Pyramids of Ice
chapter 4
Guardians of the Millennium
by Alina
alinasan@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/2924--
previews, pics, and reading suggestions await you there.
AN:
1. A very long chapter.
2. OK, now that the big twist is over,
I hope the resolution proves entertaining.

A theme for Amy (and Zoycite:)

"Plenty" by Sarah Machlachlan

I used to think my life was often empty
a lonely space to fill
you hurt me more than I ever would have imagined
you made my world stand still

and in that stillness there was a freedom
I never felt before
*****************************************
************
PAST:
*************
Zoycite surveyed the elite batch of
fighters which he commanded. Flying
took a lot of magic, and thus not
many warriors were assigned to his command.
They were a strike force, to hover and
assist the other three generals--Malachite
with the Army near the castle, Jaedite
with the cavalry near the water's edge, and
Neflite commanding the Royal Navy and sea
attacks. From his vantage point, he
could assist the tactical maneuverings
of the other generals.

Yet the scouts reports suggested Beryl
had somehow channelled a darker magical
force than they'd ever seen. Her
shields were incredible--they couldn't
attack her and could only wait for her
to move against them. They were trapped.

Malachite appeared then. "Zoycite, I've
considered your plan, and agree. We need
to send a spy to destroy Beryl's camp
from the inside."

Zoycite felt a twist of his emotions. He
was proud that his notion to pretend to
defect to Beryl's side so he could spy, or
get past her shields had been approved. Yet
he knew it was dangerous as well.

"When should I go?"He asked.
He'd volunteered himself, naturally.

"I'm going." Malachite said.

"Mal--" Zoycite put his hand on his General,
seeing the grim resignation etched there.
"No disrespect, but it was my idea...and you're
the High General..."

"As the High General, I should not subject
my men to more danger than I would myself
take...you will take over my command here..."
Malachite said. He knew Neflite would be
angered by that, but Zoycite was the better
tactical leader and he didn't have time for
silly ego games.

"No." Zoycite had never challenged an order
before, and Malachite's grey eyes fixed him
with surprise.

"What did you say?"

"High General, I know this mission could
mean death...I accept it. Send me."

"Zoy, A soldier lives to die for his King,
but this fate is worse."

"What do you mean, worse than death?"

"If Beryl activates the spell that binds us
to her, you may betray everything you believe.
You will be remembered a traitor, and you will
fight against everything for which you now
fight. Are you willing to risk that?" The
grey eyes held the green. They spoke now
not as general to general but as friends.

Almost glibly, Zoycite said "Yes, I am."

"That's why I'm going. I'm not." Malachite
said. "I don't intend to lose my honor. I must
go and prepare Endymion." He winked out.

Zoycite frowned....would Mal have changed
his mind if he'd seen what Zoycite had?
If he knew how little Endymion valued the
loyalty of his men? What if Beryl used
that fact to her advantage? Zoycite
frowned...technically, Mal had just
left him in charge...and as his first
official act, he was going to beat Mal
to Beryl. He would be able to resist
her better than Mal, he was sure of it.
He also would probably be better at
convincing her to back down--Mal was
not very good at discussing emotions.
He quickly dispatched a magical note
to Mal, and willed himself to where
Beryl was...as he predicted, the shields
opened wide and he stood before her, and
a swirling black mass of evil.

"So, Zoycite, you've come to join me,
have you?" She asked. "Behold Metallia,
and kneel before the power that will
rule the world!"

Zoycite had the same sinking feeling
he'd had when he'd realized he'd mistaken
the horse for the bishop while playing chess
with the Princess of Mercury.

*************************
Present
**************************
The sun had barely risen, sending pale
yawns of light across the balcony and into
the room where they gathered in the high rise
apartment.

Amy watched as Jaedite paced, stopping by the piano
"We need to get in there--but
they're waiting for us. So we need to
go in slowly, get more information.
I think, if Amy gets in and can wander
and analyze she'll quickly assess where
Lita is being held. Then she can use
a little trick of mine so I can ferry
us *into* the building and past security."

"How's she supposed to run around the building
figuring these things out? Won't someone
notice her?" Raye had argued.

"I don't think so. Not if I use an
illusion spell on her..." Jaedite smiled.
Practice had revived many of his old powers--and
training at the temple through its discipline
sharpened his focus. "That's my strength--control
of mind...If we get in there, I can help
Amy stay undetected until *we're* ready
to attack."

"So I use EZ to gain entrance...but won't
someone wonder why I don't leave, or wander around
scanning things?" She asked, seeking
holes in his outlined plan. "He'll wonder certainly.
If this place is as secure as they say, they'll be sure
to notice me...or can you control all their minds?"

"Actually, what I thought was you'd still meet EZ for lunch.
We'd switch you with one of the others, when you
activate my transport somewhere private. You and
I will stay hidden, while EZ and your cover leave--
hopefully keeping him out as long as possible so we
can use his office as a base inside their fortress..."

They'd already determined Lita couldn't
transform, having dropped her
transformation pen. In the small
backpack Amy carried, she held
the pen. The weight of it against
her body made her feel better somehow--
a link to Lita. Her computer was also stashed inside.
More importantly, she would lay
down the small set of clubs
that Jaedite had given her.

"I have trouble transporting places
if I"m not familiar with them.
That's why poor Nef, er Field here
got his clothing stuck inside
the couch. We don't want to
risk that."

Mina grinned as Amy headed off
to the tower. "Good thing
those bags are in style, cause
you look a little studious
even for you...but remember,
we'll hear if you need us."

"That's right, just signal,
and put my clubs down, and we'll
be there." Jaedite instructed.
"Are you sure you're ready?"

"We've faced worse before...I can
handle this everybody."Amy smiled
bravely. "I won't give up."

Serena turned to look at Field.

"How are you doing?"

He hadn't spoken a word, nor
slept at all since they'd
arrived at the Outer's apartment.
He kept waiting for Lita to appear..
But she didn't. As the night
wore on during the strategy session
he'd withdrawn more and more.

"Useless...She's in danger and I
can't do a thing..." He slowly
crushed the pastry he held in his
hand. "I thought she'd be back by now."
"Uh, if you're not going to
eat those--" Serena said, grabbing
the rest away..

"Lost my appetite...I hope this works."
He looked distrustfully at Amy's
slight figure...how could this little
girl succeed? Still he could see the glint
of determination in her eye--she wasn't
backing from the challenge.

Raye placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll have
Lita back in no time. We love her too..."

Mina grinned. "Yeah, Field,
in the blink of a pig's eye."

* * *
Despite her mental determination,
Amy's heart raced like a gazelle.
She stood outside the doors of the
Stanton Towers, waiting for EZ to emerge.

EZ passed through the security doors,
feeling nervous. Thoughts of Amy
made his heart spin a little, but the intense
security of his new job really pushed
his nerves. Was Sineheart paranoid, or
acting in response to the dangers of
the market? A thought flitted through
EZ's mind, a scene of a slick London
Street, nameless thugs grabbing his
briefcase. They'd almost taken all his research--his
thesis, everything he'd worked for
on his newest invention. Sometimes
he wondered if their attack on him
had been planned--a matter of industrial
espionage of sorts. Of course, he dismissed
that quickly--he would have been just another
statistic of crime rates...had it
not been for the strange blue and
white freak that had rescued him.
And almost destroyed his research.

He smiled, finally able to appreciate
the absurdity of that incident now that
he and his research were safe...perhaps
eventually, he would feel the same about
this meeting with Amy.

He breathed out releasing the
thought. As if the floor were
glass rather than highly polished
steel, he stepped carefully and alert.

This place made the hairs on the back of
his neck stand on edge. He relaxed
a bit when he finally saw her. She seemed
abnormally calm, yet her deep blue eyes darted
around piercing through everything.

"Looking for something in particular?"
He asked, realizing she hadn't noticed
him, or had but dismissed him. "Or will
I do?"

Her eyes met his, and she didn't
respond to his joke. "Are you ready
for the tour?"

"You're so business like! I thought
we'd have lunch first, if that's
ok." He wondered at their sudden
role reversal...So quickly he
was the one drawing *her* out. He supposed
that was inevitable--neither of them
were unflappably gregarious by nature.
Sooner or later, she had to withdraw back
into herself a little...he was disappointed
though...he'd somehow thought they...he
stifled the thought. Why did he think
they could share everything with each
other when they hadn't?

"I'd really. Oh, sure that's
fine but could I at least
see your office?" Mentally she thought, time
for phase two. They didn't want
to delay the search longer than
necessary, but she'd hoped he would
have taken her around first. She'd
just figure things out on her own.
"I brought you a "desk-warming gift."
She smiled, hoping he wouldn't notice
it was forced.

"You didn't have to do that!" He said,
his eyes warming with genuine happiness.
Perhaps her distraction was due to uneasiness
about ...did he dare think it? That she was
withdrawing because she was afraid of feeling
too much....if so, she'd mirrored his
own thoughts. How did he let her know he
felt the same? All he could do was continue
to treat her as just like Greg and stifle any
impulse to do otherwise.

He took out a card-key, and entered a code,
and led them back inside the complex.
Down a hall, past the receptionist desk,
he unlocked a door to a small room.
"It's not much--but it's mine." He grinned.
"So what did you get me?"

She turned and pulled the small object out.
The four clubs formed a frame around a picture
of Greg, Amy and EZ, as they stood at the
airport, taken by Mina.

"This is great..." He said looking at it.
He placed it on the barren desk.

"Could I use the lady's room?" She asked.
"I'll be right out." She smiled. She'd
hoped to get in closer, but this would
do for now. He led her down the hall.

He entered a code, and the door opened to
a single restroom. "This
is a *low security area*!" He commented,
waiting for her reaction--he noted that
oddly, she didn't even blink an eye.
"I'll wait out here."

She slid the door close, and took a second
to survey the small room. Carefully, as Jaedite
had shown her, she placed
the clubs in a square, and pushed
her communicator. "Phase two everyone,
I'm past the first layer of security."
She whispered into the device.

She stepped back, wishing the room were
larger--as it was Jaedite and Mina
barely had enough room to stand when
they teleported in.

"OUCH!" Mina said as she knocked against
Amy.

"SH...he'll hear. He's right outside."
Amy's jaw dropped as she realized Mina
looked exactly like a carbon copy of herself. She
found herself more than a little disconcerted by
the effect.

"Can't bear to leave you for a
second huh? You know absence makes the
heart go wander..." Mina said.
That shattered the illusion...
She wondered if Serena had
felt the same when Mina had played her...but
this disguise was perfect....except
for Mina's voice.

Jaedite grinned. "I told you-- illusions
are my specialty...puts your disguise pen
to shame, doesn't it?"

Amy nodded, still a little unnerved by
her doppelganger.

"Don't worry girl, he won't notice
a thing " Mina winked. "We'll pull
the rug right over his eyes."

Amy looked at Jaedite, and he shrugged
"Hey, I just do the make-up,
she has to do the acting."

Amy suppressed a groan. With a wink,
Mina turned and exited. She
smiled shyly at EZ.

"Sorry, I'm ready now." She said, her voice
soft rather than chirpy and bold. "You're
right, the technology displayed in the
bathrooms alone eclipses anything I'd
imagined. Perhaps after lunch
we could start with examining "

Jaedite met Amy's eyes, and visibly wiped
the sweat off his forehead. "I guess
the girl *can* act."

They could barely hear Mina-Amy's
voice saying over the communicator
"as it is I'm only two
chapters ahead. I suppose its just
as well you don't have too much
time today." The voice switched off.

Amy frowned, but didn't look too happy.
"I'm not *that* obsessed with--"

"Save it....She's telling us she
might not be able to stall him
very long. Let's get to work." Jaedite
said, as they glided down the hall.
Remembering the code she'd glimpsed seconds
before, Amy opened the door. Jaedite
took the picture, scanned EZ's face again,
and--his form blurred and shifted. Suddenly,
he *was* EZ.

Amy jumped a little at the change. "How do
you *do* that?"

"Magic...let's go on a little
tour, shall we?" He said, smiling
as he held up EZ's security tag which
Amy had lifted earlier.

The security chief sat in her chair,
idly watching the monitors of the main
hallways. The Boss himself had told
her to be on guard today. He looked
like he'd slept at the office again.
Eyes slightly weary, his hair rumpled
and hastily pulled back. She sometimes thought
he was too old to wear his hair so long,but it
suited him. Even though he was ten or more years older than
her, she found him very attractive.

That, more than anything had convinced her to
take the job he'd offered. Sakura knew she
was the not only one on the staff to feel that way...
Even a few of the men seemed enamored of Sineheart.

That turned her thoughts to the newest addition
to the Stanton Family...that new research scientist.
Jealousy pulsated through her, as she punched
the code to activate the camera hidden in his
room. There were far too many screens and rooms
for any one person to monitor all at once, nor
would that have been practical. Still, Sineheart's
elaborate system *did* record all the rooms
even if much of the film was never even viewed.

She barely missed seeing the unwanted intruder
transform himself into the target inspiring her
jealously. Her hand manipulated the controls
to pan back so she could see the occupants in
the room.

"He's got a girl in there!" She said with surprise.
Was this his girlfriend? She hoped so...though she
couldn't deceive herself that this tiny girl would
stop Sineheart from pursuing Dr. Ezykiel Spade. He'd
always had his little *fascinations* but she'd never
lost hope that one day he'd turn to her with the love
she held for him.

He didn't *seem* to be staring at the girl, but instead
the two quickly exited. She tracked their movements
ferociously curious. What was he up to? Should she alert the boss?
If it had been anyone else in this corporation, she
would have alerted them through their id/communication
badges that they were wandering past their clearances.

Except Spade for some reason had a badge that allowed
him virtually unlimited access. Another sign that
Sineheart favored the young genius.
Suddenly something very odd happened. A blaze
of blue light followed and suddenly, the man
was accompanied by ...could it be? Sailor Mercury.
Whatever would a sailor scout want with Stanton
Electronics? Sakura frowned...how had she
gotten in there? Where was the other girl?
Then a thick fog blocked her sight.
She turned up the sound.

"Why'd you do that?" a male said.

"I've got a positive lock--between the floors
12 &13,;probably right above us." a female
replied. "Oh dear they've got
aural surveillance---Mercury Ice Bubble Freeze"
The communication stopped. The heat
sensors stopped indicating life forms along
the floors.

Sakura bit her lip. The good news was
she finally scared up some dirt on the
latest favorite. The bad news was
the Boss wasn't going to like this one bit.

Slowly she approached him.

"I told you not to interrupt me." His voice
was curt, cold and quick.

"Sir, Sailor Mercury appears to
be in the building."

Dead silence met this revelation.
"Capture her alive." He finally replied.
Sakura nodded. She hadn't mentioned
Spade....he hadn't given her
the chance...so of course, he was
perfectly expendable. Whenever
the Boss wanted something done,
he never accepted excuses. If people
were in his way, her job (recently inherited
from the Assistant) was to get them out
of it. Maybe he'd promote her.
* * * *
"So it seems your friends *have* come for
you just as you claimed." Sineheart said
whispering into Lita's ear.

Somewhere along the night, she'd detransformed.
She wasn't sure how that had happened. She'd
just regained consciousness, tied to a chair, wearing the same
shorts and long shirt she'd been sleeping in
a night ago. A surge of strength allowed
her to stand up, chair and all, and smack
him back against the wall. The edge of the chair
cut his face.

He traced the blood and stared at her.
"You'll pay for that..."

"I can afford it." Lita replied. "Come
and get it" She threatened
hovering with the chair ready to pounce.

His lips twisted up, a mockery of a smile.
His eyes were not happy. "Right now
I have company to see to...I'll deal
with you later."

"You were always a coward Zoicite." She
said charging forward...he stepped and
she hit the wall.

"What did you call me?" He asked.

"Your name, you traitorous" Her insult
was cut short by the kick he dealt her.
"Why don't you untie me and fight
me fairly?"

"Because, I'm a scientist, not a fighter.
I want to experiment with you. If you
won't cooperate willingly--you'll do
so unwillingly."

"Try it." She tried charging again.

"As amusing as that is, Jupiter....you'll
only hurt yourself."

"That's what she said." She jerked her head to the prone
body of the Assistant.

He looked down at the heap of parts. He
hadn't even bothered to discern if she were
fixable. "If you keep up like this, you'll
end up like her. Or maybe I'll try
that on your friend Mercury..."

Sakura entered then, dumping the body
of Mercury on the table. "The gas
worked perfectly. Subject was subdued
instantly."

She looked expectantly for something.

Sineheart smiled. "Does anyone else know?"

"No Sir, I handled this situation by myself."
She smiled back. "Perfect secrecy was maintained."
She didn't mention she'd lost track of
Spade. "What's going on?" She asked
noticing Lita standing with the chair
straining against its bonds. "What's
this girl done?" Suddenly she noticed
the heaped body of the Assistant.
"I thought she was fired..."

"You might say fried." Sineheart said
with a peal of eerie laughter. "Come now
Sakura, her demise was your ticket to rise."

"How did this happen?" Sakura felt for her gun.
"What...she's not human!?" Finally noticing the
metallic wires laying along with the corpse.

"This young lady attacked her...
Destroying my lovely cyborg." He said.
"Don't worry, you'll make an excellent
replacement for her."

Sakura focussed. "You're joking--you can't,
I..." she couldn't take this all in.
He stepped over to her, his eyes tracing
her form. "You've never questioned me before
Sakura."

Lita shouted "He's insane...He's evil."

"Who are you going to believe?" He said
softly.

Did he mean to turn her into a Cyborg?
Her eyes briefly met those of the
brown haired girl.

The gun in Sakura's hand pointed slowly
at the man in front of her, the gun
cocked. "I don't know what to do..."
She whispered. "I love you...
But I think you need help."
She'd go call the police, or someone, but..
Every instinct screamed for her to get
out of there "Sir, You're not yourself."

"Excellent work on your final assignment."
He smiled a cold smile as he raised a strange
gun and shot her. She screamed in
agony and then slumped to the ground.

"You murderer--!"
Lita screamed.

"She's not dead...As I said, she'll make an
excellent replacement for the Assistant."

He fingered Mercury's
hair. "I've stunned her..and eventually, I'll
program her to obey me..."

"She loved you!" Lita yelled "How could
you..."

"That's why...I don't need love....it's
a fantasy weakness that diverts people
from their goals."

Judging through slitted eyes that the trap
was as ready as ever, Mercury took a quick
breath.

"Love is the strongest and truest force."Mercury said, her
eyes folding open. " Mercury Ice."

The attack wavered as she recognized the face.
ZOICITE? "Bubbles FrEEZE" The few degrees of hesitation were
enough.
He dodged, and ran behind the strange podium.

"You force my hand...Dark Crystals Shield" He called
as the black waves of energy surrounded him. Mercury threw
the aqua rhapsody blast at him, but the shield simply
absorbed the attack without ceremony.

He held up a small black &;green globe like device.
"My science may not be a match for your magic Mercury,
but every attack you throw is more data for me to analyze
and power I can consume." He laughed "And more
weapons for me to use. Magic is merely advanced
science...and is therefore replicable."

Then hale appeared, black and ugly, and headed straight towards Lita.
Mercury shouted her friend's name, clenching the transformation
pen for Jupiter.

Suddenly the ice shattered as the force of a dozen roses
slammed into it, the rest melted by waves of flames.

"A Young Girl should not be the victim of
a tortured experiment, nor should power
meant to protect be used to harm." Tuxedo
Mask announced, as his shield covered Lita.

Mercury tossed the pen to Lita. "Jupiter Star Power"

The room almost swarmed with people as the green light
bathed Jupiter.

"What took you so long?" Mercury said.

"Sorry" Jaedite answered. "But it took me longer
to deactivate the security system than you thought..."

"This is quite the little reunion isn't it?" Sineheart
said in his bubble. "I'm afraid I can't endure
this stalemate any longer though that was quite
an entertaining show, dear Jupiter."

A blonde girl was saying something about punishing him, but stopped
and she mumbled "Zoicite!"

END OF CH 4