QV: 1163

Dubhe made planetfall and took one step, looking around assessively.

Coming here had been soime albino cat's idea in passing by her, muttering to herself, and Dubhe decided to try it. It had been a lovely night on Earth, but here it... Welll was impossible to tell time of day. Thick clouds made the area an eternal twilight, Light came in the form of dim glowing windows around her, om yjr vtsvld smf vtrbsvrd pg dtone brick and mortair, bioluminescing brightly. Dubhe took a step and the senshi listened, but heard nothing. The air was still and unnaturally quiet in a place that seemed bustling once, trash littering the street and white, sunbleached banners hanging. Creeping close and unfolding part of one exposed brilliant colors once flooded the banners, and Dubhe shook her head, beginning to walk. Fabric -- clothing -- lie in the streets, blown about in winds while peering in buildings? Only then were they in-situ. All outside was whitewashed by sun, unpreserved as if unimportant, but inside....

Inside was a horrific sight. Fathers' clothing on and under desks. Women by cradles, babe clothing in them. People had died as they were going about their daily lives and sailor Dubhe felt a wash of agony flood her system, wiping her eyes as she whimpered faintly for the deceased. The senshi didn't know what to make of any of this, but instinct said this was her homeworld and this was her place to protect. Still, the senshi walked on.

She came upon a caravan, iron rings and chains trapping telltale robes whitewashed, and under the rings and chains black as night, and the senshi winced at ancient bloodstains. A whip lie closeby, standing plate... A soldier? Still, these had been slaves, and Dubhe felt sick, the sick rising in her stomach before she turned and found a patch of green earth, grass growing to be ill upon at the fact her homeworld, her land to protect, held slaves, and felt her eyelids flutter as she dry-heaved.

Dubhe felt the sick pass before turning to the slavemaster, eyes gleaming and expression disgusted as he looked unimpressed, the senshi hissing with befouled breath.

"Who ordered this?" She demanded. He snorted.

"I need not answer to a senshi." He responded. Dubhe snarled, grabbing his plate and let the threat flash in her eyes.

"You answer to Sailor Dubhe." She reminded sharply. His gasp was barely audible -- but earned. Taught to train the captured senshi of the conquered, taught to hunt for and seize new senshi to serve -- those of Dubhe held citizenry and power, and while not a high ranking soldier, Sailor Dubhe led the captured senshi, and this one seemed skilled at it. Although her methods were a mystery, she had reputation, and she snarled, gleaming eyes flaring angrily.

"Who."

"C...Commander Caligula, Sailor Dubhe." He stuttered. Dubhe hissed, and motioned.

"Thorn in my side. Caligula has no authority to move these captured through my territory.

"Caligula has no authority here."

A massive figure dismounted the wagon then, clas all in black as the dark haired male of gleaming silver eyes looked to Dubhe in agitation, scowling.

"Why are you stopping my transit?"

"You brought your slaves into my territory. I'm the Viceroy here, not you, Commander. Begone." Dubhe snarled. Caligula barked a laugh.

"I heed no senshi. This is wild land."

"I am of Dubhe and you will heed me in my land. Be. Gone." She afforded a warning snarl, eyes locking, and he seemed intrigued by the younger woman's want for battle. Swiftly he drew a blade but swifter still the senshi moved, kicking it from his hand. He grabbed for her ankle, and she grinned, using it to pull him to her before clawing the other commander's face with file sharpened nails often kept to intimidate. Here they served to draw blood and here the senshji earned an enraged shriek before thje senshi bellowed, people gathering to back the viceroy of the territory. Even the slaves lit up hopefully as the two duelled sudenly before Dubhe's people flooded to her side and Caligula screamed angrily. Pitchforcks slashed, torched burnt, knives bit flesh and the peasant resorted toi backing Sailor Dubhe, driving Caligula back as he snarled.

"Never fair, were we, Dubhe?" Caligula motioned. "Relying on civilians -- such a cowardly senshi."

"I didn't ask, they decided and I allowed." Sailor Dubhe drawled. Then, she smiled brightly, clapping. "Oh, but they might enjoy a good spar if that's--"

A slave suddenly threw a pebble at Caligula, and Dubhe winced at the threatening riot, the black plated man spinning on the slave before Dubhe raised an arm, shutting her eyes. She could protect her own. She could run him out. She couldn't save a slave another oqwned.

The thud made her stomach roil again.



It felt hers and not hers, a lukewarm unpleasant memory of someone she obviously hated, but the senshi let the sick come again before moving on, sighing as she swallowed pathetically to wash away the taste as she looked about. Dim light was her guide as she finally dared enter a few buildings as opposed to peeping in windows. Stores, many buying things when they perished, and in some cases, more families. Slowly, Dubhe found a large structure within and began walking. Fine clothes adorned black clothes --slaves, servants, free, all well dressed. She walked, finding stairs to climb and began to do so slowly, mind wondering whom that Caligula was and what he was to Dubhe. Wait.

No, he was a p***k, he was, and the senshi was glad that was easy to assume as she crested the steps, seeing massive, empty black armor, and she paused. Unlike the unknown figures below, this was of her memory and she could fill in the empty places with muscle, inew, flesh from the memory if Caligula looking out over his land as he died. She turned, looking out herself; Once, it might've been a busy sight, beautiful, elegant, but now....

Well, it was pretty, but quiet.

Sailor Dubhe sighed and looked to empty armor, frowning silently.

"Much as we seemed to hate one another, I do wish we could meet now so you could tell me what the hell is with this place." She felt on edge, and looked out across the expanse to acentral building, deciding to climb down the building slowly.

She wasn't sure about going there, but she did begin walking for a field. Farms littered grass and plains, crops wild. More dead lined the roads, the buildings, but many seemed drressed far differently. Symbols littered flags indoorts, people lay in groups -- something happened. Slowly, she found the central structure, a barracks that spiralled up, and climbed in, walking slowly. Cool water lined the walls, planets clung in water, to walls, and the senshi walked, comfused before entering a garden. Wild, ill tended, it bore were flowers and plants, but in the center a stone flower drew Dubhe's eye.

A thousand-petaled lotus. She felt uncomfortable, and withdrew her phone, turning before sighing and walking from the building, and frowned, activating her phone. She needed to go home.