* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * T E M P E R I N G A N D Q U E N C H I N G * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Artist: Five For Fighting Album: "American Town" Track: "Superman (It's Not Easy)" (From the Warner Bros. TV series "Smallville") I can't stand to fly I'm not that naive I'm just out to find The better part of me I'm more than a bird…I'm more than a plane More than some pretty face beside a train And it's not easy to be me I wish that I could cry Fall upon my knees Find a way to lie About a home I'll never see It may sound absurd…but don't be naive Even Heroes have the right to bleed I may be disturbed…but won't you concede Even Heroes have the right to dream And it's not easy to be me Up, up and away…away from me Well it's all right…You can all sleep sound tonight I'm not crazy…or anything… I can't stand to fly I'm not that naive Men weren't meant to ride With clouds between their knees I'm only a man in a silly red sheet Digging for kryptonite on this one way street Only a man in a funny red sheet Looking for special things inside of me Inside of me Inside of me Inside of me Inside of me I'm only a man in a funny red sheet I'm only a man looking for a dream I'm only a man in a funny red sheet And it's not easy... It's not easy to be me. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Emperor's Privy Council was normally reserved for the few Council members that assisted with the dad-to-day running of the Empire. The Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Commerce, The Minister of Security, The Minister of Health and Welfare, the Minister of Justice, and a few other Council members. This meeting, however, was flush with military personnel, recently debriefed and hustled to this chamber, as well as assistants for the Ministers. The chamber itself was dominated by a long oval table, but there wasn't sufficient room to accommodate everyone, so enough extra chairs had been brought in to form a gallery along one wall. The opposite wall was reserved for the Emperor and his family. Everyone was present except the Royal Family, whose lateness was politely attributed to visiting Empress Misaki in the hospital. A refreshment cart was pushed into the room, and in no time a queue had formed. It was at this point that Empress Funaho slipped quietly into the room, and got almost to her seat before anyone noticed she was there. The Chamberlain made The Call , and conversation stopped abruptly. All bowed, which she returned, and indicated for them to continue. She settled into her seat. (By rights, as the Senior Consort, and upon the death of the Emperor, she could have taken his seat, but she pointedly refused. She was in mourning, and the new Emperor had yet to be crowned.) People were assuming their seats when the Chamberlain made The Call and the Crown Prince and his entourage entered. The military officers present snapped to attention and bowed smartly, followed hastily by the civilian Ministers. Funaho noted the respect with which the military now treated her great-grandson; he had been untested before the invasion, and therefore treated politely but reservedly. No longer. Privy Meetings were generally bereft of the protocols required of other functions, but was still somewhat bound by traditions. The Emperor usually entered alone, followed by his Consorts in order of seniority. Tenchi trashed that tradition when he entered the room carrying Achika, followed closely by Washu and Sasami, Ayeka and Ryoko, and Mihoshi and Kiyone. Kiyone got more than her share of curious looks, and many present wondered if the Crown Prince was about to increase the size of his family. Tenchi bowed before the empty seats, bowed once to his great-grandmother, and assumed his usual chair behind her. Chairs had been provided for his entourage, who filled them quietly. Funaho watched her great-grandson with interest. She noted the change in his posture, the way he wrapped Command Authority around himself like a cloak, the set of his shoulders that now carried a burden greater than any he had known before. But mostly she noticed his eyes: there was a weariness about them that she knew all too well, because she had seen many of her operatives acquire the same cast; her great-grandson had lost his innocence, and the void had been filled with a harsh wisdom. The Chamberlain called the meeting to order, and silence settled upon the room. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming today. We all have many pressing duties waiting for us, but I think it will do us good to pause and reflect upon the last few days. I have asked the members of the military to joins us and provide a summary of the actions that broke the K'vimm blockade and their subsequent destruction. I would also appreciate hearing from the various Ministers a brief review of their current circumstances and recovery plans. We need not delve too deeply into details. Admiral Nogumo, would you start, please?" The Admiral rose from his seat in the gallery, and approached the closest end of the table. "Thank you, Your Majesty. From the military perspective, three weeks ago the K'vimm dimensional doorway appeared suddenly beyond the orbit of the fourth planet. Strategically, this was closer to the inner systems than is normally permissible by conventional jump technology. They established a perimeter of ships and satellites at this distance out from the sun, with the intent of detecting and intercepting any vessels approaching Homeworld. Concurrently, they attempted to overwhelm the naval bases on the Juraian moons and the orbital defenses above Homeworld. In this they were unsuccessful, and were forced to establish an englobement posture. It was during these initial engagements that Emperor Azusa was killed, and Empress Funaho assumed command of Homeworld defense. While the K'vimm attacking force had sufficient numbers to pin down the Home Fleet, they could not possibly win against the entire weight of the Juraian Navy. We have major fleets stationed at each end of our empire, as well as squadrons stationed at strategic points throughout the volume of Jurai space. Unfortunately, it takes time to summon such forces, and time was an ally of the K'vimm. Since our communications were being jammed, we sent couriers to those fleets, to our nearest squadrons, and (of course) to those members of the Royal Family visiting Colony World 0315, a.k.a. Earth. At least one courier got through to Admiral Mobinita's squadron. Admiral Mobinita will now provide details of the following events." Mobinita rose and stepped up to the table, replacing Nogumo. "Concurrent to their attack on Homeworld, the Imperial residence on Earth was attacked by elements of the K'vimm. They were successfully repelled, but one element abducted Princess Ayeka, and one element escaped the into space persued by Princess Ryoko aboard Ryo-ohki. Subsequently, a K'vimm task force attacked my squadron, as well as the Galaxy Police cruiser Yukinojo, then en route to Earth. Amazingly enough, His Highness intercepted and destroyed all those forces attacking his Consorts, as well as a decisive number of K'vimm vessels engaged with us, in just a matter of only a few hours." The implications were obvious: Tenchi had crossed half a solar system in a fraction of the normal time, stopping to rescue two of his wives in the process, before pouncing upon the intruders harassing Mobinita's squadron. An impressive feat, and the chamber was abuzz with admiration. Funaho turned in her seat to look at her great-grandson, who was playing quietly with his daughter. Mobinita continued. "His Highness returned to Earth, in company with his consorts, located and rescued Princess Ayeka. Her Majesty's courier arrived within the next few days, so I immediately sent him to Earth to inform Crown Prince Yosho of the circumstances. Sadly, the restoration process on his Royal Tree is only half-completed; he cannot leave Earth for many months. It was realized by all that the Empire needed a leader, and needed one now. So, the Crown Prince formally abdicated his position, and his grandson, Prince Tenchi, assumed the title of Crown Prince. In the ensuing week it took to return to Homeworld, we mapped out a strategy for dealing with the K'vimm blockade. Since His Highness had been so successful removing the K'vimm capital ships, and my forces had been so successful with convergent fire on the K'vimm secondaries, it was decided to continue this tactic. His Highness suggested that we drive the K'vimm forces as close to their doorway as possible, and then destroy them all with one effort." Funaho turned to her great-grandson. "And just how did you plan to accomplish that, Tenchi?" "Push a sunbuster bomb through their doorway and set it off," Tenchi replied. "I figured that it would not only destroy the generating end of the doorway (and any forces stationed near it), but the backwash would probably roast anything close to this end." "What if you did not have access to a sunbuster?" She looked pointedly at Washu, who just grinned. "I had...other options...at my disposal." The look on his face was a warning to everyone that this was a closed subject. Funaho got the message. "Then it was fortunate for us that you did, and that Tsunami was at hand to deliver it and provide shelter for Admiral Mobinita's squadron. Thank you, Admiral." Mobinita bowed and returned to his seat. "What about Home Fleet, Admiral Nogumo?" "I will let Admiral Terest provide those details, Your Majesty." Nogumo indicated a woman in the gallery who rose when her name was called. She stepped up to the table and bowed. "Thank you, Admiral. Your Majesty, we had our forces arranged in the standard deployment, that is, we had contingents based at..." She droned on, providing details of the ships that had struggled and died against the invaders, and the heroic efforts to stave-off a K'vimm landing on Homeworld itself. Funaho only listened with one ear, as she already knew the details. She was thinking about her son, Yosho, still marooned on Earth when he was needed the most. She wondered if, in the end, Yosho was reluctant or relieved that he had finally escaped the throne. And what of his feelings for his father? They had talked briefly on Earth, two years ago, and a simple exchange of letters since. How much would Yosho grieve for Azusa? She may never know, she decided. Terest finished her narrative, bowed, and returned to her seat. "Thank you, Admiral Terest. Is there anything more to add, Admiral Nogumo?" "While it is not really my place to ask, Your Majesty, I have heard rumors about what caused the K'vimm incursion in the first place. That they came in large numbers is obvious, but the numbers were not large enough for a sustained invasion. They wanted something; they launched a preemptive strike to acquire it, and I believe they had every intention of returning to their own territory once they seized their objective. So I ask, Your Majesty, on behalf of those who died in the line of duty: What were the K'vimm after?" "I'll answer that," Tenchi said. He stood slowly, cradling his daughter, and stepped up to the table beside his great-grandmother. "They wanted the Royal Trees." There was a stir in the room, and the Minister of Agriculture finally stood and asked, "How do you know this, Your Highness?" "Princess Ayeka heard it from the lips of one of their collaborators," he replied. The stir grew to an angry buzz. "And who might that be, Your Highness?" asked the Minister of Commerce. Tenchi hesitated, considering what might happen if he revealed the name. "I cannot say at this point, Minister. I'd like to, but there isn't sufficient evidence yet to convict the man and his family of treason. I really don't care why he did what he did, that's for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to determine." "Just where is this collaborator now?" "Dead. He kidnapped and assaulted Princess Ayeka, then threatened her life as well as that of Princess Ryoko. I considered that a Challenge. *No one* assaults my family and lives." Little Achika gurgled at that moment, and Tenchi placed her on his shoulder. A very tender, protective gesture providing counterpoint to the weight of his words. "As for any possible collaboration with the K'vimm, I believe my great-grandmother's operatives are already looking into the matter. But it does explain how a K'vimm raiding party would be on Earth, if they were trying to retrieve my grandfather's Royal Tree, Funaho. It might also explain their reluctance to fire upon my great-grandfather's formation when they had the chance, or on Tsunami when we were well within range of their massed batteries." He turned to face Nogumo. "Will that suffice, Admiral, at least for now?" "It does, indeed, Your Highness. Thank you." Nogumo bowed, and returned to his seat. Funaho watched Tenchi return to his seat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I can assure you that the matter is being investigated even as we speak. We *will* have answers." She paused for emphasis, before continuing. "Princess Washu, will you tell us what your probe into the doorway revealed?" Funaho asked, turning to look over her shoulder. "Certainly, Your Majesty." Washu rose and stepped beside her husband's chair. "At the Crown Prince's suggestion, I attached a long-range probe to the sunbuster bomb. His Highness delivered and protected both mechanisms upon their journey through the dimensional doorway. Here is the visual portion of the data I received." Her spectral keyboard materialized beside her, and a few keystrokes produced a large screen in the air above her. The image was extremely bright, obviously looking directly into a star. "This is the orientation of the probe upon arrival. It was programmed to perform a spherical sweep of the sky. Frankly, it didn't have much time -- when I set the proximity fuse on the bomb, I figured it would take a couple of hours to travel from the release point to the solar corona. It never even occurred to me that the doorway would be so damn close to the star. We were lucky to get what information we did." She typed a command and the image on the screen crawled slowly across the star's bright surface, until the horizon appeared. "The sun you are looking at is a red giant, which makes it swollen and cooler than brighter, younger stars. It is possible to approach much closer." As the black of space assumed a larger portion of the image, objects began to appear, The closest were K'vimm warships, some appearing through the doorway, others forming a security cordon. These latter were shooting at the probe, but having no effect. As the image continued to pan, a portion of the actual generator started coming into view. It was a huge metal ring, broken at regular intervals with utility structures and service portals. Attached to it was a massive array of solar collectors, thousands of kilometers across, stretching away into the distance. "You can see the generator starting to appear. This solar array is how they were able to keep the doorway open for so long. I haven't bothered to calculate the size, but it must have taken years to construct. However, this is what I found the most interesting." The image continued to rotate, the distance increased noticeably, and more K'vimm handiwork became visible. She froze the image, and pointed to other ring-shaped structures at the edges of the screen. "I counted seven more in this shot. I wouldn't even care to guess how many there were altogether, since I have no accurate idea of the size of the array. Or even if this is the only array." Another tap on the keyboard, and the video continued. The camera completed its view backwards, rotation continued, and the star's horizon crept once more onto the screen. Washu lowered the intensity -- but it still hurt the eyes to look at it. "Here the probe is dropping though the chromosphere (notice the horizontal and vertical clouds of gas). And now it has reached the photosphere, or what passes for the surface of the star. I'm sure you recognize the sunspots." The screen suddenly went dark. "This is the closest His Highness could take the probe." "I passed-out from the strain," Tenchi said. "It was just too far away." "That's ok, Dear, it was close enough. The proximity fuse in the bomb's armored canister did it's job before it melted." Washu smiled at him, then turned back to face the group. "I find it hard to believe that the K'vimm constructed their 'doorway farm' just beyond that sun's corona, but they must have had a good reason. Whatever it was, their proximity to the sun gave us a pretty small window of opportunity. The glare was so bad that I couldn't find enough visible stars to get a good reference fix. I have been looking through the stellar catalogs for viable candidates, but I won't be really certain of a match until to I do a spectral analysis." "Are we likely to face another incursion?" Funaho asked. "Not for a while," Washu replied chuckling. "That entire structure no longer exists." "How can you be so sure?" "The sunbuster bomb. Actually, the name 'sunbuster' is a misnomer: it doesn't cause a star to explode, it merely induces a 'coughing fit' of coronal mass ejections. But the effect on any objects close to the star -- like this array -- can be just as catastrophic." "What conclusions have you reached after your analysis of the data?" "I believe that the array was the only object in that solar system. The K'vimm must have built it there on the assumption that sooner-or-later something unfriendly would come through one of the doorways. There were no populated planets at risk." Funaho nodded, relief momentarily crossing her face. "Please continue." "It might be wise to consider building our own network of dimensional doorways between regions of the Empire, as a means of transporting resources around in case a similar situation arises again." "Indeed," Funaho agreed, "a policy worth considering. Expensive, but perhaps not prohibitively so." "The cost could be recouped if such doorways were made available to commercial traffic. A toll is a lot cheaper on time and resources than a long voyage. Not to mention the tighter security." Washu nodded and returned to her seat. "All things considered, the amount of actual damage to our citizens and infrastructure was relatively minor," Funaho said. "The K'vimm did not feel it in their interest to lay waste the surface of Homeworld, or even some of the commercial structures in and around the moons. Which lends even more credence to His Highness'...interpretation. We will now hear from the assembled Ministers." T<Are you ladies thirsty? I see a cart full of goodies along the far wall> Tenchi received affirmative replies, and gestured to one of the serv'bots floating silently against the wall. It drifted across the room and hovered beside him. He whispered his own request, repeated the requests his entourage were making, and dismissed it with a gesture. W<Is Achika getting fussy?> T<Well, just a little....> W<I'll take her> S<Can I hold her?> W<Sure> Tenchi felt Sasami's hands slipping under Achika's arms as she lifted the baby off of his shoulder. He didn't need to turn around to hear the attention the baby was getting. T<You're going to spoil her, you know> R<So what's your point?> S<Yeah, Tenchi, what's the problem?> W<Now, now, quit picking on him, especially when he's so outnumbered....> A<I'll defend you, Beloved> M<Defend him from what?> K<From his family, I gather> Tenchi chuckled, drawing a curious glance from his great-grandmother. He blushed, cleared his throat, and made every effort to pay attention to the present speaker. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The serv'bot soon delivered their drinks, Achika was passed around and fussed over, and Tenchi actually listened to the various Ministers speeches. He knew, deep in his soul, that he had better start learning how to conduct these meetings. His coronation was now inevitable, whether he felt prepared or not. He felt a depression settle over him, clinging like a wet blanket. "Thank you, " Funaho said, as the last of the Privy Council members completed their summary. "We can now open the floor to questions, knowing that some of them may not be permissible to answer at this point. Anyone?" "I've got one," Ryoko said, standing. She surprised many in the chamber -- including her husband, who turned in his seat to stare at her. "Tenchi, I've been meaning to ask you: just how do you travel through space like that? And how did you destroy those K'vimm warships?" She smiled, pleased with herself for finally remembering to ask her questions. "I'd like to know that, too, Your Highness," added Admiral Mobinita, rising from his seat in the gallery. "Oh! Oh! Let me tell them!" Washu bounced out of her seat, waving her hand like a child in school. Tenchi had to grin at her enthusiasm. "Go ahead, Washu. You'll do a better job than I would, anyway." Washu recovered her dignity before launching into her explanation. "Just a bit of background first. His Highness employs the Lighthawk Wings, which draw their Power directly from the quantum vacuum. 'How' isn't important. What is important is that they operate on a frequency of hundreds of cycles per second. Remember that fact." She stepped down to the table and retrieved a wine bottle. "Now, who can tell me the two fundamental rules of teleportation?" "You have to know where you're going, and you can't occupy the same space as some other object." "Thank you, Ryoko. You get the prize." She poured the contents of the wine bottle into Ryoko's glass. "Although I should point-out that Ryoko here cheats a bit: when she teleports, she is just enough out-of-phase with the target space that she can make the transition a gradual one. The rest of us mere mortals who rely on mechanical teleportation cannot violate that second rule at all. And even Ryoko has to know where she's going; if she hasn't been there before, or it isn't in her direct line-of-sight, she can't teleport there." Washu began pacing slowly along the table. "This is how normal teleportation works," she placed the bottle upright on the tabletop. "Object 'A' resides in realspace, but desires to be over there," she said, pointing to the other end of the table. "By executing a temporary shift into psuedospace in a given direction, Object 'A' leaves realspace here and reappears over there." Washu lifted the bottle and carried it to the far end of the table, setting it down in front of the Minister of Health and Welfare. "Of course, it ain't magic -- distance and duration are paid for in energy, and the subject is forced to return to realspace damn quick or violate several Conservation Laws. Whatever. Teleportation is a messy, inefficient, and inherently risky way to travel, and it only works reliably over short distances. Teleportation has two sisters: the jump drive and the dimensional doorway. The jump drive is a variation on teleportation, with certain technical refinements to increase the range. Still risky, particularly around gravity wells, but it has been the motive force behind our civilization for millennia. Dimensional doorways are safer and stabler, and bypass the Conservation Laws by building a tunnel through psuedospace, so that 'technically' the subject never really leaves realspace. The jump drive requires detailed knowledge of the destination; the dimensional doorway does not. The jump drive is unbounded, in that the subject can literally go anywhere; the dimensional doorway has only one entrance and only one exit." "Please come to the point, Washu," Funaho said. "This is elementary applied physics." "His Highness has learned to combine the best features of both jump drive and dimensional doorway into a slick little hybrid transport system." "The concept has been around for a long time, Princess Washu," Admiral Nogumo noted. "True, but there were so many technical glitches that no one ever made it work. Until now." The smile she directed at her husband was radiant. "His Highness builds a shield around himself out of the Lighthawk Wings --" S<Like the cocoon you built last year?> T<Yes, exactly like that one> "-- And then he teleports the whole shield as far forward as his enhanced perception can 'see' -- and I'd guess that ranges from a few centimeters to several meters. But, since this process is based upon the Lighthawk Wings, it doesn't just happen once, it happens hundreds of times a second. And he doesn't actually have to for a wait for a full cycle to complete; as soon as he phases into realspace just far enough to get his bearings, he jumps again. Hundreds-of-times- a-second." She laid the wine bottle on its side and pushed it, sending it rolling the length of the table. "Shields, hulls, blaster beams, solid rock, kilometers of empty space...it doesn't matter, he phases right through it all." Profound silence, until Councilor Syuuzen Amaki cleared his throat. "But that doesn't explain some of the properties we observed, such as the high velocity, or those incredibly acute maneuvers. I received eyewitness reports of at least two 90-degree turns with no deceleration. Simply impossible at that speed." "Ah, but you still haven't got it, Minister. His Highness is not *accelerating* in realspace, he's *shifting position* in realspace. He's not wasting energy trying to go faster and faster, so he's not paying the energy debt to fight inertia. His velocity relative to the universe at large is no more than what he started with, which for all practical purposes might as well be zero. Changing course is a snap. He can't exceed lightspeed, but he can come pretty damn close." "By the gods..." Amaki replied. "Now you've got it. A new form of realspace driver. And here's something else to consider: with the widespread acceptance of the Masaki Drive --" "-- The Masaki Drive?" asked the Minister of Commerce. "The principle for the new engine was perfected by Crown Prince Sir Tenchi Masaki, and the first working prototype of a mechanical derivative will be patented and demonstrated by Princess Washu Masaki some time in the next few months. Anyone got a problem with calling it the Masaki Drive?" No one objected. "As I was saying, with the widespread acceptance of the Masaki Drive, it will revolutionize the merchant marine and the military. Think of it: in-system freighters that can cross a solar system in hours, rather than days. Or torpedoes that can penetrate any known shield, launched from warships that can literally turn on a coin. Or search-and-rescue vessels that don't need to wait for sensor probes and digging equipment to rescue earthquake victims." She waited until she could see an anticipatory gleam in their eyes. "But I should warn you, Ladies and Gentlemen, that you will not have a very large window of opportunity. Such breakthroughs are rare, and are generally countered and copied rather quickly. You will only have, at best, a few years to exploit your advantages." "But that still doesn't explain how you were able to destroy those ships simply by passing through them," Ryoko persisted. "According to Washu, you were never inside them long enough to touch anything." "I didn't have to touch anything," Tenchi replied slowly. "During the split second I was inside the reactor on each vessel, I rearranged some of the more volatile elements, or shifted some of the fragile components around." "But, Tenchi, if you didn't touch anything...?" "Besides being an Autoteleport, I'm also an Exoteleport," he explained for the Council members and guests present. "I can teleport objects without actually being in contact with them. And since I only needed to move things a few millimeters...." "Oh, now I get it: one object can't occupy the same space as another object!" "Instant catastrophic chain-reaction," Mobinita said. "Very impressive, Your Highness." "And I guided the shield (as Washu called it) through the K'vimm's dimensional doorway, even though I remained aboard Tsunami." Ayeka stood slowly and raised her glass towards her husband. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to propose a toast. To His Highness, Crown Prince Sir Tenchi Masaki: his actions won the war, and his discovery will fuel our economic recovery!" Everyone in the room agreed enthusiastically, raising their glasses towards Tenchi. Tenchi waited until they'd lowered their glasses before rising himself. "You make me sound like a hero," he said solemnly, "which I am definitely not." He raised his own glass towards the Emperor's empty seat. "I would propose a toast to the real heroes of the last few weeks: to fallen comrades." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Kiyone stood at rigid attention and snapped a smart salute. Funaho looked across her desk and smiled. "Relax, Detective, this is a social call." Kiyone blinked several times, before assuming the Parade Rest posture. Funaho chuckled and gestured towards one of the guest chairs. Kiyone sat, but did not relax. "Thank you, Your Majesty. But if this is not duty-related, then why am I here?" "I have been watching you, Detective. I must compliment you, not only on your proficiency, your composure, and your patience (particularly with Mihoshi), but on your general attitude. I like what I see. I also like your service record. Most impressive." "Thank you, Your Majesty." Kiyone resisted the urge to blush, and failed. "Mihoshi tells me that you have been reconsidering your future with the Galaxy Police. Are you dissatisfied with your present career?" "Not dissatisfied, really; just not sure. I though I had a career path all laid out, but it seems to have been repeatedly side-tracked." "Well, I'm sure being partnered with Mihoshi didn't help matters any." Kiyone's shocked look turned into a wry smile as she studied Funaho's amused smile. "Your talents were never overlooked, Detective. But there were certain individuals in the GP Administration who thought it wiser -- and easier, in all honesty -- to keep you linked with Mihoshi. You excelled at restraining her excesses. It was deemed 'politically unwise' to be the one to flush the Marshall's granddaughter out of active service. For many on the management chain, it was more important to keep you right where you were." Kiyone growled softly. "That just confirms what I have always suspected. But no one in the GP would give me an honest answer." "You need not remain in the GP, you know. The galaxy is full of opportunities, especially for someone who works hard and thinks carefully." Kiyone canted her head, evaluating the statement. Funaho waited until she saw the proper glint in the young woman's eyes. "In fact, I am impressed enough to offer you a position in my organization." "What position, Your Majesty?" "In my Special Operations unit. Information retrieval and investigation. I believe the GP has a similar department, with similar goals." "The same department that raided Naja Akara's space station?" Kiyone struggled to keep her voice level, particularly when Funaho nodded her head. "Would I be working with Mihoshi and Ryoko?" "Yes, but not consistently. Ryoko has other extensive duties, and Mihoshi has many GP functions to attend to. Realistically, there will be occasions when you three would be sent on assignment together." "What rank would I receive?" Here was the real clincher. "Commander, the same as Ryoko. It is equivalent to Mihoshi's rank of Detective Captain, I believe." Funaho watched Kiyone mentally salivating, and managed to suppress a grin. "Mihoshi and Ryoko work reasonably well together, but I think they would both benefit from a calmer voice providing....suggestions...for achieving their goals. A certain amount of trust, familiarity, and experience would be highly beneficial, don't you think?" "Yes, Your Majesty, I do. And, please, just call me 'Kiyone.'" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * There was a general sigh of contentment, as six females settled into the steaming waters of the onsen. Washu reached up and nudged Achika's hovering bassinet a little closer to the side of the pool. Ryoko fetched a sake bottle and started distributing cups. Kiyone watched the well-rehearsed routine with a raised eyebrow. "Damn, that's good!" Ryoko said, smacking her lips appreciatively. "I brought twice as many bottles home with me this time. No telling when we'll get back to Earth again." "Knowing Tenchi, I'm sure we'll return in a few months," Ayeka replied. She took the proffered cup and sipped, smiling with delight. Ryoko watched her keenly and whispered intensely into her ear. Ayeka nodded, and whispered her reply, apparently easing Ryoko's concern. "Can I ask you ladies a personal question?" "Sure, Kiyone, go ahead. You're part of the family now," Ryoko answered. "Just how do you four manage to *share* a husband, and do it so....amicably?" "We take turns. We each get him for a week at a time." "However," Ayeka added, "it wasn't always so cooperative." "Yeah, it was down-right nasty for the first couple of months. Even worse than when we were single." "So how did you resolve the issue?" "About six months into the marriage, we came in here and locked the door, determined to work-out the kinks. Tenchi, of course, was not invited." "It was a little more involved than that," Washu interjected. Ryoko and Ayeka indicated that she should continue. Sasami was paying rapt attention, and Mihoshi just stared into her sake. "We all jumped into this marriage expecting our husband to follow a reasonably predictable pattern. As usual, he surprised us all. And when we started comparing notes, we discovered we had all made the same mistake." "What mistake?" "We forgot he was a Power Adapt. A *prodgidous* Power Adept." "So?" "Well, physically he's of average size, though he can be very vigorous --" "-- And durable," Ayeka added. "-- And strong," Ryoko added. "He's a healthy human male, with all the normal physical drives and capabilities," Washu continued. "He has a proven performance record, so to speak, not to mention creative --" "-- And adaptable," Ayeka said. "-- And tolerant," Ryoko said. "He sounds too good to be true," Kiyone said wryly. "Oh, he has his shortcomings," Washu smiled, stirring her sake with her finger. "Anyway, he has established Mind Links with each of us. We resonate very strongly across those Links. *Very* strongly. Particularly during moments of extreme stress." "I have a Link with him, and I don't feel any strong sensations, even during the fighting with the K'vimm." "You're not an Adept. He *talks* to you, but he *sings* to us. For example, when we kiss him, not only do we feel our own sensations, but we receive his sensations at the same time, and he feels ours. One sensation feeds on the other in a sensual steamroller, giving new meaning to the term 'shared experience.' Sexual climax is an order of magnitude more intense." "Oh." Kiyone tried to visualize the concept, and noticed Ayeka and Ryoko exchanging dreamy smiles. "But that isn't all. What do you know about the social mores of the Adeptus Psyker caste?" "Not much. A lot of competition and dominance games. There aren't many of them in human space, but any one of them can cause of a lot of grief for the local mundanes." "A very accurate assessment. Put any two male Adepts, or any two female Adepts, into a locked room and they will immediately start contesting for position. They -- we -- can't help it; Adepts project a Power envelope, which is a component of the aura. Our nervous systems are sensitive to more sources of stimulation than yours -- including each other. We ruffle each other’s feathers, so to speak. Consequently, those of us with higher Power levels have larger envelopes, and tend to be dominant, just as those of you mundanes with larger physiques tend to be dominant. It's a hardwired response." Washu paused to sip her sake. "Now, if you put a male and a female Adept into a locked room, she immediately starts responding to his envelope, assessing his mating qualifications. The more powerful he is, the more attractive he becomes. Again, it's hardwired into the animal, and cannot be ignored. Primal sexual response. Absolutely unavoidable -- and absolutely irresistible." "Are you ladies immune to this...response?" "Nope. We," Washu indicated herself and the other females present, "are all high grade Adepts. And if Tenchi is not yet the most powerful Adept in the Galaxy, he soon will be. Any female Adept experiencing that envelope of his is quite simply transfixed. He has to keep his envelope muted, or he'd have every female Adept in the capitol following him round like a lovesick puppy, and every male Adept cowering in the corners. He calls it 'Whisper Mode.'" Kiyone refilled her cup, as well as Mihoshi's, and passed the bottle on to Sasami, who was nursing her own cup along. Kiyone noted absently how flushed the youngster was getting. "Imagine what happens between two copulating Adepts when you add the near-debilitating effects of overlapping Power envelopes -- 'paralysis' doesn't even begin to describe it. Also, baseline sexual climax for Homo sapiens has many similarities to an epileptic seizure. All barriers tumble in the face of that kind of pressure....including Tenchi's 'Whisper Mode.'" "I think I see where this is going," Kiyone said. "Mmm-hmmm," Washu nodded. "Tenchi subjects each partner --" "-- Or partners," Ryoko muttered, grinning slyly at Ayeka and Mihoshi. The former blushed, the latter sipped her sake quietly. Washu appraised her daughter with one eyebrow raised. "Or partners, to the combined effects of physical stimulation, sensual mirroring, and coincidental annuli. Every pleasure center in the brain, every nerve fiber in the body, lights-up like Startica fireworks." "It's exhilarating!" Ayeka said. "It's exhausting!" Ryoko said. "Correct on both counts," Washu replied. "Once we started comparing notes, we discovered that none of us could tolerate more than a week of 'horizontal windsprints' with our new husband. All concerns about getting-a-worn-out-husband-when-it's-my-turn went right out the window, and we found that having a couple of weeks to recover made good sense." "You could spread the, er, occurrences, farther apart," Kiyone suggested. All four wives gave her a you-gotta-be-kidding! look. Kiyone shrugged and took another pull on her sake. "Well, we did consider that alternative, but none of us really liked the idea. It's amazing how much of the competition between us disappeared at that point, and Tenchi greatly appreciated the reduced tensions." "I'm sure he did." "We also got a better handle on just how much we need to protect him." "From who?" "From other female Adepts. We are *not* the only Master Class women around, you know. He's already been stalked by a couple, and sometimes he's just too damn nice for his own good. This way he always has at least one of us around that's clear-headed and ready to confront the intruder." "I can't wait until I'm old enough to join in the fun," Sasami said, her speech slurred by sake. She was flushed a bright red. Kiyone glanced from Sasami to the adults at the other end of the pool. "Isn't she a little young for this stuff?" "Possibly, but I was already sampling the chemistry by her age," Ayeka replied. "Yeah, so lighten up," Ryoko added. "Consider this as part of her education!" Kiyone just shook her head. "Hey, Mihoshi, what's up? You haven't said a single thing since we got here." "I've already said too much," Mihoshi replied glumly. "Whatever do you mean?" Ayeka asked. "I managed to hurt Tenchi's feelings a while ago, with only one statement." "What could you possibly say to hurt Tenchi's feelings?" "I don't want to repeat it, because then you'd all be mad at me, and start shouting at me. That wouldn't be as bad as his silence, but almost as bad." Washu, Ryoko, and Ayeka all exchanged curious glances, now thoroughly intrigued. "Look, Mihoshi, we promise we won't get mad at you, or yell at you," Ryoko replied. "Absolutely," Ayeka added. "Yep." Washu reached above her head to adjust Achika's bassinet. "Well....alright. Kiyone has been reading my Kagato report to the GP, and had asked for some photos of him. I got some hardcopies printed through my office workstation, and that was the first time I really noticed the similarity." Ryoko sighed, swallowing her impatience with some effort. "What similarity?" "Well, even though you have Washu's spiky hair and general build, you have Kagato's eye and hair color. I never noticed the similarity before. I mentioned it to Tenchi a while ago. He gave me this long, pained long, and just vanished. I think I hurt his feelings." Mihoshi was so lost in her own misery that she failed to notice the color draining from Ryoko's face. Or the cloud that crossed Washu's brow. "Somehow I always manage to say exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time." "You certainly do have a talent for it," Washu muttered. She watched her daughter, waiting for the inevitable reaction. "Gee, Mom, did you sleep with *him*, too? Is he my father? And what about the masu I'm supposed to be made of?" Ryoko's voice was subdued, but dripping with acid. "I'll tell you the whole story, if you're willing to listen to it. All of it." "Another *story*," she snorted. "Sure. Pass me the bottle, Ayeka, so I can get into the proper frame of mind!" Washu's shoulders slumped, but her gaze didn't waver. "To answer your first question: no, I never slept with him. I'd used my adolescent form for centuries before I met him. He was many things, but never a pedophile." She emptied her cup before continuing. "I'd been in stasis for a long time when he released me. He announced that he wanted an heir, but it couldn't be an ordinary child. He wouldn't accept a clone, either -- too likely to try and usurp his power at some point. No, he wanted a genetically tailored child....and he wanted me to brew it for him." "Why didn't you just refuse?" Ayeka asked. "Because he threatened to put me back in stasis -- after inflicting some of his 'creative punishments' on me. He had me cold, so I cooperated. Yes, Ryoko, the bulk of your genetic make-up is from my ovum, and the majority of your body chemistry is a masu derivative. But I had to use some of his DNA, as well. You were supposed to be *his* descendent, after all." "So you played along, huh?" Ryoko asked bitterly. "Yes, I did. I didn't want to lose you like I lost your brother." "Huh!?! What brother?" "You weren't the first, Ryoko. I resented that bastard for holding me captive, so out of spite I refused to incorporate his DNA into my first attempt. And when he discovered the truth, Kagato blasted the little boy into a charred lump and tossed the remains out the airlock of the Souja." Washu's eyes filmed with memories and pain. "God, I wanted to die -- but I wanted *him* dead even more. He just laughed, and told me to 'do it right' the next time. So I did, although I managed to confine most of his influence to your Power manifestations." She reached for the sake bottle. "He converted one of the cargo holds into an apartment, and dumped us there. Mercifully, those times alone with you were pure heaven; I even made you a companion." "Ryo-ohki," Ryoko whispered. Washu nodded. "Kagato was distracted for a few years, and you were well into adolescence before he decided to intervene in your 'training.' He'd lost interest in being a surrogate father by then, but he recognized an awesome Adept when saw one -- and the potential for turning you into a weapon. Some slave to do his dirty work for him, as well as to take all the heat for him when the authorities got too close. He threw me into stasis again, screaming curses and begging him to stop. He lapped it all up like the cur that he was, enjoying the whole spectacle. I'm sure you remember what happened after that." "Yes." She pulled one lock of her hair, studying it. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" "Why give you even more grief, or hate? Tenchi removed him from our lives and took his place, and that was poetic justice of the highest order." It was quiet for a time, before Ayeka spoke. "Ryoko?" "I'm alright," Ryoko replied softly. "I'm sorry I got angry at you, Mom. I guess I have a lot to learn." She drained her sake cup and stared into it. "'Tenchi: of Heaven and Earth; an angel,'" she recited a definition she'd read once upon a time. "If you ladies will excuse me, I feel an overpowering need to hold our husband." She levitated above the waters and vanished. "And I feel a need to apologize to him," Mihoshi added. She rose soundlessly and stepped out of the pool. With a sigh, the others followed her. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * They found him sitting on a marble bench by his garden, staring at the blossoms glowing in the light of the Juraian moons. "Tenchi?" Mihoshi approached him from behind, placing her hands on his shoulders. "H-m-m-m?" he replied absently. "I want to apologize for hurting your feelings. I'm sorry for what I said." Tenchi twisted slowly around on the seat, looking at her alabaster face in the gloom. "Huh? Sorry for what?" "For comparing Kagato and Ryoko." Tenchi shrugged. "It's okay, Mihoshi. You didn't hurt my feelings. It's just that I've been thinking a lot about him lately." "Why?" Washu asked. Cradling little Achika in one arm, she settled onto the bench beside him. The other members of his family drifted up behind them, observing like silent wraiths. "I'm scared, Washu." It wasn't the answer she expected. "Of what?" "Of becoming like him." "What makes you think you are?" "When these latest...Power Attributes...surfaced, I recognized the traveling sphere as one of Kagato's abilities. At the time I was worried that using it might be just one more step down the path that he took. But I was even more worried about my family, so I used it. I *liked* it, Washu; it made me feel so completely free, to fly though space at will, and to go anywhere I wanted. Anywhere. That first day, when I was blasting K'vimm warships apart, I felt almost godlike....I could pass through their hulls and nothing could touch me....I could obliterate a vessel with little more than a thought....it was like an addictive video game. It was so *easy*. I didn't want it to stop." He paused, and looked at her face in the moonlight. "Go on," she urged. "And then I remembered my one experience with starship combat....and what happens to the losers." Ryo-ohki had taken them into space to face Souja, and had brought along Ayeka's Ryu-oh for extra support (Ryo-ohki knew only too well just how powerful Kagato really was). Tenchi had boarded Ryo-oh in a valiant attempt to face the larger vessel -- and had gotten Ryu-oh blown to splinters, and himself along with it. "My last memory of that fight was feeling my clothing shredding under the blast wave. But Tsunami told me later that Ryu-oh's last act had been to cover me with her branches, and when the lower three-fourths of my body had been obliterated, it was her sap that kept me alive until Azaka and Kamidake found me. They held me in stasis until Tsunami arrived. Somehow, there was enough life frozen inside my shattered body that she was able to regenerate the missing parts, and revive me. And thinking about those poor souls in those ships...K'vimm and human....it just makes me sick. I have the ability to sense a mind, to see it shining like a candle in the night...and I'd snuffed-out thousands of candles in a single day. Did those creatures die screaming? Did they writhe in agony before melting, or suffocate quickly in the vacuum, or get blasted into quivering gobbets of flesh? The fight above Homeworld was worse: each time I entered one of those ships I knew I was condemning all aboard it to death....even though I kept telling myself that if I didn't kill them, they would soon be killing Juraians. It was the hardest thing I've ever done." Tenchi shuddered. "I've been wrestling with this conflict ever since, weighing the thrill of those god-like Power Attributes against the consequences of using them." "I've been there," Ryoko said softly, sitting on the bench next to him, taking his hand. "The memories, and the guilt, and the nightmares. Don't face those alone, Tenchi, it just makes the pain worse." He looked into her eyes, understanding a part of his wife for the very first time. "Let us help." "I'm trying," he replied, and received an encouraging smile. "I know which path Kagato chose. And I've seen where it leads. Washu, what was he like before...?" "Before he ran amok? He was a graduate student of mine, one of several. Very charming, very witty, very ambitious, very arrogant. Not only was he a strong Power Adept, but an exceedingly intelligent one. I didn't know it at the time, but he was masterminding a number of illegal activities. Once he got access to my lab, and my facilities, he started trying to enhance his Power Attributes. There is always a danger in biting-off more than you can chew, and he was warned repeatedly about it." She shifted Achika. "There are some major differences between you and Kagato, Tenchi. For starters, you are a man of conscious and honor; his soul had already eroded before I ever laid eyes on him. You saw the dangers and stepped away from the precipice; he enthusiastically leaped over the edge. For another thing, his talents were artificially augmented, and he paid a heavy price for it. Your gifts are natural, and only manifest as you are ready for them. It took him nearly a century to get as far you have in two years." "You told me once that male Power Adepts take 40 or 50 years to mature. I'm only 21; what other 'gifts' can I expect to appear in the next 25 years?" She smiled and wrapped an arm around him. "I have no idea, my love. And that's what makes living with you so fascinating -- never a dull minute!" "You also have us," Ryoko said, putting her head on his shoulder. "We won't allow you to mutate into that kind of hellspawn." Tenchi felt other hands touch him, and whispers of support from the darkness behind. He continued to stare into the night. "I also keep thinking about that time spent on Earth. If we hadn't gone there, we'd have been here the whole time, and we might have saved the lives of all those Juraian soldiers and sailors killed during the incursion." "If we hadn't gone to Earth, Tenchi, the K'vimm would have taken Funaho," Ayeka replied. "They might have even killed Yosho and your father." "If we had stayed on Earth, the loss of life here would have been even higher," Mihoshi added. "And what if your new Power Attributes hadn't surfaced at all?" Sasami asked. "'If, if, if.' Tenchi, don't dishonor the dead with regrets or excuses," Kiyone said. "They sacrificed their lives so that there would be a future for the citizens of Jurai. Including your daughter." "And your son," Ayeka said. "Huh?!?" came the chorus from everyone but Ryoko, who giggled. Ayeka circled the bench and knelt in front of Tenchi, so that she could look into his face. "Your son will be born next year, just in time for Startica." "Our son," he corrected her, touching her face, smiling at last. Ayeka hesitated. "Beloved, would you have any objections to naming him 'Azusa?'" She searched his eyes, half hidden in shadow. She remembered only too well that her father and her husband had never really gotten along. "None whatsoever," he replied.