Subject: [fanfic] The Mihoshi Incident, Chapter 6 (final beta)
From: Derek Sherman
Date: 12/9/1996, 9:11 AM
To: FFML
Reply-to:
doppleganger@pipeline.com

Tenchi Trek : The Mihoshi Incident
A Tenchi Muyo/Star Trek crossover

By : Derek Sherman (doppleganger@pipeline.com)

Legal Stuff
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As with all anime fanfics, the characters described herein are the
copyrighted property of their creators, owners, production studios, 
and whoever else might decide to sue me if they thought I was worth 
the trouble.
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Author's note : Although I consider this to be the final rough
draft of this fanfic, if you have any comments, criticisms, or 
similar things (spelling errors, logic errors, anything) then 
don't hesitate to let me know. If it makes it a better 'fic, 
then I'll include it. If not... well, I'll think about it,
at least  ^_^

And now, on with the show!

**********

Chapter 6 - Which Way Did She Go?


Washu hummed tunelessly to herself as her hands danced over the
controls of her (soon to be patented) Interdimensional and Sub-
Space Trans-Molecular Scanner. She had discovered that the
space-time warp that Mihoshi had passed into earlier had acted as
a tunnel through the dimensional matrix, and Washu had narrowed the 
possible exit points of that tunnel to four.
  However, the same force that had attempted to block her scans of
the warp was at it again, returning false echoes, ghost images, and
generally making a pest of itself. There was a definite intelligence
behind the blocks, and Washu was beginning to suspect the identity
of her opponent.
  "There has to be a better way to locate her." Washu mumbled to her-
self. She had been scanning each of the four suspected dimensions for
any sign of the trans-ferrite alloy used in Galaxy Police vessels,
but even without the interference cause by her unseen antagonist,
the ISSTMS was being pushed to the limit, and beyond. "If only
she had an interdimensional beacon and transceiver unit." Washu
sighed. "What am I saying? She wouldn't know how to spell it, much
less how to use one."
  There was a muffled shout from one corner of the lab, and Washuu
leaned over, smiling sweetly. "Ryoko, will you quit struggling,
please? You're interrupting my train of thought." Another muffled
shout, more vicious this time. "Is that any way to talk to your
mother? Kids these days..."
  She sat quietly for several minutes, idly toying with a track-ball
control, listening to Ryoko's ever-more-energetic struggles, watching 
the ISSTMS's data scroll past on several screens. Suddenly, an idea 
struck. "Of course! Mihoshi's control cube!"

---

Riker walked over cautiously and picked up the pink cube. "What the...
what happened to her?" He turned as the turbolift doors opened and
Lieutenant LaForge stepped onto the bridge. "Geordi, what happened?"
  "I'll let you know in a moment, Commander." LaForge turned to the
Engineering station. "Computer, transfer Engineering controls to this
station." He sat down and began working. "There was a brief surge of
energy in the transporter field right before she was supposed to
re-materialize. I'm attempting to determine the cause of the energy
surge now."
  "Captain," Worf said, "the Romulans are hailing us again." He
favored Picard with the barest of smiles. "They seem to be quite 
agitated."
  "This is all happening too fast." Picard sighed. "Mister Worf, on
screen."
  The glowering face of a Romulan woman filled the main screen.
"Attention Federation vessel. I am Captain Kila of the Romulan Warship
Yev'ash. You have entered the Neutral Zone in violation of treaty. We 
demand that you withdraw immediately."
  Picard rose to his feet, straightening the hem of his shirt as he
stepped towards the screen. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the 
USS Enterprise. We entered the Neutral Zone to render assistance to
a vessel in distress." He paused. "It is my hope that this encounter
can be resolved peacefully, Captain."
  "And it will be, Captain," the Romulan stated icily, "if you with-
draw to the Federation side of the Neutral Zone immediately."
  Picard turned and drew a finger across his throat. Worf nodded,
replying, "Audio off, Captain."
  "Opinions?" Picard asked Riker and Troi.
  "We got caught with our hands in the cookie jar." Riker replied. 
"And it's unlikely that they'd look the other way."
  Troi nodded. "Captain Kila is highly tense. I'm also sensing a strong
hatred directed towards us, Captain. She could react to any perceived
provocation with violence."
  "So she hates us, hmm?" Riker commented. "And she's likely to start
shooting if she senses any provocation? This is getting better and
better."
  Picard nodded. "Agreed. We're at a distinct disadvantage here. I only
hope we can come to a peaceful solution." Looking at Worf, he nodded.
  "Audio on."
  Picard straightened. "Captain Kila, we appreciate your position. If
you will allow us time to complete repairs to-"
  "No." Kila growled. "You have entered the Neutral Zone in violation
of treaty. You must withdraw immediately, or face the consequences."
  Picard's expression soured. "You have entered the Neutral Zone as
well, Captain. I would hate to have this minor misunderstanding 
escalate into a full-scale war between our governments."
  "Is that a threat, Captain?" Kila asked warily.
  "An observation." Picard replied.
  Captain Kila paused for a moment, thinking. Before she could say
more, an aide stepped up beside her and hurridly whispered in her
ear. Kila's eyes widened slightly and she nodded. "Captain Picard,
I shall.... consider what you have said. Now I have pressing matters
to attend to."
  With that, the screen went blank.
  Picard turned. "What was that all about?"
  "Something's wrong." Troi answered. "Whatever it was that she was
told, it surprised her. Surprised her so badly that she doesn't 
consider us to be much of a threat right now."
  "That would have to be some surprise." Riker commented. Then he
frowned, turning the pink cube over in his hands. "You don't think..."

---

"I'll ask you one last time." the Romulan officer spat, "What are you
doing aboard this vessel?"
  "I don't know!" Mihoshi whined, her voice raising in pitch with
each word. "I was on my ship, and Yukinojo said that another ship had
arrived, so I decided to try and call up a cup of coffee, but my cube
wasn't working right, and then the Enterprise said that they were going
to beam me back - which is a really strange feeling, I might add. Kinda
like sitting in a fizzy soda, not that I've ever actually *done* some-
thing like that, but I bet that that's what it would feel like if I 
actually-"
  "Enough!" the officer shouted, slapping his hands over his ears.
  The doors to the interrogation room slid open and Captain Kila 
stepped in. "Is this the intruder?"
  "Yes, Captain. She was found in the aft cargo hold." He shot a
withering glance at Mihoshi. "So far she hasn't been very cooperative."
  "I see." Turning to Mihoshi, she narrowed her eyes. "My name is
Kila, Captain of the Romulan Warbird Yev'ash. What is your name?"
  Mihoshi gulped. "Mihoshi."
  "Ah.... Mihoshi, is it?" Kila glanced at the other officer. "And
what are you doing here?"
  "I don't know." she said softly. "Like I told this nice man, I was
on my ship, and Yukinojo said that another ship-"
  Kila cut her off. "You are a Federation spy!"
  "Spy? Of course not... I'm a Galaxy Policewoman."
  "Galaxy Policewoman?" Kila spat. "What nonsense is this?"
  "Detective first class, if you want to be picky about it." Mihoshi
pointed out. "Say, who's your tailor? I just *love* your outfit."
  "Liar! Centurians!" Kila shouted. Two glowering Centurians entered
the room. "Take this spy to the brig!"
  "No, no... I really *do* love your outfit!"

---

Picard turned as the turbolift doors swished open, Beverly stepping
briskly onto the bridge. Immediately behind her was Sasami, who was 
gazing around in wide-eyed amazement.
  Picard rose to his feet, adjusting the hem of his shirt. "Ah, Doctor.
I'm glad you could join us on such short notice." He turned to look at
the child accompanying her. "And this must be Sasami." 
  Beverly nodded, turning to the young princess. "Sasami, this is
Captain Picard."
  Sasami's eyes widened, and she bowed politely. "This is *your* ship?" 
she gaped. 
  "It is until someone else takes command." Picard answered, smiling. 
"Where's your little friend?"
  "You mean Ryo-Ohki? She's eating."
  "Eating?" Picard cast a questioning glance at Beverly.
  Smiling, Beverly replied, "She's down in sick bay, giving the
replicators a workout. It seems she has a craving for carrots." She
paused. "A rather *large* craving, to be honest. Puts tribbles to
shame, to say the least."
  "I see." Picard mused, looking at Sasami. "Sasami, we have a small
mystery on our hands, and we're hoping that you can shed some light
on the situation." He motioned towards his command chair. "Would you
like to sit down?"
  Sasami nodded, frowning slightly. "What do you mean?"
  Pcard glanced at Riker, who nodded. He turned to Sasami, who had
pulled herself up into Picard's chair. "Mihoshi transported over to 
her ship to retrieve something." He held out the pink cube. "We
think this is what she went to get."
  Sasami nodded. "That's her control cube. But why do you have it?"
  "We don't know." Riker admitted. "Something happened during the
transport, and she never re-materialized. This is all that returned."
  "You mean she's dead?" Sasami asked, her voice quiet.
  "No." Deanna interrupted, leaning forward. "But we do believe that
this 'control cube' may have had something to do with it."
  "Exactly." Riker added. "Can you tell us how it works? It might help
us determine exactly what happened."
  Sasami's gaze travelled from Riker, to Deanna, to Picard, and back
to Riker. "I'd like to help, but I really don't know how it works."
  Riker rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Can you tell us anything
about it?"
  "Not really." Sasami replied softly. Then, suddenly, her expression
brightened. "Yukinojo! You can ask Yukinojo! He'd know, I'm sure of
it!"
  "Yukinojo?" Picard said. "You mean her ship's computer?"
  "Mmm-hmmm." Sasami nodded happily. "I'm sure he could tell you."
  Picard looked at Worf. "Lieutenant, what's the status of the Romulan
vessel?"
  Worf checked his displays. "No change, Captain."
  "Good." Picard nodded. "Hail Mihoshi's vessel."
  
---

"Hello? Hello!" Mihoshi's shrill cry rang out from the brig. "I need to
use the toilet! Please, let me out of here!"
  Looking out from behind the force field, Mihoshi chewed her lower
lip. "Where did everyone go?" she wondered aloud. "Why haven't they
come to let me use the toilet?" Her eyes wandered around the cell
she found herself in, then focused on a small panel mounted on the
far wall. It was covered with symbols she couldn't understand.
  Walking over to the panel, she leaned forward slightly and pressed
on it. She yelped as the panel swung open with a loud *CLACK*, then
broke off of its mountings and fell to the floor. "Oh dear." she
muttered to herself, peering inside the exposed cavity. There were
numerous cables and conduits and small colored cubes, as well as
four objects that looked like buttons.
  "I know what this is!" Mihoshi announced happily. "Just like the
utility controls back at the Academy!" She frowned, slightly. "But
which one opens the door to the bathroom?" She closed her eyes,
concentrating. "Oh, I never was good at multiple-choice tests!" Eyes
still closed, Mihoshi began chanting. "Eeeny, meeny, miney, Moe!" 
She stabbed the third button. Nothing. 
  "Meeny!" she said, stabbing the first button. Nothing.
  "Miney?" The second button. Still nothing.
  "Eeeny?" she sobbed, pressing the fourth - and last - button.
  There was a muffled sizzle, then the force field sealing the cell 
flashed and went dark.
  All too aware of the growing pressure in her abdomen, Mihoshi
walked out of the cell, into the hallway beyond, and looked around. 
"Hello? Hello? Is there anyone out here?" There was no answer. 
"Guess I'm going to have to find the toilet all by myself."
  With that, she began walking.

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Derek