If SunTzu ever felt betrayed from the universe than it was right now.

Are you fucking kidding me?

While he still tried to turn away his gaze from Rei, the Hangar erupted into chaos. The few mechanics that were there immediately took action and made ships ready to start and brought over carts with weapons and ammunition.

The pilot shook his head and turned to his console.

"AICA, try to find out, what's going on! Are we under attack?"

For a moment Rei reconsidered her being as priestess as the universe just decided to throw another spoke into the wheels of her and SunTzu's need for clear conditions.

SunTzu put on his helmet, while Rei nervously advanced AICA. He motioned her to wait when she arrived next to AICA, while he carefully listened to someone.

Michiru and Haruka were on the way to the hangar, to talk with the ground crew when the alarm went on. They looked at each other and started running.

SunTzu was still talking over radio, when Michiru and Haruka rushed past Rei. Haruka turned around for a moment, taking a look.

"Hey Rei, nice package!" She yelled over her shoulder before she continued to run to her ship.

Rei briefly gave Haruka an irritated look before she looked back up to SunTzu and closed her zipper.

Haruka and Michiru jumped into their TIE and strapped in. The female TIE-pilot put on her helmet and activated the comm system.

"What is it?" She asked SunTzu.

"Wait one." Was the answer Haruka received.

She looked over her shoulder to SunTzu who strained listened into his helmet. A few moments later he came in on radio again.

"Okay, listen. We got multiple attacks of smaller groups on the Namadii Corridor between here and Bilbringi. Guess who is the closest unit available."

"Just when I thought I could have a a few laid back hours after that snake pit that Coruscant is."

"Oh believe me, I was pretty busy too."

"Really, I heard you were chilling on earth."

Mission data came in over the board computers.

The Corellian Frigate and the two advanced starfighters from the Far Side were about to jump up to the nearest attack in advance and start the fight while the rest of the Taskforce followed, after at least a company of the ground troops and another of the commando teams were back on their mothership.

Great, holding out and waiting for the Far Side till whenever and more. Let's at least hope that it's really just small enemy units.

Rei, when she saw that he wasn't listening to the radio anymore but rather checking his cockpit monitors, climbed up to the cockpit and appeared next to him.

"Trouble?"

"Looks like. Guess who's going in first."

"Let me come with you. I can help."

"No! It's to dangerous. You help me more if I know you're here, safe and sound." He looked into her eyes, the Senshi really seemed to worry.

"Besides, I got AICA and the girls taking care of me. Don't worry, if anything goes as planned, we'll be back before the Far Side even moves out." He forced himself to smile to make her feel better.

AICA announced their permission to start as he looked into her eyes again. "I promise I won't do anything more stupid than usual."

He expected a sarcastic remark, a wry smile or maybe a playful punch on his shoulder as reaction but definitely not what she actually did.

Rei leaned over and pressed her lips on his, closing her eyes. He was completely taken by surprise for the blink of an eye before closing his eyes as well and reciprocating the kiss.

For a short moment the universe stood still and was made completely out of her warm, soft lips, that were passionatly pressed against his.

A space fighter further Michiru's eyes widened before she started to grin from ear to ear.

„Are you seeing this?"

Haruka, whose jaw dropped from what she saw, just could answer with an „Un-huh."

"Looks like our two non daters finally came clear." Michiru clapped her hands happily and grinned.

The kiss lasted for a few seconds although both wouldn't have mind if it would have lasted till the end of time.

Rei pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Go get'em Tiger!"

That said she climbed down again and moved away from AICA, while SunTzu's gaze followed her.

As the canopy closed he nodded with a determined face to Rei who was holding a fist up to her heart.

AICA lifted off and passed the Voyager who left off also and veered in behind AICA.

SunTzu's gaze in stayed on Rei in his rear view and AICA had to intervene in the controls as he almost grazed the hangar gate's upper edge.

" Awesome. This starts out fantastic again." Haruka commented from her cockpit.

They soared out into space and took flank on the Corellian Frigate before all three ships jumped into hyperspace.

Some thirty minutes later they fell out of Hyperspace, near a middle sized asteroid that housed a mining station that dug for ore on it. And a dozen starfighters attacking the station.

The Frigate turned about and it's complement of two LAF Fighters swarmed out taking defensive positions. Which made AICA and the Voyager available for attack and they Immediately used their change.

Or rather SunTzu did as he immediately broke away and speeded towards the enemy.

As soon as he got a lock he shot two multi lock missiles into the fighters, making five ships explode at once and immediately got to hunt the remaining fighters.

Haruka followed close by and took out four more ships with a single multi lock missile before the Voyager joined the dog fight.

SunTzu finished two more fighters, one in front of him and one that tried to sneak up from behind but was destroyed by the combination of fire from the back turned lasers to put down his shields and a Cobra Maneuver to let it pass and give it the rest.

Haruka destroyed the last enemy starfighter with an approach from under the asteroid and they went back to the Frigate.

"Are you in a hurry somehow?" Haruka asked SunTzu when they turned around to the Frigate. The whole fight didn't last two minutes.

"Yes. I need answers to some things."

They had to stay in system to look for the enemies mother ship and soon they found it. It was an old, converted container freighter, hidding in a nearby asteroid field.

The Voyager found it first and took a small turn to join back with AICA.

Both ships than pounced on the old freighter like to wild hornets, while the Corellian Frigate and it's escorts stormed towards it too.

The Pirate Freighter had a few turrets on it but none was fast enough to keep track on the two fast fighters buzzing around it.

The two snubs covered the bigger ship with missiles, laser fire and ion shots from Michiru's turret. Finally the aft shield broke down and the Voyager and AICA put another salvo of rockets into the now unsecured engines.

As they veered off to shake the enemy defensive fire the Corellian Frigate came into weapon range and opened up.

The turbolasers of the frigate made quick work of the front shields and when the shields finally completely failed took big chunks out of the hull of the makeshift carrier.

After a few salvos hitting midship the light on the ship flickered and a big explosion destroyed the ship from inside out.

"Can we finally go back now?" SunTzu asked.

As soon as they landed, Ground Crew got to work again and brought carts with missiles to reload the ships.

SunTzu jumped out of his seat and headed out of the hangar, straight to the living quarters.

He almost ran into Rei, who was on her way to the hangar. She was transformed now and they stopped a few meters in front from each other.

"I heard you were back so I wanted to see you. I'm glad you're well." She was superstitious because of the kiss earlier and his no promises in combat still rang in her ear.

"Rei. What was that earlier?"

"What do you mean? It was a kiss, of course." She looked at him questioningly.

"I mean. What does that mean for us?"

As soon as this question left his lips the alarm rang again.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck... FUCK!

"I'll be back. This question still stands!" He turned around on the spot and ran back to the hangar, while she was standing there and followed him running away with her gaze, nervously.

Good question, Rei thought, what did that kiss mean for them? He reciprocated the kiss and it was clear he felt something for her as she did for him. But where were they heading to now?

SunTzu jumped into AICA and took on his helmet.

"AICA, give me news. What's happening?"

"Unknown contact some 300.000 kilometers away. Immediate scramble."

Alright. The canopy closed and ten seconds later AICA was out of the Far Side with Odegana and Xenia following close by.

They made a micro jump and began to recon the area.

A few minutes later the unknown contact was identified. It was a legal trader's ship whose ID Transmitter had a malfunction. Usually a RASP Patrol would have been called in and charge the captain with a fine, but right now war lingered around this corner of the galaxy and after a reprimand from flight control the ship was told to get moving and repair it's transmitter.

AICA landed again and after a small break for refreshing and drinking some water SunTzu was back on his way to the quarters, trying to continue his conversation with Rei.

Rei wasn't in her room and also not at the lounge. He pulled out his phone and wrote her asking where she was, while he made his way to the Mission Control Center.

She wrote him, that she was on her way from the cafeteria to her room and as he wrote her, where she exactly was, she walked up from behind him, now de-transformed again.

"I'm here." Rei said and put away her phone.

Just as SunTzu was about to open his mouth the alarm started blaring again, making him think that someone up there really had a personal problem with him.

He had to laugh out loud and shook his head as he turned around again.

Before he started running away again Rei rushed over to him, grabbed his arm and spun him around to her.

She kissed him again, with the same passion as the first time. Their hands grabbed around each other and they pulled themselves as close as they could to each other.

The kiss lasted for a few seconds and was followed by a hug and Rei laid her head against his chest.

"I'll be waiting for you to come back. And then we can talk." Rei said while she listened to his heartbeat.

"I'll try to be back as soon as I can."

SunTzu kissed Rei's forehead and they parted.

The pilot rushed back to the hangar while she stood there, gazing after him.

She sent a small prayer to heaven, hoping he'll be back safe. The sooner, the better.

When he arrived at the hangar, Haruka and Michiru were climbing into the Voyager.

He rushed over to AICA, got into the cockpit and put on his pilot helmet.

Michiru came in over radio.

"We're flying to a planet called Carratos, located in the inner rim. Various ships, formations and units are involved. The planet is a pirate stronghold. Looks like Vader wants to sent out a message, we'll rendezvous with the Stalker, a ship of Death Squadron in System."

She waited a moment and waited for an answer or questions. But he stayed completely quiet.

"Earth to SunTzu. Are you there?" The teal haired Senshi asked him.

"Mate, snap out of it!" Haruka chimed in.

"I copy, I copy. Sorry, won't happen again."

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other in their cockpit. Michiru shrugged her shoulders.

SunTzu took a deep breath, sent a small prayer up into heaven, to be home safe soon and lifted off. Duty came first, right?

They returned six hours and three more kills for each ship later. There were plenty of pirates and marauders in the system Carratos was in but the combined strength of the Stalker, an Imperial-II-Class Star Destroyer, which already served under Vader in the Galactic Civil war, it's three veteran squadrons, the two fighters from Taskforce Sol, a RASP X-Wing Squadron and two Corellian gunboats quickly decimated any opposition. A contingent of Stormtroopers and Navy Personnel from the Stalker was dropped on the planet with escort from the star fighters and took care of the planetside hideouts.

The three earthlings were quite impressed from the professionalism of the Star Destroyer's Troops and Crew. Vader's own fleet had way higher standards as the usual crew of the GA ships they usually worked with.

Nonetheless the three warriors were glad to be back, they were completely exhausted.

After finishing the post flight necessities the three left the hangar. Haruka and Michiru wanted to get some food before sleeping but SunTzu was too tired. They said good night to each other and went their seperate ways.

Being pretty sure she was already sleeping and being too tired to talk anyway, he texted Rei, that he made it back in one piece and that they'll talk tomorrow while he was walking through the ship to his quarters.

When he arrived at his room and opened the door, the door to Rei's room opened. He walked over and a tired looking Rei in shorts and t-shirt was standing in her door.

She hugged him and put her head on his chest.

"I'm glad you're finally back. I couldn't sleep."

He put his arms around here, fondling her head.

"Let's go to bed. We talk tomorrow. I'm sorry you worried so much."

She nodded looking tired and pulled him a bit closer a last time before she walked back a step.

She laid a hand on his cheek and a small smile appeared on her face before she leaned in and gave him a small kiss.

"Good Night TopGun."

SunTzu smiled at Rei.

"Good Night."

She closed the door and he went over to his room. He had problems staying awake while he was brushing his teeth and when he came out of his bathroom and laid down he was almost immediately asleep.