A few days later:
The whole Taskforce had a few days off duty after the exercise and people enjoyed them as much as they could. The war seemed far away and the regular Galactic Alliance Fleet was out there patrolling.
Some of the Senshi, like Makoto, Haruka and Michiru even went to holidays for a few days.
Makoto and Kenji were out for hiking in the north and the two Outer Senshi flew even to Hawaii. Haruka wanted to go somewhere where it's warm. Good thing she missed Yuma then, she probably would feel different about it otherwise.
Actually it was planned that the other two Outer Senshi would come along also but Hotaru was busy studying for her theoretical pilot exam and Setsuna opted to stay at home too. So she could at least take care of some patients in the hospital.
It was Friday early afternoon, Summer was about to begin and SunTzu was lying lazily on his couch, playing video games.
Rei left in the morning, to help her grandfather in the shrine.
Apart from a war, lost friends, some flirting with the dark side of the force and some not knowing who he had been before Kamino, his biggest problem right now was if he should have another cup of coffee. Yes, Life was good.
The door opened and Rei walked inside twinkle-toed. She had her own key to his apartment now.
SunTzu paused his game and sat up straight, stretching as she came in and gave him a kiss on his forehead, making him smile.
"I know you're probably planning to stay lazy the whole day but I got a surprise for you. So if you would have the decency to get presentable ASAP. You got twenty minutes." Rei told him and SunTzu raised a eyebrow.
"Get going TopGun, I promise you won't regret." She smiled at him but motioned with a hand for him to hurry.
As soon as SunTzu got out the shower and dressed Rei lead him out the door and to a taxi that just arrived.
She pulled out a silk scarf and tied it around his head so he couldn't see anymore before she helped him to get into the taxi.
"It's a secret where we're going." She told him and motioned the taxi driver to drive off.
He tried to take it easy but the drive was longer than expected and Force-sensitive or not being not able to see for so long made him uncomfortable.
The taxi finally stopped and after Rei paid the driver, she helped her boyfriend to get out. As he was standing secure she took away his blindfold.
Rei took him to a authentic Bavarian Beer Hall. In Tokyo. They even had original Beer from Munich.
"Tap is on me. A little apology because I wasn't really bearable nor really available on Yuma." She kissed him on the cheek and the born Bavarian entered the restaurant with eyes sparkling like an obese kid entering a candy store.
A waiter in traditional Bavarian clothes lead them to a table and handed them the menus.
He ordered Bavarian pork roast and a wheat beer. Rei needed a bit help and he was glad to be able to help her with the menu.
"Order the Rostbratwurst if you want Sausage. They're imported from Nuremberg, that's authentic and good. At least I think so."
Oh yeah, learning more about his past fell behind lately but why not life in the moment right now, when you're happy? And worry later? His spirits were great.
Day drinking, Bavarian beer for free and off duty. Was there anything better for a member of the armed forces?
Rei Hino, you're the bestest!
Retrospective this probably was the first time he thought about marrying her.
The beer, it didn't stay with the single wheat beer, that was great by the way, as well as the food were great and filled a spot in SunTzu's soul he didn't even thought about before, it hit a spot that made him feel nostalgic. Sure Tokyo or rather wherever the Senshi were, was his new home now. But in this beerhall he could feel his traces.
"Are you sad my Love?" Rei asked as he went internal for a moment.
"Opposite. I feel great, just a bit nostalgic I guess. Thanks for bringing me here Rei."
"You're welcome. Now how do I even drink from this?" She tried to lift up the large and heavy glass stein with a liter of beer inside and drink it the most elegant way. Round 2 after the food was a bit more advanced but she was eager to keep up with him.
The German showed the Japanese Woman how to do it right and soon they toasted to each other.
Memory loss or not, some things you don't unlearn.
They enjoyed their afternoon and after a few hours of coziness Rei paid and they left the restaurant. They took a taxi to his place and snuggled up on the couch were they fell asleep, drunken but happy.
The couple woke up in the early night, refreshed and without a hangover. The benefits of day drinking. They decided to head out for some dinner and got ready again, taking a cab to the city center.
The lovers ate some crazy good sushi nearby and then went to Shibuya to savor the night a bit more, just enjoying their time as a young couple in love. The two went to a video game arcade and played some games there. She was playing Dance Dance Revolution and told him stories how Minako and her used to rule in that game back in the days.
The Senshi of Passion was completely stoked to see that there were still Sailor V Plushies to grab in the gambling machines.
Of course he had to get her one. It took a few attempts but he finally got one and Rei was beyond happy.
She took a pic of it and sent it to Minako, stating that they would share a bed together now every night.
As Rei wrote with Minako SunTzu checked his phone, Ami sent him a message to be available at the base tomorrow, somewhen.
Very vague but okay. He could imagine for what, Ami never took off did she?
SunTzu told Rei about it and she commented that this was pure Ami. The only way Ami's marriage worked out was because Ryu was the same kind of workaholic.
"Guess we go then. As I know Ami I have to be at the base in the early morning on short notice." SunTzu told his girlfriend.
"You got anything you need on the base, spare clothes and stuff?" Rei asked him and he thought for a second.
"Yeah, at my locker in the flight center."
"Good. Ever slept in a palace?"
SunTzu looked up to his girlfriend with a questioning look on his face but she was already at her phone getting an Uber.
They arrived at the Palace Gate and entered, the night was beautiful and the two lovers took their time to get to the Palace.
After a walk through the gardens Rei lead him to the Crystal Tower and motioned inside.
SunTzu remembered the Senshi had rooms in the tower too. And he never even saw the one of Rei.
They took the elevator to a floor below the Royal Quarters.
"I never had someone over here, actually. That's a first so. You should feel honored TopGun."
Rei opened the door and they stepped inside. The room was bigger than the rooms on the Far Side. A queen size bed, desk, big wardrobe, basically a one room apartment. She also had her own bathroom.
The most prominent feature was the building itself though, there was no wall or window to the city directed side, just the Crystal of the Tower. And it was transparent like a giant window.
"Don't worry I can shade it." The Senshi smiled as he was standing in front of the Crystal and marveled at the view of Tokyo at night.
"This view is beautiful." SunTzu stated as he looked over to the Tokyo Skytree.
"I know. And the best part is, it's just visible from this side. If you look inside from the other side you just see the crystal. Just in case you want to take your A-Wing and spy at me."
She hugged him from behind and began to kiss his neck.
"Just to know, this Crystal. Is it durable enough that I can press someone against it?"
She bit his neck gently.
"I guess we have to find out. And by the way I still have that blindfold with me."
What a wild night.
The couple woke up in the early morning, good thing they had rested in the afternoon before. It had been far after midnight until they finally collapsed into each other's arm after the last simultaneous orgasm.
SunTzu looked at his chrono, it was almost seven .
Rei woke up too and started to slowly kiss her way up from his chest she was sleeping on towards his mouth.
"Good morning woman of my dreams."
That wasn't a lie, he actually dreamt about her. He didn't remember much but they were at a tropical island.
"Good morning."
They kissed passionately for a few moments.
"You're still not done with me?" He asked her with a sly grin.
"Never. One of us has to beat the other, remember."
Suddenly his telephone rang.
"Bet that's Ami." He said as he pulled it out of his pants that lay on the floor.
"Tell her bad timing, you'll call later. Tomorrow or so."
It wasn't Ami, it was Hotaru.
"Hotaru, what's up? You good?"
He sat down on the bed and Rei hugged him from behind, listening in.
"Yeah, I was about to get some PT in with Terra and the other Pilots and since I saw you're at the base I thought you might wanna join."
Hands were gliding up his hip from behind and he needed a moment to concentrate to answer, which was enough for Rei to snatch the phone out of his hand with one hand while her other hand glided down his thighs and moved up.
"Good Morning sweetheart, your instructor would be more than happy to join you for some morning sport. If you ask me, the way he feasted yesterday he needs some exercise anyway. I'll make sure he'll be there on time." She hung up.
Of course Rei was smiling while she was saying that and of course her hand was busy while saying that.
"You heard that, you should get up for sport." She purred into his ear and then pushed him out of bed, starting to laugh.
A few minutes and a borrowed Humvee later he arrived at the Flight Center and went inside to change into training clothes.
When he came out the other pilots, sans Michiru and Haruka who were still on Hawaii were waiting outside, stretching.
To his surprise Rei was also there, dressed in skin tight sport clothes and next to Hotaru.
"I had so much fun mocking you that I decided to tag along and continue" She stated and grinned at him.
How the hell did she get here before me?
A glance at the hangars and seeing AICA in the open answered his question.
Looks like the Cadet had a small morning flight.
The group started a morning run and was soon crossing paths with different teams and platoons of the ground troops. The Esprit de corps was high and everybody in the Taskforce was willing to be as fit and capable as possible. One time they even crossed Artemis, Endymion and other high ranking staff and ship officers running as well.
After sport SunTzu showered and changed into an uniform at the flight center while the two Senshi went to the palace to change. They would met up for breakfast afterwards.
Soon they met again and had breakfast. SunTzu and Rei both had eggs and bacon for breakfast and made references Hotaru couldn't follow, like SunTzu calling Rei Wawa Tukina. They laughed a lot though. Hotaru felt happy for the two, especially now that they could be together openly.
SunTzu also took the time and tested Hotaru with some theoretical questions that could be part of her written exam, while they were eating.
The teenage girl really enjoyed the extra time she lately spent with SunTzu and she kind of really grew attached to him, not in a romantic way but in a way that she was looking up to him. Similiar to the way Hotaru was looking up to her adoptive mother.
Thinking about her mother made her heart sting for a moment. Setsuna-Mama was always a bit quiet and always had that aura of a certain sadness around her but lately she seemed even more quiet and with more of that deep lying sadness in her than usual. Not that she would ever openly talk about it with Hotaru. Setsuna would never do something that would make Hotaru feel bad or down.
"Hotaru?" SunTzu asked her and she snapped back to from her zoning out.
"Are you okay, kiddo?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking about one of the exercises I had in one of the trials"
"Okay, I'm glad you're so eager with learning." He smiled at her. "Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"I booked you for a flight exercise later this morning, when you come back could you let the ground crew know, that they arm AICA for a mixed role mission. No creating a stir, if someone asks for permission they are to contact the office of Ami."
"She told anything yet?" Rei asked him, taking a sip of coffee.
"Nope, but I have a feeling that I'll need lots of firepower."
Rei looked over to Hotaru.
"Never date a pilot who also thinks he's a Jedi. They tend to be a bit paranoid." She rolled her finger around her head, motioning that he was crazy.
"She said and still dated the paranoid force-sensitive pilot, but that's not my cup." He said and took a sip out of his cup, making a meme reference.
She looked at him with played anger and pressed her lips together.
"Like i said, never." She looked over to Hotaru with raised index finger, then she turned around and pressed her lips on SunTzu's while she also slung her hands around his neck. There was a bit too much tongue involved for the time and place so Hotaru had to intervene.
"Ugh Guys, could you stop behaving like Teenagers. At least in public?"
After Breakfast the three parted, Hotaru for flying with AICA, Rei for the Shrine and SunTzu went to Ami's office since he still didn't heard anything of her.
The Pilot knocked on her door and a rather surprised Ami asked him inside.
She was eating a sandwich and writing some orders.
The Senshi put her hand over her mouth and swallowed down.
"Oh, good morning. I didn't expect you this early. "
"Yeah, I had the pleasure to finally sleep in this palace and thought since I didn't heard anything from you yet, I'll go and see what's up."
"Ah yeah, I heard you stayed overnight."
Spies, Man. They always know everything.
"I'm waiting for a visitor. Ada Wong to be precise. We've been in contact the last few weeks and I think we share some common interests."
"Okay and this means?"
"You'll have to wait till she arrives to see. Do you have something to do till I call you?" She said and supported herself on her forearms, smiling at him.
He sighed, what else than a counter question.
"Actually not."
"Good, than bring these documents to the headquarter's staff and those to the flight center." She handed him two folders with documents.
She took the next sandwich and before biting in she looked up to him.
"Get moving Lieutenant, these documents are important."
"Yes Ma'am."
SunTzu delivered the folders and took a break on his favorite bench to smoke a cigarette. A few dozen meters above him AICA just flew a extra loop around the palace.
Blue skies and tailwinds Miss Murder.
As SunTzu followed the A-Wing with his gaze he noticed something else in the sky, approaching the palace.
It was a small civilian yacht and obviously the ship was heading to the palace landing spot.
He finished his finished his cigarette and went over to the landing spot.
A Lieutenant of the Intelligence Service was already waiting there and SunTzu greeted him with a nod.
The shuttle touched down and soon a ramp opened and Ada and a man, around thirty five to forty years old, brunette hair with fringes on both sides, wearing jeans and a leather jacket, stepped outside. Ada, wearing jeans, a red blouse and a black leather jacket immediately noticed SunTzu and smiled.
"I was sure to see you today but I didn't think you'd be part of my welcome committee."
"Sometimes I'm good for a surprise." He replied to her.
She pointed back to her companion with her thumb as she walked up to him.
"SunTzu, may I introduce you to Special Agent Leon S. Kennedy, Galactic Alliance Senate Personal Security Detachment."
Both men shook their hands.
"Nice to meet you Leon. Lieutenant SunTzu, Galactic Alliance Starfighter Corps, Deployed with Task Force Sol."
The Intelligence Lieutenant came and greeted the both Agents formally and then told him to please follow him. SunTzu joined them and on the way to the Military HQ Building he told Leon various details about the Palace, Crystal Tokyo and Earth.
A few minutes later they all arrived at a small meeting room where Ami was already waiting.
The black device on the meeting table told SunTzu that the meeting was secured from unwanted listeners and that It probably was very unofficial too.
The blue haired Genius greeted the two visitors.
SunTzu took himself a cup from the table and poured some coffee.
Everybody took a seat. Leon sat down next to Ada and SunTzu sat down next to Ami.
"I'm glad you could make it Ada. I'm honored that you wanted me to give your answer to my proposal personally."
"The honor as well as the pleasure is all mine Ami. I'm glad there are other people that are not satisfied with the way this war is fought." Ada answered, it looked like that they came straight to the point.
"Between us the Chief of State is also not happy how the senate delegates our efforts." Leon chimed in. "Unofficially I'm also here as Madame Organa's way to tell you that she gives her okay for your proposal Captain Urawa."
"Thank you Agent Kennedy." Ami said and smiled.
"So, Ada it's up to you now. As you know our operations are already ongoing and SunTzu for example was already engaged in some. To great success."
So, it is about raiding the enemy's funds again. With the help of Ada on a bigger level probably.
Ada put her head on her hand and looked at Ami.
"Let's do it. We can not always just react and wait for the next bigger attack. We have to hit the enemy where it hurts him and hinder him to get more resources."
Ami smiled and the two women got up, shaking each other's hand.
"So, our... alliance is concluded then." Ami stated, she seemed to be very relieved.
"To a good and fruitful partnership." Ada replied. "And I already have our next target."
"So we're a cartel now?" SunTzu asked, with a hint of mockery in his voice.
"Actually, it's an alliance of spies. It's not only about stealing money or resources from the enemy, it's also about sharing Intel more effective and hitting the enemy where he is invulnerable." Ada explained.
"It starts with us and a quick and red tape free line between Earth and Coruscant. More intelligence and fleet personnel on other planets will follow. The Jedi are already privy too. We're not taking the fight to the enemy, we deny him the means to strike and deliver Intel where to strike the best to our forces." Ami continued the explanation.
SunTzu looked back and forth between the two women.
"I'm in. With all the firepower AICA and me can offer."
"I was expecting nothing else Lieutenant." Ada replied and nodded satisfied.
"You said something about a new target?" Ami asked Ada.
"I have the data here on this data card. SunTzu we'll need you and your ship too."
This time it was a bit different, now money and no hordes of armed enemies.
Instead Ada got wind of a shipment of rare crude materials that could be wired back to the enemy. The materials were worth a few million Galactic Credits on the market and would be shared, half for the war effort of the Taskforce and Crystal Tokyo and the other half to establish a shadow budget for the Spy Alliance. On top the materials would be bought by one of the official suppliers of the Fleet, boosting their efficiency too.
The plan was to get to the transfer point, a XQ-Space Station in the Fakir Sector before the enemy freighter would get there, convince the sellers that they were the ones that were sent to get the shipment and then rush away with it.
Finally someone needed to get rid of the freighter that was sent from the enemy. This would be SunTzu's and AICA's job while Ami would coordinate from the Mission Center on Crystal Tokyo and Ada and Leon would get the shipment with a freighter they borrowed from the Smuggler's guild. Ada had a favor open with Talon Karrde. They would take over the freighter at the trading station at the CTE.
They would start ASAP, Leon and Ada were already on their way, and if everything would went as planned would be back in the evening Tokyo Time. SunTzu just had the time to sent a message to Rei, telling her that he was on a mission for Ami before he left too.
He went over to the Air Base and got there just as the they were done arming AICA after Hotaru's flight.
SunTzu immediately got her ready to take off and as soon as the starfighter was ready he lifted off.
SunTzu fell out of Hyperspace with AICA being In complete stealth mode.
At the same time Ada and Leon just arrived at the trading station and docked their freighter.
The trader was a Neimodian that fell in disgrace with the Trade Guild and now made his income with raw material trade, exporting material from as far as the Corporate Sector Authority to the core. Because he was no member of the Miner's guild his prices were higher than the one's of the guild members. He was pretty surprised to get such a big order. Little did he know that who was behind that.
The whole deal was arranged and done by the Captain of the freighter.
Ada did her homework though, she flew the same freighter the enemy Captain steered. The enemy Captain was a old soldier of fortune, that served in the Peace Brigade in the Vong War and now did whatever profit brought. One of humanity's finest pieces for sure.
Ada went out of the freighter and met with the Neimodian. She was one hell of an actress and didn't break a sweat even when the Trader demanded to see the Captain he arranged the deal with.
"He's in the engine room, one of the hyperdrive coils is acting up. And you know how these old shellbacks are." She lied to the Neimodian.
The Neimodian understood, spacers really are their own kind after all and ordered his men to load the containers with the raw material.
Twenty minutes later they were on their way to Fresia. Incom, the manufacturer of the X-Wings and Z95 as well as most of AICA, took the offer and was waiting for it's new raw materials.
Another Five minutes later and a few thousand kilometers away an old freighter fell out of hyperspace not knowing that a black predator with grey stripes was already waiting for it.
SunTzu was hiding AICA in a nearby asteroid field and the freighter had to pass through an opening in the field, with asteroids on both sides, the perfect choke point.
SunTzu had a safe connection to Ami and Ada. He didn't feel so well to shoot a freighter out of space. Being a hitman was not something he was used too. Of course, he had killed many already but they were enemies with the intent to kill him or to harm others. These guys were just flying a slow, rusty, old freighter and didn't even reckon to be attacked.
"Somehow this doesn't feel right. That freighter doesn't even has real weapons." He told into his com.
"Oh trust me, that Captain is human trash. And the rest of the crew too, they would sell their grandmas." Ada told him.
"Still. Does Cilghal know i'm being your cleaner here? It's not something a Jedi would do I guess."
"It's war SunTzu and trust me, for what they did In the Vong Wars those guys earned it. Fucking Peace Brigade Scum." Ada replied, a bit of harshness in her voice.
The freighter came to the choke point and SunTzu fired an EMP-Missile into it. The engines and shields of the bigger ship immediately failed and the impact made the ship veer right into the asteroid field. He didn't even needed to shoot another missile as smaller asteroids already breached the hull of the ship like bullets would do with a piece of tin. Atmosphere leaked out and the ship finally crashed into a bigger asteroid, front first, scrunching the cockpit before the freighter finally exploded.
A minute later AICA was back in Hyperspace. SunTzu was still left with a bitter taste in his mouth. Human Scum or not, it didn't feel right to destroy an ship that wasn't even meant for fighting back.
"I know it's not feeling right but don't forget, the enemy wouldn't have any mercy with us too. You did the right thing. But I'm sorry that you had to do it." Ami told him over the radio.
It was around 10:30 pm when SunTzu landed in Crystal Tokyo again and he decided to walk the distance from the air base to the palace and smoke a cigarette, trying to shake the negative feeling he had. The Pilot even thought about to hit the city and get piss drunk to ease the negativity.
He decided that getting drunk wouldn't make things better also and he knew Rei was at her room in the palace tonight, Ami told him.
If he would find solace and peace tonight, then only in the arms of the woman he loved, the woman that also loved him.
He went up with the elevator and knocked on her door, hoping she was still awake.
No reaction and SunTzu was contemplating to walk away but decided to knock again.
After a few moments a sleep drunken Rei in a black negligee opened the door.
He smiled at her, although it was a rather forced and sad smile.
She immediately hugged him.
"Thank God, you're finally here. Ami told me what you were up too."
They went inside the room and he sat down on her bed.
"How are you Baby? You look troubled." She said with a worrying face.
"Today I learned that I'm okay with being a soldier, a pilot and even a thief. But I guess I'm not okay with being a hitman. I'm not used to kill people from behind."
The raven haired woman hugged him again.
"You did what you had to do. And we're fighting a war after all, they would do worse to us. Don't forget your little run in with the Vong." She kissed his forehead. And she had a point he thought. "Relax now. I'm here for you. I got you."
He took off his shoes and flight suit and hugged Rei as tight as he could. Everything was bearable with her. And this goddamn galaxy always felt a bit less rotten with her around. She kissed him gently and then whispered in his ear:
"I know something that will take your mind off of this."
