What Tomorrow Brings

The strong breeze carried a sweet smell of violets and roses, the sky above was bright blue holding only the smallest trace of clouds. Josephine would surely miss this beauty, but her thoughts were focused on her mission. She must right the wrongs for which she was responsible. As impossible as it was to reverse time, her destiny was clear; she must find the Princess.

"Excuse me, dearest Miss," the man sitting next to her implied. He was squat with thinning yellow hair and a paper-thin moustache. In the lenses of his glasses, Josephine caught sight of herself and realised just how despondent she appeared.

"Yes?" the tall girl with the long dark green hair responded.

"Take this," he shoved a gold coin into her hand. "You should go and find him."

"I’m sorry..." she started to say.

"You are obviously sad over a lost love."

"How can you tell?"

"It is in your eyes," he smiled. Touching her face slightly, he stood and walked away, but not before saying, "Destiny speaks a strange language, but do not be afraid to listen."

She turned the coin in her fingers; the gold colour glinted in her cold grey eyes. The wind rustled the open magazine laying next to her on the marble bench, and briefly she caught sight of the white-haired senshi smiling on the pages. Once again the word echoed in her ears... destiny.

Josephine walked the length to the docking bay and sighed. She had very little money, and hiring a pilot to charter her would take every cent she owned. She possessed only one item, and it was easily concealed in her grey cloak, so she wouldn’t have to pay a baggage fee. Her hopes drooped as she eyed the tall metal ships with their impressive-looking insignias. They dominated the room and dwarfed the various creatures standing around.

A man who stood no higher than Josephine’s shoulder waddled up to her. He was carrying a clipboard and a red bag of coins that jingled when he walked. One of his eyes was covered with a black patch, while the other squinted up at her. He snorted several times before saying a word.

"Where do you wish to go?"

"Coruscant," she answered.

"Ha! Coruscant? That’ll cost you! We’re more than two star systems away! Hmmm... but you’re a pretty girl, I’ll tell you what... five hundred credits to call it even." He smiled a missing-teeth grin.

"I only have two hundred ten credits." Her brow furrowed.

"Then you are staying put! You won’t find a pilot who will take you for less than five hundred!"

Without warning, someone said, "I’ll do it for free."

Josephine swung around to see a tall, strong, dark-haired man. He was wearing a red uniform and had a blaster on each hip. The man’s eyes twinkled with a mixture of mischief and sincerity, and his smile was perfect.

"Ha!" snorted the small man, "A pirate! Who would accept a ride from a space pirate!"

"I will," Josephine said. She knew Destiny would not have her be back in this galaxy if she were not to right her wrongs. She knew the Force would guide her to her destination safely. She was not afraid of the pirate - she was afraid of failing at her task.

"Excellent!" the pirate said heartily. "My name is Dredge. Why don’t you climb aboard the Conqueror?" He pointed to a massive black ship.

"How do other ships see you in space if your ship is painted black?" Josephine asked while climbing the landing ramp.

"That’s the point - they aren’t supposed to." He winked at her, then climbed in behind her, strapping himself into the pilot’s chair. "You know," he yelled over his shoulder to her, "you’re very lucky that I need to go to Coruscant for a delivery."

She smiled and buckled the safety harness around her midsection. Soon she would be in the presence of her former Queen to beg for forgiveness.

Josephine had always possessed the knowledge of her past lives. Some would call that a blessing, but it was a curse. She hated knowing the pain she caused and all the deaths. Hated being aware of her responsibilities, not only to her past, but her present as well. The view out of the window changed from the dirty silver walls of the docking bay to the blue sky, then finally to the black pitch of space. Thousands of stars twinkled in the distance as the ship slowed to impulse power.

Dredge stretched his body and pushed a few more buttons on the control panel. "Well," he said, "I’m going to sleep. Food is that way, restroom is that way, and sleeping quarters are right here."

"Thank you. You have done so much for me, I’m not sure how to thank you." She smiled.

"Yeah, it’s funny but... I’m not sure I want any thanks. Call it the Force, Fate, or Destiny, what ever it is - it told me to take you to Coruscant. I’m not a big believer in anything supernatural," he chuckled, "but I’m not going to go against my gut."

Lowering her head, Josephine smiled and nodded in understanding. She watched until her benefactor was safely in his private room before letting the tears slide down her face. Like raindrops, they fell on her clasped hands.

It was raining the day she left home. Earth. She had always known, as a child in France, that her true self was waiting for her. Her mother and father had been honest with their daughter from the moment of her birth, filling her with the truth of her heritage and her home. She was the reincarnation of the Duchess of Versailles, a city on a planet in another galaxy.

On the eve of Josephine’s sixteenth birthday, her mother presented her with an ornately-decorated chest. Inside was a diary, a small silver wand, and a picture of a white-haired woman. The diary belonged to a woman named Leonie, the first Duchess of Versailles. It spanned twelve years and contained the thoughts, goals and dreams of a young royal. The entries suddenly ceased when Leonie is twenty-two years old.

The silver wand was also ornate, with the tip being in the shape of a heart, and in the centre was a small red orb. And the picture...

"Sith!" Drudge yelled as a blast rocked the ship, stirring Josephine from her thoughts. The pirate stumbled from his room and quickly flopped into the pilot’s chair. He mumbled something foul in another language before turning on the targeting system. From her position Josephine could see the visual readout - three large ships were closing in on the Conqueror. It was surrounded on all sides.

Dredge fired at will as the ships drew nearer. Suddenly the biggest ship clamped onto its prey.

"Sorry honey," said Dredge, "but we’re about to be boarded."

Sure enough, the top hatch opened as four burly men slid down, followed by an even burlier woman. They smelled of rotten food and looked terrible. The lead man wore a long coat made from bantha hide and carried a rather large blaster.

"So, we meet again do we?" the third man grunted. He scratched his head with the tip of his blaster before spitting on the floor. This angered Dredge, who pulled his blaster and shot the man dead.

"Hey!! What did you do that for?" the woman yelled.

"Because I don’t take kindly to people disrespecting my ship. I have nothing of value on board, so feel free to leave."

The first man shook his head. "What about her? She looks good to me."

"Take her, why do I care? She’s just my sister. And not a very good one either. She can’t cook, or clean, she hates men AND women," he said in the direction of the burly woman in back, who frowned. "She’s not too bright, come to think of it, and she’s lazy. So, be my guest, go ahead and take her off my hands, Fergi. The Force knows I won’t get a good price for her."

"Maybe," Fergi began, "she is better off with you. I guess both of you will be happy dying together."

"What?" Josephine asked, getting to her feet.

"You’re not that stupid are you? This piece of tin is the only thing worth spit, so we’re taking it!" Fergi hissed.

"I can’t let you do that," she said.

"Stupid and brave? That’s some combination," the second man laughed.

In one quick movement, Dredge had shot him, but before he could get another one, Fergi stunned him. Dredge slumped to the ground in an unconscious heap.

"Piyu, check the girl," he said. The woman in the back smiled and cracked her knuckles.

Josephine reached inside her cloak and exposed her one possession, the small silver wand.

"Aurora Force Power Make-Up!" Within seconds Josephine was gone and replaced by the beautiful Sailor Jedi, Sailor Aurora.

"I am Sailor Aurora, senshi of Serenity and the Guardian of Hope. I will not allow these hostilities to continue. In the name of the galaxy, I will punish you!"

"I ain’t afraid of no stinkin’ Jedi!" Fergi yelled, brandishing his blaster.

Aurora closed her eyes, reached behind her back and produced a long, graceful bow. It was black and gold and sparkled with a strange glow. Into her hand materialised a long silver arrow. Putting her mind and body at peace, they became one. The arrow already exists in its target, she thought.

"Cupid’s Arrow!" she whispered. Faster than any eye could detect, the tip of the arrow had penetrated Fergi’s heart, then disappeared. He blinked several times, finally glancing at his stupefied comrades.

"Piyu! Oh Piyu! Where have you been my life? Have I never looked at you with open eyes? It is but such a pity that I have neglected your beauty for so long," he opined.

"Here, what are you talking about?" she sputtered. Fergi pulled her close in a tight embrace.

Sailor Aurora produced her wand one more time, and it grew into a large staff. "Leave now, before I do something worse."

They made their way up the ladder one at a time. The last thing she heard was Fergi proposing to Piyu and her smacking him across the face. Dredge quietly came to right after Josephine had powered down.

"What happened?"

"I’m not sure. They said something about this ship not being worthy of their time and left."

"That doesn’t sound like something they would do... maybe it was the Force!" he laughed.

"I suppose," Josephine smiled.

One week later, they safely landed on Coruscant. Dredge used an old abandoned hideout to dock his ship. He explained it was the perfect place for the scum of the universe to lay low, and it was right under the noses of the Jedi. Even though no payment was asked for, Josephine left him all of the money she had, figuring he could put it to good use.

As the harsh artificial light of Coruscant hit her eyes, Josephine realised just how much she hated this place. The main level of the planet was seedy and full of ‘scum’, as Dredge had stated. Jedi patrolled here occasionally and a few Senators were known to frequent some of the night clubs.

The Jedi Temple was located quite some distance from here, and being all but broke, Josephine walked. As time slowly passed and the lights dimmed, her stomach filled with dread and fear. She was hoping the Princess would remember her past completely. Josephine did not want to explain. Nighttime on Coruscant arrived far too quickly, as did the sight of the Temple.

Almost immediately, she saw the person for whom she was looking. Standing near a crystal structure was Annika Nesicha. She was talking and laughing with a tall, dark-haired boy. Unsure of how to approach her, Josephine figured it didn’t matter; the truth was not going to be pleasant either way.

With soft footsteps she was upon Annika, standing directly in front of her. Josephine was startled when she turned and looked into her eyes. The same twinkling look that had always been there, the same manner of being. The dark-green-haired girl was overwhelmed.

"My Queen," she said before genuflecting.

"Um... I’m not a Queen," Annika said softly, but Josephine did not move.

The dark-haired boy said, "I should probably leave you to this. Thank you for the tour... maybe we can see each other again soon?"

"I’d like that, JC. Goodnight." He trotted off and rode away in his speeder, leaving Annika’s attention fully focused on the still-kneeling girl.

"I’m sorry but..." She clasped her hands over her heart. "I’m just a Princess. You must have me mistaken for someone else."

Finally the woman stood and placed a hand over the tiny gold locket she wore around her neck. She opened it and showed the picture to Annika.

"That’s... that’s me!" said the pinkish-haired girl.

"No. It is Queen Muren of Serenity," Josephine whispered. Annika took a step back.

"How did you...?"

"I have to talk to you... and Obi-Wan Kenobi. What I have to say concerns both of you."

Annika glanced back at Josephine every few steps they took closer to the Room Behind the Waterfall. She felt uneasy by the stranger who refused to take her eyes away. Annika didn’t like it when people stared at her.

Moments later, a small crowd was gathered in the library in the Room. Annika sat on a large purple sofa next to several other girls, and Obi-Wan Kenobi stood against a wall with his arms folded. Josephine’s gaze was now solely on him, and her eyes gleamed with a strange fire.

"Don’t you have something you wanted to tell me?" Annika said impatiently. She already had Miss Gorgeous to fend off, and she didn’t need another rival.

"That is correct. I’m not certain how to begin."

"With the truth," Kyoko said.

"Very well. My name is Josephine Versailles. I am from another galaxy, one that contains present-day Earth." Several of the girls in the room nodded in understanding. She continued. "I was born there, but I belong here..." She placed the silver wand on a small table. "I am also Sailor Aurora.

"Many years ago my name was Leonie Versailles, and I was a Duchess on planet Serenity. I was a loyal servant to her Majesty, Queen Muren. As you’re already familiar with the details of the planet’s fate, I’ll move along," she said with a smile.

"When we landed on the planet now known as Bakura, the Queen named a city after me, and I was its Duchess. I was also caretaker of the Queen’s daughter, Nanika."

Obi-Wan squinted. The Force was changing - it was trying to tell him something. Xarae felt it too, and they shared a concerned look. Josephine frowned as she remembered her past life. It made her infinitely sad and weary. She struggled to carry on with her story.

"For a while we lived happily... and I was happy." Suddenly, Josephine’s demeanour changed, and she dropped to her knees and clamped her hands together.

"You have to forgive me your Highness! I never meant to fall in love... I knew it was wrong and that it would only hurt you... I hated keeping my feelings a secret... I knew the Prince would never allow..."

Annika’s feelings changed too; her heart sank as she realised she would be fighting yet another rival for Obi-Wan’s affections. She looked at the sobbing girl and sighed.

"What exactly happened?" asked Yukiko quietly.

Straightening herself, Josephine returned to her chair and breathed deep. "One day, I was strolling along the river banks when I caught sigh of... Muren’s husband. He was meditating under a large tree." Josephine’s words came quicker and were heavy with urgency, "I saw the Sith approaching from the Northwest. I knew if I didn’t intervene...

"I ran closer to the Prince, but by that point, I was so filled with anger and hatred toward him... my heart clouded my mind, and... and... I did nothing. I stood and watched as the Sith murdered him!" Josephine cried again.

Annika gasped before reflecting on what she should say. "Well, you couldn’t help falling in love, and love makes people do strange things, sometimes evil things. It wasn’t your fault that you fell in love with him."

Josephine swallowed hard and locked eyes with Annika; then she slowly shook her head. "Not him... you."

Obi-Wan’s posture straightened, and his mouth fell open slightly. He silently chastised himself for having his pride hurt. All eyes were on the dark-green-haired girl who was dabbing at her eyes.

"I’m so sorry. I thought with him out of the way... I didn’t expect Muren to be so distraught. I stood there for a seeming eternity, finally seeing her running barefoot up to her fallen husband. I wasn’t fast enough to stop her from taking her life.

"At that moment a loud bell rang in my ears, and I was immediately struck dead. I am a senshi and the Guardian of Hope. By allowing an innocent to be murdered I forfeited my life, and by shattering the hope of another Innocent, I lost my Guardianship responsibilities."

Josephine cleared her throat. "In the Afterlife, lies become truth and secrets become knowledge. While I stood next to Queen Muren in that sacred place, my punishment was read; I was stripped of my position, and my spirit was banished. And amazingly, even after she knew I was responsible for her death and the death of her beloved, the Queen fell to her knees and begged for me. She begged that I be forgiven."

Annika and Chikako were crying, but Obi-Wan was still just as skeptical.

"I was renamed Guardian of Hope and given my senshi powers back, but I was still banished to another galaxy. I was not to return here until it was time. When I found myself one evening standing in front of Sailor Yavin, I knew that time had arrived. She had been summoned when I first transformed, and she escorted me here over four years ago. I had no idea how to find you, and it wasn’t until I saw a young girl reading a magazine with the Sailor Jedi in it, that I realised.

"I am pleading with you Highness, please forgive me," she finished her story.

"I-" Annika began, but was interrupted by Obi-Wan.

"What makes you think we should trust you now?"

Xarae sighed. "I agree."

"You have no reason to trust me, I am aware of that. All I can offer you is my word. I am sorry. I am no longer the person I used to be - I am stronger and not governed by my emotions."

Something inside Obi-Wan still gave him doubt. He refused to believe this girl was sincere, and the Force was telling him nothing. She had been led by her emotions once; if she couldn't control them, she would be a prime target for the Sith. He watched as Annika's eyes swelled with tears, and his own emotions flared.

The thought of losing Annika had never crossed his mind; he had always assumed she would be there. He was honestly confused. On one hand, he felt Josephine was a threat to the Jedi. Her betrayal of them, no matter how long ago, was still betrayal. And on the other hand, this encounter between Josephine and Annika made him nervous, and he realised for the first time that Annika had a life outside of his own, a very real one. He needed time to think, time to consult the Force. "I think it would be best if you left," he said matter-of-factly.

"That’s absurd!" Annika yelled. She jumped to her feet and took Josephine’s hand. "You are one of us; a senshi! And don’t worry - of course I forgive you," she smiled.

"Oh, your Majesty..." Josephine dropped to one knee and bowed her head.

"That’s something else... you can call me Annika," she laughed.

"There should be an empty room on the third floor - I’ll show you," Yukiko smiled.

Obi-Wan walked to the middle of the floor. "Wait. I’m not so sure this is the best decision."

Priire, who had been silent, said, "I trust Annika’s judgement. If she says Josie stays... she stays."

"Perhaps," Josephine said, "it would be better if I left. It’s too soon for me to stay here." She walked to Annika and bowed her head. "I am glad to see that you still possess the same qualities that you always have, and my heart is happy to know that you have once again found your Prince."

"Where will you go?" Annika asked sadly.

"I will find somewhere," she turned to leave. As she walked down the hall, she could hear Obi-Wan being stern with Annika for being too trusting. Josephine took out the gold coin that had been given to her by the old man. She turned it over in her fingers and whispered, ‘Destiny.’ She wasn’t sure what tomorrow would bring, but she was secure in the knowledge that she was on the right path.