Something has gone wrong. Very wrong! Five of the Sailor Soldiers are in...Ancient Rome?!
Now Serena must reach Rome before Rini is sold as a slave!
Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, DiC, and Cloverway, in that
order. I make no money by this. More's the pity.
All other characters _not_ taken from History are mine, and you must ask permission to
use them, if you can find a way of using them outside this.
_This_ is emphasis. *This* is thought.
Kudos to the movie Gladiator, which was the inspiration for this.
And now, Scorpinac Fanfic Productions presents:
******************************************************************************
Sailor Moon
Roman Legends
by Scorpinac
Chapter 3: Auction
The next day was simple enough. More oatmeal sludge for breakfast at the crack of dawn
followed by a guard entering and replacing the used chamber pots with clean ones. Rini was
actually glad of that as they were starting to smell. Afterward they were on their own pretty
much until lunch time, and resumed their guessing game for awhile.
While they worked on lunch, a small voice suddenly got their attention. Turning they saw
a little boy and two little girls, one about their age, the other younger than the boy, standing in
front of the cell. The boy wore a fancy green tunic, and the younger girl was in a pretty red dress
while the older one wore an orange one. Behind them was Cavinus and two women in expensive
white dresses.
"Wow! It really is pink! She's gonna get us lots!" the boy said.
"She's pretty," the littler girl said.
"That's right, Zea, she is," one of the women said.
"Absolutely incredible," the other quipped.
"She is a wonder, Decima," Cavinus agreed with the second woman. The first looked
disgusted and walked off, and Cavinus turned after her. "Oriana!" he said as he followed her
down the aisle.
"Mama, Dada, no fight!" Zea cried, dashing after her parents.
"How much do you think my daddy'll get for her?" the boy asked.
"I don't know, Timotheos, but I'll bet at least six hundred!" the elder girl said.
"Indeed, Lelia, indeed," Decima agreed. Some arguing could be heard in the distance, and
Decima glanced over. "Your mother and father seem to be on the war path, again."
"Mom just doesn't understand. It's business," Lelia dismissed the comment.
"Are you done gawking at me now?" Rini asked.
"Hey, she talks!" Timotheos giggled. Neither he nor Lelia had stopped smiling since
they'd arrived.
"We'll see how much she talks when she's sold at auction tomorrow!" Lelia said.
"Auction?!" Rini gasped.
"Tomorrow?!" Salina asked.
"That's right, all four of you are going to sold there tomorrow," Lelia grinned wider.
"All right, kids, time to go. We mustn't keep your father waiting, Timotheos," Decima
said. She took the boy's hand and put her other hand on Lelia's shoulder and lead them away.
The four girls in the cell just watched them go until they couldn't hear them anymore. They then
looked at each other.
"What are we going to do?" Felicia asked,
"I think," Rini said quiveringly, "we're gonna get sold."
* * *
The next day several slaves were taken from their cells shortly after breakfast. After
awhile, Pherinias and Paulius came up and opened their cell.
"Try something funny. Please," Pherinias said with hate in his voice.
"Pherinias, I'm warning you..." Paulius said sternly. The two took all four of them from
the cell and down the stairs. They were then taken out the back of the building to a large pool
lying behind the building and bathed thoroughly. After that was done and they were redressed in
fresh togas, the manacles removed just long enough to do so, they were taken over to a line of
slaves being overlooked by Cavinus.
Rini noticed a long line of chain trailing down between the slaves, small metal rings
connecting it to the chains holding each pair together. She noticed Fredamus, Calvinus, Dalia,
and Jorus just ahead of them. Cavinus came up and lifted the chain. Using the key on his belt, he
opened the next metal ring and placed it around the chain holding Rini and Salina together, and
then locked it shut. Now they were part of a long string of slaves all chained together, and Galea
and Felicia were added to it a moment later.
After ten more slaves were washed and added to the chain, the line was moved back
around to the front of the building and onto the street. They were then lead down the path in a
winding pattern for about an hour until they reached an open square in a busy part of the city, and
were lead over to the side of a building where they were halted on a small lawn. A small platform
dominated the area, and a fairly large crowd had gathered in the square. Paulius walked down the
line briefly, checking them over one last time.
Rini wasn't sure if she was being really brave or just in shock, but she didn't make a sound
all throughout the proceedings. Nor did Salina or her other friends around her. Cephiro took a
seat nearby the platform with Fernadus, who sat at a small table with some papers on it. After
another half hour of waiting around, the first two slaves were unhooked from the line and taken to
the platform where Cavinus was waiting. As Rini watched, Cavinus said some stuff about the two
slaves health and strength, and the gathered crowd began bidding, until the slaves were decreed
sold to someone in the crowd. So focused was she that she didn't notice the extravagant coach
pull up on the edge of the square and stop.
The procedure was repeated until each of the slaves ahead of them were sold to one
person or another. After they were brought back down from the platform, their new owner
would come up to Fernadus and Cephiro to pay his bidding price and fill out a sheet of paper.
Cephiro would then take a key from his chain and remove the manacles from the slaves, who had
a rope promptly tied on their wrists, waist, or neck, and lead away. Sometimes both slaves in the
pair would be bought by the same person, and other times they would be bought by two separate
people altogether.
Finally, Fredamus and Calvinus were taken up, and bought by a farmer looking for more
hands. After that Dalia and Jorus were taken up. For Rini, this was the most painful moment for
her. Dalia was bought by a middle-aged woman, identified as owning a brothel, and Jorus was
purchased by a bartender looking for an extra waiter. She felt her heart crumble when they were
finally freed of the manacles only to have ropes tied to their wrists a moment later and torn apart
from each other, perhaps forever, even as they both begged not to be separated.
And then she and Salina were unlocked from the line chain and taken onto the platform.
As she and Salina were walked up the steps, she could hear the people in the square
murmuring, muttering, whispering. And she knew it wasn't about Salina. It was about her hair!
On the ground Pherinias stood nearby with loathing in his eyes.
"Here we have lots six hundred six and six hundred seven. Both are in prime condition
and health. A little rebellious, we've had to flog them once so far, but that was over a week ago
and we've had no trouble since," Cavinus announced to the crowd as they were circled around
the platform for the people to get a good look at them before being brought to the center of the
stage. Cavinus then indicated Rini in specific. "Here we have a true collector's item. Multiple
bathings have yielded the same result. This is her _natural_ color! That's right, her hair has
_not_ been dyed, but is and will always be this shade of pink!
"Now, what am I bid for these fine young slaves?!" After he finished talking bids started
flying: two fifty for Rini, one seventy five for Salina, someone called five hundred even for the
pair. And on and on. As the bidding continued and became more focused on her than Salina,
Rini's heart slowly sank deeper.
* * *
The coach was a very extravagant affair, with gold and sliver worked in and through it, as
befit a royal passenger. A dragon design adorned the sides, and the horses were of the finest
Arabians. Within the seats were cushioned with the softest wool and sewn with the finest satin
dyed in a shade of magenta, with room for up to four full grown men or women. Half a dozen
royal guards sat around it, ready to keep any would-be assassins at bay. The dark blond, blue
eyed eight year old Lucius Verus had insisted on going for a ride in the city, and the silver haired,
brown eyed Senator Gracchus had agreed, so long as he went with him.
When they passed the Slave Market, Gracchus had noted that Barvus Cephiro had
returned with fresh wares, and was auctioning about forty of them off. Lucius had noted the
sales, and made the driver stop so he could watch for a little while. At first it had been somewhat
dull and standard fare, but then the two girls had been brought up. There was nothing overly
interesting about the red-haired girl on the left, but the girl on the right immediately grabbed even
the aging Senator's attention. Especially since they claimed with utmost confidence that the girl's
vibrant pink hair was that shade naturally!
"I like those two," Lucius said. "They're cute."
"Indeed. And the one on the right is especially interesting. I wonder if they're being
completely truthful or not," Gracchus mused.
"Can I buy them?" Lucius asked. A bid of six hundred was made. Gracchus glanced at
the boy in his charge.
"Well, if you really want them. Just remember that if you do they will be your personal
responsibility," Gracchus told him. Lucius thought about that, then stood up.
* * *
Cephiro quietly sipped on a glass of wine while he sat and viewed the auction. He was
quite pleased with the current sale in progress. The red-head had received a highest bid for just
herself of thirteen hundred fifty, and a bid of fourteen hundred fifty had been made for the
purchase of both girls together. Pinky, however, had just received a bid of seventeen hundred and
thirty for her lonesome.
In hindsight, he realized he probably should have taken the girl's mother after all, not to
sell, but to breed. After all, if she could have one child with that shade of pink hair, why couldn't
she have more? Just then a small voice called above the crowd.
"Three thousand for each of them!" the voice said, and Cephiro half choked on his wine!
Now he really regretted not saving the mother for breeding purposes. Then he took a look at
who had made the bid, and choked even further!
* * *
Rini's eyes bugged out! *Three thousand..for each of us?! Oh, god, I just got sold!
Wait, who said that?!* her mind raced. Her eyes began scanning the crowd as the crowd itself
went dead quite, and Cavinus froze. She also thought she heard Cephiro doing a spit take over in
his chair. Fernadus had also frozen. Her eyes then noticed a young boy by a really fancy coach in
the back standing on something so he could be seen, presumably the coach step.
"Did you not hear me? I said three thousand for each girl. Six thousand all together!" the
boy called again. Did he really think he had that much money? Finally Cavinus found his voice
once again.
"Six thousand for both lots to Lucius Verus! Do I hear more? Anyone bidding higher?
Anyone? Three thousand going once, going twice! Are there any more bids? No? Didn't think
so! Sold to Lucius Verus for six thousand!" Cavinus announced, and Rini and Salina were taken
from the stage.
As they stood next to Cephiro and Fernadus, Rini's mind swam. So stuck was she on the
fact that she'd just been sold that she didn't even listen as Galea and Felicia were taken up onto
the platform and shown off to the potential buyers. A few moments later the boy came up with an
elderly gentleman and two guards.
"See to the payment," the boy instructed one of the guards, who moved over and spoke to
Fernadus and Cephiro, as did the elderly gentleman. The boy, meanwhile, walked up to Rini and
Salina.
"Hi. I'm Lucius Verus, but you can just call me Lucius. I'm your new owner," he
greeted them.
"Yeah, we sort of gathered that," Rini said, trying to stay focused.
"Do you have names? Or should I just call you Red and Pink?" Lucius asked.
"M...my name is...Salina," Salina stuttered out.
"I'm...Rini," Rini said quietly. Just then Cephiro came up.
"Greetings, oh Lucius Verus. I humbly thank you for your patronage. But were you
aware that I prefer payment on purchase?" he asked.
"Relax, I shall have a man take the money to your place when I get home," Lucius said to
him, then turned to the elderly gentleman. "You will see that this is arranged, Gracchus?"
"Of course," Gracchus said. "I am well aware of Barvus Cephiro's address."
"And yet you never visit, Senator," Cephiro turned to Gracchus. "Why is that?"
*Senator? This boy's the son of a Senator?* Rini thought.
"Perhaps I distrust you, Barvus. You think I do not know of your ambition and the way
you have wormed your way into the pockets of four of my fellow Senators?" Gracchus replied
calmly.
"Everyone has to have a hobby," Cephiro said in response, and pulled up his keys and
picked two in particular. He then turned and bent down to the girls and unlocked their manacles,
removing them. The second guard then took a firm, but somewhat gentle, grip on their arms.
The other returned with a sheet of paper which he handed to Lucius.
"A bill of sale, Lucius," he said, and the boy took it. "It requires your personal signature
as actual buyer of the merchandise," the guard added. Lucius went over to the table and Fernadus
lent him his quill pen, which the boy used to sign the paper, and then a second copy Fernadus
showed him that would be kept by the slavers for their own records. Lucius and his group then
turned and walked off, taking Salina and Rini with them. A few moments later they worked
through the crowd to the coach, and Lucius and Gracchus got in. After that the guard hefted Rini
and Salina in as well, and Gracchus ordered the driver to proceed.
"What do you think?" Lucius asked.
"Nice," Rini answered. "Very...spacious."
"Yeah, comfortable too," Salina agreed. Both were extremely nervous. Lucius lifted up
on his knees, and whispered something into Gracchus's ear.
"Very well, Lucius, if that is how you want to do it," the old man said a moment later.
Lucius just sat down and grinned.
* * *
"Lucius Verus, Cephiro!" Fernadus said in excitement as the next two lots were sold to an
elderly woman towards the side. "The next Caesar purchased slaves from _us_!"
"Yes, I know," Cephiro said quietly as he watched them leave for the Prince's coach.
"How interesting. How interesting."
Next to the remaining slaves brought for auction, Paulius watched all with a gentle look in
his eyes. *Good journey, little ones,* he thought.
* * *
Pherinias watched the finalizing of the girls' sale to Lucius from where he stood on the far
side of the platform. As the two girls were lead away by their new owner, he quietly growled in
frustration.
"Don't think you've escaped me yet, Pinky. Not even the Royal Guards can save you
from me," he said to himself sinisterly. "It's not over."
* * *
After about ten to twenty minutes, the chariot came to a halt, and the doors were opened a
moment later. Lucius motioned for Rini and Salina to exit first, then he and Gracchus got out
after them. Upon stepping on the ground they looked up...at a palace!
"Uh...is this our new home?" Rini asked as she stared at the magnificent six story building
with at least three or four wings to it in columns and walls. A dozen statues stood around the
courtyard they stood in, and before them leading up to the palace doors was a flight of stairs
about half that of those leading up to Hikawa Shrine.
"Yes," Lucius said, smiling. Rini continued to stare at the building, something feeling off.
"Um...since when does a Senator have the dough to afford digs like this?" Rini asked.
"I don't live here. My estate is two miles south," Gracchus said.
"Uh, I don't think Lucius is _his_ son, Rini," Salina finally managed to say something,
though remained transfixed.
"Of course not," Lucius said, "My father is dead. Do you not know who your owner is,
girls?"
"Lucius Verus, you said so earlier. Wait..," Rini replied, then something clicked. She
turned to face her 'owner', as did Salina. "Lucius, was your father..the Caesar?"
"No, but my mother's father is. And my uncle will succeed him soon," Lucius said,
confirming the suspicion.
"Rini...we were bought by the Prince of Rome!" Salina squealed.
"Shall we go in?" Gracchus asked, and they marched up the stairs, flanked by the armed
guards. Suddenly their consistent presence made much more sense! All but four of them
remained outside as they entered the palace.
Inside they saw busts, tapestries, paintings, and a couple more full statues. *Only to be
expected in a royal palace,* Rini thought, noting certain comparisons to her own home in Crystal
Tokyo. They were lead upstairs to the fourth floor, into a room with a bed that could rest a small
giant. Also around were several toys. The guards all halted and stood outside, save one who
followed them in for a moment. Gracchus left them on the second floor, for what Rini couldn't
really say.
"This is my room," Lucius said as he turned to them. "It will also be yours. Guard, I
want two small beds brought and placed in the northwest corner at once."
"You're...going to let us sleep here?" Rini asked timidly. Salina just looked on with equal
curiosity. The guard bowed and left the room. The others remained where they stood outside the
door.
"You would prefer a cell?" Lucius asked.
"No, no, this is fine," Salina shook her head vigorously.
"Yeah, it's perfect," Rini said, doing likewise. They stopped after about three seconds.
"Very well, then," Lucius said. "I have to attend to something, so please stay here until I
return. If you need anything, food, drink, a guard will be left outside the door for you. You need
but ask him, and it will be seen to." So saying, Lucius stepped out, and two guards followed him,
the last staying behind.
After a few minutes of glancing around the room, they sat down on the steps of the bed.
"So, now what?" Salina asked.
"I'm thinking we just stay put and be good for awhile," Rini answered.
"We're not going to try and escape again?" Salina blinked.
"No, Salina. Not now, anyway. I mean, we're in the Imperial Palace of Rome, for Pete's
sake! How the heck are we supposed to get out of here?! And if we tried, I somehow doubt
we'd get off with just a flogging," Rini replied. "Face it, we're stuck. Our only hope now is for
someone to come and bust us out or buy us from Lucius."
"What do you suppose he'll make us do?" Salina asked.
"No idea. But if he wants a peep show, I may hit him, even if it means getting my head
lopped off!" Rini replied.
"Sure, why not! We haven't got lives to lose as is, anyway," Salina agreed. A few
moments later a few men came in and took measurements of their right wrists, then left.
About an hour later they asked for a meal. It was delivered moments later, a plate with a
full ear of corn, a blob of mashed potatoes, and a full porkchop, as well as a full goblet of grape
juice, for each of them. While they ate, the guard Lucius had sent for the beds returned with two
finely made ones each about half the size of Lucius's, and half as high since they were normal
beds on posts. The frames looked to made from redwood, and the mattresses looked to be of
really soft wool stuffing. They were maneuvered into the room by four strong looking men and
placed where Lucius had ordered. They were then made up with fine satin sheets, wool blankets,
and feather pillows with satin lace cases.
After they left and the guard joined his fellow outside the door, the two girls took a seat
on their new beds and continued to eat their meal. As the afternoon passed, the girls decided to
keep amused by trying out some of the royal toys sharing the room with them. After a couple
hours of simple play, Lucius returned with a grey-haired man wearing small spectacles who
carried what appeared to be two gold bracelets in his hands.
The girls immediately moved away from the toys and to the center of the room. The man
handed one to Lucius as they came to the girls, and the boy carefully placed it on Salina's right
wrist. It was about three inches long, and in the seam was a small piece of metal. The seam sat
on the underside of her arm. Lucius carefully squeezed the bracelet shut.
"This was my idea. Rather than chains, you shall wear these," Lucius told them as he took
a key from the old man and slipped it into a small keyhole on the underside of the bracelet. He
twisted carefully, and a slight click was heard. He then released her and took the other bracelet,
which he placed and closed around Rini's right wrist. *So that's why they measured them,* she
thought.
"They have my name on them, so any who look at them will immediately know you
belong to me. And I will have the only existing key for them," Lucius continued as he locked the
second bracelet. The key was on a small string, and Lucius placed that around his neck before
tucking the key into the top of his tunic. Lucius turned and nodded to the man, who nodded back
and left, then turned back. The two girls glanced at their new adornments.
"I shall have the tailors make you some fine dresses, and these will be shipped back to
Cephiro," he said, indicating their current togas. "You'll be treated well, and not worked too
hard, I promise this. I just ask you one thing in return."
"What's that?" Salina asked, looking up. Rini did the same.
"I want you to promise me that for so long as you wear my bracelets, you will not try to
run from me," he said, his face solemn. Rini looked in his eyes. They were pleading. He really
wanted this, and without having to force it. "Please, your solemn vow." Rini hesitated only a
moment longer before speaking.
"Alright, Lucius. You have my word," Rini told him.
"Mine, too. I promise," Salina said.
"Thank you," Lucius said with a relieved smile. "Come, I wish to show you the rest of
our home," he said a moment later, and they smiled and followed him out of the room. *You
know,* Rini thought, *This may not be so bad!*
* * *
As they pulled into the city, they noticed that the streets were loaded and bustling with
excitement. The crowds were lined up everywhere! Serena couldn't help but wonder what was
up. About twenty to thirty minutes later they pulled up to an open area in front of a small two
story building, and the three got out.
"What do you suppose is happening?" Serena asked.
"Not a clue," Georgio said. The building was little different than those around it, columns
on the corners and around the entrance, and made from white washed marble, the windows
curtained. A few moments later a man with greying hair and a clean shaven face holding two
aged hazel eyes emerged with a young girl about Rini's age with raven hair and bright blue eyes.
The two moved to the cart, and the elderly man greeted Rex warmly with a hug that was received
with another hug back.
"Hello, Thernacius," he said. "Welcome back to Rome."
"Hello, Father," Rex said. "It's always good to be back." The old man then turned and
stole a hug from Georgio.
"How's my eldest grandson? Keeping healthy?" he asked.
"Hi, Grandpa Tatius! I'm fine, I'm fine," Georgio replied. Tatius then turned and looked
at Serena for the first time.
"Who is this, son? Have you purchased for yourself a young slave, or is she Georgio's
first wife?" the old man inquired. Before Serena could explode, Rex answered.
"Neither, Father. Her name is Serena, a new friend," Rex explained.
"A friend?" Tatius raised an eyebrow.
"We found her out cold on the road not far from our home in Tarria. We nursed her to
health, and allowed her to accompany us to Rome," Rex added. As they spoke, the men began
unloading the wagon, Tatius signaling the little girl to help. They unloaded first their bags and
then some wares, four new sculptures made by Vivian and two by Delia, Rex had brought with
them.
"And why did she wish to come to Rome?" Tatius asked as he helped with the wares.
"She came to retrieve her daughter from Barvus Cephiro, the slave trader," Georgio said.
"She's been very insistent. I've asked her to marry me." Tatius looked at his grandson with
surprise in his face.
"Only asked?" he said.
"I've got a husband, thank you!" Serena said. "And I'm sure he'll survive the fighting in
Germania just fine!"
"Fighting's over," Tatius said as they got the last item, some leftover vegetables from the
store they'd brought. "Ended eight days ago. The new Caesar arrived back about ten minutes
ago, or so the crowd's been murmuring for the last five minutes."
"New Caesar? You mean someone got close enough to Marcus to..whhh," Serena softly
whistled as she swung her finger across her throat in the international signal for "killed."
"Uh, huh. The Caesar Commodus rules now, for as long as he can hold it," Tatius
confirmed.
"I see. And who may I ask is this, Father?" Rex said, indicating the little girl.
"Your mother bought her two days ago from an auction, along with another one. They
don't talk much, and mind their manners, so I don't mind too terribly," Tatius said. Just then a
chariot road up and passed on by, carrying a dark brown haired man with deep black-brown eyes,
his hair cut very close to his head and curled slightly, and a woman with long brown-blond hair
and brown eyes. Both were richly dressed, and the male waved to the crowd as he passed.
"Who was Mr. Parade?" Serena asked as she watched him recede into the distance.
"You just saw royalty, girl. That was Caesar Commodus, and his sister, the Lady
Lucilla," Tatius answered. "Guess they are back. What a showoff." Serena's eyes widened
slightly.
A few moments later they moved inside, and more hugs went around with an elderly
woman with silver hair and faded green eyes that Georgio identified as "Grandma Ariadne". The
elder woman was introduced to Serena, who eagerly approved of the match with Georgio and
suggested an immediate wedding, which Serena turned down saying she should collect her
daughter quickly and return home before her husband arrived and thought they'd been killed or
something. During all this the raven haired girl slipped into the kitchen where another girl with
blond hair and brown eyes was watching over a stew cooking in a pot.
"Felicia, the Master and Mistress's son and grandson are here," Galea whispered.
"So?" Felicia asked.
"They brought someone with them, a young woman. I think she's Rini's mother, the one
Cephiro left unconscious when he took her," Galea said. Felicia turned to her friend and fellow
slave.
"Rini's mother? She's alive? She's here?" Felicia asked.
"What are you two doing?" an elderly voice asked. They turned to see Ariadne standing
in the portal to the lounge.
"Just telling Felicia about the arrivals," Galea said.
"And that's all?" Ariadne asked.
"Yes, ma'am. That's all," Felicia confirmed.
"Good. Felicia, return your attentions to that pot and call me when it begins to boil.
Galea, tend to the laundry, please," Ariadne instructed, then returned to the lounge.
"We'll talk later," Galea said, and walked through another portal to the cleaning chamber
while Felicia returned to her work.
In the lounge, Serena sat and talked with Georgio, Rex, and his parents, getting to know
the elderly couple as they shared anecdotes of the past. She also asked if they knew the address
of the slaver Barvus Cephiro, to which Ariadne replied in the positive, and told it to her.
*First thing tomorrow,* Serena thought, *I go and get Rini!* She'd go now, but the
crowd would take time to get through. And besides, she didn't want to look like a poor guest!
She'd waited this long, she could wait until morning.
* * *
Rini and Salina watched quietly from the top of the steps as Caesar Commodus and Lady
Lucilla pulled up in their chariot. With them were Lucius, Gracchus, and two other Senators, as
well as several guards. Gracchus seemed unimpressed by the Emperor's arrival, and urged Lucius
to go up to his mother, which he did. A few moments later the three came back up, and greetings
went around.
Rini and Salina now wore white dresses with red lining, and were feeling much better.
What servitude they had to do was indeed minimal, restrained to the occasional retrieving of food
or drink when asked, usually by a grown up who refused to even try and make eye contact with
them. Lucius treated them as new friends rather than property, and he had _not_ tried to make
them strip in front of him. In fact, he would leave their room after changing for bed to allow them
privacy to do the same. Their only real "limits" were that they could not leave the Palace without
proper escort, to assure they did not try to escape. Not that they would try, they had given
Lucius their words on that one.
At that point Commodus and Lucilla turned and looked at them for the first time.
Commodus didn't really seem to care, but Lucilla, like many before her, looked on them in
interest. Or more accurately, at Rini.
"Who are they, Senator?" Commodus asked waving a hand in their direction.
"Slaves, Caesar. Your nephew purchased them a couple days ago," Gracchus replied.
"Greetings, your Majesty," Rini said with a curtsey.
"Hail, Caesar," Salina said bowing. Commodus nodded and turned away. Lucilla stepped
forward a moment and ran a hand through Rini's hair.
"Lucius, why did you have her hair dyed this color?" Lucilla asked.
"It's not dye, mother. It's her real color!" Lucius replied. "Neat, huh?"
"Real? I'll be," Lucilla said, then turned and followed Commodus into the Palace, as did
the Senators, and Lucius. Rini and Salina followed after next, as did the guards.
* * *
Early the next morning Serena slipped out onto the quiet streets of Rome. The wagon had
been moved at sunset behind the house, and the horses to a small stable, though they were
brought hay and water during the day. Serena glanced around, and saw few people currently
milling about, so in theory this should be quick and easy.
She tightened the white shawl she had draped around her shoulders for a little more
warmth in the early morning air. The yellow dress she currently wore did little to block the chill,
but it covered her. Serena had left a brief note on the lounge table for the family. Fortunately,
while staying with her new friends in Tarria, she had managed to learn enough of the Latin writing
system by watching it being taught to Mikhail and Delia that she was able to write it more or less
intelligibly.
Serena glanced around once more, then turned and walked down the street toward the
storehouse owned and operated by Barvus Cephiro, the man who had stolen her daughter from
her. It was time to get Rini back!
* * *
Rex entered the room as the sun began to peek above the buildings in the distance. He
heard his mother instructing the new slave girls in preparing one of her best breakfast meals, and
smiled lightly. She would buy them for the sake of recapturing her youth when she cared for him
and his three sisters and two brothers.
He glanced toward the table in the middle of the sitting room and saw a small parchment
lying atop it. He picked it up and read it:
"Gone to Cephiro's to get Rini.
"Be back soon.
"Serena."
The signature was in a writing style he'd never seen before, but he knew what it had to
say. Serena had gone to retrieve her daughter alone. He lowered the note as he thought over his
options.
"What's that, father?" Georgio asked as he entered the room pulling his tunic down over
his waist. Rex handed him the parchment, and Georgio's eyes went wide as he read the simple
note. "She went by herself?!"
"Who did, dear?" Ariadne asked from the portal to the kitchen.
"Serena. She went to Cephiro's to get her daughter back alone," Rex said as his father
emerged from the stairwell in the northeast corner that lead to the upper floor.
"By herself? And you wish to marry this foolhardy girl, Georgio?" Tatius asked as he
stepped forward from the steps toward his wife. "Oh, well. To each their own. Can't help who
you fall in love with." He said the last as he stopped in front of his wife with a smile and stole a
kiss from her.
"Cephiro? That's right, she asked about his address yesterday after you arrived," Ariadne
said turning back to her son and grandson. "Come to think of it, he's the one I bought Felicia and
Galea from. You should have seen the lots that came right before them, though. One of those
girls was a real oddity!"
"Indeed, Mother?" Rex said absent mindedly as he and Georgio turned back to Serena's
note.
"Oh, yes. Her hair was bright pink, it was. And that man, Cavinus, insisted it was natural
for her! Wished I could of bought her, too, but I'd be insane as a loon if I tried to outbid Lucius
Verus himself, I'd be! Not that I could afford to, anyway. Not many would pay six thousand for
just two little girls," Ariadne continued as she mused it over. At that point Felicia poked her head
out to see what the fuss was about.
"Oh, really? You don't seriously believe that the girl's hair was really naturally pink?"
Tatius asked with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"It was natural! Rini's hair was always that color!" Felicia piped up without thinking.
"I don't think I was talking to you, girl," Tatius said calmly, failing to notice his son and
grandson snap around at the mention of the pink-haired girl's name.
"Her name was Rini?!" Rex exclaimed.
"Yes, she told me so herself," Felicia said as Galea peeked in from behind her.
"Oh, no," Georgio said.
"What is it, dear?" Ariadne asked.
"Rini," Rex said, "is Serena's daughter!"
* * *
It took a little more than an hour, but as the sun began to lift slightly above the smaller
buildings in the city, she reached the four story storehouse. She glanced around, but few if any
guards were moving about. About five were sitting outside the building, but they looked half
asleep. She lifted the shawl and wrapped it around her head, and walked calmly and resolutely up
to the door. The guards glanced at her but didn't try to stop her.
Inside she quickly glanced at the long aisle of cells, then quickly looked inside the guard
station, where a few more milled about, but again only glanced at her. She saw nothing that
looked like it held files or anything, so she turned and hopped up the stairs, and found the second
floor exactly like the first. She glanced in the guard station here, but again only a few guards
milling about, half awake, and nothing that looked like it held any records. She quickly moved on
to the third floor.
This floor was markedly different, with a kitchen, a dining area, and what looked to be a
payment booth of some sort for obtaining paychecks. And in the southeastern corner was an
office. A few more guards were about, but again they ignored her as they downed some breakfast
and a few passed her with some sort of oatmeal like sludge on trays before heading down the
stairs. *Must be the slaves' breakfast. Hope it's not as bad as it looks,* Serena thought as she
went into the office.
This room had a stand up cupboard with a painting of a dragon lying on a hoard of
treasure on the doors. She spotted a key on the desk, and scooped it up and slipped it into the
lock on the cupboard door and opened it. A dozen papers filled the shelves within, but after
sorting through a few of them, she found them to be nothing but various financial reports, profit
scales, and cost evaluations. She locked the cupboard shut again and returned the key to the desk
before leaving the office and climbing to the top floor.
This floor was amazingly posh. Fine art in statues, paintings, and tapestries abounded
here, and almost half the landing looked to be personal quarters. On the other half sat a fancy and
expensive looking dining area, a sitting area, and what looked to be two further offices. As
Serena made for the closer of the two offices, a voice caught her attention.
"What you doing here?" a small voice asked, and Serena turned to see a two year old girl
in a white toga, presumably for sleeping, staring at her while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Serena thought fast.
"Uh, I came to see the proprietor about records of a slave I bought from him recently,"
she said to the child.
Propie-what?" the girl asked.
"The man who owns the building and the slaves downstairs," Serena cleared up. "I'll just
wait in his office till he's ready."
"Dada and Unca are still asleep," the girl said.
"Like I said, I'll just wait in there," Serena replied and moved towards the offices when a
four year old boy stepped out from the personal quarters, dressed similarly to the girl.
"Who are you?" he asked as he saw her.
"She says she wants talk to Dada and your dada, Timotheos," the girl said
"What for, Zea?" Timotheos asked.
"Just want to glance at a record of the known background of a slave I bought a few days
ago, that's all," Serena said, moving closer to the offices. A few more steps and she could duck
inside!
"If you want to see a record, you'll want Cavinus's office on the left," a woman's voice
said. A woman in a white and silver robe stepped into view with flowing brunette hair down to
her shoulders, and glanced at the two children. "Timotheos, Zea, go sit at the table. Breakfast
will be up in a moment."
"Yes, Mommy," Timotheos said. He took the little girl's hand and they walked over to
the dining area. The woman looked back up and moved up to Serena.
"A little early, aren't you?" she asked.
"I like to start my day with the sun," Serena said, trying to maintain her calmness.
"Morning, Decima," an eight year old girl in yet another sleeping toga said as she passed
by on the way to the dining area. She glanced at Serena, but didn't stop. *Decima?* Serena
blinked. Decima lead her into the left office, which was set up like the other two, a cupboard with
a picture of Jason claiming the Golden Fleece from the Harpies painted on the door. Decima
collected the key from the desk and opened it.
"Do you know the slave's name, or lot number at purchase?" Decima asked. Serena
blinked. *Uh, oh.*
"Well, she was fairly recent, but I don't really recall her lot number. But her name is
Rini," Serena said.
"Uh, do you know her full name?" Decima pushed.
"Uh, never asked," Serena replied.
"Okay, then," Decima said, and pulled some papers from the cupboard. She took them
over to the desk and began glancing over them, laying them face down on the desk as she covered
each one. After about fifteen nervous minutes, for Serena at least, Decima stopped and looked
back up at her.
"Here's one. Rini Shields, our pink-haired wonder. She was kept in Cell Thirty-Six on
floor two after she arrived," Decima said. *Bingo! Now to get the cell keys and find her
downstairs!* Serena thought excitedly. She was almost... "But this can't be the one you have,
can she?" Decima continued. "According to this she was sold at auction two days after arrival to
Lucius Verus himself for three thousand gold."
Serena felt her heart drop and her eyes widened at the last comment. Without thinking she
grabbed Decima by the top of her robe.
"YOU SOLD MY DAUGHTER?!!" she yelled. Decima looked surprised, to say the very
least.
"That is our trade," she said calmly, trying to be comforting. "Besides, you're young and
healthy. You can always have more, you know." Serena let her go and somehow managed to
leave the office, then got downstairs to the main floor and out of the building. She walked down
the street for about thirty minutes before she flopped on the steps of a random building and broke
down into sobs.
Ten minutes later Georgio and Tatius came up on a pair of horses and took her back to
the old man's home.
* * *
Cephiro finally strolled out to the dining area as his son and little Zea were finishing their
breakfast and talking about something or other. Cavinus, Oriana, and Lelia were still eating, but
Decima stood up and met her husband half way. Timotheos looked up as his father and mother
partook of their good morning kiss.
"Morning, Father! A lady's here to see you," the boy said.
"Oh? Who?" he asked.
"Pinky's mother. She came looking for her," Decima said. At this _all_ the others looked
up.
"The girl's mother? She's here?" Oriana asked.
"She came all the way here to Rome?" Cephiro blinked. "Well, I must give her points for
tenacity!"
"She left about an hour ago, just after learning of the girl's sale to Lucius," Decima
continued. "She wasn't here for more than a handful of minutes at best."
"She could be anywhere in the city by now, then," Cephiro mused.
"Maybe she's headed toward the palace? Thinking of stealing her girl back from Lucius?"
Cavinus suggested.
"If she made it all the way here," Cephiro commented, "I doubt she'd do something that
foolish. _No one_ steals from the Caesars!"
* * *
Something wasn't right! Trista knew this for a solid fact! She'd been glancing over the
Time Gate when a sudden tremor shook everything. Afterward she checked to make sure
everything was alright, and then scanned back to see what the cause was. After a few minutes she
found that it had come from Crossroads Junior High School!
A quick rewind of the record of the events in the time stream, and Trista was able to
carefully review what had happened. A man with straggly white hair and coal black eyes behind
inch thick wire frame glasses in a lab coat and blue pants slipped into the school building carrying
a large bulky device, several cords and cables sticking out of his coat pockets.
A few moments later he reached the Science Room, placed the device on a table, switched
on a nearby computer and logged onto it, then started pulling the cords and cables from his
pockets. The device looked like a steel box, with slots for attaching the cables and wires, and a
flap that he opened to reveal a small, built-in monitor on its inside and a small slant below it with
keys, buttons, and a few switches.
The man then connected up the four cables, then connected the other ends to the
computer. Then he inserted a CD-Rom, and began the machine running some sort of program.
The view was too far away to see the name he logged in or what the program was, but he then
hooked up the cords to the device, and plugged three of the five into a power strip, and the other
two into the computer. He then pulled up a wheeled chair and worked on the computer for eight
minutes, then rolled the chair over and began typing on the keys of the device, viewing its monitor
as he progressed.
Another six minutes later, electricity and flashes were emanating from the machine and
were bright enough to be seen out of the window. The man then rose from his seat, and opened a
panel on the back, took a pen light in one hand and an insulated screwdriver in the other, and
began poking around the innards of the device.
As Trista watched him work, the door to the room suddenly opened quietly, and Serena
came in. Rini followed in and stood next to her future mother, and Ami and Hotaru walked in
two feet to their right. Finally, Lita came in a foot to Rini and Serena's left. They watched the
man only for a moment, long enough for the machine to perform another brief spark of power,
then spoke.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked, voicing the question on Trista's mind as well, most
likely, as the other Sailor Scouts. The man jumped and turned to look at them, but never had a
chance to answer their question. As he turned, the screwdriver in his hand brushed a switch on
the panel, flipping it. Suddenly an extremely bright flash filled the entire room for several
seconds, and even Trista had to cover her eyes as it flared up in the replay!
When the light subsided, the room was devoid of human life.
Trista began to panic. Where had they gone? Were they okay? Were they even alive?
Well, to the last question, they obviously couldn't be dead, at least not yet. If Serena had died,
then Rini would never be born, and all history to which she had been a central player in recently -
the Black Moon Family war, the Death Buster war, the Dead Moon Circus war - would be
drastically altered, ripping the timelines apart!
Taking a chance, she emerged from the limbo of timelessness that the Time Gate existed in
into the Science Room, and took a closer look at the device. The circuitry was sophisticated and
extremely advanced, well beyond her current level of study, and the program on the computer,
which was still running even now, made absolutely no sense at all! Only one thing made a lick of
sense, five words on the computer screen above the window displaying the program:
"Temporal Transference Research Advancement Protocol."
She stared at everything before her. She reviewed the facts. She was out of her depth,
and had no idea exactly what had happened to her friends, future Queen, and precious Small
Lady. She needed help. Amara and Michelle would be of no use, but they and the other Scouts,
as well as Darien and the three cats, could help to keep others away from the device until they
were sure it was neutralized.
******************************************************************************
Well, it seems things have reached a technical stalemate for now. Next time - Serena and Rini
weren't the only ones shot back in time! Now we'll see what's been happening to Ami and
Hotaru! And if you thought this was getting unpleasant, just wait till you see what happens to
them! So stay tuned for Chapter 4: Hrisoula.
Comments? Questions? Flames? Praises, perhaps? E-mail me at Scorpinac@sa-tech.com! I'll be
waiting!
Now Serena must reach Rome before Rini is sold as a slave!
Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, DiC, and Cloverway, in that
order. I make no money by this. More's the pity.
All other characters _not_ taken from History are mine, and you must ask permission to
use them, if you can find a way of using them outside this.
_This_ is emphasis. *This* is thought.
Kudos to the movie Gladiator, which was the inspiration for this.
And now, Scorpinac Fanfic Productions presents:
******************************************************************************
Sailor Moon
Roman Legends
by Scorpinac
Chapter 3: Auction
The next day was simple enough. More oatmeal sludge for breakfast at the crack of dawn
followed by a guard entering and replacing the used chamber pots with clean ones. Rini was
actually glad of that as they were starting to smell. Afterward they were on their own pretty
much until lunch time, and resumed their guessing game for awhile.
While they worked on lunch, a small voice suddenly got their attention. Turning they saw
a little boy and two little girls, one about their age, the other younger than the boy, standing in
front of the cell. The boy wore a fancy green tunic, and the younger girl was in a pretty red dress
while the older one wore an orange one. Behind them was Cavinus and two women in expensive
white dresses.
"Wow! It really is pink! She's gonna get us lots!" the boy said.
"She's pretty," the littler girl said.
"That's right, Zea, she is," one of the women said.
"Absolutely incredible," the other quipped.
"She is a wonder, Decima," Cavinus agreed with the second woman. The first looked
disgusted and walked off, and Cavinus turned after her. "Oriana!" he said as he followed her
down the aisle.
"Mama, Dada, no fight!" Zea cried, dashing after her parents.
"How much do you think my daddy'll get for her?" the boy asked.
"I don't know, Timotheos, but I'll bet at least six hundred!" the elder girl said.
"Indeed, Lelia, indeed," Decima agreed. Some arguing could be heard in the distance, and
Decima glanced over. "Your mother and father seem to be on the war path, again."
"Mom just doesn't understand. It's business," Lelia dismissed the comment.
"Are you done gawking at me now?" Rini asked.
"Hey, she talks!" Timotheos giggled. Neither he nor Lelia had stopped smiling since
they'd arrived.
"We'll see how much she talks when she's sold at auction tomorrow!" Lelia said.
"Auction?!" Rini gasped.
"Tomorrow?!" Salina asked.
"That's right, all four of you are going to sold there tomorrow," Lelia grinned wider.
"All right, kids, time to go. We mustn't keep your father waiting, Timotheos," Decima
said. She took the boy's hand and put her other hand on Lelia's shoulder and lead them away.
The four girls in the cell just watched them go until they couldn't hear them anymore. They then
looked at each other.
"What are we going to do?" Felicia asked,
"I think," Rini said quiveringly, "we're gonna get sold."
* * *
The next day several slaves were taken from their cells shortly after breakfast. After
awhile, Pherinias and Paulius came up and opened their cell.
"Try something funny. Please," Pherinias said with hate in his voice.
"Pherinias, I'm warning you..." Paulius said sternly. The two took all four of them from
the cell and down the stairs. They were then taken out the back of the building to a large pool
lying behind the building and bathed thoroughly. After that was done and they were redressed in
fresh togas, the manacles removed just long enough to do so, they were taken over to a line of
slaves being overlooked by Cavinus.
Rini noticed a long line of chain trailing down between the slaves, small metal rings
connecting it to the chains holding each pair together. She noticed Fredamus, Calvinus, Dalia,
and Jorus just ahead of them. Cavinus came up and lifted the chain. Using the key on his belt, he
opened the next metal ring and placed it around the chain holding Rini and Salina together, and
then locked it shut. Now they were part of a long string of slaves all chained together, and Galea
and Felicia were added to it a moment later.
After ten more slaves were washed and added to the chain, the line was moved back
around to the front of the building and onto the street. They were then lead down the path in a
winding pattern for about an hour until they reached an open square in a busy part of the city, and
were lead over to the side of a building where they were halted on a small lawn. A small platform
dominated the area, and a fairly large crowd had gathered in the square. Paulius walked down the
line briefly, checking them over one last time.
Rini wasn't sure if she was being really brave or just in shock, but she didn't make a sound
all throughout the proceedings. Nor did Salina or her other friends around her. Cephiro took a
seat nearby the platform with Fernadus, who sat at a small table with some papers on it. After
another half hour of waiting around, the first two slaves were unhooked from the line and taken to
the platform where Cavinus was waiting. As Rini watched, Cavinus said some stuff about the two
slaves health and strength, and the gathered crowd began bidding, until the slaves were decreed
sold to someone in the crowd. So focused was she that she didn't notice the extravagant coach
pull up on the edge of the square and stop.
The procedure was repeated until each of the slaves ahead of them were sold to one
person or another. After they were brought back down from the platform, their new owner
would come up to Fernadus and Cephiro to pay his bidding price and fill out a sheet of paper.
Cephiro would then take a key from his chain and remove the manacles from the slaves, who had
a rope promptly tied on their wrists, waist, or neck, and lead away. Sometimes both slaves in the
pair would be bought by the same person, and other times they would be bought by two separate
people altogether.
Finally, Fredamus and Calvinus were taken up, and bought by a farmer looking for more
hands. After that Dalia and Jorus were taken up. For Rini, this was the most painful moment for
her. Dalia was bought by a middle-aged woman, identified as owning a brothel, and Jorus was
purchased by a bartender looking for an extra waiter. She felt her heart crumble when they were
finally freed of the manacles only to have ropes tied to their wrists a moment later and torn apart
from each other, perhaps forever, even as they both begged not to be separated.
And then she and Salina were unlocked from the line chain and taken onto the platform.
As she and Salina were walked up the steps, she could hear the people in the square
murmuring, muttering, whispering. And she knew it wasn't about Salina. It was about her hair!
On the ground Pherinias stood nearby with loathing in his eyes.
"Here we have lots six hundred six and six hundred seven. Both are in prime condition
and health. A little rebellious, we've had to flog them once so far, but that was over a week ago
and we've had no trouble since," Cavinus announced to the crowd as they were circled around
the platform for the people to get a good look at them before being brought to the center of the
stage. Cavinus then indicated Rini in specific. "Here we have a true collector's item. Multiple
bathings have yielded the same result. This is her _natural_ color! That's right, her hair has
_not_ been dyed, but is and will always be this shade of pink!
"Now, what am I bid for these fine young slaves?!" After he finished talking bids started
flying: two fifty for Rini, one seventy five for Salina, someone called five hundred even for the
pair. And on and on. As the bidding continued and became more focused on her than Salina,
Rini's heart slowly sank deeper.
* * *
The coach was a very extravagant affair, with gold and sliver worked in and through it, as
befit a royal passenger. A dragon design adorned the sides, and the horses were of the finest
Arabians. Within the seats were cushioned with the softest wool and sewn with the finest satin
dyed in a shade of magenta, with room for up to four full grown men or women. Half a dozen
royal guards sat around it, ready to keep any would-be assassins at bay. The dark blond, blue
eyed eight year old Lucius Verus had insisted on going for a ride in the city, and the silver haired,
brown eyed Senator Gracchus had agreed, so long as he went with him.
When they passed the Slave Market, Gracchus had noted that Barvus Cephiro had
returned with fresh wares, and was auctioning about forty of them off. Lucius had noted the
sales, and made the driver stop so he could watch for a little while. At first it had been somewhat
dull and standard fare, but then the two girls had been brought up. There was nothing overly
interesting about the red-haired girl on the left, but the girl on the right immediately grabbed even
the aging Senator's attention. Especially since they claimed with utmost confidence that the girl's
vibrant pink hair was that shade naturally!
"I like those two," Lucius said. "They're cute."
"Indeed. And the one on the right is especially interesting. I wonder if they're being
completely truthful or not," Gracchus mused.
"Can I buy them?" Lucius asked. A bid of six hundred was made. Gracchus glanced at
the boy in his charge.
"Well, if you really want them. Just remember that if you do they will be your personal
responsibility," Gracchus told him. Lucius thought about that, then stood up.
* * *
Cephiro quietly sipped on a glass of wine while he sat and viewed the auction. He was
quite pleased with the current sale in progress. The red-head had received a highest bid for just
herself of thirteen hundred fifty, and a bid of fourteen hundred fifty had been made for the
purchase of both girls together. Pinky, however, had just received a bid of seventeen hundred and
thirty for her lonesome.
In hindsight, he realized he probably should have taken the girl's mother after all, not to
sell, but to breed. After all, if she could have one child with that shade of pink hair, why couldn't
she have more? Just then a small voice called above the crowd.
"Three thousand for each of them!" the voice said, and Cephiro half choked on his wine!
Now he really regretted not saving the mother for breeding purposes. Then he took a look at
who had made the bid, and choked even further!
* * *
Rini's eyes bugged out! *Three thousand..for each of us?! Oh, god, I just got sold!
Wait, who said that?!* her mind raced. Her eyes began scanning the crowd as the crowd itself
went dead quite, and Cavinus froze. She also thought she heard Cephiro doing a spit take over in
his chair. Fernadus had also frozen. Her eyes then noticed a young boy by a really fancy coach in
the back standing on something so he could be seen, presumably the coach step.
"Did you not hear me? I said three thousand for each girl. Six thousand all together!" the
boy called again. Did he really think he had that much money? Finally Cavinus found his voice
once again.
"Six thousand for both lots to Lucius Verus! Do I hear more? Anyone bidding higher?
Anyone? Three thousand going once, going twice! Are there any more bids? No? Didn't think
so! Sold to Lucius Verus for six thousand!" Cavinus announced, and Rini and Salina were taken
from the stage.
As they stood next to Cephiro and Fernadus, Rini's mind swam. So stuck was she on the
fact that she'd just been sold that she didn't even listen as Galea and Felicia were taken up onto
the platform and shown off to the potential buyers. A few moments later the boy came up with an
elderly gentleman and two guards.
"See to the payment," the boy instructed one of the guards, who moved over and spoke to
Fernadus and Cephiro, as did the elderly gentleman. The boy, meanwhile, walked up to Rini and
Salina.
"Hi. I'm Lucius Verus, but you can just call me Lucius. I'm your new owner," he
greeted them.
"Yeah, we sort of gathered that," Rini said, trying to stay focused.
"Do you have names? Or should I just call you Red and Pink?" Lucius asked.
"M...my name is...Salina," Salina stuttered out.
"I'm...Rini," Rini said quietly. Just then Cephiro came up.
"Greetings, oh Lucius Verus. I humbly thank you for your patronage. But were you
aware that I prefer payment on purchase?" he asked.
"Relax, I shall have a man take the money to your place when I get home," Lucius said to
him, then turned to the elderly gentleman. "You will see that this is arranged, Gracchus?"
"Of course," Gracchus said. "I am well aware of Barvus Cephiro's address."
"And yet you never visit, Senator," Cephiro turned to Gracchus. "Why is that?"
*Senator? This boy's the son of a Senator?* Rini thought.
"Perhaps I distrust you, Barvus. You think I do not know of your ambition and the way
you have wormed your way into the pockets of four of my fellow Senators?" Gracchus replied
calmly.
"Everyone has to have a hobby," Cephiro said in response, and pulled up his keys and
picked two in particular. He then turned and bent down to the girls and unlocked their manacles,
removing them. The second guard then took a firm, but somewhat gentle, grip on their arms.
The other returned with a sheet of paper which he handed to Lucius.
"A bill of sale, Lucius," he said, and the boy took it. "It requires your personal signature
as actual buyer of the merchandise," the guard added. Lucius went over to the table and Fernadus
lent him his quill pen, which the boy used to sign the paper, and then a second copy Fernadus
showed him that would be kept by the slavers for their own records. Lucius and his group then
turned and walked off, taking Salina and Rini with them. A few moments later they worked
through the crowd to the coach, and Lucius and Gracchus got in. After that the guard hefted Rini
and Salina in as well, and Gracchus ordered the driver to proceed.
"What do you think?" Lucius asked.
"Nice," Rini answered. "Very...spacious."
"Yeah, comfortable too," Salina agreed. Both were extremely nervous. Lucius lifted up
on his knees, and whispered something into Gracchus's ear.
"Very well, Lucius, if that is how you want to do it," the old man said a moment later.
Lucius just sat down and grinned.
* * *
"Lucius Verus, Cephiro!" Fernadus said in excitement as the next two lots were sold to an
elderly woman towards the side. "The next Caesar purchased slaves from _us_!"
"Yes, I know," Cephiro said quietly as he watched them leave for the Prince's coach.
"How interesting. How interesting."
Next to the remaining slaves brought for auction, Paulius watched all with a gentle look in
his eyes. *Good journey, little ones,* he thought.
* * *
Pherinias watched the finalizing of the girls' sale to Lucius from where he stood on the far
side of the platform. As the two girls were lead away by their new owner, he quietly growled in
frustration.
"Don't think you've escaped me yet, Pinky. Not even the Royal Guards can save you
from me," he said to himself sinisterly. "It's not over."
* * *
After about ten to twenty minutes, the chariot came to a halt, and the doors were opened a
moment later. Lucius motioned for Rini and Salina to exit first, then he and Gracchus got out
after them. Upon stepping on the ground they looked up...at a palace!
"Uh...is this our new home?" Rini asked as she stared at the magnificent six story building
with at least three or four wings to it in columns and walls. A dozen statues stood around the
courtyard they stood in, and before them leading up to the palace doors was a flight of stairs
about half that of those leading up to Hikawa Shrine.
"Yes," Lucius said, smiling. Rini continued to stare at the building, something feeling off.
"Um...since when does a Senator have the dough to afford digs like this?" Rini asked.
"I don't live here. My estate is two miles south," Gracchus said.
"Uh, I don't think Lucius is _his_ son, Rini," Salina finally managed to say something,
though remained transfixed.
"Of course not," Lucius said, "My father is dead. Do you not know who your owner is,
girls?"
"Lucius Verus, you said so earlier. Wait..," Rini replied, then something clicked. She
turned to face her 'owner', as did Salina. "Lucius, was your father..the Caesar?"
"No, but my mother's father is. And my uncle will succeed him soon," Lucius said,
confirming the suspicion.
"Rini...we were bought by the Prince of Rome!" Salina squealed.
"Shall we go in?" Gracchus asked, and they marched up the stairs, flanked by the armed
guards. Suddenly their consistent presence made much more sense! All but four of them
remained outside as they entered the palace.
Inside they saw busts, tapestries, paintings, and a couple more full statues. *Only to be
expected in a royal palace,* Rini thought, noting certain comparisons to her own home in Crystal
Tokyo. They were lead upstairs to the fourth floor, into a room with a bed that could rest a small
giant. Also around were several toys. The guards all halted and stood outside, save one who
followed them in for a moment. Gracchus left them on the second floor, for what Rini couldn't
really say.
"This is my room," Lucius said as he turned to them. "It will also be yours. Guard, I
want two small beds brought and placed in the northwest corner at once."
"You're...going to let us sleep here?" Rini asked timidly. Salina just looked on with equal
curiosity. The guard bowed and left the room. The others remained where they stood outside the
door.
"You would prefer a cell?" Lucius asked.
"No, no, this is fine," Salina shook her head vigorously.
"Yeah, it's perfect," Rini said, doing likewise. They stopped after about three seconds.
"Very well, then," Lucius said. "I have to attend to something, so please stay here until I
return. If you need anything, food, drink, a guard will be left outside the door for you. You need
but ask him, and it will be seen to." So saying, Lucius stepped out, and two guards followed him,
the last staying behind.
After a few minutes of glancing around the room, they sat down on the steps of the bed.
"So, now what?" Salina asked.
"I'm thinking we just stay put and be good for awhile," Rini answered.
"We're not going to try and escape again?" Salina blinked.
"No, Salina. Not now, anyway. I mean, we're in the Imperial Palace of Rome, for Pete's
sake! How the heck are we supposed to get out of here?! And if we tried, I somehow doubt
we'd get off with just a flogging," Rini replied. "Face it, we're stuck. Our only hope now is for
someone to come and bust us out or buy us from Lucius."
"What do you suppose he'll make us do?" Salina asked.
"No idea. But if he wants a peep show, I may hit him, even if it means getting my head
lopped off!" Rini replied.
"Sure, why not! We haven't got lives to lose as is, anyway," Salina agreed. A few
moments later a few men came in and took measurements of their right wrists, then left.
About an hour later they asked for a meal. It was delivered moments later, a plate with a
full ear of corn, a blob of mashed potatoes, and a full porkchop, as well as a full goblet of grape
juice, for each of them. While they ate, the guard Lucius had sent for the beds returned with two
finely made ones each about half the size of Lucius's, and half as high since they were normal
beds on posts. The frames looked to made from redwood, and the mattresses looked to be of
really soft wool stuffing. They were maneuvered into the room by four strong looking men and
placed where Lucius had ordered. They were then made up with fine satin sheets, wool blankets,
and feather pillows with satin lace cases.
After they left and the guard joined his fellow outside the door, the two girls took a seat
on their new beds and continued to eat their meal. As the afternoon passed, the girls decided to
keep amused by trying out some of the royal toys sharing the room with them. After a couple
hours of simple play, Lucius returned with a grey-haired man wearing small spectacles who
carried what appeared to be two gold bracelets in his hands.
The girls immediately moved away from the toys and to the center of the room. The man
handed one to Lucius as they came to the girls, and the boy carefully placed it on Salina's right
wrist. It was about three inches long, and in the seam was a small piece of metal. The seam sat
on the underside of her arm. Lucius carefully squeezed the bracelet shut.
"This was my idea. Rather than chains, you shall wear these," Lucius told them as he took
a key from the old man and slipped it into a small keyhole on the underside of the bracelet. He
twisted carefully, and a slight click was heard. He then released her and took the other bracelet,
which he placed and closed around Rini's right wrist. *So that's why they measured them,* she
thought.
"They have my name on them, so any who look at them will immediately know you
belong to me. And I will have the only existing key for them," Lucius continued as he locked the
second bracelet. The key was on a small string, and Lucius placed that around his neck before
tucking the key into the top of his tunic. Lucius turned and nodded to the man, who nodded back
and left, then turned back. The two girls glanced at their new adornments.
"I shall have the tailors make you some fine dresses, and these will be shipped back to
Cephiro," he said, indicating their current togas. "You'll be treated well, and not worked too
hard, I promise this. I just ask you one thing in return."
"What's that?" Salina asked, looking up. Rini did the same.
"I want you to promise me that for so long as you wear my bracelets, you will not try to
run from me," he said, his face solemn. Rini looked in his eyes. They were pleading. He really
wanted this, and without having to force it. "Please, your solemn vow." Rini hesitated only a
moment longer before speaking.
"Alright, Lucius. You have my word," Rini told him.
"Mine, too. I promise," Salina said.
"Thank you," Lucius said with a relieved smile. "Come, I wish to show you the rest of
our home," he said a moment later, and they smiled and followed him out of the room. *You
know,* Rini thought, *This may not be so bad!*
* * *
As they pulled into the city, they noticed that the streets were loaded and bustling with
excitement. The crowds were lined up everywhere! Serena couldn't help but wonder what was
up. About twenty to thirty minutes later they pulled up to an open area in front of a small two
story building, and the three got out.
"What do you suppose is happening?" Serena asked.
"Not a clue," Georgio said. The building was little different than those around it, columns
on the corners and around the entrance, and made from white washed marble, the windows
curtained. A few moments later a man with greying hair and a clean shaven face holding two
aged hazel eyes emerged with a young girl about Rini's age with raven hair and bright blue eyes.
The two moved to the cart, and the elderly man greeted Rex warmly with a hug that was received
with another hug back.
"Hello, Thernacius," he said. "Welcome back to Rome."
"Hello, Father," Rex said. "It's always good to be back." The old man then turned and
stole a hug from Georgio.
"How's my eldest grandson? Keeping healthy?" he asked.
"Hi, Grandpa Tatius! I'm fine, I'm fine," Georgio replied. Tatius then turned and looked
at Serena for the first time.
"Who is this, son? Have you purchased for yourself a young slave, or is she Georgio's
first wife?" the old man inquired. Before Serena could explode, Rex answered.
"Neither, Father. Her name is Serena, a new friend," Rex explained.
"A friend?" Tatius raised an eyebrow.
"We found her out cold on the road not far from our home in Tarria. We nursed her to
health, and allowed her to accompany us to Rome," Rex added. As they spoke, the men began
unloading the wagon, Tatius signaling the little girl to help. They unloaded first their bags and
then some wares, four new sculptures made by Vivian and two by Delia, Rex had brought with
them.
"And why did she wish to come to Rome?" Tatius asked as he helped with the wares.
"She came to retrieve her daughter from Barvus Cephiro, the slave trader," Georgio said.
"She's been very insistent. I've asked her to marry me." Tatius looked at his grandson with
surprise in his face.
"Only asked?" he said.
"I've got a husband, thank you!" Serena said. "And I'm sure he'll survive the fighting in
Germania just fine!"
"Fighting's over," Tatius said as they got the last item, some leftover vegetables from the
store they'd brought. "Ended eight days ago. The new Caesar arrived back about ten minutes
ago, or so the crowd's been murmuring for the last five minutes."
"New Caesar? You mean someone got close enough to Marcus to..whhh," Serena softly
whistled as she swung her finger across her throat in the international signal for "killed."
"Uh, huh. The Caesar Commodus rules now, for as long as he can hold it," Tatius
confirmed.
"I see. And who may I ask is this, Father?" Rex said, indicating the little girl.
"Your mother bought her two days ago from an auction, along with another one. They
don't talk much, and mind their manners, so I don't mind too terribly," Tatius said. Just then a
chariot road up and passed on by, carrying a dark brown haired man with deep black-brown eyes,
his hair cut very close to his head and curled slightly, and a woman with long brown-blond hair
and brown eyes. Both were richly dressed, and the male waved to the crowd as he passed.
"Who was Mr. Parade?" Serena asked as she watched him recede into the distance.
"You just saw royalty, girl. That was Caesar Commodus, and his sister, the Lady
Lucilla," Tatius answered. "Guess they are back. What a showoff." Serena's eyes widened
slightly.
A few moments later they moved inside, and more hugs went around with an elderly
woman with silver hair and faded green eyes that Georgio identified as "Grandma Ariadne". The
elder woman was introduced to Serena, who eagerly approved of the match with Georgio and
suggested an immediate wedding, which Serena turned down saying she should collect her
daughter quickly and return home before her husband arrived and thought they'd been killed or
something. During all this the raven haired girl slipped into the kitchen where another girl with
blond hair and brown eyes was watching over a stew cooking in a pot.
"Felicia, the Master and Mistress's son and grandson are here," Galea whispered.
"So?" Felicia asked.
"They brought someone with them, a young woman. I think she's Rini's mother, the one
Cephiro left unconscious when he took her," Galea said. Felicia turned to her friend and fellow
slave.
"Rini's mother? She's alive? She's here?" Felicia asked.
"What are you two doing?" an elderly voice asked. They turned to see Ariadne standing
in the portal to the lounge.
"Just telling Felicia about the arrivals," Galea said.
"And that's all?" Ariadne asked.
"Yes, ma'am. That's all," Felicia confirmed.
"Good. Felicia, return your attentions to that pot and call me when it begins to boil.
Galea, tend to the laundry, please," Ariadne instructed, then returned to the lounge.
"We'll talk later," Galea said, and walked through another portal to the cleaning chamber
while Felicia returned to her work.
In the lounge, Serena sat and talked with Georgio, Rex, and his parents, getting to know
the elderly couple as they shared anecdotes of the past. She also asked if they knew the address
of the slaver Barvus Cephiro, to which Ariadne replied in the positive, and told it to her.
*First thing tomorrow,* Serena thought, *I go and get Rini!* She'd go now, but the
crowd would take time to get through. And besides, she didn't want to look like a poor guest!
She'd waited this long, she could wait until morning.
* * *
Rini and Salina watched quietly from the top of the steps as Caesar Commodus and Lady
Lucilla pulled up in their chariot. With them were Lucius, Gracchus, and two other Senators, as
well as several guards. Gracchus seemed unimpressed by the Emperor's arrival, and urged Lucius
to go up to his mother, which he did. A few moments later the three came back up, and greetings
went around.
Rini and Salina now wore white dresses with red lining, and were feeling much better.
What servitude they had to do was indeed minimal, restrained to the occasional retrieving of food
or drink when asked, usually by a grown up who refused to even try and make eye contact with
them. Lucius treated them as new friends rather than property, and he had _not_ tried to make
them strip in front of him. In fact, he would leave their room after changing for bed to allow them
privacy to do the same. Their only real "limits" were that they could not leave the Palace without
proper escort, to assure they did not try to escape. Not that they would try, they had given
Lucius their words on that one.
At that point Commodus and Lucilla turned and looked at them for the first time.
Commodus didn't really seem to care, but Lucilla, like many before her, looked on them in
interest. Or more accurately, at Rini.
"Who are they, Senator?" Commodus asked waving a hand in their direction.
"Slaves, Caesar. Your nephew purchased them a couple days ago," Gracchus replied.
"Greetings, your Majesty," Rini said with a curtsey.
"Hail, Caesar," Salina said bowing. Commodus nodded and turned away. Lucilla stepped
forward a moment and ran a hand through Rini's hair.
"Lucius, why did you have her hair dyed this color?" Lucilla asked.
"It's not dye, mother. It's her real color!" Lucius replied. "Neat, huh?"
"Real? I'll be," Lucilla said, then turned and followed Commodus into the Palace, as did
the Senators, and Lucius. Rini and Salina followed after next, as did the guards.
* * *
Early the next morning Serena slipped out onto the quiet streets of Rome. The wagon had
been moved at sunset behind the house, and the horses to a small stable, though they were
brought hay and water during the day. Serena glanced around, and saw few people currently
milling about, so in theory this should be quick and easy.
She tightened the white shawl she had draped around her shoulders for a little more
warmth in the early morning air. The yellow dress she currently wore did little to block the chill,
but it covered her. Serena had left a brief note on the lounge table for the family. Fortunately,
while staying with her new friends in Tarria, she had managed to learn enough of the Latin writing
system by watching it being taught to Mikhail and Delia that she was able to write it more or less
intelligibly.
Serena glanced around once more, then turned and walked down the street toward the
storehouse owned and operated by Barvus Cephiro, the man who had stolen her daughter from
her. It was time to get Rini back!
* * *
Rex entered the room as the sun began to peek above the buildings in the distance. He
heard his mother instructing the new slave girls in preparing one of her best breakfast meals, and
smiled lightly. She would buy them for the sake of recapturing her youth when she cared for him
and his three sisters and two brothers.
He glanced toward the table in the middle of the sitting room and saw a small parchment
lying atop it. He picked it up and read it:
"Gone to Cephiro's to get Rini.
"Be back soon.
"Serena."
The signature was in a writing style he'd never seen before, but he knew what it had to
say. Serena had gone to retrieve her daughter alone. He lowered the note as he thought over his
options.
"What's that, father?" Georgio asked as he entered the room pulling his tunic down over
his waist. Rex handed him the parchment, and Georgio's eyes went wide as he read the simple
note. "She went by herself?!"
"Who did, dear?" Ariadne asked from the portal to the kitchen.
"Serena. She went to Cephiro's to get her daughter back alone," Rex said as his father
emerged from the stairwell in the northeast corner that lead to the upper floor.
"By herself? And you wish to marry this foolhardy girl, Georgio?" Tatius asked as he
stepped forward from the steps toward his wife. "Oh, well. To each their own. Can't help who
you fall in love with." He said the last as he stopped in front of his wife with a smile and stole a
kiss from her.
"Cephiro? That's right, she asked about his address yesterday after you arrived," Ariadne
said turning back to her son and grandson. "Come to think of it, he's the one I bought Felicia and
Galea from. You should have seen the lots that came right before them, though. One of those
girls was a real oddity!"
"Indeed, Mother?" Rex said absent mindedly as he and Georgio turned back to Serena's
note.
"Oh, yes. Her hair was bright pink, it was. And that man, Cavinus, insisted it was natural
for her! Wished I could of bought her, too, but I'd be insane as a loon if I tried to outbid Lucius
Verus himself, I'd be! Not that I could afford to, anyway. Not many would pay six thousand for
just two little girls," Ariadne continued as she mused it over. At that point Felicia poked her head
out to see what the fuss was about.
"Oh, really? You don't seriously believe that the girl's hair was really naturally pink?"
Tatius asked with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.
"It was natural! Rini's hair was always that color!" Felicia piped up without thinking.
"I don't think I was talking to you, girl," Tatius said calmly, failing to notice his son and
grandson snap around at the mention of the pink-haired girl's name.
"Her name was Rini?!" Rex exclaimed.
"Yes, she told me so herself," Felicia said as Galea peeked in from behind her.
"Oh, no," Georgio said.
"What is it, dear?" Ariadne asked.
"Rini," Rex said, "is Serena's daughter!"
* * *
It took a little more than an hour, but as the sun began to lift slightly above the smaller
buildings in the city, she reached the four story storehouse. She glanced around, but few if any
guards were moving about. About five were sitting outside the building, but they looked half
asleep. She lifted the shawl and wrapped it around her head, and walked calmly and resolutely up
to the door. The guards glanced at her but didn't try to stop her.
Inside she quickly glanced at the long aisle of cells, then quickly looked inside the guard
station, where a few more milled about, but again only glanced at her. She saw nothing that
looked like it held files or anything, so she turned and hopped up the stairs, and found the second
floor exactly like the first. She glanced in the guard station here, but again only a few guards
milling about, half awake, and nothing that looked like it held any records. She quickly moved on
to the third floor.
This floor was markedly different, with a kitchen, a dining area, and what looked to be a
payment booth of some sort for obtaining paychecks. And in the southeastern corner was an
office. A few more guards were about, but again they ignored her as they downed some breakfast
and a few passed her with some sort of oatmeal like sludge on trays before heading down the
stairs. *Must be the slaves' breakfast. Hope it's not as bad as it looks,* Serena thought as she
went into the office.
This room had a stand up cupboard with a painting of a dragon lying on a hoard of
treasure on the doors. She spotted a key on the desk, and scooped it up and slipped it into the
lock on the cupboard door and opened it. A dozen papers filled the shelves within, but after
sorting through a few of them, she found them to be nothing but various financial reports, profit
scales, and cost evaluations. She locked the cupboard shut again and returned the key to the desk
before leaving the office and climbing to the top floor.
This floor was amazingly posh. Fine art in statues, paintings, and tapestries abounded
here, and almost half the landing looked to be personal quarters. On the other half sat a fancy and
expensive looking dining area, a sitting area, and what looked to be two further offices. As
Serena made for the closer of the two offices, a voice caught her attention.
"What you doing here?" a small voice asked, and Serena turned to see a two year old girl
in a white toga, presumably for sleeping, staring at her while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Serena thought fast.
"Uh, I came to see the proprietor about records of a slave I bought from him recently,"
she said to the child.
Propie-what?" the girl asked.
"The man who owns the building and the slaves downstairs," Serena cleared up. "I'll just
wait in his office till he's ready."
"Dada and Unca are still asleep," the girl said.
"Like I said, I'll just wait in there," Serena replied and moved towards the offices when a
four year old boy stepped out from the personal quarters, dressed similarly to the girl.
"Who are you?" he asked as he saw her.
"She says she wants talk to Dada and your dada, Timotheos," the girl said
"What for, Zea?" Timotheos asked.
"Just want to glance at a record of the known background of a slave I bought a few days
ago, that's all," Serena said, moving closer to the offices. A few more steps and she could duck
inside!
"If you want to see a record, you'll want Cavinus's office on the left," a woman's voice
said. A woman in a white and silver robe stepped into view with flowing brunette hair down to
her shoulders, and glanced at the two children. "Timotheos, Zea, go sit at the table. Breakfast
will be up in a moment."
"Yes, Mommy," Timotheos said. He took the little girl's hand and they walked over to
the dining area. The woman looked back up and moved up to Serena.
"A little early, aren't you?" she asked.
"I like to start my day with the sun," Serena said, trying to maintain her calmness.
"Morning, Decima," an eight year old girl in yet another sleeping toga said as she passed
by on the way to the dining area. She glanced at Serena, but didn't stop. *Decima?* Serena
blinked. Decima lead her into the left office, which was set up like the other two, a cupboard with
a picture of Jason claiming the Golden Fleece from the Harpies painted on the door. Decima
collected the key from the desk and opened it.
"Do you know the slave's name, or lot number at purchase?" Decima asked. Serena
blinked. *Uh, oh.*
"Well, she was fairly recent, but I don't really recall her lot number. But her name is
Rini," Serena said.
"Uh, do you know her full name?" Decima pushed.
"Uh, never asked," Serena replied.
"Okay, then," Decima said, and pulled some papers from the cupboard. She took them
over to the desk and began glancing over them, laying them face down on the desk as she covered
each one. After about fifteen nervous minutes, for Serena at least, Decima stopped and looked
back up at her.
"Here's one. Rini Shields, our pink-haired wonder. She was kept in Cell Thirty-Six on
floor two after she arrived," Decima said. *Bingo! Now to get the cell keys and find her
downstairs!* Serena thought excitedly. She was almost... "But this can't be the one you have,
can she?" Decima continued. "According to this she was sold at auction two days after arrival to
Lucius Verus himself for three thousand gold."
Serena felt her heart drop and her eyes widened at the last comment. Without thinking she
grabbed Decima by the top of her robe.
"YOU SOLD MY DAUGHTER?!!" she yelled. Decima looked surprised, to say the very
least.
"That is our trade," she said calmly, trying to be comforting. "Besides, you're young and
healthy. You can always have more, you know." Serena let her go and somehow managed to
leave the office, then got downstairs to the main floor and out of the building. She walked down
the street for about thirty minutes before she flopped on the steps of a random building and broke
down into sobs.
Ten minutes later Georgio and Tatius came up on a pair of horses and took her back to
the old man's home.
* * *
Cephiro finally strolled out to the dining area as his son and little Zea were finishing their
breakfast and talking about something or other. Cavinus, Oriana, and Lelia were still eating, but
Decima stood up and met her husband half way. Timotheos looked up as his father and mother
partook of their good morning kiss.
"Morning, Father! A lady's here to see you," the boy said.
"Oh? Who?" he asked.
"Pinky's mother. She came looking for her," Decima said. At this _all_ the others looked
up.
"The girl's mother? She's here?" Oriana asked.
"She came all the way here to Rome?" Cephiro blinked. "Well, I must give her points for
tenacity!"
"She left about an hour ago, just after learning of the girl's sale to Lucius," Decima
continued. "She wasn't here for more than a handful of minutes at best."
"She could be anywhere in the city by now, then," Cephiro mused.
"Maybe she's headed toward the palace? Thinking of stealing her girl back from Lucius?"
Cavinus suggested.
"If she made it all the way here," Cephiro commented, "I doubt she'd do something that
foolish. _No one_ steals from the Caesars!"
* * *
Something wasn't right! Trista knew this for a solid fact! She'd been glancing over the
Time Gate when a sudden tremor shook everything. Afterward she checked to make sure
everything was alright, and then scanned back to see what the cause was. After a few minutes she
found that it had come from Crossroads Junior High School!
A quick rewind of the record of the events in the time stream, and Trista was able to
carefully review what had happened. A man with straggly white hair and coal black eyes behind
inch thick wire frame glasses in a lab coat and blue pants slipped into the school building carrying
a large bulky device, several cords and cables sticking out of his coat pockets.
A few moments later he reached the Science Room, placed the device on a table, switched
on a nearby computer and logged onto it, then started pulling the cords and cables from his
pockets. The device looked like a steel box, with slots for attaching the cables and wires, and a
flap that he opened to reveal a small, built-in monitor on its inside and a small slant below it with
keys, buttons, and a few switches.
The man then connected up the four cables, then connected the other ends to the
computer. Then he inserted a CD-Rom, and began the machine running some sort of program.
The view was too far away to see the name he logged in or what the program was, but he then
hooked up the cords to the device, and plugged three of the five into a power strip, and the other
two into the computer. He then pulled up a wheeled chair and worked on the computer for eight
minutes, then rolled the chair over and began typing on the keys of the device, viewing its monitor
as he progressed.
Another six minutes later, electricity and flashes were emanating from the machine and
were bright enough to be seen out of the window. The man then rose from his seat, and opened a
panel on the back, took a pen light in one hand and an insulated screwdriver in the other, and
began poking around the innards of the device.
As Trista watched him work, the door to the room suddenly opened quietly, and Serena
came in. Rini followed in and stood next to her future mother, and Ami and Hotaru walked in
two feet to their right. Finally, Lita came in a foot to Rini and Serena's left. They watched the
man only for a moment, long enough for the machine to perform another brief spark of power,
then spoke.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked, voicing the question on Trista's mind as well, most
likely, as the other Sailor Scouts. The man jumped and turned to look at them, but never had a
chance to answer their question. As he turned, the screwdriver in his hand brushed a switch on
the panel, flipping it. Suddenly an extremely bright flash filled the entire room for several
seconds, and even Trista had to cover her eyes as it flared up in the replay!
When the light subsided, the room was devoid of human life.
Trista began to panic. Where had they gone? Were they okay? Were they even alive?
Well, to the last question, they obviously couldn't be dead, at least not yet. If Serena had died,
then Rini would never be born, and all history to which she had been a central player in recently -
the Black Moon Family war, the Death Buster war, the Dead Moon Circus war - would be
drastically altered, ripping the timelines apart!
Taking a chance, she emerged from the limbo of timelessness that the Time Gate existed in
into the Science Room, and took a closer look at the device. The circuitry was sophisticated and
extremely advanced, well beyond her current level of study, and the program on the computer,
which was still running even now, made absolutely no sense at all! Only one thing made a lick of
sense, five words on the computer screen above the window displaying the program:
"Temporal Transference Research Advancement Protocol."
She stared at everything before her. She reviewed the facts. She was out of her depth,
and had no idea exactly what had happened to her friends, future Queen, and precious Small
Lady. She needed help. Amara and Michelle would be of no use, but they and the other Scouts,
as well as Darien and the three cats, could help to keep others away from the device until they
were sure it was neutralized.
******************************************************************************
Well, it seems things have reached a technical stalemate for now. Next time - Serena and Rini
weren't the only ones shot back in time! Now we'll see what's been happening to Ami and
Hotaru! And if you thought this was getting unpleasant, just wait till you see what happens to
them! So stay tuned for Chapter 4: Hrisoula.
Comments? Questions? Flames? Praises, perhaps? E-mail me at Scorpinac@sa-tech.com! I'll be
waiting!
