(Scene:  The den of SKJAM!.  The Master is sucking on a Bloody 
Mary, while Buffy is looking dubiously at a can of Pocari Sweat.  The 
wizard himself is sipping tea.)

Master:  I want out of this!

SKJAM!:  Be patient.  Two more chapters, then you're free!

Buffy:  And remember, when you go back, you die.  (grins)  And I get to 
kill you!

Master:  That's what you think, little girl.

SKJAM!:  On with the show.

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

				TRIO:
		   RISE OF THE ECLIPSE SYNDICATE!
			   THE ECLIPSE LORD!

Buffy:  The head honcho, huh?

Master:  Cut off the head and the body dies.

Buffy:  You'd know all about that, wouldn't you?

	The small camera like device attached to a mini-jet body and small 
stumpy legs took in the events as they occurred.  It recorded Crack 
Shot coming closer to his prey.  The events were being sent through 

Buffy:  "Crack Shot"?  Is this guy on drugs?

the camera to a large skyscraper.  The home of the Eclipse Syndicate.


	Blade Bot, Seer, Lujane and Samaron watched the monitor.  "What is 
he DOING?" Blade Bot exclaimed, "Playing Hide and Go Seek?!!"

SKJAM!:  Nah, "Simon Says".

	"Although I know this is hard for you," Seer replied, "you must have 
patience."

Master:  I would dearly love to see Blade Bot's "patients."
 

	"Shut it, you magic moron!"

	"Rust bucket!"

	"Parlor trick!"

	"ENOUGH!" Lujane roared as she pointed to the screen, "Look."

	Crack Shot was making his move.

Master:  Slowly, his firm yet smooth hand stroked Usagi's creamy thigh...

Buffy:  I'm warning you...

	Back where the action is......

SKJAM!:  Miami Beach!

	Ranma, Gohan and Sailor Moon waited.  Ranma was certain he had heard 
something and he knew that someone was coming.  Whoever was coming 
was good but not good enough.  He started to move off silently.  
"Where's HE going?" Sailor Moon whispered to Gohan, who had powered 
up again, his golden-blond spiky hair ruffling in a small breeze.

	"Don't know," Gohan replied, "but be ready, anything could happen."

Master:  Like the Swedish Bikini Team parachuting in...

	"HAIL THE ECLIPSE!" Crack Shot shouted as he leaped up from his 
position on the garbage hill and fired.

Buffy (Usagi voice):  But hailing frequencies aren't open yet!  WAAH!

	Gohan and Sailor Moon dodged out of the way.  They almost didn't 
make it.  They both looked at the burn mark that was where Sailor 
Moon had been standing less then a second earlier.  She gulped 
nervously.  Crack Shot laughed and said, "I wasn't even trying real 
hard.  If I had been, you wouldn't even have had the chance to move.
"

SKJAM!:  Is this guy a schmuck or what?

	"Your mistake!"

	Crack Shot turned and was greeted by a vicious roundhouse right kick 
from Ranma.  The Eclipse Syndicate's marksman was knocked for a loop 
and rolled violently down the hill, "Oof"ing and "OW"ing all the way 
down.  Crack Shot stood and shook out his head.  He turned his 

Master:  Dislodging what little brain he had.

blaster towards Ranma and.... it was cut in half by a glowing discus. 
 "HEY," he shouted, "No fair!  Uh oh."

	Gohan was walking slowly towards him, cracking his knuckles 
ominously, his ki pulsing slowly and a large grin plastered on his 
face.

Buffy:  Y'know, plaster is a lousy makeup base.  For Gohan, I'd suggest a 
"summer" palette, with a very light powder.
 > 

	Back at the Eclipse Syndicate's HQ.....

	Samaron sighed as he watched the action, "Perhaps Crack Shot was not 
so perfect after all...."

SKJAM!:  Last time we put recruitment ads in "Mercenary Wannabees 
Magazine".  

	Lujane looked at her husband with pity and turned to Seer.  "We need 
to rectify this situation NOW!" she ordered.

Buffy: (Lujane voice)  Send each and every one of them a full apology and 
a box of chocolates!  Maybe they'll forgive us.

	Seer nodded once and 

replied, "I see.  You want me to send a horde > of Scarab Demons?"

Buffy:  No, chocolates!  Demons taste, like, really gross.

	"Yes.  Let's give our three new friends a little surprise."

	Seer nodded once again and raised his hands.  He moved them in 
circular motions as he chanted, "Mochada..... Kosida... Echida... 
SCARABS ARISE!!!"

Master:  Damn lazy scarabs.

	Back at the battle again....

	Gohan stopped his advance as a strange <tikk, tikk, tikk> came to 
his ear.  "EEEEWWWWW," Sailor Moon groaned, "What IS that thing?"

	He looked and saw a 6 foot tall, jet black creature.  It had large 
pincers for hands and the mandibles on its mouth opened and closed 
rapidly.  "I don't know," he said, "but it didn't come alone."

SKJAM!:  Yes, that's right!  Not only do you get this lovely Scarab Demon 
for $9.99 plus postage, but if you order now, you get this set of Ginsu 
knives absolutely free as our thanks to you!

	Another, 100% identical, creature popped up from behind another junk 
pile.  Then several more popped up... and then several more... and 
then several more, until there were twenty of the creatures in all.  
"All right," Crack Shot exclaimed at the creatures surrounded him, 
"Scarab Demons!  Boy, are you three in trouble.  Go get'em Scarabs!"

Master:  I'll just lie here and bleed for a while.

	The Scarabs charged.  Gohan blocked a blow from the pincer of one 
with his left arm and then quickly followed up with a strong punch 
with his right fist.  The Scarab flew back and landed in a heap, 
before it got back up and charged again.  "Man," Gohan thought, "I 
guess I can't pull my punches with these things."

Buffy:  I'd recommend a sharp object in the thoracic breathing vents.  

SKJAM!:  Really?

Buffy:  After the giant praying mantis, I got into ento-, entom-, bugs. 

	Ranma ducked a pincer shot from a Scarab and responded with three 
quick shots to the creature's body and a snap kick to the face.  
Sailor Moon also ducked a blow from a Scarab's claw, but then she had 
to leap away from another Scarab's shot and then had to roll away from 
another's and finally she scrambled backwards from yet another's blow.  
"Why are four of them attacking me and they're only attacking you guys 
one at a time?" she whined.

Master:  Because you're a pure and innocent maiden.

SKJAM!:  I wouldn't bet on that.  (Shows the Master certain pages from 
the manga.)

Master:  Why that little minx!

	"Maybe they don't like your hair," Ranma quipped.

	"Oh, you shut up!  MOON TIARA ACTION!"

	The tiara flew forward and zapped three of the four Scarabs.  Moon 
jumped into the air and stuck out her leg as she shouted, "SAILOR 
MOON KICK!"

	The fourth Scarab fell backward from the blow and was hit again as 
Gohan threw away the one that was attacking him into it.  Crack Shot 
watched with joy.  Sure, three of them had been lost, but seventeen 
were still left and there was no way these KIDS could beat them all.

	He didn't know how wrong he was.

Buffy:  That would have required a brain, which as the Master pointed 
out, he no longer has.

	Gohan was tackled by five Scarab Demons at once and then five more 
piled on top of that.  Gohan strained his muscles and with a savage 
yell threw them all away.  Then he moved in and struck a flurry of 
punches on one of the Scarabs which had been on top of him and it 
finally collapsed.  He unleashed a ki-ball and two Scarabs were blown 
away.  "Nice shot," Ranma commented as he kicked another Scarab down.


	"Thanks," Gohan replied, "NOW LET'S FINISH THIS!"

Master:  Yes!  Show me *your* Fatality!

	In the span of five minutes, all the Scarabs were either unconscious 
or disintegrated.  Crack Shot gulped as the trio approached him.  
"Heh," he stutterer, "Come on now guys.  I was just following orders..
. no hard feelings.... right?"

	"Right," the trio said sarcastically.

	Several seconds (and several amazingly loud sound effects) later....

SKJAM!:  Ouch.

	Crack Shot lay unconscious, his head buried in a pile of rubble as 
the three heroes walked off.  The camera device flew up and away.

	Back at the Eclipse Tower......

	"Oh well," Blade Bot sighed, "THAT was a total waste of time."

Buffy:  No, you learned a lot about how the Trio fights.

	"I must agree."

	All of the Inner Four froze in fear as the new, evil, voice came 
from out of nowhere.  However, they all recognized it and dreaded it. 
 "Eclipse Lord," Lujane shouted to the sky, "We are honored by your 
presence."

	"Don't lie to me," Eclipse Lord replied with a voice that seemed to 

SKJAM! (Eclipse Lord voice):  I know you all think I'm worthless and 
can't do anything right.  *sob*  And I try so hard!

come from everywhere at once, "You're afraid.  Something has happened 
in my absence.  Tell me."

Buffy:  Well, Luke discovered that Ashley was actually his long-lost twin 
brother Lyle who'd been living as a woman to avoid having to pay child 
support to Jessica, who is secretly married to John, who is the 
alternate-universe evil doppleganger of Marguerite...No wait, that was 
the Immature and the Relentless.  
 > 

	Suddenly, a form, sitting in a large, leather, golden colored throne,
 materialized at the far end of the room.  He was a shadow being like 
Seer and yet not like Seer as he also had metallic arms like Blade 
Bot's, and a long lizard-like tail like Samaron.  His eyes glowed a 

Master:  And you really don't want to know what he has that's like 
Lujane... 

rich purple and they thinned into slits as the Inner Four kneeled in 
front of him.  "I will not ask again," Eclipse Lord stated in an 
angry growl, "What has happened?"

SKJAM!:  Well, I had pastrami for lunch, this great new deli--oh, you 
mean the job!

	Lujane quickly went on to tell the details of when Warp and Snatcher 
stole the Time/Space Device straight through to the events of several 
minutes ago.  Eclipse Lord nodded.  "I knew someday we might have had 
to contend with the Sailor Senshi and with all the strange events 
that take place in the Nemira district, I am not surprised that a 
martial artist of some kind tried to stop us as well.  I have only 
one question for you.  Do the three of them show any sign of 
regaining their memories?"

	"No, my lord," Lujane answered.

	"Then leave them be for now.  If we do not bother them, they will be 
too busy struggling to learn of their past to bother us and if they 
do show signs of remembering who they really are...."

SKJAM!:  That's okay too.

	Eclipse Lord paused and all of the Inner Four understood what was 
being implied.  "Yes master," they chorused.

	Away from the villains and back to the heros....

	Gohan and Usagi had powered down and they joined Ranma in just 
sitting and catching their breaths.  "You two," Usagi commented, 
"were incredible.  I wish I was as good a martial artist as you."

Master:  Your wish is my command.  Of course, you will turn into a rabbit 
in cold water now...

	"How do you know you're not," Gohan commented, "and 

just don't > remember?"

	"Simple.  When we were fighting... well YOU were fighting and I was 
just dodging, it felt natural, like I always did that.  I may not be 
much good to you guys in the future."

Master:  Oh, I'm sure we can think of a use for you...heheh.

	"Says the girl who zapped about half of those Scarab things," Ranma 
commented with raised eye brows.

SKJAM!:  "eyebrows"

	"Yeah... but what if I miss or I can't reach my tiara?"

Buffy:  (Usagi voice):  My arms are too short!

	"Well... I could teach you... if you want to learn."

	"HUH?" Usagi exclaimed in surprise, "Why?  We don't exactly get 
along if you know what I mean?"

	"I know we didn't get off to the best of starts," Ranma admitted, 
"but maybe we should try to start over," he stuck out his hand, "What 
do you say?"

SKJAM!:  Whoa!  Ranma must have taken more damage to the head than we 
thought! 
 > 

	Usagi looked at the outstretched hand for a second before smiling, 
accepting the handshake and saying, "Sure," then she turned to Gohan 
and said, "Sorry for ignoring you."

	"It's okay," Gohan replied, "You two needed to set things straight 
anyway."

	"Were we that bad?" Ranma asked.

Buffy:  Yes.

	Gohan pretended to think about it for a second before saying, "Let 
me put it this way, when I remember everything about my life... the 
last three days with you two will still probably rank as the LOUDEST 
ever."

SKJAM!:  Even including the planets blowing up?

	Ranma and Usagi grew sheepish looks on their faces.  Then Usagi 
turned to Ranma and said, "There's one thing I need to ask of you."

	Ranma replied, "What's that?"

	"Hold up your right hand."

	"HUH?"

Master:  This is a partial stickup.

	"Hold.. up.. your... right... hand."

	Ranma shrugged and complied.  "Now what?"

	"Repeat after me, 'I, Ranma Saotome, promise to never, EVER, call 
Usagi Tsukino Dumpling Head ever again."

	"(Sigh) If it'll make you feel better.  I, Ranma Saotome, promise to 
never, EVER, call Usagi Tsukino Dumpling Head ever again.  Happy..." 
Ranma grew a large grin and Gohan could sense a set up coming, "Long 
Ears?"

Buffy:  You are hopeless, Ranma.

	Usagi just grumbled in response.

	Gohan suddenly gripped his head in his hands and groaned softly as a 
stray memory started to flash in his mind.  "Are you okay?" Usagi 
asked.

	"What's wrong?" Ranma asked.

	Gohan suddenly straightened and a sly grin started to grow over his 
facial features.  "Nothings wrong," he stated, "In fact... I just got 
a killer idea."

Master:  Three-way sex!  Three-way sex!

	A while later......

	Part of the allowance that the goventment had given to them was to 
buy new clothes and Gohan had welcomed the opportunity even more than 
Usagi.  When Usagi and Ranma had pressed him for information about 
his idea, Gohan would simply reply, "It's a surprise."

Master:  Bondage gear?

	Now, R&U waited for their friend to appear from behind the changing 
rooms curtain.  "Is anybody watching?" Gohan asked, his voice muffled 
by the curtain's cloth.

	"Nope," Ranma said, "You're clear."

SKJAM!:  Thanks to Oxy-10!

	Gohan stepped out and Ranma and Usagi did a double take at what they 
saw.  Gohan was dressed in a black shirt with a green jacket that had 
the top buttons opened, with green pants, white boots with black tips,
 a white bandana on his head, black shades covering his eyes and a 
long red cape on his back.  "What do you think?" he asked as he 
struck a pose, "I am the Great Sayaman!"

Buffy:  Who dressed you this morning?

Master:  *This* was your idea?  Pah!

	"Great wha????" the others asked as they fell over.

	"Great Sayaman," Gohan repeated and continued with, "This image came 
to me after we fought those big bugs.  Wherever I came from, I was 
this super hero, I'm sure of it.  Usagi you probably have the same 
deal."

	Usagi nodded and said, "Right and I think I know where you're going 
with this."

Buffy:  With that outfit, New Jersey.

	Gohan grinned and replied, "You probably do.  Remember that first 
night you said we were like a trio?  Well I say, let's become THE 
Trio.  We can do a lot of good with our powers and this Eclipse 
Syndicate is very dangerous.  They have to be stopped somehow.  So, 
why not let us do the job?"

SKJAM!:  Because you're incompetent teenagers with severe personality 
conflicts?
 > 

	Gohan stuck out his hand as he had that first night and Usagi 
quickly stuck hers on top.  "I agree," she said, "Don't ask me why, 
but this seems like the right thing to do.  How about you Ranma?"

	Ranma thought about refusing, the whole idea was ridiculous and 
there was a good chance one or all of them would wind up hurt or 
worse.  Still, there was something in his heart which told him that 
this was not only the right thing to do, it was the ONLY thing to do. 

Buffy:  It was the chili from the previous night.

 "I'm in," he said as he stuck his hand on top of the others.

	The next night.....

	Sayaman observed the tall buildings of the New York skyline as his 
cape fluttered in the nights breeze.  He looked to his left and saw 
Sailor Moon, her pony tails also blowing in the wind, standing ready. 
 He looked to his right and saw Ranma-chan, shivering slightly from 
her recent exposure to the cold water that changed him to her, also 
ready.  "Okay everybody," Sayaman said, "Let's go!"

Master:  Straight to Hell!

ANOTHER BEGINNING

Buffy:  That makes the third so far.

NEXT:  The Eclipse Syndicate prepairs to strike again.  Our heroes 

SKJAM!:  "prepares"

receive some unexpected guests and receive some bad news which may 
change the way they spend their time.  Also, see Ranma's new identity 
for the first time!
Be there or be a four sided object.

Buffy:  Oh I know that one!  A parallelogram, right?

SKJAM!:  We'll see next time...



SKJAM!