Okay. I rewrote the last chapter and cleaned up a scene in the epilouge (as
well as adding a really bad joke). This is the complete fic. Enjoy and you
know where to send the C&C (public or private).
-Komodo
**************
Ayeka was worried. . .
Who is Ayeka you ask? Well now my young friend, that is a good question.
Come, sit down with me and I will tell you the story.
What? Oh yes, its a very good story. Now, where was I?
Ah yes. . .
**************
Ayeka, First Princess of the royal house of Jurai was feeling worried. You
see, Ayeka was involved with a young man named Tenchi Masaki.
That is, she obsessed about him. She also had a rival, a space pirate named
Ryoko, an attractive but rather ruthless lass who tended to go through
obstacles rather then around them.
Ayeka was an obstacle that Ryoko had yet to go through. Not a day would go by
that the two weren't fighting and causing massive amounts of property damage.
Ayeka and Ryoko had yet to fight and the whole house was on edge. I suppose
the sensation was not unlike living next to a volcano, you know its going to
explode, you just don't know when.
Ryoko, however, seemed to be even more on edge then the others. She had spent
the morning and most of the afternoon down by the lake, staring up at the sky
as though waiting for something.
Unable to take it anymore and needing the fight, Ayeka went down to the lake
and stood there for a moment before speaking.
"It would be of great benefit, Ryoko," Ayeka said in the tone of voice she
knew set Ryoko's teeth on edge, "if you were to help us with the dishes.
Sasami hardly needs to do all the work."
"She can handle it, she enjoys it," Ryoko said. "Now go away." Ayeka was
confused, there was almost a script to their fights. Trade insults, then
fight, watch some TV. Ryoko was not following the script.
"Are you suggesting that a princess of Jurai would actually enjoy such a
thing?"
"I know her better then you, trust me on this, she enjoys it. Now leave me
alone!"
"How dare you!" Ayeka gasped. "How could a common space pirate like you
possibly presume to know the mind of a member of Jurai's Royal Family?"
"Easier then you think. Now go away Ayeka, go annoy Tenchi or something." It
was starting to occur to Ayeka that maybe Ryoko meant what she was saying.
Unfortunately, she was unable to grasp the concept, and she wanted the fight.
"Now see here Ryoko," Ayeka said striding forward and laying her hand on
Ryoko's shoulder. "I demand you explain how you can possibly assume you know
Sasami!" At the touch of her hand, Ryoko turned, and Ayeka caught sight of
her eyes. A fire made from anger, dispair, and worry burned there.
"I said, leave, me, alone!" Ryoko yelled as there was a bright orange flash
and Ayeka felt pain explode throughout her body as blackness claimed her.
When she awoke, she heard the soft hiss of a ventilator, and felt a cool
sensation all over her body. She couldn't move and something was around her
head.
"Don't move and don't try to talk," said a woman's voice in her ear. "This is
Washu, you can't move because I've shut down most of your nervous system. You
had a nasty accident. Ryoko just put you through the wall of the house, the
kitchen counter, another wall, and a couch."
Confusion flared within Ayeka, How could Ryoko have ever managed to do that?
That would take a tremendous amount of power and Ayeka knew that the Space
Pirate didn't have that level of power. As though reading her mind, Washu
spoke again.
"No, we don't know how she managed it. As soon as you were stabilized, she
went into town. You may want to make note of the fact that she sat vigil
right here until you did."
Well that was no help. So where was here? Again Washu seemed to be reading
her mind.
"As for here, you're inside a tank of healing gel, a sort of liquefied ooze
that promotes regeneration of skin. You had bad burns over your chest and
face. But don't worry, you'll soon be good as new! Fixing you up was way to
easy with someone of my genius!" From there, Washu launched into one of her
well known laughs and Ayeka found herself wishing for blackness again.
**************
The Masaki home sat in the hills overlooking a small city in Northern Japan.
Like most cities its size, this one boasted a small fast food restaurant,
that, like most of its kin, was marked by a pair of golden arches.
Inside, one of the cashiers, a twenty-something brunette named Kiyone wiped
down the countertop with a soft rag. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, the
prepared speech dying on her lips as she saw who it was.
"Ryoko? What are you doing here?" Even as she asked, Kiyone noticed that
Ryoko seemed depressed.
"Got a minute?"
"Sure," Kiyone said, glancing to see if her boss was anywhere nearby.
"Can you access Yagami's sensor logs from here?" Ryoko asked as she leaned on
the counter, her voice soft.
"Yagami? Why?"
"Just a funny feeling, and I don't want to ask Washu. She'll ask to many
questions."
Nodding, Kiyone touched the small bracelet on her wrist, causing a small
keypad and screen made of light to form above it.
"So what, exactly, are you looking for?"
"Any ships, wormhole or portal openings, energy flares, or anything like
that?"
"No." Kiyone said after inputting the request. Yagami's logged nothing of the
sort."
"What about the monitoring buoys?"
"Nothing but the usual space debris and a freighter passing by Neptune. It
didn't stop or anything. Nor was any ship or other matter released. That was
three days ago."
"Okay, thanks."
"Sure." Kiyone touched the bracelet and the keypad and screen vanished.
Ryoko turned, took two steps and vanished from sight.
Sighing, Kiyone picked up the rag again, wondering just what that was all
about.
**************
When Ryoko returned, Tenchi was waiting for her. He was a slim youth, with
short black hair and a tiny pigtail. It was obvious he was not happy with her.
"Why Ryoko?" He demanded and then watched in astonishment as she suddenly
paled.
"No," She said, more to herself. "this didn't happen last time. . . I . . ."
Then she screamed and launched herself into the sky, headed for the mountains.
"Hm. Ryoko's acting very strangely." Noted Tenchi's Grandfather. Tenchi
jumped, he hadn't heard the old man come up behind him.
"G-Grandpa!" He gasped.
"You should always be aware of your surroundings Tenchi." The old priest said
reprovingly.
"Yes Grandfather." Tenchi sighed.
**************
The next morning, Ryoko was on edge even more than usual. She skipped
breakfast and had resumed her place on the lakeside, staring up into the sky.
Ayeka, now fully healed, watched her rival like a hawk.
"She's up to something," she muttered as she polished the table, "I just know
it's all part of some plot to get Lord Tenchi away somewhere and do. . .all
sorts of things!"
"And how exactly does putting you through two walls, a counter, and a couch
fit in to this plot?" Asked Washu as she passed by.
Ayeka frowned, that hadn't really occurred to her and she set to polishing
the table furiously as her mind tried to fit that into the plot she was sure
Ryoko had.
**************
Ryoko had not attended lunch so Sasami made a sandwich and took it out to
where she sat.
"I made you some lunch Ryoko," she said cheerfully as she put the plate down.
"Won't you eat?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks." She made no move to take the sandwich though.
"Something wrong?" Sasami asked and then noticed she was staring at the sky.
"Ryoko?"
"Run!" Ryoko shouted, grabbing a startled Sasami around the waist and flying
back towards the house, behind them a loud roar sounded and Sasami saw a
chunk of the lakeside vanish in a ball of orange fire.
"Ryoko?" asked Tenchi as she burst into the house.
"No time! Here!" She thrust Sasami at Tenchi. "Get her into Washu's lab! If
she dies, I'm toast!" Without waiting for a reply, Ryoko turned and launched
herself back out the hole in the wall she had made.
When she returned to the lakeside, a man dressed in all white armor stood
there. He had a staff topped with the number eight in his hand.
"I am Mobius. Give me the girl."
"I'm Ryoko," She said cheerfully as her palm glowed orange. "go to hell!"
With that, she flung the energy ball at him and watched in horrified
amazement as the ball simply disappeared just before it made contact with him.
"Time field displacement." Mobius said. "Your attack was temporally relocated
to where it can do no harm."
"Relocate this!" Ryoko snarled and formed her sword.
"Impressive," Mobius said as he reversed his grip on the staff, sliding his
hand down until it touched the base of the eight. When it did, the staff
glowed and reformed itself into a sword. "I accept your challenge."
Inside the house, the others watched as Ryoko and the man began their fight
and the air flashed as energy attacks were brought into play.
"What's going on?" Washu demanded as she exited her lab. "My temporal monitor
is going insane!" Without saying a word, Tenchi pointed outside. "Oh yes,"
She said thoughtfully, "that."
Outside. Ryoko had managed to put Mobius on the defensive and she hammered
away at him, hoping to find a hole in his defense.
"Why are you doing this?" Ryoko demanded. "You're destroying everything I've
worked so hard to create!"
"I'm here for the once called Sasami. Give her to me."
"No! Without her, Tenchi is dead!"
"She has violated the laws of Time. The penalty is death."
"What are you talking about?"
"She willingly engaged in temporal travel for the purpose of self-worth."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You know as well as I do Space Pirate."
"She had no choice!" Ryoko seethed, "She did what she had to do!"
"And died because of it!" Mobius replied. "Because of you!"
"And if she hadn't, I wouldn't be here!" With that, Ryoko began to glow
orange and the faint outline of wooden cylinders seemed to form in the air
around her. Then she screamed.
**************
"What's taking so long!" Tenchi asked as he paced outside the door to Washu's
lab.
After Ryoko had screamed, they had run outside to find Ryoko lying at the
bottom of a small crater, bruises all over her skin, hands and face.
"Patience, Tenchi." Said his Grandfather. "All will work out, you'll see."
**************
"Now how the hell did she manage that?" Washu asked as she looked at her
monitor then at the prone form of Ryoko. Sighing, she got up and headed for
the door. Ryoko needed a blood transfusion and as luck would have it, a
perfect match was right outside the door.
**************
"Excuse me!" Washu said as she poked her head out the door. But I need Sasami
for a minute."
"Me? Why?"
"Ryoko needs a blood transfusion, and you're a perfect match!" Washu said
cheerfully as she grabbed the startled girl by the arm.
"Now just a minute!" Ayeka said, grabbing Sasami's other arm. "How can Sasami
possibly be compatible with that. . .that. . .harlot!"
"Because," Washu said quietly, "They're the same person."
**************
Chapter 2
An asteroid will collide with Earth, aliens are invading, Washu has a new
invention.
Since witnessing a pair of falling stars, which had turned out to be a Space
Pirate and the cop who had been pursuing her, Tenchi had thought he'd pretty
much heard every possible pronouncement of doom.
So when Washu told him that said Space Pirate was the same person as the
young princess of who's arm she currently held, well naturally, the impact of
what he had just been told rang in his imagination like a thunderclap.
However, being the sort of person that he was, he could only stare in
open-mouthed amazement.
Sasami's older sister, the aforementioned Ayeka, was more vocal.
"How can they be the same person?" she shrieked. "I demand that you tell me!"
"I don't know, I'm working on it."
"You don't know? You don't know?!" Ayeka's voice went up several decibels
with each word. "The greatest scientific genius in the whole universe and
she. . .doesn't know?" The princess started forward, hands outstretched in
the direction of Washu's neck. "Find, OUT!"
"Now calm down Ayeka," Tenchi said, grabbing her arm. "Washu is doing the
best she can, we just have to be patient."
"Right," Ayeka said, suddenly sounding very tired. "give her time. Time is
all she needs." She let out an insane sounding chuckle.
"Ayeka, why don't we go have some tea while we wait?" Tenchi asked as he
began to lead her away towards the kitchen.
"Yes, tea is good. That's why Ryoko and Sasami can't be the same person.
Sasami likes tea, Ryoko doesn't." She smiled, it was not the smile of an sane
person and her eyes were wild. "You don't lose your taste for tea you know."
"Nope," Tenchi agreed. But he looked over his shoulder at Washu, a silent
request in his gaze as their eyes met.
Washu could only nod.
**************
"Sasami sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs as she watched Ryoko
sleep.
"I still don't get it Miss Washu," she said as the scientist entered. "How
can she be me all grown up and still be here?"
"The how is easy, she traveled through time." Washu said as she peeled back
Ryoko's eyelids to check her pupils. "As for why, I'm still working on it."
"She used a time machine, right?"
"That's the most likely explanation, but there's a host of others. There's
also why she came back in time in the first place." Then she said something
else under her breath that Sasami couldn't quite make out but she thought she
heard the word "Mobius"
It was at that point that Tenchi came in, carrying a shivering Ryo-Oki. The
cabbit's eyes were wide with fright and she kept trying to burrow into the
crook of Tenchi's arm.
"Ryo-Oki!" Sasami exclaimed. "What happened?"
"Ayeka got it into her head that Ryo-Oki knew the truth and chased her all
over the house." Tenchi said as he set Ryo-Oki down on Sasami's bed.
Immediately, the furry little creature leapt into Sasami's lap and huddled
there, shaking furiously. "Grandpa had to step in to stop her. Then she
retreated into her mind so far its like talking with Mihoshi." He sighed and
looked over at the slumbering Ryoko. "I left them with Kiyone. They're
watching the Moldiver Marathon."
"Well that should keep them occupied for a while." Washu noted clinically as
she made some notes on a pad. "Sasami, can you keep an eye on Ryoko? I need
to talk with Tenchi."
"Sure."
"She's not a clone," Washu said as soon as they were out of range of Sasami's
hearing. "None of the genetic markers are present. Physically, she is Sasami."
"Well if she's from the future, maybe its some kind of new cloning process?"
He asked. Washu gave him a flat look.
"No matter how good or how advanced a cloning technique is, there are certain
basic procedures that must be followed. These procedures leave certain
imprints in the DNA and none of those is present. Furthermore, there is signs
of physical trauma consistent with the Juraian birthing process. She's
physically Sasami, no question about that."
"'Physically' Sasami?"
"Her brainwaves are radically different. Something will happen to Sasami,
something so traumatic that her psyche will do a complete. . ." She paused
for a moment. "What's the word? One-eighteen."
"One-Eighty," Tenchi corrected. The girls could all make themselves
understood in Japanese, but slang and other subtle nuances had escaped them.
When she first awoke, Washu only knew Japanese from seven hundred years ago
and both Ryoko and Mihoshi's translators had been damaged. New translators,
based on Kiyone's, had been passed out to everyone, but all of them were
trying to speak it without the little earring shaped devices.
"One-hoity," Washu said.
Some with greater success then others.
"What could do that?"
"Ryoko is the only one who can tell us.""
**************
Another two hours passed before Ryoko finally began to stir. Groaning, she
opened her eyes and raised herself up on her elbows to see Washu, Tenchi,
Sasami and Ryo-Oki staring at her.
"Wha-what happened?"
"You tell us," Tenchi said as he crossed his arms, "Sasami."
Ryoko opened her mouth to deny it when the door to the lab banged open and
there stood Ayeka with Kiyone and Mihoshi hanging onto her.
"Sorry Tenchi," Kiyone apologized. "But she just suddenly became her old self
again and took off for the lab."
"As Queen of Jurai, I command that this farce cease!" Ayeka screamed, her
voice shrill. "There is no way that-" She broke off as Washu showed her a
printout "-oh my. . ." She looked at Washu. "And these are accurate?"
"Of course." Washu said, sounding smug.
"W-w-well even so," she said, glaring at Ryoko. "I cannot believe that
something would change Sasami into. . .into. . ." She jabbed a finger at
Ryoko. "that!"
"Something happened alright. . ." Ryoko said as she looked at the ceiling, a
slight smile playing about her lips. "What would you like to hear about
first? The woman who, at the time, I knew as Ryoko, marrying Tenchi and
getting pregnant, or . . ." The smile left her face and her gold eyes became
hard as agates. "You getting murdered?"
"Tenchi? Married? Pregnant?" Ayeka shrieked then her face paled as Ryoko's
words sunk in. "M-murdered? I'm. . .dead?"
**************
Chapter 3
To say Ayeka was shocked was understatement. As a Juraian, her life span was
measured in centuries, as Empress of Jurai, it was measured in millennia. The
massive power that was coiled within her made her virtually immortal and if
not that, all but unkillable.
Therefore, to be told that not only was she dead, but murdered as well, and
presumably with in a few short years, months or possibly even mere days was
more then she could handle so she reacted in the most logical fashion she
knew.
The ruler of half the galaxy fainted.
While Kiyone and Mihoshi moved her to a spare bed, Washu crossed her arms and
stared at Ryoko.
"Suppose you tell us what happened." she said. A strange look crossed Ryoko's
face.
"Perhaps it is time," she mused, staring at the table she sat on. "It was
when I still called myself Sasami. I was eighteen and it was springtime. . .
**************
Sasami, second princess of the main line of the Jurai royal family, hummed
happily to herself as she scrubbed the pot. She had, for as long as she could
remember, preferred tasks such as cooking over politics, economics, and other
things a ruler needed to know. Ayeka was so much better at those things and
she was more then happy to leave them to her older sister.
Letting the pot soak, Sasami dried her hands on the towel and turned her
attention to dinner.
"In the fridge Ryoko," she said without looking up as she heard the footsteps
behind her. "I just made a fresh batch."
"Thanks," said Ryoko as she moved to the fridge, the slight swell of her
stomach bulging from under her dress. "I just can't seem to get enough of
this stuff," Ryoko exhaulted as she removed the bowl of
strawberry-pickle-banana creme-pecan pudding from the fridge and began to
scoop some into a bowl.
"It will pass," Sasami replied as she tasted the soup. "How is Tenchi doing?"
"Still hard at work on that Manga of his. Honestly, I can't understand how he
can find so much contentment in drawing pictures all day."
"Probably the same way you got so much contentment out of arguing with Ayeka.
No doubt," agreed the older woman, her voice momentarily sad. "Have you ever
thought about what you're going to do?"
"Hm?" Sasami asked, most of her attention focused on the soup.
"A career," Ryoko prodded. "A job?"
"A cook I suppose," Sasami said and looked up suspiciously. "Why?"
"No reason, just practicing my nagging." For a moment, their eyes locked and
then both burst into laughter.
"Did you always know what you wanted to be?" Sasami asked when they had
calmed down.
"I wanted to be a cook too," Ryoko said dreamily. "I used to love to cook."
"Why did you stop?"
An expression of haunted pain crossed Ryoko's face.
"My parents died when I was young. My sister and I relied on each other for
everything after that. We had always been close, but that brought us closer
especially when our friends and I had to go home to take care of the ursuper
who seized control in the vacuum left by father. Sadly, we drifted apart
after she became the head of our family."
"What happened to her?" Sasami asked, aware she was opening old wounds even
as her curiosity burned brighter.
"Murdered by space pirates. That's when I lost interest in everything. I took
Ryo-Oki and hunted them down. Eventually, I killed them."
"Really?" Sasami asked, half horrified and half fascinated.
"Yeah, they stayed together so it was easy. I cornered them, then shot their
ship to pieces. They died from exposure to vacuum." The reformed Space
Pirate's voice was cold, emotionless, flat. "Sometimes, in my dreams, I can
still hear some of them on the com channel, begging for mercy. . ." She shook
herself and her expression brightened. "But that's Ryoko's problem and not
Sasami's," she said with a grin and picked up the bowl. "thanks for the
pudding.
Sasami nodded and turned back to the pot.
**************
Ryoko sighed.
"I didn't realize until years later that Ryoko had been trying to prepare me
for what would happen. On the heels of that, I realized how carefully she had
been manipulating us all. But by then, I was already becoming her."
"But why was Ayeka murdered?" Tenchi asked.
"On Jurai, there is the Royal Family, and then the Lesser Families. Should
the emperor perish, a successor is named from what is known as the List of
Succession. That's how Kagato knew Yosho would be accepted if he stepped
forward, he was next on the list right before Ayeka and I.
If everyone on the List is dead, then the Lesser Families must elect one of
their own to be the new Emperor or Empress. When I started digging through
what was left of their computer, I discovered that each and every person on
the List of Succession had been systematically murdered by the pirates.
Ayeka, Yosho and I were the only ones left."
"What happened next?"
"The rest of the day passed peacefully and nothing much happened until
dinner. . ."
**************
Sasami smiled as she watched everyone's face light up as she brought out the
soup and set it on the table. At the head of the table, Ryoko and Tenchi sat
arm in arm. Ayeka, who was here on one of her increasingly rare visits, sat
at Tenchi's right. Kasuhito at his left. Washu, Kiyone, and Mihoshi all sat
in random places along the table with Nobiyuki at the opposite end.
For a while, there was nothing but idle conversation and the clatter of
silverware against plates and bowls. Sasami didn't partake much in the
conversation, instead basking in the happiness around her. This, more then
the sprawling labyrinth of the Palace, was Home.
"Azaka to Ayeka. We're under-"The com faded to static as an explosion shook
the house.
"What?" Ayeka stared at the com. "Azaka? Kamidake?"
"Space Pirates Majesty!" Came Kamidake's voice. "They have-" Another
explosion shook the house.
"Azaka? Kamidake? Answer me!" Ayeka yelled, shaking the com as though that
would get her the answers she craved.
"Its too late Ayeka!" Ryoko shouted, grabbing Ayeka's arm and dragging her
towards the back of the house.
"But-"
"We have to go!"
**************
"The Space Pirates?" Kiyone asked. Ryoko nodded.
"They went through Azaka and Kamidake like a hot knife through butter."
"But how is that possible? Azaka and Kamidake are infused with part of the
power of the Royal Family," Ayeka said as she slowly sat up. "They're
superior to anything below that of another Juraian Knight."
"The Pirates had a pair of Behemoths." Ryoko said simply. Kiyone's eyes went
wide and then she started to swear.
"Behemoths?" Ayeka asked.
"Classified Galaxy Police project," Kiyone said quietly.
"They're weapons," Washu said. "After the whole Kagato incident, or more
specifically, the fact that two Knights, namely, Azaka and Kamidake, went
rogue, the GP got panicky and created several powered suits of armor designed
with the intent of putting GP officers on direct footing with Juraian
Knights. They're designed to absorb and redirect their power back at the
Knight. However, they got mothballed when it was discovered that their power
systems couldn't handle a continuous charge."
"But Azaka and Kamidake were fulfilling their duty to the throne. It was
Kagato's Dark Knights who were the rogues"
"The point is, the Knights could and had gone rogue. So the GP panicked and
created a weapon to stop them."
"Never dreaming they could also be used for evil. . ." Ryoko said quietly.
**************
Tenchi stared down the steps of the temple as the massive metal figures
slowly made their way up the stone steps. They had to be at least twelve feet
tall and were painted in the blue and white of the Galaxy Police.
"They're huge!" He gasped.
"That just means they'll fall harder," came Kiyone's voice as she and Mihoshi
climbed into their "Hunters", nine foot tall battlesuits designed to hunt and
kill space pirates. Mihoshi had used one against Ryoko when they had fallen
to Earth. As soon as the Behemoths reached the top of the stairs, Yagami
would rise up from its place of hiding behind the temple and open fire with
its main guns. With them distracted, Kiyone and Mihoshi would use their suits
to push them backwards. Their weight, inertia, and the stone steps would
hopefully do the rest by knocking the pilots around hard enough to put them
out of commission.
"Better get back Tenchi," Kiyone said. "This is gonna be ugly."
"Right," Tenchi said as he turned away from the steps. A whistling noise
caused him to turn back. An action which caused him to see one of the
Behemoths launch something up the steps. "Missile!" Tenchi screeched, diving
for cover. However, instead of an explosion, a bright flash flooded the air.
"Sensor jammer!" Kiyone shouted. "Reboot your systems Mihoshi!"
"Right!"
That was the last thing she said as the pirates swarmed over the top.
Positioned as they were, they went for Mihoshi first.
"Eject!" Kiyone shouted as she was launched from her Hunter. The pilot
compartment of Mihoshi's hunter however, had already vanished in blazing
fireball, courtesy of a single shot from the lead Behemoth.
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone screamed as the beam rifle in her hand became an instrument
of vengeance, cutting into the flesh of the pirates like an scythe through
wheat.
Then she too vanished in a blazing fireball as the Behemoths turned their
attention to her.
"Stop!" Ayeka's voice rang out as she placed herself in front of the front of
the temple, dressed in full Juraian battle regalia. "This ends here! I demand
to know who you are and what you want."
"We're pirates. We want money." Said the lead Behemoth. "Somebody wants you
dead and will give us money to see to it. Something for everybody." With
that, it raised its hand and the cannon built into its palm glowed in
preparation to fire.
But Ayeka was already moving, darting across the space between the temple and
the two juggernauts, the air around her glowing brightly.
She hit the lead Behemoth like a wrecking ball, knocking it over where it hit
the stone ground hard, causing a small earthquake. Ayeka used it as
springboard, launching herself into the second Behemoth and tearing into the
pilot's compartment. The pilot, however, was already dead, burnt to a crisp
by the raging energies of Ayeka's power when she had torn the compartment
open.
Turning, she spied the second pilot, now out of his suit and holding a
strange device.
"A Nullifier?" She gasped. The weapon was used to deal with rogue Emperors.
One should have been present at the Kain debacle, but it hadn't gotten there
in time.
"Just in case," grinned the pirate as he pulled the trigger. Ayeka didn't
even have time to scream as she was reduced to ash.
"Noooooo!" The scream ripped from Sasami's throat as she broke free from
Ryoko's grip and ran across the grounds, murder in her eyes.
"Heh. Come and get it," the pirate smirked as he took aim.
"Miyah!"
"Huh?" Startled, the pirate looked up too see Ryo-Oki hovering overhead. Then
remembering Sasami, he looked back, only to find she was inside his reach.
Then her hand was on him and he screamed as the Jurai Power incinerated him.
"Jorn?" Sasami looked at the Behemoth as the voice drifted up from the
pilot's compartment. "Hey Jorn, you lazy of a Denran Tree Sloth, answer
damnit!"
"Jorn's not available to take your call right now," Sasami said as she slid
into the Behemoth's pilot seat and into range of its com system's pickup.
"He's not together at the moment." She stabbed her finger at the screen.
"Run." Then the single spark leapt forth from her finger and into the screen,
frying the control systems.
**************
Washu's Lab. . . .
"What do you mean, there's nothing you can do?" Sasami demanded as she stared
at the screen. The heads of the Lesser Families traded looks and then the
senior head looked at her.
"Milady," he began, speaking slowly as one might speak to a child. "There is
no proof that this was anything more then some pirates who picked up
something enemated from Washu's lab and investigated."
"They had a pair of Behemoths and a Nullifier! I saw it!"
"Perhaps you were mistaken?"
"Perhaps about the Behemoths, but only a Nullifier could cut through Ayeka's
defensive shield. Besides, one of the Behemoth's pilots quite clearly said
that someone was paying them a lot of money to kill us!"
"Unfortunutly, the 'Asassain' is dead Milady, by your hand."
"He killed my sister!" Sasami shouted.
"There is still the matter of due process. Space Pirate or not, he was within
Jurai territory, and thus must be tried under our laws."
"Laws which include harsh penalty for Regicide," Sasami pointed out, even as
she began to realize something was horribly wrong.
"But there is no proof that Regicide was ever commited."
"I'm a Princess of Jurai, my word alone should be at least enough to track
down the others and question them."
"Technically yes, but we have the fact that your inclusion on the list is a
formality."
"'Formality?'"
"Well yes, in accordance with your wishes, Empress Ayeka removed you from the
offical list of people to take over should you ever fall. She spoke with me
on the matter and mentioned you had little interest in ruling the Empire."
"Well, yes," Sasami admitted. "But we have a murder here!"
"What we have, Milady, is dead people and little proof."
"Proof? Proof? What is all this concern with-" Sasami broke off as
understanding hit her like a brick. "I see," she said carefully. "that's your
final answer?"
In her lap, Ryo-Oki groaned miserably and then fled the lab screeching.
"Yes," the senior head said quietly.
"Then I'll go after them myself."
"If you do that, we will have no choice but to strip you of your titles and
declare you an outlaw. You will never be able to set foot on Juraian soil
again."
"So be it." Sasami said quietly and cut the communication.
**************
Tenchi, Washu, Ryoko, Nobiyuki and Kasuhito watched as Sasami emerged from
the lab like a grim specter of death.
"Ryo-Oki," she said to the cabbit. "I need you."
"Miyah?" The furry creature, for one brief moment turned to look at Ryoko,
who ever so slightly nodded. "Miyah!" Then she leapt into Sasami's arms, who,
with slow, measured steps, walked up the steps leading to the room she had
shared with Ayeka.
**************
The next morning, the survivors gathered outside the house to say their
good-byes. Sasami, dressed simply, moved slowly down the line, saying her
good-byes. Last was Ryoko.
"See you around kid," Ryoko said quietly and hugged her fiercely, which
Sasami returned before stepping back. For a moment, she looked at them,
burning their faces into her memory.
"Good-bye." She said simply and then turning, she rose into the sky to
disappear into a waiting Ryo-Oki. . .
**************
"It was only after I killed them that I found records of com transmissions
between the pirate ship and the Lesser families. They had been slowly
eliminating those on the List in preparation for putting one of their own on
the throne. It was all part of a huge coup, just like I suspected and I
couldn't get close enough to the Lesser Familes' heads to deal with them.
I spent the next several years roaming space until I met a man who hired me
to retrieve an object. That's a story in and of itself. Suffice to say, I got
knocked back in time two thousand years or so and robbed the very ship that
was Ryoko's first appearance. That's when I realized, I was Ryoko, so I took
her name and the rest, is history."
For a moment, nothing was heard except the sound of Washu's machines after
Ryoko finished her story.
"Come on Mihoshi," Kiyone said as she turned away. "We have to call
Headquarters."
"Why Kiyone?"
"Two Behemoths will be used in the assassination of the Empress of Jurai, we
have to prevent their theft."
"No!" Ryoko gasped. "If you do, you'll change history!"
"What are you talking about?"
"If you prevent the theft of the Behemoths," Washu said as she stepped
forward, "then Ryoko will never exist because Sasami never went into space on
her mission of vengeance, never became Ryoko, came back in time, and never
got chased to Earth by Mihoshi. Mihoshi never sent the distress call that
brought you and Sasami here, which means Ayeka and Tenchi never would have
met and I never would have been freed from the cave.
"But. . .how can we just sit by knowing three of us will die in just a few
years?"
Ryoko didn't answer, instead turning to look at Washu. The pink haired genius
sighed.
"I can erase our memories of this day and erect a field to keep Mobius from
coming back. It will be as though this day never existed." For a moment,
there was silence and then slow nods.
"Do it." Tenchi said simply.
**************
Washu sighed as she watched Tenchi's body fade away as the transporter
whisked him away and deposited him in the living room. Sake bottles had been
left around the room, they would conclude that a party had gotten out of hand
and they had slept through the day. It was for the best.
Washu had no intention of erasing her memories of course. She would simply
have to watch what she said. Smiling, she went back to her terminal and
pressed a button. Herself, a few centuries older(not that anyone could tell,)
appeared on the screen.
"Hello Washu!" the image said, beaming. "This is your future self, and I
wanted to talk to you about a man named Mobius. . ."
**************
Epilogue. . .
Ryoko gave birth to a son who took over as shrine priest twenty years later
when Kasuhito finally died. Tenchi would eventually follow him into death by
old age after another five hundred years. Ryoko, too consumed by memories,
took Yagami into space and was never heard from by Earth again.
**************
"Wow. . ." whispered the child as he looked up at the old shrine priest. "Is
that all true?"
"Every word," chuckled the old man as he gazed at the lights of the city.
"Now, I believe your mother is calling you."
"Thanks for the story mister!" the child called as he ran away.
"Still telling stories Makoto?" asked the pink haired woman as she stepped up
beside him.
"Yes Aunt Washu," Makoto said softly. "It never ceases to amaze me that even
here, in the twenty-fourth century, children are still fascinated by a good
story."
"Human nature never changes," Washu said softly. "Come on, the festival's
started."
Together, they walked back towards the waiting people.
**************
A bar in deep space. . .
Ryoko drained the glass in one gulp and sighed sadly as she looked at the
ring on her finger.
"Tenchi. . ." she said softly.
"Hello Sasami," said a man's voice behind her. Startled, Ryoko turned and
stared at the man behind her. "You. . ." she started to say and then trailed
off.
The man in the white suit who, five hundred years ago, had sent her on the
trip that would take her back in time smiled as he sat down in the next stool.
"Yes, its me. You have one more identity to assume, Sasami."
"It's Ryoko," she snarled and then frowned as her curiosity got the better of
her. "Who am I supposed to become now?"
He told her.
Ryoko fell off her stool laughing.
**************
Twenty five hundred years into the past. . .
Ryoko, wearing a different face and clothes, stepped into the bar, the cabbit
he had supplied her with at her side. The bar was a shabby run down
ramshackle affair on a back street catering to grifters, pimps, hustlers and
whores. The smell of narcotics filled the air, mixed with the greasy smell of
cheap meat and the piss-poor smell of even cheaper beer.
"I'm looking for Jenr of Darae!" she called out.
"That's me," said the brute of man who was standing from his table in the
corner. "Who're you?"
"The name's Nagi. . ."