Battle for Power Book 1: "Testing Ground"

By: Jay'a

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Sailor Venus plopped down in a chair back in the meeting room. "That has to have been the hardest practice we've had in, in -"

"Ten years?" Sailor Jupiter supplied.

"Something like that."

"Goodness knows you needed it too," Luna commented as she hoped onto the table. "Besides, we needed to get Sailor Earth up to your level."

"Where is Sailor Earth anyway?" Sailor Mars asked.

"She excused herself for the day." Serenity, Endymion, and Sailor Mercury emerged from the training room. "She said he needed to go home and rest."

"Which would be where, exactly?"

Serenity shrugged. "She didn't say. And I don't think she would tell me if I asked again."

"Maybe the princess knows," Sailor Jupiter suggested. "Rini did let her in, and they're the same age."

"In the meantime, I'm going to see if I can develop a program to figure it out," Sailor mercury added.

"Good idea," Serenity said, nodding. "And I'll ask Rini if she knows anything. Other comments?"

"She's a good fighter," Sailor Jupiter commented. "Natural talent."

"But can we trust her?" Sailor Mars asked. "I don't like all this secrecy."

"Are you getting bad vibes?"

"No, not at all. In fact, just the opposite. By all accounts she's a decent enough person, but her secrets are setting me on edge."

"Another good thing to keep in mind. Anything else before I make a final comment?"

"Yeah. The RAPF."

Serenity turned to Sailor Venus. "What about it?"

Sailor Venus leaned forward. "What's it doing? I know it's not commissioned yet, but it must be doing something. What's its status; when will it be ready?"

"Endymion? It's your baby."

"I haven't gotten a chance to talk to Commander Perry yet -"

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, if I may interrupt," Artemis said, standing up. "While you were training, I went down to talk to Commander Perry. I told him you'd be down later, and he told me that his people were still pretty green, but they were stepping up the pace of training."

"I don't think this is an RAPF job," Sailor Venus said, shaking her head.

"I agree." Sailor Mercury looked up from her palmtop. "What we fought last night was an energy being, only corporeal when it wants to be. The RAPF would not be very effective. I believe that, in this case, it would be better if they dealt with the civilians in the district that was attacked."

Endymion nodded. "All very good points. I'll mention them when I go down."

Serenity waited a beat. "Anything else? No? Okay, last thing. As I was saying earlier, I think the speeches and poses need to go. They're repetitive, they don't impress anyone, and Sailor Earth made a good point about the element of surprise."

"It'll take some getting used to." Sailor Jupiter smiled.

"I know. We'll remind each other. If that's it, you can go. Good work today everyone." Serenity sat and watched as everyone silently rose and left the room, each going his or her own separate way.

*****

Rini trudged across her room, happy to have escaped the after-training-meeting. She flopped face first onto her bed.

"Meow!"

"Sorry Diana."

The small pink cat slipped out from under Rini's arm and licked down her startled fur. "How was your training Princess?"

"Ugh. I have never been so sore in my life. Diana?"

"Yes Princess?"

"Why don't you ever call me Rini?"

"Well, 'princess' is your title -"

"Never mind, I don't care." Beep, beep, beep…beep, beep, beep… "Ohhh." Rini rolled over and blew a raspberry at her video screen. "I refuse to get up."

The answering machine picked up. Rini's recorded message filled the air. "Hey, I'm not here. Leave a message. Thanks." Beep.

"Rini, it's Randy -"

Rini sprang up from bed and turned on her screen. "Randy?"

"Rini! Are you okay? I was worried after last night -"

"Randy, Randy, it's okay. I'm okay. Are you okay? I know it wasn't in your district, but…"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What happened?"

Rini pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. "An energy being attacked the city."

"Did the Sailor Scouts go out and fight it, or did they stay in the tower?"

Rini hesitated. Do I tell him? I've never not told him anything. Almost never…

"Rini?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Spaced out. Yeah, they went and fought, but they only drove it off. It might come back." I know it'll come back.

Randy looked behind him a moment. "Okay Mom! I gotta go," he said to Rini. "Take care of yourself Rin."

"Bye Randy."

Rini turned off her screen and flopped back on her bed. Diana added her way across the bed. She climbed onto Rini's chest and looked her charge straight in the eye. "Rini, you didn't tell him."