Private Bet #10 Chapter II
by Shade

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and affiliates are the 
property of Rumiko Takahashi, Rifts and 
Phase World are owned by Palladium. Other 
references like Trigun and Cutey Honey
belong to their respective owners.
~~~~~~~~~~
2d:(part 3)....Oh hell....... 
~~~~~

Ranma sighed as he scrubbed himself in preperation 
for a long hot soak the Tendo�s bath. 

{How do I wind up in these situations?}

Somehow during that brief period of temporary insanity he�d
wound up agreeing to stay at the Tendo home as a guest for an 
undetermined length of time. It hadn�t helped any that every time 
he�d tried to raise an objection either Kasumi or Nabiki
had given him that *look*, the one that twisted his tongue around 
into saying �yes� instead of �no�. It was just too humilating, after
finally getting out of this whole fiancee mess he wound up stuck here 
anyway. 

After washing off with a bucket of cold water 
the young man proceeded to enter the bath proper.

A low hiss of pleasure escaped Ranma�s lips as he stepped 
into the welcoming warmth, the water starting to relax the 
tension in his muscles that the last few hours had built up.

{At least this isn�t too bad, things could be worse.}

[You�re hopeless.]

{Ishtar, you�re too much of a cynic. Nothing has exploded, no 
assassins running around trying to cut my head off, the only magic 
for several miles in any direction is the stuff I brought back with me, 
there�s nothing to worry about.}

[That you know about, you mean.]

{It�ll be a piece of cake.}

[So says the man beguiled by a pair of puppy dog eyes.]

{It�s not my fault! Dad�s the one responsible for this!!}

[Fine, be that way. I�m not jealous. Oh no, I�m just your 
weapon and sometimes partner so I couldn�t dream of...]

{Ishtar! It�s not like that!! You know I�d free you if....}

[It�s okay....I�m sorry Ranma, that was uncalled for. But it�s just that......]

{I know....believe me, I know. *Sigh* My life�s changing so fast that
 I can�t get stuck dwelling on everything that goes wrong. Even though 
I came from this world it seems so alien now, I�m not sure if there�s anyplace 
that feels like home anymore.}

[The Great Saotome, Pirate Extraordinare and Most Eligible 
Bachelor in six quadrants is feeling sorry for himself? The sky 
must be falling, someone notify the Galactic Inquirer!!]

{That�s not funny!!}

[Yes it is!]

{No it�s not!!}

[Is too!]
~~~~~~
-Phase World, Rifts Earth, Wormwood, and Various Other Places

The same phrase was uttered a thousand different ways in a 
hundred various languages in over a dozen different dimensions.
But the meaning was always the same,
 �Find Ranma Saotome and kill him!�.

Word of the infamous troubleshooter�s mysterious 
vanishing act had spread across the Multiverse faster 
then you could say �Spulgorth suck slime� despite the
 best efforts of the Alliance to keep their officer�s sudden 
leave of absence a secret. 

Needless to say this did not bode well for our hero.....
~~~~~~~~~~
-Kreeghor Imperial Center

�So the Untamed Stallion is without her captain?�

�Yes, Admiral.� 

�You�ve faced the Wild Horse before haven�t 
you, Captain Jarenz?�

�I�ve confronted him sixteen times in the past two years, sir.�

�So you feel that you have some insight as to how the man thinks?�

�Yes.�

�Tell me, do you think that the rumors 
are true and that this Rebel has run off to hide in fear?�

�No Sir!!�

�Oh? Explain your reasoning Captain.�

�Captain Saotome isn�t a coward, he�s never have lost a 
fight against our forces or anyone else�s. He is the enemy but even most 
of our officers hold a grudging respect for his skill,  the only man that is 
possibly his military equal in existance is that cursed Captain Tylor 
of the CCW Space Force. If the Wild Horse has indeed left this dimension of 
his own free will it is because he is following a higher plan, one that 
could possibly threaten the Empire itself.�

�Are you sure of that assessment Captain?�

�I�d stake my life on it.�

�Then you will.�

�Sir?�

�Congratulations Captain. You are 
now appointed commander of our Imperial 
Operation Codename: �Broken Mustang� to 
capture Captain Ranma Saotome for his public 
execution by an Imperial Firing Squad.
Here is where you will meet your Task Force.
Serve the Empire well.�

�As you command Admiral.�

{Soon Saotome..... You will face the Ironclaw 
again and this time *I* shall be victorious!!!}
~~~~~~~~~~~
-Atlantis

�But Lord Splynncryth has forbidden any direct action against 
the one called Ranma without his personal permisson.....NO!...Please have
mercy!!..AAAAGHHAAAIIIiiiieee.......�
*Snap*

The other advisers watched as the tentacled horror that 
they called master proceeded to twist off the head of the 
unfortunate soul that had contradicted him as easily as a normal 
man would twist the cap off a bottle of beer. 

Sluggar�n popped the head into its main 
feeding orifice and crunched gruesomely 
down on the tasty tidbit. The rest of the body was 
stuffed in bit by bit, drool and other less savory fluids
dripped down to coat the corpse and made it easier to 
slide in. 

As the Splugorth Intelligence finished its impromptu snack
it shot a dangerous look at its minions, now minus one.

�Does anyone *else* have an objection to raise?�

The bipeds all shook their heads in negation enthusiastically, 
their vocal cords weren�t working at the moment.

�Good.�

{Good help is so hard to find, I�ll have to remember this loss when I 
finally get my appendges on that cursed do-gooder. He has much 
to answer for.....}
~~~~~~~~~
-Phase World (the planet)

�They won�t take it.�

�What?! The Galactic Assassin�s Guild turned this job DOWN??!!! 
Did they at least say why??�

�Apperently the man has made too many friends in the wrong places.
The Guild wants no trouble with Justin Tylor or Vash the Stampede,
let alone the rest of Saotome�s allies and contacts. Besides which they 
already tried, apparently after losing nearly three quarters of their 
best agents as well as several of their High Council members they 
decided to cut their losses and run. Ranma is permanantly exempt from them.
 None of the professionals could be persuaded to go after him either, they 
just told me that it couldn�t be done.�

�Damn! That means we have to use company assets!! Which means 
a loss of revenue!!! Damn that Saotome�s hide!!! Why couldn�t he die 
cheaply!!!!�

�Shall I contact our people in public relations then?�

�OF COURSE!!! Naruni Enterprises never lets someone who�s 
interfered in its deals go!! It�s bad for business!!!�
~~~~~~~~~

Kasumi was busy in the kitchen preparing the evening meal. She was paying
even more special attention to the food then was normal, even for her.
She wanted everything to be perfect for their guest...er.....guests.
Delicious smells emanated outward as the eldest daughter went all out,
cooking up a feast that would be able to feed twenty people and just might 
be enough for the entire household and the Saotomes.

�A man�s heart is won through his stomach.�, that was how it 
went in the novels followed by the heroine being taken away for
steamy passionate...

A slightly dazed gleam filled the cooking girl�s eyes.
A spilled bottle of soysauce all over the front of her apron and dress
was a reminder that now was not the time to be having naughty daydreams.

�Oh dear, what a mess! I need to clean up, it would be rude to meet Ranma....
...uh I mean the Saotomes in this.�

In her distraction Kasumi promptly forgot a few things.
Like the fact that someone else was already using the bath.
Or that she�d meant to warn her sisters that Ranma was in 
the bath.....

Dinner was fine though, nothing short of Demonic Possession 
could cause Kasumi Tendo to ruin a meal.
~~~~~~~~

Nabiki Tendo was scheming.

That was nothing new. 

{I have to somehow persuade this hunk that 
I�m his best choice...but how?! 
Maybe a quick soak will clear my head....}

Now this on the other hand......
~~~~~~~

Akane was fuming. 

�That...that...THAT JERK!!!�

Her fist smacked into the well worn punching bag as 
she worked off her anger in the Dojo.

She�d tried to be nice after it turned out theat the Saotomes 
would be staying here for awhile. She�d offering to spar with him 
and see how good of a martial artist (not as good as her of course)
he was. That BAKA had smiled weakly and....

...AND HE�D TURNED HER DOWN!!!

That arrogant, condescending, chauvinistic.....BOY!!!

As her anger cooled slighty from the physical extertion 
Akane realized that her stained gi was getting a little.....rank.

�I guess I need a bath.�

That always helped to relax her. Then 
she could figure out a way to deal with that 
sexist attitude of Ranma�s, she would get him 
to fight her even if it killed him!!
~~~~~~~~~

Rowan started counting.

�3....2......1....now.�

~~~~~~

Just as Ranma was toweling off his 
head the door to the bath slid open.
He was so involved in his telepathic 
argument that he missed it entirely.

Three pairs of female eyes widened.....

(clip to part 4)

(This chapter to be concluded in the next part!
 After that Chapter III starts!! 
And then all HELL breaks loose!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!)
*$*$*$*$*

Captain Rashul �Ironclaw� Jarenz: True Atlantian who commands 
the Imperial Battle Cruiser INS Dark Impaler. He is Saotome�s deadliest 
rival in the Three Galaxies and they�ve clashed repeatedly over the years. 
His nickname comes from his oversized bionic left hand that is built 
to look like a Dragon�s talons. The original hand was initially in a armored gaunlet until Ranma cut it off during a daring rescue misson inside the Impaler.This event left the officer nearly dead from blood loss and a created a thirst for vengence that has only burned hotter as time passed. He�s a villian but one with a code of honor. In Rift�s terms he�s got an Aberrant alignment (Lawful Evil for the AD&D people). Possesses a fair amount of magical skill and owns an Impaler Rune sword that his ship is named after, both serve to make him extremely dangerous to the brave CosmoKnight.The bionic hand is gimmicked too of course. Vibroblades and laser fingers make this one palm you do not want to shake!

"Hope springs eternal in the Human breast: 
Man never is, but always to be blest."

-Alexander Pope

Readers and listeners praise my books;
You swear they're worse then beginner's.
Who cares? I always plan my dinners
To please the diners, not the cooks.

-Martial

In Difficult Ground, Keep moving. 
In Pressed Ground, Make stratagems.
In Death Ground, Fight.

-Sun Tzu "The Art of War"

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