Gates of the Underworld
Therefore, as the gatekeeper Cerberus allowed them passage, he could reclaim his lost love. Her lovely tresses fell in a long ponytail over her girlish countenance. How he longed to hold her, kiss her and make love to her once more. It had been so long.
But the hero, Orpheus, must not look back. Never doubt the words of the Old Ones. This, the refrain he played repeatedly in his head.
As each footfall took them ever closer to the golden dawning of a virgin tomorrow, he so longed to share once again with his beautiful wife, Eurydike, he continued to lead his beautiful lady to the life-bearing realm of the surface world.
As he gazed upon the shadows cascading over the furtive dreamlike forests of this hyper-reality, he quickened his step.
As his heart longed to be touched by the fingertips of the dewy morn, the heady scent of life and death as one indivisible splendor, for that split second, he was disoriented.
In that same moment, he faltered. The sight lifting his eager heart beating with anticipation as he stepped across the threshold, the axis between life and death filling his senses.
Yet, consolidation of his certainty deserted him at this point. Fear overrode his faith in the words of the Goddess…But why, oh why had he looked back!
Circuit Breaker
The shards of the crystalline marvel assumed neural couplings. The marriage of synthetic, organic within the realm of the physical, and sub-atomic in a dialogic exchange. It was beautiful and breathtaking to watch. Science as gateway to the future hopes and dreams of us all, making its contribution to the continuum of life in a state of perpetuity and proliferation. Our redeeming feature.
After years of dedicated research and tireless effort, we have brought forth the biosynthetic era. This necessitated through a means of rejuvenation of failing organic systems. In addition, with time this bioorganic technology will help stem the declining birth rate across our planet. We must remember the sanctity of the human spirit and not allow our future generations to die out, as it will without this initiative. The subjects of these new programs are, let us remember, human beings and have human DNA. They are not alpha perfection, nor vanguards of a eugenic dystopia, no, simply people with a different structure to most of us, with the same flaws and gifts, hopes and dreams. We have accepted difference before, through gender, ethnicity and language; let us not turn away from this new sensibility with these people.
And therefore, it is with this in mind, and with great excitement and joy, I announce the biosynthetic solution that will advance this noble cause, namely, the securing of humanity's viability as a species long into the future!
Professor Meioh Setsuna
Secretary General to the Unitary Global Science Institute April 2043 CE
Eastern Inferno
"Hey Usagi, slow down. It's heavy going out here, you've got to rest!" Mamoru grimaced at the very notion of his over-zealous wife having no difficulty scampering over the rugged terrain, hopping effortlessly over gaps on the stony plane like a cute rabbit. But there she was, pretty in pink and her plaits dancing as she went. Her exquisite long legs, sweet face and those adorable Odangos. Mamoru delighted in her loveliness as he watched her negotiate obstacles with relative ease as she leaped over steep rises and she'd not even broken into a sweat. Lost in puzzlement and admiration, Mamoru was fighting off the insistent stitch that had plagued him ever since they had set off across this alien landscape.
"We have to find a safe campsite, Mamoru, and this place, is freaky!" she burst forth, looking like a cross between Pollyanna and the host of an endurance reality show of the old era, her eyes wide as saucers. She was all the more stunning when her curvaceous frame was set against the bizarre sights and sounds of this strange hinterland.
‘Spielberg would have loved it!' he thought wryly. The skies overhead filled with giant dragonflies, huge birds that looked more like pterosaurs and the profusion of other creatures on the wing. He marveled at the sight as he craned his neck to watch these strange mutants as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
Lumbering across the vast planes, dinosaurian beasts of all kinds in large herds stomped across the landscape . Meanwhile, other species were crawling and sliding their way over the valley floor below, or on the slopes in the distance. Life, such as it was, continued its daily activities in this future world, born of human stupidity. But there were some life forms that defied description – Monsters, the stuff of nightmare. He had to admit to himself that he was more than a little frightened for them both.
As Usagi bade him follow her up the steep rise, he sighed in resignation. They'd been lucky thus far. The rocky outcrops along this gorge, were relatively free of the ravages of fusion radiation. But he had the strangest feeling something was not right about the situation, about, Usagi.
Crash site
"Okay Beryl, you say you can show us where he is likely to have taken Mamoru; and Mamoru thinks he is me?" Usagi said, pacing the floor of the armory. "I think you're going to have to prove we can trust you. I also think in exchange for our trust we need to know what the grand plan is, and you better talk fast or its twenty years in a Chinese prison and no clemency or protection from the Chrysanthemum throne, you got me?"
"Okay, I will tell you what you all need to know! Just let's go already; they've got a head start on us!" Beryl said, and unbuttoning her top she pulled out a large jewel-like bauble on a silver chain wedged securely between her breasts and lifted it over her head and Usagi smiled. "You'll find everything you need on that pod."
The sound of footsteps caught the attention of both women as they turned to see what was up. "All right, I got them!" Mercury smirked, winking at Artemis and Luna at her side as Usagi's eyes lit up with hope. "They're five miles from our current position. But there are dangerous life signs. The bio-scanners are picking up chimera life forms that are stalking them. They're both in imminent danger."
"Oh Mamoru, no Arti, we can't let anything happen to him!" she cried, and turned to face Beryl, "Okay, you lead the way, and I'll take that."
Usagi extended her palm and the weighty data crystal with Beryl's brief for the mission felt good in her hand as she handed it to Araya.
"We'll have this decoded in no time, and I have Tokyo online; give me a moment to bring your mother up to speed and let her know we're all right. Got to love this space plane self repairing mechanism, Usagi-chan!" Araya smiled.
~*~
"Got all we need, everyone. Our small party can fly to the coordinates, make the rest of the way on foot, and rescue Mamoru. Are we good to go? The glider is ready, two of our small boarding ships are still attached to the outer hull and thankfully undamaged by the impact," Mina said, as they grabbed their things and made their way to the outer shell of the huge ship.
"We're lucky today, thank the Kamis!" Jadeite said, and bowed to the assembly and led the chosen members of the team: Artemis and Luna, Usagi, Araya, JP and Beryl the only other to join them.
~*~
Umino and the others studied the contents of the pod and sent the data stream to their own country's space plane looking for a place to set down not far from their current position. The data pod held the names of the alternate junta and positions of their forces and the location of the Zero Point weapon. Immediately, the special force's elite wing coordinated its movements with its sister units in China and swung into action.
Mercury rushed into the ready room panting and a look of utter shock and horror on her usually composed face, "They've been all murdered!"
"W-what?" Uranus gasped, turning away from the computer workstation.
"The crew, they've all been murdered. Injected with nano-viruses. Seiya has killed his own people!"
"What the hell for, why would he do that?" Uranus said incredulous.
"I think the damage to his neural pathways has caused him to become a psychopath, either that or there's something else going on, but I am going with the first theory." Then Mercury contacted the glider and Araya's holo-image stood before them and Mercury began, "Araya, the enemy crew, seems we have a pathological cyborg out there. Beryl wasn't exaggerating. In fact, she understated the threat as I suspect she wasn't aware of what he did, it was a miracle he hadn't tried to kill us all!"
"That's one scary freakasaurus!" Araya exclaimed, hands clenching as a shudder rushed up her spine. "And Usagi and the others have to deal, also. Mamoru is in even worse trouble than before…as if I needed to say that!"
"I know; and we'll send back-up," Mercury added.
"Thanks Mercury. Okay, we can use all the help we can get!" Araya replied, nodding.
"The high-powered weapons on the second and third gliders should take out the Borg! So be careful and make sure you aren't being tracked by chimera," Mercury instructed as she signed off.
~*~
"Hey guys," Araya said, speaking to the crew as they prepared to touch down in the hot zone near where Mamoru's life signs were detected, "The situation is far worse than we thought, as if things weren't bad enough."
"What do you mean Araya?" Usagi questioned, taking in the Senshi operative's concerned expression. "Seems General Seiya of the Dark Dragon Kingdom has gone crackers. Apparently, we have a serial killer on the loose. Firstly, he kills his own people, not bothering to touch us. The reason we're guessing is something to do with the blast. You see, the engine's core had sent a short-burst EM pulse throughout the chamber limiting his movements. He was desperate to get away from the power core, as it would have killed him. But the pulse also affected his circuitry, the nanos turning rancid!"
"Great, all we need, a super crazy roboboy, shit!" Jadeite spat in disgust.
"He wants to get rid of Mamoru and assume his identity and then I was to join him as his consort and then set up the new Dragon Kingdom. I know, sounds insane. But I was obsessed with the power and I was stupid enough to get caught up in it all. Usagi, it was your Mamoru who helped me realize what a damned fool I had been. He helped me and treated me when he could have just as easily left me to die. He is a good man and if not for him, I would be dead, likely at the hands of Seiya. I don't want people to die, and I don't want a group of fanatics, of which I'm ashamed to admit I was one, ruling China and Japan or any country for that matter!" Beryl said, bowing her head.
"Okay, is there any way we can talk to him Beryl?" Mina asked.
"Yes, he has a neural transceiver linking him to core command and you might be able to patch into it using the codes for the Dragon Kingdom's forces stationed just outside Beijing."
"Thanks, let's get moving people!" Mina said, and they set to work.
~*~
The wonders and horrors of this place were abounding. The giant bats and birds ate their quarry in nests, some of these perched high amidst the rocky crags above their impromptu campsite. These monarchs of the air, vicious and attacking all sorts of weird and some beautiful creatures. The deadly inhabitants of the Eastern Inferno, aptly named. The campsite glowing with the intense light, courtesy of the huge firefly-like insects, which in their turn sought other prey.
Massive reptiles reined supreme, spitting acidic streams of venom and often hypnotizing their targets before devouring these, all this they'd watched from a safe distance high above the valley floor.
But what he saw next was most frightening, a swarm of silvery-green winged beetles the size of a dining table scurrying over a dying creature, a huge fungi with multi-hooded mushroom-like caps the size of a dining table with countless black spikes and eyes glowing like blue opals from these appendages. The quivering entity would have stretched over several city blocks; likely, a strain of benign spores infected with mutant GM DNA during the war and the thing just grew and grew into this monstrosity. But this living nightmare was fighting a losing battle as the large insects gained the upper hand. Slowly, the eyes winked out. The beetles began devouring their prey.
It made Mamoru shudder. But Usagi was unfazed. She just stared at the hideous enigma, almost spellbound.
Normally, she would run out of a room if there were a Daddy longlegs spider or a large moth fluttering about in the house. She wouldn't go into the room until Mamoru had caught the moth and let it out or sprayed the spiders. But here, she was almost enjoying the science fiction setting, dozens of huge beetles and horrific fungi-insect-like organisms was something he hoped wouldn't be the subject of his dreams that night.
The cacophony of screeching sounds, the beating of leathering wings overhead, left him feeling uneasy. But as he sat on the airbed, he realized with surprise that he still had Beryl's machine pistol strapped to his ankle. He decided not to tell Usagi. He wasn't quite sure why, but his gut urged him to remain silent on the matter. And with the blazing fire keeping the chimeras and other beasties away, they turned in for the night, the tents fastened. Usagi snuggled up beside him and he wondered why he felt so weird around her lately. Surely, that bump on the head couldn't account for all the strange out of character behavior of his Odango Atama, could it now. He asked himself, slipping his arm around her warm slender waist. He felt secure as her breaths deepened and he smiled. She was sleeping, and soon he too had fallen asleep.
Seiya lay there grinning, then closed her eyes and fell asleep.
~*~
Mamoru was still a little tired, but Usagi looked as if she were only beginning her day. He frowned. ‘Either I'm terribly unfit, or Usagi is on steroids, or…'
"Mamoru, want some coffee?" she said, smiling as she crouched over the gathered wood and with a burst of fire from her fingertips, the kindling and branches caught alight.
Mamoru stared and immediately knew it wasn't Usagi. He'd not noticed this last night. He was so exhausted it wouldn't have registered anyway. Mentally he kicked himself. His instincts were trying to alert him to her odd behavior: the super strength, her tight grip on his arm before they left the crash site, the athletic prowess and her strange comments on their relationship. She hadn't known of their estrangement as a married couple. Of course, why hadn't he tweaked. But he also realized that not many people would have encountered a cyborg, and that included himself. He was instantly afraid, but his nerves of steel weren't about to shatter. What did this…thing want with him?
Tokyo – Chrysanthemum Palace
Rei sat stunned on the sofa, her eyes filling with tears as Aiko held her hands and cried with the distraught girl. Aiko had known of the connection between Mamoru and his half-sister and their father and had regretted not telling Rei sooner. ‘Seems Usagi was right.' She sighed, ‘maybe formality and political expediency aren't always worth the pain and suffering they wrought on those having to make the tough decisions, and often these not always the right ones.'
"Rei, I am so sorry for your loss. But you must be strong. You must assume the leadership of your country while Mamoru is still missing and I will be coming with you. If these terrorists are allowed to have their way and there is no leadership to fill the vacuum, the enemy will be victorious. We can stop them. But we need to gain the confidence of the region and that means flying to Beijing. I owe it to you, as I ought to have told you of your father long before you discovered this in Portugal. But he insisted I keep my own council as none of us foresaw this scenario and the terrible loss you're suffering. Remember my child, your people are mourning with you and when we find Endy, he will need your strength and I know you have that strength."
"Lady Aiko, I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can do this…"
Stroking Rei's hair as the younger woman fell into her arms and wept, Aiko soothed and spoke softly, "He would have wanted you to step up for him. He loved you very, very much. He will be there in spirit, please don't let all his hard work be for naught."
Aiko knew she was hurting Rei by drawing this emotionally charged card, but for the sake of China, Japan, the new federation and the world, it had to be done.
Rei blinked away tears and jumped to her feet and walked towards the balcony, she stood there for a long time lost in thought. She found it all so ironic. The fact she'd had a father who ruled one of the most powerful, no, the most powerful nation on Earth, a brother she barely knew and now she was being called upon to take the mantle and lead her people.
Aiko was right and no matter the reservations, doubts and fears she harbored, she understood what she must do, what she would do.
Aiko watched the younger woman's internal struggles and sighed. She felt the pain in her heart, her Usagi could still be in great peril, despite the fact the Senshi and Shitennou task forces were on the ground in the world's most hostile environment. They were surrounded by mutants, and a psychopathic cyborg was on the loose and Mamoru was still missing. They all had loved ones at risk.
Rei turned in that moment to face Aiko, a wry grin on her face. She bowed then composing herself spoke, "All right Lady Aiko, I'm coming with you."
Beijing
The Special Forces units moved into position. The Dragon Kingdom's Army was formidable to say the least, their weaponry years ahead of anything the world's most powerful nations had. But most pondered the significance of this while struggling to keep the capital free of insurgency and air attacks by deadly AUV drones firing pulsar cannons on infrastructure, knocking out communications and disrupting vital industries, including public utilities.
Thanks to the data stream sent from the Eastern Inferno, China and Japan coordinated security sweeps to trace and destroy the drones in the capital. They were in a position to have Empress Aiko and Rei escorted to the presidential compound. The big breakthrough came in the form of the codes for the location of the ZP weapon via Beryl's crystal pod. An abandoned pottery factory, the intended ground zero.
"We have a plan, Lady Hino," a soft-spoken man said, bowing to the two women, "Empress. It is indeed an honor to have you in our country during these troubled times."
"Thank you. What news have you for us?" Aiko said, keen to get formalities out the way.
"We have news. Usagi and the Special Forces are closing in on Mamoru and the cyborg, lady. I have a full report in this crystal data pod." The man handed the crystal storage device to Aiko and bowed before retreating.
The group walked along the scenic polished granite causeway linking the presidential suite to the OPS center set up in the main conference complex where Rei's father once addressed his people and the world. The thought bringing a tear to Rei's eye. But she knew it was time for her to reassure the people all would be well and they were protected and they continued on their way. A line of paramilitary soldiers flanked the powerful leaders and their entourage as they entered the grand chamber with its silver dragon motifs embossed upon the oak doors that stood open for the striking heads of state.
Dragon Kingdom HQ
Taiki screamed with frustration, "How the hell are they picking off our forces. Brother, your idea of using the weapon is insane!"
"Taiki…we have no choice. We need to get out and blow the crap out of this land. Maybe, we can take it later."
"What, another Eastern Inferno, or worse. Are you seriously considering detonating that thing?" Tin Nyanko, hissed, her eyes blazing with rage.
"What would you have us do, sister. Our elite forces are struggling, the drones are being taken out and Seiya has gone AWOL! Yeah, I'd say we're in a bit of trouble, wouldn't you?" Yatan sneered at his sister with contempt. "Cut our losses and get out! Then blow the capital and the country off the face of the planet!" Yatan said, before storming out of the room leaving Taiki and Nyanko looking at each other in bewilderment.
Eastern Inferno
"Okay people, stay close; we're heading into dangerous territory. Set weapons to kill and be on the lookout for any chimera life forms. Remember, these things are lethal," Mina warned, as she helped Beryl with her pack.
"Mina, Seiya is obsessed with Usagi. But he is also keen to rule and set up his new dominion, and that's where I come in. If I can distract him, you guys can rescue Mamoru and I can take Seiya out for you."
"It's a plan, so let's do this…” Mina said," Beryl, you need to go in alone and I and Jadeite will cover you."
"Okay, I'm ready."
~*~
Seiya was growing more restless. She was forgetting who she was and was content to believe she was Usagi, and as her biosynthetic neural net struggled to repair itself, her memories were scrambled and most were gone and somebody was trying to contact her. She didn't know what else to do, so she opened her mind offering no resistance and let the intruders sap her brain in order she got a good night's sleep. The name, Araya kept popping into her dreams. She could see the woman behind the console, others including the girl, no it was herself… or was it, and she wasn't sure. Then she saw monsters watching the gliders flying over mountainous terrain and vast grasslands where the most frightening beasts, plants, insects and birds reigned supreme.
She was losing herself. But she still knew she could rule the Dragon Kingdom with this man by her side. Seiya was content to remain in this form indefinitely if it meant securing their dream to rule Asia and the massive slab of nations around her, the new tiger on the block. The thought making her smile as Mamoru sat there lost in thought, she thought him a suitable lover and as a woman it wouldn't be difficult to adjust so long as Mamoru didn't discover her true identity as a…what was she again?
Then, the sound of a twig brought both Seiya and Mamoru's attention to the noise, and Mamoru stared in disbelief at the woman in kaki shorts and short sleeved shirt and a hat with long vermillion locks floating over her upper thighs panting as she trampled into the camp and smiled at Mamoru and the Synth.
"Hi, again Mamoru. Sorry, about our last encounter. I must speak to you about that. And Usagi is it, you look pretty fit for a girl having been lavished with royal servants and privileged lifestyle," she said, her tone sarcastic.
The girl looked at the redhead with a look of bewilderment and squinted, "Beryl? Oh, I know you, I am sure, but I can't place you."
"Sarcasm doesn't become you, princess," Beryl said with an acid tone, glaring at Seiya, wondering if she could talk him into leaving the campsite so Mina and the others could get Mamoru out of there alive. She walked over to where Seiya stood, a look of confusion on the blonde's face as Beryl spoke his name. "Seiya, we need to talk privately, come on," Beryl took the girl's arm and led her away without a word of protest or the usual invectives that would flow between the sparring members of the Dragon Kingdom movement. "What's gotten into you, Seiya?"
"My name is Usagi, and why are you calling me Seiya, that's not my name, and what's this all about?"
Beryl gaped at the petite blonde. Surely, he was playing a game, a joke and this, not without precedence. "I'm not kidding around Seiya, why have you brought him out here. I told you I'd kill you if you hurt Mamoru!" she hissed.
"Kill him, but… I love him, he's my guy, and you're not having him. I love him!"
"What the…" she couldn't believe it, Seiya was so far gone he had lost any memory of his true identity.
Beryl signaled to the others, all were confused at this latest turn in events. ‘Perhaps this might work to our advantage,' she thought as Mina and the real Usagi and Jadeite help Mamoru to the glider as Araya kept an eye on Beryl, all the while looking out for signs of trouble, and then she saw it.
"Look out!" a creature, like a starfish, burst forth from a carcass, it was one of the green beetles, the fungi entity had mutated into a new life form. Its DNA recombining with that of the creature it had entered after being digested. The thing latched itself onto Beryl's leg.
Seiya stood there screaming in terror and fear. But regained her self-control and then did something strange. She knelt down and injected the creature with a burst of radiation from her lattice of nano neurons. And as the entity was sucking the lifeblood from Beryl's leg, the creature howled like a banshee, fell to the dirt, and burst into flames. Beryl pulled the cyborg away from the feral mutant and the thing was soon a pile of ashes.
"You all right?" Seiya asked, sniffling. "That thing was awful, what is it, I want to go home to…I just want to be safe, not here!"
Usagi shuddered at the thought of the gash and Beryl's bleeding leg. She limped along, assisted by the doppelganger of herself into the glider.
"Usagi, Seiya has lost…her memory. She, has no idea who or what… she is and is quite harmless, and she saved my life!"
Meanwhile, Araya and Jadeite fired a series of pulses as more of the mutants emerged. It was getting dangerous as these were closing in on their position. At that point, the other gliders appeared over the rise and began firing upon the hundreds of mutants, killing them en masse. As the stench of burning creatures filled the air, Seiya buried her face on Araya's shoulder and the surprised Senshi operative looked helplessly at Mina.
"I dono', I think the EM pulse has erased the original host. This new personality isn't the same guy who kidnapped Mamoru. The neural pathways are all blank but for the profile of you, Usagi. She…genuinely thinks she is you! So, I think we can safely say, the real ‘Seiya' is dead and we have a baby on our hands. Like kids, Jad?" she chuckled .
Araya smiled and spoke gently to the biosynthetic girl. "Hey, its okay, we won't hurt you. Come on, let me help you into the seat."
Beryl then screamed. "Oh, the chimeras, they're altering my skin!"
"Mercury, we better freeze the wound before the chimeras do too much damage."
"Hey, I can help!" the biosynthetic girl said, as she once again knelt upon the floor placing Beryl's foot on her lap and examined the large bulge around the wound and scanned the infected area. "It wants to make a new life form. I will stop it."
With that, Seiya, or the girl who used to be Seiya gripped Beryl's leg and she injected a burst of nanites into the bloodstream, and miraculously, within five minutes, the swelling was gone, and the rough tissue had reverted to its normal healthy state.
"Wow! That is incredible, mind if I take some blood samples, Beryl?" Mercury asked, excited at the prospect of a new nano-vaccine. Seiya beamed with pride and squeezed Beryl's hand.
"Sure, but I have to thank you, Usagi, you saved my life!"
"I have linked to your computer's data base and have copied my data stream processes so you can see what I've done to help you Beryl. Mercury, I think that will please you. Oh, call me Chibi-Chibi, I understand I have just awoken. I know nothing of who you call Seiya, but I am pleased with the name I have chosen."
"Chibi-Chibi… has a nice ring to it,” Araya said, smiling at a gob smacked Usagi.
"Well this is a first. Looks like… Chibi-Chibi, we might have a treatment for chimera infections that are a problem for countries suffering mutant infestation. This is indeed a great day. But we better move our asses, " Mina said, looking out the view port. "Usually, its shoot first and ask questions later, but let's get out of here in case there are any more of those awful things about."
Soon the glider joined the others that continued to fire upon the more aggressive chimera life forms that began to descend upon the site.
Later that morning, the massive space plane belonging to the Senshi and Shitennou special forces launched massive volleys of pulse fire, and wiped out all the creatures that had emerged from the beetles and soon the second ship was ready to move out of the Inferno, both space planes on their way back to Japan.
~*~
Beryl then spoke up, "Taiki, Tin Nyanko and Yatan are the brains behind the mission. Yatan is in control of the ZP bomb. He will fire it off if backed into a corner, and they're also biosynthetic entities like Chibi-Chibi. I suggest reprogramming one or more of their warrior drone's neural pathways and I and Usagi can, with your help of course, can go in and stop them."
