Eternal City Crystal Tokyo

Chapter 69

"To the princess!" the rowdy crowd at Arisugawa's Locket raised their cups. "And the consort!" A loud roar, "Congratulations!"

Juri Arisugawa laughed as she stood up near the bar. "I see the news is going over well," she noted of the recent announced engagement of Usagi and Hotaru.

May, the cybernetic maid and manager of the bar, nodded thoughtfully. "A few off world customers looked annoyed when the announcement hit," she cautioned.

"Jurai?" Juri guessed. When May nodded she sighed, "Tenchi knew a marriage alliance was unlikely, but I guess the nobles still thought it was possible."

"Do you think there will be fallout?" May wondered.

"Probably," Juri shrugged, "but we'll weather it."

Minagi poured Juri a colored ginger ale, and another for May. "No glum faces," the bartender ordered, "This is a party!"

"To the princess and her lady love," Juri raised her glass, "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone nearby echoed and drank.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The news report hit the various planetary embassies like a bomb.

"Why didn't we know this was COMING?" First Fang Za'tair of the Khanite demanded, the sable furred woman growling angrily.

Her head of Earth intelligence winced slightly, but then met her gaze calmly. "They kept all discussions of it on the highest levels of security. No one outside of the inner circle knew," H'nor said with calm dignity.

"Humph," Za'tair growled. Interestingly the news came from a independent reporter, not the palace press office.

"We weren't really expecting a marriage alliance with Princess Usagi anyway, "H'nor reminded her politely.

Za'tair nodded, willingly conceding that point. In fact, her sights were set on Ran Mizuno... a most suitable alliance, if she could win her over. "We'll need to notify the Khan," she mused, "write up a report, including the effects on local polities. This may give us an opening on Jurai or in the League."

"You think he would hit the League of Non-Aligned worlds?" H'nor asked, faintly surprised. While lacking central authority, the League was a tough opponent.

"If he could without triggering their allies? Certainly!" Za'tair shrugged.

Over at the League of Non-Aligned worlds embassy, there was the usual chaos. The League representative had almost no actual authority, yet was also expected to carry out the wishes of multiple worlds. AND they were well aware the Khanite were watching, eagerly hoping for an opportunity to attack. Confused, panic-laden messages shot back and forth, staff scurried around, and it would be days before a coherent response emerged.

Over at the Jurai embassy, things were much, much calmer.

"I see they finally made if official," Lori noted as she communicated with her boss, who was still at the party at the palace.

Princess Ayeka nodded, "Can you make sure Emperor Tenchi gets a copy of the news story and a political briefing?"

"Will do," Lori noted, the redhead making notes. "Yosho is sleeping soundly, and his baby sitter is on hand."

Ryouko, who was also in on the transmission, grinned. "You knew she was going to ask, huh?"

Ayeka looked sheepish as she muttered, "I was NOT worrying."

Lori didn't say anything to THAT, knowing anything she did say would get her in trouble.

Briskly Ayeka continued, "Keep an eye on the younger nobles in town. The 'Manifest Destiny' faction on Jurai was hoping for a marriage alliance, they may be disruptive in public."

"Manifest Destiny?" Lori raised an eyebrow.

"Old Earth term. One of their countries thought it was their 'Manifest Destiny' to rule their continent. They ended up wrong," Ayeka explained.

"Ah. Understood," Lori agreed, and with a few more exchanges they were done.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Yuuki Konno's first report went out from the palace immediately. The broadcast was planet wide, then the network offered it to the systems network, which snapped it up. By the end of the next hour and a half, her byline was on Faster Than Light messages across known space.

Of course, NOW she was 'borrowing' a banquet table to write a follow up, having interviewed several ministers and foreign dignitaries. Yuuki's fingers flew over a virtual keyboard in mid-air, her eyes rapidly moving back a forth.

"Is she all right?" Miki Kaoru asked Siobhan Quinn, the guard who had been assigned to watch the reporter.

"I think so. Just very focused on her work," Quinn shrugged slightly.

"She's the one who broke the story," Miki noted thoughtfully. He looked amused as he noted, "Our press office was supposed to release it first, but she beat them to the punch."

With that Yuuki sat back, sighing. "Done," she noted aloud.

"Miss Konno, congratulations on the story," Miki noted mildly.

"Ah, Minister," Yuuki looked faintly sheepish, "I overheard. Uhm, sorry for jumping the gun?"

"It's fine," Miki waved it off, "we were just caught off guard by how quick you were to act. Well done."

"Bet you're media staff will be looking for work after this," Quinn teased.

"No comment," Miki said dryly then escaped before Yuuki could start asking him questions.

"Awww," Yuuki kind of pouted. "I STILL want the story of you two and the moose."

"When you put it like that it sounds really, really bad," Quinn laughed. She looked around the now winding down party as she asked, "What now?"

Yuuki stretched a bit, smiling faintly. "Just about done," she admitted, "other than getting a few more statements. You can probably take off if you want."

"I'm assigned to you as long as you're in the palace," Quinn said firmly.

"Too bad," Yuuki teased, "I was hoping to sneak off and talk to the service staff. They always have the BEST gossip."

Quinn wasn't sure if she was joking about that or not...

"I notice the Princess, Queen and the Senshi all escaped," Yuuki added thoughtfully, "private party upstairs?"

"No comment," Quinn said, but she was smiling faintly.

"CHEERS!" Serenity yelled, dressed in a casual robe and fuzzy slippers.

"Cheers!" everyone echoed and drank their drinks.

"Ahhh, it's nice to get out of that outfit," Serenity kicked her legs childishly.

"YOU insisted on wearing them," Usagi chided her mother cheerfully as she cuddled with Hotaru on a couch.

Serenity stuck her tongue out, while her husband Endymion carried in a tray of snacks.

Minako made a face, "Those aren't leftovers from the buffet are they?"

"No, Makoto made them up for us," Endymion reassured her.

"Thanks, Mako-chan!" Minako grinned at her.

Makoto laughed, "Least I could do."

Makoto Kino, Sailor Jupiter, had been off planet for the past several years. Her return for the birthday celebrations was welcomed, and her old friends were overjoyed to see her. There were also some questions on where she had been, of course. Including her dating a member of the Three Lights...

"Setsuna," Serenity looked amused, "Why did I hear you and Juri were also at the Locket tonight? Cheating via time travel?"

Setsuna, aka Sailor Pluto, was sitting with her lover Juri on one of the other couches. "No comment," she smiled as they sipped wine.

Haruka and Michiru were sitting together. "Usagi, it looks like Erica and the others took off," Haruka told her, "you can probably catch up with them, though."

"Not tonight," Usagi waved it off. She looked over at Makoto curiously, "So, are you still seeing Taiki, ma'am?"

Makoto was just taking a drink, and choked a bit.

"Usagi!" Rei scolded as she thumped Makoto's back.

"Sorry, that was a bit blunt," Usagi apologized as Makoto recovered.

"We were NOT dating," Makoto said firmly. Everyone gave her dubious looks. "Seriously. We weren't. But after every news station jumped on the idea..."

There were some winces. "I'm sorry I couldn't quash it...," Serenity sighed. Freedom of the press was a bitch when a friend was being mistreated by the 'freedom.'

"Mind you, it was nice getting off planet for awhile," Makoto admitted.

To be continued...

Notes: Realized I had TOTALLY dropped mentions of Sailor Jupiter since like, chapter 30 or so. Whoops. So she's been 'away.' Heh.