Epilogue
In the Basement
So what remained was left up to the Marines. The last final gasp of the
rebelion was destroyed in a flash of LAU-61 rockets and hellfire missiles
from Apache and Comanche attack helocopters. Mavericks, Rockeyes, and iron
bombs fell from USMC F/A-18s and AV-8B Harriers, as well as Japanese jF-4Es
and F-1s. Rebel positions were softened by Tomahawk Cruise missiles and
shells from guided missile destroyers, submarines, and cruisers. Columns of
M1A3 Abrams, M2/M3 Bradleys, M113s, and Type 74 Main Battle Tanks landed on
the beaches of Urup from LCAC hovercraft and Tarawa-class assault carriers.
With their forces so decimated by the original assault from CVN-74, the
rebels were quickly swept from the sky without missiles for the few aircaft
they had remaining. Their tanks and armored vehicles, once division
strength, had been whittled down to only a few poorly equipped companys. The
T-80s and BMP-3s where quickly decimated by the overpowering force of
American and Japanese armor.
By the thirtieth hour of Operation: Eaglestrike, the ground war, rebel
soldiers were laying down their weapons and coming out with arms raised in
surrender. They would be handed back over to Russia and processed as
criminals.
White House
“Are you sure you can’t come?” Shepherd asked Mina as they and First Lady
Maryanne Shepherd where having lunch together.
“I’m posative. Amy’s ship arrives in port the day we would have to leave.”
Mina shrugged, “As much as I would love to ride the real Air Force One, I’ll
have to take a rain check.”
“Think of the votes. ‘Mina Aino goes to China with President Shepherd...’”
“I don’t think so, Mr. President. My friends are much to valuable to me.
I’d rather the headline read ‘Mina Aino greets seamen after return from
Kuril Crisis.’ That is much more appealing.”
“Suit yourself.” POTUS smirked. “When do you leave for Los Angeles?”
“Tomorrow night.” Mina smiled. “I’m assuming you heard about HB-803?”
“So it did leak out?”
“Yep. Due to a thurough lack of public support, it’s been withdrawn.”
“Good!” Shepherd said before wiping his mouth.
“Honey, that’s fantastic.” Maryanne smiled. “Yet another toast to give at
the annual arts convention next month.”
“Do we have to go to that?” Shepherd reddened. He returned his attention to
Mina, having just remembered something. “Oh, I’ve been thinking, the
Republicans are right about something. The defense industry needs a boost.
We barely got out of a desperate situation which would not have happened if
I had another carrier group at my disposal. I think you should propose such
a boost, Mina, pointing out that we only had two active carriers in the
Pacific at a time of crisis. Perhaps part of the budget could be a further
upgrade of Enterprise and Kennedy to make them last longer. If that doesn’t
earn you publicity, I’m not sure what will.”
Mina couldn’t help but smile.
USS John C. Stennis...
The entire ship was in a party atmosphere. Total, they had lost six pilots
in the confrontation, and they would be missed, but no one was thinking
about them right now. Flight ops were officially shut down, leaving over
half the crew at liberty. There was music playing on the flight decks, and
the navigation crew was allowed to take the ship through her paces without
the worry of airplanes rolling into the sea.
Down in the bowels of the ship, on O-3 level, in the sickbay, Lieutenant
Amy Anderson lay in a bed. She had a series of cuts, bruises, and about
three dozen sets of stitches. She was still here because she had a serious
case of pneumonia from swallowing, vomiting up, and then breathing in
seawater. She was lucky she had not drowned.
The book she was reading was boring, and she was angry at the doctor for
not letting her go party with the rest of the crew. Wax and Dutch had
dropped by for a visit an hour ago, and now she was lonely. The medical tech
was not much company, spending most of her time filing or jabbing Amy with
something.
The door opened, and Captain Raulstone stepped through.
“Captain on deck!” the medtech snapped to attention.
“As you where.” Raulstone ordered. He set his eyes on Amy, who was prepping
to salute, but he waived her off. He had come as a friend, not as a CO. “How
are you feeling, Anderson?”
“As well as can be expected sir.” Amy answered in her accented voice. “They
say I should be up and about by tomorrow.”
“Well, we’ll throw a party for our newest ace when we get home.” the ship’s
commander said. “Admiral Tarkington and I are very proud of you. You
performed exceptionally considering the circumstance.”
“It’s just my job sir.”
“No, it isn’t.” Raulstone shook his head. “No one should be expected to
have to kill one of their own people. You were set into a more cruel
situation than was neccesary. You feel bad about it. I understand. You feel
like you shot your commanding officer in the back. Just understand, that he
had shot at you first. It was in the interests of the US and the world that
you make that tough decision.”
The blue-haired aviator swallowed. “If it’s all the same to you, sir, I’m
rather sick of all the patriotic pep talks. I know what I did was right, but
that doesn’t make it any easier to know that. Back here,” and she tapped the
back of her head, “I guess it will always haunt me.”
“But in the end, this experience will make you a better pilot.” Raulstone
smiled. “I have to warn you, the Admiral intends to promoting you. He has
also sent in candidacy for the Distinguished Flying Cross, Gold Star, Purple
Heart, and though I doubt you’ll get it, the Medal of Honor.”
“I never was in this for medals.” Amy shrugged, “All I wanted was to serve
my country to the best of my ability.”
Raulstone didn’t halt to contemplate what she had said. “You’re also up for
a promotion. By tomorrow afternoon, you’ll be Lieutenant Commander
Anderson.”
“I’d rather not...”
“I’m afraid you’re not allowed to refuse this. It’s by the request of a
good friend of yours. The reason you’re getting promoted is because he
claims you’re the only one he can trust with running his squadron.”
“Dutch?”
“He’s turned down his double-jump so that he can serve with VFA-105 for as
long as possible. He wants you to be his executive officer. I’m sure you
won’t dissapoint him.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Meanwhile, your friend, Serena’s waiting outside to see you. I’ll let her
take over from here. Get some rest, Anderson.”
“Aye, aye captain.” And his form in the door was exchanged for that for
Serena. She rushed in and plopped into the chair by Amy’s bed.
“Well, look who’s missing the party!” Serena said. “You better get well
soon. Dutch says he can’t hold out in b-ball without you. And he can’t do
the Reb’s version of ‘Let Me Go Home’ without you!”
“Aw, he was putting on.” Amy waved off the comment.
“Anyway, here’s the hottest gossip on the ship...”
“Somehow I figured that would be the first thing I would hear.” And Amy
slid deeper into her bed. “I think I’ll get some sleep now.”
“Amy! You can’t do that! I’m press. I have a Fourth Ammendment right to
tell you what’s going on!” Serena insisted. The look on the journalists face
sent Amy into reels of giggles.
Under the starlight, the taskforce moved over the black ocean, returning
home from a successful campaigne. Ever ready for action, the great aircraft
carrier sailed on towards a rising moon.
The End
Questions? Comments? e-mail me at swordsman695@hotmail.com
Soundtrack list.
Here is a list of songs that I associate with this fanfiction. If you have
any suggestions as to what should be on this list, E-mail me and tell me
what song and why.
“We Are” Vertical Horizon
“Learning to Fly” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“Running Down a Dream” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“Sweet Emotion” Aerosmith
“Not the Doctor” Alanis Morisette
“Fly Away” Lenny Kravitz
“Song 2” Blur
“Give It Away” Red Hot Chili Peppers
Previews
These are previews of Sailor Moon Fanfictions I’ve written
A Requiem for Mercury
As a new enemy bears down on them, the Scouts are shocked when Amy attempts
to commit suicide. But was it caused by a feeling of uselessness or a figure
from her past?
Aqueous Solution
A former general under Queen Beryl sends a spy to destroy the Sailor
Scouts. Everything goes as planned, until he meets Sailor Mercury...
Sailor Moon: The Year of Hell
Part I: Subordinate Nature
New Year’s Eve 1999, a new enemy kills Sailor Pluto and steals the Pluto
Star Crystal. With it, they devistate the world and prepare it for
conquering. The Sailor Scouts must defend what remains of their planet, even
if it means their lives.
Part II: The Murphy Principle
The new enemy attempts to find a way out of their prison in the Negaverse.
Meanwhile, on the devistated planet Earth, Sailor Mars strikes out on her
own. And the crisis is given new urgency when Amy falls vitcim to a horrible
crime. Now Sailor Moon must defeat the Negaverse and repair the world before
it becomes too late for Amy.
Tin Soldiers: A Sailor Moon/West Wing cross-over
Congressman Lillianfield continues to publically humiliate Presidential
Cheif of Staff Leo McGary, but President Bartlet has other problems:
monsters have begun to run amok in Washington D.C. He desperately needs the
Sailor Scouts.
Ghosts of Dong Bang
Thirty years ago, Peter Anderson was a draftee in Viet Nam. Thirty years
ago, he performed a horrifying act that changed his life. Now, he is a
divorced artist desperately trying to forget. When he decides to move to
California to be near his daughter Amy, she begins to pry dangerously into
his past...
Sailor Moon: Takedown
On a class trip to Paris, the Sailor Scouts’ plane is hijacked. Unable to
escape or transform, they must act quickly before people start getting
killed.
Coming soon...
Sailor Moon 5389
In the far future, the something happened to the planetary power that gave
the Sailor Scouts strength. Somehow infected with evil, the Scouts of 5389
rule the Earth with an iron fist, controlling the population with
unspeakable violence. There seems to be no hope for these oppressed people,
until Luna is accidentally displaced from Crystal Tokyo in 3017, where she
meets an orphan girl named Jaxa Renai who could possibly wield the powers of
Sailor Moon.
