(Scene:  SKJAM!'s den.  The Master has been tied to his chair, 
and there is a crossbow bolt embedded on either side of his head.  Buffy 
is taking aim for a third shot.  SKJAM!  enters.)

SKJAM!:  Just what are you two up to?

Buffy:  Wha?  (the crossbow goes off, and the bolt buries itself between 
the Master's legs.)  Darn, I was aiming higher.

Master:  Not that it makes much of a difference.  I'm an oral fixation 
person, myself.

SKJAM!:  let's just start the fic, shall we?


On Sun, 20 Jul 1997, CHRISTIAN A ROGERS wrote:

SKJAM!:  By the way, the author of the Flashman books (highly 
recommended) is George MacDonald Fraser.

				TRIO:
		    RISE OF THE ECLIPSE SYNDICATE!
		     EMERGENCE OF THE INNER FOUR!

______________________________________________________________________
_____

Buffy:  Why the little tag-end?

	Blade Bot looked on at the screen in anger.  It showed a replay of 
the previous night's events with Snatcher.  He growled as Ranma 
started fighting.  Grumbled as Usagi became Sailor Moon and roared as 
Gohan struck as a Super Seya-jin. Then he muttered as he heard 

Master: o/~ Se-ya, Se-me, Se it for always ~\o

Snatcher's last words, "Go ahead, you idiot!  Tell them about us why 
don't you!  ARRRRR!"

SKJAM!:  Well, if you insist.

	"It just goes to show you," a cold, low, dark, raspy voice said 
behind him, "you should not send a machine to do a magician's job."

Buffy:  Yeah!  Like, they're really bad at pulling rabbits out of hats.

	Blade Bot didn't turn around as he replied, "What do you know Seer?"

Master:  Regis and Kathie Lee's ticklish spots.  But don't spread it 
around. 

	The being know as Seer replied, "Apparently, more than you."

	Seer stepped out of the shadows.  Yet, he himself did not take on 
anything beyond a shadowy shape with glowing red eyes.  This was 
because he was a living shadow.  Born of magical origin, he and Blade 
Bot were the most quarrelsome of the Inner Four due to their beliefs 

SKJAM!:  Seer and Blade Bot are both born of magical origin?

that each of their ways was superior to the other's.

	"That is enough," a female voice said, "We don't have time for your 
arguing."

Buffy (Lujane voice):  We only have enough time for *my* arguing.

	"Yes," a fourth, male, slightly distorted voice said, "the way of 
the warrior stresses that we must focus our energy on our foes and 
not on each other."

	Blade Bot and Seer turned towards the voices and they watched as the 
other two members of the Inner Four appeared.  The first, the male, 
was dressed in black samurai armor, with a black helmet with horns.  
A katana draped on his side.  

Buffy:  Ah, isn't a katana like a really hard metal thing?  How can it 
drape? 

However, he was not a man.  He was a 

Master (Samaron voice):  I am not an animal!  I am a man!

mutant.  He was green with scales, his face looked like a dragon's and 

SKJAM!:  As opposed to green with envy.

he had a long tail that swished back and forth.  On his forehead was 
a small black circle with a white outline.  His name was Samaron.

	The fourth was the most normal looking of the bunch.  She was human, 
with long straight purple hair, dark green eyes, purple lipstick and 

Buffy:  Purple lipstick?  Eww!  Does she think she's a grape?

a black uniform covering a trim and fit figure.  She also had a small 
black circle with a white outline on her forehead.  She was Lujane 
and she was the highest of the Inner Four and the wife to Samaron.

	"So everyone," Seer said as he hefted his thumb at Blade Bot, "What 
are we going to do about this boob's mistake?"

	"It was NOT my mistake," Blade Bot shot back, "That fool Snatcher....
"

	"Ah!  But who was the one who told Snatcher to go?"

	"Enough," Lujane said, "We have no time for your childish squabbling 
at the moment.  We must deal with these unexpected irritants before 
they become serious threats."

	Blade Bot let out a snort as he replied, "Yeah right.  Like three 
kids could hurt us."

Master:  You wouldn't say that if one of them stuck a wooden stake 
through *your* body.

	Seer said, "Although this is a rare occurrence, I must concur with 
my comrade, this little trio will not be a threat to us."

SKJAM!:  So much for your intelligence level.

	Lujane replied, "I have a bad feeling about them.  We must deal with 
them now.  Samaron, I want you to send one of your Warriors to put an 
end to them."

Buffy:  Yes, the woman's definitely the smartest of the lot.

	Seer and Blade Bot bowed and took their leave.  Lujane looked out 
the window of the sky scraper that was the home of the Eclipse 

SKJAM!: skyscraper.

Syndicate and asked, "Samaron?"

	"Yes, my love?" the dragon Samurai replied.

	"Do you think I was right?  I mean, do you think I'm over reacting 

SKJAM!:  overreacting.

to these children?"

Master (Samaron voice):  Yes.  Instead of killing them, you should have 
spanked them and sent them to bed without supper.

	"To answer your questions in order, yes and no.  The garden that has 
its weeds plucked earliest is the one that blooms best.  These 
children have displayed remarkable power and we also know that one of 
them is a member of a very powerful group.  If her memory were to 
return then that group would know of our existence and would try to 
stop us."

	Lujane nodded and continued to stare out the window for another 
moment before moving off to complete her various duties to the 
Eclipse Syndicate.

	Samaron watched her go.  Watched the way she seemed to glide with 
every step.  Watched the supple movements of her figure.   He smiled 
to himself before he moved off.  There was no time to enjoy such 
sights, he had work to do.

	Samaron walked down the cold, dark halls of the Eclipse Syndicates 
main headquarters and came upon a door.  He entered and inside was a 

Buffy:  Ewww!

collection of specially trained and/or super powered warriors that, 
as his position as head of the Warriors Department, were under his 

SKJAM!:  In his position.

Master:  I thought you didn't like to think about that sort of thing.

command.

	All movement stopped as Samaron entered the room.  Dead silence 
reigned.  Finally the member of the Inner Four spoke.  "Where is 

Master:  Alas, poor Silence.  I knew him, Horatio.  A quiet fellow, but 
he seems to have been promoted.

Crack Shot?" he asked, "The Inner Four have decided to destroy three 
little problems and I, in turn, have picked him for the job."

	"'Three little problems'?!!" A woman's voice cut in, "I know who 
your talking about and I should be the one to go."

SKJAM!:  "you're".

	Everyone except for Samaron gasped at the audacity of whoever 
questioned the authority of Samaron.  The samurai himself was not 
surprised because he had a very good idea of who had spoken.  "My 
apologies Warp," he replied, "You are needed with a special project 
and the possibility of losing you is unacceptable at this point and 
time."

Master (Samaron voice)  Report to my quarters and don't forget 
the...toys. 

	Warp stepped forward angrily.  She had removed her mask, showing a 
heart shaped face with long curly red hair and flashing green eyes.  
If it were not for her gaudy costume, many of the men would have 
found her attractive, in fact several of them still did.  "I know 
Snatcher and I weren't exactly friends," Warp pleaded, "but we were 
partners for three years, I owe those three payback."

	"Again, I tell you that you are needed with another project and can 
not go at this time," Samaron turned and addressed the larger group, 
"Now.  Where is Crack Shot?"

	"In the target range," Warp muttered under her breath like a 
petulant child.

	Samaron simply nodded and started to move off but turned at the last 
second and said, "Warp.  If you ever question my authority again.....
" he let the threat trail off and half drew his sword.

	Warp gulped and bowed.  She had gotten the message loud and clear.

	Samaron moved off through the ranks of his warriors.  Knowing that 
he was through speaking, they had gone back to their constant 
training.  Samaron caught a glimpse of an extremely muscular Asian 
woman bench pressing 12,000 lbs. one handed and with absolutely no 
effort.  "That is good Brunt," he said as he passed, "but remember 
that strength alone can not win all battles."

Buffy (Brunt voice):  Well, that's what the Uzi is for.

	"Maybe not," Brunt replied behind Samaron's back, "but it sure helps 
a lot."

	Samaron entered a small side room and found who he was looking for.  
The room was dark and its only occupant stood in the middle, standing 
erect, his arms stiffly at his side.  His silver with orange trim 
kelvar armor and mask gleamed in the low light.  Suddenly, a target 
appeared behind him.  He turned with a speed that was unbelievable 
and his hand was a streak as he drew a laser pistol from his side 
holster and fired.  The target exploded from the laser pistol's impact.

SKJAM!:  So the laser did nothing, and Crack Shot had to throw the pistol 
too?

Buffy:  And the target exploded?  Geez, is everything in this fic made 
from combustibles?


 >   The entire process had taken less then two seconds.

	Samaron smiled.  Crack Shot could do the job.

	In a familiar house......

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Master:  This was a test of the Emergency Broadcasting System.  This was 
only a test.  In the event of a real emergency, we would be out of here 
and you'd get no warning whatsoever.

	The feminine scream was so loud and so long that no one, not even 
Usagi, was able to sleep through it.  Gohan raced out of his room, 
dressed only in a pair of brown jeans, ran down the hall, literally 
flew up the stairs and was surprised to find out that Usagi, who was 
wearing a borrowed night gown, was not the source of the cry.  

Buffy:  Borrowed from whom?  I don't think either Ranma or Gohan wears 
that kind of thing.

"What's going on?" he asked.

	"I don't know," Usagi replied, "Ranma beat me to the bathroom and 
then all of a sudden he starts screaming."

	Gohan thought, "That was Ranma?!?"

Buffy:  Yeah!  He seemed kinda macho to me, not the type to do 
high-pitched screams.

	Then he knocked on the door and asked, "Ranma.  Is everything okay 
in there?"

	"Go away," an unfamiliar female voice shouted in reply.

Buffy:  So there is another girl in the house.

	Gohan was curious as he asked, "Who are you?  What are you doing in 
there?"

	"It's me, Ranma," the voice replied, "At least..... I think it is."

Buffy:  Huh?

	Gohan backed up and tried to ram the door down, but Usagi, who had 
seen that the door was unlocked, simply opened it.  Gohan could not 
stop his charge in time and slipped into the bathroom.  He was caught 
by a soft pair of arms that were connected to a red headed woman's, 
who had her hair done up the same as Ranma's, naked body.  It took 
Gohan a few seconds to realize the latter and he quickly leaped out 
of her arms (and the room) and turned his back, blushing furiously.

Master:  At last, some fan service!

	Usagi, her curiosity overtaking her, looked in and her eyes popped 
even wider than normal at the sight she saw.  "Ranma?" she asked, 
"Wha... How... Who..."

	"I don't know," Ranma-chan shrieked, "I don't know how this happened.
 I was just about to take a bath and I splashed my face with some 
cold water and then I looked up and I was like this!"

Buffy:  Ranma-chan?

SKJAM!:  -Chan is a name ending in Japanese, intended to be 
affectionate.  It's usually used for children, pets, cute girls and very 
intimate loved ones.  Many fic writers use it as short-hand to indicate 
Ranma's in his female form.

Buffy:  Oh.  Weird.

 > > 	Ranma-chan took a quick step back and 
tripped on a towel on the 

floor.  She fell into the bath tubs hot water and when she emerged, 
she was he again.  Usagi let out an "eep" and then turned around, 
blushing a dark red.  She grabbed Gohan by the shoulders and spun him 
around with a quick cry of, "It'sokayforyoutolooknow!"

Buffy:  Fan service for me too!

	Gohan saw the male Ranma and he quickly asked, "How in blazes did 
that happen?"

	"I think I know," Ranma said, a bit calmer but still shaken, "I 
splashed myself with cold water and I turned into the girl.  Then I 
fell into the tub with hot water and became my old self again.  So 
I've got a theory to test."

Master:  If I drop two teakettles from the top of Tokyo Tower, the one 
filled with cold water should hit the ground first.

	He quickly turned on the sink and splashed himself with cold water.  
In an instant he was transformed to Ranma-chan.  Gohan turned around, 
blushing once more.  Then Ranma-chan walked to the bath tub and 
splashed herself with some of its hot water.  She became he once more.
  His theory had been right.  He still was a bit shaken by it but 
knowing that it could be controlled relaxed him greatly.

Buffy:  How did that happen? 

SKJAM!:  Ranma has a curse that does this to him.  It'll be explained 
more later.

	Ranma saw the backs of the other two and he quickly threw on 

his > pants.  "You can turn around now," he chuckled.

	"So," Gohan said, "Cold water changes you into a girl and hot water 
changes you back into a boy.  Man, what the hell ARE we?"

Master:  Delectable.

	"What do you mean by that?" Usagi asked.

	"I mean," Gohan replied, "look at us.  Ranma changes sexes when 
doused with water at different temperatures.  You transform into a 
sailor suit, with a killer piece of head wear I might add, and me?  
Me, I can fly, I'm super strong and I can get even more powerful when 
my hair turns blond."

Buffy:  No one start with the blonde jokes.

	"I thought that you could only fly as a blond," Usagi said confused.

SKJAM!:  o/~ Fly me to the Moon ~\o

	"Nope," Gohan replied, "That's how I got here so fast.  Look down."

	Usagi and Ranma looked down and noticed that Gohan's feet were 
several inches off the ground.  "Cool," Ranma commented.

SKJAM!:  (Ranma voice)  I gotta learn that technique.

	"I think we should find a secluded place today," Gohan continued, 
"and try to find out all we can do."

Master:  There are several new positions I want to try...

	Outside....

	On a roof of a nearby building, Crack Shot had arrived.  He crouched 
and, using a pair of high powered binoculars, spied on his prey.  "You 
won't see what you can do," he thought, "but you will see what I can 
do, heh heh heh."

	A little later....

	"YUCKIE," Usagi complained, "Why in the world did you have to pick a 
junkyard?"

	"Simple," Gohan replied, "This place is deserted and no one will 
complain if some of this stuff gets trashed, if you'll pardon my pun.
"

SKJAM!:  No, I won't.

	"But it's sooooo disgusting," Usagi groaned, "I'm about to lose my 
breakfast."

	"Which you had plenty of, so quit complaining," Ranma said, "it 
could be worse."

	"HOW?"

Buffy:  You could be fighting the Hordes of Synthannik the Disgusting.

SKJAM!:  You could be listening to badly dubbed episodes of your old shows.

Master:  You could be stuck here with these two.

	".........."

	"You don't know do you?" Usagi said with glee and then her voice 
took on a sing song tone," You don't know!  You don't know!  You 
don't know!"

	"Aww, quit it Dumpling Head."

	"Don't EVER call me that."

	"Why not?  It suits you."

	"Like Macho Jerk and Pig Head fit you?"

Buffy:  Well, they do.

	Ranma pulled down his lower right eyelid and stuck his tongue out at 
Usagi.  Usagi answered in kind and they both made a, "Buuuuuu," sound.

Buffy:  Like, they are so mature.

	Gohan sighed and then suddenly he lifted his head to the sky and 
roared.  Yellow flame representing his ki flared around him, the 
ground near him started to crack and crumbled, until finally, the 
flame's light became blinding, cutting off the squabbling duo and 
making them cover their eyes.  When the light faded, Gohans hair had 
turned blond and the aura pulsed around him.  Gohan grinned at the 
stupefied looks on Ranma and Usagi's faces as he said, "I guess this 
means I go first."

Master:  No, it just means you have the most annoying special effects.

	Gohan jetted off into the sky and flew out over the junkyard.  When 
he reached the end he turned around and flew to the other end.  Then 
he flew back to the place the rest of the gang was and landed next to 
them before asking, "How long did that take?"

	"Were we supposed to be keeping time?" Ranma asked, "Because if we 
were, that must have taken less than a second."

	Gohan grinned again and then told the others, "I'd stand back if I 
were you.  This might throw up a bit of rubble and I don't want one 
of you getting your hard heads injured."

	"HEY," Ranma and Usagi shouted simultaneously," What's that supposed.
..."

	Gohan quickly placed his hands together with the palms out and then..
. KA-ZAP!  A small ball of ki-energy blasted out and struck a 
mountain of garbage.  A large portion of the mountain exploded from 
the force of the ki-blasts strike and flung rubble outwards.  Usagi 
and Ranma covered their heads and ducked.  "Remind me to never get on 
his bad side," Usagi quipped with a smile.

	Ranma nodded solemnly but was unable to hold the serious expression 
for more than two seconds before they both started to laugh.  "Hey 
Usagi," Gohan said as he powered down, "it's your turn."

	Usagi nodded once and reached into her pocket.  She pulled out a 
small heart shapped broach with a white crystal in the middle.  
"Let's see now," she muttered, "what were the words?  Oh yeah!  MOON 
CRYSTAL POWER!  MAKE UP!"

SKJAM!:  Wow!  She didn't even have to be reminded!

	In truth, the transformation was only a split second but during that 
brief time, a flutter of ribbons flashed out from the crystal, that 
had settled with its broach in the middle of Usagis chest, and 
covered her body, transforming into the gloves, shirt, skirt, boots, 
and bow of the uniform of Sailor Moon.  With the addition of a tiara 
that appeared on her forehead and two red globes that formed over her 
buns, her transformation was completed.

Buffy:  I want one of those.  With a slightly less silly outfit of course.

	She quickly took off her tiara and it changed into a glowing gold 
discus.  She reared back her arm and flung the discus on the cry of, 
"MOON TIARA ACTION!!!"

	The tiara flew through the air and smashed into the mountain that 
Gohan had shot his fireball at.  What little of it that was left just 
simply disintegrated at the discus's touch.

	Ranma didn't see this as he was distracted by a sudden sound behind 
him.  It sounded like slow and somewhat stealthy, footsteps.  He 
listened carefully as the steps got closer.  Sailor Moon caught her 
tiara, turned towards Ranma and started to say, "Hey, you weren't 
watch..."

	She was cut off as Ranma put a finger to his lips and then jerked 
his thumb behind him.  Now, never let it be said that Usagi was the 
brightest person on earth, however she was bright enough to realize 
what Ranma meant. Someone was coming.

	Crack Shot climbed the hill slowly and carefully, he knew his 
stealth skills weren't the best but he had hoped that the noise those 
kids were making would "cover his tracks" as it were.  He hadn't know 
the black/blond haired kid could fly but, "Hey, all the fancy 
strength and speed in the world can't save you from a blaster shot," 
he thought.

SKJAM!:  I wouldn't bet on that if I were you.

TO BE CONTINUED......

Buffy:  Seeya!



SKJAM!