Kougo no Tenchi Muyo
                       (An Alternate Tenchi Muyo)

                        Atashi wa babiishitta ka.
                           (I'm a Babysitter?)
                            by  Hakubi Ryouko

        Ryouko stared at princess Aeka, stunned into silence.  When
she'd rescued the princess and her sister, Sasami, from the wreckage of
their devastated ship she'd thought that a new pirate had moved into her
"waters". As the great pirate ship Ryou-ou-ki left the organic Jurai
battleship behind, Ryouko had asked Aeka who had attacked her.  The last
thing -- the very last thing -- she expected to hear was her own name.

        "Ryo-- Ryouko?" she sputtered.  Aeka nodded.

        "Yes.  Ryouko."  the princess' hands clenched angrily at her side.
"I'd heard that the pirate patrolled this sector, but I wasn't too
worried."

        Ryouko raised an eyebrow.

        "Pretty sure of yourself, were you?" she asked with a wry smile.
Aeka shook her head.

        "No.  I'd heard that the pirate never permanently disabled
a ship; that she'd even gone so far as to protect a ship she'd massively
damaged as it limped to a safe sector."

        Ryouko kept her face neutral.

        "But it seems those were only stories.  The 'great' pirate Ryouko
is nothing but a normal, common criminal." Aeka growled out.

        Ryouko growled herself, and lunged to her feet.  Her first thought
was to beat this upstart prissy princess within an inch of her life.  How
dare she!  She didn't know a thing about me.  Then she started as a
realization hit.  This princess _didn't_ know who she was.  Aeka thought
that Ryouko's name was Zero.

        "I know, Miss Zero.  It's shameful." Aeka said, thinking she
understood the emotions raging within the pirate.

        Ryouko turned back to the viewscreen.  There were several emotions
storming within her, but none of them came even close to shame.  She stared
out into the vastness of space, trying to regain some semblance of control.
Finally, she sighed and communicated with Ryou-ou-ki.

        ~ How far are we from Jurai space? ~

        ~ Approximately seven standard days. ~

        Ryouko nodded.

        "Ryou-ou-ki, take us to Jurai space." she said, then turned to
Aeka.  "Once there we'll meet up with a patrol or something and I'll -- "

        "No!" Aeka shouted, interrupting Ryouko.  The pirate blinked, then
narrowed her eyes dangerously.  Aeka looked away and softened her tone.
"Please."

        "Why?" Ryouko growled out.  She really wanted to be done with this
princess so she could go looking for this phony "Ryouko."

        "I -- I was searching for my brother when we were attacked." she
said.  Ryouko cocked her head as Aeka began her story.

        "Ryouko attacked the planet Jurai, right when I was coming of age
to marry.  My brother, Yousho, fought her and successfully drove her off.
Then he chased after her, hoping, I suppose, to end her existence forever."

        Aeka sobbed.

        "But he never returned!  It's been far too long.  We should have
heard something from him, or his ship!  Something!  And my father wouldn't
let me look for him!"

        "So you stole that ship and decided to look on your own, is that
it?" Ryouko queried with a smile.  She was beginning to like this princess.
Aeka blushed and bowed her head.

        "I know it was wrong, but I just had to."  She looked deep into
Ryouko's eyes, causing the pirate to jump.  Ryouko saw conviction and
something else smothering behind her eyes -- love.  She screwed her face
into a scowl.

        "I can't believe you'd do all of that for some guy." she said,
nearly disgusted.  She turned away from the princess.

        "You don't understand, do you?" Aeka asked.  Ryouko growled to
herself.

        "So what do you want from me?" she asked.  There was a long
pause.

        "Help me find my brother." Aeka pleaded softly.  "Please."

        Ryouko locked eyes with the Jurai princess.  She measured what she
saw in Aeka's eyes.  She looked down into the girl's soul; into her
convictions; her love.  She could see it burning there, brightly.  The
pirate looked, and almost felt she was looking into a mirror.  Though their
passions were different, the intensity was the same.  Ryouko turned away
from Aeka.

        "Go check on your sister, princess."  she said.  "And be sure to
strap in.  We're going to find a pirate, and then make her tell us where
your brother is."

        Aeka smiled, then nodded.

        "Yes, Miss Zero." Aeka beamed, then turned and headed for a
shimmering portal.

        "Zero."

        Aeka turned back.

        "Ne?"

        Ryouko looked over her shoulder.

        "Drop the 'Miss'."

        The two women shared a smile, then Aeka nodded and stepped through
the portal.  Ryouko watched as the portal shrank into nothingness, then
hung her head.  When, exactly, did I start picking up strays, she thought.

        ~ I like her. ~

        Ryouko rolled her eyes.

        "Set course for Obsidian Four." Ryouko remarked.  The ship went
quiet momentarily.

        ~ Done.  Are you really going to that rat's nest? ~

        Ryouko nodded.

        "Best place to find any information on 'Ryouko'."