"Ahh… yes… just a bit more, SunTzu."
"Your moving doesn't make it any easier for me."
"I… uh…Almost… kyah!"
"Ugh…Can you at least put your leg there?"
"Like this?"
"Yeah, that's better."
"C'mon, just a tad bit more… ngh."
"Fuck, Minako. Could you please hurry up. It's really uncomfortable like that!"
"Mhm… ahh… just a moment more."
In that moment the door to one of the storage rooms in the med bay was torn open and one of the nurses appeared in it.
"What in god's name are you doing there?"
Minako, standing on SunTzu's shoulders, almost lost her balance in surprise but SunTzu tightened his grip around her legs. She had been trying to get something from the top shelf of one of the tall storage racks, more than twice the height of Minako, and now looked at the nurse, using one hand to grab onto the shelf.
"Some genius put the package with the double lumen tubes at the top of the shelf and I needed someone to help me reach it. Good thing the Captain was around."
One final stretch of the Blonde, putting her heel right onto SunTzu's supraspinatus, making SunTzu flinch and clench his teeth.
"Got it!" Minako announced while SunTzu gripped her legs tight so she wouldn't fall.
"Miss Aino, you do know that there's a droid for that in the other storage room?" The nurse said after a moment, observing the scene in front of her.
"Oh. I forgot about that."
She looked down and her apologetic gaze met his annoyed one.
"Sorry." She shot SunTzu her most disarming smile but SunTzu just shook his head.
"Could you?" Minako, a small package of medical supplies in her hands looked down again and SunTzu carefully let her down with a grunt, while the nurse left the room, shaking her head.
As soon as she was on firm ground again, Minako turned around and smiled at SunTzu again.
"Thanks." She held up the box. "Next time I'll remember that droid."
SunTzu wheezed and both turned to the door and began to walk towards it, SunTzu's gaze briefly shooting down to Minako's shoes.
"Seriously Minako, who wears high heels while working in medical care?"
"Ever watched porn?"
SunTzu stopped in his step and closed his eyes in annoyance.
Minako stopped as well and shrugged her shoulders.
"You'll never know when we'll be supporting a ground combat mission and a toned, handsome grunt will end up in my care."
SunTzu shook his head again and followed the doctor-to-be out of the room and towards the offices of the doctors.
"Oh, by the way if you're looking for Setsuna, or Master Cilghal, they're not onboard. Both left for Coruscant because of a conference about their Bacta-Kolto-Gel."
SunTzu stopped dead in his tracks, he had just arrived on the Eternal after successful pirate hunting and reconnaissance of the area together with the advance force of the Taskforce before the rest of Sol joined them at the Odik-System and he had plucked up his courage again and wanted to ask Setsuna if she already had thought about going out to dinner with him. He wanted to know as soon as possible so he could start planning the most perfect dinner date the known Galaxy ever had seen but at the entrance of the med bay he had run into Minako who had asked him if he could help her fetching some supplies, not knowing that he had to reenact the Cirque du Soleil with her while her high heels pierced his shoulders.
In defeat SunTzu was about to leave the med bay again when suddenly Makoto appeared in the med bay.
"Oh, very good that you're here as well, SunTzu, you're needed as well." And then the tall brunette turned her head to her blonde friend walking down the corridor. "Minako! The Admiral wants you at his officr asap."
Makoto, Minako and SunTzu arrived at Artemis office, close to the bridge and Makoto knocked on the door, before Artemis told to come in and the three friends
All three of them stood in a line and Minako almost immediately, just after a side glance, followed the example of the two officers and saluted in front of the Admiral.
"Admiral, as ordered I brought Captain SunTzu and Cadet Aino."
"Thank you Makoto for bringing over these two so fast." Artemis looked at Makoto and then at Minako.
"Minako, my dearest, I got another mission for you. With you as leader of it."
"Really, Artemis? I just handed in my dissertation, can't a girl get a moment of peace?"
"Minako, do I have to remind you that the First of the Senshi has to be an example? It's nothing you didn't do before, you will lead a small specialized force from the Starstruck."
"Oh, hell no!" Was the very unmilitary reply from the First of the Senshi. "I think I speak for everyone when I said everyone was more than glad last time when it was over! No need to repeat that again!"
"But you did a great job last time, Minako-Chan." SunTzu chimed in with a big grin on his lips. He knew why he was here and a little revenge never hurted.
"Really?" Minako's angered gaze fixed SunTzu and his grin as their gazes met grew even more. "You Paulus."
"Judas, Minako. That was Judas, not Paulus."
"Whatever, Artemis."
"I'll take that as an affirmation that you take this mission."
"God, you guys are my demise. I was so looking forward for a little break. Ugh, fine."
"Perfect. SunTzu, you're accompanying her again. Do we have to have that talk about Minako's well-being again?"
"No, Sir."
"SunTzu lost his heart to someone else, Artemis. Hint, she's a doctor and a total MILF."
Minako's trademark wink followed the Information and for a moment Artemis looked dumbfounded at her, before he nodded absently. It was SunTzu who interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, what's the mission and who's coming along?"
"You'll take the Starstruck, AICA, Terra Squadron and some ground troops, including Makoto and Team Two and deliver aid and humanitarian relief onto a planet suffering from civil war. We suspect that the rebels, who don't shy away from attacking civil settlements, are supplied by the Forces of our enemy. Minako will lead the mission, Makoto will be the second in command."
"Sir, who else of the Senshi will join us? What about Ami?"
Artemis shook his head. "Ami will stay on the Eternal. The rest of the Outers will accompany the Neo Queen and the King to the Core Worlds later today. Rei will also travel to Coruscant with them."
"Don't worry, Artemis. Me and Minako got this. Don't we?"
Minako's answer consisted of a raised eyebrow.
And then Artemis spoke again. "Oh, and Minako. Please wear other shoes while on the mission, these aren't fit for military service."
A few hours later, AICA and the two U-Wings of the Taskforce landed in the hangar of the Starstruck, which then was filled to the maximum of it's capacity, the six Headhunters of Terra-Squadron already parked inside.
A platoon from the First Batallion had already been shuttled to the small carrier, as well as a few tons of relief goods and a three-man team of the Intelligence Service.
Minako, Makoto, Kenji and Team 2 of Serenity's Wolves disembarked from the gunships as AICA opened her cockpit.
The Kinos and the Commandos immediately began to unload their gear while Minako, now dressed in uniform and appropriate shoes, looked around the hangar, uncertain where to go. At least until Helios appeared in the hangar.
Both immediately headed for the other and Helios dutifully saluted in front of the mission commander.
Minako grinned like a Cheshire Cat and motioned with her hand, her voice too flattered to be honest.
"Oh you, stop it with the salute, I'm basically your aunt in law."
"Uhm… okay Commander. If you would follow me to Captain Nadrak."
While SunTzu linked up with the other pilots and did a small briefing with the ground crew and flight officers, Minako and Helios went to the bridge.
Skeptical glances hit her from the crew of the bridge as she and Captain Nadrak shook hands and the humanoid welcomed her on her ship.
"Her again? Really?"
"Oh, Kriff."
"Oh, c'mon guys. Last time wasn't that bad."
"We were lucky there wasn't a battle. Blondie doesn't have any idea about leading a ship."
"Give her a chance. Maybe it will be better now."
Three of the crew mates whispered with each other from their workstations.
After exchanging a few words Nadrak turned to the bridge window and pointed at the stars.
"Commander, the Starstruck is ready. If you'd like."
Minako's head wandered to Helios, who tried to not grimace. "The Captain offers you to give the command to jump to Hyperspace."
"Oh? Yeah? Uhm…" Overdramatically and with a big gesture Minako pointed to the front. "Starstruck! Off to Hyperspace!"
Within three seconds the Corvette jumped into Hyperspace and towards their destiny, a system called Narfiner.
Narfiner was a system of an orange glowing sun and four planets with a total of six moons. The main planet, the only habitable one, called Narfiner, was Earth-like although much smaller.
A rebellion had shook the world and heavy fighting between the insurgents and the goverment forces had occurred almost daily.
The rebels were apparently supplied from off world and as first step against that, a Liberator MK. 2 Carrier, including it's starfighter wing, a former RASP ship now under command of the regional command of the Deep Core, As well as a pair of Corvettes, had been positioned in the system and now were monitoring the system's space traffic.
Regular troops, a whole infantry regiment of the GA, had been shuttled down to the planet to help the local government fight the rebellion.
One one of it's three continents, mixed climate areas present on it including deserts, jungles and savanna, was the main hotspot of the fighting and that had lead the area fall into a humanitarian crisis.
Recently one of the jungle regions also had been struck by heavy storms and the regular humanitarian aid wasn't enough anymore, that's why the regional command had asked for the delivery of more aid. The distribution of the aid had to be done under military protection as pretty fast the rebels had begun to attack the supply points and paths.
Coruscant had then ordered Taskforce Sol to step in and deliver the aid.
Sol's leadership, mainly Ami and Artemis had even gone a step further with their planning. Intelligence personnel and Kenji would try to pinpoint the lead structures and locations of the rebels, so they could he neutralized, making the whole affected area safe to be supplied with less forces, as the planet couldn't afford to draw away forces for this task as everyone was needed in the fight against the rebellion.
Helios was prepared this time and had set up the small conference room near the bridge of the Starstruck as Minako's Headquarters.
Live-Feed-Screens, holo-projectors and various radios made sure that the First of the Senshi was always up to date, at least in theory.
Kenji and the two Intelligence Agents had their devices set up in another small room near the middle of the ship and were already busy receiving radio signals from all over the planet.
Six hours after leaving the rest of the Taskforce the small force under the lead of Minako was ready for their first flight to the planet.
Helios was doing a splendid job as medium between Minako and the rest of the force. Minako was keeping herself back way more than last time
Two of the Headhunters of Terra, AICA and the two U-Wings, onboard Team 2 and one of the Intelligence Agents, were ready to disembark, and waited for the go when Minako suddenly appeared in the hangar, Helios following a step behind her, a body armor in his arms.
She was transformed and Helios was apparently trying to convince her of something as she marched straight towards the U-Wings, not caring about the young officer.
She stopped at the door of one of the U-Wings.
"As commander of this mission I'll be the first one to step foot on this planet." She told to the Commandos in the group compartment.
Gunny O'Connell and his proxy exchanged a glance.
"No problem, Mina… erm… Commander, but the U-Wings are full. That was said in the briefing."
Minako pressed her lips together, bummer.
Suddenly someone from the other side of the hangar let out a loud whistle, making them all look at him.
"Hey Commander, if you need a ride, me and my beautiful starfighter are at your disposal."
Minako made a gesture that this was very okay as well and walked over or at least she tried as Helios walked into her path.
"Please Commander, at least wear a vest." He told her and handed her the vest which she reluctantly took in her hand and carried it with her over to AICA.
SunTzu had gotten out of the cockpit while AICA changed into two seat configuration and helped her inside but only after he helped her putting on the armored vest.
"These things are always so heavy."
"Safety first, my dear Mission Commander. You'll rather want a flight suit as well?"
"And ruin the perfect look of me in uniform even more? No, thanks."
The flight was eventless and the ships arrived soon in the regional capital.
While most of Team 1 began to recon the area around the small town, the Intelligence Agent and Minako went to the seat of the regional government, where the military of the GA had placed their HQ as well.
SunTzu stayed in AICA and was happy to be able to stay in the fully climatized cockpit. He had his share of the jungle and its climate on Varonat. Thinking about this green and yellow hell still hurted and SunTzu was happy that he was piloting AICA on this mission. Nonetheless he kept his eyes and senses up and his rifle was ready to be drawn in a moment's notice.
After two hours Minako came back, she had met the regional governor and the local commanders and as soon as she was back she told AICA to open a comms channel to the Starstruck. With clear words she instructed Helios to commence the relief aid deliveries.
SunTzu observed the whole time through the mirror on the canopy.
"Look at you, you're a professional now." He told her after she ended the radio message, sparking a smile from her.
"I still rather be at home and do nothing but Artemis is right. As first of the Senshi I have to make an example and have to lead."
"Leading can be a burden." SunTzu stated a moment after, his eyes fixed on the green covered jungle hills in the distance.
"Remember our talk on that rooftop on Coruscant? Duty comes first. That's what I've been telling myself since ever I left London when I was thirteen."
"That's something I've been telling myself too often as well."
"And it lead you back to where you belong. Sometimes you have to go on. And now enough with the bad mood, we have a humanitarian crisis to solve, people need us, both you and me."
SunTzu gaze feel back on Minako through the rearview again.
And then he nodded, bringing help instead of dealing death for once was a change. And he could make a difference without fueling the madness that this War was.
"Alright then Mina-Chan, let's get you back to your command."
The next few days the small unit under Minako, having been dubbed Task Group Venus from the staff of the Taskforce on the Eternal shuttled down tons after tons of relief goods and supplied them to the villages and settlements having been hit the worst by the storms.
Meanwhile Crystal Tokyo's deployed Special Forces Team worked tirelessly in the field, either with reconnaissance or protecting the relief supplying points.
It didn't took long until the rebels tried to attack one of the supply points but were driven back quickly with expertise and superior firepower, Odegana and Ritz in their Headhunters had been overhead the Team within a few minutes and the rebels fleed head over heels after the first strafing run.
The Starstruck's stance towards Minako shifted immensely in these days, as the First of the Senshi let everyone do their job in peace and relied on Helios as intermediate.
After her first disdain of leading a mission again, especially so short after having worked her butt off to finish her dissertation, Minako understood that this wasn't the usual mission, it was exactly what she always had wanted to do, why she was becoming a doctor, helping people. She had understood that on the way to Narfiner and in private had called Artemis to thank him for the opportunity to prove herself. The Mau had smiled proudly and both had shared a moment of genuine friendship over holo.
And then Minako had begun to really assess the situation and ask herself what she could do better this time.
She understood she had no idea about commanding a ship but she had Helios to help her, and so she understood that if she wanted to this the best way possible it would be the same as when she was leading the other Senshi, she had to trust others and she had to delegate.
Mentally she parted the different parts, Helios was her intermediate for the Starstruck and her adjutant if she needed help but she also worked close with SunTzu who became her interlocutor for everything between the Starstruck and the surface of Narfiner. On the surface she knew she could always count on her Mako-Chan and that gave her a lot of confidence.
Everything that was related to leading the mission, organization of the mission Minako tried to do on her own, thankful for the help of her friends, and even Helios had to admit, that Minako was making a way better job than last time.
Apart from that, and since only a handful of medics were part of the Task Group, Minako took over the medical leadership and spent a lot of time on the ground, helping the sick and injured.
And when it came apparent that the region needed more relief goods and medical help than Task Group Venus could procure, she began to go another extra mile.
Within a few hours and after holo-conversations with Ami, to procure the money from her shadow accounts, Artemis, to get one of the Galleons as transport and some contacts on Earth and Coruscant, Minako had a team of doctors and medical professionals getting ready to move to Narfiner, as well as a few hundred tons of relief goods financed from the Spy Alliance waiting to be picked up as well. Ami and Ada even had pulled some strings and a few smugglers were also on their way with relief goods for Narfiner, getting there even faster than the Galleon.
All the while Intelligence Service, Wolves and Kenji tried to find as much information about the whereabouts of the rebellion as they could.
Team 2 and the starfighters attacked some rebel cells as well as two of their hideouts on their own although most attacks were delivered through regional troops and the regular GA Forces.
As revenge the Rebels tried to strengthen their attacks against the relief supply points, only to be driven away by the soldiers and starfighters of the Taskforce. Intercepted holo-traffic revealed that the attacks and losses forced the rebels to completely switch their tactics as even posing as civilians in need didn't brought the success it should as Team 2 were mostly veterans of the GWOT, familiar with white flag attacks. The rebels now had to combine their cells to effectively keep fighting, threatened now by regular warfare and special forces and air raids.
Just days in, several cells even migrated to other places, and even a great part of that got known to the GA, thanks to Kenji and the Royal Intelligence.
After a few days the new supplies were delivered and Minako was escorting the Moon's Bounty with SunTzu and AICA on its descent to the regional capital.
The good work on intelligence and the raids had freed several platoons and transport vehicles from frontline duty and the aid deliveries now could be taken over the GA to a great part.
Nevertheless there hadn't been a day cycle Minako hadn't been helping people personally and she intended to do just the same again when the aid would be supplied. By now she had some regular patients, mostly elderly and children and she was even look forward to meet them.
AICA and SunTzu were still at the space port, SunTzu was leaning against AICA with smoking and watched Minako monitoring the unloading of the Bounty.
Suddenly AICA reported that one of the villages was under attack, which SunTzu immediately reported to Minako.
The U-Wings were already on their way when the Senshi of Love and Beauty and the Guardian of Guardians left the spaceport in AICA and rushed towards the village that was under attack.
Within minutes AICA was above the settlement and while flying in low altitude the two Earthlings could see that blasters were being shot at the village coming in from the tree line of the jungle forest nearby and the first rebels were moving cautiously towards the village. The occasional shot back was traded from the inhabitants of the village.
"We're going to strafe the tree line and try to drive them back." SunTzu announced from the pilot seat as he maneuvered AICA around.
"Drop me in the village first. I'll take care that they don't enter. There's a lot of old folks and children down there, I need to protect them."
"Are you sure? With all those trees around I have to fly AICA and can't join you on the ground."
"Don't worry I got this." Minako's voice was calm and full of determination.
"At least take a plate carrier, Mina."
"No, it would slow me down. I'll have to be able to move fast."
SunTzu shook his head, Minako could be just as hotheaded as their former lover and himself.
Minako jumped out of AICA a few meters above the ground in the middle of the small village, made up out of huts of plaited leaves of the jungle and transformed on her way down.
She landed in a superhero stance and her eyes immediately went to where the shots were coming from. Above her AICA shot away, as Minako started running.
While running Sailor Venus materialized a richly decorated sword in her hand, the Holy Blade of the Silver Millennium, the Sword of the Silver Crystal and put it at the ready.
SunTzu and AICA veered in and began to strafe the tree line with laser fire, sparkles and smoke rising and trees collapsing when they shot over ahead after the attack, several rebels affected by the strafing run.
In between the village and the jungle, in knee-high grass, laid a few rebels advancing towards the settlement.
The rebels hunkered down when that pesky A-Wing had opened fire on their comrades behind them, when suddenly something, no someone, jumped into the air between the closest two huts of the village, heading straight to the closest of them.
The rebel recognized that it was a woman, wearing a short skirt and she brought up a sword over her head and the rebel, a close-humanoid was like stunned by this beautiful creature before Sailor Venus let her sword clash down on the man's unprotected head.
SunTzu flew a circle over the village, instructing the U-Wings with the help of AICA.
"Where's the Commander?" O'Connell's voice came in and SunTzu looked down, he spotted her engaging the rebels in the grass in front of the jungle, reaping havoc within the advanced enemies.
"She's down there, kicking ass with a sword like she's fucking She-Ra or so. Looks like she got it covered, but I'll light up the jungle some more."
When the U-Wings came in, the Commandos ready to immediately disembark and engage the enemy, there was trails of smoke above the jungle and small fires were scattered around the now destroyed tree line. The air smelled and tasted accordingly but it was eerily silent.
AICA was hovering in front of the village, lasers aiming into the forest.
Venus stood a few dozen meters behind AICA, one U-Wing, Phobos landing almost next to her. She was standing straight, propped up on the sword pointing to the ground and her blonde hair was waving in the air from the thrust of the incoming starships.
Sailor Venus had completely surprised the rebels with her swiftness and agility while AICA's laser runs had distracted them.
It had been over in a matter of seconds and now, after the Commandos swarmed out, she nodded at O'Connell and then walked back to the village, activating her comms.
"I'll check on the villagers, Task Group Venus be ready to sent additional help. And someone tell me when the aid delivery is arriving here."
The attack on the village proved to be more than disastrous for the rebels. In panic since their attack was warded off even thought the daily convoy hadn't arrived yet, their radio man had called their base to tell them they had no chance of succeeding and would try to escape now.
What the later disintegrated rebel didn't know was that the head tactician of the rebels was inside that base, lying deep inside the jungle, at that moment. Most of the rebel leadership were part of the leadership because of the ideological part, but not that individual, he had a military background and had been a staff officer.
Of course the radio call was intercepted and Kenji could triangulate the rebel base.
A quickly dispatched duo of Headhunters from Terra Squadron shot four missiles at the base, two of them directly hitting the command post, wiping out everyone inside, including the tactician.
A whole company of GA Troopers later landed at the destroyed base and could confirm the death of the former officer though an DNA Test.
Minako, having just finished her treatment of the villagers when Castle, the JTAC of Team 2, approached her.
"Ma'am, you're awaited on the Starstruck. The Admiral wants to talk to you."
Minako left soon, after making sure the village was protected by a platoon of the GA troops and every villager had been taken care off both medically and with food and water.
AICA and SunTzu picked her up and AICA briefed her on the way to the Starstruck, what had happened while she was treating those people.
"Word on some comm channels is that the first rebel cells are capitulating already."
Minako arrived on the Starstruck and was greeted by Helios, waiting for her.
"Commander, the Admiral is waiting for your holo-call."
"Do you know, what he wants?"
"Negative, he was talking with the Captain in private when I got the order to contact you."
"Hm…"
Minako furrowed her brows, was Artemis going to scold her for getting into combat?
Minako made her way to her small command center, Helios had been called to the Captain on the way, and she opened a holo-channel to Artemis as soon as she was in front of the holo-projector.
"Ah, Minako. That was quicker than expected."
Both friends shared a smile.
"Are you doing well?" The Admiral asked his old protégé and partner.
"I'm okay, lots of work but I try to do my best, as I told you on the way here."
"About that… Minako, I'm proud of you. All I hear is praise from everyone and that the mission is going better than expected. The devoted work of Task Group Venus is ensuring that the population of Narfiner is more content with the Galactic Alliance than ever before. And the aid is reaching the right people, those in need. And on top, you and your command managed to neutralize one of the most highly-valued targets. The local command told me, that this will probably be the death blow to the rebellion."
Minako's jaw dropped she had not expected such praise.
"We might have to talk about recklessly attacking the enemy on your own. I'm glad you weren't harmed. Other than that, outstanding work Commander."
Minako began to smile, of course he already knew and he had to say something.
"Thank you…" Minako began to salute. "…Admiral."
Artemis nodded and smiled as he reciprocated the salute.
"As soon as the last transport is unloaded, come back to the Taskforce. The Royals conferred with the Leadership of the Alliance and the Jedi. Operation Main Belt is a go and the Neo Queen wants to brief her Senshi personally. The regular forces on Narfiner can take it from here."
Minako's eyes widened for a moment, she kind of knew that it was inevitable but it still felt kind of sudden. She cleared her throat before she spoke. "Understood."
"Oh and Minako, leading is not only about doing hard work and making even harder decisions, sometimes you'll get to do joyful things. I talked with Captain Nadrak, Helios is getting promoted to XO of the Starstruck, maybe you want to join the procession as acting commander of the Task Group."