Legend of The Grand Mechapolis Chapter 23

THE LEGEND OF GRAND MECHAPOLIS

STAR BLAZERS/GALAXY EXPRESS 999

Founding of the Dual Monarchy and Galaxy Express System

By: Frederick P. Kopetz

Chapter TWENTY-THREE: Yamato Returns to the Party…

Thanks to Gail Kopetz, Margaret Diviney, Michelle Nutter-Lynd, Steven Diviney and Andrea Lyon for Advice and inspiration.

Thanks to AkiraDevilman 666 for his artwork of Nova/Yuki in front of her home.

The Character of Gatlantean High Priest “Var” appears with the permission of “Bells of Nevermore”

PROLOGUE: COSMOS DREAM (Continued)

The Vicinity of Jupiter

Space Pirate Galleon Arcadia

June 21, 2972

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The enigmatic figure known as Captain Harlock, one of several men over the centuries to have borne that name, sat holding an ocarina in his hand as his pirate ship, the Arcadia, sat near one of Jupiter’s moons.

The old vessel had a wood-trimmed Captain’s Cabin at its rear.

The Captain’s Cabin creaked and groaned like a sailing ship as Harlock sat in silence, contemplating many things about the past, and much about the grim future that he, with a dim foreknowledge inherited from his parents, knew was coming at them like an express train.

Someone knocked at the door of his cabin.

“Who is here?” he demanded in a soft but commanding voice. La Mime or Kei never knock, Harlock thought.

“Someone you are overdue for a talk with,” said the soft but equally commanding voice outside.

“Enter,” said Harlock.

The door opened, and Harlock looked up, smiling slightly at the woman in battered clothes as she entered, removing her shades and battered Colorado Rockies cap as she walked up to Harlock’s table and sat down. “Oh, the wine again,” she sighed. “Every time I have seen you lately, you fortify yourself with that stuff…dear Alexander.”

Harlock nodded at his visitor. “Take some if you like…Mother.”

“Tempted as I am, I will have to refuse. We are both renegades in this star system and we must keep our heads clear, correct?” High Queen Nova Wildstar III said as she sat down. “Your father sends his best wishes and regards.”

“How is it you know?” Harlock said. “That message you sent me on Beta Reticuli said you haven’t seen Father for four months.”

“He is in my heart and soul, and we always speak with each other, even when apart…” Nova said, smiling slightly at the thought of Derek.

“Just as Maya and I were,” sighed Harlock. “It is almost two hundred years now since the Illumidas came. With our lifespans as they are, I had almost five centuries with Maya, before we were parted, at least for this life. Yet I know she waits my coming in the Presence, where Tochiro will soon be. Unless your leechcraft was able to save him.”

“I tried, believe me, I tried,” Nova sighed, getting up and staring at Jupiter and her moons from another angle. “I tried what I knew of our medicine; Pellian medicine, even what Gatlantean medicine I was able to learn from Emperor Var before his father Zordar finally went to his long home in battle a century and a half ago. Nothing I knew worked. I even tried my powers on him, and…well…”

“He’s still lying in that bed he built for himself in the wreck of Deathshadow?” Harlock sighed.

Nova nodded.

“Other than coming to discuss the past, why are you here, Mother? Not that I mind seeing you. Your voice is always a comfort to me,” Harlock said.

“Tetsuro and Maetel’s plans for him. We quarreled yesterday over them. I have to follow her for as long as I can. I know all too well what she did with those other men and women; or boys and girls, that she brought to Defuel before she turned it into Mechanization Planet Maetel and anchored it in the Andromeda Galaxy. A third of that world is now alive, filled with brave men and women who are now bolts, tools, clamps, machinery…waiting to sacrifice their lives. Thrice I tried to stop her.”

“Now, all we, meaning myself, Emeraldas, and Father can do for them with our three vessels is help to set them free to the Realm where there is no darkness at all,” Harlock said.

“Again, Arcadia, Queen Emeraldas, and Yamato will act as liberators,” Nova sighed. “I hope and pray we can end Promethium’s evil soon. Even though I pity her.”

“Even she had moments of sanity,” said Harlock. “You told me that two times, she had instituted truces in this war…”

“For her own advantage, only, and when I was younger, I was naïve enough to believe her,” Nova said. “I cannot believe her now.”

“You will be watching over Tetsuro, then?”

“The best I can, until I have to part ways with him and Maetel on Pellias,” Nova said. “There, your father is waiting…along with Yamato. Yamato. She is as much my home…”

“As Arcadia is mine,” Harlock said with a slight smile.

“You read that right,” Nova laughed. “I’ve never been comfortable in palaces!”

“We’re too much alike, you and I,” Harlock said. “You like to be in the action as much as I do.”

“True, all too true,” Nova said as she got up. She motioned up Harlock, in truth her and Derek’s eldest son, Alexander Wildstar III, and they embraced before Nova turned away, put on her disguise, and vanished in silence.

“You are a living ghost from the past,” said Harlock. “Just like myself. And, like me, you are looking for a meet and suitable place to die.”

I. AN AWAKENING…

Planet Earth

The Wildstar Residence

April 3, 2236

A close-up of a person

Description automatically generated with low confidence In the “present”, in the twenty-third century, that is, Nova Wildstar awoke in bed beside Derek.

She groaned and looked at the bedroom. Our home in Philadelphia, she thought, looking up at a chronometer on the wall. 0612 in the morning, April 3^rd, 2236. Sun’s in my eyes. Why did we forget to shut the blinds?

Nova saw Derek sleeping beside her; like her, he was only in his skin, with very messed-up hair. Well, given what we were up to last night, no wonder we forgot to shut the blind. Good thing this is the second floor, Nova thought.

Derek then woke up and yawned. “You smell like romance times twelve, Nova.”

She blushed at that, and said, “Well, it’s better to get home behind closed doors and be with you…than to hear Zain Valas singing in rather gross, clinical detail, how nasty he wants to get with a dirty, drunken woman…who is also high on weed. That’s why I had to get off-stage last night. I was not going to sing “Ya Wanna Get Nasty and Funky With Me, You…expletive deleted.” So what if they called me stuck-up? I would not sing along with that nor play along with that stupid song! Who called us at three AM, anyway?”

“Zordar,” Derek said. “He was…well….”

“On something?” Nova sighed. “Weed? Wine? Rikashan Spice? Sixer?”

“He was actually laughing, whatever he was on,” Derek said. “And it wasn’t a crazy, sadistic laugh, either! He asked if I was having as much fun with you as he was having with Msiba!”

“Oh, my God. I hope you didn’t answer him, Derek!”

“No, I didn’t! Unlike him…I am a gentleman. Even though he advised me how I could make you happy…his advice….”

“Hope you didn’t take it…”

“I know what you like; he doesn’t,” Derek said.

“Good. Every time he’s touched minds with me, I made it clear to him he can’t get into that part of my mind.”

“The…funky part?” Derek teased.

“Yes, the funky part,” Nova said with a deep blush.

They both laughed at that.

Then, Nova said seriously, “I had a few strange dreams again.”

“About what?”

“The future, maybe,” Nova said. “These visions hit me the hardest when I’m dreaming.”

“Just like they did with a lot of the ancient prophets,” Derek said. “Hey…what are you doing?”

“Trying to find my dream journal,” Nova said as she got up. Derek truly appreciated the view for a moment until Nova threw on a yukata and fished around in a drawer. “Here it is. I was on a pirate ship in this dream.”

“Pirate ship?”

“Alex’s. Or Harlock’s. It doesn’t exist yet.” Nova wrote furiously. “We were getting closer to defeating Promethium…in a long quest that may go on for…centuries. A lot of it made very little sense, honestly.”

“Was I still with you?”

“Oh, heavens, yes,” Nova said. “You and Yamato. You and the ship are always in my dreams.”

Then, the phone rang.

Derek picked up, slamming the phone on speaker. “Wildstar residence. Who the bloody heck is this?”

“Me,” said a familiar voice.

“Oh, Steve!” Derek said, recognizing Sandor’s voice. “How are you?”

“Doing great. Can you and Nova get to the Tokyo Megalopolis today? I have a surprise for you guys,” Sandor said. “Or am I disrupting something?”

“You just woke us up,” Derek lied. “Don’t worry. We’ve had quite a few kids and we’re used to it.”

“I used to get the worst of it,” Nova sang from across the room. “You and Diane have had kids. You get it.”

“Will there be any more?” Steve teased.

“None of your business,” laughed Derek. “I swear, all of you have been nosy about Nova and I ever since 2200…”

“Hey, you two have a great record,” Sandor said. “See you later.”

“Later!” Nova sang. “Well, we were at Mass yesterday, so I guess we can miss it today,” she added.

“I’d say that’s a good idea. We need showers. Let’s share,” Derek said with a smile.

“I thought you’d say that” Nova said with a wink as she slipped her yukata off. “You look like you need to wake up.”

“I do,” Derek yawned.

A picture containing clipart

Description automatically generated “I’ll take care of that,” Nova said with a wink.

“No arguments, dear,” Derek said with a smile.

They began to kiss before they got into the shower.

Nova made doubly sure she woke Derek up.

FOUR HOURS LATER….

They got dressed in uniform, drove to Willow Grove NAS, and got into Derek’s Cosmo-Zero and enjoyed a quick suborbital flight across the United States and the Pacific before landing on Great Island.

A Staff Car and enlisted driver were waiting along with a security detail as they drove south to Yokosuka Base.

They drove to the Base in silence, wondering where Sandor was.

He greeted them above one of the underground docks, and he smiled warmly as he saw them, giving Derek a salute and a handshake, and Nova a salute and a warm hug.

“You’re wearing your old Star Force uniform, Steve,” Derek said. “I haven’t seen you in that in ages.”

“That’s because even though I’m your Defense Forces Commander, I’m coming out on some trials with you,” he said as he ushered Derek and Nova into an elevator.

The elevator went down deep into the ground at Yokosuka, and it stopped, and the doors slid open. “Dock Number Three,” he said. “Here is our newest, and oldest Fleet space battleship.”

The doors slid open, and they looked out at Yamato.

She looked brand-new, and was shining and somehow looked bigger.

“She looks…much larger?” Nova said.

“Now, she’s over three hundred and sixty meters long,” Sandor said. “Like to take the grand tour? We’ve done a lot to her.”

“Sure,” Derek said. “Who’s going to be her skipper?”

“I’m leaving that for you two to work out,” Steve said with a laugh.

“We’ll work it out eventually,” Derek said. He held Nova’s hand and walked on.

On a deck below the Third Bridge, in the Third Bridge structure, the Wildstars noticed a great deal of new machinery.

“What’s this?” Nova said. “You’ll pardon me, but I’m not…”

“…entirely up on your engineering miracles,” Derek said, completing Nova’s thought.

“An experimental system we tested on a few small corvettes. It is called a Wave Motion Shield system. It works by channeling wave motion energy to shield the hull with an energy field that can repel enemy fire,” Sandor said. “Yamato is the largest ship we have installed this new system in, and she will be the testbed for the system. Next stop will the wave motion gun firing room, where we made some major changes. In a good way, of course.”

They went up a lift and then walked through the ship towards the wave motion gun firing room.

The structure looked similar, but different.

“Six firing cylinders?” Derek said.

Sandor nodded, with a smile. “Yes. The output of the wave motion engine and supercharger have been increased, and they now feed into this reservoir when the order is given to fire the wave motion gun. The reservoir holds enough energy for six shots of the wave motion gun in a row, without having to recharge it again.”

“It reminds me of a six-shooter revolver from the old American West,” Nova said. “I own one as an antique. It’s an old Ruger .22…it’s chrome plated.”

“I once had a dream about you riding a horse in cowboy getup with that thing,” Derek teased.

“You have odd dreams,” Nova said with a smile.

“I have some more items to show you,” Sandor said. “This way?”

A few moments later, they were in the Yamato’s keel. “Another new addition to the ship. Two pop-up gun turrets. This one is near the bow. The other one is in the Third Bridge structure,” Sandor said. “They are six point one inches in diameter, or 15.4 centimeters; similar to our auxiliary turrets topside.”

“We’ll finally have a good defense for the keel,” Derek said.

Nova whistled. “No seats for the gunners?” she said.

“Automated. They’re controlled from the appropriate bridge,” Steve said. “They actually respond pretty quickly. I have one more system to show you.”

Derek and Nova followed Sandor to the bow. “A new variant of the SMITE system,” he said. “These projectors come out of the waterline torpedo ports. They are strong enough to warp a destroyer now.”

“That will help us a lot from a tactical standpoint,” Derek said. Then, his comm unit went off. “Yes? Lord Admiral Wildstar speaking.”

A familiar, mellifluous voices spoke as a handsome, blue-skinned face came up on the screen. “Wildstar. Something is telling me that you have just inspected my gift to the Yamato.”

“Leader Desslok. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“We recently survived a heavy battle, thanks to Talan, Shasta, and my dearest Starsha,” he said as they saw Starsha cuddling against his arm, smiling gently. “Starsha has shown me some new talents that she has learned to use in spite of her…recent loss.”

“How are you doing, Starsha?” Nova said.

“Much better,” she replied. “I trust you and Father are well?”

“We are, Starsha,” Derek said. “Your mother has also taught me some new talents, and I am now a fully-qualified R’jkharraz warrior myself.”

“Congratulations!” said Desslok. “We are calling because we have picked up intel that our enemies may soon attempt another attack…”

“Where?” Derek asked.

A Galactic Map of the Great Magellenic Cloud came up. “Right here, at the Renval Gap. Bannockburn may be the target, in maybe thirty or sixty days.”

“We share a base there!” Nova said. “As you can guess, Your Majesty, the Yamato has just been refitted. She’s almost ready to go.”

Desslok nodded at that.

“Steve, when will she be ready for space trials?” Derek asked.

“Give me ten days.”

“It’ll take us that long to close up the house in Philadelphia and gather up the Star Force,” Derek said. “We are about to close on a new home here in the Megalopolis in a few days. Then, we’ll cast off.”

“I will probably see you before we gather at Bannockburn,” Desslok said. “I would love to see how well the new SMITE system works.” He smiled slightly at that.

“Thank you, Desslok. We are most grateful,” Derek said.

Desslok saluted him, and Starsha nodded and smiled at her parents. Then, the screen went blank.

Derek clapped his hands. “With Nova’s consent, which she just whispered into my mind, we have our marching orders. Steve, get the ship ready. Nova, you will be the ship’s doctor this time out; please gather yourself a medical staff and help me call up a crew. I will be in command. Any questions?”

Both Steve and Nova shook their heads. They saluted their skipper once again.

The famed Yamato would soon be casting off again for the stars.

II. A CEREMONY…

The Edge of the Andromeda Galaxy

Mechanization Planet Maetel

April 5, 2236

Maetel had reached the end of the Galaxy Express Andromeda Route at a mechanized planet once named Defuel.

To her shock, she found guards there addressing her and the Conductor of Three-Nine as “Princess Maetel and her Bodyguard.”

Maetel found herself herded into a limousine and taken through a vast city on the surface.

A city filled with cyborgs of all sorts, with endless towers, spires, and transport tubes.

“Tell me, what is this place?” she asked.

The military officer who answered, a cyborg known as Duke Hazar, said, “The beginning of the perfection of your mother’s scheme of eternal life. Behold your mother’s Heaven, the true New Jerusalem, which she built by pulling herself up by her own bootstraps. Don’t you want to see this glory extending throughout the Cosmos?”

Maetel gritted her teeth but did not answer.

“I don’t like this place,” said the Conductor.

“Why should you be frightened?” said Hazar. “This is a place of glory; of honor.”

“I wish my mother would explain more to me,” Maetel said.

Then, a flash of light appeared in the car.

“Why don’t you ask her?” said the familiar voice of Maetel’s mother, Queen Promethium…who was sitting right beside Maetel!

“Mother?” gasped Maetel. “In a pleasing form?”

“One of many of my forms,” said Promethium as shadows fell on her face. “Why are you committing treason against me?”

“Mother…what you are creating…it is…utterly soulless.”

“It is the next step in human evolution,” Promethium said softly. “The bewitched Lord Ekogaru was so close to attaining this goal before his unfortunate insanity and death. I have stepped forward to complete his work. What do you think? You are second in command of this realm of mine, Maetel. Remain here. With me.”

“I am not sure I can remain,” Maetel said.

“I am not sure I can permit you to ever leave again,” Promethium said in that maddeningly smooth voice. “I have foreseen something. Listen closely. The so-called Alliance you serve will soon face a major reverse in battle. I am throwing a great fleet against them. The survivors will be eager to join with us and accept my offer of eternal life. Think about that.”

“Do you expect me to aid this…effort of yours?”

“I expect only that you…not actively thwart it,” Promethium said.

Maetel was silent at that.

“Are you still entertaining thoughts of rebellion, daughter?” said Promethium.

Maetel remained silent.

“Then, we shall leave this for later. Come and dine with me. Then, I shall find you suitable accommodations,” Promethium said, with a dark smile.

On Earth, it was now April the sixth.

The Wildstars were closing up their Philadelphia home for the Yamato’s space trials, which, as they thought at the time, would take about thirty to sixty days.

Var and Teresa came over to their home that afternoon to find Nova outside in her garden, in a grungy outfit of coveralls, a t-shirt and high-top sneakers, weeding her tomatoes.

A person in a garment

Description automatically generated with low confidence “I am guessing that you’re working on your garden?” Var said. He was clad in black; Teresa had on a white dress with black boots.

“Yes, I am,” Nova replied. “How are the two of you?”

“I’m so happy, Mum,” Teresa said, putting her head on Var’s shoulder.

“She is happy. My videos drive her crazy, though,” Var said with a grin.

“Videos?” Nova said.

“I send them to Father, too,” Var said with a big smile. “He doesn’t like them much. May I have a tomato?”

“Sure,” Nova said as she plucked a tomato and tossed it to Var. “We’re leaving Terra in about three days.”

“Space trials?” said Var as he ate the tomato.

“How did you know that?” Nova asked as Derek came out. Derek had on a t-shirt, jeans, and running shoes.

“I know all sorts of things,” Var said enigmatically as Teresa giggled. “Teresa, your Mom has short socks on. They’re white, trimmed in pink.”

“How did you know that?” Derek said.

“He figures things out,” Nova added.

“Promethium is really up to no good,” Var said quietly. “Both of you, keep your eyes open. She’s going to…try all sorts of rude things while you’re out in space.”

Derek and Nova looked at each other hard. Nova shut her eyes and nodded.

“She’s planning something,” Nova said. “But…what?”

“Can’t you see it?” Var asked.

“No,” Nova replied.

“I can’t see it either,” Var said. “But it is not going to be good.”

“I’d better keep my eyes open,” Derek said.

“We’d better keep our eyes open,” Nova added.

On Earth, two more days passed.

The Wildstars, with two attorneys, were inside Foxworth Manor signing a large sheaf of papers as Invidia’s long-time home was at last being transferred to them as a new home base for them in the Tokyo Megalopolis.

With the last of the papers signed. Invidia stood up and weakly shook hands with Nova and Derek, who were a bit more formally dressed in, respectively, a dress and pumps and a sport jacket, cords, and boots.

Invidia had on one of her blue gowns.

She went to sit down, and almost collapsed.

“My God!” Derek whispered as he and Nova zipped across the conference table to Invidia’s aid. She didn’t have to vacate the house for thirty days under the terms of the transfer of ownership, but she had asked her servants and staff to pack many of her things anyway for her move to the Gatlantean Embassy on Pellias.

“It’s…all right,” Invidia whispered.

Nova gently took Invidia’s hand. “Your hemoglobin is low…I can feel it.”

“The cancer’s been advancing,” Invidia whispered.

“Then why aren’t you in a hospital?” Derek barked.

“Derek…please,” Nova said. Nova sat there and stroked Invidia’s shoulders. “It’s in your lungs and close to your heart. You have only a few weeks left. We have two choices. I can admit you to the hospital…”

“I do not want that. You know how I feel about hospital. I hate it.”

“I thought so,” Nova said. “The other choice is…I work on you here and now…with the Matrix. It’s not my power, though. It is, at best…unpredictable.”

“Would that work?” Invidia said.

Nova took Derek’s hand, shut her eyes, and began to murmur words under her breath. Her hands began to gleam slightly.

Invidia began to moan softly.

Two of her Gatlantean aides drew weapons and pointed them at Nova and Derek.

“No,” said Derek. “Stand down, please! She’s trying to help your Princess!”

Nova continued to murmur words that Derek just made out through their Bond. “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…use me, please, as Your instrument of healing to aid this woman…” Derek smiled as he felt, rather than heard, Nova reciting more of the one hundred and third Psalm in her mind.

Nova’s hands glowed very brightly and then faded as a sudden warmth passed through Invidia’s body. Her color grew less pale, and she sat up straighter.

Nova looked on, smiled, and kissed Invidia on the cheek. “Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to be grateful. I believe your cancer is now gone, and you will have a few more decades of life remaining to you. Be at…peace.”

Invidia smiled. “Why are you so kind to me? This is the second time you have saved my life, Majesty.”

“Isn’t that what a physician is supposed to do?” Nova said. The High Queen stood up, but she was a little woozy from her healing effort. “Be sure to let your father know when you arrive at the Embassy. There is no need to be ashamed.”

“I will be sure to let Father know,” Invidia said. “Please stay for a bit. I did have my aides prepare a lunch for you.”

“Thank you, Princess Invidia,” Derek said. “We will be pleased to stay.”

They sat down to eat.

In the meantime, Maetel found her current accommodations…a little less, one could say…than accommodating.

She was chained up in a dank, dripping cell underground.

It was dark.

Rats gnawed at her boots.

Occassionally, the screams of someone being tormented rang down the corridor.

“Mother, you have me in such a lovely place,” Maetel whispered sarcastically as a tear ran down her cheek. “Why are you so full of hatred? If anything, you have gotten…worse.”

All that Maetel heard in her mind was her mother’s sick laughter.

And, at that, she knew she had to escape.

The question was…how?

TO BE CONTINUED….