Two days earlier:

SunTzu had a great dream.

He dreamt that he and Rei kissed and not one time but two and that made him smile.

Suddenly he jumped out of bed. That wasn't a dream.

Immediately he got up, went into his bathroom and got himself ready.

Almost running into the door because the Pilot was wrestling with his shirt he left his room a few minutes later and went over to Rei's door. He knocked but nothing happened.

He knocked again but still nothing happened.

What time is it anyways?

Finally he gave up went back to his room and checked his phone.

Several new messages, including some from Rei.

The blackhaired beauty told, that she was sorry but she had to join the Queen for some diplomatic work that she hoped to finish soon although. She didn't forget that they still had to talk but it could be that she might be busy the next few days.

SunTzu texted her back, that he was awake now and he'd be waiting for her.

It was 2 in the afternoon.

Rei read the message as soon as she got it, actually the work she was doing together with Usagi wasn't that important but it gave her some more time to think about how she and SunTzu would go on from here.

SunTzu had some food at the cafeteria and then went over to the ship's gym. Michiru and Haruka were there too. While Michiru rode an bycicle ergometer, Haruka was pumping iron.

"Perfect Timing. I need a spotter!"

After one and a half hour SunTzu left and took another shower.

God, he was nervous. And everything was better as to stand still and think about what to say to Rei instead that he wanted a relationship with her. He still didn't know how'd she even react to this. Was Rei Hino even the person for relationships? What if she just wanted friendship plus? Or made a drawback. He was a fighter pilot after all and to that effect he lived pretty risky.

To do anything to kill time he visited AICA but Karlena and the crew were busy servicing the fighter. The last few days had been not only a test for her pilot.

Bummer.

Then he visited Ami to check up on any new jobs to make some extra cash for the Kingdom but she was busy with data from the fleet and excused herself.

Not knowing what to do he walked back to the cafeteria. He even shortly thought about to search for Setsuna and ask her for a training, maybe receiving a thorough ass kicking would help sort his mind.

Finally SunTzu decided to get a coffee and so he sat down on one of the small tables at the mess.

Think SunTzu, think. Come up with something to finally win Rei over.

He was absently staring into his coffee.

"Is that some kind of Jedi Technique to see into the future?"

It was Minako, she was wearing a doctor's coat and got herself a tray with coffee and a croissant and sat down on the other side of his table

"Hi Mina. How are you?" SunTzu asked her.

"Obviously better than you, what's with the long face?"

Well, maybe she could help. After all she was the avatar of the goddess of Love.

"I have this friend. Let's call him John."

"Friend named John. I see. Go on." She said and put a piece of her croissant in her mouth.

"So, John is having feelings for this girl and obviously she is reluctant to him. But John is not sure how much she really feels for him and if it's enough for a relationship."

"Go on." Minako motioned with her hand and then drank a sip of coffee.

"What can John do or say that she'll at least consider starting something serious with him?"

Minako took another sip of coffee. Then she let out a big sigh.

"You know, John, and Jane, are beginning to give a certain Goddess of Love some serious headache." She finished her croissant and sipped another time on her coffee. "Okay, leave it to Venus-Chan. I think I have to talk to a certain Catmiral but I'll come up with something."

"You clean up after me," she said and left the table, her tray left for SunTzu to bring away.

The next hour SunTzu wandered through the ship, just for the sake of not standing still. It was already evening, when he got a message from Minako. The blonde told him to meet up with her in one of the meeting rooms on the command deck.

He arrived up there ten minutes later. He went quite deep into the ship in the last hour. She was standing in front of one of the rooms, and motioned him to hurry.

As the man moved up Minako grabbed him by the shoulders and pretty much pushed him inside.

Rei was already sitting on the table, clearly annoyed and tapping her foot, sitting in one of the chairs with crossed legs.

Her and SunTzu looked at each other surprised but didn't say anything.

"Sit down!" Minako ordered him, pulling a chair out from the table.

After he sat down she rolled the chair back to the table.

Then she walked to the head of the table and took long gazes at her two friends.

"You guys are off duty tomorrow. Also you're on a date tonight. I'll send you the place."

Pilot and Diplomat were about to protest but Minako shut them up with a gesture.

"No backchat. You have one hour to get ready and get there." And then she smiled.

"If you two one day have a daughter you might want to consider to call her Minako." She turned around and walked out the door.

"As I said, one hour. And don't even think about to not show up!" With that she was out of the door.

"What the hell was that?" SunTzu asked.

"Classic Fine-dee-doodle-dandy." Rei answered and sighed.

Not really knowing what awaited them the two left the room and went to their quarters.

"Uhm, just hypothetically. If I'd really would show up where Mina sents us to, would you want me to to wear something special?"

The Senshi thought about it for a moment.

"I don't think hypothetically present me, would care much. Just wear something you feel good in. But please don't come in your flight suit."

SunTzu nodded, not that this made it much easier.

They arrived in front of their doors and both opened their respective rooms and while they were both standing in front of their open doors they locked eyes with each other.

"Maybe till later then." The Pilot said.

"Yeah. Maybe." The Diplomat forced herself to a shy smile.

And then both vanished in her rooms. A few minutes later Minako sent them the information that they are supposed to meet one another at the second dining hall near the quarters for the ground troops.

If that is the most romantic place on the ship i'm a bit shocked. But well, who am I to disagree with a goddess in her own profession.

SunTzu got ready and had the hard decision on what to wear. Uniform would be too stiff and he didn't have any real civilian clothes on board. The tuxedo had been used this week already also.

He shrugged and went for a fresh pair of Multicam black combat pants. At least he was wearing comfortable clothes when he went down.

Topped with a simple black t-shirt and a black hat he had lying around it was the best he could come off right now.

SunTzu left very well in time and soon arrived at the dining hall. Since most of the ground troops were still off board it was pretty empty. And as he entered one of the members of the staff introduced herself as Tiffany, a golden ager, that told him that she was the head of staff down here. She was told to wait for a single guy and a black haired woman and take them to a special table. The two would be on a date.

He asked if he was the guy and when he said yes she said that she expected the couple to show up together. The Officer telling her to reserve and prepare table sounded so serious as it would be about a very important anniversary or something.

The staff employee lead him to a table for two, a bit aside from the rest. The little table was even decorated with a candle and a plastic flower.

SunTzu sat down and looked at his watch. He still was too early. He just hoped she would come at all.

He waited for what seemed like an eternity and just before he was to get up and leave again, Rei appeared.

Jeans, short boots , white tank top and a cardigan.

She smiled briefly when she saw him and walked up to the table.

"Can you actually believe we are doing this. That idea could have been from you."

What was that suppose to mean?

"Honestly, I wasn't a hundred percent sure that you'd show up." He said, looking at the table.

"I feared the same with you." She smiled briefly.

"I'm glad you came." Both said at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled briefly.

Tiffany appeared at the table.

"With greetings from Minako." She opened a bottle of white wine and filled their glasses. Then she left again.

"I didn't even know we had white wine on board." Rei stated, obviously happy.

"To what do we toast?" SunTzu asked as he raised his glass.

"To us. Whatever that means right now." She told him and looked into his eyes.

"Okay then. To us, whatever that means." They clinked glasses and drank a sip. The wine wasn't bad.

"About that…" SunTzu just started as Team 1 and their commanding officer showed up into the room.

They sat down on a long table, obviously happy.

Hulk looked around and spotted the two non ground stompers at their table.

"Hey Captain, there's one of yours and a half way decent pilot drinking alone. Whaddya say we invite them to our table.

Heads turned and Makoto got up again and waved before she yelled through the whole room.

"You two are secretly drinking wine from Tiffany's secret stash! Busted! And now come over here and drink with us! I'm not asking again, either you come or Hulk carries you over."

Rei and SunTzu glanced at each other.

They both shook their heads with a smile, then they locked eyes with each other and got up. Taking their glasses and the bottle with them.

Makoto clapped her hands happily.

"See, it's way more fun with more people!" She turned around to the food counter.

"Hey Tiff, I'll have the usual!"

SunTzu pretty fast switched to beer when he saw that the usual was a bottle of beer. And the beer was quaffable. Which left the bottle for Rei who was more than okay with that. A drink after Coruscant and the concern of the guy that was now sitting next to her was very welcomed.

"Kids, Mama brought you something from Coruscant." She pulled out a fine bottle of some strong alcoholic beverage from Coruscant. "Time for some shots!"

Tiffany brought a few glasses and Makoto poured a finger for everyone. Just in that moment Minako strolled in. She was too curious to not look what was happening between Rei and SunTzu and so she was all the more surprised to find them drinking with Mako and Team 1.

"Hey Minako, get your sweet ass over here. I brought the good stuff from the galaxy's capital. Minako swallowed hard but walked up nonetheless.

"You can help me with my wine too my dear Goddess of Love." Rei told her grinning.

The first round of shots was drunken and Minako almost coughed but good friend as she was, Rei handed Minako a full glass of wine to fight the burning sensation.

Soon people were beginning to get tipsy and Makoto brought out old stories from the Senshi. Some of them were really funny.

Rei slipped further and further next to SunTzu and soon they were secretly holding hands under the table.

Minako and Makoto were just telling a story how they once fought because a guy when Rei leaned in to SunTzu.

"Up for a small walk?"

"Sure."

Rei got up. "I just remembered that I forgot something important in the shuttle we took from Coruscant. I'm gonna get it. The Lieutenant here will help me search in his kindness."

The soldiers started to protested but Minako chimed in.

"Guys, you don't know how important some things are for us ladies. Let the woman go, I'm sure the Lieutenant will take good care of her." She winked at SunTzu as she said the last sentence
.

They left the room and were laughing when SunTzu asked if some of the stories were true.

SunTzu was walking in front of Rei, when she suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her. Next thing he knew she started kissing him.

They made out in the middle of one of the gangways and almost were surprised by two crew members. They laughed and ran away.

"Let's see the stars?" She asked and he lead her off to the observation deck.

Although interrupted with several make out breaks they somehow arrived at the observation deck. Thank god it was empty.

First of all they needed a cigarette.

They stood near to the window, next to each other, holding hands and she rested her head on his shoulder.

The two enjoyed the view of the stars for the length of their cigarettes, not saying a word before they got rid of the cigarette butts and she starting fiddling with her phone, connecting it with the speakers in the room.

There were still things to talk about, both of them knew.

SunTzu sat down at one of the benches and was surprised when music began to play.

Rei walked up to him and leaned down, put her hands on his face and kissed him tenderly before sitting down on his lap, looking into his eyes.

Then the ravenhaired Senshi kissed him again.

"So, what does that make us now?" He asked her, looking in her eyes.

"I guess that makes us. And I like us."

"I like us too."

"Cool", both said at the same time and smiled at each other before they kissed again.

She started slowly moving her hips on his lap, like she was dancing and invited his hands to roam around her body while she kissed his neck.

The Pilot started singing along while they were reaching second base and she started biting his neck softly.

They stopped for a moment, hands entangled and looked each other deep in the eyes.

"Let's go to bed?" He asked her.

Rei nodded and kissed him again.

"But we go to my room. There's less chance someone will wake us up." The Senshi smiled before she got up and lead her new boyfriend out of the room.

Rei opened her eyes and was greeted by a smile from him. She closed her eyes again, turned around to stretch and had to smile.

SunTzu still was there. She turned around to him.

"How long are you awake?" She asked him.

"I don't know. I watched you sleep."

He leaned in and kissed her and she kissed him back.

"Good Morning TopGun."

"Good Morning. Ramada."

She laughed and kissed him again, more passionate. They were still naked and they still had weeks of skirmishing between them to catch up on to, so breakfast had to wait.

It was already early noon before they made it to the cafeteria. SunTzu sneaked out her room to get ready.

The newly found lovers decided to keep everything on the down low for now. They didn't know how the Royals or certain officers would react if the assistant leader of the Inner Senshi and the rather new Guardian of the Senshi would declare they were in a relationship now. Especially Admiral Artemis' reaction could be rather bad, as he was a bit overprotective with all of the Inner Senshi to a bit, even though not as bad as with Sailor Venus.

When they arrived at the cafeteria, the one they usually go to, they found Minako sitting alone on one of the tables, wearing sunglasses and obviously not feeling so well.

"Good morning First of the Senshi. Are you okay?" Rei asked her and sit down next to her, while SunTzu sat down opposite of Rei.

Minako twitched a bit.

"Please not so loud. It got a bit late last night. And that stuff from Coruscant is pure poison." She rubbed her temple. "And you guys left me alone with Makoto and her Team. Where did you go?"

Rei got up and SunTzu followed.

"Let's say John and Jane finally found the time to talk." SunTzu told her, smiling at Rei.

"And today there's egg and bacon for breakfast." Rei looked at her and winked.

The two lovers leaned down and both kissed Minako on the cheek.

"Thank you for yesterday, Goddess of Love." That said as they left the table and went for the food counter.

They couple took their breakfast and got back to Mina, who was really hungover but even more happy that Rei and SunTzu finally admitted to their feelings.

Rei leaned in to her.

"Can you do us a favor and not shout it from the rooftop? We don't want to get in any kind of difficulties before things are a little bit more fixed." She asked her close friend.

"Apart that people aren't blind and most of the Senshi already ask what's up with you anyway, I get it. Don't want Catmiral Whitefur to throw the Lieutenant out of an airlock because he soiled one of his beloved Senshi." She laughed.

"Exactly." Rei stated, sporting a smile.

After breakfast the trio of them walked back to their quarters. On their way the run into Sailor Pluto who was on her way to training.

"I'm going to train a bit, anybody up for a sparing match?"

"I'm sorry Setsuna, we all had a Run-in with a certain Special Forces Team and their Officer as well as said officers liquid souvenir from Coruscant, we need a bit more of rest, i'm afraid." Minako explained to her.

"Oh, i see. Get well then." She nodded knowingly, the three others saying telling her goodbye with a nod and she walked off.

The three of them arrived at their rooms and entered, each one in their own room. Rei waited for a few minutes and then sneaked over into SunTzu's room.