Disclaimer : Tenchi Muyo! and all the characters thereof are the
property of Pioneer/AIC and such. Star Trek : The Next Generation and
all characters thereof are property of Paramount. None of the characters
in this fanfic are being paid for their appearance here, nor is the
author getting any profit from this work of fiction (as if!).

Futher, if you wish to archive this fanfic on a publicly-accessibly site
(be it Web, FTP, or whatever), I have no objections to that as long as
such does not bring any profit to anyone (if I don't make money off of
it, no one will make money off of it). All I ask is that you contact me
and let me know where the archive location is so I can check it out.

That said, on with the show...





                            THE MIHOSHI INCIDENT

                    Chapter 9 - Out of the Frying Pan...

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

The turbolift doors swished open, Riker stepping out onto the bridge.
Right behind him came Mihoshi, Sasami, and Ryo-Ohki.

Picard half-turned. "Ah, Commander. We seem to have a small mystery on
our hands. Mister Data, have you completed your scans?"

"Yes, sir." Data replied from where he was seated at the Engineering
station behind Worf. "The tachyon surge is not coming from a localized
source, Captain. The entire region is being saturated with tachyon
particles. I am widening the scanning area in an attempt to determine
the extent of the field."

Picard frowned. "Status of the Yev'ash?"

Worf checked his displays. "No change, Captain."

Riker heaved a relieved sigh. "Thank God for small favors."

"Indeed, Number One." Picard nodded.

"Captain," Data reported, "I believe I have located the focus point of
the tachyon field."

"I thought you said that there wasn't a localized source." Riker pointed
out.

"I did, Commander." Data replied. "However, the source of the field -
which is still unknown - is not the focus of the field, which is the
location where the concentration of tachyon particles is substantially
higher than that of the surr-"

"Where is the focus, Commander?" Picard interrupted.

Data turned. "The focus seems to be the bridge of the Enterprise."

"What?!" Riker exclaimed. "Are you certain?"

Data nodded. "The data is confirmed, Commander. Tachyon particle
concentrations on the bridge are one thousand, two hundred and
sixty-three point four nine five percent higher than that of the
surrounding areas."

"Does such a high concentration represent a risk to the crew?" Riker
asked.

"There have been no explorations into the effects of high tachyon levels
upon living beings, Commander."

"Is there still no information on the source, Commander?" Picard asked.

"None, sir."

Troi stood up slowly. "Captain..."

Picard turned. "What is it, Councillor?"

"There's a definite intelligence behind this. I can sense it." Troi's
brow furrowed as she concentrated. "It almost seems to be.... gloating."

"Gloating?" Picard rubbed his chin. "Gloating about what?"

"I can't tell." Troi admitted. "But it's definitely pleased about
something."

Riker walked over to Picard. "You don't think this could be Q's doing,
do you?"

Picard frowned. "It would be like him to pull a stunt like this. But if
it is Q, why hasn't he shown himself?"

"Perhaps he wants to watch us squirm some more." Riker sighed. "It would
explain the things that have been going on."

Worf turned to face Picard. "Captain, we're being hailed."

"By whom, Lieutenant?" Picard asked.

Worf growled in frustration. "The source of the signal is unknown."

Picard exchanged a confounded look with Riker. "On screen."

The starfield on the main screen winked out, to be replaced by a
static-filled view of a laboratory of some sort. In the middle of the
screen, a young girl with a tremendous mane of red hair smiled
triumphantly. "Ha ha! I knew this would work!"

Sasami gasped. "Miss Washuu! How did you find us?"

Washuu smiled. "Why, I found you by tracking down the transponder signal
from Mihoshi's control cube, of course." She reached out and thumped
whatever device it was that was taking her picture, the static
disappearing as she did so. "Ah, that's better."

Riker blinked and turned to Sasami.. "Washuu? The same Washuu you told
me about earlier?"

"Sure." Sasami answered, pointing to the screen. "That's Miss Washuu.
She lives at Tenchi's house with me and Mihoshi, and my sister and
Ryoko."

"Mreow!"

"And Ryo-Ohki, of course." she added with a giggle.

Data rose to his feet. "Pardon me, ma'am, but what transponder signal
are you speaking of? We have detected no signal of any kind being
emitted from Mihoshi's cube."

"Well, it wouldn't do to have just anyone be able to pick up the signal
now, would it?" Washuu chided. "Then any criminal with an ounce of
intelligence would know where all the police were. No, you'd either need
to have a Galaxy Police signal detector, which I don't, or be the
Greatest Scientific Mind in the Universe," she grinned broadly, "which I
am." Her grin broadened even more. "And it doesn't hurt that I'm cute,
either."

Riker fell back into his chair with a sigh. "I don't think I can take
much more of this." he mumbled under his breath.

Picard paused long enough to regain his composure. "I'm Captain Jean-Luc
Picard, of the Federation starship Enterprise."

Washuu blinked, eyes glittering. "My name is Washuu. Very pleased to
meet you, Captain."

Picard smiled. "Likewise. May I ask your intentions, Washuu?"

"Mmmmm.... maybe. But only if you call me," she gave him a mischeivous
grin, "Little Washuu!"

Picard turned at the sound of someone snickering. Troi was hiding a
smile behind an upraised hand. Turning back to the main screen, he
cleared his throat. "Alright.... 'Little Washuu,' would you kindly tell
me what your intentions are?"

"Well, I'd like to start by bringing Sasami and Mihoshi back home."
Washuu replied. "Before there are any... how should I say this... before
there are any 'unfortunate incidents.' I think that's the politically
correct term for it."

"I'm not sure I understand your meaning." Picard commented cautiously.

Washuu sighed. "Okay, let me put it this way... Mihoshi's been there a
couple of hours, right?"

"Correct." Picard answered.

"Have there been any, shall we say, 'unusual occurrences' while she was
around?"

"Ah." Picard nodded slowly. "I think I see your point."

"I thought you would." Washuu replied. "Mihoshi does have that-"

An irritated female voice erupted from somewhere beyond the view
displayed on the screen. "Damn you, Washuu! Get me out of this thing!"

Washuu sighed. "Pardon me for a moment, Captain." She stepped out of
view, but her patronizing voice could still be heard. "Aw.... poor
little Ryoko, are these nasty things chafing you?"

"I said get me out of this thing!"

"Aw... that's what I thought. Here, let me tighten them up a bit..."

"What are you...? No, I said... ACK! MMMPH! MMMBRMBLE MMMPH! MRRAMBLE
MMMPH MMMMM!!!"

"I told you that that's no way to talk to your mother, Ryoko. Honestly,
I just don't know *where* you pick up these nasty little habits." Washuu
stepped back into view. "Sorry about that, Captain. You know how
children are. If you don't teach them proper manners when they're young,
they'll grow up to be uncontrollable, blowing up toilets and all that."

Picard opened his mouth, closed it, then cleared his throat. "I... ah...
I see."

Sasami stepped towards the main screen. "Miss Washuu? Are you going to
bring us back home?"

"Sure am, Sasami." Washuu replied confidently. "Tsunami would never
forgive me if I didn't. And your sister would be impossible to live
with."

"I take it that you are the one responsible for the increased tachyon
levels we have been experiencing?" Picard asked.

Washuu nodded. "Yes. I've modified my Interdimensional Trans-Molecular
Scanner to open a pathway between our dimension and the one your in now.
The increased tachyon levels are a result of my using Mihoshi's cube as
the anchor on your side of the pathway."

Picard's eyebrows rose. "You can create pathways to other dimensions?"

"Sure can." Washuu smirked. "Got some stuff that's really good at
growing hair, too, if you're interested."

Picard sighed. "I happen to be very secure in my appearance, thank you."

"It was just a suggestion." Washuu replied. "So, Mihoshi, Sasami, you
ready to go?"

"I sure am!" Mihoshi blurted. "This'll be great... we'll get back in
time for my soap opera, and you can fix my ship for the next patrol, and
Sasami can cook us a great breakfast-"

"Waitaminute." Washuu interrupted. "What was that you said?"

"What? What did I say?" Mihoshi gasped. "About Sasami cooking breakfast?
Well, she doesn't *have* to if she doesn't want to, but she's so good at
it..."

"Not that, you dimwit." Washuu said quickly. "Before that."

"Oh!" Mihoshi smiled. "You mean about fixing my ship?"

"Yes, that. *Why* do I need to fix your ship?"

"Because it was damaged when we got here of course." Mihoshi said. "Why
else would you need to fix it?"

"I could list about a couple of dozen reasons off the top of my head."
Washuu retorted. "Exactly *what* was damaged?"

Mihoshi pursed her lips. "Ummmm.... the engine."

"It figures." Washuu groaned. "What *part* of the engine?"

"Ummm.... the part that makes the ship go?"

On the screen, Washuu fell out of her chair.

Data rose to his feet and approached the screen. "Miss Washuu, I believe
I can provide more detailed information regarding the damage done to
Mihoshi's vessel."

Washuu jumped back up. "Ah, that's more like it. Let me have it."

"From our scans we have determined that both the primary reaction
chamber and magnetic bottling systems are inoperative." Data reported.
"We do not have the required materials available to effect complete
repairs. Further, there is a third system connected to the drive
computer that suffered damage. We have yet to determine its function."

Washuu's image winked out, to be replaced by a schematic of a
cylindrical object. "Is this the system you're talking about?"

Data studied the image for a half second, then nodded. "Yes."

Washuu's visage returned, her expression dark. "I was afraid of that."

"What's the problem, Washuu?" Picard inquired.

"Well," she replied slowly, "That mysterious third system is the
hyperwave propagator. Without it, Mihoshi's ship won't even be able to
enter the pathway, much less navigate through it. Assuming that the
engines worked at all, of course."

Mihoshi blinked. "Ummmm.... that's bad, right?"

Washuu nodded gravely. "Yes, very. Without that propagator, there's no
way for you to get back."

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------


Comments? Criticisms? Write me at : doppleganger@pipeline.com