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The Great Matter by Papirini

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28: Sailor Kastalle

28: Sailor Kastalle

 

 

 

I managed to get home before Dyka did. I was actually fortunate to do so, though I did not know yet why Dyka was late. After all, if Bora was out of the court, surely, Dyka should have been as well.

 

I didn't know that Dyka had been told to leave, but afterwards, she and Varuna were both called back to the courthouse by the Three for an important meeting. The substance of the meeting, I will not say yet. It will be touched upon later.

 

As I got home, of course, it did occur to me that something was going on. For, in the front of our door, there was a large man standing. He was Bysey; I began to worry as I approached the door.

 

-.....What are you doing?

-H-huh?!

 

The man quickly blocked my way in. My eyes widened, and I desperately looked for an answer. I could not believe it; my disguise was working too well once more!

 

-You can't go in.

-....I...... It was a sure embarrassment to be caught wearing a bowl on one's head. -B-but I live here.

-Oh?

-Y-yes.....

 

With that, I quickly uncovered myself, allowing my disguise to disappear, and for the true me to show through. The guard looked sincerely confused, and I expected such. After all, its not often one comes across such a good disguise as that.

 

-Um....... He slowly stood aside. -I, uh.....see......you can go in, seema-ship....

 

With a great sense of satisfaction, I proceeded into the main room. With a gesture of drama, I threw my disguise back on my bed, and smoothed out my regular clothing. As I did, of course, the key I had gained fell to the floor with a loud thump.

 

The key. I had almost forgotten in my excitement over the success of my disguise. I was to go to Kastalle that night, to meet Sailor Kastalle. Cursing my forgetfulness, I quickly picked the key up and put it in my clothing. I didn't want to lose it, and as such lose my life to the always watchful Astramort.

 

Hmmm..... I paused. I'm going to have to tell the guard that I'm going out again. I won't use my disguise.....I wonder why he's here, anyways.

 

In the end, of course, I merely concluded that he was there because of Brutus. It seemed logical, as Brutus had been the bodyguard. I did wonder, of course, why he wasn't at Asgerd protecting Tsukino Usagi? It didn't quite fit that she'd not be here. Then again, I didn't know if she was at the house or not. But I digress; that was the last thing on my mind as I left the house.

 

-Leaving so soon? The guard looked almost suspiscious as I left the house. -Where are you going now?

-Um...... I lied. -I am going to go shopping.

-Huh. The guard rolled his eyes at this. -Figures. You Themisians are frivolous like that with money. Just don't spend too much, huh? Its on your Seemarin's budget.

 

Frivolous?!

 

I really wanted to dignify his insult by smacking him with my appendages. He really was horrid and smelly on top of being rude! But I realized he'd probably kill me in retaliation. So I left, my anger having been roused from the comment with no remedy for it.

 

 

-

 

 

I managed to catch the next transport from Mehsheh to Asgerd; there, I caught the transit to Kastalle.

 

I have not really talked much about the planet which I was going to at this point, so I will take a moment for that. Kastalle is somewhat on the edge of Fruch system, a very prosperous, very powerful system. It is one of the most populous in the civilized universe, and its largest planet, Ginganter, has 583,000 times the population of your kind's planet. It is a very dense, very well civilized place, with many advancements in technology and the sciences. Some may say the Fruch system is even more technologically advanced than that of Asgerd's, and when they say it, it is not entirely untrue. Things in terms of people's private needs tend to be done better with better sciences.

 

Of course, I have my misgivings with the system. For example, Kastalle's world is the third largest in terms of population, but the second smallest in terms of size. Old Kastallian tradition is to have many many children, and of course Kastallians breed easily. Sailor Kastalle herself had three children in less than two years, though they were not what you would call multiples - they were individually brought out. But I digress.

 

The era of technology that came to Kastalle created a great problem for that world - it has become very overcrowded very quickly in recent years, even while the civilian government has tried to limit the growth and try to pass laws to keep people from senselessly breeding. Certain families are even forbidden to travel off planet, as some people use off-planet excursions as a way to have more children while they are away. But not one restriction has been of sufficient help. There is no room to breathe, it is said, on Kastalle. As a result of the population, the star has started to suffer. Even as I write, the condition of that planet starts to get worse and worse.

 

There is very little country on Kastalle as a result also - all that is on the planet are the behemoth apartments that try to give everyone some space and the metals that are constantly being used to build and build more. Giant towers to accommodate everyone have shot up even into orbit, where some of the busier transit stations are. There is even a special bridge that connects one of Kastalle's satellites to the planet - because there are so many people that go to work on the planet, special considerations had to be made for the large population of satellite dwellers.

 

It is to here that I would meet the famous editor of a notorious paper that did nothing but slander my name in the past. It didn't help that the transport I was on to Kastalle was packed with people. I could barely move, and I was in a seat!

 

-Bla bla bla. Many people were speaking all at once, so it was hard to differentiate discussions. -Broke my foot bla bla my food was moldy. Bla bla I have to see my mom bla bla the school sucks bla bla bla bla bla bla bla. Bla bla you are an ass bla bla what did you say to me!?

 

Something that happened which would turn out to be very important in the long run - though I didn't know it - was that a fight broke out between two young Kastallian men on the transport. Naturally, as many arguments were founded in those days, it was about the Great Matter. One of them was a supporter of BatBi.

 

-QUIET! The transport had to stop, and the transport driver finally got involved. -Punks getting on my boat! Show some respect for others and take your little fight outside!

 

Finally, the pro-Tsukino Usagi supporter was forced off of the transport and escorted to the nearest planet to be dropped off, as it was conceded that he had started the fight by spitting on the BatBi boy. Several others who were involved in the fight were also dropped off, and this was good, because everyone got to have seats. Oddly enough, though, the BatBi boy wasn't kicked off the transport.

 

-Huh! I tensed up as he decided to sit next to me. -Punk, huh? I'll show him when this ride gets off. Doesn't that gall you, lady, how these flunkies treat their customers? Like slime, I tell you! Where does he get the right?

-....Yeah.....eheh......

 

I tried to turn away from him, as I didn't want him knowing who I was. After all, in terms of the organization the boy was a part of, I was worthy of being disemboweled on sight. And I had no one to protect me if that was what the boy decided to do.

 

-You know. By amazing good fortune, the boy was so wrapped up in his complaining that he didn't even think to realize he was sitting next to a sworn enemy of his. -If I ruled this world, these jerkoffs would be so much nicer, yes sir. They'd know better than to treat passengers like the spit on their shoes!

 

It was at this point that I noticed something very interesting in front of me. I saw a red hood sitting in the seat right in front of me, seemingly facing towards the floor. Only one type of person wore a red hood, and that was a person of the Bysey race. I remembered them well from the first encounter I had had of Tsukino Usagi.

 

-And that guy should have to pay for a new shirt for me! The boy next to me was still talking. -After all, I'm a BatBi member! People should understand and respect that I'm doing society a favor by ridding it of an appalling figure and should pay for my shirt when they spit on it! I should have gotten the names of those scums.....Oh, I despise Tsukinousagi huggers, they make me physically sick...!

 

At that, I myself was feeling physically sick because the boy smelled of vomit and dirt. But I digress.

 

-Uh....uh huh.....

 

I couldn't keep myself from looking at the red robe. I somehow wondered if that particular Bysey knew Brutus, and it made me sad. I realized that, perhaps, Brutus would be wept for by many, if he wasn't already. He was a big and powerful man, a brute man  who supposedly commanded a lot of respect from his homeworld and from his guards.

 

Would Tsukino Usagi have anyone to mourn for her when she was gone? I could not answer that question.

 

-Huh! It was a time before the transport stopped again. -About time! These people are so slow....

 

I did not bother to stay and hear the rest of the BatBi boy's complaints. I wanted to get out, and get done with what I had to do as soon as possible. Several hours had already been wasted, and surely Dyka would once again be wondering what happened to me. If I could get whatever the Astramort wanted over with in a timely manner, I reasoned that I could get back in time to confront Dyka on where I had been for the past half day. Perhaps the guard told her, of course, and she wasn't worrying at all about me. This, however, I could not be sure of.

 

So, I made my way out of the station and onto the street. From here, I was on my own.

 

 

-

 

 

I know, by now, many are questioning what exactly Kastalle would have known that the Astramort thought so important that I should be taught of it. It made no sense still to me, for Kastalle and the Astramort were of two different molds. Kastalle was a sailor soldier; the Astramort, personifications of darkness. The two could not be further apart from each other.

 

What, I was wondering, could have possibly brought the two together to contact me? And why me? Why not Dyka, or Varuna? I was no longer on the case!

 

Naturally, even then, even at that moment, there were several things that we did not know. It wasnot because we did not necessarily bother to look for it. It was because we had no reason to look where the answer lay. We did not even know that such an answer that lay before us actually existed. If we had, then in hindsight, we could have saved Tsukino Usagi from the humiliation she went through. But what could we know? The true answer was guarded by circumstances beyond our control, by people and things whom we did not fathom would do such things to us. But I digress.

 

Kastalle's capital city is called Shoppei. It is here that  Kastalle's main press was located, and it was here that my particular transport stopped. And it is here that terrible things began to happen.

 

It was not a long walk to get to Kastalle's press. The directions from the station to get there were very easy, for it was only several minutes away. Nevertheless, it seemed to take an eternity, with every step leading me closer to something that I really unsure of how it would end. Indeed, how would such a meeting between myself and one who had reviled me turn out? I could not be sure.

 

What was more, I felt very scared. Not only because I was about to meet an enemy of mine. I had the feeling that I was being followed.

 

I kept having to turn around several times as I walked, looking behind be nervously as I did. The problem was that, with such overcrowding on Kastalle, faces blended in, and all I saw was a wave of civilians walking all around me. I turned away each time, my fear that someone was following not abated. In fact, I became more and more worried.

 

-Hey, yuuuuu! In front of a restaurant, several men stopped me. Smelling their breath, I knew they were intoxicated. -Yuuuuu wuuuk wiik thet guurly, Saaaeler Femus. Yuuu her?

-I...... I became nervous as several of them surrounded me. -No.

-Aaaah falabwus! The stupored men laughed. -Guud. I haterer. She luuks wike aturdy.

 

I quickly excused myself from their presence and kept going. Such disgusting people, with such manners! I couldn't believe how horrible they were. How people could let themselves get to that point? It was quite disgusting.

 

Nevertheless, I carried myself to the appointed place. Kastalle's printing press was closed and shuttered; the Kastalle work day was over. Or, their work day was over. People were going to other places of work, but there was only me going into the Sailor Sentinel tower.

 

I looked behind me, to make sure one more time that no one was following me. Then, I entered the building, for the main lobby was still open.

 

The main lobby was very large, and almost as imposing as that of the Court of Justice. It was sheathed with a metallic stone that I was unfamiliar with at the time - kastar, which in its normal form is a precious hard gem, but melted down came be made into a hard sheet. It shined, even in the dark, as I made my way through towards the transit boxes - what your kinds calls alleviators(?)*.

 

I went toward the one furthest to the left. As I went to push the button to bring the box down to the lobby, however, I noticed something covering the button. A note.

 

WRONG BOX.

 

I instantly recognized the writing. So, I quickly went to the center box and found another note.

 

TRY AGAIN.

 

I stared, perplexed at the fact that the Bloos Thirsters could have predicted that I would take the wrong elevator not once, but twice! As I went to scatch my head, I went to the box furthest to the right. There, a note waited for me there.

 

PERFECT.

 

I began to get scared; were the Astramort planning to kill me then and there? After all, the lobby was dark, and it was not very easy for on to spot anything - anyone - that could be hiding behind a desk, or a chair, or a brush....

 

Then I saw something on the note. It was an arrow, pointing to the side of the buttons. There was a sign there, PRIVATE, and below it, a keylock.

 

I seized it. Quickly, I took the key from my clothing and jammed it into the lock. As I turned it, the door to the box opened. Stepping in, the awkward silence was supplanted by the eerily cheerful sound of music coming from nowhere.

 

I..... Taking a guess, I pushed the button that had the highest level on it. ...suppose this is it....

 

It took some time for the box to get up tp that level. By that time, of course, I was annoyed by the music. It was quite grating on the mind, and very bland. But I dugress.

 

The doors on the box finally opened, and slowly, quietly, I stepped out. It was completely dark in the hallway. Papers and other printing articles were strewn about the place, testifying, for reasons that I was unsure of, something hasty having happened during the course of the day. All of the doors in the hall were open, for I could see the light of the Shoppei skyline shining faintly throughout the hallway. Glancing into one of the rooms, I entered.

 

The room I went into was one that was for correspondents - there were several desks and holo terminals in the room. At least, there were remains of those things. The room was violently ransacked. The windows were smashed, and everything was stolen or smashed and scattered on the floor. I began to wade reluctantly through the mess to survey everything.

 

As I did, I noticed several papers on one of the civilian reporter's desks. They were ripped up into shreds, but they were still readable. I quickly began to piece them together as best as I could:

 

 

Intelligence Data Rep. SEE Code 1, No 34874487

 

Entity G 46.271 draka of Cau. Signal of Entity S sited in sec. 462514243. J1 initiate Operation Equinox for apprehension of Entities. Specifics for Operation include draft covert, code 4534, involvement imperative. Entity G code 156376559, Level 1. Entity S code 6301978, Level 1. Completion Imperative, Failure not an option.

 

 

I gave a gasp. I didn't understand what some of the codenames meant, but the Code 1 heading was enough to make me worry. For, on top of illegal books, somehow, Kastalle's people obtained secret documents.

 

I should not have read any of them at all, for, as I learned later from reading a book on Seemarin security codes, a Code 1 data report was supposed to be totally classified. Not only that, but Code 1 reports were transmitted through the most secure networks, using a code called the Asgrate cipher. Only sailor soldiers with the highest security clearances could possibly use the networks and access them. No Code 1 data had ever been intercepted and decoded by any mere civilian or sailor soldier!

 

Which could only mean that a certain type of sailor soldier helped to decode the civilized universe's most secretive code. But who? It certainly could not have been Sailor Kastalle. It had to be someone who had the ability to hack into the network that the Judges themselves used to convey secret messages. Someone with a very special type of terminal to do it.

 

My mind began to wander at this. I began to ponder more about the Astramort, for surely, it had to be them. But what could Blood Thirsters know of such secrets? Had they penetrated so deeply through the system that one movement could end it all?

 

But it still made nose sense. What were the Astramort doing with me?

 

-AAAAAAH.....

 

The strange sound broke through the silence, coming to my ears. It was just as I, in my curiosity, was putting as much of the ripped up paper into my clothing as I could. My head came up at it, for it sounded like a wounded animal. My entire body tensed up, waiting for the next sound.

 

 

 

*CRAAAASH*

 

 

 

-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

 

There was no doubt that time. I knew whom the scream belonged to. As fast as I could, I ran out of the room, running to the end of the hall. As I did, however, I felt myself run into something large in the shadows.

 

-AAAAUGH!!

 

I gave a curse as I stumbled, but I did not fall. Whatever I ran into, however, fell straight to the floor behind me, maing a strange sound as it did. But I paid no attention to it; I kept on going.

 

-KASTALLE!!

 

I ran into a room completely destroyed by struggle. I began to be very afraid, for I knew that she was in that room. Not only that, but the wall I was touching had dark blood on it. I could feel my breath become strained, even as I desperately looked around the room for Kastalle.

 

-KASTALLE!!!

-...............................emis.........

 

I turned as I came up to the desk and gave a scream. She was there, sitting in her chair, staring at me. She, the desk, and her chair, was completely covered in blood. Her blood.

 

-NO!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I tried to pull her up as best as I could, for I did not wish to get blood on me. But, to my shock, she grabbed my appendage and pushed me away. She sank back down into her seat, breathing heavily, sti. I knew she was dying; I could now see all of the places where she had been stabbed, including where her heart was.

 

-Who....

-.....The....mis......... She struggled to speak, her breath becoming halted. -The......astr......mort..........not.....

-Not-notwhat?! Her hold on me became tighter. -Kastalle, why did you change?!

-.....themis............ She took in one great breath. -Kepe is................is............

 

Her eyes widened, for her heart finally stopped. Her breath slowly came out of her mouth, and, with her bloodied face staring right at me with pleading eyes, for she must have wanted to finish her sentence, she became still and died. Her hand on my appendage became limp and cold, as if the light of her sailor crystal had been extinguished like a mere candle within her then and there.

 

-........RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!! WHYYYY!!!!?!

 

I gave a scream. With an angry heave, I threw Kastalle's hand off of me. It harmlessly bounced back, dangling at Kastalle's side.

 

Why? Why did it have to be like this? This was a moment that could have saved so much terror. Kastalle could have been the key to everything. But the fates seemed against us, always. First Jyanda, then Brutus, now Kastalle. Each chance, destroyed.

 

But then, Kepe....

 

I banged my head into my appendages. I was angry at the fate of the stars. How could I not be? What reason did anyone have to keep me from what I was seeking? Why did everything go against us? Nothing made SENSE.

 

Then I heard panting, and a shout in the hall.

 

*BING*

 

I gave a cry. I heard the box doors open. With a wild thrashing of my appendages, I managed to bring myself outside, and down the hall. Whatever I had hit on my way to Kastalle's room was not on the floor anymore.

 

-NOO!!!!!!!

 

I saw the figure dive into the box. I ran as fast as I could to reach the box, to get the killer. To get answers.

 

*BING*

 

The doors closed just as I got there.

 

-RAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!

 

With an angry scream, I slammed my tentacles down into the doors, leaving very unseemly dents in them. I barely missed catching the murderer.

 

But I was enraged; I was not going to let it end there, even as Kastalle's body was becoming cold.

 

Four times, someone was violently killed. People whom had little of any kind of connection at first, yet, looking back, were sall omehow connected to the Great Matter, and to Tsukinousagi. All four times, they were violently murdered when no one thought to look. All four times, their murderers had escaped the justice of civilized people.

 

But it would be very different this time. Because now, I was mad. And I was ready to kill someone for it again.

 

 

 

 

*elevators.

 



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