================================== 
Episode #308: The Serenity Defense 
================================== 
 
 
Crystal Tokyo 
31 March 3035 

	Sailor America detransformed in the silence of the empty apartment,
back after a long day's work.  "Midnight.  Wonderful." She flopped down on
the bed, too tired to undress.  Today's press conference had been
particularly grueling; the press wanted absolutely everything she had about
the two dead senshi.  That hadn't been fun at all, convincing them that four
dead in a week was simply a fluke, and that the planet senshi were overall
very optimistic about a speedy end to the conflict.  Then had come the
sifting through mounds of reports and documents.  Somehow she'd been
assigned the task of deciding what was classified and what was not, a job
that involved a lot of calls to other departments in the Palace.
 
	She sighed, then looked at the clock again.  "Midnight, but I bet
she's still up." She slapped a well-worn button on the bedside control
panel.
 
	"Yeah?" came the tired voice. 
 
	"Hi, Jen," said Eileen.  "How are you?" 
 
	"Oh, Eileen!"  Eileen heard the sound of a handlink clattering to
the ground.  "I'm okay, a bit tired I guess.  You?"
 
	"Exhausted." 
 
	"Yeah.  I guess we all are."  She paused on the other end of the
line.  "I saw your press conference today.  You did a good job."
 
	"Thanks," replied the brunette with a smile.  She pulled off her
tube top and made her way to the bathroom.  The AI would keep track of
making sure her voice carried as she prepared for a nice long bath.  "It's
like riding a bicycle, I guess: you never forget."
 
	"Yes.  And unlike being Jupiter's closest assistant." 
 
	Eileen didn't ask if Jen was holding up okay.  "Did you see Sailor
Polaris before . . . ."
 
	"Not really.  I ran into her about an hour after arrival, but we
were in so much of a hurry that I doubt we even got to say hello." She
blinked; the tears simply wouldn't come.  Despite all the words about how
the sailor senshi were a tight-knit family, she had to admit she'd barely
known her.  It was just another name, a bit more important than most.
 
	The brunette started the water going in the tub, with a quick check
to make sure it was at the proper temperature.  "Hm.  You probably already
know, but her remains are on their way here.  She's to be given a state
funeral tomorrow.  I'm on the staff that's writing the speech."
 
	"Don't overwork yourself, Eileen.  I'm the only one who's allowed to
do that."

	Eileen could almost hear her lover frown.  She chuckled, taking off
one shoe and then the other, then her socks.  She then performed the age-old
ritual of sticking a toe in the water to check if it was too hot. 
Satisfied, she removed her panties and got in.  Eileen simply lay for a
moment, letting the water take away the accumulated aches and pains of the
day.  "I see how it is, then," she replied, ducking her head under the water
for a couple seconds, then popping back up.  "Sailor Orion's going to save
the day?"
 
	"Bah," replied Jen, "Sailor Orion's going to push papers around,
that's what she's going to do.  The real fighting is up to senshi like
Sailor Alphard."
 
	"Sailor Alphard?" 
 
	"She's second tactical commander.  She'll essentially be calling the
shots in the field.  Sailor Jupiter seems to like her style, I suppose we'll
be okay."
 
	"Good.  From what I hear, if we can wrap this up within a week the
AC would be far more agreeable to a settlement."
 
	"That's good to know."  Eileen idly made swirls in the water with
her finger, listening to the silence.  "Have you spoken to your family
lately?" asked Jen.
 
	"No," said Eileen lightly, "all non-diplomatic communications with
America have been cut off by Sailor Uranus's orders.  Even if I could call,
the AC probably isn't accepting any communications."
 
	"So . . . ." 
 
	"I haven't heard from my family in days.  I assume they're all
right: Mom's ineligible for the draft, Dad's job should keep him in
Pennsylvania, but my brothers . . . ." She didn't finish.  She knew that it
was very likely her brother was already in Japan, carrying a standard-issue
laser rifle prone to overheat, lying in a foxhole, waiting for a senshi to
enter his sights.  Or he might already be dead. 
 
	"They'll be okay," reassured Jen.  "I can't imagine a Pearcy letting
something silly like a war keep them down!"
 
	"Yep," replied Eileen.  'Filled with such bravado, we are,' she
thought.  'Neither of us willing to show anyone how afraid we truly are, not
even each other.  All because we don't want the other to feel that we're too
much of a burden.' She didn't know what to make of that and sank a bit lower
in the water, until only her face was exposed to air.  She lay for a moment,
closed her eyes, and went under.  It was so much nicer here . . . she popped
up.  "Well, I suppose you want to get some sleep now?"
 
	Jen laughed hollowly.  "Yes, that sounds great at this point.  I'd
like it better if I were there with you, though."
 
	"You will," Eileen reassured her quietly.  "Talk to you tomorrow,
okay?  Bye bye."
 
	"Bye."  The connection clicked, and then there was silence. 
 
*** 
 
	Eileen got out of bed bright and early the next morning.  The sun
was just rising, but that meant nothing.  It was April Fool's, as well, but
didn't mean anything either.  Today was time to try something different.

	After showering, eating a hurried breakfast, and changing into her
senshi form, she went down to headquarters instead of her office.  She had a
suspicion that the reports she was receiving were filtered somehow.  A
battle here didn't quite jibe with a casualty there, little things like
that.  She had no idea who could possibly be doing it; after all, she was
supposed to be the one in charge of things like that.
 
	In any case, she occasionally felt guilty to be in her office while
the rest of the senshi patrolled the streets or braved the battlefield.  If
nothing else, she would feel more adequate when she was in the nerve center
of the military.  She stepped through the door that led to the crow's nest. 
She noted immediately that the usual senshi guard had been replaced by two
civilians.  Apparently they were shorter on senshi than she'd been told.
 
	"Sailor America arriving," said the talker, who had a spare moment
to perform her duty and announce when a senshi entered the nest.
 
	The head senshi turned her head.  "Sailor America?" asked Uranus. 
"What brings you here?"
 
	Sailor America ignored the cold tone in her elder's voice.  She
didn't want to bother with Uranus's anti-American attitude today, even if
she knew that it was for the most part justified.  "Thought that I could
manage the information better from down here, Sailor Uranus.  If you have no
objections?"
 
	"None." 
 
	"Very well, thank you."  Sailor America bowed perfunctorily and went
over to an empty chair.  "Any earth-shaking developments overnight?"
 
	"No," said Sailor Uranus, missing America's attempt at humor. 
"Things have brightened up a bit, actually.  Sailor Saturn reports that the
enemy is essentially contained in the south.  She says that with a bit of
time and manpower she can have Kyushu cleared in a matter of days."
 
	"Good news," replied America, slipping on a headset and punching up
a notetaking program.  "That should bring up the public's spirits.  The
latest polls say-"
 
	"Yes, yes, I know you conduct those polls on a near-hourly basis,
but there's no need to waste *my* time with them, okay?"
 
	"Right, sorry I bothered you, *sir*."  Finishing the sentence in as
strong a tone as she dared use, she whirled around and began fiddling with
her console.  Finding an empty window, she began to fill it with text.

	She was absolutely livid.  How *dare* she be brushed off like that? 
True, she wasn't a planet senshi.  She wasn't one of the class of 3002.  She
was willing to admit that in the grand scheme of things she was pretty low
on the totem pole, and the only reason she even had the status she had now
was because her lover had been lucky time after time . . . or so she felt at
times.  Even with all that, dammit, couldn't Sailor Uranus just pretend to
be interested in Sailor America's thoughts?
 
	"I could.  But it would be a waste of time.  Whether or not your ego
is bruised is none of my concern."
 
	America sat up very straight and slowly turned to face Uranus.  "Wh-
what?" she asked, shocked enough to use English.
 
	"Well, it's true.  I'm running headquarters, I don't have time to
make sure you're happy about matters."
 
	She switched back to Japanese.  "But how did you-" 
 
	Sailor Uranus turned and chanced a smile.  "You're not the first
secretary of public relations to come down here and get their feelings hurt. 
I've been at this for awhile, you know."
 
	"Uh-huh."  

	Uranus turned around again to regard the status board.  "Hm.  Do we
have any signs of-"
 
	"Air warning red, incoming missiles."  By now the talker's voice was
cool and calm; the young woman had learned to hide her fear.  "Estimate
forty missiles bearing on Crystal Tokyo, range twenty kilometers, closing
fast.  ETA seventy seconds."
 
	Uranus sighed.  "Here we go again." 
 
	"Civil defense being notified, as well as general population. 
Missile defense radar online and tracking.  Lasers ready, intercept in
thirty seconds, revised impact time forty-three seconds."
 
	Sailor America looked up from her notes and watched things unfold on
the status screens like a high-tech video game.  Nearly four dozen missiles
were making their way to Crystal Tokyo in what was fast becoming a daily
occurrence.  The Allies would toss a volley of missiles at the city, knowing
that there was almost no chance that they would inflict any damage . . . any
physical damage, that was.
 
	The bright yellow lines on the map that showed the tracks of the
missiles entered the magic circle of the laser firing range and turned red. 
"Lasers firing." Now they were disappearing.
 
	"Ninety-seven point five percent kill rate.  One remaining missile,
range two kilometers-"
 
	"WHAT?"  Sailor Uranus stared at the red status clock in disbelief
as it placidly continued its way down to 00:00.
 
	"Close range anti-air guns firing." 
 
*** 
 
	Outside Earth HQ and the Palace, those who hadn't heeded the
warnings to go inside to the shelters were being treated to an impromptu
fireworks show.  To the southwest, they could see the smoke trails of
incoming missiles slowly grew closer, and then punctuated with bright
fireballs.  However, one of the trails carried on closer than the others. 
It was pure chance; it happened to be lost in the shuffle as the AIs planned
which laser would shoot which missile.  Blissfully unaware of the overtaxed
computers, the missile continued on its way.
 
	A mere eight kilometers from the Crystal Palace, just inside the
city limits, and about five hundred meters above the ground, the missile met
its end, thanks to an antiaircraft gun operated by another computer.  The
explosion filled the sky, the thunder of impact shaking people and buildings
and scattering smoke and debris everywhere.  Some of it fell on the
neighborhood below.
 
*** 
 
	"Final missile destroyed, sir."  The talker's hands trembled with
fright, and her voice was shaky, but she tried her best to look bored with
the entire situation.  She tried not to think about how close that missile
had come to striking the Palace.  She also tried not to think about what she
had done in her pants.
 
	"Kami-sama," said Uranus.  She leaned against a railing for support. 
"That was close." Then she was all business.  "Any injuries?"
 
	"No reports yet, sir.  We've . . . sir, Her Majesty would like to
speak with you."
 
	Sailor Uranus whispered an oath.  "Right, put her on." 
 
	A map of Shikoku was replaced with the image of Serenity.  She
looked serene as always, but there was a hint of fear in her eyes.  "Sailor
Uranus, what just happened?  Am I correct in assuming that the latest attack
was nearly successful?"
 
	Uranus bowed.  "Your Majesty, that would be correct.  The missile
came within a few kilometers of hitting the Palace.  It was, however, taken
out with our secondary defenses, and-"
 
	"And because of our secondary defenses, a portion of Crystal Tokyo
is burning."
 
	"Huh?"  Uranus looked at the talker, a shade of worry growing on her
face.
 
	"No word of . . . wait, just getting something now.  Fire and rescue
crews are reporting to the thirty-third district, still nothing on
injuries!"
 
	Sailor Uranus ran a hand through her short, dusty-blonde hair, and
looked up at her sovereign in an expression that was as close to sheepish as
she ever got.  "Serenity-sama, I-"
 

	"There will be a meeting of all planet senshi at three in the
afternoon, today.  Further discussion of this can wait until then.  Until
then, you are to supervise the rescue efforts.  I do not wish for a single
person to die from this."
 
	Sailor Uranus bowed her head.  It was bloody hard to argue with
Serenity at times like this.  "Yes."
 
	"Oh, and Sailor America?"  The brunette stood and bowed.  "You have
all the information in this matter.  I give you full authority to handle the
telling of this incident in any way you see fit, so long as it does not
imperil the security of the city."
 
	Sailor America gulped, and this time she absolutely knew Uranus was
sending daggers her way.  "Your Majesty . . . I'm . . . this is too much,
really.  I mean, I'm Sailor *America*, and I really don't think the public-"
 
	"I will be brief, Sailor America, as I do not have time to waste. 
You are the first and only sailor senshi from the American continent.  As
such, you are most probably the strongest, most visible link between
ourselves and the American Confederation, which to all signs seems to be the
leader of this affair.  You are a symbol we can coexist.  I would like
no-one better to be in your position than you.  You have my complete
confidence.  Is that clear?"
 
	Sailor America's mouth opened and closed a couple times, but nothing
came out.
 
	"I'd take that as a yes, Serenity-sama," said Uranus.  "15:00, then? 
Okay."
 
	"Until then."  The connection closed. 
 
	Finally, America found her voice.  "Did she just say what I think
she said?"
 
	"Yes.  And you're not going to be there." 
 
*** 
 
	"Outstanding!" 
 
	"Marvelous!" 
 
	"Wonderful!" 
 
	The leaders of the American Confederation, the Arab Union, and the
European Union were uniformly jubilant.  "Clearly," said President Ronowski,
"our strategy is paying off.  My people say we can expect total capitulation
in a matter of days, and that's even before adding Heartbreaker into the
equation!" He leaned over the table at Prathachulthorn.  "I don't think
Titan's services will be needed, Sean."
 
	"Perhaps we're being a bit premature about this," said Rostov.  His
people had taken fearful losses in the early going, and he didn't want their
deaths to be in vain.  "I think we should wait until we're within sight of a
conclusion before we start the self congratulation, don't you?"
 
	"We *are* within sight of a conclusion, though!" 
 
	"That's not how Serenity is talking."  The Russian rubbed his nose. 
"I spoke to her last night, and she showed no signs of backing down.  Either
she's got a hell of a poker face, or she's prepared to take this as far as
necessary."
 
	"The former," murmured China.  "We all know she's got almost
superhuman control of her emotions.  But she *is* human, remember.  Isn't
that what all this is about?"
 
	"To-" 
 
	"Yes, yes, to remove Serenity from power, abolish the throne, make
the world a level playing field, you've said it a million times, Ronowski! 
But she's still human, and who's to say that pressuring her at this point
would either break her resolve or strengthen it beyond imagining?"
 
	"It hardly matters," said Mina Cabot, waving her arm expansively. 
"If we break her, it'll be over that much faster, and if we don't . . . we
have other measures now, don't we?"
 
	"I think," said Prathachulthorn, "that we'll have to wait a bit for
that verdict.  In the meantime, David, how much longer are we going to have
to wait with Heartbreaker?"
 
	"A day."  That brought the table around to full attention.  Ronowski
smiled.  "We've managed to turn out the required number of units, and mass
production is proceeding quite nicely.  They should arrive at the front
tomorrow, and as the units are similar to what the troops are already used
to, it should be a very simple matter for them to become acclimated to them. 
And then . . . then, Serenity learns just how serious we are."
 
*** 
 
	"Your Majesty, it's time we got serious." 
 
	Sailor Mars looked terribly tense from her position on the Moon,
alone on her screen.  Also not present were Sailor Saturn, still on Kyushu,
Sailor Jupiter, still on Hokkaido, and Sailor Pluto, who didn't have a
screen at all; she was absent, as she had been for nearly a year.  Around
the table were the other planet senshi, Serenity, and Endymion.
 
	"Look, we all saw what nearly happened this morning.  A bite almost
got taken out of the city, and there was very nearly nothing we could have
done about it.  Next time we may not be so lucky."
 
	Sailor Mercury and Saturn looked like they wanted to protest, but
they knew they couldn't.  "I have to agree," said Sailor Venus.  "Frankly, I
don't care if they kill us senshi.  It's our job, I can live with that."
Sailor Mercury groaned and buried her face in her hands; after over a
thousand years, you'd think she'd learn.  "But they're endangering
noncombatants now.  We've got to do something."
 
	"It must be passive," reminded Serenity. 
 
	"Yes, yes," said Sailor Jupiter.  "But at the same time, what do I
tell the men and women who are coming back to their bunks every night minus
a teammate?  That we're being passive, and that's why their bunkmate is dead
now?  With all due respect, I have to say that we've got to end this far
quicker than we are now!"
 
	"Agreed," said Sailor Saturn.  "We've got almost insane success
rates down here, but morale is still low.  We aren't mentally prepared for a
long war; our troops aren't, at least, and maybe not the senshi."
 
	"Therefore, a proposal," said Sailor Uranus.  "We've got a good
portion of our ships already in the system, and all the armaments that
implies.  If we were to fire a few shots at selected targets-"
 
	"We've been through this before," said Sailor Mercury sharply.  "We
can't do that without endangering civilian lives!"
 
	"Hm?" asked Serenity, who had been content to watch her closest
friends discuss matters by themselves.  "How do you mean?"
 
	"Your Majesty," said Sailor Mercury, "the Allies have devised a
rather clever system.  For the most part, their military bases are all very
close to, or even *in* major population centers.  In fact, the American
command center may well be under Vancouver, though we haven't confirmed
that.  That's another sign that they've had this planned for awhile, or at
least recognized the fundamental rules of space warfare."

 	"Space warfare?"  Sailor Neptune arched an eyebrow.  "Didn't know it
existed."
 
	"It didn't," said Sailor Mercury wryly.  "Not until now, that is. 
In any case, space attacks are out of the question.  Our accuracy isn't good
enough to guarantee the safety of bystanders if we fire, and even then do we
want to risk it?" Do we destroy Vancouver to kill a single command center?
 
	Sailor Jupiter bowed her head.  "I realize that, but still . . .
what else is there?"
 
	"Well . . . ," trailed off Mercury, a bit uncertain, "there are a
few field equations we've been working through . . . ."
 
	"Spill it." 
 
	"She means," said Serenity, "that it may be possible for me, with
the help of the ginzuishou, to form a protective barrier around Crystal
Tokyo.  It would be similar to the field that you, Mercury, Mars, and Venus
created during the Black Moon war, but on a far larger scale."
 
	"And the catch?" asked Sailor Mars, knowing that where the
ginzuishou was involved, the catch often involved Serenity dying.
 
	"The catch," said Sailor Mercury, "is that it will be very sapping
from an energy standpoint.  She won't be able to do a whole lot other than
maintain the field."

	"Define 'a whole lot.'"

	"She'll be virtually immobile, and concentrating on other things
will be difficult at best."
 
	Sailor Mars looked at Serenity warily.  "You're going to go through
with this, aren't you."
 
	"Yes." 
 
	"And we can't stop you?" 
 
	"You can try, but it seems clear cut to me.  It would greatly
benefit the people of Crystal Tokyo, and I can see no disadvantages to it. 
I will do it."
 
*** 
 
	In a forest encampment in Hokkaido far from the front, a supply 
truck pulled up to the ring of tents. 
 
	"Where's your CO?" asked the supply officer, popping out of the
truck and going to the back.  "We've got some new armaments for you, men!"
 
	The commanding officer of the multinational group, a Chinese
lieutenant, stumbled out of his tent still in pajamas.  "What is it?"
 
	In the moonlight, the supply officer grinned.  "It's Serenity's
worst nightmare!"

=========================== 
Begun: 08:44 25 May 1998 
Finished: 00:04 31 May 1998 
Final draft: 08:28 3 July 1998
Final edit: 13:14 23 February 2001