Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine. All new characters and plot are. Don't sue me.

Screams echo through the hull of the ship "Attack! Attack!"

In the cockpit of the Silver Shadow the captain, Captain Tyrone Delamore, turns on the announcement system.

"All personal report to your escape pods. We are abandoning the ship. I repeat, report to your escape pods. NOW!!" He turns and speaks to the figure on the ground. "Please Small Lady leave the ship. We can't afford to lose you!"

The figure moves away from under the consul, and reveals herself to be a tall, lithe young lady, with long bubble gum pink hair.

"Really Ty, I think I've outgrown that name by now." She laughs, ignoring his comment.

"Sorry Sma… My lady, but you really must leave."

"No, I will not abandon my ship. We will stand and fig…" another blast rocks the ship. Rini and Ty look at each other, then leap into action. Rini jumps over to a set of controls, as the Captain looks at a screen, confused.

"What the… they took out our defenses! Those are state of the art. A new design! How could they know how to deactivate them?"

"It doesn't matter how, only that they did. I'm bringing out weapons online. I'm not letting them hit us without getting a few shots of my own in." She punches a few buttons. "Ah ha! Weapons online, preparing to take my first shot…" The ship is hit again, and Rini flies across the room before she has a chance to fire.

Tyrone glances up at her as she flies past, but notices the flashing on the screen and reads the incoming message instead of getting up to help her.

"Rini! They've taken out our weapons! We're completely defenseless."

She brushes the hair out of her eyes, and stands up somewhat unsteadily. She glances at the screen and stares in disbelief as his words are confirmed.

"Princess, I'm getting you off of this ship right now!" Tyrone's voice is now very formal. Rini, noting the difference just nods. She knows that to stay on board now would be death. She looks around saying a silent goodbye to her haven as she and Ty run to their escape pods. A tear runs down her cheek as she leaves, believing this is the last time she will see her beloved ship.

Later…

In the throne room of the Crystal Palace, Rini and the Captain stand before two thrones made out of the same pure crystal as the rest of the palace.

"Captain, what happened out there?" A mans voice questions from the throne.

"King Endymion, Queen Serenity, I'm not sure what happened. We were halfway to our destination when we were attacked. They immediately rook out our defenses, followed soon by our weapons. It was almost as if they knew our weak points." Queen Serenity stands up, very distraught.

"And you allowed our daughter, your princess, to stay on the ship until the last minute? She should have been the first one off! We entrust to you the care of our only child and heir and…"

"Mom! It is not Captain Tyrone's fault! I refused to leave the ship. What you have him do, carry me off by force? He had other things then to worry about at that minute... like how to save the lives of the other crew members, and one of the finest ships in our fleet!" Rini yelled out at her mother. The Queen looks down at her daughter, ignoring the fact that there are other people in the room.

"Yes, he should have carried you off, if that is what it takes to save your neck. What right do you have to endanger yourself? You know how important you are to the kingdom, you are the only one who can take my place."

"Yes, I know, you only tell me fifty times a day. Its not like I'm can just forget it, as much as I'd like to. Why do you still insist on treating me like a child?" Rini screamed at her mother in front of a very shocked King and Captain. She finishes and storms out of the throne room. Queen Serenity sighs and rubs her temple.

"She is so emotional. She reminds me so much of myself at that age."

King Endymion laughs. "Only a lot smarter, must have gotten that from me…" The Queens punches him in the arm.

"Ouch! Hey! Meatball head, I'm sorry." He apologized as he took her into his arms.

"I suppose I can forgive you." She sighed happily looking up at her king. He lowers his head, about to kiss her...

Captain Tyrone clears his throat loudly, "Uh, Your Highnesses, forgive me but I shall go check about word on the Silver Shadow…"

The royal couple sweat drop, and blushes stain both their cheeks, they had completely forgotten he was there. Endymion smiles, "Yes, you do that. The Queen and I have some private matters to attend to." With that he scoops up the humiliated Queen and carries her out of the throne room.

Ty smiles as he hears the Queen recover and start to protest. He realizes how lucky he is to be close enough to the royal family to see the King, Queen, and Princess act like a normal family. With one last chuckle, and then a sigh he leaves the room to go check to see if his ship still exists.

Meanwhile…

The Princess runs through the castle to her rooms. She throws herself onto the bed sobbing. A while cat with dark eyes is startled awake and noticing the crying princess goes over to her.

"Rini, what is it?" the cat asks, very concerned for it is rare to see the princess act like this.

Between sobs, Rini explains. "Oh D…Diana, it's my mo…mother and fa…father. They treat me like I'm still a child." As she talks her voice gets stronger and angrier. "I know I am the heir to the kingdom, but I can take care of myself! After all, I am a Sailor Soldier! But here I am busy being the heir to the throne. Why, my mother hasn't let me train seriously since I got back from the past years ago!" She sighs, remembering. "At least in the past I was treated as an equal, I was part of the team. Not someone who needs constant attention and guards. I mean sure, Sailor Moon protected me, but only when I really needed it. She also let me fight my own battles. I miss all the old Sailors. I never see the Sailor Soldiers anymore, they are all too busy with empire work."

Princess, you know everyone here cares for you, and your mother most of all."

Rini sighs, "I know Diana. Thanks for listening to me rant." She picks up the cat and hugs her.

"I live to serve you my princess. Besides here you have Tyrone to keep you company. He wasn't there in the past." The cat smiles as she mentions the Princess' love interest.

Rini laughs, "True, I don't know what I'd do without him. He is probably my best friend." She smiles as she pictures the young captain with his light blonde, almost white hair and deep blue eyes. "I suppose I will marry him someday, as he is the only one suitable for King, and I do love him… but I just can't help thinking that we will never have what mom and dad do. Besides I get the odd feeling that there is someone…" She shakes her head, "but no there isn't, it's just my imagination.

The Princess looks at Diana in much better mood then when she entered the room. "Come on cat, lets go see what Ty is up to." She runs out of her room into a long marble corridor, Diana closely following. They run down a few flights of stairs, along a few more hallways, and stop abruptly in front of a door. Rini slowly opens the door and peeks in. Seeing Ty at a communications consul she smiles and shuts the door.

Tyrone jumps, and swirls around. Seeing it's just Rini, he relaxes. "Good Goddess child, you scared me!"

"Child! I'm only 3 years younger then you!" She replies indignantly. "Why does everyone insist on treating me like a child?"

Sensing another display of temper, Ty immediately apologizes, "I'm sorry Rini, I didn't mean to upset you."

Rini sighs, "It's ok. Have you gotten any word on the ship?"

Ty looks back at the consul, now with a confused look on his face. "Yeah, it appears she's still there. Damaged, but nothing we can't fix. I don't get it. Why attack and then leave the ship for further use?"

"Weird! Maybe they thought we were another ship and when realizing they had attacked an Empirial Ship, left?"

"I might believe that, if it wasn't for the fact they took out our weapons and defense systems so fast. The Silver Shadow was a one of a kind ship. She is designed with the newest technology out of our labs; there isn't another ship like her in the universe. No, these people knew they were attacking Silver. But what's worse is I think they knew you were on it, and that's why they attacked, and that's why they stopped once you got off. They weren't attacking the ship, they were attacking you." He looks up to see a shocked and pale Rini. Realizing what he just said to her, he cringed inside.

"But that's only a theory!" he quickly says, and watches her relax again.

"Have you informed my father of any of this?"

"Well, no, he's… uh… he's been…. Busy. That's it, he's been busy." He manages to stammer out, blushing a deep red.

Rini gives him an odd look, but decides to forget it. "Good, don't tell him anything."

"WHAT?!? But Rini… I have too..." Tyrone is totally shocked by her statement.

"Listen Ty, if you tell him this, he won't let me fly with you anymore, and is probably the only enjoyment I get around here." She looks at him, turning on all her charm. She touches his arm lightly and caresses it up and down with her fingers slowly. "And you wouldn't want to be deprived of my company, now would you?" She ends her plea, looking up at him from under her lashes coyly.

"Umm, well, no, of course not." Tyrone is obviously very flustered and totally captivated by this new side of Rini.

Rini squeals with delight, and jumps up and gives Tyrone a big hug. "Thank you! So it's agreed that we won't tell mom and dad, and I can go with you on your next mission like planned! When are we leaving?"

"Well, tomorrow to go pick up Silver and repair her out there…"

"Good, and thank you again!" She kisses him hurriedly on the lips, and runs happily from the room. Leaving behind a very flustered and confused Captain.