A Conflict Of Interest Chapter 1: Loyalty, a sailor moon fanfic

A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Chapter 1: "Loyalty"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

As she entered the infirmary to begin her day, Dr. Ami Mizuno walked to her desk and pressed a crystal stud. Instantly a holographic screen popped up before her. Pressing several prompts got her to the screen she wanted, that being the morning's patient log. Her glasses perched on her nose, the doctor quickly scanned the log. It was light in the infirmary. Patient Konozawa was in room one, in the early stages of child delivery, with Dr. Kazawa handling the case. Patient Tomokazu was in room two, under observation after suffering an electrical shock while maintaining the palace electrical system, with Dr. Gong handling the case.

And Patient Tomoe was in room three, recovering from cardiovascular trauma. Pointing at the name brought up her medical charts. Ami studied them. The cloned tissue repairing the injured heart tissue was being accepted nicely. Hotaru's pulse and blood pressure were low, but in acceptable ranges. She'd slept peacefully through the night and that was the best sign of all. Smiling to herself, Ami suspected why.

Walking over to check her hypothesis, the chief medical officer for Crystal Tokyo peeked into room three. Sure enough, Her Royal Highness The Princess Usagi Small Lady Chiba sat in a chair next to Hotaru's bed, sleeping at an angle that couldn't possibly be comfortable. For a moment Ami just stood and took in this picture of perhaps the most perfect friendship she had ever known in her thousand plus years of life. Then she bent down and touched the Princess's shoulder.

"Huh?" Usa woke with a start. Immediately she felt the cramping in her shoulders and hips. "Man, never fall asleep in these chairs."

"Usa, is that you?" Hotaru ventured weakly. "Are you still here?"

"Well you're still not out of danger yet? Where was I going to go?"

"I imagine your bed would have been much more comfortable," Ami offered with a wry smile.

"I'm OK," Usa maintained. She grimaced as she shifted in the chair.

"I'm sorry for waking you, Hotaru," Ami told her patient. "How are you feeling?"

"OK," Hotaru sighed. "Can I get up?"

"Do you feel strong enough to sit up?" Ami queried curiously.

"Yes."

"Really?" the doctor asked with a critical eye.

"No," Hotaru scowled.

"Then maybe you'd better stay where you are," Ami said gently. "Do you feel like you can handle solid food?"

"I think so."

"I'll have the dietitian send something up." She turned to The Princess. "Are you going to dine in your quarters or should I have something sent up for you, too?"

"Yeah, I'm starved!" Usa nodded enthusiastically.

"You know, your mother and father probably miss you," Ami prodded diplomatically.

"Mom misses me if I go to the bathroom," grunted the pink teen. "She can handle it. I have to be with Hotaru."

"All right," Ami sighed and left.

"You don't have to stay," Hotaru sighed. She struggled to raise her arm, but it barely cleared her bed before it began shaking.

"Hey, don't push yourself!" Usa warned her. Seeing she was reaching for the virtual display stud on the bed control, Usa leaned over and engaged it. Hotaru's medical information came up.

"I want this to be over," Hotaru moaned. "I hate laying in this hospital bed."

"I can relate," Usa replied, swiping screens when Hotaru signaled her. "But you have to do it to get well."

"You don't understand, Usa," Hotaru sighed. "It's all of my old fears and doubts all over again. About how - - frail and sickly I was. And still am, to some degree."

"Garbage," scowled Usa. "You just pushed yourself too far. Why if I had a net point for every time Mom pushed herself too far and scared everybody to death by fainting . . ."

"It's not garbage, Usa," Hotaru relied. "I wasn't there to help you - - because I wasn't strong enough. I gave it everything I had . . ."

"Hotaru," Usa pursed her lips with frustration, "don't. Don't start down this road again. You're the only one who doesn't think you're good enough. There's millions of people out there who wish they could be you. Please stop thinking you're second rate."

Her friend just turned her head away.

"Hey, look at this," Usa said, pointing to the screen in an attempt to distract her friend from the subject at hand. "It looks like all of your early signs are positive. You're the medical student. Am I reading it right?"

Hotaru glanced at the display. "There's no sign of tissue rejection. And the vital signs are acceptable. They're pretty weak, though."

"So? That's good, right? I mean, you weren't expecting to jump on stage with me tonight, were you?"

"As if," Hotaru glanced down, embarrassed. "You've got a show tonight?"

"Well, no," Usa shrugged. "And if I did, I'd cancel it. But the minute you're well, I'm going to drag you on stage with me and make you play piano."

"No, you're not!" Hotaru replied indignantly.

"That's the spirit," Usa smiled.

Jun wandered into the community room adjacent to the bedrooms of her and her "sisters", still slowed by sleep. Her sensible robe covered sensible pajamas and her green hair fell down her back. Just as she entered the room, though, she heard pounding. Glancing toward the sound, she found Ves standing in front of Cere's door.

"C'mon, wake up!" Ves shouted, pounding on the door. She was fully dressed in boots, combat pants and a maroon muscle shirt. "What are you going to do, sleep all day?" She noticed Jun in the room and shot the girl a mischievous smile.

"Yes!" came a bellowed voice from inside the room. "If you'd go away!"

"If you hadn't been out most of the night with that skinny artist of yours, you wouldn't be sleeping in now!" Ves replied and pounded on the door again.

"Why do you care?" Cere shouted from inside the room. "We don't have school and there's no senshi emergency, so GO AWAY, YOU ANIMAL!"

"Come on! Early bird gets the worm!" Ves taunted and pounded on the door again.

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Cere bellowed.

"Let's go! You want people to think you're lazy?" Ves yelled, pounding again, then giggled at Jun.

"Ves, if you don't go away, I swear I will grow a vine and STRANGLE YOU WITH IT!" fumed Cere.

"Try it," Ves grinned. "I'll just turn into an herbivore and eat your stupid plant."

"Come on, Ves, leave her alone," Jun sighed. "If the queen wants to sleep in, let her sleep in."

"Sure, spoil all of my fun," Ves grumbled teasingly. "Fine. Want to head on to the dining hall for breakfast?"

"Better go without me. I have to shower and do my hair first," Jun replied. "And you know how long that takes."

"You ever think about a simplier style?"

Jun grew solemn. She looked at the floor.

"Mi Padre did my hair like this when I was little. He said it told everyone that I was a water goddess walking on Earth," she informed Ves. "I've never changed it - - out of respect for him."

"Good a reason as any," Ves shrugged. She got a grateful smile from Jun. "There's Palla-Palla. Better hit the bathroom now."

"I'm there!" Jun replied and scooted for the bathroom.

"Hey, Palla-Palla. Ready for," Ves began. Then she noticed the mischievous glint in the eyes of the girl. Palla-Palla hadn't even changed out of her footed flannel rabbit pajamas. "What are you smirking about?"

"Why didn't Ves-Ves tell Palla-Palla that she had a boyfriend?" Palla-Palla asked with barely contained glee. She was an incongruous sight: a seventeen year old near woman wearing footed flannel rabbit pajamas.

"What makes you think I've got a boyfriend?" Ves asked, surprised by the statement.

"Well," Palla-Palla grew troubled, "Ves-Ves is going to the dance club tonight. She's going to get all dressed up and look really pretty."

"You been reading my mind again?" Ves scowled.

"And she's going to take her fake ID so she can buy drinks she's not supposed to."

"HEY!"

"Ves-Ves isn't going there to be with a boy?" Palla-Palla asked curiously.

"Well, yeah, that's the plan," Ves grinned. "I just haven't met him yet."

Palla-Palla frowned. "Palla-Palla was sure she was reading the now and not the later. But Palla-Palla messes up a lot and that might have been one of them."

"So is he hot?"

"He was wearing a jacket, so Palla-Palla doesn't think so," the blue-haired Amazon replied innocently.

"Guess I'll have to wait until tonight to find out," Ves sighed. "So, ready to get some breakfast? I could use some."

"Palla-Palla will get changed! You wait right here!" Palla-Palla nodded vigorously. "Palla-Palla wants to have Sugar Bombs! With lots of milk!"

"Wow, there's a shock," chuckled Ves.

But in the back of her mind, Ves wondered about what Palla-Palla may have seen. Now she couldn't wait for it to be evening.

Given the time they'd spent together since the hospitalization, one would think Hotaru and Usa would have run out of things to talk about. And yet there they were, still chatting over lunch as they had through breakfast and most of the morning. The only thing that had stopped the conversation was when Hotaru drifted off to sleep for an hour. Once, during the middle of the morning, Ami had thought to finally put her foot down and shoo Usa out. But she didn't, because Hotaru was actually showing signs of improvement.

As if the presence of her best friend was actually contributing to her recovery. Even Yutaka's visit hadn't done that.

"And then the crowd just parted and this big," Usa continued, Hotaru managing a weak smile as she hung on her friend's every word. But Usa stopped suddenly. Hotaru looked at her curiously. "Mom's here."

A moment later, Hotaru heard the Queen outside the room, speaking with Ami. Timidly the monarch peeked in.

"Hotaru?" Serenity ventured. "I'm sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to see how you were." The Queen glided into the room.

"I'm feeling better. Thank you," Hotaru answered shyly. "I'm still a little weak - - but I guess that's to be expected."

"I should say so, given what you went through," Serenity said. Both teens could see the barely repressed emotion bubbling under the Queen's surface. "It was a tremendously brave thing you did, and a tremendous sacrifice you made for my daughter. I-I can't say or do anything that would even remotely express my gratitude. My little girl was blessed the day she met you."

Unnoticed by Serenity, Usa sat in the chair staring up at her mother and beaming proudly.

"She needed me," Hotaru shrugged modestly. "I couldn't think of doing anything else."

Serenity looked down. "And at the same time," she said haltingly, "I wish you hadn't put yourself at such a risk. Losing you would have been just as terrible a blow as losing Usa - - for all of us. Please, please don't be so foolhardy with your life."

Hotaru scowled and looked at her hands. This was the same lecture she'd gotten from her friend. Coming from the Queen, though, gave it a lot more weight.

"It's a dilemma, I know," Serenity added, sensing Hotaru's conflict and distress. "Maybe some day we won't have to risk ourselves like this. Maybe some day we can all just live in peace and harmony." She bent down and kissed Hotaru on the forehead. "Please get well. We all miss seeing you around the palace."

"Yes, ma'am," Hotaru said self-consciously.

"And do you think we might see you for a few moments sometime in the next month?" Serenity asked, turning to her erstwhile daughter. "Your baby sister has already forgotten what you look like."

"Mom," sighed Usa. Hotaru looked on with a grin.

"Honestly, I'm about to the point where I'm going to rent out your room," Serenity continued.

"Oh, stop with the guilt, will you? I've got to be with Hotaru!"

"Well, at least you have a good reason," sighed the Queen, "this time. But if the environmental control computer doesn't recognize you anymore, don't blame me." She turned back to Hotaru. "See, that's another reason for you to get well: so my daughter doesn't waste away in that hospital chair."

"Yes, ma'am," Hotaru giggled. "I'll work on it."

"Aren't you scheduled to annoy Luna right about now?" Usa asked pointedly.

The Queen stuck out a very undignified tongue at her daughter, then turned and glided for the door. Ami was there waiting for her, unable to conceal the grin on her face.

Usa sighed. "Sorry about that."

"It's OK," Hotaru smiled. "Between your mom and you, I really do feel a lot better. If you want to take a break . . ."

"Uh uh. I'm sticking until you're well."

"Usa, your mom and dad miss you. And Helios probably does, too. I'll be OK."

"Not moving," Usa stubbornly shook her head. "So where was I? Oh yeah, that guy in the front courtyard. Well, the crowd just parted . . ."

And Hotaru settled back to enjoy the company of her best friend.

It had been a good day. Ves had attended a soccer match and her favorite team won. She had gotten in a good day's workout in the gym. Senshi training went well, in spite of Cere's usual slacking. While she wished the Princess and Hotaru had been able to attend, their absence was no surprise. The Princess hadn't left Hotaru's side since her hospitalization. Other people in the palace saw Usa's actions as obsessive. But Ves saw them for what they actually were: loyalty. It was something Ves valued highly in life. Usa's demonstration of it was just one more point in her favor in Ves's estimation of Usa's worth. Loyalty was important to her, almost as important as life itself.

Now she was sitting in a local nightclub, wondering about Palla-Palla's premonition. The music was loud and the people for the most part were happy. Ves was dressed in her finest, skirting a fine line between butch and feminine. Ves had once thought she didn't possess a feminine side, but a few tips from Cere, passed through Jun so as to be palatable, had showed her that it was there when she wanted it.

A couple of guys had approached her at different parts of the evening. Neither had possessed a jacket, or any allure to her tastes, so she brushed them off. Now she was nursing a drink and wondering whether she should just forget her sister's proclamation and just dance the night away. A rocks glass with rum and cola scooted across the table from one hand to another.

"This is stupid," Ves thought and downed the last of her drink. "Waiting here for some fairy tale guy to come along. If he comes, he comes. If he don't - - it's his loss." Ves stood up from the table and expertly melted into the crowd on the dance floor.

As was her habit, Luna began prowling the palace the moment the sun set. It didn't matter that the palace had the most sophisticated electronic security system in the world as well as a well-trained, well-compensated security staff and a security-obsessed king. Luna didn't trust anything other than her own eyes. Serenity once asked the cat when she slept during the day.

The black cat's response was to tell the queen that Artemis did enough sleeping for them both.

"I'm currently on level 3, corridor C," Luna said into the communicator in her collar. She was in contact with Palace Security.

"Yes, Ma'am, we have you on visual," came the response. Luna padded down the hall.

"Audio and visual seem to be working properly," the cat concluded out loud. "Motion, heat and magnetic aura sensors?"

"All green. We've got you on all of them."

"Approaching corridor D," Luna told them. A memory struck her, that of her years ago bringing Diana along with her until it became apparent that Diana had absolutely no interest in the nightly ritual. The cat frowned at the recollection.

"I'm getting a malfunction light from level 2, corridor F," security reported. "Screen's blank and sensors are. . ." There was a momentary pause. "OK, we're back up again."

"Send a detachment to that area," Luna said, turning and heading for the staircase at a full run. "Tell them to specifically concentrate on His Majesty's computer room."

Arriving at the computer room, Luna found the security detachment milling around. Everyone was searching, but there didn't seem to be any evidence of an intruder. After a few moments, King Endymion approached from the staircase.

"I heard the security call," Endymion told the detachment commander. "What have we got?"

"We haven't been able to find anything, Your Majesty" the commander replied briskly.

"Computer," Endymion directed to the palace environmental control computer. "Has the door to room 2F1 been accessed?"

"That door was last accessed on this date at 1436 hours," the computer replied.

"That was me," Endymion murmured, deep in thought.

"It's probably just a momentary glitch in the system," the commander offered. "Central is running a diagnostic now. We . . ."

"He's there!" Luna said suddenly, pointing to a spot near the door. Her nose was sniffing the air, trying to relocate a scent.

Endymion looked and spotted the faint distortion that came from someone wearing a light refraction suit.

Continued in Chapter 2