This one has been mostly done for a while now, I've just neglected to
finish up and send out. Part six is just begun and the third lemon is
almost finished.


___________________________________________________________

Jurai�s Debt
part 5
I, Alien
by Douglas Whiddon



	Tenchi and co. were in his quarters aboard
the queens� ship. Misaki was laying out the pieces of
a Juraian court outfit on a table for Tenchi's
education.
	�Basically, the standard clothing worn at
court is this,� she pointed at the first piece, �a light
shirt,� the next, �pants,� moving on, �a vest, and a
robe. There are lots of variations, but this is the
simplest form.�
	Misaki looked back at Tenchi. �Well? What
are you waiting for?�
	Tenchi looked around. Ryoko, Ayeka,
Mihoshi, Sasami, two cabbits, and two queens. �I
don�t usually have an audience when I�m changing
clothes.�
	Misaki smirked. �Privacy screen.� She
addressed the room and drew a line in the air.
	A shimmering green forcefield appeared in
the air were Misaki drew her line. Tenchi stepped
behind the field and removed his shirt.
	A shrill whistle came from above. �Yah!
Take it all off!�
	When Tenchi looked up, Ryoko was
hovering just above the forcefield. He tossed his
shirt at her. �Ryoko!�
	Moments later Tenchi emerged from behind
the screen wearing the shirt and pants. Misaki helped
him with the vest and robe.
	�Well? How do I look?�
	�You look fine.� Funaho said.
	�I feel silly. This stuff isn�t me.� Tenchi
sighed.


An hour later in the Great Hall.

	Tenchi stood with Ayeka in a room just off
the halls entryway.
	�Will you quit messing with that, it�s fine.�
	�It�s crooked, I don�t want you looking
sloppy in front of Father.� Ayeka continued to fiddle
with Tenchi�s collar. Satisfied, she stepped back to
view her handy-work.
	�Are we ready?�
	Ayeka considered this. �Almost.� She
stepped back up to Tenchi, and took his hands in
hers. �Husband, listen to me. You are about to enter
enemy territory. With the exception of Mother and
Queen Funaho, you will find no allies here. Accept
nothing at face value, and trust no one. You are
Crown Prince, so no one here is your equal.  Don't
let yourself, or them, forget it, or they will take it as
a sign of weakness.  The gravest
mistake you could make here is to treat anyone
except father as your equal..� Ayeka kissed Tenchi
and went to open the door.
	Tenchi stepped into the hall. It was the
largest single room he had ever seen. They could
have stored the Yamato here. No, they could have
stored the whole fleet here. The room was long too.
To Tenchi�s right stood a huge pair of doors. Two
eighteen wheeler trucks could have driven in
side-by-side. To his left was the cavernous hall itself.
	In the middle of the hall was a reflecting
pool, an island of trees sitting in the middle. There
was no bridge to get to the island, so Tenchi
surmised it was just to look at.
	Tenchi recalled something he had heard in
history class once, the American capital (he had been
told) had been designed and built in such a way as to
intimidate and humble foreign dignitaries. The
Americans had nothing on Jurai.
	Refusing to be intimidated, either by the
room, or by the people, Tenchi began walking
toward the dais, Ayeka falling into step slightly
behind and to his side.
	The dais was set back into an alcove at the
far end of the hall. The lower section of the hall
could be seen, but those on the dais had some
privacy. Tenchi felt a slight tingling as he crossed the
portal. A forcefield strong enough to keep out sound
vibration, he learned later.
The throne of Jurai was easily two stories tall,
appearing to have been carved from a single huge
piece of wood.  Sitting regally on the throne was the
Emperor, looking distinctly displeased to see Tenchi
in his throne-room.
	Tenchi smiled and bowed politely.
	The Emperor welcomed him through
clenched teeth. Funaho introduced him to various
court members. Tenchi met several dozen people
whose names he would never remember.
Afterwards, he wanted to take a bath, or failing that,
a shower.  Somehow, the court had made him feel
soiled and ill, as though he had swum through a pool
of beautiful, but stagnant, water.
	An hour later the Emperor ordered the court
to leave. Only Tenchi, Ayeka and the queens
remained.

	�Your Majesty.� Tenchi bowed his head.
	Azusa glared at him. �You know we don�t
want you here.� A statement, not a question.
	�I am.�
	�If we must have you here than we will find
some use for you.� Azusa motioned with is hand. A
holographic image appeared in the air. The same
plastic octopus creature Tenchi had seen on the
news-broadcast appeared.
	�This is the ambassador to one of our minor
allies. There have been some attacks on them and
others. They want us to protect them. You will find
out who is behind this and see to it that we are no
longer bothered by this minutia.�
	Tenchi�s mind was reeling. He was feeling
lightheaded.
	�You may go now.�
	Tenchi bowed politely, and left the way he
came.

Back in the waiting room

	Tenchi slumped against the wall. �IS HE
SERIOUS!?�
	�Yes, he is.�
	Tenchi and Ayeka looked up, Funaho had
followed them out.
	�My husband is looking for any excuse to
discredit and dismiss you. He wants you to fail.�
	�So what I am I supposed to do?�
	�Remember what I said about your wives.�
Funaho handed Tenchi a metal disk, the size of a
fifty-yen coin, and then left the room.
	Tenchi turned to Ayeka. �What�s this?� He
showed her the disk.
	�It�s a data tab, probably information on the
attacks.�
	Tenchi sighed. �Lets go find Mihoshi.�


	Tenchi, Mihoshi and Ayeka sat in their
quarters going over the data. Ayeka had scrounged
up a computer for Tenchi. It was about twice the
size of  a paperback book and a quarter of an inch
thick. It accepted voice commands and could be
written on with a stylus. The data tab slipped into a
slot in the edge and the screen came alive.
	�This is GP data, where did you get this?�
	�Funaho gave it to us.� Ayeka replied.
	�This is high level data, already partially
correlated...  I wonder how she got it?�  Mihoshi
started tapping the computer with the stylus, and
mumbling to it as she leaned over Tenchi's shoulder,
letting him see and hear how she was going through
the data.  Tenchi and Ayeka looked at each other in
surprise for a moment, then shifted so that Mihoshi
was at the computer, the two of them watching over
her shoulders.
	If they had known, it would have struck
them as enormously funny that they were both
thinking the same thing at the same time.  �Is this
MIHOSHI?�  Even as the thought struck them,
Mihoshi reached for something, and in an incredible
cascade of disaster, knocked over everything except
the computer on the table.  �Yup.  It's Mihoshi..�


two hours later...

	�Tennnnnnchi!� Ryoko phased up through
the floor and wrapped her arms around Tenchi.
	�Yaaaaaah!!� Came Tenchi�s reply. He
jumped up and landed on the table. �Ryoko, don�t
do that.�
	�Where have you been?� Ayeka asked.
	�Oh, just wandering around. It's been fun,
watching all the people who were here last time see
me again. I saw the great hall, too. I�m glad they got
it rebuilt, it went up like a Roman Candle last time I
was here... Oh, yeah, uhm Misaki wanted me to find
you. She wants you to meet her in the courtyard.
Better change clothes first, I think she want to see
how good you are with your sword.� Ryoko
smirked. �But that�s something only the three of US
are supposed to see.�
	Blushing, Tenchi ignored Ayeka and
Mihoshi�s giggling as he left.


	�ARE YOU INSANE!?�
	Azusa looked up at his enraged wife. �In
what way?�
	�Do you honestly think that Tenchi has any
chance of succeeding?�
	�Do you?�
	Funaho fumed. �Do you care?�
	�He will fail. He has no hope of success, and
when he fails he will look like a fool before the court
and I will have made the first step in getting rid of
him.�	
	Funaho turned to leave. �I hope Tsunami is
more forgiving of you than you are of Tenchi,
especially considering you are blaming Tenchi for
something over which he had no control.�

	Tenchi found the courtyard without any
trouble. It was an open area surrounded by Palace
on all four sides. Several different varieties of trees
filled the area. 
	In the middle of the courtyard was a wooden
platform, much like the platform sumo matches were
held on, with a wooden railing surrounding it. At
one side of the platform was a wooden enclosure of
short walls and a flat roof, appearing to be very
deliberately proportioned, as though of a traditional
design.  Within the enclosure, he could see racks of
weapons.
	Misaki was in the middle of the ring. She
was wearing an outfit similar to the �pajama� outfits
favored by communists. It clung to her slim form as
she moved through what appeared to be a complex
kata. Tenchi was impressed with the fluidity and
strength of her motions. She certainly didn't look or
move like a woman with two children, even if it was
a long time ago, and she had trained hard since then.
	Tenchi climbed the three steps to the
platform in one bound. �You wanted to see me?�
	Misaki turned to face him. �Pick a weapon.�
She nodded her head towards the weapons at the
other end.
	Tenchi examined the rack. The weapons had
a certain lack of ornamentation. They were practice
weapons, but for serious practice.
	After careful consideration Tenchi selected a
staff, equal in weight to a Bo staff.
	Misaki took the matching one.
	They squared off.
	Two minutes later Tenchi landed against the
railing. Misaki�s staff pressed firmly against his
throat.
	Even worse was her grin.
	Misaki pulled back. Tenchi stood up.
	�Other than humiliating me, was there any
reason you wanted me here?�
	�I wanted to see just how well trained you
are with weapons.  So far, you seem adequate.  In
fact, I'd even go so far as to say you're not bad.  But
you need to work at this more.� 
	Misaki replaced her staff in the weapons rack
and selected a sword. Tenchi followed suit, choosing
a sword similar to a katana.
	Again they squared off.  Tenchi survived
longer this time, but Misaki was considerably better
than Grandpa.  Inevitably, the match ended with
Tenchi backed against the post in the corner,
disarmed, Misaki's blade pressed against the side of
his neck.  �Ayeka just became a widow, Tenchi.�
Advice followed, with Tenchi listening raptly.
	They practiced fighting for four hours total.
No matter what weapon they used Misaki won,
especially at hand to hand.
	Finally Misaki called an end and Tenchi all
but limped back to his quarters.

	The door to Funaho�s office opened. Misaki
entered the room and dropped herself onto the
couch.
	�You look beat.�
	�Hah! Not quite. Give Tenchi a couple of
months though...�
	�He�s good?�
	�He needs some work on the staff and
hand-to-hand, but he has a natural affinity for the
blade. It took every trick I know to keep ahead of
him. And when I was advising him afterward, it may
have looked like he was casual, but I had every last
bit of his attention.  I wish the guards were even a
quarter as attentive to what I say.  Yosho said he
was a swordsman, but I didn't believe him....  Earth
is so far away, and he didn't have anyone to practice
with except Tenchi, so I figured that his standards
had slipped from before... they haven't.�
	�Misaki, could you have beaten Kagato?�
	�I doubt it. He was one of the best ever.�
	�So how did Tenchi do it?�
	�Honestly, I have no idea.  It could have
been a quirk of the battlefield, but I doubt it. It
wasn�t just a matter of power, Kagato had to much
skill..... If you find out, let me know, would you?�

	When Tenchi returned to his quarters the
girls were still going over the attack data. Well,
Mihoshi was going over the data. Ryoko and Ayeka
were watching TV.
	�Any luck?� Tenchi leaned over Mihoshi�s
shoulder.
	�Maybe. There�s lots of data, and it�s kinda
strange.�
	�In what way?�
	�Well the attacks all happened at random
spots along major shipping routes. The ships should
have been safe there. But these people are slipping in
and out without witnesses and are avoiding pursuit.�
	Tenchi blinked. �I�m not sure what all that
meant. But it doesn�t sound great.�
	�You�re both wasting your time.� Ryoko
teleported across the room and reappeared in her
usual spot, wrapped around Tenchi. �If you want to
find these people, find the stolen stuff.�
	Mihoshi stared at Ryoko. �We need a ship.�
	�Miyaa!� Ryo-ohki and Ten-ohki
volunteered.
	�No, we need a regular ship.�

Two days later.

	�Who did you assign to help them?�
	�Captain Anosho.�
	Funaho stared at Misaki.
	�Say that again.�
	�Captain Anosho.�
	�Captain,
Couldn�t-find-his-ass-with-both-hands,-a-mirror,-an
d-a-flashlight, Anosho?�
	Misaki nodded solemnly.
	�Sister, that joke is in very poor taste.�
	�Tell me about it, we�re married to him.�
	�What?�
	�Every other ship in the fleet is either away,
being repaired, or on call for something else.�
	�On whose orders?� Not that I need to
know, Funaho added to herself.
	�Our husband.�
	�This is insane. How is Tenchi to succeed if
we can�t get him any decent help?�
	�The same way he succeeded against
Kagato, Clay, Yuzuha, and others.�
	�Luck?�
	�Fate.�
	�Azusa is going out of his way to create an
enemy, did you realize that?�  Funaho could already
see the power structure crystallizing. �Azusa's
handling of the fleets is going to draw attention, and
unless I cover it up for him, it will become clear he's
acting against the Heir.�
	�Are you going to cover it up for him?� 
Misaki brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked
at the Minister of Information, absolute spymaster of
the Juraian Empire for the past six hundred years,
longer than any other holder of the post.

	The �Gentle Breeze� was an old ship. A very
old ship. in fact, no one really knew when it had
been built.
	Design wise, it looked like a child with ADD
had been given models of the Yamato, a sailboat,
and the Imperial Palace (Japan�s not Jurai�s) and
told to assemble them.
	The Yamato�s hull, a mast and parts of the
Palace all jammed together.

	�You know, we really have to send Dad
some pictures of this stuff. He could use a good
laugh.� Tenchi said mirthlessly.
	Ryoko made a snorting sound. �Can you
believe this thing? You�d think we would rate a
bigger ship.�
	Mihoshi nodded. �No wonder the Emperor
wanted Ayeka to stay home. He didn�t want her
seen on a ship like this.�
	�What about me?� Tenchi asked.
	Ryoko snorted again, turning over in mid-air. 
�Let's not go there.�
	�Go where?� This came from Captain
Anosho.  A young man of about 980 years, his exact
path to the captain�s chair a mystery. He had a
sleepy expression, and an apparent lack of attention
that surpassed Mihoshi's.
	�Ix.�
	�I thought we *were* going to Ix. It is the
biggest black market in the galaxy.�
	�We are going to Ix.�
	�Then where aren�t we going?�
	Tenchi could almost feel his IQ dipping as he
watched Mihoshi and Captain Anosho discuss travel
plans. He turned to Ryoko. �What was it Azusa
called this guy?�
	�One of the best of the new breed.� Ryoko�s
voice matched Azusa�s exactly.
	Tenchi sighed. �Best of the in-bred, it
seems.�
	Ryoko looked at Tenchi. �Is it just me, or
are you getting cynical?�
	�You weren�t there when I met the court
yesterday. I don�t think I �ve ever felt such hate in
my life. Ayeka was right, I�ll find no allies there.�
	�Then find allies somewhere else.�
	Ryoko turned to Mihoshi. �When did you
start making sense?�
	�Where ready to depart for Ix,� Captain
Anosho paused, then added, �my Lord.�
	Tenchi flinched at being called �lord�. �How
long is the trip?�
	�Seven hours.�


Five hours later...

	�Tenchi, I don�t think this is a good idea.�
	Tenchi looked up from the data he was
analyzing into Ryoko�s golden eyes. �You don�t
think what�s a good idea?�
	�Us arriving on Ix in a Juraian warship. No
one who knows anything will talk to us.�
	�So what do we do?�



Ten hours after that...

	Ix, according to Mihoshi, was a planet with
more than four hundred million inhabitants. Most of
it�s inhabitants living in the largest city, Stan t�man
lee, named for a great scholar. Odd for a city built
on crime.
	A crystalline starship docked at the star port.
It looked a lot like Ryo-ohki except that it was
mostly blue.
	When it landed two passengers disembarked.
The man, Karin Tapel, was of average height and
build, a little on the lean side. A blaster and a Juraian
made power sword hung at his hip. His wife, Narel,
was slightly taller, darker of skin, with blonde hair.
She carried a smaller blaster at her side, a
marksman�s weapon.
	The couple proceeded to the customs office.
A sign on the door said: back in five minutes. The
sign had yellowed with age. The door was rusted
shut.
	�I guess customs isn�t a huge concern.� 
	�It would only interfere with business. Let�s
go get a drink somewhere and see what�s up.�
	�Miho...,� Tenchi paused. �Narel, I�m not
old enough to drink.�
	�On Earth maybe. Here you are.� She
grabbed him by the arm and dragged him through
town.
	From the air Tenchi had seen green. From
the ground he still saw green. Ix looked like the
forests around the shrine. There were a few shapes
protruding form the ground and here and there a few
holes in the ground with stairs leading downwards.
There were a few small buildings scattered around
the forest, but nothing resembling a city.
	Mihoshi pulled Tenchi into a long tunnel
leading underground, at the end was a huge room
packed with creatures Tenchi hesitated to refer to as
�people�.
	Mihoshi pulled Tenchi to the bar and said
something to the sponge-creature standing behind it.
	The sponge produced two mugs filled to the
brim with something blue.
	Mihoshi took her mug and drained half of it
in one gulp.
	Tenchi raised his mug and took a sip, then
almost coughed it back up. The stuff had the
consistency of ketchup, and tasted sweet until it hit
his throat, then it burned all the way down.
	Mihoshi laughed. �It takes some getting used
to, doesn�t it?�
	Tenchi nodded and tried a second sip. It
went down easier.
	A shadow loomed over the bar, Tenchi
turned to find him self face- to-pecs with the biggest
man he had ever seen.
	A Na�ke�lin. Tenchi knew that. He had no
idea how he knew that, but he knew it.
	The man looked human, but his skin was like
leather. He said something to Mihoshi in interlac.
Mihoshi�s face contorted briefly, as though picturing
something grotesque.
	Her foot lashed out, catching him at the
ankle, then she caught the collar of his shirt, pulling
him forward until he slammed into the bar. With a
cataclysmic shudder, he collapsed in a heap.
	Tenchi�s mug was two inches from his lips
the whole time. He set the mug down. �What did he
want?�
	�Mostly for me to bear his children, although
he didn�t put it that way.� Mihoshi finished her
drink.
	Tenchi looked to the side of the bar were the
bartender was in a huddle with several creatures.
�What do you think they�re up to?�
	Mihoshi shrugged and yelled something to
the bartender in interlac.
	The bartender came back and replied.
	Mihoshi turned to Tenchi. �They just hear
that Ryoko was seen, not far from here. They�re all
excited.�
	�I should have learned interlac.�
	�They probably didn�t think you would need
it yet. Don�t worry you can pick it up pretty quick.
It�s not hard.� Mihoshi turned back to the bartender.
They exchanged words rapidly. Mihoshi paused and
passed him two coins.
	Tenchi looked at her. �Well?�
	The bartender pointed to a corridor towards
the back and said one word: senal.
	Mihoshi and Tenchi walked down the
corridor. They stopped at a tapestry hanging in the
hallway at a bend.
	Tenchi took the moment to ask a question.
�What does �senal� mean?�
	�Tapestry.� Mihoshi pulled aside the wall
hanging aside. The tapestry covered a bare wall, just
like all the other walls. Mihoshi put her hand on the
wall and it went through. The wall was a hologram,
covered another corridor, leading farther down into
the planet.
	�How far do you think these tunnels go?�
	�No one knows. They�re like those... um,
what are those creatures that Ryo-ohki looks like?�
	There was a miya-ing sound from Tenchi�s
saddle bag. He looked down, then back up at
Mihoshi. �Rabbits?�
	�Yeah, that�s it rabbits. They�re like rabbit
holes, tunnels everywhere.�
	The tunnel ended in a large room. The room
was clearly hewn out of the bedrock. Inside were
row upon row of small tents occupied by people
selling everything imaginable and unimaginable.
Tables and chairs surrounded stalls selling food and
drinks. And everywhere were creatures of every
shape, size, and description. Most looked Human,
but many didn�t.
	At one table a wolf-headed boy was chatting
with a bush. A giant cockroach crossed Tenchi�s
path. Other, less-identifiable creatures milled around.
	Mihoshi stopped at a table loaded with
weapons and pointed at something. She began to
converse with the merchant. After a few minutes
Mihoshi handed over a few coins, and picked up a
metal rod.
	�What�s that?�
	�Its a fighting staff. The Kilmore used to
make them, before they were wiped out.� She
handed the staff to Tenchi.
	�How tall were these �Kilmore�� Tenchi
asked. The staff was 5 inches long and about two
inches around.
	Mihoshi pressed a spot on the staff, causing
it to suddenly expand in Tenchi's hands to
approximately the same size as the staff Tenchi had
been taught to use.  Tenchi hefted the staff, then
grinned.  �This is cool.� Along with extra length, it
seemed to have somehow gained mass.  Careful not
to hit anyone, he swung it experimentally.  For him,
it was perfect.
	�This is great. Thanks Mi... Narel.� Tenchi
kissed Mihoshi on the cheek.
	Mihoshi blushed. �I hope it�s authentic, if not
I got cheated.�
	The couple returned to shopping, and before
long, Mihoshi had picked up a few more items,
including a soft black cloak with a deep hood.  Once
Tenchi put it on, Ten-ohki found the cloak's deep
inner pocket to be a more comfortable hiding place
than Tenchi's saddlebag.
	A disturbance started at one end of the
room, a male humanoid knocked over a table and
drew a weapon.
	An orange beam lashed out and removed his
arm.  A red covered foot followed, insuring that the
humanoid would have no offspring. As the man fell
to the ground clutching his groin, Ryoko stepped
out the shadows and over the man.
	She passed Mihoshi and Tenchi without a
glance and headed down one of the many corridors.
The couple followed at a discreet distance.
	A few minutes later the three were sitting in
a back booth of another bar. Apparently Ix�s major
above ground-industry was alcohol.
	�So, did you find anything?� Mihoshi asked.
	Ryoko shook her head, no. �Every fence or
contact I knew around here is either gone, dead, or
both.�
	Mihoshi sank back in the seat. �Great.... now
we need help.�
	A chair hit the floor.
	The three turned to look at what was
happening.
	A man was standing behind a table with a
pistol drawn, firing wildly at the doorway. A single
blue beam lanced out from the doorway, boring a
hole through the man�s forehead. The body slumped
to the floor, steam emanating from his forehead.
	The killer walked to the corpse and pointed
something at him. After a moment she walked to the
bar and ordered a drink.
	Tenchi grinned. �Ask, and ye shall receive.�
	Ryoko and Mihoshi turned to look at their
clearly deranged husband. 
�NAGI!?� They said in unison.

TBC


*******************************************************
A  note on hyperspace travel: Ships belonging to
Jurai and other major powers, as well as the GP are
equipped with hyperspace engines allowing them to
traverse the galaxy in  a matter of days, ships
belonging to minor powers are not generally
equipped with such drives, one of the things that
made Ryoko such a feared pirate was that her ship,
being equipped with hyperspace technology, was
inescapable. most commercial traffic travel
predetermined routes in normal space. Exploration is
left to the big powers. This is one way the big guys
stay on top.

The staff weapon is just like the one used by Minbari
and Rangers on Babylon 5. I gave one to Tenchi
because it would be usefull and Tenchi (TV at least)
knows how to use one.

Since paper money would be to easy to falsify most
money is electronic, exchanged only directly
between bank acounts. Or, coins. Gold, silver and
several alloys are formed into couns of various sizes,
there value is based on weight. Like japanese coins
most have a hole in the center so they can be carried
on a string.

For those of you who wonder why a planet like Ix is
alowed to operate so openly (tunnels can easily
become graves, a couple of big rocks dragged in
from orbit and no more problem), galactic law
allows any world with a population of 50,000 or
more to make their own laws and governments
(except for worlds who are directly colonized by one
of the major powers) So, Ix is allowed to make it�s
own rules. Or, none, as the case may be.


Ryoko�s energy sword would most likely cauterize a 
wound withen a second or two, so the man who lost 
an arm wouldn�t bleed to death.