by

Eric Metcalf

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General Kazor glared down at the report crystals on his desk, then looked up at the officer sitting across from him. "One of our elite teams was destroyed on Earth. I can see Queen Beryl's reluctance to use exclusively officer teams on that dimension. Therefore, I am assigning you to complete their mission, using youma as needed for additional troops."

The man nodded. "The humans have proven easy to manipulate in the past, save for the sailor Senshi. I should be able to execute the mission without needing many Dark Kingdom youma."

General Kazor nodded. "Excellent. The less they know about who is opposing them, the better. However, some level of fear and disruption might prove profitable, to test their responses. However, in event of contact with the sailor Senshi, do not put yourself at risk personally. Engage them with youma, determine if they can be effective against our invasion, but do not allow them to gain any more information about our activities or plans. They will be educated soon enough. Now go." The man saluted and left.

* * *

Minako got home from school and plopped down in front of the television. She turned it on and started flipping through the channels. Artemis wandered up beside her and curled up. "How did the test go?"

Minako took out the paper, crumpled it up, and threw it back over the couch. "Thirty five percent," she sniffed. When Artemis winced, she added, "Well, that's five percent better than Usagi, and even Ami came down on this one. She only got fourth in the class. Nobody had any real time to study this weekend. Hey, what's that?" The television showed a picture of a large airplane in military colors, a podium with American and Japanese flags, and a large crowd of people in uniform.

"That looks like the airport. Look at all those uniforms. I wonder if Ean's there?" Minako leaned forward, scrutinizing the screen.

Artemis looked over her shoulder. "Well, those do look like American uniforms." He yawned and curled up on the couch.

Minako snarled at the screen, "Come on, show me the faces." They all looked the same, in their dark green uniforms and caps. Just as the camera zoomed in, there was a knock on the door. Minako growled, then dashed to open it.

Usagi was standing outside. "Hi, Minako. I wondered if you wanted to go to the arcade?"

"Not now, I think Ean's on teevee."

"Oh, cool," Usagi said, as they both dashed over to the television, just in time to see the camera swing past a young male officer.

"Was that him, was that him? Artemis, did you see?"

The cat snorted and looked up. "What, who, where, oh, hi there, Usagi."

Minako shook her head. "You're a real help, Artemis." The camera pulled back, showing a procession of men carrying flag draped objects up into the plane.

A narrator's voice over started up in Japanese. "The honor guard is now loading the bodies of the slain Americans into the plane for transport back to the United States."

Usagi and Minako gasped in unison. "Oh my, those must be soldiers that were killed at that base, and at the house the other night," Minako said.

Usagi sat back and started to cry. "If we had been faster, if we had fought better, those people wouldn't be dead, they'd be alive. Oh, if we were normal, we wouldn't have to worry about things like this."

Minako leaned over to her. "Usagi, if it weren't for us, more people would have died. If we were normal, they could have killed them all. What we do is important, and we have to keep on doing it. Especially since there may be an invasion coming up."

Usagi stopped crying and nodded her head, smiling. "Thanks, Minako, that helps. I just wish we could have prevented it, somehow."

"I'd settle for stopping this invasion before it gets going," Minako said. The music that had been playing stopped, and an American started speaking over the microphone.

A Japanese translation started voicing over. "We would now like to honor those whose bravery and skill prevented others from being slain. The following personnel will approach the podium to be presented with their decorations when their name is called. Midra, Danielle." A black woman stepped forward out of the line, and the camera zoomed in to where she was standing.

"Hey, there's Ean," Minako said, pointing to the man standing beside where the woman was. He was standing rigidly at attention; eyes fixed forward, expression slightly downcast.

"He looks sad," Usagi said.

Minako looked at her, slightly surprised. "Well, he did just watch a lot of friends get put on that airplane." Usagi looked down.

"Hoffman, Ean," the voice on the television called.

"Ooh, ooh, they called him," Minako said, moving closer. Ean marched forward stiffly and deliberately.

"He looks like he's in pain," Usagi said.

Artemis stirred. "Well, he did just get his back and most of his ribs broken the other night. Even if he heals as fast as you girls, he's probably still hurting quite badly."

Ean marched up onto the platform and over to the podium. "Lieutenant Hoffman, for your valor in combat both at Camp McArthur and during the final battle with the terrorists, and your fine work in locating the terrorists in such a short time, it is my pleasure to award you the Bronze Star, with cluster and the purple heart, and to promote you to the rank of Captain, effective immediately. Congratulations, Captain." The officer stepped back and saluted Ean, who returned the salute sharply, stood as the officer pinned the medal on his chest, then turned and marched off.

"Wahoo! This calls for a celebration," Usagi whooped, then looked at Minako, a slightly confused look on her face.

"What did all that mean, anyway?" Minako just laughed as she picked up the phone.

* * *

Karaso was walking idly down the street, looking around at the crowd, letting his mind reach out and touch the minds around him. Here, he found a pair of young lovers; there, he sensed an arguing family. He smiled, tempted to start using his powers to manipulate these weak-willed people. Then he frowned, remembering his instructions.

"I have to think of a reason, something convincing, something to test the humans," he said to himself quietly, then smiled slowly as he felt the crystal in his right pocket. Ah, he thought, that's my reason. I need to test this. He started examining the nearby humans more intently, looking for a potential subject.

Rei was waiting with Makoto outside the restaurant where they had agreed to meet Ean. They were both dressed nicely, although not too dressed up.

Makoto kept glancing at her watch, and looking around. "Where are they? He said he'd be here in a few minutes."

Rei snickered. "Oh come on, this is Usagi we're talking about, not Ami. Minako might be late from time to time, but Usagi has it down to an art form." A small sedan pulled up into a parking place nearby, and Ean got out.

Rei motioned to him, and he walked over. "Hi ladies, sorry I'm late. Where are the others?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "If you expect Usagi to be on time, or even close, you haven't been around her enough. What's the big story, anyway? Minako didn't really explain what the big news was."

Ean chuckled. "She must have been watching the broadcast. There was a little ceremony out at the airport today, when we sent back the bodies of the soldiers that were killed this weekend. After that, they did a little impromptu awards ceremony. I got promoted and awarded a couple of medals for what I did this weekend."

Makoto nodded and looked impressed, while Rei looked skeptical. "How easy is it to get those medals?"

Makoto gaped at her rudeness, but Ean shrugged. "Well, one of them was just for being injured in combat, so that's not all that hard to get. But not many intelligence officers pick up bravery awards, so the others are kind of hard to get." Rei nodded and looked rather unconvinced.

Makoto motioned over Ean's shoulder. "Looks like you got here just in time. They're actually almost on time, for once."

"Yeah, but don't look to closely at Usagi's backside. You might see Mamoru's footprint there." Makoto snickered, but tried to keep a straight face as Usagi and the others walked up, but Usagi saw something was up.

"What did you say about me, Rei?"

Rei just looked up at the sky. "Oh, nothing, nothing at all."

Usagi started pouting. "Rei, you're always so mean to me."

"If you didn't whine so much, Usagi, maybe I wouldn't be so mean." Usagi responded by sticking her tongue out at Rei, to which Rei replied in kind.

Mamoru stepped between them as Ean and Minako both rolled their eyes. "Listen, you two can finish this another time. I, for one, am starving, so let's get in there and order, shall we?"

Usagi and Rei glared at each other as Ean opened the door. "That's the best idea I've heard all night. Hey, where's Ami?"

Minako's eyes narrowed for a moment, then she just shrugged. "Oh, she's at cram school."

Ean looked oddly, as if puzzled. "I thought she was smart enough to forgo that sort of stuff. Oh, well." Usagi and the others just looked at him like he was crazy.

Karaso approached the human he had spotted earlier. The young man was walking around aimlessly, just paying enough attention to his surroundings to avoid running into people and things too much. Karaso sensed anger from him, anger over a girlfriend breaking up with him. He was muttering to himself as Karaso walked up to him.

"I wish I could hold her, bind her to me." Karaso smiled as he heard the man repeating the phrase "bind her to me".

Karaso palmed the crystal in his pocket and brought it out, hiding it behind his right leg as he walked up to the man. "I can help you," he said, using a slight telepathic push to make the man obey.

The young man looked up. "How?"

Karaso took him by the shoulders with his left arm and began steering him towards a nearby alleyway. "I will give you the power to bind her, and any others you wish." Karaso steered him so that the man completely inside the alley and concealed from anyone passing by.

"What will you do?"

Karaso smiled. "I will remake you." He brought the crystal around, pointed it at the man, and concentrated. A beam of dark purplish light speared out and engulfed the man. He started to scream, but it was choked off in his throat. Karaso smiled as the power of the crystal began to change the young man's body.

Mamoru sat back from the table, rubbing his stomach contentedly. "Man, am I stuffed. I couldn't eat any more if I had to."

Ean sighed. "Yeah, so am I. This was a great idea, Minako. The service was a lot better than I thought it would be, and the food is great." Usagi nodded at the last part, her mouth stuffed with food.

Rei looked at her harshly. "Usagi, it's not polite to eat more than the guest of honor." Usagi blushed and looked at Ean sheepishly.

Ean just laughed. "Don't stop on my account, Usagi. Trust me, it doesn't bother me. That goes for the rest of you as well." Makoto looked at him, as if asking him if he was serious.

He motioned to her. "Really, you two, it doesn't bother me. I don't eat near as much as most of the people who work under me, so it's no problem for me to wait till you're finished."

"Thanks, Ean," Makoto said, digging in.

Usagi tried to mumble something, but Mamoru stopped her. "It's really not polite to talk with your mouth full, Usako."

"I'm not going to get you out of this one, Usagi." While Minako and Mamoru laughed, Rei got a very far-away look in her eyes.

Ean got serious when he saw her expression, and his voice lost its light tone. "Rei, what's up?"

Rei looked around, almost as if she wasn't seeing them. "I sense evil. It's nearby, and relatively strong. It's from the Dark Kingdom, I think, but there's something different about it." Ean had taken a seat facing the windows of the storefront. Now he leaned back and, while still looking casual, scanned the street outside. While his actions were casual, his expression had changed. The laughter was gone, replaced by a deadly seriousness that brought a scared look to Usagi's face.

"Are you ok, Ean?"

He just kept looking around, like he didn't hear her. "Ok, it looks like the immediate area is clear, but we'd better get mobile. Sorry, Usagi, but it looks like we're going to have to cut your meal short after all." He motioned for the waitress to come over.

She brought their check, and Usagi looked over at Minako. "Uh, Minako, how did you plan to pay for this? You didn't ask, but I'm broke." Rei and Makoto looked sheepishly at Minako, who looked over at Mamoru. He gulped at the thought, but reached to pick up the bill.

Ean just reached into his wallet. "If it's going to be like that, Mamoru, don't worry about it." He put down a credit card.

Mamoru shook his head. "No, no, you're the guest, you shouldn't have to pay."

Ean chuckled. "Who says it's my money? Consider it a gift from the city of Tokyo. It's off of an expense account, so I'll just put it down as a business dinner."

The senshi looked at him strangely. "How did you get an expense account from the city? I thought you were a soldier?" Rei said, an accusatory tone entering her voice.

Ean looked her in the eye. "I've been detailed to train a special unit of the Tokyo police department, and the car and the expense account are some of the perks they came up with to convince me to take the job. It just came up today, I found out about it before the ceremony. Now, let's get this taken care of and get moving. If Rei's right, we may not have much time before this blows up."

After paying out, they started walking down the street, in the direction Rei thought the evil was coming from. Ean was walking near the front of the group, looking around slowly, his eyes never lingering too long. Minako was walking beside him, trying to attract his attention, while Rei walked in front, looking for whatever it was she had sensed. Usagi, Mamoru and Makoto walked further back, Usagi and Mamoru hand in hand.

"So, Usagi, how'd you do on that test today," Mamoru asked, evidently trying to start a conversation.

Usagi winced. "Ah, thirty percent."

"What was the test in?" Ean asked, still looking around.

"English," Minako replied.

"How did you do, Minako," Ean asked.

She looked down. "Thirty-five percent."

Ean nodded. "If you girls want any help with your studies, just let me know. With this new job, I'll be in town and available after about six, and I'd be happy to help."

Usagi's eyes brightened. "Wow, Ean, thanks. Won't that be a lot of strain on you?"

Ean shrugged. "If I'm going to be working with you, it'd help me to get to know you better, and it sounds like it's something you could use."

Minako glared at him, but Rei cut short any reply. "It's getting strong, look up ahead." Ean could see a group of people running from ahead of them, and vaguely see some action of some sort on the other side of the mass.

"Alley at ten o'clock, let's move," he said, then took a couple of steps before he noticed the others were looking at him strangely. He thought he must have said it in English for a second, before he saw Usagi looking at her watch. Glancing up, he saw that the crowd would be on them in moments.

"This way," he said, then kept moving. This time, they followed him.

Ean growled as they entered the alleyway just before the crowd swept by. "First thing I teach you girls is some tactical terminology. Now, let's get ready to deal with whatever set these people moving." Concentrating, he drew his saber hilt. The girls nodded and drew their transformation pens and locket, in Serena's case. Ean and Mamoru began transforming first, changing into Warlord and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Moon Crisis Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

Ean shook his head as their brilliantly lit transformations ceased. "I think the theory about conservation of energy is right out the window," he said, a note of awe in his voice.

"In case you didn't notice, yours isn't all that mundane. I mean, armor and a sword blade appearing out of thin air," Mamoru, now Tuxedo Kamen, retorted.

"Yeah, but in my case at least, you could argue it gets converted into the armor. With them, they end up wearing less than they started with."

"Can we get this show on the road?" Rei said, a peeved look in her eyes. Ean turned and led the way out of the alley, the senshi close behind him. Ean could now see their opponent. It was roughly humanoid in form, with two arms and two legs. The head, however, looked like a cross between a human's and a spider's, and the hands had changed so that they almost resembled spinnerets. The skin that Ean could see was black and covered with short hairs. Half-dozen human-sized cocoons of what looked like spider silk lay around the creature.

Ean thought he could see slight movement from one or two. "Definitely unpleasant," he said to no one in particular.

Sailor Moon stepped forward. "You have no right to do this to these innocent people! In the name of the Moon, I, Sailor Moon, will punish you!"

Ean glanced over at Tuxedo Kamen. "Does she always give these speeches?"

Tuxedo Kamen smiled. "Every time." Ean grimaced, then turned back to their opponent. The humanoid spider seemed to be chittering something, and looked almost like it was sizing them up. Then, in a blur of movement, it struck. Twin streams of silk lashed out from its hands, reaching for Mars and Jupiter. Mars barely dodged away, but the larger Jupiter was caught. The spinner blurred as the stream of silk began to run up Jupiter's body. She shrieked as she couldn't pull free and was rapidly being cocooned. Tuxedo Kamen threw a rose and severed the strand. The creature then fired out streamers at Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon. They dodged aside, but before any of the others could fire, it had cut the previous streams and fired at Venus and Warlord. As they dodged, it fired at Mars and Tuxedo Kamen, ignoring Jupiter, who was trying to free herself from the sticky silk and having very little luck.

Ean glanced over at her, then realized what was going on. "This thing's got us completely defensive," he said to Tuxedo Kamen as the two ended up close to each other after a series of dodges. "We're too busy dodging to hit it."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Tuxedo Kamen said through gritted teeth, before diving away from another stream.

Ean dodged away from a shot at him, then turned and yelled at Tuxedo Kamen. "Distract him for a couple of seconds." Tuxedo Kamen nodded, and threw a couple of roses at the creature. Ean began charging as he threw, and managed to close with the creature as it was dodging the roses. Ean brought his saber back in a large arc, but the creature reacted with blinding speed, stepping inside what would have been the arc of Ean's swing. Adjusting, Ean hit it in the head with the handgrip, using it like a set of brass knuckles. The creature backed away, stunned for an instant, and then started trying to hit Ean with its spinnerets. Ean blocked and struck with the saber, and the two danced there for a few moments, neither able to land a decisive blow. Ean staggered back as it landed a blow, then he swung the saber at its chest, butt-end first. The silver knob on the tip smashed right at the base of where the rib cage would be if it were human. The creature stood still for a moment, stunned.

Ean brought the saber back to finish the job. "Warlord, no," Sailor Moon said.

Ean stopped, and glared at her as she ran over and pulled out a pink rod topped with a golden crescent moon. "Moon Healing Escalation," she said, and the creature began changing, turning back into a young Japanese man before their eyes. The man collapsed onto the ground. Ean knelt down, and felt a pulse, weak but steady.

Sailor Moon smiled at him. "Some of these youma are actually humans who have been transformed by the Dark Kingdom into monsters. I can change them back, if I can touch them with this rod."

Ean nodded, and started walking over to Jupiter. "Is there any way to tell the human from the non-human?" He knelt down beside Jupiter.

"Not without Mercury, but she can."

Ean looked Jupiter in the eye. "If you'll hold still, I'll cut you out of this stuff, but you've got to hold still." She nodded and stopped wriggling. Ean hooked the saber in the top of the silk, and slashed down between her legs in one cut, the silk parting as easily as cut paper.

Jupiter was then able to pull it off. "Thanks, Warlord, that stuff is really sticky and strong." Ean nodded, and walked over to the nearest human and cut them out. Tuxedo Kamen was using one of his roses to cut other humans out of their cocoons. In a few minutes, all of the people were free. Some were still conscious, and thanked them, but most were unconscious, and often nearly suffocated. Ean heard sirens as he was cutting the last one free.

He motioned to the senshi, who were milling around. "Time to leave, ladies." They nodded and the group started sprinting off, not stopping until they were safely away from the scene, then detransforming and walking to Rei's temple at a more sedate pace.

* * *

At Rei's temple, Ean was giving Minako, Makoto and Usagi help with their math homework, while Rei did her chores and Ami looked on.

"You're braver than I thought, Ean," Ami said, laughing, "trying to teach them. I gave that up a while ago." Minako and Makoto glared at her.

"You two aren't that bad," Ean said, smiling at them, "some people just don't learn well when they're lectured to." Minako beamed at him, while Makoto looked over at Usagi. She had fallen asleep on her arm, lying on her book.

"And some other people," she said, looking at Ean. Seeing Usagi asleep, he sighed, then picked up one of their books and walked over next to her.

"Usagi," he said, but she didn't stir. He looked at the others.

"Some people...," he said, then slammed the book down, right next to her head. Usagi shrieked as she jumped up then glared at Ean.

"Just have to be hit over the head with it," he finished, as the girls just laughed at Usagi's red face.

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