The next morning he met with Ami, that picked him up for the drive to the base. He slept well and long, nobody attacked him on the way home and there hasn't been any attacks on the Galaxy further.
Hell, he even had time to communicate with Colt, Ada and Cilghal.
Ami on the other side was strangely tense and very quiet on the way to the base. She barely got a word out.
"What's wrong? You're tense as hell." He asked her, while they were on the Juban-Crystal-Tokyo-Bridge.
"Ah, it's something I'm working on. Something where I probably need your help soon. Might have to act immediately then, are you busy today?"
Why ask a spy something he's gonna answer with a question anyways.
"I'm not that busy today, just training."
"Good, be on standby if I need you. And don't tell to anybody, not even the Queen."
Whatever she was doing there it sounded like trouble.
He got out at the AirCenter and changed into training clothes for a morning run with his two wingmen. The girls were already waiting for him.
They started and soon joined Team 1 and Makoto on their morning run.
The tempo was kept quite high so shittalking was less than usual but the soldiers and pilots of the Taskforce were aware that they were at War now and the next combat mission could start at any moment, so better to be ready.
After morning sport and a shower he changed into combat clothes and went for breakfast with Michiru and Haruka.
They were the only Senshi around this time but when he just started eating he got a Message from Ami, telling him to urgently see her in her office in the Military HQ.
Another wolved down breakfast later he was on his way to the HQ and when he stepped inside he got the instructions how to get to Dr. Urawa's Office.
A few minutes later he arrived at her office door and knocked on it.
"Come in please." Ami's voice came from inside.
He entered and found a stressed looking Ami on her desktop, viciously pounding into her Computer's keyboard and looking into three monitors at once. Printed out paper with data was all over the desk. He thought Ami to be more tidy.
He stood there and took a look around. It was a small functional arranged office with just the desk and two chairs in front of it. Behind the desk were shelves were books after books were neatly stored in.
She also had her own big printer and a holo-projector in the room.
After a while, she was still completely busy with her computer, he cleared his throat, finally getting her attention.
"You asked for me?" He asked her, wondering why she was so tense.
"Ah, yeah. Sorry, I just have to finish this." She typed a bit more. "And sent. Good. Okay, sit down please." She motioned to one of the chairs and while he sat down he got up on her own, opened a drawer and pulled out a device that looked like a handgrip with Antenna.
She started to scan her room and then him.
"I'm checking for bugs." She told him as he was eying her skeptically.
"Ami, what is this all about?" He demanded an answer.
"Just a moment."
She turned on a black device next to her telephone near her computer.
"Scrambler." She told as he was eying the object.
What is so goddamn confident?
She sat down again, elbows on the table and sighed.
"Okay, as you probably remember I asked you for your discretion and help a while ago."
"I do. Back when you showed me, that you have AICA's Override Codes as well. Nice surprise by the way."
"Exactly. And now the time has come to tell you why."
He still looked at her with a skeptically look and motioned her to go on.
"Waging war as well as building a nation costs money as you can imagine."
"Taking all in account I picked up here and there I'd say Crystal Tokyo and Taskforce Sol need money. Isn't that so?"
"As I expected from someone like you, you put two and two together. But yes, it's basically this, we need money." She sighed again and looked back at him. "As you know, a lot of Marauders and Mercenary Groups work together with the unknown enemy and as you know they don't fight for ideologies but only for money. What if I tell you, that I and a certain Intelligence Officer from Coruscant you know also found out, that these groups get their money from an unknown source in cash? Galactic Credits."
"Hm, as part of the Galactic Alliance Executive Branch we would be allowed to seize that money. Which also would help against the enemy because it would smaller it's force of paid forces."
"Even more, seized money is allowed to be used for war, restructural or infrastructural efforts of the GA and it's members.
"Which means that if we seize money from the enemy we're allowed to use it for ourselves and hurt the enemy with decreasing his fighter while being to strengthen our units."
"Exactly. And know, if I would tell you that I found a mercenary group that just received their share of money and is on the way to their base to store it?"
"Well depending on the strength of the mercenary group I'll send out at least an adequate raid force if not the whole Taskforce, to seize that money." He explained from his military view of things.
"Unfortunately that is out of the question. Let's say obtaining this informations was not the most legal thing to do. Or that our royal family and superior officers are informed that we have this information."
"So, you're telling me you illegally obtained data on potential enemy elements and want to rob them of their money and nobody besides us two knows about it on this planet?"
"Broken down to the basics, yes. Although to rob is the wrong word. More like seizing of course, we are the government."
"You could even call it a tax but it's still the same."
"It's also time sensitive. Either we strike immediately or the chance, or rather the money will be gone."
"Enemy strength?"
"Modified Container Transport ship. Armed and probably full of combat proven Mercenaries."
He looked down and facepalmed.
"Who? Who will do the raid?"
"You. Me. And AICA."
He sighed and facepalmed some more.
"Ami, you're the most intelligent human being in the galaxy, you do know that this is suicide, right? I mean, even i think it's stupid. And I jumped out of a flying starfighter already. Please remember, you have a husband at home."
"I know. But it's the only way to keep this ear going. I am aware that you don't know the real importance of this Taskforce in this war, yet, but it's absolutely mandatory to keep it functional. Do you have any idea what the last missions cost us?"
"Our squadron leader and friend? Is that enough? Or do you think it's better that I loose another friend plus my life on top because we need money?"
"I know, I know. Marvin was a friend of mine too. But what if we had better equipment, better fighters for all? Don't you think it would have made a difference. Do you think Bunny and Mamoru enjoy these forced parties to collect or rather beg for money for Crystal Tokyo and the fight, while some old men drool over their daughter?"
He didn't answer immediately and thought through everything first.
If they could disable the Freighter and then swiftly move in and surprise them they might survive.
"Fuck it. I'm in, but only because someone has to take care of you. We will need Ion-Torpedos on AICA and I need money. Plus we need protective equipment for you."
She pulled out a medium sized backpack from under her desk. It seemed to be pretty heavy.
"In here. AICA is getting loaded up right now, I already gave the orders, tell her to land on the palace landing spot. We leave immediately. Officially you're on a mission to test a new strategy about Ion-Torpedoes I invented, somewhen between here and the nearest CTE Beacon."
He took the backpack from her.
"Now, if would be so kind and leave the room already? I'll have to transform."
Two minutes later they were on the way to the landing place, SunTzu called AICA over his chrono and she said she was fully loaded and ready to start with lift off checks.
As they stepped outside in the courtyard they ran into Mars and Venus, who just walked over to the training rooms, coming from the palace.
"Hey TopGun, what about the ass whooping I wanted to give you? We're heading to training now, care to join?"
"Sorry Rei, I gotta help to evaluate some data for Ami. Weapon Testing and stuff. Another time. Have a nice training." He told her as he and Sailor Mercury passed the other two Senshi at the double.
Venus and Mars suspiciously looked at each other. What were these two up to?
"1000 Yen that he's up to do something stupid. And he's taking Ami with him." Sailor Mars said, gazing after the two.
"Definitely!" Sailor Venus answered with a nod.
AICA landed at the landing spot when they arrived and she immediately opened the canopy. SunTzu helped Sailor Mercury inside and then opened the backpack and handed her her armored vest.
She put it on while he climbed inside and closed the canopy.
When Sailor Mercury was finished putting her armor on they lifted off and shot into the sky.
As soon as they left the earth's gravity AICA jumped to light speed, Ami gave her the coordinates for a system near Uviuy Exen.
When they fell out of hyperspace there a few hours and a lunch made out of emergency rations and bagged water, later, Ami plugged her Mercury Pocket Supercomputer into AICA and connected to her.
"AICA, I'm sending you the data of the ship we're looking for. I need you to find it."
"On it, Boss!" The starfighter answered.
SunTzu frowned, as Pilot he should be the boss, shouldn't he?
A few minutes later AICA found data about the course of the ship. Even mercenaries were traceable when they landed on an official spaceport, wrong ship name or not.
And the data gave them a vague course where they left too. A minute later AICA was back in hyperspace.
They fell out of hyperspace and for once had luck. A check with AICA's long range sensors detected a fitting ship nearby. They switched into full stealth mode.
"You really wanna do this?" SunTzu asked Sailor Mercury, while he checked the systems a last time and armed the weapons.
"No. But I still have to do it. I'd rather go home, get back to studying medicine and have kids but the galaxy as well as my friends depend on me." She sighed. "You with me?"
"This is probably the most stupid thing I did so far and Rei and Haruka will never find out about it. Of course I'm with you. That's what friends are for." He told with a slight irony in his voice.
She squeezed his shoulder from behind.
"Thank you."
He nodded and brought AICA on an intercepting course to the medium sized container freighter.
The multicolored freighter with the logo of the mercenary organisation was on a straight path that brought him to a small sized tropical world that had quite a notorious reputation as smuggler hub. What they didn't know was that a single black-grey colored A-Wing was already closing in on them as a shark would on a wounded seal.
To not reveal their position SunTzu let AICA Programm the point where the missiles would hit the ship just being shot without lock.
AICA pointed him a waypoint in his hud and he switched to the missiles.
As he reached that the point AICA shot the missiles on the freighter and they immediately dodged away to not get seen.
The missiles both hit the container ship and immediately its shields and engines turned off.
SunTzu shot towards it from above now and headed for it's small hangar. As he closed in, a single Spacefighter left the hangar not knowing where the enemy was. SunTzu waited till the snub was away from the hangar opening and shot a single concussion missile at the small fighter, turning it into a flash of short lived light.
So far so good, but now came the hard part.
With a swift move he entered the hangar from above and was greeted by at least two dozen mercenaries drawing their blasters.
AICA immediately opened fire and draw her anti-personal blaster from her downside and opened fire with it too.
"Duck down!" SunTzu said to Ami as he opened the canopy and helped AICA clear the hangar with his Subcarbine.
A few seconds later the cacophony of death fell silent, leaving nothing more than dead mercenaries.
He reloaded with a swift motion and told AICA to scan the ship for more lifeforms.
The door to the hangar opened and another group of mercenaries entered, guns blazing.
SunTzu had to duck as the blaster bolts ricocheted over AICA's frame.
The A-Wing immediately opened fire again to counter the enemy.
Good girl, go get some.
The last enemy had an Plex Rocket Launcher shouldered but all that was left from him after a salvo from AICA's lasers was an arm including shoulder, still clutching the launcher.
SunTzu got back up and jumped on the deck.
He draw a few breathes to let the force flow into him and checked the surroundings if everything was really dead. Sure, that nothing was alive again he walked back to the ship and helped Ami out of the cockpit.
Wearing her body armor and Mercury Googles she took a brief look at the carnage laying in front of her before she snapped out and analyzed AICA's Data.
"We have a lot of lifeforms on the third deck, probably the quarters. AICA, if I plug you into the freighter can you close the bulkheads leading to it?"
"Can do, just need to splice in." The Starfighter answered.
SunTzu cautiously moved up to the hangar door, weapon raised. He kneeled down behind a crate and covered Ami as she approached a terminal in the hangar, plugging in her Mercury Computer and sending the data wireless over to AICA.
A few moments later AICA reported that the bulkheads were closed and most of the mercenaries were closed in on the third deck and that the other decks had been sealed two, except for the one they were on, where also the ship's bridge was located on. Ami's guess was to search the bridge for info about the money first.
Only a few lifeforms lay between them and the bridge.
SunTzu got up again, walked up to the hangar door and opened it, standing at its side. As soon as the door opened blaster fire erupted from the other side and was swiftly silenced by AICA's cannons.
SunTzu moved into the corridor and took cover at the next alley crossing. Hopefully there weren't any Droidekas this time.
Mercury moved up and fell in behind him.
"Wait a second." She said. "Mercury Aqua Mist!"
Immediately cold wet mist was wafting through the corridor and limited vision to a few meters.
SunTzu moved up swiftly with Mercury close behind him. They run into two advancing Mercs that both got a salvo into their faces, leaving them dead on the floor.
They were halfway to the cockpit, and Ami stayed back a bit, when a large Trandoshan jumped out behind a crate and grasped SunTzu, choking him while holding him up.
Sailor Mercury created a large, pointed icicle with her powers and rushed into the trandoshan, pushing the icicle into his neck with all her force.
The trandoshan lost his grip on SunTzu as he was struggling with the Senshi that stabbed his neck and SunTzu, after a few well needed breaths, took the chances and pulled out his pistol putting a round Into the trandoshan's forehead. The humanoid went limp immediately and fell down, falling on the icicle that pushed through his whole neck then.
Ami and SunTzu both took a deep breath and nodded at each other. That was close.
Ami's glasses informed her over two more mercenaries rushing in and SunTzu opened fire into the direction Ami pointed him. The two mercenaries fell down dead, never knowing what hit them.
AICA reported just two more lifeforms and they were on the bridge. Also she reported that she was trying to hack into the ships surveillance cameras. The mercenaries in the quarters on deck three desperately tried to break through the bulkheads but didn't came far yet. She also reported the positions of the two enemies on the bridge. One was standing next to the door, the other one, looking like the captain or commander took cover behind a console.
They moved up to the door leading to the bridge and SunTzu handed Ami his handgun, before they lined up at both sides of the door.
The pilot pulled out a flashbang and nodded to Ami, making a three with his hand.
He started to count with his hands and by three Ami opened the door and SunTzu threw the flashbang in. Ami immediately closed the door again and they waited till they heard the loud bang. Ami opened up the door again and SunTzu entered veering to the side where the one enemy was waiting. The enemy holding his ears and SunTzu shot him with two well placed shots, while Ami moved in. They circled around the console the mercenary Captain was cowering, Guns at the ready.
A blaster came up and shot wildly into SunTzu's direction who had to jump back and get to cover. Ami rushed in from the other side, rounded the console and took down enemy with two shots.
SunTzu got back again and rushed over from his side.
AICA reported no more immediate threats and they ordered her to lock all doors from the bridge to the hangar.
Ami searched the captain for clues and found a data pad she connected to her computer.
She scanned for data and took what she could get regarding Intel.
She found attack plans, a list of personnel but unfortunately no data about the money yet. She searched more and more and, Bingo, she found the place the money was at. There was an armory near the hangar where the money was closed in.
Unfortunately the captain didn't have any keys on him. She went through the list of personnel and looked for clues.
She found the data on a mercenary that was called armorer on the list. And it was a Trandoshan. They wouldn't be so lucky, would they?
The blue-haired Senshi showed it to SunTzu and they rushed back to the dead Trandoshan, the icicle in his neck slowly starting to melt.
She kneeled down next to him and took a look at his lower neck. A chain with a heavy key was hanging there.
Sailor Mercury thanked Technology, Darwin, God, the Force, Moonlight, Buddha and every deity in this universe. Finally they had luck for once.
But with the icicle in the Trandoshan's neck they couldn't move the key over his head. Meanwhile AICA told them that the rest of the mercenaries on the third deck actually were reinforcing their work to get out. They somehow organized a plasma cutting tool down there and were busy cutting a man sized hole into the bulkhead.
And their run of luck was over again.
SunTzu's mind raced. He pulled out the small knife for close combat he was carrying and examined it in his hand. No fucking way he could decapitate a fucking Trandoshan with it. It was really about time to obtain a light sword somewhere.
Ami kneeled down again as he still was contemplating the gruesome act. She moved the chain and Voilá, the necklace had a closure. She opened it and showed it to SunTzu with a sour face.
He shrugged.
"You're the brains of this operations, I'm here for the killing."
They rushed over to the armory as AICA told them the way. The key really worked and the door opened. Maybe there was still luck left.
On a table two big bags were prominently placed, locked with locks. No problem for a artificial intelligence backed genius like Ami. She pulled out a hairpin from her hair and opened the lock in less than ten seconds. She took a glance in the bag, it was full of galactic credit chips.
Jackpot
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then gave the heavy bags to SunTzu.
AICA informed them, that the bulkhead had been breached and the mercenaries were on the way up. They rushed back to AICA and jumped inside, just as the first mercenaries arrived at the hangar too, opening fire immediately. AICA lifted off with guns blazing and swiftly moved out of the hangar, followed by angry blaster fire.
They gained distance and took a deep breather then.
SunTzu saw, that the engines were starting up again and he flew a loop and shot two his missiles into the thrusters, destroying them completely. Too bad that the shields weren't up yet. As two gun turrets swung over in their direction he strengthened the shields, turned tails and rushed off, making the jump to hyperspace.
As soon as they were in the safety of Hyperspace the two friends broke out in hysteric laughter.
"That was pretty fucking Gangster!" SunTzu stated. "That stuff with the icicle in the Trandoshan's neck? Holy Shit Ami!" They laughed some more.
"I can't believe we actually made it out alive, especially in the end. And we have the money!" She hold up one of the bags.
The enemies ship engines were destroyed beyond any repairs so they were sitting at their location for ever or till someone brought them up.
"AICA sent an untraceable message to the fleet, give them the location of our new friends and tell them there are some trigger happy pirates on that position."
A few hours later they felt out of hyperspace near earth and speeded down to Crystal Tokyo. It was night now, but they were still way too full of adrenaline to be tired.
They touched down on the palace landing spot and grabbed Ami's backpack and the two bags of credits. AICA said her goodbye, she had being thoroughly reminded through a system override to keep utmost secrecy of the mission, before she left off for her hangar.
Ami had trouble to not run into her office but SunTzu reminded her to stay calm and inconspicuous.
A few minutes later they arrived at her office, where she locked the door and turned on all the security devices again.
She started counting the money while SunTzu sat down and guarded the door.
Almost thirty minutes later, after recounting three times, with no difference at all, they were sure. They robbed the enemy of 300.000 Galactic Credits and when Ami finished the last count and told SunTzu the amount they were jumping and cheering.
They could buy two new headhunters or even an A-Wing with that money. Or buy dozens of concussion missiles or proton torpedos with it.
But first of all they needed to make the money available for the war.
Good thing that everyone's favorite blue haired genius always thought one step further.
As high ranking member of the Royal Court Ami could always have someone attending the persons she sent to the Royal Bank of Crystal Tokyo. She had secretly opened a bank account for a fictional foundation, a foundation of donors that backed the Kingdom with money. All there was to do was to deposit the money without getting identified. She could say the money had been given from the donors and even could show the official quittance the palace issued for donations. Umino would never suspect something was fishy about the donations from that foundation.
She even had a letter written from the head of the foundation to the Royal Family, saying that the money was dare to help in this dire times of war. A criminal genius was lost on Ami.
They calmed down and Ami called the bank and demanded a clerk for an immediate deposit of money from some very close associates of the palace. An appointment at the bank direct was setup happening within a hour. It was 11pm.
For not getting identified Ami had a pair of black contact lenses and a real hair wig in black color, the hair reaching down her shoulders.
He checked his pistol, while she packed everything. She changed into a business attire she stored in her office, while SunTzu went over to the vehicle pool. He decided a black SUV would be the best choice, after all they were gangsters now and drove off to another side entrance where he met again with Ami. Ami got into the backseat and as soon as they were out of eyeshot of the Palace Gate, she put on the wig and the contact lenses. She also put on a pair of glasses.
"Black hair suits you by the way." He told her as they approached the Royal Bank Building.
Or was it because he was into dark haired women?
He stopped on the opposite street side of the bank and took a minute to scan for dangers first.
When he didn't notice anything unusual he nodded to her. She took the two bags and went to the bank.
Fifteen minutes later she left the bank again and got back into the car, this time she took the passenger seat. SunTzu immediately drove off and took a detour through Crystal Tokyo Town to cover their tracks.
"I would have needed less time but the Manager needed to show me his safe and everything first. But… mission accomplished!" They high fived and Ami took off her disguise, still looking thrilled.
"Let's go home, I… I need to see my husband. You know… for reasons." She said, blushing and stuttering.
Looks like our blue haired genius seemed to have developed a kink for non legal spy stuff. And i had high hopes that at least she was completely normal.
SunTzu drove the car back to the palace and said goodbye to Ami. It was late and she wanted to see her husband. He'd take a taxi or so home later on. He needed some time to calm down anyway.
He headed over to the dining hall and had a light dinner. On the way out he bought a bottle of Doc Pepper and went outside to the courtyard. Sitting down on his favorite bench, looking over to the Crystal Tower with a half moon hanging beside it in the sky he lighted a cigarette. After a deep draw he toasted to the top of the Queen's Residence where there was still light shining.
Don't worry Neo-Queen Serenity, with Friends and loyal Soldiers like that, winning this war will be a piece of cake.