S.I.U. - The Sailor Investigation Unit by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page) Disclaimer - all characters pertaining to the series Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon are owned by Takeuchi Naoko, Bandai and Kodansya. All other characters were thought up by me. I hope I'm not sued for writing this. I'm not some ripoff merchant, using other people's ideas for personal gain. I'm just a poor little know-nothing fanboy. I leave the ripoffs to professionals like Anya Romanov. ^_^ -------------------------------------------------------------------- LOG 1.32.22 (Dr Miriam Bartholemew) "For the tape, the subject now in holding cell 32 is one Aino Minako. She is roughly nineteen years old, and has recently experienced a late becoming, subgroup Succubae Major. She has had her first innoculation with starter Vasculin, and is currently experiencing the typical early reactions to the medication, including hypersensitivity to light, colour, sound and touch. We are yet to determine whether there is an olfactory reaction. This has been combined with a mild psychotic reaction that shall, with further doses of the medication, hopefully lessen with time. As you can see on the tape, she has been pawing the screen of the television set we had placed in her cell. This behaviour has been occuring for close to an hour, now, with no visible signs of retreat. Until she withdraws from this state, it will be impossible to start working with her. From what the Chief of Staff, Joachim Schneider, has told me, her personality fits into the typical class of a passive positive.... Her mental laziness, therefore, might present a problem when it comes to the process of re-education." ----o Kaji and Miki fell to the floor as the glass window, that looked out onto the autopsy room, was shattered into a thousand fragments, flying past and cutting them, eventually implanting their glittering segments into the rear wall. Miki let out a cry of panic as flames and sparks flew through the now open space where the window used to be. Kaji tried to shield Miki, but not before a large bolt of plasma-like energy struck her in the chest. She screamed as she clawed at the molten lump, slowly seeping into her. Kaji looked on helplessly , reaching forward to grab the ball as it faded away into nothingness, leaving an awful burn mark on the front of Miki's uniform, the unpleasant smell of burnt fabric hanging in the air. Miki collapsed, unconcious, as Kaji tried to lift her up, her limp hands hitting the floor with an audible thump. Kaji stared at her. her eyes were still open, and she didn't seem to be breathing. He swallowed and pulled open the top of her uniform, expecting to see her skin hideously burnt. But there was nothing. She was unmarked. He stared at her bare skin for several moments, disbelieveingly. Then he realised that, if anyone caught him doing this, it might be rather misinterpreted.... Looking nervously around, he lifted her off the floor and carried her towards the doorway. He could hear fire alarms sounding throughout the building, and the sprinkling sound of the fire jets within the autopsy room. They started to go off in the observation room as smoke billowed through the shattered window. He cursed as he proceeded to get drenched. With difficulty, he managed to open the door, and held it with his foot as he inched his way from the room, turning aside so Miki's head wouldn't hit anything. He looked down the corridor to see Kurabuto and the pathologist, hacking and coughing on the floor, outside the doorway to the autopsy room. Footsteps caught his attention, and he turned the other way to see people running towards the scene, some with their service revolvers at the ready. He looked at the first couple to arrive, helplessly, as if silently asking them to put the guns away. He desperately needed a drink. ----o Part Nineteen Sweet Seduction ----o Naoko was particularly amused by the way Sailormoon tried to tiptoe past her. She chanced a quick glance, and noticed that Usagi was now starting to pace a little more rapidly towards the doorway at the far end of the Sacred House's orchard. The door that would lead to her death, if Naoko didn't do something about it. She sighed. She liked the flesh of the girl.... So pale, yet healthy. She liked the low cut around the collar. She could see... hear... the sound of her blood, rushing through her throat. The more Naoko thought about it, the more attractive the prospect of saving Sailormoon became. Saving for her own purposes, of course. She just resisted the temptation to lick her lips a second time and glanced back in the other direction. She could see Lysithea Caprice, now making his way through the glazened gantry on the second level of the orchard's overlook. She closed her eyes for a second, and passed a mental note to the security system about his presence. Immediately, sirens began to howl through the orchard. Naoko sighed.... They really had to curb this tendency to go off, half- cocked.... She opened her eyes and saw Lysithea had near wet himself. Well, good. She then turned back to Sailormoon, to see the girl was desperately fighting the manual controls to open the far door. Naoko took a breath, and stood.... ----o "An emergency?" Setsuna quizzed Carey as they stepped into the office of the Chief of Operations. Carey shrugged and closed her eyes for a moment. "Ah. One of our people has spotted Lysithea. He is within the refinery complex, heading towards administration." "Here, in other words." "Indeed." Carey opened her eyes. "He'll have to do better than that, though, to get to me." She paused. "Oh, and your "Princess.... "Yes?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "He has sent her into the holding pens. Our people are doing their best to stop her getting herself killed." "The holding pens? Not the..." "Yes, that. And I wouldn't try to transport yourself there. The defense systems go into blanket operation when there is an alarm." Carey stepped over to her desk as Setsuna gave her a dubious look. "You're not lying to me, are you?" "Oh Setsuna...." Carey turned and rolled her eyes. "Would I lie to you?" ----o Hotaru, Rei and the cats crept through Hikawa shrine's residential quarters, looking from room to room. There certainly didn't seem to be anyone around. As they reached the bedroom of Rei's Grandfather, Hotaru paused in her precision slide along the wall, looking back at her three compatriots, who were doing the same. "Do we really need to creep around like this?" She whispered. Rei gave her an expression that could only be read one way. "Look, it's silly. If there is someone in here, they would have sprung on us by now, surely?" "They are probably tormenting us.... They know who we are. They know everything about us...." "How? How do they know everything about us?" Luna rubbed up against Rei's leg, making her jump. "I.... I can't...." Rei looked at Luna, her lips quivering, as if teetering on the edge of spilling everything. Rei had been less than forthcoming with any information, regarding just who it was that was after her, other than they were involved with the Yakuza. Why a group like the Yakuza should put fear into the heart of a Sailorsenshi with the power of fire, Hotaru and the cats weren't quite sure. That Rei seemed to think that, by simply fraternising with her, their lives were also in danger also confounded them. "Dammit, Mars.... I need something to go on. I can't just creep around your house in the dark, in more ways than one." Hotaru put a hand on Rei's shoulder. Rei turned and shrugged her off. That seemed to end that little thread of conversation. "Where are Kumada-san and Rei's Ojisan?" Artemis padded up next to Hotaru. "Surely a group, like the Yakuza, would target the senshi specifically, not their families?" "Artemis, you have to be stupid if you think that they wouldn't, at the very least, try to kidnap them, if only to use as a bargaining chip against us." Luna chided him. Artemis shrugged like only a cat could. "Well, pardon me for being stupid...." He sniffed and peered into the bedroom. "Looks clear to me. Can't see anyone." He stepped into the room, tripping a wire. He heard something rattling from above and looked up to see a several large objects flying towards him. He let out a long screech of fear.... ----o LOG 2.32.22 (Dr Miriam Bartholemew) "The subject now appears to be retreating from the psychotic fascination with the television set, and has sunk into a kind of intellectual torpor. She is dazed and staring into space, but not showing any signs of actually being concerned about her captivity. Considering what she is, it might be a good idea to set up specific magical defenses against any attacks she might attempt in an effort to escape. This will also serve to lessen any personal injury she might sustain in such an act." ----o When Katarin pulled the car into the hospital's front carpark, both he and Shimazaki stared, boggle-eyed, at the crowd that was waiting for them at the entrance. Katarin brought the car to a stop and Shimazaki opened his door, peering out at the silent group. "Uhhh... We'd like to speak with the General Manager of this hospital...." The young police officer looked around, nervously, as an elderly man, with balding grey hair, dressed in a dark grey suit, stepped forward. "I am the General Manager of this hospital. You are the two police officers who have come to pick up Doctor Mizuno?" Katarin got out of his side of the car and stepped around the front. "Yes, we are here to pick her up. How did you...?" "Doctor Mizuno has confessed to the theft of a large quantity of pharmeceuticals from this establishment. We called the police about this matter some twenty minutes ago." He gestured to Doctor Mizuno, who was standing in the middle of the group. Some of the other doctors and interns were trying to calm and console her, whilst hospital security officers were keeping an eye on events. Shimazaki turned to Katarin. "Ready to wear, wouldn't you say?" Katarin gave him a pained expression. In the front lobby, peering through the glass doors, two figures looked at each other grimly. They left with haste. ----o Usagi managed to wrench the large wheel-lock of the door around to "open" and pulled it back. The door glided open, like a large bank-vault, and all beyond was dark. No, that wasn't necessarily true. There WERE dim lights within there.... Little blue flames, several of them, running both sides of the corridor. Usagi could hear a frothing and bubbling sound over the alarms that were still sounding.... She shivered and peered behind her. The girl was gone. Nowhere in sight. She looked all around the vast orchard of flowers, but she was nowhere to be seen. Usagi took a breath and stepped through the doorway. Lights flickered on, stunning her for a second. She leaned against the wall, holding her chest and breathing deeply. It was just a sensor light, nothing else. She stared into the long, wide corridor in disbelief. All the way along, there were glass vats of a dark red-black liquid, thick and viscous, bubbling away as they were heated by small bunsen burners beneath. The fluid would froth up into small, transparent pipes, which ran along the wall and through the wall at the far end. There was another door at that end, far more traditional than this one had been, though. She stepped up to one of the vats and peered in at it. Twin blades were mixing the liquid within, and she could see, coming from secondary pipes, more of the liquid pouring into the vat. She put her hand up to the side of the vat, tentatively. It wasn't anywhere near as hot as she thought it was. There was a strange smell in the air. She tried to put a name to it.... She'd smelt it before. It wasn't a pleasant smell, by any means, but it was mixed in with a sweeter scent, pleasant to the nose. Rather like the bouquet of the flowers in the orchard. A cold sensation ran through her when she realised what the first smell was.... it was blood.... The vats contained a mixture of blood and juice from the flowers, and they were being distilled, for purposes unknown. This hallway was part of a giant distillery.... For a blood liqueur.... There was a giggle behind her, and she spun around, to come face to face with the girl who had been meditating within the orchard. Usagi recognised her as one of the girls who had taken Minako in the coffee shop.... "YOU!" Usagi threw herself aside, giving herself some room, backing slowly along the corridor. "Konbanwa." The girl bowed. "Welcome, Sailormoon, to the Sacred House. How can I help you?" "You took my friend! Give her back to me!" Usagi assumed a fighting stance. Her determination was immediately broken by the girl's total lack of concern. "I'm afraid I can't comply to that request. I shall have to ask my superiors about that. Would you like some refreshments in the meantime?" Naoko looked aside at the vats. "I apologise for the atmosphere in here. It is less than optimal. Would you like to join me, back in the orchard, to a cup of tea?" Naoko smiled. Usagi ran like heck. The girl's eyes had drilled their way into her soul.... She was almost tempted to throw herself at the girl's mercy, for the pure pleasure of giving in to what she wanted. Deep down, Usagi had an inkling of what that might be. She threw the next door open and charged through, running onto a gantry that crossed over vast wells of the blood liqueur. She was momentarily stunned by the strength of the aroma, but recovered and continued on, passing through the following doorway. Naoko stepped into the wellroom, shaking her head. Some people just can't be told.... ----o Artemis lay dazed under a pile of metal pots. Hotaru and Rei were on their knees, pulling the pots from his flattened form whilst Luna stood some distance away, shaking her head. "The idiot. He NEVER looks where he puts his paws. Honestly, I ask you...." "What the hell was that, anyway?" Hotaru looked at the tripwire that crossed the doorway. Rei sighed. "Ojichan likes his privacy in his room, so he planted that trap to catch the unwary." "Like Artemis." Luna snorted. "Really, Mars.... We must have a talk about the behaviour of your family." "Shutup you. It's bad enough hearing you lecture Usagi-chan without getting the same treatment...." Rei looked as if she was going to pitch one of the pots at Luna. The cat relented. "I was only saying it in jest...." "Oh YEAH? Well let me tell you this. If there is anybody in this house, who are out to kill us, we've just given them the best alert to our presence money can't buy." "You still haven't told us why you think there will be someone coming after you." Hotaru lifted Artemis from the mess and cuddled the dazed kitty, whilst turning from Rei. "I know there are groups after us, for one various reason or another.... But they want us for an entirely different purpose. Not hatchet us on the spot. You say Jupiter is dead? I say show me the proof." Rei shook her head, sadly. "You just don't get it, do you?" "Why should I?" "You KNOW why they killed Makoto.... You KNOW what she has been like these past few weeks. Argumentative and difficult. She drew attention to herself, to people who DO want to kill us, and on top of that...." Rei paused. Both Hotaru and Luna looked up at her expression.... Like she had been caught out saying too much. "...And on top of that?" Luna encouraged her. Rei didn't fall for it, and turned away, holding her knees under her chin. "She's a basket case." Hotaru whispered to Luna. "She's not normally like this. Rei has never been reticent or afraid of any of our enemies...." Luna shook her head. "What the hell could have gotten to her?" "She said she saw Makoto being attacked.... By someone." Luna pondered. "And yet, even though she is a Sailorsenshi, she didn't go to help...." "If it had been anyone normal, Jupiter would have been able to deal with her all by herself...." "So either she is lying about Makoto, or...." "Someone more powerful, or at least equally powered with less scruples, attacked and disabled Makoto, and threatened Rei...." "Are you finished talking about me behind my back?" Rei said, without turning. Hotaru and Luna sweatdropped and peered back at Rei. "Well, if you're finished sulking." Luna huffed. "I'm not sulking." Rei stood and stepped over the pots, leaning softly against the doorway. She peered into the passage and rubbed her forehead. "Look, I know you think my behaviour is strange, but.... I can't tell you who killed Mako-chan, because.... Because the ultimate result could be messier than things as they already exist." Before Luna or Hotaru could ask anything further, Rei turned to them and beckoned. "The coast is clear. Come on.... It's better if we keep moving. We don't want to get caught in here." She stepped out into the corridor. Hotaru sighed and stood, holding Artemis in her arms, and both she and Luna followed. ----o LOG 3.32.22 (Dr Miriam Bartholemew) "Subject has progressed further and is now pacing about her cell, looking for an exit. At least, this is what her actions appear to represent. She doesn't have a sense of urgency about her and it is possible this might be another response to the psychosis. She has still not said anything since the early questioning, when there was still an element of lucidity to her mental processes." ----o Kaji watched as Miki was layed out on the bunk within the medical room by two members of the police Dispatch Staff. The Police MO shook her head as she pulled aside the burnt uniform jacket, to get her stethoscope to the young woman's chest as the Dispatchers left the room, running the gauntlet of the voyeuristic lurkers. "With the material singed like this, I'm stunned she didn't receive, at the very least, second degree burns...." Kaji turned to Kurabuto and the pathologist, both of whom were sitting in chairs, shaking, but otherwise unharmed. "You say the heart crystal did this?" Kaji scratched his head. "The bloody thing went off with the force of a bomb!" "For all intents and purposes, maybe that was what it had become." The pathologist shook his head. "Next time, we make it a rule.... When we perform an autopsy on a Sailorsenshi, leave the heart crystal IN." Kurabuto took a sip of water from the plastic cup he held with quivering hands. "That doesn't necessarily mean the thing won't go bang anyway. For all intents and purposes, a dead Sailorsenshi could be a corpse bomb...." The pathologist shook his head. "Then I suggest we keep as many of the little bitches alive as possible, don't you think?" Kurabuto sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "How am I going to explain to the Metro Chief that an officer on hold for disciplinary measures was injured by an exploding heart crystal? The girl had no place being there...." "Pardon me sir, but would you mind stoppping feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking of Miki's condition?" Kaji huffed. "The forensics people will go over the autopsy theatre with a fine toothed comb, if they find anything, they'll tell us...." He turned back to the MO, who put her stethoscope down and looked up. "There are some irregular noises coming from her chest. A kind of gurgling sound. However, it appeared to be declining, even as I listened.... Other than that, her heartbeat and breathing appear normal. Did she sustain any head injury?" "I did my best to stop that." Kaji sniffed and wiped his nose. "I can assure you, I have no idea what is going on inside her head for her to be unconcious like this...." ----o The last few moments of slumber started to ebb from Miki's mind as she turned in her bed. Not a large bed, by any means, but it was warm and comfortable, and she didn't feel like moving from it, anytime soon. Still, there was so much to accomplish today. That was when she noticed things weren't quite right. What did she have to accomplish today? Go to her classes? She didn't have to go to any classes. She had a job. She was a dispatch officer for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, with an Associate Diploma to prove her university education. She sat bolt upright and stared around the room. This wasn't her room. It wasn't her bed, either. She turned to the nearby window and looked out. That wasn't the view from her bedroom window. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, out from under the covers, and stood, not quite knowing what to do next. She'd never seen this place before.... ----o LOG 4.32.22 (Dr Miriam Bartholemew) "The subject has most definitely come to in the last minute or so. She is pacing around, agitatedly and is thumping her fists against the walls. On occasion, she is looking up at the high observation window. I think she might try an escape attempt through there. A diagnostic test of her power band has been categorised now, and the defences are operational. Wait a minute.... She appears to be pulling out something.... Definitely a magical pulse beginning to occur.... Yes, the subject has now taken out a transformation pen. She has shouted something.... Like 'Venus planet power.... make up' I think.... There is now a major magic pulse signal coming from Cell 32.... Almost off the scale.... Typical for a subject that has two combined energy wavelengths. There is now a change in her physical appearance. Indeed, to my eyes she does not appear to be the same person. Her clothes have changed, as well.... You wouldn't want to walk down a dark street in that kind of gear, I'm sure.... Um... Now she's whipping out a kind of chain, throwing it up towards the latch in the observation window. Yes.... It has taken hold. She has now leapt from the floor and is swinging, bouncing from one wall to the other.... She's grabbed the latch...." "Subject is now lying across the bed within the cell. She appears unharmed by her fall from the window, however she is unconcious and will probably require some medical attention. At least this proves the effectiveness of the defense systems that have been activated...." END OF PART 19 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Next Chapter - "In Memory Alone" DDFA ayanami@merlin.net.au Chief Propoganda Officer, Keeper of the Tapes and co-founder of the Sai-chan fan club Adelaide Japanese Animation Society http://adelaide.net.au/~nene/ajas.html Version 1.0 - 9th May 1998