Fatal Fury Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Rifts ❯ Chapter 5: Love, when it was not thought possible. ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sailor Moon/Rifts Crossover (Revised Edition) By Simon Woodington

Chapter 5: Love, when it was not thought possible.

"So you really are that 'Sliver' chick?" Han asked, sounding somewhat
skeptical. His eyes traced her figure again underneath her clothes. He
still was having trouble getting used to the idea of her being so
pretty and tough at the same time. The fact that she was so tough made
her more attractive, he reasoned.

"Yeah," Makoto confirmed with some measure of ill ease.

"What are you?" He gazed at her.

She was silent a moment, nearly expectant. Han looked puzzled. Then he
clued in; the fight, the kiss. He frowned, almost looking sheepish.

"Hey look, it's not like I mind you bein' all powered up an
CyberKnight-like... but I never figgered a legend to be a chick,
unless it was Erin Tarin," he started. Makoto indicated to him that
she was listening by raising an eyebrow. "I mean, every girl I've been
with couldn't fight. Scared dumb of it. But you know, I ain't gonna
argue 'cause it's money."

Makoto gazed at him steadily. He hadn't answered the question.

"Well, yeah, I'll say it: It's nice t' know a girl with guts."

Even though he seemed finished, Makoto said nothing in reply. Again,
he took a moment to speak.

"What can I say about the kiss, Mako? Maybe I did it 'cause I don't
know how else to say I like you."

Something grabbed her. She could not be sure exactly what it was, at
first. She knew, however, that it was something about him. She
regarded him, wanting, for a reason she could not quite understand, to
hold him, to kiss him again. She closed her eyes and tried to clear
her mind of the thought. Stubbornly, the desire remained.

:Why? He was such a creep!:

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. She looked at him and nodded.

:What is it about him?; she asked herself. :Why do I...: a knot
tightened in her stomach. Even thinking of it brought the desire
forth, like a lure. :What is the difference between Han and the other
men... no, boys: She realized that this was the first man that she was
attracted to. That is what it was. She was uncertain. Almost...
afraid.

"Hey babe?"

Of him? No, that wasn't it. But... what? Makoto snapped out of her
trance of thought.

"Um, yeah. I was just thinking."

He smirked.

"I kinda got the feeling you were like me when it came to thinking. I
usually go for the trouble first. Even if I know it."

Makoto was not sure what to say.

"I guess so."

He leaned forward.

"We can't stay here too long, sexy, but maybe you could tell me
something about being a... uh, what is it?"

"Sexy?" she returned with an amused smile and a warmth in her face. "I
guess I could," she supplied.

---

It turned out that Hanlan did not live very far away. He lived in the
top floor of the building, in fact. Laray and he had been friends for
years, and helped each other out in the knowledge starved society the
CS was creating. Laray was kind enough provide Hanlan with weapons (at
a friendly price of 40% black market value) when he needed them, and
Hanlan, in turn, mostly due to the type of people he hung around with,
kept up a steady flow of clients for the cyber-doc and part time
techno-wizard. Unfortunately, Laray was really bad at the latter, so
he avoided it most of the time.

Makoto and Hanlan sat across from each other in his three-room home.
The main part consisted of a kitchen/livingroom - or rather, what
passed for one - bedroom, and storage/bathroom. The bedroom was in
shambles. Apparently he was a much more efficient fighter than keeper
of house and home. Not that this surprised her; most men like him
relied on women - often very much like their mothers - to keep such
things in order. It could have been worse, most of his clothes had
somehow ended up in a pile - destined for what she hardly cared. The
rest consisted of Pre-Rifts artifacts; mostly melee type and other
ancient type weapons.

"You know we didn't even have a chance," Makoto began, somewhat
hesitant. "Only I could transform, and no way could I have fought them
off alone."

Han gazed at her, not quite sure what he was hearing.

"Uh, what? Whaddya mean, 'transform'?"

"The slaver barge. Uh, my... well, I have a pen that turns me into a
sailor suited warrior."

"A what?" he asked with a quirked brow. "Show me?"

"Well, I..." her mouth curled in consideration. "Um..."

"I won't laugh," he grinned. "Promise."

She frowned, worrying on exactly that point. Gradually, she nodded.
With a motion practiced to the point of expertise, she brought the pen
into the air above her head and called:

"Sailor Jupiter - Make Up!"

There were no lights, no flashing lines of energy, just Suddenly
Jupiter. She gazed over herself as Hanlan took in an eyefull, and then
some.

"You sure you ain't some kinda street wal..."

Her stern expression cut him off.

"I didn't do this so you could leer at me!" she snapped, glaring at
him.

"Uh, okay, sorry," he offered, though having a hard time not staring
at her. "Why don't you just sit down, huh? We can talk, okay? You can
tell me about the... uh..."

"Senshi?"

"Well, uh, actually, the Splugores, or whatever y' call 'em."

"Splugorth," she pronounced delicately. "I guess. There's not much to
tell, really. We woke up in Atlantis, all still together."

She paused, noting his politely raised hand.

"Okay there sexy, who's 'we'?"

She glanced at her hands as they fliddled with the hem of her
mircoskirt.

"My friends. Ami... Usagi, Rei, and Minako."

"All girls?"

A nod.

"Okay. Go for it."

She threw him a look, indicating that she hadn't exactly been waiting
for his permission. He shrugged.

"Apparently we were together because of our uniqueness, being aliens -
from the moon, I mean."

"So Atlantis is legit?"

"Yeah, where'd you figure I got my scars from, hm?" she set upon him
nastily.

"Kinky sex life?" he half-grinned, eyeing her skirt as if to peer
underneath.

Makoto sighed. She began to wonder what she saw in him until she
looked at him again. The thoughts of his ill-humor faded. Every time
she thought about it, she realized that she was falling more deeply in
love with him.

"I met someone called Sivil Nira." Makoto closed her eyes for a
moment, as if watching an unpleasant scene play in her mind. "She...
brought us together, and..."

"What happened to her?" For a moment a flicker of recognition shone in
his eyes. Makoto noticed, but in her state, it failed to register.

"She died attacking one of them," she said, her voice hushed with
emotion. Han's eyebrows knitted and his gaze fell for an instant. "She
had to create a diversion for us to escape."

"That sucks. That really, really sucks," Han stated, sounding sullen.

Makoto arched an eyebrow.

"You talk like you knew her."

"Yeah, actually, I did. She was a client, and an old girlfriend.
Freaky, huh?" He spoke with a soft wistfulness in his tones, and the
anxiousness of recollection.

"Yeah," she replied somewhat numbly.

"So how'd ya get here?"

She shook her head, lifting her hands to her head and rubbing her
temples.

"Okay," he shrugged. "You take is easy, K? I'm just gonna get up here
in a sec and... uh... you hungry?"

Her eyes widened.

"You have a kitchen in this dump?"

"Somewhere," he replied her expression with a chuckle in a slightly
ignorant-looking fashion. "You cook?"

"Oh yes," she smiled, a comfort wafting over her expression as she
rose, approaching the one wall culinary outfit. Modest was a kind word
that could not have been attributed to the kitchen-like structure, but
it was enough. A keyword both were used to living by. Popping open the
waist-high refrigerator, she began rummaging through the contents, and
plucked out the occasional useful item. Mind you, they could all be
useful, if one was skilled, knowledgable, and creative enough.
Fortunately, this was an area in which she excelled even when out of
practice. Ten minutes later she had a vegatable, ham, sweet and sour
sauce stir fry prepared and served.

"Holy shit," Hanlan gasped as he gaped at the plate set before him.
He'd never seen such a well prepared meal before. Not in his
apartment, anyway.

"Actually, it's 'thank you'," she corrected him calmly, taking a pair
of make-shift chop sticks in hand and digging in. "This much better
than that."

"Oh, uh... yeah!" he smiled. "Wow! Uh... thank you. Looks, cooks, and
kicks ass! Damn, you rock, Makoto."

She gave him a curious glance briefly.

"I will tell you how I escaped from... uh..."

"What was the place like? All white like a hospital?"

She nodded, chewing delicately.

"Musta been Neo Tech. They're the only outfit out here coulda kept a
CyberKnight under wraps."

She gazed at him steadily, trying to read his meaning beyond the
words.

"I just punched through the wall and into the sewer. It was tough,
but... I'm here, right?"

"Oh geez... Jus' how strong are you?" he asked, the smile
disappearing.

"It's my code that stops me from killing," she stated, a vaguely dark
expression upon her face.

"Code?"

"The Code of Chivalry, of the Cyber-Knight," she replied in definite
tones, low and passionate. "I can put my hands through CS Armor like
tearing paper."

:Ouch: Han was visibly impressed.

"You sure you don' wanna talk about Atlantis...?"

Makoto averted her eyes as Han sought them. She said nothing.

"Okay, forget it. I wouldn't push ya, even if I could."

Abruptly, Makoto's expression became sorrowful, and looked to promote
tears. Han immediately felt bad for speaking, even though he wasn't
sure what had set her off. She made not so much as a single sniffle,
but he knew she was torn up inside. Tough girls rarely, rarely ever
cried. Never, in front of others. Something about their chemistry made
her comfortable enough to do so. He just gazed at her, a powerful ache
in his soul for her as she set the chopsticks beside her empty plate
to cover her tear streaked face with her hands as her shoulders began
to jolt with the forthcoming wash of pain. This ache, its presence was
sudden, but immovable. How to deal with her pain, he did not know. All
he knew was to be silent. He had learned that from Astin. She had been
very clear about that. You don't talk when a girl is shedding tears,
she had said. Shedding tears. She actually said that.

And why exactly this powerhouse of a girl burst into tears around him
puzzled him even further, but he wasn't exactly insensitive. He rose,
and walked around the table, nearing her side. Folding her arms across
her stomach and bowing her head, she refused him, bravely shouldering
her own agony, though somewhat foolishly so.

His offer was the first, and while sincere and worthy of honour, her
hesitance was understandable.

"Han...?" an emotion choked voice whispered. Han snapped back into
reality. He was with Makoto, not Astin. She was still crying softly,
so Han did not say anything.

"Hanlan?" The heaving of her sobbing trailed to a close.

"Yes Mako?" Han said, voice also hushed cautiously.

"You're not..." she hesitated for a half-instant, "involved, are you?"

He blinked at the question.

"Uh, no," he replied uncertainly. "Listen babe, you okay? Can I ask
why you were crying like that? If it was something I said..."

Makoto shook her head silently, and gazed up at him, red eyed and so
very vulnerable. The contrast startled him. With a not much more than
a thought she could have killed him, yet at this moment she appeared
as fragile as thin glass. He could make no claim in understanding her.
Silently, he grasped her hand, and gently drew her to her feet, and
into his finely muscled arms. His mouth opened, worked as if to speak,
and issued nothing forth.

"Oh t' friggin' hell..." He took her chin in his hand and kissed her
softly.

"Han... I don't..." Makoto looked down for a moment after their lips
parted. "I can't."

He nodded slightly, sensing only afterward that his advance had been
ill-timed. She stepped back from him, and not so much as sat but
crumbled into a nearby patchwork recliner.

"That's cool, babe. If maybe you just want to take it easy, I'm gonna
hit the couch, okay? I'm beat."

She watched him rise, and leave without so much as a lingering glance.
He did smile at her before flopping on the aforementioned furnishing,
and there was a trace of disappointment. Yet, he hadn't insisted, not
even arguing a single wit. Some hours later, after much thought, and
prayer, she joined him, leaving the pieces of her fuku in a trail to
the couch.

---

After some time, she realized she was naked with him again. This time,
however, she did not really mind. It was not that he was naked as
well, it was that she had gained some amount of certainty - and
control, having made love with him like this. She looked up at the
hard features of his face. He looked so, calm, almost peaceful. She
ran a hand over his cheek, and then kissed it softly. Carefully, she
stood, trying her best not to wake him. She almost regretted what she
knew must be done. The emotions she felt for him were more certain
now, and felt all the more like love. She felt a pang.

Everything was happening so rapidly!

:I know you wouldn't want me to do this; she thought. :But I'm going
anyway. My friends are still out there. I can't give up. Not yet:

She slipped on the blouse, and other clothes he had given to her
earlier. For a bruiser, he was rather sweet.

:I know you won't understand:

The leather jacket slipped easily around her shoulders, fitting
perfectly. He groaned, shifting in his slumber. She froze, watching
his eyelids carefully. They did not open. Finally, after what seemed
an eternity, he relaxed, snoring quietly. She noted that his home was
not much, but it was more than she had now. It was more than she ever
had since arriving here.

Makoto had almost discarded the desire to settle down, having joined
the Cyber-Knights. She let herself be consumed by the war against the
D-bees, the demons, the evil. There was so much of it. There was more
every day. Not all of it came from the Rifts, she knew. There was one
man who was a great source of it. Prosek, and his son. To think a man
of such corrupt power had procreated sent shivers through her. Rumors
told her that Prosek had Rei. Or at least, a girl who sounded a great
deal like her. Then there were the rumors of Ami's capture, of the
violence she endured, that perhaps she was dead.

Makoto walked into the kitchen, or that which passed for it. She gazed
at the section of wall, and realized just how much she had missed
cooking. Hanlan had wolfed down the stir fry with male politeness. It
was nice to have that aspect of her life appreciated again after so
long.

:Well; she thought, :pick one; food, and death, or fight evil, and...
what?:

The lack of an answer for the latter choice scared her. It always had.

"Hungry? I s'ppose you where just running out for a snack, eh Mako?"

She turned on one foot, tense as a drawn bowstring. There was a sour
expression on his face. Her tension drifted to the floor as her eyes
did, and she found herself wanting for words.

"What do y' suppose you were gonna do? Save me trouble by takin' off?"
He was angry, and rightfully so. Still Makoto could say nothing. She
gazed at him as he stood there, and strangely, despite the fact he was
angry at her, she felt drawn to him again.

"My friends are out there, Han," she started. "I can't let them go."

The anger drained from his face, and in the place of it was
understanding. A boyishly quiet look came to his face.

"I haven't had a lot of friends in my life," he admitted softly. He
stopped for a moment, clearly thinking on his next words. "I guess I'm
not so mad at you for wanting to help them."

Makoto felt herself near tears again, and hated herself for it. She
cursed under her breath. Han walked up to her, and took her in his
arms. She let her head rest on his barrel of a chest as tears flowed.

"I think I love you," he said. "I guess that's why I don't want you to
take off. I think maybe I can help. I think maybe I want to."

They were silent for a time. He continued talking. Makoto was not sure
of most of what he said, but found it comforting. She wondered why it
was her crying, and not Usagi. She did not know. Maybe Usagi was
crying a lot still. She... no, they - Han kept on stressing that -
would find her friends. Then what? Makoto thought for sure they were
not the same as they used to be, or that they would not be. But what
would happen after they found them?

"Mako? Are you okay?" she heard his voice ask. She nodded against his
chest. He pushed her away slightly so he could look into her eyes.
"Are you sure? I mean, you seem to be doin' a lot of cryin'."

"I think so," but her face did not share the conviction of her words.
She looked away, bringing a concerned look to his face.

"What, babe...? What?" His voice was soft, gentle. She wanted to say
it, but found the words locked in her throat. He was silent. In his
eyes she could read he wanted to help her, but did not know what to
say, nor how to say it.

"I'm scared..." she said, and leaned against him, the spoken emotion
welling inside of her. "I've never really been scared before like
this. Even when I died for Usagi... I wasn't scared."

"Died?" he grunted. "Uh?"

"Later," she muttered faintly. "Please..."

"You got it babe," he replied warmly.

In his mind he wondered what there was she had to be afraid of. His
eyes narrowed and he felt himself grow angry at the thought of her
being fearful. He paused, and wondered at this feeling. Sure he had
protected women before, but not because he cared about them. Rather,
because it was his job. This was different. He actually cared about
Makoto, and wanted to see her happy. That was all that mattered to him
now, he realized. If fighting made her happy, then she could fight. If
being with him made her happy... he did not mind that at all. He
smiled gently.

"Makoto," he said, breaking Astin's rule. She was silent. He pushed
her away slightly again, kissing her softly, to reassure her. "We're
gonna see a friend of mine. I think he can help us."

"What? Who?" she asked, sounding startled. "You mean Laray?"

He shook his head.

"No. Laray's just a techie. He's a good guy, but just a techie." He
let go of her, and headed towards the other room. Makoto looked tired
and afraid.

"What's his name?" she asked, voice hushed.

Han stopped just before the leaving the room. He smiled and said,
"Conroy."

---

They had been on the road for a while. Nothing much had happened.
Makoto had tripped up a couple of black market thugs looking for a
quick credit-hit.

"So you never really told me much about being a Cyber-Knight," Han
said, smiling at Makoto. "All those monsters you fought."

She shrugged. "I just defended a couple towns from some demons."

"No wonder you took out those guys like that," he smirked, thumbing
behind him.

"Humans are easy to fight, most of the time. Unless they have magic,
or power armor. I like fighting Juicers," she smiled darkly, "they're
a little tougher, but they're all human."

Han blanched.

"You mean you fight Juicers for fun?"

"No, but I could," she eyed him. "What, they aren't that tough."

The bruiser looked amazed.

"You're not nuts. At least, you don't look like a crazy. You don't
have those freaky knobs stickin' out of your head," he replied in both
verbal casting and facial expression.

"I guess that makes me a little more than human, eh?" she grinned,
enjoying his reaction.

Han scratched the back of his head, still unbelieving.

"Okay, so maybe I don't wanna know."

Makoto shrugged, "Whatever, hon."

Han gazed at her.

"Hon?"

She smiled and nodded. Han still could not quite believe he was
falling in love with the tough girl he had never dreamed existed. Yet,
here she was, accepting him with argument aplenty.

Such is love.

"Uh, okay, so maybe I do."

She shrugged, saying nothing. Han waited.

"Are you going to say anything?" he asked, incredulous.

"Are you sure you want to hear it? Fighting Juicers is the least of
it, if that give you any idea of what I've dealt with." She did not
look at him, seeming to concentrate on where they were. "How much
farther is it anyway?"

"New Quebec's pretty frickin' big, and alleys ain't the best way to
get around. We still got awhile." He paused. "Yeah I'm sure. I can
handle it."

She smirked, then her face assumed a more serious expression.

"I became a Cyber-Knight one year ago because I didn't know what else
to do. I did it to repay a favor, and for my friends."

"What kind of favor?"

Makoto hesitated.

"Well?" He looked expectant.

"A Cyber-Knight saved my life. I thought becoming a Cyber-Knight might
help me to find a direction. Besides," she giggled lightly, "he was so
cute! It was worth it just to train under him."

"Wasn't easy, was it?" Han was watching something ahead of them. It
appeared as though a fire had broken out in a small industrial
building. People were scrambling about like headless chickens.

"Uh," he swore, "Coalition. I won't have a problem wit'em. But I don't
think we wanna get you mixed up with 'em."

Makoto nodded. "I want to avoid any ISS Kooks, if I can."

"Damn straight babe. We're jus' gona have t' take the long way 'round
then." He indicated the adjoining alley to his right. "This'll take us
there, but not fast."

She nodded, then proceeded with her explanation.

"You want to know why I like fighting Juicers? 'Cause one almost
killed me."

"Makes sense," Han shrugged. "Do'ya think y'd mind tellin' me how?"

She echoed the motion of his shoulders.

"I guess he was just a rouge. Probably at the end of his term, too. It
was just after I'd arrived here..." she closed her eyes. "Um, no,
nevermind. Anyway, I was lost in the woods, wandering, and wounded. I
was hoping to find a city - or something. Instead I ran into the
Juicer and his pals.

"One of them just looked at me and said, 'Squishy.' He laughed. I
don't know if he saw me bleeding, but he must have figured me for a
normal human. Maybe he was looking for credits. Or fun. I don't know.

"'C'mere pretty thing,' he sneered. I did. I didn't know what he was
then, but I figured I'd wise him up for badmouthing me. I just swung
at him. He seemed to know it was coming. He side-stepped the punch and
laughed again. I never saw anyone move so fast before! Not since
Usagi.... uh... He didn't swing back or anything, he just stood there
and laughed.

"I was getting really pissed off. So I tried again. I was weak, and
was bleeding pretty badly. I guess I wasn't thinking straight either,
trying to fight him like that. I tried a few times, and just kept
missing. He made a joke of it, dodging before I threw my punches, and
commenting on my swings.

"'You fight like a girl,' he said. He was looking at his pals and
laughing loudly. I don't know what happened after that. I guess I just
lost it, or snapped, or something like that.

"I didn't know if he was careless, drunk, or what, but I tagged him. I
can't have hit him that hard. I was practically dying, but I ripped
his shoulder open... damn nearly took his arm off." Makoto closed her
eyes, remembering, a look of pain, and distaste passing over her face.
"He didn't even scream. His pals just looked scared, and then ran off.
One of them muttered something about him being 'juiced.' I saw a
crazed look in his eyes, and knew, no matter how fast I ran, he was
going to kill me.

"He nearly did too."

Han looked slightly upset, but lost for words.

"I'm sorry Makoto."

She set him a glance portraying a trace of gratitude, and she then
shook her head. After a moment, she continued.

"I was barely conscious when the Cyber-Knight came. All I heard was a
scuffle. I felt his presence, and heard his voice. That's when I fell
in love with him. More of a crush, really. He saved my life. Took me
back to his house, healed me, and eventually taught me the ways of the
Cyber-Knight." Han looked chagrined.

"Is that it? You just learned it all?"

"Well no, of course not. It took me weeks to accept the lifestyle. As
for the training, do you really want me to get into philosophy?"

"Philo-what?" Han started, nonplused. "Uh, I guess not."

They walked for a while in silence. Makoto watched the area around
her. Somehow they were managing to avoid a lot of Coalition troopers.
She watched Han, too. He seemed to be very aware of what was going
around him, and he seemed to want to stay out of the way of the
Coalition as well. Makoto slowly worked up the nerve to speak.

"So what do you do?" she ventured.

"Do? Uh, I'm a Bodyguard."

"Protecting who?"

"Depends on who's still alive," he stated flatly. "See, I'm really
good... I keep my clients alive. The others guys ain't so good, or
jus' don' care. Most don' care, mostly. Tho some of 'em work for the
black market, too. So if a client dies accidental-like, no one really
notices. Dig?"

Makoto looked a little shocked.

"You don't care?"

He inclined his shoulders upwards indifferently.

"Me? Damn yeah. I guess I do care, but I'm not gonna get the black
market on my case, right? I'm just one guy. I like my life just fine."

"Before, or after?" Makoto asked with a smirk.

"What? Oh," he smiled. "After, of course. And I'm thinkin' maybe I'll
just quit the bodyguard biz. I mean, I think we'll find plenty of
action lookin' for your friends." He looked at her. "Speakin' of
which, who are they? And what the frick is this stuff about you dyin'?
You immortal 'r something?"

"You heard of the girls caught at Lone Star?"

"What? You mean the one who's dead? And what... the other one, she's
some kind of freak or something? Those are your friends?" Han had an
expression of distaste written on his face.

"Those are exaggerations. I'm pretty sure that those two are Rei and
Ami. Ami was, well, still human when we, um, parted company... So I
don't think that's changed. I think it's a lie."

"Rei, Ami. That explains it," he sighed, "yeah. All of it."

"Where I come from we fought the NegaVerse. They wanted to take over
the universe, starting with earth. The five of us..."

"Wait," Han interrupted her, "five?"

She nodded. "Yeah, including me."

"And you saved the whole planet? I mean, where you come from." He
sounded skeptical.

"Well, there weren't very many of them, and they only tried to take
over Tokyo. I'm not really human, if that helps to explain it. I'm
from the Moon. I'm a Princess of Jupiter. Well, I was, anyway."

"Pretty tough for a princess," he remarked with a grin. "And what, you
still got killed? By what?"

She did not reply his expression as she spoke:

"We protected Tsukino Usagi, the heir of the Moon Kingdom. We were all
senshi. Her scared champion protectors. It was our job, our destiny.
We died fulfilling that destiny, and defeating the crowned Queen of
the NegaVerse."

"Pretty cool job if ya ask me," he said, still grinning. "So who
brought ya back?"

She shrugged.

"Queen Serenity. She's... um, related," she coughed, "to Usagi. Sort
of. Anyway, we beat Queen Beryl, then Allan and Ail and the Doom Tree,
but then we were brought here."

"I guess you didn't have a choice, right?"

"Well, no! Do you think I would've wanted to be here?"

Han's face suddenly darkened.

"No, I guess not."

"Um, that is... I'm okay now..." her voice and tone dropped, "well
sorta... But..."

"Listen Mako, you don't have to say anything else if you don't want
to. I get the point."

She grabbed his arm and stopped him, looking vaguely upset.

"Han, don't think you haven't made me happy. You have... but I miss my
friends. I don't think I can be totally happy until I know what's
happened to them."

Han frowned, still unsatisfied.

"I don't think I really want to go back now anyway. I mean, I guess
the NegaForce took over by now without us there to stop it." She
suddenly looked angry.

Han turned to her and took her shoulders in his hands.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was bein' selfish. They're your friends... I
know I miss mine."

Makoto's anger faded as she looked up at him slightly.

"What happened to them?"

Han sighed.

"Like I said, I haven't had a lot of friends. Mostly just one or two
along the way. Most of 'em are dead. Others, well... enemies make life
interesting, I guess, eh?"

Makoto looked to the ground for a moment, then to his eyes.

"I just like to crush 'em," she smiled darkly.

Han smiled, "I love that about you." He pulled her into his arms and
squeezed her gently. "It's gonna be okay. Really."

Makoto leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Oh I hope so."

---

Unlike Laray, Conroy turned out to be a softly spoken, smart sounding
fellow, proprietor of a shop named Conroy's Cybernetics. His shop was
unorganized, unkempt, and distinctly disturbing. In spite of her
familiarity with his technological medium, she found the sight of
disembodied mechanical limbs quite unsettling.

:Thank Coake; she thought, :he's not into Bio-System prosthetic
replacements. Ick:

"So the great and highly sought Sliver is Makoto Kino!" Conroy
remarked, sounding genuinely amazed. He was a short, thin man, who
always looked as though he was thinking something terribly amusing.
His strict crew cut of hair left little of the tan colored shag atop
his skull, seeming to make a point of the impish features upon his
face. It was his apparent knowledge of the situation that brushed
aside his self-imposed image of the isolated doctor stereotype.

"Sought... What do you mean?" Makoto asked, eying the fellow closely,
wrinkling her nose slightly when she detected the undeniable odor of
oil and blood.

"Oh yes," he replied with a half grin, clearly aware of her response
to him. "You, my dear, have a very sizable price on your head.
Something close to thirty-kilocredits I believe. Not to mention that
at the moment, there are more than a dozen troops seeking you within
the confines of New Quebec's walls."

Makoto stared at him, trying to glean some indication of honesty or
deception beyond his augmented monovision sight.

"How do you know that?" she demanded angrily.

Han put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"He's got his methods, babe... trust me."

For a moment she could not be sure. He seemed sincere, and Hanlan
trusted him. She sighed.

"I don't get it. Is there some kind of organization behind all of
this?"

"All of what?" Conroy asked, looking curious.

"Don't play stupid with me," Makoto snarled, striding with heated
deliberation towards the man. "There's no way Han could have just
turned up to save me the way he did."

"Why not?" The wisp of a fellow did not seem to be intimidated by her
harsh demeanor. Then, as he spoke, his voice assumed a darker, more
serious tone. "Listen Makoto. Listen carefully. If you want any
information at all, you are going to have to be more specific. I deny
nothing; you are merely not handing me the details I require."

Somehow, she felt, the conversation had resorted to a game, or rather,
a form of verbal combat. To win, she had only to... to what? What was
it he was playing at? Then it occurred to her. To win, she merely had
to answer her own question. To solve the object of twenty questions.
Supply points to be denied or affirmed, and it would become clear.
Whatever it was. She fought an urge to tell him to take a seat on her
vibro claws and go for an unhealthy spin.

"Like what? Like our escape, for starters. Tell me what you know, and
not what you've heard."

He half smiled, as if impressed.

"Over a cup of coffee, perhaps?"

Han grunted, confused.

"Uh, Con, what are you doin'?"

The blond haired man allowed as self empowered grin to alter his
expression.

"You wanted help Han old friend... You've just found it. Your dear
love and I, not excluding yourself, must talk, before we proceed any
further."

Han scratched his head.

"It's fine. You've done well," Makoto offered, as Conroy led them
deeper into the building.

---

It was cold; Conroy did not seem overly concerned about heating. As a
cybernetics doctor, who knew how many implants he had within his thin
shell of a figure? Light seemed to be held at a lower priority as
well, a single sixty watt bulb supplying for their conversation around
a circular table of what might have been sealed wood, some lightweight
alloy, or plastic. She could not be sure. Nor could she care less.

"I can't trust just anyone, you know," he explained after taking a
brief sip of his steaming coffee. "Not even you, Han."

"Why the frickin' heck not?" the rouge demanded. "Me and you go
back... way back."

"Look at us now, though. You're the musclehead, I'm the veritable
cyber-freak." His expression seemed appropriate; a calm, cool one
which might very well have set in stone at any moment. The vague
bemusement, however, was gone. Makoto snickered at his directness.

"Yeah, so?" Han retorted, not quite comprehending.

"Remember when we were approached by the Shi-Con underground market?"

Han nodded deftly.

"Yeah. I wanted..." his voice fell.

"You wanted to be the big knight defending the damsel from the dragon
- or in this case - society's counterpart; the media. Not to mention
the girls that went along with it." Conroy punctuated his sentence
with a smirk. "As a result, only I accepted what they presented to me.
It's very difficult to accept the Coalition's knowledge stifling
ideals." He took a breath. "Simply put, the difference is this; even
Shi-Con doesn't trust you with every ingredient boiling in their
stewing pot of a company. As an employee, even of the elite sort, they
share little more with me, my friend."

"I guess so." He breathed in the vagrant flavour wafting from the cup
sanctioned in both hands before taking a short sip. "You're not gonna
to dump out on me, are you?" An expression of what might be faint
concern lighted Han's face.

"Regarding anything else; certainly not."

Makoto paused before letting her pre-warmed questions loose upon this
new fellow.

"So Han wasn't sent to rescue me?"

"Why not ask me that, babe...?"

"Um, sorry..." she glanced at him apologetically.

"Hey it's cool," he replied with a warming smile. "Y'see, I wasn't
really looking for you... I was looking for any of the... uh, Sailor
Soldiers. I still think that's frickin' strange name. Anyway, I
figured that she - uh, well, you, as it turned out - might've gone
underground, like I would. I mean, it's not safe topside - not like
that, anyway."

"So it was an accident."

"Kinda," he said sheepishly. "I heard lotsa noise, and figured maybe
one of you'd escaped from Neo Tech. See, I knew it was jus' one of
you. But, didn't know which."

Makoto gave Han an acknowledging nod, and turned again to face Conroy.

"What is Shi-Con? Why are they interested in the Bishojo Sailor
Senshi?"

"The Pretty Sailor Soldiers? For many reasons, few of which have been
disclosed to me. The first of which is the uniqueness of your power.
Are you sure you don't want a cup?"

"No, thank you," she negated softly. Her eyes then narrowed. "What do
they want, to dissect us?"

"Our first objective is to return you home. Unfortunately, the task
becomes more elaborate as we speak, and largely because we have so
little information as to your individual whereabouts. As a result, the
risk of exposing ourselves presents even greater complications."

Makoto considered her words for a moment.

"'Ourselves.' Who is that? What do they want, then?"

"I am not authorized to provide details. Shi-Con Corporation is,
however, a multi-dimensional company, so our limits are few. As for
the reasoning, I am afraid they have kept this information from me. I
imagine because they fear a misstep on my part. You understand."

She pursed her lips, giving his words some thought, then nodded.

"What do you know about my friends?"

"That's the most direct question you've asked since we met," he
smiled. "Your speculation is correct, and the rumors are indeed true.
The Coalition State of Lone Star has Ami Mizuno at this point. Rei
Hino is apparently training as a Fire Warlock in the Magic Zone. We
have yet to locate Minako Aino, and Usagi Tsukino."

"I suppose you've got people watching them."

He nodded.

"Or at least, we had. Our operative seeking Ami failed in bringing her
to us before a pair of mercenaries got a hold of the girl. Apparently
this was shortly after your escape from Atlantis. Certainly a
remarkable feat in its own right."

It would be a lie to say Makoto was surprised by the lack of emotion
in Conroy's voice. He was working for an outside force towards an
objective that only mattered to him for certain reasons, none of them
emotional, unlike herself.

"So what now? What have you done about Ami's abduction?"

"Our undercover agent, Carl Silver has undertaken the task of her
safety. He currently poses as a geneticist specializing in the mutant
properties of humans, in the Lone Star facilities. As such, he is well
trusted by our opponents, and will not come under any suspicion."

"How can you be sure?" Makoto asked pointedly.

"He will not. To save yourself time, I would accept that as fact.
Unless of course you are not interested in the lives of the other
'senshi,' as you call them." Conroy's voice became hard, almost cold.

Makoto immediately reached the conclusion that "Carl Silver" was a
supernatural being of some sort. A mage, at the very least. A very
powerful one, to remain undetected by the CS as long as Conroy's voice
seemed to imply. His condescension irritated her.

"Don't play games with me damnit," Makoto half-snapped. "I'm not
unfamiliar with supernatural creatures. I have many friends among
D-Bees, including dragons."

Conroy arched an eyebrow.

"Most fascinating. You are more resourceful than I first deemed you,
then."

Makoto was tiring of the vocal chess.

"Before Han and I go, I want you to answer my first question."

"Provided that you will return, yes."

"Did you engineer our escape from Atlantis?"

It was obvious to Conroy that to deny what she seemed to believe to be
true would only inspire a negative response. Not what he was opting
for. Thus, he seemed to consider his response for a delicate moment. A
thoughtful finger was placed against his closed lips. It then dropped,
at which point he spoke.

"Not directly, but yes, we are responsible for your freedom."

Makoto stood.

"That's all I needed to know."

Han got to his feet in turn, and followed her as she exited the room.
Conroy made no comment, despite her expectation. Makoto did not stop
when she passed the exiting door of the building.

"Where are you going, Mako? Did he tick you off or something?" Hanlan
asked, concerned. She halted and faced him.

"No, love, he didn't. I just need time... time to think. Alone."
Suddenly she was looking to him, asking for time alone, and Han found
himself hesitant to answer her. There was something in her expression
which set him at ill ease.

"Mako," he took her hands in his. "I need you..."

Her gaze did not quite meet his.

"I'm not going to run off, if that's what you think."

"Not like before?"

While her words did not betray the raw anxiety she felt, her body did.

"I... you've got too trust me."

He did not, and a single glance told her that. He said nothing,
fearful the wrong words would slip forth.

"If you love me... you will. I know you do... I can feel it."

Han looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"You know I'm empathic, right?" Waiting for his nod, finding it, she
elaborated. "I don't know why - or how - but I know what you feel.
Even when I don't try, I know you love me... but..."

"But what?" Tension drifted audibly in his tones.

"I won't leave you, I swear. I know those other girls, even though
they might have cared for you... they never stayed. I'm not like
that..." her face worked visibly in nervousness. "Han... do you want
to marry me?"

Something like relief, amazement, and pleasure appeared on the
bruiser's handsomely chiseled face. His words did not share the tone,
however.

"Are you... uh..." :No; he thought, :she's sure. I know it. She
doesn't say stuff she's not sure of. Not usually: "I mean, we don't
know we'll ever make it..."

"Exactly. That's something we'll know when it happens." A wistful look
succeeded the uncertain expression.

:But why?; something asked inside of her. :Why marry him so soon? You
know what mama would have said. 'Wait a year, maybe two. Then settle
in, have a dozen babies in your dreams while you give one birth.':

"I never thought... I mean, isn't this a little..."

She smiled.

:What would mama do faced with this? I don't know. But for me, I
think... I feel more than anything that this is right:

"Yes love, but it's like everything else here, isn't it? Sharp,
unexpected..."

"Are you really sure? We haven't known each other for very long...
Aren't you supposed to wait for a year or something?"

Makoto was surprised, and impressed, by Hanlan's emotional chastity.

"We don't know if we've got a year, love."

Han turned over another leaf.

"Isn't this the kinda thing split-ups come from? Rushed marriages?"

She pulled him towards her, pressing against him firmly.

"Yeah, you're right. But don't you think we're stronger than that?"

He 'hmmed' uncertainly.

"Yeah, sexy, I do."

"It's not going to be easy, hon. Choosing to be together is probably
the toughest thing either of us will ever do. But I'm not going to run
the first time we fight, and I'll be damned if I let you take off on
me."

He wrapped his arms around her, loving the feel of her curves.

"Yeah," he crooned. "And I ain't gonna run either. Not from you...
never."

Without another word, they kissed. It was a long, deliberately
passionate, lingering kiss, opposed to their first unplanned
encounter. Makoto found herself feeling rather warmed by the heat
between them, and felt very much intoxicated, as Han did, in turn.

Finally, they paused long enough to breathe. Neither let each other
go, holding tightly, as if trying to bond physically. Han felt now,
more than ever, that Makoto was a fact in his life, and to lose her...
he did not want to imagine it. Makoto, separately, shared his
thoughts, realizing that he was the type of man, who, despite his
violent nature, could never betray her. He was as plain in violence as
he was in emotion. One might have called him an 'angel at heart.'

"Mako-babe... I'll leave you alone now if you want," he whispered,
mouth against her ear. She murmured dissent.

"No, please don't. Alone is really the last thing I want to be right
now."

Silence accompanied them, sympathetic, holding them for a Time in
solitary fashion, allowing them a brief peace.

"Do you want to go and find someone to get us married?" Han asked, not
really wanting to let her go, wondering if he ever could.

"Not yet," she replied softly, tightening her grip on him somewhat, as
if telling him she would never leave. "There's no hurry."