A Black Rose
                               Part One

                               By: Zylle

Summary: Bala Kulo is a woman haunted by a vicious and hidden past.  But
when her present world is suddenly torn apart, she finds herself running
from the Galaxy Police while trying to sort her hidden feelings.  And, by
strange twist of fate, she lands on earth...

        “Why are you doing this?  You know you can’t catch me.”  A young
woman said
wearily.  *I did build this ship myself, after all.  I know for a fact it’s
the fastest in the galaxy.  They won’t catch me.  Not this time.*
        The woman sat down in her chair in front of a large, globe-like
glass,
viewing her pursuers and trying to look confident.  “Though I am impressed,
you’re lasting much longer than I thought you would.”  She wore a large
hooded black cloak that hid most of the features of her face.  She was glad
for that.  As far back as she could remember, this
was the first time she had feared for her life.  But she feared for
another’s life even more...
        “Miss Kulo, you’re under arrest.  Surrender now or suffer the
consequences!”  A booming voice demanded from the other ship.
        “That’s Mrs. Kulo to you,” the woman said icily and waved her hand
in
response.  A shield instantly formed around her ship.  *I had hoped it
wouldn’t come to this.  At least I’m prepared this time.*
        The police officer in the opposing vehicle gritted his teeth in
anger.  He
turned to his partner and nodded.  “Fire at will.”  His partner began
shooting at her ship.
        The woman stood and sighed.  Her shield hadn’t been damaged yet, but
it
took up more energy than she would like.  She wouldn’t be able to keep this
up for long.  She turned around and looked forward, out another glass wall.
A screen with the police officer appeared in front of her.  She watched him
a few seconds as he fumbled with the
many shining and glowing buttons and switches in front of him.  She drew in
a breath.  “Greetings, officer.”
        He jumped at the voice and then looked up at the screen in front of
him.
“Ah, so the rogue finally dares to speak.  How kind of you to converse with
us commoners.”
        She ignored him.  “I wish to give you a message.”
        “So you surrender?”  The officer asked, almost hopefully.  Perhaps
he would
be promoted to the rank of captain if he caught her!  This was the best
opportunity he’d had in his whole career.
        She forced a laugh.  “Hardly.  Goodbye.”  Before the officer could
protest,
she ended the transmission and looked up.  “Time to go.”
        The bewildered policemen watched in helplessness as her ship
instantly
vanished.
                                  ***
        Tenchi whistled quietly as he gathered the carrots from the field.
Suddenly he heard a rustling from a bush and he looked up quickly.  He
scanned the forest around him for a while and went back to his work,
satisfied that a certain golden-eyed, rabbit-like creature wasn’t nearby.
*Ryo-Ohki is the entire reason we had to make all our fields carrot fields,*
Tenchi sighed.  Since Ryo-Ohki was born, the furry animal craved carrots
indefinitely, and often stole them from Tenchi as he worked.
        Tenchi smiled.  Now that he thought of it, one of the reasons he
never
complained about his constant work in the fields was that he could let his
mind wander freely.  His life had changed drastically since he had freed a
beautiful space pirate named Ryoko, and when one thing led to another, all
five girls now lived in his father’s small home with them.  It was awfully
crowded having the alien women live there, and they constantly fought over
everything, even himself.
        Tenchi lifted his head and closed his eyes.  He shook his head as he
thought of their bickering, and opened his eyes again.  “Huh?”  He mumbled
as he spied a red thing in the sky coming nearer and nearer.  One simple
thought struck his mind.  *Not another one.*
        He began to turn and run the other way, desperately hoping that he
wouldn’t
meet whoever was inside the thing, but he sighed in defeat and looked back
up at the sky.  *I can’t just leave them there,* Tenchi thought, his
eyebrows furrowing worriedly, *they might be hurt.*  And with that thought,
Tenchi ran towards it.
        Tenchi was angry with himself for his constant weakness of kindness,
this
instinct that got him into so much trouble.  But he would regret and
constantly think about not going to help.  It would haunt him until he went
and looked for any remains of the ship.  He knew this, and that’s why it
frustrated him so much.
        He grabbed a low tree limb and swung himself up quickly.  He climbed
the
tree further and saw the ship coming.  *It’s going to crash right here in
the clearing,* Tenchi guessed, *lucky for them.*  He waited as the descent
of the vehicle continued.  Tenchi frowned slightly in thought, *strange, it
doesn’t seem like it’s crashing, just landing.  But I’ve never seen this
ship before.  Why would anyone come here on purpose?*
        Finally the ship landed.  And still Tenchi waited in the tree.
Several
minutes passed, and nothing emerged from the ship.  Just as Tenchi was about
to approach the ship, the door to the ship came open.  And still, no one
appeared.  “What the?...” But Tenchi couldn’t finish the sentence before a
hooded figure appeared in the clearing.  Tenchi watched as the figure looked
around nervously at its surroundings.  It gave a small sigh as it lifted its
hood.  Tenchi gasped.
        A beautiful young woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties stood
there
in the woods.  Her crimson, spiked hair came to her shoulders, and her eyes,
in contrast, a sky blue as if they were glass. Her skin was a pale white,
making her hair stand out even more.
        Although Tenchi was used to seeing gorgeous ladies daily, he found
himself
staring as she looked around with her cat-like, watchful eyes.  Tenchi shook
his head to break out of the trance.  *Should I call out to her?*  He
wondered.  He considered the possibility of her being a bounty hunter or
pirate, but his reasoning was no match for his
instinct.  *She doesn’t look very dangerous...*
        To his own surprise, he called suddenly, “friend or foe?”
        The woman looked up at his tree after hearing this.  She couldn’t
see him,
but knew where he was.  “Friend, I hope,” she replied.
        “You hope?”
        “I won’t hurt you, just come down so I can see you,” she responded,
a
little annoyed yet charmed as she gazed up at the tree.  *Rather foolish of
him,* she thought.  *What if I were to capture him?  Not that I would, but
no one would be here to help him.  Yet, I admire his courage.  It’s more
than I’ve seen lately.*
        Tenchi hesitated.  What if she was trying to trap him?  But Tenchi’s
curiosity overcame his fear, and he jumped out of the tree and landed in
front of her.
        They stared in silence a moment, studying each other quietly.
*Short,
black hair...large, gentle brown eyes...a pointed chin that doesn’t quiver
at the sight of a stranger...a small, sweet smile...he’s still a puppy,
that’s for sure.  But I can see he’ll be a strong man in a few years...a
formidable foe, indeed.  I just pray they haven’t found him yet.  I would
hate to be his executioner.*  She checked herself suddenly.  *Stop it, stop
it now.  He’s not my enemy...yet.*
        Tenchi began to get nervous as her eyes continued to watch him, and
finally
blurted, “did I -- pass the test?”  The woman looked at his face and set her
eyes on his as she looked up.  Many people of her status would have been
enraged by his insolence, but she merely smiled.  She liked his spunk.
Tenchi stood still and glanced back tensely, trying not to show his
discomfort.
        Her eyes glittered for a brief moment, and she looked up at the
forest
around her, even though she had done so already.  *After all,* she reasoned
sadly, *this land may become a battleground soon.*
        Tenchi sighed as her gaze went towards the sky and away from him.
        “I suppose,” she replied.  Her stare never wavered as she continued,
trying
to think of a good excuse for her critical gaze.  “I simply find natives of
earth fascinating,” she continued matter-of-factly.
        Tenchi coughed to hide his embarrassment.  She noticed this, held
back
another haunting smile and added, “but it is strange.”
        “What?  What’s strange?”  Tenchi asked clumsily.  No one other than
Ryoko
had ever had this kind of effect on him before, and Ryoko had to taunt him
to get him nervous.  How could she make him feel so awkward without even
trying?
        She quickly thought of words to ask her hidden question.  “You.  You
don’t
seem the least bit afraid.  As though you knew I was coming.”
        “Oh, well, uh...” Tenchi stumbled over words as his thoughts were
interrupted, “I saw you coming, so I came to see if you might be hurt or
something.”
        The woman narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious.  *He acts as
though this
has happened before...*  “Your name?”
        “Oh, I’m sorry.  I’m Tenchi Masaki.”  He paused.  “And you are?...”
        “I’m --” she hesitated in her sentence.  *I have to.  It’s the only
way.
And what if he’s not one of them at all?  He may just be an innocent
by-stander.*  “-- Bala,” she finished.  “Bala Kulo.”
        “Well, uh, Miss Kulo, I’ll take you to my dad’s house if you want to
stay a
while,”
Tenchi offered.  He actually wanted her to come with him, he couldn’t
understand why.  She made him feel strange, but somehow he almost enjoyed
it.  Tenchi shook his head slightly to himself.  *She landed here, and every
other girl that’s landed here moved into my home, why shouldn’t I invite
her, too?*  He sighed.  *I’m glad she can’t hear my thoughts, even so.*
        She flashed a smile again.  “I’d like that, thank you.”
        Tenchi grinned back.  “Okay, then, this way...”
                                   ***
        “What?!”  Ayeka and Ryoko cried.  “You’re going to what?!”
        “I’m going to let her stay here for a while if she wants.  She’s our
guest,
and you should treat her with respect,” Tenchi answered firmly.  Both looked
away in disgust and sighed.  Ryoko suddenly looked at Tenchi again.
        “But if she LANDED here she can stay in her ship, right?  Why does
she have
to stay here?”  Ryoko demanded.
        “I invited her, Ryoko,” Tenchi sighed in an exasperated way, “she’s
staying
here.”
        “But -- but --” Ayeka stammered.  Mihoshi sat on the couch near
them,
watching the conversation with little interest and turned back to the TV
with a yawn.
        “I think it’d be fun to have another guest here,” Sasami added
cheerfully
as she continued bustling around the kitchen.  Tenchi smiled at her in
thanks.  Sasami never disappointed him.  She always seemed to understand and
back him up whenever needed.  She added sunshine to the house, and always
knew what to say to cheer him.  She was only eight, but was quite
precocious.
        Ayeka broke the silence, grumbling, and sat down beside Mihoshi in
utter
defeat.  Tenchi broke his gaze on Sasami and glanced at Ryoko.  She bit her
lip to keep herself from making more excuses and held herself back by
clenching her fists at her side.  She suddenly changed her expression from
hopelessness to stubbornness, and pouted as she quietly disappeared.  Tenchi
sighed again.  *That’s over,* Tenchi thought.
        “Tenchi?”  Sasami said as he went to go up the stairs.  He stopped
and
turned to her.
        “Yes, Sasami?”
        “Um...can I go up and see how she’s doing?”  She pleaded.
        Tenchi softened.  “Sure, Sasami.  Go ahead.”  Sasami smiled and ran
up the
stairs.
        “Miss?  Do you need anything?  Dinner’s almost ready,” Sasami asked
as she
peeked into the room.
        “No, thank you,” a voice responded.  It was getting dark outside,
and as
Sasami squinted her eyes to see in the dark room, she saw no one to which
the voice belonged.  All she saw was a hooded figure standing beside the
window at the other end of the room.  Sasami furrowed her eyebrows slightly,
perplexed, and crept quietly up to the
figure.
        “Are you sure?  I can bring you blankets or something if you’re
cold,”
Sasami persisted, standing behind the figure.  Suddenly a light came on in
the room.  Sasami looked behind her at the light switch and saw the woman
there.  “What?”  Sasami muttered as she turned back to the cloaked figure.
It was just the cloak on a coat hanger.  But Sasami was too surprised to be
embarrassed.  She looked back at the woman.
        “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the woman said as she
moved
closer.  She now wore a modest black dress with a red sash around her waist.
  *Poor child,* Bala thought in pity, *if Tenchi is part of this, then she
may be in danger as well, if she is not already part of it too.*
        “No, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have come in without permission,”
Sasami
responded quickly.
        “That’s all right,” the woman smiled sadly and walked to the window.
She
gazed out as evening came, and the sky was painted beautiful shades of blue,
orange, and purple.
        “What’s wrong?”  Sasami asked in concern as she stood beside her.
        The woman looked down at the ground and sighed.  *Surely this sweet
girl
can’t be one of them.  She’s too young and innocent.  But I can’t put down
my guard even for her.  They may use her as a weapon against me later...if
there is a later.*  She looked at Sasami and answered, “it’s something --
you wouldn’t understand.”
        Sasami watched her as she turned her gaze back out at the heavens.
*Why
wouldn’t I understand?*  She thought in puzzlement.
        “What’s your name?”
        “What?”  Sasami said a little too loud, her thoughts disturbed.
        “What’s your name?”  The woman repeated patiently.
        “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Sasami,” she said promptly.
        “I’m Bala.”
        “Well, Miss Bala, nice to meet you.”
        *Maybe I can save her, too, before this evil void can suck her in as
well.
I’ll protect her.*  “Could you just call me Bala?”
        “Are you sure?  I mean that’s --”
        Bala made her decision.  “I’m sure.”
        Sasami smiled that smile that could captivate anyone’s heart.
“Well, Bala,
dinner’s probably done now, so you wanna go down with me?”
        “I’d be delighted.”
        As they went down the stairs, hand in hand, Bala nodded her head and
confirmed her thoughts to herself.  *Yes.  I’ll save this dear child, too.*
                                   ***
         Two days later...
        Bala sighed as she sat in a tree in the forest near the Masaki
shrine.  She
was facing the lake far below her as morning crept slowly into the sky.
        *They’re going to find out where I am soon enough,* she thought and
grimaced.  *I wish I knew what to do.  I’m a sitting duck here.*  Bala
hugged her legs closer for warmth.  *And I’m among people I can’t trust.
How can I stay hidden for long?  No one has come yet, so I’m safe for
now...but just for now.  I need to be ready to flee at any
moment.*  She suddenly jumped down from the tree and gracefully and lightly
fell to the ground.  Her feet made no noise as she touched the forest floor.
  She felt for her weapon concealed beneath her short jacket.  She sagged
her shoulders slightly as the comfort of its cold metal met her fingers.  As
long as she had it with her, she was protected.  *Although it pains me to
have to use it,* she thought as a certain memory tinged her mind again,
*it’s necessary for a whole planet’s survival.*
        Suddenly a crack of a twig grabbed Bala’s attention.  She was
tempted to
look directly at the area she heard it come from, but she had been taught to
be more subtle.  Instead, she yawned, stretched her arms out towards the sky
and lazily looked in the direction of the noise.  She saw through the corner
of her eye a shadow dart behind a
thick tree quickly.  Bala didn’t waste any time and jumped back into her
tree in a movement too fast for any human eye to see.  She climbed smoothly
as if she was made for it and got high up in the tree, careful to avoid dead
branches that would fall under her weight, as she turned around to keep the
tree between her and her tracker.  *Darn these silly dresses,* Bala thought
as she pulled loose her weapon.  *No,* she put her gun back into its hilt at
her side.  *This is not the time and place for bloodshed.*
        She looked beyond the tree to see if her chaser was still in hiding.
Bala
gasped.  The stalker was gone.  She narrowed her eyes as she scanned the
forest in hopes of spotting whoever was following her.  She gritted her
teeth when she saw nothing.  She knew she had been careless in that brief
moment she had hesitated with her gun.  Now
the enemy could be anywhere, ready to strike.
        “Miss Bala!”
        Bala jumped as the voice throbbed into the woods.  She kept her face
steady, however, and looked below her.  Tenchi stood there, staring up at
her and grinning.  “I didn’t mean to surprise you, but I came to tell you
breakfast’s ready.”
        Bala sighed in relief.  Her tracker had been none other than Tenchi.
*But
why had he hidden as I looked his way?  What has he to hide unless he’s --
one of them.*  Bala climbed down and stood before Tenchi.  “Thanks,” she
replied shortly.  She began walking off past him.  Tenchi followed.
        “I really wasn’t trying to surprise you, I’m sorry,”  He apologized.
        Bala stopped and turned to him.  She made her facial expression seem
softened.  *I must appear as though I trust him.*  She forced a smile and
shook her head.  “No, you haven’t offended me --” she stopped for a moment
in thought.  “-- I just wanted to get there faster because I thought you
must be hungry.”
        “Thanks,” Tenchi answered, “but with all the exercise you were
getting just
now, you must be starved.”
        “It is difficult to do in a dress,” Bala replied with no pride and
continued walking towards the house.
        “You know, now that I think of it, I don’t know very much about
you,”
Tenchi said shyly as he walked behind her, “if you don’t mind me asking --
where did you come from?  What planet?  And why are you here?”  Tenchi would
have asked one question at a time, but he was desperate to know.
        Yet again, most would be angered at such rude and rushed questions,
especially with someone they barely knew.  If she had wanted him to know,
she would have told him days ago.  But, again, Bala was patient.
        “I will answer in time,” she responded in a tone that meant to end
the
discussion.
        Tenchi heeded her warning and did not ask again, though it
disappointed
him.  They walked in silence until they reached the Masaki home.  Inside,
Ryoko and Ayeka were fighting again.  Tenchi groaned as the shouts became
louder.  Bala shook her head in total disgust as they went in.
        “Ryoko, give that to me this instant!”  Ayeka cried at the floating
pirate.
        “I don’t see your name on it,” Ryoko taunted as she turned the
object
around in her hand mockingly.
        “You -- you -- you -- demon!”  The princess screeched.
        Suddenly they both looked up as the door shut.  In unison, they both
put
their nose in the air and stomped off in a huff at the sight of Bala.  But
Bala didn’t seem to notice -- or didn’t care -- as she looked around the
room.  The table was set and the steaming food was placed on it neatly.
Sasami and Mihoshi were seated, and after Bala and Tenchi sat, Ryoko and
Ayeka reluctantly joined them as well.
        “Do you like it?  I tried a new rice recipe,” Sasami asked eagerly
as
everyone ate.
        “Oh, yes, Sasami!”  Mihoshi said between mouthfuls, “this is great.”
        “I agree,” Bala added.
        “This has got to be the best yet, Sasami,” Tenchi replied.  Sasami
beamed
in response to the comments.  She turned to Ayeka and Ryoko.
        “Oh, this is wonderful, Sasami,” Ayeka responded quickly.
        “Yeah!  What kind of rice is it?”  Ryoko asked.
        “It’s a special Jurain recipe,” the girl answered.
        “Hm, it doesn’t seem like anything I’ve had before,” Ayeka mumbled
as she
chewed thoughtfully.  Sasami glanced over at the small door on the stairwell
and sighed.
        “She still hasn’t come out yet?”  Mihoshi asked as she looked up as
well.
        “No.  But at least she’s eating,” Sasami sighed again, “I leave her
food
there and she takes it, but she hasn’t come out all week.  She must be
working on something important.  She won’t let me in when I knock.”
        “Excuse me,” Bala cut in.  Everyone at the table looked at her.
“Who is
‘she’?”
        “Oh, I’m sorry,” Sasami said, “that’s Washu’s laboratory.  She asked
me not
to disturb her until she said otherwise.”
        “Oh,” Bala replied.  *Washu...Washu...where have I heard that name
before?
Hm...she’s some kind of scientist, if I recall correctly...ah, yes!
Professor Washu!  She claimed to be the most brilliant scientist in the
universe.  What luck.  I can get Professor
Washu to help me!  If she will, than I may not have much trouble escaping
after all.*  Bala tried to keep her thoughts from appearing on her face as
she continued eating.
                                   ***
        Tenchi watched from a safe distance as Bala progressed through the
forest
towards her ship.  He had wanted to know where she disappeared to every day
after meals, and he would find the answer one way or another.  She stopped
every now and then to look around her and make sure no one was following
her.  She reached the clearing effortlessly and stopped in front of her
ship.  She turned around.  “Count to one thousand,” she thought of the words
of her loving teacher long ago as she turned back to the forest, “count to
one thousand and then slowly, ever so slowly, enter.”
        Tenchi ran behind a tree noiselessly as she stood there.  He froze.
After
several minutes of waiting, she finally turned back to the ship and went
inside.  Tenchi stifled a sigh of relief.  He turned and looked beyond the
tree at the ship.  Its doors were closing.
He ran into the clearing and darted into the ship.
        Inside it was dark and cold.  Tenchi waited several seconds for his
eyes to
adjust from the bright sunshine of the woods to the shadows of the vessel.
He looked around and barely saw the silhouette of Bala’s black dress, the
only visible part her bright red sash.  He followed her until she came to a
small room and went inside.  He stayed behind a corner in the darkness as
she spoke.
        “Here,” she said as she handed a small package to the other figure.
        “Thank you,” another female’s voice replied.  Tenchi nearly gasped.
She
was taking food to another still on her ship!  Why hadn’t she just let
whoever it was out?  They would have taken her in, too, if the house didn’t
explode first.  Why didn’t Bala trust him?  But his thoughts were
interrupted as he heard a baby cry.
        “Ssh, hush now,” Bala said softy as she took the child in her arms.
“It’s
all right, I’m here.”  She began to hum a sweet tune and rock the child back
and forth.
        The baby quieted to her gentle voice and she settled the child back
into
its crib.
        “How long until departure?”  The other woman murmured as to not wake
the
infant again.
        *What?  She’s leaving?*  Tenchi thought, still in awe at the child.
        “We won’t leave until we must,” Bala responded in just as low a
voice so
Tenchi had to strain for each word.  “They haven’t found us yet, but they
will soon.”
        The other woman sobbed.  “Don’t let them take her,” she whimpered.
“Don’t
let them...”
        “I won’t let them lay a finger on her,” Bala replied without fear.
“If
there is any sign of threat at all, we’ll leave immediately.  Don’t worry.”
        *Don’t let them -- take the baby?*  Tenchi pondered.  *Who are
‘they’?*
        “I can’t trust these people,” Bala said to break the silence.  “I
fear that
they may also be part of this mess, and I am suspicious...”
        The woman gasped.  “Suspicious?”
        “Yes.  The boy -- he is a good actor, if he is one of them.  But how
could
it possibly spread this quickly?  This, this virus of a plot...”
        “I don’t know.  But be careful.  Don’t let them suspect anything.”
        “I won’t,” Bala responded with determination.  “Goodbye, I will see
you and
Umi again after our second meal.”
        Tenchi rushed behind another corner and watched as Bala left the
room.  And
again, he followed behind her.  After he was outside the ship once more, he
got behind a tree.  *That was easier than I thought it’d be,* Tenchi thought
in triumph as she continued through the woods back to the house.
                                   ***
        Bala waited until dark that night to visit Washu.  As everyone else
slept,
she crept silently up to the strange door to the laboratory.  Without
hesitation, she went inside.  Her footsteps seemed to roar in her ears as
she made slow progress through the dark and quiet
room.  She could faintly see the outlines of trees on either side of her,
and two large doorways to other parts of the laboratory.  *If she can’t help
me,* Bala thought as she came near a glowing light, *it will be much more
difficult to retreat if threatened -- maybe impossible.  And if we cannot
escape, all is lost.*  Bala closed her eyes for a
moment.  *No.  Stop thinking that way.  I won’t -- I can’t -- lose.*
        Bala pulled out her gun and walked towards the glow of a light in
the
middle of the room.  *A holographic computer, still on.  She must be --*
        “Hello, Mrs. Kulo.”
        Bala whirled to the voice behind her and held up her gun.  Her face
was
hidden in the shadows, but the light from the computer revealed large,
inquisitive green eyes and long, pink hair on a girl with the stature of age
twelve.
        “Washu,” Bala breathed as her weapon dropped with her hand.  She
quickly
contained herself and nodded.  “Hello, Miss Washu.”
        Washu smiled despite the knowledge that such an action could not be
seen in
the dimness.  “I have been waiting for you.”
        “You knew I was coming?  How could you know that --”
        Washu waved her hand in dismissal.  “I know all about your
situation, and I
know you want me to help,” she replied matter-of-factly, “now, please, put
away the gun.”
        Bala had almost forgotten she held it, she was so consumed with
surprise.
She quickly obeyed.  Washu snapped her fingers and light instantly filled
the room as she sat down on a nearby floating pillow.  Bala remained
standing.
        “You’ll help me?”  She asked, not at all perturbed by not having a
seat.
        “Yes,”  Washu answered.  Bala could not hold back a sigh.  “But I
can only
do so much.”
        “What do you mean?”
        “If any outside this household knew I wasn’t missing, this planet
would be
affected.”
        Bala nodded in understanding.  But something prodded her memory.
“But what
of Tenchi and the others?  Are they trustworthy?”
        “They have nothing to do with this, at least not at the moment,”
this time
it was Washu’s turn to sigh.  “I don’t want them to be taken into it, but if
they are, they must be protected.”
        “Yes.”
        “And there is more.”
        Bala raised an eyebrow.
        “I think this planet may be the next target,” Washu continued, “we
can’t
allow them to succeed.”
        “Never!  I will not allow the lives of millions to be taken on this
planet!”  Bala suddenly cried.
        “Sssh!”  Washu hissed.  Bala collected herself again and stood
straight.
“I know where you come from, Bala,” Washu proceeded in a low voice, “but be
rational.  If we stop them before they get here, then we can save this
planet.  If not,” Washu stood as well, “both planets will be doomed.”
                                  ***
        *I can’t stand all this waiting,* Bala thought, *when can we go?
What if
they arrive while I’m caught unawares?  This is so frustrating.*
        “What is it, Bala?  You scowl as if we’ve lost all hope.”
        Bala looked down at the squatting Washu.  “We’ve never lost all
hope,
Washu.”
        “Well, then stop brooding and help me.  We have less time than you
may
think.” Bala sighed, folding her arms and walking over to Washu who was
building a peculiar mechanism.  “What is this?  And when will it be done?”
        “Patience is still a virtue.  I’ll be done ASAP.”
        “You avoided my first question, Washu.”
        Washu looked up and grinned.  *She’s hard to fool,* she thought as a
wave
of maternal warmth toward the young woman spread through her.  “That’s not
for you to know right now.  If you want to be kept busy, go to the weaponry
department to the far left.  Find something you like.”
        Bala narrowed her eyes thoughtfully for a moment.  *I don’t need to
know
yet, hm?  Fine, I’ll play her games.*  “I think my own gun will be enough to
--”
        “A sword, Bala.  You need a sword.”
        “I aim better with a gun, Washu.  Why do I need a sword?”
        “I have a large arrangement of them.  Go pick one out and practice,”
Washu
continued without a trace of irritation, ignoring her questions.
        Bala turned irately, baffled.  *Why does she anger me so?  She
reminds me
of...*  Bala suddenly looked back at Washu in mid-stride.  Washu didn’t
notice, however, because she had her back to Bala, leaning over her
creation.  *My teacher,* Bala finished in wonder.  Bala shook her head in
denial and continued towards the weaponry.
        When she reached it, she looked about in astonishment at all the
hung-up
guns, swords, and other strange inventions of destruction.  Bala’s eyes
seemed to dance in glee at the guns section, but she then turned to the
swords.
        Studying each carefully and picking up several to test them in her
hands,
Bala finally decided on a light-weight, thin, gleaming sword.  *Just right,*
she thought with a smirk as she held it up to the light.
        As she reached a certain clearing she had found earlier in her
little
escapades, Bala checked herself once more.  Sword on the left hip, gun on
the right.  Bala smiled despite herself.  She pulled out the sword once more
and let the sunlight dance on it as she moved it this way and that.
        *I’m acting like a child with a new toy,* she thought and almost
laughed.
*But then again, it IS a toy to me.*
        “Good choice.  That’s a special sword I made several years ago,”
Washu had
said, “it’s a very powerful model of steel, made specifically for cutting
through large objects.  Its blade is barely a millimeter thick, which makes
it easier for it to cut through anything.  There’s very little friction in a
sword with a thin wedge.”
        Bala had nodded in satisfaction, as she did now.
        *But just because it’s a powerful sword won’t increase my
swordplay,* Bala
thought as she lowered the flashing weapon and placed it back at her side.
        “You aren’t very quiet, you know that?”  Bala said as she suddenly
turned
towards a part of the woods surrounding her.  No one was visible, but Bala
knew someone was there.  “Come on out.”
        Sheepishly, Tenchi stepped out from behind a tree.  “How...how’d you
know I
was there?”
        “You’re very noisy, the way you tramp around.  How could I NOT know
you
were there?”
        Tenchi crossed his arms at the insult, leaned against the tree and
looked
away.  Frustration was written plainly on his face.
        “Of course,” Bala added, trying to soften the blow, “I wouldn’t have
heard
you if I wasn’t trained to detect things like that.”
        “You were trained?”  Tenchi asked suddenly, looking up and standing
again.
        Bala silently cursed herself for being so careless.  *Little escapes
him,*
she thought.  “I trained myself to listen for sounds like that,” Bala lied
quickly.
        Tenchi shrugged and walked into the clearing.  “Where’d you get the
sword
and gun?”
        “Uh...” Bala stuttered, “they were -- in my ship.”  *No need to tell
him of
Washu’s part in this,* she reasoned, *the less he knows, the better.*
        He didn’t seem convinced, but nodded.  “So,” he persisted, “are you
good?”
        “Excuse me?”
        “Are you good with them?  The sword and gun?”
        Her eyes twinkled in anticipation.  *It wouldn’t hurt for a little
practice
with an audience,* she thought, *after all, that’s what I came here for in
the first place.*
        “Climb up in a tree and get a nut.  Throw it in the air,” she
instructed.
        Tenchi was surprised she didn’t boast.  He had expected her to, but
quickly
complied and climbed the tree to the side of her.  He waited a moment as he
noticed her planting her feet away from each other and moving her arms out
slightly.  He threw the nut.
        What happened as soon as he had thrown it was too fast for him to
see, but
he assumed she had pulled her gun out quickly, shot three times, and then
sliced the air with the sword.
        “Woah,” he mumbled in amazement.  She put her sword and gun back
into their
places and looked down at the ground as Tenchi came down from the tree.
“Where is it?”
        “Here it is,” she replied, picking up a tiny, black speck barely the
size
of a grain.
        “Yeah, well,” Tenchi said, “you’re pretty fast, but your aim was
off.”
        “Was it?”  She replied as she held it up to Tenchi’s face.  It fell
into
two even pieces at their feet.
                                  ***
        “The girl is safe?”  Washu asked.
        “Yes,” Bala replied with a trace of scorn, crossing her arms.
        “Still itching to go, huh?” Washu said, more a statement than a
question.
        “Why wouldn’t I be?”  Bala answered with a question.  “I know now
how a
rabbit feels when it’s cornered by a fox.”  She paused.  “I can’t keep this
up for long, Washu.  Tenchi has discovered the child, although I permitted
it to test him.  He more than likely believes me a pirate with captives
inside my ship.”
        “Tsk, tsk, Bala,” Washu retorted.
        “That puppy is following me everywhere I go,” Bala scowled, “how
long will
I have to look naive?”
        “A puppy, indeed,” Washu snorted, “that ‘puppy’ as you call him is
the heir
to the Jurain throne, and the guardian of earth.”
        “As if that changes anything,” Bala shot back, “he’s still young and
curious.”
        “True,” Washu replied.
        They stood in silence a moment as Washu continued working on her
invention.
  Sparks flew as she stood over it, goggles in place.
        “When will this be done?”  Bala finally asked.
        “‘The one who speaks first shows anxiousness, and in so doing, loses
ground,’” Washu quoted as she stopped and looked back up at her.
        Bala put her hands on her hips in frustration.  “I AM anxious,
Washu.”
        “I know, so stop prattling on about it and leave me in peace to
finish
this,” Washu laughed to relieve the tension and returned to her work.  Bala
spun on her heels in response and left.
        *That’s gentle criticism if I ever heard it,* Bala thought
sarcastically,
*I don’t know how long I can stand her, much less all this waiting.*  She
marched out of the house into the woods, and when she got to the clearing
where her ship lay, she stopped and sighed.  *I doubt I’ll never understand
her,* she thought and looked up at the sky.
        Bala suddenly gasped.  She saw a small ship approaching.  *It’s
them!*  Her
mind screamed.  Her first instinct was to run back to the house, but she
knew they would follow her and storm it.  So she decided to run the other
way.  *The farther they are from the house the better,* she thought as she
ran. Despite herself, she turned back to watch the ship as it landed.  Three
men jumped out of it, two in uniform and one tall, blond man in royal
attire.  They immediately went towards her ship.  *No!  They’re after Umi!*
        But she was helpless.  If they caught her AND the child, all would
be lost.
  But none of this mattered anymore as Bala screamed in white hot rage and
ran after them.  She pulled her gun loose and fired twice.  She heard two
groans as the men in uniform fell at her feet in pain.  She had shot them in
the legs, not the chest, to prevent their deaths, but she looked at the
remaining man and held her gun up to his head.  His hazel eyes showed fear
for a moment, but only a moment.
        *A gleam of triumph in his eyes,* Bala thought as his eyes moved
behind her
for a moment and betrayed his other guards.  Bala turned and kicked the
guard behind her, and three more were closing in.  Just as she was about to
turn and keep all five men in front of her, two iron-like hands grabbed hers
and her gun fell to the ground with a sickening thud.  Bala gasped as she
tried to break loose.  *No!  Not again!*
        One of the soldiers grabbed the gun from the forest floor and
pointed it at
Bala to prevent her from further struggling. One of the other guards plucked
at her sword’s hilt and Bala sagged in defeat, but suddenly kicked the gun
from the man’s hands and elbowed her captor in the gut.  As he fell to the
forest floor moaning, Bala pulled out her sword and sliced the air to keep
the other men away.  “Don’t try anything stupid,” she warned in a low and
dangerous tone.
        Suddenly a shot of her own gun sent her to the ground as well.  Bala
put a
hand to her stinging skin on her arm and drew back blood on her fingertips.
But she didn’t cry out in pain as the one holding the gun stepped forward.
It was the blond-haired man.
Two of the soldiers seized her arms and forced her to stand.  She protested
for a few minutes but soon gave in.  Her wound had weakened her.  It
wouldn’t matter if she struggled, it would just be a waste of energy.  She
merely threw back her hair from her face defiantly, settled on the blond’s
cruel, stone-gray eyes and glared at him coldly, her own eyes like flaming
ice.
        The man smiled evilly.  “We meet again, Queen Bala.”

To be continued...