Legal Mumbo jumbo : You all know it all by now... I don't
own any characters I didn't create, okay?  Now, let's get
down to business.

************************************************************

PRELUDE : The small fleet flew off, away from the deadly
planet of Rigal and headed out towards the Orion star
system.  Although, being not too restful, the trip to Rigal
actually offered some benefits.  The repairs on the
remaining ships were nearly complete and Washu began to
analyze the transdimentional data she gathered before Jurai
vanished.  Things were beginning to look up for the small
fleet.  But there are a few people we forgot about...

THE DARKEST HELL 6 : ETERNAL VIGILANCE

	Yosho was snapped out of his sleep by some turbulence
caused by landing in an unstable atmosphere.  Next to him
lay the two children he had told the story behind the
ancient warrior Yosho, or, actually, himself.  He didn't
want to reveal his little identity to them.  Yosho was proud
that he covered his tracks pretty well, considering that
those two children nearly recognized him.  'Oh, well.  I
think I convinced them that I am not who I really am.  Poor
children.  Their parents never made it off of Jurai...'
Yosho thought sullenly to himself.  Then he remembered
someone else that was on Jurai when the evacuation occurred. 
Nobiyuki.  'My god... Nobiyuki!  I hope he got off the
planet.' Yosho once again thought to himself, his eyes
widening.  Just about the entire ship was asleep.  'Good. 
All I have to do is get off the spaceship without being
detected.  I must be alone, so that I can try to understand
what is happening and why.  Maybe I'll come across some
answers soon.'  When the ship finally reached the ground,
Yosho swiftly headed toward the door.  He opened it just
wide enough so that he could exit without being discovered. 
And with that, he was gone.

************************************************************

	"THE PRESSURES DROPPING TOO FAST!  I CAN'T STABLIZE
IT!" shouted one of the four pilots in the bridge of another
transport.  He maniacally pressed all the switches and all
the other doodads all about him, but nothing worked. 
Somehow, the ship took a major blow, probably from one of
the asteroids orbiting the planet, and now, it was going to
crash.  Quickly, the pilot looked out the window and saw
nothing but white.  

	"Shit!  We're gonna crash somewhere in the northern
territory!  We're gonna freeze to death!" the other pilot
behind him yelled.

	They continued to scream and shout, desperately trying
to right the falling space craft.  But the commotion was
even worse in the cabin, which was filled with over two
hundred people, which was fifty people past it's safe
capacity.  One of those passengers was special.  He was
special in the way that he was the last of his race.  His
name is Nobiyuki Masaki.  And he was scared out of his mind. 
He just sat down in a corner in the rear of the ship and
shut his eyes tight, blocking out all of the commotion.  He
prayed to every god he ever heard of, prayed that he and all
of these other people made it safely.  His prayers were
interrupted when he was suddenly launched nearly to the
front of the transport, the force of impact pushing all of
the passengers in the same direction.  The screaming was
almost too intense to bare and suddenly, the crashing
stopped.  Nobiyuki barely had the time to say "Thank God"
before he blacked out, all the blood rushing to his head.  

************************************************************

	His head bent, Yosho wondered about, aimlessly.  He
eventually found himself at the edge of a thick Juraian
forest.  They were on the only other inhabitable planet in
the Juraian Solar System.  He has been here before, but it
was so, so, so long ago.  Letting nothing but his
subconscious mind guide him, Yosho made his way through the
dense clump of trees that he did not remember.  The air was
full of life, birds chirped, insects buzzed and made all
sorts of other noises, and the wind rustled the leaves of
the trees, all adding to the mystery and mysticism of the
place.  After countless hours of walking, Yosho came upon a
small, unfamiliar clearing.  In this clearing was a small
shrine.  Memories of his old shrine on Earth flowed through
Yosho's old mind as he slowly walked in and bent down to
pray.  He stayed there and prayed for hours, until he fell
asleep, right on the shrine floor, exhausted from the days
activities.  

************************************************************

	Nobiyuki was woken up by gust of cold air.  Its icy
touch bit him like a rabid animal.  Gradually, he collected
his wits and stood up.  There were a few more around him,
not moving, but he knew that those who could move had exited
the shuttle.  He moved over to one of the others who were
lying in there with him.  He gently shook the person, but
she did not move.  Lightly, he pulled the person toward him,
for she was lying with her back turned toward him.  Her body
limply followed the coercion of Nobiyuki's chilled hand and
turned so that he could see her.  Then Nobiyuki noticed that
she wasn't unconscious, but dead.  The entire left side of
her face was smashed and her skull caved in.  Nobiyuki
quickly averted his eyes and desperately tried to keep from
puking.  After a few seconds he got up and walked toward the
open door.  When he got out, we was nearly blinded by the
sheer whiteness of the area.  The bitter cold didn't help
too much, either.  He wrapped his arms around himself and
walked outside.  He eventually found the survivors.  He did
a quick count, 173 survivors.  He began to walk forward when
most the group turned around, shocked.

	"Oh, my!  That one ISN'T dead!"  shouted an elderly
survivor. 

	"I can see that..."said the younger person next to the
elderly survivor.  The group of survivors quickly ran over
to Nobiyuki and put a blanket around him.  It didn't do much
to shelter him from the cold, but it was a start.  The wind
was harsh and whipped the blanket around him.  The survivors
then began to talk amongst themselves.

	"How do we get out of here!?"  said a skinny, older
woman.

	"I don't have the slightest clue."  Said another woman.

	After a few seconds the group began to bicker and
argue.  

	"STOP!"  yelled a feminine voice.  Everyone diverted
their eyes to look at the source of the intrusion.  Standing
in the outer edge of the group of survivors, was a woman. 
She was wrapped in a long, brown blanket.  Also wrapped in
the blanket was a small boy.  Nobiyuki couldn't make out her
face, for they were standing out in the middle of a
blizzard.

	"She's right.  We've got to get out of the cold, or
we'll freeze to death.  Everyone back into the shuttle."
Commanded Nobiyuki.  At that moment, a young man, maybe the
equivalent of 18 or so years old, stepped forward.

	"Oh, so the dead man speaks.  Who died and made you our
leader?" said the snotty young man.

	"Nobody, it's just COMMON SENSE!" bellowed Nobiyuki,
the cold starting to get to him.  The young man was taken
back by the volume that this man used, obviously he was not
used to being yelled at.  

	"You DARE talk to me like that?  Do you know who I am? 
I am L'ear!  A Juraian noble!  I am of the Royal Family!  I
should MAKE you grovel at my FEET!"  the young man yelled,
turning red.

	"Listen, you little PUNK!  This is not the TIME or the
PLACE for this crap.  If you HADN'T of noticed, Jurai is
GONE!  Now, we can stand here till we freeze arguing about
what rights nobles have over commoners in a life or death
situation, OR we can get out of the freezing cold weather,
at least for a while!"  interjected the mysterious woman,
who moved in next to Nobiyuki.  The other survivors started
to nod and agree with Nobiyuki and the woman.  L'ear looked
at the crowd and his expression turned dark and angry.  He
was the last one to start moving when the survivors walked
back into the shuttle.  He glared at Nobiyuki when he passed
him to sit on a chair near the wrecked front of the
transport.  Nobiyuki gulped when he saw this and decided it
was best to stick with a group of people, instead of being
caught alone with THAT one.  Nobiyuki looked around the
packed shuttle craft for the woman who helped him earlier. 
Finally, he found her, tending to her child, near the middle
of the craft.  Nobiyuki slowly made his way passed the other
people to reach the center of the broken vehicle.  He
stopped and watched the woman wrap her son up in her
blanket, exposing herself to the bitter cold.  Frost had
already started to form on her deep purple hair.  He saw
that she wore a faded white Juraian kimono and that she wore
only slippers.  He noticed that her feet beginning to get
frostbitten.  He languidly walked up behind her.  

	"I want to...thank you... for helping me to convince
these people to get back into the shuttle..." Nobiyuki said
to her eventually.  

	"Your welcome.  I don't know for the life of me why
they decided to get out, maybe it was the shock of crash
landing in the middle of nowhere." She said as she turned
around.  Nobiyuki couldn't believe what he saw next.  Her
face looked so familiar that it registered immediately in
his head.  Achika.  She was the same height, build, and
everything.  The only difference was her hair and her eyes. 
Her eyes were the typical Juraian amethyst color and her
hair was longer and purple.  But, it was her.  Nobiyuki
blinked his eyes and stared at the woman for a few seconds. 
The woman saw this and started to blush.

	"What, do I have something on my face?" she asked.

	"What?  Uh, no... why?" Nobiyuki said, forcing himself
back to reality.

	"Well, you seem to be staring at my face, so I though
there was something on it."

	"Oh... uh... sorry.  It's just that... you  look
like... someone." Nobiyuki stuttered, barely forcing the
words out.

	"Oh.  Okay.  You look... cold.  Is there anything I can
do to help?" she asked politely.

	"No.  What about you.  You look like you could use a
blanket.  Here, let me go get you one." Nobiyuki added,
concerned for her well being.

	"Thank you, but there isn't anymore.  I had to fight
off five other people just to get this one.  I have to keep
watch so that they don't steal it." The woman said, her
teeth beginning to chatter.

	"Oh.  Oh, yeah.  Sorry, my names Nobiyuki Masaki."
Nobiyuki finally said.

	"Hello Nobiyuki, I'm Kira, and this is my son, Jem. 
Say hi to Mr. Masaki, Jem."

	"... Hello..." the boy said in between long periods of
chattering.  Kira looked at her son with sad eyes and bent
down to hold him.  She picked him up, for he was only seven
or eight and was somewhat small for his age, and sat him on
her lap as she sat down on the chair at which he was
sitting.  She continued to embrace the boy, trying to warm
him with the heat from her body.  Nobiyuki bent down and
grabbed the boys hands.  He looked and saw that they were
frostbitten.  He pushed his hands together and put them up
to his mouth.  He used his hot breath to try to bring warmth
to the boys hands, but they still remained frozen.  Kira
began to look worried.

	"We're gonna die, aren't we, Nobiyuki?" she asked
sadly.  

	"Not if I can help it.  Just keep doing what your doing
and think warm thoughts.  I'm sure someone'll notice that we
didn't make it to the landing site and make a search for us. 
I'm sure of it." Reassured Nobiyuki.

	"Not likely, alien.  The only way that they'd know that
we were still alive is if we turned on the emergency
signal."  Said a voice from up front.  Nobiyuki knew that
voice as belonging to L'ear.  He sounded cold.  'Good'
thought Nobiyuki.  But then he turned his attention toward
the haughty young man.

	"Well, where is it?  Let's turn it on so that we can
get the hell out of here!"  Nobiyuki declared. 

	"It's in there, human." said L'ear as he pointed toward
the wrecked, snow filled cockpit of the transport.  Nobiyuki
took a deep defeated breath as he began to walk forward.  

	"Then I guess we better start digging." He said as he
passed a dumbfounded L'ear.  

************************************************************

	Yosho woke up when he felt a strange breeze that
shouldn't be there cross his slumbering body.  He woke up
with a start when he noticed the very long and sharp blade
being pointed at his throat.  He gulped loudly.

	"Who are you and what are you doing here?" asked the
straightforward person holding his life in their hands.

	"I am Yosho of the Jurai Royal Family.  I came here to
rest and to pray for the safety of my friends and family."
He managed to spit out.

	"Liar!  Yosho is dead!  He died chasing the vile demon
Ryoko." Shouted the now pissed shadowy figure.

	"I swear to the gods that I am not lying.  I am Yosho." 
He continued.

	"Well, I guess only YOU believes your lies, villain. 
Prepare to meet your ancestors." The person said as they
raised the sword.  Then, seeing his opening, Yosho summoned
his light hawk sword and parried the death stroke, barely in
the nick of time.  He quickly got onto his feet and began to
fight the person in the dark shrine, not able to see their
face.  The only light penetrating was from his sword and the
cracked open door.  After a few minutes of fighting in the
dark, and putting up with the persons maniacal laughter,
Yosho finally ran through the door into the setting
sunlight.  He turned around just in time to see his attacker
come to the open door.  His attacker was a woman, about his
height, dressed in a thick Juraian kimono, and carried a
large silver sword.  And there was something about her face
that seemed... familiar, although he couldn't place it.  

	The woman reached the door and looked at the intruder,
and she couldn't believe her eyes.  Standing in front of her
was a man who looked exactly like the Yosho she knew from
her youth.  She blinked several times and saw that he still
was there.  He had the same confident smirk on his face as
he did all those years ago.  Before she knew it, she heard
the sound of her sword fall to the floor.  Then she felt her
mouth drop.  'He wasn't lying...' she thought.  

	"I guess now that you see I am who I am!" Yosho finally
said.  The woman nodded blankly, still in shock over seeing
Yosho standing before her.  She slowly descended the steps
of the shrine and stood right in front of him.  

	"Oh, my goddess.  You...you ARE Yosho!  Oh, Yosho, I
thought you were DEAD!  Why didn't you TELL ME you were
still ALIVE!?" she said as she pounded him in the chest
several times.  Yosho didn't feel them for they were soft
and more of a gesture, not an attack.  He looked into the
familiar young woman's eyes and saw that she was beginning
to cry.

	"Now, now.  Don't cry.  I've seen too much of that
lately." Yosho said, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. 
The young woman smiled sweetly, and then Yosho remembered.  

	"Keiko!  My, it's been ages!" he said, surprised.

	"You just NOW remembered my name, when I had remembered
yours for about seven hundred years!" she said, obviously
angered.  All Yosho could do was shrug, which made her even
madder.

	"BASTARD!  Why did you leave, Yosho?  Why did you have
to leave me behind?"  Keiko asked.

	"Because I had work to do and honor to protect.  I'm
sorry that I left you.  I never meant to hurt you.  Please,
except my apologies." Yosho said to her lightly.  She turned
her head toward the ground and looked upset.

	"And what about her.  Did you marry her?" she said
sadly.

	"If you mean Ayeka, no.  But I did marry.  I'm sorry."

	He saw Keiko's eyes begin to tear again.

	"Where... is she.  Your wife?"  she asked.

	"She died, many years ago."  Yosho responded, sadly.

	"Did she bear you any children, Yosho?" Keiko asked,
looking him in the eyes, genuinely curious.

	"Yes, one.  My daughter Achika.  She too, died.  And to
answer your next question, yes, she had a son, my grandson,
Tenchi.  They all died."  Yosho said, his eyes beginning to
water.  

	"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Keiko muttered when
she saw Yosho nearly break down.  He looked her in the eyes.

	"Don't.  I'll... I'll be fine.  But now you know about
my life thus far, how about you?" he said, trying to bring
the life back into the conversation.

	"Oh, well, nothing...much... has happened.  But I do
have something to tell you, Yosho..."

	Before she could finish, a young man ran out of the
small house next door to the shrine.  He ran up to Keiko and
stood next to her, eyeing Yosho suspiciously.  

	"Who is this?"  asked the young man, still looking at
Yosho.

	"Takeshi, this man is your father." Keiko said, not
missing a beat.

	Both Takeshi and Yosho's eyes bulged when they heard
the news.  Keiko tried to keep from laughing at their
surprised faces...

************************************************************

	"His father died before he was born.  He was a great
man.  He worked hard and hoped to be someone important
someday.  But, Jurai went to war with a neighboring empire
one day, and he was called on to serve his emperor.  The war
only lasted several days, and Jurai crushed the enemy.  But,
my husband never came back.  He died on the front lines. 
The doctors did as much as they could, but he was too badly
wounded.  I was told that his last words were spoken about
us. After that, I never sought to remarry again..."
chattered Kira.  The majority of the survivors had quieted. 
Kira stood over by where Nobiyuki was digging in the snow. 
She still clutched onto her son, forcing him to walk around
and to remain awake.  Although he was preoccupied with
digging in the cockpit area, he hung on every word she said.  

	"Yeah, that's the same for me, too.  My wife got really
sick and began to deteriorate right before my eyes.  She got
really thin and frail.  I was there the day she passed on. 
She told me to say goodbye to Tenchi, my son, for her and
then... she died.  I never even wanted to look at another
woman for, well, years afterwards, but then I discovered
that I had become a dirty old man.  And it got worse when
all of these women started to live at our house.  They
weren't at the very least bit interested in me, I could
tell.  They were all there for Tenchi.  And I have to admit,
I was a little jealous.  But then this business with the
Dark Juraians began, and shook my whole world apart.  They
destroyed my planet... and killed my son.  And now, here I
am, freezing to death.  I just wonder what it is I did to
deserve all of this."

	"I... I'm sorry to hear that.  It must be tough."

	"Yeah, but I'll manage.  I'm gonna make sure I live
just long enough to see all of those Dark Juraians die a
horrible death." Quipped Nobiyuki as he began to dig faster
and faster.  Fortunately the snow was soft and not too
compact, so he made lots of progress, but the temperature in
the shuttle was dropping, and fast.  He looked out of his
hole at Kira and Jem.  He saw that they were shivering very
much.  This only made him go even faster as he finally made
it to the rear two pilot's chairs...

************************************************************

	"Keiko!  Explain this to me!" bellowed Yosho, surprised
as much still as he was five minutes ago.

	"Well, Yosho, it was the night you were engaged to
marry Ayeka.  Don't you remember?"

	"Not enough to explain...well, THIS!" Yosho exclaimed
as he moved his hands about erratically. 

	"Okay, I'll start on that night..." she said calmly.

************************************************************

	"Hello Yosho!  What blessing brings you here?" 
answered a young common girl named Keiko.  

	"I've some news Keiko.  I'm engaged!" Yosho testified
to Keiko. 

	"Engaged?  To whom?" Keiko asked as her heart sank. 
She new it was a fantasy, and she could only imagine herself
marrying Yosho, the boy... no... man, she knew since she was
a child.  They had been together since they were born, and
had been friends since she could remember.  She was there
for him when he came crying home that a new friend of his
was beaten mercilessly by the Juraian guard, and she was
there to hear his vows that he would someday leave Jurai...
and never come back.  And now, here he was, proclaiming that
he was to be wedded to another woman.  The thought of it
almost made her cry.  She slowly moved out of the way so
that Yosho may enter her small home in the corner of the
Juraian palace, where all the servants lived.  He came in
and sat down.  She looked at him forlornly and then forced
herself to smile, so that she doesn't worry him.  Yosho
looked at her with those eyes of his, those eyes that were
so full of life and energy.  It made her sad all over again,
just to look at him, but she did so anyway, and kept
smiling.  

	"I'm engaged to marry Ayeka.  She shall be my queen
when I rule this empire."

	"Ayeka, huh.  I hope... she makes you... happy."  Keiko
tried to say while choking back the tears and maintaining
her smile.  Yosho saw the sadness in his friends eyes, and
immediately, his happy mood disappeared.

	"Keiko... what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.  

	"Yosho, there has been something... I've been...
wanting to tell you." she muttered, still trying not to cry.

	"You can tell me anything, Keiko.  No matter what, I
am, and always will be, your friend." Said the noble Yosho
to his lifelong friend and confidante.

	"Yosho, ever since we were children, I have always...
harbored feelings... for you, deep within my heart.  I would
picture of the day that you noticed and did everything in
your power to make it so that we could be wed, but you never
did.  I love you Yosho, I always have." She said in a very
serious voice that was intertwined with sadness.  Yosho just
sat there, not knowing what to think.

	"Keiko... I...I don't know what to say..." he muttered.

	"Then don't say anything.  I know that we cannot change
what has been done, and I hate myself for not telling you
sooner.  But I wanted you to know this before I died,
whenever that may be.  I'm sorry your majesty, for putting
this on you..." she cried as she bent down to Yosho's feet. 
Yosho saw this humble gesture and bent down.  He grabbed her
gently by the arms and slowly pulled her up to his face.  

	"Don't do that.  You don't EVER need to do that around
me."  He said quietly.

	"I... I'm sorry." Keiko sobbed.  

	"Don't be.  I consider you every bit my equal.  And,
I'm sorry... for not noticing your feelings sooner.  Had
I've known, then, well, I can't say what would have
happened." Yosho calmly voiced as he looked into the weeping
young girls eyes.  'She looks beautiful in this light'
thought Yosho as he bent down and kissed her.  Keiko was at
first surprised, then scared, then fell at ease with what
was happening, as she slowly, and gently pushed Yosho down
on her bed.  They continued to kiss for an hour, until Keiko
decided to go the next step.  She took Yosho's hand and put
it on her chest.  She felt him gasp slightly as this
happened, and laughed lightly to herself.  Then, she
noticed, one thing led to another and suddenly, she felt
Yosho flip her on her back as he began to take off his
shirt.  More clothes followed until, finally, both of them
were naked.  The next few hours were bliss to Keiko as
Yosho, the man who she desired for years, made love to her. 
Soon after they were done, they fell asleep.  And when she
awoke, he was gone.  She cried for an hour before she found
that she was late for her duties.  She then buried herself
in her work, trying not to think about Yosho, and about that
night. Days passed by as she silently watched Yosho,
remaining out of sight, so that she would not put undo
pressure on the future Emperor.  Then came the attack by the
demon known as Ryoko.  She destroyed almost the entire
palace and killed millions.  Keiko was working in the palace
at the time it happened, and didn't know anything was going
on until the explosions happened.  One explosion severely
rocked the palace, throwing her against the wall.  More
explosions occurred, burying her in a huge pile of rubble. 
One of those pieces of rubble hit her on her head, knocking
her unconscious.  She awoke some time later, in the Royal
Physician's office.  That was when she learned that Yosho
had run off, chasing the demon, and that she was pregnant. 
She was ostracized by her family and forbidden to return
home for dishonoring them so much.  She took a shuttle to
the only other planet to go to in the system of Jurai, found
a cozy little spot, planted some trees, built a shrine to
pray for Yosho's safe return, and a house for herself, and
her child.  For years she waited for him to return, but he
never did.  She never gave up hope though, and continued to
wait for him.  She waited as her child was born, and she
continued to wait all the way until she found an intruder in
her shrine...

************************************************************

	"Do you remember now, Yosho?" asked Keiko, her face
saddened by the unpleasant memories.  Yosho's eyes suddenly
averted from hers, as he nodded.  Keiko breathed a sigh of
relief as she walked up and hugged him.  For a while, Yosho
just stood there, then, he hugged her back.  And that is how
they stayed for what seemed an eternity...

************************************************************

	Nobiyuki was numb.  Not the numb you get when you lay
on your arm for too long, but the numb you get right before
you hit hypothermia.  But he still dug.  He had finally
reached the control board for the wrecked vessel.  The front
two pilots were nothing but blocks of solid ice.  The pilot
Nobiyuki was nearest to was crushed by the roof of the
vessel and the high control board.  Nobiyuki began to hit
area's where the snow didn't reach, mainly because of the
peculiar positioning of the dead pilots.  He was digging
when his foot knocked into a spot on the snow wall to his
left.  The snow fell and revealed a small pocket.  The
small, dark cockpit was then lighted by a small blinking
light.  Nobiyuki spun around and saw this light.  As
delirious as he was from the cold, Nobiyuki knew that this
was the object of his quest.  He crawled over to the
flashing light.  It's glare was intense to Nobiyuki's nearly
frozen eyes.  But he still reached for it.  He stretched his
frozen arm, straining his frozen muscles, and tried to push
the flashing button with frostbitten fingers.  That's when
Nobiyuki felt it, the blood, as slow and cold as it was,
flowing up to his head, trying to force him to go
unconscious.  Nobiyuki would have gasped, but his lips were
frozen together.  Nobiyuki began to despair.  He knew that
if he fell unconscious, it was all over.  Then, memories of
Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, Washu, Grandfather, Sasami, Kiyonne,
Mihoshi, and Achika popped into his distressed head.  They
urged him to keep going.  So he did.  Then he remembered
Kira, and Jem.  They have so much to live for.  He cannot
let them down.  So he pushed himself harder.  He could feel
his muscles tear under the strain the cold put on them, but
the pain only served to keep him awake.  But soon, it was
futile.  The cold began to take it's hold on him, pulling
him into unconsciousness.  The last thing he remembered
before he blacked out was pressing the glowing button...

************************************************************

	"Where... where am I?" Nobiyuki asked.

	"In here.  With us." Responded a voice from all around. 
But this voice was not ominous, but comforting.  He looked
around and saw everyone he ever met in his life standing
around him, from his mother to Kira and Jem.  He looked
around and noticed the absence of a few people.

	"Hey, where's Tenchi, Washu, Ayeka, and Ryoko?  And
Grandfather?"  he asked.

	"Don't worry yourself, Nobiyuki." Said Kira, who stood
next to Achika.  He remarked to himself on how identical
they looked.  They all began to crowd around him, saying
nice things to him, encouraging remarks, and bringing up
happy memories.  He was beginning to feel very warm and
comfortable.  He began to worry when the scene before him
started to vanish.  He turned to Achika, who had a sad, but
comforted look on her face.

	"Achika... what's going on?" Nobiyuki asked with a
shaky voice.

	"Your going back, that's all.  Relax Nobiyuki.  You're
so much more than you think yourself to be.  Remember that
you are special.   Don't waste the rest of your life waiting
to die so that we can be reunited.  I want you to find
someone.  Be happy.  Please...

	"I will... Achika." Nobiyuki said as his voice
strengthened. 

	"And remember... I will always love you..." Achika
added as she faded away.  Then Nobiyuki was alone in the
darkness.  But the darkness was replaced by gray, then
white.  When he awoke, he found himself in a tent.  He was
shivering, but alive.  He had bandages around his arms and
hands, but he was alive.  He put the unnaturally warm
blanket over his shoulders and walked out of the tent.  He
found himself right outside the crashed shuttle.  About
several hundred meters off, there was another shuttle. 
People poured in and out of the shuttle's opening.  The
whole crash site was a bundle of activity.  He began to walk
toward the shuttle.  As he walked by, the new people just
looked at him, staring.  He knew that they were Juraian,
from the color of their eyes.  They didn't try to stop him
as he entered the shuttle.  He got in and looked around.  He
saw an elderly couple sitting together in a seat near the
rear of the craft.  They were frozen together, and they had
died together.  He moved toward the middle of the ship and
saw the Juraian noble L'ear, a look of snootiness
permanently etched on his ice covered features.  He turned
and then saw Kira and Jem.  She still cradled her son in her
arms, her eyes closed and a tear frozen to her pale skin. 
Jem's arms were frozen in a praying position.  Nobiyuki
looked at her.  The cold hadn't even altered her features. 
She still looked down at her son with her now glazed over
amethyst Juraian eyes.  Her purple hair was frozen to the
hull of the transport.  Nobiyuki was too cold to cry at the
moment.  He would later, be sure, but the tears just didn't
appear.  He walked up to her and lightly kissed her frozen
lips.  Several Juraians lightly touched his shoulder as he
turned around and headed for the new transport.  His legs
were still stiff from the cold, so he didn't move too fast. 
When he reached the shuttle, a Juraian man, a woman, and a
younger man came up to him.  He didn't recall the younger
man or the woman, but he knew the man from somewhere, he was
too cold to remember.  The man started to talk, but Nobiyuki
couldn't hear him.  Nobiyuki just walked on by them and
stepped into the shuttle.  He sat in one of the warm, plush
chairs and relaxed his aching muscles.  Before long, he
found himself drifting to sleep.  

************************************************************

End Chapter six.
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