The Crown: Part Two

Q appears on the Bridge of the Enterprise, looking totally panic-stricken for the first time, at least to the crew's knowledge. He is still dressed in his ceremonial garb from Serena's coronation. He is wearing a dazzlingly white suit with silver braid, and a gilt sword hangs at his hip. Q shoves Commander Riker out of his seat and onto the floor, then gently lowers Serena by the hand into it.

"Take her, you have to! Please, the fate of the world depends on it, you have to!"

Picard stands, glares at him, "What is the meaning of this, Q?!"

"Please, there's no one else."

"No one else to save you this time, Q?"

Q's eyes blaze fury, he is tempted to smite Jean-Luc once and for all, but he is his last hope. "Don't you understand, this isn't about me! Open your eyes! Don't you know anything? She is all that is good and light and hopeful in the world. They'd know to look for me, but they wouldn't look for her here, there's no connection, you see? Captain, just this once, I am begging for your help."

Serena stands up, "Q, I cannot stay here! My place is with my people in battle, it is my right! Let me go."

"No, Serenity, you must stay here with these people. They're primitive, yes, but they will look after you until it is safe. You can't risk your life fighting every battle. My late brother and your mother would kill me if you couldn't take up your proper place in life, and you CAN'T DO THAT, MEATBALL HEAD, IF YOU ARE DEAD!" He gets right in her face, she sits back down, "That's better. Good luck, mon capitane, for the sake of the universe as we know it." He snaps his fingers and vanishes.

Picard blinks, regaining his composure after the usual flustering caused by Q. He looks over to Riker, "All right, Number One?" Riker nods, taps Serena and discreetly gestures for her to surrender 'her' seat back to him. Serena pouts, pats the arms of the chair, "But I'm comfy!" "Fine, fine," Riker says in defeat, sitting in Troi's seat.

"So, you know Q? We've had our share of trouble with him in the past and we are in no mood to-"

Serena looks stern, "If you are about to say something insulting about Q, I would advise against it. He is my father's brother, you see. He looks out for me like his own, it is highly possible that he just saved my life when he brought me here. Although I regret being denied the right to join my people in battle, I do appreciate that he is protecting me so dedicatedly. So, if you are thinking about insulting my family, I said before: I advise against it." She says this so calmly it throws Picard for a loop. Her manners and dress are enough to intimidate him, but only slightly. He tries quickly to say something nice about his old adversary.

"Well, he keeps us on our toes," he says lamely. "So, I'm sorry but I didn't quite catch your name, miss?"

Serena stands, "Tsukino, Serenity, soon to be Neo-Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. But my friends call me Serena. I know you are Captain Jean- Luc Picard, Q has told me countless stories about you but I had no idea you were a real person!" she titters slightly, "From the way he talked about you, I thought he was making up stories to entertain me!" She pulls her thin cape around her shoulders with a slight shiver, its only there for decoration, after all.

"Yes, well, perhaps we ought to assign you quarters while you're here. I apologize they're nothing fancy but I'm afraid they're all we have to offer." He is not sure how to address her, since Q had recently described her as something almost divine.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Captain, I'm sure everything will do nicely. Don't let the dress fool you, today was just my coronation day and they made me get all gussied up. I can rough it fairly well, I expect."

They go to the turbolift and find unused quarters for her. Picard opens the doors and shows her in, she looks around.

"The, uh, replicator will make anything you require. Since you obviously a VIP passenger, the sky's the limit, as they say." He hands her a comm badge, "Here, I daresay it will clash with the rest of your jewelry, but I must ask that you wear this at all times. It enables communication between you and the rest of the ship. If you need anything, just tap it and say my name, and we'll get things taken care of."

"You're very kind. I hate to impose but I'd really like to get out of this dress. Can the rep-li-ca-tor make something that's a little easier to move around in? Like my old Jubaan school uniform?"

"Certainly," Jean-Luc approaches the replicator. "One Jubaan School uniform." To his great surprise the computer voice replies "Specify size." Serena holds up five fingers. "Five." In a few seconds one is laying inside the replicator, folded up. He hands it to her.

"Is there a place I can change?" Serena asks. Picard points her into an adjacent room. Serena goes in and carefully takes off her coronation gown and places it ,neatly folded, onto the bed. After placing her uniform on to the bed, Serena looked into the full-length mirror. The mirror's image was the same as when she was fourteen-year girl when she had first learned what her true destiny was by a talking cat, except the young woman that stood before the mirror was one of grace and confidence. Serena undid the clasp of the necklace she was wearing; she wrapped her slender fingers around the imperium silver crystal that was attached at the end of it. Darien had given her this necklace the day before the coronation. Darien said that he "couldn't imagine her at such an important event without her heart with her." Serena wiped a tear from her eyes as thoughts of Darien came to her mind. And trying to think back to what Luna had told her once that all she needs to do was concentrate. Serena closed her eyes and formed the image of her old compact with the Silver Imperium Crystal inside of it. A small pink light flashed in her hand. When she opened her eyes, there sat the compact that she both hated and loved at the same time. She loved it because it had given her back her inner Senshi and her beloved Darien, her soul mate and king.

On the other hand, she hated the compact, because it had caused her to fight so many battles. It had also cause the inner Senshi to lose their soul mates; because as a team they destroyed Queen Beryl's generals. For that, Serena would never forgive herself. With a heavy sigh, Serena placed the golden locket in the center of her bow, where it belonged.

Serena takes a few minutes to get situated, then she feels it necessary to get the whole story cleared up, so everyone knows what they're in for. She taps her badge. "Captain Picard?"

"Picard here," he replies. He is in the briefing room with his senior staff, ready to brief them on the situation at hand as best as he can.

"I need to speak with you and your senior officers, to get everything straightened out. It is in everyone's best interest."

"I was about to do the same thing, myself. You may join us. I'll send someone to escort you."

"Thank you, Captain." Serena sits on her bed to wait, and soon there is a bleep at her door. She jumps, "What's that?!" (big exclamation point over her head)

A voice from outside calls in, "Can I come in?"

"Oh, yeah. Come in. If you can find the doorknob." The doors swish open and Wesley Crusher stands in front of her. "Seren-a" Wesley started to say before he looked into Serena's piercing blue eyes, and lost his voice.

"Hi." There is a long awkward pause. " Picard send you?" Serena prompts, hoping to get any response from him. He groans unintelligently before snapping out of it.

"Uh, yeah, he said I should take you to the briefing room. It's this way," he stands aside, gestures into the corridor.

"I'm Wesley Crusher, by the way. My mom's the ship's doctor."

"Nice to meet you. I hope my stay here doesn't inconvenience anybody," Serena says, a little worry tingeing her voice.

"I don't think so, we can always make room for new people. Is it true that you're related to Q? I mean the Q?"

Serena grins, "Is that so hard to believe? I suppose he might be a bit much some of the time, but he's always been very kind to me. We have fun together, he can be a real goofball." He takes her to the briefing room and shows her in.

"Thank you, Mr. Crusher, you are excused," Picard says in his 'I'm in charge' voice. "Serena, please be seated. We were just discussing our situation. Any contribution on your part would be highly beneficial. Now, Q left you here for your protection, correct?"

"Captain, perhaps we should begin with introductions? I don't believe I have met everyone yet. I am Princess Serenity Tsukino of the Moon Kingdom."

Dr. Crusher leans forward in interested wonder, "Moon Kingdom? There's no such thing to my knowledge. Could us?"

"I understand that it would not have appeared in any of your planetary histories, but I assure you it does exist. It was destroyed several thousand years ago on your timeline, and I am the reincarnated Princess of the Moon Kingdom. In my timeline the Moon Kingdom is on dawn of its glorious rebirth. However, if this force that has hindered my coronation succeeds in conquering my people, it will be plunged into another thousand years of misery where evil reigns completely. Nothing will be spared."

Commander Riker leans back in his seat, "Makes the Borg sound friendly."

During Serena's speech, Deanna Troi began shallowly probing her mind. For a brief moment she could see everything that Serena was describing, but when she tries to go in further for a better look, she gulps in shock, putting a hand to her heart.

Will turns around, "Deanna!" He shakes her gently by the shoulders, but she stares into space. She looks for a moment as though she is trying to focus on Will but soon she goes catatonic again. Worf stands, pulls a phaser out and points it at Serena. "What have you done to her?!" Serena looks around in bewilderment. "I didn't do anything!" She turns to Picard. "Captain, please believe me."

Clearly he does, he motions to Worf to lower his phaser. "Worf, that won't be necessary. Uh, Princess, could you perhaps remedy her?"

Serena shrugs, "I don't know what happened. How can I help? And please just call me Serena, I never liked the title."

"Perhaps we should have you examined, " Dr. Crusher recommends; Serena nods, "That sounds like a good idea. I really hope your colleague will get better."

"I'll meet you there in a moment. Please go on ahead, I just have a few things to take care of down here. My son, Wesley, can escort you up, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. We have already met. You have a charming son, Doctor." They exchange smiles and Serena exits the briefing room and finds Wesley waiting outside the door for her.

"Hi Serena!" Wesley sounds a little too enthusiastic, "need to go someplace?"

"Yes, would you take me to the medical bay? I need to be examined, they believe I unintentionally harmed your counselor."

"Sure thing, no trouble at all! Gotta go right now? I can take you right now but if you don't then we can do something else first."

Serena tries not to laugh, he's chattering away like a mad squirrel, reminding her a lot of Melvin. "Like what?"

"Well, what do you do for fun, where you live?"

"When I was your age, I used to play a video game called Sailor V. Do you have anything like that here?"

Wesley's eyes bug out, "We've got that one! I love that game, I've actually gotten all the way to level 3! Wanna play? I mean, if you have a minute."

"Actually, I'm kind of in a hurry, but I can later, okay? In about an hour, maybe?"

"Yeah, that'd be great! See you then." Wesley scampers off after dropping her off at Sickbay.
Doctor Crusher scans Serena, her medical tricorder bleeping away. "I'm not detecting any abnormalities, but would you mind if I ran a few additional tests? I just want to make sure I'm thorough."

"That would be fine. I completely understand." "Good. Hop up on the surgical table and I'll do a few more scans." Serena gets up and lets the Doctor do her work. A few minutes later, Doctor Crusher opens the clamshell on the surgical table and Serena jumps down.

"So, anything?" Serena asks. Beverly nods, and gestures to Serena to come closer. She whispers in her ear. Serena gasps, backpedals once with a squeak. Crusher pats her on the shoulder and Serena leaves sickbay.

A few meters away from the doors, Wesley is waiting for her, again! He waves at her, flagging her over his way. "Hey Serena! Wanna come play Sailor V with me now?"

"I suppose that'll be all right. Lead the way, my good man!" Serena commands with mock-grandeur. She never needs an excuse to play her favorite video game, even if she is a princess. They reach the holodeck; Wesley punches in commands for his program. When the computer tells them its ready, they go in.

Serena looks all around her in awe. "Wow, this is fantastic! Did you make this?"

"No, I got the program from one of my friends at the Academy. He got pretty far in it so he let me have a try. I'm not too bad either. I can't believe that you've played it, we're not even from the same universe! Must be pretty popular."

This familiar environment is bringing back dozens of memories to her: the arcade, Andy, her old life on Earth, her beginning Sailor Scout training, everything. She spins around, hugging herself. "Come on, let's start the game, I'm ready!"

"Don't forget your costume," Wesley reminds her, grabbing one off a shelf. In this primary 'stage' of the game, is where the players get suited up and choosing their weapons. He flings one her way and goes behind a screen to put on his. Serena nudges it away, unimpressed. After a quick mental debate over which transformation to use 'I don't want to reveal my full power just yet, just keep it basic for now', she decides to transform. "Moon Prism Power!" she cries, letting the transformation begin. She emerges, in full costume, and in one much better than anything the holodeck could recreate.
A/N: after they play, chapter 3, Wesley: Whew! What a workout! I never played so hard in my life! (they go to Ten Forward, Serena still as Sailor Moon, meet up with Lwaxana and everyone) Author Note: Goddessvixen here,I will try and get the next chapter up as soon a possible . But it is heading into midterm week so it may take a little longer. So I hope you enjoy this i was mostly written by Doec so give her props.