Chapter 7 Gotta Get Back To Tenchi! "This sucks," Ryoko mumbled, looking through the bars of her cell at the fat tub of lard that was her guard. "Hey tubby!" she shouted. "How bout some food over here?!! Haven't eaten since I woke up!" "Forget about it!" the fat guard spat back. "I gave my life for this damn planet, you know! The least you could do is give me something to eat!!" "Yeah, whatever!" the guard said skeptically. Obviously, this fat boy hadn't been briefed on the whole situation. To him, Ryoko was just some crook who wasn't supposed to get out of her cell, no reason, no way, and no how. "Damn pig," she mumbled to herself, listening to her stomach growl again. "This sucks." Ryoko paced around her room for a few more minutes. "Come on, man!" she yelled at the guard. "I'm starving over here!!" "Shuddap!" he spat. "You'll get your food when it's good and ready." After a moments thought, he added with a smile, "which may be in a few weeks, if ya lucky." "Damn pig," she mumbled again. "I hate this country. I hate this planet. I hate this whole damn empire!!" "Then why'd you die for it?" the pig joked. "Shuddap!" she spat. She really was hungry. She had been starving ever since they had woken her up. Right when she awoke, she saw Sasami on top of her, crying her eyes out. Then she saw Aeka, and those two knights. Then a guy who she had never seen before looked at her and started telling her that she was going to face charges for space piracy. That scared Ryoko. She hadn't been the least bit scared when she had stormed Jurai with Tenchi, but this scared her to death. She was down right terrified of what would happen when her crimes caught up with her. Funny how that hadn't worried her when she did the crimes. She thought back on all her crimes. Actually, she hadn't been doing anything too illegal for a long time before robbing that Jurain bank for Tenchi and the others. In all reality, she had been planning on lying low til it all blew over, until that woman Mihoshi stumbled upon her hideout that was. But now, it was pretty much all over for her. She almost wished she was dead again. At least then I would've died for Tenchi, she thought. "I wonder where Tenchi is, anyway," she mumbled to herself. "Who?" the guard asked. "Well," she said, "maybe you've heard of him. Tenchi Masaki?" "TENCHI MASAKI?!!" the guard shouted, astounded. "How would a criminal like you know a guy like that?!!" "Oh shut up!!" she spat, then, suddenly, her expression turned hopeful. "You've seen him though?" "Well no. But I know that he was our emperor for a few weeks." "What happened?" "It's public news, so I guess I can tell ya. He moved back to his home place, a little planet called Earth. Never heard of the place myself, but he sure likes it, so maybe I'll visit there sometime." "Didn't he marry Aeka?" "Huh? Well no. He was going to, but then he went back." "So, heh, you're saying, heh heh, that he went back home instead of being, heh heh heh, king of JURAI?!!" The guard nodded slowly. Ryoko howled with laughter. "What's so funny?!" "Nothing," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "It's just funny, that's all." The guard eyed her suspiciously, then picked up a magazine from beside his chair and started reading it. The cover had the picture of a seductive looking Jurai woman on it in a skimpy looking bathing suit, and the title of the magazine was PlayCabbit, so Ryoko guessed that he was doing more observing than reading. Ryoko sat down on her bunk, still chuckling. I did all that for nothing? she thought, and then chuckled some more, in spite of herself. After awhile, her chuckles ceased, and she could only smile, smile at being dead for nearly two weeks, and then being raised from the dead just to face charges which might lead to her death again. It was all extremely funny to her somehow. Just then, the doors to the dungeon opened, and in stepped Sasami, followed by Aeka, and the two wooden guardians. "My sister wants a word with the prisoner in private," Aeka addressed the guard, "if you would, sir." "Yes ma'am," the guard complied, and bowed before exiting the chamber. "Yes?" Ryoko asked, crossing her legs and looking away from Aeka. "Is there something you would like to speak with? Time is money and all that." "I'm sorry about this," Sasami said, looking at Ryoko. Ryoko could see the kid's eyes starting to tear up, and she knelt down at the bars and reached a hand through to pick the little girl's chin up. "That's alright, kid," she said. "It's not your fault. It's mine." Ryoko caught eye contact with Aeka, who immediately looked away. "And besides, don't worry about me. I still got a few tricks up my sleeve." I hope so, anyway, Ryoko thought. "I am sorry also," Aeka said hurriedly, not looking at the space pirate. "And I also wish you good luck in the trail." "Well, that's very nice of you, princess," the pirate said sarcastically. "But there's only two words I want to hear from you." "Oh?" the princess said, looking fiercely at the pirate. "And what might those be?" "You know exactly what they might be." "Listen you!" Aeka said harshly. "I was the one that saved your hide from the high council. If not for me, your worthless sole would still be wondering around in the valley of the dead!" "You forgot two words," Ryoko sang. "Aeka, stop," Sasami pleaded, but Aeka payed her no mind. "Ok. Maybe you piloted your ship onto this planet. Maybe you brought my savior, Tenchi, to me. Maybe you even got hurt in the process, but no one twisted your arm!! And for that, Ryoko, I don't have two words for you, I have four!! And do you know what those four are?!!!" Aeka looked fiercely at Ryoko, pure, unbridled emotion in her eyes which made the space pirate flinch. They stared at each other in a locked gaze, Aeka's eyes cutting down the pirate right in front of her, making the green haired girl flinch away. "I'll tell you those words," Aeka said at last in a cold, spiteful voice. Aeka then looked at her feet, and when she looked up, a smile was on her face, and her eyes were watery. "I am eternally grateful," she said at last. "Sasami, the trail will begin momentarily," she said and then left, leaving a speechless space pirate and a happy sister. Ryoko at last turned to Sasami. "That's some sister you got," she said. "A real piece of work she is." "Ryoko," Sasami said. "Yeah?" "I just want you to know that whatever happens, I'll never regret what I did." "Oh, kid," Ryoko said. Her throat was beginning to choke, and she was afraid that she might tear up. "That was real sweet." They stood silent for awhile, creating an emotional awkwardness that unnerved both of them a little bit. "Well," Sasami said at last. " I have to be getting ready for the trail. And I think you should too." "Ok, but could you do me a favor?" "What?" "Could you get me something to eat? I'm starving." "Sure." Sasami walked out, the guard Kamidake close behind. Azaka stayed in the dungeon with Ryoko. "I'm to escort you," it said. "Don't I get something to eat first?" "Certainly. You shall be led to the cafeteria before the trail, but I must still escort you." "Oh fine," she said. Azaka, by way of remote control built into its mainframe, unlocked the cell door. The door swung open, and Ryoko looked around herself suspiciously. "Aren't I going to be handcuffed?" "Do you wish to be?" "NO!" "Then follow me." Well, if the trail doesn't pan out, Ryoko thought to herself, I just may be able to get out of here and get to Tenchi. I've just gotta get back to Tenchi. The cafeteria was barren except for a one table and a chair. There wasn't even anyone serving food. Azaka's body opened up, dispensing two candy bars, a hamburger like sandwich with some meat Ryoko couldn't place, and a caffeine free soda with the name brand Julp! The space pirate gobbled down the food greedily and sucked the drink savagely down. Once her mouth was free, she thought it best to get the whole low down on the trail from Azaka. "So how's this trial gonna be, Azaka?" she asked, punching her chest to hurry the burger on down. "It shall not be very long," the drone replied. "In fact, it shouldn't be more than one Jurain hour (which is more or less two and a half of our Earth hours)." "That's good, right?" "How so do you mean?" "Good, doofus! I mean, that means that it won't be drawn out and that I'll get a light sentence." "It will definitely not be drawn out." "What about the sentence?" "I believe it was punctuated correctly, ma'am. I am programmed to abide by all rules of grammar known to the Jurai hel-" "NO IDIOT!!! I mean MY sentence!" "I could not detect any grammatical errors in your-" "NO!!! I mean the sentence in the trial." "Which definition are you speaking of when you say sentence?" "Never mind!!" Ryoko shouted, grabbing her head and leaning back in her chair. "Very well. The trial shall begin shortly. Are you ready?" "Yeah, I guess. There's no putting it off." "Indeed, there is no putting it off. Come now, madam. His honor Hasamato awaits, and it would not be good if we kept him waiting, not for our defense." "OUR defense?!" "I shall be your counsel, madam." "Great," Ryoko mumbled. A queasy feeling was beginning to creep up in her stomach. She felt as if she was going to throw up. She chewed it back and followed her counsel to the court room. She would just have to tough it out in there. Whatever it took, she had to get back to Tenchi.