Here we go again! Another part is done for review, more or less.

If anybody's missed anything, chapters 1-10 are available at:

http://members.tripod.com/DNyx/NETTG.html

And all the rest are currently only available upon request.
(We're STILL working on getting the website updated. ^_^;;;;;;;;;)

So, what has gone before...

In the Silver Millennium, Princess Terrifying had been the
subject of a number of assassination attempts. In the current
one, she was captured by Queen Neherenia and a few lackeys
and taken to some comet on the outskirts of the solar system.

But was she just going to stand by and wait for a rescue?

Terra(dressed as Super Sailor Chibimoon, surrounded by
a big, glowing yellow aura): Not on your friggin' life, PAL!!!
(menacingly twirls around a big glaive)

So, she fought back, killed a few adversaries, but started
getting seriously whooped when Neherenia showed up again.
Finally, our favorite ex-galactic destroyer was caught in one
of Neherenia's mirrors, but it only took her a few seconds to
work out another defense plan. The Saga Continues...

(Continued from Ch.10, P.2 (14/??)

...

    "Enough of this prattle," Neherenia spat. "I am ready." In a
fluid motion, she lifted herself off the throne and virtually floated
over to the mirror in which Princess Terra hung encased. "Now,
monster, is the moment when you die."

    Queen Neherenia lifted a hand, charged with black lightning.

    In the floating mirror, the Moon Princess's body jerked to face
the enemy trio.

    *BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!!*
    *WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRSSH!!!!*

    An intense whirlwind-fireball flared up around the mirror,
vaporizing it and spreading across the gigantic chamber.

    "NO!" Jares and Akis shouted, diving in front of their queen
to absorb the blast.

    *WHRRRROOOAAAAAR!!!* The blastwave parted in a V-shape around
the two Asteroid Senshi. They strained, huffed and puffed as they
did their best to resist the onslaught. Inch by inch, they skidded
backwards, closer and closer to their queen.

    Neherenia shook her head, sighed and pointed her hand at the
eye of the storm.

    *KEEEEEEEERACK!!!* A single bolt of black lightning flashed
through the fire.

    "AAAAAAAAAAH!" a ten-year-old's scream split the air.

    *CRASH*WRRRrrrraaaaa* The energy around them slowed and
dissipated, allowing AkiAki and JareJare to take a breather. The
smoke cleared to reveal Super-Duper Sailor Chibimoon imbedded upside-
down in the wall on the other side of the chamber, her hair splayed
out and a dazed expression on her face.

    "Ow, ow, ow," Terra repeated aloud, grimacing. "That hurt,
that HURT!"

    "Hah!" Jares jeered. "How do YOU like it, huh?!"

    In the next instant, the redhead had extracted herself from
the dented wall, rolled out of the way of a few slashes from the
blue crystal golems, retrieved the Pink Sugar Cardiac Arrest Glaive
and pointed it at Neherenia.

    *BLAM!* A swirling ball of black ribbons shot out from the
Glaive's blade at the young ruler. The recoil from the blast pushed
Terra back nearly a foot.

    Without a word, Neherenia lifted a hand and sent another
lightning bolt at the girl.

    The shock dashed Terra's attack to pieces and continued on
to hit her squarely in the chest.

    "AAAAAAAH!" Terra screamed as she was again sent flying
backwards, her Glaive torn from her grasp. She hit the ground
square on her rear with a loud smack and skidded to a halt,
lightly touching a pillar with her back. "Owwwwwwww!"

    "I do not know what is worse," Neherenia spat and advanced a
few steps forward, "your foul deeds, your pitiful defense," she
hurled another wave of black energy at the girl, "OR YOUR SEETHING
ARROGANCE!!!"

    *BZZZZZZZZZZRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOW!!!*

    "Feel my power, o 'ancient one!'"

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Terra yelled, flailing around against
the pillar in genuine, writhing agony as the bolts tore through her.

    Mercifully, the shocking stopped after a few moments.

    Her eyes wide and her heart beating like the oscillation of
a cesium atom, Terra took a few quick, gasping breaths.

...

    <Oh. . . Okay. At. . . exactly. . . . what point. . . . did
I lose control here?!>

    <When were we in control?>

    <No. . . there's no way!>

    <She's. . . . . too strong!>

    <I've seen worse!>

    <A human. . . with so much. . . . . . energy. How?!>

    <Wheaties! It must be! I'm doomed!>

    <...?>

    <Those bolts. . . that lightning. . .>

    <It burns. . . it burns through all my defenses!>

    <Is it just me, or is this prism we're using really, REALLY
pathetic, even at second-level super modes?>

    <Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! Really?! Like, I had NO idea!>

    <Exactly. . . exactly the right frequency. . . Like Queen
Serenity's crystal--I can't block it!>

    <No, it's ALMOST the same frequency as Serenity's crystal,
but it's off by a bit... but my defenses SHOULD have been able
to blunt it at least SOME!>

    <Well, it _wouldn't_ have gotten through if a certain SOMEONE
hadn't punched a hole through them so big you could fly a Juraian
battle cruiser through it!>

    <A side effect of using Senshi powers, I'm afraid.>

    <What?! You mean this dinky crystal's breaking down my real
powers?!>

    <Not breaking down. The transformation is not toxic to us, but
it does make us vulnerable.>

    <And we just figured that out NOW?!>

    <Yup!>

    <Judging from Queen Serenity's data, it would not appear that
the designers of Senshi powers had dark beings like ourself in mind
when they met up and sewed the sailor-suits together.>

    <Well, shut it off!>

    <No can do, lil' buddy. Haven't figured out the de-
transformation sequence yet.>

    <How long would it take?>

    <It's complex... A few hours.>

    <A few hours?!>

    <A few hours! Yes, I'm kinda hurtin' now. It's not easy to
duplicate complex energy patterns with the magical equivalent of
A DOZEN FRIGGIN' FLAMIN' ARROWS STICKIN' IN MY ENERGY MATRIX!!!>

    <...>

    <That's right.>

    <Dang.>

    <So that means...?>

    <Yes, we're screwed. Royally, thoroughly, utterly and
completely.>

    <@$#^@$@$^!! GREAT! #$%#@^@^@% PERFECT!!!>

    <We could still try to fight. Neherenia HAS to have some sort
of weakness somewhere. They all do. Everyone does.>

    

    <They make my human body feels like it's being stabbed and
twisted and all that nasty stuff...>

    <It damages my true being... I was already badly wounded from
my first encounter with this sort of energy. We're about twice as
close to dying now as I was then.>

    <We must fight and finish them before it is too late.>

    <All the attacks we are capable of producing were repelled.>

    <We cannot win this fight.>

    <!@$#TF$%^#@$%#$^@$#^@^@$^@#$^@#%^@!!!!!!!!!!!!!>

    

...

    Super-Duper Sailor Chibimoon clenched her teeth, rolled on
to her hands and knees, and struggled to stand.

    *THWACK!* In the next instant, Sailor Jares leapt at the girl
and planted the heel of her right boot into Terra's cheek.
"Jarekick!"

    "ACK!" Terra was knocked to the floor once more.

    "Jarenet!"

    A net composed of magical blue fibers glowed into place
underneath the fallen girl, then suddenly sprang upward and
entangled her within it.

    Sailor Akis, her eyes narrowed, pulled out her weapon and
pointed it at Terra. "Akis Akiray!"

    *BLAAAM!* The focused shot exploded around the girl, burning
away the net and sending her limply spinning downward.

    "Ohhhh," Terra groaned in a small, weak voice.

    "You'll pay for what you did to Catseye!" Jares shrieked,
and grabbed Terra's leg.

    *SNAP!* Super-Duper Sailor Chibimoon grabbed JareJare's
neck. 

    *CRUUUNCH!!!* Terra went pale. She went limp and released
her grip. Her mouth opened wide in shock as she looked down to see
her leg, from the knee, bent seventy degrees in the wrong direction.

    Neherenia's two golems dove down to assist in the scuffle.

    Terra's left shoulder-guards were split and her upper-arm
filled with big, long, deep, bloodless gashes.

    Summoning what strength she had left, the apparent ten-year-old
held out both hands and growled, "Bakusaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai
Tenketsu!" She smashed her index fingers into the golems.

    *CRASSSSH!* The crystalline women instantly exploded into a
thousand sparkling fragments, which spread out across the room in
a double V-shaped pattern. Super-Duper Sailor Chibimoon then
delivered a sucker-punch to Jares's chin.

    "Owwww!" Jares stumbled backward, holding her jaw.

    *KERACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK* Then, yet another bolt of black
lightning blasted Terra into the wall again. She fell onto her back
this time, to see a dozen more giggling crystal Neherenia clones
grinning down at her.

    "Heeew-boy," the wounded galactic destroyer cursed in Venusian.

...

    <ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!>

    <Thathurtthathurtthathurtthathurtthathurtthathurtthathuuuurt!>

    <ACK!>

    <WHAT WAS THAT?!>

    <EEEEP!>

    <Damage report!>

    <Humanoid: deep flesh wounds on shoulder and back, torn knee-
joint. True damage: bad-->

    <Can't you FEEL it?!>

    <Painpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!!!>

    <Not good.>

    <$#@%@#!^%@^!@^!#^$#^#$@##@$@!$!$@@%@$^&&&(*%*%%*^^!!!!>

    <Fighting doesn't seem to be working.>

    <DUH!>

    <Quiet, you!>

    <What do we do?>

    <Turn into a big snake?>

    <Nah, never helps.>

    <Surrender?>

    <It's worth a shot!>

...

    "I give up!" Terra announced.

    "Akis Akiray!!!"

    *BLAAAAAM!!!* 

...

    <Gee, that didn't work.>

    <They're out to kill me. They're not going to stop until they
have done so.>

    <I'm dead meat, then.>

    <Yup!>

    <Buyin' the farm.>

    <Yeah.>

    <Kickin' the bucket.>

    <Uh huh...>

    <Shufflin' off to the happy huntin' ground.>

    <...>

    <Yyyyeah, okay. Even with the Lunar energy I'm drawing, I don't
have enough power to defend against firepower of this magnitude right
now!>

    

    <Time to consider new options.>

    <Teleportation? Blocked. Distress calls? Blocked. Energy drain?
No time. Self-destruct? Oh, yeah, like that's gonna help.........>

    <Last option: Deploy the Knight in Shining Armor.>

    <Atomic Starlight Knight: Your services are required.>

    <...Work it out yourself. I've got my own life now.>

    <?!?!>

...

    Terra, breathing slowly and shallow, whispered through clenched
teeth. "Oh. No. You. Don't."

    "Do you give up?!!?!" Sailor Jares screamed at the fallen,
injured girl.

    "She's despondent and incoherent," Sailor Akis said.

    "Who? Me?" Jares asked, as spaced-out as ever.

    "Err, yes, you too."

    "My," the redheaded Super-Senshi breathed in a harsh, ragged
voice, "survival. . . is. . . . . . . yours."

    Neherenia edged closer to her prey, a cruel smile crossing
her lips as she watched the little one suffer.

...

    <My survival is your survival.>

    <...>

    <You were created to serve _me_.>

    <...>

    <If I die, you will soon follow.>

    <What do I need to do?>

    <You are near the Gate of Time and have its Guardian very
close. Dispose of the Guardian and use the Gate to warn us of the
assassination attempt. A split second in the past is all that will
be necessary to send the message.>

    <Dispose of...?! That's my WIFE you're talking about!>

    <Correct. Not even the Senshi of Pluto would suspect such
a thing at this point. Do it.>

    

    <If you do not, we will die.>

    

...

    Terra's struggling form let off a low, burning growl.

    Neherenia seemed amused. "Are you still trying to win?
How extraordinary!"

...

    <There is no 'you.' There is only 'we' and 'I.'>

    <Find another plan. I'm not hurting her!>

    <There is no other plan. Your vessel is not equipped for time
travel, and it would take too long to construct a device to send
the message. You do not have enough energy by yourself to do it. For
all intents and purposes, we are already dead. You will go back to
reclaim our life.>

    <NO!>

    <YES!>

    <NOOOOO!!!>

    <You will obey.>

    <I'll resist you!>

    <We _will_ carry out our mission.>

    

    <Your will is my will, minion.>

    <...>

    <My desires are your desires. Not the other way around.>

    <But... I. Love. Her!>

    <We do not concur.>

    <...>

    <You are but an energy construct. You have no will. Your will
is mine. Our wills are one. Our will is to dispose of Sailor Pluto
and take control of the Gate of Time.>

    <...>

    <Move it, flunky!>

    <...>

    <Resistance is futile.>

    <...>

    <All your base are belong to us.>

    <What you say?!>

    <You have no chance to survive. Make your time.>

    <...>

    <Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! ! !>

...

    Sailor Jares looked down at the girl, puzzled as to why it
seemed that she was fighting and had just concluded some sort of
intense, bitter internal with herself. Terra breathed an exhausted
sigh and tried to stand, but found that her rent knee-joint was
not up to the task.

    *THWACK!* Sailor Akis rushed forward and kicked Terra in
the ribs, tumbling the ten-year-old girl head-over-heels a meter
backward.

    The girl's facial muscles tensed. She held her side to make
the others believe that the pitiful physical attack had really hurt.
In fact, it did, but it was nothing compared to the damage that
Neherenia's lightning had caused. "Unnnh!" She sat up as best she
could, grimacing.

    <Three minutes,> she calculated. <All I need are three minutes
time for Starlight to get rid of the Guardian and use the Gate.>
Aloud, she called to Queen Neherenia, "Alright," Terra breathed hard,
"I've fought you and found your inane little powers useless and
hilarious. I'm willing to negotiate terms of your surrender!"

    The black-clad, pale-skinned queen of darkness stared at her,
as did the two Asteroid Senshi.

    "Surrender now, and I might let you live," Terra repeated,
lunging forward and swinging her arm and hand in a clawing motion.
"Pitiful little creatures!"

    Neherenia shook her head and her lips twisted into a snarl.

    <Please let it work, please let it work,> Terra prayed to
whoever might be listening, bracing herself for the worst.

?!?!?!

    Somewhere, in a trans-cosmic role-playing game that is beyond
all comprehension by ordinary mortals, the Lord of Nightmares rolled
a pair of dice. As they landed, She frowned at the results. Across
the Table, the Great Green Arkleseizure snickered at Her.

    Soon afterward, L-sama threw a fit, tore up all Her cards,
knocked over the table and refused to play anymore, going off into
the corner to pout.

?!?!?!

    The sixteen-year-old queen's expression softened and she
started to giggle. "Hee-hee-hee-hee!"

    Sailor Jares thought about it for a second, then chuckled
along with her queen.

    Sailor Akis frowned for several moments, but finally got
whatever joke it was that the other two were laughing about. "KAH
KAH-KAH-KAH-KAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

    "Yes!" Terra whispered, clenching her fist in triumph. She
crawled away as fast as she could.

    Queen Neherenia threw her head back as her giggles intensified
into a loud, malevolent chuckle. Her two companions were similarly
affected.

    "OH!" Jares laughed a deep belly-laugh. "THAT's rich! Hah hah!"

    "BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

    "KAH-KAH-KAH-KAAAAAH!"

    "Hah! Ha-ha-hah!"

    Terra hurried over to hide behind Neherenia's throne. Trying to
breathe as quietly as she could manage, she dialed up her Knight in
Shining Armor.

    <Status report!>

    

    Terra groaned, her back to the throne. <Oh, don't start THAT
again!>

    

    <Your will is irrelevant, minion! Get through to the Gate.>

    "Stupid distracted energy construct, I should have made it a
neuter," Terra muttered as she effortlessly squashed the new
rebellion through quick exercise of her inner being. <Now get back
to work.>

    <...Yes. Our will be done.>

    <That's better.>

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the throne, the trio continued
their jittery bouts of jocularity.

    "OHOHOHOHOOOOO!" Neherenia nearly doubled-over, desperately
holding her sternum in an effort to keep it from splitting apart.

    "She," Jares said between hyenaish fits, "thinks that--hah
hah hah!"

    "Kak-kahkahkah-kaaaaah!"

    Terra closed her eyes and concentrated, sending as much energy
as she could spare to aid her Knight in Shining Armor. Through the
link, she could tell that he was in trouble. By the closeness of
a set of high-pitched, eerie windy giggles, she could tell that he
wasn't the only one.

    The injured galactic destroyer rolled from her seated position,
barely avoiding the skewering claws of two blue crystal golems.
Though laughing, these minions did not seem to be impaired in any
manner whatsoever.

    The girl made a quick, sweeping glance, checking around her.
In her few seconds of carelessness, she had been surrounded by them.

    <Oh my...>

    <Oh dear...>

    <Oh @#%@$^@#$*...>

    Two golems grabbed each of her legs, another two got hold of
her arms, and one more made a quick, succinct slash at her heart
with its claws.

    Terra clenched her teeth.

    *CHING!* A magical barrier sprang up a centimeter from the
ten-year-old's chest, deflecting the stabbing implements. One thing
she really didn't need right now was for her human body to die. That
fragile carbon-based shell was one of the only things protecting her
true self at the moment.

    *Ching-ting-ch-ch-ch-ching-ting!* Repeated attempts by the
crystal monsters resulted in the same effect. Giggling in their
strange manner and never dropping their smiles, they brought Terra
around the throne and threw her at the feet of their master.

    *Whump* Terra's face slapped into the floor and she skidded
along the polished stone floor in front of Neherenia.

    "Haa, eh-haah," the pale queen finally gained the upper hand
in her battle to stop laughing. She took several deep breaths and
looked down at the injured princess. In the next instant, her
sense of humor vanished. "So, you thought that such a simple mind
trick as that could save you?"

    Terra glanced sideways at the young woman.

    <Uh oh...>

    <She's powering another bolt!>

    <Shields!!!>

    *KRACKLE!* Black lighting lashed from Neherenia's fingertips,
blasting into the girl's body and sending her flying back several
meters.

    Princess Terrifying felt a pain beyond even what she had
experienced before assuming a human form.

    <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!>
    <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!>
    <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!>

    <Shields were ineffective.>

    <No kidding!!!>

    *CRASH!* Another bolt sent her against the wall.

    <IT'S BURNING ME AWAY!!!>

    <@%##^$@#%&^@$&@$%&@$%&@$%&%!!!!!!!>

    *KRAAASH*CRACK*KERRRRRRRRRACKLE-CRACKLEKRACKLECRACKLE!!*
Several barrages more of the dark energy lashed out, knocking
Terra every which way.

    Neherenia stopped, allowing her target to slump to the ground.

    Terra found that her abilities to move had suddenly become
seriously hampered. "Ugh..."

    <Can't. . . . move!>

    The sixteen-year-old queen of darkness walked ominously
toward where the redhead lay. She reached down and snapped a vicelike
grip around the girl's neck, lifting her upwards and staring her in
the eyes. "You are mine."

    Drained and damaged as she was, Terra could barely keep her
eyes open.

    <This is the Atomic Starlight Knight, reporting failure.>

    <Wh. . . what?>

    <Sorry, I lost. My. . . The Senshi of Pluto lives, nearly
unharmed. Mission aborted: Mission was a failure. I'm returning all
the energy I have left over.>

    <WHAT!?!>

    <That's right.>

    Terra drew a breath as the small rush of power trickled through
her. She stared Neherenia straight in the eyes and frowned when she
found out how the battle for the time gate was conducted.

    <Starlight, you wasted your energy doing practically nothing to
stop Sailor Pluto!>

    

    Terra grimaced.

    <Then we die together, minion!>

    <If that's what it takes, kid.>

    <?!?!?!>

    The queen shook her head as she saw the fire in Terra's eyes.
"Defiant to the last, I see."

    <Negotiate! Negotiate! Negotiate!>

    "Look," Terra whispered weakly, "maybe we can work this out."

    "Too late for that, BEAST!" Neherenia said through bared teeth,
showing off a pair of short, fang-like canines. "Die, suffering in
agony!"

    <She's powering up!>

    

    <This is it!>

    <Game over, man! Game over! See ya on the other side!>

    <All we can do now is die gracefully, no whimpering, no bribe
attempts or blubbering...>

    <?!!?!?>

    <Forget THAT!>

    

    "You wouldn't blast a girl with glasses, wouldja?" Terra asked,
donning a pair of blackened spectacles.

    *WHAM!* Neherenia's spare fist crashed into Terra's face,
shattering the girl's spectacles.

    *CRUNCH* The Queen tightened her grip.

    "Hey," Terra forced out through what, by now, should have been a
thoroughly crushed larynx, "c'mon, what kind of person would beat up
on an innocent little girl?" Little fragments of her glasses fell off
of her face as she spoke.

    "HAH!"

    "And you!" Terra glanced over to the Asteroid Senshi. "Why are
you helping her?"

    Both Asteroid Senshi shot her an evil, pitiless glare. "Die!"

    "Can't you see that this is wrong?" Terra choked as the grip
around her neck tightened. "Is this. . . is this--"

    The air suddenly grew very still.

    "Is THIS what you call honor?" a richly angry, deep voice
asked.

    Neherenia stopped, her expression growing puzzled. "What-"

    *SHRIIIIIIOOOOOONG!* In the shadows, a yellow crescent moon
illuminated the handsome face of a blond man.

    *KEEEEERAAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKK!!!*SMACK!*THWACK!* The man
dashed forward and imbedded his knuckles deep into Neherenia's
cheek, snapping her head back. He followed up with a pair of kicks
to her stomach, knocking her down onto her throne.

    Terra landed lightly on the floor. Exhausted, she could only
watch as the new fighter proceeded to make mincemeat out of her
attackers. "Whoa..."

    *BAM!*THWACK!*POW!* A punch, a kick and a knifehand brought
down Sailor Akis. "AAAAAAH!" *SLAM!*CRUNCH*WHAPP!*

    *WHAMMMMO!* Sailor Jares was flung against a stone support
pillar, splintering it. "GaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAH!" *CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!*
*CRAAAAAAAAAAAASH!*

    *SHATTER!* The mystery man smashed his hand through a golem's
head and blasted it aside with his knee.

    *CRAAASH!* The golem was obliterated.

    *KSSSH-KSSSH-KSSSH-KSSSH-KSSSSSSSSSSSSSREOW!!!* One by one,
the other crystal creations were eliminated by the muscular blond's
feet and fists. *BAM-BAM-BAM!*SHA-SHA-SHA-SHATTER!!!*

    The fight, from start to finish, lasted about ten seconds.

    "Neherenia!" the blond man called out, placing himself between
Terra and the queen. His stance was that of a warrior whom had seen,
and won, countless wars and battles.

    Recovering from the initial shock and coping with the stinging
sensations of her broken ribs and cheekbone, Queen Neherenia stood
back up, narrowed her eyes, and glared at the man. "Giles!"

    "I'm so glad you remember me," Giles shot back. "Now explain
yourself, young lady!"

    "I," Neherenia began, trying to dab away the beyond-crimson-red
blood going down the side of her mouth, "am ridding the solar system
of its greatest threat. That is what I am doing!"

    The blond guy, his crescent moon still glowing, glanced back at
Terra, who was looking very badly hurt and forlorn at the moment. He
returned his gaze to the woman. "Uh huh. Right, I believe you." His
expression reflected the opposite of his words.

    "Believe it, Giles!" Neherenia demanded. "This girl is a
BEAST!"

    "Yeah!" JareJare agreed with a cough. "She killed Catseye!
Giles, do you remember Catseye?" She pointed to a pile of ash off in
the corner.

    "I didn't kill him," Terra forced out. "He committed suicide,
right in front of me!"

    "Catseye?!" Giles exclaimed, and shuddered. "Well, if he was
attacking this fine young Sailor Senshi along with you, I say: good
riddance!"

    "Y-you can't mean that!" Jares cried.

    "It does not matter!" Neherenia half-growled. She lifted her
hands toward the man, gathering together a portion of her immense
powers. "Die with her, if you like her so much!"

    Giles took a two-foot-long by three-inch-wide leather scabbard
off of his back. The heavily worn, yet sturdy material showed signs
of constant, extended use.

    "Ha!" Neherenia called back. "Even with your sword, you are
NO match for my powers now!"

    *Shiiiinnnn!* The man grasped the sword's handle and began to
withdraw it. The exposed blade glittered a bright, gold color.

    "Ah, I see you've found a new one, Giles. I am not impressed."

    *SHIIIIIIINNN!* After about four feet of metal were exposed, the
blade kept on coming.

    Neherenia's overconfident smirk shifted into a frown.

    *ShhhhHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIINGG!!!* Finally, the sword's tip
was exposed. Giles tossed aside the scabbard and pointed his sword
at the young queen. *Vrrrooo-vrooo!* The massive blade hummed,
ionizing the air around it as it moved.

    Terra's eyes sparkled in appreciation. "Hot dang..."

    <Su...SUGOI!!!>

    <That's not a sword. That's a SWORD, man!>

    <I've seen better.>

    <Hey, it's better than that wussie junk the Juraians had!>

    <True...>

    In total, the sword was about seven feet long and glowed with
an immense, rippling yellow energy. Arcane and detailed runes
shimmered along its edges. The elegantly decorated hilt curved
upward in the shape of a crescent. The handle was large enough for
Giles to grip it with both hands. However, despite the length and
thickness, the sword's wielder moved it around as if it were light
as a feather.

    "Are you impressed yet?" Giles asked, his voice impatient.

    "Yes!" the two Asteroid Senshi replied, raising their hands
in the universal gesture of surrender and backing off. "We're
impressed! We're impressed!"

    "Then," Giles growled, his voice like an enraged lion, "LEAVE!"

    Sailors Akis and Jares knelt down quickly, facing their queen.
"We're so sorry, Queen Neherenia-sama! We are no match for him!
Please forgive us! PLEASE!"

    Neherenia ignored the two, not tearing her eyes off of the
tall, blond man in front of her. "Hmph!"

    "Bai-bai!" the Asteroid Senshi cried, then held hands,
concentrated, and vanished in a puff of grey smoke.

    "Go home, like them, and I _might_ forget I saw you," Giles
added, tilting his sword for emphasis. "Now."

    Terra rubbed her injured shoulder as she watched Neherenia's
scowl return and the dreaded black lightning crackle between her
long-nailed fingers.

    "This is your last chance, Rennie," Giles insisted.

    Neherenia, the Dark Moon Queen, laughed. "No, Giles. It is
yours!" She clenched her teeth, drawing her lips back, and put
all of her strength into her assault.

    *KRACK!* The lightning zigzagged toward the tall man.

    Unflinching, Giles turned the flat of his blade to face the
strike.

    *Whaa-shiiiiiiiiiiiink!* The dark energy reflected off of
the sword's surface and returned itself to its sender.

    Neherenia blinked. "What?! This cannot be!" She crossed her
arms protectively in front of herself.

    *BZZRRRRRRT!!!* The young woman skidded back on her feet as
her own energies were turned against her.

    "NO! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Neherenia screamed. She thrust
out her palm at Giles.

    A series of black, shadowy rectangles sped toward the man.
Once more, he inclined his sword to intercept the attack.

    *Bling!* The evil magicks didn't even get close to Giles,
bouncing off a barrier two meters away from him. The darkness in
the rectangles shifted to a blinding white and sped twice as fast
back at Neherenia.

    The pale woman only watched, agape, as her spell headed toward
her. At the last moment, she raised her hands to block it, but it
was too late. The magic slammed into her head-on.

    *WHAAAAAAAaa-SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!!!* In the next
instant, Neherenia's inert form was enclosed in a large, white
mirror. Then, mirror and all, the pale woman vanished in a nebula
of sparkling dust.

    Giles paused to take a breath and swept his gaze around room to
check for additional threats. Finding none, he took up his scabbard
and sheathed his sword.

    *SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHiiiiiiiiiiiiiinggggggggggggk!*

    The glowing crescent moon on the blond man's forehead decreased
in luminosity, reverting to a solid yellow color.

    "The battle is over," Giles announced, placing the scabbard
on his back. He turned to kneel down by Terra. "The forces of good
triumph again, eh?"

    Terra nodded slowly while the handsome man started to help her
up.

    "Can you walk?"

    Terra checked her injured knee. She winced as she touched it
and shook her head.

    *Rumble* The room started to shake and bits of stone fell from
the supports.

    Giles carefully placed his arms under the small girl and
lifted her up, her head resting against the silken fabric of his
vest. "Then I shall carry you to safety, young Sailor Senshi."

...

To be continued...

Oh, great, I made up ANOTHER new character.

I will accept any and all gripes, complaints, compliments, and
whatever other odds and ends anyone cares to send my way.

Arby(a little green halo floating above his head): Y'know! Twigs,
lil' bits a' string, swallows, that varoiety a' things. 'Swot a good
story'z made of!

It'll probably take a little longer for the next section to come out,
but it shouldn't be _too_ long. I'm still working on this, Rabbits!!!,
Heart of Sugar, and my other special top-secret project, BTW.

Hope you've enjoyed everything so far.

-------------------------------
Benjamin A. Oliver
boredcollective@aol.com

    "We are the Bored. Lower your shields and surrender your fics.
     We will add your standup and slapstick comedy to our own.
     Your humor will adapt to entertain us.
     Resistance is and always has been: Futile."
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