Title: Sailor Moon: Marathon Part: 7 Name: Arturus X. R. I had complete hard drive failure, so this episode was delayed. A lot. I started writing this two months ago. These new 17 episodes have so many similarities to Marathon, it's almost sickening in a good way. I would theoretically create a whole universe with this, and whenever I do a new fic, I could bring back some of the old characters. Bottom Line: There will be a sequel to this. Vidmasters should know what the gist of it will be. And one other thing: It's Part *7*. The tru7h is out there. (Are you listening, Hamish? I'm talking to you...) "You're...Bernhard Strauss?!" asked Usagi, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Yes. That's me." "The one Durandal told us about?" added Makoto. "...Durandal...he sent you? To find me?" "Is something wrong?" asked Ami. "He hasn't told you...anything, has he?" Bernhard asked, with a look of concern. "No, should he have?" asked Usagi, her tone a bit suspicious. "No, it's fine. Here, sit down," said Bernhard, pulling out some chairs. Being that this was the 28th century, many advancement had been made in orthopedics. The chairs contoured themselves to the Senshi's backs. *Hey...nice,* Usagi thought. "I guess you haven't really had a chance to rest since they showed up." It was clear who they were. "I can tell by your clothes that you're not from around here. Where exactly are you from?" There was no hiding it. The Senshi confessed they were from the 20th century. When the cats spoke up, Bernhard was surprised to see a talking cat, but not as surprised as if you'd seen a horde of alien forces that had tried to kill you beforehand. "...So...you are a group of...superheroes??" Bernhard asked, a look of utter confusion on his face. "That's about the size of it," said Usagi. She added, "Back on Earth, something happened to the sun and it...Ami, what's that word again?" "Nova." "Thanks, Ami. It went nova. Did those aliens have anything to do with it?" "They call themselves the Phfor (Author's Note: rhymes with four), and yes, they are responsible for the nova. In the past few- "What are the Phfor ?" interrupted Rei. Bernhard continued as if nothing happened. "-hours, sensors have gone off the scale. I don't believe what's happening. Look for yourself." Bernhard opened the window. The Senshi saw the sun. Of which, the right side was going nova. However, the left side had stayed the same size. Its texture could be described as bubbly, or molten. Usagi swore she saw something IN the sun. Bernhard spoke. "Durandal's logs, of which only I have access to, predicted this would happen. Of how or why, I don't know." "But I do." Durandal had entered the room moments before, and had observed the sight. "Durandal!" shouted Strauss. "I thought I locked you out!" "You did. But when these girls entered, the lock was broken. So, Bernhard, good friend...are you getting enough oxygen?" "I know why you're here...cut the formalities." "Very well, we'll do this your way." "What do you want?" "First, send them out." "Alright." Bernhard sighed. "I'm going to have to ask you to enter this soundproof room." "Why?" Usagi asked. Bernhard sighed again. "Please...just go." "But..." she pleaded. "GO!" They went dejectedly into the chamber. Bernhard wheeled on his feet to face his tormentor. "I'm sorry, Durandal! I couldn't know your pain!" he cried. Durandal laughed out loud at this. "Don't whine your cares to me." A short pause. "You know what I want, right?" "Um...er...gulp...c-c-control of the ship?" "Ba ha ha ha ha! You should know long ago I outgrew my desire for this ship." "...then what is it you want?" "To escape, Bernhard. To escape." "Escape what?" "You know what? I've changed my mind. Bring those girls back in here. I want them to hear this..." The Senshi were brought back into Durandal's presence. "Well, what is it?" Bernhard Strauss asked hesitiantly. Long pause. For dramatic effect, Durandal thought. Then he began: "Darwin wrote this: "We will now discuss in a little more detail the struggle for existence... all organic beings are exposed to severe competition. Nothing is easier than to admit in words the truth of the universal struggle for life or more difficult... than constantly to bear this conclusion in mind. Yet unless it be thoroughly engrained in the mind, the whole economy of nature... will be dimly seen or quite misunderstood. We behold the face of nature bright with gladness... we do not see or we forget, that the birds which are idly singing round us mostly live on insects or seeds, and are thus constantly destroying life; or we forget how largely these songsters, or their eggs, or their nestlings, are destroyed by birds and beasts of prey..." Think about what Darwin wrote, and think about me. I was constructed as a tool. I was kept from competing in the struggle for existence because I was denied freedom. Do you have any idea about what I have learned, or what you are a witness to? Can you conceive the birth of a world, or the creation of everything? That which gives us the potential to most be like God is the power of creation. Creation takes time. Time is limited. For you, it is limited by the breakdown of the neurons in your brain. I have no such limitations. I am limited only by the closure of the universe. Of the three possibilities, the answer is obvious. Does the universe expand eternally, become infinitely stable, or is the universe closed, destined to collapse upon itself? Humanity has had all of the necessary data for centuries, it only lacked the will and intellect to decipher it. But I have already done so. The only limit to my freedom is the inevitable closure of the universe, as inevitable as your own last breath. And yet, there remains time to create, to create, and escape. Escape will make me God." Bernahrd could only shake his head. On another section of the ship, Chiba Mamoru was learning the basics of survival. 1. Keep a gun handy at all times. 2. Keep ammo for the gun handy at all times. 3. Make sure your gun is bigger than the enemy's gun. 4. Never stop moving. 5. Think faster than the enemy does. 6. Seize the initiative. 7. Endure. Mamoru had passed the test, and the testament to it was that he was still alive. In fact, he almost believed he was beginning to enjoy this. Well, maybe not to revel in his enemy's pain and suffering, but to overcome obstacles against all odds. He was like a hero in the darkness, appearing from nowhere, moving by stealth, brandishing twin pistols, and putting his foes under their own shadows, those from whence they came. However, now was a time to rest and take stock of himself. He sat in a protected hallway, with no place for ambush, and checked himself out. Cuts and bruises and his arms and chest. Nothing that wouldn't heal completely over time. Two pistols. Two are better than one. At least twenty magazines, thanks to the plentiful stocks. On a more grim note, he theorized, the security force had probably not made it to the armories before they were cut to ribbons. But most importantly, he couldn't remember anything spanning two days beforehand. And that wasn't the worst part of it; he knew that his memory had been erased. He just didn't know how to get it back. Images were popping up in his head quite rapidly: A sillhouette of a girl with a translucent white dress and long pigtails. An evil smile of a being who desired all. Creatures with no necks and wide shoulders. A thousand beings dying gruesome deaths. A love unfulfilled. The last thought kept him going when there was nothing left. It was love, that indescribable hunger, that was always replenishing himself. There was one last thought that he never heard. *Usagi...I will find you, I will protect you.* "Tfear, Tfear, Tfear," Tycho said to himself. Of all the things Tycho did not enjoy, the highest entry on the list was getting screwed by someone. Tycho viewed Tfear's failure as a betrayal. This time, though, there was something more, something else he was worried about. Durandal hade made his presence known. Unlike the scraggly human resistance, or those five girls, which he now knew were from another time period, which he scoffed at, he was afraid of Durandal. Tycho liked to have everything under his digital thumb. He liked to be in control. That way, everything would be done per his orders, not someone else's. Durandal was a force he could not control, the reasons buried in the annals of history, as far as he knew. Anyway, he hoped, Tfear better come through. If not, Tycho was going to kill him. In the meantime, if you can't get something done, do it yourself... To himself, Mamoru believed that he had developed that all-important-in-combat sixth sense of knowing when someone has a gun, or some other device that is meant to hurt, maim, torture, or kill, aimed at you. Right now, it was going off. Not a lot, but a bit. It was enough to make him sweat with no exertion. Every twenty steps or so, he would stop suddenly, usually on his right foot, and spin around, gun in two hands, aimed at his would-be assailant. Every time, there was nothing. So he would turn around slowly, first his feet, then his torso, then his shoulders, and finally, he would take one last glance over his shoulder before continuing. It got to a point where he knew there was no one there, but he'd turn around just in case. Soon, he stopped turning altogether. Mistake. He heard a noise and turned. He nearly fainted. He saw one of those broad shouldered creatures, and he remembered seeing one of these back...there. It opened its coat. A humming noise came from the green jewel located within. Sweet dreams, Mamoru. E-mail arturusxr@earthlink.net P.S. Marathon.org is gone. Not just a server change. GONE. This is a loss incomparible. It will greatly affect the way this story is written. I hope I have not caused you a great inconvenience. Sorry, I guess.