LEGEND OF GALACTIC GIRLS
By Rob Kelk
Based on the Drunkard's Walk and Girls Girls Girls fanfic cycles
created by Robert M. Schroeck
and the Fenspace shared-world setting
created by Sean M. Breen
Chapter Three: Fist of the Morning Star
By Rob Kelk
Based on the Drunkard's Walk and Girls Girls Girls fanfic cycles
created by Robert M. Schroeck
and the Fenspace shared-world setting
created by Sean M. Breen
Chapter Three: Fist of the Morning Star
30 May 2013
13:08 GMT
Crystal Paris
"You're sure that they're linking up?"
"Positive, sir. Monsieur Schrödinger specifically asked where he could find Monsieur Scott."
The man in the shadows cursed in Italian for a few seconds. "They must have heard about this thing of ours, and thought we're as bad as de Leon's boys were over on Crystal Osaka. What in the name of all that's holy is wrong with those Colombians? Have they forgotten the joys of the drive-by? Or of simple extortion?"
"Sir?"
"Don't interrupt me when I've started a good rant." He glared at his impertinent underling, then sighed. "Signor Schrödinger and signor Scott -- Great Justice's 'Dirty Pair.'"
"Who, sir?"
"Don't you listen to the people out here? Perhaps I chose the wrong person to be my assistant." The underling paled slightly. "It's a reference to a Japanese cartoon. The important thing is that when Schrödinger and Scott work together, our people die." After a moment, he continued. "We have no choice. We have to hit them before they hit us. Make it happen; I'll tell La Mariposa."
* * * * *
13:11 GMT
"Noah!"
"Katz? What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. We need to talk, in private."
"What's wrong?"
"Not in public. You're the one who wants this kept hush-hush."
Noah sighed. "Yoriko told you." Katz nodded. "Fine. Ms. Vanette, Ms. Ravenhair, Ms. vel'deVarn, would you join us, please? Yayoi, Kohran, Ms. Swansen, would you mind keeping our other new friends company while they go shopping?"
A few minutes later, the now-smaller group was alone in one of the Sammies' meeting rooms.
"... and that's how they showed up," continued Noah while gesturing toward the visitors. "We both know that, if word gets out about how they got here, the boskonians would stop at nothing to learn how to duplicate the feat."
Dee raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say anything. She didn't know this world very well; that might be how things worked here.
"Are any of these 'boskonians' mages?" asked Lisa.
"I don't know. I hope not. Even if they can't learn how you do what you do, they won't stop trying to duplicate it, then keep it for themselves if they succeed. It's too big an advantage."
"Do you want to know the spell to travel between worlds, Mr. Scott?"
"No, thank you, Ms. Vanette. One universe is big enough for me."
"He couldn't use it anyway," muttered Skuld.
"Noah," interrupted Katz, "that's beside the point. There's no possible way that you can keep this a secret."
"Why not?"
"I know you've read the stories they're in; I've seen the name on the credit card you use when you travel incognito. I did some research and discovered who wrote those stories."
"So?"
"Who lives aboard Grover's Corners?"
"Where did that come fro... oh. And they were on TV this morning. There's no possible way that I can keep this a secret."
* * * * *
Three people, all dressed in black and carrying attaché cases, walked into Crystal Paris' Sailor Militia base.
Only one person saw the group. She buzzed them in, then left.
* * * * *
There was a clatter as Skuld stood up fast enough to knock over her chair. She spun in place to look straight at the only door to the room.
"Skuld?" Lisa ignored Noah and Katz to concentrate on her friend. "What's wrong?"
"Someone's coming," Skuld whispered. Then she tipped the diamondoid conference table over and pushed Sora behind it, grabbing her hammer with her other hand.
"Take cover!" Dee yelled as she ducked, just before the door burst open.
Everyone in the room hit the floor behind the table before the three intruders were through the door. Those three braced their attaché cases on their stomachs ... and opened fire.
"Shit! That's live ammo!"
Skuld looked at Noah in surprise. "What did you think someone would attack us with?"
"Something like this," answered Katz as he tossed a grenade into the air. The grenade went off with a phrase of melody and the Japanese lyric ""
""
Yayoi winced. ""
""
""
"[i]"
[/i]
* * * * *
The first few fighters faced a door hidden deep in the life-support systems' caverns.
"Of course it's sealed," Noah sighed after trying his Great Justice ID in the card slot.
Katz nodded. "What else? They'd hardly want somebody who's supposed to be down here wandering in. Let's try creating a loud commotion out here, and if they unbolt the door, we'll jump them. Ms. Kino, can you make a thunderclap or something to draw people's attention?"
She grinned. "Thunder's just a noise, boys, lightning does the work."
Katz and Noah looked at each other. "Mark Twain?"
"Chad Brock. Don't forget who trained her."
"Oh. Right."
She frowned at the two men. "If you're finished...?" They shut up. "Thank you. Supreme Thunder!"
A blast of lightning shot from her hands, and the door exploded.
Noah whistled.
Katz blinked. "Okay, we're in." They headed inside.
The room was filled with somewhat-disquieting, oddly-suggestive conduits and beakers, all made from brightly-coloured transparent carbon. Noah took one look and whispered, "It's like a cross between H.R. Giger and H.R. Pufnstuf in here."
"Who and who?"
"Later, Ms. Vanette. We don't know when we'll be attacked."
Skuld pulled Noah to one side just before a machine pistol started firing. "They attack now. Please stay behind Mirai."
"Why?"
"Because, Mr. Schrödinger, she's bulletproof when she's in Moldiver form." Indeed, the bullets were bouncing off the short skirt and blouse that Mirai was wearing.
"Right. Important safety tip." Noah turned to Katz. "Whose turn is it to give the official warning?"
"Be my guest."
"Thanks." Noah raised his PDA to his lips, switching on the 'bullhorn' program. "This is an official Operation Great Justice raid! Surrender immediately!"
Gunfire was the only answer.
"Try to take at least one of them alive, ladies," Noah asked. "We need to know who they're working for."
Lisa nodded. "Peggy, guard the locals." She gestured toward Noah and Katz. "Bibi, Mirai, Skuld, out in front. Makoto and I'll back you up with artillery."
"We're not ..." Noah started.
Katz put his hand over Noah's mouth. "... in your league," he finished for his friend. "Go."
They left.
Katz waited for a moment, then took his hand away from Noah's mouth. "Are you going to insist on being a hero and joining in, getting in the way of five people who are used to fighting alongside each other and not used to working with us?"
"I can handle myself in a firefight."
"What about Sora? Or Yoriko? If you get shot, how are they going to take it?"
Noah stopped complaining. "When did you become the sane one in this partnership?"
An explosion in the distance drowned out the beginning of Katz's reply. "... and I shouldn't be the sane one. You need a vacation." Katz moved to the closest computer terminal. "Now that that's settled, let's see what we can see around here. I may not be as good as Trigon, but even I can spot some clues on a network." He typed for a few minutes, with only the receeding firefight making any noise. "But not on this network. We need a hacker."
"We have two." Noah switched on his commwatch. "Kohran, could you bring Kaolla and Rin-Rin down here, please?"
"Skuld already told us to head down. We're on our way," she answered.
"Thanks. Noah out."
Peggy looked at the commwatch. "Is that encrypted?"
"Of course."
"Then we had secure communications."
Katz shook his head. "The endpoints weren't secure."
"Oh. Right."
* * * * *
She'd made it this far ... but, against all protocol, she was being denied launch clearance. That wasn't supposed to happen. "Crystal Paris ATC, why am I being held on the launch pad?"
"We're sorry, Commander Sato, but there's a large ship coming in right across your launch vector. You'll have to wait until the lane is clear."
"Roger, Crystal Paris ATC," she replied while triple-checking her Corolla's space drive. [i]That's bullshit, she thought. No traffic is allowed to come in across this landing pad. Then there was a knocking on the car's door.
""
It was Fujisawa Yayoi, the reservist from Stellvia. One of the Ayanami-Rei clones that infested Fenspace was standing behind her; it was probably the Ayanami that came to Crystal Paris along with the Stellvians. Fujisawa looked extremely upset. The Ayanami was expressionless, but she was fidgeting with her bracelet. Naoko was surprised she was showing that much emotion.
""
It was obvious to Naoko that she'd been found out. It was likely Fujisawa was here for revenge for her employer's death. Naoko couldn't even pretend she didn't understand what Fujisawa was saying, because she was speaking Japanese. Sato rolled the window down partway and tried to talk her way into an escape. ""
""
""[/i]
She had one chance -- assuming Fujisawa wasn't actually touching her Corolla. Even if the wilder rumours were true and Fujisawa was a killbot, a slim chance to get away from her was better than no chance at all. "" Sato reached down, rolled the window up, put the Corolla into gear, and floored it.
Once she was past the forcefield separating the city's atmosphere from the planet's, Naoko let the breath she was holding out in a half-sigh. She wasn't being followed or attacked from the launch pad. No choice now, she thought as she crossed the empty air that the nonexistant "large ship" supposedly was blocking. Evasive maneuvers, then make for La Mariposa's safehouse on Nehalennia.
* * * * *
As the echoes of the squeal of Sato's tires faded, Yayoi turned to Rei. ""
"" Rei commented. ""
""
* * * * *
While the others were busy preparing the [i]Epsilon Blade for the trip to Ganymede, Bibi motioned Rin-Rin aside.
""
""
"[i]"
Noah looked like he was a cornered mouse. "I wish I understood more Japanese. Does this have anything to do with what I said during my thionite dream?"
Rin-Rin switched to English. "Yes. But not the way you think. I hope."
Further explanation was interrupted by the arrival of two men. "Ladies, I trust you remember me from this morning," Captain Corcoran said. "This is Bob Schroeck; he's very interested in meeting all of you."
"We're rather busy right now ..." Peggy began.
Noah put a hand on her arm. "Captain, I recall that the [i]Pinafore is much larger and roomier than the Epsilon Blade. Are you interested in a charter run out to ... where are we going, again?"
Leda looked Noah squarely in the eye. "You and I are going back to Stellvia. Yayoi, Sora, Kohran, and our visitors are headed to Ganymede."
"The Jovian subsystem? Sure, it'll be a pleasant change from hospital ship duty."
"Mind if I come along?" asked Bob. "I'd really like to meet the Girls."
"I don't mind paying for one more passenger," replied Noah, "but don't get your hopes up too high. Two of the Girls are back on my station ..."
[/i][/i][/i]
Interlude
30 May 2013
19:18 GMT
Stellvia
She'd been running for a quarter hour.
She knew she was in trouble when she heard a massive feedback squeal from the bug she'd planted in Stellvia's main operations room. She didn't stick around to let the Great Justice people track the radio signal to her desk; she abandoned it in place and walked out onto the Main Concourse.
But there were two people walking her way on the Concourse: a dark-haired woman and a pointed-eared blonde girl. Two of the Visitors. Nancy and Chalotte, assuming the Stellvians had the names right. She didn't know who Nancy was -- there wasn't any Nancy in any of the Drunkard's Walk stories she knew about -- but she had read the fanfics because she'd read the Borribles books when she was a teenager, and she knew she really didn't want to be on the business end of Chalotte's rumble-stick. She had an aversion to having holes poked in her body. And Chalotte looked annoyed.
So she smiled, nodded, and walked past Nancy.
As soon as the two had walked into the office module she'd just left, she started running.
She'd made it to her special module almost halfway around the Main Concourse before the Visitors spotted her. She ducked inside and dogged the airlock closed, then lowered the pressure in the module -- not enough to be dangerous, but it would stop the airlock doors from opening.
She saw that the Visitors had caught up to the airlock just as she turned away. She moved to the controls beside the airlock and prepared to hit the emergency disconnect. In any other module, that would have been suicide. But this module had a spacedrive of its own; she could get away.
She looked up to gloat at the Visitors through the airlock's window, then stopped in surprise. The older one was walking through the closed airlock door.
"Hi," the Visitor drawled sexily while somehow reaching past her skin and into her chest. "If you keep trying to run, I'll rip your heart out, and that would be a shame. You're such a pretty girl. Want to give up?"
She nodded in fear. "What are you?" she whispered.
"I-jin," answered Nancy.
* * * * *
30 May 2013
20:44 GMT
Stellvia
"Damn it, Yoriko, I don't need a stretcher," complained Noah.
She looked as if she was about to cry. "But you were shot!"
"And dosed with thionite," added Katz.
"He was WHAT?" Yoriko almost-screamed.
"I got better," Noah started.
"Only because of the Girls," interrupted Katz. "You really should save your strength. Let Rhiannon help you off my ship."
He gestured to the nurse, who brought the stretcher in closer. "What's this about him being dosed with thionite? I'll need to know exactly what happened."
"My other passenger will tell you everything I could, Ms. MacKenzie," Katz replied as Rin-Rin stepped off the Uncertainty, keeping her distance from Noah. He turned to Nancy. "What's this about a spy in my ranks, Makuhari-san?"
"We caught her listening in to station operations from an office in the Above and Beyond drydock," Nancy replied, all business. "She had bugs in a half-dozen other rooms, including the Operation Great Justice boardroom, and an illicit transmitter."
"Not my doing, I assure you."
From the stretcher, Noah grabbed Katz's hand. "I trust you. But even your group can miss a boskonian spy. You're only human."
Katz frowned at Noah's comment. "We can't afford to be 'only human' while the war's on. Where's this spy?"
"In the station's brig," replied Nancy. "Would you go get her, please? She's afraid of me for some reason."
"I'll take her off your hands." As Noah started to protest, Katz continued, "I insist. You aren't the only group that takes care of its own."
To be continued in Chapter Four, Angelic Layover...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012