[FFML] [Ranma][Fanfic] Ten

First draft of the next chapter. Late, with my apologies. Please enjoy. C&C is as always welcome and appreciated.

= = = =
T E N

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic

By R. E.
(ranma_e@hotmail.com)

Illustrations by Irka
(irka@ciudad.com.ar)
= = = =

CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Ghosts"
= = = = = = = =

The Leviathan Spring was in chaos. The screams of alarm klaxons echoed
uselessly through the hallways. Red alert signs flashed intermittently,
casting crimson light down upon the broken bodies that littered the vessel.
Humans and Hidari alike lay dead upon the floors.

The situation had deteriorated in a matter of minutes. Bloodthirsty packs
of Hidari roamed freely, slaughtering the huddled, hidden pockets of
humanity as they found them. There was still resistance, although its
force was dwindling. The beat of gunfire punctuated the endless moaning of
the clones, but it was rapidly diminishing.

Damaged equipment lay strewn around the various labs. A number of
electrical fires burned in various parts of the sub. With the scattered
remains of the crew utterly unable to fight them and a vast majority of
the Spring's automated systems down they continued to burn, consuming
precious oxygen, belching toxic smoke.

The crew were still fighting, but soon, they would all be dead.

* * *

The JNV-1001's original specifications included two small docking bays for
small submersible craft. The bays, while not envisaged as overly useful to
the Phoenix organisation, were considered potentially useful enough to
retain during their modifications to the original design. Accordingly, the
submarine was equipped with a complement of four small submersible
vehicles.

However, the bays had never been used. The submersibles remained secured
on their loading cranes, the docking facilities remained unmanned. The
whole area was isolated - connected to the rest of the sub by only a single
elevator - and beside the occasional security patrol, the entire docking
area remained untouched.

As with any external access point, security was an issue. Physical
isolation was not by itself sufficient. The docks were outfitted with a
range of security sensors, from cameras - standard and infrared - to motion
sensors, metal detectors, and a bevy of other security measures.

However, like many of the Leviathan Spring's core systems, the security
subsystem had taken severe damage during the attack. Network lines and
power conduits had been damaged or severed completely. Many of the sensors
and cameras did not work - others simply spewed garbled data.

A few, however, remained operational. One such device was a surveillance
camera mounted above one of the two submersible docking bays.

A small, black vessel rose from the depths, silently parting the water's
surface as it emerged into the dock. The camera's motion tracking software
latched onto the movement and smoothly swiveled the camera, automatically
adjusting its focus to pull the newly-arrived vessel into sharp relief.

Elsewhere in the Spring, an intrusion alert bleeped insistently upon a
security console in the main security control centre.

A hiss filled the air as a small hatch slid smoothly open. Other, smaller
sounds followed it. The rustling of clothing, the squeak of boots upon a
moist metal floor. The camera dutifully recorded, sending multiple copies
of the video feed to several redundant backup sites scattered throughout
the vessel.

Suddenly, the camera's feed was cut off as a bullet smashed into the lens,
piercing the casing and ripping through the delicate electronics inside.

The signal loss triggered another alarm in the security control centre.
The security monitor hissed with static. Unfortunately, the security
officer who lay slumped over the console in a pool of his own blood could
not respond to the alarm. The Hidari who stood behind him with a
blood-soaked smile upon its face did not notice it, and would not have
understood its meaning even if it had.

With the camera removed, six invisible soldiers melted into view around the
perimeter of the bay. The barely-audible hum of their active camouflage
suits quickly died away as they powered down.

"Bay one secure. Team one is in position," said one of the soldiers,
holding one hand to his ear. "Ghosts commencing infiltration."

* * *

Ryoga, back pressed tightly against a chilled metal wall, leaned to one
side and peered around the corner. A long, narrow hall lay before him.
If he remembered the layout of the sub correctly, this passageway ran
virtually all the way to the helicopter launch bay.

Thick metal pipes ran along the ceiling. One was ruptured, belching steam
into the corridor and obscuring his view. From what he could see, however,
the corridor seemed to be empty. If they were quiet, and careful, they
might just make it to the bay unseen.

That was the best plan he could think of, at any rate.

He turned back to his sister, noticing for the first time the solid
death-grip she had upon his hand. Her skin was pale, and she was shaking
like a leaf.

"Hey, Yoiko."

She ignored him, instead staring silently at the floor nearby. Ryoga
looked past her to see what she was looking at. When he realised what it
was, he quickly wished he hadn't.

A female guard lay nearby, covered in blood. Two dull eyes stared ahead,
sealed forever in an expression of horror. The poor girl's throat had been
torn out. Her uniform covered most of her other injuries, but judging by
the sheer quantity of blood, they must have been extensive.

Gods, she doesn't look that much older than Yoiko, he thought, filled with
disgust. Memories of his own murdered teammates threatened to emerge from
the darker recesses of his mind. He closed his eyes and looked away. No.
This isn't the time to be thinking of them.

"That ... that's Haruka," Yoiko whispered, her voice breaking. "We used to
play cards when our shifts lined up. She'd just started dating one of the
guys in Engineering. She ... she wouldn't tell me his name ...."

"Yoiko, listen to me," Ryoga said, but his words had no effect. He shook
her by the shoulder. "Yoiko!"

"W-what?" she asked, finally turning her moistened eyes toward him.

"I need you to stay focused. Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try," she replied, nodding weakly.

"I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to get you out of here.
You're going to be fine," he said, offering an encouraging smile. "If we
get to the launch bay, we might be able to get a chopper out of here."

"But you don't know how to fly a chopper," Yoiko pointed out.

Ryoga's smile cracked. His sister, ever the pragmatist. "We'll cross that
bridge when we come to it."

He glanced once more at the body of Haruka. She had a pistol holstered at
her hip. Releasing his sister's hand, he stepped over to her body.
Lowering himself almost to the floor - careful not to touch his knee to the
puddle of blood that surrounded the body - he reached toward the weapon.

"What are you doing?!" Yoiko squeaked, her voice filled with disgust.
"Don't do that!"

"I have to, sis," Ryoga replied. Distasteful as it was, another gun could
mean the difference between life and death for both of them. As he looked
more closely at the weapon, he shook his head in dismay. The holster was
not even unclipped - the poor girl had never even had a chance to defend
herself. He glanced at her face once more. She had been a pretty girl,
that much was obvious even beneath the blood that had dried upon her skin.

What a waste.

"Forgive me, Haruka," he whispered as he unclipped her holster and withdrew
the weapon. He checked a small pouch on her belt and found a full magazine
inside. After pocketing the magazine, he reached for her face and gently
pulled down her eyelids. "But I need these to protect my sister."

He stood and turned away, quickly ejecting the magazine from her gun to
inspect it - partially to check how many rounds were contained within,
partially to avoid meeting his sister's horrified gaze. The magazine,
thankfully, was full. With a full magazine in his pocket and nine rounds
remaining in his own gun, he made a mental note: thirty-three rounds
remaining.

He slid the magazine back into the gun. It had been a long time since he
served in Bravo Team, but his instincts remained sharp, and they told him
that exactly how much ammunition he had was one of the most important
pieces of information available to him.

Pocketing Haruka's pistol, he once again reached for his sister's hand and
tugged her toward the main corridor.

"Come on. Let's go."

* * *

"So," said Ukyo. "You're Ranma's new apprentice."

There was a vicious storm raging that night. Lightning flashed in the
heavens, illuminating the rooftop - and the two figures standing upon it -
in stark white light. The thunderous rumble shook the building, sending
tiles tumbling over the edge of the roof to the mud far below.

The girl, short and youthful in appearance, turned to face Ukyo. The
lightning faded away, although not before a glimmer of reflected light from
the sword in the girl's hand caught Ukyo's eye. Despite the sword, and the
black hooded robe the girl wore, it was obvious that she was little more
than a teenager.

"I'm nobody's -apprentice-," countered the girl. "I'm the Black Tiger of
Tokyo, and you're interfering with my evening's business."

"I already know who you are," Ukyo replied, lowering her own blade and
adopting a neutral stance. "Nabiki Tendo."

"Hmm, is that so?" Nabiki replied, unfazed. She snorted, a vague sound of
amusement, and pulled down her hood to reveal her face. A sardonic smile
played across her lips. "Intriguing. You've done your research. However,
I'm afraid I'm at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know who
you are."

"Kuonji. Ukyo Kuonji."

"Ukyo Kuonji. You put up quite a chase. I'm impressed you managed to keep
up with me," Nabiki said, emphasising the name. She smiled, redirecting
the rivulets of rain running down her face, and bowed slightly. "There
are few who can. Tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Tell me where Ranma is."

"What makes you think I know or care where Ranma is?" Nabiki asked flatly.
"I'm just here for the Eye. Ranma has nothing to do with it."

"I've been watching you. Since you met, you have been inseparable. And
now, suddenly, she is gone. I have no argument with you, Nabiki. I just
want to know where she is."

"Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" Nabiki responded,
her voice dripping disdain. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have time to
deal with the likes of you. That jewel isn't going to steal itself. If
you want to find Ranma, you're going to have to do it yourself."

"If you tell me what I want to know, I'll let you go," Ukyo said, raising
her sword once more. "I don't want to hurt you, and I don't care about
whatever it is you're trying to steal, but I won't let you hide Ranma from
me."

"Let me go?" Nabiki huffed, incredulous. "You'd have to catch me first.
And if the all the locks in Tokyo and the Emperor's finest can't, I
honestly don't think you have much of a chance. It was a pleasure meeting
you, Ukyo Kuonji, but don't expect it to happen again."

There was a glimmer of movement, a swath of brown hair, a streak of blue.
Lightning burst across the sky once more; then the white light was gone and
so was the thief, leaving only blackness and the relentless pitter-patter
of raindrops. Ukyo stood alone in the rain, her pupils shrinking as the
darkness closed in to swallow Nabiki whole.

The guards would certainly have heard them and would soon come running. No
doubt, a figure standing on the roof in the middle of the night would be
met with many arrows and few questions. Frustrated and drenched from head
to toe, she sheathed her sword and turned away.

"Damn it."

Aboard the Leviathan Spring, Ukyo shook her head violently back and forth,
dislodging the half-formed memory from her mind. They were coming more
frequently now, each more vivid than the last. Some were little more than
still images, or whispered words. But some were sharp, clear, filled with
sounds, smells and sensations.

Ukyo could almost see the lithe cat-burglar's face, almost remember her
voice. She could -feel- the cold raindrops running down her face, the
electric charge of the stormy air. The memories felt so real, and yet so
alien to her. They were old memories; very old. Whose were they? Her
own? Why didn't she recognise them?

The memories had begun to return to her with Ranma's touch. Those icy
hands upon her skin had awoken something within her. She did not know
what it was, nor did she understand the memories she was reliving. All she
knew was that something was moving inside her mind, churning up
long-dormant memories in its wake.

Corridor after corridor of the Leviathan Spring passed underfoot as she
sprinted through the vessel, dodging twisted water pipes, shattered
bulkheads and broken bodies without conscious thought. A rhythmic thumping
filled her ears - whether the sound of her boots upon the floor or the
thrum of her own heart, she did not know.

Some of the memories were familiar to her. Others were not. All of them,
however, shared a single common element. That element, she knew, was the
key. Somehow, it was the key.

-...My Lady?-

-What is it, Seraph Wing?-

-I have been trying to contact you for two minutes, thirty-six seconds.
Why did you not respond?-

-I ... I didn't hear you,- Ukyo replied, her mental voice laden with worry
as she realised that was the truth.

-My Lady? We share a neural link, it is not possible for---

-It doesn't matter,- she interrupted dismissively. -What did you want?-

-Two things. Firstly, I wished to present my tactical report. Secondly, I
wished to enquire as to your destination. I assume from your location that
you are heading to your quarters, but I do not understand why.-

The shrill sounds of alarms rang in her ears, threatening to drown out her
own thoughts. She looked around, suddenly realising that she had stopped
running. Just as Seraph Wing had said, she was outside the barracks.

-I want to get my sword,- she replied, glancing around before heading
inside.

-Your sword? May I ask why, My Lady?-

-I ... don't know why, but it's important for me to get it,- she replied.
The entire barracks area was drenched in blood, silent bodies scattered
across the floor, illuminated only by the crimson glow of emergency
lighting. -Gods, this place is a war zone. What the hell is going on?-

-That brings me to my tactical report. Electronic systems are being
disrupted throughout the vessel. I am unable to access the core network,
nor establish any meaningful communications links. I have no information
about the life forms you encountered in the launch bay, other than the
obvious: they are not human, and they are hostile.-

-I figured that much. Those things moved like ... like animals. Can you
locate anyone else?- she asked, pushing open the door to her own quarters.
She entered, relieved to find the room free of dead soldiers. -How about
Ryoga, or Yoiko?-

-The composition of the walls severely limits my scanning range, My Lady.
I am able to link into a few security systems throughout the vessel, but
the majority of them are offline. Even taking these sensors and cameras
into account, there are no active human life signs in my sensorium.
However, Ranma has a much stronger signature. I am able to track her
general location. She has left the helicopter bay.-

-She's heading for Akane,- Ukyo observed, kneeling at her footlocker. She
opened it and fumbled inside. -I've gotta stop her. I can't let them
meet again.-

-I must remind you that this vessel has already sustained significant
structural damage, the Frame is not entirely stable, and the entire vessel
is populated by hostile life forms. Under these circumstances, I would
recommend that you evacuate immediately.-

-No. I'm not just going to run away from this!- she said. Her fingers
found Seriatim's scabbard and closed around it. She pulled the weapon free
and stood, letting the footlocker fall closed. -I brought Ranma aboard,
and I'm going to finish her.-

-My Lady, this is an unacceptable risk. You must evacuate the vessel.-

-And just ... abandon everyone else? There must be some survivors on this
sub, and someone has to help them,- she replied angrily. And Ryoga has to
be aboard somewhere, she added to herself.

-You must understand, My Lady. There are dozens of enemies on every
conceivable path between yourself and Ranma. The Frame's biokinetic
plating is barely functioning. The system is not stable. I would
recommend, given the damage to the facilities aboard the Leviathan Spring,
returning to the primary Seraph Initiative facility in Tokyo for a full
system-wide repair. Pursuing Ranma at this point is, to be blunt,
foolhardy.-

-Maybe you're right,- she replied, sliding the sword's scabbard in between
her belt and her hip. She drew her pistols from holsters at her hips and
turned toward the door. -But you're not changing my mind. I'm going to
stop Ranma from killing everyone aboard this sub. You're going to help
me.-

-My duty is to protect you, My Lady. The welfare of others is of secondary
importance to your own survival.-

-No, it isn't,- Ukyo replied. -Not any more, Seraph Wing.-

* * *

The main corridor of the Delta Seven-Five laboratory linked the primary
research facilities to the main elevator, which in turn provided access to
the nonrestricted areas of the sub. Unlike most of the Seven-Five lab
areas, the elevator lobby had been equipped with hidden Hidari cryotubes.

The entire lobby area was a wreck. Ragged scars covered the walls,
shredded metal hanging from enormous gashes. The floor was awash with
blood, the mangled pipes that once ran along the ceiling spewed forth steam
and sparks.

The entire hall was filled with broken, silent bodies. Laboratory workers,
researchers, and soldiers alike were strewn around the room. Akane-Ryujin
stood silent, stilled, awed by the carnage.

"My Gods," Akane whispered as she collapsed to her knees in the midst of
the dead, unable to command the strength needed to stand. The cold void of
death surrounded her, the void clawing painfully at her mind, its presence
boring relentlessly into her skull.

She clasped her hands to her temples and gritted her teeth, trying
helplessly to drive away the intense anguish that was churning inside her.
The aching emptiness of the dead refused to be ignored. The bodies were
cold, silent and still, and yet they called to her mind, their wails of
agony an overwhelming din.

A woman's face, lifeless and half-submerged in blood, caught her eye. She
stared at it in horror, a chilling feeling of recognition sinking into her
stomach.

"I know you," she whispered, gingerly reaching out toward the face. "Your
name was Mary."

Mary. Twenty-four years old, a junior research assistant. Her birthday
had passed only three weeks before. She had been given a pair of earrings
by her fiance; opal stones set in gold that glimmered so beautifully in the
moonlight. He had smiled in that way she loved so much, the small,
spontaneous and slightly-crooked smile that he could never quite manage to
perform on request. They kissed, the sweet hint of whiskey on his breath.
She'd been drinking champagne and the world spun as he dipped her, but he
held her tight.

Her jugular vein had been severed by a flying shard of metal in the initial
Hidari attack. Blood had sprayed wildly from her body, taking heat,
sensation, consciousness and pain with it. Mary had not suffered for very
long.

Akane's fingertips hovered near Mary's blood-stained cheek, almost but not
quite touching. She let out a long, slow, shaky breath and drew her hand
back, cradling it to her own chest.

She had never met this girl. And yet ... she knew her.

The man laying atop Mary was named Yasuhito. Fifty-two years old. He
loved life at sea; the achingly beautiful sunsets that danced over the
sea, the salty taste of the ocean air, the endless, soothing rocking of the
water's surface. He could have spent an eternity on the ocean, if not for
the photo of his two-year-old granddaughter that he kept on his desk. It
had been a present from his son, complete with an ornate wooden frame. He
wanted to go home, to spend time with her, to be a grandfather.

He had, unfortunately, not died as quickly as Mary. The same shard of
metal that had ended Mary's life had glanced off her neck and embedded
itself into his chest, piercing his lung. With medical attention, he might
have survived. But no help had come.

Akane recoiled in horror, throwing herself backwards, scrambling with both
hands and feet across a blood soaked floor, anything to escape the macabre
sight before her.

The palm of her hand glanced across the dead fingers of a soldier as she
scrabbled across the floor. The contact jolted her. A torrent of images
burst violently into her mind, a flood of memories that swept
uncontrollably across her consciousness.

She could see his infant son cradled in his arms, feel the warm breath of
his wife on his cheek as they made love, hear the laughter of his best
friend and the gentle, soothing words of his mother as they were whispered
into his tiny ear. A lifetime of memories offered up to her without
reservation, a lifetime of emotion experienced in an instant.

She screamed and jolted as if electrocuted, her body's survival instincts
forcing her muscles to wrench it away. She flew through the air and landed
face-first in a puddle of blood in the middle of the hall, thankfully away
from the corpses.

"Why do I feel their pain," she whimpered to herself, lifting herself upon
her elbows, gulping down air as her face surfaced from the blood. Tears
streamed down her cheeks as she clasped her hands to her head, her body
shaking with sobs. "It hurts ... it hurts!"

Their memories are their lives. We are bound to their lives, and thus we
are bound to their memories, replied the voice inside her mind that was
Ryujin.

"I don't want to watch them die!" Akane cried, clutching her temples. Her
words echoed through the hallway but she did not hear her own voice,
drowned out as it was by the imagined cries of the dead. "Make it stop.
Please make it stop."

Akane felt herself rising to her feet. Her legs moved, her vision swayed.
She felt the rhythm of the floor hitting the soles of her feet, saw the
corridor moving past in the opposite direction. Her body moved of its own
accord, hopping over the bodies. She was, somehow, running toward the
elevator door.

We only witness the beginning of death. It is painful but it is brief.
The duty of overseeing their eternal suffering falls upon another. Take
comfort in that.

The thick steel door loomed ahead, like everything else in the room -
silent and motionless. Her breath caught in her throat. The door was not
going to open. Panic rose within her, her throat tightening as her arms
flailed uselessly. She could not stop her run, nor even slow it. A scream
escaped her throat as she held up her hands in a desperate, futile attempt
to brace for the impact.

The impact did not come. Her eyes widened as her arms transformed, flesh
becoming liquid. Where once she had skin, only translucent water
remained. She did not even have time to gasp before she plowed into the
immovable metal. Her body burst out from the other side of the door,
phasing effortlessly through it. Free of the obstacle, her body
resolidified, just in time to crash into the elevator's handrail. She
staggered back from the impact and collapsed backwards onto the elevator
platform.

She gasped for breath, winded, her stomach complaining at the movement.
Her body ached, and her head was swimming - but at least the voices had
stopped. There was silence in her ears now, blessed, sweet silence.

What just happened, she thought to herself. How did I ...?

She coughed and rolled over, clutching her stomach. Something caught her
eye then; something that made her sit bolt upright despite the pain. A
Hidari clone sat in the corner of the elevator platform facing her, both
hands clutching at the handrail behind it. It stared at her with wide
eyes, glancing between her and the elevator door. Its body trembled as it
opened its mouth.

"Please don't kill me."

* * *

Ukyo came to a stop beside a pile of three dead Hidari laying haphazardly
atop one another. A multitude of bullet wounds marked their backs,
although blood had long since stopped flowing. From the way they were
positioned, she surmised they had not been moved since they had been shot.
She glanced in both directions along the corridor, trying to see if the
shooter's remains were nearby, but there were no other bodies in the
vicinity.

-Whoever did this made a clean getaway,- she thought to herself. She shook
her head, recalling the many mutilated soldiers she had seen. -Lucky
bastards. I wonder if they're still alive.-

-My Lady, there is something disturbing here.-

-What is it?-

-My analysis of the bullet wounds suggests these creatures were killed by
45 ACP rounds. That calibre is not standard-issue among the Leviathan
Spring's personnel.-

-What are you saying? That an outside group did this?-

-Unless some of the crew are armed with non-standard munitions, it is a
distinct possibility, My Lady.-

-Well, if it was, I guess they did me a favour,- Ukyo replied, scratching
her chin. She nudged one of the bodies with the edge of one of her combat
boots, rolling it over onto its back. Ranma's face, vacant and pallid,
stared up at her. She grimaced and lowered herself to one knee alongside
the corpse.

-It's strange,- she thought as she used the barrel of one of her pistols to
turn the creature's head. -What is this thing?-

-My Lady?-

-I see Ranma's face, but ... I don't feel anything,- she replied. -I
should feel angry, I should feel hatred, I should feel -something-, but I
don't feel a thing. Shouldn't I feel something?-

-I do not understand, My Lady.-

-I want to feel something. If I can't, what does that mean?- Ukyo
wondered. She leaned closer and looked into the creature's empty eyes.
-Does that mean this creature isn't Ranma? Or does it mean I'm no longer
who I once was?-

-You are Ukyo Kuonji, My Lady---

-I know that. But what does that mean? Ever since she touched me, I ..
I've felt different. Strange. I don't understand what it is. I feel like
I don't understand anything anymore. Why am I doing this? I used to know,
but ...-

-Have you forgotten my purpose, My Lady? You are to destroy Ranma.-

-I ... I know,- she said. -I will kill her for what she's done to the
soldiers, to the Spring. I'll stop her from hurting Ryoga. I just
wish ... I wish I could remember why ....-

She sighed and rose to her feet. -It doesn't matter.-

-My Lady, I have an important situational update.-

-What is it?- she asked, looking away from the corpse.

-The Leviathan Spring's situation is dire. Sensors are reporting fires in
the secondary and tertiary Pillar laboratories. Halon systems are
operational in the tertiary lab, but the extinguishers in the secondary lab
are malfunctioning. The fire is spreading. The air filtration systems are
offline, as are many of the automated doors and elevators. Power supplies
are fluctuating throughout the vessel. Eighty-six percent of onboard
security surveillance systems are inoperative.-

-How the hell did all that damage happen so quickly?- she wondered. -Have
you located any survivors?-

-Not yet, My Lady. There are very few cameras still operational, which
severely restricts my observational capabilities. However, I did manage to
establish a link with a surveillance camera near the primary Pillar
laboratory. I believe the footage I received is of tactical importance.-

-How so?-

-Stand by, My Lady. I will show you.-

Dizziness swept over her, forcing her to lean against a wall for balance as
Seraph Wing co-opted her senses. Her perception of the world around her
disappeared, leaving her a disembodied observer in a black void. Static
filled her eyes and ears, before resolving itself into the slightly grainy,
low-quality images and sounds recorded by the camera.

Her mind reeled, trying to cope with the sudden change. It was a surreal
experience to view a hallway from such a bizarre angle. She felt a vague
sense of dizziness, her eyes struggling to adapt to a much narrower field
of view than they were accustomed to. The hallway itself was empty. Save
for the flickering of one of the fluorescent light tubes that illuminated
the corridor, she could easily have believed that she was looking at a
still photograph.

Tiny wisps of black smoke crept onto the edge of the picture. Had the rest
of the picture not been so perfectly still, she might not even have noticed
them. Thin, dark tendrils grew thicker and longer, stretching out across
the floor of the corridor. They joined together, swirling into a single
black mass.

-What is that?- she asked. Seraph Wing did not respond. A moment later,
she was given her answer.

The picture before her eyes began to flicker and distort as the smoke
spread across the floor; it did not rise and expand like a gas but instead
stuck to the floor like a thick, viscous fluid. A figure stepped into the
frame, wreathed in the blackness. The shadows obscured its features
completely, save for its two malevolently burning eyes.

Two arms protruded from the smoke, arms that appeared human but ended in
curled, burning claws that belched forth more of the thick smoke. Long,
fiery strands burned atop its head in the place of hair, streaming down its
back to the floor.

The glowing orbs of its eyes turned slowly to stare directly at the camera;
directly at Ukyo. The picture before her eyes began to flicker and distort
as the camera itself began to melt from the sheer heat of the creature's
presence. The picture flickered violently for just a moment and then -
nothing but static. Ukyo jumped back as the video was snatched away from
her eyes, leaving her own vision once more in its place.

-My Gods, Ranma, what have you become?-

-I feel this is an appropriate moment to remind you of my recommendation
to retreat for repairs, My Lady.-

-Noted,- she replied, gritting her teeth. -Now tell me where that camera
was.-

* * *

Akane-Ryujin pulled herself to her knees, the stinging pain in her ribs
forgotten. The Hidari watching her tensed as she moved, pulling itself
further back in response. It stared at her with wide, watering eyes,
wincing each time she moved even a single muscle.

"Are you a ghost?" it asked in a tiny voice that echoed upwards into the
darkened elevator shaft. "Are you going to kill me?"

She sat back on her legs, bewildered by this timid creature. This was the
first Hidari she had ever seen that had not shown any malice or anger.
This clone, unlike the others, did not leap for her with its teeth bared
like a wild beast. Instead it cowered in a corner as if she were the
animal.

"Kill you?" she replied, unable to hide her surprise. Why was it not
attacking her?

The Hidari nodded. "The others want to kill me. I escaped, and they want
to kill me. I just want to get out."

"Others?" she asked. "What others?"

"The others ... like me. The other tube-children."

"Is that what you call yourself?"

"They have a word, but I don't know it," the Hidari replied. It shuffled a
little further away from her, pressing itself back against the handrail.
The movement jarred its left shoulder and it winced, clutching its right
hand over its upper arm.

"You're hurt," Akane observed, watching its hand tighten upon its arm. Her
instincts cried out for her to tend to the wound of a living creature - and
yet this was a Hidari, an empty shell of a creature with no heart, no soul.
Even so, she could feel life flowing within it; she wanted to help it.

Why do I feel this way, she wondered. It wasn't like this with the others.

"One of the others cut me," the clone replied. "I ... I tried to fight,
but Six-Three was too strong. I thought he was going to kill me, but then
.. then I was falling, and the next thing I can remember is being here. I
just wanted to get out of the tube, but ...."

"Let me help you. I won't hurt you," Akane said in a soothing voice. She
stood and walked toward the clone, who watched her warily, but tolerated
the movement. Kneeling down before it, she looked over at its arm. "Move
your hand, please."

The Hidari looked her up and down with its wide blue eyes, chewing its
lower lip for a moment before complying with her instruction.

"This doesn't look too serious," she observed, wary of its jumpiness and
careful not to touch the clone lest she frighten it too much. "I can help
you, if you'll let me."

"O-okay," it replied after a time. As it closed its eyes, it implored,
"Please don't hurt me."

Reaching out, she placed her hand above the clone's bare upper arm. The
Hidari twitched, but nothing more. The wound was small - less than a
hand's width across - but it had bled a lot. Placing her palm over the
wound, but not quite touching, she willed Ryujin to mend the damaged flesh.

A gentle warmth grew inside the palm of her hand and spread outwards,
penetrating the clone's skin. She could feel the wound closing, the torn
flesh repairing itself under her guidance. A small smile spread across her
lips. For the Lady of Life, helping a living creature was the very essence
of purpose.

Except, she realised, this was not a living creature. This was a Hidari.
Why, then, did he feel like a human? She could see the spark of life
burning bright within him, the will to live and survive that was absent
from the artificial Hidari. Just what, exactly, was this creature?

She turned her gaze to his face; her smile grew as she watched his mouth
become a tiny 'o'. The memories of Ranma healing her shoulder when they
had first met were still fresh in her mind, as were the memories of how
good it had felt when she had done so. This clone, it seemed, was
experiencing the same pleasure she once had.

It was a surreal experience. The clone had Ranma's face - albeit a little
younger-looking than the original, and obviously, male instead of female.
There was a small black smudge on his right cheek, and his deep-black hair
hung unkempt over his forehead. She pulled away her hand and he opened his
eyes; Ranma's piercing blue eyes, staring at her in wonder.

"Better?" she asked, tearing her gaze away from those eyes to look down at
the metal grille that covered the elevator platform. Behind her, noticed
neither by her or Nine, a small cloud of white feathers melted out of her
robe and floated gently to the floor.

"Yes," the Hidari replied, visibly more relaxed. He twisted his lips in
the beginnings of a smile. "I, ah ... thank you."

"You're ... different," she said at length, looking up at him once again.
"You're not like the others, are you?"

"I ... don't know," he replied. "I only met one other. I am not like
him."

"Six-Three, right?" she asked.

"Unit two-six-six-three of batch two-five-three, thirty-seventh
generation, third revision."

"I ... see," she replied, bewildered. "So you call him Six-Three for
short?"

"That is what he called himself when he said he attacked me," the Hidari
said. He gestured to the barcode tattooed on his chest. "I am designated
Unit three-six-five-nine of batch two-four-eight, thirty-seventh
generation, third revision."

"So that would make you ... Five-Nine?" Akane asked, eyeing the tattoo.

"That is what the others would call me," he replied, glancing away from
her. "I do not want their name."

"Okay," Akane replied thoughtfully. "How about just Nine?"

"I ... like that," Nine replied, once again almost smiling. "Thank you."

"My name is Akane," she said, offering her hand. Nine looked at it for a
moment before extending his own. She took it, and shook it. "I'm pleased
to meet you, Nine."

"I'm pleased to meet you, too ... Akane," Nine said, watching the handshake
closely. He ran his fingers along the palm of her hand and remarked, "So
you really aren't a ghost."

"No, not a ghost," Akane replied with a small laugh. She released Nine's
hand and sat back upon her legs. He gave her a confused look; after
running through the door as she had, she did not blame him. The
realisation that her eyes were glowing registered dully in the back of her
mind. "But I guess I understand why you could think so."

"What are you?"

She let out a sigh; she should have seen that question coming. Folding her
arms, she tilted her head back and looked up into the empty elevator shaft.
It was a simple question, a reasonable question - and yet, it was not one
she could answer. She could feel Ryujin inside her, and yet she was still
Akane - what did that make her?

"I'm ... a friend," she said at last. She did not need to glimpse at Nine
to see the questions forming on his lips. Before they could be asked,
however, the painful creak of twisting metal echoed up through the shaft
from below. An alarm rang in the distance, its plaintive call warbling on
and off erratically. "You said you wanted to escape, right?"

* * *

-Ukyo? Can you hear me, Ukyo? Please come in, Ukyo.-

-There's too much interference,- said Yoiko. -Electronic systems are
glitching all over the sub. That's got to be making a mess out of anything
we're trying to transmit.-

-That doesn't mean I'm going to just give up,- Ryoga replied. He scowled
as he edged forward, peering through the seemingly everpresent steam that
clouded the corridor. -She has to be out there somewhere.-

-Why don't we go to the control room? If I had access to the surveillance
systems, I could probably find her that way.-

-The control room is at the other end of the sub,- Ryoga said with a shake
of his head. -I'm not going to risk taking you all that way when we're so
close to the launch hangar.-

-You don't have to worry so much about me,- Yoiko responded tartly. It
never ceased to amaze him how his sister could manage to sound annoyed
through a medium that conveyed no emotion whatsoever. -We should go and
find her.-

-You're my sister, I'm not going to leave you alone with those monsters
around,- he replied firmly. Tightening his grip upon his pistol, he
stepped forward into the mist. -I'm gonna get you out of here. Ukyo can
.. can look after herself.-

-Okay, that's it! I've had enough,- Yoiko replied angrily. -That's a load
of crap and you know it. You haven't stopped calling out for her this
whole time. We can't just leave without her.-

"I'm trying to protect -you-!" Ryoga yelled out loud, whirling upon her.
He grabbed her shoulders tightly, his face glowing red in the light of
alarm lights. "Don't you understand? They'll kill you if they find you!"

"I want to help her," Yoiko replied firmly, looking her brother straight in
the eye. "I don't want her to die because you're protecting me."

"Damn it, Yoiko--"

"I'm your sister, Ryoga. I know you. I see the way you look at her, and
I'm -not- going to be the reason you leave her behind. Let's go and find
her - together, okay?"

"W-what?" Ryoga stammered, recoiling from her.

"I'm not stupid, Ryoga. It's obvious. Now stop standing there blushing
like an idiot and come on. I want to find her too, y'know. I've lost
friends today and I'm not going to lose another one."

* * *

Akane watched the grey walls of the elevator shaft roll by at a
painstakingly slow rate. The shaft seemed to stretch up into infinity
above. She jabbed her finger again and again against the 'up' button on
the elevator's control panel. The elevator was moving, albeit slowly, and
emitting a worrying grinding noise as it slowly ascended the shaft. She
was unsure whether the elevator was malfunctioning or if it was intended to
move so slowly.

Come on, she thought. We're vulnerable here.

Her heart thrummed against her chest; she realised that this sense of
frustration was the first taste of anger she had experienced since she had
awoken. In a way, the sharp emotion was refreshing - as if she had woken
from a foggy dream. It was oddly comforting to know that Ryujin's
all-encompassing serenity had not completely deracinated her own nature.

Sighing, she drew her robe around herself and looked over at Nine, seeking
distraction. "Do you know why the others were trying to kill you? They
don't fight with each other, so why you?"

Her words echoed into silence but Nine did not respond. She stepped
closer, wondering if perhaps he had not heard her, and was about to speak
again when he finally answered.

"When I was sleeping I could hear the others talking, sometimes. They
never talked to me, but they talked about me," he said, leaning against the
platform's handrail and staring off into the blackness below. "They said
that because of me there would be no more of us. They all hated me. I
told them I'd done nothing wrong, but they didn't believe me. That's why I
had to get out."

"No more?" Akane wondered. No more Hidari? But why? Why would they stop?
Unless ...

"You're it, aren't you?" she asked as realisation struck.

"I'm what?"

"You're the perfect copy," she continued, remembering Happosai's words of
so long ago. "The goal of the Hidari project is to create a perfect copy
of Ranma. Why would they stop, unless they'd made that copy?"

"What?" Nine asked, a puzzled look on his face as he turned away from the
platform edge. "What's Ranma?"

"Ranma's a person. A person who looks just like you. But if you're a
perfect copy, why are you a boy?"

"What are you talking about? I ... don't understand."

"Neither do I," Akane admitted with a sigh. She frowned and turned away
from him, sinking deep into her own thoughts. "I don't understand any of
this."

With a shake of his head, Nine gave up any attempt to understand what Akane
was saying and returned to the handrail. Silence once more descended upon
them, save for the monotonous sound of the elevator's ascent.

Akane paced back to the control panel, a deep frown creasing her face.
Happosai had said the Hidari were created as weapons. If Nine was the
ultimate goal of that project, would that not make him the ultimate weapon?
He certainly did not seem to even resemble a weapon. But if he wasn't a
weapon, then what was he? Phoenix would not create such a thing without a
purpose.

"Akane, look," called Nine from the other side of the platform. She turned
and saw he was pointing at a pipe that that ran along the elevator shaft.
As she walked closer to him, she saw that a recess had been cut into the
platform to allow for the pipe, but it had been knocked out of alignment
somehow. As the platform rose it scraped noisily against the pipe.

"So that's what that sound was," she observed as she drew alongside Nine,
her other concerns temporarily forgotten. She peered closely at the
offending object. "That's a water pipe."

"Water? How do you know?" queried Nine.

"I just know," she replied a little too hastily. She felt a quiet surge of
guilt, but there was no time for explanations. Ryujin's eyes showed her
the faint glow of warm water streaming upwards through the pipe at a fast
pace. "If I move this pipe, maybe it'll speed things up a bit."

"I wonder why nothing else is damaged," Nine commented, peering over the
edge of the platform. The pipe was thick, and of sturdy construction.
Whatever had knocked it out of alignment must have been a significant
blast. "How can we move it?"

Akane smiled and closed her eyes. "Leave that to me."

Holding out her hands, she closed her eyes and envisaged the
brightly-glowing stream of water before her. She could feel the heat, the
gentle flow of energy that permeated it. With a wordless whisper, she
reached out toward the pipe and implored the water to hear her call.

Reaching out with her mind, she took gentle hold of the water itself and
guided it to the right, compelling it to push with all of its weight to
shift the pipe. Obediently, the water obeyed her will and began to push
against the steel that contained it. The pressure grew greater and
greater; with a loud creak, the pipe itself began to move.

The platform jolted as the pipe was pushed clear, its slow juddering motion
becoming swift and smooth. Akane smiled and tenderly held the water for
just a moment.

Thank you.

Opening her eyes at last, she found Nine standing beside the pipe, staring
at it in absolute wonder. His eyes darted to her, then back to the pipe,
then returned to her once again.

"How did you--"

"It's ... a gift," she offered. She smiled, somewhat awkwardly, and turned
away from his wide eyes. "It's hard to explain."

"You walk through walls, you move things without touching them," Nine said,
his voice quiet. There was a lengthy pause. "I'm ... glad you're on my
side."

Akane could not help but chuckle at the statement, despite her own
misgivings. Was she on his side? She did not know. She certainly did not
bear him any ill will, but that was certainly not the same thing as being
'on his side'. Truth be told, she didn't know what to think of him. He
seemed nice enough. Friendly, once he realised she wasn't going to kill
him.

She could feel his gaze upon her back. He was watching her closely. Every
movement, no matter how well hidden by her robes, was being tracked. He
certainly didn't trust her yet - particularly after her little stunt. She
could not blame him for that mistrust. A part of her did not know why she
had not freed him from his body the moment she saw him.

Ryujin's will - and to an extent her own - had driven her to free the
Hidari clones without hesitation. And yet, this one was different. She
felt no compulsion to free this one. Ryujin was oddly silent, and that was
somewhat disconcerting. The fact that she had grown so dependant on
Ryujin's presence in such a short time was equally worrying. How much of
her consciousness was her own? Was she even the same person she had once
been?

She looked down at the floor. Will Ranma even recognise me?

A droplet of rain fell to the floor of the platform in front of her. It
was joined by another, and another, and another. Dozens quickly became
hundreds; hundreds became thousands. The sudden downpour was warm as it
touched her, soaking her hair and wetting her face. Although her body
remained dry within its robe, the warmth permeated the fabric to touch her
skin. She smiled, closing her eyes as she let the water wash over her.

It feels good to touch the rain again, she thought. The soothing liquid
reinforced her suddenly-flagging spirits and brought cheer to her heart.
However, a sudden realisation struck her, forcing her eyes open.

Rain? Inside?

She turned to Nine, who was soaked through-and-through. The Hidari
shrugged and pointed upwards.

"Looks like you burst the pipe when you moved it," he said with a bemused
smile on his face. "At least it's not cold, I guess."

* * *

Ryoga held his body against the wall of the corridor, holding one arm out
behind him to keep his sister up against the wall as well. A small,
repetitive thumping sound had caught his attention - it sounded like an
air conditioning unit cycling on and off, but in the current situation he
wasn't going to take anything for granted.

-We just came down this corridor,- complained Yoiko. -It's empty.-

-Not necessarily. It -was- empty, but someone might have heard our little
shouting match,- he replied. He was still slightly annoyed at her; both
for defying him, and for being annoyingly right as usual. Of course he
wanted to find Ukyo, but he didn't want to risk his sister while doing so.

Too late for worries like that, he thought to himself. Just gotta hope
this turns out for the best.

-Keep calling out for her,- he instructed. -We might get lucky and find
her before we get to the control room.-

-Sure,- she replied, and began calling out with her mind for Ukyo.

He peered into the darkened distance, but his search was frustrated by the
abundant steam that continued to belch forth from many broken pipes. He
thought back to his days in Bravo Team, and wished for just a moment that
he had his old uniform - although with so much hot steam flying around, he
had his doubts as to how useful the IR goggles would be.

Keeping his sidearm raised, he pulled Yoiko along as he slowly advanced
down the hot, humid tunnel. Somehow, it seemed much hotter travelling away
from the launch bay than it did when they were moving toward it. Thick
beads of sweat rolled down his forehead to drip onto his cheeks, and his
clothes grew increasingly heavy with moisture.

-B174,- remarked Yoiko, indicating a small door as they passed it. -We're
about a quarter of the way to the control room, I think.-

-Damn it, this is taking too long,- he complained. -I don't know how much
time we have before things get completely out of hand here.-

-They're already pretty out of hand,- she observed.

-You're right. Come on,- he said, taking her hand. -We're going to have
to speed things up.-

Yoiko did not have time to speak before Ryoga yanked her forwards, pulling
her from a cautious creep into a more brisk walk. He kept his eyes and
pistol forward, ever vigilant - she tried her best to watch their rear as
she was tugged along.

Without warning, the very floor beneath them shook - a deep, reverberating
rattle that ran along the length of the corridor, shaking the walls. A
fluorescent light that hung overhead - one of the few that were still
functioning - fell from its bracket and smashed into the ground in front of
Ryoga, plunging them into darkness as it shattered into countless pieces.

Ryoga swore, stopping abruptly upon the broken glass. Yoiko plowed into
his back, nudging him forwards with her momentum. He crouched in front of
her and stared ahead. -What the hell was that?-

She pulled away from him and turned, broken glass crunching beneath her
shoes as she looked in both directions down the corridor. As far as she
could see, nothing had changed; steam still filled the air, lit red by the
everpresent alarm lighting.

A loud crash made her jump - before she could even turn, the explosive
sound of gunfire ripped through the air, blasting into her ears and leaving
a deafening ring in its wake. A dull, muted thud registered in her ears
and when she turned, she caught sight of a dead Hidari clone sprawled
across the floor in front of her kneeling brother.

-They found us,- Ryoga said, his mental voice calm and clear even as Yoiko
heard his heavy, laboured breathing. -Shit.-

Without even thinking, Yoiko rushed to her brother and snatched Haruka's
pistol. She closed her untrained hands around the grip and raised it,
shakily pointing it down the corridor over Ryoga's shoulder.

-Give that back, Yoiko, you're not--- Ryoga began, his words cut off by
another loud crash. Two Hidari spilled into the corridor through the
gaping hole they had just created and charged at them. Ryoga opened fire
upon one, piercing its chest with two well-placed bullets.

Yoiko stared at the remaining Hidari, paralysed with fear as it rushed
toward her, its bright blue eyes burning with primal hatred. She was
unable to look away from those eyes, and the haunting emptiness that
lingered within them.

The thunderclap of gunfire again filled the air. Yoiko stared in horrified
amazement at the Hidari standing before her. The bullet had burst through
its forehead and ripped open the back of its skull, but still it stood
before her, its face and chest soaked in blood that poured the entry wound.
The clone hung there, standing motionless for what seemed an eternity,
staring at her with vacuous eyes, before finally toppling silently
backwards onto the two others already laying there.

-If you're going to use that gun, take the safety off,- Ryoga instructed
as he stood without looking back at her.

Nodding dumbly, she fumbled with numb fingers to disengage the safety.
While squinting to find it, she noticed a shadow moving in the corner of
her eye, and whirled to face it. High-pitched screaming once more filled
the air.

-Ryoga! They're behind us too!-

* * *

Ukyo lowered herself to one knee, peering curiously at a small black shape
upon the ground. It seemed oddly out of place - sufficiently so to catch
her eye as she rushed through the myriad corridors of the Leviathan Spring.
Removing the glove from one hand, she reached down toward it.

"What's this," she muttered as her fingers closed around it, drawing it
into her palm. She brought it up to her face - a small, black feather. It
was silky smooth, and warm to the touch. She tossed it in her palm,
flipping it over from one side to the other. It was heavier than a feather
should be; it did not hang in the air but fell straight back into her hand.

-I am not able to identify the composition of the feather, My Lady. I am
also unsure how such a thing would come to be aboard the Leviathan Spring.
There are no animals aboard the vessel.-

-This is no animal feather,- she replied, curling the feather lightly
between her fingers. She ran the tip of one finger along its length.
-This came from Ranma.-

-What makes you so sure, My Lady?-

-I don't know how I know,- she replied, chewing her lip thoughtfully. -I
just know.-

Pocketing the feather, she slipped her glove back on and stepped forward,
looking back and forth across the floor. It was only a few steps before
another feather caught her eye. -Look. There's another. Seraph Wing,
help me find these.-

-As you wish, My Lady.-

She knelt and reached out with her spatial sense, searching the floor for
tens of metres in front of her. Several feathers jumped out at her senses,
giving away their positions down to the nanometre.

-Got you, Ranma. I've found your trail,- she exclaimed, clenching her
fists in satisfaction. She stood and began to jog forward along the trail
of feathers she had found. -Seraph Wing, trace these feathers. Show me
the way.-

-As you wish, My Lady.-

She rounded a corner, picking up speed as the trail of feathers was lit
before her, a glowing path for her to follow. Her jog quickly became a
run. Deftly hopping over the lifeless bodies, mangled power conduits and
twisted pipes she careened through corridor after corridor, spurred on by
the knowledge that she was catching up to her prey.

She came to a malfunctioning door that was stuck half-open, a trail of
sparks lighting the air near its control panel. She sped up, expanding her
biokinetic plating as she drew closer. She collided heavily with the door,
which was shoved away from her with explosive force by the charged shield
and sent flying only to skid to a stop further down the corridor.

With the obstacle removed, she finally caught sight of her prey; a
malevolent black cloud hovered in the distance, a dark void that moved
through the erratic lighting of the overhead fluorescents. She charged
forward without hesitation or fear.

Here I come, Ranma!

Suddenly, a loud static hiss filled her ears, throwing her off-balance.
Her foot caught the edge of a shattered pipe, sending her tumbling forward
to the ground. Her biokinetic plating hummed, a tingling golden glow
running along its length as it caught her, holding her suspended a
centimetre above the floor.

She looked up in dismay to see the black cloud disappear around a corner.
Snarling, determined not to lose her prey, she pulled herself to her feet,
trying to ignore the raging static that flooded in her ears. She charged
forward again, skidding to a stop at the T-intersection that had swallowed
Ranma moments before.

-...dari everywhere! Ukyo! I need you---

The sound of Ryoga's voice caught her completely off guard. Her eyes flew
wide open as she spun to the source of the sound, turning to face the
direction from which she had come moments before.

-Ryoga? What is it?- she called, holding one hand to her ear as she
stepped toward the smashed door. Cold dread flooded her mind. -Can you
hear me? What happened? Ryoga? Ryoga!-

-My Lady, you are heading in the wrong direction,- objected Seraph Wing as
she backtracked along the corridor to the next intersection. -Ranma is
moving away from us.-

-Damn it, forget Ranma!- she snarled. -Ryoga is around here somewhere and
he needs my help. Find him, Seraph Wing!-

-Ryoga? He is not part of---

-Shut up! Just shut the hell up and FIND HIM!-

= = = =
T E N
= = = =