Tryst with Destiny: The End of the Beginning

110: The Politics of Power

<Author's Note Begins>

Guys this is my first attempt at writing something so political. Comments that too detailed ones, please. Also playing the music I have chosen is a must. Comment on that too.

<Author's Note Begins>

(In the Meeting Room)

"We need to talk." Dragon Emperor says as he opens his eyes.

"You," Grace says in an accusatory tone as she stands up suddenly.

"What are you doing here?" Delia snarls as she gets up too. Everyone watches in silence as the two mothers look like their about to take their frustration out on the Dragon Emperor without a moment's thought.

"Now, now. Let's all take a deep breath here. We don't want to fly off the handle just yet." Diantha intervenes as she tries to defuse the tense situation. On Diantha's request Grace and Delia slowly retake their seats. Dragon Emperor quietly watches as the flared nostrils of both mothers start settling down.

"What are you doing here?" Oak says as he turns his attention back to the Dragon Emperor.

"I think in the light of recent events, the better question is. Why didn't I come sooner?" Dragon Emperor answers while walking towards the table.

"Ok. Why didn't you come sooner?" Cynthia asks.

"Let's just say, there are some things you can't rush. Or rather, you shouldn't rush." Dragon Emperor says as he draws Lance's chair and sits on it. Lance, who's by now used to Dragon Emperor sitting on his chair, doesn't respond.

"But I can wait. You were about to start a briefing. Weren't you? I'll keep till you finish." Dragon Emperor says as he motions Lance and Looker to continue.

"OK." Looker answers as he nods his head to tell Lance to start the briefing.

"As I was saying. The G-Men, Kantonian Military and the International Police agency carried out a military strike against a Team Rocket base in response to their attack on Ash and Serena's wedding a week back." Lance resumes his briefing.

"Yes. But you said that things didn't go the way they were supposed to." Cynthia reminds Lance to which Lance nods.

"Yes. We got the location of our target from our interrogation of Gabriel. He gave up the location in exchange for a reduced sentence. The base was located in the middle of the desert in the Kanto region." Lance says while pressing a button which brings up a screenshot of the base on the screen.

"Go on." Sycamore encourages.

"Since the base was in the middle of the desert we decided that aerial assault using helicopters would be the best plan of attack. We were twenty minutes out from our target when things went a little different." Looker says which catches everyone's attention.

"Different?" Rowan asks while raising his eyebrow.

"As Looker said, we were twenty minutes out. But we encountered a very very strange anomaly." Lance continues.

"Strange anomaly?" Juniper asks as everyone except the Dragon Emperor exchanges puzzled looks.

"A thunderstorm which developed out of nowhere. Ten miles away from the base." Lance replies.

"A thunderstorm? In the middle of the desert?" Diantha asks in a sceptical tone.

"Yes. But we simply adjusted our course because the storm was small in radius and relatively localized." Looker answers.