THE SECRET COLONY OF YAKUSHIMA
Chapter 3: "Aircraft Down"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"You're sure you're feeling all right, Mako-Chan?" Serenity asked.
"I'm fine, Hon', now that I'm on solid ground again," Makoto told her. The two women and Ami were walking out of the airport in Darwin, Australia. A large group of locals, official and bystanders drawn in by the situation, followed them at a distance. "The important question is how do YOU feel?"
"I wish people would stop asking that," fussed Serenity.
"They're legitimate inquiries," Ami argued, "given your history of fainting and your propensity to over-extend yourself."
"Yeah, that's why we're here, Hon'. We're here to keep you from doing too much and lend you some senshi energy if you do. We're not just here to keep you company."
"Would it be so bad if you were just here to keep me company?" the Queen pouted.
"Don't start that," Makoto said with wry impatience. "You're not going to guilt-trip me. I know all of your tricks."
"Then I'm going to have to invent new tricks," muttered Serenity. Makoto and Ami glanced at each other in amusement.
"If you intend to do this now, we should transform," Ami said.
The pair summoned their henshin sticks and transformed into their senshi identities, much to the wonderment of the watching crowd. Serenity looked back to her two senshi. When they were ready, they nodded to her.
Cupping her hands in front of her chest, Serenity opened a warp in reality and summoned the Imperium Silver Crystal. The jewel began to sparkle in the afternoon sunlight. A ripple of amazement went up from the gathered people behind them. As she extended her arms and the crystal forward from her body, Serenity's head fell back. Her eyes closed. The jewel pulsed.
A wave of silver energy radiated out from the Silver Crystal, passing through everything around it. Everyone who came in contact with the energy felt a momentary sensation of utter bliss. It was gone in a moment, though, and everyone felt the poorer for it. Confused, for they felt that a simple energy pulse couldn't be all she was going to do, the crowd looked around.
"The south hangars!" an airport worker exclaimed, pointing. "They're back to normal!"
Everyone looked in growing amazement, for the south hangars had still been under repair six months after the disaster. As such, they didn't notice Serenity crumple. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter noticed. Catching her by the arms, the two senshi guided their Queen to a nearby bench and eased her down. The Mayor of Darwin, one of the dignitaries in the crowd, took a phone call on his cell.
"Hon', can you speak?" Jupiter asked as Mercury set to work examining her.
Serenity thought a moment. Jupiter noticed her eyes didn't seem to focus.
"Yeah," Serenity panted. "I just couldn't remember how for a second."
"Mercury?"
"Pulse rapid, breathing shallow," Mercury commented. "Serenity, do you feel light-headed?"
"You mean more than usual?" Serenity asked vacantly.
"Please stop joking, Serenity," Mercury chided her.
"Oh, Mercury," fussed the Queen. "I'll be all right. Feels like I ran ten miles, but I'll be all right."
"How would you know how running ten miles feels?" Jupiter smirked. "It always took a senshi emergency to pry you off the sofa."
"Well if I ever did run ten miles, it would probably feel like this," Serenity countered. "How am I doing, Mercury?"
"Your pupils are becoming responsive and your pulse is slowing," Mercury reported. "I'd say you're recovering."
"See."
"Serenity, you almost went into shock for a moment," Mercury cautioned.
"For real?" gasped Jupiter.
"That's why I insisted we come along. No more exertion for you today, Serenity. You need lots of rest."
"And a big meal?" Serenity asked hopefully. Grinning, Mercury nodded. Just then, the Mayor came over.
"I just got the report," he marveled. "All the damage from the ice disaster is - - gone! I can't believe . . .!"
Jupiter interrupted, shaking Mercury and pointing to Serenity. Serenity was staring off into space. Quickly Mercury's hand went to the Queen's neck. But upon Mercury's touch, Serenity came out of it and looked at the senshi with a haunted expression.
"Serenity?" Mercury asked.
"I felt something," Serenity mumbled, "just now. Like someone close to me . . ." A stricken look came across her face. "Do you have a phone? I have to call Endymion! See if he's all right! And Setsuko-Chan! And the others!"
The Mayor handed her his cell phone. Serenity started punching in numbers, but stopped and anxiously looked at Mercury.
"Mercury, I forgot what Tokyo's prefix code is!" the Queen exclaimed, panic growing within her.
"EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in," the air traffic controller broadcast. "EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. Over."
"They said they were taking gunfire from the ground," another controller informed his supervisor. "That was their last communication. Then they went off the radar screen."
"EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. Over."
"Scramble the emergency search and rescue teams," the supervisor decided. "Is their transponder still active?"
"No, sir," the controller responded.
"I hope they didn't go down in that jungle. If they crashed there, it could be weeks before we even spot the crash site."
Back in Tokyo, Michiru Kaioh lay in bed. A cold compress was on the table next to her bed. An empty bowl of chicken soup was sitting next to it. A magazine lay on the bed next to her, discarded. The green-haired artist looked up at the ceiling and realized once again that she was completely, utterly bored.
"So, Michi-Chan, how was the soup?" Constance Kaioh chirped as she entered the room. Sudden being bored and alone didn't seem so bad. "Michi-Chan!"
"Mom, I have asked you not to call me that," Michiru rasped, struggling to keep her temper. "I am not five anymore."
"Michi-Chan, how are you going to get better if you take this off?" Constance asked, picking up the compress and trying to put it back on her daughter's forehead. Michiru nimbly blocked the move with her forearm. "Stop being stubborn!"
"Mom, cold compresses are for fevers," Michiru said hoarsely. "I do not have a fever. I have a head cold. If you HAVE to get me a compress, get me a warm one that might help reduce the swelling in my sinuses! That's what I need!"
"If you ask me, you need a shot of gin," Constance fired back. This stopped Michiru in her tracks. "That's what we used back on the chorus circuit."
"Mom, I may regret asking this," Michiru began, "but how is a shot of gin supposed to cure a head cold?"
"Well, it doesn't, really," Constance frowned. Then she glanced at Michiru and smirked. "But enough doses and you don't really care if you're cured or not."
Michiru rolled her eyes.
"How you lived to be . . ." Michiru began to mutter.
"Ah ah! No spreading malicious gossip," Constance cautioned her.
"Fifty-seven," Michiru continued defiantly. Her mother stuck her tongue out at her. "Mom, I appreciate that you're trying to help . . ."
"So how was the chicken soup?" Constance cut her off.
"It was - - all right. A little salty. Did you make it?"
"Depends," Constance shied. "Does pouring it out of a can count?"
"No," Michiru smiled, "but the thought does, I suppose." Constance reached over and placed her hand on Michiru's. Suddenly Michiru felt grateful for the gesture.
Constance got up to collect the empty soup bowl. To her surprise, Michiru began to pull herself out of bed as well.
"Should you be doing that?" Constance asked.
"I'm tired of just laying there," sighed Michiru. When she reached a sitting position, though, she grimaced and her hand shot to her cheek. "Oh, it feels like I've got a down comforter stuffed up my nose."
"You sound like your grandmother," Constance smiled. "That woman could predict rain just by the way her sinuses swelled." Constance paused for a moment of melancholy. "I wish you could have met your grandmother."
"So do I, Mom," Michiru mused. Then she pushed up to her feet.
"Going to paint?"
"I'd like to, but the way I feel is stifling any sort of creativity," Michiru sighed. "I'll just get my violin out and try not to drip all over it. There's a piece I've been trying to master. If I can do it feeling like this, it'll be a breeze when I'm healthy."
As Constance headed out with the dishes, Michiru fished a robe out of the closet and put it over her pajamas. Usually she didn't wear pajamas, opting instead for the sexy numbers that Haruka preferred. However, the last thing she felt right now was sexy and the more of her that was covered, the more comfortable she felt. Just then, the phone rang.
"I'll get it!" Constance called out from the kitchen.
Trudging into the other room, the room Michiru had established as her personal studio, the woman picked up her violin and bow. Placing the sheet music on a stand before her, Michiru placed her violin to her chin. She exhaled deeply, trying to summon the strength to be creative, then placed bow to strings and drew. Five notes in, though, Constance burst into the room.
"Michiru!" her mother gasped. Instantly Michiru was on edge. Constance never used her proper name unless there was trouble. "That was the police in Yakushima! Haruka's helicopter has gone down in the mountains!"
The blood drained from Michiru's face. Quickly she placed the violin and bow back on its stand, then hurried out of the room. When Constance caught up with her, Michiru was getting dressed.
"Mom, call the airport," Michiru said, taking control of the situation. "Get me a seat on the next flight to Yakushima. If nothing is available, charter a private plane."
"Michiru," Constance intervened, grasping her daughter by the shoulders. "You can't fly! Not what that cold! The altitude could injure you!"
"I'll take the risk," Michiru argued.
"Michiru, you can't help Haruka if you're injured!"
Michiru stopped, actually going limp against her mother's grip for a moment. She wanted to argue. She wanted to disregard everything Constance told her. But Constance was right. Then her resolve strengthened.
"Then I'll take the train," Michiru proclaimed. "Drive if I have to. Rent a boat at Miyazaki."
"Michiru," Constance began.
"Mom, I'm going!" Michiru fumed. "Haruka may need me!"
"I was just going to say," Constance replied patiently, "let me get my purse and I'll go with you."
A wave of emotion flooded over Michiru. She swallowed.
"Thank you," she whispered. Constance smiled her reply.
At a hotel in Darwin just off of the airport, Ami and Makoto stood in the doorway of the suite, looking at their charge. Queen Serenity was sleeping on the bed. Her slumber was fitful rather than the deep state of unconsciousness she normally attained. Makoto glanced from Serenity to Ami, looking for some cue as to whether she should be worried or relieved. Ami just stared.
"Took a lot out of her, didn't it?" Makoto ventured.
"Every time she tries something like this, it seems to take more out of her," Ami responded, her eyes never leaving Serenity.
"Well, she ate like a horse before she conked out," Makoto offered. "That's a good sign, isn't it?"
"I suppose. If she didn't have an appetite, I suppose I'd really worry." A scowl formed on Ami's mouth. "I don't understand it, Makoto. I've performed every physical test I know of on her to see if there's been some negative effect on her health by these - - miracles she performs, for lack of a better term. I haven't found anything aside from initial general fatigue and temporary hypo-tension. Yet every time she performs this act, her reaction is just that much worse."
"Maybe those tiny robots did something to her," Makoto suggested.
"I've accounted for that," Ami shook her head and Makoto felt silly for making the suggestion. "The nano-bots did no permanent cranial or neurological damage and all of the damage they did inflict has healed. No, it has to be the act she's performing or her use of the Silver Crystal. She's exceeding her physical limitations. The problem is that her physical limitations seem to change on a case by case basis."
"Well, you're her doctor," Makoto said. "Maybe you need to tell her to stop."
"Like she'd listen."
"Well, order her to stop. And if she won't listen to you alone, get Endymion in on it. I'll help out any way I can. I know she wants to help everybody, but she can't just keep giving until there's nothing left. Nobody wants that - - except maybe Dietman Takahashi and his bunch." Makoto glanced back at Serenity. "You don't have to tell me how hard it is to tell her 'no'. We've both known her too long. But one thing I learned being a parent is that sometimes the best way to tell them you love them is to tell them 'no'."
"More people should come to you for advice," Ami smiled. "All right. I'll tell her - - but only if you're backing me to keep me strong."
"I'll sit on her if I have to," chuckled Makoto.
"I certainly hope that won't be necessary," twittered Ami as she reached for her cell phone. Its vibrating had alerted her to an incoming call. "Yes, Artemis?"
With that, Serenity's eyes snapped open. A chill ran down Makoto's spine.
"Ami," the voice on the phone began. Ami could tell by the tone of the cat's voice that it wasn't good news. "The palace just got a call from Yakushima . . ."
"Haruka," Serenity said faintly. "That's what I was feeling. Haruka's in trouble." Startled, Makoto turned to Ami.
"That was Artemis," Ami related, struggling to keep control of her concentration in the face of both the news from Tokyo and Serenity's sudden, eerie behavior. "The helicopter Haruka was piloting went down in the mountains of Yakushima."
"Is she OK?" gasped Makoto.
"They," Ami swallowed, "haven't found them yet."
"I have to go to them," Serenity said and began to rise from bed. "I have to go help. Haruka could be hurt - - or worse . . .!"
The Queen nearly got to her feet. Then she began to teeter and ultimately swooned back onto the bed. Ami was by her side in an instant, Makoto nervously hovering over her shoulder.
"Have to get up!" Serenity moaned, reaching for the edge of the bed and missing badly. "Haruka needs help!"
"Serenity, don't try to get up!" Ami demanded. "You're not well enough to stand just yet! If you fall, you could injure yourself!"
"But Haruka needs me!" the Queen pleaded. Reaching past Ami, Makoto put her hands on Serenity's shoulders and pressed down.
"Serenity," Makoto said firmly, "no. Now you've done too much. There's nothing left in the well. You used it all. You're going to have to wait for it to refill."
"But Haruka!"
"Haruka's plenty tough," Makoto told her. "She knows how to handle herself and she knows how to handle rough situations."
"But she might be hurt!" Serenity argued.
"Serenity," Ami joined in, "the Yakushima authorities have no doubt already launched search and rescue teams. They'll find her and they'll help her."
"Please?" the Queen begged, tears streaming down her face. Makoto felt herself weakening.
"Serenity, what would Haruka tell you if she was here?" Makoto recalled. "She'd say your health and safety was more important than hers and that she wouldn't want you to risk yourself on her behalf. Now isn't that right?"
"That's so stupid!" the Queen barked and dissolved into tears. But she didn't try to get up. Between Makoto and the weakness she felt, she really didn't have a choice.
"EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in," the air traffic controller broadcast. "EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. Over."
No response came.
"EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. EC-7287, this is Yakushima Tower, come in. Over."
Continued in Chapter 4
