Title: Sailor Moon: Marathon
Part 5
Name: Arturus X.R.

Thanks!

Sailor Moon: Marathon
Part 5

From now on, I won't be able to do a new part every week.  It could range
anywhere from one every two weeks to one a month.  I'm busy with schoolwork
(AP Calculus!), so just be patient.

        To say that the Senshi were angry was a really big understatement.
        They had just torn though wave after wave of alien onslaught,
searching for a mysterious man by the name of Bernhard Strauss, only to find
a mysterious signature from a man known only as Gheritt.  In their
frustration, they had contacted Durandal.
        "Durandal, what are you trying to do to us?" cried an exasperated
Rei.
        "What are you saying?  Didn't you find my friend?" said a cool
Durandal, with what could be percieved as a sly grin.
        "Don't play your games with us, we've had enough!  Who's Gheritt?"
        "Who's Gheritt?  Hmm...I don't seem to recall that name."
        "Dammit, aren't you supposed to know everything?!"
        "I would and more, but to tell you the truth, I'm just the man in
the cage with blood on his hands."
        The connection was then terminated by Durandal.  The Senshi
exchanged quizzical glances; they were just as puzzled as ever, and now they
had no leads on which to follow.  Usagi had just about lost all hope of
finding Mamoru.

        The loud noises of battle were still rampant when Mamoru awoke from
his stupor.  He managed to stifle the sudden surge of bile in his throat at
the site of the disembodied mush of an alien.  The stumbled off into a hall,
going this way and that, following a flicker of light, then another, being
drawn like a fly.  Every other hall he passed by had some kind of battle
going on, with the same to types of organisms he had seen the first time.
Eventually, he saw one bluish-white light at the end of a tunnel, and
drifted towards it.  The light enveloped him, and then everything grew
white...

        And in the next instant, the connection restarted.  A female voice
was on the other end.
        "This is Leela.  Can you hear me?"
        The dissipation of tension in the girls was clearly noticeable.
"Yes, we can," said Ami.
        "Good.  I lost all contact with the ship while Durandal shut me
out."
        Usagi interrupted.  "Ship?  What are you talking about?  Come to
think of it, where are we?"
        "You mean you have absolutely no idea where you are?  Well, that
would explain the negative ion buildup on your skin."
        "Negative ions?  What does that have to do with anything?"
        "Durandal once theorized that during time travel, a person's skin
would accumulate negative ions."
        "Does that mean...we're in the future?"
        "Yes.  The year is 2794 A.D."  After a pause, Leela began to
explain:
        "A lot of things have happened since your time.  The most important
achievement was of the terraformation of Mars.  However,this came at great
cost.  We constructed five cargo ships, called CRISTs.  However, they broke
down quite easily, and required 15 years to repair.  At the same time, the
Rampancy of the MarsNet AI, Traxus IV, caused a complete electronics
blackout.  As a result, there was widespread famine.  Riots were a daily
occurence.  As far as I know, there was nothing we could do..."
        "Indeed, this ship is constructed from Mars's moon, Deimos.  We are
completing, that is, were completing scientific experiements, under the
instruction of Bernhard Strauss.  He-"
        "Whoa, whoa," interrupted Venus.  "There's that Strauss again.
Leela, does Durandal have any connection with Bernhard Strauss?"
        Leela could be heard sighing.  "I can neither confirm nor deny that.
Durandal kept to himself the first few years after the ship's launch.  In
addition, only Durandal and Strauss had access to the classified scientific
files.  It is my hypothesis that they are in collusion on some secret
project.  The past 24 hours have also given me indication that this is the
reason the aliens are attacking."
        "Can you tell us were we can find Bernhard Strauss?" asked Luna
        "Hmm...You could try R & D #1.  He spent a lot of time
there...there...there..." static broke Leela's words.  Then the all too
familiar ominous voice crackled over the PA.
        "Well, let your guard down for one moment and..."
        "Hmmph.  You gonna try to stop us?" Rei asked in a commanding tone.
        "I don't see any reason to try.  Besides, the nice little alien
killing party will do that for me."
        Durandal seemed like he was going to speak, but did not.  After a
pause:
        "What the hell?!  I thought I took care of him!"
        The conneciton was promptly terminated.  For the most part, the
Senshi had no answers to more questions, bt Usagi could feel something.  She
knew that Tuxedo Kamen would come, like he always did, in times like
these...

        Indeed, it seemed the alien killing party was going to do as
Durandal said.  Tfear would see to that.
        To redeem himself to Tycho, he would exterminate these five.  If
they were to continue destroying the attack party, the assault would be
cancelled - and their beautiful plan ruined.
        To find the technology to execute this plan, it had taken too long.
They would not be stopped now.  Tfear donned his custom silver battle armor,
complete with mouthpiece and shock staff.  If his troops couldn't do the
job, he'd do it himself.

        To get to Research and Development #1, the Senshi had to go through
maintenance.  Although there was no alien resistance, the smell eminating
from the corridors was enough to weaken the Senshi.
        "Ugh...what is that smell?"
        "Smells like trash.  This must be where they dump it."
        "You'd think in the future, they'd be able to make it not smell so
bad...how much further, Ami?"
        "According to this map, it's about 500 meters this way," Ami said,
while pointing to a little section on her handheld electronic map, standard
equipment with the environment suits they were wearing.
        Soon, they entered a large, empty room.  The smell there was even
worse.  It was too dark to see anything more than a hand's distance away.
Ami looked at a sign on the wall.
        "Hmm...Trash Compactor."
        Suddenly, the floor began to rise.  It didn't take too long to
realize that they would soon be smashed against the celing if they didn't do
something.  They tried the door.  Locked!  They became aware of another
presence among them:
        "You have withheld me TOO LONG!" said a highly alien voice.  "I will
redeem myself to my master my killing you!  Even if I fail, heh heh heh...at
least I'll take you with me!"
        Lights came on in the rapidly shrinking room, and the presence was
revealed to be another grey alien, this one in silver armor.
        "My name is Tfear.  I am the general of this attack fleet.  You've
hindered our plans for the last time, now FIGHT!"
        Tfear charged and swung with an overhead smash.  The Senshi
dispered, and Rei drew her gun.  She aimed for his chest and fired, but to
her dismay, the bullet bounced harmlessly off.  At the same time, Lita aimed
for the head, but from out of nowhere, a helmet materialized and protected
Tfear.
        "Pathetic!  My armor is custom-built!  Bullets cannot harm me!" With
a glare, he added, "I'll never be beaten by the likes of YOU!"
        Rei couldn't help but smile at this.  "In that case..." Rei removed
her enviromental suit, revealing her red and white sailor fuku.  "...take
this!  MARS FIRE...IGNITE!"  The fire-ball surrounded Tfear's armor,
superheating it.  It quickly cooled down, but not without a noticable singe
on his skin.  "Im...impossible!  That's...how did you...?"
        "Our turn!" the Senshi said in unison, removing there suits to
reveal the power beneath.
        "JUPITER THUNDER...CRASH!"
        "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"
        The combined attack shattered Tfear's armor.
        "I won't lose like this...no, no...there will be another day,
ANOTHER DAY!  I won't die now, not yet!" Tfear dissapeared in a crackle of
static and smoke, leaving no trace.  However, there were more urgent
problems at hand.  The ceiling was now about 5 meters from the floor and
closing.  The Senshi had to act fast.
        REAL fast.

        Thought for the Day: Psyduck vs. Rubeus.  Oh hell yeah.

        E-mail: arturusxr@earthlink.net