"How do you feel?" Cosmic Sailor Venus asked Owen while she used one of her lighted hearts as artificial lights while she tested the reflexes of his pupils. "Any pain?"

"Feels like a lorry ran over me, but nothing some Ibu couldn't fix." A smile appeared on his lips. "I should change my socks and drink some water."

Minako had to giggle, she had a knack for the dry and dark military humor, especially when told by such a handsome man.

"You know how it goes, any physical or psychological damage you sustained on this battlefield is not service related."

Both had to laugh before Minako gently used her hands to pull his head to the side, to have a look at Owen's ears.

"Seems you've been lucky. Any problems with your ears?"

"Say what?!" He said a tone louder and both couldn't help but to laugh. Like it was the most natural thing, Minako's arms reached around Owen again and when their eyes met for a moment both froze and then blushed.

Minako cleared her throat, trying to overcome her sheepishness, something she definitely wasn't used to.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here so we can get you thoroughly checked."

Rei and Hotaru looked at each other, something just happened, something really rare.

"You felt that too, right?" Rei asked the other raven-haired girl.

"That… I think that was Mom."

"You mean…"

In that moment Eternal Sailor Pluto and SunTzu appeared through the gate SunTzu had taken to have his cigarette.

And they were holding hands.

Both Hotaru's and Rei's jaws dropped but before they could make a remark, Makoto yelled over from her position, she had her Senshi communicator's headset extended.

"SunTzu?! Venus found Owen, he's alive but he still was near the facility!"

SunTzu and Setsuna exchanged a glance, nodded at each other and then began to sprint.

"AICA, get us a medevac here!" SunTzu yelled at his starfighter as they passed the A-Wing.

"You stay here." Pluto commanded her daughter and the Senshi of Fire as they passed them as well, her and SunTzu still hand in hand.

Within a few seconds they had passed the courtyard and were gone through the next gate, leaving two dumbfounded raven-haired Senshi behind.

"You saw that too, right?"

"That? Did you see Mom's lipstick's traces on SunTzu's lips?"

Before Rei could process what apparently had happened a group of four soldiers popped up on the wall.

"Captain!?"

Makoto looked up at the four members of Team 1.

"About time you guys show up, I thought you already had forgotten about your mom!"

Half the way towards where the facility once had been Pluto and SunTzu met Venus and Owen, who was supported by the blonde Senshi. Not that he had insisted on it, she had, but he sure as hell didn't mind to have her under his arm and have her close to him.

SunTzu smiled in relief and for a moment let go of Setuna's hand when he saw the soldier.

"Owen, you crazy son of a bitch."

He put his left hand on the other man's shoulder and lightly smacked the cheek of the other man, who answered with a content but tired smile and after that they hugged for a moment.

"Did you get that cunt Phyncx?" Owen asked after they broke the hug up, hands still on their shoulders

"He's done."

Owen's head slumped down for a moment and he had a sufficient, small smile on his lips as he closed his eyes, knowing that his sister had been revenged.

"Is he wounded? Signs of trauma?" Setsuna asked Minako.

"Doesn't look like it. But i want to get him checked thoroughly back on the Eternal."

Setsuna nodded and put her hand on SunTzu's lower back, around his waist.

"We called in a medevac already."

Minako had to smile when she noticed the intimate touch.

"Yeah. You need help Minako?"

"I can walk upright."

"Uh Uh, I'm the doctor and I rather have you supported until you're in that spacecraft."

"Better listen to her, Dr. Aino is one of our field trauma specialists." Setsuna chimed in and as soon as Minako then was under Owen's arm again she and Setsuna glanced secretly at each other and winked both.

SunTzu took the other side and together, with Sailor Pluto a step behind them, the quartet began to walk back to the major court yard.

On the way the first platoon of soldiers, assault troopers from First Battalion, crossed their paths. More troops were on their way to secure the fortress and above them air traffic began to be plenty.

A few minutes later they were back in front of the tower where Makoto was greeting her husband with a sensual kiss while Mars and Saturn looked on as Team 3 stormed through the now blown apart gate into the tower, a group of regular soldiers and a tactical team of Royal Intelligence following behind.

It had been the AICA who just had blown up the gate to the building and when they arrived the A-Wing had changed it's position, now facing the gate.

Apart from the more or less surreal scene there also was a dropship with red crosses painted on its doors.

It's crew chief and a medic were waiting in the open door and as soon as Owen was near the ship, they took over from Minako and SunTzu and helped Owen into the dropship, Sailor Venus close behind and entering the ship as well.

"What about us?" SunTzu whispered to Setsuna a few meters away.

"What do you think? If we're not getting to the Eternal immediately I might have to rethink letting you get away." Her voice was pure seduction and the hand on his waist made SunTzu forget about any other thing in the Galaxy.

"Okay, give me one second."

Sailor Saturn and Sailor Mars were on their way over to them.

"Hotaru, AICA's all yours. I'm heading back to the Eternal. I need some rest after this night." That said he turned around to Makoto, with the intent to tell her they would take later, but the Senshi of Thunder was too busy reconnecting with her husband.

SunTzu made a waving gesture, turned around and climbed into the dropship, followed by Sailor Pluto.

"Chief, are the other wounded already on the way to the capital ships?"

Doctor Meiou asked the crew chief after she had climbed in.

"All sixteen wounded have already been taken to the medbays of the Eternal and the Far Side."

"Any KIA?"

"Negative Ma'am."

Setsuna allowed herself a small smile, as she settled down next to SunTzu who had sat down next to the door. As soon as she sat, the two finally found lovers' hands cojoined secretly but immediately.

Minako and Owen had gone to the other side and Minako and the ship's medic used one of the ship's emergency backpacks' content to examine Owen some more.

"You need help?" Pluto asked Venus and the blonde turned back to her friend and mentor.

"I got this." A knowing smile formed on her lips and she briefly glanced from Setsuna to SunTzu when she then spoke. "I'll take care of things in the medbay. It's been a hell of a night for all of us. You two should get some… rest."

Setsuna and SunTzu exchanged a smile as well, and both gently squeezed the hand of the other.

As soon as Minako had turned back to Owen, Setsuna leaned into SunTzu.

"You heard Doctor Aino, bring me to bed."

Two Days later, on board the Eternal:

It was the morning cycle onboard the flagship of Taskforce Sol.

The force was on its way back to Earth, except for the Kataians which were on their way to their home planet.

The atmosphere on the ships was rather frisky, they not only had bested their worst opponent, an opponent specifically hunting for them, but they had done so without any deadly casualties and even the number of the wounded was less than moderate.

Soon the unanimous opinion in the Taskforce was that no matter that it had been Karma or as the lower ranks told it abridged FAFO. And Phyncx and his troops didn't do exemplary well in the Find-out-Phase.

For SunTzu and unbeknownst to him, for Cilghal as well it was a sign that the Force was looking for balance and tried to get back at the all consuming Chaos, which didn't even left space for the Dark, yet alone the Light.

Right now most of the Senshi, their partners and the Mau were having breakfast at a larger table inside the Officer's mess near the bridge. The mess was pretty empty as the morning cycle was already nearing it's end.

Only Setsuna, Minako and SunTzu were missing on the table.

At least that was before everybody except Artemis had gotten breakfast and had sat down.

"It's been two days, someone maybe should at least if they're okay."

"Leave them be Mako-Chan. They have a lot to catch up."

Rei and Makoto were sitting next to each other, their partners on their side.

"Won't you bloody believe it. They're coming."

Setsuna and SunTzu, both wearing uniform, and walking arm in arm, were heading towards the table.

For the first time in two days Setsuna and SunTzu had left the pilot's quarters.

After landing back on the Eternal they had left immediately for the Senshi's living space and as soon as they had entered SunTzu's quarters they had fucked, passionate and full of lust.

After that Setsuna had granted herself a few minutes of afterplay with the man she loved, it still felt so unfamiliar to not discard this thought and those feelings as fast as possible, and after a proper shower she had transformed and had reported to her father as soon as she knew SunTzu had fallen asleep.

At least so she thought.

He had exactly known where she was heading to and only her promise that she would be back made him let her go. And not before he had told her that he would go against a god for her.

She still had to smile about that.

It didn't took long with her father, that the Herald already had manipulated space and time several times had helped but what really had saved SunTzu was Setsuna's lie that they had tried to find out how the Herald was able to teleport through the Galaxy. She had to smile at this one too, she really became rebellious when she was in love.

As soon as she was back she had cuddled herself next to SunTzu, who only had slept lightly and had waited for her and the kiss to welcome her back soon developed into sex. This time it was pure lovemaking, gentle and sensual, a seal of their love and their new relationship as lovers.

And after finally getting some well deserved sleep most of their last two days had been spent in bed. Or at least in activities associated with doing in bed.

The attendants on the table clearly could see the rather tired but happy expressions on the finally found lovers' faces.

"Wow, you guys are still alive. I was just about to organize a Search-and-Rescue-Mission for the two of you." Makoto told with a wink and the some of the Senshi laughed as the couple sat down.

"What can I say. I was worshipping a Demigoddess." SunTzu answered which draw a "Wooh" from Makoto and Usagi and made Yuichiro and Mamoru smile.

On the other side of the table a small, quiet "Yuk." had escaped Hotaru' mouth, the teen was sitting next to Michiru. Not that Hotaru wasn't beyond happy that apparently her mother and her replacement father figure had finally found each other, it was just weird to talk about this stuff for her.

"Not everyone is as as discreet as you are Taru-Chan." Michiru had leaned in to the other Outer Senshi, her voice low.

Instantly Hotaru's jaw dropped.

"Mi-Michiru-Mama, h-how do you know?" The teenager whispered, looking shocked, something Hotaru rarely looked like.

"A mother knows things like that. Plus, I was once your age as well. I know how things are in that age."

Under the table Michiru took Haruka's hand and squeezed gently, reminiscing about when they and their love had been young as well.

Haruka of course hadn't heard anything as she was too busy making comments at SunTzu but she started to smile at the touch.

"Chibiusa, I think I need another coffee. And I think I forgot something in AICA." Hotaru voiced and Chibiusa immediately understood that it was time to move out.

But not before she at least came over to her mother and gave her a peck on the forehead as Setsuna slung her arms around her beloved adoptive child.

"Are you good, my dear?"

Hotaru reciprocated the hug while she looked at SunTzu and both smiled.

And while she didn't needed to hear the details she was more than happy for her adoptive mother and SunTzu.

In fact she hadn't seen Setsuna looking that thoroughly and honestly happy with eyes sparkling with joy and the almost perpetual melancholy since, she couldn't even remember, probably since her father had died. And it was the same with SunTzu, the severity seemed to be way less and although he looked tired he seemed fresher than before.

She wouldn't say or show here in public but Hotaru was both grateful and overjoyed, at least something good had happened lately with this.

With two Senshi leaving, another one suddenly appeared at the table.

And everyone could see that Minako was in the best of her moods, it was like she was radiating a warmth, a certain light, like she was glowing.

"Summit of the morning, my dearest friends!" And then she looked at Setsuna and SunTzu. "Wow, you made it out of bed! How was your sex marathon?"

"Men? Let's grab something more to eat?" It was Mamoru who took the word and immediately Kenji, Ryo, Yuichiro and SunTzu stood up, just as their king did. They knew to which topic the women would switch now.

"I really need food anyways." SunTzu commented as the men left the table with rather fast steps.

"Men are so prude." Michiru said as she watched the men walking away.

"As if they don't talk about us when they are purely among themselves as well." Rei stated.

"Ryo would never." Ami replied, already blushing.

"Yeah, right."

"Okay Setsuna, since they're gone now and it's just us. How was it?"

"How was it? What kind of question is that, Usagi? It's Top Gun."

Rei and Setsuna shared a knowing smile before Rei continued.

"He's… skilled."

"Is he as nice as Rei always told?"

"As i ever told? Gods, he has such a beautiful dick." Rei was reminiscing about the times she and SunTzu were a couple and then she sighed. "If it wouldn't be for Mr.-I-do-anything-for-you, especially in bed…"

"You guys always make everything so sexual."

"Hey, not all of us need to get undercover and into near-death-situations to feel the hots."

"Indeed, even if our partner is sometimes a bit… simple."

"Oi, Michi. I'm not simple. Racing for example is a very difficult thing to do."

"You mean driving in a circle for fifty laps? As I said. Simple."

This draw laughter from the other women, even Luna, and a dumbfounded look from Haruka, which vanished instantly after kiss on the cheek and a brush through the blonde's hair from Michiru.

"I don't understand how you could not be horny after your husband. 4000 years, two reincarnations and a kid later and Mama still wants her moon cake pounded every night."

While the others were laughing, Minako got up and surprised the rest with the following sentence.

"I'll have a breakfast date with a very special guy."

"Let me guess, he gets to eat bacon of your belly? Or is it the old honey-honey-trap?"

"No! Me and Owen will have a prissy breakfast together with a view at the stars."

"No way Mina-Chan. I straight up don't believe you."

"It's… it's different that time. We take it easy." And then Minako did something most of her best friends haven't seen her do since school, she blushed. "I really, really like him and I don't want to make this just sexual."

"Wow. That's something i did not expect at all to hear from you, Mina."

"Crazy times, aren't they? Anyways, I have to be on time with the walisian hottie." Minako got up and playfully sticked her tongue out before she winked and spoke in a humorous tone. "Later you cockhungry bitches."

"Oi!"

"Fine, sex-driven-harlots then." All of them laughed, even Minako as she went.

After a moment Michiru's gaze settled back on Setsuna.

"Now, tell us, we want details!"

At another part of the room, Artemis appeared next to the queue of the men, having a tray with food in his hands. He had come later to the mess as he had brought Diana to her private schooling, today Master Cilghal was her teacher.

"What are you guys all doing here alone?" He asked curiously because it was exclusively the men.

"Don't ask, just wait here." Mamoru answered him.

The men gave the women a few minutes and waited until the laughter and loud chatter had died down on the table before they came back.

After breakfast Setsuna and SunTzu said their goodbyes in the corridor next to the mess with a passionate kiss.

As SunTzu made his way to the hangar he stumbled into Haruka, just a corridor further, leaning against the wall. Apparently she had waited for him, arms crossed.

"Hey Haruka."

She gave him a side eye.

"What's the matter?"

"She's too good for you, mate."

SunTzu wheezed, not what he had expected from his wingwomen but after all, the Outers were a close family and he understood that Haruka wanted to protect Setsuna by any means, no matter against whom.

"Yeah, I know that." SunTzu began, his voice was a honest. "I'll never will be an equal to her and I don't have any idea how a goddess like her could fall in love with me at all. She definitely deserves better… but, at least she makes me a better person."

And then Haruka began to smile. "That was all that I wanted to hear."

SunTzu was surprised by Haruka's change of demeanor.

"I was just fucking around with you. I can see how the both of you are doing good to each other."

"Thank you, Haruka."

Both fist bumped and as they ended and began to continue their way to the hangars together, Haruka spoke again.

"But you know, i will totally kick your arse if you ever hurt her."

SunTzu wheezed again, this time with a smile following. "Don't worry, I don't plan to do that, ever. Quite the opposite, I want to gift the Galaxy to her."

Haruka's answer was a knowing nod with a smile.

Hours later, Dr. Meiou entered one of the four hangars of the huge warship the Eternal was and found her family and her lover in the midst of the gigantic room, working on their starfighters.

For a moment she just watched on and it filled her heart with joy, watching the four of them smiling and joking with each other, sharing a moment of calm glee with each other in this crazy and hard times. They had become a family and she and SunTzu had become a couple.

"There's probably people who would say it's because he got the guy that killed his platoon but if you know him a bit, you can see it's because of you."

Karlena appeared next to Setsuna, wiping her oil-stained hands on a piece of cloth.

"He was hurting a lot lately and now he can finally honestly smile again. Thanks to you."

For a moment Setsuna glanced at the Devaronian.

"I'm sorry Lieutenant Colonel, I did not want to get too personal."

Karlena wasn't sure if she overstepped a personal boundary here but suddenly Setsuna began to smile.

"You didn't, Chief. Actually he did the same for me." Setsuna turned her head at SunTzu.

Karlena nodded with a content smile which also served as a sign of goodbye as Setsuna began to walk further towards the pilots.

"Hey Mum! You got closing time already?"

Hotaru waved and smiled at Setsuna as she was sitting on one of the engines of the single-seater Y-Wing of the Taskforce, which basically served as her personal snub when AICA wasn't available.

Hearing this the other three turned to Setsuna and SunTzu began to beam.

A few minutes later Setsuna and SunTzu were on the way to the mess, they wanted to grab a tea and a coffee and take it to the observation deck, soon the terrarian part of the Taskforce would reach Thyferra and the couple wanted to enjoy the interstellar ballet of lights of the in- and outgoing ships heading to or away from the planet.

While she was in the hangar SunTzu had realized how close the Outers were and something in his mind had formed. He loved all of them in their own certain ways and he never wanted to get in between them.

Setsuna noticed that ever since they had left the hangar he had been slightly off.

"Hey, if we, or rather I, get in between something there with Michiru and Haruka let me know."

Setsuna couldn't help but to giggle, and put her hand in front of her mouth as she stopped.

"You really think that?"

"I mean, you guys are so close. I don't… I don't want to destroy that."

"That is because we're family. We're not lovers, they are and we all are Hotaru's parents that's it. And you just got assimilated my dear SunTzu."

He had stopped as well and now smiled at her which made hers grow even more. After a moment they continued their way.

"So even when raising Hotaru, you weren't a lesbian polycule?

"Quite curious, aren't we?" She giggled again. "But no, I was basically asexual until you came. After Soichi's death."

"I… I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Life has his tragedies." She stopped and pulled on SunTzu's hand to stop him as well. "And it's miracles."

She pulled SunTzu up to her. "Like finding love in the darkest of times."

They kissed, but it was a bittersweet kiss, both knowing that their future was uncertain. And if they'd survive the war there still was the fact that SunTzu didn't belong here.

After a moment they broke their kiss.

"Now Captain, you promised me a spectacle for my tea."

Both smiled at each other again.

"Yes Ma'am." SunTzu said, took her hands and lead her further to the back of the ship.

Two days later, Azabu-Juban, Earth

Setsuna awoke before her lover, the rays of the summer sun that fell through the curtains in SunTzu's bedroom. Naked with the sheets around them they had fallen asleep and she turned to the side, his arm still around her waist, her long hair pooling around the pillow and bed beneath her.

They had arrived yesterday afternoon on Earth and the Guardian of the Underworld had decided to stay at her new boyfriend's place.

Hotaru had told them that she was invited to hold another class at the Starfighter Academy on Coruscant and of course she was allowed.

Not that Setsuna also knew that visiting her old school was just one of her reasons to go to Coruscant. She and Michiru had secretly talked about it already, both of them knew and both of them shared the opinion to not let Haruka and SunTzu know yet.

Since SunTzu had spent way more time at the Meiou's place than Setsuna did at his, they had decided to stay over at his place. And although it was a typical male apartment she found it cozy because it was smaller than her house.

The two of them had a very kinky apartment viewing just after they had arrived.

And then he had spent the rest of the evening being the perfect gentleman. He had even massaged her feet while she had taken a bath in his bathtub.

And there she had told him one of her greatest secrets and although she knew that it probably had made something in him she was sure that it had been the right thing to do.

It definitely had an effect on him, and she wasn't sure if it was more than just passion when he had carried her over from the bathroom and to the bed and the things he had done with her after. God, when he had ate her from the back. And she had noticed that she had finally accepted the truth about her feelings, she wasn't shy to voice them anymore, in any way. Not that yelling out his name when she climaxed made it anymore official and people hadn't seen their feelings for the other before.

She looked at him sleeping, he seemed so peaceful for once and it made her feel so content. But on the other side she felt the sensation of insecurity, for her standards it hadn't exactly been long but after those years since Soichi's death it felt different to have found and accepted love.

Suddenly SunTzu, laying on his back, moved and his arm began to gently stroke her.

"Good Morning, my empress." A smile was on his lips and his eyes still closed as he pulled her closer.

But instead of her leaning down and kissing him as he expected she remained just close to his face.

"What's the matter?"

It took a moment before she answered, her gaze on him.

"It's hard for me to grasp. I've been lonely for so long that I don't know if I do things right." She tore her gaze away from him. "I'm afraid."

SunTzu turned to her, his hand gently cupping her face.

"You? Afraid?" He began to stroke her jawline. "The Ice Queen herself?"

His smile was infectious, honest, calming and reassuring and Setsuna couldn't help but to smile as well as she enjoyed his gentle touch.

"I never told you that, but when I saw you at my trial I didn't care for anything anymore but seeing, meeting you again, Setsuna. That moment, before the Chief of State ruled me innocent, you had your eyes closed and seemed to be deep in thought."

"I was praying for you."

"When you stood there in that garden and told me you were waiting for me, I finally realized how much I had fallen for you. And that I need you. There's nothing you have to be afraid of because we have each other."

They kissed, a long, intimate kiss, in which she cupped his face as well.

"Hey, since we got a few days off and Hotaru will be back the day after tomorrow, I was thinking we maybe could go on a little holiday, you know as family."

Her eyebrow went up. "A holiday? We just got together and now you already want to spend time abroad with me and my daughter?"

His jaw dropped and a second later she fell into laughter before she kissed his cheek with a broad smile, his face was priceless.

"I swear to the gods, messing with you will be my second favorite thing to do in this relationship." She told him as she did so.

"What's the other one?"

"Sometimes showing is better than telling." She replied with a sultry voice as her hands wandered down to his waist, accompanied by a wink. A wink that made SunTzu's heart stop beating for the blink of an eye.