Two days later and thanks to Bacta, SunTzu was pretty much back to normal and Setsuna cleared him for flying and combat again. She told him to take it easy for another day but then he would be completely good again.
"Why we don't schedule a training for tomorrow already? Just to make sure everything is really alright again." The Doctor asked him.
"Sure, I need all the training I can get if I want to keep up with my girlfriend."
"That's the spirit." She said as she wrote the orders that cleared him active for duty again.
Wait. Did he just voluntarily said yes to a training with Sailor Pluto?
He took the written orders and went up to the bridge where he presented them to Artemis.
"Lieutenant SunTzu reporting back for duty, Sir!"
"Excellent. I'm glad that you recovered so fast SunTzu. We still got another one and a half days in Hyperspace so you still can take it easy." The Admiral cleared his throat.
"Thanks for going as far as be willing to sacrifice yourself for the Senshi. I'm glad it didn't went this far."
"Thank you Sir. I was just trying to save Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter."
"This was still exceptional behavior. Me and the Senshi can be glad we have you."
After delivering his clearance orders, SunTzu went over to Ami's office to check out any news but Intelligence was just tracing clues. But she was sure to get some more Information when they would reach the Area of the New Frontier where Diagus usually operated at. It was one of the most outlying and remote places the New Frontier and therefore the Wild Space had to offer. The Galactic Alliance held little authority here and the planets usually tended to themselves as their inhabitants did. Simply because they couldn't afford to tend to other stuff, just to survive.
Just as he had left Ami's office he stumbled into the Neo Queen, wearing one of her usual white dresses with golden embroidery.
SunTzu bowed down in front of his Queen.
"Good day your Majesty."
"SunTzu, how is your shoulder?"
"I'm better, thank you. The doc cleared me for combat today."
"I'm glad you hear this." Usagi smiled with a warm smile. "You really meant to sacrifice yourself, didn't you?"
"I would have. Just to save Rei."
The Queen tenderly laid her hand on his cheek.
"I'm so thankful that we got you. And that you care so much for my Senshi." She smiled again. "And who would have known that someone could keep up with Sailor Mars."
"I'm trying my best." He answered with a smile.
"I'm going to visit Ami now and get briefed on the latest updates. If you need anything let me know."
"I will. Thank you Queen."
"No. I thank you SunTzu. See you later."
SunTzu bowed down again and as Usagi entered Ami's room he walked off.
Next stop for SunTzu was the Hangar. Hotaru was doing some exercises with AICA's navigational computer and the artificial intelligence of the starfighter analyzed Hotaru's calculations for fictional hyperspace jumps after she inputted them.
As expected from a genius that overleapt some classes the fictional courses she plotted were all flawless.
SunTzu walked up to his protégé and starfighter.
"Hey Guys, whatcha doing?"
"Hey Boss, you're better again? Hotaru is doing exercises with my Navigation Computer. You should see how flawless she can plot a course."
"Awww, don't praise me like that AICA. I'm not that good."
"No really SunTzu. She's a genius with numbers."
The teenager blushed slightly.
"I can imagine. I heard numbers and physics are some of Hotaru's many talents."
The Teenager blushed.
"Stop it you guys. I was just doing some exercises here. And also, what's up with you SunTzu? How's your shoulder?"
"Your Mom just gave me clearance, I'm back training with her tomorrow. Might wanna join in Kiddo. I have to train, I gotta keep up with Rei."
"Mars went Cosmic too now. That's so damn cool. I was talking about that with Chibiusa, we both wanna go Cosmic too."
"Step after Step Firefly. First of all I want you to get ready to pass your flight exams Cadet."
Hotaru straightened up in the cockpit.
"Of course. I didn't meant to sound like I don't take training serious."
"I know. Just don't get caught up. Focus on one thing. I know what you're capable of, I'm sure becoming Cosmic Sailor Saturn will be easy for you, if the need should arise."
The young Senshi started to smile.
"Anyways, Hotaru don't forget about learning radio codes. And AICA. As soon, as we drop out of Hyperspace we'll have a nice little dance out in the void."
"Looking forward to it."
"Dito my Darling, dito. I'm heading back to the quarters now. I'll see you later."
"I'm gonna do some more navigational exercises here, there's some routes I wanna try out to calculate. See you later SunTzu."
"Bye SunTzu, I'll expect you here before we drop out of hyperspace."
SunTzu left the hangar and went back to the quarters. He didn't went to his quarters but rather to the room next to him and knocked on the door.
The door opened and just seeing her, standing there in casual clothing made his heart beat faster.
"Oh, its you. Good timing, I was just about to meditate."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to tell you I'm combat ready again. And that I love you."
Damn, why this guy was so good at exactly knowing which string to pull.
She grabbed him, embraced him and kissed him.
I still should punch the living hell out of him for the things he did on Phu.
"I hope this at least taught you a lesson, my dear suicidal boyfriend!"
"If you mean that I'm more sure to give my everything to you, yeah it might."
He kissed her back, his kiss full of passion. Her fiery attitude turned him on completely right now.
Dammit, I wanted to meditate. I have to have a clear mind for that.
Okay, Rei Hino you're a honorable diplomat and shrine priestess, curb your Hormons.
While still kissing she punched his shoulder.
"Stop it! I need to be calm to meditate!"
SunTzu looked at her puppy eyed.
"I'm sorry, i didn't mean to interfere." She could have sworn he wasn't sorry at all.
Exactly every string he could hit.
She sighed, and try to calm herself down. Where's an icecold waterfall when you needed one.
"I should meditate too. Jedi training and stuff. Mind if I join?"
Mind if I teach you about Tantra?
She took a deep breather.
"We could continue where we left off last time."
He took on a wry smile.
"We both know where this is going to end but I really want to experience that again."
His hand slowly traveled over her stomach and hip. First over and then under her shirt.
"Do I have to remind you about duty first Lieutenant SunTzu?"
"Okay, I'll behave now."
She gently took his hand in hers and pulled it away from her body.
"I really want to research this connection between us some more." Rei said and lead him further into the room.
She sat down and he followed, opposite of his girlfriend.
She took SunTzu's other hand. The light in the room was dimmed and the smell of essence sticks was in the air.
"Okay, focus now." Rei said and closed her eyes.
SunTzu did the same and both began to concentrate on the energy of the other.
A few minutes of meditating with the goal to sense the other through his energy the couple began to connect again, their souls finding each other again.
Like the first time it was like they were flying through the void of space and now it felt like they were dancing around each other.
SunTzu could sense that her powers had grown since the last time but he couldn't feel the amount of power she displayed as Cosmic Sailor Mars. He guessed it needed something particular for her to access this powers.
For Rei it was different than last time, way more skilled and seasoned in meditation than him, it was easier for her to link up with his soul again and soon she could feel his love and strong feelings for her again, guiding her even further in his soul and there she could feel why he rather wanted to sacrifice himself than to risk loosing her. She wasn't everything to him but she was his home. His rock. The main thing that kept him going. And also she could feel his lust after her that still lingered in him.
Rei began to smile while meditating, a few days of pause and his raunchiness felt almost animalistic.
SunTzu linked with Rei' soul too and his inner being got warmed by the fire and the passion her soul carried. She, his bright shining light in the dark void of space. His light in this galaxy full of darkness. The feeling was beyond pleasant, as if her fire and her love purified his whole being.
Unfortunately, they couldn't held up the connection just a bit longer than last time.
But, exactly as last time, it made their both souls grew together a bit more.
SunTzu opened his eyes, with Rei opening hers just a few seconds later.
"I love you." They both said to each other at the same time and shared an intimate kiss.
As the kissing stopped, Rei mischievously smiled at SunTzu.
"I didn't know you were that hard lusting after me right now."
She stood up and pulled her shirt off her upper body, throwing it in front of him.
"So why don't you finally take what you can't stop being so thirsty for."
"I don't believe anyone ever teached you to use the force to open a bra." Rei laughed as both of them lay naked and exhausted on her bed afterwards. The Senshi stemmed her head on her arm and looked into her lover's eyes.
"I thought I'd try something new. And I had been in a very good connection with the force that moment."
"Well it was unexpected. And I'm a bit worried that you will use this trick at the most inappropriate times."
SunTzu winked at her, now he was the one with the mischievous smile.
"Don't give me any ideas."
She reciprocated with a smile too before she leaned in and kissed him again.
"Could you feel anything different than last time?"
"You were stronger but I couldn't feel the power you had when you were Cosmic Sailor Mars. I guess this power is just slumbering deep inside you and only comes out on a certain occasion."
Rei thought about it for a moment.
"I came to the same conclusion. Now we just have to find out which certain occasions these are."
The next day SunTzu woke up early, letting her sleep and went for some physical exercise before he had breakfast himself before he woke his girlfriend up with breakfast in bed for her.
Rei had a meeting with the diplomatic staff as he left for training with Sailor Pluto.
He met Sailor Pluto at the way to the training rooms.
"Good Morning SunTzu. How's the shoulder? Ready for today?"
"Good Morning Sailor Pluto. Shoulder's fine, thanks for asking."
He was feeling great, although Setsuna would surely beat the living hell out of him once again soon.
Their training fights had become more harsh and longer lately and after a quick strike with the garnet rod from a kneeling position finally laid SunTzu on his back the two Guardians had to take a break as they were sweating and patting heavily.
"You're making progress SunTzu. Keep it up." Sailor Pluto commended him.
"Don't worry I will."
This earned him a satisfied smile from Setsuna.
After the break the duo trained together, their attacks were finally synchronized with each other, their movements in union and everybody who would oppose the two of them at once would be in for a hurtful surprise.
After the training Setsuna asked him about the stand of Hotaru's flight training.
"Hotaru is doing absolutely outstanding. I guess she'll be ready for her exams in a few weeks. And then, if both of you and the Admiral are okay with it, she could fly combat sorties. This is not a must of course. I'd like to see her safe either."
"As do I but we Senshi have a duty to fulfill."
Setsuna said, although she seemed hesitant.
"It's Hotaru's decision. But as I know her, you and the others will have a new Wingman soon."
A few hours later, around ten minutes before they should reach their projected destination for re-entry the Lieutenant responsible for communications reported an incoming call for help from a frequency that usually was used by civil ships.
Apparently the middle-sized freighter "Serenity" was under attack from an Frigate, probably former Imps. They already traced the location.
The Taskforce's leading Officer thought for a moment before he gave orders.
"Navigation, drop us out of hyperspace near where the SOS came in. But please not in a sun. XO, all hands to battle stations!"
Red light went on along the whole ship and an alarm came on.
"This is the First Officer, all Hands to Battle Stations! I repeat all Hands to Battlestations!"
SunTzu was in the Hangar, talking about his starfighter's maintenance to Karlena when the alarm came on, ten minutes before they should fall back out of hyperspace. Not a good sign.
He rushed into the cockpit and let AICA do the preflight checks.
Admiral Artemis came in on the comms.
"Haruka, SunTzu, we're getting a distress call from a freighter nearby. We will be leaving hyperspace in two minutes. I need you two to check on the freighter, before the rest will move in."
Haruka and SunTzu both copied and went to work to make their fighters ready for take off. Michiru was already in her seat too and helped Haruka.
SunTzu was about to close the canopy when somebody with black hair appeared next to him.
"Where are we heading?"
"We? My dear Hotaru, I am going to a recce mission following a distress call. You're going back to learning."
"Oh c'mon, it would be perfect opportunity for an exercise to train my visual detection in space. And I could learn something by observing you."
SunTzu hesitated for a moment but after a few moments of thinking about it, AICA took the decision from him and extended the back seat.
Rule Number One of the Crystal Kingdom:
All these girls stick together. Always.
SunTzu sighed and motioned to her to jump in.
"Thanks. I'd hated if I'd jumped into my flight suit and ran over here like crazy for nothing." Hotaru answered as she dropped into the passenger seat.
SunTzu closed the canopy twenty seconds before they would re-enter real space.
"You guys ready? Hotaru all strapped in?" Haruka came in from the spot next to them.
"Copy Voyager, we're all systems green and ready to go." AICA responded and Hotaru looked over to the cockpit of the Tie Aggressor, giving the two Senshi in there a thumbs up.
"I don't know if you're mom is going to like that you follow us into space combat. And you're not cleared for combat yet."
"But I've already been into combat. Not officially of course."
"I know that. I know you're eager to help and do your part. But everyone of us is trying to also look out for you. And we don't know what will be waiting for us out there."
"Which makes it even better to have two additional eyes on board."
SunTzu shook his head slightly as he waited for their order to start, Hotaru was exactly as hardheaded as the other girls. And himself.
Ten seconds after they came out of hyperspace the order to take off came and both fighters shot out the hangar, with the Voyager leaving their mother ship first.
Outside it was quiet and the nearest planets were at least a few hundred thousand kilometers away.
AICA and the Voyager would do a micro jump towards the freighter in trouble and then assess the situation on the spot.
After a small round around the Taskforce's ships and making sure there was no apparent immediate danger around it the two starfighters formed up in front of the Far Side and did a micro hyperspace jump of just a few seconds.
Both starfighters fell out of and got into a waiting position.
"I'm picking them up, a Firefly-Class medium bulk freighter, heading 285, 100 Kilometers in front." AICA stated.
"Copy, we got them too." Michiru replied from the Voyager. "You read those snubs behind them too AICA?"
"Affirmative, I'm reading Tie-Interceptors, looks like a whole Squadron. The freighter still has it's shields up though." AICA responded to the Voyager's gunner.
"I got an idea. AICA, you're going Stealth and make your way up there while we let everyone know that everyone's favorite Taskforce just arrived and will kick ass if someone means to attack some civies here."
"Aight! AICA you heard the lady, lights off and we're out."
The A-Wing shut down all her active sensors and SunTzu steered her towards the Firefly-class.
"All ships in System be advised. Taskforce Sol of the Galactic Alliance Armed Forces has entered the system. All ships stay put where you at and prepare to be scanned and searched."
Haruka really tried a very reasonable and nice approach. And Michiru recieved an answer.
"As a Lady I'm not gonna repeat what the answer from the Ties was. As your girlfriend, Ah poutain, someone is about to get it."
Inside AICA rushing towards the freighter the pilot and his trainee could finally make out the larger ship and a trail of smaller ships close behind. Both Hotaru and SunTzu heard the Tie Squadron Leader's answer to Haruka's announcement.
"Unknown TIE-Pilot, be advised. No matter if your mother was the most mangy piece of rotten fish smelling, coined money harlot from here to Nar Shaddaa, stand back or get fucked. You have been warned."
"Hotaru!?" SunTzu asked dumbfound after the radio announcement of the teenager.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Language. But he talked shit to the wrong people."
"Fuck that, this stays between us but with immediate effect you only talk like this to our enemies anymore. Naval traditions and shit!"
"Boogeys are breaking course towards us." AICA informed her two passengers.
"They had been warned. AICA all systems up, Partytime!" SunTzu switched from intercom to tactical channel.
"SunTzu asking clearance, I got multiple squints coming at me."
"You're free to engage. Protect that freighter Lieutenant." Was the immediate response from flight control.
"Copy that. AICA going in."
A few moments later the A-Wing shot past the Firefly-Class Transport running at maximum speed.
SunTzu activated the lasers as six of the twelve Tie-Interceptors behind the freighter rushed towards them.
Within three seconds a decent salvo of laser fire from the galaxy's most advanced starfighter cut through the leading Interceptor's cockpit and make it explode before the A-Wing rushed past the other five Interceptors that couldn't react fast enough.
"Three are trying to follow us." Hotaru reported from the backseat.
"Let them come. AICA, Lasers to a 180 and multi lock on the second half of that squadron."
A few seconds later the other six Ties trying to catch up to the Serenity came into sight.
"Target's locked. On your mark."
"Fire! And lock lasers on the nearest Tie chasing us, Hotaru you call the shot."
A multi missile shot out of AICA's warhead launcher and parted into six smaller Missiles, rocketing into the half formation of Ties catching up to the Serenity.
Most of the missiles found their mark and four of the Ties vanished.
"Aft shields up, I got one coming. Just a moment more." Hotaru ordered AICA while she looked backwards. "Just a Moment."
"Fire!" Red lasers poured out from the rotatable lasers on the tips of the starfigher's wing and ripped the Tie's, that was closing in, left solar panel away making it spin uncontrollably.
A second salvo found it's target in the middle of the cockpit and made the enemy ship explode.
The other two Tie's that were following them suddenly exploded too.
"Oi, leave some fun for us too!" Haruka stated over the radio.
Within a few seconds Michiru blew one of the Ties out of space too, the Interceptor was just about to attack the Serenity from above when Ion- and Laser-shots from her turret riddled the whole snub.
The three remaining Tie-Interceptors pulled away and formed again, standard pre-Daala-behavior, proven against low peer threats but not necessarily intelligent.
"This is too easy."
"Yeah, that's not even funny at all. Hey Hotaru, wanna score these kills?"
"Sure. Hold on a sec."
The young Senshi pulled out a datapad from one of AICA's side panels and AICA broadcasted the target lock on the pad.
Hotaru manually locked the targets as the A-Wing and the Aggressor chased behind the three Interceptors.
"Targets locked, fire!"
Two concussion missiles from AICA and one from the Voyager shot away and a few seconds later the rest of the Ties were debris and stardust.
"That's my girl!" Haruka came in as both star fighters flew a perfect synchronized Immelmann maneuver and took course on the Serenity. The Freighter finally stopped it's engines.
"Serenity be advised, two starfighters taking point on your three and nine coming in. Those Ties won't be coming back."
"Understood Galactic Alliance. If you don't mind we would like to continue our flight now. We are good now and don't need any escort."
Haruka looked back to Michiru who was in return looking to her girlfriend. That was not the usual response from a ship that was just attacked by Marauders, something wasn't right here.
"These guys seem to have something to hide too. I'm calling in the Far Side." Haruka announced before she switched channels.
The Far Side was already on it's way and the two starfighters were told to stay around the Freighter and intervene if it tried to scram.
Ten minutes later the Far Side came in frontal to the Serenity and used a tractor beam to make sure the ship would stay where it was.
"Serenity, this is Admiral Artemis of Taskforce Sol of the Galactic Alliance. Prepare to be boarded."
"Taskforce Sol, this is Serenity. We have urgent cargo to deliver. Please check our officially registered manifest."
Immediately a Intelligence Service Attaché on the bridge gave the orders to check the data about the ship.
The holo pad containing the data was just given over to Artemis when the Lieutenant responsible for the sensors reported in.
"Sir, we're reading a Frigate coming in at full speed. An Imperial-Class II Frigate, not GA nor registered within local authorities."
The lieutant stopped for a second.
"We got another contact coming in. A Victory II-class Frigate."
Meanwhile the Serenity repeated it's desire to fly on.
"Shields and weapons up, give this ship the order to stand back and identify!" Artemis ordered the crew of the bridge.
"Launch Terra Squadron and let our Corvettes take point around the Serenity."
There apparently was something very interesting for this Marauders when they sent such a force for a single freighter.
The two Frigates shared almost the same name as their bigger Star Destroyer Cousins but were way smaller and less armed.
The Imperial-Class II was a four hundred meter long small Star Destroyer in the triangular design so common with Star Destroyers, with two prominent hangars on each side, meant for patrolling and smaller combat duties.
The Victory-II was a 380 meter long sword shaped escort Frigate.
Both were smaller than the Far Side but together they could become a problem for the Far Side, especially since the Imperial-Class II could carry quite a large fighter complement.
"We're getting company, two frigates on their way. Terra Squadron is launching now." AICA reported to the four guardians.
"Serenity, this is Taskforce Sol, stay put, we will take care of these ships. Three corvettes will escort you."
Terra Squadron's Z95s, now at a strength of six as more pilots joined it recently, formed around the Far Side as she let go of the tractor beam to the Freighter and steamed towards the two probable enemy vessels.
The two Frigates didn't even answer the Taskforce's call but instead a squadron of Tie Fighters launched from the larger Frigate and formed an escort around both the Frigates that now formed into a combat formation.
AICA and the Voyager formed around the Far Side as well.
After a few minutes the two forces clashed into each other and Terra Squadron, the Voyager and AICA opened up a path through the Tie-Fighters with a missile strike.
The Far Side slugged it out with the Imperial-II in the meantime and the smaller Star Destroyer now spat out another Tie-Interceptor-Squadron.
"We got more incoming, Squints from the starboard!" Hotaru's voice came in over the tactical comm channel.
"Voyager on it."
"AICA following in on your five."
A fast slash destroyed three of the Tie-Interceptors and made the rest chase after the two advanced starfighters.
Terra Squadron meanwhile was upclose and personal with the remaining regular Ties and Odegana just had blown one out of the skies, flew through the debris, had turned into an Immelmann that brought her behind an Interceptor and had launched a concussion missile.
Four Interceptors down.
One of the Interceptors got too close and a marksman-like salvo from the Voyager's rear turret made short work of him.
"Awesome shooting Michiru!" Hotaru recommended her foster mother's hit.
Four of the Interceptors displaced from the battle and went on to attack the Serenity. A pure suicidal action, regarding the three corvettes around the freighter.
Three of them were shot down immediately near the four smaller ships but one came as far as shotting a salvo into the freighter and almost burning through it's shields.
The Imperial-II was blasting away at the shields defending the Far Side's bridge and King Endymion, who had joined Artemis on the bridge, and the Admiral reflected on the enemy captain's skills and knowledge. Obviously he wanted to take out one of the most vital parts of the ship first.
The Victory-II-Frigate rushed part the Voyager and headed for the Serenity, just shooting at the fighters around it.
In her room Rei was sitting down in her room and praying to the small kamidana, a small house altar, she housed in her quarter room.
After a few prayers to the gods she let her psychic forces wander in meditation, looking for SunTzu and the Senshi out there in combat.
Suddenly she felt a power coming in from another ship. She concentrated on the new sensation and after a few moments she suddenly opened her eyes.
She had to tell that to Artemis, immediatly.
After all of the TIE's were done all eight starfighters of the Taskforce formed a line and flew towards the enemy Frigate from the side.
The first in line was the Voyager that launched two EMP-Missiles.
Both missiles hit and the frigate's shields and engine collapsed.
The other fighters had just waited for this and launched a volley of two concussion missiles each.
The fourteen missiles all found their mark to a devastating effect and within moments the ship's bridge and other vital parts of it exploded, opened and spew out air and fire into the void as the ship broke apart.
Behind them the Imperial-II was still hammering at the Far Side's Bridge.
"Let's end this. All Cannons, mark the downside of the frigate's bridge and fire on my command." Endymion announced and within seconds the Star Destroyer's gunners aimed in their guns.
"Fire!"
A concentrated volley hit the downside of the frigate's bridge, punched through their shield and riddled the bridge structure before it exploded.
"All torpedo launchers fire a concentrated volley on the frame!"
The concentrated fire punched through the weakened shields of the ship and ripped parts of the hull out. A few seconds later the whole ship exploded in a large fireball, turning itself into dust and small pieces of debris.
Another win for the Taskforce.
"Damage Report!" Artemis bellowed at the crew.
The damage was only minor as the shields held up, although the one's at the bridge had been cut down to twenty percent of their strength. The win was a fact that spoke for the cool professionalism in the ship's bridge crew and their commanders, as other's would have begun to evacuate the bridge already.
Not that the king and the admiral would hawk about it, after all their wives would give them hell if they knew.
Sometimes you just gotta trust your ship and your crew, that's all.
And apart from one of the seamen that had hit his head nobody was injured, so the victory wasn't any costly either.
There were no escape pods or survivors from the enemy ships so the Far Side was back on it's way over to the Serenity and soon catched up with her again.
The freighter still tried to negotiate it's way into getting away.
Just as King and Admiral assessed the damage report together Rei entered the bridge with a determined face and walked over to the two Taskforce Leaders.
"There's a psychic on board that Ship. I felt it."
Artemis looked at her and then at King Endymion, who in turn looked at his Admiral.
This was getting more and more mysterious.
"Get Commando Team 3 ready for a boarding mission!" The Admiral ordered to his staff.
In that moment Queen Serenity and Sailor Venus entered the bridge and joined the other three standing in the middle of the bridge.
"Serenity, shut down your engines completely. We're sending a boarding team."
"Err… Negative Sol. We're having… technical difficulties over here. A leak in the reactor, that Squint hit us well. It's not safe for anyone around here, we suggest that you let us return to the nearest harbor ASAP." The Pilot of the Serenity replied hastily.
While the commandos still geared up and got ready Artemis ordered a full scan of the merchant ship.
Suddenly the Serenity called the Far Side in again. This time it wasn't the pilot but rather a female voice, apparently a young woman. In the background yelling, cursing and verbal fighting could be heard.
"Kingdom of the Crescent with the fiery reader, we have a humanitarian situation on board. We need to land instantly and are in need medics and food."
Endymion and Artemis exchanged glances again.
"Could be a trap to get away. Or to destroy evidence."
"I don't know. I didn't feel bad intentions going out from that psychic when I felt her." Rei chimed in.
"Still a risk if we let them land. Even if we escort them down with Starfighters they still could get away. And I can't shoot down a freighter that just told me he had a humanitarian situation on board."
Neo Queen Serenity II. took the decision what to do in her own hands and walked over to the main communication station. She took a headset from the responsible Lieutenant.
"Serenity, this is the Taskforce Sol. Land on the nearest planet. We will send a shuttle with medics and aid. We will come in peace and expect the same from you."
The Queen pulled down the headset again.
"Artemis, prepare a shuttle with some humanitarian aid. Venus I need you and a team of medics."
"I'm coming along too, maybe you'll need a diplomat." Rei stated.
The Serenity veered off to the next planet, a small forest world a few hundred thousand kilometers away. The Far Side's scans showed over one hundred fifty lifeforms on board, way too much for a regular crew of a ship this size.
AICA and the Voyager were ordered to escort her to the planet and cover her landing.
The three corvettes were on the way back to form around the Far Side.
"Anyone got the hint of an idea while we suddenly have to escort that rust bucket to the surface now?" Haruka came in over the comm, cherishing the standard procedure, non combat jobs as always.
The two starfighters were on both sides of the Serenity while they entered the planet's atmosphere.
"Control said something about humanitarian aid. So I guess those guys are human traffickers."
"Bloody great, let's just hope they don't shoot their cargo."
SunTzu swallowed hard inside his cockpit, he didn't thought about that yet. And he fully hoped the same as his fellow pilot.
While the Serenity still had not landed, one of the lambda shuttles of the Taskforce, carrying the Queen, wearing an uniform of the Taskforce now, provided by her Disguise pen, Sailor Venus, Rei, a team of four medics, crates of relieve and four men of the Royal Guard in trooper armor, left the Far Side's Hangar, escorted by two of the Headhunters of Terra Squadron.
The Voyager and AICA were hovering near the Serenity which had landed on a large plain of grass.
So far nothing or nobody left the Serenity.
It took a few minutes longer but then the Lambda Shuttle carrying the Queen landed next to the Serenity and from the ramp Queen Serenity followed by Sailor Venus and Rei stepped out.
The Voyager hovered in between both ships.
"Don't try anything stupid now." Haruka warned the Serenity's crew talking to herself.
A small ladder on the underside of the Serenity surfaced and a middle aged man in a brown coat climbed it down. He was followed by a large, muscular man, with a large rifle slung behind his back, the man was wearing a funny looking head. Last crew member to appear climbing down the ladder was a woman of color.
The two trios walked up to each other, meanwhile SunTzu hovered AICA over to face the cockpit of the Serenity.
He concentrated and hoped that the force could warn him for any harm the crew of the Serenity would plan.
"I suppose you are the Captain?" Usagi asked the brown coat in the middle of his two companions, all three of them were armed.
Right beside her Sailor Venus had her arms crossed in front of her body, her left hand grasping her right wrist. Her index finger was extended, meaning that she just needed to raise it to shot a Venus Beam. And others talked about concealed carry. She looked a bit tense though.
Rei on the other side seemed pretty relaxed but a little bit absent.
In her mind she was trying to track the psychic. It wasn't one of the three persons in front of her, that she could feel.
As she reached out with her powers she could feel the various Senshi around her and SunTzu who was using the force. She gave him the psychic version of a small pat on the head to let him know she was alright. The psychic on the Serenity was nearby and she could finally locate her.
The psychic, which seemed to be unstable or jumpy with her abilities was still on the bridge.
"Captain Mal Reynolds of the Serenity. And you are?" The man wearing the brown coat answered.
"You can call me Usagi. So since we obviously saved your ship from these attackers you might wanna let us know what's happening here. Including the part with the humanitarian help you need."
"I have to thank you for your help back there but if you want answers, I want your promise that nothing is going to happen to us or our cargo. Especially no extradition to local authorities, governmental or private."
"We are with the GA, we are the Authority."
"Hahaha, Bullshit you are Lady. We're not the Core Worlds. The GA doesn't exist out here." The man with the funny wool hat chimed in which earned him an angry glance from Sailor Venus.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. What about your psychic? Might wanna tell her to leave the bridge and join us." Rei now participated in the conversation.
"Woah, how do you know? You're some kind of Jedi or something? And what do you want from her?" The woman from the Serenity wanted to know.
"Guess you're not the ones that supposed to do the asking." Rei replied.
"Oh yeah? Out here the ones with the bigger guns do the asking and right now I don't see no guns on you." Funny hat reached for his rifle.
"Think I need a gun to fuck you up? Ever been burned alive?" Rei clenched her fists, smoke already was rising from them.
"People! Could everyone shut up for a minute! For Moon's sake! Listen, what's with the humanitarian situation? How can we help?"
"If I may show you." The brown-coat motioned towards the Serenity's ramp in the back. "You others stay here. And don't fight."
"This goes for you two. Don't forget you're a diplomat Rei!"
"I am being diplomatic here!"
Captain Reynolds lead Usagi back to the ship and pulled out a communicator.
"Wash, open the ramp."
Meanwhile the two Senshi and the two Crew Members of the Serenity were following their Queen and their Captain respective with their gazes as suddenly something dropped out of the hatch with the ladder and landed on the ground, almost without making a sound.
Sailor Venus almost lost her temper and pulled up her finger ready for a shot of her Beam but Rei saw it coming, she actually was expecting it. Not that she didn't made herself too tempting for any curious psychic that could detect her.
A young, slender, brunette woman stood up grazile from the alike elegant landing she did put of the hatch.
Carefully, as if being preyed on she moved forward, eyes locked on Rei.
"River Honey, we told you to stay in the cockpit. Go back there, it's not a place for you to be around here."
The woman from the Serenity said to the newly appeared girl.
"Fiery Reader." The young woman stated and motioned towards Rei.
The other woman turned around again and looked skeptically at the Senshi of Fire as the young woman passed her and moved on. She stopped a few steps before Rei and stared at her. Rei had to admit that she looked a lot like that Cyborg Girl, Cameron, they met with the 501. on Bestine.
"Hi, I'm Rei. And yes I'm a psychic too. Nice to meet someone alike." She slowly extended her hand to the younger woman.
The brunette carefully watched every motion and seemed to think about what to do next.
Then she took the extended hand and at first it looked like she would examine it. Unknown to anybody else the two psychics got into a telepathic contact with each other though the physical touch and while it wasn't as strong as the contact she could build up with the other girls or SunTzu Rei learned a lot about the girl in an instant. She saw the pain and misery the girl had to go through in her young life, while the girl immediately understood that Rei as well as the whole Taskforce meant no harm.
Rei could feel how mentally unstable the young woman was, all because experiments and dire training she had to undergo for a government that wanted her to use as a perfect killer.
"Oh Honey, I'm so sorry for what you had to go through." Rei said as tears began to stream down her cheeks, caused by the pain she could feel in the young woman, overwhelming the Senshi's emotions, and the younger woman grabbed onto her, with Rei pulling her into a tight hug.
The Ramp opened and at the same time Usagi's jaw dropped as well. It was full with people of every age, ragged and dirty, looking like they just fled from a war or a natural disaster.
Immediately the young ruler pulled a communicator from her belt and called the shuttle, telling the troops onboard to immediately sent the medic team and the aid over. And to tell the Far Side to sent more help.
After she sent the radio message she looked back at the Serenity's Captain.
"What happened to these people? And where are they from?"
In a matter of minutes Sailor Venus and the medics started to triage the people on board the Serenity while Larty's with more medical personnel and supplies were on the way. The Far Side and the Nomad's Luck went into a stationary orbit around the planet.
Terra Squadron, the Starstruck, Companion and Voyager were sent out to patrol the nearby space for any more adversaries that would show up.
SunTzu landed AICA near the Serenity and he and Hotaru disembarked.
He opened one of the Starfighter's storage compartments and Hotaru was surprised to find a large box full with energy bars.
SunTzu took the box, carried it over inside the Freighter, opened it and began to pass the bars out one by one to the children on board.
Hotaru immediately understood what he was doing and she began helping him passing out the bars to the thankful and hungry looking kids.
Soon two women, a beautiful black haired one, apparently of indian descent, in rich clothing and a younger one that seemed to be a mechanic, part of the crew of the Serenity, came over and helped them.
The first three LAAT/is came in and medic personnel, lead by Setsuna, and other troops swarmed out, unloading boxes of rations and water.
The medic team that was on the scene before began to load the first people that were in dire need of professional medical help into the Gunships. They were overseen by Sailor Venus and the Serenity's surgeon.
Sailor Venus nervousness gave way to a confident professionalism and while she instructed the medics overseeing the shuttle flights back to the Far Side she was enliving the people on stretchers and their worried relatives with a positive attitude and her usual lovely demeanor.
Ami, Makoto, King Endymion and Team 1 arrived on the scene too and while the Commandos secured the perimeter Ami and the King walked over to Usagi, that was still talking to the Serenity's captain.
The heavy armed man from the Serenity was standing next to the ladder leading into the Serenity, observing the scene as Makoto instructed her Commandos.
As soon as Rudy and the rest of the Team moved out she took a step back, finding herself next to the man.
"Gorram, I wouldn't have thought you GA guys would be so professional and quick handling a situation like this. I thought hours of paperwork would follow first." The man said with an appreciative nod.
"Well, not anybody in the Alliance is as inefficient as the usual local authoritie. But we're quite the unusual bunch, i have to admit."
The man looked at the Serenity's psychic that was talking to Hotaru and Rei right now, the young Senshi apparently unusually friendly towards the young woman.
"Dude, is that a Callahan Full-bore Auto-lock?" Makoto suddenly asked when she saw the man's rifle on his back.
"Hum? Yeah, it is. I call her Vera. That a TL-50 ya sportin? Don't see those things very often."
Both got into a very specialized chat about their guns to where both exchanged weapons to aim them in.
Nearer to the Taskforce's shuttle Venus and the Serenity's Doctor, Dr. Simon Tam we're over a datapad going through the list how many of the people in the Serenity were going to the Far Side for further treatment and who of the lesser cases could stay there.
SunTzu was sitting on AICA's wing, overseeing the busy scenery before him, they had passed out all the energy bars and he had taken a step back to let others do their work.
From what he saw in the cooperation and mingling between TF Sol Personnel and Serenity's crew the first problems in approach were all gone.
Somewhere a bit aside the Captain Reynolds, his second in Command Zoe Washburne, the King and the Queen were talking to each other.
SunTzu could see that those people in misery hit a nerve inside the Queen. Everybody that slightly knew her knew that she would do anything to help this people and SunTzu had to admit he was glad that his highest superior was so big hearted and helpful to people, for Usagi priority number one was to help these people now.
A small smile appeared on his face and as he looked on he saw Setsuna, with a nurse beside her, examining children from the cargo bay.
Their gazes met and she shot him a small smile before she got back to examine a small, slender brunette girl with a ragged doll in her arms, taking her time and making the girl smile.
Setsuna was great with kids the pilot thought and the smile on his face got bigger.
Time to do some more for this people too, he thought as he slipped down the wing and walked off to the Lartys, with the intention to help unload aid goods.
A few hours later the people, refugees from a planet in the rather large system had all been taken care off. A dozen had to be ferried off to the Far Side to be tended to in the med bay of the larger ship. All in all there were 168 people in the Serenity's cargo bay and around, way more than the ship could accommodate.
Captain Malcolm told the Royal Couple and Ami that the crew had freed them from a prison camp. The crew didn't know what was planned with them but mercenaries had kidnapped them from their villages.
The mercenaries worked for a certain company and before Reynolds told the name of the company Ami and Endymion already knew.
Diagus.
The company had built out it's capacities lately and patrolled space and some of the planets. Their paramilitary forces where far stronger than the small law enforcement and regional military forces and nobody in the system could oppose them, with their various bases and installations around the system.
Hundreds of people more had been arrested, under the guise of law enforcement or without any explanation at all. And hundreds had vanished without any trace.
"I need every information about Diagus you have. And don't worry, we fought them before and won." The blue haired genius stated.
As evening fell on the small forest planet a small village with tents and basic hygienic installations had been constructed for the refugees.
The Commando Teams had been relieved by regular troopers as security and Captain Reynolds, his second in command Zoe Washburne , the woman with the dark hair, Inara Serra as well as the heavily armed guy from before, Jayne Cobb, were flown up to the Far Side for a thorough survey by Ami and Intelligence.
Meanwhile on the planet a bunch of people was sitting around a campfire and had dinner, an invigorating stew, together. One boxes, a blanket and other stuff distributed around the fire sat Rei, SunTzu, Sailor Venus, Hotaru, the psychic from the Serenity, her name was River, her brother, the Serenity's surgeon, Dr. Simon Tam, the Serenity's mechanic Kaylee Frye, a priest called Shepherd book, a permanent passenger on the Serenity and last but not least the Serenity's pilot and husband of the XO, Hoban Washburne, called Wash by everyone.
Hotaru got along excellent with the quirky River and even her antics didn't seem to bother her. Probably because the two can relate a lot to each other since both of them had to fight since from an early age, SunTzu thought.
Rei leaned in onto her boyfriend until her head rested on his shoulder.
"Poor girl. I was able to get a glimpse of her story via telepathy. They really broke her to turn her into a combat machine. I hope these people will one day pay for this."
"I'm sorry to hear this. But she's not a danger for her surrounding, right?" SunTzu asked his girlfriend, suddenly worrying for Hotaru.
"No, not that I could feel anything. And don't worry, Hotaru would see it coming. And is pretty able to defend herself against any danger, as you know."
Rei caressed SunTzu's arm. She still felt sorry for River.
After dinner the Senshi and SunTzu were ordered back to the Far Side, a meeting was scheduled, probably to let everybody know what they were expecting already, a full blown strike against Diagus and it's forces.
On the flight to the Gladiator, Rei noticed that Minako seemed a bit upset and more quiet then usual.
"Ah, it's just that this Doctor Tam is in a relationship with the ship's mechanic. Too bad, he's quite the cutie." Was Mina's answer after Rei asked her what was bothering her.
Rei closed her eyes in annoyance, more play than honesty though, and let out a big sigh after she heard her friend's answer.
The briefing was held in the control room and all the leading elements of the Taskforce including their four guests from the Serenity were present, Admiral Artemis and Ami lead the whole thing.
They announced that the Taskforce would move up in the system to the more central planets. Diagus was operational on at least three planets and one space station.
First targets would be the paramilitary bases and the prison camps from there the more easy targets would be targeted
Ami, now field-promoted to Major would lead the major ground offensive as she had the most combat experience against Kengal. Major Bernard would lead the humanitarian operations helping the villages that were terrorized by Diagus as well as to take care of the freed prisonsers.
The Serenity would be used as fast transport for the Commandos, who would also get air support from the fighters.
There were reports of at least two more Capital Ships the enemy had so the Far Side and the three corvettes would first neutralize this threat as well as the enemy space station before the regular troops and combat vehicles would be used against the main assets of Diagus.
Coruscant had been informed and GAIS was taking more steps against Diagus and other sub companies of Kengal. Right now Ada and Coruscant Security Forces were on the way to raid a office in the financial district of the Galaxy's Capital.
Alone the sheer fact that people were jailed without any governmental sentence made the operation legitimate, the Taskforce had full backing for every step necessary against Diagus out here.
After the meeting SunTzu walked over to Ami, she seemed determined and her mien was stone cold.
Five steps before her, he saluted to her.
"At ease Lieutenant."
"Congratulations to the promotion Ami."
SunTzu extended a arm and she shook it. They usually would hug as close friends they were, but that wouldn't befit military regulations.
"Thank you. Artemis told me it was long overdue but I didn't need it to do my job."
"The Admiral is right, you earned it. Should have gotten it after Glee Anselm."
"Glee Anselm." The blue haired woman wheezed. "Unfortunately I couldn't end Kengal completely there. I've been told a lot of the new Diagus Mercs were on Glee before but fled. But don't worry, this time we will get them all. RASP is on the way to help us. You're willing to bring the same chaos down on these guys as on Glee Anselm?"
"Yes Ma'am." SunTzu answered with a determined look on his face too now. "But this time, please let me know your plans before you do anything risky on your own."
The corners of Ami's mouth moved up.
"Don't worry. I leave the crazy stuff to you again. Might wanna catch some sleep before we move out. Mako's teams are counting on you and the Voyager."
"Oh, Kengal just knows about me. Wait till it's all three of us, spoiling their day.
A few hours later, quietly been getting up and ready, letting Rei sleep some more, SunTzu was in AICA's cockpit, doing preflight.
The Lartys would shuttle Team 1 and 3 down to the Serenity who would then use her velocity to bring the teams into position on two planets, while the Taskforce would slug it out with the rest of the Diagus Spaceships, keeping Diagus' Focus on the Star Destroyer.
Support would be given by the Voyager, AICA and AT-MPs.
The arrived the first planet, a rather dry world with lots of deserts and savannas as well as some small temperate regions at dawn.
Makoto, the AT-MPs and Team 1 left the Freighter together with Captain Reynolds, Zoe Washburne and Jayne Cobb and made their way towards a prison camp.
The second target was a planet defense site with an Ion- as well as two Turbolaser-Cannons on a nearby desert planet covering the planet it was located on as well as the capital planet of the system. The site was built into a huge rock formation.
AICA acted as decoy with her stealth and Electronic Warfare systems as the Serenity, under false manifest, name and cargo, an easy task for the Intelligence Service, headed for a commercial spaceport nearby.
While the planetary defense site tried to track and identify AICA, the Serenity touched down briefly before the port and the Commandos embarked, making their way to the defense site.
As soon as the Serenity had landed in the city, playing their disguise perfectly to the end and even loading up goods from the port before leaving again, AICA shot away from the planet and rendezvoused with the Voyager who had scouted in advance for the main force.
It was early noon on the central worlds when three things happened at once.
First, the XQ-1 Space Station at the capital world, now guarded by a squadron of Tie Interceptors and two light Carrack Cruisers detected a Gladiator-Class Star Destroyer and three Corellian-made Corvettes steaming towards them, shields and weapons up and six Z95s escorting them.
Second, the contact to the biggest prison camp of Diagus in the system was lost after a report of multiple explosions on their base.
And third, the planet bound space defense system guarding the two central planets exploded after sending in reports of a fast starfighter going on and off their sensors a few minutes after.
Panic struck down on the space warfare command on the XQ-1 Station and the two Carrack Cruiser were sent to engage the incoming Galactic Alliance Forces.
Both Carracks came in on a formation, that the Gladiator would be between both and could be broadsided but that was exactly what the white haired Commander on the largest ship was expecting and before both ships even came near for broadsides half a dozen of EMP-Torpedoes shot out to each ship. The volley was followed by an even bigger onslaught of concussion missiles and while the Far Side used its tractor beams to clear a path through the two wrecks the three corvettes rushed onward.
The station launched its Squadron of Interceptors in a desperate attempt to defend itself but they were greeted by a storm of incoming Anti-Fighter-Laser-Fire from the Corvettes. The three Ties that made it through were shot down in an instant by Terra Squadron.
While the Space Station aimed in all it's Turbolasers and other weapons on the closing in capital ships, another barrage of EMP-Missiles, ironically financed with confiscated funds of Diagus's mother company that Ami and the Intelligence Service hacked out of Kengal's accounts after Glee Anselm, shut down the systems of the station and a concentrated missile strike from four Lartys, the Far Side and Terra Squadron transformed the station into a melting inferno in space.
On the way back from the Spaceport the Serenity picked up Team 3 and head towards the planet with the prison camp. They were soon joined by the Lartys carrying troopers, meds and aid for the prisoners.
Some fifty kilometers away from the prison camp was a military base of Diagus, that housed a heavy Repulsor tank platoon and two companies of repulsor mechanized infantry.
One of the companies in their ITTs as well as the fourteen 1-H of the tank platoon were on the way to the prison camp when they heard the shriek of a Tie-Fighter in atmosphere coming in.
The platoon commander let it's tanks stop as he was expecting air support.
Their long range radios were jammed so he was observing the skies with a macro binocular.
Soon he found a single Tie coming in on their position.
When he adjusted his binoculars in so he could identify the Tie his jaw dropped.
The officer tried to drop back into his tank and close the hatch when the first two warheads hit the both of his tanks in front of him.
His hand just grasped around the hatch's lock when the other two warheads from the modified multi-missile hit his tank, directly on the top.
"Oi! This new anti-tank-Multis are bloody awesome. Four tanks with one missile!"
Haruka let out with a happy yell.
Military R&D and one of the departments of the Royal University had the multi-missiles' systems and warheads modified for the use against armored ground targets.
Because of the heavier warheads there were only four warheads now but the system's first use in combat proofed successfully and one missile took out four heavy repulsor tanks.
"That was pretty nice. But now watch this!" SunTzu replied to Haruka as AICA shot down on the remaining twenty two vehicles that were moving in a line towards the prison camp.
While laser fire from the E-Webs on top the vehicles hit the A-Wings shields, SunTzu sped her straight over the line of vehicles.
While AICA released four cluster bombs he shot two concussion missiles on the last two ITTs in the line.
A few troopers and tankers tried to disembark their vehicles in panic but the bombs hit in perfect intervals, releasing dozens of smaller bomblets onto the vehicles.
When AICA sped up in the sky again the whole convoy was destroyed. The carnage was perfect and not one vehicle did survive the bombing.
"See my dear Haruka, that is why we outlawed cluster bombs on earth."
"Holy shit. Wouldn't it be for speed, i would retrofit the Voyager with bombs."
Michiru read the sensor data, no more opposition could be awaited from this location.
"On to the next then. Maybe Terra left us something over."
At the base of the tanks alarms began to blare as their radar picked up six starfighter closing in.
Troopers tried to man Imperial Troop Transports as the first barrage of concussion missiles hit the vehicle lot.
The updated Headhunters were still kilometers away and shot another salvo hitting the base's structures before they came even into sight.
A blaster and laser strafing run by the six Headhunters under Odegana as well as AICA and the Voyager made inferno even worse and a few moments later the Assault Transport of the Taskforce landed nearby and spilled out a platoon of troopers with heavy weapons.
A single hardened position with an E-Web and some guys in stormtrooper armor was the only place of resistance left but a laser guided missile with a thermobaric warhead from one of the Taskforce's troopers made short work of it.
The surviving Diagus Troops dropped their weapons and surrendered to the superior firepower.
The Voyager and the Headhunters went back to space to join the capital ships as SunTzu flew over to the prison camp.
He landed his ship on a plain space and got out, catching up with Makoto and that guy Jayne from the Serenity.
Hundreds of prisoners had been freed and Setsuna, Minako and medics took care of the ones to fragile to walk.
Troops were unloading the food that the Serenity loaded on the other planet and began to cater to the ragged prisoners.
Intelligence and Diplomatic service began to list all the prisoners.
All the cogs in the system Taskforce Sol was, meshing perfectly.
Makoto and Jayne were leaning onto one of the barracks and overlooked the scene, both of them were smoking a cigar and Makoto.
"Yo SunTzu, those fireworks were even visible from here. You three smoked a whole column of armored vehicles."
"We did. Those guys still fight like they were part of the Empire some thirty years ago."
"Nothing beats combat man against man tho. Everybody can drop a few bombs. But pilots don't get that." Jayne commented and SunTzu raised an eyebrow at the man.
"Jayne, shut up. SunTzu can handle a gun also." Makoto chimed in.
"Don't worry SunTzu. Jayne is a fine guy. All he needs is someone throwing hand grenades at him to bring out his best."
Jayne looked at Makoto for a moment. Apparently he was pretty impressed by the Commando's leader because he stopped his babbling.
"Whatever. How we doin'?"
"Space is ours, Major Urawa is about to launch the main assault. Diagus doesn't have the hint of an idea how fucked they are."
"Shiny! Guess we should round up and leave the humanitarian stuff to the samaritans then. I'll go and tell the Captain."
Till the early afternoon thirty percent of Diagus' military and paramilitary forces had been destroyed.
On the capital planet where Diagus housed most of it's ground combat forces Ami was using Blitzkrieg Tactics with devastating effect on the enemy.
A few units from Diagus, former Kengal Mercenaries, which had served on Glee Anselm already, even surrendered when they heard that former Captain, now Major, Mercury was coming for them.
At first the Taskforce's ground troops were reluctant to be lead into combat by an Intelligence Service Officer but Major Urawa's brilliant use of combined arms mixed with velocity and the knowledge of the enemy's fighting doctrine made the soldier's minds change fast and by noon they were at a point where they would go anywhere where Ami would order them to go to already.
Ami didn't hold back with anything the Taskforce had in terms of firepower, several enemy bases had been reduced to molten slag and debris from precise orbital bombardments.
Right now Ami was looking out the back top hatch of the Command & Control ITT the Taskforce had, a headset on her ears.
"Voyager to Mercury. Three AT-ST and their emplacements destroyed, the path should be clear now. Call us when you need us."
Haruka came in on Ami's headset as the Voyager and AICA shot overhead.
"Copy, Voyager. Thanks for the help." Ami replied and then looked down the hatch she was standing in.
"Neville, the break is over. Send out the scouts and tell Captain Schmitt to have the tanks ready to move out again."
She ordered the young Corporal that acted as her adjutant inside the miniature command center in the vehicle.
On the forest planet where the Taskforce and the Serenity's crew first met Major Bernard, the highest ranking ground soldier of the Taskforce was having a small meeting with his subordinates.
The small camp had grown into a tent city by now and it had been decided to fly all the prisoners they found in Diagus's camps and prisons over here to give them some food, shelter, medical examination and to register them.
Rei was in charge of the registering and Setsuna was the leading medic on the ground while the Serenity and the Taskforce's shuttles brought in wave after wave of freed prisoners.
Bernard, a veteran of the French Foreign Legion had years of experience with humanitarian aid and therefore was leading this part of the operation and not the ground combat.
His experience provided extremely valuable as he knew where things were about to be stressed and what did need to be done.
In the late afternoon a shuttle with aid material sat down and the Neo Queen and the Princess disembarked it. Both were clothed in regular fatigues.
After a short chat with the Major the two of them went over to the field kitchen and began helping to pass out food servings to the lines of newly arrived ex prisoners.
Captain Reynolds saw this and came over.
"I thought someone as obviously as high in this Taskforce's chain of command wouldn't get down and serve food to a bunch of ragged people."
"Well, everybody does what he cans in this Taskforce. And just I'm up high in the command chain doesn't mean I shouldn't help people in need."
Usagi said and passed out bowls to people in between, while Chibiusa handed our slices of bread to the grateful people.
"You still didn't tell me who you really are."
"I'm just a woman trying to make the Universe a better place with my friends. Kinda like you."
The Serenity's Captain smiled and nodded, in this moment Zoe came up to him, telling him to get ready for the next shuttle flight.
A planet further, on the desert planet, Makoto, Jayne Cobb and Team 3 were driving a stolen Diagus repulsor truck on the way to a important Diagus Supply Base.
The whole truck was rigged with explosives and riding the rolling bomb, while posing as Diagus' Mercs, was exactly the kind of lunatic stuff Jayne found delight in. And within the Taskforce's Commandos he found the right people to enjoy the ride with.
While they waited at the base gate with just driver and co-driver dressed in Diagus fatigues the rest of the commandos, Captain Kino and Jayne were in the back hiding behind some crates, that said they were ammunition. In fact it was where the explosives were transported in.
The guards at the gate checked the driver and co-driver and even their perfectly counterfeit IDs and even had a look into the back but couldn't find anything suspicious.
After two minutes the truck was back en route to the ammunition dump of the base.
As soon as the truck parked the dozen people in the back of the large truck sprang to action. The explosives specialist of the team checked his bomb again and then set the detonator to five minutes.
Next moment everybody jumped out the truck, took aim at the nearest Diagus' guys and let off while fleeing the scene.
Jayne's Rifle Vera ripped a man almost in half as he let off a salvo at the man's stomach and Mako's TL-50 killed three guys standing together at once with an Ion-Shot.
While Alarms began to sound and more and more completely surprised and overwhelmed mercenaries nearby were shot, one of the Commandos used a rifle grenade to open the two fences that secured the base and with covering each other's retreat in overshoot the Commandos, their commander and Jayne retreated.
Under mutual cover they retreated as fast as possible and four and a half minutes later they were more than a kilometer away.
The timer of the bomb was at zero when the bulk of the enemies, now in hot pursuit, were at the height of the ammo dump.
A gigantic explosion ripped the truck, the people around it and the ammo dump apart and dozens of secondary explosions followed while the blast wave that even hit the Commandos, leveled most of the base.
Fortunately nobody of the Commandos and their two companions were hurt and after shaking the effects of the blast off from them Makoto and Jayne looked at each other and began laughing loud, as they were still completely sandy and dirty.
A minute later a Gunship came in and picked the Team up.
By nightfall SunTzu was in the hangar of the Far Side as AICA got reloaded and had a cup coffee with Ritz and Ritz's new Wingman Rikkert, a Dutch, as their machines were reloaded too.
They were doing the usual joking fighter pilots did with each other when SunTzu's comm got on. It was Rei.
"What's up beautiful? How's things on the noble side of the Taskforce?"
"Better than expected, the Major sure is a professional in humanitarian missions. Anyways, I have Setsuna and Dr. Tam here with me. Have you seen Hotaru and River?"
"Hm, last thing I know is that they arrived on the Far Side with one of the Gunships and told me they wanted to stock up on some goods for the refugees."
"Really? Sets just told me, that the two of them were hanging around the Intelligence personnel. They said they were pulling security but they were pretty interested in details of Diagus Sites. An Intelligence Lieutenant just told me, the thing that interested them the most was a research center somewhere inside a huge rain forest on the Southern Hemisphere of the capital planet."
"Hold on. I'll check if anybody saw them here and call you back."
SunTzu walked over to Karlena.
"Hey Karlena, you've seen Hotaru?"
"Sure. She took the double seater Recon Y-Wing together with that young brunette human girl. She even showed me the orders that cleared her for flying it."
SunTzu's eyebrow went up. Who would clear Hotaru for any mission?
He decided to check up with mission and flight control and neither of them cleared any mission for Hotaru.
But she was with the psychic who probably could project a mental image.
SunTzu ran to AICA, told the Ground Crew that he needed to start immediately and switched the energy on.
"AICA, I need any data you have on anything in the Taskforce that had sensor contact with double seater Y-Wing's sensor lately."
While the ground crew hurried to get AICA ready to leave SunTzu called Rei again.
"Hey, you found anything out yet?"
"I did, looks like they took a Y-Wing and left. I guess for that research facility. You can get me the coordinates?"
"Sure, give me a few minutes."
A few minutes later AICA shot out the Far Side's Hangar and headed for the capital planet, named Athens.
The Research Facility was used for experiments on people.
SunTzu knew his trainee wouldn't sit around still with a facility like this near her. Rei had told him enough about her past.
The pilot just hoped that the two girls wouldn't have run head over heels into their demise already.
In complete stealth mode, nobody knew how guarded the base really was, SunTzu approached the research facility.
He found a glade a few hundred meters apart and as he approached he could make out the silhouette of a Y-Wing standing on the glade already.
AICA touched down and after grabbing his armor and weapon SunTzu jumped out the cockpit.
"You stay here and keep your guard up. I'll try to find the girls." SunTzu ordered AICA and slipped into the rain forest.
Hopefully they don't have any big predators or poisonous animals in here he thought as he made his way trough the thick vegetation.
Luckily he found a footway going into the direction to the research facility soon and used it, stopping time to time to check his surroundings of someone was around.
At the research base, Hotaru and River, both in camo clothing and armed had just went through the metal fence at an unguarded spot. Hotaru had cut the fence with her Silence Glaive before stowing it on her back again.
They rushed over to a building and scanned their surroundings. River's psychic abilities helped immense and a guard that came down a corner and would have otherwise catched him, was silenced and his body hidden.
They carefully made their way to the main building, a huge hall with multiple floors.
They took an outdoor stairway to the second floor and neutralized another guard in silence before they entered.
The second floor housed a lot of offices and laboratories but was almost empty except a few guards patrolling.
While searching for anything of interest River suddenly started to shiver and almost cried out loud if it wouldn't have been for Hotaru putting a hand over her mouth.
Apparently there were tormented souls somewhere In here and River said she could feel pain and misery coming from the ground floor.
SunTzu made his way towards the base and veered off into the jungle before the footpath reached a guarded entry.
He was carefully looking for a place to enter the base when he found the spot the girls used to enter the site.
The pilot was pretty sure the hole came from the Silence Glaive and he called in AICA to let Rei know, that the girls probably had entered the research base and that he was going to get them out.
Stealth or stealthily missions were absolutely not his thing, but the things you do for those people you truly care for he thought as he sneaked into the base.
SunTzu didn't know where they went first but he did know, that they would need a way to distract the guards to get out.
Back at the forest clearing AICA just had finished her radio message to Rei.
"How fast can you be at our position?" Was the Senshi's answer.
As SunTzu didn't have much options when it came to quick and silent killing he had to sneak up onto the guard of the weapons storage. To lure him he loudly tapped onto the wall of the metal shed he was leaning against, next to the armory.
The guard jumped up and walked over to the sound to check it out.
As he rounded the corner SunTzu had fall back to the next corner and waited in the dark.
The guard looked around for a while but couldn't find anything.
When he walked back to the armory SunTzu saw his chance and rushed up towards the man, put his hands around the man's neck and broke it.
He pulled the corpse of the guard into the armory. Thank god, they relied on manpower and not electronics as the door was neither locked nor were there any cameras insight.
Unfortunately SunTzu didn't find much he could use, just a few thermal detonators.
River and Hotaru sneaked down the floors until they reached the ground floor. They had to take out a few guards and hide the bodies but couldn't find any real challenges yet.
The duo soon stepped out of the stairwell into the main room, the room took most of the hall. It was full with examination tables, medical equipment and strange looking machines.
There was also a cage in the middle, and it contained two emaciated figures, lying on the floor.
Cell rooms were in one side of the building, apparently housing more inmates.
A viewing balcony as well as guard ways were up in the other two floors, looking down.
SunTzu stumbled onto a half hidden corpse when he entered the main building the same way the girls did.
He picked up his pace and hoped he would get to the girls before somebody else would.
The two girls sneaked up to the cage.
The two inmates were at least breathing and while River just stared at them getting on her knee, in an obvious state of shock and agony, probably reminded of her own past.
Hotaru meanwhile tried to find the lock to release them.
Suddenly the light in the hall went on and mercenaries stormed along the gangways on the two floors above them.
The girls had ran headfirst into a trap.
An older man in a lab coat appeared in the middle of the mercenaries.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? New subjects to test on?"
"Listen Mister, I don't know who you are. But you better let us go, before you regret." Hotaru yelled back, with a stern face and cocked her weapon, ready to raise it up.
"Pretty big mouth for someone that's surrounded. You should do as your friend and give up!"
River was still on her knees and in a state of shock, not reacting at all.
Hotaru was grinding her teeth. This wasn't looking any good.
All of a sudden one of the mercenaries fell down from the second floor, smashed on to the ground and a man in a black flight suit with grey side strips appeared on the gangway opposite of the enemy's leader and aimed his weapon at the researcher.
"You better listen to the young Lady Dr. Frankenstein." SunTzu said and took made sure to the keep the older man's head in his sight.
Half of the mercenaries changed their target and now aimed at SunTzu, while two of his men stepped in front of him shielding him.
The researcher looked a moment at SunTzu.
"Ah, the pilot. I've been told about you. Too bad we need you alive because you seem to be important."
"Too bad. The only thing in my importance tho is to look after a bunch of girls that will cost me my last bit of sanity. But if you let these kids go I'll be willing to turn me in."
"I don't know if you noticed it already but you're also not in a position to negotiate. I guess we take you and the girls."
Without any warning the glass of a window in the roof bursted and two shadowy figures dropped down and landed on the railing of the connection gangway in the middle of the second floor.
"Sorry to crash your party. But that lunatic over there is right! You ought to let this girls go and we may let you live."
Sailor Mars, back to back with Sailor Pluto now told the Researcher.
"And who are you now?"
"How kind that you ask, it's been a while since we did one of those. After you my dear Pluto." Rei gave Setsuna a playful tap on her thigh.
Pluto's face took on a sly grin, it really had been some time since she did one of those.
"I am the Keeper of Space and Time, Guardian of the Underworld. I am Sailor Pluto!"
"And I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for love and for passion! I am Sailor Mars! In the Name of the Mars, I'll chastise you!"
The researcher began to clap.
"That's a very entertaining introduction! So, you are some of these Sailor Senshi I heard of. I can't wait to "research" you thoroughly."
He made an all-embracing motion with his hand.
"Men, stun all these people. I need all of them as test subjects."
Before he ended his sentence a few things happened at once.
SunTzu began to shoot and a salvo of his German Subcarbine ripped through the two troopers infront of the researcher, the immediately jumped back into cover.
In a matter of seconds Hotaru pulled the Silence Glaive from her back and casted the Silence Wall, protecting her and River from any incoming stun shots.
Also, unseen from everybody, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Mars got ready to cast a joint attack.
As soon as SunTzu pulled the trigger they both yelled out "Sailor Pluto, Sailor Mars Double Planet Attack Burning Typhoon!"
A blazing and whirling storm of fire suddenly ravaged through the upper floors of the building, burning every person and thing it hit.
SunTzu hit the floor, trying to stay safe of it.
While it still raged, Sailor Mars jumped over to SunTzu and protected him from the fire.
"I didn't expect you guys here." He said with a smile towards his girlfriend.
"Yup, sometimes we are like the Spanish Inquisition." While shielding him with both her arms held out, blocking the fire, she leaned down and kissed him before she took on an evilish grin. "And I heard that with us costing you your sanity. Just wait till we're home buddy."
In the meantime Sailor Pluto landed on the first floor and started fighting a group of mercenaries that hadn't been burned to their death, her artistic and dance-like fighting style with the Garnet Rod felled the four men in seconds.
She was about to take care of the researcher, that man had dared to threaten her daughter and he would pay for that.
Said wanted to run away and Setsuna was just about to jump over to him, when something happened.
The man stumbled and fell on his knees, blood pouring out from his eyes and ears and soon he was also coughing up blood.
In a matter of seconds he dropped down dead.
Besides Hotaru River had stood up and with a concentrated face had her eyes closed.
She had killed the man with the power of her mind.
Sailor Pluto jumped down another floor and landed next to her adoptive daughter.
"Are you okay Hotaru?"
"I am Mom. Thank you for rescuing us."
"I'm glad we got here in time. But we will have a long talk on the Far Side about this young lady."
"Yes Mother."
Sailor Mars joined them on the ground floor as she jumped down and landed softly and still upright.
Just SunTzu had to take the uncool way and went for the stairs.
No more enemies were alive but the friends still were cautious.
"Rei, SunTzu, guard us while we free the prisoners." Sailor Pluto told them and the couple began to stand guard.
"The Taskforce already is informed and is sending over reinforcements and help for the prisoners."
Half an hour later SunTzu escorted Hotaru in the Y-wing back to the Far Side, while Sailor Pluto and Sailor Mars took care of the mission at the research facility as well as of River as Commandos, medics and Intelligence personnel were flown in.
They landed at the Hangar and SunTzu dismissed Hotaru.
"You know what I told you about going solo."
"Yes Sir. We just wanted to help those people. We both were going sick when we heard they tortured people there."
"I know that. And it's not a bad thing. But you shouldn't have gone alone."
Hotaru closed her eyes briefly and looked to the ground.
"I know."
"Listen, i gotta get ready for my next sortie. Go to your quarters and standby. I'm not gonna lecture you anymore but I'm sure your mom will. And you might want to get ready for this."
"Oh yeah, she will. Anyways, thanks for trying to rescuing us."
"Your welcome Kid."
She forced herself to smile and nodded.
He nodded also and walked away.
On the way back to AICA he stopped and turned around again.
"Next time tell me in advance when you want to do something stupid. You know I'm always aiming to misbehave."
This time the teenager had to smile wide and in honest.
The night or rather the night time on the Far Side and some of the planets was anything but quiet.
A hastily thrown together mixed force of Reconstruction Authority Space Patrol and regular Galactic Alliance Forces arrived, consisting of a Hospital Ship, a Tartan Patrol Cruiser and a Loronar Strike Cruiser, carrying a Starfighter Squadron and ground troops, that immediately participated in the battle and the aid for the refugees and prisoners.
By the morning over eighty percent of Diagus' forces had been bested, with dozens of their mercenaries captured.
Setsuna and Rei came back to the Far Side sometime after midnight and after first scolding SunTzu, who was back for rearming with AICA on the ship, for going after the girls alone, they still thanked him for trying to rescue Hotaru. Afterwards a serious looking Setsuna walked off to her room.
Rei stayed back at AICA to wish her boyfriend a good night.
"Lost your sanity already tonight, Topper Harley?"
"Listen, that wasn't meant as mean as you make it sound."
"I know. But it's so perfect to use it to mock you."
She smiled at him and with a smile as well he had to shake his head.
"Aren't you tired? You should take a break, Love." Rei continued.
"I should. But Team 2 found a platoon of walkers that could flank Ami's main force . Soon as AICA is loaded up I'm rendezvousing with the Voyager and we'll take them out. But then I guess I'll have to let It be for tonight."
Rei suppressed a yawn.
"Okay then, I'll warm up your bed for you then. Take care Babe."
"Always. I'll be joining you soon, okay?"
"Okay."
She kissed him goodbye and went for their quarters.
A few hours, some of them actually filled with sleep, later SunTzu landed at the advanced command post of the now reinforced Taskforce's Ground element. The Galactic Alliance was massing up his forces for a last final push against Diagus and its last emplacements on Athen. The company headquarters laid a few dozen kilometers away from the capital and the large main office building and it's surroundings had been fortified and all the remaining Diagus' mercenaries had taken position there
SunTzu got out of his cockpit and walked over to where Ami was. The sun had been up for maybe one hour.
Ami, wearing fatigues and her uniform's hat, was sitting on the top of the Command Vehicle drinking tea from fine china, obviously enjoying it.
"Good Morning Major. How's the battle going down here?"
"Good Morning First Lieutenant. Rather excellent. Although I have to say I wouldn't mind if we had the Mercury's revenge around and I could lead from it again."
She took a sip from the tea, taking a moment to indulge in it's taste.
"SunTzu, I need you for the dangerous task to test the waters, especially their anti air defense. If you can, destroy them already so we can play out our air superiority." She told with a sympathetic look on her face. As she said it wasn't exactly a safe task.
"So you want me to fly in first and let me see if we would get shot down if we get too close." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow first before he took on a broad grin. "Sure. sounds exactly like a job for me."
Ami smiled back at him.
"Take care, will you?"
"Come on Ami. You know me, I always do. Just do me a favor and tell Rei it wasn't my idea to do this."
Ami's smile got even bigger.
"Of course. I'll see you at the victory party then."
"Safe me some of the good stuff. And take care too."
She nodded and smiled again as SunTzu gave her a quick two finger salute and walked back to AICA.
And then Ami took a last sip off her tea and then looked down the hatch at the top.
"Neville, finish your tea and tell the troops to get ready to move out."
AICA stealthily approached the Diagus Headquarters and tried to detect any anti air weapons with passive sensors first.
A few kilometers away, the main building was already in sight, SunTzu went all in and activated all sensors.
In a matter of seconds at least four laser cannons and a sam site homed in to him.
"AICA Baby, mark the positions!"
SunTzu told through gritted teeth as he began to jink like a maniac and AICA released countermeasures.
A distracted missile flew into a magnesium flare and exploded in the distance.
SunTzu flew back to a safer distance.
"You got those positions?" He asked his ship.
"Sure do. Let me guess, you want to know if they are near the main building. No they are in a safe enough distance."
"Ahh, you know me all to well. And now put me through to the Far Side and Ami."
A few minutes and a few, very carefully aimed, Turbolaser shots from the Far Side later, the last anti-air emplacements of Diagus were gone and SunTzu turned back towards the building complex, while the other Starfighters formed around him and AIC.
In less than two hours it was over.
Ami's repulsor vehicles, joined by Assault Walkers and troops from the Galactic Alliance Forces ,that had arrived the night before, took the main entrance in storm after it was shelled by artillery and bombarded by the starfighters.
Another assault came in from above with the Gunships.
Ami personally led the assault in the main building also and when the combat ended she and her Intelligence Service Personnel were on the task to extract as much Intel as they could.
SunTzu joined the assault of the building in the last stages but didn't see any combat anymore.
He found Ami in the top office, hacking into the computer of the executive manager. Her face was full of dirt and grime and a blaster rifle hung from her back.
She greeted him with a smile and both hugged each other. Another battle survived.
"Thank you for help again, that mission was risky."
"That's what's friends are for. Congratulations on your victory Major!"
They talked for a few minutes more while her Mercury Computer unlocked more and more firewalls before SunTzu left the building and walked back over to AICA again.
Back on the forest planet, named Agia, the word of the victory soon spread and people were cheering.
Captain Reynolds walked over to Usagi, who helped dispensing food again.
"Looks like you guys really won." The Captain said with a sly grin.
"We had help, a lot of it from you and your crew. Thank you Captain."
"No Lady, thank you. You saved a lot of people's lives out here. Including mine and my crew's. Not something everybody from the Alliance would do."
"I guess, it must have been the ship's name. Serenity was also the name of my mother." Usagi smiled with closed eyes, remembering what she could of her real mother.
"Anyways Captain, people will be able to get back to their homes. And some of them asked for asylum on our planet. From here the RASP will take on, we're leaving soon. And since it's the lawful authorities taking over you might wanna do the same." The Princess told the spacefarer with a wink.
A couple of hours later the Taskforce was packing it's stuff while more RASP personnel was coming in to manage the repatriation and aid for the former prisoners.
Usagi was already back on the Far Side and AICA and the Voyager were landed near the shuttles and Gunships.
Jayne, wearing his ridicolous hat again carried a bouquet of self culled flowers in his hand and was on the way to present them to Makoto who was overseeing the withdrawal near one of the Lartys.
He was stopped in his way by Haruka, the blonde sported an empathetic look on her face.
"Sorry Mate, but before you make yourself the laughing stock, this lass is already taken."
Jayne's smile vanished and he looked over to Makoto with a questioning look on his face.
Haruka put her hand on his shoulder and led him away, towards the Voyager, having real empathy with the man. Not the first time she had to do something like this because of her fellow Senshi.
"Don't worry big fella, I have something against a broken heart in my snub."
Rei, Setsuna and Hotaru, later actually grounded but pardoned for this occasion, were saying their goodbyes to River.
The young woman hugged the Senshi dearly, finally having found someone that could relate to her.
They promised to stay in contact and the girl shot them a beaming smile and said she was looking forward to it.
Mal Reynolds joined them in their goodbye and shook the Hands of the women.
"And give my regards to that blonde woman that helped here. Without her demeanor things would probably have gone different."
"Oh you mean Usagi?" Rei asked, surprised that someone actually praised their leader's demeanor.
"Yeah, that woman, whose mother's name was also Serenity."
Rei let out a laughter.
"Not only her mother's name. Her Royal Name is also Serenity."
Mal's jaw dropped.
"Royal name? That woman giving out food for rags was a royal?"
"Of course. Neo Queen Serenity II., the Queen of our Kingdom."
"What?! You guys sure are something else!"
Rei looked at River and back to Mal.
"I guess birds of a feather flock together."
By late evening the complete Taskforce was back on their flag ship and all four ships were hyper space bound again, heading back to Earth, now accompanied by 134 people that tagged along to earth for finding asylum. Troopers, tankers, Commandos and pilots were celebrating their victory throughout the ship while Ami was working on the new acquired data from Diagus in her office.
Suddenly the blunette got a holo message on her private account, from an unknown contact.
Curious, she began to play it and the visage of a man with a goatee and grey colored streaks in his hair was shown.
After she watched the holo message she immediately called Artemis on his communicator.
"Artemis, you might wanna come down here. Looks like we just became friends with the Smuggler's Alliance."
