Sailor Moon V * The Dark Adventures of the Sailor Scouts Episode Ten * "Kingdom of the Moon" Ami blinked and looked around, slowing her pace as something suddenly seemed to be dangerously amiss. A dark chill ran down her spine as a feeling of dread filled her, warning her that she was in danger. "Hey, you alright?" Leda asked, turning slightly to give her an odd look. "Something's wrong," Ami said quietly, looking around again. "This.... this shouldn't be here. We shouldn't be here." "Bah," the brunette said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I think you've just had too much to drink tonight. C'mon, we just follow this road until we hit the bazaar, then it's a straight-shot west to the Palace." "Leda...." Ami persisted in a shaky voice. "This is all wrong. Can't you feel it?" "The only thing I feel is my bladder starting to wake up," Leda grumbled as she continued to walk, forcing Ami to either keep up or be left behind. "I really don't know what you're getting all hyper about." Ami almost whimpered as the chill in her veins deepened. The feeling of dread was almost suffocatingly heavy, and Leda's obliviousness to things only made it worse. Couldn't she feel it? Didn't she know that everything looked so dark and foreboding? That something awful was about to...? Her vision promptly shattered into sparks, like shards of glass blown out from a window by an explosion. The pain registered a microsecond later, the back of her neck feeling like it had been snapped by a blow to the base of her skull. The ground leapt out from under her feet to rush up to meet her, and she was saved from a broken nose only by the fact that her forearm got in the way and absorbed the brunt of the impact. The icy slush in her veins became solid ice as she was roughly picked up and slung over someone's shoulder, the roaring buzz in her ears not able to completely muffle the sharp yelp of protest as Leda was also struck from behind and likewise carried off. She knew what was going to happen to them, even as they were carried into a dark alley and unceremoniously dumped on the rough ground. She tried to scream as she felt hands clawing at her clothes, ripping buttons and yanking hard on seams. Her voice failed to respond, however, and it was only a matter of seconds before she was almost completely naked. She felt a pair of hands grasp her wrists and hold her down while someone else grabbed her ankles, forcing her legs apart to expose her. The terror was unlike anything she had ever felt before, knowing what was about to be done to her and being unable to do anything about it. Whispered voices echoed around her in a mad cacophony, and out of the corner of her eye she could see that Leda was being subjected to the same horrific treatment. How can this be happening? she thought as she tried to struggle. Why am I here? This is all wrong, how did I end up here? When? Why is it all so dark like this? Where am I? She blinked and looked up, her eyes widening as she saw her captor unzip the front of his pants to release a massive erection, aiming it directly at her exposed sheath. She could hear Leda's screams next to her, calling out her name and begging her to do something. But what truly terrified her was the sight of Alex standing at the edge of the alley, looking at her with seething hatred as she pressed one hand to the side of her neck, a torrent of blood flowing around her fingers as she tried to seal the twin puncture wounds. "Vampire," she whispered, her voice distorted by the light froth of blood spilling from her lips. Her other hand reached up to her shoulder, withdrawing her saber from the invisible sheath. But that was a secondary concern, as the man holding her legs grinned as he yanked her closer, spreading her legs even wider as he got ready to rape her with his enormous member.... ....and the world suddenly exploded into focus around her as a hard slap across her cheek jolted her out of the depths of the nightmare. "AMI!" the voice yelling in her ear said yet again. "Wake up, damn it!" "What?" Ami tried to say, gasping hard as both her lungs and her throat promptly protested with a searing wave of pain. It felt like she hadn't taken a breath of air in an hour, and her mouth was dry enough to make her wonder if someone had shoved a roll of paper towels down her throat to try to keep her quiet while she was busy screaming in her sleep. "Ami?" the voice said in a far more gentle tone, causing her to blink as she recognized Leda's voice. "Are you awake yet?" "Leda?" Ami said slowly as she blinked hard, finally realizing that it had only been a horrific dream and that she hadn't been half a second away from being raped. The sudden drain of tension and adrenaline left her body feeling deathly cold inside, producing a series of hard and uncontrollable shivers. "Hey, easy," Leda said soothingly as she draped the sheets around Ami's quivering body and drew her into a very tight hug. "It was just a nightmare, Ami, just take it easy. I'm right here, okay? Everything's fine now...." She had no idea how long it was before she could stop shivering, the dark images replaying themselves over and over in her mind. She knew it wasn't just a dream she had seen, but something far more sinister. Leda's presence didn't help very much, reminding her of the brunette's unfortunate role in the scene. "It wasn't a dream," Ami finally managed to say after she was quite sure the muscles in her upper body had finished trembling. Her stomach and legs were another matter entirely, but she could deal with those later. "What?" Leda said, lifting her head from Ami's shoulder. "Run that past me again, Ami. What do you mean, it wasn't a dream?" "It.... it wasn't really a dream," Ami whispered as she closed her eyes and briefly shuddered again. "It was a memory, memories twisted into an even worse nightmare. And they weren't even my memories...." "Slow down," the brunette protested quietly, reaching up to gently massage Ami's neck and back. "You're not making any sense. Just take it easy and relax, okay? I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." "What I.... what I saw.... wasn't a dream," Ami explained very softly as she drew her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs tightly. "They were memories from the past, viewed in a dream. Alex's memories." Leda paused as a faint chill flowed through her. "Alex's memories?" she echoed quietly. "Yes," Ami said softly. "When I took her blood earlier, she.... she had a flashback to the incident in the Moon Kingdom where she.... she was...." "I get it now," Leda said quietly, gently squeezing Ami's shoulder as her own stomach suddenly did a back-flip. "So in other words, you dreamed what she apparently dreams on a regular basis?" "Oh, god, Leda...." Ami whispered as the full-body shivers returned with a vengeance, chilling her inside yet again and bringing tears to her eyes. She closed her eyes as she was wrapped in a fierce hug, unable to get the mental images out of her mind. "If this is what she remembers when she sleeps, time and time again.... I don't know how she's still sane...." "Ami, sweetie, it's okay," Leda said quietly in her ear, trying to fight off her own impulse to shiver. She had snapped Ami out of nightmares before, but this was by far the most distraught she had seen her over anything. "Just take it easy, alright? It was just a dream, trust me...." "It wasn't a dream," Ami countered in a soft whisper. "It was simply too real to be a dream. I could feel the cold air on my skin, I could feel their hands on me, holding me down, I could hear.... oh god, Leda, I could hear your screams.... and then he pulled me close and was about to...." "Ami!" Leda snapped, shaking her shoulders gently but firmly. "Stop it! It's just a dream, let it go. It's just a dream because it never happened to you, remember? Just breathe slow and deep, try to calm down. We both know you tend to sleep poorly whenever you take someone's blood, so just calm down." "Leda...." "Listen," the brunette said very gently. "I know you can taste an awful lot when you sample someone's blood, but just take it easy. Do you really think you can delve into someone's darkest memories like that? I think it's just a coincidence, your subconscious having a bad day and working overtime." Ami blinked and looked up at her. "What? Leda.... I thought we already established that I can do that," she said in a subdued tone. "Remember how I called you Thunderheart that one night?" Leda froze for an instant before she closed her eyes, trying not to show any visible reaction as the nickname flayed her heart open like one would peel a potato. "I.... had forgotten about that," she said in a hollow tone. "Leda, I'm sorry!" Ami blurted out in horror. "I didn't mean to...!" "Ami," Leda said very quietly as she reached up to very lightly press her fingertips against the softness of Ami's lips. "Just relax. I know you didn't mean anything by it, so don't worry about it." She studied the look on her face for several moments before sighing quietly and leaning forward. Ami barely had time to blink in surprise before she felt the fingertips on her lips move, being replaced by a pair of lips in a decidedly warm kiss. It felt oddly comforting in a way, and she found herself yielding to it just slightly. She blinked again when Leda pulled away with a gentle sigh, not entirely sure what to make of the gesture. Leda looked at her for several seconds before shaking her head and laying back down on the bed. "I'll never forget her, or what she meant to me," she explained in a soft tone. "And yes, it still hurts when I think of how she was taken from me. But I also have you now, Ami. Maybe not in the way that I'm used to having someone special in my life, but you're very much in my heart nonetheless, and that helps with the pain. I just wish you'd let me return the favor, to find a way to ease your pain in life." Ami blinked hard, trying to figure out which summer sky this snowball had come flying out of to nail her in the back of the head. "Who says you don't?" she said, pausing to blink again at the realization of just how true it was. It would have been a lie for her to think of Leda as simply a friend, but she certainly didn't think they qualified as lovers or even romantic interests. At least, not from her side of the equation. A faint smile passed across Leda's face for a few moments. "You rarely say anything to that effect," she pointed out. "Or if you do, you do it when I'm distracted or something. Bah," she grunted as she rubbed her face with both hands. "I guess my point is that it's some unholy hour in the morning, and if you're finished having your nightmare I think we should go back to bed and try to get some sleep." Ami paused as her surroundings registered on her mind once again. They were in one of the guest bedrooms in Susan's keep, having little recourse than to share the admittedly massive bed. The sheets had to be shared as well, but they were large enough to allow some room between them. She had a nightgown on, but Leda was completely naked and had told her point-blank earlier that she had been sleeping in the nude for years and had no intention of changing her sleeping habits for anyone. "Ami?" Leda's soft voice cut through her train of thought. "I know I've said this several times before and all, but I really hate it when you get that look on your face...." Ami blinked and sighed. "Sorry, I was just thinking," she murmured. She paused as Leda flexed her abdomen hard, bringing her up into a sitting position and causing the sheets to tumble into a pile around her waist. She blinked again as the brunette leaned forward to stare into her eyes, their noses only separated by a few inches. "What?" she ventured carefully, unsure of what was going through the other woman's mind at the moment. "Mind if I try to give you something else to think about while lulling you back to the comforts of sleep?" Leda asked calmly. Ami paused as a faint shiver ran down her spine that had little to do with the nightmares that had wracked her barely ten minutes ago. "I'm not sure, that sounds an awful lot like seduction," she replied in a flat tone. Leda shrugged casually in dismissal. "I can do that too, if you want, but I didn't think it was something you would want to enjoy at the moment. Hold still," she added as she reached down and started to hike Ami's nightgown up to her chest. She paused after a few seconds and looked up, sighing quietly at the look in her steel-blue eyes. "You want to cooperate here or what?" she prodded. Ami stared hard at her for several moments before slowly raising her arms up over her head, allowing Leda to draw the nightgown off completely to leave her clad only in her panties. She then waited in edgy silence as Leda ran her fingertips through Ami's short blue hair before smiling and gently pulling her down on the pillow next to her. She paused as Leda carefully tucked the sheets around them before rolling over on her side so that they faced one another. She then felt Leda's arms slide around her waist, pulling them tightly against one another and resting Ami's head against her shoulder. "I'm right here, Ami," Leda whispered very quietly as she began to slowly and methodically massage the tension out of Ami's neck and back muscles. The embrace was more than a little intimate, but she figured that it wouldn't be much of a problem as long as she didn't do anything without advanced warning. "Just relax, okay? Nothing's going to happen to either of us as long as we have each other. I'll protect your dreams if you'll protect mine." "Hmm?" Ami murmured in slight confusion as she closed her eyes. Leda's experience in massage was already starting to have an effect, making her more keenly aware of her body's desire to withdraw into sleep once again. The soft warmth of their bodies pressed against one another was perfectly trapped by cocoon of sheets, slowly driving out the lingering chills that she could still feel in her blood from the effects of the nightmare. She heard a soft buzzing noise in her ear as Leda said something else to her, but her mind was already in the process of switching off. She was right, it was still either dangerously late in the evening or entirely too early in the morning for her to be awake. She knew that she would have to talk to Alex about it in the morning, as she had to find out for sure just how much she had accidentally gleaned from her blood.... and just how deep Alex's pain was. She couldn't help but smile as a curious warmth started to flow across her ear and down to her neck. It felt good, whatever it was. Almost as good as the pair of warm hands touching and rubbing her bare back. Leda really did have a nice touch. Of course, she mentally added through the growing veil of mental fog, so did Tolaris, and he could also make her skin tingle with his electrical powers, but.... he wasn't here at the moment, was he? He'll be back soon enough, either on his own or after she went back into the Negaverse to find him, but until then.... Mmmm, that was warm, whatever it was. She would ask in the morning as well. Once it.... got.... here.... Leda chuckled very quietly to herself as Ami's breathing changed pitch in a very subtle way and evened out. "Works every time," she murmured to herself as she continued to gently massage Ami's back before she herself drifted back off to re-enter the subconscious world of dreams. * * * * Darian grunted quietly before his eyelids finally parted, allowing the room to come into bleary focus. He closed his eyes for a few moments before opening them once again, able to focus better this time. He knew that it was far from time to get up, and in fact he had every intention of going back to sleep in extremely short order, but first he wanted to figure out just what in the name of all that was holy he had gotten himself into. He glanced down and grunted very softly again as he noticed the profusion of gray ribbons draped across his chest. It took him a moment to remember what they were, and more importantly, who they belonged to. While there wasn't a light source in the room that he could locate, there was still a sort of dim haze in the air that allowed him to discern one object from the next. Serena was sleeping quite peacefully next to him, her forehead marked by the gold sigil of the Royal House of the Moon. Both the sigil and her denizen wings were oddly quiescent, only the faintest hint of a glow visible in either. He blinked as he realized that he could see distinct points of color flowing through her wings at a very slow pace, pinpoints of light that were maybe a fraction of a lumen brighter than their surroundings. He cast a quick glance at the small table in the far corner of the room. He could make out the darkened outline of the shard of dimensional crystal Mina had forged for Serena earlier, taken off and gently tossed across the room once she decided it might be easier to sleep with her wings 'turned off.' That had, of course, rendered her voice all but useless as well, but by that time nothing more needed to be said.... He closed his eyes and sighed as he thought about what he had done. She was no longer a virgin anymore, and part of him dreaded what she might have to say about it in the morning. It would have been an outright lie for him to say that he hadn't enjoyed it, and he was fairly sure that she had found it to be to her liking as well, but there was still a seed of doubt that simply would not go away no matter how hard he thought about it. He sighed again as random memories began to resurface, not just of Serena but of his previous experiences with the joys of making love. His first kiss, the first time he had intimately touched his first serious girlfriend, how one simple touch evolved into so much, looking into her eyes as he slipped inside her and into a whole new world.... The faint lines on his face deepened as the random scatterings of his memories progressed, Rebecca's face and body becoming that of Queen Beryl's, remembering being under her influence and how he had rediscovered the intense pleasure of love-making in her bed, how the feeling was vastly improved when you didn't need to worry about condoms or contraceptives since you were from two separate species.... His expression darkened considerably as the memories continued to replay themselves in his mind's-eye, unable to stop them or think of something else. Almost every night after that had been spent in Beryl's bed, euphoric with exhaustion after losing himself within her depths, flooding her womb with his seed until she had declined him one night because she was feeling ill, only to find out days later that her light nausea was not a virus but a message.... A light touch on his cheek came dangerously close to shocking his bladder into activity. He twitched as if jolted by electricity and turned his whole body to one side, relaxing as soon as he recognized the source of the highly unexpected disturbance. "I'm sorry," he whispered as the pair of gold-irised eyes widened dangerously at his reaction. "You just surprised the hell out of me, that's all." "Sorry," Serena whispered very faintly, her voice rasping in her throat. A soft smile crossed his face as he leaned over to kiss her, savoring the naturally sweet taste of her lips. He wasn't sure if it was related to the recent awakening of her denizen blood or if he had simply been too dense to notice it before, but the taste was definitely something to enjoy. And if it could only be obtained by kissing her.... well, he could always get something for his lips later if he made them raw from constant kissing. A deep tingle ran through his blood as Serena responded, pressing herself closer to him and making a very soft noise deep in her throat. Her motions reminded him that they were both naked as well as suggesting that she was still more than willing to pick up where they had left off earlier. He chuckled very softly and dipped his head down to kiss her throat. "I take it I woke you up somehow?" he murmured to her as he leaned back to look into her eyes. He found the gold irises to be interesting to look at, but he had decided earlier that if given a choice he would take her original blue eyes over her current ones. She wrinkled her nose for a moment, making a slight face that could have been taken several different ways. She wasn't sure what had woken her up, but it wasn't anything that she could immediately point out. While she was keenly aware of a slight tenderness in a few places, she doubted it was what had drawn her out of the Dreamworld and back into semi-consciousness. She sighed in dismissal and cuddled up next to him, extremely content with both his presence next to her and the still-fresh memories of how he had made love to her. The pain hadn't been nearly as bad as she had feared, and just like Mina had promised her it had left for the most part in very short order. She figured that the lingering soreness would persist for a day or two, also as Mina had warned, but that once she was completely healed.... Their eyes met for several long moments, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks at the mental image forming in her mind. He seemed to pause for a moment before raising an eyebrow, acutely aware that she was thinking something and not entirely sure he wanted to know what. She just shook her head slightly and leaned forward to kiss him again. If he didn't know, she thought with a small smile, he would find out soon enough.... Darian felt his soul sigh quietly at the look in her eyes before he felt her lips on his once again. I am in so much trouble now, he thought as his body started to react. Don't get me wrong, I love her deeply, and if spending the rest of my life with her is going to be torture, please get the chains out now.... but at the same time.... do I want to go through with this again? Can I go through it again? He absently ran his fingers through her unbound hair as she sighed and curled up against him, the beginnings of what might have been a yawn stirring deep inside her chest. It was only a matter of moments before he felt the change in her breathing, settling into a perfectly even rhythm as she drifted back off to sleep in his arms. I had a child once, he thought into the silent darkness of the room. I willingly slept with Beryl and she conceived. She.... we.... we were going to be parents, to have a daughter who would rule the world one day. Then she was gone as soon as she came. Now I'm in bed with another woman with denizen blood in her body, a woman who means far more to me than Beryl could ever possibly have. A woman who will also one day bear a daughter who will rule a world, a woman who wants me to be the father of her child. How can I not say yes to something like that.... but.... He sighed and closed his eyes as the darkness wrapped itself around his soul once again. I lost one child already, taken by death before she could even have a taste of life. Dare I try to have another, carried by a woman who seems to be a magnet for violence and death, who is indeed herself marked for death by the same world that gave her life? Can I really risk going through this all again, becoming a father only to lose it all in one fateful instant? Or worse.... have her taken from me by another world? The doubts swirled around his mind like a cloud as he tried to find some semblance of comfort in his sleep. Neither the troubled prince from Earth nor the sleeping princess born from two worlds were aware of the faint red sigil that continued to glow on his forehead, flickering very gently like the embers in the ashes of a fireplace long after the blaze had burnt itself out.... * * * * "Attention on deck!" someone called out sharply, causing the flight bridge to snap to rigid attention as a single unit. "As you were," Nop'tera said very quietly as she gingerly made her way across the metal deck. It was obvious that she was in a great deal of pain, something which few could honestly recall seeing her in. They all knew that her regeneration usually worked at a rapid pace, and for her to still be like this meant that something significant was wrong. She paused to lean on the back of the command chair, glancing behind her to make sure that both Freya and the medical IV were still with her. The clear plastic bag was filled with a pale green solution that slowly dripped into her veins, helping numb the worst of the pain and try to aid her body's natural rate of healing. An exam showed that her internal injuries wouldn't be fatal unless another sharp crystal object was introduced to her chest cavity, but it would still take a great deal of time to heal due to the light acid used in the life-saving surgery. "Status report," she said, mentally sighing at how weak her voice sounded. That she even had enough lung power to use her voice was a testament to her inner strength, but her chief medical officer had made it quite clear that rank would be pulled if she didn't take it as easy as possible. "Ma'am," Sor'en said as calmly as possible, trying not to worry about her mother's condition. "The V'ral is currently cloaked with both mains and the deck rotors idled. The gravity shields are at maximum and the sails have been deployed to keep us balanced as quietly as possible. Helm has been released for station-keeping with a minimum altitute requirement of forty angels, no specific course currently set. There is moderate shock damage throughout the ship, but the radiation shields are holding. We are currently unable to signal the rest of the fleet and are awaiting further instructions." "Excellent," Nop'tera breathed as she slumped against the chair, more out of relief than a need for support. "You have done well, all of you. General Rune tried her best to destroy us, and you can see that it has failed due to your heroic efforts. I am truly proud to count myself as one of your number." "General Nop'tera...." the helmsman said in a concerned tone. She waved a hand in dismissal and stood up straight. "You need not fear for my health, I've only been scratched by Rune's weapon. It will take far more than a simple stab wound to consign me to the grave, I assure you," she added with a faint twinkle in her featureless yellow eyes. "A scratch on your lungs, perhaps," Ar'kanis rumbled quietly from the back edge of the deck. "We are grateful to know you still live, my general, and while we know your recovery is assured.... I respectfully suggest that you do not press the issue for the time being." Nop'tera couldn't help the soft chuckle that fell from her lips. "Indeed I shall not, General," she said with amusement. "Helm, what is our current heading with respect to the north magnetic pole?" The helmsman turned around to consult his instruments. "Ma'am, the V'ral is adrift on an east-north-east jet stream with no fixed bearing at the moment. The northern magnetic pole is an estimated seventy-four degrees off the port bow, range estimated at four-four-zero thousand ke'shels." "Very well," Nop'tera replied after a moment of thought. "Helm, chart a course to the center of the northern magnetic polar region. You are not to use any of the engines except to maintain altitude above thirty angels. If we're running quiet at the moment, I see no reason to change that. There is no rush to reach our destination, as I intend to wait and see what Rune's next move will be. The only requirements are that we remain stealthed and fly as high as the winds permit. Communications." "Ma'am!" the communications officer said crisply. "Keep an ear out for the rest of the fleet," the vampire instructed. "I doubt they will try to contact us directly or on an active channel, but they may get creative on me and try to ascertain our condition without giving either us or themselves away. Also monitor the oceans as well in case the sub-surface groups try to assist in the effort." "Understood, ma'am." "Brigadier Sor'en, I've got a change in plans for you," Nop'tera said to her daughter. "Order your squadrons to land somewhere in the open, preferably away from any runways or other military installations. They are to go dormant until we can recover them later. I fear that attempting to recover them now will only complicate things." "I will see to it, ma'am," Sor'en replied with only the slightest hint of dismay to her voice. Nop'tera smiled gently at her disappointment. "Take it easy, Sor'en, we will recover your fighters in due time. As with Ar'kanis' tank divisions, it is best to leave them where they are rather than risk losing everything trying to get them back. But we will try soon, that I promise you. For now, we must make sure that the V'ral is completely and entirely operational before making our next move." There was a hollow grunt from within the depths of Ar'kanis' helmet as he shifted his weight slightly. "And what is our next move?" he inquired. "Are you familiar with the Earth game of strategy called chess?" Nop'tera asked as she turned around and slowly made her way over to the lift in the back of the bridge. Freya remained right behind her elbow the entire time, casting a slightly startled glance at Ar'kanis. "Only in passing," Ar'kanis rumbled quietly. "It is surprisingly intricate," the wounded general explained. "There are several kinds of pieces on the board, each with different capabilities. For the moment, General Ar'kanis, we are going to wait until we can see the board a little more clearly and determine which pieces are where.... and who the real players on the field are. After that is sorted out, then we will see who gets to make the next move. You have the bridge, Ar'kanis. Carry on," she said as she and Freya got into the lift, vanishing from sight as the doors closed. "I tried playing chess with Freya once," Sor'en muttered quietly. "Took two hours to explain the rules to my satisfaction, and fifteen minutes for her to kick my ptanka clear across the board." A soft rumble of sepulchral laughter echoed around the bridge. "And did you learn anything from that experience, aside from humility?" Ar'kanis asked with genuine curiosity. "Yes," Sor'en growled quietly. "I learned that the only thing worse than waiting for something to happen is waiting for your enemy to quit playing with you and put an end to things. We can probably kill Rune right now if we just opened up with the mains and cratered the castle...." "Patience, Sor'en," Ar'kanis mused. "After having talked with Admiral Si'ren before Rune's insane strike on the airfield, I'm starting to wonder if there is far more to this than a simple rivalry. There may indeed be more to this than meets the eye, and so it might be best if we were to wait for the time being to see which hands are pulling on what strings." "More waiting," the young brigadier fumed in frustration. "I don't like it either, Brigadier, but we both have our orders," the armored general reminded her gently. "I suggest you start looking for a place to land your squadron while they still have the fuel to cooperate." "Yes, sir," Sor'en replied sullenly. She knew that there was no danger of the fighters crashing from a loss of fuel, as they would automatically enter a landing cycle and park themselves on the nearest level surface if they reached a critical point. Of course, it was preferable that a more conventional site was picked ahead of time, as there had been more than one instance of such an automated emergency landing made on a populated sports field or other similar civilian venue, much to the chagrin of the general civilian population. "Helm," Ar'kanis called out. "Estimated time to our destination?" The helmsman paused and lifted his head up from his console, casting a dubious look over his shoulder. "Due respect, sir? I have no idea, we'll just have to see which way the wind blows and how strongly." A deep grunt echoed within Ar'kanis' helmet. "Very well, just do your best. I will be down in Medical for a few minutes, Brigadier Sor'en has the bridge until I return," he informed them as he strode towards the lift. "I have the bridge, aye, sir," Sor'en said. She waited until the doors closed behind him before sighing heavily and looking up at the ceiling. "This is going to be a very long day," she muttered. "Better a long day than a final day," someone suggested. Sor'en blinked in surprise before shrugging her shoulders. "True. Oh, well, let's get this over with," she grumbled as she crossed the bridge to sit in front of one of the auxiliary terminals. "I just hope we don't end up with grass in the air intakes like we did the last time we had to land in an open field." "Better some grass than a bird," someone else suggested with a faint grin. Sor'en paused to cast a sidelong glance over her shoulder. "Keep it up and I'll send you outside to scrub the flight deck with a toothbrush," she grumbled as she called up the remote controls for her fighter squadron and started to look for a place to set them down. She sighed softly as a scan of the local terrain showed nothing but grassy fields for miles around. Yeah, she thought with another soft grunt, this is definitely going to be a very, very long day.... * * * * Alex sighed heavily to herself and cracked one eye open, trying to decide if she should kill her lover or simply leave her broken and bleeding in a dark corner of the room. What she wanted to say was, I love you dearly, but what the hell do you want at this hour? Her vocal chords, however, had other ideas. "Gwa humphn neh?" she said aloud in an extremely fuzzy voice. Michelle smiled warmly as she leaned over to kiss her again, taking her time enjoying the softness of her lips. Her other hand came up to gently trace the slight contours of Alex's chest, able to feel the softness of her petite breasts. While there wasn't a whole lot to see in terms of feminine curves, she knew that her nipples were still every bit as sensitive as her own.... There was a soft grunt as Alex edged her head back a few inches. "Mich?" she said quietly in a voice that was only marginally more awake, "Do you have any idea what time it is?" "Time to get up," Michelle purred softly in reply before leaning forward again to nuzzle the blonde's lips. Alex had to suppress a groan of resignation. In all the times they spent the night together, Michelle had somehow never failed to wake up 'on time,' whatever that might have been. It was an uncanny knack that bordered on the supernatural, and had more than once made Alex wonder just how in the hell she did it. That question was almost always put out of her mind moments later, however, as Michelle more often than not tended to wake up in a playful mood and usually shared her good spirits in a most tantalizing fashion.... "Do I have to?" Alex grumbled as she pressed her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. The electric sensation of Michelle's lips on her nude body that followed her question produced a slight disconnect in her mind from one moment to the next, jolting her into a fully-awake state that left her more than a little disoriented as to what had just happened. "Mmm?" Michelle purred quietly, leaning back to study her. Alex blinked for several moments before shaking her head to herself, one hand coming up to run through the short shock of blonde hair to check for any nocturnal tangles. "Nevermind, hon, I give up," she muttered with a yawn. "So what time is it, anyway?" Michelle shrugged. "I don't know, really," she admitted. "It should be close to breakfast, however, so we should be getting up soon anyway." "Thanks, babe," Alex sighed. "I really didn't want to enjoy that nice, peaceful dream I was having anyway." Michelle paused and regarded her carefully, not entirely sure how much of it was sarcasm. She knew that Alex tended to be a little touchy very early in the morning, but that she was fine once she fully woke up. "Anything I should know about it?" she ventured. There was a slight pause as the blonde tried to recall anything about the fragments of the dream that were already fading from her mind like so much sand slipping through an open hand. "Nah," she finally said with a gentle shake of her head. "Hell, I forgot what it was already. At least it wasn't another nightmare," she said with genuine gratitude. "I'm sorry," Michelle murmured as she leaned over, brushing her lips over Alex's collarbone. "Come on, we should have plenty of time for a morning soak in the hot tub before breakfast is ready." "Aha!" Alex chuckled quietly, startling Michelle. "See, I knew there was a reason for this. Mich, honey, if you wanted to go play in the water, you could have just left me asleep to frolick in the tub by yourself...." A faint wry look crossed Michelle's face as she tossed the sheets aside and started to climb out of bed. "There's a difference between taking a bath and relaxing in a hot tub," she said as she stood up and stretched, making sure to lean back in a provocative fashion to get Alex's attention. Alex raised an eyebrow as she gazed at her lover. "Okay, babe, what's the difference? A bar of soap?" she suggested. Michelle stopped stretching and leaned across the bed to kiss her again. "I can take a bath by myself," she said softly. "But it's hard for me to relax without you, my love. Come soak in the tub with me, please?" "What am I going to do with you?" Alex sighed as she tossed the rest of the sheets aside to stand up. She paused to stretch for a moment, making a slight face as she felt no less than four kinks in various joints. This is what I get for not practicing for a few days, she thought to herself as she started to work the kink out of her sword arm. Might have to set something up outside in that foggy crap to use as practice.... She paused in mid-motion and closed her eyes as she felt Michelle's light touch on her back and arm. It never ceased to amaze her just how something as simple as her touch could make her feel so incredibly warm and pliant on the inside. The feeling grew stronger as she felt Michelle's nude body press up against her, the hardened points of her nipples rubbing against her back in a deliberate fashion. "Mmm," Alex purred deep in her throat as Michelle's hands came up to cup her petite breasts, very slowly rolling the blonde's nipples around in circles in her palms. "So much for an early soak in the hot tub, I take it?" Michelle giggled very quietly and lightly nipped the nape of her lover's neck. "We can soak together and still cuddle," she whispered. Alex tried not to roll her eyes. "I swear, I'll never figure out what it is with you and water," she teased as she reached up to rub her hands against Michelle's. "Seventeen years together and you still don't know?" Michelle mocked in a soft tone, an impish smile crossing her face. She pressed herself even harder against Alex, moving one leg suggestively and intimately tickling the blonde with her supersoft pubic hair. "Bah," Alex grunted very softly. "I just know that once you pass away, I'm not going to bother having you put in a coffin or anything. Maybe in a kiddie pool, perhaps...." "Alex!" Michelle gasped in partial shock. "Could have you cremated and put into one of those water-ornaments Susan gave us a few years ago," Alex continued causally. "You know, the ones you shake and it looks like it's snowing? Just think, you'd always be on my desk, and you'd always be surrounded by water...." "ALEX!!" Michelle gasped again, a fierce blush springing to her cheeks. Alex chuckled quietly and turned to kiss her slightly-mortified lover. "Just teasing, hon, you know I'd never do anything like that to you," she said with a soft smile. "Sometimes I wonder," Michelle muttered, giving her a slightly unamused look and still blushing hard. "Seventeen years and you still don't know?" Alex teased her, flashing her a wicked smile. Michelle just looked at her and sighed heavily, the edges of her mouth curling downward in a slight pout. "Just tell me what you did with the bath robes from yesterday," she grumbled in resignation. "Huh?" Alex said, pausing slightly. "Last I remember, we left them in a pile on the grass outside when we were getting our gowns made." "Oh," Michelle replied with a nonplussed look. "That's right...." "Just grab a towel, love," Alex said with a shake of her head. "We can grab more of that Ether fog from the window by the tub to make more robes, it shouldn't be that hard." Michelle nodded in understanding as she went over to the far side of the room to quickly sort through the small wardrobe. "Here we go," she said as she came back with two large white towels. She passed one to Alex and wrapped the other one around her body, neatly tucking it in beneath her armpit. "Thanks," Alex replied as she wrapped the towel around her waist, leaving her breasts exposed. She looked up and paused at the dubious look she got in response. "What?" "Nothing," Michelle said with a soft sigh and a shake of her head. "What?" Alex demanded. "You shouldn't be walking around like that," Michelle said in a somewhat plaintive voice. The blonde just rolled her eyes at the ceiling. "Who's going to see what little I have, babe? Darian? Please, he's already seen it all, so it's not a big deal. And none of the others will so much as blink should they be up at this hour. C'mon, Mich, you worry too much sometimes," she chided her gently as she headed for the door. They strode out into the corridor, noticing that Susan had kept her word and returned the corkscrew-elevator to the living room level. The room was just as they had left it yesterday, with all the furniture pushed against the far wall to make room for the massive hot tub that dominated the center of the floor. An odd and sticky residue framed the corner where a spider-like hammock still hung, the remains of the sound-proof barrier from yesterday. The metal defibrillator that saved Serena's life was still all but forgotten in the other empty corner next to the small mattress, while Mina's new synthesizer took up the remaining space against the back wall. "Ick," Michelle shivered as she passed her hand through the water in the fiberglass basin. "It's cold." "So turn the heater on," Alex suggested as she came up next to her and searched around for the controls. "Hmm, let's see what we've got here. Oh, good, Mina was smart enough to label the damn things. Okay, main pump reads off, want to turn that on...." Both girls jumped slightly as there was a heavy clicking sound, followed by an extremely low-pitched hum of water being pumped into a small chamber, filtered of impurities, and forcefully ejected out of dozens of small jets. "Well, that's a start," Alex said as she examined the rest of the pump controls. "Okay, help me out, babe, I see two temperature readings here." Michelle reached out and tapped a short fingernail against the display. "Desired temperature and actual temperature," she explained calmly. "This one is set at one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, which is what we want it at, but the current reading says seventy-one degrees. Ooo, wait, see how it's starting to go up?" "Ah, I see," Alex replied with a bob of her head. "Looks like it'll take a few to warm up. Now might be a good time to go see if we can go make the bath robes and all." She suddenly blinked as she felt a slight tug on the towel around her waist, her eyebrows arching up slightly at the gentle rush of air that caressed her when the towel hit the floor. "Maybe," Michelle purred very softly as she leaned forward to brush her lips across Alex's shoulder, her hands coming up to lightly caress her stomach and hips. "Or maybe we can see if we can warm the water up a little faster," she suggested in a softer tone as she shifted to one side and bent down to take a slightly hardened nipple into her mouth. A soft sigh escaped Alex's lips as she grabbed the side of the hot tub with one hand, the other coming up to gently run her fingers through Michelle's aquamarine hair. She knew that now was probably not the most ideal time to be yielding to one of her lover's early morning moods, but it was hard to argue when a pair of soft and incredibly warm lips was on your body in a place that was extremely sensitive to the touch. She blinked as she caught motion out of the corner of her eye, lifting her head up to look just as Michelle's tongue started to work a most delightful brand of magic on her nerves. It took her an extra moment to fully focus on Leda's figure paused in the doorway, her green eyes widening slightly with the realization that she was interrupting something. Alex blinked hard and made a subtle gesture with her free hand at Leda before gently tapping Michelle on the shoulder. "Mich, honey," she said in a low tone, not bothering to conceal the husky edge to her voice. "Now might not be a good time for that, I think I just heard a door open in the hallway." Michelle's head immediately perked up, causing Leda to blink and silently disappear back down the hallway. She cast a reflexive glance over her shoulder before looking back up at Alex, giving her a slightly uncertain look. Alex sighed and bent down to kiss her deeply for several moments. "You know I love you, hon," she murmured. "And we can pick this up again later on today, but now might not be the.... Oh, hi, Leda," she said loudly as she cast an obvious glance over Michelle's shoulder. "Hey," Leda said as she came back around the corner, pretending as if she had just arrived. "Someone read my mind about a morning soak, or is it just one of those obvious things?" "You got a better idea on how to wake up in the morning?" Alex said, only half-kidding as she winked at Michelle. She glanced down at the temperature reading and decided to risk it, throwing one leg over the edge of the tub to test the waters. Leda just shrugged as she drew closer, absently loosening the sash on her white bath robe. "Hey, I'm just saying. Morning, Michelle." "Good morning," Michelle replied demurely, a faint blush still evident on her cheeks. "Woooooooo," Alex shivered as she climbed into the tub and sank down into the water. "Still not overly warm yet, but it's not too bad if you camp out in front of one of the vents." Leda snorted in amusement as she drew off her robe and tossed it against the wall to fall into a heap on the floor. "Bah, that's what wakes you up. The hot water part is just an added bonus. Whoa, hello!" she yelped as she put her legs in the water. "Good morning," Alex said dryly. "Well, it was up until a few seconds ago," Leda sighed as she eased into the lukewarm water. "You do have the heat turned on, right?" "Trust me, babe," the blonde replied with a faint smirk. "Mich, honey, you going to stand there looking pretty all day, or are you coming in?" Michelle paused and raised an eyebrow. "I'll wait for it to warm up past ninety degrees first. I like water, but I don't care for cold water too much." "Speaking of which...." Leda said slowly before turning around and leaning out over the edge of the tub. "Hey, Ami!" she called down the hall. "Might want to put it in gear while it's still cool!" Both Alex and Michelle winced slightly at the sudden change in volume. "Damn, hon, you want to tone it down a notch? It's Mich's fault I'm up this early, but you can at least let everyone else try to enjoy their sleep." Leda grunted softly as she turned back around and sank down until she was up to her chin in the water. "Please," she muttered. "Serena sleeps like the dead, so she won't be up until well after breakfast, and Mina will do her lazy bed slug impression until someone tempts her with food. Darian might be dense for a guy, but he's not stupid, so he won't dare disturb Serena, so that just leaves Rei. And I'm sure after the day we all had yesterday, Rei will try to use whatever extra rest she can find." "Good morning, Ami," Michelle said as Ami came around the corner wearing a white bath robe. She paused as she noticed Ami's expression and gave her a concerned look. "Are you alright?" she ventured carefully. "It was a rough night," Leda spoke up as Ami remained oddly silent, her expression visibly downcast and weary. "Just leave her alone. C'mon, Ami, the water's fine. A touch cool at the moment, but that's your style anyway." "Thank you," Ami said very quietly as she slipped out of the robe and got into the hot tub, not looking at any of the occupants. Alex raised an eyebrow as she studied the blue-haired girl. "So what's the problem, babe?" she asked in a guarded tone. "You look like you spent the night drinking or something." Ami sighed softly and remained silent for several moments before finally lifting her head to look at the blonde. "I need to talk to you," she said in a very quiet voice. Alex exchanged concerned glances with Michelle before looking back at Ami. "I didn't do it, babe, honest," she said warily, absently moving aside to make room for Michelle. She could feel a definite warmth in the water now and could even make out tiny wisps of steam coming from the far end of the hot tub, but something about Ami's demeanor was chilling her on the inside. Ami opened her mouth to say something and suddenly paused, turning around to stare at the gap between the corner of the room and the edge of the silk screen partition that had been put in place yesterday. She sank lower into the water as both Darian and Serena poked their heads out from around the corner, blinking in surprise to find the hot tub populated this early in the morning. "Whoops," Darian said very quietly, holding the towel around his waist a little tighter. "We'll come back later." "Morning, your Highness," Alex called out to them. "Both of you can come on in, the water just started to warm up." Serena paused to exchange glances with Darian before she moved forward, wearing only a towel very loosely wrapped around her that left her incandescent wings floating free. "Good morning, everyone," she said quietly, unwrapping the pair of wings that were coiled around Darian's free arm. "Morning, your Highness," Michelle replied with a slight bow of her head, still holding the towel firmly around her body. "I'll see you girls at breakfast," Darian said with a casual wave of his free hand before turning around. Alex sighed and crossed her arms. "Darian, you wuss, get back in here," she growled. "What part of 'you both can come on in' didn't register?" Darian paused and glanced over his shoulder. "You're kidding, right?" Alex sighed even heavier and looked up at the ceiling. "Why me?" she said to herself before looking back at him. "Look, D, this isn't a very difficult concept to grasp. This is a huge tub of warm water, there's room enough for everybody. Yes, we're all naked. It's a soak in a hot tub, last I checked you aren't supposed to wear clothes in a pool of water. You have a concern with that, you can go frolick over there by your lonesome," she said, waving her hand at the far end of the pool. "We all know you're a decent gentleman, D, so unless you have bad intentions this morning, we trust you enough to behave and not do something that would get you seriously injured in another setting." "We?" Leda muttered very softly, drawing a sharp look from the blonde. "Hey, if you have an objection, speak up," Alex prodded her. Leda paused for several moments, glancing over at Darian before looking around the rest of the group to gauge their reactions. She automatically wrote off Serena, knowing that she of all of them wouldn't object to being able to cuddle up to Darian in the hot tub. Michelle was blushing fairly hard as she fidgeted with her towel, but she otherwise didn't appear to be uncomfortable with the idea. Ami was looking down at the water with a haunted expression, a sight that deeply worried the brunette. She knew that Ami normally would have voiced a very strong objection by now, but in her current depressive state didn't appear to care either way. Leda cast a quick glance back at Darian before shaking her head to herself in resignation. "Hell with it," she muttered to Alex. "I'm not going to toss him out of the tub if nobody else seems to mind." "Good, so it's settled," Alex said firmly before she gestured to Serena. "Come on over here, starlight, and we'll give you a hand with that." Darian paused for several moments as Serena set the towel aside to climb into the hot tub. Both Leda and Ami turned their backs to him as they edged to one side to make room for Serena, while Alex stood up to offer her arm to Serena for balance. Sighing quietly, he quickly made up his mind and averted his eyes from Alex's curves, moving over to the far side of the tub. He paused for a brief moment to glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody was actively watching him before he yanked the towel off of his waist and climbed into the water as quickly as he could. Everyone paused as a startled yelp seemed to echo across the room. The girls all exchanged glances before turning to look over their shoulders in unison, giving Darian an array of concerned glances. "Step on something?" Leda called out to him, giving him a moderately curious look at the slightly pale expression on his face. "The water was cold," he said in a subdued voice. "Ah," the brunette replied knowingly while trying not to think too hard about it. "Give it a few, the water will warm up soon enough." She blinked as there was a decidedly unusual multi-harmonic squeal from Serena as her wings came into contact with the water. "You okay?" she asked as she whirled around to give the winged princess a startled look. "Brrrrrrr," Serena muttered quietly, her triple vocal chords making the rolling sound decidedly musical. "Yeah, that about sums it up," Alex sighed as she stretched. She cast a glance over her shoulder at Michelle and frowned. "You coming in or what?" she prodded gently. Michelle visibly hesitated, giving Darian an uncertain look. She blinked as he snorted quietly to himself and turned around, resting his arms on the back edge of the hot tub and laying his head down. She cast a quick glance at the rest of the group before she blushed and took off her towel, carefully climbing into the hot tub and sinking down until just her head was above the slightly steaming waterline. "Sleep well, Serena?" Leda asked as she stretched her legs out. Serena blushed unexpectedly and looked down at the surface of the water, one hand absently coming up to toy with the shard of crystal hanging from her neck on a fine silver chain. "Actually, yes," she said in her new triple-tone voice. "I had to take the crystal off to make it easier to sleep since my wings were driving me crazy, but after that...." she said, her voice trailing off and ending with a shrug of dismissal. Leda chuckled quietly. "You'll be alright." "Let's hope so," Alex added as she casually squeezed Michelle's leg. "So what did you want to talk to me about, Ami?" she prompted in a careful tone, giving Ami a cautious look. Ami blinked and looked up, giving her a confused look before suddenly seeming to remember and withdrawing once again. She sighed heavily and looked back down at the water, bringing one hand up to tap her fingertips against the surface of the water to create tiny ripples. "I was woken up by a nightmare last night," she said quietly before she glanced up at the suddenly leery blonde Viking. "I'm fairly sure it was yours." "What?" Alex said slowly as the rest of the group paused in mid-motion to look at her. "I probably picked it up from you when I took your blood yesterday," Ami explained quietly, her expression still visibly haunted. "I've had bad dreams before, but nothing like this. It was.... almost too real to be a dream. More like a dark memory in the form of a dream." "Wonderful," Alex sighed glumly, ignoring the gentle embrace Michelle was trying to draw her into. "Ami, listen. If you can flush that out of your mind or something, I suggest you do it and quickly. Bad enough I have to deal with it, but you don't need to suffer as well." "Alex, I'm deeply worried about your state of mind now," Ami persisted in a gentle but urgent tone. "Hey, easy," Leda said gently as she reached out to take hold of Ami's wrist. She blinked as she saw a pair of wings coil around Ami's other wrist and cast a glance at Serena, nodding in acceptance at the look on her face. "What do you want, Ami?" Alex said in a deeply bitter tone, taking them all by surprise. "I was raped, okay? Nothing's ever going to change that, and short of blowing a hole in my skull I'll never be able forget it either. Yeah, the nightmares are probably going to send me to an early grave, but what the hell am I supposed to do about them?" "There has to be something," Ami pressed on. "Look," Alex sighed quietly, absently rubbing the trembling hand that was tightly wrapped around her waist. "I'm fine, okay? If I wake up, I just roll over and go back to sleep. That usually works. I don't think about it all the time, I'm not curled up in some dark corner each night whimpering in fear that the dreams will return. I don't have that every night, you know, just now and then. I'm used to it, pathetic as that sounds, but I'm fine. Honest. Anyone know where we left the soap from yesterday?" Everyone blinked at the blatant attempt at changing the conversation, exchanging concerned glances before looking around for the bars of soap from the previous bath experience. "Hey, there's one," Leda said, pointing to the green oval of soap perched on the edge of the hot tub behind Serena. "Good, might as well put it to use," Alex said in a neutral tone as she extracted herself from Michelle's protective embrace and edged behind Serena to retrieve the bar of mint-scented soap. She picked it up and dunked it in the water before pausing and looking up at the corridor. "Morning, sunshine," she called out. "Well...." Mina said in a slightly sleepy voice as she surveyed the room. "I think we have the morning part going, but the sunshine just isn't happening very well. You girls are up early," she pointed out. "Your point?" Leda said archly as she glanced around, trying to locate the other bar of soap. "That you rarely see Serena out of bed at this hour?" Mina countered with an amused wink at Serena. She paused as a realization hit her and she cast a startled glance at the other end of the hot tub. "Umm...." she said, lowering her voice to a very quiet whisper, "What's he doing in here?" she asked with a gesture of her chin towards Darian's back. "Soaking, same as the rest of us," Alex said tartly. "Don't like it, come back on your own time." "Okay...." Mina said very slowly. She blinked hard as Rei calmly walked past her and drew her robe off, casually handing it to the blonde before she sat down on the edge of the hot tub to soak her ankles while she pinned her waist-length hair up in a tight bun. Mina cast a slightly irritated look at the priestess as she tossed the robe into the pile against the wall. "Morning," Leda said to Rei as she scooted over a few feet. "Morning," Rei replied very softly as she continued to fuss with her hair, completely naked save for the silver brooch of the Imperium Silver Crystal that hung around her neck. She cast a neutral glance at Darian's back for several seconds before she slowly eased into the water up to her neck, apparently not concerned about the Crystal's exposure to the heated water. Mina glanced at Darian's back and sighed softly before shrugging off her robe and quickly climbing into the water. "Hey, Serena, how you doing this morning?" she asked in a cheerful but quiet tone as she moved past the winged blonde. Serena smiled and let her wings float freely on the surface of the water. "Doing a lot better than yesterday," she replied. "Great," Mina chuckled. She cast another quick glance over her shoulder at the opposite end of the hot tub before sly asking, "So how was he?" "What?" Serena said, pausing in mid-motion and giving her a startled look. "You know what I'm talking about," Mina said coyly. "We're not stupid, you know. Well, not most of us, at least," she added, casting a playful look at Leda. "Go screw yourself," Leda growled in reply. She paused for a moment and shook her head. "On second thought, don't, you'll probably enjoy it...." she said, actively ignoring the pointed look she was getting from Ami. "Hmm, interesting choice of words...." Mina said languidly. Whatever else she had to say was cut off as Leda grabbed her shoulder and promptly shoved her underwater. A profusion of bubbles immediately rose to the surface as Mina thrashed around wildly, caught off-guard by the somewhat unfriendly gesture. "Hey, hey, hey, watch the legs," Alex said sourly as she jumped back to avoid getting involved in the melee. "Come over here, your Highness, so I can start scrubbing your back and all. Any luck on that other bar of soap?" "Darian might have it," Leda grunted as she was kicked in the shin. Ami sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Just let her go," she said quietly. The brunette shrugged with indifference and backed off, resulting in a truly massive eruption of water half a second later as Mina surged to her feet. She immediately spat out a mouthful of water and greedily sucked in a fresh lungful of air, giving Leda a decidedly unamused look. "PLEAGH!" Mina gasped as she coughed for a few moments. "What the hell, you wake up on the wrong side of the cage again?" she demanded as she sank back down into the water, mindful of both her nudity and Darian's presence at the far end of the hot tub. "Settle down," Alex sighed, passing the bar of soap to Michelle before soaping up Serena's arms. "If you have a question to ask, just come out and ask it already. Damn," she fumed quietly to herself. "Darian!" Leda called out, causing Darian's head to lift up from his arms and cock at a slight angle. "You see a bar of soap around there?" All motion came to an absolute halt as Darian rose up and leaned over the edge of the fiberglass tub, presenting them with an almost complete view of his backside. He settled back into the water a moment later and tossed the small heart-shaped bar over his shoulder to land with a small splash on their side of the hot tub. "Thanks, D," Alex replied, seemingly unfazed by the image. She scooped up the rose-scented soap and held it out to the rest of the group. "Okay, who's first? Mich and I can finish with the princess while the rest of you girls sort it out.... what, why are you all looking at me like that?" "Hang on," Leda growled quietly. "I'm trying to reset my brain." "Now what?" Alex inquired in a guarded tone. Leda gave her an odd look before gesturing to Darian's back. "You have to ask?" she said incredulously. Alex blinked in surprise before her expression twisted into one of severe disbelief and contempt. "What the hell is with you today? Okay, so we got to see Darian's butt. Big deal, we all have one of those. Yeesh, grow up," she fumed as she tossed the soap at the startled brunette. Leda caught the soap by pure reflex before it could slam into her chin, pausing for several seconds before exchanging bewildered looks with the rest of the group. Mina looked back at her and shrugged helplessly while Rei's face remained utterly devoid of expression. "Okay...." Leda said slowly before she gestured to Ami. "Ami, want to go first?" Darian remained perfectly motionless as he listened to the idle chatter start back up at the far end of the hot tub, the girls starting in on another round of their usual social banter and antics. He didn't think that he would have had to stretch that far to reach the soap or he wouldn't have bothered to try. You win some, you lose some, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and went back to trying to relax. He was positioned in front of a pair of heated water jets, one directing a stream of water at his chest and the other down lower to a sensitive area. The warmth of the currents helped calm his nerves, not to mention helping him forget the earlier icy shock of hopping into the tub without taking the time to get acclimated to the room-temperature water. That had been more embarrassing than painful, but as any guy would say, any situation that results in shrinkage is never a fun one to be in. So much for discretion, he thought darkly as he heard Mina make another coy inquiry about what Serena thought of last night. The sudden silence that followed told him that the others had finally caught on to what she was asking, and the sudden lowering of voice tones told him all he needed to know. Just what I need, he sighed. Okay, so Leda basically asked me point-blank to make love to her, and of course both Rei and Susan knew what was going to happen in advance, but still.... He half-listened to the muted conversation in the background, trying to visualize what was happening without turning around. Alex and Michelle would be soaping up Serena, probably taking their time when it came to her wings. He could easily picture Leda rubbing Ami's back with the soap he had just tossed in their direction, and he could imagine Mina coming over to help while Rei just sat and floated in isolation for awhile. He sighed softly as he thought of Rei, knowing that the priestess had an incredible amount on her mind as of late. She probably wouldn't come within arm's-reach of anyone unless she had to, remaining just outside their range while trying to turn her mind inward to search for the answers to the countless questions besieging her spirit. So close to her friends, but yet so far from them at the same time.... An unexpected surge of water brought him out of his idle musing, listening carefully to determine what was going on. He heard the nearly silent sound of a towel being used, followed by decidedly wet foosteps on the bare floor that didn't sound like they travelled very far. Sounds like someone got out to grab a handful of Ether, he thought. Makes sense, grab a third bar of soap and maybe another bottle of shampoo to make it easier on everyone. In that case, she should be getting back in the tub right about.... now. His timing was off by five or six seconds, but the expected surge of water being displaced by a heavy object told him that he probably had been right in his guess. A slight chill ran down his spine as the conversation abruptly died down to a single voice. He couldn't tell if it was Alex or Leda, as it was too soft to truly make out, but it seemed a question was being asked that made the others stop and think about something. Even when whispered, it was hard to mistake Rei's voice for anyone else's. The soft reply was brief, but it was enough to produce a heavy silence for a number of seconds. A sigh of resignation finally reached his ears, followed by a muted grumble from Alex before she asked Mina a question. Why do I have a bad feeling about this? he thought to himself as he heard a series of gentle sloshing noises, slowly getting louder as the source of the disturbance approached him. The water level bobbed around him in an odd rhythm for several seconds before calming down as the movement-induced waves bounced off the edges of the tub and headed back away from him. He decided not to react when he felt a hand lightly touch his back for a number of seconds before sliding down along his spine to the water level. A series of handfuls of water were gently splashed and rubbed across his back before there was a pause and a slightly liquid sound reached his ears. He had just figured out what it was when he felt the hands return, gently spreading a layer of soap lather across the expanse of his back. He sighed very softly and held perfectly still as he allowed his visitor to wash his back, his head still in his arms and leaning on the edge of the hot tub. He held his breath for a moment as he heard a second series of sloshing noises, followed by another disturbance of the water level as someone else came over to his side of the oversized tub. He opened his eyes as there was a bit of a pause before he felt a pair of hands on each elbow, gently tugging on him and drawing him back away from the wall. Blinking in slight confusion, he cast a glance to his left to see Alex's face looking back at him with a neutral expression. Turning his attention in the other direction, he wasn't surprised in the least to see Rei standing next to him as well, the tips of her fingers still coated with the slightly pink soap lather. "Mind if we give you a hand, your Highness?" Alex asked quietly. Darian blinked in surprise before shrugging with indifference. "If you want to," he replied. "I didn't want to ruin anything, so I was just going to soak here for a few before breakfast." "Bah, don't worry about it," the blonde replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, creating a slight wave in the water. "I keep trying to tell them that this isn't anything new, but they're still getting their panties in a wad over it. You want to toss that soap over this way, hon?" she said to Rei. Rei glanced at Darian for a moment before she picked up the floating bar of red soap and wordlessly passed it to Alex. She then dipped just the tips of her fingers in the water and edged back behind him, her hands coming up to resume a series of gentle scrubbing motions up and down the length of his back. A soft grunt rose up from Alex's throat as she dunked the soap and started to work up a decent lather, producing a slight but noticeable waft of Damask rose scent. "Not in a talkative mood this morning, I see," she groused mostly to herself before she reached out and started to soap up Darian's arm. Darian sighed and held still while they worked him over. "Did that plant extract do anything for you last night, Rei?" he asked quietly, referring to the sleeping aid Susan had provided for them after dinner. "I'm not sure," Rei replied in a faintly raspy voice. "I fell asleep right away, but then the Imperium Silver Crystal woke me up in the middle of the night. I have no idea how long it took for me to shut it up and try to go back to sleep." Both Darian and Alex paused to exchange discreet glances. "Do we want to ask why it woke you up, hon?" Alex ventured in a slightly guarded tone. "Oops," Darian said in a very quiet voice, drawing an odd look from the blonde. "Rei, if it's what I think it was, I'm deeply sorry." "Don't worry about it," the priestess replied in a hollow tone. "I know how much you care about one another, and part of me is glad the two of you finally worked things out." There was a heavy sigh from Alex as she scooped up a handful of water and idly poured it across Darian's chest. "Alright, what the hell happened?" "I think you know what happened," Darian said quietly. "The Crystal reacted when Serena's soul reacted," Rei added calmly. "I don't think that was her soul that was reacting," Darian pointed out. "Oh, my god...." Alex whispered, flinching as she finally realized what they were talking about. "You mean when Darian made love to the princess.... the Imperium Silver Crystal started screaming as well?" Rei and Darian exchanged glances before they both turned a deep shade of crimson and looked away. "It wasn't a scream," Rei muttered as she resumed her task. "More like.... a series of whispers, the voices of all the personalities that comprise the collective consciousness. And yes, I knew exactly when it started and when it stopped," she sighed. "Rei?" Darian said very quietly. "I am so sorry. If I had any idea that the Crystal would have reacted like that, I probably would have waited until it was back in Serena's hands." "Don't worry about it," Rei repeated softly. "I was assured that it only reacts like that for the first time. Take her all you want, it won't ever try to tell me about it again." "Rei!" Alex said, stunned at the flatness of the statement. "Jealous?" Darian inquired calmly. Rei paused and glanced back up at him, ignoring the way Alex's jaw sagged open at the question. "You have to ask?" she replied in a neutral tone. "Well, I didn't want to make any assumptions here," he said with a slight shrug. "I'm not trying to be mean or cruel, Rei, honest. I'm just trying to figure out how exactly I'm supposed to deal with you now." There was a hollow snort from Rei as she scooped up some water and poured it across his arm. "I'm not sure you ever really knew how to before," she muttered darkly as she rinsed some of the soap suds away. Darian paused only long enough to cast a look over his shoulder at Alex to indicate she should remain silent before he reached out to Rei, grasping her wrist very gently. "Look, I really don't want us to start fighting or have any bad feelings between us," he said in a soft tone. Rei sighed quietly and closed her eyes. "Honestly, Darian? I'm not sure it can be helped at this point. I tell you that I love you, and I not only get rejected several times, but I'm later forced to basically listen to an audience all talking at once while you take Serena's virginity. I know it's not either your fault or Serena's, but it hurts like hell nonetheless." "So what am I supposed to do, Rei?" Darian replied quietly. "You are and will always be a great personal friend in my book, more so than everyone except Serena because of what you and I shared together when we were dating. If you can come up with something that will ease your pain that won't result in pain being inflicted on anyone else, name it and I'll see what I can do." A truly derisive snort rose up from Rei's chest as she leaned forward to grab the floating bar of soap. "You can do me, that might help," she said in a tone as dry as any desert. Darian blinked hard before he sighed. "You're not finished with your period yet, are you? That was crass and crude, both of which are not like you at all," he pointed out in a flat tone. "Hon, are you drunk or something?" Alex demanded. "Sleeping next to Mina give you a contact-high from whatever drugs she's usually on?" Darian blinked hard as Rei's head snapped up to give him a truly evil glare, her eyes seeming to burn with an inner fire that bordered on rage. "My period stopped yesterday," she said in a glacial tone, her hand tightening around the bar of soap hard enough to deform it. "Thank you for asking. Funny you should mention being crass and crude." "So how are the cramps that seem to be kinking your mood?" Darian asked calmly, giving her a level look. Rei's eyes narrowed dangerouly at him. "Still with me," she said flatly. "They should be leaving in a day or two. Abdominal muscles are a bit tense at the moment, but a decent heating pad and a nice massage has been known to do wonders for them." "And of course rubbing them from the inside will work a lot better than trying to rub them from the outside, right?" he asked with a faint sneer. "GODDAMMIT, DARIAN!!" Alex exploded, slamming her hand against the surface of the water and creating a small geyser. "What the hell is with the two of you today? Or do you both want to start a war up in here?" "I'm trying to decide if one has already been started," Darian muttered, never taking his eyes off of Rei's darkened expression. He reached out and ran his fingertips along the side of her face, causing her to blink in surprise. "Or is this merely a result of a bad night's sleep and a rattled cage from an unexpected reaction from intimate exposure to the Imperium Silver Crystal?" he asked in a far softer and gentler tone. "I could feel it, Darian," Rei whispered as a single tear suddenly slid down her cheek. "It's like how you feel things in a dream. I felt it from her perspective, how you entered her, the pain of being stretched too far and being torn, then being filled like I've never been filled before, over and over and over again until my senses shattered like glass. You simply can't imagine how badly I wanted you at that moment, how I would have literally done anything to feel that for myself, to feel you inside me instead of feeling you inside her in a mere dream...." Darian said nothing as he moved forward, just enough to put his arm around her shoulder and draw her into a loose but comforting hug. He blinked when she promptly latched onto him like a drowning person would hold onto a flotation ring, burying her head into the crook of his shoulder and pressing herself hard against him. The silent sobs followed a moment later, drawing a soft sigh of resignation from him. He was somewhat surprised when he felt Alex's hands on his back, picking up where Rei had left off and remaining uncharacteristically silent. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder, getting a helpless shrug in response when she finally looked up to make eye-contact with him. Not sure what else to do, he remained motionless as Alex continued to wash his back and sides even as Rei's tears dripped down the front of his chest. "Rei?" he said softly once Rei's breathing had calmed down. "There's not a lot I can do for you in that regard. I'm sorry that's the way it has to be, but I really don't have much control over it." "I know," Rei whispered very quietly in response. She tensed slightly as she felt a something brush across her back, causing her muscles to twitch in a tickle reflex. Frowning slightly, she lifted her head up to give Darian a questioning look before glancing over her shoulder. Serena gave her a gentle look as she scooped up a handful of water and poured it across the priestess' back. The two girls looked at one another in silence for several moments before they both blinked in unison, each feeling a gentle surge of energy on the inside that caused the golden crescent mark of the Moon to glow on their foreheads. As before, the sigils seemed to dim and brighten in turns, one becoming stronger before fading and allowing the other to glow prominently. Both Serena and Rei blinked again as Darian sighed and reached beneath the waterline, his hand gently brushing against Rei's breast as he carefully took hold of the stylized brooch that hung around her neck. He brought it to the surface and carefully shook the water free from it, making sure not to tug on the chain. "You could help, you know," he said quietly to the glittering gem imbedded within the brooch. "I would imagine it would if it could," a voice spoke up quietly from the edge of the silk screen partition, causing heads to whip around in surprise. Susan was leaning heavily on her staff with a weary expression on her normally youthful face. "However, I'm not sure there has ever been an instance where the power of the Crystal has been divided like this between a Crown Princess and a Regent," she continued. "Sue, are you alright?" Alex spoke up in a concerned tone. "Not to sound rude or anything, but you really don't look too good...." "It was a rough night," Susan allowed with a slight shrug of her shoulder. "I had forgotten what some brands of champange did to my demonic side, but you need not concern yourself for my well-being. Perhaps I should be asking the rest of you how you are feeling this morning," she observed, giving the scene in the hot tub a somewhat disturbed look. Rei and Serena exchanged glances for a moment before Rei sighed and looked away, her expression slipping into a mask of unreadable emotion. Serena cast a quick glance at Darian before blushing slightly, several of her wings coming forward to wrap around both him and Rei as she picked up the forgotten bar of Damask rose soap. She quickly worked up a decent lather and started to gently scrub Rei's back, drawing a surprised look from her. Darian sighed and looked down at the faintly glowing gemstone nestled in the brooch in his hand. "Let's just say that this thing is full of surprises," he said ruefully before looking back up at Susan. "And you could have warned a few of us about just how sensitive it is to emotional states," he added with a faint edge to his tone. Susan tilted her head at a slight angle as she puzzled over his meaning. Her gaze suddenly seemed to alternate between Serena, Rei, and Darian before her eyes went wide and her complexion turned pale, a look of horror briefly crossing her face before she could get her emotions back under control. "Had I remembered about.... that, your Highness," she said very slowly, "I assure you that I would have ensured that the Crystal would have been placed in Serena's care for the night. Your Excellency, I sincerely apologize for my negligence," she said as she gave Rei a deeply humbled look. "Don't worry about it," Rei replied softly. "As I told Darian, I've been given assurances by the Crystal that it won't happen again." "That what won't happen again?" Serena asked quietly, pausing her gentle scrubbing of Rei's back. It only faintly bothered her that Rei's arm was still around Darian's waist, as she knew that Darian was hers now and that she could afford to overlook minor things that could easily be discounted as things that friends do. Of course, she never thought that she'd be soaking in a hot tub with her best friends, all naked and soaping each other up in Darian's presence no less, but Darian's speech yesterday about how they were all beyond being friends or family had a very solid ring of truth to it.... She tightened her wings' grasp on Darian's arm and tugged ever so gently, trying to draw his attention over to her. She blinked as Rei untangled herself from both Darian and her wings before turning to face her, a slightly haunted look forming in her bottomless black eyes. "I know Darian made love to you last night," Rei said very quietly. "The Crystal reacted quite strongly to it, and it shared your perspective of it with me. I saw it through your eyes and felt it all just as you felt it." Serena's golden eyes promptly became as wide as dinner plates, her jaw falling open in shock and her wings twitching randomly as if she were being electrocuted. The sporadic motion ceased a moment later as her wings seemed to wilt, slowly drifting downward to float on the surface of the water like a bed of glowing seaweed. "Oh, my god...." Serena whispered, her triple-tone voice sounding oddly flat and muted. "Rei.... are you alright? That didn't hurt you, did it?" Rei blinked hard at the seemingly genuine concern, not sure what to make of it. "Not really," she said after a few moments of surprised silence. "It was.... actually pretty good," she stammered, her cheeks suddenly exploding into a violent crimson blush. "As far as losing your virginity goes," she added with distinct irony, looking away from everyone as her blush seemed to defy physics by both darkening and brightening at the same time. "Well...." Darian said slowly, his own cheeks tinted pink again. "What can I say? It's not every night you get to please two women at the same time like that...." he said, trying to inject a note of humor into the situation. It became obvious that he had chosen his words rather poorly when a pair of hands suddenly clamped around the back of his neck with the strength of steel and promptly yanked downward, plunging him beneath the surface of the water with no warning whatsoever. "I take it back," Alex said acidly as she continued to submerge Darian's head underwater. "Apparently he's just another male chauvinstic pig like the rest of his species. I can't believe he just said that...." Susan just sighed quietly. "Alexis Ten'ou, will you kindly cease and desist before you end up drowning the Crown Prince?" she said in a weary voice. "What's that, you say something?" Alex said loudly at the water as a very large bubble came up to the surface. "Talk louder, D, I can't hear you." Rei sighed quietly and cast a faintly rueful glance at Serena. "I think he said he's enjoying the view from down there," she suggested archly. Alex blinked hard and glanced down at the water, suddenly realizing just how close she was to him and where his head was in relation to the rest of her body. Muttering something toxic beneath her breath, she let go of his head and backed off, giving him room to resurface. Much to everyone's surprise, Darian remained underwater for a few more seconds before his head slowly broke the surface. He turned to one side to spit out a mouthful of water before brushing his hair out of his eyes, not seeming to be in any great hurry. He finally finished finger-combing his hair back before he took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, so I deserved that one," he said in a calm voice. "Didn't mean to trivialize the importance of this unexpected event, ladies." Rei cast a sidelong glance over her shoulder at the far end of the giant hot tub. The rest of the girls seemed to be content with minding their own business as much as possible while taking their time getting clean. That was fine with her, as it meant she only had to deal with four people at the moment instead of eight. "It was interesting," she said slowly and quietly to Serena, ignoring the others for the moment. "Am I jealous of you for being able to have him? Of course I am, I wanted him for months, and I just wish Chad could have been half as gentle with me as it seemed Darian was with you. If this is the only way I'll be able to have such memories of his touch.... well, it certainly is a lot better than nothing. I'm not going to fight you for him, Serena," she said as she stood up, her breasts rising out of the water as the waterline came to a rest a few inches above her navel. "Rei...." Serena said quietly, one wing arching up to try to wrap around her wrist. Rei brushed off the touch and turned to Darian, reaching out to take the brooch back from him and letting it dangle back down in her cleavage. She saw his gaze briefly flick downward to glance at her breasts, sending the faintest of tinges through her blood and causing her nipples to start to harden. "You and I have already talked," she said quietly to him. "So I really don't think anything more needs to be said between us." "If you insist," Darian replied, just as quietly. Rei looked at him for several moments before she glanced over to Alex. A sudden thought popped into her mind and she refocused back on Darian, one dark eyebrow arching up at him. "On second thought, perhaps there is...." she said very softly before leaning forward to whisper something in his ear. Darian blinked hard as she leaned back to study him, giving her a deeply unsettled look. "I will.... take that into consideration," he said in a very subdued tone. "Not that I'm going to consider much, mind you, but...." Both Alex and Serena blinked hard as Rei leaned forward at the waist to give him a soft kiss, effectively silencing him. "Like it matters to me at this point in time," she replied with a faint edge before she turned around to look at Susan. "Chancellor, can you find a towel for me, please?" she said as she started to get out of the water. "Of course, your Excellency," Susan said demurely as she moved to grab the nearest available towel and white robe. She waited until Rei was fully out of the hot tub before she began to towel her dry, both women seeming to ignore the collection of looks from the rest of the group. Darian blinked as Rei turned around to look at him, letting Susan dry her back while giving him a full-frontal display of her nude body. Sighing with resignation, he turned around and focused his attention on Serena, not in the least bit surprised to see a deeply upset and confused look on her face. "Don't ask," he said softly to her, pre-empting the question that was on the tip of her tongue. "I'll tell you about it later once I have it all sorted out and the headache taken care of, I promise." "Tell me about it," Alex grumbled from behind him as she furiously rubbed her sinuses. "I barely know a third of this story, and it's giving me a royal headache. No pun intended, your Highness," she added in an abashed tone. "Hey, Darian?" Leda's voice called out from the other side of the pool. "Do us a favor and study the wallpaper or something for a few? A couple of us are getting out." Darian nodded in understanding and stood up, the water coming up to his hips as he moved over to the spot he had occupied by himself before both Rei and Alex swam over to visit. He rested his arms on the edge of the tub and settled into place, a feeling of mild bliss flowing through him as he felt the gentle jet of warm water against his groin again. Even with a significant tension headache, he thought, few things can relax you faster than the feeling of warmth on the old fire engine.... He sighed quietly as he felt Serena press up against him, her arms sliding around his waist and several wings coiling around him both above and below the waterline. He reached underwater to rub his fingertips along the back of her hand in a slow and gentle rhythm. "You alright, my love?" he said quietly. "I'm confused by all this," she admitted, her voice seeming to resonate as she whispered in his ear. "I mean, I know Rei wants.... wants to make love to you, but.... I'm really worried about her. She's been acting odd for the past few days, and I think she's hiding something." "What do you mean?" he asked as a faint chill ran down his spine. He blinked and closed his eyes as he felt her lips roam across the side of his neck for a few moments, her hands gently rubbing the abdominal muscles beneath her fingertips. "I don't know," Serena admitted after a few seconds of silence. "If I had to guess.... I'd say something is hurting her. Physically," she added. "I keep getting the impression that she's in pain of some sort, and that's what's making her so.... irritable." He laughed very quietly. "Rei is like Leda in that regard, they're both easily irritated by something," he said in an amused tone. Serena giggled quietly before she ran the tip of her tongue behind his ear in a slow motion. "I mean worse than usual," she amended, her hands creeping downward until they encountered the leading edge of his pubic hair. She gently twirled her finger around to create a coil of hair and idly toyed with it, carefully listening to his breathing to see if she could detect any changes in his mood. "Hey, now," he protested very softly. "You really don't want me getting excited right now, especially with other people about." She giggled again and hummed very softly in his ear, her triple-harmonic voice producing a rather pleasing sound that sent shivers racing up and down his spine. "They already know we made love last night," she said softly, her wings gently squeezing him where they were wrapped around his arms and legs. "They don't need to be shown what it was like, which is what is going to happen if you don't quit that," he replied with audible amusement. "Mmmmmm," Serena purred very softly. She continued to toy with the coil of pubic hair before letting go and bring her hands up to rub across his chest. "If I get to make love to you again, my prince, I don't think I'd care who is around to see us," she whispered in a husky tone. "Great," he grunted in reply. "I'll have to ask Susan about finding a decent video camera, then." He paused as he noticed that she had suddenly quit breathing for a moment before he chuckled quietly. "I'm teasing, love." She let her breath out in a sigh and grumbled something to herself, her cheeks tinted pink at having her bluff called so easily. She paused as she felt another grumble in her abdomen, this one having very little to do with her desire to make love to him again. "That time of morning again?" Darian spoke up, having felt the rumbling of her stomach against his backside. "Yeah," she sighed as she let go of him and stepped back, uncoiling and trailing her wings behind her in the process. "Must be nice, having a stomach clock like that," he teased, casting an amused glance over his shoulder. He blinked hard as he could see Leda trying to towel Ami dry in the background and quickly averted his gaze before any pertinent details could register on his mind. "Leave me alone," Serena grumbled as she poked him in the back before she stood up. She paused and looked over her shoulder at her wings, studying them for several moments before carefully trying to shimmy the water from them. "Goddamn it!" Alex growled as she was splashed with droplets of water just moments after having dried herself off. "Serena, sweetheart, you know I love you, babe, but couldn't you have done that before I dried myself off?" "I'm sorry," Serena apologized with a blush as she waded over to the edge of the hot tub and climbed out, still gently shaking the water off the glowing ribbons that were her denizen wings. "Here, I've got a towel for you," Mina offered as she came forward with a towel in hand. She paused as she realized that simply wrapping the long-haired blonde in the towel wouldn't work because of her wings. "Okay, let's think about this one for a moment. Susan, you have wings, how do you usually deal with them getting in the way after a bath or the like?" Susan paused for a moment before resuming her gentle motions along Rei's legs. "To be perfectly honest, Mina, I usually absorb my wings before trying to get dressed," she said in a faintly apologetic tone. "That's not saying much," Alex muttered as she finished drying herself off for a second time and began to help dry Serena's arms, not bothering to find a second towel or a spare robe for herself. "Whoops," Mina sighed quietly. "Okay, back to Plan B. Anyone see where I left that cordless...? Nevermind," she added as she heard the sound of the hair-dryer starting up behind her. She cast a quick glance at Darian to make sure his back was still turned to the group before she looked over her shoulder to see who had her hair-dryer. "Three minutes," Leda promised as she quickly passed the business end of the device back and forth over Ami's blue hair. "Okay, I can deal with that," Mina replied with a quick bob of her head. She cast another glance over her shoulder at Darian's back before turning to Susan. "Susan, just how stable are clothes made from Ether? I know we used them to make gowns and all last night, but what about wearing that stuff on a constant basis?" A faint smile crossed Susan's lips, the first sign of positive emotion she had shown in a number of hours. "The Ether will destabilize on its own in a period of time dependent on its volume and density. However, it will certainly hold together for a few days if shaped into casual clothing. You need not be concerned about any such dissolution accidents for the present," she explained as she finished drying Rei off and headed towards the open window. Half of the group watched as she picked up the small garden hose that was hanging just inside the window. She carefully spooled a length of hose into the room and carried the nozzle end back over to where Rei was standing. "Rei, would you please focus your mind on what you would like to wear today?" Susan asked gently as she aimed the nozzle in Rei's direction. She waited until Rei nodded in reply before she squeezed the handle, spraying a light layer of the fog-like Ether over the priestess' nude body. Nobody was surprised in the least when the fog promptly congealed into the dark red pleated skirt and white ceremonial robes that Rei usually wore around her grandfather's temple. Rei carefully patted herself down to make sure it was all in place before she reached up to unbind her hair, fluffing it out and letting it spill down her back in a glossy black cascade. "Yeah, that'll work," Alex observed as she resumed drying off Serena. "Mina?" Susan said, gesturing with the nozzle in the blonde's direction. Mina cast a final glance over her shoulder at Darian's back before she slipped off the white bath robe and nodded. She waited until her body was completely engulfed in the Ether before she concentrated, willing the fog to form into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a cute pink T-shirt that had a message scrawled in a fancy blue script over her chest. A pair of ankle-high pink socks formed on her feet, each with a small red poof on the back seam. "Not even going to ask," Leda said with a shake of her head as she cast a quick glance at what was written on the shirt. "Huh?" Alex said as she paused. She squinted to make out the words from halfway across the room. "I'm sexy? No duh!" she read aloud, adding a snort of contempt at the end. "Yeah, real cute, hon." Mina giggled and winked at her. "Well, it was either that, or 'Objects beneath this shirt are larger than they appear,'" she said with an impish grin. "So much for truth in advertising," Leda grumbled quietly before she ran her fingertips through Ami's hair and shut the hair-dryer off. "Okay, Ami, I think you're pretty much finished now." Leda stepped back as the slow-moving stream of Ether emerged from the end of the nozzle and drifted over to where Ami was. The brunette watched in mild curiosity as the fog swirled around Ami for several seconds before finally coalescing into a dark blue blouse and skirt, both dotted with tiny adornments in the shape of miniature snowflakes. A pair of dark blue nylon stockings formed along her slender legs, also dotted with tiny white speckles. "Going for the wintered-over look again, babe?" Alex spoke up as Ami ran her fingertips through her medium-blue hair and gave Leda a grateful look. Ami paused for a moment before she glanced down and shrugged absently. "I happen to like snow and winter," she said in a neutral tone. "Trust us, babe, we know," Alex said with a faint smirk. She blinked and looked over Ami's shoulder before sighing quietly. "Mich, honey, c'mon. We know you just love water and all, but it's time to quit playing in the tub. It will still be there later in the evening for an after-dinner soak, I promise." "Alright," Michelle sighed quietly as she rose up out of the water. She paused to let it cascade off of her body before starting to climb out, abruptly freezing in mid-motion before casting a horrified glance at the end of the hot tub. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as she realized that Darian wasn't looking at her and quickly climbed out, grabbing the nearest towel she could reach and wrapping it around herself. "Alex?" Susan prompted, aiming the Ether hose in her direction. "Give me a moment, your Highness," Alex said to Serena as she took a step back, making sure Susan had a clear line of sight and couldn't accidentally hit any of Serena's ribbon-like wings. The fog seemed to shape itself the moment it hit her body, forming into a pair of gray sweatpants with a matching tank top that left her both barefoot and showing an impresive amount of muscle on both arms. "Thanks, Sue," she said as she moved back over next to Serena to resume helping her finish drying off. "So what's for breakfast?" Mina inquired idly, impatiently toying with a lock of her hair as she waited for Leda to finish blow-drying her own hair. "I'm thinking," Leda replied as she fluffed out her hair. "I don't recall seeing any cereal in the cabinet earlier, but I really wasn't paying too close attention at the time." "Leda?" Darian spoke up. "You got a moment?" Leda paused and turned off the hair-dryer, giving his back a surprised look. "Sure, hang on a sec," she said as she gestured to Mina with the dryer. "Trade you, this for that," she offered, pointing to the white robe on the ground next to her feet. "Deal," Mina said as she scooped up the robe and tossed it over to the brunette. Leda caught it with her free hand and gently chucked the hair-dryer over to the waiting blonde, already putting the robe on before it landed in Mina's waiting hands. "Leda, perhaps...." Susan started to say, holding up the Ether hose for emphasis. "It can wait," Leda interrupted her as she padded over to where Darian was and squatted down, making sure to keep the robe neatly tucked in front of her. "So what's on your mind?" she asked quietly. She blinked and cocked her head to one side as he rose up out of the water just enough to whisper in her ear, seemingly unaware of the slightly wide-eyed looks his movements drew from the rest of the group who could see his backside again. "Well," Mina muttered quietly to Ami and Michelle as she turned away with a fierce blush on her cheeks. "At least he keeps himself in shape...." "Yeah, we can probably do that," Leda replied as Darian sank back down into the water. "Might have to ask Susan to make a quick trip to Earth to raid the cooking cabinets, but that shouldn't be any trouble at all." "Thank you," Darian replied with a nod of his head. "Heh," Leda chuckled as she stood up. "Don't worry, Darian, I've got your back on this one," she added with a wink and a knowing smile. She moved away from him and made sure he had returned his focus away from the group before she removed the robe and cast it aside. "Okay, Sue, let's see what I can find in the closet today," she said, holding her arms away from her body. "Let's hope it's better than some of the things I've seen hanging in your closet," Mina muttered as Susan sprayed Leda with a thin layer of Ether. Leda cast a guarded look over at the blonde as the fog formed into a pale green dress with short sleeves. "Mina, I know you're not talking trash about my wardrobe, as I've seen you come out of the mall carrying stuff you couldn't pay me to wear," she growled as a pair of soft green socks formed on her feet. "Like what?" Mina challenged. "That purple dress with the green glitter on the shoulders, for one," Leda promptly replied. "You know, sleeves out to here, but with the hem this high up?" she said, making a gesture that was barely below her groin. Mina sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "That wasn't for me, you goof, that was for a friend. Honestly, you know I have better fashion sense than that. The only reason I even got it was because she wanted it and I was able to get it at an eighty-percent discount that day. Rei, what are you doing?" "Move," Rei said as she grabbed the end of the silk screen partition and started to drag it around, pivoting it at the other end to rotate it ninety degrees to form a barrier that divided the room in two. "Hey, careful," Alex protested as both she and Serena edged out of the way. "What are you trying to do with that, anyway?" Rei set the partition back down and glanced over at her. "Giving Darian some privacy to get out and dry off," she said tartly. "Or do you think he's going to just climb out on his own with all of us standing around here?" "Well, she has a point," Mina observed lightly with a shrug before she thumbed the switch on the hair-dryer and started directing the heated air back and forth over her waist-length blonde hair. "Umm.... thank you," Darian said hesitantly, not sure if he could look over his shoulder yet to see what was going on. "Michelle, why don't you finish drying off over there?" Mina suggested with a wave of her free arm. "That way, Darian can sneak out of the tub over on that side without having to worry about any bad angles." Darian paused and counted to twenty before risking a quick glance over his shoulder. He breathed a silent sigh of relief as he saw only the broad expanse of the silk-screen partition and a couple of very indistinct shadows cast on it. Standing up, he shook the worst of the water off of himself and climbed out of the hot tub, looking around for a towel or a robe he could use. "Umm," he started to say. "Catch," Leda said, moments before a towel came sailing over the top of the partition. "Thanks," Darian said as he caught it. He had to stretch to grab it, causing him to momentarily lose his balance and windmill his free arm for an instant. He glanced up at the partition with a faint blush, grateful for the fact that nobody saw the rather ungraceful movement. "Hold still, Serena," Mina said as she turned the hair-dryer on maximum and began to play it back and forth along her wings. "Ooo!" Serena yelped, arching her back in a reflex. She sighed blissfully a moment later and began to coo very quietly to herself, obviously savoring the warmth of the air current flowing over the surface of her wings. "That good, eh, your Highness?" Alex observed with a faint grin. "Very much so," Serena purred quietly. "Michelle, are you ready?" Susan inquired as she pointed the hose over at her. She received a nod in reply and squeezed the handle, directing a small jet of Ether over in her direction. She nodded in approval as the fog formed into a casual aquamarine blouse and skirt with matching stockings. "Thank you," Michelle said with a grateful smile. "Looks good, love," Alex said. "Now, that just leaves our little glowing firefly here...." "Hey, I've got an idea," Mina said coyly as she moved over next to Serena and started whispering into her ear. It took several seconds to explain it all, accompanied by a few hand gestures that raised several eyebrows among the rest of the group. The end result was a rather delicate blush on Serena's cheeks and a protracted stretch of silence before she nodded in understanding. "You don't have to if you don't want to," Mina reminded her. "It's just an idea, nothing more." "I know," Serena replied, her blush darkening a shade as she cast a quick glance at the partition. "But I don't think anyone will mind...." "Oh, lord," Leda said in a guarded tone. "When blondes conspire...." "Excuse me," Alex huffed. "I must admit to feeling a modest degree of trepidation at the moment myself," Susan spoke up in a slightly dry tone. "Do I want to ask?" Darian's voice drifted over the partition. "You'll find out soon enough," Mina called back with an impish grin before she turned to Serena. "Whenever you're ready, girl." "Your Highness?" Susan prompted gently, raising the Ether hose a fraction of an inch to indicate she was ready. The blush on Serena's cheeks darkened another shade as she glanced to her sides to make sure nobody was too close to her. Taking a deep breath, she flicked her wings completely behind her and nodded to Susan, focusing her mind on the image that Mina had concocted for her. She had a few cosmetic changes in mind, but the end result would still essentially be the same. Everyone waited with a slight degree of tension and anticipation as the Ether swirled around the winged princess, everyone but Mina wondering what the final form would be. The fog finally congealed and solidified after what felt like a minor eternity, causing the entire group to blink hard in unison. The Ether around her legs had formed into a pair of light pink and almost perfectly transparent pantaloons from her hips to her ankles, puffed out just slightly at the joints. A shoulder harness of sorts formed around her upper body, encasing her arms from her wrists up to her shoulders in another puffy cocoon of light pink and extremely see-through fabric. Both sets of material were slit lengthwise and ran the entire length of her arms and legs, leaving narrow but discernable gaps between the edges of the cuts. Two bands of sheer fabric coiled around her waist and rose up to cross over her breasts, one band pale pink and the other a very light shade of yellow. The dual layer of fabric created a slight distortion effect, but did little to prevent the pale circles of her areolae from being seen through the material. "Serena!!" Ami gasped in shock, her eyes widening significantly. "Very interesting, your Highness," Susan said, tilting her head slightly. "Hot damn," Alex whistled softly, her eyebrows arched clear up to her hairline. "All you'd need is a veil and you'd look like.... mmphgh?" she said as a hand clamped around her mouth. "Don't spoil the surprise," Mina said quietly, giving her a wink. She looked back at Serena and shook her head in awe, knowing that was what she had in mind but not realizing that Serena looked *that* good in the sheer harem outfit. The spectral nature of her wings only added to the sense of unearthly beauty, suggesting that she could offer more than just forbidden delights. "Well, that was unexpected," Leda commented, openly studying Serena's blushing figure. "Tell you what, Serena.... if that doesn't draw a reaction, I honestly don't know what will. Speaking of which.... you dry yet, Darian?" "Maybe," Darian's voice came back in a distinctively guarded tone. "What a wuss," Alex grumbled quietly to herself as she walked over to Susan and grabbed the hose from her. "C'mon, D, quit playing with yourself and just hold still," she said as she walked around the edge of the partition. "Hey, hey, HEY!!" Darian protested sharply before there was a soft whoosh of Ether being dispensed from the nozzle. The rest of the group traded weary looks of resignation before seeming to collectively sigh in unison. "Men," Alex grumbled as she came back around the partition and handed the hose back to Susan. "Can't do a damn thing by themselves anymore." Heads turned as a slightly flushed Darian came around the silk-screen barrier, wearing a casual T-shirt and comfortable jeans with the towel draped over one shoulder. He briefly scanned the room and came to a dead halt the instant his eyes landed on Serena, his irises widening dangerously. "Yeah, that's what we said," Leda said with a faint smirk. "Serena?" Darian said very slowly. Serena giggled quietly and shivered her wings for a few seconds. "Well, it seemed like a good idea," she murmured as a delicate blush quickly spread across her cheeks. Darian glanced up and down at her barely-covered body for several seconds before looking over at the rest of the group in stunned disbelief, seeming to be at a loss for words. "Don't look at me," Leda said with a helpless shrug. "I know I wouldn't look that good wearing something like that. Hell, I don't think anyone else would be able to achieve the same effect," she added, casting a quick glance around the room. "Rei might," Darian said quietly, causing the priestess to blink hard in surprise. "But be that as it may.... Serena.... all I can say is you're simply beautiful," he said, shaking his head slightly as he tried to throw off the mind-numbing effects of her stunning and unearthly beauty. "Thank you," Serena said softly as she drew close to him, leaning up to kiss him as her wings enveloped him in a gentle embrace. "Breathe," Mina said quietly as she poked Ami in the shoulder, almost causing her to hit the ceiling. "Take it easy, girl, there's nothing wrong with teasing the hell out of your boyfriend like that." Ami blinked hard and gave her a decidedly unsettled look. "Late at night when you're getting ready for bed and it's just the two of you alone, maybe," Ami countered very quietly. "But not surrounded in public by your friends." Mina sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "We need to loosen you up a little," the blonde grumbled softly. "I think she looks incredibly beautiful," Michelle spoke up as she watched Darian and Serena continue to kiss. "I mean, I personally would have suggested a darker shade of fabric so it wasn't so easy to see through it, and I don't think anyone would consider wearing that in public, but if all you're doing is spending the day lounging around in the bathhouse or the royal suites, I don't see much of a problem with it." Darian smiled warmly as the kiss was finally broken for air. "I figured I would take a shot at making breakfast this morning. With Leda's help, of course, just so I don't burn anything, but I thought I'd try to come up with something special for you," he said softly. "Darian, I'd love that," Serena whispered with a soft smile of her own. "Thank you." He chuckled quietly and kissed her hand. "Maybe you should wait and see what I come up with first," he teased dryly. "I know how to cook for myself, but I'll be the first to admit that my standards are fairly typical for a guy who usually only cooks for himself." "That's what I'm here for," Leda spoke up as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged gently. "Like I said, I've got your back. Now let's get going, I think I can hear her stomach rumbling from here." "Leda!" Serena gasped, giving her a decidedly amused look. "C'mon, kids, go cook," Alex said, making a shooing motion towards the kitchen. "I don't care if you can hear her stomach or not, I know I'm starting to get hungry. Besides, we need to figure out what we're going to do today. Oh, good morning," she added as she saw motion coming down the hallway. "Fair morning, child," Master Healer Maq'i said as she slowly entered the room wearing one of the soft white bath robes. "I trust the rest of you slept well last night?" There was a sudden silence as awkward glances were exchanged between the rest of the group before Leda chuckled quietly. "You probably don't want to ask that question, as you're liable to get six different answers. We're all fine, Maq'i, honest. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make sure Darian doesn't have a blonde moment in the kitchen this morning...." "Excuse me," Mina interrupted in a faintly edged tone. "That reminds me," Susan spoke up as Darian and Leda headed into the kitchen to start breakfast. "I was able to dislodge the worst of the bread dough from the water pipes, but the smell will take a considerable amount of time to fully dissapate. The shower is now available for personal use, but I do not recommend attempting to do so for a number of hours." "Thanks, Sue," Alex said with a faint blush on her cheeks, glancing over at Mina to see an identical blush on her fellow blonde's face. "Excuse me, dear child, but why are you.... dressed like that?" Maq'i asked Serena in a slightly cautious tone as she gently took hold of her wrist. A pale white glow infused itself into Serena's skin beneath the Healer's hand as she used her healing powers to briefly examine Serena's overall health. The blush on Serena's cheeks immediately darkened by several shades as she held still, allowing the denizen physician to examine her. "Well.... it was Mina's idea...." she hedged. "Oh, come on, Serena," Mina replied with a patient sigh. "Yeah, okay, so I thought that since Darian was supposed to be Arabic that you'd make a cute couple if you were all dressed up as a harem girl. You're the one who made the conscious decision to shape the Ether like that, so don't try to pin the blame on me." "Interesting," Maq'i said very quietly before she looked up at Serena. "Your Highness, would you mind if I conducted a more in-depth examination for a few minutes? Nothing is wrong, dear child, I assure you," she added. Serena paused for a moment before nodding her assent. "Sure." "If I may, Master Healer?" Susan spoke up carefully. "Perhaps you should examine the Princess over there where the screen can offer some privacy," she said, gesturing with the Ether hose to the partition. "At the same time, you should be able to be dressed in something more comfortable than a simple robe. Ami, would you be kind enough to assist her and show her how the Ether works?" she said, turning to the blue-haired girl and offering her the garden hose. Ami blinked in surprise and cast a quick glance at Maq'i, getting a soft chuckle and a nod in response. "I know you are the equivalent of a medical student, child, I don't mind your presence as an observer," the elderly woman said in a gentle voice. "And I don't believe your princess does either." "Of course not," Serena replied with a smile. "Okay, Sue, question for you," Alex said as the three women went around the edge of the partition with the Ether hose in tow. "What exactly are we supposed to do today? I mean, I know Serena's here to rest and heal and the like.... not that she seems injured or anything, but still...." Susan absently picked her staff up from where it had been leaning against the edge of the partition, startling the rest of the group who hadn't been aware of its presence. "Well," the succcubus said slowly, obviously thinking as she rested most of her weight against the staff. "I intended to spend at least part of the day telling Serena about what I knew of how she came to be. Depending on how often I am interrupted or breaks need to be taken, it should take the better part of the day. As for what lies after that.... well, I am quite open to suggestion at this point." "Practice," Alex said instantly as she started flexing arms. "I woke up with a few kinks in my sword arm, and I know it's been a few days since I had a serious chance to sit down and get in a decent workout." "Uh-oh," Mina said very quietly to Rei. "The vibe sensor is starting to peg in the red zone all of a sudden...." "That might actually be a good idea, Alex," Susan said with a slow nod of understanding. "In fact, given the rather elastic and mutable nature of this demiplane, it should be a very simple matter to construct a suitably dynamic training environment." Rei and Mina exchanged slightly worried glances, knowing what Luna tended to put them through as training when she felt that they weren't keeping the proverbial edge honed just right. The realization that Susan had probably been the black cat's instructor hit them both at the same instant, producing almost simultaneous heavy sighs of resignation. "Cool," Alex said with a smug grin. "I've been meaning to find a good excuse to toss Leda around for a few. At least this way it'll stay friendly for the most part." "Or so you hope," Rei muttered beneath her breath, drawing knowing looks from both Mina and Michelle. "Just remember," Mina spoke up in a faintly edged tone of warning, "What comes around, goes around. Usually with compounded interest," she added. "Heh," the blonde Viking chuckled as she flexed her sword arm, making the muscles bulge impressively. "Don't worry, honey, I'll go easy on you." "What flavor should we make the mattress?" Mina countered with a sly look. "I figured you'll be ending up face-down on it quite often, so I want to make it as comfortable for you as possible...." "Mina!" Ami's voice could be heard on the other side of the partition, followed by a hearty laugh from Alex. "I like that one, hon," Alex chuckled. Rei and Michelle exchanged weary looks before shaking their heads to themselves. They all blinked at the soft whooshing sound of Ether being dispensed before Ami came out from behind the partition, carefully coiling the hose up into a loop as she went. Maq'i and Serena stepped out a few moments later, both looking slightly embarrassed for some reason. Maq'i was wearing a variation of the simple white robe she had worn last night, a sawtooth pattern of red triangles lining the cuffs and edges of her sleeves and hem. A hood was neatly folded at the base of her neck, also decorated by the sawtooth pattern around the edges. "I thought so!" Mina suddenly exploded without warning, jabbing a finger forward to point at Maq'i and startling Michelle hard enough to elicit a very sharp whimper from her. "White Mage!" "Wait, what?" Alex demanded, lowering her hand from the hilt of her Soul Saber where she had grabbed it entirely by reflex. "Is something wrong?" Maq'i asked in a very cautious tone. "All last night, something about the design of your robe was bugging the hell out of me," Mina babbled at a rapid pace. "I finally realized what it was just now. That design is the same pattern used by the White Mage class in the Final Fantasy series of console games!" "Huh?" Serena gasped, turning to look closely at Maq'i's robe. Her eyes went wide a moment later as hit her. "Wow, you're right!" "Perhaps you should slow down and explain it a little further," Susan suggested carefully. "What exactly are you talking about?" Mina took a deep breath and rubbed her temples, visibly trying to keep her temper under control. "Okay, there is a series of console games for various platforms called the Final Fantasy series, put out by a company that is partly based in Japan and partly based in America. In the games, which up until yesterday I believed were purely fictional, there usually exists some type of magic-using character who specializes in healing magic, the White Mage. And in a few of them, including in the original Final Fantasy, the robes worn by the White Mage looked exactly, and I mean *EXACTLY* like that," she said, pointing a finger at Maq'i's red-on-white robes. "Coincidence?" Susan inquired in a perfectly neutral tone. Mina shot her a dark look. "I might believe once is a pure coincidence. Okay, so the red triangle thing is a simple enough pattern, let's chalk it up as just sheer luck. You weren't with us when we ran into the chocobo, so I'd like to hear your explanation for that one. Twice? Again, maybe. Okay, then what about the lightsaber?" she added as she dug around inside her Lunar Space pocket to bring out the hilt of her borrowed plasma sword. "This a coincidence too? Sorry, demon, where I come from, it's three strikes and you're out, and this White Mage thing is most definitely the third one across the plate in my book," she finished flatly. Susan paused to digest that and regarded Maq'i carefully. "Very well. Just for the sake of argument, let us presume that you are correct and that there is a direct correlation between those events. Extrapolate for me the significance of the correlation," she instructed. "It means the Negaverse has been tampering with our world," Mina growled. She paused for a moment and cast a neutral look at Maq'i. "Don't take any of this personally, Master Healer, I know you have nothing to do with this. I'm just going to vent in general terms for a few, that's all." "I understand, child," Maq'i replied with a nod. "I must admit that I am not entirely comfortable with the notion of any cultural interference, should that be proven to be the case." "Continue, please," Susan said gently to Mina. "I think this one is pretty obvious, you know," Mina sighed and she looked up at the ceiling. "If we start finding all sorts of instances in our world of things and events and the like that just *happen* to be found in the Negaverse in some way, shape, or form, wouldn't that mean that our culture as a whole has been toyed with? Used as some grand xeno-social experiment? We already know they've been trying to blend in for a number of years now. At least two, since that's when I first ran into those bastards back in England," she added with a sour huff. "Artemis and I never figured out just how long they had been there before they started causing trouble." "In Liverpool, I presume?" Susan inquired in a neutral tone, drawing a decidedly sharp look from Mina. "Yeah, something like that," the blonde said very slowly in an extremely suspicious tone. "You know, something tells me that you know far more about this one than you've let on as of late, especially for someone who supposedly just got into town a few days ago and didn't know who Sailor V was until I said something to you about it. I don't suppose you have anything to add about what went down in jolly old England, hmm?" Susan shook her head sadly. "I only know what you've told me, Mina, and from reading a newspaper article dating back to roughly the same time period." "Right...." Mina said slowly, casting an unfriendly look over her shoulder as Ami nudged her in the shoulder. "What?" "You're overlooking one possible explanation," Ami said, seeming to choose her words with care. "In all instances, these events have ocurred within the entertainment industry. While it may be possible that the concepts and ideas are of denizen origin, it could be a denizen agent simply looking for a way to blend in and earn money working as a creative designer. That in of itself wouldn't necessarily mean that an effort has been made to tamper with our way of life or otherwise unduly influence it." "That's still a cross-culture contamination," Mina growled. "With what social impact?" Ami persisted, causing Mina to pause for a moment to think carefully. "That which is fantasy can be disregarded as just that, fantasy. I find it rather disturbing myself to think about it, but I'm not about to start second-guessing everything about our world just yet." "You also have to keep in mind one thing," Rei spoke up calmly. "Not all cross-culture contact is bad. I believe Serena is a perfect case-in-point," she said, turning to look at the blonde girl with glowing ribbon-like wings. "Ooooh," Mina said quietly, wincing as she remembered her comment about contamination. "Yeah, good point. Serena, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to try to suggest anything bad...." Serena sighed very quietly and looked down at her hands, studying the highly refractive properties of her diamond-like fingernails. "Even after hearing about it from my parents, I never truly thought of myself as having denizen blood. At least, not until yesterday," she added in a soft whisper. Everyone looked up as there was a very faint whispering sound, blinking hard as a canopy of darkness unfurled behind Susan. Her wings took shape an instant later, fluttering slightly before folding neatly against her back. The damage from the encounter with the succubus two days ago seemed to have healed completely without any trace of scars or other marks. "If anyone understands the implications of having mixed blood, it is I," Susan said very softly, deliberately flexing her wings. "You must not ever consider yourself to be a result of 'cross-cultural contamination,' as Mina so tactlessly phrased it," she said, causing the blonde to cringe again. "What you are is the loving union of two worlds, given life by two people who loved each other very much. That the union turned out to be fruitful was very much a surprise, granted, but that did nothing to lessen the desire for your birth or reduce the love your mother had for you. My mother was just as surprised by her pregnancy, but I have never doubted for an instant that I was welcome in her life and the reality of her world. And so it must be the same with you, your Highness. Your body is both human and denizen, but your heart will always remain what you will it to be, and only you can ever change that." Serena blinked and looked down at her nails for a moment before she lifted her head back up with a soft smile. "Thank you, Chancellor," she said as she moved forward to hug her, gently wrapping her angelic wings around Susan's demonic wings in an unconscious gesture. Susan seemed to return the gesture in kind, her wings arching forward to carefully surround Serena in a leathery shroud that couldn't conceal the glow of her wings. Rei and Mina exchanged glances before the blonde shrugged. "I'd love to have a picture of this," she murmured very quietly. "An angel hugging a demon. That'd give the Archbishop of Canterbury a Maalox moment to remember...." "Mina," Ami sighed quietly, gently poking her in the back in the general area where her kidneys were. She blinked as her vampiric hearing picked up a very distinctive rumbling sound, causing her to blink at the volume. "Hey, Darian?" Alex called out over her shoulder as a very embarrassed Serena pulled away from a visibly amused Susan. "You might want to hurry up with breakfast. You know how the Princess gets when she's hungry...." "Yeah," Mina sighed quietly to a faintly blushing Michelle. "Things are definitely starting to get back to normal around here...." * * * * "Ooo, what's that smell?" Alex drooled as a decidedly savory aroma wafted around the banquet room the moment the corridor quit rotating and came to a rest on their level. They were all sitting down at the large table and were awaiting the arrival of the breakfast cart with varying degrees of hunger. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Mina said as she bolted upright, sniffing the air intently. "Tell me that's not what I think it is...." "That depends," Darian said as he and Leda rolled a pair of covered carts over to the table. He moved his cart over between Serena and Ami while Leda rolled her cart over to where Alex and Michelle were. "First things first," he said as he whisked the cover off and picked up a large plate. "Mmm, pancakes," Serena said, her eyes lighting up. Her eyes promptly doubled in diameter as the smell registered on her nose, staring hard at the tiny flecks imbedded within the thick, fluffy pancakes. "Chocolate pancakes," Darian explained as he set the chocolate-chipped breakfast in front of her, causing the rest of the table to sit up in almost perfect unison. The pancakes were covered in a thin layer of what appeared to be whipped cream liberally covered in rainbow-colored chocolate sprinkles. He set a small squeeze bottle filled with a thick and decidedly viscous syurp next to her plate and popped the top open. "With hot fudge chocolate syrup, and I do mean very hot, so be careful." "What the hell...?" Alex breathed quietly in surprise. "Your Highness, that might be a bit much at this hour," Susan cautioned. Serena looked up at him, her lower lip quivering slightly and a single tear forming in her eyes as she gave him a starry look. She tried to think of something to say when he leaned forward, giving her a gentle kiss. "I know you love chocolate, my beloved," he murmured softly. "And after all we've been through together recently, I figured you deserved to be indulged a little bit. Hope you like them." "I love you...." Serena whispered as she shifted her attention down to the chocolate-chip pancakes, doing her best not to openly drool with anticipation. Mina cleared her throat gently, her eyes riveted to Serena's plate as she watched the long-haired blonde reach for the chocolate syrup. "Darian, old friend, you are going to hook up the rest of the team with some of that, aren't you?" she inquired slowly, also trying not to drool at the thought of being able to have chocolate like that for breakfast. "Nah, I thought I'd make you suffer," Darian said casually as he carried a plate over and set it down in front of her. "Here's your tofu. Enjoy." The horror was quite visible as it passed across Mina's face for all of a quarter-second before she realized that there was more of the chocolate-chip pancakes on her plate. She breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to give him a very solid kiss before she sat back down and quickly attacked the decidedly warm mass of chocolate and sugar. "You're welcome," Darian said dryly as he went back to the cart and began to pass out more of the pancakes to that side of the table. Leda had already taken the cover off of her cart and was likewise busy sharing the chocolate pancakes with the rest of the group. "Easy," Leda chuckled as Michelle's gaze tracked the movement of the plate with an intensity that bordered on the fanatical. She set it down in front of her and carefully backed off, half-expecting the pancakes to be attacked with ferocity at any moment now. "Thank you," Michelle whispered very quietly as she reached for her knife and fork, unconsciously licking her lips. She paused in mid-motion and glanced to her side as she heard a hard snicker, giving Alex a dubious look. "Don't mind me, hon," Alex continued to chuckle. "You just go on ahead and enjoy your chocolate chips." "Leda explained to me how giving chocolate to a denizen was not an overly wise idea outside of controlled conditions," Darian said to Maq'i as he brought another plate over to her. "However, blueberries are both safe for and rather delicious to denizens, so she mixed up a batch of blueberry pancakes for you and anyone else who doesn't feel like eating chocolate at this hour." "Thank you, dear child," Maq'i said as the plate was set in front of her. She paused for a moment before looking up at him with a deeply curious look. "If I may ask from a purely medical standpoint, what exactly is the nature of the hazard that chocolate poses to my kind?" Darian blinked and cast a sidelong glance over his shoulder at Leda before he leaned over and whispered a brief explanation in her ear. A delicate white eyebrow rose up in response as the ancient Healer gave him an intrigued look, tilting her head at a slight angle. "Really...." she said with deliberate slowness. "So I've been led to believe," Darian replied in a neutral tone. "And the effect is the same on women as well as men?" Maq'i inquired with what seemed to be genuine interest. Darian blinked again and edged to one side, casting a questioning look at Ami. Ami blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in attention and exchanged glances with Mina, getting a helpless shrug in response. "I would imagine so," she said in a careful tone. "The only ones who might be able to answer that for you are Whisper and Ra'vel, and I'm not sure Ra'vel would count since she's an avian. I never thought to ask Whisper about it, but I know she's tried some of Mina's chocolate on several occasions." "Very interesting," Maq'i said, mostly to herself. "Here's a disturbing thought," Darian said quietly to Ami as he passed her on his way back to the breakfast cart. "I know chocolate doesn't exist in the Negaverse, at least not in the form we know it, but what if it ends up being the denizen equivalent of Viagra? Can you imagine the social and economic benefit it could have if we started a small business exporting chocolate to the Negaverse? It just might end up keeping certain people like Rune busy enough to leave us alone...." "Darian!" Ami gasped, her cheeks suddenly turning bright red. Next to her, Mina came dangerously close to inhaling her forkful of chocolate pancake down the wrong pipe as she burst into a fit of coughs. Darian chuckled quietly and gave her a wicked smile. "Hey, it's just a thought. You want chocolate or blueberry?" Ami blinked for a moment before casting a sidelong glance at the chocolate residue on Serena's plate that was all that remained of her first helping of the breakfast pancakes. "Blueberry," she said in a weary tone. "I'm not sure I want to risk having to fight Serena for the chocolate ones. Or Mina," she added, glancing over her shoulder as Mina downed an entire glass of water in just under three seconds, still spluttering slightly. "Take your pick," Leda said to Alex as she held her hand over her cart. "Blueberry," Alex said, casting another amused glance at Michelle just as she took a humongous bite of the chocolate-chip pancakes. "Fruit is always good for you, and like Ami said, I'd rather not have to fight anyone over the other kind." Leda chuckled and plunked a plate of blueberry pancakes down in front of the blonde Viking. "I figured as much. Here you go. Susan?" "Blueberry, if you please," Susan replied calmly with a faint smile. "I am not nearly as inclined to indulge myself with chocolate in the morning as her Highness is. Nor should we let her become too over-indulged," she added, giving Darian a mild look. "All things in moderation, Prince Darian." "Including moderation," Darian replied calmly as he reached down to gently squeeze Serena's shoulder. "Relax, Susan, this is just one of those rare special occasion deals." He paused and glanced down at Serena's plate before sighing very quietly to himself. "Want some more, I take it?" he asked in a muted tone. "Please," Serena replied with a large smile, giving him a warm look. Leda just shook her head as she pushed her cart over to where Rei was. "Didn't take long for Serena to get him paper-trained," she muttered quietly, drawing a startled look from the priestess. "Which one you want, Rei?" Rei blinked and thought for several seconds before sighing quietly. "I'll go with the blueberry," she said softly. "Chocolate really isn't my thing. At least, not for breakfast," she amended. "Tell me about it," Leda chuckled as she handed Rei a plate of blueberry pancakes and set the last bottle of maple syrup on the table. "I figured that would be the case, so I made sure we had more blueberry pancakes then chocolate ones. Not that I expect they'll last long," she added ruefully as she took a seat with a plate of blueberry pancakes for herself. "Heh," Alex chuckled quietly as she leaned over to whisper in Michelle's ear. "Chocolate pancakes for breakfast as a special occasion? If that happens every time he gets laid, you'll probably get sick of them within a week...." Michelle didn't even bother turning to look at her. She reached out with her hand to deliver a very solid open-handed smack to the center of Alex's forehead, rocking her back in her seat. She waited until Alex had recovered before turning to give her a truly glacial glare, her cheeks burning a very vivid shade of crimson with embarrassment. "Umm, is everything alright over there?" Mina called out, giving them a look of guarded curiosity. "Peachy, babe," Alex grumbled back in a subdued tone as she focused her attention on her pancakes, a faint blush of shame spreading across her cheeks. "If only I could discipline her as effectively as Michelle can," Susan mused to herself as she sipped on her mug of English Breakfast tea, a faint smile forming on her lips as her mood finally started to lighten. * * * * "Come on, you p'tai, work with me," she grumbled as she continued to yank hard on the wrench with both hands. She could feel it give ever so slightly with each forceful tug, fueling her determination to work the jammed cylinder free without resorting to calling for backup. "You want help?" a gruff voice called from somewhere behind her. "I got it," she growled back as she paused to readjust her grips on the wrench, the hood, and the frame of the ground vehicle. She was essentially topless, as were all the women in the construction bay, wearing only a pair of steel-toed work boots and a coarse but sturdy pair of overalls that somehow managed to keep her large breasts confined. Six massive tentacles sprouted from her bare back, arranged in pairs to either side of her spine and comprised of nothing but muscle. Each was easily a good five feet long and around eight inches in circumference, ending in a slightly bulbous pad that was somewhat prehensile. She was using two of her tentacles to hold up the hood of the vehicle while she worked on it and was using the other four to brace herself. Taking a deep breath, she got as firm a grip on the chassis as she could and brought both legs up to brace against the front of the grill, leaning forward to make sure she had a solid grip on the wrench before putting her full weight behind a series of yanks that bounced the vehicle on its front tires. "Easy, Chief," the other woman cautioned as she continued to hold onto a truly heavy chain block-and-tackle lift that kept another vehicle's engine suspended in place. She was close to seven feet tall and was physically built like an ogre, which did very little to accent any lingering trace of feminine beauty she might have had at one point in her life. She was wearing a pair of overalls identical to the other woman, the front flap of the material likewise strained to the breaking point over her chest where her sizable breasts were locked in competition with her massive pectoral muscles for space. In the open engine block in front of her, a thick pink goo was moving back and forth as it tried to secure all the joints so that the nearly half-ton engine didn't have to be held up by someone. There was a heavy squeal of metal as the cylinder finally gave way, the sudden change of momentum almost throwing Master Chief Octane onto her butt. She quickly put her feet back down on the ground and released her four-point grip on the vehicle chassis, allowing her to steady herself before standing up with the wrench in one hand and the jammed cylider in the other. "Aha!" she said in triumph. "Got the little rakketh." "The smallest victories are usually the important ones," the woman in the far corner said demurely behind her welder's helmet. Like the others, she too wore only a pair of boots and an open-backed pair of overalls, exposing the silky-smooth and utterly flawless skin of her back and shoulders. She held a metal plate over a large gash in the sheet of metal in front of her and brought her free hand up, a small arc of plasma emerging from her exposed fingertip where she had cut the tips off of the heavy welder's gloves she wore. She carefully fusion-welded the patch to the metal sheet before taking a step back to wait, content to let the weld to cool before inspecting it. "Thank you, T'Del," Octane said with a chuckle. "No need to make some victories harder than necessary," the hulking brute holding the engine chain grunted. The strain of the weight was starting to show, causing the almost obscenely large muscles of her arms to shiver very faintly from the tension. "I told you I had it, Gravija," Octane chided the woman as she reached behind her with a tentacle to pick up a large screwdriver. Grasping objects with them was slightly awkward, but it was enough to allow her to pick up most tools and even use some others independently of her hands. "Besides, you're still occupied with that engine mount." a very soft psionic voice whispered in her mind as the blob of pink goo suddenly oozed over to the far end of the engine housing. A small crescent wrench emerged from within it and was gently put back in its proper place in the toolkit by a small pink tendril. The tendril immediately grabbed a different size wrench and drew it back into the middle of the mass. Gravija grunted quietly as she shifted her weight slightly. "Take your time, want to do this right," she said in a calm tone despite the incredible amount of weight she was holding up. "Not like it's going anywhere without that engine," Octane reminded them with a slight chuckle as she set the malfunctioning cylinder on the workbench next to her. She started to turn away and paused, looking back at the device as she heard it rattle slightly. Blinking in confusion, she leaned forward to get a closer look, frowning as the cylinder continued to rattle slightly as if it were being shaken. She reached out to touch the table with a tentacle, knowing that they were more sensitive to vibrations than her fingertips. She sighed heavily as she could feel the slight tremor in the entire table and cast an irritated glare over her shoulder. "Alright, where's that nympho-slut? If she left her stereo on again, I'm going to beat the green right out of her skin...." "Mint is with Glitter," T'Del explained calmly as she picked up a small magnifying glass to examine the weld. "They are still out field-testing the repairs we made to the Eighth Mountain Division's ground transport, and I know for a fact that her stereo is unplugged at the moment." Octane paused and glanced down at the table, blinking as she realized that the shaking sensation was getting stronger. "Okay, so what's causing the floor to shake then? An earthquake somewhere?" T'Del paused before she reached up to lift up the visor to her helmet, revealing a lock of flaming red hair and a pair of piercing green eyes that could put the Irish to shame. Her beauty was the kind that tended to make most men (and more than a few women) want to fall to their knees and beg for her attention, and she was consistently ranked among the top 100 most beautiful women in the Negaverse. She took off the heavy gloves and knelt down, very lightly pressing her fingertips against the reinforced concrete floor. She half-closed her eyes to concentrate for a moment before giving Octane an intrigued look. "It's too steady and even to be a natural seismic disturbance," she said slowly. the psionic voice said in their minds as the blob finished up its work and oozed out of the engine compartment. It crawled down the front grill and hung from the bumper for a moment before letting go to hit the floor with a wet splotch. It quickly spread out into a wide circle shape, its surface starting to ripple ever so slightly from the ground vibrations. "Can I let go now?" Gravija inquired calmly. the voice apologized. Gravija grunted quietly as she slowly began to ease off the pressure. The engine compartment started to creak and groan as the weight of the engine began to settle, but it otherwise held perfectly. The metallic noises persisted for another few moments before Gravija relaxed completely, allowing the metal chain to go slack and hang loosely from the tackle. The chain started to rattle a moment later as it was shaken by the vibrations that was starting to make more than a few loose tools rattle as well. the psionic voice warned as the ripples playing along the surface of the puddle of ooze became more pronounced. "Meaning it's getting closer," Octane grumbled as she looked around. She headed towards the closed bay doors and slapped a tentacle against the control panel, instructing the central shutter to start retracting. The pink blob drew in on itself and started to ooze over to a corner of the construction bay where a pair of empty boots stood next to a rather small pair of overalls of the same design that everyone else wore. The goo crawled into one of the boots and promptly swelled up, increasing in size and starting to take on a roughly humanoid shape. A foot was slipped into the other boot as the pink mass solidifed into the nude body of a very petite girl with pink eyes the color of cotton-candy and a darker shade of hair the color of bubble-gum. Most people often mistook her for a young child, despite the fact that she was almost three hundred years old now. "What do you think it is?" the girl said softly as she knelt down to grab the pair of overalls, quickly climbing into them. She knew that the nearest male was probably a good hundred miles away on the other side of the burning desert sands that comprised the mountainous valley, but she still didn't care to be naked for any longer than necessary. "We'll find out, Taffy," Master Chief Octane grumbled quietly as the bay doors rolled up enough to expose her to the blinding glare of the afternoon sun. A puff of decidedly warm wind washed around her, sending a faint shiver through her body. She squinted as she tried to see past the ever-present veil of shimmering haze caused by the heated desert sands, wondering if she could spot anything on her own without resorting to the filtered binoculars. She blinked as she suddenly saw a plume of dust not too far away, realizing that it was most likely from the repaired ground transport being taken on a shake-down test-drive by Glitter. "Huh," she said quietly as she noticed two things. The first was that the cloud of dust seemed to be moving towards her, indicating that the vehicle was making a bee-line back towards the repair facility. She knew that it could simply be an illusion, the distortion effects of the desert air making it seem like it was heading this way, but a little voice in the back of her mind was telling her that the vehicle was indeed returning back to the bay. The other thing she noticed was a very faint but noticeable feeling in the air, almost as if there was a soft sound out there that was pitched too deep for her ears to pick up and process. She absently reached out to touch the shutter frames with a pair of tentacles, frowning as she realized that the vibrations were definitely getting stronger. This probably isn't good, she thought to herself as a single droplet of sweat rolled down from the mass of her dirty blonde and extremely curly hair to run right between the uppermost set of tentacles on her exposed back. She glanced to her side as T'Del moved to stand next to her, holding a pair of binoculars to her eyes. The special lenses automatically adjusted to filter out the glare of the desert, allowing her to see with clarity. "Mint and Glitter are returning," she reported calmly. She paused for a moment and the very edges of her mouth seemed to twitch downward into a frown. "Judging from the size of the dust plume, however, I would almost think that Glitter has the throttle cracked open to maximum and is in a considerable haste." "Now I know I have a bad feeling about this," Octane growled as she cast a glance over her shoulder at the far end of the repair facility. Their main communications unit had decided to suffer a rather spectacular failure of the processing crystals last night, leaving them without a viable means of talking to the rest of the planet in real-time. A cargo drone had been dispatched to Sector One with the damaged crystals and a note asking for replacements, but she knew it would probably be sunset before the drone returned back to their facility. T'Del lowered the binoculars and raised a delicate red eyebrow, watching as the dust plume drew closer with each passing moment. "We may wish to step back," she advised in a suddenly guarded tone as she started to edge away from the open doorway. "I think she is in a most extreme hurry and may miscalculate both the braking distance required and the spray-zone from a sudden change in forward velocity." "Great," Octane sighed as she ducked back further inside the facility. "If she drags any sand in here, I'll bleach her ptanka...." Both women suddenly flinched as the loud roar of the turbo-charged engine reached them without warning, revving at a very high speed before suddenly down-shifting. The heavy grinding-squeal of brakes assaulted their nerves a moment later, followed by the unmistakable sound of a great deal of sand being sprayed behind the skidding tires. Octane looked down at her boots as a tiny wave of sand rolled over the lip of the doorway and spread out across the floor. It was probably a handful of sand at the most, easily swept back outside with a flick or two of a broom. Okay, I can deal with that, she thought to herself as she looked up to find the left-side of the transport not more than three feet away from the open doorway. The door promptly opened up and a green blur seemed to explode out from inside, suddenly talking at an incredibly fast pace that Octane couldn't even begin to keep up with. Sighing heavily, she reached out with a tentacle and wrapped it around the blur just as it shot past her. The end result was not unlike a running person encountering a clothesline without warning. "YAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIII!" the girl yelped as she went sprawling, saved from a very painful encounter with the floor only by a quick grabbing motion from two more of Octane's tentacles. "MasterChiefyouhaveGOTtocomeseethis!" "Mint, slow down!" Octane growled as she hauled the naked girl to her feet. She was almost identical in size to Taffy, having medium-green skin and dark green eyes with long, dark green hair to match. Her body felt dangerously warm to Octane, blinking hard as she realized that the petite nymphomaniac was covered in sweat. She was used to Mint's penchant for running around without any clothes on, at least when she wasn't working on something where she needed the heavy overalls to protect her skin, but her unusually high body temperature was another matter entirely. "Wait, what's wrong with you? Air conditioner fail on you two again?" Octane demanded in a guarded tone. "Three minutes out of the garage," Mint panted as she tugged herself free from the snake-like grasp and waved both hands in front of her face at a rapid pace. "But that's not the problem. Chief, you have got to see this...." Octane looked over her shoulder as Glitter climbed out of the vehicle's cockpit, just as naked as Mint and likewise covered in sweat from head to toe. Her skin was as black as night, the sheen of sweat seeming to make her body shine like polished obsidian. Her featureless eyes were also a uniform black and devoid of color, making it extremely hard to tell what she was looking at at any given moment. Her body was completely devoid of hair, her bare scalp decorated with lines of metallic filigree that formed circuit-like patterns that ran from her forehead clear across her skull and down her back, almost to the base of her spine. Her fingernails had been replaced with special silicone implants that allowed her to directly connect her nervous system to almost any type of standard Type-II or Type-III interface. "There's an SMT on the horizon," Glitter said without preamble, leaning forward to rest her hands on her upper thighs. Like Mint, she too was panting slightly from being exposed to the desert heat when the air conditioning unit failed on them. "A big one," she rasped. "And I mean k'vesi huge." "It could probably fill the entire valley!" Mint gushed as she leaned against the wall, taking a measure of comfort from the cooler air inside the repair facility. "No SMT is that big," Octane pointed out. "Master Chief?" Glitter said very slowly. "I might have to disagree with you on that one. Listen carefully," she said, gesturing out to the open desert behind her. "Hear that heavy noise? That's caused by thrusters. Big, heavy, super-massive thrusters. And the range-finder said it's still a good ten miles away from us." "I believe she is correct," T'Del said quietly as she listened carefully to the very faint, muted roar seeming to whisper out from the desert valley. "If those are cruiser-class thrusters and they are that far away, then for us to hear them would require that their energy output be on the highest order of vented plasma." "Perfect," Octane sighed wearily. "Someone decides to let a transport traverse our airspace, and our communications gear just happens to be down so they can't really warn us about it ahead of time." She paused for a moment and cast a guarded look over her shoulder at Mint. "I don't suppose you were smart enough to try using the comm-set inside the 8th MD's transport to see if you could pick up anything?" "Oops...." Mint said very quietly as an abashed look crossed her face. Octane sighed and cast a reproving look at Glitter as she brushed past her to climb into the open cockpit. She was greeted by a wave of searing heat that made her start to sweat almost instantly, causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. She knew that the vehicle wasn't suited for desert use, as the air inside the cockpit would become dangerously hot without some form of cooling mechanism. Gotta make this fast, she thought as she scooted over to the controls. She carefully moved the pair of overalls out of the way, knowing that Glitter had probably wriggled out of them ten seconds after the AC failed. She found what she was looking for and powered up the communications antenna, checking to see if there was anything currently being broadcast over the airwaves that she needed to know about. She blinked hard as the speaker promptly crackled to life, a light on the panel indicating that it was an automated hailing routine. "Dragoon Legion to Sector Seven, please respond.... Dragoon Legion to Sector Seven, please respond...." Dragoons? Here? she thought as she grabbed the microphone and thumbed a suitable channel open. "Dragoon Legion, this is Master Chief Octane of Sector Seven, go ahead," she said, waiting to see how long it would be before she got a live response. Much to her surprise, the speaker promptly crackled back with a reply. "Sector Seven, this is DCX-Zero," a flat, somewhat feminine voice answered. "Be advised that we are en-route to your location with a Level-2 condition in effect requiring a five-mile exclusion zone around our immediate area. We are requesting guidance and landing instructions to the eastern edge of your area of operations. Be advised that this is a Priority-2 emergency event, over." Octane blinked hard and sat back for a moment to think. A Level-2 alarm meant that there was something dangerous going on, and a large exclusion zone usually meant something truly nasty was taking place.... like a biological or radiological hazard. The high priority level only added to her suspicion that whatever was being dumped in their laps wouldn't be good for them. Great, she thought darkly. What better place to keep something isolated than in the middle of a desert valley surrounded on all sides by very high mountains? That way, if it's dangerous and it gets loose, it won't survive outside the environment for very long.... "Sector Seven copies," she said as she thumbed the switch. "Be advised that our primary communications system is unavailable and we're having to use a vehicle-mounted communications array. We will contact you as soon as we can with a vector for landing. What are your requirements for landing and any possible repairs, over?" She waited for several seconds in edgy silence before the speaker started to reply to her. "Sector Seven, we only require a valid approach vector to a suitable landing site near a body of water," the emotionless voice said in a level tone. "The five-mile exclusion zone requirement will remain in force until we are able to certify the hazard is negated. Be advised that the local airspace is now designated as Restricted until the Level-2 situation is safely downgraded. We will keep you informed of any change in our condition, over." How kind of you, Octane thought with a dour sigh. "Acknowledged, Zero," she said simply. "We will contact you as soon as we have a landing vector worked out for you. Sector Seven clear," she said, putting the microphone back on the cradle but leaving the channel open. "Well?" Gravija grunted as Octane climbed back out of the vehicle cockpit. Octane sighed and tossed the pair of overalls to Glitter before wiping the minor river of sweat off of her forehead. "Ay'cha navidshi, I don't see how you girls could stand that heat in there," she grumbled. "I've got bad news and more bad news." The rest of the group paused and exchanged concerned glances, knowing that the gruff Master Chief was rarely so blatantly pessimistic about a situation. "They aren't here to see the sights, are they?" Glitter grumbled as she slid back into the somewhat form-fitting overalls. "We need to give them a landing vector to the edge of the valley near the river," Octane explained quickly. "The problem is that they must have some kind of on-board emergency, because they've got a quarrantine around the area for five miles. That includes both us and air traffic, so this one might be with us for awhile." "What's the nature of the hazard?" Taffy spoke up in a quiet tone. "Unknown," Octane replied with a shrug. "Whomever was talking didn't say, nor did she sound like the talkative type to begin with. At least, I think it was a she. DCX-Zero was the call-sign. You know it, T'Del?" she added as the redhead suddenly straightened up, her eyes widening slightly. "DCX-Zero is the call-sign of the Dragoon Headquarters Complex," T'Del said in a slightly awed tone. "The SMT must therefore be the actual facility of the Dragoon Legion itself. No wonder it's so huge...." "Waitwaitwaitwaitwait," Mint blurted out. "You're trying to tell me that the Dragoons just attached some thrusters to their headquarters building and started flying it through the mountains?" "Pay attention, both of you," Octane interrupted, poking both Mint and T'Del with her tentacles. "We can worry about the details later. Right now, we have a Priority-2 emergency situation to deal with, and for us that means finding them a suitable landing vector. They said they'll deal with the rest, but we need to tell them were they can park first. T'Del...." "Working," T'Del said as she turned around and strode towards the nearest computer terminal, already starting to map out the local terrain in her mind. "Glitter," Octane said without missing a beat. "For the moment, the only working comm-unit we have is in that beast," she said, gesturing with a pair of tentacles over her shoulder at the 8th MD's ground vehicle. "See if you can get the AC unit working so we don't roast in there while talking. Grab Taffy if you have to get deep inside." "Understood," the dark-skinned woman said as she only paused long enough to grab a generic tool-kit before heading back outside with the soft-spoken Taffy right behind her. "Mint, go run through a shower or something," Octane said absently as she paused to think what else needed to be done. "You're still sweating, and I'd rather you cooled down now before you start to reek later." "Thanks," Mint muttered before she scampered off towards the barracks at her usual high-energy pace. Octane paused and looked up at Gravija, getting a casual shrug in reply. "Yeah," the Master Chief grunted softly. They both knew that the true brain power of the team was centered around T'Del. While both Glitter and Taffy could more than likely hold their own against the redhead, the balance would still favor T'Del's superior intellect and capacity for thorough and measured analysis. While Octane knew that neither she nor Gravija were stupid, she also knew that their capacity for problem-solving only applied to the field of mechanics, where things tended to be far more predictable. And as for Mint's tendency to think with her k'vesana.... She snorted quietly and headed back over to the ground transport she had been working on minutes ago. T'Del would return with a solution soon enough, at which point they would try to implement it. And until then.... well, the engine block wouldn't fix itself, would it? "So now what?" Gravija prodded as Octane picked up a screwdriver and used a pair of tentacles to lift the hood up higher again. "So now we wait for the others to finish," Octane said simply as she stuck her head back in the engine compartment. "I'm not about to try to direct a few gigatons of airborne SMT to a landing site without knowing how exactly we're going to do it. Aw, great, the socket threads are melted! No wonder that bastard didn't want to come out. This'll be a bitch to replace...." Gravija just grunted quietly to herself, knowing that it had already been a long day and that by the look of things, it had just gotten even longer.... * * * * "You alright, hon?" Alex asked in a faintly amused tone as Michelle paused to lean on the wall, one hand coming up to hold her abdomen. "I'm fine," Michelle murmured in a distracted reply. Darian gave her a concerned glance as the hallway quit rotating with a soft thump that shook the floor. "Pancakes were just a little too dense, I take it?" he inquired carefully, casting a quick look over his shoulder at both Serena and Mina. "Just a little," Mina allowed in a neutral tone. "But then again, good chocolate is supposed to be dense. What do you think, Serena?" Everyone blinked hard as Serena opened her mouth to reply, only to blush as bright as a tomato as a disturbingly heavy belch suddenly echoed without any warning. Her hands immediately flew to her mouth, but it was of course far too late to do anything about it. There was a moment of silence before Darian just shook his head. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said dryly as he patted the deeply embarrassed blonde on the back, making sure not to accidentally crunch a wing. "Perhaps your Highness should take more time to enjoy breakfast so as not to ingest a greater quantity of air than is normal," Susan spoke up in a tone even drier than Darian's. "I'm sorry...." Serena whispered, still clearly mortified. "You're fine," Leda grumbled as she nudged her in the shoulder. "C'mon, keep walking. Does anyone have any idea how we're doing to do this?" she added over her shoulder to the rest of the group. "I tried to do the math in my head, but even with the couch and three bean-bags, we're still going to come up short a few cushions." "What, think we can't use the Ether to come up with more furniture?" Mina replied as they walked down to the end of the corridor and entered the living room area. "Where are you going to put it, babe?" Alex pointed out as she gestured with one hand. "I mean, it looks like the floor is pretty crowded as it is." "Move to another room?" Leda suggested, eyeballing the room. "Can we put a solid cover on the hot tub?" Ami said a moment later. "That way, we could use it as a sort of couch or at least a place to sit." "Just as long as it's easily removed," Michelle countered, drawing a few surprised looks at the outburst. "A cover sounds like a good idea, if only to keep the water from getting dirty, but just look how big the surface is. You won't be able to support the center without a brace of some sort." "What about a partial cover?" Darian suggested. "Maybe rest a sheet of plywood or whatever just over the edge here," he said, gesturing to show the approximate dimensions and location. "See, that way you'd have support here, here, and here, and as long as you're just using it as a bench or something, your body weight should rest along here where it's the strongest." "Well, maybe I can do that...." Mina said slowly. "Susan, you said you had another hot tub somewhere in here?" Rei spoke up in a neutral tone, causing the rest of the room to pause for a moment. "I do," Susan replied with a nod. "It is smaller than this one appears to be, but not by a significant factor. It will, however, take a fair amount of time to prepare in advance as it is in need of some minor maintenance before I can restart the heating unit." "That'll work," Rei said as she strode forward, both hands reaching up to her chest to touch the silver brooch around her heck. The golden crescent mark of the Moon flared into existence on her forehead as she tugged gently on the Imperium Silver Crystal, removing it from the brooch and holding it in the palm of her hand. "Wait," Mina blurted out, a sudden icy chill flooding her veins. "Rei, what are you doing?" "Removing the Ether," the priestess replied calmly as she held the Crystal up to the light. "That which was brought into a sanctified area can just as easily be expelled. Cosmic Moon Power!" she intoned as the glittering gemstone suddenly burst into brilliance. Everyone gasped as a shockwave of blinding light erupted outwards from the Crystal, rushing past them with the intensity of gale-force winds. The room was immediately filled with a thick, dense fog as the physical structure of the hot tub was reduced to Ether, only to start breaking up at a rapid pace moments later. The blinding glow lasted for a few more seconds before fading away, leaving the room filled with a veil of fog that was quickly evaporating. "Umm, guys...?" Mina's voice emerged from within the fog, pitched a full octave higher than usual. "I've got some bad news here, and I mean REALLY bad news...." "We know, hon," Alex sighed heavily as she heard Michelle whimpering in shock. "Just hold that thought for a moment. Darian?" "Don't worry," Darian replied, sighing just as heavily as he untangled himself from Serena's wings and headed over to the nearest wall. The fog finally dissipated enough to let everyone see their surroundings. The hot tub was now just a memory, having been completely blown away by the unleashed power of the Imperium Silver Crystal. The couch and the three bean bags were gone too, as were the forgotten defibrillator, spider web hammock, Mina's synthesizer, and the silk screen partition. The only problem was that when the fog lifted, Susan was the only one who was still wearing anything, as her clothes were genuine and hadn't been fabricated from the Ether. "Brilliant move, pyro," Leda said acidly as she glanced around the room. Much to her relief, Darian was facing the wall with his back to the group, both hand casually clasped in front of his groin. That did almost nothing to reduce the intensity of the blush of embarrassment on everyone's faces, and it wasn't very long at all before Rei found herself on the receiving end of a number of decidedly hostile looks. "I'm.... sorry...." Rei stammered, her cheeks almost literally glowing a cherry red color. "I was focusing on the hot tub, not everything else...." "We'll torture you later, hon," Alex promised with another heavy sigh. "Quick question.... should we try this again, or should we send Susan back to Earth to find some real clothes for us? Speaking of which.... Serena, babe, the nude angel look is good on you, honest, but how'd you wind up losing your little see-through harem outfit but still keep that crystal shard?" "Huh?" Mina said, whirling around to look at Serena. She blinked hard as she realized that the Ether-based clothes were indeed gone, but that the shard of dimensional crystal she had forged from the Ether was still quite intact. "Now how'd that happen?" she inquired, her sense of curiosity briefly going into overdrive. "Perhaps the Princess was able to resist part of the effects from the Imperium Silver Crystal," Susan suggested. "While she may not have dominion over it at the moment, she is still of royal blood and retains that power." "That's nice," Alex said, casting a glance over her shoulder. "Speaking of nice, good to see you keep yourself in shape like the rest of us, Darian." "Thank you," Darian replied in a distinctly flat tone as he kept his focus on the wall in front of him. "Anyway," Leda prodded the rest of the group, "Let's focus on our problem. Should we use the Ether again, or try to find more stable clothes to wear?" Mina sighed and quickly jogged over to the open window, grateful to see that the Ether was still swirling just outside. "We can use the Ether again," she said as she stuck her hand inside the faintly pink-tinted fog and focused her mind on creating another garden hose. "I'm sure Rei won't be doing that little stunt again, now will she?" she added over her shoulder, giving Rei a very glacial look. "I'm sorry," Rei stammered again as she glanced over at Darian, absently resetting the Imperium Silver Crystal back into the winged torch-shape of the brooch. The glow of the golden crescent moon sigil on her forehead slowly faded away, but the blush on her cheeks remained in full-force. "C'mon, Mina, hurry up," Leda said, likewise casting a glance at Darian and trying not to stare too hard at his exposed backside. "Please," Darian said emphatically, his nose pressed against the wall and both hands firmly held over his nether region. Alex shook her head slowly and looked up at the ceiling. "See, I told you he knows how to behave like a gentleman in bad situations," she muttered. She blinked as she heard a soft whooshing sound, turning to look just in time to catch Mina being enveloped in a small cloud of Ether. "There we go," Mina sighed in relief, reshaping the fog into the same clothes she had worn before the Ether-dispersing incident. She looked up at the group and adjusted the setting on the nozzle before aiming it at them and bracing herself. "Okay, everyone think fast so we can get this all done at once," she called out as she held down the trigger. The room was promptly bathed in a curtain of fog for several seconds, obscuring vision once again. Visibility was restored moments later as it began to thin out, reshaping itself into individual garments around various people. As Mina had done, almost everyone decided to go with an exact replica of what they had chosen the first time. The only exception was Serena, who went with the same harem outfit as before but using significantly darker shades of blue and yellow to reduce but not entirely eliminate the see-through effect. "Much better," Alex sighed as she patted herself down, absently noticing that the rest of the group seemed to unconsciously be doing the same. She paused as she noticed that Darian still had his nose to the wall and sighed again. "You can turn around now, D, we're all decent again." Darian cast a quick glance over his shoulder before relaxing and turning around, leaning back against the wall with a slightly haggard look on his face. "Well, that was an adventure," he grumbled quietly, reaching out with one arm to draw Serena into a casual hug. "I don't mind a policy of not letting things come between friends, but that one was just a little too extreme for me." "Oh, give it a rest," Mina grumbled as she rejoined the group, carefully spooling the Ether hose behind her. "You would just love to see all of us standing around completely naked and you know it." "You'd be surprised," Darian countered quietly, casting a sidelong glance at Serena. Serena blinked and gave him a slightly suspicious look before shaking her head and deciding that she really didn't want to know. Leda sighed and rubbed her temples. "Just get on with it, kids," she said in a weary tone. "Okay, so now that the floor is cleared out, how about we stop and think about this one for a moment? How exactly do we want this new furniture setup to turn out?" "Individually?" Mina suggested, toying with the diameter of the nozzle. "Each person gets whatever they want? That way, it'll be the most comfortable, as we all don't share the same ideals about such things." "That might be prudent," Susan said with a nod. "And I can make a love-seat or two for the various love-birds," Mina added before Alex could open her mouth. The Viking smirked and settled on a nod of agreement, drawing a soft smile from Mina. "Okay, great. Objections?" She waited for a few seconds to see if there would be any before her smile widened and she brought the hose up. "Didn't think so. Okay, Susan, you're going to be the center of attention for this one, so you go first." "Very well," Susan said with a slight nod of her head. She waited until Mina had dispensed a large blob of the Ether before passing her hand through it, willing it to condense into a small but decidedly plush armchair. Alex raised an eyebrow as Susan sat down and made herself comfortable. "Feeling a little regal today, are we, Chancellor?" she inquired idly as she studied the Victorian design of the armchair. Susan gave her a slightly unamused look. "I happen to favor the design," she said in a faintly arched tone. "Don't worry about the color of the cushions," Leda grumbled. "Mina, just toss out another lump of fog, someone will grab it soon enough so we can get on with this. What?" she added as she felt someone lightly grab her elbow. "No need to be impatient," Ami said quietly. "Remember, we're not going anywhere anytime soon." "Whatever," the brunette replied with a soft grunt. "Serena?" Mina said as she formed another spherical ball of fog. Serena looked up at Darian and smiled before she stood up on her tip-toes to give him a deep kiss. She then crossed the room to stand in front of the mass of Ether, idly twitching her wings as she thought about what to do. She tilted her head for a moment before she straightened up and passed her hand through the swirling fog, causing it to condense into a very large wooden frame in the shape of a goblet with a very short and thick stem but with a shallow and extremely wide cup. The inside of the cup was composed of thick strands of nylon rope, woven together like a spider web and padded with very large red satin pillows. The end result looked slightly odd but obviously provided more than enough room for two people to snuggle together in comfort. "Huh," Alex said slowly as Serena grabbed the base of the frame and tilted it slightly, angling it so it looked more like a wicker chair than a short- stemmed goblet. "That actually looks pretty cozy, to be honest." "It should be," Serena said in a somewhat sly tone as she gingerly sat down and scooted back, making sure not to snag her wings on anything. She paused and looked around at the frame before extending her wings out to very carefully wrap them around the web-like supports, anchoring herself in place. Satisifed that her wings were both secure and now out of the way, she looked back up at Darian and gestured for him to join her. Darian blinked in surprise before crossing the room to sit down next to her in the oversized chair, blinking again at how soft it felt despite being made out of hard wood and nylon webbing. Shrugging to himself, he fluffed up a pillow for his backside and tucked his legs in, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible. He blinked yet again as his weight caused the frame to roll back on the mount, returning the cup to a horizontal position that left him pressed up against Serena in a most inviting fashion. "Anyway," Alex said with a rueful shake of her head, ignoring the look of surprise on Darian's face and the slightly mischievous look on Serena's. "Not my idea of a good place to curl up, but to each their own. Next one, Mina." "Tag, you're it," Mina smiled sweetly in reply as she swept the hose back and forth, creating a low-lying rectangle of fog. "Mina?" Michelle said hesitantly as she took a step forward. "Can you add a little more, please? Over here?" she said with a gesture. She watched as Mina nodded and pressed the trigger again, adding more of the fog to the rough shape to make an L-shaped mass of Ether. "Thank you," Michelle said with a smile as she focused her thoughts. "Do I want to ask, hon?" Alex said in a guarded tone as the fog began to solidify into a couch. She blinked as it retained the L-shape, looking like a couch that had gotten bent between the first and second cushions. "Okay...." she said slowly as a series of pillows suddenly sprouted up like mushrooms. "Here," Michelle said as she sat down on the short end of the couch. She curled up part-way, tucking one pillow behind her back and another one in her lap. She patted the cushion next to her and waited for Alex to sit down. As soon as the blonde did so, she reached up to grab her arm and gently pull her down until her head was resting in her lap. "Stretch out," she said softly. "Ahh, I get it," Alex cooed as she stretched herself out, taking up the entire long portion of the L-shape. Michelle remained curled up on the short side, her legs streched out several inches for comfort and able to still keep Alex's head resting in her lap at the same time. "I like this one, love. Good thinking," she said, giving her lover a smile. "I knew you would," Michelle purred softly as she leaned over, giving the blonde a soft kiss. "Next?" Mina offered as she started to spray the Ether into another blob. It was apparent she was simply going around the room in a circle, creating each item in such a way as to allow the occupants to view the rest of the group without having to unduly twist any necks. "Just a sec," Leda spoke up before Ami could draw in a breath. "I think I see how you've got this one planned out here. Why don't you see if you can fluff out that cloud and move it over there?" she said with a gesture. "You can make something for someone there, put a couch for me over here, maybe put another chair over this way, and what you can do is set up shop along the back wall there. You know, leave you plenty of room for your synthesizer and all." "Hmm...." Mina said, narrowing her eyes as she remapped the layout of the furniture in her mind. "You know, that might just work. Okay, fine, we'll do it like this," she said as the blob of Ether in front of her congealed into a bean bag. She picked it up and casually heaved it against the far wall to get it out of the way before she carried the hose over to the other side of the room. "Okay, now let's try this again...." she said as she opened the nozzle on the hose. She paused and blinked hard as nothing came out, causing her to repeatedly squeeze the trigger. "Umm...." "Mina?" Darian spoke up as both he and Serena suddenly sat up hard. "I think I see the problem here," he said slowly, pointing to part of the hose. Mina turned around to look, blinking hard as she saw a very large bulge in the middle of the garden hose as if something was stuck. "What the hell?" she demanded, scowling at the unknown clog. She unscrewed the sprayer nozzle from the end of the hose and set it down, keeping one eye on the open end of the hose while she carefully approached the bulge in the line. "I'm not even going to ask," Alex muttered as she watched Mina gingerly poke at the swelling. She blinked as Mina muttered something toxic beneath her breath and went over to the window, returning after a few seconds with a large wooden rolling pin commonly found in most kitchens. "Mina, that may not be wise," Susan cautioned as Mina tied a knot in the hose well behind the clog. "Trust me," the blonde grumbled as she held the rolling pin down against the hose and began to roll her way along its length. "Prince Darian," Maq'i spoke up very quietly. "Perhaps you should take the princess into the hallway for the moment. I do not have any precognitive powers, of course, but I suddenly have a rather unpleasant feeling about this situation." "Relax," Mina sighed as the rolling pin encountered the clog. It resisted her motions for several seconds before slowly being driven down to the open end of the hose. "I think I know what this is. Aside from pretty damned silly," she added sourly. "Perhaps you should enlighten us, then," Susan suggested archly as they all watched the blockage approach the end of the hose. "You'll see," the blonde grunted as the lump reached the end and remained stuck. Taking a deep breath, she rolled the pin back a few inches before she lunged forward, putting an incredible amount of pressure on the swelling. It resisted for a moment before it suddenly shot out of the end of the hose as if fired from a cannon, impacting against the far wall as a pink blob of goo with a truly sickening splattering sound. "Oh, that is so gross," Alex winced as Michelle turned away, making quiet gagging sounds to herself. "I had a bad pimple once, but not that bad." She blinked hard as Michelle promptly curled up into a tiny ball, shivering hard at the mental image. "Whoops. Sorry, hon...." she apologized. "Ick," Ami moaned as she likewise fought off a case of the shivers. "Ick, ick, ick, ick, *ICK!*" "Ewwwwwwww," Serena whimpered quietly as she also curled up into a ball as best she could while keeping her wings anchored to the back of the oversized chair. Darian patted her shoulder consolingly while he stared at the mass of ooze that seemed to take its time sliding down the wall to pool on the floor. "That was not necessary, Lady Uranus," Susan said flatly as she cast a look of disapproval at her. Mina casually tossed the rolling pin in the corner and moved over to the end of the hose, screwing the nozzle back on before going back to untie the knot at the far end. "Hello, Myst, so glad you could join us," she growled over her shoulder as she returned to the business end of the hose and very carefully squeezed the trigger, producing a small fluff of Ether. "Umm, guys?" Alex said slowly as the blob finally reached the floor and didn't move. "If that is Myst, we might have a problem. I mean, I remember her doing that last night and all, but she at least seemed alive then...." "She's alive," Rei spoke up quietly, staring at the puddle. "She might not wish she was, though," Darian said slowly, leaning forward to try to get a better look. "I don't know about this one. Susan, can you tell if she's hurt or something?" Susan blinked and started to rise up from her armchair. "I might be able to," she said slowly before Maq'i moved over to kneel down next to the puddle. "Master Healer?" she inquired carefully. "Let me see," the denizen said quietly as she carefully reached out to brush her fingertips against the goo. It was sickeningly warm to the touch, causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust at the contact. She held her hand in place, however, and began to send her healing energies into the mass to see if she could determine anything of remote value. The soft white glow of her powers spread throughout the puddle for several seconds before it began to quiver beneath her fingertips. Not able to sense anything at all, Maq'i carefully withdrew her hand and continued to observe the pink puddle as it very slowly started to draw in on itself. The process slowly continued until the goo had formed a roughly spherical shape before seeming to explode outwards without warning, shaping itself into the familiar form of a gray Lunar kitten. "Myst, are you alright?" Susan called out carefully. It took several agonizing seconds for the kitten to respond, her eyes remaining firmly closed. "Never again...." she moaned almost inaudibly. "Let me guess," Mina grumbled. "You were poking around outside in the Ether, saw something of interest and went to check it out, and ended up getting sucked into the intake of the Ether pump I just created?" "Never, ever again...." Myst whimpered as she finally cracked her eyes open, trying to focus on her surroundings while a truly massive headache ran rampant in what passed for her skull. "Heh," Alex chuckled quietly. "I guess curiosity really does kill the cat," she said to the room, drawing a very unhappy look from Michelle. "That's not funny," Michelle pouted. "Nothing wrong with curiosity," Mina countered with a faint frown. "How else do you find out about neat and cool stuff if you never check it out?" "Ask someone else from a safe distance?" Darian muttered, drawing a very faint giggle from Serena. Leda sighed heavily and walked over to Myst, carefully scooping the kitten up and cradling her in her arms. "Just make the damn couch already," she said to Mina, ignoring the reproving look on Ami's face. "You alright, kitty?" "That hurt," Myst said quietly. "Most learning curves tend to do that to you," Leda agreed as she waited for Mina to finish dispensing the mass of Ether. She paused and looked over her shoulder as Ami edged past her to touch it before she could, forming the fog into a low-lying and well-cushioned couch. "Thanks, I think," she said as Ami sat down on the far end of the couch and curled up, leaving enough space for Leda to claim at other end without feeling cramped. "Master Healer?" Mina spoke up as Leda sat down with a soft grunt. "You have something in mind, I hope?" "I do," the ancient denizen replied with a nod. She waited until Mina had finished dispensing the Ether into a spherical shape before she made her way over and passed her hand through it. The fog started to reform into a large oval shape before solidifying into a modest chair that looked like an egg with a cushion jammed in the hollow center. "Now there's a design you don't see every day," Alex commented as Maq'i eased her weight into the chair. Everyone blinked as it made a slight creaking noise as she settled into place, suddenly having second thoughts about the stability of the eggshell-like design. "Umm, is it supposed to do that?" she spoke up, giving Maq'i a concerned look. Maq'i chuckled and made a casual gesture of dismissal. "Not really, dear child, but it is modeled after the chair in my personal quarters back in the Imperial Castle. The chair in question was fashioned from a ter'aka egg, and is probably as old as I am. And, I must admit, tends to creak just as much," she added with a dry chuckle. Mina looked at her for a moment before nodding in understanding, privately wondering just how old the Healer was but not wanting to be rude by asking in public. "As long as it's comfortable," she said in a cheerful tone as she turned and aimed the nozzle in Rei's general direction. "You're next, pyro," she teased, giving her an impish look. Rei gave her an unamused look and watched in silence as a slow-moving jet of Ether was directed across the room. "That's enough," she said after only a moment, causing Mina to blink in surprise before she cut off the flow. "You sure?" Mina prodded her as the fog began to form a low-lying swirl on the floor, barely a third in size of any of the other constructs. The priestess said nothing as she concentrated, not even bothering to try to touch the Ether. It continued to swirl around in a slow circle before it split up, forming a single cushion set in the center of a ring of a dozen very long red candles. She went over to the cushion and sat down without another word, closing her eyes and turning her focus inward for several seconds. The candles arrayed around her all began to smoke briefly before igniting in unison with a soft whoosh, casting a series of oddly-colored shadows around the room as the wicks started to burn with green fire. "Hey!" Alex protested as she sat up, staring at the dark green flames. "Rei, you soak the wicks in boron or something? What's with the color?" "Hmm?" Rei said as she opened her eyes. She glanced at the nearest taper and blinked hard before regaining her composure. "Interesting," she said in a quiet tone. She studied the odd glow for several seconds before shrugging in dismissal and turning her focus inward once again. Mina gave Rei a puzzled look before she glanced over at Susan. "Ignis Fatuus?" she inquired in a very cautious tone. "Possibly," Susan allowed in a very guarded tone. "However, as it is a construct of Rei's will, it is simply what she wants it to be. And seeing how her Excellency does not appear to be concerned about it, then perhaps neither should we," she suggested before settling back in her chair. Alex sighed quietly and exchanged glances with Michelle, getting a blank look and a helpless shrug in response. "Okay, do I even want to ask what that Ignit Fat-whatever is supposed to be?" the blonde asked slowly. "Ignis Fatuus," Susan corrected gently out of sheer reflex. "Swamp gas," Ami spoke up, drawing an odd look from Mina. "Organic matter decays in a swamp, gas bubbles up to the surface, and sometimes ignites either on its own or from an external source. The glow is called the Ignis Fatuus, and more often than not it's green." "I thought that was a Willy-wisp," Leda spoke up. "Will-o'-the-wisp," Susan said with a very quiet sigh of patience. "They're the same," Ami replied. "Umm, not exactly," Mina countered quietly as she began to spray down a line of Ether. "Fire burns orangish-yellow because of the warmth of life, drawn from the wood and organic fuels it consumes. That which burns green is taken from the seeds of the soul. Ignis Fatuus, the flames of the spirit," she explained in a soft, almost reverent tone. "Ooooooookay...." Alex said slowly, giving Michelle another odd look. Susan tilted her head to one side for several seconds, observing Mina as she finished recreating her synthesizer. She knew that the decidedly chaotic blonde girl was essentially the same as the energetic and somewhat explosively outgoing Mina she had known back in the Moon Kingdom, but with more than a few surprising differences. Her own knowledge of the supernatural and the arcane bordered on being encyclopedic, having been exposed to it all since birth and the seven centuries since, and it was an understatement to say that she was quite intrigued as to how a normal human such as Mina's grandmother could have learned so much about things which were actively kept as secretive as possible by those who knew of them. "Okay," Mina said cheerfully as she set the Ether hose aside and grabbed the bean bag from the far wall, tossing it behind her synthesizer's keyboard and plopping down on the gelatin cushion. "That's everyone, right?" "Unless Susan has someone hiding in a closet I don't want to know about," Leda replied dryly as she absently scratched Myst behind her ears. She paused as she saw the subtle flicker of emotion across Susan's face and felt an icy chill form in the pit of her stomach. "Susan, don't tell me you ARE hiding someone else in this keep...." she said very slowly. Susan sighed and shook her head slowly. "Only a semi-intelligent plant suspended in cryo-stasis and my collection of soul runes," she replied. She raised a hand to forestall the expected outburst from Alex and Michelle, as well as the questions from the rest of the group. "Suffice it to say that the only living creatures in this demiplane are within this room, and the rest you need not be concerned about. Despite what misinformed views some of you may have about the nature of my soul rune collection, possession of them is not inherently evil." "No, only using them is," Alex spoke up in a truly acidic tone. Darian cleared his throat gently as he sensed the sudden shift in mood. "We don't want to ask about this one right now, do we?" he spoke up in a rather cautious tone, absently squeezing Serena's hand. "Indeed, now would not be a good time to discuss such things," Susan said with a gentle nod of her head. "It is a rather sensitive topic and quite prone to volatility, especially when misunderstood," she added, casting a brief look at Alex and Michelle. "Sure, Sue," Alex replied coldly. "Whatever you say." "Guys?" Leda spoke up. "Take it easy, okay? We can sort it out after dinner or something. For now, I want to hear about Serena's parents and how it all came together. Such as it were," she amended with a faint blush. Susan smiled gently and looked around the room, seeing if anyone else had something to say. Satisfied that the previous topic would be deferred, she sat back in her armchair and closed her eyes for a brief moment. The memories she sought to unlock were not that old, but even recent memories tended to be very easily buried in the depths of her demonic mind. "I have already told you part of the story earlier," she said in a quiet but still clearly audible voice. "About how the Negaverse first came into contact with the Moon Kingdom. I didn't meet Captain Raijen until a number of hours later in the evening. Dana was still a good hour away from delivery, and so I was able to try to take care of some personal business in the medical wards before the evening's festivities...." * * * * Pluto crossed her arms and sighed darkly as she noticed that the medical ward was empty. She had a pretty good idea where the ward's occupant was at the moment, despite stern medical orders to remain in bed. Part of her really couldn't blame her for sneaking out yet again, but at the same time, she knew that she had to get her to understand that such willful violation of medical authority had consequences.... both social and medical. She was about to turn around and head over to the nursery when the door opened up and a young girl slipped into the room, carrying a white kitten in her arms. She took all of three steps into the room before freezing in place, her jet-black eyes widening in unpleasant surprise at finding Pluto standing next to the bed. "Oh, Susan...." she stammered quietly, her pale face losing even more color. "Hotaru Tomoe," Pluto said very slowly in the universal tone of severe disapproval that every mother knew and every child dreaded hearing. "What are you doing out of bed?" "I was only going to the bathroom, I swear," Hotaru blurted out quickly. Pluto paused for the moment, knowing that she had only been in the room for less than a minute and that it was entirely plausible that the young girl had indeed merely stepped out to use the toilet. "And what of Artemis?" she asked in a neutral tone, giving the kitten a slightly guarded look. "I found him wandering the hallway when I came back," Hotaru explained as she quickly crossed the room and set Artemis on the foot of the bed. She then climbed back into bed and made herself comfortable before reaching down to scoop the kitten up and snuggle him in her arms. "She did," Artemis piped up, reflexively purring as he was scratched just behind his ears. Pluto sighed quietly and shook her head to herself. While it was possible that the kitten was lying to keep Hotaru out of trouble, she had a hunch that they were both telling the truth and that she had merely caught the girl at an inopportune moment. "Very well," she replied in a slightly relaxed tone. "So how are you feeling?" Hotaru briefly rubbed Artemis' stomach before sighing and looking up at her guardian. "Not too good," she admitted in a somewhat pained voice. "I'm having a hard time keeping my balance when standing up." "Which is something you should not be doing on a frequent basis," Pluto immediately countered in a somewhat gentle tone. She knew that Hotaru's health had been rather fragile since her birth, an extremely problematic event that cost Hotaru's mother her life to deliver and had almost claimed the infant's life as well. "How much time did you spend in the nursery earlier?" she asked in a careful tone, trying to avoid upsetting the girl. Hotaru blinked and looked away, a very pale splotch of color tinting her cheeks that made Pluto feel very uneasy. While Mercury's almost hourly scans of the girl indicated that her heart was moving her blood around at a normal pace and pressure, her seeming inability to blush properly had more than a few of the medical staff deeply concerned. "Until I got Alexis to calm down after the alarms went off," Hotaru said, her voice tainted with a tone that Pluto had come to recognize as an indication that she was deliberately trying to be evasive. She knew that the girl would never lie to her, having personally raised her and making quite sure that she understood the importance of trust and speaking the truth, but she knew that Hotaru had also picked up on her tendency to be somewhat evasive when put in an uncomfortable position. Fortunately, she knew how to deal with that.... "Hotaru," she said in a flat but gentle tone. "Well.... I don't really know," Hotaru replied, looking up at her with a somewhat abashed look on her face. "I didn't look at the clock or anything, I just kept Skye and Alexis company until Alexis went back to sleep. Amelia was here with me the entire time as well," she added plaintively, nervously rubbing Artemis' soft white fur and drawing a soft purr in response. A soft, almost subvocal sigh rose up from the depths of Pluto's throat as she looked at the young girl. "You are going to exacerbate your condition if you persist in exerting yourself," she warned gently, knowing that it was a futile battle but feeling compelled to fight it anyway. "Does it matter?" Hotaru replied quietly, causing Pluto to blink hard in surprise. She sighed and looked down at the sheets surrounding her, absently running her fingertips through Artemis' extremely soft white fur. "Every time I read the cards for my future, I get the same thing. A reading like that may have been simple luck of the draw the first time, and perhaps a simple fluke the second time, but three times? Four? Five?" "Hotaru...." Pluto said in a deeply worried voice. She was fully aware of the girl's innate, almost supernatural attunement with the underlying forces of the universe. It was the legacy of the House of Saturn, although it had been three hundred years since the last Sailor Saturn had been gifted with as strong a sense of astrology as Hotaru currently possessed. Never consciously shaped, the attunement could be read and interpreted through various mediums, and as with her ancestor, this Sailor Saturn also favored using a deck of tarot cards as the focus for her predictions and divinations. Hotaru sat up and carefully set Artemis in her lap before reaching beneath her pillows to withdraw the ancient deck of tarot cards that had once belonged to her great-grandmother. She quickly shuffled the deck with practiced ease, her hands moving almost too fast for even Pluto's demonic eyes to follow before dealing out five cards face-down in an arc in front of her. She then looked up at the succubus and slowly began to flip the cards over, her jet-black eyes never leaving Pluto's red eyes for an instant. "The Moon," she said before she flipped over the first card to reveal the image of a dog and a wolf howling up at a gigantic full moon. "Death," she whispered before she touched the second card and turned it over, revealing the image of a red-robed being holding the banner of a white rose. "Stop it," Pluto said very quietly as an icy chill gripped her. "The Lovers," Hotaru continued, still staring at Pluto as she flipped the third card over to reveal the image of a man and a woman holding hands as they basked in the sunlight in naked glory. "The Wheel of Fortune," she added as the fourth card was flipped over to show the picture of a cosmic wheel, the symbol of destiny and fate. "Hotaru, please," Pluto whispered. "Cease this at once." Hotaru's eyes narrowed slightly as she reached for the last card, still never taking her eyes off of Pluto. "Judgment," she almost spat as the last card was flipped over to reveal the card that often denoted the final reckoning of whatever it was associated with. "That's six times now, Susan, six times I've gotten this exact same reading." Pluto swallowed hard and looked down at the cards, acutely aware of the deep chill still surging through her veins. "Very well," she said softly. She continued to stare the cards for several seconds before returning her focus to Hotaru. "So tell me what it means," she instructed gently, preparing herself for the worst. Much to her surprise, the young girl merely sighed heavily and looked down at the kitten in her lap. "That's what bothers me the most," she replied in a sullen tone as Artemis looked up at her with deep curiosity. "I haven't been able to figure out what it means in its entirety. I know it means I will die, however, and soon." "Sailor Saturn, listen to yourself," Pluto said briskly, startling both Hotaru and Artemis. "How many times have you had to explain to others that the sign of Death means change and not literal death?" "Tends to mean change," Hotaru corrected quietly, giving her a saddened look. "I know what it means in this context, Susan, it's the direct influence card. What keeps throwing me off is the presence of The Lovers in the center of this, I simply have no idea what shape, form, or impact it has. I've never run across a reading this.... this...." "Ambiguous?" Pluto suggested carefully. "Unreadable!" Hotaru blurted out, her eyes widening slightly. "I honestly have no idea what it means, and it's been driving me crazy for three days!" "Hotaru...." Pluto started to say. "Susan, I've *NEVER* had a reading I couldn't interpret!" Hotaru continued speaking at a frantic pace, causing her breath to start to rattle in her chest. "Sure, there have been a few times where it took me a bit of time to figure it all out, but I've never had a reading like this. Never!" "Calm down," Pluto said quickly as she suddenly realized what the abrupt increase in stress was doing to Hotaru's condition. "Hotaru, lay down before you have a relapse. Breathe through your nose and don't inhale too deeply." The girl blinked and sighed in resignation as she laid back against the pillows. The surge of anxiety left her as quickly as it had come, leaving her feeling drained of strength and causing her lungs to rasp quietly with each drawn breath. "I'm sorry," she whispered to Pluto. "I just...." "Take it easy," Pluto said reassuringly as she reached out to take her hand in her own. "You must understand, you cannot exert yourself for too long without the strain taking a toll on you." "Hotaru?" Artemis spoke up as he leaned forward, putting his front paws on her stomach for balance. "What's wrong?" he inquired, giving her a curious but deeply concerned look. Hotaru managed a wan smile as she reached out with her free hand to rub his head. "I'm sick, Artemis," she said, choosing her words carefully in an effort to explain things to the kitten. "I have to rest a lot if I want to get better, but I haven't been doing that very well lately." "Why not?" the kitten protested, giving her an upset look. A very faint and pale blush sprang to her cheeks as she cast a sidelong glance at Pluto, the blush darkening by a fraction of a shade as she saw the look of veiled amusement in Pluto's eyes. She knew that it meant Pluto would refrain from saying anything, leaving it up to her to try to explain herself to the kitten. She figured it was a form of punishment, but one that she thought she probably deserved anyway. "It's not easy," Hotaru said carefully. "I can't just curl up anywhere and sleep away half the day like you can. Even though I'm sick, I'm still a Sailor Scout and I still have duties to do." "Duties which you have been relieved of until you get better," Pluto said in a neutral tone. "Official duties, yes," Hotaru countered. "But I still have to help out when needed. Like when the security alarms went off earlier. I couldn't join the others to protect the Queen or investigate the disturbance, but I could still help Amelia by keeping Alexis calmed and occupied. That left Amelia free to secure the ward and made Skye feel better knowing that her baby was being protected." The words had been directed to Artemis, but Hotaru was keeping a careful eye on Pluto's reaction. A faint change in her expression and a slight tilt of her head told Hotaru that the succubus was mulling over her words, and that her initial impression was not one of negativity. The mood suddenly shifted when the inner doors opened up to discharge a somewhat harried-looking Sailor Mercury. "Move," she growled at Pluto as she started to charge past her. "Something wrong?" Pluto inquired calmly as she took several steps back, forcing Mercury to pass near Hotaru's bed. "Lucille says Dana is in labor," Mercury sighed as she paused, pulling her diagnostic computer out of a pocket of the large white coat she had pulled on over her dark blue Sailor Suit. "I don't think it's true labor yet, just a series of pains from her body fighting the herbs, but I promise you that her daughter will be born before midnight, so I may as well get ready now. What?" she blurted out as she glanced down at the readings on her computer. She blinked hard and looked up at Hotaru before she glanced at where she was aiming the medical scanner at. "Oh, of all the things," she growled as she reached down to pick up the white kitten by the scruff the neck, holding him up so she could look at him at eye-level. "Which one are you?" "Artemis," the kitten whimpered quietly, knowing he was in trouble. "Ahh, Chamomile's son," Mercury replied in a stern but patient tone. "Let me explain this one to you, Artemis. This is my medical ward, Sailor Saturn is my patient, and you're interfering with my medical scans of her. I don't mind your presence here as long as you stay out of my way and don't shed any fur. I find one white cat hair and I'm going to restring my harp with you. Are we clear on this?" "Yes, Doctor," the kitten replied in a very chastised voice. "Good," she said as she gently set him down at the foot of the bed. "Now you stay put for a few minutes while I finish up here," she instructed as she reset her computer and tried to scan Hotaru again. She studied the readings for several seconds before sighing heavily and giving the young girl a very reproving glance. "Do I have to tranquilize you to keep you calm?" she said in an openly exasperated tone. "I'm sorry," Hotaru said in a quiet voice. "I just...." Mercury sighed and held up a hand to forestall the explanations, putting her computer away in the coat pocket before running both hands through her mane of dark blue hair. "Hotaru, work with me," she pleaded quietly. "I can only do so much for you, the rest you have to do on your own. Yes, I can try having you put in restraints and kept under sedation, but we both know that will do more harm than good in the long run. You have to remain in bed and keep your exertions to a minimum if you want to get better. And you could help," she added, turning to Pluto and jabbing her in the shoulder with a finger. "I'm trying," Pluto replied in a dry tone. "She's about as easy to rein in as you were at her age, and I believe that is saying something." Mercury just grumbled quietly to herself and ran her fingertips through her hair again. "Some friend you are," she muttered quietly. She sighed to herself again and turned back to Hotaru. "Do you think you need anything in terms of herbs or poultices?" she inquired in a somewhat softer tone. The young girl thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think it will do any good at this point," she replied sadly. "I just need to rest like everyone keeps telling me to, that's all." Mercury just looked up at the ceiling in resignation. "Believe me, young lady, if I could put rest in a syringe, I'd load you up with 50cc every hour, on the hour, for the next week. Just stay in bed and try not to move around, okay? I know it's boring, but boring is better than comatose or worse." "I know," Hotaru replied in a subdued tone. "Spoken like a true teenager," Mercury muttered before the outer doors of the ward were pushed open as Sailor Mars stuck her head in. "Amelia?" Mars prompted. "Lucille says you should hurry up, and I'll not repeat what Dana suggested you do," she said in a remotely amused tone. "Tell her to cross her legs and breathe deep, I'll be there in a moment," Mercury growled. "Just as soon as Hotaru understands the error of her ways." "You're in a mood today," Pluto observed to her best friend as Mars just shook her head ruefully and disappeared back into the main hallway. "I haven't seen a bedside manner this rough since...." "Susan?" Mercury said flatly, cutting her off with a sharp gesture. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been busy all day dealing with that doctor of theirs and I haven't eaten a thing since dinner last night, seeing how we all got distracted during breakfast and never bothered to break for lunch." "Shame on you, Doctor," Pluto admonished her. "Stuff it, Chancellor," Mercury grumbled back with a faint blush. "And you expect me to take better care of myself?" Hotaru muttered beneath her breath, causing Pluto's eyebrows to arch up and Mercury's complexion to take on a distinctly purple tint. "You must be running a fever," Mercury said as she looked around the room. "Here, let me take your temperature. Where'd I put that rectal thermometer?" "Amelia," Pluto said flatly as Hotaru's eyes widened dangerously, "Go see to Dana, as I assure you that Hotaru will still be here once you've been fed and your temper allowed to cool. We both know how unreasonable you tend to get when you haven't eaten," she reminded her gently. Mercury paused to inhale very slowly through her nose before letting it back out in a heavy sigh. "You're right," she said quietly, casting a glance at Hotaru. "But she still needs to rest." "Go," Pluto ordered in a neutral tone as she took the blue-haired woman by the elbow and ushered her towards the door. She accepted the glare she got in the general spirit of the deep friendship that existed between them and waited until Mercury had left the ward before sighing quietly. "Are we still in trouble?" Artemis inquired carefully. "Depends on how much chocolate she has during dinner," Hotaru replied. "Hotaru!" Pluto exclaimed, a faint smile tugging on her lips. Hotaru giggled quietly and sat up, making a face as her weakened body protested the move. She carefully scooped the tarot cards up and began to shuffle them again, her hands unconsciously moving at a rapid pace out of pure reflex. "Let's see what our future Sailor Neptune will be like," she said as she flipped over a single card, revealing the image of a young girl standing on a beach holding a golden goblet in her hand. "Hmm, Page of Cups." "That usually denotes the birth of a child, does it not?" Pluto spoke up with obvious humor in her voice. "Seeing how Dana is in labor, I would think that the birth of a child in her future is patently obvious." "Wrong context," Hotaru replied with a smile of her own. "In this case, it means that she will be a rather artistic and free-spirited child. Hmm, what if I expanded this just a bit?" she said, mostly to herself as she flipped a second card over. An acrobat walking a tight-rope had a sphere in each hand, a five-pointed star etched into each and a ribbon wrapped around them both to form a Mobius strip. "Odd.... the Two of Pentacles. The Balance... of what?" "Draw a third card?" Artemis suggested innocently, prompting faint smiles from both women. "What, what's so funny?" "I believe that she intended to draw a third card when she decided to draw the second," Pluto explained calmly. Hotaru winked at the kitten before she flipped over another card, this one of a young girl wearing a pair of winged boots holding a large sword in her hands. "Page of Swords. Insight and Perception? Well, if that's the focus of balance, then I guess she'll be quite the handful to deal with, as she'll be both artistic and perceptive. Susan, is something wrong?" "Odd indeed...." Pluto said slowly, tilting her head to one side. "Didn't you draw the Page of Swords last month when you did the reading for Alexis?" Hotaru blinked and looked down at the cards, furrowing her brow as she thought about it. "It's possible," she said. "I don't remember, to be honest, but the suit of Swords is associated with the House of Uranus in many ways...." They both looked up as they heard a loud yell, followed by the outer doors of the medical ward being flung inward to admit a wheeled gurney pushed along by Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus. Sailor Mercury was right behind the gurney, talking soothingly to a very pregnant and obviously laboring Lady Dana Kaiou of the House of Neptune. "Move," Mars sighed as she and Venus wheeled Dana into the inner ward. "This is going to take awhile," Mercury said to Pluto with a weary look on her face. "Feel free to inform her Majesty that she should not expect any of us to attend the banquet tonight. And if you can find Master Healer V'lent'u, please let her know that Dana has agreed to allow her to observe." "Can I watch?" Hotaru spoke up, her expression brightening. Her sudden change in mood lasted for precisely two full seconds before Mercury turned to give her a piercing look that made her wilt. "You are in no condition to be out of bed," Mercury said sternly. "You got to see Alexis being born last month, so there isn't anything new to see. If you behave and stay in bed, I will take you to see Dana's newborn in the nursery after everything has calmed down. Now if you'll excuse me...." "Artemis," Pluto said as Mercury entered the inner ward. "Would you be so kind as to pass word along to her Majesty? I believe she is either in the main throne room or out on one of the balconies." "Okay!" the kitten said excitedly as he leapt to the floor and ran out of the room, slowing down only long enough to squeeze past the outer doors before vanishing into the hallway. Pluto and Hotaru looked at one another and both opened their mouths to say something when the inner ward doors opened back up. "Hotaru!" Mercury called out as she stuck her head into the ward. "Lie down before I tie you down!" she said before disappearing back inside and allowing the doors to close again. Hotaru blinked hard and gave Pluto a dubious look before sighing heavily and reluctantly laying back down on the pillows. "She's mad at me, isn't she?" the young girl muttered quietly as her expression twisted into a mild pout. Pluto smiled gently and shook her head. "She's about as upset with your intransigence as the rest of us, but she's not mad," she said in a moderate tone. "We all are worried about you, Hotaru, and we all would like to see you get better. Which will not happen unless you start heeding medical advice," she added in a faintly edged tone. Hotaru sighed and nodded reluctantly, rolling over onto her side so she could bend down to scoop up the ancient tarot cards. She carefully eased her weight onto her back and absently started shuffling the cards, a low-stress activity that Pluto had come to realize was surprisingly cathartic for her. "Susan, how long do you think I'll live?" Hotaru spoke up, the question completely catching Pluto off-guard. "What?" Pluto blurted out before she regained her composure. "Hotaru Tomoe, what in the name of the Moon are you talking about?" The young girl briefly paused shuffling the well-used cards to give her a saddened look before resuming her habitual activity. "I'm not stupid, Susan," she said very quietly, looking down at the cards. "We both know I'm not strong enough to fight this indefinitely, and lately I've been getting weaker with every passing day. Amelia can't figure it out, even with her computer, which means she can't truly help me." Pluto said nothing for several seconds, torn between wanting to lash out in anger at Hotaru's acceptance of her fate and wanting to tell her the truth, which would crush any lingering spark of hope left. She knew that Hotaru's health would continue to degenerate over time, eventually leaving her without the ability to walk or even move. Hotaru herself had once said, if only as a joke, that she wished that she could remain healthy just long enough to yield her virginity to a suitable lover when she was of age. She knew that she would never be able to bear a child, or at least survive the attempt, but had joked that she should at least have the good grace to try when she was older.... The joke had drawn a faint smile from Pluto, but Mercury almost suffered a full-blown seizure from the comment. The resulting backlash of raw emotion from the normally mild-mannered physician, while understandable, only convinced Hotaru that she had no sense of humor and reinforced Pluto's judgment not to allow the joke to be repeated to the Queen or anyone else. Pluto nearly jumped as she felt a hand take hold of her own, looking up to see Hotaru sitting up and giving her a concerned look. Sighing quietly, Pluto squeezed her hand gently before making a gesture. "You should not be sitting up, young lady," she said, unconciously using the motherly tone she had seemed to develop over the years. Hotaru didn't move, looking at her intently. "What are you thinking?" she asked softly. Pluto sighed again and chose her words very carefully. "We both know your health is not what it should be," she said slowly. "While I am not under the illusion that your time in this world will be a protracted one, I am confident that you will still be with us for some time. Granted the nature of your state of health is an unknown, even to me, but it is certainly not a death sentence that requires us to start searching for a limestone slab with your name on it to place in the Royal Crypts." Hotaru looked at her for a moment before giggling to herself, drawing a decidedly uncertain look from the succubus. "Of course you don't have to go search, they're all stored in the House of Saturn vaults," she said with an impish smile, referring to the storage location of the unfinished tombstones. "Hotaru!" Pluto exclaimed, slightly dismayed by the dark nature of the girl's sense of humor. In another time and place she might have found it more deserving of a chuckle, but under the current circumstances, the downshift in her mood spoke a great deal about her bleak outlook of the future. They both looked up as the inner ward doors swung open to discharge a visibly disturbed Sailor Mars. She strode past the other women and entered the outer ward without a single word, seeming to trail a proverbial stormcloud over her head as she went. Hotaru turned to watch the doors close behind her before looking up at Susan, her eyes widening slightly. "Wow," she said quietly. "Aria looked to be upset about something." A faint hint of a smile touched Pluto's lips as she shook her head. "As she didn't appear to be inclined to either grab the nearest solid object and throw it across the room or set fire to something combustible, I would say that she was sent on a quick errand that she would rather not be doing." Hotaru nodded slowly in understanding before glancing down at the deck of tarot cards in her free hand. Disengaging herself from Pluto, she started to shuffle the cards again and was poised to flip one over when Pluto reached out to put her hand over the deck. "Perhaps you may wish to avoid asking that question," Pluto suggested in a faintly amused tone, drawing a startled blink from the girl. "If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that Aria is paying a brief visit to Kayla in an attempt to find something that will settle both Dana and Amelia's nerves. Seeing how it is almost time to get ready for tonight's banquet, I would guess that she will return with tea and crackers for Amelia and perhaps a small piece of dense chocolate for Dana." "Oh," Hotaru said quietly. "Okay, then...." They both blinked hard as the outer doors opened back up to allow Mars to re-enter the ward, holding a small steaming pot in one hand and a small covered tray in the other. She cast a dour look at Pluto as she passed by, grumbling something inarticulate beneath her breath as she gently kicked the inner doors open and went inside. "That was fast," Hotaru commented before she turned to look at the still- open outer doors. "Oh, hi, Kayla!" she called out, waving a greeting. "I was wondering when someone would convince Sailor Mercury to eat," the young woman replied with a faint smile. She glanced over at Pluto and shook her head gently. "Chancellor, I know the good doctor is busy, but you still need to take better care of her," she chided. Pluto chuckled quietly in acceptance of the observation. "How are the preparations for the banquet coming along?" she asked Serenity's personal chef. "Almost done," Kayla replied with a nod of her head. "It's going to take slightly longer than usual because we're trying to avoid using anything that is on Lady Mercury's list of ingredients that would have an adverse effect on our guests. Would you believe that includes virtually every spice in my cabinet?" she added, giving the green-haired woman in incredulous look. "They are from another world," Pluto reminded her gently. "Would you honestly expect our respective digestive systems to be that similar?" Kayla sighed wistfully and shook her head. "No, of course not, but we should have *something* in common, aside from breathing air," she pointed out. "I can't even use any paprika or basil, how am I supposed to make a decent dinner without those?" she complained. "I'm sure her Majesty's trust in your cullinary skills is not misplaced," Pluto said diplomatically, drawing a dour look from the auburn-haired woman. "And I am sure that any minor deficiencies that happen to be noticed will be more than overlooked should our guests find it to their satisfaction. Just do your best, Kayla." "Thank you, Chancellor," she grumbled as she started to head back out into the hallway. She paused and took a step back into the ward, looking down at the ground with a surprised look. She then took another step back and moved off to the side, holding the door open to allow a heavily pregnant gray cat to enter the room carrying a decidedly wet Artemis by the scruff of his neck. "Diana?" Pluto inquired as she walked over, her eyebrows arching up in surprise. "What happened?" The gray cat carefully set Artemis down and made a face, spitting out a small wad of wet white hair. "Pleagh. Artemis here thought he could take a short-cut around the fountain in the courtyard and fell in," she grumbled. "I'm sorry," Artemis coughed as he braced himself. He blinked hard as he was promptly picked up by Pluto before he could shake more of the water out of his fur. "Not even going to ask," Kayla sighed as she edged around Diana and went back into the hallway. "Artemis, unless you desire to become part of Amelia's harp, I strongly suggest you don't attempt to shake yourself dry in here," Pluto warned as she strode over to the supply closet to find a blanket. "Did you find the Queen?" "He did," Diana spoke up as she gingerly picked up the small hairball and flung it into a ballistic trajectory that terminated perfectly in a trash can. "In fact, I believe her Majesty may be on her way here once she finishes with her new acquaintance." Pluto blinked hard, momentarily distracted from her task of rubbing the slightly-coughing kitten dry. "Oh?" she inquired, deeply intrigued as to what the cat was referring to. "One of the guards for our guests," Diana explained as she surveyed the room. She blinked as she saw Hotaru looking at her and sighed quietly. "Oh, what are you still doing here?" she grumbled good-naturedly as she made her way over to the bed and looked up at the edge to gauge the distance. "Tell me about it," Hotaru sighed as she moved away from the far end of the bed. She watched as Diana crouched low for several seconds before leaping up, amazed that the cat could still jump that high even with the extra bulk and weight of her pregnancy. "Am I to presume that her Majesty has started to take an interest in one of them outside of the normal diplomatic channels?" Pluto inquired in a very delicate tone as she continued to rub Artemis dry. Diana glanced at the door before clearing her throat. "I am not privy to her thoughts, of course, so I can only make conjectures based upon what I see and hear on my own. He said his name was Raijen and identified himself as a captain of one of their guard units, the Dragoons I believe. Serenity, being the diplomatic monarch that she is, offered the services of our tailors to him to provide a suit of formal wear for tonight's ball as well as offering to personally instruct him in the basics of dancing." Both Hotaru and Pluto blinked in surprise, knowing that the Queen was more than capable of holding her own on the ballroom floor but was not quite skilled enough to teach others the art. The look on Pluto's face darkened slightly a moment later as something else came to her mind, resulting in a very faint chill running down her spine. "Well, that's certainly nice of her," Hotaru said carefully as she leaned forward to run her fingertips along Diana's back. "It is," Diana allowed with a soft purr, arching her back by reflex at the young girl's touch. "I believe he was more than surprised by her offer, but before he could say anything we had to mount a rescue mission for Artemis." "I'm sorry!" the kitten whined plaintively. Pluto chuckled very quietly as she continued to rub the damp kitten. "So what happened after that?" she inquired. Diana sighed and laid down, taking the bulk of her weight off of her feet. "This is where it gets interesting," she explained. "Raijen puts his helmet on and leaps off the balcony, hops into the fountain to grab Artemis, and then leaps back up to the balcony railing. Boom, splash, boom, just like that." "What?" both Pluto and Hotaru echoed in the same instant. "That's what we said!" Diana exclaimed. "It's almost twenty feet straight down to the ground from the balcony, but he just jumped down and right back up like it was nothing! Well, almost nothing," she amended. "I think that second jump did something to his armor. It seemed to spark and vent some green gas when he landed, and he didn't look too happy about it. Then again, with the way he looks with that helmet on...." she said, trailing off and shivering hard to herself. "Huh," Hotaru said slowly, her eyes wide with wonder. "A booster, I would imagine," Pluto said thoughtfully. "And it sounds like it shorted out after being exposed to water. That might have posed a hazard to him...." she said, her voice trailing off as she turned her thoughts inward. "Serenity ordered me to take Artemis here to have him checked out after that, so I have no idea what was said after I left," Diana finished with the feline equivalent of a shrug. "But just between the four of us, I think that a connection of some sort was made between them." "Are you kidding?" Hotaru said with a soft giggle. "After saving Artemis from drowning? Trust me, he'll definitely be on the Queen's good side for quite awhile...." "Hotaru," Pluto admonished her with a soft smile, knowing it was almost a guaranteed truth. "Well, I'm just saying...." Hotaru giggled again as she carefully ran her hand along Diana's swollen abdomen. She blinked as she felt movement beneath her fingertips and paused to try to get a better feel for it. "Oh, Diana!" she exclaimed, her expression brightening. "Yes, I know," Diana said dryly. "Active bunch, aren't they?" "Are you in any discomfort?" Pluto inquired, knowing that the cat was due to give birth almost any day now. Diana paused before flicking her tongue out to briefly preen her whiskers. "Well, I'm not sure," she said slowly. "They've gotten awful active lately, and I swear they're taking turns using my bladder as a kicking bag. It's been driving me insane for a week." Pluto finished rubbing Artemis dry and carefully set him on the floor, keeping one eye on his movements to make absolutely sure he was fine. "They aren't cramp-like feelings, are they? Spaced out at regular intervals, even if it's an hour or so between waves?" "Well...." Diana started to say before becoming as still as a statue, her chest barely rising and falling as she breathed. "I haven't been paying much attention to that, really, but now that you mention it...." "Uh-oh," Hotaru spoke up. "Don't say that," Diana sighed heavily. "If I may suggest," Pluto spoke up with a faint smile, "I would urge you not to try to have your litter until Amelia is finished with Dana's delivery. Otherwise, you may find yourself under someone else's care for the duration." "I'll see what I can do," the gray cat said in a tone as dry as any Earth desert. "And if you can find a way to hold them back for a day or two, I would of course be extremely grateful for your help." "Do they make corks that big?" Hotaru teased, drawing a dark look and a playful swat from Diana's paw. "Hotaru," Pluto sighed quietly. She shook her head to herself and put the blanket in the used linen bin and sorted through the supply cabinet, finding a tube of moderate-strength burn gel in the back of one of the shelves. The bulk of the pharmaceuticals were kept in a locked storage room elsewhere in the medical ward, but more than a few common herbs and medications were available for use by the other medical staff. "Diana, could you remain here with Hotaru for awhile?" she inquired as she tucked the tube into her Lunar Space pocket. "I am going to consult with her Majesty to ensure everything is ready for tonight." The cat nodded in understanding and made herself comfortable. "Of course, Chancellor, I'll keep her out of trouble. And if she doesn't cooperate, my claws still work just fine," she added, giving Hotaru an amused look as she flexed her paws to reveal the ivory claws. "Gee, thanks," Hotaru muttered. She looked down as Artemis leapt up onto the bed and snuggled next to Diana. "Oh, phew," she gagged, waving her hand in front of her face. "Artemis, you reek...." "What?" the white kitten blinked, starting to sniff himself intently. "I don't smell anything," he protested. "Wet cat fur," Hotaru said dourly, drawing a faint smile from Pluto. "Just lay down and you'll be alright," Pluto instructed her as she headed for the door to the outer wards. She knew that Diana was just as concerned for Hotaru's health as the rest of them and would strive to keep her as relaxed as possible. She might even be able to convince the girl to lay down and take a nap, daunting task that it was. She sighed quietly to herself as she left the medical wards and headed into the Royal Palace proper, her thoughts already darkening slightly as she sorted out a new twist in their current situation. Something hadn't sounded right about Diana's story about Serenity's new acquaintance, and she wanted to sort it out for herself in case things were not as they seemed. Of course, she reflected as she walked, few things really were as they seemed, but that was another matter (and another headache) entirely.... * * * * It took slightly longer than expected to find Queen Serenity, but Pluto eventually ran into a pair of palace guards who pointed her over to the Royal Suites in the western part of the palace. A guard was standing post outside one of the rooms, which seemed like a good place to start as any. Nodding to the guard, she pressed the door chime and listened carefully for a response on the other side. The door promptly opened up to reveal the lavender-haired figure of Queen Serenity. "Susan," she said slowly, a slightly confused look forming on her youthful face. "What are you doing here? I was led to believe that you were with Hotaru in the medical ward." "Your Majesty," Pluto replied with a curtsey. "Diana is watching over her for the time being. Are you busy at the moment?" she inquired carefully. Serenity blinked and blushed gently before shaking her head. "No, I am merely seeing to our guests," she said as she stepped aside, gesturing for her best friend to enter. "Please, come with me for a moment," she said, leading Pluto into the suite. Pluto nodded and followed her inside, blinking as she suddenly felt a very faint but still discernable chill in the air. It wasn't related to the room temperature, and it took her several seconds to realize that the feeling was spiritual in nature. It wasn't the spectral chill of the spirits of the dead, but it was still enough to raise the hair on the back of her neck. They entered the equivalent of the living room of the suite to find a man wearing a suit of heavy armor carefully sitting on one of the chairs. A large helmet was set on top of the table, and several pieces of armor from his leg were neatly laid aside as he worked with what appeared to be machinery on the inside of the armor. He looked up at their entrance and immediately stood up, wincing slightly as his weight was put back on his leg. "Your Majesty," he said with a bow of his head, causing a stray lock of his shoulder-length blonde hair to tumble into his line of vision. "Raijen, I would like you to meet Lady Susan Meiou of the House of Pluto, Chancellor of my kingdom and one of my most trusted advisors," Serenity said as she gestured to Pluto. "Susan, this is Captain Raijen of the Negaverse." "Captain," Pluto said with a respectful nod of her head, keeping her expression perfectly neutral. "My lady," Raijen replied with a nod of his own. "I understand we have already had a minor adventure this evening?" Pluto said as she turned to Serenity, giving her a slightly curious look. An odd smile spread across Serenity's face as she glanced over at Raijen. "You could say that," she replied. "A kitten ended up in the fountain in the courtyard, and Raijen was kind enough to rescue him for me." "Some calls to action must always be heeded," Raijen rumbled quietly. "No matter whom is doing the calling." Pluto glanced over at the odd smile on her Queen's face before mentally shaking her head to herself, knowing that Hotaru's comment was exactly right. "I assure you that we are most grateful for your efforts, Captain," Pluto said with a soft smile. "In fact, your Majesty, I looked over Artemis myself and could find no health concerns to worry about. Save for the minor problem of having wet fur," she added with a note of humor, causing Serenity to giggle very softly to herself. The giggle was hardly expected, drawing yet another mental head-shake from the succubus and making her reassess the situation. "That tends to happen when a kitten gets wet," Serenity allowed with a soft smile. Pluto nodded and turned her attention back to Raijen, pausing slightly as the faint chill reasserted itself for a moment. "However, Captain, I have been told that you may have damaged something in the effort?" she inquired in a very careful tone, studying him intently for his reaction. Raijen sighed quietly and nodded before sitting back down, apparently trying to make sure that the weight of his armor wouldn't overburden the chair. "Indeed," the said with a faint grunt. "I apparently neglected to ensure that the weather seals on my joints had been properly secured before entering the water, and I believe I suffered a booster failure because of it. It is of no great importance, I assure you," he added quickly. "But you injured yourself as well," Serenity spoke up, her voice clearly laced with concern. "Be at ease, your Majesty," the armored figure replied. "It is a minor burn at worst that shall heal itself within days." "Be that as it may, Captain," Pluto said slowly as she pulled the tube of burn gel from her Lunar Space pocket and held it out to him, "We do try to take proper care of our guests. This gel should aid the healing process as well as numb the pain." Both Raijen and Serenity blinked in surprise, briefly exchanging glances before the Dragoon rose to his feet to accept the gel. "Thank you, my lady," he said with a deep bow of his head. "The gesture is most appreciated." "Susan?" Serenity inquired as the tube was handed over. "How exactly did you know about the burn? Diana and Artemis left before it was discovered." Pluto hesitated for a brief instant as she noticed Raijen's head coming up to look at her, his bright blue eyes narrowing slightly with the faintest hint of suspicion. "A logical deduction, your Majesty, nothing more," she explained to them both. "Diana told me about a spark and some escaping gas, and I took that to mean some sort of mechanical failure. As such failures are typically accompanied by a burst of heat, I thought it likely that our guest suffered a moderate burn of some degree from the event and prepared accordingly." Serenity blinked before turning to give a warm smile to Raijen. "Now you see why I value her counsel so highly," she said in a soft tone. "A wise woman indeed," Raijen said with a nod of his head before returning his focus to his armor. "If I may, Captain, do you require assistance with that?" Pluto offered, studying him intently again. "While neither her Majesty nor myself have any great knowledge of armor such as yours, I'm certain I can find someone among the guards who can help with the repair work." "Thank you, my lady, but that is not necessary," Raijen replied with a shake of his head, causing his hair to spill out from inside his armor and flow around his shoulders in a blond cascade. "At your Queen's insistence, I will escort her to this evening's dinner and save the repair work for tomorrow. I may need to request access to a workshop for a short duration, but that is all I would require. I assure you that your hospitality is more than sufficient and greatly appreciated." "As I said before, we try to take proper care of our guests," Pluto said in a diplomatic tone. "I will make arrangements to have you escorted to our metalworking facility tomorrow at your leisure. If you will be so kind as to excuse me, I have to consult with her Majesty about...." she started to say, only to pause as there was a loud knock at the door. "That should be the tailor," Serenity said demurely. "I see," Pluto said slowly. "If you will excuse me for a moment?" she said before withdrawing to answer the door. She was almost at the door when she paused for an instant, casting a quick glance over her shoulder to catch Serenity smiling rather warmly at Raijen. Sighing quietly with resignation, she turned her attention back to the door and opened it, knowing that things had just gotten decidedly more interesting. "Good evening, Chancellor," the middle-aged man said with a bow. "Her Majesty sent for me to help attire one of our guests, and I was directed to report here." "Indeed," Pluto said demurely as she stepped back to allow the tailor to enter the suite. "The Queen and her guest are inside the main room. Please, come with me," she said as she bade him to follow her. She led him into the suite and into the living room, pausing in the open archway. "Your Majesty, the tailor you have sent for has arrived," she announced quietly. "Your Majesty," the tailor said as he gave the queen a deep bow. "Thank you for coming," Serenity said with a soft smile. "This is Captain Raijen of the Negaverse Dragoons. And as you can see, he is in need of a suit of formal wear for tonight's ball." "It would be a pleasure, your Majesty," the tailor replied before giving Raijen a respectful nod of his head. "Evening to you, good sir." "Good evening," Raijen replied with a respectful nod of his own. "Your Majesty, perhaps we should let them take care of business while we discuss a few matters of business ourselves?" Pluto suggested in a delicate tone with a casual and indirect gesture towards the door. Serenity seemed to sigh quietly before turning to Raijen. "It never seems to end," she said gently. "I look forward to seeing you again tonight at the banquet, Captain. Thank you once again for saving Artemis." "The pleasure is mine, your Majesty," Raijen rumbled softly with a slight nod of his head. "Rest assured, your Majesty, I shall have him properly attired within the hour," the tailor promised with a deep bow. "Assuming this joint seal didn't melt," the armored figure muttered as he cast a decidedly dark glare at the exposed mechanics of his leg armor. "Your Majesty?" Pluto prompted gently, drawing a distinctly odd look from the queen before both women headed towards the door. Pluto cast one final look over her shoulder just as they left, still able to feel the faint spectral chill in the air and not liking it one bit. "Susan...." Serenity said slowly as Pluto closed the door behind her, "Is it just me, or are you being unusually impatient for some reason?" "Impatient, your Majesty?" Pluto replied in a somewhat surprised tone, allowing the emotion to briefly be seen on her expression. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Serenity sighed and shook her head to herself. "Nevermind, Chancellor. So what matter of business do I need to attend to?" she inquired in a slightly weary tone. Pluto paused for a moment before turning to the guard that had quietly started to follow them as an escort. "I will escort her Majesty to her private chambers to assist her in getting ready," she said in a neutral tone. "Our guest will need an escort to the ballroom, and he should be ready within an hour. Please see to it that someone will be waiting here." "Understood, ma'am," the guard said crisply with a salute before returning to her previous post outside the suite door. "Susan?" Serenity prompted in a suddenly guarded tone as they resumed a casual pace towards the palace proper. "There is something about your new acquaintance that deeply bothers me," Pluto said very quietly, drawing a hard blink of surprise from the monarch. "To begin with, he was not among the eight individuals I encountered when we first met the representatives from the Negaverse, nor were any of them wearing any sort of heavy armor such as that." Serenity paused as she thought about it, almost causing Pluto to ram into her elbow. "Perhaps he was called in as relief for the other guards?" she said in a hesitant tone. "If they operate in shifts as ours do, it make sense to see different faces at different times. And if he is a guard captain, I don't see why he wouldn't wear ceremonial armor. After all, ours do...." Pluto sighed quietly, realizing that this was definitely going to be one of the rare uphill battles against a preconceived notion. "Serenity, I think you need to look past your initial feelings on the matter and think objectively about this. The armor he was wearing was hardly ceremonial, as ceremonial armor doesn't come equipped with booster mechanisms or triple-layer metal sheeting around the joints. I wouldn't expect you to have noticed that, of course, but the armor he wore is too heavy to be anything other than combat- oriented armor." Serenity stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face her best friend, a distinctly uneasy look forming on her face. "Susan, what are you trying to say? You think he's lying about who and what he is?" Pluto shook her head and chose her words carefully. "I am not saying that at all, I am merely pointing out discrepancies as I notice them. Another such discrepancy is who he claims to be. He says he's a Dragoon and that he is a captain of the guard, but if you remember earlier, Colonel V'Kaar introduced Lieutenant Commander T'Cer as a Dragoon, but as his intelligence officer. One does not mix Security and Intelligence in a division, as they perform vastly different functions." Serenity raised a delicate lavender eyebrow. "You're making an assumption that their military is organized along the same lines as ours," she pointed out in a faintly edged tone. "That is entirely possible," Pluto conceded with a nod. "However, given the extensive integration of their military in their society, I find it highly unlikely that they would be combined in a single division." The queen was silent for a number of moments as she contemplated what this might mean. "So what do you suggest I do?" she finally asked very quietly. Pluto sighed softly and shook her head again. "I only ask you to remain vigilant and exercise caution, Serenity. I do not have any conclusive proof or anything to validate any suspicions I have. May I remind you that this is a first-contact situation between cultures, and it is prudent to err on the side of caution and not allow personal feelings to cloud your better judgment." Serenity blinked and cast a somewhat piercing look at Pluto. "I will try to keep that in mind, Susan," she said in a slightly cool tone. "What exactly do you mean by personal feelings?" "A generalization, your Majesty, nothing more," Pluto replied demurely. "You are, by your very nature, and open and loving individual, and I would not like to see that become abused or otherwise taken advantage of by our guests. It may be easy to assign benign motives to them, but you must still be wary of all the possibilities. I am not suggesting that you don't trust them, merely that you take your time in extending a greater degree of trust than may be warranted at this time." Serenity looked at her in silence for several moments before looking off into the horizon, staring at the cloud-swirled blue planet hovering low in the evening sky. "Very well," she said quietly. Pluto felt herself age ten years as she stifled the urge to sigh again. I might as well get this over with, she thought to herself as she slowly took a deep breath. "You like him already, don't you?" she said softly. "What?" Serenity blurted out, turning around to face Pluto with a startled look on her face. She caught the knowing look on the succubus' face and felt a blush start to creep up into her own face. "Susan, I'm not sure I understand what you mean...." Pluto merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps that might work on the rest of the Kingdom," she said in a reproving tone. "That may even work on Amelia if she's distracted. But you still have a lot to learn if you think you can lie to someone who not only assisted with your birth but spent the next two years changing your diapers," she pointed out. "You may amend your statement at your leisure." A faint smile of irony touched the corners of Serenity's mouth, knowing that only Susan could possibly get away with chastising her like that. "What do you want me to say, Susan?" she said in a faintly tired tone. "He didn't know who I was when he came across me on the balcony. He treated me not just as a lady, but as a woman. I found that to be.... distinctly refreshing from always being treated as the Queen." Hotaru's comment about being on Serenity's good side bubbled up in Pluto's memory, prompting her to bite the tip of her tongue for a brief moment to keep herself from either smiling or shaking her head. "And was that before or after he rescued Artemis from the fountain?" she prompted carefully, trying to get a feel for just how genuine Serenity's feelings appeared to be. Serenity blinked at the question, a very faint blush springing to her cheeks. "That was before," she said in a somewhat soft tone. "We had a short conversation before that took place. But I'm sure Diana told you all about it already," she added in a faintly accusing tone. "Diana is, as we all are, concerned as always for your Majesty's state of health and well-being," Pluto said diplomatically. "Which encompasses far more than just your physical health." "Spare me the platitudes, Chancellor," Serenity said in a dry tone. "I know everyone is keenly interested in all that transpires in my social life, regardless of how trivial or mundane it might be." Pluto permitted herself a very quiet laugh. "Very well, your Majesty, I will desist until I am convinced that you no longer know what you are doing in regards to your interactions with our guests." "Thank you, Susan," Serenity said with a measure of heartfelt relief and gratitude. She began to walk towards her private chambers in the palace when she suddenly paused and looked over her shoulder at her best friend and most trusted advisor. "Susan.... seeing how this is a first-contact situation.... can any of us truly say we know what we're doing?" "I see your Majesty understands the situation," Pluto deadpanned as she made a gesture for Serenity to continue. "Now then, if you will forgive my impatience, we do have to get ready for the festivities in an hour. If you will allow me to escort you to your chambers...?" "Thank you, Susan," Serenity muttered softly as she wondered, not for the first time, what exactly she did to deserve having the green-haired and often mysterious woman as a pillar of support in her life. * * * * The rest of the room was deathly quiet for a number of moments as Susan quit talking, bringing a faint smile of satisfaction to her lips. She often used the length of silence following one of her stories as a sort of gauge of just how intrigued her audience was by her narration. And if past stretches of silence were any indication of success, this particular story was definitely one of the better ones. "Wow," Mina said quietly. "It's starting to sound like a love-at-first- sight story. Wouldn't that be a trip?" "Hardly," Darian spoke up, causing half the room to blink in surprise. "You and Maze fell in love at first sight. This just sounds to me like your typical boy-meets-girl story. I don't mean that in a bad sense, of course," he added hastily as Mina shot him an unamused look. "Prince Darian," Susan said slowly with a faint smile of amusement, "I hardly think that a man from another world encountering the Queen of the Moon Kingdom would qualify as a 'typical boy-meets-girl' story." "C'mon," Mina protested. "A dark and handsome knight in shining armor meets a beautiful queen? That *has* to be one of the greatest love stories of all time. The love story of the millennium, in fact," she added with a wink. Alex and Michelle just looked at one another before sighing very softly to themselves and shaking their head in unison. Serena merely sat back in the odd chair and drew Darian down slightly, resting the back of his head on her bare shoulder with a faint smile on her lips. Ami and Leda exchanged glances before seeming to shrug in casual agreement, the brunette still idly stroking the gray kitten in her lap. "Absolutely fascinating," Maq'i breathed softly. "That it is," Alex said, nodding her head in agreement. "And not just because we're about to be introduced to Michelle in a whole new way...." "Alex!" Michelle protested with a deep crimson blush. "Hey, guys?" Mina spoke up carefully. "As embarrassing as bringing out the baby pictures and all sounds, that stuff can wait. I'm guessing Susan is taking a break for a reason...." "Indeed I am," Susan replied with a smile and a nod. "It is almost time for lunch, and I don't think it would be proper to continue the story while anyone is preoccupied in the kitchen." "Huh?" Leda said as she sat up straight. "Lunch-time already?" "Time flies when you're having fun," Darian suggested with a casual shrug, reaching down to idly caress Serena's leg through the slit in her translucent pantaloons. "Damn," Leda replied with a shake of her head. "And me without a lunch menu. Anyone have any ideas?" "Soup and salad?" Mina suggested. "We had salad for lunch yesterday, babe," Alex countered. "The soup part sounds interesting, depending on what's in it, but I'll pass on the vegetation for today." "Salads are good for you," Michelle prodded her lover quietly. "I'm not a rabbit, hon," Alex countered with a faint growl. "Got any ground beef?" Darian inquired. "Could always make burgers for lunch. Might have to make-do with the buns, but you can layer them with what you want in terms of lettuce and tomato and onions or the like. One way to sneak a small salad in," he added with a chuckle. "Now there's an idea," Leda mused as she set Myst aside and rested her elbows on her knees. "I can make the buns from scratch, that shouldn't take too long. I'm pretty sure I can find something suitable to grind up some of those beef slabs I saw in the back...." "I'm not sure I want to ask," Mina said in a slightly unhappy tone. "And I know we've got potatoes around here, so I could probably even whip up some skillet fries to go with 'em," Leda continued without missing a beat. "Baked, please," Ami said. "Frying them in oil is not healthy." "Slice-and-dice, then bake?" Darian suggested. "Maybe coat them in some seasoning first before popping them in the oven? Ami has a point about frying them. Don't need to clog the arteries, even if it does taste good...." Leda nodded as she stood up. "Yeah, I can do that. Okay, so burgers and oven-baked fries it is?" she asked the room in general. She received several nods and murmurs of assent before deciding it was settled and headed into the kitchen to begin the preparations. "So now what?" Darian inquired as he surveyed the room. "If she's making buns from scratch and has to grind the meat up first, it'll probably be a full hour before lunch is ready." "Hmm," Alex said slowly, pausing to glance up at Michelle as she felt her fingertips idly working through her hair. "Something on your mind, love?" "Susan? You said you had to do something with your hot tub before it can be used, right?" Michelle asked tentatively. "Heh," Alex chuckled. "Babe, you have a one-track mind sometimes, you know that?" "There is some minor maintenance that needs to be done," Susan allowed with a soft smile. "And I do believe I can have that work accomplished before Leda is finished with lunch. That is actually a rather wise suggestion to have made, given the time available," she added. "Need a hand with the repair work?" Rei spoke up from her sitting position on the floor, surprising everyone. The circle of candles around her were still burning with odd green flames, seeming to leave the wax virtually untouched. Susan paused for a moment to mentally review what she believed needed to be done to restore the pumps to functionality. "Repair work might be an apt description, as I do anticipate a small amount of manual labor to be needed," she warned the priestess. Rei finally opened her eyes to look up at her. "I can do that," she said as she slowly got to her feet. The green flames immediately winked out as soon as she left the cushion, small wisps of blue smoke curling up from the ends of the blackened wicks. "Very well," Susan replied with a nod of her head. She made a snatching motion at the air, pulling her staff out of the temporal flow to land solidly in her hand. "I will leave the corridor on this level to allow everyone access to the bathroom should it be needed." "It will be," Darian promised her, drawing a faint round of chuckles. Everyone looked up as Leda entered the room and made her way over to the open window, reaching out with both hands to grab hold of the impenetrable fog that swirled outside. Her arms seemed to sag downward a moment later as if a heavy weight had been placed in her hands. When she withdrew from the window, she was carring a medium-sized, roughly cylindrical object that she promptly began to carry back into the kitchen. "Meat grinder," she said over her shoulder by way of explanation as she disappeared around the corner. "Yum, yum," Mina said sourly, turning her attention to the synthesizer in front of her. She powered up the mainboard and started to fiddle with the settings, seeming to tune out the rest of the group for the time being. "We shall return shortly," Susan said with a soft sigh as she held her staff out to Rei. She waited until the priestess had reached out to grab hold of it before she turned her focus inward for a brief instant, wrapping four- dimensional space around them and vanishing in a muted flash of light. "Okay...." Alex said slowly as she sat up. She was about to ask what everyone else wanted to do when she noticed that Darian and Serena had already started to indulge in some casual light snuggling, safely nestled inside the cup-like webbed chair that Serena had designed earlier. Ami had her computer pulled out along with a set of miniature screwdrivers, and was already in the process of removing the outside cover of the damaged device. Myst had leapt off of the couch and moved over to the eggshell chair Maq'i was sitting in, both Shinma and denizen healer studying one another intently. "Nevermind," Alex muttered to herself as she laid her head back down in Michelle's lap. She closed her eyes as she felt Michelle's fingertips begin a light scalp massage, lulling her into a relaxed state. Soft music registered on her mind several moments later, a series of tranquil compositions gently drifting out from the synthesizer speakers at a low volume. "Hey, hon?" she asked quietly, quite content with the current mood of the moment. "Do me a favor and wake me up for lunch if I happen to conk out." "Of course," Michelle replied with a soft smile. She paused for a moment before looking down at the relaxed contours of Alex's face. "I know you don't remember Hotaru, of course, but do you think Artemis does?" "He might," Alex replied in a slightly fuzzy tone. "But keep in mind he was barely old enough to talk back then, so he might not remember too much. Shoot, he might not even remember being half-drowned in the fountain," she pointed out. "Remind me to ask him once we return to Earth," Michelle said quietly. Alex cracked one eye open to look up at her lover. "Something on your mind about it, love?" "Maybe," Michelle said in a very soft tone. "But we haven't heard the rest of the story yet, so it'll just have to wait. Just call it a hunch," she said with an absent shrug as she resumed massaging Alex's scalp. "Heh," Alex chuckled very lightly as she closed her eye. "Going to have to call it lunch first, then the rest of the story. Yeech, speaking of lunch, I think I can smell the bread already," she said with a faintly sour look. Michelle paused and glanced down at the blonde. "I thought you liked freshly-baked bread," she protested. "I still do, babe," Alex replied with a soft sigh. "I just don't care for the smell of bread dough anymore. Can't imagine why, though...." * * * * Admiral Si'ren sighed heavily as she leaned forward against the railing, putting most of her weight on her arms. "Say again, Olox, the signal is not holding on this end," she said to the monitor. The avian image on the monitor was barely discernable, completely shot through with a heavy amount of static. The warbling voice that emerged from the speakers was likewise filled with the soft screeches and howls of intense radiation-induced interference, rendering the repeated message just as utterly incoherent as the first one. Si'ren sighed again and resisted the urge to bang her fist on the nearest solid object. "Lieutenant?" she prompted as she cast a pleading look over her shoulder at the communications officer. "Ma'am, I can barely hold the satellite itself," the officer replied in a weary tone. "There is simply too much background interference, and if I boost the signal any higher it'll start to physically damage the receiving antenna. Keep in mind that the uplink station itself is most likely toasted to a nice golden-brown at this point, and just between you and me, I fully expect it to become charcoal within a few minutes." Si'ren just sighed and rubbed her sinuses for a few moments. "We'll try again in half an hour," she said loudly to the monitor, fairly sure that her image and voice would be just as incoherent to the Southern Division commander as his currently was to her. "Imperial Castle out." The image lingered on the monitor for a few seconds before it winked out, being replaced with a standard loss-of-signal test pattern that seemed to be subjected to a moderate amount of feedback. Si'ren scowled at the unsteady display and turned to face the new officer. "I know I'm hardly an expert in communications, but even I know it's not supposed to do that," she protested, gesturing to the graphic. The young officer nodded sourly. "Yes, ma'am, you're absolutely right. As far as I can tell, it's reflective-scatter caused by the transponders of the roof arrays all bouncing off the ForceWard barrier. And even if the barrier wasn't there, we'd still be getting intereference, either directly from the radiation itself or indirectly as the lingering energy seeps into the signal beams and refracts the signals all over the spectrum. Until the level of background radiation drops off significantly, we're in a no-win situation." The white-haired admiral slowly drew in a deep breath through her nose and held it for a number of seconds before exhaling just as slowly. "Thank you, Lieutenant, just keep doing what you can," she managed to say in what passed for a neutral tone. She wasn't happy with having to cope with a relatively new communications officer, especially one who didn't even come close to having the skill and experience of his predecessor. Si'ren muttered a very quiet oath beneath her breath again, wondering not for the first time how D'mer had accidentally killed herself. It hardly made sense to her, knowing that the young lieutenant was quite skilled in working with communications hardware. To improperly wire something by accident and cause a short is one thing, but to completely mis-wire the power supply in such a way as to be fatal? She should have asked for a deeper investigation, but after seeing her carted off to the morgue with a hole burned into the side of her temple.... well, the cause of death seemed to be pretty obvious. She sighed and rested her forehead on the edge of the railing, doing her best not to give into the sudden impulse to bang her head against it in sheer frustration. Rune was under house arrest, Nop'tera and the Red Wings were most likely alive and out there somewhere in a *very* bad mood, and she was stuck trying to deal with a lethal shroud of radiation outside the front door of the castle and with no functional communications to the rest of the planet. She didn't mind the fact that she would be in charge of the Central Division for the visible future, but she would have strongly preferred for things to have taken a different path. She didn't lift her head up as the door hissed open behind her, figuring it was some nameless junior officer coming or going on some errand. She became tense as she heard footsteps directly behind her and felt a light touch on the back of her neck, but quickly relaxed as she only felt a wave of relief wash through her body, almost completely erasing the throbbing headache that had taken up residence in her skull. "Thank you," Si'ren said with genuine gratitude as she lifted her head up and turned around. "Save it for when this is over," Al'vexi grumbled quietly. "Besides, I think I heard your headache from two floors away. How are things going?" Si'ren sighed again and rubbed her sinuses, knowing the telepathic-based feeling of relief would be transient at best and trying not to think about how soon the monster headache would return. "Well, I thought we had established a communications link to Olox a few moments ago, but I think it lasted for about twenty seconds," she grumbled. "I'm pretty sure he knows he has full command of the rest of the military for the time being, so I'm not all that worried about what he might do." "How bad is the radiation?" Al'vexi asked in a weary tone. Si'ren just waved a hand towards the wall. "Right now, I wouldn't want to put a potted plant outside," she sighed. "It'll probably be days before it decays to below lethal levels. Unless, of course, someone can coax a hurricane to wander out of one of the oceans and park overhead for a day or two," she added, only half-kidding. "That would clear the air and wash the worst of the contamination off everything. Of course, the run-off would make the rivers glow in the dark for a month, but you can't win them all." "Now there's a thought," Al'vexi said slowly, causing Si'ren to blink in surprise. "What is the weather forecast for the next week?" she said, turning to address the question to the tactical officer. "Ma'am?" the officer asked, his eyebrows arching up in surprise. "You heard me," Al'vexi growled. "Ma'am, it's not that simple," the officer protested. "The effects of the blast and the shockwave have completely disrupted both the regional jetstream and the pressure boundaries on all sides. It will be days before the jetstream fully reforms and any weather pattern can emerge from the east. The best I can predict is a stable high-pressure system that won't move for at least forty- eight hours, and even that is just a rough guess at this point. I can't even query any of the weather satellites for information relating to other regions." "Okay," the retired telepath said, clearly unhappy with the information. "Let's try it like this.... do we have anyone in the castle with any weather- related abilities?" she asked Si'ren. "Preferably wind or rain?" Si'ren shrugged helplessly. "We could always ask. Communications!" "Ma'am?" the communications officer replied crisply. "Send out an internal all-personnel memo," Si'ren instructed. "Anyone in the Imperial Castle who has some control over any weather-related element is to contact General Al'vexi immediately." "Yes, ma'am," the officer replied as he turned to his console to start drafting the memo. "Contact me?" Al'vexi echoed, giving Si'ren a startled look. Si'ren shrugged. "It's your idea, Al, and I'm a little busy trying to figure out how to keep our collective k'vesan from getting caught between a solid-metal anvil and a very heavy hammer," she said with a sigh. "You don't have any suggestions, by chance, do you?" she asked on impulse. Al'vexi grunted quietly. "Only to do what I did. Retire." Si'ren permitted herself a soft and hollow laugh. "Trust me, that sounds very tempting right now. I do have a small estate on the West Shore of the southern ocean, I could probably manage to retire there," she mused absently. She paused as a thought clicked into her mind and she cast a glance at Al'vexi. "Speaking of estates, yours isn't too far from here, is it?" "Don't remind me," Al'vexi sighed quietly. "V'Sari was here with me when the blast went off, so nothing of true importance was left behind. At my age, all that one has left are material goods and sentimental items, and all of the material goods are duly cataloged and insured. They will be missed, but it's nothing I can't live without." "Are you sure it's destroyed?" Si'ren wondered. "If I remember right, you are situated on the other side of a small hill." Al'vexi shrugged with indifference. "I'm sure I'll find out sooner or later. Yes, the military was kind enough to install a shield generator in the basement that should deflect most casual ordinance in the event of an attack, but I honestly have no idea if the auto-sensors would trigger in the event of a nuclear blast or if the shields could defend against radiation." "Excuse me, ma'am?" the tactical officer spoke up in a hesitant tone. "I ask your forgiveness for interrupting like this, but do you happen to know the generator type installed in your estate?" Al'vexi blinked and raised an eyebrow at him before turning her memory inwards for a few moments. "A standard Type 4P7 model, I believe," she said. "I could be wrong, as I really didn't pay close attention to what they said the specifications were." The officer consulted his display for a moment before inputting a command into the system, changing the image on the central monitor. The image was of very poor quality, apparently an orbital picture taken at an oblique angle. The graphic was distorted with flickering horizontal bars of static, but the image of a small building surrounded by a glowing hemispherical dome of light blue energy could still be made out. "Ma'am?" the officer said as he gestured to the screen. "Our sensors are seriously degraded because of the radiation, but we're still able to detect a number of small-scale energy shields in place scattered around the local area. This is part of an image feed we've managed to gather from a geostationary satellite hovering just outside the Central-Eastern demarcation line. The output signature from the region on the monitor reads as conforming to a 4P7 generator emission, and it appears to be repelling the surrounding radiation." "That's it, alright," Al'vexi breathed, visibly sagging with relief. "Congratulations," Si'ren said with the barest hint of humor. "Perhaps I should look into purchasing a shield generator for my estate as well." The telepath just shook her head slowly, still staring at the remote image of her intact estate. "It is worth the cost, I assure you," she said quietly. She blinked and sighed, giving Si'ren a faintly embarrassed look. "Perhaps I have come to value my material possessions more than I had realized," she confessed. "One always becomes attached to one's home," Si'ren replied with a casual shrug of dismissal. "Indeed," Al'vexi murmured quietly. She glanced around Operations for a moment before leaning over to Si'ren. "We need to discuss a few things," she said in a very low tone. "In private," she added in an even lower tone. "That bad?" Si'ren said softly in reply. She got a solemn nod in response and sighed quietly, glancing around the room. "Lieutenant," she said aloud to the tactical officer. "General Al'vexi and I will be in Conference Room Two, you are to page me immediately if there is any change in communications status or if anything significant develops. And if we come under attack, shoot back first and warn me about it when you get a free moment. Remember, Nop'tera and the Red Wings are probably still out there somewhere, and they might not be so kind as to ask for an approach vector to the castle this time." "Understood, ma'am," the officer replied with a brisk nod as both Si'ren and Al'vexi turned around and left the command center. The trip down the main hallway and into the conference room was a short one, and it was only a matter of moments before Si'ren found herself finally able to sit down in a chair for the first time in a number of hours. The Fleet Admiral watched in slight disinterest as Al'vexi first locked the doors, then engaged a protective forcefield over the archway, then entered a complex string of characters into the control panel. Si'ren raised a slender white eyebrow as a soft hissing noise of static promptly filled the room, a sort of sound shield that would make it difficult for any microphones hidden inside the room to function. Not that either woman expected there were any, as Security swept the room at least twice a week with a very fine-toothed comb, but apparently Al'vexi wasn't in a mood to leave anything to chance. "That bad, Al?" Si'ren casually inquired as the retired telepath sighed before slowly easing herself into a chair next to Si'ren. "One must be careful when discussing treason," Al'vexi replied, sending a deep chill through Si'ren's veins and causing her to sit up sharply. "Treason?" Si'ren echoed in a deeply guarded tone. "I'm not planning anything, if that's what you're worried about," Al'vexi replied with a weary sigh. "I think we have been betrayed, however, and I want to have my suspicions taken apart under a microscope before I consider trying to go public with anything." Si'ren paused for a moment, privately relieved that she wouldn't be placed in the very uncomfortable position of having to denounce one of the few people she considered a friend as being a plotter of treason. "And you of course have some proof to go with this?" she inquired carefully. "I will let you be the judge of the merits," Al'vexi sighed as she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. "Let me begin by saying that once again the Imperial Castle has been breached, as I encountered Prince Darian and a pair of Sailor Scouts in the hallway as I returned from the NegaForce." There was a heavy sigh from the admiral as she leaned forward and let her forehead encounter the conference room table. "Not altogether unexpected," she allowed in a decidedly disgruntled tone. "We are holding their Princess, after all." "Were," Al'vexi said quietly, casuing Si'ren to slowly lift her head up. "She is no longer in the medical ward, and we are still unable to locate Master Healer Maq'i. It is entirely possible that they kidnapped Maq'i or otherwise found a way to convince her to go with them. I personally think the latter is the case, as Maq'i is a very compassionate woman who well and truly cares for her patients. All of them," she added. "You think the Healer has betrayed us?" Si'ren inquired. "No," Al'vexi countered with a shake of her head. "I expect that if she is alive and well, she will be returned to us once her services are no longer necessary. I am not worried about Maq'i, but I am deeply worried about what I saw when I left the tunnel." "When you encountered Prince Darian," Si'ren said slowly, feeling a deep chill seep into her veins. The telepath nodded slowly. "As I said, he had two Sailor Scouts with him as escorts. I recognized one from pictures, the pyromancer. I believe she is known as Sailor Mars. The other I have never seen before, however, and I have seen virtually all the images we have of them, both from previous visits to our world and from surveillance on Earth. I also cannot remember seeing anyone like that in Prince Darian's memories when I last examined the contents of his mind. It's possible that they've managed to find or recruit someone else to join their team recently." Si'ren might have laughed if she wasn't both stressed-out and dangerously depressed at the moment. "Wonderful," she sighed. "I remember being quite intrigued when both Jedyt and Nephlyte had problems dealing with just three of them. Now there are how many, seven?" Al'vexi sat back and shrugged in dismissal. "Does it matter, Si'ren?" she said in a bitter tone. "We can't even take care of our own problems right now, let alone try to focus on them. I discovered how they managed to get into the castle, however, and I'm sure that their entrance would have made a lot more noise if it hadn't been drowned out by that nuclear missile launch." Si'ren merely made a soft grunting noise deep in her throat, starting to feel the monster headache slowly return to the front of her skull. "I don't suppose they did something we can prevent in the future?" she asked in a hollow tone, not much in the mood to truly care at the moment. She paused as she realized that the retired general wasn't answering and carefully looked up at her, the chill in her blood turning even colder at the expression on Al'vexi's weary face. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Al'vexi said very quietly. "Treason, you mean?" Si'ren said, her eyebrows arching up. The telepath nodded slowly and Si'ren sat up straight, her eyes widening. "You mean to suggest that somebody let them in here? From inside?" Al'vexi stood up and moved over to the wall display, tapping a series of commands into the panel. "The extent of damage that can be directly attributed to the Sailor Scouts is this: a blast door they destroyed in an access tunnel; an armed security sensor they blasted off the ceiling; a Security response team was moderately bruised by a surge of water that knocked them back into their tunnel; a wooden partition for the security tunnels was burnt down; and both the blast doors and the containment fields inside the Royal Medical Suite were thoroughly ruined. Aside from that? They touched nothing else and harmed nobody else, with the possible exception of Master Healer Maq'i, who as I said earlier is missing. They came in, got their Princess, and left all without doing more than putting a few holes in a few walls and roughing up a few of the guards. Last time they came to get someone.... well, you know what happened." "General Al'vexi," Si'ren said very slowly and distinctly, "Is it your contention that someone inside the castle cleared a path for them?" Al'vexi pressed a button on the panel and took a step back. "This is what we were able to recover from the security sensor in the main nexus," she said in a neutral tone. "Observe and judge for yourself." The screen was briefly filled with static for a moment before it showed video footage of one of the main entrance annexes to the Imperial Castle. A small status bar in the lower-left corner informed anyone reviewing the tape that the sensor in question was armed and instructed to shoot at any humanoid target not bearing a security beacon. The camera suddenly panned to the right as it sensed motion, orienting on the source of the disturbance. A young girl wearing a white suit with a red skirt and bow was running into the room, and it only took a quarter-second for the sensor to decide that she wasn't supposed to be there. It immediately powered up the pulse-laser and entered Active Target mode, trying to zero in on the center of the girl's chest. It fired a shot and missed as the girl darted to the side, leaving a small crater in the floor. The sensor tracked the girl and tried firing again, hitting the wall as she dodged again. The sensor was lining up for a third shot when a second girl ran into the picture, this one wearing an orange skirt with a blue bow. She raised her hand up and pointed to the camera as she ran under it. The camera started to track her motions and aim downward when a beam of white energy lanced up and struck the camera, ending the recording in a burst of dazzling static. "Okay...." Si'ren said slowly, shaking her head. "So they blasted their way into the lobby and took out a camera." "Your eyes followed the movements of the two in the foreground," Al'vexi pointed out. "Which is what I did, until I viewed it frame-by-frame and saw what was in the background. Observe," she said as she keyed in a few commands to the display unit. The image on the monitor began to move in reverse-motion very slowly for a number of seconds before halting, the sensor camera frozen in the process of shifting its focus from the red Sailor Scout to the orange Sailor Scout. A filter was applied to the image, blotting out all but the upper-right edge of the field of view to highlight several blurred shapes. The shapes slowly began to resolve into focus as the picture was digitally enhanced, eventually being revealed to be another pair of Sailor Scouts accompanied by a familiar face. Si'ren blinked hard and sat up straight. "I know her," she blurted out. Al'veni nodded slowly and sighed. "Whisper, formerly the Captain of the Psi-Corp. I'm sure you remember why she was exiled." "I do," Si'ren said as she chewed on the edge of her lip, staring at the frozen picture of Whisper. "But even if she is with them on their side, how does that help the Sailor Scouts make it into the castle and back out again without making too much noise? Everyone knows she's a traitor, so none would be willing to help her. Or are you suggesting that someone is sympathetic to her and would betray us on our side?" the admiral asked in a low tone. Al'vexi drew in a slow breath and appeared to choose her words carefully. "Keep in mind that the Psi-Corp were all but wiped out by the Sailor Scouts a year ago," she reminded Si'ren. "While I strongly doubt anyone in the Psi-Corp would be overly willing to help them, I have to concede that Whisper herself is obviously doing so, which means I cannot rule anyone out. However, the only members of the Psi-Corp in the castle at the moment are Captain Ael'ien and a junior aide, and both were clearly occupied elsewhere at the time. However, you must do what I did and take a look at which tunnel they are exiting." Si'ren blinked in surprised and looked at the frozen image for a moment before the realization set it, turning her already chilled blood into a solid mass of ice. "The Dragoon Headquarters Complex tunnel," she whispered. "Let me summarize," Al'vexi said quietly. "A year ago, Dragoon Commander Tolaris was dispatched to Earth on an assignment and returned a traitor. Why he turned his back on his world after two days on Earth we may never know, but Queen Beryl sealed him in Eternal Crystal for punishment and exiled him to the Wastelands. Shar-Tei was appointed in charge, but refused a promotion. "A couple months later, Prince Darian was kidnapped by General Zoicite and brought here. He was brought to me and I was ordered to erase his memories so that Beryl could have her way with him. I did, and she did, and that led to the Sailor Scouts taking the battle directly to our world. The repercussions can still be felt today. Beryl died at the hands of Sailor Moon, General Rune assumed command, and Prince Darian unknowingly became our Crown Prince. "Not long after that we experienced a Bloodmoon Conjunction, during which we discovered that Lieutenant-Commander Shar-Tei possessed a Class A-2 reflex ability. The damage was kept to a minimum due to Rune's wisdom of sealing all who were contaminated in crystal, but a very chilling discovery was made less than a month later as it was determined that Sailor Mercury had very likely become infected with denizen vampirism. We still don't know how it happened, but I should like to point out to you that Tolaris himself is contaminated, and that Sailor Mercury is the one he betrayed us for." "But Tolaris was frozen in crystal at the time," Si'ren interrupted. "At the time," Al'vexi echoed before continuing. "Shortly afterwards, Shar-Tei applied for the full promotion to Commander, citing Tolaris' death as justification. A later check revealed that she had used her Class A-2 reflex powers to obliterate the Eternal Crystal that imprisoned Tolaris. A reprimand was filed in Shar-Tei's records, and the full promotion was granted. "Rune, deciding that the vampiric Sailor Mercury needed to be dealt with even more immediately than Sailor Moon, received a report of an unusual energy signature and dispatched a special hunter-scout to examine it. What it came back with were not only bio-readings of our vampire and possibly Sailor Moon, but unrefutable evidence that Tolaris was alive and well on Earth, and in the company of the Sailor Scouts. How this is possible, again we simply don't know, but we know that Tolaris was and still is a very resourceful individual. "Rune then began to lay a trap in the anticipation that Tolaris would be returning to the Negaverse to retrieve something he valued. She took over our cataport project and used it as part of the trap, requesting by name Dragoon Lieutenants Maze and Ra'vel to assist Captain Whisper in making sure the new target zone was clear of people before test-firing the cataport. Three people who were rather close friends with Tolaris. "Whether or not the trap ultimately failed is up for debate, but the end result was that both Psi-Corp Commander Ts'ani and Dragoon Commander Shar-Tei were killed in duels against Whisper and Tolaris, respectively. It was also revealed that Sailor Moon is the daughter of the legendary Captain Raijen, although this information was suppressed until very recently." That brought Si'ren completely out of her seat, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "WHAT?!" she roared, coming dangerously close to going into shock. "The Moon Princess is the daughter of Dragoon Captain Raijen," Al'vexi said very clearly. "Rune herself was there when it was revealed. To be fair, Sailor Moon herself did not know up until that point, and neither did Tolaris nor any of the others. Whatever caused Tolaris to become a traitor to our kind did not originate with her heritage." "But it might with the rest of the Dragoons," Si'ren whispered softly, feeling the burning fever of shock drain away to be replaced with the chilling horror of realization. "Tolaris is alive on Earth. Three of his best friends became traitors as well for his sake and were exiled to Earth with him, two of which were prominent and upstanding Dragoons. Now when the Sailor Scouts come to our world to rescue Sailor Moon, they enter the castle from the Dragoon Headquarters and manage to bypass most of our defenses? Al, do you mean that the entire Dragoon Legion can't be trusted? That an entire *division* of our most elite Intelligence officers and soliders would become traitors just for the sake of one girl from Earth?" "Commander K'tal knows," Al'vexi said in a very quiet voice. "I told him myself about the Princess. Please, listen," she pleaded as Si'ren's eyes came within millimeters of popping out of her skull, the admiral's face turning as white as her hair as she grabbed onto the back of the chair with both hands in a white-knuckled grip that left her shaking hard. "Go.... on...." Si'ren whispered, her voice barely audible. "There was an accident yesterday and somehow a permanent psionic bond was forged between Captain Ael'ien and K'tal," the telepath explained. "They came to me to see what I could do about it, and during the course of my examination I was exposed to K'tal's mind without any safeguards. He had been in contact with Tolaris for a short period of time and was deeply worried about what the arrival of General Nop'tera would do to the social structure of our world. I shared with him my memories of a conversation with someone, which included the revelation of Sailor Moon's heritage." "Al'vexi, what have you done...?" Si'ren breathed as she closed her eyes. "I didn't believe K'tal would act on my information alone," Al'vexi said. "We both know he is too much of a professional to base anything on unfounded speculation, no matter how good it sounds. What I expected him to do was take a few days to independantly corroborate as many facts as he could before making any decisions. However, if Whisper returned to the Negaverse with the Sailor Scouts, it is reasonable to assume that Tolaris did as well. And if Tolaris got together with K'tal and could thus provide reliable first-hand knowledge of Sailor Moon's heritage...." "An entire division," Si'ren moaned quietly as she put her head in her hands. "Al, have we been betrayed by the entire Dragoon Legion now? Can I not trust any of them anymore, or their information?" "It's possible," Al'vexi allowed. "Notice they aren't around right now." "No!" Si'ren barked as she bolted to her feet, startling Al'vexi. "That one I will not accept. The Dragoons didn't begin their evacuation until AFTER the warhead was launched, and I refuse to believe that someone like K'tal would knowingly and willingly allow a nuclear missile to be targeted at the Imperial Castle. If he had any advanced warning, he would have acted or at least warned us the instant he became aware of it. I might believe he is capable of treason by helping the Sailor Scouts sneak into the castle to rescue Sailor Moon, but I don't believe he is capable of the kind of treason that would result in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians. No, Al'vexi. No." "Very well," Al'vexi said quietly, privately holding the same assessment of K'tal's sense of morality and justice but feeling that she had to bring it into question regardless. "As I said, I merely wanted to run my suspicions and evidence past you first to get your assessment." She blinked hard as Si'ren started to laugh very softly to herself and immediately became deeply concerned for the admiral's mental health. "I would thank you for the information, Al, if it didn't make me want to scream myself hoarse," Si'ren sighed wistfully when the stress-induced laughter faded. She paused and regarded Al'vexi very carefully. "I am, quite frankly, at a loss for words at the moment, and thinking hurts too much. Tell me, what do you think the Dragoons will do from this point forward?" "What they view as the right thing to do," Al'vexi replied. "That's what they've trained themselves to do since Raijen founded the Dragoon Legion. Our sensors are still useless, but from what we've been able to coax from various imaging satellites, it appears that their airborne complex survived the blast and is heading north into the mountains." "A safe place to be as any, I suppose," Si'ren mused, rubbing the bridge of her nose as the entire front half of her skull began to throb in time with her pulse. Tension headaches were hardly an unknown to her, but this was the first one she could remember that was a literal head ache. She paused for a moment as a thought formed in her mind. "If they follow proper protocol, and I don't see why they wouldn't, they will probably try to find a place to land and do something about the radiation on the hull." "They'd have to coordinate with the Northern Division," Al'vexi pointed out. "Or at least Air Traffic Control North. There aren't too many places to set down a cruiser of that magnitude, either." "Your point?" Si'ren replied, causing Al'vexi to blink. "I don't think the Dragoons will bother trying to hide from anyone. After all, where are they going to go? We will try to hail them as soon as the air clears, which could be a few days. And in the meantime...." Al'vexi waited for the admiral to finish, a slight frown forming on her well-lined face as there was only a heavy sigh that lingered in the air for a number of seconds. "In the meantime, Admiral?" she prompted. "I don't know, Al," Si'ren said in a subdued tone. "I don't think anyone knows at this point. For now, all I can do is see if we can do something about this haze of radiation blanketing us. Let me know if you find anyone with any weather skills," she said as she wearily rose to her feet. "I'll try to reach Olox again, and should I be so lucky to get a reply, we'll just take it from there and see where it goes." "And the Dragoons?" Al'vexi inquired carefully. "Do you have proof that they let the Sailor Scouts into the castle?" the admiral wondered aloud. "Or was that just the point of entry they happened to have used because Tolaris could help them bypass things? Let's save the blame for another day, General. K'tal might have a valid explanation for things." "Si'ren...." the telepath said in a concerned tone as Si'ren seemed to sag against the chair for several moments. "Not now, Al," Si'ren whispered. "I really don't want to think about what it would mean if the Dragoon Legion really did betray us. One headache at a time, okay? Let them head off to the mountains for now, we can deal with them later. We have bigger problems to deal with...." Al'vexi remained perfectly still as Si'ren made her way over to the door and almost smashed her face against it. She watched as the admiral bashed her fist against the lock, unsealing it and allowing the door to open. It closed behind her after she exited, leaving the telepath alone in the room with her deepening doubts about whom she could really trust anymore. * * * * It was, at least in Susan's personal view, a rather interesting tableau that might have been worth the effort of turning into a painting if she had been inclined to do so. Serena was frozen in mid-bite, a full third of the burger jammed in her mouth and her eyes as wide as saucers. Both Darian and Leda were on the cusp of swallowing, both with distinctly uneasy looks on their faces. Rei was casting a very guarded look at the burger in her hand, while Mina was carefully prying the top of the bun off to look at the cheese-covered patty. Alex and Michelle, however, were both calmly chewing on their burgers and didn't look to be disturbed in the slightest. "Say that again?" Darian said very carefully. "This isn't beef," Ami repeated firmly as she gestured with her burger, a bite-sized chunk already taken out of it. She had the disassembled chassis of her computer in the other hand and was trying to scan the meat as best she could with the barely-functional device. Darian exchanged guarded glances with Leda before swallowing. "Okay, so what is it then?" he asked warily. "I'm not sure," Ami sighed. "Take it easy, guys," Alex spoke up around a mouthful of burger. "I'm pretty sure I've had this before, but I'm just trying to remember what exactly it was called." "It's not vension or veal," Leda said as she swallowed and carefully sniffed the ground meat patty. "It's not horse, either," Alex added, drawing a collection of sour looks. "Well...." Darian said slowly before shrugging and taking another bite. "That's brave," Mina commented quietly. "It's not bad at all," Darian pointed out as he chewed slowly. "I really should know this one," Alex grunted softly. "It's got some real strange name that I can't think of right now." She continued to think about it for another few seconds before shaking her head to herself and looking over at the stuffed armchair. "Okay, Sue, I give up. What is it called again?" Susan sighed quietly and tilted her head at a slight angle as she looked over at Leda. "It depends on which cryo-stasis field the meat was stored in," she said, causing Leda to cringe. "Bottom row, far left drawer," Leda said slowly. Susan thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Bison, then." "Bison?" several voices echoed in surprise. "Some people call them buffaloes," Susan added. "Yeah, that's it," Alex said with a nod of her head. "Buffalo burger?" Darian said, his eyebrows arching up to his hairline. "This is a buffalo burger?" Everyone watched as he turned to regard his burger carefully before taking another bite and chewing thoughtfully. "Well?" Mina prompted. Darian shrugged and swallowed before reaching for one of the baked potato chunks that Leda had diced up as a side-dish. "It's pretty good for a burger," he replied absently. "You should at least try a bite for yourself." He cast a sidelong glance at Serena as she made a somewhat contented noise, starting a moderately-paced demolition of the unusual burger on her plate. Mina glanced around the room for a moment before she put the bun back on top of the patty and took a careful bite. "Hmm," she hummed to herself as she chewed. "Interesting flavor." "It makes a better steak than a burger," Alex pointed out as she finished the last bite of her burger and started in on the diced potatoes. "But like D said, it still makes a good burger. Thanks, Leda." Leda allowed herself a quiet, dry laugh. "You're welcome, I think," she said before popping a pair of diced potatoes into her mouth. "I guess I really should have asked Susan before grinding her steaks up into burgers...." "I do not stock anything in the kitchen that is harmful to humans," Susan said demurely as she nibbled on a potato chunk. "And as your skill with the culinary arts quite clearly surpasses my own, I thought that you would be able to adequately cope with whatever foodstuffs you should happen to encounter." "Trust me," Darian chuckled quietly, "We already went through a sort of learning curve when it comes to rooting around inside a refrigerator containing other-world or otherwise unidentified foods. The second rule is simple.... if you can't identify it within five seconds, you don't touch it." "Tell me about it," Mina muttered with a faint blush on her cheeks, trying not to remember what her curiosity had led her to sample the first few times she had examined the contents of the denizen refrigerator back on Earth. "Wait a moment," Alex spoke up carefully. "If that's supposed to be the second rule, what's the first?" "If it walks out of the fridge...." Darian said slowly. "...Let it go," three voices finished for him in perfect unison. Both Alex and Michelle blinked hard before exchanging glances. "You, uh, have that problem often?" she ventured in a leery tone. "Rule three," Leda spoke up around a mouthful of buffalo burger. "As nice as she is, don't ever ask or let Ra'vel cook for you. The avian idea of lunch has been known to be decidedly unsettling, even to denizens." "The same can be said for Felinoids," Maq'i said as she entered the room and started to sit back down in the eggshell chair. "Cat!" Mina blurted out quickly, almost spewing lunch over her keyboard. Maq'i immediately lurched upright and turned around, sighing heavily as she realized that she almost sat on the gray kitten. She carefully picked up Myst and sat down, putting the dozing kitten in her lap and absently stroking her with a withered hand. Myst's ears twitched for a moment before becoming still again, never leaving her slumbering state. "Thank you, dear child," the ancient Healer said to Mina. "More than welcome," the blonde replied as she wiped a few stray crumbs off of the synthesizer. "I sat on Artemis by accident once, and it took a week for the claw-marks on my butt to heal. I figured you really don't need to be dealing with something like that yourself." "Want some potatoes?" Leda offered as she held out a plate stacked with the diced potatoes. "I made this batch without using any seasonings, since I know how your digestive system is. However, you should be able to use some ketchup with them for flavor, but don't use too much," she cautioned. "Thank you, Leda," Maq'i said as she accepted the plate and carefully took a bite out of a potato chunk. She paused and raised her eyebrows at the taste. "If you don't mind my saying so, this reminds me of baked sha'lan roots." "Well, potatoes are tubers. You have to dig them out of the ground where they grow like roots," Leda explained as she got a blank look in response. "Ah, I see now," Maq'i replied with a nod of understanding. "So back to the story...." Alex prodded Susan as she set her empty plate aside and leaned back against the L-shaped loveseat she shared with Michelle. "Patience, Alex," Susan admonished her. "That's asking a lot," Leda muttered, drawing a prod in the shoulder from Ami as she absently nibbled on her skillet potatoes. "C'mon," Alex protested. "People have been asking to hear the story about Serena's birth since I was born. Shoot, I don't think I'm even a full month old at this point in the story, and Michelle's clock hasn't even been started yet. Seventeen years is a long time to be patient," she added. "A good love story is always worth the wait," Mina countered with a smile. "But we won't know if it's good or not if it's not being told," Alex shot back with a soft grunt. "Settle down, girls," Darian sighed quietly, wiping his hands on a napkin before gently rubbing a knuckle against Serena's leg. "It is a most captivating story," Maq'i pointed out. Susan nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement and set aside her plate. "Very well, then," she said, absently wiping her fingertips on her napkin. "As you know, a formal banquet had been arranged for that night even before V'Kaar and the others arrived. Their presence only required minor adjustments to be made to accomodate, at least in terms of staffing. When suddenly reminded that we were not only hosting guests from Earth at the same time but that most of the Sailor Scouts would be unavailable to attend due to Dana's delivery, things suddenly got a little complicated...." * * * * "Susan!" Grace blurted out as she dashed across the hall as fast as her ballroom gown would permit. "We need to talk, and quickly!" Susan sighed quietly and turned her attention back to Colonel V'Kaar, once again admiring the decidedly crisp lines of his full-dress uniform. "If you will excuse me for a moment, Colonel?" she said in an apologetic tone. V'Kaar chuckled quietly and bowed his head. "But of course, Chancellor," he said in a somewhat silken tone. "Constant distractions and interruptions are but one of the many prices one must pay as a leader of others. And they are always purported to be of vast importance," he added with a faint chuckle. "Indeed," Susan said dryly as she nodded to him before moving away from the small group of denizens. She absently smoothed out a tiny wrinkle in her jet-black ballroom gown and gestured to the ambassador. "I take it something is amiss, Grace?" she asked in a low tone. "Not yet," Grace warned softly. "I just ran into Duke Howley, who is, of course, most eager and restless about his intention to propose to Lucille. I just heard, however, that she won't be coming tonight...." Susan paused as the realization suddenly clicked in her mind. "Oh, yes," she said softly. "I completely forgot about that. She is in the medical ward with Aria and Amelia helping with Dana's delivery. However, I don't anticipate it taking all night, and I'm sure I can arrange for his lordship to encounter his heart's desire before the evening is over." "That's only half the problem," the redhead said, lowering her tone even further. "How exactly do I explain to his lordship about.... them?" she said with a flick of her eyes over Susan's shoulder. "You don't," Susan replied after a horrid moment of realization, followed by a moment of frantic thinking at virtually the speed of light. "Her Majesty intends to use us as a buffer between Earth and our alien visitors. Nobody on Earth should be allowed to discover this, and in this venture we simply cannot be allowed to fail." "But how....?" Grace started to say. "Leave that to me," Susan said, remaining outwardly calm while her insides quivered like jelly. She continued to think for a moment before a flash of insight hit her. "We will pass them off as explorers from a distant land, one that his lordship will not be encouraged to inquire too deeply about. Just as we choose very carefully who we reveal our kingdom to on Earth, so too do we guard our cultural contacts from one another to prevent contamination. If he asks, you may convey the impression that there was a scheduling conflict, but he is to understand that we will not allow personal contact in the boundaries of the kingdom between two Earth cultures that hasn't already been made on their own." The ambassador thought about it carefully before exhaling softly. "That might work, Chancellor, but it will not be easy," she warned. "I have the utmost faith in your diplomatic skills," Susan assured her in a gentle tone. "While we cannot and will not forbid his lordship from making an appearance at the banquet, we can ensure that he does so after our other guests have been announced." "Very well," Grace said, nervously smoothing out her gown. "I really hope things go as smoothly as you say they should." "Likewise, Ambassador," Susan muttered quietly, drawing a dubious look. "Relax, Grace. While I think tonight will be one for the historical archives, I do not believe it will ultimately be recorded in a negative sense." "Depends on who's holding the pen," Grace muttered. "Ambassador," Susan chided her with a faint sigh. "I'm sorry, Chancellor, just nerves. Speaking of which," she added as she cast a quick glance over her shoulder. "His lordship is probably crawling the walls by this point." "Perhaps you should convince him that he should take the time now to make sure his bladder is fully empty to ensure that he doesn't disgrace himself on bended knee later," Susan suggested with a faint twinkle in her eye. "That should keep him distracted for a few moments as well as providing a minor delay to help shuffle the chairs, as it were." "I will do my best, Chancellor," Grace replied with a brief bow of her head before turning around and heading back down the hallway. Susan took a moment to recompose herself before turning around and heading back over to the group of uniformed denizens. "My apologies for the delay," she said to them with a subtle nod of her head. "I believe the banquet room has now been prepared for tonight. If you would come with me, please?" "It would be our pleasure, Chancellor," V'Kaar replied as he gestured for Susan to lead the way. "I trust that Master Healer V'lent'u is not making a nuisance of herself in your medical facility?" he inquired as they walked. "I have not inquired, to be honest," Susan admitted, "But I have yet to hear of any complaints thus far. To my understanding, she has been invited as an observer to witness Sailor Neptune giving birth tonight. With Neptune's consent, of course," she added with a note of humor. "I would hope so," T'Cer spoke up in a decidedly dry tone. "I don't have any children of my own, but I'm not sure I would want an audience around when I go to do so." "There is something to be said for having close friends at hand during a time of intense physical and emotional stress," Susan replied as they turned a corner. "Commander T'Cer, may I ask a question about your division?" she said, almost as an after-thought. T'Cer blinked and cast a quick glance at V'Kaar. "Depending on the nature of the question," she said in a slightly guarded tone. "I am curious about the function and history of the Dragoon Legion," Susan replied calmly. "I have already spoken at length with Major Tar-Nul about the general organization of your regional divisions, and I'm curious as to where your division fits in." T'Cer cast another quick glance at V'Kaar and got a subtle not of assent in reply. "We're a global division, not a regional one," she explained. "The Dragoon Legion was initially founded as a counter-balance to the Security division, but we eventually became focused on intelligence-gathering and data analysis." "Ah, I see now," Susan mused as she made a mental notation and tucked it away in a corner of her mind. "Thank you, Commander, that clears up a minor point of misunderstanding for me." "The Dragoons have loyally served the throne with distinction for well over four thousand years now," V'Kaar said smoothly. "Believe me when I say that the military as a whole is grateful for their dedicated service." Susan's eyebrows arched up at the mention of the length of time they had been in service. Four *thousand* years? she mused, knowing that it was a very impressive length of time, even from her eternal standpoint. She was spared from the need to make further idle chatter as they drew close to the double-doors that led to the banquet hall. A pair of guards stood post on either side of the doorway, and a well-dressed attendant bowed to her as they drew close. "Good evening, Chancellor," he said in a deep voice. "Good evening," Susan replied with a faint nod of her head. "I present to you our guests, Colonel V'Kaar and his exploration team from the Second Front Mountain Division." "Welcome, honored guests," the attendant said, offering a bow to V'Kaar. "Please allow me a moment to announce your arrival. Guards," he said over his shoulder. The double doors were promptly opened wide by the guards, and he stepped through the doorway to stand just inside the banquet hall. "Lady Susan Meiou!" he called out, his deep tone seeming to make the room resonate. "Lady Pluto and Chancellor of the Kingdom of the Moon!" Susan nodded her gratitude to him and entered the room, offering a soft smile and a gentle bow of her head to the assembled guests as they all turned to greet her entrance. She then stepped aside and gestured for the attendant to continue. "Lords and ladies! I present to you Her Majesty's honored guests, Colonel V'Kaar and his exploration team from the Second Front Mountain Division!" the attendant thundered, drawing a round of generic murmurs of welcome from the room. "This way, please," Susan said demurely, gesturing for the denizens to follow her over towards the prepared banquet table. "Colonel V'Kaar, I trust you will forgive me for not announcing your origin more explicitly, but I fear we are also currently hosting a number of guests from Earth tonight, and her Majesty thought it wise not to invite confusion by advertising your presence too deeply." "We understand perfectly," V'Kaar replied with a nod. "Her Majesty is a wise woman to take such precautions," he added. Susan nodded as she led them over to the table. "Among all the kingdoms, we are in a rather unique position given our location and advanced culture. As such, we have always found it prudent to ensure that we play a rigidly neutral role in cross-cultural relations to avoid undue influence. It is thus a very rare event that we host more than one culture at a time, and I must confess that your arrival was a rather interesting and unique surprise." V'Kaar chuckled quietly as he sat down, idly examining the array of china and silverware laid out on the table. "I assure you, we were just as surprised to discover this kingdom of yours tucked away on the moon. If I may, is this the only moon?" he inquired with open curiosity. "I must admit I haven't paid much attention to the celestial mechanics of your planet and thus am ignorant of the existence of other such moons." Susan shook her head. "No, Earth only has one moon. There are several other planets in our solar system, however, mostly gas giants, and they all possess multiple moons. None of them habitable," she added. "Interesting," V'Kaar mused. "Our world has three, but due to the rather unpredictable and intense gravity fluctuations, only one is even remotely suitable for consideration of terraforming. We are still in the process of establishing a base there, but the construction has been.... problematic. I'm afraid we are still a number of centuries away from being able to construct a kingdom such as this one," he said with a gracious gesture to the room. "His lordship Reginald Howley, Duke of Cambridge!" the voice from the doorway thundered as a pair of figures entered the room. "Lady Grace Baker, Ambassador to Earth!" "Our other guests arrive," Susan murmured to V'Kaar. She then spent the next several minutes giving him a rough explanation of how the English kingdoms worked, and how the Duchy of Cambridge figured into the equation. By the time she was finished explaining to the denizen's satisfaction, a number of waiters had trickled into the banquet hall and were pouring various wines into the glasses of the assembled guests. "Chancellor," a waiter said with a deep bow of his head as he and another attendant approached with several bottles. "Lady Kayla sends her regards, and based on the advice of both Sailor Mercury and Lady Mercury, she has suggested that we provide our guests with a selection of apple ciders." "Very well," Susan said, nodding her head in approval as she gestured to the glasses on the table. "While it is customary to serve a light form of alcohol or other fermented drink during dinner, we are still not sure what the effects would be on your metabolisms," she explained to V'Kaar. "Rather than run the risk of poisoning you, we thought it best to share with you a mulled form of fruit juice made from apples. I think you will find its flavor to be to your liking." V'Kaar nodded and picked up the glass that was filled in front of him. "Your caution is most appreciated, Chancellor," he said as he carefully sniffed the cider. He then steeled himself and took a small sip, knowing that he was taking a considerable risk in drinking an unknown substance. He had been given a rather thorough set of orders from Queen Beryl herself, however, and so he decided it would be far better to be poisoned by accident than to be subjected to Beryl's unholy wrath. The cider was decidedly warm and was quite pleasant to his sense of taste. "Very interesting," he said after taking a second sip, relaxing enough to be able to enjoy the experience of tasting something new. "It is indeed a taste I find most agreeable. I apologize for not being able to offer an exchange in kind at the moment." "The situation is more than understandable," Susan reassured him with a gentle smile. "Lady Electra Kino of the House of Jupiter!" the attendant announced as Sailor Jupiter entered the room. She was still wearing her Sailor Suit, which caused Susan to raise an eyebrow in both surprise and concern. While it was hardly forbidden for the Sailor Scouts to attend social or formal functions in the role of Sailor Scouts instead of noble ladies, it was not very often that they chose to do so. At least, not without a very good reason. The reason became clear a moment later when a hushed silence swept across the room, almost as if by instinct. All attention turned towards the doorway as the attendant took one step into the room and immediately stepped to the side. "Her Majesty, Queen Serenity of the Royal House of the Moon!" he said in a voice that fairly echoed throughout the ballroom. Everyone who was seated rose to their feet in unison, all but the denizens bowing their heads in respect as Serenity entered the room. She was wearing a silver-colored gown that seemed to sparkle gently like the evening sky, her long lavender hair brushed out and pinned up in the hemispherical buns that she had favored since she was a child. Susan's eyebrows arched up slightly as she saw Raijen standing just inside the doorway, looking decidedly striking in his tuxedo. His shoulder-length blond hair had been neatly combed and tied off in a simple ponytail, and she could see the blue of his eyes from halfway across the room. Serenity turned to say something to Raijen, reaching out to brush her hand against his arm for a moment. Raijen replied with a gentle shake of his head and brought her hand up to his lips. He kissed her hand for a moment before making a sweeping gesture with his other hand and bowing, as if indicating that he was no longer needed after escorting her through the palace. It was a rather bold move in Susan's view, as she knew that Serenity would have little choice but to proceed alone to avoid making a social scene. The smile on Serenity's lips was genuine as she nodded her head to Raijen in casual acknowledgment of his apparently minor service and made her way to the center of the room, pausing briefly here and there to share a word and a smile with various ministers and other nobles. "That is a lovely gown," T'Cer murmured in appreciation to Susan. "One befitting a lovely Queen," V'Kaar added with a soft smile. "We also enjoy an occasional social function where the dress code does not involve any uniforms, but such events tend to be few and far between." "Certainly not often enough to try to have a gown made like that," T'Cer said almost wistfully. "Not that I personally would go with that color, but I can easily imagine myself in a moderate shade of dark blue...." A faint hint of a smile brushed across Susan's lips. "I am sure we could arrange a consultation with her Majesty's seamstress if you desire to have a template drawn up to take with you later," she offered. As expected, T'Cer's eyes widened slightly and the eyebrows on both V'Kaar and Tar-Nul rose up in surprise at the gesture. "Chancellor Meiou...." T'Cer started to say before trailing off. "Unless I am mistaken," Susan said carefully, "The intent of making social contact between two vastly different cultures was to foster exchanges of one form or another. Surely an exchange of cultural clothing and designs can only benefit both our societies, as it would serve as inspirations to those who are artistically inclined and thus would further enhance both our worlds." "Well said, Chancellor," V'Kaar said with a nod of his head. "I feel that I must apologize for not having the wisdom or forethought to bring such samples of our culture with us to offer in exchange," he added with a humbled bow of his head. "There is no need to berate yourself over such a thing," Susan replied in a diplomatic tone. "Given the fact that this is a first contact situation, one can hardly prepare for every possible event that may or may not even come to pass. I should like to point out that we can only offer such things to you because we are your hosts and thus have far greater resources to draw upon than even the most well-prepared exploration team." "Truly well-spoken, my lady!" V'Kaar said with a laugh. "With all due respect, I may have to convince you to return to the Negaverse with me, as our own Queen would do well to have an advisor so steeped in wisdom as yourself." "Take her, by all means," a voice said from behind Susan, causing heads to turn. "I'm sure she would be of great use in explaining our culture to yours in ways that make absolute sense." "Minister Harken," Susan said dryly as the Interior Minister drew close. "While I will not ascribe your endorsement to a gesture of benevolence, I will nonetheless thank you for vote of confidence in my ability to convey ideas and information to others." "You are, of course, more than welcome as always, Chancellor," he replied in a casual tone before turning his attention to the denizens. "I trust you are finding everything to your satisfaction so far, Colonel?" he inquired. "Very much so, Minister," V'Kaar replied with a gracious nod of his head. "Again, I must thank you and her Majesty for your kindness and hospitality." Susan glanced to her side and took a step back. "If I may, I believe her Majesty would prefer to hear such words herself," she said demurely, watching as the monarch approached the banquet table. "Your Majesty," she said with a curtsey. "Chancellor," Serenity replied with a nod of her head. "Minister," she added as Harken bowed deeply. "Colonel V'Kaar, I trust all is well?" "Assuredly, your Majesty," V'Kaar purred as he kissed Serenity's hand. "As I was just telling your advisors, I must thank you once again for all of the kindness and generous hospitality you've shown us." "Our world subscribes to the view that you should treat others as you would have them treat you in return," Serenity replied with a smile. "And as you have demonstrated that you are quite the civilized society, I see no reason not to treat you as such." "I assure you, your Majesty, that we shall definitely remember your kind words and deeds," V'Kaar promised her with a charming smile. "I apologize for the lateness of my arrival, but I was delayed for several minutes," Serenity said unexpectedly, causing Susan to blink. "However, I do believe that both Minister Olan and Kayla are ready to begin serving dinner. Kayla has assured me that you will find the menu to be to your liking, as she has spent most of the day in preparation for the banquet and has taken steps to ensure that our cooking won't have an adverse influence on your bodies." "Your Majesty is most kind," V'Kaar said. "Our first team of explorers had the misfortune of learning the hard way what some of your vegetables could do to us. I believe they were called 'peppers'." "Ah," Serenity, Susan, and Harken all said in near-perfect unison. "They can be quite the nasty problem for us as well," Harken added with a chuckle. "Are they going to be alright?" Serenity inquired carefully. V'Kaar paused and cast a questioning look over his shoulder at T'Cer, who made a very quiet reply in what was apparently her native language. V'Kaar seemed to wince in sympathy before turning back to Serenity with a slightly pained look on his face, pausing as he sought how to best phrase things. "They are expected to recover," he said cautiously. "It took our Healers some time to realize that they were having digestive issues instead of having a reaction to a biological weapon. The standard treatments are distinctly different for both," he added. Serenity wrinkled her nose for a moment before nodding in understanding. "I do hope they recover soon, Colonel," she said with genuine sympathy. "And I assure you that we are taking every precaution to ensure that nothing even remotely similar happens to any of you." "We have already noticed some of your precautions," V'Kaar replied as he made a gesture with his wineglass, gently swirling the apple cider around. "And I must admit that I do find it very much to my liking." Susan turned to briefly survey the room, half-listening to the diplomatic exchange in the background. She could see Kayla and Minister Olan engaged in a quiet discussion in the corner with Minister Dejanna and one of the guard captains, apparently hashing out one final detail before serving dinner. Even as she tried to figure out what it could be, the group seemed to nod in general agreement and dispersed, Olan and Dejanna heading towards their respective seats along the banquet tables while Kayla disappeared into the kitchen. She was intrigued to watch the guard captain approach Raijen, who had taken up a decidedly unobtrusive position along the wall next to the attendant standing post at the door. The distance was too great to read lips with any reliability, but if forced to make a guess she would have suggested that the guard captain was inviting Raijen to join the table she and some other guards were sitting at. The hesitation on his face was obvious before he nodded in acceptance and followed her to the side table that had been positioned to allow the occupants to keep tabs on the room in general with relative ease. Interesting, Susan thought to herself, knowing that the guards tended to keep to themselves during social functions they attended when off-duty. The guard captain in particular who approached Raijen was also known to be more anti-social than most, which only increased Susan's curiosity. A thought came to her, and on impulse she decided it might be worth investigating. She shift her focus to the conversation around her just long enough to make sure that nothing of true significance was taking place before she very casually and unobtrusively made her way over to T'Cer's side. "Do you have a moment, Commander?" she said in a very quiet tone. "This is nothing offical or even remotely important," she added. "Of course," T'Cer replied with a nod. "Did you happen to notice her Majesty's escort earlier?" she asked in a curious tone. She received a slow nod in reply and she continued. "I can't say I recall encountering him before, or at least in a memorable way. One woman to another.... what do you think?" she said, her tone suggesting that the question was motivated by the simple desire to indulge in some universally feminine gossip. "I think your Queen has excellent taste in men," T'Cer replied in a quiet tone that did little to conceal a hint of envy. "I'd like to say I've met him somewhere before, but that must simply be mistaken identity." "Or wishful thinking," Susan prodded gently with a twinkle in her eye. "Mmm, I don't know what you're talking about," T'Cer said with a straight expression, her eyes still focused on Raijen. She paused for a moment and cast a quick glance at Susan, their eyes meeting in mutual understanding before a faint smile crossed their faces. "It appears your kind and ours has a great deal in common," Susan said demurely. "The similarities are almost frightening." T'Cer nodded. "Indeed. When we first made contact on Earth, we thought at first that we had simply opened a portal to another part of our world, or at least until we looked at the sky. There was a great deal of confusion until it became apparent that we were indeed in another world, and that the blue in the atmosphere wasn't just a temporary disturbance." Susan raised an eyebrow and was about to ask what color their world's sky was when she heard someone call out her title. She quickly turned around and noticed that Sailor Jupiter was making a beeline toward her, the back edge of her tiara folded down over her right ear to act as a speaker. "Chancellor," Jupiter repeated in a more subdued tone as she approached. "Your Majesty," she added as she gave her queen a quick nod of her head. "Is something wrong, Electra?" Susan asked in a cautious tone. "Dana," the brunette said simply. "It's time." "Ah," Susan replied with understanding. "Very well, I shall be there in a moment," she said before turning to a visibly worried Queen Serenity. "Your Majesty, I apologize for the interruption, but I believe I am needed in the medical ward," she explained calmly. "I should be able to return with good tidings before the evening has expired." Serenity nodded in understanding and appeared to relax, knowing why Susan was excusing herself. "Very well, Chancellor, we will wait to hear the news upon your return. You may have to apologize to Kayla later, however," she said in an amused tone. "Especially after all the trouble she went to in order to make dinner for our guests." "It will not be the first time I had to wash the pots to make amends," Susan replied dryly, drawing a round of laughter from the rest of the group. "I shall see you soon, your Majesty," she added with a formal curtsey before she headed for the door. "If you will forgive me," she heard V'Kaar say very quietly behind her, "I am having a hard time imagining a woman like Chancellor Meiou scrubbing the pots in the kitchen like a first-year cadet pulling kitchen duty." "With a woman like Susan?" Serenity said dryly. "We have to have *some* way of keeping her humble." "Your Majesty," Sailor Jupiter sighed, bringing a smile of amusement to Susan's lips. Then with a rueful shake of her head, she slipped out the main double doors and headed over to the medical ward. * * * * "Took you long enough," Mercury growled as she looked up for half a second before returning her attention to the moaning woman on the table. "Have I ever been late?" Susan said quietly, her face hidden behind a surgical mask and a disposable surgical apron tied over the front of her gown. She glanced up to notice that Mars and Venus were hovering excitedly on either side of Dana, their faces and suits likewise hidden behind disposable surgical garb. Standing behind Mercury and out of the way, Master Healer V'lent'u was also covered in surgical garb and was watching the process intently. "Dana, just breathe easy," Mercury said as Dana tensed up. "Going to have another one in a few seconds here, okay? Just breathe slowly, okay? Easy.... remember, you're going to push until I tell you to quit, okay? We're almost done here, I promise. Just take it easy...." Susan winced as Dana let loose with another sharp yelp as the labor pain took hold. Venus and Mars were holding her hands tightly, both completely willing to ignore the discomfort of having their hands crushed in a frenzied grip as Dana fought to push as hard as she could. The wave of pain seemed to subside after a moment, followed by Mercury's order to quit pushing and try to breath deep once again. The process was repeated twice more before Dana's scream suddenly changed pitch, tensing hard enough to almost yank Venus off her feet. "Push, Dana!" Mercury called out as she moved forward, reaching up to steady Dana's legs. "C'mon, you have to keep pushing.... push, push, push, push.... okay, stop!" She waited until the explosive breath had left Dana's body before she rubbed her groin muscles gently. "Her head is down, this will be the last one! When it comes, give it all you got and hold nothing back! I mean it, this is it! Just breathe, breathe, breathe.... okay, push!" she yelled as Dana tensed up. It always utterly fascinating to Susan how a process as old as life itself could be so identical and yet so unique every time it happened. She had been in attendance for the birth of every single Sailor Scout and Princess since she was nine, and it never ceased to be a wonderous experience. She watched in rapt attention as the focus of Dana's attention narrowed down to one of the most basic and fundamental instincts of humankind, drawing upon a reserve of strength that was only tapped in life-or-death situations. However in this instance, the situation was clearly one of life.... ...And with a shout that rattled the walls, a new life was delivered into Sailor Mercury's waiting arms. The echo of Dana's primal scream had barely faded away when a new sound arose, this one of a baby only seconds old making it known to all that her lungs were clear and that she was not in the least bit happy to have gone through the trauma of being born. Mercury quickly wrapped the blanket around the infant and leaned forward, carefully setting her down on her mother's chest. "Congratulations, Dana," she said quietly. "It's a girl." The spate of tears that followed was hardly unexpected. Dana was quite thoroughly exhausted from the delivery, barely able to reach up to steady the still-screaming bundle on her stomach. Her expression seemed to melt from one of pain and suffering to one of unimaginable joy, the tears starting to trickle out from the corners of her eyes. Both Mars and Venus were distinctly misty-eyed as well, staring at the newborn with identical looks of loving wonder. Mercury was still occupied, tying off the umbilical cord and waiting for Dana to expel the placenta before trying to cut the cord. It was clear, however, that she was obviously trying not to cry as well, the soft smile on her face plainly evident even behind her surgical mask. "Fascinating," V'lent'u whispered as she took a few steps forward to hover behind Mercury's elbow. "Had no-one told me you were not my species, I would not have been able to tell much of a difference." "Any obvious signs?" Mercury inquired idly as she massaged Dana's groin muscles, not in any great rush to deal with the messy after-birth that was due to follow in a few minutes. "Easy, just relax," she spoke up quickly as Dana moaned softly, her body tensing up again. "That's supposed to happen, Dana, don't fight it. Your body is just getting rid of the placenta, just relax." "Cosmetic signs," V'lent'u said with a shrug. "We don't have hair on our groins as you appear to. At least, denizen females don't. The males sometimes have a sparse patch of hair." "Huh," Mercury replied noncommittally. "That's it?" "As far as I've been able to determine," the denizen replied with a nod. Susan carefully moved over to stand next to Venus to get a better look at Dana's newborn daughter, who had already quieted down. "How are you feeling, Lady Neptune?" she asked in a quiet tone, adding subtle emphasis to Dana's new title of nobility. "I think I feel better," Dana whispered, reaching up to run a fingertip across her baby's cheek. "Ask me in a few hours, though," she added as she glanced up at Susan with a faint twinkle of amusement in her sea-green eyes. She blinked hard and grimaced as another wave of cramps shot through her body, adding yet more stress to her already exhausted abdomen. "Amelia...." she whimpered as the cramps grew stronger. "Just let it flow through you, Dana," Mercury said soothingly. "Like I said earlier, it's just the placenta being expelled. We're almost done here, I promise. You're doing great, Dana," she added, gently squeezing her leg. "Hey, honey...." Venus whispered as the infant briefly opened her eyes a few millimeters to reveal a pair of aquamarine irises. "Hi there...." "Heh," Mars chuckled very quietly as the infant squinched her eyes shut and made a distinctly sour face. "I don't think she likes you." "Oh, don't be a meanie," Venus fussed as she squeezed Dana's hand. "I'm sure she's just not used to the light or something." "Precisely," Mercury spoke up as she picked up a sterile bowl and held it beneath Dana's groin. "I'll do the full in-depth scans just as soon as I'm finished making sure Dana won't hemorrhage on me or something, but I have every reason to believe that we now have a very healthy baby on our hands." "Have you decided on a name for her yet?" Susan inquired. "I'm sure her Majesty and the others are eagerly waiting to hear how you both are doing." "Niall wanted to use Michael if it was a boy," Dana murmured, referring to the Gypsy she had fallen in love with and later sought to have a child by. "I didn't try to tell him that we were guaranteed to have a daughter, and he had no idea what to suggest if it was a girl. He probably figured he'd leave it up to me to decide." "Typical male," Mercury muttered quietly. "What's the feminine form of Michael?" Venus inquired. "That would be Michelle," Susan replied. "Michelle," Dana repeated softly, looking down at her daughter. "That is a very pretty name indeed. I don't think he'll object too strongly." "Hit him with a stick if he does," Mercury grumbled. "After all, you can blame it all on him if you want." "Doctor," Susan said with open amusement. Heads turned as the door suddenly banged open as Hotaru pushed her way inside, her expression dangerously pale. "Doctor?" she panted, leaning hard on the door for support. "Hotaru!" Mercury snapped. "If this isn't an emergency, I'm going to tie you up, glue you to the bed, and staple the sheets around you for a week!" "Diana just went into labor," the young girl wheezed. "And I can't find Doctor Niles anywhere...." Mercury blinked before sighing heavily. "I'm not finished here," she said in a low tone to Susan. "I still have to make sure both Dana and Michelle are fine, and I've never delivered kittens before." "I will take care of it," Susan assured her as she headed for the door. "If I may assist?" V'lent'u asked quickly, gesturing to Susan. Susan hesitated only for a moment before nodding, knowing that there were some universal aspects to being a doctor. "Very well, Healer, thank you," she replied as she moved towards the door. "Hotaru, I want you back in your bed immediately," she said as she passed the young girl. "Where do you think she's at?" Hotaru grumbled quietly. "Then find something to sit down on," Susan countered gently as she headed down the hallway towards the medical ward. The sound of a cat in pain echoed the length of the corridor, seeming to warble like a siren as the pains came and went at very rapid intervals. "Diana!" Susan called out as she entered the room. She found the gray cat huddled in a ball on the bed, along with a white kitten who had his fur puffed out in fright, making him seem like a giant cotton ball. "Aaaah!" Diana gasped, her body wracked with tremors. "Chancellor, I'm sorry, I couldn't.... aaaarrrrhhhh!" "Just remain calm," Susan said as she paused only long enough to grab a large towel from the linen cabinet before darting over to the bed. She very quickly wrapped the cat up and looked for a suitable place to carry her, not wanting to have her make a mess on the bed. "Allow me," V'lent'u said calmly as she reached out, laying her hand along the cat's spine. A pale white glow started to surround her hand, causing both Susan and Diana's eyes to double in size. "I'm not going to do anything about the contractions, little one, but I can at least ease the pain they cause." "Aaaahh!" Diana gasped before she suddenly held perfectly still, save for a series of tremors at the tips of her whiskers. "Oooo! Oh.... ohhhhh.... oh, yes, yes, thank you, oh, that is definitely better...." "Excuse me, Master Healer, but what exactly are you doing?" Susan demanded in a quiet but faintly edged tone, keeping both eyes on the white glow infused around the denizen's hand. "I am a Healer," V'lent'u replied, giving Susan a measured look. "I have the power to induce a state of regeneration in others, and I am using it to help dampen the pain in her body. I'm not interfering in the actions of her muscles, however, as that would be both counter-productive and unhealthy." "Susan?" Hotaru said very quietly, staring hard at the white glow. "Not now, Hotaru," Susan replied absently. "Artemis, please get off the bed. It is up to Diana if you can remain here, but I don't want you anywhere close to the kittens when they are born." "I've got him," Hotaru said quickly as she darted over to scoop him up, cradling him in both arms as she leaned against the wall. "Ow, ow, this is not.... oooh," Diana gasped as she felt her insides try to twist into knots. "I hope that wasn't one of them using their claws...." "Remain calm," V'lent'u said as she carefully rubbed Diana's neck with her free hand. "Just let it progress on its own. I've aided Felinoids in labor before," she added. "I've never met one so small as yourself, however, but I don't see any reason why the process would be different. Chancellor, I think we will need a number of additional towels for this," she said to Susan. Susan nodded and headed over to the linen cabinet to retrieve half a dozen sterile towels. She paused for a moment as she realized that she had never taken the time to ask Diana if she knew how many kittens she was carrying. I suppose we shall find out in very short order, she mused to herself as she returned to the bed and started to lay out the towels. The next five minutes seemed to blur together as Diana continued to make muted noises of mild pain and severe discomfort, V'lent'u's glowing hand never once leaving the base of her spine. Susan split her time between keeping an eye on the denizen physican and keeping an eye on Hotaru, knowing that the girl would most likely incur a serious relapse of her condition. "Oh, my," Diana panted as she screwed her eyes shut, her ears flat against her head. "Oh my, oh my, oh my, ohmyohmyohmyohmy...." "I think it is time," V'lent'u said soothingly as she unwrapped the towel and carefully laid Diana on her side. She reached for one of the towels Susan had laid out and carefully held it in her free hand, forming a sort of scoop intended to catch the kitten as it emerged. "Yeech," Artemis complained with a sour expression as Diana convulsed, disgorging a tiny bundle of soaked fur with a truly sickening liquid sound. V'lent'u's wrist twitched gently, causing the edge of the towel to flip up and over to neatly ensconce the newborn kitten in a secure package. She set the quivering towel-ball next to Diana's abdomen and reached for a second towel, forming it into a scoop as she did with the first one. "Easy now," V'lent'u said in a soothing tone, lightly squeezing Diana's back muscle with her glowing hand. "That was an excellent job, little one. The next one should be ready to deliver in a moment...." "I.... take it back...." Diana moaned as she tensed up again. "I don't want.... a dozen.... let's just.... call it.... a day here.... AAAAAHHHH!" Susan waited and watched in silence as Diana proceeded to give birth to four more kittens at regular intervals, each deftly bundled up in a towel by V'lent'u and placed in front of Diana where she could see them. Hotaru seemed to be fascinated by the delivery, while Artemis was clearly unsettled by the experience. He continued to watch, however, and it wasn't long before Diana expelled the remaining placentas into the last towel Susan had laid out. "Bah.... hah.... ah-hah...." Diana panted as the pain and pressure finally left her body. "That.... was.... not amusing...." "Child-birth rarely is," V'lent'u said soothingly as she rubbed the gray cat's fur for several moments before removing her hand. The white glow faded from her skin a moment later and she turned her attention to the collection of writhing balls of fur tucked away in the five towels. "So let's see what we have here, my furry friend...." "Will you excuse me for a moment?" Susan said to the denizen, making a gesture with the towel she was holding. She received a nod of understanding and Susan quickly carried the towel over to another room to dispose of the contents in a sealed container that she knew would be incinerated by sunrise. She was about to leave when the door opened up to admit Sailor Mercury into the room, carrying a disposable parcel of used medical items. "I take it everything went okay?" Mercury sighed as she unsealed the container to toss her bundle inside. "Five kittens, all apparently healthy," Susan reported as she stepped over to the sink to scrub her hands. "Good," Mercury sighed again as she stripped off her gloves and tossed them into the disposal container before sealing it shut again. "Both Dana and Michelle are doing just fine. Seven pounds, four ounces, and a whole lot of lung-power." Susan just smiled, knowing that Amelia's grandmother had essentially said the same thing when she helped her daughter deliver Amelia. "It is a healthy sign, Doctor," she said demurely. "Believe me, I know," Mercury said as she started scrubbing her hands in a second sink. "I still think Skye is going to wind up with tinnitus if she lets Alexis cry for longer than ten seconds. Very piercing," she grumbled. "I shall convey the state of Dana's health to her Majesty momentarily," Susan replied as she dried her hands off. "Just as soon as I am sure that Hotaru won't collapse on us in the immediate future." "Don't get me started," Mercury growled sharply, causing Susan to pause at the level of frustration in her voice. "I honestly don't know what her body is doing with all the energy it produces or why it's not being stored. She's not malnourished or diabetic or anything. I just simply can't figure out why her body is losing so much energy all the time. Well, not rationally, at least," she amended with a snort of contempt. "Perhaps you should speculate irrationally for a moment?" Susan suggested in a neutral tone. Mercury glared at her for a moment before she sighed and shook her head in resignation. "Sometimes I'm tempted to say that when Mizuki died giving birth, Death tried to grab Hotaru as well. He missed, of course, but it seems he's somehow still holding on. Dammit, Susan," she growled a moment later. "Don't get that look on your face, it's just a hare-brained notion that you get when you're halfway through a bottle of spirits, don't even start." "Very well, Doctor," Susan replied quietly, trying to fight off the chill that had blown through her a moment ago. She realized that it was possible for there to be some truth to Amelia's "irrational" speculation, as she was fully cognizant of the spiritual realities of the universe. "Just have her lie down," Mercury sighed as she grabbed another pair of disposable gloves and slipped them on. "I'll come check on her once I'm done moving Dana into recovery and Michelle into the nursery. Might have to have Kayla lend me another cast-iron skillet to swat the first person who tries to defy orders to stay the hell out of the nursery until I say it's safe for visitors," she added in a low growl. "As soon as I change the linens," Susan promised her, drawing a very dark look in response. "We didn't have time to relocate Diana before she began to deliver the kittens," she added. "Wonderful," Mercury sighed. "I don't want her spending the night in the general ward." "I will see she is properly bedded down tonight," Susan replied. "And attended," Mercury persisted. "I'm willing to bet she'll have a relapse before sunrise. Damned uncooperative child...." "That's enough, Amelia," Susan said sternly. She merely raised an eyebrow in response as Sailor Mercury gave her a truly hostile stare before the blue- haired woman snorted in contempt and left the room. Susan paused for a moment to make sure her composure was intact before returning to the medical ward. A quick glance at the bed revealed that Diana was doing just fine, meticulously examining each of the kittens that were now huddled in a group around her ribcage. "Well, Diana," Susan said in a humorous tone as she drew close. "What do you have to say for yourself this time?" "It's a pity there are children about," Diana replied calmly as she began to preen a pure black kitten. "Otherwise I might be able to express myself a little more clearly." "Now, now," Susan said with a soft chuckle, glancing over at Hotaru and making absent note of the puzzled looks coming from both her and Artemis. "Is there anything in particular I should convey to her Majesty when I report to her in a moment?" Diana paused and looked down at her newborn kittens, wrinkling her nose as two of them began nuzzling her swollen nipples. "Three girls, two boys, but only one possesses the Lunar mark," she replied. "What?" Susan said, clearly surprised by the declaration. "See for yourself," Diana sighed as she flicked her tail. Susan frowned as she stepped close enough to examine the foreheads of each kitten. The only outward difference between a normal Earth cat and a Lunar cat was the presence of a crescent mark on the forehead. The differences were far more profound when examined closer, as only Lunar cats possessed the ability to talk and a level of intelligence that was easily on par with that of humans. As Diana had stated, the only one to possess any such mark was the pure black kitten. The other four were primarily black and mottled with splotches of white. Susan was naturally curious as to who the father was, but it was rather obvious to her that it had been an ordinary Earth cat that Diana had met somewhere in recent history. "Why don't they have the mark?" Artemis asked carefully, a gold crescent mark clearly visible on his forehead. "The Hand of Fate works in mysterious ways," Hotaru spoke up before Susan could fathom an acceptible reply. "Why is a person born the way he or she is? There are no answers to that one, unfortunately," she added wistfully. "Oh," Artemis replied, seeming to accept the explanation at face-value. "You are wise for one seemingly so young," V'lent'u spoke up as she gave the young girl a measured look. Hotaru blinked and blushed in embarrassment, a very pale spotch of color tinting her cheeks. "I had a good teacher," she murmured, glancing over at Susan. She suddenly blinked again and sighed, seeming to wilt against the wall as she leaned heavily against it. "Is something wrong, dear child?" V'lent'u said in a concerned tone. "Just tired, that's all," Hotaru replied in a subdued tone. Susan just shook her head and sighed, knowing the onset of a collapse was most likely in the immediate future. "Come, Hotaru, let me get you to bed if you are in need of a rest," she said, using a gentle tone laced with just the right amount of iron to convey that the subject wasn't open to debate. "Hotaru?" Artemis spoke up in a worried tone as he carefully sniffed her skin. "You don't smell too good right now." "I probably just need a shower," Hotaru murmured as she carefully set him down on the ground and tried to stand back up. She succeeded in doing so, but the effort quite obviously took a heavy toll on her body. "Please, hold still for a moment," V'lent'u said as she moved over to very lightly take hold of Hotaru's wrist. A pale glow surrounded her hand a moment later, slowly spreading across Hotaru's wrist as the denizen Healer used her curative powers. "Master Healer...." Susan said in a warning tone as the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood up. "I am only examining her, nothing more," V'lent'u said in a soft tone, gently looking into Hotaru's widened eyes. "And I do not like what I see. I know nothing of humans, of course, but I know significant energy loss when I feel it. Your name is Hotaru, correct?" she said softly to the young girl. "Yes," Hotaru replied. "Lady Hotaru Tomoe of the House of Saturn." "Well met, Lady Hotaru. I am Master Healer V'lent'u," the elderly woman said in a calm voice. "I am able to be trained as a Healer because I possess the ability to induce a state of healing in others. It is not an overly common ability among my kind, but there are enough of us to make it worthwhile to form our own institution dedicated to medicine and the treatment of others. You can say I am my world's equivalent of a doctor." Hotaru paused and glanced down at the white glow surrounding her wrist. It was producing a decidedly warm feeling, a sensation that she seldom was able to feel as of late. "What are you doing to me?" she whispered. "What I am doing is seeing how your body reacts to my healing powers. I can usually infer a person's state of health from the reactions, and from there try to treat whatever ails them," V'lent'u explained in a reassuring tone. "As I said, I've never treated a human before so I don't really know how to read a human's vital signs. I can make educated guesses, however, seeing how we are biologically quite similar. If you were a denizen, I would say that you are suffering from a rare phenomenon in which the pair of Chaos genes in the body constantly draw more energy from the cell's.... I'm not sure I can translate," she apologized. "Anyway, genes try draw more energy from the cell than it can normally generate, and when it can't get enough, it turns to neighboring cells to try to satisfy its need." Hotaru gave her a startled look before exchanging glances with Susan, who was visibly just as surprised as she was. "Susan?" she asked quietly. "That is.... not far from the truth," Susan said demurely, not entirely sure what to make of the situation. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'chaos' genes in this context, but that can be discussed later. Does your world have a treatment for this?" V'lent'u visibily hesitated before composing herself. "It depends on the individual and the nature of the drain. The short-term remedy is a measured infusion of energy, which is easily accomplished in a number of ways. Finding a longer-term solution would require a complete genetic analysis of her.... again, I don't have a proper translation," she apologized again. "I think the best term might be genetic core." "With as much blood as they've taken from me to analyze?" Hotaru muttered quietly to herself. "They should have it all taken apart by now." "Hotaru," Susan admonished her gently. V'lent'u reached up and very gently placed her other hand on Hotaru's shoulder. "I know this may be asking a lot in terms of trust, dear child, but will you allow me to attempt a minor energy infusion into you? I am a Master Healer, which is not a title granted lightly or on a whim. While I am an old woman and no longer so full of the vibrant warmth of life that I once had, I am still more than capable of sharing that energy with others." Hotaru paused and glanced over at Susan, not sure what to make of the offer. The uncertainty was clearly echoed on Susan's face as well, not sure if she should allow things to continue without medical guidance, or at least not without Amelia's presence in the room. Of course, as the saying went, it was likely that Amelia would be having kittens herself at what was going on between the dangerouly-ill Sailor Saturn and the denizen Healer.... "Susan?" Hotaru prompted very softly. "It is up to you, Hotaru," Susan replied very carefully. "While you may be young, you are hardly a child and can thus make most of your own decisions for yourself. Bear in mind that there are risks when dealing with the unknown, risks that not even I may be able to mitigate," she cautioned. "I would not be offering if I didn't have confidence in my abilities and likelihood of success," V'lent'u said gently. "Yes, this is an unknown, as I have never done this with a human before, but I am a Healer. I would rather take my own life than bring harm to another, either through negligence or by direct willfulness." Hotaru blinked and cast a glance over her shoulder at the bed. Diana was watching her carefully as she nursed four of the kittens. Surprisingly, the pure black kitten was also watching her, her eyes fixated on the white glow surrounding V'lent'u's hand. The gold crescent symbol on both mother and daughter seemed to twinkle faintly with reflected light from the healing glow. "Okay," Hotaru said on sudden impulse, turning to look at V'lent'u. "Go ahead and try it." The Healer nodded soberly. "Very well," she said quietly. "But let me know the instant that you feel any discomfort or feel anything amiss," she said as she slowly drew in a deep breath. The glow surrounding her hand suddenly became brighter, sending a wave of warmth coursing through Hotaru's blood and causing her eyes to widen in wonder. "Hotaru?" Susan said nervously, not sure what to make of the change in her expression. "Oh, wow...." Hotaru breathed very softly. "I think, dear child, that everything will be just fine," V'lent'u said softly as a faint smile tugged on her lips. "It seems that you humans are not all that different from us after all." "Oh, thank you," Hotaru whispered in heartfelt gratitude as she felt the dull ache in her body recede for the first time in a number of months. It was almost like her blood was being replaced with warm syrup, very slowly flowing through her veins to revive the rest of her body. A bright purple sigil flared into view on her forehead without warning, causing Susan's eyes to widen. "Hotaru!" the succubus gasped in awe. "I can feel it," Hotaru whispered with a smile. "Oh, Susan, you have no idea how.... how *strong* I feel now...." "A little energy can do wonders for a starved body," V'lent'u said with a smile of her own. "I must caution you, however, that this is only a temporary respite, and that I am not strong enough to offer you much more energy at the moment. Is this normal, by chance?" she asked, gesturing with her free hand to the vibrant purple sigil glowing on Hotaru's forehead. "It is for the Sailor Scouts," Susan said with a nod. "It is.... a sort of birthmark, if you will. The signs of the Houses usually only manifests in very strong emotional situations, but they can be willed to visibility," she explained, closing her eyes for a few seconds to concentrate. The sign of Pluto flared into view on her forehead a moment later, glowing a medium shade of green before fading away. "Fascinating," V'lent'u said as she studied Hotaru's sigil. She blinked and looked down at her hand before sighing softly. "I'm afraid that's all I am able to share with you," she apologized as the glow faded away. Hotaru looked down at her hands and flexed them carefully before looking back up at the Healer. "Thank you so much!" she said, leaning forward to give the elderly woman a tight hug. "You have no idea how much better I feel right now! Susan, this is simply amazing!" "Indeed it is," Susan replied with a slow nod. "Perhaps it would be wise of you to conserve as much of that energy as possible, as she did caution you that the effects would be temporary." Hotaru blinked and gave her a classic 'you have got to be kidding me' look before sighing and nodding sourly in understanding. "I know," she said before giving V'lent'u a brilliant smile. "I don't think I can thank you enough. I haven't felt this good in months." "And that, young lady, is why I became a Healer," V'lent'u replied with a soft smile of her own. Everyone turned to look as the outer doors creaked open and a blonde head was cautiously poked into the room. "Someone had kittens?" Sailor Venus said in a curious tone. "Lucy!" Hotaru said cheerfully as she darted over to the door to greet her with a hug that completely took Venus by surprise. "Whoa!" Venus yelped as she almost lost her balance. "Take it easy, kid! Huh?" she gasped as she saw the sign of Saturn glowing on Hotaru's forehead. "Oh, wow, look at you! Susan fed you some new vitamins today or what?" "It appears that being a Master Healer entails more than having a firm grasp of bureaucratic management," Susan observed in an amused tone. "As you can see, Hotaru has been somewhat rejuvenated by a power that denizens seem to possess and are able to grant to others." "Not all of us," V'lent'u corrected gently. "While we are each touched by Chaos, it takes shape quite differently in each individual. I just happen to be fortunate enough to possess such a healing ability." "That's great!" Venus said, briefly returning Hotaru's hug with distinct enthusiasm. "Had us worried for awhile, young lady. Almost enough to make Amelia want to get drunk again...." "Lucille," Susan sighed quietly. "Oh, relax, Chancellor," Venus giggled as she knelt down to scoop up the white kitten hovering around Hotaru's ankles. "And what do we have here, hmm? Nice, pretty little white kitty...." "I'm Artemis," the kitten spoke up with a soft purr. "Hey, Artemis, how you doing?" Venus said cheerfully as she looked around the room. "Ohh, Diana...." she breathed, her eyes lighting up in delight as she saw the gray cat still curled up on the bed. "Look at you, that is so precious. How are they doing?" "They seem to be fine, if a tad hungry," Diana chuckled very quietly as the kittens continued to nurse with enthusiasm. She winced briefly as she was nipped in a tender spot before glancing over at the pure black kitten. "She's starting to worry me, however," she added with a gesture with her tail. "She hasn't really done much of anything yet except stare at everyone." "Well, what do you expect, it's all new to her," Venus replied as she very carefully leaned forward, making sure to hold onto Artemis. "Hey, honey, how are you doing?" she whispered softly to the black kitten. She blinked as the kitten promptly started edging back before nearly tripping over Diana's paw. "Don't take it personally, Sailor Venus," Diana chuckled as she picked up the kitten by the scruff of her neck and deposited her next to her siblings, who immediately started searching for an unoccupied nipple. "That's two for two today," Venus sighed as she stepped back, absently scratching Artemis' ears. "I trust all is well with Dana?" Susan inquired casually. "Resting comfortably," Venus replied with a nod. "And Michelle is in a crib right next to her. Amelia promptly chased us away so they could get some rest, so I think we're finished for the night." "Good," Susan said. "Perhaps you would be willing to come with me, then? I am about to inform her Majesty about recent developments, as she is eagerly awaiting word about Dana's delivery." "Bah," Venus sighed. "Aria already told Electra, so Queen Serenity should have heard the news by now. And I'm not exactly dressed for a ball...." "Come with me anyway," Susan suggested in an odd tone that drew a raised eyebrow from the blonde. "Better yet.... why don't you take Hotaru over to her room and see she is put to bed, then go change into something suitable. I'm sure that you will be able to join us in time for a late evening surprise." That caused both Hotaru and Venus to pause in mid-motion. "What sort of surprise?" Venus inquired in a deeply wary tone. Susan merely smiled as she tilted her head to one side. "If I divulged that sort of information, Lady Venus, it would no longer be a surprise," she said in a diplomatic tone. "Rest assured that you will undoubtedly find it to your liking. We do have special guests in attendance, after all," she added. Venus continued to hesitate for several moments before sighing and nodding her head. "Alright, Chancellor, I'll try to make this one quick. You've got me curious now, although I suppose I should know better by this point." "Amen," Hotaru muttered quietly. "Hotaru!" Susan sighed, giving her a slightly unamused look. "Heh," Venus chuckled as she nudged Hotaru in the shoulder. "Okay, girl, let's not make a mess of this one. Great to see that you're feeling better and all. C'mon, let's get you out of this antiseptic environment before they can change their mind." "Okay," Hotaru agreed. "Master Healer, thank you again so much, I really do feel a lot better." V'lent'u smiled warmly back at her. "You are more than welcome, child. If I may, I would like to see you again in the morning to see how well you're doing. And as Chancellor Meiou cautioned, you really should do all you can to conserve as much of that energy as possible." "I know," Hotaru replied with another smile. "Good night, everyone!" "Good night, Hotaru," Susan said with a slight nod of her head as both Hotaru and Venus left the ward, still carrying the white kitten with them. "Diana?" she said as she turned to the gray cat. "How are you feeling?" "Much like our dear Lady Saturn, a great deal better now," Diana said with an amused chuckle. Two of the kittens had finished nursing and were already curling up into tiny balls of fur to sleep. "I'll be fine here, Susan. I'll probably fall asleep as soon as they're done, and I suspect that they're not going to do much of anything tonight except sleep. Sunrise might be another matter entirely...." Susan nodded in understanding. "I will locate Doctor Niles and have him come here before then," she promised. "I suspect, however, that her Majesty and Amelia are both likely pay you a visit tonight as well." "Just as long as nobody is woken up," Diana said with a dry chuckle. "As much as I love the Queen, I am going to need all the sleep I can get now." "Duly noted," Susan replied with a smile. "Master Healer, would you be so kind as to come with me? I believe her Majesty is waiting for my report." "Just as soon as I wash my hands," V'lent'u replied as she headed over to a sink to scrub herself. The process only took a few minutes before they were both heading out the doors of the ward and into the long hallway. "If I may, Master Healer," Susan said carefully as they walked, "Can you explain to me how exactly you have that healing ability of yours?" V'lent'u nodded and cleared her throat. "I will try, but please bear in mind that there may not be proper translations for a few things," she warned. "Denizens are born with a pair of latent genes we call the Chaos Factor, and once we reach puberty it becomes active. The ultimate configuration of the genes are, as far as we can tell, completely random with significant results. In my case, I developed the ability to use the energy my body generates to act as a sort of catalyst in others, causing their cells to regenerate and produce new energy." "Interesting," Susan commented. "As I said, the process is completely random and usually occurs without any forewarning," V'lent'u continued in a somber tone. "It is.... far from a perfect process, and there are.... a high percentage of instances where the end result of the.... what's the word?" "Change?" Susan suggested. "Change will work," the Healer nodded. "The changes are not always for the best, and often times the results are.... not biologically feasible. Those who survive must then learn to control their new powers if they are to have any true chance of living in our society." "What sort of powers can develop from this?" Susan inquired carefully, a sudden chill working its way down her spine. "Anything," V'lent'u replied with a shrug. "I know of denizens who can breathe fire at will, change shape, project energy from a distance, teleport, speak directly with other minds.... the results are virtually limitless." "Interesting," Susan said absently, suddenly extremely leery about leaving the Queen alone with their alien visitors. She knew that she wasn't strictly alone, as there were some fifty or so guests in attendance at the banquet with Sailor Jupiter hovering within earshot the entire time, but the mere thought of their guests being able to do things on a whim that defy conventional physics was more than enough to chill her blood. She looked up and paused as she felt V'lent'u's hand on her wrist, a look of guarded concern visible in her ancient eyes. "This worries you," she said in a low tone. "It does," Susan admitted frankly. "Were you to have less-than-friendly intentions, this could pose an extremely serious hazard for us, and while I am certainly not suggesting that you are anything but a civilized society seeking peaceful and meaningful contact.... I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't take a worst-case scenario into consideration." A faint hint of a smile crossed V'lent'u's face. "I am not offended, my friend," she replied quietly. "Indeed, in your place I would most likely be taking the same precautions. For what it is worth, I am not a member of the Negaverse military, merely an experienced field physician who was more than willing to assume the risk of exploration for the sake of being able to do some first-hand research in the biology of another world." "If you will forgive the question, Master Healer, what of the others?" Susan asked as delicately as she could, recognizing goodwill when she saw it and doing her best not to trample on it. "They are the military," V'lent'u said with a shrug of dismissal. "What they want or intend, I neither know nor truly care. My role here is one of a Healer and researcher, and assurances have been extracted from the military that no steps will be taken to change that. You may be best served starting a conversation with Lieutenant-Commander T'Cer, as I have always found Dragoons to be.... approachable with a problem, if a touch odd," she added with another faint shrug of dismissal. "If I may," Susan said in a carefully calculated tone of mild interest, "What can you tell me about the Dragoon Legion? I have already spoken with T'Cer, of course, but I would expect that pride in one's unit would tend to slightly bias a viewpoint...." "You need not concern yourself on that account," V'lent'u said with a soft chuckle. "Dragoons as a whole make it a point to be as objective as possible when discussing their organization, including faults and other things that most others would gloss over as being little more than inconsequential and somewhat embarrassing. They are an admittedly eccentric division, at least by the rest of the military's standards, but their effectiveness is such that most would perfer to overlook minor oddities rather than lose such talent." "Interesting," Susan commented absently, trying to decide just how big a risk she should take. Taking a deep but subtle breath, she added in a casual tone, "I heard mention earlier of a Dragoon Captain...." "It figures," V'lent'u smirked, drawing a slightly surprised glance from Susan. "I would be surprised if T'Cer didn't take the opportunity to extoll the virtues of their founder to a new audience. No matter," she said with in idle wave of dismissal. "Their founder?" Susan inquired carefully, feeling a faint chill seep into her blood. "I was under the impression this was a recent Dragoon Captain...." "Exceedingly unlikely," the Healer replied with a shake of her head. "As far as I know, there has only been one Dragoon in history with the rank of Captain, as none of the successors would accept it." "And that would be Captain Raijen?" Susan prodded gently, doing her best to remain outwardly calm while her insides suddenly turned to solid ice. "Indeed," V'lent'u replied calmly. She looked up as Susan came to a stop and lightly placed a hand on her wrist. "Just so I have this all sorted out," Susan said slowly. "The Dragoon Legion was founded over four thousand years ago by this Captain Raijen, and to date he is the only Dragoon Captain to hold the position." "Correct," V'lent'u said with a nod of her head. "Ah," Susan sighed with a slow nod of apparent understanding. "I must have missed part of her explanation then. Idle curiosity, if I may.... what became of him?" V'lent'u sighed quietly and looked away. "The Dragoon Legion was viewed by the Security Division as interfering in their unofficial domain, and after several attempts to try to limit the activities of the Legion, they tried to have him assassinated," she said quietly. "They succeeded in killing him, but the attempt was badly executed and the plot was exposed. The fallout of that incident led to an unprecedented series of reforms in the military structure, most of which are still in-place today. While the Security Division is still very much around to this day, they are no longer the political force that they once were." "I see," the succubus said in a netural tone as she sought to sort out her thoughts as quickly as possible. "At least it should bring some measure of comfort to the Dragoons that his murder was not in vain." "They were not happy about it, but they had the good grace to let the wheels of justice turn unhindered," V'lent'u replied. "And when justice was finally delivered, they seemed to take it in stride and collectively moved on to making their founder's visions a reality." "Sometimes a scandal is for the greater good," Susan offered as they began walking down the hallway again. "Now that I think about it, it seems that we are overdue for another political scandal ourselves. They tend to help pass the time and make things more interesting...." "Chancellor Meiou...." V'lent'u said in an uncertain tone. "A joke, I assure you," Susan replied, giving the Master Healer a small smile. "I am certain that her Majesty would be highly upset with me if I were to suggest that we are in need of such an unfortunate event. I believe we are at our destination," she added as they drew close to the double doors of the palace ballroom. "Interesting," V'lent'u commented as Susan carefully opened one of the doors, allowing a strain of music from a small chamber quartet to drift into the hallway. It was a rather lively piece, one quite suited to dancing to, and a simple glance inside revealed that most of the nobles and guests were doing just that. "Chancellor Meiou," the doorman said quietly as he turned around. "I have good news for her Majesty," Susan explained. "But I should like to wait for an opportune moment to announce it." "You should not have to wait long," the doorman replied. "I'm fairly sure the piece is about to end in a minute or two. Shall I announce your news?" Susan thought carefully before shaking her head. "No, only that I have returned. However, I should like to ask a favor of you. If you encounter Sailor Venus, detain her outside until you find a suitable moment to announce her entrance. There is a surprise in store for her, and I think it best if she is the focus of attention for this one." "I will see to it, my lady," the doorman promised with a short bow. He then cocked his head over his shoulder to listen as the music swelled to a crescendo before falling silent. "Ah, I was right. If you will excuse me?" he said before fully opening both doors and moving to stand in the center of the archway. He waited until he was absolutely sure that there was a break in the music and dancing before raising his voice to be clearly heard. "Your Majesty!" he thundered, causing heads to turn in unison. "Lords and ladies and honored guests! Chancellor Meiou has returned and bears good news!" "Chancellor!" Serenity spoke up from the center of the ballroom floor, her cheeks flushed from dancing. "Don't delay, tell us!" she demanded with a large smile. "Your Majesty," Susan said with a formal curtsey. "It is my pleasure to announce that Lady Dana Kaiou of the House of Neptune has just given birth to a healthy baby girl." She waited for the expected burst of applause and cheers to end before continuing. "Lady Michelle Kaiou was measured at seven pounds, four ounces, and both mother and daughter are in the best of health. "As an added surprise, her Majesty's feline companion Diana has also just given birth to a litter of five kittens," Susan continued, making note of the way Serenity's face lit up even brighter than before. "Three girls, two boys, and all are quite healthy as well." "A productive day indeed," Minister Dejanna chuckled. "I think you mean reproductive, my dear," Minister Svetlana added with a sly grin, drawing a round of laughter from the group. "That is absolutely wondeful," Queen Serenity said with a genuine smile. "Indeed, your Majesty," Minister Olan said gracefully. "I would say that this calls for a celebration.... but begging your Majesty's pardon, we're not finished with the current one!" he proclaimed with a lopsided grin. "Bah," Minister Harken said with mock-disdain. "So open another casket of wine and let us toast to their health. Here's to good tidings and blessings to the House of Neptune!" he said as he raised his wineglass in the air. "To the House of Neptune!" the group echoed as various drinks were raised in tribute before being up-ended in unison. Susan smiled quietly at the minor increase in volume as the group started to return to their festivities. An attendant came over and offered to escort V'lent'u to a seat at the table next to Major Tar-Nul, who was quite obviously enjoying things. A series of soft footsteps behind her caused Susan to cast a glance over her shoulder, her smile widening as she saw Lucille coming down the corridor dressed in a vibrant white gown. "I could hear that from down the hallway," Lucille panted as she hurried over, seeming to be slightly hobbled by her shoes. "I hope I'm not late for the surprise." "Far from it," Susan assured her with a slightly predatory smile. "In fact, I would say that your timing is quite exceptional tonight. Please, come with me," she said as she gestured for the blonde to enter the room. Lucille took all of three steps into the room before freezing in place as the doorman's voice thundered around her. "Lady Lucille Aino of the House of Venus!" Lucille blinked hard and cast a glance at the doorman, her face taking on the color of ripe tomatoes. "What are you doing?" she hissed quietly as the room turned its collective focus on her. "Surprise," Susan whispered very softly. "Lucy!" a voice called out, causing the blonde to blink. "Lucy, my dear, I was afraid you would never show up tonight...." "Oh, Duke Howley," Lucille stammered as the Duke of Cambridge approached, taking her hand in his and kissing it softly. "What are you doing?" she asked in a very soft tone that only the Duke and Susan could hear. "It seems tonight, my lady, is a very special night indeed," the duke said to the room at large. "Chancellor Meiou has just informed us of the birth of a girl to your esteemed colleague, Lady Kaiou, as well as the birthing of a litter of kittens to her Majesty's pet cat...." "I wouldn't let Diana hear him say that," Susan murmured very softly to the doorman, who promptly bit the tip of his tongue to keep from laughing. "...And I only thought it fair to further add to tonight's festive mood," the duke announced. "This is not something I would ask of you lightly, but I have decided to ask you tonight. Given all that we know about one another and all that we've shared together, I think the question finally needs to be asked and an answer delivered." Lucille's blue eyes promptly became the size of dinner plates as the duke reached into his pocket to pull out a small black box. He then went down on one knee before her and opened the box, revealing an extremely well-crafted silver ring inset with a dazzling diamond. Her hands suddenly flew to her mouth as it sagged open in shock, finally realizing what was going on. "Lucille Aino, will you marry me?" Duke Howley asked simply, loud enough for the rest of the room to hear. The air was extremely still and silent as Lucille visibly struggled to remember how to talk again. "I.... I.... Y-Your Majesty...." she stammered, turning to look at the queen. "Don't look at me," Serenity said dryly. "You're the one he's asking." The blonde blinked hard and turned back to look at the duke, still quite surprised beyond coherent words by the development. The duke raised an eyebrow as he noticed the expression on her face and made an absent gesture with the box. "Well, if you need to think about it...." he said as off-handedly as he could manage, giving her a faint smile. "*YES!*" Lucille exploded as she lunged forward, wrapping him in an almost literally bone-crushing bearhug. The room erupted into applause moments later, drowning out the sound of the air leaving the duke's lungs as his chest was forcefully compressed. There was a slightly embarrassed pause as the duke had to break the hug to extract the ring from the box and put it on her finger, but any lingering embarrassment was more than swept away by the fierce kiss that he suddenly found himself entrenched in from his newly-betrothed. "A good way to end the day as any," Susan mused to the doorman. "Aye," the doorman agreed with a soft chuckle. "However, as with all good things, there comes a price to pay. I don't know about you, my lady, but I am not looking forward to having to carry some of these besotted nobles home once they're finished toasting the baby, and then the kittens, and then the ring, and then the kiss, and the food and the fire and...." "I assure you that all will be taken care of," Susan replied with a faint chuckle, knowing that there would be more than a few hangovers come sunrise. "I imagine her Majesty will be able to walk on her own," the doorman added casually. "Of course, with all the dancing it might not be wise, but that's what escorts are for." "Indeed," Susan said, trying not to react as her blood turned to ice yet again. She glanced over to the table with the guards, able to see Raijen in a slightly animated conversation with the rest of the group. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but the echo of V'lent'u's words in her memory simply wouldn't go away. Only one can claim the title of Dragoon Captain, she thought to herself, and he was assassinated thousands of years ago in another world. So then, my intriguing guest, what does that make you...? * * * * "Chancellor," Serenity said in a reproving tone as she leaned against the wall for a moment, "I am quite capable of walking without any assistance." "If you insist, your Majesty," Susan said demurely as she clasped her hands behind her back. The ballroom was almost empty now, only a scattering of nobles lingering at the tables to nibble on the remains of what had been a truly lavish desert selection. "Your Majesty?" Sailor Jupiter inquired with a soft rumble deep within her chest, keeping a very wary eye on her monarch. Serenity grunted to herself and gave the brunette a slightly unamused look. "I'm fine, Electra. The chocolate cake was a little denser than I had anticipated, nothing more." "Figures," Jupiter replied with a sour grunt of her own, having had just a little too much of the cake herself. "Perhaps you should go to bed," Susan suggested, more to Jupiter than the Queen. "You will be fine in the morning. If you feel you will need an herbal mixture for your stomach, I strongly suggest you get it now as I don't believe Amelia will be in a civil mood for much longer. She has been busy since before dawn, and I would not like to disturb her right now for any reason short of a definitive crisis." "Noted," Jupiter replied with a curt nod. She blinked as the right edge of her tiara suddenly folded down in place over her ear, making a very soft chirping noise. She reached up to touch the star-shaped adornment on the green ribbon around her throat, pushing it inward to catch on a small hook to open the channel. "Jupiter," she rumbled quietly. "Most likely Aria informing us that our guests have settled into their rooms for the evening," Susan murmured to Serenity, having recognized the soft and distictive pattern of chirps coming from the tiny speaker. "Something I believe all of us should be doing after that banquet," she added casually. "Thank you, Chancellor, I will take your advice into consideration, as I always do," Serenity replied in a slightly dry tone. "Copy," Jupiter said with an absent nod of her head. She paused as the voice in her ear continued speaking for a few seconds, causing her to raise an eyebrow. "Maybe," she countered with a soft harumph before reaching up to her throat to unhook the star adornment. "Out," she said with a sharp flick of her thumb. She sighed softly to herself and looked over at Susan with a slightly unamused look on her face. "Aria," she said simply. "Let me guess," Susan said slowly. "She not only told you to inform the Queen that our guests have settled, but she made the suggestion that you should also drop by the nursery to see how adorable Dana's newborn is before you head off to bed?" Jupiter promptly blinked hard before sighing heavily to herself, clearly nonplussed by the accuracy of Susan's comment. "Predictable," she grumbled, pointedly ignoring the very faint giggle of amusement from Serenity. "Be that as it may, I would strongly suggest you wait until the morning to try to see her," Susan cautioned. "Amelia is liable to be in a mood again, and I have a rather unsavory hunch that she was not making an idle joke when she spoke of borrowing one of Kayla's pans to use on those who attempt to disturb either Dana or Michelle tonight." "Fun," the taciturn brunette muttered. Susan chuckled quietly and lightly patted Jupiter on the back. "Go get some sleep, Electra. I suspect Amelia will be up late tonight and thus won't be out of bed until well after breakfast tomorrow, and likewise for Lucille. I will handle the night-watch until you and Aria wake up in the morning." "Sleep well, Electra," Serenity added with a soft smile. "Your Majesty," Jupiter replied with a curtsey. "Chancellor," she added before casting one final look around the room for good measure. Satisified that there were still four guards present to deal with anything that might crop up without warning, she turned around and headed for the exit, pausing only for a brief moment to scoop up a small morsel from one of the dessert carts. Susan and Serenity looked at one another for several long moments before the lavender-haired queen sighed and blushed. "Yes, Susan, I intend to go see what our future Sailor Neptune looks like," she murmured. "I won't stay long, I promise." "While I don't doubt your intentions in the slightest, your Majesty, I think it best if I were to accompany you for the time being," Susan replied in a moderate tone. "After all, I am still a Sailor Scout and we are in a rather unprecedented first-contact situation. I would respectfully suggest that you not move about the palace without at least one of us in close proximity as an escort at all times, save for when privacy is called for." "Very well," Serenity sighed quietly. "While I have yet to receive even the slighest suggestion or hint that our alien guests are anything but peaceful explorers, your precaution is most likely a wise one. Let us then.... oh, my goodness," she exclaimed as she was startled by the sound of what seemed to be seriously rusted machinery starting up. Susan glanced around for the source of the disturbance and blinked in mild surprise. "I see Minister Eldred thoroughly enjoyed himself tonight," she observed in a humorous tone. The Minister of Agriculture was slumped back in his chair with his head tilted back, snoring rather loudly. A pair of maids were starting to clean up the table around him, both giving him a wide berth so as not to disturb him. Serenity gave her chancellor a pained look before sighing quietly and heading towards the door. "Just as long as he is in possession of his wits by sunrise," she muttered, acutely aware of the brilliantly unobtrusive fashion the guards had carted an inebriated Minister Harken off to his quarters without causing a scene. It was not the first time she had noticed such a skillful maneuver done during a social scene, and she often wondered just how many other instances there had been where she had not noticed by chance or coincidence. "Your Majesty," a voice said next to her, causing her to almost leap out of both her gown and her skin. She whirled around to find Raijen standing at the edge of the doorway, his eyes widening with horror at the realization that he had just caught her by complete surprise. "By the gods!" Serenity panted as she sought to calm her nerves. She quickly glanced around to see who had noticed her reaction, her cheeks turning a dark shade of red as she realized that she had also completely failed to see the pair of security guards flanking the doors just inside the hallway. "Are you SURE you are not one of my captains?" she demanded as she lightly rubbed the exposed part of her neckline. "You certainly seem to be able to blend in to the very walls like the rest of them...." Raijen paused to glance over Serenity's shoulder at Susan before taking a slow breath to frame his reply. "It is not as difficult as you would think, as those who are often preoccupied with matters of importance tend not to take notice of that which is not important," he said. "I apologize for disturbing you, your Majesty." Serenity sighed and shook her head gently. "No, you're right, I was more than a little distracted. And that certainly doesn't mean you don't have any importance to me, merely that I was momentarily careless," she added with a faint hint of a smile. "A moment's carelessness can have dire consequences, your Majesty," the denizen reminded her in a respectful tone. The queen paused for a moment to regard him carefully. "Surely when I am surrounded by such gentlemen as you and such advisors as Susan, I am in rather safe and secure hands," she said with a slight hint of coyness. "Even secure hands cannot grasp what is out of their reach, even if it is only for a moment," Susan said dryly as she came up next to Serenity. "I have been trying to instill that one into you for years now." "Yes, you have, Susan," Serenity said with a faint blush. "But surely I am not the worst or the most unruly Queen you have served." "Far from it," Susan replied, making absent note of the slight twitch in Raijen's eyebrow. "However, even the best of them have their rare moments in which the hair of their advisors is tempted to turn gray. Nobody is perfect, your Majesty, just as long as you don't make it a habit of neglecting to keep a casual eye on your immediate environment." "Thank you, Chancellor," Serenity muttered as her blush deepened. "I hope I am not detaining you from anything of importance, your Majesty," Raijen inquired carefully. "I know the hour is late, and I should not like to delay you if you have further business to attend to tonight." A faint smile spread across Serenity's lips. "Only to see for myself how Dana and her new baby are doing. That, and I simply have to see what Diana's kittens look like. She said she thought she had another week, but I guess life had other plans." There was a soft snort of amusement from Raijen. "Yes, life can be like that at times," he rumbled. "Will you come with me, then?" Serenity inquired. "If your duties permit, at least," she amended quickly. "I would imagine that part of your security team would remain awake through the night, and I would not like to cause any sort of problems for you...." Raijen paused for a moment and glanced over at Susan, studying the subtle change in her expression. "I have no desire to be a burden if Chancellor Meiou has further business she would like to discuss with you in private," he said in what he hoped was a neutral tone. Serenity blinked and cast a quick glance over her shoulder. "I am sure that if there was anything of significance, I would have been informed of it by now," she said in a light tone as she turned her attention back to him. "And as we discussed previously, I could use the company this evening. Even if it is only for something as brief and simple as a walk to the medical ward." "Indeed, your Majesty, there is nothing of importance that I am aware of," Susan spoke up in a neutral tone. "I trust you will, however, understand if I continue to insist on the presence of a Sailor Scout in immediate proximity of your person for the visible future," she added gently. "But of course, Chancellor," Serenity replied, managing to keep her tone free of any hint of disappointment. She gave Susan a small smile of acceptance and understanding before turning to Raijen, the smile growing significantly warmer as she did so. "Shall we go then, Captain?" "My lady, it would be an honor," Raijen replied with a bow before offering his arm to the queen. She gently slid her arm around his and started walking down the corridor towards the medical ward. "Serenity?" Susan spoke up, causing both Serenity and Raijen to halt in mid-motion. They blinked at her tone and briefly exchanged surprised glances before turning around in unison to look at Susan. "Forgive me, but I seem to have had a momentary lapse of memory," she apologized quietly. "There is, in fact, something that I believe you will find to be of significance that I have yet to mention. Hopefully Captain Raijen will be able to further explain the matter to clarify something for me." Raijen exchanged glances with Serenity again before clearing his throat gently. "If my assistance is needed, I will of course be more than willing to offer my help," he said in a faintly guarded tone. Susan nodded once before taking a deep breath. "When Diana went into labor, Hotaru ran off to get assistance and in doing so over-exerted herself. When she started to suffer a relapse of her condition, Master Healer V'lent'u took hold of her wrist to examine her. Both her hand and Hotaru's wrist began to glow with energy, and after infusing Hotaru with additional energy, it seems that Hotaru's condition has been put into significant remission. V'lent'u went on to explain to me that she is able to do so because of a uniquely denizen genetic construct called the Chaos Factor." Serenity blinked hard at the explanation, her lavender eyes doubling in diameter. "What? Susan, what are you saying?" "It is nothing to be concerned of for the moment," Raijen reassured her with a gentle squeeze of her hand. "V'lent'u is a Master Healer, a member of a somewhat ancient order of individuals who all have some innate powers of the body to heal others. It is almost a religious order in the sense that they all share a common discipline and dedication to the care of others, without regard to outside or political considerations." Susan nodded in understanding. "That much was explained to me. What I am unsatisfied with is my understanding of the source of their healing powers." "The Chaos Factor can take many forms," Raijen rumbled quietly. He paused as he saw the look on Serenity's face and sighed very quietly. "Chancellor, what you ask will take a considerable amount of time to explain in detail, and I must caution you that we as a species have yet to fully understand the exact mechanics of how it works, save that it simply does. I will explain what I know, but that may not be enough to answer your questions." "Can you explain as you walk?" Serenity inquired gently. A faint smile crossed Raijen's lips briefly as he kissed her hand. "But of course, my lady," he murmured as they resumed walking at a moderately slow pace towards the medical wards. "The Chaos Factor is a genetic mutation that occurs within every denizen roughly around what you would call adolescence. As with that, there is no one trigger or cause that can be isolated, and there is rarely any advanced warning that the change is about to occur. "The results of the mutation are, quite simply, unpredictable and can take literally any form imaginable. Some denizens sprout wings and can then fly, others grow new arms or legs, others change shape or form. In virtually every case, the body is granted the ability to do something that it was unable to do previously. A lot of times, this power has the ability to influence what you would call reality. I know of a young woman who can cause stable molecules in the air to reconfigure into a dangerous poison. I know of at least two others who can cause the wind to shift at their whims. An old friend of mine could easily be mistaken for a Felinoid because of the way his body mutated and grew fur. Literally anything is possible." "Wait," Serenity said, coming to an abrupt halt again. "This happens to every one of your kind? They all change?" Raijen nodded. "Yes, we do. The change isn't always visible, of course. Do you remember how I was able to jump earlier today?" "Of course," Serenity replied, her eyes widening slightly. "You jumped off the balcony down to the ground, and then right back up. That had to have been a good twenty feet of vertical height." "That is how the Chaos Factor manifested itself in me," Raijen explained with a soft squeeze of her hand. "Or did you think that everyone from my world can jump like that?" he added with a faint hint of humor. "As I said, part of the effect was due to the boosters in my armor, but they can only augment what is already there." "Amazing...." Serenity whispered. "We are, up to this point, fortunate that we have yet to concern ourselves with how such things could be used in a negative fashion," Susan spoke up in a tone devoid of any semblance of emotion. "You will forgive me, I trust, for having to take all possible aspects into consideration...." "Susan!" Serenity gasped as the realization suddenly hit her with the force of an aluminum baseball bat. A very soft grunt rumbled up from the depths of Raijen's chest. "Indeed, you would be quite remiss for not taking that into consideration," he replied very quietly. "I will not waste your time with the details of how battles are fought in my world, save that conventional warfare tends to be the exception rather than the rule. We have military technology to augment our powers, but they do not even remotely guarantee an even match on the battlefield. What use is metal armor against one who can heat it to the melting point with but a few moments of concentration? Or who can project a stream of acid? Or who fights with enhanced powers of the mind, which no physical armor can defend against?" "Captain, what is the current level of danger to us at the moment?" Susan asked flatly, giving the Dragoon a level stare and ignoring the shocked look on Serenity's face. "The potential for utter annihilation is always present when a denizen is nearby," Raijen replied off-handedly with a casual shrug. "The results of the Chaos Factor make predictions literally impossible. All that is available to base true risks against are intentions. I am not a telepath and thus cannot see into the minds of others, so I can only speak for myself in this instance. Standing before you both, here and now, I swear upon my honor and the honor of the Dragoon Legion that I harbor no ill feelings or intentions. I will, of course, take up arms to defend myself against any attack from any source, but I have no intentions of inflicting harm upon anything or anyone, nor will I allow any such harm to come to others if I can prevent it." "I believe you, Captain," Serenity said softly, placing her hand on his and returning the gentle squeeze of comfort. "As do I," Susan added quietly. "However, I will still insist that all appropriate precautions and measures are to be taken with regard to our guests in light of what we have just learned." "As you should, Chancellor," Raijen replied with a nod of understanding. "I strongly doubt that Colonel V'Kaar will voice any objections, as one isn't promoted to such a rank if one doesn't possess a level of understanding." "A pity the same can't be applied to past royalty," Susan said demurely, deliberately attempting to disrupt the darkening mood with a note of humor. "Susan!" Serenity gasped, giving her chancellor a stunned look. "Indeed, not all the queens I have personlly met appeared to have savored a deep drink from the fountain of wisdom," Raijen rumbled quietly, trying his best to keep a straight face. He saw Susan's ploy for what it was and thought it best to play along for the moment. The muscles in Serenity's face seemed to twitch for several moments before she finally realized that they were simply teasing her. An exasperated sigh of resignation slipped past her lips as she glared at both her best friend and her alien escort, trying to decide what to do with them. "If the two of you are finished," Serenity finally said in a mock-acidic tone, "I should like to go see how Dana and Diana are doing." "But of course, your Majesty," Susan replied with a soft smile. Raijen merely bowed his head to Serenity and held his arm out again to her, resuming a moderate pace as soon as she accepted his offer. "Susan," Serenity said carefully as she turned a corner, "Tell me again what happened with Hotaru earlier? I know Amelia moved her into the ward for observation last week, and I'm deeply worried about the lack of progress...." "As I said, Master Healer V'lent'u examined her," Susan said carefully. "She said that, if Hotaru were a denizen, that she was suffering from a rare energy deficiency that has been known to be related to the Chaos Factor. While that is clearly not the cause, the symptoms appear to manifest themselves in a similar fashion." "Chaos drain," Raijen growled quietly. "It is not a pleasant experience." "You had it, then?" Susan inquired with a surprised look. "Not naturally," the denizen replied with a shake of his head. "I once encountered a warrior who acted as a sinkhole for energy. All who approached within a spear-length of him suffered a sharp drain of the energy supply used by the Chaos Factor. The draining effect ceased with his life and the energy restored shortly thereafter, but the feeling of Chaos drain was.... enough to make one desire an intense shower," he muttered with a sour grimace. Serenity blinked and paused, taking a half-step back to regard him very cautiously. "You killed him?" she asked tentatively. "That happens when one is engaged on the battlefield," Raijen replied in an even tone. "I will spare you the details, save that it was his intent to deprive me of my own life. I merely defended myself with equal force." "Perfectly justifiable," Susan commented absently. "If I may, Chancellor, have you ever been on a battlefield before?" Raijen inquired out of curiosity, trying to gauge how much merit there was to her seemingly casual judgment. Susan paused and cast a glance at Serenity. "It is not a topic I would care to discuss in significant detail, given her Majesty's feelings about the matter, but I am able to assert with authority that I am no stranger to any of that which resides in the realm of combat," she said diplomatically. "I was not seeking to make light of your explanation for your actions. Is something wrong, your Majesty?" she added as she saw the look on the Queen's face. "It is nothing, Susan," Serenity replied in a slightly tired tone. She blinked and looked up as Raijen gently brushed a single fingertip across her chin, drawing her attention to him. "You do not approve of my choice to be a warrior in my world," Raijen said very quietly. "It is not that," Serenity replied in a soft whisper. "I am not a violent woman at heart, so I would rather not deal with such things. There are others who would willingly go in my place, sometimes with more enthusiasm that I am comfortable with. No, what bothers me most is that I couldn't go to take my rightful place if need be, even if I wanted to. I am merely a woman who can only send others out to die in my stead." "Merely a woman," Raijen mocked quietly, causing Serenity to blink. "In my world, most of those who lead are women. Only those who can know what it is like to nuture life can truly understand what it means to have to order a life to be ended. I did not seek to attain the rank of Captain as a means to have others take risks for me, but some have taken them for me nonetheless in the hopes that I would still be able to continue to lead others. "You are a Queen, Serenity, you were born to be that which everyone else looks up to, to draw strength from, to find a purpose in. I know I willingly chose my own path in life, so I can only imagine what it must be like for you to not have had that choice, but you are on that path regardless. You may not like being surrounded by warriors and feel weak by comparison, but try to view things from their perspective. "You are what they were born for, to serve and to protect you. It is the highest honor to serve you directly, to act in your place and in your name. It does not matter if you personally cannot lift the same sword they do, for they know that your hand holds not one sword but the combined arms of the entire kingdom. Ask them, Serenity," he added softly. "You have but to set foot into one of their barracks and ask them why they serve you so willingly. You may receive as many different reasons as you have warriors, but they will all have a common purpose. You give them life. Not as a mother does to a child, but you give them a reason, a purpose." Susan quietly came up to stand next to Serenity, gently laying a hand on her shoulder as the Queen looked to be in imminent danger of crying. "He is right, Serenity," she said softly. "I was not born to be Chancellor, but I was born to be Sailor Pluto. The Sailor Scouts are all born to serve the throne, and we all do so quite willingly. You should not feel guilty for that which is very much beyond your control, nor should you feel guilty for accepting such service when it is freely offered or given." "Thank you, Susan," Serenity said very quietly to her best friend before turning to look at Raijen. "And to you, Captain. I am most grateful for your words. If even a fraction of those who live in your world are as wise as you are, then I fear we would have far more to learn from your kind than you would have to learn from us." Raijen merely shook his head slowly. "I am not a wise man, my lady, else I would surely have found an alternate way to serve my Queen with the same effectiveness as I do now, only without the violence my position entails," he said in a faintly amused tone. "I merely had a wise mentor who taught me how to act as a mirror, reflecting wisdom from the true sources to those who would best make use of such things." Serenity blinked in surprise before laughing very softly to herself. "It seems our worlds are not all that different after all. Now where have I heard that particular comparison before?" she asked rhetorically as she cast a very amused glance at Susan. "Some messages bear repeating," Susan replied demurely as briefly glanced away from the Queen, a faint hint of a blush coloring her cheeks. She paused as she saw something further down the corridor and blinked hard. "Excuse me, your Majesty, but I believe that we have company." "Oh?" Serenity said as she turned to look down the corridor as well. She blinked in surprise and squinted her eyes as she tried to fully make out the dark shape. "A kitten? I don't recall Chamomile having any dark kittens...." "Chamomile didn't, but Diana just did," Susan said quietly, watching very carefully as the kitten seemed to slowly edge closer. "What?" Serenity said, blinking hard. "But I thought that happened only an hour ago! Surely no newborn kitten would be moving around so soon!" "She bears the mark of a Lunar cat," Susan pointed out in a soft tone. "While I am unable to hypothesize how she could have gotten down from the bed without either injury or alerting Diana, or how she could have possibly managed to get past the closed doors of the medical ward, she nonetheless appears to be standing in the hallway as we speak." "You have a lot of kittens in the palace," Raijen muttered quietly. "Not counting the white one I rescued earlier, I have encountered four more of them wandering down a hallway under the escort of two adult felines. None were all black like that one, however." "Perhaps you should introduce yourself, your Majesty," Susan suggested in a whisper as she took a step back, still focused on the tentative approach of the kitten. Serenity gave her a surprised look before she nodded and took a couple of steps forward, slowly moving into a sitting position against the wall. She absently flicked her knee-length lavender hairstyle behind her before reaching out to wiggle her fingertips against the marble floor. "Hello there," the queen said in a very soft voice as the kitten paused, focusing intently on the motion of her fingers. "I'm not going to hurt you, little one. Come closer, I want to get a better look at your forehead. There you go," she said as the black kitten very cautiously started to edge closer, her nose twitching hard as she tried to sniff from a distance. "Your Queen is a very patient woman," Raijen rumbled very quietly to Susan as he watched Serenity coax the kitten closer. "I would imagine so, seeing how she has been taught since birth that it is a very wise trait to actively cultivate," Susan replied, equally as quietly. "With all due respect, you and I need to have a very quiet conversation in the immediate future about a few things. I will not say anything to her Majesty just yet, as I know she seems to favor your company, but I suspect you are not who you claim to be." Raijen blinked and cast a sidelong glance at the green-haired woman before returning his focus to Serenity, watching as she very slowly extended her hand out for the kitten to sniff at. "It is not the who that has changed, but the what," he muttered, almost too softly for her demonic hearing to pick up. "As I swore to you earlier, I intend no harm to anyone. And certainly not to your Queen." Susan raised a delicate eyebrow in response, still idly watching as the kitten edged to the side to stare at the long streamer of lavender hair hanging down from Serenity's distinctly unusual hairstyle. "Having found ourselves on the topic of intentions, what are your intentions toward her?" she inquired in a moderate tone, tempering her genuine curiosity with concern and wariness. "I.... do not know," Raijen murmured. "She is unlike any woman I have met in my lifetime, and I am unable to explain how. I hardly even know her, and yet I find myself wanting to do so with a most curious sense of.... I hesitate to say urgency, but I am not sure 'need' is the proper word either." "Interesting," Susan said demurely, a faint smile touching her lips as she saw Serenity reaching out to touch the kitten. The kitten tensed for a moment but seemed to relax as she was very lightly scratched behind her ear, tilting her head to one side. "What exactly does your lifespan encompass? I was told that Captain Raijen was assassinated thousands of years ago," she said as casually as she could, watching him as intently out of the corner of her eye. "I was," the denizen said in an almost regretful tone. "Between the depth of the wound and the mixture of poison and acid used to coat the blade, it took an hour for me to die. The pain was beyond words. My.... essence, I think is the word, was entombed in a crystal lattice that later decayed into a shard. That shard is now here, in this world, held by someone else. Who holds it, I do not know, nor do I know how I am.... animated a mockery of life once again," he said in a low tone. "I'm not even sure if I'm alive or dead. I can feel pain, it seems, and have my flesh burned, but am I truly alive now?" "Impossible...." Susan whispered as a wave of pure ice flooded her veins. She casually reached out with one hand to steady herself against the wall as her sense of balance suddenly wavered, threatening to send her tumbling to the ground. "Is it, Chancellor?" Raijen said, casting a brief glance at her. "Chaos knows no bounds. While I find it unlikely that someone in my world has the power to restore a semblance of life to the remains of one who has long since departed it, I am not about to discount it just yet. Not without first knowing who has my crystal and what powers they possess." The Crystal, Susan immediately thought to herself. It simply has to have exerted an influence for some reason. A living soul, trapped in a crystal shell.... how could it not feel some sort of resonance? "Susan?" Serenity said very softly as she stood up, gently cradling the newborn kitten in her arms. "Are you alright?" "It has merely been a long day for me, your Majesty," Susan said demurely as she pushed herself off of the wall to stand up straight. "I see your innate sense of innocence has won the heart of yet another kitten," she added with a faint smile that was only partially forced. "I think she's just frightened," Serenity admitted as she glanced down at the black kitten. "If she was just born recently, she probably doesn't have a clue what to make of everything." "It seems that her instincts tell her you can be trusted," Raijen pointed out in a gentle tone. "The Royal House has always had an aura of innocence around them," Susan replied. "An innate sense of charisma, if you will." "All the more reason that she is a special woman," Raijen murmured very quietly to Susan, knowing that Serenity would be able to hear the comment. Serenity promptly blushed a delicate shade of pink and absently cuddled the kitten. "We should take her back to her mother immediately," she said in a faintly embarrassed tone. "I'm sure Diana would be quite frantic by now if she knew that she had wandered off." "Does she have a name yet?" Raijen wondered as he took a half-step closer to Serenity, ostensibly to get a closer look at the kitten. The kitten's ears flicked up as she turned to stare at him, her nose twitching intently again as she started sniffing. "Unlikely," Susan said slowly. "Perhaps Diana has had sufficient time to think about it, but given that she didn't know how many kittens she would be having and of what gender, I doubt she has truly considered it yet." "Do you have something in mind?" Serenity asked quietly as Raijen slowly reached out to brush a fingertip against the kitten's nose. He replied with a slightly harsh word in an unknown language that made her blink in surprise, not entirely sure what to make of it. "What does that mean?" she inquired. "Of the moon," Raijen explained. "I don't know the proper translation in your language." "Lunar?" Serenity suggested. "They are called Lunar cats, after all." "Perhaps in this case, we shouldn't look to the derivitave, but instead to the origin of the word," Susan said carefully. "Luna?" Serenity said, her delicate eyebrows arching up in surprise. She blinked as the kitten made a quiet rasping noise to herself, seeming to try to meow. "Oh, my, I think you like the sound of that one...." "Either that, your Majesty, or she is giving consideration to using the bathroom," Susan suggested with a faint smile. Both she and Raijen made very quiet and restrained chuckling sounds to themselves at the brief look of horror that crossed Serenity's face at the idea. "Yes, I think it's time we returned you to your mother," Serenity said in a slight haste as she turned around and headed down the hallway, her hairstyle streaming behind her. Susan and Raijen paused for a moment before they regarded one another very carefully. "If you wish to talk, Chancellor," he rumbled quietly, "I will of course make myself available to you for conversation. The only plans I have for tomorrow are to repair my armor and possibly take Captain Hale up on her offer of a little weapons practice. Wooden weapons, I assure you," he added. "And in regards to her Majesty?" Susan inquired in an even tone. "Whatever she desires," he replied with a faint gesture of dismissal. "As I told you earlier, I know virtually nothing of how or why I have been woken from a supposedly eternal slumber. Or how long it will last," he added with a faint hint of warning. "If the cause is what I suspect it to be," Susan replied slowly, choosing her words with great care, "I think your physical body will persist until your spiritual sanctuary leaves the boundaries of this kingdom. Suffice it to say that if you are indeed a departed soul who has been awakened again, it is most likely for a purpose deemed to be of some importance to one of the fundamental powers that is directly tied to the Royal House of the Moon." Raijen regarded her in silence for a number of moments, visibly mulling over her words and what they could possibly mean. "You do not strike me as being a mere advisor," he said very quietly. "You seem to know far more than you would have others believe you know, and that makes me wary. There is no knowledge that is not power, and I wonder now just where the true power in this world lies." Susan glanced down the hallway to make sure that no-one else was around. "Very well," she replied quietly. "You are correct in the sense that I am not exactly what I seem to be. I am who I claimed to be, Lady Pluto and Chancellor of the Kingdom of the Moon. What I am not, however, is entirely human. My mother was a Sailor Scout, but my father is a demon from the Underworld. I suppose you can call demons the minions of those higher powers who oversee this world's afterlife." "The afterlife?" Raijen said, his eyebrows arching up. "So it is you who is responsible for my reanimation, then?" "No," Susan said with a shake of her head. "While I have occasionally escorted a living soul into the afterlife, there is no mechanism for doing the opposite. At least, not one that is within my domain. I do know of a cosmic power that should be able to do such a thing if it chooses or is otherwise commanded to do so by its keeper. However, as her Majesty is the only one who can make such a demand, I strongly doubt that the latter is the case." "The Queen commands this power?" the Dragoon said, blinking in surprise. He looked away for a moment, seeming to briefly slip into a state of deep concentration before turning back to look at her. "It doesn't happen to have anything to do with a sacred crystal sphere, does it? Unbelievable," he said as he saw her eyes widen in surprise. "Your world has an identical power?" Susan said once the inital shock had worn off. "A sort of collective consciousness that is governed by the royal bloodline?" "It is called the NegaForce," Raijen rumbled quietly. "I am starting to become deeply disquieted by the nature of the similarities between our worlds," he added in a low tone. "Indeed," Susan said with a slow nod of concurrence, suddenly feeling a somewhat burning desire to return to the Underworld in order to converse with her true master, Lord Hades. Her instructions were to serve the throne of the Moon Kingdom as she would serve him, but there were times in which she felt it necessary to briefly return to his side for one purpose or another. "Chancellor?" Serenity's voice drifted down the hallway, causing Susan's head to turn. The queen was poking her head out from inside the medical ward, still carefully holding the black kitten. "Should I inquire what you are doing to my escort?" A brief surge of ice rushed through Susan's veins as she thought that the queen had said "consort" instead of escort, but she quickly collected herself. "Merely discussing the similarities between our worlds, your Majesty," Susan replied diplomatically with an apologetic bow of her head. "I assure you that we shall be along in another moment." Serenity seemed to sigh quietly to herself before nodding understanding and stepping back inside the medical ward, leaving Susan alone in the hallway with Raijen once again. Taking a deep but subtle breath, Susan turned back to give him a somewhat neutral look. "I see even her Majesty's patience has limits," Raijen observed with what might have been a hint of a smile on his lips. "This is a unique situation," Susan replied. "And one can hardly fault her for being somewhat.... excitable. Can I trust you, Captain?" "Depending on the nature of the trust," he countered carefully. "I will not presume to act as anything other than a welcomed guest, of that you have my word of honor." "And in regards to her Majesty?" Susan prodded carefully. Raijen was silent for a long time before finally speaking up. "If I have been reanimated for a purpose, as you say, and Serenity is the one who holds that power in her hands.... would it not be reasonable to assume that, if she seems to indicate that she is in need of a friend, one who would treat her as a woman instead of a queen, that I should try to be the friend she needs?" It was a question that she had no ready answer to, and one that kept her standing in the hall long after he quietly departed to join Serenity inside the medical ward. The Hand of Fate works in mysterious ways, she thought as she remembered the words Hotaru had spoken earlier. Is this, then, the desire of the Imperium Silver Crystal? A way of finding someone for her? A friend? Or something more? The questions kept echoing inside her skull for several minutes before she was able to refocus her thoughts, heading into the medical ward to rejoin the woman she not only served but considered one of the best friends she had ever made in her entire life. The question of what to do with her friend, however, was one that would not easily be answered. * * * * "Look at her," Serenity whispered very softly as Susan caught up with her and Raijen. They were standing outside the nursery, looking through the glass wall at the pair of cribs parked next to one another. Pink blankets lined both cribs, and the occupants were likewise swathed in pink linens. A small card was attached to each crib, one marked with the dotted and arrowed circle of the House of Uranus and the other with the trident sigil of the House of Neptune. Susan said nothing, absently making note of the way Serenity was leaning against Raijen's arm with a soft smile on her face. The look on his face was a curious one, seeming to mellow considerably in the presence of the newborn infants while at the same time appearing to be slightly uncomfortable with the blatant display of Serenity's maternal instincts. "Oh, you are just so adorable," Serenity whispered as she gently pressed a fingertip against the glass. Both Alexis and Michelle seemed to be sleeping at the moment, a situation that all three of them knew could easily change in the span of a few seconds. Alexis was starting to sleep through most of the night now, but even a slight disturbance would probably rouse her into crying consciousness. Raijen glanced over at Susan with an almost pleading look, causing Susan to raise an eyebrow in response. "Do you have any children, Captain?" she said in a quiet tone. The glass wall of the nursery was fully insulated against sound, but the urge to speak softly so as not to disturb the newborns was not easily dismissed. "No, I do not," Raijen replied quietly. "When one is a warrior who deals with life and death on the battlefield, there is rarely the opportunity to try to enjoy a meaningful relationship off it. You do not know when, or even if, you will be able to return to them. That is no way to have a family." Serenity blinked and looked over at him with a look of sadness in her lavender eyes. "That sounds incredibly lonely," she said quietly. "Were I to hunger for such things, it would be," he replied with a nod of his head. "However, the feeling of.... solidarity, of unity between those of us who serve together should not be discounted. One cannot ask to be in the company of better people than those who are willing to fight alongside you, to share in the risks of life and death for a common good or purpose." "I envy you, Captain," Serenity said very quietly, causing both Susan and Raijen to blink. "I am surrounded by friends such as Susan and Amelia, yet I am unable to truly share that kind of bond between them. We share our joys and our pains, our hearts and our thoughts, but I am under no illusion that I will ever be their peer or equal." "Serenity...." Susan started to say. "Enough, Susan," the queen replied with a gentle shake of her head. "What mentor truly becomes equals with her students? What craftsman truly becomes equals with his apprentices? Even years, decades after they have left on their own to pursue their craft separately, is there not that residual influence when they reunite once again?" "Does it matter if there is still formality?" Raijen asked her in a quiet tone. "I am a leader myself, where a few words from me can cause hundreds to react with a purpose. Yes, there is the respect due to rank and the chain of command, but there is also genuine respect. The kind of respect that can only be earned, never demanded or forced. Do you not think that you have that sort of respect from them, the kind where they would choose to follow you into the maw of the unknown simply because they wish to be with you no matter what?" "She knows," Susan spoke up in a faintly edged tone. "She just chooses not to acknowledge it for some unknown reason." "Susan, please," Serenity said with another gentle shake of her head. "It is not that I am unaware of it, but that I do not feel worthy of it." "Humility serves a purpose, Serenity," Raijen said in a low tone. "Just as long as you do not allow it to blind you to that which can help you in a time of need. There is no dishonor in relying on others when you have to, so long as others can rely on you when they have to. That is the true power of friendship." Serenity blinked in surprise before she nodded in understanding, a faint blush starting to spread across her cheeks. "Thank you," she said in a muted tone. "I suppose I need to be reminded about that every now and then." A soft smile touched the corners of her lips as she looked up at him, staring into his blue eyes. She looked like she was about to say more when she blinked and cast a sudden glance over his shoulder, suddenly cringing. "Oh, my...." "Your Majesty?" Susan inquired in a curious tone before she leaned back a fraction of an inch to see past Raijen's shoulders. "Perhaps now would be an excellent time to vacate the area...." she murmured. "Chancellor Meiou," Sailor Mercury growled as she approached the group, a cast-iron skillet held in one hand. "What part of off-limits did you fail to understand? You've already seen them both, now get out of my sight. See the sleeping babies, Serenity? Cute, aren't they? You can see them some more in the morning after they've been fed, I promise. Now go to bed and leave them alone. You, who the hell are you?" she added, tapping the edge of her skillet against Raijen's chest. "May I introduce Lady Amelia Anderson of the House of Mercury," Susan said with a straight face. "Her Majesty's Chief Medical Officer." "My lady," Raijen said in a very cautious tone with a bow of his head. "This is Captain Raijen of the Negaverse Dragoons," Serenity said with a very faint edge to her voice. "He is my escort for the evening." "Nice to meet you," Mercury said in a flat tone. "However, I explicitly said that no visitors were to be allowed in here, and that means you. Kindly escort her Majesty elsewhere before I summon the guards and have all three of you tossed into the hallway." "Doctor, when was the last time you got some sleep?" Susan inquired in a weary tone, studying the dark circles under Mercury's eyes. "I was doing just fine until some fool tripped the sensors I placed in here," Mercury growled back, waving the metal pan at the archway just a few feet behind them. "Your adherence to duty is commendable, Healer," Raijen said in a somewhat edgy tone. "We meant no transgression, and I apologize for disturbing your slumber. With your permission, your Majesty, I believe we should depart this facility with expediency," he said, gently taking hold of Serenity's elbow. "By all means," Serenity sighed quietly. "Get some sleep, Amelia, and I will see you in the morning. Good night." "Good night, your Majesty," Mercury replied in a slightly more subdued tone as she watched both Raijen and Serenity made a calm, if slightly hasty, exit from the nursery. She grumbled something inarticulate to herself and looked expectantly at Susan, tapping her boot against the marble floor. "Yes, Doctor?" Susan said in a guarded tone. Mercury looked at her for several seconds before sighing and shaking her head, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "Nothing, Susan, it's just been one of those really long days for me." "Perhaps sleep would be in order, then," Susan suggested archly. "Don't make me perform an emergency colonoscopy on you with this skillet," Mercury sighed. "Just leave both me and the newborns alone. Hey, stay put for a moment," she said, reaching out to snag Susan's sleeve as she started to move past her. Susan paused and raised an eyebrow. "Make up your mind, Doctor," she said in a mild tone. "So who was that again?" Mercury asked quietly, absently gesturing behind her with the skillet. "I don't know where she dug him up, but he looks more than a little handsome in my book...." "It is a very long story," Susan said after several moments of silence. "Suffice it to say that his presence is having a rather unusual effect on her Majesty, and that it might be wise to allow it to continue for the present." "What?" Mercury said, her somewhat bloodshot eyes blinking in confusion. "What kind of effect?" Susan looked at her and sighed quietly. "Just go back to bed, Amelia," she said in a decidedly weary tone, feeling herself age a full century in the span of a few moments. "We will discuss it in the morning when I have a better understanding of this and you have the mental focus to follow along." "Alright, alright," Mercury growled as she waved her hand in dismissal. "Have it your way, Chancellor. Just don't come back here until after breakfast at the very least." "Sleep well, Doctor," Susan replied quietly, gently squeezing her friend's shoulder before turning around and heading down the corridor. It was hardly a surprise to realize that both Raijen and Serenity were not lingering in the area, which meant that she now had to discern where they were. Fortunately, she knew Serenity well enough to make a few educated guesses as to just where they might have wandered off to. The nearest balcony was less than a hundred yards from the medical ward, and that was the first place she headed to. She knew that it had been decided that the almost nightly fireworks displays would be cancelled for the next several days while engineers performed a series of maintenance operations on the array of launchers, but that had very little effect on the spectacular view of the planet Earth this time of the month. She wasn't surprised in the least to notice that virtually all of the glowstones lining the hallway had been deactivated. Those hallways that ringed the outermost edges of the Royal Palace were usually kept dimly illuminated to begin with so as not to add any light pollution to those who wished to view the heavens from the balconies. The darkness simply made her task easier, allowing her to hide in the shadows to make an undetected approach to the balcony. She stopped at the very base of the small set of stairs that led up and outside on to the balcony proper, edging as close to the faint illumiation as she dared while still remaining concealed in the shadows. She could clearly see Raijen and Serenity sitting on one of the small pillowed benches, her hand lightly resting on his as he talked quietly about his past. Already it begins, Susan thought to herself with a silent sigh. She had only seen that look in Serenity's eyes twice before, both when she was keenly interested in someone in the romantic sense. The first instance had been but a fleeting event, hardly worth calling a relationship, but her second interest had progressed to significant levels. The strain of her duties had eventually pulled them apart, but not before learning a few memorable lessons about life. Should I allow this? Susan asked herself, only half-listening to the soft rumble of Raijen's voice in his chest as he continued to speak to Serenity. It has been several years since she was able to express this much of a social interest in someone, and she is in need of such.... company.... but at the same time, she is still the Queen and he is.... wait, what did he just say?! "What?" Serenity gasped as she bolted to her feet, her eyes wide. "I was assassinated," Raijen repeated himself very quietly, looking over at the marble walls. "I was attacked from behind as I passed an agent of the Security division, and I was stabbed in the back with an envenomed weapon. I did not survive my wounds," he added in an even quieter tone. "But.... but...." the Queen stammered in visible shock and confusion. "My body was placed in a crystal tomb," he said quietly. "Such a method of disposal is common. Over the course of a century, the crystal decays and shrinks until it is but a mere shard of what it once was. The essence of my spirit remained imprisoned inside, and even now I can feel the link that binds me to it. That crystal has been brought to this world, and something in this world has woken me up, giving me this physical form you see now." Serenity remained frozen in place, the shock clearly echoing across her face. It took Susan a great amount of willpower to remain where she was and not go charging up to the balcony. She had a clear line of sight to Raijen and could easily blast him with her demonic blood stars if she felt the need to intervene in a direct fashion, but she still felt distinctly uneasy about the entire situation. He was revealing his true nature to Serenity, and how she ultimately reacted would determine where things would go between them. In what seemed like very slow motion, Serenity brought her hand down to the small of her back and made a peculiar gesture with her fingertips. Even watching directly and knowing what was going to occur, Susan was still unable to fully track the crescent-shaped wand as it slid out of a dimensional pocket to land perfectly in Serenity's hand. Even before it was fully brought forward into view, the gemstone nestled in the very center of the Crescent Moon Wand seemed to suddenly catch fire with a vibrant white radiance. The golden sigil of the Royal House flared into view on Serenity's forehead, causing Raijen's eyes to nearly double in diameter in shock. In an instant, he put as much distance between himself and the glow of the Imperium Silver Crystal as he could on the tiny balcony and dropped to one knee, pressing his hands flat against the ground and bowing his head. Serenity blinked hard and froze in place, surprised by his reaction. She studied him for a moment before turning her attention to the Imperium Silver Crystal, a faint frown forming on her lips. "Are you responsible for this?" she asked very softly, her voice barely audible to Susan's ears. The reply wasn't a verbal one, discernable instead as a faint pulsing of the glow coming from the Crystal. The sigil on her forehead seemed to gently pulse as well in a steady rhythm. Susan knew from past experience that the Crystal was speaking directly to Serenity's soul, choosing to reply in a way that could never be overheard. It seemed that the Crystal took its time in answering, as Susan figured that at least a full minute had passed before the brilliant glow finally began to subside to a more restrained level. She cast a quick glance at Raijen and wasn't overly surprised to see that he hadn't moved a single muscle yet. "Enough," Serenity said very quietly. "I will deal with the matter from now on. We can discuss it once this is over. Hmm?" she added as the Crystal flared up again for a brief moment. "NO!" she gasped, her eyes widening in horror. "You will NOT do such a thing! I forbid it!" A faint icy chill crawled down Susan's back as she continued to observe events, still hidden in the shadows. So the Crystal did bring this about, she thought to herself. Had I to guess, I would say it just offered to put an end to what it started, but her Majesty does not care for the idea. Perhaps I am already too late and that intervention is no longer an option.... "Very well, then," Serenity said with a soft sigh as the Crystal pulsed brightly once before the inner glow faded away. The golden crescent mark on her forehead faded away moments later, prompting another soft sigh from the Queen. She continued to stare at the glittering gemstone attached to the wand before returning it to the dimensional pocket at the small of her back. She then sighed for a third time before looking over at Raijen, her expression slowly changing from resignation to something else. "Captain?" she called out quietly. "Your Majesty," Raijen said in a very subdued tone, still staring down at the marble floor. "It seems that the Imperium Silver Crystal was right," she said as she sat down on the edge of the pillowed bench. "You are a sort of.... lost soul, if you will. Please, stand up." It was several seconds before his head slowly lifted up to look at her. "Indeed," replied quietly. "Forgive me, your Majesty, but I was not aware that I was also in the presence of the cosmic entity of this world." Serenity sighed heavily and seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Must it always be like this?" she whispered. "Can we not move past the formalities for a moment? Am I never to be released from the trappings of the throne?" Raijen looked at her in silence for several moments before slowly rising to his feet. He walked across the balcony to sit next to her on the pillowed bench, clearly revealing his uncertainty at the situation. "Serenity...." he started to say in a hesitant tone, blinking hard as she suddenly reached out to grab hold of his hand. "You say you are dead," she said quietly. "The Crystal says you are a lost soul. But your skin is warm, and I can feel the pulsing of your blood in your body. You have a beating heart, and you're breathing air as I do. You were in pain earlier when your leg got burned. That says to me that you are far from dead, that the warmth of life still flows through you." "Again, perhaps," he countered gently. "But not still." "You are alive," Serenity whispered fiercely, squeezing his hand hard as a single tear trickled out of the corner of her eye. "How can you simply be a lost soul when you are alive?" The silence stretched on for several seconds before he finally spoke up. "I think, Serenity, you know what it is to be alive and still be a lost soul," he rumbled gently. "As I said to Chancellor Meiou earlier, how or why I have been.... given life once again, or how long it will last is all unknown to me. She said that it was likely that there was a purpose behind that action, that it was likely of importance to you." A faint echo of a laugh rose up from Serenity's throat. "Even after all this time, I still have yet to figure out how she does it," she mused. "Susan is a very wise woman, and her sense of foresight is.... uncanny. The Crystal did not make it clear as to why it did what it did, but I am grateful that it did so nonetheless." "As am I," Raijen replied quietly, looking into her lavender eyes. They stared at one another in silence for several moments before he reached up to very gently brush away the remains of the single tear she had shed earlier. "Serenity, do you think...?" he started to say before becoming silenced by a pair of fingertips against his lips. "At this point, I'd rather not think," she whispered very softly in reply. She leaned forward slightly to rest her head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand even tighter than before. "I just want to enjoy what I have right now, even if it's only for a moment." She blinked and looked up as his hand came down from her cheek to the base of her chin, tilting her head slightly. "Perhaps you mean what we have," he suggested quietly. Serenity seemed to pause for a moment, her eyes softening. "Do you.... I mean, can we.... make this work?" she inquired cautiously. "Do we dare try?" "Do we dare not to?" he replied softly before he leaned forward, just enough to brush his lips against hers. Susan edged back from the stairs and leaned back against the wall, trying not to sigh loud enough to be heard. Too fast, she thought to herself, things are going entirely too fast at the moment. Not that I don't trust Serenity to have at least have some idea of what she's getting herself into, but something like this simply cannot be allowed to become public. How am I going to try to manage this one? A sudden memory bubbled up from the depths of her mind, almost causing her to turn around and bang her skull against the stone wall. Sometimes a scandal is for the greater good, she had said to V'lent'u barely two hours ago. Now that I think about it, it seems that we are overdue for another scandal.... Mother was right, Susan thought to herself as she slipped deeper into the darkness of the hallway and headed towards the main portions of the palace. You should be very careful what you wish for, as you just might get it.... * * * * "Wait, that's it?" Mina demanded as Susan stood up and gently stretched her back muscles. "Of course not," Susan replied in a moderate tone. "That is merely all that took place that night that I am personally aware of. Serenity later told me that they spent some time in silence on the balcony before she decided it was time to go to bed. He offered to escort her, she declined and bade him a good evening, and thus they parted company." "Mmmm," Mina hummed quietly to herself as she examined the synthesizer keyboard in front of her. "Okay, so what happened in the morning?" "I will explain in a moment," Susan assured her. "However, I am in need of a brief break, and I suspect that others are as well." "Timing is everything," Leda muttered as she stood up to stretch, making sure not to disturb the mass of computer parts arranged in a wide arc next to Ami. "I get dibs on the toilet after Susan." "Third," Serena spoke up from the cup-chair as she started to carefully unwind her wings from the various points she had anchored them at. "Maybe we should grab some of that foggy stuff and make a ticket booth," Alex chuckled as Susan disappeared down the corridor. "Either that or make a second toilet." "No port-a-johns, please," Leda muttered. "Heh," Darian chuckled quietly as he rubbed Serena's lower back. "Nine women and only one toilet? Somebody wasn't planning ahead...." "Someone smack him," Mina sighed quietly. "Okay, time to humor the Viking," Alex grumbled. "Someone want to explain to me what the hell is a port-a-john?" * * * * "That...." Master Chief Octane said very slowly, "Is a big p'tai." "See, I told you it could fill the whole valley," Mint persisted as they stood on the crest of a small hill overlooking the river plain. The airborne Dragoon Headquarters Complex could be seen lumbering in the distance, making a low and extremely wide turn to starboard. "Yeah, whatever," Octane grunted. "Just look at all that plasma venting from the thrusters. That's going to leave one hell of a mark on the terrain." "Black glass?" Taffy suggested quietly. "Glow-in-the-dark glass, you mean," Gravija rumbled. "I'll be surprised if the backwash of heat doesn't melt all the sand in a fifty ke'shel radius of the vents." "Think we can use it to make sculptures?" Mint wondered. "And put it where?" Gravija countered. "Stuff a rakketh in it, girls," Octane sighed before she turned around to peer into the cockpit of the ground cruiser. "T'Del?" "Stand by, chief," T'Del replied before she re-opened the communications channel. "Please repeat your last message, Zero," she said into the microphone before cocking her head to listen to the voice in her headset. "We copy that. Be advised that, while we are a repair facility primarily for surface units, we still have a limited capacity for heavy machinery repair. Can we offer our assistance in mitigating the radiation hazard?" "Radiation?" Octane hissed. "Aww, k'ves...." "K'ves what?" Mint said, perking up out of reflex. "Like I said," Gravija sighed. "Glow-in-the-dark glass." "Eww," Mint shivered. "Why would I want to make a glass...?" she tried to say before a thick tendril wrapped around her throat. "Mint, just sit down and shut up for a moment," Octane growled. "We might be able to assist with that," T'Del said into the microphone. "I will confer with our team leader and get back to you in a few minutes. Be advised that the landing site is primarily comprised of compacted sand and that the thrust from your engines could liquefy it. You are free to land using any means available to you and that a low-powered approach is only a suggestion." "This is not going to be pleasant," Glitter said very quietly, both hands still securely connected to the interface units that controlled the cruiser. "I don't care how gentle they say they can land, we're still going to have to deal with a minor earthquake once they settle the weight of that thing...." "Like I'm worried about the ground shaking," Octane replied as she stood up straight and crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, let's think about this one for a moment. They're coming in hot, which probably means they've got a leaky reactor on board. We're mechanics, not reactor engineers. We might be able to build a remote drone to go inside the shrouds, but that's about all we can do." "The problem is external," T'Del said as she slipped off the headset and gingerly climbed out of the cockpit. "They say that they were exposed to a nuclear blast and that some of the radiation leaked through their shields to contaminate the hull. The internal readings are nominal, so they just need to have their hull scrubbed clean." "Someone nuked the Dragoons?" Mint said, her eyes widening into perfect circles. "But they're right next to the Imperial Castle!" T'Del seemed to hesitate before running a hand through her mane of flaming red hair. "There was an incident a few hours ago," she started to explain in a very careful tone. "A nuclear missile was launched at the Imperial Castle with the Red Wing carrier V'ral as the target." "WHAT?!" five voices chorus in shocked unison. "The short version is that the castle is still intact and the Dragoons evacuated the region just before the detonation," T'Del continued in a subdued tone. "Hence their radiation problems. Scrubbing their hull will take some time, but it can be easily done. The only concern is the sheer size of their headquarters complex." "Who nuked the castle?" Mint demanded, her eyes still dangerously wide. "Save it," Octane sighed quietly. "I'm sure we'll hear all about it just as soon as we get the communications gear fixed. Right now, we have a more immediate crisis on our hands. Okay, so we need to come up with a way to help hose off that SMT, preferably from a distance. Suggestions?" "Drone," Glitter spoke up at once. "I think we have one working hardsuit at the moment, and we might be able to repair two more in a few hours, but I don't think getting close to it is a viable option." Octane nodded in understanding. "Think you can direct it by remote?" "Please," Glitter scoffed. "Just checking," Octane replied with a rueful grin. "So, a drone it is?" "Hmmmm...." Mint said, casting a studious glance over her shoulder. "How about a water cannon? One that could lob a water slug from a distance? Don't have to get too close to the radiation, and we can trail a hose into the river to act as a feeder...." Gravija shook her head slowly. "It'd have to be a steady stream instead of a slug," she pointed out. "The idea is to thoroughly wash it off, and for that you need pressure." "Okay, so just retool the cannon to full-auto instead of single round," Mint countered. "If we can do that with a rifle, why can't we scale it up in size to a larger bore? There will probably be a lag time between slugs, but that can actually be a good thing as a pulsing action might be better than a straight stream...." "Mint has a point," T'Del spoke up. "We may be able to modify a rotary cannon to fire water slugs in rapid succession, and the pulse action is indeed preferable in this situation." "What about that QuadStar we have sitting in the junkyard?" Taffy spoke up in her usual soft tone. "It will definitely take some work to get it mobile again, and I have no idea what condition the launching mechanism is in, but it has four bores that we can probably rotate between at a decent rate...." "We should probably include a heating mechanism," T'Del added. "Hot water might aid the process, especially if a cleansing solution is added to each slug to help remove any radioactive particles. Runoff may be a problem, as it will definitely be contaminated and we might not want that to reach the river," she pointed out. "Flash-heat the water before it gets loaded?" Octane inquired. "That way, we have additional steam-pressure in the bore? And I wouldn't worry too much about where the water goes, as most of it will end up being filtered by the sand once it hits the ground." "Just as long as we don't end up drawing in contaminated water through the feeder hose," Gravija pointed out. "That would defeat the purpose." "Add a filter?" Mint replied with a casual shrug. "Let's build the p'tai first," Octane interrupted. "We have to hash out a viable design first, then haul it into the shop so we can play with it, then we have to get the drive mechanism working, THEN we have to turn it into a drone so Glitter can make it run. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves." "When one wants to plan their route, one has to know where their final destination is," T'Del said in a diplomatic tone. "It is best to lose half an hour now in the planning stages than to potentially lose even more time during the construction phase when a flaw is discovered or an objective left out." Octane sighed quietly and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Tell me again why you're not a school teacher or something, T'Del," she grumbled. "I like working with my hands," the redhead replied demurely. "Whatever," Octane replied in absent dismissal. "Okay, someone run this one past me again so I know we're all on the same blueprint. We're going to build a high-pressure water cannon using that broken QuadStar battery as the frame. We have to make it mobile and controlled by remote. It has to have a feeder-line dropped in the river, and the water has to be flash-heated before it gets injected into the bores." "Filtered first, then heated, then mixed with a cleanser," Glitter added. "Do we even HAVE any anti-radiation cleansers?" Mint inquired dubiously. "Not enough to coat that thing," Gravija grunted with a gesture over her immense shoulder to the still-turning SMT. "And I don't think we have enough raw materials to synthesize an alternative." "What about adding sand?" Taffy spoke up carefully. "Enough to make it abrasive, but not enough to blast the plates off...." "That may degrade the bores after a short period of time," T'Del pointed out. "However, we can prolong the process if we moderate the amount of sand added to each water slug." "Coat the bores first?" Mint suggested. "Add a layer of metal sealant to take the brunt of the sandblasting so we can use it longer?" "And if you inject the sand into the chamber after it's already flooded with water, that should reduce the internal friction," Taffy added. Octane grunted and reached up with a pair of tentacles to massage the base of her neck. "Slow down," she growled. "So you want to have the water loaded first, then the sand loaded, then ejected together.... we still haven't tried to figure out how we're going to do that yet," she warned. "Try it like this," Mint said, squinting her eyes as she stared off into the distance. "Hose goes into the river, draws water into a pump, water is flash-heated, water gets split up and pumped into each chamber. The pump runs constantly, we get a steady pressure. The input to each is a split-valve that switches over to inject the sand from a hopper or something mounted above it. In goes the sand, we get a momentary hold on the water, the back-pressure is about doubled or more when it gets turned loose, there's our pulse-effect. A slug of sand and hot water goes out, and by the time it clears the bore the tube is full again and another dose of sand is injected. All four bores, all the time, all off-set by a fraction of a second. Kinda like spark-plugs being fired in constant sequence." There was a slight pause as everyone looked at everyone else to gauge the rest of the group's opinion on the summary. "We'd need another intake device for the sand," Glitter spoke up in a quiet tone. "Which should be easy since we're in a k'vesi desert. Aside from that.... I think we have a plan now." "I concur," T'Del said, nodding her head in agreement. "Alright, then," Master Chief Octane said slowly. "Let's give this one a shot. Glitter, you worry about making the drone components, Gravija and I will worry about making it mobile again. Taffy, I'm going to need you to retool the firing mechanisms to cope with water as well as coat the bores themselves to keep the sand from tearing it apart. Mint, you worry about the sand aspects, and T'Del can worry about dealing with the water supply. Any questions?" Glitter promptly raised her hand. "Just how long is this thing supposed to last?" she inquired. "That, and how much time do we have to build this?" "The Dragoons are in no imminent danger," T'Del reported. "However, the potential for hull damage or a breach exists as long as the contamination is present. Speed would be advisable, but not at the cost of efficiency." "Make it fast, but make sure you take enough time to do it right," Octane said with a curt gesture. "I don't want any welds coming apart on me or any parts falling off because they were held in place with Mint's chewing gum. We may be doing this on short notice, but we still have a reputation to maintain." "Copy," Glitter replied with a nod of understanding. "That it?" Octane asked, glancing around the group. "Alright then, so let's get to work." "That reminds me," Mint whispered to Taffy as they all climbed back into the ground transport to head back to the repair facility. "You remember what I did with that case of gum I picked up last month?" "You ate it," Taffy replied with a sour expression. "Oh," Mint said, clearly nonplussed with the answer. "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Because that flavor gave you gas," Glitter said flatly as she revved the engine. "No more d'ael-flavored gum for you, or you'll wake up one morning with both your head and your ptanka encased in plastic sealant. Now hold on," she added before activating the neural interface that allowed her to control the transport as if it was a part of her. "Tell me again why I like my job," Octane grumbled quietly to T'Del, just before she was mashed against the back of the seat by the laws of physics as the transport's drive-train sudden went from zero to eighty-five percent in the span of precisely two full seconds. * * * * "I have a question for you, Susan," Darian spoke up as he gingerly held onto the edges of the cup-chair he was sitting in. Serena was in the process of climbing back inside, and her motions were causing the webbing to rock back and forth in a decidedly unsettling manner. "What did you do that night? I know you said you rarely sleep or something like that.... Ooof!" "Sorry!" Serena apologized as she quickly rolled off of where she had lost her balance and ended up falling down. She quickly scooted over and curled up next to him, reaching out once again to anchor her wings at several points in the mesh-like webbing that supported the cushions. "I spent the night painting," Susan explained as she sipped a fresh mug of tea that Leda had brewed for her. "If you remind me later, I can show you the portraits. One of the duke proposing to Lucille, one of the nursery with the two newborn Sailor Scouts sleeping next to one another for the first time, and a portrait I had agreed to do for one of the guards after her shift was over." "Ooo, ooo!" Mina squealed with delight, her eyes lighting up. "I want to see that first one!" "Later, babe," Alex spoke up as she ran her fingertips through Michelle's aquamarine hair. They had switched positions, letting Michelle stretch out on the long end of the L-shaped couch and leaving Alex partly curled up on the other half with her lover's head resting comfortably in her lap. "I'm curious as hell about this now, so I want to hear what happened in the morning." "Morning-afters tend to be interesting," Darian commented, blinking when he found himself on the receiving end of a number of curious looks. "What?" "Anything you want to tell us?" Leda inquired with a wry chuckle. Darian glanced over at Serena, a faint blush appearing on their cheeks in almost perfect unison. "None of your business," Darian said as evenly as he could manage. "Spoilsport," Leda teased. "You going to tell us about all your morning-afters in exchange?" Darian prodded with a faint edge. Leda blinked and seemed to edge back slightly, casting a leery glance over her shoulder to find Ami giving her a very guarded look. "Maybe some other time, guys," she replied in a tone of resignation. "I will never understand these creatures," Myst said to Maq'i with a very disgruntled expression. "Every time I think I do, they do something strange that completely confuses me." "Our world has known about the humans for a thousand years," the denizen Healer replied with a soft chuckle. "And we still haven't figured them out either. You'll get used to them, I'm sure." "Wonderful," Myst sighed. "So back to the story...." Rei prodded dryly. Susan permitted herself a small smile before taking another sip of tea. "I knew her Majesty well and figured that she would awaken on her own in due course shortly after sunrise. Sometimes that would require a little prodding to accomplish, but I knew that her concern about the situation in the Kingdom would prevent her from trying to get some extra sleep. What I was most worried about by sunrise, however, was just how well others had slept...." * * * * Pluto listened intently at the door for another few seconds before trying to open it. It didn't surprise her in the least to discover that the door was not locked, as the residential wing of the palace was guarded just as well as the Queen's suite was. Under normal circumstances, she might not have bothered to raise an eyebrow over it, but given recent developments.... She very carefully opened the door and peered inside, looking for some indication that anything was amiss. Seeing nothing, she pushed the door open further and slipped inside, gently closing it behind her. She started to move towards the open doorway on the other side of the room before she paused, her demonic hearing picking up faint sounds of motion. "Hotaru?" Pluto called out carefully as a faint chill ran down her spine. A head promptly popped out from around the edge of the doorway. "What...? Oh, Susan! Good morning!" Hotaru said, relaxing as she recognized her guest. "Good morning," Pluto replied, discreetly letting her breath out of her lungs in a silent sigh of relief. She had been worried that Hotaru might have suffered a relapse of her condition earlier and had wanted to check on her, but didn't want to disturb her if all was well. "I trust I am not interrupting anything?" "One moment," the young girl said before her head disappeared from view. The sound of rustling fabric could be heard for several seconds afterward, followed by the soft sound of a zipper being sealed. She stepped back into view wearing a light purple summer dress with matching sandals, one hand still running a brush through her short black hair. "Just had to finish getting dressed, that's all," she explained. "Those medical gowns were starting to drive me crazy." "I can imagine," Pluto replied demurely. "How are are feeling today?" "Ohh, you have no idea," Hotaru said with a blissful smile. "I really, really need to thank V'lent'u for her help. I slept like the dead, I had a nice dream, I didn't wake up feeling any aches or pains, it was wonderful!" Pluto couldn't help smiling in return at the outpouring of enthusiasm. "I am quite gratified to hear it," she said. "Hopefully this will mark the beginning of a recovery for you." She paused and blinked as Hotaru sighed, shaking her head slowly. "It won't," she said in a subdued tone. "I know the aches and weariness will return in a day or two. But still, I'm enjoying it while I still can." "Such pessimism is unbecoming, young lady," Pluto chided her gently. Hotaru paused and cast a visibly wary look at her mentor. "Aren't you the one who taught me the value of trying to remain both objective and realistic?" she muttered darkly, causing Pluto to blink again. "I know what V'lent'u said yesterday about it being a temporary solution, Chancellor. I'm young, but I wasn't born yesterday. Umm, speaking of which...." "I will speak to Amelia as soon as she wakes up," Pluto promised, knowing that the over-worked doctor had already promised that Hotaru would be allowed to see the newborn Sailor Neptune sometime today. "I suspect, however, that it will have to wait until both she and Master Healer V'lent'u are satisified that your health has been stabilized for the moment." Hotaru made a sour face before resuming her task of brushing her hair out. "I suppose that's fair," she grumbled quietly, not looking forward to yet more medically-oriented poking and prodding. She froze in mid-motion and blinked as she heard a soft knocking on her door, giving Pluto a surprised look. "Allow me," Pluto said gently as she turned around and answered the door. "Good morning, Gretchen," she said with a faint note of surprise in her voice as she stepped aside to allow the dark blue-haired visitor to enter. "Good morning, Chancellor," Doctor Gretchen Anderson replied in a gentle voice before she looked around the room. "And good morning to you, Hotaru," she added as she spotted the young girl she came to see. "Lady Mercury!" Hotaru said, her expression brightening considerably as she darted forward to give the elderly woman a hug. "Oooof!" Lady Mercury protested. "Easy, my dear, osteoporosis is taking a strong hold these days. My, my, I see you are feeling better today," she said as she reached into a pocket and pulled out her medical scanner. "You are taking calcium supplements, I trust?" Pluto inquired carefully as Lady Mercury started to pass the scanner back and forth over Hotaru's chest. "Calcium and phosphorus," Lady Mercury replied calmly. "That's something I recommend the both of you do as well, as your bones are either busy growing or self-repairing at all times. Or at least until you reach my age," she added with a dry, ironic chuckle. "So tell me, Sailor Saturn, what exactly happened to you last night? Lucille tried to explain it to me, but the poor dear was blabbering a mile a minute and was constantly distracted by her new ring...." "What new ring?" Hotaru inquired, giving both women a confused look. "Oh?" Lady Mercury said in surprise before turning to look at Pluto. "I haven't had the time to mention it yet," Pluto explained. "And even if the opportunity to do so had presented itself, I would have allowed Lucille to explain it herself." "You mean that Earth duke proposed to her?" Hotaru gasped. "The Queen is going to have an absolute fit when she finds out! You know she doesn't like him at all...." Pluto allowed herself a quiet chuckle. "Her Majesty is fully aware of the engagement," she said lightly. "In fact, the entire ballroom was witness to his lordship's public proposal." "Wow," the young girl breathed quietly, shaking her head in wonder. "I'll have to ask her about it at breakfast. Assuming she gets up in time for it," she added wryly. "I suspect that you will only find Aria and Electra awake at this hour," Pluto said with a faint twinkle of amusement in her red eyes. "Speaking of which, I expected that at least one of them would have contacted me by now to check in for the morning watch." Hotaru blinked and traded looks with the elder Mercury. "Wait for it," she said in a low tone. "Call it a hunch. Let's see.... five, four, three, two...." Both Lady Mercury and Hotaru blinked hard as Pluto's tiara suddenly began to unfold a slender rod from the back edge. It settled into place directly over her ear canal and began to make a soft chirping noise that all three women recognized as coming from Sailor Mars' communication channel. "Excuse me," Pluto said demurely as she stepped away from the group, one hand reaching up to the star-shaped adornment on her collar. "That was decidedly unsettling timing, my dear," Lady Mercury whispered to a visibly disturbed Hotaru. "Tell me about it," Hotaru grumbled back. "Go ahead," Pluto said quietly as she thumbed the channel open. the slightly scratchy voice of Sailor Mars said in the tiny speaker in her ear. "Oh?" Pluto inquired, her eyebrows arching up. She could barely make out a series of cracking sounds in the background, as if two sticks were being slammed against one another in a distinctly discordant tempo. Mars reported. "You could ask them directly," Pluto suggested archly, casting an absent glance over her shoulder. Hotaru had a disgruntled look on her face as she explained yesterday's events to Lady Mercury, still being scanned the entire time. Mars protested. Pluto thought about it for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I will be there as soon as I can," she said. "Just keep an eye on them. As long as it appears to be practice, let them continue. If blood is drawn, put a stop to it immediately. We don't permit bloodshed in training, and we certainly do not want any harm to come to our guests." Mars replied. "Bloodshed?" Lady Mercury echoed as Pluto closed the channel on her end, causing the speaker to refold back into her tiara. "It seems that one of our guests has taken up one of our guard captains on her offer of a little competitive weapons training," Pluto sighed. "Sailor Mars was merely concerned about the inherent risks to our guest and asked for guidance. If you will excuse me, I will go see to the matter personally. I trust she is in reasonable health, Doctor?" she added. Lady Mercury glanced down at her scanner and shrugged helplessly. "All things considered, I'd say she is in remarkable condition for the present," she replied. "Given her medical history, however, both past and very recent, I would still prefer for her to be under observation." "Okay," Hotaru said cheerfully. "That means you can come with me to the nursery to see Dana's baby and Diana's kittens, right?" "After breakfast," Pluto said sternly before Lady Mercury could even open her mouth. "Bear in mind that Dana is most likely either nursing or is trying to get some sleep at the moment, and I'm sure Skye is feeding Alexis as well." She found it remotely amusing to see Hotaru make a face at the thought of nursing while a faint smile crossed Lady Mercury's face at the memory of having to do so. She herself had often wondered what it would be like to lactate and breast-feed a child, but was hardly curious enough to try to have a child just to find out. "Very well, Chancellor," Lady Mercury said as she put her medical scanner away. "Will you be joining us for breakfast?" "I will try," Pluto promised. "I expect I will be delayed for a number of minutes, however, as I have yet to ascertain the seriousness of this practice battle in the barracks. I suspect, however, that I will be back before her Majesty makes an appearance." "Someone had fun at the party last night," Hotaru muttered quietly. "Hotaru," Pluto chided her. Lady Mercury laughed very softly to herself before she laid a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Come, my dear, let's go see what Lady Kayla has ready for us this morning. I suspect she'll be glad to see you again, as you are one of the few people who actively enjoys her blackberry-and-peach cobblers...." "I can't help it if they're good," Hotaru protested as she was nudged in the direction of the door. "And if nobody else wants it, that just means more for me...." Pluto waited until they disappeared down the hallway before shaking her head to herself, feeling a sense of gloom creep over her soul. She knew that Lady Mercury's health was starting to degenerate, and only part of it could be attributed to her age. Being a Sailor Scout was not easy, and it tended to take a devistating toll on the body as one grew older. While most lived to see fifty as Gretchen had last year, it was not often that one lived to see sixty. Enough, she told herself as she shook her head again. It is beyond your control, and you have work to do. Strange that they started so early today, I thought he said that he would repair his armor first. No matter, let me go see to this before somebody else does.... * * * * The noise could be heard from dozens of yards away, the unmistakable sound of two wooden training staves striking against one another in extremely rapid succession. The sharpness of each blow meant that each was driven by a strong force, one sufficient to shatter a normal wooden quarterstaff. The training staves were fashioned from a very resilient type of wood, however, and treated with a blend of chemicals that further increased their resistance to breakage. Not surprisingly, there was a huge crowd gathered together inside the barracks, forming a very large ring around the two combatants. The crowd was oddly silent as they watched, giving off a sensation of tension that could be almost literally felt in a physical sense as Pluto stepped over the threshold. "Stand aside," Pluto ordered in a calm tone, not bothering to raise her voice over the almost constant thunder of wooden weapons. It took maybe a full second for a path to form in the ring, allowing her a clear view of what was going on in the center of the room. Raijen was stripped to the waist, wearing only a pair of sandals and what appeared to be a pair of sweatpants. Second Watch Captain Carmen Hale was likewise stripped to the waist, her modesty preserved by a dark gray sports bra that was heavily stained with sweat. Both captains were armed with the treated training staves and were very much engaged in full-power combat, the ends of the staves quite literally moving too fast for the living eye to follow. Pluto's eyebrows arched clear up to her hairline as she tried to follow the pace of strikes, blocks, and counter-strikes. She herself was proficient in the use of a quarterstaff-like weapon in battle, probably to the point of being able to claim the title of grand-master. However, after watching the way Raijen moved with fluid grace and almost terrifying speed, she was starting to have second thoughts about her mastery of the weapon. It was obvious that Raijen was winning the battle. Hale was very much on the defensive at this point, and her level of fatigue was starting to show. Pluto mentally calculated the time it had taken her to arrive after Mars had told her about it, blinking hard as she realized that it meant Hale had been holding off defeat for well over ten minutes now. And if she had started out under such an onslaught as she currently now faced.... The end came so quickly that she almost missed it. Hale blocked a sharp downstroke with the center of her weapon, only to have Raijen whip the other end of his staff around in a blur. The base of his weapon slammed into the underside of her weapon at the mid-point, shoving it upwards hard enough to force it out of her hands. Both combatants suddenly froze in place as the realization hit them, staring at one another with wild-eyed looks and both breathing extremely hard. The clatter of the disarmed staff falling back to the ground caused both captains to nearly hit the roof, seeming to be caught off-guard in their moment of mutual disbelief that the battle was suddenly over. They both seemed to sag down to the ground in unison, Raijen leaning heavily on his staff as he fell to one knee and Hale bracing both hands against the floor to keep herself from falling on her backside. "H.... H.... H-H-How...." Raijen panted heavily. "How.... old are you?" Hale blinked in surprise and looked up at him, trying to brush a lock of sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes with a very shaky hand. "Wh.... What?" "How old are you?" Raijen demanded as he tried to summon the strength to stand up properly. He was putting virtually his entire weight on the staff, causing it to bend rather dangerously in the center as he started to rise to his feet. The effort proved to be too much for him, however, and he quickly collapsed back down to one knee. "Thirty," Hale panted in an unsteady tone, still barely able to talk. "Thirty-one," one of the nearby guards muttered. "*THIRTY?!*" Raijen yelped as he suddenly shot to his feet, his eyes going dangerously wide. "You have learned to fight that well in just thirty years?!" "What?" Hale said as she slowly rose to her feet, quickly reaching behind her to grab the wall for support. "I joined the ranks when I was seventeen, and I didn't take up the staff until I was twenty." "Ten?" Raijen whispered as his staff suddenly clattered to the floor. "I spent five hundred years trying to achieve that sort of mastery, and you say you did it in ten?" Hale promptly blinked hard. "Wait, say that again? You're how old?" "Enough," Pluto said calmly, causing virtually the entire room to blink hard at the realization that she was there. It was a reaction that she found rather disturbing, given the fact that she had basically announced herself when she had ordered them to make a path for her earlier. "C-Chancellor Meiou?" someone blurted out. "Company, ATTENTION!" Pluto sighed quietly as the entire barracks snapped to rigid attention. "At ease," she said calmly. "Captain Raijen, are you alright?" "No, I am not," Raijen whispered hoarsely, still struggling to get over the shock of Captain Hale's age. "Captain, I must ask you something.... can all of your kind obtain that great a degree of skill in that short of a time? Or have you been singularly gifted in this regard?" Hale blinked hard in surprise yet again and glanced over to Pluto, giving her a very uncertain look. She paused for a moment as Pluto gestured for her to answer before taking a deep breath. "I'm not sure I understand," she said very carefully. "I had a very good teacher for a few years, and I was able to keep my edge after we parted ways. It doesn't take long to learn how to really fight with a quarterstaff, it's just a matter of being able to adapt to how your opponent fights." "But in ten years?" Raijen persisted, wiping the minor river of sweat off of his forehead. There was a slight disturbance among the crowd as those who were closest to him suddenly started to edge back, all doing their best to keep a straight expression at the strength of the smell. "That is a good period of time for a human," Pluto spoke up in a cautious tone. "It would be the equivalent of somewhere between a sixth and a tenth of your lifespan spent in daily training and occasional live practice." Raijen blinked hard and cast a stunned glance at Hale. "Incredible," he breathed. "It sounds like you humans are potentially even more dangerous than I had thought. Attaining a degree of skill like that in ten years?" "And here we were thinking she was a little slow on the upkeep," one of Hale's lieutenants whispered loudly to his partner. "Talk about scary...." "Blow it out your...." Hale started to growl. "As you were," Pluto said firmly, causing the soft whisperings to abruptly fall silent. She waited for a few moments before continuing. "I must say that I am quite impressed myself with your skill, Carmen. I would almost think that you have been holding back on me during the occasional practice session," she added in a light tone. Hale laughed very softly to herself as she finally pushed herself off of the wall to stand upright. "Hardly, Chancellor," she replied with a rueful grin. "I never hold back, even in training. Your style of fighting is quite different than our esteemed guest's style, however. No disrespect, sir, but you seemed to adapt rather slowly to changes in tactics," she said to Raijen. "Unarmored combat is different than armored combat," Raijen rumbled in a subdued tone. "One must play a more aggressively defensive role when one is unable to absorb any impacts that would allow you a decisive return strike if you were to permit your opponent to connect." "You use a quarterstaff with heavy armor?" Hale inquired in surprise. "I use a symipa," Raijen replied. "A form of metal spear," he translated at the blank looks he got in response. "I find swords to be too limiting in terms of agility and required space to wield properly, not to mention the fact that they are not suited for an airborne strike." "Huh," Hale grunted quietly, pausing to try to wipe away the worst of the sweat still dripping down from her forehead. A faintly acrid breeze drifted past her nose, causing her to make a very sour face. "Yeech, I think I need a shower now," she grunted. "Perhaps it would be wise if you both were to do so," Pluto said gently, acutely aware of the heavy stench of sweat in the air. She paused as she saw that there was now a rather wide berth around Raijen, the guards having edged back as far as they could go while remaining unobtrusive about it. "Would one of you be so kind as to escort our guest back to his quarters so that he may enjoy a shower?" "Or at least find a garden hose," somemone quietly muttered in the crowd. Raijen grunted quietly in amusement to himself. "That might be easier," he replied with a visible smirk. "While I did not anticipate having to break this hard of a sweat, I do expect to become somewhat dirty once I start the repairs on my armor. It makes little sense to soil a shower when one is only going to become dirty minutes later." "Heh," Hale chuckled. "You just thought you'd kick my butt and be done with it, is that what you're trying to say?" "Oh, lord," one of the guards muttered. "Here we go again...." "Shush, I want to hear this," her partner replied. "Chancellor," Sailor Mars said quietly as she came over, still keeping a wary eye on the two sweat-soaked warriors. "I think our presence is not needed here any longer," Pluto said demurely. "And I am sure her Majesty will be relieved to know that her guards are still able to reasonably hold their own against an unknown opponent. How long were they engaged in combat?" she inquired, deeply curious. Mars made a sour face. "Before I showed up, and I only came over here to check out what all that banging noise was." "Impressive," Pluto said, raising her eyebrows. "It has always been my experience that her skill with the quarterstaff was exceptional, but not to the extent of being able to endure an engagement of any extreme length. Perhaps you may wish to move a little further to your right," she advised as she took a single step away from the combatants. "What?" Mars said in confusion, turning to look at the sudden disturbance at the far end of the room. She blinked hard and hissed, jumping back to try to avoid being caught by the harbinger of a rematch. "Bucket!" a voice sang out in warning before two large blobs of water were flung through the air, splashing against both Raijen and Hale. The immediate result was a burst of profanity in two different languages, cursing the chilly water temperature as it ran down their backs. "Just you wait, Jenkins!" Hale growled as she furiously shook as much of the water off as she could. "Just as soon as I finish with him, I am going to give you such a whooping...." Raijen just laughed as he flicked his shoulder-length blond hair over his shoulder and caught the training staff that someone tossed back to him. "Is that a challenge, Captain?" he said languidly. "Nah," Hale shot back with a grin of her own as she was handed her staff back. "Just a pontification of just how fast we're able to adapt and overcome an opponent." There was a slight cough from within the group as it quickly reformed into the circle around them. "Actually, ma'am, I don't think that word means what you think it means...." "Time for breakfast?" Mars inquired quietly. "Indeed," Pluto chuckled as they promptly exited the barracks before the expected rematch could start. "Hopefully this means that the rest of the day will be just as amusing to observe." Mars just shook her head ruefully. "I think someone needs to have a long discussion with you about your definition of amusing," she grumbled. * * * * "Amusing," Sailor Jupiter grunted quietly as she absently leaned against a marble pillar, carefully watching the semi-controlled chaos as it erupted around her in the throne room. "If you insist," Mars sighed in return, absently scratching a primarily orange Lunar cat behind the ears. They all watched in mild disinterest as yet another heated political debate raged on between the various ministers, this one about what to do with their unexpected guests in light of the realization of their unpredictable abilities. "And to think her Majesty puts up with this on a daily basis," the cat commented with a shake of his head. Queen Serenity was slumped back in the throne with a very weary expression on her face, one hand idly toying with the Crescent Moon Wand while she tried to follow all sides of the surprisingly vehement debate. "What part of 'dangerous' do you fail to grasp?" Minister Harken thundered at the group. "If what Chancellor Meiou says is true, it would represent a very clear threat to our security! Just how in the name of Creation are we supposed to defend against that if they decide we are too weak to resist a military action against us?" "You mean your vaunted security forces aren't up to the task?" Minister Dejanna shot back. "There is ancedotal evidence that our weapon skills are every bit as equal as theirs," Sailor Pluto spoke up with a faint suggestion of a smile. "There was one such demonstration this morning in the eastern barracks between one of their guards and one of ours. A friendly demonstration, I assure you." "So already they're testing our defenses?" Harken growled. "What would you have us do, then?" Dejanna prodded. "Toss them out?" "At once," Harken replied instantly. "They are not of this world and have no true business being in it." "And ejecting them would accomplish what?" Minister Svetlana spoke up in a calm and measured tone. "If they were hostile, which I have yet to see any such indication from anyone or be presented even the slightest hint of proof, do you really believe they would go back to their world and leave us alone? I think if they were serious, they would simply return to Earth to resume their activities, whatever they might be." Queen Serenity sighed and lifted up her head to glare at the group. "I am not about to sour cordial relations between anyone by expelling them from our kingdom without a very good reason to do so," she sighed. "Mere suspicion is hardly enough, especially in the absence of any semblance of proof of any bad intentions. However, I am just as concerned as Minister Harken is for the safety and security of our kingdom given the nature of and the potential for this development to cause problems. I emphasize the word potential in this case, as Minister Svetlana is correct in pointing out that we have yet to even glimpse a suggestion of ill-will or other bad intentions towards us." "Finally," the cat muttered as the discussion was brought to a stop, at least for a moment. "It's not over yet," Mars warned quietly. Heads turned as the double doors at the end of the room opened up to admit Ambassador Baker into the room, escorted by one of the guards. The guard took up post just inside the room while the ambassador made her way over to the rest of the group. "Your Majesty," she said with a curtsey to the queen. "Tell me you have good news, Grace," Serenity sighed quietly. "I'm afraid not, your Majesty," Grace replied with a soft sigh of her own. "Our guests would like me to inform you that they are experiencing minor, and I am told to emphasize very minor, digestive issues arising from last night's dinner, and that to spare everyone the embarrassment of sharing in their pain and discomfort, they are regretfully forced to decline your invitation to attend breakfast with you and your court." "Oh, my," Serenity said in a concerned tone. "Are they alright?" "Assuredly, your Majesty," the ambassador replied. "They stress that it is merely a minor case of.... how should I put it?" she hesitated, a delicate blush forming on her cheeks. "Gas," Jupiter spoke up with a distinctly sour expression. "That.... may suffice," Grace muttered, blushing hard with embarrassment. "Ouch," Minister Eldred muttered, wincing in sympathy. Serenity blinked in surprise before casting a sidelong glance at Sailor Mercury. "I think that, given the nature of their discomfort, it is more than appropriate for us to pay no attention to their absence this morning. Amelia, I thought we tried to prevent this very scenario from happening...." "I could only catalog what would obviously give them digestive problems," Mercury replied in a guarded voice. "Their digestive processes are still a complete unknown to us. While some things would have had obvious consequences, such as trying to digest ham or pork, I have no idea what's giving them gas." "We need to find out," Minister Olan spoke up in a concerned tone. "It would be extremely problematic if were were unable to properly provide for our guests, not to say highly unfortunate...." "There is a positive to this," Dejanna mused. "Stop and think about it. Would you want to bother invading a kingdom where the food gave you gas cramps or worse?" "If it was an outpost kingdom, yes," Harken countered with a quiet growl. "And we would be their first objective if they were to try to conquer Earth. Stop and think about this instead, woman.... if they can defeat us, how long do you think the rest of the Earth kingdoms would last? Shall we count it in days or simply hours?" "You're getting antsy again, old man," Svetlana warned him. "Superiority doesn't always equate with hostility. Look at us compared to Earth. Would you have them lash out at us just because we are capable of conquering any of their kingdoms if we had the motivation and will to do so?" "Would you have me turn a blind eye, then?" Harken snarled. "I would have you moderate your tone, Harken," Minister Gilmett suggested archly. "You are addressing your peers today, not your subordinates. If you would kindly get off your battle horse, you will find that we are all actually in agreement that we need to remain extremely vigilant with regards to our other-worldly visitors." Minister Harken seemed to pause before regarding Gilmett very carefully. "If Finance has something that they would like to discuss with the Interior in regards to the way we do things," he said very slowly, "I'm sure you are well aware of the proper venue for that. I don't tell you how to balance the tax books, and you certainly don't tell me how my guards should do their duty. And last I checked, their number one duty was to protect this kingdom, which is all that I am trying to do here!" he roared, his complexion turning livid. "That will be enough, Minister," Serenity said in a cool tone. "You may rest assured that your concerns have been duly noted and will be actively taken into consideration. As I instructed earlier, you are free to surround our guests with as much overt and covert security as you wish, provided that their presence does not impede our guests. They are just that at the moment, guests who will be treated in a properly courteous and friendly manner until I say otherwise. Is that clear, Minister?" "It is, your Majesty," Harken said in a faintly subdued tone. "Good," Serenity said lightly. "Now then, shall we move on to the next topic of business?" Minister Olan nodded and cleared his throat lightly. "I believe, your Majesty, that it would be...." "Breakfast," Sailor Jupiter interrupted with a faint edge to her tone. "I beg your pardon?" Olan said, only slightly miffed at the interruption. "I believe Lady Jupiter has a valid point," Pluto spoke up in a faintly amused tone. "Unless there is further business of immediate importance, we can easily resume this discussion once we have eaten. You would be surprised how well a full stomach can smooth rough edges and settle early morning flares of the temper. And I am sure that Lady Kayla is waiting as we speak," she added. "Indeed," Olan nodded, appearing to be willing to wait until later to bring up his latest concern. "Very well, then," Serenity said before standing up and glancing over her shoulder at the pair of Sailor Scouts. "Aria, would you be so kind as to let Kayla know we are on our way?" she said gently. "Let me see to that," the orange cat said as he leapt out of Mars' arms. "I need to make sure Lady Kayla isn't giving milk to the kittens when Cammy isn't looking." "Is something wrong, Tigris?" Serenity inquired carefully. "Depending on how you look at it," the cat said sourly. "Artemis is able to drink milk, and Sable can handle it in small doses, but the others seem to have inherited Chamomile's intolerance for milk. Your Majesty, do I want to speculate as to why you suddenly look guilty?" he asked in a guarded tone. Serenity blinked and cast a sidelong glance at Pluto, a hint of a blush tinting her cheeks. "What happens if they have milk?" she asked in a delicate tone, pointedly ignoring the raised eyebrow look coming from Sailor Mercury. "They smile at you, thank you for giving them something tasty to drink, then curdle the paint on the walls a few hours later," Tigris replied in a dry tone. "Please don't tell me you're the one I have to claw about this...." "I am sure you are aware of her Majesty's generous nature," Pluto spoke up as the queen's face promptly turned a vivid shade of crimson. "I am certain she meant no harm in occasionally indulging your kittens, as she has been known to do for the children of others as well." A soft purring-sigh filled the air, audible over the very faint chuckles from the rest of the group. "I simply can't wait until it's your turn to try to raise a child," the cat grumbled to Serenity. "We're all going to spoil her like you spoil our kids, then sit back and smile when you start banging your head against the wall because you don't know what to do with her anymore." "Tigris," Pluto chided him gently, a faint smile tugging on her lips. "I'm sorry," Serenity replied, doing her best to suppress a giggle and failing miserably. "I won't do it again, I promise. And give my apologies to Chamomile, I never intended for anyone to suffer like that." "All part of being a parent," the orange cat sighed as he flicked his tail back and forth for several seconds. "If you will excuse me, your Majesty, I'm off to convey your message to Lady Kayla." Serenity smiled and nodded to him before glancing over her shoulder at Mercury. "I didn't know," she said in a quiet tone, cringing slightly at the dark look on her friend's face. "Serenity, what are we going to do with you?" Mercury sighed heavily. "Careful, Doctor," Eldred spoke up with a laugh. "Depending on how you phrase the answer, you might either be congratulated for solving a mystery or thrown in a dungeon for high treason!" The general laughter went on for several seconds as they gathered together and made their way out of the throne room in an informal procession. The walk to the banquet hall where they usually had breakfast was a short one, and in no time at all they were encountering the delicious smells of a freshly cooked breakfast. "Wait, I know this one," Minister Olan purred quietly, deeply inhaling the tantalizing aroma. "It's that bread-like breakfast again, isn't it?" "Pancakes," Serenity said with delight, giving Pluto a soft smile. "Thank you, Susan." Pluto made an absent gesture towards the kitchen. "Perhaps you should enjoy breakfast first, your Majesty, then thank Lady Kayla when you're done." "I will indeed," the Queen replied before turning to survey the occupants already present in the room. "Good morning, Gretchen," she said before doing a double-take. "Hotaru! What are you doing out of bed at this hour?" Hotaru giggled and curtseyed. "Getting out for a change, your Majesty," she replied. "Thanks to Master Healer V'lent'u, I'm feeling a lot better." "Oh?" Minister Dejanna inquired mildly, giving the young girl a surprised look. "May I ask what has changed, Lady Saturn?" "Excuse me," Sailor Mercury said quietly as she made a beeline towards the side table Hotaru was standing next to, pulling her medical scanner out of her Lunar Space pocket. She blinked and paused as she was greeted in German by her mother, prompting a lengthy conversation in the same language between the two physicians. "I dislike it when they do that, Chancellor," Minister Harken muttered to Pluto. "It makes me wonder what they are saying that they don't want anyone else to understand." Pluto raised an eyebrow in response and have him a mild look. "They are merely discussing the changes in Hotaru's medical condition," she replied in an equally low-key tone. "That is not something a doctor tends to do publicly. In this case, they are merely using Lady Mercury's ancestral language to hold a public conversation and still reasonably safeguard medical privacy. I speak the language myself, and you may rest assured that, should it be deemed to be of relevance to the Ministry of the Interior, it will be promptly brought to your attention to be dealt with accordingly." Harken paused and cast a leery glance at her, knowing a diplomatic rebuke when he heard one. "Very well, Chancellor, thank you for your assurances," he replied quietly. They both turned to look as there was a slight commotion at the doorway, raising their eyebrows in unison as a slightly flustered Sailor Venus entered the room. "Oh! Good morning, your Majesty," she said, making a hasty curtsey to the Queen. "My lords and ladies," she added to the rest of the group. "I hope I'm not late...." "Good morning, Lucille," Serenity said dryly. "Slept well, I trust?" "Too well, your Majesty," Venus replied with a darkening blush. "Hey, at least she's here before breakfast is over," Hotaru said quietly to Lady Mercury. "That's an improvement...." "Hush, child," the elder Mercury said in bemusement. "I heard that, kid," Venus smirked. "Ooo!" Hotaru said, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the new ring on Venus' finger. "Let me see it, let me see it!" "Take it easy," Venus chuckled as she walked over, letting Hotaru see the sparkling diamond up close. "Impressive," Lady Mercury said in mild awe. Sailor Mercury grunted quietly to herself. "This is probably as close to a diamond ring as I'll ever get," she muttered sourly. "It must be nice to be that rich." "You will find someone soon enough, Amelia," Lady Mercury said soothingly. "Thank you, Mother," Mercury sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Bah, you just need to get out more," Venus spoke up, wrinkling her nose impishly. "Speaking of which, assuming I can get her Majesty's permission, I will be returning to Earth with Reginald once he's finished with business. You should come with us for a couple of days, if only for a change of pace." "I've got too much work to do," Mercury grumbled. "Besides, knowing you two, I'd just be in the way." "Oh, pooh," Venus countered. "C'mon, it's no fun going to Earth alone. Besides, I'll need a bridesmaid or two while I'm down there," she added with an impish wink. "What?" Lady Mercury said, clearly startled. "You're getting married already?" Hotaru added, her eyes wide. "Wow, can I come along to watch?" "I don't know, kid," Venus said cautiously. "I know you're feeling better and all, but I don't know about cross-country travel...." she said, trailing off as she suddenly realized that everyone was looking at her. "Ummm.... yes?" "You're getting married.... when?" Minister Svetlana inquired. "I, uh.... well.... we, uh...." Venus stammered as the blush on her cheeks returned with a vengeance. "Reginald and I were thinking.... well.... soon." "Not a word, Chancellor," Serenity said with heavy resignation, casting a weary look over her shoulder at the green-haired woman. "As you wish, your Majesty," Pluto said demurely, the corners of her lips turned upward in a knowing smile of satisfaction. Serenity sighed quietly to herself and looked over at the blonde-haired Sailor Scout. "Lucille?" she said in a careful tone. "While I think getting married immediately is somewhat rushed, I will leave the decision up to you. I only ask that you try to keep your honeymoon to a reasonable period of time, as we will only be left with four Sailor Scouts in your absence. Three if you manage to convince Amelia to take a vacation to journey with you," she added. "Bah," Sailor Mercury grumbled quietly. "I've got too much work to do." "When did you last travel to Earth?" Lady Mercury inquired. She blinked as she got a decidedly resentful look from her daughter, followed by a polite but clipped response in German. "I have a question, your Majesty," Hotaru said as she carefully edged away from the quiet argument rapidly building between mother and daughter. "I know Skye and Dana won't be able to resume their duties anytime soon, but what about me? I'm feeling better, and I could probably stand post while Lucy is on Earth getting married...." Serenity blinked in surprise at the question. "Hotaru, I'm not sure...." "We will discuss it at a later point in time," Pluto interrupted gently. "For the moment, you are still under medical restrictions, and I am sure her Majesty will not go against a doctor's instructions. I assure you that you will be given the opportunity to present your request for a reassessment to Doctor Anderson in the very near future, and that she will give it her full and undivided attention. Excuse me, Doctor Anderson?" she added. "Yes?" both blue-haired women said at the same time, blinking in surprise and exchanging slightly abashed looks. "The plan for Sailor Mercury's workload to be temporarily transferred to Lady Mercury can be sorted out at your convenience later," Pluto said in a tone that everyone in the room was quite familiar with. "For the moment, however, we have a more immediate concern on our hands," she added, gesturing to the first of several breakfast dishes being carted out from the kitchen. "Thank you, Chancellor," Mercury muttered in resignation, realizing that the subject of her previously theoretical vacation was now academic. "Indeed, thank you," Lady Mercury added in a far more satisfied tone. "Sorry, doc, can't win them all," Hotaru spoke up with a giggle. She then blinked hard as she suddenly found her mouth covered by a white-gloved hand. She quickly glanced up to find a mane of blonde hair brushing her cheek as its owner leaned forward to quietly speak in her ear. "Word of warning, kid?" Venus said lightly. "The toes you tread on today could be connected to the hand that gives you a full-body physical tomorrow. In other words, you might want to avoid needlessly antagonizing our lovely and hard-working Chief Medical Officer," she added, flashing a charming smile at a visibly dour Mercury. "That's Pluto's job," she added with a wink at Pluto. Mars just sighed and leaned over to whisper in Jupiter's ear. "Tell me again how we avoid having daily riots between Sailor Scouts some weeks? Lucy might want to take her own advice for once. At least, she should if she wants to live long enough to get married...." "Fun," Jupiter grunted quietly in response. * * * * "Your Majesty!" Dana said in a quiet but cheerful tone as she looked up, still cuddling her newborn daughter in her arms. Serenity smiled warmly as she carefully made her way over to the bed to get a better look at the infant. "Good morning, Dana. I trust you're feeling a little better today?" "A lot better," Dana laughed softly. "Now that Michelle is born, I don't wake up every morning feeling like a beached whale. Good morning, Chancellor," she added as Pluto entered the room, shortly followed by Hotaru. "And hello to you, Hotaru. Feeling a little better today, I presume?" "I am," Hotaru said in a hushed tone, her eyes sparkling with delight as she edged closer to get a look at Michelle. "She's absolutely adorable...." "Thank you," Dana replied as she carefully shifted her daughter's weight in her arms. "I think you came at a good time. She just finished feeding and has had time to settle down, so hopefully she won't make a fuss. And feeding her is not as easy as Skye said it was," she added ruefully, giving Pluto an abashed look. Pluto gave her a gentle smile in return. "Not having had a child of my own, I am unable to give you any advice on the matter. However, since breast- feeding is essentially as old as life itself, you will find that you will learn on your own soon enough. Practices makes perfect," she added lightly. "I don't think practice will be an issue," Dana said with a soft chuckle, reaching up to lightly brush a fingertip across her daughter's cheek. "Hello, there," Hotaru said very quietly as Michelle opened her eyes a little, trying to focus on the world around her. "Oh, wow, you have pretty eyes...." "Let me see," Serenity said gently as she leaned over to get a look for herself. "Oh, my," she whispered, studying the newborn's aquamarine irises. "That is pretty indeed. I can tell she's going to be a heart-breaker when she gets a little older," she said with a wink to Dana. "Who says she's not breaking hearts now?" Hotaru murmured with an impish smile. "Tell me you're not thinking at this very moment what it would be like if you were to have a princess...." "Hotaru," Pluto said in a quiet tone of warning. Serenity made a non-commital noise in her throat as she straightened up and took a step away from the bed. "It might be nice," she allowed in a tone that was somewhat difficult to read. "But a lot would have to take place long before that can become an option." "If I may, your Majesty," Pluto spoke up in a cautious tone, "Perhaps now would be an ideal time for you to verify Michelle's spiritual resonance with both the House of Neptune and the Imperium Silver Crystal." The queen blinked in surprise before nodding. "Ah, yes, that's right," she said as she reached behind her, withdrawing the Crescent Moon Wand from her Lunar Space pocket. "Dana, do you have any objections to performing this now?" Dana shook her head and sat up a little straighter in the bed. "No, of course not, your Majesty," she said demurely, adjusting Michelle's weight in her arms to bring her into a sort of sitting position. Serenity smiled gently at Michelle she brought the Crescent Moon Wand up to the infant's eye-level. The glittering gemstone imbedded in the base of the crescent shape began to glow very softly with a gentle white light, easily drawing Michelle's attention. She seemed to stare at the glow with fascination as a tiny aquamarine sigil began to glow on her forehead. "Your Majesty?" Hotaru spoke up in a very careful tone. "I don't mean any disrespect, of course, but was there honestly any doubt about that one?" Serenity cast a glance at Pluto to indicate that she should remain silent. "I never doubted it for an instant, Lady Saturn," she said gently to the young girl. "However, it is still a good idea to always double-check some things, especially when they are as important as this. Also, I am not just checking to see if her aura responds, but to see how strongly it does so. It is a good indicator of her spiritual health, which in this case is perfect," she added, giving Dana a reassuring smile. "I'm pretty sure it was," Dana replied with a slight nod of her head to Serenity. "But I am of course glad to know for certain." She blinked as the Crescent Moon Wand was raised slightly higher and angled towards her, causing her own sigil to visibly react to the subtle command of power. Her sigil was proportionally larger than her daughter's, which was hardly unexpected, but was also noticably dimmer in strength. "Umm...." Hotaru said cautiously. "Dana, are you feeling okay?" Dana blinked before sighing quietly, holding her free hand up to her head to try to gauge the strength of the glow reflected off of her skin. "Oh, don't tell me I'm coming down with something. Not now...." "The loss of intensity is expected," Pluto spoke up. "Bear in mind that you gave birth less than twelve hours ago. Your spirit was weakend by the toll it took on your body and is still just as exhausted from the effort." "You have no idea, Chancellor," Dana muttered quietly. "Just as soon as Michelle decides to go to sleep, I'll be passed out right next to her." "Not in the same crib, I trust," Serenity teased her gently. "I imagine that would be a most uncomfortable fit...." "At this point, your Majesty, I probably wouldn't care," Dana shot back with a faint smile. She blinked along with the rest of the group at the faint but distinct sound of Pluto's tiara unfolding the tiny speaker unit again. Hotaru made a quiet noise to herself. "That's probably the one thing I don't miss," she muttered very quietly to both Serenity and Dana. "Having that thing go off in my ear and scaring the hell out of me." "It takes some getting used to," Dana replied with a shrug. "Go ahead," Pluto said quietly as she thumbed the switch on her collar. the scratchy voice said in her ear. "Of course not, Sailor Venus," Pluto replied calmly. Venus said with obvious relief. "That is good news indeed," Pluto said with an absent nod of her head. Venus amended with an audible blush. "Very well," Pluto said with another absent nod. "You may inform him that I will pass the word to her Majesty and that I shall be there as soon as I have concluded business here. Would he be willing to allow Amelia to examine him to see if she can determine where we miscalculated in our selections for last night's dinner?" There was a faint click on the line as a third microphone was connected. the new voice promptly said. "A pity," Pluto responded with a soft sigh. "I will leave the task of explaining the details to Kayla to you so that we may avoid a repeat of this incident. And if she has to make everything without using a single spice, then so be it. The focus should be on the needs of our guests, not our sense of taste. I'm sure her Majesty and the others will both understand and forgive if we have to sacrifice variety in favor of comfort for a short duration." Venus spoke up. Mercury warned with a faint edge to her voice. There was a dry snort on the line. Venus muttered. Pluto just sighed silently to herself as the speaker was flooded with raw noise for the next thirty seconds, trying not to imagine how exactly Mercury was expressing her displeasure this time. "If the two of you are finished?" she said testily when she was able to get a word in edgewise. Mercury replied in a slightly flat tone as the other channel closed with a soft click. "I will inform her," Pluto promised. "Susan, is everything okay?" Hotaru inquired with a disturbed look. "We could hear that burst of static from here...." Pluto shook her head as she closed the channel with a flick of her thumb. "It is merely more proof that Amelia is overworked and in need of a period of time to relax. It seems that I finally have some good news for you, your Majesty. Our guests are reporting that their discomfort has lessened, and that the culprit in this case was the apple cider served to them." "Oh, my," Serenity replied with a slightly pained expression. "I was led to believe we gave them that because we thought the wine would be harmful...." "A first-contact situation means both sides are constantly learning," the green-haired woman replied in a reassuring tone. "I am sure that Kayla will simply increase her vigilance to ensure that this accident is not repeated in the future. Major Tar-Nul has asserted that he has completely recovered from the incident and wishes to continue our conversations from yesterday." "That is good news indeed," the queen said with a nod. "I will probably be dealing with Minister Harken and Minister Olan until at least lunch, if not longer, but I have every intention of meeting with them this afternoon if they are feeling better." "I will convey the message, your Majesty," Pluto replied with a slight bow of her head. "And speaking of messages.... Hotaru, you are being summoned to Amelia's office for an immediate examination," she said to the young girl. "Oh, man," Hotaru sighed quietly, casting an almost mournful look at both Dana and Michelle. "So soon?" "I thought you wanted to be examined?" Serenity asked in a confused tone. "Examined, yes, your Majesty," Hotaru grumbled. "I just don't want to have to wear yet another paper gown while I'm being examined, that's all." "I am certain Amelia will allow you to wear a bathrobe if you bring one with you," Pluto said demurely as she headed for the door. "And if she decides to be intransigent on the matter.... consider it incentive to try to keep your activities to a minimum and conserve your strength," she said lightly. "Thank you, Chancellor," Hotaru said in a tone as flat as paved asphalt. "You are quite welcome, Lady Saturn," Pluto replied graciously. Serenity giggled quietly and turned to look at Michelle, a soft smile on her lips yet again. "And this is what you have to look forward to when you grow up," she said with slightly wicked twinkle in her eye. She blinked hard as the baby promptly made a face and spit up. "Oh, my...." Serenity said in a visibly unsettled tone. Someone had apparently already warned Dana about the possibility of that happening, as she immediately pulled a small wad of tissues out from beneath her pillow and wiped up the mess. "Relax, your Majesty," Dana said with a wry smile. "That's probably an appropriate response, if you stop and think about everything that we Sailor Scouts have to put up with...." she teased. "What?" Serenity said, blinking hard in surprise. "Dana," Pluto's voice drifted in from the doorway. "Born yesterday and already with the program, huh?" Hotaru muttered as she followed Sailor Pluto out the door. "She learns fast, I'll give her that...." * * * * Susan sighed quietly and waited patiently for Alex to quit rolling around on the floor with laughter. Michelle was curled up on the oddly-shaped couch with a look of patient suffering on her face, her cheeks tinted neon red. Both Ami and Mina were shaking their heads in resignation while Serena seemed to be somewhat bemused. Rei's face was utterly impassive from her position on the cushion inside the circle of candles while Darian leaned back in the cup-like chair with a relatively neutral expression. Maq'i was idly stroking Myst and seemed to be content to merely listen to the story, while Leda had gotten up from the couch and headed into the kitchen for something. "Are you finished, Alex?" Susan inquired calmly once Alex finally picked herself up off the floor, faint glittering trails visible out of the corner of her blue eyes. "I'm sorry, guys," the blonde Viking panted, still clutching her stomach. "But that was just too funny...." "Whatever," Leda growled as she returned with a large bag. "Yo, Michelle! Heads up!" she added as she pitched the bag across the room. Michelle blinked and reached up to intercept the bag with both hands, her eyes widening when she realized it was a bag of pretzels. "Wow," she gasped, "I didn't know they made