Once again, I have adjusted the timing of the Silver
Millennium so that it ended 10,000 years ago instead of
1,000 years ago. (This is to make it work with actual Earth
history. We actually have a pretty good idea of what was
going on 1,000 years ago.)
No Need for Sailor Scouts
part 2
By
Doug Whiddon
�Wha... who.... who�s Makoto? I�m Sailor Jupiter!�
Makoto struck a pose.
Tenchi stared for a moment. �No, seriously, what�s
with the get-up?�
Makoto approached Tenchi. �You can recognize
me? How? When I change to Sailor Jupiter no one is
supposed to recognize me!�
�Then maybe you should try wearing a mask.�
Tenchi had gone past the initial surprise and was almost
teasing her.
Makoto put her hand on her forehead, checking to
see if she had popped a blood vessel when he said that.
�Hey... wait a minute, if you�re Sailor Jupiter, then
are all the girls who were at Rei�s shrine the Sailor Scouts?�
Makoto thought for a moment. �No.� She replied.
Tenchi rolled his eyes. �Uh huh.� Tenchi looked her
up and down. �Maybe you should change into something
normal. Not, that what you�re wearing isn�t nice, but it
might attract attention.�
Makoto remembered she was still Sailor Jupiter.
�Oh, right.�
Moments later Tenchi and Makoto were walking
back to the shrine.
�You seem awfully calm about being attacked by
aliens. Aren�t you wondering who�s trying to get you?�
Tenchi looked at her. �Who says they�re after me?
Both times one of you has been nearby.�
Makoto didn�t miss the �both times� comment.
Obviously he hadn�t believed her when she said the others
weren�t Sailor Scouts. �Well, this one went straight for you.
If you hadn�t ducked in time you wouldn�t be standing here
now.�
�I suppose.� Tenchi decided not to mention the
shoelaces. �Anyway, someone else is looking into whoever
is behind this. I prefer to wait until I actually have a target
before attacking. This isn�t my first battle, you know.�
�Really? I�d love to hear about the others.�
�The other what?�
Makoto and Tenchi turned to see that Rei was now
following them.
�The other what?� She repeated.
�Sailor Jupiter and I were discussing battles.�
�Sai...� Rei�s eyes got real big, �WHAT HAVE
YOU BEEN TELLING HIM???�
Makoto stepped back out of firing range. Rei was in
rare form.
�I didn�t tell him anything, he recognized me in my
sailor costume.�
�That�s not possible, no one has ever recognized us
before.�
�Well, someone has now. Just ask Ten...� Makoto
trailed off as she realized that Tenchi was no longer around.
�Hey, where did he go?�
�He probably got BORED with watching us fight!�
And they where back to fighting...
Somewhere in orbit...
Heyleyn examined the latest data on the attack. This
was going to be harder than she thought. The murdering
prince had allies all over the place. She checked the status of
the first birthing chamber she had sent in. It had enough
materials on hand to make two more children. After that,
another chamber would have to be sent.
She sent instructions to the chamber. The murderer
had too many allies, they would all have to die. Soon it
would be time for another attack, she needed more data.
Back on Earth...
Tenchi dug his cellphone out of his school bag and
took it into the bathroom. With the �occupied� sign up no
one would come in. Washu hadn�t explained all the features
of the phone, but she had shown him some. Among them
was a privacy button. When the phone�s privacy mode was
on it created a weak forcefield around itself at a radius of
three feet. The forcefield was invisible to the eye and too
weak to be felt if you passed through it. But it was strong
enough to block the vibrations that made up sound. A
person could hold a normal conversation and not be heard.
Privacy assured, Tenchi hit another button, this one
marked with a picture of a crab. Tenchi waited while the
phone rang. After a minute a hologram of Washu in a towel
appeared on the phone.
�You just had to call when I was in the shower,
didn�t you?� Washu smirked.
�Uh, well, uhm... did you ever find out where that
thing in the park came from?�
�Well of course. I am the greatest genius in the
universe, after all!�
Tenchi groaned slightly. The price of dealing with
Washu was addressing her as �little� Washu, and stroking
her ego on occasion. All in all, it wasn�t such a high price to
pay.
�Anyway, I teleported the remains to my lab after
your two encounters, and...�
�Wait a minute,� Tenchi interrupted, �you teleported
them? I thought they where just dissolving or something.
And how did you know I have two encounters?�
�The American CIA has satellites that can read a
watch from orbit, what do you think I have?�
Tenchi thought for a moment. Several very
frightening images went through his head. he shook them
off, �go on.�
�I examined the remains. The outer shell is a lot like
Ryo-ohki�s spaceship shell. It was probably made from the
same type of mineral life. Which means that if the things
aren�t killed they can regenerate damaged portions of their
exterior. Under that is a very basic muscle structure, nothing
impressive, but it gets the job done. They have a basic
circulatory system and nervous system and a very tiny
organic computer brain. The second creature�s brain
contained information from your first fight. So these things
are capable of learning from each attack. And...�
Tenchi interrupted again. �Wait, were the things just
after me?�
Washu nodded. �Definitely. They�re gunning for
you.�
Tenchi sighed. �Great. Any idea who might want me
dead?�
�I can start a list. Topping it would be anyone
behind you in succession for the throne. I�ll keep looking
into it. But, back to the things. As I said, basic circulatory
system and nervous system, but no digestive system, and no
lungs. These things are meant to only last a little while after
they activate. It�s not a very efficient design. Whoever built
these things must have slept through half my lectures.�
�Okay, but what about the forcefield on the last
one? How am I supposed to fight something that I can�t cut
with my sword?�
�Oh, yeah, forcefield. Relax, just hit it twice.�
Tenchi�s eyebrows raised inquiringly.
"It was using a simple, single-layer forcefield: easy
to generate, and with low power requirements. They're
mostly used for navigation; they aren't much good in
combat, because if you hit one it takes on the same polarity
as the weapon -- so the second strike will pass right through
the field."
Tenchi�s lips parted in preparation for his next
question. He stopped. His eyebrows drew together in
concentration; something she had said earlier sprang to
mind. �Wha.... what did you mean when you said that
whoever did this must have slept through YOUR lectures?�
The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of her
mouth. �I was wondering if you caught that. Well,
whowever did this must have studied under me at the
Galactic Science Academy. Advanced Genetic Engineering
and Manipulation, to be exact. So that gives us a suspect list
of just under four million people. Including Kagato�s
brother, and several hundred Jurian nobles.�
Tenchi groaned. �Kagato had a brother?�
�Yup. And, most of the Jurian nobles who took my
class are somewhere in the succession line. So they all have
a reason to want to get rid of you.�
Tenchi rubbed his temple, a headache was forming.
�Okay, anything else?�
�I have some information about the �Sailor Scouts��
A series of still pictures appeared in the air in front
of Tenchi. The pictures weren�t very clear.
�These are the best shots I could find of the �Sailor
Scouts.� There are five girls. Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars,
Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus.� With
each name a specific picture was brought to the forefront.
�Also, there is some guy in a tuxedo and a mask that
hangs around them. No real data on him.�
�That�s all the �greatest genius in the galaxy� could
come up with?�
�Not quite, I have a lot of data on the Silver
Millennium.�
�The What?�
Before Washu could answer there was a knocking at
the bathroom door. �Are you going to be in there all day!?�
�I better go, you can tell me about that later.�
Tenchi clicked off the phone.
When Tenchi opened the door he almost got run
over by Yuuichiro. �Sorry, I didn�t know you were...� the
door closed, �waiting.�
Tenchi headed back to Yuuichiro�s room to study.
In the hallway he bumped into Rei.
�Tenchi, hi. I was looking for you. I was going to go
meet some friends at a malt shop nearby, and thought, since
you don�t know anyone in town, you...uhm, might...uhm....
like to, y�know, comewithme.� Rei stammered the sentence
and could not make eye contact with Tenchi.
Tenchi smiled. �Sure, why not?�
Rei dragged Tenchi out of the shrine and down to
the bus stop at the bottom of the hill.
At the stop after they got on a large number of
people got and Tenchi and Rei wound up pressed tightly
against each other. Tenchi recited baseball statistics to
himself to ignore the fact that Rei�s oh-so-soft body was
pressed up against his. Fortunately long term exposure to a
certain space pirate had made it easy.
After they got off, Rei dragged him down the
shopping center, pausing to point out certain places. Finally
they stopped in front of a malt shop located beside an
arcade. Makoto and Ami were standing out front.
Makoto smiled as she caught sight of them.
Rei looked around. �Where are Mina and Usagi?�
�Well, Mina�s playing her game.� Ami gestured to
the arcade.
Tenchi leaned back to peer into the doorway. A
familiar blond head was bobbing enthusiastically in front of
a �Sailor V� video-game.
�And Usagi�s not here yet,� Makoto finished.
Ami and Makoto engaged Rei in a conversation
about something made unintelligible by Tenchi�s �Y�
chromosome.
Tenchi looked at Ami, and back at Mina in the
arcade. Ami would have to be Sailor Mercury and Rei
would be Sailor Mars. But, was Mina Sailor Moon? Or
Sailor Venus? She and Usagi were similar enough to be
either one, and none of the pictures Tenchi had seen had
been good enough to pick out any distinguishing
characteristics.
After a few minutes Mina came out of the arcade.
She was in a foul mood.
�Did you lose?� Tenchi smirked.
�I was 500 points from my record and I ran out of
change.�
�Which game?�
�Sailor V of course! Non of the other games are
worth the time.�
�Oh, don�t they have a Sailor Moon game?� Tenchi
grinned, watching for her reaction.
Mina�s brows drew together. �What about Sailor
Moon?�
�You�re her aren�t you?�
Mina�s eyes got really big for a second, then
narrowed. �What are you talking about?�
�It�s okay, he knows. Mostly.� Makoto interjected.
Mina leaned close to Makoto. �He can�t know too
much, he called me Sailor Moon.�
Makoto giggled. �You�re a little off, Tenchi.�
�So you�re Sailor Venus?�
Mina shook her head. �I have no idea what you�re
talking about.�
Tenchi shot a questioning glance to Makoto.
�She�s Sailor Venus.�
�So Usagi would be...�
�I�d be what?�
Tenchi turned to see Usagi standing behind him. She
was arm-in-arm with some guy Tenchi had never seen. She
looked over at Makoto and Mina. �I�d be what?� She asked
again, annoyance in her voice.
�Sailor Moon.�
�What?� her eyes widened. The guy with her looked
over at Tenchi. Tenchi had seen the look often enough to
know he was being sized up as a potential opponent.
�It�s okay, he knows.�
�Since when!?� Usagi�s voice squeaked.
�He recognized me in my Sailor costume.�
�That�s not supposed to happen! We didn�t
recognize each other at first!�
Tenchi decided not to hang around for the rest of
the conversation. He decided to talk to the guy Usagi had
arrived with. He walked over to him and held out his hand.
�Tenchi Masaki.�
�Mamoru Chiba.� He shook Tenchi�s hand firmly.
�you�re the guy with the lightsaber, right?�
Tenchi blinked. �Lightsaber? Not quite, but close.�
�I don�t suppose you have an extra one, do you?�
Tenchi shook his head. �sorry, no. There�s only one
on the planet. Well, only one that I know of.� Tenchi took
another look at Mamoru. �So,... what�s between you and
Usagi?�
�She�s my girlfriend. What else?�
Tenchi mulled this over. He was obviously older
than her, but then again all the girls in Tenchi�s life were a
lot older than him. Except for Sasami, of course. Unless you
added the seven hundred years in stasis. Tenchi�s brain
threatened shutdown when he contemplated the vast life
spans of the women in his life.
�Well, it�s just that you seem to be a bit older than
her...�
Mamoru nodded. �I know, but you can�t really pick
who you fall in love with.�
�Tell me about it,� Tenchi mumbled. �So, are you
the guy in the tuxedo?�
�What are you talking about?�
�You know, the guy in the Tux who followes the
Sailor Scouts around.�
Momoru shook his head. �Not me.�
The conversation covered nothing important from
there on. Sodas and parfaits followed once everyone was in
the shop. Rei offered to pay for Tenchi, but Tenchi insisted
on paying for himself. Everyone got up to leave afterwards,
most of them having to be somewhere else. Rei was about
to ask Tenchi if he wanted to take a walk in the park with
her, when the group was showered with brick fragments
from the exploding wall of the malt shop.
A chunk of brick the size of Tenchi�s fist knocked
Rei cold. Tenchi caught her as she fell.
�We�re being attacked!�
Mamoru moved between Usagi and the direction the
blast came from.
The malt shop�s few customers headed for the door.
Leaving Tenchi, Rei, Mamoru and Usagi alone with the
attacker: yet another of the black crystal creatures.
Tenchi searched with his free hand. �I don�t have my
sword!� He looked to Mamoru and Usagi with a panicked
expression.
Mamoru looked back at Usagi, he turned to Tenchi.
�You get Rei out of here, we�ll deal with this.�
Tenchi nodded briefly and scooped up Rei. He
carried her out of the malt shop and into the street. A lot of
noise could be heard from inside, followed by several flashes
of light.
Tenchi gently laid Rei on the ground outside. He
checked her pulse and made sure she was breathing. When
he was sure she was okay he headed back inside to see what
he could do, Usagi and Mamoru were heading out at the
same time.
�What happened?� he asked.
�We dealt with it. Well, she dealt with it.� Mamoru
gestured to Usagi. �She blew it to bits.�
�Are the bits still there?�
�Yeah... where else would they be?�
Tenchi moved aside to let Mamoru and Usagi pass
and went into the shop.
Inside there was relatively little damage. Tenchi�s
damage scale went from Ayeka/Ryoko fighting over
anything to Mihoshi�s landings (most of which destroyed
the house). This was only slightly more than any daily
Ayeka/Ryoko fight, plus the huge hole in one wall.
Tenchi dug out his cell phone. �Washu? There�s
been another fight.�
In her subspace lab Washu leaned back with a bowl
of popcorn. �I know, I was watching. Your new friends are
quite impressive.�
�Can you do anything about the damage?� The
sound of sirens approached. �And quickly.�
�No problem.� Washu hung up. The bits of attacker
vanished. A new wall apeared where the damaged one had
been. A pink ooze came from nowhere and began to flow
over the floor. Wherever the ooze passed linoleum was
patched and burn marks vanished.
Tenchi ducked out the door right as the horde of
firefighters, paramedics and cops appeared.
A cop grabbed Tenchi as he was exiting. �What
happened here? Is there anyone else inside?�
Tenchi shook his head, �No, just me. I think it was a
smoke bomb. There�s no damage.�
The cop let go of Tenchi and went inside. Tenchi
looked around for Rei.
Rei was sitting on the tail of an ambulance while a
paramedic checked her over. Usagi and Mamoru were
nearby.
Tenchi looked at Rei, concern etched on his face.
�Are you okay?�
Rei nodded. �I�m fine, What happened?�
�You hit your head when you fell.�
Usagi gave Tenchi an inquisitive look. The
paramedic finished with Rei, giving her a clean bill of health.
Then he walked off to check on some others.
�Why did you say she fell? It�s not like we needed to
lie.�
Tenchi grinned at Usagi. �I didn�t want them to
know about the explosion.�
Mamoru smirked. �Won�t the huge hole in the wall
give that away?�
�What hole?� Tenchi turned back to Rei while
Mamoru and Usagi exchanged looks.
�Can I walk you home?�
After Rei and Tenchi left, Usagi and Mamoru
headed back to look into the malt shop.
Usagi beat Mamoru back to the malt shop, barely. It
took all his effort not to knock her over when she came to a
halt.
The firemen had packed up and left, the cops were
still poking around. A cop was standing in the door,
supposedly to keep people out, but in practice he was trying
to pick up a cute waitress.
The couple peered in the doorway. They looked at
each other again, then back in the doorway. Without
comment they walked back towards the bus stop. They had
gone three blocks before they said anything.
Usagi looked back at Mamoru. �We did have a fight
in there, didn�t we?�
Mamoru nodded.
�And I did use my powers to blow that thing to
itty-bity bits, along with lots of wall. Right?�
Mamoru nodded again.
�Then why did it just look like some furniture got
knocked over?�
�I don�t know. But I think we should try to find
out.�
In orbit:
�This is nuts, next they�ll be materializing from
nowhere. How many allies does he have!?� Heyleyn sighed.
�Okay, so I won�t be done as quick as I thought. I will still
have my revenge.�
Heyleyn went back to programming her attackers.
*******************************************
Science Fiction writers build castles in
the air; the fans move into them; and the
publishers collect the rent. It's a nice
place to visit but please dont' try and
live there
-Sharyn McCrumb "Bimbos of the death sun"
*******************************************
I fic, therefore I might be.
omne ignotum pro magnifico
*******************************************