The Hostage Bride Chapter 1: Visitors from Space, a sailor moon fanfic

THE HOSTAGE BRIDE

Chapter 1: "Visitors From Space"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

Crystal Tokyo, July 7, 2997: The kingdom was abuzz with news and activity. It was Tanabata Festival time and the Crystal Tokyo palace grounds had been opened up by Queen Serenity to accommodate Rei's annual festival. Over the centuries, the festival had grown in size and scope until it seemed to encompass the entire city. There were enough games, food booths and attractions on the palace grounds to entertain everyone who came, as well as satellite festivals in the retail district and in all the parks scattered around the city. These were necessary because not everyone could fit in the palace grounds. Tanabata Festival was always a wonderful time for the people. It was due to Rei's diligence in organizing things. It was due to the Queen's exuberance for festival, for the romantic legends surrounding Tanabata, and the happy times they recalled and the new happy memories they always inspired. And it was due to the people themselves, who seemed genuinely pleased when they made their beloved Queen Serenity happy.

On top of this, there was the recent landing of emissaries from an alien world. At first the craft landing in the promenade near the palace was cause for much alarm among the citizens, for the memories of Prince Dimando and his invasion force were only twelve years old. They worried even when Queen Serenity and King Endymion, flanked by the senshi, came out to meet the craft without fear and only some suspicion. But the delegation that emerged professed to want only peaceful relations between the two cultures. It was welcome news both to Serenity and to the population, though Uranus and Neptune remained suspicious.

"Aren't you two ready yet?" rumbled Ves-Ves in the palace quarters she shared with her three "sister" Amazons.

"Don't rush me! This has to look just so!" Cere-Cere shot back. She had Palla-Palla in a chair and was applying crystal rouge to the girl's lips with a forced air applicator. Reflexively she shot her sister a glance. "And where's your kimono?"

"I'm not wearing no stupid kimono," grumbled Ves-Ves.

"But it won't make you look like a sissy," Palla-Palla replied innocently.

"Get out of my head!" snapped Ves-Ves.

"Yeah, what do you want to do, die of loneliness," Cere-Cere added.

"Palla-Palla is sorry. Her concentration slipped," Palla-Palla offered contritely. Then Ves-Ves caught a hint of a smirk and knew the girl had done it on purpose. She gave her sister a silent warning.

"Don't smile, you'll mess me up," Cere-Cere said, continuing to make up her sister's face. "You know, you might catch more boys if you'd try being a girl."

"I do well enough," Ves-Ves huffed.

"There! Done!" Cere-Cere proclaimed. She stood back and Palla-Palla hopped out of the chair.

"How does Palla-Palla look, Ves-Ves?" Palla-Palla asked earnestly.

"You look good, Stupid," Ves-Ves nodded. "Real mature."

"Thank you very much," Palla-Palla nodded. She paused for a moment. "And don't worry, Palla-Palla knows not to listen to boys who tell her nice things like that, because they only want her panties."

Cere-Cere turned to Ves-Ves with a fisheye look.

"I'm getting out of here before she finds out what I dreamed last night," Ves-Ves grumbled.

"Palla-Palla knows that, too. She didn't know you liked wrestling," Palla-Palla replied innocently.

"Wrestling?" Cere-Cere asked, her confusion evident.

"Yes," Palla-Palla replied earnestly. "But maybe you shouldn't wrestle boys, Ves-Ves. He must have really hurt you, because you were screaming very loudly."

Cere-Cere snickered as Ves-Ves ducked out the door.

Outside, Ves-Ves wandered around the palace grounds. All the festival booths were ready and waiting for the festival to open at noon. Minako was on the stage going through one last rehearsal. She was the head-liner of the night's entertainment, and from the looks of her silver sequined, low-cut, high hemmed dress it was going to be a typical Minako Aino knockout performance. Smiling and nodding to herself, Ves-Ves stuffed her hands into the pockets of her maroon cockpit pressure pants and watched.

Just then, someone rode up on a "hover bike". Basically a small grade anti-gravity engine with steering bars, a seat and a small forced air propulsion unit in the back, it was the thirtieth century equivalent to a motorcycle. Astride the bike was a female wearing a form fitting black pilot suit made of protective stress-fiber mesh and a tinted helmet. The bike eased up next to Ves-Ves and stopped. The rider pulled off her helmet.

"Jun?" gasped Ves-Ves.

"You like it?" chortled Jun-Jun. "I just bought it."

"You bought a hover bike?"

"Yeah! And Ves, you should feel it when I open this thing up, especially over a body of water! It is the limit!"

"YOU," Ves-Ves repeated, "bought a hover bike?"

"So? They're not dangerous if you've got good balance and know what you're doing! And I've always had the most balance of the four of us. It's no more dangerous than being on the high wire."

"Miss Goody Two-Shoes bought a hover bike?"

"Charming as always, I see," scowled Jun-Jun.

"I thought you were over him," Ves-Ves said with a critical eye. "Does this has something to do with Tanabata?"

Melancholy colored Jun-Jun's face and she glanced down. Instantly Ves-Ves regretted bringing the subject up.

"I'm never going to be over Quad. Tanabata's got nothing to do with it," Jun-Jun mumbled. She sighed. "But I've accepted he's gone." She smiled a slightly haunted smile. "Maybe I'll see him at Bon. And maybe this does have something to do with missing him. All of a sudden I need a little excitement in my life, you know? Like the old days? I guess Quad awakened that in me."

She caught the worried expression on Ves-Ves.

"Don't worry," Jun-Jun grinned. "I'm not going to be playing chicken with cargo freighters or anything like that. There are legal ways of getting excitement. It's just - - when I'm speeding along on this bike, it feels like I'm free. Free of the responsibilities of being the good little girl and surrogate mother to you three delinquents. And sometimes it feels like - - like Quad's riding beside me. Am I making any sense?"

"No," Ves-Ves dead-panned. "But what else is new? Hey, I'm not much for telling people what to do. If you need to do it, do it. I'll back you."

Jun-Jun smiled and held out her index finger. Ves-Ves nonchalantly touched the tip with her own finger.

"Just don't let Palla-Palla near it, huh?" Ves-Ves added.

"Deal," smirked Jun-Jun.

Luna and Artemis turned to the sight of Queen Serenity gliding into the Royal Reception Room of the palace. Accompanying her were Sailor Jupiter and the three members of the Zachar Alliance delegation. They walked behind the Queen at a respectful three paces.

The lead Zacharian, Telmar, smiled benignly as he followed the Queen. The Zacharians were basically humanoid, with some differences from Earth humans. They possessed only three fingers on each hand along with an opposable thumb. Their skin was light blue and their eyes orbs of deep crimson. Their hair was dark blue and their eyebrows pointed up rather than curve around the eye. And their ears pointed. Beyond that, they could be Earth natives.

The two Zacharians behind Telmar were bigger and more muscular than their slight lead. Luna wondered who was more typical of the race, Telmar or his aides. All three wore black military-style uniforms, complete with stiff collars, epaulets, belts and boots that encouraged stiffness and conformity. The adornments were silver, as were the cuffs on the long-sleeve tunics. The cat noted that Telmar had four red stripes on his silver cuffs while his aides only possessed one - - a symbol of rank, no doubt. She also noted that, though all three visitors were unarmed, there were clips on the wide belts for weaponry attachments.

"Telmar, I must apologize for the manner of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune on today's tour," Queen Serenity offered as she sat on the room's throne.

"Not at all, Queen Serenity," Telmar replied with practiced graciousness. He bowed slightly to her, but remembered her admonishment when they first met about referring to her as "Your Majesty". "They are your guardians. It is their task to be suspicious of all strangers. How else may they be prepared to perform their duties?"

"Well, you're very understanding. I appreciate that," Serenity smiled. "How did you like your tour of Crystal Tokyo?"

"It is a fine achievement for you and your people," Telmar replied, passing a hand over his slicked back blue hair. "And it was clear from the reception we received that you are a much beloved ruler. Never in all my travels have I seen such devotion from a people for their ruling class."

"Perhaps it's because I think of myself as a leader and not a ruler," Serenity suggested gently, "and only because the people have chosen me to lead."

"A curious situation, to my experience," Telmar offered, "but the results are indisputable. Perhaps it is the person and not the system which makes the arrangement work. There is no doubt to your personal magnetism."

Serenity blushed.

"Your offer of diplomatic relations, then, is still valid?" Luna interjected, trying to steer the meeting away from empty praise. Telmar again seemed startled, as Luna recalled he was the first time she spoke to him.

"You'll forgive me, Queen Serenity," Telmar recovered. "I'm still not used to seeing an intelligent animal capable of speaking to me." He glanced to Luna. "Our tour has only reinforced our desire to add the Earth to our circle of allies. A relationship between our two cultures can only be beneficial."

"I'm glad to hear that," Serenity said. "But I must caution you again, I don't speak for the entire planet. I can go before the World Congress, present your offer and give my endorsement. But the ultimate decision is theirs, not mine."

Telmar smiled indulgently. "We are aware of this. Your planet and cultures were observed before we ventured to land, for it wouldn't do to land an emissary in a potentially hostile situation. We are familiar with your cultural hierarchy. It's just that you undervalue your influence on this world, Queen Serenity. We have come to realize that you are the single most influential person on this planet. Your modesty prevents you from acknowledging this, but it is true. We have little doubt that you would be able to persuade the rest of this world to your way of thinking."

"I'm not so sure about that," Serenity demurred. "I've been trying for a thousand years and I haven't succeeded yet."

"I think you can persuade the majority, at least," Telmar replied with a silky manner. "You would be surprised at what an individual may do if the cause is important enough."

"Your confidence in me is gratifying," Serenity said diplomatically. "Now enough stuffy business. Would you and your aides like to attend our Tanabata Festival? I promise you'll have a good time."

"One of my aides, unfortunately, has business to attend to," Telmar replied, "but I would be honored to accept. Will I have the good fortune of your company, Queen Serenity, and that of your striking husband and daughter?"

"I'm sure I can pry Endymion away from whatever he's doing," Serenity told him sweetly. "My daughter won't be able to accompany us. But I guarantee you'll see her."

Telmar bowed and left, followed by his aides. Jupiter escorted them to their quarters. Meanwhile, Luna eased up to Artemis.

"Have you or the King found anything?" Luna asked surreptitiously.

"No," Artemis shook his head. "Nothing to the contrary - - in fact, nothing at all on this Zacharian Alliance." The cat shrugged. "Maybe they're just what they say they are."

"Perhaps," Luna murmured, a worried look on her face.

"What's the matter? You sensing something?"

"No. It's just that - - Serenity is so utterly trusting, that sometimes I think I overcompensate in the opposite direction just to balance her. Am I being as paranoid as the outers just because they're from another galaxy?"

"Well, it doesn't hurt to be cautious, I guess," Artemis shrugged. "Especially where Serenity's concerned. But we haven't seen Pluto. If she joined Uranus and Neptune, I'd worry. Since she hasn't seen fit to leave the Door Of Time, maybe it's just them being paranoid. It's not like it's never happened before."

Luna only emitted a pensive sigh. Artemis could tell he hadn't managed to ease her troubled mind.

"Are we just being paranoid?" Michiru asked absently.

She and Haruka were enjoying the shade from the July sun. The humidity was creeping in early this season and the shaded spot along the palace outer perimeter was a welcome refuge. The two outers leisurely watched the final preparations for the palace's contribution to Tanabata. Off to one side, Rei was shouting instructions to the stage crew, dressed in a sleek black protective body suit rather than her normal priest robes.

"Not if they're up to something," Haruka replied stonily. That drew an amused expression from Michiru.

"All these years later and you still just see the world in black and white," she grinned.

"You told me once that the clearest pictures are usually in black and white," Haruka quipped, gratified that she had wrung a smile from her mate's concern.

"So, if they're up to something, what is it?"

"I don't know. That hasn't developed yet."

"Haruka, puns are beneath you."

"I'd rather you were beneath me," the lanky blonde leered.

"That's another thing that hasn't changed in a thousand years," Michiru observed wryly. "Well, I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes open and . . ."

Michiru felt Haruka's hand close on hers urgently. Her line of sight immediately went to Haruka's eyes, then followed her stare when she saw Haruka wasn't looking at her. Across the compound by the far perimeter, a figure was moving away from the palace and toward the city. He was moving in a way that suggested he was trying to hurry without being noticed.

"See him?" Haruka asked.

"Yes. It's one of that Zacharian's aides," Michiru replied. "And he's not wearing his uniform. I wonder where he's headed."

"One way to find out," Haruka concluded. As one, she and Michiru produced their henshin sticks.

Surreptitiously the Zacharian moved through the crowds more concerned with festival than him. It was impossible to disguise his blue skin and hair, but he was dressed in a common brown tunic and slacks and when he kept moving the throngs quickly forgot about him. His journey took him into Naru Park just off the promenade. Though there were booths being set up in the park as well and the trees were decorated with colored paper streamers, there were enough trees in the park to allow him to keep out of sight.

Or so he thought.

"What's he doing?" Sailor Uranus posed as she observed the Zacharian from her tree limb perch. "It's almost like he doesn't have a destination in mind."

"I doubt he's that familiar with the terrain," Sailor Neptune replied, her concentration riveted on their quarry. "Perhaps this is some sort of reconnaissance mission. I'd be interested to know for what."

"He's on the move again," Uranus observed. She and Neptune leaped from one tree to another as silently as possible.

The Zacharian wove through the trees on the periphery of the festival area. Once he looked back and the outers thought they had been spotted. But he continued on and they concluded he hadn't. Reaching a spot among some old growth trees near the north fence, the Zacharian stopped. He reached under his tunic and brought out a small device. Kneeling at the base of a tree, the alien began to pull up dirt. Once a small hole was dug, he gently eased the device into the depression. He was about to smooth the dirt back over it when the silvery blade of a bejeweled cutlass appeared across his face under his nose. The Zacharian looked up.

"Mind telling me what that is?" Sailor Uranus asked. She towered over the kneeling alien and her hand tightly gripped the hilt of the Space Sword.

The Zacharian's response was to lunge forward. He drove his shoulder into the knee of Uranus. Though she tried to dance out of the way, he caught part of her leg and toppled the woman. Uranus tried to recover, but the alien was faster than she anticipated. He was on his feet before she had regained hers and was crouched to attack.

"Deep Submerge!" rang through the small glen, followed by a torrent of water. It cascaded into the Zacharian and, though he resisted mightily, swept him off his feet and into the north fence. The alien fell to his knees as Uranus ran up.

Again Uranus underestimated the burly humanoid's quickness. He launched himself up from his knees and caught Uranus with his fist. The woman spun back and to the ground. Neptune started to attack again, but stopped short when her opponent drew a sword from under his tunic. It was then that the holographic cover faded and his brown tunic and slacks changed into the black and silver uniform they were more familiar with. This time, Neptune noted, there was a sword scabbard and other attachments on the wide black belt.

The sword pointed at Neptune, but she was twelve feet away from the tip. Preparing for a charge, Neptune instead was suddenly buffeted by concentrated sonic waves produced by the sword. While the sound pierced her ears painfully, the displacement of air from the waves themselves was like a blow from a fist. Neptune fell back against a tree and tried to summon enough strength to throw off the attack and counter.

That was when Uranus stepped back into the picture. The Space Sword clattered against the blade of the sonic sword and knocked it away from Neptune. The alien's response was to swing the sword back at Uranus, for while it delivered a sonic blast, the sword also possessed a very deadly edge to it. Uranus parried the slash and then thrust with her sword, a weapon that possessed a sharp edge of its own in addition to its hidden properties. The two combatants engaged in a very short duel, ending up straining against each other for leverage, sword blades pressed to one another. A thrust from the alien's massive shoulders sent Uranus staggering back The alien brought up his sword to attack.

"Space Sword Blaster!" Uranus called out.

Energy arcs shot out from the blade of her cutlass. Two were caught by the alien's sword, but the third caught his hand and disarmed him. Pressing her advantage, Uranus charged in. She pinned the alien against the north fence, her blade pressed to his high collar.

"Now what's this all about?" demanded Uranus. "TALK!"

Unseen by Uranus, the alien's undamaged hand moved to his belt.

"URANUS!" Neptune shouted. "HE'S GOING TO HIS BELT!"

Shoving away, Uranus leaped back to a fighting stance, her blade at the ready. But the alien was suddenly filled with enough blue-white electricity to light up the park. His body shook for moments, convulsing with the energy coursing through him. Then he collapsed into the grass, dead.

"Suicide in the face of capture and interrogation?" Neptune concluded. "That hardly sounds like someone with peaceful intentions."

Turning on her heel, Neptune walked over to the device the Zacharian was burying. Uranus followed, ignoring the crowd that had gathered. Uranus peered over Neptune's shoulder at the device.

"What is it?" Uranus inquired. "Some kind of bomb?"

"Well, I'm hardly a mechanical engineer," Neptune replied, staring intently at the device, "but this thing doesn't even look like it's working."

"Better call CDP. They've probably got someone who knows how to deal with this."

Neptune nodded and Uranus went to make the call. She continued to stare. It made no sense. Why go to elaborate efforts, even to the point of suicide, just to plant an inert device?

Continued in Chapter 2