PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY
An AU Battle of the Planets/Star Blazers crossover
By Frederick P. Kopetz
Inspired by Yuki Wildstar and Gail (Fluffy) Kopetz.
CHAPTER SEVEN: LET’S HAVE A PARTY….
To Review the origin of this fic: My recent partner-in-fanfic-crime, beta reader, and Visions Project fellow author "Yuki" and I were going along in a chat session and the incredibly wacky idea of putting the worlds of Nishizaki/ Matsumoto and Yoshida together again in a fic occurred to both of us. I’ve gotten some help from her and my dear wife Gail Kopetz. I have done this before, with Star Blazers & Speed Racer (Attack and Counterattack, and my current ongoing Unexpected Allies). I had sat back on this story for a while, and almost abandoned it, but joining some new BOTP pages on Facebook stirred my creative drink again. I’ve also been working on my original novel: Ecce Homo today. I’m busy. Onwards…
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The Tokyo Megalopolis
The Wildstar Residence
Thursday, April 25, 2222
0830 Hours: Local Time
At that moment, Mark was rolling around sweaty in his bed in the Wildstars’ guest room, next to Princess, and he was having the most horrid dream.
First, his mind replayed the events that had taken place at Center Neptune a few hours ago, but they seemed like years to him now….
Nova slammed the files on his desk. “These files discuss everything that happened. A few hours ago, I felt like leaving my husband for this until we both saw you lied to him, too. WHY?” Nova snapped. “Why did you have our child taken from my body and implant him in the body of a stranger; something I would never have consented to, even if he was really at risk!”
“Doctor Wildstar, there were all sorts of factors…” Anderson said.
“I read your so-called justifications;” said Derek. “And they are full of shit. Like you!”
“Listen, Admiral, you are not coming here and confronting me in that tone of…”
Nova looked at Derek, received a quick nod, and, as fast as lightning, she raised her hand, and Anderson began to feel a strong force at his neck.
It was coming from Nova, and he realized that, like a Jedi Knight from a fictional movie, she was actually strangling him with her mind.
He gasped as Nova came up to him with fire in her eyes and a hard look on her face.
“Damn you, Doctor!” snapped Anderson. “You’ll be up on charges for violating my person like that!”
“Like you should be, for violating MY person with your doctors’ scalpels and cutting my child from my body?” Nova hissed in his face as she grabbed Anderson’s jacket by its lapels and shook him hard after she broke her stranglehold on him.
“Admiral, are you going to let her do this?” roared Anderson.
It scared the HECK out of Mark in his dream, seeing Nova doing that. In his sleep, he asked, “How did she learn to do that?”
A calm voice told him, “Nova has more secrets than the fact that you were her son. This is how…”
Another vision rolled across his mind in that dream…
Something told him that this had taken place in 2209.
He was shocked as he saw Nova talking with Aliscea, the Princess from Pellias whom they said was a traitor.
“How can she be talking with a traitor?” muttered Mark in his dream.
“This was before she knew,” said that strange, calm voice again. “Watch, and learn…”
Mark then saw Nova asking Aliscea….
“Why did you bring me here?”
“Many reasons,” said Aliscea. “We need to unite our resources in fighting Ekogaru. I know my mother has told you of how you are part of our Bloodline. You share a common ancestry, back many years, with Mother and I and with Queen Starsha’s Iscandarian Royal House. In fact, thousands of years ago, we were actually of the same family line. Starsha is kin from afar with both of us. Recently, we have learned that due to the influence of the Cosmo-DNA, which you sat on twice when it was activated, your ancient alien characteristics are being slowly awakened once again by slow, but inexorable changes in your body as the Pellian and Iscandarian genetics become more dominant in you. I know that the Matrix…has…chosen you,” Aliscea said, almost as if it was hurting her to say so. “You and I once shared its power to fight Ekogaru. We should have made an end of him over seven years ago, but we did not. It remains for us to kill him. To spit forth our vengeance. To make him suffer!” Aliscea raged. “And mayhaps, to prepare for a new age without him…where you use in full the gifts within you?” Aliscea whispered.
“What do you mean by that?” said Nova.
“I see you, someday, Nova…wielding great honor, great power, great authority,” said Aliscea. “Someday, you will be in such a high position that Ekogaru will seem like nothing to you. You will have a Fire growing in you that grows even now…greater, burning…filled with wisdom, power, far more than them, ordinary, foolish, stupid mortals.” Aliscea said as she licked her lips. “You shall need my guidance, our guidance, yes…how to…manipulate them to do what you see fit…” whispered Aliscea.
“Aliscea, I can see that we need to fight Ekogaru. Then defeat him. I don’t know if it is for us to torment him, nor do I see that it is right for us…to use what we have been given…to dominate others,” Nova said softly. “I do not want to overthrow Ekogaru, in order to put myself on some kind of throne in his place. He offered me that himself years ago. He offered the same to Derek. We refused him. And, I ask….is it necessary to learn how to…use the gifts within me…so quickly?”
“Hesitancy,” sighed Aliscea. “The same hesitancy I saw from you years ago. You still don’t understand, do you?”
“Oh, I do understand. I can see that I need to learn how to wield the gifts inside me. I agree with that. I agree with defeating Ekogaru. But, setting up some kind of Kingdom?” Nova laughed. “Don’t be absurd. I’m not going to be some kind of Empress. Nor do I want to be.”
“What do you want to be?”
“Someday? A country doctor. Retired from the Fleet. Living in peace with Derek and my children on a peaceful Earth. Is there anything wrong with that?”
Aliscea breathed hard. The dreams. Whoever has been counseling me in my dreams, said that in her own little quiet Margie Homemaker way, she would be one very tough nut to crack, and hard as hell to corrupt! Who has been speaking to me? Who has been offering me power? Who has been telling me to become the Power behind Nova’s Throne, the Rasputin whispering in her ear as we have the little genius build a realm so glorious as to make the Technomugar Empire seem like nothing? How do I get her to listen to me?
Then, Mark saw the scene changing again as he beheld the following:
Aliscea shut her eyes, and muttered forgotten words in ancient Pellian that sounded like this… “D’rats ke imagana. D’rats ke imosholda. Ne gi vrana ego mashta drahhhste. Ega huroro ga shamne ega’dol komo. Vlo ana shana ena o’rome e hlaga shrana D’rats. Vaaa…. ega tolshte ima waga mo ini hana erena ana hyowe Q’lats! Q’lats! Q’LATS!” screamed Aliscea as she shook Nova….
Nova almost screamed as she felt something strange and imposing racing from Aliscea into herself. She gasped and then cried out in pain as something inside her began to make itself at home, and began to rearrange synapses in her brain. Nova felt a weird, tingling sensation running through her body, from head to toe, as she beheld herself gleaming quickly. She looked down, saw the bones of her own hands turning luminescent, and then looked down at herself and gasped, as she saw every single bone in her body that she could see flashing out through her very flesh, her skin and the tight gold uniform and boots that were all she wore on her body to facilitate child care if needed. She looked at herself in the mirror and screamed as she saw her own skull showing through her face, gleaming slightly as it flashed and then went dark.
“I entered your Mother then,” said the calm voice. “I am the Pellian Matrix. Do not fear. I am a leftover from the moment of Creation, and the Almighty has allowed me to live. Watch this, please…”
The scene in the dream changed again, to…
Nova gasped, standing up with an effort with Aliscea’s help as the feelings faded. Then, Aliscea said. “Do you see that bowling pin on the shelf? Paul was in a bowling league one year. Stupid souvenir of his from that stupid league! Watch what we will do with this. Observe!”
Aliscea smiled, put out a hand, and made the bowling pin float down to the deck with her mind as her eyes gleamed slightly.
The gleam in her eyes looked sinister, somehow.
The light of it reflected off her necklace as she concentrated.
Then, she made it rest on the deck.
Aliscea glanced at it, and said…” Watch me move it a little.”
Aliscea raised her hand, and the bowling pin shook, moving as if it was pushed by an invisible force or a strong wind.
“Do you see that, Nova?” said Aliscea.
“I do,” Nova said….
“Now, I stand back,” said Aliscea. “…I also opened several channels in your mind…what the people of India on Earth call chakras. These opened chakras now mean that you will be able to exercise a few simple psychic defenses and powers that were sleeping in you. Do you see that bowling pin?”
Nova nodded.
“Push it. Just like I did,” Aliscea said.
Nova stood up and stared hard at the bowling pin. She grunted a little as she raised her hand and made a gesture at it as Aliscea had.
Nothing happened.
“Aliscea, I can’t do this,” Nova said.
To Mark, in the vision, Nova looked very upset.
“Get your mind off the now!” Aliscea snapped. “Go in there, flick the energy in your mind towards it, and shoot!” Aliscea demanded.
Aliscea gasped as Nova’s eyes glowed unnaturally bright, and she raised her hand…
…and the bowling pin rocked, moved, tipped over…
…and then, Nova, with her eyes crossed in anger (and mental pain), and gleaming like a cat’s eyes caught in a car’s headlights in the middle of the night, just pointed at the pin, made it float up….
…and then, she just threw the pin against the bulkhead as hard as she could with her mind as she stood there with her hand up.
The pin shattered when it hit the bulkhead as Nova smiled a little at Aliscea. “Tell me now, that I’m a baby,” Nova hissed as she gritted her teeth and tried to withhold an impulse to just pick up Aliscea like that and just throw her against the bulkhead. Or, to just reach out with her mind…
…and strangle her.
Aliscea felt all of this passing through Nova’s mind as Nova looked at her and said, quietly, “Aliscea, I see you need to teach me. But never, ever play mind games with me or screw around with me again. Just teach me straight. You know why? Because now, I think I can take you. Don’t ask me how I know this. But, could you do that?” Nova said as she gestured at the shattered wooden pin….
Then, Mark woke up beside Princess, who sat up and put the sheet around her just as a knock came at the door.
“Who’s that?” said Princess.
Mark was filled with knowledge. “Get our robes; it’s Mom. Wait a minute, please!”
“Okay,” said Nova outside the door. “I’ll wait…”
“We’re supposed to be getting married today!” cried Princess. Then, she looked at Mark and whispered, “Call me Jun from now on when we’re alone?”
“Jun?” he said.
“That’s my middle name; I think we should use that among ourselves,” said Princess as Mark slipped on a kimono he found left in the closet. He tossed one to Princess, who put it on.
“C’mon in, Nova!” said Princess. “I’m supposed to have a wedding dress!” she cried. “And you need a suit, Mark!”
Nova stepped in and said, “I think I solved issue number one. Mark, go up to our room; Derek’s waiting for you.”
“Where is it?” he said. “I know crap about your…our house, Mum,” he said.
Nova smiled, and Mark and Princess noticed she was holding a lot of boxes. She said, “The far end of the hall. All of the other doors to the kids’ rooms are single wooden doors. Our master bedroom has a double door. Derek’s waiting in there for you; he has something he wants to loan you.”
“Okay,” said Mark, who left.
He walked down the hallway; bare feet buried in the soft dove-grey shag carpet. The house gave off an aura of quiet, but not showy, elegance and good taste.
He tapped at the door anyway, and heard Derek saying, after a moment. “Come in. You were expected, Mark.”
“What do you have for me?” He was shocked to see that Wildstar was in full uniform, with his black Admiral’s peacoat on, with house slippers. His boots and cap sat nearby.
“Well, the wedding will be at 1300 on the Argo,” Derek said. “You’re going to need something to wear…”
“…right?” said Nova in the guest room as she finished the same question to Princess. “That’s what’s in these boxes. I think it’ll fit you. Start with this one.”
Nova handed Princess a box and she gasped when she opened it. “Lingerie? A garter? How did you know? And that blue ribbon?”
“It goes around your ankle,” Nova said. “Something borrowed, something blue,” she said.
“Where’d you get these?”
“They were last used at a wedding twenty-one years ago,” Nova said.
“Whose?” said Princess.
“Mine,” Nova said quietly. “Go and change into these. Then we’ll see if my dress fits you. I think it will; I’m just a little taller than you,” Nova said. “But, about the same build and weight.”
Princess then noticed Nova had on a pink dress and choker, and was barefoot. “My shoes are downstairs. C’mon, hurry it up…you know where the bathroom is…”
Princess smiled and then she took the first box.
In the meantime, in the master bedroom, Derek had Mark dressed in an EDF set of dress whites, and he happened to have a Commander’s set of rank pips around that he pinned on the uniform.
“Where’d you get these?” said Mark. “They’re perfect.”
“They belonged to your Mother, back when she had the rank of Commander. She occasionally puts on dress whites, too, but the women’s issue has a long skirt rather than pants. But the rank pips are the same. You get a cutlass, too…this was issued for us, but your mother and I usually wear a katana and wakizashi when we have to wear cutlasses, and it’s authorized.”
“You were walking around with samurai swords on?” said Mark.
“Yes, and we’re both good at using them, too,” said Derek as he strapped on Mark’s cutlass.
In the meantime, in the guest room, Princess was twirling on her toes in Nova’s wedding dress. She was laughing.
“I really feel like a Princess in this!” she laughed. She then tapped her Birdstyle bracelet. “What happens to the dress if I have to transmute in an emergency?”
“I did some hacking on your bracelet and Mark’s last night when you were asleep,” Nova said while yawning. “I barely got any sleep. In case of a need to transmute, the nice wedding clothes will phase into the Captain’s quarters on the Argo. That’s where you’ll be getting married; on the ship.”
“Your kids?”
“I’m bringing them all; I put good Sunday clothes out for them last night,” Nova said. “Put these gloves on…the one on your right hand, third finger is slit so Mark can put a ring on you.”
“We don’t have rings,” said Princess.
Then, a moment later, there was a flash, and Princess Sasha Wakefield of Iscandar appeared in a blue dress and pumps. “Deke and I got these last night before the stores closed,” she said. “Our friend Lynn Westland is home watching our kids.”
“Princess, ya up there?” yelled Deke from downstairs.
“I am,” yelled Princess Traci Jun.
“He meant me,” said Sasha. “Yes, Dekee, I’m up here!”
“Great,” said Nova. Nova then sent to Derek, Derek, if Mark’s dressed, get him to the Argo in the Mustang, and wait for us on the port observation deck. I’ll bring the bride over in the Rolls; not in my Subaru SUV.”
Gotcha, Derek sent back.
Then, Derek said, “Let’s go. I’m getting you to the ship first.”
“Without Princess?” he said.
“You’ll meet her on the ship. It’s bad luck to see her in her wedding dress before the ceremony. Oh, yeah, Deke Wakefield from the Black Tigers will be your best man.”
“Where will you be…Dad?” he blurted. Then, he looked very embarrassed.
“That’s okay, I’m your real Dad,” said Derek as he gave Mark a rough hug as Mark wept. Derek then picked up a phone and called a number. When it picked up, he said, “IQ?”
“Yes, Captain, what is it?”
“Is Hardy there?”
“He sure is, with Dawn. They came in formal attire.”
“Great. Are the preparations ready? The music, the lectern, the runner?”
“Ready to go, sir,” he said.
“Great. We’ll be aboard at 1230 Hours.”
“Roger,” said IQ.
“Who’s performing the ceremony?” asked Mark.
“I am,” said Derek. “It’s an old prerogative of ship’s masters going back to ancient times. Hardy stopped by BUPERS at EDF Headquarters and got a marriage license and orders printed up, since you’re under my command now. Admirals like me…uh…we can call in lots of favors.”
Mark nodded, flabbergasted. He was amazed that Derek and Nova had arranged this in just a few hours.
Do these two ever sleep? He thought.
In the meantime, back on Center Neptune, Chief Anderson was addressing the rest of G-Force.
“For now, Mark and Princess are on rest leave for a week,” he said. “Jason, you’re in acting command until they get back.”
“Big ten, Chief.”
“Also, I am not your Chief…for now.”
“What?” said Tiny.
“Bleep…bop,” sad Keyop, restoring back to his old speech pattern for a moment. “Did you quit?”
“No, temporarily fired, damnit!” he snapped, losing his composure for a moment. “I had an argument with an Admiral last night. He pulled some strings and took you out of ISO’s jurisdiction for now, and he put you under the Earth Defense Forces’ Jurisdiction for now. We are about to formally declare war on Spectra, and G-Force will be a special fleet unit. Your new Executive Commander will show up to brief you next week. For now, keep ready, and you’re on your own. Oh. Based on the e-mail I got after the Admiral stamped out, you may be getting intelligence here and there directly from the High Queen of Pellias herself.”
“Who the heck is she?” said Jason.
“She’ll tell you herself,” snorted Anderson. “And she’ll be along on the mission. To even say where she is at the time happens to be classified to the highest level, let alone meeting her face to face. The only hint I will give is: you’ve met her before. And, at that, I will take my leave of you.” Anderson then shook hands with all of them and then handed Jason some orders. “Jason, you get into your best suit, and stand by. You will be teleported to your location by classified means in thirty minutes. Tiny, you are to be in command until Jason gets back later tonight.”
“Are we gonna meet again, Chief?” said Tiny with a lump in his throat.
“Maybe,” said Anderson. “Maybe.”
In truth, Anderson had e-mailed the head of ISO his resignation last night at 4 AM. With the intel report he had, he didn’t want to mess with Mark, Princess, or the two hot-headed Wildstars…especially HER…after she had choked him with her mind last night…and, given his intel, Princess Traci Jun Yussupov of Russia was one member of Royalty he was tired of; and the mysterious High Queen of Pellias, real alien Royalty, but under deep, deep cover, was the other Royal he never wanted to talk with or see again; her and her hothead husband, the almighty Admiral.
Especially since Her Majesty had choked him last night and had been understandably angry at being his guinea pig…and having her son taken from her to be raised as a foster child, then as an orphan.
Anderson turned on his heel and left. He wasn’t just mad.
He was filled with a ton of guilt.
A FEW MINUTES LATER…
A white Rolls-Royce coupe, lovingly restored, was being driven up the main Expressway towards the docks in the Tokyo Megalopolis at about a hundred and ten miles per hour with a military police escort around it.
Princess, used to her cycle, was holding on for dear life in her white bridal gown, gloves, headpiece, veil, and dress sandals as her mother-in-law was driving like an utter maniac, drinking some horridly strong coffee that made Princess gag when she tried a sip. Nova was also singing loudly to a song from the late Twentieth Century soundtrack of Streets of Fire, an obscure movie, as she sang “Nowhere Fast” along with the stereo at the top of her lungs.
“Whose car is this?” cried Princess. “It’s beautiful, but, ma’am, you’re driving too fast if this is a rental!”
“It used to be a rental car for hire!” yelled Nova. “I was driven to and from my own wedding in this back in 2201,” she said as she drank more of her coffee. “Derek bought it for me from the rental agency for our tenth anniversary. We usually go to gala events like this, and I drove this baby across Germany on the autobahn even faster than this once. And I’m driving like this because I need to get you to the church on time. I mean the ship, but…” Nova shrugged and sang along even louder with the stereo.
“Well, at least you have a good voice!” yelled Princess.
Nova just nodded as she looked for the exit, and said, “Five more minutes and we’ll be there. Hang on!”
Then, Nova drove even faster.
Princess wondered if she was going to throw up with this eccentric lady at the wheel. Nova had a manner of being prim, proper, sometimes amusing almost like a 23rd century Mary Poppins, but…she had a usually hidden warrior side that was as hard and keen as a diamond-tipped drill. Given what Princess had seen her soon to be mother-in-law doing to Anderson last night, she did not want to mess with this lady. Whispered rumors said the lady had become far more eccentric since she had gotten psi-powers one day.
Especially because, last night, Nova had told her at her home that part of the upcoming mission plan for the war included the rescue of her adopted son Jonathan from the Spectran capital, AND the capture of Zoltar himself.
Princess had asked who was slated for that mission, and Nova had chilled her by saying “You are, with one commanding officer.”
“Mark?” she had asked.
“No, he’ll be on the Phoenix waiting for you. Derek arranged that your commanding officer for that quick job will be me, and we’ll be coming back with my son…and Zoltar.”
Even after the display Princess had seen from Nova last night, she wondered how the hell the lady intended to pull this one off, although rumor had it that she had defeated Ekogaru and Desslok by her lonesome; the same rumors said she had even bested Zoltar once. By herself. Yet, Princess knew Nova was also as gentle as a lamb most of the time; she remembered the way she had been with her kids and the daughter of her missing son. Princess shook her head; Nova Wildstar was a riddle wrapped in a ton of enigmas.
Nova finally stopped singing and slowed down as Princess saw they were at the EDF docks. “We’re here,” Nova said.
Princess gasped as she saw that Nova was parking on a dock; right beside the famous Argo, which she had not seen for over two years.
Nova looked at a clock on the dashboard as she shut off the Rolls. “We have ten minutes. If we run, we can do this.”
And, in their heels, the ladies both ran to the gangplank of the huge space battleship like the wind. Nova just nodded at the Space Marines standing there, and the Marines saluted as Nova ran up the gangplank with Princess.
A few minutes later, after going through a number of passages that confused Princess a bit and going down an elevator, they were near a sort of anteroom. Nova took a drink of water and gave one to Princess, and then Nova said, “Princess, this young man over here in the Black Tiger uniform and flight jacket is Commander Deke Wakefield. The lady there watching my kids is Princess Sasha Wakefield of Iscandar. Kids, you look great,” Nova said as she smiled at her children; the boys had on dark suits, and the girls had on white dresses with pink sashes, short white socks, and Mary Jane shoes, except for Ariel, who had on white heels with peep toes.
“Thanks, mom,” they all said as they bowed slightly as Jefferson Hardy and Dawn arrived.
“Sasha, get them in there. Deke, since Princess’ father is gone, you’ll be walking her in as a stand-in. Princess, Sasha and I will be your bridesmaids by the altar. Jason will be here soon to be the best man. Excuse me a moment; I’ll be right back,” Nova said. “Little errand.”
“What kind of…?” said Princess. Then, there was a flash of light and Nova vanished.
“What’s going on?” cried Princess.
“Nova went to pick up Jason,” said Sasha mildly. “Give her about three minutes.”
“How did she do that?” whispered Princess.
“Iscandarian juju,” sighed Deke darkly as Sasha shoved her high heel into his instep.
A minute later, there was another flash, and Nova appeared, leading Jason by the hand. He had on a grey suit and had a flower in his lapel, and he looked shocked.
“What the FUCK?” he yelled. “What the FUCK?”
“Shhh…don’t curse around the kids, Lieutenant Commander Asakura,” Nova said mildly. “I gave Mark a lift like this two years ago in that first test battle in space before you met the Turtle King mecha.”
“Where are we?” he yelled.
“Welcome back to the space battleship Argo,” Nova said. “Mark’s waiting in there…get in there, would you?”
“Princess, why are you dolled up like that?” said Jason.
“At most weddings the bride gets dressed up,” said Princess softly.
“Who’s the groom?” he said.
“Your commander, chowdahead” said Hardy in his Georgia accent. “Nova, you and Sasha get in there…”
“In a minute, Jeff,” Nova said, serene as ever. Then, she yawned again. “No sleep last night. Jeez.”
“Mommy, are you running on fumes?” blurted Anya Wildstar.
“Uh-huh,” Nova said. “Daddy and I had a horrible, sleepless night after that little argument we had, and we were all over the world last night, too. Bringing Jason here with my new mind-energy tired me out.”
“How’d you pull that off?” said Jason. “Some new tech?”
“Yeah, I’m the tech,” Nova yawned. “Remember our first encounter two years ago? When we almost had Zoltar and you guys were just being activated and I got Mark out of that vine trap? No, I’m not a cyborg or anything…long, long story, Jason dear. I have some Iscandarian and Pellian ancestry that began to manifest itself after we used the Cosmo-DNA a second time a few years ago to restore Planet Rikasha. At any rate, Deke will fly you back home. Kids, follow Mommy…line up like I told you this morning at breakfast.”
Jason followed Nova, Sasha, and the Wildstar brood past the other set of doors.
Calm organ music was playing inside the observation deck as Nova led Jason by the hand again to stand by Mark.
“What’s up, bud?” said Jason.
“There’s a ton of stuff going on,” Mark whispered. “It’s going on so fast my head is spinning, Jayce.”
“You’re tellin’ me, Godamnit!” Jason whispered. “Okay…I get the picture. You’re marrying…Princess? Really? This isn’t some damn weird cosplay?”
Mark nodded, swallowing hard, not sure how much he could tell Jason.
“Why are we doing it here?” said Jason. “It should be in the Center.”
“Also, a long story. Did Anderson brief you yet?”
“Yeah, he said some Admiral pulled rank on him, and then it looked like he quit, at least for now, as our CO and he said some Admiral from EDF is our CO for now. He looked very upset. What the hell did you do? Did you get Princess pregnant?”
“A lot has changed for me,” sighed Mark, who restrained the desire to punch Jason for his crass comment. “See the man up there in the black coat by Nova?”
“Is he Admiral Wildstar?”
“Yup. He’s our new CO…again. It’s just like it was back in training,” said Mark. “He’s taken charge of the team. Uhh…something really bad went down between him and Anderson. Nova was there, too, and she got so pissed off…I forgot she could pull crazy stuff like that and forgot about how she somehow saved my bacon from Zoltar two years ago. Had a weird dream about her this morning, too.”
Jason just nodded. “There’s some weird stuff going on here. Nov’s part Iscandarian space chick?” Jason whistled at that. “That explains why she looks just like Starsha with shorter hair. The intel I got was right. Zoltar has a major bounty on her head.”
“What?” said Mark.
II. NIGHTMARES…
Planet Spectra
The Capital City of Karakora
Thursday, April 25, 2222
0245 Hours: Local Time
Spectra was a world filled with contradictions.
It orbited a red giant star, one of ten worlds in its star system.
Spectra, like Terra with its Federation, had six colony worlds in nearby systems. Unlike with the Terran Federation, which settled worlds through colonization and alliances, or the Gamilon Empire, which now mostly used alliances, colonization, shows of force, and the occasional out and out conquest, Spectra’s Imperium was built on terror, conquest, and slavery of the worst sort, just like the methods of the fanatical R’Khell Union on the other side of the Galaxy; its closest ally.
One could say both worlds were theocracies of a sort; the R’Khells worshiped the cyborg madman Lord Ekogaru, who appeared on that world now and then, and the Spectrans worshiped the mysterious Luminous One. Both Empires had High Priests who spoke for the Deity; Zoltar, as First Chairman of the Spectran Politburo, was the mouthpiece of the Luminous One but was jealous of him and hated him deep down.
One other small, but growing Empire, about twelve thousand lightyears away from Spectra, happened to be led by the exiles from the ancient world of Pellias, which Ekogaru had destroyed years ago. The Pellians had found homes on Iscandar, Gamilon, and a colony world of Terra known as Mecanner, which was given to them by the allied Terran Federation. Pellias had its own train of peacefully acquired colony worlds, and it was what one might call a Constitutional Theocracy; it had a Parliament known as the Grand High Council, which elected a Ruling Queen every so often as its Prime Minister. Its own High Priestess of sorts, who followed the dictates of an energy field within her that was held to be a Divine Gift from a God like the monotheistic Lord God worshipped by many Terrans, was a currently mysterious and recently discovered figure known as the High Queen. Pellias had not had a High Queen for about a hundred and thirty years since Ekogaru had assassinated her. A new potential High Queen had come out of the shadows maybe fourteen years ago, a woman in young middle age who dwelt in humble exile on Terra, supposedly doing merciful and altruistic things. She could not formally reign until she passed a final, awful test of her developing powers; she had to be killed by Ekogaru and then resurrected in a miracle as her predecessors had been. That had not happened yet, Zoltar knew.
Zoltar had a suspicion that one Earth woman knew the secret identity of Her Majesty, so he had a very high bounty on her head, let alone that she liked to meddle with his plans and she aided G-Force in some mysterious fashion.
Spectra was a highly polluted world whose habitable regions were under great shield domes that surrounded its ten major cities and its bases. Inside the domes, Spectra was a world of beauty and refinement.
In the largest dome, in the planet’s local night on that hemisphere in the capital, a car pulled up in the rain to a Porte-d-Coche (parking area for vehicles) before Zoltar’s towering Palace, near the Great Hall of the People where the Politburo and the puppet Spectran Assembly occasionally met.
Lightning illuminated
the area as Zoltar thanked his driver, got out, and immediately phased into his
Palace.
Within, a woman in white with long blond hair in a white floor-length gown was before his throne.
Zoltar sat down, called a female slave for a drink, and he sipped as he demanded of the woman, “I recall you are the Pellian Ambassador, correct?”
“Sire, I am,” she said. “I am here to lodge…”
“Diplomatic protests,” hissed Zoltar. “My dear Duchess Victoria, all I have heard from you for the past year and a half have been complaints from your Ruling Queen, Astrena. What does she have her blond hair up in a knot about now?”
“Lord, I present this warrant to you,” said Victoria as one of Zoltar’s dreaded Galaxy Girls took the envelope. “It will be our last protest for a while, since I must advise you my Government has recalled me to New Pellias for consultations.”
“I have scanned the envelope, Lordship,” said a purple-haired and masked Galaxy Girl who had scanned the letter with a device at her belt. “There are no explosives, poisons or other such bric-a-brac within. It is safe.”
“Open it,” said Duchess Victoria.
Zoltar opened it. “You make three demands,” he said as he scanned the letter. “First, a cease-fire with the Terran Federation and release of conquered areas on their colony worlds. That will not happen,” he hissed. “Terra attacked us first, centuries ago. They attacked a diplomatic envoy of ours. Not good.”
Zoltar paused. “Your second demand is that we lift the bounties on Fifteen Terran officials and military officers, including those you list as “unknown names; Code Names G-1 through G-5”, and agree to an exchange of prisoners of war. Tell your Queen to pound sand, Ladyship.”
“Read our third demand,” said Victoria.
“It is a request that we cease our wartime mobilization at once,” hissed Zoltar. “No. We have the Federation in our sights. Unless THEY cease their mobilization, along with the Gamilons and, I am sure, your tiny little so-called Empire, and I receive word of such, we will continue our defensive efforts and recon forays prior to a general mobilization. Tell your Queen we have our mecha, frigates, cruisers and Devil Star spacecraft carriers ready to go. When I see you again, it should be at the surrender negotiations. Get the fuck out of my sight.”
Victoria gritted her teeth, but she kept her dignity as she bowed. “Then, I do not expect to see you for a long time, preferably at the surrender negotiations the Federation and Alliance will begin after we reduce your weapons of aggression and bases to ashes, Lord. Remember that the Terrans in particular possess the secrets of wave motion energy granted to them by Iscandar almost a generation ago. I demand safe passage for my vessel as I leave in the morning.”
“You shall have that,” said Zoltar. “I have some honor. Unlike the Terran Federation.”
Victoria bowed again as she then turned on her heel and left.
“Viga,” whispered Zoltar.
“First Chairman?” said the Galaxy Girl.
“You are to see to it that her vessel is sabotaged. Make it look like an accident so they will explode when they make the first space warp.”
“Lord,” she said. Zoltar stood. “Where are you going?”
“It is late,” snapped Zoltar. “Even I need rest, sad to say.”
The guards and Galaxy
Girls saluted as Zoltar left his Audience Hall behind.
Later, in his bed, Zoltar, with his mask off, slept in an uneasy drowse as he observed that his body had Changed back to its female form. We shall refer to the First Chairman as “her” for now to avoid all confusion.
She slept quite uneasily as her sleep was haunted by twisted dreams of plots against her. Then, she dreamt uneasily about G-3 the Swan, and a normal Terran woman he had met in battle a few times.
She awoke as a buzzer went off near the decadent bed.
“Yes?” she said in a sleepy, but still cruel voice as she smoothed some of her long blond hair from her eyes.
“Lordship, the Great Spirit demands that you confer with him,” said the voice of another Galaxy Girl on the phone. Zoltar had the video off.
“Tell him I’ll speak to him in the morning. A man needs his sleep,” Zoltar hissed in his ‘male’ voice.
“He is most insistent, Lord,” said the Galaxy Girl.
“He can wait,” snapped Zoltar. She slammed the phone down.
A moment later, she heard a soft, but very firm alto female voice in her mind. “I know who and what you are, Zoltar; if only you knew what personal agony your deranged, cowardly war via sneak attacks has done to my family and I, even you might think twice. I have considered everything and you are the penultimate cause of that suffering, not Anderson.”
“Who the hell are you?” Zoltar hissed aloud.
“Your worst nightmare if you persist on this course. Indeed, your plots will destroy you in time.”
“They say you have powers, Astrena. I have them, too,” hissed Zoltar.
“I know that. You have never met Astrena. We have met, you and I.”
“Then who the hell are you?”
“Read your letter again from Victoria. That will tell you.” Then, only mental silence.
“No one cuts a psi-link with me unless I will it,” growled Zoltar as she sat up. She looked at the letter again. She ignored the demands and looked at the signature at the bottom.
It read, we make this request with all due courtesy and speed. Signed, Ruling Queen Astrena V, in the Name of the Pellian High Queen and under Her authority.
Zoltar fingered the seal at the bottom of the letter; it was the embossed seal of a star with eight points.
I last saw that seal in passing centuries ago after we suffered a major defeat at Gauda Prime, Zoltar thought. It was on that huge black dreadnought that crushed my fleet. The High Queen somehow lives again. The last one rubbed my nose in a defeat then. I later found out she was dead and I laughed my head off. They have a new one. But, why can’t I picture her face if we have met previously? Zoltar thought as she crumbled up the letter and threw it on the floor.
She then looked up at the sky, at Spectra’s largest major satellite, the moon Dol Guldur, which was almost a twin planet of Spectra. It had a livable atmosphere, water, and other resources, but it was too warm for the Spectran race to live on for long on the surface at 32 degrees Celsius, or 89.7 degrees Fahrenheit, so their bases there, along with his last-ditch command bunker, were underground and air-conditioned. That was where she had Jonathan Hartnell-Wildstar imprisoned; in the small security block in his/her bunker.
Zoltar wondered how Jonathan was doing on short rations. I need him alive, of course, as a bargaining chip, if it comes down to it. But why worry? When I defeat Terra, he will be brought back here to the capital, and his neck set in the guillotine, and…
“BAM!” yelled Zoltar, as she laughed like mad, thinking of Jonathan’s head coming off.
In the meantime, on Terra, off to the side as Mark’s wedding was prepared, Nova sat clutching her Derek’s hand desperately as she stood in her position on the Argo’s observation deck with her eyes closed.
Anyone passing by would think she was tired or in prayer.
“Derek, I warned him,” Nova said in a whisper. “I touched his mind; it’s full of garlic and spiders. He’s not listening.”
“You gave him two chances,” Derek replied. “Good job.”
“Get over there; it’s about to begin, Derek.”
Derek kissed his wife and patted her shoulder. She returned the kiss before he left to stand behind his lectern.
A few minutes passed, during which time Derek gave Jason and Nova some final instructions. Nova then nodded at IQ-9, who switched the program on the music player to that of an orchestra playing the first few plaintive notes of Bach’s “Little Fugue in G Minor”.
At that, the doors opened, and Deke came down the runner walking Princess down the aisle.
Mark’s mouth dropped open at how gorgeous Princess looked in Nova’s gown, heels, veil, and fresh floral headpiece with gloves. Deke had the wedding rings in his pocket.
When the processional was finished, Mark swallowed and held hands with Princess as she faced him. Then, they turned to face Derek as he said, “As a ship’s Master, I have many challenging, some solemn, and some sad duties. But throughout time, all ship captains have had one happy privilege; that of uniting two people in the bonds of holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate. Who stands as witnesses for this couple’s marriage?”
“I do, as Best Man for the Groom,” said Jason as he gulped, as Derek had instructed him.
“So do I, as Lady of Honor for the Bride,” said Nova. “I also represent the Grand Pellian Commonwealth this afternoon by special appointment and I express the blessings and good wishes of the Ruling Queen Astrena and the hidden High Queen of the Commonwealth for this union.”
Jason, Mark, Princess, and Dawn and Jeff wondered what Nova meant by the latter phrase. Only Derek, Sasha, Deke, and their children knew.
At that, the vows and exchanges of rings began.
Mark began with, “Princess Traci Jun Yusupov; I swear the following to you, before God and this assembly. Jun, I take you to be my partner for life, and I promise above all else to live in truth and honesty and grace with you all the days of my life. I also pledge to communicate fully and fearlessly. I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth, peace and grace. I pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor, as I join my life to yours, and I seal these vows with this ring which I place upon your finger, and I pledge them from my heart of hearts. “
Princess’ eyes were moist as Mark placed the ring upon his finger. Then, Princess began with: “Commander Mark Kenshiro Wildstar: I swear the following to you, my love. I take you, Mark, as my life partner, to have and to hold forever. I also promise above all else to live in truth and honesty and grace with you all the days of my life. I also pledge to communicate fully and fearlessly. I give you today, my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth, peace, and grace. I pledge my love, devotion, faith, and honor, as I join my life to yours, and I seal these vows with this ring which I place upon your finger, and I pledge them from my heart of hearts. I too, seal these vows with this ring which I place upon your finger, and I pledge them, as you do, from my heart of hearts.” Princess’ hands shook as she placed the ring on Mark’s finger. She was trying to hold back tears, and she was failing at the task.
“As you have vowed your love, forever,” said Derek. “I pronounce you two, by the power vested in me by the Earth Federation and the nation of Japan, husband and wife. Mark…my son…you may now kiss your…bride…” Derek stammered as he realized he was crying, too.
Mark kissed Princess as Derek stepped over from behind the lectern and hugged Nova, and then their daughter Ariel joined in the hug.
Then, a moment later, a nearby phone rang. “I’ll get that,” piped IQ-9. “Yes? Yes? Sir, I’ll get him.”
IQ came up to Derek. “Derek, Commanding General Singleton is on the phone…”
Derek gritted his teeth. Nova whispered in his ear, “Dear, try to hold your temper. I know it’s tough. It’s a good thing we’re not in prison after the way we spoke to him last night…”
“You’re telling me,” Derek snapped. Nonetheless, he kissed her and took the phone as IQ began to set up some tables with Deke’s help. Young Alex and Ariel then opened some bags and began to lay out food that Nova had requested that a caterer should deliver to their home early this morning; cold sushi and various sandwiches and soft drinks, along with a Beaujolais wine for the newlyweds.
Derek took the call as Nova distracted herself from her own anger by supervising the setup.
“Yessir,” said Derek. “Admiral Wildstar reporting, sir. I told you we would be here while we were having words last night.”
“And I agreed to your bargain to mobilize the Star Force and an escort fleet, Admiral, after you and your wife threatened to go to the press with the unfortunate events of years ago. I told you after agreeing to your offer, which also included threats made by your spouse, Admiral, to create a diplomatic incident with Pellias, Iscandar, and Gamilon, that my signature in that file was a stamped signature used by General Stone illicitly using my signature stamp. I advised you that I never knew of or condoned, or would have condoned, that which was done to your spouse, or, rather Her Majesty the High Queen years ago. You both know now that I had evidence that General Stone came up with the scheme with the ISO Director’s and Dr. Anderson’s connivance. Doctor Sane can no longer answer for his role in this matter because you know he died of pancreatic cancer in 2219. Given all of that, I would like all of you to come to a Press Conference tomorrow where we will tell the world press about this before any nosy reporters dig around and find out, especially one man we have had problems with in the past. Do you accept this as an apology between men, Admiral?”
“I do. I’ll try to bring Nova around because she is telling me in my head, that she does NOT accept your apology yet, sir. You know she’s usually cheerful and calm and collected, if a little eccentric at times as she has matured…but you saw a little of the fire inside her last night. Our enemies are usually the only ones who see that side of her, and me, on occasion, when she is very upset.”
“She’s definitely a Wildstar, now,” sighed Singleton. “You go tell that lady for me that someday she’s going to make a Queen that the Galaxy will probably tremble at if she is crossed, and I respect her.”
“I will, sir. We have a wedding reception to deal with, sir.”
“Over and out.”
The phone conversation ended on that note.
A moment later, Derek saw Nova whispering to Sasha and then to Ariel. They both nodded, but Ariel asked, “Mom, where are you going?”
“Your father and I have to go somewhere to talk; alone. I’m still very angry, but not at him. Derek, we’re going to the gym.”
“Nova, you have on heels and a dress…,” Derek said.
“I can kick off my shoes,” she said in a low voice. “You know I heard everything that transpired between you and Singleton. He is so full of it! I need to find a punching bag before I explode. Please.”
FIVE MINUTES LATER…
Nova had her shoes off, and she was dancing around the gym floor slamming a sand-filled punching bag with all her strength and occasionally aiming judo kicks at it. The rage on her face scared Derek a little as he watched her, and she was beginning to leave small bloody prints on the bag as she punched, indifferent to two cut knuckles, and when Derek looked into her eyes, there was a smoldering fire he could see in them.
“Nova, you should have put gloves on if you were going to use the heavy bag,” said Derek mildly.
“I know General Stone defected to the R’Khells. If I ever meet him face to face, I’m going to make him look like this damned bag,” she hissed. She screamed a terrifying kiai as she threw both feet at the bag, hit the deck, and jumped up punching harder than ever.
Jason walked in, his eyebrows going up as he watched Nova assaulting that bag. “Lady, for a doc, you’ve sure got a burr up your ass!”
Nova snapped, “I’m not just a doctor, Asakura! I’m also a samurai!”
Derek tried to make mildly light of the situation as he said, “Mrs. Rocky Balboa, would you like to go to the galley freezer and tenderize a side of beef next?”
“Very funny! Derek, be very glad I’m not mad at you, because I’d probably pulverize your face in this mood, dear,” she snapped as she punched even harder. She caught her breath, jumped over to the speed bag, and she worked on it for about three minutes. It sounded like she was playing 8/8 time on a drum kit, her punches were coming that fast. Finally, she threw a haymaker punch that broke the bracket the bag was attached to and threw it across the gym.
In the meantime, Jason began punching the body bag Nova had been using.
“You’re sure angry,” Derek said mildly.
“It’s easy, sir. I’m pretending this is Zoltar’s fucking face. You gonna jump in, ya fat old man, or are you too damn old?” Jason said as he paused and Nova began hitting the body bag again.
“I’m younger than you think on the inside, and I’m NOT fat,” Derek said.
Nova stopped, and began to breathe very hard. “Derek, sorry I broke the speed bag. Never knew I had this in me.”
“Nova,” said Derek. “You’re, understandably, wound up and I can tell the Matrix is going off in you like a house on fire.”
“I wonder if she’s outta her damn mind,” snapped Jason.
“Get stuffed, Asakura! I’m more like a ship on fire right now, Derek!” Nova puffed as she staggered into her husband’s arms. “I need a shower before I go back out there. My hair is matted and I’m as sweaty as a boxer right now.”
“Mind if I join you?” Derek said with a wink.
“Can I join you guys?” said Jason.
“NO!” Derek and Nova both yelled in unison.
The lovers kissed, and ran off for the shower room.
AN HOUR LATER…
“Where were you guys?” Deke asked as the Wildstars came back in. Nova was still brushing her hair.
“Ya look pissed, ma’am,” said Hardy.
“I was and am pissed,” said Nova.
“We…had to take care of some issues,” Derek said.
“Mommy, what happened to your hands?” cried little Teresa as she ran up. “You have boo-boos!”
“I was punching something, dear. Something made Mommy very upset. Oh, Mark!”
“Yes?” he said as he stopped dancing with Princess for a moment.
“Can you put Asakura, aka G-2 on a choke collar for a time?” Nova said.
“What did he do now?” said Mark.
“I wanted to take a shower with Derek, and he suggested making it a threesome! What a rude, crass, son-of-a-bitch! If I hadn’t been so tired at the moment, I would have kicked him in the nuts!” Nova snapped.
“He’s a very angry young man,” sighed Mark. “But I’ll talk to him later. He has no reason to talk to my Mum like that,” Mark said as he kissed her on the nose.
“Princess, he’s very honorable; great choice,” Nova said.
… TO BE CONTINUED