Tenchi Muyo!:
                           Games That Gods Play
                     A Fan Fiction by: Jason Burchianti
                   Based on the Tenchi Muyo OVA Universe
         (I couldn’t wait for Pioneer to make the third OVA so I’m doin it myself)
  Names and True Destiny of the Characters in Tenchi Muyo Belong to Pioneer Entertainment
          This is just what I think is in their future, so sit back relax and enjoy.
              Compliments or Complaints sent to: JBURCH@usaor.net
                        (Hope you have disk space)


                           Chapter one:

                         Queens Pawn Opens

 

People say that dreams can come true. For most people, if a dream were to come true
it would be cause to celebrate. In Sasami’s case; however, if they came true, it was
cause to panic.

 

She was running down a tunnel and the light at the end of it was not very far
away. But, no matter how fast she ran the end was getting no closer. Sasami
slowed to a walk. "Tsunami?" she called. "Where am I? Where am I going?
Where is the end?"

"It’s behind us." Said Washu, who had suddenly appeared next to her.

"Washu! Where are you going?" Asked Sasami. 

But Washu was already walking out. Held by two men dressed in black robes.
"Hey what?!" cried Washu but her voice was cut off as she was lifted up but the
hand of an enormous woman.

"NO NOT YOU!!" Sasami screamed as she recognized the woman. She ran
toward the giantess but just as she approached it morphed into a Jurian
SpaceshipTree.

 

Sasami was thrown off balance by the change and fell backwards just as the tree
exploded into flames. She shielded her face from the heat and tried to look into
the flames to find Washu; however, it was not Washu who emerged from the fire
but two men who she did not recognize. "Who are you?" she asked the men. She
saw that they were both wearing white coats and not the black robes that the
men who took Washu had worn. The heavier of the two smiled at her and helped
her to her feet. Then his face turned grave as two other men came from the
flames, these two wearing black robes. "Run!" shouted the man who helped her.
Sasami didn’t hesitate; she ran back down the tunnel. 

 

She finally reached the end of the tunnel and found herself on Jurai. Her family
was there. "Father. Mother. Something terrible is happening." Sasami ran to
them.

"I know." Said the king of Jurai. "I have some friends to help."

Sasami saw another man at her father’s side. Someone she thought she should
know but she could not make out the man’s face. 

 

Then the giant woman appeared again. She reached down and picked Sasami up
into the air. In her other hand was Washu. "I want you both." She said.

 

"NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Sasami screamed

 

Sasami awoke in a cold sweat.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

He looked down upon his creation and drew breath, if it could be called that,
nervously. He had very little to work with and he couldn’t be certain that construction
of the codes and special programming required for it to work in accordance with her
majesty’s wishes had been fully implanted in the genetic structure. But, there was no
time now to worry about that now. Without any more samples of the original genetic
code this would have to do; weather it worked, or not.

 

"It is done." He said. 

 

His echoing voice was answered in that symphonic voice that ranged in scale from alto
to tenor to soprano and belonged to her majesty, Tokimi.

 

D3 was most likely the only being who existed in this dimension that could understand
Tokimi’s primary language. He withdrew and the higher dimensional reactions began
as she descended in order to activate D3’s creation. A lightning storm unparalleled
erupted in the chamber and the necessary electrochemical reactions needed for life
began.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

While Tokimi worked, D3 attended to other matters.

"We’re not sure; but, it’s possible that not only is the Lady Washu there but Lady
Tsunami could be there too." Said the bearded man with an angry attitude. The one
named "Kiéta" D3 remembered. If this was true then… 

"We must have knowledge not guesses" D3 echoed.

"My fellow and I cannot get anywhere near enough to find out so, we are training a
pidgin to home in on it for us heh heh."

"I do not care how you perform the task, just do not fail."

"No sweat!"

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not that Kiéta cared but his pidgin’s feathers were all ruffled and irritated.

 

"Maybe if you could just give me a little clue where this came from?" Asked Joseph
Serranti. 

"Then maybe me and Joe could give you a little clue what it is." James DiAngello
finished for him.

 

Joseph was a tall man of 24 and just a year out of college. He was just on the bad side
of overweight but not extremely so. That problem was more from the less than active
lifestyle of an intellectual than overindulgence at the dinner table. But, he did know
how to enjoy life and on the occasions he joined in the fun you could bet that it was his
laughter drowning out everyone else.

 

James, on the other hand was short and in a good deal better shape. But, that in turn
was from a military influence. Jim was 28 and also just out of college on the GI Bill.
He and Joe had formed a strong friendship at ICON Chemical. 

 

"I wishIcould. I asked several times but theynever tell meanything." Said Michael.

 

Joe and Jim held back a snort of laughter. Joe had once said that anytime Mike got
excited his words ran together and his African accent made it sound like you are
talking to a set of rada drums. Now the fact could never be ignored. 

 

Whatever it was, it never did what you expected. It looked like a burnt tree root.
Chemical structure could not be determined because it seemed so stable as to be
completely nonreactive. IR and NMR scans seemed to be scrambled. And even
though it was not metallic, now it appeared to conduct electricity very well. They were
about to see just how well it could conduct in a moment. This was why Mike was here
after all.

 

Joe placed a sample in an insulated dish and placed a magnet on it. He then poured
liquid nitrogen in the dish until the sample was almost submerged. After a few seconds
the magnet began to float above the sample.

 

"Impossible." Mike breathed, "But, that implies…."

"Superconductivity" Jim said as if it didn’t surprise him at all. Which it didn’t, nothing
could surprise him about this thing anymore. 

 

"And take a look at this." Said Joe. "Remember how it absorbed water like a sponge?
Well this is that sample."

 

Mike nearly choked when he saw what had happened to the sample jar.

 

"Kinda gives new reason to stop burning the rain forests don’t it." Quipped Joe.

 

The sample in the jar had grown a small twig and two leaves.

 

"I think it’s time to make another call." Said Mike uncertainly.

"Yea and put it on the speaker phone too." Joe called after him.

"Right if you can’t get ‘em to answer some questions lets see how they can take a
dose of Italian temper." Jim said as he followed them out of the lab. 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Mihoshi? A subordinate? You can’t be serious." Said the detective sergeant.

The response came in the Morselike pulses over the special link that had been secretly
installed in his office.

"But why…" 

Pulses interrupted him.

"Y – Yes I understand, I shall inform Mihoshi at once."

Pulses.

"I’m not? When should I inform her then?"

Pulses.

"Then why tell me now if I should wait."

Pulses.

"Yes. I shall await orders."

The lights brightened, as the connection was broken.

"Oh this is going to make the chief’s day." He said to the room "Mihoshi getting a
subordinate. I wonder who it’s going to be?" 

He sighed and returned to work. This didn’t concern him too much. He had always
believed that there should be more than one officer keeping guard over the treasures in
the Terran system. But, who would they find? And why make them subordinate to
Mihoshi and not give her a partner of equal rank and experience. But he had time for
that. They told him that they needed a few months to prepare this new officer after all.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

‘Oh God, please, this can’t be happening. Please tell me this isn’t happening dear God
please." Kiyoné pleaded to herself.

But God’s comforting voice remained silent. And she remained in the hard chair,
looking absolutely beautiful in her dress uniform. With effort she brought herself back
to reality. And the relentless march of her worst nightmare came back into focus.

 

"And the prosecution will prove to you, the Court Martial Assembly, beyond all
reasonable doubt, that Detective Sergeant Kiyoné was willfully Negligent in her duty
to her officers. Did pursue and Murder With Malice one Oling Sato. Her conduct
resulting in the Negligent Manslaughter of two of the officers under her command. In
the end, you will agree, there can be only one verdict:

… Guilty."

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Six Weeks Ago:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Detective Sergeant Kiyoné Makabi was the first one in the briefing room, which was
not unusual for her. As Detective Sergeant of Local Space Operations it was her duty
to assign patrol patterns to GP Sublight Patrol Ships. These ships would patrol the star
system for two lunar orbital radii from the planet Parth, which was the primary
population center in the system. There were mining operations and colonies throughout
the system and each had a wing of GP Sublight Patrol Ships. At Parth Station there
were ten ships equipped with hyperspace drives including two of the new top of the
line Continuity Class Heavy Cruisers, but only command ranks flew those ships.

 

Kiyoné’s people were beginning to file in now. There was the usual banter and "I
didn’t have enough coffee for this yet" and a little "Did you catch the game last night?"
being thrown around the room, and before long, it was time to get the day started.

"Okay people, listen up!" she said in her command voice, firm, but not threatening.
"There is a lot of traffic scheduled to leave the system today because of the end of the
quarter. Every business on the planet is going to be sending out their exports to the
ends of the galaxy and along with them is every smuggler and thief that has reason to
leave. I want to make sure that only approved exports are aboard those ships and no
extras. Therefore; everyone is on picket duty today."

"Are we suppose to give anyone special attention?" One of the Detectives First Class
asked in a hopeful voice.

"No, Mr. Sato is only to receive standard scans, just like everyone else." She
answered.

"That stuff he deals in never gets picked up on standard scans. How the hell are we
supposed to catch him if we can’t see him?" another put in.

"Yea!" came a general consensus from the assembled.

"I know how you feel, believe me, I know how you feel. But pinpoint focus scans
need judicial approval, and we didn’t get it."

"This’ll be the fourth time in as many quarters that he slid by us and drank to our tied
hands all the way to Mount. Mucho Denero."

"I know, you don’t have to rub it in." She said with a smirk. She was beginning to feel
that every time Mr. Oling Sato got away with smuggling the latest in artificial
intelligence out was a personal insult. "But we’ll get him, just you wait. In the mean
time; Dala!"

"Sir!"

"Patrol pattern Psai Eight! Forbin!"

"Sir!"

"Patrol pattern Zeta Two, on the near side only! Greathul!"

"Sir!"

And so on down the list.

"Very well people, to your stations. Dismissed!"

Noise erupted as they began to leave in a disordered rush but they were hesitating just
long enough for the final ritual of the morning.

"Oh Yea! I almost forgot!" She said.

Silence.

"Let’s be careful out there."

They all filed out orderly.

 

>>>

Getting onboard the station was ridiculously easy. And entry to the hangar was almost
as easy, but not quite. ‘The big guy sure has some amazing toys.’ He thought to
himself. He scratched his beard and headed right to Kiyoné’s ship. He pulled a device
from under his black robes and used it to analyze the locks and opened the hatch.
Once inside the ship he opened the appropriate access panel and inserted another
device on the appropriate circuit board. The technology he was using now would take
at least twenty of the galaxy’s top minds to even begin to understand what made them
work. But, he had them now, thanks to D3. He exited the ship and his modification
began to integrate itself into the ship’s systems.

 

>>>

At a spaceport on Parth a relatively small hyperspace drive equipped starship was
being maneuvered into launch position by heavy robotic machines designed for the
job.

"This is the private vessel Straight Shot to Xellcoll Control requesting clearance and
instructions for launch to orbital rendezvous with Sato Enterprises trade fleet vessels."

 

Everything was going as smooth as silk. The fleet had launched without any problems
or mishaps, his yacht was already requesting launch clearance, and the pinpoint scans
that the cop was trying to get were denied again, everything was perfect. It was so
perfect that he was beginning to get paranoid. There was still something that made
Oling worry. Maybe it was the old belief that if everything keeps going well, then when
something finally goes wrong, it’s gonna really be a big one. He tried to think about
what could be bothering him but he couldn’t get a grip on the elusive detail that was
sending warnings to his mind. Oh well, getting superstitious was not what he should be
doing right now so, with a force of will he removed the thoughts from his mind and
continued with the business at hand.

"Champagne?" He offered the woman lying in his bed.

 

>>>

The tech crews were completing their check of Kiyoné’s ship when the tech in charge
of computer systems noticed something in the data stream. He had spent most of the
check trying to trace the anomaly.

"Hey, Watson, What’s keeping you we got a lot more ships to check out you know."
Another tech called to him.

"I know, it’s this extra stream, I can’t figure it." He answered.

"What’s it from?"

"If I knew that I would’ve been outa here already."

"Well then what’s it doing?"

"Right now nothing. It looks like a system waiting to perform a task list but hasn’t been
given the execute command yet."

"There’s a lot of those in a normal ship computer system."

"Right, but, look at this. See this line here."

"Yea."

"It’s the one I was talking about. There is the task list code."

"So?"

"Task list codes always start with an ‘await command’ prefix"

"And?"

"And this one starts with an ‘independent operation’ prefix"

"And this means what exactly?"

"It means that the pilot of this ship is doesn’t control this task list."

"Can you tell what the task list does?"

"It looks like it splits data from the scanners and directs it to the flight recorder and the
screens in the cockpit."

"Then it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing, so let it be and hurry up we got work
to do." The tech left him.

Maybe he was right, the task list was doing its job, but why a task list? That operation
doesn’t have a task list on any other ships. Maybe it was the only way to correct a
computer glitch from an earlier date. Whatever the reason he would have to check it
out after he was finished in the hangar, there wasn’t time to go through repair logs
now. He completed checking the other systems and left.

 

After he left, the special modification continued it’s integration. This was a close call,
That tech was very thorough and determined. But especially, he was very good at
what he did, and a worthy adversary. But, in the end, it was victorious. Beating him
required some very original thinking to shroud it’s purpose behind that task list. And
even that almost wasn’t enough. Yes, a very worthy adversary indeed.

 

>>>

"Gentlemen, you have been chosen for this mission because you are the best. I want
you to know that His Majesty himself has taken a personal interest in this operation."

A holographic diagram of the Parth system appeared as the man wearing black robes
and mirrored glasses spoke, the light giving his silver hair an eerie glow. His clear
precise voice pronouncing every syllable with razor sharpness.

"We will enter into the system under complete stealth mode. The Saha-oh will launch
your ships at this point. You are to intercept this flight of freighters and eliminate all
opposition. There can be no exception to this, even if it means firing upon the Galaxy
Police. One thing to be aware of; we have an operative currently on station in the
Parth system. You will know this operative by the special signal your ships will
recognize. She must survive; it is her mission you are supporting after all. After the
primary target has been destroyed, head to this waypoint for extraction. Are there any
questions? … If not, then good luck. Long live Emperor Jurai!"

"LONG LIVE EMPEROR JURAI!" Came the rousing cheer.

 

>>>

Kiyoné was positioned at a holding pattern central to her men’s patrols. Her task
would be to assist or direct assistance to any other patrol in her area of concern. It
was also her duty to offer first challenge to any ship leaving Parth that was suspected
of performing illegal actions. So far it was easy going. They had caught one freighter
carrying stolen hardware but she knew that for every one they caught, two got away.
And it appeared that one of the two was going to be Mr. Oling Sato again. It was with
these thoughts going through her mind that her life and golden career was destroyed. 

 

Just outside the GP pickets a huge ship was decelerating from hyperspace. From it’s
launch bays fifteen Soru Class Attack Ships using false transponder codes bolted into
the darkness of space chased by blue streaks of fusion fire. After they departed, the
Saha-oh stealthily headed to the retrieval point.

 

At the point of space which was designated Kappa One very close to Sergeant
Kiyoné’s position, detectives first class Shaffid Satsangi and Gregory Polanski were
patrolling. They were moving to intercept and scan the Sato Enterprises trade fleet in
the hopes that Sato may have made a mistake this time and that they would finally be
able to take him in. They doubted it, but they could hope. It was at that moment that
their scanners detected a wing of fifteen ships inbound toward Parth from outside their
patrol pattern. They were coming in cold so they did not set off any automatic warning
systems in either of the two ships.

 

Inside Kiyoné’s ship the task list began its operations. The task list itself was simple to
understand. But the operations required to perform the tasks were so complex that
only the best AI system in the universe could complete it. An AI so advanced that
technically it hadn’t been invented yet. First it read the data being transmitted to it from
the ship’s scanners. Seeing the fifteen ships it divided the data into an original and a
copy. The original was sent untouched to the flight recorders. On the copy, the fifteen
ships were cut from the data and the ship signatures were saved to a subsystem file
which was updated with the target ships data every one thousandth of a second, this
altered data was then sent to the screens in the cockpit. The AI then opened a second
stream in the computer systems and cut the navigational readings into an original and a
copy. The copy was recalibrated to show a slight drift off of the set heading and set to
the cockpit. The untouched original was sent to the recorders. It didn’t take long for
the pilot to notice the drift and compensate to the heading the AI wanted her to take.
Separately, hidden from both the cockpit and the recorders, it began sending a
prearranged signal over the IFF transponder. It then waited for the proper moment to
begin the next phase of this carefully arranged script. 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The present

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"At this point," the Galaxy Police Specialist said as he gestured to the holographic
display, "Detective Sergeant Kiyoné made a course change to intercept the flight of
Sato Enterprises ships."

"Is her approach pattern right now one of hostile intent?" Asked attorney Yin.

"Objection! Calls for witness speculation, not facts!" Kiyoné’s attorney, Marcus
Cussac, said before the witness could answer.

"Sustained." Said the Court-Martial General. "Mr. Yin, please keep your questions
related only to facts that witness can testify to."

"Yes Your Honor. Lieutenant Borque, as a post mission analyst, is it correct that you
have in depth knowledge of Galaxy Police space combat tactics?"

"Yes, I am fully trained in the latest of all tactics used by all ships in the police arsenal."

"In that case, according to standard Galaxy Police space combat tactics, does
Kiyoné’s approach match any known attack patterns for the sublight patrol ship?"

"No."

"What does it appear to be? In your opinion."

"It looks like she was trying to take a position closer to Sato’s ships."

"Given the approach of the Soru Class Ships, does this put Kiyoné into a position of
some advantage over the attacking ships?"

"No. In fact it puts her in a position of distinct disadvantage."

"Could you explain further?"

"When she chose to move to this heading, it moved her out of her holding pattern. As
you can see. Advance the recording please, there, thank you. Now Kiyoné is
completely out of range of the two GP ships in the path of the approaching attackers." 

"Can Kiyoné detect the approaching Soru ships?"

"They are visible in the scanner recorder."

"What is standard GP procedure when encountering unidentified craft?"

"To monitor and attempt identification through various means, and always assume
hostile until identified otherwise."

 

Kiyoné was very close to real panic now. It was as if everything that she remembered
was the exact opposite of what the recorders and computer memory banks were
reporting. But she knew that her scanners offered no warning of the wing of Rogue
Fighters to which they were referring now, and the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe)
system never recognized Mr. Sato’s Yacht. In fact, none of his ships appeared on her
ship's scanners at any time, at least not until they were destroyed. She would almost
guess that her ship was taking all of Sato’s ships and replacing them with the Rogue
Fighters. But now the mission recorder was like a child caught in a lie: Oh yea, I guess
they were Sato’s after all, if you say so.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Six weeks ago

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"… Repeat, Detective Satsangi calling Sergeant Makabi Respond please. We have
unknown hostile Soru Class Vessels entering the system weapons are hot, say again
weapons are hot. Sergeant? Were the fuck are you?"

"Hey Sats get the boss yet?"

"No Greg I didn’t get the boss yet."

"I think I got a signature, their coming up as a group calling themselves the Rogue
Fighters."

"SunuvaBITCH!! Fuck it! Greg, this whole thing just went FUBAR I’m going active."

"We need clearance for that!"

"Do you think the Rogues out there are waiting for clearance too?"

Gregory switched his weapons from ‘stand by’ to ‘active’ just in time to feel the first
volley flash by his ship. Both Gregory and Shaffid punched their throttle to maximum
afterburner and pulled some evasive maneuvers.

"Black One to Black Three."

"Black Three here." 

"Take your squad and break off from the main group. Take them out."

"Yes sir."

"Black Six to Black One."

"Go ahead Black Six."

"I found our operative."

"Very good, all ships mark that ship, do not fire upon it."

Kiyoné was caught completely by surprise. There was no call from her officers and the
scanners sounded no warnings. But here were five Soru Class Attack Ships right in
front of her going weapons active with ten more coming in from a reverse heading.
And it appeared that two of her officers were in the same spot as she was. 

"Shit! How did they sneak up on us like that?" she asked out loud.

She did a Pinpoint Focus scan on the lead ship to get all the data she could to
distribute it to the men under her command.

 

"Mr. Sato? We just had a Pinpoint Focus Scan done to us."

"Bull, the police were denied that right. Now don’t bother me I’m busy."

"But sir," the pilot said after the connection was broken, "they don’t need permission in
a battle."

 

"Sergeant Makabi to all Sublight Patrols make for Pattern Theta Nine at once.
Hostiles in the area. Weapons are active, repeat, weapons are active."

She opened fire on the lead ship and it vanished from the universe.

"WHAT??!!!?!?!??"

Everything the scanners had been telling her changed to a completely different story in
less time than it took for the expanding fireball that was once Mr. Oling Sato’s Yacht
to completely fade. And what she saw now turned her stomach into a solid block of
ice and the shock of what couldn’t have happened, but just did, made her numb all
over.

 

Detective First Class Gregory Polanski was pulling out of an impossibly tight inside
loop and ended up with the Soru in his sights. He triggered for missiles and five out of
six struck home and disintegrated the ship. Unfortunately in the time it took to line up
the shot he was lined up and relieved of duty in the most final way possible.

Detective First Class Shafid Satsangi Saw his partner tune out and said nothing. Four
more to go. Three in front, one in back but at a bad angle. Greg’s death had done that
much. He fired Particle cannons on the fly and strafed two of them, he hit one of the
two hard enough to explode. Three left, one in front two in back. He punched the
afterburner and drove into an outside loop and reversed direction so that the two were
now in front. But they evaded his sights cutting left and down. He cut right and up,
yawed over and pulled up on the stick drawing down from his previous direction. The
one fighter that was behind him was still there. He then corkscrewed and flipped end
over end to face his pursuer. The Rogue broke off and he looped in behind him, fired
once but missed. No time to try again, the other two were on him. He cut up across
their axis of fire and went into a series of random direction changes. Another
corkscrew, and into a loop. Lost one the other held, the third picked him up as he
came out of the loop and he was hit. Damage to the stabilizer, maneuverability now a
lot less. He changed direction and tried to perform another inside loop. It was too
slow, all three were on him and he was locked. He then attempted a flip, big mistake,
the last one he ever made. It would have worked if he didn’t have the damage to the
stabilizer. At that moment Kiyoné came in Shooting and took two of them out in one
pass. The third ran away on afterburner.

 

In another part of space, the last of the Sato Enterprises Trade Fleet expanded into
orange fire.

"Black One to all ships. All primary targets destroyed. Head for the pickup."

 

>>>

At the pickup waypoint the Saha-oh waited. Finally the ships were returning.

"Open fire." The man with mirrored glasses said.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The present

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"So you deliberately refused to acknowledge their calls for assistance?" attorney Yin
snapped.

"No, that’s not what I said." countered Kiyoné.

"Then why did you not answer?" asked Yin.

"As I already told you I never heard the call from detective first class Satsangi. I heard
no radio transmissions at all."

"But your mission recorder shows that the transmissions were audible"

"But they weren’t"

"You were just too interested in payback to listen weren’t you!"

"NO!" 

"Isn’t it true that you and the late Mr. Sato had a history?"

"Well, yes but-"

"Describe your relationship with him."

"I had reason to suspect him of smuggling new technologies out of the Parth System."

"And what became of your accusations?"

"I was unable to prove that anything was leaving the system without proper approval."

"That must have been very difficult to take considering your record to that time?"

"No, I was confident that we would catch him sooner or later."

"And you decided that this was the sooner you wanted than later?"

"No."

"So you attempted to catch him in the excitement of an attack, knowing that in combat
conditions, judicial approval of pinpoint focus scans was no longer necessary?"

"Objection! Leading!" Marcus called out.

"No!" Kiyoné almost yelled.

"And discovering that he was clean you couldn’t accept that you were wrong!" Yin
yelled.

"Objection!" Yelled defense.

"NO!" Screamed Kiyoné.

"So in your rage at the moment, and being in combat conditions anyway, YOU
OPENED FIRE!!"

"OBJECTION!!!"
"NO! NO! NO!!!!"

The Court-Martial General hammered the gavel repeatedly with such force that it
broke the handle.

 

Yin was not entirely convinced that Kiyoné would follow a vendetta against Sato for
such a shallow reason as pride. She was far too smart and too good an officer. But the
evidence showed that she abandoned her squad to pursue a flight of Sato’s freighters
and his personal yacht. The Rogue Fighters were an uncertainty as well. What was
that band of pirates doing in the Parth system anyway? And how did they get there?
Even though the mechanics found an anomaly in her computers, it was not enough to
disrupt the system enough to confuse freighters with Soru Class Attack Ships as
Kiyoné had claimed. There was only the one wing of fighters, and Sato’s freighters.
The mission recorders agreed with this. So, Yin had no choice but to pursue the case.
Even if he did think something was just not right with this on the whole. Witness
testimonies didn’t fit with other reports. One testimony would discredit another even
though they both agreed with anything that looked bad for Kiyoné. 

 

But these doubts were not enough to stop the Court Martial Assembly. 

 

>>>>

"On the charge of Gross Negligence the Court Martial Assembly finds the defendant
Detective Sergeant Kiyoné … Guilty"

 

Kiyoné was stunned.

 

"On the charge of Conduct Unbecoming an Officer of the Galaxy Police the Court
Martial Assembly finds the defendant … Guilty"

 

She could not breathe.

 

"On the charge of Manslaughter Third Degree of Detectives Satsangi and Polanski, the
Court Martial Assembly finds the defendant … Guilty"

 

She felt her knees going weak.

 

"On the charge of Murder in the Second Degree of Mr. Oling Sato the Court Martial
Assembly finds the defendant … Guilty."

"The defendant has been found guilty on all charges; does the defendant wish to make
a statement at this time?"

 

Kiyoné just stood motionless and silent. Yin noticed that she had gone deathly pale.
He felt sorry for the young sergeant. No one had ever attained that rank so soon after
entering the Galaxy Police. And doubt still haunted him about this case. 

 

For anyone else, sentencing would be put off for up to a month; but this was not a
civilian court.

 

"The defendant is hereby sentenced to be demoted in rank five grades to Patrolman
Second Class. The defendant is also sentenced to one life term at Toland Orbital
Detention Center, subject to be eligible for parole review at Assembly discretion."

 

Yin took notice at that last part. This meant was that she may never be eligible for
parole, or, she could be free next Tuesday. It was also to be noted that she was not
dismissed from the Galaxy Police. These two details had removed all traces of doubt.
He was now dead certain that this poor girl was set up. And it was himself who had
taken her down. 

"Oh God in heaven, What have I done?" he said in a low voice to himself. 

There was one other person who heard him. But sympathy would do her no good
now.

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

 

                           Chapter two

                         Positioning the Pieces

 

 

 

Kiyoné had been in situations that had threatened her life before. Fear was a normal
reaction to such moments. But this was different, this time she was not in control of her
own fate and that was not a position she had ever been in. The feeling of helplessness
was paralyzing.

 

The blue-green coverall, that was the only clothing she was permitted to wear, was
stiff and uncomfortable. She was issued a change of clothing, a metal cup, one pair of
shoes, toothbrush, hairbrush, a pen, and three sheets of paper. Her other belongings
were checked at the receiving office and she would not see them again until she left.

 

Four guards lead her through two shielded doors into the cellblock that was her new
home. And she was welcomed loudly.

 

In step rhythm, every inmate was clashing their cups against metal trays, walls, or
anything else that would make noise. They were all chanting: "WALK! WALK!
WALK! WALK!" That one word had never sounded threatening before. 

Then someone recognized the new guest.

 

She couldn’t believe her eyes; the bitch cop that busted her was taking the short walk.
(The long one was to the executioners chamber.) She wanted everyone to know who
this was. So she stopped clashing her cup and started chanting in a low voice "Badge.
Badge. Badge."

Her cellmate saw the change and was a bit skeptical. One look erased that and a
wicked smile formed on her cellmate’s face. Now there were two chanting "Badge."
Those in the cells next door caught on and the new chant spread. It didn’t matter that
the new inmate didn’t arrest all of them. She was a badge, and the one who put them
here had worn one.

 

As the new chant spread, Kiyoné’s last reserves of strength were crushed under the
force of the silent chant. She was wishing for the banging cups again. At least with that
chant there was anonymity to hide in. This label had marked her, and the hate that
radiated from the sides and the upper levels were the last straw. Her will was stamped
out and she could no longer hold on. She began to cry. And the display of weakness
fueled the fire for the inmates. The chant became more forceful but never increased in
volume.

 

Kiyoné stopped walking, and a guard pushed her forward mercilessly. "I can’t" was all
she could bring herself to say. 

"Move." Came the reply. Followed up with another shove.

The guards led her up the stairs to the second level. They came to a stop at a cell with
an alien woman. The shield door opened and the woman said in a loud voice "So I
have the honors this time."

Kiyoné saw the fork she was holding and was more frightened by that fork than she
had ever been frightened by lasers or pulse guns. The guards pushed her forward
again but she couldn’t move. She wanted to beg but all she could do was shake her
head and look pleadingly at the nearest guard. It was true that facial expressions of
some aliens could be misinterpreted but Kiyoné was sure that she saw amusement
there in the guard’s face.

"Aww! She don’t wanna be my friend!" her cellmate said to the amusement of all the
inmates who could hear. The guards shoved with all the force they could and she fell
into the cell in a heap. The shield door sealed and she was left alone and terrified with
an uncertain future and an alien woman who laughed hysterically at her tears.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Emperor Jurai strode into the long hallway and met with two men who were his
newest knights and advisors. He was surprised to find a third man with them. This
third man was apparently one worthy of respect. 

"I had hoped to meet with you alone Kiéta, and you too, Tessa." He said. "I have
already told you that I do not hold an audience with new dignitaries at the sanctum.
Who is this man?"

"Well your highness," said Kiéta, "We are being forced to move up our timetable.
Even so it will take months, but unless we take this action now it will take even longer.
Fortunately we were able to recover something we lost and that wait is no longer
necessary." 

"What are you talking about? What timetable? We were trying to find a way to return
my daughters to take the throne as I have wanted from the start."

"Don’t worry," the new man said, "we will return her. Her and her even more
important little sister." He stepped into the light to let the emperor see his face.

The emperor could not believe what he saw standing before him. "You." He breathed.

"Yes, me." And a yellow light surrounded him and he seemed to morph into a new
shape. It was the shape of Emperor Jurai.

"DAMN YOU DEMON TO HELL!" The Emperor cried as he summoned his Juraian
Battle Armor and ignited his own sword.

"Been there, done that, but never been king before." He said as he drew his own
energy sword that glowed a sickly green.

The knights Kiéta and Tessa leveled their staves at the emperor and prepared for
battle.

 

The Emperor charged at his betrayers and they all clashed in a battle that lit the
hallway with the lightning of Jurai’s power. He slashed at his doppelganger and
ducked under Tessa’s stab. He spun on his heels to throw a power bolt at Kiéta that
caught him the chest. The doppelganger cut a downward stroke that he parried and
reposed with a stab to the gut. He erected his shield in time to deflect Tessa’s attack
of Jurai’s Needles and charged at Tessa. Kiéta was hurt but still in it and he appeared
at Tessa’s side in time to meet the Emperor. The three of them exchanged slashes and
parries, then Kiéta leaped into the air and sent his own power bolt down upon the
Emperor. The Emperor’s shield deflected it and he had to turn to face his
doppelganger. The two attacked each other with a ferocity that can’t be described.
Slashing, stabbing, ducking, and spinning around each other with lightning speed. The
battle paused with the two at each other’s throats, swords crossed.

 

"You have one advantage here." The Doppelganger said.

"You are wise to notice." The Emperor answered.

"You see we can’t kill you because the Queens of Jurai will sense your passing, so we
must resort to this alternative."

Kiéta and Tessa touched their staves to the emperor’s head while he was distracted
by the exchange and he fell into a coma.

"All too easy, what an idiot." Kiéta said disgustedly. "And it started out to be such a
good fight too."

 

Many light years away Ayeka and Sasami were shaken awake by a force they
couldn’t identify after waking up. They looked at each other but remained silent.
Sasami didn’t know how, but she knew that something had happened that was going
to set her nightmare in motion.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Prosecutor Yin sat in his office late into the night. He called his wife to say he would
be about two hours late; that was five hours ago. It still didn’t make sense, all the
evidence fit so perfectly when he decided to prosecute Kiyoné five weeks ago, but
now? The witness who testified about the computer check of Kiyoné’s ship said he
found a task list where there should have been a simple subroutine. He thought that it
was done to correct a previous computer glitch, but the repair logs said there had
been no computer errors or reprogramming done to that ship. The ship’s log did show
that Kiyoné entered the ship to do a computer modification on her own at 0717Hours
yet at the same time she was in the briefing room giving her subordinates their
assignments. How did he miss that one on the first run? He knew the answer; all the
pressure to prosecute her coming down from the highest ranks. He was finding all
sorts of details like that now that others weren’t telling him what to look at and what
didn’t matter. Now he was making those decisions himself, as he should have done
before, that was what was bothering him during the case. He knew, deep down he
knew, and he didn’t listen to his inner self. 

He activated his table interface and set it up for In System Communications.

 

"Cussac here. Hey Yin, what’s up?" Marcus said when he recognized the prosecutor’s
face. "Calling to collect on that drink I owe you?"

They were adversaries only in the courtroom. Outside they were good friends, and
each of them admired and respected the other’s integrity.

"Yea, you could say that." Yin said. 

"What’s wrong?"

"I think I have a bit of a problem. I need your help."

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Done crying yet?" Kiyoné’s cellmate asked.

Kiyoné remained silent, sitting up against the corner of the cell. The feeling of panic
never eased up, she could still feel the hate radiating towards her from all around. It
was after lights out, but she wasn’t sleeping. She couldn’t sleep, she was too
frightened.

"Hey your gonna need a friend in here. I sure need one, why don’t you be my friend? I
don’t have any human friends; their skin is so smooth to the touch. Todilian skin is
more armor than skin, I have to use this fork to ease any itch I get. It would probably
tear your soft skin. And I really need licked too, do you have any idea how painful it
can be to be licked by someone who doesn’t have soft skin. Yes, I think I want a
human friend, a human with soft, smooth, easy to touch skin. I guess you’ll be my soft
friend starting tonight. Hello friend."

She took a step towards Kiyoné and laughed hysterically at her attempts to back up
further into the corner.

"Well, Good night." She said, and slid into her bunk and fell quickly asleep.

Kiyoné didn’t sleep the whole night.

 

After breakfast they were sent to various workstations. Kiyoné drew the sheet metal
room. This was where sheet metal was cut and shaped onto various shapes and sizes
for use in the construction of Galaxy Police starships. Someone thought it would be
funny to make the prisoners work for the people who put them there.

 

All was going well, but there was a pet project being constructed in between all the
other work unknown to the guards. At the moment that the guards were at their least
watchful, between shift change and coffee break, five inmates snuck up on Kiyoné and
drug her into a side room and slammed the door. They wasted no time four held her
down while the fifth sat on top of her. She struggled but they were all men and their
combined strength was too much for her. She wanted to cry again but didn’t, she
prepared for what she was sure was coming next and was as surprised as the guy
writing this that her clothes were not being removed. Instead, the fifth man pulled a
twisted shard of metal from his coverall. The last thing she saw was him driving it at
her forehead.

 

She awoke, which was the biggest surprise she had ever experienced in her life. Her
head was bandaged and in extreme pain. She reached up to touch her forehead and
noticed that the bandages were wet with blood. Not surprising considering her last
memory.

"Your awake." The doctor said. "That’s good."

Something was not right. She could tell by his voice.

"You really had a job done on you. You were out for a whole day."

She couldn’t believe what he said.

"The cuts were so deep … the metal they used is toxic … scored the very bone of
your skull. I… I’m Sorry… … But … the scars they’ll… I’m afraid they will never
heal clean. Nothing can erase them. Nothing."

She was terrified.

She looked in the silver tray next to her bed and saw that it was empty. She tried to sit
up but the effort made the pain worse. So she reached over and picked up the tray to
look at her reflection and take stock of the damage.

She froze. Then she began to shake. The agony of the pain intensified. Denial raced
through her mind but the image didn't change. She knew what they had done to her
now. Never in her deepest and darkest nightmares could she imagine such an evil
attack. She dropped the tray to the floor and touched the bandage again and felt the
shape of the design they had carved into her skull. 

 

It was a word: BADGE.

 

She tore the sleeve from her coverall and tied it around her head like a headband. She
then buried her face in her hands and cried.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

About three months later:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Joseph was not looking forward to this trip. He did not believe that it was the "Italian
temper" that finally earned some answers. He felt that they were just convinced that he
had learned enough to deserve a reward. It was as if they had known exactly what
they would find out about the sample. This whole project seemed more like training for
something than a search for scientific data. For the weeks since Joe had shown Mike
the superconductivity test, they have given clues to research about everything from
new scientific devices to ancient legends. Jim blamed him with being paranoid but the
feeling never lessened. "Alright already, I’m paranoid, so forget about it." Joe now said
to himself. One last look around to be sure he had everything. They didn’t tell where
the sample came from but claimed that one similar could be found at a small Shinto
shrine in Japan. "Let’s see now: laptop, calculator, notebook, multi-meter for
electronics, is there anything else?" He looked at the leaves growing in the jar and
reached to touch the leaves. "I wonder; if I planted you, would you grow? YEOW!!!
What the hell!" A beam of light jumped from the leaves to his hand giving him the
sensation of a needle being shoved up his forearm through his knuckle. Suddenly a
new growth appeared on the leaves. The new growth fell off and the leaves began to
dissolve. "Oh hell." he said as not only the leaves and the sample in the jar; but now, all
the samples were dissolving. In the end the only thing left was the new piece that fell
off. Joe picked it up. He thought it looked like a seed of some type. He turned and left
the lab; this was definitely a bad sign. No, he was not looking forward to this trip at all.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tenchi stepped out of the Building with a feeling of pride. This was a day to be
remembered, a day he was finally able to say "I’m outa here and I ain’t coming back
no matter what any of you say."

"Oh, really." Said his sensei "I bet I can say one thing to guarantee your return for one
more day"

"I’d like to hear it." Laughed Tenchi.

…"Diplomas will not be awarded until tomorrow."

Tenchi was caught in that one and he knew it.

Sensei laughed heartily and patted him on the back. "Congratulations Tenchi."

"Thank you sensei" said Tenchi.

And he left this time knowing he would return. At least once more.

 

The whole gang had decided to meet him as he left the building. "Congratulations!"
they all shouted.

"Aw, it was nothing." He said.

"Nonsense," said Ayeka, "You have completed an important step in your education
Tenchi. You are on step closer to tacking your rightful place as a member of the royal
family of Jurai."

"Hey!" snapped Ryoko "Just what do you mean by that your highness."

"Why nothing." Ayeka said sweetly.

"Well son," said Nobuyuki, "You have graduated high school. I say you deserve a
reward of some sort so, just name the one thing you want now and you got it."

"Now, now, we don’t want to spoil him." Said Katsuhito. 

"Well I can at least treat him to a real fine dinner. Let’s go"

 

The game for Ryoko was to get Tenchi to have a drink; thus thwarting Ayeka’s
attempt to keep him out from under her influence.

Dad was on Ryoko’s side here, in that he wanted his son to celebrate and really be a
man.

Grandpa was on Ayeka’s side, in that he knew that Tenchi still had to return to the
school again to receive his diploma.

Washu was taking bets with the customers at the next table.

Mihoshi and Sasami were trying to feed the fish their breadsticks.

Ryoohki was in cabbit form eating every carrot that was on the table.

In other words, all was normal.

 

"You know Tenchi, that school looked different than the last time I was there." Ryoko
said.

"Well it should," answered Tenchi, "we sorta brought the place down when we first
met remember."

"Right," put Ayeka, "she was nothing but destructive since you met her wasn’t she?"

"Yes I remember, (sigh) it was our first fight. HA! HA! HA!" said Ryoko with
exaggerated nostalgia.

"Um-hum, and if I remember correctly, Tenchi beat you soundly." Said Ayeka.

Ryoko narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

"Say Ryoko, I’ve been meaning to ask you something." Said Tenchi.

"Yes?" Said Ryoko with a twinkle in her eye. Anger forgotten.

"Do you know now what gas fumes are?" 

Tenchi and Ayeka laughed. Ayeka one, Ryoko zero.

But Tenchi wasn’t meaning to make Ryoko feel bad so he put his arm around her and
said; "Hey, I bet you let me win right?" 

Ryoko blushed. Tie game at one.

 

Tenchi’s father and grandfather watched the playful antics of Tenchi and the girls and
were marveling at how Tenchi had grown, and how he had inadvertently opened the
closet door that Yosho had spent 700 years keeping shut.

"I’m so proud of my son, one day he will make some girl very lucky indeed."
Nobuyuki said.

"Yes, he will. But there is time for that, and no one knows what the future holds." Said
Yosho.

"Now dad, let’s not get downcast."

"You know I’m not."

"Yea, I know"

They paused to consider Tenchi a moment. Ryoko hadn’t gotten Tenchi to drink but
Ayeka was really taking them down. Ryoko one, Ayeka one, Tenchi three, game, set,
match.

"Tenchi has become quite a young man hasn’t he?"

 

Mihoshi was laughing at the fish eating her bread when she noticed her watch beeping.

"Oh no!" she said

"What is it?" asked Sasami.

"I have to report to headquarters right away."

"Aww, we were just having fun too." Sasami complained.

"I have to go everybody!" Mihoshi said as she searched for her cube, finding it she
turned a side and in a flash of light she was in her uniform. "I’ll be back in a moment."

"See you later!" everyone answered at once.

Another turn and she was transported to her ship.

 

"Good news detective Mihoshi, you are ordered to return to Galaxy Police
Headquarters in order to take command of your new subordinate. You are being
promoted!" exclaimed her detective sergeant.

"WOW!" cried Mihoshi; "I’m finally getting a partner!"

"No, you are getting a subordinate."

"But, why can’t I have a partner?" Mihoshi’s eyes were filling with tears.

The detective sergeant was about to cry too. Yelling at Mihoshi would only make it
worse. "But, a subordinate is better than a partner. And you will be getting a
promotion and a new ship as well." He said hoping that would make her happy. He
was wrong.

"You mean, (Sniff) I am loosing Yokinojo?! (sniff, sniff) I don’t get a partner and I
loose Yokinojo?! I don’t wannaaaaaa ah whaaaaa!" Mihoshi was crying now.

So was detective sergeant.

 

"So, a promotion, that’s great Mihoshi." Said Nobuyuki "But why are you crying? You
don’t have to leave do you?"

"No. But I have to have a stubbornitive. And I just want a partner." Mihoshi cried.

"A subordinate?" Questioned Ayeka.

"The poor thing." Ryoko whispered to Ayeka.

"Right" she agreed

"I don’t even know how to say subortitnet." Mihoshi cried.

"Well," Said Tenchi "A subordinate can be like a partner. The only difference is you
can tell her what to do"

Mihoshi stopped crying for a second and started to smile, "I can do that?"

"Of course you can." He said.

"Well that’s what I’ll do!" Mihoshi was overjoyed. "Well, I’m off to meet my new
partner!"

"Good bye!" they all called out to her.

"Give your new partner our sincere condolences!" Ayeka and Ryoko added.
"Whoever it is!"

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kiyoné could feel that something was in the air today. Since her arrival she had been
set up and ambushed sixteen times. Sometimes she came out of them in good shape.
Others she didn’t survive quite as well. Thanks to her police training she was able to
smell some of them out, and she could always hold her own in a fight. She was getting
that feeling that she was targeted again. This was bad; the last go round she had put
her right arm in a sling and a bandage around her ankle. That plus the damage she had
acquired over the last few months meant that she was in no condition to fight. 

 

She was taking steps to avoid leaving herself open to surprise attacks since the first
attack, which she would never forget. (The headbands she started wearing hid the
scars but she would always know they were there.) Like the cafeteria for example.
She always sat with her back to the wall so she could see anything coming. That’s
when she noticed what was up, all the wall seats were taken. The only available seats
were in the center of the room. Surrounded by felons whom she herself had arrested.
Leaving was not an option; the cafeteria gate would not open until her cellblock’s time
was up. The guards positioned around the room would not permit anyone to murder
her but typically they would let small fights run their course unless they were
threatening to spill over into an all out brawl. But that wouldn’t happen today, Kiyoné
was a special target, all other grievances were put on sabbatical for today. 

 

Kiyoné took a seat next to a male human inmate. The cellblocks were segregated by
sex. And commingling was only permitted in the cafeteria and exercise yard. He was
an inoffensive little man of sixty years serving a life sentence like herself. She often
wondered how he ended up here in the first place. He was the librarian of the
T.O.D.C.’s main library and the closest thing to a friend she had. Apparently not all
inmates were heartless monsters. He was frowning at her. 

"When the rogue finishes his drink, that is the signal." He said. 

 

She felt very depressed now. She knew it was coming but his warning made it official.

Didn’t she have anything to look forward to but continuous pain? Why couldn’t they
just leave her alone already? When would they decide that she had enough? They had
already put a scar on her that would be there for life, what more could they want?

 

"I’m sorry, a warning is all I can do for you." He said in a disheartened voice. 

"Yes, I know it is. Thank you." She said.

"Good luck child." He got up to move out of the line of fire. 

 

The rogue was one of the leaders of the Rogue Fighters. His capture was considered a
great victory for the Galaxy Police. Now on the inside he was accepted as a leader
among inmates. 

 

Kiyoné watched him carefully and steeled herself for battle, again. People kept moving
around her. Soon, several were moving away. Others moved in. Eight or nine will be
attacking she figured. The rogue wasn’t touching his drink yet; she had some time, for
now, to figure how to defend herself. The tables were evenly spaced and large enough
to use as shields against attack from the side if she could gain position. She was
surrounded, escape would probably be impossible but it was her only hope. Finally
the rogue began to drink.

 

Whether the woman walking past her was a part of the attack or not didn’t matter. 

Kiyoné spun a lightning fast kick to her knees and she dropped like a stone. Kiyoné
then ducked to avoid the tray that someone was using as a club. She gave him an
uppercut left to the chin, and his head snapped back. She then delivered a back snap
kick to a mean looking tiger woman who was coming up behind her. The tiger
slumped forward and she followed up with a chop to the back of the neck. She must
have gained an small element of surprise with her preemptive strike, because there was
an opening in the circle, if she could get through it she could take refuge behind the
tables and hold them off long enough for the guards to decide to intervene. As she ran
to it, a rugged man tried to cut her off but she slide tackled him down. She was on her
feet again in a second but, in the time it took to stand, another attacker was in her
way. She jumped shoulder high and spin kicked him on the side of the head. Kiyoné
would have made it to cover right then and there if it wasn’t for her ankle; it wasn’t
completely healed yet. When she came down on it, a searing pain shot up her leg and
ended behind her eyes. With a moan she fell. The fight was over but the beating had
just begun. First she was lift up by her hair and punched repeatedly in the stomach.
She was then kicked in the knee. Someone hit her on the side of the head with a tray,
then a hit to the face. She tried to crawl but someone kicked her in the stomach hard
enough to lift her off the floor. She rolled into a ball to protect herself but it seemed
that the punishment was ending. So soon? She risked a look and saw the guards
moving in. The guards, if no one else, were beginning to feel that she had had enough.
She sighed with relief as they picked her up, gently, and carried her to the infirmary.
The inmates who beat her smiled and looked forward to doing it again. No one there
realized at the time that this was the last time Kiyoné would be seen in Toland.

 

In the warden’s office, two men were watching the events unfold on screen. 

"The guards should have stepped in sooner." Said a soft, precise voice. 

"These things happen all the time. Besides, who cares if the prisoners beat each other
up?" said the warden in an unconcerned voice.

"You should care when the prisoner is of direct interest to the Imperial Government of
Jurai." The soft voice said threateningly. "You better hope she is not too badly
damaged"

A cold streak moved down the warden’s back.

 

Kiyoné was treated and released from the infirmary. Somehow she had escaped
without too much permanent damage. She was in pain but that was the worst of it.
Upon leaving the infirmary she was met by a clean-shaven man with silver hair wearing
a black suit and mirrored glasses.

"Kiyoné Makabi." He said in a clear voice.

"Yes?" She said cautiously.

He looked her over taking note of her bandaged ankle and sling. "Come with me." He
said with a tone that demanded no refusal.

She followed behind him. This man is not a guard. She thought to herself. "Excuse
me?" She said. "Who are you?"

"I’m Tessa"

"Wait, my cell is that way."

"I know."

 

She followed him down a tunnel she never knew existed in the prison and emerged in
the main hangar. There in the hangar was a sight that took her breath away. It was
enormous, it was beautiful, it was a one of a kind, it was one of the most powerful
ships in the known universe and a symbol of power. It was a Juraian Treeship. Kiyoné
had seen Treeships before but since no two were alike the sight of one was always an
experience. This ship had to be one of the biggest treeships in existence because it
took every bit of space in the hanger. Kiyoné was still gazing at the ship when she was
suddenly aware that an energy field projected from the treeship surrounded her and
she was being taken aboard.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Mihoshi," the robotic voice said, "you are being promoted, and I am being assigned
to a new detective. That is the way it is, I can’t come with you to your new ship."

"But what will I do without you Yokinojo?" Mihoshi pleaded.

"That’s easy to answer." The ship’s computer said. "You will work with your
subordinate and fly your new ship."

"I’ll miss you Yokinojo." She didn’t cry but she was close.

"You will do fine I’m sure of it." It responded

 

Mihoshi had removed all her possessions from the ship and they were now ready to
be transferred to her new ship, the Yagami. The Yagami was larger than Yokinojo but
lacked the A.I. system. She was familiarizing herself with the new bridge when the call
came to report to her detective sergeant to take command of her new subordinate.

 

"Mihoshi," her sergeant was saying, "this is Patrolman Kiyoné Makabi. She will be
under your command fo…" 

"HI! I order you to be my new partner!" Mihoshi shouted.

"Wha, what?" Kiyoné was confused.

"Uh, Mihoshi?" the sergeant waved for her to approach, "what was that all about?"

"I ordered her to be my partner. I can do that you see, she’s my subordinate."
Mihoshi was proud of her ability to pronounce the word.

This is a huge teardrop moment

"Ahem," the sergeant continued, "Kiyoné is assigned to your command in the Sol
system. She will assist you with the observations of the subjects that are known to
exist there and have been under your observation for some time now. Are you listening
Mihoshi? What?"

"…And I’m sure you’ll just love the food they have there, there’s so much of it. You
know, I’ve wanted a partner for so long…" Mihoshi was rambling.

Kiyoné didn’t know how to feel. This superior she had drawn was not anything like
she expected, but then at least she was in uniform again.

 

Everyone was amazed when the Yagami set down gently into the lake. Mihoshi was
still introducing Kiyoné to everyone when Sasami announced that dinner was ready,
complete with an extra place for Kiyoné.

 

"So, how long have you been a police officer?" Tenchi asked.

"About. … Not long, really." Kiyoné stammered

"You must have done something really good to draw Mihoshi as a superior." Said
Ryoko. Kiyoné gave a startled look and then realized that Ryoko was laughing.

"Oh Ryoko." Tenchi said, rebuking her mildly.

"Well, I’m sure you will enjoy this assignment, it is so peaceful on this world. Very little
ever happens to cause trouble." Said Ayeka.

"Yes," agreed Katsuhito "very peaceful, and beautiful. I don’t think you have anything
to worry about."

"Thank you, I’m sure I will be happy here." Said Kiyoné. 

Only Ayeka noticed the distracted look on Sasami’s face. Sasami had told her about
the dream she had a few months ago, but nothing has happened as of late to warn of
trouble. Still; Ayeka knew that this dream was meant as a warning from Tsunami, and
that meant that she would do well to remain alert for anything that could be a sign that
the dream was about to be made clear. 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Joe was feeling very irate, to put it kindly. "How long have we been here?" he asked,
holding his phone to his ear.

"About two weeks." Jim answered.

"And are we any closer to finding this shrine?" 

"I think so."

"Well I don’t." Joe complained.

 

They knew that the shrine was to worship the spirit of a tree who, it was said, could
send rain in the midst of the most unbearable droughts. This same shrine was also said
to stand watch over an ancient demon who was imprisoned in a cave not too far from
the tree. They knew a lot about this shrine, except the name. This was the third shrine
they visited and for the third time it was the wrong one.

 

"And why the hell don’t that damn Kiéta guy answer his damn phone?!" Joe said, as
he shut his cell phone off as forcefully as possible.

"Just doesn’t have the same effect as slamming it down does it?" Jim asked with a
smirk. 

"Not by far!" Joe snapped.

"Hey, calm down, look at it this way; we are taking a fine vacation in an exotic land on
company expense. It don’t get any better than that." Said Jim.

"I suppose so." Joe said non-committaly "Well what place is next on the list?"

"The ‘Misaki’ Shrine. According to the priest of our last try, the Misaki Shrine seems
to fit all the legends."

"How far?"

"About sixty miles."

"We’ll go tomorrow."

"Just what I was thinking."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

 

                          Chapter Three

                          Tourist Attractions

 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kiyoné was amazed at the company she now held. The two Crown Princesses of
Jurai; Ayeka and Sasami, the famous scientist Washu, and a family of native humans.
The truly astounding part was that the princesses seemed to defer to the one named
Tenchi. Though why they would see fit to do so she could not guess. Anyway, she
now knew what the "subjects" that detective sergeant was referring to were. She felt
honored; the job of guarding royal family members was just the chance she needed to
begin her career anew. She was determined not to fail, she would submit her official
reports to the Galaxy Police, and she would submit the simple observations to Juraian
Intelligence.

 

You are being paroled, the black suited man had said, we have arranged this for
your benefit Kiyoné. You will receive your assignment at Galaxy Police
Headquarters, all I ask in return is that you forward any observations to the
Jurai Intelligence Bureau. You will understand what we are interested in when
you arrive at your new home.

 

‘Right,’ she thought to herself, ‘new home, it does feel like it. At least when compared
to where I’ve been for the past few months.’

For the first time in forever, she had slept soundly and she was safe. The feelings she
was having now were overwhelming.

"Good morning." Mihoshi said as she came down the stairs. 

"Good morning, Sasami has prepared a big breakfast. I don’t know how she finds the
energy." Said Kiyoné

"Oh I know, she is wonderful isn’t she?" Mihoshi lost no time going to get something
to eat.

"Good morning." Said Ryoko who was next down the stairs.

‘Wow!’ Kiyoné thought, ‘this house is home to a lot of people.’

She was greeted warmly by everyone as they came into the room. They were talking
about some work that needed done at the shrine during breakfast. Kiyoné was only
too happy to volunteer to help. Washu was still analyzing data from an experiment and
would probably be doing that for most of the day. Ayeka and Ryoko were going to be
helping out at the shrine too but Ayeka was doubtful that much would get done on
Ryoko’s side of the Shrine. And in this way the new day started.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

About midday a cab rolled to a stop at the foot of the stairs to the Misaki Shrine. Two
men dressed in suits stepped out and one paid the driver. They exchanged looks and
Joseph and James started up the stairs.

 

"Ha! It looks like my big sister was right." Sasami laughed at Ryoko.

"Uh, I was just trying to find something I dropped, really." Ryoko said.

"Sure you were." Sasami returned. 

"Well you won’t tell anyone will you?" Ryoko grinned.

"Maybe." Sasami laughed.

"Well I just have to make sure." And Ryoko lunged at Sasami with a feather duster
and proceeded to tickle her on the nose. "You can’t talk if you are too busy sneezing.
BWAHAHAHAHA!" Ryoko gave an exaggerated demonic laugh.

Sasami laughed and turned to run but stopped and screamed loudly.

Ayeka came running with Mihoshi, Tenchi, and Kiyoné following close behind. Ryoko
was trying to find what had scared Sasami so much, all she noticed were two young
men coming up the stairs, no threat there. Sasami ran to Ayeka. "Those are two of the
men from my dream!"

Ryoko placed herself between the princesses and the two men while Tenchi place
himself in front of her. Ryoko was ready to fight but Tenchi kept a cool head, he
stepped forward to meet the men.

 

"Good day to you, may I be of service." Tenchi said.

"Yes, could you tell us where we might find the priest of this shrine." Jim answered
bowing in greeting. His Japanese was not perfect but Joe knew even less, for this
reason Jim did most of the talking.

"Yes, follow me please." Tenchi led them to the shrine office.

 

"Which men were they Sasami?" Ayeka asked.

"I think they were the men in white." Sasami answered.

"Excuse me," said Kiyoné, "What are you talking about? These men and dreams I
mean."

"Sometimes Tsunami sends warnings to Sasami in the form of dreams." Ayeka
explained. "Those men were in her last dream."

"She said they were the men in white." Said Ryoko. "These might be the good guys."

"I hope you’re right." Said Ayeka.

‘So much for it being peaceful here.’ Kiyoné thought.

"I am James DiAngello and this is my friend and colleague Joseph Serranti." James
introduced himself in Japanese. They shook hands. Joe was impressed with the old
man’s firm grip and decided that he liked the old man already.

"It is a pleasure." Katsuhito/Yosho said in perfect English guessing correctly that his
guests were American. "I am always happy to meet new people. It is the only way to
make new friends after all."

Joe and Jim were amazed at how well he spoke English.

"We are hoping that you have answers to questions we have." Jim said getting right to
business.

 

"I won’t be a part of it." Ayeka said. "It isn’t proper to spy on a friend’s
conversation."

"But they aren’t friends." Said Ryoko.

"But Lord Yosho is." Ayeka countered.

"Then we should make sure that he is safe." Said Ryoko lowering her voice as she
approached the office door. 

"Absolutely not, I won’t let you." Ayeka had also lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Ayeka’s right we shouldn’t spy on them." Tenchi said

Ryoko’s response was cut off by Yosho’s voice from inside; "Yes, that is the demon’s
resting place." 

As one they all crowded in to listen.

"They’re speaking English." Tenchi said. "I know the language but, only a little."

 

"What was the demon’s name?" Joe asked.

"Humm, I believe the name is Ryoko." Katsuhito answered. "She has powers to
destroy entire worlds. And her fighting skills are unmatched. She is invincible."

 

"Glad to know I left an impression on him." Said Ryoko satisfied.

"SHHHH!" Everyone shushed her.

 

"You speak as if she is alive today." Said Joe.

"She is alive today." Katsuhito smiled.

"Do you believe that she is still imprisoned in the cave?"

"There is always the danger she could be released." Katsuhito said evasively.

 

Tenchi scratched his head and laughed.

Kiyoné was getting curious about the reactions of these people to the conversation.

 

"What about the tree? How does it fit in the legend of Yosho and the imprisoned
demon?" Asked Jim.

 

Ayeka’s ears were pressed closer to the door with mention of Yosho’s name and
spaceship tree.

 

"Well, according to the stories I know, it was with help from the tree’s power that my
ancestor, Yosho, defeated Ryoko." 

"Did the tree give Yosho the sword that is said to guard Ryoko?"

"No, … The sword belonged to Yosho but I think you could say that the tree gave the
sword its power. Yes, I think that’s right." 

A teapot started to whistle at that moment.

"Ah, it’s ready at last. May I offer you some tea gentlemen?"

"Yes please."

"Yes, thank you."

"Where did the tree come from? What I mean is. Is, or was, this tree commonly
growing in ancient Japan?" Joe said after taking a sip of tea.

 

"What are these guys after?" Ryoko asked.

"They seem very interested in the legends surrounding you and Yosho." Said Ayeka.

Kiyoné was shocked. She had no idea that Ryoko was not a native of this world. Of
course she was only here for a day. ‘No way,’ she thought to herself, ‘could this
Ryoko be the same pirate who attacked Jurai over seven hundred years ago?’

"I don’t know what they could want." Said Mihoshi.

"Neither do we." Said Tenchi.

 

"Actually, Yosho brought the tree with him from a far away land. The name of that
land is not mentioned in the legends. At least I don’t think so."

"Could we see the sacred tree and the cave?" Joe asked. "And perhaps use the shrine
library to research the legends better?"

"I can arrange that. The shrine library is open to anyone." Said Katsuhito. "I’ll have
Ryoko take you to the tree and cave."

Joe snarfed his tea when he heard the name.

 

"Why me?! I don’t want to go to that damned cave!" Complained Ryoko.

"SHHH they’ll hear you." Said Ayeka.

"Hey they’re coming out!" Tenchi said excitedly.

Everyone scattered a short distance from the door and tried to look busy.

 

"Ryoko?" Katsuhito called.

"Yes." Came the answer.

They were speaking Japanese again.

"Ryoko, I would like to introduce Joseph Serranti and James DiAngello. Will you
show them the way to the sacred tree and the demon cave please?"

"I suppose I could." She answered in a resigned voice.

"Thank you Ryoko."

Katsuhito turned to Joe and Jim. "Ryoko will show you the way, should you need me I
will be here."

"Thank you for your help." They said.

Katsuhito turned and walked back to the shrine office.

"Well gentlemen." Ryoko said in perfect English. "What do you want to see first?"

Joe and Jim were speechless.

"Your English is as perfect as Katsuhito’s, I’m impressed." Said Joe.

"Universal linguistics. It’s a curse." Said Ryoko.

Joe and Jim nodded dumbly.

"I think we would like to see the cave first."

"The cave is this way." She said gesturing the direction. "It’s not too far."

They followed her.

 

"Grandpa, do you know what those men were looking for?" asked Tenchi.

"They were asking about the legends of the Misaki Shrine. Couldn’t you hear that
much?" He answered.

Tenchi looked away and scratched his head nervously, as he was known to do when
he was caught doing something less than respectable. "I should have known that you
could tell we were there."

"There was no harm done." He said.

"Sasami says that she saw those men in her dream." Said Ayeka.

Sasami remained silent. Ryo Ohki must have sensed her tension because she had
came up to the shrine from the house in toddler form walked up to Sasami and mewed
sympathetically.

"I don’t think that they mean us harm. But, what they want, I can not guess." Said
Katsuhito.

"Maybe Ryoko will find something out." Said Kiyoné helpfully.

"Yea, Ryoko will find out." Mihoshi agreed.

"If she doesn’t just blow them up you mean." Said Ayeka curtly.

 

Ryoko was thinking hard about it, but she didn’t blast them yet. The fact that she had
to take them to the cave that was her prison for seven hundred years was making the
idea sound better with every step.

Joe and Jim were walking side by side one step behind and to the left of her
completely unaware of the danger their lives were in.

"Can I ask you something?" Ryoko finally said.

"Go ahead." Joe said.

"Why are you interested in the sacred tree and cave?"

"We’re trying to find out where the tree came from and we hope to find some clues
here." Joe answered.

"You don’t believe it just grew here on it’s own?" She pressed on.

"Don’t know, I guess it could have. But if it did, how did the legends begin? Besides,
Katsuhito said he thought that Yosho brought it with him from a far away land." Joe
said.

"I don’t know the origins of the legends." She said.

"What do the people who worship here believe about the tree?" James asked.

"I, uhh, I think they believe that the tree was blessed by God." Ryoko guessed. She
never had a reason to think about such questions before because she already knew
where the tree came from. It was the spaceship tree from Yosho/Katsuhito’s
Treeship. 

"You sound uncertain." Joe said.

"I don’t know what others believe." She answered. She was getting irritated.

"Then what do you believe?" James asked.

"I’m not sure I believe anything. We’re here." She said as they approached the
entrance to the cave.

Joseph moved to the opening first with James following closely behind. The interior of
the cave looked much as it did the day Tenchi entered and awakened Ryoko. 

 

Ryoko was remembering that day now. The rising hope when he entered and found
the sword, the feeling of rapturous anticipation when he actually opened her prison
door, the disappointment when he ran in fear away from her, and the ever present
wish for revenge beneath it all. The memories flooding through her now did not arouse
rage, as she would expect, but a strange feeling of softness and perhaps even love
washed through her. It did much to cut her desire to blow these guys to the moon.

 

The door was still open. Tenchi thought that by tying the engraved rock together again
it would reseal the cave. It did, but he had taken the sword with him out of the cave.
Without the sword the door was not locked and Ryoko was able to open it easily. Joe
went first, James followed, Ryoko waited at the top. She may not hate the place as
much as she thought but she was looking at the place for seven hundred years and had
no need to look again. The researchers explored the interior for some time measuring
and taking samples of the rock and water. Joseph took some readings with his IR
imager to measure heat output from the rock, and James did some on the spot purity
tests on the water. They noticed nothing unusual.

"Seems to be nothing but some fancy carved stones." Said Joe.

"And some good drinking water." Said Jim.

"Maybe we’ll get something from the tree."

"Don’t quit on me now, we still have more analysis of these samples to do yet."

"Yea, I know. I was just expecting something obvious I guess."

"That would make things too easy."

"Let’s get outa here."

"Right."

 

As they approached the tree something in Joe’s pocket began to vibrate. Curious as
to what joke was being played on him now he reached into his pocket and found the
seed.

"What’s up?" James asked when Joe stopped walking.

"This seed." He answered.

"What about it?"

"It’s reacting to the tree I think."

"You think it’s reacting to the tree. I think I need a new research partner this ones
broken."

"I’m serious dude."

"Now why would it do that? Here, let me see it."

Joe handed the seed to James and he looked at it. It was unlike any seed he had seen
before but that didn’t mean too much. It wasn’t glowing, it wasn’t singing, it wasn’t
doing anything.

"Where did you get this thing?" James asked

"Before we left; it grew on the sample we had growing leaves in the jar."

"You didn’t think that was important enough to mention sooner?"

"Well, I just, I don’t know.

"Where do you get that it’s reacting to the tree?"

"Those vibrations you numbskull!"

"There ain’t no vibrations you lamebrain."

"But, the dam thing started vibrating in my pocket when we got close to the tree. I
swear."

"Sounds like you need to get laid real soon dude. Here." 

James gave the seed back to Joe and it began to vibrate again.

"Hey there it goes again!" Joe said excitedly.

Ryoko couldn’t stay out of it any longer.

"Okay! What the hell are you guys talking about?" She asked.

"Nothing!" They answered at the same time.

"Bull! You’ve got a piece of the sacred tree don’t you? You better answer or I’m
gonna."

"Alright, alright! We got something that may have come from the sacred tree but, we
don’t know for sure." Joe answered her.

"How did you get that?"

"Some guy paid the company we work for to do some analysis on a small brick of
something that looked like a burnt tree root." James explained. "He asked us to find
out what it was. We never did find out; so, we thought that if we could find out where
it came from."

"We might find something out from it’s surroundings to explain the strange results we
were getting." Joe interrupted.

"And finally figure out what it was." James continued. "When a piece of it started to
grow leaves like a tree we had no choice but to look at trees as a possible source. The
guy who hired us kept giving suggestions for where to look but they all turned up
empty. Until we read something about a special tree in Japan. It was our best lead."

"It was our only lead." Joe put in

"And so here we are."

"If the piece was from the tree, and someone took it disrespectfully sometime in the
past, we are sorry. We had no way of knowing."

Ryoko let them see the tree. Joe was convinced that the tree and the seed were
interacting somehow; however, when Jim held the seed it would stop reacting. This
troubled Joseph, what was it about the seed, or him, that was causing the vibrations?
The last straw, as they say, was when Joseph held the seed up to the tree. Two
narrow beams of light shot out of two tree leaves and reflected back off the water. Joe
pocketed the seed again and turned to Jim.

"Well, you said you wanted something obvious." Said Jim.

"Jim." Joe said as he held his arm straight out pointing at the tree. "This frightens me
severely. Can I go now?"

‘Somehow,’ Jim was thinking, ‘that’s all that needs to be said.’

"Take us back to the shrine Ryoko." Jim said

Ryoko was still staring openmouthed at the tree and Joe.

"Uhh, right, yes, okay, back to the shrine." She stammered.

 

Katsuhito had shown them to the library when they returned. Though they wanted to
say something about their experience at the tree Joseph and James remained silent for
now. They just didn’t have any idea what to say at this moment.

"We should have said something." Joe now said.

"Yea, I know." Said Jim. "But every time I tried to talk about it my tongue stuck to the
roof of my mouth."

"Same for me. I want to know why this seed only reacted while I was holding it."

"Think the priest would have a clue anyway?"

"He might."

They were silent for a moment; just staring at the books set out in front of them, not
reading a word.

"So," said Jim finally, "what does this rate on the sphincter scale?"

"Considering I have no idea what that root did to me back home, I’d say about eight
point six."

 

Outside, Ryoko was not having any difficulty talking about the trip.

"They have a seed of a royal spaceship tree! And it’s keyed to one of them!" She was
saying.

Ayeka gasped. "Are you certain?"

"Yes. The one named Joseph could feel it drawing energy from Yosho’s tree. I don’t
think it will take too long for him to feel your own tree down by the house either."

"But how could it key itself to him?" Ayeka asked in a somber voice.

"Sister?" Sasami said. "What does this mean? Is my dream coming true?"

"I don’t know Sasami, but I’m afraid it could be."

"Well if they’re gonna put us in danger then I’m gonna stop ‘em before they get a
chance." Ryoko said and charged up to go and vaporize the two researchers.

"STOP!" Shouted Kiyoné. "I WON’T LET YOU HURT ANYONE!"

"YOU CAN’T" Ayeka yelled.

"I CAN." She answered.

"WAIT RYOKO!" Tenchi shouted this time. "THEY HAVN’T DONE ANYTHING!
PLEASE STOP!"

Even that didn’t stop her. She was flying on her way when Yosho appeared and
intercepted her in flight and held her down.

"LET ME GO!" Ryoko shouted angrily.

"You can’t judge them on what they haven’t done, nor can you assume that they mean
us harm just because they have something unique and special." He said.

Ryoko calmed down a little.

"They were shaken by their experience at the tree." He continued. "They have no idea
what they have, or what it will do for them. It may be best if we tell them the truth."

"Are you sure we can trust them?" Asked Ayeka.

"I sure don’t." Said Ryoko.

"I thought only members of Jurai’s royal family could hold the key of a treeship."
Kiyoné said

"That is true. The ancient bond between the trees and the royal family has been one of
the greatest treasures of Jurai for eons." Ayeka said.

"Well, evidently that’s not true any more." Said Ryoko. "Someone’s stole the car
princess."

"So what are we going to do Ayeka?" Sasami asked.

"I don’t know Sasami." She answered.

"Why don’t you all go back home." Katsuhito said. "I will talk to them. I don’t know
what to do either but I know what we can’t do; we can’t pretend nothing has
happened."

"Your right grandpa," said Tenchi, "we’ll meet you back at the house."

 

Inside the library, Joe and Jim were finally reading some of the books in front of them.
Jim was doing most of the reading as Joe didn’t read Japanese and there were not
very many books in the library written in English. They had both removed their jackets
and ties and were hard at work when Katsuhito walked in carrying a very old and
fragile book.

 

"Gentlemen." He said.

"Mr. Katsuhito sir." James greeted him. 

"I believe that this may be of some importance to you. At least it may tell you more
about the power within the sacred tree and it’s kindred."

"You mean there are other trees like it? With the powers?" Joseph asked anxiously.

"Yes. All trees have seeds don’t they?" Katsuhito answered. "Here, this is what I
wanted you to see."

They looked at the old and yellowed paper and the writing on the pages Jim read the
script out loud. It was dated July 17, 1945.

 

I have found myself writing long before the sun rises this day. I can never
remember being as troubled as I am this day. It is not the news of the war that
has kept me wandering this night, even though that is enough to cause it’s own
concern. The islands of Okinawa and Iwo Jima have been invaded and it is said
that the next target of the American’s relentless attack is sure to be Japan itself.
They have already been bombing the once prosperous cities and beautiful
countryside. Because many homes are made only of wood their firebombs are
especially devastating. The children leave to die in the hopeless missions of the
divine wind but I fear their sacrifices are in vain. Yet this is not what brings me
to this paper here in the dead of night. 

 

Something has happened. I don’t know what it was but it was enough to cause
my tree to send a wave of panicked energy to my mind and awake me from my
sleep. It gives me the most fearful images in my mind. And the certainty that
something has been unleashed upon this world that will one day destroy not only
Japan but the entire earth as well. I have lived on this earth for many years and
nothing has ever troubled the tree as this event has. I would do something to
stop this terror if I could but I do not even know what I fear yet. It is the fault of
this war I am sure. It must stop NOW before it is too late.

 

James stopped reading. Joseph was deep in thought.

"The tree sensed something?" Asked Joseph, voice full of disbelief.

"And it sent a warning to the old priest of this shrine didn’t it?" Asked Jim.

"Yes it did." Katsuhito answered.

"What did it sense and how could it sense anything to begin with?" Joe asked.

"What was the date again? July 17, of ’45. What is so familiar about that date." Jim
pondered.

Joe thought for a moment longer and suddenly a light went on. 

"Hey I get it!" He exclaimed. "It was the 17th when he wrote it but it was the 16th
when it happened."

"No shit." Jim said when he saw it too. "This priest felt, or the tree felt and told the
priest about."

"Los Alamos." They said together.

 

Back at the house, no one seemed to notice Washu emerge from the house and come
outside where they were sitting. She noticed at once that something was troubling
them.

"Hey everyone? What’s happened?" She asked.

"Nothing." They answered gloomily.

"Well in that case, Tenchi you wouldn’t mind if I borrowed you for a late private
session to play doctor would you?"

"Umm hmm." He said, he wasn’t listening and she knew it.

‘Boy nothing out of Ayeka or Ryoko either.’ She thought to herself. ‘Whatever it is, it
must be major.’

"Hi Miss Washu." Kiyoné said. She didn’t know the rules yet.

"Hey, what’s got everyone out of character here?" Washu asked her.

"Some American scientists showed up at the shrine."

"Americans? Well that sure is unusual but nothing worth this level of negative waves."

"One of them is ahh." Kiyoné hesitated to explain what she didn’t understand.

"Ahh?" Washu enticed.

 

At that moment they came down the stairs accompanied by Katsuhito. Washu
appraised them as they approached and took note that the tension in the air, which
was already thick as paste, solidified into stone around her. One was tall and just a
couple of grams on the heavy side with dark brown hair that was just long enough to
be tied into a pony tail and look good on him. The other was about a head shorter and
in better physical shape with short hair. Almost exact opposites of each other.

"They don’t look threatening." She said.

"That’s what I first thought." Said Ryoko.

They were questioning Katsuhito and he answered them slowly and patiently. Washu
got the distinct impression that the newcomers were at least as worried as everyone
else was. As they approached they could hear what they were talking about. It
sounded like earth history.

 

"… And of course, once it has happened once, it is sure to happen again." Katsuhito
was saying.

"Like Los Alamos, then Hiroshima." Joe said.

"Nice thing to be comparing this to huh?" Jim asked smirking.

"Yep." Joe answered. "So you think I won’t be the only one?" He then asked.

"I am sure of it." Said Katsuhito.

"Why?"

"Call it, a sending from the trees."

"Right."

 

Of course Washu speaks English what did you think? And Kiyoné and Mihoshi have
mechanical translators in their earrings.

 

"And what will happen then?" the conversation continued.

"Like Dr. Oppenhiem; I have no idea."

Joe and Jim paused to swallow that.

"Ah, here gentlemen, let me introduce you to my friends and family." Katsuhito said.

They shook hands with everyone as they were introduced.

"Everyone this is Joseph Serranti and James DiAngello from the United States.

"Joseph, James, you have met Ryoko, and my grandson Tenchi. There are Ayeka,
and her sister Sasami, Kiyoné and Mihoshi, and last is Washu."

 

"So!" Washu said as she greeted them. "You guys are scientists eh?"

"Yes we are." Jim answered.

"Am I the only one in the universe here that isn’t bilingual." Joe complained in a quiet
voice.

"Probably." Jim said.

"Well, you are going to have to see my laboratory." Washu continued.

"We’d love to little Washu." Jim smiled at her. To them, Washu looked like an
adolescent.

‘Oh, I like them already, didn’t even have to tell them the rules.’ Washu thought to
herself.

"Great," she said to them, "it’s in the closet in the house." 

Jim laughed out loud and suddenly noticed that Joe wasn’t listening. He was walking
away in fact.

 

Ryu-Oh, Ayeka’s seed, had grown fast. It was a sapling now already seven feet tall.
But Joe didn’t know its name. He just knew it was the same kind of tree as the sacred
tree. He knew this because the seed in his pocket was vibrating again and the
vibrations were getting stronger as he approached the tree. After his experience at the
sacred tree he did not want a replay now but he couldn’t stop himself from walking
towards the tree. Almost as if guided by instinct he removed the seed from his pocket
and held it up to the tree in answer to it’s call.

"Hey, Joe, where you goin wit that seed in your hand?" Jim had always wanted to
paraphrase Jimi Hendrix. 

When Jim stood next to Joe the seed glowed and the tree began to shower those
beams of light down to the pool around it. Ayeka was shocked; she was about to run
to the tree when Sasami fell into unconsciousness. Sasami never hit the ground;
however, she was enveloped in a blue glow and the triangular symbol on her forehead
had changed into two circles spaced just a few centimeters apart. Suddenly the beams
from the tree reflected off the pool and focused on the seed. Next a blue beam shot
from Sasami and joined the tree’s at the seed. A third beam shot from the seed and hit
James square in the chest. That beam reflected off him back to the tree, and all the
beams went out. On the tree what looked like streams of sunlight focused onto a
branch and formed a second seed. Both seeds fell side by side on the ground. As one
Joe and Jim picked up the seeds and when they touched them they glowed faintly.
Sasami regained consciousness and answered everyone’s frantic questions by saying:
"Tsunami said it’s necessary."

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><                                  

                           Chapter Four

                           White Bishops

 

 

Though the sun was just rising, it was enough time for a life and death struggle to begin
in this land. An intruder in the coyote's territory started the struggle. The intruder made
quite a racket and the coyote knew that it could not be beaten; so, it ran. It was
running as fast as it could when it heard a most unmistakable sound:

CHIT CHAT CHITCHAT
CHICHICHICHICHICHISHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH!

All who dwelt here knew the sound of the great Diamondback Rattlesnake. Slowly
now the coyote backed off and started to trot in another direction. Unknown to the
coyote; however was that it had now stumbled into the nest of another master of the
art of death. And this master defended its nest by shooting its tail up over its head into
the wild dog's foot. The coyote was stunned but continued on even though it knew the
sting of the scorpion meant instant death. Soon it was writhing in pain and fell over. A
vulture saw the signs of imminent death and began to circle over his soon to be meal.
As the coyote died the vulture ate, and one beast's death meant another's life. Eat or
be eaten; the only law here. These monsters are the reason that few people set foot
here, which made the Utah Badlands the perfect place for a meeting, which was to be
kept from prying eyes. 

As Kiéta approached the place marked on the map he was unaware of the struggles
his arrival had started.

"BAH! Good enough!" He said and stopped his jeep. "It'll be easier for him to find
me."

Not too much later something huge rose over a rocky slope and settled to the ground.

"Told ya so." Said Kiéta. 

A dark green energy field appeared in front of Kiéta and Tessa stepped forward.

"So Kiéta, how has your project progressed?" Tessa said.

"My dogs are playing fetch as we speak. I expect something in a few days when the
transmitter sends the analysis I've programmed in it. The whole thing is fail safe, they
don't even know about the transmitter or what it's looking for."

"I hope your right. Nevertheless I have positioned our extra set of eyes there."

"She ain't needed, should've left her in the box until we were sure we needed her."

"If I did that, and we found out we needed her, it would have been too late to send her
in."

"It's of no concern now. Once we know if both of them are there we can take action."

"Are you sure those men you sent can do the job."

"They're ordinary guys with some smarts. There is nothing about them that either
Washu or Tsunami will detect. And the tools they got have some of my modifications
in them to do what we want. It's in the bag."

"I do hope you are correct, it would be a shame to miss an opportunity like this. When
will it transmit?"

"Like I said, a few days. We'll have to wait at my office on this planet, that's where the
transmission'll be sent."

"Can it be traced?"

"Even if it can who cares? No one on this planet can touch us."

"Washu and Tsunami."

"Alright I'll grant those two. But they'll have to track down a number of decoys to find
it."

"Good."

"You worry too much."

"And you don't worry enough."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Light years away, in a place far less private, another meeting was taking place.

"So, basically, we lost her." Yin was explaining.

"Oh, great. Tell me, how do you disappear from a maximum security prison without
someone screaming 'ESCAPE!' after you don't show up for morning roll call three or
four times." Marcus asked in a sarcastic manner. "She is my client I have a right to be
told where she is moved."

"Well, it's not just the prison. All her records are gone." Yin answered. "Everything
associated with her trial has either been erased or labeled classified blue."

Marcus took another bite out of his Locallian Pheasant with Orange Sauce and
pondered. Classified blue was the code usually reserved for matters concerning
interstellar governmental secrets. Getting to look at those files was next to impossible,
even for a special prosecutor. Things were getting ugly real fast; of course he had been
expecting it to get this way ever since Yin asked his help. 

Since Yin's call to Marcus a couple of months ago both attorneys have been trying to
find a way to get Kiyoné's conviction overturned. They both agreed that the only way
to do this was to track down who had set her up. Yin had been keeping track of
Kiyoné since her imprisonment. He had guessed that whoever set her up wanted some
control over where she was and when she would be released, that was the reason she
was given an open-ended parole. This implied that the hands moving the pieces in this
game were strong enough to sway a court-martial. He did not have any idea why they
had chosen Kiyoné as a pawn nor could he see a reason to ruin her career. If they
wanted her for a particular assignment, surely they could have just had her reassigned
as a sergeant to that duty. Yin had explained all these concerns to Marcus but neither
of them could answer the questions. 

Marcus did have one lead; however, even though it was a long shot and hardly one
that would crack the case, it was all either of them had to go on now that no one had
any clue what happened to Kiyoné.

"Well it seems that once again old Marcus has to save your ass." Marcus said. "I
found someone who may be able to shed some light on what happened at Parth."

"What? Who?"

"One of the attacking rogues."

"No Shit!"

"No shit, I found him by reviewing all of the police reports submitted on that day. One
of the Patrol Ships found a mess of wreckage out some ways from the battle scene
and there was a survivor. He's been in a coma since he was brought in but I received
word that he actually woke up. And even though he's still shifting in and out, when he's
conscious he is completely coherent."

"Where is he?"

"Mount Niven Hospital."

"Let's get over there. I'll take care of the check."

"Yes, you will."

Mount Niven was just a short walk from the restaurant. They both walked in and
Marcus walked up to the main desk.

"Hello, I'm Marcus Cussac, I called about the man who called himself Black Six." He
said.

"Yes, Mr. Cussac I remember. I'm afraid he fell into a coma again last night, we can't
be sure when he will wake up again."

"I see. Did you learn anything new since we talked?"

"Well, we now have him listed as a Juraian military officer."

"The hell you say!" Yin exclaimed interrupting the conversation.

"It's alright, he's with me." Marcus said when the secretary gave a look towards Yin.

"Yes," she continued, "He's in the Juraian Navy."

"When did this come out?" Marcus asked.

"Shortly before he went back under, he said to one of the nurses something about
being betrayed by the man who sent him on a mission. When she asked, he told her
that he was a lieutenant in the Juraian Navy."

"Oh shit." Said Yin under his breath. Things just got explosive in a big way. He knew
he was playing Russian Roulette by pursuing this case further but now it seemed that
someone had loaded all six and the gun was spinning to see who goes first.

The implications weren't lost on Marcus either. 

"Could we speak with this nurse perhaps?"

"I'm sorry but she is off duty now. Her shift doesn't start until tomorrow morning at
eight."

"Thank you for your help." Said Marcus.

"Anytime." She answered.

"Okay, what's Jurai's military doing in on this and what's this I hear about a traitor?"
Said Yin.

"You know everything I do." Marcus answered.

"Yea, I just had to ask the question out loud."

"I don't think there is much more we can do tonight. At least not while the guy is in a
coma again."

"Right."

"I'll come back to see that nurse in the morning but we really need to see the
lieutenant."

"And I'll see what I can do to find where they stashed Kiyoné."

"Good luck old friend."

"And to you."

They parted company for the night. They would tell each other what they found
tomorrow night.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Joseph sat staring at the ceiling in the dark. The events of today, correction yesterday
as it was now after midnight, had his head spinning. What had happened; and the
words from the little girl Sasami only caused greater concern for everyone in the
Misaki house. Katsuhito spoke long into the night with Joe and Jim trying to answer
their questions.

"Yes I was sure it would happen again but I didn't know when, 

It seems to make sense that the next to receive this gift would be your friend,

No I can't be sure what it will do for you but I know it won't do anything to you,

I don't know why you were chosen,

I don't know where the piece you studied in America came from,

I am not sure...

I think so but I'm not positive...

I don't know...

I don't know...

I don't know..."

Joseph exhaled in disgust and got up.

Because it was so late, they were offered a place in the house for the night. Joe and
Jim's first reaction was to refuse but neither Nobiyuki nor Katsuhito would hear it. So
they relented and stayed with every intention of leaving first thing in the morning.
Mihoshi, Kiyoné and Ryoko held one room. Ayeka, Sasami and Washu held a
second. Katsuhito, Nobiyuki and Tenchi held a third. That gave the fourth to Joe and
Jim. Jim was asleep and Joe had no idea how he could sleep. He put on a pair of
shorts and a T-shirt that he kept in his travel bag for the "just in case times" like this
one and attempted to walk quietly out of the house. He sat on a step overlooking the
lake behind the house.

Mihoshi was sleeping soundly, as was Ryoko. Kiyoné took that as a sign that Ryoko
wasn't still bent on blasting the two scientists to the moon. Since her stay at Toland any
sound could wake Kiyoné in a heartbeat. It was a survival skill inside but outside it
was an annoyance. She was about to try to find sleep again when she heard the back
door shut. Looking out the window she saw Joseph sit down and throw a pebble into
the lake. She put on a long heavy robe and left the room quietly to avoid waking
anyone. She heard Ryoko stir but nothing else. She went to the back door.

Joseph was studying the seed in his hand when Kiyoné surprised him.

"Rough night?" She asked, and smiled at his startled expression. Joe recovered quickly
though.

"No of course not. What would give you that idea?" He answered angrily. "I'm just
slowly going insane that's all."

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"I believe my brain is being picked by a telepathic tree! Tell me that ain't the ravings of
a lunatic!" He almost yelled at her.

"I guess it does sound bad when you put it that way."

"Well how the hell else should I put it? No one has any other answers for me! Both me
and my best friend have been shot by lasers fired by trees and a little girl that glows! I
got all this wild sci fi fairy tale rip happening to me and I have no say in it! Do you have
any idea what its like to be thrown into something where you have no idea how you
got there, why it's happening, or even if your going to live through it?"

Kiyoné was assaulted with a wave of memories of the all too recent past.

GUILTY ... WALK, WALK, WALK, ...THE SCARS WILL NEVER HEAL

The memories caused a tear to flow down her cheek.

"Yes," she said softly. "I know exactly how you feel. I know better than anyone here
how you feel."

Joe turned to her and was about to give another angry response but was stopped cold
by the sight of tears on her face. He shut his mouth and looked away.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have yelled. And all you did was come out to see if I
was alright."

Kiyoné smiled and wiped her eyes.

"Hey," she answered, "didn't I just say I know how you feel? Don't spend another
thought on it okay."

They sat in silence for a moment, Joe still holding the seed. Kiyoné looked at the seed
that was causing Joseph's sleeplessness. Never in history that she was aware of did
anyone other than members of the Juraian Royal Family hold the key to a spaceship
tree. She was as confused as anyone about what had happened. Why would Tsunami,
the first tree, say that it was necessary? And just what was going to happen to these
men? She had no answers for him either. She looked up to the sky and wondered.

"I love the stars, don't you?" She finally said.

"Huh?" Joe stumbled over words. "Uh. Yes, they are nice."

"They're beautiful." Kiyoné corrected him gently. "The way they sparkle and shine, like
candles lighting a path to future dreams and wishes not yet made. And when there's no
moon, the path just goes on forever."

Kiyoné sighed.

"You know, just a short time ago, I thought I would never see them again. Every hope,
every dream, every wish I ever had seemed to abandon me. But now here I am
looking at the stars again, I can remember those dreams now. And I realize that with
each of my dreams in those stars there are a million others from a million other
dreamers. How can you look at all those hopes and not find a little for yourself?"

Joseph looked up just in time to see a shooting star streak across the sky. They sat in
silence again, oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. Around the corner,
Ryoko turned and teleported away unnoticed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yin was vulnerable. Marcus finally saw his opportunity. This was going to be his
greatest triumph. He positioned his staff and stabbed straight at Yin who was still
regaining his balance from the last swing. There was no way he could dodge this shot
and Marcus let out a big smile...

Suddenly that smile turned into a huge grimace as he saw Yin pull off the impossible
again, not only did he manage to dodge out of the way of his blow but he cartwheeled
on one hand to an adjoining pillar and swung at his Marcus' legs with his staff with his
other hand. Marcus felt his legs go numb as Yin's staff connected beautifully. Marcus
flew backwards and landed on his ass.

Marcus opened his eyes to see Yin standing in front of him with his staff pointing
between his eyes. Marcus knew the match was over. If this had been a real duel, this
would be the point where Yin would strike to kill Marcus. 

"Close but no cookie for you." Laughed Yin.

"How the hell do you always do that?" Marcus said with a grimace and he knocked
Yin's staff out of his face.

"Hey, I was a grandmaster before you, so don't feel so bad. You'll probably best me
some day, but not today. So you work out your frustration yet?" Yin asked.

"Well the frustration about today, I think so, but the frustration of you will take awhile."
Said Marcus with a smirk.

"I'll take that as yes. So shall we compare notes?" Yin asked as he threw Marcus a
towel.

"Well Yeah, I didn't call you over here just so I could have my ass whipped." Marcus
said as he caught the towel. 

Marcus' apartment was located on the second colonized planet in the same system
that the Galaxy Police Headquarters was. Located in a towering skyscraper, it
overlooked the cityscape where he lived when he wasn't out on business, which meant
he saw his apartment about once or twice a month. Opting to spend most of his time in
his office, the courtroom, and few favorite "recreation" areas. Marcus' apartment did
have one distinguishing feature. A Juraian Staff fighting training ring. 

Juraian staff fighting is so similar to Juraian swordplay in technique that with a few
adjustments to weight of weapons and stances a master of one could hold his own
using the other's style. Training usually involves fighting while maintaining balance, so
practitioners usually train on pillars sticking out from the ground, while dueling, or if by
oneself, hitting a target. 

Marcus went to the panel in his apartment and pushed a sequence. The pillars sticking
out of his floors retracted and the skyline opened up. He then dried his hair that was
hanging in front of his face. Finally, he went over to his refrigeration unit and pulled out
a few bottles and threw one to Yin.

"So who wants to go first?" Yin asked.

"Well I'll humbly let the grandmaster go first." Marcus smirked.

"Well okay. I went to Galaxy Police HQ First thing in the morning after we left the
hospital..."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Earlier that day...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yin stepped out of the airlock at the Main GP terminal. Pulling out his electronic
writing pad and looked at the level, corridor, and office he had to go to. Making his
way to the lift past many of the officers clad in blue. They reminded him even more
why he was here. He was used to set up an innocent woman and he was going to find
out why.

Yin wandered out the lift and keeping track of the offices, he finally found the one he
wanted and proceeded to push the panel.

A voice from a speaker above him responded "Come in Mr. Yin, I've been waiting for
you." 

Yin entered the office. Sitting at his desk was Mihoshi's Superior officer, though Yin
didn't know this and would probably not much care. The Detective Sergeant motioned
to Yin to take a seat. 

"So Mr. Yin, I understand to wished to see me about a case you had a few months
back." The Detective Sergeant asked.

"Yes. It was the Kiyoné Makabi Case..." Yin started.

"Hmmm...Doesn't ring a bell." The Detective Sergeant said in a serious tone.

"It should. You're the one who, my files say, assigned me to prosecute her." Yin said
in just as serious of a voice.

"Really? Well let me just check the records." The D.S. said as he began punching
buttons on his terminal. "Well I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like there is anybody
named 'Kiyoné Makabi' who was prosecuted by the Galaxy Police in the last year."
The D.S. said with a stone face.

"But that's...She was a GP Officer! How can she suddenly just disappear like that!?!"
Yin Shouted.

"Well we have no record of there ever being a GP Officer named Makabi. Listen, I
know that being a lawyer is a very stressful occupation, maybe you need a rest. I
mean Prominent lawyers like you running around making up stories about fictional
people can look very bad. I can pull some strings and make sure that no cases are
sent your way for about a month or so and then you can come back rested. I mean
this is the kind of behavior that can ruin a fine career like yours. So if you can just see
yourself out, I'll start on the paperwork and you can go someplace sunny. I
recommend the Parth system, the third planet is particularly nice this time of year." The
D.S. said with a cat that ate the canary grin on his face.

Yin stood up and slowly turned around and made his way calmly to the exit. This had
been the clincher. Now he knew that he was being jerked around. This cover-up
reached to some pretty high levels and might not stop at the GP. If his hunch was right
and Marcus was doing his job he would be able to draw some sort of connection
between Kiyoné, The GP, and the Juraian government. 

Yes, the Parth system is nice this time of year. Yin thought to himself. That was the
line that let him know that the D.S. was not some pawn, but a high ranker in this
cover-up. Yin knew the significance of Parth every bit as much as Detective Sergeant
X here. And it seemed that the D. S. wanted him to know that his actions were being
watched.

As Yin flew pack to his office, he received a signal from Marcus. It was a recorded
message probably left while Yin was in The GPHQ. 

"Yin, when you finish playing detective, make your way to my apartment. Oh and
bring you-know-what." Marcus said. Then the message began it's standard repeat.
Yin turned it off and decided to make one quick stopover at his office.

As Yin began his approach into the city where his office was located he saw that the
entire building was consumed in flames. Yin slammed his fist down on the console.
"Dammit!" Yin screamed "My files! My records!" Every scrap of non-computer data
that even had Kiyoné's name on it was now ash. Yin knew why this happened. This
was a warning from these people to stop snooping into these people's business. He
also knew that this message also meant that if he didn't stop, he would end up in a
building like this soon.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Marcus's apartment.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I haven't been back to my home yet. I'm actually afraid that if I'm being followed then
something might happen to my wife and family." Yin concluded.

Marcus and Yin both knew that whoever was behind this whole thing could certainly
find out about Yin's family. But at least for the moment, it made Yin feel like he was
doing something to keep them safe.

"Well that's how my day went, how've you been?" Yin said after a pause.

"Right...." Marcus took a breath. He could only imagine how Yin felt right now not
having a family of his own.

"Well," he continued, "as I told you I went to the hospital the next morning to find the
nurse who talked to our Lieutenant...."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Earlier that day

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As Marcus entered the hospital he was surprised to see the same secretary behind the
desk that he spoke to last night.

"Hello again. I'm here to speak with that nurse you told me about. Could you page her
please?" Said Marcus.

"What? Uh. Who? NO, I don't know what you're talking about. ... Good day to you
sir."

She was afraid, very afraid. Her eyes were darting around and she was sweating from
the strain she felt.

"But, we just talked a few hours ago. I came with my associate, you told us that you
found out that the John Doe you had here was a Juraian Naval Officer." Marcus said
in a confused voice.

"NO!" She said strongly. "There are no officers from anyone here! I really don't know
what you are talking about. Now please just go away." She was growing more
frightened by the second. "Please," she said softly now, "just leave."

Marcus was struck dumb. It was obvious that something had frightened her.

"Okay, maybe I'm at the wrong hospital." Said Marcus.

She looked almost grateful. "Yes, that must be it." She said.

Marcus walked away from the front desk and pretended to be leaving. He watched
the secretary until she looked away to answer the phone. He then sped past her to the
elevators.

"Black Six" as Marcus knew him, was on the tenth floor intensive care ward. The
elevator doors opened and he went right to the room Black Six was in the day before.
He was very surprised to find an elderly woman in the I. C. U. 

"May I help you?" Came a voice. "Do I know you?"

Marcus turned to see a pale faced man whose hair was combed down over his left
eye.

"No, sorry, I was looking for the man who was here yesterday." Said Marcus.

"Yesterday? Sir the only person in this room for the past month has been my mother
here." The man said in a gravelly voice.

"Really." Said Marcus. "I just visited him here yesterday, I would have sworn he was
in this room."

"You are mistaken." The man said.

"I guess your right." Said Marcus as he turned and walked away.

After Marcus turned the corner the man activated a com unit.

"This is 'A'. It seems that I wasn't in time. The defense lawyer was here before me and
already knew of his existence. He could be a problem."

"He will be a problem, his partner Mr. Yin has been snooping around Galaxy Police
Headquarters and I see him here again today."

"Should I eliminate them?"

"No. That would attract too much attention. We'll try to divert them in other ways.
Make a visit to Yin's office. That should do to delay their chase until it's finished.
Contact me when you're finished. 'X' out."

"Yes sir. 'A' out."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Marcus' apartment

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I wasn't able to make out what he said exactly while I listened around the corner. But
I know that your name came up, and they were talking about visiting your office.
Guess we know why now don't we. Anyway, I tried to follow him and failed quite
miserably. I called you after he left me spinning in circles on the Jannus Bridge."
Marcus concluded.

"So now not only do we have Kiyoné missing, we got that Navy Lieutenant gone too,
and someone that's covering the whole thing up." Said Yin.

"I guess we've proved that lawyers can't do police work." Said Marcus dejectedly.

"Now don't quit on me yet ol' friend. They moved these people somewhere, so that
means that somewhere there is a record." Said Yin.

A light went on for Marcus. "A record? Somewhere. That's it! Damit why didn't we
just do this in the first place!"

"Ummm. What are you rambling about?"

"Just look here I'll show you."

They walked over to Marcus' home office and he started to work. Once Yin got the
grasp of what it was Marcus was doing he joined Marcus at the computer and they
traded off shifts at the screen. When morning came they were still at work. Yin
eventually went home; but that didn't mean the work stopped. He went home, fixed
breakfast for his wife and son who were worried since hearing about his office, and he
caught some sleep. He then tracked down some leads that Marcus had uncovered at
Galaxy Police Headquarters. After putting the notes together at his own home terminal
he contacted Marcus and they met again, this time at Yin's home.

"How is it that you were able to get this without a warrant or other such and if I ask
for the same thing I gota have a court order." Marcus asked.

"Don't take it personal, it's just that the police can't see past the fact that you're a
defense attorney." Answered Yin.

Marcus knew what he meant of course. It was one of the first lessons that a public
defender learns when dealing with the police. Even though everyone was on the same
side and after the same thing, that being to see that justice is properly served. With the
police enforcing law, prosecutors who apply the law, and defenders ensuring that
every case is tried fairly and insuring that what happened to Kiyoné doesn't happen to
the innocent. The police recognize the very important role that the defender provides
to the system; but in the trenches, where the police fought and sometimes died you
couldn't escape the "us" and "them" attitude. "Us" being the police themselves and the
prosecutors who put the criminals behind shield doors, and "them" being the criminals
and the defenders who sometimes let them go free.

"Oh well, at least you were able to track down those arrival records." Marcus said.
"Now let's see what we got."

"Well we've eliminated all these already." Said Yin.

"And these I tracked down today, they're dead." Said Marcus.

"These are still absolute maybe." Said Yin

"This one doesn't fit with that one and they both are done if they don't agree so scratch
two more." Said Marcus.

"How do these go together?" Asked Yin.

"Like this; see it arrived at Toland at 01:30 but it left at 12:38 and she was still in the
infirmary at that time." Explained Marcus.

"Alright, hey this one is interesting."

"A Juraian Treeship!?"

"That left at 15:27 so that's just ten minutes after she left the infirmary."

"It then arrived at Galaxy Police Headquarters right on schedule for a straight jump
from Toland."

"Of course Treeships can go through hyperspace much faster than other ships you
know."

"Don't borrow trouble."

"Right."

"Now then, that seems to be our most likely suspect. We'll assume for now she was
taken to HQ."

"Okay, these are the arrival and departure records for HQ over the next three days."

"There's way too many to look at all at once. Let's just assume that she was put back
in uniform, They did keep her as a patrolman remember."

"That's right, okay here are the GP ships that came and left for three days."

"Wow! Only thirty ships. You got crew manifests?

"Yep, right here."

"And, JACKPOT!" Marcus exclaimed joyfully.

"Mihoshi, I remember that name, she is assigned to a rather out of the way system.
Though there have been rumors going around that this out of the way place has had
some very big shit happening there." Said Yin.

"How big?" Asked Marcus.

Yin smiled. "Big enough to interest the Emperor of Jurai himself. He made a visit there
a while back."

"That's where she is. I have no doubt about it, and that's where we've gotta go."

Yin was silent for a moment.

Marcus noticed the look on Yin's face and knew what was holding him back. "If you
think it's too dangerous to leave Candie and little Christopher..."

"Thanks but I'm not going to have you do this alone. I called you to help me
remember. Besides, they're probably safer if I leave."

"Even so, we have to make sure they'll be safe. I have an idea and I think you know
the place. Talk to them today and if it's a go, we'll leave this evening."

"I don't like making this choice in such a short time."

"We don't have a choice."

"I know, I'll talk to them I think they'll go along. Candie's got a good idea what I'm up
to anyway."

As agreed, they took Yin's family to Marcus' safe house and left that night.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

                         Chapter Five

                  In The Lab of Dr. Washu

 

Sasami awoke early, as usual, to begin fixing breakfast for the huge appetites that
resided in the Misaki house. She happily skipped down the stairs and was about to
jump to work when she heard a noise come from the kitchen. The noise was followed
by the sound of laughter and some voices. Sasami opened the kitchen door just
enough to see inside. Kiyoné, still in the robe she put on the night before, was laughing
and trying to keep quiet while Joseph, covered with bits of peppers and onions, was
holding a knife out to a countertop of vegetables handle first in a display of surrender.

"Well," Kiyoné said between laughs, "at least you can tell when you had enough, but I
don't think they are accepting your surrender." She began to laugh again. "This is just
too silly."

"Aye, but I did manage to beat the eggs into submission." Joe said with a false British
accent while flipping a large omelet filled with peppers, onions, and ham.

Kiyoné, still laughing, smacked him with a dishtowel. "Now you've really gone off the
deep end." She said as she stirred a pot of cheese sauce. "Where did you get this
recipe anyway?"

"This is one of my favorites from home, western omelet and hash browns with cheddar
cheese sauce over everything." Joe answered.

Sasami opened the door slowly and put on a smile. "Good morning," she said, "you
guys are up early."

"Good morning!" Joseph and Kiyoné said at the same time waving.

"Something smells good." Sasami said.

"As I just told Kiyoné, it's one of my favorites." Joseph said while adding some more
spices to the eggs.

"We were up early so we thought we would fix breakfast." Said Kiyoné. "Joseph here
isn't too bad of a cook either. Just try this cheese sauce, watch it though, it's got a
kick."

Sasami tasted it and had to agree, it had a good sharp cheddar flavor with just a bit of
hot spices that put a tang on the tongue. "Wow! You're right, it's wonderful."

Jim was quick to notice Joe's change of attitude at breakfast but didn't say anything. It
was good to see him relax a little for a change. James continued feeding pieces of
carrots to Ryo-ohki who was in cabbit form just now. Jim was at least as troubled, as
Joe was last night; he just dealt with stress in a more subdued manner than Joe did.
Breakfast was going about as usual with the exception that there were two more
guests here this morning, three if you counted Kiyoné who was only here one night
longer than Joe and Jim. 

"This is very good, Why didn't you ever make this before Sasami?" Said Tenchi.

"I didn't make it this time either, Joseph and Kiyoné did." Sasami answered.

"Well, we were up early, so we thought why not?" Said Joe.

"Well I want to thank the both of you, this is fantastic. I've never had anything like this
before." Said Nobiyuki.

"It's an American breakfast, Joe says that it's his favorite." Said Kiyoné.

Ryoko looked at Joe and Kiyoné thoughtfully. Then she put on a smirk. "You must
have gotten up real early to have breakfast waiting for us to wake up." She said.

"Yep, we were up early." Said Joe.

"Early enough to see the sun rise." Said Kiyoné.

"Awww! That's so cute! Watching the sunrise together, I'm so happy for you Kiyoné
you've found a boyfriend!" Mihoshi was ecstatic. "But be careful though you shouldn't
be moving so fast you've only just met!" 

"Wait we just watched one sunrise cause we couldn't sleep, that's all." Said Kiyoné.

"That's right, just calm down Mihoshi, it takes time to start a relationship." Said Tenchi.

"Right, just look at Tenchi, Ayeka, and Ryoko." Said Washu earning glares from
Ayeka and Ryoko and a shy head scratch from Tenchi.

"I agree Tenchi, just a sunrise doesn't make a relationship. Now if they were wishing
on the stars for long before the sunrise as well, then you got something." Said Ryoko
with a knowing grin.

Joe hid his face behind a glass of orange juice while Kiyoné looked away and laughed
nervously. And of all things, that is something that Mihoshi could pick up on.

"OOOOOOOO! You did wish on the stars didn't you! I'm sooooo happy. My
partner's got a boyfriend!"

"Ah yes, it's been such a long time since I've performed a wedding ceremony." Said
Katsuhito.

"Wedding?!" Kiyoné said in surprise.

"Hey, Tenchi, Would you like to watch the stars with me tonight?" Said Ryoko.

"Yea, go on Tenchi, Then Katsuhito will have the chance to perform a double
wedding." Said Jim, reaching for another carrot to give to Ryo-ohki.

"Now, wait just a minute!" Ayeka jumped in excitedly.

"I want to be the flower girl." Said Sasami.

"And Ryo-ohki can be Ringbearer." Said Mihoshi, to which Ryo-ohki mewed loudly
in agreement.

"And Ayeka could be the Maid of Honor." Said Ryoko.

"Whose gonna be the Maid of Honor!" Cried Ayeka.

"Hold on here, aren't we getting a little carried away with this now?" Said Joe.

"Indeed you are!" Said Ayeka directing the statement at Ryoko.

"Right, we still need to find someone to give away the brides." Said Jim.

"I'll be proud to give away my new daughter." Said Nobiyuki.

"DAD! Don't you think we should think about this a little first?!" Said Tenchi.

"Oh! Thank You Soooooo Much!!!!!" Said Ryoko full of joy.

"If you want Kiyoné, I'll give you away, unless Joe asks me to be his Best Man." Said
Jim.

"But we, he, I mean ..." Kiyoné was dumbfounded.

"Well we must invite all our families I'll get right on making the invitations." Said
Washu.

"HEY!!! Stop this right now!! I'm sure NOT going to be MAID OF HONOR AT
TENCHI'S WEDDING!!" Screamed Ayeka.

"Your absolutely right Ayeka." Said Washu.

"Thank you Washu." Said Ayeka.

"I should be the Maid of Honor, it's my daughter getting married after all." Said
Washu.

"And I'll Be Kiyoné's Maid Of Honor!!!!" Exclaimed Mihoshi.

"I'm beginning to think they're serious." Joe said to Kiyoné.

"I'm afraid your right." Said Kiyoné.

"NO ONE'S GOING TO BE MAID OF HONOR!!!!" Ayeka kept screaming.

Then a bad thought struck Joe and Jim at the same time. With arched eyebrows they
looked questioningly at each other.

"Whose daughter?" They said at the same time.

They looked at Washu, then at Ryoko, then at everyone else. No one, except the two
of them, seemed to think it strange for the daughter to be older than the mother.
Unless this was just one of the typical games that the little one kept playing and
everyone was going along with it.

"Tenchi, this is going to be the happiest day of my life." Said Ryoko.

"Wait a minute, it was Kiyoné and Joseph who watched the stars not us." Said Tenchi.

"But, it was only one night cause we couldn't sleep." Said Kiyoné. "Isn't that right
Joseph?" 

Then she noticed the questioning look passing from Joe to Jim.

"They're just playing along with her, why we getting so worked up over it?" Said Joe.

"Yea, your right. I was just caught off guard how smoothly everyone flowed with it."
Said Jim.

"Are you talking about the wedding plans being made for us?" Kiyoné asked.

"No, that thing about Ryoko being Washu's daughter. For some reason we took it
serious for a minute." Joe answered.

"What's so unbelievable about Miss Washu having a daughter?" Mihoshi asked.

Joe and Jim were just looking at her blankly with arched eyebrows waiting for the
joke to be sprung and were only slightly worried that someone hadn't broke out
laughing yet.

"I mean, she's certainly old enough." Mihoshi continued. "She's much older than I am
and she'll probably be here after I'm gone too."

Washu noticed the disaster in progress and realized that it was too late to stop it. The
two scientists did not believe a word of what they were hearing but, a bit of the truth
was out, and once you start releasing the truth, it won't suffer being partially hidden.
'Might as well let them in on the whole truth now.' Washu thought to herself.
'Otherwise things could get ugly if they have to start searching on their own.' She
looked at Katsuhito and he nodded in the direction of the closet obviously thinking the
same thing.

"Well, maybe now would be a good time to show you my lab in the closet. You
should find some answers there." Said Washu. The marriage conversation was dying
now as the others sensed that something had slipped.

"I don't know what we're gonna find there," Joe said to Jim, "but, I'm pretty sure it
won't be coffee-cans full of sea monkeys."

"Step into my office." Washu said when they reached the closet door.

Joe went first because his curiosity was the stronger of the two. He opened the door
and looked inside, paused, closed the door and turned to Jim, held up his index finger
and opened his mouth to speak, then promptly fell backwards. Jim opened the door
next and looked inside. "Nice walk-in space!" He cried and walked right in. Joe sat up
and turned to the nearest person, who happened to be Tenchi. "She's a little older than
she looks isn't she?" He asked.

"More than a little." Tenchi replied.

"Do I really want to know?" Joe asked next.

"No, I don't think you do." Said Tenchi.

"Just checking."

"I understand."

Joe and Jim found themselves in a lab that defied all explanation. They were standing
on a walkway that was ten levels up from the bottom and at least as far from the top.
Holding tanks of all sizes were all around. 

"Hey Joe, I think I found your sea monkeys." Said Jim looking at a tank the size of a
coffee-can.

Washu led them to a small round platform pressed a few buttons and stepped into the
circle. "Just follow me," she said, "your gonna love this."

A disk of energy appeared above her head and descended towards the floor. As the
disk passed over her, she vanished.

"You've got to be kidding me! Just what is this thing!" Joe called out. 

"Hey Washu! Where'd you go?" Jim asked.

"This might be a transporter type thing. Think we should follow her like she said?" Joe
asked.

"Don't know. Washu? I asked where you were!" Said Jim.

Joe and Jim looked over the edge and looked to see if they could find her on another
level.

"WASHU!!!!" They both shouted as loud as they could.

"GESUINTITE!!!!" Washu yelled back from seven levels down.

"So it is a transporter type thing." Joe looked at the platform with great curiosity.

"HOW DO WE WORK THIS THING?!!" Jim called down to her.

"IT'S PROGRAMED TO BRING YOU RIGHT TO ME!! JUST STEP ON THE
CIRCLE!!" She called back.

Joe scratched his chin, and with a little hesitation stepped forward. The sensation he
felt was similar to a rapidly ascending elevator, which was a contradiction, as he knew
that Washu was below them. The sensation lasted for only a second and he was facing
Washu before he could absorb the feeling to remember it.

"See, nothing to it. You have to step out so Jim can join us." She told him.

"That is so unreal." Joe said stepping out of the transporter. He turned to watch Jim
appear. First the disk appeared and as it descended to the floor Jim appeared to rise
up out of the disk. "That was cool." Jim said when the ride was over.

The lower level was much like the upper level they were just on except this one had
some very large and complex pieces of equipment and machinery along the walls in
addition to the tanks. Joe just noticed that some of the tanks were in fact the same
tanks he saw up above. They were just that tall. Jim was examining one of the
machines. "What is this thing?" He asked.

"It's a Memory Imager. It takes signals from the brain and translates the signals into
images that can be seen on that screen." She answered.

"It will show what I'm thinking?" Jim asked full of disbelief.

"Yes, and with some probing it can extract memories deeply buried in you mind." She
said.

Jim put on the headband and the machine activated.

"Hey, careful. This can short circuit your entire nervous system if its not calibrated
right." She said excitedly. "Fortunately it's on the lowest read setting."

On the screen an image appeared. It showed the peak of a very tall mountain. There
was the groans and grunts of a man climbing to the top and soon a hand appeared and
Mr. Fugisawa made it to the top, sat down and had a drink."

Jim laughed loudly.

"Hey, ain't he supposed to plant a flag or something?" Joe asked.

"Oh yea. I forgot." Said Jim.

On the screen Makoto appeared. "Here's you banner sensei." He said.

"Thanks." Said Fugisawa. He planted the flag and when it unfurled written on it with
big red letters was the phrase Heisenberg might have been here. 

"Now you're being silly." Said Joe.

Washu was giggling. 'Oh I like him, he's got the same sense of humor I've got.' She
thought to herself.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you get that joke. Considering this lab, you could
probably tell some jokes I would never get." Joe said.

"Maybe I could. But I did like that spin on Heisenberg's Principle." She said.

"Anyone who studied quantum physics would get it." Jim said.

"Not everyone has studied it though." Joe pointed out.

"Should we explain it to them?" Jim asked.

"No. Let 'em suffer." Said Washu.

I don't believe I just wrote that

It took some convincing but Washu had Joseph tied up into one of the scanning
devices and was running a battery of tests on him. He had demanded to see all results
so she had to set up a screen for him, which was surprisingly difficult to do. While the
tests were running, Washu was talking and answering questions as they came. The
answers they got had left the two scientists astounded.

"And you were worried about the daughter being older than the mother. I told you it
was nothing. Just look at what else there is, it makes that age thing look like a the most
normal thing in the world." Joe said sarcastically.

"Um, Washu? Just what is an astrial pattern?" Jim asked looking over her shoulder.

"It's a measurement of the disturbance your existence makes on the astrial plane."
Washu answered.

"Of course it is. I never thought I would be measuring something that was never
proven to exist." Joe said from the scanner.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Ah, can I get some help with this?" Tenchi called into the house.

"Of course! Of course! I'll be happy to carry it for you!" Ryoko and Ayeka said at the
same time. 

And the race was on.

Ryoko flew around a corner and teleported down the stairs and ran into Ayeka as she
exit from the kitchen. Ayeka was up first but Ryoko tripped her with a swift side
sweep of her right foot. Ryoko was in the lead; a quick force ball summoned by
Ayeka hit Ryoko in the back of the head knocking her face first on the floor. Ayeka in
front now; Ryoko went into a power flight and blasted by Ayeka with enough force to
send her rolling into the coffee table. Ayeka leaped over the reclining chair and caught
Ryoko by the ankle, they tumbled and rolled a few times and reached the door at the
same time. They squeezed though climbing over each other and reached for Tenchi.

And the winner is...

"Thank you Mihoshi, you too Kiyoné these were heavy." Said Tenchi.

"No problem, we weren't doing anything anyway." Said Kiyoné.

"This is heavy," said Mihoshi struggling, "what's in here?"

"A potato." Said Tenchi.

"How many?" Asked Kiyoné

"Just one." He answered. "I think I better tell Washu to cut back on the potency of her
plant food. Oh, hi Ryoko, hi Ayeka, what's going on?"

They just looked on with the waterfall tears in their eyes.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The transporter disk appeared and descended bringing Tenchi with it. He was carrying
something elliptical in shape that was three feet long and at least one foot in diameter.

"Good afternoon everyone." He said.

"Afternoon? You're kidding." Said Joe. "You mean I've been tied up here for over
three hours? No wonder I feel my brains draining out my ear, hurry up Washu let's get
this finished already."

"Easily done! I've got all I can get from you now anyway." She said. She touched a
few keys on her computer and the devices holding Joe in place retracted and he
stepped down.

"Um, Washu? Simple question, why did I have to take my clothes off but he didn't?"
Asked Tenchi.

"I knew I forgot something!" She said. "Oh well, I'll get another chance when I get you
back in here." She winked at Tenchi. "Alright Jim, YOUR TURN!!"

"I think I should be very worried now." Said Jim as he was locked into the machine.

"You are very right about that." Said Tenchi.

"What brings you here Tenchi?" Joe asked.

"This potato." Tenchi answered.

"That's a potato?" Said Joe in amazement.

"I can't wait to see the T-bone that goes with that!" Said Jim.

"So my plant food works. Excellent, appears that the results are just as I calculated."
Said Washu pleased with herself.

"Right, look Washu, could you cut the potency of that stuff a little bit? This is a bit
much." Said Tenchi.

"If you want, I might not get to it today though." Said Washu.

"That's ok. Have you figured anything out yet?" Tenchi asked.

"Other than you've got a very remarkable family history, nothing." Said Joe.

"That's a mixed blessing I assure you." Said Tenchi.

"Oh, I am such an idiot! I just realized why it's so difficult to figure out what's
happening to you guys." Said Washu.

"What?" Said Joe and Jim at once.

"I don't have any standards to measure against. Everyone I've tested so far is extra
ordinary in some way. I need someone who is 'normal' so to speak." Washu
explained.

"Why were you able to run the tests on me without a standard?" Asked Tenchi.

"You're part Juraian, I can test you against Ayeka if I need to." Said Washu.

"How about Mihoshi or Kiyoné?" Tenchi offered.

"They're normal true, but they're not Earth born." Washu answered.

"Ah-ha!" Tenchi and Washu said at the same time.

"Now really Miss Washu, I just got home from work and didn't even eat yet, can't this
wait until later." Said Nobiyuki pulling at the restraints.

"I've been waiting since noontime to finally get you and I'm not waiting any longer."
Said Washu.

"So once you got him scanned for all your whoseinwhatchamacallits patterns, You'll be
able to see what's happening to us right?" Joe asked.

"Well that's what I hope, I'm running a simultaneous comparison to your scans as I
take his but so far I'm not seeing too much." Washu said with some disappointment.

"So we're not changed at all?" Asked Jim.

"No, your changing all right, it just isn't clear how." Washu took a breath. "I thought at
first that you were going to take the traits of Juraian Royalty since you are now keyed
to the seeds of Royal Trees. But, that doesn't appear to be happening. I could tell that
from checking against Ayeka. So I figured that if I checked you against a normal Earth
human I would be able to find what's different that way. But you guys are nothing like
Nobiyuki either."

"That's just perfect." Said Joe.

"So what are you saying, We ain't human anymore?" Asked Jim.

"No, not at all. You're just not like any Earth humans that's all." Said Washu.

"But we're not like Mihoshi or Kiyoné either I'll bet." Said Joe.

"No, though I haven't scanned Kiyoné I have done Mihoshi, and you're nothing like
her either." Said Washu.

"So bottom line; you still have no idea what's happening to us." Said Jim.

"No, I'm sorry but I don't." She said.

"Ok, let's go this rout; any idea what's not happening to us?" Asked Joe.

Washu thought for a moment. "Well, you're not dying."

"EXCELENT!" Joe and Jim said at the same time.

"That's all I need for now." Said Joe.

"You said it." Said Jim.

"Ah, well now, I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."

"Great idea, we're outa here." 

"Later y`all"

They left Washu with a huge teardrop on her head.

After dinner Joe, Jim, and Washu returned to the lab to continue puzzling out the
answers to their questions. Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi started to watch a TV show
from somewhere out on the fringes of the galaxy thanks to Washu's enhancements to
the reception. And Kiyoné slipped into her room to file a report to GP Headquarters
which would say that nothing occurred that falls within GP jurisdiction. She then began
a second report that stated that there could possibly be a problem with the state of the
Royal Trees, which have been transplanted with the Crown Princesses to this planet.
She wrote that there appeared to be some sort of reaction initiated by Tsunami with
some of the locals. Lady Washu was investigating. The second report was sent to
Lord Tessa of Juraian Intelligence.

Across the Pacific the two men who received the second report, who had just
experienced surprise for the first time in their lives, made a decision.

"So my friend, do you still think I was too hasty in releasing her?" Tessa said in a voice
that wouldn't melt snow. Kiéta just glared at his comrade.

"It seems that your tools have just become a liability." Tessa continued.

"I guess this means the time for subtlety is over." Said Kiéta.

"Indeed it does."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

                          Chapter Six

               Black Knights, White Knights

It was about ten o'clock when Joe, Jim, and Washu thought that they should try to
compare their data on the seeds to the original block of material. Joe had a copy of all
the data on his laptop but that was in his hotel room over sixty miles away. Their
reason for just leaving everything there in the first place was because they wanted to
first be sure this was the shrine where the original piece had came from. Joe and Jim
decided to return to the hotel, stay there for the night, as they didn't want to travel late
at night and they weren't going to work any more today anyway, and return with the
data and other equipment which might be needed in the morning. They said their
so-long-for-nows and took a taxi back.

It was almost nine when they returned, dressed in the suits they had worn when they
left one lifetime ago.

"Traffic here is as bad as home." Said Joe as they entered the hotel.

"Right." Jim agreed. He looked at the surroundings and laughed to himself. "Remember
what you said when we left here last time?"

"Yea, I think I said something about if this turned out to be another dead end I was
gonna start testing those trees they have painted on the walls." Joe answered with a
lopsided grin that faded quickly.

"I could really use a drink how 'bout you?" Jim asked.

"Sounds good to me."

"The bar's still open I'm buyin."

After they drank to the impossible Joe made a stop in the men's room. Then someone
wearing a dark suit entered the hotel. He made a stop at the desk talked to the clerk
then noticed Jim sitting at the bar. He slid into the men's room and opened a curious
device, which activated when opened.

"I've found 'em." Kiéta said.

"Where are you?" Said a holographic image of Tessa.

"The bathroom of the hotel I told you they were staying at."

"Idiot! Are you alone there!"

"Of course." He looked under the stalls for feet just to be sure and saw none.

"Good, now what are you going to do?"

"I'll take 'em out and you can get her most royal magesticness."

"Don't dismiss this as nothing Kiéta, if Tsunami is in contact with those two scientists of
yours she will certainly be helping them. I'll meet you there, don't do anything until I
arrive."

"Fine, but I'm sure I could get rid of them myself."

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"I'll be here."

Kiéta closed the connection and stepped out of the room.

In the second stall, Joseph lowered his feet he had been holding up out of sight and
stepped out. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and narrowed his eyes. He
washed his hands and walked calmly to James and proceeded to tell him what he
overheard.

James wasn't sure where he heard the quote before but it was appropriate now.

"There really is a strange sense of peace that goes with the knowledge that you're
completely screwed. I think it stems from the fact that things can't get any worse."

Normally neither one would have accepted that, all of a sudden, someone wanted
them dead. But considering that it was Kiéta, and he knew about Tsunami, and just
what else had happened in the past day, this new development just seemed to fit right
in.

"How much time?" Jim asked.

"We're on borrowed as of now."

"If he could get here in five minutes you mean?"

"Right. Should we get our stuff out of our rooms?"

Jim considered for a second. "I wouldn't risk it."

"Then we get out of here in a hurry."

"Exactly." Jim then smiled "Come on J. Let's get into character." He said as he put on
a pair of dark glasses. He couldn't resist.

Neither could Joe. "So," he said putting on his own sunglasses, "we're sixty miles away
from the shrine, we got a half a pack of cigarettes, it's night, and we're wearing
sunglasses."

"Hit it." Jim closed the Blues Brothers quote. And they left the bar headed out the front
door.

They tried to mix into a crowd also leaving and they saw Kiéta still waiting.

"We're out in front it seems." Said Joe.

Joe was watching Kiéta so intently that he never noticed the man he walked into.

"Excuse me, my fault." He said.

"No problem." Came the soft precise answer.

Joe and Jim continued down the street.

"Your two minutes late." Said Kiéta.

"I'm here now, let's go." Tessa said irritated.

They entered the hotel and went to the elevator.

"The tracking device in the laptop says that they are on the eighth floor." Said Kiéta.

They went to the door and Tessa shot what appeared to be a stiletto made of light into
the door lock. The door swung open and they entered ready for battle. They were
disappointed to find the room empty.

"Maybe they're in Jim's room." Kiéta suggested.

They entered Jim's room with the same results.

"They are here aren't they?" Tessa asked.

"I saw them in the bar myself." Kiéta answered.

"Maybe they're still there."

"No, I looked before we came up here."

"We'll look again. What do they look like?"

Kiéta held up a holographic image of both of them. Tessa scowled and turned purple
with rage when he saw the image.

"YOU IMBACILE! I SAW THEM LEAVING HERE!"

"Oh, damn."

They ran out the building and turned in the direction Tessa saw them walking.

"I've never seen such stupidity!" Tessa yelled. "Just how are we to find them now?
And how do we stop them from warning our prey?"

As if on cue, Kiéta's pocket began beeping. He removed a hand size computer from
his pocket and punched a few buttons. He then gave Tessa an evil grin.

"They're two blocks to the west. Oh yea, one more thing." And he punched a few
more buttons.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I'll get it." Said Mihoshi as the phone rang for the fourth time. She picked up the
receiver and put it to her ear. "Hello, Misaki residence
YYYEEEEOOOWWWWCHY!!!!!!" She screamed as a piercing squeal emitted
from the phone.

"Mihoshi! What happened?" Asked Kiyoné as she and the other girls ran into the
room.

"I don't know. I answered the phone and a really loud screech was on the other end."

"A screech?" Ryoko said questioningly.

"You know, a noise that goes REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIK!!!!!!"

"Signal jamming." Said Kiyoné.

"But who would be jamming a telephone call?" Asked Ayeka.

"And who was it that was trying to call?" Asked Ryoko.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"YEOOW SUNUVABI-!! What the hell was that all about?" Joseph yelled when his
cel phone screeched at him.

"What?" Said Jim.

"I got cut off before they answered the phone. I'm gonna try again." As soon as
Joseph turned on his phone he heard the squelching sound again. "Then again, maybe
not."

"Perhaps you're not as incompetent as I give you credit for." Said Tessa.

Kiéta just growled as he tried to decide whether that was an insult or a compliment.
He then ran to catch up to Tessa who had sped off after the two scientists.

"I guess we'll just have to deliver the message the old fashioned way." Said Jim.

"Let's find a cab." Said Joe.

At that moment they saw Tessa and Kiéta running up the street. The Black Knights of
Jurai stopped just a few meters from Joseph and James who had turned to face their
adversaries. Joseph removed his dark glasses then narrowed his eyes at Kiéta who
grinned evilly back at him. James also removed his sunglasses and gave a snide
Philadelphia half smile with one arched eyebrow to Tessa whose expression was
unreadable behind the mirrored glasses.

"So Kiéta, we found a little something out about the tree root you gave us." Said Joe.
"It doesn't exist. Now that all business between us is settled I don't have to be civil to
you anymore So if you even look cross-eyed at any of the people we met at that
shrine I'm gonna shove my fist down your throat tear out your liver and eat it raw."

"Fairly decent attempt at a threat." Said Kiéta. "But you really don't have the time right
now to worry about them."

There was a flash of light and Kiéta was holding a black thorny staff with a red
spherical gem in the crown and Tessa had a similar staff with a blue gem.

"Alright you M.I.B. Will Smith wannabe mother fucker," said Jim, "put the toy
flashlight down and lets dance."

People were clearing out of the way as it was most obvious that a fight was brewing.
There was a few sighs of relief when a police siren blared and a city police officer
stepped out of the car that had pulled up to the sidewalk. The officer had backup in
the car and he had drawn his gun and was confronting all four of the men standing off.

"That's quite enough." The policeman said in Japanese. "Everybody drop your
weapons and there will not be trouble."

Joseph and James were ready to surrender to the police at this moment. They would
be questioned and then once the police knew about the kidnapping plot Joe had
overheard, that would be the end of that problem. Kiéta had other plans however. He
spun his staff and leveled it at the police car. The officer actually laughed. But, his
laugh was cut off when a blue ball of energy spun out of the staff and destroyed the car
in a red fiery explosion that killed the officer in the car instantly and threw the other
several meters and he smacked his head on the cement. Blood streamed out of a head
wound and the gun he dropped skittered across the ground in Joseph's direction. The
Black Knights both leveled their staves at the scientists who were knocked off their
feet by the explosion.

"Holy Shit!" Exclaimed Joe.

Joe looked at the gun near him then at Kiéta, Jim Looked at his reflection in Tessa's
glasses and saw the energy balls forming on his staff. He shot one look at Joe and at
once they moved just as Kiéta and Tessa fired. Jim ran down the street and Joe ran
down the alley after grabbing the gun. Both were too scarred to notice that the seeds
they carried in their pockets were vibrating, and glowing.

"Impossible!" Kiéta cried. "They deflected them!"

"I told you that Tsunami would be helping them!" Said Tessa quickly. "You take the
one down the alley I'll get the other one."

Without another word they ran off again after their quarry.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Joseph stormed through the alley splashing through puddles and knocked over a
couple as he ran out onto the next street. A quick look over his shoulder told him that
Jim wasn't with him but Kiéta was and he was coming up fast. He apologized to the
couple as fast as he could in the most savagely accented Japanese ever heard in Japan
and took off down the street. The man of the couple was yelling at him and was
knocked over by Kiéta as he ran out of the alley and raced down the street. 

The crowd of people he was trying to weave his way through slowed Joe's pace. He
had run into what would be called the red light district of an American city. If he
weren't in such a hurry the site of a vending machine that served Budweiser and Pepsi
side by side for the same price would have amused him. As it was; however, he barely
noticed. He turned a corner and tried to blend into the crowd while at the same time
moving as fast as he could without being too obvious. 

He saw an incredibly drunk man being thrown out of a very loud dance hall. The
drunk was yelling something and was answered by the bouncer throwing his jacket out
after him. The man threw the jacket on the ground and continued yelling. Joseph slid
by him and swiped the hat off the top of his head and scooped up his jacket in one
smooth motion and put them on. The truth be told; Joseph had never even picked a
cherry out of the produce department and now he had stole the clothes practically
from someone's back. He continued on and tried to appear calm.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jim climbed over people and ran across a crosswalk against the light. Squealing tires
and a few shouted curses didn't even phase him. Tessa followed just as recklessly and
as one car was moving he jumped and stepped on the hood denting it and continued
after Jim. Jim crossed the street he was running parallel to and turned up the next
corner. The crowd of people was thinning out considerably as he approached the
industrial district. If it were the middle of the day this would be the busiest part of the
city but now, after midnight, it was quickly becoming deserted. With fewer people to
get in the way he picked up his pace and ran as fast as he could.

It came as no surprise to him that all his military training was tacking over now. He
was tacking in his surroundings, finding escape routes, danger zones, and forming
plans to evade then attack his enemy in split second intervals. He was approaching
what looked like a factory he adjusted his course to take him right to it.

Tessa yelled angrily and spun his staff above his head twice, stopped running, and
launched an attack of Jurai's Needles, that is an attack that appears like a hundred
cutting needles of energy, after Jim. Jim heard the coming swarm of something behind
him and he cut at an angle to avoid the shot. Even though the bulk of the attack missed
him due to his change of direction the outer fringe of the attack hit him. His left arm
and leg received a number of deep painful cuts that began bleeding instantly. He
stumbled and Tessa launched a second attack. Thanks to Jim's change of direction he
was close to a parked car which he rolled over the hood and hid behind to avoid the
attack. He leaned against the car and took a deep breath. Several energy needles shot
through the car and whizzed by his head. "Fuck Me!" He shouted, and ran in a crouch
away from Tessa keeping the car between them for as long as possible always heading
for the factory. Tessa groaned in disgust and chased after Jim again who had increased
the distance between them while Tessa made his attacks.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The jacket was too small and the hat was the ugliest shade of yellow green he had
ever seen and neither went well with the suit he was still wearing. Joe left the jacket
front open and that helped cover the size problem and after looking behind him and
seeing Kiéta searching the crowd for him he crossed the street and started going in a
new direction. As he past a trash can he tossed the hat into it and kept walking. He
looked over his shoulder again and saw Kiéta still back there but he didn't seem to
have a clear idea which head in the crowd was Joe's. Joe also seemed to notice that
Kiéta had a small electronic device in his hand and he was looking at it then looking in
his direction. Joseph was a smart man and could guess what Kiéta was doing. So he
began thinking where on him a tracking device could be planted. 'On absolutely
everything I have' was the answer he came up with. He looked around and found a
building with an arcade in it. He ran in hoping that the surplus of electronic games
would create enough electromagnetic interference to cause Kiéta to loose him on the
tracker.

The arcade was more than just an arcade. There were three levels that could be seen.
The first floor held most of the electronic games. The second level had some more
games and a dance floor with laser light FX. The third floor looked like the bar with
tables and chairs arranged around it. Each level was built to allow viewing into the
other levels. And there were two stairways connecting the levels as well as an elevator
that could go up higher in the building beyond the arcade-dance hall.

As Joe made his way through the arcade he kept an eye on the entrance. Sure enough
Kiéta entered and began searching the faces. Joe ducked behind some games and
made his way to a stairway to the second floor. He took the stairs and worked his
way through a few more games to the overlooking rail. He found Kiéta still searching
faces on the first floor. Joe took this to be a good sign and took the stairs to the third
floor. 'Now I should have some time to think my way out of this.' He thought to
himself. 'First order of business is to get out of here without Kilroy down there
noticing.'

Joe looked down from the third floor and positioned himself so that he had a good
view of Kiéta. Kiéta was holding by the exit watching for him to leave. Joe just noticed
then that it was the only exit from this place. Joe positioned himself near the elevator
and watched. He removed the jacket and draped it over the rail. He then waited.
Eventually Kiéta noticed that someone was staring at him and he scowled when he
recognized Joseph on the third floor smirking at him. Joe then moved to the elevator
and pressed the call button. The door slid open and Joe looked back to find Kiéta
climbing up the stairs to the third floor just as the doors shut and the elevator
ascended.

"Pick a floor, any floor, haven't seen a building yet that didn't have alternative exits."
Joe said out loud to the air.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Jim removed his suit jacket and held the sleeves one in each hand. He then took a
running jump and began to climb the fence around the factory without letting go of the
jacket. When he reached the top, he reached over to the other side with one hand in
such a way that the jacket covered the sharp edges of the barbed wire. He was then
able to roll over the top of the fence without getting snagged or cut. He brought the
other end of the jacket over the fence and jumped down. His landing hurt his injured
leg, but the adrenaline rush he was feeling right now made it easier to ignore the pain.

"I'm gonna make you pay the dry cleaning and repair bills for this suit asshole!" Jim
shouted at Tessa who had reached the fence. Tessa slashed his staff at the fence and
cut a hole in it large enough to step through. Jim was off and running again.

Jim knew that the odds favored the doors to be locked so he searched for an open
window. He climbed a stack of crates to try one he thought was open. He pushed the
glass and hit his head against it when it failed to open. "Oh shit." Jim cursed and he
gave the glass a sharp forward snap kick and broke the glass. He cleared the broken
glass as good as could be expected for one sweep of his foot and climbed through.
"Whoa!" He cried when he almost fell from the six-inch ledge he was standing on. He
jumped to a chain that was hanging a few feet in front of him and climbed down hand
over hand so smoothly that he wished his old drill instructor were there to see it. He
reached the ground twenty feet down and looked to the window he came through and
Tessa was there. Instead of climbing down; however, Tessa jumped with a yell, then
what looked like a whirlwind surrounded him and the black suit Tessa wore was
replaced with his Juraian Battle Suit. Tessa landed standing upright and appeared to
be unhurt.

It had been said that nothing could surprise Jim no matter how strange, but that got
him. Jim just stood open mouthed and motionless as Tessa struck him in the gut with a
power sweep of his staff. Jim was thrown ten feet into the wall where he slumped to
the floor. Tessa ran up and delivered an uppercut swing that lifted Jim from the ground
and before he dropped back to the ground Tessa swung his staff like Mark McGuire
and Jim flew almost as far. Coughing and shaking his head Jim tried to gather his wits
and set up a defense. He tasted blood in his mouth and his chest felt like a truck had
parked on it. His left arm and leg were still bleeding and they seemed to be going
numb, a very bad sign. While these damage reports were filling his thoughts he could
just barely sense a blue glow around his vision. Unsure what he was seeing he spared
a thought to examine it and when he did, he suddenly felt the seed in his pocket.

The seed seemed to be vibrating, when he thought about the seed he reached to his
pocket. At his touch he felt a charge of energy sift through his body from the seed. The
pain seemed to subside and he became more alert. As his head cleared he saw Tessa
seeming to fly through the air high above him coming down right at him. With the
reflexes of a cheetah he leaped out of the way and Tessa struck the spot where he had
just left. Tessa's blow was meant to kill and the force was so great that it smashed the
cement floor. Jim rolled away and turned to face his enemy. Tessa was still getting
back up off the floor when Jim attacked. Jim took three running steps and jumped at
Tessa delivering a flying sidekick to the side of his head. Tessa was knocked down
and Jim followed up by bringing his foot down with as much force as he could onto the
small of Tessa's back. Jim stepped on the back of Tessa's head for good measure and
made a dash down the aisle between the heavy production machines and turned a
corner.

Jim paused to catch his breath. He looked down and noticed with considerable
concern that he was leaving a trail of blood. There were two reasons why this was a
very bad thing. First it meant that he was leaving a trail to be followed to any hiding
place. Second, his wounds weren't minor, the amount of blood he was leaving on the
floor told him that even though it could be worse, if he wasn't treated soon the blood
loss was going to catch up to him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kiéta watched the elevator door close and decided that he was tired of playing stupid
cat and mouse games. He gave a battle cry and a black whirlwind enveloped him and
his black suit was replaced with his Juraian Battle Suit. People noticed this and thought
he was a performer of some sort. He received several cheers for the good FX. The
cheers turned to screams when he fired a force ball through the elevator doors. The
resulting explosion knocked Joseph off his feet in the elevator.

"What the...." Joe said as he picked himself up from the floor.

With a ping the elevator door opened and Joe stepped out.

Back downstairs Kiéta was leaping and literally flying up the shaft following Joe. When
he reached the elevator he stabbed up through the floor of the elevator and ripped a
large hole in it. Kiéta climbed through the hole and faced Joe who was in the hallway.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Joe said in complete astonishment.

Kiéta leveled his staff at Joe. He didn't get a chance to fire; however, because Joe had
ran down the left hallway as soon as he saw the staff pointing at him. Kiéta stepped
out of the elevator and turned in Joe's direction. He leveled the staff and fired. Joe
dove to the floor and the force ball shot over his head but the shock wave was enough
to push him along the floor a little bit before it hit the opposite wall and detonated. Joe
got up and started running again and Kiéta chased after him.

Joe turned left and pushed through the stairway doors. He started down the stairs and
before he reached the end of the first flight Kiéta leaped over him and landed on the
stairs right in front of him. Kiéta swung his staff at Joe and smacked him right in the
mouth. The force of the blow through Joe against the wall and when he bounced off
Kiéta hit him again. Joe was dazed and in his stunned state Kiéta delivered six blows
and finished with a power uppercut that sent Joe flying up to the landing above them
on the stairs.

Kiéta laughed. "You talk a good fight, I think maybe I'm doing you a favor. By beating
that mouth off your face it won't get you in trouble any more."

Joe looked down at Kiéta. Joe tasted blood in his mouth and his ribs felt bruised.

Kiéta continued. "It's time to end this game," he raised his staff, "I've never been in
such a pathetic fight anyway." Kiéta roared and fired another force ball at Joe. But
somehow Joe found the speed to dive out of the way and climb up the stairs.

Joe had ridden the elevator further than he first thought. Just one flight up he saw the
exit to the roof. Joe tried to open the door but it was locked. There was a toolbox
sitting on the floor and inside was a crowbar. Joe used the crowbar to pry open the
door and he ran out onto the roof.

"Right, just like a friggin slasher movie. Where the fuck to now Joe my boy?" Joe said
out loud to himself.

Joe looked around fast to see if there was anything here to help him. He saw a coil of
nylon rope that window washers would use; he grabbed it and ran behind an air
conditioning unit.

Kiéta was walking slow and confident when he emerged from the stairway. He
watched Joseph break open the door and run out onto the roof. But there was
nowhere for Joe to go from here. The building was about sixteen stories high and there
were no outside fire escapes. Joe was trapped.

"Come on you coward!" Kiéta called out. "Face me like a man."

Behind the air unit Joe had tied the 'J' shaped crowbar to the rope and began to swing
it above his head. He waited until Kiéta was just around the corner and he jumped out
from his hiding place and threw the crowbar like a medieval ball and chain weapon
and struck Kiéta square in the jaw. Kiéta's head snapped back and he fell over
dropping his staff. But in his current powered state he was able to recover faster than
a normal human being ever could. Blood streamed from his mouth and a few of his
teeth were cracked but he was getting up and reaching for his staff, much to Joseph's
disbelief. Joe didn't hesitate this time; he ran up and kicked the staff out of Kiéta's
reach. It was Kiéta's turn to be stunned. Joe swung and struck with his makeshift
weapon with more speed than he himself thought possible. He alternated between
strikes with his crowbar and kicks and punches. One final swipe with the bar and rope
weapon threw Kiéta back several feet. Through it all Joe could almost see a faint blue
glow surrounding his vision but he paid it no mind. Kiéta rolled over and climbed to his
feet.

"Still bored?" Said Joseph.

Kiéta spit out a mouthful of blood and charged at Joseph. He swung three hard
punches which Joe blocked each in succession but Kiéta landed a full force
roundhouse kick to Joe's midsection.

"Even a small dog can get a lucky bite on the heel of the man kicking him." Kiéta said
as he recovered his staff.

Joseph didn't like admitting it but he did get lucky. He wasn't a fighter; James was the
one with military training. He would probably hold out for a while, but Kiéta was
obviously a trained killer. Not only that; but, he seemed to have superhuman strength
and abilities. Why he wasn't dead already was beyond Joseph's ability to guess; but he
knew that unless he got away quick he was lunchmeat.

Joe looked around. The way to the stairs was blocked. Hiding wouldn't accomplish
anything. His makeshift weapon would help but he wouldn't win. No fire escapes.

"Awe fuck!" Joseph said as he turned away from Kiéta and ran full speed toward the
ledge of the building. Kiéta watched in complete disbelief as Joseph ran right off the
roof.

As Joseph hung in the air he spun the crowbar as fast as he could, again seeing that
faint blue glow around his vision. He threw the bar at the roof of the building across
the street and the rope whipped loudly as it trailed upwards after the crowbar. He
grasped a tight hold on the other end of the rope and shut his eyes tightly. If this
worked, the rope would tell him, if it didn't then he could care less. 

The crowbar/grapple reached the other rooftop and caught the very edge of the
cement overhang. With a loud, sharp 'THUWACK' the rope pulled taught around
Joseph's right arm and he gritted his teeth against the violent pain that accompanied his
shoulder being dislocated. He opened his eyes and saw that his straight down fall had
turned into an arc leading into the opposite building. Seeing the wall coming at him he
figured that he was going to hit the plexiglass window on the fifth floor. He pulled out
the police gun he had picked up at the start of this chase and thanked God that it was
a semi automatic while he emptied the clip into the window. Cracks spider webbed
out from the bullet impacts and he threw the gun away just as he smashed through the
weakened glass. He swung through the window and the rope flipped him up into the
ceiling tiles before he could get his broken arm to let go of it. He crashed down onto a
conference table and moaned in pain.

Rolling off the table and coughing to reclaim the wind that was knocked out of him. He
worked his way to his feet and looked out the window at the rope dangling above.
What it caught he didn't know nor did he care.

"No fucking way should that've worked." He said out loud.

He looked at the roof of the building he had just so eccentrically vacated and noticed
Kiéta looking rather irate. Kiéta yelled and leveled the staff at the window Joseph was
looking out of.

"Ooh Shit!" Joe cried as he moved as quickly as he could to the door and down the
hall. The explosion still caught him and threw him several feet.

Moving with extreme pain, Joseph climbed down the stairs and back out onto the
street.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

James stepped quickly down the aisles between the huge production machines.
Turning a corner around a large vat of caustic chemicals, he saw a fully stocked
Industrial Emergency First Aid Kit. These I.E.F.A.K.'s were equipped to handle
emergencies involving severe bleeding, chemical burns, and other such wounds that
would most likely occur when using heavy machinery. Jim took the kit and continued
on. His first priority was to stop the bleeding, but he couldn't do that until he found a
place to treat his wounds without being found. Jim had an idea to help him out here,
but was going to cost him. How much it would cost he couldn't guess, but he hoped he
could hold out for just a little longer.

Tessa followed the red drops around the corners of the large machines and through
the aisles.

"You are only delaying you death barely minutes Mr. DiAngelo." Said Tessa in that
clear voice. "Why don't you stand and face me? Let's end this now."

There was no answer so he continued to follow the blood trail. He didn't hurry
because sooner or later the blood would lead him to his prey. He turned a corner and
was stopped cold in his tracks. On the floor there were two blood trails leading in two
directions. He looked down another aisle and was stunned to see two more blood
trails crossing each other.

"Oh, your good." Tessa said with grudging respect. "Very, very good."

James hoped that he had done enough to throw his pursuer for at least a couple of
minutes. Either way he couldn't afford to waste any more time. He found an open
storage closet and stepped in. He shut the door and flipped on the light. 'Gotta work
fast.' He thought to himself. 

He took off his jacket, shirt and pants. Opened the First Aid Kit and took out the
bandages, antiseptics, clotting agent, and compression patches. He worked on his leg
first because it was the easiest to treat. He would not be able to use both hands to
treat his arm and that will take longer. This way, with the leg bandaged, the loss of
blood would be less. While he worked he tried to assess what sort of wounds he had
received but whatever had wounded him wasn't any weapon he was familiar with.

It took a total of fifteen minutes to finish bandaging all his wounds, using his teeth to
finish off the knots on his arm bandages. He got dressed again and left the closet. The
thought occurred to him that maybe "Will Smith" would have given up by now. He
knew it was stupid to even consider such a thing but he couldn't help it. He confirmed
his stupidity when he saw Tessa moving on the catwalks above the floor machines.
James saw a set of compressed gas tanks chained to a wall on the catwalk level next
to the stairs and a plan formed. All he needed to do was to get the Black Knight
where he needed him to be in order for this to work.

James took a fire axe down from the wall and climbed the stairs to the catwalks as
quietly as he could. There wasn't much cover so he had to move very carefully. He
found one of the gas tanks already set up on a cart. He rolled the tank into the position
he wanted. He laid the tank on its side across the catwalk. He pointed the bottom of
the tank at the first in a line of five steel bucket lifts. The bucket lifts were attached to
cranes that could move along I-Beams on the ceiling. The buckets themselves were
used to raise, move, and lower the heavy components that operated the production
lines. Jim looked at the catwalk on the other side of the buckets, that was where he
wanted 'Will' to be.

'Just what is that dipshit's name anyway?' Jim thought to himself.

Taking stock of the Black Knight's progress, he belly crawled along the catwalks to
the controls for the bucket lifts.

The catwalks were arranged to run the length of the production floor with three
connecting walkways running perpendicular to the main walks. The connecting walks
were placed one in the center of the facility and one at either end of the walks. Jim
was on the crosswalk against the building wall. Tessa was crossing the center
crosswalk when James activated the lift and sent it right for the crosswalk. Tessa easily
stepped out of the way; but, now he was on the catwalk Jim wanted him on and he
was going in the right direction. In order to reach Jim, Tessa was going to pass right by
the other four lift buckets. Jim ran to the gas tank he had left on its side and wrapped
his jacket around the blade of the axe he picked up. When he thought the timing was
right he swung the axe with all the strength he had down onto the valve at the top of
the tank.

As anyone who works with compressed gas knows, there can be anything up to ten
thousand pounds per square inch of pressure held in place by that valve, depending on
the size of the tank. This was one of the larger floor tanks. So it held about four to six
thousand PSI of pressure. Explosive release of that kind of pressure through a small
exit, such as a busted valve, will increase the force released by a large quantity. Doing
what Jim had done would cause the tank to fly across the floor at the speed of a bullet.
And it will have enough momentum to blast straight through a cement block wall and
just keep going until it quite literally "ran out of gas". And this was what Jim wanted.

The Tank shot off the end of the catwalk and flew through the air and slammed into
the side of the first bucket in line. The result was that of the executive yo-yo that is
usually found on your boss's desk. The full force of the tank traveled through the lifts
and the last lift was swung out on its cables and smashed into the opposite catwalk just
as Tessa was running by. He was thrown clear across the production room and
slammed into a brick wall hard enough to crack the wall. Jim left the factory and
climbed the fence again. He looked back and saw that he was no longer being
followed. He risked the moment to give a victory yell and stumbled a few steps
forward.

"NOW!" He said out loud. "Where the FUCK am I?"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As Kiéta left the building where he had just fought Joseph, he dispersed the energy
that was his Juraian Battle Suit and emerged on the sidewalk wearing a black business
suit again. He reached into his jacket pocket and removed the tracker/jamming device
he had used to follow Joseph and prevent him from making any calls. Joseph had a
good lead but he could catch up. Kiéta took off down the street.

Joseph reached into the inside breast pocket of his jacket, or it should be said he tried
to reach into the inside breast pocket of his jacket. The moment he moved his right
hand he saw stars from the pain. He felt his shoulder with his left hand and could tell
that his shoulder was not where it was supposed to be. His head was throbbing as
well and he was convinced that one of his ribs had to be bruised. Reaching again to
the inside pocket of his suit jacket, this time with his left hand, he pulled out his cel
phone. He dialed the number and listened. He hit the off button when he heard the
screeching of the signal jamming.

'Wonder if that is happening to all cel phones around town.' He thought.

He would have used a pay phone if he had any change.

'Wonder if I can get a store to give me change for a dollar then charge it on my Visa.'
Was his next thought since he had no money at all on him.

He sat down on a bench for a moment to think. He had to find a way to warn the
Masaki's that they had trouble headed for them. Right now the best way to do that
was being jammed. He would like to find Jim as well. Even though he was sure that
James could take better care of himself that he could, he was worried about his friend.
These enemies they had made had incredible power and were definitely trained killers.

          Joseph stood again and saw Kiéta coming down the street out of the
          corner of his eye.

          "The tracking device." Joseph said, cursing himself for forgetting about it.

He headed down the street in a hurry. Joseph saw the entrance to the subway and ran
down the stairs. Blending into a throng of people he sidestepped the token purchase
and jumped over the gate. He slid into a room with beds built into the walls like
lockers and watched the stairs. Sure enough Kiéta was following.

'I gotta find that tracker!' he thought in desperation. 

Squeezing into another crowd he fought his way to the subway train. Once inside he
made his way forward to the next car and looked out the window. It was too much to
hope for that Kiéta wouldn't reach the train before it left. Kiéta stepped on and the
doors shut behind him.

Joseph made a mental checklist of everything he had on him. He thought of possible
hiding places for a tracker that he could discard. Everything he dumped hurt. It isn't
easy to throw away things that you bought with your own money even if loosing them
could save your life. He scowled when he tossed his watch on the floor and stepped
on it. His beeper he dropped in front of the exit door. He winced visibly and cursed
out loud when he dumped his wallet in a trashcan. Finally in the next car he
inconspicuously threw his cel phone under the seat next to the door when he bent over
and pretended to tie his shoe. At the next stop he exited, not very many people left the
train here and there wasn't a crowd waiting to board. Nonetheless he clustered in with
what people there were to hide himself and watched the train. He grinned widely when
the train doors closed and the subway pulled away and he saw Kiéta still on board.

Kiéta reached the spot the tracker said that Joseph was and was slightly worried that
Joseph was nowhere in sight. When the train stopped at the next stop someone
moving past to exit kicked something under one of the seats. Kiéta saw it and stooped
down to pick it up. He held Joseph's beeper and growled as he crushed it in his hand.

Joseph climbed the stairs to street level and looked around. This area of the city was
almost deserted. He picked a direction and walked. Joseph gave a start when he
turned a corner and saw someone limping toward him. There was something familiar
about this man, and it became clear when the man stepped under a streetlight.

"JIM!" Joseph called out to his friend.

"Hello Joe whadya know?" James answered out of habit.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I think Ryo-ohki has a lock on him." Said Ryoko. Ryo-ohki meowed repeatedly and
jumped out of the van window. 

"Hey Ryo-ohki Wait!" Cried Tenchi. "Dad stop the car!"

The van tires squealed and they all jumped out of the car after her. Ryo-ohki could
remember Jim's scent from breakfast and dinner. She had eaten carrots from his hand
at both meals. They ran down the sidewalk and could see two rather ragged
individuals walking towards them. Ryo-ohki hopped as fast as she could and flew
through the air and landed in James's arms. She meowed happily.

"It is them!" Exclaimed Mihoshi.

"Hey, alright!" Said Tenchi with satisfaction. "JIM! JOSEPH!" He called out waving
his hands.

"Joseph!" Kiyoné waved and ran just a little faster and pulled ahead of the group. She
slowed to a stop when she approached the two scientists. "Joseph, are you guys
alright?"

Joseph grinned. "To be honest, not really."

His out of place shoulder caught her attention at that moment. "Oh wow, that looks
bad." She said frowning.

"Jim isn't in too good of shape either." Said Joseph.

James was leaning on Joseph heavily and he was looking somewhat pale. His
bandages were getting red with blood.

"Oh my God!" Said Mihoshi.

"What happened to you guys?" Asked Nobiyuki.

"Uh uh! No way. We've had enough happen to us today without knowing the reasons
why or how." Said Joe.

"Right. You first, how did you find us and how did you know we needed help?" Said
Jim.

"Well, we knew something was wrong when we received your phone call and it was
jammed." Explained Ryoko. "But what really gave it away was when Sasami came
downstairs and told us she had another dream."

"Uh Oh." Said Joe and Jim in unison.

"When she told us about it," Ayeka started, "She said she felt that you two were
confronting the dark men from her other dream."

"Then we knew it had to be you who called us." Said Kiyoné.

"And we decided we had to find you no matter what." Said Mihoshi.

"Alright, So how did you find us?" Asked Jim.

"You're holding her." Said Ryoko. "Because you kept feeding her carrots at meals she
was able to get a good feel for your scent. She just sniffed and led us right to you. My
Ryo-ohki has the best sensors in the galaxy."

"That's good. Now I think we need a trip to the infirmary." Said Jim who was starting
to feel the effects of blood loss.

"Well lets not waste any time," said Nobiyuki, "jump in the van. Dad and Washu
thought that you might be needing some medical attention so they're in her lab setting
up."

"Right lets go." Said Tenchi taking Jim from Joe. 

Jim leaned heavily on him so Mihoshi moved to help Tenchi. Joe limped forward and
then Kiyoné, without thinking, reached out to help him.

"I can..." Joseph started to refuse her help but he stopped himself and smiled happily.
"Thank you." He said as she took his good arm around her shoulders to let him lean on
her.

"It's nothing, I'm glad to see that you're safe. Washu will fix you up in no time." She felt
incredibly relieved. The feeling surprised her. Why was she so worried about him?
They entered the van and drove back to the Masaki home.

In another part of the city two warriors faced each other. They didn't speak. They
couldn't speak. They were both defeated this night and the fact galled them both. Their
shame fueling the fire of hatred in them both and in each other's eyes they saw an oath
taken. An oath to be fulfilled with blood.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

To Be Continued.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>