Notes: So, I started out mostly just liking Saturn and the grunts (who I'm trying not to portray as all the same, but I think the grunt job description attracts a certain type of person), but Mars and even Jupiter are growing on me. And Cyrus intrigues me. I'm working on a theory involving possibly him and Professor Rowan, to explain at least some of what Saturn still doesn't know at the end.

I researched some astronomy for this. All the grunts and the scientist are named after Saturn's moons. It seemed appropriate.

I struggled with a title. This one at least seemed to cover it all. And I'm trying hard not to get back in the habit of page-long notes.

Pokemon, Lucas, Team Galactic, and its members belong to Nintendo.

...

For the Good of the Team

Two grunts trailed in Saturn's wake as he entered the TV room. One had followed him from the front reception area, and was trying to keep a clipboard with a stack of papers sticking out at odd angles, a poketch, a cell phone, and the daily newspaper from falling out of her arms. The other had quickly latched onto them on his way from the kitchenette. He was stirring hopefully at a bowl of lumpy brown gunk over rice.

Saturn frowned at the TV, stopping at the front row of seats. "Any word today?"

"Um…" The female grunt shifted her load, set it on a bench, and picked out a report from the top. "We've heard from two scientists and five grunts. I don't think they're coming back, though." She handed Saturn the report of names, locations, and brief status reports. He looked it over, nodding slightly. The two grunts could almost see his ears prick to the rise and fall of the TV reporter's voice at the same time. After a moment he handed the paper back.

"All right. Keep me posted. Especially if you hear anything about Cyrus, Jupiter, or Mars." His jaw clenched a bit.

"Of course." She took the paper and put it back with the others, trying to straighten them up a bit.

"Sir?" the male grunt cut in quietly, offering the steaming bowl. Saturn glanced over and took it with the barest of strained smiles.

"Thank you. How is it?"

"Oh it's getting much better," he assured the blue-haired man quickly, with an anxious grin. "It tastes almost like real curry now."

Saturn took a small bite, still watching the TV like a hawk, and nodded slightly. "You're right. Almost. Good job, Tethys." Tethys glowed at the compliment. Saturn continued to take a bite now and then, but he wasn't very interested in the dinner portion of their dinner break. Tethys and Rhea, the female grunt, went to finish off the rest of the curry after taking a few more glances back at their boss.

"I really worry about him sometimes," Rhea whispered to Tethys. Saturn was too wrapped up in the news report, and with glancing through the newspaper, to pay any attention.

The young leader of Team Galactic - or the Galactic Corporation, as they needed to start limiting themselves to calling it now - curled his lip in frustration. Just how many insignificant trainers needed to be shown charging around, finding rare candies, catching Bidoofs, and generally wasting time? And half of it was reruns. OLD reruns. There was one of that boy, Lucas, creeping around Galactic HQ to find a protein. From back, way back, before…

Saturn shook his head. Watching the news in hopes of hearing about his former teammates was probably useless. But he couldn't stop trying, looking, listening for all he was worth. He'd pretty much come to terms with the fact that Jupiter didn't want to be found. She would have come back, or at least found a way to contact him. Cyrus was clearly finished with Team Galactic as well. Why else would he leave it in the care of the member who obviously understood the least about it? Saturn suspected he was more likely to hear about either of them being thrown in jail before they walked back through the doors of the Veilstone Headquarters. And jail really wasn't likely for either of them. Mars, on the other hand…

Jail probably wasn't likely for her either. She could take care of herself.

Still, if she - any of them - were caught by the police or an angry mob intent on avenging their stolen Pokemon…

To be honest, if he were around, Saturn wasn't sure there was a thing he could do. He'd managed to convince the local police and just a big enough percentage of the Gym Leaders' Council of his change of heart. Of course they were watching him now. But he hadn't been at the Spear Pillar that day, hadn't even known about it until afterwards, and that hadn't been the only thing he had been - or still was - in the dark about. He'd sweated his way through a harrowing interrogation, and along with the very few remaining grunts and scientists he had returned hundreds of Pokemon to their seething, self-righteous owners, along with a personal apology for each one. It had been absolute hell. There was no other word for it. But it had gained him the social toehold he needed to avoid angry mobs showing up on the doorstep. But if one of they others were to show up and not be willing to do the same, he doubted he could convince a single person to leave them alone. Not that he wouldn't be trying.

Mars might be fine. She could handle herself. Except that sometimes he wasn't sure if she could. Just after a loss, usually. Not often.

But from everything he had heard, losses didn't come much bigger than the Spear Pillar incident. He left the room and went to drop the bowl in the sink.

"All right, that's it for today," the young man sighed. "I need to see Maylene, call the League, and… I need to just get out for a while." He looked at the two grunts, almost helplessly.

"Yes, sir," Rhea answered. She seemed to understand. He was glad she had stayed. Her powers of physical organization might still be in the early stages of development, but at least she was one of the more with-it grunts.

"Thanks. And make sure you get this room spotless. The health inspector's coming some time on Tuesday, apparently for the first time ever. We don't want the building condemned."

The two grunts saluted and set to work. Saturn gave them a final nod before heading for the warp panel. He stopped on the way out to make sure that Dione the receptionist and Mimas the scientist were cleaning and checking the building for safety. There was a catchy song playing on the radio, accompanied by Mimas's occasional complaints about the volume and Dione's blissful off-key humming. Saturn fled as quickly as he could.

As he stepped out, he thought he saw a familiar flash of red by the town's western security station. He craned his neck, eyes straining to catch it again, praying it was -

But all that was there were a couple of babbling trainers. One of them did have a red bow in her hair, that must have been it. He'd probably imagined that particular shade.

Saturn shook his head and sighed as he headed towards the gym.

… … … … … …

In the small building between Veilstone and the road, a young woman pulled a gray hood tighter over her red hair and leaned against the wall, waiting for her heartbeat to calm. He'd almost seen her. She'd been careless. Jupiter would be furious, if she heard. Cyrus would be… Well, he'd probably give her a calm talking-to. But at least she was doing her job. Her time in the Sinnoh media was paying off in reverse now. Saturn had no leads on any of them. No one had any reason to complain about her work. She hadn't failed anyone. Cyrus would probably praise her. She smiled a little.

…At least, he'd better praise her. She hated this. No one to talk to. Jupiter wasn't the most social person ever. Sometimes she listened to Mars, but just as often she left the room. Or told Mars to suck it up. And Cyrus always took her totally seriously, when he had time at all. And they'd let all the grunts go. Which made things monumentally boring. Mars fumed. If it wasn't for her Pokemon, she swore, she'd march right up to the Veilstone Headquarters and let Saturn know just what a fool he had been played for. She snuck a glance out the door, and thought she saw him enter the gym.

…Maybe she should just screw it and get over there anyway. She turned and looked out the door. Yeah. Just take her Purugly and go back there right now. Yeah! Then at least she'd have a complaining buddy again.

Mars took a hesitant step back towards the doorway. Then the cell phone in her pocket buzzed and vibrated against her hip. She jumped back a little, as if she'd been slapped. The young couple on the other side of the building paused their conversation to give her a strange look. She glared at them halfheartedly as she shrunk back into the corner, taking out the phone to look.

One new message from an unknown number.

"CYCLING ROAD UNDERPASS 5:16 PM"

She looked up at the towering Galactic Building and cursed under her breath. She had to suppress such thoughts. They would get her in trouble one day.

After sending a quick reply, she put the phone away and headed out to the meeting, trying to convince herself that she was on the right track.