Season 1: Return of the Akuneko Episode 9: No Need for an Ambush Battleship Hito, on the bridge, at the Akuneko feint "The enemy is retreating," the admiral was not surprised. He scanned about the bridge, surveying the slight state of disarray. It had been an easy victory, they would have needed twice the number of ships on the Sol vector to succeed. Even then it would have been a messy victory. "Get me a status report and a list of casualties." The admiral ordered. "I don't understand their strategy," the first officer commented. "Why not mass all there forces here instead of directing the bulk through that backwater." "Isn't it obvious," the admiral noted. "You know the effects of the galatic edge as well as I. It is easier to see out of galaxy than into it. If they had sent all the ships we have yet detected we would have had a more difficult time, but we still would have won." "Then why attack us at all if it is so impossible?" "Simple, they get those carriers the galaxy, and the advantage becomes theirs. Their strategy has partially succeeded, drawing the bulk of our forces out here." "Then I suppose this will be going on for a long time," the officer said resigned. "All we have on the sol vector is six ships, thirteen if you include the two transports and the five reinforcing battleships on their way." "The GP have not sent anything to Earth?" "It appears that we may have received the bulk of their available forces," the officer said. "It was still only three months ago that Caine destroyed their HQ, they can't find everybody." "Sir," the Jurai soldier approached the raised platform. "The casualty reports are in. We lost three battleships and half the GP craft. Five more battleships have received severe damage. We count the enemy kills at twenty-seven of those cruisers and three hundred ninety-five of those all black fighters and fifty of the red and black fighters. We ourselves suffered moderate casualties due to Akuneko boarding actions, but the structural damage is minimal." "Any hint of when the Akuneko will encounter Makibi?" "Makibi ordered a communications blackout shortly after receiving command, sir," the officer answered, uncomfortable that he had no information. "We have no idea when the battle will happen, not much longer I would think." "Good, relay this order, I want the 2nd task force to join the Hito on an Earth vector. The remaining battleships will remain for one day in case this is another feint, and then reform the picket to watch for further incursions." "Yes sir," the soldier left to carry out his orders. "Do you think six battleships will be enough, sir? After the Akuneko roll over Makibi there will only be the five reinforcing battleships and us." "If you had been stationed around Jurai a year ago you would not be so worried." Akuneko High-Carrier Dreadnaught, Earth Vector "Milord, the Shiroi clan reports facing a massive force on the Jurai vector," the surveillance officer reported again. "They have suffered massive losses, including…" the man paused, shocked at the next information. "…seventy-three scions of the Shiroi clan. It seems that your plan has succeeded, the Jurai do not know that we are here." There was a hint of reproach in the man's eyes, but he looked to the floor and masked his voice well. "And when will we cross into the Jurai galaxy?" "We are entering a border system now, it is an unpopulated system," the officer noted. "But the sixth planet and one of its moons are habitable. We could leave an outpost behind sir." "Do so," Lord Ryoi informed him. The soldier was about to leave but paused as his lord addressed him again. "It appears that you will keep your head this time." The soldier nodded respectfully and left for his station. "The Shiroi will never recover from this, Lord Ryoi," the battle-suited woman, her hair sparkled azure in the artificial light, noted as the soldier was dismissed. "Perhaps now the council will accept your Thane status?" "It was never a question, Lady Ran," the black haired Akuneko answered. "They would have accepted me in time." "Indeed, milord," she said dryly. Washu's post, second moon, sixth planet "There they are," Washu commented. "Washu-Sa…" Azaka was interrupted by an irate pink-haired genius. "Washu-CHAN…" she yelled. Tenchi and Ayeka rolled their eyes. "Washu-chan," the knight repeated, feeling very silly doing it. "If you can see them, then shouldn't we alert the others?" "We're waiting until they're almost on us," Washu told him. She watched the hologram calmly, wishing she could use active scanners. "Like now." The signal was a short burst of static without any words, it could have been taken for a natural occurrence if the enemy wasn't paying attention. With nearly one hundred twenty ships out there somebody was bound to be paying attention. "Washu-chan," Ayeka noted, the scientist turned to her with a big smile. "What, praytell, are we doing out here?" "If all goes well you'll see that after their fighters launch," the scientist told her. Ayeka noted the odd headband that Washu was wearing. She had given similar headbands to Nagi and Ryoko, as well as smaller versions to the two cabbits. She wasn't certain what that meant. Akuneko Carrier, Warrior "Lord Raisan," the Kuroi warrior looked down from his seat at the kneeling surveillance officer. "We have detected a signal originating from the second moon of the sixth planet, perhaps there is an enemy outpost here after all?" "Nonsense, they would have attacked by now," the warrior responded. "Return to post." Yagami's bridge, under the sixth planet's atmosphere "Okay guys," Kiyone said. "That's your cue, we'll follow behind as planned." "Good luck," Mihoshi said quietly. Ryoko and Rikyu merely nodded at each other as Nagi and Ryoko left the ship for the forming cabbit vessels outside. They rocketed forward of the four other ships, using their greater speed to push the charge. As the cabbits attacked, the battleships and Yagami broke atmosphere in a staggered formation centering on the cruiser. The Yagami stayed only a little ahead of its support. "Okay, Mihoshi," Kiyone started. "You remember the video game we played in the academy?" "Oh yes, the really big game that we didn't have to pay for right?" Mihoshi asked cheerfully. Of course she remembered it was the only thing nobody could beat her at. "Okay well this is the same thing okay," Kiyone said. "Exactly the same thing." "Really, it's all just one game," Mihoshi asked. Rikyu stared at the blonde in terrified fear. "Cool." Mihoshi suddenly looked very focused and prepared for action. Rikyu started to ask Kiyone something, but the teal haired detective cut him off with a sharp throat slashing motion. He shrugged and let it go. Ryo-Ohki, bridge Ryoko took the CD walkman had put the earphones around one of the computer crystals. This CD collection was part of what she had spent her work money on so recently. She already had song for this battle in mind. "Let's give them a show they won't forget, Ryo-Ohki," Ryoko suggested impishly. "Broadcast this on all open channels." The cabbit meowed cheerfully, and soon the cabbit ship was filled with the CD's recorded sound. "Got to keep them seperated!!" Offspring blared on. Yagami bridge "This has better music than that other game," Mihoshi noted. Kiyone rose her eyebrows. "Oh yeah, two can play at that game," she told nobody in particular. "Yagami, Beethoven's fifth. Broadcast all frequencies." The Yagami added its voice to the friendly musical war, with the three battleships and Ken-Ohki soon following. Across all six ships tensions were released a little as they went into battle. Akuneko High-Carrier, Dreadnought bridge "M-milord," the surveillance officer spoke nervously. "We have detected six ships breaking atmosphere from the sixth planet. They are engaging our under flank now. They are all six broadcasting what sounds like music." "Music," Lady Ran asked, confused. "A morale trick," he waved it aside. "Only six ships? And they're attacking?" Lord Ryoi was amused. A hologram revealed the attacking force. Two of the ships had split far apart and then continued on parallel paths towards them. "Those two forward vessels seem to be those cabbits mentioned in the Ryoko file. We'll be able to destroy Ryoko and her bastard half-breed ourselves. Order the Flame and the Blade to release all their fighter squadrons." The soldier nodded and left to carry out the order. "Forty fighters for six ships," Lady Ran asked. The hologram revealed Lord Ryoi's command being carried out as the cabbits passed moderate carrier fire to reach deep into the Akuneko under flank. As of yet neither had fired, and the remaining vessels were still half a second behind. "I've heard these cabbits are powerful forces." Then the cabbits revealed how powerful they were. Cabbits were rare creatures, and they had a capability that was even more rarely used. The only previously recorded cabbit starburst was Ken-Ohki's in the battle of Jurai. Now two cabbits simultaneously erupted into starbursts, in mere moments the hologram revealed the destruction of almost sixty Akuneko cruisers. The Kuroi nobles and their soldiers gaped in surprise for a moment. "Release ALL fighter squadrons! Destroy them now!!!" Battleship Tamashii, bridge "It is a good thing that they're on our side," Korestu's first officer addressed him. The captain remained impassive. "According to the pirate and the bounty hunter the cabbits will be unable to fire again for some time yet," he noted. "And we are still vastly outnumbered, do not get to confidant in Makibi's plan yet." Washu's station "Okay boys and girls!!" Washu shouted, laughing maniacally. "I'm about to call down our friends!!" The scientist began clicking buttons the moment she noted the fighters disembarking. When she had finished ever tenth fighter on the screen suddenly seemed to go haywire. The scientist hmmphed and examined this. "Not as effective as I had hoped." She shrugged. "Oh well." Akuneko High-Carrier, Dreadnought The soldiers stared in horror as Lord Ryoi and Lady Ran rolled about on the ground, screeching in agony and gripping their heads. It had started only a few moments ago, as a signal was detected emerging from the second moon. The nobles had suddenly just started writhing in pain. "Order a fighter squadron to the second moon, now!!" the surveillance officer ordered his lieutenant. "Somebody jam that signal!!" Yagami, bridge Rikyu was laboring to keep up with Mihoshi's impossibly fast keystrokes. The red-haired Akuneko was beginning to think that Mihoshi was something of an idiot savant. It would certainly explain her competence in this one area despite the odds against it. Behind them both, using a Washu holograph console, Kiyone was keeping track of the battle as it progressed. For some reason all the red and black fighters, like the one Rei had used, seemed to be going haywire. Kiyone quickly concluded that it must have been Washu. Then the detective noted one of her Jurai battleships slowing to a stop. They apparently trying to apply standard Jurai tactics, hold and fire. "Damn. What is that idiot doing?" Kiyone opened one of the hologram communication screens to that battleship's bridge. "Captain Karyo, do not hold your ground!! I repeat do not hold your ground!" The magna missiles exploded, scattering three of the thicker fighter concentrations. Most of the fighters pushed outward by the force hung limply in space as their ships struggled to recover from the EMP. "I appreciate your concern, Captain Makibi," the Jurai woman noted. "But victory is achieved by taking a position and holding it." Mihoshi worked to dodge the attacking fighters, seeming unaware of the impacts on the Yagami's shields. The six-one police cruiser was maneuvering in ways never intended by its designers. It was a toss up as to whether that was Washu and Kiyone's improvements or Mihoshi's piloting. "When you have the greater force," Makibi agreed. "But we don't. Move now, you have enemy squadrons bearing on your position now." "As you command," the Jurai woman answered, she was young, this was probably her first command. Considering the Jurai she might have even received it on the basis of her lineage rather than capability. The battleship began moving again, making sloppy evasive maneuvers. It had been too long since the Jurai had to fight against the odds, some of them appeared to not know how it was done. "Damn, they're going to go down," she noted the scans on the ship as its shields were weakened by a continuous barrage from the swarming fighter craft. She turned to the blonde and sweetly yelled out "Mihoshi, you'll get extra points if you keep the bad guys from blowing up that battleship." "Really? Oh-Kay! Let's stop those guys then!" She declared solidly. Rikyu's eyes widened as he fought the urge to scream. Mihoshi weaved and dodged making a more or less direct route to the embattled battleship. Rikyu watched in horror as the plant-like battleship began splintering and then exploded. They had arrived just short of time. "Oh shoot." Mihoshi commented blithely. "Did anybody escape?" Rikyu asked Kiyone. "I see five escape pods," Kiyone noted. "Try to get close enough for a teleport if you can." "Aye, aye, Captain," Mihoshi shouted happily. The blonde was still unaware of what was really happening. The battle from the outside The Sol system's defenses had gained and made use of the iniative, but now the Akuneko had taken it back. The Yagami managed three passes over the Kagekiha's gravesite before heavy fighter concentrations forced it away. Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki were only just barely firing again, basically at random. Mostly they were still making use of the cabbits' sharp edged craft forms, by mowing through virtually everything in their way. Makibi's forces were on the run and locked in individual battles. All around them the system was swarming with fighters, a few of which, those with the red and black tracings, seemed to be directed at random and not a problem. That still left in excess of eight hundred fighters that the Jurai and allies had to avoid.