Enter Star Navigators 

Chapter 14
On Dragon's Wings

        It was Tuesday evening, and Elwing was puttering about in the
kitchen
and singing to herself.
        "Pleased about something, Claire?" her mother asked as she walked
in,
"It wouldn't have anything to do with that math tutor' of yours, would
it?"
        "Oh Mom, must you always insinuate?  In fact, I am pleased because
my
math mark has improved, so, in a way, it does have to do with my math
tutor, but I don't think that's what you meant."  Just then, the timer
on the oven buzzed.  "Anyway, I have to get the last batch of cookies
out of the oven, then go over there for my weekly tutoring session." 
Elwing said as she bustled about getting things ready.  She packed a
dozen chocolate chip cookies into a cookie tin and grabbed her bookbag. 
"Bye Mom, I have to go now, or I'll miss the bus!" she called back. 
"Whew, that was close!" she said after she closed the door.  She quickly
got out of sight and teleported to Treyor's apartment.  "I come bearing
baked goods!" she called as she arrived.
        "C'mon in, th door's open" Treyor told her.
        Elwing opened the door slowly, cookies held behind her,
anticipating
that this was probably some kind of practical joke.  "Where are you?"
she called out.
        "Right behind ye." Treyor said, grabbed the tin of cookies, put
them
out of harm's way, and gave her a big hug from behind.
        "Elwing leaned her head back and looked at him.  "No fair!' she
complained good-naturedly, "I can't sneak up on you, so why should you
be allowed to sneak up on me, huh?"
        "B'cause I c'n do it so well." he smiled at her, "And b'cause I so
enjoy surprising ye."
        Elwing sighed and leaned back into his embrace.  "I am rather
easier to
surprise than most, I admit." she said.
        "Th' cookies re fresh, I hope." Treyor joked.
        "You insult my honour, Sir!" Elwing said, turning around to face
her
love, "Would I bring you anything but fresh cookies?"
        "I beg y'r pardon, Lady, and hope me comment didn'a offend."
        Elwing smiled beatifically.  "You are forgiven, of course," she
said,
and kissed Treyor on the nose, "but if you don't eat them soon, they
won't be warm."
        "We wouldn'a want that te happen!" Treyor exclaimed.
        
        Comgan, Catrina and Ailine were walking together downtown, deep in
discussion.  The object of their discussion, however, was nothing to do
with the Negaverse.  They were trying to figure out a way of convincing
Triese and Artan that each one's love for the other was indeed
reciprocated.  Simply telling them wouldn't work.  They had already
tried this, but each was so convinced that the ohter saw them only as a
friend, that this tactic went absolutely nowhere.
        "What about Peggy's dream?" Catrina asked, "It was so obviously
about
them.  Maybe we could mention it?"
        "To vauge," comgan shook his head, "I know my brother, and he's
going
to need evidence more persuasive than that."
        "Triese is the same way." Ailine sighed, "She's so convinced of
what
she thinks that I despair of ever getting her to see the truth."
        "And odly enough, neither of them is bold enough to approach the
other." Catrina said.
        "They do seem to be getting a bit closer to realiziing the truth
lately," Comgan said, "but at the pace they're going, it'll be years
before one of them actually comes out and says anything substantial."
        "Maybe we could speed the process up." suggested Ailine
        "And how do you propose we do that?" Catrina asked.
        "Simple.  Make sure they spend as much time together alone as we
can
possibly contrive for them."
        "Hmm..." mused Comgan, "You know, that might actually work.  So,
how
are we going to do it?"

        The two objects of their discussion were actually together, on
another
slightly awkward walk in the park, and, for lack of any other safe
subject which hadn't been discussed to death, Artan was explaning the
Rules of Priority in fencing to Triese.  "...So, you see, if you were to
lunge at me when I had already declared attack by straightening my arm
to feint, without first parrying my attack, it would be my point even if
you hit me first." he said.  Triese just nodded, admittedly a little
lost.  Artan realized she was getting mired down, and elected to just
walk in silence with her for awhile.  She's so wonderful!' he thought
to himself, Strong, patient, contained.  She's far too good for me! 
Not to mention the fact that she only thinks of me as a comrade.  All
the same, I wish I could "trammel up the courage" as my brother always
says, and tell her how I feel.'
        It's so easy just to be in his company.' Triese thought, Although
it
would be wonderful if it were something more.  Still, I wouldn't want to
loose what I do have of him by pushing and letting him know I have
feelings which go beyond the mere friendship he hold for me.'
        They continued to walk on in silence, watching the beauty of the
sunset
over the water.

        Tair was nearby, also in Beacon Hill park.  "Too bad, no Casey here
today." he said, "she must be at school or work or something.  What a
shame, she's so fun to bug!"  He walked on, keeping half an eye open all
the time for a girl with long greenish-black hair.

        In her room in UVic's Emily Carr residence, Brenna was moping.  "No
Thuban.  I just can't bring myself to accept it.  Of course, Artemis did
think that perhaps he just hadn't woken to his true destiny yet.  Well,
I've never been one to simply wait around for things to simply drop in
my lap; I'll find him myself.  I should be able to do that, considering
what I remember."

        Looking at the scene in a viewing globe, Sailor Pluto sighed.  "It
looks like I have to have a little talk with her."

        In the cramped confines of Brenna's res room, a door surrounded by
mist
appeared and opened.  "Oh, hello Sailor Pluto." Brenna said, looking up
with a smile on her face, "Is something wrong?"
        "Yes.  What's wrong is that you remember things you shouldn't yet.
In
the wrong hands, your knowledge could be dangerous to our cause."
        "I see.  So you want to change things so that I can no longer
remember
facts which were supposed to be blocked by the Empyrium Silver Crystal."
Brenna looked sad now.
        "Not necessarily." Sailor Pluto corrected, "We may be able to come
to
an agreement.  First, do you remember the names of any more additional
Star Navigators besides Sailor Thuban?"
        Brenna thought about it.  "No, as a matter of fact, I don't.  I
remember that there were three more, in addition to those who are awake,
and Sailor Thuban." she answered.
        "Good.  Well, that being the case..."
        "You'll let me keep the memories?"
        "Provided that you don't tell the others anything they don't
already
know, and you leet me put a spell on you which would wipe your memory of
any unexpected information if you are captured." Sailor Pluto listed the
conditions.
        "That sounds to me to be a fair compromise.  I would not wish to
jeopardise the safety of those not yet awake top their destiny and
helpless without knowledge of how to defend themselves against enemies
of the Negaverse through my own selfishness." Brenna agreed.
        Sailor Pluto waved her Time Staff over Brenna's head.  "It is
done."
she said.  The Door of Time opened again, and Sailor Pluto turned to
go.  "It was good to talk to you again." she said over her shoulder to
Brenna as she walked through the door.
        "And also to you." Brenna said as she faded out of sight.  "But I'
m still looking for Sailor Thuban!" she said with a toss of her
turquoise curls.

        Casey made it home from Beacon Hill Park just as the sun set.
"Thank
the Goddess I made it through the day without running into that annoying
boy again!" she said devoutly, "I mean, could anyone be more pushy? 
Then again, I wasn't exactly on my best behaviour either, and he was
polite at first.  Well, I'll try an experiment.  The next time I see
him, I'll be civil and polite, and we'll see if his attitude changes."  
        As she got to the door of her apartment, she saw that the peephole
had
a little line of charcoal around it.  From this she knew that her friend
Aidan, who shared rent on the apartment with her, was in.   She undid
her locking spell; better than a deadbolt!' she thought; and locked it
again behind her.
        "Aidan," she called out, "what is it this time?"
        "My dad was being unreasonable again." Aidan answered, "he kept
going
on about this or that daughter of friends who he could set me up with,
when he knows perfectly well I'm not interested."
        "I know, I know.  Come out here so I don't have to yell myself
hoarse. 
Did you make dinner?"
        "And what else did you think I'd be doing in the kitchen?" he said
as
he emerged from down the hall.  
        Aidan was a tall, thin young man, with dark auburn hair and
startling
blue eyes.  Because of his appearance and his standoffishness, he had a
tendency to attract crushes, in whom he had no interest whatsoever. 
Although he was definitely straight' he appalled his father by refusing
to even consider dating.  His father thought that the reason for this
was that he had lost his mother at the age of three, but that wasn't it
at all.  The reason was that he simply hadn't found anyone who got
behind his disbelieving mask.  Except for Casey who, for some reason,
had become a great friend and nothing more.  Not that either of them had
ever wanted it to, but their families did consider them a bit of an
oddity.  They were used to this, though.
        "So, how was your day?" he asked.
        "I went over to beacon hill park again."
        "Any particular reason?"
        "I didn't figure it out until I got back to the apartment, but I
was
kindof looking for that poor guy I snapped at the other day.  I thought
about it, and really, I was at fault for the whole incident.   Maybe if
I had been civil, I might have made a friend, instead of giving him a
rather forceful brushoff."
        "Well, don't brood on it.  After all, I'm sure you'll run into him
again.  Speaking of meetings, I have an appointment tomorrow with a girl
taking Linguistics.  She's supposed to help me with my grammar.  Why a
science student..."
        "Yes, yes, I know: Why a science student has to take English Comp.
I'll never know.'  I've heard it all before Aidan, and you do know why."
        "Yes, Mother." Aidan teased her, "Now let's go eat, before my
wonderful
concoction gets cold!"

        The next morning, bright and early, Brenna set out to explore the
university for clues to the location of the as-yet-sleeping sailor
Thuban.  She tried to take the most comprehensive route possible, as she
had an appointment around eleven o-clock tutoring some poor sod in
grammar.  After two hours of fruitless searching through the physics and
math departments, she had to head to her tutoring office.  "If it could
have been any day, why did it have to be the day I resolve to find my
love?  Ah well, what's done is done, and I have never been one to renege
on my duties."
        She got to her office a couple of minutes early, so she had just
about
enough time to get things in order when there came a knock on the door. 
"Come in." she called, still busy putting the last few books away, "the
door's not locked.  You must be Aidan.  I'm Brenna, and you're here for
tutoring in English grammar, am I correct?"
        "Yes, that's me." answered Aidan.
        "Just have a seat, I'll be with you as soon as I finish getting the
right books...out...  No, it couldn't be!" she exclaimed as she caught a
glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, then turned around to look
directly at him, and confirm what she subconsciously already knew must
be true.  There in front of her was the very person she had been
searching for; the not-yet-awakened Sailor Thuban, Aidan Ruadragan.
        "Is something wrong?" Aidan asked her.  
        "No, nothing at all." Brenna smiled, "just that I'm sure I know you
from somewhere."
        Funny, I was thinking I knew her from somewhere too.  I think I'd
remember her, though, after all, how many girls have dark turquoise
curls halfway down their back?' thought Aidan, to Brenna he said, "It's
entirely possible, though I doubt I would have forgotten you."
        "Well, I suppose we ought to get going on the grammar work." Brenna
suggested.  "Reyltain, I suggest you get over here now, I've identified
Sailor Thuban." she called, "stay hidden when you arrive, I don't want
to startle him."
        "You're sure of this?" Reyltain whispered from beneath her desk
where
he had warped in.
        "Positive" she answered.
        Alright then, here goes."  Reyltain walked out from under the
desk. 
"Hello Aidan, I'm Reyltain." he introduced himself, "I have something
for you."  He did a backflip and caught a yellow-orange powerstick with
a red flame inside a crescent moon and dropped it on the desk.
        "That cat just talked, didn't it?" Aidan said to Brenna, "I didn't
believe it was a real cat at first, but advanced as robots are, none
could do a backflip like that."
        "Do you mind not talking about me as though I wasn't here?"
Reyltain
interjected.
        "Uh, sorry." apologized Aidan.
        "So, are you going to take your powerstick?" Brenna asked him.
        "My what?"
        "Your powerstick.  The wand which Reyltain recovered for you."
        "Oh, that thing.  What am I supposed to do with it?"
        "You'll never believe me if I tell you, I know you too well for
that. 
I'll show you instead."  Brenna pulled her transformation wand out of a
space pocket and held it up.  "Anteres Navigator Power!" she shouted.  
        Aidan was stunned as he watched her transform into Sailor Anteres. 
Just as she finished her transformation, she got suddenly very weak, and
had to hold onto the desktop to keep upright.  Aidan rushed to her
side.  "Are you alright?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.
        "I'll be fine in a moment.  The weakness is a result of something
which
happened to me when I discovered my true identity.  The details are not
important right now, what is important is that you transform."
        "How do I do that?"
        "Simply do as Brenna did, except shout Thuban Navigator Power'
instead" Reyltain told him.
        "Thuban Navigator Power!"  Aidan shouted.  Little gouts of flame
spurted out of his powerstick, landing in a circle on the floor, then
travelling upwards, burning off his cloths and leaving behind a red
sailor suit with yellow-orange bows.  One last spark travelled to his
forehead, where it became a silver fillet with a fire opal flame
sparkling above his eyes.  "Brenna?" he said, slowly and carefully, "Are
you alright now?"
        "Ever so much better." Brenna grinned.
        "Thanks for caring enough to wake me back up."
        "I couldn't live without you once I remembered you." she admitted.
        "You'll never have to again." he said, and they embraced tightly,
both
seeming to hang on for dear life, unwilling to ever let go.

FIN


