Chapter 2
Part 1.  Allegro.
	Allegro wasn't much of a planet.  It was mainly aquatic, there being only one major continent and few smaller islands scattered around the rest of the ocean.  Patches of wavy green grasslands popped up in the midst of the desert that covered the land mass.  The Buta didn't hit one of these.
	At least the ship was in one piece.  Tsubasa had managed to coax the ship to the ground gently.  The hull had remained intact.  If they could fix the engines, they could get out of there.  That was the problem.
	The engines were completely gone.  Not damaged.  Gone.  The ship didn't have enough spares for them to fix up a single engine, much less both.  So, on a backwater planet, Commander Hibiki had the interesting and difficult problem of finding spares.
	Ryouga, now wearing the baggy pants and loose shirt that is more comfortable for travel, stepped gingerly out of the Buta's main hatch onto the sandy surface of the planet.  Ranma, again his masculine self, followed Ryouga out of the ship.
	"You realize, you're only out here because I might need your help.  If we were to run into any Imperials, well, you were always a decent fighter."
	Ranma cracked a smile.  "Sure, Ryouga, whatever.  What are we going to do?"
	"There's a town around 5 miles that way," came a voice from inside the ship.  Both men turned to peer into the hatch.  Out of the shadows stepped Ukyou, with Akari, Akane, and Mousse in tow.  "I figure we are going to head over that way."
	"The name of the town is Halal," started Ryouga.  "Not a big place, only around 15,000 people, but it's the largest this planet has.  There's no spaceport, no Imperial Garrison, not much of anything.  There's supposed to be a small rebel outpost here."
	Ryouga started walking.  "But we better get a move on it, the Empire is going to be coming after us pretty quick."
	The others watched Ryouga walk off quietly, until Akari jogged out to him, taking his hand.  "Don't you mean to go that way, Ryoug, um, Sir?"  Akari gently turned Ryouga in the opposite direction.
	"Oh, I guess you're right."  The six of them started off towards Halal.
	Akane and Ranma followed the others, slightly behind them, Ranma with his arm around Akane's shoulder.  "When we get to the city, we can break off from them.  Let's see if we can find that Scientist and get that Nannichuan, then get out of here."
	Akane looked over at the others in the group, all her old friends.  They were in trouble, they needed help, she could stay, help them somehow.  "But what about them, Ranma?  They could use our help?"
	"Akane,  I should have never come after the Nannichuan.  I know that.  We should have just stayed at home, but when we're this close. . . ."  Ranma paused sighing to himself.  "I can't just pass it up."
	"Besides, what would happen to us if we stayed with them.  Always on the run from the Empire, that's not what we wanted.  I know that they're our friends, but they need to lead their own lives."
	Akane looked at the ground, her head nodding in reluctant agreement.  "I know, Ranma, I know.  That doesn't mean I like leaving them.  I never have."
	Ranma's arm tightened around Akane.  "I know."  They continued on to Halal in silence.
	When they got to Halal, the "City" wasn't much of one.  The streets might have been paved, but you couldn't tell for the layers of dust covering them.  The streets were pretty much empty except for a few people wandering around.  
	The buildings all were made out of a white Stucco material, turned brown by years of bombardment of dust and dirt.  A motorbike rumbled down the street tossing up dirt.  The prospects of finding anything her wasn't looking very good.
	Ryouga turned his head, surveying the streets.  "We better split up.  Akari and I will head off and try to find a mechanic.  Ukyou, I want you to try to find the rebel base here.  We ought to warn them that a whole load of rebels are going to be coming."
	"Wouldn't the rebels have the best mechanics? " asked Ranma.  "I mean, there doesn't look to be much of a private spaceflight sector here."
	"This rebel base won't have the supplies we need, but they might be able to help us out.  This is just a simple land base.  We'll met up again if we don't find anything in, two hours.  Okay?"
	Before he got a response, Ryouga took Akari and headed off down one of the streets.  Ukyou and Mousse watched them leave.  "You think Shampoo will be okay back on the ship, Ukyou?" inquired Mousse.
	Ukyou forced a smile.  "I'm sure she'll be fine, I mean, what could. . . ."  Ukyou stooped, flicking a small metal spatula at Ranma's feet, which were starting to wander off.  "Just where do you think you're going?"
	"Uh, well," Ranma stammered, "I just thought that Akane and I could find that scientist who lives here.  I'm sure she could help us get off the planet quicker. . . ."
	"Ranma, I don't know if you've noticed but the Empire is right on our tails.  We don't have time to chase after an old wife's tail.  You're going to come with us.  Besides, we could use your help us in finding the base."
	Akane looked up at her husband, shrugged, and walked back to Ukyou's side.  Ranma started to complain, but then reluctantly followed after his wife.  It looks like they were stuck.
Part 2.  Halal.
	It really is rather amazing that Akari was able to pay any attention to where they were, much less even try to look for a mechanic's shop.  Ryouga was off giving some spiel about all the different supplies that they would need or something like that.  Akari wasn't hearing a word of it.
	Five years.  For five years she followed Ryouga-sama, never getting the least bit of praise.  It didn't bother her, she was happy, just to be with him.
	Really, what could be more perfect than what was happening right now.  Alone together with Him on a street, quietly walking around.  Akari had even managed to work her hand around His sometime and now they were gently clasped together.
	Akari looked in a few of the houses as they walked.  Quiet, silent, maybe a child or two running around.  She thought of her and Ryouga-sama in one of those houses.  What could be more perfect?  She didn't care one way or another if they ever got the ship fixed.  It'd be nice to go to sleep knowing that He would be next to her when she woke, much less not off fighting faceless Imperials.
	But Ryouga did care if the ship was fixed.  Ryouga didn't notice the shop to their right.  A dusty sign that read "Mechanic" hung over the doorway.  They could have walked past it and on into paradise.
	Akari let out a quiet sigh.  Not this time, not right now.  "Ryouga-sama, we're here."  She pointed out the shop.
	Ryouga smiled.  "Oh, I hadn't even noticed it.  It's a good thing you saw it.  Come on, lets find some stuff."
	Akari followed Ryouga-sama through the dark doorway.  Inside was an eminence space, completely empty except for a single young boy working on a rather complicated looking motorbike.
	Ryouga's voice echoed throughout the room.  "Is this a repair shop?"
	The boy looked up from the bike he was working on. Looked like some new work.  That was always good.  One could only tinker with the same bike for so long.  "Sure is, what's busted?" he replied, a smile broad upon his face.
	Ryouga waited a moment before saying, "A spaceship, a rather large spaceship.  We could fix it ourselves but we don't have the materials.  Supplies and some help would be good, too."
	The boy let out a long, slow whistle.  "Man, I'd love to work on a spacecraft.  What's wrong with it?"
	"The engines are blown."
	The boy shook his head in disbelief.  He was going to get to work on interstellar engines.  Maybe.  "I'd love to work on it, but I just don't know if we'll have the stuff we'll need to fix it.  Let me check with the boss."
	He turned his back on the two customers and shouted towards a closed door at the back of the room.  "Hey, boss, you think we've got the material to fix a spacecraft's engine?"
	The boss sat up in her office.  Who would be dumb enough to not carry the parts need to repair their engine out here.  She stood and walked to the door.  "Of course we do, but it's going to cost you.  Parts aren't cheap out here."
	The handle on the door turned and out walked a woman in her early twenties, rather young to be running a shop.  She wore an impeccably clean blazer, brilliantly red.  Soft, light brown hair hung down to her shoulders, framing a face that looked strikingly like. . . .
	"Nabiki!!!" shouted both Ryouga and Akari as soon as she stepped out of the back room.  Nabiki paused for a second as she saw the people who shouted out her name, then she resumed her confidant stride across the room to where her worker was.
	"You know these people, boss?" the boy asked inquisitively.
	She stopped a few feet behind the boy.  "Yes, Mackie, I do."  A little chuckle escaped from her lips.  "I'm sure that I've told you of the mighty Ryouga before."
	Mackie turned, looking at Nabiki shocked.  "You mean the pig-boy?!?  I thought you were just joking."
	Nabiki tried to keep from chuckling as she walked up to a reddened Ryouga, pinching him on the cheek.  "It would appear to be the very one.  The very one who skipped town without me after the Empire hit."
	Ryouga scratched nervously behind his head.  "It's good to see you again Nabiki, we could use your help.  We kind of broke the engines on our ship."  A tense chuckle escaped his lips.
	Nabiki's eyes turned to Akari.  "I see you finally gave up on my sister.  That's good.  It's about time that you got together with Akari.  How big is the ship?"
	Akari had to answer the question, being as Ryouga was choking on the "ran off with Akari statement.  "It's an S-Class Corvette."
	Mackie's eyes light up.  This was tremendous.  "Man, do you know what I could do with that engine.  I could boost the. . . ."  Nabiki cut him off, which was good, because he could have gone on for hours.
	"What the hell are you doing with a Rebel Warship, Ryouga?"
	A little bit of pride regained, Ryouga puffed out his chest and announced, "That's Commander Hibiki, if you must know.  The ship is my command, the Abermono Buta.  We were attacked by Imperial forces had our engines were damaged.  We had to land her and try to repair them."
	Nabiki shook her head.  "Things must be going really poorly for the Rebellion if they have you running a ship.  And I had heard that the war was going well after you guys blew up the second Death Star."
	She didn't quite phase Ryouga like she thought she would.  "Quite a few people from Nerima are with us, Ukyou, Mousse, Tsubasa, and just yesterday we found Akane and Ranma floating out in space in a dead ship."
	"What!!  My sister is here?  You've got to show me where she is!!" cried Nabiki.
	Ryouga smiled.  Now it was time to play hardball.  "Sure you can see her, if you help us.  Do we got a deal?"
	Nabiki was not impressed.  "If I don't help you, you're stuck here and I get to see her sooner or later.  Nice try, Ryouga."
	Hibiki shrugged.  "Oh, yeah, I guess you're right.  Well, will you help us or not?"
	Nabiki took out a slip of paper, wrote something on it and then handed it to Ryouga.  "Here's my price."
	The human eyeball is an amazing thing.  That somehow a little ball of jelly can give a person sight is nothing short of miraculous.  However, even though the eye is a wonderful thing, there are somethings that they just weren't meant to see.  Judging by the way Ryouga's were bulging out of his skull, this was one of those times.
	"Yo, y, you've got to be kidding," stammered Ryouga.  "I don't have that type of cash on me."
	"Nor would I expect you to, deary, but I'm sure that the Rebellion is good for it.  Mackie and I will just have to come off planet with you to make sure we collect, at your expense, you realize."
	Akari was beginning to get worried about Ryouga-sama.  She highly doubted that turning that shade of red was good for anyone's health.  She was relieved when, after a few minutes, Hibiki relaxed the grip he had on the sheet of paper and nodded his head in agreement.
	"Good, that's settled."  Nabiki turned.  "Come on Mackie, I'll show you what we need, then you and," she paused, smiling, "Commander Hibiki can bring it on out to the transport sleds."
	As Ryouga stood in the middle of the bay, the anger trying to keep from boiling over, Mackie sprang to his feet and rushed to the storeroom.  The engines of a Rebel Warship!!  This was going to be fun.
Part 2.  The Bridge of the Zubonsh.
	The main doors opened and two guards roughly carried a young man onto the bridge, dumping him on the ground.  The man fell in a heep, his blue robe tangled.
	"Do not raise my ire, Philistine!!" shouted Kuno from his ackward position on the floor.
	"Do not raise mine, Commander," the ship's Captain said quiet calmly from his chair.  "They may be peons, but they follow my orders, something which you fail to do."
The Captain paused, giving Kuno a chance to come to his feet.
	"Tell me, Commander, if I commanded that a certain rebel ship be destroyed, why was it not done?"  The old Captain leaned forward, waiting for an answer before he disposed of this pitiful excuse for an officer.
	Whether is was boldness or stupidity, Kuno stood proudly, his eyes narrowing on the Captain.  "A simple reason.  The rebels have taken fair Akane Tendo captive and I will not allow my love to be destroyed.  Is this reason enough?"
	A murmur went throughout the bridge.  "Besides, if she had been killed, I believe you might have had a mutiny on your hands."
	The Captain sighed.  As if a mutiny could harm him.  "Consider yourself fortunate, Kuno.  The data tapes ended up being more important than I had thought.  Helm, lay in a course for Allegro."
	The Captain leaned forward, a wicked smile on his face.  "I believe we have an appointment with a certain doctor there.  We will finish off the rebels on the way, and reclaim this Akane Tendo."
Part 4.  Halal.
	Ukyou certain wasn't having Akari's luck in finding any rebels on this planet.  However, that was probably a good sign.  If she, a master tracer, couldn't find them, they were probably a decent outfit.  If you could find rebels easily, those rebels wouldn't be alive long.
	Who knows, these rebels might actually be able to help them in some meaningful away.  Ukyou thought that would be nice.
	However, she did have some time to do some catching up on things with Ranma and Akane.  When Mousse started to look at a particuliar building, Ukyou pulled Akane and Ranma aside.
	"Mousse is really in bad shape," Ukyou began.  "You see, he didn't want to leave Shampoo with at the clinic.  He only accepted it reluctantly after Commander Hibiki had a long talk with him.
	"You see, Hibiki didn't drop Shampoo of for her own well being.  This clinic was offering cash for test subjects.   Hibiki wanted repairs on the ship, and at least they might have been able to do something for her."
	Ukyou paused, her eyes looking over at Mousse.  "A week later, we got word of the attack.  She was killed.  Mousse did not take it well.  He went nuts, blaming himself, we had to sedate him.
	"Maybe it was the sedative, or maybe it was just his way of dealing with it, but now he thinks various people on the ship are Shampoo.  It was me for a while, now it's Wedge."
	Mousse trotted back to the group.  "It wasn't anything Major, sorry."  The four of them walked on down the street, silently until Mousse spoke up.
	"Hey, Ranma, Akane, just out of curiosity, what was the wedding like?  Shampoo and I enjoyed Ukyou's.  It was really nice."
	Akane's reaction was rather surprising.  Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Ranma.  "I don't know, we haven't been married yet."
	"Akane, come on, you know that. . ." began Ranma.  He was cut off by an astonished Ukyou.  "Then what the hell happened when you two eloped?"
	Akane turned and looked at Ranma, who turned, his hands behind his back.  She shook her head quietly, then said, "Okay, here's what happened.
	"That night five years ago, he came into my room in the middle of the night.  He did something completely strange."  A tear began to well up in Akane's eye.  She laughed, uncomfortably.  "He told me that he loved me."
	Ranma turned.  "Now, Akane, you know that," but Akane cut him off, raising her palm in the air.  She continued.
	"He said that he couldn't wait for a 'real' marriage, that he wanted us to be together right now.  He was really something that night.  His hair was tussled, he obviously hadn't been sleeping well.
	"He took my hand and asked me to elope with him that night.  He said, 'Do you honestly think that between our families and friends that we'd actually be able to get married before we're forty?'
	"I thought about it for a while.  I wanted to immediately, but I didn't want to leave my family and friends, not even for a little while.  He was suggesting that we come back in a year or so, just to let things cool down.  But, I knew we wouldn't be coming back any time soon.
	"I told him, 'I want to, but I'd be giving up my family.  Then, when all I have in the world is you, you'll probably run off on some damn fool training mission and get yourself killed.'"
	Tears were pouring out of Akane, but she continued on.  "He got down on one knee, still holding my hand, and swore to give up any type of journeying if I would only come with him and be his wife.  
	"I said yes.  We packed quietly and were gone within the hour.
	"We were hardly five miles away when the drop ships came.  You remember the chaos, we were luck just not to be separated.  In the rush, we got completely lost.
	"We headed back to the dojo.  It was gone.  All gone.  We figured everyone had. . . ."
	Ranma crept up behind Akane, kissing her on the back of the neck and placing a hand on her shoulder.  She gripped his hand tightly as he continued the story.  
	"The Empire was running the government by then.  Conscription was in full swing.  That was why we never married.  They'd get my name on the rolls and I'd be gone.  So we headed off to the country.
	"We found a nice little house in some woods nearby a small town.  I'd run into town every once in a while to hear some news, but other than that, we did everything ourselves.  We grew our own food, fixed the house, everything."
	His arm dropped to Akane's side, pulling her close to him.
	"It was the best four years of my life.  But then, one day in town, some crewer off of some ship mentioned that there was some scientist who had found the formula for Nanichuan.  
	"When I got home, I started to pack.  I had to find her, to get the water.  I was going to go jump on a ship by myself, but Akane wouldn't let me go alone.  she insisted that she come along.
	"We hid on a freighter headed off Earth.  For a year we bounced around, doing odd jobs and finding information.  We finally got the scientist's name and location.  You know the rest."
	Akane turned and looked at Ranma.  "So you see, even though we were never married, he is my husband, and I love him vary much."  Akane reached up and kissed Ranma on the lips.
	Ukyou turned and looked towards the desert where the ship and her husband were.  "I understand you completely."
	"Hey, I think I found something," shouted Mousse.  He was pointing at "Rudy's Electric, Body, Eatery, and Luggage Shop."  "You'd think such a versatile shop would be busy.  Doesn't look that way to me."
	Ukyou smiled.  "Not when it spells out REBELS.  Let's take a look."  Ukyou stepped through the door first, then the others followed.
	The space inside was competely dark.  Plus they had come from the bright sunlight outside.  That's probably why they didn't notice the two guards who snuck up behind them and stunned them before they knew what was happening.