This fan fiction occurs after the events of Tenchi the Movie 2: The Daughter of Darkness (aka "Manatsu no Eve" [Midsummer's Eve]). It is also based on the OAVs and other tidbits of the Tenchi Muyo! Universes. The Tenchi Muyo! Universes and characters are the creation and possession of AIC and Pioneer. I do not claim them. But I wrote the storyline to "The Dark Jurai". The Dark Jurai - Chapter 7 - "The Beginning of Bloodshed" by Timothy Turner email: juraijin@email.com http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/animekoku/index.html Yosho had made it back to Earth. But no one was there! Yosho thought to himself. Then he noticed that there was a fresh square of earth where the house had been, Yosho turned around, It was a good thing that the Jurai ship that had taken him back to Earth was still nearby. The prince boarded the ship and made his way back to Jurai. Yosho shook his head, Tenchi took advantage of the roomier interior of Ryo-Ohki and trained on his trip to Jurai. Ryoko came in every once in a while and trained with Tenchi; she was NOT going to be beaten down again by a Dark Jurai and she wanted to make sure of that. Nobuyuki watched them. Washu finished copying the blueprints of the accelerated growth technology into her computer(s) and went to watch Tenchi and Ryoko train. Mayuka had fallen asleep in Washu's arms. Tenchi charged Ryoko and tried to hit her, but Ryoko dodged the punch even before Tenchi threw it. Ryoko went behind Tenchi and put him in a hold. "How did you know I was going to do that?," Tenchi scratched his head. "You're using the same types of strategies and developing them into a pattern," Ryoko smiled and released Tenchi. "She's right," Washu backed Ryoko up, "You may know the personal combat and battle strategies and combinations in the book...but knowledge is useless without experience." "Thanks for the encouragement...," Tenchi scowled. "Hey!," Washu snapped back, "That's the reality of it! If you don't learn to use different techniques randomly, you'll end up paying with your life on the battlefield!" Mayuka got upset, "Look what you did! You made me get off into a rant and wake Mayuka up!," Washu rocked Mayuka and sung to her back to sleep. "Do what Washu says," Nobuyuki smiled, "If you don't live and have a grandbaby the REAL WAY for me and your departed mother, I'll cry because my son will have never truly become a man!," Nobuyuki then covered his face with his hands and cried. Tenchi got a big sweat drop on his head. "How long until we reach Jurai?," Ryoko asked. "Nine hours. It's been three since we departed. Those new engine drive components can take Ryo-Ohki up to two times the speed of the fastest Jurai ships," Washu grinned. Ryoko's mouth dropped wide open. "You like my present?," Washu smiled. Ryoko was still dazed. Eventually Ryoko got back to her senses and asked Tenchi to train with her some more. Tenchi agreed and went back to training with Ryoko. Every minute of training counted...especially now... Panic, chaos, and discord were brewing on Jurai. People were rushing to and fro to get on ships headed off the planet. Spaceports were crowded so much that people set up camps to get in line. People who couldn't afford fares attempted to stow themselves away in cargo boxes. Some were very successful in getting off the planet without paying. The ones who didn't make it were thrown back into the streets. Some people went about their daily business and tried to make the best of their lives before the Dark Jurai came to annihilate them. People who were confident they would survive the onslaught were buying food and supplies. Some bought weapons to battle the Dark Jurai at their front doors. These kinds of Light Juraians were willing to take a stand to the very end. Kiyone and Mihoshi arrived in the vicinity of Jurai's orbit. They were fully rested and nourished and ready to fight the war for galactic domination. This war would decide the fate of the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies, which the majority of them were controlled or at least influenced by the Light Juraian Empire. These galaxies were the "universe" to trillions upon trillions of life forms, maybe sextillions (yes, sextillion is a real number). This "universe" was the one Kagato wanted to control so badly. The Dark Jurai would destroy every planet and every trace of civilization on them in Light Jurai territory and declare victory. Kiyone went to the bridge of Yagami and contacted Mihoshi on her ship, "Mihoshi, since we have arrived in the vicinity of Jurai, we should head down to the surface and maybe help the citizens of Jurai and keep some order before the fighting starts." Mihoshi came up on the screen, "Right. We should do that. How much time do we have?" "About 36 hours and give or take 56 minutes. Let's make the best of it." Kiyone felt something in her pocket and took it out. After unfolding and reading a paper attached to their primary orders, she told Mihoshi what it said, "'Optional activity for Kiyone Makibi and Mihoshi Kuramitsu: You are permitted and recommended to escort the Juraian Emperor and family to safety on the desert planet Sakou. It is your knowledge and excellent familiarity with the Jurai Royal Family that is a key factor in helping to communicate with them. And use any force necessary to assure their safe passage. Yours truly, the Marshal. P.S. - I have authorized this without permission of the top strategists. I cleverly attached this paper to your orders so you will not get killed out there. It will be a very long war, I predict, so we need the best officers to help win this war.'" "Grandpa gave us permission to do that?!," Mihoshi did the usual clapping and jumping. Kiyone ended the conversation, "If we're permitted to do that, we should jump on it right away!" "Right!," Mihoshi turned off the screen. Little to their knowledge, their conversation was intercepted by the shadowy figure that had watched them earlier at Galaxy Police Headquarters. The figure opened a communications link with the Dark Jurai fleet commander, "I knew they would be given that task of protecting the Jurai Royal Family. For now we'll let them get away. The plan is to get them confident that they are safe after a couple of 'near misses' and then..." The two officers entered Jurai's atmosphere and got clearance to land at Jurai's Royal Palace. There they met Ayeka and Sasami along with Azusa, Funaho, and Misaki. "Kiyone! Mihoshi!," Sasami cheered and ran to give them a big hug. The two officers returned the hug. Azusa came up to Mihoshi and Kiyone, "I understand you are the best officers the Galaxy Police can offer. I trust you will protect us with the best of your abilities. It's no surprise that the officers that protected me and my family before are the ones to protect us once again," Azusa bowed. We will lay our lives down if we have to...," Kiyone returned the bow. Mihoshi bowed as well, "It's our honor-bond duty to protect the ones we are assigned to protect. It is also our duty to protect the lives and property of the galactic community," Mihoshi bowed so far that she fell over and hit her head. Everyone let out a laugh as Mihoshi rubbed her now bruised forehead. Mihoshi eventually got up and laughed about her accident with everyone else. "Let's wait a while. We should wait on Yosho to get back with the accelerated growth technology plans," Azusa suggested. "What!?," Kiyone raised an eyebrow, "Why?" "Because I forgot to tell Yosho where we would be going to ride out the war," Azusa confessed. "Are you sure? The Dark Jurai will attack at any moment," Kiyone had a begging tone in her voice. "Don't worry. Yosho left a day ago. If I know that son of mine, he'll be back in the nick of time. Since the plans are in quick reach, he should have gotten them and should be on his way right now." "Okay. We'll wait another 24 hours and then get out of here. It's a risky move, but if those accelerated growth plans are the only ones available to the Light Jurai Empire, it probably will be the only chance to get them," Kiyone thought back to the talk that everyone had about Ryoko's dream, a million thoughts raced through Kiyone's mind. Then, a ominous scenario came into Kiyone's mind, "MAYUKA!," she gasped loudly. "WHAT!?," everyone asked simultaneously. "The Dark Jurai could be after Mayuka! We have to contact Tenchi somehow! If they get Mayuka, they could get Yuzuha's genes and revive her!," Kiyone began to shake. "It's all right," Mihoshi grabbed Kiyone's shoulders, "Tenchi can take care of himself and Mayuka. And Ryoko and Washu are there, too." "Once again, you're right Mihoshi." "This is something we didn't think about," Funaho grabbed her chin. The others worried as well. But Ayeka took her mind off the possible problem about Mayuka and concentrated on another: Ryoko was still with Tenchi! She thought of Ryoko getting drunk and chasing Tenchi around with next to nothing on and Tenchi screaming as he ran in sheer terror. The thought of it gave Ayeka the creeps. "Oh, my poor, sweet Tenchi," she whispered to herself. Almost all of the nine hours remaining had passed. Tenchi and Ryoko had exhausted themselves in training. And Washu had taken Mayuka with her to the lab. Those two were inseparable. It seemed like Washu was Mayuka's mother (Of course! No one could even take care of a baby in the Masaki household except Washu!). Ryoko and Tenchi were lying flat on the floor. They had knocked themselves out. They were awakened by an alarm; well...a meow. "MYAAAAAAA!!," Ryo-Ohki notified that they had arrived in the vicinity of planet Jurai. "We've arrived already?," Ryoko stretched, "Good! I want to get something to eat! All that training built up quite an appetite!," Ryoko got a cat's look on her face, "Tenchi? Don't you want to eat, too?," the tail that one usually sees on Ryoko darted about quickly. "Yeah, I could use a meal," Tenchi yawned. Washu emerged from the lab playing with Mayuka, "We're here!" Mayuka clapped her hands and cheered. Tenchi smiled warmly at Mayuka. Ryoko caught a glance of the serenity in Tenchi's eyes once again and blushed deeply. Tenchi caught Ryoko blushing, "Ryoko, what's wrong?" "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! NOTHING! THETRAININGJUSTMADEMEGETREALLY HOTSOITCAUSEDMYFACETOTURNRED!!!!!!," Ryoko felt very small as Tenchi looked at her with a puzzled face. "Excuse me?," Tenchi's eyes widened, "Talk slower. I can't understand you." A shiver went up Ryoko's spine. She collected enough breath to talk, "The training just made me get really hot, so it caused my face to turn red," Ryoko whimpered as she talked, "It has really tired me out!" "Okay. Just wondering," Tenchi exhaled in relief. "Go Tenchi! Making a woman blush is he first step to having that grandchild of mine!," Nobuyuki went up to Tenchi and slapped him on the back, "It's a sign!" "Dad! You're embarrassing me!," Tenchi yelled. Washu came in telepathically. Ryoko kept her face straight this time. Washu laughed in Ryoko's mind as Ryo-Ohki entered Jurai's atmosphere. After receiving clearance to land at the Royal Palace, everyone got off and a brief reunion took place. Washu came out first and gave the plans to the emperor. Tenchi, Ryoko, and Nobuyuki followed. "Tenchi!," Ayeka's eyes glittered. She ran up to Tenchi and hugged him, "I thought Ryoko had seduced you by now!" Ryoko got mad, "HEY! Tenchi was training so I didn't disturb him!" "Yeah, right!," Ayeka laughed, "You downed gallons of sake and ran after Tenchi with nothing on!" "No she didn't...," Tenchi shook his head. "Of course, she did! Ryoko must have threatened Tenchi with death if he tattled on her!," she turned and looked at her family. "No she didn't...," Washu bluntly commented. "Look! You're just as bad as your daughter! Why should I believe you!?," Ayeka put her face in front of Washu's. "Because your breath smells!," Washu turned her head, "Mayuka's dirty diaper smells better than your breath!" Misaki got angry and walked slowly toward Washu. "This is my battle, mother! Leave me to fight it!," Ayeka glared at her mother. Misaki backed off. But Ayeka was going to pay later. Washu was pardoned; she was kind of right about Ayeka's breath. That, Ayeka would pay for, too; disobeying mother like that! "Getting back on the subject, Ryoko has been very good these past several days. You can ask everyone. Ryoko wouldn't kill anyone because all she wants is the approval of Tenchi," Washu turned around and winked at her daughter, "Because of the link that we have, I know my daughter better than anyone along with Ryo-Ohki." Ryoko nodded in surprise. Mom had hit the nail right on the head, Ryoko telepathically thanked Washu. Washu replied, Ryoko smiled; Ayeka had been defeated once again. The group went to eat. Ayeka and Ryoko cast evil eyes at each other on the way to the dining hall. After ten minutes of the evil eye wars, Misaki caught onto it and cast Ayeka a look that turned her white. Ryoko decided to build on this when Misaki turned her head. "Princess wussy!," Ryoko whispered as they passed through the noisy meeting hall on their route to the kitchen, "Mommy's little baby has Ryo-Ohki breath!" "Mya?," Ryo-Ohki raised an ear and looked at Ryoko. "Am not!," Ayeka whispered back harshly. "Are, too!," Ryoko rolled her eyes back and whistled. Ayeka summoned the mini Azakas and Kamidakes again. "Please!," Ryoko shook her head and waved her finger, "You are getting so predictable! Really! Try using something else besides those logs for a change! I bet you must be getting tired of letting them do all your dirty work! That's what I mean by 'princess wussy'! Princess Ayeka doesn't have the guts to fight anyone head on! If you're mad at me for getting to be with Tenchi, let out your anger and attack me! Or is it that you don't want that delicate face of yours to get uglied up any more?," Ryoko taunted the angry princess who put away the mini Azakas and Kamidakes, "That's it!," Ryoko clapped, "Now, hit me with all you've got!" Ayeka morphed into her Jurai combat armor and initiated a fight. Ryoko changed as well and went after Ayeka. But as both of them swung their fists at each other, Misaki grabbed both their ears. "You will not bruise my little Ayeka's face!," Misaki pinched Ryoko's ear harder, "And you! You're becoming barbaric right before your mommy's eyes!," she cried. "Ryoko started it!," Ayeka bawled. Ryoko laughed and stuck her tongue out at Ayeka after she put the pain in her ear out of her mind, Ryoko looked at the bawling Ayeka and shook her head. Tenchi, as well as the others...didn't pay attention. After a meal and 12 hours had passed, Yosho arrived on Jurai. The Dark Jurai fleet was getting impatient and was closing in on the planet. They began 12 hours ahead of schedule... The fleet was beginning to make a tight spherical formation around the planet. But it looked like the fleet was deliberately making a hole in their large ranks. Then, the attack began... Dark Jurai ships made an all-out frontal assault on the Galaxy Police and Light Juraian ships, destroying a huge number in the first wave alone. Down on the surface of Jurai, sirens began to sound. Some Dark Juraian vessels had made it through and began attacking the city around the Royal Palace. Azaka and Kamidake closed in on Ayeka (they had been guarding Ayeka though they have not been mentioned up to this point) and the royal family, "We must go now!," Kamidake directed the emperor and family to the escape ship (which was Ryu-Oh, Ayeka's ship). Kiyone and Mihoshi went to their ships while Ryoko, Washu, and Mayuka went on board Ryo-Ohki. Tenchi was forced to get on board the escape ship of the Jurai Royal family. The ships left Jurai's atmosphere. The chaos was clear; Galaxy Police and Light Juraian ships were fighting valiantly but were slowly being overpowered. "Mihoshi! Prepare to enter hyperspace!," Kiyone yelled. "Roger...AHHH!!!!," a couple of shots hit Mihoshi's ship, "We're going to die!!!!" Strangely, the shots did not hit any vital system. "No you're...!," a couple of shots grazed Yagami, "That was too close! Synchronize your engines with mine! Pilot of the Jurai Royal Family escape vessel Ryu-Oh, do the same! The transmitters on Yagami should give your ship's computers an encoded synchronization signal!," Kiyone hit a few buttons, "Ryo-Ohki, everyone, synchronize now!" "MYAAAA!!!!," several display panels came up and confirmed the synchronization signal with flashing screens and navigational maps to the planet Sakou. "Entering hyperspace in five, four, three, two, one..., NOW!," Kiyone's voice became indistinct as the ships entered hyperspace. One thing was odd about their escape...any Dark Jurai ship that looked like it would attack either turned around or fired a shot that nearly missed. Jurai was captured in ONE day. The surviving Light Juraian protection fleet and Galaxy Police ships were forced to retreat. The Tenchi gang had escaped the first onslaught of the Dark Jurai. One thousand Light Jurai ships were lost that day, one tenth of the Light Jurai's fleet was lost. Only 700 Dark Jurai ships were destroyed; a small price to pay for the invasion of Jurai. The number of civilian and military casualties was countless. It looked like the beginning of the end for the Light Juraian Empire... End of Chapter 7