David H. Olivier Before we begin: 1. This is a work of fiction, based on characters originally created by Naoko Takeuchi, and adapted to various media by Kodansha, Toei, and DIC, among others. The changes made to the original characters have been made without permission of the copyright holders, and do not in any way reflect the opinions or beliefs of the original creators. 2. This is a work of fiction. Except for specifically identified historical persons, all characters are fictional. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. 3. This work of fiction has been rated "PG-13" by its author because of the nature of the storyline. Word, expressions, and ideas may be expressed that may be offensive to some readers. Discretion is therefore advised. And now, because it's been over a year.... The Story So Far: Kani Schmitt is a fourteen-year-old girl growing up in an alternate-world Berlin in 1992, a world where the Third Reich rules Europe. Kani's life is a difficult one: her huge family is poor, and her step-father Hans is a cruel man with a vicious temper. Kani's one true friend, Maria Baeker, is all Kani has to make her life nearable. One night, Kani meets a talking cat named Luna, who gives Kani a magic brooch that turns the girl into the superheroine Matrose Mond. Together, Kani and Luna have fought evil monsters trying to suck energy from people, monsters controlled by a man named Jadeite. But who is the mysterous Smokingmaske, who shows up to save Matrose Mond? And now,.... "Matrose Mond": Chapter Three The first stunted buds of spring were dotting the linden trees; the few birds that still lived in the city were giving voice to their pent-up urges. It was springtime in Berlin, and love was in the air. Maria had noted the change in her best friend's demeanour over the past few weeks. The difference was astonishing: Kani had started daydreaming in class, was skipping homework, and seemed eternally preoccupied. She couldn't stand the suspense any longer. "So, who is it?" Silence. They were walking together down the street after yet another boring BdM meeting. Maria decided to try again. "Earth to Kani: come in, Kani." She waved her hand in front of her friend's face. Kani kept going until her nose smacked into the hand. "Ouch!" Kani looked around, realized where she was and who she was with. "Sorry, Maria. Was I wandering again?" "Completely in another world, darling." Maria smiled. "Now, are you going to answer my question?" Kani's face went blank. "What question?" "Who you're in love with?" Kani shook her head. "Nobody, really. When do I have time for that?" Maria shrugged her shoulders. "Fine; don't tell your best friend anything. I'll be fine, really." She turned away and affected a disheartened sniffle. *What can I tell you, my dear friend? I'm secretly a superhero in love with another superhero who rescues me in my darkest moments?* Instead, Kani reached out, placed her hand on top of Maria's auburn hair, and gave it a good ruffle. "As if you ever tell me the details of your own romances." A tongue came wagging out of Maria's mouth. "All the better to keep you in suspense." Maria faced forward. "Race you!" she shouted, and sprinted down the street to the candy store. "No fair!" was Kani's reply as she set off in pursuit. **** The halls of the Dark Kingdom echoed with the mocking whispers: "Jadeite failed again!" "Jadeite failed again!" The blond general could hear the accusations ringing in his ears, even when no one else was around. All he could do was shake his fist in impotent rage and curse the name of Matrose Mond. Now was not the time to indulge in this childish remedy, however therapeutic it may have been. Jadeite stood in the centre of the Throne Room, staring down at his distorted reflection in the finely-polished floor, afraid to look Queen Beryl in the eye. He dreaded what was to follow. "Jadeite, you have cost me yet another valuable ally. Tetisu showed great promise, yet you squandered her abilities. Now she is gone, and there is nothing left to show of her passing, no energy to feed our great project. What should I do about you, Jadeite?" A voice spoke from the side. "Jadeite's only proving his ineptness, Your Majesty. By trying to take energy from everyone at once, his reach far exceeds his grasp." Nephrite's chuckle was cold and mirthless. "Back off, Nephrite! The gathering of energy is my appointed task, not yours! My next plan is already in motion, and I can promise great success." "Easy words with nothing to back them up. And what of your little friend, Matrose Mond? Have you found a way to eliminate her?" "Enough, Nephrite," chided the Queen. "For better or for worse, this mission is Jadeite's." She stared directly at the blond general; her eyes bore deep holes in his soul. "And for your sake, the results must be for the better." Jadeite nodded, trying to keep his eyes away from seeing the smouldering rage he knew was in the Queen's. ***** A new day dawned in Berlin, not as cold and not as grey-brown as the last. Berliners took this as a sign that winter had indeed relaxed its grip for a few months, and basked in the anticipation of impending summer. True to form, Kani and Maria were walking together to school. For weeks they'd watched the renovations taking place at the deserted mansion, and today was the day the newest private school in Berlin opened its doors to the daughters of the elite. A small crowd of girls and a few curious boys from nearby schools had gathered to watch the procession. A steady stream of limousines had pulled up to the front gates, letting out young girls dressed in pseudo-Party uniforms. With perfect grace, and completely ignoring the admiring throng, they glided in through the wrought-iron gates at the entrance to the Loewengarde-Akademie. The last of the cars pulled up. The door was opened by a chauffeur, and a girl got out. Several onlookers gasped. She turned to walk into the school. Everyone stared at her - she was tall and thin, with long flowing blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She was racially perfect. The girl noticed the admiring throng and waved regally to them. Then she walked straight into a pillar. Without missing a beat, she recovered and disappeared inside the school grounds. Show over, the crowd dispersed. Kani and Maria couldn't stop giggling for a good two minutes. ***** Once again, the two young men sat on the wooden bench outside the Chief's office. Andreas looked thoughtful, a worried expression playing across his face. Tristan, however, looked awful. His hair was in disarray, there were large circles under his eyes, and his cheeks were hollow. His uniform was far from regulation standards. At last, the pair was given the signal and went into the office. The Chief sat behind his desk, gently moving one piece of paper onto a pile, aligning the corners neatly. "Sit down, you two." Obediently, they sat down. The Chief took off his spectacles and began to polish them with his white handkerchief. "Apparently that little disturbance at the river cruise has ended. Anything new?" Tristan and Andreas stared at each other. Andreas cleared his throat. "Nothing, sir. Same pattern as always - people becoming weak, the girl, and then everyone feels better." The Chief put his cloth away and carefully put on his glasses. "You've left out something." Tris bolted upright. "Have we?" he said nervously. "There's a new factor in the equation. Some people reported seeing a man in formal dress throw a red rose at the energy Vampir." "Um, we hadn't heard anything about that, sir," replied Andreas. "Hadn't you?" The Chief smiled and steepled his fingertips. Then he lowered his hands to the desk. "You've got twenty-four hours to get a report ready. Tomorrow at ten, the Reichsfuehrer's office. And look presentable." He waved a hand, then bent down to study a report, purposely ignoring the pair. Andreas and Tristan made their way out. They didn't say a word to one another until they were in their car. Andreas climbed in the driver's side; Tristan collapsed into the passenger seat. Without a word of protest from his companion, Andreas reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a packet of cigarettes, lit one, and handed it to Tristan. The dark-haired man's hand trembled as he took a long drag. Tristan gave the cigarette back to Andreas and slumped down further in his seat, coughing. Andreas sat still, the cigarette smoke forming a grey halo around him. "Well, that's a fine kettle of fish. The Reichsfuehrer himself. Wonder what Siegfried the Hero wants from us?" Tristan had gone wide-eyed at the reminder of tomorrow's appointment. "Gods, what am I going to do?" he whispered. His companion turned to face Tristan. "Look," began Andreas, "we don't know that the Chief has twigged onto anything yet." "But what if I *am* connected with all this? Every time I've disappeared, there's been another incident', and I have no memory of where I've been." Andreas shook his head. "Look, comrade, you've stuck by me on more than a few occasions when I've deserved to be in hot water. I figure I owe you a few. Come hell or high water, I'll be there." "Even if it means breaking your date with that riding instructor?" Andreas' grin was obviously faked. "Even if I have to give Greta the heave-ho." A weak smile crossed Tristan's face. "Thanks, Andreas. I may need all those favours, and then some." They sat quietly in the parked car, the air inside slowly filling with the smoke from Andreas' cigarette, each man lost in thought. ***** "And, without missing a beat, she stepped to one side and carried on as if she'd never hit that pillar!" Kani, now in the garb of Matrose Mond, sat on the roof of her home. Luna was perched on the peeling tarpaper shingles beside the heroine. The sky was clear and bright, but not from the light of the moon. The incandescent glow of Berlin's streetlights gave off enough light to rob the night sky of her star-bejewelled cloak; overlording an empire was non-stop work. The moon was a thin sliver that had gone below the horizon many hours ago. "And you found this funny, I suppose?" "Of course. First off, she's going to Snob Hall'. Second, she's some bigwig's daughter who acts like Daddy's title is her own. Third, she looks like the BdM's poster child herself; I could hear the drool hitting the pavement from some of the boys." Matrose Mond turned her head sideways and tilted her nose up. "That's the last place in the world I'd want to be." Luna shook her head. "Unfortunately, I think it might be as good a place as any to start looking for the Mondprinzessin." "What?" "For weeks now we've been reacting, not acting, to whatever this Dark Kingdom' is doing. I'm convinced the Mondprinzessin is the key; find her and we find a way to stop the Dark Kingdom." "And you want me to start looking in Snob Hall for her?" Kani nodded her head reluctantly. "I guess you're right; there's no way a Prinzessin would be going to my school. However," she continued, "how am I supposed to find a way in there? You saw the brick wall they've got around the place." Luna stood up and stretched. "I'll do a little checking later tonight; I would imagine there are a few handy trees for a cat to climb around in. Besides, I want to test these out." She held up a forepaw; extended from it were four new short claws. "A lot better than what I had to climb up to your bathroom that first day." "Don't remind me," Kani replied. "If it wasn't for you, I'd be sound asleep right now, instead of perched on the roof, wearing the shortest skirt I've ever seen." "All right then, time for you to climb down." "Great." Luna pounced onto Kani's shoulders. "By that house." She pointed across the alleyway." Kani stuck out her tongue at the cat, then steeled herself for the jump across. ***** "You're not gonna believe this, Kani." Kani stifled a yawn. "Try me," she responded. "I'll accept anything this morning." Maria made a sour face. "I'm being transferred." Kani did a double-take. "No, Maria! You can't leave! Whose idea is this?" "My dad's, but I think it's another one of those for favours received' things." "Really? So where are you going?" The look in Maria's eyes was one of pure dread. "Snob Hall." Kani could barely keep herself in check. "After what we saw yesterday? Oh, Maria, I'm so sorry for you." "No, you're not. You're just waiting to see me in that uniform so you can bust a gut laughing at me." Kani held up a hand, palm towards her friend. "I promise - I'll only laugh once." Maria waggled a finger at Kani. "I'll hold you to that," she admonished the blonde. ***** The headquarters of the Schutzstaffel consisted of three areas, none of which were normally open to the public; when people were invited in, it was usually an ill omen to the invitees. Every day, hundreds of grey-faced bureaucrats went to work in the tiny cubicles on the ground and first floors; there, papers were shuffled, pencils were sharpened, and lives were forever changed without a second thought, provided it was all done on the correct form and in triplicate. The basement level was the one place everyone knew about but dared not speak of. The work carried on there, for the good of the State, was no less bureaucratized than the paper-pushers upstairs: how many lashes were suitable before a break was needed; how many volts of electricity would stun and shock but not kill, and how damp should the cement be; in what order certain portions of the anatomy could be removed to maximize pain but minimize the risk of unscheduled death. The third area was the area of mystery - the top floors. The heads of the SS worked there. What they did was unknown. However, if there was one visible symbol of the SS known throughout Grossdeutschland it was its leader, Reichsfuehrer Siegfried Koenig. Siegfried would not have had it any other way. He was tall, muscular, fair of face and fair of hair. He also had an easy, outgoing personality. He looked and acted every inch his Wagnerian namesake. People still recounted with awe his heroic actions at the siege of Moscow, back in the winter of 78, when his tank brigade was cut off by three Russian divisions. Trapped, running low on diesel and ammunition, he'd managed to lead every one of his units to safety while decimating the Red hordes in the process. When the panzers had finally rolled past the Kremlin on May Day 1979, it was Koenig, freshly promoted and decorated, who had led the victory parade. Now Siegfried Koenig sat behind a desk on the top floor of SS-Headquarters, slowly watching his blond hair turn silver, his waist begin to expand, and his face and skin begin to wrinkle. This was not a hero's end. He wanted more. By his elbow, the telephone rang loudly. Siegfried picked it up. "Yes?" "Very good. Send them in." A moment later, the door to his office opened. The Chief, Andreas, and Tristan all entered. Siegfried stood up. "Gentlemen, gentlemen." He waved a meaty hand at several upholstered chairs. "Be seated. Please, make yourselves comfortable." Siegfried leaned out the door; "Gretchen, coffee for four," he instructed his secretary. He then turned back, but rather than resuming his seat behind his desk, he merely stepped back and leaned against the huge wooden table. "Once we're settled, we can begin." He smiled at each, carefully noting the reaction of the trio. The Gestapo chief was completely nonplussed, Siegfried thought; *the man no longer fears me. He'll have to go someplace else, someplace quiet - Belfast or Bilbao, perhaps. After a year or two with the Ulstermen or the Basques he'll learn the meaning of fear'*. Siegfried had never met Andreas or Tristan before, but had followed with keen interest their rise through the ranks. To him, they symbolized the ideals he stood for - hearty young men willing to give their all for the good of the Reich. He also had another interest in their work, something less well-known. The coffee was duly served; once the attractive young secretary had made her way out, Siegfried rubbed his hands together and smiled. "Now, then, please fill me in on these recent paranormal events." The Chief leaned forward. "Sir,-" "No, no," interrupted Siegfried. "I"ve read your report, Alberich. I want to hear what our young field operatives have to say directly. Go ahead, lads." "Reichsfuehrer," Andreas began haltingly, "we really haven't had much success. While we've picked up a number of readings - some quite fresh - on this unusual activity and interviewed a number of eyewitnesses, we haven't been present at any of these events, try though we may. I believe we might get a better picture of what's going on if we can actually track down this Matrose Mond' and ask her a few questions." The young man tugged at his collar and shrank back in his chair. Siegfried steepled his hands together and stared at the two Leutnants. After an eternal moment, he turned to face Tristan. The black-haired youth sat fidgeting in his chair, his cup of coffee untouched. "And do you agree with your partner's assessment of the situation?" Siegfried asked calmly. "Well, ah, yes, oh, that is, uh-" "Spit it out, boy! The SS doesn't pay for mumblers!" Siegfried roared. "Yes, sir! I agree with my partner's report, sir!" replied Tristan, years of training overriding his personal demons. "Good lad," said the Reichsfuehrer softly. "That is all for now. Keep me informed personally." He waved a hand. "You're dismissed, gentlemen." Surprise at the abrupt conclusion to their meeting quickly gave way to relief as Andreas, Tristan, and the Chief made their exit. Siegfried watched them depart. He knew Andreas and Tristan, especially the latter, were keeping something from him. It just would not do, keeping secrets from the Reichsfuehrer-SS. After all, he had at his disposal an entire building full of people carefully trained in the arts of revealing secrets. However, that could wait. They would tell him everything, one way or another. ***** The Loewengarde-Akademie had been open only a few days but enrollment was climbing rapidly. Already, a number of the daughters of the most prominent men in Berlin - indeed, in all of Grossdeutschland - were attending its classes. The Headmistress leaned against the doorway of her office and watched the procession of perfect young ladies pass by. One in particular caught her eye, a small auburn-haired girl, looking exceedingly nervous. The Headmistress leaned forward. "Maria Baeker, isn't it?" Maria nearly leaped out of her new uniform, a white blouse with a red bow, a black pleated skirt, topped with a black beret. She gulped and stopped in front of the woman. "Yes, ma'am." The Headmistress smiled at Maria but it didn't make the girl feel any more comfortable. "How are you finding it here, Maria? Are you fitting in well with your new schoolmates?" "I don't really know, ma'am. It's only my first day and I haven't had a chance to meet anyone." "Well, we'll soon fix that, won't we?" The Headmistress turned and waved at someone down the hall. "Wilhelmina, would you come here for a moment, please?" A cheerful voice answered, "Yes, miss." Maria looked up at the newcomer and tried to hide a smile of recognition; it was the girl who'd walked into the pillar outside the school that first morning. The Headmistress performed the introductions. "Maria, this is Wilhelmina. Wilhelmina, this is Maria; she's new today. Would you show her around, please?" "Certainly, miss. Pleased to meet you, Maria." "And you, Wilhelmina." A bell sounded. "Omigosh!" Wilhelmina shouted. "Have you got math now?" "Yes, I do," Maria answered. "Then come with me!" So saying, Wilhelmina grabbed Maria's arm and dragged her down the hall. "Wilhelmina," said the Headmistress. No reply. "Wilhelmina!" she repeated. "Yes, miss?" "Math is that way." The woman pointed up the hall. "Oh. Oops." The blonde yanked Maria after her in the correct direction. "And no running in the halls!" the Headmistress yelled after the rapidly-disappearing pair. Heaving a sigh, she retreated into her office and closed the door. "Shakoukai," said a voice. Instantly the Headmistress' classical features melted into those of a sallow-skinned creature, dressed in gossamer and clamshells. "My lord Jadeite," she replied, bowing deeply. The chair behind the desk swung around to reveal the seated general of the Dark Kingdom. "And how are things progressing here?" he asked. Shakoukai bowed her head submissively. "All goes according to your plan, my lord Jadeite. By the end of the week we'll be able to drain enough energy from these students on a daily basis that no one will suspect what is going on. As you predicted, these are all specimens of very high quality. They will do nicely." Jadeite smiled and tapped his fingertips together. "Excellent. By the way, be on the lookout for Matrose Mond; I would expect her to be among this batch. She's shown her mettle and could only be one of the elite in this world's population." "I'll be careful, my lord Jadeite." "You do that." The general rose, prepared to depart. "My lord Jadeite, if I may -" Jadeite cocked an eyebrow. "You wish to say something more, Shakoukai?" "Yes, my lord Jadeite. I do not feel that I am ideally suited to this operation. If Garoben were to perhaps resume this position-" "She is unavailable," Jadeite replied brusquely, not wishing to reveal another untimely loss. "You shall have to continue on your own for now." "My lord Jadeite." Shakoukai bowed while the general vanished. The youma resumed her disguise as the Headmistress. She knew it was only a matter of time before she would confront the menace of Matrose Mond, and she wanted to be as ready as possible for that battle. ***** Kani and Luna walked along the street; the cat had joined the girl after school. Together they headed towards the Akademie, so Kani could meet Maria after their first day apart. Luna watched as Kani repeatedly kicked a tiny piece of cobblestone down the street, finally sending it off with a mighty swing of her foot. "You're not in a good mood today," said the cat. "Well, I've got every right to be miserable." "What happened?" Kani's head drooped and her eyes stared straight down. "I failed a test," she mumbled. "You what??" "I failed a test," the blonde repeated, emphasizing each word as if scourging herself four times. "It's never happened before." "And there you were, perched on a rooftop with a lazy cat like me. Why didn't you tell me you had a test?" "I knew all the stuff, Luna; it just wouldn't come." Kani went no further, not willing to confide to the cat of her repeated obsession with Smokingmaske - he filled her daydreams and kept her company at night. Kani didn't even begin to understand it herself. *Is this love?* she asked herself. "You miss her, don't you?" Kani was startled by the question, then realized who Luna was talking about. She nodded. "Until you came along, Maria was the only person whom I could talk with. The kids in my neighbourhood don't go to the Gymnasium, so they look at me as a bit of a snob. Having Hans Schmidt for a step-father doesn't win you any friends, either. That's why poor Mama has so little help from the neighbours; they're scared of him." Kani paused for a moment while a swarm of boys trouped past. "When I first went to the Gymnasium, nobody there wanted to have anything to do with me. Armenbuechskind', they called me, and a lot worse. For some reason, though, Maria didn't join in. It was a slow process - I was afraid she was just teasing me - but soon I began to trust her. You know, this is the longest I've ever kept a secret from her." "What, you being Matrose Mond?" "Yes." The two rounded the corner and found themselves in front of the wrought-iron gates of Snob Hall', the rampant lion in the school crest looking especially smug. "We're a little early," said Kani. "Maria's classes may start later in the morning but they don't end as early as mine do." "Good," said Luna. "That will give me a chance to fill you in on my visit here." "Oho! Busy already, were you?" "Of course. After all, this is important work. My mind is focused on the task at hand." "If that's a crack about my test, it's uncalled-for. It won't happen again." So saying, Kani reached into her satchel and took out the offending piece of paper. "Watch!" She crumpled it up into a ball, then tossed it over her shoulder. "There! I'm done with it!" "Don't you know there's a law against littering?" Kani turned at the sound of the stranger and gasped as she recognized the uniform. No doubt about it: she'd just bonked an SS officer on the top of his head with her test. At first glance Kani thought he was kind of cute, but that notion quickly dispelled itself. "Hey! Don't do that!" Kani yelled out as the young man carefully unwadded the paper. Tristan regarded the test carefully. "A failure? And they let girls like you roam the streets? Have you escaped from some reformatory?" "Give me that back!" Kani snatched the paper from Tristan's grasp. "Don't you know it's rude to look at other people's things?" "I'm in the SS; it's my job," he replied quietly. Then he continued on past the shocked girl. It took a few moments for Kani's frayed nerves to stop jangling. When they finally did, she gave full voice to her shock. "Good grief, Luna, I yelled at an SS man! I'm surprised he didn't haul me off right away." Her voice softened and lowered as she watched Tristan disappear around the corner. "Kinda cute, he was, though that uniform didn't look quite right on him," she mused. "Now that we're through with that little interlude, do you think we can get back to the matter at hand?" "Which was - oh, right, so you checked out the place. Did you notice anything?" ***** "Your hunch was right, Tris." Andreas smiled as his partner got into the car, parked inconspicuously a block away from the Akademie. "The readings from your portable amplifier were pretty low, almost enough to get lost as general background noise, if you hadn't done a close sweep. What made you think of it?" *Just a feeling I had*, Tristan wanted to reply, for that was the truth; the problem was that nobody would believe it - not Andreas, not the Chief, and certainly not the Reichsfuehrer. Tristan had a hard time believing it himself. Instead, he heard himself saying: "Most of the attacks have occurred at places or events that were new. This school's opening seems too coincidental." It sounded practical, logical: the way things were supposed to be. He even began believing it himself. "Good thinking, comrade. If this pays off, we're back in the Hero's good books again." Tristan wasn't paying attention, though. He was busy thinking back to the girl he'd met by the gates. She looked nice, if rather young and impertinent, but there was something about her that wasn't quite right, something he couldn't figure out. ***** "A bad feeling, you say?" Luna winced. "I know it sounds shaky, but it's the only way I can put it. I believe our foes in the Dark Kingdom are up to something, and I think it's going to happen here. What if we're too late, Kani? What if they've already figured out who the Mondprinzessin is and are going to kill her?" "Then we'll have to stop them, here and now." The chime of the Akademie's clock tower alerted the pair to the end of classes. They stood and waited, watching the girls file out. Nearly all of them headed for nearby cars or limousines, parked and waiting. Maria was one of the last to appear, Wilhelmina glued firmly to her arm and chattering away freely. The look on Maria's face spoke of unending torment and torture. Upon seeing Kani, her face lit up; she tore free of her classmate and sprinted towards her friend. "Kani! You came!" Kani grinned back. "I couldn't let you suffer all on your own, could I?" "Who's your other friend, Maria?" Wilhelmina, undeterred, had caught up. The two blondes regarded one another: Wilhelmina, taller, with long, flowing blonde hair and a silly grin plastered across her perfect face; Kani's hair still short, but beginning to grow, a guarded expression on her face betraying nothing. Maria's words broke the silence. "Wilhelmina, this is my oldest and dearest friend, Kani. Kani, you remember Wilhelmina, don't you?" She winked at Kani. "Oh, right. The girl who walked into a pillar." Wilhelmina smiled. "Silly me. I do that sort of thing from time to time. Daddy says it's because I'm so busy concentrating on being beautiful that I haven't got the time to be careful." The look on her face was one of pure innocence. "And you do it so well," Kani said before she could bite her tongue. "Thank you," Wilhelmina replied in all seriousness. "Oh, drat; it's the limo. I have to go." She walked towards the vehicle, the rear door being held open for her by a uniformed chauffeur. As she was about to get in, Wilhelmina stopped and waved. "Nice to meet you, Kani! See you tomorrow, Maria! Bye!" The door was closed, the driver got in, and the limousine pulled away from the curb. Kani turned back to Maria. "So, how was your first day at Snob Hall?" It was an amazing act of self-control on Maria's part. She stood in silence, watched until the huge black Daimler had disappeared from view, then slowly and carefully said: "I want to kill her". "That bad?" "All day, Kani, all day, she was there, saying and doing the dumbest things imaginable. I've seen gemstones that possessed more intelligence than her. And talk, talk, talk - nothing but her voice in my ear for six hours. She just thinks she's the centre of the universe." Kani put a consoling arm around Maria's shoulders. "Poor girl. Here, you tell me all about it and we'll go and get you a nice candy." Maria looked at Kani, a pleading expression on her face. "Kani?" "Yes?" "Do you mind if we don't talk? I'd appreciate the silence." In reply, Kani merely nodded. The pair, arm in arm, set off. Luna, however, remained behind a moment longer. Some things just didn't add up. ***** The night was clear and warm. Unable to sleep, Matrose Mond sat on the roof of her family's ramshackle townhouse, in the middle of their rundown neighbourhood. Built during the Reich's lean years' in the late 40s and early 50s, when money and food were scarce during the second Hungerblockade, these homes were made of the cheapest wood, plaster that had been far too watery, and flimsy tar paper and ersatz asphalt shingles on the roofs, not proper clay tiles or wooden shingles. Whenever up there, Kani trod carefully, half-afraid she might put a foot through and into either of the attic bedrooms. Matrose Mond wasn't alone in her vigil. Luna sat next to her, letting the girl stroke a gloved hand down the back of the cat's neck. Luna appreciated the attention but dreaded what she had to eventually say. "I know this isn't going to sound good, but...." "But what?" Luna gulped. "When that girl came over to meet you outside the school, well, I sensed something." Kani gasped. "What? What do you mean, sensed something'?" "That she might have a part to play in our quest, that she might -" "That she might be the Mondprinzessin? Give me a break, Luna. That girl's lucky she was wearing slip-on shoes; she couldn't tie her own shoes if it was all but done for her." Suddenly, Kani stopped. "Omigosh, maybe that means that she's just like a real Prinzessin. Oh, please, don't let it be her." "Why not?" "Because I know Maria. If Maria doesn't like somebody, there must be a good reason. Wilhelmina must be a complete idiot. If she's the Mondprinzessin, I'm joining this Dark Kingdom'." There was a sudden growl from Luna. "Just kidding, Luna," Kani backtracked. "You'd better be. You're supposed to be her protector." "Given all indications, it looks like I'll be protecting her mostly from herself." Kani sighed; perhaps she now enjoyed being Matrose Mond a little less. At least she might have someone she could confide in. Why couldn't it have been Maria, though? ***** For the first time in her two days as a pupil at the Loewengarde-Akademie, Maria found herself looking forward to one of her classes. The last period was scheduled for computers, and Maria eagerly anticipated the experience. Of course, her old school never had anything like this. She knew her parents were considering buying a computer for the store, and Maria wanted to put her education to good use, helping her family at home. She sat before her own terminal, as did the other nineteen girls in the class. The Headmistress herself was teaching this course. "All right, ladies," the woman instructed, "insert the red diskette into the slot, and when the prompt comes up, hit enter'." In unison, nineteen computers went to work, silently fulfilling the commands on the red diskette. For an instant Maria felt an uneasy pang course through her, something she thought felt familiar. Then it disappeared under waves of reassuring pleasure. She knew she was doing it right. She continued to type commands when prompted, feeling herself slip into a state of bliss. The twentieth computer, however, wasn't doing what it was - or ever had been - intended to do. "Miss?" An exasperated sigh rose from the Headmistress. "Yes, Wilhelmina?" "I keep getting an error message on my computer. Why's it not working?" "Did you insert the red diskette?" "Oh, the *red* one! Yes, there, it's done, Mi- oops!" " Oops'?" "Oh, uh, nothing, Miss." Wilhelmina desperately tried to mop up her spilled drink, definitely verboten in the computer room. In a few moments, it was impossible to hide her error. Sparks shot up from the mortally-stricken machine. "Yikes!", the blonde squealed, as a blue bolt shot past her. In an instant, the Headmistress was behind Wilhelmina. "Good grief, child, what have you done?" Wilhelmina didn't answer. As the computer gave up its existence in one last gout of smoke, the girl looked around the room at her classmates, locked in their torpor. Faint yellow auras could be seen around the girls, rising and then flowing from them into their monitors. "Unglaublich," was all she could manage. "Oh, dear," chided the Headmistress. "You've managed to make one too many mistakes, Wilhelmina." As she advanced towards the blonde, her features began to shift to Shakoukai. Wilhelmina had time for one brief scream before the youma's hand tightened its grip around her throat. ***** They both felt it at the same instant. As Luna was saying "Kani" the girl was already looking up and down the street. Seeing no one, she grabbed her brooch, lifted it high, and began her transformation. "Mondprismen-Macht, schminke!" ***** "Look at this! The readings are spiking, and Tris - Tris?" Tristan lurched forward, grasping his chest. "Andreas, it's, it's -!" "What?!" There was no time for an answer. Andreas watched as his friend was enveloped in a ball of light. An instant later, there sat the mysterious man in formal attire. He opened the car door, got out, and bounded down the street towards the Akademie. Andreas sat slumped behind the steering wheel, his face ashen-grey. "Tris, you've just used up all those favours." Then he set off in pursuit. ***** "I'm really very sorry, Wilhelmina, but this is for your own good." Shakoukai had grabbed hold of the girl and was pushing her closer to Maria's computer screen. Wilhelmina was struggling as hard as she could, but to no avail. "What do you want?!" "Only a little of that energy you have in such abundance. When it's over you won't feel a thing and you won't remember a thing." "But I don't want to!" The crash of the classroom door giving way distracted both the youma and her intended victim. Seconds later, there appeared the charging figures of Matrose Mond and Luna. The heroine pointed at Shakoukai. "Stop what you're doing! Just because these girls are from powerful families doesn't mean you can help yourself to that power! Ich bin Matrose Mond! Im Namen des Mondes, werde ich Sie bestrafen!" Shakoukai regarded the heroine coldly. "This is a *private* girls' school, Fraulein Mond. In order to be admitted, you will have to take a special entrance exam. Question One: what is the square root of 5329?" Matrose Mond thought for a moment. "It's seventy-three," she replied. "Correct," acknowledged the youma with a scowl. "Question Two: if you mix hydrochloric aid with sodium hydroxide in equal proportions, what do you get?" "Easy," shot back the heroine. "Salty water." She leaned down to Luna and whispered behind her hand: "And I blew that one on the test yesterday." Shakoukai gave up on all pretenses. "Very well; you've passed your entrance exam. All new students must be properly greeted by their peers. Class - get her!" Instantly, nineteen students rose to their feet and headed towards Matrose Mond. "Oh, dear," the girl said. "This doesn't look good. Any suggestions, Luna?" "Yes - you keep them busy while I check on Wilhelmina. She'll need our help." "Thanks. Give me the easy job, why don't you?" Luna shrugged and began to duck and weave through the slowly-approaching mob of mind-controlled students. Intent as they were on their single command, to "get her" - her being Matrose Mond - they ignored the black cat. In seconds Luna could clearly see the youma pushing Wilhelmina's head towards one of the computer screens. A pale yellow glow surrounded the girl. Then, suddenly, something else happened. A sigil appeared on Wilhelmina's forehead - a heart with a cross below it attached to the point of the heart. Luna gasped as another piece of her fickle memory fell into place. "The second guardian!" she gasped. Then she leaped, claws extended, straight for Shakoukai's face. The youma, startled, let go of her erstwhile victim and dodged Luna's attack. However, in so doing, she tripped over a fallen chair and fell to one side. Luna landed next to Wilhelmina, who was sitting on the floor and softly crying. "I don't like this class," the girl sniffled. "I want to go home." "Wilhelmina! Here!" Luna leaped into the air and did a backflip. From nowhere, a shiny gold biro with a symbol on top - the same as the symbol that had appeared on Wilhelmina's forehead - materialized, falling to the floor beside the cat. Luna shoved it with a paw over to the stunned girl. "Take this Verwandlungsstift!" The blonde's mouth fell open. "You talked! You're a talking cat!" "We can discuss that later! Right now, take the Stift!" Mutely, Wilhelmina obeyed. "Now, hold it up," continued Luna, "and shout Venus-Macht, schminke'!" "I'm supposed to do that? Why?" Behind Luna, the youma rose to her feet. "This is getting us nowhere. I'm sorry, but there's a strict anti-pet rule at this school." Shakoukai held out her hands; a spurt of translucent green fluid shot forth from her palms. Luna quickly shouted: "Then say Halbmond Strahl'!" Those were her last words; she was enveloped in the fluid and was silenced. Wilhelmina shrieked. Out of sheer desperation, she lifted the Stift and yelled out: "Venus-Macht, schminke!" The change was swift and dramatic. In seconds, her school uniform was gone, replaced by a white and orange-gold costume, blue bows at her bosom and back. She stared at her gloved hands, then herself. "Neat! I like this look!" Shakoukai laughed harshly. "You are out of uniform, young lady. You'll have to be punished." She lifted her arms again. Wilhelmina screamed once more. Meanwhile, Matrose Mond was enjoying herself. Her attackers were slow and unco-ordinated, and she could easily dodge them. Anyone who came too close to her was unceremoniously dumped on her backside; she had no scruples about bruising a few pampered bottoms. She twisted out of the grasp of one girl, tripped a second, and spun away. Then she found herself face-to-face with Maria. Soundlessly the auburn-haired girl reached out with both arms. "Maria, no! Don't do this! Fight it!" Matrose Mond slapped aside her friend's arms. Then she saw the smile cross Maria's face. "Good girl! I knew you coul- urk!" Too late, Matrose Mond realized why Maria had smiled. The distraction had given other girls time to come up and encircle her. She twisted and writhed, unable to break free. One of her turns faced her towards the action on the other side of the room. She saw Luna being sheathed in the green goo, then she watched Wilhelmina change. "Do something, you idiot!" Matrose Mond yelled at the newly-transformed girl. Something was done for her. As Shakoukai fired another stream of gel, Wilhelmina found herself encircled by a pair of strong arms and being carried to safety. She turned back and saw her rescuer - tall, dark hair, a top hat, and full evening dress. She clasped her hands together. "My hero," she cooed. Smokingmaske tipped the brim of his hat. "My pleasure. But perhaps you'd better do something about our pursuer." Wilhelmina turned and saw Shakoukai striding towards them. "I'll get you yet, my little pretty, and your boyfriend too," fumed the youma. Wilhelmina assumed her thinking position. "There was something else that cat said; now, what was it?" she mused. "Halbmond Strahl!" yelled Matrose Mond, slowly giving way under the crush of her attackers. "What did you say?" " HALBMOND STRAHL', YOU ID-glummf!!" Matrose Mond disappeared under a pile of zombie students. "Okay, okay, you don't need to yell at me." Wilhelmina faced Shakoukai square-on. "Halbmond Strahl!" she yelled, posing her dramatic effect. A beam of light shot forth from her right index finger and struck the far ceiling. The girl shrieked in fright. "Well, that was impressive," was Shakoukai's sarcastic response. "Now here's how it's- " And down came the deluge, triggered by Wilhelmina's stray shot straight through a water pipe. The water poured onto the computers; there was a blinding shower of sparks, and suddenly the writhing pile of students on top of Matrose Mond went limp. Slowly the heroine began tunnelling her way out of the press. Wilhelmina watched, transfixed, as the water hit Luna. The casing around the cat began to slowly melt away. That was nothing, however, to the effect it was having on the youma. Shakoukai's features were slowly beginning to run. Vainly she tried to hold her face together with her hands, only to have her cheeks and nose drip through her fingers. "My face, my beautiful face," she blubbered, "I'm melting. How could you do this to me? Oh, oh, I'm melting." Clear of the pile, Matrose Mond stood up and took off her tiara. "Don't worry - you won't be melting for much longer." She arced back to throw it. Shakoukai tried one last smile. "Thank you. I told Jadeite this was a mistake." "Mond Diadem Aktion!" The youma disappeared in a shower of dust. Luna, now completely free of her waxy prison, walked over to Wilhelmina. "Well done, Matrose Venus. We couldn't have won without you." Wilhelmina pointed to herself. "Did you call me Matrose Venus'? Do I get a secret codename to go with all this, too?" "Yes, you do." "Cool." The newly-christened Matrose Venus glanced around the room. "Hey, where'd Mr. Fancy-Dress go? I wanted to thank him properly for saving my life." She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and make puckering noises with her lips. "His name's Smokingmaske and he's spoken for," growled Matrose Mond. She was kneeling down beside Maria's unconscious form. "I didn't see any sign on him that said Taken'. As far as I'm concerned, he's fair game," replied Venus. "How is she?" Luna asked Matrose Mond. "She'll be fine. They'll all be up and about soon." "Then we'd better go." Luna started towards the door. "What about Miss Ditz here?" Matrose Mond pointed towards Venus, who had found a mirror and was preening in it, liking what the uniform did for her. "I'll explain to her the changed circumstances of her life. Meet you out front." "Right. And, remember, use words of one syllable or you'll lose her." The heroine turned and scampered off. Luna scowled. She didn't need special abilities to sense Kani's irritation. There was trouble brewing. ***** When Tristan came to, he was slumped against a wall behind the Akademie, Andreas hovering over him. "I had another one of my spells, didn't I?" "You could say that." "Whatever it is, I don't want to know." "It's alright; you wouldn't believe me anyway." ***** Alone in his office, Siegfried Koenig pushed aside the latest mound of paperwork dumped on his desk. Sign here, here, and here. Initial this, comment on that. It was more boring than he'd ever imagined. The wheels of his chair glided noiselessly as he stood up and walked over to the far wall, where a huge Soviet flag - a war trophy - was draped, next to a built-in bookshelf. Siegfried reached onto the shelf and began to pull out the copy of _Mein Kampf_; there was a click behind the banner. Siegfried lifted a corner and pushed at the wall. A doorway opened and he went in. The room was cluttered with bric-a-brac and the detritus of many years' collecting. Astrological charts of various religions, cults, and sects hung carefully on the walls. Shelves held rows and rows of jars and boxes, all carefully labelled to identify the holy relics, exotic animal remains, or dried herbs they contained. Spears, boxes, tiny bronze Buddas, jewel-encrusted statues, and unidentifiable bits littered the long bench that stretched the entire far wall. The Reichsfuehrer rubbed his hands together, hardly controlling his enthusiasm for his latest toy, which sat on the bench, covered with a green felt cloth. Siegfried Koenig had utter faith - in himself, in his work, but above all else he had faith in the supernatural. The old gods still lived; somewhere out there was the power to fulfill his wildest dreams. ***** end Chapter Three. Glossary: Schutzstaffel (SS) - originally formed as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard (Schutz< is "protect" and a Staffel< is a relay), the SS gained in power after 1933, cementing its position after the events of 30 June 1934, the Night of the Long Knives', when the power of its chief rival, the SA, was severely curtailed. The SS, under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler, became a power unto itself in the Third Reich. It set up its own courts and laws, summarily rounding up, torturing, and executing those suspected of political subversion. It founded its own mechanized and armoured divisions to fight alongside the Wehrmacht, and even recruited members from other countries conquered by the Nazis. It was also responsible for the implementation of the Final Solution' towards the Jewish population of Europe, and the extermination of gypsies, homosexuals, political subversives, and others. Panzers - panzer< is German for "armour"; the word panzer has become anglicized and is used to refer to tanks, German tanks specifically. Loewe - lion Loewengarde - the elite troop (named in honour of the Hotel zum Loewen, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, where this section was written in May 1998.) Grossdeutschland - Great Germany (in the same way that Grossbrittania' is Great Britain) Armenbuechs - a poor box', the box in a church or elsewhere for alms and donations to the needy. Hungerblockade - as it sounds. The first Hungerblockade occurred during World War I, when the Royal Navy, by controlling maritime access to German ports through patrolling and mining the English Channel and a line from Scotland to Norway, increasingly limited seaborne commerce bound for Germany, and placed severe restrictions on commerce to neighbouring neutrals Holland and the Scandinavian countries. Faced with drastic changes and limitations to the national diet, Germans lost much weight during the war as meat, sugars, fats, etc. became increasingly scarce. The winter of 1916-17 was especially severe, forcing the general public to subsist on a diet comprised mainly of turnips, thus forever being remembered as the turnip winter'. In spite of the armistice of November 1918, the blockade was not lifted until mid-1919, mostly as a lever to coerce the German government into signing the Treaty of Versailles. If you're interested in the blockade, and in a radically different (and controversial) interpretation of its effects, pick up a copy of _The First World War: An Agrarian Interpretation_ by Avner Offer. The second' Hungerblockade is, of course, my invention. Verboten - forbidden. Unglaublich - incredible, unbelievable. _Mein Kampf_ - "My Struggle". Adolf Hitler wrote this book while serving nine months of a five-year prison term for his failed coup against the government of Bavaria in November 1923. It is a very revealing but very disturbing book.