Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi or any of the other characters in the following fanfic. 
The only characters I own are the ones I made up, but if you really want them, you could 
have them, I suppose. I don't have any money anyway, so it would be useless suing me.

Outcast of Jurai
by the Bumblebee

	Sasami couldn't sleep. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to get 
comfortable. Now she lay on her back, staring at the bar ceiling. Ryo-Ohki, the lovable 
gray cabbit, had fallen asleep cuddled beside her. Sasami turned towards her sister 
Ayeka. The gentle moonlight subtly accentuated her soft skin and tiny nose. Her wide 
pink eyes were closed in relaxing sleep. Sasami looked towards the ceiling again. *The 
moonlight's too bright,* she decided. Slowly she rolled out of bed, careful not to wake 
Ryo-Ohki.
	Sasami trudged lazily to the window. Clutching the curtains, Sasami paused 
before pulling them shut. In the distance she witnessed a large spaceship land silently 
among the hills. Sasami stared, mesmerized by the ship's glimmering hull. She was 
unaware of the passage of time until her sister stirred. Sasami softly padded towards her 
sister.
	"Ayeka? Ayeka, wake up!" Sasami pleaded. She shook her older sister by her 
shoulders. Ayeka slowly rubbed her eyes. "Ayeka, please, you have to see this!"
	"Sasami, what is it?" Ayeka asked, sensing the anxiety in Sasami's voice. Ayeka 
hurried to her feet as Sasami led her to the window.
	"Look, Ayeka! What is that spaceship doing there?"
	Ayeka studied the metallic vehicle. Its design was somehow familiar, but it 
certainly wasn't a Juraian craft. "I don't recognize it, Sasami," Ayeka admitted. Suddenly 
something else caught the princess's attention. There was movement in the yard below. In 
the crisp moonlight Ayeka could distinctly discern three masculine figures. "Sasa-" 
Ayeka couldn't finish her word. In fact, she was having difficulty moving or breathing. 
Someone had sneaked up behind her and wrapped a thick arm around her neck. A large 
hand covered most of her face. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sasami, struggling 
against her own captor. The two abductors easily hoisted the princesses onto their 
shoulders and carried them out of the room.~

	Ryoko was lovingly and longingly watching Tenchi sleep. She sighed with the 
methodical rising and falling of his chest. She reached out and wiped a drop of drool off 
his cheek.
	"RYOKO!"
	At the sound of Sasami's voice Ryoko was reluctantly pulled away from Tenchi. 
Up until that moment she had been unaware of the sounds of struggle in the hall. Quickly 
she levitated to the door and phased through. She saw the limp figures of Ayeka and 
Sasami being carried down the hall.
	"Hey," Ryoko called. "Where are you going?"
	The men holding the princesses turned. Shifting Sasami under one arm, the 
shorter man reached for a transceiver device on his belt. He muttered incoherently into it 
and held it to his ear for a reply. When he replaced it he pulled a gun from his belt and 
shot at Ryoko with unfailing aim. Having been caught off guard, the woman moaned and 
collapsed awkwardly. The man trotted over and dragged her behind him by the black tail 
of her striped dress.~

	Tenchi sat up in bed, stretching. Opening his eyes, he was alarmed to find that 
Ryoko wasn't there as she usually was. Scratching his head in confusion, he hopped out 
of bed and headed for the bathroom.
	Washu stepped out of her lab and loudly declared, "Where's my breakfast? A 
genius needs to eat once in a while, too, you know." She paused to sniff whatever Sasami 
was cooking. "How strange. My olfactory capabilities are unable to detect the fragrance 
of breakfast!" She peeked into the kitchen, to discover that Sasami was not cooking. 
Indeed, Sasami wasn't there at all. "How odd," Washu observed.
	"Hey, Sasami, what's cooking?" Tenchi asked as he descended the staircase.
	"Tenchi, Sasami isn't there," Washu stated.
	Just then Ryo-Ohki appeared at the top of the staircase. "Meow," she mewled 
plaintively.
	"Ryo-Ohki, where's Sasami? And where's Ryoko, for that matter?" Tenchi asked.
	"Meow!" Ryo-Ohki sobbed.
	"I don't think she knows either. At any rate, I'm pretty hungry. Go find Sasami, 
Tenchi. I'll be in my lab."
	Tenchi sighed. "Let's go, Ryo-Ohki," he called. "I'm hungry, too."~
	
	Ayeka slowly regained consciousness. She lethargically groped the surface she 
was lying on. It felt like an overstuffed leather futon. Opening her eyes, Ayeka noticed 
Sasami curled on the ground beside the couch. On Sasami's neck two small red raised 
marks revealed that she had been shocked with some sort of stun gun. Ayeka impulsively 
felt her own neck and located two similar marks. Ayeka sat up, still uneasy and slow-
witted. She saw Ryoko curled up beside Sasami on the floor.
	"Ah, she's up," a voice whispered. Ayeka turned, hoping to discover its source. "I 
guess I'll go alert the boss."
	"Who's there?" Ayeka demanded. Her vision was still blurred from sleep and the 
room was dim. "Where am I?" she asked, but no one responded. Ayeka rubbed her eyes 
and sat patiently in the silence.
	"Lady Ayeka, it is good to see you after so long," a voice hissed behind her. 
Ayeka rounded quickly.  A tall, middle-aged man stood in the darkest corner of the room. 
His serpentine voice, strangely icy and warm simultaneously, seemed oddly familiar to 
Ayeka.
	"Who are you?" the princess stalwartly asked. "I demand to know who you are 
and where you have brought me."
	The man raised his arm elegantly. The room brightened in response, revealing the 
man's attractive features. He had a masculine physique: broad shoulders, strong arms, 
muscular. His boyish face was dominated by his cervine brown eyes, thin-lipped smile 
and well-trimmed goatee. His chocolate brown hair was cropped short, except his bangs, 
which fell to his cheekbones. Ayeka calmly observed the room; it was large and well-
furnished. 
	"Do you recognize me, Lady Ayeka?" the man inquired, walking towards her.
	Ayeka studied his face. She knew it, and a name came to her mind to match. "You 
are Firnato, the outcast of Jurai."
	"That's right, my lady. Years ago I was ostracized by the Juraian civilization. And 
now I shall have my revenge."
	"Wha...what's going on?" Ryoko asked as she sat up.
	"Guards!" Firnato barked. "Come remove this space pirate!" Two guards appeared 
and flanked Ryoko, who immediately turned and punched the one to her right.
"Tranquilize her again, if you must," Firnato told his guards. "Contact some bounty 
hunters. Perhaps we can sell this demon woman." His guards bowed deeply and latched 
onto Ryoko's arms.
	"You better watch it, I'm not in the mood!" Ryoko warned.
	"If I were you, Ryoko, I wouldn't try anything," Firnato said coldly. "Your powers 
are useless on this ship."
	"Then I'll just have to get my own, won't I?" Ryoko smirked. "Ryo-Ohki! .....wait 
a second... Ryo-Ohki!"~

	"Meow!" Ryo-Ohki cried. She was on distant Earth, unable to hear her mistress's 
call.
	"Is something wrong, Ryo-Ohki?" Tenchi asked.
	"Meow! Meow!" Ryo-Ohki replied. She paused to sniff something.
	Tenchi and Ryo-Ohki were searching the grounds for Sasami and Ryoko. They 
were climbing one of the hills far from the Masaki house. It was already past noon and 
they had had no breakfast and no lunch.
	The boy and the cabbit had nearly reached the hill's summit when Tenchi smelled 
something funny. "Hey, Ryo-Ohki, do you smell that? It kinda smells like ... like fuel ..." 
Reaching the top of the hill, Tenchi could see a crater in the valley below. It had a very 
distinct, unnatural pattern. "This is something we ought to tell Washu about," Tenchi told 
Ryo-Ohki. After mentally photographing the design in his mind, he grabbed the cabbit 
and sprinted for home.~
	
	"I'll show you, you pompous pig!" Ryoko shouted. She started to create an energy 
ball to fling towards her captors, but they color instantly drained from her face and she 
fell to her knees.
	"I already told you, foolish woman," Firnato explained, "your powers are useless. 
Once this ship detects a high concentration of energy, it immediately absorbs it."
	Ryoko was breathing heavily. One of the guards pulled a stun gun from his belt 
and held it to Ryoko's neck. She fell to the ground. The other guard flung her over his 
shoulder and carried her out of the room.
	Ayeka had placidly watched the spectacle, afraid to interfere. Firnato once again 
turned towards her. "What do you want with my sister and I?" she demanded imperiously. 
"How is it you plan to exact your revenge on my people?"
	Sasami yawned. "Breakfast is ready..." she muttered absent-mindedly.
	"Really, so many interruptions," Firnato sighed. "I suppose it was necessary to 
take them as well ... Guards, come show Lady Sasami to her room."
	Ayeka uneasily gazed into Firnato's eyes. He referred to them using the more 
informal term "lady" instead of the usual "princess." It was a privilege only bestowed to 
Juraian nobility.
	"What is this ship, anyway? How is it more powerful than Ryoko?" Ayeka asked 
as Sasami was escorted away.
	"My ship, my beautiful ship," Firnato smiled. "It is the epitome of space 
technology, is it not? It was designed by the most powerful, the most intelligent genius in 
the universe."
	Ayeka looked at him quizzically. "You can't mean ..."~

	"Washu?" Tenchi asked. He stepped timidly into her laboratory. "Washu..."
	A door suddenly appeared in front of him, and Washu stepped out. "You found 
Sasami, Tenchi? Is breakfast ready?"
	"Um, no, Washu. I saw something in the hills, me and Ryo-Ohki, actually. It 
looked strange, so I thought I ought to..."
	"What did you see, Tenchi?" Washu interrupted, suddenly sensing foul play. 
	"There was a shallow crater in the hills. It had an odd design."
	The hair along Washu's neck pricked up. "Was it a large circle, with flames 
radiating from its center?"
	"Well, yeah, actually." Tenchi scratched the back of his head.
	The diminutive scientist reached up and clutched Tenchi's shoulders. "Tenchi, 
this is serious. If you haven't noticed, Ayeka is gone. Hopefully Ryoko and Sasami are 
with her."
	"What's the matter?" Tenchi asked anxiously. "Where are they?"
	"In very grave danger," Washu sighed. "Very grave danger."~

	"This is where you'll be staying temporarily, Lady Ayeka," Firnato said. He had 
personally escorted Ayeka to her luxurious quarters. She had her own chamber, with a 
bedroom, a bathroom, and even a parlor. "I trust you will find sufficient privacy here. My 
guards are perpetually stationed outside," he added, as though to deter her from any 
thoughts of escape. "If you need anything, simply ask them. You will join me for dinner 
this evening."
	Ayeka was silent. She worried about Sasami and even her rival, Ryoko. She 
wondered what was going on on Earth. She walked into the middle of the parlor and 
heard the door close behind her. She then sank to the floor and cried.~
	
	Sasami yawned, still sleepy. Her 'room' turned out to be the ship's scullery, where 
she was assigned to wash dishes. She had been fitted with a thick metal yellow bracelet 
on her upper arm before being shoved to the sink.
	Sasami was unsure where she was and how she had gotten there. She could only 
remember getting up to close the curtains and after that her mind went blank.
	She glanced at the yellow bracelet on her arm. It beeped softly when she shifted 
her weight.
	"It's a tracking device," an elderly man washing dishes beside her explained. 
"They like to keep track of us."
	"A tracking device? Why?" Sasami asked, slightly confused.
	"To make sure that we slaves don't cause any trouble," the woman on Sasami's 
opposite side muttered.
	"Slaves? I'm not a slave!" Sasami blurted out.
	"Calm down, young lady!" The elderly man wrapped a wet arm around her in a 
grandfatherly manner. "If you get excited, you'll only draw attention to yourself. Firnato's 
guards are probably hovering nearby, ready to sound an alarm."~
	
	"Red alert! Red alert!" an alarm screamed. Sirens wailed and lights flashed. "Be 
on the lookout for the space pirate Ryoko! Repeat, be on the lookout for..."
	Ryoko had said farewell to the guard accompanying her to the hold with a swift 
kick in the gut and a strong left hook. Now she dashed aimlessly through the labyrinthine 
ship's innumerable passageways, searching for a safe place to hide. Rounding a corner, 
she stopped short and paused. Two guards were stationed outside an elaborate doorway 
in the otherwise remote hall.
	"Commander, shall we join the search for Ryoko?" one guard asked through his 
transceiver. Ryoko strained to hear more, but nothing more was said. The guard pressed a 
keypad beside the door three times, and the two men headed down the opposite end of 
the passage.
	As soon as they were out of sight Ryoko crept up to the doorway. She attempted 
to forcefully open the door until her efforts were interrupted.
	"Go away and leave me alone!" a familiar voice cried from within.
	"Ayeka? Ayeka, it's me, Ryoko! Let me in!"
	Ryoko heard the Juraian princess shuffle to the doorway. The doorknob jiggled 
ineffectively.
	"I'm sorry, Ryoko, it's locked. Isn't there a guard out there?" she asked 
suspiciously.
	"No," Ryoko replied. "They went looking for me." Ryoko turned her attention to 
the keypad on her left. "The code can't be that hard to crack," she assured herself. "It was 
only a three-combination." Ryoko glanced furtively over each shoulder before 
desperately trying to crack the code.~

	"Hello? Hello-o-o-o?" a sing-song voice echoed through the Masaki home.  
Mihoshi stuck her head through the front door. "There's no one here, Kiyone."
	Kiyone, Mihoshi's foil in every possible way, and unfortunately her partner as 
well, pushed Mihoshi through the doorway. "There has to be someone here. Seven people 
and a cabbit live in this house. No way it's unoccupied." Kiyone walked to the kitchen. 
Mihoshi climbed halfway up the steps. "Hello?" they hesitantly called.
	The two partners looked at each other. "Let's try Washu's lab," Kiyone suggested. 
As if on cue, the door beneath the staircase creaked open.
	"Get in here, you two," Washu beckoned. Mihoshi and Kiyone quickly filed in.
	"Why are you girls here?" Tenchi asked. He failed to sound upbeat. His face wore 
an expression of anxiety. He was leaning over Washu, who was apparently doing 
something very important on her computer.
	"We, uh, just decided to stop by," Kiyone smiled.
	"Because we haven't eaten a decent meal in days!" Mihoshi added. Kiyone's hand 
quickly flew to Mihoshi's mouth.
	Tenchi turned back to Washu's monitor indifferently. "What's going on?" Kiyone 
asked, shuddering at the gravity in the room.
	Washu answered. "Ayeka, Ryoko, and Sasami have been kidnapped."
	Ryo-Ohki moved quietly at the mention of their names. She sulked forlornly at 
Tenchi's feet, waiting for an opportunity to help.
	"By who? Where are they now?" Kiyone inquired.
	"That's our quandary, girls," Washu sighed. "I designed the ship they're being held 
in to be virtually untraceable. I did such a good job I'm having difficulty unlocking the 
cloaking device. I can neither detect Ayeka's power signature nor establish a link with 
Ryoko."
	"By who?" Kiyone reiterated.
	"A man called Firnato, known as the outcast of Jurai. He was a wealthy Juraian 
noble who had his eye on the Juraian throne. His ruthless ambition caused him to be 
expelled form Juraian society, a punishment worse than death. He obtained my ship 
during my imprisonment with Kagato."
	"Well, Ryoko and Ayeka can just use their powers and..."
	"It's not that easy," Washu interrupted, pausing to massage her temples. "The ship 
immediately absorbs an energy in high concentration outside the ship's engine room."
	"So all they have to do," Kiyone deduced, "is head to the engine room to use their 
powers!"
	Tenchi sighed. "We know that, but they don't."
	"Wait a sec," Mihoshi whispered. "Ayeka and Sasami and Ryoko aren't here..."
	"That's right," Tenchi agreed.
	"And we don't know where they are..."
	"Yes," Kiyone mumbled.
	"And Washu can't find them on her computer..."
	"Correct," Washu muttered.
	"Oh no!" Mihoshi cried. "I think they've been kidnapped!"~
	
	"Damn!" Ryoko grumbled. She heard footsteps down the hall, and she still hadn't 
figured out the combination. "Stand back, princess!" she yelled before destroying the 
keypad with her fist. Sparks flew, the pad spontaneously combusted, and the door to 
Ayeka's chamber creaked open.
	"What did you do?" Ayeka questioned, observing Ryoko's bleeding hand.
	"You have got to hide me!" Ryoko pleaded as she pushed her way into the parlor, 
slamming the door behind her.
	"In here," Ayeka suggested, pulling Ryoko into the adjoining bedroom. In its 
center was a luxurious bed, large enough for at least five people. A plush, velvety 
comforter hid the fluffy pillow and draped to the floor on the magnificently carved four-
poster.
	"Whoa," Ryoko laughed. "I don't go so far on first dates." Ayeka ignored the 
comment. "How'd you get on his good side?" Ryoko continued.
	Ayeka didn't reply. She hurried to the side of the bed to examine it more closely.
	"Under the covers or under the bed?" Ryoko asked.
	"Under the mattress," Ayeka responded curtly.
	"Are you crazy? I'll suffocate!"
	Two knocks resonated on the outside door.
	"No time to argue, Ryoko! Hurry!" Ayeka hushed as she dashed to the door.
	"Princess Ayeka, please open the door!" a burly voice demanded.
	Ayeka opened the door a crack. "Yes, can I help you?"
	"Your Majesty, we must search your chamber," the guard charged, pushing the 
door open wider.
	Ayeka stopped him. "Excuse me, sir, but I was assured privacy in my chamber."
	"We apologize, Your Highness," a guard behind him replied. "But it is a matter of 
the ship's security.
	"Your cooperation is appreciated," the guard at the door said, opening the door 
and stepping inside.~

	"I can't go on. I want my sister," Sasami whispered.
	"It's okay, sweetheart," the female dishwasher beside her sympathized. "Most of 
us were separated from our families, too."
	Sasami wiped away a tear with her soggy sleeve. "I'm sorry. It's just that I ... 
what's your name, anyway?"
	"My name is Otoyo. And this gentleman is Sho," the woman smiled, gesturing 
towards the man on Sasami's right. "And you are?"
	"Sasami. Where are you from? I mean, how did you get here?"
	"Most of us were on a space shuttle the accidentally collided with this ship," Sho 
explained. "The man who controls this ship, Firnato, took us all prisoner instead of 
risking discovery."
	"You mean that space shuttle disappearance that had everybody panicked ? That 
was years ago!" Sho and Otoyo nodded solemnly. "Firnato," Sasami pondered. "You 
mean the Outcast of Jurai?" She recalled hearing his name on her home planet . He had 
been expelled years before she was born.
	"That's it. Even though he supposedly died years ago..."~

	"So, Washu, why didn't this occur to you sooner?" Kiyone asked as the group 
hiked through the hills. 
	"He was supposed to be dead. Something about being sucked into a black 
hole...I'm such an idiot. I built devices into that ship to prevent that." Washu had her 
laptop tucked under her arm. Tenchi was ahead of her with a flashlight to guide the way.
	"Trail mix, anyone?" Mihoshi asked cheerfully, munching on a handful of peanuts 
and raisins. She was purposely ignored.
	"It was just over this crest," Tenchi alerted the others. "Watch your step."
	The group climbed up to the hill's climax. Even in the semi-darkness, the pattern 
burned into the soil by Firnato's ship was discernible.
	"His trademark," Washu scowled. 
	"Now what?" Mihoshi asked.
	"Now we track them, the old-fashioned way," Washu said as she bent over and 
grabbed Ryo-Ohki by the nape of her neck. Washu flung the slightly startled cabbit into 
the air. Ryo-Ohki instantly transformed from a cuddly cabbit into a not-so-cuddly 
spaceship. "Because of its energy-absorbing properties, Firnato's ship has an inefficient 
energy converter.  Although it's untraceable using electronic equipment and high-tech 
devices, if we follow the fuel particles in space eventually we should find it."
	"Then let's do it!" Tenchi yelled, and so they were on the trail.~

	"We apologize for any inconvenience, Your Highness," a guard said in a 
disappointed tone.
	"Humph," Ayeka closed the door behind them. She turned and leaned against it 
and breathed a sigh of relief. "Ryoko, they've gone," she called.
	Ayeka shuffled into the bedroom, where Ryoko struggled out from under the 
mattress. She gulped for air desperately.
	Ayeka enjoyed this spectacle. "You're welcome," she giggled.
	"Whatever," Ryoko growled.
	Suddenly a male voice echoed through the room, originating from an intercom by 
the front door. "Dinner will be ready in half-an-hour, Lady Ayeka. If you really would 
like to humor me, you'll find a fetching evening gown in the closet." The message ended 
as abruptly as it began. 
	Ayeka scowled.
	"Sounds like a date to me," Ryoko laughed. "Who is this guy, anyway?"
	Ayeka stomped over to the closet and flung the doors wide open. "He is Firnato, 
outcast of Jurai. He was expelled from the planet Jurai and all its colonies for a heinous 
crime he committed long ago."
	"So, what did he do?" Ryoko asked curiously. By then she had escaped from the 
bed and was reclining on a polished cherry dresser.
	Ayeka paused. "I ... I don't remember. I don't even know if I was told." Fingering 
through the extensive wardrobe provided her, Ayeka discovered a wine-color gown and 
pulled it out. "I do know that it was a direct action against the Royal House of Jurai, and 
it involved a plot to seize the throne."
	"Good gods!" Ryoko exclaimed. Ayeka turned. Ryoko had opened the top drawer 
of the dresser. It was full of exquisite jewelry.
	"Really, Ryoko, have you heard a word I said?" Ayeka asked, slightly irritated.
	Ryoko either blatantly ignored the princess or was too absorbed in draping herself 
in gold and gems to pay attention.
	"I'm going to get dressed, then," Ayeka announced. Ryoko laughed evilly, 
adorning herself with baubles.~

	Sasami, distracted by the fragrance of roast meat, had ceased doing dishes. 
Instead she leaned against the sink and soaked up the odors of dinner, most of which she 
recognized as Juraian delicacies. The scents of her favorite dishes wafted over from the 
kitchen.
	"Look sharp, young lady," Sho nudged.
	Two guards marched down the aisle of dishwashers. "You, you, you there, you, 
and you," one said, pointing at randomly selected slaves. "Report to the slave quarters 
immediately to await further instructions."
	"What's going on? Are you in trouble?" Sasami whispered worriedly. 
	Otoyo was among the selected slaves. "Don't worry, kiddo, they're just picking 
people to serve dinner. I heard there's a very important guest tonight."
	"If you see my sister Ayeka, will you tell her where to find me?"
	Otoyo nodded silently in reply. She quickly followed the others out the door.
	Sasami sighed, watching her leave. When she turned back to the sink, she began 
to cry.~

	Ayeka stood in the entranceway of the dining hall. It was large enough to rival a 
football field, though it was undoubtedly more ornate and beautiful. It resembled a 
cathedral: vaulted ceilings, polished mosaic floor, marble columns. Light poured in from 
chandeliers of white gold and stained glass.
	Firnato greeted her as she reached the dining table. "You look stunning," he 
smiled.
	He wasn't lying. The slim evening gown flowed down her figure. She wore a 
simple gold chain chosen by Ryoko around her neck. It glittered against her lily-white 
skin as she moved. The deep wine color of her dress really brought out her eyes. Her 
arms, though, were folded across her chest and her expression was a combination of 
anger, disgust, and resentment.
	They sat opposite each other. There was no one else dining with them.
	One by one smartly dressed slaves filed through, each carrying an exquisite dish 
of Juraian origin. Ayeka's mouth watered at the sheer sight of all the food; after all, she 
hadn't eaten all day. Still, she regarded her servings warily.
	"I thought you would enjoy an old-fashioned home-cooked Juraian meal," Firnato 
laughed heartily. "Relax. You, slave," he beckoned, "come sample our guest's food for 
her."
	A young woman stepped forward, holding a fork. She bent over Ayeka's shoulder 
and delicately sampled a morsel. Between chews Ayeka heard her whisper. "Sasami is 
with us." Ayeka saw the slave smile out of the corner of her eye. "She is among friends."
	"Excuse me, slave?" Firnato asked threateningly. "Were you saying something?"
	"I was simply complimenting Lady Ayeka on her charm and comeliness," the 
slave replied audaciously.
	Firnato sneered. He summoned a guard to his side and incoherently whispered 
into his ear. "Now then," he smiled. "Are you satisfied, Lady Ayeka?"
	"Yes, thank you," she replied courteously. Ayeka ate in her Juraian manner: 
taking small portions with her chopsticks, she cupped her hand beneath her chin as she 
placed the morsel in her mouth and chewed each bite slowly and thoroughly.
	Ayeka looked up. Firnato's discomforting gaze met her own. For a moment 
Firnato's piercing eyes burned through her. Ayeka shuddered and looked away.
	"I suppose you're wondering why I kidnapped you."
	Ayeka looked up and nodded. "I believe you owe me an explanation."
	"Very well. You are an instrumental part of my plan to seize the Juraian throne."
	This did not phase Ayeka. In fact, she had been expecting it. "Will you hold me 
for ransom?"
	A broad evil grin distorted Firnato's face. "I will overthrow Emperor Azusa in 
your name and take over as ruler."
	"My parents know that I would never do such a thing. Besides, if you were to rule, 
then you would have to marry into the Royal Family."
	Firnato laughed. "That, my dear Ayeka," he hissed, "is exactly what I plan to 
do."~

	Ryoko chuckled to herself. She soaked in the spa in Ayeka's bathroom, still 
draped in the jewelry she had found. She reached to the side and switched on the 
whirlpool function. The water began to bubble and foam as it churned in the spacious 
tub.
	"Oh, Tenchi, if you were here to see me now!" Ryoko laughed. She caught 
herself. *Where is Tenchi, anyway? He should have rescued us by now!*~

	Tenchi looked up towards the viewscreen from Ryo-Ohki's bridge. "Yes, 
Marshall. Ayeka and the others were kidnapped by Firnato. We're sure of it."
	"And we should disregard the fact that you are contacting us from the ship of a 
notorious criminal?"
	"I can account for that, sir." Kiyone stepped forward. "You see, it was the only 
ship available, and since time is of the essence..."
	"Kiyone!" the Marshall declared. "Is Mihoshi with you?"
	"Here I am!" Mihoshi waved at the viewscreen.
	"I don't believe it!" the Marshall insisted. " But I realize that now is not the time to 
argue. He's supposedly been dead for years, though, you know. His ship slipped into a 
black hole right after the last time he did this!"
	"Last time?" Kiyone wavered. Everyone turned to Washu for an explanation.~

	Ryoko had climbed out of the tub and slipped into silk pajamas she had found 
earlier in a drawer. They were a red-grape shad of purple; not exactly her color, but 
attractive nonetheless. She relaxed on the bed and pictured Tenchi lying beside her. "Oh, 
Tenchi," she sighed. "What I wouldn't give to see you here."~

	The Marshall turned to his subordinates. "Send a fleet to the coordinates Washu 
provided, and backup if you deem it necessary. It appears as though the outcast of Jurai 
has been resurrected."~

	Sasami lay on the top bunk in the female section of the slave quarters. She stared 
at the ceiling in the semi-darkness. She could not blame her sleeplessness on the moon's 
brightness.
	The door creaked open, and several slaves who had served dinner crept in 
silently. Sasami leaned over the side of the bed. Otoyo wasn't among them.~

	"Lady Ayeka, you must understand that ..."
	"Leave me alone," Ayeka spat. 
	They were standing in the hall before Ayeka's chamber. Ayeka was facing the 
door.
	"Lady Ayeka," Firnato pleaded.
	Ayeka ignored him. She opened the door and walked into the center of the parlor, 
waiting for Firnato to leave. He stood in the doorway. He nodded to one of his guards and 
sighed. Ayeka heard the door shut.
	*The nerve of that man,* she pondered. *To marry him would be to ...*
	Her thoughts were interrupted. A man's hand rested on her shoulder. "You will be 
my bride, Ayeka."
	She turned hastily. Firnato stared intensely into her deep pink eyes. *He must 
have followed me in.* Impulsively she backed towards the wall, tripping herself on a 
couch. Firnato followed. Ayeka sat up as Firnato knelt before her. He placed one hand 
gently on her shoulder and wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of his other. Ayeka 
wasn't aware that she was crying.
	"I love you, Ayeka," he whispered. 
	*I love you, Ayeka,* the words resounded in her mind. 
	"I have loved you since the moment I first saw you." 
	*I love you, Ayeka,* the words she had so desperately wanted from the mouth of 
Tenchi Masaki seemed unnatural coming from this stranger. 
	"You were so endearing as a child ... I wanted to make you my own." 
	*I love you, Ayeka.* Ayeka couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks 
and into the hand of Firnato, cupped beneath her chin. 
	"You fit so perfectly into my plan then ... to kidnap you and hold you until your 
father relinquished his throne ... but I fell in love with you, Ayeka." 
	*I love you, Ayeka.*
	 "And when they caught me ... When they caught me, I vowed that I would 
recover you one day, and you would belong to me for eternity." 
	*I love you, Ayeka.*  Ayeka tried to pull her head away, tried to disconnect 
Firnato's longing gaze. He didn't love her. He didn't even  know her. 
	"Ayeka," Firnato pleaded. He placed his hands squarely on Ayeka's shoulders and 
pulled her closer. He slipped one hand behind her neck and pressed her lips firmly to his. 
Ayeka felt nothing. Firnato broke the kiss, but hovered near her face. He leaned his cheek 
against hers. Ayeka could palpitate his moist breath against her quivering skin. She 
trembled.~

	Ryoko was bent over at the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. She watched, 
aghast, as Firnato kissed Ayeka. She saw Ayeka tremble ... *Tremble with what? 
Excitement? Fear?* Ryoko hesitated. She saw Firnato's hand slide from Ayeka's back to 
her chest. She didn't waste another moment. Bursting through the door, she kneed Firnato 
in the gut. Ayeka jumped away as Firnato reeled on the floor. Ryoko pulled a strand of 
pearls from her neck and lassoed Firnato. She began to choke him with the jewels.
	"Guards!" he rasped, pulling helplessly at his noose. Two guards opened the door 
violently, knocking it off its hinges. Ayeka hurled a chair at them, knocking them over.
	"Leave him, Ryoko!" Ayeka shouted. "We must find Sasami and get out of 
here!"~

	"Good gods!" a voice of a slave below her shouted, jerking Sasami back into 
consciousness.
	"Sasami, get out of there! We're going home!"
	"Ayeka?" Sasami sat up on the bunk, knocking her head on the ceiling. 
	Ayeka dashed inside and pulled Sasami out of bed. "Sasami, we're in danger. We 
must leave now!"
	"Stop dawdling, princess!" Ryoko called from the hall. "Here they come!"~

	"Aha!" Washu rejoiced. "There they are!" She pointed towards the viewscreen. 
Firnato's ship appeared.
	"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kiyone asked. "Let's get on that ship!"
	Washu steered Ryo-Ohki to the ship's side. With Ryo-Ohki's blasters she 
successfully shot a hole in the side large enough to lodge the much smaller ship in.
	"Don't be so reckless, Washu," Tenchi warned, observing some hapless men being 
pulled into the vacuum of space from the gaping hole. "How could you tell Ayeka and 
Ryoko and Sasami weren't there?"
	"We're close enough now that I can reopen my mental link with Ryoko," Washu 
explained as she steered Ryo-Ohki into the hole. "I can tell she is with the others on the 
opposite side of the ship."
	"Can you tell them to get to the engine room?" Kiyone asked urgently. "We can 
meet them there and destroy Firnato and his infernal ship."
	Washu sighed. "It's not that clear," she said. "But I'll do my best."~

	*Quickly. Go to the engine room.*  The message appeared briefly in Ryoko's 
mind. She didn't pay attention, as she was being pursued down a narrow passage by about 
two dozen armed guards bearing nasty-looking weapons. *Ryoko, go to the engine room 
NOW!* 
	She turned sharply into another hall. Sasami and Ayeka, who had been running 
behind her, followed suit. Another guard awaited them there.
	"Excuse me, sir, could you direct us to the engine room?"
	The guard, somewhat baffled, pointed dumbly down a separate corridor.
	"Thanks!" Ryoko laughed as the three continued fleeing.
	"Why....are we....going to the ....engine....room, Ryoko?" Sasami managed to huff 
between breaths.
	"I have no idea," Ryoko replied. "I just....listened to....a little voice in my head."~

	"Wait for me!" Mihoshi begged as she tripped and fell flat on her face. Her 
companions were already way ahead of her, dashing towards the engine room. When 
Mihoshi got up, her friends had vanished into another corridor.
	"I'll just stay here and guard the ship, then," she sniffled. She heard small 
explosions and shouting all around her. "Maybe it's a little safer in the ship," she told 
herself. "I think I'll just wait in there until they get back."~

	Tenchi fought tooth and nail with his assailants. Unable to utilize his lightsword, 
he had to make do with a sharp piece of the ship's hull he had found when disembarking 
from Ryo-Ohki. Kiyone fought similarly beside him. Washu had disappeared into another 
hallway, but she could take care of herself.
	"Tenchi, do you know where you're going?" Kiyone asked as she stabbed a guard 
with her makeshift weapon. She took hold of his sword as he fell, and abandoned her 
rubbage.
	"I think this is the way!" Tenchi replied. "Which way to the engine room?" he 
inquired from another attacker. The attacker, bewildered, pointed dumbly down a 
passageway.
	"Thank you, my good man!" Kiyone said as she bashed him over the head. He 
collapsed in a bloody heap.
	"That wasn't very polite," Tenchi reprimanded. "Let's go."~

	"Wow, it's so hot in here!" Sasami gasped.
	"This must be where all the excess energy goes," Ayeka muttered. "Maybe we can 
use our powers here."
	"Excellent deduction, Ayeka," a voice seethed behind her. 
	"Firnato!" Ryoko shouted. She tried to punch him in the face, but a guard struck 
her down. "You won't get away that easy!" she shouted. To her delight she could form a 
ball of energy and hurl it at Firnato. He sidestepped and the ball connected with one of 
his guards. The guard was thrown into a nearby machine, which exploded appropriately.
	"Watch it, my dear," he sibilated. "This is the center of the ship. One wrong move, 
and the entire ship will go up in flames."
	"Well then, I suppose we'll meet in hell!" Ryoko roared, preparing to launch 
another attack. Ayeka restrained her.
	"Ryoko, please!" she reproached. "Allow me!" Power logs suddenly surounded 
them. Immediately Ayeka took out a few guards flanking Firnato.
	Firnato laughed. "Two can play at this game, Ayeka." Twice as many power logs 
appeared, surrounding Sasami and Ryoko.
	"Ah!" Sasami screamed in pain as electricity shot between the logs. Ryoko glared, 
first from Firnato, then to Ayeka.
	"Surrender, Ayeka," Firnato said coldly, "and I will allow them to live."
	"They will live regardless of what you allow!" a well-known voice announced. 
Tenchi suddenly appeared, beside him Kiyone. They were both stained with blood and 
sweat.
	"You must be the infamous Tenchi Masaki. What a pleasure it will be destroying 
you."
	"Release the girls." Tenchi now prepared for battle with his light sword. His battle 
armor glimmered in its ethereal light.
	"You can have these two ... they mean nothing to me," Firnato said, releasing 
Sasami and Ryoko. They had been suspended in midair and fell to the ground with a 
thud. "However, Lady Ayeka will come with me. We have an appointment to keep."
	Tenchi steeled himself and charged at Firnato. He leapt, sword high above his 
head. With a great cry he slashed downwards towards his intended victim. Instead, 
Tenchi connected with the floor. Firnato had, once again, unnoticeably moved out of the 
way. 
	Ayeka stared in horror as Tenchi moaned. He slowly got up to face Firnato again. 
Firnato reached out and grabbed Ayeka, holding her before him like a shield.
	"Ayeka, you idiot!" Ryoko shouted. "How could you just stand there like that?" 
Ryoko stood up and prepared a fierce, glowing ball of energy. She hurled it in Firnato's 
general direction, but anger had clouded her aim. The ball connected with the wall. 
Flames erupted from the gap formed. A chain reaction of concussions occurred 
throughout the engine room.
	"We'll just be going now!" Firnato growled grimly. He backed towards the door, 
still clutching Ayeka fiercely. "It was nice meeting all of you, but I'm afraid you're 
destined to perish when my ship explodes."~

	A chunk of the ceiling fell, blocking the door from which Firnato had escaped 
with Ayeka. The others were trapped, suffocating from all the smoke.
	Without warning another wall caved in. A recognizable piece of Ryo-Ohki's hull 
shot through the rubble. "Come, on guys, get moving!" Mihoshi shouted from within. 
Without hesitating everyone boarded the ship.~

	Red lights flashed urgently around them. Ayeka found it difficult to breath. Slaves 
and guards alike were racing in and out the halls. Firnato headed for the escape ship. He 
reached a door, entered a combination to the keypad beside it. The door mechanically 
hissed open, and Firnato dragged Ayeka in behind him. He threw her violently onto the 
small ship and followed her. He ducked into the tiny cockpit. "Buckle your seatbelt, 
princess," he mocked. "We're in for a bumpy ride."~

	"This is the Galaxy Police," a voice reverberated throughout the halls of Firnato's 
ship. "We will transport you to our ships for safety, where you will be held in custody 
until an investigation is underway." People flocked to the GP ships docked there. 
	The ships pulled away from Firnato's hellhole, laden with a cargo of villians and 
slaves, only a few seconds before Firnato's ship combusted.~

	"Damn!" Tenchi cursed. 
	Sasami started to cry. "Ayeka wasn't on the ship as it blew up, was she? Did she 
make it out okay?" No one could answer her question.
	"Washu, can't you trace her power signatu ... Washu?" Tenchi realized they had 
been seperated on Firnato's large ship.
	"Tenchi, Washu can take care of herself. Let me take over," Ryoko snarled. "Ryo-
Ohki, the fun's over. Let's get down to business.~

	"If you think I'm going to sit by passively as you get away with this atrocity, you're 
wrong," Ayeka admonished. She sat beside Firnato in the copilot seat. Firnato carefully 
maneuvered the ship out of the wreckage and dodged the Galaxy Police.
	"Shut up, Lady Ayeka," Firnato replied. "My plan was ruined once, and I won't 
fail again."
	"I beg to differ, Firnato."
	Ayeka and Firnato turned. Between them stood the diminutive genius Washu.
	"You!" Firnato snapped.
	"Little Washu! Ayeka smiled.
	"I'll take it from here, Firnato," Washu stated plainly. She leveled a blaster to his 
face.
	"You think I'll surrender so ignobly?" Firnato hissed.
	"Surrender is not a choice," Washu corrected. Not wasting another breath she 
pulled the trigger.~

	Sasami woke in the middle of the night. She looked over to her side. Ayeka was 
sleeping peacefully beside her. Ryo-Ohki was cuddled to her side. She stared at the 
ceiling. The moonlight brightly lit the room, but Sasami didn't care. She rolled onto her 
side and fell back asleep.~

Author's notes: Well, that was my first attempt at a Tenchi fanfic. I hope I did the 
characters justice and all. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any 
comments or criticisms, feel free to send them to me at 
mysteriousbumblebee@angelfire.com.