"You look just like us," Tenchi observed the child who had freed him.

Sasami smiled. 

"What a cute pet," Tenchi added, leaning to get a closer look, and 
getting his face licked.

"Mmm hmm." Sasami agreed.

"Tell me what were those weird logs?"

"They aren't really logs. "Sasami smiled. "They're guardians. Our 
servants."

Tenchi was a bit relieved. He stared at the sword-hilt the little girl 
was holding. "Hey, that looks just like..." he searched his pockets and 
came up empty. "Hey! It's gone!"

"What's wrong?" Sasami asked.

"I had a sword like that, and it's gone," Tenchi explained.

"Hmmm," Sasami mused. 

"Sasami, can you get me home?"

Sasami considered it. "Well, I'll do you a favor if you do a favor for 
me."

***

The brilliant scientist who had created the escape pod the Protector 
was in had equipped it with everything:

Scanners for viewing deep space, or TV programs from any planet in a 
two hundred light year range.

Food replicators with a rather impressive array of culinary options.

A very nice shower with an endless supply of hot and cold water.

A computer which could interface with any online network in the 
universe.

And, much to the Protector's chagrin, an alarm clock.

"Okay, okay, I'm up," he muttered as he climbed, blearily, out of bed 
and stumbled into the shower.

When he walked into the ship's main cabin, he was a bit more awake. 

He poured some fresh coffee and settled in at the terminal to read the 
daily news.

"Would like to see the local news?" The computer asked.

"In todays local news, the occupant of the escape pod woke up, made 
coffee and was asked a very stupid question by a highly sophisticate 
piece of ultramodern technology," the Protector replied, sarcastically.

"I was referring to the part of the Galaxy we are currently 
traversing." the computer pointed out.

"Any inhabited planets?"

"No."

"Any spaceships?"

"One."

"Lifeforms."

"One."

The Protector raised an eyebrow. "Computer give me full data on ship 
and lifeform."

An image of the escape pod and a note that it was occupied by a single 
Draalthi appeared on the screen."

The Protector sighed. "Are there spaceships or lifeforms around besides 
us?" He asked.


***

Nobuyuki sat and watched a video. He hadn't been able to start his VCR. 
Instead, he was using the playback function an old video camera, the 
kind that took the full size VHS tapes. and looking into the  
viewfinder. 

The downside of this was that he had to watch it as a silent movie, but 
at least he was able to watch it.

"It's a good thing I didn't throw that old camera away," he told 
himself. 

***

"My sister's room is right over there." 

Sasami pointed across what looked like a moonlit field at what appeared 
to be a tree that had been elegantly crafted into the shape of a small 
summer palace. 

Tenchi looked at where she was pointing. He could see one window had a 
light on. As he watched, the light went out.

"She's asleep now," Sasami told him. "You know what to do right?"

"Get her head ornament." Tenchi nodded. "But why. Isn't it hers?"

"Just get it."

"Okay, I'll get it. Just don't forget your promise." Tenchi made his 
way to the arboreal abode.

Behind him, remaining where she was, Sasami quietly giggled.

***

Ayeka rolled over in bed. Her hands clutched the pillow and drew it 
close as she softly whispered Yosho's name.

Tenchi stared at her. Yosho was his distant ancestor, and here was a 
girl his own age who seemed to be having a very intense dream about 
him. He moved closer, trying to get a better look.

Ayeka rolled over again and Tenchi got a good look at her head 
ornament. It fit flush against her brow, under her hair, with part of 
it clamped around some of her hair, forming a set of unbraided pigtails 
just in front of her ears.

"Oh man, how am I supposed to get that off her?" Tenchi sighed. 

He was about to leave when he saw the sword clutched in Ayeka's hand.

"The sword." He whispered. "Well... first thing's first." He went to 
the right side of the bed, to grab it.

Entirely by chance, Ayeka rolled to the left side. 

Tenchi moved to the left side, and the same thing happened.

Tenchi decided to heck with it. He climbed onto the bed, climbing on 
top of Ayeka and using his knees to stop her from rolling over, and 
tried to dislodge the sword from her surprisingly strong grip.

Of course when Ayeka woke up, she got entirely the wrong idea.

She screamed.

Azaka and Kamidake appeared at her side.

"I want you to put that scoundrel to death!" She shouted, pointing at 
Tenchi who was now running like bat out of hell. "Oh my," she remarked 
to herself, "how quickly he runs."

***

Tenchi scooped up Sasami as he ran.

She laughed, happily.

"Ha! Ha! Very funny! Your logs are trying to kill me!"

"They're my sister's! There's nothing I can do."  She pointed to a 
opening in a tree. "Quick! Go in there!"

Tenchi did not expect it to be a transporter pad.

Within moments, he was in the detention center.

"Yoo hoo!! Tenchi!" A familiar voiced called.

"Oh great. Her," Tenchi muttered. He went over to Ryoko's new prison.

"You got me into this mess. You get me out," Tenchi remarked, 
pointedly.

"I'd really love to help. But without the other gems, I can't. So why 
don't you stop talking and get me out of here."

"You know I can't open this thing." Tenchi pointed out. The sword 
glowed and the cell opened up.


Ryoko drifted out and hovered over by Tenchi.

"Who's this?" She asked, looking at Sasami.

Sasami bowed. 

"Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Sasami."

Ryoko had never been treated so politely and it surprised her.

Sasami looked over at Tenchi and pointed at Ryoko. "Tenchi? Who is this 
older lady? Is she a friend of yours also?"

Ryoko fumed. "OLDER," she barely kept herself from turning Sasami into 
a charred pile of bones. That would not look good in front of Tenchi. 
And besides, she liked the girl, despite what she'd just called her.  
She relaxed and patted Sasami on the head. "Yes, I'm his friend, but 
not an *older* lady. You know what I mean, little girl?" She gave 
Sasami a very firm noogie.

Sasami stared at the sword hilt in Tenchi's hand.

"I wonder why this opened." Tenchi mused.

"Hey," Sasami mentioned in a perplexed voice, "that sword belongs to
Yosho."

"Yosho?" Now that he had a moment to catch his breath, he wondered how
they knew about his ancestor.

"Mm hm." Sasami nodded. "So why were you able to use it?"

"Oh, yeah... show me that sword of yours." Ryoko clasped Tenchi's hand
and moved closer to him, almost close enough to kiss him.

"Hey! Wait! You can't touch this!"

"Trust me. Relax!"

"Ryoko!"

"Be quiet." Ryoko whispered.

The gems began to fade from the hilt of the sword and reappear on 
Ryoko.

"STOP!"

Ryoko's concentration was broken, the two gems solidified on the sword.

"And here comes the Princess." Ryoko pontificated.

"Sasami!  I see it was you who released him." Ayeka sounded cross. "You
shouldn't have done that."

"I was bored." Sasami explained.

"That's no excuse." Ayeka told her little sister. She turned to Tenchi.
"You, Tenchi. I believe that is your name?"

Tenchi nodded.

"Where is the owner of the sword you are now holding?"

Tenchi considered. "Well, I believe he died a long time ago."

"You're lying!" Ayeka blurted. "And what was his name?"

"I believe his name was Yosho."

Ayeka's face fell and she looked almost ready to cry. "No. It can't be
true. You're only trying to trick me! Azaka! Kamikake!"

Ryoko grabbed Sasami and held her light-staff in front of her. "Order
your blockheads to pull back."

"You play dirty to the end." Ayeka snarled.

Ryoko was suddenly wrapped in sturdy vines and lifted away from Sasami
by Kamidake.

Sasami rushed to stand between Azaka and Tenchi. "Azaka! No!"

"Get back!" Tenchi raised his hands in a gesture of warding.

Kamidake released Ryoko and Azaka backed away.

"I gave you an order to attack!" Ayeka told her guardians. Then she saw
the sword. "The sword. The Master Key is in synch with him. But it
shouldn't react to anyone except those of royal blood. So then why... no
it can't be true!" 

Ryoko turned to Tenchi. "Call Ryo-ohki. You want to go home, right?"

"Yeah, if you return my house, too."  Tenchi replied.

"I can't believe it! I won't believe it!" Ayeka denied.

"Suit yourself," Ryoko told her. "But you might want to get out of the
way."

Ryo-ohki crashed through Ryu-oh a moment later. 

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Ryoko told Ayeka as she teleported 
herself and Tenchi back onto Ryo-ohki.

"Bye bye, lady." Sasami waved as they vanished.

"Azaka! Kamidake! Do something!"

"Yes, ma'am." Kamidake replied, from under a bit of rubble.

"I will never forgive that woman." Ayeka vowed.

***

Nobuyuki busied himself cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. A good deal
of the crockery had fallen out of the cupboards when Ryo-ohki had
crashed into Ryu-oh and he didn't want himself, Tenchi, or his
father-in-law stepping on broken shards and cutting their feet. He
supposed he should've done it before watching a video, but one couldn't
be blamed for a lapse in judgement when faced with such a odd situation.
In the last hour or so, he'd managed to get most of the stuff that
hadn't broken safely secured. A straight-edge ruler from his tool kit
was holding the cupboard doors shut.

Nobuyuki nodded to himself once the task was finished, and leafed 
through one of manga comics he had collected in his youth.

***

"I'll make her follow us down to Earth." Ryoko decided. "If she's 
allowed to fly around up here, she'll just cause trouble."

"You'll hurt her!" Tenchi protested.

"So what?"

"She's just a girl!"

"You like her so much, why don't you go join her?" Ryoko grinned, 
wickedly.

***

"Ryo-ohki's mass is growing abnormally." Azaka announced.

"Why aren't they under are control?"

"They seem to have used the Master Key." Kamidake pointed out.

"What are you doing? Why must attack!"  Ayeka commanded.

"If we fall to Earth, even Ryu-oh will be damaged." 

"That woman is simply unreasonable." Ayeka scoffed. "Ryoko! Stop it! I
command you!"

Her commands went unheard all the way down. Only the command for the
outer shell of Ryu-oh to explode was heeded. Ayeka hoped the force of
the explosion would act as a type of airbrake and slow ship a bit.

Ryoko's concentration was thrown and the ship tumbled over the bay,
through the Great Seito bridge, and continued into mountains just
beyond...

...in the lake behind the Masaki Shrine.

***

"Eat this stew." Ryoko placed a bowl of it in front of Tenchi. "Its
good. You're lucky. You don't have a scratch after all we've been
through."

"Mmm." Tenchi grunted, sounding bored.

"You really should thank me." Ryoko told him. "After all, I took care of
you and protected you at my own personal risk."

Sasami swallowed the food she was eating and turned to Ryoko. "But most
of the energy of the crash was absorbed by our ship. That's why you're
okay."

"Oh. So that's why our landing point was off." Ryoko shuddered. "I
nearly landed back in that damn cave."

"Where's the other young lady?" Nobuyuki asked.

"She's over there." Ryoko pointed to the lake.

Ayeka was trying, singlehandedly, to get Ryu-oh out of the lake.

"Sasami! You have to help me! We have to save Ryu-oh, my ship!"

"Its too big!" Sasami told her. "We'll never get it out of there!"

"No... I can't get stranded on such a remote planet as this. I just
can't! I have save my ship! My Ryu-oh!" the last syllable turned into a
yelp as she tripped and fell.

The broken board she was carrying hit Ryu-oh's hull and moved it just
enough to sink the entire vessel to the bottom of the lake.

Ayeka sank to the ground and sobbed in frustration.

***

"Location of Ryoko confirmed." The computer told the Protector. "

"Set course and give ETA." The Protector replied.

"Course set and locked. " The computer replied. "ETA nine hours, twenty
two minutes mark."

The Protector watched the sparkling blue jewel as it drew nearer. 
"I'm almost there, Ryoko." He whispered.

-------------------The End of Part 2----------------------


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

Disclaimer: The original Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki
and all things Tenchi are the hostages of 
the evil Operative-A killers at Pioneer/AIC