David H. Olivier --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. This is a work of fiction based on characters and situations originally created and copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, and Toei. No infringement of copyright is intended. 2. This work is rated PG-13 because of situations and concepts that may be disturbing or objectionable to some readers. This work is meant to provide a reasonably accurate portrayl of a society which embodies prejudice, hatred, and other attitudes that today are considered taboo. The concepts expressed and views held by some characters are not reflective of the opinions of the original creator and copyright holders mentioned in item 1 above, nor do they represent the views of the author. 3. All characters in this story, save for those specificially identified as historical persons, are fictional. Any resemblance between the characters of this story and any persons living or dead is purely coincidental. With thanks to Sara Erickson, Steffen Kremser, and Sailor Skuld. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Matrose Mond" Chapter Six The Great Hall was hushed; the lights were dimmed. Only the glare of a solitary spotlight fell on the lone figure standing in its centre. From somewhere far above projected a holographic image of three young girls in white-topped pseudo-sailor uniforms: one in a red skirt with very short black hair; a second in an orange skirt with waist-length blonde hair; and a third girl in a blue skirt with short blonde hair, two ponytails dangling to her shoulder blades. The portraits of the girls were smiling, then laughing. Laughing at him. Laughing at Jadeite, General of the Dark Kingdom. Laughing at Jadeite, failure and fool. The image faded. "Jadeite," a soft and mocking voice called. "Jadeite: what am I to do with you?" The general knew he should remain silent; anything he said would be used against him. Yet it was his very existence that hung in the balance. "My Queen, I-" "It was a rhetorical question, Jadeite." "Yes, My Queen." He fell back into an embarrassed silence. There was a long pause. Finally, Beryl continued: "You were given the honour of leading the opening strike against this world, and of gathering the energy we must have if *she* is to live again." Another pause. "You have been a miserable failure, Jadeite. We face some of our ancient foes, we have been discovered by the humans, and what have we gained in return for this? NOTHING!!" The shout echoed throughout the Hall, bouncing off the walls, embedding in the very stones the depths of the Queen's rage. Jadeite stayed still, but his heart raced in dread anticipation of his fate. "I shall grant you one last chance, Jadeite. In twenty-four hours you shall bring me the bodies of those miserable Matrosen-Amazonen: alive or dead, I don't care, but I'll happily settle for dead. Do you understand?" Jadeite tried to lick his lips but his mouth had gone dry. "Yes, Queen Beryl," he croaked. "Otherwise," said Beryl, "your fate will be sealed. This is your very last chance, Jadeite. For your sake, I hope you succeed. It would grieve me greatly to be forced to see you return otherwise." "Yes, My Queen." "Now go, and good fortune to you." "Yes, My Queen." The spotlight was empty. A voice, Nephrite's voice, spoke from the darkness: "You did not tell him of your meetings with the human." "Of course not, Nephrite," Beryl replied. "Fear of believing he is my only hope will drive him all the harder. Now, could we have some lights?" ***** Luna had given the Matrosen-Amazonen the night off. Their recent performances, starting at Hermannland, had impressed her enough that she had decided to relax the intensive training regimen she'd been putting them through in past weeks. Kani was as sharp as she'd ever been and Wilhelmina's aim was improving markedly, though there was a long way to go before the cat would be satisfied. Rachel was very proficient in her abilities - and her exorcism ritual was a major bonus - but Luna could sense the novitiate's evident dislike of the destructive nature of her fire. Luna would have to have a talk with Rachel before that dislike developed into something worse, such as a decision to stop using the weapon of fire altogether. Her nocturnal wanderings had led the black cat back into familiar territory: the alleyways around the row of run-down tenements that made up Kani's neighbourhood. Luna had avoided the area since her encounter with a gang of alley cats a few weeks back, but she decided she would risk a return tonight. Besides, out of the corner of her eye, she'd spotted the not-very-furtive movements of a very large blue-white cat, and knew instinctively she had little to fear, save unwanted advances. Luna expected the back alley to be empty; it was late, and the little community usually went to bed with the setting sun. She was therefore surprised to see a familiar figure sitting on the back stoop of the Schmidt residence. "Hello, Kani," Luna called out. "Oh, hello, Luna. I thought you'd be taking it easy tonight too." "Just a stroll, nothing more. Why aren't you asleep?" "I think I'm getting too used to these late nights." The blonde leaned back against the lintel, her hands linked together behind her head. "Truth to tell, I couldn't sleep, so I came out here to count stars. I used to do that a lot when I was worried about things." Luna sat down beside her. "And you're worried about something?" "Sort of," Kani admitted. "Luna, my life was pretty busy before you came along. I had my schoolwork and my chores at home to worry about, and Papa Hans and I were always scrapping about something. The only person I could turn to was Maria. She listened when I needed to blow off steam and, in turn, I was there for her when she needed the same." "Go on." "Now, things are different. I'm keeping up with my schoolwork and I'm doing what I can at home, but something's got to give, sooner or later." She held up a hand towards the cat. "Don't worry; I know how important being Matrose Mond is. I've seen this Dark Kingdom' in action, and I know it has to be stopped, otherwise no one will be safe. It won't make any difference if I help Mama with the chores if, a day later, some monster is stealing her life-energy because I didn't deal with it in time. But,...." Kani stopped. She gestured in helpless resignation. "I can't help feeling that somewhere along the way I'm going to do something and people will suffer for it. Luna, do I have to be the leader of the Matrosen-Amazonen?" "Who else would you suggest do it?" "You. You've always been full of good advice." "That's just it; I'm an advisor, not a leader. I can make suggestions, but the final decisions must be made by you three. Furthermore, since there's rarely time for votes or arguments in the middle of a battle, one of you has to take charge. I repeat my question: of the three of you, who would you nominate as leader of the Matrosen-Amazonen?" Kani sighed and leaned back again. "I guess you're right." She turned her face skyward and looked up into the clear night sky. "It's too bad it's so bright in the city; I always wanted to be able to look up at all the stars glittering in the sky and see the millions of them up there. I did once, you know. It was a camping trip organized by Papa Hans' veterans' group. We were out in the middle of a field, kilometres away from any city, and I snuck out of the girls' tent just so I could see the stars. It was beautiful." "And now you sit in the back alley of a dingy tenement, talking to a mangy cat who's got you off on a crazy quest to find a possibly non-existent Mondprinzessin." "Yeah. Life's funny, isn't it?" They sat together in silence for a few moments, each lost in her own thoughts. Kani's question, when it came, was a bare whisper: "Luna, what's it like to be in love?" "I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person. I've never been so fortunate, at least as far as I can recall." There was a sudden unearthly yowling from the far end of the alley. They both looked up to see what the cause was. There, sitting in the middle of the path, staring directly at Luna, sat her huge admirer. Tilting his head back, he emitted another piercing randy tomcat bellow. Kani smiled. "You were saying?" Luna could only manage a sheepish grin, but stayed very close to Kani. The girl leaned back again, ignoring the tom's wails, and looked up into the heavens. If she concentrated hard enough she could connect the dots of several stars and the face of Smokingmaske was there shining down on her. But then the hero's beaming countenance was gone, and Kani scowled: why did *he* suddenly have to appear in her mind's eye? She was completely unprepared for the bright flash of light in the night sky. Blinking to clear her blindness, she called out: "Luna?! What's going on?!" There was a gasp, and then Luna's shocked reply: "It's Jadeite!" As the world came back into focus, Kani bolted straight up and instinctively reached for her brooch. Then she saw what Luna had meant and relaxed, but only temporarily. A huge image of the handsome blond general floated over the city. "Now that I have your attention, I have an announcement to make: Matrose Mond, Matrose Venus, Matrose Mars: I challenge you. Meet me tomorrow night, at oh-one-hundred, at Flughafen Tegel. I'll be waiting for you. Oh, and if you get any ideas about not coming,...." The giant illusion opened its mouth and spat forth a fireball. In an instant, all of the neighbourhood seemed ablaze. The buildings licked cherry-red flames; even the two observers appeared to be on fire. "You monster!" Luna screamed. As quickly as they had appeared, the flames vanished. The image of Jadeite laughed. "That's just a warning. Be there - or else!" He then faded away, leaving only the clear night sky. Kani and Luna were already out of the alley and on their way to St. Cyriak's by the time people began opening their windows. ***** "Thor's teeth, what was that, Max?!" slurred a drunken Hans Schmidt. "God only knows," replied the man holding him up. He was tall and thin, wiry but well-built, with short salt-and-pepper hair and a pencil moustache. "I'm just relieved to know I'm not the only one who saw it." Together they stumbled to a kiosk, where Max propped up Hans, and then leaned on it himself to take a breather. Ruefully, he thought that, both literally and figuratively, Hans Schmidt was going to be a burden he'd probably carry for the rest of his life. "Now what's that little slattern up to?" he heard Hans say. "What are you talking about, Hans?" Hans leaned closer; the fumes from his breath nearly made the other man retch. "Max, Max, you're my old comrade, aren't you?" "Yes, Hans, I'm your old comrade," Max sighed. "Then you tell me why that lazy worthless step-daughter of mine is running the streets at this time of night." "I don't know, Hans. Speaking of running the streets, hadn't we better get you home? The police are starting to get a little more strict about the curfew." "Good idea. Home, Max." Hans lifted his cane and pointed, then nearly toppled over. Max caught him at the last instant. "Yes, Hans, home." Again he sighed, then put one of the drunken patriarch's arms around his shoulder, heaved Hans to his feet, and set off again. ***** It was nothing short of a miracle. Only a few minutes after Kani and Luna had arrived at the Kloster, finding Rachel already standing at the side entrance, Wilhelmina came in, huffing and wheezing from the run. "There has got to be an easier way to do this," she gasped. "See if you can get us some mobile phones or something, Luna." Kani smiled. "You're the one with the money; why don't-" "No," interrupted Luna firmly. "Just kidding," was Kani's hurried reply. Brief reports were exchanged, confirming the identical nature of what each had seen, save that the fireball the Jadeite-illusion had spewed forth had only fallen on Kani's neighbourhood. "Of course he would pick that part of the city," she commented drily. "So what do we do?" Rachel asked. "We've got to go. This is our big chance to defeat him once and for all," chirped Wilhelmina. "But it's so obviously a trap," protested Rachel. "The odds will be stacked against us." "Nevertheless, you saw what would happen if we fail to show up. I'm not willing to risk having him hold true to his word. Are you?" Kani's point was a sobering one. The others nodded gravely. The challenge had been accepted by default. ***** By now the routine was familiar. Tristan and Andreas didn't even bother to carry their machine pistols any longer. They would arrive at Siegfried's office, the three of them would wait, and Zoisite would shortly afterwards materialize and allow them access to the Dark Kingdom. The trio stepped through he black portal to arrive at the foot of Beryl's throne, and made their customary bows. Beryl acknowledged the gesture with a regal wave of her hand. "You are prepared to resume serious discussions, I presume?" "Of course, Eure Majestaet. I trust you have examined my proposals regarding the provision of energy for your plans." Beryl nodded. "I was impressed with the thoroughness of your details. Tell me: how will you be able to do it without opposition? Surely some people will have qualms about what you propose?" The Reichsfuehrer smiled. "My people are firmly loyal, Eure Majestaet. No one else need know, such is the power and reach of my resources." "And have your demands changed?" "They have not. I wish to make use of your power to, shall we say, consolidate my position. When we have each achieved our separate goals, I believe we will discover our interests shall remain mutually beneficial, Eure Majestaet." "Then it is settled." "Agreed, Eure Majestaet." She held out a regal hand. "And call me Beryl." "A pleasure, Koenigin Beryl." He grasped her hand gently and performed the Handkuss. ***** The talk at school was of the previous night's apparition. Many had only seen the very end of the display. Most scoffed at it, claiming - as dutifully pronounced by the Ministry of the Interior - that it had been an inadvertently-activated holographic advertisement for an upcoming attraction at Hermannland. A few claimed to know the truth', that it was a message sent to the government by the Cabal, that mysterious coalition of Bolshevists, American business interests, the Papacy, the Jews, and Freemasons that was the favourite enemy of choice for conspiracy theorists, an open challenge to the regime. Soon a secret war would begin. Only three people in the entire school knew the real story. It was unavoidable that Maria would take the warning at face value. Thus, Kani and Wilhelmina found the girl in a state of agitated frenzy by lunch. Kani sought to comfort her friend. "Don't worry about it, Maria. He must be desperate if he's being so open about it. At least he's not out there trying to steal more energy." "But what if they lose, Kani? What if he beats Matrose Mond?" "Never happen," said Wilhelmina confidently. "You can't guarantee that!" Maria yelled back. "Anything could go wrong! If they lose, he'll be unstoppable!" Kani bit her tongue. She knew the four words she so desperately wanted to say - "Ich bin Matrose Mond" - but knew they wouldn't relieve her friend's anxiety; worse, Maria would probably worry even more for Kani's sake. Instead, she took Maria's shoulders and held them, forcing the two girls face-to-face. "Look, Maria, there's nothing you or anyone else can do except maybe pray. Nobody else in there has been through what you've been through, so they're not going to worry. You're carrying a great secret in class, and you can't afford to let the others know, otherwise they'll start to panic. What good will that do?" Maria shook her head. "Nothing. I just hate being helpless." "So do I," said Kani, "so do I." They drew close, hugged one another, then turned and head back to class. Wilhelmina followed at a discreet distance. ***** Tristan and Andreas remained behind in Siegfried's office after returning from the Dark Kingdom. He briefed them carefully on the task he'd set for them tonight. They were to observe very carefully the events at the airport, but they were to become involved only if it appeared the general had the upper hand. The idea of making contact with the Matrosen-Amazonen had been postponed, for now. The Reichsfuehrer concluded his instructions: "Although I have an alliance of sorts with that woman, I think it would be prudent if we let this Jadeite' fail once more. It strikes me as little more than desperation on his part." "That's why you didn't mention his manifestation last night, Herr Reichsfuehrer?" queried Tristan. "Exactly. I believe he's been given an ultimatum." The two SS Leutnants made their way out, and headed back to barracks for a few hours' sleep. Andreas drove, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Tristan rolled down a window and fought for a breath of fresh air. "Tell me, Andreas," he asked, "have you felt different lately?" "In what way?" "Every time we come back from the Dark Kingdom I feel a cold chill, as if something was creeping over me. I don't like it." Andreas shrugged, a long ash tumbling down from the cigarette onto his trousers. Casually he swept it aside. "It's a weird place filled with weird people. I get the creeps, but maybe not as bad as you. You're just a more sensitive kind of guy, that's all." "Is that another crack about me crying at that movie last year?" One corner of Andreas' mouth crinkled, though the other stayed securely in place around the cigarette. "Now that you remind me of it, I guess that's what it was." "I hope you and Greta get together again real soon. You can be a real pain if you're not being regular." "Don't remind me, comrade; don't remind me." ***** "It is all set, My Queen. Tonight, at one o'clock." "I shall be anticipating your triumph, Jadeite. Do not disappoint me." "No, My Queen." The crystal went blank. Beryl waved her hand and another image appeared in the glass - Siegfried Koenig. "My new ally," she said, "would you care for a little light entertainment this evening?" "I'd be honoured, Koenigin Beryl." "A portal shall be opened for you after midnight. Signal me where and when you are ready." "Indeed. Thank you." The crystal ball on Siegfried's table went blank. He smiled and left the room, carefully securing the hidden door and re-draping the war trophy that covered it. He then crossed over to his desk and picked up the telephone. "Gretchen, would you please get my wife on the phone - oh, and there's a slight change in plans for this evening." ***** It was another starry night, but Kani wasn't looking up at the sky tonight. Instead, she was busy concentrating on running down the cobblestoned street as fast as she could go. Trust that miserable brat Lothar to pick tonight to try eating berries from the scraggly bush growing on the corner. Kani had filled in for her mother while the boy had been good and sick. Now Kani knew she was running behind schedule, even while every clock tower in Berlin was busy reminding her of that painful fact. The Matrosen-Amazonen had agreed to meet at the nearby S-Bahn station and catch the last train to the Flughafen. It was the nearest meeting-point each girl could make from home, and was their only way out to the airport. Even Wilhelmina had had to concede that a chauffeur-driven limousine, while convenient, would have raised too many awkward questions. At last Kani could see the platform of the S-Bahn and the two girls and Luna waiting there. She arrived, huffing and puffing, and bent nearly double trying to catch her breath. "Sorry," she sputtered, "problems at home." "There might be a bigger problem, Kani," said Luna. "The last train's already gone by." "No! We *have* to get to the airport! People are counting on us!" "Kani," Wilhelmina took her friend's arm, "it's not your fault. Look; I've got money. We can hail a cab." "That'll look suspicious," Luna said discouragingly. "Given a choice, I'll take suspicious over no-show," Kani spat back. "I think the point has just become moot." Rachel pointed down the tracks. Coming towards them was a train, its sign reading: "Flughafen Tegel". The girls peered inside as it pulled up. The train was empty: no passengers, no driver. Yet it was here. With a hiss of hydraulics, the doors opened. "Our own private train," whispered Kani. "Stage One in the elaborate trap Jadeite's built for us?" "Do we get in?" asked Wilhelmina. "I don't like it." "It's here. We're here. That's all that matters," was Kani's decision. She stepped forward and boarded: Luna followed, then a nervous Wilhelmina. Rachel brought up the rear, unconsciously crossing herself as she stepped over the threshold. The doors slid shut. The train started up. They were on their way. They passed through different neighbourhoods of Berlin en route to the airport - shops and stores, well-kept residential districts, industrial zones, green parks - all very quiet, all completely unaware of the drama that was about to unfold. At last the train reached the flat open area surrounding the airport. Spellbound, the quartet watched the terminals and the parked jets sitting on the tarmac waiting for the next day's assignments loom closer and closer. The S-Bahn glided into the station, slowed, then stopped. The doors opened. The ride was over. The fight was about to begin. ***** "It's cold," chattered Andreas. "I wish I'd brought a jacket." "Oh, stop complaining," replied Tristan testily. "You were the one who suggested we'd get the best view from on top of Terminal Two. You should have known there'd be a wind." "Well, I'm an idiot, then. What if they decide to fight it out inside the terminals, instead of out on the tarmac? You didn't think of that, either." "Hopefully that won't come to pass, or the Hero will be a little ticked." "Good books, bad books - who's keeping score?" "I am. Maybe he'll stop inviting me on his trips to the witch's lair." "Oh, come on, Tris. The place may be a little creepy, but she's certainly easy on the eyes. Wonder if there's an initiation ritual if you want to be a general in her army?" "You should be a lot warmer after that thought. Tell me, do you relate everything in life to sex?" "Is there any other way?" They both shuddered as another gust whipped by. ***** The airport appeared deserted. Cautiously, the three girls and Luna had made their way from the S-Bahn station into Terminal One. "The airport's a pretty big place," observed Wilhelmina. "How will Jadeite even know we've arrived?" "Trust me," was Kani's reply, "he knows we're here. The next move is his." "That means we should be ready for anything," Rachel reminded them. They reached the main hall and stopped. Standing at the information booth was a security guard. He was standing, just standing. Carefully the girls crept into the open. There was no reaction from the man. On an impulse, Wilhelmina took the last few steps and poked the man in the chest. He toppled over onto the floor and lay there, unmoving. Then they looked around. Scattered throughout the hall were the bodies of various airport personnel, all stiff and still on the floor. Wilhelmina gasped. "He's been here. Oh, boy." "Stay ready," advised Kani. They started to cross the room. On an impulse, Rachel turned around. The guard Wilhelmina had pushed over was rising to his feet, a blank expression on his face, his hands extended and making grasping motions. "It's begun!" she yelled out. She reached for her rosary. It quickly became apparent that one rosary wasn't going to be enough. Every other person in the terminal was rising to his or her feet, assuming the same posture as the guard. "I'm open to suggestions," Kani said nervously. "I've got one," replied Wilhelmina. "RUN!!" In seconds they were seeking to outdistance their pursuers. "Are they following!?" gasped Kani. "I'm afraid to look!" Wilhelmina replied. A braver Rachel shot a fleeting glance over her shoulder. "Yes, unfortunately!" "They may not be as fast, but they'll beat us in endurance!" Luna panted. Another group of zombies appeared out of a side passage, looking to cut the heroines off. Kani, in the lead, changed course and took them all down another side corridor. "This is to their advantage! Let's find a way out!" she decided. It took a few minutes and several more frenzied course-changes, but they found a way out onto the tarmac. A wave of zombies followed them out, continuing the impromptu conga line. "Okay; now what?! We're outside, so are they, and there's still a great big metal fence around this place! What do we do next?!" asked Wilhelmina, beginning to gasp for air. Kani clenched her fists. "Right! That's it! Time we fought back!" She stopped in her tracks, reached inside her blouse, and pulled out her brooch. "Mondprismen-Macht, schminke!" From behind her, she heard the simultaneous cries of "Venusmacht, schminke!" and "Marsmacht, schminke!" In the twinkling of an eye, there stood the three heroines Matrose Mond, Matrose Venus, and Matrose Mars: all that stood between the Earth and its dire peril. "Mars! Try your fire on them!" ordered Matrose Mond. "But they're innocents," Mars protested. "I don't want to hurt innocent people." "They seem to have no qualms about wanting to hurt us," muttered Venus, watching the gap between the Matrosen-Amazonen and their pursuers shrink rapidly. "Do it! Please!" begged Matrose Mond. Reluctantly, Mars assumed her stance, pointed with both hands clasped together, index fingers pointed forward, and shouted "Feuer Seele!" A gout of fire shot forward, propelled by her will, and washed over the lead zombies. She whispered a prayer for forgiveness. The effect of her attack was astonishing - her targets transformed briefly into brownish gelatinous humanoids, then lost all shape and splashed to the tarmac, forming puddles amid clouds of steam. "They're mud!" yelled Venus exultantly. "They're not human at all!" She unleashed a Halbmond Strahl with a whoop, cutting a swath through another group of their foes. Matrose Mond joined in, hurling her tiara through the throng, mowing them down in ranks. Soon they were surrounded by only a number of large, filthy pools of water. Not one of their pursuers remained. "Okay, that was easy," quipped Venus. "I think that was just a test," cautioned Luna. A laugh rang out, loud and clear, from the top of Terminal One. The three girls turned to face the roof. There, standing with his hands on his hips, was Jadeite. "Welcome, ladies! I'm glad to see you accepted my invitation!" He directed his gaze at Mars. "I was certainly surprised by your sudden appearance recently. Where do all you Matrosen-Fraeuleins come from?!" "Oh, we're everywhere," Venus shot back. "You never know just where or when one of us turns up!" "Confident little wretches, aren't you?!" "We've no reason not to be, Jadeite. We've taken everything you and your lackeys have thrown at us and beaten you every time!" Matrose Mond glared defiantly back at the general. "Well, now, playtime is over; tonight, you die." The suddenness of the noise startled the Matrosen-Amazonen. Behind them, the shriek of dozens of jet engines starting up at once was deafening. Each cowered, holding hands over ears in a vain effort to cut out the piercing whine. "A little disoriented, are we? Good; then you'll be ready for the main attraction." Jadeite chuckled and waved his fingers. The first of the planes, a small Messerschmitt propjet, moved from its space and slowly rolled towards the heroines. He gestured again and a huge Lufthansa Junkers-Airbus started to taxi out behind them. Carefully, he began to position planes to surround his foes. The subjects of his attacks were slowly realizing what was being done. "Should I try a few Halbmond Strahls on the planes?!" yelled Venus. "And set off the jet fuel?! Whose side are you on, ours or his?!" was Matrose Mond's retort. "Then all we can do is try to outrun them!" said Mars. "Well, you'd better hurry, because he'll have you cut off!" Luna warned. They whirled around, trying to find a gap in Jadeite's attack. Where the larger jets stood high enough off the ground to be passed under, the general was plugging those gaps with light planes. There didn't appear to be any place left to go, save one small and rapidly closing hole. They set off full-tilt. "Oh no you don't, ladies. I left that for you purposely. Against me, you have no hope." Jadeite smiled and gestured again. The circle was complete. The roar of all the engines masked the sound of the final surprise until it was too late. The girls and Luna had reached the gap and were ducking under the wing of another Junkers jet when the helicopter came around the tail of the jumbo, rotor tilted down. There was no longer any escaping the wrath of Jadeite. The heroines looked around at their prison, wondering what Jadeite had planned next. The helicopter began to move forward, the rotor blades spinning nearer and nearer. That's when the rose smacked down on the roof of Terminal One, right at Jadeite's feet. The helicopter landed gently, its rotor spinning to a stop. Jet engines cut out, their incessant whine dying away in the night air. All was suddenly quiet. The frown that had crossed Jadeite's face when the rose's power had broken his spell was replaced by a sly grin. "I've been waiting for you, Smokingmaske! I knew you couldn't resist being here, too." Only then did he turn to face his foe. Somehow, the dapper hero was perched on the very pinnacle of a warning beacon on the corner of the building. His cape unfurled behind him in the breeze, but his top hat remained firmly planted on his head. In both hands he cradled a long, polished black cane. "Of course I would come, Jadeite! Your evil schemes must be stopped at any cost!" "You speak rashly for someone who shows himself for the briefest of moments, then leaves young girls to carry on the battle!" "I play a part in the great drama, Jadeite! When my part is done, I leave the field to those best able to deal with the situation!" "Then deal with this! Your days of meddling are over!" Jadeite's hands flew up, and lightning shot forth. But Smokingmaske stood his ground. Twirling his cane, he deflected the onslaught. When it stopped, both men remained where they were. "You're breathing hard, Jadeite!" taunted Smokingmaske. "But when this is over, I shall be the only one breathing!" was the general's snarled reply. At the same instant they both leaped into the air at one another. A flaming sword materialized in Jadeite's right hand; as they crossed in mid-flight he swung it at Smokingmaske. The hero used his cane to parry. They landed on opposite sides. Again they turned and leaped once more. This time both men swung; the sword and the cane went hurtling from their grasps. In mid-air, hovering above the terminal, the two came to grips with one another, somehow fighting for leverage where none theoretically existed. It devolved into hand-to-hand combat, the antagonists close enough to feel one another's breath on their faces, to hear the grunts and groans of exertion, to see the look in one another's eyes. The battle had several spectators. One, no longer feeling the cold on the roof of Terminal Two, found himself not-so-silently cheering on his partner. "Come on, Tris! You know the moves, comrade! Let him have it!" The others spectators watched from the ground. Without Jadeite's cordon of aeroplanes to worry about, the quartet could follow the battle as it moved away from the airport buildings and down the runways. "C'mon, Smokingmaske! Belt him one!" yelled Venus. Mars remained quiet, but she silently offered prayers for the Matrosen-Amazonen's guardian. It was Matrose Mond who was in the greatest distress. *Come on, Smokingmaske. I know you can beat him; I believe in you. Please, don't get hurt.* Her heart in her mouth, she ran alongside her teammates and Luna, following the fight all the way to the end of the runway, where the land stopped and the Tegler See began. And still the death-waltz on high continued. Round and round they went, sometimes higher, sometimes lower. All at once, Jadeite made a desperate twist and lunge, and the pair lost their balance, plummeting into the dark waters. "No!!" Matrose Mond screamed before she could gain control of herself. She ran to the very edge of the breakwater, the others coming up behind her. She watched for a sign. She watched for his head to break clear of the water and give her that cheerful grin. She waited for anything. There was nothing. They waited. A single red rose bobbed to the surface, floated for a moment, then disappeared under a wave. With a roar of triumph amidst a spray of water, Jadeite rocketed up from the depths. "Now that that's dealt with, we'll pick up where we left off!" The dull roar of aeroplane engines could be heard in the distance. ***** They stared intently at the huge image projected into the air from Beryl's crystal ball. The three generals stood quietly to one side, feeling uncomfortably like chaperones on a first date. Beryl lounged on her throne; Siegfried Koenig sat on a chair strategically placed one step below. He didn't care - it was only protocol. "Do you think my choice of entertainment appropriate?" the Queen cooed. The Reichsfuehrer had been telling lies for many years; he was an expert. "Of course, Koenigin Beryl. If this Jadeite wins, you have no more worries." "And if he loses, Herr Reichsfuehrer?" "If he loses, another of your generals will take his place." "Ah, but it also confirms that we of the Dark Kingdom will need your help. I am not as obtuse as that, my dear Siegfried." He smiled, as if he'd won a small point. "It hadn't occurred to me like that, Koenigin Beryl. Then I shall have to cheer more for the Matrosen-Amazonen." *Especially since I appear to have lost one ace,* he thought disconsolately. But, he reminded himself, the battle wasn't over yet. ***** "I'm getting tired of all this running around!" Matrose Venus was gasping for breath, trying desperately to keep up with the others. Behind them they could hear the whine of the commuter jet gaining on them. "There must be something we can do without wrecking the place!" "Luna, I think we've got no option but to do something drastic!" declared Matrose Mond. "We can't destroy every plane in the Flughafen, but we need something to distract Jadeite!" "What about that?!" Mars pointed to a fuel truck. "At least it's less expensive!" said Luna. "Perfect!" Matrose Mond halted, clutching Mars by the arm; Venus came up alongside. "Okay; here's the plan!" They gathered in close. Jadeite was growing bored. It was one thing to chase the Matrosen-Amazonen all around the airport and make them suffer as they had made him suffer, but this was repetitious. He decided to try and box them in again, and directed a huge Heinkel cargo plane to move to him. The fuel truck explosion was close enough for the blast to knock him off his feet, but none of the fiery debris struck him. Blinking his eyes to clear the effects of the flash, Jadeite realized his vision was still impaired, this time from the smoke of the fire. Thick fumes from the burning aviation petrol made him choke; he staggered to his feet, losing his bearings. Venus blew on her finger. "How's dat shootin', pardner?" Her accent was no better than the last time. "It'll do," Matrose Mond replied. "Now it's up to Mars." Taking advantage of the smoke, Matrose Mars had snuck around behind the still-disoriented general. A rosary appeared in her hand; she began to twirl it in the air. "Weiche boese Geist!" The rosary flew from her hand and settled around Jadeite's neck. The villain looked down, saw the beads hanging on him like a millstone, and realized his hands wouldn't obey his command to remove the offending object. "What have you done to me?!" he screamed. There was a roaring in his ears. Then he had true reason to feel terror. The smoke cleared; Matrose Mond stood ten metres in front of him. "You've brought a lot of pain to a lot of people, Jadeite! Tonight, it ends here! Im Namen des Mondes, werde ich Sie bestrafen!" She raised her hand to her forehead and took off her tiara. She reared back. The panicking Jadeite fought his rigid and disobeying muscles. The roar grew louder. "Mond Diadem Aktion!" With a tremendous effort first one, then the other of Jadeite's feet lifted off the ground. That one step was enough for him to dodge the missile at the last second. But that roar was unbearably loud. Something inside him told him to turn around; slowly his head swivelled back. The nose wheel of the cargo jet was a metre away and closing. Jadeite concentrated; all he could do was flee, run away, hide - - and he found his path blocked. The twenty-four hours had expired. The wheel struck Jadeite in the back, kept going, knocked him to the ground, kept going, squashed him to the tarmac, and kept going. The general's scream was horrific but brief. Venus turned away in shock. Matrose Mond ran over, saw flecks of foam coming from the crushed general's mouth. She bent down beside him. "You should have run away," she said quietly. "No one deserves this." "Hrrrgh!" Jadeite tried to speak through the body fluids filling his crushed lungs and mouth. "Hai - hmmm - nnnntt - ththth - llassst!" The look in his eyes was pure hatred. And then those eyes closed forever. The body of Jadeite, late general of the Dark Kingdom, dissolved into nothing. With the death of the caster, the spell on the aeroplanes broke. The airport was quiet again. Matrose Mond stood up. Mars came alongside her on one side, Venus slowly on the other. Luna stood below. "What did he say?" "He said this is just the beginning." "Oh, scheisse," was Venus' comment. Mars looked at her with a shocked expression. "Oh, come on, you can't tell me that's the worst you've hea-" The blonde checked herself, remembering who she was talking to. "Sorry," she apologized. "I'll try to watch that." "It's all right, Venus. I'm probably as upset as you are at the news; I just have a different way of reacting." "And that is?" "I pray a little harder." Mars smiled. Venus looked around. "Hey, where's Matrose Mond off to?" The heroine was steadily heading back to the end of the runway and the Tegler See. Every step brought her closer to that which she feared most: she'd reach the water and see - no, she didn't want to think about it. Just take it one step at a time. "Kani," Luna began. The cat had come alongside the girl. "Luna, not now. I know what you're going to say and I thank you for it. But not now. I have to see for myself." One step. One step. The others had fallen in behind her, but kept silent. In a few minutes they were back at the water's edge. Matrose Mond tried to keep a straight face as she willed herself to look out at the lake. There was nothing. Nothing to mark his passing. Nothing to mark his heroism, his bravery, his reliability. Nothing to mark her love for him. "Come on, Kani," whispered Luna. "I know it hurts, but you have to move on. Remember, this is only one victory in what looks like a war." "Victory? You call this a victory? Luna, I lo-" "You missed me terribly and wanted to tell me that?" They whirled around. There, hovering above them, was Smokingmaske. "Nothing to worry about," he said. "I'll always be here for you when you need me. However, the three of you seem formidable enough." "How-?" started Venus. "When-?" started Mars. "You rat! How could you leave us like that, thinking you were dead and gone?! What kind of a protector is that?!" "The kind who only comes when needed." He tipped his hat. "Farewell, ladies. We shall meet again." He then floated away into the night sky until lost from view. The Matrosen-Amazonen stood there a moment, watching the moonlight shimmering on the Tegler. It was a moment's peace, a brief calm purchased before the next storm approached. "By the way," Venus asked, "how are we getting home?" ***** Tristan awoke on the roof of Terminal Two to find Andreas crouched over him. "You okay, comrade?" the sandy-haired SS man enquired. Tristan glared at him. "Let me guess: show's over, right?" "Right." "Fine, then. We're going back to barracks and, on the way, you're telling me everything that happened after I blacked out." Andreas whistled softly. "You won't believe me." "As long as it explains why my underwear's soaking wet, I'll believe anything." ***** The images from the crystal ball had faded out long ago. Beryl sat on her throne, drumming her fingers on the armrest. Nephrite stood before her, Siegfried beside him. "You understand your orders, Nephrite?" the Queen asked. "Yes, Queen Beryl. I am to go to Earth with the Reichsfuehrer. I am to establish cover with his help, and then we shall begin the next phase of our plans." "Exactly. And you will commence your part of the bargain, Siegfried?" "You have my solemn promise, Koenigin Beryl. And, perhaps, the next time I shall provide the entertainment." Beryl did not scowl until the pair had left. ***** The airport was deserted. The fire had burned itself out long ago and, save for aeroplanes parked all over the airport grounds, was all that was left to mark the passing of the night's battle. All, that is, except for the red rose embedded in the roof of Terminal One. Every so often it swayed in the breeze, bobbing back and forth. From time to time a wine-red petal blew off, floating away into the night sky, until only the bud of the rose was left on the stem. It was black. ***** end Chapter Six. Glossary: Flughafen: airport. Flughafen Tegel is one of Berlin's airports. S-Bahn: light rail transportation system scheiss(e) - shit. Just as "shoot" can be used in English as a non-vulgar replacement, so can "schade" be used as a substitute in German.