November 15th, 2017.
Ranma and Akane sat across from each other on their hotel floor on their heads, legs and arms crossed as if they were sitting down. They both had a calm, but very focused look as they meditated. Suddenly, the phone rang. Ranma rolled off her head and walked over to the nightstand.
"Moshi moshi!" she said cheerfully. She listened for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, we'll be there soon."
Akane rolled over to end up in a cross-legged position. "Who was that?"
"General Winston. He wants us to go to OZ Headquarters." Ranma shrugged as she slipped her tight, lycra outfit on.
"Is this an unofficial visit?" Akane asked as she changed her own outfit.
"Well, Kasumi didn't want us to be publicly around while the three of 'us' are in the United States. Well, unless we have to."
Soon they were winging over Washington, D.C. Both of them had minimized their auras, so that most people would just ignore them. Not that it was really hard, as the Ultra Secret Service had desensitized the populace to people flying overhead. Red Hawk carried Retribution into a seedier, more commercial district. She suddenly dove down a smokestack that was hidden among other ones. This one was not belching forth soot or smoke and ended in a room deep underground.
Down a short set of steps and a long concrete hall, they ended up in front of very thick metal door and two soldiers. Each soldier carried the US's new M-6A .50 caliber personal weapon for Ultra Soldiers and wore thick plate armor painted in camouflage.
"Halt! Identify yourself with the reader there!" the first soldier yelled out.
"No need to yell! We can hear you fine!" Red Hawk groused as she fit in her OZ ID card into the panel on the wall and looked into an optic scanner. "Stupid peashooters," she mumbled very quietly. So quietly that only Retribution could have overheard her.
The other girl followed suit with a small, hidden smile to her companion.
"Identities confirmed," a female voice said over the speakers. The door opened behind the soldiers who snapped to attention.
As the door was closing behind them, one of the soldiers whispered to the other, "Is it true that they are dykes?"
Red Hawk almost turned around to give them a piece of her mind, but Retribution's hand on her shoulder stayed that. "Damn it. They shouldn't talk about you like that!" she groused.
"It's pretty obvious that something is going on between us, you know. Even the tabloids back home have figured it out," the black-haired girl noted as they took an elevator down another level and walked down another concrete corridor.
"Ah, ladies!" a younger man in a general's uniform said as he walked into the lobby that would have been unremarkable on any military base. A sign of the times of Ultra Enhancement, as the military was looking younger and younger, even as it gained age and experience. A young looking scientist followed him. Her blonde hair was cut off at her shoulders.
"General Winston. Dr. Newtrich," Red Hawk said in reply as she shook hands. "It's been a little while."
"Glad to see that you could just drop in on this business," Winston said as he led them to his office. Concrete walls were covered with wooden panels. "Now, do you have any indications as to what this is really all about?"
"We haven't been privy to the Emperor's thoughts, but I feel he's trying to get some help with the North Korean issue," Red Hawk said simply. "Things are getting... tense."
"Their demands are outrageous, but holding enough weight within the International Community that no one other than the United States seems willing to stand up to them," Lucille noted. "I still think these Earth First people are being bankrolled by the Eastern Block or the Chinese."
General Winston shook his head. "It doesn't add up. And their operatives capabilities add up even less. Every single Earth First-er that we've caught has not been enhanced. But we've caught them on tape doing super-human feats. Yet when we catch that exact person, he's totally normal." He turned to Red Hawk. "Is it possible that it is some martial arts thing?"
"I don't think so. I was involved in catching some of these guys in Japan. None of them seemed extremely skilled," Red Hawk replied. She looked over at Retribution.
The other girl nodded. "She's right. None of those guys were even black belt level."
"I really hate a mystery that we can't seem to crack. They aren't enhanced; they aren't super-martial artists. So what does that leave us?" Lucille said loudly.
Retribution suddenly snapped her fingers. "Magic or magic stuff. Like that weird guy that showed up during the investigation into the Neo Nazis with his staff."
"He claimed he was Merlin, Akane!" Ranma said with a frustrated tone as she peeled her mask back over her head.
"You turn into a girl, remember?" Akane replied archly as she took off her own mask.
The sometime-girl opened her mouth and shut it with a snap.
The blonde scientist sighed. "That doesn't really help us though. It's not like we have anyone that we can contact about the occult."
Ranma and Akane shared a quick look that was not lost.
"Out with it, you two," the general commanded.
"You forgot Sailor Moon and her band of half-wits," the redhead explained. "We could probably track them down at some point when we get home."
"You do owe her your life, Ranma." Akane sighed. "Joy. I wonder how much property damage will happen this time?" she asked.
"How is the plan proceeding to destroy the only threat to our design?" a dark haired man asked as he entered a shadowy office.
The shorter man glared at the mysterious person that had just walked into his office in Washington D.C. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that entering without knocking is considered rude, Tempest?"
"Yes, but I ignored that, Adolph. I ignore a lot of things."
"The Chinese and Russians are forcing the United States into reneging on their promise to protect Japan. Once that happens, the United States will begin to lose public support and show themselves as the weak cowards they are. World War III will really start when Japan is fully subjected for 'Humanity's' safety." Adolph Hitler's dead, dark eyes gleamed in triumph. His features were world famous, even without his mustache.
"And it's all going to come apart if you don't stop the Japanese Emperor from following through with his mad plan. Well anyway, I'm off." And with that, he left the office as quickly as he entered.
The shorter man just stared in shock. How did he do that? How did he have such an uncanny ability to predict what the enemies of the Lancelot League would do?
A girl stepped out of the air into a hotel room. Her outfit consisted of what appeared to be an odd uniform based on a Japanese school dress. Her dark colored outfit and emerald green hair hinted at an unearthly origin.
"DON'T do that!" the blonde haired girl lying on the bed exclaimed. "And you aren't supposed to be here any ways! You could blow our secret!"
"I'm sorry, my princess. But I had to come once I'd felt a chronal disturbance."
Usagi gave the other Sailor Scout a hard look. "The storm again?"
"It must be. And it is now, in Washington D.C., that it is happening." Sailor Pluto said enigmatically. "My Henshin Rod is attuned to those energies, even if the key to the Gate of Time is still lost to me." Even though she looked a bit younger than Usagi, Sailor Pluto radiated a cool aloofness that was palpable.
"But I'm not here for anything important!" the blonde protested.
"Don't you mean you haven't been told that you are here for something important?" Pluto replied archly.
Usagi glared at the most enigmatic Sailor Scout. "What do you mean by that?"
"More is going on here than it being said. Even I could see that. Read the news paper, princess."
The 'princess' responded by opening the door and leaving even as she fumbled for her music. Damn that girl and her allusions.
Usagi tapped the button on her ear-bud Micro-Mini Apple iPod, switching to another song. She sighed as she spotted Kasumi Tendo approaching her seat in the lobby of the hotel they had been staying in for the last three days. A double tap turned off the iPod. "How may I help you today, Miss Tendo?" she asked as she removed the pod and the matching earphone from her ears.
"Hello, Usagi! As a member of the Prime Minster's Office, I thought you should be invited to this meeting," the oldest daughter of the Tendo clan said in way of greeting.
"You know I'm just an intern, Miss Tendo."
"Yes, but you are the only official representative here of his government. And this is a delicate matter," Kasumi countered.
"Kasumi, I was sent here because I'm not exactly liked by my office!" she tried to protest.
"In that case, you may need to rethink your loyalties then," Kasumi said softly. "We live in dangerous times and must take decisive action to save all ofour people."
The blonde young woman winced at that. "I guess I have no choice then." If it hadn't been her idea to go into politics, Usagi would have wept in frustration. What was a time-lost princess supposed to do in this age of democracy and republicanism, any ways? And a princess was just another sort of governmental leader, after all. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time!
"We are facing a crisis that our peoples have never dreamed of before," Emperor Akihito said as soon as Usagi and Kasumi sat down. "President Lee, Senate Majority Leader Schwarzenegger; I have sources within my government that believe that we will capitulate to the New Warsaw members and hand over one half of our Ultra Enhancement Facilities by the end of January. Those enhancement facilities cost us tens of billions of yen. We can not afford to lose them or to be forced to agree to this demand."
"This is not good at all," the aging president replied. "The United States will have to be seen to respond to this or construed as weakening in our protection of all of our allies. This could lead to attacks all over the world." It was an all too real threat in this new 'cold war'. "We can not allow an army like that to occupy key cities of Japan like they want for the transfer of the centers!"
Senator Schwarzenegger spoke up, "And with the problems in the Middle East draining us, we will be hard pressed to respond with any assets."
Usagi suddenly licked her lips nervously. This did not sound at all like the simple 'State Visit' that she had been told about. The wind of fate was blowing coldly. Her voice of the past was speaking to her, telling her of the dire changes in the making of this room. She was not able to listen closely to it right now; her concentration devoted to the present, not the past. But she did not need to understand it to realize the moment was now.
Emperor Akihito continued, "I understand your government's position, Mr. President. You will be constrained by popular opinion here and abroad. Action must be taken to draw our two peoples together. The leadership of Japan has lost sight of their purpose in defending our land. And many still resent that you defeated us after World War II, which will hamper us here. Public opinion must be swayed from apathy."
"That ultra-soldier rape affair from last year in Okinawa couldn't have happened at a worse time! Your news media is still running pieces on that trial and conviction." President Lee stood up and walked to the windows. "We can not force your government in this matter. If they 'give up' those facilities, we will not be able to directly intervene. The moneys that you have invested in those for your own people will be lost to our enemies, who will see you as even weaker foes to be destroyed. And they will have a formidable ability to begin to match our own enhanced soldiers' even while we fail to acquire their mecha technology. If that were too happen, the free world would be subjugated within ten years."
Silence filled the room.
"Yes, this is how I see the tapestry of the future unfolding. Drastic steps must be undertaken."
"Drastic steps?" Usagi squeaked out.
"I have a proposal for Japan to join the United States." The emperor seemed to wilt back into his seat. There, it had been said.
"I... am a bit confused. What do you mean exactly?" Senator Schwarzenegger asked in total shock.
"That Japan be brought into your union of states, so that we might not be forsaken in our darkest hour. To become oath brothers, carrying each others swords."
"You want Japan to become part of the United States of America?" he asked incredulously. The enormity boggled President Lee for a moment.
"Exactly. We have enjoyed increased goodwill for many years. The United States has treated us fairly in this new century. This is the only way I can see both of our people surviving this new, Dark Age."
A figure watched from the shadows outside the building. "Red Hawk to Retribution. I have a suicide bomber trying to walk in the front door! Moving to intercept." With that, Red Hawk suddenly blurred into superhuman speeds, snatching the triggering mechanism from the man's hands. Under his long coat you could see the bundles of plastic explosives strapped to his chest.
"Got some alien superheroes protecting their Emperor! Going to take out a superheroine!" the bomber said. He started laughing maniacally, though in fear or hilarity could not be determined.
"Um, you do realize that I just disarmed-" Red Hawk started to say, only to be interrupted by the explosives the bomber was carrying going off with thunderous power by some remote signal. The Ultra Enhanced girl was at ground zero of the blast and knocked senseless by the attack that obliterated the bomber.
Retribution appeared at just that moment, skidding across the ground. "Red Hawk!" Thank god she appeared to be fine, if stunned silly. What did the Earth First people gain by blowing up outside? With suddenness that seemed shocking, she turned and scanned with her X-Ray vision, seeing commando-garbed men charging in the back entrance from the sewers. "It's an assassination plot!"
"Go! Don't wait for me!" Red Hawk said groggily. "Protect the President and the Emperor." She closed her eyes in concentration. She had to recover more quickly.
Retribution charged back into the hotel and ran up the stairs before people even started to evacuate due to the fire alarms. She burst into the room in the face of all of the guns in the room, only to see that the President was gone. "The President?"
"Evacuated by the Ultra Service," Kasumi said, even as she checked her handgun with .50 caliber depleted uranium rounds. The Desert Eagle had become the choice of weapons for bodyguards. Kasumi had carried it in her civilian identity just for this sort of emergency. "We need to get the emperor to the safe room and then off the premises!"
The door kicked in again suddenly, as a different group of assassins burst in while firing their weapons. "Kill the Jap scum!" screamed one of them as he gunned down an aide to Senator Schwarzenegger.
Without thinking, Kasumi and Retribution had interposed themselves between the gunmen and their emperor, bullets bouncing harmlessly off of them.
"Retribution, is it? Kill that woman for us!" said a bigger man as he held up a pendant that glowed with ominous light.
"Magic? What?" Kasumi managed to get out before getting hit by Retribution's full power. To no effect, surprising everyone but herself, Akane and the emperor! Kasumi blinked in shock then scowled in anger. "Sorry," she said softly before unleashing a full-powered haymaker into her younger sister's jaw. Retribution exited the building through the roof at barely subsonic speed.
"Wha-?" the man with the mind-controlling amulet exclaimed, just before his hand was seared with heat vision, forcing him to drop the crystal amulet. "Rising Sun? But you are supposed to be hideous!"
"Never mind! Burn them!" yelled another assassin as he held up his clenched fist as incandescent flames licked out towards the more normal humans.
And Usagi screamed!
White light lit the entire room as the flames and everything stopped absolutely. Floating in the air, Sailor Moon took in the situation. The crystal brooch at her throat continued to pulse with her life force.
"This is wrong! Those tools of my past were not meant to be abused this way!" Sailor Moon said in a voice that was hers, but not. With a wave of her hand, the flame was snuffed out. With a wave of her other hand, glowing artifacts of power teleported from their places on four of the assassins. "You will no longer be able to sell your fear and terror after this!"
That was the last thing she said before she collapsed back into plain old Usagi just as time started back up.
Kasumi blew out her hastily sucked breath to knock over the assassins. Where had the flames gone? She could have sworn she saw a flash of light, but now nothing! Her resolve turned grim as she blurred into super speed and knocked unconscious all of the remaining thugs. She took a breath or two to calm herself down as she checked out the area. Luckily, the emperor was only stunned from the whole affair. She was reaching down to help him back to his feet when she heard a 'click' at the door.
Reacting instantly, eyes glowing in preparation to blast anything with heat vision, she turned right into the cameras just as they flashed. She gaped into the cameras as she kept herself between them and the Emperor.
"How could it fail?" Adolph Hitler shouted in the darkened office at the man who had just shown up. "We took everything into account! Now we have lost invaluable artifacts from this!"
"Idiot! What about the ancient Moon Dictator that is reborn? The readings are clear! She is behind this and every other major failure of intelligence! It's obvious that she is orchestrating this whole thing to take control of the Kryptonian Enhancement Process!" Tempest responded in anger. "Now they have captured four of your people that you can't let talk at all! She is protected from my sight!"
"They won't talk!" the short man proclaimed.
"Just like they wouldn't fail?"