[Insert standard use-of-Tenchiverse disclaimers here.]

******

So, this is it.  No looking back, no turning around, no hope of
rescue...one more step, and it's over.

Damn her!  Kiyone just had to solve everything, didn't she?

Oh, I suppose I should be grateful.  As if!  Me, Ryoko, the greatest
space pirate in the galaxy, show gratitude to a Galaxy Police detective?

But, still, she did arrange for me to be together with Tenchi forever.

I doubt I'll ever know what charge she trumped up for Tenchi's arrest.
Tenchi sure didn't know.  Whatever it was, it was bad enough to confine
him to subspace.  I must follow, if I ever want to see him again,
knowing that there will be no way out.  The only thing in there with me
will be Tenchi.  But that will be enough.

Ryo-ohki won't follow me there.  I already asked her.  Fair enough...as
long as she finds someone else to care for her as I have.  Sasami should
do.  I know Ryo-ohki is already going to her, after leaving me here at
the entrance to Tenchi's cell.

Ayeka won't follow me there.  She may be in love with him, but she is
also a princess.  She knows her duty is to her people, and her parents
are planning to resign soon.  By the time her service is done, she will
have forgotten him...forgotten us, and will not come here.

Sasami won't follow me there.  I asked her not to.  I wonder how long
her innocence can last, once her sister takes the throne.  I love her
like a sister, or maybe a daughter...and that is why it would be too
painful to watch her grow up.  In there, I will not watch anything,
except my Tenchi.

Washu...well, she COULD follow me there, and bring us back.  But I
doubt she will.  Subspace is very well known, as it is essentially
manufactured space.  There have been few scientific advances regarding
it for centuries...and if it isn't unknown, even in the slightest, it
holds no interest for Washu.

Mihoshi won't follow me there.  And if she does, I'll fry her.  Tenchi
won't see the ashes of her body against the black void.

And Kiyone...

I look at her, gazing upon my 'savior' one last time.  "Thank you."

Then one step, and I plunge into the subspace prison, falling towards my
beloved...

Oh no.

DAMN HER!

******

Kiyone smiled as she closed the portal to subspace.  "You're welcome."

Sasami's face appeared on a monitor.  "Is it over?"

"It's over.  Ryoko, Ayeka, and Tenchi are now trapped in subspace,
together."

Sasami sniffed, and cuddled Ryo-ohki.  "I miss them already."

"It'll be ok.  The matrix is programmed to open an exit once Ryoko's
sentence is up.  She's only got to serve 10 years for that one bank
robbing.  By then, either they'll realize they're all in love with each
other, or they'll kill each other.  And I promise, I'll be right here
when the door opens to see which it is."

"So will I."  Sasami looked off-screen, nodded, and looked back.  "I've
got to go now; they want to run through my coronation ceremonies again.
You'll be there, won't you?  They're next week."

"I'll be there, Sasami...and in exchange, could you come to my promotion
ceremony?  They're bumping me up three ranks for finally capturing
Ryoko."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh.  And I've asked for a transfer to liason officer to Jurai.
It's a one-person job, but I figured you wouldn't mind someone you knew
in that job."

"Congratulations!  I've gotta go now, see you next week."  Sasami's
picture quickly faded to a blank screen.

Kiyone leaned against the wall and chuckled.  Then giggled.  Within two
minutes, she was rolling on the floor with laughter, from the sheer joy
of realizing she had solved everyone's problems.  And all she had to do,
was to get Tenchi.