Sailor Aster had been searching for her friend Ricky for quite some time, with little luck. At this point, she felt like she had checked most of the Surrounding, but never managed to cross paths with the boy. She just wanted something, some sign that he was alive and well so that she could return to Earth with some peace of mind. Sure, he wouldn't recognize her in this form as Sailor Aster, but that didn't matter to her. She just needed to see him.

She arrived to back at Virgo Outpost. She had checked there before, but there was no sign of him when she searched; although someone had said they saw someone who matched his description but that he had left since then. She wandered through the outpost alone, passing by the lost civilians with only a faint smile to greet them as she made her way towards the infirmary.

And there he was - Ricky Cunningham - asleep on top a cot in nothing but his boxers, his clothes cleaned and folded by his side. His sheets however, were not as clean. They were stained in blood and his body was layered in scars. His legs were an eyesore - marked with giant scars, gashes and burnt skin.

She gasped at the sight of her pained friend and hurried to his bedside. She didn't want to wake him as she inspected his body. What had happened? What had gone wrong? What did this to him? It looked like he had been viciously attacked, slashed by numerous blades or chewed on by some sort of creature. Were they not alone in space? Was it not safe in the Surrounding?

She bit her lip nervously as she grabbed a hold of his hand.

The entirety of the situation reminded her of Alex, her friend who she found dead in an alleyway only a few months back. Back then she had no idea what could have killed him. She felt as thought she was so naive, so unaware of the secret war raging on in Destiny City. It wasn't until after she was awakened that she realized he was killed at the hands of the Negaverse. Had the Negaverse attacked Ricky? Or was it something else?

Either way, she was not going to lose a friend; not again. The pain had hurt her too much the first time, and she couldn't bare to go through it again. She couldn't allow another friend to be lost in the sidelines of this war. She needed to know more; she needed answers.

"Stay tight, Ricky," she whimpered as she let go of his hand. She rose from his bedside and marched off, looking for one of the Zodiacs or anyone that might be of assistance or have knowledge about the circumstances. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them.