Behind Silence
Tarble stood in naught but an undergarment with his tail wrapped around his leg and hands clasped together to prevent them from shaking with nervous energy. Today he was entering the Bod Pod, a device that would measure just about every aspect of his biology from bone density to synaptic activity. In the short time he'd worked on Mercury as an apprentice xenologist, he'd assisted biologists in contacting members of other species for their regularly-scheduled Pod sessions. His tasks were a tiny part of the ongoing effort to track species development and deal with medical anomalies. Tarble was the first and only Saiyan to volunteer his anatomical data to the project, an ideal candidate since he was the youngest living specimen. Between his and Paragus' contributions to the Sea's database, the Mercurians practically worshipped them.
But Tarble hadn't volunteered in the sole interest of being selfless. No, he was doing it for Sailor Mercury. Kind, beautiful, and wise beyond her years, she made him feel more comfortable on her planet than he ever had on Vegetasei. She valued his intellectual pursuits and encouraged his curiosity. He'd only worked alongside her a few times, but simply being in her presence made him feel like he could accomplish any goal no matter how lofty. She had that inspirational effect on all her people, but for Tarble specifically, it was almost like being praised by a fellow Saiyan. Mercury was petite and had short black hair just like Gine, and although incredibly rare, female Saiyans could be born with blue eyes; Commander Celipa had been one such individual. For all those reasons, Tarble had grown quite enamored with the guardian.
Fwoosh, she entered the room. "Good afternoon, Tarble." Her smile filled him with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
"Hello, Your Guardianship," he replied, biting the inside of his cheek to suppress a goofy grin. She interacted with the Bod Pod's console and the lid slid open, inviting him.
"Your supervisor told you what to expect, right?"
"Right…" he nodded. "I'll be suspended in an aqueous solution for ten minutes."
"And you may experience tingling sensations inside and outside your body." Mercury gestured to the capsule. "I'm ready when you are, Highness."
Tarble got situated, frowning. "I'm not a prince anymore, Your Guardianship."
She looked sheepish. "My mistake. I want you to know that I respect and appreciate you for permitting us to gather this data, since Shallot and the other Saiyans were so averse to the notion."
"They're just… wary," he felt the need to explain. "The Frieza used what they learned about us to kill us."
"I understand the gravity of the situation you escaped." Sailor Mercury flashed another smile that made him weak in the knees. "I hope that in time your people will come to trust and rely on all the denizens of the Sea. We wouldn't be where we are today if we hadn't helped each other by providing knowledge and insight. I promise that none of the species living alongside you have imperialistic, genocidal maniacs among their numbers."
"That's good to hear," Tarble laughed before securing a breathing apparatus over his face. He gave her a nod, then the lid sealed. Pink goo began filling the Pod from the bottom up, and once full it reminded Tarble of an incubation chamber. The sensation was strongly embedded in his subconscious since he'd spent more time in one than most Saiyans due to being born prematurely. The facts pointed to him being below average in every metric that mattered to Saiyans, so Tarble decided to compensate with brainpower. His brother and father never quite understood why he read so much, but the brain was an organ that could be honed in the same manner as one strengthened their muscles with exercise.
Various parts of his body began to itch but he wasn't supposed to move around while the Bod Pod mapped his anatomy. Tarble chewed on his cheek as the itching grew more and more unbearable until Sailor Mercury beamed at him with pure delight, then he forgot all about scratching while the goo drained out. "Your biology is simply fascinating!" she fawned. "The fact that your bones are three times denser than a Human's proves that Saiyans evolved to withstand higher gravitational forces! I can't wait to make some comparative diagrams!"
Tarble evaporated the residual goo with a ki flash. "I'm glad I could be of service, Your Guardianship."
Her eyes sparkled as they met his. "You have indeed done a great service to the entire Sea of Serenity. Thank you, Tarble." She bowed at the waist, conflicting him; the guardians only bowed to royalty. "I hope you don't think I'm being too forward in saying this, but… I would like you to know my name."
"Y-your name?" he parroted. "Your Human name?"
"Yes." Oh no, she was blushing. Tarble stood there with his mouth agape. "I'm Ami. Please use it from now on."
"Ami…" It was so easy to speak, to sigh, to breathe. "Ami. It sounds beautiful."
It felt like a barrier had lowered between them. Tarble knew who the Guardian of Water and Wisdom really was, a Human girl only two years older than him. Suddenly she looked her age and not like a young woman with the weight of a solar system on her shoulders. Now Tarble never wanted to leave her side. There was so much they could discover together.
His whimsical notions vanished when bright white light flared between them. Tarble blinked rapidly, seeing spots like he'd stared at the Sun too long, and it took him a minute to realize the multicolored aura belonged to another guardian. She stood four heads taller than him, had long white hair and darkly tanned skin, wore opalescent white armor, and held an ornate staff in her hand. Tarble had read about her in the solar system database, a Terran girl who inherited the brand-new designation of Sailor Cosmos, the Ephemeral One, she who possessed enough celestial power to affect things on a universal scale. A guardian with such strength had no reason to appear unnerved, yet she did.
"Mercury, thank goodness I reached you. You must contact the rest of the inner guardians right away and tell them to muster their forces. Shadow Galactica is moving to take Kinmoku!"
Ami's visage steeled so abruptly it seemed someone else had taken her place. Tarble instinctively stepped back. "You didn't find Usagi on Luna?" Sailor Cosmos shook her head and Ami's eyes narrowed. "That seems to be a common occurrence lately. I'll let the queen know in her stead."
"Thank you!" Cosmos spared Tarble a glance. The moment their gazes met, his knees buckled as if he'd been crushed by gravity. She moved to help him up. "Oh my, are you all right?"
"Hngh…" Her grip made his head spin and turned his tongue into a useless lump. The sheer magnitude of her aura left him disoriented like a tiny leaf being hurled about in a tornado. "I-I'm… you…" Tarble had never seen or knew of any creature in the galaxy with eyes like hers. Their lavender hue mesmerized him.
"This is Tarble, one of the Saiyan survivors from the Carina-Sagittarius arm of Seiun," Ami informed her ally. "Tarble, this is—"
"Sailor Cosmos…" he finished, quivering. "I know."
Cosmos gave him a little smile. "I wish I could stay longer to talk about your solar system, but we must reach Tankei as soon as possible." She and Ami nodded to one another, then she disappeared less radiantly than she'd arrived. Tarble's chest clenched at the absence of her ki. Gods, he couldn't believe he'd formed an aura link with the most powerful celestial guardian in existence, and at age thirteen no less. Maybe something was actually wrong with his genes.
Ami offered a look of regret. "I'm sorry, I have to leave now. We can go over your data further when I return." Tarble only nodded, not trusting himself to articulate properly, and left the lab in a daze.
The inner planets, in addition to Uranus and Neptune, swiftly mobilized their armies to intercept Galactica's conquest of Kinmoku. The citizens retired to their homes and tuned in to the transmissions already being broadcast throughout the Sea. In this manner, they saw the efficiency with which Queen Serenity, King Aethlios, and the guardians commanded the military. Everyone had the ability to pull up thousands of camera feeds and watch their brave warriors halt Shadow Galactica's ambitions… or watch them die trying.
Working alongside Serenity and Usagi had helped Vegeta discern the truth of the guardians' purpose in the Sea: they embodied Human ideals. They were idols placed on pedestals to be admired, worshipped, and adored. That was why so few people knew their birth names; being a celestial warrior meant they transcended humanity. Their titles were proof of their elevation to god-like beings in possession of abilities far beyond mortal comprehension… but they were still mortal, still Human. Once a guardian crystal had been acquired, the life they previously lived became inconsequential. Any personal struggles or ambitions vanished with the infusion of celestial energy. Guardians existed to be deified by their people, and that fervor gave them strength. But it wasn't their sole source of power.
On the first day they met, Usagi told Vegeta that guardians were the personification of one element and one aspect. He didn't know what she meant until he took a page from Tarble's book and dug into the history of the two royal families. Their separate lineage had been recorded since a time when Terra was called Earth and Humans had not yet become a space-faring species. Sun worship was an aspect of many primitive Human cultures, but the moon became equally revered once the first colony was established on Luna; the Sea of Serenity had in fact been named after that pioneering civilization in the lunar region of Mare Serenitatis, where the royal palace and embassy were located. The first three celestial warriors or progenitor senshi to appear in Human history were Sailor Lunaris, Sailor Solaris, and Sailor Stellaris. They represented the moon, sun, and stars in the literal sense, but figuratively they were representatives of Mankind's desire to reach out, to explore, to seek more and discover what lay beyond the boundaries of their known existence. Humans gradually terraformed and colonized many of the celestial bodies in their solar system, and as times and attitudes evolved, so too did their guardians. From three to four to six to eleven, it seemed like some omniscient being observed and altered each generation of guardians to epitomize what it meant to be Human.
Vegeta's first impression of Usagi had not been as the Guardian of Hope but as a beautiful girl with a strong yet gentle aura. He had no idea he would watch her head off to fight against would-be conquerors in real-time, and the fact that all the soldiers and their guardians were so candid during the mobilization and deployment was both fascinating and sickening, like a horrible accident one couldn't look away from. It was a hard fact that the thousands of micro-cameras attached to ships, vehicles, and helmets transmitted footage of people dying. To tune in was morbid, demented, even voyeuristic, but the denizens of the Sea didn't consider it so. They watched so they knew which warriors deserved praise, respect, and recognition for their valiant or sacrificial deeds. Those who had been driven from their homes watched because not all of them were strong or brave enough to fight back, and the people who were deserved to be remembered. They watched because it was important to know how much blood had been shed for freedom and liberty.
Vegeta tuned the monitor in his quarters to the guardian feeds, intrigued to see them fight. Everyone said they were warriors without peer but a part of him remained skeptical. He had to observe them with his own eyes. And… he wanted to see if any harm befell Usagi. She didn't seem like the type who charged into the fray, not like Sailors Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. Sailors Moon, Mercury, and Neptune were supposed to be the calm, level-headed ones, the strategists who observed the big picture. Tarble strode through the door just as the fighting forces landed on Kinmoku, a planet that had been beautiful until falling victim to Galactica's scorched earth tactics. Vegeta spared his little brother a glance, neither uttering a word while he sat down. The soldiers in their color-coded armor swiftly formed ranks, armed with all kinds of weapons from rifles to plasma blades, pistols to drones, composite bows to RPGs.
The Serene armies amassed around the old imperial capital of Keigane, which sprawled across a mountain range and into a valley below, the last foothold the Kinjin people had on their planet. They hadn't given up hope even after Empress Kakyuu surrendered herself to allow the Starlights and a wave of refugees to escape to the Sea of Serenity. She had been taken prisoner by a faction known as the Black Moon Clan. They operated a gigantic base called Nemesis that was capable of traveling at faster-than-light speed throughout the regions of Scutum-Centaurus conquered by Galactica, collectively referred to as the Tau System. Tankei was the most important solar system within Tau; if it fell, Shadow Galactica would set its sights on the Sea.
"Reconnaissance reveals that Black Moon is sending the Spectre Sisters to claim this final bastion of the Kinjin resistance," Sailor Cosmos informed her fellow guardians. "They're leading one massive cavalry unit, two infantry support units, and a fleet of airships. I think it would be prudent to intercept the aerial forces first since they can do the most damage."
Makoto and Haruka exchanged a look. "Where are they coming from?"
"The north," Cosmos answered, pointing past Keigane toward a vast jungle.
"We're on it." The two guardians ordered their soldiers onto more mobile vessels and took off. About one-third of the feeds in the Sea focused exclusively on them.
"The cavalry unit is crossing the plains to the west, and the infantry is following the Kiku River up from the south," Cosmos went on.
"If there is a water source involved, I believe Mercury and I are best suited for putting a halt to the infantry," Sailor Neptune suggested. She was a slender young woman with very fair skin, deep blue eyes, and wavy aqua hair. Her teal armor was made of form-fitting scale maile, and she had a titanium trident strapped to her back. "We'll use our submersibles to launch an ambush. Agreed?" Ami nodded yet appeared uncertain. It wasn't her place to speak out against an older, more experienced guardian.
"Sailor Moon and I can stay here to reinforce the city and offer medical aid," Galaxia said. "That leaves Venus and Mars with the cavalry. You two love causing wanton destruction, right?"
"One of us does." Minako winked at Rei, who kept her countenance neutral. "Make sure you get an accurate body count for the records this time."
"Or I could just return to the Sea with another trophy, say… Koan's tiara?" Arrogance crept into Rei's partial smile. "And maybe I'll take Calaveras' necklace, too, when I sever her head from her body."
"You're not getting to her before me," Mina stated. "I won't let you steal my glory this time!"
"Then I suggest you move faster!" Rei hopped on an infantry dropship and struck her chest with her fist. "For blood and glory!" The Martian soldiers responded with a warcry that briefly drowned out the sound of the ships taking off, such was their fervor to follow their guardian into battle. The Venusian personnel carriers caught up just in time to deposit their troops as the Martians landed in front of Black Moon's cavalry unit, which was quite a bit more… substantial than Sailor Cosmos relayed. Rei summoned her bow and launched herself into the air to rain molten death upon the army of mechs, landing in their midst with a fiery nova. Minako also leapt off her carrier with her trusted sword in hand, transforming it into multiple spearheads that lanced through the mechanical suits like hot knives through butter. The guardians' forces engaged at will, soon putting a halt to the cavalry's advance.
Black Moon's aerial fleet was destroyed in similarly short order, no match for guardians who could manipulate the weather. Tornadoes and lightning storms tossed the ships about like toys, hurling the flaming wreckage to the ground. All of that rigorous Uranian testing paid off as the alliance crafts out-maneuvered the enemy's railgun blasts, which took time to charge. Armed with her steel rapier and sleek armor, Haruka targeted any ships that tried to turn tail and flee, punching through them like a bullet. Makoto took an indirect approach, keeping two feet on her flagship while conducting her symphony of storms. She was good at fighting but she didn't revel in it like some of the other guardians. She had nothing to prove.
Kiku River had formed from ancient man-made aqueducts, deep and wide enough for the Neptunian and Mercurian submersibles to glide along in formation. Scouts on surface cruisers soon reconvened with the fleet. "The main host is massive and slow-moving," the scouts relayed to their guardians. "They're bringing siege weapons, tons of provisions, and what appears to be communication hub components."
"Makes sense…" Ami thought aloud. "Black Moon was probably instructed to set it up on Kinmoku for their maneuvers into our galactic arm, since this planet is the closest to Orion-Cygnus."
"We'll show them that superior numbers can easily be overcome with the right strategy." Ami looked to her senior guardian expectantly. "Your fleet should continue downriver past the rear of the host. I'm going to stay here and temporarily dam the water, build up pressure."
Sailor Mercury caught on. "Ah, then you'll wash them away in a flood."
Sailor Neptune nodded. "Any survivors will head south to regroup, where your forces can pick them off. We'll return to Keigane with anything that can be salvaged."
Usagi and Taiga started their relief mission with the valley garrisons, ordering the Lunarian army to dispense food, water, medicine, and clean clothing to the Kinjin soldiers. Most of them had been resigned to die today; their provisions were nearly depleted and all they had to combat Black Moon were small arms and the four plasma cannons situated around the imperial palace, which would have immediately been taken out by enemy airships. Taiga wondered why Black Moon felt the need to utilize such excessive force in quashing the rebellion, unless they anticipated that Serene forces would show up to intercept them. If so, they definitely weren't expecting nine guardians and seven armies. That put a smile on her face. "Hey, Your Highness…" Usagi glanced over. "If the Spectre Sisters decide to turn tail and run, do you want to pursue them?"
The princess mulled it over. "We should take any opportunity to eliminate enemy commanders," she replied.
"Agreed."
As they wandered up the mountain toward the palace, a pillar of fire and black smoke suddenly billowed on the horizon. The guardians shared a look, bracing themselves against a heatwave that washed over the land a few moments later. Usagi exuded a bit of her aura to keep the rebels calm, then reports started trickling down from the observation post on the mountain. "Calaveras threw Koan to Mars and Venus and escaped! That explosion was Koan's command ship being grounded!"
"They're probably fighting over who gets to kill her now," Galaxia muttered, then spoke louder. "Cosmos and I will tail Calaveras. We'll make sure she doesn't leave Tankei."
Usagi nodded before Galaxia turned to light and shot off into the atmosphere. This was only her second outing to Tankei and she didn't mind staying behind while the other guardians took more active roles; her abilities were better suited for support, anyway, and someone had to be present as a beacon of hope. She reached the imperial palace and headed to the sector that had been transformed into a field hospital, earning surprised looks and intrigued murmurs.
"That's Usagi-hime…"
"The Princess of Yasuragi no Umi is here!"
"I heard she became a guardian, but I didn't believe it!"
She simply smiled and offered reassuring words while mending broken bones and cleansing infections. The atmosphere grew lively as soldiers returned to their feet, thanking her, praising her, expressing gratitude to the Lunarians handing out supplies. Some of the Kinjin hadn't eaten in days. Some had been wearing the same uniform for weeks. They were all ready for the war to be over, to drive Black Moon away from their planet and send Shadow Galactica a message:
Tankei would not be theirs.
Sailor Galaxia and Sailor Cosmos intercepted Calaveras' ship before she could rendezvous with Nemesis. "You have nowhere to go!" Cosmos' words rang out in the plain of space. "Surrender yourself and we'll take you alive!"
One of the external speakers crackled, surprising the guardians when a male voice came through. "What makes you think I'll let her live?" The next instant, they sensed the auras of dozens of crew members fading away. Galaxia phased onto the bridge, frowning deeply. Everyone was dead.
"I've never seen this happen before…" Cosmos uttered, kneeling to examine a still-warm body. Calaveras and her elite warriors all wore the same style of metal choker from which a spike emerged to sever their brain stems.
"Black Moon would rather kill their commanders than risk us getting information from them." Galaxia raised her voice at the unknown speaker. "You'll be joining the Spectre Sisters soon enough! We'll drive you out of Tankei!"
Silence for a beat, then an arrogant chuckle filled the ship. "I eagerly await the day you little girls set foot on Nemesis."
Since there was nothing they could do now, the guardians returned to Kinmoku where their allies had proven victorious. Each pair brought technology back to Keigane for the Mercurians and Uranians to dismantle for transport to the Sea. Sailor Mars wore the silver and amethyst tiara that previously adorned Koan's head. "It should be mine," Venus pouted, "I'm the one who cornered her."
"I dealt the finishing blow," Mars returned, smirking. "My only regret is that I won't be able to earn the whole set."
"Calaveras was killed by one of Black Moon's generals," Sailor Cosmos informed the others. "What of Petz and Berthier?"
"Dead," Uranus answered. "Petz fell from her ship at some point during our battle. Neither I nor Jupiter noticed, but we found her on the ground."
"Berthier… took poison," Sailor Mercury relayed, "as did her crew. We didn't know until we forced open her armored vehicle."
Galaxia's brow furrowed. "Did you take any prisoners?"
"Yes, of course," Neptune said. "They've all been disarmed and loaded onto a personnel carrier."
Sailor Cosmos nodded. "Hopefully we'll be able to glean some information about the inner workings of Nemesis. Once we attack it directly and break up the Black Moon Clan, that will significantly loosen Galactica's hold on the Tau System." She looked around. "In the meantime, some of us should stay here on Kinmoku to help restore the planet. Once stability returns, we can figure out how to reclaim Ginnan. Who would like to join me?"
"I will," Jupiter was the first to volunteer.
"As will I," Sailor Uranus added.
"I should stay, too…" Usagi started to say, but her allies disapproved.
"You should be the one to lead all the Kinjin refugees back home," Venus suggested. "And you're the best one to get the prisoners to talk."
"Well, all right…" the princess agreed, meek. "Stay safe, everyone."
Two months passed until all the guardians returned from Tankei. During that time, Usagi completed her duties as an ambassador of peace with Vegeta at her side. All the traveling, speeches, and meetings took a toll on her, and she caught a cold. Serenity asked Vegeta to make sure Usagi stayed in her room and relaxed, but he was also helping Tarble alleviate his aura link-induced separation anxiety from Sailor Cosmos with light sparring sessions. Thankfully it was short-lived, allowing him to focus on Usagi. Just because she was bed-ridden didn't mean all of her bureaucratic responsibilities got put on hold, and Vegeta spent a fair amount of time moving about her room orating proposals and policies. Since Kinmoku had been liberated, the surviving military officials requested a permanent Serene outpost on their planet to continue acting as a deterrent. Serenity and Aethlios agreed, so now assets had to be allocated.
"We need to set up ho… house… achoo!"
"Bless you."
"Thanks." Usagi sniffled and groaned. "We have to build housing for our soldiers. A district in Keigane has already been cleared for it. Please draft orders for the carpenter's guilds of Terra and Callisto to construct one hundred thousand modular housing units in ten increments. We'll send that many waves of soldiers in order not to strain Keigane's resources." Vegeta swiftly filled in a form on her tablet, presenting it for her to review and sign. Usagi flopped onto her pillows. "I appreciate you."
He looked at her. "Thank you?"
"Seriously, Vegeta…" She angled her head toward him and he noticed that her face was excessively flushed. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're literally helping me run the solar system."
"That's the job I signed up for." His brow furrowed as he felt her cheek with the back of his hand. "You have a fever, Usagi. You should rest."
"I can't, there's so much to do."
He folded his arms. "If you don't rest, you'll only get sicker and be even more useless. Is that what you want?"
Usagi pouted. "No…" Vegeta gathered his few personal belongings and tucked the tablet under his arm. "Wait, don't take it!"
"How can I be sure you'll get some sleep otherwise?" He chuckled at her petulant expression, annoyed that he saw right through her. "I'll come back in a few hours." The door closed on her discontented mumbling and he drifted out of the royal quarters to the administrative wing where Serenity's aides bustled about. There really was so much to do after the liberation of Kinmoku, but Usagi had to take a step back and maintain her health. Vegeta would accomplish as much as his station permitted while she recuperated.
Three hours passed, and he left his office to check on Usagi as promised. Vegeta made a detour to the cafeteria and picked up a bowl of hot minestrone soup; it was one of the only forms in which Usagi would eat vegetables. While nearing her room, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. He paused as voices reached his keen ears.
"How is it? Any good?" A male, adolescent. Vegeta had heard it once before.
"It is, actually. I don't even need to add sugar." Usagi sounded raspy.
"Good. I don't think sugar would help you feel better."
She laughed and Vegeta moved closer. "Yet you brought me a chocolate lava cake?"
"Dark chocolate has antioxidants in it," the male said with a smile in his tone.
"That sounds like you're enabling me." They shared a chuckle as Vegeta knocked on the frame, coming into view. Usagi's entire countenance lit up as her guest's fell to a passive mask. "Vegeta! You were right about me needing to sleep. I feel much better."
"I'm glad."
Her gaze fell to the insulated bowl in his hand and she set a teacup down on the nightstand. "What do you have?" He simply surrendered it. "Ooh, minestrone! That sounds so good right now, thank you!"
Only after Usagi took up a spoon did Vegeta make eye contact with Prince Endymion, who sat in a chair at the bedside. "Your Highness," he greeted with a slight incline of his head.
"Vegeta." Dark blue eyes flicked over him. "I heard you're an advisor to the queen. The uniform suits you."
"Mmph!" Usagi audibly gulped down her last bite. "He's my aide, too! Lately he's been helping me sort out all these logistics with Kinmoku."
"It is a lot to handle," Endymion remarked, "but I'm glad the Kinjin can start returning home." He directed a fond smile at her. "Thanks to you, their hope has been renewed."
She waved it off. "Yeah right, I didn't do anything. I didn't even fight against the Spectre Sisters."
Vegeta tutted softly. "The soldiers whose wounds you mended wouldn't say you 'did nothing'. Not all victories are claimed in combat."
Endymion nodded in agreement, placing a hand on her knee beneath the comforter. "There's a reason why you were granted the power of the Ginzuishou. I can't speak for any others, but my people see it as a sign that the galaxy wants to be healed. You have the full support of Terra, Usagi."
"Thanks…" she muttered, cheeks flushed. Endymion rose to his feet and left. Vegeta returned the chair to its position at the table in the center of the room.
"What kind of tea did he bring you?"
She snapped back to attention. "Oh, it's green tea with dried raspberries and crystallized honey. He knows I like sweet things."
Vegeta could tell her blush was not from the heat of the soup. He was aware that Endymion and Usagi had maintained a cordial, political relationship all their lives since they were the respective prince and princess of the solar system, but he also heard rumors that Usagi occasionally disappeared from the palace without a trace. When Tarble had relayed the circumstances regarding the formation of his aura link, he mentioned that Sailor Cosmos couldn't find Usagi to inform her of the Spectre Sister's mobilization on Kinmoku, so she went to Sailor Mercury instead. Since the guardians could sense each other's celestial energy in the same vein as the Saiyans, Vegeta wondered if Endymion had something to do with concealing Usagi's ki.
Over the next few days, her illness worsened instead of getting better. A visit to Hermai Hospital on Mercury confirmed that Usagi had contracted an alien virus and her immune system was struggling to create antibodies to fight it off. She was placed in quarantine so the doctors and xenobiologists could run tests and gather as much data as possible. Because Vegeta and Endymion had both been in physical contact with Usagi, they were also summoned for testing. Endymion had to stay under observation but Vegeta was discharged when they found no trace of the virus in his system; in fact, his Saiyan immune system had killed it off almost immediately. The biologists requested blood samples with which to derive a vaccine that would then be administered to the soldiers who volunteered to be stationed on Kinmoku.
Tarble was proud of his brother for directly contributing to medical advancements, and he liked spending time with him every other day he came to Mariner Castle. But even a blind man could tell that he longed to be with Usagi as he sighed sadly every five minutes. "That's it!" Tarble exclaimed, smacking his hands on his metal desk. "I'm tired of you moping around!"
Vegeta frowned. "I'm not moping."
"You are," he insisted, "and it's annoying! Go back to Luna or something, just stop pacing and sighing in my lab!"
His frown deepened. "Serenity asked me to keep tabs on Usagi. I can't go back without her."
Tarble groaned and rolled his eyes. "Remember how you existed for fifteen years without Usagi in your life? Go back to that version of yourself."
"It's my duty to help her through times of adversity."
"And you upheld your duty by donating your antibodies to help create that vaccine, which was administered to Usagi three days ago, so she should be fully recovered any time now." Tarble rifled through a drawer and produced a little vial that he approached his brother with. "I'm diagnosing you with amour malaise."
Vegeta straightened, wary. "What's that?"
"Lovesickness. This is a mood elevator that contains serotonin and dopamine. I've been testing different ratios on myself."
"Why would you do that?" he wondered.
"Because depression affects a lot of refugees in the Sea, and since there are so few of us Saiyans, it's prudent to test out methods that will prevent us from developing self-destructive habits or becoming suicidal."
"I'm not going to kill myself just because I'm not working with Usagi right now! Good gods…" Tarble crossed his arms, wearing a very judgmental expression. Vegeta shifted his weight. "It's just… when I'm not actively helping her or Serenity complete tasks, I feel useless."
Tarble floated up to place a hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "I understand that. I know that feeling better than anyone, Brother. On Vegetasei, I woke up every day wondering what I could do to prove my existence worthwhile. Every day I thought, 'this is it, I didn't earn my keep, I'm going to be exiled to some backwater planet.' Even a weakling like me could suppress an insectoid species like the Arlians." Vegeta's countenance softened. He never knew Tarble felt that way. "You're strong, Brother. You knew who you were long before you met Usagi. I don't want to see you change yourself for her or anyone else. You don't need to change. You'll always be the crown prince of the Saiyans… and Saiyan princes don't mope around when their princess is in quarantine to prevent everyone else from getting sick!"
That was the pep talk Vegeta needed. His lips curved in a little smile. "You're right, Tarble. There's plenty I can accomplish without Usagi." The expression fell off as he headed out the door. "But she's not my princess. I think she's in love with Endymion."
"Just keep being yourself and she'll see that you're the better man for her!" Tarble tossed the mood elevator and Vegeta caught it on reflex. "Use this in case you get depressed again!" The door closed on his unamused visage, and Tarble sighed. He may have been the younger sibling but he was definitely more self-aware. He knew he had a crush on Ami, but Vegeta couldn't or wouldn't acknowledge that he'd fallen for Usagi so quickly. At least he was still young enough to come to terms with his emotions. If they went unaddressed into adulthood, he'd develop a mean possessive streak and probably scare off the princess for good with aggressive displays of affection, such as maiming any other males he perceived as being attracted to her.
Tarble worried he'd become like that, too, but from what he'd observed so far, Ami didn't have any suitors. He assumed most people were too intimidated to make their feelings known, but she was everything he wanted in a mate: intelligent, beautiful, and strong. A Saiyan didn't need more than that.
