No Need for Alternate Earths. Chapter One: Idle Hands. Tenchi walked into Washu's lab, passing computers monitors, flickering oversized light bulbs and the time ship. He stopped to stare at the time ship. "Is it just me," asked Tenchi, "or does the time ship look like a B movie rocket ship?" "I won't know," said Kiyone as dropped her bag onto the floor. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and an oversized white sweater. "Wow, where do you think Washu is going to take us for vacation?" commented Mihoshi as she dumped her pile of suitcases onto the floor next to Kiyone's small bag. She was wearing a blue T-shirt and a matching skirt. "I don't know," said Tenchi as he adjusted his backpack, "but I'm not going to enter the time ship again. Not after what happened last time." "I don't know why I'm going anyway," complained Kiyone as she glanced about the huge chamber. "I JUST got here and now I am taking time off." "Oh come on," whined Mihoshi, "we just fought in a battle to save Earth. Its Miller time." "You don't drink beer," pointed out Tenchi. Kiyone sighed and shook her head, "Mihoshi, have you been sleeping with the TV on again?" "Well," blushed Mihoshi, looking down at the floor and twisting back and forth. "You have," sighed Kiyone as she pointed a finger at Mihoshi. "Haven't you been warned about the hypnotic messages Earth governments put in their TV and radio adds?" "You're joking, right?" remarked Tenchi. "Sorry," Mihoshi said to Kiyone, still blushing. "HELLO!" Washu appeared from behind what looked like a huge bell-shaped object. An oval door was in one side of the silver hull, the rest of the bell covered with heat sensors, radar disks, cameras and tiny robotic arms. The tiny redhead was wearing a safari outfit, with a white helmet and hiking boots, looking very cute. "Welcome!" Washu said as she rushed over to shake Kiyone's hand, "This is your first visit to my lab, right?" "Yes," said Kiyone as she looked over Washu's head, at the bell-shaped object. "It that our ship?" "We're not using the time ship?" added Mihoshi. "You gals are joking, right?" "No, no," replied Washu with a laugh, "we're not traveling to other worlds in THIS universe. We're going to be jumping to other Earths in parallel timelines. This is my Timeline Jumper. I plan to call it just Jumper for short. Doesn't that sound like fun?" "No," remarked Kiyone. "Yes," grinned Mihoshi as she clapped her hands happily. "Is that a serious question?" replied Tenchi as he turned to go. "Oh Tenchi," said Washu with a smile, "guess who is coming over to visit?" Tenchi froze and turned slowly to stare at Washu. "Who is coming to visit?" "Well," commented Washu as she looked at her nails, "it so happens that Lady Misaki was in the system and very worried about her daughters, so she is going to be visiting for a few weeks." "What?" shouted Tenchi, thinking about all the hugs he would have to endure. "She almost threw my back out last time!" "And," added Washu with a grin, "Ryoko had a few bones to pick with her. You thought the battle out THERE was dangerous." "When do we leave?" probed Tenchi as he scrambled towards the Jumper. "As soon as we all get into the ship." "Where are we going first?" inquired Mihoshi as she started to pick up her suitcases. "Well," remarked Washu as she followed Tenchi to the ship and typed in the entry code. The oval door faded away, leaving an empty hole for Tenchi to step into. "I figured I'd pick a timeline where Earth was not as polluted." "Kind of small," called out Tenchi as he picked a seat. There were four of them, all facing the central pillar which was covered in tiny displays and dials. He shoved his backpack under the chair and flopped down into it. "I didn't make it to deliver everybody, just us four," replied Washu as she did a final check of the outside hull. Kiyone stepped into the Jumper and picked a seat across from Tenchi, buckling in. "There's not enough room for my bags?" whined Mihoshi. "Just stuff it anywhere blondie," demanded Washu as she picked one of the remaining chairs, between Kiyone and Tenchi. She started to flip switches and turn knobs. "Better get your butt in here." "All right, all right!" replied Mihoshi as she picked up a bag at random and jumped in, slipping into the last chair. The oval door slowly appeared again and all the equipment started to hum. Displays came to life, the needles in the dials started to jerk back and forth and something made a dripping noise. Tenchi glanced at something under his station and remarked out loud, "A coffee maker?" "Hey," said Washu as she pressed a whole row of buttons, "I REALLY need my coffee in the morning." "Mommy," said Princess Sasami as she gave Lady Misaki another plate of fried fish, "I'm so happy you're here." "Yes," said Nobuyuki as he rubbed his chest, for a second ignoring his food while checking his bruised ribs. "I see you are physical fit." "You MUST stay a few weeks," insisted Ayeka, as she glared at Tenchi's father. "Yes," Katsuhito added, "your men are busy cleaning up the mess beyond Mars. Maybe some of them could cycle down here and get time off between shifts?" Lady Misaki, looking somewhat like an oversized version of Princess Sasami, smiled and clasped her hands together, "Oh, Little Sasami and Little Ayeka, I miss you so. And the rest of you are all so wonderful!" She started to cry. "Meow?" "You too!" said Lady Misaki, as she picked up the cabbit and kissed it. From within Washu's lab, the Timeline Jumpers started to spin, slowly lifting off its cradle, making a thudding noise. Soon it was fading and within a few seconds it was gone from THAT Earth. Sasami came out of the kitchen and asked, "Where's the coffee maker?" "Hey wait," said Tenchi with a confused look, "we're launching from your lab which is not on Earth! Won't that screw up the whole thing?" "Nope," replied Washu, "that part of the lab IS on Earth. Just under the Indian Ocean." "Oh," The ship shuddered and all sense of motion stopped. Tenchi glanced at Washu, as Kiyone checked her laser pistol's energy charge and Mihoshi wondered if she should touch anything. "We're already down?" said Tenchi with surprise. "Sure," said Washu as she started to type into the sensor's interface. "Don't touch that Mihoshi." "I wasn't." "Washu, can I ask something?" probed Tenchi. "Sure, go ahead," remarked the redhead as she turned off the ship's engines. "Why did you make the Jumper?" asked Tenchi. "I was bored," replied Washu as she warmed up the outside sensory net. "Do we get to go out yet?" asked Mihoshi as she played with her seat straps. "Not yet," said Washu, "first we check ON what is out there." Kiyone unbuckled her straps and started to slip into a harness, making sure the pistol holster was comfortable under her left armpit. Many of the displays came to life, showing pictures of huge trees, mist flowing across moss covered rocks and blue skies. There seemed to be sounds of birds singing and streams babbling. "Looks normal," said Kiyone as she made sure she could quick draw the pistol from her shoulder holster with her right hand. "Hey!" yelped Washu as she finally noticed Kiyone's weapon. "Who told you that you could bring a pistol?" "I did," replied Kiyone without batting an eyebrow. "What do most of these readings mean?" asked Tenchi, trying to bring the discussion away from Kiyone's laser weapon. "Oh those?" remarked Washu. "Those are readings on the outside environment. Normal oxygen levels, normal gravity, so on. That light is coming from a G type star and there seems to be no poisons in the air or the soil." "Can we step out then?" asked Mihoshi as she jumped up and down in her chair having already undone her chair straps. "Well," pointed out Tenchi as he examined the pictures being taken by the outside cameras, "I don't see why not." "OK," said Washu as she started to shut off many of the ship's major systems. Before Tenchi could say anything else the oval door faded away. The scents of a forest after a light rainstorm flooded into the ship, a mixture of clean air and moist dirt. Even Kiyone couldn't help but take a deep breath. "All right!" shouted Mihoshi as she shot out of the Jumper. "Oh, damn," said Kiyone as she rushed after her partner. "I KNEW that would happen," remarked Washu as she bent down under her chair to grab a survival kit. "I'll be right out in a few minutes." "Right," said Tenchi as he exited the Jumper, trying to keep up with the two women. As Washu checked to make sure the kit had both medical supplies and foodstuffs she also checked one last thing on the displays. "Well, it looks safe enough," remarked Tenchi as he glanced about the forest. "Is this what our home looks like on this Earth?" "It looks different," pointed out Mihoshi, "there's no lake." "The lake was made after Ryoko crashed here," replied Tenchi. "The landing left a crater which filled up with water." "Where is everybody?" asked Kiyone as she examined the surrounding trees and bushes. "I don't see anything, not a house or even power lines." "Here is nobody," answered Washu as she stepped out of the ship with the kit hanging from her left shoulder. "I checked. Radio and TV channels are empty. No satellites can be detected above us. Radar can't find an airplane within range." "You mean they're all dead?" gasped Mihoshi, looking about in horror. "No," said Tenchi, "she doesn't mean THAT. She means people never came about. Remember, this is a different timeline." "That's right," continued Washu, "no smart apes around here. In fact I can't even detect subspace sources for over twenty year lights in any direction." "Oh, I see," said Mihoshi still somewhat worried. "That doesn't sound good at all," commented Kiyone as her right hand slowly reached for the handle of her pistol. "It's nothing to worry about," added Washu, "without an important planet to watch over there's just no reason for the Galactic Union in this timeline to patrol this area of space." "What happen here?" asked Tenchi looking about peaceful scene of nature. "What do you mean?" replied Washu. "I mean, why DIDN'T mankind develop here?" "Oh, could be lots of reasons," said Washu, "the ice ages could have been slightly harder here. Or the birth rate wasn't high enough or the some another animal was able to fulfill the same niche, becoming a thinking race." "Won't there be a sign of a culture or thinking race?" said Kiyone as she glanced about. "I don't see anything to suggest old roads or even logging." "We MIGHT be in a national forest," pointed out Mihoshi as she picked up a tiny flower. "Just because mankind was trashing the planet by the 19th century does not mean every race did that," replied Washu as she started to walk downhill. "Hey," called out Tenchi as he followed, "not all cultures are to blame you now." "Really?" said Kiyone as she walked behind, glancing at each tree and bush. "Sure," said Tenchi, "many cultures of the world worshipped nature and the landscape. The ONES that had no respect for it, with the belief that it was there for the taking, were the ones who have been doing much of the damage." "Oh my," said Washu, "I feel an Anti-European, Anti-American lecture coming up." "Well," remarked Tenchi, "western thought does seem to look at resources AND people as a form of raw material to be used." "That's hogwash," commented Washu as she turned her head to smile at Tenchi, "eastern thought holds both people AND nature as being linked also, to the point that in Japan, both people and trees can become Gods." "But neither are looked at as objects to be tapped or burned or cut down for the better good of everyone," remarked Tenchi. "HA!" said Washu as she stopped and pulled out a scanner. "People are ALWAYS asking kami for stuff, like they're some kind of American Godfather. Many Chinese and Japanese philosophies, not all, but much of it has to do with people's place within nature AND society. Philosophy, just like in Europe, is sometimes a more powerful tool to mold the mores of a culture than any rules a government might make. Sure, some cultures seem better, like the Native Americans, but at what price?" "Well," said Tenchi, somewhat tongue tied. "They did have a free life, a wonderful life wandering the plains, noble and ... free." "Do you know how much land it takes to support a hunting and gathering life?" demanded Washu as she examined the scanner. "The land that supported thousands of hunters could support millions of people if turned into farmland. The way of the Native Americans sounds nice and spiritual and there is a lot we can learn about how to treat both nature and the kami, but it required much more in the area of time and energy than the life of a farmer. Lets not forget the continuous warfare, the famines, the shorter life span, the way many of the tribes treated their women OR their men." "Lets not forget some of them farmed too," said Tenchi, still defending his ideals. "Sure," said Washu, "some did, like the Mayans, the Incas and the Aztec. The farming allowed them to form large empires, increasing the numbers of people they could support. That increased the demand for land and in return these large empires needed to expand, like any European nation, by practicing blackmail, war and strong-arm politics." Tenchi gaped at her as Washu started to walk down the hill again, moving the scanner back and forth. "Boy," said Kiyone, "we better make sure she has some coffee soon." "Word," added Mihoshi. "Damn it," stated Kiyone, "you're not watching any more TV!" The eyes that watched the four strange animals rarely blinked. The eyes were beauties in their own way, with golden irises, with flakes of green. The eyes would be the only thing a human would consider pretty. The rest of the creature was pure predator. The head was turned slightly, allowing to keep the strange unknown animals in its view, as the eyes faced sideways. The head was on a thick powerful neck and had a mouth full of big saw-edged teeth. The skin of the creature was covered in striped fur, very much like a tiger, and easily hid it. As the unknowns passed and headed down the hill, the creature slowly stood up. From its nose to the tip of its stiffened tail it was about ten feet long. As it broke into an easy walk, the killing middle claws on the hind legs twitched in eagerness and its heart rate increased. The Japanese Velociraptor, the work of over 100 million years of natural selection, was much bigger than its long dead mainland forefathers. Its brain size also made it smarter. This one was a large male, a scout, exploring the valley. The rest of the pack was still coming over the mountains as many of the younger members of the pack were still too playful and slowed the rest down. The male froze, checked the wind again and crouched down. The wind had changed direction and the unknown animals, now downwind, might detect his scent. "Well," grumbled Tenchi as he followed Washu, "at least she can't pick on Shinto." "Shinto is, in some ways, just as bad," replied Mihoshi as she slowed down and picked up some more flowers. "What?" demanded Tenchi, "how can you say that when you are studying it!" "But it's true," replied Mihoshi. "Think about it. Shinto is the belief that Japan has endless kami, a non-gender spirit or God in everything. Rocks, trees, lakes, mountains and even lovely waterfalls." "So?" said Tenchi, "it is based deep in our nation's history, our earliest worship of nature." "But," lectured Mihoshi, "it is focused on JAPAN! Until recently the only shrines were in Japan. It was a Japanese ideal, made for the Japanese and only the Japanese. Could this focus on Japan as the land of a Million Gods of had a bad influence on how they treat other people?" "But," said Tenchi, thinking swiftly, "the Japanese have taken in many ideas, like Buddhism and Taoism." "I fear to point out," said Mihoshi, "that many of the reasons those ideas, like many, were allowed to enter Japanese culture was because of political moves by the Japanese Emperors or the government. All were carefully inserted, with great care to mold it into existing Japanese institutions. Today, for example, baseball is a huge sport within Japan, yet nobody seems to remember that it was imported. In fact you call it field ball!" "Wow," stated Kiyone, "you've learned a lot from Mr. Katsuhito Masaki." Tenchi lifted his arms to the sky, asked, "Why me?" and continued to follow Washu. Lady Misaki and her two daughters were in the girl's bedroom, helping their mommy unpack. "Oh, it will be so nice to be with you both for a few days," bubbled Misaki, as her eyes started to become tearful. "It will be fun," stated Princess Sasami, trying to stop the water works before they began. "Oh yes, mother," added Princess Ayeka as she placed some of her mother's kimonos into one of the tube shaped containers, "we'll have lots of fun. Why, we can visit the local town and go shopping and we have so much to catch up on." "Yes," stated Sasami as she knelt down on the floor, "tell us whatever happened to Seiryo?" "Oh," said the Lady Misaki, "he was assigned to a ranger station in the United States of America. I hear he spends most of his time chasing after bears who steal picnic baskets." "I'm sure he's smarter than the average bear," remarked Sasami. "We received a letter from him only a month ago," said the Second wife of the King of Jurai. "It seems he hates it. The pay is low, the uniforms are drab and the visitors are idiots." "Too bad," said Ayeka, who was daydreaming about Seiryo being covered in honey and lowered into a pit full of bears. "I am sure he is a nice man, but Tenchi is so much better." "Yes," commented Misaki, "that reminds me. Where is Tenchi? I thought he was going to protect you yet after a major battle for Earth he goes off with three other women?" "Oh, well, you see mommy," babbled Ayeka, "he didn't want to..." "Get in the way," continued Sasami, "of us..." "Bonding!" added Princess Ayeka. "Tenchi," said Washu. "Yeah?" grumbled Tenchi. "I didn't want to alarm the others, but I kind of understated something," confessed the redhead as she pretended to read her scanner, leaning closer to Tenchi. "What?" asked the boy. "I have detected very few subspace sources," said Washu. "In fact I would say only about a dozen in this area of the galactic arm. I think I know why." "Explain," whispered Tenchi, as he glanced over his shoulder at the other two lagging behind. "Well," started Washu, "without the human race, Lady Funaho never marries the King of Jurai. Now, the rest I can only guess, OK?" Tenchi nodded, looking pale. "No Lady Funaho, no Prince Yosho. Princess Ayeka becomes Queen. Do you think, without your help, that she could ever keep the Ruins Buster from attacking again, directly or indirectly with Ryoko, and gaining the gems and control of Tsunami? Kagato, with Soja and all that power, could have gone on a crime spree that would have made his earlier five thousand years look like a picnic." Washu stopped and looked Tenchi right in the eyes. "He destroyed the whole Union?" gasped Tenchi softly. "Destroying Jurai would have been a start," pointed out Washu. "Then the vultures would have attacked; bandit kingdoms, small time pirates, jealous members within the Union and outside superpowers. Slavers, raiders and hordes of barbarians. A lot can happen within seven hundred years." "So the sources you detect?" asked Tenchi. "Hold outs," said Washu looking back at her scanner, "centers of calm in a sea of chaos. Ivory towers among ruins. Diamonds within the sand. Rocks holding out against the sea." "I get the picture," snapped the boy, who felt all alone now. 'Nothing out there,' thought Tenchi with horror, 'nothing out there. Just planets full of graves. Totally alone in the darkness of the night.' "Now I know why you didn't tell them," added Tenchi, "who knows what happened to this universe's version of them." "Well," replied Washu with a sad smile, "I know where I am. I'm still trapped within the Soja." "My God," stated Tenchi, "we've got to save you!" "No," said Washu with a shake of her head, "we can't do that. This is NOT our timeline. Let it go as it should." The two walked together in silence. "Found it," declared Washu as she came to a halt at the bottom of the hill, looking over the green fields of the peaceful valley. "Found what?" said Tenchi as he almost bumped into her, looking down at the scanner. "The KT boundary is missing." "You mean," said Tenchi, "the layer of shocked quartz, glassy spheres and other things that resulted from an asteroid impact in the Yucatan peninsula?" "Uh," grunted a shocked Washu, who had been all ready to explain about the KT boundary for the next five minutes. "Yes," she finally replied, "you're right. Of course, there's proof that many types of dinosaurs were already dying out, so the asteroid was really just the last straw in their extinction." "Yes," continued Tenchi, "and it also killed off the pterosaurs and many types of both birds and marsupial animals." "Right," added Washu as she glared at Tenchi. "My point is, that many of the animals that were fighting the early mammals for food and speed are STILL around, having never given up their niches." "So," said Tenchi, "dinosaurs, birds and mammals are now all evolving side by side?" "Yes," said Washu as she started to look about. "What's wrong?" asked Mihoshi as she tied a few flowers into her hair. "Do you smell that?" "Smell what?" replied Kiyone. "Rotten meat," stated Washu as she turned in a circle, scanning all around the clearing. He froze again, sensing that they had noticed him somehow. They were in a circle, a natural response of many herd animals. The Japanese velociraptor wanted to give off a hunting call, but recognized that the rest of the pack members were too far away to help him even if they could hear the call. He snorted and kept still. It was only a matter of time before the others joined him. "Oh boy," said Washu as her scanner beeped. Kiyone jerked out her pistol and held it in both hands. "What is it?" whimpered Mihoshi as she hid behind Tenchi. "Small predator," said Washu. "About 130 pounds, I would say a type of Asian Velociraptor. Hard to tell, it seems to have a lot of mammalian features. Large brain, fur, upright. A mixture of stuff." "Does it see us?" whispered Tenchi, placing a hand behind to grasp one of Mihoshi's to comfort her. "I am sure it has," said Washu softly, "because it is now between us and the ship. I think it started tracking us about half way down the hill or shortly after we left the Jumper." "Great," commented Tenchi, "we shouldn't exist on this Earth and we're about to be eaten by something that shouldn't exist on our own Earth. I just LOVE going places with you Washu." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------Tenchi Muyo! and related characters and settings are owned by AIC and Pioneer. The rest is mine, mine I tell you! Buwahahahahahahahahaha!