FicWad

Chapter 24



"Oh!What a tangled web we weave, w/hen first we practice to deceive!/" Sir Walter Scott



Bleetra brought the information to the resistance, and soon discussion turned as to what to do next. As things were bandied about, Bleetra suggested that nothing happen. In fact, those three suspected other than her were frustrated when they found that their plans were ordered stayed by the queen at the last minute of execution. What they did not know was that such things were done outside the presence of her daughter so that, if she were of the fifth column, it would become clear to her when the enemy did nothing to react to one of the three plans. It was also kept hush-hush so that there was no way for Bleetra to know that things had been changed in any of the plans. The whole point was that, if it were one of the generals or that admiral, then the reaction of the enemy to that plan would make clear which one it was. If nothing happened, then she had to know Bleetra was the one involved. Bleetra felt that, to draw any of their friends into afight would be bad, and she suggested that they not react. However, Pluto thought otherwise.



Pluto smelled something in the whole thing, and she asked Bleetra, "Were you present in all those meetings?"

"Yes," she said,"That's how I know."

"Your Highness,"stated Pluto, "She suspects you. In this, she has laid a trap."

Bleetra looked abit confused at her reaction, and then said, "But, you don't honestly think we should send your people into harms way."

"If nothing happens, she knows you are the one," responded Pluto, "Thus, we have to react in such a fashion as if we were responding to the battle plan, and then set up for failure one of those three. Indeed, to see one of her top military advisors out of the way would work much better. However, would there be afight?"

Bleetra thought for a moment, and then she said, "Actually, no, because if it was a ruse, she would have nothing there to attack."

Now the gravity was dawning on her. Uranus then said, "Thus, we have to pick one of the three that would impact her the most."

Bleetra thought for a few moments, and then she said, "The majority of the fight will be in space. Yet, do you have good ground commanders?"

"We have our king," answered Neptune, "and he is a very capable commander. We also have General Ceres..."

CreCre chimed in and said, "That's my big brother! He's the best Devil Dog there is!"

"Devil...dog?"asked Bleetra, confused.

Pluto chuckled and then said, "That's one of the nicknames of the Asteroid Marines. They are our naval security and the extension of our navy on the land. They are adifferent breed, and know only win or die."

"Semper fi, do or die!" CreCre chirped in pride.

"They will be backed up by Princess Admiral Mars," added Olympia, "She has the SEALs in her command, and they have their own motto: do not bother running, you will only die tired!"

Bleetra then asked, "Would that mean two ground attacks?"

"It would mean the Marines attack while the SEALs spearhead and prepare the way for them," said Pluto, "We need to ready for them. I cannot open a portal big enough for both forces, but they have their ways of sneaking in."

Usagi perked up and said, "You mean Rei-Rei is coming?"

"Absolutely, Small Lady," said Pluto with a smile.

After some more thought, Bleetra then said, "Then prepare to react to the admiral's plan, but maybe we can do something to trick them into a fight that will weaken them?"

"Let me communicate back to the crown," said Pluto, "Princess Admiral Venus may have an idea."



Back on Earth, Pluto contacted the crown, and Venus started to chew on this. After some thought, she wondered how reactive their foe would be if they knew that there was something for which to gain out of it. Venus then said to Pluto, "Ask this Bleetra if her mother would jump at the chance to get any member of the crown."

Pluto relayed this back, and Bleetra said, "Right now, if that was there, she may just send enough of a force to deal with it. It would not be to the plan that was originally laid out, but we could react to it."

This was relayed back, and Venus said, "Then we will send only a few ships, for, according to that plan you told me, there would not be much there to fight anyway. However, if we sweeten the pot by telling them the queen herself would be overseeing the operation, there would be much more of a force. We will then call in some help from the Moundians along with a couple of flotillas and strike them a hard blow."

It was then settled. The plan would go forth, and while that was going on, the SEALs could come in and prepare for the allied strike. Perhaps, if they could strike preemptively, then it could end the war before it really began.



Bleetra carried the "news" to the queen that some of her intelligence people let her know that the queen would be overseeing the operation. Squila was overjoyed to hear the news, and she said, "At last, you are showing yourself to be as ruthless as your mother! Well, then, rest assured, there are rewards for such actions, and you will indeed receive what is coming to you!"

Bleetra thanked her mother and bowed her head to her. She then took her leave to her room as the one admiral that Bleetra had earmarked approached her mother. He said,"This is wonderful news! Let us prepare an attack force..."

Squila cut him off with the raise of her paw and said, "Don't be an idiot!"

"But, your Majesty, we..." he tried to say, but she snapped, "Can't you smell a trap when it comes near you?"

"I don't understand," he responded, but she continued; "Only a fool would send their crowned head into harm's way like that! They are trying to draw us out, and it seems that I also have my traitor."

He pondered for a moment, and then said, "You certainly don't mean..."

"I most certainly do," responded Squila, "She must have smelled something herself and tried to turn the tables on you, and get you killed in the process! We send no reaction."

After she said that, she called her guard and said, "Arrest the former crown princess and bring her to the throne room!"



Bleetra was just getting ready to relax when a knock came to the door. She had only opened it acrack when it was slammed opened and she was knocked onto her tail. "THERE SHE IS!" screamed the commander, "GET THE TRATIOR BEFORE SHE RUNS!"

Bleetra had no chance to react as she was trying to wrap her head around what was happening when they grabbed her and pulled her up forcibly. Quickly, they had her in irons and they were dragging her away to her mother. While this was going on, there were cameras all over and lights as what was happening was being broadcast all over the planet. People were lining the halls and thoroughfares observing what was happening, and there were some amongst them, (plants of the queen,) hurling insults and rotten food at her as she passed, trying to get the crowd riled. They then dragged her into the throne room as the royal magistrate and court recorder were there, as well as her mother and father. Grenj looked like he wanted no part of this while Squila looked like she had steam pouring out of her ears. She then arose from her throne and said, "I never would have expected my own flesh and blood to plot against me! You little whore! I should kill you here and now, but I want you to be humiliated before that can happen!"

"But dear,"pleaded Grenj, "That is your daughter..."

She slapped Grenj and said, "That beast is not my daughter! She is lower than dirt! As far as I am concerned, she never came from my bowels! Do it!"

With that, they ripped off all her royal markings, and then furthered this by stripping her naked and beating her. "Take her to solitary confinement until tomorrow morning. Make sure there is a heavy guard. Tomorrow, she dies by torture!"

They then hauled her off, but this was not unseen by certain eyes.



Kurge was fit to be tied, and they practically had to do just that to keep him from trying to rescue her that very minute. To do so would have been suicide, and it would have exposed the entirety of the resistance. No doubt, they would torture her to reveal the location of the resistance, something that would actually have been fruitless, considering that Bleetra was going to die anyway, and her death would conceal the whereabouts and other information about the resistance. In other words, Bleetra had nothing to lose. Kurge knew she would indeed have the strength to keep silent, yet, he also knew how slow and agonizing her death was going to be, and he could not stand it. However, the scouts were keeping order. Everyone was starting to fear his or her end, and a panic was beginning to ensue. This was when Pluto and Usagi stepped forward and calmed the crowd. Pluto then said, "All is not lost! The worst thing to do now is panic. We have to remain calm."

"But...but they're going to kill her!" blurted out one girl with tears in her eyes.

"Who says?"chirped Usagi, "Leave it to us! The sailor scouts can handle that! We will have to wait until the actual execution, but they won't know what hit them."

"But there are only nine of you!" blurted out Kurge, "With all that will be there, what chance do you think you have?"

"How long have we been with you, and you don't get it?" piped out Vesta, "We are the best our system has to offer!"

Kurge then said,"Then, if that is the case, then I fight with you."

"No way,"responded Uranus, "You will only get in the way."

"Don't be so quick to judge," said Pluto, "He knows all the ins and outs of the area. He can get us into the place we need to be and then we get her out the same kind of way. Without him, we would be blind. We may now know some of those places, but he knows far more than we. Of this, we must take advantage."

"Just don't let your emotions get in the way," said Uranus with a firm scowl, "You have to be clear on the goal or all is lost...got it?"

He nodded and said, "It is very clear!"

"Then we rescue her tomorrow," said Neptune, "And give the empress a preview of coming attractions."



Bleetra cried and cried, being stuck inside what was essentially a box in a wall as to where she had to sit balled up with barely any room to move. She never thought it would come to this. Indeed, she did know that she now had powerful friends, yet, what could they do for her now?



With the rising of their sun, Bleetra was given a sackcloth covering and chained in a kneeling fashion to a cart that took her to the spot of her humiliation and death. What made matters worse was that this was her own mother. She could not believe that she was so evil that she would kill her own offspring without any thought of remorse. Many there actually didn't want her to die considering that they supported the resistance, but did not have the courage to stand up to her, but there were enough shills there to make it look like the people were in support of the actions there. The customary words of doom were spoken towards her, as well as hatred to her, how she had been disowned, and how she was now to pay the wicked price of treason. However, just as they were going to strap her to the torture wheel, there was a sudden exclamation from the rim of the wall over the square where this was going to take place, stating, "Trying to torture and kill an innocent person who only wanted freedom for her people and to stop awar is inexcusable. Pol Pot may forgive you, but I shall not...I the lovely soldier/pilot/princess in the sailor suit-Sailor Chibi Moon!-in the name of the moon..."

And all the scouts said at once... "We shall punish you!"

There they stood in their entire sailor scout splendor. Vines shot up all around Bleetra and lifted her to them. The soldiers raised their weapons to strike, but Chibi Moon rose up her scepter and screamed; "Lunar candy attack!" and the fireworks then began. A few tried to sneak up from behind when Vesta and Kurge came up and clobbered them. The rest came down from the wall with soldiers in hot pursuit. "WORLD SHAKING!" was then heard, and Uranus let loose, bowling over their pursuers like tenpins. The turned a corner to find more when Olympia shot "Fire Soul" forth and set their clothes on fire. She then gave them ademonstration of Krav Maga as Neptune cleared a path with her "Deep Submerge"attack. They got to the secret entrance when more came out, and Pallus let her balls fly, laughing as she watched them all falling over themselves. More vines covered their escape as they headed down the tunnel to safety and the rest of the resistance. When they got to their haven, there was cheers of joy as they said, "Hail to our future queen! Down with the tyrants!"

At this, Kurge and Bleetra exchanged acts of affection common for their kind as the people cheered, and Kurge said, "I am forever in your debt. Thank you for saving her."

"All in a day's work," said Chibi Moon with a thumb's up, "This is what we do, and there are more of us. If things go well enough, you may get to see all of us in action."

"I look forward to that day," said Kurge.

Bleetra still looked saddened, and Kurge said, "Why the face?"

"I can't believe my own mother..." and she started to cry again.

Pluto had to be consoling, yet frank, and she said, "I am sure she is in that mind somewhere. Yet, I am saddened to say that whatever was your mother may have checked out years ago. I just wonder if that compassion can be extracted out of her again."



In the throne room, the situation had become nuclear, on the verge of meltdown. If there were one button to blow up the whole universe at once and still save her home world, she would have pressed it by this point. "That's it!" she screamed, "NO MORE FOOLING AROUND! DESTROY THEIR SYSTEM! ATTACK!"

Her military advisors were trying to tell her to calm down and that they needed more logistics time, but she would not have it. "They have humiliated me for the last time! KILL...THEM...ALL!"

The war was now going to escalate. Meanwhile, Pluto sent word about what had happened, and that they needed to expect an all-out attack. With that, the main SEAL team, led by Mars herself, was dispatched. They had to act quickly; because they had to get the attack fleet out there before the invasion fleet arrived. The way had to be prepared for the Marine invasion. To end this with few casualties was the goal, but they truly wondered if such a thing could ever be possible in a war.