AN: I own Ionana and Aldidi... but the others are up for grabs. JK. they belong to Aki. Everyone knows it.

Last time...
The vet, the assassin, the private and the intelligence officer looked at each other, and their sometimes allies, sometimes enemies in bewilderment. Ionanana and Aldidi had come.

Continuing on...

Ionana set her hand on Aldidi's shoulder and announced her presence, "Just me."

Aldidi turned to face her, nodded, and thought about what to say.

Ionana shook her head "Out with it... You're the one Keronian I don't worry about. Just say what you want to say."

Aldidi nodded, "Okay then...um...what the hell!?"

Ionana nodded, and grimaced a bit "I know...that was bad."

Aldidi slapped her forehead, "You think?! You started a fight with the Keronians who's trust we're supposed to gain!"

Ionana swiftly glanced around, "be careful...this place isn't secure...we don't know who followed us or how close behind us they are." She said quietly.

Aldidi rolled her eyes, "yeah...NOW you act like an intelligence officer. What were you thinking!? He could have shot you! Plus! Since we hadn't given him our orders yet, he would have had just cause to do so!"

Ionana frowned, "I know..."

Aldidi looked incredulously at Ionana, "Then what were you DOING?" Ionana shook her head, "Just, going off my gut instinct. The Pekoponian attacked me and I stopped her. Corporal Giroro aimed his weapon at me and I thought that he might be the one we were sent here to watch. He is noted to be close to the pekoponians"

Aldidi rolled her eyes, "Do you really think that we were sent here to look out for a traitor? I mean...they didn't even give us a soldier to specifically look out for. Don't they usually have to gather evidence after they suspect a traitor?"

Ionana looked at her very seriously, "That's my job. They suspect a traitor, I go to root them out."

"What if that isn't the purpose of this particular mission?" Aldidi pressed.

Ionana snorted and shook her head, "That's my purpose here. Trust me. It always is."

Aldidi folded her arms, "Then why did they send me too?"

Ionana shook her head, "We've been over this."

~~~~~Flashback~~~~~

Ionana stood in the general's office. She didn't know who she was waiting for, but he had said that it was going to be her partner for her next mission. That surprised Ionana a good deal, but she didn't show it on her face.

She had always gone on missions alone. The type that she was trained for almost never called for two individuals. It was too difficult to slip two people into a platoon without raising suspicion. Not to mention the coordination required mad it more likely to get caught.

The General opened the door and walked in with a teal Keronian who had a Celtic knot symbol on her brow. Ionana lost her soldiers composure for a minute and her jaw dropped, "Aldidi?"

Aldidi looked over at her in surprise, "Ionana?" The General looked over in slight surprise and Ionana snapped back to attention.

"Do you two know each other?"

Aldidi nodded, "Yes General...we actually just reconnected...it has been many years."

The General nodded and looked at Ionana. "Are you alright with this?"

Ionana paused and formulated her answer, "As a soldier, I have to be completely confident in my ability to handle whatever I am commanded to do."

The General nodded and turned to Aldidi, "We would like to have you accompany Ionana on this mission."

Aldidi looked from the General to Ionana and back, "um...why?"

The General sweatdropped and nodded, "Good question...Blunt...but still a good question."

"I'm a detective for a reason."

"And that's why you have been chosen for this mission." The General responded.

Aldidi looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "Thats something that I would have kinda figured. My question is more... why am I being sent on a mission with Ionana?"

The violet Keronian, who had recovered from her shock, snapped out a salute, "General, I request permission to explain."

He nodded and Ionana turned to Aldidi. "This information is classified, but in my line of work, I am sent out to look for spies and traitors by infiltrating the platoons that are believed to harbor them."

Aldidi rolled her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I know that."

Ionana blinked in surprise, "Um...how?"

Aldidi chuckled, "I just met up with a friend who I haven't seen in many years. Do you think I'm going to let a little thing like classified documents stop me from trying to learn about who she is now and where she's been? I know that you've probably done the same thing for me already."

Ionana turned just the lightest shade of pink, "well...I haven't...pulled out any classified documents on you or anything."

Aldidi laughed, "I know, but I was wondering why you would need my help on a mission like this...It's normally a solo type mission isn't it?"

The general jumped in to explain before Ionana got the chance. "The truth is, we don't have any clear idea whether or not there is an actual traitor on Pekopon or not. The Pekoponian may or may not be putting up the resistance that is as strong as Sgt. Keroro's platoon says, or Sgt. Keroro's platoon may be ill equipped to handle this particular invasion, or any number of possible factors. We need you to dig around a little bit, ask the right questions, see what the problem truly is."

Aldidi nodded, "Alright, I can do that, but if that's the case, then why is IONANA going?"

The General glanced over, "There is sill the possibility of there being a traitor. If that turns out to be the case, then Ionana will be there to handle the situation and protect you."

During this exchange, Ionana was grumbling in the back of her head, /General is trying to get my friend killed./

Aldidi slowly nodded as the reality of it sank in, "So I'm there to make sure she doesnt jump to any conclusions and takes out a whole platoon that may be completely loyal."

The General sweatdropped, "um...yes..."

Ionana faceplanted.

As Ionana lay on the floor, trying to regain her dignity and her balance, The General told them when they would be leaving, what their arrival time on Pekopon would be, the climate conditions, and any other information that they needed. Ionana finally managed to stagger upright and asked to be dismissed. The General agreed and Ionana left to pack her belongings...and nurse her wounded pride.

After she left, The General turned to Aldidi. "Keep an eye on her. Many Keronians think that Pekopon is a lost cause. That we should pull our troops and resources away and put them into other, more useful endeavors. However, this may be a good opportunity for Ionana to gain some distance from her work. She has no separation or distinction between work and personal life. I don't even think she has a personal life."

Aldidi nodded and left the tent after being dismissed, not that she really cared. She would have left one way or another since military protocols meant next to nothing to her. So, she slipped out and went to go pack her belongings for the trip.

The general watched her leave and shook his head, "This will either work out brilliantly...or be a complete and utter catastrophe."

~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~

Aldidi furrowed her brow as she remembered her official reason for being there. Then she reached out and smacked the back of Ionana's head.

Ionana grabbed at the lump and looked at Aldidi in slight astonishment. "What was that for?"

"You were jumping to conclusions!"

Ionana fixed an astonished gaze at her, "HE WAS GONNA SHOOT AT ME!"

Aldidi rolled her eyes. "You took out his girlfriend!"

Ionana blinked, "His girlfriend? ...He's fraternizing with the enemy then?" She sat back to count up how many military codes that was against.

Aldidi rolled her eyes and stalked off, muttering, "I give up for tonight. Once I have a long rest and a hot meal I'll try again."

Ionana frowned, "A good soldier never gives up you know."

Aldidi whirled around and folded her arms, "Well I'm off duty." She continued to leave the small clearing and Ionana called after her,

"Don't you dare get lost Aldidi. If I have to come find you then it won't be pretty."

"I'm not gonna get lost!" After she disappeared from view, Ionana cracked a smile,

"Yeah you are." and she headed off to find a spot to camp.

When she found a small, easily defended clearing, she put down her gear and started to set up camp. She unpacked her belongings and organized her tent, going through her ritual of putting everything in its place. the last thing to be unpacked was her sword. It was modeled after a Japanese Katana, yet sized for a Keronian.

She found it ironic that the blade was now in a location that it originally came from, and yet, was going to be a part of taking down the very institution that had helped it's creation. She took the blade outside with her polishing rag and began to, almost lovingly, rub the metal clean.

All of Ionana's stresses from the day began to dissipate. Crash landing, meeting the platoon, and the impromptu battle that had followed all served to put a knot behind her shoulders that was slowly unraveling itself.

By the time she had worked her way down to the hilt, they were gone, and she was back to full capacity. She stretched a bit and began to carefully clean the hilt as well. Just because she felt calm, there were no excuses for slacking off. She glanced over at the trees, where she realized that someone had approached her area and was cautiously watching.

"Identify yourself!" She barked and watched as a slightly surprised Dororo entered the clearing. "Lance Corporal Dororo. What can I do for you?"

Dororo blinked and moved closer, "You remembered me?"

Ionana looked at him incredulously, "Yes...is that unusual?"

"Very." Dororo replied and sat down a few feet in front of Ionana, who returned to cleaning her hilt, yet carefully watching him out the corner of her eye.

"How do your superiors identify you for plans to move along the invasion then?"

Dororo sweatdroped, /she has no idea how things actually work here... this is going to be a bit of a shock to her./ "They do not. I am quite often left out of plans for the invasion."

Ionana looked up at him in shock before glancing down again, "That is completely moronic."

Dororo blinked, "It is?"

Ionana nodded, "What kind of idiot would ignore the strongest member of a platoon?"

Dororo smiled slightly under his mask and watched her work. "I doubt that I am the strongest member of the platoon. Giroro-kun perhaps."

Ionana furrowed her brow slightly, "If you wanted to, you could remove Corporal Giroro as a threat in next to no time at all. You should be considered the most valuable soldier here."

Dororo flushed just slightly with embarrassment and thanked Ionana. Ionana waved her hand, "Merely facts Lance Corporal Dororo."

The two sat in silence for a while until Ionana finished cleaning her sword, sheathed it and put it away inside her tent. She walked back outside and turned to Dororo. "It is getting to be time for lights out. We should both retire for the evening."

Dororo nodded. "Good night Ionana."

Dororo left and Ionana went back into her tent. /I must take this up with Sergeant Keroro. Ignoring a soldier could be contributing to the difficulty of completing the mission...I wonder if Aldidi managed to find her way to the base./

Aldidi, meanwhile, had not managed to find her way to the base. She had discovered that even though she was no longer on Keron...her sense of direction had not improved at all. Instead, she had gotten herself hopelessly lost in the tangle of trees and misleading paths through the woods.

She touched the tree that she had passed for the millionth time and groaned. "This just sucks. Ionana is going to have a field day."

Kululu entered the clearing and laughed, "kukuku...what sucks?"

Instead of being startled, or even creeped out, as Kululu had expected, Aldidi whirled around and grinned, "Kululu-kun! You can help me get to the base can't you?"

Kululu blinked...caught slightly off guard and nodded. "kukuku, yes."

Aldidi looked at him expectantly, "Will you show me?"

Kululu started to walk off and Aldidi followed him. Less then a minute later, they approached the Hinata residence and Aldidi, recognizing it from pictures, grinned and turned to Kululu,

"Yay! You found it! Thank you Kululu-kun!" And she ran off towards the house.

Kululu blinked and stared after the strange Keronian. "Perhaps I should look into it...kukuku"

Aldidi reached the house and Tamama helped her find a bunk room in the base. He explained where everyone slept and she nodded while putting her belongings down. After he left, she kept the door open while she unpacked and noticed Kululu head off in the direction of what she would later discover was his lab. She filed the information away for later use and closed the door, ready for bed.

As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped, although in vain, that Ionana wouldn't want to do her painfully early workout. That had been pure torture.

Ionana called it morning P.T. and said that it was a military standard that she should get used to.

Lucky for her, no one stationed on Pekopon except for Giroro, actually went to morning P.T., so she wasn't going to be expected to either.

She figured that if they wanted her to workout at five in the morning, they had better be willing to come get her and drag her out of bed, down the hall, up the stairs, and outside before she would even consider standing up.

They would soon find out that it wasn't worth the effort, give in, and leave her alone. With that pleasant thought, she drifted off to sleep.