CHAPTER 11
Queen Beryl's new Commander of her army stood before her throne. General Nephlite was confident and sure of himself as he addressed his queen. "Ultimately Jedite and Titus were failures because they sought to collect energy from too many people all at once your majesty."
Queen Beryl was very intrigued by this statement. "Is that so? Do you think you have a better plan Nephlite?"
"Yes. I can gather far more energy from only one single person."
"How can this be?"
"Humans are guided by the influences of the stars as they pursue their individual goals. Every person lives under a different star and everyone has a unique energy field that belongs to him or her alone. So I propose to track down these people one by one and tap into their energy levels just as they reach ultimate peak of their quota during those moments when they are under stress, excitement or whatever circumstance prompts their energy to rise up."
Queen Beryl was very interested though Nephlite was annoyed when he heard female laughter and turning he beheld one of Beryl's other remaining Generals. A woman named Zoicite was floating above him and she taunted him. "Do you really believe you can succeed where Jedite and Titus failed?"
"Get lost Zoicite. Mind your own business." Nephlite snapped. "I will find these humans with the help of my team of our soldiers and we shall deliver all their energy to the Negaforce."
"Great. You sound so strong and sincere Nephlite." Zoicite smiled at him while he glared angrily back at her. Just before fading away she said with sarcasm, "You know who you remind me of? Jedite and Titus."
All the same Queen Beryl gave Nephlite her permission to proceed.
Later Nephlite set up his base in a cottage on the outskirts of the city. He had assembled his soldiers and he was briefing them. "Black Widow, Jumo, Tensie, Kyameran, Petasos and the Gemini Twins, Castor and Pollux. I have selected you all to assist me in the task our queen has set me. Now I have something very important to say. As you know Queen Beryl punished my predecessors very severely because they lost so many of their soldiers. So therefore as your commanding officer I hereby grant you permission to abort any mission I send you out on if you find yourself in combat with those Sailor Scouts and it looks like you are about to be killed."
"How shall we be able to escape if we need to General Nephlite?" This question was asked by the soldier known as Black Widow who literally had the appearance of a giant black widow spider the size of a horse.
"Here. All of you take these wristband radio devices and attach them to your left wrists." Nephlite distributed them to everybody. "Observe the black button on them. I've devised these myself. Once you press it you'll be encased inside an impregnable force shield for your protection. Then twist the dial next to the button clockwise and you'll be transported back to this secret hideout of ours along with whatever energy you've captured. This will ensure I do not get into the same trouble as Titus and Jedite."
They all put them on and saluted their Commander.
Next Nephlite requested, "All of you please remain silent while I tap into the power of the stars to select our first victim." He turned his back upon his team and closed his eyes directing his full concentration towards his objection. "Oh stars. Reveal to me the nearest human who is reaching maximum energy potential." The image of a young teenage girl with a tennis racquet on a tennis court appeared to him and he turned sharply to the others in exultation. "Katie Sandler is our target. She is a tennis player. Tensie I think you will be best suited to this mission. You have always had a penchant for the earthling's game called tennis."
Tensie saluted again. "I'm at your service my General. And at the service of our queen and the Negaforce."
"Good spirit. Now let me show you all something else."
Nephlite pulled a veiled curtain revealing a strange machine.
"What is this Commander?" Jumo asked.
"This is another of my personal inventions. When I select one of you for a mission you step inside this compartment." He opened a clear plexiglass door. "Then I operate the controls and your body is converted into a shadowy mist form. I absorb it into my hands and then I meet the victim and touch them or something that they own and currently handle constantly. In Katie's case it will be her tennis racquet. Then under your influence they will put all their energy towards fanatically following their desires and at the peak moment they will collapse and you'll return to your physical form ready to return with the energy."
"Is it really safe Commander?" Pollux nervously asked this question and her sister Castor echoed her sentiments in her facial expression. The others were mixed and unsure what to say but Tensie stepped forward.
"I think you're very clever Commander and I am unafraid."
"Thank you Tensie."
The others all watched mesmerized as Tensie was sealed inside the machine and Nephlite pulled switches. Before their eyes they saw Tensie change into whisps that exited through a tube near Nephlite who scooped it up and rubbed it into his hands.
"Now I'm off to confront Katie Sandler. While I'm gone you will all wait here and TOUCH NOTHING."
They all said they would obey his orders as he set off on his grim purpose.
At the Tennis Club courts Katie Sandler was putting all her best effort into her game. Serena and Molly were sitting in the audience stands watching excitedly. "Katie and I have been friends ever since we were little kids Serena. She's just like a sister to me. I am so proud of her tennis skills. GO KATIE!"
Molly cheered and Serena said, "I agree Molly. She is remarkable. HOORAY!"
Suddenly Nephlite walked through the gate dressed in smart business-style clothes. Everybody paused what they were doing and stared at him.
"Hey Serena. That man is the rich gentleman who moved to town a few days ago." Molly crooned as she spoke. "Isn't he handsome?"
"Yes he is a hunkster." Serena and Molly were both practically drooling over Nephlite's fine looks.
He addressed Katie as he boldly strode onto the court. "Hello. My name is Maxfield Stanton. I'm a tennis coach. May I have a test serve with you please?"
"Sure okay." Katie smiled and Nephlite borrowed the racquet from her opponent.
"Give me your very best serve with all your strength behind it."
So Katie threw the ball up and hit it towards him. To everybody's astonishment Nephlite hit the ball such a hard return that it literally knocked Katie's racquet out of her hand. She was stunned.
Nephlite returned the racquet to the other girl and walked over to Katie. "You need to practice really hard to get more strength in your serve. You saw and felt how much power I had behind me. Didn't you?"
"Y-yes. It was incredible." Katie admitted as Nephlite bent down and picked up her racquet for her. The magic flowed through his touch as he transferred his soldier Tensie from his hands to Katie's racquet as he handed it to her.
"Here. You try it."
When she touched it her eyes began to glow with the Negapower influence. She made a serve that actually knocked her opponent off her feet.
"Wow. I did it. Amazing." Katie was thrilled. She proceeded to make the same powerful serve again and again. Each time other members of the club, both boys and girls were bowled over to their wonder.
"I can't stay anymore right now Katie. But promise me you'll keep practicing with that very racquet of yours all the time. It's vitally important you get used to the feel of your own regular racquet while you are mastering what I've shown you."
"Yes I will. Thank you Mr. Stanton."
"My pleasure."
Nephlite casually departed and drove off in his car while Katie continued to practice. Serena thought she was great, though Molly couldn't help but think there was something strange about her friend's eyes and her facial expression as she began to smile.
Over the next four days Molly noticed a terrible change in Katie's personality. The other players were beginning to be terrified of her. Everytime they tried to play a game with her she knocked them down by the force of the ball. Sometimes breaking their own racquets and she began to yell at them and treat them so spitefully. "You bunch of losers. None of you has what it takes to stand up to my serves. Get up and play or get off the court."
Molly couldn't understand this and when she tried to ask Katie if anything was the matter Katie just glared at her. "Why don't you just learn to mind your own business?"
That really upset poor Molly so she decided to talk to Serena about it.
She called her on the phone asking if she could come over to talk at Serena's house and Serena said, "Yes of course Molly."
When Molly arrived Serena took her to her room and sat on the edge of her bed with her while Luna listened casually. "Katie has become such a bad-tempered, unkindly person Serena." Molly began to shed tears and sob.
Serena placed her arm tenderly over her shoulders. "Is it really that bad Moll? You don't think she's getting tense because of the big tournament she's slated to participate in next week?"
"At first I thought maybe that's all it might have been Serena." Molly wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. "But she's way beyond grouchy. She's really mean to the other players. At one time she even went so far as to kick another girl's backside when she was knocked down by her serve and told her to get up you wimp."
Luna was bug-eyed as she listened. Serena was shocked. "Goodness. Did you ask her what was wrong?"
"Of course I did Serena. And she told me to get lost. Something must have happened to change her but she won't talk to me." Molly really broke down and sobbed greatly now.
"It's okay Molly." Serena spoke consolingly to her friend. "I'll go with you and we will somehow manage to find out what's wrong with Katie together."
"You'll really do this for me?" Molly brightened up.
"Yeah. Let's go now. That's what friends are for. Goodbye Luna." Serena stroked her cat and exited the bedroom with Molly.
Luna had had no chance to speak to Serena about her concerns but she determined to get Amy and go to Raye's temple to consult her sacred fire. If this was anything to do with the Negaverse they needed to find out and join Serena at the Tennis Club as soon as possible.
When Serena and Molly arrived at the Tennis Club they found Katie harassing two boys. "What a killer serve arm she has." One of them moaned from the ground where he lay.
"Get up. I thought you were supposed to be professionals." Katie jeered.
The two boys very nervously said that it had been lots of fun but it was time they thought about going home. "Just one more game. You can do better than this surely."
As Katie was preparing to serve Molly and Serena ran in front of the two boys on the court. "Katie. We want to talk to you." Molly cried.
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
"Katie. Molly is very concerned for you," implored Serena.
"I SAID GET OUT!"
The two boys saw this as their chance to escape and they ran off the court while Molly continued to beg her friend to talk to her and Serena. Seeing the loss of her two playing opponents Katie flew into an absolute rage. "WHY YOU MEDDLING PESTS! TAKE THIS!"
To Molly and Serena's horror a blast of orange force flew out of Katie's racquet and picking them up sent them soaring through the air and behind the nearby bushes beside the court. Molly was unconscious but Serena had braced herself against the attack realizing it must have been the Negaverse. As she got to her knees and peered behind the bush she saw wisps of vapour erupt from the handle of Katie's racquet and form into Tensie. As Katie collapsed Tensie crowed in triumph. "I have her energy."
Serena knew it was time to act. "MOON PRISM POWER!" Transforming she jumped out and declared. "I am Sailor Moon. Champion of Justice. In the name of the Moon I will punish you for abusing the wonderful sport of tennis."
Tensie produced her own racquet and said, "You think so? How about I show you how good I am at the game?" Some beam of magic struck Sailor Moon and she began to shrink.
"What are you doing to me?"
Tensie picked her up in her hand laughing. "I have shrunk you down and trapped you inside a tennis ball."
It was true. Sailor Moon was now inside a tennis ball with only her head sticking out. "NO! Let me out of here. Let me out of here."
"Now now. I'm giving you an opportunity to get a birds-eye view at my tennis skills." Tensie made Katie's unconscious body rise and take place on the court. Tensie served the ball and Sailor Moon screamed and wailed as Katie automatically hit her back spot on every time that Tensie sent her towards her.
While Tensie was laughing uproariously suddenly a rose flew through the air and scratched her racquet arm. Distracted with the shock and sting Tensie looked around to see Tuxedo Mask sitting in the first row of audience seats.
"You stay out of this or I'll make a tennis ball out of you too."
"I dare you to try it."
"Very well."
Tensie took a swing at Tuxedo Mask but he jumped up into the air, dodging the magic and as Tensie looked up at him he pressed a button on his cane. Suddenly it stretched itself out and hit Tensie in the chest knocking her flat on her back. The spell was broken and Katie collapsed to the ground once more and Serena returned to normal size free of the tennis ball. "Hooray Tuxedo Mask. Thank you."
"It's not over yet." Tensie growled rising to her feet and proceeded to shoot a huge fireball from her racquet at Sailor Moon.
As Sailor Moon screamed in terror, Tuxedo Mask zipped to her side with lightning speed and flew out of danger's way with her in his arms. "Let's defeat her together." He cried and sent another rose expertly spiralling in circles at Tensie so that it hit her in the face with its petals obscuring her vision.
When they gently landed from their great leap Tux cried out, "Now quickly attack her Sailor Moon."
Just as Tensie cleared the petals from her face Sailor Moon sent her tiara flying. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"
Tensie reacted in shock at the disc spinning towards her but she remembered what her Commander had told her and hurriedly pressed the button on her wristband. Just in time the tiara bounced harmlessly off the force shield to Sailor Moon's dismay. Then she twisted the dial clockwise and disappeared with Katie Sandler's energy.
Katie was beginning to groggily wake up. She would need to rest and recover to renew her strength replacing the energy that Tensie had taken. But at least she was going to be all right.
Sailor Moon looked around to find to her disappointment that Tuxedo Mask had vanished again, then Luna appeared running up with Sailors Mars and Mercury. "The sacred fire indicated that the Negaverse was at work here." Luna puffed. "But it took a long time of Raye's chanting. As soon as we had the message we came as fast as we could. What has happened Sailor Moon?"
When she explained all to her friends they were amazed. "Well how about that? Maybe you're not such a coward at heart after all?" Luna smiled admiringly.
"Yes." Sailor Mercury added.
"I guess so." Mars begrudgingly conceded.
Meanwhile Tensie returned to Nephlite's base and he collected the energy from her hands into a crystal bowl. Sealing it up he said. "Congratulations Tensie. I shall take this energy to Queen Beryl and she will use it to nourish the Negaforce."
"My pleasure Commander. Long live Queen Beryl."
All the others repeated the chant. "Long live Queen Beryl."
Then Kyameron said, "Now that Tensie has safely returned we know that your devices including this machine here," she indicated the machine for converting soldiers into mist form, "all work perfectly. So therefore I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that we will place ourselves in our Commanders' hands with no trepidation whatsoever. Three cheers for General Nephlite."
"Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!"
As for Katie she recovered after a couple of days rest and was deeply sorry for everything she had said and done while she was under Nega-influence. She apologized profusely to everybody and was extremely grateful to Sailor Moon for her salvation. Then she was back at the Tennis Club.
She saw Molly there again next to Serena. "Hey Molly. Would you like a game with me?"
"Okay. I'd love that. Can I get to serve please Katie?"
"Sure. If you'd like to."
As the two of them headed off to the court Serena closed her eyes and daydreamed to herself about whether Tuxedo Mask knew how to play tennis himself. Suddenly a tennis ball hit her between the eyes and she collapsed in a daze.
"Oh no!" Molly cried out horrified. "I'm so sorry Serena. My serve went very bad. Are you okay Serena? Please talk to me."
Serena couldn't hear Molly. Her head was full of roses dancing before her eyes while Tuxedo Mask stood in the center of them holding a tennis racquet.