Season 1: Return of the Akuneko
Episode 10: No Need for a Melee
Yagami bridge
"Mihoshi, try to avoid the fighters but concentrate
on the big ships," Kiyone told her.
"The bigger the ship, the bigger the score?"
Mihoshi asked cheerfully. The Yagami was holding up
well, but they were experiencing several minor
problems.
"That's right, Mihoshi," Rikyu supplied, he was
getting the hang of this deception. The Akuneko had a
bad headache, and he kept rubbing his head, but he
attributed it to stress. "How many survivors did we
pick up?"
"Twelve," Kiyone stepped out of her makeshift
captains chair, a floating thing she had borrowed from
Washu. "I'm going to be right back, we need to make
sure they don't interfere with Mihoshi's�.game." Rikyu
nodded understandingly.
Kiyone didn't stop working on her way to the cargo
bay though, a communication screen opened up next to
her as she walked down the corridors. The screen was
divided into four sections, one for each of the other
ship's captains.
"What is it Captain," Korestu demanded, arrogantly.
"We are in the middle of a losing battle now is not
the time for a chit chat."
"Can it, she's talking for a reason!" Ryoko
snapped. She didn't have time for much else, Ryoko was
manually directing most of Ryo-Ohki's moves at the
moment. Both the cabbit pilots were periodically
rubbing their heads for some reason, and both wore
those metal headbands Washu had given them.
"Don't hunt the fighters, restrict yourself to
defensive actions against them," Kiyone ordered,
ignoring the chatter. "Concentrate on the carriers."
"But how are we�" the captain of the Gyanburu
started to ask a question.
"Just do it!" Kiyone barked.
"Yes, Captain!" the officer responded, almost
instinctively.
"Why don't ask something hard of me?" Nagi asked.
Her bravado was marred by the fact that she was
favoring one side. She must not have been completely
recovered yet. Ryoko merely waved, busy avoiding a
fighter clump, at least they were aided by the fact
that the fighters were getting in each other's way.
Captain Korestu said nothing, but nodded. Kiyone shut
off the communication as she came to the cargo bay.
"Captain Makibi?" one of them asked her. Kiyone
recognized her as Captain Karya, the woman couldn't
have been much older than Kiyone. Then again by looks
neither could Ayeka or Ryoko. "I should have obeyed
you more quickly, my ship may not have been lost."
"We can't worry about apologies right now," Kiyone
noted, the other woman blushed, her pride stung.
"Yagami, scan visitors as friendly."
"What is that for?" Karya asked nervously.
"If we have an unauthorized teleport then the ship
won't try to kill you," Kiyone explained. "I need you
to get your crew into the guest quarters, when you can
give me a list of who is healthy and what they can do.
Yagami will open a channel for you to reach me, but
don't come to the bridge, our pilot is�..focused, and
I don't want anybody messing with that right now."
"Understood, Captain," Karya bowed and began to
collect her survivors. Kiyone bowed in return and left
to return to the bridge.
Washu's station
"Yep, here they come," the scientist had been
rubbing her head since she had activated her device.
The obvious headache was making her irritable. "I'm
shutting off the Ego Jammer, we're going to need the
shield just a little bit more." The Jurai watched as
the woman's hands flew across her various keyboards.
Soon a thick transparent shield surrounded them.
"They'll have to take us by ground forces now,"
Washu observed. "With what I have I can block ship
energy OR objects, but not both. Everybody ready for a
fight?"
"Hai!" came the simultaneous answers. The shield
over them repelled a barrage of shots and then the
fighters landed. Out of each fighter came two Akuneko
in a sleek black battle-suit. Every one of them bore a
laser rifle, the Jurai hoped that meant they couldn't
use the same powers as Ryoko.
Dreadnought, bridge
"Your�actions�." Lord Ryoi gasped as he climbed
back into his chair. "Have saved�.your life." Lady Ran
was leaning against the wall behind his thrown gasping
for breath. Across the battle, Akuneko nobles were
recovering their wits.
"Yes, milord," the surveillance officer responded.
"We have identified their command ship. It is this
vessel, the Yagami." A holograph readout appeared to
the soldier's side, showing the form of the Yagami.
"Lady Ran," Ryoi commanded. "Take a boarding craft
and capture that vessel. Bring five soldiers with
you."
"Yes, Lord Ryoi," Lady Ran bowed and left the
bridge.
"Also, milord," the surveillance officer paused
nervously. "They have begun concentrating their fire
on our carriers. As they near the ships our fighters
become afraid to attack. They're afraid of hitting
their own ships."
"I see," Ryoi narrowed his eyes. "Order thirty
squadrons to pursuit and fifty to protect the
remaining carriers."
"Yes, milord."
Ryo-Ohki
Ryoko felt much better suddenly, the headache was
just gone. It was like someone had flipped a switch
and poof went the pain. The space pirate smiled as
another carrier went up in smoke. When Ryo-Ohki rocked
from blast impacts, it wiped Ryoko's smile off her
face.
"This is taking too long," she muttered. "Ryo-Ohki,
can you teleport onto one of those ships if I get
close?" There was an affirmative yowling, and Ryoko
smiled again. "Contact Ken-Ohki." A holograph screen
appeared in time to see Nagi's energy whip decapitate
a boarder.
"What is it Ryoko," the bounty hunter asked calmly
as she dispatched another of the black garbed Akuneko.
Ryoko knew from experience that they wouldn't have the
same capabilities as her. "I'm sort of busy."
"Nagi, have you ever launched Ken-Ohki from inside
another ship?"
"Hmm, interesting idea."
Washu's station
Akuneko soldiers were firing fruitlessly at the
Jurai warriors. Laser beams just bounced off Jurai
formed force fields and the answering energy blasts
were devastating. Compared to the guardians and Ayeka
the common soldiers were easy to defeat, compared to
Tenchi and the knights, Ayeka and the guardians were
amateurs.
"Is that all of them Kamidake?" the bearded knight
asked readying his staff for further battle. Tenchi
wasn't yet wielding sword-Tenchi, opting for the
bokken against these commoners, he didn't want to kill
them. The knights, following Tenchi's unspoken
command, did likewise. Washu had a number of gadgets
on hand to help in the battle, but she mostly just
stayed out of the way.
"Not quite yet," Tenchi shouted, pointing into the
sky. Another four ships were landing, black and red
ships, setting down among the ruins of those Tenchi
and friends had demolished. Soon Akuneko clan warriors
were attacking them. Now Tenchi produced sword-Tenchi
and geared up for some real fighting.
Ayeka hung back with the log-like guardian robots
and prepared to offer a support position since she had
little hand to hand experience herself. Tenchi's face
became grim, as he summoned the blue energy blade from
the sword.
"At least they're not Kagato," he said. "Or Caine
for that matter."
Ayeka appeared similarly grim, from fatigue as much
as anything else. She knew that Rei's force field had
been stronger than Ryoko's, and she thought that would
be true of the average Akuneko warrior. Her mini-logs
would not work this time, she would need to use the
Jurai power, and she had already been drained by
maintaining a force field.
Ayeka had one other choice, she had seen it done
before, and she knew the consequences. She reached for
the Jurai power as the Akuneko charged forward, and
gasped a little at the slight burning pain.
"Just a little bit," Ayeka whispered. "Taking a
little bit won't hurt too much."
Yagami bridge
"Our visitors are secure," Kiyone informed them.
"How about us?"
"Oh we're at level two, apparently," Rikyu said
with mock-cheerfulness. A red light began bleeping
over the bridge. Kiyone grabbed her rifle, she had
finished plating it on the way to this system. It now
appeared something similar to Galaxy Police issue.
"What's that?" Mihoshi asked, nervously.
"Just my part of the game, Mihoshi," Kiyone said.
"Do you need help?" he asked turning around in the
pilot's seat. Mihoshi might have really been doing the
piloting, but she preferred the co-pilot's seat.
"Captain Makibi? Are we being boarded?" Kiyone
turned around and saw Karya.
"I thought I told you�never mind, can you pilot
this cruiser?"
"My father has a space yacht that used to be a
six-one," Karya asserted politely.
"Good, co-pilot for her," Kiyone pointed at the
blonde detective who was still in her super-focused
state. "And make sure she keeps believing this is just
a game. She's very good as long as she doesn't know
its real."
"Yes, Captain, I think I understand," Kiyone prayed
silently and turned to Rikyu.
"Okay, let's go!"
"Yes, Captain," Rikyu said teasingly. Kiyone half
glared at the smiling Akuneko as they moved down the
halls. They realized that they were nearing the enemy
as the sound of battle began getting louder. They
turned a corner and passed the guest quarters where
two Jurai soldiers in relative health joined them. It
wasn't long before they hit the brig and the Akuneko.
At the head of the Akuneko was an azure-haired
woman in black and red Akuneko battle-armor. She was
slicing through one of Washu's force fields with her
energy blades, and then she saw the approaching
defenders. The light in the Yagami flickered on and
off, giving an eerie cast to the hallway.
"Impressive defense system," the woman told them.
"I'm already down by one soldier." Kiyone leveled the
rifle at her, the Akuneko laughed. One of the energy
blades disappeared and a force field was raised.
Kiyone fired, the yellow and blue bolt connected with
the force field and shattered it in an explosion that
rocked the Akuneko woman backwards.
"It works!" Kiyone exclaimed, then fired again at
the surprised boarders. Rikyu teleported behind them
and began attacking with an energy blade of his own.
The two Jurai soldiers moved forward with wooden
staves and between the three the common soldiers were
crushed. The Kuroi warrior stood up in semi shock, as
Kiyone fired again. This time there was no force
shell. The energy lance impacted on the Akuneko armor
and exploded. The woman smashed against the wall and
fell down, stunned by the impact this time rather than
surprise. Kiyone walked up to her slammed the woman's
face into her knee and threw her through the doorway
of the active brig.
A communication screen appeared as the conflict was
ended.
"Lady Ran, it seems that the cabbits have abandoned
the field," a black haired Akuneko was saying. "Have
you captured the Yagami yet?" Kiyone turned to face
the man and pointed to the figure of "Lady Ran" stuck
in the brig's energy wall. Then the rather annoyed
policewoman snapped her energy yo-yo forward and
forced the Akuneko out of the wall into the cell.
"You must be the commander of this force," the man
smiled. "I am Lord Ryoi of the Kuroi clan. Who are
you?"
"Captain Kiyone Makibi of the Galaxy Police." She
gestured for Rikyu to return to the bridge and relieve
Karya.
"A peasant?" The man sounded insulted, then he
laughed. "The Jurai are commanded by a police woman? I
will accept your surrender now." He informed her
confidently, Kiyone smiled.
"Let me explain to you the facts of life," Kiyone
started. "You've lost."
"How do you see that?"
The corridors of an Akuneko carrier
Ryoko screwed her ears in annoyance at the blaring
intruder alert sirens. There was something else
bothering her, it had started recently. One of her
friends was in danger, she could feel it, but she
didn't know whom. All she could do was arrange for
this battle to end as quickly as possible.
Ryoko walked along a few feet and finally came to a
group of guards. They stopped in confusion when they
saw an Akuneko clan warrior standing before them.
"Hey boys," she smiled and waved sweetly. This
alerted them, no Akuneko clansmen would act in such a
manner. They fired, laser fire bouncing off Ryoko's
force field. She pointed to Ryo-Ohki sitting calmly on
the floor next to her. "This is a cabbit, now watch,
this is what a cabbit does. Ryo-Ohki, now!!!" The
ultra-cute cabbit jumped off the ground flipped
forward and began growing.
Dreadnought bridge
"Milord," the man was pale. Lord Ryoi turned aside
from his conversation to see the surveillance officer
again.
"What is it?"
"The cabbits, milord. They both reappeared for a
brief moment."
"So you caught them running where-ever it is they
retreated, why do I need to know that?"
"Milord, they each appeared inside a carrier.
Ripped both to pieces from the inside out, and then
disappeared again." There was a flash of red light and
the officer's headless body slumped to the floor.
"Do you understand yet, Lord Ryoi?" Kiyone asked.
"You're in hostile territory with limited resources.
This will be at best a pyrrhic victory. I can gut your
forces and the Jurai will pick you off easily
afterward. You probably don't have what you need even
now, you could live as pirates for a few years before
they finally crushed you. The only possibility for
your survival is for you to surrender to me."
"Surrender to a peasant?" Lord Ryoi was aghast, but
his mind was already working on what she had said. His
survival instincts were kicking in.
"If you fight I can guarantee you won't have more
than twenty cruisers remaining. You'll have plenty of
fighters, but unless you want to move at a snail's
pace you'll have to abandon most of them. If you run,
we both know that warships beat fighters in straight
speed any day, I'll outdistance them and your carriers
do not have effective defenses."
"You are proposing that I give myself, over to a
peasant and a mere handful of warships?"
"M-m-milord," the crews new spokesman stuttered and
stared at the cauterized stump of his predecessor's
neck. "Two more ships have ripped inside out by the
cabbits, and one of the enemy battleships has been
destroyed, but there are five more within an hours
distance of here."
"How many ships do we have?" Lord Ryoi snapped
angrily
"There remain�." The man was appalled.
"Thirty-three carriers, milord, and six hundred
fighters." The woman was right, the expendable
fighters were not receiving much damage. His brother
would have fought on, but his brother was a fool,
evidenced by the fact that Rei was dead.
The Yagami shook on the other end of the
communication screen, but Kiyone remained smiling in
the flickering light.
"Unconditional surrender," Kiyone demanded, hoping
she read the man correctly. "I'll call off my
warships, it won't be long before Ryoko and Nagi work
their way to that flagship of yours." Ryoi, truly a
coward at heart, calculated the risks to himself and
decided.
"Agreed!" he shouted desperately. "Call off all
attacks!!!" His officers stared at him in shock. "DO
IT!!!" The clan warrior began crackling with red
energy and his staff energetically acted to carry out
the command. Kiyone smiled and opened a second
communication screen on her end.
"Kiyone what happened, they've all stopped
attacking," Ryoi heard someone ask his opponent.
"Did I win Kiyone," a woman's voice asked
cheerfully.
"Yep, game over Mihoshi," she sounded like a mother
talking to her child. "Captain Karya?"
"Yes, Captain?" another woman's voice, formal and
restrained, but quite young.
"Inform the others, the enemy has surrendered."
"Yes, Captain!" the young Jurai answered.
"Lord Ryoi," Kiyone addressed him respectfully. The
battle over she was prepared to treat him with the
respect entitled to him by his rank. "I will meet you
and your commanders on the second moon to inform you
what happens next. Yagami out."
"Don't get any ideas, Lord Ryoi," a voice behind
him said. He turned to see a pair of women with cute
little furred animals on their shoulders. The speaker
was a light blue-haired human cloaked in dark gray and
wielding an energy whip at her side.
"Kiyone wasn't wrong about us getting here fairly
quickly," the other, a silver haired Akuneko that had
to be the last Shinku told him. She was dressed in
Akuneko battle armor and smiled in a manner entirely
unsuited to a clan warrior. "And I wouldn't try
calling for any guards. We've already met them."
Washu's station
"Cease all attacks," one of the intact ships blared
over it's audio systems. "Lord Ryoi has surrendered
unconditionally to the enemy." The two standing
Akuneko nobles immediately dropped their energy swords
angrily as Tenchi and knight-Azaka regarded each other
in shock. Knight-Kamidake was behind them sheltered by
an exhausted Ayeka and the guardian-Azaka and
guardian-Kamidake.
"Washu," Tenchi called for the scientist who
appeared out of the extra-dimensional space she had
crawled into as she had started being in the way.
"Whew, it was getting cramped in their," the
scientist declared. "What is it Tenchi."
"I'm calling Kiyone and telling her we're taking
the wounded, all the wounded," Tenchi informed her.
The two conscious Akuneko looked at him in surprise,
he suspected that had thought to be executed.
"Hopefully we can get some help, but a genius like you
shouldn't have trouble handling some of this. Should
you?" Whenever they wanted Washu to do something they
had to puff her ego a little.
"Sure, it's nothing for a genius!!" Two little
Washu puppets popped up on her shoulder and began
cheering "Washu!!Washu!!Washu!!" while she laughed
maniacally.
"Thanks, Washu," Tenchi said smiling. "I knew I
could count on you. Azaka, you two, let's get our
wounded taken care of."
"Yes, milord," one of the Akuneko responded
instinctively. The other stared at him confused and
then followed the other.
Battleship Hito
"The Akuneko have surrendered?" the admiral's eyes
grew wide at the repeat of the news. "They won?"
"They had more than thirty carriers left," his
first officer gasped. "The Tamashii and the Kagekiha
were destroyed, the Yagami was on its last legs, and
they surrendered?"
"You understand now why I requested for Makibi to
be in command."
"That backwater boasts some impressive individuals."
=====
"Caffeinated Kender? What's that, a berserk spell?" -
Tribble, Kender Warrior of the Celestial Kingdom
Signed
He of Too Many Names (Thrythlind/Thryth/Luke/Hyperbole/Pika/Pooka)
http://members.aol.com/thrythlind/snake.html
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