"LUNAR: Tales From Crystal Tokyo"
LUNAR:
Tales From Crystal Tokyo
By
Daryll Pung
Episode
3-07: Final Preparations
Rated:
R
In
FTL transit, heading for the Polaris system, 13 June 2740
The
SLS Bahumat
Sailor Cygni strolled slowly around the bridge, eyeing the various
consoles she passed, nodding at the bridge crew.
She knew how much her dislike of waiting had become an in-joke among the
crew; she didn’t mind, figuring if that’s the worst anyone thought of her,
so much the better.
“Uh oh,” whispered Wizard Orien.
“Captain’s bored again.”
Wizard Duke chuckled. “Should
we order new bridge carpeting now? Damned
if she isn’t going to wear a path into it.”
Sailor Ryujin laughed, and Sailor Cygni made a face.
“Hah, hah, hah,” she retorted, stifling a yawn.
“You do that, Duke, and I’ll have you flying trash-haulers for the
rest of your days.”
Duke mimed getting hit in the chest.
“Ooh, that cuts me deep. Please,
anything but that!”
The lift doors hissed open, to reveal Juanita Flores.
The mood on the bridge immediately sobered. Sailor Cygni barely acknowledged her, although Juanita nodded
respectfully (if a bit forced) and walked over to her.
“Captain, may I have a word?” Juanita asked politely.
Sailor Cygni paused, glancing at her, her expression undecipherable.
Finally, she spoke. “In my
ready room.” She waved her arm to
indicate Juanita should precede her, and as Juanita strolled primly towards the
door, Sailor Cygni glanced back. “You
have the bridge, Sailor Ryujin.”
“’Kay,” Sailor Ryujin replied absentmindedly, as she was busy
skewering Juanita with a fierce glare.
Sailor Cygni took a deep breath, and followed Juanita into the
captain’s ready room. As the
doors hissed shut behind her, Juanita spoke.
“Thank you, Captain, for taking the time out of your busy day to listen
to me. I have a complaint to
register, and an observation to make. If
I may?” she waved to the chair opposite the captain’s in front of the desk.
Sailor Cygni wordlessly took hers. “Please,”
she said, managing not to apply any sarcasm to the word, motioning Juanita to
sit. “A complaint?”
“Yes, against Sailor Ryujin,” Juanita replied.
“Have you discussed your problems with Sailor Ryujin before coming to
me?” Sailor Cygni asked next.
Juanita was taken aback. “Excuse
me?”
“It’s how the chain of command works; you have a problem, you first
talk about it with the individual you have a problem with.
If that does not resolve the situation, then you proceed up the chain.
You did follow that part enough; I’m the only link above Sailor Ryujin
on this ship,” Sailor Cygni observed.
“I see,” Juanita said. “That
is the problem, Captain. The last
time the two of us had a private conversation is the reason I have a
complaint.”
Sailor Cygni eyed her thoughtfully, and then pressed a panel on her desk.
“Kis, come in here, please.”
“On my way,” Sailor Ryujin replied; a few seconds passed before the
doors hissed open to reveal the blonde surfer girl.
“You rang?” Sailor Ryujin said as the doors closed behind her and she
approached the pair; Sailor Cygni waved for her to take a seat. Which she did, crossing her legs and perching right on the
desk.
“It seems Mrs. Flores has a problem with you, and I thought it best if
the two of you discussed it before I do anything about it,” Sailor Cygni
explained. She stood, smoothed her
skirt, and strolled over to the replicator.
Juanita’s
face had an interesting expression… like someone heading to an execution.
Sailor Ryujin plastered a smile on her face.
“Really,” she drawled. “’Nita,
you have a problem with me? Whatever
could that be?”
Juanita composed herself for a second, and then spoke.
“The last time we had a private discussion, you roughed me up and
threatened me.”
Sailor Cygni half-turned, from where her order was shimmering into being;
she covered a yawn with the back of her hand.
Sailor Ryujin nodded, deciding to play nice.
Besides, she and Sailor Cygni had an honest professional relationship,
so... “That’s right, ‘Nita.
I did. I was quite angry
with you for causing such problems, and I’ve never been the most tactful
person. However, it was with due
cause. As I told you that day, only
one person around here is endangering this mission… and that is you.
This much is true, and has not changed.
Critical times, drastic measures… and it worked.”
Juanita’s eyes narrowed; she sat up straighter in her chair.
“You laid your hands on me, you shoved me into a wall… and I’m
supposed to accept this?”
Carrying a tall glass of ice water, Sailor Cygni sat back down, taking in
the conversation.
Sailor Ryujin laughed. “I
honestly don’t care if you do or do not, ‘Nita.
You really are one self-centered, stuck up bitch.”
Juanita leaned forward. “Captain,
are you going to let this go on?”
Sailor Cygni took a sip, and set the glass down.
“I take it the two of you have reached an impasse?”
“Hell, yeah,” Sailor Ryujin snorted.
“You do realize, Hoshi, that nothing you say or do is going to satisfy
this… diplomat.”
“It will if she is truly a good, fair, and just Captain, as I believe
she is,” Juanita said primly.
“You really do have your panties all wadded up about this, don’t
you?” observed Sailor Ryujin. She
snorted, shaking her head. “I
suppose you have some reason for it, but that doesn’t mean I’m in the
wrong.” She glanced at Sailor Cygni.
“Whaddya think, Hoshi?”
Sailor Cygni stared at Juanita, dead silent.
“Captain?” asked Sailor Ryujin, subsiding some.
“You okay?”
“'Good, fair, and just Captain'?” mimicked Sailor Cygni.
Her mouth narrowed; her eyes flashed with pure rage.
When she spoke again, her voice was low, lethal.
“I thought I was an 'ignorant, barbaric Senshi'?”
Juanita’s eyes widened; she sat back.
Sailor Cygni stood, and gazed out the window.
Finally she glanced at the two and spoke. “Kis, I really wish you hadn’t gotten violent.”
“My apologies, Hoshi,” Sailor Ryujin said sincerely.
“But she is making a bigger deal of it than necessary.
She suffered no ill effects… except for maybe hurt pride.”
“Don’t let it happen again, Kis,” Sailor Cygni said softly.
“We’re already a lost cause in her eyes, and no amount of violence is
going to change that. I understand
your temper. I know that you partly
did it for me.”
She turned back to the window, quiet.
“Consider it warning, Kis. I
won’t even put it on your record. Just…
look, I know tact isn’t a strong suit of yours… hell; it isn’t even a suit
of yours. Just try to control your
temper, okay?”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Sailor Ryujin said, struggling to do just that. What… why… she
isn’t siding with this…? Is
she?
“Is that sufficient, Mrs. Flores?” Sailor Cygni asked, staring at the
starlines.
Juanita hid a smug smile. This
will put that blonde Senshi bitch in her place!
“It is, Captain.”
“And your ‘observation’, Mrs. Flores?” Sailor Cygni said to the
window.
“I just wanted to say that so far, the diplomatic effort seems to have
gone well, and that I appreciate your cooperation.
I desired to know how your efforts with the other captains went?”
Juanita asked.
“Fine; just fine,” Sailor Cygni replied neutrally.
“Anything else?”
“Specifics?” Juanita insisted.
“How can I relate any if we do not yet know?’ Sailor Cygni responded. “They seem to be going along with us. Anything else remains to be seen.”
“Very good, Captain,” Juanita said, standing up.
“That is all I wanted to talk to you about. With your permission?”
Sailor Cygni just nodded. Juanita
glanced at Sailor Ryujin, and then strolled primly out of the room. The doors hissed shut behind her. Sailor Ryujin gazed at Sailor Cygni for a moment, and then
spoke.
“If there’s nothing else, Sailor Cygni, I’m needed on the
bridge,” she managed as neutrally as possible.
“One minute,” Sailor Cygni said softly, barely audible.
Sailor Ryujin paused and turned back; she belligerently crossed her arms.
Sailor Cygni stared out of the window for another second, and then
suddenly spun. “I HATE THAT
FUCKING BITCH!” She slammed her
balled right fist into the desk, which cracked into two and collapsed from the
force of the blow; the glass of water smashed into the window.
Sailor Cygni clenched both of her fists, staring down at the mess.
Sailor Ryujin raised an eyebrow, her arms dropping to her side, and
stepped forward. “Hoshi, I…”
she trailed off, her eyes dropping to the table wreckage.
Blood spattered amidst the debris; Sailor Cygni’s right hand had a
steady trickle of crimson fluid coming from her knuckles.
“Shit, you okay?”
“No,” Sailor Cygni said tonelessly.
“That… that was all bullshit for her sake, Kis.”
She stared at her bleeding hand. “None
of it meant anything. You know
that, don’t you?”
“I was damn sure hoping it,” Sailor Ryujin answered slowly.
“Uh, shouldn’t you-?”
“I’m losing it, Kis. I
can’t handle her anymore. I’m
cracking up. I… I… I
don’t know what to do anymore,” Sailor Cygni sank into the still intact
chair. “Maybe it’s the stress.
The stress of the mission, the stress of dealing with that low-grade
whore, the worry about our theories of the target of those bastard ex-DK
mercenaries…” Sailor Cygni trailed off.
Sailor Ryujin kneeled in front of Sailor Cygni, and reached out, placing
a hand on Sailor Cygni’s cheek. She
looked straight into her eyes, noting the cosmetic-disguised rings under her
them. “Neo,” she said aloud.
“Get sickbay; let’s get some subtle help for the Captain here right
away, huh? Girl looks like she fell
off the crest of a big wave, tangled with a shark, and lost to both.”
“On the way, Sailor Ryujin,” Neo responded.
Sailor Ryujin kept looking at Sailor Cygni.
“I think, for the next four days, you need to take time off. When was the last time you slept?”
“I
haven’t,” Sailor Cygni replied tiredly.
“Been planning. Trying to come up with some way to win an impossible battle.
Worrying. Derrelli’s been
busy. Haven’t slept a wink.
Four days now? I can’t
remember anymore.”
The door beeped. “Enter
quickly,” Sailor Ryujin said, standing. The
door hissed open to reveal the chief medical officer, Doctor Julianne Willows.
Blonde, green-eyed, and dedicated to helping others, her eyes quickly
took in the mess, and she stepped forward to allow the doors to close.
“By Serenity,” she whispered. “Captain.”
She quickly kneeled next to her, and pulled out a medkit.
After cleaning and sealing the wound, Jule, as she preferred to be
called, glanced at Sailor Ryujin. “What
happened?”
“She hasn’t slept in almost a hundred hours, Doc,” Sailor Ryujin
replied. “She needs an excuse to
relax, to let go, so she’s ready in time…” the Water Dragon Senshi trailed
off.
“Well, I can give her a sedative, but…” Jule mused.
“But, it’s unlikely she’ll take it, unless she’s forced to,”
nodded Sailor Ryujin. “She can be
stubborn like that.”
“Considering the circumstances, and the importance of the mission,
there’s only one option. Captain,
as chief medical officer of this ship, under official RSN regulations section
forty one dash two, paragraph five point one six, I’m temporarily relieving
you of command until you are once again medically fit for duty, as certified by
none other than myself. That
leaves, if I am not mistaken, Sailor Ryujin as temporary commander of this
vessel,” Jule said, straightening herself up.
Sailor Cygni looked up; she looked for a moment as if she was going to
argue, but instead mutely nodded.
“I’ll take care of it from here, Sailor Ryujin; you best go tell
everyone else,” Jule continued. She
extended a hand to Sailor Cygni. “It’s
best if you de-transform, Captain.”
Sailor Ryujin stood. “Get
some sleep, Hoshi. I’ll talk to
you later.” She moved to the
door, glanced back to see a civilian Hoshiko Akemi practically collapse against
the CMO. Sailor Ryujin’s mouth
became set in a thin line, and she stepped through to the bridge.
Duke looked up. “What’s
going on now?” he asked quietly.
Sailor Ryujin strolled in front of the captain’s chair, and turned with
a grimace. “Neo, make note in the
ship's log. Due to an extreme
insomnia and stress, Sailor Cygni has been temporarily relieved of
command by Chief Medical Officer Julianne Willows.
Therefore, as of this moment, I am in command of this ship.”
There was a moment of stunned silence on the bridge.
Orien was the first to speak. “That
fucking diplomat whore… shove her out of a torpedo tube.
Naw, that’s too good for the slut.”
“Amen,” added Duke angrily.
“Enough,” Sailor Ryujin said curtly.
“Bridge to Engineering.”
“Engineering,” answered Sorcerer Derrelli.
“What’s up?”
“I think we need to talk, Derrelli,” Sailor Ryujin said.
“Please report to the Captain’s Ready Room.”
“On my way.”
“Damn,” growled Derrelli; he stood.
“Just how much more shit are we going to deal with from that
diplomat?”
“None,” answered Sailor Ryujin firmly.
He turned back. “Permission
to at least take the next twenty-four hours to support the Captain?”
“By all means,” said Sailor Ryujin.
Derrelli
nodded, and headed for the door. It
hissed open; and he paused. “Do
call me if there’s an emergency, though?”
Sailor
Ryujin nodded. She moved to the
wall terminal. “Neo, get me RSN
HQ.” That
diplomat has fucked with the wrong Senshi for the last time!
Twelve
hours later
She
awoke. Unaccustomed warmth and comfort kept her complacent for the
moment, that, and things seemed to be in an unfocused haze.
She
rolled over, snuggling in deeper into the mass of blankets and pillows, a dreamy
smile on her face. She opened her
eyes again, noting a figure sitting nearby, and she tried to figure out what the
figure was.
The
figure moved; she felt warmth… fingers? They
gently brushed her cheek.
“Shhh,”
she heard. “Sleep now, love.”
Under
the influence of drugs, her eyes closed; the rhythmic caress was hypnotic, and
she barely felt the light kiss on her forehead before she was asleep again.
In
FTL transit, heading for the Polaris system, 16 June 2740
The
SLS Bahumat
The doors hissed open, and Juanita stepped out of the lift and glanced
around the bridge, expecting to see Sailor Cygni; but there was no sign of her.
The normal bridge crew was mostly present, but sitting in the Captain’s
chair was Sailor Ryujin.
Juanita frowned and stepped forward.
“Status of our charges?” Sailor Ryujin asked in a bored tone.
The view of screens three, four, and five changed to show the following
starships, starlines shooting by them.
“Unchanged, ma’am,” replied an equally bored but still attentive
Orien.
“Excuse me, Sailor Ryujin, but I need to have a word with the
Captain,” Juanita said.
Sailor Ryujin slowly turned around, and eyed Juanita.
“And why is that?”
“I need to finalize the arrangements for the summit, if you must
know,” Juanita replied archly. “Can
you let her know for me?”
‘Well, see there’s a problem with that.
For the moment…” Sailor Ryujin grinned nastily.
“I’m the Captain.”
“What?” Juanita asked, taken aback.
“What happened to Sailor Cygni?”
“That is none of your business,” responded Sailor Ryujin.
“You want to talk? Let’s
go to my ready room.” She
motioned with her hand.
Juanita’s lips were set in a thin line, and she nodded, and preceded
Sailor Ryujin into the ready room.
“Is the captain all right?” Juanita asked; she seated herself across
the brand new desk from Sailor Ryujin.
Sailor Ryujin snorted, leaned back, and put her feet on the desk. “I’m fine, ‘Nita.
Now, what did you want to discuss?”
“Particularly, the landing arrangements, I do not feel it is
appropriate to stuff us in shuttles with a bunch of security drones and fly us
to the planet from the edge of the system,” Juanita said.
“Tough,” retorted Sailor Ryujin.
“What?” blinked Juanita.
“It’s part of our battle plan, Juanita… and it’s set in stone.
We are not gonna cater to you at the possible expense of our lives.
Everyone, including your opposite numbers, has previously agreed this
plan, and we’re not changing it now. You’ll
just have to make do.” Sailor
Ryujin stood. “And it would
behoove you to show a bit more respect to those your lives may end up depending
on.”
“No need to be rude,” Juanita began.
Sailor Ryujin walked around the desk to Juanita, and leaned over her,
pushing an errant blonde curl out of the way of her eyes.
“Shut up, ‘Nita. Just
shut the fuck up. We are through
catering to your ego, through catering to you.
You are part of the reason I’m in command at the moment; and you are
the reason things are so tense on this ship.
No more… you hear me? No…
more.”
“That is enough,” Juanita hissed.
“I have had enough of you. I
am reporting you to high command.”
Sailor Ryujin snorted and laughed, turning away.
“Go ahead. You do not
threaten me. You see, ‘Nita, I
don’t care what you think. You
are nothing to me; and long after you are deceased, I’ll still be here,
catching waves and kicking ass.”
“Further proof of your Senshi barbarism,” snarled Juanita.
“Sticks and stones,” growled Sailor Ryujin.
“Neo, get me Crystal Palace Central Communications at once,” Juanita
said archly. She turned a
triumphant sneer on Sailor Ryujin.
“Belay that order, Neo,” stated Sailor Ryujin coldly.
“Of course, Acting Captain,” the AI replied.
Sailor Ryujin slowly turned to see the look of triumph on Juanita’s
face disappear. “You see,
‘Nita, we’re on a combat footing; even with the diplomatic mission.
That means, diplomacy aside, you have zero authority. It also means your continued attempts to wreck this mission
are going to cease: right now.”
The sneer faded, to be replaced by apprehension.
“Don’t you think you are being a little extreme?”
“A little extreme? No, I
do not. You see, ‘Nita dear,
I’ve already been in contact with central command, and after hearing all of
the details of the mission so far, well…
Your sabotage of this mission will no longer be tolerated.
Per orders from RSN HQ, you are relieved of your post as lead diplomat.
You also are relieved of all access to this starship’s systems.
Sailor Ryujin to Diplomatic Specialist T’mal,” Sailor Ryujin paused
to say.
“T’mal here, Sailor Ryujin, please go ahead,” came the Vulcan’s
reply.
“By order of Neo-Queen Serenity the First, you have just been promoted
to Diplomat in Charge for the duration of this mission.
Congratulations,” Sailor Ryujin said.
There was a pause. “Thank
you, Sailor Ryujin. May I ask how
this came about?”
“You may; but now’s not the time.
I think you have work to do. Do
you know all the specifics?” she replied.
“I do indeed, Sailor Ryujin. I
will get started right away,” the Vulcan replied.
“Excellent. Sailor Ryujin
out.” She focused her gaze on
Juanita, who was gaping at her. As
if prompted by Sailor Ryujin’s gaze, Juanita struggled to regain her
composure.
“This is impossible,” Juanita all but snarled.
“Oh?” Sailor Ryujin glared. “Wrong.
It’s very possible. You
see, ‘Nita, I beat you to the punch. And
I didn’t hold back; I gave Command a lot to think about.”
“But-“ the snobbish diplomat was clearly flustered.
“But, nothing, ‘Nita. You
can still be part of the diplomatic process, but as the junior member of the
team. And this conversation is
over. Dismissed.”
Sailor Ryujin strolled briskly over to the replicator.
“Sailor Ryujin, I protest-“ Juanita tried to say.
Sailor Ryujin held up a hand. “I…
don’t… care. You
are dismissed… and that means get the fuck out of this ready room!
Neo, please have Wizard Orien and a security detail escort this damn
bitch out of my sight.”
“Right away, Sailor Ryujin,” Neo replied promptly.
There was a hint of delight in the AI’s tone.
Sailor Ryujin turned her back on Juanita; and a slow, wicked smile spread
across her face as the doors hissed open, and security troops marched in.
Entering
the edge of the Polaris system, 17 June 2740
The
SLS Bahumat
The
main screen showed the panoramic view of the edge of the Polaris star system as
the Bahumat and her ‘companions’ departed FTL travel.
The battlewagon passed the external asteroid field; at that precise
moment, the central star of the system first gleamed from behind the outermost
planet, highlighting its colorful atmosphere.
The bridge crew smiled, eyeing the sight, and ignoring a silent Juanita,
although her other three companions were included, and, in fact, welcome in the
conversations as they stood near the back of the bridge.
The
doors hissed open from the aft of the bridge as Sailor Ryujin spoke up.
“You know, I never get tired of sights you see in this job.”
“It
is very beautiful, who needs more reason than this to be an explorer?” came a
familiar voice that none present had heard in four days; Sailor Ryujin spun to
see Dr. Willows, Derrelli, and Sailor Cygni in her Senshi form.
“Sailor Cygni! How are
you?” asked Sailor Ryujin.
Sailor Cygni motioned to Jule, who smiled.
“She’s ready and rarin’ to go, Sailor Ryujin; she’s officially
cleared by me.”
“Neo, make a note in the log,” Sailor Ryujin said with a broad smile. “As of this moment, Sailor Cygni is released by CMO Doctor
Julienne Willows to resume command of this vessel.”
“Noted,” the AI said promptly.
“Welcome back, Captain,” grinned Sailor Ryujin.
“Thanks, Kis, for everything,” Sailor Cygni said, walking to the Captain’s chair and giving the now standing Sailor Ryujin a big hug. “I owe you one.”
“Forget it,” Sailor Ryuji said, reciprocating, before lowering her
voice. “But if you don’t let go, I’m afraid I may get to like
this.”
Sailor Cygni released her, and stepped back, chuckling.
“Right.”
“Good to see you again, Captain,” T’mal said calmly.
Sailor Cygni eyed the diplomats, noting the insignia changes, and raised
both eyebrows. “Well, thank you,
T’mal.”
“I’ll explain later,” whispered Sailor Ryujin.
“He speaks for all of us, Captain,” grinned Duke.
“Quite,” added Orien.
Sailor Cygni smiled briefly. “Well,
thanks, everyone. But… Duke,
shouldn’t you be watching where this thing is going?
And Orien…”
“On it, Captain,” snickered Orien in reply.
Duke’s smile merely widened.
“I needed the time off,” Sailor Cygni admitted.
“But now, it’s crunch time.” She
shifted her demeanor to businesslike. “Any
sign of our patrol ships?”
“Not yet,” replied Orien.
“Okay. Send out a general
hail, all standard GM frequencies.” Sailor
Cygni lowered herself into her seat. “Inform
our ‘diplomatic partners’ to hang back slightly.”
“We have an answer, Captain,” replied comm.
On the main screen, four GM destroyers sliced around the planet, and
approached.
“On screen one,” Sailor Cygni ordered, standing up.
One
hour later
Silence filled the conference room.
Finally, the captain of the starship Molly Osaka spoke. “This is serious.”
“Yeah,” Sailor Cygni confirmed.
She turned back from the window. The
room had not only her own senior staff and all four diplomats, but the
diplomats, captains and senior staff of the three other races’ ships and the
captains and senior staff of the four GM destroyers; it was a bit crowded.
“Does everyone understand the plans?”
Solemn nods answered her, and she smiled.
“Good, because I’m about to alter them.”
“Captain?” blinked Sailor Ryujin.
“Derrelli, Orien. Transfer
four of the new Dragon torpedoes to each destroyer.”
Sailor Cygni turned to the four captains.
“On the order ‘Gold Storm’, abandon your current prospects, sneak
around behind the bastard, and at close range launch all Dragon torpedoes at
their engines, with enough separation so that the torpedoes don’t screw up
each other; Orien will supply you with the specifics.”
After another moment of silence, Lord Hirogex spoke up.
“Damn. It never occurred
to any of us brainiacs to target the bad guy’s engines up to this point.”
“And that,” Bishop Commander Keligh Dreh’chen added, “is the
universal vulnerability of virtually every starship out there.”
“Yesss,” Permecht Amisere Newelsed continued.
“And they have no real ssshieldsss.”
“Exactly,” nodded Sailor Cygni.
“At this point, the Bahumat will close, target all weapons
systems in a close area, and we will fire our own Dragon torpedoes, with all of
our other firepower; we will then try to tractor the bastards into an asteroid
or two. Then, depending on their
status, we will launch our special insertion force.
Derrelli, you have a team ready?”
“Yep,” nodded Derrelli. “Myself
and Orien, with Gyari from the Wraith, Denthlagh from the Fid’rechel,
and Kentais from the Treseey. That
makes four tactical officers proficient in various forms of combat, and one
engineer-slash-computer hacker.”
“Slash-pyro,” quipped Duke.
“Jealous, are we?” snorted Derrelli.
“Woulda chose you, but somebody needs to fly this tub.”
“Ah, well, might be more fun aboard the Bahumat, steering
another ship into an asteroid or three; that in itself is an entertaining
proposition,” Duke chuckled.
“Excellent,” Sailor Cygni interrupted, grinning faintly.
“At that point, the four destroyers will join us by neutralizing local
areas of starship and attaching tractors, and if the Treseey, Fid’rechel,
and Wraith would close and perform similar duties, the eight of us can
coordinate our actions and the propel that damn ship to its destruction,
probably by sending it into a terminal approach into the Polaris star.
At any rate, we are not going to let these bastards do any more damage to
us; it’s going to be a tough fight, but one we can win.”
She paused.
“One we will win.”