DISCLAIMER: Tenchi Muyo! and all original characters therein are copyright AIC 
and Pioneer Entertainment.  Additional characters copyright Ian Sagat 2001.  
This story copyright Ian Sagat 2001.

This was by far the most difficult chapter I've written thus far.  It's hard 
keeping track of so many characters!  Anyway, this is also the most action 
packed episode so far, so hold onto to your seats!


TENCHI MUYO!: WAR AND PEACE
A FANFIC BY IAN SAGAT

"All great truths begin as blasphemies."
	-Jesus Christ

CHAPTER 4: REVELATIONS

	"Protect the Royal Family!" shouted Mayan.
	The crowd gasped as a dozen royal guards leapt from their positions around 
the Great Hall and formed a wall of bodies between Tenchi, the girls, and the 
Holy Council.  Blue shafts of light erupted to life as they ignited their energy 
swords, while Mayan removed a HUGE polearm with a wicked looking blade at one 
end from his back.  They took up fighting stances.
	Tenchi and the girls just watched, still in shock from this abrupt 
interruption.  The rest of the crew also stood in open-mouthed awe at this brash 
new figure.
The dark man just chuckled.  "No need for any of that, I have no wish to harm 
anyone." he said calmly.  His green eyes glinted, and his smirk hinted at untold 
arrogance.
	"Then what do you call that?" Ryoko blurted out, much to her own as well 
as everyone else's surprise, referring to the mess outside the main doors.
	"Oh that? They're fine.  I could have killed them all if I wanted, but I 
figured that would just upset you, so I mearly...pushed them aside." he said, 
his smirk growing wider with each word.
	Ryoko, Ayeka, and Tenchi both looked past him at the clearing smoke.  They 
saw movement and heard groaning as some the guards began to wake up and try to 
help themselves off the ground, confirming what the stranger had said.  They 
inwardly sighed with relief.
	"Now stand aside, large one, or I'll push you aside as well, and I might 
accidentally hurt some of these innocent bystanders, and we wouldn't want that, 
now would we?" he said, now looking to Mayan.
	Mayan grimaced.  "Not a chance." he said simply.  The dark stranger 
sighed.  
	"Very well, have it your way.  I will not allow anyone to stop me from 
delivering my message." he said.  The same waving distortion, like heat from a 
desert surface, began to flow around him.  Mayan and the rest of the guards 
tensed and prepared to fight.
	"WAIT!" shouted Tenchi, causing everyone to look at him with surprise, 
including the intruder, who stopped his power-up.  "Stop!  I will not allow 
this.  Whoever you are, I will listen to your message, on one condition.  Allow 
everyone to leave first.  Apparently it's me you want, so no one else needs to 
be involved.  Then I'll let you have your say, no distractions, no 
interruptions."
	"Tenchi..." both Ayeka and Ryoko said.
	"Your highness..." said Mayan.
	"Listen to me, everyone..." he said, ignoring their plea, "...everyone 
please go now.  I'm sorry, but none of you need be in harms way.  The guards 
will escort you out." Tenchi said to the mass of shocked guests who were all 
intently waiting to see what would happen.  He watched the smirking stranger as 
he said this, looking for any signs of disagreement.  He saw none.  He also saw 
the looks of anger on some of the faces in the crowd.  There were some powerful 
beings in their own right out there, and Tenchi knew that some of them wanted a 
piece of this guy themselves.  He then looked at the rest of his family in the 
front row, some with looks of worry and fear, some with looks of anger, and one, 
his grandfather, with a look of calm, as always.
	"Please, if you want to help, you'll go.  Use the outside aisles, and go 
quickly, now." He said with as much authority he could muster.  After some 
grumbling, the crowd began to rapidly file out of the hall, using the outside 
isles as to not pass by the intruder.  Tenchi then saw that some of the media 
crews were still there!  There were people all over the galaxy seeing this go 
on, and he knew he REALLY couldn't screw up now.  He pointed at one of them.  
	"You too, out!"  he yelled.
	"Oh don't worry, I've jammed their signal.  Nobody has seen anything since 
I entered." the patient stranger said. 
	Upon hearing this, the crews swore to themselves and left along with the 
rest of the crowd.  Soon the hall was empty, save for the extended Masaki 
family, the intruder, Mayan and his guards, and the Holy Council.
	"Close the doors." Tenchi ordered to the guards who were at the doors.  
They complied, swinging the massive and now charred doors shut with a loud 
clang. He looked back at the Holy Council.  "You too, out."
	"But your Highness, we can't leave your side now." one of them said.
	"Yes, we will stand by you."  Xida added sincerely. *"If only to see you 
die."* He thought to himself.
	"No, you will go.  That's a command from your Emperor."
	Tarkin inwardly cursed to himself.  To wait all this time to see that 
damned half-breed and his family die, only to be denied at the last minute.  He 
looked to Xida, who looked back at him and nodded.  Dammit.
	The Holy Council filed out through the back, led away by several guards.  
But when they weren't looking, Tarkin managed to slip away and hide behind the 
stage area as to watch what he knew was to be the impending carnage.  The only 
one to notice was Xida, who figured that if he got caught it was his own damn 
fault.  He didn't need to be around for what he was about to do anyway. 

	"I would ask you all to leave too, but I know you won't." Tenchi said to 
his family in the front row.
	"Your damn right!" Washu said, eyeballing the intruder.  Shen looked the 
most angry, like he was ready to pounce on this enemy with his bare hands.  So 
much like his mother, Tenchi thought.  Speaking of which...
	"Alright, just who the hell are you and what do you want?" Ryoko yelled.
	"My name? I have so many of those.  I am the end of beginnings, the 
beginning of ends.  I am the Omega, the Owari, the final act.  Therefore, you 
may call me: Z." he said, and then bowed deeply.  "I am honored to be in 
presence of such magnificent royalty." Z added, still in his bow.
	"A little late for flattery." said Ayeka.
	"I was not speaking to you, any of you." Z said venomously, looking at the 
royal trio on the stage.  He then glanced over at Washu, who gave him a confused 
look.  He stood up straight once more, smirking again.  He let loose a glorious 
laugh.
	"Ah, so much power in this room!  Can't you feel it?  All the Avatars are 
finally together, and soon, all their Goddesses will be as well!"
	"What the hell are you talking about?" asked a visibly agitated Tenchi.  
	"What are you doing here? What is your message?"
	"Yeah, spit it out!" Ryoko yelled, moving up next to her husband.
Z moved forward a step, and Mayan advanced a step of his own, growling.
	"Mayan, step aside." ordered Tenchi.  Mayan hesitated, then grudgingly 
stepped away. 
	"Stand down." He told the rest of the guards, who extinguished their 
swords and stepped aside as well.  Z then walked to the foot of the steps 
leading up the stage.  He swept his head to one side dramatically.
	"I have come to offer you something you've never dreamed.  Any of you.  I 
have come to offer you what no other being in the multiverse has been offered.  
I offer you a chance.  A chance to side with me and My Queen.  A chance for all 
of you to serve at her right hand."
	"Who?" asked Tenchi.  "What queen?"
	"Lady Tokimi." Z answered.

	WHAT?! How could this be? Tarkin nearly yelled out in horror.  He was 
supposed to destroy them, not offer them a place in the new order!  What the 
hell was the envoy doing?!

	"Lady Tokimi? Now there's a name we haven't heard in a long time." Washu 
said.  
	"Longer than you may think, Lady Washu." Z said backhandedly. Washu perked 
an eyebrow.
	*"What's with the 'Lady' stuff?"* she thought to herself.
	"Tokimi? She's the one that sent Dr. Clay after Washu that one time, and 
sent Zero to copy me." Ryoko said.  "Didn't seem to friendly a move on her 
part."
	Z chuckled.  "She was unaware how tight knit a group you all were, and 
apologizes.  She has been watching your progress since then, all of you, and she 
is pleased with what she sees."
	"Watching us? Why? Why is she so interested in us?" Ayeka asked, moving up 
next to Tenchi now as well.
	"Your sister, for one.  She is fused with Lady Tsunami, that in itself is 
enough to peek her Majesty's interest."
	"Sasami?" 
	"Yes, Ayeka, for you see, your sister is Lady Tokimi's sister, as well."
	The entire group gasped, wide-eyed.

	This cannot be! It can't! Tokimi promised to get rid of these pathetic 
Masaki's and make he and Xida rulers of Jurai in the New Order!  Now to hear 
this? And that one of them was...DIVINITY?! It was more than he could stand!

	"I have come to bring you to Her Majesty, so that you may all speak with 
her yourself.  I am but her Avatar and envoy." Z finished.
	"If she's so benevolent, why didn't she send you on peaceful terms like a 
regular messenger?  What's with all the chaos?"  shouted Ryoko.
	Z chuckled and smiled.  "This way she would be sure to have your undivided 
attention.  Plus I take personal enjoyment in 'causing chaos', as you so 
eloquently put it."  He paused.  "Something you yourself once reveled in, 
Ryoko."
	"That was a long time ago." Ryoko spat back, her eyes narrowed.  Tenchi 
put his hand on her shoulder, and her face softened.  He looked at her, then at 
Z.
	"And if we refuse?" Tenchi asked.
	"Then..." Z said, his smirk growing as looked out the top of his eyes, 
"...I have been instructed to MAKE you come."
	"Just try it!" yelled Shen suddenly as he leapt from his seat and into the 
aisle directly in front of Z.  He took up a defiant stance.  
	"Shen, no!" yelled Ryoko.
	"You're majesty, step aside!" ordered Mayan, who no longer had a direct 
line to Z.  Z let out an uproarious laugh.
	"Do you really think you can stop me boy?" he teased.
	"Do you really think you can get past all of us?" Mayuka answered as she 
took up a spot next to Shen.  Tenchi was getting worried now, his children were 
putting themselves and everyone in danger by goading this man.
	"My dear girl, I don't have to get past anyone.  I mearly need one of you 
as bait." answered Z, and swung his head to meet Kirei's gaze, who was standing 
behind Washu.  She gasped at the unexpected move.  "Like you."
	"Mihoshi, now!" yelled Kiyone.  She had been waiting for an excuse to 
move, and now she had one.  Mihoshi twisted the control cube she had hidden in 
her hand behind her back, and it blinked twice.  Above Kiyone, a large rifle 
materialized and dropped from the air into her hands.  She brought it up and 
pointed it at Z, but her shot was blocked by Shen and Mayuka.  "Shen, Mayuka, 
get down!"
	The two teenagers dropped to the ground instinctively just as Kiyone let 
loose.  The rapid-fire laser rifle sent bolts of blue energy at Z, who had no 
time to dodge...if he had needed too.  The bolts were absorbed and dissipated by 
an unseen force-bubble around him.  He simply smiled and looked at her, 
unmoving.  His gaze averted from her, however, as Mayan leapt over the prone 
children, screaming and holding his polearm over his head.  He brought it down 
with enough force to cleave any man in two.  But it stopped half a foot from Z's 
smiling face as it met the same force-bubble.  Sparks flew from where the blade 
met the shield.
	"You're kidding, right?" Z mocked.  He looked without turning his head to 
the far wall, and the air around Z began to wave like before. Mayan was lifted 
from his spot and thrown by an unseen force across the huge distance form the 
center aisle to that same wall.  He smashed into it hard enough to spider-web 
the marble-like surface, and then fell several feet to the ground with a thud, 
the polearm thrown clear.
	"My God, he's powerful, he hasn't even moved yet!" thought Tenchi.  Then 
he heard a familiar sound.  
	Z looked around himself as a dozen or so small logs appeared around him.  
He then looked up at the source of the cylinders.  Ayeka looked back at him 
coldly.  The logs shot arcs of power inwardly at Z, sending a blue light dancing 
across the room, but still seemed to be blocked by the same force field.  Z let 
this go on for several seconds before finally moving for the first time.  He 
threw open his cloak to reveal a rather baggy black and red battle suit 
underneath.  He pulled a black hilt with no blade from a sheath on his belt, and 
swung it forward.  In one almost blindingly fast motion, he ignited the sword, 
and a red energy blade with a black outline erupted to life, slicing through 
Ayeka's shield.  The logs flew back in all directions several feet before 
phasing out of reality, a few arcs of power sputtering around them.  The shock 
sent Ayeka staggering back a few steps as she gasped.
	"Ayeka!" Tenchi yelled as her caught her.  
	In that same instant Z leapt into the air, dodging a second volley from 
Kiyone, his black cloak waving like a giant pair of wings.  He began to come 
down right on top of a visibly shocked Kirei.  But he met an entirely different 
female on the way down.
	Ryoko and Z's sword screeched as they grinded against each other in mid 
air.  "Not that easy, bastard!" she yelled in his face.  She pushed him back and 
swung at his midsection, but he flew backward, dodging the blow.  Ryoko, who had 
instantly changed into her battlesuit, teleported behind him as he still moved 
backwards, and thrusted for his spine.  She found only air as he too displayed 
the ability to teleport.  She felt the air shift above her and brought up her 
energy blade, blocking the downward thrusting Z's sword with a very audible 
"thwang!".  She and Z then became locked in a mid-air sword battle that sent 
them all around the huge spaces of the Great Hall's upper reaches.  Now was 
Tenchi's chance!
	"Guards! Get everyone out of here, now!" he yelled at the dumbfounded 
guards, some of which had run to where Mayan had landed to see if their leader 
was still alive.  "Washu, grandpa, make sure everyone gets to safety!  Kiyone, 
Mihoshi, try and contact the main garrison and get them to make sure all the 
V.I.P.'s get off planet!  Funaho, Misaki, get that crowd outside to disperse 
safely!  I'll help Ryoko with Z!" he finished as he threw off his royal cape and 
drew the Master Key from his belt.
	"Father, I won't run!" Shen yelled defiantly.
	"No! I need you to make sure your sisters and Ayeka get to safety too, I'm 
trusting you with their lives!"  Shen looked as if he was about to protest, but 
then nodded in agreement.
	"Tenchi, I won't leave your side!" Ayeka said as a tear formed in her eye.
	"Ayeka, please, I don't want to risk anyone I don't have to! If me and 
Ryoko can't take this guy, then you'll never be able to, and you know it!"
	Ayeka looked in his eyes, and knew he was deadly serious this time.  
"O...Okay, Tenchi.  Be careful." She said quietly as the tear rolled down her 
cheek. 
	"Don't worry.  Now go." He said softly back, and quickly kissed her before 
turning and running towards the aerial combatants. Ayeka joined the rest of the 
group as they ran for the exit. 

	Tarkin's mind was in flux at the events before him, but the start of the 
fight had snapped him back to reality.  "NO! they can't be allowed to escape!" 
he thought.  He reached down and removed a comlink form his pocket.  "Unit B and 
C, close off the western corridors leading from the Great Hall, you'll know your 
targets when you see them, Unit D, help Unit A with capturing as many of the 
V.I.P.'s as possible!  And clear the way for the reinforcements!" a series of 
beeps was all the response he needed.  "I'll leave the Council to Xida."

	The member of the Holy Council fell lifeless to the floor, blood pouring 
from the wound in his chest, leaving only one member other then Xida still 
standing.  He backed away from Xida, who wielded a bloody, katana-like weapon in 
his hand.
	"Xida, you murdering bastard! We trusted you!" he said as he backed 
against a wall, trapped.  The bodies of the rest of the Council as well as the 
guards not loyal to him lay sprawled all around him.  One of the several guards 
that WERE loyal to him made sure one hardly breathing Council member breathed no 
longer by shooting him in the head.
	"Which is why it was so easy to cut you down, old fool." He said coldly, 
and slashed across the man's throat, beheading him.  A streak of blood shot 
across the wall as the corpse hit the floor, and the man's head rolled to a stop 
between Xida's feet.  He knelt down and wiped the blood off his sword with the 
corpse's clothes.  "It is done."

	The extended Masaki family along with some of Mayan's elite guard ran down 
the corridor until they reached an intersection.
	"The landing pads are that way!" shouted one of the guardsman, pointing 
down the corridor that headed northwest.
	"Right! Let's go Mihoshi!" Kiyone shouted.
	"I hope grandpa and Auntie Lina and Cousin Kuda are OK!" she said as she 
sprinted off with Kiyone.
	"Be careful!" shouted Misaki, waving to them as they disappeared down the 
hallway. 
	"Come my highnesses, this way!" one of the younger looking guards 
instructed, and the rest of the group ran down the corridor in the opposite 
direction...all except Ayeka.
	"Mother?" Kirei asked, stopping.
	"Ayeka, what are you doing?" Funaho asked, also stopping.
	"I can't do it.  I can't leave Tenchi and Ryoko back there.  I'm sorry." 
She answered, eyes focused on the ground.  She looked up at them.  "Go on ahead, 
I'm heading back."
	"Mother..." Kirei whispered.  She felt Funaho's hand on her shoulder.  She 
looked back at her, then back at her mother.  They both knew they could say 
nothing that would change her mind.
	"Be careful, Ayeka." Funaho said.
	"I will.  Don't worry." Ayeka answered, and then ran back towards the 
Great Hall.
	"Come Kirei, let's go." said Funaho, and the two women ran to catch up 
with the group.  Soon...
	"Kirei, Funaho, where's Ayeka?" asked Misaki as the two caught back up.
	"She'll be OK, Misaki." Funaho answered, but the look of worry in Kirei's 
face told a different story.
	"That daughter of mine...she takes after her father." Misaki grimaced.
 	 They ran for about another minute when the guard spoke again.  "The 
underground bunkers are just ahead, as well as a lift to the outside, we can..." 
	The guard was interrupted by a swooshing sound behind the group as a wall 
made of thick vines closed off the passage behind them.
	"What the..URRK!" yelled the guard as a bolt of energy blew through his 
back and out his chest.
	"Get down!" yelled another guard as a hail of energy bolts rained from 
down the corridor.  The group dropped, bolts whizzing over their heads, narrowly 
missing them.  Kirei and Mayuka yelled in terror.
	"We're pinned down!" yelled Shen over the noise as the remaining guards 
fired back from the prone position.  "And we can't stay here or we're dead!"
	"Why does this stuff always happen to me!?" yelled Nobuyuki.
	"Who are they? How did they get in he...AGGH!" Misaki began as a bolt 
impacted the floor right next to her head, sending fragments into her face.
	"Misaki!" yelled Washu, who began to get up, but was forced back down as a 
bolt singed her hair.  "Dammit!"  Yosho covered the now sobbing Misaki with his 
own body.
	Just then Kirei, who was holding Mayuka for her comfort as much as for her 
own, stood up, a determined look on her face.
	"Kirei, get down!" yelled Funaho, "You'll be killed!"
	"I..." Kirei said quietly as bolts of blue death got ever closer to her 
frail frame, "I...I won't let you hurt my family!" she now yelled, and her hair 
flowed back with an unseen wind.  Suddenly, the bolts were no longer whizzing 
by, but impacting on a force shield in front of them.  Small wooden cylinders 
lined the walls, ceiling, and floor, forming an airtight shield around the 
corridor.  The group got up.
	"Kirei..." Mayuka said quietly.  Kirei didn't answer, a look of 
concentration on her face as the bolts continued to impact.
	"She can't hold it for long."  Washu stated.  "Can we open that barrier?" 
she asked, referring to the vine-wall blocking their rearward path.
	"Not from here, and we can't blast through it, it's reinforced with Jurai 
Energy." Stated one of the guards.  Washu found this out when she touched it 
with her finger, causing a small shock.
	"Hurry up...I don't know how much longer...I can hold this." Kirei said 
between grunts.  Sweat beaded on her face and brow.
	"Hang in there, Kirei, you can do it!" Mayuka reassured her.
	"They have control of the next intersection, which is where we need to 
get." Shen said.  "If we can just get down there we'd be OK."
	"Alright, that's it!  They'll rue the day they shot at the Greatest 
Scientific Genius in the Universe!" Washu trumpeted.  She manifested her holo-
laptop and punched a few keys.  A small portal opened up and she reached inside 
it, and pulled out a monstrously huge shoulder cannon, which she aimed down the 
hallway.  It hummed as it powered up.  "Alright Kirei, when I say now, you drop 
the shield for a second so I can blast through it!"
	The rest of the group wisely moved behind Washu as she moved up next to 
Kirei.  The weapon's hum reached it's crescendo, and...
	"NOW!" Washu screamed.  Kirei dropped the shield just as Washu pulled the 
trigger.  A small oval shaped projectile the size of an egg shot out of the 
grossly oversized barrel and flew down the corridor as Kirei re-raised the 
barrier just as another barrage hit it.  The egg-like object reached the 
intersection...and stopped, hovering silently in mid-air.  The attackers stopped 
their firing and looked at the object, dumbfounded.  There was dead silence for 
several seconds, then a high-pitched shriek, followed by a blinding light 
erupted from the egg.  It was so bright that even Washu and the group had to 
shield their eyes.  Then, the intersection, along with the attackers and the 
surrounding corridor, were engulfed in a mammoth explosion that shook the very 
palace.

	Tenchi stumbled as the Great Hall shook, and he heard a muffled explosion.  
Small bits of the ceiling and walls trickled to the floor.  "What the hell was 
that?" he asked himself.  But he quickly didn't care as he heard another "twang" 
from meeting swords above him.  Ryoko had been holding her own against Z, and 
now Tenchi, who had shed most of his bulky royal garb, was ready to back up his 
beloved wife.
	The two fighters stopped their assault after the last parry, hanging in 
mid-air.  "Your very good Ryoko.  You use your own unique fighting style, but it 
is flawless.  I can tell you've been in MANY battles.  You are a worthy Avatar." 
Z said sincerely.
	"Avatar? What are you talking about? Just shutup and fight me, bastard!" 
was her reply.
	"No, fight US!" yelled a voice from below.  Z looked down just in time to 
see Tenchi leap from the center aisle, ignite the Master Key and cover the large 
distance from the ground to him all in the space of several moments.  Tenchi 
swung the thin blue blade at his enemy, but found only air as he teleported 
away.  Tenchi saw where he had teleported to, and bounded off the wall, sword 
thrust forward, but Z teleported away again.  Tenchi sailed through the air 
before landing back down on the stage.  "Stay still, damn you!"
	"Oh come now, Tenchi, you can do better than that."
	"Come down here and fight me on the ground, then we'll see who's 
laughing!" Tenchi challenged.
	"But I'm having so much fun..." Z said, then teleported unexpectedly 
behind the hovering Ryoko, grabbing her sword arm in one hand and holding his 
sword over her throat with the other.  Ryoko only had time to gasp.  "...with 
your wife."
	"Let her go!" yelled Tenchi despite the lump that had instantly formed in 
is throat.  "Let her go or I'll make you regret it!"
	But his worry was not needed.  Ryoko, with her free hand down at her side, 
palm facing Z, formed an energy ball, and fired it into Z's stomach point blank.  
He flew into the wall and cratered it, sending chunks of debris and dust out in 
a plume.  Tenchi sighed with relief as Ryoko winked at him and gave him a thumbs 
up.  Their celebration was short lived.  
	Z began to laugh as he levitated out of the hole, bits of wall falling 
free.  To Ryoko and Tenchi's surprise, there wasn't a scratch on him.  "Not a 
bad move, Ryoko."
	"There's plenty more where that came from." She said, smirking.
	"I'm sure, but I'm afraid I don't have time to see it right now. I have a 
mission to accomplish, and fighting the Avatars, as much as I would like it to 
be, is not it."
	"What?" Ryoko and Tenchi said in unison.
	"It's been fun, but I must take my leave.  But we WILL meet again, I 
guarantee it.  Until then, be careful.  I wouldn't want anyone harming 
you...yet."  
	"WAIT!" yelled a new, raspy voice from behind Tenchi.  They all looked 
over to see Tarkin, who had come out from his hiding place.   He had been 
watching the entire fight.  "What are you doing?!  You were sent here to destroy 
the Masaki's and make us the new rulers of Jurai!  KILL THEM!  I COMMAND YOU!!!"
	"What...Lord Tarkin?!"  Tenchi said, shocked.
	"You traitor!  You're helping him!"  Ryoko yelled.
	"Kill them!" Tarkin yelled frantically, ignoring them, "Kill that half-
breed whelp and that demon who cursed me with this hideous face!"
	"You have no authority over me, little man.  And as far as Our Lady's 
will, she told you once I arrived, Jurai would be yours for the TAKING.  So take 
it.  I wasn't sent to GIVE you anything." Z answered him with a smirk.  Tarkin 
simply gawked in disbelief.  "And speaking of taking, I must go.  Farewell, 
Masaki." And with this, Z disappeared.
	"Hey! Dammit!" Tenchi yelled in vain.  "What the hell is he up too?"
	"I don't know, but I bet he does." Ryoko said, throwing an icy stare down 
at Tarkin.  He looked up at her like a scared animal about to be eaten, then at 
Tenchi, who also glared at him.  He ran.
	"Get back here!" Ryoko yelled as she hurled an energy ball at Tarkin.  It 
struck the stage just as he ducked behind it, sending out a huge fireball of 
flame and dust.  When it cleared, Tarkin was gone.  Ryoko flew down in pursuit.
	"Ryoko, forget him! We can catch him later!  We have to get to Ayeka and 
the others and make sure they're OK!" Tenchi yelled, stopping her in mid-flight.  
She landed next to him, extinguishing her energy sword.
	"Shit!  He said he wanted bait, remember!  He's after them!"
	"Let's go!" Tenchi said, and the couple ran off to find their family.

	The group reached the now smoking and charred intersection.  They were all 
shocked at what they discovered.  Though most of the bodies were either 
disintegrated or charred to a crisp, a few key things like helmets and weapons 
were still a little recognizable.
	"These are palace guards!"  Misaki yelled.  "Why would they attack us?"
	"What is going on around here?" asked Nobuyuki.
	"I'll tell you what's going on." Yosho said, pushing up on his glasses, 
looking down at one of the charred corpses.  "It's a coup."

	Kiyone and Mihoshi stopped in their tracks as the hallway shook with the 
sound of a muffled explosion.  
	"What was that?" asked Mihoshi.
	"I don't know, but it came from Washu's direction." replied Kiyone, the 
laser rifle still in her hands.
	"I hope their OK!" said Mihoshi.
	"They'll be OK, c'mon, we gotta get the landing pads!"  With that the two 
GP officers ran once again.  They soon came to a large door that lead to the 
lift that would take them to the landing pads.  They pressed the call button, 
and the doors swished open, allowing the corpse that was propped against it on 
the inside to flop to the ground.  Mihoshi screamed.
	"That's a palace guard, we may be too late! We have to hurry!" yelled 
Kiyone, who dragged Mihoshi into the lift.  Kiyone pushed the legs of the body 
with her feet so the door could close.  Once this was done, the lift ascended 
quickly to the landing pads.  The doors opened, and Mihoshi and Kiyone were 
greeted by chaos.
	There were firefights all around them as palace guards fought with other 
palace guards and alien entourages.  Several dozen bodies lay strewn across the 
embattled tarmac.  Several of the V.I.P.'s ships were on fire or lying in 
mangled heaps.  They only had several seconds to take in the carnage before a 
bolt hit the wall next to them.
	"Shit!  Get down, Mihoshi!" yelled Kiyone as they both ran for a cargo 
pallet for cover.  Kiyone fired off a volley before ducking behind the cargo.  
Several bolts sprang off the metal containers.
	"Oh no, my uniform ripped!" Mihoshi cried, looking at the torn sleeve of 
her dress uniform.
	"Dammit, Mihoshi, we have more important problems right now!" Kiyone 
yelled as she removed her own dress uniform coat and tie, leaving her in a white 
wife-beater undershirt.  "This damn coat was too tight anyway, I can't move in 
it!"
	Mihoshi followed suit, but when her coat was off, she was now only in a 
black lace bra.
	"Um, Mihoshi, you might want to leave yours on.  Although you might 
distract some of the enemy..." Kiyone contemplated.  Mihoshi put the coat back 
on, blushing.  
	"Silly me." was all she said.  "But what is going on Kiyone? Why are the 
guards fighting each other and the guests?"  Another bolt twanged off the 
containers.
	"Looks like an inside job to capture the V.I.P's and the family and hold 
them for ransom or something.  But we'll figure the reasons out later, right now 
we have to help the guards evacuate the V.I.P.'s, if they captured even half of 
them, they could hold entire solar systems hostage!"
	"Right!" Mihoshi nodded.  Kiyone removed a small holdout blaster she had 
concealed in her boot and gave it to Mihoshi.  Mihoshi ripped the other sleeve 
of her coat as to give her more freedom of movement.
	"Ready?" asked Kiyone, rifle at standby.
	"Ready!" answered Mihoshi.
	"Then lets go!" yelled Kiyone as the two GP's dove from behind their cover 
and into the firefight.

	Ayeka ran as fast as she could back towards the Great Hall, panting and 
sweating thanks mostly to her bulky outfit.  She had ignored the explosion she 
heard from back in the group's direction, figuring they could handle themselves, 
especially with her brother Yosho and Washu with them.  She agonized over 
leaving Tenchi's side, but the look on his face when he had told her to leave 
made her follow his order without hesitation...it was a look she rarely saw her 
husband use.  But now she knew she would do nothing but worry if she went to 
hide, waiting for him to arrive...or not.  She saw the last turn she had to make 
before reaching the final corridor to the Great Hall, and inwardly sighed with 
relief she was almost there.  She soon rounded the corner...only to impact into 
another running figure also running at top speed.  Both of them landed hard on 
the floor with a loud grunt.  Ayeka cleared her head and sat up, and saw who she 
had run into.
	"Lord Tarkin? What are you doing here?  Why aren't you with the other 
Council members?"
	Tarkin shook his head and looked at the woman in front of him.  "Dammit!" 
he thought to himself, have to think quick.  "Er...I got separated from the 
group, and ended up here."
	"Separated? How did you manage that?" Ayeka puzzled.
	"Er...I...uh..." stammered Tarkin as he tried to lie through his teeth.  
He was interrupted, however, by the sounds of footfalls and voices behind him.  
Both he and Ayeka recognized the voices.
	"Tenchi! Ryoko!" Ayeka yelled, standing up.  She began to run to them when 
she felt a hand clamp over her mouth and a sharp object poke into her back.  
"Mmph!" was all she could get out.
	"Now you behave and come with me, little princess.  Her majesty will look 
favorably upon me if I am the one to bring her a prize instead of that 
traitorous lackey of hers." He rasped in her ear.  Ayeka attempted to struggle 
away, but felt the dagger begin to penetrate painfully into her flesh as she 
moved.  She also thought about summoning her power logs, but knew she would end 
up frying herself as well as him in this situation.  A tear ran down her face as 
she was dragged away.

	Z watched Tarkin force Ayeka with him down the corridor from the shadows, 
and inwardly laughed.  "That fool."  He then teleported to where he had heard 
the explosion.  He quickly surveyed the carnage around him, and then heard 
footfalls down one of the hallways.  He smiled and teleported in the direction 
of the sound.  It was time to get his hostage.


End Chapter 4


Chapter 5: Revolutions coming soon!


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