While small sobs from Makoto as well as the crying of the baby came from the backseat SunTzu had his eyes closed and tried to bring his anger under control.

After a moment he had himself under control again, but he still believed that a nuke would have given them more time. Or at least spare hundreds of people on Rago a slow, painful death.

SunTzu let out a big, defeated sigh and looked through the hangar, most of it was filled with evacuees from Rago, some of them had obviously barely escaped the Vong as they were dirty and quite a few were injured or bandaged.

The pilot opened his seatbelt and stood up, turning around to Makoto.

The tall woman was still clinging onto the child and he leaned down to her.

"Makoto?" He hushed out in a gentle tone.

The Senshi of Lightning stared right through him with empty eyes, her face still covered with the blood of the baby's parents and the stream of her tears visible through it.

SunTzu gently put a hand on her head.

"Mako-Chan?" He asked her again and she finally reacted and looked up to him.

"Let's get out of here and find a place for the baby?"

She nodded barley visible and he helped her to open the seatbelt and to get out.

"Oh my… Mako-Chan!" Ami could be heard from behind and within a second the blue haired genius and Minako, now dressed in clothes of the medic personnel, were at the Special Forces Captain's side.

Ami looked SunTzu in the eyes and nodded to motion him that they would take it from here.

A few minutes later and being sure that they wouldn't turn around nor had been pulled out of Hyperspace, SunTzu had handed AICA over to Karlena and began his way out of the hangar. The whole Far Side was full with civilian evacuees, they were in every corner and in every corridor.

Troopers, crewers and medical personnel were taking care of them, while Officers, Intelligence and Diplomatic Service made lists with their names and data.

Because the corridors were so full he didn't came along fast.

Halfway to the observation deck he ran into Rei, she looked really angered.

"Got a moment?" She asked through clenched teeth and motioned into a corridor that actually wasn't crowded with people, as it lead to a storage room.

They walked over, none of them saying a word until they were out of earshot.

"I heard what you were requesting. Nukes against civilians? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" She flipped, still not believing what he said.

"That's not what I said, Rei. I wanted to give us some time on the planet to get more people out." SunTzu said, looking annoyed at her, his expression becoming dark.

"Oh, you didn't say that these people were not dead already anyway?"

SunTzu closed his eyes for a moment.

"They are. And their deaths will be way more horrible now."

"And this justifies collateral genozid? Really SunTzu, what's happening with you?! Do you even understand anymore what you're saying?"

"I understand very well what I said. We almost lost three Senshi in that operation. And how many of our allies lost their lives out there? Do you have any idea what the Vong will do with these people? Did you see how Makoto looks?!"

"I do know! And I worry with each of my sisters' safety and your safety! I feel sorry for everyone we lost today. And believe me I will make sure the Senate will know about this tragedy and will act accordingly the next time."

SunTzu let out a sarcastic laugh.

"The Senate?!"

"Yes, the Senate! I will make sure there won't be another tragedy like this. Wait till they hear about this!"

"Rei, WE rescued those people, not the Senate! We, and the Chiss and the Empire of the Hand! The Smuggler Alliance! And maybe, just maybe, Bel Iblis will have enough ships ready so we can immediately attack and retake the planet! And believe me, as soon as I can, I'll be back on my way to Rago and fight these monsters!"

"Is it so important for you to fight?! Is it all you're thinking about now? Listen to yourself, listen to what you're saying."

Both lovers hadn't ever seen each other that angry before, especially not at each other.

"At least I'm trying to make a difference. Before you call me out, look at yourself. The so called Fighting Senator. Telling me that the Senate will hear about this. Wake up Rei, the Senate will do shit about it, this is all up to us. And no little talk to your fancy Senator friends will change it!"

At this point Rei finally snapped, the smack on SunTzu's face was loudly audible.

Rei walked away, smoke rising up from her.

SunTzu held the heated side of his face where her palm hit him as he moved his head back to the front.

"Yeah Rei, so much for worrying about my well-being."

She just kept walking stoically while he shook his head in disbelief and then went back to the hangar.


SunTzu retreated back to AICA. Ass his room was full with evacuees anyway, he had decided to make AICA his new makeshift home on the ship. The fight with Rei had costed him his last bit of energy and he pretty much passed out as soon as he halfway stretched out in the cockpit. The last thing he noticed before falling asleep was that the ground crew had already been so nice to the clean the blood from AICA.

The Senshi all tried their best to cope with the Fall of Rago.

Rei went back to overseeing the registration of the evacuees but everybody from Senshi to subordinate noticed that the Senator was in a terrible and irritated mood.

Minako managed to make Makoto give her the baby after some minutes of gently talking to her and she then headed off to the med bay with the small child.

Makoto was lead to the Royal Quarters where Ami had to pull her into the shower so she would wash the blood off of her.

When she came out there was no more sign of a weak or emotionally hurt Makoto. Dressing up in another pair of camo clothes she went down into the belly of the Far Side where her Commandos resided and scheduled a debriefing. She wanted to get to the bottom of this and to find a way that this would never happen again and how they could repel a Vong Assault.

After helping Makoto, Ami locked herself inside her office and analyzed every single bit of data about the enemy and tried to find out any weaknesses they could use against them.

Minako soon arrived at the medbay, the infant in her arms. The baby, which had become an orphan at it's young age, was just one of many, many negative things encountered now. These people had lost everything, not only materialistic, but most had left someone from their families on Rago. Women had to leave their men on Rago, Kids their parents. All this killed Minako inside.

And there were so many wounded on board that she would have been called back to the med bay to help in treating them anyways. She still was a student but the medics of the ground forces that had been sent over to the medbay to help needed instructions from her like she already was a doctor, lives were depending on it. She did her best, but some of the wounded were just hurt too bad and after the third individual dying under her arms she went into a small office room, in which she knew Setsuna was in right now. The older Senshi was trying to figure out, how much of their medical supplies was still there and what had already run out.

The blonde entered the room and Setsuna turned around on her chair.

When she saw Minako closing the door behind her the dark green haired Senshi immediately got up and embraced her, she had understood instantly and knew the look on the younger Senshi's eyes.

Minako broke down in Setsuna's arms, unable to hold back her tears anymore in face of the misery on the ship.

Haruka had been brought to the quarters by Michiru and she and Usagi had bedded her on the sofa, where the completely and in any way exhausted Haruka tried to find some rest, while Michiru was laying next to her, trying to comfort her partner. Haruka just stared up to the ceiling for an hour before she fell into an uneasy sleep. All this time Michiru didn't stop to caress her.

The chaos and misery on the ship reminded Setsuna on things she had witnessed before, things which she rather would have had to not witness again.

But as one of the few onboard that had experience with situations like this she knew she had to function as people were counting on her. Because her expertise and for her being a solid rock they could find hold on.

When Minako's sobbing finally had died down and her shaking began to be less heavy, Setsuna whispered into her ear.

"You're doing a great work Mina-Chan. Don't forget how many people we actually saved with our and with your work."

"I'm weak Setsuna-Sama. How can I become a doctor when I break down like this?"

"Minako, how many medic students do you know that do what you are doing right now? You're just a person and can only take so much. I'm proud of you, when I was at your place the first time I broke down after the first man died under my arms. War is horrible but kindhearted people like you that tend to it's victims is what we need right now." The taller Senshi hugged Minako tight again.

Minako used her hands to clean the tears of her face, the kind words of Setsuna had helped her, built her up again. She wanted to do more, help more people.

"You're right. Thank you." Setsuna smiled and handed her a handkerchief so Minako could clean her nose.

A few moments later the blonde was on her way out as she turned around again.

"Blood infusions are running out but I'm sure the crew and the troops would be more than willing to donate. I'm calling the Control Center to sent volunteers over." Her gaze was determined again, there were innocent lifes to safe.

Hotaru had been mad that she had been pulled from duty on AICA and had tried to talk with SunTzu and the other Outers again, but they hadn't listened to her at all. Even when she heard from Michiru that they almost got shot down if it wouldn't have been for SunTzu, she still didn't understand why they would do that. The raven haired teenager was mad until she had seen how Haruka had arrived after the destruction of that Bulwark, how much it had an impact on her former foster parent. And then she had understood, her parents and SunTzu just tried to protect her. And how important it was what she had been doing all the time, as she had been following Chibiusa around as ordered. She understood it hadn't been to protect her from harm but she was there for her princess while the pink haired teenager was confronted with the misery on the ship and on Rago.

Chibiusa's father, along with his Admiral, was almost nonstop on either the bridge or in the the Control Center and managed the efforts to not only house all the evacuees but also provide them with food and medical aid as well as registering them. The Royal Couple, after consulting with the palace, had managed to find makeshift housing for 20.000 to 25.000 Refugees on Crystal Tokyo and so whomever who was on the ships of the Taskforce right now and wanted to come along to Earth, would be able to do so.

While it was a new and crushing experience for her daughter and while her husband seeked his salvation in working, the Neo Queen did what she always had done when times were the most dire. She became a beacon of hope.

Together with Luna, she went through the whole Star Destroyer and talked with the evacuees, gave them hope for a new start, lend them an ear, prayed with them and made sure they had everything they needed. Usagi visited the medbay and the dinning halls, to have a first hand assessment of the situation.

And even when she cried alongside the evacuees she never made them loose hope. And although most of the survivors of Rago had lost everything, this young queen from a planet light years away, gave them hope that was enough to not make them fall into complete despair but to believe in a new tomorrow.


SunTzu woke up involuntarily after six hours as a sudden jerk went through the whole Far Side.

He immediately was wide awake, he knew what that had been, someone had pulled them out of hyperspace.

"AICA, get ready for an immediate take off."

"Positive." The AI replied while she booted up her systems. A few moments later she came on again.

"Boss. It's not the enemy, it's Bel Iblis's Taskforce that pulled us out of hyperspace."

"That's… great! Contact the Admiral and ask for our immediate transfer, maybe Bel Iblis will counterattack."

Finally a chance to get back at the Vong and maybe still save some from People from Rago.

Neo Queen Serenity II. had just arrived at the hangar, taking a closer look at the evacuees there, Luna and a quartet of guards as well as an officer from the Ssaff were following her as she talked to the people from Rago cramped together on one side of the hangar or housing in the ship's shuttles.

SunTzu came back to AICA after a bit of personal hygiene, the AI had done the preflight checks in the meantime and SunTzu swung himself back up in the cockpit, checking the sensors and systems again. AICA had been flying almost nonstop the last days and he wanted to be sure everything was in order and working within his beloved starfighter.

The canopy was open while he checked on his ammo and countermeasures, when suddenly a face appeared next to him.

When he looked over he flinched for a moment before he straightened up, sitting up right in the cockpit.

"Your Majesty! I didn't know you were here."

"I was checking on the refugees here, when my adjutant told me that Mamoru said you wanted to leave us and join General Bel Iblis's Fleet temporarily." Usagi had a neutral but not unfriendly look in her face.

"I do wish so, my queen."

The queen looked back, behind and beneath her was Luna, the rest of the people accompanying here were a few more meters away.

"This is between us, SunTzu." She said as she focused on him again. "Listen, I heard what you wanted to do before we left Rago and I have to admit it worries me a bit. I can't loose my First Knight to the madness of war and let him succumb to become a blood crazed warmonger that doesn't withhold from genocide." She looked him deep into the eyes, it was a severe but not pejorative look, and SunTzu could see a hint of genuine worry in her eyes. The pilot sighed.

"I guess Rago catched up to me. I felt useless, i honestly have to admit. We lost so much on that planet and I feel we didn't succeed with anything. So many lost innocent people. That's why I want to stay here and fight, maybe Bel Iblis will counterattack and we get another chance to save more people."

"If someone would pull something like this it sure would be Bel Iblis." Usagi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you know what they say about old men in a profession where men die young." SunTzu said and earned another long stare from Usagi.

"To be honest, I don't want my First Knight to die young, so I wouldn't mind if you stay here." This forced a half smile from SunTzu and he motioned over to a bunch of soldiers nearby.

"In comparison to most of the Forces, I am an old man. Most of these boys and girls are probably ten years younger than me. They're kids."

Usagi nodded again, looking at the soldiers scattered around the hangar.

"They are, and I hate to think about, putting these young men into danger."

"And that's why it isn't that bad if someone like me looks out for them and takes over the risky jobs. You should let me go, I'll promise i won't do it for revenge but for protecting and saving others."

"I heard what you did to safe Haruka and Michiru. What if your luck regarding getting your own live somehow safed runs out? What do I tell your wingmen? What do I tell Hotaru? What do I tell Rei?"

SunTzu's gaze immediately dropped to the floor after hearing the last sentence.

"You guys fought, didn't you?" Usagi asked. "That's why she's back to being in her old mean behavior to and with everyone, because she rather let's it out on others before admitting she did wrong or allows herself some feelings." A pause followed before Usagi continued as Usagi could literally see how bad SunTzu was affected by mentioning Rei. "Wow, you guys really had a bad fight."

SunTzu could feel heat rising in his cheek where Rei had hit him again as he nodded.

Usagi looked at him for another moment.

"Okay, listen. I'll permit you to stay here for twelve hours or, if that will happen, to participate in Bel Iblis's counter attack. But moon have mercy with your soul if something happens to you. Don't take any unnecessary risks, okay?"

"Promise, I'll try to be reasonable for once."

Both shot each other a small smile.

"Good, I hope we can save some more people. We need to get going, the evacuees need more aid so we probably won't be long at Ansion as well."

"I see, I'll try to catch up on the way home then."

Usagi nodded.

"I'll see if I can talk to Rei, you know sometimes her passion just gets the best of her. I'm sure she's suffering exactly as much as you do."

"Thank you." SunTzu said, pressing his lips together.

"No problem. I'm sorry, that all of us had to endure something like this." And for the first time in their conversation SunTzu could spot that she had been immensely put down from everything that happened as well, probably even more than anybody else. The image of her bawling her eyes out in Mamoru's arms, while Luna also embraced her from behind shot into his mind. And yet here she was, being a shining ray of hope for the people who had lost everything and also for all of her subordinates as well.

She truly was Royality, the light and the love that would always conquer the darkness.

"I'll try to come back with good news. And the rest of the planet's population."

Usagi smiled at him before she climbed back down to the Hangar floor and took a step back to Luna who had made sure nobody would listen to the conversation of Queen and Knight.

"Take care out there, Lancelot."

"Yes, my Queen." He saluted, while AICA's repulsors sprung to live.

A moment later the A-Wing left the Far Side while the Gladiator's hangar doors weren't even fully opened yet.

SunTzu's last thought before shooting out in the void and getting into contact with Bel Iblis's Fleet belonged to Rei. Too passionate or not, he still loved her more than anything else.

While SunTzu formed around the Harbinger, a Mon Cal Battle Cruiser and the flagship of the Corellian Garm Bel Iblis, a former Senator, leader of a rebel splinter group and veteran of probably every war the Rebel Alliance, New Republic and the Galactic Alliance ever had fought since the Clone Wars. Artemis had contacted the General and informed him about SunTzu temporarily joining his force.

Before long the rest of Taskforce Sol jumped on to Ansion, the aid for the evacuees had priority. SunTzu observed it from a position a few meters in front of the Harbinger where he had taken point after being invited to by the staff of Bel Iblis.


It was night cycle on the Far Side and all the Senshi had arrived at the Royal Quarters, although Minako, Ami and Setsuna had needed a reminder to catch some rest.

Luna and Diana, in their cat forms to save room, were there as well, while Mamoru and Artemis remained in the Control Center and Bridge respectively.

The Senshi looked tired and exhausted, both physically and mentally.

Ami, Makoto and Minako were sitting close up next to each other on the sofa, with Makoto in the middle and the brunette held hands with the other two, who in turn had their heads rested on the taller Senshi's shoulders.

On the other sofa Chibiusa used Hotaru's lap as pillow and had her legs over Setsuna's lap. To their feet a sitting Haruka leaned against the sofa, with Michiru sitting on her lap. Diana was lying on Chibiusa's stomach and Luna was lying on Ami's lap.

Only Rei seemed to look for some distance as she was with her back against the backside of the sofa the other Inners were sitting on and silently brooded over something.

Usagi was standing in front the two sofas and let her gaze wander over her Guardians and best friends.

Except for Rei everyone's gaze lay on their queen.

"I don't know what to say. I knew it would be hard, terrible even. I tried to blend out the given fact that from the beginning we never had been able to safe everyone on Rago." She paused for a moment. "And in the end I almost lost some of you." She continued with a brittle voice. "I'm thanking the moon that least all of you made it." She said further, her voice became a hush now. She closed her eyes for a moment to collect her inner strength.

"But even through all this we all are still here and I'm eternally grateful for this. And without you, a lot of more people would be dead. And some of you are still working tirelessly to tend to these people that lost everything. Or to make sure something like the Fall of Rago will never be repeated. I'm so proud of all of you and I hope you know that. Never forget, how many lives we saved, even against impossible odds." A single tear streamed down the queen's face.

Haruka pressed her lips together and tapped Michiru's thigh to signal her to get up and when the teal haired stood up so did her blonde girlfriend.

"The whole ship is talking about how much hope you give to these poor people, so I guess we all are just doing what you inspire us to. This whole Taskforce." Haruka said and walked over to Usagi. And then the taller blonde hugged the smaller blonde and suddenly all the Senshi got up and joined in for a group hug. Things had been, and still were horrible, but at least they had each other, and they hadn't given up and had tried to do their best right until the end.

Only one Senshi was missing from the knot of magical girls. One of the closest to their queen and the closest to the first of them.

Usagi opened her eyes after she could feel that someone was missing, the most passionate, her hugs always so warm.

"Girls, would you excuse me for a moment? There is something I have to talk about with Rei." The blonde odango-haired ruler of Crystal Tokyo announced and when the other Senshi ended their hug she walked over to the back of one of the sofas and looked down to the sad but still stunning picture of misery before her.

"Hey favorite meanie, care to talk with me? Even If you don't want to join the group?" Rei looked up, her face a mixture of anger and sadness, and she rolled her eyes.

"If I have too."

"Yes, you do have too." Usagi said with a reaffirming smile and motioned towards her bedroom before she reached her hand out to Rei. Rei looked a moment at the hand and then took it, Usagi helping her to get up.

The two friends went over to the bed room and Usagi closed the door behind them, just as Rei sat down on the bed.

As soon as Usagi sat down as well Rei began to speak.

"I know what you want Usagi. We can make this quick, I have my reasons to be angry."

"I'm know you have your reasons. And I know it's mostly because SunTzu. Actually I talked with him about what he said. Before I allowed him to stay behind with Bel Iblis's fleet."

Rei turned her head to Usagi.

"You did what?! Do you have any idea in which state he is? You heard what he wanted to do!"

"I was there and I have heard what he said as well, if you remember. And I can promise you, he calmed down. Rei, what do you expect from him? He was on Rago until the end, after he almost lost his best friend and two more Senshi. And for the fact that you both obviously had a fight, he's appearing to do his best to keep it together."

"Still… do you really think he's in a condition to fight?"

"He probably won't even have to fight. I gave him twelve hours until he has to come back or until Bel Iblis starts a counter attack. Mamo informed me that there won't be any. As cynical as it sounds, Rago is not important enough. They'll probably just leave a defensive line and soon call Bel Iblis back. Apparently the Vong stopped advancing any further."

Rei and Usagi's gazes met.

"It is cynical, yes." Rei stated. "But at least Sol tried."

"We tried our best, yes. And at least a million people made it off the planet. A large part thanks to us, but I still feel heartbroken about the rest of the inhabitants of Rago."

Rei sighed and her head dropped sown.

"SunTzu told me that the Senate didn't do anything for the people of Rago and from what I hear now, I think he was right."

"I'm sorry to say this Rei, and you know that doesn't go for you, but maybe he was right."

"Yeah… and ol' meanie Rei Hino smacked him in the face for this." Rei put her face into her hands, which prompted Usagi to put a hand on Rei's shoulder.

"It's been an enduring day for all of us."

"It was." A pause followed. "Did he say something to you?"

"He seems pretty sad about everything."

"I am as well."

"Then you should tell that to him."

"I know, but I was so damn angry… I… I'm really afraid of what he will become in the course of this war. And I'm tired of fighting Usagi, I'll see my future in the Senate. If things go on like this there is a chance we become a strong voice in it."

"We all are tired of fighting, believe me, but I need both of you. Him in combat and you in the Senate. We can't win this with diplomacy alone nor can we win if we fight on our own."

Rei nodded and Usagi hugged her.

"Listen, I need someone to check in with the government of Ansion and the government-in-exile of Rago, best on planet. A Senator would make a good impression." Rei looked at her and Usagi continued.

"We will continue our way home soon but we have a pilot out there that could pick you up on his way home. If you want that is."

Rei forced herself to a smile.

"If that pilot would still be willing to pick me up, I'd love to fly home with him."

Both women clinged heads.

"Thanks Usagi."

"Nothing to thank me for. Just make sure that Meanie Rei isn't making a lasting comeback." Both women shared another smile with each other.