The Planet Aesolian, laying in the system of the same name, was located in the southwestern Wild Space and belonged to a small group of planets and systems throughout the Galaxy that had taken a neutral stance in the Shadow Wars.
They had revoked their membership for the Galactic Alliance but instead of the openly Chaos-supporting planets had still treaties and ties with the Galactic Government.
Or at least in theory as Aesolian was almost surrounded by planets controlled by the Herald's forces and it was far too dangerous for any non-combat ship to get to the system, as raid from nearby systems could always happen.
SunTzu had extracted the data of General Phyncx's location, the Nemesis of Taskforce Sol, from a weapons dealer named Heartless before he had killed the criminal. Apparently Phyncx had a fortress and a base for his army on the planet, Heartless had been there once for business, and was very much fawned over by the planetary government.
Makoto, AICA and SunTzu knew about that and also knew that Phyncx would probably be able to get to know when they would approach the planet or move on it. But if there was something any planet and side in the war needed and the companies were to deliver it to everywhere as long as they were paid than it was Bacta.
A small detour to Thyferra and a generous sum of tut money to a small freighter and it's crew, working alongside the Smuggler's Alliance and secretly paid by the Intelligence Service as well, made sure they would get their unnoticed though.
This meant that the trip would go without AICA, and Makoto had to smirk when she saw AI and Pilot say goodbye to each other. And as SunTzu and Makoto set off to get their revenge, AICA headed back to the Taskforce.
Makoto and SunTzu weren't alone though, a third earthling had joined them at the starport on Fondor.
To Makoto's surprise a sergeant of the Taskforce had come to the planet.
"Makoto, this is Sergeant Davis." SunTzu had introduced Owen.
"This is a Top Secret Operation, what the hells?"
"Makoto, I can confirm if anybody else than us is on board with this mission it's him."
"That's right Captain. I'm here for my revenge on that bastard as well."
Makoto looked hard at Owen and then at SunTzu, a questioning look on her face then.
"His sister."
"Yes, my little sister. She was in Captain SunTzu's platoon."
Makoto didn't need any further information to know that the Sergeant would join them no matter what.
The trip was event-less as the trio almost all of the time stayed in the small cabin they had. Since the ship was pretty small, it was kind of hard for SunTzu to not go up to the cockpit and have a look if everything was going fine and the pilots were doing a good job. His bickering was kind of annoying for the other two and after one and a half days Makoto told him to stop bitching, she knew that he was missing AICA. And certain group of Outer Senshi as well, especially the oldest one. Makoto's knowing smile shut up SunTzu immediately.
The ship landed on the only spaceport of the planet, which was located in the capital, and carefully and secretly the trio left it and took a look around.
It didn't took long, basically only until the first meters into the amusement center of the city until the found the first individuals that alone from their appearance seemed to be soldiers. And judging from their appearance, at least some of them were definitely not from the local forces as they were partly even wearing old Imperial and NR clothes and gear.
Immediately the three earthlings out for revenge knew it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on these guys and find out where they were having their base and maybe find a clue to where Phyncx was residing.
As junior in rank, and the one being the least known, it was decided, by rank, that Owen would try to get in contact with these soldiers.
He sat down nearby with a mug of local brew and after a few moments, apparently he wasn't shy when it came to talking to people he initiated a conversation with the soldiers after asking them if they were serving. After being asked if he had served and telling them his old unit's regimental number from his time in the British Army but nothing more the soldiers next to him got curious.
While Makoto and SunTzu were observing close, it only took one more mug until the soldiers decided to ask the traveler if he'd like to join their ranks.
Owen was a good actor, or a steadfast drinker, as his look for approval over to the two officers at a nearby table almost wasn't visible.
SunTzu nodded back, almost non visible as well before Owen took another swig of his drink and then asked the soldier how high the pay was, earning loud, amused laughter from all of them and a acknowledging pat on his shoulder
Onboard the Eternal the Neo Queen of Crystal Tokyo was sitting on the large sofa in her quarters, absorbed in thoughts staring into the nothing, while having Luna in her cat form on her lap, petting her while the Mau was purring. It was just the two of them in the Royal Quarters.
Even after all these years Luna's purring had this immensely soothing effect on Usagi, something she needed urgently now.
The whole Taskforce was on the move now, trying to get to Aesolian as fast as possible and Usagi couldn't help but to think about how many more men she would loose before they would stop Phyncx. Earlier after a briefing, Luna had immediately recognized that her ward was in distress and had told her to come with her to the Royal Quarters, so she could take a time out.
Taskforce Sol after meeting AICA at Chardaan was now steaming towards the neutral system.
Rei, Ami, Artemis and their staffs were in close connection to their respective analogues on Coruscant to plan and organize their intrusion of a neutral system, but the Chief of State would release a decree that the forces of the GA were in search of a war criminal, responsible for the death of thousands of innocent and although neutral forces would not be engaged and should be warned, the search was allowed to find place everywhere in the Galaxy.
Inside the capital ships the pilots, crewmen and soldiers were already busy getting ready for a combat mission.
Hotaru was in AICA, thoroughly checking her systems and chatting with the AI, wanting to know everything about what SunTzu found out.
The other Outers were training close quarter combat but the youngest of them had decided to rather spent her time with getting AICA ready.
Something about her adoptive mother was unnerving the youngest Senshi, Setsuna was nervous and strained.
Of course it had to do with SunTzu but it seemed to be more than the fact that he was gone, something was worrying her mother.
Hotaru was right, her mother was worried. Worried with what would become of SunTzu, what emotions he would be feeling when he would find Phyncx. She was scared to even think about that his loss and anger light could drive him over to the dark. And she knew what that would mean and this made her finally fully understood why SunTzu was hurt so much by the fact that she could be his henchwoman.
Owen followed the drunken soldiers to their repulsor craft, it had gotten dark outside. They had told them that they could bring him to their base and get everything for his joining done there, easily and without any hassle.
To Owen's surprise they had told him that their base used to be a base of the local forces and had been given to them voluntarily. And the alcohol had loosened their tongues so much that they told him even more while on the way to the repulsorcraft, located at a nearby parking lot.
Apparently they had a headquarters on the planet, the command center of their General, an apparently brilliant man. One of them even told Owen, that most of their army, except their regiment, was on other planets so their base would be kept even more secretive here, which made the job on this planet a very relaxing one.
After a short walk they arrived at the parking lot, which was empty except a few empty vehicles. The soldiers were bawling and throwing slurs at each other, laughing loudly.
The first soldier, a sergeant and leader of the group was trying to find the key chip for the vehicle, his men and Owen around him, but he was so drunk that he couldn't remember in which of his pockets he had put it.
The other five men were telling to look faster as it was almost time to be back at their base.
The guy of them standing next to Owen, the two of them being the ones the furthest away was about to yell something and had his mouth already open when suddenly all that came out was saliva and blood and within a moment a purple-glowing blade penetrated through his sternum from behind, making everything around light purple as well.
Owen and two of the soldiers were in the process to turn to the dying man but were two slow, in an instant the blade was gone from the man's chest again and whirled around, a dark clad man carried the blade and like a tornado he whooshed through the two soldier's cutting them down before he beheaded two more of the soldiers.
The sergeant had turned around, joyfully holding the key up as SunTzu cut off his risen arm, while the man only could look in surprise.
A kick to the knee felled the man and in an instant SunTzu had his purple blade at the throat of the man, who could feel the heat of the light saber.
"Start yelling and I'll cut you into handy dices." SunTzu yelled at the man who now looked at him in shock, wondering who this yellow-eyed demon with the light saber was and where he came from.
Makoto, although shocked by the swiftness and violence in SunTzu's action reacted quick and propped up in front of the man.
"We'll need some answers. Where's Phyncx base?"
The man needed a moment to react and if it wouldn't have been for Makoto's severe look SunTzu probably would have cut off his other arm, she assumed.
"Re…Repulsor… tracker, there's the tracker. My vest, maps…"
"Thank y…"
With a quick move SunTzu had turned the blade away from the man's throat and stabbed it into the top of his skull until it came down his lower jaw, the man was dead in an instant.
"What the… What's wrong with you?!" Makoto hissed at SunTzu and flinched when she saw the yellow glow in his eyes.
"The man was with Phyncx, what do you think he would have done if we would have kept him alive?"
"You cannot just kill everybody, we got morales."
"Morales? You mean like killing thieves? Or kidnapping people from other universes?"
Before Makoto and SunTzu could argue any further Owen chimed in.
"Guys? We should get going."
Both looked at him, the glow in SunTzu's eyes gone, and then walked to the repulsorcraft.
Inside they found everything that they needed, proofing once more that some of Phyncx's forces weren't disciplined and dutiful, no wonder he had specialized in droids and robots.
"Man, I wish AICA was here. There's so much stuff she could store and analyze here."
Makoto only nodded, as she was busy scanning the things with a small device.
It was almost too easy with the information they could gather, even detailed maps of the army base as well as a fortress further away, which was their headquarters, Phyncx Command Center.
Located in between thick walls were several buildings and a shield generator.
"This big one is labeled plant, I guess for droids or traps."
"So we should take care of it as well."
"See this building over there? The shape and the way it is built. That's an ammo storage." Owen pointed to a building on the side of the court. "And I bet there's enough stuff inside I can use to blow up the shield generator and the security central."
"And then we use the chaos and get Phyncx. Good plan."
"I bet that fat fuck is residing in this tower here in the middle."
"Fits him. Fucking excuse of a super villain."
"Only thing left is how we get inside there."
"Ah, Pilots." Makoto opened a nearby lockbox, inside there were helmets and body armor. "Pretty easy, we disguise get close and enter."
"You guys know that's a war crime, right?"
Both Makoto and SunTzu looked at each other before Makoto began to smile.
"I like him. He's so innocent."
In the late of the night they arrived at the gates of the fortress, faces hidden under full face helmets and wearing armor.
A guard post stopped them at the gate, and motioned SunTzu, who was at the steering wheel, to lower the window on his side.
"And you guys are?"
"We're from the regiment. Someone of your LTs told our CO to get our asses here and help with the repair of some kriffed up conduits."
"Conduits?"
"Back on my home planet I was a plumber before I joined. Some sithspawn apparently had told that to our company leader."
The guard used a lighter to light inside the vehicle, shining it into the visors of the other two soldiers in the vehicle.
"These two have the honor and joy to accompany me while we pull you guys' shit out of a clocked pipe. In the middle of the night."
The guard looked at SunTzu, giving a very good expression of someone who didn't want to be here and was highly sarcastic about it.
But SunTzu exactly wanted to be here, he wanted to march into there, pull Phyncx out of his room on his hair and splatter him all over the place. Just after he had done an immense account of pain to the enemy General. He couldn't wait to finally have his revenge.
"Fine. You can pass, just straight and then right to the vehicle pool." He used his hand to explain the path. "I don't want to switch with you guys."
"Yeah, I bet."
A energy barrier lifted and the repulsor craft moved into the fortress, SunTzu and the other two Earthlings smiling broadly under their helmets.
They parked the vehicle in the deserted vehicle pool and got out. From here on they had to carefully sneak to their targets.
The starfighter squadrons were formed up in front and on the flanks of the capital ships, the Eternal leading the formation of the bigger ships, when Taskforce Sol fell back to real space after it's last one-hour long hyperspace jump.
Inside the ships the first wave of ground troops were already waiting to be deployed, among them the Senshi, the Royals and the Commanding Officer of Taskforce Sol.
Hotaru, Michiru and Haruka were the tip of the spear in space, with AICA and the Voyager flying side by side.
Almost immediately an old Dreadnaught-Cruiser with a half squadron of Preybird-Fighters changed its course towards Sol.
"Galactic Alliance Ships, you trespassed into a neutral system. Leave immediately or we will see you as enemy intruders and open fire."
It was Captain Santos who answered.
"Space Defence Forces of Aesolian, we are here on an official mission to execute the arrest of a galaxy-wide warrant. The warrant as well as an official statement from the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance are being transferred to you and your government right now."
It took a minute but the Dreadnaught kept his course and activated its systems.
"I say again, Galactic Alliance ships. Leave this system or we will open fire."
Before Santos or someone else could reply, a starfighter pilot took the word.
"This is First Lieutenant Hotaru Meiou, Starfighter Corps of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Aesolian Forces, fuck off or get destroyed. How copy?"
On AICA's right, Haruka's lips curled into a wide smile under pilot helmet.
"That's my girl." She said, making Michiru roll her eyes under her helmet behind her.
On the Eternal, or rather in one of the landing craft of the Taskforce an adoptive mother decided in that moment that maybe it was time to have a talk with her adopted child about her language again and maybe let this discussion involve the heir to the kingdom she served, her co-mother and two certain father figures of her.
The Dreadnaught's answer was to align for a broadside, while its fighters formed into a defensive formation.
"So much for letting us through. Eternal, requesting permission to engage."
"Negative Mistress 9, we will not engage without getting attacked. This is a neutral system."
Hotaru switched off her comms and let out a unsatisfied sigh. It wasn't easy to be the bringer of Death if the enemy side, after the aggressiveness of the local defence force she was sure that the system wasn't neutral and supported Chaos, had to shoot them first before they could react.
Grinding her teeth she flew on, hoping that a decision between life and death would be ruled soon, she had friends to safe and this time she also would get Phyncx, if Mako-Chan and SunTzu wouldn't get to him first.
On Aesolian the planetary government, a semi-autocratic form of rule, knew that it was in trouble.
Their forces never would be enough to defend them against this fleet from the Galactic Alliance and reinforcements from the Forces of Phyncx would need some hours to arrive. But if they would just let the forces of the Galactic Alliance do as they pleased, Phyncx would definitely attack the planetary government and the planet's cities as well. And he definitely wouldn't care about who he would kill. The ruler had no other choice but to attack the GA's forces and appoint it on the system's neutrality.
The Voyager, AICA and Terra Squadron had closed in to a few kilometers with the Aesolian Space Defence Force when the later's fighters suddenly swarmed out and yellow turbolaser-fire flew into their direction, making nine of the ships break away. Only AICA stayed on course, closely dodging the fire. While AICA was already locking on on all the fighters Hotaru shook her head, why not like that instantly?
On the ground, more specific in Phyncx fortress, the Earthlings were less out in force and all three of them were carefully sneaking through the base, Makoto and SunTzu towards the stone tower in the middle of the fortress and Owen towards the armory.
The soldiers inside the fortress were way more disciplined and professional than their counterparts in the army base.
Regular patrols, soldiers equipped with IR-sensors, searchlights scanning the court and security cameras became more frequent as closer as Makoto and SunTzu came to the tower and the nearby plant.
SunTzu, although Commando-certified was more than glad to have the Senshi of Thunder with him. The Special Forces Officer was an Ace when it came to evading enemy forces.
And they needed each other to take a safe way towards their targets, as they sometimes had to climb the walls and elevated corridors of the fortress to hide.
Owen's path was a bit easier but still he had to dodge searchlights and the occasional patrol. And the Walisian was very aware that the armory would probably be secured or locked and that he would need a way to get in there and not to mention for the manufacturing plant as well.
It took him longer than expected but he arrived near the armory, the warning signs in Basic on the side of the building, visible from the dark corner of the fortress wall he was hiding in, making it clear even more that he had found the armory.
A lone guard, armored and a service blaster in hands, was standing in front of the entrance.
Owen took a big breather before he straightened up and executed the maybe worst idea he had in his life. And for a guy who disarmed explosives for a living that meant a lot.
Above the planet the Voyager and AICA swung around from an Immelmann, watching how the combined barrage from Terra as well as a missile salvo from both the Far Side and the Starstruck had blown the Dreadnaught-Class apart after a quartet of EMP-Missiles from both snubfighters had deactivated it's shields.
The six Aesolian starfighters had been destroyed moments before in a missile strike between the eight starfighters leading the Earthlings on.
Since things had been too easy, most of the other starfighter squadrons were now already on their way to patrol the system while the capital ships were already forming up again.
Michiru, Hotaru and Haruka would patrol the system as well, while Terra would escort the ground troops on their way to the planet's surface, with the first dropships, also carrying most of the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask, about to lift off.
Owen had walked up to the guard post, acting like he belonged to the forces of Phyncx and stopped in front of the guard.
"Ey Man, you got any sanitary installations in there?"
The man in the armor, full body not just a vest and helmet like the one the three Earthlings had acquired, tilted his head.
His voice sounded scrambled when he spoke.
"Come again?"
"Water pipes? Sink? A shitter? Anything like that in there?"
It took a moment but then the soldier's surprise caused by the strange question ebbed down and was replaced by professionalism.
"Identity yourself." The man was slightly raising his blaster although he wasn't aiming at Owen yet.
Owen let out a loud sigh.
"Forgot how paranoid you guys in here are. Private Davis. I'm over from the regiment, someone told us that you guys had a problem with your sanitary installations over here and now I'm here in the middle of the night, having to check on your bogs because the Sarge decided it would be neat if I do so."
It took another moment but then the soldier lowered his weapon, that made sense for the military.
"No sanitary installations. Kriff off."
That wasn't exactly the answer Owen had hoped to hear.
Think fast, Owen…
And then he noticed the small installation for ventilation on the left side over the hardened entrance door and pointed up to it.
"What about that ventilation. Is it working with water? Or another liquid. Sarge told me to check anything using liquids or I'll be cleaning the latrines until the war is over."
The guard looked up at the grey-metallic box.
"C'mon man, don't do that to a comrade. Tell you what, you can come along until I checked that thing. I'll be out in five mikes."
The guard glanced back at Owen and thought for another long moment in which Owen prayed to whatever was holy that this would work without anyone showing up to check on his identity.
"Let me check with command."
"Really, they sent me here to make sure you guys can take a hot shower in peace, OR take a dump without the whole place smelling like shit and you're delaying my end of duty? Wow, whatever happened to comradeship."
The guard had his finger almost on his PTT but stopped after Owen's last sentence.
"You know what dipshit? Fine, I'll let you in. But I'll be right behind you."
"Yeah, yeah. Until it means that you have to give me a hand because something is seriously eff… kriffed up."
Owen just could see the enemy soldier roll his eyes under his helmet as he turned around and used a key card on a lace to open the hardened building.
"You go on first." The soldier told and Owen shrugged his shoulders.
"As if you'd know, where we need to go anyways."
"I still say it's not safe. You should have taken a later transport, dear."
"I second Tuxedo Mask's opinion." The commanding officer of Taskforce Sol, wearing combat clothes, body armor, a pistol in his holster and a helmet with his rank insignia on, said as the Royal Shuttle flanked by two Z-95s from Terra and in a line with two assault transporters and the two U-Wings in front had formed up and approached the planetary surface of the apparently not so neutral anymore planet.
Although it only took minutes it felt an eternity and SunTzu began to worry that the morning would come before they would arrive at the stone tower, the alleged quarter of Phyncx.
Right now, he was cowering behind Makoto in a dark corner of an overhead alleyway of the walls. Makoto was searching for traps and security measures up ahead. They were almost there.
"Next ring of the wall is the one with the tower, almost there."
She put her small macro-binoculars away again. "Stay behind me though, they have step sensors and some cameras.
"Wish I brought a card board box."
Makoto wheezed at the remark.
"Yeah."
With the guard one step behind him, Owen ventured further and further into the armory, so far there only had been weapons but even PLEX-Launchers weren't enough to take out that plant.
At least he was lucky and the pipes for the ventilation system went on and on as well. After what took way too long, although it hadn't even been a minute, they came through another gate, the warning symbols for explosives more prominently on it than in the surroundings before.
A quick check made Owen realize that the pipes went on there as well, which made sense, probably some of the explosives needed cooling.
"Looks like i need to go in there." He stated, trying to act as bored as he could as he turned around to the guard and nodded towards the extra locked section of the armory and the pipes going further into the building.
The soldier stared at Owen for a moment but the disguised earthling just shrugged his shoulders.
A moment later the guard sighed again and urged himself in front of Owen, using his keycard.
Together they entered the room in the room and when the guard was inside, Owen saw his chance and drew the small knife he had with him in the pants of his clothes.
With a fast move he drove the blade into the side of the man's throat.
Or at least that would have been the plan, as the blade didn't penetrate the safety clothes between helmet and body armor.
For a moment Owen stared at the blade in disbelief before a right hook hit him hard into his stomach, which knocked the air out of his lungs and burned like a glowing rod had been rammed into his intestines.
Somehow he could manage to keep standing up although he reeled backwards a few steps.
The guard didn't say a word and only grunted, but at least he didn't seemed to be suicidal because instead of just shooting Owen in the room full of explosive agents he pulled out a vibro knife.
The Royals, the rest of the Inners, Sailor Pluto, Artemis, Luna and Diana, the two later in their cat forms, Kenji, Yuichiro, two teams of Serenity's Wolves and a reinforced platoon of troopers spread out from the landing zone, a few kilometers away from both the fortress and the army base.
In a matter of minutes armored reinforcements and air support would be available and the Taskforce would start its attack, faster than the troops of Phyncx or Aesolian could react.
The leadership of the Taskforce was close to Dish and Kenji who were in close contact with the ships in orbit. Kenji had demanded to come along as his wife was on what he called a suicide mission.
They already had given the signal to deploy the rest of the ground troops when suddenly an urgent message came through the radio.
Armored enemy vehicles were storming towards them, apparently they had been just waiting to attack.
Dish and Kenji had become pale from that message, their worry visible for the others, before they could alarm the others, but what they heard next, let their blood freeze.
Because of the neutrality of the planet and the possibility that the system government would still agree to a cooperation, Diplomatic Service was on it, the Pride of Kataia had her gravity well generators off.
Captain Santos somehow had known that this had been the wrong decision and what happened next would make him never not listen to his gut instinct anymore.
An enemy flotilla with hundreds of TIE-Droids had suddenly jumped out of Hyperspace close to the planet and immediately attacked, closing the corridor down to the planet, making the already started transports turn back immediately for the safety of the capital ships while their escorts tried to fend off the attackers.
The patrolling fighters and squadrons gave full thrust to get to the fight as well.
"I thought we had hours until the enemy could have gotten here." Haruka came in over the tactical channel, audible for the whole fleet.
"It was a trap. From the beginning on." The short, sobering answer came directly from Captain Santos.
Makoto and SunTzu had made it to the court on the outside of the stone tower. Apparently the safety measures had been so tight before as Phyncx liked to not be paranoid in his immediate living space as there were no signs of security measures except for two troopers at the entrance to the tower, nothing the duo couldn't handle.
They used the shadows of the walls to carefully move forward, Makoto on the left, SunTzu on the right, each one of them would take on one guard and then they would enter the tower and get Phyncx.
They had made around half of the way from the last wall to the tower when suddenly the whole place was flooded in light and a voice sounded off from speakers.
"Ah… finally you made it. I was expecting you much earlier, Captains."