"LUNAR: Tales From Crystal Tokyo"
LUNAR:
Tales From Crystal Tokyo
By
Daryll Pung
Episode
1-10: When Angels Deserve To Die
Rated:
R
Sol
Base 1, In high Lunar orbit, Sol system, 6 October 2736
Amid the bustle of the busy concourse, with people of various races
moving about, doing their tasks, a single shape sat, patiently waiting.
It sat near the primary transparent crystal windows, gazing out into the
darkness of space. Its tail
twitched occasionally.
Passersby noticed her, and a few stopped to ask what she was doing, and
thought the better of it. And still
the black cat watched, the interior lighting glistening off the moon on her
forehead. Suddenly, her tail
twitched violently and stopped, as white light burst some distance away, on the
outer perimeter. Even as the first
streak of white energy dissipated, another joined it.
And another. And the final
burst was quite large indeed.
All around her, people stopped, noticing.
She now bore a smile, insomuch as a cat could smile.
A cheer went up as the final burst of light dissipated.
"It's the Zeus! It's
Task Force Forty-Two! The first
reinforcements are here!"
Luna, advisor of Serenity, leapt from her perch as the clapping ensued;
as the first reinforcements raced for the busy Millennium Spaceport, the massive
collection of a starbase, several dockyards, shipyards, construction and design
facilities. The entirety of the
spaceport practically filled the gap between Earth and Luna, stopping just shy
of each planet's atmosphere, and orbiting Earth at the same rate as Luna.
She casually walked down the rampway towards the command center of the
base, a path clearing for her as she walked.
Behind her, outside of the Spaceport, the outer screen of destroyers
streaked in, followed by the collection of cruisers, and finally the proud Oberon-class
battleship Zeus, all bearing a load of Sorcerers from the worlds near
where TF42 had been assigned. Even
as the Zeus and her escorts moved into the perimeter, more flashes of
white light appeared behind them, as yet another group of starships dropped out
of faster-than-light transit.
The doors to Ops, the heart of Sol Base 1, hissed open, allowing Luna in.
She leapt nimbly onto the communications console.
The officer standing there looked up, bowing his head respectfully.
"TF42 has been directed to its moorings; TF26 is forming up, and
coming in, sir," the officer made his report to the commander.
"May I help you, ma'am?" he asked of Luna.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," nodded Luna.
"Would you make contact with Her Highness?
I should like to pass on the glad news."
"At once, ma'am," grinned the officer, fingers moving nimbly
over his console.
Academy
of Sorcery/Crystal Tokyo, Planet Luna, Sol system, 7 October 2736
Archmage Ereunak strolled along, his demeanor businesslike.
He traveled down the long hallway to the office of Sorcerer Dramlyn.
Pictures of historical events adorned the walls; offices filled the area.
His footsteps echoed.
He was reflecting on the events of the day before; it was amazing what a
small group of starships did for morale. Even
with the threat of Infiltrators still hanging
around, people walked with more bounce in their steps, with a smile on their
face, completing their work better and faster.
Ereunak puzzled over this phenomenon, before finally hitting on the
reason why. It was, indeed, the very reason he was now going to see Dramlyn.
People knew the wait was almost over.
The presence of the ships meant soon, the Royal Star Navy would reply to
the Dark Kingdom. It was time to
fight, time to show the bastards that the GM was not to be messed with.
And he hoped to be part of the response.
He halted outside of the door, which bore the designation of
"Sorcerer Dramlyn, Headmaster". He
waited, activating the door beeper.
"Enter," came the voice from within.
Ereunak moved forward as the door hissed open.
He drew himself up at attention as he stopped by Dramlyn's desk.
Dramlyn set down a microcomp, on top of the collection of the devices all
over his desk. He rubbed his eyes.
"At ease. What can I do
ya for, Archmage Ereunak?"
"Well, sir, I wanted to come volunteer for the special mission you
mentioned. I think it's right up my
alley," Ereunak replied.
Dramlyn looked at him appraisingly.
"Yes, I believe you are correct.
Moreso, I believe you have already proven yourself adequately for the
mission... although your new partner in crime will not be with you."
Ereunak grinned. "It is
fun working with Derrelli, sir, but I want to do this and Archmage Derrelli does
not have the subtlety necessary for the mission... although he could probably
blast his way through."
Dramlyn was quiet for a moment. He
shuffled through the microcomps on his desk, finally finding the one he wanted.
He picked it up, and quickly typed on the screen.
He then held it to Ereunak. "Sign
here, here, and here. You will be
notified when the mission details are finalized."
Ereunak took the proffered laser pen, signed briskly, and handed both
back.
"Good luck, Ereunak. And...
thanks," nodded Dramlyn.
Ereunak smiled. "My
pleasure, sir."
Derrelli leaned back against the wall, studying his spellcomp.
He had just learned two new fire spells and couldn't wait to try them out
at the firing range.
"Hey," came a voice. He
glanced up to see the newly promoted Mage Torym.
"What's happenin', Torym?" grinned Derrelli.
Torym sat down next to him. "I
take it you haven't been paying much attention to the news as of late."
"Depends. I've been
paying a lot of attention to Infiltrator stories; and I know that a lot of ships
have been rolling in," said Derrelli, one eyebrow arched.
"Well, we're all here because we're all choices for command and
second-in-command of squads. Look
around, man, we're all Warlocks, Archmages, or Mages," Torym explained.
Derrelli frowned. "I
figured that. I just want to get
this over with; learned a couple new spells I want to try out."
Torym chuckled. "I hear
ya, pyro. Shouldn't take too long.
Still, there are bigger things to worry about right now."
The loudspeaker clicked on. "Archmage
Derrelli, Mage Torym, please come back," came the voice of the new Head
Secretary, Julia Marstan, from Pluto.
They glanced at each other, and both got up.
The door hissed open, and they walked in.
They looked at the plump woman in front of them.
She handed both a microcomp and a pen.
"Okay. Derrelli, you'll
be heading the 187th 'Vipers'. Torym,
you'll be his second in command. You'll
answer to Warlock Huyril, in overall charge of your legion.
Sign these in acknowledgement."
Derrelli and Torym again shared a glance.
Both shrugged, signed, and gave the micrcomps and pens back.
Julia handed them another microcomp.
"These are your squad members.
They're currently aboard the SLS Minotaur; your RNLT Date is by
1600 hours tomorrow. That's at Dock
457 in the Ulysses Dockyard."
Derrelli and Torym both nodded. "Understood,"
said Derrelli, and both turned as she called for the next group.
She glanced back at them.
"Good luck."
They shared another glance, and then a grin.
Crystal
Palace in Crystal Tokyo, Planet Luna, Sol system, 10 October 2736
Sailor Pluto slowly walked down the hall.
The Time Warrior was almost never in a hurry; neither was the tall, black
haired, green-eyed man in dark black slacks, green shirt, and a dark green cape.
He had a wicked-looking katana strapped to his back in a black leather
scabbard.
Pluto Knight glanced about casually.
"And we're here because?" he said neutrally.
"I personally do not question the requests of Serenity,"
replied Sailor Pluto. She gave him
a sidelong glance.
"I don't imply that you do, Tris, I'm simply asking if you have any
idea what this may pertain to," he responded evenly.
Sailor Pluto allowed herself a small smile.
"I have a few ideas. I
believe it may pertain to the recent Infiltrator threat, as well as
strategy."
"As in, the Planetaries will head the battle groups?" Pluto
Knight asked.
"It's possible, but-" Sailor Pluto began, before being suddenly
tackled by a grayish blur that rapidly began to change.
She rolled free, and regained her feet, crouching as she held the Time
Staff at the ready. She looked upon
her tackler.
She was looking at herself.
Pluto Knight was already in a battle stance, Stasis Edge in his hands. He glanced between the two, an anxious expression on his
face. "Infiltrator...
which?" he muttered to himself.
As Sailor Pluto stood, so did her double.
Both wore the same expression, and her double moved with the exact same
fluid, graceful movements. She
could understand her Knight's precarious position.
All that meant is she would have to take her double into her own hands.
She leapt forward, striking with her staff.
The other Sailor Pluto blocked with its own staff, and pushed her away.
It leapt after her, swinging low. Sailor
Pluto jumped the swing, and ducked under the next, launching a swipe of her own.
It caught the double, which cried out before retaliating with a blow to
the side of her head. Sailor Pluto
gasped, and staggered back, dazed. Her
double looked at her Knight.
"Well? Help me!"
her double said, warily keeping an eye on her.
Pluto Knight's eyes were narrowed. "Blast
her!"
Her double glanced back at her. "You
know what? I think I'll make this
thing pay!" Sailor Pluto 2
leapt at her again. "Die,
bitch!"
Sailor Pluto was barely able to parry the blows, still reeling from the
viciousness of the attack and the force of the previous headshot.
She felt herself slammed hard against the wall, her staff knocked out of
her hands, as Sailor Pluto 2's staff was pressed on her throat.
She gasped for air, noting the faint glow of her opponent's eyes, the
evil grin on its face. Suddenly, its expression changed to one of shock and pain,
and the staff clattered to the floor. Both
looked down, to the midsection of Sailor Pluto 2, where black ichor flowed
freely, the tip of a katana poking through.
Pluto Knight removed Stasis Edge as her double clutched her midsection.
It staggered back, and Sailor Pluto noted her double's staff
disintegrate. She grabbed hers.
"But.... how?" gasped her double at Pluto Knight.
"Simple. Tris doesn't
swear, and generally abhors hand-to-hand fighting," replied Pluto Knight
calmly, wiping Stasis Edge clean on the double's outfit.
He placed his katana back in its scabbard as the double reverted to its
standard Infiltrator form.
"Doesn't matter," it muttered through clenched, pointed teeth,
preparing to leap at him. "Die!"
"You first," came Sailor Pluto's calm voice.
"Pluto... DEADLY SCREAM!"
The blast of time energy blew the thing upwards, and smashed the creature
against the crystalline ceiling, where it screamed as it was obliterated. Its ashes wafted down. Pluto
Knight glanced at her.
"I'm okay. We should
inform Serenity at once," said Sailor Pluto.
"Of course," agreed Pluto Knight, resuming his former stride,
as if nothing had just happened. Sailor
Pluto raised an eyebrow, and she too resumed her previous walk.
The immense double doors that led to the throne room of the Crystal
Palace had a pair of Archmage Sorcerers standing guard, both differing from the
norm in that they bore blaster rifles and were crack shots with them. The hall leading up to it was ornate, with large open-air
windows, red draperies, paintings on the walls, and statues every few meters.
One of the guards yawned and glanced at the other.
"I have to hit the restroom. Cover
me for a few?"
The other, bored, glanced at him. "Yeah,
sure. Go for it." As the first one walked briskly around the corner, the second
strolled right to the midpoint of the doors.
He yawned, and placed his back to the door.
He was extremely surprised to see a little girl standing in front of him.
He crouched. "How did you get here?
Can I help you, little one?"
The other guard had just exited the restroom when he thought he heard
something. He raced around the
corner, and stopped when the other guard looked at him like he was loony. He was standing as usual, in parade rest position, back to
the double doors.
"I thought I heard something," he said sheepishly.
"Everything's normal, man," said the other, moving to his
normal position. "I think the
boredom is causing you to imagine things."
"Yeah, you're probably right," agreed the first guard, taking
his position. He yawned again.
Both snapped to attention as footsteps echoed down the hall; Neo-Queen
Serenity I and King Endymion, with Luna and Artemis.
The two cats walked just behind Serenity, and as they neared the two
guards, Artemis paused, sniffing the air.
Luna glanced at him. "Artemis?"
she asked. He was taut, glancing
about. Luna called him again.
"Artemis!"
Endymion and Serenity turned, and Luna's ears suddenly swiveled, hearing
a noise she didn't like one bit. She
turned and gasped as one of the two guards dropped the other, after breaking his
neck. She saw the guard charge Endymion
as Artemis found the hand of the same guard's body behind a tapestry.
"Serenity!" yelled Luna.
Serenity whirled in time to see the guard whose body had just been
discovered tackle Endymion, slamming him viciously into the wall, cracking his
head and dazing him. It dropped
him, and whirled to face Serenity.
"Artemis, go! Get
help!" yelled Luna.
"Luna!" gasped Artemis. Luna
glanced back, and ducked as the statue flew at her.
She didn't quite duck enough, and the glancing blow was enough to flip
her over and knock her out. Artemis
charged, and even as he leapt, out of the corner of his eye he saw the
beginnings of something he hadn't seen in a long time.
The guard dodged the cat, swinging at him.
The guard grabbed another statue and flung it at Artemis as he landed on
all fours, after twisting his body to avoid the guard's swing.
It didn't reach him. A pair
of high-heeled boots stepped in front of him, and a pair of gloved hands
casually caught the statue, and gently set it aside.
Artemis looked up to see...
Sailor Moon.
The guard blinked, drawing and leveling his rifle in one smooth movement.
Even as he started to pull the trigger, Sailor Moon's hand moved in a
blur towards her forehead.
"Moon Tiara... MAGIC!" she called, and in one swift motion her
powerful energy disc sliced through the guard's rifle, destroying it. As he drew his blaster pistol, the disc swung back around,
slicing through the barrel of it before flying back at Sailor Moon's forehead.
The "guard" staggered back, snarling.
His skin suddenly seemed to rip from inside as the Infiltrator revealed
itself.
"Yes, that is what I expected," Sailor Moon said calmly. "The truth is once again shown. Surrender, or be.... moondusted."
"Die!" it snarled, charging forward.
It suddenly stopped, gasping, as it looked down at the red rose now
imbedded in its chest. There was a
sound of rasping metal, and then Endymion stepped forward, sword in hand.
It stepped back, hesitant. Then
it growled, and as it prepared to leap, another shout came.
"Mercury Bubbles... BLAST!"
A thick fog suddenly enshrouded the area, blinding the Infiltrator.
It blinked in confusion, glancing about.
It suddenly became aware that it could hear... something.
It got closer, and suddenly the fog cleared in time for the Infiltrator
to feel a burning pain in its chest, on either side of the first rose impact.
It glanced down, to see a red and purple rose and a blue and white rose
next to the pure red. It looked up again to see a blazing purple orb of time energy
slam into it, throwing it backwards against the throne room doors with a loud
thud. It screamed as the power of
time ripped it apart, and it exploded in a cloud of dust.
"That's the second one I've destroyed today," said Sailor Pluto
as she lowered her staff. Pluto
Knight nodded, glancing at Sailor Mercury and Mercury Knight.
"Nice throw," yawned Mercury Knight.
He got a nod in return. They
glanced at Sailor Moon. It was a
rare thing indeed to see the battle form of Neo-Queen Serenity I. It didn't last, however.
White light again shone, and Serenity was back.
She took one look about, before gently picking up Luna.
The crescent on her forehead gleamed momentarily, and Luna blinked awake.
Serenity looked back about as the rest of the Planetaries, excluding only
Sailor Saturn, whose Knight looked lonely and out of place, ran up.
"What did we miss?" asked Sailor Venus, wide-eyed.
Serenity sighed. "Let
us get inside, while clean-up begins. We
shall discuss it there." She
noticed the bodies of the two guards, and a brief look of sadness came over her
face. She looked at Sailor Mercury.
"Amy, have you learned anything?"
Sailor Mercury met her gaze. "Some.
Not enough. I'll double my
efforts."
"What next?" asked Artemis.
"What next?"
In
high orbit near Atlantis-1, Atlantis system, 10 October 2736
The
Demon
"Lord, I beg to report," said First formally, bowing before
Heran.
"Go ahead," replied Heran, lounging in his chair.
"First, Atlantis system. All
defenses in place, and the first of our citizens report that the planet is quite
satisfactory. Further
reinforcements in place. This
system is secure. Next, the Sabaat
system. The reports show that the
defenses in space are completely wiped out, as well as any ground-based weapons
and shields. Most major cities are
in our hands, with a few scattered bases being the limits of the remaining
resistance. Raids on said bases
continue at this time," reported First.
"Excellent," grinned Heran.
He gazed out of the viewscreen, fingers steepled across his face.
"Most excellent."
Defense
Base Echo, Congetia, Sabaat system, 10 October 2736
Mage Golru glanced around him, at the defense lines.
The few remaining Sorcerers were spaced out evenly around the defense
perimeter, augmented by civilian volunteers in the few remaining emergency Mech
Suits, as well as a bunch in foxholes, armed with blaster rifles, despite
regulations to the contrary. The
constant assaults on Congetia, the seventh planet in the Sabaat system, were
wearing everyone down.
He was in charge. He
shouldn't have been; he had been a member of a now defunct battalion in the
capital city. That city had been
the first to go. He remembered the
frenzied retreat, three-quarters of the city in flames.
A most depressing sight.
He stared out. Defense Base
Echo was on a plateau in the jungle; the growth came almost to the edge of the
base. The calls of the wildlife
were second only to the sound of the Mech Suits stomping around in preset patrol
routings. The few serviceable
buildings on base all bore signs of damage; a majority were merely burnt-out
husks. Three attempts, he
told himself. Three fucking
attempts to take us.
He sighed, restless. His
uniform was filthy, as was everyone around him.
All of the Sorcerers were injured to some degree.
Spirits were low; all felt they were fighting a losing battle, and it was
hard to deny that feeling. The
humidity, rain, and insect life only compounded the problem.
It took him a second to realize the wildlife had gone silent.
He dropped, rifle out. He
took the safety off, straining his senses.
He heard the whine of the enemy attack aircraft.
Their Pods wheeled into view, and launched a series of energy bombs.
They arced down, into the center of the base.
A loud series of explosions rang out; the shockwaves swept overhead as
the ground rumbled. He heard over
the commnet that the base hospital had just been obliterated.
"Dammit!" he cursed. "Antiair?"
"Three antiair mechs left; they're firing now," came his reply.
True to the report, the streaks of railgun fire ripped through the air
with booming sounds, leaving red-yellow light trails from the heat.
Several explosions signified hits on the enemy Pods, and they wheeled
away, trailing smoke and flame.
"Wonderful things, railguns," he muttered.
They had been constructed in a hurry, from scratch.
They fired a dense metal slug at just shy of the speed of light; in this
case, lead, since anything denser was scarce.
Hence the red-hot spiral trails from the slugs as they melted, resulting
in a shortened range. Still, an effective weapon.
His thoughts were interrupted as thick green beams suddenly began
whizzing overhead. "Down!"
he hollered into his commset, even as one of the Mech Suits took a direct hit,
exploding the body cockpit area in a massive blast.
The arms fell aside with a clang, and only a pair of burning legs
remained upright. It was so quick
the individual inside didn't even get a chance to scream.
"Mother of Serenity!" he swore.
"Wait for it! Wait
until you see the reds of their eyes!"
He heard someone nearby firing. "Dammit!
The power supply on these rifles isn't infinite!
Hold your fucking fire!"
The first wave burst from the woods with a roar.
A massive wall of black... things, moving at a rapid pace toward them.
These were the shock troops of the DK, specially bred for toughness,
speed, and viciousness.
"Hold it... just a little closer..." muttered Golru.
They hit the electrified outer wall.
A few actually fried on the hastily erected barrier, before the force of
the onrushing army smashed through it, shorting out the system.
"FIRE!" he shouted. Crisscrossing
beams of blazing white energy ripped into the enemy ranks, disintegrating
creature after creature, and slowing the assault.
They were almost to the line of foxholes now.
"Mechs! Join in!"
he commanded, sighting down his rifle. He
lined up a gruesome face, and then blew it away.
The Mech Suits leapt forward, the gatling blaster cannons on their arms
whirling as they began to fire, literally shredding the leading elements of the
opposing force, stopping the first wave in their tracks just shy of the front
line. He felt himself grin through
the death screams, the stench of ozone, and the smoke and flames of the
fighting. Make that FOUR! he
thought triumphantly.
Then he gasped. Another wave
was now rushing out, from the woods.
They didn't have this much last time! he thought in a panic. He suddenly remembered DB Golf had stopped answering their
comms two days prior, and he was filled with a sinking feeling as behind that
wave, they finally saw the source of those green beams. Standing almost five meters tall, they were also black in
color, with a large, spider like head on their shoulders. They had six arms, and four had organic cannons for the
hands. The fifth and sixth bore
huge, smashing clubs. The seventh
and eight limbs were massive legs, ending in clawed feet.
"Oh, no," he said in a small voice.
"Mechs! Take out as
much of those... spidertroopers as you can!"
The Mech Suits switched fire, but it was clear it would not be enough, as
green beams began exploding Mechs at a rapid rate.
Green beams began pummeling the ground, and the nearby foxhole with the
trigger-happy civilians took a direct hit.
The explosion was deafening, knocking Golru off his feet. A spray of dirt rained down, and something clunked him on the
head. He jumped to his feet,
hearing screams as he glanced at what hit him.
A charred, bloody stump of an arm.
He looked up, in a rage, raising his rifle.
The gun began bucking in his arms, he fired so fast.
Enemies were falling at a fantastic rate, when the beams stopped coming
out. He glanced at the rifle.
The emitter had melted from the heat.
He threw the worthless rifle aside, drawing his pistol.
He began firing that until the power pack went dead.
All around, fountains of dirt rose into the air, an explosion deafened,
and screams of pain ripped into the soul. He
was barely conscious of the fact that very few beams were ripping into the enemy
ranks any more; barely conscious of the fact that all around lay the exploded
remnants of the Mech Suits.
He threw the pistol aside, drawing magical energy into his hand. "Disruption Beam!" he cast, firing a blue,
crackling beam into the enemy ranks, sweeping through them. Several scores of enemies perished.
A shocktrooper leapt at him, claws bared, fangs dripping human blood.
He turned, calling more power to him.
"Magic Bolt!" he shouted, pointing his hand at the enemy,
sending a flurry of multicolored bolts into the enemy's chest, frying it.
He turned to see a spidertrooper aim all four arms right at him.
"Get SOME!" he shouted, raising his energy encased hands as the
spidertrooper's four arms glowed dangerously green.
"They've breached the lines! The
base is in ruins! Heavy casualties!
Anyone on this net, please send help!
We're dying down here! Mage
Golru is dead! Repeat, this is
Defense Base Echo...."
Sabaat
Asteroid Field, Sabaat system, 10 October 2736
The
SLS Destiny
"They've breached the lines! The
base is in ruins! Heavy casualties!
Anyone on this net, please send help!
We're dying down here! Mage
Golru is dead! Repeat, this is
Defense Base Echo...." the speakers went on and on, explosions echoing.
"Please help! Please,
somebody, anybody, he-" the communication suddenly stopped, and static,
followed by nothing, could be heard. At
the signal, the comm officer reached over and cut the transmission.
He glanced back at the hunched form of Small Lady, pink hair covering her
face. Everyone on the bridge bore a
sad or enraged expression.
Princess Serena looked up; her eyes redder than usual, from the tears
streaking down her face. She
sniffed, drying her tears on her sleeve. "Status
of repairs?" she asked in a quivering, broken voice.
"Most systems are about 50% operational, Admiral," reported the
ops officer. "Sickbay is
finally clear; the remaining crew is healthy.
Shields still completely out, TPA and Fusion Impeller fully
functional." The ops officer
struggled to remain professional.
Serena leaned back. "Why?"
she asked quietly. "Why does
it have to be like this?"
"Admiral! I'm picking
up a transmission nearby!" came a shout.
She snapped erect. "From
where, exactly?"
"I'm not exactly sure, your Highness!
It's close... Oh, shit! DK
scout ship, close aboard!"
"Red Alert! Destroy
that damned thing!" ordered Serena, fists clenched.
The Destiny responded as the scout dove in, twin green beams
smashing into the Destiny, causing it to shudder.
A single blazing yellow beam drilled out from the aft array, nailing the
scout ship, sending it spiraling into an asteroid nearby, where it detonated.
"Damage?" asked Serena.
"No real effect; it nailed the shield grid, your Highness,"
replied tactical.
"Trace that transmission," Serena said next.
"Working on it, Admiral! It's...
it was... we're intercepting a broad band transmission, Majesty!"
"Content?" queried Serena.
The comm officer gulped. "The
scout ship's signal went to their lead ship, Admiral.
They just issued orders to every ship in the fleet: kill us."
The officer paused.
"And they know exactly where we are."
STAY
TUNED!