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 13 - Final Battles <
Alphonse and Stanley stood outside a conference room in the Brazilian center. The High Priest joined them.
"The other council members are waiting inside," the High Priest said.
"Yes, we know," Stanley said.
"What is the status of preparations?" the High Priest asked. "Things seem very disorganized."
Alphonse nodded gravely. "Things are exceedingly disorganized."
They entered the room, where they were met by the other Order council members.
"The meeting will come to order," the High Priest announced. "We will dispense with some of the formalities this time, as I believe we are all anxious to learn about the situation here."
Receiving a nod from the High Priest, Alphonse rose to his feet. "Thank you, sir. I shall endeavor to be brief. Our preparations here have been suffering for several months from grossly misplaced priorities, I'm afraid. The coordinators have been taking workers away from the most critical components to work on areas that may best be described as purely cosmetic. As a result, the decorating of the altar chamber is proceeding very well, but the energy conduits to bring energy up for the awakening ceremony are still incomplete."
"How is this being addressed?" another council member asked.
"Labor has been reassigned," Alphonse answered. "Everything else has been suspended, and all efforts are being directed to the completion of the conduits."
Stanley also stood. "We are also exploring alternative options for getting the energy into the altar chamber."
"The last energy collection reports we were given indicated that by the end of this next week we should have enough energy to perform the awakening," Charlotte said. "Is that still the case?"
"Yes. I think so," Stanley said.
"But based on what we've just heard, it sounds like we would not be able to perform the ceremony right away," another member said.
"That is true," Alphonse said. "But we should be able to do it within a week or so afterwards."
"What about security?" the High Priest asked.
"Internal security here is woefully understaffed," Alphonse said. "But we have called in another twenty squads to reinforce the existing security detail. They should start arriving later this afternoon."
"How vulnerable to attack are we here?" Charlotte asked. "I think we've all learned by now not to place too much faith in assurances that defensive fields are impenetrable."
"Indeed," said Alphonse. "We have made adjustments to the fields with the purpose of making it more difficult for an attacker to teleport inside. But we must all remember that the Paladins got through the defensive fields at our Austrian center without being detected. I think it only prudent to assume they can do it again."
"But it is quite unlikely they would attack before our additional security forces arrive," said one of the council members.
Just at that moment, three powerful explosions were heard in rapid succession, followed by the alarm siren. The communicator unit on the table beeped.
The High Priest touched the communicator. "What's happening?"
"We're under attack," the security officer reported. "We recommend that you and the council members stay there, but be prepared to evacuate quickly if that should become necessary."
"Can you repel the attack?" the High Priest asked.
"It's too early to say. We do not yet know even their strength," the security officer said. "Forgive me, but I must cut this short."
Two more explosions shook the complex, and the lights flickered.
"Should we assist in the defense?" one of the council members asked. "Afterall, the security forces are decidedly short-handed."
"No," said Alphonse. "I can fully understand your sentiments, but if worst comes to worst, we're the ones who will have to pick up the pieces and develop a new plan."
"Reluctantly, I must agree," said Charlotte. "We have to stay out of this, and respect security's request to stay here."
Stanley nodded. "Undoubtedly that will make their task easier, since they will know where we are and if we are threatened. If that threat does become serious enough, security will alert us to get out."
Another series of explosions rattled the room, blowing out one of the lights.
"Let's kill the lights and make use of an illumination spell," Alphonse said.
"Yes, and I think we'd better seal the door as a further precaution," the High Priest said.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
An explosion blew open a set of doors into the altar chamber. A work crew had already improvised some cover at the base of the altar platform, and the wizards among them quickly rose and hurled energy bursts into the cloud of smoke that hung over the doorway.
One of the wizards turned to his mortal colleagues. "Get out through the work space under the alter," the wizard told them. "Alert security. We'll try to hold them as long as possible."
A hail of energy bursts flew at them, sending them diving back for cover. Two of the wizards quickly jumped back up to return the fire.
"Don't sacrifice yourselves needlessly," one of the mortal workers said. "We're going to need the help of every single wizard for this."
"Just get going," the wizard insisted.
The mortal worker nodded, and followed the others into the crawl space beneath the altar.
Just then, another set of doors was blown open. The blast brought down a section of the roof, and filled the chamber with more smoke.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Two Order wizards were on duty in the teleportation room when the first explosions shook the complex and the alarm went off. Their calls for information went unanswered, even as they heard still more explosions.
"What the hell is going on?" the first wizard asked, opening the door and looking out down the long, narrow hallway.
"I don't know," the second answered. He pressed the button on the communicator repeatedly, but still could get no response.
A blast was heard at the far end of the hall, and they quickly closed the door.
"Try again," the first wizard said.
The second nodded, and pressed the communicator button. "This is teleportation room. We are under attack. Please respond."
The unit remained silent.
"Damn!" the second wizard cursed, then pressed the button again. "Teleportation room is under attack. Any station, please respond."
The first wizard sensed something. "Get down!" he cried, hauling his partner down behind the console.
Just then, a powerful explosion blew the door open. Before the smoke cleared, the first wizard hit the emergency button, activating a self-destruct timer on the teleportation unit. The second wizard teleported them out of the room just before the explosives blew.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The security chief led half of one of his squads, along with a group of other wizards, up the stairs to the foyer area outside the altar chamber. They could sense powerful magic energies and hear repeated explosions. The chief threw the door open, and two of his officers jumped out to unleash a hail of magic bursts. Just seconds later, they tumbled back, drawing heavy fire in return.
"This does not look good," one of the officers said.
The chief nodded, then glanced at his watch. "The rest of the squad should be attacking them at any moment. Then we'll have them caught between us."
Fresh energy bursts were heard. The chief motioned and pulled the door open again. As two of the other wizards fired, the security officers rushed out, staying low and spreading out across the room. The return fire intensified, and a thick screen of smoke obscured their vision. The security officers fired into the smoke in response to the bursts being fired at them. Two more explosions threw them hard to the floor.
"Move forward, quickly!" the chief ordered.
The other wizards spread out behind the security officers to provide additional support, unleashing a fresh hail of fire.
The chief picked up his communicator. "Unit 2. We're moving into heavy smoke, but I think we're pushing them back. What is your situation?"
"We're taking heavy fire," the commander of the other unit reported.
"Hit them hard," the chief ordered. "We have to take them out as quickly as possible."
Just then, a tremendous hail of energy bursts came out of the smoke, forcing them all down. Two of the other wizards fired back, while a third cast a spell to begin clearing the smoke. One of the security officers was hit, and critically injured. Two more joined in returning fire, hearing several screams as their adversaries were being hit.
"Chief! We're getting cut to pieces here!" the other commander called frantically over the communicator. "Where are you? How soon can you give us support?"
"We're taking heavy fire ourselves," the chief answered.
Finally, the smoke cleared enough that they could see.
"Oh, son of a bitch!" the chief swore. "Everybody, cease fire! Cease fire now! Those bastards had us shooting at each other!"
He raced forward to check on the other unit.
"How is everyone?" the chief asked.
"We've got six dead or injured," the other commander reported.
The chief nodded, then looked around. "The Paladins must have fallen back into the altar chamber. Let's move."
The surviving security officers moved cautiously toward the door. As they stepped into altar chamber, six powerful explosions tore apart large sections of the spectators seats, and brought down more of the ceiling. The smoke slowly cleared, and the officers moved forward.
"There's no one here!" one of them called.
"Damn it all!" the chief cursed. He grabbed frantically for his communicator. "Security Control to all units. To all units. The attacks on the altar chamber and upper levels are decoys, repeat decoys! Everybody redeploy to the storage chambers, immediately!"
As they raced back toward the wide, main hallway, two more explosions burst ahead of them, followed by a hail of fire.
"There's nobody there," one of the other wizards said.
"So where the hell is the fire coming from?" a security officer asked.
"I don't know," the chief said. "But keep firing back. We have to get into the storage chambers."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eric was alone in one of the storage chambers. The storage cylinders glowed around him with their stolen energy. The two Order members on duty had been easily disposed of. Now, a large man-shaped figure stood facing the main door, with magic energy swirling around it.
Eric had placed a number of disruptors, while a large power transmitter stood behind one of the cylinders. As he rechecked his work, he could hear sounds of firing outside.
He picked up his communicator. "I think we're running out of time. I can hear sounds of opposition approaching."
"Have they gotten through the defenses in the hallway outside the room?" Daniel asked.
"Not yet," Eric replied. "I have my disruptors set and ready for activation. I'm getting out of here, and will meet you all at the rendezvous point."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The security chief led the remnants of his squad down the narrow access hall toward one of the storage chambers. They could vaguely make out two figures standing in front of the door, but almost immediately, the figures began firing. The security officers fired back, but with little apparent effect.
"Fall back," the security chief ordered. He picked up his communicator and listened to other reports coming in. "It sounds like all the storage chambers have been taken, and the Paladins are putting up a very heavy fight."
"They're certainly cutting us to pieces here," another of the officers said.
A group of construction workers moved cautiously toward them.
"Get back downstairs," the chief ordered. "It's too dangerous here."
"We have an idea that might help," one of the workers said. "We've prepared several fire bombs to roll down those hallways. It should catch the Paladins off guard."
"Certainly couldn't hurt," another of the security officers agreed.
The chief nodded. "Do it. Bring one of your bombs here." He then pointed over at the other hallway. "Take the other over there."
The lead worker nodded, then moved back toward his fellows. In just moments, the bombs were in position.
"Now!" the chief ordered.
The bombs were hurled down the hallways, producing large explosions of flame. Security officers rushed down the hall, finding no sign of any Paladin opposition. There was no time to ponder this. They quickly suppressed the flames with spells, then turned their attention to breaking through the locked door.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Samuel heard the explosion outside the door, as he set the last of his disruptors. It was clear to him that the door would not hold for long. He double-checked the large mannequin standing there to greet them, then raced back to switch on the power transmitter. Just then, he heard the door give way. Immediately, he teleported clear.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"We're in!" one of the security officers called back excitedly.
His cry was immediately drowned out by a massive burst of energy that flooded the hallway, killing the security officers there instantly. The others out in the main hall survived only because they were out of the immediate line of fire.
"Everyone be careful!" the security chief called over his communicator. "The Paladins have rigged booby-traps on the storage chamber doors."
"We've already discovered that... the hard way," the commander of the other squad called back. "I have only a handful of officers left, Chief."
"Same here, I'm afraid," the chief said.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eric, Setsuna, Daniel, and Samuel stood together in a small, empty store room.
"Everything is set?" Eric asked.
The other three nodded.
"Good," Eric said. He pulled a control unit from his pack.
"I must say, using the energy we stole from the Order has proven quite successful," Samuel said. "But how are we doing on energy reserves. We need to keep enough to finish blowing up this place."
"Don't worry about that," Eric said. "We still have energy to spare. Right now, we just need to wait to finish the deception."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The security chief led his few surviving men into one of the storage chambers, after destroying the booby-trap. One of the men quickly found the transmitter, which suddenly switched on.
"Chief! We've got something here!" the man called.
The chief and other officers gathered around, with several other wizards right behind them.
"It's transmitting energy," one of the officers said.
"They're sending it up to the altar chamber," one of the wizards said. "They must be trying to trigger some sort of destructive reaction."
The security chief raised his communicator. "This is Security Control. Emergency condition is in place. I need level one wizards in the altar chamber right away. Everybody else evacuate immediately!"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the conference room, Stanley stood up. "There's the evacuation order. The chief sounded serious, so we'd better get out of here."
"I disagree," said the High Priest. "He also asked for level one wizards, and we're all of us level one."
"If he needs wizards, it's because there is something very seriously wrong," Charlotte said. "By the council's own rules, we should evacuate at once when an emergency condition is declared."
"The High Priest does have a point," another of the council members said. "If we can thwart the Paladin's plan, we will be in a vastly more advantageous position than if we just write off everything we've done so far and leave it to the chief's ability to defeat them on his own."
"We're running out of time," the High Priest said. "We need to decide."
Four of the members immediately voted to stay, while after a moment's hesitation, a fifth stood with them.
"It appears we have a majority," Alphonse said. "I will go along with the majority."
The others nodded their reluctant agreement. They all gathered together, then teleported down to the altar chamber.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eric nodded with satisfaction. "I'm reading teleport signatures arriving in the altar chamber. They've swallowed the bait. I think it's about time for us to get out of here."
"I agree," said Daniel. "No sense in pushing our luck."
Eric pressed the button. "Ten seconds."
They moved closer to Setsuna, and vanished.
Seconds later, the storage cylinders detonated, sending a massive burst of energy flooding through the center. The altar chamber, and everyone in it, was vaporized instantly, and the entire center was destroyed.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
When Setsuna brought Eric, Daniel, and Samuel back to the Havana center, the sensor units were already reporting the explosion. The returning team was greeted with noisy, boisterous cheers.
"Outstanding job!" Peter exclaimed. "I honestly didn't think it would work when I saw the plan, but you four pulled it together brilliantly."
"Yes," Albert agreed. "And when the Brazilian center blew, the Order's energy networks all went dead, which means there was no backup system to take over the collection."
"Very well done," Aaron said. "I think we've effectively ended the Order's threat for the moment, and kept Metallia locked away until the time of the chosen ones."
"I have what may be even better news," Jason said. "It hasn't been confirmed, but we know with certainty that the Order's council was at the Brazilian center when you raided it, and it appears at least that they did not get out. In short, you may very well have chopped the head off the beast."
"That would be really good news," Samuel exclaimed.
Peter nodded. "Right now, I think you four deserve a rest. We'll keep monitoring for any renewed activity in the Order's energy network."
"What about the flu?" Daniel asked.
"The medical section is working on something, but it will be at least a week before they're ready," Peter said.
Daniel leaned close to Setsuna. "Might I interest you in a week together on a certain secluded island?" he asked. "Just the two of us?"
She looked at him expressionlessly for a long moment, then smiled. "I would love to." She turned to face the others. "Daniel and I will be out of touch for the next week. Do try not to need us."
"Have fun, you two," Eric said.
Setsuna drew Daniel into an embrace, and they vanished. Now standing in the small cottage overlooking the beach, they kissed deeply and passionately.
"Let's go down to the beach," she suggested.
He grinned at her. "You remember that we don't have any bathing costumes with us, don't you?"
She smiled back at him. "Who needs them?"
Her hands were already beginning to work open his shirt.
"There's an easier way to do this," he said.
He cast a spell, and their clothes began to slide off of them. After the final undergarments had been shed, they each grabbed a towel, then vanished, reappearing on the beach. They dropped their towels, then walked hand-in-hand down into the water.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As September of 1918 drew to a close, the Central Powers were everywhere in retreat. The Turkish armies in the Middle East had completely broken, and the German officers who were commanding the Turks now gave up on them, finding them completely unwilling to fight.
Emperor Karl of Austria-Hungary sent repeated requests to the Allies for negotiations to take his fast disintegrating empire out of the war. These were all rebuffed.
In Western Europe, the Allied powers were steadily sweeping forward. Even as the Germans were being stretched to the breaking point, the Allied leaders were still not entirely certain of imminent victory. As General Sir Douglas Haig of the British Expeditionary Force requested additional supplies to support his troops pursuing the retreating Germans, the British cabinet was urging him to conserve his forces for the anticipated campaigns of 1919.
The Americans were now in the war en masse, so much so that their supply columns clogged roads all across northern France, making travel nearly impossible. The weight of American numbers was being felt particularly acutely in the German General Staff, where General Erich Ludendorff told one of his fellow generals on September 30, "We cannot fight against the entire world."
On the 29th and 30th, the Germans had lost more than 23,000 men as prisoners to the British and French. Only in the Argonne Forest, against the Americans, were the Germans able to stand their ground, but even there, the losses had been high enough to demonstrate that it was only a matter of time and numbers, both of which the Americans had in quantity, before defeat was realized.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The political situation in Germany was fast coming to a boil. On October 2, Prince Max of Baden, the Kaiser's second cousin, became chancellor. Max accepted the post only after extracting pledges from Wilhelm II that henceforth only the German parliament would have authority to make war and peace, and that Wilhelm would surrender his role as commander-in-chief of the military.
Max was immediately confronted by General Paul von Hindenburg, who declared that the military situation was hopeless, and that Germany must seek an armistice at once. The new chancellor was reluctant to ask for terms with the Allies on the advance, even though the German army everywhere stood on foreign soil. He was confident that even at the worst, they could hold the Allies away from Germany itself for at least several months. If the army could stand its ground and blunt the Allied offensives, Max reasoned, that would put Germany in a stronger negotiating position. He replied to Hindenburg rather caustically, saying that if the situation in the field was truly so bleak, it was the army's place to raise a white flag there.
Hindenburg, who was accustomed to issuing orders and having them obeyed, utterly lacked the ability to persuasively argue his point. Instead, he turned to his associate at the top of the General Staff, Ludendorff, who wrote an urgent letter to Prince Max on October 6 detailing the losses the army had recently sustained, and for which there was no hope of replenishing. The army could not wait, Ludendorff declared, stating that every day's delay cost the lives of thousands of soldiers. At the same time, the General Staff made it clear to Max that they could accept the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France, but declared the loss of any Eastern territory to be utterly unacceptable. Max clearly saw the contradiction, even though the General Staff did not, for the Allies had made it clear that the war could only be ended on the basis of Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, which explicitly required the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France, while also calling for the reorganization of Eastern Europe on the basis of nationalities, clearly requiring the loss of the largely Polish eastern provinces to the newly independent Poland.
By the 6th, Max had made up his own mind. He informed the parliament, and sent notice to Austria-Hungary, then had a message transmitted to Washington, requesting an armistice on terms that would not be harmful to either Germany or Austria-Hungary. A political struggle erupted in Germany over just what sort of a peace they should look for. The question quickly became academic, as Woodrow Wilson rejected the German request on October 8th, reaffirming that any settlement had to be based on the complete withdrawal of German and Austro-Hungarian troops from occupied territory and the self-determination of nationalities.
On October 12, even as Hindenburg was striving to rally the army to allow Germany to negotiate from strength, Max's government announced its acceptance of Wilson's conditions for negotiations, the complete withdrawal of German forces. But any hope coming out of this announcement was quickly foiled by a successful new Franco-British offensive, advancing eighteen miles into Belgium. The German army clung to their remaining French territory with fierce determination, refusing to yield without a fight land they had held for four years.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At the Havana center, a review of the global situation was underway.
"An armistice is just a matter of time now," Albert reported. "It is more in the hands of the politicians now than in those of the militaries."
"I presume the Germans are arguing over territorial changes in the East," Aaron said.
"That is part of it," Albert confirmed. "But the British and the French are also raising stumbling blocks."
"Why?" asked Eric.
"There is concern that the German army will comply with Wilson's demand to withdraw back to Germany proper, but will then consolidate their position and try to continue the war next year on a strong defensive footing," Albert explained.
"Do we have any idea of how long it will take to agree to an armistice?" Peter asked.
"I'd say a few weeks," Albert answered. "Certainly before the end of the year."
"But now we come to the other problem," Samuel said. "The flu is still very much alive. Over two thousand people in London have died of the flu just this month. Another fifteen hundred in Berlin."
"Is there anything we can do about it?" Daniel asked.
"Yes," Peter said. "We have reactivated a portion of the Order's energy collection network and are gathering energy even as we speak."
"What for?" Eric asked, incredulous.
"I think I can explain," a gentleman standing with Peter said. "Some of you may know me, but for those who don't, I am Lucas, and I serve as head of the medical section. In our analysis of this particular strain of the influenza, we have determined that we have only one option of bringing this under control. We must introduce a new virus which will spread as rapidly as the flu does, but which will have no effect other than to give people a degree of immunity to the Spanish Influenza."
"That will make the flu disappear?" Daniel asked.
"Not entirely," Lucas said. "But we are counting on the natural evolution of the virus, which is particularly rapid where influenza is concerned. Because this form of the flu is so lethal, the evolution of the virus will likely follow this path, producing possibly even more deadly forms of it."
"That's quite a horrifying thought," Aaron said.
"Indeed," Lucas agreed. "But if we can help humanity to develop an immunity, even a partial one, to this form, it will allow other, more ordinary forms to develop."
"So... what does this have to do with collecting more life energy?" Eric asked.
"We need to be able to introduce this counter-virus all over the world, to ensure it spreads rapidly," Lucas said.
"And that's why we need the energy," Peter added.
"When do we proceed?" Eric asked.
"Probably not for a month or two yet," Lucas said. "We're still working on finalizing the counter-virus. We have to be extremely careful with this sort of thing."
"This all sounds good," Peter said. "Now, I just have one last question. Setsuna, does any of this raise any concerns from your particular standpoint?"
"Are you asking me if it will work?" she asked.
"No," Peter answered. "I just want to be certain we're not putting a great deal of time and effort into something that will interfere with the proper flow of events."
She shook her head. "Your plan will not create any problems in that area."
"Good," Peter said. "Those of you not involved in the planning and development, or in the monitoring of events in the war, may stand down. If we need you, we'll call."
The others nodded, and the meeting broke up.
Setsuna drew Daniel aside.
"Since Peter doesn't seem to have any need for us, maybe we should enjoy some more quiet time to ourselves," she said.
"I like that idea," he said. "How about a quiet dinner here in town, and then return to the island?"
She leaned over and kissed him. "That sounds good to me."< 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.-05.15.2001