Two days later SunTzu just got out of the Subway at the beautifully decorated Palace Station, nearby the Royal Gardens.
The sun was already up and Rei was still at his place getting ready to head over to the shrine.
SunTzu didn't take the subway often but in his opinion today there were more people than usual. Especially young and middle aged men, a lot of them having banners and Japanese flags with them. He also saw quite a lot Imperial Japanese Flags around.
And standing with the usual subway security was police as well.
The difference to their Tokyo Metropolitan PD colleagues was just the insignia but Crystal Tokyo did have their own police force he saw.
A lot of the men seemed to be angry and some of them were drunk as well.
From his point of view these guys were out for trouble and the pilot wondered why they were here.
The men made derogatory comments about him and openly called him a Gaijin and more drastic curse words. He didn't really listen, every country had his fair share of racist assholes and it's not like they were his future grandfather in law. He wheezed at his own thought.
As he was almost out of the station he noticed that a group of five guys was harassing a young woman on her way up.
They were making harrassing statements that they'd hand her around if she wasn't a dirty brown skin.
SunTzu decided to stop and assess the situation. The guys not only were insulting the woman but also trying to grope her.
Immediately he walked up to the group.
"Yo Fuckboys! Why you don't mess with someone that can fuck you guys up and prove you actually are men?" He yelled at the men and they turned around.
While walking up to the man in a very aggressive and self-assured way he noticed that the woman they were harassing was actually Maria Santos, the daughter of the Filipino Captain of the Far Side and nurse in the Taskforce. When the men angrily turned their heads around to SunTzu she immediately ran away, past the group of men and SunTzu.
"You okay?" SunTzu asked her and she nodded, she looked terrified but reacted immediately.
"Go up and head for the cops. Tell them someone will likely get hurt here soon." She nodded again and run up the nearest stairs.
The men began to insult the white man and one of them, a guy in his mid thirties with a dirty shirt and a bad haircut walked up to SunTzu, turning up his sleeves.
"What the fuck you just said, you long nosed piece of shit?" The men spat out in Japanese.
"Listen, it's not my fault that my nose is longer than your cock but you guys should stop harassing girls."
The man spat out before SunTzu and charged.
Only to be welcomed by a Force powered fist into his face, breaking his nose and cheekbone.
Strike first and strike as hard as you can…
The next guy began running towards SunTzu and tried to tackle the German down.
Only to be lifted up over the shoulder of the pilot and landing at the floor, where he received a kick to side of his head, knocking him out.
The third guy pulled out a knife and began to slash at SunTzu, after sidestepping him two times, SunTzu kicked him hard in the knee, making him kneel down.
He disarmed the man immediately and knocked him out hard with the handle of the knife and when the third guy tried to grab something out of his jacket, SunTzu was already in front of him, pointing the tip of the knife at the man's throat.
"Got a death wish?" SunTzu asked him dry, glaring at him. The fourth guy in the meanwhile sprinted away in panic and a few seconds later a group of six police men in riot gear came running down the stairs.
SunTzu dropped the knife as the police men swarmed out, fixing the man in front of him with a cold glare.
Was it wrong that beating up those racists felt great?
After being questioned by the police, a police car brought Maria Santos and SunTzu to the Palace and was even allowed to drive up to the main palace entrance.
There Setsuna and Minako, both in their doctor coats, Luna and Ami were already waiting for them.
The police officer on the right got out and opened Maria's door. Setsuna and Minako immediately rushed over to the side of the nineteen year old girl and Setsuna gave the totally done girl a hug which made her cry, Minako laid her hand on her shoulder in a empathetic way and together the two women lead the nurse away.
Setsuna quickly glanced over to SunTzu and gave him a hint of a nod.
SunTzu gave her the hint of a nod as answer back, before he thanked the two police officers and walked up to Ami and Luna.
"Good Morning Ladies. May someone have the decency to tell me why we foreigners are fair game in our own subway station?"
Ami, looking really abashed, and Luna looked at each other for a moment before the two bowed down in the local way of saying sorry.
"We're sorry for witnessing this."
The women straightened up again.
"Please follow me into my office. I can explain it to you."
He followed Ami and Luna into Ami's office and they sat down.
Ami took a big breather before she began to tell.
"These People you saw at the subway station today are here for protesting. They are Ultra Nationalists and strictly against the Kingdom and it's support through the Japanese Government."
"And why, excuse my choice of words, the fuck we don't just lock them out? Or just let the police sack them all in?"
Ami closed her eyes for a moment.
"As you know, we are a Monarchy. But to show the world that a monarchy can be a democratic and free country as well everyone is allowed inside the Kingdom. Through the Queen's direct decree even if they are not exactly friends and supporters of it."
"Oh, and is there any border to it? The daughter of one of our highest Officers was just attacked. This motherfuckers can be happy that i not just shot them at the place."
"I'm not saying that i don't understand you're point, but I do understand Usagi's point as well and she's the Queen after all."
SunTzu wheezed.
"So, next time they storm the gardens I just hand them over a few of the younger foreigners as comfort women?"
The pilot was really angry now and about to get up. Ami sighed again.
"No. As soon as they break laws or are openly assaulting inhabitants of the Kingdom or it's properties we can proceed against them."
SunTzu shook his head, he didn't understand this forbearance against racists, and Luna put her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.
Just as he was about to get up and leave the room, it knocked on the door and then it immediately was openend. It was King Endymion, as he came In he motioned everybody to stay put and closed the door. His face showed that he was angered and displeased as well.
"Can someone tell me first hand what happened? I'm hearing they Ultranationalists are attacking members of my Expeditionary Force now."
"The daughter of Captain Santos was groped and verbally abused at the Palace's Subway Station. I had to intervene. And witj all due respect your majesty, may it be because of my nationality, I'm not quite agreeing with the way the palace is handling things with these racists."
"We have our reasons to keep up freedom of speech, even for visitors from the neighboring country. And I read the report, several facial fractures and a broken knee aren't going to help things to de-escalate Captain."
SunTzu shrugged.
"I was just defending myself."
"With maximum force. Anyways, you stepped in to defend a comrade and this speaks for you. Next time maybe try to solve the situation without force though. Maybe then I wouldn't have to order Major Furuhata to up the Guards at the gates.
"If you want I can easily dissolve this gathering of racists with the help of my ship, your Majesty."
"Captain. You won't be flying today without Sailor Saturn accompanying you, I'll brief her to that effect. Aggressiveness won't help us dealing with this protest."
SunTzu went to the Air Base and Hotaru already had been briefed that she was to keep an eye out on SunTzu and that AICA was to be kept away from the Palace Gardens and the other areas that were open to the public.
Commander Jordan told her, that the order came from the King himself and she was authorized to use force.
Sailor Saturn would never disobey an order from the Royal Couple but she didn't feel quite right with it. Could she really use force against her trainer, superior and friend?
Before they left for a flight training with the other two flying Senshi and Terra Squadron SunTzu noticed the uneasiness of the young Senshi. At least she probably would hesitate before she would forcibly put him down.
The training flight was very awkward and both, SunTzu and Hotaru, felt uneasy.
On the way back to the Air Base, SunTzu turned around to Hotaru. She immediately turned her head away and looked out the window, not able to look him in the eyes.
"It's okay Hotaru, I understand it. You got orders. I rather appreciate it that you at least seem to have problems with that order."
When the starfighters got back SunTzu left with the three Outer Senshi for Lunch.
Rei just had arrived at the palace as well and joined them.
As Rei walked up to the table the four pilots were sitting on she immediately could see that the mood on the table was abysmal. SunTzu looked really pissed as were Haruka and Michiru. She sat down and gave her boyfriend, who was glaring darkly into his food a kiss on the cheek.
"What happened? You guys look like you are about to dismantle this place."
"Heard about the demonstration outside? It's not exactly people that were keen of." Michiru told.
"Fucking Nazi Wankers." Haruka added her opinion and SunTzu nodded acknowledging.
"At least your boyfriend bashed the face of one of them in."
Rei looked at SunTzu but the pilot just shrugged at kept eating.
"What happened?" The Diplomat asked curiously.
That moment Minako appeared at the table, a tray of food in her hand.
"Yo Minako, how's Maria?" SunTzu asked her immediately.
"Better. She is still a bit shook but me and Setsuna took care of her. It didn't took ten minutes and her father came over as well."
"Wait! What happened!?"
"Maria Santos was assaulted at the Subway Station in the Gardens. SunTzu intervened and took care of them."
"Yeah, he broke one of the fucker's nose."
"And his cheekbone! Motherfucker called me a long nose and I told him, that my fucking nose is longer than his dick." The blonde half British and the German fist bumped after SunTzu told that, quite proud.
Rei had mixed feelings about this.
"When it comes to me. You did great and those assholes were lucky I wasn't around. But as diplomat I don't know if this was the right way. Violence often leads to move violence." She said in a neutral but not unfriendly tone.
"I had to do something and It wasn't me that started the fight. But yes, I already was informed that this is not the offical guide line of the Kingdom." SunTzu said, rather snarky and Rei sighed.
"Listen, I'll eat upand we talk about this in private, okay?" Rei replied, being all the diplomat once again.
Rei and SunTzu finished their meal in silence, except for a short moment, when Rei took SunTzu's hand and whispered into his ear that she loved him to which he replied with a gentle squeeze of her hand.
A few minutes later they were at their usual spot in the Royal Courtyard and each of them lighted a cigarette, sitting at their usual bench.
"I'll be honest, I don't think it's just the assault, as bad as it was. It's the topic of racism that drives you mad. Because it reminds you of my grandfather. Am I right?"
SunTzu took a deep draw of his cigarette.
"Maybe." He pressed out quietly.
Rei closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her lips together.
And then she put her head on his shoulder and grasped his free hand with hers.
"And this soft line course of the palace irritates me. Aren't we foreigners here not worth more than a bunch of loser racists that hate this kingdom? Imagine what they would have done to Odegana."
"Babe. You know that I love you, against all odds. I love my grandfather but I am my own Person and I do choose who I love."
They two lovers locked eyes.
"Old man just has to accept my decision. He just needs to get to know you, although he will need his time to be ready for this."
"I trust you, Rei. And your grandfather shall have his time to prepare."
She kissed him and he kissed her back.
"And Odegana would have hurt those guys worse than you did."
Rei told him afterwards with a grin before she took another draw of her cigarette.
Rei had to head to her office and as SunTzu went back to the others Minako already approached him.
"I'll have a look at the situation in the gardens. Mind to accompany me? We'll stay in the back tho." She asked him.
"Yeah, I'd rather be around. Just in case."
On the way to the gate in the Gardens Minako and SunTzu talked about nationalism and racism in Japan and for the half British mixed race Minako this wasn't new topics as well. But it also was something she experienced on British soil as well. And almost everywhere else on the world.
"But Crystal Tokyo is different. Race, gender, sexual preference, even if you're not from earth, it doesn't matter. And yes, I'd rather use choke this racist fuckers to death too with the Love-me-Chain but you with our open course to dispute, tolerance and freedom of speech we already prove we are better than them." She told the Pilot.
From far away they already could hear the chanting of the demonstration that ranged from "Make Crystal Tokyo Japanese again!" over "Crystal Tokyo is an Affront" to "Out with all Non-Japanese!" and "All Aliens and foreigners out of Japan."
Minako had to laugh. "Crystal Tokyo never was a part of Japan's state at all."
A hundred meters in front of the gate two uparmored Humvees and a truck of the Forces were parked. Motoki and some guards were observing the scene from the makeshift control post while a dozen Guardists were at the gate, guarding it. Outside of the gate were two rows of policemen in riot gear between the loud demonstrators and the gate.
"Major, I see you got the best available job today." SunTzu stated bluntly.
"Yeah, it's awesome. These fine gentlemen love our Kingdom." Motoki replied before he asked one of the non commissioned officers at the gate for a status report.
The crowd of several hundred had begun to get wilder and the Crystal Tokyo PD was about to bring additional units in from their staging area at the Military Base's Gate.
One of the demonstrators tried to jump onto the wall surrounding the restricted part and enter into the restricted parts of the Garden but was violently pulled down by two police officers.
Now trash and bottles were flying onto the police men at the gates.
"And here I am, always been thinking that Japanese actually clean up more trash than they leave." SunTzu said sarcastically.
"Oh, these are certainly are some of our finest, Captain." Motoki replied while he watched through a binocular.
"Get the CS-Canisters and flash bangs ready." He ordered two of his men in full combat gear and gas masks, armed with grenade launchers.
Suddenly one of the demonstrators jumped out of the mob and lighted a Molotov cocktail and dashed the burning glass bottle towards the police officers and guardists at the gate.
But just as he had thrown it in the air, the glass bursted all of a sudden and burning diesel rained down on the man and the first row of demonstrators.
Next to SunTzu Minako suddenly felt a stinging coldness like it suddenly became dark and the sun was shut down. She shuddered and laid her hands around herself to warm herself up.
Motoki yelled orders in his radio and as he turned around he could have sworn he saw a small glow in SunTzu's eyes.
The police men at the gate rushed in to help the burning demonstrators and push back the demonstrators behind.
More and more police personnel came in running, officers making sounds with whistles.
Some of the demonstrators started fights with the police and a group tried to storm the gate.
While the two soldiers with their grenade launchers began to sprint over to their comrades at the gate an officer at the gate, pulled out his service pistol and dispensed a warning shot.
More guards and regular troopers came in as well as dozens of police troopers.
The demonstrators, at least the ones, that hadn't been fixed, were lead back to the train station, which had been closed for regular traffic by now.
Paramedics and fire men took care of the burn victims and after applying first aid brought them to the Kingdom's hospital. Except for the man that threw the fire bomb most injuries were light. The perpetrator sustained up to third degree burns.
With the fighting more Demonstrant as well as police men had been injured as well.
SunTzu and Minako decided to leave the scene and let people do their work in this chaos.
After a few minutes of walking next to each other, Minako still rather shocked from how much things escalated while SunTzu quietly walked next to her, his hands crossed behind his back, Minako decided to speak with him about what she just felt.
"SunTzu, what was that?"
"Was what, Mina-Chan?"
"Don't play stupid, you made that bottle burst. Something was definitely off with this and I felt… coldness from you."
"I did it to safe the police men and guardists from harm."
"And you think if it's just the demonstrators burning it's okay?"
"I guess you use Molotov cocktails at your own risk, or do you think otherwise? And may I remind you that you're almost a doctor but you didn't move a finger to help the victims as well."
Minako stopped dead in her tracks.
"And pushing my double morale back into my face is helping whom?"
"That wasn't my intent. But I think you understand that I rather save my own than a bunch of ultranationalists attacking them."
She grabbed his hand and pulled him around to her.
"Listen, i get that. I just don't want you to overstep a border with your force powers. Yes, even the blonde bimbo does know about the dark side!"
SunTzu looked to the side.
"It was just the only thing I could think of to protect these soldiers. And maybe it was over the top but do you have any idea what would could have happened if they would used the Molotov cocktail as prelude to storm the gate?"
Minako looked at the floor, frowning.
"Okay. But please, refer from stuff like that, nobody wants to loose you to the dark side. Think about Rei."
SunTzu nodded, and he deeply appreciated that Minako was concerned about him.
"Hey Minako?" He paused for a moment.
"Thanks for the concern. I don't know what came over me. I guess this whole nationalist thing hits too close to home."
"Rei's grandfather?"
"Yeah."
"Don't worry, if grandpa basically adopted this blonde British whirlwind, he'll find a spot for you in his heart too."
"Hope so."
"How about we hit up our blue haired mastermind and tell her what happened? Maybe she can get some of the demonstration's leaders arrested."
SunTzu looked at the First of the Senshi in surprise.
"Hey, just because I didn't want to see this damn racists literally burn to death, doesn't mean I don't want them to see locked up behind bars." Minako said with a weak grin and a shrug.
The Senshi of Love and the Guardian of Guardians strolled into the Offices of the Intelligence Service.
The whole Office was bristiling with activity.
And Ami was In the middle of the office, giving out orders to everyone.
As soon as she saw SunTzu and Minako strolling in, she pointed at them.
"You guys, in my office. Now."
Minako and SunTzu looked at each other.
"Actually I should be the one giving her orders." Minako stated dryly.
"After you, First of the Senshi." SunTzu replied and motioned for her to go first.
Ami was sitting on the front edge of her desk when her two friends entered.
"You two were there, what really happened?"
"The demonstrators got way and way more wild and after the first guy was dragged from the wall another one threw a flame bomb but that thing somehow bursted prematurely and he set himself and a few of his buddies ablaze and all hell got loose."
For the fracture of a second SunTzu glanced at Minako and she glanced back at him
"Yeah, that is what happened. Like Minako said." SunTzu added then.
"I see." Ami nodded slowly, of course she noticed the small eye contact these two had made.
"By the way mastermind, we were thinking, now that those guys broke the law if you could work out something that the leaders of the protest might get arrested."
Ami looked back and forth between her fellow Guardians and then sighed.
"Fine, I'll have a look."
The next morning Ami called SunTzu up. He was at the air base, planning flight plan for him and Hotaru when she called.
She told him to come over as soon as possible, it was important.
A few minutes later he stepped into the genius's office. To his surprise King Endymion was sitting in front of the desk.
He was startled for a second but both looked at him rather friendly and not angry or suspicious.
He was about to bow down before the King, when the King mentioned him to stop.
"Good Morning."
"Good Morning SunTzu." Senshi and King replied.
SunTzu noticed that Ami had her jammers switched on.
"Captain, if you would sit down. There's something we have to talk with you." The young King said and motioned to the chair next to him.
"This meeting and the topic are above Top Secret and cannot leave this room. The topic we're about to talk about can lead to the annexation and destruction of the Kingdom."
SunTzu sat down, frowning and asking himself what could be so secretive.
Ami took a moment to gather herself after he sat. She cleared her throat and adjusted the glasses she was wearing.
"As i said yesterday, I check out the man behind the leaders of yesterday's demonstration. And I came across something very alarming. One of the biggest men behind the nationalist movement against the Crystal Kingdom is Naoya Gorou, a General within the Self-Defence-Forces. He's been supplying the movement with large amounts of money. And what is making the situation even worse, is that he has taken an old base, Fuchu near the city as his headquarter, one that was already closed down and therefore only used by his unit, a specialized protection force of the Airforce. A first look at the personnel data showed that his soldiers are handpicked and not only from the Air-Self-Defence-Force but from all over the JSDF. A snap sample already showed that some of them had problems because they're nationalistic behavior before."
"Sounds like we should keep an eye on this guy." SunTzu replied. "Not that he gets any stupid ideas."
"That's another thing that bugs me. He already was supplied with heavy weaponry, according to his office for training but basically he could start an attack at Crystal Tokyo anytime he wants." Ami continued, seemingly worried.
"That's why we decided that Ami and the Intelligence Service will dig into it and immediately gather as much information as they can." King Endymion, who had been quiet until now, except greeting SunTzu, chimed in.
"Technical and optical surveillance is already on the way. I'll be meeting with the General, disguised as a Captain of the Navy, this afternoon. Be prepared that we might have to take… precautionary measures." The blue haired woman straightened up when she said the last two words.
"Precautionary measures? I understand." SunTzu said after a moment.
"That's why this conversation is above Top Secret. You know what we're talking about here, right?" Mamoru asked him.
"Sure. A strike against an Officer, his forces and headquarter of an allied nation, on their, neighboring, soil." SunTzu told the unspoken.
"Of course the Kingdom can't officially be involved with any of this. It could bring us to the brink of war. Major Urawa is officially on Coruscant with Lieutenant Colonel Wong, she left twenty minutes ago."
"Count me in, if you need someone to do the dirty work. As always. Now, since this conversation never happened I'll get a coffee and get back to write Lieutenant Meiou's flight plans. King, my pleasure as always. Ami, have fun on Coruscant. And let me know when you need… a lift."
SunTzu's day went on as he planned it, paper work, training flights with Michiru, Hotaru and Haruka, handing over AICA to ground control, lunch with the Outer Senshi, Rei and Minako.
He didn't tell anyone about the conversation he had with King and Ami in the morning, although he wouldn't have mind if he and AICA could strike the base. Show these racist assholes what happens when you fuck around with Crystal Tokyo.
After lunch he hit up the range with Hotaru and also trained some CQB techniques with her before he hit up the gym.
The Guardian was just done with everything when AICA told him that she got something she had to show him. It was late afternoon.
He got back to AICA's hangar and entered the cockpit.
"I received an encrypted message from Ami." The AI stated when the canopy was closed again and she had scanned her surroundings for anyone around.
The message told, that Ami's fake identity worked and she already was on the General. Things were worse than she thought and she would contact him again. If he wouldn't hear from her until midnight she would have been compromised.
"AICA, stay ready. I'm going to have a talk with the King." SunTzu said and immediately got going.
Not even ten minutes later he was in the Crystal Tower and on his way to frequent the king.
As he approached the King in the Throne Room, he immediately got up and waved at SunTzu to follow him. They went into the next room, a waiting room connected to another entrance.
After making sure nobody was around SunTzu told Endymion in a hushed voice what Ami had messaged.
Mamoru listened closely, his nodding head stating he understood.
"Good thing she contacted you. Get ready for a potential rescue mission as well as an assault mission on Fuchu Airbase. Officially you'll be on a mission to Coruscant to bring back Ami after her flight got canceled. And I'll come up with something that our forces are ready without letting anyone know what you'll actually be doing. Agent Smith is inducted into everything he can help you."
SunTzu got to military wing, hit up the Intelligence Service and went to Agent Smith's office, directly opposite of Ami's office.
The Agent handed him a suitcase, containing a MP7A1 with accessories and spare mags.
As SunTzu made it's way back to the air base he pulled his phone and made a phone call.
Half an hour later the young receptionist in Rei's department knocked on her boss's office.
"Come in please!"
She opened the door.
"Miss Hino, there has been a flower delivery for you."
The woman came in, a bouquet of beautiful white Casablanca lilies.
"They are from your boyfriend. Wow, I wish mine would send me flowers so often but I'm lucky if he gets me flowers on Valentine's Day. There was also a card."
She handed Rei the card and the black haired diplomat read it.
It said that SunTzu was sorry and couldn't make it tonight for their dinner and he was terribly sorry. And that he loved her more than anything else."
The young office clerk marveled more about the flowers but Rei didn't really listen.
SunTzu knew that she loved them but they made her feel melancholic as well. She knew that he sent this flower because of a reason and she briefly looked out of her window and thought about what he was up to now again.
SunTzu stayed at the flight center, waiting for any information of Ami.
Night fell slowly over Old and Crystal Tokyo and the darker It got the more worried SunTzu got.
It was almost ten when AICA came in and told him to come over.
He rushed over to the hangar and got in his starfighter's cockpit again.
Another message from Ami.
Ami stated that she was okay and she was getting ready to leave, telling him where to meet in an hour and for him to come meet her in secret.
Within five minutes SunTzu was on the way to the meeting point in a small side street of Fuchu Station.
Waiting inside the car he got from the motor pool next to the alley Ami sent the Adress as meeting point, SunTzu checked his surroundings. The small alley was scarcely lit and abandoned.
Two minutes before the hour was done he got out and entered the alley.
He had checked his pistol, just in case Ami would have had someone on her tail.
The alley ended dead-end into a wall SunTzu noticed as he walked into it.
Halfway into the alley a hushed voice came from the shadows.
"Finally someone that is on time."
SunTzu turned around again to check if he had been followed and when he saw everything was clear he walked up to where the voice had been coming from.
"I'm glad you made it out safe." He said with a low kept voice as he joined Ami,who was dressed in an uniform of the JMSDF, in the Shadows.
"Way easier than expected. My service documents were masterfully faked and the General believed me to be the Second in Command of a JMSDF Destroyer. The view of getting into contact with someone who could actually provide him with the ability to attack the kingdom with Missiles and even being a threat to the Far Side when landed made him eating out of my hand. But his other plans are developed way further. They want to start series of attacks against Crystal Tokyo, consisting of bombings of infrastructure in two days yet. And make it seem like a group of international leftists against the Galactic Alliance are responsible for it. He also has detailed plans for assassination attempts on the Royals and other high ranking members of the court, including me, Naru and Rei. We have to stop him, immediately. But we can't just attack his base, it's still a Japanese military installation."
"So, it's up to me then."
"I don't think that's an option as well. Way too many soldiers at that base. Plus the other parts of the base, that are used by other units, including a radar site from the US Forces."
"Let that be my problem. I'll find a way."
"There's at least 300 Soldiers there. I don't think you can go up against them."
"I don't have too. Probably most of them will be asleep in the barracks at night. And that's were we strike before I take down the General. With him and most of his troops down we should be safe again. Or able to get the rest later. I think I can get AICA close enough for a generic laser-guided-bomb without getting noticed."
"I thought killing non-combatants was a problem for you?" Ami asked, being rather surprised in the coldness SunTzu displayed.
"First, they're not non-combatants and second this is a imminent threat for my kingdom."
"And it's something personal after yesterday morning, right? Listen, you don't have to do that, it's insane to do it alone. We just can try to prevent the immediate threats on our soil. And maybe get the rest through Japanese Authorities.
"These guys are so deep in their worldview they won't stop just because we spoil their attacks a few times. And no, it's not about it being personal. Yesterday's morning was personal, now it's against Rei and my friends." SunTzu told in a tone, that made sure he would attack the base anyway.
Ami kept silent for a moment and then shook her head.
"Fine. But you know the deal. No support from the palace. You're completely on your own, even if something happens. This also means no traces back to the kingdom, so no blasters and only weapons from earth."
"Yeah, I got that. Like I said I find a way."
"General Gorou's unit is basically consisting of two companies of light Infantry, a platoon of Special Operations Capable Infantry and his Headquarter and Supplied. I guess most of the Troops will be in the barracks and sleeping but the Elite is mostly guarding the General and his staff, I saw them patrolling around the headquarters. Modern weaponry and NVGs equipped."
"I'll come up with something. Mind if I let AICA shut down electricity in the ward?"
"As long as she doesn't do it with blowing up the relay station, I guess we should be good."
"Very well then, let's get going. I'll try to strike around midnight."
SunTzu took Ami, sitting in the back of the car, covered by the tinted glasses on the back windows from sight, back to the base.
On the way they called King Endymion and told him in a code for that they were on the way back.
Within twenty minutes they were back and SunTzu parked at a small side entrance, where they wouldn't be seen as the guard there just had been sent to his superior, additional Ami was wearing an army parka with hood up.
They met at the throne room, Mamoru was alone and they told him the situation.
"Good work Ami. SunTzu, effective immediately you're on your way to Coruscant to get back Major Urawa, as she missed her flight. I'm calling in a surprise defensive exercise to cover up any traces that would openly show that we're getting ready to defend the kingdom. This means I'll also let all non fighting personnel on base seek out shelter. I'll be on the bridge of the Far Side with Artemis, just in case we need a deterrence." The King explained his plan.
"Guess this means, we're really getting serious." SunTzu replied
"We are. Nobody in this kingdom will be hurt in two days."
"Then I better not fuck up. I'll have AICA on station for a backup plan. Listen Mamoru, if I don't come back, can you tell Rei…"
"I won't. Because you will come back. And if it means just to get the General and get the other three hundred one by one. You take care out there."
"I'll try my best." SunTzu bowed down.
"Your highness. Ami." The Pilot left.
A few minutes later he was in the hangar. As soon as he would reach space, King Endymion would start the surprise exercise, calling all troops and Senshi back to Palace and the Base.
Before he left off, SunTzu announced an override code to AICA and gave her a non questionable order. Should something happen to him, she was to destroy the base and then fly to space and wait for further order from the palace or Hotaru.
He took a very deep breather before he lifted his trusted Starfighter off into the night.
The whole mission was only known to King Endymion, Ami, Agent Smith, SunTzu and partly, meaning that he was told something outside was going on and could threaten the kingdom, to Motoki.
SunTzu was breaking through the atmosphere into space where he after a very visible pass of the Selene flew to the moon, before he switched AICA into stealth mode and turned around heading back to earth, completely unseen.
Mamoru was in the Military Headquarter's Operation Center when SunTzu passed the Selene.
He turned around to a Lieutenant on Duty nearby.
"Lieutenant, what do you think about a little surprise exercise for the whole force right now?"
Haruka and Michiru were just leaving the Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall after a concert of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra they visited when both their mobile phones began to ring. While the teal haired Michiru grabbed into her handbag, her blonde lover grabbed into the pocket of her suit jacket she was wearing.
When they saw it was the palace both times they looked at each other in surprise and took the call. An automated announcement told them to immediately get to base and contact their superior.
A minute later, Haruka's white Ferrari was racing towards Crystal Tokyo.
"Oh, gimme me a break! It's the middle of the night. And we just came back from a night CQB training." A clearly disgruntled Makoto said, as Headquarters just told her over radio to immediately deploy all her commandos for a defensive exercise.
In her anger she didn't even wonder about why they were about to be issued live ammo and grenades.
Rei had just arrived at the shrine and after greeting her grandfather, who was sitting in his armchair and watching TV, she headed immediately to her room and dropped on her bed. Today had been exhausting and the that she didn't even had the chance to have dinner with her boyfriend sucked as well.
Maybe a hot bath would help to relax her. And help with this pressure headache she had.
Because she was in the bathroom and her phone was in her room she didn't hear the constant ringing of it.
King Endymion exited the elevator up to the Royal Quarters with Helios, Sailor Venus and two heavily armed Guards escorting him. The Guards stayed at the elevator.
"Sailor Venus, I want you to get the Sword of the Silver Crystal. Please use it to defend the Queen."
"Uhm, Mamo? Isn't that a bit excessive for an exercise. Like, it's the middle of the night."
"Venus, do as told please. Only if we treat this exercise real, it's valuable."
Sailor Venus sighed.
"Fine." She felled and went back to the elevator to the get the sacred sword from her room a floor beneath.
Before he entered the quarters Mamoru put his hand on Helios's shoulder. The young man was dressed in a uniform of the Taskforce and had his service blaster pistol in a holster on his belt.
"Helios, I reckon that you are ready and willing to protect my daughter no matter what happens."
The young man bowed down slightly.
"Mamoru-Sama… King Endymion I swear on my life to protect Chibiusa."
"Good, you will follow the Queen and the Princess to the bunker."
The Neo Queen and her daughter would to be brought into the hardened fallout shelter under the military wing.
AICA had dropped SunTzu on an empty road on a hill near the Fuchu Air Station where he had a good oversight of the base.
SunTzu, dressed in combat clothes and combat gear now, the PDW hanging from his chest, used a micro binocular with built in Night Vision and Thermal mode to Recon the base.
On his signal AICA would hack herself in the systems of the electricity grid and shut down electricity in the whole part of the city.
He held in for a moment and then out the binoculars away. Of course he just could sneak his way in and just get the General but that wouldn't make things really better, he was sure the old officer had contingency plans.
It's either us or them now…
What the Guardian of Guardians, determined to even die for the sake of the Ones he loved, didn't notice was the petite figure that landed on a roof of a house between him and the edge of the hill he had been standing on. As she straitened up into the night sky two rather large birds landed on her shoulders.
When Rei finally left the bath she felt worlds better.
When she walked into her room, wearing a comfortable Yukata she took her phone from the table. Maybe her Boyfriend would have had the decency to finally write her and explain himself why he didn't had time for her tonight.
Instead she saw that there were countless calls from the palace, Minako, Luna and others.
What in the world had happened?
Rei decided to call up SunTzu first but his phone was apparently shut off and AICA didn't attend as well. Strange.
She decided to call up Minako next.
"Rei!? Where are you? We are all ordered back to the palace. Mamoru had the great idea of a nightly surprise exercise. Can you believe it's midnight and I'm in a bunker under the palace?"
"What? Why? And do you have any idea where SunTzu is?"
"He's on the way to Coruscant. Ami is kinda stranded there. Anyways, you should get here asap, Mamoru is so damn serious about this exercise that Luna even had to wake up Diana and bring her down here."
SunTzu was in the shadows on the other side of the street near one of the base's fences, with concertina wire on top of it.
Something landed on the roof tiles of the old empty house behind him and although it almost didn't make a sound the quiet night carried it over to him, as he was having a last cigarette, hidden with his hand, and listened into the night.
"You'll leave immediately and get back to guarding the Royal Family and the Kingdom as you were ordered, Lieutenant."
SunTzu whispered into the night as turned around and looked up the roof of the traditional one story building.
"Negative, I cannot do this. Behind this fence lays an immediate threat to the kingdom and all it's inhabitants."
The young woman replied and stared down to him.
With the slightly changed Fuku of her Super Sailor Form and her longer hair, that now had grown down till below the top of her shoulders she looked so different from when he had met her first but her cold, emotionless stare was the same as back on the day she guarded the dead on that island where Marvin died.
Two crows flapped in behind her and while landing transformed into two Mikos with dark hairs, one sporting a long bow and queue on her back and the other a sheath with a Katana on her belt.
"You know how low your chances of success, and survival are, if you go alone." Super Sailor Saturn said.
"Which I'm totally aware of, but I have my reasons to do this. And I'm not gonna send you and the Mikos on an asssassination mission. How did you even find me?"
"AICA told me. I had to use an override code but I know something is up when AICA acts secretive with me. And for that mission, we came here on our free will. Rest assured Sensei, that without you this mission would fall into my hands, or rather our hands, anyways." She looked back to Phobos and Deimos, who were scanning the surroundings for anyone that might could have detect them.
SunTzu felt a cold sting in his heart. Of course, this probably wasn't the first time someone was secretly endangering the kingdom. It left a bitter taste in his mouth but as proficient and cold as Hotaru was with killing she had clearly done missions like this before. Even Utopia had to have his fair spill of blood to get to where it wanted to go.
"Besides, we're doing as told by the king. Guarding the kingdom's people, as you are one of us."
And an important one for me, my mother and my fellow Senshi.
And my powers are large enough to take out anyone opposing, even without informing the whole base. Your's are not."
SunTzu knew that but it somehow made him sick that this teenager, his protégé he cared deeply for had to be used as a weapon of mass destruction. And there wasn't any real alternative he had to admit. He knew he couldn't succeed alone. It wasn't the girls' nor his first time and it wouldn't be the last in this war. How many innocent lives would be saved with their actions? Wasn't that worth it? Wasn't that what even a Jedi would do, save innocent for the greater good.
SunTzu let out an angry growl.
"If something happens to one of you, you girls are in big trouble." He stated in a fatherly tone.
On the second exactly as when to told, AICA shut down the electricity in the whole neighborhood and everything went dark.
SunTzu wheezed, Hotaru and the Koronians wouldn't let him go alone anyway. They probably would even go without him. At least he could take care of the hardest targets.
"I'll take the headquarters and the General. You girls stay out of the building." SunTzu said and readied his weapon.
"Phobos, Deimos make sure to take care of the guards on the perimeter and keep open a path for our exfiltration. I'll use my powers to quickly take care of the troops in the barracks."
Hotaru's eyes began to glow purple and she whirled the Silence Glaive around into an stance where she could immediately strike from above, while behind her the two Mikos jumped up and transformed into crows again.
If someone needs to do the kingdom's dirty work, then at least we are the right tools for it…
"Alright then." SunTzu flipped his cigarette away and pulled down the Night Vision Googles on his helmet.
"Let's rage."
General Naoya Gorou was alone in his office and on the telephone with his benefactor, a heritage of a durasteel magnat from Coruscant, that just had took over the family's business.
The man had problems with the new political course the government was going and especially the new thriving members of the GA, like Sol, were a thorn in his side. He supported the General with funds to make sure that the pesky Crystal Kingdom would fall into silence and the planet would stay for itself instead of putting his agenda into the galaxy.
Of course the General despised the man, but he needed the money and they had a common goal.
Suddenly the line broke and the lights extinguished.
The General pulled out his flare match and lighted it. Next thing he did was to check his service pistol.
Artemis entered the bridge of the Far Side, the compact Star Destroyer manned but still parked at his landing spot.
The bridge was completely empty except for King Endymion, in his armor and with his sword on his hip.
"The replacement bridge under Captain Santos is up and running. Terra and the Voyager are ready to strike the bridges going in and out of Tokyo Crystal and the Commandos are on their assigned posts." The white haired Mau reported to his Supreme Commander.
"Excellent Work, Admiral." Mamoru said as he stepped back from a working station for the weapons system and got back into the middle of the bridge, looking out the window to the nightly skyline of Tokyo.
"What are the targets?" Artemis asked him as he stopped next to him and joined him in gazing at Tokyo.
"What targets?" Mamoru answered just a tad bit too fast.
"Come on Mamoru, for how long we have been friends now? A defense exercise out of the blue in the middle of the night, SunTzu and Ami missing, and the only ones on the bridge are me and you, the ones with the keys for the warheads. I don't even want to precisely know what kind of dubious mission Ami set up now again but I have to admit, I like to at least know against whom."
"As always I can't pretend with you, old friend." King Endymion sighed.
"Osaka. And Sapporo."
The Far Side's bridge fell silent for a second and Artemis turned his hide sideways to Mamoru.
"Then I hope whoever is out there for us is successful." Artemis said as he had turned his head back towards the city again.
Rei was standing in the door of the living room where her grandfather was watching TV on his armchair.
"I have to get back to palace, some emergency exercise or so. Don't go to bed so late grandpa."
Her grandfather waved repellent, still looking at the screen.
"I'm not a child Rei. I'll go to bed when I want."
The black haired woman rolled her eyes.
"I know that grandpa, but you're even more moody when you haven't had enough sleep."
Just as she was about to turn around and leave the room, the show her grandfather was watching was interrupted.
A special news bulletin reported that there was a sudden electrical power outage in the Fuchu Area.
Rei stayed the ten seconds for the announcement and then left the building.
Outside she looked around.
Strange… Phobos and Deimos were here before I went to take my bath. And they wouldn't go to bed before grandfather.
Rei stopped in her steps and took a moment to think everything through for a second.
Then she pulled out her mobile phone and called someone up.
"Sets, it's Rei. Do you have any idea where Hotaru is right now?"
SunTzu had crossed in a the street towards the base in a matter of seconds and was about to use a multi tool to cut open the fence, surrounding the base.
The two Koronians had already vanished and probably were taking out the first guards right now.
Just as he was about to start a shadow appeared next to him, cut a whole into the fence and immediately jumping away again.
Thanks Miss Murder.
He sneaked through the hole Hotaru had cut with the Silence Glaive and as soon as he was through he made his way towards the headquarter building.
The trees in- and outside the base were home to quite a few crows and so nobody batted an eye when a pair of crows flew over. The two birds probably just had been woken up by a cat or something.
This made it even easier for the two Koronians to strike and silently take out the guards in the guard towers and patrolling around, clearing the way for SunTzu and Hotaru.
For Sailor Saturn it only took a few jumps before she landed in front of the two large multi -story barracks buildings. Only one guard crossed her path and lost his head through a swing of her weapon before he heard her landing behind him.
Her eyes were still glowing purple as she swung the Silence Glaive around.
She had to carefully adjust the amount of energy she was using now, or she would destroy more than she actually wanted too.
Purple and black lightnings of energy formed on the tip of the Silence Glaive.
"Silence Drain!" Sailor Saturn spoke out and every living being in the two buildings was drained out of his energy.
Two companies of soldiers were immediately dead.
"It's been a time since I used this attack… and never against so many targets…"
The attack was very powerful and Sailor Saturn only rarely used it, as it drained most of her magical energy out of herself as well, especially if it hit so many targets as right now. It was meant as defensive attack against accumulations of enemies but it wasn't the first time she used it in an offensive manner.
She took a deep breather, as exhaustion almost took over her. It would be better to link up with the others and tell SunTzu that the troops in the barracks
SunTzu could already see the headquarters building through his night vision googles. The girls sure had done their job right, he didn't saw one guard on his way so far.
He just had stopped at the edge of a storage building.
The pilot peeked around the corner, the headquarter building was the next but he could see that there were at least four guards with night vision at the door next to him.
Something landed on the roof, almost without making a sound. A few seconds later it landed behind him.
He turned around and Hotaru just got up and straightened behind him.
He turned around again and peeked over to the next building again.
While he still was figuring out how to get over there the best way, Phobos and Deimos joined them and landed on Hotaru's shoulders.
SunTzu turned around.
"Listen, I'm gonna sneak over there and take care of the headquarter. Make sure the way out stays open. If something comes up, don't hesitate to fall back. No discussions about this!"
The girls nodded and SunTzu began to run over to the side of the headquarter building as fast as he could.
Setsuna parked her car at the parking lot at the foot of shrine's hill.
She had been on her way from the hospital to the palace when Rei called. And she neither did know where Hotaru was nor could she reach her.
She got out, locked her car and began to climb up the stairs to the shrine.
SunTzu was about to storm the entrance and mow down the four guards.
He sneaked up to the edge as suddenly one of the guards came around, his mobile phone vibrating in his hand.
Both men looked at each other for a second before they hoicked their weapons.
SunTzu, backed by the force was the blink of a second faster and sent a burst through the plate carrier, the body armor and the chest of the man. In his last movement the soldier pulled his, a German made HK416, rifle's trigger and a shot bellowed through the night. The shot missed SunTzu by far but alerted everybody around.
Now SunTzu jumped out of the house corner and began shooting at the entrance.
At the same time a whistle was blown and most of the soldiers that were still alive rushed towards it.
SunTzu managed to take two more guards out but was pushed back by incoming fire from the last guard as well as on storming guards coming out of the building.
As SunTzu leaned at the wall on the edge to reload Hotaru appeared next to him.
Of course.
A flash bang came flying in from the entrance and a few seconds later from behind.
SunTzu grabbed Hotaru and began rushing back to the other building.
The explosion of the flashbangs was loud, even with his headset with noise counseling on.
Although he tried the enemy was faster and outnumbered and halfway between the buildings a shot whirled next into the grass in front of him.
"Stop! Or the next one hits you in the back!"
It was over, they had been busted.
Rei was already waiting for Setsuna at the Shrine's gate and they didn't even stop to say hello.
"You think Hotaru is up to something dangerous again?" Setsuna asked.
"Probably. With my boyfriend and my two guardians. You heard about the power outage in Fuchu? And that exercise is not just because Mamoru was in a mood for it. Minako is guarding Usagi in the bunker under the palace."
"This would at least mean that someone from the palace knows what they're up to."
"But strangely Mamoru is too busy and Ami is officially away from the planet. Just like SunTzu. But don't worry, I either find SunTzu or Hotaru with my psychic powers. I already lighted a fire, give me a sec and we know where they are."
The ultranationalist troops surrounded SunTzu and Hotaru as well as the two Koronians that just had joined them.
SunTzu tried to cover the three girls as good as he could with his body.
"Girls, lower your weapons. I try to come up with something so you can get out of here."
Flashlights now were pointed at the group of intruders.
They were told to stay put and some troops began to search for more intruders.
At least they hadn't been shot yet.
Setsuna sat behind Rei, as Rei was holding an Ofuda up to her forehead and counted.
In front of her the sacred fire's flames were burning high.
When she had counted till ten she opened her eyes.
"I found them. And we should get going immediately."
Both women stood up and Rei turned around to Setsuna. They nodded to each other.
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Pluto Crystal Power, Make Up!"
As soon as they were transformed Rei was about to start running to get out of the building.
"We have to get going immediately, I sensed they're in trouble." Sailor Mars told Sailor Pluto.
"Then let's take the fastest way possible." Pluto said and began to move the Garnet Rod in a circle.
On Fuchu Airbase the four Guardians had dropped their weapons and were on their knees now.
Half a dozen soldiers had them surrounded and their weapons drawn on them.
Hotaru had the Silence Glaive laying on the floor but was eyeing it the whole time.
"Tell the General the coast is clear." The officer outside told a soldier at the headquarter's door.
"Why we don't shoot them already?" Another soldier, one of the guys that were aiming at SunTzu and the three girls asked.
Deimos and Phobos were glaring at the soldiers but had their weapons laying on the floor in front of them as well.
SunTzu's mind was racing. How could he save them. Or at least the girls.
Damn, I should have made sure they didn't come along… once again I fucked up…
But he had to be honest, without them he probably would have been dead already.
Maybe I can use on of these flash bangs in my pouches? But how can I do that without anybody noticing. I can't even call AICA like that.
Suddenly a whistle came in from one of the neighboring buildings.
A few flashlights swung around and everybody noticed two figures, apparently Females, on the roof of a multi story building nearby.
The flash lights revealed two very attractive women in Sailor Fukus, both with long dark hair and one of them with a long stylized staff, standing back to back.
Mom and Onee-San have arrived! These guys don't know what they're in for now. And I think I was never more glad to see these two…
"Hey Guys, don't wanna mess with some real women and leave the girls alone?" Sailor Mars, a glowing fireball in her hands shouted over to the soldiers.
"Or are you guys afraid of more mature women?" Sailor Pluto chimed in.
While everyone looked up to the two women, SunTzu turned to Hotaru and their gazes met. And that moment it hit him, she had psychic powers too, although way less developed than Rei's, and she immediately understood what his plan was.
Perfect, luck was back on their side.
"Who are you? Identify yourself!" The officer on the ground replied to the Sailor Senshi on the nearby roof.
Setsuna's face, icecold as ever, took on a wry grin for a moment.
"I went first last time, so it's your turn now my dear Sailor Mars."
An equal sly grin on her face Rei answered.
"With pleasure Sailor Pluto."
"I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for love and for passion! I am Sailor Mars! In the Name of Mars, I'll chastise you!"
"I am the Keeper of of Space and Time. I am Sailor Pluto! Guardian of the Underworld!"
"And in the name of the Crystal Kingdom we will punish you!" Both of the women ended their introduction.
That was exactly the kind of diversion SunTzu and Sailor Saturn needed.
The force-sensitive closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel the power of Super Sailor Saturn next to him, but he could also feel her exhaustion. And he could feel the power of the Silence Glaive, laying next to her.
Please, let this work…
It took the blink of an eye but he finally managed to let the force flow around it.
With a quick outburst of power he lifted it up, right into the waiting hand of Sailor Saturn.
"What are you doing? Shoot them, all of them, they're from Crystal Tokyo, you Idiots!" The voice of General Gorou came from the entrance of the Headquarter Building, he just had been lead out from his escort.
While weapons were drawn up again, Hotaru felled down the soldier next to her with a swing of her Glaive, cutting off the man's legs.
Behind her Deimos legslashed the soldier behind her while she and Phobos pulled out Kunai Knives from garters under their Miko skirts. Demos finished the man behind her with a stab of the knife in his left eye while Phobos threw hers into the throat of the soldier next to her, the blade entering his throat directly under his head.
SunTzu pounced into the fourth guard and tackled him, down. With a swift motion he draw his pistol from the holster, threw it up, catched it, shot another guard, just turning around, through the lens of his night vision google into his eye, and finished the guy he had just tackled with a point blank shot under the chin.
He was angry. At those fucking racists. At the General. But mostly about himself. He shouldn't have brought everybody into danger. And now even Rei and Setsuna were here. His wrath powered the force through him.
The last soldier around them raised his rifle and was about to let off, when Hotaru pushed the back of the Silence Glaive on the ground.
"Silence Wall!"
The soldier's bullets all ricocheted off a wall of purple and black energy.
On the other side the soldiers just had began shooting at Sailor Mars and Sailor Pluto.
"Garnet Ball!" A protective shield of energy formed, going out from the Garnet Orb, protected both Senshi from any harm as well.
SunTzu looked up to his girlfriend and Hotaru's adoptive mother.
Like Mother, like Daughter.
But he could feel that Hotaru was still exhausted and the concern about her pushed his wrath away.
Sailor Saturn had to hold her Glaive with two hands now, her teeth clenched together. The attack on the barracks had costed her even more energy than she thought, but more and more soldiers were opening fire on them now and she couldn't let the barrier break or they would die.
Suddenly she felt a hand grab on her wrists. It was SunTzu's hand and he had gently grasped it around her slender wrist. She didn't know why but she could feel new energy, not the usual, to her well known energy, but rather something else, something all-embracing, breathing, flowing, stream into her.
She strengthened her grip on the Glaive. The shield would hold.
"Pathetic." Sailor Pluto stated as salvo after salvo of bullets bounced off the wall of energy.
"Shall we go into the offensive?" Sailor Mars asked, her eyes filled with fiery determination.
"After you." Setsuna answered and straightened up, grinning.
These ultranationalists clearly fucked with the wrong Royal Court.
Another Fire Soul joined the one she already had hovering over her hand and with a widespread gesture she let both go off.
The balls of fire shot away in a half circle and met in the middle of the guards near the entrance, exploding as they hit one another, which produced a huge ball of fire and engulfed the nearby soldiers.
A second pair of fire souls followed immediately onto the next group of soldiers.
The shooting died down because the soldiers were awed by the power of their enemies. Sure they were briefed against the Magical Warriors and knew about their powers but reading about a young woman that apparently can produce balls of fire and actually see her turning the night into an inferno were two different stories.
As soon as she was sure, it was halfway safe Pluto ended her shield. With cold precision she found a fitting target, a group of three soldiers that had problems with target acquisition because the fire blinded their night vision googles.
She wouldn't ever tell anyone but as the most dark skinned of the Senshi Racism against her was nothing new to her as well and this lead to a principle loss of mercy against these nationalists and racists. On top she had seen firsthand often enough to what racism and nationalism lead in a country.
For once she allowed herself a small grin as she started her attack against humans.
"Dead Scream." She hushed.
Within a second the three soldiers were blown to pieces by the explosion of energy.
When Sailor Saturn saw that her mother and Sailor Mars went into the offensive she turned around to the two Koronians that had their weapons in hand again already and just waited for a chance to strike.
"Deimos, Phobos, get on the roofs and help Sailor Mars and Sailor Pluto take out the enemy."
Immediately both transformed into Crows and lifted off into the night.
SunTzu had grabbed his PDW in the meantime and had reloaded it.
"I'm going after the General. Link up with the others and get ready to exfil, the whole neighborhood heard the shooting, ain't no way American and Japanese troops show up soon."
That said he raised his weapon, shot down a soldier in front of him, also fighting with his night vision and rushed off towards the headquarter building.
The three Senshi and two Koronians made quick work with the remaining ultranationalists outside and soon Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn linked up.
"You okay?" Setsuna asked Hotaru while she scanned the surroundings for more targets.
"Doing fine. Thanks for the Rescue."
"When I told you I don't want you to look for trouble in the middle of the night alone or with Chibiusa, this isn't what I meant but we'll talk about this later."
SunTzu had killed one of the elite soldiers of the General's unit that was holding the entrance on his own now.
These guys were good but should have trained more against a peer adversary. Thanks to his training with the Commandos SunTzu knew how to deal with enemies that had the same or even better equipment, his enemy didn't and so the guard died as a salvo of armor piercing bullets penetrated his Kevlar helmet after being blinded by the infrared laser on SunTzu's MP7.
Good thing he was thoroughly trained at what he was doing. Since ever his wrath made way for concern about the girls and giving energy to Hotaru he almost couldn't feel the force anymore.
But I can't stop now, just the General and we're done for good here…
SunTzu stormed in further, weapon at the ready and flash bangs on his gear ready to be drawn.
Sailor Mars, followed by her two guardians in their crow form, landed next to Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn on the roof of one of the barracks. Apparently all threats outside had been eliminated.
Rei wasn't exactly happy about having to kill these men but she understood the threat these force had been and although she was open more and more for non violent solutions of problems she wasn't as naive to think that some things couldn't be solved without violence.
"Sailor Saturn, where's SunTzu?"
"He went into that building, after the main target." Saturn told and pointed to the headquarter building. Just in that moment dulled explosions and gunfire were heard coming from inside the building.
Rei clenched her teeth together. Why couldn't he wait for once?
"I'll help SunTzu. We should get away from here ." That said she jumped towards the headquarter building.
Inside the building SunTzu just had taken down four guards with the help of flash bangs, flash lights and lasers. Things were pretty close, if he would have been a millisecond slower he would be laying Death on the floor as well.
He reloaded, took a deep breather and advanced.
A few moments later and two corridors further the Pilot found a dead soldier, bleeding from his neck face first on the floor and on the wall next to him, apparently death as well, sat the the General, eyes closed, his hand still clenched around his pistol.
SunTzu scanned the surroundings before he kneeled down next to the General, lowering his weapon.
Just as he was about to check the General's pulse the man suddenly opened his eyes, and shot SunTzu.
The pilot hadn't been warned by the force in time and just could react with a slight move of his body.
This saved his life as the bullet didn't hit his chest but his left shoulder, right under the bone.
The impact threw SunTzu off balance and he landed on the ground.
The General began to laugh sardonically and got up.
Shooting his last guard and faking his own death for distraction had been the right thing to do the old racist thought.
And now he would finish this damn white devil and then hide until he was found and rescued by Japanese or American forces, there was no way these damn harlots would fight the whole base. He had lost his men but he could use this to his advantage. Maybe even get the government behind him. And if not, he still got his financial backer and could start new.
The General smiled and walked over to SunTzu, who was lying on the floor with a face contorted by pain. The bullet had graced a nerve and shocks of pain were rushing through SunTzu's arm and up his shoulder.
He was also bleeding a lot.
The elder Officer kicked SunTzu on the shoulder and he screamed out in pain.
"Now you I'll die you foreign scum. Greet my soldiers in hell you bastard!"
The General raised his pistol and was about to shoot SunTzu in the face when suddenly a clenched fist, burning hot like fire, hit his face and knocked him down.
The attacker kicked the pistol out of the general's hand with a red high heel.
The General had been knocked out for a moment but when he came to his senses he saw an angel of war and death towering over him.
Eyes blue like water from a mountain spring, in a flawless face and long silk hair.
But then he saw a red glow in her eyes and the furious expression in her face. And her hands, engulfed in flames, formed together over him.
Sailor Mars let out the fire, fueled by the rage she felt when she saw the General hurting her love, with a stream of flames as hot as lava, burning away the face and head of the Japanese Officer. It was so hot that the man's head was seared down to the bone in a matter of seconds.
A blacked, smoking, charred skull was all that was left when Rei stopped her attack.
She stared at the skull for a moment before she turned around and kneeled down next to SunTzu.
Blood was gushing out of the bullet wound.
She looked at the wound and then at him.
"Good timing my Love." SunTzu spluttered out.
"Baka! Why you always have to play the hero and take unnecessary risks?"
"But we won, haven't we? Ultranationalists? More like ultradead Nationalists now." SunTzu was getting pale now and his breathing got faster.
"At least you didn't loose the ability to make shitty Dad jokes." Rei pressed out and shook her head.
She turned around, as Deimos came rushing in.
"Deimos, get Sailor Pluto here, instantly!"
Not even half a minute later Sailor Pluto was kneeling over SunTzu as well.
Sailor Mars already had pulled down the Individual First Aid Kit on the pouch SunTzu had at the side of his plate carrier and Setsuna got to work with what she had.
"The bullet hit an artery, to stop the bleeding I need more than what we have. We have to get him into the med bay immediately."
"Can you take him with your powers?" A deeply worried Rei asked, SunTzu's head in her lap as she was sitting behind him, knees drawn-up under her.
"No, the stress of teleportation could be too much for his body right now." She turned around, to where Sailor Saturn was standing, looking worried as well.
"Hotaru, you need to get AICA here immediately and fly SunTzu to the palace hospital. I'll be waiting there for you."
The loss of blood and the pain of the hurted nerve made SunTzu slowly loose his consciousness.
"Rei, keep him awake. Come on Captain, stay with us. Hotaru!"
The teenager jolted up and ran outside, with her Senshi Communicator she called in AICA.
A few minutes later they had carried SunTzu outside as careful as possible.
Phobos and Deimos had used a few hand grenades they took from the dead soldiers as diversion for the incoming regular soldiers from the other parts of the base.
As soon as SunTzu was in the backseat Hotaru lifted AICA off and shot into the sky.
SunTzu was now more unconscious than conscious but Setsuna had managed to stop the bleeding halfway.
Next to her Sailor Mars began to wail as soon as AICA was away and Sailor Pluto took her hand and gently squeezed it.
"Don't worry, he'll be at the palace in a matter of minutes and then I can treat him properly. He will make it."
At least if my first examination was right.
"And now let's go."
Rei wiped away her tears and then turned around to Phobos and Deimos that were no standing behind their mistress.
"Head back to the shrine and be ready to evacuate it along with my grandfather in a matter of minutes."
"Yes Mistress."
"Yes Mistress."
Both transformed and flew away while Sailor Pluto swung the Garnet Rod around again.
Sailor Saturn rushed AICA over Tokyo at the limit's of the Starfighter's abilities without making too much of a scene.
At all their mission was still secret.
As she passed over the bay she almost called in the tactical channel but then decided otherwise.
She looked in the rear mirror and saw SunTzu on the verge of passing out.
AICA was nonstop checking on his body temperature and breathing rhythm but without his helmet and flight suit she couldn't take his vital signs.
"Hang in there, we're almost home." She told over her shoulder.
Hotaru's heart made a jump when they finally landed directly in front of the medical ward of the palace, that was as empty as most of the palace was.
Setsuna, detransformed, wearing glasses and in her doctor's coat was already waiting with a mobile stretcher, Sailor Mars next to her.
When Rei and Hotaru lifted him out of the cockpit, as gently as they could but it still hurt him immensely, and put him on the stretcher the pain sobered him enough to make him ask how Rei and Setsuna could get here so fast. And then the pain flashed out all means of objective thinking again.
"Don't worry Captain, I'll give you something against the pain." Setsuna said and injected a shot of morphine directly into an vein in his arm.
"Okay, let's bring him in."
They brought him into the first examination room and bedded him onto the examination bed.
Setsuna put on all necessary devices to read his vital signs.
When she saw everything she let out a big breather of relieve.
"His vitals are okay. I'll stop the bleeding, give him some blood and patch him up. Can you girls just do me a favor and wait outside? The morphine should work real soon and I can begin. If I really need something I'll let you know, but It should be good from here."
Both black haired Senshi, Saturn and Mars, hugged themselves relieved and after a moment she turned around to SunTzu.
Rei put her hand around SunTzu's hand and squeezed gently.
When she could feel him squeezing as well, weak but definitely trying, she had to smile.
Rei then ran her hand shortly over Hotaru's hair, the teenager standing next to her and still visibly worried.
Setsuna in the meantime hung a blood bottle up and attached it to SunTzu's arm.
"Come on Hotaru-Chan, let's let your mom work in peace so she can thoroughly take care of your baka of superior."
The two women left the room and Setsuna leaned over to SunTzu.
"Is the morphine working?"
"I don't know Doc. The pain is way better but I still feel like shit."
The left corner of Setsuna's mouth lifted up for the blink of an eye.
"Hey Sets, you got some of that good, good Bacta for me? I wouldn't mind a little dive, especially if it helps me to be better immediately." SunTzu asked, obviously the morphine was working very well now.
"Even better Captain. I have something new for you. I recently found the perfect mixture of Bacta and an artificial foam that closes a wound." She explained while she took her medical scanner and began to inspect the wound.
"Will it fix me up? I can't feel my arm so well. You know, I need my arm for flying."
"I have to admit you're the first one to get it applied but I'm sure it will help, even better and faster than regular Bacta. With a wound like yours it should fix the nerves and the blood vessels within a few hours. And the wound should be closed as fast as well."
"Sounds awesome. You know Doc Sets, your the bomb. You're an great warrior, intelligent, the best doctor I know, beau…"
"Psssh Captain, let's not say something that might get you in trouble with your girlfriend."
"Sorry… i guess the morphine makes my mouth run. And I'm a bit nervous because of my arm. If I can't fly or fight anymore I'm useless."
He frowned for a moment.
"Not that I'm useless already. I can't even survive without the help of Rei or Hotaru. Or you. And I should be the one protecting the Senshi, not the other way around. But If Hotaru and the Mikos wouldn't have showed up, I would have been dead before I even saw the General now. And without you and Rei we would have been dead as well."
Setsuna put away the scanner, the bullet had gone straight through and thank God didn't much of internal damage. The Bacta foam should totally be sufficient.
"And without you, Hotaru, and probably me as well would have had to do the job all alone. Maybe Neptune and Uranus as well. It maybe wasn't the right way to go alone but at least you're intentions were good. And I know you well enough to know that you didn't bring Hotaru on your own to this. As mother I do have to scold her, and don't think I'll forget this action of yours the next time we train together as well but let's be glad we all made it home alive. I'll start the procedure now."
"Hey Setsuna?"
"Hm?"
"Thanks a lot. Also for treating me once again.
She nodded with an empathetic smile.
"This is the payback for the dessert from last dinner. We're even again."
She pulled over a mobile table with different medical tools and a large injector , filled with a blue foam, over.
"I'll give you another shot of a pain reliever now, so I can work in peace. You probably fall asleep then."
She went up and took an injector from nearby before she got back and sat down next to SunTzu again.
Almost immediately after the shot he closed his eyes and he slept in. For a moment all that was audible was the beep tone of the EKG SunTzu was connected to.
The doctor looked into the face of the sleeping Pilot, his face already less pale looking and his chest was lifting and lowering steadily.
After a moment and having looked to the door that it was thoroughly closed she gently brushed over his head.
"Captain, you damn Troublemaker." She said in a hushed voice with a wry grin on her face and took the Bacta foam injector.
Sailor Mars, after having a much needed cigarette, and Sailor Saturn entered the bunker under the Military Wing of the Palace.
Everybody's eyes widened when they saw the blood on the two Senshi.
"Sailor Mars, what happened?!" A totally shocked Neo Queen Serenity asked.
Not even a quarter of an hour later, the Neo Queen entered the Bridge of the Far Side.
Still only her Husband and her Admiral where standing on it.
"Usako? You should be in the bunker!" The King said as he and Artemis turned around in surprise.
The Queen walked up to him and stopped for a moment.
"Admiral, a line to the Command Center, I need Diplomat Gurio." She said and looked at Artemis.
"Your Majesty." Artemis said and went over to a console.
"You have nuclear warheads trained in on Japanese cities, I assume?" Usagi looked at Mamoru, her face unreadable.
"Osaka and Sapporo."
"Very well. Aim a volley of conventional missiles at the Metropolitan Police Headquarter and the Metropolitan Government Building."
"Usako?" Mamoru asked dumbfounded.
Artemis came over with the headset and she took it out from his hand.
"Naru? It's me. Organize me an immediate appointment with the Japanese Prime Minister. I don't care if he sleeps or where he is. Tell him, It will have dire consequences if he doesn't meet me at once. And tell the old man to bring his Defence minister."
She ended the call and gave the headset back to Artemis. Both men now looked dumbfounded at her.
"I'll show them what happens when parts of their executive authorities become a threat to my kingdom. They should consider themselves lucky, we just took out the rogue soldiers." The Neo Queen stated in an severe tone and with a determined face.