Story c 2001 by Buggyness Tenchi and co are the property of Pioneer and AIC Comments? Reviews? Buggyness@hotmail.com Chapter 10: Prelude to Revenge "Tenchi! No!" The Princess raged at the green force field where Tenchi hovered. She pounded her fists on the glowing green light. Slight sparks escaped with each hit but she ignored the tiny shocks and the pain to her delicate hands. She had to save him. Suddenly, beams of orange and red light exploded from the red gems incrusted in Tenchi's bonds. The beams leapt to the ceiling and to the floor. As they hit the floor, light scattered everywhere. They all watched as it formed intricate patterns as if it were a glowing circuit board. The beams spread across the floor and traveled up the walls and dimmed down. "This is amazing," Kenji exclaimed, catching Zephr as he was exiting. "What?" The warrior did not want to meet the eyes of Tenchi's family, who slowly crept up to the field that held his body. "He is producing more than we expected. Look!" The general took out a remote control device and clicked a button. Several huge screens appeared across the far wall. The gigantic fleet appeared in these screens. Tenchi's energy leapt from ship to ship, each one glowing like circuits on fire as the beam touched it. "We are at full capacity." As the General finished speaking, Tenchi's body lurched violently. A giant pulse of energy emanated from the gems attached to his body and then quickly subsided. He closed his eyes and slowly, three faint wings appeared behind him. They began to spin. "You!" Ordered Kiyone. "You made him a promise!" She was crying. "The Juraians!" "Kenji, please give the order." "Yes." The general smirked, obviously unhappy. He pressed several buttons on his console and the screens changed to several views of Juraian people in their captivity cells. Suddenly people started to disappear in bunches from the screen. They were being transported back to the planet. "Kenji, let them stay a few minutes more. Only you or I can disable the extraction cycle once it has begun. Transport them and their ships to the planet and set our new course per the coordinates I gave you this morning." "No!" Ayeka heard this conversation and lurched toward Zephr. She grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. "I am not leaving him! I will be with him until this is over!" She sobbed. "So will I!" Mihoshi exclaimed quickly followed by the others. "Lord Zephr, you cannot allow the enemy to remain, they may thwart our mission!" "Everyone. Do you understand that you are also putting yourselves in danger by continuing with us? If you wish to remain with him, I will allow it, until." He took a deep breath and sorrowfully continued. ".until he expires. Then we will allow you to return on your ships which we have in tow." Ayeka clutched Mihoshi and sobbed on her shoulder. "Princess.I'm sorry." Zephr tried to console her, he put his hand on her shoulder. Ayeka responded by slapping his face. "I do not want your sorrow! You did this. You are responsible for his death. And I will not rest until I see that you also die." "I'm sorry you feel that way." He touched his cheek. "Kenji, I'm going to retire. Confine them to quarters in five minutes. Ayeka may stay here as long as she likes. Make sure a sentry keeps watch on her." As Zephr exited the room and passed by Lord Yosho, he felt a familiar sensation in the pit of his stomach, very similar to the sensation he felt as he battled Tenchi earlier. He dismissed it as a family quality Tenchi shared with his grandfather. "General, may we have our five minutes in private with my grandson?" "You should not have five minutes at all, that man is weak." He turned to walk to the door. "I have things to attend to anyway, so be prepared to leave with the guards outside." "Thank you." Yosho slowly walked up to Tenchi. "What are we going to do? What are we going to do?" "Kiyone's right. How can we get him out of here when the whole Juraian fleet and the Galaxy Police were defeated by these people?" Mihoshi asked. "Brother Yosho." Ayeka wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Do you know where they are keeping our ships?" "Hmmmm, perhaps we can find them if we can get past the guards. Why?" "I need to get the sword Tenchi from the bridge of the Ryo-Ooh. Tenchi last had it there before they transported us here." "You mean this?" He smiled and pulled from inside his robes the familiar wooden hilt of the Tenchiken. "Brother! Thank you for saving this! I have a plan." She turned to gaze at the body of the boy she loved. "Oh, Tenchi. I will save you." "Alright! Time to leave!" One of the ten guards posted outside the room entered the hall followed by the others. "Go!" Ayeka quickly hid the sword in her kimono and ushered her puzzled family to leave with the men. "I will join you shortly." "Good." Answered one of the Guards. "Mika, you will guard that one." he pointed to Ayeka, ".and take her to quarters when she requests." Ayeka clutched the sword beneath her garment tightly. One guard. That is what she hoped for. She gazed into Yosho's eyes and he understood and nodded. The others exited the room and the princess was left to look upon the blank face of her beloved.