Gochi had already heard the plan explained by Mamoru and amended by Togarishii, so she moved into her place within the pack. The group exited into the corridor and split into their assigned groups. Makoto followed next to Gochi. As instructed, both women periodically switched positions with the other members of the group. Although alert and attentive to the situation at hand, worry for a loved one tugged at the back of both woman's mind.

Spoiler:

The whole situation put Makoto at unease, but that wasn't exactly an unfamiliar position when it came to her duties as a sailor senshi. Conflict and uncertainty were often unavoidable as a sailor senshi, but, in her opinion, it mattered more how you dealt with it. Makoto preferred to deal with conflict as quickly as possible and take control even more quickly. Unfortunately, the opportunity to do just that hadn't presented itself yet. Right now, she needed to trust those around her.

Gochi, on the other hand, hardly ever trusted anyone. She certainly didn't trust the group she was with, but she didn't have a choice. In her line of work, trust often had the habit of biting you where the sun doesn't shine. The people she worked with used other's trust as a tool for manipulation.

Ami was twitchy as they started towards the med bay. She knew Michiru and so far she played the part given her well, but could she keep it up? Ami knew so little about the other woman with them. Could she be trusted? What did she gain from helping them? These were all questions the others had and if those questions had been answered, well she would find out sooner or later but now she was helping them and that's what they needed. Ami just hoped that she didn't turn on them later.

She walked with her head down next to and just behind Michiru, in hopes that she didn't bump into anyone on their side trip for her. How she hated that they had to do this but she was nearly blind and like that she was no good to anyone. "I just hope we get there soon." She said in a very low voice to herself.

OOC:

Group One: The Compass, the Map, and the Doctor
Togarishii paused, turning to the sleek wall beside them and pulling up a display as she spoke quickly to the Ranker (Michiru) and Medical (Ami), feigning interest as she gave them their final instructions from her. "Remember," she said, "You're in charge, you're impatient, and you're furious that it's taking so long to get your contacts fixed. You, blue-eyes, need to look flustered, a bit annoyed, but definitely subservient to her. They'll point you in the right direction for an exam room; once you're in there, let the machine scan your eyes; it'll take a moment to analyze, and then it'll scan again, putting the contact in place. When you leave, keep heading straight down this hallway until you reach the second hall on the left. Take the left; I'll be waiting for you there.

"The louder and more obstinate you are, Ranker, the easier things will go for you both. Good luck."

With that, she continued down the hallway, leaving them to their mission.


Group Two:
As they walked, Mamoru would stop periodically to pull up the display and, in low voices, talk Setsuna through the common commands and controls that Togarishii had shown him, including the map, and how to lock and unlock doors with the mechanic override. The next time they would stop, he would have Setsuna go through the commands he had just shown, a quick review for what might happen later, should they need to split up for longer periods than just moving down hallways.

Every now and again they would move ahead of Makoto and Gochi, and then drift behind, so it wasn't so obvious that they were heading in the same direction towards the same goal; as, up ahead, Togarishii paused and spoke with Michiru and Ami before leaving them, Mamoru wondered if it would look even more suspicious if they walked even slower. The truth was, they didn't know exactly where they were heading. Their best guess was to try for the next battery room and hope for the best.

They passed a side hall and his eyes caught on Togarishii as she flicked the brim of her hat, flashing him a strange hand signal that, based on her expression, might have been the Taran equivalent of a thumbs-up. Now, leaving her behind, they really were flying on their own on an enemy ship; the guide hadn't left them yet, but she was behind them now, and he was truly leading them through enemy territory using nothing but a computer system he was just beginning to really grasp.

He hoped it would be enough.

He paused to make one final check, pulling up a display, and nodded to Setsuna, "The next battery station should be down the next hallway. It's locked and powered down," he pointed to the two key codes that appeared when he selected the room, "but it contains at least one senshi. We'll try there, and wait for Michiru, Ami, and Togarishii to meet us before heading to the next one."

OOC:

No one was to know that they truly functioned as a group Mamoru and Setsuna frequently walked at a distance from Makoto and Gochi or stopped to work a command panel. The two women would continue to walk, albeit a little slower until the others could catch up moderately. Neither had a good idea of where they were going, although Gochi felt fairly confident she could at least escape if things turned bad. Makoto would always stick with her friends, no matter the situation. 

Then, Togarishii left the group and both women had to hold their emotions in check. Makoto felt a little worried without their primary guide, although Mamoru knew quite a bit by this point. Gochi held her anger in check, because she interpreted this move shy of abandonment. Togarishii had an idea of where Tobias was being held, so she damn well needed to stay nearby.

When Setsuna had finished dressing and had joined the rest of the group again, they were ready to leave the room that was, admittedly, starting to feel too familiar since they had spent a significant long time there. Too long to put it bluntly. Michiru fully agreed with Setsuna and Ami on moving on as fast as they could before they would get caught, waiting would only make their chances to succeed in their plan thinner. Few moments later she made her way out to the corridor with the other members of their group, and soon after moved closer to Togarishii and Ami when they split up, each smaller group now heading to a different direction.

The quiet words Ami addressed to Michiru next surprised her, making her blink. She wouldn't have thought the younger water senshi would apologize for something she could not help and bewilderment reflected from Michiru's slightly widened eyes. She shook her head from one side to another, the gesture only small but hopefully making the point across. "Our priority is to get out of here safely, everyone with us, and we all need you" she said to Ami, letting her hand rise up to fall on the other girl's shoulder for a moment, moving slowly enough so Ami could dodge if she wanted. She was one of the smartest people Michiru knew, and her abilities and knowledge would surely help them a lot, thus getting the contacts was important for both the group and Ami herself so she could see well again.

As they headed to the medical bay, Michiru was closer to Ami than Togarishii, but her eyes were focused on the woman guiding them, every now and then moving to their surroundings. Better not let your guard down when you didn't know much about the person who offered their help but whose motives you had no idea about. There were a lot of answers she wanted Togarishii to give, but now was not the right time for them nor for questions about the Tarans' plans. The walk from the container room did not take too long before Togarishii turned and pulled up a display, giving Michiru and Ami the final instructions. Michiru listened to the woman closely and after she had wished them good luck and continued walking down the hallway, she turned to Ami.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked the girl. They had to play their roles well from the very moment they entered the medical bay, and this was the only chance they got. And for it to go smoothly, politeness could be needed to be thrown to the corner, at least partially, when they needed to get the Tarans to point them in the direction of the exam rooms.

ooc:

Mamoru watched the panels closely for any hint of alarm, his fingers at the keys just in case, waiting on edge to make sure the commands he input had been accepted into the system without sending out a distress call to any other center of the ship. Each extraction was getting more and more difficult as he had to scramble codes to create excuses to enter battery chambers, and further codes to cover what they were doing within. With Pluto’s team about to splinter off he hoped that their luck would continue. Their number was much greater now, and much harder to hide; while he still didn’t particularly like the idea of splitting up on an alien craft, it was the only possible way they could continue, their only hope of finding Usagi.
 
Behind him he heard Setsuna explaining their situation to Hotaru; introducing her to their new allies – senshi from extrasolar planets – passing on Michiru and Haruka’s well wishes, explaining where the two of them had gone, and revealing Hotaru’s new role as a Ranker’s daughter. When he heard Minako playfully commenting on Hotaru’s outfit he turned, trusting that the system would hold and that they were indeed invisible to the system, to look at their group.
 
They were down Togarishii, Gochi, Michiru and Haruka, the latter three of whom were off holding up his side of his bargain with Gochi, carefully searching the upper levels of the ship in an attempt to find Gochi’s brother, Tobias. He had utter confidence in the pair, knowing that they would succeed in their mission and return; Uranus and Neptune always did. He sincerely hoped that the senshi of Vegeta would be reunited with her brother and escape with them, but wouldn’t worry about her if she decided to split altogether. She could handle herself.
 
They had gained a good portion of their team - Makoto, Ami, Setsuna, Minako, and now Hotaru – and several more besides; there were four other senshi, all from different systems, all hoping to be reunited with a partner but too quiet to insist on finding them. He wanted to help them, too, but knew that he had to find Usako before the Tarans tried anything with her or her powers.
 
 
At this point they all knew the drill; he had been repeating it at every turn, but now as a group of ten, this was it. “Ami, Setsuna,” he instructed, looking at the ‘doctor’ and the ‘mechanic’; he wanted to keep Setsuna with Hotaru, but knew that she and Ami were the best choices for keeping track of the new senshi, and helping them find and free any others they came across. He also knew that the two of them, while outwardly calm and polite, would not hesitate to make the tough decisions should things go wrong. “You two will be leading the second group. Your mission is to save as many other senshi as you can.” He looked at both of them, “Keep in touch with their computer system, leave me messages where Togarishii had instructed so they don’t find them. If you need to split up again… just keep me informed, okay?” The two of them nodded, looking determined. He turned to the four new senshi, regretting that he did not remember their names, “You four go with them; with any luck, you can recover your lost friends, too. We’ll leave together, if we can.” He looked at the two of them, Ami and Setsuna, steadfast friends through time; somehow this was more difficult than when Michiru and Haruka left; but then, those two were always leaving on private missions. This was dangerous, and, while they all agreed that it was the right thing to do, splintering to find other senshi was a completely selfless act that could cost them their lives if they were not careful. There would be no talking them out of it, though, so he offered them a “Good luck,” and after a few hugs and some quiet instructions from Setsuna to the new senshi, they were on their way.
 
Once the last of the second party had left, Mamoru turned to the small party that remained: Makoto, Minako, and Hotaru; they would continue forward, into the command part of the ship, and search directly for Usagi. Were they to find another battery chamber they would stop to free the senshi within, but only if it were on the direct route to Usako. The ship’s navigation revealed that they were passing through the space between Uranus’s and Neptune’s orbital areas; they wouldn’t be in the Solar System for much longer.
 
He smiled halfheartedly, looking to Hotaru, who was dressed as a chic and proper young lady. “Hotaru, stick with Minako,” the plainly-clothed blonde, carrying what had been Gochi’s backpack, put her hand on the younger girl’s shoulder comfortingly, “she’ll help you when she can, but you have to remember that you’re in charge, okay?”
 
“Makoto, you’re with me again,” he nodded to the tall girl, noting how the shoe polish in her hair was beginning to work itself in, looking less glossy and more realistic now that it had had time to settle. They had found a mop and bucket along the way, and now, along with the backpack, Makoto really looked the part of a maintenance worker. “We’ll leave last so I can shut the place down again; keep walking down the main hallway and stop for a bit to let us pass; then you can follow again to the next stop, alright?”
 
The two left, as did he and Makoto shortly after. Once the doors were closed behind them he began working at the controls, making the computer think that Sailor Saturn were still in stasis within the compartment, and then shut down the system for long-distance travel. Then he and Makoto left, too.
 
As they walked down the well-light, increasingly wider hallway together, he didn’t quite know what to say by means of conversation; Makoto and he had been at this for hours now, slowly working their way down the ship, freeing senshi, avoiding suspicion, silently fighting to make their way off the ship before it was too late. And still they had so many unanswered questions – what were they planning to use Usako’s energy for? What defenses did they have in place to protect her, and could they make it through on the virtue of their disguises alone? Could they even hope to stop the Tarans, a culture so technologically advanced that they could barely comprehend the science at work on this starship? Could they even make it off this ship alive? And what of the people of Earth, locked back in the containment bays? Could they possibly hope to save them? They, who had risked so much just to get him out, who rested all their hopes on his shoulders, on all their shoulders… they couldn’t abandon them to their fate.
 
With so much adversity mounting against them, despite his best efforts to the contrary, Mamoru was starting to doubt whether they would succeed in this mission on any level, and perhaps it was the crease of his brow or the heaviness of his step, but weight of his thoughts was starting to show.
 
 
 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ranker Quarters
Togarishii’s “crash course” in Ranker Etiquette had been exactly that – a bare bones set of instructions that she barely got out before having to turn around and run back down the main hall in the direction they had traveled from, an alarm going off at her wrist. Ranker quarters were only dangerous if you let them be; if Michiru acted like a top dog then she would get into a lot of places without asking a lot of questions. Haruka’s main job, acting as Michiru’s Kersa, was to look pretty and do all the heavy lifting. No talking unless spoken to, all politeness all the time. Gochi just had to keep her mouth shut. Their best bet was to engage whatever Kersa they met, describe the missing brother, and see what the rumors were.
 
If nothing else worked, they’d have to try door to door, creating a ruse that would let them continue on should the apartment not hold the person they sought.
 

Lucky for them, they got to try the preferred option first, for as they rounded the first corner, a young and handsome blond Kersa was walking towards one of the doors ahead of them, groceries in his well-toned arms. What did he know about Tobias?

Ami tried to keep her walk as normal as possible as they made their way down the hall. The four relative unknown with them worried the blue haired girl, but at the same time if anything happened at least they had back up with them.

Ami glande towards Setsuna, finding a strange comfort in having the taller outer near by. The others with them looked sort of scared and lost, and Ami felt for them, as she too had felt that way recently. With out her abilities at the ready as she was used to. she felt weak but with her team supporting her she knew that they could do this even with out their powers.


Taking a look at the panel her where she had stopped she noticed that this was one of the senshi the others in their group were looking for. discretely making the signal she entered the room and stared at the console. She had learned what to do but she froze for a moment before launching into action. Her fingers almost fumbling as she worked to release the senshi in the tube.

OOC:

Makoto watched as their group split, grew, and split again. She warmly embraced her friends and offered friendly greetings to any newcomers. Silently, she appraised the apparent credibility of the newcomers. Afterwards, she inwardly cursed herself for being far too suspicious in a situation that relied on trust. Usagi had taught Makoto to place trust in a new friend until proven otherwise. And even afterwards, Usagi would still offer her trust.


Ami and Setsuna left with the new sailor senshi. Makoto never caught their names, but still hoped they all would be safe. Then, only Minako, Hotaru, Mamoru, and herself remained. But, Minako and Hotaru left shortly afterwards. The brunette gave them a wave and a hopeful smile before she and Mamoru were alone. Then, they two left for a new area of the ship
.

She grabbed a map and bucket along the way. Now, Makoto silently pushed the bucket forward while she kept her head low. In a pinch, she could use the mop as a wet, awkwardly weighted staff, but it was best to lay low and appear
unimportant. The others passed ahead while she took a few moments to clear some cobwebs with a quick swish of her mop. After squeezing the excess water from the mop, Makoto continued forward.


Hours later, Makoto, the mop, the bucket, and Mamoru had freed several sailor senshi. Their small group had walked a significant portion of the ship and yet... they still had not found Usagi and knew little of how their friends fared. With a small sigh, she rested her hands on the wood handle of the mop. A quick glance at her companion showed that similar thoughts were beginning to weigh Mamoru down. Makoto frowned as she realized such thoughts would do neither of them, or their friends, much good. She offered him a small smile and a word of encouragement. "We're almost there," she whispered.

~~~~~

Of course, Gochi was a soldier and she appreciated the subtlety and patience some missions required, but these characteristics were not often prized by the saiyan culture. Most missions, especially those entrusted to their kind by Frieza, required brute strength and an element of controlled chaos. Missions were accomplished quickly with a brutal hand and copious amounts of spilled blood. This... hiding in the shadows was not something she was used to, especially as a lower-class soldier that was not often sent on 'delicate' missions.

While the three traveled in the Ranker's Quarters, an alarm on Michiru's wrist sounded. Gochi did not betray her surprise when this happened, but silently cursed the woman all the same. The saiyan woman did not know what the alarm was for and wondered if it would not be their undoing. The alarm's nuisance subsided when Gochi saw a young Kersa round the corner with an armful of groceries. Emotion betrayed only by a quick breath, she quickly looked to Michiru for guidance. Earlier, Gochi had provided a quick visual description of her twin brother. Obviously, he looked like her, but a male. He had short and spikey black hair, blue eyes, and the body of a seasoned warrior.

Mamoru could help the drowning swell in his chest at Mako's kind words about as much as he could help the half-smile that came to his lips for her assurances. Glancing over, seeing the brunette-turned-black-haired girl leaning on her mop handle, pushing a rolling bucket along in front of her like a practiced custodian, part of his mind clicked over to an alternative plan - what if they just stayed hidden? What if they just lived out their lives on this ship, too far away from the Solar System to return, never transforming again for fear of discovery, and worked disguised as Tarans until they comfortably found Usako and worked out a plan to free her and escape, without the ticking clock hounding them? How long could they stay undiscovered on this ship? Long enough to even formulate a plan to get back to Earth? ... and then what would stop the Tarans from simply following them? There really was not much hope here.

They were trapped, captured in every sense of the word. There was no going back from this change; even if they miraculously made it back home in the best of circumstances, Earth would never be the same, interstellar relations would be a new weight on their plate - they weren't ready for this. Maybe in a few years, maybe when Crystal Tokyo was up and running and they had Earth under one banner - oh, hell, how is that even going to happen?! maybe then they could handle these new relationships, but now? 

...but now he shouldn't even be worrying about the future. He should be focusing on the present. On finding her, rescuing her, and getting off the ship before they left the Oort Cloud. 

"Yeah," he replied, his smile half-hearted, his reassurance empty.

OOC:

Being in charge of so many people was not something Setsuna was accustomed to, even after the years she spent with the other senshi. She was glad that she was working with Ami in this, however. The calm and quiet girl was always a pleasure to talk to, and they sometimes had small conversations about various topics.

Ami's presence was comforting in a way. At least she knew that they worked well together.

Setsuna's mind was still going over all of the new computer commands and intricacies that Mamoru had taught her. The computer system seemed to be fairly easy to catch on to, being more intuitive than Setsuna would have first guessed. But there were so many different things to keep track of, and she could not afford to misremember any of them.

This was all too important, and too dangerous, to risk any chance of failure.

Their group stopped in front of a panel, and Setsuna couldn't stop from frowning at the sight. Yet another senshi caught in this ship. Yet another senshi who was being used as nothing more than an energy source.

Just how many senshi had been captured?

~~~~~~

Myri was grumpy.

And scared. Completely and utterly scared. But she was trying not to think about that. So she focused instead on her anger at simply being here.

Her head felt full of cottonballs which was making it hard to truly be angry. Which was for the best, really. She couldn't afford to lose control right now. She doubted their oh so wonderful captors wouldn't notice a six foot tall woman destroying their ship in an uncontrollable rage.

Best to keep calm then.

Myrina turned her attention onto the two women who seemed to be in charge of their group. She didn't quite remember their names, but she found it kind of cool that one of them was even taller than herself. It felt nice to not be the tallest person in the room.

The details were all a little fuzzy though. Why were they all grouped up like this? Why were they moving down this passage? Shouldn't they be trying to escape or something? But Myri didn't fight against it, and instead went dociley with the group. Her thoughts were too sluggish, her limbs too heavy to do anything useful. She didn't even have her spear. And being with these strangers was at least a lot better than being alone.

When the group stopped, Myri couldn't figure out the reason why. Then her eyes read the name written upon the panel.

Her eyes widened. "Brenna?" Myri's voice cracked, and she took a step closer to the panel, pushing her way past another girl in her attempt to get closer. She almost didn't want to believe it, but there it was, written for all to see.

SAIPH.

Myrina turned her attention back onto the group. Her voice was urgent though she tried not to speak too loudly. "We have to help her. We can't just leave her in there, she's my friend!"

Sailor Saturn  

Hotaru felt strange and naked in the bizarre metallic outfit that had been provided for her. There was so little material to it, and it was so glaringly silver. Although her apparent age was now a teenager, her body was still smaller and more fragile-looking than average. It made her feel too exposed in this odd silvery... dress... thing. More than the attire of this unfamiliar ship and its people, she felt naked without her transformation and weapon.

However, Hotaru was certainly not someone to let anything interfere with her mission. She was a sailor soldier regardless of her attire or powers. She believed in their prince and princess. He was working very hard, desperately trying to find their most shining star, and Hotaru would be there to support him by whatever means were necessary.

Dark violet eyes took careful notes from their guide, who she did not completely trust but would not ignore information from, and she adjusted her posture and bearing. Even in the absurd and completely impractical high-heeled shoes, she carried herself with an certainty that projected confidence and condescension. The smallish girl flipped her short dark hair with a hand that immediately beckoned the blonde Minako to follow her, neither looking back at the older girl or saying a single word.

Minako would have been furious if she didn't know this was all part of the mission, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of irritation. How quickly their youngest member stepped into character! But she bit her tongue, swallowed her pride, and kept her head low.

They kept their distance from Makoto and Mamoru, but still managed to follow along. Hotaru paused regularly to generally huff and look annoyed, and Minako caught on quickly and spend that time quietly and meekly attempting to appease the significantly shorter dark-haired girl. It was slow progress, but steady, and neither were sure what else they ought to do.

OOC:

So, yeah, Makoto knew how to push a mop and bucket with the very best of them. Hard to believe that all of her determination to keep her own home clean and respectable would come in handy during a life and death situation. Quirking her mouth as a short laugh escaped, she wondered if this situation could prove as suitable motivation whenever she didn't feel like cleaning. If they got out of this situation... but, they always did in the end, right?

This wasn't very good; the situation and anxiety were wearing both her and Mamoru thin. Makoto's kind words had earned her a half-smile from Mamoru, but had also given him food for thought. He know appeared pensive as he brooded over the possibilities for their escape... or defeat. "Let's keep moving," she whispered.

Spoiler:

Ami
Ami looked up at the woman who had rushed forward. Her eyes spoke of the need to help a friend but even if the other hadn't known the senshi in the pod here, they still would have stopped and helped the warrior out. Ami smiled at the taller woman, "Don't worry." She said softly and in a way she hoped would help ease the other's fears."We're going to help everyone we can, including your friend." She said and started keying in the code to let them into the room. As the small group shifted into the room, Ami set to work on the computer's keys, sticking the right combination to release the Senshi from the horrid battery tube.

There was a woosh of the tube opening, and Ami let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding and set about making sure the commands she entered to hide the fact that the senshi was no longer in the tube. As she finished with the computer she turned to Setsuna.

"Do you think we should show some of the others in our group how to do this too?" she gestured at the room they were in and the computer. "Just in case we get to big as a group." The blue haired water senshi, would differ to the older senshi's judgment on this. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not.

Toni Stark/Sailor Iron Woman
Toni had kept to her self. She stayed close to the group, but the genius kept to herself. She watched the others closely. True she was with out her powers but she had other talents that she could fall back on. Like fighting, she was a good fighter and she didn't need her magical powers to do that. Her chest piece glowed a soft blue and she did her best to keep it covered less it give them away. She did not want to be the one that blew their cover. While they all might not be from the same planets or even galaxies, they were all Senshi, and that the dark haired genius, hoped would be enough to keep them together long enough to get them off the ship and on their way to their homes.

Twila/Sailor Twilight Sparkle
Twila walked around in a fog. She found her self in the middle of the group and traveling along a hall that could be described at best dark. The area sent chills down her spine as she looked around. She tried to reach for the power that she had found comfort in, but it was so weak. Even her gift of foresight felt weak and she didn't like not knowing what could be ahead. She wondered what had happened to Spike. He had been with her when she was taken, still fighting as hard as she could. She wondered if her friend and fellow Senshi were somewhere on this ship too. Had they been taken and trapped in those horrid tubes too. They hadn't been with her the day she had been taken. Where they safe? Her thoughts drifted as they walked, and suddenly she was behind pushed out of the way as a tall woman rushed forward. Twila was about to say something to the other, when she said her friend was in that room. Twila shut her mouth and wondered if laying a gentle hand on the woman's arm would comfort her but decided against it. The violet haired senshi would be just as focused on saving her friends if they where here, which she hoped they weren't.

Spoiler:

After a short conversation with the young Kersa, the small group had the information they needed and an unwilling escort for part of the way. The young Kersa eagerly parted ways when the agreed upon destination was reached. Perhaps he had said a little too much about why Tobias could be found here. In short, he was the personal toy of a higher-ranking official. In shorter words, Gochi was beyond angry.

She fell a few extra steps behind the group on purpose as she try to control her anger before she blew their cover. But, all she wanted to do was find that bastard and spread his blood from wall to wall for daring to treat her brother as a pet. No saiyan warrior could be considered personal property. They could not and would not be controlled by paper-pushing pussies! Any who tried would find himself choking on his heart as the saiyan pulled it out through his throat.

Although it would make things more complicated, Gochi hoped the higher-ranking official was in his chambers. She needed to have a word with his intentions toward her brother.

When the area was cleared, the door to the official's chambers were opened. Inside, a young man knelt in a corner. He was visibly restrained and minimally clothed in a manner that left little doubt he was unarmed. When the door opened, he turned and shouted with joy when he saw his sister in the doorway. Rushing forward, she fell to her knees and punched him hard in the gut.

"Quiet!" She hissed loudly. The strike did not wipe the wide smile off his face, instead he nodded eagerly. Both quickly surveyed the other for damage and then shared a moment looking into the other's eyes. Whatever needed to be conveyed was not said out loud. Then, both of their eyes looked toward the restraints as Gochi reached for them.

Tobias shrugged with a half-smile. "I think it is controlled electronically?"

Gochi sighed, then looked backward to Michiru and Haruka for a suggestion. He brother leaned to the side to look around his sister. "Who are they?" He asked, loud enough for Michiru and Haruka to hear. "Did you make some new friends?" He whispered, teasing Gochi privately with a playful kick to the shin. Tobias heard Gochi's response, another savage punch to the gut, loud and clear.

The kind words cut through Myrina's fear, and against her better judgement, she believed everything that this woman said. The fact that she didn't know this blue-haired lady didn't matter, because at that moment, her soft words and kind smile had a calming effect that made Myrina return the gesture with a thankful smile of her own.

Perhaps trusting in these other senshi wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. They seemed as though they truly cared about every innocent person they found. Myrina respected that.

The next moment, the blue haired woman began to type things into the computers, her fingers moving swiftly to enter in the correct combination. Computers were not something that Myrina had much interest or skill in dealing with, so she turned her own attention back onto the batter tube itself, waiting anxiously for it to open and to see if her friend was truly okay or not.

When the tube opened, Myrina suddenly felt a little apprehensive, unsure if she should rush forward to see her friend or not. What if it wasn't even Brenna inside? What if it was actually empty?

Myri pushed those thoughts away realizing that she was being needlessly anxious about this, and moved towards the now opened tube.

~~~

Setsuna smiled when she listened to Ami give calming words of comfort to the other girl who had spoken up. Ami was the best person to say such things, with her gentle nature and warm smile. Setsuna said nothing, allowing Ami to deal with the computer as well, trusting the other senshi's skill and memory.

It wasn't surprising to see the tube open without a problem. Setsuna had known that Ami would do fine with hitting the right keys.

When Ami mentioned the idea of training some of the girls in their group, Setsuna had to admit that it was a good idea. Their group was quickly growing larger, and soon it might even be too large for them to safely move around.

A large group like this would definitely be a cause of suspicion from anyone who happened to see them lurking around.

And that wouldn't do at all. They might have to split up even further in the very near future, and it would be best to be properly prepared for that situation.

Setsuna nodded in response. "That sounds like the best plan," she said, smiling at the younger girl for her forethought. Setsuna then turned towards the rest of their group. "Is there anyone here who is adept with computers? Or perhaps anyone who has a lot of experience with them?"

Toni looked around. She wasn't sure she wanted to be part of any group, she never did play well with others but at the same time she needed these people if she was going to get out of here at all, so she raised her hand. "I have all of the above." She didn't say that these machines looked like ancient relics compared to the computers she had at home, but then not everyone was rebuilding motors at 10 and graduating from MIT at 14. She made her way to the front of the pack near the console they called a computer. What back woods planet were these aliens from, and how in the world had they captured her? Toni felt a little hate for herself start to rise, she would have to work harder now, when and if she got know. Loki was nothing on this though.


Twila wasn't sure what a computer was and while she felt that she might be able to learn what to do, but she didnt want to volunteer just yet so she hung back and watched for now. She wondered if if her friends where somewhere on the ship. She hoped that they had gotten away, for the umpteenth time that moment.


Ami smiled as the dark haired girl came forward. "Alright," She said in a soft voice." Anyone else?" she wasn't sure how much time they would have and they needed to be quick. She turned to Setsuna. "We may have to train others in another pod room." She looked at the door worry in her eyes, "We may not have a lot of time here." She said the worry in her voice noticeable.

Things had gone rather smoothly after the departure, although worries of the bigger group's well-being churned in both Michiru and Haruka's minds. Some time after, the small group has crossed paths with a young Kersa who was now escorting them to their destination. It didn't look like the young man suspected anything, so it was quite safe to say that their cover had not been blown. Thus far their plan had been a success, yes, but they had to thank their good luck for getting this far without any bigger commotions. It was only a matter of time when that luck would run out, and when that happened, the temporary stability of the situation could be swept away as fast as it had shown up. They could only hope that all groups managed to avoid the Tarans long enough.

Haruka walked after Michiru, feeling restless. She still felt somewhat drowsy after being drugged for long, and knowing there were probably numerous other senshi still captured all over the ship didn't exactly make her feel at ease. After being freed, Haruka got to know about the Taran's plans for the senshi powers, and she didn't like what she had heard one single bit. Simply put, the young woman was on guard constantly. Michiru watched her for a moment from the corner of her eye while following their guide, her thoughts not giving her much peace either. "I hope the others are safe"

After parting ways with the Kersa, the small group of three arrived to the official's chambers. When they entered the room,  they found a young man who fit the description Gochi had given of her brother earlier. The two senshi let the siblings have their space for the short reunion before walking deeper into the room. Tobias' comment about the restraints picked Michiru's attention. If they were controlled electronically like the man suggested, they had to be opened gently. She exchanged a quick look with Haruka.

"I'm Michiru" the young woman introduced herself. "Haruka" the tall blonde introduced herself afterwards, standing beside the smaller woman, her arms crossed. Haruka took a step forward, keeping her eyes on the two Vegetans. " We can't stay here for long. Will you two come with us, or do you have another plan?" The faster they could proceed in their plan, the better chances they had in succeeding and getting out of the ship alive. There was no time to waste.

Michiru was examining the restraints closer, and directed her question to Tobias. "Did you happen to see what they use to open or close these? It's probably best to get them off without damaging them, if possible."

ooc:

It seemed that after the first dark-haired girl stepped forward, a couple more girls came forward as well. But it was only three of them, and Setsuna couldn't stop herself from wondering if this would be enough. It was impossible to know until they figured out just how many other senshi were still locked away in those pods.

To save all of them was a daunting task.

But she and Ami were a good team, and she knew that if they worked together, they would be able to finish their mission.

Pulling herself back to the current dilemma, Setsuna nodded in response to Ami's comment. "We have spent enough time here as it is," she said. "Let's delegate some tasks so that when we reach the next room, we can go about all of this more efficiently."

With that said, Setsuna turned towards the group of assembled girls. They were all strangers to her, and there was no way of knowing how they would all work together, but she would have to trust them to be able to follow orders. "We'll have one group help remove any senshi from the pods, another to keep a discrete look out for anyone approaching the room, and the last group will be training with Ami and I."

Opening the shackles had fortunately ended up being a fairly easy job, thanks to the bits of knowledge of the Taran technology that Mamoru and Togarishii had given the senshi before the departure. Finding something to use as a disguise for Tobias not so much. The group was now on their way to the agreed meeting spot, the Vegetan siblings with Michiru and Haruka.

The trip in the meandering hallways had taken fifteen minutes already, the time spent mainly in silence on Michiru's part. They had been stopped once by a ship worker, but were able to continue after a brief conversation was exchanged.

Michiru was more on her toes than before, and the restlessness reflected in her steps that had become quicker while she attempted to keep an air of calmness around her. The group was bigger after Tobias had joined it, and that made them stand out more, increasing the risk of getting caught. Even more so when you happened to walk with a former prisoner who could be recognized by some of the ship's workers if they paid enough attention. A part of Michiru also worried about the motives of the Vegetans, since their plans could hold a very different goal from Mamoru's.

Things were getting riskier by the passing time, like they were walking on thin ice, just waiting for it to break from the weight of their steps. But if they reached the agreed meeting place, they were safe at least for a little while. After only a couple minutes they would meet with another group of senshi, if its members hadn't been caught. "We're almost there" Michiru informed the others in a quiet voice.

Ami

Ami nodded at Setsuna's suggestion that they move on and train the other girls in on the computers in the next few pod rooms. They could not be caught. The idea of giving the girls in the group tasks to preform when in each room was a great idea. With everyone's help it would all go smoothly. "Right then. Let's move on. We'll have to leave in staggered groups so we don't bring attention to ourselves." She smiled at the senshi gathered around them. For a while in the beginning of her journey as a Senshi hers;f it felt like herself and her team were the only senshi in the universe protecting it from evil but as time went on, Earth's protectors grew to include the outers. It was calming and almost strengthening in a way to know that there were other senshi out there than just the few they've met, and now maybe with a little luck they just might form new friendships that will literally span the stars.

Toni

Toni only nodded as the two who seemed to be in charge suggested they leave the room they were in. It seemed like the best idea and they were no help to anyone if they were caught. So the genius agreed with a nod but she agreed. The dark brunette stuck close to the smaller blue hair girl and wondered at her hair color. Did she dye it? Or was that a natural color on the world she came from? She wondered again how they were among the first to be released, and hoped that her teammates weren't on board this ship. She kept her disguise close around her, and hoped the light from her arc reactor was hidden. She didnt want that to be the thing that gave them away. She thought about striking up conversation with one of the other girls but they seemed to be in their own worlds and honestly the genius didn't feel like breaking. She would just keep to herself or try talking with the tall one or her blue haired friend.

Twila

Twila kept to the back of the group and didn't object when they were given different tasks. She would be helping the girls right out of the tubes. She was glad to be helping in at least a small way, but she would also try to learn the computers, if it meant that she could be of more help then she would at least give her all. She knew that she might not be the right one to lead these girls but she lead her friends back home so if called on she felt she could again. The power of friendship was strong maybe it could help them at least maybe feel a little better.

Although Gochi never answered her brother's question about the company she was keeping, the mysterious companions did offer their names with a noticeable air of caution and, most likely, distrust. Honestly, he could not blame them and he would be returning the favor until the women proved otherwise. Lifting his hands and the restraints, Tobias shrugged and shook his head. "If I knew what it took to open these things, I would have done it myself. Brute strength doesn't work," he said with a chuckle as he remember how that particular effort had gone, "that's for sure."

Studying the restraints without touching them, Gochi sighed lightly in frustration and pursed her lips. This sort of technology was beyond her and her pay grade, for that matter. A grunt did not need that much education to be worth something to the military or Freiza.

"How about we stick around for a little longer if you get these off?" Tobias asked with a hopeful tone, lifting the restraints again for good measure.

Thankfully, Michiru knew enough to get the restraints off. After some searching through his former "employer's" quarters, Tobias managed to throw together a passable disguise. Considering whose thumb he had been under, the man was a little more recognizable on this section of the ship. He did his best to decrease his visibility and stick to the shadows. Gochi too kept quiet. If anything needed to be said to allow the group to maneuver through the ship, then Michiru was the best candidate.

Soon, Michiru said quietly they were nearing their destination. Tobias did not know where they were going and he wasn't in the best position to ask his sister, at the moment. Typically, she was the one with a plan. He knew to trust her, even if he didn't know in which plan he was placing his trust. The right moment would come, with time.

The not-so-small-anymore group traversed the hallways cautiously. Tobias need not mention the usual habits of his former keeper for any of them to realize that his absence, as the absence of the other sailor senshi from the containment facilities, would eventually return and notice his play toy's absence. Gochi wondered how long any of them truly had before it was noticed that the energy supply was dwindling, but she assumed that Togarishii and Mamoru knew how to cover their tracks, at least for awhile.

As they rounded a corner, Tobias' eyes widened as he saw a familiar face at the other end of the hall. Partially ducking behind his sister and turning his head to the side, he murmured a terse warning to Gochi. The man up ahead would recognize Tobias and know he should not be away from his keeper's quarters. Not having the luxury of explaining her actions to Michiru and Haruka, Gochi overstepped and tapped her foot against the back of Michiru's heel. Not having the time to provide any other notice of what she was going to do, she grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him into the nearest room that, from the outside at least, look unoccupied.

It was occupied, but only by a beautiful woman with long, dark hair trapped in a machine. The machine had the tag "Sailor Mars" attached to it.

Once inside, Tobias ducked behind a larger piece of machinery and Gochi leaned against the wall to try and hear what was going on in the hallways.

Sailor Saturn

The dark-haired girl and her blonde servant continued to keep excellent pace behind Mamoru and Makoto; they never strayed from the pair they followed, but to the untrained eye it would not be apparent that they were following. Her amethyst eyes stayed focused and watching, looking for signs that might lead them to their princess. She kept her posture and demeanor carefully tuned to the behaviours recommended for the role she played, unwilling to stand out in the crowd.

Hotaru believed in the prince. She knew that he loved their princess, and she believed that if anyone could find her, it would be him. Hopefully they would find her soon...

Minako had been struggling ever since they pulled her out of her 'machine'. Despite how much she told herself not to think about it, she could not stop wondering how she had allowed these aliens to capture Usagi so easily. They had taken their princess, the one person Minako was born to protect, before anyone could even blink.

How could she have allowed this to happen?

She was a failure. 

Ever since she had been released from her machine, Minako could not bring herself to look into Mamoru's eyes. She was afraid of what she might see. Because of her, because of her failure, his Usagi had been captured. He was supposed to trust in her to protect Usagi, to watch over her and make sure she was never harmed. How did he feel now that Minako had betrayed his trust?

All of these thoughts and emotions remained hidden behind Minako's eyes as she walked behind Hotaru, ready to pull open any door and answer and call from her new "master."

As they walked, Minako wondered what she would say to Usagi. Would she apologize? Hug her? Admit her failure? Minako knew Usagi wouldn't have any of it - the girl was so sweet and forgiving that she would never blame Minako for what happened. But the senshi of love knew deep down that she deserved the blame - all of it.

Before the group could reach their destination, their journey came to a sudden stop. There was a Taran at the other end of the hall, and the man would certainly demand an explanation for where the group was headed to, and why. Immediately after registering the situation, Michiru felt someone tapping the back of her heel. She turned her head only to see the Vegetan siblings close the door of the nearest room in a hurry, and figured the Taran they had ran into could possibly recognize Tobias. They had to play this cool, or else all four of them could end up as prisoners again.

Michiru tapped Haruka’s hand with her own quickly as a sign. They had no time to exchange plans about what kind of story to give to the man, and she trusted the blonde had caught up on their situation. Haruka had always been perceptive. 

Concluding it was best to approach the situation as naturally as possible, Michiru continued walking forward steadily. Deciding the play it by ear had its risks, but they had no chance to make plans in the hallway.

As expected, the Taran stopped the ‘ranker wife’ and her ‘slave’ when the two parties met midway the hall. When questioned about their reason to be in this part of the ship, Michiru started explaining their situation as Togarishii had guided her. She emphasized they had no time to waste, which, ironically enough, was true. While speaking, Michiru tried her best to read the Taran’s reactions to her answers without seeming suspicious, just in case the man saw through their act.

However, after few more questions and answers, the man was convinced enough, and left Michiru and Haruka to complete their task. The two decided it was best to walk around the corner and head back to where the Vegetans were from the next turn, so they wouldn’t seem suspicious by walking straight back to where they came from.

In a few minutes Michiru and Haruka were back at the door the Vegetans were hiding behind. Michiru gave a quick knock before opening the door, to signal no outsiders were entering the room. Once they were both inside, she took in their surroundings. The room looked to be yet another prison for a Sailor senshi. Exactly how many senshi had the Tarans captured already? Then, Michiru’s eyes widened as she saw an all too familiar figure in the room’s container.

“Mars” she whispered.

They had to get her out here, but how? None of the group’s members had been taught much about Taran technology, and by fiddling with the settings without precise knowledge they would only trigger an alarm and endanger everyone’s safety. They needed to find another group, one in which someone knew enough about Taran technology to trick the system.

Mamoru paused as they turned another corner, his eyes catching the vaguely familiar pair turning down an adjacent hall and tugging his attention to them. They were gone in seconds, but through the disguises he recognized them: Haruka and Michiru. He hadn't expected to run into them just yet, or in this area, but he quickened his pace to be sure not to lose them. 

Had they succeeded in finding Gochi's brother, or had something happened to force a split? Were they still on board - Gochi and Tobias - or had they found their own means of escaping? 

With his long strides he reached the adjacent hall in very little time, hoping his Mechanic garb would cover his behavior if anyone saw him and thought it odd; he mimicked their turn, glancing back once to be sure he had not left Makoto too far behind or in an awkward situation before continuing down the hallway, not daring to call out as a door ahead shut.

He paused by the frame, keyed into the wall terminal, and found that the pair had entered a battery station, one that powered their laser offense. They'd found a senshi. He reached for the door handle and paused, glancing back the way he had come, waiting until Makoto and her mop bucket turned after him before he pulled down on the handle and pushed the door open narrowly to admit himself into the room.

OOC:

His twin sister pressed her ear to the door as she listened to the noises coming from outside of the room they were hiding in. Thankfully, as a saiyan, she had better hearing than a human, but it would still be tough to determine if it would be safe to step outside of the room. Gochi had not heard the man's voice, so she wouldn't be able to determine if he was gone or not. But, the longer they stayed in the room, the more risk they ran of a member of the ship walking into the room. They would have to move sooner rather than later. 

Shaking her head with a frown, Gochi motioned for her brother to take her spot at the door. He wasn't paying attention, however. Instead, the lovely senshi of Mars had caught his eye. The man stood in front of her tank with a curious look in his eyes. The way her hair danced in the liquid and was caressed by the bubbles was rather striking and, given his former position on the ship, Tobias had not seen one of the tanks before. Taking a step backwards, he knocked twice on the container and flinched, as if it were to explode. 

Nothing happened. 

With a sniff, he frowned and leaned forward to look more closely. "Gochi, what is this?" 

Opening her mouth to reply, Gochi paused when she heard a knock on the door. Without a word, Tobias quickly snuck behind the container holding Sailor Mars and crouched low. It was natural to assume Michiru and Haruka had caught up to them, but one didn't live long off assumptions alone. Taking a step backwards and to the side, Gochi cautiously turned the door knob to let them in with one hand and readied herself for the possibility of battle. Once the twins saw who entered the room, they both relaxed a little. 

"Do you know her?" Tobias asked, coming out from behind the container holding Sailor Mars. With a smile, he placed a hand on the glass and said, "your friend is pretty. But why is she in here?"

Gochi began to walk toward the rest of the group near the container, but froze when she heard more noise from the hallway. Hurrying to the door, she leapt and landed near the side of the door. Motioning to the others, Gochi indicated she would take out the intruder, but to be prepared to hightail it out of there. 

The door opened and the saiyan attacked with a sweeping kick to the legs and lunged with a hand intended to drag the intruder down to the ground. After Gochi recognized the intruder to be Mamoru, she tried to alter her actions to instead pull him inside, rather than maim him, but the sweeping kick was her first action and the least susceptible to change. 

A minute or so later, Makoto followed inside with the mop and bucket. Surprised by the sight before her, all she could say was "oh."

Sailor Saturn

Hotaru spotted Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama well before the others did. She would recognize them anywhere. When Mamoru moved to follow them, her own actions were settled. She would be there to assist the Prince. In the absence of the Princess, he had become her number one concern for protection and safety. She knew it was what Usagi would have wished for.

She beckoned slightly to Minako, and the two began a round-about method to trail the group ahead. They moved in a decidedly non-linear fashion, constantly stopping or turning around, but Hotaru never let Mamoru disappear from her line of sight. Violet eyes remained watchful and probing, alert to any intrusions.

Once or twice the pair was approached by other Tarans, but Hotaru expertly dismissed them. Every time this was required she felt her skin crawl. There was part of it this acting that reminded her too acutely of her time as the Messiah of Silence.

She finally saw the Prince enter a room--the same room that two other people had just entered, and a room that appeared to contain the captive Sailor Mars. The noise that followed his entrance was not reassuring to the dark-haired girl, but she could not just rush in after him. She looked at Minako, hoping that the blonde understood their predicament, and continued their own approach.

Hotaru raised her nose in the air and marched up to the open doorway as though she had every right to be in the room and was incredibly annoyed at the people in her way. She did her best to push Makoto inside, hoping Minako would slip in as well, and pulled the door shut to hide their activities from prying eyes.

"I am fairly certain that we have not been observed. We should deactivate Mars' containment. Mamoru-sama?"

Minako remained silent as Hotaru played her part, commanding her what to do with hand gestures and demanding looks. Trusting Hotaru to do the observing, Minako kept her head down and eyes downcast as she followed Hotaru around. Every time they were approached by someone, Minako could feel her blood boiling as the chills ran down her spine. She wanted to slaughter every last one of the monsters who had captured them and ruined their happiness. But thanks to her years of training, Minako was able to keep control of herself and remain silent as they continued on their escapade. 

The 'slave' happened to look up at precisely the same moment Mamoru entered another room. Catching Hotaru's gaze, Minako gave a small, barely-noticeable nod, hanging back slightly as Hotaru headed for the same room. After doing a quick scan of their surroundings, Minako slid into the room without detection, mentally patting herself on the back for not failing. 

Inside the room, Minako immediately laid eyes on Rei. Hot tears filled her eyes at the sight of her friend, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Get her out of there, now!"