Opening Moves: Part Two

John Sparks watched the organically graceful stratojet coast smoothly to a halt on the tarmac. As he had countless times over the past two hundred years, he was waiting to greet the envoy from the Kingdom of Japan. A genial politician’s smile masked his true expression with the ease of long practice. After all, he had more experience in politics than anyone else on the planet. He had served three terms as Senator from Virginia before the Great Ice and had continued his service to his country ever since, currently serving in the capacity of Secretary of State for President Benjamin Sichen. As one of the few non-Crystal Tokyoite immortals, he was an important link between the world that had been and the world that is. During the Silver Millennium, he had been a high-level transportation mage stationed on the Moon during the final battle. And like a handful of others who had a sufficiently powerful magic of their own, he had absorbed some of the power of the Silver Crystal when Serenity had used it to send the souls of the fallen forward in time. That absorption accounted for his immortality. Nevertheless, whatever his obligations he had toward the rulers of the Silver Millennium, in this life his loyalty was entirely to the United States. Fortunately, Serenity and her Court understood and respected that. Although, he had at times had to work at cross-purposes to Her Japanese Majesty’s government, he had good relationships with the Court.

His sharp black eyes caught every detail of the guard stationed around the old-fashioned roll away stairs that had been carefully backed up to the powering-down plane. The Secret Servicemen, Marines, and Japanese Royal Guardsmen were professionally tense, but not overly so. The Secretary nodded to his staff to follow him as he walked up to the base of the stairs. From the corner of his eye, he watched the media safely corralled behind the ropes and a line of marines. They were out in force today, as expected. While Lady Cassandra was not scheduled to make a speech at the landing, the media had come out in mass to catch a glimpse of the long sequestered woman. Besides, someone had to be there if fate reached up to snatch the plane from the air. It simply wouldn’t do to miss that kind of sound bite. The familiar cynical thoughts faded away as the hatch opened and the first of the plane’s passengers began disembarking.

First to appear was a short, powerfully built man in his late fifties; he was wearing the dark blue uniform of a Royal Guardsman. His striking pale violet eyes and matching hair made an otherwise rather homely face memorable. “Guardsman Marcasite,” the Sparks’ aid whispered in his ear, “real name Mark Kamui, grandson of Guardian Jadeite, head of Lady Furuhata’s security detail.” Sparks nodded slightly in thanks for the information.

On Marcasite’s heels came another Royal Guardsman, or Guardswoman rather. “Ferrite,” the aid continued as the young woman paused in the hatchway to survey the vicinity with stern hazel eyes, “real name Ferra Silvers, youngest child of Guardians Malachite and Zoicite, Lady Furuhata’s person guard.”

“She’s very young,” the SecState commented. The aid shrugged and continued his narrative, giving his boss the names and particulars of each of the Guardsmen as they exited the plane and formed up around the base of the stairs. After a moment of consultation with the US forces on the ground, Marcasite spoke into his wrist radio, giving the nod to his charges still on board.

Greg Ryo stepped from the open hatch. The freshening wind lifted his dark hair as he tossed some comment over his shoulder to those still inside. He started down the staircase, lifting his hand half in greeting to the crowd, half to block the fierce August sun from his eyes. Reporters started muttering louder as the Knight Protector of Mercury proceeded at a deliberate pace that was far removed from his normal quick stride. John Sparks suppressed a grin. He knew how difficult it was for the engineer to keep his mind on presenting a properly dignified front for the public. Greg was far more comfortable in a ratty lab coat and surrounded by computers and scaled models than ‘making nice’ for the media. Although, judging from the bright smile on his face, he was finally learning to play the game after two hundred years of trying.

“Or maybe not,” Sparks muttered when Lady Cassandra emerged from the plane on Thomas Austin’s arm, “I’d say her ladyship’s spent her vacation time productively.” The wind plastered the light fabric of the woman’s elegant dress suit to her body, leaving no doubt as to her condition. He heard the constant low-level rumble of the correspondents talking into their mikes stumble and fall into silence for a handful of seconds before beginning again with a fury. As the Lady walked carefully down the wide stairs, she smiled sweetly at the gathered dignitaries. Sparks shook his head as he recognized that glint in Cassandra’s eyes. She was enjoying her little bombshell, as were Thomas and Greg as judged by their wide grins. The Secretary of State stepped forward to stand beside the pale faced man who was the Crystal Japanese Ambassador to the US. “I take it you didn’t know either, Kousanagi-san?”

The ambassador gathered his wits with difficulty. “No,” he stammered, “no, I did not, Sparks-san.” He took a deep breath and calmed down. “It is a joyous occasion that Lady Cassandra is soon to bear a child. I must see to arranging a celebration this evening. You will be invited, of course.” Kousanagi walked to the bottom of the staircase and bowed deeply. “Konnichi wa, Cassandra-sama. And to you, my lords.”

“Hello, Kousanagi-san,” she replied with a nod. The two Knight Protectors held out their hands to be shaken. As they were occupied with the ambassador, John Sparks greeted the Foreign Minister.

“On behalf of the President, welcome once more to the United States of America, Lady Furuhata.” His voice dropped to a whisper too low to be picked up by the press’s shotgun mikes. “You little minx! Why didn’t you send word?”

“I am pleased as always to set foot on my native soil. I hope that this visit will bring both of my homelands closer together,” Cassandra said in a voice that carried easily through the air. “Would you be so kind as to walk me to my car?” When Sparks nodded, she took his arm and started down the red carpet toward her waiting vehicle. Ferrite fell in right behind her and the others in the party followed in her wake.

The lady smiled up at John Sparks, laughter in her innocent gray eyes. “Now, you don’t think my pregnancy will be that big a bomb shell, do you?” He rolled his eyes and she turned more serious. “I know the headaches this will bring. However, I’m having that interview show tonight and I’m planning to pour a little oil on the water. This will blow over, hopefully soon enough that Congress will listen to my presentation on the Mars Project rather than start a betting pool on my due date.”

“But why hide your pregnancy for, what, seven months?”

“Eight,” she corrected, “And it wasn’t my idea. You have no idea how hard it is to get around both your monarch and your doctor, especially when your doctor is your husband and your monarch is a close friend.”

Sparks just shook his head. “I’ll brief the President. I’m sure he is going to want to offer his congratulations.”

Cassandra nodded. “We’ll work some private time into the schedule. Besides, I have yet to really meet President or Mrs. Sichens. I would like to get a feel for them.”

“They’re good people, Lady Cass.”

“I know, John,” her smile softened into something intimate and precious, a thing to be offered only to friends, “otherwise, you wouldn’t have consented to be on his Cabinet.”

*****

Deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of the United States, a man stood watching a large view screen. As Lady Cassandra descended from the jet on the screen, he rocked back and forth from heel to toe. “Well, well, well,” he mused aloud, “It seems the Sailor Scouts are spawning.”

“Does this change our plans?” a woman asked behind him.

He turned to study the woman briefly. She was built more like a professional wrestler than a courtesan for all her careful makeup and well-quaffed blonde hair. “Why ever should it, Topaz? One dead Athenian or two matters little. Activate our agents. I want the United States and Crystal Japan at each other’s throat before the fleet arrives.”

“As you wish, Lord Peridot.” Topaz bowed deeply, the shard of Dark Crystal dangling from the chain around her well-muscled neck. She teleported away.

*****

The next day, Guardswoman Ferrite found herself standing at attention behind Lady Cassandra in an elegant parlor in the West Wing of the White House. As the daughter of Earth Guardians, she was well versed in the historic and stately décor of the Crystal Palace, but this was another country and she was hard pressed to keep from rubbernecking and acting the complete country bumpkin. Fortunately, the stony expressions of the Secret Service security detail were familiar enough to settle her down. Her eyes swiveled automatically to the door as the First Lady entered the room.

As Cassandra made to rise, Marjory Sichen waved her back down. “Don’t get up m’lady! I’m sure things are hard enough on you without having to wrestle your way into and out of furniture unnecessarily.”

“The voice of experience, Mrs. Sichen?” Cassandra asked dryly as she settled back into the comfortable chair.

“Oh yes, Lady Furuhata,” Marjory replied as she held out a hand to shake. “I love my son dearly, but heavens; he was quite the monster to carry to term.” The two women proceeded to chat about all those little things that mothers talk about, especially when around expectant mothers.

Ferrite amused herself by watching the two male Secret Servicemen in the room try not to squirm as their charges went into graphic detail. When the President arrived, the Guardswoman had to press her lips firmly together to keep from grinning at the relief in the Servicemen’s eyes. The President, like his wife, insisted that Cassandra not get up. John Sparks and a woman wheeling a tea service trailed into the room after President Sichen. Ferrite spared the unidentified woman a hard glance, but as the Secret Servicemen seemed unbothered by her presence turned her attention to other things.

“I am so pleased to meet you at last, Lady Furuhata,” President Sichen said as he sat down on the elegant couch by the First Lady. “I must admit it’s been a life long dream.” John Sparks stood behind the Sichens, trying without success to suppress a smile at the frankly pleased tone in the President’s voice.

Cassandra laughed lightly. “Such flattery will get you much, Mr. President. I see you have the politician’s gift of silvered words.” She grimaced suddenly and laid a hand on her swollen belly.

“Are you alright, Lady Cass?” Sparks asked, worry creasing his brow.

“As long as my son stops practicing his football skills on my bladder, I’ll be fine.” She turned a dazzling smile on the Secretary of State, the President, and the First Lady. Their collective breath caught at the shear joy in her face. “It’s a very small downside, considering.”

Marjory shook herself and signaled for the serving woman to start pouring the tea. “You and Lord Furuhata have our congratulations. I think the whole world knows how much you both want children.”

“There have certainly been enough ‘made for TV movies’ based on your lives to make that common knowledge,” Sparks added dryly.

“John!” Marjory and Benjamin Sichen chorused. Cassandra just laughed.

As the serving woman handed a fragile china teacup to her, Cassandra took the opportunity to change the subject. “This is from Eleanor Roosevelt’s tea service, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Benjamin Sichen answered as he took his own cup. “It’s one few things of hers that still exist. She was a very remarkable woman, as you doubtlessly know.”

“Not from personal experience, Mr. President,” Cassandra said before sipping her tea. “I’m not quite that old.”

Benjamin Sichen’s cup froze on its way to his mouth. “Uhh, I,” he sputtered, “I didn’t mean to imply that you were that ancient.” He blushed furiously as he compounded his previous error. “I mean… I don’t know what I mean.” Beside him, Marjory’s shoulders shook in silent laughter that threatened to spill her tea into her lap.

“Our eloquent leader, ladies and gentlemen,” Sparks said with a bow to Benjamin.

In a blinding flash of power, the Staff of Wisdom appeared beside Cassandra. She snatched it from the air and swung it in a wild arch that knocked the cups away from the Sichens and John Sparks. Her face was colorless as she dropped her weapon even before the first shards of china hit the floor. “Poison,” she whispered. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slid off the couch.

Ferrite’s explosive dart pistol was in her hand as she vaulted the couch to land beside her charge. “Lady Cassandra!” She hit her communicator watch. “Athena down. Repeat, Athena down,” she chanted. Marjory Sichen reached for the fallen woman only to freeze in place when Ferrite shifted her aim to the First Lady. One Secret Serviceman had already yanked the President toward the door. The other trained his gun on Ferrite.

“I have a small healing talent, Guardswoman,” Marjory said, “Let me help her.”

“No!” a voice yelled, “The White Moon bitch must die!” The serving woman crouched down, her humanity falling away to reveal a black and yellow creature with a large emerald cut gem on its forehead. The Secret Servicemen and Ferrite fired as one, all three shots converging in the creature’s chest. It screeched but lunged toward Cassandra. Another three shots knocked it aside, but it rose to its feet, essentially unharmed.

It loomed over Ferrite and her downed charge. The Secret Servicemen couldn’t fire without hitting them. Ferrite flicked the lever on the side of her pistol, shifting into full automatic mode and began firing, drawing a line up the creature’s body. When the hypervelocity darts shattered the crystal, the creature reared back and disintegrated.

The door to the room slammed open and a half dozen more Secret Servicemen poured in, weapons drawn. A pair of them grabbed the President and tried to hustle him away. Benjamin Sichen set his heels and refused to be moved. “No, damn it!” he bellowed, “The danger is over. Get the medics in here now!” The head of his detail nodded to a subordinate who raised his radio to his lips to begin summoning help. The rest of the Servicemen spread out weapons at ready.

Marjory Sichen shoved the delicately carved coffee table to the side so she could kneel by Cassandra and grasped her hand. Her healing power was very small and almost completely untrained, but she poured that part of herself into Cassandra, trying to wrap her power around the lady and her unborn child like ropes tying them to life. The poison was like a giant sucking current pulling them toward oblivion. By hitching herself to them, Marjory knew she could be pulled under too, dying of a poison that had never touched her. But she refused to allow that to stop her. She wove her magic around them, gasping as the child slipped beyond her reach. Tears flowed down her face and her voice shook with strain and shock as she said, “I can’t pull her back. I haven’t the strength.”

Marjory felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up seeing Ferrite’s pale face with her eyes while somewhere behind her eyes, she saw Andrew Furuhata. His strength flowed into her while his voice echoed in her mind. ** Use what I have given you. Hold her,** he ordered, **Hold her until I get there.**

“I will,” Marjory Sichen vowed. She closed her eyes and focused all of her attention on Cassandra.

“We have to get her to a hospital,” Ferrite whispered. Panic clawed at her. She could fight an enemy she could see, but how could she fight this?

Benjamin Sichen nodded sharply. He turned to his SecState and ordered, “John, get them to Bethesda.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. President,” Sparks said. He crouched by Cassandra and Marjory, placing a hand on each of them as he gathered his seldom used power.

“I’m going too,” Ferrite grabbed Sparks’ shoulder. He simply nodded and teleported all four of them to the military hospital at Bethesda Naval Station.

President Sichen drew a deep breath. “Alright, we have a major problem here. Call in the Cabinet. Have someone inform Lords Austin and Ryo of this mess and tell them where Lady Furuhata is. Get the FBI and the CIA liaisons in here and tell them to start digging up information on that.” He waved a hand at the pile of ash that had been the serving woman. “And someone get me a line to Crystal Tokyo.”