Tenchi sighed and brushed his forearm across his forehead.  It was hot
out, and he’s been working all day, the sun was now at it’s zenith and as
Tenchi looked up at it he saw some small object blacken it in part for just
a moment, his eyes followed the object as it fell to the planet earth,
somehow Tenchi couldn’t be shocked, he just signed.

     ‘Somewhere around here…’ Tenchi mumbled to himself as he waded through
the shallow river.  He’d been looking for whatever fell from the sky all
afternoon, now the sun had sunk to the horizon, and would be set within
minuets.  Still Tenchi continued to look, he leaned against a nearby tree
when a small bit of bark fell, hitting him on the shoulder, Tenchi looked up
and blinked, and there was someone in the tree.  Tenchi jumped back, his
hand reflexively jumping to the master key at his hip, something he had come
into the habit of carrying after his encounters with Kagato, Zero, and Dr.
Clay.  The figure didn’t move, it just knelt on a branch starring at the sun
as it sank below the horizon slowly.  A black tattered cloak covered the
figures shoulders, as the last ray of the sun fluttered though the trees
Tenchi could see a bit more of the figure.  It was a woman, with very
straight hair that came to about the middle of her neck with a blue tinge to
its nearly solid black c!
!
olor.  He couldn’t see her face yet but he knew he would soon, the master
keys light blade flickered on and the girl turned to Tenchi as she stood.
     ‘Wow…’ It was all Tenchi could utter, the girl jumped and almost seems
to fly above him, Tenchi tried desperately to keep his eyes on her but he
couldn’t, she was far too quick.  It wasn’t her hair that caught Tenchi’s
attention or even her face, as beautiful as it was, it was her eyes, deep
green eyes that trapped him, immobilized him.
     She landed on her feet behind Tenchi, watching him carefully; her eyes
narrowed a bit, a human she recognized, obviously a native to this planet
called earth.  She let her momentum carry her back another few steps and
continued to watch this boy.  ‘Identify!’  She commanded.
     ‘I….uhhh…’ Tenchi stammered.
     ‘Identify!!!’ She commanded a bit louder, more forcefully.
     ‘Tenchi M..Masaki’ He finally spat out.
     ‘Katrina…’ She stood at full height she was nearly 6 feet, her
shoulders were broad and he could see from the left arm that hung out of her
tattered black robe that she was well built, she advanced a few steps, the
master key flickered out awhile ago, Tenchi and Katrina stood, staring at
each other, Tenchi couldn’t move, even speak, the young woman stepped closer
to him, it was then that Tenchi caught something else, a glint of reflected
light from the fleeing sun shown under her cloak.  She saw his gaze divert
and quickly pulled the cloak closer, leaving only her forearm exposed, but
even this was covered in black leather.  ‘I require shelter for the evening,
I’m afraid my ship has crashed, and it is irreparable.’  Tenchi didn’t heart
anything else she said, her voice was very light, it cut through the sounds
of the evening like a razor.
     ‘Uhh…yeah…we have an extra room…follow me…’ Tenchi sighed and turned to
collect his things, then lead the way home.  He was glad to walk in silence,
just to watch this new girl; she had a grace that surpassed even princess
Aieka, and strength to rival Ryoko, who was she?

     Much later, after Tenchi arrived home with this new girl and they all
ate, the girl was shown around and then seemed to disappear.  With so many
others in the Masaki household no one really noticed.  When Sasami went into
the ladies bath she found the newcomer, kneeling at the edge of the bath
dipping her hand into the water, the door, having no materiality to it made
no noise, Katrina did not notice Sasami enter, she left her arm in up to the
elbow soaking.  Sasami stepped closer and gasped slightly, the cold metallic
arm shot out of the water and back into Katrina’s cloak.
     ‘I’m sorry miss Katrina…I didn’t mean to frighten you…’ Sasami politely
began, Katrina did not respond, she only pulled the cloak tighter around
her.
     Katrina’s eyes whipped around quickly, what now, the child didn’t seem
frightened.  Katrina’s hair was grimy and matted, her face was covered with
dried sweat, she needed to bath, and finally she signed.  The thin steel
hand reached back out and unclasped her cloak, it fell from her shoulders,
Sasami gasped again her eyes open in wonderment, Katrina’s body glistened,
her neck seemed to turn from flesh to steel, but even more amazing was her
back, or rather where the steel turned to bone and feather, two glorious
black wings stretched from her shoulder blades.  She slowly stepped into the
water, the liquid flowing over glistening steel; she dived into the bath and
moved through as if she was born of the liquid element.  Sasami smiled and
slowly stepped in after her, sitting down on the second step.  When Katrina
rose from the water again her wings were gone, Sasami could only guess they
were pulled into the robotic body.

With All Possible Sincerity,

The Puppet Master (AI Project 2501)