Lunar rover spots mysterious "hut" on far side of moon
Moonbase Alpha was a small city, concentric arcs of light gray buildings, connected to its central complex and tower by a transport tubes. In some parts, it stretched deep into the basalt below Plato Crater. It was a fully self-sufficient city perched on the Moon. The only problem, from their point of view, is that it wasn't on their version of Earth's Moon.
Yet, there it was, eternally hanging in the southern sky like a glorious blue and white marble: Earth, exactly where it was supposed to be. Ever since they had been blasted out of Earth's orbit, this is where they longed to return. But it wasn't quite where the Alphans wanted to be. Not only was it fifteen years too late, it wasn't really their Earth -- a dimensional copy -- a clone. Not the place where their loved ones lived.
It was, however, a great place for shore leave, and the cities of Earth themselves seemed like old friends. London, Chicago, and Kingston had all of their own usual charms, but for the many of the Alphans, their fellow crewmen had become their new family. Most remained in the artificial habitat, hopeful to return to their true home.
So with the cooperation of the Moon Kingdom, the Alphans restored the the base and all of its outlying sensors to its previous full complement. By and large, of the crew didn't seem to mind its role under the aegis of a fledgling monarchy -- many of them were British, and somewhat used to the idea, if not enamored of it.
Honestly, it was the commander, John Koenig, who had the most difficulty with the idea. And ironically so, given his last name. Certainly, the Sailor Guardians were a lot easier to deal with than the World Space Commissioners. Still, people had the right to choose their leaders, he thought. Of course, he kept this thought to himself, as he ran what was effectively a military dictatorship on the Moon.
He was lost in such thoughts as he walked past the control stations in the centre of the large, well-lit Main Mission room. As he walked up the steps to his main office, he heard a voice calling to him from next to the banks of computers on the wall.
"Commander Koenig, we detected a moonquake nearby."
"Thank you, Mr. Kano. It's good to know the our sensor network is up and running." Moonbase Alpha, as part of its scientific mission, had seismic sensors all across the Moon in it's own timelime, and decided to redeploy them in the Metacontinuity. Still, moonquakes were not uncommon. "Nothing too big, I imagine."
"No, it was a small quake. Commander, it's just that, according to Computer, the epicenter of the quake is in the exact site where Radiation Disposal Unit 1 used to be."
"Huh," the handsome captain said quizzically. "I think we need some eyes on this one." He turned his head across the room. Alan, do you think you can rev up Eagle 1 and take her on little sightseeing tour of the old disposal site?"
Eager as a dog whose owner just offered it a walk, the pilot replied, "On it, Commander."
--
Alan Carter announced over the radio, "Main Mission, this is Eagle One. Coming into range now."
"Roger," Koenig declared.
"There's something here, let me get a little closer."
"Careful Alan, remember what happened last time."
"Oh I remember," the pilot confirmed. "Last time, I ended up blown halfway to nowhere. But detecting no magnetic or radioactive disturbance. No giant crater either, for that matter." The radio link went silent for half a minute, then came back, "What the heck? Commander, you're going to want to see this."
"Sandra, viewscreen 3."
"Yes, Commander," she said, and everyone in Main Mission turned to watch. The video beamed back from the spacecraft showed what looked to be a collapsed structure, it's steep V-shaped roof tipped sideways and partially destroyed, covering the rubble of the lower floors. In front of it stood a great torii gate, all gray and covered in dust from the lunar regolith.
"Now, what's that doing up here on the Moon?" Professor Victor Bergman asked. The implication of the question was obvious -- whatever it was looked more like an ancient Earth ruin than a space habitation.
Koenig said in his standard American accent, "That looks like the gate from a Japanese temple. I remember seeing buildings like that when I was stationed in Yokohama. As to what it's doing there, your guess is as good as mine." He paused a moment, then declared, "Well, let's get out there and take a look. Eagle One, return to base. Paul, prepare a expedition."
--
John Koenig and Victor Bergman took a break looking through the collapsed building, while others of their crew in bright orange spacesuits continued looking. While none of their instruments had yet detected life signs, they felt it was their duty to at least look under the collapsed beams for anyone -- or any clue as to why this was out here.
"Could this have been built by the Silver Millennium?"
"No, I don't think so, John. Everything that remains from back then is made of stone and metal. This is wood!" Victor knocked on a beam. "And far too new to have survived thousands of years in a high-radiation environment."
"They did have magic."
"Sure, but why has no other organic material survived? And why would this old Japanese shrine choose to collapse now?"
"So, has it just appeared on this timeline's Moon? Just like us?"
"It does seem to be the plausible explanation for all the implausible things lately."
"I think we're going need the help of the Sailor Guardians to untangle this one."
--
One week later, a skinny teenager with short brown hair stood at the front of a classroom in an exclusive private school, set far enough outside Tokyo to accommodate the luxury estates around it. The teacher of the class announced, "Today, we have a new transfer student joining us. Please, introduce yourself."
She boldly took a piece of chalk and wrote three characters vertically, 木野 翼. "I'm Tsubasa Kino. Please take care of me, everyone!" She greeted her new classmates with a warm smile.
It belied her own nervousness about attending a new school, giving a false name, and the urgency of end goal. But remembering that Hiiragizawa-kun had once done the same for her, her resolve was steeled for the mission. Surely, everything would be okay.
Moonbase Alpha was a small city, concentric arcs of light gray buildings, connected to its central complex and tower by a transport tubes. In some parts, it stretched deep into the basalt below Plato Crater. It was a fully self-sufficient city perched on the Moon. The only problem, from their point of view, is that it wasn't on their version of Earth's Moon.
Yet, there it was, eternally hanging in the southern sky like a glorious blue and white marble: Earth, exactly where it was supposed to be. Ever since they had been blasted out of Earth's orbit, this is where they longed to return. But it wasn't quite where the Alphans wanted to be. Not only was it fifteen years too late, it wasn't really their Earth -- a dimensional copy -- a clone. Not the place where their loved ones lived.
It was, however, a great place for shore leave, and the cities of Earth themselves seemed like old friends. London, Chicago, and Kingston had all of their own usual charms, but for the many of the Alphans, their fellow crewmen had become their new family. Most remained in the artificial habitat, hopeful to return to their true home.
So with the cooperation of the Moon Kingdom, the Alphans restored the the base and all of its outlying sensors to its previous full complement. By and large, of the crew didn't seem to mind its role under the aegis of a fledgling monarchy -- many of them were British, and somewhat used to the idea, if not enamored of it.
Honestly, it was the commander, John Koenig, who had the most difficulty with the idea. And ironically so, given his last name. Certainly, the Sailor Guardians were a lot easier to deal with than the World Space Commissioners. Still, people had the right to choose their leaders, he thought. Of course, he kept this thought to himself, as he ran what was effectively a military dictatorship on the Moon.
He was lost in such thoughts as he walked past the control stations in the centre of the large, well-lit Main Mission room. As he walked up the steps to his main office, he heard a voice calling to him from next to the banks of computers on the wall.
"Commander Koenig, we detected a moonquake nearby."
"Thank you, Mr. Kano. It's good to know the our sensor network is up and running." Moonbase Alpha, as part of its scientific mission, had seismic sensors all across the Moon in it's own timelime, and decided to redeploy them in the Metacontinuity. Still, moonquakes were not uncommon. "Nothing too big, I imagine."
"No, it was a small quake. Commander, it's just that, according to Computer, the epicenter of the quake is in the exact site where Radiation Disposal Unit 1 used to be."
"Huh," the handsome captain said quizzically. "I think we need some eyes on this one." He turned his head across the room. Alan, do you think you can rev up Eagle 1 and take her on little sightseeing tour of the old disposal site?"
Eager as a dog whose owner just offered it a walk, the pilot replied, "On it, Commander."
--
Alan Carter announced over the radio, "Main Mission, this is Eagle One. Coming into range now."
"Roger," Koenig declared.
"There's something here, let me get a little closer."
"Careful Alan, remember what happened last time."
"Oh I remember," the pilot confirmed. "Last time, I ended up blown halfway to nowhere. But detecting no magnetic or radioactive disturbance. No giant crater either, for that matter." The radio link went silent for half a minute, then came back, "What the heck? Commander, you're going to want to see this."
"Sandra, viewscreen 3."
"Yes, Commander," she said, and everyone in Main Mission turned to watch. The video beamed back from the spacecraft showed what looked to be a collapsed structure, it's steep V-shaped roof tipped sideways and partially destroyed, covering the rubble of the lower floors. In front of it stood a great torii gate, all gray and covered in dust from the lunar regolith.
"Now, what's that doing up here on the Moon?" Professor Victor Bergman asked. The implication of the question was obvious -- whatever it was looked more like an ancient Earth ruin than a space habitation.
Koenig said in his standard American accent, "That looks like the gate from a Japanese temple. I remember seeing buildings like that when I was stationed in Yokohama. As to what it's doing there, your guess is as good as mine." He paused a moment, then declared, "Well, let's get out there and take a look. Eagle One, return to base. Paul, prepare a expedition."
--
John Koenig and Victor Bergman took a break looking through the collapsed building, while others of their crew in bright orange spacesuits continued looking. While none of their instruments had yet detected life signs, they felt it was their duty to at least look under the collapsed beams for anyone -- or any clue as to why this was out here.
"Could this have been built by the Silver Millennium?"
"No, I don't think so, John. Everything that remains from back then is made of stone and metal. This is wood!" Victor knocked on a beam. "And far too new to have survived thousands of years in a high-radiation environment."
"They did have magic."
"Sure, but why has no other organic material survived? And why would this old Japanese shrine choose to collapse now?"
"So, has it just appeared on this timeline's Moon? Just like us?"
"It does seem to be the plausible explanation for all the implausible things lately."
"I think we're going need the help of the Sailor Guardians to untangle this one."
--
One week later, a skinny teenager with short brown hair stood at the front of a classroom in an exclusive private school, set far enough outside Tokyo to accommodate the luxury estates around it. The teacher of the class announced, "Today, we have a new transfer student joining us. Please, introduce yourself."
She boldly took a piece of chalk and wrote three characters vertically, 木野 翼. "I'm Tsubasa Kino. Please take care of me, everyone!" She greeted her new classmates with a warm smile.
It belied her own nervousness about attending a new school, giving a false name, and the urgency of end goal. But remembering that Hiiragizawa-kun had once done the same for her, her resolve was steeled for the mission. Surely, everything would be okay.
"Kitto daijoubu da yo." - Sakura Kinomoto