Author's Notes: *waves and bounces* Hi, minna! This is your friendly 
neighborhood Evil Mad Scientist, emailing you from the comforts of.... her
bed. ^^; <smiles> The doctor says I must stay here until the babies come...

DEMANDO: It's not good! It's not good! She's restless and it's scary... @_@
MEREDITH: Looking forward to the babies, prince?
DEMANDO: >_<

Anyway, *clears throat* this fic is a bit different from my usual fare. It
is NOT a Demando and Usagi fic (and I am NOT lying ^^;).

DEMANDO: Mores the pity.

Remember in the episode when Demando dies, he asks Usagi to 'take care of
Nemesis'. I've always wondered whether or not Neo-Queen Serenity kept that
promise. Besides, there is a bigger question. What happened to Nemesis
after Demando died? After all, Saffir and the Wiseman went down with him...
So, this is my version of the events, as seen through someone in the crowd.

<grins> I hope you enjoy! Please email me and tell me what you thought!
~Meredith
http://www.demando.net/

Personal Disclaimer: Do I *look* sane to you?

Legal Disclaimer:
(to the tune of 'Hey Diddle, Diddle)
Hey fissy-dince,
Meredith loves the White Prince,
And Naoko owns Sailor Moon,
My fanfiction is just a glimpse,
And Mamoru is a real goon.
^_^

Date Begun: Friday, August 3rd, 2001
Date Finished: Tuesday, August 21st, 2001

Date Begun: Friday, August 3rd, 2001
Date Finished: Tuesday, August 21st, 2001

=====================
A View From the Crowd 1/1
by Meredith Bronwen Mallory
mallorys-girl@cinci.rr.com
http://www.demando.net/
=====================

  The first thing they said on the news that morning was that
Demando-oujisama, the savior of Nemesis, the Shield of our People, was
dead.

  Of course, they kept on saying that for days, it was there every time you
turned on the Vid, but I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I
heard it. The phrase was so strange, so inconceivable, like the reporter
had just remarked that the sky was going to turn blue today, or that we
could go walking in the rain.
  "By the Mark," my mother swore, fanning herself and looking pale. I
dropped my fork midway and stared, utterly without comprehension, at the
screen. Mother went on moaning and swearing on the names of our Tribe, her
voice breathy and high pitched.
  "Hush, Mother," I snapped, more than a little annoyed, "I can't hear what
they're saying." She blinked at me a moment-- sometimes I think if I wasn't
so loud, she'd forget she had three children instead of two-- but
thankfully kept her mouth shut.

  "Demando-oujisama has been missing for over forty-eight hours. Early
reports from the fleet occupying Terra presume our leader to have died..."
the woman on screen, her face tight with worry, looked understandably
overwhelmed. I leaned forward, having forgotten my breakfast all together,
watching the screen as it displayed the most recent footage of
Demando-oujisama.
  "Oh, turn it off," my mother moaned, "It's the end of an era..." She laid
back completely on her scalloped lounge, heavy satin skirts billowing. Her
head lolled from side to side, her skin flushed in contrast to her light
red curls. Looking at her, I couldn't fathom what my Father had seen in
her, but I supposed she had to possess something he did not; after all, she
had the sense to outlive him. Once upon a time she might have had pluck.
  "Mother," I began patiently, "I need to see what's going on..."
  "Demando-oujisama is *dead*, that's what's going on!" she cried, another
moan stealing from her lips. Without thinking, or bothering to look at her
again, I tossed the gemstones Dr. Niobium had prescribed into her lap.
  From his place in the highchair, my little brother Jasper cried "Dead!
Voom..." and sent my mother into another fit of hysterics. 'Voom' was
Jasper's way of reproducing the sound Lord Rubeus' fleet made as it lifted
off. With his baby lisp and quiet enthusiasm, it was actually rather
convincing. Seething, I turned away from the dead Vid screen and back to my
breakfast. There was nothing I could do about it, though. If I sassed back
or disobeyed my Mother, Uncle Malachite would give me what for when (or
*if*, I thought vengefully) he came home from the war. After several
minutes of staring at my synthetic rice and trying to ignore my mother's
frantic wailing, I reasoned that if I hurried to Academy, Mistress
Turquoise might let me use her Vid before homeroom.
  "I'm going to Academy," I remarked absently, pushing my most uneaten meal
away. It's only now that I realize I was operating in shock. They said
Demando-sama was dead, but all I could think about was learning more than
my brief Vid-viewing had shown me. Surely there was some mistake, some
explanation. The White Prince, dead? Preposterous! Insane, even!

  You have to understand that I was a child of the Revolution, it was the
day of my fifth birthday when Demando-oujisama and his army marched into
the Capital (my hometown, thank you) taking Zougentou Fortress, and thus
the rule, from the hands of his tyrant Aunt. People danced in the streets
that day, their faces alight and their movements frantic to soak up the
freedom. I grew up watching the awesome quartet of Demando-oujisama,
Saffir-sama, Lord Rubeus and Lady Esmeraude; all of them vibrant, colorful
and at times more entertainment than leadership. Demando-oujisama was the
most charismatic of them all, though, with his brilliant presence and soft
voice. We loved him because he loved us, you understand, we could feel it
when he spoke to us from the Vid, when he stopped processions on the street
to greet people. When the District of Levitite's food source was destroyed,
Demando-sama went there personally to pass out supplies. It was only when
one broached the subject of Terra that his famous temper showed. Terra
should be ours, he said passionately, ours. We approved of that, even his
temper. Look at the past thousand years of Nemesisian literature (that's
all there is, you know); it's filled with first the ardent longing of
exiles, then the praise of children brought up with the legend of Paradise
haunting their every step. We wanted that Earth, even if we really didn't
remember why.

  Taking the back staircase, I hurried up to my room to change out of my
dressing gown and into my Academy uniform, glancing worriedly at the clock.
If my mother worked herself into enough of a tizzy, there was a chance I
wouldn't be turning on the family Vid for the next week. That meant I was
even more pressed to get to Academy early. I absolutely can't stand it when
people with hold information from me. As I pulled on my uniform, I glanced
at the portrait of Demando-ouji-sama sitting wedged into the frame of my
mirror. Most girls my age, many even older, had a picture of Demando-sama.
He was public hobby, not to mention a prize most ladies of the White Court
were willing to kill for, even the ones that were already married. I'd
bought the portrait a few years earlier, and I remembered standing in the
store with my best friend, staring at it wantonly. It cost me my months
allowance. The image itself had been made before the Terra Campaign, and
showed the White Prince as I liked him best. Smilingly determined, standing
tall. Surely this man couldn't die, could he?

  "Where are you going?" a high, grating soprano asked when I bounded back
into the hallway. I intended to take the front staircase out (and thus
avoid my mother), but I'd forgotten about Citrine. I didn't like to come
upon my older sister unexpectedly, but I'd somehow managed to forget about
her in the excitement. Citrine stood in the corridor, effectively blocking
me while she crossed her arms and toyed with a lock of red hair. The
Blackmoon sigil, the Mark on her forehead, gleamed at me with superiority.
  "I'm going to Academy, you dolt," I said guardedly, "Please move."
  "Is that safe, dear sister?" Citrine asked, her voice all innocence, "I
mean... what with the recent *tragic* events." As much as I hated it, she
knew how I felt about Demando-oujisama, though she had no loyalty for him
herself. What loyalty she had, said my sister, she owed to the Center that
trained her, not a political leader. She smiled when she said that, because
she only smiled when hurtful things were coming out of her mouth. I was to
understand that she was flaunting this to me as well, the fact that she
attended the Center instead of an Academy. My brow was empty- I did not
have the Mark.

  "Why shouldn't I go to Academy?" I asked, glancing at the clock again.
The stupid girl was costing me time, "You're obviously going to the
Center." I eyed her blue and white uniform, the one Saffir-sama --the
Center's pride-- had worn perpetually.
  "Of course," Citrine said, as if she was explaining things to an idiot,
"but Marked Ones ride the public transports. *You'll* have to walk the
streets to Academy. Besides," she added, her expression prideful, "Someone
has to keep up the Center's reputation, what with that awful hussy running
around." By 'hussy' she meant Black Lady, the exquisite Marked woman who'd
appeared mysteriously in Demando-oujisama's court.
  "Just get out of my way," I said, loosing my patience, "You never cared
before, so let me be." I ducked around her quickly, running down the
stairs. Her voice followed me, "Pity about Demando-oujisama!"
  I was careful not to slam the door behind me.

----

  As much as I hated to admit Citrine was right in *any* area, the streets
seemed much more threatening as I hurried towards the Academy building. I
walked the first few blocks in a huff, more occupied with my anger than the
scenery. It was all familiar, anyway- I must have walked that route to
Academy at least a thousand times. The streets were dark, but it was no
cause for alarm; Nemesis is draped perpetually in darkness. Our eyes, and
our minds, have adjusted to it. But by the time I reached Copper Square, I
realized something was off-balance. Copper Square is the main market for
the city- no matter what time you go there, its always busy. Many people
joke that even if the world comes to an end, Copper Square will go on
buying and selling without even bothering to notice. But that day, it was
virtually empty. A few tradeswomen had come out and set up shop, but other
than that, not a shadow stirred. The scene was disturbing, surreal. It only
served to reinforce my sudden theory that I was having some type of bizarre
outstep from reality. I hurried on quickly, relieved to see a Lawkeeper on
the corner. Even if Demando-oujisama *was* dead, by some strange chance, at
least other people were doing their jobs. After all, as important as he was
to our moral, our planetary pride, Demando-sama was not Nemesis. It had
existed without him prior, and there was not doubt in my mind that it would
continue to exist without him now. We're a stubborn people.

  I rounded the corner to the Academy grounds, and once again stopped
short. I was only ten minutes early, but the building was completely dark.
That feeling of dream-like suspension crept up on me again as I continued
walking, not entirely sure what I was going to do once I reached the main
door.
  "Opal!" I whirled around, nearly jumping out of my skin before I
recognized the familiar half-alto. Ultramarine, my best friend, stood
leaning against the gate. Her long turquoise hair fell to her knees,
straight and polished, pulled away from her Mark-less brow by a plain black
headband.
  "'Reen," I breathed thankfully, nearly dropping my books as I ran towards
her. She accepted them from me gracefully, allowing me to catch my breath.
  "Academy has been canceled today," she remarked without preamble,  "It
was on the Vid this morning."
  "My Mother went into hysterics and made me turn it off," I said, not
bothering to keep the bitterness out of my tone. She understood, though.
Our family situations were much the same; both middle children, often
ignored, rarely missed.
  "I figured as much," Ultramarine said, handing my books back to me, "My
Dad's about to lose his mind. He's worried about what the political
upheaval will do to the economy."
  "Can't say I blame him," I muttered, "I passed Copper Square today. You
wouldn't believe it, but it was practically vacant!"
  "You're kidding me!" Ultramarine said, "That's like..."
  "Demando-oujisama dying?" I asked, trying to be blithe.
  "I still can't believe it," she said in a low voice. Silence, comfortable
and light, hovered over us for a moment before she mustered a smile. "So
you want to go kill time?"
  "Sure thing," I laughed, linking my arm through hers as we headed back
into the city. Internally, I felt my heart plummet. If Academy was
canceled, the chances of finding a Vid to use were considerably more slim.
  "You want to go watch the public Vids?" Ultramarine asked, her eyes
twinkling. She had the uncanny ability to trace my predictable thought
patterns almost better than I could. I smiled a little, as much as I hated
the unreliability of public Vids, I'd take what I could get.
   "Let's head to the cafˇ," I suggested, "I'm starving."


----

  We slipped quietly into our usual table at the cafˇ, Vid port between
us. Though the crowd around us was stifling, I found it preferable to the
eerie stillness I'd seen in Copper Square. I slid my battered texts under
my seat while Ultramarine buzzed for the waiter, then flipped on the Vid.
The holo-screen flared to life, much like I imaged the fire behind
Demando-oujisama's throne did; a wonderful blend of technology and magic.
The headlines came on, and I rested my chin in my hands, eager to soak up
the news. Snatches of other conversations rose to my ears, but I tried to
block it out, ignoring the dozens of other flickering Vid screens, each
resting on a table in the cafe`. If Demando-oujisama was a planetary hobby,
then Nemesis' sport of choice was politics. Even my mother had some
dealings, though she herself admitted to staying in shallow water.

  The first segment mostly covered what I'd managed to hear before. The
reporter did mention, however, that Saffir-sama and the Wiseman were also
missing. Saffir-sama's absence surprised me at first, but the more I
thought about it, the more it made sense. Our Oujisama was rarely seen
without his younger, darker brother shadowing him, and the few interviews
the press had been granted revealed the Blue Prince to be overflowing with
praise for his "'nii-san". A feeling of dread wound itself through my ribs,
weaving in a out. With Saffir-sama gone, there wasn't a definite heir to
the throne.
  "Can you believe this?" Ultramarine asked, her face a barely visible
shadow through the holo that sat between us.
  "No," I whispered, "What the heck do you think happened?" She opened her
mouth to answer, then snapped it closed as more information scrolled on
screen. Demando-oujisama had apparently been accompanied by 'his escort'
(that translates to Black Lady, again. The press wasn't sure what to make
of her either.) and the Wiseman when he departed for Terra. Anonymous
sources claimed he planned to use a secret military weapon, then vanished
altogether. I frowned at the thought of Demando-oujisama's head advisor. If
Saffir had stayed in his brother's shadow, then the Wiseman kept us
completely in the dark. He refused every interview and, though it was a
proven fact he could use the Jakokuzuishou, there were no records for him
at the Center.
  "Say," Ultramarine whispered dangerously, "You don't think he...
assassinated Demando-oujisama, do you?"
  "Who?" I squawked, straining to see her through the Vid, "The Wiseman!?"
  "Lower your voice!" she cried, "You want to feed the Rumor Pages? Yes,
the Wiseman."
  "If he had," I managed, "Don't you think he would have come back to claim
the throne?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an option menu pop up on
screen. I pressed the button for recent footage.
  "Ne," my friend added, "What if that hussy did it?" Holding back my
laughter, I leaned around the Vid to look at her.
  "No jealous at all, are you?" I inquired politely. She flushed
becomingly.
  "Oh, Oppie, never!" she cried in mock horror. She winked at me and added,
"You're not jealous, of course."
  "Heavens, no!" I blushed myself, then turned to the Vid as the footage
finished loading. There was a clip of the Oujisama and Black Lady at one of
the Court functions, as recent as three days prior. Watching Demando-sama
lead the ruby-eyed beauty around on his arm, I couldn't help but notice how
much she looked like Neo-Queen Serenity.

  Of course all of Nemesis knew about Demando's love, nay, his obsession,
with the golden Angel of Earth. I suppose most Terrans, if they even knew,
thought it must have been something hidden away from prying eyes. Don't be
foolish; he promised her to us, just as he promised the sapphire waters of
Terra, the green land so intricately alive. She was his favorite subject,
he could extol on her for hours. Such was her kindness (his eyes would
light), such was her wonder (his hands would move excitedly), such was the
beauty of her soul that it shone through (and here the Ladies of the Court
would melt, for his smile was oh, so tender...).

  "She does look like the Neo-Queen," Ultramarine nodded, seemingly having
pulled the thought from my mind.
  "Demando-oujisama doesn't look very comfortable, though," I muttered,
pulling at the sapphire braids I'd piled haphazardly on my head.
  "Actually," Ultramarine toyed with her own hair, tilting her head to the
side, "She looks kind of immature."
  "Really?"
  "Like a little kid, almost," she said thoughtfully, "Maybe
Demando-oujisama didn't keep her around because she looked like Serenity. I
think he kept her close by so she wouldn't get into trouble. She has no
Court manners at all, don't you think?"
  "I wouldn't know," I bit back, "I haven't been Presented yet." And, I
thought with selfishness sliding down my throat, I probably won't get to be
now.
  "Sorry, Oppie," Ultramarine's hand pressed itself against my own, then
withdrew.
   I murmured, uncomfortably, "You know, the Center didn't have any records
for Black Lady, either."
  "Oh?"
  "Well, that's what Citrine said. But Citrine also said that Black Lady
came by her Mark illegally-- which we both know is impossible-- and that
she was part of a conspiracy to discredit the Center."
  Ultramarine huffed, "Opal, your sister is an idiot."
  "True." The footage ended and I pressed for an article on
Demando-oujisama's war-related projects. A shadow threw itself over the
keyboard, and I looked up to see a waitress, sporting her tray and a frown.
My stomach rumbled embarrassingly; I had forgotten how hungry I was.
  "Finally," Ultramarine's gray eyes narrowed, "Jeez, how long have we
been waiting?" The waitress snorted and set our orders down, tapping her
nails against the empty tray.
  "Get in line, kid," she said, "All the poor Center students who don't
*have* Vids are here, and all of 'em want food." She laughed a little, "Who
knew a political crisis was good for business?" I rolled my eyes after her,
taking a sip of the synthetic juice. Most everything on Nemesis is
synthetic, produced in sterile laboratories by scientists. Sometimes I feel
sorry for them; they have the need to supply an entire race baring down on
their shoulders.

  "What the...?" I dragged my eyes from the depths of my teacup, looking
over at the turquoise haired girl just as the Vid screen faded out.
  "Hey!" I said, a little too loud, "I was using that!"
  "Vid system is being over ridden," said a Marked boy from across the
cafˇ. A general murmur of confusion rose up around us, but no one moved.
Simultaneously, the Vids flashed again, all of them showing the same scene.
An unfamiliar man, tall and menacing, stood Markless before us. His hands
were folded, and he wore on his face a mask of fatherly good intent. He was
a good actor, but he was just that. Acting. Behind me, I heard someone
curse.

  Picking up her chair and sliding it over next to mine, Ultramarine sat
back down and leaned towards me, graceful as always. When she spoke, it was
in a low, worried accent.
  "I've seen him before," she hissed, "at Court. He's a Minor Lord, not
even related to Demando-oujisama."
  "Markless, too," I added.
  "That makes him power hungry, and dangerous." We looked at each other,
mute, and for once I hoped my Mother had turned the Vid off and buried
herself in her own little world. Oh, the state she'd work herself into over
this one.
  "People of Nemesis," said the man on screen. He smiled, but it was
somehow plastic, "My children." The cafˇ filled with groans, my own among
them. This man was an idiot, if he thought we were that naive. We followed
Demando-oujisama because we wanted to, not because we were little lost
sheep.
  "Somebody assassinate this guy!" cried a girl's voice, followed by the
sound of an older woman--probably her mother--hushing her. I grimaced,
such a statement might be considered treason. What situation were we in
now?
  "It is my deepest sorrow to inform you that no only are our leaders dead,
but the Jakokuzuishou has ceased to function," he continued. I wondered if
there was any truth to that--he could have been lying to justify a
Markless One on the throne. "It was Demando-oujisama's greatest wish that I
succeed him and lead our people into Paradise, should anything happen to
our Shield and Prince...."

  He prattled on like that for quite sometime, using clichˇd metaphors and
old political tricks. It was a sad, sad shadow of a thing, for I remembered
when Demando-oujisama's speeches would move people to tears. Myself
included. After a while, seemingly satisfied with his good show, the man
cut the Vid connection. The article I'd requested appeared back on screen.
  "Idiot," Ultramarine scoffed.
  "Yeah, but he's the idiot on the throne now," I pointed out. She just
sighed and peered at the article I pulled up, her gray eyes skimming the
text. I sat for a moment, more than a little uneasy about the Markless man
and his obvious intentions. I figured it wasn't worth worrying much over,
though. The man was an idiot, and Nemesis punishes stupidity as it does all
other flaws- harshly. He'd only managed to put himself in a position that
would get him killed a lot more quickly. The thing to worry about, though,
was the person that rose up *after* him...
  "What's all this?" Ultramarine asked, tugging at my uniform jacket to get
my attention.
  "Oh, I was looking to see if there was any mention of a government
project. Remember, the reporter said that Demando-oujisama and the others
disappeared after going to look at a secret war-related experiment?"
  "There's a brief mention of Saffir-sama being in charge of a very
abstract experiment," Ultramarine's finger's moved quickly, first scrolling
down and then pulling up another article entirely, "He had some strange
theory on time and eternity." Her eyebrows shot up, "Damn, this is heavy
stuff."
  "Really?"
  "Heck, yeah. The evolution of the universe itself is put to question, not
to mention the dark period before the Silver Millennium," she clicked the
window closed and sat back in her chair, "Hey, did you know that the
Terrans *forgot* about the Silver Millennium until roughly five thousand
years ago?"
  The juice I was sipping caught briefly in my throat, "You're kidding!"
  "Nope," she said, wagging her finger at me, "Mythological references
often say Neo-Queen Serenity is the actual reincarnation of Princess
Serenity the Fourth."
  "Wow," I said, then frowned, "What does the Silver Millennium have to do
with Saffir-sama's experiment?"
  "Nothing," Ultramarine laughed, "Just information floating around in my
brain." She looked at me seriously, "Ne, you didn't know that? You're going
to fail Testing Month if you don't pay more attention in history."
  "What's the use in studying if there's no Academy?" I snorted.
  She shrugged, "True, but things have to get back in order *sometime*
soon."

   Smiling, she looked at the picture of Demando-oujisama that had come up
on screen. "I've got it!" she giggled suddenly.
  "What? What?"
  "Neo-Queen Serenity must have finally come to her senses!
Demando-oujisama eloped with her!" For a moment, I actually thought she was
serious, and I nearly fell out of my chair. Ultramarine grinned at me
mischievously.
  "Oh, *now* who's feeling the Rumor Pages, hmmm?" I teased.
  She leered at me, "Come on, think about it; the two of them off on some
secluded moon, Serenity left to the Demando-sama's *tender*
ministrations..."
  "'Reen!" I blushed, pretending to be scandalized.
  "Come on, Oppie," she smiled, "You thought about it too!" And she was
right. As much as all the Court Ladies chased him, as much as every
Unpresented girl such as myself dreamed of him, we all wanted
Demando-oujisama to get what he wanted. Serenity.

  Of course, the conversation devolved from there. The waitress finally
brought more food, and the two of us spent the afternoon idly surfing the
Vid system and tossing wild speculation. To me, it seemed, the press was
being presumptuous. Demando-oujisama was missing, yes, but to assume him
dead was another thing altogether. I still held Demando up to all my
adolescent standards- he was perfect, god-like, immune to death, illness
and error.

  Seven times that afternoon, Ultramarine and I were interrupted by a
Vid-System override. The cafe` became a hushed atmosphere of waiting-
people talked and laughed, but it was a cover. For each time the Vid System
came on, someone *else* was announcing their right to the throne, and the
'unfortunate' death of the one prior. The sky lost what little light it had
early in our afternoon, and with each unexpected announcement came the
climbing feeling that our government *wasn't* going to recover. The seventh
time, the 'new leader' was female, and she explained to us calmly that she
would hold the throne until a rightful heir was found. At that moment, all
I wanted was for Demando to return (with, or without, Serenity in hand) and
put to rest the wild upheaval that had swept the entire planet into its
grasp.

----


  Outside the cafˇ, shouts began rising in the seemingly empty streets. At
first they seemed far-off, like thunder in the mountains, but they gained
surprising speed. The Vids seemed to think it was protestors.
  "I don't care what they are," I said nervously, "Come on, 'Reen, let's
leave."
  "Where are we going to go?" she asked, "You don't want to go home, and we
can't crash at my place- not unless you want to take a chance of my dad
giving you a beating along with me."
  I sighed, "I know, but I don't think we should stay here either." I
jerked my thumb in the direction of the street outside, "You hear that?"
  "You're right," she conceded, "Let's just walk, we'll find something to
do. You got all you Vid-watching in?"
  "Yeah," I replied as I bent down to pick up my texts, "Heaven knows I
probably won't see any at home."
  "Cheer up," Ultramarine said as we walked out into the brown-lit street,
"Maybe your mom will have one of her episodes and lock herself in her room
again. Then you'll have the Vid all to yourself." We turned the corner off
Main Street, walking away from Copper Square. Subconsciously, I suppose we
both knew we were headed towards Zougentou Fortress, but neither of us were
thinking of it at the time.
  "Yeah," I said absently, "That would be nice."

  The streets were strangely quiet, considering the time of day, so that
even my flat school-girl's shoes made dainty clicks against the sidewalk.
Ultramarine--though she walked beside me--seemed farther and farther away
as she gazed up at the tall Government buildings, silhouetted against the
ever darkening sky. Perhaps she was thinking the same thing as I, that
those buildings which had stood for so long might now topple in the
disaster. I struggled to control the morbid thoughts; Demando-oujisama
*would* come back, or else someone would rise in his place.  I rubbed my
hands together in the clammy air, as the last years' events suddenly came
into focus.


   Lord Rubeus had died in the early stages of the war, his passing
shrouded in secrecy. It was whispered that even his family wasn't told what
front he had died on, or just how. During his funeral (which, incidentally,
featured an empty casket), Rubeus' sister had broken down with weeping,
claiming that he had died in one of Saffir's outlandish war experiments. I
thought back over the article Ultramarine and I had found.
Saffir-oujisama's theories sounded like half-baked sci-fi to me, but even
now I'll admit I'm not scientifically minded. Whether Saffir-oujisama was
involved in it or not, the fact remained that Lord Rubeus was dead.
  So Nemesis had lost its Fleet Commander.

  With the passing of Lord Rubeus came the news that the Ayakashi Sisters
had also vanished. 'Deserted', whispered the Ladies of the Court, or so the
Rumor Pages said. The Court Ladies probably *would* say such a thing--
their dislike for the Ayakashi Sisters was rivaled only by their hatred for
Black Lady. Of course, all four sisters were Marked, and anyone who is
Marked is the focus for the jealousy of others. Sometimes, I find it hard
to sympathize with them, the Marked ones, the ones that hold the power of
the Jakokuzuishou. Nothing graces my brow but pale flesh.
  Nemesis no longer possessed Cooan and her youthful enthusiasm, or Beruche
and her brilliant strategies. Calaveras was also lost to us, along with her
military expertise. Not to mention Petz, the eldest sister, who graduated
with honors from the Center and ranked second only to Saffir-oujisama. Four
Marked ones vanished like what little Light reached our Dark planet.

  Of course, there was the most recent (no, my mind whispered, not the
*most* recent) loss. Two months prior, Lady Esmeraude had returned to the
front lines, more determined than ever to advance her position in the
military. She never came home.
  'The Military?!' I remember Citrine scoffing when Lady Esmeraude first
rose from her training to take her place at Demando's side, 'What'll she
do, gorge the enemy's eyes out with her pretty red nails?'
  Lady Esmeraude's nephew, her only living relative, had openly accused
Demando-oujisama of causing her death. 'Even if his only crime was
negligence,' said the boy, 'her blood is on his hands!' I had to wonder at
the look in Demando-oujisama's eyes, when a reporter had questioned him
about the allegations. They looked haunted, but that might have just been
the Vid.

  And so we lost the verdant Lady Esmeraude as well. Six of our most honored
leaders, our most skilled warriors, gone in less than a year. No one had
risen to take their place. Now Saffir and Demando-oujisama were gone, not
to mention Black Lady and the Wiseman.
  It almost seemed systematic. 


  Ultramarine and I rounded the corner on Citadel Street and, despite the
warmth of my uniform jacket, the hair on the back of my neck began to rise.
I shivered silently, and drew in a breath that tasted acidic.
  Ultramarine realized what it was a second before I did.
  "Rain!" she cried, her low alto voice rising to an unusually high note.
She gripped my arm painfully and propelled us towards the nearest shelter.
I felt the yellow death on my back, just a few drops, but enough to burn
holes through my jacket. Terror flooded me, followed by string of logical
survival instincts.
 'Carnelian, you must be insane. If you stand there you'll find only pain!
Get out, get out, get out of the rain...' sang the old Nemesisian nursery
rhyme. My feet hit against the marble steps as we ran, but the only thing I
could register was the wide doorway in front of us, offering sanctuary. Off
in the distance, I thought I heard sirens, before I realized it was the
screaming of those caught out in the open. We made it inside just before
the rain began in earnest, watching with familiar horror as the acidic
yellow drops ate away at what little trash had collected on the streets.
  "Did they say anything about rain on the Vid?" I asked, annoyed. The fear
had drained from me quickly, despite the closeness of my own death. It
rained sometimes three days a week.
  "No," Ultramarine said, carefully closing the door behind us. "I'm sure
the Watchers submitted a report, but with..."
  "What's happening," I supplied.
  "What's happening," my friend repeated, inclining her head, "someone
probably just forgot." I nodded slowly, gazing at our surroundings with
uncertain eyes. It was only then that I realized exactly which building
we'd taken refuge in- The Royal Gallery.
  "Reen?" I asked, putting on a smile I didn't feel.
  "Yes?"
  "I think we've found something to occupy our time."
  "Indeed," Ultramarine remarked dryly, looking over her textbooks for
damage. I spared mine only a cursory glance, not much caring if they rain
*had* gotten to them. She frowned at the ruined cover of her Mathematics
book and tossed it in the rubbish bin, before turning to me. "No line
today, eh?" a smile played over her lips.
  "No, Ma'am," I stared at the empty halls, and then offered her my arm. 
"Shall we?"
  She linked arms with me and giggled, "Why, indeed we shall."

 If you ever doubt that the desire for Earth runs through every Nemesisian
child's veins, then go to the Gallery. Walk through those tall-domed
hallways and you'll walk through the psyche of an entire people. The Royal
Gallery has been in existence since the time of the earliest Nemesis
Monarchs and it has changed little, even today. The last renovations had
been done during the reign of Sapphire-ohimesama, adding a new wing for her
rather... unique taste in art. Of all the places on Nemesis, I often felt
most at peace in the Royal Gallery; I felt that, inspire of clan wars and
political policies, all our collective longing poured through here, dating
back to the earliest colonists. And in the end, we all wanted the same
thing-- Earth. Oh, I never really believed I'd see it during my life time,
even when the Vids announced that all but Crystal Tokyo had been taken. I
remember my mother that day, how she fell to her knees and began to weep
because she really couldn't believe it. 'How many of our people had lived
and died in this hell-hole without ever seeing a patch of blue sky?' I
recall thinking. I couldn't fathom why my generation would be the ones to
set foot on the emerald world, after all, we were no different than any of
the ones that came before us.

 Ultramarine and I meandered quietly, relishing the fact that the Gallery
wasn't as crowded as it normally was. We paused to look at some of the
earliest paintings, though we knew them by heart. The colonists had done
most of their work in mineral pastels; that is, color taken from the
minerals in the soil. Of course, they didn't know it at the time, but its a
very foolish medium to do long term work in, for the color fades with each
passing day. In order to preserve them, the paintings had been placed under
a protective glass, but it always seemed to me that the color had already
gone out of them. These are the most realistic paintings of Earth you'll
find, though.
 They were done by people who were actually there.

 We skipped the next hall, simply because the tortured images produced by
the colonists' children was little more than nightmare fodder for both of
us. From there on, the mood of the paintings changed erratically, sometimes
praising Earth for its beauty and other times condemning it for abandoning
us. No one has ever done a Nemesisan landscape--not ever.
 "You know where we should really go?" I asked as soon as it occurred to
me, a type of dull excitement running through my veins.
 "Hmm?" Ultramarine murmured, more interested in the fanciful sunset she
was examining.
 "No, no," I tugged on the sleeve of her uniform jacket, "Really, we're
both idiots! We're missing a grand opportunity!"
 "Oh?" my friend cocked a single, slender turquoise eyebrow, as if to
question my use of the word 'idiot'.
 "We should go to Demando-ouji-sama's wing! Think, we won't have to stand
in line at all today!"
 "We *are* idiots!" Ultramarine struck herself on the forehead, grabbing my
arm as she fairly dragged me down the corridor. I laughed quietly,
straining to keep up with her long-legged stride.

 First our soldiers went to occupy Earth (we can not say that they
conquered, for they did not take the crystalline capital, or it's Queen),
then a few of our leaders. But the most important people to go, at least in
the minds of the public, were the photographers. The waiting list was
enormous, to say the least, but Demando-sama would only allow the presence
of twenty five civilians, as we had yet to take the capital. My mother said
that those with even half a chance called in every favor they could, trying
to get on Demando-oujisama's good list. The first thing we had from Earth
was not food, or silks, or even specimens. No, we had images carried to our
far-away moon, and those only served to fill us with longing so sweet we
couldn't bare it. Even as the war dragged on months longer than expected,
the Demando's Wing was still packed with Court Ladies and school children,
all vying to get a glimpse of the beautiful pictures. And all of them are
beautiful, I assure you.
 From the pictures you'd never know there was a war going on.

 As I'd suspected, there wasn't a line at all. The empty hallway seemed to
me the greatest testimony of our troubles. Nemesis was almost too busy to
long for Earth. Ultramarine and I strolled past the photos of Earthen
waterfalls ('Do you think there really *is* such a thing as water that
doesn't burn you?') tall forests ('My heavens, it's so green!'),
knowing we had all the time in the world to look. Still, I was anxious to
reach the end of the hallway, where the prize of the exhibition was
showcased. It was always the most crowded area, and I'd never really gotten
a good look. As if she sensed my restless thoughts, Ultramarine quickened
her pace, eyeing me and shaking her head. I shrugged lightly, knowing she
was in just as much a hurry as I.

 At the end of the hallway was a portrait of Serenity, 'borrowed' from
someplace on Earth. The Rumor Pages said that Demando had the best images
in his private collection, where he could look at them whenever he pleased,
but only one of them had found its way to the gallery.
 "Oh, my," my friend breathed, staring in what I think was open-mouthed
wonder. I really couldn't tell, you see, as I was doing the same thing. I'd
never seen it clearly before now. There was Neo-Queen Serenity, her skin a
pale that might have looked sickly on anyone else, her hair the color of
sunshine I could only imagine. She was kneeling in prayer, white gown
spread about her, eyes half-way closed in rapt concentration. I leaned
closer, suddenly sure that her eyes where silver, but the next time I
looked I was certain they were blue.
 "You said it," I managed, feeling the dryness in the back of my throat.
The Queen looked a lot like her name.
 "Well," Ultramarine said, as if trying to force her gaze away from the
image, "I can see why it was so crowded." Her long fingers curled around my
arm, as if to indicate her desire to leave, but we stood there for a while
because we didn't want to break the spell.
 I couldn't help but notice that Serenity's empire-waist gown was all the
rage in Court.


 The rain cleared up fairly quickly, which was something to be thankful
for. Ultramarine and I walked to the corner Citadel street and then went
our separate ways. I wasn't in any hurry to get home, and neither was she,
but we'd stayed out an hour later than we would have had we been in school.
The scent of decaying rain was everywhere, making me feel light headed and
ill, but I still took the detour past the Lawkeepers' building. After it
rains, they usually post a list of the dead or injured on the wall, and
though most of my immediate family never strayed from the house, I always
made sure to check it. There was a small crowd gathered, but it turned out
that most of the victims were protestors and political activists that would
have been arrested anyway.
 To my eternal disappointment, my sister's name wasn't on the list.

-----

 I didn't bother to announce my arrival when I got home. I simply slid the
spare key back into its compartment and set my books on the small table. It
was only then that I noticed my science text book had fallen victim to the
rain, but I merely slid it under the undamaged ones. After all, we were
working from the back of the book, and that probably hadn't been scathed. I
moved past the parlor door, taking care to be quiet. Odds were that my
mother had taken to her room and, if I could avoid waking her, that meant
I'd have an hour to myself before Citrine got home from the Center.
 "Back so late, sister dear?" asked the hated, grating soprano as I tried
to pass the kitchen door. I turned quickly, my heart sinking when I saw
both Citrine and my mother seated at the table, indulging in an early
supper.
 "What are you doing here?" I spat, closing my eyes to block out Citrine's
crimson coloring. Looking at her too long gave me a headache, for more than
one reason.
 "The Center let out early today," she said, plopping a few SynthFruits
into her large mouth. She chewed slowly, as if to draw out the tension,
before her brown-rimmed-red eyes fastened on me. "I mean, after all, why
should we have to work full time when *normal*," she said the word as if it
was poison on her tongue, "children are using Demando-oujisama's death as
an excuse to be lazy? I couldn't *believe* it when I heard Academy was
canceled."
 My mother frowned suddenly, as if working her way back through Citrine's
sentence. She roused herself from eating enough to look at me. "You mean,
you didn't go to school today, Opal?"
 "No, Mother," I managed, fighting down the urge to strangle my sister. I
leaned against the doorway, thoroughly annoyed. "Of course," I added with a
flash of inspiration, "I didn't know that until I got there. Ultramarine
said it was on the Vid this morning, but *somebody* made me turn it off."
 My Mother either ignored the barb or was too busy fretting to notice,
"Well, then where were you all day?"
 "Probably traipsing around the city with that slutty little friend of hers
and weeping for Demando," Citrine snorted.
 "'Reen is not a slut," I said defensively, "And for your information, we
just went to the cafˇ and the Gallery." I didn't even bother to
acknowledge the comment about Demando, that was one point I knew I 
wouldn't win.
 "Opal, it's dangerous out there," Mother wrung her ringed hands, lifting
her eyes as if to implore me.
 "It's dangerous to sit in here and ignore the world!" I let out, "Did you
see the Vid today at all? Seven different people have claimed the Throne!
Seven!" Instantly, I regretted my words, for my Mother's face lost all its
color, and she began to moan. Citrine, whom I imagine was kept up to date at
the Center, merely rolled her eyes and tossed Mother the healing stones.
The argument, apparently, had come to an end. Seeing an opportunity to
escape, I turned towards the back staircase.
 "Make sure you go to bed early!" Citrine laughed, "After all, you'll have
Academy tomorrow." Later, I was able to laugh, because Citrine was wrong.
 We didn't have school the next day, either.


 I spent the rest of the evening in my room, idly leafing through few a few
novels, pacing the floor or staring up at my ceiling. With Mother and
Citrine home, there was nothing to do but avoid them, especially since 
Mother had ordered that the Vid be turned off until things 'return to normal'. 
In a better mood, I could have laughed at that; I felt that things would never 
be 'normal' again. I took to my Crystal set and tried to call Ultramarine, but 
the other end never picked up--a sure sign that her father had gotten a 
hold of her. Finally, I crept across the hall to Jasper's room. My baby brother 
was sitting in his play pen, happily trying to eat a miniature replica of one 
of Lord Rubeus' ships. He was always very good at being ignored, as long 
as he was fed, and he never seemed to mind when Mother or Citrine 
left him alone for hours on end. By the time I left his room, the clock 
had marched into the evening hours. I sighed with relief, the sooner 
morning came, the sooner I would be able to get out of the house.

 What little good mood I'd gained vanished, however, when I came into the
bathroom.
 "Oh, never mind," I muttered, turning away from the sight of Citrine
sitting in the basin. I had been hoping not to see her for the rest of the
evening.
 "What's the matter, Opal?" she crowed, "Afraid to see your sister in the
buff?" She smiled at me, white teeth looking more like fangs, eyebrow
raised. She was daring me to leave and prove myself a coward.
 "Sweet heavens, you're annoying," I shook my head, determined to go about
my business in spite of her. I was angry with her not only for making me
miserable, but for being greedy. She'd already had the basin once this
week, and that she was using it again meant my turn had been bumped back at
least five days.

 Let me explain to you about the basins, and maybe it will help you realize
how lucky you are to live on Earth. Water is the key to all life, but there
was no life on this God-forsaken rock before we got here. Only poison acid,
and twisted, non-survival plants that fed off the minerals, growing and
growing until the next rain came to kill them. On Nemesis, the unspoken
goal is to live as much like an Earthling as possible, but there are
customs we are forced into that stand out rudely. The basin is one of them:
a large, marble tub set into the floor. At first glance, you might mistake
it for a Terran fixture, but the scalloped stool and rack of other strange
supplies will easily inform you otherwise. We have no water to clean
ourselves with, so we use grain instead--a type of soap polish, if you
will, rubbed on like sandpaper. It's more expensive than you'd think and,
of course, in high demand.

 "What *are* you looking at?" Citrine asked, and I realized I'd been gazing
for at least two minutes on her Center uniform, folded at the side of the
basin. It was rare that Citrine wore anything else, such was her pride in
the white skirt and blue, decorated jacket. I turned away, but it was too
late. She knew what I was looking at. "Jealous, dear sister?" she was
always calling me that, as if to accentuate how much we hated one another.
The worst part was that she knew the stem of my hatred; part in defense,
and part in utter envy. As angry as I was, I settled for making a rude
gesture.
 "Oh how common," my sister oozed with false sweetness. She finished
polishing and moved on to her hair. "You know, it's strange," she said,
"Father was Marked, I am Marked, and Jasper is Marked. But you," she
pretended confusion, "there's nothing really special about you. You
don't even have Mother's pretty coloring." She paused briefly, as if
weighing the harshness of her words. "Your eyes are nice, I suppose," she
allowed, as if graciously.
 "Just shut up," I bit out, resisting the urge to close my eyes. There was
something I could tell her that might close her mouth, but I didn't want to
share it with anyone, especially Citrine.
 "I think you *are* jealous!"
 "Why should I be jealous of a withered crone like you?" I snorted, fairly
ripping my hair as I ran the brush through it.
 "Why shouldn't you be?" Citrine retorted, "I'm beautiful, Marked," her
voice emphasized the term, her eyes focusing on my own empty forehead, "and
*I've* been Presented to Demando-oujisama." Her voice took on such a proud
tone with that point that you never would have known she hated the man. I
set the brush down so heavily that it cracked against the counter; I knew
where this was going. Schooling my face, I stood my ground. "Of course," my
sister went on, pretending to consider, "You'll be Presented in a few
months..." The look on her face was as if she had only just realized, and
she gasped. She is a very good actress. "Oh, that's *right*," she murmured
pityingly, "You won't get to be Presented now, because Demando-oujisama is
DEAD!"
 I stalked from the room, slamming the door behind me, without saying a
word.


 I locked the bedroom door behind me, knowing from long experience that
Citrine wasn't above invading my privacy in order to continue her verbal
beatings. I leaned against it wearily, knowing that the memory I'd been
trying to avoid would finally surface. As much as I treasured it, I didn't
want to think about it now. To think about Demando-oujisama as a leader was
to think about him as an immortal. Something you see on the Vid or in
pictures--a myth, like Earth. But my memory would take all that distance
away, making it easier for Demando to be dead. At least, in my mind.

 I couldn't have been more then nine when Uncle Malachite took us to one of
the Festivals in Copper Square. It was early in Demando-oujisama's reign,
and he would often attend the Festivals himself, mingling with the crowd,
enjoying the food and music like everyone else. They were actually very
adult affairs, those Festivals, they weren't really interesting until you
turned sixteen. But I loved them for their bright color, the happiness so
rarely found elsewhere on Nemesis. I often wandered off as soon as I could;
the crowds were much more fun to watch without Citrine's sarcastic
comments. I remember having run towards the south end of the square, aware
that the crowd had grown more thick in that area. I wanted to see what all
the commotion was about. I'd barely woven my way through the throng when I
looked up and saw him. The light from the Festival reflected off him so
that he shone brightly, like a small sun in our midst, but it was his eyes
I noticed first. Violet and very focused; Demando-oujisama was looking at
me. I stared up at him in open mouthed, childish wonder--I knew who he
was, but until then I hadn't believed he was real. He looked less like a
prince than a sorcerer.
 "Hello, there," he said, and his voice sounded even better than it did on
the Vids. I was suddenly aware of how much taller he was. I nodded, unable
to get even a small greeting past my lips. Demando-oujisama smiled, then
looked at me more closely. One of his large, elegant hands reached down to
cup my child and tilt my head upward. He was looking at my eyes, I thought
with mute wonder.
 "Your eyes," he said, in something that sounded like surprise, "They're
blue."
 "Are they?" I asked, a bit dumbly. He chuckled, as if I'd told a joke. In
a way, Citrine was right; my eyes *are* my one redeeming beauty. Blue is an
unusual color for Nemesisians, in fact, Saffir-sama and Ayakashi Beruche
are often noted for their own, usual eyes. Were, I mean.
 "They *are* blue," Demando-oujisama's smile only widened, "Very beautiful,
too." I blushed, but didn't turn away. I would never have done so, not even
for a life on the emerald Earth. "You know," his voice was suddenly soft,
"there is a very special lady with blue eyes." Fire rose to my cheeks,
oddly pleasant-- I knew who he was talking about.
 "I know," I found my voice at last.
 "You'll turn out well, young lady," he said, then patted my hair and was
gone. It was the first time anyone had ever called me a young lady.
 He had my loyalty from that instant on.

 That was my precious memory, the one thing I guarded jealously and told no
one. Not even Ultramarine knew. Ultramarine who, five months older than I,
had been Presented to Demando-oujisama on her sixteenth birthday. Of
course, I pumped her for details, but after hearing it the first time I was
filled with such envy that I made her swear on her mother's grave never to
speak to me of it again. Sometimes I felt sorry for saying that, there were
moments when Ultramarine looked as though she'd remembered something I
might enjoy knowing, and wanted very badly to tell me. For the longest
time, I had looked forward to my own Presentation. Certainly, I didn't
expect Demando-oujisama to remember me, but I thought perhaps he might
remark again on the color of my eyes. And then there was the one dance with
him allotted to me, allotted to every Presented girl. That was really all I
wanted.

 Laying down on the bed, I rolled on my back and stared up at the ceiling.
Out on the streets, I thought I heard the sound of more protestors, but it
was still very far away. In two months, I would have my sixteenth birthday,
but there would be no dance for me, no Presentation. That sounds selfish,
doesn't it?
 Sleep was a long time in coming that night, but luckily I was too tired to
cry.

-------

 I woke to the sound of my Crystal set beeping, and, rolling over with
bleary eyes, I saw it was blinking green. Ultramarine was calling me, then.
I glanced at the clock, wondering what in the world she could want at this
hour. I picked up the small, gleaming silver handset and pressed it to my
ear.
 "Yes?" I cleared my throat, still half asleep.
 "Oppie, turn on the Vid! Quick!" Ultramarine's voice hissed over the line.
 "What?" I stared at the handset as if it was an alien thing, "Ultramarine,
do you know what *time* it is?"
 "Sure, I do!" she chirped, sounding more awake than I liked, "Now, turn on
the Vid! Hurry or you'll miss it!"
 "'Reen," I began, "You know my Mother..."
 "She's asleep now, right? Go and turn it on!" Shaking my head, I turned
off the light and crept into the hall, thankful that Ultramarine had enough
sense to stay quiet while I 'snuck out'.

 "What's going on?" I asked once I reached the safety of the kitchen.
 "Oh, you won't believe it until you see it! Hell," Ultramarine swore, "I'm
seeing it and I *still* don't believe it." Warily, I turned the Vid's
volume knob down, before flipping the switch and watching it spring to
life. The image that took shape was like nothing I'd ever seen before. A
ship, golden and of unfamiliar make, floated in space above our world. The
camera switched angles, and I caught sight of the symbols on the ship's
side.
 "No *way*...." I breathed, eyes wide. "You- you've got to be kidding me!"
 "I didn't believe it either!" Ultramarine laughed, "But there it is.
Neo-Queen Serenity has come here all the way from Earth! This is history--
right now!"
 "How... has the world ended or something?" I implored, even as I moved my
fingers to bring up the most recent articles.
 "Just think," my friend ribbed lightly, "You would missed it if I hadn't
woken you up."
 "Oh, hush!" I giggled, then fell silent as the latest footage filed in.
 "A few hours ago, a Terran ship entered Nemesis' territory, hailing us
under a banner of peace," for all her apparent stress, the anchorwoman
looked oddly composed, the smile on her face genuine. I could well
understand; if the Queen of Earth dared grace Nemesis with her presence, it
*had* to be good sign. "The ship is called the Moonlit Night, and acts as the
flag ship for the Crystal Alliance of planets..."
 "I still don't know why she's come here," I murmured into the receiver, "I
mean, we're at war! For all she knows..."
 "We're at war with her husband," Ultramarine cut in, using on of
Demando-oujisama's more common phrases. "If you weren't always asleep in
History, you'd know that Neo-Queen Serenity *opposed* the exile of our
people. It came by the order of her husband and Sailor Pluto."
 I snorted, "Yeah, and how much you wanna bet they had a little thing going
on the side."
 "Oh, I'd put good money on it."
 "'Reen?" I asked, frowning, "It says here that the Moonlit Night has been
bared from landing."
 "Oh yeah," she said, annoyed, "Apparently the people who *claim* to be our
leaders are trying to decide whether or not to blow her out of the sky."
 "Are they insane?" I asked. Though I couldn't see her, I got the sense
the Ultramarine was shrugging her shoulders.
 "Maybe. But still, they've got a clear shot at just about every other
leader in the solar system. Of course they're tempted to take it."
 "Oh, like they came here completely unarmed," I laughed.
 "I don't know," Ultramarine admitted, "But they're saying that they drove
our entire army off Terra in nearly a day."
 "I wonder why they didn't do it before, then?" I frowned, still
surfing through the myriad articles and opinion columns that had popped up
on the matter. My friend obviously didn't have an explanation either, for
there was silence on the other end of the line.

 "Hey," she said after a minute, "This is neat! Look under the
'personalities' heading, there's a picture of everybody on the ship."
 "Really?" I hurriedly pulled up the image, casting my eyes over each
figure. It was obviously a still from a larger clip, and the quality was
poor, but I was entranced. Finally, my eyes rested on the only male in the
picture. "*That's* her husband!?"
 Ultramarine laughed, "I know, I know. Ugly, isn't he?"
 "I'll say," I smiled, in spite of myself, "And the girl with green hair is
Pluto, right?"
 "Yes." I looked at the tall, over-confident figure in her short black
fuku, emerald locks cascading down her back.
 "Who does she think she is?" I murmured, more to myself than the girl on
the other end, "Hey, who's the kid?"
 "Which one?"
 I blinked, studying the image more closely. Until then, I had thought the
little girl in frosted pink to be the only child in the picture, but upon
closer inspection, I realized there was another. The girl with short ebony
locks-- the Vid said her name was Sailor Saturn-- looked somehow ancient,
despite her twelve-odd years. "The one with pink hair," I clarified.
 "Oh, that's their child," Ultramarine said disapprovingly.
 "Who? Endymion and Setsuna's?" my eyes glanced between both pairs of ruby
eyes.
 "NO!" my friend laughed, "Endymion and *Serenity's*."
 "No way!" I exclaimed, "Are you sure? They don't look anything alike!"
 "No, they don't..." her voice took on a contemplative edge, "Say..." I
looked more closely at the little girl, Princess Usagi Serenity, thinking
back on another combination of pink and ruby. Black Lady's dynamic coloring
had been just one of the things to earn her quick fame.
 My breath caught, "You don't think..."
 "Think what?"
 I frowned, the idea lost, "I don't know. What were you going to say?"
 "I can't remember," my friend murmured. "She does look a lot like Black
Lady, doesn't she?"
 "Yeah...," a naughty smile crept to my lips, "That's it! Endymion had an
affair with Black Lady, and then somehow-- through hypnosis, I don't know--
convinced Serenity that the kid was really hers. Demando-oujisama found out
about it, unearthed Black Lady and was going to confront Serenity with the
evidence that her husband cheated on her!"
 "My friend Opal," Ultramarine said dryly, "Future professional writer for
the Rumor Pages."
 "Oh, it could happen!" I scoffed, "Besides, this Usagi Serenity girl
certainly didn't get any of her mother's beauty."
 "Shallow end of the gene pool... oh! Wait!" I heard Ultramarine's breath
catch, "Flip back to the main area, Oppie. They're going to let her land!"
My own fingers tripped over the keys impatiently, and sure enough, the
first thing the anchorwoman said was that a shuttle from the Moonlit Night
had been cleared to land at Zougentou Fortress.

 "We should go!" Ultramarine breathed.
 "'Reen!" I scolded, "I'm still in my dressing gown!"
 "So am I," she said, "I bet you a lot of other people are too. Come on,
this is a once in a life-time chance! We'll see Neo-Queen Serenity in
*person*..."
 I sighed, secretly excited, "When I'm grounded, it's your fault."
 "Check," Ultramarine giggled, "Now, hurry and hang up! I'm going right
now. Bye!"
 "Bye!" I said, flipping the off switch and tossing the receiver onto the
couch. I'd come back for it later, but I didn't want to waste any time. The
longer I stayed, the more chance that Citrine would somehow sense my
excitement and wake up to ruin it. I tip-toed from the kitchen through the
down-stairs hall, pausing at the front door just long enough to slip the
spare key in my pocket.

---------

 The streets were more crowded than I'd seen them since the announcement of
Demando-oujisama's 'death' (I, after all, still refused to believe it), a
sight that brought odd comfort to me. True to Ultramarine's prediction,
most of them were in their dressing gowns or night clothes. The bare night
wind rustled my loose hair against my neck, and for some reason I was glad
of it. I picked up my own long skirts and ran, all the while thinking that
the crowds looked like the sleep-walkers of fairy tales, those called by
the pied piper out into the streets.

 I turned the corner to Zougentou Fortress, completely out of breath, but
what little I did have was knocked from me when I saw the state of affairs 
of the fallen palace. Six bodies (I recognized one of them as the first
man who over rode the Vid system) hung on the wall in the main court yard,
which a few other bodies scattered about. It looked like a miniature
revolution had taken place; which I suppose is true. There were orderlies
in the court yard too, removing the bodies and generally trying to make the
place look presentable for Terra's Queen. A crowd had gathered on the
outskirts, and down the way I could see the landing pad that would soon
house Serenity's shuttle.  My eyes turned to the sky as if drawn by a
magnet, and there in  that deep brown, star-littered field, I saw a small
black dot, growing larger; the shuttle.

 Though the thickening crowd prevented me from seeing the shuttle land, I
knew it had by the collective gasp. Elbowing my way and ducking under arms,
I managed to get myself near the front, blocked only by a middle-aged woman
and her daughter. What followed, despite it's simplicity and spontaneity,
was one of the most moving ceremonies I ever saw.

 One by one, the Senshi descended the ramp. A palace orderly announced
their titles in Nemesisian, his face flushed with excitement. Sailor
Mercury was a small thing with light blue hair, who looked at her
surroundings with interest. With skill that rivaled even the most frequent
Vid user, she flipped out a small palm-top and began (I assume) scanning
the area. Sailor Venus fairly bounced out, yellow hair flying. Never the
less, she also looked alert, gazing on the crowd as though she thought she
might need to act as a bouncer. She was followed by Sailor Mars, a raven
haired beauty who looked like she was used to being very vexed-- especially
with her current situation. Sailor Jupiter actually flashed her fists at
us, another clear indication of unhappiness. For a moment, I wondered if
they had really come under the flag of peace. The ancient girl, Sailor
Saturn, followed quickly, hard pressed to keep up with Jupiter's long
stride. Her smile was sympathetic, if a bit bland, but it served to ease
the crowd that was quickly climbing to outrage. Neptune and Uranus exited
arm and arm, and though the more feminine Senshi seemed pleasant, the
Soldier of Wind kept on hand on her sword.

 A low hiss rose up from the crowd as the final Senshi exited, but Sailor
Pluto looked at us as if she'd been expecting it all alone. Her smile was
faint and, though it held no malice, it didn't strike me as a particularly
nice smile. The hiss rose in volume and pitch, becoming a genuine cry of
outrage, when King Endymion joined the other Senshi. He held Princess Usagi
Serenity, the girl who so reminded me of Black Lady, in his arms, and the
girl peeked out at us with eyes that looked both haunted and afraid. I
imaged that her father had told her many a horror story about the 'evil'
Nemesisians. The crowd surged forth, as if it had suddenly decided to
become a mob, then just as quickly stopped all together.
 Serenity stood in the shuttle's threshold, looking out at us with soulful
eyes.

 She was everything I'd seen in the paintings and more. I'm not sure what
it was, the way she carried herself, her smile, or maybe it was just her
eyes. They *were* blue, but not like mine, or any other blue eyes I'd ever
seen. There was something about them that put Saturn's ancient stare and
Pluto's emotionless glance to shame. You could tell that she was seeing
people and not just as crowd. She moved down the ramp with learned grace,
taking her place in front of the Senshi instead of beside her husband. The
7th and last revolutionary, the female one, strode from the shadows of the
palace to meet her and shake her hand. Relief filled me, so intense I
thought I might be as weak as my mother and faint; so we wouldn't have a
struggle for the throne after all. The orderly, a Marked boy trained to
speak Japanese, moved at an uncomfortable pace to translate between the two
women, though Neo-Queen Serenity tried to wave him away once or twice. The
revolutionary (who's name, I later learned, was Aventurine) welcomed
Neo-Queen Serenity to our planet, and offered her sanctuary in Zougentou
palace for as long as she needed. In turn, Neo-Queen Serenity asked a
question that clearly puzzled the orderly, and Aventurine in turn, but it
was the only part of her conversation we heard.
 "She wants to know if Demando-oujisama lived here," the orderly raised his
voice, gesturing to the palace. He was told to answer affirmative, and the
Queen suddenly smiled. Eventually, Aventurine began to escort the exotic
Queen towards the courtyard, and the senshi followed. It was only when
Neo-Queen Serenity neared that I realized she was holding something-- an
ornamented, copper urn. I closed my eyes, afraid to think about it too
much.

 As the Queen's party neared the courtyard, one of the Court Ladies (who,
apparently, had taken the time to get *out* of her dressing gown) fell into
step beside them and offered something to the Princess. The child screamed
bloody murder, her red eyes wide with panic, causing her mother to whirl
around quickly. King Endymion quieted the child quickly, motioning to his
wife that everything was alright. The Court Lady looked stunned, and moved
off to stand behind Aventurine. For a moment, Neo-Queen Serenity turned to
her senshi, conversing with them in rapid-fire Japanese. There seemed to be
some type of argument. At one point, Senshi Mars came forward and grabbed
the Queen's arm, as if to forcibly take her into the palace. Serenity
retorted with something that was definitely a negative, then turned to
focus her brilliant blue eyes on us.
 "No," she said suddenly. A wave of disbelief swept through the crowd; she
was speaking Nemesisian! "No, I will not leave you out here to wonder what
is going on," she smiled, taking a few steps towards us. Her accent was
thick but oddly lovely as it caressed our words. At first, she stumbled a
little, as if she wasn't sure where to place the words, and I got the
feeling that she had learned the conversational terms of our language in a
hurry. I felt honored though, that she would lower herself and speak our
tongue.

 "I understand that the last few days have been filled with worry and
confusion," she smiled at us, and it looked like it was painful. "Reports
from your fleet near Terra have been...." she shook her head suddenly, and
closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, they seemed even more beautiful
than before. "You know what?" Serenity asked, "I'm not going to lie to you.
Something has gone terribly wrong. Until I got here, I didn't realize what
a place this is. Th-there..." her voice quavered, "there's no sun at all!
I'm glad I came, though, because it makes me even more sorry that you were
sent here. Oh, you don't have believe me, and I know sorry doesn't even
begin to cover it, but..." Serenity took a deep breath and squared her
shoulders, clutching the copper urn, "I have come to you at Demando's
request. It... it was his last wish. His death wish."

 I wanted to scream then, that she was wrong, that there had been some
horrible misunderstanding, but it suddenly made sense. Inside the urn
Serenity cupped so lovingly in her stainless palms, were the mortal remains
of our shield and prince. The crowd stirred only a little, waiting for her
next words.
 "You don't have to accept our help if you don't want it. If you tell us to
leave, we'll go and never come back. But he wanted you to be looked after,
to see you taken care of. I respect him enough to keep that promise. You
see," she lowered her eyes, as if ashamed, "He died protecting me." There
was no gasp of surprise from the crowd--we knew Demando-oujisama would
have wanted that. "And so," Serenity continued bravely, "I place myself at
your mercy." She sank to her knees, there on the dirty cobblestone of the
court yard, and in that moment I knew what Demando-oujisama had said was
true. She was an angel.

 A roar of approval went up through the crowd, bouncing off the buildings
that only hours ago seemed like they might topple. Now I knew they could
very well stand forever. Looking at Serenity, hands held out to us, copper
urn resting in her lap, I was sure that perhaps it didn't matter whether or
not we accepted her help. There was only one thought in my mind:

 Demando-oujisama kept his promise, and gave us Serenity.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEREDITH: BWAHAHAHAHA

DEMANDO: <grumbles> *I* should get Serenity. <looks at Meredith>
You know, that adoring-fangirl voice is a bit *too* convincing...
MEREDITH: <coughs> I noticed...

^^;

Oh! To see a pic of Opal and Ultramarine, go here:
http://www.demando.net/horizon/nemesis_schoolgirls.GIF

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