36: Sailor Kepe….
After Tsukino Usagi slowly handed me the paper she had written and deprated for her rooms, I felt inclined to read it. I ended up reading it several times, unbelieving at first, but when my memories returned of what had happened already that night, I realized that what she was saying was very much the truth. But there was no end to the revelations, not yet.
I waited until she was gone before I decided it was time for Dyka to see what she had written. I opened the door and let Dyka and Varuna in.
-Well. Dyka took the note from me with some derision. -You took your time.
And so Dyka read what Tsukino Usagi had written. She gave several starts at some of what was written, and I'm sure some of it was from the last parts. But she was mostly silent until she had finished reading.
-So. Dyka's voice was flat. -This is her claim.....
-Yes.
-No reference to Kepe, I see.
-Huh?
I looked at Dyka at this. I didn't quite know what Kepe had to do with it, at least for a moment. Then I remembered Kastalle.
Kepe is........
-.....Dyka...... I gulped. -What about Sailor Kepe?
-She was the one who arrested Tsukino Usagi.
-Well....yeah, but......why would that be important?
-That's......not it.
-Then what is it?
I began to suspect what Dyka meant at this. I knew Dyka did not like Kepe. She turned away from me, and said nothing in reply to my question..
-Dyka?
-Floritiuse? At this, Varuna looked at me with a surprised look. -You mean Dyka didn't tell you about it?
Immediately, Dyka turned her head towards Varuna with large eyes. She began to advance towards Varuna.
-Be quiet.
-Tell me what? I glared at Dyka. -Tell me, Varuna.
-Huh. Varuna couldn't help but smirk. -So she didn't tell you? Huh.
-Tell me what?
-I said be quiet! Dyka growled. -You fool!
-Pfft. Varuna snorted. -Make me.
-What?!
-It's nothing to concern yourself about! Dyka was trying desperately to get me off the subject. -You're no longer on the case, and so it-
-Dyka's been keeping a big secret from you.
-......Oh? I shook my head in anger. -I'm surprised.
-Heh. Varuna looked at me. -I guess you would be.
-For how long?
-It's none of your-
-Since she-
-VARUNA!
-....came onto the case. Before then. She hates her-
-DAMN YOU!
With an angry snarl, Dyka grabbed Varuna and began to choke her. I gave a shout at this, and separated them. Varuna fell to the floor, sputtering.
-WHAT! I was shouting. -Stop it!
-And YOU! Dyka turned to me. -Leave me alone.
-Are you hiding something from me?!
-No-
-I was your LAWYER. I was getting very angry. -WHAT were you hiding from me?
-It's none of your business!
-Kepe murdered Sailor Michag.
All of us stopped talking at Varuna's words. I was taken aback by this; I couldn't have expected such a fact. Every day, more fact, more revelations. Kepe a murderer!
Yet it made sense.
-......That was to be forgotten. Dyka was very angry. -You gave me your word on it.
-Someone had to say it, Varuna looked at Dyka, who glared angrily but could do nothing as long as I could arbitrate. -You weren't going to. And she wasn’t going to leave it alone - you should know that by now!
I realized so many things at that moment. Everything was beginning to fall into place. Michag's murder. Kepe's prominence. The murders. Kepe being the prosecutor. Kastalle's last words before Galaxia appeared.
Kepe and Galaxia were aligned with each other.
-HOW COULD YOU?!?!!?
I just screamed; I didn't attack Dyka. I was to angry to. I felt very betrayed.
-You.....bitch!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I used a terrible word against her. But that was how I felt about her. I felt satisfied to say it, and Dyka's shock to my accusation made me feel better.
-How..... She stammered, trying for the first time to rebut me. -How dare you!
-No!!! You...... I was shaking. -It was never about saving Tsukino Usagi. You...you just wanted to get Kepe. You're just waiting for Tsukino Usagi to be convicted for you to make your case against Kepe...and then... her!!
-I...... I had cornered her very well. Dyka could not even find words. -I.....
-That was what you were talking to what-his-name about on the phone! I shouted. -You were trying to get Kepe. You heartless sister! Where's your pride, your....your sense of shame! This is shameful! If you know about Kepe's killing Michag, then surely, you knew that Galaxia and Kepe were connected!
Dyka's eyes widened with shock at this. She trembled slightly and gave an angry cry at this. She knew she was wrong, just as I knew she was wrong, in what she did. I began to move in.
-You knew.........
-Themis.
-I'm speaking!
-Wait.
At this, Varuna took the initiative from Dyka and stood in front of her. Dyka, the truth now out, made no sound as she spoke.
-It's not....what you think it is.
-Oh?
-....Well..... Varuna shrugged. -In a way, no.
-She doesn't care about Tsukino Usagi.
-I guess not. It’s no secret. Varuna spoke plainly. -And she does hate Kepe. But.....this Galaxia?
-They're connected. She knows! She knew of Galaxia before! She knew of the connection now!
-I didn't! Dyka managed a squeak in reply. -I didn't!
-You did!
-She couldn't have. Varuna shook her head violently. -She never said anything about her to me.
-That doesn't mean she didn't know!!
-Themis.
Varuna took me by one of my appendages and looked at me. She quickly led me away from Dyka, who simply stared at the wall, saying nothing, and led me down into the basement.
I became worried at this, as all of my materials concerning what I had learned were all down in the basement, in a corner with a small table. But Varuna seemed not to care about looking for such things. She began to speak to me, not paying attention to anything else in the room.
-Listen to me. Varuna spoke. -I can swear to you that she didn't know.
-Why should I believe you? I scoffed. -All you want is to ingratiate yourself to Dyka.
-That's not…..true!
-Then why should I trust your words?
-Because I....... Varuna gulped in a slightly nervous way. -I went through all of her things.
-What?!
-Shhhhhhhh! Varuna quickly covered my face. -Shhhhhhhhhh!!! Don't say that loud!
-You......I wouldn't have done that.... I paused. -Though I guess I should have.
-Dyka has many sources of intelligence who report to her. Varuna shifted her eyes about. -Some of them are used by most of the Seemarin senators for news updates and such. But a lot of them are.....very terrible people. Cartel infiltration. Underground espionage. Certainly, though, she's not the only one, but...
-Not the only one?
-Well... Varuna nervously chuckled. -Everyone has them. A lot of money and intrigue involved. Bribery, lobbying for preferential treatment, intriguing against other senators, things like that. That’s how almost all Seemarin senators do their business. It’s just that no one says anything about it.
-Because it's totally against the laws the Three Judges themselves put in? I remember Tsukino Usagi's bitter words about the Seemarin. -That's terrible!
-Yeah, I guess. I could figure from her words Varuna herself was not innocent of such things. -If people found out, Dyka and anyone else who was suspected would be jailed or even executed to keep it quiet. So I'd…..uh, Dyka would rather, you know, not have people know....
-Hah.
I turned and went upstairs. I had to speak to Dyka again, despite my not wishing to ever see her face again. But something came into my mind at that moment, something I wished to do.
-You knew...I walked to her and stared at her. -....of Galaxia.
-I knew. Dyka still did not face me even now. -I knew she existed. She was my enemy upon Melkweg. The same fallen sailor of that planet.
-Oh, you certainly have my sympathy for that, I scoffed.
-I was never able to find anything about her. Dyka’s eyes narrowed. -I looked for her. It was my passion to have revenge for the wrongs done to me. But it was as if she never existed in the Seemarin files - didn‘t exist at all. And I never dreamed that this girl and my hated opponent were connected in any way. That is the truth.
-Then what of Kepe? You knew she killed Michag. Kastalle's last words were Kepe is.... Galaxia claimed responsibility for Michag's death. And Kepe killed Michag
-...I knew she killed Michag. That is all.
-Is that all? Then why were you keeping it secret?
-I had no evidence.
-No evidence. I actually laughed at this. -Is Kepe so powerful that he covered everything up?
-You should know the answer.
-But you didn't care about Tsukino Usagi.
-Stop assuming things. Dyka glared at me in the very corner of her eyes. -You really know nothing!
-Yet it’s ok that you've assumed so much about me.
-......Fine. Dyka's face darkened. -I was not so caring as you are. I did not believe in her innocence.
-Then....what about her side of the story about the Galaxy Cauldron? I looked down. -I think....she must be telling the truth. We can argue that Tsukino Usagi was trying to save the galaxy because Galaxia had been tampering with the Cauldron. For, surely, Sailor Moon was trying to save the universe from her, and that's not a crime.....I can feel it. I.....
-What?
-Maybe we can put Tsukino Usagi as a witness?
-Ha. And you think they'll fall for it? Dyka replied slowly -Remember. If Kepe is involved, she will be certain to figure out loopholes to get around anything we throw at the girl.
-Well......I....I.....
I looked at Dyka. She understood what I wanted, for she turned to directly face me.
-.....Oh. You'd take the stand? Finally, a chuckle came from Dyka, for now she acted as if the exchange that had happened before never happened. -And how do you intend to prove it, Floritiuse?
-Well.... I paused. -Well, I will read Tsukino Usagi's testimony.
-That holo paper could have been doctored.
-...Well....then....the tape. I remembered. -Surely, Yomokei's video was doctored to not show Galaxia. That has to be.
-And how will you prove that the tape was doctored?
-....Well, you call the GCS up and-
-It's not so easy as calling them. They will only turn over tapes at the inquest of the prosecution.
-What?!
I shook my head. It was looking more and more impossible by the moment to do anything, even when we had a chance.
-Wh-what about your....you know...to find people that know Tsukino Usagi?
-I can't utilize those people without knowing who I am looking for....if the tapes were even doctored. If we can even find anyone. Dyka turned back to me. -I suppose that I do not doubt the story. I have always had my own suspicions of Tsukinousagi's true guilt, if you will ever believe me on that. But what if you are wrong about your theory, and the tape is not doctored?
-How could it not be doctored?
-It could be that that is how the camera from the GCS is angled, and that there was only camera to catch anything, and it caught her jumping into the Cauldron.
-.....There has to be more than one camera! I couldn‘t believe that. -Dyka, it seems far too convenient that there is only one camera to catch things at the camera if it is the most sacred ground that our civilization knows of! I may be ignorant, but I'd still guard the place with all that I have if I were the Seemarin! I'd have fifty million cameras around that place!!
As I talked, I slowly began to realize that Dyka was right. There was little that Kepe needed to disprove anything Tsukino Usagi - or myself - said on the stand. I looked despairingly at Dyka.
And saw something moving at the window behind her.
-....Hey!!!
Dyka turned and saw it too. Instantly, the window slammed down, and a blurry hand flew by.
-HEY!!!
I was first, followed by my boss. I burst put the door, and gave a shout, just as I saw the tip of a golden flame disappear into the bushes. I know
-STOP! I quickly began to follow. -GALAXIA! COWARD!!!!
I ran and ran, but by the end of the drive, I knew I was beat. The killer was gone, though her drive to kill us again stunted. This time, however, I knew who she was. And unfortunately, she would not return for the night. I just somehow knew she wouldn't be foolish enough to attack again and get caught.
-Drat it all....
I stumbled back to Dyka, who for some reason had not followed me. However, the look on her face was somehow freshly surprised. I did not notice that there was something in her hand, for her hand was in the shadows.
-Dyka.... I gasped. -It was her.
-I know. Dyka gave a pause and a look of determination on her face. -Themis, could you and Varuna watch over the girl tonight....without me?
-Huh?
-I just thought of something.....that I need to do. Dyka nodded. -Trust me, I have to go right now. I'll be back as soon as I can.
-......Ok.......
I just sighed as Dyka walked off. I wondered what had transpired in Dyka's mind in the two minutes it had taken for me to lose what was really the key to saving Tsukino Usagi.
