"LUNAR: Tales From Crystal Tokyo"
LUNAR:
The Lost Episodes
By
Jeffrey C. Branch
Volume
Nineteen: Episode 2-14.13 "Stoicism"
Rating:
PG-13
Beijing,
Planet Earth, Sol system, 8 February 2738
The polished marble stones of the walkway leading to the old, but well
maintained, house on the outskirts of the city echoed from the sharp clicking of
Sailor Cerebra's bright red, high heeled pumps as she approached the front door
of her family's ancestral home.
Stopping in front of the door, the Chinese Senshi glanced up at the
building which, despite being over two thousand years old, looked brand new and
immaculate while the beautiful gardens surrounding the residence lent an air of
calm and peacefulness. Even though Sailor Cerebra made a point to journey home
at least once a month when possible, she never failed to be awed at the splendor
of the house where she had been born.
After checking her uniform for neatness, Sailor Cerebra knocked on the
door. A few seconds later, the door was opened by a small, thin, and wizened old
man, who smiled broadly at seeing Sailor Cerebra.
"Lady Mi Lei. Welcome," he said enthusiastically, bowing before
the woman. "How are you doing, young lady?"
"I am fine, Wang," said Sailor Cerebra in reply to the family's
manservant as she graciously returned the bow. She inwardly chuckled at being
called young, even though, thanks to her Senshi-blessed immortality, she was
nearly as old as him, despite her physical appearance of a woman in her early
twenties. "Is my father at home?"
Wang nodded. "Yes. In fact, he just finished his mid-morning
meditation. Please, come in."
Sailor Cerebra removed her shoes and handed them to Wang before stepping
inside the house. The sweet smell of incense wafted through the interior while
the walls were rich with tapestries depicting life in China during the Ming
Dynasty, a favorite subject of her father, who taught Asian history at the
University of Beijing when not involved with his other, more pressing duties in
the service of Neo-Queen Serenity.
The petite Chinese woman followed Wang down the hall to her father's
private study. The manservant knocked softly on the doors. "Master?
Lady Mi
Lei is here," he said.
"Thank you, Wang. Enter, my daughter," came a voice from
within.
Sailor Cerebra opened the door and entered the den. The room was
spacious, with shelves crammed with books. A desk sat in the center of the room,
on which sat a picture frame bearing a photo a beautiful, smiling woman with
long dark hair. Standing at the
window, Sailor Cerebra's father, Sorcerer Dragon, was watering a potted plant on
the sill. Once he finished his task, he turned to face Sailor Cerebra.
He nodded
at her.
Dragon was a slim, wiry man, slightly taller than Sailor Cerebra, with a
shaved head and bright, hazel eyes. He was dressed in the traditional black
uniform of the Sorcerers, the only differences being a mandarin collar on his
tunic, a gold silk sash at his waist, and black, Chinese style slippers instead
of standard issue boots. Dragon's eyes shined from pride at seeing Sailor
Cerebra, a proud member of the Senshi. Father and daughter bowed to each other
from deep respect, and then sat on tatami mats on the floor in the Lotus
position, facing each other.
"As always, it does my heart good to see you, Mi Lei. To what do I
owe the pleasure of your visit?" Dragon asked.
"I wanted to inform you that I have been reassigned from the Tsukino
campus to the Department of Homeland Security. My tour of duty begins today.
As
such, my visits home might become less frequent," Sailor Cerebra explained.
Dragon stroked his chin. "HOMESEC. That is Lady Jupiter's
department. I am pleased that one of the Planetaries thinks so highly of your
abilities that she wants you to work for her. Might I ask what your duties will
be?"
"I am sorry, father, but I cannot reveal the nature of my duties as
they are classified top secret," Sailor Cerebra replied. "All I can
tell you is that I will be working under HOMESEC's Deputy Director, Sailor
Magneta."
Again, Dragon stroked his chin. "Sailor Magneta? Hmm.
Most
interesting."
"In what way, father?"
"Sailor Magneta is one of the more powerful Senshi in all the Golden
Millennium. In terms of sheer might, some say only the Planetaries are stronger,
and others say the difference is negligible; whether that is true or not is
uncertain," Dragon explained. "Sailor Magneta is also the most feared
Senshi in the kingdom, because of her ruthlessness and love of destruction.
It
has even been hinted that the woman enjoys bloodshed and carnage, but such
rumors have never been substantiated."
Sailor Cerebra mulled over what she had heard. "I see. Regardless of
what you told me, it would be wrong to form an opinion on Sailor Magneta just
from heresy. But I do have other, more pressing concerns about my new
assignment, which, in a way, coincides with what you just said."
"What sort of concerns, daughter?"
"Without revealing too much about my duties, I will be directly
involved in combat for the very first time. Even though I became a Senshi to
help protect the Golden Millennium, I am adverse to the notion of killing.
Such
an act would run counter to all of your teachings about the sanctity of
life."
"I understand your reticence, Mi Lei. Violence is, in a way, a
by-product of the profession we chose to follow. I grasped that fully when I
pledged my service to Neo-Queen Serenity the First," said Dragon. "But
the important thing to consider is that for us, killing, even to protect our
society, is an avenue of last resort, not a first choice, or a preference as
with the enemy. That mindset, above all else, is what elevates us above the
minions of the Dark Kingdom."
Dragon paused to take Sailor Cerebra's hands in his and stared deeply
into her eyes. "Should the time arrive when you are faced with such a
terrible choice, look into your heart, my daughter, and you will know what to
do."
Sailor Cerebra, her eyes shining with love and devotion for her father,
nodded. "I understand completely, father. I will do my very best to follow
your example and make you proud."
The Chinese Sorcerer chuckled. "You have already made me proud, Mi
Lei. But, do not follow me. Forge your own road. Blaze your own trail.
Be your
own person. That is all I ask."
"As you wish, father." Sailor Cerebra checked her communicator.
She then stood and bowed to Dragon. "I must go. Be well. I love you."
Dragon stood and returned the bow. "And I love you. Take care, my
daughter."
After leaving her father's den, Sailor Cerebra walked towards the front
door when Wang bowed.
"May your journey be free of incident, Lady Mi Lei," said the
manservant, handing Sailor Cerebra her shoes.
Sailor Cerebra smiled at Wang. "Thank you, old friend. Take care of
my father."
Philadelphia,
Planet Earth, Sol system, 8 February 2738
The sounds of Frank Sinatra music, still popular to the residents of the
southern section of this city over seven centuries after his death, wafted
through the spacious main dining hall of the elegant five star Italian
restaurant called Il Magnifico.
But to one man seated in a corner booth, the strains of 'My Way' was
nothing more than background noise to him, as his mind was preoccupied. Dressed
in an impeccably tailored, navy blue Savile Row suit with a red silk tie, the
man was lean muscled and elegantly handsome with longish black hair and
piercing, bright green eyes that casually glanced up at the front doors every
other minute. Nursing a goblet of three hundred year old white wine, the man
checked his chronometer and frowned. His partner was ten minutes late, and,
being ex-military, the man disliked tardiness.
The double doors opened and a tall, strikingly gorgeous Isbanni female
with thick, lustrous, waist long, dark brown hair sauntered in. Wearing a low
cut, skin tight, black spandex mini dress that emphasized her curvaceous figure,
the woman easily turned heads all over the dining area, both male and female,
because of the pheromones she exuded. Her golden, catlike eyes spotted the blue
suited man and she walked over to his table. The man rose to his full, six foot
two inch height and, with a courteous smile, held out a chair for the woman to
sit in, smiling back at him as she did. Sitting back down, the man reached for
the nearby wine bottle and poured the beverage into a glass.
"You're late, Karmella," said the man in a casual tone as he
handed his companion the glass. "This Pinot Grigio was starting to lose its
chill."
"Sorry, darling. But I had to make sure I wasn't followed," the
woman replied in a low, sultry growl. Crossing her long, shapely legs, she
sipped at the wine and found it good. "Contrary to all the bullshit
propaganda Sailor Betelgeuse spews to the masses every week, we are most
definitely not secure. DK spies are everywhere. And Serenity's silly little
soldier girls aren't. I hope you haven't ordered lunch. I don't think we should
stay for very long."
Jonathan Grant, a.k.a. Special Agent Edge of LISA, sighed from genuine
regret. "I know. A damn shame too. Chef Antonio makes the best Veal Marsala
this side of Rome. Such as is the life of a spy. What did you find out?"
"Plenty. There's been chatter in the underground for the last couple
of days about a DK operation taking place on Luna inside of the next twenty-four
to thirty-six hours," Karmella, Special Agent Tigress, replied.
Grant stroked his chin and frowned. He had heard similar rumblings.
"What sort of op? And where, specifically?"
"That's the problem. I don't know. Details are sketchy, but it
involves some top-secret cargo that was brought in yesterday on the Isis,"
Karmella replied after another sip of wine. "My contact said that over a
dozen deep cover enemy agents from all over the continent were being mobilized
for this operation. Whatever that cargo is, the bad guys want it in the worst
way."
"Hmm. It must be plenty big if that many agents are being brought in
from the cold," Grant speculated. "Any idea where these goons might be
leaving from? And when?"
"Los Angeles. Most illegal space flights from this continent leave
from there. As for a timeframe, I've heard anywhere from four to six hours from
now. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, half a dozen local boys are said to be on
the prowl for us. How do we handle this?"
"Let's fly out the coast and investigate. But we keep a low profile
and tell no one of our itinerary," said Grant, draining his glass. "If
the DK knew about that mystery cargo, despite it being classified, that means
there's a leak upstairs. The Charvat fiasco from December is still screwing
things up at LISA. I don't want to walk into a potential trap if someone in the
palace is trafficking intel to the enemy."
"Works for me. What's the plan if we do find a cadre of agents out
there?" Karmella asked.
Grant's lips curled into a wicked, shark-like grin. "We do what we
best, sweetheart. Kick ass with extreme prejudice. Let's go."
After paying the bill, Grant and Karmella strolled out of the restaurant.
After they rounded the corner and entered an alley where Grant's hovercar
waited, the two agents saw half a dozen muscular, blue skinned men in jumpsuits,
and sporting foot long, serrated edged knives, waiting for them.
Crystal
Palace in Crystal Tokyo, Planet Luna, Sol system, 8 February 2738
Department
of Homeland Security
"I wonder what this Sailor Cerebra is like?" Sailor Sirius
wondered aloud. She paused to sip from her cup of hot chocolate. "I hear
she's only been a Senshi for fifty years."
"Half a century? Jeez! She's practically a rookie!" exclaimed
Sailor Ivory, a cup of freshly brewed Columbian coffee in her hands. "We
don't have time to play nursemaid to some wet-behind-the-ears kid!"
"Let's not make any value judgments on her, Cathy," cautioned
Sailor Ebony. Seated in a leather chair in the department lounge with the other
members of Omega, she sipped from an ice filled glass of Rigelian ginger ale.
"Since Sailor Cerebra was recommended to us by Sailor Neptune, and OK'ed by
Ronni, that means she's got credentials, despite her lack of experience."
"Da. And the only way to gain experience is by being in the
field," Sailor Russia pointed out. To pass the time until Sailor Cerebra
arrived, she busied herself by doing right-handed push-ups on the floor. After
silently counting to five hundred, the Senshi of Power switched to her left hand
and, without breaking stride, continued exercising. "In any event, I will
welcome our new teammate with open arms."
"Hmph! Hopefully they won't be sweaty arms," Sailor Britannica
grumbled, watching Sailor Russia disdainfully as she nursed a cup of hot Earl
Grey tea. “Misanthropic barbarian! Must you indulge in such an unsightly
activity?"
"A sound body is as vital to a Senshi as a sound mind," said
Sailor Russia. "And, for the record, Comrade Britannica, I do not
sweat."
"Of course not. And all California girls aren't empty headed, bikini
clad, boy crazed beach bunnies either."
"HEY!" Sailor Ebony and Sailor Ivory, born and raised in San
Diego, angrily shouted at the pompous Briton.
At that moment, the door to the lounge opened and Sailor Magneta entered,
followed by Sailor Cerebra. Everyone stood to greet their leader and their new
teammate.
"Ladies, may I introduce the newest member of Omega, Li Mei Cheng,
Sailor Cerebra," said Sailor Magneta.
The Chinese Senshi, her face impassive as a Vulcan, bowed graciously to
the others. "Greetings. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure's all ours, Li Mei. Welcome aboard!" said a
smiling Sailor Sirius, holding out her hand to Cerebra. The Asian stared at
Sailor Sirius' hand for a moment, as if unsure as to what to do. She then
clasped the Star Senshi's hand, albeit reluctantly.
"Li Mei will take over as Draco's comm officer and medic,
leaving Alison free to concentrate on her science station duties. Sailor Cerebra
is also an expert computer specialist, which will come in handy," Sailor
Magneta explained. "At
present, team, we're on standby for immediate deployment to the Droylian sector,
if called upon, to assist the Princess, who's currently there on a mission with
Sailor Guardians Eos, Astraea, and Sorcerer Merlin."
The eyes of the others widened from surprise. "Droylian space?
What
the hell is Small Lady doing there?" Sailor Britannica wanted to know.
"Torym. He allegedly turned up there following his escape from
Avalon. The Droylian ambassador requested help from the Queen, so she sent the
Princess and her party there to investigate. We're to be her back-up."
"If so, then that raises a problem, Ronni. Even at maximum speed, it
would take four hours for Draco II to reach the Droylian border from
here," said Sailor Ebony, stroking her chin. "A lot could happen in
that time, should Princess Serena need help. I recommend we find a staging area
that's close to the border, thereby cutting down on the response time."
Sailor Magneta nodded. "That's a good idea, Beth. But where can we
go that's close to Droylian space?"
"If I may, commander, I believe I know of a location," Sailor
Russia said. "Sanctuary.
I
visited there on a covert assignment for LISA two years ago. The planet is in
the neutral zone between GM and Droylian space. Its proximity would be perfect
for our needs."
"It's also a fucking hellhole, 'Tasha, populated by some of the
meanest, most violent SOB's in the galaxy," Sailor Ivory grumbled. "Queen Beryl wouldn't last a day on that rock.
And most of the populace has
zero love for Senshi. To paraphrase a line from a late twentieth century sci-fi
flick, it's the ultimate hive of scum and villainy."
Sailor Russia grinned, an impish gleam in her dark eyes as she fondly
recalled her trip there, and of the many barroom fights she indulged in, most of
which she started. "Really? I found it quite... enjoyable."
"An unusual choice of words," said Sailor Cerebra, cocking an
eyebrow. She silently wondered what she had gotten herself mixed up in.
"Perhaps. Still, the idea has merit. And it would give us an
opportunity for us to test the new upgrades to Draco II," said
Sailor Magneta. "I'll speak to Director Jupiter and see what she has to
say."
Philadelphia,
Planet Earth, Sol system, 8 February 2738
Grant and Karmella frowned as they faced the six armed men they suspected
of being Dark Kingdom agents.
"Unless I'm mistaken, those are the dirtbags that were looking for
us," said Grant to his companion.
"Apparently. Sorry about this, darling. I thought I'd been more
careful," said the Isbanni woman in a rueful tone.
Grant waved her off. "Nahh. Don't sweat it, kitten.
This was my
fault. I should've chosen a less public place to meet. Six foot tall catwomen
aren't exactly commonplace in this neck of the woods."
The LISA Special Agent then glared at the men. "I assume you
gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, aren't collecting for the Cosmic Red
Cross?"
"You got that right, human!" snarled the lead man, sporting a
carrot red buzzcut. "We've been on the trail of you two for weeks.
Now that
we've found you, we're gonna waste your asses!"
"Oooooh! I'm so scared!" Karmella replied sotto voce.
Grinning, she turned to her partner, a look of undisguised eagerness in her
eyes. "What do you think, Edge? Should we just lay down and die right
now?"
Grant chuckled, his calm not the least bit ruffled. "Oh, sure,
Tigress. Let's show these losers just what sort of mistake they've made!"
The redheaded leader of the thugs was puzzled by what he heard. "Mistake?
What sort of nonsense are you talking about?"
"This." Moving faster than the eye could see, Grant reached
into the pockets of his suit jacket for the shuriken throwing stars he kept
there and, with unerring accuracy, hurled them at the goons. The six stars Grant
threw struck each man in the hand, and they all screamed as they dropped their
weapons. It all happened in as many seconds.
"No!" cried the redhead. "It's not possible!"
"Oh, really? Honey, you ain't seen nothing yet!" snarled
Karmella. Kicking off her black, spike heeled pumps, and unzipping her dress;
beginning to slip out of it, she underwent an incredible
transformation. Her ears, already pointed, grew longer, as did her canines,
while her feet morphed into cat-like paws. She then she held up her hands, and
the thugs saw her fingernails turn into vicious looking, six inch long claws,
while fur that matched the color of her hair spread across her body and her face
took on the appearance of a lioness. In a matter of seconds, Karmella had
changed into a slavering feline beast that longed to see blood spilled.
"Shall I disembowel these fools, darling?" the transformed
Karmella growled. Thick saliva oozed from her jaws, adding to her already
terrifying visage, as she was hungry to kill.
Grant casually shrugged. He was long used to his partner's
transformations. "Whatever makes you purr, kitten. You take half, and I'll
handle the rest. Just make sure to leave one alive for me to question."
"Done! Just like these vermin!" With a fearsome roar, Karmella
leaped at the disarmed thugs, covering the fifteen feet between them with
frightening ease. A backhanded swipe of her left hand sent one of the goons, the
redheaded leader, flying, while she literally tore into three of the men. Even
though they weren't human, they stood no chance against the even less human
were-creature who shredded them into bloody ribbons with her razor sharp teeth
and claws.
Grant waded into the remaining two men, who whipped out switchblades and
flailed at the agent; he dodged their lunges with lightning fast speed. A palm
thrust from Grant's left hand, delivered to just the right spot, broke one
thug's nose, sending bone shards into his brain, killing him instantly. Grant
then finished the other thug by driving the fingertips of his right hand into
his chest, stopping his heart.
The redheaded man, horrified at what he had seen, stumbled to his feet
and tried to run, but Grant was on him in an instant. The man, scowling from
hatred, threw a punch at Grant, who ducked it with ridiculous ease before
decking him with a perfectly placed right cross to his jaw.
As Karmella licked the enemy's blood off her paws, Grant grabbed the goon
by his lapels and roughly hoisted him to his feet. The man was aghast at what
had happened.
"How? How... did you do that?" he wanted to know.
"Rather easily. My partner's an Isbanni Clan-warrior. Awfully rare
among her people, and, as you just saw, she's hell on wheels," said Grant.
"Me? I used to be a Wizard until I dropped out to become a spy.
But, I
retained the spells to magically enhance my physical skills; they being
super-fast reflexes paired with infallible aim, pretty useful for wetwork.
Now,
I want to know who sent you after us."
"Don't waste your time, human! You'll get no answers from me!"
the lead thug defiantly snapped back.
Grant responded with an icy chuckle. "Oh, no? Good heavens, man.
You
act as if you have a choice. Tigress? May I see you over here for a
minute?"
The Isbanni were-creature padded over to where Grant and the thug were.
She leered menacingly at the captured man. "This loser giving you a hard
time, darling? Want I should rip his heart out and eat it before his eyes?"
"Maybe later, kitten. Still, I do hate people who refuse to
cooperate," said Grant with a frown. He was starting to feel anxious.
He
had no doubt someone heard the commotion and that the authorities would arrive
soon. He preferred that he and his partner not be here when they did.
"I
think we can afford to take some time out of our busy day to whisk our friend to
a nice secluded spot where we can question him properly. Don't you think?"
Karmella nodded. The smile on her face was chilling and savage.
"Oh,
absolutely. I so enjoy a good interrogation."
Hearing that, the goon's eyes widened and he shook from fear. "Wait
a minute! What are you going to..."
Before he could finish, Grant pressed a nerve on the left side of his
neck, and he passed out. The LISA agent smirked. "Cool. It worked.
I always
wanted to try that. If you'll do the lifting, I'll start up the car.
We need to
get him, and us out of here. We'll question him at the safehouse."
"You realize time isn't on our side," Karmella said, as she
hefted the unconscious enemy agent in a fireman's carry as if he were
weightless. Because she possessed the strength of ten men in her were-creature
form, he was.
"All too well. But we've got to find out what he knows. And if he's
connected with this DK op on Luna. C'mon."
The two agents hurried to Grant's waiting hovercar. A minute later, they
were speeding away just as the police arrived.
TO
BE CONTINUED...