Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: So sorry for the long wait, things have been a bit crazy. The good news is I'm moving in a few days, which means I'll actually have quiet time to write again. So: faster updates, yay! I appreciate everyone sticking with me! Hope you all enjoy the story and feel free to let me know what you think! :)

A/N 2: After much consideration, I've decided to take the advice of my anonymous reviewer. Space ships make more sense than air ships, so the last chapter has been fixed. Also, I've added a little more information about the ships and how fast they travel. Hopefully it's not too confusing or dull. :)

Chapter 5: The Journey Begins

-Sixteen Years Earlier-

"Rei, wait!"

Serenity's heels clicked loudly against the glistening tile as she chased the fire soldier down the hall. Heedless of the shout behind her, Rei kept up her purposeful stride out the door. Serenity stumbled and nearly fell as she caught the closing door and pushed through it.

Further back, Makoto's hand twitched reflexively as though she wanted to reach out and help her friend. Ami noticed the movement but said nothing as the two continued following their queen and errant comrade.

Rei finally stopped when she reached the hangar at the edge of the palace. She had a pack over one shoulder and wore travel clothes and a jacket. She stood in the middle of the room with a hand on her hip, surveying the various crafts thoughtfully.

Serenity was panting by the time she caught up. Her hair was disheveled and her dress had a long tear in the back where her heel had caught the skirt. Ami stopped beside Makoto, both opting to keep back from what was sure to be an explosive discussion.

"What do you think you're doing?" Serenity demanded the moment she caught her breath. Rei gave no sign of hearing and continued her scrutiny of the ships. Serenity stared up at her for a moment before catching her arm and turning her roughly to face her. "Rei! I asked you a question!"

Makoto raised her eyebrows in surprise. Serenity rarely raised her voice, and never with any of her senshi. Ami tilted her head curiously, waiting to see how the interaction would unfold.

Rei blinked a few times before focusing fully on the queen. She shrugged the pack higher onto her shoulder. "I'm leaving," she said calmly.

Serenity's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. Rei seemed to take her silence as an end to the discussion. Offering a thin smile, she turned away and started toward the row of single person ships.

Serenity recovered herself and moved to cut across Rei's path. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

Rei looked past her for a moment and sighed. "I need to go somewhere that I can concentrate." Her head dropped a fraction and she frowned. "I'm no good to you here."

Serenity tried to smile, as though she wasn't sure if Rei was being serious. "Don't be ridiculous, we need you here." When her words had no effect she let out an irritated breath and crossed her arms. "Where do you even think you would go?"

"Mars," Rei replied immediately. "The facility there is up and running. Right?" At the last word she turned, dark gaze locking on Ami.

Ami took a surprised step back. She hadn't realized that Rei knew they were standing there. The fire senshi had hardly seemed aware of anyone around her for months. "Well… yes," she said doubtfully.

Serenity shot Ami an angry look before focusing on Rei again. "You don't have to leave, Rei." A pleading note entered her voice as she stepped closer to the soldier. "We can arrange more time for you at your shrine or whatever you need."

Rei was shaking her head before she'd even finished her sentence. "It's not enough," she growled, backing away from the blonde. "I have to do this. It's the only way to keep everyone safe." She stepped around Serenity and started toward the last craft in line.

"How can you keep us safe if you're not here?" Serenity pointed out. She started walking after her and Makoto and Ami moved a few steps closer. Both women wanted to intervene, but Rei had closed herself off to them months ago. There was no way she would listen to them now.

Rei stopped in front of the small space ship and looked it over in a detached manner. It was roughly the size of a city bus and designed for speed and efficiency. Most of the vehicle's interior was taken up with the engine and electronics, leaving enough space for a single traveler. Nodding to herself, Rei set her pack on the floor and began moving around the ship, detaching cables and readying it for flight.

Serenity's breath hitched and she stepped back, watching with tears streaming down her cheeks. No one spoke until Rei lifted the door to the small cockpit and threw her bag in. She got one foot on the step before Serenity rushed forward and pulled her back to the ground. "There's got to be another way," she pleaded, catching Rei's hand between both of hers.

Rei looked down at her, her face void of any emotion. "There isn't. I can't see anything in the fire. Whatever's coming is blocking me here. I've got to go somewhere it can't reach."

Serenity wordlessly shook her head. Rei seemed vaguely troubled as she stared down at the sobbing queen. She glanced over her shoulder toward the open door behind her.

"This is just like Minako," Makoto muttered. She'd spoken softly, but everyone's eyes shot to her. She considered apologizing, after all no one had spoken of their leader since the day she'd left without explanation. But what could it hurt to speak her mind now? "She was running away and so are you," she said flatly.

Rei stared at her for a long moment before returning her gaze to Serenity. She seemed surprised to find the queen still had her hand in a death grip. "I'm sure Minako had her reasons for leaving," she replied softly, shrugging. "This is no different." She gently caught one of Serenity's hands, trying to pry herself free.

"No, it's not the same," Serenity wailed. Rei managed to pull her hand away so Serenity caught the sleeve of her jacket instead and fell to her knees to anchor her in place. "I can't lose you, Rei! You can't leave! Please don't leave me here alone!"

For an instant, Rei's expression softened and she looked like the girl they used to know. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, giving Serenity a sad smile. "I've got to do this."

Serenity was bent forward, her tears splashing on the white concrete. "I couldn't bear it if you left. Minako was bad enough, I couldn't stand it if you were gone too."

Rei sighed, pulling resolutely until Serenity's fingers slipped from her sleeve. Her forearms slapped the concrete, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. She stayed curled on the ground, sobbing.

"Ami and Makoto will take care of you until I come back," Rei assured her softly. She looked like she might say more, but then her face went blank. Without another word, she stepped up into the cabin and closed the door.

"No Rei, please," Serenity continued to sob brokenly. "Please, I need you." The mechanical whir of the ship drowned out her cries and they could only watch helplessly as it ascended through the opening in the ceiling and disappeared.

Ami and Makoto stood frozen, staring at the clouds as they passed across the opening. Eventually, Ami let out a breath and turned away to where Serenity was lying on her side facing away from them, trembling and crying.

She started toward her but Makoto's heavy hand landed on her shoulder, stalling her. "Where are you going?" she asked in a harsh whisper. Ami shrugged and gestured toward their despondent queen. Makoto looked toward the sobbing woman then back to Ami, her expression hardening. "Why?"

Ami's deep blue eyes narrowed. "Why do you think?" she shot back.

Makoto shook her head in a mixture of pity and disgust. "You really think that you will make up for her losing Rei?"

Ami grabbed her elbow and dragged her back toward the door so their voices wouldn't carry. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Makoto crossed her arms defiantly. "You heard her. We're not enough for her without Rei."

"That's not true," Ami replied immediately. However she wasn't as certain as she sounded. 'It's not the same'. Her mind repeated the words Serenity had spoken moments ago. Losing Minako had hurt her, but clearly losing Rei was worse. And she and Makoto were only a consolation. 'Don't leave me here alone.' "It's not true," Ami repeated softly, trying to make herself believe the words.

"Go to her if you like," Makoto said gruffly. "Just don't expect it to make a difference."

Ami watched her walk stiffly toward the door. "Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter," she said sadly, keeping her back to her former lover. "We're all going to end up alone. I've always known that." She walked away but stopped in the doorway and turned, meeting Ami's gaze. "Maybe it's better that way."

Ami stared at the door for a long moment after it closed. She wondered if Makoto was right. Maybe they would all end up alone. Maybe losing Rei would be the strike that shattered the fragile woman Serenity had become. Maybe it didn't matter anyway…

She looked back to where they'd left Serenity. She was sitting up now with her knees drawn up to her chest. Tears were still flowing freely down her cheeks and she rocked slightly as she stared at the opening where Rei's ship had disappeared.

Shaking her head, Ami turned and left.

-Distant Future: Deep Space-

Hotaru closed her eyes and turned her face toward the shower head, letting the warm water run over her. When she'd woken up a short time before, her first thought had been breakfast. Unfortunately, her body was still adjusting to space travel so food was out of the question. The ship's life support systems and internal regulators helped, but she still felt a little queasy. A shower had seemed like a good alternative.

She dropped her head forward, letting the water sooth the tension in her back and neck. They'd spent most of the previous day in last minute preparation and hadn't actually left the city until early evening. She and Chibi-Usa had spent a couple hours getting settled and relaxing before going to bed. Today, however, the real work would begin.

Hotaru shut the water off and turned on the blower, letting the wall mounted vents dry her before stepping out of the cubicle. She slipped into a tee shirt and her most comfortable pair of jeans. Today would most likely consist of sitting and reading so she wanted to be prepared. Her hair was still damp and she combed it out, but a glance in the mirror confirmed that it was still somewhat tousled and unruly. With a wry smile she continued on her way.

She wandered down the narrow hallway toward the rear of the ship. Halfway down, she paused at the fuel cell access panel. A quick check showed that each one was fully charged. Haruka had estimated about three weeks of travel before they had to change out one of the rods. That meant they wouldn't actually need to do anything until after they reached Mercury. She replaced the panel and stepped back, absently running a hand through her hair as she considered where to go next.

It was just after eight in the morning Tokyo time, but Chibi-Usa had yet to come out of her room. Hotaru guessed she was still sleeping. Feeling restless, she made her way toward the bridge.

They'd set the ship's course the night before. It was a relatively straightforward flight and the autopilot would have them reaching the orbit of Mercury in fifteen days. The only reason one of them would need to adjust the flight path would be if something unforeseen happened. Hotaru doubted an asteroid had materialized near them since last night, but the pilot's controls seemed as good a destination as any to wait for Chibi-Usa.

When Hotaru reached the upper level she changed direction, heading toward the bedrooms instead. She paused at Chibi-Usa's closed door but didn't have the heart to wake the princess after what she'd been through the previous day. Her own room was directly across the hall. She tapped the keypad on the wall to open her door and leaned in. Her bed was neatly made and the few belongings she'd packed were stowed carefully in the dresser and closet. She returned to the hall and continued to the other two rooms. Once the Inner Senshi were with them, all four bedrooms would be claimed. But since it was still only the two of them, they'd decided to make use of the extra space.

One of the rooms held all of the paperwork they'd taken from Ami's labs, along with everything they'd managed to find in the palace concerning the Planet Project. Across the hall, Haruka had set up a work out room. Hotaru stepped in to check that everything was still in place. A sparring mat was spread across the floor and two racks of silicon practice weapons sat against the wall. There was also a speed bag and dummy in the corner. Setsuna had reminded them several times not to use their powers in the small space.

With a heavy sigh, she backed out and resumed her restless wandering through the halls. She leaned into the living area near the back of the ship but didn't linger, instead going back the way she'd come. She passed Chibi-Usa's door again but forced herself to keep walking toward the front of the ship.

When the door to the bridge opened she was immediately met with the scent of fresh coffee. Surprised, she stepped into the room and looked around. Chibi-Usa was sitting in the copilot's chair with her legs curled under her. She turned at the sound of the door and smiled. "Good morning," she said brightly. "Coffee?"

Hotaru blinked at her before looking in the direction she indicated. A coffee pot was set on a warming plate in the corner. A cup was already sitting out for her and a small bowl of pink crystals sat beside it. Hotaru poured herself a cup and considered the bowl. "Sugar?"

"Peppermint extract," Chibi-Usa corrected. "It helps settle your stomach." She indicated her own steaming cup. "I wasn't feeling that great when I woke up."

Hotaru nodded, adding a spoonful to her drink. "You're still adjusting to being in space," she said as she stirred the crystals in. She inhaled the rich scent in appreciation before moving to the open seat beside her friend. "So how long have you been awake?"

Chibi-Usa shrugged, sipping her coffee. "I don't know," she said absently, "a couple hours."

"Hours?" Hotaru repeated incredulously.

"I did an hour of meditation then came up here to wait for you to wake up." Chibi-Usa turned her seat so they were facing each other. She gave Hotaru a sympathetic smile. "Are you just getting up?"

Hotaru huffed indignantly. "I've been up. I was waiting for you!"

Chibi-Usa giggled at her miffed expression. Her eyes traveled to the top of Hotaru's head. "I see you already showered." She reached over and ruffled Hotaru's messy hair.

The action drew a reluctant smile as Hotaru ducked away from her hand. She took another sip of her coffee, enjoying the minty bite. She gazed down at the cup, smiling at the design. Brightly colored pieces of wrapped candy floated around it on a whimsical pink wave. She noticed that their cups matched and raised an eyebrow in question.

Chibi-Usa smiled as she looked down at them. "They were part of a tea set Makoto gave me a long time ago."

"They're cute," Hotaru said with a soft chuckle. They sat in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Chibi-Usa's comment had brought Hotaru's mind to memories of the Inner Senshi. One conversation in particular came to the forefront of her mind.

"You know, Ami was never happy with these space ships," she commented, looking around. The cruiser was one of their top of the line crafts, but she remembered several occasions where Ami had mentioned her frustration with the city's ships.

Chibi-Usa nodded. "She didn't think they were fast enough." Hotaru looked at her in surprise. "Ami told me that she remembered ships during the Silver Millennium that could travel between the planets in days. The fastest ones could do it in hours."

"Wow," Hotaru breathed. She vaguely remembered traveling during that time, but there'd been too much else going on for her to focus on how fast they were going. "Why can't we do that now?"

Chibi-Usa shrugged and glanced out the front window. "The ancient Mercurians designed those ships. Ami wasn't ever involved in the process so she couldn't use the memories now. And none of the scientists of our era have come close to matching the technology."

Hotaru finished her coffee and set the empty cup on the edge of the control panel. "Well, I think two weeks to reach Mercury is pretty good. Most of the other ships would take at least twice that long."

"Yea," Chibi-Usa agreed. She finished her drink and picked up Hotaru's cup, taking them both across the room. "And anyway, it's bad enough traveling this fast. I wouldn't want to think how sick we'd be if we were going any faster."

Hotaru considered her words, then twisted in her chair to look at her friend. "How fast are we going?"

Chibi-Usa refilled both cups and settled in her chair before handing one to Hotaru. "I don't know," she said nonchalantly. "Something like one hundred seventy thousand miles an hour."

Hotaru paused with her drink halfway to her lips and stared wide-eyed out the window. It seemed as though they should be seeing stars rushing by in a dizzying blur around them. She turned her chair away so she was facing Chibi-Usa instead, prompting a chuckle from her friend. "So," Chibi-Usa said with the air of someone trying to change the subject, "Are you ready to start reading?"

Hotaru gave the black space out the window a sideways glance before nodding vigorously. "Definitely."

Two days later they had made quite a bit of progress. The third bedroom had been completely taken over by paperwork. The files weren't very well organized so they had been trying to separate everything. Both girls sat in the middle of the bed with stacks of papers in a circle around them.

Chibi-Usa pulled the next sheet from the nearest file and began scanning it. It explained the facilitation of plant growth to aid in the production of oxygen. Halfway down the page, she finally found a mention of the planet Mars. She leaned over to set it on the growing pile on the nightstand.

Hotaru sat across from her, frowning as she read over lines of text. Her dark eyes darted back and forth across the sheet and she smiled briefly when she found what she was looking for. She turned around to deposit the paper on top of the Venus pile beside the bed.

Chibi-Usa watched her stretch her arms over her head and yawn. She allowed herself a brief smile then resolutely picked up the next paper in the file. She scanned it, quickly finding mention of Mercury near the top. She was about to set it with the pile on the dresser when the word 'Venus' caught her eye. She frowned and started over, reading the paper more thoroughly.

"What's the matter?" Hotaru asked, looking up from the page she'd been reading.

"I'm not sure," she replied distractedly. "I think this page got in there by mistake."

Hotaru scooted closer and began reading over her shoulder. "Failsafe?" she murmured. "That doesn't sound like part of the same project."

"It's talking about some sort of genetics experiment," Chibi-Usa said as she finished reading. She turned the page over, but the back was blank except for a watermark of the symbol of Mercury. "It's definitely something of Ami's, but the rest of the report is missing."

Hotaru grimaced and took the page from her slackened grasp. Chibi-Usa was silent as she read, watching her friend's expression darkening as she went. "It almost sounds like she was trying to clone the other Senshi," Hotaru muttered, handing it back.

Chibi-Usa stared at the page for a long time. Finally she shook her head. "No, I'm sure we're just reading it out of context. Ami wouldn't do something like that." She put the paper at the bottom of the stack of files. "Maybe we'll find the rest of the report when we get through the rest of this." She sighed, running her hands through her hair as she stared down at the remaining files. It was so much to do and it felt like they had no time to solve the mysteries within the pages. A lump began forming in her throat as a sense of overwhelming helplessness began to wash over her.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from her dark thoughts. "Do you want to take a break?" Hotaru suggested gently. She nodded and stood, forcing herself not to look at the files again as she left the room.

Hotaru moved into her bedroom and Chibi-Usa lingered by the door, watching as she got a set of clothes from the dresser. "What are you going to do?" She didn't feel like being alone but was reluctant to tag along after Hotaru. At home, the soldier spent a lot of time alone and Chibi-Usa didn't want to annoy her with her constant presence.

"I was going to work out for a while." Chibi-Usa nodded and started to turn away but Hotaru stopped her. "Do you want to come with me?"

She shrugged and gave Hotaru an uncertain smile. "You mean you're not sick of having me around yet?"

"Of course not," Hotaru said from inside her closet. She emerged holding a pair of tennis shoes. "Do you need to borrow some clothes?"

"No, I've got some things." Grinning, Chibi-Usa went to change. When she returned, Hotaru was already in the fourth bedroom, stretching. She looked up when the princess entered and gestured her over.

"So what should we do first?" Chibi-Usa asked as she joined her on the floor.

Hotaru gave her a quick look of appraisal. "Whatever you want. I usually do some cardio and then forms and weapons."

They finished stretching in silence. "I thought you usually sparred with Haruka a few times a week," Chibi-Usa commented as they got to their feet.

Hotaru rolled her shoulders, loosening the joints. "I do, but obviously we won't be doing that."

Chibi-Usa stopped, raising her eyebrows at her friend. "And why not?"

Hotaru turned to her in confusion. "Well, I'm not going to spar with you," she said slowly. "What if I hurt you?"

Chibi-Usa set her hands on her hips and glared sternly at her. "You don't think I can keep up with you?"

"It's just that I'm bigger than…" Hotaru trailed off. Chibi-Usa was only a few inches shorter than her now and definitely no longer a child. "Well, I…" Garnet eyes narrowed, waiting for Hotaru to finish her sentence. Her mind ran through a list of arguments, all of which would probably be shot down right away. Finally, Hotaru nodded and offered a hesitant smile. "I guess we could try it." She held up her hands in loose fists.

Chibi-Usa pursed her lips before turning away. Hotaru relaxed, thinking her friend had thought better of the idea. Abruptly, Chibi-Usa spun back around with a roundhouse kick that Hotaru barely avoided. She followed up with a series of hard jabs, forcing Hotaru back several more steps. When her heel touched the wall, Chibi-Usa smirked and stepped back, allowing her to regain her footing.

"Alright, then," Hotaru murmured. If that was how the other girl wanted to play it, then so be it. She dropped to a fighting crouch, inviting her opponent to strike again. Chibi-Usa's next punch was aimed at her face but, rather than dodge, Hotaru caught her wrist, stopping her. She did the same to her other hand, immobilizing both arms in an iron grip. "You've improved."

Chibi-Usa tugged on her arms, gritting her teeth with the effort. "More than you know," she shot back. She dropped and used Hotaru's grip against her, pulling her down and using her knee to throw the older girl over. Hotaru landed on her back on the other side of the mat. She laughed weakly as she sat up and got to her feet.

They continued the battle, alternating between attacking and grappling. Hotaru was stronger but Chibi-Usa was quick and agile, creating a fair balance. Both girls were panting as they traded blows. Hotaru stepped back, tossing her sweaty bangs out of her eyes and waiting for Chibi-Usa to attack again. When the princess drew her arm back, Hotaru noticed a faint pinkish glow surrounding her fist. When she tried to punch her, Hotaru threw up a shimmering purple barrier between them. Chibi-Usa's fist bounced harmlessly off of it, and the rebound knocked her back several steps.

"Hey!" She frowned at Hotaru through the rapidly fading wall. "I thought we weren't supposed to use our powers?" she accused.

Hotaru leaned forward, bracing a hand on her knee, and smirked. "Look who's talking." She pointed to Chibi-Usa's hand which was still surrounded by an ethereal light. "You were going to punch me right through the wall with that." Chibi-Usa looked guiltily down at her hand, shaking it to dispel the flickering light. Hotaru was reminded of the girl's less-than-deadly power. "Or at least make me glow for a second," she teased.

Chibi-Usa gave her a wounded look. "I'll have you know, I've gotten a lot more powerful since the last time you saw me fight." She held out a hand to demonstrate. The air shimmered for a moment before a staff materialized in her fist.

Hotaru's eyes widened as she stared at the weapon. The silvery-pink shaft was nearly as long as its wielder. It was topped with an ornate end piece, similar to Setsuna's staff except for the pink stone at its center, and the bottom had a heavy looking cap. The last time she'd seen Chibi-Usa use her power, she'd armed herself with a small bubblegum pink wand which had seemed more like an accessory for a fairy princess than an actual weapon. "What is that?"

Chibi-Usa smiled and gave the weapon a menacing whirl. "I guess it grew when I did." She held it at the ready, challenging Hotaru with her eyes.

Hotaru shook off her shock and called her glaive, holding the lethal point toward her friend. They faced each other and began slowly circling. Chibi-Usa raised her staff and Hotaru braced for the first blow, but it never came. The princess looked doubtfully at the weapon in her hands then at Hotaru's. "Maybe this isn't the best idea," she said with a sheepish smile.

She banished the staff and Hotaru did the same with her glaive. Instead she went to the racks by the wall. There were an assortment of weapons including swords and knives of several different lengths. There were also a row of different colored staves. Chibi-Usa selected the pink one and handed the purple to Hotaru. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the remaining two, a translucent green and deep burgundy. The sight filled her with an unexpected warmth. Feeling renewed, she turned back to Hotaru to begin the battle.

An hour later, both girls were out of breath but grinning happily. "You've really gotten a lot better," Hotaru congratulated as she returned the staves to their stand.

"I think a few more practice sessions like that and I'll be pretty tough to beat," Chibi-Usa agreed. She pushed back her sweaty hair and grimaced. "I think I'll take a quick shower before we go back into research mode."

"Me too," Hotaru agreed. "We pass the orbit of Venus in four days and I really want to have made some progress by then."

"We will," Chibi-Usa assured her. She glanced behind her to the weapons racks again. Makoto's green staff was sitting beside the others. Ami's long knives rested next to Rei and Minako's swords. She could imagine the four of them in the room with them and, for the first time in months, she truly believed that they would all be together again.