The days went by as SunTzu waited for his trial in the high security prison near the Imperial Palace he had been brought to.
The prison itself was mainly used for high profile convicts like politicians and top public officials that were either accused or convicted of crimes.
While his room was comparable to a hotel room, he even had a bathroom and the privacy of not having a surveillance camera in it, the rest of his stay was very much like a regular stay in prison.
The guards had even taken away his belt and although he had planned to write letters or rather his goodbye-letters to his friends, as Force-Sensitive he hadn't even been allowed pen and paper, and so wasn't even able to write to someone. The guards, members of the Coruscant Security Forces, simply were to afraid that he could use any objects as weapons.
Before he had left the New Jedi Temple, SunTzu had been told about who were the institutions that would decide his faith. And also that his friends were all over the Galaxy and tried their best to get the Military and the Senate to decide in his favor. And Kyp also had told him that he would do so as well within the Jedi High Council. Knowing his friends were still on his side and fighting for him, gave SunTzu an immense upswing.
Torn between hope and giving up, SunTzu tried to either mentally find the words he would write into these goodbye-letters for his beloved ones, words which in the end never were good enough, or enough to express his feelings the way he wanted to. In the light moments, the hopeful part of him kept making mental plans for his time after getting out. SunTzu was a torn man and a big amount of time his mind also circled around the thought about the guilt he should have felt about Linta and the feelings of heartbreak he still felt for the loss of Anniten.
Anniten. In the last moment with her he could feel and hear that she had a clear moment and she had finally realized she had been doing wrong.
When he wasn't deep into his thoughts, SunTzu tried to stay physically fit, first to support his mind and second, should he get out alive out of this one, he asap wanted to get back into the fight. No violence against innocents anymore but the enemy would pay for what he did to him, to Anniten and to the people of Linta. They would pay dearly, he would carry the fight to them, into their midst, make him fear him as Anniten had feared him in his outburst.
If he wouldn't get executed before.
While Rei tried her best in the Senate to convince important members that SunTzu had to live, Usagi not only ,met with the Chief of State, who wasn't very talkative to the young ruler, only stating that all the attending factions would decide SunTzu's fate, but also with other high-ranking and important members of the Galactic Alliance. And she did so openly in public and while camera and media were present at the meeting points. The Neo Queen wanted to let the Galaxy know that she wanted to be heard. And she openly criticized that she, as ruler of his home system, wasn't one of the people who were able to vote in SunTzu's upcoming trial.
Not that the public knew much about the trial or SunTzu's actions at Linta. Officially the sun had suddenly gone supernova on it's own and destroyed the system. A tragedy that unfortunately nobody had seen coming but everybody in the higher echelons of the Galactic Alliance knew the truth about what happened. All that was known from SunTzu was that the ace pilot, a symbol of the Alliance's fight against the enemy, had been prisoned and was facing charges for unknown reasons. Some voices soon began to speculate that the catastrophe at the Linta System and SunTzu's incarceration weren't coincindential.
In the meantime, the Neo Queen's husband and the youngest of the Senshi had not only visited the Chiss, where a delegation of the Empire of the Hand had also been present, as well as one from the Imperial Remnant, they also had made a short foray to the New Frontier.
Of course, both the Cavalry Overcommand and the Kingdom of Jar, fully supported SunTzu's acquittal after the work he had done there. After all, because of all the casualties and victims the New Frontier had suffered, the 7th Fleet as whole and officially was supporting not only SunTzu but also a more aggressive approach in the Shadow War.
On the other side it took all of King Endymion's diplomatical skills to get the Chiss and the Empire of the Hand to support their cause, as both fractions strictly loathed genocide. Nevertheless, in the end both fractions had to submit that the Shadow War needed drastic measures to be won and supported an acquittal as well. The Imperial Remnant had kept themselves rather capped, but if they would have dismissed their support, it would have been pure double moral and Pellaeon was too much of a gentleman leader to do like this, even if the Council of Moffs would do so.
Mamoru knew his First Knight and friend wasn't safed yet but he was content that his mission had been successful.
Mamoru's pilot was even more content, as Hotaru simply couldn't think one minute about the possibility to loose her former teacher. It was just too much to bear for her. If she had to rescue him herself, so he could live, she would have done so. SunTzu would life she had sworn herself.
Haruka and Michiru had visited the the heads of the Military on Coruscant and Anaxes, ranging from General Cracken to the Commanding Officer of the Fourth Fleet, Admiral Nek Bwua'tu.
Naturally the support from the Forces were easier to gain than the support from the Senate, so the Senshi were pretty sure that most of the officers in the Galactic Alliance High Command would be against the execution of one of the Forces' best starfighter pilots.
Rei on the other side had it way harder to gain support. For a lot of Senators, especially the ones with former Rebel Alliance or New Republic ties or backgrounds, the use of a super weapon was something they just couldn't let pass.
Two nights before the trial Rei came home completely exhausted and disillusioned.
Yuichiro, who had been waiting for her, immediately offered her a neck massage, after he had begun to prepare a warm bubble bath for her. He knew how much work she was putting in and although it was for her ex-boyfriend, a guy that had punched him in the face, he wasn't jealous or angry about it. In his eyes executing SunTzu just wouldn't have been right. He was there when Setsuna had explained to them how SunTzu had been tortured. And how big the threat had been that he had destroyed.
Sitting there in her white blouse, her outer appearance flawless as always and nothing giving away her tiredness except for her eyes, it didn't took long until Rei finally could start to let her defense slip a bit. And under Yuichiro's tender care she began to cry.
"The Senate will vote for his execution. I tried everything and I failed." She whined, unsuccessfully trying to contain her tears.
"I once smacked him in the face for talking bad about the Senate. Now I'm the one feeling that I should have gotten smacked. I felt like I could change something when I got elected into the Senate, but I can't even safe SunTzu."
"But you did so much already, Rei." Yuichiro quietly comforted her and pulled his arms around her from the back, pressing the love of his live close onto him.
"The work you do for the Refugees and for our Forces. You did so much good in the Senate in such a short time since you've become a Senator. It's not your fault, that people feel threatened about what's really happening in the Galaxy and the drastic measures that need to be taken to safe it."
The Japanese man continued. Rei cleaned the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands.
"I'm sorry Yuichiro. It's not right to cry for him in front of you. I guess that made you jealous. I just hope you understand that I can't sit here and let him die. He saved the Galaxy and he saved us Senshi, saved me, so many times."
"It's okay, I know that you two were close. And I heard enough about him to understand why you want to safe him. He earned your trust and your love, that alone makes him an outstanding guy and I understand about the special bond you two shared. I learned my lesson and see it as reminder to never leave you again. And to keep on fighting for your love. But, and don't quote me in public on that, I hope he will get acquitted too. I mean shit, after all he was just trying to save the Galaxy."
"There's more, than the trial, Yuichiro. This prophecy of him I had months before. Shortly after the Fall of Rago. In this vision I saw the time he died and I saw him while the supernova on Linta began. First I thought I was wrong but then his alleged death occurred just as I had foreseen it. I feel guilty for not telling anyone. And I feel guilty for not telling him."
"These people were probably turned long before he arrived there. He would not have been able to safe them anyways."
"I know, but what if he or someone else than me would have known about that vision as well and would have looked out for him. You were there when Setsuna told what they had done to him. If I would have told anyone he might wouldn't have had to go through all this."
"And what if it would still had happened? It was his own girlfriend that betrayed him. Rei when I learned one thing about the universe on my travels, than that some things will happen, no matter how much the circumstances change or how much you try to avoid them to happen." He let out a sigh and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Let's not focus on what could have been. Let's focus on the here and now and what's going to happen soon. Although I don't think me and him will ever become friends, and yes, I am partly jealous, which, as I said is okay as I know about the bond you shared, I have a problem with a warrior getting punished for saving his friends. And probably the whole Galaxy. So maybe, and I'm saying this for you, as I know how much it would hurt you to loose him, we should think about ways to prevent his execution other than in that trial."
Around the same time Ami and Makoto met in Ami's office on board the Far Side. The Far Side, her repairs and modifications still not completely done yet, had arrived along her Captain and the Taskforce's Commander in the Coruscant System a few hours ago. The Starstruck was still at Bestine getting repair work done, while the Companion had been ordered back to Earth after her repairs.
A small detachment of the Taskforce's troops were onboard, including the Commandos, four of Terra's Headhunters, the Assault Transport Craft and a few regular troopers and guards.
Apart from the two Senshi there were also three other females in the small office, all of them Members of the GAIS.
"Here's the plans of the prison. But I have to let you know there's no way you can get him out with force without a big fight. The closest CSF barrack is a mere click away." Ada briefed them while she handed Ami a data chip.
She was sitting opposite to the blue haired genius with Yumeko standing behind her and a young blonde woman standing next to Yumeko.
"I'm pretty optimistic about that my boys and girls could get him out in due time. But yeah, the extraction is the one factor where we would have problems." Makoto replied, sitting on the chair next to her.
"Artemis will be requesting landing permission in one of the bases at the Senate District but even then it will be hard to get him out before the CSF shows up in force and with superior firepower." Ami stated in a despondent voice.
"It would be better to get him out on the way to the Imperial Palace then. It's harder to get him out of the Palace with the security measures over there. Even if Yumeko, Mary and me help you." Ada suggested while she motioned to her two companions.
Mary Saotome was a new agent working under Ada, a close friend and former classmate of Yumeko and a pro gambler as well. The attractive blonde, the same age as Yumeko, sported two ponytails, tied by black ribbons and had dark-yellow eyes. She was a little bit shorter than Yumeko and built a bit more slender. Like the other three Intelligence Service Members she was wearing her service uniform as well. Yumeko's talents had showed Ada that a lot of the characteristics useful in gambling were useful in being a spy as well and so she hadn't hesitated when Yumeko had suggested to recruit her good friend as well.
Mary had been in for just a few smaller missions for Ada but already earned the high-ranking intelligence officer's trust enough that she was allowed to participate in this highly secretive meeting between the two leaders of their spy alliance, where they were discussing things nothing short of treason to the Galactic Alliance. But loyalty to your friends was a thing that was more important than loyalty to your state.
It knocked on the door of the small office, already packed with people. Ami and Ada shot each other a glance before Ami got up, pressed herself past the table plate and Makoto and opened the door a crack to look outside.
"I'm sor… oh. Usagi. How can I help you?"
"May I come in, Major Urawa?" The blonde heiress said in a voice that left no choice to decline, her first Senshi and her husband behind her. It was pretty seldom to see the young Queen behave in such a way, especially with the Senshi.
"Of course your Majesty, it's just a bit packed here." Ami answered and opened the door.
"Thought so." Usagi responded and walked in, while Ami sat down again and Ada and Makoto stood up to the let the Royals sit down. Usagi took Makoto's seat while Mamoru motioned Ada to sit back down again as well.
The room was completely full now and the five standing people were almost huddled together.
As soon as Usagi had sat down she made sure the door was closed and then asked a question to Ami.
"Your spy thingies are on?"
"Affirmative."
"Good, because this conversation will NOT leave this room. I hope I can trust you in this as well, Agent Wong."
"Of course, your Majesty."
"Good." Usagi took a deep breather as she had to gain extra strength for what she was about to say. The spies and Makoto noticed that the king had planted a supporting hand on his beloved wife's shoulder.
"I forbid any attempts to free SunTzu from prison or on his way to court."
Makoto was immediately about to intervene but Usagi held a hand up to shut her up and continued with a firm voice.
"We will not go against the Galactic Alliance. This is a strict order."
Now Ami was the one who wanted to reply something and opened her mouth to speak but Usagi didn't give her a chance and continued.
"However, the Far Side will still try to get a landing permission near the Imperial Palace. I just received word from the Chief of State that no onlookers apart from official members of the trial's factions are allowed. Not even me or Endymion, nor Rei as she's not part of the Senate's committee."
"Tsk… so that's it? We just leave him on his own devices? Not even any support in court, no show of force, nothing?!" Makoto bursted out.
"No. I could at least negotiate that, as his acting medical officer, Sailor Pluto is allowed inside the court."
"That's it? Setsuna gets to watch how he might gets sentenced to death?"
"It's not. Sailor Pluto will visit him tomorrow night in secret, using her… unique powers. She will also see for his state. We are not letting the First Knight down. Agent Wong, I assume you can help us with this." Serenity II. glanced at Ada and the Agent nodded. Actually the Neo Queen had the idea from her daughter. She and her best friend had come up with it while thinking about what they could do to help SunTzu.
"I can, your Majesty. We will take measures that Sailor Pluto's visit definitely will go unnoticed."
Usagi closed her eyes for a moment and then sighed.
"I wish we could do more. At least without having to hurt other people. But I have faith in the Galactic Alliance that it will make the right decision."
A few minutes later Sailor Venus and Neo Queen Serenity were back on their way to the Royal Quarters. The queen hadn't spoken since they had left Ami's office but suddenly she looked at her blonde confidant.
"No matter if he gets sentenced or not, there will be trouble."
The next day came and while SunTzu still tried to kill time until his trial, he wished he had that lightsaber he had built with him so he could train with it, outside his cell a lot of things had happened unbeknownst to him.
It all began in the early morning, hours before sunrise in the Senate District, when the Far Side, along with every other ship and starfighter of Taskforce Sol that it carried, was not allowed to land on Coruscant. The CSF had urged the local Fleet Control to deny that to the force of Earthlings, out of concern the small but very capable Taskforce could execute a rescue mission for their comrade.
Immediately after hearing about it on the open tactical comms channel, the newly appointed Captain of a fresh out of the Madine-Depot coming and de-mothballed Republic-Class Cruiser had interjected her non-approval for the treatment of such an effective and famous Taskforce.
The Captain of the Cruiser, named the Spirit of Ithor, was nobody else than Captain Vulaa Sidem. The female fleet officer had almost lost her old Cruiser, the Shadow, in an attack and Haruka, Michiru and SunTzu, temporarily stationed on the ship back then, had saved her ship and it's crew. She had since then switched from the RASP to the regular Fleet as she wanted to fight offensively against the enemies of the Alliance. And when she now found herself listening to a paramilitary security force denying a bunch of forcedamned war heroes the right to land she got furious.
Her interjection was of no interest for the local force of course and so she had established a holo line to Artemis and asked him what was going on.
Artemis, equally angered and internally very worried about his former pilot, and if he was honest to himself, friend, told his fellow captain everything that happened.
Some would have said it was an act of mutiny, but after all the orders came from the CSF and not the Fleet, as the next thing that happened was that the "Spirit of Ithor" under plaudits of both ships' crews took flanking position next to the Far Side.
A few hours later, at the dawn of morning, more and more ships, passing warships from the Fourth Fleet, the First Reserve Fleet, as well as RASP-Ships had taken point next to the Far Side. Taskforce Sol had been very well known inside the Forces by then and showing support to the Heroes of Bestine and Rago, being mistreated and and offended in such a way by the CSF, a mere police force, was an act of honor for the ship's captains and crews.
At dawn, three corvettes, four frigates and the Spirit of Ithor were showing their support with being in formation around the Far Side.
Meanwhile the naval arm of the CSF had pulled together ships nearby.
What had begun as denial of landing in fear of a rescue mission for the incarcerated SunTzu had become a political statement from the Fleet.
So far neither High Command nor Admiral Nek Bwua'tu had reported in or given orders to stand down.
Furthermore, at noon, a completely black-colored Imperial-Class II Star Destroyer fell out of Hyperspace near Coruscant.
Noticing that the Far Side was lying in front of Coruscant, the Anakin Skywalker made full speed ahead towards it.
Colonel Skywalker, the male one, had heard what had happened on Linta and as soon as he could leave the frontline he decided to travel to Coruscant to find out what was really going on. SunTzu had helped the Fifth a bunch of times and Jacen Solo didn't want to jump to conclusions from afar. Especially since he also had been tempted by the Dark Side before and only his resurrected Grandfather, with the killing of the Lady of the Sith, Lumiya, had saved him from a downfall onto the Dark Side.
And Jacen hadn't came alone. On the way he had picked up his twin sister, while the rest of the Twin Suns Squadron stayed under command of Jaina's boyfriend, Colonel Jagged Fel.
Making way to the small flotilla of Navy Ships Jacen contacted the Far Side and was greeted by King Endymion himself.
The call soon was ended and the conversation over holo continued a few minutes later in Endymion's study, where the young monarch explained the situation to Jaina and Jacen, who too had gone to Jacen's study to talk in private.
Both Jedi absolutely understood the necessity of a trial but the Solo-Twins also couldn't couldn't understand their mother why she would forbid the Royals and the Senshi to see SunTzu. And both agreed the treatment of the Taskforce from the side of the CSF was unbearable.
The twins split up after the call. Jaina stayed in the room and would call their mother to see what the reason behind her decision was, while Jacen would head back to the bridge, to order his flagship next to the Far Side. Both of the twins were officers of the Armed Forces, the level of disrespect the local forces began to show off at the fighting units of the regular fleet was becoming ridiculous and they wanted to show their personal support in this matter as well.
A few minutes later Jaina appeared on the bridge and Jacen and her went to a quiet corner to discuss what their mother had told Jaina.
"She said it's not a matter of the Taskforce or Crystal Tokyo but one of the factions ruling over his judgement involved. And she made clear that she doesn't want to see any member of the Taskforce except the Emissary to the Jedi in the Palace."
"I don't know about you Jaina, but I still don't think that's right. They should at least be allowed to follow the trial inside the courtroom for some mental support. You know that Captain SunTzu might get sentenced to Death. The man of the Prophecy, savior of thousands of individuals in the Forces"
"I know that, Jacen."
"And yet they have to deal with this dismissive behavior of the CSF."
And then it seemed like Jacen had an idea and the turned around and headed to the ship's captain.
"Jacen, what are you doing?"
"Mom said she doesn't want to see the Earthlings ON Coruscant. But she didn't say anything about Coruscant's Sky."
Jaina furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to understand with what her twin brother would come up now again. His unusal actions nowadays sometimes reminded her of Anakin, their deceased younger brother and namesake of the ship they were standing on.
"Captain, prepare for atmospheric flight. And open a channel to the Far Side. We're going to let Coruscant know, that Captain SunTzu is not alone. And then call Coruscant Control and tell them that the officer-on-duty will most-likely personally have to report to the Chief of State why her two children and the ship bearing her dead son's name can't pass the planetary shield, if he should think about to activate it."
Lead by the Anakin Skywalker the flotilla of ships supporting the Taskforce entered the atmosphere of Coruscant and took position a few hundred meters above the Senate District, in close proximity to the Imperial Palace.
Of course the CSF had ordered the ships to not continue their descent and even threatened them.
"Feel free to try." Was the short answer that Jacen Skywalker sent back from the bridge of his flagship, the most advanced Star Destroyer in the whole Fleet, to the CSF's HQ. And while the CSF had superior numbers, no single ship matched the strength of the modified Impstar Deuce, so it was restricted to more threats and following the flotilla in due distance.
Following the Black Annie's example more and more ships of the Fleet arrived and showed their support for the Taskforce, SunTzu and all the other fighting parts of the Forces with joining the made-up fleet group over the Senate District.
Meanwhile the CSF began to concentrate most of it's ships over the Imperial Palace. A few ships of the regular Fleet had joined them, most notably two Imperial-Class Star Destroyers.
To everyone's surprise there still hadn't been neither a reaction from the Chief of State nor the Supreme Commander yet. In the High Command most of the staff officers were, some open, other secretly, in favor of the demonstration of comradeship but also called each side to be very careful. The tone between both sides had hardened and fears of an escalation began to rise.
Apart from the perceived stand off, there were other developments. Neo Queen Serenity had called her Senator, who was more than willing to go there, back on board the Far Side as well. Both knew the Senate would vote for guilty in the trial and Rei was actually glad when Usagi told her, in her work as Senator of Sol and as Sol's highest diplomat, to relocate either to the Far Side or to Earth. Earth's Senator was more than disgruntled with the Legislature of the Galaxy, so she was pleased to see that her Queen ordered her back not in private but in an open and public statement, which also was sent to the Senate, Imperial Palace and various media agencies. Another form of offical protest. And although most of the Senate would vote SunTzu guilty, some Senate members, among them the representatives of Chiss Space and the New Frontier, openly supported the protest, the showing of comradeship and SunTzu himself.
The public followed the developments curiously, it had became widely known now, that the decorated pilot of the Forces was going to trial and his life was at stake but why exactly hadn't still be stated. But seeing parts of their armed forces, senators and Sol openly supporting him told the public that their government might was doing wrong here.
It was evening by now and while outside the trial had been a catalyzer for the official Armed Forces being done with being neglected in favor of local security and sector forces and it also could lead to the fallout of Sol System and Crystal Tokyo with the Galactic Alliance, SunTzu was having a visitor in his cell.
"No, but thank you, really tho. Master Durron has offered the same already but I refused it as well. I will not anyone take the burden to defend me. I did destroy the Linta System after all and this has to be my burden alone, I don't want to share this guilt."
"But who will defend you then?"
"I'll do it myself, not that it's needed anyway. I already confessed and I'm pretty sure, that most factions already made their decisions."
"SunTzu. Think about it, I won't…
"Ada, it's okay. I know you're my friend and want to look out for me, but I'm man enough to stand up for my wrongdoings. I appreciate your friendship though. Deeply."
Ada shook her head, although with a small smile.
"Good. It goes without saying that you got more friends out there who don't want you to get executed." She said and stood up from the small table she and SunTzu had been sitting at.
"I know. And maybe you can tell them, that I don't want to put anyone in danger for me."
"Noted." She said in an ironic voice and it earned her a mixture of appreciative and worried look from SunTzu.
"I'm unfortunately also not allowed at the trial but I'll be nearby. Until your verdict of non guilty then." She told him with a wry grin.
"Yeah. Until tomorrow." SunTzu answered, his smile way less reassuring than the spy's.
Ada knocked against the cell door and a guard opened it again.
SunTzu kept staring at the door, after Ada had left. Maybe that was the last time he had talked to one of his friends. Maybe he should have told her what to say to the others.
But in the end he had decided otherwise, as it would have meant him giving up, right?
What he didn't know, was that Ada had left a tiny drone in the corridor his cell was located in on her way out.
The drone, steered by Ami, supported by AICA, was already on it's way to the surveillance camera that had SunTzu's cell door in it's view.
This specific drone was able to attach herself to the camera and able to interfere with the footage of the camera.
The soldier in duty of guarding SunTzu's cell, a young man from the lower levels of the planet, trying to make a living, had been contacted by a man that called himself Mr. Smith before his way from his apartment to the shuttle to his workplace. If he would skip his patrols around a certain corridor tonight he would immediately get the bag the man was holding, containing 10.000 Galactic Credits. Nobody would get to know and nobody would get hurt.
The guard, knowing who SunTzu was and what he did, was secretly on the Earthling's side anyways. He had lost an older brother near Saleucami and hated the enemy the Fleet was fighting.
With a song on his lips and knowing he was 10.000 credits richer and could move to an upper level with his girlfriend the young man soon left for his nightshift.
That guy called Smith also had told him, he could get a letter of recommendation for a job in various other governmental and military institutions if he would do his job right and he was thinking about to join the Senate Guard. Life had made an unexpected but welcomed turn for the guard and all he had to do was not walking around one certain corridor at his shift tonight.
A few hours later, Doctor Setsuna Meiou, or rather Sailor Pluto, was almost ready to execute her mission.
She just had come back from a last meeting with the Royals and had just finished her transformation, on top of her Fuku she had donned a black robe with a hood, very similar to the Jedi's. Hotaru was nowhere to be found and she thought she probably would have been in the hangar with AICA.
Setsuna was studying the plans of the prison and memorized where she had precisely to teleport to when there was a knock on the door and it opened.
"Ah Mum, great, you're not gone yet! Michiru-Mama, Haruka-Papa and me hoped to see you before."
The three Outer Senshi all were in the room now. Hotaru was in front and Michiru had her arms on the younger Senshi's shoulder.
"Tell that stupid Kraut that I'll personally slap him around if he gets convicted."
Michiru bestowed her lover with a long glance and rolling eyes. "What Haruka tries to say is that we're hoping that logic will win and he get's exonerated."
"Tell him we miss him, Mom. And that we're waiting for him here."
Involuntarily a smile appeared on the older Senshi's lips and she nodded with determination in her face. "Try to have an eye on the CSF outside. We need to move out as soon as possible with the Royals on board when all this is done."
That said she pulled the hood of the robe over her head and then began to move the Garnet Rod around and opening a portal.
SunTzu had been sleeping for a few hours already, although it was a light and uneasy sleep as the trial tomorrow of course occupied his mind.
Suddenly he jolted up from his sleep, as he had sensed something and although it was pitch black in the cell room he knew he wasn't alone.
He squinted his eyes and then he noticed it. There was someone standing in front of his bed, dressed in all black with a hood on and something like a weapon in hand.
Maybe, I'm dreaming and that's the Grim Reaper. Before he takes me I should ask if he knows Hotaru…
"Have no fear, SunTzu." The black-clad figure whispered, a female voice.
"Setsuna?" SunTzu replied in surprise and as answer the tall woman pulled down the hood and shook her long, dark-emerald-colored hair out.
SunTzu sat up completely and glanced at her for a moment, his eyes slowly getting used to the dark.
"How did you come in here? I was told it was forbidden for you guys to see me."
"It's a power of mine, teleportation, but I only use it in emergencies or in allowance from the Queen. It costs me a lot of energy."
"Why are you here? Wait… You're not gonna pull an Epstein on me, right?"
"What?! No, of course not you Baka." She shook her head in annoyance, before she continued. "I'm here to see how you are. And to let you know that all of us are with you. Trust me, you don't have the hint of an idea what you kicked off."
"Sorry. I… I just don't… I don't know how all of you still can support me."
He had gotten up and had made a step towards her and Sailor Pluto noticed he was not wearing a shirt. She shook her head again, other things had to be of more interest for her right now, there was one thing she needed to know. If only for herself and to becalm her soul with the one question that was nagging her.
"Tell me one thing, SunTzu. Did you do it in cold blood?"
His gaze turned to the floor and he needed a moment until he answered. "I can't say I cared much for the souls of those on Linta and in that fleet, but I did it to save the Galaxy. To safe the Senshi and Earth. They were the enemy. That was what was going through my mind at that moment."
Their gazes met in the dark and she nodded slowly, SunTzu thought that he could make out the faint attempt of relieve on her face.
"Are you treated right? Want me to see your wounds?" She asked him and SunTzu began to stare at the wall on the side next to him.
"The guards here treat me well. They're just not talking much, as they don't want to get in trouble." His eyes fell back at her. "And they don't put out their cigarettes out on me like they did at Linta."
"You want to talk?" She asked him and took a step forward.
"No. Actually I don't. But thanks for the offer. There is actually another thing you could do for me. But I have to admit it is a pretty intimate favor."
Setsuna blushed slightly and her jaw opened a bit for the blink of an eye.
"Listen SunTzu, I-I-I know this might be your last night but…"
"Oh! Oh no, no, no, no." Now his cheeks began to glow red in the dark as well. "I don't mean something like that. I know it's a lot to ask for but could you maybe stay a here with me? At least a bit? Last time it calmed me down immensely when you were laying next to me." He pressed his lips together and in the dark she was sure that he was sporting his best puppy eyed look.
Goddamn Troublemaker…
With a move of her hand she let the Garnet Rod disappear and walked up to his bed. He had sat down at the edge of the bed and she sat down next to him, where she took a glance at him.
He seemed tense, the stress, sorrow and pain of the last few days, and on top the view of maybe getting sentenced to death on the next day. And next to him she could see that his face definitely showed that. His eyes sported dark rings and he looked tired.
He looks like he's pretty sure that he will die tomorrow.
Old as she was, she knew a frontal assault was sometimes the best when it came to what was weighing heavy on someone's mind.
"I'm here for you, if you want someone to listen to. Or, If you want to cry, you can cry into me. You know I'm here for you for psychological help as well. The loss of your girlfriend alone must weigh heavy on you."
He stared back at the wall opposite the room and shrugged. "Somehow I can't cry, I even tried to, but I just couldn't. I'm sad it had to come to this with Anniten but she was too far gone already."
Of course…
"Lay down." She said in a rather commanding tone and put her gloved hand on his chest to gently push him down on the mattress.
While he laid down Sailor Pluto began to take off her cloak and her gloves. SunTzu took a peek from his laying position while she moved on to pull off her boots. What he saw made his heart beat faster, even in the dark her long, shapely legs were a sight to behold, being even a bit longer than Rei's.
While she slipped out of the first of her knee-high boots her head turned towards him and he immediately turned his gaze away, acting like he hadn't been watching.
He forced himself to stare at the cell's ceiling while she took off the second boot and then laid down next to him on the plank bed, facing him. Good thing that the bed was apparently built with more races than just humans in mind. If it would have been a plank bed on Earth, she had to lay right on top of him.
"You think you can relax a bit?" Setsuna asked, noticing that his body had tensed up and that he was obviously forcing himself to not look at her as she lay next to him, just a few centimeters space between them.
"SunTzu?"
It took a moment before he answered but then he faced her, his voice as firm as his face.
"I'm sorry Setsuna. You treated my wounds so many times and now they just gonna shoot me. Because I'm a monster. Death, Destroyer of worlds. I really have become personified War as Rei once stated it. The essence of destruction. It's only right if they kill me."
A hand appeared on his lips to silence him.
She understood, all too well. Just like he hadn't been able to save one single soul on Linta, she had been there ages ago and was doomed to watch the destruction of the Silver Millennium and the Death of the Inners and the Princess as well as Sailor Saturn using her powers to end it all. And that was not all, she knew about the guilt he felt. She had shared the blood of enough people, whole nations, under her hand in the last four millennia. And the man she once loved had done so as well. Which was just another point why she couldn't love SunTzu just like that, she needed full proof that he would never ever use his abilities to do wrong, to never abuse his powers. He finally had used his full potential and had killed millions of enemies, she had to make absolutely right that he wasn't a danger to this Galaxy. That he never would switch sides. And she never could become his if he wouldn't get back to do his foreseen duty as the fighter against Chaos and even more to his duties as Guardian of Guardians, First Knight of Crystal Tokyo and the missing father figure in Hotaru's life. But on the opposite she also couldn't let him die just like that, under no conditions. Torn between her feelings for him and her self set duty to make him the man worthy of the Prophecy, she had decided that some closeness to another person wasn't the worst course of action to clear his mind and get some rest.
And by Chronos, he needed to have a clear mind tomorrow, as that goddamn troublemaker really had insisted to not go into court with someone defending him.
She slid over, almost onto him, and waited for a reaction to see if he was accepting her closeness. Deep inside the Senshi of Time had to admit, that she wished he would, the thought of maybe having him in her arms made for what others would call butterflies in their stomachs. And the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt didn't make it any better. Too late Setsuna understood that she had tricked herself. He maybe needed someone close but she also had wanted to be close to him. No needed to be, if she was honest with herself. The memory of saving his life and that good-luck-kiss on Tombstone travelled around her mind. She even could taste his lips again and now she was the one who had to fix her gaze at the wall.
Setsuna knew she had to do something or it would become obvious that she was affected by his closeness, so she cleared her throat to say something but SunTzu beat her to say something as the first one.
"Mind if I rest my head on your shoulder a bit? I know it's a bit much."
As answer she just pulled her arm around his head and pulled him down on her shoulder.
For a few moments they stayed in this position, just pulled into a close hug together.
And then it happened. Before she could hear a sob she felt a drop of wetness fall down on her arm under his head.
In this very moment she was close to break the taboo to stop time. Her father had eased up on that rule in the last years, noticing the dangers to the Galaxy and this Universe his daughter and the other Senshi had fought against but still it was only allowed to her in the most dire of moments. But here and now, while the designated savior of the Galaxy broke down, after all he had lost and after all he had endured, she wanted to protect him.
No, not to protect him. To hold him, to stop time to hold him for eternity in this moment. It might had been selfish but she wanted to be the only one that ever saw him break down like that. Not Rei. Not Haruka and Michiru. She had seen him close to death, she had seen him drifting unconsciously in Bacta and she had seen him haunted by the worst of nightmares in his sleep before, but never had he felt so weak and never before had she had that urge to be there for him, for eternity.
Letting his guard finally slip made her remember so well why she had this feelings for him she so desperately tried to shut out.
Just like that one, the One, the one long lost lover had done after his biggest defeat, he completely let go in her arms.
He tried to sob silently, although she knew he was at a point where he wanted to scream and cry out all his anger, sorrow and pain.
She tightened her grip around him, buried his face on her chest while his body was shaking.
Soon the chest piece of her fuku was completely soaked by his tears but she didn't care, instead she gently caressed the back of his head. She didn't speak, didn't tell him everything was good, didn't tell him to let it out, no it all would have just constricted him to let go of his emotions.
After long minutes his shaking finally died down and all that she was feeling was his gentle breathing against her skin. After letting out his emotions SunTzu finally had eased up.
And then after rolling around and wiping his eyes and nose on a handkerchief she had provided from the table nearby, he took a few long breathers to really calm down.
And while he did so he couldn't stop but to feel incredibly grateful for having her around. And then, while thinking about how great of a person she really was, it happened. It sent a shock through him as he finally realized it.
It always had been her.
She always had one way or the other looked out for him, took care of him. Took him in her home for Christmas. Saved his life. And encouraged him
He stopped his breathing exercises and faced her again. She was quiet, watching him with soft, ruby-colored eyes, her hand on his chest, like it was the place it belonged too. Her head was next to his chest.
With the breathing he had sensed the scent of her perfume again, like back when he had slept on the Meiou's couch after his medical checkup from her. Nightmares had haunted him and to calm him down she had bedded himself next to him. Back then he already had noticed that her perfume was one of the best fragrances he ever had smelled. And now that he was relaxed and his mind was for once not occupied with guilt and sorrow, feeling her warmth and the mere thought of having such a beautiful woman next to him made him have to fight his arousal and his need to have her as close as possible. And although he probably would die tomorrow, right now all he could think of was the woman next to him.
Lady in Black, thank you for being the last woman to hold me. But you're timeless beauty is not making things any easier right now…
How much would he have liked to let his hands slip under her Fuku and grab her ass.
Lying so close next to him, now with even less clothes than the last time did the same to her as well. The fantasy of him grabbing her butt played in her mind and she definitely would have answered with slinging her legs around him and beginning to grind on his core. Since there was quite the high chance he wouldn't see the day after tomorrow he probably would give her his all. Oh, how she wanted to give herself completely in to him, give him her all as well, becoming one with him.
Content, Sailor Pluto! You're not here to fulfill your carnal desires. You're here to consort him mentally.
"Do you think you can sleep?" She broke the awkward silence between them, after taking a deep but silent breather to gain her composure back.
If it would have been someone else as attractive and with all the same positive sides on him as SunTzu, she probably would have given him a last night he would remember. But not for SunTzu, not tonight. Not that the mere thought of it sent a tingling sensation down to her most intime part, but she couldn't. If only if it was to reassure herself that she would have another chance to do so. If he would ever see her in this way. And she would ever allow herself.
Laying there had calmed Setsuna down as well, it felt natural and she had eased up but it was still too hard, too unthinkable, to allow herself to let go and give in fully to her feelings.
Dammit Setsuna, why are you not able to let Love in your life?
She had almost fallen for him earlier on. Now, she couldn't, she just wasn't ready. This all had been a warning. She had to stay away, keep him off her, or he would fall. Or die. And she would end in suffering again, like always. Like back then.
"I think I can. Thank you, I feel better now." SunTzu answered Setsuna's question. And then a long look into each other's followed away their gazes met.
"Good. Close your eyes. I know of something that will help you to fall asleep."
And then she turned her face away but began to gently caress his head and face.
Within a few seconds the exhaustion of leaving all his emotions out overwhelmed him and his eyes closed shut as his breathing become more slow. Setsuna looked in the sleeping SunTzu's face again.
The urge flared up again but no, she wouldn't kiss him. Not now. She wouldn't give herself to him, not even for a touch of lips. She couldn't open her heart to him, he had to prove his good intentions and that Chaos would never affect him and his commitment first. The fear of a relationship still, and probably always would, lingered in her, given the last man she had been with was dead also, as her hand grazed over his beard while he had fallen asleep amd she remembered what Queen Serenity I. once had told her. Everyone should get a second change and nobody is without fault.
And with this thought she moved closer next to him and a few seconds later her eyes had closed as well and she fell asleep.
Setsuna opened her eyes just a few minutes later again. For a moment she just lay there and glanced at his face again, while he slept peacefully, his steady breathing palpable into the crane of her neck.
She had to fight the urge to caress his face again, while slowly, to not wake him, she took her arms off of him and moved away.
She sat up and as quiet as she could donned her boots and gloves again and stood up from the bed. Next she put the black cloak back on and let the Garnet Rod appear in her arms again, before she stepped a few steps away from the bed, facing the door.
She turned around and took a last glance at him in his calmly sleeping state. In a few hours she would see him again, in a court that would decide his fate. And although she would never had told anyone, not even Hotaru or the other two Outers, her biggest wish was that he would life on.
"Happy belated birthday. And happy late Valentine's Day." She whispered, barely audible and then began to create a portal with the Garnet Rod.
And then she stepped into the portal and was gone.