Chapter 33: Predators
"I have often said, in my life, that nothing is more important than building and improving your community," Cronus said, voice projecting clearly across the massive auditorium. The giant round room had been organized into a series of round, sheet-covered tables, with each one playing host to anywhere from one to four people. Although there were partially-eaten plates of food in front of each of them, their focus was currently up towards the front of the room, at the dais, from which Cronus was addressing them. "Be it on your block, your city, your province, your continent, your planet, or perhaps the entire galaxy, whatever scale you are capable of affecting change on, it's your job as a person to find a way to affect that change."
Prince Endymion was seated near the very front, just a handful of steps from the dais, seated next to his father and Kunzite. A quick glance to either side allowed Endymion to quickly scan all the other members of the agency high council, seated in groups around the tables closest to the dais.
"Every single person in attendance today is affecting that change. And you are doing it on the largest scale possible, in the most important area. This concerns the lives of our children and grandchildren. What we do, right now, determines whether future generations will thrive as masters of the universe, or fade into a dark age that we might never rise from."
Behind Endymion, filling the auditorium, were a slew of successful businessmen, entrepreneurs, merchants, and assorted other wealthy individuals. All of them had paid fifty thousand creds a seat to be here, and although the food was certainly top of the line, a vast majority of that fee was obviously meant to be a donation to the agency. To be present at one of Cronus's charity fundraisers carried great value just by getting the opportunity to be around and meet so many wealthy individuals, so there was never any shortage of people wishing to participate.
"Your generous contributions to the agency help move them one step closer towards bringing imperium smugglers and black market chemists to justice. Every cred counts in this fight. Make no mistake, we are mere decades away from making contact with planets beyond our solar system, opening up an entire universe of possibility and opportunity. But, at the same time, we are mere decades away from draining our galaxy of imperium, which fuels our ability to reach for such ambitious goals. For the future of our civilization, for the good of everything that has been built over these last three thousand years, we must achieve the former before the latter happens. And your contributions tonight, as well as the future ones I anticipate you all to make, help ensure that. Thank you."
A controlled, professional, yet clearly enthused round of applause followed this final declaration. It was enough to break the uptight, straight-laced event just a little bit. Amid the cacophony, Endymion couldn't help but give Cronus a look of appreciation, able to fully grasp both his oratory talents as well as his double-life deception. Endymion had great experience with both, but he could not help but feel that he had much to learn to get to where Cronus was.
"The auction will now commence," Cronus announced, waving over to his left. "All proceeds go to the agency, all bids are binding, and all sales are final." He stepped off the dais over to his right.
"I really don't know where we'd be as an organization without Cronus," Kasios said under his breath, leaning over towards his son. "Most businessmen aren't exactly a fan of governmental oversight and regulation. Like half the people in this room are only here because of his persuasion."
Endymion looked to his left, at one of the neighboring tables, easily finding the sight that stuck out like a sore thumb in the front row. Princess Venus stood out in just about any crowd, with her galaxy-renowned beauty, but surrounded by largely older and unremarkable-looking men, it was hard to not find your gaze constantly pulled in her direction.
"Is this some sort of publicity stunt?" Endymion asked. "Are you guys trying to...appeal to the younger generation?"
"She's not nearly as unintelligent as you would assume, looking at her," Kasios muttered quietly. "I had the same reservations you did, but she came highly recommended and was able to pass our litmus tests for knowledge. And remember, Venus is known for their genius battle strategists. Not all just pretty faces."
Cronus came over to their table as a bald, stocky man began to set himself up on the dais. "Good to see you taking an interest in your father's work as well, Your Highness," he said, looking over towards Endymion.
"I told him he had to come or no dessert for a cycle," Kasios said dryly.
Cronus turned his focus over to the High King. "Your son is a natural in the lab. He'll have a diamond certification in less than a year at this rate. I just wish he'd come work for me after he's done, alas, not meant to be."
"Doesn't surprise me," Kasios replied. "I'm just glad he has the opportunity to do this before he takes the throne. Thank you again for facilitating it, Cronus."
"Great to see you," Endymion said, leaning up towards Kasios to be heard over the sound of the auctioneer announcing bids on a specially crafted harp made of solid gold. "Stop by the lab sometime soon."
"I'll make time for it," Cronus agreed. "Enjoy your evening." With that, he walked off.
"Learn everything you can from him," Kasios muttered. "He's a once-in-a-generation mind."
"Oh, I know first-hand," Endymion replied, glancing back up to the dais. A couple of large men wearing blue security uniforms were carrying a small golden orb up to the auctioneer.
"Next up, we have a very special brooch, forged and set by Arche of Jupiter himself. Made of solid gold, with four bold, beautiful gemstones set around it. Handcrafted, one-of-a-kind." The auctioneer glanced down at a small pad of paper in his right hand. "Starting this one at fifty thousand creds."
"Oooh," Endymion said, reaching underneath the tablecloth and pulling out a black paddle with the number 4 printed on it in big bold red font.
"You know you could get one just like it for free," Kunzite muttered, leaning over a bit towards his charge. "One phone call to Arche and he'll be falling all over himself to make something for you."
"Yes, but it's for charity," Endymion said. He raised the paddle up high into the air, getting it to automatically start flashing, drawing the attention of the auctioneer.
"Doesn't really seem to be your style," Kasios commented.
"Maybe, but I know someone who it suits," Endymion replied.
"Ah." Kasios gave a thin smile. "So, speaking of which. What's going on there, exactly? I've been told she's been around the palace lately. Please, tell me things are getting better."
"Well, they are," Endymion admitted tersely. "As for what's going on exactly, I'm...well, still trying to figure that out myself." He raised the paddle up into the air above his head again.
"
Chibiusa, tightly wrapped up in a thin little blanket, rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, settling herself down onto the soft, pliable mattress that made up most of Prince Endymion's bed. Endymion gently stroked his fingers along her back as she settled down.
"It takes a lot to get her settled down. The midwives all keep telling me she has more energy than any child her age that they've ever seen," Serenity said.
Endymion nodded, straightening up. With his daughter going to sleep, the content smile on his face faded, and his gaze flipped over to his wife. She was seated on the bottom left corner of the bed, watching Chibiusa fall asleep.
"She really does brighten up when she sees you," Serenity said wistfully.
"Um, hey, so...I got you something!" Endymion said, gingerly walking over to the bedside table and grabbing a small blue box. "I was at an event the other night, and...well, I saw something I thought you might like."
As Endymion brought the box over, Serenity's face hardened a bit, Chibiusa no longer acting as a buffer between the couple that allowed them to have pleasant, drama-free interactions. She, of course, recognized the type of box he was bringing over as typically being used for carrying jewelry, and was immediately conflicted even before laying eyes on what the Earth Prince had for her.
He stopped in front of her, holding the box out towards her and slowly pulling back on the lid. The golden brooch was revealed, the modestly-sized piece of jewelry glinting in the light. She blinked down at it for a moment.
"I, uh, I thought you might like it, seemed like something that would look good on you," Endymion stuttered nervously. He seemed to grow more concerned with each second that Serenity didn't offer a reaction to the gift. "I mean, this would definitely look amazing on...um, on your white dresses and stuff."
"It's very nice looking," Serenity admitted, giving it a curt nod.
"I thought so too," Endymion said hopefully. "So, uh...do you...do you want it?"
Serenity pursed her lips. "I'm thinking about it."
Endymion gave a frustrated little murmur, closing the box and setting it down on the bed next to Serenity. "Alright, um...Serenity. At the risk of ruining whatever this is, I don't think I can just keep going on blind anymore. I...I need to...w-what are you doing here?"
Serenity, after a moment's pause, looked over her shoulder at Chibiusa's sleeping form. "I thought I already said. I want you to have the opportunity to be a part of her life. You asked for that."
"Yes, yes, I...but why are you here?" Endymion inquired, scratching the side of his head, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Serenity. "I...there are certainly ways for me to see our daughter sometimes without you having to be here, and...correct me if I'm wrong, Serenity, but...you don't want to be here, do you? I just...I don't understand it."
She looked over at him, a mysterious little smile on her face. "Do you not want me to be here?"
"Oh, n-no, not that, not at all," Endymion said quickly. "Of course that's not it, but...I don't understand. You wanted out, you...you did everything you could to get out. You…" he winced down hard, turning away from her. "You slept with...you slept with...someone in order to get out. And I let you out, and now, here you are, and I just can't make sense of it!" He shook his head. "Technically, you're not even supposed to be here, it's a violation of the...the restraining order."
She leaned back on the bed, using her arms to prop herself up.
"Well, it's a bit of an...odd situation, what with you coming to my room and all, but...we're not supposed to be anywhere near this close to each other," Endymion continued.
"I never filed that," Serenity said suddenly, leaning forward again, eyes seemingly lighting up as she looked over at Endymion.
The Earth Prince was quickly silenced by that proclamation, slowly turning towards her, a bewildered look on his face.
"Threw it away, actually," Serenity added. "Burned it, just...just in case. Didn't want anyone finding it."
Endymion blinked, looking rather dumb for a few beats. "...S...Serenity, w-why? Why would you do that?" His eyelids flickered up and down rapidly, as if he was dazed.
"I don't think it's going to work," Serenity said. "It's...it's not a story people are going to buy."
Endymion's cheek twitched slightly. "S-Serenity, I...I already said. We'd find a way. I'm willing to do or say whatever it takes to sell it. Better that than you forcing yourself to be around me when you don't want to be."
"I don't think so," Serenity said softly. "Both our parents know. We've been crazy about each other for years, in love as much as any couple has ever been in love. And suddenly, just out of nowhere, I hate you so much I don't even want you within a hundred paces of me?" She shook her head. "My mother would chase me around for the rest of her life until she knew what happened. And your father? You really think he'd just shrug his shoulders and be okay with something that significant happening in his palace?"
"We are adults, Serenity. Both of us," Endymion reminded her, crossing his left leg over his right.
"Endymion, if you get caught, if your crimes get exposed...I lose everything. If we remain separated, and I file that order, our parents will dig around until they figure out what's going on. I can't take that risk any more than you can. So...I just think that our best move is to, gradually, start to make amends, spend some time around each other, and...eventually, piece this back together."
Endymion ran his hand over his mouth, running it over his chin. "Um, Serenity...there's more going on here than...than you know about." He looked rather hesitant, glancing away from her. "Serenity, one of the reasons why I...why I helped you move out was...well, there's no easy way to say this." He turned back to her, leaning in close. "I'm back in the business. My involvement in criminal activity is...ongoing now. An opportunity came up that was too good for me to pass up, and...I can't just abandon my commitment right now. I won't be able to for some time." He put his hand up onto his chest. "I'm actively participating in illegal imperium smuggling operations. I don't think you want to be around that. And I'm not going to make you be around that."
Serenity slowly tilted her head to the side, holding silent for a moment.
"I mean, understand, it's...it's completely different from how it was before. Before, I was just being an idiot, I didn't understand how things worked, I was putting myself in dangerous situations, I was way too close to the street operations, I...I don't know what I was thinking, but, the fact remains, I don't want you to have to act as my wife any more than you absolutely have to, given what I'm involved in." Endymion looked down at the carpet beneath his feet. "It...it kills me to say all that, really, but...you deserve the truth."
"How is it different now?" Serenity asked.
"Oh, I...all I do is lab work now," Endymion said under his breath. "I just make the product. I'm working with someone now who handles everything else. I'm basically taking on no risk, I'm insulated from the actual selling and...it's just like a job now." He shrugged. "But, it's still very much illegal."
"A grey area," Serenity said softly. Endymion had a physical reaction to those words, immediately snapping his head over towards his wife.
"E-excuse me?" Endymion asked.
"That's what you said. Morally grey," she continued. "Remember?"
"...y-yes…" he said tentatively.
"I've been doing some reading over the last couple cycles," Serenity said. "I wanted to...have an open mind and at least consider your side of things. And I think you might have a point."
"I do?" Endymion said without thinking. Serenity turned to give him a raised eyebrow, serving well to remind him to not be so careless with his words. He gave his head a little shake. "I...I mean...no, no, I do, but...I just...didn't think you'd ever be able to see it that way."
"I was angry, and I didn't want to hear it," she admitted. "But, I figured the least I could do is try, so I did some reading."
"What did you read?" Endymion asked, fighting to not make it sound as if he was surprised that Serenity knew how to read.
"Uh...let me think." She looked down at her lap, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "In Defense Of A Free Market by Jorgunson of Mercury, The Good, The Bad, and The Agency by Alexios, What Black Market Imperium Can Do For You by Diana of Uranus...oh, um, just to get both sides, there was also The Galactic Imperium Agency is Saving your Grandchildren by Aegidius." She looked up. "I think that's it."
Endymion stared at his wife as if a second head was sprouting up out of her left shoulder. "You...you read all of those?"
"I had to, I needed to...to try something so I could understand all this. And, I mean...I think that, maybe...well, it's a complicated issue. Not black and white. There's good, and there's bad." She bobbed her head a bit. "So...yes. I think you might have a point."
Endymion swallowed down hard. "So...you mean...what, you approve of what I'm doing?"
Slowly, Serenity turned towards him, expression having noticeably stiffened, getting him to withdraw his head back slightly. "Understand this, Endymion. I never asked you to do any of this. I never wanted you to do any of this. Don't you dare try to pretend that I'm the reason why you got involved in this. And regardless of everything else, I don't accept all the lying. I'm not okay with you trying to hide all of this from me." She blinked a few times. "What I mean, is that...maybe we can make this work. Maybe."
Endymion was afraid to say anything this time, just waiting for her to continue.
"I'm willing to try, anyway," Serenity said quietly. "It's the best thing for all of us."
"I've committed to at least nine more cycles of working with my partner," Endymion said timidly. "I...I don't particularly want to break my agreement."
She pursed her lips. "Well, you spending a lot of time outside of the palace might not be such a bad idea. If I decide to move back in." She slowly got to her feet. "If." She looked around the back side of the room slowly. "For us to get to that point, I need you to promise me two things. No more lying, that's obvious. Whatever it is that you get involved in from now on, I need to know about it. If what you're doing is...so awful and horrific that you can't bring yourself to tell me about it, then you shouldn't be doing it. That goes for anything."
Endymion nodded, propping his elbows up on his knees and hunching over a bit. "Of course."
"And, Endymion, really. What you said about how...there's no danger anymore. It has to stay that way. Not just for you, but...me, Chibiusa, your father...none of us can be put at risk by this. The moment this stops being a...a job in a lab, I don't care what promises you've made. If you, or anyone else, is being put in danger because of your involvement in this, you need to get out."
"Oh, I don't think we have anything to worry about on that front," Endymion said.
"Seriously, Endymion," Serenity continued to push, turning around and crossing her arms over her chest. "You are the father of an infant. You're the Crown Prince of Earth. Whatever you're getting out of this, it's not worth you dying over."
"I know, I know," Endymion admitted. "I was being stupid at first, I see that now. Trust me, Serenity, what I'm doing now, it's really...not all that different from a baker, or a landscaper. It's a job. No more violence, no more people getting hurt. That's how this works from now on." He slowly got to his feet. "And...thank you for hearing me out. I'm really happy that you at least understand why I did this."
Serenity gave a bitter little laugh. "Oh, not even close." She gave him a bit of an incredulous look. "Nowhere near that."
Demurred, Endymion averted his gaze from her a bit.
"I have no idea why you did all this, Endy. Not a clue. I can't even begin to make sense of that part of it." She wiped her right palm over her forehead. "All I've done is...get to a point where I don't have to think you're a terrible person anymore. I have no idea why you thought this was a good use of your time."
Endymion thought for a moment, absentmindedly slipping his hands into his pockets. "Um...well, Serenity, I…"
"Don't say it," Serenity warned.
"I...I wasn't," Endymion said. "I was, uh...well...I was just trying to...to...stand up to the tide," he managed, somewhat weakly and unconvincingly.
Serenity bit the inside of her right cheek, thinking for a moment. "I don't know what that means, Endymion."
"Oh, well, you know...we...we used to be gorillas. You know?" He squeezed his eyes shut. "N-nevermind."
Serenity focused on Chibiusa for a brief moment. "O-oh, Endymion. One last thing. How does Princess Mercury factor into this?"
Endymion blanched, not expecting her line of inquiry to go in this direction.
"She still won't answer my calls or return my messages, so...she's involved somehow, isn't she? Is she helping you?" She squinted. "Doesn't seem like her."
"No, definitely not," Endymion said with a nervous smile. "Wow, pretty much forgot about that." He sighed. "You're going to hate me."
"Maybe," Serenity acknowledged. "What did you do to her, then? Let's start practicing this whole telling me the truth thing now."
"I didn't hurt her," Endymion said quickly, putting his hands out towards her. "Not...not physically, anyway. I didn't touch her." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I...I scared them."
"Them?" Serenity pounced on immediately.
"Ah, uh...Queen Mars. She was involved too. They...they found out."
Serenity frowned, scratching at the side of her face. "How did they find out?"
"I'm still a little fuzzy on that myself," Endymion admitted. "It was confusing, but, somehow, they were able to figure it out. It was that night at the Opera, on Neptune. So, I...I threatened them. I told them that my father was in on it too, and if they tried to turn me in, I'd just deny it and cover it up, and then we'd declare war on them."
Serenity let an exasperated exhale go. "Oh, Gods. Endy."
"I know, I know, it was...it came up out of nowhere, I had to scramble to come up with...with something to get them to back off." Endymion timidly sat back down on the corner of the bed.
"Your father?" Serenity said accusingly. "Endy, that's...look, if I can see how damaging and dangerous saying something like that could be, then I'm sure you can."
"It had to be done," Endymion insisted. "I...I think that they're assuming that you don't know what's going on, so they're afraid to talk to you."
"Queen Mars has talked to me a few times since I moved out," Serenity said slowly. "She's seemed...normal."
Endymion shrugged. "I guess she has more faith in her ability to keep her emotions in check. But, in any case, Princess Mercury is shutting you out because she's worried that if she lets something slip to you, I'll blame her."
"Mmmm," Serenity groaned. "Alright, I...I'll get in contact with her somehow and tell her I know, I guess."
"Ah, uh...be careful," Endymion warned. "The only reason she hasn't blown this whole thing up is that she thinks my father is the mastermind. If she learns that that isn't the case, then...well, there's no telling what happens." He shrugged. "I probably can't survive a full agency investigation."
"I know, I know," Serenity said. "M-Mercury's my friend. She has been for a long time. I'll just...I'll just tell her I know and she doesn't have to worry about what she says to me."
Endymion winced. "Just be careful. No matter what, it's...it's going to be hard to avoid it being awkward. I'm sorry."
Finally, the room was silent for several long moments. Endymion glanced over quickly, wondering if the exhausting conversation was finally over, but Serenity was still sizing him up. He nervously glanced about.
"How do you do it?" Serenity asked.
"Hm?" Endymion looked over at her. "What do you mean?"
"Just...the whole thing. How do you just...lie like that?" Serenity continued, looking at her husband with somewhat cold and affronted glare, that somehow managed to be a bit playful at the same time.
Endymion rattled out a sigh, hanging his head a bit. "Serenity, I...I really was just trying to protect you, I didn't want you to know. You knowing just puts that much more of a burden on you."
"No, no, not...not me. I just mean in general," she corrected. "All the time, to...to everyone. You're involved in one of the biggest imperium smuggling operations ever, and then you come home and you...spend all this time with your father, someone who's spending half of his time trying to end imperium smuggling." She constricted her arms around her chest a little tighter. "The Earth Royal House's public stance on the issue is one of strict regulation, and you're living here while being involved in that, it's...it's like you're...just telling a never ending lie, constantly. How do you do that?"
The Earth Prince squinted, surprised to find that he wasn't really sure how to answer. He didn't even really know where to start.
"Um...I don't really know. I just do it," Endymion said. "I don't really think about it. I just compartmentalize and do it."
"I don't think very many people are capable of doing something like that," Serenity said, tone clipped. "I certainly never thought you'd be someone who was."
"Neither did I," Endymion said. "So...I...what do we do now?"
She went over to the front side of the bed, where Chibiusa remained asleep. "I'll...head back, think all this over, and we'll see." Gently, she scooped the sleeping child up, moving her over towards the carrier by the door.
"But, you're on board with all this now?" Endymion asked nervously. "Sorry, I'm just honestly confused about where we stand."
"Me too," Serenity said, setting Chibiusa into the cushioned seat without waking her up. "But, I suppose, if we just...slowly start seeing each other more, ease back into being a couple, and at some point, I move back in...it's a story that people will buy."
Endymion sheepishly put his hands behind his back, thinking. Finally, as the baby carrier began to levitate slightly, he nodded. "Alright."
"Almost forgot," Serenity said, quickly stepping around Endymion over to the corner of the bed, reaching down and picking up the small box containing the golden brooch. Endymion watched her in rapt fascination, clearly surprised. She popped the box open, looking down at the impressive piece of jewelry for several moments. Finally, she popped the box closed, then turned to her husband and presented it out to him. "I don't think we're quite there yet."
"Not quite?" Endymion reiterated, slowly reaching down and taking the box, looking somewhat put out.
"Not quite," she agreed with a cheeky little smile.
"
Princess Mercury scribbled her pen along the surface of the paper in rapid, perfectly-symmetrical cursive writing, spilling out sentences via ink almost as fast as some people could think up those sentences in their minds. The room was quiet outside of the whirring, scratching noise of the pen running along paper.
The blue-haired young woman was jolted from her almost trance-like state by a soft knock at the door to her right, even this gentle intrusion enough to nearly cause her to toss her pen up into the air. She quickly gathered herself. "Yes? Come in."
A middle-aged woman cracked the door open and poked her head in. "Your Highness. Princess Serenity is here, she says she wants to see you."
Mercury didn't even bother trying to hide her distress at the mere mention of that name, eyes going wide and face paling. "U-uh, t-tell her I'm not here," she said quickly, trying to not sound panicked.
"I did," the maid answered. "She said she knows you're here, and she's not leaving until you meet with her."
Mercury closed her eyes, hanging her head a bit as she thought. "Tell her—"
"Mercury, we need to do this now."
Mercury's heart nearly leapt into her throat, as the maid withdrew her head back out into the hallway. "Your Highness, I told you to wait in the main hallway."
"I know you did, there...there's a misunderstanding between me and Mercury right now, and we need to work it out."
Mercury pressed her hands up over her mouth, eyes practically spinning as she looked around her room, searching for something that could save her from this highly-delicate and dangerous scenario.
"Well, Your Highness, I did—"
"L-let her in," Mercury said, a flat resignation in her voice. "It's okay, Kalini, just...let her in."
The door slowly slid open a bit, Kalini peering back inside. "Your Highness, you're sure?"
She was anything but sure. But she forced herself to give a sturdy nod. "Yes. S-she can come in, and...it's fine."
Looking entirely unconvinced, Kalini nevertheless slowly pushed the door the rest of the way, revealing Princess Serenity, hands clasped in front of her.
"K-Kalini, you can...you can go," Mercury said, stiffening up at the sight of the Moon Princess standing in the threshold.
"If you're...if you're sure," she said nervously, eyes dancing back and forth between the two members of royalty.
"It's fine, I...don't worry about it," Mercury assured her. "Leave us alone, please."
Serenity stepped into the room and Kalini closed the door behind her. The blonde Princess took a few moments to examine the room, luxurious even by her high standards. No space was wasted in the massive chamber, artifacts and rare objects of all kinds in every direction. It was hard to even focus on one particular item, the wealth and taste on display was so overwhelming. Mercury, on the other hand, felt as if the room was shrinking, the encounter may as well have been taking place in a pitch-black void, nothing but the two young women present. Even though she was on her home planet, in her palace, sitting in her room, amid the treasures and relics of a hundred generations that spoke to her tremendous position of power and affluence, she didn't feel remotely comfortable.
Serenity just stared at her for several beats, carefully judging how to approach this. Mercury was clearly afraid to even open her mouth.
"Mercury, I know everything," Serenity said. The blue-haired Princess startled a bit at the sudden breaking of the silence, exacerbated by the surprising proclamation. "I...is it safe for us to talk about this?"
Mercury blinked rapidly several times in succession, as if dazed, and then nodded.
"I know everything that's going on," Serenity said, a gentle, soothing smile springing up on her face. "And I know that you've been avoiding me and staying out of contact with me because...well, you didn't know that. And you were afraid of accidentally giving it away. That's not a concern, I promise. He's told me everything."
Mercury looked rather shocked. "I...everything?"
"Yes, I'm positive, he...I found out everything not too long after you did, actually. And I know what...what Endymion said to you." She winced sympathetically.
"I heard you had...moved out, so I had my suspicions," Mercury said quietly. "But I couldn't be sure how much you knew, so, I...I couldn't...I didn't…"
"Mercury, it's okay. I completely understand. You must have felt awful about it, and...and I'm sorry you had to go through that And, Endymion...he's sorry he had to do that. I'm sure the last thing you need right now is to see him, and he knows that too, but for whatever it's worth, he feels bad about all that."
Mercury stared blankly, still entirely off-kilter from the consistent stream of revelations coming from Serenity.
"But I want you to know that you don't have to be scared around me," Serenity continued. "I promise there's nothing you can tell me that I don't already know. And, if possible, I'd like for us to try to pretend like this whole thing never happened." She walked up closer to Mercury, happy to see that she didn't flinch away. "We...we should still be friends, Mercury."
"S-so...Serenity, what...what's going on now?" Mercury asked, throat still a little tight. "I...if you know everything, then...well, where does that leave you?"
"Oh...I'm still trying to figure that out," Serenity admitted. "It's such a crazy situation I'm in, I...I never imagined in a thousand years I'd be in the middle of all of this." She shrugged. "I'm trying to work it out. I'm not...I'm not happy about it, but I think you know better than anyone, I'm sort of...stuck."
Immediately, Mercury looked alarmed again. Serenity quickly put her hands out towards her. "No, no! Mercury, I...I'm not blaming you at all for any of that, I promise. There's no way you could have seen something like this happening, and you did everything you could on the merger agreement, I...nothing like that, Mercury."
Mercury's eyes went downcast slightly, scratching the back of her neck. "Work it out...with Endymion?"
Serenity nodded. "I have to stay married to him, and we've already had a kid, so...I can't say I'm exactly happy about it, but I've...I mean, it's happened. And now I'm here." She cleared her throat. "But that's not important, what's important is that—"
"Serenity, I haven't told anyone," Mercury said quickly. "I haven't. And I won't. Ever."
"Oh, I'm not concerned about that," Serenity said airily. "If you had told someone, I'm sure Endymion would—"
"No, really," Mercury said, an audible tension in her voice. She put her hands up a bit, palms out towards Serenity. "Serenity, I give you my word. I haven't told anyone. And I will never breathe a word of any of this. No exceptions."
"Mercury, I believe you," Serenity said. "I—"
"Really," she whispered. "All of this. Every last bit of it. I will never say anything." She nodded. "I just, I really need you to understand that. Nobody will ever hear any of this from me."
Serenity's smile dropped a bit, and she slowly glanced along the floor at Mercury's feet. Finally, she gave a firm now. "Um...good."
"
Kunzite pushed the two large bins together, each of them full to the brim with synthesized imperium. "Almost two libras over in total."
"Wonderful," Cronus said, looking back and forth at the two large collections of clear crystals. "Payment is up on the catwalk, then."
Endymion looked up above the laboratory at the metal walkway above, quickly finding the modestly-sized crate by the door leading out.
"Oh, and Your Highness, thank you for your generous contributions towards my fundraiser the other day," Cronus added as Tellu came over to assist in guiding the floating bins over towards the lift in the corner. "The brooch, especially. Really, when you can open up an auction with big figures and fast bids just flying all over the place, it loosens everyone up. It really helped the rest of the night."
"Mm," Endymion muttered, nodding as the two large bodyguards pushed the imperium to the lift. "Good to see you."
"Next batch, five thousand two hundred," Cronus instructed, putting his hand up on Endymion's right shoulder. "It's selling with no end in sight, let's keep pushing it."
"Say, Cronus, let me ask you something," Endymion said, the dull hum of the lift rising filling the room. "How do we do it?"
"Do what?" Cronus asked.
"Lie, the way we do," Endymion continued, half his focus on the lift getting up flush with the catwalk. "Just constantly lie to everyone."
Cronus smiled bemusedly. "Your Highness, you seem perfectly proficient at it yourself, seems to me like you should have a pretty good understanding of that."
"Cronus, I've got nothing on you!" Endymion exclaimed. "You ran a massive charity fundraiser for the agency, tens of millions of creds, all the while you're the one who's been weakening them constantly over the last decade with your black market efforts. You get up on a stage in front of the most powerful people in the galaxy and tell them how the agency is working to save civilization, and then you turn around do more to undermine them than anyone in the history of the galaxy. I mean, I know what I'm doing, I understand, but you're running circles around me. How do we do this? Because, when you think about it, most people could never do all this. Just one big constant lie that never ends. It would tear most people apart."
Cronus pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "Hm. Interesting."
"It just kind of occurred to me, recently, I've just been doing it this whole time. Never really thought about how I was doing it." He shrugged. "You've been doing this a lot longer than me, I thought maybe you'd know. How do we do it?"
The pharmaceutical Kingpin stared at Endymion for a moment. "The human eye can see more shades of green than any other color."
Endymion's unfocused gaze snapped into focus, and he turned his body towards Cronus. "What was that?"
"The human eye can see more shades of green than any other color, and if you can figure out why that's the case, you'll have your answer," he said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder a couple times before walking over to the spiral stairs on the other side of the room. "Think about it!"
Endymion just stared dully, confused, as the older man began to take the steps two at a time. Despite the mysterious answer that did not move him any closer to understanding things better, he finally gave an amused grin.
"
Princess Venus ran her fingers across the tablet surface at lightning-quick speeds, forehead knitted in concentration as she examined the screen in her hands. Aphrodite sat right next to her, holding silent, able to clearly see that her Princess was very much occupied and zoned in on her work and that she wouldn't appreciate an interruption. The Genetrix was only hosting two people today, all the other lieutenants out on business.
"It doesn't make any sense," Venus muttered.
"A-are you talking to me?' Aphrodite asked, legs squeezing together a bit nervously.
"I'm just talking," Venus said. "To myself, anyone around, the wall, the chair, whoever." She sighed.
"So...still not sure who Tuxedo Mask could be?" Aphrodite couldn't help but be curious, despite an instinctive desire to let her Princess tell her when she was ready.
"There's an imperium smuggler out there," Venus said, setting the screen down at her side and leaning back on the chaise. "He's been active for over a decade, working on almost every planet and moon in the galaxy, responsible for a huge piece of the black market imperium over the past decade. The agency is funded to the high heavens and armed with the finest technology in the universe, and has a nearly limitless supply of manpower. And they haven't even scratched the surface of being able to find him. It just doesn't make any sense."
Venus's lieutenant sat there in silence, letting her talk it out without interruption.
"And this 'Tuxedo Mask', it...I don't understand. They're nowhere near him. I looked at the list of arrests and convictions since the agency started, it's massive, the failure rate is microscopic, but these two...I feel like there has to be some sort of blind spot."
"What do you mean by that?" Aphrodite asked, putting her intertwined fingers beneath her chin.
"These people that the agency can't find, for some reason, they just have to be...people they would never even think about looking at. For one reason or another, they're considered beyond reproach, and they can't even consider the possibility."
"So someone on the council, you mean?" she asked. "How would we even investigate that?"
"Possibly, but...we don't have to start there." She turned to look at her lieutenant. "Not that my idea is going to be much easier, but I do have a target for you."
"Name them, Your Highness." Aphrodite got to her feet, standing up straight before her Princess. "Who should I look into?"
"A man who's been far too helpful and generous to the agency over the years for me to not be suspicious," Venus mused. "Aphrodite, that pharmaceutical billionaire from Saturn, Cronus. He's been a huge booster for the agency for awhile now. Too huge. They wouldn't even consider looking at him because they're so used to him being so helpful, but I'm wondering."
She nodded. "It's going to take awhile to dig up anything on a man like that."
"I don't need proof," Venus reminded her. "All I need is to know beyond reasonable doubt that he's involved. You get one whiff of anything that he's smuggling imperium, you get it back to me."
She raised her right arm up in a salute. "It will be done, Your Highness."