In our last episode, Queen Beryl was headed toward the world of the Skeleton Warriors to recruit Baron Dark and his army. Serena and the others went shopping to get some new clothes (considering the only clothes they brought with them were bridal gowns and Sailor Scout uniforms.) Meanwhile Ami, Buulma, and Dr. Willow were trying to reach Prince Lightstar and the Rebels.

Serena:"How's it going, Ami?"

Ami:"So far so good. Buulma and I have the equipment up and running. She's really good at this."

Buulma:"Thanks. So how did the shopping go?"

Serena:"MMM good. Ami when you have a moment, we have some clothes you should try out. You can't stay in that bride's maid outfit forever."

Ami:"Huh? Oh yeah." <giggle>

Buulma:"Go ahead, I can do without you for a minute."

Ami:"Thanks."

Buulma:"Ok, Serena. What message do you want to send? These guys are gonna be suspicious at the very best. Even assuming we can get in touch with them. They might NOT want to talk to us."

Luna:"Good point. What do you suggest?"

Dr. Willow:"How about those guys that were running from Frieza earlier. The ones on that mirrored ship?"

Buulma:"Yeah! I should talk to them. They might have some ideas."

Buulma:"Buulma calling Torrin, Come in Torrin. Can you read me?"

Torrin:"This is Torrin. Buulma! It's good to hear from you again. How goes your fight against Frieza."

Serena:"He's dead."

Torrin:"He's Dead!? Really? Who's that?"

Buulma:"She's Serena. She's a new friend. From what I hear, she personnaly lead the fight that killed him and his Ginyu force when he attacked their homeworld!"

Torrin:"That's great news. We can finnaly head back and fight to retake our homeworld. Did you call to offer your support again?"

Cheers can be heard throughout the ship.

Serena:"I only wish that were so. Freiza's attack against us was under order from someone far more powerful, Queen Beryl of the Negaverse, and now she's headed to a distant planet to recruit warriors who are far more difficult to defeat."

Torrin:"Far more powerful than Frieza? You've got to be joking! HE can destroy entire planets!"

Serena:"I know, however at one time Queen beryl drained the life from an entire star system, and only one planet, my homeworld, survived because of the valiant sacrifice of my mother who died protecting it."

Torrin:"What can we do?"

Serena:"The warriors Beryl wishes to recruit have their own enemies. These people are not likely to trust us."

Buulma:"Just like you did not trust me before."

Torrin:"I see. So you want us to reach them, as comrades in arms so to speak."

Serena:"If you would be so kind. I hear your ship is virtually undetectable. That would certainly be an advantage in reaching her target before she does."

Torrin:"That's a very sound strategy. Do you have any leads on where this Beryl is headed, and is this transmission secure?"

Buulma:"She's so cocky now that she's making no effort to cover her tracks. We have telemetry now. Yes, this line is triple encripted and routed through 15 different sattelites. Its impossible to trace us. Sending her trajectory and coordinates now."

Torrin:"Excellent. Hopefully one day we can go home."

Serena:"I wish you luck, and farewell."

Ami:"Did I miss something again?"

Torrin:"Who's that?"

Serena:"You're just in time, Ami, and looking lovely I might add."

Ami:"Ami Minako. At your service."

Serena:"One of my many friends."

Torrin:"You have to prepare your defenses for Beryl's imminent return. And we have our mission to carry out. It's time we take our leave."

Serena:"We'll continue to try reaching Prince Lightstar and his band of rebels on our end. This should help you immensely. Farewell."

Torrin:"Torrin Out."

Ami:"So was he among the rebels we're trying to reach?"

Buulma:"No, he's an enemy of Frieza who we enlisted to help us reach the rebels."

Ami:"That's very logical, and surprisingly clear headed."

Serena:"One of the fringe benefits of being 'the vessel of the Eternal Dragon.' "

Buulma:"That outfit looks good on you, Ami."

Ami is wearing a demure, unimpressive skirt with a blouse holding the logo Capsule Corp. As usual, she looks like a wallflower, but that's something she does very well.

Ami:"Thanks. Shall we continue trying to reach the rebels?"

Buulma:"No, I thought we'd all have cakes and Ice cream and just sit on our butts waiting for Beryl to come vaporize us. OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TRYING TO REACH THE REBELS!"

Ami(Thinking):"Touchy! Her hormones must be a royal mess."

Buulma:"Ok he'res Beryl's ship, there's the course... she must be headed ... HERE! Found it, WHose the smartest?"<gloats>

Ami:"Lets see, I modulate the amplitude, Tight beam transmission. rerouting sattelites. There, Link secure."

Buulma:"How did you do that?"

Ami:"You may be brilliant, but I study alot."

Serena:<nods>"Yep, she even has her nose buried in text books at the beach,"

Ami:"Now we just have to transmit only, let them know about Torrin's approach, vaguely, and hope that this Baron Dark doesn't intercept the transmission."

Buulma:"That's a good point. How are we going to do that?"

Ami:"It would help if we knew something about Lightstar or Baron Dark. But now we're just flying blind. Considering the sheer power of Baron Dark's soldiers, the rebels Must be in hiding, and are not eager to respond or risk revealing themselves. "

Serena:"You might try scanning for unique energy signatures. The battle there is over two halves of a particular energy crystal."

Ami and Buulma:"Now that's something we can work with."

Serena:"Each side has half, they are very similar yet one of the halves has been altered. Baron Dark has the altered one. Some kind of supercharging experiment gone ary."

Buulma:"Geesh! That helps!"

Ami:"Beginning scan. You're right, Serena. I'm picking up 2 powerful and similar energy sources on the planet."

Buulma:"You are amazing. You're going to have to teach me how you do that."

Ami:<blush>"I'm not used to this much attention, anyway Beryl isn't going to be shy about announcing herself to this Baron Dark, and she's not likely to care about the rebels on that world. Not with the kind of firepower she's holding."

Serena:"Ami is also an excellent chess player. She's a tactical genius."

Ami:"Stop that! You're embarrassing me. We will have to rely on Torrin to contact the rebels. Contacting them directly would be foolhardy."

Serena:"Agreed. We would have been lost without you long ago." HUGS

In Deep Space, far far away.

Torrin's ship quietly overtakes Beryl's war cruiser. Torrin looks out an observation port at Beryl's ship and has little wonder about Serena's worries about Beryl.

Torrin:"Our friends were right to be concerened about that ship. Just from a visual inspection, it looks alot meaner than anything Frieza's troops had."

His people huddle in fear. "We are NOT to engage that ship. Most likely the rebels are hiding from their enemies, assuming the rumors we heard are true."

"Sir, We've scanned the planet at low power, we detected two strong, yet similar power sources. One is in the well fortified city, the other is in an isolated area near some caves."

Torrin:"Get a small group of your best men, and take a couple of ships to the isolated camp as soon as we land. Lieutenant, give me a visual on the city."

Torrin sees the city patroled by skeletons in armor with human slaves carrying out menial tasks.

"So the stories are true. Skeletons that walk as men! Let's hope the rebels are willing to talk to us."

No sooner does Torrin's ship land than Beryl's warship enters orbit.

Torrin's and Beryl's arrival does not go unnoticed.

At Lighstar's camp...

Guardian:"Some strange ship has just landed nearby. We should check it out."

Lightstar:"I'll go. If it's one of Baron Dark's tricks, I will not let the men pay for it."

Grimskull:"I do not sense him there, if it is a trick. Baron Dark must be watching from a distance."

Talyn:"I'll go too. You need to have someone watch your back."

Guardian:"No, stay here. If this is a trap, we can't afford to lose you and Lightstar. Go, Lightstar. We'll guard the crystal. If you are captured, we'll hide it and come rescue you."

Lightstar:"That's what I like best about you, uncle. Your level head and tactical genius."

Lighstar takes off on his jet flyer. Heading to Torrin's ship.

At Baron Dark's stronghold:(formerly Prince Lightstar's Castle)

Baron Dark:"What madness is this?" He looks up at Beryl's huge warship.

A skeleton with cybernetic implants approaches Baron Dark. "Seems we have visitors, Baron."

Baron Dark:"Really? Somehow I don't think 'the legion of light' can muster this much power. Otherwise, they would just storm in and take the crystal."

Cybron:"We must convince them to join our cause."

Klapto and Nicto suddenly appear in the center of the throne room. "That won't be a problem. In fact our queen sends us to seek your alliance."

Baron Dark:"Indeed. This is an interesting turn of events." Suddenly Baron Dark grabs both of them.

Klapto and Nicto start to scream and convulse. Their flesh vanishes and suddenly they stand as skeletons of themselves. "We live! The power! Such Power!"

Baron Dark:"So this isn't a trick from Prince Lightstar and his 'legion of light.' That is so refreshing. Tell your queen that I would like to meet her."

Beryl/Metallica's voice:"That won't be neccessary, Baron Dark. I see that you and your army will be of great use to me."

Klapto and Nicto suddenly vanish. Then skeleton warriors everywhere begin to vanish right before Baron Dark's eyes. Baron Dark reaches to grab his half of the Lighstar crystal but suddenly falls face first in front of Metallica.

Metallica:"So you show wisdom in bowing before me. Good."

Baron Dark:"I bow before Noone! How dare you take me from my throne room without my permission."

Beryl blasts Baron Dark with negaverse energy and he collapses like a stack of cards.

"That was hardly worth the effort."

Suddenly Baron Dark re-assembles right before them. "Blast them now, Skeleton warriors!"

All the Skeleton warriors start shooting, Metallica just reflects their blasts right back at them, they blow up then re-assemble again.

Klapto and Nicto have no idea which side to fight on. They may be 'invulnerable' skeleton warriors under Baron Dark's control, but they know Beryl, Metallica, and LI could conceivably blast them all into dust.

Cybron:"Seems we have a bit of a standoff here. They can't hurt us, and we can't hurt them."

Li:"Indeed. It also seems we started on the wrong foot. We should be working together, not just mindlessly shooting at each other."

Baron Dark:"I'm listening."

Beryl:"Alright, Baron. I have need of your troops to remove a particular thorn from my side. Once that is accomplished, We will be glad to help you crush your particular rebels."

Baron Dark:"I know what you get out of it. But frankly, my dear. I don't need your support to crush the rebels in my back yard. Victory is just a matter of time."

Beryl:"Perhaps, but if you refuse me, I can teleport you onto the nearest sun, and seek troops elsewhere."

Baron Dark:<Cackles>"You don't mince words do you? Alright. I just have to pick up a little trinket that would make the rebels far more bothersome before we go."

Li:"You mean the crystal you were reaching for, when we brought you aboard? We've taken the liberty of neutralizing it. The rebels won't be able to use it, nor will anyone else."

Baron Dark:"NO! Without that crystal, I and my troops will never reach full power!"

Metallica:"Aww, that's just too bad. The only power I care about is my own. Now take your place or be crushed. The choice is yours."

Baron Dark realizing that he's been out maneuvered bows and joins the ranks of his minions.

Li:"Onward to Earth and crushing the last remnants of the Moon Kingdom then, great Negaforce?"

Mettalica:"Yes, Li by all means."

Beryl's warship turns and starts heading to Earth.

Back near Lighstar's camp...

As Torrin's troops prepare to leave the ship, Lightstar approaches it with troops in hiding among the trees.

Lightstar:"Baron Dark, if this is one of your tricks, it's not going to work. Give it up now, and we'll be merciful."

Torrin:"Looks like our mission has come to us, I'll talk to him, cover me."

Soldier:"Yes, sir" Guns click all around.

The ship opens and Torrin steps out.

Torrin:"Lighstar I presume?"

Lightstar:"I am Lighstar, you're no skeleton warrior, but Baron Dark has used human slaves to plant traps before."

Torrin:"I have no allegiance to Baron Dark, in fact, I came to warn you. A great evil has come to join forces with him."

Lightstar:"A likely story."

Torrin:"I've been in your position, and I was just as suspicious as you are. Perhaps you've detected the massive juggernaut that we've been shadowing."

Troop:"Lightstar, come quick. You're not going to beleive this! The Skeleton warriors are gone! And the other half of the lightstar crystal is unguarded!"

Lightstar:"WHAT?"

Torrin:"We're too late. Beryl has taken the Skeleton Warriors. She's taken them to conquer another planet. Then return and seize this one."

Lightstar:"Looks like you're telling the truth, but we'd better confirm it."

"Lightstar to guardian, Lightstar to Guardian. Do you read me."

"Guardian here, we've heard. Celebrations are breaking out down here."

Lightstar:"This is only the eye of the storm, my friend, or so we're told by refugees from the attacking ship. They'll be back, and alot stronger too."

Guardian:"Then we'd better secure the other half of the Lightstar crystal while we have the chance."

Lightstar:"Agreed. Climb on, Torrin."

Torrin:"I have my own transport, thanks."

Torrin gets aboard his own fighter and they both fly of to Lightstar's capital city.

Greeted by cheers by the now liberated slaves. Lightstar flies into the throne room and takes the Lightstar crystal, but it does not respond.

"Guardian, come in!"

"Guardian here, whats the situation?"

"The reports are true! The skeleton warriors are gone. I have the crystal, but it's not responding to me."

I know this episode ran a bit long, but there is just too much plot to break it up.

Will Lightstar combine the crystals? Can the Sailor Scouts fend off Beryl's new army of Skeleton Warriors? Will Baron Dark find a way to break free from the schackles Beryl and Metallica placed on him? For the answer to these questions, stay tuned to When Sailor Meets Dragon.