Data 6: Enter the Solar Warrior Ieyasu was watching the latest reports on both the JAL hijacking and the Neo-Zero attack. He looked outside toward the Nick that was in the backyard. "Somehow, my old friend," he began to say to himself, "we might have to fly one more mission together." The NHK anchorperson was continuing his report: "In reaction to these latest developments, Tokyo-to Governor Nagai Kenji had this to say:" "This unprovoked attack on our own citizens by this terrorist organization is highly outrageous and receives my strongest condemnation," Gov. Nagai began to say; "I an calling on the government to investigate this matter and to check into SDF security procedures as soon as this crisis is over." The anchorperson added after that: "The latest NHK/Yorimuri Shimbun poll now indicates that Gov. Nagai now enjoys a comfortable 32 percent margin over his nearest Liberal Democratic and Socialist opponents." He then paused as he received some word over his earphone. "We had just received a message from the person claiming to be responsible for this attack. We are now playing this audiotape as per the person's request." The tape began playing: "This is Amazana Yoriko of the New Imperial Rule Assistance Association. We have the Neo-Zero prototype and we are not afraid to use it. We demand that the civilian government immediately surrender to us, or else another ward of Tokyo will be bombed by the Neo-Zero prototype every three hours. Furthermore, all SDF and American military bases will also be attacked. I urge the civilian government to do the right thing and surrender. That is all." "NHK will continue to update you on this situation," added the anchorperson. Ieyasu turned off his TV. Now it was only a matter of time. He went to the family shrine and knelt before it. He grabbed a samurai sword that had been in his family for over ten generations and offered it up to the shrine. "Spirits of my ancestors, hear me! I will not return this sword to its place until I either have vanquished those who threaten our nation or until it is presented as an offering to my departed soul. I nay not survive this attack, but I know that I will go to a far better place than this." With that, he also grabbed the ceremonial Kamikaze headband which he wore during his service in World War II and wrapped it around his forehead. His wife, Natsume, saw what was going on, and approached him. "What is the meaning of this?," she asked. "Our nation is in peril once again, and I must answer the call to duty," was all he said as he went to the backyard. Natsume stood there in shock. "The gods protect him!," was all she said. ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- It was not long before the next attack did occur--on Shinjuku. The Sailor Senshi were on patrol in the area. Sailor Moon, Luna, Artemis and Tuxedo Mask were in front, the rest behind. "Keep an eye out for the jet," Tuxedo Mask said. "We don't know when another attack could occur." Daria was right behind Sailor Moon. All she could think of right now was that Ami was in danger on board the JAL plane; Rei had suffered the loss of her grandfather; and her own family was probably at risk at home. This wasn't what she had in mind when she decided to go to Tokyo. "Pay attention, Daria!," Sailor Jupiter said as she elbowed Daria in the back. "I'm sorry, Mako, but I was distracted," replied Daria. Towering above Daria were the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, the Japanese equivalent of Wall Street. Daria could see such buildings as the Mitsubishi Building, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Mitsui Building and the Matsushita Building. Somehow the image lent itself of a forest of concrete and steel trees; as in any forest, there were unseen dangers lurking. Suddenly, it streaked out of nowhere. It was the Neo-Zero prototype! It was at its top speed of Mach 2.5. "Heads up!," Sailor Moon yelled. With that, she grabbed her old Moon Scepter with the Silver Imperium Crystal in it and pointed it at the prototype. "On my mark, attack!," she yelled. Yoriko, in the cockpit, just snickered to herself. She had taken a portable CD player with her, and curiously enough, she had Soundgarden's "Down on the Upside" album in it. She turned it on and began playing "Ty Cobb". "Let's rock!," she growled. The growly voice of Chris Cornell slammed into Yoriko like a ton of bricks: "I am sittin' in a magic hat/With smoke and mirrors/And tire rubber fires/Watch me disappear!/Yeah, yeah, yeah!/What made it slow you down/Sucking on a ball and chain/Another motherfucker goes down the drain!/Yeah, yeah, yeah!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Just add it on to the hot rod death toll!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Hardheaded, fuck you all!/Just add it on to the hot rod death toll!" Somehow every time she heard this song, Yoriko had this mental image of Ty Cobb chasing people with a big baseball bat and beating their brains out with it. She squeezed her fingers over the trigger for the Deathgrip cannon and began to fire. "GO TO HELL, BASTARDS!", she roared. The bullets tore through the air like hot needles through butter. Panic had seized the people inside the office buildings, for now they were emptying and people were running in terror, straight for the Sailor Senshi. "Citizens, please calm down!," Sailor Moon implored, but to no avail. The Sailor Senshi saw themselves jostled by the fleeing populace. It was all in vain. Yoriko used the HUD to aim one of the Neo-Sidewinders at the Matsushita Building. She fired one of them, and the building was blown to pieces! The force of the explosion knocked Sailor Moon to the ground. Daria helped her up. "This is sheer madness!," Sailor Moon yelled. "Right now, we've got to try and stop the attack," Daria yelled back. Yoriko was flying for another pass, with the Deathgrip cannon roaring again. Several people were cut down like grass from the deadly fusillade of bullets. Sailor Moon now knew it was now or never. She pointed her scepter at the jet fighter. "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!," she yelled. The powerful beam issued from her scepter, but was easily deflected by the Neo-Zero's radar-absorbing skin. It was now Sailor Mars' turn. She was going to use her new "Mars Fireball Attack" to bring down the plane. "This is for you, Grandpa!," she screamed, then said "SUPER MARS FIREBALL, FLAME UP!" Two fireballs issued from her hands, and struck squarely on the cockpit. But the plane didn't even suffer a scratch. What no one noticed in all the confusion was that Tetsuo was in the area, and had seen all that had happened. Now he was in a side street, raising his hands in supplication to the Sun. "Amaterasu-Omikami, give thee they mortal servant the power of the Solar Warrior!," he yelled. The flames of power engulfed him again, and the Solar Warrior emerged. Daria thought she could stop the plane with her own powers, or at least give it a try. "SHABON SPRAY, FREEZING!," she yelled. A stream of ice gushed forth, and even managed to coat the plane, but the engines were just too warm for it to last. The ice rapidly melted. "Dammit!," Daria snarled. Yoriko fired another Neo-Sidewinder, this time taking out the Tokyo Stock Exchange. "God, how I love the smell of burning concrete and steel in the morning!," she roared in pride. Somehow, to Daria, this whole scene was beginning to look like something out of "Apocalypse Now." If only either The Doors' "The End" or Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" was playing in the background, it would be eerily complete. But now the Solar Warrior appeared out of nowhere, and stood up on some debris. "Miscreant!," he yelled; "Cease this useless attack! I am the Solar Warrior, servant to Amaterasu-Omakami, Goddess of the Sun and Protector of the Japanese! In the name of the Sun, you will be judged!" Sailor Moon couldn't realize what was happening first. To be fair, no one did. Yoriko saw the Solar Warrior and sneered. "SEE YOU IN HELL, BASTARD!", she roared as she fired the Deathgrip cannon again. The bullets, however, bounced off the Solar Warrior's armor. The Solar Warrior then pointed his gauntlets at the craft. "SOLAR FLARE DISCHARGE ATTACK!," he screamed. The fiery energy discharged and hit the jet fighter squarely in the port engine. Yoriko was seen reeling. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!," she screamed. She had difficulty stabilizing her flight, but managed to succeed. She began to limp back to the secret base in the Kuriles. Sailor Moon and the others stood there in shock for a few minutes. They couldn't believe what they just seen. The Solar Warrior turned to them and said, "She won't be bothering anyone for a while." "Who are you?," Sailor Moon recovered enough to ask. "I am the Solar Warrior," he began to reply, "servant to Amaterasu-Omakami, Goddess of the Sun and Protector of Japan. I do know about you, Sailor Moon, or shall I call you Tsukino Usagi, or even yet Princess Serenity?" "How--how do you know?," Sailor Moon wanted to know. The Solar Warrior continued, "I am the last surviving member of the old Solar Realm that existed tens of thousands of years ago in what was known as the Golden Epoch. My race was old when yours was not even established yet. I assure you that I am on your side in this battle." Luna, ever the doubting Thomas, said, "Prove it." The Solar Warrior produced an old relic: a Moon Kingdom Medallion of Valor, the highest award that was ever given by that old dominion. "This was once given to my by Queen Serenity for services rendered in stopping a Mecha-Dominion attack against her realm. This was long before you were born, Sailor Moon." Sailor Moon and Luna both saw it. "No doubt it is the real thing," Luna finally said. "Very well, we will accept you as an ally for now." "I'd better be going," the Solar Warrior said, then departed. Daria seemed to be strongly drawn to the Solar Warrior, but didn't know why. Was it that he alone was fighting for his nation where everyone else was running, or that he seemed to be such a caring person as to risk all in saving complete strangers? This person wasn't like the students back home in Lawndale, the typical dumb jocks and airheads who put down brainy people like her. "Daria, snap out of it!," Sailor Pluto said. "You're drifting again." "Sorry," replied Daria. ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Yoriko barely made it back to the secret base in the Kuriles. she jumped out of the cockpit and cursed her luck. "Get this prototype fixed up immediately!," she shrieked. Dr. Vander Helffen had just arrived, and he was not happy. "What is the matter, Dr. Vander Helffen?," she asked. "It's the 'Hi no Tori' immortality pills," he started. "I'm almost out of them." "WHAT!," Yoriko yelled. "I've been having difficulties getting the ingredients to make more," he said, "and I don't know when they'll be available. I have to make more, because if we miss even one dose, serious side effects from withdrawal will occur. Please be patient with me, and I will make more." Dr. Vander Helffen was buying some time, but even he knew that he had to make more soon, for the pills had an addicting effect on whoever took them. Dr. Vander Helffen himself took another pill of his creation to counteract the addictive cravings, but he didn't give it to Yoriko; as long as she was addicted, she would remain loyal to him. Yoriko, mad as ever, shrieked and stormed out of the landing area, punching out two ninja soldiers standing guard duty. ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- She didn't know how long it was that Akbar had her in a chokehold, but Ami somehow knew that she was on the verge of blacking out. Akbar was yelling some nonsense or something, but she was in such a oxygen-deprived stupor that it didn't make any sense. Suddenly, someone got out of his seat and took a tray, banging it against Akbar's head. Akbar let go of Ami, took a knife from his belt, and threw it squarely into the heart of his attacker. He fell dead, but it bought Ami some time. She got up and charged right at Akbar. They fell to the floor and rolled around, exchanging punches. Akbar then got the upper hand, held Ami down and began to sucker punch her. "YOU WILL DIE, YOU INFIDEL BITCH!," he yelled. Ami summoned up enough courage and kneed Akbar in the crotch. Akbar was sent howling. Now they stood glaring at each other. On one side was Mizuno Ami, the second of the Sailor Senshi to be discovered and veteran of numerous battles against evil; at the opposite end was Akbar el-Salaam, the terrorist who had murdered countless Israelis and swore to destroying the modern Jewish state. Ami tried to think back to whether she was in so much danger.Never, she realized. Even the first battle against the Dark Kingdom was easy. But this was different: This was a mere mortal human, with only the hatred in his heart fueling his rage. "Give it up, Akbar! You can't win, and you know it!" "NEVER!," yelled Akbar; "I WILL SACRIFICE THIS WHOLE SHIP IN THE NAME OF ALLAH!" Ami took a look out a window. The West Coast of the United States was now visible, and in due time they'd be over it. What was not known, however, was that in a couple of hours time they'd be over Lawndale. "God, please don't let me die!," screamed the flight attendant. "SILENCE!," roared Akbar. Ami knew that if she was going to stop Akbar, now was the time. Ami threw herself right against Akbar, and the both fell against the emergency hatch. ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- It was about an hour before kickoff, and already a huge crowd had filled the stands at the football field. Jake, Helen and Quinn had grabbed good seats. "If only Daria was here right now," Jake said. "This is always her favorite time of the year." Quinn was wearing a jacket so she wouldn't be too cold. But now the temperature was a bit warm, so she took it off. "Quinn, I hope the Fashion Club does well selling its goodies!," Helen said. "We will, Mom," Quinn replied. Jane then showed up. "Jane," Quinn said, "You never show up for the big game! Why now?" "Because," Jane replied, "someone's got to watch over you in case Beavis and Butt-Head try anything funny on you!" Just as she said that, the familiar hideous laughter of Beavis and Butt-Head could be heard. "Uh, where's Diarrhea?," Butt-Head asked. "I told you, you two dolts, she's in Japan!," Quinn replied. Beavis, who had eaten seven candy bard on the way over. went spastic and began to do his Cornhulio schtick; he pulled his shirt over his head, raised his arms, shook his fists and then screamed: "AAAAAAAAAA! I AM THE GREAT CORNHULIO! YOU WILL GIVE ME TEE PEE FOR MY BUNG HOLE!" Jane seized the both of them and gave them a quick kick to their testicles. "Do that again, and I'll kick both your asses!," Jane roared. "Leave Quinn alone!" "This sucks! She got us in the nads," Beavis said as they both slunk away. "What assholes they are!," Jane said. "Jane," Quinn said in relief, "I didn't think I was ever going to say this, but thanks for saving my bacon there." "No problem," Jane replied. "I'll bill you later." "You wouldn't!," Quinn said. "Then again," added Jane rather quickly, "I'll let this be a freebie this time." ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- The Lawndale Militia was poised to strike at any time. Poindexter, however, was getting antsy. "When are we going to strike?," he asked. "Soon," was all that Anthony Corlew said. "Patience is a virtue that a good soldier must have. We will strike when it is to our advantage." Anthony knew that soon the hammer would fall. But what he didn't know was that his plans would soon be turned on its head.