The Time Warriors (REWRITING)

Part I

Luna woke with a start. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to think why she would possibly be so eager to wake up. Then she remembered. Today was the last day of her and Alya's learning at the Academy.

The New Earth Academy for Boys and Girls was the best school on this side of the Order. People came from as far away as New Saturn to attend the Academy. It was one of the only schools that the Order of the New Planets had actually founded, versus the dozens of small community-organized schools that were scattered across the solar system. Some weren't even on planets.

Luna hopped out of bed and walked into the kitchen. Her best friend's cousin was seated at the small table, eating a large bowl of some sugary cereal and reading something on her tablet.

"Good morning, Luna," Cressida said. "Up already?"

"Last day of the Academy," Luna said, opening the fridge.

"I take it my cousin's still asleep?"

Alya technically owned the apartment. Luna and Cressida both shared it. Luna had been wary when she first met Cressida--her eyes were white. Since then, they had developed an easy friendship. Cressida was a very likable person.

"Alya's never awake at six-thirty," Luna said. "She probably won't be up until seven."

She grabbed a package wrapped in foil labeled CROISSANT  and shut the fridge, then jumped as the female voice of Alya's automated apartment spoke.

"Good morning, Miss Luna," it said. "Would you like me to heat that up for you?"

"Sure. Thanks, Miranda," Luna said, handing the package to the mechanical arm extended from the wall. The arm stuck the package in the microwave and started heating it. Luna plopped down into the seat beside Cressida.

"Reading the news?" Luna asked her.

"Yes. It's always good to be well-informed."

"Any updates on the Senate split?"

"Unfortunately not." Cressida sighed. "Senator Saros is still pushing hard for higher pay for the workers in the mines."

Senator Saros represented the planet of New Mars in the Order's Senate. New Mars had a large manufacturing industry, and the senator was complaining that the workers in the factories didn't get enough pay.

"We have machines to do that now," Senator Jericho (New Uranus) had pointed out three days ago. "Manual labor is no longer necessary."

"Yes, but we still need human skill to get the materials out of the ground," Senator Saros had retorted. "My planet's workers do both, and are paid well for neither."

"Where are you headed today?" Luna asked, taking her now warmed croissant from Miranda's outstretched hand and taking a bite. Cressida ran a tourism business throughout the New Planets. She was frequently traveling to other planets to work.

"As soon as I finish reading this, I'm headed to New Jupiter," Cressida said. "A visiting family from New Pluto will be arriving there today, and they sent a message to me, asking for my personal recommendations on the restaurants and attractions."

They lapsed into silence. Cressida took a bite of her cereal. Luna wolfed down the rest of her croissant and started peeling an orange.

"Wish Senator Saros would just let the issue drop," Cressida muttered. "Ah, well. I'm finished with this." Standing, she pushed her chair in and handed her empty bowl to Miranda. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she smiled at Luna. "Have a good day. Keep yourselves out of trouble."

Luna laughed. "We will. You too."

Cressida headed to the entry hall of the apartment. Barely a minute after Luna heard the front door shut, Alya came out from her bedroom.

"You're up earlier than usual," Luna said.

"Last day at the Academy! Besides, I wanted to catch Cressida. Guess I just missed her." Alya grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl on the table, peeled it, and took a bite. "You should get dressed. We want to make it there on time--before Oberon puts something weird on our desks again."

Oberon was a very annoying boy who frequently put weird stuff on random desks as pranks. Alya and Luna were among his favorite targets. Luna had a sneaking suspicion that Oberon had a crush on Alya.

"You're right," Luna said. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Alya said. "Miranda, did you feed Alula yet?"

Alula was Alya's cat.

"Yes, Miss Alya," Miranda said.

"Phew!" Alya sighed with relief. "Okay. Now we can go."

********************

Sapphire: Any news?

Diamond: No. They're still covering up the real reason for the Senate's split.

Emerald: Does the Senate know about us? What we're doing?

Diamond: Only Senator Halley. But then, she's second-in-command.

Amethyst: There are, however, clues that Senator Titania is aware of us. Of what we do.

Sapphire: It's a possibility. We can't say for sure.

Sapphire: Besides, New Neptune has always been a little more suspicious than the other planets.

Sapphire: But, you know, I was asking about your searches.

Diamond: Amethyst and I have a suspect.

Amethyst: Nothing is decided yet, though.

Ruby: We're still trying to verify that the Opal Artifact is truly awakened.

Sapphire: Who's the girl in question?

Ruby: A girl named Juliet. Designs clothes for a fashion line on New Venus. Also musically inclined. From what we can tell, the Opal Artifact is a violin.

Emerald: After we verify that it's her, we're not going after her. Once she realizes we're activated, she'll come to us.

Sapphire: Good. I'm still searching.

Sapphire: One more question, though.

Sapphire: Diamond, has your hair shifted yet?

Diamond: No. It's still brown.

Sapphire: Good. You get to be on an undercover mission.