Knowing The Enemy (Sailor Mercury)

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Once everyone was dismissed and had their duties Sailor Pluto lingered for a moment, hoping to get a word in with the Prince but his Four Kings whisked him away before anything could be said which made the woman purse her lips together. It was good at least, perhaps they could talk some sense into him, the girls presence seemed to only anger him more but maybe at seeing his own guardians would remind him that they all cared deeply for Serena and wanted her back but they had the interest of the people to look after as well. It didn't matter thou, none of that was important to him and Pluto understood that but he also had to understand they were simply doing their duties.

As everyone cleared the courtyard Pluto picked up her staff and began to walk, casting a glance at Andrew while he stood there looking lost and full of questions. She did not have time to answer those for him but she did manage to say "Shouldn't you return to the tents?" which seemed to snap him out of his stupor as he looked at her before scurrying off. With him gone Pluto walked into the temple and went in the direction she had last seen Mercury go, it took a few minutes but eventually she found her in a large..empty room with her computer.

"May I assist you?" Pluto asked quietly while setting the tip of her rod down on the stone floor, the sound echoing a little too much for her liking in the large and open room. She wasn't sure what assistance she could give the other Senshi but she needed something to do to feel useful.

Numbers flashed on screen, flying as quickly as her fingers as she sent commands to the system, trying first one approach then another, calculating, crunching data, evaluating, moving on. Failures, each attempt. Each hypothesis proven wrong, each idea falling short of reality. She hadn’t even found a way to see past Elysion yet. She couldn’t even do that.

But she wasn’t going to give up, no matter how difficult. Each failure was just another possibility to cross off the list, another path she didn’t have to walk down. And even if every inch of her was shaking with emotion, she would continue on until she found some path, some way to probe through the dimensional rift between this world and their own. They needed this information, this intelligence on their enemy, as a tool to use when planning their next moves; everyone was dead in the water until she pulled through for them. Everyone. It was all up to her.

If only she had a larger workstation; she could set computers on different tasks, search multiple avenues at the same time; for all of the power behind her Mercurial Computer, there was still just the one, and she was typing as fast as she could.

"May I assist you?"

The voice from behind made her jump and nearly drop her computer, the tension in her nerves so great as to be disturbed by a helpful voice from behind. She whirled, catching hold of her device with both hands before it could slip to the ground, and stared wide-eyed at Pluto. “Pluto! I – ” She took a deep breath, collected a firmer hold on her computer, and stood straighter, eyes downcast in embarrassment about her reaction and her continued shaking. She willed herself to stop as her mind flung through possibilities – yes, she definitely needed help, and Trista was trained in Physics and in time travel – she would be an excellent ally in this. But she only had one computer; Pluto’s advice from her knowledge of dimensional continuums would be essential when trying to make the connection between worlds, but… maybe Pluto could help first by locating a larger set-up? Maybe Helios knew of ancient computing devises left here from the age of the Golden Kingdom, or maybe she could message the girls out scouting to keep an eye out for working arrays and ask them to transport them back here for use. With a glance, however, she noticed that there was nothing even resembling an electric conduit or connectors nearby, and without electricity… it could all be in vain.

Perhaps, then, a command center would be better suited for a future project. Perhaps they could find enough volunteers with background in electricity that they could wire the place. … but then there would be the issue of powering the stations; they would need an electricity producer, a power plant or… Mercury balled her hand nervously – there was so much to do, so many near-impossible feats to accomplish to make the necessary changes. She would need a dedicated group to get things going, and with everyone off doing their own duties… “Pluto,” she said at last, finally giving in to being overwhelmed, “I need help.”

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She explained everything to Pluto, just letting it all out, from the difficulties of computing through the dimensional rift to her need of more work stations and volunteers, and the infrastructure needed to work such a project. Ideally, she needed machines, computer mechanics to help her get the machines up and running – she could do it, but if more people helped it would be done sooner. She needed the room wired with a large output capacity, needed an around-the-clock power supply, and then probably a place to house her workers, and feed them. She would need monitors for the computers, computer mice and keyboards, speakers and a television converter to catch any radio waves the new regime might send out, and radios to catch news of any sort, be it good or bad, from their side or from the Black Moon. She needed hackers, she needed programmers, she needed… a dedicated group of people like herself.

“But… what can we do?”

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Pluto merely gave a small nod when Mercury said that she needed help but she did not say anything and let the girl continue. It was obvious from her body language and mannerisms that things were not going well for the water and ice Senshi. Pluto listened as Mercury explained what she needed and the dark skinned woman looked around the empty room. Yes, this was going to be most challenging. Elysion was not equipped for the modern world, they would need teams of people...all experts in their fields and the chances of finding that here were slim..But, there was still
hope. Refugees were plentiful here and someone out there would have to know how to carry out such a plan.


Perhaps we can go to the people, see who is able to lend the help we need. Again, she looked around the room as a idea came to her What if we were to go out and get the things we need? The labs and universities would be empty...we could go to the refugees and see who is willing and able to help us and bring things back here...perhaps I could generate a dimension more suiting to our needs... The Time Guardian sighed, she didn't know
what to do any more than her companion

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Mercury nodded absently, considering Pluto’s suggestion; the people, the refugees from Star City, there were bound to be at least a handful that knew their way around a network… and electricians, cable technicians, and plenty of men and women capable of lifting heavy equipment from universities, especially after Endymion’s healing wave ran through the crowd. If they were to just raid one large complex of their computers – ‘Raid a university?’Mercury thought, shaking her head, ‘What am I thinking? Stealing is so immoral! …. But,’ she couldn’t help but weigh, ‘if we don’t steal them, there’s a chance the Black Moon might, else they’d sit there until they were eventually destroyed. We’d almost be saving them…’

Finally, she nodded. “Let’s do it.”

ooc:

Pluto gave a very slight nod of her head when Mercury agreed with the plan and she stepped aside to let the other warrior lead the way to go out to the people. Her people skills and knowledge of the situation and what they would need were far superior than her own at the moment, not to mention...so many people was very unsettling to her and she would rather the other girl taken the reigns on this. As Mercury walked out Pluto followed behind her in silence, forming a plan in her head on how they were going to go about this.

OCC:

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Sailors Mercury and Pluto have left the board.
A Call for Volunteers
[url=Possible Adventure in Real World Nerd Factories]Technological Reconnissance[/url]
Sailors Mercury and Pluto, and some refugee-volunteers have entered the board.
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The room was alive with volunteers moving the equipment they had specified and placing it where one of the volunteers, Michael Denner, suggested it be placed. Denner had worked with NASA and knew more about the equipment than Mercury could have hoped; his knowledge was already coming in handy. She and Pluto were working together on manipulating radio waves to travel from Star City to Elysion, using a hand-held television and radio as test subjects in an attempt to intercept whatever propaganda the Black Moon Clan was sending out. At first it was nothing but static, but with Mercury working with her computer and Pluto working her magic on the receptors, finally the static started to clear and an image came on screen. When the fuzzy picture cleared to standard definition and then to high definition picture, Mercury gasped and held up a hand, barking an order for the volunteers to be still.

For there, on screen, was Serena.

She looked frightened and uncomfortable and Amy nearly started crying right then and there. She moved in close beside Trista, her Mercury Computer fading out of existence as her gloved hands moved to cover Pluto’s in an act of disbelief and a need for support. She was dressed in a white gown with a sweetheart neckline crusted with gems, the satin material flowing from an empire waistline to touch the ground; it wasn’t her wedding gown, but the color… was Diamond marrying her?! Her fingers gripped Pluto’s nervously, her blue eyes traced every line of their Princess, and, swiftly, she pressed “record.” Everything on screen could be used for reconnaissance, to build a map of their enemy’s headquarters, and… and while she hated to see her friend looking so alone and afraid, she wanted the others to see that she was alive.

Diamond’s voice rang through and the camera focused on him. "My brothers and sisters," Diamond began, eyes scanning the audience. From the camera’s perspective Mercury noticed people shrinking back; who were these people, the guests? Were they there against their will? "I see you. I see your strength, I see your dedication, I see your loyalty and your accomplishments; I see you and I am filled with pride. For today, at last, our mission has ended: thanks to you and all of your hard work, the Future is Safe." He paused to a smattering of applause, then continued.  "People of Earth, I see you, too. I see your heartache, I see your pain, I see your fear and your confusion; I see your uncertainty, and I wish to fill you again with confidence." he paused, and all Mercury could think was that he was a born politician. His sleazy words could sway weaker minds to his cause, and his following statements only cemented the abysmal idea in her mind. "In order to protect you, my family has had to resort to dire measures. Unfortunately, many lives were lost in the process. Those people, those brave men and women who died protecting you from a perceived threat, are heroes. Though misguided as their efforts were, their lives were no less valuable, their worth as great as any standing before me, and in their way, they have also saved your future. Celebrate them. Look fondly on their lives, remorse in their deaths, and celebrate them for the heroes that they are. Tonight is a celebration for all - for my Black Moon Clan and their job well done, and all of you, our new brethren, for your heroes and the bright, glorious future that now awaits us all."

Of course he would try to spin it that way, that he was saving everyone instead of committing mass murder for the sake of chaos. By honoring the deaths of the real heroes, he was only trying to put himself on their side. She could only hope people weren’t buying it.

"With my power as Prince Diamond of the Black Moon Clan, I declare today a new holiday - Earth Unification Day, a day that celebrates the achievements of the past, the heroes of the present, and the bright vision of the future. And in the spirit of this new Unification of our cultures, I have decided to elect as my Queen, Serenity." he looked over to her and Amy could see Serena’s skin crawl. Her heart seemed to stop in her chest at his words – his Queen? Then this was a marriage ceremony… "A young woman you might know better as Sailor Moon, the warrior princess who has been protecting this planet for the past decade from outside forces of evil. With her by my side, you can be assured of your safety and of my intentions."

Her anger flared. “He’s using her,” Mercury stated darkly, fury seeping through her tone as she glared at the blond man. “He’s hoping she will quell the populace, that her presence will assure everyone that he is good.” her voice made it obvious where her opinion stood on the subject.

Sapphire moved away from them and returned with a pair of crowns on a black silken pillow.

The sound suddenly multiplied as someone connected the handheld television to a stereo system and the picture blew up on a large wall monitor, throwing the sickening display into higher resolution. Mercury stepped away from Pluto to stand with her hands in fists at her side as the audience bowed to Diamond. “With this ornament and through the power of the Dark Crystal of the Black Moon, I, Diamond, crown myself King of Earth.” and then he turned to Serena, presenting a crown that was a sickening mirror of her Crystal Star crown, and held it above her head. “With this ornament and through the power of the Dark Crystal of the Black Moon, I, King Diamond, crown Serenity. May she be known as the Queen of Earth.” As the crown alighted on her head, the screen dissipated in static.

“Get it back!” Mercury cried, rushing to the only operating console and typing away in an attempt to regain the signal. However, when the picture turned to the screen it had nothing to do with her efforts. Serena remained, but she had transformed. “Serenity,” Mercury breathed, as confused by the transformation as her frightened friend on screen.

Everything had gone much better than expected, when Mercury first suggested the raid on NASA Pluto had her reservations. Surely she thought that Diamond would have raided or destroyed the center or at least have his minions stationed there...seemed like he had been too busy with his victory to think of that. Luckily for them. Getting the equipment back was a hassle and setting it up was even worse, the barriers around Elysian were strong and it was difficult for her power to breach them. Tirelessly she worked and with the help of Mercury a signal was finally established.

The moment a picture came on screen Pluto kept her eyes trained on it, the anger in her going to depths she did not know was possible. There standing next to their enemy was their princess who looked so frail and frightened, dressed in white like when she had been taken from them. There was a moment where Pluto felt a blind rage and her hand tightened dangerously around her staff, the movement causing a small amount of energy to emit from it. Despite everything it was good to know Serena was safe...it was one very small victory in this moment of tiresome defeat. When Mercury reached for her Pluto did not hesitate to take her gloved hand in her own, needed the same reassurance.

As Diamond gave his speech and the people keeled Trista scoffed, he had no power to name himself King, not of this planet. The only King was Endymion...Diamonds deceleration was nothing more than a child playing pretend.

Something was happening, the picture was starting to leave them and Pluto checked her barriers...they were still active and open, the interference was from something else. Rushing to Mercury's side Pluto offered her help but it seemed the other had a handle of it and as the picture returned to them something was different. The frightened woman they had been watching on screen was not their friend and leader Serena...it was their Princess: Serenity. How..

The Prince must see this. Pluto said gravely while her eyes narrowed in a glare. She would hate for Endymion to see his beloved in this situation but it may be of some comfort to him to see her alive.

Mercury nodded to Pluto's statement; Endymion should be informed, but maybe... maybe not just yet. "Maybe we should wait," Mercury said quietly. "At least until it ends. We can get more information from this than the Clan could have imagined." She turned to Pluto with reluctance in her eyes, "He would want to know everything we had, all the information we could possibly squeeze from this footage and its broadcast." Internally she remembered his anger at her ignorance, his fury bearing down on her, and she knew she was a coward when she added, "And then we could send someone with the tape and information." without volunteering herself for the task.

He will not like that we did not inform him right away. It was true, he would be furious that they did not inform him of the boradcast right away, espically when it involved Serena but he would also be furious if they did not gather everything they could from it either. It was a damned if they do and damned if they don't situation and maybe seeing a recoriding, something he could pause and take at his own pace would be better for his well being. Very well... As Mercury tired to suggest someone take the tape to him but did not jump at the chance to do it herself Pluto looked forward at the screen, watching the rest of the 'celebration' as she thought for a moment. Finally, after a moments silence she spoke, not removing her eyes from the screen. I will take it to him, it will be better that way.

Mercury did not envy Pluto for her decision. Instead she followed the Guardian of Time's gaze and, with a heavy heart, watched the party continue, speaking orders to the technicians to begin gathering data. With one final look at her beloved Princess, Mercury called back her computer and set to work crunching data for a report.

One that would, hopefully, get them one step closer to rescuing her.