CIRCLES OF TIME: The Great War
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
Rated: PG-13> Chapter 2 - The July of Waiting <
As June 28, 1914 faded into evening, Setsuna continued her search for answers. By now, telephone and telegraph had carried the news of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife to every European capital, while the rest of the world would learn of it within the next several days. Her problem remained. One attempt had already been made to interfere with the proper flow of events, and she had to assume there might be others. Without a full understanding of the groups involved and their motives, however, she couldn't predict where the next attempt might be made.
Ahead of her was, she hoped, another piece of the puzzle. Outwardly, they appeared to be a middle-aged couple, perhaps in Sarajevo on holiday. To her senses, however, it was clear they were wizards. Since they were not among the Paladins, she could only assume they were associated with the Order, the mysterious group the Paladins were opposed to.
They entered a small hotel and went upstairs. Setsuna cloaked herself and followed. At the end of the hall, the couple unlocked the last door on the left and went inside, bolting the door behind them. Stopping outside, Setsuna examined the energies present. The room was guarded by a relatively simple barrier spell, certainly enough to keep out any ordinary mortal. Any wizard could enter, but only the most skilled would be able to avoid leaving some trace of their entrance, thus alerting this couple to the intrusion. Setsuna carefully observed the energy patterns, cloaking herself to blend in seamlessly with them, then shifted herself into the room.
Inside the room, the couple stood together. Energy swirled around them, covering them each in an opaque field. As the field faded away, their clothes had been replaced by black robes. The man moved over to a bag sitting in the corner of the room, retrieving a black disc about a foot-and-a-half around. One side was highly polished, reflecting almost like a mirror. He put it down on the table, with the polished side up. They stepped back and focused their power. The disc began to glow and a shadowy figure appeared above it.
"Team S, reporting," the woman announced.
"You are late," the figure answered sternly, the voice clearly female. "Other stations have already reported the Archduke's death."
"Yes, I understand," the woman answered. "However, we were observing security protocols."
"Indeed? Please explain."
"A Paladin team was present in Sarajevo," the man said. "Our orders did direct that we avoid detection."
"Quite correct. Now, present your report," the figure directed.
"Yes. Two attempts were made on the life of the Archduke," the woman reported. "The first, involving a bomb, failed. The Archduke was unhurt. The second occurred only by fortuitous circumstance. The Archduke's driver had apparently not been fully briefed on a change in schedule. That is our assumption, at least, but it is consistent with the known facts."
"Go on."
"The leader of the Black Hand group, Princip, happened to be in just the right location," the woman continued. "He seized the opportunity and fired twice before being surrounded by a mob. Both the Archduke and his wife were fatally wounded."
"And the Paladin team?"
"We are not certain," the man answered. "We were monitoring them only for the purpose of avoiding contact. Given the fact of the Archduke's death, we conclude that any plan they might have had to interfere miscarried."
"Very well. Return at once," the figure instructed. "Your mission is concluded."
The man and woman both bowed their heads. "The Darkness shall triumph," they said in unison. The figure in front of them faded from view.
Setsuna continued to observe as they collected their few belongings in their small carpet bag. They stood together in the center of the room, holding hands. Energy swirled around them and they vanished. As they disappeared, the barrier spell vanished as well, along with all trace that they had ever been there.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next day, Setsuna stood in an isolated valley of the Swiss Alps. Beneath her was a large cave, sealed off from the surface, but containing a very strong magic. She had traced the two members of the Order to this location, and was now carefully examining the situation before attempting to slip inside.
The cave was protected by a highly intricate set of barrier spells. Unlike the couple's hotel room in Sarajevo, here the Order clearly sought to prevent an intrusion by Paladin wizards. Setsuna adjusted her own cloak carefully, making repeated minor adjustments until she was certain she would go undetected. Only when completely satisfied did she shift herself into the cave.
She stood at the end of a long hallway. Walking to the far end, she found herself looking out into a large room that took up the bulk of the cavern, with a high ceiling. At the center was a raised dias with a large altar. A fire blazed at the altar's center, its flickering light reflecting off a large globe of polished obsidian suspended directly above.
On the dias were ten individuals in long, black robes. Her senses quickly identified all as wizards. Around the dias were over a hundred people, most mortal, but some wizards. As she watched, one of the wizards on the dias stepped forward and silence fell over the chamber. He was relatively short, perhaps about five foot four, and bald, with a grey mustache and goatee beard.
"Servants of Darkness," he addressed the crowd, his arms raised and his voice ringing clearly through the cavern. "We stand now on the brink of our long planned triumph. All the work that has gone before will soon come to fruition." A murmur of agreement spread across the room. "But we must not be overconfident, for the opportunity could very easily be lost. Our operatives must continue their work behind the scenes. The current political order remains deterrent in its nature. Economic interests have argued for over a decade that the European economies are so interconnected that they cannot afford the disruption of a major war. At the same time, each nation has a war plan which assumes that all factors and variables can be anticipated from the beginning. While the politicians will be looking for options, the generals can only present rigid timetables, and will argue that the slightest delay risks defeat. Our operatives within each of the major governments must ensure that the voices of moderation and restraint do not prevail. Already, the effort to inflame public opinion across Europe in support of war is underway. The spark has been struck! And soon a great conflagration will follow!"
The crowd cheered, with cries of "The Darkness shall triumph!"
Finally, the man raised his hands once more, and silence returned.
"Our time has been long in coming. You all know that a thousand years ago, the forces of darkness had been driven almost to defeat. In the great wars, which human history no longer records as anything other than merest legend, those to whom we now stand as heirs were betrayed and beaten, denied their rightful place as rulers of this world. As the Earth began to unify and became more involved with the Moon Kingdom, our cause looked bleak indeed."
More murmurs could be heard, and the man cleverly let them grumble, before resuming his speech.
"But then there arose a great queen, who would champion the forces of darkness. Under her leadership, the darkness again grew strong, and from that strength, she summoned the power of our great dark lord!"
"The Darkness! The Darkness shall triumph!" the crowd chanted, before being motioned to silence.
"The Earth fell to the Darkness, but the queen knew she was not secure. She turned her forces on the Kingdom of the Moon, unleashing massive destruction. But in her moment of triumph, she was thrown back, defeated by an intense light unleashed by the queen of the Moon. The Darkness was sealed away, our dark lord banished from the realm of mortals."
The crowd again grumbled their discontent.
"But all was not lost. There remained hope for our cause," he said. "Though the Earth alone survived, much of its people fell back into barbarism. All memory of the Moon Kingdom, and of the spread of civilization, was lost. For a few wizards, however, the knowledge remained. They recognized that the balance once again favored the darkness. Banding together, they formed our society, the Sacred Order of Darkness, to keep alive the memory of our great dark lord, and to prepare the way for her return."
More cheers burst from the crowd, while Setsuna began to have a very uneasy feeling.
"Only in the last century have the circumstances come together to make it possible. Through the long, hard labors of both wizards and mortals, we have prepared the ground. Now, with this war that is to come, we will reap the harvest of death that will awaken our dark lord, and bring her to rule the Earth, as is her destiny!"
"The Darkness shall triumph! The Darkness shall triumph! The Darkness shall triumph!" the crowd chanted again, louder and louder.
To Setsuna, it was now only too clear that this was no mere sect of demon-worshipers. The Order posed the most serious threat the world had known in a millennium, and one that it was not supposed to encounter again for another eighty years.
"Servants of Darkness! We began yesterday, offering as the first sacrifice the most royal of European royal blood, a scion of Habsburg, to feed the hunger of our dark lord... Metallia!"
The crowd erupted with cheers of delight, while the mystical flames of the altar fire flared still higher. As the fire flared, she sensed new waves of energy filling the chamber, and threatening to compromise her cloak. The continued cheers ringing in her ears, she faded away.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was now July 1. Setsuna had spent several days looking for the Paladins, finally locating one of their bases in a remote Sottish glen. Outwardly, it appeared to be a simple, if rather large, hunting lodge. As she stood some distance away, she could sense the magic barriers surrounding it. This time making no effort to cloak herself, she moved closer. After crossing the first barrier, she sensed a new wave of energy reaching out toward her, probing. She continued her approach. A protective field formed around the lodge, while several faces appeared in the windows. When she was only about fifty yards away, the door opened and several men stepped outside.
"It's her! The woman from Sarajevo!" the man called Samuel exclaimed.
Beside Samuel, the one known as Bernardo appeared. He rushed forward and hurled a force bolt at her. She blocked it with her disguised time-key, absorbing it harmlessly.
"Bernardo! Stop!" Samuel ordered.
Several other men and women emerged, joining hands to combine their powers. As their power flared, Setsuna dispensed with her disguise, once more appearing as Sailor Pluto. The man called Peter had emerged from the building, and he now stared at her in shock.
"Stop! At once!" Peter ordered the others.
As the glow of energy around them faded, they turned to look at Peter.
"Peter. What is it?" Samuel asked. "She's the one who defended Princip."
"That may be," Peter answered. "But I recognize her costume. She is the solitary one, the only remaining guardian of the ancient times. Only the gravest threat would bring her to leave her post at the gateway of time."
The others looked stunned, while Peter stepped forward, his hand held out in peace. He was much older than the others, Setsuna recognized, and they all clearly deferred to him.
"I bid you greetings, guardian of time," Peter said. "My name is Peter. I regret that we were at odds. But what brings you to visit us?"
She accepted his hand, shaking it firmly. In his eyes, still clear and a piercing blue, she saw great courage. "Thank you," she said. "I too regret that, but your assault on Princip would have critically interfered with the proper flow of time. At first, I thought that was the only danger. However, I know now of the Order and their plans."
Peter nodded. "Please, do come inside," he said. "I think we have much to discuss."
Accepting his offer, she walked with him toward the door. The others made way, but most were not so quick in acceptance as Peter.
Inside the lodge, a spacious common room occupied the center of the building. Peter offered her a chair. The others stood quietly, eyeing her suspiciously. Only a commanding gesture from Peter brought them to their seats.
"First, how should I address you?" Peter asked her. "I know you are the guardian of time, but the history that was passed down to me never provided a name."
"I am called Sailor Pluto," she answered. "But you may also call me Setsuna." Energy swirled around her briefly and she reverted to her disguise of the young academic.
"So, you have learned of the Order?" Peter asked.
"Yes. I had not been aware of them, or of your organization," Setsuna said. "I followed two of their agents from Sarajevo to their base in Switzerland. One of their leaders recounted their mission and their history."
Peter nodded. "The Order and the Paladins are virtually the same age, and have been in conflict for centuries."
"Their founders were wizards loyal to Beryl and Metallia," she said.
"Yes. They worship Metallia as their deity. They believe she is destined to return to Earth and they see it as their mission to bring that about," Peter explained.
"And your group?"
"The Paladins were formed several years after the fall of the Moon Kingdom. Like the Order, a small, core group of wizards retained the knowledge of the way the world had been. Initially, our purpose was just to keep that knowledge alive and to prevent the arts of wizardry from being entirely forgotten. After several decades, however, one of the most powerful of our wizards experienced a vision. In the distant future, he saw the return of the chosen ones to resume their guardianship of Earth against the forces of evil. The Paladins decided that it was our mission to protect the Earth until the time of the chosen ones' return. Thus, when we learned of the Order of Darkness and what they intended, we became sworn enemies. They know we will do everything possible to stop them."
Setsuna thought for a moment, considering the implications of revealing any information of the future. "Metallia is supposed to return to Earth."
"Then the time of the chosen ones is at hand?" Peter asked.
The others drew closer to hear her answer.
"No," she said, hearing soft sighs of disappointment. "That time will not come until late in this century. And Metallia is not to return to Earth until then."
"Yes, we understood that much. For only the leader of the chosen ones can defeat Metallia," Peter said. "That is why we desperately needed to prevent the assassination, and the war that is likely to follow."
Setsuna shook her head. "The death of the Archduke, and the war, must happen for time to follow its proper course."
Peter sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin. "Then we must find a way to stop their plan for harvesting the life energies of all the slain while the war is going on, or face Metallia's return nearly a century too soon... before the chosen ones are here to stop her."
She nodded. "The flow of time demands the former."
The others were murmuring amongst themselves.
"Not an easy task," Peter said.
"Perhaps easier than you might think," she said. "They will need to stockpile this stolen life energy until they have enough for their purpose."
"And such stockpiles will not be easy to conceal, nor difficult to destroy," Samuel completed.
"Very true," she confirmed.
Peter considered this, then nodded. "We'll have to look into that. They will, of course, be guarded, but there we are dealing with known quantities, not a tremendously powerful demon. It does present some possibilities."
"I have another question," Setsuna said.
"Go ahead."
"How is your group organized, and what about the Order?" she asked.
"Both groups are made up of wizards and mortals, and in both a central council makes decisions. For the Order, that central council has always been, as far as we know, made up exclusively of wizards. Ours was that way originally, but the first mortal was appointed about four hundred years ago, and it has been open to mortals ever since.
"Our network of members covers much of the globe," Peter continued. "It is relatively informal. We very rarely try to influence policy, but only seek to have eyes and ears in key places in order to know what is going on. The Order on the other hand frequently try to manipulate policy, and have been doing so quite successfully for about the last sixty years. Not all of their operatives know just who they are working for, however, with some believing they are representing a political or national interest group of some sort."
"And how have they been manipulating policy? To what end?" she asked.
"Well, the end you can see today. A Europe which, though still outwardly peaceful, is on the brink of a major war," Peter said. "The Order has been trying to destabilize the political situation among the Great Powers so that just a minor spark could set it all off. Bismarck, the late German chancellor, had warned that 'some damned fool thing in the Balkans' would start the next war. From that the Order took its direction.
"The death of Archduke Rudolph, the son of Emperor Franz Josef, in 1889," Peter continued. "It was labeled a suicide, but we know the Order was behind it."
"How could that have served their purpose?" Setsuna asked. "Franz Ferdinand had the makings of a far better emperor than did Rudolph, since Rudolph was basically just a playboy. And in his few political statements, Rudolph showed that he and Franz Ferdinand shared similar ideas on reforming the Habsburg monarchy."
"True," Peter said. "But Franz Ferdinand was still an unknown quantity at that time, and given his ill-health during that period, many wanted to see him passed over in favor of his brother, Otto. More important, however, was that Rudolph was secretly beginning to reorder his life. Only a handful of people knew it, and it will certainly never be recorded in history. Had Rudolph shed his image of a philanderer, he could have been quite a formidable presence at the Habsburg court. Franz Josef loved his son very much, and would almost certainly have respected his opinion. Where the emperor disliked Franz Ferdinand, and rebuffed his calls for reform on the basis of federalism, such proposals from Rudolph might have been received in a very different light."
Setsuna nodded in understanding. "And a Habsburg empire successfully reformed to promote and protect the rights of all its subjects, not just the Austrians and the Hungarians, would have formed a stabilizing influence in central Europe."
"Most likely," Peter agreed. "That is not to say that the odds even favored such a reform, but the Order could not afford even the possibility."
Setsuna considered this. "How else did the Order manipulate events?" she asked.
"There are too many instances to name them all," Peter said. "But just a few serve as examples. Before Kaiser Wilhelm II came to the German throne, Bismarck's reinsurance treaty with Russia kept their relations reasonably harmonious. Agents of the Order went to work on the headstrong young Kaiser and convinced him to repudiate that treaty in 1890, and to strengthen ties with Austria. This pushed the Russian Tsar to seek closer ties with France as protection against a combined German-Austrian attack. At the same time, Wilhelm was urged that German national prestige required a navy that could challenge Great Britain's. The British were not willingly going to yield their naval supremacy, and a massive naval arms race was touched off. In 1899, Tsar Nicholas II called together an international conference in the Hague, Netherlands, to discuss arms limitation and the creation of an international court to settle disputes between states by arbitration. The Order appealed to each government's nationalistic priorities to ensure the conference ended in failure as far as the arms control part of it was concerned. The two Moroccan crises, in which Germany tried to prevent the French from establishing a protectorate in Morocco, and the two Balkan Wars, which saw the Balkan states fighting over the carving up of what was left of Ottoman possessions in Europe, were settled by direct intervention of the Great Powers rather than arbitration through the international court.
"In the Balkans, the Order fanned the flames in both the Austrian capital, Vienna, and the Serbian capital, Belgrade," Peter continued. "The Order was behind the assassination of the Serb king in 1903, which brought a much more hardline government to power. Their leadership was furious when Russia refused to stand behind the Serbs in 1909, but the Russians simply weren't ready so soon after their stinging defeat by the Japanese in 1904 to risk another major war. When the Serbs continued to covertly sponsor terrorism against Austria-Hungary in the Balkans, and when Serbia expanded its territory and influence in the Balkan Wars, the Order found elements in Vienna only too willing to call for military action to put the Serbs in their place. And now the murder of Franz Ferdinand provides the excuse."
"Then why doesn't Austria act?" asked another of the Paladins. "Several days have gone by with no action."
"The Austrians need time to mobilize," said Samuel, examining several papers in front of him. "Also, there are political constraints. The Austrians and the Hungarians are co-equal within the empire, so that both Budapest and Vienna must agree on the course of action. The Hungarians are concerned about anything that might alter the status-quo within the empire. The Slavs make up over forty percent of the empire's population, more than either the Hungarians or the Austrian Germans. Furthermore, the majority of the empire's Slavs live in Hungarian territory. Thus, the Hungarians have far more to loose from any internal reform of the empire than do the Austrians."
"But what purpose does it serve to wait?" asked Bernardo. "Austria-Hungary is clearly the aggrieved party, and the assassins were backed by Serbia. We know this since one of them has confessed to the police in Sarajevo. Why don't they just act?"
"You have a good political insight, Bernardo," Peter said. "You are quite right. If they acted immediately, the other powers, with the possible exception of Germany, would decry the use of force, but would qualify their condemnations with the admission that Serbia had brought it on itself by failing to restrain the forces within its own borders who organized the assassination. Even Russia would do so, not willing to risk a larger war for the protection of terrorists and murderers."
Samuel nodded his head in understanding. "But Austro-Hungarian armies pouring into Serbia in righteous anger at the murder of the Archduke does not serve the Order's interests. They want to slow things down. Then there is time for offers of mediation, time for diplomatic exchange, time for other powers to express their positions and ready a possible response. Russia is the clear case in point. The Order wants them able to condemn Austria's threat to attack, rather than only reacting to an attack that has already taken place."
"And Austria-Hungary loses its moral justification as time elapses," Peter said. "The other powers will ask if Austria-Hungary was so concerned with a Serbian threat to its dynasty, why did they not act right away."
"The Order needs death on a massive scale," said Setsuna. "An Austro-Serbian war won't achieve that. Only a pan-European war will serve their needs."
"And Russia is the key to that," Samuel added. "If Austria-Hungary marches into Serbia in the face of a Russian pledge to protect the Serbs, then Russian honor and prestige demand they respond with force. Russia's mobilization will compel Germany to respond, both to protect its Austrian ally, and for its own self-defense. As soon as Germany reacts, France is bound by treaty to come to Russia's aid. If Britain does not honor its verbal pledge of assistance to France, it will have no choice but to become involved as one of the guarantors of Belgian neutrality, since the current German war plan calls for a massive flanking sweep through Belgium."
"And given the colonial empires involved, the war will spill out beyond Europe," Peter said.
"Precisely," Samuel agreed. "Japan has a treaty with Britain, which it will likely honor by seizing the German possessions in China and the central Pacific. The Australians can be expected to move against German New Guinea, while French and British colonial units will march into the German territories in Africa."
"But will the war produce the type of body count the Order requires?" asked another. "I've seen the outline of the German war plan, and it predicts knocking France out of the war in just six weeks. That surely wouldn't be enough."
"Very true, Albert," said Samuel. "But von Schlieffen, the principal author of the German plan, worked on revisions of it right up to his death just last year. And he always said the plan would fail."
"But why?" Albert asked.
"By going through Belgium, they start with a narrow front that must then widen out to cover northern France. The roads they must cross can only handle just so much traffic, and the armies can only move as fast as their infantrymen can walk," Samuel explained. "As the Germans sweep farther south into France, they need more armies to broaden and reinforce their front. This is where they run into the cold, hard fact that the Belgian roads can't handle that many. Armies would have to move one after another, which makes it impossible for the following armies to ever catch up, since they're all moving at marching speed. Likewise, the forward units don't dare slow down as that risks allowing the French to reinforce and stabilize their forces. In every variation of the plan, von Schlieffen found that as they approached Paris his line would be too thin to deliver the knock-out blow."
"So, what is the outcome?" Albert asked.
"It will depend on whether the French and the British, whose intervention the Germans make no provision for, can identify the German weakness and put enough troops in the right places to exploit it," Samuel answered. "If they can, then the Germans will probably pull back to more defensible positions. The examples of the Boer War in South Africa and the Russo-Japanese War suggest the two sides will settle in behind fixed defenses for a war of attrition."
Albert nodded his head in understanding. "And that is just what the Order is counting on."
"Precisely," Samuel agreed.
"As interesting as this all is," Peter interrupted. "How does it help us thwart the Order's plans?"
"Samuel has outlined a very probable scenario for how the war will unfold," Setsuna said. "From this, you can reasonably project where the centers of fighting will be. The Order will want collection points located within the general vicinity of the fronts, and from these they will surely transfer the stolen energy to storage areas that are more out of the way."
"Then we must be searching for those collection points as soon as the armies start moving," said a woman, sitting beside Albert. "And we can use those to search for the stockpile locations."
Peter nodded his head. "I think Ruth has quite succinctly spelled out what our objectives must be. I will put it before the other Council members, but I see no reason why they should not agree."
"I have a suggestion," Samuel said.
"Go ahead," Peter answered.
"I think we should take advantage of this lull period to locate as many of the Order's facilities as possible. The more information we have about where they are putting their resources, the better," Samuel said.
"A very good idea," Peter agreed. "I will call the other Council members together and get their approval for a large scale search. At the same time, we will have our contacts keep us up-to-date on how events are proceeding. If anything differs from our projections, we need to know about it just as soon as possible." Peter rose to his feet. "I will be in contact with you soon." Energy flared around him and he vanished.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Over the following weeks, Emperor Franz Josef, after initially resisting action against Serbia, told the Imperial Foreign Minister, Leopold von Berchtold, that no action was to be taken without consulting Grof Tisza, the Hungarian Prime Minister. Tisza insisted that legalities must be observed, with a formal ultimatum delivered to Serbia and time given for the Serbs to accept. He saw a diplomatic triumph being at least as good for the empire's image as a military victory. In any event, Tisza demanded assurances that no additional Slavic territory would be annexed to the empire.
Austria-Hungary also turned to Berlin for assurances, being concerned of finding itself alone in an escalating conflict. Germany answered its ally with the strongest support, as Kaiser Wilhelm II issued a virtual "blank check", saying Germany would back Austria-Hungary to the fullest in whatever course of action Vienna should choose. Russian intervention was considered, but dismissed as unlikely. The Kaiser then left Berlin on a summer yachting trip, while several other key members of the government were also away.
In Vienna, Berchtold and Field Marshal Conrad von Hotzendorf, Army chief of staff, both demanded military action, but Tisza refused to back down. Finally, under pressure, Tisza conceded the bare minimum for a time limit on the demands to Serbia. By now, it was July 19, twenty-one days after the assassinations. A further week's delay was now imposed out of concern for the Russian reaction. The President and the Prime Minister of France happened to be in St. Petersburg on a state visit, and the Austro-Hungarian government did not want the French leaders and Tsar Nicholas II to have the opportunity for immediate, face-to-face consultations regarding their ultimatum. Hopes of localizing the conflict had already faded considerably, and Vienna wished to avoid damaging those chances any further.
Finally, on July 23, the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum was delivered in Belgrade, giving the Serbs 48 hours to respond. Of the ten points, six concerned public repudiation of anti-Austrian propaganda, dissolution of the secret societies, such as the Black Hand, and on-going assurances that Serbia was carrying these out. Four points, however, infringed on Serbian sovereignty, requiring Austro-Hungarian supervision, on Serbian soil, of the arrest, interrogation, prosecution, and punishment of all Serbian officials involved in the assassinations.
As Serbia was reluctantly preparing to swallow much of this bitter pill, an explosion of outrage came from St. Petersburg, with Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov angrily denouncing the Austrian demands. On July 25, the Tsar's government announced that Austro-Hungarian military action against Serbia would compel Russia to mobilize in Serbia's defense.
In London, the British government now urged mediation by an international conference, hoping to avoid the escalating step of Russian mobilization, despite Vienna's repeated statements rejecting any outside involvement. At the same time, Russia proposed direct talks with Austria-Hungary to bring the situation to a resolution. Germany publically endorsed the British proposal, but only as a delaying tactic to keep France and Britain on the sidelines. In London and Paris, the hope remained that the crisis could be resolved through diplomacy, despite warnings from several ambassadors that a Russian mobilization would bring not a counter mobilization from Germany but a declaration of war. Serbia had accepted all the Austrian demands, except those requiring imperial officials on Serbian soil, and when that was rejected in Vienna on July 27, mobilized its small army. Peace could now be measured only in hours.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Setsuna and Samuel worked together in a New York hotel room. It was Tuesday, July 28, and they were plotting out on maps the likely theaters of conflict. Scattered around them were the latest projections on the war plans of the various soon-to-be combatants.
"This would be easier if I had more specific insights into what was going to happen," Samuel said.
"I've already told you, I cannot reveal significant details of the future," Setsuna replied. "My overriding priority is to maintain the proper flow of time."
With a sigh, Samuel nodded his head.
Just then, a knock was heard at the door, which then opened to reveal Peter with another man.
"Hello," Peter said. "How are things coming?"
"We're making progress," Samuel answered. "But it is taking time."
"I have more projections for you, and some of our search results for cross-reference," Peter told him, placing more papers on a side table.
"Thank you," Samuel muttered.
"And I want to introduce Daniel," Peter continued. "Setsuna, Daniel will be working with you on a new part of the search project. Now before you remind me about not revealing the future, we're only asking you to utilize your abilities to locate energy sources."
"Alright," Setsuna agreed. "That will be fine."
"Excellent," said Daniel. "I am pleased to meet you, Setsuna."
"Likewise," she replied.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark brown hair and emerald eyes. To her senses, it was obvious that he was a wizard.
"Any further news?" Samuel asked. "Are they still posturing?"
Peter shook his head. "We just heard from Vienna. They declared war on Serbia only a few hours ago. Austrian artillery has already fired on Serb territory."
They stood together silently, the ticking of the clock the only noise.
"Well, that's it then," Samuel said. "The rest is now automatic. It should only take a matter of days before the other powers are in it."
Peter nodded. "That means we need to pick up our own pace, since the armies will start moving soon afterward." He paused for a moment, staring blankly out the window, before turning back to face them. "Daniel and Setsuna, we need you in Havana as soon as possible. We've set up a new center there, from which we'll coordinate all our search activities. That's where you'll start."
"Is this in the casino basement?" Daniel asked.
"No. It's about two hundred feet below," Peter answered. "But don't teleport there directly. I have to assume Setsuna could get in undetected, but Daniel, please don't take offense when I say that you would not make it."
"How do you recommend we proceed?" Setsuna asked.
"We have a house in the city that we use for arrivals and departures. Daniel knows where it is. Go there, then in civilian dress make your way to the casino. Once you're there, ask for Senor Esteban. He is not a wizard, but he carries a small talisman to ward off other spells, which also serves for identification. You should have no problem spotting that, Setsuna, and Daniel, of course, is completely familiar with it."
"I understand," she said.
Daniel nodded. "I just need to grab my bag, then I'm ready to go."
"Esteban will brief you once you arrive," Peter said.
In the suite's parlor, Daniel picked up his bag. He glanced at Setsuna, then energy glowed around him. As it did so, energy flared around her as well. He vanished in a flash, and she carefully matched his destination, fading from site.< To be continued >
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.-01.02.2001