Sol III: Tokyo, Japan

6 months after Galaxia's defeat

Mina stared out over the park, not truly taking any of it in. She remained lost in her own thoughts, imagining the Cybermen she had killed over and over again. True, she had stopped innumerable youma but they were monsters or droids. The Cybermen were innocent people she had killed.

The dull ache in her chest that had become her constant companion intensified. She had tried everything she could to forget what she had done, but it was no use. The murder of all those people haunted her day and night, making food taste bland and bringing nightmares to her fitful sleep.

Worst of all was the loneliness. She forced herself to remain isolated from the others, no matter how difficult and painful it was. They weren't the ones who killed thousands in a single moment. Their hands were clean of the blood that stained hers.

It wasn't easy staying away, especially after she had learned of a new enemy attacking Tokyo Tower. More than anything, she wanted to be fighting alongside them where she belonged, but she didn't dare. Her burden was hers to bear and hers alone. The others didn't need her weighing them down.

Do you really think they'll care? The serious, Sailor Venus side of her thought. They need you as much as you need them.

Mina shook the thought off. I'm not worthy of being a Senshi. Not after what I did. She looked down at her trembling hands. The hands of a murderer.

She clasped her hands to her mouth, choking back a sob.

They are the hands of a soldier. Sometimes it is necessary to do terrible things to save many.

Mina sank to her knees, arms wrapped around her stomach as tears trickled down her face in a steady stream.

Once both tears and pain had subsided, she slowly got to her feet. Without knowing why, she began walking stiffly away from the park.

Sol IV (Mars) - The Hall of Records

The Ice Warrior stood amid the ruined remains of the statue. She growled as she easily ripped the plaque from the plinth the statue had been on. "And so, the last traces of the traitor and betrayer are gone," she growled, as she cast the plaque to the ground.

It shattered like glass, adding to the pieces of the statue that lay in ruin around her. She stepped to the next statue, crushing the pieces of the first underfoot.

She sneered up at the statue, a frail humanoid female. "Your line ended a thousand years ago," the Ice Warrior spat. "Mars has no Queen. Mars needs no Queen. There is only my rule. MY planet."

She reached up, grabbing the statue around the waist. She used all her strength to rip the statue from its plinth. With a roar of triumph, she threw it into the remains of the first statue. The head and arms of the second broke off with a loud 'crack' while the body split in two.

The Ice Warrior picked up the pieces, hurling them around the room and stomping the smaller ones to dust. In the midst of her rampage, another Ice Warrior entered, bowing his head to her.

"Marshal Aarsasho," it hissed.

Aarsasho tossed aside the remnants of the statue's arm. "Report."

The other Ice Warrior replied uneasily. "We cannot awaken our kin. Grand Marshal Bre'zen-"

"Do not speak that traitor's name!" Aarsasho screeched. "Our Grandsires told us of his crimes! His actions lead to the devastation of our planet!"

The other Ice Warrior bowed his head more deeply. "Forgive me, Shsurr."

Aarsasho growled before forcing herself to calm down. "Continue."

"The traitor set up a bio-lock on all our Kin in hibernation. Only he and the. . ." The Ice Warrior paused for a moment. "The false queen can release them."

Aarsasho hissed in fury. "That line is broken."

"Shsurr, it is possible that the false Queen survived."

Aarsasho tilted her head slightly. "Explain."

The Ice Warrior took a deep hissing breath before responding. "Records claim some of the bodies were never discovered after the Earthling-Lunarian War. The false queen was among them. It is plausible she survived and perhaps has descendents who live."

Aarsasho lowered her head and hunched her shoulders as she contemplated. "Perhaps. To locate any descendents would require a genetic sample and extensive scan of Earth."

"We have a genetic sample," the Ice Warrior offered. "While drilling for uncontaminated water, we discovered a tomb of the mother and father of the false queen. The bones will give us all we need to locate their descendants."

"Why not use the bones to pass the bio-locks?"

"They require a blood scan, Shsurr."

"Naturally," Aarsasho growled. "Do what you can. Find the descendent of the false queen. Look in the most densely populated areas first. If you find any matches, find them and bring them here."

"Yes, Shsurr." The Ice Warrior slammed his right fist over his left shoulder before turning and leaving.

Aarsasho picked up the statue's head. It was in remarkable condition, considering the abuse it had received. "Long live the queen." Aarsasho smashed it into the ground, grinning as it shattered into hundreds of pieces.