To reply, post publically or e-mail the author at <Kyhdin@aol.com>
Enjoy

The FFML Refugee List


Enzo: You did that, to your own sister?!
Megabyte:  [glancing back] Yes, yes, yes. . .it's rather good, isn't it?
-Reboot, "Firewall"

Chapter 4

The Kingpin gazed for a moment longer at the com system before he stood and
headed for the wall behind his desk. At his approach, a hidden elevator slid
open. Inside, his hand hovered for a moment over the buttons. He could go up
to his apartment, or down into the basement. He really should go deal with
that informant. On the other hand, there were two ladies waiting for him in
the apartment. A smile spread across his lips and he stabbed his finger at
the button for the apartment.

Within seconds, the doors slid open, revealing a long hallway, lushly
carpeted. Expensive works of art hung on the walls, and a vase from Earth
sat
on a small end table next to the large wooden doors at the end.

Grinning madly, he pushed open the double doors, marched through the rooms
until he came to a locked door.

Carefully, he composed himself and then pressed the palm of his hand to the
plate, causing the door to hiss open. Inside, backs to the wall, two women
huddled dressed in only the thinnest of clothing.

"S-stay back," The older of the two said, placing herself between him and
her
companion.

"Amusing," said the Kingpin as he brushed her aside as casually as one might
swat a fly. The thunk of her head hitting the wall registered faintly in his
ears and he relished her moan of pain as he grabbed the younger one by her
clothing and pulled her to her feet. For a moment, he enjoyed the fear in
her
eyes before he began dragging her towards the bed.
***************
Four months later, Ayeka's limo

"And you're positive of this?" Tenchi asked as he stared out of the small
monitor of the secure terminal that kept him and Ayeka in constant contact.

"Yes," Ayeka replied. "The plan was definitely the Rinosake, or End Flank.
Its a political move used within Jurai Royal Family for the purpose of
testing one's defenses."

"And you're positive it came from the Kingpin?"

"No, but it definitely came from within the higher echelons. If the Kingpin
is not Jurai Royal Family, then he has one on his staff."

"Any clues as to who it could be?"

"Unfortunutly, no. The Family is large and we have our share of renegades. I
can think of fifty people right away who fit the profile and they are,
what's
the phrase? From all corners of the globe."

"Not good," Tenchi mused. "Can you narrow it down any?"

"Not from where I sit within the Hierarchy at the moment. As bosses go, I am
still of a fairly low rank."

"How much longer before you are within range of the Kingpin?"

"I don't know, he's very well protected and has gone to great lengths to
keep
himself hidden."

"You have to bring him down, Ayeka, Sasami has been having nightmares about
her mother again and there was another assassination attempt yesterday."

"We can be on the next liner out," Ayeka said as reached for the intercom to
give the driver new instructions.

"No," Tenchi said, shaking his head. "Bringing down the Kingpin is vital to
Jurai security and if you leave now it could ruin everything you've done so
far."

"I can't sit by and let ruffians go after my family!"

"No," Tenchi said firmly. "Sasami and I knew the risks. We need you but I
can't pull you out, you're in too deep." His lips compressed to a thin line
and he was silent for a moment. "We'll come to you. Grandpa tells me I'm
supposed to inspect Noa, it's holdings and receive a financial report from
you every so often and it has to be done in person." He gave her a wry
smile.
"Might as well get it over with."

"Three assassination attempts on Sasami's life and you go to Saradin? One of
the most corrupt planets in the Empire? I can't fault your reasons but you
do
realize that the media will be on this like starving cats in a meat shop?"

"I know," he said grimly. "But having all those courtiers and reporters
around might shake things up enough in the underworld that you'll have a
shot
at the Kingpin."

"Very well," Ayeka agreed reluctantly. "I'll arrange things here."

"See you in two days then," Tenchi said and his image vanished.

"Two days," Ayeka sighed as she folded the book-sized terminal in half as it
had been designed and tucked it into a pocket. "Not nearly enough time."

"How much would be enough?" Ryoko asked from where she was lounged on
opposite seat and "investigating" the contents of the bar.

"Several weeks," Ayeka replied as she consulted a day planner and then
dialed
a code into the limo's com. Within moments, the rumpled, sleepy face of the
governor appeared.

"L-lady Ayeka!" He sputtered when he saw who his caller was. "You honor me!
What can I do for you?"

"I apologize for the lateness of the hour, governor," Ayeka said smoothly,
"but it has come to my attention that the Emperor is coming to Saradin."

"Emperor Tenchi? Here?" A look of badly concealed real fear crossed the
man's
face and Ayeka made a mental note to look into it. If the governor was
afraid
of a visit from the Emperor, then there was probably a reason outside of the
normal embezzlement and scams. 'That, or he has a mistress and he's afraid
the Emperor wouldn't understand,' she thought wryly.

"Yes, to Saradin. In two days."

"T-t-two days? Why?"

"Routine bisnuess. I'm sure you're aware the Emperor is supposed to inspect
Noa periodically."

"Yes, of course," he said with a limp smile and Ayeka could almost see the
relief flooding through him. "Thank you for letting me know."

"Justy," called a woman's voice from off screen. "What's taking so long?"

"Is that Admiral Star?" Ayeka asked, hiding a smile. "Again, my apologies,
governor, I hadn't realized you had company. Good night, and do give the
Admiral my regards."

"Of-of course Lady Ayeka, good night."

"The governor and Admiral 'by the book' Star?" Ryoko laughed from where she
lounged. "That's a new one. I thought they hated each other. Isn't she one
of
his worst critics?"

"They did serve on the same ship together," Ayeka replied. "And the Admiral
is entitled to her own opinion. Besides," Ayeka allowed an arch smile to
show
on her face. "I'm sure there's a perfectly legitimate reason for Admiral
Star
to be visiting the governor's mansion at," she checked her chrono, "three in
the morning." Both women looked at each other and then started laughing.
***************
The warehouse was located in one of the more disreputable sections of town.
A
dingy, rundown section of the planet lit only by the distant lights of the
skyscrapers and the running lights of the independent cargo starships
passing
overhead as they lifted out of the planet's asmotsphere from the small
spaceport nearby.

"How lovely," Ryoko noted as the limo switched to ground mode and turned
onto
the driveway that led to one warehouse set aside from the others. "Reminds
me
of this toxic spill victim I used to live next to. Only he was prettier."

"I'm sure," Ayeka said dryly, turning off the interior lights as a shadow
detached itself from the wall and moved to the window.

"Whaddya want?" Growled a rough voice.

"We have an appointment," Ayeka said levelly.

"Go on in."

"You do remember the plan?" Ayeka asked as the limo moved forward.

"Yeah, yeah," Ryoko yawned as she straightened her suit. "You do all the
talking and I handle everything else."

"Not the way I would put it," Ayeka noted, "but clear enough."

"How would you put it then?" Ryoko demanded as the limo pulled to a stop
inside the warehouse. Ayeka didn't answer, instead flipping a switch and
cracking the window ever so slightly before sitting back and waiting.

"Lady Ayeka," boomed an amplified voice perhaps five minutes later. "The
terms of the agreement was there was to be a face to face meeting."

"Perhaps I wish to change the terms," Ayeka replied, her voice echoing out
of
the limo's exterior speakers. There was a pause before the answer came.

"The terms are non-negotiable. Kingpin's orders."

"I have never sworn to follow the Kingpin."

"That is hardly the point. You claim to wish to meet the Kingpin, you
survived the test. A face to face meeting is the next step."

"And how many more steps? I grow weary of this and I will take decisive a
ction soon if I do not get my wish."

"The terms stand."

"Very well," Ayeka agreed and switched off the speakers before bringing up a
display on the screen. "As I thought," she said, not without a tone of
satisfaction in her voice. "All according to theory. Ayeka, you are a
genius."

"And I'm sure Ayeka agrees with you," Ryoko said sarcastically. "Mind
telling
me what that was about?"

"The Kingpin or at least the Juraian on his staff, is here, in the
building."

"What? How do you figure that?"

"No com transmissions, no psi activity that I could detect and there's
someone of immense power nearby. Can't you feel it?"

"Yeah," Ryoko said thoughtfully. Now that she was looking for it, she could
feel it, a gentle pressure on the back of her head that she had felt only
around the Emperor and the most powerful members of the Jurai Royal Family.
"If it is him. You told Tenchi that there might be a member of the Royal
Family in the Kingpin's inner circle. The Kingpin might not even be Juraian.
Hell, he's probably some little green guy with pointed ears who talks funny
and lives on this really swampy planet out in the boonies."

"I think we all get the picture," Ayeka said but Ryoko had a full head of
steam now.

"And the reason he's hiding is that these guys who wear black and carry
glowing-hey!" she cried and ducked as Ayeka threw a small pillow at her.

"That's quite enough of that," Ayeka said and reached for the briefcase on
the seat beside her before opening the door and exiting the limo.

Ryoko simply teleported out and hovered over its roof. Looking around, the
reformed pirate noticed that there were three guys in the middle of the
warehouse and she picked out shadows along the rafters that might be more
people. Standing towards the back of the warehouse, masked in deep shadow
was
another figure, but it was to dark to make out any details. 'That has to be
the Juraian', she thought as she landed on the floor and then wrapped her
reputation around her. Ryoko, the woman who had destroyed Jurai, stands
before you, the Gods help you if she gets her hands on you. 'Amazing what a
little body language can do', Ryoko thought with a silent laugh, even as she
kept her poker face on.

"To bisnuess then," Ayeka was saying. "I'm offering a fifteen percent share
of the profits from my underground holdings and a ten percent from my legal
ones in return for nessacary contacts to communicate with the Kingpin
directly."

"Twenty-five percent minimum on both," was the counteroffer. "And a fifteen
percent ownership in Noa."

"That's half of my total profits! And I can't use Noa, it's watched to
closely by the Security Directorate. If there's even a hint that I'm using
my
position illegally, they'll start investigating."

"You have no choice," was the reply as a holoprojector suddenly came to life
and began playing scenes from some of the crimes committed by Ayeka's
organization over the past four months, focusing on the ones she had taken a
personal hand in. "The offer stands, or we will release this tape to the
media. Emperor Tenchi will never recover from the bad press."

"This-this is blackmail! Extortion!" Ayeka said her tone hinting at barely
concealed rage.

"Well what did you expect? We are criminals," was the sarcastic reply.

"And I am a Princess of Jurai Royal Family," Ayeka said levelly as she
flipped the briefcase over and ripped away the handle. Small ports opened
and
began spilling heavy amounts of Tryanox, an all purpose intoxicant gas used
to pacify the violent members of a wide range of species, into the room.
"Let
me remind you why we are still in power after twenty thousand years." With
that, she slapped a mask over her nose and mouth as she vaulted over the
small table, her feet driving into the sternum of one of the men on the
other
side. Ryoko flashed into action, slapping a similar mask on her face as the
swords formed into her hands and she brought them down, carving one of the
men in half and seriously crippling the other.

"I thought you said I was going to handle everything else!" Ryoko shouted as
Ayeka took a blaster from one of the downed men and fired a shot at the
rafters, eliciting a shout from the unfortunate, (and now dead) soul who had
been up there.

"You were," Ayeka said calmly as she shot another person out of the rafters.
"This is bisnuess." She pointed at the group of people emerging from the
shadows, various blunt and pointy instruments in their hands, advancing
towards them from the right side, apparently ignoring the similarly armed
group coming from the left. "/That/ is everything else."

"Nah," Ryoko grinned. "That's low impact aerobics." With that, each of them
sprang forward into battle.

Ryoko loved a good fight. She suspected that it was something Kagato
instilled in her when he and Washu put her together. He loved a good fight
too and then the thought was dismissed as she cleared her mind and focused
on
battle.

The world snapped into sharp focus, each sight, each movement of air caused
by movement of her opponents registered on her senses. The swords became
extensions of her body, whirling and flashing as she delivered death and
pain
to those around her. It was euphoric and frightening and yet she reveled in
the feeling.

Once, during a lull, she caught sight of Ayeka. The princess didn't just
move, she /flowed/ and the former space pirate had to admire the difference.
Much of Ryoko's skill came from Kagato's programming and then honed to a
razor edge in the worst parts of the galaxy.

Ayeka on the other hand had probably the best teachers in the galaxy. Men
and
women who would have given even Kagato pause, had probably trained Ayeka
relentlessly, and all their styles had been mixed, refined and blended so
completely that it wasn't a hand to hand combat form, but an Art.

As she watched, Ayeka snatched up a laser mace and began laying about her in
graceful swings and then some other tough came at Ryoko from behind and the
space pirate plunged back into the fight.

Ayeka looked over at Ryoko and had to admire her. The pirate's fighting
style
was beautiful in a primal sort of way. Moving fast, the reformed pirate
struck like a jungle cat. Fast, efficient and deadly. It was odd. In all the
times she and Ryoko had fought, she had never noticed how good Ryoko was.
How. . .graceful. Shaking her head to clear her mind of such thoughts, Ayeka
ducked a clumsy swing and drove both fists into the thug's sternum.
***************
Ryoko chuckled softly as the leader of the group, the one Ayeka had talked
to
before the fight hit the hood of the limo with a thud and a crack of
breaking
bones.

"How did you know?"

"I knew, you gave yourself away."

"How? It's impossible, they had sensor screens!"

"An old warehouse, in the middle of the night?" Ayeka scoffed. "Please. It's
right out of an Earth crime thriller. This is either another test, or
perhaps
the Kingpin thinks I'm stupid?" She let that hang in the air for a moment
before she squatted down on one knee to look the man in the eye. "I will ask
only once. Where is the Kingpin?"

"I don't know. Nobody knows!"

"Can you get a message to him?"

"Yeah, yeah I can."

"Very good," Ayeka purred as a greenish colored ball of light formed on the
tip of her left index finger. "In fact, that's excellent. .  ."
***************
When Ayeka and Ryoko returned to the penthouse suite, there was a message on
the terminal.

While Ayeka checked the message, Ryoko poured them each a well-earned drink
and turned back to find Ayeka's face was white with a mixture of shock, rage
and horror.

"Ayeka? Hey Princess?"

"It can't be," Ayeka said softly, still staring at the screen, which Ryoko
couldn't see from where she stood. "It can't be him. It can't be."

"It can't be who?"

"IT CAN'T BE HIM!" Ayeka screamed and the surge of power was all the warning
Ryoko had before the entire terminal exploded.

"Who can't be him?" Ryoko demanded when the smoke had cleared. "Who's him?
Ayeka, what's going on?"

"I know who the Kingpin is," Ayeka whispered.

"Who?"

"We have to prepare." With that, Ayeka spun on her heel and headed to her
room. Ryoko followed, more in the hopes of getting answers then anything
else.

"You're not making sense, Ayeka," Ryoko said, hoping to get her friend
talking. Instead, she was hit in the face by thrown clothes. Throwing them
aside, she watched as Ayeka, clad in a simple shift, walk to the tall wooden
cabinet in one corner and open it to reveal a streamlined version of the
traditional Juraian battle regalia which she began to put on with quick
movements. It was obvious that the princess was thoroughly shaken, but still
functioning.

When finished, Ayeka reached in and with a hiss, the back wall of the
cabinet
slid forward and opened, revealing a plain white surface. Set within it was
a
wooden staff, one end curiously twisted and containing a crystal colored
orb.

"That's a Juraian Knight staff!" Ryoko gasped.

"Of course it is," Ayeka said as she laid her hand on it fondly. "I'm a
Knight of Jurai."

"Since when?"

"Since always. Where do you think I learned to fight?" Ayeka asked as she
touched one spot and it slid out like a drawer. Reaching in, Ayeka removed a
sword hilt and then touched another spot and the cabinet closed back up.
"The
Nochi-ken," Ayeka said as she walked back to Ryoko. "I crafted it with my
own
hands as part of my graduation from the Academy. It's been centuries since I
last used it." For a moment longer, she stared at it and then placed it
inside her clothing before going to the bedroom terminal. "Security, this is
Lady Ayeka. I need a two person assault craft prepped and waiting for me on
the roof. Five minutes."

"Five minutes, aye," was the reply.

"Where it all began," Ayeka muttered as her fingers began dancing on the
keys. "What would it mean?"

"What would what mean?"

"The message on the terminal said that if I wished to meet the Kingpin, find
him on Saradin where it all began."

"Maybe he's referring to the way Saradin became the information and
financial
center of the empire?"

"No. Everything he's done has been influenced by Jurai. It has to be related
to Juraian history," Ayeka frowned. "Think Ayeka, think, what was central to
Jurai's beginnings?" Then she stopped and a dangerous smile spread across
her
face. "Cerban corp. . ." She said softly and then headed for the door. "Come
on, I'll explain on the way."

"Cerban was the name of first emperor's grandfather," Ayeka said as they
entered the lift. "Back then, Jurai was controlled by several super
corporations who constantly battled for money and bisnuess. Cerban finally
came out on top, not by conquering his competitors as so much as he bought
them out. His grandson, when he assumed the position his grandfather held,
swept away the weak republic that was the government, named himself emperor,
and founded the empire based on his grandfather's bisnuess practices."

"Damn," Ryoko said admiringly.

"Yes," Ayeka agreed. "I'm now glad Father made me study ancient Jurai
history, or I never would have made the connection." A sad smile flitted
across her face. "I wonder if he knew, even back then. . ."
***************
Cerban corp. headquarters was a graceful towering skyscraper, thrusting up
towards the stars. Ayeka, who was piloting slowed and with one single shot,
punched a hole in the window of the CEO's office before guiding the shuttle
into place next to the newly made hole.

"My, he certainly likes to go overboard, doesn't he?" Ryoko said as she and
Ayeka entered the room.

The office was lushly carpeted and must have cost a small fortune to
furnish.

"Gel's teeth," Ryoko whistled as she examined one of the bookcases. "Will ya
look at this? Real Casnar sculpted wood. You know how tough it is just to
get
a cane made from Casnar wood, much less furnishing an entire room? I could
buy a small planetoid with the money from selling just a shelf from this
thing."

"Later, Ryoko, later," Ayeka said, making a slow circuit of the room while
closely examining the wall. "I'm concentrating."

"On what?" Ryoko asked acidly, but received no answer.

"No secret passages," Ayeka said when she had finished.

"So where to?" Ryoko asked. "Out the door?"

"No," Ayeka replied and pointed at the wall behind the desk. "There. An
elevator is behind that wall."

"Doesn't an hidden elevator qualify as a secret passage?" Ryoko asked. Ayeka
didn't respond, but instead walked towards the wall. "You know, I'd feel a
bit better if I knew who we're going to be facing."

"No you wouldn't," Ayeka replied as she searched for a control to open the
wall panel. "He's the last person you want to face," she added under her
breath.

It took Ayeka and Ryoko an hour of searching before they stood back and
blasted the door open and flew up the shaft and wrenched open the topmost
doors.

They were confronted by a long hallway, lushly carpeted and decorated with
expensive works of art.

"Woah," Ryoko said as they alighted on the floor and started towards the
door. "I'd hate to see his decorator's bill-hey what's that?" The two women
hurried down the hallway to where two huddled forms lay. "It's a pair of
women," Ryoko noted and rolled the larger of the two over. "Holy-" she
gasped
out. "Ayeka, it's -"

"I can see who it is," Ayeka said quietly as she knelt next to the prone
woman. "Can you hear me?" she asked her.

"Ayeka?" the woman's voice was weak and hoarse.

"Yes," Ayeka said, relief in her voice.

"Ayeka, you have to get out of here. The Kingpin's-"

"I know who he is," Ayeka's tone was gentle. "That's why I'm here."

"No, you don't understand," the woman said, starting to raise herself up on
her elbows only to fall back, groaning in pain.

"I do understand," Ayeka said quietly. "More then you'll ever know." For a
moment she was silent and then looked at Ryoko. "Ryoko, take them to the
nearest hospital. I will deal with the Kingpin."

"No way, princess," Ryoko retorted. "If the Kingpin is who I think it is,
you're gonna need all the help you can get."

"Please Ryoko. They need medical attention and I trust you to make sure they
get it."

"But-"

"Please, Ryoko. This is. . .family bisnuess." Ryoko opened her mouth to
protest again, but the words died on her tongue and she closed it.

"Alright," Ryoko agreed. "But you'd better win, Sasami will kill you if you
die." Ayeka nodded and then turned and swept through the door.

Inside, Ayeka slammed her hand on the lock and sent a surge of power through
it. It melted. The heavy door would take time to open. Time someone in a
fight to the death wouldn't have.

Turning, she drew the Nochi-ken and faced the Kingpin. He was dressed in
full
Juraian battle regalia and also holding a sword. For some reason, the twin
lights of madness burning in his eyes made her feel a little better about
what she had to do.

"So you came," he said, igniting his sword and moving into a guarding
stance.

"Yes, Father," Ayeka replied, igniting the Nochi-ken and moving into a
similar stance. "I came."
***************
Chapter 5

The people of earth would be astonished to learn that the art of Kendo and
the infamous code of the Samurai had originated on a another planet. Kendo
was actually a variation of the Juraian art of Keeskeet, a sword form
designed around the mutable abilities of the kens, or Juraian energy sword
and brought to Earth by early Juraian explorers.

Ancient Japanese and other Eastern weapon makers however, lacking the
ability
to recreate the light sword, had settled for recreating it's shape and then
modifying it according to their own cultural tastes. The Japanese were the
only ones to stick as close to the original shape as possible.

Curiously, the Code of the Juraian Knights who had accompanied the explorers
actually survived close to it's original form in the West, eventually
becoming the code of Chivalry, while the Japanese, with their clear-cut
class
restrictions, in some ways even worse then the West, mutated the code until
it was hardly recognizable. In her later years, Ayeka would mention this in
a
sheaf of documents, which were later determined to be some sort of
compilation of thoughts and a journal, left behind after her mysterious
disappearance on the day after Empress Mayuka's Coronation, Ayeka wrote:

In its early years, humanity was wildly diverse, a fact noticed by Captain
Roush of the Knights of Jurai, who wrote: "The West embraced our code and
rejected the weapons, while the East embraced the weapons and rejected the
code. While there is nothing we can do about that, we can only hope two such
wildly disparate cultures will eventually combine and fulfill the promise we
have glimpsed."

I mention this because just before my arrival on Earth, I had been reading
the works of Captain Roush, who had brought my aunt Funaho, father's first
wife, to his attention. But I digress.

As I was saying, I had been reading his works and re-read them as comparison
to Earth from when he had been there and Earth when I first arrived.

Thought Roush was dead at the time and I had only barely known the man, I
could not help thinking at how disappointed he'd be. In the late 20th
century, Earth was ripe with wars over religion, drugs, racism. The old
warrior code survived in few individuals but even they were dying out and it
only got worse as time went by. For centuries, out of love for his planet,
Tenchi invested billions, quietly trying to change his world into jewel he
knew was there. I don't believe I've ever seen him so sad as the day he
exercised the only option he had left and ordered the Navy to invade and
conquer Earth, to save it from itself.

Still, I knew how he felt, I felt the same way when I learned that the man I
had come to Saradin to kill was my father.

    -Excerpted from A history of the Rule of Tenchi Misaki, 124th
emperor of Jurai.
***************
Ayeka backflipped over the table and then slashed at the Kingpin's head but
the swing was blocked and she was forced to disengage and duck as he used
telekinesis to fling a heavy chair at her head.

Moving like a crab, Ayeka made her way to the far side of the room, keeping
the furniture between her and the lightning bolts he was throwing around.

"I suppose I should count myself lucky that this battle is in here instead
of
on board some planet destroying super weapon," she muttered to herself as
she
paused next to a loveseat and peered around it. He was moving slowly in her
direction, a ball of lightning in one hand, his sword in the other. She only
had perhaps a second before he would be at her position. Frowning, she
quickly evaluated her options and came up with only one that had any chance
of her emerging from this conflict as the victor.

Juraian Knights were schooled in three forms of combat. The first was the
Keeskeet. The second was the B'allan, an empty hand, energy, and weapons
form
adopted by the Knights for it's "anything goes" adaptability and
versatility.
The third was the Ka'adan, which taught the young knights how to use their
staffs and channel their energies through those staffs to create such
interesting attacks such as Jurai's Needle.

Ayeka however, preferred the Art known as S'kadan. Taught only to members of
the core line of the Royal family, the technique involved telekentically
creating energy constructs through which she channeled the Power of Jurai
with, as Ryoko would later attest, painful results.

Her preference for the S'kadan was the cause of several arguments between
Gelan, the Master Knight whom she had been apprenticed to, and Ayeka. In the
end, she had sought her father's help.

Azsuza however, refused to listen, and forced her to return to her studies
of
the Keeskeet, B'allan and Ka'adan. At the time, Ayeka had been furious, now,
nearly a thousand years later, she was glad he had as she began pulling the
moisture from the air around her, superheating it and forming it into a
small
sphere in her hand. Lunging from her crouch, she threw the ball of
superheated water into the Kingpin's face and then tucked herself into a
ball, rolling across the floor and coming up near a table upon which rested
a
vase. In one smooth motion, she snatched it up and flung it at the Kingpin,
sending it on it's way with a quick boost of telekinesis.

But he only sidestepped and slashed it in half. Focusing her will, Ayeka
summoned the S'kadan, only to feel her eyes widen as he too, summoned the
energy constructs. For a moment, they were at a standstill, and then he gave
an almost casual shrug of power and she was flung backwards into a bookcase,
the impact causing it to fall forward on top of her, burying her in books
and
wood.

Pushing her way free, she tried to ignore the pain of broken ribs and
shoulder as she set herself in a guarding position and watched him approach.
***************
Ryoko was not a good pilot. Her skill with Ryo-Oki was largely dependent on
the empathic link she shared with the cabbit rather then any real skill. But
she did know enough to keep the ship steady and on course as she flew back
towards Noa and the ship's small mainframe was overzealously helpful, not
only providing her with the quickest, most direct route back to
headquarters,
but happily informing of her of each mistake she made.

As the spire that was Noa came into view, Ryoko decided that she had had
enough and drove her fist into the computer's A/V pickup. The resulting
shower of sparks made her feel much better for some reason and as she came
into view of the landing pad, she saw Tenmark was there talking to someone.

Not even bothering with a graceful landing, Ryoko teleported out and
materialized next to Tenmark.

"Tenmark! You have to call Sickbay! Tell them to send people who can keep
their mouths shut!"

"O-of course! But why?"

"I'll explain later, just do it! There's two injured women in there!" She
shouted, indicating the assault craft. Tenmark nodded and took out his
communicator. Ryoko just stood there, worry and half a dozen other emotions,
all revolving around Ayeka, clashing and warring for attention in her mind.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Ryoko?" Spinning she saw Tenchi, Ryo-Oki on his shoulder.

"Miyah!" The cabbit exclaimed happily and jumped into her arms.

"T-tenchi? What are you doing here?" Ryoko asked as she caught her best
friend.

"I had a premonition so I grabbed Ryo-Oki and came ahead. What's going on?"
Staring into those brown eyes of his, Ryoko found herself speechless for a
moment and then, taking a deep breath, started to explain everything.
***************
Ayeka, sword in one hand, slashed upwards, cutting off a strip of fabric.
She
was grateful that despite Gelan's objections, she had mastered the art of
wielding the Nochi-ken with one hand. This freed up her other hand bring the
energy combat side of the B'allan to bear. She kept the sword moving,
weaving
it in a star pattern that enabled her to bring the Nochi-ken to any point
and
block the Kingpin's attacks.

The Kingpin-she had to keep thinking of him as the Kingpin, if she thought
of
him as her father, even for a second, she would falter, and he would get
through her defense.

"You're weakening daughter," sneered the Kingpin. "Your time on Earth has
made you soft."

"I am no daughter of a criminal!" Ayeka snapped, pressing her attack. " And
I
am hardly weak! I have regularly fought and survived against Ryoko, the one
who all but destroyed Jurai!"

"But you did not beat her, your brother did." Ayeka's teeth clenched even as
the Kingpin continued. "Why didn't you beat her? Perhaps the rumors about
you
and the space pirate are true?

"Shut up," Ayeka said quietly, a red haze was beginning to form across her
vision.

"Tell me Ayeka, is she good in bed?"

"Shut up."

"Did you make her scream and cry out your name? Did you cry out hers? How
did
it happen? Perhaps you simply pushed her and she fell over with her legs
open?" He paused and then lowered his voice. "Or perhaps you were the one
who
fell over with her legs open. . ."

"Shut up!" Ayeka screamed, lunging at him, Nochi-ken aimed straight for his
heart, the Kingpin's mocking laughter ringing in her ears and his sword
coming down in a wicked arc towards her head.
***************
"The Kingpin is who?!" Tenchi exclaimed when Ryoko finished. Ryoko nodded
and
was about to say something when she noticed a bright light on the horizon
and
it was quickly getting brighter.

"Oh shit," Ryoko muttered as the white light filled their vision and then
their ears were filled with the sound of an unearthly howling wind.
***************
Part 6

When Ryoko's hearing and eyesight returned, she found that she was clinging
to Tenchi. Both were hovering inside an energy bubble. It was then that she
looked down.

"Oh bloody fuck," she said softly. The top one-eighth or so of Noa was
missing, blasted away as though a giant had grabbed it in his fist, sliced
it
off,  and carried it away.

"Ryoko?" Tenchi's voice was awestruck.

"Yeah?"

"Look."

Ryoko looked and felt her jaw drop open and just hang there. As far as she
could see, every building had been sliced as Noa had. Instead of a wildly
varying array of towers, the famed Saradin skyline had become an army of
buildings, all reduced to precisely the same height.

"Miyahhhh. . ." Ryo-Oki said from where she was hanging from Ryoko's ankle
and staring down fearfully.

"What are you scared for?" Ryoko demanded. "You can fly, remember?"

"So can you," the cabbit's answering look seemed to say. Feeling a bit
sheepish, Ryoko let go of Tenchi and then picked Ryo-Oki off her ankle and
held her.

"What caused all this?" She asked.

"I'm not sure," Tenchi replied, his eyes distant. "There was release of
power, the kind wielded by a member of the Jurai Royal Family."

"But what-" Ryoko started to ask and then broke off as realization hit her.

"Ayeka!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Ryo-Oki!" Ryoko exclaimed but the cabbit was already leaping out of her
arms
and within moments, she and Tenchi were standing on the bridge. "The center
of the blast, Ryo-Oki," Ryoko ordered. "And step on it!"

"Miyah!"
***************
Though the trip was short, both Tenchi and Ryoko were shaken as they neared
the epicenter. In a way, the closely built buildings had both saved the
planet and devastated it, taking most of the explosive force and at the same
time, doing much of the damage. Steel had been liquefied and then reformed,
fires raged and in several instances, body parts had been embedded in and in
some cases, through walls.

"I think I may be sick," Tenchi said.

"I may join you," Ryoko replied as they came in sight of what had been
Cerban. Like the other buildings, the roof had been liquefied but as it was
the epicenter, the liquefaction had turned the massive skyscraper into a
crater. In the middle of it, Ayeka knelt, head bowed.

Teleporting out, Ryoko raced to her side, Tenchi close behind.

"Ayeka?" Ryoko asked. "Hey, Princess?"

"Are you okay?" Tenchi asked.

"My Lord," Ayeka said, standing as she did and looking him levelly in the
eye. "I have fulfilled your orders, the Kingpin is dead." then she turned,
collapsed into Ryoko's arms and stayed there, her shoulders shaking as she
cried.
***************
Saradin Governor's Mansion
Thirty-Six hours Later.

Tenchi and Sasami, resplendent in their official robes of state, the cloaks
trimmed in black as a sign of mourning, gazed out at the sea of reporters.
Sasami's face was troubled and in the distance, smoke from some of the fires
still burning cast a dark cloud over the city.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press," Tenchi began. "Azusa, one hundred
twenty-third Emperor of Jurai died at the hands of the Criminal known as the
Kingpin. This brutal murder is what caused the recent devastation. The
Kingpin himself has been sent to a. . .higher court." As the press began to
shout questions, Tenchi silently cursed the necessity of having to lie to
the
press, and by extension the rest of Jurai.
***************
Meditation Sector of Yoah Orbital Gardens, in geosynchronus orbit around
Planet Jurai.
one week later.

Tenchi stepped onto the stone path that wound it's way through the plants.
High overhead, he could hear the sounds of birds calling to each other. A
wide array of scents filled his nostrils and he almost against his will, he
felt at peace. 'But then that's the point of this part of the Gardens, isn't
it?' he thought as he continued, following the sound of the waterfalls and
eventually coming in sight of the falls.

They were magnificent. Towering almost to the roof, the water twisted and
wound it's way along a rocky riverbed before plunging a full mile down to
the
lake below. Pausing for a moment to admire it, the sight still filled him
with wonder, Tenchi turned and headed down a side path eventually arriving
at
a small clearing near the edge of the dome that covered the Gardens. On a
bench sat Ayeka, looking out at the stars.

"Hello, Ayeka," Tenchi said softly, sitting next to her. Ayeka said nothing
and Tenchi fell silent, waiting for her to speak.

"How is mother?" Ayeka asked, a while later, her voice very quiet.

"Still in a coma," Tenchi replied. "Nobody is sure if she'll ever wake up."

"And Auntie?"

"Shaken, but she's healing. She's been staying Misaki's room at the Medical
Center."

Ayeka took a deep breath and then released it. "Tenchi, I asked you here for
a reason."

"Yes?"

"When I killed Father, his mind was totally open to me and I learned much."
She stood and walked to where the dome met the stone floor. "Why did you
finally decide to be Emperor?"

"Well, I. . ." Tenchi frowned. "Now that I think about it, I can't remember.
It's like I-"

"Just decided to do it?" Ayeka asked, her voice quiet. Tenchi nodded mutely
as Ayeka continued. "What were those 'personal reasons' you mentioned for
marrying Sasami?"

"I. . .I can't quite put them into words."

"Nor will you be able to. Those same 'reasons' are why you chose to become
Emperor and why Ryoko and I took the news that you were going to marry
Sasami
so calmly. Father manipulated all our minds." Tenchi was shocked into
silence

"W-Why?" he asked, when he finally found his voice

"The Kingpin was originally a persona," Ayeka said, sitting back down beside
Tenchi. "Such as an actor might don for a performance. But over time, the
role came to dominate him, took on a life of it's own, so to speak. You must
understand that we of the Royal line cannot commit suicide. I, for example,
cannot take my own life any more then you could breathe in vacuum."

"I don't understand."

"When Father realized the Kingpin was becoming dominant, he used his powers
to set things up so that I would come to face him and then kill him."

"But why-" Tenchi started and then he sighed and let the question die.
Perhaps it was best if he didn't pursue the subject. "What will you do now?"

"I will take Ryoko and go to an abandoned training facility for Juraian
Knights on the border worlds where I will remove the blocks on our minds."
Tenchi nodded as Ayeka returned her attention to the stars.

"I'll see you when you two get back then," Tenchi said quietly. Then,
sensing
the meeting was over, Tenchi stood up and walked back towards the path.

"Tenchi," Ayeka said quietly and he stopped and half-turned back towards
her.

"Yes?"

"Sasami must never find out about the manipulation. She did not receive the
conditioning I did and to discover that her marriage is not the result of
true affection and love, but the result of Father's manipulating, it may be
more then she could bear." Tenchi nodded and left the clearing and Ayeka
alone with her thoughts.

Almost slowly, Ayeka reached into a pocket and removed a reader. Then for
the
longest time, she stared at the words on the screen;


Behold the Last Emperor who shall named from both Heaven and Earth. Born
under a distant star, he will have but one wife who shall embody the full
power of the Lighthawk and he will be able to draw on its power as no other
can when he meets the King's chosen in open combat. But though the Princess
and The Pirate will go with him, only the Princess will return.


Ayeka frowned at it and then looked at her hand and then held it out, palm
towards the floor. The faint shimmer of a Lighthawk wing appeared.

"Not if I can help it," she whispered and then her hand clenched and the
Lighthawk wing flared to full life, as it had just before she cut Azusa in
half.

And there she sat, staring at the wing, and thinking.
***************
Epilogue
One week later.

"Ayeka, I need you and Ryoko to do something for me," Tenchi said as he
carefully pulled weeds from the small but flourishing carrot garden. "I've
been receiving pleas from a small conglomerate in the Semul system.
Apparently there's something strange going on at the southeast end of the
smaller continent. It seems that, they've been asking for help for several
years now but nobody wants to help as their former president made a few bad
judgment calls." Ayeka nodded as she recalled the events in question, and in
the back of her mind wryly noted that Tenchi was mastering the art of
understatement.

The "few bad judgment calls" had forced an emergency mobilization of relief
forces against an unparalleled ecological disaster only to discover in the
aftermath that a single misplaced valve had been the cause and a few
minutes'
work could have saved billions of creds and several million lives.

Criticism had been loud, long and focused entirely on Semul since they were
the ones who had called for the relief and it had been their valve. Their
credit rating with banks had been slashed, they were driven out of almost
all
alliances and were otherwise mocked. Juraians were one of the few races who,
if they didn't turn them away, they didn't exactly welcome Semuls with open
arms either.

"But why me?"

"Grandfather's idea," Tenchi said as he stood up. "He thinks, and I agree,
that Semul has suffered enough. It's time to end several decades of
unnecessary hardship for innocent people before start forgetting that it
used
to be another way." He wiped his hands on the coveralls he was wearing.
"That's why you're also going to be overseeing a shipment of trade goods to
start the Semul back on the right track."

"Tenchi, you can't fix everything that's wrong in the galaxy."

"No," he said grimly as he knelt to retrive his tools. "But nobody's going
to
be able to say I didn't try." Ayeka inclined her head in acknowledgment.

"You mentioned 'others'."

"Yes," Tenchi replied as he went to a small table at the edge of the Garden
and laid his gardening tools on it. "You are aware of the relationships
between the Emperor and the Knights of Jurai?"

"Of course," Ayeka replied. The Knights were the Emperor's personal gaurd
and
the Empire's final line of defense, even if that meant turning on the
Emperor
himself to save it. Ten thousand warriors, each imbued with a small amount
of
the Royal Family's power. However, they were a separate entity and
recruitment and other internal matters was entirely up to them. "What about
them?"

"Apparently, somebody in their headquarters decided that Kiyone was
instrumental in saving my life in two major incidents while I was growing
up," Tenchi said wryly. Ayeka nodded. One of those incidents had been when
the space pirate Kain had gone back in time and attempted to kill Achika,
Tenchi's mother, before Tenchi had ever been born. The other was when his
Grandfather's lover Haruna, who had come with him when he pursued Ryoko to
Earth, had kidnapped him. Haruna's physical body had been unable to
withstand
the long journey, but her spirit had and she had attempted to exact the
happiness she had never gotten to experience from Tenchi. Neither experience
had been very pleasant for him and he didn't speak about them much.

"And?" she prompted.

"And they offered her a space among the Knights." Ayeka frowned at this.
Knights were usually trained from birth by a seasoned Knight, forming a
personal bond with their surrogate mother or father and then generally
taking
over the position held by their parent. Rare was it for an adult to be
offered a place and even rarer for a non-Juraian. "I'm glad for her, but
what
does all this mean?"

"What it means, Ayeka, is that since she is too old to form any sort of
bond,
and since she must have a Teacher, they've chosen you."

"Me?" Ayeka gasped. She did have the experience to train, and it wasn't like
she and Kiyone were complete strangers. Which, she reflected ruefully as she
and Tenchi began walking back towards the door that led back into the
Palace,
was probably the idea behind the Preceptor putting them together. "Very
well.
Who else?"

"Ryo-Oki. According to Sasami, she seems to have gotten the idea that it's
her responsibility to keep you two out of trouble. And Washu."

"Washu?"

"Mmm-Hm," Tenchi replied. "Apparently she was listening in on the terminals
and decided that playing secret agent might be fun."

"Oh dear," Ayeka sighed. Having been on the receiving end of Washu's idea of
"fun" several times, she was less then thrilled at the thought of having the
diminutive, pink-haired scientist anywhere nearby. "Anyone else?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'm still having trouble locating the proper person. They
have to be adaptable and a decent pilot. They also have to have little or no
family ties."

"A pilot?"

"I'm giving you a ship so Ryo-oki doesn't wear herself out carrying the six
of you and the tade goods.  Its a high-speed, high security freighter. It's
more then large enough for six people and has plenty of range. Washu is
there
now, setting up." Ayeka nodded, her mind already creating and filing away
plans for the upcoming mission. "Ayeka," Tenchi said, his voice quiet.

"Yes?"

He turned to face her and laid a hand on each of her shoulders. "Remember,
your first priority is the Semul. The investigation of those occurrences is
secondary."

Ayeka nodded as she met his gaze. "Of course. As it should be."
***************
High Imperial CourtShip
Judge Anskane Tor, presiding.
Three months later.

Judge Tor looked down at the screen on his desk and sighed. The thumbnail
sketch of the synopsis of the case it was his sworn duty to preside over
took
up at least twenty pages and that wasn't counting the documentation of the
circumstantial evidence. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the
large
screen which was currently displaying the circumstancial evidence.

Returning his attention to the prosecution table, he adressed the woman in
formal robes standing at it's edge.

"Lady Ayeka," he began. "Was it really nessacary to produce this entire
Solar
System as evidence?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     desaix@sysnet.net
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee
              anime  fanfics available at
  http://www.geocities.com/zednik.geo/fanfics.htm

	     .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'