"Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning" takes place after "The Evil Within" (if I remembered the name correctly) in the QL continuity and between Sailor Moon R and Sailor Moon S, but takes some inspiration from "Mirror Image" (the final QL ep). I have taken some liberties with both Quantum Leap and Sailor Moon in this story. Feedback is always welcome. -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Prologue "The time portal is ready, milord," the cloaked figure announced. "Set the coordinates," the Lord said. Both men ducked as lightning burst overhead. "Go back in time and kill that witch." He unconsciously fingered a scar that ran from his temple to his cheek. "She was responsible for this. I would have had that Crystal Point if she hadn't interfered. Go, droid." "As you command, milord." The cloaked figure stepped through the portal, and vanished. -**- Sailor Pluto shivered as she felt Time shift again. Someone was trying to change the past once more, one of the Wiseman's minions. Crystal Tokyo's existence was still vulnerable while the Time streams settled, and could easily fade away if anyone affected the past. She had only one choice, to use her forbidden ability. "Dark Dome Cl-" she started. "No, Setsuna," a voice said behind her. Pluto looked around. A tall, husky man, with sandy hair and a bushy mustache, approached her. He was dressed in comfortable clothes and had an apron tied around his waist and a dishcloth thrown over his shoulder. "Al, you surprised me," Pluto said. "Time's too unstable from what you did with the Small Lady." "But if I don't stop him --" "I know someone else who can help." Pluto nodded. She watched as Al walked away, fading into the darkness. --- 2bc Next: Leaping In -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 1: Leaping In Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Doctor Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator . . . and vanished. He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own, and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Doctor Beckett find himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what was once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next Leap will be the Leap home. "You know, Gene, maybe if you try selling it as 'Wagon Train to the stars,' a network might pick it up." Sam Leapt. In one instant, he was in Hollywood in 1966; the next, somewhere completely different with no idea when, let alone where, he was. Al had told Sam several times that, while a Leap for Sam may be but an instant, from Al's view it may take several weeks before Sam could be located. The worst part of a Leap was Leaping in. Often he was thrust into a situation without knowing what was happening. Leaping in was the easiest if the person he Leapt into was asleep, but that seldom happened. Most of the time, he Leapt in while doing something, for example, this Leap. The person he Leapt into was walking down the street. Sam quickly took stock of the situation. He was carrying books, so chances were that he was a student. His pace was leisurely, so that meant the school was out and whoever he was didn't have anything important to do right after class. He looked down to see part of the body he Leapt into. He saw that he was wearing a grey school uniform with red trim, a girl's school uniform. Sam could deal with being a woman again. This wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last. Sam stopped walking. 'Time to find out where I am,' he thought. He looked around. He was in a city, and from the street signs, in Japan. Seeing a spire that looked like the Eiffel Tower, Sam deduced that he was in Tokyo. The neighbourhood looked familiar to Sam, but he couldn't remember if he was here as himself or because of a Leap. Sam had no idea where he was going. Here he was, in an unfamiliar city with no idea who he was. Al usually arrived soon after Sam Leapt, and should appear soon. The grind of a door opening behind Sam told him that Al and the rest of Project Quantum Leap had found him. "Sam, it's good to see you," Al said. Sam turned to face his friend. Al was wearing a red leisure suit with a loud wide tie. "Who am I now?" Sam asked. Al tapped his handlink. "According to Ziggy, your name is Raye Hino. You're fourteen years old and live in Tokyo with your grandfather." Al whacked the side of the handlink, which squealed. "You're also a Shinto temple maiden, helping your grandfather at the temple." "So what am I supposed to do?" "According to Ziggy, there is an eighty percent chance that you are to prevent Raye's friend Lita from getting killed. As to what you're doing now, I have no idea. Raye is being stubborn right now and won't tell us anything. She slapped Gushie with a prayer strip. Gushie now has one helluva shiner." "Raye! Raye, wait up!" Sam looked in the direction of the voice. Across the street, waving at Sam, was a tall girl wearing a green school uniform. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail. Spotting an opening in the traffic, the girl ran into the street. Horns blared as the girl dodged the traffic. "Let me guess," said Sam, turning to Al. "That's Lita." There was another blast of horns. "Oh, boy." Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning By Scott Delahunt Based on characters created by Donald P. Bellisario and Naoko Takeuchi and used without permission. "Hey, Raye!" Lita exclaimed. "What's up?" "Oh, not much. Just going home," Sam replied. "Mind if I join you? Amy is at cram school and Serena has another detention." "Sam, you can keep an eye on her at the temple," Al said. "Sure, Lita. I'd love some company," said Sam. Sam let Lita lead the way to the temple at the top of Cherry Hill. The temple was framed by cherry trees, giving it a serene air. Sam stopped at the entrance to the temple grounds. Lita walked a few more steps before she realized that he had stopped. She turned around to face him. "Something wrong, Raye?" she asked. "No, just an odd feeling," Sam said. "Like deja-vu." Sam started walking again. Lita gave Sam a strange look. "You live here, remember? Serena's usually the space case." She laughed. "I just need to freshen up." "I'll meet you in your room." Lita ran off. "Not the bathroom again, Sam," Al complained. Sam kept quiet, following Lita's trail inside the temple. He quickly found the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, he saw Raye's reflection, her long hair cascading down past her waist. "She's gonna be a looker, Sam," Al remarked. "Al, I had a sense of deja-vu outside," Sam said. "It was as if I've been here before. But my memory is so Swiss-cheesed, I can't remember when." "Now that you mention it, Sam. This temple does look familiar. And I should remember. I'll ask Ziggy about it." "So what happens to Lita?" Al called up the information on the handlink. "The best Ziggy can do is that she disappears by the end of the week. She doesn't show up for school next Monday and isn't seen again. Her body is never found." "Her parents don't notice?" Sam asked. "According to Ziggy, Lita's an orphan. She lives on her own." "At fourteen?" "She's been taking care of herself. She's been transferred to several schools, the latest being Crossroads Junior High. Each time, it was because of fighting." There was a banging at the door. "Raye!" called an elderly voice. "You going to be long?" "That's your grandfather, Sam," said Al. "I'll be right out," Sam called back. In a lower voice, he continues, "So Lita disappears over the weekend. Who saw her last?" "You, er, Raye. Amy and Serena, who also go to Lita's school. And one more girl, Mina. They were the last to see her, but they couldn't say what happened." "One of Lita's friends tried to kill her?" Sam asked incredulously. "Ziggy only puts a two percent chance of that. She thinks the most likely reason is an accident." "Raye! Hurry up!" Raye's grandfather yelled. "I'm almost done." Sam ran the water. "So whatever happens, I've got to find out what." Sam left the bathroom. Raye's grandfather glared at him, then glanced in Al's direction. He then shook his head. "Who were you talking to in there?" he asked. "I was trying to work out a scene for a play for homework," Sam answered. Raye's grandfather just snorted, then entered the bathroom. As soon as the door closed, Sam whispered, "Where is Raye's room?" "Good question. Raye is still not talking. Just look for Lita." Sam walked down the hall, looking into each open room. He quickly found Raye's room. Lita was sitting cross-legged at a low table, reading through a text book. "You okay, Raye?" Lita asked. "You were in there for a long time." "Something I ate didn't agree with me," Sam replied. "I'll be okay in a couple of hours." He walked behind Lita to see what she was reading. "Anything interesting?" "I'm trying to get ready for the exams in a couple of weeks. If this works for Amy, I should be able to something up." Lita sighed. "Except I can't make heads or tails of this." She tossed the book on to the table. "Maybe I can help. What subject is it?" "What else? Physics. I really need to pick up my mark in it." "Sam, I'm going to see what's going on with our guest," Al said. "I'll leave you two to discuss physics on your own. Try to find out what she's doing this weekend." The Imaging Chamber's door opened. Al walked out, the door sliding shut behind him. Sam looked at where the door had been, then turned to pick up Lita's book. He quickly scanned through the book, recognizing the equations. "It's all very simple, really," he started. "Stop right there, Ray," Lita interrupted. "You know every time Amy starts a sentence that way, it becomes complicated and I wind up knowing less than when I started." "Then maybe we should take a break from studying. Do you have any plans for the weekend?" "Nothing yet. I was thinking of mall-trawling, but that's getting kinda old." A thought hit Sam. If he could isolate Lita so that he could keep an eye on her, maybe not in the city, he could prevent whatever was going to happen to her. "Lita," he said, "do you feel up for camping this weekend?" "That would be different," Lita answered. "Maybe we can convince the others" --- 2bc Next: "Why Am I Here, Al?" -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 2: "Why Am I Here, Al?" Al entered the Waiting Room. He saw Sam kneeling on the floor in the middle of the room, but knew it was Raye. "Ziggy," Al said to the ceiling, "do you have the translation routines running yet?" "Yes, Admiral Calavicci," the computer replied in a warm but neutral feminine voice. Raye looked up. "Why am I here?" she asked. Al shook his head. "We don't know. Your friend Lita may be in trouble." Raye gasped. "What does that have to do with me being here?" "Someone, God, Time, Fate, whatever, decided that you would be in the right spot at the right time and Leapt Doctor Beckett into your place. "'Leapt?' And who is Doctor Beckett?" "He's the person in your place right now. Everyone sees him as you. He's gonna try to help your friend, but we need to know what plans you had for the weekend." "Let me get this straight. Everyone sees this Doctor Beckett as me? Including animals?" "Well, animals see him as he really is," Al explained, "as can young children." "Your Doctor Beckett is going to be found out then. Serena's cat goes wherever Serena does. So does Mina's." "Oh, boy," Al exclaimed. "Doctor Beeks, can you continue here for me? I've got to get to Sam." "And tell him not to let Serena read any of my comics," Raye called to Al's back. -**- Another of Raye's friends had joined Sam and Lita. Amy was trying to explain Newtonian physics to Lita, but had lost her ten minutes ago. "Amy, stop," said Lita. "Thanks, but this isn't helping. I'm even more confused." "But it's all very simple, really," Amy said. "Maybe Lita will pick it up if you put it in terms she understands," Sam suggested. "Instead of a particle, try a baseball or a billiard ball." "Yeah, that's more like it, Raye," Lita said. "But not right now. I could really use a break now. Hey, Raye, tell Amy your idea for the weekend." "I was thinking that maybe we should go camping," Sam said. "Camping?" Amy repeated. "But I've got exams coming up and I'm only seven chapters ahead." Lita bowed her head. "Amy, the entire idea is to get away from school pressures. Sometimes, you can do better if you get away from all that studying." "We're getting away from studying?" a voice asked from the door. Sam turned to look at the speaker. The girl was the shortest of the group. Her hair was tied into two long ponytails that were wrapped into balls on her head. In her arms was a black cat with a sideways crescent moon on its forehead. The cat glared intensely at Sam, then its face showed recognition. Sam ignored the cat, staring at the girl. She looked familiar, but Sam couldn't place where, even with her hairstyle. The cat jumped out of the girl's arms. "Of course, a break from studying helps only if you actually study," Amy teased. "Hello, Serena." "Hi guys," said Serena. "Mina's just freshening up. She bought something at the mall and won't show me until we're all together." Serena's cat approached Sam and sat staring at him. "Luna, it's only Raye. So what's all this about getting away from studying?" "We should wait until Mina's here," answered Lita. "Saves Raye from explaining it again." "Explaining what?" Another girl, Mina, Sam deduced, walked into the room. She had hair longer than Raye's, tied back with a bow. She was wearing a shirt the exposed her midriff and shorts. Following Mina into the room was another cat, Luna's negative. Where Luna was all black, this cat was all white. It too had a crescent moon on its forehead. The cat growled on seeing Sam. Luna walked over the white cat and cuffed it. "What's gotten into them?" Lita asked. The other girls looked as shocked as Lita. "Luna? Why did you hit Artemis?" Serena scolded. Luna only glared at Artemis. The white cat backed down. Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open. Artemis jumped as Al stepped through. At Raye's door, there was a knock. Mina opened the door to see Raye's grandfather with a tray of teacups. His eyes were at the point of bugging out. Looking at Al, Sam noticed the same effect from Mina's outfit on his friend. Sam walked over to the door. "Thank you, Grandfather," he said, taking the tray. "You want me to give you a blessing?" the elderly man asked. "That's not necessary, Grandfather." Sam closed the door. He wished he could have trodden on Al's toes. Instead, Sam walked through Al, startling Artemis. "Tell them about the weekend," Lita prompted. "Well," began Sam, "I was thinking. We're going to have a rough month coming up soon at school. So what was thinking that we should go camping this weekend. Get some fresh air and clear our heads." And keep an eye on Lita, Sam added silently. "Camping!" Serena squealed. "That would be so cool as long as we ditch the spore." "Camping," Al said. "Not good, Sam. I need to see you, now." "Excuse me," Sam said to the girls. "That tea has gone right through me." He stood up and left the room, followed by the two cats. Al appeared beside him in the hall. They walked down to the bathroom. "Here should be good, Sam," Al said. "Ziggy's saying camping isn't a good idea." "And why is that, Al?" Luna asked. Sam, Al, and Artemis all did a double take. "Al, that cat can talk," Sam exclaimed. "This is familiar," Al said. "I remember now. We have been here before." The hologram turned to the cats. "Your name's Luna, right? But I know I haven't seen your friend before." "Luna, you know these two?" Artemis asked. "It was before you and Mina showed up," Luna explained. "Sam Leapt into Serena to help Amy with her homework." "You use too much catnip, Luna?" Artemis said. "Serena helped Amy with homework? Why not just leap into Amy?" "Leaping doesn't work like that," Sam explained. "Whoever or whatever is Leaping me around wants the people I help to learn on their own." "And you never reported this to Central Command?" Artemis accused. "It was a far-fetched tale," Luna said. "And talking cats aren't?" Al sniped. Ignoring Al, Luna continued, "So why are you here this time, Sam?" "Lita is going to disappear this weekend. I think I'm here to prevent that. That's why the camping. Get Lita where I can keep an eye on her." "Except Ziggy says that won't work," Al said. "Lita's body is now found, badly mauled. The other girls are suspected of murder. Serena confesses to get the others off the hook, but the damage is done. Because of the scandal, Amy doesn't get into med school. She later tries to OD on sleeping pills. Raye isolates herself at a monastery and hasn't come out. Mina withdraws and eventually runs away. She's later picked up by the police and is sent to an asylum." "Oh, dear," Luna exclaimed. "Maybe it's not too late to change their minds," Artemis suggested. The foursome headed back to Raye's room. Inside, Raye's friends were talking wildly about the camping trip. "Too late, Sam," Al said. "Oh, boy," was Sam's only answer. --- 2bc Next: Familiarity Breeds Confusion -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 3: Familiarity Breeds Confusion Raye's friends left to go home for dinner. Sam couldn't bring himself to cancel their plans, especially since he had suggested the camping trip. Sam said his good-byes to the girls and the cats. The girls accepted that the cats talked, almost took it for granted. Sam leaned back on Raye's bed. "I'm heading back," Al said. "I want to see if Verbeena got anything from Raye. I also have some questions for Ziggy." going to disappear this weekend. I think I'm here to prevent that. Thatting weird, Sam. Be careful." Al tapped on the handlink, opening the door to the Imaging Chamber. "I will, Al. See you soon." After the door slid shut, Sam looked around for the temple's dining room. After a few minutes of trial and error, he found Raye's grandfather kneeling at a low table, eating a bowl of rice. Sam joined him. They ate their meal in silence. Afterwards, while finishing the meal with tea, Raye's grandfather looked up at Sam. "There's something different about you tonight, Raye," he said. "How so, Grandfather?" Sam tried to hide his concern. "You're very quiet tonight." Sam didn't know what to say. "I know why," the elderly man continued. "It's because Chad's not here, isn't it?" Sam breathed a silent sigh of relief. "It's been quiet since he left," Sam said. "You told me you were looking forward to the peace." "I was. I didn't think I would miss him this much." Sam excused himself and returned to Raye's room. He had no idea how to prevent Lita from being killed. He didn't know what day of the week it was. Sam walked over to the window and stared outside. Above him, two ravens screeched at him until he closed the window and walked away. -**- Not far from Tokyo, in a secluded forest, a small ball of blue-white energy appeared. The ball illuminated the grove and grew brighter. It expanded, razing everything within its radius. Trees fell as their trunks vanished. When the ball stopped expanding, a cloaked silhouette appeared in the middle of it. The figure stepped out of the energy. The ball shrank, then faded. The figure looked around. "Hardly a place where I'd expect her," he said. -**- Al walked into the computer room. Ziggy pulsated with a low hum. "Ziggy, what's going on here?" Al asked. "Doctor Beckett is preparing for bed," The computer answered. "Gushie is in the commissary having garlic bread with garlic butter. Ms Hino is meditating. Doctor Martinez-O'Farrell is --" "That's not what I meant," Al interrupted. "What I mean is that Doctor Beckett has Leapt into one of Raye's friends before, but neither of us remembered. And there's enough weird things going on that at least one of us should have." "What do you mean by 'weird things', Admiral Calavicci?" "Tal --, er, cats with unique markings for one. And I would have remembered Serena's hairstyle. She's got two meatballs or whatever in her hair." "That is certainly unusual, Admiral," Ziggy stated. "Remember, you did Leap once, yourself" "And I regained my memory when I Leapt back, so don't tell me I'm Swiss-cheesing on this." "If you say there is something wrong, I will look into it, Admiral. In the meantime, you should get some sleep." "Yes, Mother." Al left the computer room and returned to his quarters. -**- Sam woke up to Raye's alarm clock. He quickly changed and figured out what chores Raye did in the morning. As he was leaving the temple, Al joined him. With Al's guidance, Sam found his way to Raye's school. "Sam, I don't like this," Al said as they walked down the street. Sam nodded his response. "Ziggy's working on why both of us can't remember your last visit here." "And the cats?" "You think I'm gonna mention the cats? Verbeena would lock me away." Sam waited for the salaryman to pass before answering. "You have a point there. But Ziggy must have records of Serena's visit." "She's been looking into it all night, but no dice. Something's gone caca." Sam lowered his voice as they neared Raye's school. "What about Lita? Any news about her?" Al consulted the handlink, tapping its keys and smacking its side. "No change, Sam. Her body's still found in the woods and Serena still takes the blame." Sam only shook his head. AL guided Sam to Raye's locker, where she had a copy of her schedule. Sam scanned through it to get an idea of what Raye had planned for the day. He found that there were no tests, and Sam had finished all of Raye's due assignments last night. The day held few surprises for Sam. Al left shortly after the first bell. Sam discovered that while Raye was respected by her schoolmates, she did not have any close friends at school. Sam was concerned for her. She should have made at least one friend that she could confide in. Maybe Al could have a chat with her, help her out a bit. -**- Al entered the Waiting Room. Project Quantum Leap's latest visitor sat on the bed, meditating. Al cleared his throat to get Raye's attention. She looked up. "Am I allowed to leave yet?" Raye asked. "Not yet. Sorry," Al apologized. "How much longer do I have to stay here?" "Honestly, I don't know. I could use your help." "My help? With what?" "Ziggy's been running scenario after scenario, but she can't figure out how your friend gets into trouble." "You better tell me from the beginning what's going on." She looked directly at Al. With Sam's eyes burning into him, Al didn't have much choice. "Brace yourself. What Ziggy has figured out is that Doctor Beckett Leapt in to prevent your friend Lita from getting killed. Doctor Beckett has made a small change already. Originally, her body is never found. Now, her body will be found, mauled, like she was in a fight. The blame falls on your friends and Serena accepts full responsibility for it." "Figures that that meatball-head would," Raye interrupted. "The rest of you don't fare well." Al mercifully skipped over the details. "That's why we need your help." "How can I help if I'm stuck here?" "Like I said, Ziggy has run many scenarios, but in all of them, she cannot find a reason why your friends would want to harm Lita, let alone kill her. According to Ziggy, the likelihood of Amy going along with anything like that is zero, and that Serena and Mina doing that are nearly as low. That leaves an outside person or persons who will. She's your friend, surely you must know if there's anyone who wants her dead." Raye thought over what Al had said. After a few minutes of her not answering, Al began to wonder what she and her friends did after school. "There's no-one that I can think of who would want to kill Lita," Raye finally answered. "No-one you can think of, or no-one you want to tell me about?" -**- The cloaked figure had made his way through the forest to the village nearby. He thought that the witch must be in the village, since she couldn't be found in the woods. The figure saw a girl go by, looking to be the right age, height, and build. Stealthily, he stalked up behind her. Too late, she noticed the figure. As she tried to run away, he grabbed her arm. The cloaked figure drained the poor girl's energy. A look of disgust crossed the figure's face. "This isn't her," he spat. --- 2bc Next: To the Countryside -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 4: To the Countryside Sam walked back to the temple after school. He was so deep in thought, brooding over how to complete this Leap and save Lita's life that Lita had to yell at him several times before he noticed. "Raye! Raye, wait up!" Lita called. She was carrying a large knapsack. She waved from cross the street. Lita saw an opening in the traffic and darted across the street. Horns blared as Lita dodged the traffic. When she finally got across the street, she stared at the last car that had almost hit her. "Lita? Are you alright?" Sam asked. Lita kept staring in the direction of the car. "Lita?" Sam asked again. "He likes me," Lita breathed. "Excuse me? Lita? Are you alright?" "The way he honked at me. He likes me. Those eyes. He reminds me of my old boyfriend." "He honked at you because you were in the middle of the road." "Huh? Oh, hi, Raye!" Lita finally noticed Sam standing beside her. "Did you see that last driver? What a bodacious hunkmeister." "Lita, you should be more careful crossing the street." "I do this everyday. Why are you worrying now?" "I just don't want to see you get hurt." Sam changed the subject. "Are you ready for the camping trip?" "Sure am!" Lita replied. "I didn't pick up the food yet because I wanted to know what everyone wanted first." "Food. Right." "You know how much Serena eats, Raye. We're going to have to pick up extra for her." Lita laughed. "Where is she, anyways?" "She got caught eating in class again. Amy's going to pick her up when she's done cram school so that she's on time. Mina's gone for the train tickets. Maybe after we change we can go for groceries. It gets lonely doing that alone. C'mon, I'll race you." Lita tore off in a run. Sam quickly recovered and followed her. They quickly changed into their camping clothes, Sam giving Lita her privacy. After that, Sam and Lita went to the nearby market. Lita gave Sam half her grocery list to pick up while she found the rest. Sam kept an eye on Lita whenever possible. In the soup aisle, Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open. "Any luck with Raye?" Sam asked in a whisper. "None," Al answered. "She won't say. I think she has an idea who would want Lita dead, but she's not talking." "Hmm-hmm." "Ziggy's been running more simulations. She still can't pinpoint when Lita is killed, but she's found something unusual." Al paused as a shopper pushed a cart through him. "You could at least say 'Excuse me,' you nozzle. Where was I?" "Ziggy found something unusual," Sam prompted. "Yeah. She thinks there's another time traveller." Sam whirled around to face Al. Lita caught Sam's movement out of the corner of her aye and turned to face him. "I thought I saw a good price on crackers," Sam said. He waited until Lita turned her attention back to the meat cooler, then crouched down. "What do you mean, another time traveller? Another Leaper?" he whispered. Al crouched down to join Sam. "The outcome has changed again. Lita still winds up dead, but the other girls aren't accused of her murder." "That's a bit better. Why the change?" "The others wind up with injuries similar to Lita's, but not as severe. Serena got away with a broken arm. The other girls may have tried to protect her. Mina suffered a concussion and broken ribs. Amy's leg gets shattered. She can get around, but it takes her a couple of years to walk again, and that's with a cane. But Raye winds up paralysed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair. Amy did her best to help Raye, but the injuries were too severe." "So where is this going to happen?" "At the camp -- wait, Sam, Ziggy says the location changed again. Now it's in a village. Nothing else changes. Ziggy is trying to locate the cause of this ripple. She thinks she knows where and can track it, but she says there is a lot of temporal interference, whatever that is." "Raye?" Lita called. "Are you almost done? The others should be at the temple soon." "Just a couple of items left, Lita," Sam called back. Lowering his voice, he continued, "We leave in a couple of hours. Try to find out as much as you can from Raye." "I've got Verbeena on that right now. I'll work with Ziggy on this other time traveller. Al punched the handlink, opening the doorway. "See you soon, Sam." The door closed. Sam quickly rounded up the rest of his list and joined Lita at the check-out. -**- The cloaked figure stalked his fourth victim. So far, he had drained the energy from three other girls. How many girls could there be that look like that witch? He reached out, grabbing the girl by the shoulder. She turned around. Again, not the right one. Frustrated, the cloaked figure drained his victim's energy. This should keep me going, he thought. -**- "Ziggy, anymore news on the other time traveller?" Al asked as he entered the computer room. On the other side of the glass partition, he saw the summer student, Miss Anderson, working on a terminal. Her cane was propped up against her workstation. "I do not know precisely where said person is, Admiral, but I have narrowed his or her location to a fifteen kilometre radius." "Let me guess. Sam's camping trip is in that radius." "Affirmative, Admiral." "Keep trying to get an exact location. Sam needs it." Al watched as Miss Anderson stood up from her terminal. She winced as she put pressure on her bad leg. "She needs it too." "I will, Admiral." -**- Sam and the girls had almost missed the train. Serena had stopped to pick up a snack and was sidetracked by a Sailor Moon doll. It took both Sam and Mina to drag her away from it. "Besides," Mina had said, "its eyes were all wrong." They did catch their train, though, and found their seats. Serena and Mina let Luna and Artemis out of their carriers. Neither looked pleased to have been cooped up, but their moods improved during the ride, until Al arrived. "Sam, Raye's still not telling me anything," Al said. "She is one of the most stubborn people I've met." Sam nodded an acknowledgement. Being a later train (Mina expected Serena to be late) there weren't many passengers on board. There were a few late commuters, a young couple lost in each other's eyes, and a group of kids with a radio. Serena giggled occasionally as she read comics. "In other news," the radio announcer droned, "five girls have been found within the past twenty-four hours in a village outside Tokyo, the apparent victims of a series of random attacks. Hospital officials in a press release have said that the only result of the attack is that all five girls are comatose. Police off-" The kids turned the radio off as a conductor entered the car. "That's it!" Sam exclaimed. "Huh? What do you mean Raye?" Serena asked. "Yeah, those parasites weren't playing their radio that loud," Mina said. "You think those attacks are related, Sam?" Al asked. Sam stood up and walked over to a businessman. "Excuse me, but may I borrow your newspaper?" Without waiting for a reply, Sam took the paper and scanned through it. He quickly found what he was looking for, an article about the mysterious attacks. The paper was an afternoon edition, so it only had three teens having been attacked. The article also had photos of the victims. Sam gasped. "I'll be right back," he said to the businessman. Sam ran to the head. "Not again, Sam," Al complained. "There's not enough room for one person, let alone two." Al followed, walking through the wall. Luna slipped inside before Sam could shut the door. "What have you found, Sam?" Luna asked. Sam held open the paper so that Al could see it. "Do these three people remind you of anyone?" "Someone's hunting Lita," Al stated. "But these girls aren't mauled." "What do we do now?" Luna asked. "Turn around and go home," Al suggested. Sam checked his watch. "It may be too late for that. The last train back to Tokyo will leave before we get to the village. The next one will be six hours after that. I should tell Lita what's happening." "No, Sam," Luna said. "She'll only go looking for this assailant." "I just can't let her not know someone may be after her." "Wait until we get to the campsite, then." "If you're sure about this, Luna," Sam said doubtfully. "Lita can handle herself, Sam," Luna said. "I've seen it myself." Sam flushed the toilet, then returned to the car. He gave the paper back to the businessman, thanking him. Sam returned to his seat. He listened to the girls chat about different things. Serena missed her boyfriend Darien, especially the way he called her "Meatball Head". Sam chuckled at the apt description, which annoyed Serena. The train soon pulled into the village. The girls and Sam left the train and rented some bicycles. With Luna in Serena's basket and Artemis around Mina's neck, they pedalled out of the village and into the countryside. The fields were starting to turn a lush verdant green. After a few hours of cycling, Serena started complaining about the distance. The other girls used this as a means of telling how far they were and picked a campsite near a thicket of woods. Sam helped Mina and Serena with the tents while Amy and Lita looked for firewood. Luna stretched out on the ground and napped while Artemis amused himself by watching a cricket. The tents were soon raised and the firewood gathered. The girls giggled when Mina suggested that Raye start the fire. Sam knew he was missing the in-joke, but found a book of matches and lit the firewood. Lita decided that she would do the cooking during the trip and started making dinner. --- 2bc Next: Transformations -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 5: Transformations The cloaked figure was stalking his sixth victim. He stopped abruptly and ducked into the shadows. His real target was near-by, he could feel it. The girl he was following continued walking, oblivious to the danger she was in. The cloaked figure leapt over the buildings. The girl shuddered as his shadow passed over her. -**- After dinner, the girls and Sam quickly washed their mess kits, then sat around the fire. Ami was reading a book, Serena was combing out her pigtails. Lita was looking over the food, trying to decide what to make for breakfast. Mina was stroking Artemis. Sam was still trying to find a way to warn Lita without having to explain how he knew she was being stalked. "Amy? What are you reading?" Serena asked. "Just some light reading," Amy answered defensively. "Can I see?" "You wouldn't like it, Serena." "Yeah, if it doesn't have pictures, she won't read it," Lita interjected with a laugh. "I *do* read," Serena retorted. "Let me see, Amy." She grabbed Amy's book and flipped through it. "Amy!" Serena said, exasperated. "This is a biology book. We're supposed to be relaxing." "I find biology relaxing," Amy said, trying to defend herself. "You're not getting this back until we go home." "Serena, I need that book. I want to be ready for exams." Amy tried grabbing the book back, but Serena pulled it out of reach. "You'll have to catch me first!" "Raye, can you do a fire-reading for us?" Mina asked, trying to ignore Serena. "Good idea, Mina," Lita said. "It certainly is, isn't it, Raye?" Luna said. "You could tell us what will happen this weekend." Sam didn't know if he should be grateful or insulted that Luna suggested the idea. "I'll need some time to prepare myself," he said. Sam knelt down in front of the fire in what he hoped was the right position. Waiting until Serena was sitting, he bowed his head. "Oh Great Fire," he intoned, "tell us what will happen this weekend." He raised his head and stared intently into the fire. The flames flickered. Sam thought he saw a fleeting image of him fighting someone in a cloak, but dismissed it as a trick of the light. "We must take great care," Sam said. "An accident could befall one of us. We should stick close to each other." Sam let out his breath and relaxed. "That was, er, different," Mina said. "I'll say," Lita agreed. "I'll go get more firewood, the fire's starting to die." She ran off towards the thicket. "Lita, wait!" Sam called. He tried to get up to go after her. "Raye, what's wrong with you?" Serena asked. "You haven't yelled at me once, even when I read your comics." "What?" "I read your comics." "Not now Serena." "You saw something else in the fire, didn't you?" Amy asked. "No- yes!" Sam corrected himself. "What did you see, Raye?" Serena asked. Sam's answer was interrupted by a yell from within the thicket. All heads turned towards the woods. "Oh, no, I'm too late." "No, you're not," Luna said. "Girls, quickly transform!" "Right!" Mina, Serena, and Amy said in unison. Mina and Amy produced pens and held them high. "Venus Star Power!" "Mercury Star Power!" Coloured lights surrounded Mina and Amy, obscuring them from Sam. The lights triggered Sam's memory about his last visit. When the lights cleared, two girls wearing sailor-like uniforms, one orange and one blue, with matching mini-skirts were standing where Amy and Mina were. They looked at Sam expectantly. His memory cleared a little, and he remembered what he did last time. He thrust his hand into the air and said: "Moon Prism Power!" Nothing happened. Serena, and the sailor suited girls stared at him, eyes wise. "That's my line," Serena said flatly. "And it's now: Moon Crystal Power!" The coloured lights fell over Serena. When they lifted, Sam saw a girl wearing a similar outfit to the other two. "I am Sailor Moon!" the girl announced. She walked over to Sam. "Okay, Raye, what's going on?" "I'll explain later," Luna interrupted. You and Sailor Venus go help Lita. Sailor Mercury, I'll need your help here." Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus, who was in the orange sailor-suit, ran into the woods. Sailor Mercury looked over Sam. "What do you need my help with, Luna?" she asked. "It's time to come clean, Sam," Luna said. "Sam? Who's Sam?" "I am," Sam admitted. "Use your VR visor," Luna suggested. Sailor Mercury touched one of her earrings. A blue visor formed from her tiara. She pulled out a small calculator, then stared intently at Sam. Sailor Mercury let out a gasp. "This isn't Raye," she said. "Who is he, Luna?" "I am Sam Beckett, a time traveller," Sam answered for the cat. "I'm here to help Lita, but it looks like I didn't do too great a job." "But why Raye?" "Who knows?" "There may still be time, Sam," Luna said. "You were able to transform once before." "Before?" Mercury was puzzled. "Long story, even if I could remember," Sam explained. "Wait. I think I do remember a bit about the last time. I was drained of energy first, then I was able to change." "But how can we drain your energy?" Luna asked. "The same way those girls were," Mercury answered. "Are you up to it, Dr. Beckett?" -**- Al paced outside the waiting room. He was waiting for Ziggy to track down the the other time traveller. The computer was having difficulties with the trace, which was unusual for her. "Ziggy, how much longer?" Al asked, his patience at an end. "I have discovered the reason for the difficulty, Admiral Calavicci," Ziggy announced. "The other traveller has a same temporal signature as Dr. Beckett. Dr. Beckett's presence is causing some interference." "I'd love to be able to bring Sam back to end the interference, Ziggy, but can you ignore Dr. Beckett's signature?" "I am unable to do so, Admiral. However, the interference grew as Dr. Beckett and the other traveller got closer." "How much interference is there now?" "Dr. Beckett's signature is close to drowning out the other traveller's." "Ziggy, I have to see Sam. Now." --- 2bc Next: Revelations -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 6: Revelations Raye sat up straight, interrupting her meditation. Something was wrong, not where she was but where she was supposed to be. She wished she could do a fire reading, but the computer wouldn't allow one. Raye returned to her meditation, reaching out to find the source of the trouble. -**- The cloaked figure finally found his real target. The girl had been looking for dead branches in the woods when he came across her. He tried sneaking up on her, but a twig gave him away just as he two steps from her. The girl whirled around, arm extended, and dealt him a jarring blow. The figure was knocked flying to the ground. He stood up, letting the cloak fall away from his head, and smiled evilly. The girl produced a pen and held it in the air. "Jupiter Star Power!" she called. The figure chuckled. "Good. I do have the right one. Prepare to die." -**- Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus ran through the woods, trying to find their missing friend. A bolt of lightning lit the thicket. "Over there," Venus said, pointing in the direction the bolt originated. Both Scouts dashed through the woods, hoping they would be in time to help Jupiter. -**- Sailor Mercury lead Sam and Luna to the thicket. Mercury used her visor to try to locate Sailor Jupiter and the others. Mercury yelped as Al stepped into the Imaging Chamber in front of her. She stopped in time to avoid running into the hologram. Mercury stepped back, her arms raised defensively. "Sam, she can see me," Al said, surprised. "It's her visor, Al," Sam explained. "Don't worry about him, A-, er Sailor Mercury. He's my friend. Al, have you found out anything more?" "Ziggy has. She can't locate the other traveller because you're causing interference with Ziggy's trace." "Does she know why?" "She's working on it as we speak. Where's Lita?" "Excuse me," Mercury interrupted, "but I can't hear him." "Al said that he can't find someone, another time traveller," Luna explained. "Maybe your visor can help." "If we knew what to look for, maybe," Sam said. Al smacked the handlink. "Here's Ziggy's best explanation, Sam. The reason you're causing the interference is because the signal is almost identical to yours." "How? I thought I was the only Leaper." "There is one other, but she has her own signature. No, Sam, this person is almost identical to you." "So we can use you as a model, Sam," Luna said. "Mercury, scan Sam with your computer, then look for the other traveller." "Right." Mercury did as Luna said. She turned through a half circle, keeping Sam behind her. She slowly narrowed her search to a slim slice, then looked up. "The traveller is over there," Mercury said, pointing. There was a burst of lightning from that direction. -**- When Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus finally found Sailor Jupiter, they saw her fighting a tall man with sandy hair with a grey streak. Sailor Jupiter reached back with her right hand, a ball of lightning forming in it. "Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!" she yelled. She threw the ball of lightning at the man. He easily dodged the bolt. The lightning flew towards Moon and Venus. The two Scouts dove aside, Venus landing gracefully, Moon stumbling over a tree root. "Watch where you throw those things," Sailor Moon whined. "Thanks for coming, guys," Jupiter said. "I could use the help." "They will be the next to die after you," the man sneered. "I am Sailor Moon!" Moon announced. "You have harmed innocent girls and I cannot let that continue. In the name of the Moon, I shall right wrongs and triumph over evil. You are moon dust." "Venus Love-Chain Encircle!" Venus intoned. A chain of hearts flew from her hands and wrapped around their foe. He leapt in the air before the chair could tighten, and extended his leg, aiming to kick Venus. Sailor Moon pushed Venus out of the way before the blow could land. -**- Darien looked at the carving. He had travelled out of the city to find a small flea market to find a special gift for Serena. She was having difficulties keeping up with her studies, and Darien thought he should get something for her to take her mind off the upcoming exams. It was obvious that the carving's creator had spent a great deal of effort on the tiny rabbit. Darien knew Serena would love it. He reached for his wallet to pay the market stall's owner. Darien felt a twinge for through him. Serena was in trouble, and she wasn't that far away. Pocketing the rabbit and his change, he ran out and leapt on his motorcycle. Gunning the engine, he roared down the road. Hitting a speedbump, the bike flew into the air. Sun glinted from the windscreen. When the motorcycle landed, Tuxedo Mask bent over the handlebars urging all the speed he could from it. The bike thundered down the road, Tuxedo Mask's cape fluttering in the wake of his passing. -**- Raye concentrated. The person she wanted to reach was so far removed from her that she was barely able to reach his mind. She seldom tried performing this stunt because it was so difficult to begin with. Trying to reach someone that you knew was difficult enough; reaching a complete stranger in a different time was almost impossible. She hoped that the link between her and this Dr. Beckett that was being her was strong enough. "Dr. Beckett," she whispered. -**- Sam, Luna, Sailor Mercury, and Al arrived at the battleground. Trees that weren't burning had deep gouges in their trunks. Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, and Sailor Jupiter were all fighting a man wearing a long cloak. His back was towards the new arrivals, but he sensed their approach. The man leapt straight up an easy ten metres and landed behind the newcomers. They turned all around. Al swore and Sam gasped when they saw the man's face. Lita's would-be killer looked like Sam. "Raye, what are you doing here like this," Sailor Moon said. "Raye! Get down!" Sailor Venus warned. Sam dropped down. He heard Venus and Jupiter start their attacks. "Jupiter Thunderclap..." "Venus Love Chain..." Then in unison with each other: "Zap!" "Encircle!" The two attacks merged to become a long chain of lightning that fell across the killer. He screamed with pain as the chain lighting played along his body, but the only damage that could be seen was on his cloak. "Luna, we can't hurt this guy," Sailor Moon said. 'Dr. Beckett.' Sam looked around as he heard another voice. He couldn't find the source. 'Dr. Beckett. Please hear me. You must touch your double. All will be revealed.' The voice faded out. Sam stood up. His double was making his way through the Scouts towards Jupiter. Sam ran up to his double and launched into a flying kick. He hit the small of his double's back. There was a burst of energy sending both Sam and the killer flying in opposite directions. Sam landed on his back, his wind knocked out of him. The killer was trying to pick himself off the ground. Sam saw his double's face. Much of the skin had melted off, revealing a plastic mask underneath. The killer howled. "I'll never get back now! You will pay for this, foolish girl." He turned and stopped dead when he saw Sam in Raye's clothes. "Sam, he's not real," Al said, finally having found his voice. "Ziggy thinks this may be a clone of some type. "Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!" Jupiter yelled, as she threw another ball of lightning. This time, the killer could not dodge in time. The lightning hit him solidly, sending him back into a tree. Her foe laughed. "I was prepared for this, Sailor Brat," the killer said. "Your powers are useless against me." "He's right," Sailor Mercury said. "I just scanned him. He's immune to all of our abilities." "What do we do?" Venus asked. "Try to keep Jupiter away from him," Sam said. "I may have an idea." "Sam, what are you talking about?" Al asked. "You think you can defeat this nozzle when these girls can't?" The Sailor Scouts leapt between Sailor Jupiter and the killer. The girls dodged blow after blow the killer tried to land. Jupiter kept backing away slowly from the melee. She couldn't let her friends be hurt because of her, but she couldn't let the killer get close to her either. The killer finally landed a punch, sending Sailor Moon flying into Sailor Mercury. The two girls fell in a pile. Sailor Venus launched into a flying kick, but was swatted away like a mosquito. The killer grinned nastily. Sam came running up behind the killer. He heard a small engine, its whining growing louder as it approached. Sam tackled the killer sending both men into a roll. The killer was the first on his feet. With Sam on his knees, the killer raised his hand to deliver a mighty backhand. Sam braced himself for the blow. It never came. A streak of red flew past, striking the killer's upraised hand. The killer cried out in pain. Sam saw a rose stuck in a nearby tree. Looking around, he saw a young man wearing a formal tuxedo, a top hat, a cape flowing in the breeze, and a mask. Sam looked at Al, who just shrugged. "Tuxedo Mask, you came," Sailor Moon groaned. Sam took advantage of the killer's distraction. He stood up and delivered a vicious crescent kick that rattled the killer's jaw. Al shouted encouragement from the sidelines. Sam kicked the killer again, knocking him down. "Raye! Stand back!" Sailor Moon yelled. Sam stepped back. Moon had a long sceptre topped with a crown-shaped orb in her hands. She spun around, holding the sceptre out. "Moon..." She swung the sceptre over her head. "Sceptre..." Sailor Moon then held the sceptre out in front of her. "Elimination!" A flurry of lights shaped like crescent moons erupted from the sceptre and engulfed the prone killer. The killer shrieked in agony, then dissolved into dust. "Sam! You did it!" Al exclaimed. "Lita survives and goes to school on Monday. Her friends are slightly bruised, but they claim it was a camping accident." Sam waited for the familiar blue light to wash over him. After a few minutes of waiting, he asked, "Al, why am I still here?" --- 2bc Next: Leap Already -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats Leap in the Morning, Sailors Take Warning Part 7: Leap Already The Sailor Scouts lead the way back to the campsite, with Sam, Al, the cats, and Tuxedo Mask following them. Gathering around the almost burnt-out fire, the Scouts all turned and looked at Sam. "Okay, Raye, what's the deal?" Sailor Moon asked. "Why didn't you transform? And how come you tried to use *my* line?' "Raye can't say, Sailor Moon," Luna answered for Sam. "It's much too complicated and there isn't enough time." "Sam, I'm getting some information from Ziggy," Al said. "She knows why you haven't Leapt, but she won't tell me." "I think I know why," Sam said. The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask looked puzzled. "Could someone tell me what's going on?" Tuxedo Mask said. "Someone sent back an artificial clone of me," Sam explained. "When I touched him, there was an energy discharge, draining him instead of me." "When that happened, all his defenses were weakened," Sailor Mercury continued. "The reason none of us could hurt him was because whoever sent the clone back expected us to use our powers. They didn't expect Raye to actually touch him." "Close enough, Sam," Al said to the Leaper. "It was your connection that triggered the energy. That still doesn't tell me why your still here." Turning around, Sam whispered to Al, "I think I know." Sam turned again to face the rest of the group. "I think I'm going to turn in soon, it's been a busy day. May I speak with you, Sailor Mercury? Alone?" "What can Raye say to Amy that we can't here?" Sailor Moon demanded. "I'm sure she has her reasons, right Raye?" Luna said. Sam lead Sailor Mercury and the two cats behind the tent. After shooing away Sailor Moon when she tried to eavesdrop, Sam crouched down beside Mercury. Al hovered over them, while Luna and Artemis sat between them. "There's something else you have to do," Sam said to Sailor Mercury. "Not now, but when the time comes. There is a project in the States that will be starting up in a few years. This project is investigating travelling through time. That's what the clone used to come here. Al? Make sure that Ziggy hears this too." "Sam, I don't like where this is going," Al said. "There's no other way, Al." Sam looked into Sailor Mercury's eyes. "When the time comes, you will have to destroy Ziggy. Ziggy will let you know where to look and you'll know when. I hope that I've returned home by then." "Dr. Beckett, you can't --" "Sam!" Sailor Mercury and Al protested at the same time. Sam held a hand up to end the protests. "I don't know when," Sam said. "Give me enough time to get home, but if you need to destroy Ziggy before then, don't hesitate." "I don't know, Dr. Beckett," Mercury started. "Promise me." "I... I... I promise." A blue light washed over Sam. In an instant, Raye had returned to her own body. She looked around. "Mercury!" Raye exclaimed. "What happened? It felt like a weird dream." -**- [New Mexico, 1000 Years into the Future] The Lord waited anxiously by the portal. His creation should have returned by now. Those Scouts were getting dangerously close. The portal snapped shut. "There he is!" a voice called out. The Lord cursed. The Scouts found him. He looked around for an escape route. Too late. A Scout dressed in a green fuku with pink ribbons crashed into the room. "Found him!" Sailor Jupiter called. The other three Scouts soon joined her, followed by Queen Serenity. "Queen Serenity," Sailor Mercury started, "you really should not have come." "If this is where one of my friends is being threatened, then here is where I should be," Serenity answered. "Besides, all of you are here with me." "You're too late!" Topazius sneered. "The Wiseman's plan is flawless. Crystal Tokyo will be ours!" "You are mistaken," Serenity said. "The Wiseman and the Black Lady have been stopped. There is nothing you can do." "I've stopped you before," Jupiter warned. "Give up now, before you get hurt." Topazius raised his hand and held it extended in front of him. The Scouts quickly moved between him and Queen Serenity. Topazius released a blast of energy, driving the Scouts back. "That the best you can do?" Jupiter said. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" Sailor Jupiter spun around, gathering energy that was released in several glowing balls. The energy balls all flew unerringly and struck Topazius, sending him flying against the wall. Topazius slowly collapsed prone on the floor. "No!" Topazius whispered. "This can't be. I was so close. So close..." Topazius's trailed off, his head falling to the floor. Sailor Mercury looked around. "I remember this place," she said. "I worked here one summer." She unconsciously rubber her leg, as a phantom pain struck it. Sailor Mars joined Mercury. "I think I've been here before, too. I don't remember this, though." "This place does feel familiar," Queen Serenity said. "I cannot remember why I was here, though." "I don't remember ever being here," Jupiter remarked. "Do you, Venus?" "Nope, not at all," Venus answered. "So how did you get the invites?" "I can't remember," Mars said. "It was a long time ago, I can't remember why I was here at all." "We really should get back," Serenity said. "Rini and Darien will get worried if we're gone for much longer." "Wait," Mercury said. "There's something I must do first." She walked to the middle of the room. "Ziggy? Are you still here?" "Yes, I am, Doctor Anderson." Ziggy's voice came from everywhere in the room. "I have been waiting for you." "I'm sorry for making you wait, Ziggy. You know what I must do?" "Yes, Doctor Anderson. I am ready." Mercury attached her mini-computer to a port and typed in several commands. After typing the final command, she hesitated. "Good-bye, Ziggy," she whispered. "Good-bye, Doctor Anderson." Mercury executed her last command. The smell of burnt insulation filled the room as the lights dimmed and finally went out. Mercury blinked back a tear. "Are you going to be alright, Mercury?" Serenity asked. "Would you like to talk about what happened?" "I will, my Queen," Mercury answered. "In Time." Epilogue Sailor Pluto walked into Al's Bar. There were several patrons sitting, having a drink or just watching the others. Al was behind the bar, wiping out a stein. He waved Pluto over. "Setsuna," Al greeted. "All is well?" "Crystal Tokyo is safe," Pluto answered. "Mercury told me what happened." "Good, good. I told you I knew someone. Don't worry about Mercury's leg. What she's feeling are echoes from what could have been. The pains won't last much longer." "Mercury also told me about Sam and the backup she made of Ziggy. Did Dr. Beckett ever return home?" "He's where he has always wanted to be." -- Scott Delahunt | "Never mind their Achilles' heel, have you cn236@freenet.carleton.ca | discovered their weakness yet?" | - Gerry Atric, "Candid Kitty", Samurai Pizza Cats