INTERLUDE Establishing Shot: Night. The edge of a futon. The camera slowly moves upward. SHEILA (O.S.) ... and then, after they've all been blown up ... we're running low on fuel, and, when you get right down to it, there's nowhere left for us to go, anyway. BEAT Over the comm, I hear her mutter, "And so it all ends." Then static. She's either decided to cut out on me and run into the lava, or she took too many hits, or ... anyway, I don't know how I should feel. I hold the broken medal close ... and then ... The camera has moved up enough to show two pairs of bare feet and ankles on the futon. Over the next bit, it moves up to show two female bodies covered by a blanket and sheets. PRISS (O.S.) And then what? SHEILA (O.S.) And then I see it. BEAT All of it. All the wonder, all the horror, everything that's going to happen ... I see it all stretching out before me. Like an endless stream of images. And I really wish that she was still there, so I could say "No ... it's all just beginning." BEAT Because it is. By now, we can see the faces -- it is PRISS and SHEILA -- and their bare shoulders. SHEILA pauses for a long moment, looking up at the ceiling, while PRISS looks at her. SHEILA turns to meet her gaze ... then smiles mischievously. SHEILA So, do you ever dream about past lives? PRISS THINKS Yeahhhh ... when I was just out of the orphanage, I dreamed about something not too different. BEAT I'm walking out of this cave, feeling depressed and resigned to something ... and I'm about to climb up into the ship, when I hear someone ask me what I'm doing. And I turn around, and there's this gorgeous woman with long, black hair who's -- YOW! SHEILA is glowering at PRISS. PRISS You've got *really* cold feet ... BEAT Anyway, we have this short conversation: I'm going up to fight; she's staying. And then we're just staring at each other, and I'm thinking, `I'd like to kiss her. I'd *really* like to kiss her. But that would be dumb, so I won't.' And then I say something weird: "We'll meet again." And she's like, what? "Since time is a cycle ... sooner or later ... this'll all happen again." `And we'll be together again, then', I think. Long pause. SHEILA And you leave? PRISS Yep. SHEILA Good. PRISS glowers at SHEILA, who smiles unapologetically. PRISS yanks the pillow that their heads are resting on out from under SHEILA's head. SHEILA fumes for a moment, before she starts to tickle PRISS, leading to a brief tickle war that leaves both of them laughing -- healthy, vibrant, soul-restoring laughter. PRISS Crazy dreams, huh? SHEILA I don't know ... the Senshi know, or think that they know, that they've lived before, thousands of years ago. Why not us? PRISS SHRUGS It's the problem I've always had with karma ... I don't wanna think that I'm doomed to keep doing the same stuff over and over until I get it right. SHEILA Even ... BEAT Even the good things? PRISS Well, yeah. I mean, you can have too much of a good thing, not that I've ever -- SHEILA SMILING SEXILY Oh, reeealllly? She starts to kiss PRISS' shoulder, moving slowly to her collarbone, up her neck, onto her cheek, and just as she's about to kiss her on the lips -- there is the sound of a phone ringinng. SHEILA's face twists in an almost comic expression of rage, and she reaches out to snatch up the cellular on the phone. PRISS seems unsurprised by the interruption. SHEILA People In The Process of Really Enjoying Themselves, please leave a message at the tone. FAKE MOAN MERCURY (TEL) Very cute, Sheila. SHEILA gasps a bit, and rolls into a sitting position, hogging the bedsheets as she does so. PRISS lets out a squawk. SHEILA Amy? What's happening? MERCURY (TEL) There's a hostage situation in progress, and we need all the Palladins to gather at the Temple of Serenity -- SHEILA Whoa, back up. Why would the Palladins be needed to deal with a hos-- MERCURY (TEL) Serenity is the hostage. SHEILA is stunned silent for a very long moment. PRISS rests her head on SHEILA's right shoulder (the phone is at her left ear), and looks at her confusedly. SHEILA I'm on my way. I'll bring Priss. MERCURY (TEL) Oh good, she's with you. BEAT Oh my. You mean -- SHEILA raises her right hand to rub the back of her head, but PRISS' head is in the way. SHEILA lets her hand drop. SHEILA Uh, right, we'll be there real soon, bye! MERCURY (TEL) Shei-- SHEILA turns the phone off, and turns to look at PRISS. SHEILA Serenity has been kidnapped somehow, and Lady Mercury wants all the Palladins to gather -- PRISS Serenity? As in, the Queen? SHEILA nods with a stunned expression. PRISS Boy, whoever's in charge of the Secret Service is gonna be up against the wall after this ... PRISS gets out of bed, and offscreen starts to pull on her underclothes. SHEILA I hope not ... Mom's got enough problems. PRISS is attaching her bra. PRISS Oh yeah ... your mom is her chief bodyguard. SHEILA has begun to pull on her knee-length boots. SHEILA Well, that and the head of all civilian intelligence operations and the international police organization. PRISS buttons up her blouse. PRISS Seriously? SHEILA is adjusting her belt. SHEILA Yep. BEAT Made my late teenage years interesting ... I was always wondering whether she sent people to spy on my dates or -- PRISS STANDS UP Look, I gotta know -- is she gonna try to do something about this? SHEILA Not ... consciously. BEAT She's always said that she won't interfere in my life, even if she thinks I'm making a mistake, unless she thinks I'm going to get hurt, as in injured or killed. But ... she could try to make life difficult for you. PRISS When you say the word `difficult', what *exactly* do you mean? Are we talking assassination -- SHEILA Priss! PRISS I just wanna know what the odds are! SHEILA *You* wanna know the odds? BEAT Okay, here's the way it's set up -- on the one hand, we have my mother, a figure of superhuman power and influence, who has to obey the laws in both their word and spirit in her dealings with you. On the other hand there's you, the picture of normal humanity with no influence, but you have one great advantage that my mom doesn't -- I'm in love with you. BEAT I think it's a level playing field, don't you? PRISS doesn't look as certain as SHEILA sounds. An Inevitable Outcome Feature Written and Directed by C. Richard Davies TOGETHER AGAIN 2937 Chapter Based on the works of Naoko Takeuchi, Rumiko Takahashi, Suzuki Toshimichi, Haruka Takachiho, Hiroki Hayashi, Yuuki Masami, and various interpretations thereof. Dedicated to Gryphon, MegaZone, and ReRob. ACT V CAPTION SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER Establishing shot: The frigid red deserts of Mars, under an orange sky that is filled with black clouds. In the distance is an irregular formation of rocks, towards which, every few seconds, a bolt of black lightning shoots. We close in on a trio of figures running towards the rock formation -- RAYE, SHAMPOO, and RANMA. RANMA So what's going to happen if she *has* managed to call Ucchan's spirit back? RAYE Nothing good. The Black Crystal will grant any wish, but twist the wisher's intent so as to produce a horrific effect. RANMA For instance? RAYE is silent for a long moment. RAYE The first known user of the thing used it to try and find the greatest power in the universe. RANMA And? RAYE He died saving the life of a girl he'd come to love, to whom the crystal had led him. RANMA BLINKS *Love* is the greatest power in the universe? SHAMPOO How you can doubt this, husband? RANMA ignores her. RANMA That's so corny! BEAT So what's going to happen -- RAYE There is no way of knowing, beyond saying that the more innocent the wish, the more horribly it will be corrupted. At that moment, a hideous scream echoes across the landscape. RANMA blanches. RANMA Gennosuke! He dashes off, easily outpacing RAYE, who from her expression is running full out. She trades exasperated looks with SHAMPOO. SHAMPOO Be careful what you wish for ... Cut to a barren rock wall, just before GENNOSUKE is flung at it, making a crunching noise as she hits. GENNOSUKE slumps to the ground, looking upwards in fear and confusion. GENNOSUKE Mommy ... mommy, don't ... Each of the following sentences is punctuated by a tiny "spatula shuriken" being flung at GENNOSUKE's cowering form. Each misses by only a few inches. UKYOU (O.S.) You know, you should stop calling me that. SPAT After all, I'm *not* your mother. SPAT And you're definitely *not* my daughter. SPAT *My* daughter would *never* be a loathsome, bloodsucking monster like you. SPAT So I think you'll thank me, in a way, for relieving you of the burden of your worthless life. We see the spatula in a woman's hand. In slow motion, we see it flung at GENNOSUKE, slowly spinning towards her head. GENNOSUKE closes her eyes ... and a tiny rock, thrown from above, deflects the spat so that it only slices open a small cut on her cheek. Our point of view angles upward, and we can see RANMA looking down with a troubled expression. The view rotates to his POV ... and we see UKYOU KUONJI. She is exactly the same as she was in the Twentieth century, and staring up at RANMA with a joyous expression. UKYOU BUBBLY RANCHAN! I knew it, I knew you weren't dead! I knew that you didn't die in that stupid tournament on Earth, I knew it! RANMA U-- BEAT Ukyou. UKYOU I knew all along that you'd come back to me and to your daughter -- GENNOSUKE (O.S.) WHIMPER Mommy ... UKYOU's face becomes a hideous mask of hatred. UKYOU Shut up you little whatever-you-are! She goes back to being cute and sweet. UKYOU -- and she's such a pretty baby! You'll love her, I know ... RANMA Ukyou. UKYOU Yes, Ranchan? BEAT Why aren't you calling me Ucchan? RANMA Ukyou ... that girl is our daughter. UKYOU BLINKS No she's not. RANMA Yes, she is. UKYOU SMILES Ranchan, our daughter is only a month or so old! And what would any daughter of ours be doing being a SAVAGE filthy depraved vampire monster?! RANMA Ukyou, you have to understand ... it's been nearly nine hundred years since -- SHAMPOO (O.S.) -- since you went to whatever hell you belonged in. UKYOU slowly turns to see SHAMPOO, a bonbori in each hand, standing a few yards away. SHAMPOO's face is rigid. UKYOU's expression grows darker and darker as the seconds pass. UKYOU You *told* him, didn't you? SHAMPOO does not reply. UKYOU turns to look up at RANMA, appearing angry and hurt. UKYOU She told you! Didn't she?! RANMA She ... she said some things, but -- UKYOU whirls to look back at SHAMPOO. UKYOU How dare you tell him?! I told you that in confidence! SHAMPOO Confidence? UKYOU Of course! The only reason I told you was that I was *confident* that you'd never tell anyone else. After all, who'd believe it coming from *you*? BEAT Especially since you wanted to do it as much as I did. SHAMPOO's eyes narrow. SHAMPOO So you admit it. UKYOU To you? Of *course*. SHAMPOO Ranma can hear you, you know. UKYOU Oh, but I'm not talking to Ranchan right now, am I? SHAMPOO looks confused for a few moments by this statement ... then a look of sudden, horrid understanding blossoms on her face, and she assumes a combat stance. SHAMPOO Ranma, get your daughter out of here right now! UKYOU produces her huge battle spatula from nowhere, and holds it in a ready stance. She pauses to smile up at RANMA. UKYOU Ranchan, maybe you should get out of the way ... somebody definitely has to teach this Amazon bimbo a lesson, and it could get messy ... and you've had enough of that sort of thing, right? BEAT So *I'll* be the one to hand this filthy Chinese whore her head ... UKYOU's expression grows steadily more malevolent during her final statement, until she no longer looks quite *human* at the end. RANMA stares at her in outright horror. She smiles again, and turns to face SHAMPOO. The edge of her spatula ignites in a black flame. RANMA leaps down to the floor, picks up GENNOSUKE, and leaps up again, just as UKYOU charges towards SHAMPOO. We see SHAMPOO from UKYOU's point-of-view, rapidly moving towards her. She is holding her bonbori vertically at shoulder length distance. SHAMPOO [APOCALYPSE STRIKE OF THE HELL THAT IS BEST LEFT UNDESCRIBED]!!! She smashes the heads of the bonbori together. As RANMA clears the mouth of the crevice, a *huge* burst of flame surges up. RANMA slides down the rock facing, holding GENNOSUKE (who is completely terrified) in his arms. He lands on a ledge a few seconds later, and looks up to see that the flame is still burning. RANMA Damn ... RAYE is standing against the wall, looking up with an annoyed expression. RAYE This could get very ugly. RANMA turns at the sound of her voice, and GENNOSUKE sees her and lets out a brief shriek of panic. RAYE DISGUSTED Oh, cut that out. GENNOSUKE You're going to kill me! RAYE Don't be an idiot, girl, I'm -- GENNOSUKE I'm a vampyre, Senshi, I know what you do to my kind! RAYE's expression grows troubled, and we close in on her eye. MUSIC VIDEO FLASHBACK #2 We see several images as the third verse of Dire Strait's "Brothers in Arms" play. We see a young man with blonde-brown hair and shiny green eyes (AETHAN DEGALES) smiling at the camera. SONG Through these fields of destruction We see a trenchcoated AETHAN being knocked down in an airport by Serena. SONG Baptisms of fire We see AETHAN talking to Mina while seated on a porch swing, when suddenly an ofuda is thrown at him, striking him between the eyebrows. He stands, pulling the ofuda off to reveal a very angry expression, and mouths the words "Do you *mind*?" at the camera. SONG I've witnessed all your suffering We see AETHAN in very bad shape, bleeding from several wounds, slumped on the ground, holding the limp, broken body of a young man dressed in t-shirt and jeans -- and sobbing. SONG As the battle raged higher We see AETHAN battling through hordes of stereotypical devils -- tiny red men with horns and hooves -- with a blazing katana. His face is expressionless, but there is a strange light in his eyes. SONG But though they did hurt me so bad, In the fear and alarm, A devil is clawing at the camera's POV, laughing maniacally. SONG You did not desert me, My brother in arms AETHAN's gloved hand reaches out, grabs the devil by the head, twists it 360 degrees, and tosses the body over his shoulder. His expression does not change as he does so. He looks down at the camera's POV, and mouths the words, "You owe me." Cut to a shot of an enormous funeral pyre igniting spontaneously, with AETHAN standing before it with head bowed. He lifts his head, and turns to look at the camera. AETHAN Well? BEAT What are you waiting for? BEAT I assure you that you'll never get a better chance than this. BEAT Don't bother making excuses. I know that you would be quite happy to see me dead. BEAT And right now, girl, I would welcome death. There is a long pause, and then AETHAN turns to the camera full on, his face furious, his fangs definitely in evidence. AETHAN "Why?" Woden, Thunor und Nerthus, girl, *what do you care*? You've hated me from the first moment we met. I deserve it, I suppose, I am one of the monsters you're supposed to destroy. So destroy me, already! BEAT; UTTER FURY COME ON! DO IT! *KILL ME AND BE DONE*, RAYE HINO! Flames fill the image. END MUSIC VIDEO FLASHBACK #2 RAYE shakes her head, and then looks at GENNOSUKE with a stern but sad expression. RAYE No. We don't judge people for the things that they *are*, only for the things that they've *done*. BEAT And nothing you've done so far calls for the death penalty, girl. BEAT Not even the utterly *stupid* act of using the Dark Crystal! GENNOSUKE flinches. RAYE Didn't you realize that it wouldn't call your mother back? Just a demon to wear her form? RANMA STARTLED Hold it! That's not really Ucchan? RAYE It is and it isn't. BEAT Amy's *so* much better at this sort of thing ... it's a demon that borrows a bit of your Ukyou's spirit, and uses that to shape its form based on the memories and expectations -- both conscious and otherwise -- that you had of her. In a sense, it acts according to your conceptions of what Ukyou was like. RANMA blinks, and then looks at GENNOSUKE ... who does her best to avoid meeting his gaze. RANMA But then ... RAYE What? RANMA SHAKES HEAD Nothing. BEAT So what do we do now? RAYE We wait. And we pray that Shampoo lives up to her reputation. RANMA Shouldn't we -- RAYE No. That's the other side of this sort of demon. It ... reflects the powers of whoever fights it. BEAT No, reflect isn't the right word. More like imitates. Once something has been used against it -- RANMA So it's got all Shampoo's techniques now? RAYE All that she's used. But if you or I were to go in there, its powers would increase to include ours. BEAT I think that would fit the definition of "bad", right? RANMA nods, but he's clearly not happy. RANMA I hate waiting. RAYE INTONED Patience, grasshopper. RANMA GLARES You've been waiting nine hundred years for an excuse to use that line, haven't you? RAYE nods smugly. Cut to a shot of the Crystal Palace, just before dawn. Cut to a large chamber inside the palace, with a couch and an entertainment system, along with table and chairs. TENCHI, WASHUU, and TSUNAMI are seated on the couch, while RYOUKO is hovering beside the door leading outwards. The door opens, and everyone looks up to see AYEKA leading a fatigued looking ENDYMION in to the room. TENCHI gets up to greet him. ENDYMION Your Imperial Majesty. TENCHI Your Highness. BEAT It's true, then? ENDYMION NODS She was abducted a few minutes before midnight. RYOUKO How'd this happen? ENDYMION Apparently, the kidnapper threatened to detonate a small nuclear weapon if Serenity didn't go -- RYOUKO Wait a minute. How'd he even get *in* through the security around this place? ENDYMION Ms. Fujiko is generally acknowledged as the second greatest thief who's ever lived. RYOUKO Huh. Well, that's different. TENCHI In any event, if there's any way that we can be of assistance in this matter -- ENDYMION NODS There is. Approximately twenty-four hours ago, Lady Mars was given the assignment of pursuing a criminal to Mars. TENCHI I'm aware of that. ENDYMION There hasn't been any word from her since her arrival, about eight hours ago. BEAT In the event of the Queen's incapacitation, control of the Realm's forces descends to Lady Jupiter -- who is, unfortunately, on a temporary suspension -- and then to Lady Mars. AYEKA Out of curiosity, Prince Endymion, where are *you* in the chain of command? ENDYMION SHAKES HEAD I'm not. BEAT I have absolutely no authority whatsoever, Lady Ayeka. That's the way I wanted it when we made plans for our system. AYEKA Why? ENDYMION When Darien and Serena were younger, he was always the one who arrived at the last moment to give her victory. BEAT It made him feel needed, but it caused problems in their home life ... because he didn't realize that she *allowed* him to be her savior of the last moment; that she was quite capable of dispatching the monsters without being told, "Now, Sailor Moon!" BEAT Did you know that they almost broke up, less than a year after their marriage, because of that? Fortunately ... ENDYMION pauses, then smiles sadly, with remembered warmth. ENDYMION Fortunately, a couple, older and *somewhat* wiser than they, helped them back together. It took time and counseling, but gradually he came to accept that Serena loved him even though she didn't *need* him. BEAT In any event, when we began to make plans for the division of power in Crystal Tokyo, I made very certain that I was given no special office, so that my ego wouldn't become fixated on the idea that Serenity *needed* me to do this task or that job. Because she doesn't -- I am quite convinced that the only reason she doesn't run the whole show by herself is that she wants to give her Senshi something to do. As for myself, I have only one duty -- love her. Just love her. That's all. There is a long silence in the room. TENCHI almost, but not quite, looks over his shoulder at his wives. TENCHI I see. Yes, I can definitely see your point. ENDYMION WRY SMILE I thought you might. BEAT In any event, I'm not in the chain of command ... however, with Mars gone, Jupiter on her suspension, and Venus ... absent, command over our forces descends to Mercury, and she's never been comfortable taking command of anything. BEAT What I came to ask was whether or not you would be willing to use the starship you brought here to travel to Mars and assist Lady Mars in returning home, swifter than we can? TENCHI winces. TENCHI Unfortunately, as a gesture of good faith when the call for the referendum came, we had the Throneship power down and land in Alaska. It'll take several hours to get it space ready, and you could have a regular ship on Mars by then. TSUNAMI and WASHUU exchange a look, as do AYEKA and RYOUKO. Neither TENCHI nor ENDYMION notice. TENCHI I'm sorry, your Highness ... if we had another ship, I would be glad to personally -- TSUNAMI Excuse me. TENCHI turns to look at TSUNAMI, who is looking down and rotating her index fingers around a central point. TENCHI Yes, Tsunami? TSUNAMI Ummmmm. There ... well ... TENCHI Tsunami? TSUNAMI looks up, turns to look at WASHUU ... who is also looking down and rotating her fingers. WASHUU We ... sort of ... TSUNAMI There *IS* another ship available. TENCHI BLINKS There is? TSUNAMI NODS Us. TENCHI Tsunami, I appreciate the offer, but aren't You currently holding orbit near Pluto? It would -- TSUNAMI No, We're not. There is a long silence. TENCHI VERY CALM Where are You? TSUNAMI We are currently maintaining geosynchronous orbit over Hokkaido, cloaked and generating a Minovski field to prevent the rather large fleet assembling over Crystal Tokyo from detecting Us. There have been several incidents of near collisions between Us and Space Force vessels, but they have as yet not discovered Our presence. TENCHI DEEP BREATH *Why* are you orbiting Earth? TSUNAMI We decided to ensure that you would have a means of leaving the planet swiftly in the event that the vote turned against the Jurai-Earth alliance, and hostility broke out. TENCHI *You* decided this by *Yourselves*? TSUNAMI No. BEAT It was suggested to Us. TENCHI slowly turns to look at WASHUU, who is still rotating her fingers. Her rotation slows down, and finally stops, just as she looks up with an embarrassed expression. WASHUU Oops. TENCHI RUBBING HEAD Please explain ... WASHUU I knew that you'd do something like make that good faith gesture, so I decided to make sure that your gesture didn't backfire on -- TENCHI SNAPS Washuu, you DO understand the concept of a "gesture of good faith", right? I had the Throneship grounded because it's the second most powerful starship in known space, and I didn't want the Terrans to have to make their choice with it hovering over their heads. And now, I find out that *the* most powerful starship has been ... BEAT How could you *do* something so -- WASHUU Stupid? BEAT I was blinded by love. It's happened before, and it will probably happen again. That's life. TENCHI stares at her for a few seconds, before he turns away, rubbing the side of his head. TENCHI I cannot afford to get angry right now, because if I get as angry as I want to be over this, I won't be able to think clearly, and I need to be able to think clearly. BEAT But when this is over ... WASHUU sighs, and nods once. TENCHI Tsunami, are You ready to set course for Mars? TSUNAMI's eyes are distant. TSUNAMI There is a problem. TENCHI What's the matter? TSUNAMI We have just become aware that the fleet is using gravitic distortion sensors. If We change Our orbit, they will certainly become aware of Our presence. TENCHI In other words, you're stuck where you are. TSUNAMI No, those are very good words -- TENCHI *Great.* Please keep up your cloak, and do whatever you can to minimize the chances of discovery. Prince Endymion, I apologize for these developments, but I hope that you will -- ENDYMION I realize that your wives were only acting to protect what they saw as your best interests, Your Majesty. You have my assurances that I won't reveal a word of this, except to my wife, if she asks. TENCHI Thank you. I'm sorry that you got dragged into our little domestic dispute when you came asking for help, and that we couldn't give -- AYEKA Wait, what about Ryo-oh-ki? TENCHI slowly turns to look at her. TENCHI Ayeka, did you know about this too? AYEKA lowers her head and begins to rotate her index fingers around a central point. TENCHI SIGH Is there some sign on my back that says, "Don't tell me about it"? BEAT Where is Ryo-oh-ki? TSUNAMI We had her wait for Us on the far side of the Moon. Presumably, she's still there, probably poking around the craters. TENCHI All right. Ryouko, if you could go up to Ryo-oh-ki and head over to Mars -- RYOUKO Yeah ... that'd work. It'll take a few hours, plus however long it takes to get authorization. AYEKA touches her hairpiece. AYEKA Embassy, please file a flight plan for a Moon-bound vessel. Size: humanoid. Classification ... BEAT occasionally non-belligerent. RYOUKO gives AYEKA the hairy eyeball. AYEKA Full diplomatic authorizations, of course. PAUSE, LISTENS Good. TO RYOUKO They want you to avoid the fleet build up over Crystal Tokyo, but you're cleared for immediate departure. RYOUKO Right, thanks. BEAT Full diplomatic authorization, huh? SMILES WICKEDLY AYEKA WEARY Please *try* to avoid embarrassing Jurai ... RYOUKO is obviously ignoring her, as she walks over to stand before TENCHI. She peers over his shoulder at WASHUU, who has a downcast expression. RYOUKO Hey, "Mom"? Could you turn around for a second? WASHUU SIGH Daughter, I've told you that I don't mind you expressing your feelings for Tenchi several times. RYOUKO Great. I *do* mind you *watching* me when I do. Turn around. WASHUU rolls her eyes, and turns her back on them. RYOUKO slowly presses her lips to TENCHI's, then pulls back, smiling gently. RYOUKO Just in case ... She turns to walk out the door, and notices that AYEKA is staring at her with mixed disapproval and envy on her face. RYOUKO You owe me that one, after a certain ... conversation. BEAT Or lack thereof. AYEKA blushes beet red for a moment. RYOUKO heads out the door, pausing to wave as she exits. TENCHI stares at AYEKA for a moment, then smiles suddenly. Cut to Earth orbit. Several large spaceships are maintaining their positions over a cluster of lights on the planet that resembles the pentagram of Crystal Tokyo. In between the ships, Mobile Suits -- large, humanoid mecha of various designs -- dart swiftly about, or hold positions of their own. Our view closes on a single stationary Mobile Suit. It is noteworthy not for its armament (a large rifle in its right hand and a large shield mounted on its left arm) but for its exclusively gray color and for a large red gem mounted in the center of the torso. (For those curious and knowledgeable, aside from its coloration and accessory, this mecha resembles the Mark II Gundam almost exactly). Inside the cockpit, the pilot -- a young seeming female whose turquoise hair extends out of her helmet -- is looking rather bored. Suddenly, one of the sensors in the cockpit begins to beep, and the pilot looks up at her main screen ... and her jaw drops, for it is showing RYOUKO, standing placidly in the void of space, apparently examining the Mobile Suit. Finally, RYOUKO mouths the word "cute", and zooms upwards off the screen. NAGISA BLINKS I didn't see that ... Cut to Mars. RAYE and RANMA are still standing on the ledge with their backs to the wall, listening to the sounds of the fight. GENNOSUKE is now standing, although she still looks beaten up. RANMA It's been about an hour, hasn't it? RAYE About that long, maybe longer. BEAT What's with the face, Saotome? You almost look upset at the thought of Shampoo fighting an opponent that can match anything she can try. RANMA Hey! I don't like her, but I don't wanna see her -- RAYE Could've fooled me. RANMA STUNG Looks like I did. BEAT I want her to live, and suffer. RAYE reacts as though she's been slapped. RAYE ANGRY Of *course* she's suffering, she's in love with *you*. RANMA Oh yeah? RAYE Yeah! And every woman who's loved you has suffered in one way or another! RANMA clenches a fist, and his battle aura starts to glow. RAYE's eyes narrow. GENNOSUKE looks nervously at them. RAYE That's why we're all *here*, isn't it? GENNOSUKE Uh ... father? RANMA Oh yeah? Well I've heard a few things about your love life, too, *Lady*! RAYE What -- RANMA You think stories don't get told about poor Lady Mars and her tragic doomed love for her Queen? RAYE Don't you *dare* drag her into this. GENNOSUKE Excuse me ... RANMA Oh, I've heard 'em all. "Waah, I love her but we've never done anything --" SNORT "-- and now I'm going to lose her forever." But you never do, do ya? You talk about losing your loves -- Lady, as far as I'm concerned, you've never known *any* real loss. RAYE You *bastard*. GENNOSUKE Hey! RANMA & RAYE (sim) FURIOUS WHAT?! GENNOSUKE Listen to the fight. They pause, and realize that there is no noise coming from the fight. There is a brief role of thunder. RAYE scrambles up the wall, followed a second later. GENNOSUKE watches them go ... and starts to inch away. RAYE and RANMA peer over the edge, and see that UKYOU -- who is now radiating Dark Power -- is holding SHAMPOO a foot off the ground, with her left hand tightly grasping her throat, while ramming the handle of her battle spatula into her lower chest, causing her to jerk in pain. RANMA looks like he's about to call out, but RAYE violently gestures for him to keep quiet. UKYOU laughs shortly, and tosses SHAMPOO aside. SHAMPOO starts to pull herself to her feet, coughing up blood. UKYOU You really are too dumb to quit, aren't you, bitch? SHAMPOO is on her feet, but unsteady. SHAMPOO When I'm fighting ... for something as important as this ... I guess I am ... UKYOU As important as *what*? Even if you defeat me, it won't prove anything. Ranchan will still hate you like poison. You're *never* going to win his heart. SHAMPOO I know ... UKYOU Then you really are an idiot to keep fighting like this. Just lie down and die, like a good little moron. SHAMPOO So a monster like you can go on? Never. UKYOU SNORTS So now, after plotting and scheming and the occasional indirect murder, you hope to redeem your soul by battling demons? In a flash, she is standing in front of SHAMPOO, and with a swing of her spat, knocks her face first into the crevice wall. UKYOU It makes no difference. Your soul is black like the night, and you're going straight to Hell when you die. THERE IS NO HOPE. SHAMPOO is still against the wall for a long moment. SHAMPOO MUFFLED No hope? UKYOU None. SHAMPOO slowly pushes herself out of the small impression that she's made in the crevice wall, and stands very still, her head bowed, and her back to our view. Slowly she lifts her head. SHAMPOO Then there's no point in holding back, is there? UKYOU is startled, but before she can react, SHAMPOO spins around. Her eyes have become catslits, and she opens her mouth to reveal several broken teeth -- and to let out a low, cat-like growl. Holding her hands over her face, her fingernails grow over an inch in length, becoming long claws. Her face a picture of savagery, she leaps towards UKYOU, roaring like a lioness. We cut to the horrified faces of RANMA and RAYE as the sounds of violence begin again -- including the sound of tearing flesh. RANMA The Neko-Ken?! RAYE This is bad. RANMA Where the hell did she learn the Cat-Fist? RAYE Saotome, now is not the time. This is *very* bad. RANMA What's so bad about it? She's killing the demon, right? RAYE Gods, it's a miracle you survived a century. When she destroys the demon's physical form, its essence will naturally seek a new vessel. And demons -- RANMA -- have a preference for vessels which already aren't in control of themselves. BEAT Like she's not. BEAT This is bad. What do we do? RAYE There's not a hell of a lot that we *can* do, unless you'd care to try and coax her out of the Cat-Fist, which will allow the demon to regenerate and kill us all. RANMA Which it's going to do anyway if it takes hold of Shampoo in Cat Fist mode. The only thing that would stop it would be *me* in that state, and I still can't turn that on and off at will ... RAYE closes her eyes, and concentrates for a second. RAYE There might be one way. RANMA What is it? RAYE In the first few seconds of the demonic possession, its binding is usually fairly loose. If I could do a sufficiently powerful exorcism on it -- RANMA It'd go back where it came from? RAYE opens her eyes, and they're troubled. RAYE Maybe even destroy it utterly. BEAT There's just one problem. By myself, I don't have enough power to do the job. RANMA Then why the hell'd you bring it -- RAYE Emphasis on "by myself", Saotome. BEAT I'd need one of the other Senshi ... or someone of comparable power. BEAT I'd need your fire. RANMA stares at her silently for a moment. RANMA You'll need to do a link? RAYE Yes. BEAT A deep link. We would ... know each other as well as we know ourselves. RANMA NODS Right. Do it. He closes his eyes. RAYE stares at him with her misgivings written all over her face, then slowly reaches out to press her finger tips to his forehead. Cut to black. RANMA floats in the blackness. Suddenly, a speck of light appears in the distance, and rapidly expands to fill everything with the image of the Temple that RAYE grew up in. RANMA is suddenly in black and white, contrasting with the vivid colours of the image. He hears voices, but can't make out what they're saying. He turns to see a tall man in a three-piece suit and black sunglasses speaking to a much smaller, wrinkled man in the robes of a Shinto priest (RAYE'S GRANDFATHER). Finally, the tall man nods, and turns to walk away. Suddenly, there is the sound of slapping sandals, as a much younger RAYE (perhaps five or six) comes running up, her mouth forming the word "Daddy" over and over again. RAYE'S GRANDFATHER catches her, and holds her back, but she keeps calling for her Daddy ... who never looks back as he walks out of her life. RAYE floats in the blackness. Suddenly, a speck of light appears in the distance, and rapidly expands to fill everything with the image of a bit of Japanese countryside. RAYE is suddenly in black and white, contrasting with the vivid colours of the image. She hears something, and turns to look at a rather large man (GENMA) running and pulling a cart, on top of which a much younger RANMA (six years old) is sitting and waving at a much younger UKYOU (ditto), who is running some distance behind them, waving her arms and shouting. Quite suddenly, RAYE is seated beside young RANMA, and sees, in his eye, a small tear start to trickle down. He quickly wipes it away, and looks angry at himself for losing even that much self-control. The area around RANMA blurs, and he sees RAYE (now fourteen), sweeping the grounds of the temple. Quite suddenly, another girl (SERENA) comes running up to her and starts babbling. RAYE is startled by this. Then SERENA says something that rubs RAYE the wrong way, and she starts shouting at her. A strange, rapid thumping noise can be heard, but RANMA can't seem to identify the source. SERENA starts to back away, but then she says something that comes through loud and clear. SERENA I want to be your friend. She then heads away, followed by a black cat which casts a look back at RAYE. RAYE stares, confused, and then notices something on the ground ... a pen. As she picks it up, the thumping noise slows down. The area around RAYE blurs, depositing her in a room in the Tendou home, and she sees RANMA, in her female form, seated beside the prone form of TENDOU SOUUN, in between NABIKI and AKANE -- and RAYE reacts oddly to the sight of AKANE with long hair, touching her own hair. KASUMI kneeling at her father's head, says something that can't be made out. NABIKI reacts to this, yelling at her father. Her father's response provokes her to start prodding at RANMA's breasts -- which causes RANMA's face to flush in embarrassment and humiliation. RANMA turns to look at AKANE in response to something that she said, and sees that she's smiling at her. AKANE I'm Akane. Want to be friends? RANMA smiles, hesitantly, and there's a faint look of panic in her eyes. The area around RANMA twists, and he finds himself in a ruined city district, and he can hear the sounds of battle all around him. RANMA looks up, just as the body of a young woman with short-cropped blonde hair in a blue and yellow sailor fuku comes flying through his insubstantial form. RANMA turns to look at her with a horrified expression, and sees that she is quite definitely dead -- her upper chest is basically gone. RANMA looks away, and sees, in the distance, Sailor Moon with a trident sticking in her stomach. Sailor Mars is crawling towards her ... but Moon expires before she can touch her hand. For a moment, everything is still. Then Sailor Moon's body begins to swell, expanding as though some gas were filling it -- and then it explodes, leaving only tattered rags of flesh behind, as SERENITY is unleashed. Mars and RANMA stare at this with mixed horror and wonder. The area around RAYE twists, and she finds herself in what looks like a deserted airport terminal. RANMA walks irritatedly towards a row of phones, picks one up, and talks into it. He stares at it for a moment with a confused expression, and then his face goes white with sudden panic. He turns to look out the large picture window at a spaceplane on the other side ... just as it explodes in a huge fireball that shatters the window and roars towards him. As the blast front reaches him, knocking him back, there is only time for him to say one word. RANMA Akane -- Then he is knocked through a wall, and fire encompasses everything. RAYE floats in the fire, with a horrified expression. The area around RANMA twists, and he watches as Mars, still wearing her tattered fuku, stumbles into her home, looks up, and sees that a large crystal in the center of the living room has shattered. She sighs with relief ... and then she sees the tattered rags of flesh across the crystal's wreckage, and turns to see ENDYMION standing near the window. He turns to look at her with a smile on his face. Mars' eyes roll up into her skull, and she faints. The area around RAYE twists, and she finds herself watching RANMA erect the stone structure that will serve as UKYOU's tomb, and realizes that he's crying. Dozens of other moments of loss and pain for both of them flash across the screen ... but mixed in with them are a small handful of moments of joy and perfect beauty. Finally, the two of them stand before each other, all illusion stripped, and reach towards one another, slowly merging into a single being. RAYE's eyes jerk open, as do RANMA's. Silently, without an expression on her face, RAYE produces an ofuda, which she holds before her face, charging it with her fire, making it stand upright. Equally expressionless, RANMA reaches out to grasp the top of the ofuda, transferring his battle aura to it ... making the flames burn even more intensely. RAYE nods, rises, and looks down on the chasm. SHAMPOO is standing over the remains of UKYOU, and clearly fighting an inner struggle, which can be seen on her face. She looks up, and sees RAYE standing there, holding the blazing ofuda, and lets out a hideous, demonic howl. RAYE AKURYOU! TAISAN! She throws the ofuda at her. It slams into her forehead, and explodes in flames, knocking SHAMPOO back, but holding *something* -- some twisted, horned creature -- in its place. The creature writhes, shrieks, and ultimately disintegrates ... and the human remains do so as well. RAYE closes her eyes, and lets out a sigh of relief. UKYOU (O.S.) Excuse me, what's going on here? RAYE opens her eyes in disbelief, and stares down at the chasm floor. UKYOU, dressed in bleached white versions of her usual outfit, is standing where the creature was standing, looking around confusedly. SHAMPOO (O.S.) HOARSE Your basic battle against the forces of darkness -- namely you. UKYOU turns in the direction of SHAMPOO's voice, and lets out a startled gasp. UKYOU Shampoo? Damn, what happened to you? SHAMPOO slowly pulls herself to her feet ... and we see that her left arm seems to be broken, that she's bleeding from wounds all over her body ... and that her face is covered with wrinkles, and her hair has gone white. She looks like a woman in her mid-seventies. SHAMPOO Fortunes of war. BEAT Go back to whatever hell you came from, Kuonji Ukyou. UKYOU What?! What would I be doing in hell? BEAT The last thing I remember is fighting Cologne -- SHAMPOO What would you be doing in hell? Isn't that where murderers go? UKYOU I guess. But ... who'd I kill? SHAMPOO BEAT You had Akane killed! You admitted it -- UKYOU Oh, that. SHRUG I lied. There is a long silence. SHAMPOO You what? UKYOU I realized that you were upset that you thought I'd gotten to her before you could, so I decided to mess with your mind. It was pretty easy, actually. SHAMPOO But -- but -- you went after Cologne when you found out that she -- UKYOU Was that what that was about? Damn, I thought she'd found out that I'd joined Free Mars. SHAMPOO's face is wide with horror. SHAMPOO Then -- you -- didn't -- UKYOU Of course not. I thought *you* did, until you came in accusing me. BEAT I guess we'll never know ... oh, well, no great loss, anyway. BEAT Wait a minute, what *did* happen at the end of my fight with Cologne? I can't -- Above, RAYE, who looks almost ill, turns to look at RANMA, who is sitting and looking away from this spectacle. RAYE Saotome. She doesn't realize that she's dead. BEAT You're going to have to tell her. RANMA You do it. RAYE It has to be someone she'll believe. RANMA slowly gets up, and turns to look down at UKYOU, who is talking to herself, trying to remember what happened. RANMA Ukyou. UKYOU looks up startled, and a huge grin blossoms on her face. UKYOU BUBBLY RANCHAN! I knew it, I knew you weren't dead! I knew that you didn't die in that stupid tournament on Earth, I knew it! RANMA U-- BEAT Ukyou. UKYOU I knew all along that you'd come back to me and to your daughter -- RANMA Ucchan. BEAT Goodbye. UKYOU Goodbye? W-where are you going? RANMA Nowhere. But you're dead, Ucchan. UKYOU I'm dead? RANMA nods. UKYOU experimentally passes one of her hands through her arm. UKYOU Damn. UKYOU's ghost-body disintegrates instantly. SHAMPOO slowly slumps to the ground with a devastated expression. RAYE closes her eyes. RAYE It's over. Cut to the base of the stone monument. SHAMPOO is seated on a rock with her head in her hands and a blanket from the car wrapped around her. RANMA and RAYE meet a few yards behind her, coming from opposite directions. RAYE I've searched everywhere. Your daughter got clean away. RANMA I checked the tomb ... and Ukyou's actual grave hasn't been entered. BEAT So that body was a creation of the Dark Crystal -- RAYE Wherever it is. BEAT Dammit. If something went right on this mission, now, I'd be so thrilled I might just keel over. RAYE casts a look in SHAMPOO's direction. RAYE I'm going to go get the car started. With the disruption of the crystal gone, it should work. BEAT Do me a favor and talk with her, Saotome. RAYE walks away. RANMA turns to look at SHAMPOO, and slowly walks towards her, approaching her from the rear. SHAMPOO doesn't look up. SHAMPOO If you're going to kill me do it quickly. I deserve that much. RANMA just looks at her. SHAMPOO lifts her head, resting her chin on her knuckles and staring off towards the horizon. SHAMPOO She was right. BEAT Even after all that I'd realized, I was still jealous of Akane. And it's quite possible that if I'd been given a chance to eliminate her so that no one would know about it ... I'd have taken it. BEAT Even though I'd already given up on ever winning your heart. RANMA What? SHAMPOO It's true. When I learned that you had no intention of ever allowing yourself to be cured of your curse, I immediately stopped thinking of you like that. BEAT At most, I wanted your friendship ... RANMA Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa. What does my curse have to do with anything? SHAMPOO turns to RANMA, and smiles a very sweet, sad smile. SHAMPOO Picture it. Joketsuzoku, 1991. A young woman warrior seeks to prove herself in her tribe's annual martial arts competition, two years before she is supposed to be allowed in. Because of her family's prominence -- and despite the fact that her father is an outsider -- the Elders permit it. BEAT Her training and natural talent carry her to victory in every battle that she fights -- with one major exception. The last fight, in which she is tired from her exertions, against a red-haired warrior who has been adopted into the tribe under the name of Du Sho. Du Sho has been the village champion for three years running. The young girl loses to the champion. It is sad, but even to have competed against such a one is an honour. BEAT However, the victor of the final match is permitted to ask a boon of the family of the woman she has defeated. BEAT And Du Sho, who is a woman of ... unusual desires, wishes only one thing of the vanquished warrior's family -- the young woman herself. BEAT As a student, Du Sho says. BEAT To preserve the family honor, the young woman's grandmother acquiesces. RANMA Shampoo ... SHAMPOO Please do not interrupt. BEAT Every day, for a year, Du Sho trains the young woman in the arts. She learns much. BEAT And every night, for a year, Du Sho trains the young woman in ... other things. Horrible things. Every night, when it is done, Du Sho whispers in her "pupil's" ear, "No man shall ever love you." BEAT Perhaps Du Sho means that no man shall ever love her as much as Du Sho does, and perhaps Du Sho believes that what she feels for her pupil is love. Perhaps. BEAT And then the year has passed, and the time for the martial arts competition comes again. Once more, the young woman petitions to be allowed to compete, and once again her petition is accepted, and once again, she overcomes all those who fight her. BEAT And once again, she faces Du Sho on the log. And as she meets her teacher in the first exchange of blows, Du Sho whispers in the ear of her pupil, "Another year, my sweet?" SHAMPOO is silent. RANMA is staring at her in horror. SHAMPOO The next thing that the young woman remembers is looking at Du Sho's body as it is taken away for burial. BEAT It is a disgrace, of course. The competition is meant to hone the skills of the Joketsuzoku, not to eliminate one who is one of their finest fighters ... no matter how unusual her tastes. The young woman warrior's "victory" is ruled invalid, and the championship is given to the fighter that she bested just before the fatal match. BEAT It is a disgrace, but it attracts the notice of the young woman's great-grand- mother ... who takes her under her wing, so that next year, she can win the championship. BEAT Unhappily for all, however ... but I think you know the rest of the story, because it is your own, as well. RANMA I ... I didn't know. SHAMPOO Would you have believed me if I told you, under any other circumstances, Ranma? BEAT Would you have even cared? RANMA Yes! My god, *nobody* deserves to have that happen to them! SHAMPOO Would it have made a difference? SHAMPOO slowly pulls herself to her feet, her joints creaking as she does so. RANMA moves as if to aid her, but she wards him off. SHAMPOO When I can no longer stand by myself will be my time to fall. BEAT And I tell you the story now ... because I want you to understand me, before the end comes. RANMA "The end"? What're you talking about? You're gonna be okay -- SHAMPOO I have lost my sense of the Tao, Saotome Ranma. Soon, the old age which has been denied shall come on me with a vengeance. In a few days, I shall be as my great-grandmother was. And then an old friend will come calling. RANMA TRYING TO JOKE Mousse? SHAMPOO No. BEAT All this is because I have learned that I have harbored for centuries a lie at my heart. BEAT Which leads me to my last request of you, Saotome Ranma. I do not wish for you to suffer this fate. So I ask you this: What, in the fullness of time, has Hibiki Ryouga truly done to you? Cut to RAYE driving the car up to the monument. She sees RANMA standing alone beside the rock. She stares for a moment, then steps out of the car. RAYE Where is she? RANMA She's gone. She said to tell you that she's resigning her commission, effective immediately. RAYE I see. Well. It's going to be hard to return this car without the one who rented it with us, isn't it? RANMA Raye -- RAYE No! You don't get to call me that! BEAT Stay the hell away from me, Saotome. Don't talk to me, don't look at me, and don't even think that you ... RAYE trails off as she notices a large shadow growing around them. Both she and RANMA look up to see Ryo-oh-ki descending from the sky. RYOUKO teleports a few feet above them. RYOUKO Hello, you two. How's tricks? RAYE Ryouko? What are *you* doing here? RYOUKO Tenchi and Endymion asked me nicely to come and pick you up from your mission if you were done. So here I am. RAYE SIGH Why'd they do that? RYOUKO Little matter of your queen being kidnapped. RAYE stares up at RYOUKO with a shocked and horrified expression. RAYE That's not fucking *funny*, Demon. RYOUKO SHRUGS Fine, don't believe me. RAYE You're *serious*?! RYOUKO Yep. RAYE HOW DID -- BEAT No. Just get me to Earth as fast as you can. RYOUKO and RAYE exchange an EXTREMELY unfriendly glare. RYOUKO All right ... She lands, and holds out her hands for RAYE and RANMA to take. A few seconds pass. RYOUKO Come on, I can't teleport you two without some sort of contact. RAYE reluctantly takes RYOUKO's left hand, while RANMA (who seems even more reluctant) takes her right hand. RYOUKO fixes him with a strange glare. RYOUKO HEAVY SCORN You still haven't gotten over that yet? RANMA Never mind my problems ... RYOUKO shakes her head, and teleports. Cut to the control center of Ryo-oh-ki, as RYOUKO, RANMA, and RAYE materialize. Ryo-oh-ki lets out a friendly "Myah!" which instantly sets RANMA on edge. RYOUKO sits down in her chair, and braces herself. RYOUKO Okay, I think I may have tripped a few Martian defense systems in my way in, so we don't have time to be gentle getting out. Ryo-oh-ki, anything coming our way? One of the floating crystals (which is inconveniently located right over RANMA's shoulder) develops into a crystal version of RYO-OH-KI's "cabbit" face. RYO-OH-KI NEGATIVE Myah. This spooks RANMA. RYOUKO So far, so good. Anyway, both of you should get down, 'cause I'm not gonna spare the thrusters getting us out of here. RANMA immediately drops to the floor, and spreads out as much as possible. RAYE does so as well, but less promptly. RYOUKO Okay, let's take her up ... RYO-OH-KI PANICKED Myah! RYOUKO jerks her head up to look at one of the screens, a radar display which shows several "bogies" approaching Ryo-oh-ki's position. RYOUKO SHIT! Ryo-oh-ki, PUNCH IT! From the outside, we see Ryo-oh-ki go from a full stop to about Mach 10 in the blink of an eye, easily evading the interceptor aircraft that have been sent after her. We see SHAMPOO looking up at the retreating space craft from atop a hill. SHAMPOO WHISPERED Bie liao, ai ren. Inside Ryo-oh-ki, inertial dampers take care of much of the stress of acceleration, but everyone is pressed flat against the floor, even the floating crystals and RYOUKO's chair. Finally, after a few seconds of this, the thrusters level off, just as Ryo-oh-ki arrives in Martian orbit. RAYE picks herself up off the floor. RAYE Ryouko, how soon can we get there? RYOUKO All things being equal, two hours. RAYE Can you make it any faster? RYOUKO Not without alerting every listener from the Solar Confederation on Mercury to the Brethren of Saint Teilhard on Pluto that there's a transwarp-capable ship insystem, and that the Jurains are up to something they probably shouldn't be, no. RAYE A yes or a no *would* have satisfied me, you know. RYOUKO Well, you rarely get satisfaction, do you? RAYE looks like she's about to spontaneously combust. RYOUKO is amused. RYOUKO Boy, no wonder you and Ayeka get along so well ... you react *just* the same ... RAYE smiles wintrily. RAYE Strange, I hear that you and Ayeka get along *much* better than she and I do ... RYOUKO glares at her. RANMA 'Scuse me. RYOUKO and RAYE turn to look at him. He is still lying on the floor, and RYO-OH-KI is buzzing around his head inquisitively. RANMA Could you get this thing to leave me alone? Cut to the Temple of Serenity, which resembles the Parthenon of Greece -- it is a large white building on a hill with lots of columns. Currently it is surrounded on all sides by several dozen Patrol Labors, a few tanks, and an extensive fleet of hovercars. Nearby is a huge tank-like mecha. There is an air of barely held-in panic. Cut to a corridor inside the temple. KEI and YURI walk briskly down the corridor. YURI What'd they say that this place was again? KEI Some temple of some weird religion. They cleared it out last night, just before they made the snatch. YURI So are we gonna go through with this thing? KEI I dunno, Yuri, I really ... let's go along with it until we get a clearer idea of what's *really* going on here. YURI And then? KEI We punt. They arrive at a door, and open it. Inside is FUJIKO, still holding onto her thermal detonator and standing beside SERENITY, who is seated in a chair, her hands in her lap. The room is otherwise undecorated. FUJIKO Well it's about time. Where's the Chief? YURI You mean Mr. -- FUJIKO No names. KEI I dunno, it was Sm-- uh, his aide who had us transported over here. BEAT Lot of spectators, aren't there? FUJIKO Dammit, I want to get this thing disarmed ... YURI starts towards her. YURI I know a bit about explosives, let me -- FUJIKO steps back quickly. FUJIKO No, thanks all the same, but I'd really rather not be -- uh, I mean, only the Chief can disarm it, it's based on his fingerprints. YURI isn't fooled for an instant, and her expression shows it. YURI Ah. That would make it difficult to disarm, wouldn't it. KEI is staring at SERENITY, who turns to gaze back at her unblinkingly. KEI So you're Queen Serenity, huh? SERENITY bows her head in acknowledgment. KEI I'm Kei, she's Yuri. We're 3WA Trouble Consultant Team -- SERENITY The Lovely Angels. BEAT We are aware of your reputation, although we believed that you had lost your lives some centuries ago. KEI Well, rumors of our deaths were greatly exaggerated. BEAT Anyway, we're going to escort you to your trial. SERENITY Our trial? KEI Yeah, your trial. SERENITY For crimes against humanity? KEI Uh ... SERENITY And where will this alleged trial transpire? KEI Well ... FUJIKO Hey! You don't need to know any of that! TO KEI And you shouldn't talk to the prisoner! KEI Hey, I know my job, okay? FUJIKO snorts and rolls her eyes. KEI and YURI glower at her, and then stop quickly as they realize that SERENITY is watching everything that they do with a patient expression. SERENITY Well, in any event, we are glad that our captors are concerned with true justice, and that they have provided us with such very capable bodyguards as yourselves. SMILES KEI and YURI stare at SERENITY for a moment. KEI Yuri, may I have a word with you outside? YURI Sure. They file out of the room, under FUJIKO's suspicious look. Outside, KEI turns to look at YURI. They both speak in a rushed tone of voice. KEI She's not scared of us. YURI Maybe she doesn't know who we are, really. KEI She knows. She knows and it doesn't faze her. YURI Okay ... so she's nuts. I mean, that royal we thing that she's got going, can you *get* any more megalomaniac than that? KEI She doesn't sound like a nutcase megalomaniac and you know it. YURI Okay, what does she sound like? KEI I don't know what she sounds like, but she sounds nothing like any of the power freaks that we've ever run up against. YURI Then what is she? CHIEF (O.S.) Convinced of the rightness of her position, of course, as are all dictators of the human spirit. KEI and YURI turn to see the CHIEF approaching, wearing white robes and a headband with a moon insignia. For a moment, they are baffled by his apparel ... and then they start giggling. The CHIEF is unamused. YURI What (hee hee!) is with *that* (ho ho ho!) get up, Deacon? CHIEF As part of our seizure of the temple earlier this morning, I was forced to take on the guise of one of the priests, and I have not had the opportunity to change yet. KEI AMUSED Whatever ... anyway, you'd better defuse that circuit on the thermal detonator that -- CHIEF What circuit? KEI and YURI exchange a disgusted, *weary* glance. CHIEF What are you talking about? KEI It's not important ... anyway, when do we smuggle Serenity out of here to the moon shuttle, or whatever you've got worked out to fly her to the moon? CHIEF SMILES We don't. Cut to the huge tank-like mecha -- the Mobile Armored Command Center -- which has a set of stairs leading up to a door in the side (about where the second floor would be on a building). SHEILA's car arrives some distance from the MACC, and she and PRISS step out and head for the stairs. Midway up, PRISS turns to look around at the assembled labors, and sees something off to one side that gives her pause. PRISS Huh ... hey! SHEILA looks down. SHEILA What? PRISS gestures towards something offscreen. PRISS What's that? SHEILA looks where PRISS gesture. We see a small, unremarkable looking building not too far from the temple, with a sign out in front advertising the "Museum of the Knight Sabres". SHEILA Nobody told you about that? I thought Raye might have ... it's really just a tourist trap. BEAT I haven't been there in a while ... they've got a few displays about your more famous cases, like the boomer uprising that led to an attack on the MegaTokyo fusion plant in -- PRISS The WHAT? SHEILA SMILE Maybe we should have kept on reading the journal instead of ... um ... PRISS gives SHEILA a suffering look. SHEILA chuckles, and starts heading up the ladder again. PRISS shakes her head in mixed annoyance and amusement, and heads after her. Cut to the bridge of the MACC. It is set up as a circle, with various crew stations around the circumference -- weapons control and steering face forward towards a large monitor screen -- and a large command chair in the center. All stations are currently occupied by various uniformed men and women, but the command chair is unoccupied. MERCURY (in fuku) and JUPITER (in street clothes) are considering the command chair. MERCURY Let's review the situation again. JUPITER SIGH Sure. MERCURY On the one hand, I am temperamentally unsuited for command. I lack many of the aggressive personality traits that you, Raye, and Mina possess -- or at the least, they are not as obvious in my decision making process as they would be in yours. JUPITER Okay, granted. MERCURY I would prefer to completely analyze a situation, working up to the last possible moment to achieve an optimal strategy. JUPITER Like now. MERCURY NOD And this is a liability in a crisis situation, just as much as an overly aggressive personality would be. JUPITER I agree completely. MERCURY On the other hand, I am the only Sailor Soldier present, as you are still suspended from active duty. Therefore, I have the obligation to take command, even though I believe that my command will be disastrous. JUPITER Disagree on several points. BEAT Look, here's what you should do. Take command just long enough to bring me back to active status, and then step down. This is a totally unprecedented situation, Amy! None of us have ever been on suspension during a crisis! I don't think the normal rules should apply! MERCURY Lita, I'm unwilling to ignore her orders when I agree with them. And I have noticed a certain degree of erratic behavior ... but doubtless you think the same of me. JUPITER is clutching her hair. The next shot is taken up by a two-shot of MERCURY and JUPITER's heads and shoulders, not showing the command chair. JUPITER No, Amy, I don't. BEAT Look, we don't have time to dance around this -- either take command -- VENUS (O.S.) Hello? JUPITER -- find some loophole in your ethics to justify turning it over to me -- VENUS (O.S.) What a nice chair! JUPITER -- or -- or ... JUPITER and MERCURY slowly turn to look at LADY VENUS, who is wearing casual clothes in her colors -- orange, yellow and blue -- and examining all the neat features of the command chair, like being able to put one's legs up. VENUS Cooool. Hi there! MERCURY Mina. BEAT Mina, when did you get here? VENUS Oh, about an hour or so ago ... one of my buddies in the Service got in touch with me. At first I was *really* cheesed off at having my vacation interrupted, but I figured I should come out here and give you the benefit of my expertise in handling hostage situations. You know what they say -- those who can, do unto others as they'd have done unto them, while those who can't, teach to educate themselves. VENUS abruptly causes the chair to begin a slow 360. When she's out of sight, MERCURY and JUPITER exchange a look of raw panic, which they hide as she comes back into sight, smiling still. VENUS That was fun, but can it get faster? MERCURY Ah ... no, I don't think so. BEAT Mina, do you want to be in command of this operation? VENUS YIKES! No way! BEAT But you don't want to be either, Amy ... and you're on suspension right now, Lita (I'm sorry to hear that, by the by) and since Raye is on Mars, and Serenity is the person who's been kidnapped, I'm the only one who's qualified. BEAT Well, we could ask Pluto, but does anyone know when she is? Suddenly inspired, VENUS stands up. VENUS LOUD Can I please have your attention? Everyone on the bridge turns to look at VENUS. VENUS I have an important question for all of you. Does anyone present know when Sailor Pluto is? Heads are shaken, hands are spread, and there is a general consensus that the answer is no. VENUS GLUM Daaaamn. She's never around when you think you need her, only when she thinks you need her. And the worst part is, she's usually right. TO JUPITER Isn't that annoying of her? JUPITER nods rapidly, clearly not trusting herself to speak. VENUS slumps into the chair. VENUS GLUM Well, I don't want the job, but I'll take it since Amy doesn't want it either. ALL BUSINESS Our first priority should be to open communications with the kidnappers, find out what they want, and delay long enough to be able to move our people into position to extract Serenity without endangering her. PLEADING Could somebody send out for some doughnuts? The door to the bridge slides open to admit SHEILA and PRISS. JUPITER immediately tenses up and scowls. VENUS, facing away from the door, blinks at this. VENUS Would you prefer bagels? SHEILA SURPRISED Mina! VENUS whirls around, a big grin on her face. VENUS Sheila-chan! SHEILA When did you -- VENUS No, we've done that one already. Ask me if I brought you anything. SHEILA BEAT Did you bring me anything, Aunt Mina? VENUS' grin gets naughty. VENUS Oh, yeah, I think you and a special someone will get a lot of use out of the -- JUPITER SNAP Mina! VENUS looks back at JUPITER with a cross expression, then turns back to SHEILA. VENUS On second thought, I'll tell you about it when there are fewer puritans about. BEAT Who's your friend? All eyes focus on PRISS, who has been observing this conversation silently with a confused expression. SHEILA Um, this is Priscilla S. Asagiri, of the Knight Sabres. Priss, this is Lady Venus. PRISS WAVES Yo. VENUS A-sa-gi-ri. BEAT Did you sing at one point? PRISS Uh ... yeah ... VENUS Ah! That's where I remember the name from! I never ... just a moment. VENUS rifles through her clothing, producing a pen and a small pad of paper, and smiling triumphantly. VENUS Can I have your autograph? PRISS stares at VENUS for a long moment in disbelief, and then opens her mouth to tell her off. But something in VENUS' expression -- perhaps the pleading look in her eyes -- stops her. With a very strange look on her face, PRISS takes the pen and paper, and signs her name quickly. VENUS looks at the paper for a moment after it's handed back to her ... and then places it in one of her pockets with a sad expression. She quickly cheers up though, when she realizes that everyone is watching her. VENUS So, what do you do now? PRISS I ... I guess I'm a Palladin, now. VENUS Oooookay. Ummmm ... where are the Palladins supposed to go, Amy? MERCURY We're planning to address them in the Strat-Com center, so perhaps you two should head there. SHEILA Right. TO VENUS It's nice to see you again, Aunt Mina! VENUS You too! PRISS, still giving VENUS an odd look, and SHEILA turn to go. Just as they're at the door, VENUS starts talking again. VENUS Remind me not to forget to give you your you-know-what. BEAT The two of you will have a lot of fun with it! PRISS and SHEILA stop dead in their tracks. PRISS risks a look. VENUS is smiling benevolently and waving the fingers of her hand, MERCURY is terribly embarrassed, and JUPITER resembles an embodiment of the wrath of God. SHEILA SMALL VOICE Thank you Aunt Mina. They head out the door. MINA turns back to the front of the bridge. VENUS Now, about those doughnuts ... There is a sudden buzzing from one side of the bridge. A blue-haired woman in a gray special forces uniform (Ryouga and Amy's daughter, hereafter referred to as LIEUTENANT RYOUKO) seated at one of the stations, examines her control panel. LIEUTENANT RYOUKO Lady Venus, we're receiving a transmission from the temple. VENUS I'm not gonna get any donuts, am I? SIGH Okay, put it on screen. The forward screen resolves into an image of a featureless room, with a man standing at the center. His features are obscured by a distortion effect which leaves the rest of him -- specifically his pinstripe suit, worn by the CHIEF -- and the room clearly visible. CHIEF (DISTORT) Have I the honor of addressing one of the Sailor Senshi? VENUS Yep! CHIEF (DISTORT) Lady Venus, I think? I have to guess, after all, we can't see you. VENUS Actually, we can't see you very well either. Do you suppose you could turn off that distort field -- CHIEF (DISTORT) LAUGHTER Oh, no, Lady Venus -- I'm sure that it's you, no one else has quite your sense of humour. VENUS BLUSH Flatterer. JUPITER WHISPERED ANGRILY Mina! VENUS Ahem! I take it that you represent the organization that has taken Her Majesty hostage? CHIEF (DISTORT) Correct. VENUS And that you have done so to advance or publicize a cause? CHIEF (DISTORT) Correct. VENUS Very well, then. BEAT Which cause? CHIEF (DISTORT) Liberty! Equality! Fr -- VENUS -- ee beer? Well, that's a lot to ask for ... just what does kidnapping her Majesty have to do with this? CHIEF (DISTORT) It is our intention to transport her to the neutral lunar colony for a trial for her terrible crimes against hum -- VENUS presses a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, and the audio of the transmission is cut. VENUS "Neutral lunar colony"? BEAT The last I heard was that the lunars had pledged allegiance. MERCURY Delusional. VENUS No, really, I remember hearing about it -- MERCURY CONTROLLED Not you, Mina, him. JUPITER Just a typical deluded nutcase? VENUS I've never met one of those ... bring up the volume. CHIEF (DISTORT) -- and in short, her failure to bring the benefits of a free and democratic society to -- YURI stumbles into the shot suddenly. YURI Ooops ... uh, scuse me ... CHIEF (DISTORT) ... In any event, those are our intentions, and any attack on us will result in the immediate execution of our hostages. YURI & VENUS (SIM) HostagES? As in more than one? YURI and VENUS stare at each other for a brief moment. CHIEF (DISTORT) RAPID We will contact you with further demands in an hour. The screen goes blank rapidly. LT. RYOUKO They've cut the signal ... I've got a pretty clear idea of where they were transmitting from inside the temple. BEAT Was that ... really ... her? As in ... VENUS SUBDUED Did you record? LT. RYOUKO nods. VENUS SUBDUED Run a match. LT. RYOUKO bends over the computer for a few seconds ... then looks up with a sick expression. LT. RYOUKO 99.999% match with the archive photos of her, Lady Venus. That's either her or a clone, and -- VENUS So ... our adversaries include the legendary -- perhaps *infamous* is a better word, though infamous on a legendary scale -- troubleshooters known as ... the Dirty Pair. The tension on the bridge is extremely high, as if everyone is expecting all hell to break loose after those fatal words are spoken. Even JUPITER looks stunned by this revelation. MERCURY QUICK We don't know that they're both -- VENUS Of course we do. Some things *are* indestructible. SUDDENLY HAPPY And isn't that nice to consider? VENUS suddenly stands up and claps her hands together. VENUS Yeah! Yeah, I think this is a good thing for us! I mean, so what if the Dirty Pair never failed in their mission objectives? Well, except in the last one, and it was ultimately a success anyway ... but I mean ... ADDRESSING MERCURY AND JUPITER Think about it like this: they're a symbol, darnit! A team that was never broken up! Just like us! We won't get broken up, either! We should draw inspiration from this! BEAT Why don't we all take a little break and think about that for a while? I think I'm going to go take a walk while I think ... can I get anyone anything? She turns around, looking for requests from the bridge crew, of which there are none. VENUS Okay! While you're thinking, if someone could get in touch with Luna and Artemis -- they're running things for us on the moon, right? MERCURY nods slowly. VENUS -- get in touch with Luna and Artemis, find out what might be going on there ... oh, and see if you can contact Raye, too, while we're on the subject. Well, I'm off, back in a little bit! VENUS strolls out the bridge doors, flashing the bridge a "V-for-Victory" as they close behind her. There is dead silence on the bridge. MERCURY Did she -- LT. RYOUKO We have a teleportation reading just outside the bridge, Ma'am. BEAT She -- MERCURY SIGH I know where she went, dear. Believe me, I know. Cut to the entrance of the memorial park. VENUS appears in a shower of golden light, trembling and covering her face. After a moment, she looks up at the statue of Sailor Saturn that guards the entrance. She stands there for a short while. VENUS It would be so ... easy. We see her hand reaching towards the small plaque that decorates the statue -- on which we can see the following written. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee." VENUS' hand is almost touching the plaque -- but at the last moment, she flinches away, bringing her hand back up to her collar. She shakes her head. VENUS *Too* easy. With her free hand, she smacks the hand that was reaching, and smiles as the hand droops as though it is pouting. She slowly walks into the memorial park. VENUS passes the holographic memorial to Sailor Moon, looking up at it with something very akin to envy on her face as she walks past. Finally, she comes to the end of her path, standing before a larger-than-life statue of a young man, dressed in a trenchcoat and trousers, his head bowed and shadowed in such a way that we cannot see his face. VENUS sits down, facing away from the statue and blocking our view of a plaque attached to the base of the statue. VENUS I miss you. BEAT; SINGSONG I wish you were he-ere. BEAT It really would have been easy. Kill 'em all, let whoever sort it out. Just ... give it to someone else. And we'd be together. BEAT Right? Am I right? BEAT No. Of course not. A monster like you wouldn't want anything to do with a monster like me. BEAT I took a bullet to my chest last week. If my trauma damper hadn't kicked in, I wouldn't be talking to you -- hey wait a minute! BEAT So I had to get my heart fixed. But you know what? I think I got ripped off. Because it still hurts. I-i-i-ttt st-st-st-- VENUS clonks herself on the side of the head, making a dull thud. VENUS MUTTER Gotta get that looked at. BEAT How'm I gonna do this? I mean, we're dealing with the two deadliest human beings -- well, we don't count as human any more -- ever created by an intelligence whose ultimate goals we still don't understand. BEAT And they've got her. And since we only exist to defend and protect her, they've got *us* right where they want us. Not that I've ever done a very good job of that ... have I? BEAT If I could just -- VENUS suddenly stands up, with an excited expression on her face. She turns to face the statue, which is still hidden from us. VENUS Got it! I get Artemis to send me down a spare disguise pen, turn myself into her, and go up to the temple, saying "Hah-hah! Stupid kidnappers, you grabbed the wrong Queen!" They snatch me, let her go, and then I have the whole fleet turn the temple into so much glow-in-the- dark clay! BEAT What do you mean it wouldn't work? BEAT Okay, so they probably wouldn't let her go, but I'd be in the *zone* to get her out, right? BEAT Of course they wouldn't stop me from blowing up the temple around me. What matters more -- her safety or me? BEAT Well, if they won't do it, then I'll tell them what I did! After that, they should be glad to -- VENUS' face suddenly crumples. Slowly, she lies down on the plaque, curled up in a fetal position. VENUS SOFT They all know that I'm -- but they still expect me to be -- and I can't. It would hurt too much if I were -- BEAT BUT IT HURTS ANYWAY! HOW IS THAT FAIR? VENUS picks herself up off the ground, dusts herself off, and looks up at the statue. VENUS Anyway. I gotta go. Thanks for listening. You're really good at that, but I wish you'd talk back a little more. BEAT Be seeing you. VENUS turns and walks away, at last allowing us a clear view of the inscription on the memorial. AETHAN DEGALES 529 - 545 545 - 1996 1996 - 2034 You walk a road that's thorny, through no fault of your own. But, as rain enters the earth, and the river flows to the sea, So, too, do tears fall to their predestined end. Your suffering is over. Find peace for Eternity Cut to PRISS and SHEILA, walking through a corridor of the MACC, side by side. PRISS So, in other words, she's nuts. SHEILA WEARY No, she's not nuts. She's a little bit ... erratic, and she's done some things that have caused people to question her judgment. But according to Aunt Amy, she's not insane in the sense that she *is* responsible for her actions, even if they are bizarre. PRISS Y'know, your aunts are a real fun bunch. SHEILA stops abruptly and turns to glare at PRISS. SHEILA They've been alive for nearly a thousand years, and they've seen things that would probably leave ordinary people screaming as blood flowed out their eyes. As far as I'm concerned, they've all earned as much eccentricity as they want! PRISS stares at SHEILA, a little startled at her vehemence. SHEILA visibly calms down, and sighs. SHEILA Priss, they're my *family*. PRISS stares for a moment, nods, and starts walking. PRISS And I'm not. SHEILA I didn't *say* that. PRISS You didn't have to. SHEILA's fists clench at her side. SHEILA Priss, if someone had asked you why you were hanging around with a crazy Shaolin stockbroker like Linna Yamazaki, what would you have told them? PRISS halts, and speaks without looking back. PRISS I would have told them to fuck off and die. Nobody slams my -- SHEILA -- family. PRISS looks angrily over her shoulder at her. PRISS SMOOTH -- *friends*. SHEILA SIGH Okay. And what if this someone was someone that you cared a lot about; that you thought you were in love with; that you might even want to spend the rest of your life with? They stare at each other for a moment, both with unreadable expressions on their faces. PRISS turns away first, and continues walking down the hall. PRISS NONCHALANT I'm gonna die alone, anyway. SHEILA reacts as though she's been slapped. She watches PRISS head down the corridor for a second, then hurries to catch up to her. They arrive at the STRATegic-COMmand Center, an area-like room with several rows of seats and a holoprojector in the center. It is filled with somewhere between thirty and fifty people of tremendously varied dress and description -- the Palladins of Crystal Tokyo. They are clustered in small groups, discussing various things. In our first pass through the room, we catch sight of a red-haired woman in a slinky red dress enthusing about a lipstick that a rather androgynous younger dark-haired woman in a bizarre description-defying outfit is staring at with a disbelieving expression; a pair of swordsmen (blades peacebonded), one with flowing blonde hair and cleanshaven, the other with dark black hair and a full beard and mustache, talking placidly; and a tall, lanky man holding a hand-held hologram display that shows a humanoid cyclopean mecha, discussing it with a young woman with short brown hair, large glasses, and a green outfit under her white lab coat. We see SHEILA react to seeing these two, and she heads down towards them, beckoning PRISS to follow her. PRISS shrugs and follows. The man (JOHNNY RAIDEN) looks up as they approach, and smiles. He speaks in an odd Australian accent that has a vaguely German feel to it. JOHNNY Hey, Sheila! Got you out of the stacks, did they? SHEILA SMILE Somebody's got to write down the specifics of whatever crazy plans you guys come up with. The young woman (RITSUKO URAWA) speaks in a gentle, patient, and very formal tone. RITSUKO "Crazy plans" are hardly our stock- in-trade, Ms. Tenkai. SHEILA Hello to you too, Ritsuko. Whatcha got there? JOHNNY An ever-so-slightly radical upgrade proposal for our Zakus, to take full advantage of the psychcommu. SHEILA and RITSUKO stare at him. JOHNNY Sorry, thought control system. Old habits die hard. RITSUKO Essentially, the TC system allows the creation of an empathic overload booster. Affected systems would be supercharged based on the pilot's emotional state -- a sufficiently angry pilot could easily increase his or her available motive power by over fifty percent. SHEILA With just a standard interface? RITSUKO No, and standard neural training won't be enough either. The actual systems involved are fairly similar to psychic amplifiers, but not quite as sophisticated. RITSUKO notices that PRISS is following the conversation with an expression torn between interest and confusion. RITSUKO But we're being rude. Who's your friend, Ms. Tenkai? SHEILA Oh, sorry. Priscilla Asagiri, this is Dr. Ritsuko Urawa, Chief Mecha Engineer of the First Fleet, and -- JOHNNY comes to his feet, and we realize that he's just over seven feet tall. JOHNNY Leftenant Commander Johnny Raiden, Heroic and Suicidal Test Pilot. He extends a hand in greeting. PRISS, looking up at him, slowly takes it. PRISS I'm gonna say something stupid and obvious in a second. JOHNNY Don't worry, most people do. PRISS Boy, you're tall. JOHNNY nods, grinning. He pauses as something comes to him. JOHNNY Half a minute. Priss *Asagiri*? You're -- PRISS Her great-great-great-great-and- several-more-greats-grand-daughter, namesake, and lookalike. JOHNNY looks puzzled ... and then understanding dawns on his face, and he smiles broadly. JOHNNY Riiiiight. He sits again, and SHEILA and PRISS also sit down. SHEILA So has the Second Fleet been called home for this situation? JOHNNY Nah, Yamato and m'boys are still minding Venus to make sure they don't get ideas. But me and the Doc got called in with the rest of the Palladins, on a fast shuttle. JOHNNY adjusts the hologram to erase the image of the mecha, replacing it with a detail of the Crystal Tokyo area from orbit. (The fact that the city is clearly planned around a RIGHT-SIDE UP pentagram should be made clear. Several lights with tags -- SKYLARK, DAUNTLESS, SMITH, KINNISON, DUQUESNE, among others -- appear on the display. JOHNNY They've called in the Fifth Fleet from the Outer Darkness Region, and spread the Fourth out to cover -- SHEILA Wait a minute ... She points at the light marked DAUNTLESS. SHEILA Isn't that Psyche Company's carrier? JOHNNY nods once in silence. SHEILA HUSHED They brought the Lensmen? BEAT Whewwwwww ... PRISS Uh, 'scuse? Lensmen? Wasn't that a really bad movie made in 2012? SHEILA WRY LOOK Don't remind me, please. There is a connection, but ... anyway, "Lensmen" is the nickname of the 298th, 299th, and 300th Mobile Suit Squadrons of the Royal Space Force, unofficially known as Psyche Company. All the pilots are magicians, psychics, or possess other exotic talents. SMILES AT RITSUKO A while ago, someone came up with a way to amplify talents like that, using certain specially designed crystals that look a lot like huge lenses. Inevitably, the pilots were called Lensmen ... PRISS So do the Senshi use these things? RITSUKO shakes her head firmly. RITSUKO The level of power that a Senshi possesses would easily overload the largest amplifier we can build. BEAT And as one's natural power increases, the amount of enhancement that one can gain from artificial sources decreases. If we were able to construct an amplifier that would measurably magnify Lady Mercury's power, for example, it would be about the size of the moon and improve her power by ... BEAT I'm sorry, I'm lecturing, aren't I? PRISS shrugs, a small smile playing about her lips. PRISS Yeah, but when you do, you sorta sound like someone I knew ... a long time ago. RITSUKO blinks, startled. RITSUKO *I* sound like Dr. Stingray? BEAT Thank you very much, Ms. Asagiri, that is a considerable compliment. PRISS It is? RITSUKO NODS In my opinion, her visionary mecha designs are without equal. Even now, we don't understand all the secrets of the hardsuits -- LT. RYOUKO (O.S.) And couldn't use one even if we did. Everyone looks in LT. RYOUKO's direction as we see her approach casually, still in her uniform. RITSUKO That's hardly true any more, Sister. LT. RYOUKO fixes PRISS with a faintly predatory look, which PRISS returns calmly. LT. RYOUKO Hmm. You have a point, Ritsuko. BEAT Hello, Johnny. BEAT; TO SHEILA Hello, You. SHEILA gives LT. RYOUKO a look of mixed amusement and disdain, but she is back to talking to PRISS. LT. RYOUKO Lieutenant Ryouko Mizuno, Battlesuit Pilot Temporarily Drafted as Bridge Crew. Pleased to meet you. PRISS Right. BEAT You're one of her sisters? LT. RYOUKO *Half*-sisters. Very different fathers. RITSUKO SOFT Not as different as you'd like to believe, Sister. RYOUKO glares at RITSUKO, who meets her look evenly. LT. RYOUKO I *believe* that I made it clear how tired I was of this particular line of conversation *quite* some time ago. SHEILA steps between them, none-too-subtly heading off a conflict. SHEILA Ahem. So anyways, Ryouko, what's the word on the bridge? LT. RYOUKO "Panic." BEAT We received a message from the kidnappers just a little while ago that has everyone on the edge. SHEILA What happened? LT. RYOUKO SHAKES HEAD Not yet. Wouldn't do anyone here any good to know it just yet. It'd just set us even further on edge than we already are ... JOHNNY DISMISSIVE Aw, cut the crap, Ryouko. What's the worst that it could be, the Dirty Pair? Dead silence descends on the room, and everyone in the room is suddenly staring at JOHNNY. Well, except for PRISS (who seems confused) and RYOUKO (who is rubbing her head as though she has a terrible headache). JOHNNY It was a *joke*, people. Get a grip, already. SHEILA PATIENT Yes, but Johnny ... it wasn't FUNNY. Cut to a harsh-featured man carrying a long, broad-edged spear, sitting some distance away, hunched as though he carries a heavy burden on his shoulders. He looks upwards with a foul expression. USHIO Well, *somebody* found it amusing. Cut back to the group as conversation slowly begins again. A beeping noise issues from RYOUKO's wrist. She holds it up to her mouth. LT. RYOUKO Mizuno, go. VOICE She's back, hurry. LT. RYOUKO I'm on my way. She nods in farewell, and heads up the stairs to the exit at a run. PRISS So ... what's a Dirty Pair? We follow RYOUKO running through the corridor, until she reaches the main access passage leading to the outside of the MACC, through which VENUS is entering at a brisk pace. RYOUKO slows, but continues to run in place. VENUS Ah, hello, Ryouko-chan ... or should I call you Lieutenant Mizuno, now? LT. RYOUKO As you wish, Lady Venus. VENUS All right. BEAT Keeping in shape, are we? LT. RYOUKO Yes, Lady Venus. VENUS I think I'll join you. She begins running in place too. LT. RYOUKO An excellent idea, Lady Venus. RYOUKO starts running up the corridor to the bridge. VENUS stays running in place for a few moments. VENUS I wonder if this is a race ... She nods once, and then takes off at a dash. We see her running from her POV, swiftly catching up to LT. RYOUKO, passing her, and arriving at the bridge smiling sunnily. VENUS Hello! MERCURY is running calculations on one of the terminals, while JUPITER leans against the wall with an expression with elements of rage, guilt, and extreme annoyance on her face. MERCURY speaks without looking up. MERCURY Welcome back, Mina. Did you enjoy your walk? VENUS heads for the command chair. VENUS Yes. Yes I did. I think that I've got a better idea of how to handle this situation now. JUPITER Good. VENUS begins to sit down in the command chair. RAYE (O.S.) Yes, Mina, that's very good. I'd like to hear about your ideas, but don't even think about sitting in my chair. VENUS looks upwards, mouths "Thank you", and turns to look at RAYE, who is standing at the entrance, followed by RANMA and RYOUKO. MERCURY turns around. VENUS Raye! I'm so glad -- RAYE Yes, I am too. She takes her seat in the center, which VENUS quickly vacates. RAYE All right, I want a full situational report, STAT. What are we up against this time? JUPITER A bunch of terrorists, backed up by the -- RAYE Lita, why are you out of uniform? JUPITER DEEP BREATH I'm on suspension. Go ahead; ask me why. I've got an answer ready. RAYE's mouth quirks up in a half-smile. RAYE & JUPITER (sim) None of your business. RAYE Right. Backed up by ...? JUPITER The Lovely Angels. RAYE STARES You're making a try at a joke, right? JUPITER No. The kidnappers sent a video transmission out, and a young woman with bluish-black hair stumbled into the shot. She's an exact physical match for ... what's her name again? VENUS Yuri. She's the cool one. BEAT I got her autograph, once ... LT. RYOUKO finally arrives at the bridge at this point, with a frustrated and embarrassed expression on her face. Before going to her station, she does a double take as she passes RANMA, and stares at him in a very hostile manner for a moment. RAYE Amy, could it have been a clone? MERCURY Anything's possible, but I've been reviewing the footage ... and her behavior is an almost exact match for virtually all the documentation we have on her -- slightly ditzy, but at the same time very capable. And since braintaping in the United Galactica period was only in its infancy, and it's believed that all possible backups of Kei and Yuri were destroyed with the Central Computer ... a very good actor could have pulled a performance like that off, but considering the physical match, I really do think she was the genuine article, Raye. RAYE Great. BEAT Other than Serenity, are they holding any other hostages? Temple personnel, maybe? JUPITER We interviewed everyone who fled when the temple was taken over early this morning. About ten of the senior members of the Cult are unaccounted for, including the Arch Deacon. RAYE Have we done a scan for lifesigns? LT. RYOUKO Repeatedly, with no effect. There's some sort of jamming ... but it only affects bioscanners. RAYE Damn. Okay, what about -- RYOUKO Hold it ... this sounds familiar. RAYE turns to look at RYOUKO, who is walking over to the scanner console at which Lieutenant Ryouko is sitting. RYOUKO Do you get a "too many lifesigns" message? LT. RYOUKO Uh ... yes. RYOUKO NODS Okay, what you wanna do is configure it to ignore any life signs of human beings. LT. RYOUKO Excuse me? RYOUKO Homo sapiens, dominant species on Earth? LT. RYOUKO But -- RYOUKO Just do it. LT. RYOUKO adjusts the scanner, clearly not understanding what RYOUKO is aiming at. She starts another scan. RYOUKO Interrupt it. Now! The scan is interrupted. RYOUKO Okay, now configure it to ignore all the life signs that you just got, but find human lifesigns. Seven human lifesigns are indicated on the screen, one of which, flagged, is definitely SERENITY's lifesign. RAYE How? RYOUKO There's a certain species of plant life growing on a planet around what you call Barnard's Star that possesses a more complicated biological signature than you'd expect from a non-sentient, such that it shows up on any bioscan for "higher lifeforms". The problem is, there's more variance in a bioscan of two members of a typical sentient species than there is between two members of this shrub ... heck, more variance between an individual and a clone. Anyway, this trick's been used by space pirates to confuse scanners for about a thousand years. One famous space pirate worked alone in an oversized ship with a bunch of this stuff, to make the marks think the ship had a huge crew. LT. RYOUKO Who was this? RYOUKO Me. RAYE Excellent job, Ryouko. RYOUKO and LT. RYOUKO speak simultaneously. RYOUKO Woo, a compliment! LT. RYOUKO Thank you, Lady Mars. There is a short pause. RAYE I was, in fact, speaking to the Lieutenant. BEAT But Ryouko, you are ... useful to have around. RYOUKO looks down at LT. RYOUKO, who meets her gaze steadily. RYOUKO Your name's Ryouko, huh? LT. RYOUKO Lieutenant Mizuno Ryouko. RYOUKO Mizuno, huh? LOOKS AT MERCURY Your mom has *great* taste in names, then ... MERCURY holds her head as though she has suddenly developed a migraine headache. LT. RYOUKO VERY COOL Yes, I was named after my father. RYOUKO Oh. RAYE Ahem. Lieutenant, run a comparison of each of those "prints" against our files, see what you can come up with. LT. RYOUKO Aye. A few seconds later, one of the other patterns has been identified as belonging to "FUJIKO". JUPITER She's *mine*. VENUS Aren't you on suspension? JUPITER GLARES AT VENUS As soon as I'm *off* suspension, she's mine. VENUS Okay. RAYE None of the others match anyone in the files? LT. RYOUKO Negative. Could be hostages, or could be other kidnappers. RAYE Alright. I want every bit of data we have on the Temple -- blueprints, especially -- packaged up to give a briefing to the Palladins in ten minutes. BRIDGE CREW Aye! They spring into action. RANMA takes advantage of the distraction to approach LADY MERCURY. RANMA 'Scuse me. MERCURY Yes, Mr. Saotome? RANMA I need to talk to you about something. Cut to outside the MACC. PRISS is sitting on the steps leading to the main access, alternately watching the Patrol Labors guard the perimeter of the Temple and staring at the Knight Sabres Museum in the distance. Finally, she nods, stands up, and starts down the stairs. As she reaches the bottom, she notices that NOA is standing nearby, looking up at her Labor (SHINJI), which is standing at ease in the shadow of the MACC. PRISS waves at her, and NOA returns the wave, just as SHINJI's chestplate opens up, revealing CATTY at the controls. PRISS looks up at the Labor with distrust written all over her face, and continues walking. CATTY drops down from the cockpit, and looks up at the head of the Labor with a concerned expression. CATTY You were right ... his emotional and psychological development *has* stabilized at the level of an early adolescent -- roughly 13 to 15 years of age. NOA And that's definitely not normal. CATTY SIGH Psychology's not an exact science, AI Psychology even less so. It's definitely not *typical*, but it's no more abnormal than an AI that catapulted herself into early senility within a few seconds of her awakening, or the gender confused AI I dealt with a few years ago. BEAT Most new sentiences "prefer" to advance to the same level of maturity exhibited by the other entities that they come into contact with -- and since Shinji's contacts have been more or less limited to yourself and ... NOA HEAVY SARCASM His "daddy". CATTY WRY GRIN -- along with a few of your associates -- and I compliment you on letting Mr. Yamazaki pay a visit, he seems to have made a much better "father" figure than the one which he was "born" to. In any case, based on his contacts, he *should* have developed to a mature persona, roughly 25 to 30. But he hasn't. And he probably won't for several years. NOA When is he going to start "talking"? CATTY I've made the connection between his neural net and the loudspeaker, and uploaded the sounds database -- so he has the capability, he just has to teach himself to use it. I had him shut off his audio pickup so he could do it in peace. It *will* probably be baby-talk the first few times that he tries -- NOA But that's normal. Did you talk in baby talk when you were awakened? A few yards away, PRISS halts in midstep. CATTY Ahhhh ... NOA I mean, I know that you're unique in that respect, but ... uh, is something wrong? CATTY has covered her eyes with her right hand. CATTY No. No, no. Yes, but ... it's not your fault, Chief Izumi. NOA looks over her shoulder to see PRISS staring in their direction with an extremely wrathful expression. NOA Oh! BEAT Ohhhh. BEAT Uh ... would you like police protection? CATTY No, thank you. I believe that I can handle the situation without too much difficulty. NOA nods, and warily looking in PRISS direction once more, heads over to SHINJI, and clambers up inside the cockpit. CATTY walks slowly but deliberately towards PRISS. When she is within arms reach, she speaks. CATTY CALM Is there something that you'd like to say? PRISS FURIOUS You're a boomer. CATTY I prefer the term cyberdroid. PRISS You're a fucking *boomer*. CATTY In fact, I *am* capable of a wide variety of sexual acts, which is not surprising, considering that one of the models that my design is based upon is the Bu-33s. PRISS STARTLED Sexaroid? CATTY Yes. Which means, I suppose that you will view me as "human in every way that counts". BEAT Even though I have no desire to be human, any more than your friend -- PRISS The hell she didn't! Sylvie *did* want to be human! She said -- CATTY "I wanted to be free. Like you." PRISS STUNNED How did -- CATTY First words of the song "I Want to Be Free", written and performed by Priss Asagiri, 2035, liner notes "Dedicated to Sylvie and Anri." BEAT She wanted to be free of the prejudice and bigotry that the human race felt, and I am often distressed but rarely surprised to find, still feels towards us. Cyberdroids. BEAT Boomers. Angrily, CATTY walks away towards SHINJI, but pauses to look back over her shoulder at PRISS. CATTY It seems that the writer of that song is dead. A pity. She was a remarkable being ... for a human. CATTY approaches SHINJI, now looking more hurt than angry. SHINJI's voice is that of a boy just on the edge of adolescence -- it cracks a lot. SHINJI Is something wrong, Catty-oneesama? CATTY looks up at the Labor's "head", startled and amazed. Slowly, a smile spreads across her features. CATTY No. No, everything's all right. SHINJI's chest opens up, and NOA is revealed, smiling broadly. NOA He's a smart kid, isn't he? CATTY NOD Yes. He is indeed. PRISS stares in their direction for a moment, then visibly "gives up" and turns to walk towards the Museum of the Knight Sabres again ... just as a beeping noise issues from her hip carried cellular. PRISS snatches it up, and flips it open. PRISS Yeah. SHEILA Priss, you'd better get back here, there's going to be a briefing in a few minutes. PRISS Great. She shuts down the cellular, and heads back to the stairs. There's a faint rumble of thunder, and the first drops of rain begin to fall. Cut to the inside of the entrance of the MACC. PRISS comes in out of the rain, and shakes out her hair, just as RAYE comes down the corridor. RAYE Priss! PRISS Hey. What happened to you? RAYE What do you mean? PRISS I called you last night and -- RAYE You didn't get the message I sent to you yesterday morning? PRISS No ... RAYE ANNOYED AT SELF And I forgot to change my answering machine, too ... damn. BEAT I had to go to Mars on business yesterday ... I just got back a little while ago. PRISS You *went* to Mars? ODD SMILE I thought that you *were* -- RAYE Ahem. Heard it. A few times. BEAT So what happened? PRISS Took care of the thing with the labors. And then I finally got 'round to reading Sylia's journal. RAYE