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B I S H O U J O S E N S H I S A I L O R M O O N
A C R O S S T H E B O R D E R
by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page)
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Disclaimer - This is a story containing characters who were created
by anyone but me. That anyone would happen to be Takeuchi Naoko.
Handle it.
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W H A T H A S G O N E B E F O R E
The DEATH SAILORS, TSUKINO USAGI III, HINO REI JNR and PROFESSOR
MIZUNO AMI, operatives of PRESIDENT SERENITY and the REPUBLIC
OF SURREALISM, have survived what is, for them, a dangerous trek
through their capital city, even if a very short one. Enemies lie
in wait at every turn, ready to kill them, and their only hope is to
reach the prepared safe houses that dot the capital.
Surving such an ordeal, they began a debriefing session with their
President when the LADY LUNA DE SADE makes an appearance. Luna is
to be their guide throughout the region known as NEMESIS GATE, where
their next target, the Reality Extremist leader, ADAM JADE, is
planning to gather together all the terrorist groups dedicated to
the cause of reality.
The relationship between Lady Luna and Usagi is exposed to be less
than friendly, even though Luna had saved Usagi from death in the
past after a terrorist bomb had killed her family. It is obvious
that Usagi still feels a sense of shame in not having died with her
family, and is taking out that shame on Luna.
Meanwhile, overlooking the scene of Jade's gathering are the
AMAZONESS QUARTET.... Four rogues within the Republic's operative
network. Luna tells the Death Sailors about the Quartet, and they
are less than impressed by the thought that they may have to work
alongside, or worse, in opposition to the four, in the effort to
kill Jade.
Luna also intimates that there is something about the Quartet that
makes them not quite as human as they appear to be. But before they
can discuss the matter further, Realist terrorists, who have been
watching the safe house, explode a car bomb outside in the hope of
drawing in the local constabulary.
Knowing that any search by the constabulary may eventuate with them
getting hurt by the safe house's electronic defenses, Lady Luna and
the Death Sailors scuttle their sanctuary and make a head on attack
on the Realists, escaping into the sewer system.
A single Realist soldier, by the name of DETERN, has pursued them
into the sewers, and has managed to catch up with them....
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"You must think I'm stupid..." Came Detern's voice, as he
leaned against the wall of the tunnel, glancing down at the tripwire
mine that Ami had set, lit by his service torch. "A trap that
obvious.... Even I could see it coming."
"Even I could see it coming." Ami whispered in a mocking
tone. "Does he realise he's putting himself down?"
"Oh be quiet, you fool...." Usagi hissed back, nervously.
Ami shrugged and lifted up the small device she had taken from her
overcoat, thumbing the single orange button that sat within its
curved black plastic with an almost fetishist attraction.
Ignoring her, Usagi swallowed, and jumped out from the
depression in the sewer wall she and Ami had been hiding behind,
firing a round from her double-barrelled revolver into the opposite
wall of the junction, around which Detern was hiding.
The shot ricocheted off the wall and missed his head by
inches, ricocheting from there, down the older sewer branch. He
nervously stared at the mark in the wall where the bullet had
struck, swallowing, then turned and watched as the sparks flew from
the shot's zigzag journey.
Shivering, Detern turned back, his next few words said in a
quavering tone. "That didn't work either...." He lifted up his
rifle as he heard Usagi duck back behind the corner of the
depression.
Ami watched as Usagi shivered, clutching onto her revolver as
if it were her lifeline. "Jeez, I hate these close fights...." The
blond swallowed, closing her eyes, momentarily. She then turned to
Ami and grimaced. "You hear him? 'That didn't work either', he
says...."
Ami shook her head. "This will, though..." She smiled and
pressed the button on the device.
The mines went off, blowing Detern back along the sewer tunnel
for some distance, with shrapnel wounds to his legs. He let out a
short shriek of shock and pain, falling dazed onto the bricked floor
of the sewer, his torch and rifle clattering to the floor beside
him.
He only just managed to lift his head in time to see the roof
cave in on the junction. Dust filled the passage, making it
impossible to see anything, the light cast by the torch smothered,
matching the darkness that overcame his senses as shock set in....
As the dust cleared on the other side of the cave in, Usagi
looked back at Ami, who was pocketing the small device with a wry
smile on her face.
"Don't tell me.... The trip wire was a dummy, right?" Usagi
replaced her revolver back in her overcoat as the realisation hit
her that Ami had been having a lend of her.
"Oh come on...." Ami giggled. "You know me better than that."
Ami picked up her backpack and started after Rei and Luna, who
could still be seen some short distance along the tunnel, her back
receiving some very dark looks from Usagi....
----o
Part Five
Delicate Dance of Death
----o
Jade smiled as he stepped through the foyer of his stronghold,
flanked by his personal bodyguard and several senior members of his
militia, all smiling and applauding his recent speech with much
appreciation.
He smiled back and acknowledged the applause with nods,
knowing, deep down, that they were doing nothing more than trying to
stay in his good books.... Maybe even, hopefully, catch his eye....
Increase the power of their own positions within the militia
establishment. He knew all this, and didn't care. The sounds of
the cheering multitudes, outside, were enough to drown out the
cynicism in his heart.
He had crafted his art well, preaching the half-truths and
pseudopolitical babble that came with the terrirory of being so high
up in an organisation like the Reality Militia. He told then what
they wanted to hear.... Or what they THOUGHT they wanted to hear,
for they had no minds or will of their own.... He loved the
applause he received from them, yet despised them for being so easy
to control, to be so deeply unimaginative....
They were tools, he had to keep reminding himself.... It was
a bad craftsman who blamed his tools for his unhappiness.... Or
something like that. He chuckled as he, once more, entered his
office, sighing as he saw Titus, waiting for him.
He turned to his bodyguard and nodded to him purposely. The
tall, broad shouldered young man looked down at him, coldly, and
nodded back, shutting the door on the milling crowd, outside the
office and standing guard. Nobody was going to disturb Jade's
musings, today. Nobody, that was, except Titus.
"I take it you have information for me? Otherwise, you're
a lot smarter than to be waiting for me in my office after such a
raging success." Jade said, finally, after contemplating the silent
woman, clutching her checkboard with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes, and it is not good news." She simpered. The voice sent
shivers down Jade's spine. There were moments where he really
believed she had something for him.... Where her tone and
expression would become suggestive. The very thought of someone
like her having such expressions of preference.... He took a breath
and turned, pacing around his desk and sitting in the large chair,
set behind, with an expansive gesture of disconcern.
"Go ahead, then. Spoil my day for me." He said that with a
smile. Titus raised an eyebrow and grinned.
"The Death Sailors have survived the ambush attempt on the
safe house in Lockheed Moor."
Jade's heart sank, but he kept the smiling mask going.
"Really? How disappointing." He swivelled his chair and looked out
of the window. "They must be quite determined to kill me, then."
"They're Republican operatives, sir.... They're quite
dedicated, and anything but stupid."
"You sound like you admire them."
Titus swallowed. "I admire them? I merely wish we had
someone within our soldiers as experienced and as dedicated as they
are." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. The bastard
always knew which kind of lines to use to upset her. Why was he
always on guard like this? There simply never seemed to be an
opportunity to make her play for him....
"I, too, wish there were such people within my army." He
chuckled. "I would not be as frightened for my future as I am at
this very moment." He turned back to her. "How many days will it
take them, on foot, to reach Nemesis Gate?"
"They have escaped via the sewers. We have a party pursuing
them, right at this very moment."
"That's not what I asked you."
"Via the sewers, sir.... About two and a half days."
Jade clenched his teeth and exclaimed in a manner that
suggested he'd just been bitten by someone. "They should have had
someone covering those sewers."
"Considering the effect the spearhead squad had within the old
school building, in which the safe house was placed, I don't think
it would have made much difference."
"It would have changed the nature of the fight. The sewers
would have made the battle arena just a little more level....
Nowhere to hide... Just shoot and run."
"There are alcoves within the newer sections, sir. That would
have made the situation less equal."
"But Lockheed Moor is NOT one of the newer sections, is it?
It was anything BUT." Jade spat. "If they'd been pinned down in
the old sewers, then we wouldn't be having this conversation, now."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll have the squad leaders replaced with
someone more suitable."
"That's not the point, now, is it? They've managed to escape
into the sewers, and are probably somewhere well along the network
of tunnels, making their way here."
"If they know the sewers well enough not to get lost."
"They wouldn't have scuttled the safe house and run down there
if they didn't know where they were going."
Silence passed between them for close to a minute as they both
made to recover from their verbal stoush. Titus swallowed and
clutched onto her workboard with both hands, tightly. "Well, we'll
soon know how far they've gone.... The pursuit squad is currently
making its way along the sewers."
"For your sake, Titus, and theirs, I certainly hope they catch
them. I don't like the thought of having to deal with them,
myself."
Titus swallowed again, saluted, and left the office.
----o
The small but heavily armed pursuit squad paced through the
old sewer tunnel in as good a tactical manner that could be achieved
in a straight stretch without anywhere to hide. Their shoulder-
mounted spot torches bobbed within the darkness, making their
approach to the cave in look a tad silly. At least, that was what
Detern thought as he opened his eyes and wondered why he was still
capable of seeing something.
"There's someone down there, on the floor." He heard one of
them say. Well, duh.... He thought to himself, trying to sit up,
marvelling the fact that he still seemed to have some semblance of
movement in his legs.
"They're moving. Should we shoot them?" He heard another one
say. There was a sigh from the squad's leader.
"Look at the uniform! It's one of OUR guys, fer chrissakes."
"It was only a suggestion." Said the beleaguered soldier.
Yes, Detern thought to himself, another fine example of the Reality
Militia's intellectuals, that one.
He heard their footsteps approaching, showing less caution as
they saw the cave in. "Jesus! The whole thing's come down." One
of the flank soldiers ran up to the mound of brickwork, cement and
soil that blocked their path.
The squad leader knelt down beside Detern as he managed to sit
up against the wall. "Are you okay?"
"No, I am not okay. They got me with a mine." He winced as
he felt the first telltale signs that things were going to be
painful for a while, forgetting to include the fact that he'd just
about walked into their trap....
"I'd say you're lucky to be alive." The squad leader looked
down at Detern's legs. "Light shrapnel grenade. Made to go bang
with much force than scatter the bits and pieces."
"Made to level the roof of the tunnel, more likely." Detern
clenched his teeth. "You don't happen to have anything that will
make me feel REAL happy for the next few ours on you, do you? This
is beginning to hurt."
The squad leader nodded, and snapped his fingers at the medic,
a small girl who had stood at the rear of the group. As she ran
forward to attend to Detern's wounds and desire for happy juice, the
squad leader stood and unhitched his transceiver from his belt.
"Squad 30 to Youma One, copy?"
"Youma One, Squad 30, we copy." Was his crackling reply. It
was a good thing radio communications were still working this far
underground....
"Youma One, we have found one watch soldier, wounded, within
the sewer tunnels. He was apparently caught out by a mine laid by
the targets.... The tunnel has been subsequently sealed, over."
There were a few silent moments of crackling static as the
squad leader watched his subordinates eye the cave in,
appreciatively. Eventually, he recived a reply. "Well, he's a
silly little man, isn't he? Over."
The squad leader sighed....
----o
"There is no doubt about it, Madam President. The safe house
has been lost...." Serenity's secretary paced the floor of her
office as she leaned her head in her hands, against her desk,
thinking deeply.
"When did communications with the security system cease?" She
asked, her face pale.
"About an hour ago. There was, apparently, an almighty blast,
virtually eradicating the entire safe house and the automatic
gaurd." The secretary put his hands behind his back, sighing.
"Then they scuttled the safe house...." Serenity rubbed her
face with her hands. "Were the militia really that close to
cracking the security?"
"More likely they tried to drag the local authorities into
their fight. In that kind of situation, it would have been only
natural that Lady Luna and the Death Sailors would have chosen to
scuttle the safe house and run."
"Usagi...." Serenity whispered to herself. Her secretary
gave her a quizzical look.
"Did you say something, Madam President?"
Serenity looked up at him, realising that he must have heard
her remark. She put up her hands, smiling nervously. "It is
nothing. I was.... merely thinking aloud."
"You were thinking of Usagi, weren't you?" His tone softened
quite deeply. Serenity swallowed, nodding. "I'm sure she'd
alright, Madam President. She's a lot like you used to be when you
were her age."
"I most certainly hope so." Serenity cast her mind back to
the days when she used to be a member of the Republican
Resistance... "Although, I must say, I only ever seemed to escape
the tighter spots by the skin of my teeth.... That is one thing I
hope she inhe...."
"Madam President!" Her secretary barked. She looked up at
him with surprise. "Need I remind you? The walls have ears."
Serenity opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, nodding.
"I'm sorry. Get our people to the scene as quickly as
possible. I want it confirmed, or not, that Lady Luna and the Death
Sailors are alive and well...."
"Yes, Madam President." The secretary bowed, and strode from
her office.
Serenity sat back, crossing her hands in front of her mouth,
remembering back to the cold days of the civil war, and the child
she bore....
----o
Rei sat on the access ledge as Luna looked down at her wet
feet with much disgust. "This sludge is probably full of the worst
parasites known to medical science.... We'll be ill for years, if
not dead." The noble leaned against the wall on the ledge, now glad
to be away from the running stream of the sewer
"This is just drainwater, you know. It's not as if every
toilet in the city empties into here, or anything."
"You're just trying to make me feel better, I can see it in
your eyes." Luna sniffed and turned back to the door, set into the
wall at the back of the access ledge. "Are we to leave this
disgusting place here?"
"You're kidding, right? This is Bardon Park.... We're
nowhere near Vermion Lock, yet."
"Wonderful." Luna turned up her nose. "I should have
listened to my mother's advice when she told me never to become
involved in politics."
"You were one of the aristocracy.... You weren't going to be
able to avoid it." Rei leaned against her backpack, which she had
removed. "We only stopped here to wait for the others."
"If they're still alive."
"Oh, I'm quite sure they're still alive. That blast we heard
was one of Ami's mines."
"She probably blew herself up with it, in which case we should
expect the enemy to come rounding the corner any minute now."
"Oh ye of little faith."
Luna sniffed. "Experience has taught me never to discount any
possibility."
"Nor has it taught you when it is a good time to voice your
personal opinions." Rei snorted.
"So what if I like to mouth off? At least you know how I feel
about things."
"Oh yes.... Rei nodded, dubiously. "I know EXACTLY how you
feel about things, right at this very moment."
"Trying to kill us off before our time, is she?" Rei and Luna
turned to Usagi as the girl peered around the corner of the ledge,
half smiling. "So typical for Luna.... She never had any faith in
me...."
Luna crossed her arms as Usagi and Ami stepped into view and
jumped up onto the ledge. "Can you blame me? I know you better
than they do." She pointed to Ami and Rei. "I was there when you
made the greatest mistakes of your life."
"Yeah, having you there at the time was one of them." Usagi
snorted as she dumped her backpack next to Rei's, mirroring her by
sitting on the ledge. "The tunnel has been blocked off by the mine.
We aren't going to get any chasing us from that direction." Usagi
nodded back the way they came. Rei looked down into the stream at
the base of the ledge.
"That probably means they'll try and get to us through
accessways like this." She thumbed the doorway behind them. Luna
instinctively back from the door.
"You're kidding? And we've been sitting here for, what, ten
minutes?" Luna swallowed. Rei sighed and shook her head.
"They're probably still pouring over the plans of the sewer
system. Not having posted any soldiers within the tunnels, it is
obvious they never considered this to be a potential escape route,
and therefore wouldn't have a blind idea where to go in the process
of chasing us."
"So it isn't likely they'll have spotted this entrance on the
plans, yet." Ami finished, stepping up to the access door and
running her hand down it. "Should I fix it for them?"
"I think mining it would be, right at this very moment, a bit
premature." Rei mumbled.
"What if the next person who came through that door was a city
maintainance worker? I'm quite sure the President would be happy to
compensate his or her family for the loss of their loved one." Luna
barked in her own inimitable fashion. Ami cringed.
"It was only a suggestion. No need to bite my head off about
it." She stepped over to the ledge and sat down, sulking. Luna
looked down at her, haughtily.
"I think moving on from here, as quickly as possible, would be
the best plan of action, don't you think so?"
The trio looked at each other for a few moments.
"I think she's right, Usagi." Rei said, chuckling, as Usagi
grumped.
"Very well, then.... Let us move out." Luna took a hold of
her backpack, which was sitting at her feet, and started to heave it
over her shoulder. Rei looked back at her, grinning.
"Of course, you can lead the way, if you wish."
"What?" Luna stared at her in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's right. If there are any holes or anything in
the floor of the sewer, we'll soon know when you disappear into the
water's murky depths...." Usagi continued Rei's line, a grin
speading across her face.
"Uhuh.... Down into the deep, dark sludge, where you can play
with your little parasitic friends." Rei snorted.
"I don't need the pair of you to patronise me...." Luna
huffed and secured her backpack over her shoulders.
"Oh my.... You mean it's that dangerous to traverse these
sewer tunnels?" Ami rubbed her chin. Rei, Usagi and Luna
sweatdropped. Usagi put a hand on Ami's shoulder.
"It's okay, Ami.... You can go back to your little
dreamworld, now." She and Rei stood up and surveyed the darkness
of the tunnel ahead with their torches. "How much further before we
reach an accessway like this to Vermion Lock?" Usagi bit her lower
lip, thinking to herself.
"Uh, guys...." They heard Luna say, quietly, but ignored her.
"It's quite a long walk. We'll have to replace the batteries
on our torches before then." Rei took a deep breath as Ami stood up
beside them.
"We could always use the infrared goggles. That'll save on
the batteries, and make us a less easy target to find down here."
"Uh... Peoples...." Luna continued.
"Shh!" Usagi chided her, making a quick glance backwards.
She turned to Ami. "Yes, I think that might be the best idea."
"Uh, I really think you should turn. I have something of a
small problem, here." Luna's voice was rather insistent, so they
did turn, and saw something they didn't want to see.
Two masked soldiers were standing either side of Luna, holding
rifles up to her head, as a third emerged from a ventilation shaft
set above the access door, jumping down and holding the trio at bay
with his own rifle.
As they moved for their own weapons, they heard clicking
noises and splashing sounds from the water channel behind them.
They turned back to the stream to see another ten or so soldiers,
standing in the water, aiming their weapons a the three operatives.
"Oh shit bugger damn." Rei muttered.
"Yes.... Not the best of positions to be in." Ami swallowed
as the three lifted their hands from their weapons, trying to smile
and look unthreatening.
"Nice people...." Usagi croaked pathetically. "We don't want
to mess up your nice, clean sewer, or anything. We'll leave, if you
want...."
"Who are you?" The figure at the front of those standing
within the stream strode forward. The voice was that of a stern
young woman.
"More to the point...." Usagi swallowed. "Who are you?"
The woman paused, lowering her rifle, cautiously. Slowly, she
lifted up her free hand and took hold of the top of her mask,
removing it.
The woman's face was regally attractive, with a soft, round
face with high cheekbones, fringed by dark, wavy hair that had
small, wavy cowlicks, falling across her forehead. Dark eyes
pierced the very souls of the four within the twilight of the
tunnel. She lifted her face and stared at them, arrogantly.
"I am Angelique Petz, commander of the brave soldiers of the
Republic of Darkness. I repeat my question. Who are you?"
END OF PART 5
"Uh, I really think you should turn. I have something of a
small problem, here." Luna's voice was rather insistent, so they
did turn, and saw something they didn't want to see.
Two masked soldiers, dressed in black uniforms were standing
either side of Luna, holding rifles up to her head, as a third
emerged from a ventilation shaft set above the access door, jumping
down and holding the trio at bay with his own rifle.
As they moved for their own weapons, they heard clicking
noises and splashing sounds from the water channel behind them.
They turned back to the stream to see another ten or so soldiers,
standing in the water, their own weapons, mostly automatic and
semi-automatic rifles, targeting the three operatives..
"Oh shit bugger damn." Rei muttered.
"Yes.... Not the best of positions to be in." Ami swallowed
as the three lifted their hands from their weapons, trying to smile
and look unthreatening.
"Nice people...." Usagi croaked pathetically. "We don't want
to mess up your nice, clean dirty sewer, or anything. We'll leave,
if you want...."
"Who are you?" The figure at the front of those standing
within the stream strode forward. The voice was that of a stern
young woman.
"More to the point...." Usagi swallowed. "Who are you?"
The woman paused, lowering her rifle, cautiously. Slowly, she
lifted up her free hand and took hold of the top of her mask,
removing it.
The woman's face was regally attractive, with a soft, round
face with high cheekbones, fringed by dark, wavy hair that had
small, wavy cowlicks, falling across her forehead. Dark eyes
pierced the very souls of the four within the twilight of the
tunnel. She lifted her face and stared at them, arrogantly.
"I am Angelique Petz, commander of the brave soldiers of the
Republic of Darkness. I repeat my question. Who are you?"
----o
Part Six
Underworld
----o
"The Republic of what?" Usagi had just enough time to put
on a comical expression of confusion before all four were disarmed,
and bundled from the doorway ledge, into the stream below by the
trio of soldiers behind them. Usagi almost toppled forward into the
water, caught in time by Rei. "Thanks." She whispered softly to
the dark-haired girl.
"I'd rather not see anyone take a mouthful of this gunk." Rei
replied, pulling Usagi close to her. "Don't say anything to these
people that may antagonise them.... If they are who I think they
are, they might be of some assistance."
"What are you talking about?" Usagi frowned, before she felt
the muzzle of Petz's rifle prod her in the shoulder.
"Quiet, you." Petz sneered. "You remind me of someone I used
to know."
"Oh.... Uhh... That's nice." Usagi swallowed. Petz
shrugged and looked away.
"Yeah, I suppose you could say that. But she's dead now. I
had to kill her...." Petz rubbed the length of her rifle. "People
with faces like yours always turn out to be trouble." Usagi managed
to place Ami between herself and Petz, much to the woman's
amusement. Ami, put on the spot, felt it was time to exercise a
little of her knowledge involving the Republic of Darkness.
"Eraewoh wuoysa edursa enoemos llet ewdluo hsyhw." Ami stared
nervously the stunned Petz, who turned aside to her deputy. He
shrugged, gesturing to his mouth with one of his hands. Petz curled
her lips and turned back to Ami.
"You understand... our language?"
Ami raised an eyebrow, now feeling a little more confident.
"Won, kuo, ynah teromd natsre dnu spahrepi." Petz's lips pulled
back even further as she gritted her teeth, feeling that she had
lost control of the situation.
"Ylrael ceti uquoy. Dnat sred nuiemk comot deenon siereht."
"What did she say?" Usagi whispered aside to Ami, who tried
to hush her. Usagi wasn't having any of it, though. "It's no good
if you're going to talk a language I don't understand."
"You don't but she does, eh?" Petz smiled at Usagi, relieved
to learn that not all of her captives were capable of speaking her
kins' tongue.
"So what if I don't?" Usagi huffed. "I don't even know who
you people are. I've never heard of you before. Are you members of
the republic, or affiliated with the Reality Militia?"
Ami and Rei cringed as Petz strode forward, pushing them aside
and gripping the collar of Usagi's coat. "What did you say?"
"I... I said...." Petz didn't give Usagi the time to reply.
"WE ARE SOLDIERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF DARKNESS! WE EXIST TO
HIDE OUR ART FROM THE LIGHT OF DAY AS A STATEMENT IN ITSELF. WE ARE
NOT ALLIES OF THE REALITY DISEASE! THOSE WHO SAY SO MUST DIE!" And
with that, Petz lifted the muzzle of her rifle underneath Usagi's
chin. Usagi was as close as one could get to wetting herself at
that moment. It was Rei who managed to save Usagi's bacon. Getting
down on her knees, lowering herself into the murky water that ran
along the sewer, she bowed her head to Petz.
"Syaw ruo yfot narong, isi ehsr uono hruo yott lusni rehevi
grof." Petz looked down at Rei, sneering.
"Diaseh stah wrof rehlli, kotgnill iwnah teromerael poepy muo
ydnuo rakool ruo noh ruoottlus nireh rofes ucxeons iecnarong ireh!"
Rei lifted her head and stared at Petz's soldiers, all of whom
appeared ready to use their weapons on Usagi at any moment, she
lowered it once more, trying to affect an appeasing stance.
"Esru ocfol liwru oyotre, dnerru sew."
Petz laughed in Rei's face. "Ecioh cynau oygni vigtonerae
werau oyes ruocfo." She lowered her gun from Usagi, who used the
occasion to take a breath, having held it in until now. "Are you
members of the Reality Militia?" Petz asked of Rei, who raised her
head to meet Petz's gaze.
"We are... operatives of the Republic.... We are... were...
being pursued by members of the Reality Militia, who are attempting
to kill us, so we are not given the opportunity to kill their
leader, Adam Jade."
"Hino....." Lady Luna pushed past Ami. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Rei turned to Lady Luna
with a pained expression.
"Kneeling in parasite-infested water.... You can't just tell
these people about our plans.... They're not members of the
Republic's system...."
"What else would you have me do? Allow them to kill Usagi?"
Rei held up a fist to Luna, who went silent, then turned back to
Petz who had let go of Usagi, pondering what Rei had told her.
"And who might you be?" Petz's attention changed to the new
interloper, placing Luna on the spot.
"Who indeed." Luna crossed her arms and looked away. "I
don't give my name to barbarians who lurk within the foetid darkness
of the sewers."
"Good one, Luna. Antagonise them. It'll make everything so
much better." Usagi croaked as she rubbed her throat, still feeling
the aftereffects of having her collar dig into her skin.
"Lady Luna de Sade." Petz chuckled. "Well well well....
This is a comedown for a member of the old aristocracy...." She
paced around Luna, pressing her face uncomfortably close. "Not used
to getting down and dirty with 'barbarians' like our good selves,
yet more than willing to traverse these sewers with a trio of
incompetents, not knowing what you might stumble into."
"They are not incompetent." Luna huffed. "They are one of
the Republic's best assassin teams."
"Hoooo." Petz and her soldiers mocked, then started to laugh.
Within a moment, Petz raised her hand, and they all went silent.
"Very impressive, my dear Lady.... But it must be said, if they
were competent, then they wouldn't have been so easily caught out
by the ambush we had sprung on them." She pressed her face
underneath Luna's right ear. "Ne?"
"That was.... unfortunate." Luna shivered at Petz's presence.
"And I am not 'traversing' the sewers by choice. That was her
decision." Luna gestured to Rei, still on her knees. "Are you
going to kneel there all day? You've probably got a terminal blood
fluke infestation, already...." She turned back to Petz, pressing
her own face up close. "So, what do you intend to do with us,
hmmm?"
Petz smiled, stepping back as she shrugged. "I suppose I
could dispose of you.... That would be the normal course of action.
We can't have anyone from the world of light witnessing our
performances, especially those dedicated to serving the light...."
She paused. "However, your purpose.... to kill this Adam Jade....
has me intrigued. I think it may be worthy to take you to see OUR
president."
"Di... Dimando?" Ami gasped as she helped Rei to her feet.
"I'm lost." Usagi scratched her head.
"I'm not surprised, for someone as stupid as you." Petz
snapped at her, making Usagi cringe.
"Don't be like that.... I dunno who this Dimando person
is...."
"You've never heard of the GREAT DIMANDO?" Petz stared at
her, disbelievingly.
"No... Should I?" Usagi swallowed, quite certain she had
sealed her fate with this. Petz, however, arched her back, laughing
out loud.
"Dimando shall be truly disappointed.... Someone who DOESN'T
know of him.... The great hero of the civil war...." Petz slung
her rifle over her shoulder. "One of the reasons he joined us, to
become our president.... To escape the fawning hero worship of
those within the light. He shall, indeed, take a shine to you,
girl. Come, let us return to our homeland." And with that, Petz
snapped her fingers, pointing further along the tunnel. After
replacing her mask, Lady Luna and the Death Sailors were marched
away from the Bardon Park doorway intersection. At gunpoint, to
their consternation.
----o
The first sign that they were approaching anything that could
be described as a form of civilisation was the noise of people....
Partying. It was distant, but with each step, it came closer, and
louder.
They had trudged through a series of tunnels of varying
standard and condition. Across dilapidated metal and concrete
walkways which spanned underground caverns of immense size and
proportion, both manmade and natural. Then through a succession of
locks and doors, many of which, surely, no longer existed on the
maps of the capital city management.
Usagi remarked, occasionally, over the writing that had been
stamped on much of the construction they had encountered....
Characters she was unfamiliar with. Only Ami and Lady Luna seemed to
understand the language, and remarked that it was nothing more than
inconsequential directional and safety guidelines, written in a
language that they'd described as 'Japanese'.
"Japanese?" Usagi scratched her head. "I've never heard of
it. Does it still exist?"
"It did. Three thousand years ago, back in the pre-Elysian
era of our nation's history, when all the islands were united....
The language was used to create a semblance of a common bond between
the people." Ami rubbed her chin as she studied some of the symbols
on a doorway they were passing through. She was moved along by one
of Petz's soldiers.
They continued along the sewer, which began a slow descent.
There was tacked-on railing at the side if the tunnel, which they
used to stop themselves slipping on the wet, mold-laden floor. The
rails had obviously been placed there well after the tunnel's
construction, possibly by members of the Darkness. Most of Usagi's
efforts to question Petz or any of her soldiers on the matter was
met with cold silence, or a form of gentle persuasion to keep
moving, by a now-consistent nudging of gun muzzles.
After ten minutes, the tunnel started to level off, then
widen. Usagi pushed up alongside Ami, nudging her in the side.
"What happened to the language?" She sniffed. "A language
just doesn't disappear, does it?"
"What language?" Ami frowned.
"This 'Japanese' language...." Usagi looked at her,
hopefully. "Is that how you say it?" Ami opened her mouth and
nodded.
"Oh, it exists.... Or fragments of it.... However, the
collapse of the pre-Elysian society into a succession of feudal
militarist regimes saw the upswing of regionalism and regional
dialects and the watering-down of resistance to outside influences.
The majority of the language we speak today finds its source on the
other side of the planet."
"Yeah, what you said." Usagi scratched her head, lost in
Ami's explanation.
"Look, it's very simple.... All languages change over time,
mostly through little pockets of population speaking in accents,
which become less and less like the original language to form
languages of their own. Place, on top of this, frequently spoken
languages from outside these regions, and what you get is a totally
new language that bears nothing in common with the original, not
even in their basic patterns of written form and audible
expressionist content."
"You're starting to use the long words, again." Usagi sighed.
"I almost managed to follow you, that time." Usagi felt someone
nudge her in the side, and turned to see Luna, who was staring
around at the walls and ceiling of the tunnel. "What? What is it?"
"Is it my imagination, or is it unusually bright in here?"
Ami and Usagi looked around, surprised to find that their
torches were no longer providing the lion's share of the
illumination.
Ami switched off her torch, placing it within her jacket. "A
strange, green glow, wouldn't you say?" She ran her hand along the
wall of the tunnel.
"A form of fungus, producing a phosphorescent-like glow." Ami
turned to Petz's voice, surprised to find the woman so close behind
her, so quickly. "Despite the fact that our people have grown
accustomed to the lack of light that exists within the world we
live, we are not yet capable of seeing in the dark.... We
congregate wherever this fungus is to be found.... Indeed, we have
studied it, and learnt how to make it grow, and prosper...."
Petz gripped Ami's arm and dragged her to the head of the
group, watched by Usagi, Luna and Rei. At the end of the tunnel was
a ledge, lined by a railing. Beyond the ledge, they could hear the
sounds of people, and see a greater amount of the eerie green glow.
Petz held Ami up against the railing, the blue-haired girl staring
at the scene below her with awe. "You see it? THAT is OUR
homeland."
"A CITY?!?" Ami's mouth hung open. "Down here?"
"A city beneath a city." Petz crowed, proudly.
Beyond the tunnel, a monumentally huge cavern opened up,
running for miles in every direction. From both the roof and the
floor of the cavern, like massive stalactites and stalagmites, were
buildings and residences, hewn from the same material as the walls
of the cavern itself.
The entire scene was illuminated by vast quantities of the
same fungus that lined the entrance tunnel. And along the centre of
the cavern's floor was a vast esplanade, along which hundreds of
people were celebrating in various groups and marquees.
"They're.... They're celebrating the Festival of Ephis?" Ami
turned to Petz, who removed her mask with a flourish, her face a
picture of rapturous madness.
"Do you think those who prefer to live in the light have the
sole rights of ownership to the ways and thoughts of the great
Montxo Ephis? It is by his teachings that we choose to be what we
are."
"OX TNOM LI AHLLA!" Shouted one of Petz's solders.
"OX TNOM LI AHLLA!" The others replied. Ami shook her head
and sighed. Next to her, Petz had lifted up a small lamp, which had
been hooked to her belt, and started to signal to a figure who
could be seen through a window in the nearest building that hung
from the ceiling. Usagi, Rei and Luna joined Ami as they watched
the private conversation that was flashed back and forth.
"What are you doing?" Luna inquired of Petz as she refastened
the lamp to her belt.
"You don't think I brought you here just for the view, do you?
We have to get down from here, somehow."
"And how would that 'somehow' be?" Luna stared at Petz,
archly.
"You're really cruisin' for a good whuppin', you know that?"
Usagi snarled at her. Luna ignored her and leaned over the railing.
"It's a long way down. I hope you're not expecting us to
abseil down the side of this cavern." Petz chuckled at Luna's
statement.
"Nothing of the sort, my dear Lady. I promise you, we shall
make our way down, into the city, with a little more style than
that." Petz gestured towards the nearest building. From underneath
the window where the figure that had been having the conversation
with Petz could be seen, a metal platform started to slide out, to
the humming of whirring gears and machinery.
"That's one hell of a gangplank." Usagi muttered.
----o
The platform connected with a lock that sat underneath the
railing, giving a very satisfying click that made the four jump with
surprise, to Petz's amusement. The railing then slid aside,
allowing them all access.
Usagi, Rei, Ami and Luna were then marched across the platform
by Petz, her second in command and two more of her soldiers, the
others remaining on the ledge, as if guarding the access from some
invisible enemy.
On the other side of the platform, a doorway slid open in the
wall, with the same clunking of machinery that accompanied the
platform's movements. The individual whom Petz had had her private
conversation with stood in the doorway, a young woman, dressed in
the same black uniform, who had light hair that matched her
complexion, and a young, almost innocent face. She smiled, sweetly,
at Petz as they entered the building.
"My, I must say, these four don't look anywhere near as
troublesome as you described them." The young woman giggled.
"Thankyou for your kind words, Guardolier Beruche.... Is
everything prepared for them?" Luna and Usagi turned when they
heard Petz's question.
"What is prepared for whom?" Luna turned to Petz,
indignantly. Beruche ignored her.
"After your initial contact, we had the cell block readied
for them.... Plus the interrogation units, if need be."
"Interrogation units?" Usagi bit her lower lip.
"Interrogation for what?"
"Are they normally this talkative?" Beruche pointed to the
four. Petz shrugged.
"Well, they haven't stopped talking since we nabbed them. I
suppose you could say yes."
"I must protest...." Luna began, but wasn't given time to
finish. With a snap of Beruche's fingers, a dozen security guards,
dressed in a plain gray uniform, emerged from the wings and dragged
the four away to much noise and clamour. Petz and Beruche stuck
their fingers in their ears as Usagi and Rei used the most foul
language imaginable. Once they had been dragged through the rear
door of the guard room, Beruche relaxed.
"You may return to your patrol duties, Petz." She removed her
fingers from her ears. Petz, who still had hers firmly planted in,
looked at her with confusion.
"What did you say?"
Beruche sighed and gripped Petz's wrists, pulling them down to
her sides. "I said you can return to your patrol duties, now."
"Oh, right.... Sorry about that." Petz shook Beruche off and
clicked her fingers at her henchman, pointing back across the
platform. They nodded and started to make their way back across.
Petz paused before leaving. "Don't have too much fun with them.
I'd like to see them in one piece when I return, tonight."
"Oh, you...." Beruche waved her away as Petz chuckled.
----o
Usagi was bundled into the small, dark cell not long after she
had been stripped of her backpack and clothing, and bodily searched.
The indignity of the act was compounded by the number of people who
were watching, through various portals, into the common room of the
cell block.
Given back her suit, she quickly dressed, an instinctive need
to cover herself from the prying eyes.... Then she was manhandled
into the cell, a cubicle not much larger than a small shipping
container.... The cell comprised nothing more than four walls, a
floor and a ceiling, all made of the same rock-like concrete that
everything in the city seemed to be made of. The only concession to
comfort was a canvas mat at the far end of the cell.
Usagi listened, silently, as she heard Rei and Luna complain,
bitterly, about their treatment, as they too were bundled into cells
of their own. Then silence.
Usagi slunk her way over to the mat, and sat down, feeling
somewhat drained by her experience, and stared at the light that was
cast through the small window of her cell door, almost hypnotised by
the pale luminescence.
She must have been this way for close to an hour before her
cell door was opened. It surprised her, although it was standard
procedure within the Republic Security Forces to allow prisoners to
stew in their own juices for that length of time before they started
to question them. She didn't feel ready to be interrogated for
whatever reason it was they were going to be questioned....
She looked up at the doorway, and was surprised to find that
the only figure standing there was that of a small-framed man in his
late thirties. He was quite attractive, with a soft, boyish face
and white hair.... His skin, like most of those who lived in the
underworld, was pale, and his eyes seemed tired and somewhat
distant.
"So.... You are the one who professes not to know of me..."
He mused, softly. "Strange.... Since you seem to remind me of
someone I used to know."
"Who are you?" Usagi croaked. The man's face lit up with
amusement.
"Oh yes.... I remember now.... Indeed...." He stepped into
the cell, the door closing behind him. "Your name would be Usagi,
would it not?"
"Ano...." Usagi swallowed. "That is... my name... But how
did you...?" The man took a breath and knelt down before her.
"Yes, I thought so. Well, you can call me Sergei.... Sergei
Dimando...."
"Dimando?" Usagi's jaw hit the floor. "You... Aren't you
supposed to be.... The president of all this, here in these cells,
with a prisoner...."
"I witnessed you... ahem... 'search', and put an end to it
before my people caused you to endure much more of the indignity..."
He reached out a hand. "Please forgive their uncouth treatment....
They are a paranoid breed, but I fear it comes from some
justification."
Usagi took his hand, and the both of them got to their feet.
"Aren't you taking a risk, then, coming into the cell of a prisoner
like myself?"
Dimando smiled. "My dear, pretty young lady.... I know you,
perhaps better than you realise.... If you are willing, I would
like to extend the hand of our hospitality...."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Hmm?"
"One of the classic methods of interrogation is to get the
prisoner to let down their guard. How can I be sure that you aren't
just leading me on?"
Dimando seemed genuinely disappointed by Usagi's question. "I
guess.... You're just going to have to trust me...."
END OF PART 6
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ACROSS THE BORDER
In the heat of the day
Many miles away when the
Sun is beating down the main street.
I'll be waiting at the station,
I gotta move down the line.
They'll be dancing and singin'
And doin' their thing
And they'll be rockin' and rollin'
Until the day is done.
You know I've got to
Make the deadline-
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
The Mardis Gras
Will be blowing strong
And the people dancing
All across the city
I'm leavin' here tonight
I gotta move down the line.
I'm gonna catch a ride
On the 9.05
I'm gonna ride the rails
Until we reach the morning,
Maybe three or four
Hundred miles.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
When the wind is blowing
Softly throughout the streets
of a little town
And the music's playin',
You're waitin' somewhere
Over the horizon.
I gotta get that southbound train tonight-
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
-Jeff Lynne-
----
MAPPY (The RIght Dishonourable Mark A Page)
ayanami@merlin.net.au