I admit, this is not one of my best.  I probably messed up a major scene, and
probably I picked the wrong music for this issue's music track.  AND I'm not
even sure if I'll put this version up on the Web page.  I'll think about it.

BTW, doesn't anyone have the single "Follow You Down" by Gin Blossoms?  To
hint a little, "Seeing Stars" is on the single, and it is on this issue.  But
I really don't think I have the lyrics right (I'm only writing by ear on this
one!).  Anyone know the lyrics so I can rewrite it on the story?

Thanks,

RS
---------------------------------------------------------------
Operation: Reality Check
A Sailor Moon/Reality Jumpers FanFic
By Roehl Sybing

Last time, on O:RC.....
Mike and Mina go out on a date, so simply put.  When they find out they're
being watched by the rest of the Jumpers, they pretend that they have became
quick lovers.  In the end, they really do.

Episode 13a: Shadows of the Past
(sub-chapter one)

"Help me...."
This is the dream state of all existence.
"Help me....please..."
All thought, human and non-human, travel through here.
"Help me....."
These are thoughts of Jake Tyler.  Obviously, he's in pain.
"Please....help me...."
Fortunately, this thought traveled a bit too far.
"....Lisa...."

Lisa suddenly woke up, all nervous and frightened.  She looked at the earth
outside her bedroom window, and realized she was still on SpaceCol 3.  She
then looked at the clock.  It was 2 AM, Sunday morning, if you were relying
on the New Eastern Standard Time.  
"Man, third time this week!" she thought.  "Is Jake really in trouble?
 C'mon, it's just a dream!"  But she became worried.  She picked up the
videocom remote from the table next to her bed and dialed a number.  On the
video screen on the opposite side of the bed, a face appeared.

"Hello?" Serena said, responding to the videocom.

"Sorry, wrong number," Lisa said as she turned the videocom off.  She dialed
a second number, and another face appeared on the screen.  "Chris, sorry to
bother you."
"Lisa?  Is that you?  It's 2 AM!  What's up?" Chris replied.
"Yeah, I know, I better make this fast, it's long distance."
"Sure is, being ALL the way up there in orbit and all..."
"Whatever.  Tell me, where's Jake?"
"............."
"Chris?"
"Sorry to break it to you, but he's dead."
"No, that's not true!"
"He was killed last Monday."
"No, really!  I can sense him!  In my dreams!"
"Of course, in your dreams..."
"I'm not kidding here!"
"I'm not either.  He died....while saving two other people from a cave-in."
"You mean in the NegaVerse?"
"...........H-how did you know that?"
"I told you, I can sense him in my dreams!  I don't know how, though.  Look,
I'm coming down on the next ship, I'll call you to see what time I should be
there."
"Well, OK..."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
JFK International Space/Airport.  International/SpaceCol Arrivals Terminal.
 Chris, Jackie, and Kim were at the airport.
"What!?" Kim said.
"Yeah," Chris replied.  "At least that's what Lisa thinks.  I had to tell you
now because you wouldn't believe me before we all left."
"Lisa?" Jackie asked.  "Why would she think that?"
"Look, the story doesn't hold water," Chris added.  "But she knows about the
NegaVerse!  Something's up!"
At that moment, a voice from a speaker said, "Eastern AirWays, flight
SC3-149, departed from SpaceCol 3, is now arriving at gate 14."
"Well, that's Lisa's ship.  Let's go!"

Gate 14.  A number of people walked down the hallway from the ship to the
gate.  The Jumpers recognized one of them.  Chris put his hand up and
shouted, "Hey!  Lisa!"
Lisa, with a backpack strapped on her back, walked out of the gate.  She
waved towards the Jumpers and ran to them.  "Hi, guys!"
The others replied, "Lisa."
If there was a smile on her face, it disappeared quickly.  "Man, it's been a
while, eh?"
Jackie added, "Not long enough."
"Yeah, you still have the nerve to show up?" Kim commented.
"Oh, will you please forget about all that?  It's almost been a year!"
"Uh, ladies," Chris jumped in.  "We're on official business, so do you mind?"
It quickly became silent between the four.  "Well, now that we have that
settled, could we please get back to the city?"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The group of four took a Mag-Lev back to the city.  Most of the trip was
silent, until Chris asked to Lisa, "It really doesn't look like they're going
to forget, know what I mean, so you'd better be telling the truth, Lisa."
"I am telling the truth!" Lisa replied.  "Why would I lie about Jake?"
Jackie interrupted, "Because unlike you, we were there for him.  We don't go
take off and leave for the space colonies!"
"It was too late! I had already applied for the colonies WAY before that
happened!"
"Yeah, just trying to make excuses."
Lisa quickly became angry, "You want to settle it here, now?"
Chris stood up from his seat and shouted, "HEY!  I don't believe
this.....look, a train moving at 200 miles an hour is not the place for
violence!  Now, why don't we just sit down and shut up?"
Jackie and Lisa looked away from each other and said, "Fine."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The FRC building's main entrance, noon.  The four walked up to the security
checkpoint.  Chris, Jackie, and Kim held their ID cards up to the guard.
 Chris said, "Um...we need a visitor's pass for..."
"No need," Lisa interrupted.  She opened her backpack and, to the Jumpers'
surprise, showed her own ID card to the guard.  "It's inactive, but I'll
wait."
The officer grabbed the card from her hand and said, "Just a minute, miss."
As the guard inspected it, Chris turned his head towards Lisa and shouted,
"You never told us you were with the FRC!"
"You didn't either, I wouldn't talk."
"OK, miss, here's your card.  It's been temporarily reactivated, you should
be able to use it for the next 48 hours."
"Thanks," and Lisa took back her ID card.

In the elevator, Kim whispered, "So, anything else we don't know about you?"
Lisa was already annoyed by Kim and Jackie, "Don't you mess with me, Kim!
 I've already had enough of your lip at the airport and the ride back!!"
The argument among Lisa, Kim, and Jackie continued as they rode in the
elevator and walked down the hall to the war room.  They kept on screaming
even as they entered the war room, where Serena, Ami, and Lita were waiting.
Chris attempted to scream above the three, "HEY!  HOLD IT!" And at that the
argument stopped.  He faced the three girls waiting in the room and added,
"Well, I believe you haven't met Lisa here."
The three waved.
"Hi, I'm Ami."
"Lita."
"Sere--hey!  You were that one on the phone last night!"
Lisa took a closer look at Serena and said, "I DID dial the right number!
 What's going on, Chris?"
"Well...um...you see..." Chris said nervously.
"Why was this girl sleeping over at Jake's house?"
"Heh...long story...really, REALLY long story."
Jackie spoke up again, "Well, obviously Jake didn't want to wait too long for
you, know what I mean?"
"You got a real attitude, you know that!?"
And the fighting continued once more between the three.  Chris gave up and
stepped out of the way.  Lita walked up to Chris and asked, "Is there
something we're missing here?"
"Yeah, it's a really long story."
"Oh, come on, I'd like to hear it!" Serena said.
"Well, I guess they won't miss us for awhile, let me take you three to lunch
and I'll tell you all about it."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
At a nearby restaurant.  Serena, Ami, and Lita were with Chris.  As they sat
at a table having lunch, Chris told the story, "We all met Lisa almost two
years ago.  When she and Jake laid eyes on each other, they both fell in
love, just like that!  But they never told each other.  Jake never knew Lisa
liked him, Lisa never knew Jake liked her!  They were both embarassed to tell
the other.  Everytime we were either with Jake or Lisa, they'd talk about the
other for hours on end!  But when they were together, they couldn't find the
words to say."
Lita could only say, "Sad."
"Yeah, I thought so too.  So me and the others got together to try to get
those two fixed up.  We delivered love notes between the two, but they always
thought that we had written it up!  We made sure we got them sitting next to
each other at the movies, they left even before the previews ended!"
Serena said, "You mean they never told each other?"
"I'm getting there, I'm getting there.  Lisa applied to be a participant in
the space colonies project.  Three months later, she got accepted!  By then
she had two weeks to pack up and take off.  Lisa's family had thrown a big
going-away party for her.  Jake was there, too.  He was actually shocked by
the news.  So he finally walked right up to Lisa and said 'I love you!'  Bad
news is he said it in front of Lisa's entire family!  I bet she was so
embarassed!  And you know what?  She slapped him right in the face and ran
out of her house!"
"WHAT?" Serena shouted.
Ami added, "But I thought--"
"--that she liked him too?  Yeah!  But from time to time Lisa would tell us
that her relatives were always bugging her about never having a boyfriend and
all.  When Jake said those three words, Lisa knew what her relatives would
say, and their comments would've filled a ten-page report.  Well, she ignored
Jake for the next week, and then took off for space.  For the next two weeks,
Jake said he cried himself to sleep.  His heart broke, just like that.  We
all felt sorry for him, so we covered for Jake when he skipped school for a
week."
"He was in love with Lisa THAT much!?"
"That much.  But after that, Jake moved on.  I think Jackie and Kim blamed
Lisa for the entire mess."
"Wow.  What a story," Serena commented.
"Yeah, and then he met you and--"
"Me?  What about me?"
"Huh!?  Oh, heh, never mind...you weren't supposed to hear that..."
"So why is Lisa here?  Didn't you tell her that Jake was....dead?"
"You see, that's the problem.  Lisa thinks Jake is still alive.  She said
Jake comes to her in her dreams.  I wouldn't believe it, but he 'told' her
that he was trapped in the NegaVerse!"
Ami said, "You think she's telling the truth?"
"I hope so.  C'mon, let's head on back there."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris and the three Scouts walked back into the war room, where it has become
quiet among Lisa, Jackie, and Kim.  They all decided to wait for the
remaining two, Mike and Mina.
After fifteen minutes, the couple did walk in.  They were having their own
conversation, obviously talking about last night.
Mike looked around the room and asked, "Hey, what's up?"
Chris replied, "We think Jake's still alive?"
"You're kidding, right?"
Lisa walked in front of Chris, "No, he's not."
"Lisa?  What're you doing here?"
"She said Jake comes to her when she's sleeping," Chris added.
Mike laughed a little, but returned to a straight face, "Lisa, I still
remember what happened, so..."
Lisa shouted, "Don't you guys believe me?  I said, why would I lie about
Jake?"
"I would, but c'mon, when you're dreaming?"
The door to the room opened, and Hacker One entered, saying, "Lisa's right,
guys."
Everyone else in the room said, "What?"
"This morning we happened to track Jake's anomaly signature.  I don't know
how, we just bumped into it.  Oh, hi Lisa."
Lisa just put her hand up and put it back down.  Mike looked surprised,
"You....you two know each other?"
Chris commented, "Mike, she was part of the FRC before she left."
Mina added, "Mike, is there something I should know?"
"Yeah, I'll tell you all about it later..."
Hacker continued, "Anyways, the signature leads our scanners to an abandoned
military complex in another dimension.  The building is currently on a major
war zone, unfortunately.  I'm detecting about three, four hundred men in that
base, and one of those signatures has a very high power frequency.  I'll bet
my next paycheck it's Queen Beryl."
"What do you want us to do about it?" Serena asked.
"Well, I got the order by the board to rescue our missing Jake.  I'll give
you all the mission profile in one hour, be ready by then." At that Hacker
walked out the door.  Chris followed.
Chris ran up to Hacker down the hall and said, "Wait!"
"Yeah, Chris?"
"How did you know to check for Jake's signature?"
".........I'm not authorized to tell you that."
"Well then, who gave you the order to restrict this information?"
"............."
"C'mon, Hacker!"
"It was Lisa."
"Wha--?"
"She called me late at night, too.  She told me all about her dreams, I
became suspicious.  I checked this morning, and there it was.  Jake's
signature.  OK?  Now if you'll excuse me, just make sure you didn't hear it
from me."  And Hacker walked away in a hurry.  Chris wondered why the
secrecy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Seeing Stars
Gin Blossoms
(lyrics edited)

Straight up, the sad truth
One of many secrets we acquired in youth
My dirty clothes, lately
I keep them in a luggage that you gave to me
With a little luck, one night
We'll drink together in a different light

(chorus)
Take me, take mine
Hide it away
[I saw the ring]
Take me, take mine
And hide it away
[I saw the ring]

Straight up, the right words
Of course we always say them when we know it hurts
The little things, you did it too
I know I still believe it if it weren't for you

(chorus)
(repeat first four lines)
(chorus)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
An hour passed.  A team of nine stood in Dimensional Travel 8 with Hacker
One.  He handed them the diagram to the building, and pointed where Jake
might be.  "14% probability he's on the fourteenth floor, section eighteen,
but that's the best I can give you."
Mike replied, "Don't worry, we'll search the entire area."
"Well, I hope you do.  Anyways, are you four in costume yet?"
"Oh, almost forgot," Serena said.
"MOON STAR POWER!"
"MERCURY STAR POWER!"
"VENUS STAR POWER!"
"JUPITER STAR POWER!"
"This is getting too weird," Lisa said as she looked at the transformed
Sailor Scouts.
Hacker activated the machine and the portal turned on, "Good luck!"
All nine jumped in and disappeared.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"D*mn you, Queen Beryl!" Jake shouted as loud as he can at Queen Beryl.  The
two were at the military complex, just as Hacker had said.  He was in a
standing position, but was too weak for his legs to support him.  "You
tricked me!"
"Of course," Queen Beryl replied wickedly.  "I had to make it easy for you to
call for help!  Now they will fall directly into my trap once and for all!
 Oh, by the way, thanks for the energy!"
Jake said nothing, but moved his leg to try to sweep Queen Beryl.  But that
only made it hurt more.  "You'll never get away with this!"
"I already have, boy.  Who's going to stop me now?  The Sailor Scouts?  Your
precious Jumpers?  I don't think so.  The NegaVerse is too powerful now for
anyone to stop us!  And I owe it all to you, Jake!"
Queen Beryl quickly disappeared from the room.  She left just as she had come
in: from thin air.
Jake lay in that small room, hoping for a miracle.

END SUB-CHAPTER ONE
TO BE CONTINUED....