"LUNAR: Tales From Crystal Tokyo"
LUNAR:
The Lost Episodes
By
Jeffrey C. Branch
Volume
Fifteen: Episode 2-11.9 "Recuperating"
Rating:
PG-13
Deep
space, in the Alpha Zone, 10 January 2738
The
SLS Jaguar
The last two hours had been extremely busy, and nearly catastrophic for
the crew of the RSN starship.
Jaguar was in the middle of a three-month training cruise near the
border of the Alpha Zone, orienting six Sailor Senshi for command duty in the
fleet, when a priority one call came in for her captain, Sailor Athena. In the
privacy of her cabin, Sailor Athena, a tall, slim and elegant Greek woman with
olive skin and shoulder length, wavy black hair found herself talking to Sailor
Jupiter, Neo-Queen Serenity's imposing Director of Homeland Security.
Sailor Athena listened intently as Sailor Jupiter gave her new orders.
Jaguar
was to break off from training, and head immediately to RSN Listening Post Seven
in the Alpha Zone to lend assistance to the Planetary's special operations
assault team of Senshi, codenamed Omega Force, who were in a desperate battle
against the murderous Slashers, who had overrun the station. Sailor Athena was
also given authority to destroy the station in order to prevent the creatures
from escaping, should Omega fall in battle.
Sailor Athena found that last part of her orders extremely troubling.
While the existence of Omega was top secret among the rank and file, the Greek
woman heard rumors that the team, led by the menacing Sailor Magneta, consisted
of some of the most powerful Senshi in all the GM, a team whose collective might
was surpassed only by the Planetaries. Sailor Athena speculated that if such an
assemblage met with defeat, that meant the Slashers were an even greater threat
than anyone could have imagined.
Returning to the bridge, Sailor Athena notified the crew that the ship
was now on active duty and ordered her to head for LP-7. Mere minutes after
coming out of faster-than-light speed in LP-7's sector, the ship's sensors
tripped off alarms. The main viewscreen revealed a horror: a huge energy
shockwave headed right at them. Activating shields, Sailor Athena ordered her
helmsman to turn the ship into the wave to minimize damage. Still, the crew
endured a bone-jarring ride that strained Jaguar's structural integrity
to the limit.
"Damage report!" Sailor Athena barked once the ship was out of
danger.
"Engine room here, captain!" came the voice of the chief
engineer over the comm. "No major damage! RIFT and sublight engines are
holding firm!"
"Forward shields down forty-two percent, ma'am!" called Jaguar's
tactical officer. "Structural integrity sound! Weapons systems functional!
Damage control teams deployed to repair minor hull ruptures!"
Sailor Athena pressed a button on her arm console. "Sick Bay!
Doctor
Minh! Crew status!"
"Plenty of bumps and bruises, plus a few electrical burns. No
fatalities, captain," the ship's physician replied.
Sailor Athena let out a long sigh of relief. "Praise Serenity for
that, Doctor." The Greek woman then turned to the science station and the
Isbanni who manned it. "Lieutenant Foukri, what the hell hit us?"
"A shockwave from a matter/anti-matter explosion, captain,"
Foukri replied. "The energy signature matches that of a Class-5 reactor,
the type currently used in GM space stations."
Sailor Athena didn't like the sound of that. "Direction?"
"Heading 467, mark 285." Foukri paused and a shiver went up his
spine. "Uh, captain, that's the course for LP-7."
Silence suddenly filled the bridge, as did a general feeling of dread.
"Long range sensors! Find that station!"
"Scanning," said Foukri. "Ionization is fouling up the
sensors, but there's no trace of the station. It's gone, ma'am. That must've
been what blew up."
"By the Crystal. We were too late," said a sorrowful Sailor
Athena, lowering her head. The
bridge crew reflected her sadness in light of news from headquarters regarding
the loss of the Bahumat.
Foukri's cat-like eyes widened. "Wait a minute! I'm picking up
something!"
"What is it?"
"Crystalline/metallic alloy object! 38 meters long! By
configuration, a scout class vessel, stopped in space, she appears to be
drifting!"
Sailor Athena's spirits rose. She dared to hope. "On screen!"
The main screen winked on to show a small scout ship floating in space,
the rearward section of its hull scorched and blackened. "Comm!
Open
hailing frequencies!" Sailor Athena ordered.
"Frequencies open, ma'am!"
"This is Sailor Athena, captain of the SLS Jaguar! Come in
please!"
"Jaguar? It's about bloody damn time you showed up!"
came an angry, British accented voice over the speaker. "This is Sailor
Britannica, speaking for the SLS Draco II! We need assistance
immediately! Our engines are off-line and we have a medical emergency!"
"What is the nature of your emergency?"
"Our commander, Sailor Magneta is seriously injured! She may be
dying!"
The stricken Draco II was quickly brought to the Jaguar's
starboard docking port via a tractor beam. Once the ship was secured, a medical
emergency response team, lead by Dr. Coy Van Minh, rushed aboard. The air reeked
of smoke from many burned out systems that the filtration system failed to
completely eliminate, as an openly distraught Sailor Ivory led the team to the
bridge.
Once there, the sight that greeted the eyes of Minh and his team were the
Senshi of Omega, their uniforms tattered and bloodstained, while their bodies
bore the brunt of many wounds suffered in battle. In the center of the bridge, a
sobbing Sailor Sirius knelt on the floor, cradling the head of an unconscious
Sailor Magneta in her lap, blood oozing from her nose.
Microcomp in hand, Minh knelt by Sailor Magneta and scanned her. What he
saw shocked him. "Serenity's crown! She's bleeding in her frontal lobe!
Nurse! Fifteen cc's of phistazinine! Prepare her for transport to sickbay!"
After Minh injected a congealing drug into Sailor Magneta's left temple
to slow her bleeding, he turned to Sailor Britannica. "What happened to
her?"
"We were fleeing LP-7, which had been sabotaged by the enemy,"
Sailor Britannica said glumly. "We couldn't use the RIFT because we were
too close to the station. Sailor Magneta used her powers to fortify our shields
from the reactor blast. But the effort was too much for her and she
collapsed."
"Will she be all right?" asked an anguished Sailor Sirius.
"She's suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage! And it's too severe
for her healing powers to handle! She'll need an immediate operation, or she'll
die!"
For the last two hours, the bone weary Senshi of Omega sat in the medical
department lounge while their leader was being operated on. None of them dared
to speak, afraid to voice the fears they all felt in their hearts.
"Why did she do that?" a heartsick Sailor Sirius wondered,
tears pouring down her dark cheeks. "Why?"
"To protect us," said Sailor Ebony, putting a comforting arm
around Sailor Sirius' shoulders and pulling her close. "Ronni knew there
was no other way to save us from the blast."
"But not at the risk of killing herself!"
"Damn you, Tanya! Don't say that!" Sailor Ivory yelled angrily.
"Ronni's not gonna die! She's not! SHE'S NOT!"
As Sailor Ivory buried her face in her hands and cried, Sailor Britannica
and Sailor Russia expressed their grief silently. They hadn't known Sailor
Magneta as long as the others, but in the short time they worked with the German
Senshi, they came to think of her as not only a strong and capable leader, but a
good friend as well.
"Don't worry. Dr. Minh is one of the best surgeons in the
fleet," said Sailor Athena in a soft voice as she entered the room. "He's saved my life more times than I can remember.
Your friend couldn't be
in better hands."
"We certainly hope so," said Sailor Britannica.
At that moment, the door to the operating room opened and Minh came out.
The Senshi jumped to their feet, deep anxiousness and worry in their eyes.
"How is she?" Sailor Sirius demanded.
Minh gave the women a tired smile. "It was touch and go, but Sailor
Magneta pulled through. The bleed in her brain was stopped and the damage fully
repaired. That Teutonic constitution of hers helped a lot."
"Can we see her?" Sailor Ivory asked.
Minh looked to Sailor Athena who nodded slightly. "Yes, but
briefly."
The Vietnamese doctor led the women into the recovery room where they
found Sailor Magneta, garbed in a hospital gown. Her head swathed in bandages,
her chest rose and fell steadily, while tubes from the biobed to her left arm
fed her liquid nutrition. As the
Senshi gathered around her bed, Sailor Magneta's eyes slowly fluttered open and
she stared up at the others.
"Hi," she said softly, her lips curling in a weak smile.
"Hi yourself," said a smiling Sailor Sirius, blissfully happy.
"How do you feel?" a concerned Sailor Britannica asked.
"Like someone performed a lobotomy on me with a pickax," Sailor
Magneta grumbled. Her gaze then turned questioning. "The ship?
Out of
danger?"
"Yes. You saved the ship. You saved us all," said Sailor Ebony,
her eyes wet.
Sailor Russia nodded. "Da. That was the most selfless and courageous
act I had ever seen in my life. My already considerable respect for you has
increased a thousand fold, commander."
"Still, that was one hell of a risk you took, Skipper," Sailor
Ivory added.
"It was a risk I was willing to take to save you," said Sailor
Magneta. "You are more than just my teammates. You are my friends.
And I...
I love you."
"Well, we love you too, Ronni," Sailor Sirius replied. She then
glared menacingly at Sailor Magneta. "But, if you ever pull a crazy stunt
like that again, I'll fire a laser beam right up your German ass! Then I'll get
pissed! Got me?"
Sailor Magneta chuckled. "Perfectly, captain. Now, if you'll excuse
me, ladies, I really need to get some sleep." And with that, she drifted
off.
"Okay, everyone, out! My patient needs her rest!" Minh snapped.
"And so do you lot. My ops officer has set aside cabins for you.
Why
don't you follow Sailor Magneta's example, and get some shuteye," Sailor
Athena offered.
Sailor Ivory yawned. "Sounds like a winner to me, ma'am."
Before she left with the others, Sailor Sirius went to Sailor Magneta's
bedside, leaned close, and kissed the sleeping German woman on the cheek. "Rest well,
Veronika. My friend."
Bavarian
Alps, Europe, Planet Earth, Sol system, 18 January 2738
As the strains of Chopin's Fifth Violin Concerto softly wafted through
the expansive living room, Veronika Steiner, holding a steaming cup of hot
chocolate, stared out the huge window at the snow covered mountains beyond.
A week had passed since Jaguar returned to Luna from the Alpha
Zone, bearing the damaged Draco II, and the battle weary Senshi of Omega.
Against her wishes, Veronika was put on medical leave by Sailor Jupiter;
ordered by the Planetary to rest before resuming her duties at HOMESEC.
Not wanting to disobey her superior- and saying no to Sailor Jupiter was
neither wise, nor healthy- Veronika went home to Bavaria, leaving Sailor Sirius in temporary command of the team.
Veronika filled her idle time
playing her Stradivarious, listening to classical music, reading novels and just
staring out at the Alps. At night, Veronika found sleep difficult, thanks to
nightmares about the mission she and her team barely survived.
Every day, Veronika tried using her powers, which she nearly burned out,
along with her brain, after saving Draco II and the team from the
exploding space station. Lifting or manipulating metal objects resulted in
throbbing headaches at first, but they subsided in time. Even after transforming
into Sailor Magneta, she still wasn't at full strength, and knew it would be
several weeks before she was, given the severity of her injury.
Staring out the window, Veronika's thoughts drifted back to the Draco
II. She remembered the terrible pain that tore her brain apart after the
blast hit the force field she put around the ship to fortify the shields. Sailor
Magneta screamed for her life from the agony, but she refused to given in to the
torment, under no circumstances would she allow her teammates, her friends to
die. In the end, she prevailed and saved the people she loved.
Veronika's reverie was broken by the sound of the doorbell. Walking to
the door, she opened it, and smiled at seeing Tanya Cambridge and Alison
Hawthorne, both women bundled up in stylish winter garb against the biting cold
of the Alps. The RSN personnel shuttle they arrived in sat on the private launch
pad in front of the house.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the odd couple," she joked.
"And what brings you slackers into this neck of the woods?"
"Hi, Ronni! We thought we'd pop in and see how you're doing,"
said a grinning Tanya. She then shivered, despite the full-length artificial fur
coat she wore. "Man! Is it ever cold up here! Why couldn't you live in
Hawaii?"
"Selfish wretch! It's always about you, isn't it?" Alison
grumbled. Tanya gave her a raspberry.
Veronika shook her head and chuckled. The stiff lipped Briton and the
effervescent Libyan had come to enjoy needling each other. "Pardon my
manners. Please, come in. Make yourselves at home."
After Veronika prepared two cups of steaming hot chocolate for her
guests, the women sat down on the black Italian leather sofa in the living room.
"So, how are you feeling?" Alison asked Veronika.
"Much better. However, if we were sent on a mission tomorrow, I fear
I'd be a liability, as I still haven't fully regained my strength,"
Veronika replied.
Tanya snorted and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Who cares
about that? We're just glad you're alive and well!"
"Here, here! I couldn't agree more," said Alison with a nod.
"After all we've been through, I wouldn't have anyone else, not even the
Planetaries, at my side in a battle than you, Veronika."
Veronika smiled warmly at the Briton. "Thank you, Alison.
Are we
still on for our journey in two days?"
Alison nodded. "Yes. We've all cleared our schedules to make the
trip. The timing couldn't be better. I really appreciate your suggesting we do
this."
"It's the least I could do," said Veronika. Her expression then
turned reflective. "You know, I've spent a great deal of time thinking
since I returned home. A great deal, indeed."
"Thinking? About what?" Tanya asked.
"The path my life is about to take. The incident on LP-7 helped me
to make a very important decision regarding my future."
The eyes of Alison and Tanya widened from concern. "You're not
resigning, are you?" the ebon beauty asked.
Veronika chuckled. "No, Tanya. I'll tell everyone all about my
decision after we've made our pilgrimage. I promise you won't be
disappointed."
Department
of Homeland Security, Crystal Palace in Crystal Tokyo, Planet Luna, Sol system,
19 January 2738
"I appreciate your taking the time to see me, Director," said
Sailor Magneta as she took a seat in Sailor Jupiter's spacious, plant decorated
office.
"There's no need to stand on ceremony, Ronni," said a grinning
Sailor Jupiter. "My door's always open to you. Now, what did you want to
see me about?"
"About a month ago, you made a proposal to me about being
permanently assigned to HOMESEC. After much thought, I have decided to accept
your offer."
Sailor Jupiter grinned. "That's wonderful! What changed your
mind?"
"After the horrors my team and I experienced on LP-7, I've come to
realize that as long as the evil of the Dark Kingdom exists, Omega will be
needed to combat that threat," Sailor Magneta explained. "I want to be
at the forefront of the battle against those monsters, who will never rest under
they have destroyed us. I am at your service, Lady Jupiter."
"Thank you, Ronni. I was really hoping you'd accept. So was
Serenity. From this moment on, Omega Force has priority-one status for its
operations. I'll set up a special department here at HOMESEC for the team,
complete with your own staff," said Sailor Jupiter. "Like I said
before, you'll have carte blanche throughout the GM with near-Planetary level
authority. As our spearhead in the fight against the DK, I'll make sure to keep
Omega razor sharp. The rest will be up to you. Are you up for the job... Deputy
Director Magneta?"
Sailor Magneta nodded, her face radiated the immense pride she felt at
her new position. "I am. Without being too bold, I do have a request to
make."
"Name it."
"I would like a seat on the selection board for choosing Panther's
new captain. I want to make sure my
old crew gets a worthy replacement. I owe them that much, at least."
"I'll talk to Sailor Neptune about that. She's in charge of command
personnel manning," said Sailor Jupiter. "Seeing how chummy you are
with Michelle, getting you on the board shouldn't be a problem."
"Thank you, Lady Jupiter. You're too kind."
"My pleasure!" Sailor Jupiter boomed. She then stood up and
walked around her desk to Sailor Magneta, who rose from her chair. With a grin,
the Planetary of Thunder put an arm around the German Senshi's shoulders. "C'mon.
Let me take you next door to your office."
Marseilles,
France, Europe, Planet Earth, Sol system, 20 January 2738
In a private cemetery, six somber, sailor suited women stood before a
large headstone. A marble sculpture standing behind it was an uncanny life sized
likeness of Sailor Europa, a questing look on her face, which gazed up at the
heavens while her right arm was held high as if trying to capture a star. On the
headstone at the foot of the statue was the following inscription:
GISELLE LACROIX, SAILOR EUROPA
BORN: 20 JANUARY 2530, DIED: 10 JANUARY 2738
"SHE GAVE HER ALL FOR LOVE AND JUSTICE."
Sailor Britannica, standing at the head of the group, walked forward,
placed a bouquet of one dozen white roses at the foot of the headstone. After
lowering her head, the Briton, tears in her eyes, returned to the group. She
then turned to Sailor Magneta.
"Sailor Europa suffered more in a short period time than any of us
ever have, or ever will. Yet, she never broke, never betrayed our people, and in
the end, she made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of love and justice,"
the white haired woman said. "We all became Sailor Senshi to fight for
peace, but only a scant few of us have willingly laid down our lives for that
noble cause. Sailor Europa did just that, without fear, without hesitation.
I
can only hope that when my time comes, I'll be just as brave as she was. Rest in
peace, Giselle Lacroix. You will never be forgotten."
The six women then came smartly to attention and saluted Sailor Europa's
statue. "You will never be forgotten!" they all shouted.
"Thank you, everyone. Coming here with me meant a great deal,"
said Sailor Britannica as the group left the cemetery. "Even though Giselle
was a distant friend, she was a friend nonetheless. This helped to dull the pain
of her loss."
Sailor Magneta nodded to her teammate. "We were glad to have done
it, Alison. Especially on this, her birthday."
"Where do we go from here, Ronni?" asked Sailor Ivory, her arm
linked with her sister's.
"Back to work, Cathy. Originally, my assignment at HOMESEC was for
just six months, but I've decided to stay on permanently," said Sailor
Magneta.
"Oh! So that was the decision you talked about with Alison and I the
other day," said Sailor Sirius.
"Yes. The incident on LP-7 proved beyond any doubt that we're still
needed. Can I count on your continued assistance, ladies?"
"Absolutely," said Sailor Ebony. "Once I start a job, I
don't leave until it's finished. No matter if it takes forever."
"Make that two!" said a grinning Sailor Ivory. "Wherever
my sister goes, I go!"
"Ditto! You couldn't get rid of me now if you tried!" Sailor
Sirius added.
"I too shall stay," said Sailor Britannica. "I can think
of no better way to honor Giselle's memory than by continuing the fight against
our enemy."
Sailor Russia nodded. "I also pledge you my undying allegiance,
commander."
Sailor Britannica snorted. "Of course you do. As long as you can
enjoy plenty of mindless brawling, you lowbrow, knuckle dragging Cossack!"
"Bah! Better a knuckle dragging Cossack than a weak spined
Briton!"
Sailor Magneta chuckled at the bickering. "Enough, you two!"
She then turned to Sailor Ebony with questioning eyes. "Beth, how goes the
repairs on Draco II?"
"Nearly completed. Most of the damage, ironically enough, occurred
after feedback from your mind inadvertently resulted in an EM pulse that knocked
out the engines," Sailor Ebony replied. "Sailor Mercury and I
fashioned transparent, wafer-thin special plating to be installed on all the
bridge control stations to prevent that from happening again in the future.
After Draco II gets a new coat of paint, she'll be ready for
action."
"It looks like all is right with the world," said an openly
happy Sailor Sirius.
At that moment, Sailor Magneta's communicator beeped. "Sailor
Magneta here."
The stern face of Sailor Jupiter appeared on the communicator's tiny
screen. "Sorry to bother you, Ronni. I need you and your team in my office
right away."
"A new assignment, Director?"
"Yes. Have you ever heard of Merlin, Camelot and Avalon?"
The women all glanced at each other. "Who hasn't, Lady Jupiter?
But
isn't that just a myth?" the white haired Senshi asked.
"Once, but not anymore. It's all too real, and we've got a huge
problem because of it. I'll explain in depth after you get here. Sailor Jupiter
out."
"You were saying something about all being right with the
world?" Sailor Ivory grumbled at Sailor Sirius.
Sailor Sirius shrugged. "Hey! Nobody's perfect!"
"Indeed. Well, like I said, it's back to work," said Sailor
Magneta. "And since Lady Jupiter is not a patient woman, we'd better get
going!"
The Senshi of Omega jogged to their shuttlecraft, sitting down the road
from the front gate of the cemetery. A minute later, the shuttle took off,
soaring high over the statue of Sailor Europa, symbolically pointing the way as
it headed skywards towards Luna.
And
the battle for love and justice continues...