Kilometres north of Habitation One, the administrative centre on Yiziba . . .
"Begin your report, Madame Fabulous."
"Thank you, sir," the dark-haired woman in the black-trimmed, dark pink, form-fitting jumpsuit said with nod before she tapped controls on her projection machine to display several three-dimensional images over the view-tank fixed into the meeting table. "Our present situation began twenty-five seasons ago when a man from the third world of Sol named Grigori Stefan Wysynski was brought before the Conservator by the Shepherd. When he was exposed to the Great Crystal, he became the first ever Destructo to arise on our world." She gazed at her host with very smoky black eyes. "You are aware of the many prophecies concerning the coming of Destructo, are you not, sir?"
"I am. Continue."
"Of course." She turned back to the machine as she tapped controls to change the images in the view-tank. "The planet he hails from is currently at the stage of social and cultural development Yiziba itself was at the Dawn of Power. Divided into separate and individual tribes called 'nations,' with groups of these nations forming alliances, all lacking any form of centralized government though there is a 'United Nations' organisation in the habitation called 'New York City.' The nation Destructo was born in is called 'Poland,' though he later migrated to another nation called 'Canada' when he was just a teenager.
"While living in Canada, he came in contact with the Jewel Warrior of that world, a Major Dean Raeburn. During that time, he was exposed to ancient Karollan technology left in a hidden cache in a mountain on an island called 'Ellesmere,' located in the northern extreme of Canada's territory. He also engaged in various gene-manipulation experiments that created a team of metahuman warriors called 'the Heroes Alliance of Canada.' They, at last report, disappeared sometime before the Onis made their 'tag race' attempt that eventually resulted in Rake's . . . " -- here, Madame Fabulous was barely able to hide her blush -- " . . . and Infinity's return from the Crystal of Power."
"What prompted Destructo to chose this norm -- Moroboshi, was his name? -- to become Rake in the first place?"
"Most likely because, despite the obvious fact that he did care for the same girl Lum, he-who-is-now Rake . . . " -- another faint blush -- " . . . has always sought out the companionship of females, either of his own race or of other hominoid stock. He was briefly associated with both the Rose Queen of Elle and the crown princess of the Karasutengu, Kurama. While the Oni same did try her best to prevent Rake . . . " -- yet another faint blush -- " . . . from turning away from her, her attempts did not succeed in the least."
"So he will go forth and seek out more females to bring before the Crystal?"
"I calculate the possibility in the high ninety-nine percentile, sir. With Infinity at his side, his chances are effectively assured."
"I see. Turn off the projector."
Madame Fabulous flicked off the machine, allowing the room's main lights to turn on. Seated at the head of the table was a middle-aged man, dressed in what could be seen as a formal, dark blue business suit, with the understandable changes to its styling given that its wearer is Yizibajohei, not Terran. With grey temples, he had a deeply lined face and the darkest, most brooding eyes ever to grace one of this planet. That was understandable, for he was none other than the Extreme Archaist, the self-professed defender of all that was pure and true on Yiziba.
And he had much on his plate this day.
"Much that it disturbs me that we are now forced to look on outworlders as potential sources of immigrants to balance our current population problem, I cannot, for an instant, disagree with Destructo's logic," the Archaist then declared, his voice deep and foreboding. "But I will never agree to the concept of allowing our planet's most powerful citizen to live on another planet, even one with Earth's obvious advantages. We must be on guard to ensure the surrounding races of norms and sames -- especially the Onis and the Juraians! -- do not try to take advantage of this situation."
"What will you do, E.A.?" the strongwoman of the Fabulous Quartet, the Yoke, asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You will proceed to Earth and set up a base there," the Archaist ordered as he rose to his feet. "Close enough to the place where Rake and Infinity now live. Merge yourselves with the local population; they're not so different from us culturally despite their glaring political disunion. Make sure no other race tries to do anything against either of them. And keep a very close eye on that Juraian scientist I've heard lives on Earth."
"Washuu Hakubi, the so-called 'Greatest Scientific Genius of the Universe,'" the blonde, blue-eyed Blaze sneered as she passed a hand over her forehead.
"The Academician considers her an insult to scientists throughout that very same universe," Blaze's twin sister, the Unseen Lady, derisively added.
"WHA-CHOO!"
Groaning, the crimson-haired scientist in question reached up to rub her nose. "Who's talking about me?" she muttered under her breath . . .
"Good, you understand," the Archaist said, nodding in approval. "And most of all, do your best to prevail on both Rake and Infinity to return home. This is where they belong, not on a planet of norms!"
"It will be done, sir," Madame Fabulous vowed.
In a location south of Habitation One . . .
"Fates protect me from these words, Courtesan! Has the Chosen One actually gone BACK to his UNCLEAN world to bring more before the Crystal of Power?!"
"It is true, sir," the lovely Courtesan, a deep scarlet-haired woman with eyes the shade of roasted chestnuts, declared as she moved away from the control panel linked to yet another three-dimensional view-tank. "Two have already been brought before the Crystal and transformed. Infinity and Rake . . . " -- one could hear the sheer scorn drip from her voice on mentioning his battle name -- " . . . live amongst us again. What is more, the Chosen One has charged them both to bring more women from Earth before the Crystal."
"I see," the Preacher rumbled as he rose from his throne to pace before his pulpit. Around the same age as the Extreme Archaist, the Preacher was a balding, grey-haired man with eyes as black as ebony meson, currently possessing a noticeable mid-life paunch that could not be hid even by his well-tailored robes and cassock. "While I have always believed that the judgements of the Crystal are true and divine, the fact that an UNCLEAN outworlder was brought by the good Shepherd, the Crystal's eternal servant, to become Destructo was not to be to our blessed world's benefit."
"But it's happened," Euphoria, a dark-skinned woman dressed in a revealing halter-top and torn slacks, then said from her position near one of the pews of the Preacher's private cathedral, the last-standing such structure on Yiziba. "Once they face the Crystal, that's it. No turning back."
The Preacher nodded. "It is good that you remembered my teachings, Euphoria," he declared before he faced the others in his group. Atop Courtesan and Euphoria, there was the beautiful, middle-aged Matron and the very hip-dressed Muoti, whose sense of clothing seemed somewhat to parallel that of Euphoria's. "And indeed, it is not our place to question the Crystal's Infinite Wisdom. But we must be cautious, my friends, for we ARE the Crystal's chosen agents among the brethren of Yiziba! Yea, we must be VERY cautious, especially with two of our brethren actually LIVING among the UNCLEAN norms of Earth!" He pointed at them. "Go forth, my flock! Go to Earth and watch over our brethren as they choose from the UNCLEAN! Test those UNCLEAN and see to it they are prepared for when they will be CLEANSED before the Crystal of Power! Test them all if you must, but TEST THEM!"
"It is as you command," the four women declared respectfully as they bowed to him before they shuffled themselves out of the cathedral.
The Preacher blessed them as they departed. Once they were clear of the doors, they headed to the nearest flitter for a ride to the Academician's laboratory so they could take a portable space-warp to Earth. As they went, Muoti, who took the controls of the machine, then smirked. "Road trip!"
Hearing that, the others relaxed. Being around someone as constantly high-strung as the Preacher would be grating on ANY Yizibajohei's nerves. "Yes, it is nice to get away from the house and take the sights once in a while," the Matron declared before she gazed knowingly at Courtesan, an eyebrow arching in emphasis. "And despite you blubbering about him ever since you heard he had returned, I know you look forward to seeing Rake again, dearie."
Courtesan sighed. "Yes, that's true, isn't it? But after all this time . . . and given the fact that his mould was so adventurous before the Crystal . . . "
"He'll be fine, my dear. He'll be fine."
"Besides, he's got Infinity with him," Euphoria noted.
"Yes, that is true . . . "
As two of the main "social guardian" groups on Yiziba mobilize, we then . . .
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(Posted Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:12)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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