Two days after the talks had been dislocated to the Eternal, Taskforce Sol was on the move again, not to another mission but back to Earth. The Taskforce had been very generous with using it's ammunition the last few combat missions and apart from resupplies needed the new equipment needed some fine tuning in a safe environment as well.
Another two days later the Taskforce arrived back at Earth.
SunTzu had kept a low profile in these days, as Rei and Yuichiro had told him that a certain medical officer was not too content with a certain officer and First Knight of Crystal Tokyo, superior to her daughter, sleeping drunken in his starfighter. Of course Yuichiro had gotten a dressing down from Rei as well, but after hearing that he and SunTzu spoilt the enemy attack and made peace with each other, at least lessened the time she was mad at him. She wasn't too keen on SunTzu's doing as well but she restrained from telling him off. She knew that Setsuna being angry at him, was enough punishment for her ex.
When SunTzu wasn't doing mandatory work, he was back at being responsible for Hotaru's flight plans and aerial and space training, or was at training himself. He wanted to disprove any comments coming up that he wasn't up to his task anymore. That at least was the official reason. Unofficially he wanted to let Setsuna know, that although she wasn't too happy with his latest caper, he was still working on himself.
Right now, SunTzu was piloting AICA and flew in escort formation with the Voyager and Hotaru's Y-Wing as the whole Taskforce descended onto Earth, being greeted by the ESDF, the Companion now being a part of it as well as the space station SunTzu had gifted, which hung over Earth and now greeted the homecoming expeditionary force with lighting up it's lights. The area of the military base of Crystal Tokyo had been enlarged so that the Eternal could also land on the Island that Crystal Tokyo was.
As soon as the three Capital Ships had turned on their repulsors and were descending onto their landing spots, the four guardians, as well as Terra who flew escort along them, veered off and headed for the snub's hangars at the Crystal Tokyo Air Base.
From the skies SunTzu already saw that there was a lot of building going on on Crystal Tokyo, including a massive construction site in the north of the Island.
The Voyager lead the echelon formation they were now flying in and of course Captain Tenoh wanted the kingdom and the neighboring Japanese Capital to know that she was back.
Somehow neither one of the both governments, nor other authorities, still hadn't forbidden the starfighers to fly over the metropolitan area, rumor even had it that those shows of force were a meaning to demonstrate the defensive capabilities of both the states against any aggressors, so after a slow flight under two of the bridges connecting Crystal Tokyo and Tokyo all three ships flew around the Tokyo Tower and then back to Crystal Tokyo, where they landed at their hangars and soon said their goodbyes to each other. The Outers would take a few days off and visit Honolulu. Hotaru had asked SunTzu various times to come along, and although he'd loved to, he wasn't able to come along, as apart from taking care of things back on Earth he had to be around when Jedi Master Cilghal would arrive at Crystal Tokyo. And although he and Yuichiro had probably safed the Senshi with their mission, because of their lack of discipline, SunTzu was forced to be on duty until the Taskforce would leave Crystal Tokyo again, orders passed down from his superiors.
At least, both the Senshi of Thunder and of Wisdom were on duty as well, so SunTzu wasn't all alone. Ami already had told him they were back to old habits as she would take him over to Tokyo with her. In the same conversation, which had taken place shortly before they had entered the Sol System, Makoto had invited both Ami and SunTzu, along with Ryo, for dinner the night after. And before that she had promised she would kick SunTzu's butt at PT tomorrow, which made the pilot questioning his decision to get into better shape again for a moment, as he had known what that meant.
Evening came soon and after being nearly clobbered over the head with the amount of paperwork SunTzu had to do, now that he was back, he finally could finish all his deeds and head into the Intelligence Service Office.
A few members who knew him, Agent Smith among them, greeted him. The agent shook his hand and welcomed him back and both were content to be able to work along with the other again, always a pleasure to work with professionals after all.
Ami of course was in her office and still working and SunTzu couldn't help but to think that she probably would have worked all through the night if it wouldn't have been for him knocking on her door and entering.
"You know you really should take a break for once, Ames."
"Oh hello, SunTzu." She looked up to him from in between the mountain of papers, data discs and storage devices. "It's important work, you know?"
"And what about Ryo?"
"Ryo? What do you mean?"
"Ami, it's after eight o'clock. I'm here to catch my ride home with you."
Her sapphire colored eyes widened and her mouth dropped down.
"It's what?" She looked at the clock in her computer monitor, confirming the time.
"Oh. Hold up, I have to text Ryo and excuse myself for not letting him know, that I'll get home later." She took her mobile phone in her hands and began typing fast as lightning. She looked up from it and shot SunTzu a smile.
"Thank the Gods that my husband is a workaholic as well."
Soon after, SunTzu and Ami left the office and headed out for her car.
It was already dark when they crossed over to Tokyo but sitting there, in Ami's car, after a day at the base, sure felt familiar for the German. It sure was a homecoming.
Head supported by his hand, SunTzu looked out the window and soaked up the nocturnal lights of both Tokyos.
"Before we head to the Palace tomorrow, I'll show you something. Crystal Tokyo sure did grow while you were away." Ami told him with a small side glance after noticing that he seemed to be in quite a good mood.
Next morning came and SunTzu was already waiting outside for Ami to pick him up.
Sleeping at home, when you're calling it home again, had been different but not in a bad way. Although he had slept alone he found sleep easily and sound and felt very rested when his alarm clock began to blare this morning.
As announced Ami didn't head straight to the palace but rather went downtown Crystal Tokyo first.
"Good thing, I let Command now, that you're with me." Ami commented as they got held up in the traffic of rush hour. Whole downtown felt like a construction site, buildings were growing and built up, shops from international companies and chains had opened and whole new districts had been established. And a lot of the buildings had a design that very well fitted with the one of either the Palace or the Crystal Tower.
Individuals from all over the world, and the occasional ones from off world as well, were visible in the streets. And people seemed to be happy and less in a rush than in other metropolitan areas.
Ami also drove into the newly built administrative district, where various governmental buildings and offices as well as the Chancellery, Naru's workplace, were located at.
The red-haired Ambassador to the United Nations had been announced Chancellor of Crystal Tokyo, and therefore Head of the Government, a few weeks before, after a democratic election. The Neo-Queen and her husband wanted a sign to show that although they were a Monarchy the people's opinion mattered and it wasn't purely autocratic. Usagi had been exhilarated to find that her good childhood friend had won the election with a huge lead. Not that it was a surprise to anyone, Crystal Tokoy's people loved the diplomat who represented Crystal Tokyo on the planet and at the United Nations, only their Galactic Senator and the Royals were even more in favor with the people.
After giving him a tour through downtown Ami headed for the North of the island.
"Hey I remember this. It's the way to the housings for those refugees from Rago." SunTzu said in their way between a bit of a rural kept area where a major street went through.
"It is. But you'll be surprised what had become out of it."
It didn't took long and the rural area changed back to an urban one, although a tiny bit different to the regular Japanese-Crystal Tokyo style of buildings into something which clearly was inspired from somewhere else. Apart that the settlement had grown there also were parks now and even cultural buildings like a huge temple-like building.
"This part of Crystal Tokyo is called New Rago. It's Earth's place with the most non-terrestrial inhabitants. Here Ragoian and terrestrial culture mix." Ami told him with a proud smile. "You have to try the restaurants here. They even have a small area where they grow crop inherited from Rago."
They drove through the vibrant part of the city, came apart some different looking buildings, museums Ami explained and headed further north.
"You probably saw the huge construction site here in the North while flying over the Kingdom." Ami told with a small glance over to SunTzu while she drove behind a convoy of dumpers, heading the same direction.
"Yeah, it looked absolutely huge. What are they building? An airport?"
Ami smiled.
"Not at all. It's gonna be a giga factory."
"A giga factory? For what? Are we building our own capital ships now?"
The blunette shot him another glance and then shook her head.
"No, but you remember that project of Ryo and Mamoru?"
"That clean propulsion thing? Yeah, rings a bell… wait? They are mass-producing that now?"
Ami nodded, leaving her gaze on the street as the trucks in front stopped at a traffic lights.
As soon as her car had stopped as well she looked over to SunTzu with the hint of a smile.
"Noticed something about my car?"
SunTzu's eyebrows furrowed, what did she mean with that? And what had that to do with anything.
"Wait? Your car is so quiet! You have one of these things in it?"
"Perks of the being the project leader's wife. They actually have benn manufacturing them for a few weeks already but can't keep up with the demand. Mamoru already struck a deal with a variety of companies, mostly car and ship manufacturers for licensing the technology, but the main production will be here. With that factory done we will boost the economy like never before while we also fight pollution. Ryo's and Mamoru's estimate is that at least ninety-five percent of the combustion engines on the planet will be exchanged with their hydrogen motor. And as far as the demand tells, I think their dream could become reality.
After a small tour around the construction site and through New Rago's industrial zone, Ami and SunTzu headed towards the Crystal Palace. That was until a phone call came in and Minako asked Ami if she could pick her up at the university hospital.
It was just a detour of a few minutes and Minako was already waiting outside.
She had come there to observe a medical procedure in the hospital's gynecology.
Not even twenty minutes later, traffic had become more fluid by now again, they arrived at the Palace, where a diabolic grinning Makoto was already waiting for SunTzu, wearing PT clothes.
Training with the Amazon that the Senshi of Thunder was sure showed one the limits of his body, even if you were a Force-Sensitive.
For two hours the Commandos and their Wolfmother flogged SunTzu with all kind of exhausting training exercises.
SunTzu barely made it to lunch afterwards and wished he could take a nap after lunch when he had to leave to get his paperwork done at the Flight Center.
At least he was redeemed pretty soon when Artemis's adjutant appeared and asked SunTzu to follow him to the Palace Landing Spot. It was time to welcome his new Jedi Chaperon on Earth.
SunTzu, along with his Admiral, Ami, Luna, the Royal Couple and a small espalier of Royal Guards were present at the landing spot when the Jedi Order's shuttle sat down.
The Mon Calamarian Jedi Master, and Highest Healer of the Order, left the shuttle over it's ramp and stopped in front of the Neo Queen and the King. The couple and the Jedi Master bowed down in front of each other. A meter beside them standing were Artemis and SunTzu and they both greeted the Jedi with a bow as well after their Queen and King.
"Is there a place we might can talk in private?" Cilghal asked and the King nodded.
A few minutes later SunTzu was outside one of the smaller meeting rooms inside the Military Wing of the Palace.
Cilghal wanted to talk with the others first, and without SunTzu, she had announced.
Not knowing what they were talking about made SunTzu ask himself a multitude of things, like were they maybe talking about his past? Or his doings? Was there still a punishment for his destruction of Linta incoming? Would the Jedi Order put him on a tight leash?
While SunTzu was breaking his head what the conversation without him could mean the door suddenly opened and Artemis ordered him to come inside.
Everybody was looking at him as he sat down but nobody rose to speak for a moment.
It was Mamoru who finally began to speak.
"We discussed the Jedi's involvement into your duty inside the Taskforce."
The King noticed SunTzu's broody face.
"Don't worry, you won't be hindered in any way in your everyday duty."
"If you stay on the path to the Light Side, of course." Cilghal chimed in.
"Of course. And although Master Cilghal's mission is to make sure you stay on the right path, her main mission is to support us. She will mainly do duty in the medbay of the Eternal so." A small pause. "By the way things in the War go and how we have to enforce our engagement in it, we need every help we can trying to save our wounded. Let's not have illusions here, there will be victims."
SunTzu gaze and small nod gave away that he shared that opinion.
"Anyways, the Head of Court will lead you to your quarters when you're done, Master." Mamoru said, Cilghal would move into a room in the Palace. But not before she did her first official task as SunTzu's overseer.
"Mind if I probe your mind, Captain?"
After making sure he still was one of the good guys, Cilghal said her goodbyes and SunTzu went back to the Flight Center, to finish his work.
It was a long day, but when Ami appeared to pick him up for the way home, his stomach began to remind him, that he had an appointment to dinner later on.
Ami dropped him at home and one hour later SunTzu was at Makoto's place, together with Ami and Ryo, who got there five minutes before the completely punctual German.
As always Mako had cooked for what seemed to be a soccer team and apart from the sheer quantity the food was absolutely delicious.
But apart from eating well, SunTzu had stayed rather quiet the whole dinner. Not because he felt unwell or out of place, but because of Ami, Ryo and Kenji.
The two Urawas and Mister Kino, born Shinozaki, were constantly discussing the new propulsion energy, a technology which development had been headed by Ryo, as had various other technologies which already benefitted the planet and the Kingdom.
"Damn Nerds. Lately it's always like that whenever these three are together. Cold Fusion here, hydrogen there. Yada Yada." Makoto, who was sitting on SunTzu's right, whispered into his ear, while the other three had completely lost theirselves in a conversation about the Cold Fusion Reactor that was powering Crystal Tokyo and parts of the City on the mainland.
"Just wait until they come to the radio wave signals."
As it had been intuition Kenji asked Ami if they had found out some more about that very topic a minute later.
"Oh… here we go." Makoto whispered and rolled her eyes.
Makoto served dessert while SunTzu tried to follow the other three's conversation. It seemed that there was a special frequency on which at least a part of the enemy droids seem to communicate. And it seemed to be a frequency well known on Earth.
"Is it a frequency AICA can use?" He finally chimed in and the other's heads turned towards him.
"AICA?" Kenji asked dumbfounded.
"That's his ship's name. You know that talking super starfighter. The one even I can comfortably fly in." Makoto explained to him and he nodded in understanding before he answered.
"I can't say, we would have to check it but it would take some time. And I'd need someone to help me with fine tuning the receivers. Or even help me building them."
"Ryo could, although he has doctor in physics, he's also a cunning engineer. But you know that."
Kenji thought about it for a moment.
"Yeah, but just testing it here on Earth is the one thing. Using it in the field is the other."
For a moment SunTzu looked at three geniuses and wondered why he seemed to understand something they didn't. And then he began to speak.
"Why don't you two join us then?"
The two other men looked dumbfounded at SunTzu but it was Ami who was the next to say something.
"You could help us a lot. Apart from supporting me, you know how good you are at analytical thinking, a doctor in applied physics would help us a lot, from fine tuning the engines in Subspace to Hyperspace travel. Your projects here are done with their development phase, your team can handle them fully now. And Kenji could join in as well. There's always use for someone who has a master in engineering, especially if he is a luminary in electromagnetics."
"Hey, who asked me if I want to have this nerd around me when I'm saving the Galaxy?" Makoto jokingly said as she got up and leaned over the table, grabbing her husband by his shirt's collar. She looked him into the eyes with all her love for him mirroring in her brown eyes.
"Although I would worry about you, when you're with us, having you around every night when I come home from besting my enemies sounds like a dream."
And while he goofily nodded the tall brunette leaned down and gently kissed him.
"Then it's concluded. Mako-Chan, our husbands will join Taskforce Sol."
That said they all, raised their glasses and toasted.
While the two couples began to talk about being together on deployment now, SunTzu began to smile.
This very day Taskforce Sol not only had gained a Jedi Master but two geniuses, who just happened to also be the loving husbands of two of their most fierce fighters, as well.