                            Chapter Ten: Dark History!

     Artemis swallowed as he looked around him at the men on the deck. Many
were helping their injured comrades as they watched the enemy return to their
submarine as if nothing had happened.
     "This is great!" Sailor Venus said. "They're not our enemies anymore.
Maybe they can help us find out whatever it is on their base that is doing all
of this."
     "The effect won't be permanent I'm afraid."
     Everyone turned and stared at Sailor Pluto. She nodded. "They are not
evil, they are simply doing what is natural for them. They consider us invading
enemies and therefore, in a very short time, they will be ready to attack us
again."
     Sailor Moon turned pale and, Sailor Jupiter swore. Artemis looked at the
other sub as it began to pull out. "How long do you think we have? Long enough
to find out what's going on?"
     "I hope so." Pluto looked away out over the sea. "I wish I could remember
more."
     Lt. Akano came over. "Where's the Captain?"
     "He went below." Sailor Mercury said.
     Akano climbed down the ladder. As soon as he was gone, Artemis turned to
Mercury. "Okay...tell everyone what you found out."
     Sailor Mercury pulled out her computer. "Artemis asked me to scan for
information on this sub. Because we had already been from the future, the
information in the computer is accurate and wasn't altered by the time shift.
It shows what history was like before it was changed.
     Everyone watched as Sailor Mercury tapped on the keys and looked up. "On
August the 14th 1945, the "USN Hunter" was on a special mission for the
Department of the Navy. Only the Captain knew for sure and the Pacific Command
what the true nature of the mission was. It was sent out to check rumors of a
japanese empire project that was taking place on a base in Hokkaido...led by a
German scientist. The submarine was sunk with a loss of all hands..with the
exception of a few survivors who became POW's and were totured to death." Her
face winced. "One was named...Ensign Jim Bell."
     "Oh my god.." Sailor Jupiter looked down. "Poor Raye."
     "What are we going to do?" Sailor Moon looked at everyone. "We can't let
this happen to our friends! They're too good to allow that to..."
     "It is what happened in history." Sailor Pluto sighed. "I understand how
you feel. But, the point is moot. History has already been changed. It intended
for this submarine to be sunk. Instead..it is here in the future with us..a
future that should not exist."
     Luna shook her head. "Even if we set things to right...they have to die?"
     Artemis grit his teeth. "One of the reasons it's best not to know the
future. We'll have to worry about this some other time."
     "And Raye?" Sailor Venus swallowed. "What about her?"
     Artemis watched as the submarine began to move following the other one in
front of them. "We're underway now. We'll know soon what this base looks
like...

                        *****************************

     "Are you okay?" Sailor Mars asked Ensign Bell as she steadied him in a
chair. He winced as the medic wrapped his arm and made a sling for it. "I'm
fine, Raye." He grinned at her. "You're really something when you get mad."
     "I..I just did what I had to do." Raye blushed. "We did what we all had
to. It's going to be okay. We'll get out of this...somehow." Her voice fell.
     Raye was surprised, her english was getting better. It must have been the
combination of her classes and the exposure to these americans from the past.
     Captain Jamison came forward. "Ensign Bell, are you alright?"
     "Ready Sir!" Bell saluted with his free arm. "I regret I can't salute
properly."
     "Don't worry about it." Jamison grinned and indicated his own arm. He
picked up the intercom. "ALL HANDS! This is the Captain. We're following the
other sub to it's base. I don't know what's in store for us there. We could be
walking into another battle. But...we're a good ship. We'll take it as it comes
and, we'll do what we have to! That's all." He put back the mike. "Get a little
rest Bell. Things may get pretty hairy soon."
     Bell watched him move through the compartment and he turned to Raye who's
face was full of concern. "I'm okay." he laughed.
     "I wish things were different." Raye looked down.
     Bell smiled and lifted her chin. "Hey..I think your very beautiful. And, I
don't care if you have these weird powers..or if you are from the future. Let's
go topside and see your friends."
     Raye smiled and helped him up. The two climbed the ladder....


     Tuxedo Mask turned and saw Sailor Mars and Ensign Bell come up the ladder.
He nudged Sailor Moon and, she smiled. "Raye! You're okay."
     "Yes." Raye smiled and took Bell's arm. "Jim got hurt a little but, he's
fine."
     Artemis looked briefly at Sailor Mars and bowed his head seeing her happy
face. Raye was in love..or thought she was. But..it was a love that was doomed
from the start! Why couldn't the Scouts keep their minds on what was important?
There was no telling what was going to happen in this alternate future. Would
they ever be able to go home again?
     "Look." Sailor Pluto said.
     Everyone looked forward and saw Hokkaido ahead. But..even from here they
could see it looked much different then what they had known. A great black
fortress was on the island and, it's battlements could be seen even from their
position as they followed the enemy sub in front of them.
     "Why do I have the feeling we're like a fly in a spider's web." Tuxedo
Mask said.
     Sailor Moon saw a shimmering around the island. "What..what's that?"
     Artemis narrowed his eyes. "It...it looks like an energy field of some
sort. Perhaps a defensive shield! Their technology must be more advanced then
we thought!"
     Ensign Bell looked briefly at Raye. "How are we going to fight that?"
     Sailor Mars took his uninjured arm and held it. Everyone watched as the
continued to close in on the island and the ominous black fortress in front of
them.......
     
