. May
the Emperor live ten thousand years. EI!"
"OU!!"
Ukagi smiled as the enthusiastic response came back from all over
the ship . . .and over the radio from the rest of his small fleet.
"What air support do we have available?"
This was no idle question. Japan's Air Defense Force was at the
breaking point, being the only force that had a realistic chance of
engaging an enemy that didn't need roads or sea- lanes to travel.
"Ummm." The rating ran a finger down a list detailing
squadron readiness. "The 801'st has two F15J's at plus five. And three
more at plus thirty."
*************************************************
"Isurugi! Would you quit fiddling with my aircraft!" "Sorry
Mitakasan" The young private bowed in
apology. Well as much of a bow as was possible when crouched on the
wing of an F15 fighter. "Sorry Hanedasan." He twisted and sketched
another half-bow at the pilot of the other F15 just a few meters
away. "But this is a very serious time. . . it's important that I do
my job well . . .so that you can do yours."
"You need more than a good job to help that clumsy
little bitch." Came the sneering retort from Haneda. "You need direct
intervention from God."
"WHAT! Why you whoring little . . ." "PLEASE . . .SHUT
. . .UP!!!"
The uncharacteristic outburst from the normally mild (but
enthusiastic) private silenced the two pilots. Chest heaving with
emotion private Isurugi glared, first at his girlfriend and then at
his mistress. (Exactly who was which had yet to be decided.)
"I have been studying reports on this enemy. As a
result of what is known I have loaded your guns with depleted
uranium anti-tank rounds. I also managed to . . .borrow four Phoenix
missiles. You have two each. The rest of your missiles are Longbow
Hellfire II anti-tank missiles."
"What! Why anti-tank. Why not . . ."
Isurugi turned to Haneda.
"The Phoenix gives you a much longer range. With the
Hellfire you have to close to six thousand meters. But the enemy
is very tough. They are armored more like tanks than conventional
aircraft. I don't think standard AAM warheads are enough. But
the Hellfire's might . . ." Whatever Isurugi had to say was lost
in the blare of the alert signal. Instantly Isurugi snapped shut
the inspection port and slid off the wing. Running under the plane
he yanked loose the wheel chocks. As he did so the F15J's engines
roared into life. Sprinting hard he yanked loose the wheel chocks of
the second jet and fell to the ground, covering his head as the two
planes rolled off down the runway. Recovering from the awful noise
Isurugi rolled to his feet just as the two planes, wingtips less
than a meter apart rotated off the concrete. As if the two planes
were flown by one person the jets accelerated to one thousand feet,
gear and flaps came up simultaneously and the fighters turned toward
Tokyo at full afterburner.
************************************************
"Would you quit following me!" Akane hissed. "Hey, I'm just
takin' a walk!" Ranma grinned
infuriatingly down from his perch on the fence top. "Just pretend
I'm not here."
"I wish I could pretend you were in Hokkaido.."
Akane muttered to herself.
"I think it's kind of sweet of her uh I mean him." Even
after an explanation of Ranma's rather unique . . .outlook on life
Usagi was still a little confused. She wasn't the only one.
"There's at least a 35 kilo mass difference between your
male and female forms. How on earth do you balance the mass energy
equation!" Ami asked again. "I mean, if you just converted that much
mass to energy you'd blow up all of Tokyo. I suppose you could shunt
it off using. . ."
"Do you have any idea of what Ami's talking about?"
Makoto whispered .
"I think she's upset about how Ranma loses so much
weight when he changes to Ranko." Minako replied. Makoto frownedat her small friend.
". . .blem of acquiring mass for your conversion UP to
your male feeeeeeeeeeepppppppp!" Ami squawked as she was snatched
into the air by Makoto.
"MAKOTO! What areeeeeee. NO! Don't
heheheheheh!" Ami squirmed and giggled as Makoto poked and prodded
her sides.
"WHAT are you DOING!" Ami gasped after Makoto
put her down. Tugging and pulling her clothes back into place Ami
glared up at her giant friend.
"You're not at all fat." Makoto said seriously. "What?"
"In fact you could stand to GAIN some weight."
Makoto frowned. "If some guy said you're too fat, you just let ME
talk to him." Ami looked at her big friend as if she were crazy.
"Makoto, what in the world are you talking about?" "I know it's
easy to get hung up on your appearance
and all that. But your health is more important. You're smart and
pretty and I think you look just fine like you are and . . ."
"Thank you, I think? But why this sudden interest in
my weight?"
"Well Minako said that you were trying to find out
how Ranma loses all that weight when he changes into Ranko, but
if you try to loose that much it'll make you sick and . . ."
Ami placed a finger against Makoto's lips to stop the flow of
words. She looked up into her friends concerned face, then dropped
her gaze to see Minako, Usagi and Rei all looking back with identical
concern on their faces. She glanced up at Ranma who shrugged with a
"don't-ask-me-haven't-understood-a-thing-you've-said-all-day" look.
Finally she looked at Akane who grinned back with sympathetic
understanding. Ami drew in a deep breath and looked back at her
friends.
"Thank you for worrying about me. I promise I won't take
any chances with my health."
"That's great!" Makoto said with relief. "Why don't I
make a bentou for you every day?"
"That's not necess. . ." "And supper too!" Makoto enthused
"That way we can
be sure you're getting proper nutrition." Ami looked at the circle
of faces surrounding her and suddenly understood the old adage that
it's easier to escape from enemies that from friends.
"All right." she surrendered "That sounds nice." "Yayyyyy! A
party." Usagi was ecstatic. "Uh, That's not what . . ." Ami
began. "We could have it at my house." Akane added shyly.
"As long as you don't cook. . ."Ranma began. "There's something
evil. . ." Rei's head came up
suddenly. She turned her head like a hound casting for a scent. She
stiffened , then took of at a dead run. Usagi and the others were a
split second behind her.
"HEY! Wait for me." After a startled instant of
hesitation Ranma bounded along behind the group. Rei's impression of
evil was soon confirmed by screams and explosions in the distance. As
they drew closer to the scene the impression of disaster was magnified
by the streams of terrified people fleeing the scene.
"Uh. . .what about. . ." Makoto jerked her head in the
direction of Ranma who was hovering protectively over Akane who in
turn was hovering over Usagi. Usagi was feeling a bit mashed
since Rei was crowded protectively and possessively on her other
side.
"I'm not sure. . ." Makato flinched as the sky flashed
white and the top of a distant building rose lazily into the air like
a leaf blowing in the wind.
"DOWN!!"
She dove for cover, dragging Ami and Minako with her. Moments later
the shock wave roared over them in a blast of hot wind and a rumble
that shattered windows and rippled the roadway like a bowl of jello.
"Is everyone OK." "OK here." "Fine." "What the hell was
that?" "We're alright here." "I'm getting Muuuuuushed!" Usagi
complained from
the bottom of a protective mound of senshi, Blood Guard and bystander.
"Better than getting your baka head blown off." Rei
snapped.
"Akane! Can we trust. . ." Minako jerked a thumb at
Ranma.
"With your lunch, money or panties, NO!"
Ranma bristled at this and his mouth opened to protest.
"With your life or honor, absolutely."
His mouth snapped closed and he felt his face heat up.
"All right then, Henshin YO!" "MOON. . ." "MARS. . ."
"JUPITER. . ." "MERCURY. . ." "VENUS. . ."
Ranma looked at Akane who was watching her princess transform into
the pretty sailor suited soldier for love and justice.
"Hey, tomboy, don't you have a transformation?" "No, I'm not
a senshi." "MAKE UP!!"
Ranma paused to watch vari-colored energies surround the five girls.
"That's too bad." "Huh! Why?" Akane dragged her eyes away from
Usagi to see Ranma watching the five girls. She suddenly realized
what Ranma was seeing, or rather what he WASN'T seeing.
"Why you perv. . ." "I bet you'd be really cute."
"C. .c. . cute?"
Ranma winked at her and all of Akane's higher brain functions promptly
turned to mush and ran out the soles of her feet. The five senshi
finished their transformations to find Akane staring with huge dazed
eyes at Ranma, who was rocking back and forth on his heels, a look
of complete innocence on his face.
"If you two are quite finished?" Minako politely
inquired. "We have some 'Big Nasty's' to pound." She turned to the
senshi of water. "Mercury, what do we have." Mercury typed commands
into her computer as her visor gathered data from the surrounding
area. She looked up sickly at her friends.
"A. . akane. Would you please scan the area and give
me a count of the enemy.
"Passive Sensors to maximum sensitivity. Search for
hostile's." Akane commanded the voice.
##Working## the voice whispered.##Multiple targets
found. Energy signatures consistent with previous contacts.##
the whisper paused ##Active portal detected. Flying vehicles
detected. Listing contacts now.## A mental grid map of the area
popped up with a tabular listing of enemy numbers and types in the
lower right corner. As she watched the portal icon flared and another
icon, tentatively identified as a vehicle, crackled into existence.
"I estimate one hundred plus infantry" Akane reported
"in powered armor accompanied by six to eight vehicles. Maybe twice
that many. The vehicles appear to be a lightly armored flying
scout. I'm sorry the count isn't more precise but the proximity of
an active portal interferes with my sensors. In addition they are
using some sort of jammer . I could try to burn through on Active,
but that would give away our position."
"That agrees closely with what I'm finding as well."
Mercury looked at her friends. "I think we may have a problem."
Before she could say more two jet fighters, emblazoned with the rising
sun, roared overhead.
"Wha . . ." "I believe help has arrived." Venus watched
closely at
the two planes reefed around in a tight turn, less than a thousand
feet above the street and accelerated hard toward a clump of enemy
flying machines swarming just above the now ruined docks. There was a
rumbling noise and as the amazed senshi watched a trio of GSDF tanks
charged down a side street, treads ripping up the asphalt as they
headed for the dock area.
"WOOO!" Ranma shouted involuntarily. "Do we
follow . . .or what?" He asked, not being familiar with senshi combat
etiquette.
"We follow . . .carefully." Venus decided. And with
that the small group headed for Tokyo bay.
*************************************************
"I have tone." Haneda announced. "Fox two. Fox two
on the big guy stationary over the docks." The Phoenix missiles
left their hard points and headed toward their target at mach 3
plus. Immediately she jinked hard left, pulling nine gees in the
turn, then jerked the heavy Eagle back around to close on burner on
the remaining targets. The Phoenix missiles, hers and Mitaka's, had
impacted with little apparent effect. Peripherally she noted Mitaka
tied to her starboard wing as if by a steel rod matching her move for
move as they moved in to launch their Hellfire's. If they survived
, they would close and engage with guns.
"I have tone. Launch, launch ,launch." Eight Hellfire
anti-tank missiles ripple fired from her wings and accelerated past
mach 2.
"Launch, launch, launch." Haneda heard Mitaka's
voice over the radio and could see a flash as eight additional
Hellfires streaked toward their target. Her Eagle lifted as it suddenly
became lighter by several hundred kilograms. Haneda pulled back on
the controller and kicked hard right rudder in the start of a reverse
Immelman. A hammer of sound and fire slammed her against the side of
the cockpit and centripetal force pinned her in place as her Eagle
spun earthwards and flames ate at her nomex flight suit.
"NO!" The involuntary denial was forced from Mitaka
as Haneda's Eagle was blasted apart by a bolt of lightning from a
black armored flier that came, literally, from no-where. Even as
she recoiled in horror from the sight of Haneda's death spiral,
her hands and feet moved with the effect of years of training and
an inborn warriors heart. Her Eagle shuddered as she chopped power
and popped the dive-brakes. Stall and engine warnings shrilled,
ignored, as Mitaka kicked the rudder hard over and her Eagle slid
drunkenly through the air. The black flyer shot past the fighter and
into Mitaka's sights. Tone sounded and she ripple fired her remaining
complement of Hellfire missiles. Without waiting to see their effect
she dropped the nose of her jet and went to full burner, wondering
if she had enough air to recover from her stall. At one hundred feet
Mitaka pulled out of her dive, low enough to see a flash of blond hair
and . . .sailor suits? There was no time to sight-see as she roared
skyward like a home-sick angel in a zoom climb. Half mad with grief
and looking for revenge Mitaka scanned the sky for, looking for the
enemy and found. . . .
Haneda didn't remember triggering the charge that blew her clear
of her dying Eagle. She remembered the explosion that had killed
her beautiful plane . . .remembered the fire . . . praying she
wouldn't burn . . .And now she was floating in the air. Haneda took
a deep breath and winced as her ribs protested. Bruised? Broken? Who
cared. She was alive. She hadn't burned. That was a plus in any . . .
"Haneda . . .you bitch. You stupid, stupid . . ." Mitaka
didn't realize she was crying as she cursed the slowly descending
figure of her team mate. "See if I ever let you forget . . ." Her
prayerful curses cut off as she saw the black flyer coming back
. . .trailing oily smoke and fire . . .but flying still and headed
for . . .
"Damn you . . ." She was out of missiles. Mitaka
selected guns . . .centered her targeting pip . . .and went to war
emergency power.
Haneda heard the scream of abused jet engines and twisted in her
harness. She saw the black flyer . . .dark and evil as it scudded
through the air toward her . . .she saw an Eagle. Mitaka! She could
see it growing . . .larger and larger as is shrieked through the
thick air.
"uh oh."
Haneda grabbed the risers of her parachute and pulled, spilling air,
trying to drop . . .as fast and as far as she could
before . . .
Lightning blasted from the black flyer . . .toward the Eagle.
Jinking, twisting and rolling the Eagle closed on its prey.
"DIE!" Mitaka toggled her cannon and the Eagle
shivered as the 20mm gun slammed back at the black flyer.
Swinging gently in mid-air Haneda had a wonderful view of the
battle. The same view, she suspected, a mouse had just before it was
swallowed by the cat. The black flyer was obviously hurt . . .it's
maneuvers were slow . . .awkward. But still deadly as it fired bolt
after bolt of lightning. Thunder rolled and shivered the air until
Haneda was almost deaf and the air stank of ozone. But the Eagle was
a whirling, twisting impossible target as it twisted through the air
stressing the air- frame with maneuvers that McDonnell-Douglas had
never dreamed of.
"Good girl . .. good girl." Haneda twisted her body as
she unconsciously mimicked Mitaka's piloting. "You got him . . . you
got him. Now break off . . ."
Mitaka was beyond reason. Beyond fear. Her panel was a blaze of warning
and failure lights. She didn't care. Like a wolf with it's teeth in the
throat of an enemy . . .Mitaka wouldn't let go . . .COULDN'T let go.
"Break off . . .break off . . .Please Mitaka. . ."
The big jet fighter slammed into the black flyer at 600 knots.
Haneda wrapped her arms around her head and drew her knees into her
chest just as the shock wave hit. It tossed her like a leaf in a
typhoon, twisting and turning in her lines in a way that could have
easily collapsed her parachute dropping her to her death.
"Damn you . . .Damn you." Haneda swung limp and
uncaring as she drifted toward the unseen ground.
"mine . . .was . . .bigger."
Haneda's head jerked up at the faint cry and she dashed tears from
her eyes. Twisting wildly about she searched the sky, starting wild
and dangerous gyrations in her parachute.
"mine . . .was . . ."
THERE! Above her and almost a thousand meters distant. Straining
Haneda could see the tiny figure dangling beneath a silken hemisphere,
hands to mouth as she shouted . . .
" . . .bigger . . .mine . . .was . . .bigger . . .than . .
.yours."
Haneda inflated her chest and hands cupped to mouth shouted back.
"I . . .SLOWED . . .HIM . . .DOWN . . .FOR . . .YOU. . ."
She had to get this stupid grin off her face before she landed.
************************************************
Noses pressed against the window of the hastily evacuated 'All
Players Caf‚' Usagi and her friends watched horrified as the second
fighter rammed the alien craft and both machines then slammed into
the Odaiba Seaside Park. A huge ball of fire and black smoke erupted
from the park and even from their fifth floor vantage the small group
could see park visitors stream from the disaster like ants from an
overturned anthill.
"oh god,ohgodohgodohgod." Makato wrapped her
arms around her stomach and closed her eyes. It was impossible at
this distance but she thought she could hear screams from the center
of the fireball.
"Come on!" Usagi called to her friends as she dashed
to the stairs. Rei snagged her arm and dragged her to a stop.
"Just where do you think YOU're going?" "We have to help . . ."
Rei cut her friend off and pointed out the window at two trucks;
one with JSDF markings, the other a civilian fire truck. It was a
pitiful response to a disaster of that magnitude, but amazing that
any response at all was possible.
"WE do nothing. We're not equipped for fire fighting.
And we've got another job . . .stopping the things that did that."
Usagi started to argue when Akane put a hand on her shoulder.
"Reisan is right."
Usagi looked at her Blood Guard in hurt betrayal but whatever words
of protest she had were stillborn by Akane's white faced calm.
"Reisan is right." Akane repeated. "It is our job to
stop this from happening . . .ever again." Usagi took a deep breath
and let it out slowly. Jerkily she nodded once in agreement then
turned to her other Senshi.
"Ami . . .what should we do next?" "We've got to close their
main portal." Ami rapidly
entered commands into her computer. " It's near the International
Trade Center . . .there's a distortion consistent with the alien
transportation effect that covers an area from the Takeshiba Pier
northeast to Hamacho Park and west past the Nakkei Building.
"That much?" Makato whispered.
Ami had just described an area of influence that gutted Chuo-ku, one
of the three central wards of Tokyo, one of the most densely populated
areas on earth and only 4 km from . . .
"The EMPEROR!" Makato gasped in sudden
realization. "We have to . . ."
"Relax." Ranma put a calming hand on the big
Senshi's shoulder. "The Emperor has the best security in the world. I'm
sure he's just fine."
************************************************
"COWARDS . . . .FOX CHILDREN . . . UNCLEAN
ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING OF PORTUGESE . . ."
"Stupid boken boy keep head down." Shan Pu yanked
Kuno into a ditch as a vaguely beatle shaped flyer shot overhead on
a firing pass. Kuno jerked free and leapt from the ditch screaming
imprecations at the departing flyer. Shan Pu cautiously peeped over
the lip of the ditch in time to see the burning Fujimi Tower fall with
a resounding crash. Brushing mud and filth off her clothing Shan Pu
emerged from cover to bop Kuno on the head to get his attention.
"What silly samurai boy think he do with sword
against flying machine and cannon?" Grumbling Kuno turned to the
Chinese Amazon.
"Know you that a true Samurai fights not with steel
but with a warriors heart. Mere technological toys can never overcome
the JAPANESE SPIRIT!!!" Shan Pu rolled her eyes as Kuno struck a
pose and started to slap him again, then stopped as she noticed a
cable running from his armor to the hilt of his sword.
"What this?" She asked, fingering the cable. "Japanese
spirit run on batteries now?" With a disdainful sniff Kuno pulled free
of Shan Pu's grip. "Jest if you will. Know that Kuno is faithful and
obedient to his Emperor's wishes. As a true Samurai, son, grand-son and
great-grand-son of Samurai . . ." Shan Pu whapped Kuno, in the same
fashion (and for the same reason) one might strike a stuck phonograph.
"Just tell what cable for. No give family history. Shan
Pu have weak stomach."
"Gaze then upon the miracles of JAPANESE
SCIENCE and be amazed." As he spoke, Kuno drew his sword and pressed
a switch inlaid in the grip. A narrow beam of light flashed from the
sword. As Kuno swung the sword in a narrow arc Shan Pu heard the whine
of electric motors. Turning she watched as concealed SAM batteries
slid smoothly into position, tracking the moving sword.
"Hmmph. General Electric Laser Designator." Shan
Pu sniffed as she looked Kuno up and down. "Maybe stupid boken boy
not so stupid." She tilted her head to one side consideringly. "So
. . .here is order ramen and pork bun." Shan Pu pulled out a covered
tray. "Please to pay 500,000 Yen."
"500 . . .!?!" Kuno's face twisted in rage. "That's
robbery. I won't pay."
"Oh-Key_Do-Key." Shan Pu agreed cheerfully,
putting away the steaming tray. "You no want . . .Shan Pu no give. Many
hungry people in city under attack by alien. Not so many take-out-place
still deliver. I go now. Find hungry person with Yen, Dollar, Deutsche
Mark . . .maybe hungry person with gold or jewel. Bui-Bui."
"Aaaaaaa. Kuno must have food to fuel his iron body.
For the good of the Empire, and for no other reason, will I agree to
this . . ."
************************************************
" . . .close enough for Usagi to attack the portal. She's
the only one with enough power to collapse it."
"What about Akanesan?" Minako immediately
regretted the question as Ranma stepped protectively between Akane
and the Senshi.
"Akane ain't . . ." Akanesan doesn't have the endurance." Ami
cut in.
"She has a lot of power but she exhausts herself very rapidly in
combat."
"What about getting some help from the SDF?" Rei
questioned, pointing out the window toward the bay where ships
could be seen maneuvering as they fired cannon and missiles at alien
flyers swarming over the bay. On shore tanks and artillery pieces
fired and moved in a maneuver known to militaries world wide as
'shoot-and-scoot'.
"I'd like to "Ami admitted. "but without the proper
authorization codes we have no way . . ."
"Ooooops." "Oooops?" Ami turned to a blushing Minako. "What
do you mean . . .Oooops?"
"Ummm." Minako dug her toe into the carpeting.
"Here, this might help." Ami took the folded square of paper from
Minako's hand.
************************************************
"What's it look like Tigger?"
Colonel Terrence Young asked his Defensive Systems Officer. First
Lieutenant Antoinette (Tony the Tigger) Tregarth scanned her panels.
"Green here Skipper. Nothing on the board." "Thumper? Were
coming up to 'feet dry'. You ready
to blow things up?." Captain Mike (Thumper) Morgan the Offensive
Systems Officer looked at the diagnostics for his two nuclear tipped
missiles.
"Green and mean. You fly it, I'll fry it." "Don't quit your
day job. OK . . .how's it look Nash?" "I think . . ." Whatever
Captain Preston Nash thought
was lost at the B1B gave a sudden lurch.
"Skipper . . .we've lost the navsats!" Tigger called
from the back.
"Can you fix it?" "Negative. It's not us. The satellites are
just . . .gone."
Colonel Young swore under his breath. Everything that could go
wrong had gone wrong. Out of an twelve plane flight of six bombers,
four F22's and two tankers, two of his precious B1B's had aborted
from mechanical troubles. A storm front had forced them to re-route,
costing six hours flying. Then he'd lost one of his tankers and ALL of
his fighter escort to an enemy attack over the Philippines. Finally,
an hour ago, all three of his remaining bombers and his tanker had
been diverted to China; Leaving Colonel Terrance (Terry the Pirate)
Young feeling VERY lonely as he approached Japan. And now he'd lost
the nav-sat's. His inertial navigation system was the finest in the
world. However at 900 mph ,200 feet above the ocean . . ."
"I think we better call ahead to confirm our
reservation . . .and maybe get directions to the hotel."
"Roger that." Captain Nash set the scrambler to the
pre-sets for the JASDF and readied a message for burst transmission."
************************************************
" . . .Narita is under attack at this time. Haneda
airport has been heavily damaged. Repairs to the runway will take
at least another 10 hours. The sixth air wing at Komatsu may have a
runway open in three hours. No other airfields under our control can
be ready any sooner. Also we have
no . . .repeat NO aircraft available for escort at this time. The
second air wing may have an F4 Phantom ready to fly out of Chitose
in three or four hours."
Colonel Young listened to the litany of disaster crackle from the
speaker. He did NOT want to be fiddle-farting around off the coast
of Japan with no air-cover, two nukes and lots of bad- guys in the
air. Plus they'd been in the air over 20 hours. And even at cruising
speed the B1 was a thirsty beast. It would be awfully embarrassing
to run out of gas.
"Negative . . .negative. We need a tanker and fighter
support. Otherwise I will have to divert to Taiwan. You can call in
a strike from there once you . . ."
"No . . .No . . ." Even digital encryption could not
filter the desperation from the voice. "We must have help now. You
have atomic weapons. You must destroy the Tokyo Bay portal."
"We can organize a strike from Taiwan. With proper
support, by tomorrow . . ."
"By tomorrow Tokyo may be gone . . .and soon all of
Japan."
"Can you at least give me navigational aids? And an
update on the local terrain? I must have this information for a low
level approach."
"We have lost all air traffic control apparatus. And we
have no way to send terrain data . . ."
"Hello . . .hello?" A young female voice cut into the
secure channel. "Is this the American airplane?"
"What? Who is this?" Colonel Young glared at his
pilot who shrugged his shoulders.
"Ummmm , this is . . .ahhh this is 'Mermaid',
authentication bravo phoenix niner niner six five star star, and I
think I can help you."
************************************************
"Mermaid?" Rei stared at Ami who flushed in
embarrassment and looked accusingly at a grinning Minako.
"Hey , I got to pick our code names and I wanted
something appropriate."
"What's mine?" Minako looked away from Rei toward
Makato.
"You're 'Oak Tree'." "Oak Tree. I like that." "Yeah, you're
Oak Tree, Ami is Mermaid , Akane is
'Hammer' and Usagi is 'Angel. '
"Oooooooo." Usagi looked wide-eyed at Minako.
"Angel, that's pretty. Thank you Minako. And what are you?"
"Beauty, of course. Sorry Ranma, I don't have one for
you yet." Ranma shrugged, uncaring. Not so another member of the
little group.
"HEY. What about me? Don't I have a code name?"
Minako turned to the fuming Rei. "Oh, sorry. I forgot. Of course you
do. It's . . ."
************************************************
"PYRO?????"
Colonel Young winced as the soprano scream knifed from the speaker
into his brain.
"Reichan . . .keep it down. I'm trying to talk to the
Americans. I'm sorry Youngsan. As I was saying, I will transmit
navigational data to you. I am sending location data in degrees,
minutes, seconds of latitude and longitude."
"Thank you . . .uh Mermaid." Strange as it seemed the
preposterous code-names and identifiers had been entered into their
authentication data base. And at a level higher than any one else
in the JSDF. He could either trust the gentle voice (and Air Force
Intelligence) and continue on to Tokyo or abort, divert to Taiwan
and hope there was enough of Japan left to be worth saving at a
latter date.
"Thank you." He repeated. "And can you send terrain
data? We will be coming in at a very low altitude. The lower we are
the safer from enemy attack. But we need to know about buildings,
power lines, enemy fortifications."
"Hai . . .uh I mean yes. Yes I can provide that. Please
tell me what format you need and . . ."
************************************************
Ami closed the cover to her computer with a snap.
"Let's go." "Go? Go where?" Usagi looked bewildered. "Don't
you want to wait until . . ."
"I've done everything I can. Either I succeeded and
now an American bomber can shoot an atomic missile into Tokyo . . .or
I failed and four brave men will die, and Tokyo with them." Ami turned
stony faced to her friends. "I've detected another portal operating
somewhere between Shibuya-ku and Shinjuku-ku. The SDF doesn't have
anything that can respond. If we hurry perhaps we can . . .can stop
it before the enemy gets established. If we hurry . . .if we . . ."
Usagi gathered her friend into her arms.
"Amichan . . .Amichan . . .you're not God . . .you're
not even a Bodhisattva . . .you did what you always do . . .your very
best. And that's all anyone can do."
"Oh Usagichan . . ."Ami squeezed her friend tightly.
"How do you always know what to say . . ." She paused and looked down
at Usagi. "And how did you know what a Bodhisattva is?"
"Uh . . .hehehe . . . .well there was this new manga
and . . ." Laughing Ami led Usagi and her friends down the stairs. Rei
started after her friends, then hesitated as she saw an unopened
bottle of club-soda on a table. Coming to a sudden decision she
picked up the bottle and quickly cleaned her mouth and hands with
the water. Placing a coin on the table as an offering she turned to
face the sea through the window and bowed low twice, twice clapped
her hands and bowed deeply once more.
"Although the people living
across the ocean surrounding us, I believe are all our
brothers and sisters, why are there constant troubles in
this world? Why do winds and waves rise in the
oceans surrounding us? I only earnestly wish that the
wind will soon blow away all the clouds which are hanging
over the tops of mountains."
************************************************
"Admiral!"
Ukagi spun around at the excited cry.
"Sir . . sir . . .LOOK. . . .the AMERICANS!!"
Ukagi followed the pointing finger to see the massive B1 bomber
slicing through his frantically maneuvering fleet at over Mach 1.3
. . .10 feet BELOW the level of his ships bridge.
************************************************
"So far . . .so good." Colonel Young checked his
board a final time as they entered Tokyo Bay. "Thumper . . .heat
'em up. I don't think we're gonna' get but one chance at this, so I
want to fire both nukes at once. Tigger, you handle the decoy's. I
want to burry the two big boys in the middle of all our decoy
missiles." Acknowledgments came from his back seaters.
"Feet dry coming up in 2 minutes boss."
Young glanced out to see the blurred shapes of the Japanese 'fleet'
swell and vanish in an instant. He checked the radar scope for the
amorphous return that indicated an active portal. Placing his hand
lightly on the side-arm controller waited for the proximity warning
that indicated dry land. The tone sounded and he spoke to his pilot.
"I have the aircraft." He felt the slight shiver as
control was transferred to him.
"Commanders airplane." Nash acknowledged, moving
his hand away from his controller and focusing on the instruments.
"I have acquired the target." Thumper called from his
position. "We can launch now if you want."
"Negative . . . we're going to carry our birds right
down their throat. Tigger . . .decoys at your discretion." There
was a brief rumbling shudder as the first clutch of decoy missiles
dropped free. Aft, chaff and flares were ejected in a pre-programmed
pattern. G forces hammered the four against their harnesses as
the terrain-following system slammed the big bomber over, around and
sometimes under bits-and-pieces of down-town Tokyo. As they broke into
the clear a clutch of black insect-like flyers popped into existence
off their port wing. Immediately Nash swept the wings to full aft
position as Young snapped off the TFS and rammed the four throttles
to the fire-wall. At full after-burner the big plane leapt forward at
Mach 1.6, each of the G.E. turbofans gulping fuel at over 3 gallons
per second.
"Missiles away!" Thumper called from the back seat
as the two nuclear tipped cruise missiles dropped free of the bomber
buried in a cloud of the remaining decoy missiles. Freed of their
weight the plane lifted suddenly and Colonel Young pulled back on the
controller, hauling the bulky bomber upward in a zoom climb more suited
to a fighter than a 400,000 pound bomber. The airspeed indicator spun
rapidly upward even as the fuel gage dropped by 12,000 pounds. As
they passed 55,000 feet the missiles detonated in the heart of the
portal. At 62,000 feet the edge of the shock wave, distorted and
channeled by the space twisting properties of the portal caught the
bomber, tossing it through the air like a child's toy. Even as they
spun through the air like a piece of lint on high spin cycle Young
and Nash fought to regain control of their aircraft. Engine stall
warnings, Low oil pressure warnings, Engine fire alarms and of all
things the ground proximity warning all sounded.
"Flame out skipper. All four are cold." Nash called.
"We got nothing burning. Aux. power coming up . . .now."
"Restart procedures . . .number one." Young kicked
hard right rudder and pushed the nose down in an attempt to kill the
spin while keeping enough airspeed to windmill his dead engines.
"Skipper . . .fuel temp's BELOW -5 degrees." "WHAT? That's
imposs . . .never mind." Young
dismissed the strange aftereffects of the alien portals destruction. "
Fuel heaters. ON."
"Roger. Fuel heaters . . .ON." "Generator breakers . . .ON."
"Generator breakers . . . ON." Nash confirmed. "Main booster pump
ON." "Main booster pump . . .ON." Ignition switch ON." Young
called to his pilot. Ignition switch ON." "Pressurize main
tank." "Main tank pressurized . . .pressurizing fuel cross feed
system." Quickly the two pilots ran through the restart procedure.
"Nothing skipper. Still cold." "Restart . . .number four."
Nash and Young repeated the restart procedure on the starboard outboard
engine as the big plane bled altitude like a hemophiliac at a glass
eating contest.
"No joy on number four." "Restart . . .number two." Young
rapidly went down
the checklist. "Gentleman." Young spoke to his crew while he went
through the In-Flight engine start procedure. "It is my opinion
. . .(Generator Breakers ON ). . .it is my opinion that if we pass
5,000 feet . . .(Main booster pump ON) . . . .5,000 feet without
a restart . . .(Ignition switch ON) . . .without an engine restart
. . .(pressurize main tank) . . .that our contract with the Air Force
to fly this airplane is null-and-void and we should leave."
"Number two cold skipper."
Young looked at the altitude indicator . . .12,000 feet. Time for
one more try."
"Restart . . .number one engine."
Nash looked startled. "Number one? But we . . ."
"Restart number one engine." Young repeated firmly.
Quickly the two men raced time and altitude to restart the number one
engine. At seven thousand feet the engine coughed once and died. No
time for another try.
"Stand by to eject." "Hell skipper." Tigger drawled from her
back seat
position. "If I wanted to swim I'd 'uv been a squid. These are zero
altitude seats. Guaranteed to blast you free at ground level or double
your money back. How 'bout one more try." By the book Young should,
and could, eject all four of them. But the cold Sea of Japan was
not an attractive spot for swimming. And the middle of a war made it
unlikely a search and rescue effort would be either speedy or thorough.
"Alright Tigger . . .give me an altitude count. And we
all leave at 1,000 feet. . .Restart . . .number one." All four of
them could be clear of the bomber in 2.0 seconds. Plenty of time. The
altitude indicator unwound like a broken spring as Young and Nash
raced through the restart procedures again.
"Generator breakers . . .ON." "5,000 feet." "Generator breakers
. . . ON." Nash confirmed. "Main booster pump ON." 4,000 feet."
"Main booster pump . . .ON." Ignition switch ON." Young called
to his pilot. Ignition switch ON." 2,000 feet" "Pressurize main
tank." "Main tank pressurized . . .pressurizing fuel cross feed
system."
"1,000 feet." Tigger called from the back seat. "Eject . . .Eject
. . .Ej . . . " Nash ordered . . .as the
number one engine coughed . . .sputtered and rumbled into life."
"CHECK FIRE." Young and Nash called
simultaneously.
"Restart number four." Young ordered as he pulled
back on the controller. At 500 feet number four rumbled into
life. Young shoved the throttles to full power while bringing the
controller back to lift the nose. At the same time Nash brought the
wings completely forward to increase lift.
"This is going to hurt." Young thought as the black
oily surface of the Sea of Japan filled his vision. Number two
engine rumbled into life and Young automatically corrected for the
uneven thrust caused by flying on three engines. And, suddenly as
a heart attack, the horizon was falling BELOW the nose of the big
plane, although it was a few moments before Young realized what this
meant. Just as the realization that he wasn't going to die (just yet)
sank in, the number three engine snarled into life.
"Well, hell. That was easy. If we can scare up a
tanker, what say we just head for home now?"
"Ummm. You might want to re-think that skipper." "Oh, why is
that Captain Morgan?" "Take a look to starboard."
Young looked in the direction Thumper indicated . . .to see the outer
third of the starboard wing canted upwards at a 20 degree angle.
"I . . .see what you mean. Well, I've always wanted to
see China. Or maybe Korea."
"If it's dry, I'll be happy." "You always were easy, Tigger."
"Colonel Young sir . . .while I realize this is a low
level bomber, I don't think Rockwell ever rated it as a submarine."
"Huh?" Young returned intelligently.
Silently Nash pointed forward . . .at a small fish plastered against
the armored glass."
************************************************
"Are you alright?" Ranma looked at the big Senshi in
concern.
"fast." "Huh?" "fast. i was going fast." "That's right
Makato." Ami said soothingly. "You
were going fast. But we're stopped now."
"Hasn't she ever ridden the monorail before?" "Generally," Rei
staggered up, holding onto Minako.
"We ride INSIDE the cars." Rei paused, gulping in air. "Are you
INSANE!! Jumping on the roof . . ."
"Wheeeeeeeee!!!!" Usagi danced up, spinning around
in a little circle. "That was Fuuuuun!" Minako gave a little shake
of her head. Rei was not nearly so restrained.
"Fun? FUN! Are you crazy! We could have been
killed. You really are a . . ."
"Especially when we changed trains at Shimbashi.
Juuuuuump . . .WHOOOOSH . . .Juuuuu . . ." Rei turned green at
Usagi's exuberant pantomime of their recent journey and made a mad
dash for the bushes.
"Something she ate?" Ranma questioned.
Akane whapped her iinazuke on the head.
"We're getting close." Ami looked up from her
computer. "The portal is operating intermittently so it's hard to
localize . . ."She paused, tapping a few keys, then closed the cover
and put her computer away with a little sound of disgust. "They've
shut down again. I know the epicenter is within a kilometer or two of
here, but I can't localize until they start up again." Minako looked
around trying orient herself. They'd taken one of the still operating
trains as far as they could before being forced back onto the streets.
Even at the best of times Tokyo was a confusing place to navigate. Now
. . . the streets were filled with rubble, some were completely
blocked. Smoke and dust filled the air and sirens wailed in the
near distance.
"Ami, I need directions. Which way should we go?"
Ami activated her visor and turned in a slow circle. "That way." She
said stopping and pointing. "Shinjuku station is just ahead . . .I
think. And it's within five or six hundred meters of the outer edge
of the epicenter of the portal effect. Perhaps we can find someone at
the station who has noticed enemy activity in the area. That may help
us localize the portal before they activate it again." Five minutes
of running that included a great deal of climbing over and through
fallen walls and overturned vehicles brought them suddenly to an open
area facing the southern entrance to Shinjuku Station, framed by the
giant 'Times Square' building on the right and the 'Southern Terrace'
on the left. Although 'open' was a relative term. Clear of rubble and
debris the space, including the elevated crosswalk connecting the two
buildings, was a solid mass of humanity . . . men, women, children
. . .salarymen, housewives . . .and dotted here and there the white
helmets of policemen providing a token appearance of order and safety.
"What the . . .what in the world is going on? This is a
dangerous place. These people should leave." Ami looked up at Makato
from her computer.
"I think that's what they're doing. A train just left here
. . .it's about 4 kilometers down the line. And it looks like another
one is loading. It appears to be an evacuation center."
"Evacuation! But . . ." "It makes sense Rei." Minako
added. "Things are
looking really bad. And it's probably going to get worse. I only hope
that they can evacuate more of the city."
"But where are they going to PUT everyone?"
No one had an answer to Usagi's question. Deciding that the southern
entrance was impassible Minako quickly led the small group around
to the east-park entrance. There she hoped to get close enough to
a policeman or one of the scattered military personnel to ask about
enemy activity in the area.
"Hey . . .look!" Usagi shouted suddenly, causing a
spasm of combat reflex among her body guard. "It's 'Long Vacation'"
Her friends looked stupidly at her , dumfounded by her seeming
non-sequitur. Stamping her foot impatiently, Usagi pointed her
finger. "There . . .up there. Ohhhh. There's Minami . . .and she's
just found out her iinazuke's run off with all her money." Following
her pointing finger the others saw a giant TV screen on the side of
the building filled with the image of a desperate looking young woman.
"BAKA." Rei cuffed Usagi. "The world is ending and
you're watching re-runs of a stupid soap-opera?"
"But Reiiiii . . .I never got to see how it ended. Mama
made me start studying for exams just when that mean old teacher told
Sena he had no talent for the piano. And he was about to give up his
scholarship and . . ."
"Minami bought a keyboard and started to take
lessons to learn to play the piano in one weeks time. She wanted to
show Sena a miracle so he would believe in himself again. But she
was also dating someone else at the time and . . ." Ranma trailed to
a stop as he suddenly realized everyone was looking at him slack jawed.
"Ummmm . . .at least that's what I heard . . .somewhere."
He finished weakly.
"Makato, if you'd make a path for me . . .I see a
truck with JSDF markings over there." Ami pointed off to the
left. "I'll go ask if they've seen anything that might indicate
the center of enemy activity." As the two headed off Usagi rounded
excitedly on Ranma. "Ooooo! Then what happened . . .after she bought
the keyboard? And started lessons. Did Sena start playing again? And
what about Shinji . . . and Momoko?"
"Well . . .uh . . .I uh never actually watched it
myself. But I heard that after Minami bought the keyboard . . .and
remember her iinazuke ran out on their wedding with all her money
so this was a really big purchase for her . . .anyway she really
dedicated herself to her piano lessons and . . ."
************************************************
Minako decided that Usagi was safe enough with Ranma and Akane on one
side and Rei hovering close by on the other side. The mass flight from
her beloved city depressed Minako . . .and when she was under stress
she liked to be up high. With a great leap she sprang to the top of
the pedestrian concourse. She had a brief flash of slack-jawed adults
and awe-struck children as she hit the side rail and jumped again.
Twice more had her at the top of the train-station. There was a wild
roaring cheer from the crowd and Minako flashed a V sign and waved
at the people. Taking a deep breath she let it out slowly and gazed
out over burning city. Here and there she could see emergency vehicles
. . .further out she could see small dots darting through the air. The
distance was too great, even for senshi enhanced vision, to determine
if they were human or alien. She hoped they were human but was afraid
that the Skroach controlled the skies of Japan. A flash, low on the
horizon, drew her attention toward the west. Shifting position she
shaded her eyes with her hand and stared intently for a moment. The
flash came again, and she thought she saw a cluster of alien fliers,
like a swarm of insects, skimming just above what was left of the
skyline. Swearing under her breath she dropped quickly toward the
ground, looking for Ami as she descended.
"No . . .Kittychan . . .I want Kittychan."
As she jumped from street-light to tree-top above the packed mass
of humanity Minako heard the shrill piping voice . . .above the
rumbling murmur of the thousands . . .she heard that one small voice.
Looking down toward the sound her vision suddenly narrowed on a small
boy . . .five or six years old . . . being thrust bodily toward the
entrance of the train station by officials anxious to load another
evacuation train with as many children as possible. Following the
desperate child's gaze Minako saw a flash of color almost buried
in a sea of shuffling feet. With the precision of a surgeon Minako
threaded a golden chain between the dense packed, sweating mass
to snatch the . . .cloth doll . . . from the ground. A cold chill
shivered Minako's bones at the sight of the doll . . .like some half
remembered dream. Shaking off the feeling she flipped the doll into
the child's hands and bounded off to find Ami and tell her she might
have found the enemy.
*************************************************
"All right. This is gonna be great!" Ranma enthused
looking at the sight below him. On Akane's advice they had followed
him to the top of the highest building still standing. Now Usagi
and the other senshi looked at him as if he were crazy. Akane merely
shook her head in fond exasperation.
"I know you're salivating at the prospect of fighting
your first alien species. . ."
"Second." he retorted. " What about Taro?" "He's not an alien,
just cursed. Besides, didn't he
bounce you around like a rubber ball?"
"HEY! He just got lucky." "Yeah, a couple of dozen times. We
can't afford any
mistakes here, these 'guys' are playing for keeps."
"Yeah, Yeah." Ranma grumbled "OK, see we got one
big problem and one little one. That" he pointed to the rippling
of the air that indicated a Portal "is our big one. As long as that
thing is working they can keep reinforcing. The little one is those"
this time he indicated a swarm of small craft that were darting in and
around the wrecked buildings. "As long as they got the 'high ground'
we can't move freely, can't attack, can't disengage without them
seein' us. And if you can see the other guy before he sees you-you
win. If HE sees YOU first- you lose."
"And what about the hundred or so soldiers-in
powered armor. You don't consider those a problem?" Rei asked
sarcastically.
"Nah." Ranma waved a hand dismissively. "We cut off
that portal thingy and they run out of gas sooner or later. Then all
that armor and stuff's just so much dead weight. And we get rid of
their 'eyes in the sky' and their infantry is blind, deaf and dumb."
"Nice tactical analysis" Mercury approved. "But the
fact is they DO have the flying scouts, they DO have the portal and
they CAN reinforce. And I don't see how we can do anything about any
of that."
"Hey." Makoto objected."Why not do what we always
do. Jump in the middle, blast everything that moves while Usagi does
her stuff." Makoto's eyes gleamed at the idea of mixing it up with
this new enemy. She hadn't forgotten the last time and she was looking
forward to some payback.
"Because as soon as Usagi powers up for her attack
they'll detect it. At best they'll mount an infantry attack, at worst
they'll bomb us from the air."
"Or maybe a combined attack." Ranma added. "Ok, so if we attack
the portal, the infantry and air will
kill us. If we try to take out the infantry, the air will locate and
pin us down while the infantry kills us. And in the meantime more and
more of those things are coming through the portal." Rei summarized.
"Yeppers." Ranma grinned. "Quit teasing them Ranma." Akane
admonished. "Bleeeeee!" Ranma stuck his tongue out at Akane,
then turned and grinned at the senshi.
"See, we're going to use their own strength against
them." *************************************************
"I don't like this." Ranma muttered grimly. "It's your idea
Ranma." Akane reminded him. "It wasn't my idea for YOU. . ."
Akane put her hand on his shoulder. She could feel his body shiver
with repressed tension.
"Look, someone has to. . ." "It doesn't have to be YOU!"
"Yes it does." she said patiently.
"Let me do it."
Venus came up behind him and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.
"I sympathize with you Ranmasan. But, like it or not,
you're a soft target compared to the senshi. And all of us put together
can't take as much punishment as Akanechan. You came up with a good
plan, now let us carry it out."
"Dammit, I'm a better martial artist than Akane,
I should. . ."
"That's why I'm leaving you with Usagi and Ami."
Akane interrupted. "I would never leave them otherwise."
"Why do YOU have to do it!" Ranma repeated
stubbornly.
"Who else is there? Ami is our command and control.
Her sensors are at least as sensitive as mine and she has much better
analytical skills. Or perhaps we should send Usagi?" Even Ranma
grinned faintly at that as Akane continued.
"Usagi is staying put until we have their air and
ground elements tied down sufficiently to give her time to launch
her attack" She glared sternly at Ranma. "This is all your idea
and it's a good one. Venus, Mars and Jupiter are all used to
working as a team. It doesn't make sense to split them up. That
leave you and me. You're a better martial artist but I"VE got all
this nifty hardware. You don't have armor, you don't even have a
communicator. You're good, but no one's that good unarmed against that
many guns. " Akane sighed and leaned against Ranma. His arms came
around her reflexively and she relaxed in his embrace. "I'm scared
Ranma." He tightened his grip at her words. "Really sacred. The first
two times I did this, I was just reacting, not thinking. This is the
first time I'm going to do it deliberately. And I'm scared. Scared
I'm going to die. More scared I'm going to klutz out and someone
else will die because of me. I need to know that you're here with
Usagi. And Ami. If. . .if it goes wrong, I know you'll get them out of
here alive. Please. Promise me you'll stay here and look after them?"
Ranma tightened his grip then pushed her to arms length so he could
look directly into her eyes.
"Do it just like we planned. Nothing fancy. Do NOT
get mad. Gettin' mad's the fastest way to loose a fight. Stay
centered. Keep the music in your head. Dance, don't slug Don't let
'em pin you down."
"Hai, sensei!" Akane grinned impishly.
Ranma shook her lightly. "I mean it. None o' your
'What-the-hell-let's-pound-the-snot-outta-somethin'- 'till-it-breaks'
stuff. You've told me about all your weapons . . . Snipe at 'em and
KEEP MOVIN'. An' you got good instincts, you just think too much. I
ain't never seen anyone, an' I mean ANYONE you couldn't land at least
one punch on. DON'T think about what your doin', just do it. And keep
doin' it over an' over 'till the bad guys are done."
"Promise me you'll look after Usagi for me? And
Ami?" Akane stared intently into Ranma's eyes, willing him to
understand, to agree. Curtly he jerked his head in a short up and
down motion.
"Thank you Ranma." She stood quickly on tip-toe and
brushed her lips against his, then disappeared down the side of
the building.
"I think that's our cue to get going." Vensus said
watching Akane disappear. " Give us a few minutes to get into
position. We'll give you a single 'click' on the communicators when
we're ready."
"You guys be careful." Usagi was nearly in tears. "No problem. We
beat Beryl, The Black Moon Clan,
the Dead Moon Circus, Galaxia. We even passed the entrance exams.
We'll wax these guys and be back in time for a late supper." Jupiter
gave her princess a quick hug.
"Right!" Venus exclaimed cheerfully "When the going
gets tough, we take a shortcut."
"OK, baka brains. Try not to fall asleep up here." Rei
said gruffly.
Usagi stared intently into her eyes for a moment then
threw her arms around the senshi of fire, squeezing her tightly. "I
love you Rei. You're the best friend I ever had." Rei stared, silent
and stunned for a moment. Then she turned away quickly and without a
word descended down the side of the building opposite the side Akane
had descended. Venus and Jupiter quickly followed leaving Ami, Usagi
and Ranma alone on top of the building.
*************************************************
"She's starting now." Mercury whispered pointing at a
display on her computer. Usagi and Ranma looking over her shoulder
could see a moving graph spike suddenly.
"That's her primary weapon activating. We should see
someth . . ." There was a sudden rumbling buzz, like a jet turbine
eating a bucket of ball bearings and one of the small flying craft
fell from the sky trailing a plume of greasy smoke.
**********************************************
##Target destroyed.## the whisper announced with
satisfaction. ##Two hostile flying craft approaching on reciprocal
vector. Hostile ground forces converging.## Icons bloomed on the
mental grid map. Akane could see two swift moving flyers and at least
fifteen ground troops headed her way.
"Active sensors to maximum power. Bounce a tight
beam off that lead flyer." The whisper hesitated.
##Warning. Active sensors will reveal position to
hostile flyers.##
"Won't it just." Akane murmured. ##Not understoo. . .## " Go
active, maximum power." ##Acknowledged.##
A massive surge pulsed from Akane's sensors, pinpointing her location
like a giant "Here-I-am-please-come-shoot-me-now" sign. Being
well mannered murderous alien invaders, the flyers politely and
instantly turned toward this energy pulse and dove toward Akane's
signal. Prudently they maintained a wide separation and jinked randomly
to throw off any defensive fire.
"Select Armor Piercing. Weapon power set to 0.5."
This was likely to be a long fight. She had to conserve power. "
Contra-grav to standby."
##Acknowledged.##
Akane stepped into the open and watched the two flyers approach.
The lead ship opened up with what seemed to be a heavy version of
the infantry warp-gun professor while the wing 'man' ripple fired
a particle beam weapon. Both flyers achieved direct hits on their
target. They watched the ground explode into a white hot vapor of
rock and steel. Even had their instruments been able to penetrate
the sensor hash created by their own weapons fire they would not have
believed the results. As the two flyers zoomed over an obviously
destroyed target, a small figure erupted from the expanding dust
cloud behind them. They had absolutely no warning as super-dense
darts moving at 10,000mps blasted through them like an anvil through
wet tissue.
##Targets destroyed. Accumulators at 57%.## "Nuts." Akane muttered
to herself as she descended
toward the ground. She'd still used too much power killing those
two. She didn't need to vaporize them, just knock them down. She
looked around guiltily, hoping that Ranma hadn't seen her mistake.
##Input not understood.## "Reduce kinetic weapon acceleration
to 5000mps."
That should reduce power consumption and still give her enough
"oomph" to knock down the flyers if she aimed carefully.
##Acknowledged. Enemy flyers on intercept course.##
Four icons blinked on her mental map, coming in from widely divergent
courses. ##Enemy ground force numbers now estimated at between 40 and
60.## More icons crawled across the virtual ground covering the map
like a malignant fungus Akane snarled at the oncoming flyers and she
swung her kinetic weapon up and over to target the closest attacker.
*************************************************
"That's number three down." Mercury tapped
commands into her computer. She examined the changing alpha-numeric
crawl on the screen. "I think she's really made them mad now."
Ranma grunted from his position peering over the edge of a broken wall.
"Let me see."
Sailormoon tried to wiggle forward to Ranma's side. Mercury snagged
her ankle and dragged her back without raising her head from the
screen. There was a long, wide furrow in the dirty rubble showing
where this action had been repeated many times before. Sailormoon spat
dirt from her mouth and glared at Mercury.
"If you want to see what's going on you can look at the
computer." Mercury said, still without looking up."
"You're just being mean." Sailormoon hissed. "Ranma
gets to look and I. . ."
"Ranma is suffering from testosterone poisoning. It's
common among teenage boys. They grow out of it if they live long
enough." Sailormoon sniffed at her senshi and settled back down
grumbling under her breath. Mercury decided she really didn't need to
know and turned her attention back to her computer. . . and Ranma.
He hadn't said a word since Akane had left, didn't even respond
to her deliberate gibes. His attention was on the distant battle
as if human eyes could pierce the growing darkness, rubble filled
streets and clouds of dust and plasma thrown up by weapons fire and
exploding vehicles.
"She's alright, Ranma. Akane shows up on my
scanners like a beacon. They're not even getting close." Mercury
lied. Actually Akane had been hit several times. Mercury knew that
only her ability to exist in zero-space had saved her. And Akane's
energy signature was getting weaker. She was running out of power,
fast. And she still had a long way and eight more flyers to go.
*************************************************
Akane's breath came in sobbing gasps and her shoulders heaved
with exhaustion. A distant part of her mind reminded her that a
martial-artist always breathed from the belly and noted that shoulder
breathing was the beginning of the end.
"Sys. . .tems St. . .st. .atus." ##Accumulators at 18%. Energy
Weapon off line,
insufficient power. Kinetic Weapon, magazines empty. Protein
envelope integrity compromised. Blood loss within 12% of maximum
repair capacity. ## Akane twisted and spun like a worm on hot coals
frantically trying to avoid being hit by the weapons massing fire upon
her. She was especially wary of the warp-guns. Even at her best they
could hurt her. With her energy levels so low she was increasingly
vulnerable, even to the blaster fire. If they could co- ordinate
blaster fire from five or six vehicles . . .or if they managed to
keep a warp-gun on her for more than a second, or if they could get
good hits with two or more at the same time. . .She screamed and
tumbled to the ground as a warp-gun caught her flush on her hip.
Only a life times martial training brought her rolling to her feet
. . .running before another beam could converge and finish her off. She
lurched off in a stumbling run, zig-zagging through the rubble even
as more armored figures closed in from the ground and eight of the
last enemy fliers swooped down from above.
"MARS. . ." "JUPITER. . ." "FIRE BIRD"
"LOVE AND BEAUTY. . ."
"EVOLUTION. . ." "SHOCK!!!"
From their hidden position the combined attack of three angry senshi
caught the remaining flyers completely by surprise and bunched
together. The energy of the attack blasted seven pilots and machines
apart like a puff ball in a typhoon. The eighth fell like a stone
into the rubble field below.
"YES!" Mercury was ecstatic. "They got them all. Every
enemy flying machine is dead or out of action!" She turned to
Sailormoon. "Get ready. They're going to have to open the portal,
either to retreat or to reinforce. When they do. .. "
"I dust 'em! " Sailormoon responded tensely. "Never
mind that. How is . . ."
"I don't know. There's too much interference from the
blast to see very well. But I'm sure she's alright. Now get ready
to. . ." The black armored figure caught Sailormoon and Sailormercury
completely by surprise. Sailormoon frantically backpedaled, tripped
and landed hard on her rear. Sailormercury scrambled frantically to
bring her 'Aqua Rhapsody' to bear on the attacker. Even as her hands
closed around her harp she knew with a sick certainty she was going
to be too late.
"MOUKO TAKABISHA!!." The ki-blast slammed the
armored figure into the ground.
"Never mind this guy." Ranma yelled as he launched
himself at the prone figure "Get that portal before more of these
guys show up." Mercury watched, dazed, as Ranma launched an attack so
rapid that, even with her visor, she could barely see the individual
blows. She shook off her stupor and turned to
Sailormoon who was just dragging herself off the ground.
"Sailormoon, the portal" Mercury glanced down at her
computer. "Quickly, the portal is opening and something is coming
through!" Sailormoon looked off in the distance. The slight shimmering
in the air had changed to a pronounced twisting ripple, like water
running down a drain. A dark, armored shape could been seen nosing
it's way through the dilating portal.
"SILVER MOON. . ."
Even occupied as he was part of Ranma's attention was on Sailormoon
and her attack. He noted her graceful flowing movements, so unlike
her normal manner. With approval he watched her center herself with
precise flowing motions that irresistibly reminded him of Aikido.
"CRYSTAL POWER . . ."
Sailormoon was blazing with power now. Ranma's black armored opponent
stumbled slightly as the brilliant light washed over everything. Ranma
took this opportunity to see if his opponent could fly.
"KISSSSS!!!"
The bolt of energy slammed into the open portal. There was a
micro-seconds hesitation, then the space around the portal erupted
like dynamiting an aquarium. Ranma had a moment to note that
his opponent could NOT fly, and didn't seem to bounce very well
either. As the Skroach hit the ground twenty stories below Ranma
had just enough time to hear a wet crunching sound , like stepping
on a large cockroach, before the shock wave hit.
*************************************************
##Containment shield shut down safely. Accumulators
at 3.23%. Initiating self-repair routines.##
"You do that." Akane panted under her breath as she tried
to drag herself out from under a fallen I-beam without success.
##Input not un. . .##
"Affirmative. Initiate repairs" She thought a
minute. "Establish secure link with Sailormercury."
##Unable to establish link. Jamming still in effect.
Systems remain degraded below. . .##
"Run scan." Akane cut the voice off. "Passive mode
only. Locate hostile targets."
##Unable to scan. Jamming. . .##
Wearily Akane cut off the voice. She was deaf, dumb and blind. She
heaved at the beam pinning her down. Pain erupted through her body
and she fell back in agony. She lay on her back, trying to bring
the pain under control before she puked all over herself.
"Initiate medical self-test." ##Listing damage to organic
components:
Protein envelope has been pierced in the following
locations.## Here a schematic of her body popped up in her mental
window.
##42% of protein envelope has been burned beyond
repair capability. Anti-shock protocols initiated. Fabricating tissue
replacement.## Icons flashed and changed as the whisper detailed her
injuries. She was going to have to wait for somebody to rescue her.
She hated that. She hated to wait and she especially hated to be
rescued. The thought of Ranma finding her like this galvanized her into
action. She concentrated briefly and a short thick rod appeared in her
hand. The rod lengthened and thinned toward the end. Akane jammed the
rod under the beam where it rested on a block of masonry. If she could
lift the beam, just a little, she could pull her legs free. Of course
if she slipped the beam would crush her lower body into bean paste.
Akane slowly drew air into her lungs, her lower belly expanding as
she inhaled.. She imagined an ocean of ki beneath the ground and
each time she inhaled she drew a golden thread from that ocean into
her belly. Every time she exhaled she pushed out all weakness and
pain. Slowly the outside world faded and the only thing that existed
was the bar in her hand and the growing golden ball of ki. Finally the
golden orb filled her to bursting. Her hands closed around the bar
and she imagined the golden power surging through her arms, lifting
the steel beam and freeing her legs. She heaved, and the steel beam
moved! The masonry block tilted and tumbled away out of sight. Now the
steel was supported only by her arms. Her back and shoulder muscles
surged as her legs moved slightly, then stopped. Her right leg was
tangled in something deep in the wreckage that she couldn't see.
Akane stared into the deepening gloom, at she shadow of the steel
guillotine that hung over her lower body. Her arms were trembling
uncontrollably now, her body was drenched in sweat as if she'd fallen
in a river. Akane knew she was going to die. Her strength would
give out, the beam would crush her, like a tube of toothpaste. Her
implants were too exhausted to repair such major damage. The beam
sagged a little. In a burst of rage Akane heaved again. She was NOT
going to let this stupid, stupid building kill her. That was the last
of her strength and she felt her arms collapse like wet cardboard. In
dream-like slow motion she watched the steel beam fall, waited for
the sudden flare of pain that would signal her last seconds of life.
"Dammit, tomboy. I thought I told you to . . ."
Akane had time enough to see Ranma's scolding face loom above her
before blackness covered her like a blanket. As the concerned senshi
crowded around Ranma and the unconscious Akane they did not notice
two figures crouched in the ruins only a few score meters way.
***************************************************************************