TENCHI MUYO! : "Mother's Day"
by Ryan Mathews

CHAPTER FIVE

        Once, the world of Jurai was nearly destroyed.
        Centuries passed, and Jurai rebuilt itself to surpass its former
glory.  But the citizens of that world never forgot.  They never forgot the
day the space pirate Ryoko arrived and taught them the meaning of terror.
They never forgot how it was to watch their cities burn, to hear the screams
of the innocent as they were slaughtered by the thousands.
        The long-lived nobility remembered, because they had been there.
The Juraian people remembered in their own way as well, passing along the
story from generation to generation.  Ryoko became a legend.
        And now, seven hundred years later, that legend was speaking to
them.
        Simultaneously, all over Jurai, videosets suddenly began displaying
the face of Jurai's fear.  It was Ryoko.  And she had a message.

        "People of Jurai.  I am Ryoko.  Seven hundred years ago, I laid
waste to your world.  I burned your cities.  I decimated your military.
Over a quarter of a million Juraians died as a result of my attack, and
shortly thereafter, I took the life of your crown prince.  I did this
because I was under the control of an evil man.
        "I had no control over my actions, yet I paid the price.  I spent
seven centuries sealed in a cave on the far off planet Earth, cold, alone,
wasting away from isolation.
        "If, upon my awakening, Jurai had chosen to take vengeance upon me
by imprisonment or execution, I would have understood.  But the vengeance
that has been handed me is far more cruel, and it is something I will never
forgive.
        "When I was released from my prison, I met a young man.  His name is
Tenchi.  Tenchi, your Crown Prince.  I fell in love.  For the first time in
my entire life, I was no longer lonely.  I was happy.  But your royal family
has conspired to take that love away from me.  Behind my back, they stole
Tenchi from me.  They poisoned his mind, and destroyed my only chance at
knowing love.
        "Thanks to their actions, I have been condemned to a life of
loneliness and exile.  Jurai has hurt me more than I have ever been hurt
before, in two thousand years of life.  So I'm going to hurt it back.
        "In precisely twelve hours, I am sending your world TO HELL!!"

        "Under arrest?!" shouted Washu.  "What for?"
        "I think you know," replied D'Guerran.
        Washu laughed nervously.  "Yeah, I guess I do, at that.  Mind
telling me how you figured it out?"
        "I had my men search the servant's quarters near where Ryoko
appeared.  We found traces of Ryoko's energy, a red hair, and this."  He
held up the healing device that Washu had affixed to Ryoko's forehead.
        "I knew I shouldn't have let that behind without an auto-destruct,"
said Washu, sighing.  She held out her wrists as if to be handcuffed.  "You
caught me, copper!  Take me downtown and book me!"
        "D'Guerran, I must protest!" said Funaho.  Behind her sat Tenchi,
Sasami, Aeka, and Misaki.  She had called an "emergency tea session" to
discuss this latest development when D'Guerran and his men had interrupted.
        "Your Highness, I beg you.  Please stay out of this."
        "I can't!"  Funaho took a deep breath as she made a decision.
"Because I helped her!"
        "Sister..." said Misaki, quietly.
        D'Guerran didn't reply, but covered his face with his hand, as if
from exhaustion.
        Funaho continued, "Washu's daughter was in pain.  I couldn't just
leave her, but I couldn't very well turn her over to your forces."
        "Your Highness," said D'Guerran in quiet exasperation, "Ryoko is an
enemy of the people."
        "Oh, bullshit!" replied Funaho, causing Misaki to spew a mouthful of
tea all over the table.  "That happened seven hundred years ago and it
wasn't even her fault!  Since then, she's been an excuse for our military
forces to keep their budgets high."
        "I will not argue with you, Your Highness.  But consider this.  The
people are panicking.  The roads and skyways are clogged with citizens
trying desperately to escape the major cities.  One city has even reported
looting.  All because of Ryoko."
        Funaho held out her wrists, mimicking Washu.  "Then I suppose you
had better take me into custody."
        D'Guerran stared at her, then nodded to his men.  "Take them both to
a holding cell.  And remember, that's the Queen you're touching.  If I find
out she's been mistreated in any way, I'll have your head."
        "I want the same cell as Washu," said Funaho.
        "Very well."
        Tenchi stood up.  "Wait!  What's going to happen to them?"
        "We'll merely be holding them until a court can be convened,"
D'Guerran replied.
        "And if they're found guilty?"
        "I'm afraid the maximum penalty is death.  I pray it does not come
to that."
        Funaho smiled at her great-grandson.  "Don't worry about me, Tenchi.
Concentrate on Ryoko.  You may be the only one who can stop her."
        D'Guerran led them both away.  Tenchi sank back down into his seat.
        "Ryoko isn't really going to attack us, is she, Tenchi?" asked
Sasami.
        "I don't know," said Tenchi.  "But it doesn't seem like the kind of
thing she'd do."
        "I agree," said Aeka.  "Ryoko has many undesirable traits, but I've
never known her to be cruel or vicious, at least not to the innocent.  I
would understand if she had said she was going to attack me, but to attack
the civilian populace?  It isn't like her."
        "If there was only some way to get a message to her, to talk to
Ryoko before the attack."
        "Unfortunately," said Misaki, "the only person who might know how to
do that is being led to one of D'Guerran's cells."

        "I've made your damned broadcast," said Ryoko.  "Now what?"
        "Now," Lhim-Zen replied, "you keep your word."  As was his habit, he
didn't face Ryoko while he talked to her, instead concentrating on the
output displayed upon one of the many consoles he had installed aboard
Ryo-oh-ki.
        "I won't kill anyone for you."
        "You won't have to.  Just keep the Juraian military occupied while I
take what I need from the tree nursery."
        "That might be difficult.  If you'll recall, I had trouble fighting
one palace guard.  They have this weapon that--"
        "At full power, you'll be more than a match for them."
        Ryoko blinked.  "Full power?  You mean..."
        "Hold out your wrist." Ryoko did as ordered.  Zen hit a switch.  One
of the gems began to glow, then shot from the console and imbedded itself in
Ryoko's arm.
        "You're giving me back the gems?"
        "I have no use for them.  My analysis is complete."  Lhim-Zen
briefly turned to face her.  "Don't get any ideas.  Kagato was able to
control you when you were at full-strength, and so will I."  He hit another
switch.  The other gem shot out and stuck in Ryoko's forehead.
        "OW!" she exclaimed, grabbing her head.  "You idiot!  This one's
supposed to go in my chest!"
        "My research indicates you will gain increased power and control by
positioning the gem in this manner."
        "But it hurts!"
        Lhim-Zen displayed his usual level of concern, which was none.  He
ignored her and continued to work with his equipment, most likely resetting
the analyzers for the Juraian tree seed, Ryoko guessed.
        She walked over to a more private area of the bridge and sat down.
Ryo-oh-ki the cabbit hopped over, meowed, and hopped in her lap.  Ryoko
pet the small creature's fur, grateful for the company.  "Don't you worry,
Ryo-oh-ki.  I'll find us a way out of this.  I promise."
        Her mind drifted off to her encounter with Tenchi and Aeka in the
orchard.  Tenchi probably thought she'd run away, Ryoko thought.  He didn't
know she'd been recalled to the ship against her will.
        She sighed.  She wished so much that she'd been able to finish the
conversation with Tenchi.  Already her mind was racked with doubts.  Perhaps
things weren't as they appeared.  Maybe if Tenchi had had a chance to
explain...
        Somehow, Ryoko decided, she had to get a message to him.  She'd
already made her first try.

        The door to Funaho's cell opened and Washu came inside to join her.
Rather than her usual Science Academy uniform, she wore only a drab, loose-
fitting shirt and pants, and bare feet.  She winked at the guard as he
locked the cell door.  "That was fun.  Let's do it again real soon, huh?"
The guard blushed and walked off.
        "What was that all about?" asked Funaho.  "And what happened to your
clothes?"
        "Oh, the paranoid folks in security thought that I might be hiding
some technology in my clothing, so they stripped me naked.  The sukebe
guards enjoyed it, too.  I may be twenty millennia old, but I have a body
that won't quit!"
        "Uh, if you say so..."
        "The joke's on them anyway," continued Washu.  She waved her hands
and manifested her "keyboard".  "I incorporated my favorite devices into my
body a long time ago.  By the way, nice cell you have here."  The cell was
indeed top-notch, with a carpeted floor, antique wooden upholstered
furniture, and artwork on the walls.
        "Thank you," said Funaho.  "It was built over eleven thousand years
ago by Emperor Furoumo V for his son.  The young man had a habit of drinking
too much and getting in trouble with the law."
        "Really?  I'll bet he made an interesting emperor."
        "Thankfully, he never had the chance.  He got himself killed in a
bar fight.  The Emperor chose to spare the killer's life and imprison him in
this same cell.  I think he was grateful."
        The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, while Washu tapped
away on her terminal.  Finally, Funaho spoke up again.  "So, Professor.
You're her mother.  Do you think Ryoko will attack?"
        "I have no idea.  Maybe.  If she does, though, I don't think it will
be her idea."
        "What makes you think that?"
        "Oh, a few things.  That 'he'll know' comment she made right before
she passed out.  And of course the lie about having killed Yosho.  There's
no reason to tell such a silly lie unless she's trying to get the attention
of those few people who know he's still alive."
        Funaho nodded.  "I noticed that myself."
        "But most importantly," Washu continued, "when we left Ryoko, she
was almost completely drained of power.  But Tenchi said she shot into the
air so fast, she made a sonic boom.  There's only way that could have
happened.  Someone gave her an emergency recharge.  But I'm the only one I
know with the equipment to do that, and I left it back in my lab."  She made
the keyboard vanish and stood up.  "Speaking of which..."  She opened a
"hole" in the air and began to reach into it.  "Hey, what kind of sensors do
they have in this cell?"
        "None.  Why?"
        "That's what I figured.  Just making sure."  Washu pulled a large
door out of the hole and set it up next to the wall.  The door opened.
"After you."
        Funaho stepped through, a bit apprehensively.  On the other side was
a dark, cavernous hall filled with incomprehensible scientific equipment.
"Is this...?"
        "Yup!  Welcome to my lab."
        "I thought your lab was on Earth."
        "It's in its own dimension.  It's connected to the Masaki house
through one of those doors," said Washu, pointing.
        Funaho was stunned.  "You're telling me that, at anytime, you can
just *walk* between Jurai and Earth?"
        "Well, yes and no."
        "What do you mean, 'yes and no'?"
        Washu grinned.  "I mean yes, I can do it, provided I set up a portal
on the other side, and no, you don't need to tell anyone about it,
especially not your paranoid security forces.  I brought us here so I can
use some much more powerful scanners."  She hit a switch, and a three-
dimensional map of Jurai appeared in the air.  The controls were fiddled
with a bit more, and a red dot appeared in orbit about the planet.  "There
you are!" shouted Washu in triumph.
        "What's that?" Funaho asked.
        "It's the ship Ryoko is on.  It's using the interference generated
by the interaction of the planetary force field and Jurai's natural magnetic
field to hide from sensors.  Odd," said Washu, consulting some displays,
"the ship is the right size, mass, and composition to be Ryo-oh-ki, but it's
giving off a completely different power signature.  It's like..." Her voice
trailed off.
        "Like what?"
        "Like the Souja."  That explained a lot.  Anyone who could imitate
the Souja's power could make Ryoko do whatever he liked.  And it enhanced
Washu's nagging worries about who Ryoko's captor might be.
        Funaho looked at the display.  "That ship is much too small to be
the Souja."
        "Yes, you're right."  She headed for another door.
        "Where are you going?"
        "'Upstairs'.  I'll be right back."  She hoped she was wrong about
Ryoko's captor, but if she wasn't, she'd need an ace in the hole.  An
"X"-factor, something unpredictable that logic and planning couldn't account
for.
        And the most unpredictable being she'd ever met was waiting
upstairs.

        Mihoshi giggled as she enjoyed the latest volume of Yuu Watase's
shojo manga, munching on crackers at the same time.  Behind her, Washu
cleared her throat.
        "Oh, hi, Washu!" chirped Mihoshi  "I didn't know you were back!"
        Washu thought fast.  There was no reason for Mihoshi not to know
about the portal, except that she might let it slip to the wrong people and
get Washu in even more trouble than she was already.  "Ummm, I'm *not* back.
This is... This is a hologram!  I'm actually communicating with you from
Jurai!"
        "I see!  Why are you in your pajamas?" asked Mihoshi, referring to
Washu's prison garb.
        "Uh, it's nighttime on Jurai.  Time difference and all that."
        Mihoshi nodded.  "Wowwwww.  It's so realistic.  I can even touch
it!"  She grabbed some of Washu's hair and tugged.
        "Ow.  Ouch!"
        "The texture is so real!  This is your best invention yet, Washu!"
She squeezed one of Washu's breasts.  Washu pinched her hand.  "Owwie!  It's
even hurts for real when you do that!"
        "Listen, Mihoshi!  There's some trouble on Jurai.  I need you to
head there as soon as possible in Yukinoujo.  Think you can manage that?"
        Mihoshi leapt to her feet.  "Don't worry, Washu!  You can count on
me!"
        "Hold out your hand."  Washu scribbled on Mihoshi's palm.  "This is
the coordinate for the Earth-Jurai warp point and the frequency to activate
it.  I'll see you tomorrow.  Washu, signing off!"  <Now to "shut down" the
"hologram",> thought Washu.  She pointed ahead.  "Look, Mihoshi!  Hanson!"
        "Where?"  As soon as Mihoshi turned her back, Washu sped out of the
room.
        "I don't see--"  She turned around to see Washu gone.  "Wow!  What
an amazing invention!"

        In the early evening, precisely twelve hours after Ryoko issued her
ultimatum, Ryo-oh-ki appeared out of nowhere into Juraian orbit and fired at
the planet's force-field point blank.  The beam was several times more
powerful than the force-field was designed to deflect.  A large hole was
ripped open, and Ryo-oh-ki came through.
        The black, crystalline ship headed directly toward Jurai's capital
city.  The planet's defenses were already concentrated in the major cities,
and met the ship with a volley of missile fire, a volley which exploded
harmlessly against Ryo-oh-ki's Souja-enhanced shield.
        Ryo-oh-ki came to a stop about one kilometer above the city.  A star
shot from the ship.  The star was Ryoko.  It had been over seven hundred
years since she had last felt this powerful, and it felt good.
        Ground based artillery opened fire, but it didn't have a prayer of
reaching its target.  Ryoko swooped and swerved, avoiding the barrage with
ease, while moving ever closer to the surface.  Missiles were fired next.
Ryoko took out several with energy blasts, loving the rush of sheer power as
it shot from her hands.  She let another missile detonate against her
shield, just to see if she could take it.  The blast knocked her back a few
feet, but left her unhurt.
        Ryoko glanced back at Ryo-oh-ki.  She wondered what was taking Lhim-
Zen so long.  He'd wanted a distraction; she was giving him one.  When would
he make his move?
        Out of the corner of her eye, Ryoko saw a flash of movement, shapes
that rapidly grew bigger.  They were Juraian air fighter craft.  Ryoko
swallowed.  Fighting aircraft meant endangering the pilots.  She had hoped
to complete this "assignment" without seriously hurting any Juraians, but
that was beginning to look like an unrealistic goal.
        The lead craft fired a missile.  Ryoko detonated it with a one-hand
blast, then flew straight into the formation.  She figured they'd be less
likely to fire on her if they were in danger of hitting each other.  What
Ryoko hadn't counted on was how insanely afraid of her some Juraians were.
One plane sprayed fire in her direction, missing her and riddling the side
of another craft.  The second craft spit out flames and smoke and began
losing altitude.  The pilot ejected moments later.
        Ryoko looked at the pilot, descending via parachute, and briefly
considered taking him hostage.  She shook her head.  More likely than not,
they'd just shoot the guy to get to her.  "Alright," she said.  "Let's see
if you bastards will follow me into the city."  She shot downward, and began
evading a second round of anti-aircraft fire.  The planes held back so as
not to be shot down by friendly fire.
        Just as Ryoko thought she'd gained the upper hand, an energy beam
shot from the surface, striking her shield.  A familiar chilling sensation
ripped through her body, and she started to fall.  Calling on the power of
all three gems, she shook it off and started back up.  As she approached the
fighter craft, it occurred to her that there was an easy way to call upon
some help.
        She picked one fighter out of the group and charged, dodging fire
sent her way.  As she passed over the fighter, she slapped both hands on it
and performed a quick summoning.  A flying creature phased out of the
fighter, a monster resembling a transparent, red-eyed dinosaur.
        The fighters rushed off to regroup.  With gems on both wrists, Ryoko
could control the beast.  "I want you to go play with our friends.  But
don't hurt them, okay?"  The beast did as it was told, flapping its wings to
make turbulent winds and shooting random energy blasts from its mouth.  As
Ryoko had hoped, the fighters turned their attention to the creature and
left her alone.
        Ryoko looked back toward Ryo-oh-ki, and was surprised to find that
Lhim-Zen had begun the second phase, and she had missed it.  The ship's
orientation was changed.  The main gun was now pointing toward the Imperial
Nursery and was firing an invisible energy beam at the protective force-
field.
        A moment later she found herself teleporting against her will.

        The moment Ryoko had begun her attack, the royal family, Misaki,
Aeka, Sasami, and Tenchi as well, had been taken by the Palace Guard to the
safest place possible: a reinforced shelter deep within the palace.  Like
all rooms in the palace, its lavishness disguised its functionality.
Beautiful artwork graced the walls and the furniture was antique.  Misaki and
her two daughters sipped Juraian tea, poured from an antique Juraian tea
service.  Tenchi, however, could not sit down, and paced nervously.
        Misaki smiled at him.  "Tenchi dear, please sit down.  You'll make
yourself sick.  Sit down and have some tea."
        "How can you drink tea at a time like this?!"
        The Queen blinked.  "Well, it's not like there's anything else to
do."  She smiled again.  "Besides, this is the first quiet time I've had
with both of my daughters in seven hundred years!"
        A muffled boom was heard, and the room shook, spilling tea onto the
antique table.  "What was that?!" said Tenchi.
        "Oh, dear," said Misaki.
        Tears welled up in Sasami's eyes.  The little girl was attempting to
put up a brave front for Tenchi and her mother, but it was obvious she was
scared.  Misaki held out her arms, and Sasami ran to her lap.
        Aeka fretted.  Tenchi was worried about Ryoko, not just them.  The
evidence of Tenchi's feelings for Ryoko upset her.  What also upset her was
that, deep down, she knew she was worried for Ryoko as well.
        "That's it!" said Tenchi.  "I can't take this anymore.  I have to
know what's going on!"  He marched to the door and opened it.
        A security guard stopped him at the door.  "Forgive me, Your
Highness, but I have orders from D'Guerran to keep you here."
        Tenchi looked him straight in the eye.  "As Crown Prince, I feel I
have the right to be informed of the situation."
        "Very well," said the guard.  He removed a small device from his
belt and spoke into it.  "This is Lieutenant Tahou.  Prince Tenchi would
like an update."  He paused.  "Yes, sir."  He handed the device to Tenchi.
        Tenchi took the device and was surprised to see a viewscreen pop
into view before his eyes.  It was D'Guerran.  "Prince Tenchi.  How are the
Queen and Princesses?"
        "They're fine.  I just need to know--"
        "I understand.  Here's the situation: Ryoko engaged the Juraian
military in aerial combat.  She materialized some sort of monster and
vanished.  Our aircraft have engaged the creature with limited success.  It
seem to have become more violent since Ryoko's departure.  In the meantime,
there's been an explosion at the tree nursery. Our troops can't get into the
building; Ryo-oh-ki is projecting some sort of energy field around it.  All
attacks directed at Ryo-oh-ki have been ineffective.  We have underground
tunnels leading to the nursery, but it will take at least twenty minutes to
get there.  And that's where we stand, Your Highness."
        Tenchi thanked him, disturbed by the news.  D'Guerran continued, "I
hope you understand the faith I've shown in you by sharing this with you.  I
want you to share none of this with the women.  They don't need to worry
about this."
        Tenchi gave the communicator back to the guard and walked back into
the room.  He thought about D'Guerran's request.  Should he lie to people he
loved?
        Sasami made up his mind for him.  "They're not gonna hurt Ryoko, are
they?" she asked, eyes full of tears.
        "Oh, no," replied Tenchi, forcing a laugh.  "She's not really doing
any damage!  She's just flying around, annoying people.  Any moment now,
she'll get bored and fly off."
        Sasami seemed satisfied.  She wiped her eyes, and in that moment,
Tenchi made eye contact with Misaki.  He shook his head.
        Misaki understood.  She stood up and embraced him.  "Oh, thank you
so much for reassuring us!"  Then in a whisper, she added, "What's the
truth?"
        "Not good," Tenchi replied, just as softly.  "I need to see Washu,
now."
        Misaki nodded.  "Aeka, dear, would you look after Sasami?  Tenchi
and I are going to go for a walk!"
        "Wh-where are you going?" stuttered Aeka.
        "Oh, nowhere in particular.  Be right back!"  Misaki dragged Tenchi
out into the hall.
        The guard stopped them.  "Your Highness, I must insist that you stay
inside!"
        Misaki folded her arms and sniffed.  "Do you mean to keep a Queen of
Jurai prisoner?"
        The guard waved his hands frantically.  "N-no!  Not at all!  I just
have my orders, is all!"  He took a deep breath.  "Look, D'Guerran will kill
me if I let you go.  Have mercy, Your Highness."
        The Queen smiled and moved up close to the guard, causing a bead of
sweat to form on his brow.  "Such a loyal officer.  You make me proud."  She
moved even closer.  "You know, if you were to let me make a quick trip, and
not tell D'Guerran, I could give you something that you really, really
want..."
        The guard swallowed hard.  "What would that be?"
        Grinning, Misaki produced a chocolate bar.

        A few minutes later, the door to Washu and Funaho's cell opened.
        "Misaki!" shouted Funaho as she ran to embrace her "sister".
        "How have they been treating you?" asked Misaki.
        "Like a Queen, how else?  Tenchi, it's nice to see you, too!"
        "Actually," said Tenchi, "I'm here to see Washu."
        Washu looked up from her keyboard.  "Yeah, we've kinda been
expecting you."
        "Then you know what's going on?" Tenchi asked.  When Washu nodded,
he added, "You're the only I know who can destroy Ryoko's monsters!  You
have to come with me!"
        Washu laughed, cynically.  "Somehow, I doubt the boys outside will
allow that."
        "Then give me a weapon, something I can use against the creature!"
        The scientist thought it over.  "Should be simple enough."  She
tapped a few keys, and a portal opened in midair.  Another tap, and the nose
of an enormous cannon poked through the portal.
        "Oops," said Washu.  "I seem to have a little problem with the
size."  She typed a little more.  "Well, drat.  It seems this is as small as
I can make it with a conventional power source.  And I don't have time to
invent a non-conventional one."
        "But I've seen you wipe a monster out with one finger!" protested
Tenchi.
        "Oh, yeah!  My finger!  That version is powered by my own bioenergy.
To install one in you would take eight hours of surgery.  Not that it
wouldn't be fun."  Washu stared at her hand.  She typed on the keyboard and
materialized a small circular object, much like a bracelet.  One side was
red in color.  "Take this with you.  When you get in sight of the monster,
aim the red side at it."
        "What does it do?"
        "I can't explain that right now.  Just go!"

        Misaki and Tenchi walked back toward the safe room.  "I've got a
weapon," Tenchi said.  "Now all I need is a way to reach the battle."
        "You can take my personal aircar.  I'll give you the combination."
        Ahead of them were Aeka and Sasami.
        "Aeka!" said Misaki, strictly.  "You were supposed to look after
your sister!"
        "It's my fault!" said Sasami.  "Tenchi's about to do something
dangerous!  I can tell!"
        Caught, Tenchi filled the two girls in on the plan.
        "Mother," Aeka asked, "your personal aircar has no defensive
systems, does it?"
        Misaki thought, a finger to her cheek.  "Now that you mention it, I
don't believe it does, at that."
        "Don't worry about me," said Tenchi.  "I can always, uh, do that
Lighthawk thing again!"
        Aeka was doubtful.  "While piloting an aircar?  And firing Washu's
insane weapon?  I think not."  She stood next to Tenchi.  "Mother, I am
going with him.  I will protect Tenchi."
        "I'm going too!" said Sasami.
        "Sasami--" Tenchi began.
        "I have power too, you know!"
        Tenchi knelt down to the little girl's level.  "I know you do.
That's why you need to stay here.  To protect your mother."  He gave Sasami
a hug.
        Misaki spoke to her daughter.  "I just want you to know that
whatever happens, I'm proud of you."  She leaned close and whispered, "And
that right after defeating the monster would be a wonderful time to steal a
kiss!"

        Ryoko materialized and nearly collapsed from the strain of
teleporting such a distance.  She was in the nursery just outside the main
door.  All around were corpses.  Lhim-Zen had apparently had little trouble
dealing with the guards.
        "Blast through the door," said Zen.
        "Why did you kill them all?"
        "I've tried everything on this door.  It's apparently reinforced in
some annoyingly mystical Juraian way.  The power of your gems should be
sufficient to break through, however.  Blast it."
        Ryoko raised a palm and unleashed her power.  The door was
obliterated.
        Zen walked through.  "If you must know, I'm planning to blame this
whole affair on you.  Thus the murders.  Something the great and terrible
Ryoko would do."
        "You're a sick bastard."
        "Indeed.  And I can get away with being a... "sick bastard", as you
so eloquently put it, because no-one knows I exist.  That was Kagato's
problem.  He was too flashy.  This way."
        Lhim-Zen led Ryoko this way and that through the multi-leveled
nursery, past Juraian trees in various stages of growth.  Finally he arrived
at a tree that was giving seed.  He plucked a pod, examined it, discarded
it.  He did this several times.  Finally, he waved a hand, materialized a
containment unit, and placed a seed inside.
        The two of them headed back the way they came.  At the entrance,
they were confronted by a guard.  He was young, little more than a cadet.
Yet he held his gun confidently and shouted "STOP!"
        Lhim-Zen sighed.  "Kill him, Ryoko."
        "No."
        "I'd do it myself, but I'm holding something fragile, and living
things don't survive the dimensional pocketing process."
        The guard pulled a communicator from his pocket.  "This is Guard
Mahret calling base!  I'm in the nursery!"
        A look of alarm flashed across Zen's face.  "Kill him now!!"
        "NO!" shouted Ryoko.
        "I'm holding two individuals at gunpoint!" continued the guard.
        "Damn you..." muttered Lhim-Zen.  The controller was instantly in
his hand.  His thumb flicked across it.
        Against her will, Ryoko manifested her blade.  She began walking
toward the guard.
        "Stop or I'll shoot!"
        "Shoot me!" said Ryoko.
        "What?"
        "Shoot me or you're dead!"  Ryoko was only a few steps from the
guard.
        The guard fired.  The beam struck Ryoko, numbing her body.  She
shook it off and took another step.  "Shoot again!"
        He shot her once more.  Again, the numbing cold filled her body, but
her body was learning how to take it.  One more step, and she was on top of
the guard.
        Her arm went up.
        The guard's face went pale.
        Ryoko screamed.
        Her arm came down.

        Once in the aircar, it took Tenchi less than twenty minutes to reach
the battle.  The car was a convertible model and Tenchi found it
surprisingly easy to pilot.  He had been afraid that the Palace Guard would
try to force them down, but they were apparently otherwise occupied.
        The situation was worse than he had expected.  As if bored by the
fighter craft that had been pursuing it, the creature had turned its
attention to the city below.  The creature was shooting energy blasts at
random into the downtown area, raining debris upon the people below.  The
fighters were attempting to force it away from the city, or back into the
sky, but the creature quickly dismissed such efforts, blowing the craft away
with flaps of its enormous wings.  Anti-aircraft fire from the ground was
not affecting the thing in the least.
        "We're going to have to get close to it."
        "I don't think that will be a problem," said Aeka, nervously.
        Tenchi saw what she meant.  Interested in them for some reason, the
monster was heading right for them.  "Are you ready?" he asked.
        Aeka nodded.
        "Then let's do it!"  Tenchi hit the throttle and accelerated toward
the creature.
        Aeka concentrated.  An array of small wooden cylinders appeared,
surrounding the car.  A moment later, a blast from the creature ricocheted
off the force-field.  Aeka winced, but the field held.
        The creature blew by them with incredible speed.  The turbulence in
its wake buffeted the aircar, and it was all Tenchi could do to keep the car
upright.  He turned the car and headed back toward the monster, seeing that
the Juraian fighter craft were on their way as well.
        The monster saw them coming and sent another blast their way.
Tenchi tried to dodge, but his inexperience was apparent.  The energy wave
struck the force-field, and this time Aeka let out a quiet grunt of pain. It
occurred to Tenchi that she most likely had never thrown her field around an
object as big as a car before.  The strain was evident, as the sweat began
to trickle down her cheeks.
        "We should turn back," said Tenchi.
        "No!" said Aeka.  "I'm fine.  Do it, Tenchi!  Get closer!"
        Tenchi gritted his teeth and hit the throttle.  The creature fired
at them once more.  The blast struck the force-field.  Aeka yelled in pain
and fainted.  The cylinders vanished.  The creature flew toward them,
intending to finish them off.
        Tenchi took hold of Washu's bracelet and held it toward the monster
as instructed.  "Okay, do it!  Whatever it is you do, DO IT!"
        Washu's hand popped out of the bracelet, pointed a finger at the
creature, and destroyed it.
        Stunned, Tenchi looked into the bracelet, and into the face of a
grinning Washu.  "Way to go, Tenchi!  I knew you could do it!"
        "So this thing is a portal?"  Tenchi looked it over.  "Why couldn't
you tell me that?"
        "You mean you still haven't figured it out?  Great!"  Washu's face
disappeared.  Tenchi shrugged and put the bracelet in his pocket.  He heard
Aeka groan.  "Aeka!"  Tenchi put the car on auto-pilot and rushed to her.
"Are you all right?"
        "I'll be fine.  I just need some rest."  Tenchi was above her, a few
inches from her face.  Her mother had been right.  Now would be a perfect
time.  Just lean forward and kiss him.
        But she couldn't.  She didn't know exactly why.  It just didn't seem
right.  Her head hurt.  She didn't want to think about it.  She decided to
change the subject.
        "So Washu's weapon worked?  What was it?"
        "Just a portal leading back to the cell.  Washu stuck her hand
through it and erased the creature.  I still can't figure out why Washu
wouldn't tell me that--ERK!"  Tenchi felt a hand grab his crotch.

        Ryoko sat on the floor of Ryo-oh-ki in a state of shock.
        In her life, she had killed so many people, she had lost count.
Soldiers, mercenaries, bounty hunters, even cops.  But up to this point, all
her victims had had one thing in common: all of them had been threatening
her life.  True, innocents had died as a result of Kagato making her attack
Jurai.  The memory of that made her uneasy, but at least she could tell her
self that hadn't personally hunted the people down and killed them.  Up
until now, she had never killed anyone in cold blood.
        Ryoko kept telling herself it wasn't her fault, that she had been
under Lhim-Zen's control at the time.  It didn't matter.  Each time she
closed her eyes, she saw the face of the young guard, barely old enough to
shave.  She saw his expression of terror, saw the blood drain from his face,
saw the blood spill everywhere as her blade tore him apart.
        And somewhere, deep inside her, something was enjoying it.  She
didn't want think about that.  She did *not* want to think about that.
        Behind her, Lhim-Zen continued with his work, ignoring her.  She
understood now that there was no hope of Zen simply leaving once the
experiment was over.  He would keep Ryoko around as long as she was useful.
When that time was over, he would destroy her.  The controller was capable
of that, as Kagato had informed her, many times.  She wished he'd get it
over with.
        "Miyaa?"  Ryoko looked up to see Ryo-oh-ki's animal form.
        "Hi, Ryo-oh-ki," she said softly.  "I've really made a mess of
things, haven't I?"  The cabbit jumped into her lap.  She picked it up and
buried her face in Ryo-oh-ki's soft fur.  She couldn't help but be reminded
of all the nights she'd cried herself to sleep after Kagato had beat her,
Ryo-oh-ki her only companion.  Lhim-Zen would almost certainly destroy
Ryo-oh-ki soon after destroying her.  It wasn't fair.  The cabbit's fur
became wet with Ryoko's tears.  "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry."
        Lhim-Zen screamed in rage.  He threw the containment unit holding
the seed against the wall, where it shattered into innumerable pieces.
"Useless!  Absolutely useless!  The damned seed is flawed!  Sixty percent
flawed!  It's no better than those fake gems you create yourself, Ryoko!"
        He began to pace.  "So, I don't need *a* seed.  I need a *specific*
seed!  A perfect seed.  It must be one of a kind."
        <He's talking about Tsunami,> thought Ryoko.
        Lhim-Zen's head snapped around.  He stared straight at her.  "What
was that?"
        Ryoko shook her head and backed against the wall, terrified.  He
couldn't have...
        "Funny thing about this controller," said Zen, materializing it in
his hand, "it seems more I use it, the more I find my self in telepathic
contact with you.  At first, I thought it merely an annoyance, but I'm
beginning to see just how useful it really is."  He moved closer.  "What
is... 'Tsunami'?"
        Ryoko cleared her mind.  <I mustn't think about it.  If he find out,
he'll go after her...>
        "Go after who?"  Lhim-Zen touched the controller, and Ryoko screamed
in pain.  "Don't try to keep anything from me, Ryoko.  Where is the seed I
need?"
        Ryoko screamed again, trying to let the pain distract her.  She had
to keep her mind clear.  Couldn't let it out.
        Lhim-Zen turned the power up.  One of Ryoko's legs caught on fire.
"I can burn you alive, reintegrate you, then burn you again!  Tell me what I
want to know!"
        Ryoko tried to think of anything else, anything.  But it was too
much.  An image flashed briefly in her mind.
        An image of Sasami.
        The pain vanished.  "So," said Lhim-Zen.  "The younger princess.
That makes perfect sense."  He considered for a moment.  "I shall have to
acquire her, somehow."
        The anger welled in Ryoko.  She pulled herself to her feet.
Lhim-Zen had just made a fatal mistake.
        He'd given her a reason to live.

END CHAPTER FIVE