Chapter 303
"Any thoughts on what Gala's plan might be?" Haruka asked.
"I've been thinking through various contingencies, however, she does hold the advantage in knowing where she will strike," Patterson replied.
"Yes, it will be hard for us to counter her," Haruka said. "Wherever she does attack she will have eight warriors to use and powerful ones at that. All the scouts will have to converge on one point and fight them off."
"I don't know about that.." Patterson said.
"What do you mean?" Haruka said.
"Well..consider this. Right now her forces and ours fight to a stalemate, at least theoretically," Patterson said.
"Uh huh," Haruka said.
"So why hasn't she struck sooner?"
"She struck before," Haruka said.
"I'm beginning to believe the star seed's power is not enough to maintain her army. When Galaxia arrived she only used three warriors, and then Tuxedo Mask. Yet Gala showed up and used seven other warriors. Why would she have more energy then her mother the queen."
"Maybe she didn't. The warriors weren't at full strength," Haruka said.
"Still they were very close," Patterson said. "Or at least it seems that way. However, putting that aside, now with the star seed she was able to bring all seven warriors up to close to full strength and power herself up too."
"Right," Haruka said.
"Lead Crow and Aluminum Siren on their own were a match for eight sailor scouts," Patterson said.
"It wasn't that simple. We would have beaten them both, it was just a matter of time, nothing more. They could hold off four scouts each, they couldn't defeat them," Haruka said.
"Still..they managed to stall you," Patterson said. "Iron Mouse's true abilities were never tested. We know what Metalite is capable of. Coardite at full power doesn't stand a chance considering I took him to the limit at my weakest point of power. Argosante and Materic both rely on their skills more then power."
'But Materic has power too," Haruka said.
"Not much though. He's at the level of a Guardian Scout right now. We just don't know how his attacks work," Patterson said.
"But they did meet us head on in that battle," Haruka said.
"They met us piecemeal," Patterson said. "Sailor Moon wasn't there. Tuxedo Mask...was you know..A full front of scouts at full strength should be able to meet them head on. I believe that fewer than that can stall them."
"So they do have to be careful. They somehow have to make sure that whatever they do doesn't get the others after them," Haruka said.
"A task that has grown harder considering the negaverse generals are watching Serena like a hawk."
"They are?"
"Hadn't you noticed?" Patterson said.
"No.."
"Well they are..and the dark moon warriors are watching the other scouts..periodically," Patterson said.
"Not me I hope," Haruka said.
"Why not...if it protects you."
"I tend to have better then average instincts."
"That you do..however..we need all the help we can get," Patterson said. "This is a complex game of strategy now."
"Funny how you would call it a game."
"It's just a term Haruka. Gala is being cautious. I suspect that the star seed's power is not unlimited, she would probably like to get some more and then she can seal the deal. Until then her strikes have to be productive."
"I see what you mean. If she wastes energy, she might not be able to get it back," Haruka said. "She probably hasn't attacked till now because that battle took a lot out of her."
"That's what I suspect."
"So just where will she strike?" Haruka asked.
"Wherever she thinks she can win. All the scouts are in the same immediate area right now. She has to wait for one of them to leave it or to get as far away as possible," Patterson said.
"That presents some opportunities doesn't it?"
"A trap you mean?"
"Of course."
"I wouldn't try it," Patterson said.
"Why not?"
"Well it's worth considering, but we're not in very good shape ourselves."
"I guess you're right," Haruka said. "Still.."
"I know," Patterson said.
"So should the scouts keep traveling in groups or what?"
"It is suggested, however that may be hard to do on a regular basis," Patterson said.
"I'm all for caution though. Hotaru and Setsuna go off on their own too often."
"Agreed. Both of them I'm having trouble locating on a regular basis."
"Hmm.perhaps I should talk to them. Maybe the scouts should get together on this."
"That might be the best strategy. We need to be as informed as possible. We can't give Gala any opportunities."
Haruka nodded.
"You know we don't make a bad team when we get together like this," Haruka said.
"One wonders how the world works," Patterson said. "We have guests,"
He said pressing a button. One the view screen a shot of Materic and Coardite appeared. They were sitting in a tree down the block watching the house.
"Should we.." Haruka said. "No..why give away the fact that we know?"
"That's my thinking," Patterson said.
And down the block.
"He must know we're here," Coardite said.
"Then why hasn't he attacked?" Materic asked.
"Because he's insane that's why," Coardite said.
"Perhaps.." Materic said. "Gala told us to watch the house for any strange activity and that's what we're doing."
"I don't know why I'm paired with you. I am a negaverse commander. You're just a good swordsman."
"You were a negaverse commander."
Coardite sighed.
"So they say he beat you in a fight," Materic said.
"He did no such thing and you can't talk," Coardite said.
"Ah..but he is given the supernatural powers, I was human," Materic said.
"Good for you," Coardite said.
"They say you cheated to win."
"I did not," Coardite muttered.
Elsewhere.
"Think of the possibilities Rick," Mike said.
"What possibilities," Rick said.
"Listen..we're here because we hate the three lights right?"
"Yes."
"And amazingly people like our music too."
"I don't like it put that way, but I guess," Rick said.
"Now listen..we make fun of the three lights every night," Mike said. "This is just upping the ante."
"What you're suggesting is risky, and I don't think it'll work," Rick said.
"Let's just assume it did and argue that point," Mike said. "The reason the three lights are beating us to number one still is because of two people, namely Mina and Raye who have gotten the latent female idol following out to support them right."
"Yes," Rick said.
"So...we need to make fun of that."
"By getting Lita to sing a song with her amateur voice in the middle of a concert?"
"Uh huh," Mike said.
"You're crazy."
"No I'm a genius."
"Geniuses can be crazy," Rick said.
"Whatever...as long as we're agreed that I'm a genius."
"You're not," Rick said.
"Rick..you're not working with me here. Lita's no expert, but her voice is perfect. She can't hit the high notes."
"Mike..I don't like it. Besides why would Lita make fun of her friends, and furthermore work for the band that hates the three lights, which just happens to be lead by her boyfriend SEIYA!"
"Uh..those are all details," Mike said.
"You imbecile," Rick said.
"Rick..stardom has changed you man.." Mike said.
"I just don't want to throw away what we have over this," Rick said.
"Rick, the record execs want us to beat the three lights. You know that. We've sung with our heart and souls and we haven't pulled it off yet. They'll take our contracts away."
"You don't know that."
"Yes I do actually, I've been spying on them," Mike said.
"You've been what?" Rick said.
"Long story, listen..if we don't hit number one in three months were out."
"Is that in our contracts?" Rick asked.
"Yes. But we didn't think it would be a problem remember?"
"You're right," Rick said. "We do need to do something, but not that."
"Whatever you say," Mike said. "But you'll come crying back to the idea. Just watch."
"Mike..take some sedatives or something," Rick
muttered.
"Hmm..I wonder.." Mina said staring at the stage they were to perform on later that night.
"What?" Yaten said.
"Maybe I should be on the left, and Raye on the right," Mina said.
"Why?" Yaten said.
"Well..because..I like it over there more," Mina said.
"Why should it make a difference," Yaten said.
"It just does..I mean..it's not a big deal.."
"Well if Raye is fine with it do it, I don't care really."
"Yaten that's what I love about you," Mina said hugging him. "You don't care about anything!"
"Why are you hugging me?" Yaten said worriedly.
Elsewhere.
"Hah! Darrien my boy! You've come back!" Doctor Tomoe said laughing. "I see it took more than getting killed to drive you away from a good idea."
"Uh yeah.." Darrien said unsurely. "Listen have you made any progress."
"Oh..yes..granted it's been a little hard to deal with your professors given that your science building's been trashed, but Richter and I have been working hard," Tomoe said. "I think you'll be surprised at what we've come up with."
"Really?" Darrien asked.
"Sure, let's have a look," Tomoe said.
"Okay," Darrien said.
"Died myself once. Pretty annoying affair really," Tomoe said.
"I don't want to talk about it," Darrien said.
"I understand," Tomoe said and started laughing before sobering up. "Really I do. I'm just unbalanced that's all."
"I know," Darrien said. "Have you thought about medication?"
"Yeah..but they never work."
"I can believe it."
"In fact, the pills just make it worse."
"They do?" Darrien asked.
"Uh huh...you know when I was making all those monsters."
"Yep."
"You know how I would come up with ideas?" Tomoe asked.
"No."
"I would take some pills, and then..bam..ideas!"
"Oh.." Darrien said.
"But enough about that! It's physics time," Tomoe said.
"Yeah," Darrien said unenthusiastically.
And at Serena's house.
"So are you going to concert tonight Serena?" Lita asked.
"I don't know," Serena said. "Dejectedly. I'm really not in the mood."
"Serena, I know that this has all been very tough on you. Believe me I do. But you gotta get out there. You remember..back when Beryl was attacking and.."
"Yes.. I know.." Serena said. "Getting out did me some good, but Lita..I just don't know."
"What's the problem?" Lita asked. "I mean we talked a lot, I thought we were making progress."
"You know that I am tired of having to deal with all this. My friend's lives put in danger, evil forces trying to destroy all I hold dear. And I sit here with all this power and I can do things, but..Lita I want it to end. I want to wipe evil out for good."
"Well we may never be able to do that," Lita said.
"Yeah, maybe..but..how can I enjoy myself knowing they're waiting out there somewhere."
"You've done it before," Lita said. "Heck we all have."
"I know," Serena said. "But then I just wasn't being careful."
"That's not true."
"We left ourselves open," Serena said. "It was fortunate evil never capitalized, but I won't let that happen again. Think about it Lita. Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, Mina, and Raye on stage. Me, you and Amy in the front row. They'll attack us."
"You don't know that.." Lita said. "Besides the guys will be keeping an eye on us, the outer scouts too."
"They'll attack us.." Serena said.
"So if you don't go they'll just attack the rest of us, or attack you because you're far away," Lita said.
"I don't want to go to a concert just for strategic reasons!" Serena snapped
"Well..uh.." Lita said.
"Up till now we've gotten away with just living our lives..Darrien did that..and he died! It can happen to us."
"Yes, but..." Lita said. "I thought we.."
"Oh we talked..and you guys were right everything you said. But I can't listen..I can't be sure until Gala is dead and all her minions are gone with her. And how do we even know their dead when they come back! What's the good of even killing them in the first place? And what about that? How many lives have I taken."
"Uh..but.."
"There's no answer you can give that's the least bit satisfying. I began to realize it as I sat here moping. How many creatures have we killed?"
"In war..." Lita began.
"In war...I'm sixteen...why should I be fighting a war?"
"Yes but Serena..these were evil forces."
"Evil forces? The negaverse generals, the dark moon? They're not evil now are they? Whose to say those minions they worked for wouldn't have come around too if they had been given the choice."
"Well..Serena we didn't have time to give them the choice."
"That doesn't make it right," Serena said. "After all..I want to kill Gala don't I? How do I know she's not misguided too. All of them, Coardite, Materic even.."
"Well then try healing them."
"Heal them? While they're trying to kill us all and with all that power of theirs. Fancy that!"
"Serena calm down."
"We're just pawns..just how much evil is there in the world, and how much of it people being manipulated?"
"Serena you're overreacting," Lita said.
"We.. all would stand there cheering when those youma would vaporize..all nice and clean, no blood, no corpse, just smoke," Serena said.
"That's because they were just.."
"Lives..in what form I don't know, but they lived. Some of them even had honor and values.Others didn't, and maybe they deserved to die, maybe some of them did. But I'm the one whose supposed to exact punishment? What do I know of that world out there? Lita..we're all killers..."
"We're soldiers."
"That's what killers are."
"But we have a reason. We protect this planet."
Serena stopped, her eyes tearing.
"I want to fight her.." Serena said. "Gala..alone..the two of us."
"But.."Lita said.
"I want her to tell me why she does what she does, I want her to look at me and I want to see if there really is evil in those eyes of hers. Or if she too is just a victim."
"But..she'll fight you..she'll."
"I don't care what she does to me. I have to know."
"But..she killed Darrien..aren't her intentions.."
"She killed Darrien for a reason!" Serena said pounding her fist on the window. "This is war isn't it Lita? All casualties are acceptable. In her place I'd do the same!"
"What?" Lita said.
"That's right, I would," Serena said. "It makes sense and look at the power she has. I want to know why she fights, not what she does. I can get my retribution if I want it. But right now I want the fighting to end. I wouldn't care if Gala just left. I would accept it."
"And what might she do to other worlds? Her mother held the galaxy under her control," Lita said trying to keep calm despite all that was happening.
"Her mother was evil," Serena said. "I'm sure of that. I looked in her eyes...I saw all that. She was evil, more evil then Nehelenia, more evil then Beryl. I knew..that even with everything that I had in my heart..that I couldn't heal her...I wished it wasn't true, but..." she paused. "But Gala. Gala's a child. How can she know what she truly believes?"
"Serena the chances of you convincing her that.." Lita began.
"I don't care what the chances are. I'll meet her tonight."
"But....."
"I'm going to that concert, but I'll wait for Gala, outside. She'll come," Serena said.
"I can't just go in and leave you to face her," Lita said.
"There's no point in going to this concert," Serena said. "Gala will mess it up."
"I guess so, should I tell the others about all this?" Lita asked.
"They'll try and stop me. You'll tell no one," Serena said.
"But.." Lita began.
"Promise me.." Serena said.
"As a friend I don't think I can.."
"Lita..Gala won't come if we're all waiting for her."
"I don't want you to die," Lita said tearing up herself.
"I won't let that happen," Serena said.
"And just how would you stop her."
"You all would protect me," Serena said. "I'm not deluding myself. The outers, the guardians they'll all be waiting. I won't be alone. But I don't want the starlights or Raye, or Mina to know. They have their lives to live, and they can't stop performing."
"Let me tell Amy," Lita said.
"Later," Serena said. "No one can stop me."
"If you insist,"Lita said. "Serena, I can see you've been torn by your emotions and if this will help, maybe we should do it. But I'll be there with you."
"Fine," Serena said. "But Lita...I don't want to kill anymore."
"Serena, you did what you had to. Most of those things were just figments of evil. It is sad but they had no consciousness. They lived only to serve," Lita said.
"It doesn't matter," Serena said. "It is still a tragedy that these lives are conditioned for evil and have to die because of it. Haven't you ever seen it that way."
"Well yes..but.." Lita said. "I try not to. It doesn't help to do it."
"No it doesn't," Serena said leaning against her window still and sniffling.
Sitting on a roof nearby, Nephlite watched the scene with concern.
"I have to tell the others about this," he said and
slid off the roof. He was soon racing away in his car.
Soon afterward.
"You can't be serious," Haruka said.
"Serena has lost control of herself," Nephlite said. "All this has caused an upsurge in emotion from her. She's remorseful for all the minions she destroyed."
"This is strange," Amy said. "We went to see her just a few days ago. This didn't come up."
"She must have been holding it in," Luna said.
"Poor girl. It's all hit her at one time," Artemas said.
"Regardless we can't let her meet with Gala," Rick said.
"Agreed," Michiru said. "It's too dangerous."
"Gala will listen to her," Hotaru said.
"What?" Everyone said.
"How can you even suggest that.." Haruka began.
Hotaru raised a hand.
"Listen to me. Gala is turned towards the side of evil. However, she would at least listen, I know that. If we keep her minions from attacking during this time, the two might converse," Hotaru said.
"But why would Gala let her talk?" Haruka said.
"Because Gala has a reason to," Hotaru said.
"Which is?" Luna asked.
"I can't say..I.mean..I don't know what it is, but I know it's there," Hotaru said.
"So they talk, then what," Malichite said. "Then they fight."
"Most likely,' Hotaru said. "But if it true that all Serena wants to do is talk, understand Gala in some way. Then maybe that will do."
"But Serena's more upset then that isn't she?" Amy asked.
"Serena has some major issues, but maybe this will be an opening," Nephlite said.
"Where's Setsuna she'd have some advice now," Artemas said.
"I haven't seen her," Michiru said.
"We can't wait for her, we need to figure this out now," Luna said.
"Prince Diamond," Greg said. "Nephlite..just what were your creatures made out of?"
"They were not conscious beings in the least," Diamond said. "Only particles of energy given the will to think as we saw fit."
"Same here," Jaedite answered. "Serena didn't take away their lives, she just destroyed energy."
"I disagree," Amy said.
All eyes turned to her.
"Serena knows what she fought. But I fought them too. I've been fighting since the beginning. Those creatures, they had personalities, they were living. Perhaps they didn't have free will, but....," Amy said.
"This is not the time to debate this," Haruka said. "It isn't like they were human beings with families and goals in life! They were tools to accomplish goals, just like a computer is to us, or a guided missile."
"Computers can't scream out in pain," Amy said.
"Guided missiles don't hesitate or show fear," Greg said.
Haruka sighed.
"I know!" She snapped. But how can we solve Serena's problems if we're dwelling on all this," Haruka said.
"Too late," Patterson said looking at his watch.
"What?" The room exclaimed.
And several blocks away. Sailor Moon, flanked by Sailor Jupiter stood in the middle of the street. Gala surrounded by her minions stood facing her.
"I heard you wanted to talk to me," Gala said.
Jupiter's eyes narrowed.
"Well..I'm listening," Gala said. "You're own forces are elsewhere, and I must admit I'm curious."
"I figured you'd come," Sailor Moon said. "Yes I want to talk to you."