On board the Far Side Endymion, Ami, Artemis and their staffs observed the explosion through another reconnaissance drone. Some of the officers cheered when they saw which carnage the bomb had wreaked.

Mamoru was more reserved, he demanded for a report how much time they might have won.

On the drone's camera, after the scenery cleared again, the Armada was inexorably moving forward, not even caring about the damaged ships and just waltzing through the debris that was their former comrade's ships.

Instantly the Mission Control Center went completely silent.

A minute later an Intelligence Officer gave the young king an estimation.

All the wrecked ships and dead Vong gave them roughly 45 Minutes more for the evacuation.

Mamoru and Artemis shared a tired look at each other.

"Flight Command, tell the shuttles to overpack their ships. And someone tell the troops on board to make as much room available for evacuees as we can, even if we have to put them into troop compartments. Put them in the corridores. Put them in the storage rooms, put them everywhere you can!"

SunTzu was woken up by a banging on the door, he had slept the whole time in the same position he fell asleep in, on Rei, and as he opened his eyes, he could see that Rei had been sleeping as well.

The raven haired let out an angry growl, while SunTzu pushed himself up on his arms.

Rei laid her hands around her ears and turned around and SunTzu couldn't help himself but to smile and lean down again, kissing the bare skin between her hip and her stomach, before he got up and walked to the door.

Wiping the sleep out of his eyes and yawning he opened the door and his gaze met Minako's, the blonde ready to knock on the door again.

"Minako… what's up?" SunTzu asked, still not completely awake.

"I'm sorry to wake you guys up. You have to vacate your rooms."

A few minutes later, and after Rei had swallowed down her anger having been awoken, they packed their most necessary stuff and locked everything else in place.

Minako told them that they would find room in the Royal's quarters, their quarters would now be used to house evacuees.

SunTzu asked her for the latest updates on things but she didn't know much, except that Usagi had ordered them to clear their rooms and afterwards for her to get ready to support Setsuna in the Med Bay.

When they were done, SunTzu was back in his flight suit and had a small backpack with his necessities with him. They saw that Michiru, in uniform, stomped away from her room, her fists clenched, while a sheepish looking Haruka, in her flight suit, followed her departure with her gaze.

SunTzu and Rei nodded at each other and the Senator began to follow the aquatic Senshi while SunTzu went to Haruka's side.

"You guys good?" SunTzu asked.

"Michiru's totally pissed with me. I told her to stay on the ship and forbid her to accompany me. Of course she didn't share my opinion."

SunTzu's eyes widened, no wonder the teal haired was furious.

"You should have seen her, she broke down as soon as we were alone. Almost loosing me and dying herself was simply too much for her. And you saw how these Vong were flying. It's too dangerous."

"I'm sorry to hear that you guys argued. But I get the point. Very much."

"Yeah. I think deep down she understands, but of course she's worried with me as well."

Both glanced at each other.

"But I rather get used to sleep alone the next few days." Haruka finally stated.

"I want Hotaru out as well, she's a great pilot but it will get too dangerous."

SunTzu stated and Hotaru nodded in agreement.

"Someone had the same idea already. Setsuna ordered Hotaru to stand guard at the Royal Quarters and protect the Princess. Little one wasn't exactly happy about that but as you can imagine, there's no discussing with the Ancient Empress. She just told us over holo."

"Good. Any Intel what's new?"

"Negative. Not even a sitrep after the nuclear strike."

"That's not a good sign. Care to join me in visiting Ami and finding out how fucked we really are?"

Haruka just nodded and the two friends left the quarters.

After hearing what Ami had to say, SunTzu needed a cigarette while AICA was prepared for a sortie.

On their way through the ship they noticed that there were quite a lot of evacuees on board already.

And when they arrived the observation deck they saw that troopers were preparing the rooms to house even more evacuees.

Haruka had a cigarette as well, the news from Ami had shocked both of them.

The Nuke had gained them forty five, maybe sixty minutes more. And there was no sign of additional allied ships coming in. They were still waiting for the third Bulwark. Matter fact the second one had landed at the capital just now and was getting filled up right now.

These Vong are ruthless, we killed tens of thousands of them and not even slowed them down significantly.

The two best friends silently smoked their cigarettes. Both knew what would happen now. SunTzu looked at his chrono, they had twelve hours left, give or take.

After their cigarette the two pilots went back to the hangar, passing huge groups of evacuees. These people looked tired and worn out, having left back everything they owned on the planet. It was heartbreaking, children were crying and parents, if both had made it to the Far Side since the motto was still children and women first, were trying their best to calm their children down.

A few corridors down the observation deck they ran into a makeshift registration spot, set up by a handful of troops and a member of the Diplomatic Service. People also got some energy bars and tea there, handed out by Tiffany and others from the mid dining hall.

A family with five kids was registering itself right now, next to them, in mid of the knot of evacuees, the two pilots could make out their girlfriends, both transformed.

Michiru had a small baby in her arm and was standing next to the parents of five. Rei was telling people to get in line for some food and a hot beverage.

Sailor Mars's and SunTzu's gaze met and both could sense that the other already knew how much time was left.

Mars closed her eyes and he could sense how bad her heart was breaking that there was no possibly that they could evacuate the whole planet while she also tried her best to keep her composure.

Haruka walked over to Michiru and gently stroked over the baby's head, which Michiru was holding. The couple didn't speak but it appeared that Michiru heard the news too, her anger was gone and she was very quiet. She gave Haruka a small kiss and whispered something into her ear.

While passing SunTzu took Rei's hand and planted a kiss on it, forcing a half smile from the Senator.

Haruka fell back into step next to SunTzu.

"We should do something. Fucks me up, we won't do much until the Vong arrive here."

"Hm. If I pack tight, I might squeeze at least two or three kids in the Voyager."

"And AICA could take two people on the backseat."

"And we're probably twice as fast as the shuttles."

Both glanced at each other and nodded firmly for a single time at each other before they began to run towards the hangar.


Four hours later AICA and the Voyager had been shuttled umpteen children, teenagers and their mothers to the Far Side.

The first of the newly confiscated Star Galleons, now dubbed the Moon's Bounty, finally had arrived in system as well and had landed on the planet, near a regional capital.

SunTzu had a young mother and her two small children, maybe four years old and apparently twins, sitting behind him. The mother tried her best to get her children to stop crying while she tried hard to not cry as well, as the kid's father, a security officer, stayed back to help, and in case, to defend their home planet. Heartbreaking scenes like that where happening all over the planet by now. Reports of people trying to somehow bribe, talk or intimidate their way on transports began to come in. Soon after reports of people clinging on the frames of ships going off the planet.

Haruka had a teenage girl, in Hotaru's age in the back of the Voyager, her little sister on her lap. Her father had to stay back as well.

The two pilots tried to only functioning in an auto mode state of mind anymore, to better cope with the situation.

Both were tired and hadn't properly rested or eaten yet but they had a mission. And both had immense respect for the crews of the shuttles and gunships that had been doing this for way longer now.

The arrival of the moon's bounty had boosted everyone's morale an inch as it did when thirty minutes later another small flotilla of Smuggler ships had arrived in System as well, and directly flew to smaller villages and cities to overload themselves with evacuees. At this point 600.000 of the 3 Million inhabitants of Rago had been evacuated, be it through the GFFA, Smuggler's Alliance or their own ships and vessels. Nobody had said it out loud already but everybody knew that they wouldn't make it in time. And soon the facts weighted down the morale boost again.

Officially the Far Side had reached her capacity of embarked individuals hours ago already but Captain Santos and the crew said as long as the ship's machines wouldn't act up they would continue to take up evacuees.

Rei and Michiru personally quartered a group of weary evacuees into the Senshi's rooms while Chibiusa and Usagi themselves called up whomever they could to arrange for more transport. Or at least more ships to keep the enemy away from the planet. But their efforts were fruitless, nobody wanted to openly talk about it, but the ongoing enemy offense had most of the Galactic Alliance's forces completely bound and on most of the fronts the enemy had gained at least a foothold.

SunTzu and Haruka were back on their way to the planet when a small yacht fell out of hyperspace near them. Their pilot immediately contacted them.

"Whaddya know, exactly the man and the starfighter I was looking for." A female voice came in.

"Ada? Is that you?"

"Me and Leon couldn't just sit on Coruscant while you guys are trying to safe lives. I ain't got much room, but I'm willing to fill it."

"Follow me then, we got plenty of people that are more than willing to, to leave the planet."

Soon after the yacht as well as the two snubs were filled with people.

"Master Durron sends his regards, he wished he could be here and help you guys but the Dozen is already needed somewhere else." Ada said, her voice now much more severe after she saw what was really going on. She had seen the reports, she knew what was going to happen but there's always a difference from assessing something from a nice, air-conditioned office on Coruscant or to look into the faces of people that had lost everything and didn't even know if they would survive what was coming. And even a starfighter squadron with Jedi in it wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Tell him, I, and we all, appreciate it." SunTzu said with a tired voice.

"I will. I hope you can get as much people out as possible." SunTzu and Ada knew that she wouldn't make it for a second run, the Vong would be there before she could.

"Thanks for your help Ada. Every life we save is a win for us."

"May the Force be with you guys." Ada said and then her yacht jumped into hyperspace and was gone.

Six hours before the estimated arrival of the Yuuzhan Vong a single Carrier Analogue fell out of hyperspace and suddenly Space was filled with Coralskippers.

SunTzu and Haruka rushed like maniacs back to the Far Side to drop their passengers and got into the fight.

Together they could shoot down three skips with missiles, the Chiss starfighters proofed well and the Capital Ships, especially the Victory of Quethold, made short work of the ship but everybody knew what this meant. The enemy now knew that they were here.

Word that the Vong were almost there spread fast on the planet and with it the last bits of discipline and hope went to hell.

The security forces had to use riot gear, non lethal weaponry and warning shots to keep people from overrunning the landing zones.

Martial Law was already in effect but nobody cared anymore if people were looting or stealing. Or even worse.

To help and reinforce the completely overwhelmed planetary forces and to keep fighting even if the ship would fall the Captain of the Victory of Quethold sent more than two thirds of his ground compartment down to the planet.

He stated that he just kept enough troops that if the Vong would board the ship they could keep them at bay until their self destruction would take as many Vong as possible with them.

On the planet disorganization, unlawfulness and violence, especially in the cities, ruled. Rago's Apocalypse was coming. Or rather, already happening as it brought out the worst in people.

All around the planet security forces began to man defensive positions and the governmental building, guarded by a third of the planet's forces and a company of stormtroopers from the Empire of the Hand, along with some of the landing zones, were the only havens where some order still was maintained.

Everybody that would volunteer would be handed a weapon to help in the defense of the planet.

Most of the people still tried to flee off the planet though.

The shuttles and other starships needed armed guards and sometimes even passovers from other ships to disperse the crowds. Warning shots and physical action to keep people from storming the transporters was common now. The pictures and holo-broadcasts from the chaos would go around the galaxy.

Outside the perimeters of the landing zones civilization only existed in architecture anymore.


Haruka and SunTzu just had delivered another few evacuees at the now crowded Hangar and where ordered down to the planet to escort the Nomad's Luck and the Starstruck while they were picking up passengers. The Companion wouldn't make it in time and was thus ordered to stay at Ansion. The second Star Galleon, dubbed the Moon's Benefit, had been called back as well and was already on it's way back to Earth to wait for further orders.

At least another wave of smuggler ships appeared in system with the two Corvettes, including some friends of the Taskforce.

"Ni Hao Sol, we heard you guys needed some support while your helping the innocent again. Usually it's not our style to do something for free but we owe you one." Captain Mal Reynolds Voice came in. This was the first time in six hours that the young Neo-Queen showed something that at least halfway looked like a smile.

Rei, helping inside the ship to comfort evacuees looked up for a moment as she sensed something she felt before. River Tam was in the system and tried to greet her telepathically. She took on a small smile and reciprocated the sensation, being relieved that their friends came to help.

At least they were still trying. The smaller ships were on their way to the planet, lead by the Voyager and AICA while the third Bulwark had landed at the biggest landing zone of the planet and tens of thousands of peoples forgot everything that kept them apart from non-sentient animals and stormed onboard, while the ship's crew and the troops on the ground tried to at least keep them from trampling each other.

The Serenity and the two Corvettes of the Taskforce,escorted by the two starfighters, landed outside a midsized city, were some local police men tried to uphold at least a bit of order and held people back that wanted to storm onboard, as it was still the ones in need first, children, women, the elderly, where almost all of them decided to stay back anyway, the sick and families.

Some men started to use physical violence to try to get a place more upfront in the queue and when one particular violent and big individual waltzed his way upfront while the police men were busy holding people back he was greeted by Jayne's wide smile and his right fist, instantly felling the man down.

"Children and Women first!" The big, muscular member of Mal's crew yelled and took a small girl in his arms while he lead her sisters behind their mother on board.

Haruka took in a family of three, the mother apparently very Ill and the child still small.

Another young man managed to slip through the police men at the perimeter, while she helped the family's father inside after they both heaved child and mother inside.

The man run up to the TIE and climbed up to the hatch. Where he was greeted by a hard fist into his stomach, which made him fall down from the cockpit.

"Ship's full, Mate." Haruka announced shaking her fist one time and than closed the hatch behind her.

SunTzu packed two children, a girl and a boy, maybe twelve years old, on AICA's backseat. The children were screaming and crying as their parents said their teary goodbyes.

Again SunTzu tried to shut down any emotion in him, but sensing emotions through the Force didn't make that any easier. He gave the family some few moments extra while the other ships, completely overloaded, already lifted off.

As soon as the cockpit closed the only thing that was audible were the sobs of the children.

AICA tried her best to cheer them up with introducing herself but the kids were understandably traumatized.

The five ships just had reached the end of Rago's atmosphere when an alarm began to blare over the tactical channel.

The Vong had arrived.


On the bridge of the Far Side the high resolution optical sensors showed the vanguard of the Vong as stars in the far distance already, when suddenly three Carrier Analogues, two transport ships, a Cruiser Analogue and some smaller warships fell out of Hyperspace. Either an advance force or blood crazed warriors that couldn't hold back against their will to kill anymore.

Within seconds the space around them was filled with Yorik-Et, the Yuuzhan Vong designation for Coralskippers.

The three Chiss Ships and the Victory of Quethold immediately began to maneuver towards the threat and starfighters and bombers rushed into combat.

On the Far Side four of the Headhunters of Terra Squadron formed around their mothership to defend it while Ritz and Xenia moved out to cover the ships and shuttles on their approach from the planet.

On the planet the last Bulwark pulled in it's ramps while people still tried to get on board, trampling each other and pushing forward like a tsunami made out of bodies.

The ship began to rise but was so heavy with it's load that it's repulsors almost couldn't lift it off anymore.

People clinged on the ramps, the landing gear and on the frame. Horrible scenes occurred as the ship was rising higher and higher and people lost their strength and grip and fell to their demise.

In the Mission Control Center inside the Far Side the commanding staff was looking on in shock how people fell off the ship and smashed into the ground.

The panic stayed, even got worse, after the ship vanished into the grey clouds that were hanging over the capital city.

The Capital city was on the side of the planet which was facing the Vongs' forces right now and the two large transport ships and several squadrons of skips were already heading towards the planet.

Sirens and alarms began to blare on the whole planet, while any remaining pocket of society collapsed in the face of panic and death.

Neo Queen Serenity, King Endymion and Senator Hino were in a small conference room and held a last holo conference with the President of Rago.

He thanked the Royals and their Taskforce for their help and engagement.

While outside air raid sirens blared, soon followd by explosions, as the first Coralskippers shot over the capital and began a bombardment, and while the Planet's security forces filled the sky with blaster and laser fire, the President, a bodyguard at his side, waiting to hand him a body armor and a helmet and then take him to the governmental bunker, ended the conference with "Please try to rescue citizens as long as you can my friends. May the Force be with you."

And then the connection was lost.

"May the Force be with you Mister President." The Neo Queen hushed out after a moment.

On the other side of the planet the Serenity, the two corvettes and the other smuggler's ships, as well as the two advanced starfighters of the Guardians were making their way towards the Far Side, which itself was on the move behind the planet.

The Corvettes of the Taskforce, although full with evacuees would form around the Far Side for extra protection, to at least try to hold out longer.

As soon as they could, the smugglers and their overfilled ships jumped into hyperspace.

"We wish we could have done more. All of us." Captain Reynolds came in while ship for ship the last smugglers jumped into hyperspace.

"We all wish we could have, Captain. Thanks for the help, from all of us." Serenity answered and a moment later the Serenity jumped into hyperspace as well.

Over radio Haruka and SunTzu heard the report that the Bulwark was under attack.

As fast as their ships could fly without compromising the safety of their passengers they rushed back to the Far Side, where they unloaded their human cargo.

The Bulwark had become the main target of the enemy's space assault by now with at least three dozen skips attacking it.

When the rogue Yuuzhan Vong saw that their plasma cannons couldn't penetrate the two and a half kilometers ship's shields they switched to Kamikaze attacks and hurled their ships at the behemoth.

The Bulwark Mark III had been designed as moving weapons platform from the start but the ships that participated in the evacuation of Rago had lost most of their weaponry and shield power to accommodate more passengers.

Horrified the members of the Galactic Alliance had to watch how the enemy fanatics crashed their starfighters into the cruiser.

On of the Chiss ships moved in to intercept but before it got remotely near the Bulwark the larger ship's shields finally failed.

SunTzu and Haruka, in their fighters rushed back out into battle as fast as they could, AICA keeping them updated on what was happening as they pushed their two starfighters to the limit.

The two pilots had finally rounded the planet and were so close that they now could see the skips ramming into the already burning and breached giant of starship.

"AICA, give us a lock for as much skips as possible, we have to drive them away!" Haruka ordered as she pulled more energy away from the shields and into the Voyager's engines.

The Voyager gave a jerk and catapulted a few meters forward, Haruka was intent to save the ship, and if they could stall it for maybe half a minute the ship might make the jump into hyperspace.

The Senshi of Flight was almost in weapon range, but it was too late. A slip crashed into the already damaged structure on the left midship, the single seater was so fast that it drilled himself inside the capital ship, the force of impact ripping the ship's inside apart. Another skip followed and this one crashed even further and came to a stop at an ammunition depot, the crash igniting tibanna gas and starting a chain reaction.

Haruka fired missiles without a lock-on while she began to scream. For SunTzu on her right it was feeling like he wasn't even there, like he saw it from another person's eyes. It was too unthinkable, too absurd.

One moment you sit with the woman you love and your good friend on top of Coruscant and have champagne for breakfast and the next moment you see 80.000 innocent people die without any chance of helping them, reminding you how horrible, unforgiving and macabre War is.

The first explosion in the midship wasn't big but the immediately following ones were, the structure of the ship finally gave in and explosions and frame parts ripping apart spew out the ship's inside into the cold of space.

The two pilots were so close that they could make out single persons drifting into space.

The Voyager was still on course towards the ship and had almost reached it.

"Haruka! Disengage immediately! Let's get out of here!" SunTzu reached out to his best friend, fighting with himself as the wave of the Force screaming out for the death of almost a hundred thousand individuals crashed into him, shaking him to the core, so much that he felt physical pain. Only concentrating on getting Haruka to safety saved him from falling apart.

"Haruka, there is nothing we can do anymore, and there's too much Vong out there." He sighed loudly. "Goddamit, think about Michiru! And Hotaru! And Usagi!"

Haruka finally snapped out of it when parts of what used to be a human or humanoid body that had been propelled like a missile from an explosion deflected on her shield.

Immediately the blonde Senshi gave energy on her shields and turned around.

AICA behind her fired two multi missiles onto the approaching skips while SunTzu steered her behind the Voyager and powered the rear shields while they rushed back to the Far Side.

Fortunate for them the Chiss covered their retreat, even the usually cold tempered blue humanoids so disgusted by the display of fanaticism and genozid that they stormed towards the remains of the Bulwark.

Haruka had fallen completely silent the whole way back to the Far Side, so silent that SunTzu was a bit worried she had been fallen unconscious at first, but the maneuvering of the Voyager indicated she was still awake.

Haruka was the first one that sat down in the hangar and almost instantly the Voyager's hatch opened and she exited her fighter. She jumped down the snub and ran away a few meters before she began to violently throw up.

"AICA, get Michiru here, immediately!" SunTzu ordered the AI, as he unstrapped and the canopy opened.

The German took a deep breather, just to have enough energy to take care of Haruka before Michiru would show up and then he got out his cockpit and walked over to Haruka.

The blonde had her hands on her knees and still was gagging. A steaming puddle of vomit was in front of her feet.

SunTzu approached her from behind and carefully put his hand on her shoulder. The Senshi immediately turned around and fell into his arm. SunTzu put her arms around her shoulders and neck and hold her as tight as he could.

His flight suit muffled her screams and curses as she let everything out with her head on his chest.

SunTzu had his eyes closed and just held her, desperately trying to not break down as well. But he had to keep going, there still was a chance to save people.

SunTzu didn't know if it had been a minute or an hour but suddenly Sailor Neptune and Sailor Venus were at his side and took Haruka from his arms, each linking under one arm and moved Haruka away from him.

Michiru briefly turned around and nodded towards him as thank you to which he replied with a nod as well.

SunTzu didn't care for safety anymore, in midst of the hangar, which was partly used to accommodate evacuees as well by now since the ship's quarters, corridors and everything else were brimmed with individuals already, he pulled out a cigarette.

Karlena appeared next to him and he expected her to tell him that smoking was strictly forbidden in the hangar but instead she pulled out a lighter and lighted his cigarette.

He took a deep, long draw and then let the smoke out.

"It was like that back then as well. Kriffing history repeating itself." The Devaronian suddenly broke the silence, zoning out. "Exactly like this. I was a mechanic on board an old Mon Cal Frigate after volunteering to join the Fleet. We did a lot of evacuations back in the Vong War." And then she turned to SunTzu.

"There's still a chance to save people SunTzu, our Lartys are still out there." And then she took the cigarette from SunTzu's mouth and put it in her own mouth. "And they need an escort, my boy."

SunTzu looked at her for a moment. She was right.

With a determined face he nodded while she blew the smoke out and went back to AICA.

"Darling, it's just us two now. Someone has to protect our gunships."

That said he activated the repulsors and AICA lifted off again.

Outside the Chiss and EotH Ship finally had gained the upper hand in the battle and were mopping up the rest of the Vong Ships. They had lost quite a lot of their fighters and one of the Chiss ships had been moderately damaged as well.

On the planet there were already reports of heavy fighting in some places, mostly the capital, but the attackers were cut off from backup now.

Just when things seemed to become a bit better, SunTzu was accompanying the four larties and the shuttle along with two of the headhunters back from the planet to the Far Side another, a bigger wave of Yuuzhan Vong Warships came in.

God had called in sick today, SunTzu thought as someone from Flight Control let out a shocked "Oh my God!".

The three CEDF Ships didn't went into the offensive as they knew it would be suicide but rather tried to form a defensive line in front of the planet.

The Victory of Quethold did the opposite, knowing that they couldn't win this fight the damaged cruiser put everything it had into his engines and took course right in midst of the Vong Fleet.

When the ship was between two Cruisers and a Frigate with skips buzzing around it, still trading shots while the enemy ships maneuvered in for boarding the ship's captain, activated the ship's self destruction.

The explosion engulfed the closest Cruiser and the Frigate as well and destroyed them too.

SunTzu had observed the scene while he escorted the Lartys back to the planet.

He gave the brave captain and his crew a last salute and then rushed back to the Planet.

The shuttles and the headhunters had been pulled back and the shuttles were already back in the hangar again, being prepared to be used as housing for more evacuees.

Nobody knew how many people were on the Far Side by now, but as Captain Santos had said, as long as the hyperspace engines would take it, they would pack more people.

But with the new sorties more and more traumatized and wounded people came in. I'm addition to the Vong on the ground already, the arriving enemies had immediately sent more troops to the planet as well.

After a few more flights it had become so dangerous, as more and more enemy ships came in as well, that only SunTzu and two Larties were allowed to fly anymore, anything else was deemed too dangerous and so far only the missiles on the Gunships and on AICA had prevented them from dogfights with Coralskippers that broke through the defensive line. Each Gunship carried fully armed Commandos with it now, Rago had become hell.

When one of the Chiss ships exploded twenty minutes later and it was apparent that the Vong were pretty much near every larger settlement, a defeated sounding Artemis came in over the tactical channel.

"All units abort and get back to the Far Side, we're pulling out."

As the other Larty needed longer to unload as it has wounded on board, SunTzu and AICA we're flying next to a single Larty, the one with the Pin-Up Minako drawn on it's cockpit.

It was piloted by Captain Borysko Kravchenko, an Ukrainian Ex-Mil-Mi 24-Hind Pilot and had four commandos of Team One and Makoto on board. Both pilots were eager to do another run.

"Hey SunTzu, I pretend that I didn't heard that while we make a last run."

"Heard what Borys?"

Suddenly Makoto from inside the gunship came in as well.

"Less talking, more flying boys. I want to pack this thing up to the brim one last time."

As the two ships soared through the atmosphere, distress calls from everywhere came in. Rago was in the middle of it's apocalypse. Flight Control had been going crazy until a certain special forces officer chimed in that they could do her a favor and ask the Queen herself it their last sortie was authorized or not.

"Tell her Mako-Chan sends you." The tall brunette ended her statement.

Kravchenko and SunTzu rushed to the surface as fast as they could so they could hedge-hop for safety reasons.

One of the radio messages stood out, a remote village which was already under attack from Vong Warriors.

Thirty seconds later they were over the village and while they larty landed in the middle of the Village, Makoto, Rudy and Hulk got out and pulled security while SunTzu strafed the incoming group of several dozen Vong with AICA.

Piqued by being attacked the Vong stormed forwards and the three Commandos opened fire while behind them the children of the village were pulled into the gunship.

SunTzu came in again for another strafing run.

"Boss, I got skips incoming from the west. ETA, thirty seconds."

"Makoto, we're getting company from above. You guys should get going."

"Negative, if we go now the village will be overrun immediately."

On the ground Makoto ordered Hulk and Rudy off while she gave covering fire with a heavy blaster.

"SunTzu. I could need you and AICA down here. And Kravchenko, as soon as Rudy and Hulk are onboard you're off."

"What about you?" The Gunship's pilot asked, while the two commandos jumped on board of the totally overfilled LAAT/i.

"I'll take her, get the fuck out. Now!" SunTzu commanded while AICA rushed in and got down and hovered in front of Makoto.

AICA began to fire her lasers in the onstorming wave of blood crazed, technophobic, mutilated humanoids.

The canopy opened and SunTzu got up and began shooting with his Subcarbine to cover Makoto as well.

Makoto had her hands already on AICA's frame when a young couple pulled her back, a bundle in the young mother's arms.

"Please take our daughter! She shall live!" The parents pleaded.

Makoto nodded and swung herself into AICA.

"Mako, we need to go!" SunTzu yelled from the front seat over the sound of battle. Like maniacs the Vong Warriors rushed in and although AICA shot down and vaporized a great lot the flood of black armored warriors didn't stop.

Some of them were throwing thud and razor bugs now and they buzzed by, some hitting the nearby buildings.

As soon as Makoto sat she took the baby and the parents took one last glance at their child, caressing it's cheeks a last time.

"Please take good car…." A swarm of razor bugs crashed into the parents and mauled them, the blood out of the mothers cut open throat after she was hit, splat onto Makoto.

While the parents slowly felt down, Makoto tightened her grip around the baby and SunTzu immediately lifted AICA off and closed the canopy, while more thud bugs crashed against the A-Wing.

SunTzu still was ascending and turning around when the Vong forayed into the Village, the few people that tried to defend the village were immediately overwhelmed. Some of the Vong had what seemed like flamethrowers with them and immediately began to inflame buildings and people alike.

Below them Makoto and SunTzu saw their first glimpse of real War.

SunTzu rocketed AICA off the planet as fast as he could, putting everything in the engines to loose the two skips which had closed up on them. The two coralskippers were persistent and followed them into space and beyond, but AICA thankfully was faster and when they accelerated from the warzone that Rago had become they noticed that Terra Squadron had formed around the larty and escorted it back to the Far Side, Odegana and another one of the pilots even turned around and striked at SunTzu's pursuers with missiles before making their way back to the Far Side.

All snubs were to land immediately, the Chiss Carrier had been destroyed as well and the last Chiss cruiser was making it's way out of the combat zone also, pumping everything around him full with shots to make room.

AICA was the last ship to enter the hangar and immediately when they passed inside the hangar, the gate began to close. Outside the two Corvettes, themselves full with evacuees, lighted up the space with laser fire to keep skips at the bay.

As SunTzu had landed he took a glance to the backseat via the rear view. A blood-smeared Makoto was holding the baby in the bundle tight and was silently crying.

Rago had broken even the hardest of them.

But while some reacted with sorrow and grief, SunTzu reacted with anger and with hate.

He changed the radio channel to the bridge.

On the bridge, Artemis, Rei, Mamoru and Minako, the two women in their Senshi form, observed the horrific spectacle as Rago fell.

A Lieutenant reported to Artemis.

"Sir, Captain SunTzu."

"Patch him through the speaker here." Artemis replied.

"Command, this is SunTzu requesting permission for a Hammer Fall November Mission."

"Request denied Captain. We're leaving."

"Admiral! Listen! We can buy some time! Requesting the authorization and use of nuclear weapons on Rago."

"Denied! Stop it Captain, we did our best and it wasn't enough to safe everyone. Also there is no more front line to use any weapons of mass destruction without high collateral damage."

"Artemis, these people are dead anyways! Let's be honest, it's better to die instantly than to be tortured to death by the Vong! At least we can take out a few thousands of these mutilated bastards!"

In that moment the Taskforce jumped into hyperspace and SunTzu threw his helmet away in anger. Around him most of the hangar was full with evacuees.

Rei had her hand over her mouth in sheer shock and fought against the nausea that was building up inside her. She couldn't believe what she just had heard her boyfriend say.