----

Copyrights, etc: Tenchi Muyo! and all corresponding characters are the properties of AIC and Pioneer. 
Joseph, Koros, Arti, Mizra, and Loknar belong to me. They're restless, since I did minifics and not much 
else for a long while.  I'm getting back to the story, now (finally).

Notes, etc: This chapter takes place a month after A Well Needed Vacation - TM OAV 21, OC Chapter 8 
(in both chapter name and IRL).  Things at the Masaki home have gotten back to normal, but Ryo-Ohki 
has gotten a little bit bigger, leading to the suggestion that she may be pregnant.  

There will be violence in this chapter, as this will be an attempt to observe the other side of the universe 
that Tenchi and the others inhabit - The other side of the Galactic Union, the Lock Sector, based on 
theory.  You'll be pleasantly surprised, hopefully.  This is the beginning of a two to three part section of 
OC in which half of the group is separated from each other, allowing different situations, at the Masaki 
house and in the Lock Sector, that would not have been possible otherwise.  A few new main characters 
(one of them being Nagi) will be introduced, so watch out.  I will attempt to explain Nagi and her history, 
based on observation (me seeing the episodes once or twice).  I'll also get a certain 'doctor' involved in it, 
too.

There will be a cameo from one of the characters of Niea under 7, a GREAT anime that all Tenchi fans 
should see.

I also apologize for my laziness.  Real life has been really odd lately, with the good and bad parts of it 
fluctuating at such an alarming rate that has been hard to keep up, resulting in little time to write.  
Hopefully, that fluctuation has been circumvented (I got the motivation back).  I'm trying to make these 
chapters a little less long, as I'm trying to represent how long each OAV would be, and in some of my past 
fanfics, I wrote over three OAV eps worth.  The next chapter will take place right after this one, btw.  
Hopefully, it'll be good.

Oki. Here goes the results of a Well Needed Vacation, lol....

God Bless America.

Vote Lokubi 2004

Loknar, 1/31/02

Fanfic Began: 1/31/02. Fanfic Finished: 2/18/02

----

Tenchi Muyo!  OAV 22: Locked In

(Orion Chronicles, Chapter 9)

Azaka and Kamidake stand out by the gates of the house, a few birds gently pirched on them, the two 
wooden guardians not seeming to mind.  It was around late April, the summer beginning to enroach upon 
the spring, as the cherry blossoms dropped off, to be replaced with fruit, while the mighty trees of Jurai 
and their earthly brethren regrew leaves, large, mighty, and tough.  The trees were almost filled with the 
greenness of life by now, and the flowers on the nearby mountain had begun to bloom, while a quiet, 
undisturbing breeze navigated through the air like an explorer's ship, always finding new places to pass 
through.

"Another beautiful day." Azaka said quietly, the jewel in his middle glowing as he did.

"We've said that too much lately." Kamidake replied.

"Huh?"

"We should say something new, instead."

"Like what?"

"Like 'Dang, it's pretty.'"

"Uh...No."

Kamidake sighed, and mumbled something under his breath.

Mihoshi sat on the porch, dozing on a lawn chair.  She snored quietly, a look of absolute peace and 
relaxation on her sleepy face, as if in her dreams she was tasting the wonderful ambrosia of heaven.

"Mihoshi." Sasami said, tugging on her sleeves.

Mihoshi said something in her sleep, and turned over.

She tugged at her again, a little bit more forcefully.  She had the look in her eyes like that of a messenger, 
with news that would change the world forever.

"...What?" Mihoshi asked, half-asleep.

"I think Ryo-Ohki is having her baby!" She replied, her voice full of joy.

"She is?" Mihoshi exclaimed, jumping out of her chair.

"Yup!  She's in Tenchi's bedroom, and so are Ken-Ohki and everyone else."

Before Sasami could finish speaking, Mihoshi had raced to the top of the stairs, literally flying into 
Tenchi's room.  Everyone was in it; Washuu, Loknar, Joseph, Tenchi, Kiyone, Ayeka, Ryoko, Noboyuki, 
Kasuhito, Ryo-Ohki, Ken-Ohki, as well as the small egg.

"Did I miss anything?" Mihoshi asked, filled with glee, Sasami coming inside as well.

"The egg is about to hatch.  Keep it down." Joseph whispered, pointing to the slowly moving egg, cuddled 
by the happy parents, purring quietly.  A light purr could be heard coming from the egg as well.  The egg 
was ivory in color, with small green and yellow speckles covering parts of it.  It was about the size of a 
small stack of children's books, and seemed to weigh at about a pound.

Everyone watched as the egg continued to move, small cracks appearing in its' side, about the size of a 
penny at first.  They grew, each by the amount of a centimeter a second, some of the cracks starting to 
merge as the egg seemed to shake a little more, everyone's attention now settled on the small ovalish 
object.

Within a few minutes, the cracks along the top merged enough that it became loose, soon falling out.  The 
egg rolled over, very quietly, a tired little silvery cabbit crawling out.  It looked very much like a mix of 
its' parents, and sported a small gem on its' forehead.

Loknar and Washuu smiled; their creations had reproduced themselves.  They had not known each other 
when each cabbit was born, and therefore had no idea if the two cabbits could interbreed.  The answer was 
certain by now.  Tears of joy fell from their eyes, as they now were essentially grandparents of an entity - 
Not a human per se, but a sentient entity.

Loknar and Washuu listened closely while the others watched in admiration and awe; they were 
telepathically receiving messages from both the newborn cabbit and its' parents.

Very gently, they brought it over to its' parents, Ryo-Ohki helping it to nurse, while Ken-Ohki cleaned it.

"It's a girl." The two geniuses announced.  "Her name is Kii-Ohki."

Happiness filled the room, as the new member of their family was thus born.

Within an hour or so, with everyone watching, Kii-Ohki was walking on her own, and happily mewing.

Sasami petted her, and she snuggled with the little cabbit and her parents, everyone getting a turn to do 
so.

"Tenchi, why was she born on your bed?" Sasami asked him.

"I don't know...Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki must have felt comfortable there, and decided that it would be the 
place." He replied, still a little bit unsure himself.  His bed was a little lumpy, and had been frequently 
replaced, due to the fighting of Ryoko and Ayeka.

Mihoshi had waited patiently - It was about to be her turn to pet Kii-Ohki.  Ayeka was almost finished, 
gently stroking it, the cabbit purring happily in her lap.

Ayeka put her back on the bed, the cabbit still purring.

Suddenly, her watch began to beep.  It glowed a deep blue, a hologram of the emblem of the Galaxy Police 
appearing.  Kiyone and Joseph's watches began to do the same.

"Attention, all Galaxy Police Officers in the Sol System area." A female voice announced on the watches, 
everyone stopping to listen.  "The wanted criminal Assassin Mizra Akaji Zonah has been sighted over 
Earth, sector H37BM12W, the Okayama region, after flying over Tokyo and Hiroshima.  As you know, 
this is a flagrant violation of Galactic Union High Parliament Executive Order 3823, which forbids any 
Galactic Citizen from coming into contact with protective primitive planets, except under special 
circumstances.  She is a level five criminal, wanted for murder, theft, arson, extortion, vandalism, and 
numerous other crimes.  She has no remorse for killing anything, or committing any atrocity.  A squadron 
of GP Special forces has intercepted her craft, but several of them have been shot down.  Recovery teams 
are in place to retrieve remains of downed GP craft.  Ms. Zonah must be captured or killed at all costs."

An image of Mizra appeared on each watch.  She was tall, with long, bloody crimson hair, straight in 
front, but spiky in back, small bits poking over her ears, with ashy eyes as dark as the laugh of the wicked, 
and a superior smirk on her face, as if mocking whoever looked at her.  On several parts of her body, 
including her face, there were odd black markings.  She wore a long, black cloak, covering most of her 
body, and a strange jumpsuit-like piece of clothing under it.  An odd wand/saber-like weapon was on a 
sheath at her side, stained with a dark liquid, probably blood.

Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Joseph, knowing their duties, rushed to change into their GP uniforms, Kii-Ohki 
becoming confused as to what is happening.

"Don't worry, Kii-Ohki." Sasami whispered reassuringly, "They'll be back, okay?"

Ryoko had seen the figure on the watch, at first seemingly alarmed by it, as if Zonah looked familiar.  She 
sighed, then comfortably sitting back down.

"What's wrong, Ryoko?" Washuu asked, curious.

"She looked like someone I knew.  Nothing else." Ryoko replied, easily.

"Who did Ms. Zonah look like to you?"

"N-No one." Ryoko replied, a little nervous.

"Okay, you don't want to talk.  Tassi and I are going down to the lab to monitor the battle, kay?" Washuu 
continued, momentarily walking down the stairs with Loknar.

Tenchi had walked downstairs, and turned on the TV, knowing that if there were ships flying over the 
Okayama prefecture, it would be on the news.  Sure enough, he turned it on to find the images of several 
ships, a few in the normal GP style, and one sleek, triangular black one (obviously Zonah's), shooting at 
each other, the people below in a panic.

"As of 11:00 AM this morning, several Unidentified Flying Objects were spotted over the general 
Okayama area.  We are presenting you with live coverage of this event, as these.....these ships battle it out 
over our skies.  Many citizens, fearing for their lives, have hid in their basements, while others, like Dr. 
Sakuya Misato, of the Skeptical Institute of Japan, are doubting these events as tricks of the eye or JSDF 
test aircraft." A reporter announced, a thin, angry-looking woman in a labcoat next to him.

"These 'spaceships' are obviously military test craft.  I am absolutely sure that no unearthly sentient life 
exists beyond this planet, or in the galaxy, for that matter." The skeptic spoke defiantly, her arms crossed.

At that point, Tenchi began to laugh, very very hard, as unearthly sentient people had been living with 
him for years, and he was a prince of an unearthly kingdom.

"If I am wrong, may something knock me unconscious." The skeptic announced, grinning, not seeing the 
aerial battle moving over the television station for a bit, a stray laser blast then hitting directly at the roof 
above her head, and the ceiling tile that now hit her upside the head, causing her to fulfill her recent 
prophecy.

Even the news anchor couldn't help laughing, soon helping her up and getting her some medical 
attention.

Mihoshi, Joseph, and Kiyone finished getting dressed into their uniforms, signaled Yukonojo with a 
small, black remote with a single button, the ship decloaking, and landing nearby.

"Hey, Tenchi!  Wanna come with?" Joseph asked, taking his Orion-ken, just in case.  "I don't think it will 
take that long to beat this villainess."

Tenchi smiled.

"Why not.  I've never seen how you guys truly work, anyhow." He replied, taking his Tenchi-ken.

"Alrighty.  You're now deputized, just for the record.  Put on a spare GP uniform once you get inside, just 
in case.  Let's roll." Joseph said, the four of them jumping into Yukonojo.

It was around that time when the aerial battle became a chase, now passing directly over them.  The speed 
at which the ships traveled caused a small sonic boom, the house rattling a little bit.

"What do we have to do without this time, Yukonojo?" Kiyone asked as they took off, knowing that 
Mihoshi must have accidentally destroyed some important component of the ship since the last mission.

"None, actually." The computer replied.

"That has to be impossible."

"No kidding."

"Not even the emergency rations?"

"I restocked them just yesterday."

They began to fly very fast, soon catching up with the chase.  Mizra's ship was being chased, not very 
damaged at all, by a small group of GP ships, some of them heavily damaged.  A heavy plasma turret was 
on the back of Zonah's ship, and that was causing most of the damage.  Everyone's stomach turned as they 
saw the turret tear a small ship to shreds, the pieces falling back to Earth as if it were scraps of burning 
paper, or ash.  The chase soon brought them through the stratosphere, where another ship exploded.

"Are you sure we're going to be allright?" Tenchi called worriedly, his voice slightly drowned out by the 
loudness of the engines of all the ships.  "We're not going to die, are we?"

"Far from it." Joseph replied, scoring a direct hit at one of the turret's guns, thus making it weaker.

A text message appeared on a screen, from a small GP ship, which seemed to be doing quite well, with 
very little damage.  The ships' oddly named handle was "Don't Call Me Mr. Kitty", and asked this: 
"How're you folks doing?"

"We'll be fine." Joseph replied, gulping again as it was soon just the DCMMK ship and them against 
Mizra's ship.  Loknar thought about the handle of that ship - The phrase sounded familiar.  He smiled, as 
it reminded him of an old friend, one of his best friends, who he hadn't seen in years.

"No, that couldn't be him." He said, thinking out loud.

"Who, Joseph?" Mihoshi asked, quizzically.

"An old friend."

"Would that be him?"

"I doubt it."

"Oh.  Why did you say it then?"

"The phrase reminded me of him."

"Howso?"

"He's a Marinas, a humanoid cat-like species."

"Is he cute?" She seemed quite interested now.

Before Joseph could respond, there was a blast against Yukonojo's shield, and then a video message.

"Uh...Guys....Tassi and I are detecting a weird anomaly that seems to be forming within about 10 light-
seconds from you.  You'll be entering it within a minute.  We're sending out a small probe to investigate it 
once you go in." Washuu said quietly over a visual message.

"What kind of anomaly, Mom?" Joseph asked, now getting used to her being his future step-mother.

"Nothing that bad.  A wormhole, caused by Mizra's ship." She said, smiling briefly at the 'Mom' 
comment.

"That can't be good.  What kind of wormhole, Washuu?" Kiyone asked.

On the video screen, Loknar handed Washuu a printout.

".....I don't know how to say this." She continued.

Everyone gulped.

"It's the kind that sends you to the other side of the galaxy.  We're getting the probe to keep the wormhole 
stable enough so at least communication can go through." She spoke, quietly.

Tenchi, Joseph, and Kiyone fainted for a moment, Mihoshi taking the controls.  Interestingly, while they 
were out, she got some powerful hits on Mizra's ship.

Washuu watched this, smiling.

"You're a great shot, Mihoshi."

"Thanks, Washuu." She replied, the others soon awakening.

They could faintly see the wormhole up ahead; besides a faint outline, it looked much like normal space, 
the exception being that a planet was now in view through it, and it wasn't Earth.  The planet seemed to 
be colonized, but it didn't look very hospitable.  It was very desert-like, the color of the Sahara, with small 
lakes and sparse vegetation in some areas.  It had two moons, and two suns, the reason for the desert 
climate.

Mizra's ship sped up considerably, flying at the planet, and soon fading from view.

Yukonojo and the mysterious GP ship flew into the wormhole as well, which soon started to close.

"Oh, God!  We don't even know where we are!  Washuu, Loknar, do something, please!" Tenchi yelled 
into the radio, now quite upset.

"We're trying." Loknar replied, the transmission a little bit blurry as the wormhole continued to close, 
until a small satellite wedged itself between the rapidly closing circle, using magnetic fields to keep it 
from closing completely.  "We can't get it open any farther.  There is some strange hyperspace dampener 
encoding on this thing."

"Encoding on a wormhole?" Kiyone responded, wanting to clarify if she heard that right.

"Yes, on a wormhole." He continued.  "It is possible to put protection on wormholes, just like software, 
preventing hyperspace or subspace travel.  Don't ask how.  Anyway, someone put a huge encoding barrier 
in conjunction with hyperspace barriers over it.  We can't open it, only close it, until we can break the 
code."

"...How long will that take?" Asked Tenchi, probably not wanting to know.

Washuu handed him a printout, and he sighed.

"At least two months.  That's the first part of the bad news."

"There's more?" Said Mihoshi, now trying to wake up Tenchi, and Joseph, with Kiyone ready to faint.

"You seem to be in the Lock Sector, a region of the Galaxy that seems to be entirely cut off from the rest 
of civilization.  The encoding that we encountered blocks any ships from entering a radius of 250 systems 
from the center.  It can hardly receive any locations back and forth, and even when they do, they are 
thousand-year old signals.  The GP offices in that sector were extinguished 150 years ago, right when it 
became cut off - Whoever or whatever caused it is still at large.  The area is full of crime, but there are 
some prosperous areas.  Washuu and I will provide you with information as we come upon it."

Joseph sighed, sadly.

"I'm sorry for asking you to come with us, Tenchi.  I didn't know it would be this bad." He said to his 
brother.

"It's not your fault.  Besides, the three of you shouldn't be alone out here, even if you are GP officers."

A transmission came through the portal, heading straight to Loknar and Washuu.

They smiled for a moment.

"You'll have some company there, however." Washuu beamed.

"Who?" Mihoshi responded.

"He doesn't want us to tell.  You'll meet him within the hour.  We need to tell the others.  You guys get 
settled in, okay?"

"Tell them we're allright." Kiyone added.

Another text message popped up from DCMMK.

"Where should we meet?" He asked.

"Geez, you love anonymity.  How should we know?  We've never been here before." Joseph replied, 
entering his response into Yukonojo's terminal.

"Neither have I.  The planet is named Kanraz, in the Sukiani system.  My sensors have detected Mizra's 
ship landing in a place named Ersatz City.  It's in the center of the middle landmass.  According to my 
recently updated database, there should be a bar where Mizra might be.  It's called 'The Lion's Jaw.'   I 
suggest we meet there.  I also suggest we all use function 382G282 on our ships.  The natives don't seem 
to like GP."

"Who are you, Loknar's brother?"

"You'll see. ;-)  I'll be wearing a white T-shirt that bears the same text as my handle.  Joseph, Mihoshi, 
Kiyone, and...Tenchi?  I'll see you guys there."

"How do you....how can you......?" Tenchi asked, dumbfounded as to how a stranger knew their names.

The mystery pilot's ship quickly changed from the paint job of a normal GP vessel to one of a rusted 
civilian craft.  It flew off towards the position of Ersatz City, then fading from view.

"Is that function 382G282?" Mihoshi asked.

"Do the same please, Yukonojo." Kiyone instructed the ship, then turning to Mihoshi as the ship did just 
that.  "Yes.  Using nanobots, the ship changes its' paint-job to a disguise."

"Nanobots?"

Kiyone sighed.

"I have to explain EVERYTHING, don't I?  I'll tell you later, Mihoshi."

---

"What's this about, Washuu?" Ryoko asked, drinking some sake, and still refusing to call her mother 
'Mom'.  Everyone at the Masaki house was assembled again, in the living room.  Everyone, except Loknar 
and Washuu, were standing around the couch, on which they sat.

"Is everyone okay?" Sasami asked, worriedly.

"Sort of.  To put it bluntly, Joseph, Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Tenchi are going to be kind of stuck in the other 
side of the Galaxy for a few months." Washuu announced, trying to make it as simple as possible.

Ryoko's sake flew out her nose, the same for Ayeka's tea.

"TENCHI AND JOSEPH ARE GONE?" They screamed, forgetting the other two people on the ship.

"How is this possible?  My sweet prince Tenchi, and the wonderful Joseph are gone!" Ayeka exclaimed, 
nearly falling.

"Get them back, Washuu and Tassi!  You're the geniuses!  We can't live without them!" Ryoko added.

Sasami already began to cry, running to Loknar and Washuu for comfort, who held her close, and did just 
that.  The cabbits felt the same way, even newborn Kii-Ohki, who barely knew anyone.  They jumped up 
as well, to comfort and be comforted.

"I'll miss them!" She said, the tears coming like small rivers.  Her love for them was painfully obvious.  
She truly did love them - Joseph with his stories and hugs, Kiyone with her help on cooking and her 
wonderful smiles, Mihoshi with her doodles and friendship, and Tenchi, just being the wonderful big 
brother she never had - She had very little time to know Yosho when he was on Jurai.  They were an 
integral part of her family, her sense of being, her life.  They were like a circuit to her; if one disappeared, 
the circuit would not be completed.  That was unacceptable to her, and she did not know how to deal with 
it.  She would do anything for them, even if it meant her life or soul.  

Ryoko and Ayeka stayed silent, just staring at the floor.  Tenchi was gone, for the time being, as well as 
Joseph.  To them, Tenchi was more than just a boy, a friend, or an object of affection.  He was to them like 
an electric light is to a fly, or a fish to water.  They couldn't live without him, and they couldn't exist 
without bumping into him in some way or another.  He was their God, their king, their life, their true 
love.  Existence without him was not existence at all, just a sham, faux.  Happiness without him was just a 
mask.  He was also their friend, having helped them numerous times, in more ways that they knew, or 
probably ever would.  Without him, all mature male companionship that they had was gone.  Katsuhito 
was too old and strict for them, and Noboyuki was a crazy hentai.  The only possibility left was Loknar, 
but he was Washuu's.

Still hopefully, they looked at him, grinning.

He returned it with a deep, disappointed frown.  Washuu responded to them in kind, except with a deep, 
dark, possessive, stormy glare that seemed to yell "TASSI IS MINE!" out into the heavens.

"No." He said to them, very easily, then kissing Washuu very, very passionately, easily proving that he 
was sure.  Washuu grinned, and kissed back, the princess and the space pirate mumbling and stomping off 
to their rooms to brood.  Sasami giggled a bit, still trying to stop crying.

Katsuhito just mumbled after hearing the news, the word 'practice' being the only one audible.  It had 
become ritual to him to practice sword technique with someone for many years, and without it, something 
felt odd to him.

The only person left besides Loknar and Washuu was Noboyuki, who seemed to be busy reading some of 
his 'literature', giggling oddly at times.  The cover read  'Magical Girl Pretty Yuki!', which was probably 
not aimed at his age group.

Loknar and Washuu blinked, still trying to calm Sasami and the cabbits down.  After awhile, Sasami fell 
asleep in Washuu's lap, who gently put her on the couch with the cabbits, who had fallen asleep on 
Loknar.

"They needed a nap." He said quietly, then turning to Noboyuki.  "We really need to do something about 
him."

"No kidding." Washuu replied, looking at the middle aged man reading manga about Magical Girls, and 
laughing like a schoolgirl.

"You know what?  I think he's either one can short of a six-pack or he needs a girlfriend." Loknar 
whispered, the two geniuses huddling for a moment.

"Probably both." Washuu added, seeing Noboyuki suddenly drop the comic and laugh insanely, amazingly 
not waking Sasami.

"We've got nothing much else to do until the four of them get settled in there, in the Lock Sector."

"So you think we could?"

"Probably.  It could work on him.  They obviously aren't going to be attracted to his personality right 
now."

"Should we fool him into doing it or tell him flat out?"

"He'd most likely prefer it both ways.  Besides, it won't hurt him.  Let's just fool him, for the fun of it."

"How shall we fool him then?"

"Catch bees with honey, my dear, if you know what I mean.  Let's go to the lab and get it started up first."

They walk into the lab, the sounds of heavy machinery quite loud for a moment.  Suddenly, it stops.  None 
of it seems to bother Noboyuki, who is looking at the manga again, this time upside down, and seems 
oblivious to what is going on.

"Oh Noboyuki, could you come in here, please?  We have every manga in existence, now!" Loknar called, 
the lab door opening.

"Yay!" Noboyuki replied, flying off of the couch and into the lab, where he was promptly taken ahold of 
by robotic hands.  "Hey, what's all this about?  And where's the manga?"

"No manga." Washuu says.

"What, then?  I need to get back to my - " He shifts his eyes for a moment, " 'Studies'. "

"We're going to take several years off of you, my good boy.  We're also going to get you a girlfriend." 
Replied Loknar, who entered some commands into a console.

"I miss Tenchi and Joseph already, but for at least a few months, I get to be the Alpha male!" He 
exclaimed, happily.

"Alpha male among bakas." Loknar grumbles.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

Very quickly, he is placed in a chamber, which fills with mist as he enters.

"Ready, Noboyuki?  We can always change you back when we need to." Washuu yelled, the machine 
already making a lot of noise as it began to warm up.

"Fire her up!"

The machine initiated, humming and whirring sounds coming from it.  Within moments, it was finished.

"Let's see how you....Jebus." Loknar said, startled.  Noboyuki had come out about 25 years younger, about 
Joseph's age.  His hair was now very long, tied in a ponytail.  His skin was very youthful, but there was the 
same odd grin on his face.

"Thank you!" He called, then running back to his room to do who knows what.

"Same old Noboyuki." Washuu grumbled, both geniuses' heads in their hands.

---

The newly repainted Yukonojo soon entered the atmosphere of Kanraz, towards the middle continent.

"From above, this looks like the area where I was born." Joseph murmured, peering out the window, 
trying to spot every detail.

"Where is that, Joseph?" Mihoshi asked, knowing only a little bit of his past.

"A little desert down near Tucson." He replied, the ship soon coming within view of Ersatz City.  It was 
massive, with huge, steel megalithic buildings reflecting the light of the sunset, sprawling semi-rich 
suburbs, large littered parks, a small lakeside area, filled with riverboat-like casinos, odd statues, and of 
course, a large red-light district.  In some areas, it looked very rich, with large estates, mansions, and 
peaceful towns on the outskirts, but in others it was very poor, with slums, abandoned buildings, and old 
crumbling streets.  It looked very much like a normal Earthly city, the exception being the large amount of 
small ships and terrestrial hover-vehicles.  Oddly, he smiled at it.

"I have received updates from the local information directory servers." Yukonojo announced.  "Shall I 
direct us to the selected meeting place with our fellow officer?"

"Sure.  I wanna to meet this guy that seems to know too much." Kiyone said to the computer.

Yukonojo pulled into the red light district.  The area itself seemed to be pretty slummy, with poor housing, 
rampant vandalism, prostitutes on the street, little police presence, and boarded up buildings, with the 
exception of a few.  Those buildings that weren't poor in that area of town were quite the opposite; high-
tech brothels, bars, stores, or other establishments of questionable morals.

"Oh, my." Mihoshi giggled, blushing when she saw some of the names of the businesses.

Yukonojo soon flew over a large building.  It was about the size of a small supermarket, and looked very 
new, with a large electric display of a lion-like animal roaring, searchlights, security stations, TV 
antennas, and a very large parking lot next door.  It seemed to be themed like a rave, rather than a bar; 
rave lighting and decorations were everywhere.  They slowly landed at one of the empty spaces for small 
ships.

"Oki.  Let's go-" Mihoshi said, trying to open the door, only to be stopped by Kiyone.  "Kiyone, what are 
you doing?"

"Mihoshi, we can't go outside in our uniforms!  They hate GPs here!  We should wear our normal 
clothing."

"We'll change first, okay?" Tenchi said, wanting to get it over with.  He had been wearing GP clothing as 
a precaution during the whole thing, and he now regretted it.  "Please don't look."

"We won't." Kiyone beamed, crossing her fingers.  She patted the security camera nearby her that was 
monitoring the ship, grinning.  She might be able to sell the tape to Ryoko and Ayeka once they got back 
home.

Joseph and Tenchi tried to undress quickly, hoping that the girls wouldn't look at them.  When their backs 
were turned, however, Mihoshi and Kiyone took some peeks, giggling about it.  The two of them were 
very gentlemanly when the girls changed, taking only a few quick looks.  They soon finished, and got out 
of the ship.

"What kind of credits do you think they use?" Joseph asked, for what should be paid for the meter.

"Whateva ya got, kid." One of the attendants said.  "By da way, you aren't gonna get inside dressed like 
that.  The Lion's Jaw is a bar...err.....'rave', not some crappy school dance."

"Where could we buy the correct clothing then?" Tenchi asked the man.

He pointed to a small clothing store nearby it.

"I've never been to a rave before." Kiyone said to the group.

"Neither have the rest of us." Replied Tenchi.

"I've been to one.  I sort of know how it works." Joseph spoke, bringing the others into the clothing store.  
It was very much like an earthly clothing store, except for the clothing, which seemed very strange to 
them.

"Can we afford all of this?" Tenchi asked the others, as they picked out clothing.

"Don't worry.  We all got independently paid by Jurai after liberating Tsaniko.  The checks came in 
yesterday.  They agreed to keep out names secret." Joseph whispered, for fear that someone would try to 
rob them.

They picked out some clothing, Joseph having a vague idea of the normal look; bright and black colored 
shirts and pants, and a large amount of bracelets and necklaces.

Joseph looked at himself in the mirror, frowning.

"God, I hate this stuff." He thought.

"Did I mention that this is somehow reminding me of this one anime where there was a club like this 
where the Internet was called something else and this girl had all these powers and stuff and there were 
these knight guys and then all this stuff about God and it was cool and all and there was this accella 
thingie and a bearsuit and uncaring moms who eat too much rice?" Mihoshi said, speaking very fast for an 
odd reason.

"We have to stop her from looking at those odd scifi animes." Tenchi mumbles, then looking at himself in 
the mirror.  "Geez, I hate rave clothing!  Speaking of that, what the hell am I doing here?!?!?  A few 
hours ago I was at home sowing fields at a little house in the Japanese countryside, and now I'm wearing 
rave clothing in a store on the other side of the galaxy!"

"This shouldn't be so suprising." Joseph muttered, frowning at the clothing.  "Let's just go inside, and find 
the mysterious 'friend' of ours."

They dropped their normal clothing back at Yukonojo, then heading inside the building.  Strobe light 
filled the air, while neon covered the walls, a few people seeming to be dancing back and forth to techno 
music.  Most, however, sat at the bars, motionless, as if they weren't real.

"This...is odd.  This place is filled, yet no one is dancing, and very few people are wearing rave clothing.  
That damn attendant tricked us into buying all this crap!" Joseph realized, speaking softly.  "This whole 
thing must be a cover for some kind of outlaw meeting place!  The ravers, bars, this place is fake!  The 
real thing must be nearby."

Indeed, there were a lot of dangerous-looking men and women on the other side of a curtained glass wall, 
sitting at bars.  Normal-sounding music filtered in from it.

Mihoshi touched one of the ravers.

"Uh, Kiyone, should this guy be made of metal?" She called.

"You're right, Joseph.  The whole place is a fake.  I think we should return these things, and then come 
back in our normal clothing.  Hopefully, the store will return full price." Kiyone said, after hearing 
Mihoshi's question.

"Kiyone!"

"What?"

"You didn't answer my question!"

"What was it?"

"Should that guy be made of metal?"

"I don't think so."

They returned the clothing and came back to the building a moment later, with 50% of the money spent 
on the clothing back.  The store hadn't been as cooperative in returns as Kiyone had hoped.

"How do we get in?" Joseph spoke, now in his normal clothes, and referring to the real tavern.

"In or out, okay?" A waiter called, opening a door in the curtained glass for them.

"That was simple." He mumbled.

They got inside, and it did look very much like a traditional bar; dim lighting, a large amount of stools 
and drinks, music, thousands of conversations, and a large amount of people, some of them looking very 
suspicious.

A man at one on of the stools got up and smiled at them.  He had short, brilliant orange hair, like that of 
the sun and deep green eyes like forests.  He had very cat-like features, such as orange cat-like ears on his 
head, and a long tiger-like tail.  He stood at about Joseph's height, around 6'4, and wore sandals, faded 
blue jeans, and a flannel shirt over a white tee-shirt that bore the words "Don't Call Me Mr. Kitty", along 
with an SD picture of a cat.  He was about 18, and quite handsome.

Joseph grinned widely when he saw him, laughing a bit, the man doing the same.

"Yo, Joseph!" The man called, grinning, in a deep but young voice.

"Arti - Geez, it was a surprise to think you joined up in the GP." Joseph replied.

"Same about you too."

"How are you doing, kiddo?" Joseph asked, shaking his hand, hard, still laughing a bit.

"Doin' fine.  Let me try and identify the folks with ya - Mihoshi Kuramitsu, Kiyone Makibi, and Tenchi 
something-or-other." Arti said, smiling at each one.

Kiyone and Mihoshi blushed, smiling at him.

"It's Tenchi Masaki.  How do you know us - And how do you know Joseph?" Tenchi asked, a bit 
bewildered.  He knew that Joseph had some friends from when he was in the Galaxian Marines, but he 
didn't think that they would come here.

"Quite simple - I'm a wee bit of a computer genius and a hacker.  Didn't take much to match your bioscan 
and records, or anyone else for that matter." Arti replied, "Tenchi's was a little hard to track, as he isn't in 
the GP database.  I figured it out eventually.  I didn't tell you guys that I was the one piloting that other 
ship because I know Joseph would have made a big stink about it, had me land with you guys, and me and 
him would go off and drink for a few hours while you guys were bored silly."

Joseph laughed again, joking with his friend.

"You didn't answer his question about how you know me, kiddo."

Arti smiled again.

"Me and him go wayyyy back.  It's a real long story, and you'll hear it sometime soon.  It's kinda serious, 
involving Psi Zeta, rest that squadron's soul."

"Psi Zeta." Mihoshi thought, remembering that it was Joseph's squadron that had been murdered by 
Christopher Stygian.  She remembered Stygian's attack on the Masaki house, Resyuki, Stygian's second in 
command, the battle with Koros, everything.  It felt like a knife had reopened an old wound, festering 
once more.  She wasn't a psychic or a Psionic Mage, but she could tell that some parts of Joseph's life still 
felt like unhealing scars to him.

Kiyone beamed, looking at Joseph and Arti.  She hadn't seen Joseph this happy in a long while; he was 
laughing, having a good time, and being around a friend of his.  She didn't know what Mihoshi was 
thinking about.  She took a look at Arti, observing him.

"He is really cute, just like Joseph." She thought, mischievous ideas coming into her head, a similar grin 
on her face.  "Once we get a place to stay, I will start a little shounen ai manga, methinks."

Arti saw the pain in Mihoshi's eyes after thinking about those incidents.  His expression saddened, and he 
went over to her.

"Are you allright, Miss Mihoshi?" He asked, quietly, with kind, understanding eyes.  His tail flicked back 
a bit.

"I-I'm okay, I guess." She said, blushing a bit.

"I know how it is.  I...I lost my parents due to the same event that Joseph saw." He whispered.

"You mean..."

"I'll explain it later."

For the first time, Mihoshi didn't require an immediate explanation, something that startled Kiyone.

While all this was going on, Tenchi was a little bit bored.  He didn't like bars or alcohol, cheap music, or 
barflies.  He looked around the room, seeing all the people drinking; the barflies, the casual drinkers, the 
gangsters, the daters, the ladies of the night, the office workers, the girl who looks like Mizra, the 
prostitutes, the space pirates - "A girl who looks like Mizra?" He thought, then tapping  Joseph's shoulder 
as he saw that.  

A woman sat at a stool, a very heavy drink in front of her.  She had light blue hair, only a little bit darker 
than Ryoko's, straight in front with a headband, but spiky in back, with little bits coming over the ears.  
She had depressed, orangey-red eyes like the morning sunrise, and strange markings on the left side of her 
face.  She wore a long black cloak, and an odd jumpsuit-like outfit, with strange boots, and carried a very 
long, clean wand, with a green orb at the top.  At her side was a very young gray cabbit, no more than a 
week old.  It seemed strong nonetheless, attempting to scare off anyone that would try to harm its 
mistress.  The woman seemed desperately depressed, like she was going to die.  She slouched over the 
drink, trying to hold herself up.  She truly did look a lot like Mizra, except for the coloring of the hair and 
cloak, markings, and small physical differences.

Joseph nodded, glaring at the woman, thinking she was Mizra.  He knew very little of the woman, but 
from what he did know, she sounded like the kind of person that Koros would employ.

Arti, however, just took one look at her, and said "I don't think that is Mizra."

"How do you know?" Asked Mihoshi.

"Mirsan instinct."

Joseph came up to the woman, holding collapsible handcuffs, Kiyone and Mihoshi following.

"Mizra Akaji Zonah, you're under arrest." He whispered, putting them on her.

The cabbit hissed.

"I'm not Mizra.  But I don't care.  Do what you like.  It doesn't matter anymore." The woman whispered, 
her voice shaky, trembling, deep and tired, seemed filled with depression, the hopeless kind that Joseph 
himself experienced.  It caused Joseph to frown, and doubt that she was Mizra.

"You look a lot like her."

"So do a few others."

"Who are you, then, if you aren't Mizra?" Kiyone asked, checking around.  No one else was seeing what 
was happening, all of them caught up in their own discussions to hear.

"Nagi Kamura.  Run a background check if you want, I don't give a damn."

Kiyone ran a scan on her on a small computer that she carried with her.

"Nagi Kamura, Bounty Hunter Extrordinare-"

"Ex-Bounty Hunter.  I quit very recently." Nagi replied.

"Why?"

"Do I have to tell my life story or something so I can have a last drink before I....before I do something 
that I will probably regret?!?!?" She quietly yelled, trying to keep her voice down.  She was very upset, 
even though she seemed to be drunk.  She was trembling, a few tears falling down her face, and a look of 
absolute pain in her eyes.

Tenchi looked at Nagi.  She seemed a lot like Ryoko, in an odd way.  The spiky hair was distantly similar 
to Ryoko's, but there was something about her.  This girl seemed to display how she felt very blatantly, but 
it probably had something to do with her drunkenness.  Ryoko was like that sometimes, but she was much 
more secretive about her fears and her worries.

"Are you allright, Miss Nagi?" He asked.

"Take it from me, kid - don't be a freakin' bounty hunter." He mumbled, her drunkenness very evident, 
like Ryoko's would be.

Arti took the handcuffs off of her.

"What are you doing?" Joseph exclaimed, trying to be as quiet as possible, as to not attract attention.

"She isn't Mizra.  Nor is she guilty of anything."

"But the record scanner program says she is guilty of theft, murder, and conspiracy!" Kiyone added.

"It's all fake.  I can tell." He said, then turning to Nagi.  "You don't have a place to go, do you?"

"House burned down.  Arsonists from my damned Great Uncle.  It's a long story that you don't need to 
know." She replied, trying to hold her composure, her drunkenness making it very hard.

He was about to put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, when the cabbit meowed defensively.

Almost instinctively, Arti looked directly into the cabbit's eyes, information seemingly exchanged 
telepathically through them with a primal link.  The cabbit soon nodded, as if understanding who he was 
and what he was doing.

"Arti, you're staying with us, once we find a place to stay.  I don't know about her." Joseph said quietly to 
his friend.

"She's coming with me then.  My people are able to sense liars, murderers, and thieves - She is an angel 
covered in soot - That is what it comes down to, Joseph." Arti whispered.  He looked back at her.  "Can 
you come stay with us, Miss Nagi?"

"I don't care." She muttered.

"We need to find a place first, anyhow." Joseph added.

"I already reserved us a place." Arti said, pointing to a small computer that popped up next to him.  It 
displayed a picture of a building on the outskirts of town.  It was a large apartment building, which used 
to be an industrial building.  The rooms were huge, the option of being pre-furnished looking very 
attractive. "It's a nice loft apartment; with my cash combined with the three of yours, we can afford it.  I 
already submitted my retinal key, we can register yours later.  We'll have to separate the men's area of the 
main room from the women's via a curtain; I don't think we have enough to put in a false wall after an 
upfront fee.  We'll all need to get jobs, too." 

He then turned to Nagi, and helping her up, the cabbit jumping on her shoulder.  She seemed very 
sluggish, her drunkenness obviously the cause.

As soon as Arti helped her up, a few drunks began to laugh.

"Look, its' that dyke Nagi and a bloody catboy!" One of them laughed.  "I wonder what the kids will be 
like!"

Rage filled Joseph.  If it was one thing that Joseph hated, it was bigotry.  When he had first joined the 
Galaxian Marines, some of the elder races discriminated against those that came from Earth to serve their 
galaxy.  He had faced it a lot, other squadrons playing sick pranks on his because it had Earthly members.  
Terrans did it to the elder species at that time as well, being a mess of racial bigotry.  It was one of the 
major problems with humanity and society that he had.  It particularly angered him if it happened to other 
species, as he viewed them to be intellectually superior to humanity.

Joseph took a deep breath, put his glass down, and went right up to the drunk, punched him in the jaw, 
and walked away.  The drunk fell off the chair, his friends too drunk to care or notice.

"I'm bisexual, dammit." Nagi responded to the drunk, mumbling, herself very drunk.  She turned to the 
cabbit.  "Ako-Ohki, let me sleep late tomorrow, okay?"

The cabbit meowed, softly.

They got into Yukonojo, and very soon they were flying over the outskirts of town.  It was very hilly 
around there, with old cliffs and ledges, sparse patches of grass, and a clear view of the night sky.  The 
four moons of the planet stood above them, as if in a standstill.  The stars were very easy to see in the dark 
sea, the city lights somehow having the opposite effect of light pollution; as if their spectrum was changed 
so it amplified the starlight.  They landed near a large white apartment building, about fifty stories high.  
It seemed somewhat old, but it oddly seemed very recent.  Next to it was a huge parking lot, with ships 
and cars of innumerable sizes parked there.

"What floor are we on?" Tenchi asked, not knowing what an apartment was like.

Arti checked the printout from his computer.

"45."

Tenchi gulped.

"It's already pre-furnished, right?"

"Yup.  Beds, chairs, tables, everything."

"How about rooms?"

"Already taken care of, but it will take awhile to get used to.  As these are loft apartments, we got one 
huge room, a smaller living room, kitchen, and a bathroom.  The huge room will be the bedroom.  I 
instructed the matience people online to put curtains to separate the rooms."

"You mean there won't be a real barrier between all of us when we sleep?" Tenchi gasped, the feeling of 
people watching him sleep still present, even though Ryoko and Ayeka weren't with them.

"It will have to do." Joseph said, pulling some of his books and clothes from a small pseudospace pocket.

"What the hell is going on?" Nagi mumbled.

"We have to get her inside.  She's drunker than Ryoko usually is!" Tenchi said warningly.

They walked inside with what they had with them, Mihoshi stopping to look at a map on the wall.

"Ooo...There's an onsen on the floor below ours!" She said, grinning.

"We'll have to make a stop there later on." Kiyone added.

"Tomorrow.  First, we need to get settled in, if it is possible.  We need some sleep." Tenchi replied 
glumly, the effects of realizing that he would not be home for months finally setting in.  They went into 
the elevator, soon getting to the 45th floor, and getting out.

"Room 4502." Arti said, putting his eyes up to a scanner on the door, which immediately opened.  The 
room itself was much like Arti had described; a large main room, a small living room, kitchen, and a 
bathroom.  The main room was very well furnished, with normal futons in six places in the room, a white 
curtain dividing the women's side from the men's.  There was some decoration, but it was still somewhat 
Spartan.  The living room was a bit more elaborately decorated, with a couch, chairs, bookcases, a TV, 
and a nice view of the surrounding hillsides.  The kitchen looked much like the one at home, as well as 
the bathroom.

"Pretty damn decent." Joseph thought, smiling.

"Guys, can you keep it quiet for a second?  I need to make sure she's allright." Arti announced, putting 
Nagi on one of the futons, and closing the curtain.  She was still very drunk, and still very upset.  She still 
cried somewhat, Ako-Ohki trying to lick her tears away.

"You'll be safe here with us, Nagi." He said quietly.

"I don't give a damn about what happens to me, ya freakin' catboy.  I'm a goddamn criminal.  I either kill 
or capture for a living, and I get paid for it.  I'm a monster!" She said, putting her head into the pillow.

"You aren't, Nagi.  I can sense you are a wonderful woman who got into some unfortunate accidents."

"I only got into bounty hunting so I could escape my goddamn family, especially my great uncle."

"Who is your great uncle, Nagi?"

"I'll talk about it tomorrow or something." She mumbled, still crying.  "I hate my job, I hate my life, I hate 
myself!"

Arti lifted her up, and held her in his arms, trying to comfort her.  She was quite beautiful, but Arti was 
not interested in any of that right now, and neither was she.  He did not even know her, yet all he wanted 
to do at that moment was make her feel better.  He wanted her to find solace on this night, whether it be 
through him, or someone else.  He held her for awhile, until she stopped crying, and the exhaustion 
setting in, causing her to fall asleep.

He put her on the futon, gently kissing her forehead.

"Feel better, Nagi." He whispered, going to the other unused futon.  Everyone else had pretty much fallen 
asleep by now, Mihoshi and Kiyone having temporarily moved their futons to the living room while he 
talked with Nagi.  He sighed, changed his clothes, and got in bed.

----

Back at the Masaki house, Loknar and Washuu sat in front of the computer in the lab.  It was late at night, 
the cool, late-spring, early summer air drifting in through a slightly opened skylight.  The computer's fans 
hummed quietly, keeping the mood of the area.

Loknar sighed, a four-o'clock shadow on his face.  He would have shaved, as normal, but he couldn't stand 
to see part of his family away that long.  Like any parent or friend, he worried.  Washuu was worried too, 
sitting by him, her arm around him.  The two of them sat there, in their underwear, as well as a tee-shirt 
to offset the breeze.

Washuu stared at the code on the screen, her eyes tired and heavy.

"Who the hell could have programmed this?" She thought out loud.

"I have no idea." Loknar replied, looking at it with her.

Suddenly, a small monitor, hastily labeled 'Miho-Kiyo-Jo-Ten-Arti Watch' beeped, a small paragraph of 
data appearing.

Washuu brightened, printing it out, and quickly reading it.

"Who's it from?" Loknar asked.

"Yukonojo locked onto our little communication bridge.  He sent us their location and status.  They're in 
Ersatz City.  From what I remember about this area, that city had a bustling Juraian community on it." 
She replied, handing it to him.  "They've also bought a loft apartment on the edge of the city.  There also 
seems to be someone else with them, a bounty hunter.  From what Yukonojo says, she seemed quite 
upset."

"They wouldn't abduct her."

"Correct.  His report states that she was Ryoko-drunk."

"I heard that, MOM!" An angry voice called from outside the lab.

Washuu giggled, and Loknar smiled, hugging his fiancee.

There was pounding on the locked lab door.

"Let me in, MOM, so I can give you a reply to that remark!" Ryoko yelled.

"Can everyone please be quiet?" Sasami called from upstairs.

"Let's go to bed before Ryoko tries to bust open the door." Washuu said, taking her fiancee's hand.

He kissed her cheek, and they went off to bed, a boot hitting Ryoko's head.

--

The next morning, Katsuhito was up early, sitting near the table of the shrine office, drinking some tea.  
He missed Tenchi, even though he had only been gone for a day.  It wasn't that that made him depressed, 
but the feeling that he wouldn't see him for months, and that his future was uncertain.  That sentiment 
was the same throughout the Masaki family, but he had trouble facing up to it.  He was the crown prince 
of Jurai, he who defeated Ryoko, he was the greatest warrior to ever walk the Earth.

He took another sip of the tea.

He sat there for a few hours, deep in thought.

Sasami knocked on his door about 9 AM.

"Breakfast is ready, Grandpa!" She called.

He smiled, warmly.  Grandpa.

"I was also wondering." She asked.

"What?"

"Would you be able to train me, too?  I want to be able to come with everyone during the battle, instead of 
sitting here all the time."

"Sure.  After breakfast, Sasami."

Loknar and Washuu came from the lab, somewhat rested, as they had stayed up most of the night trying to 
analyze the code that protected the Lock Sector.  They found Noboyuki laying on the couch of the living 
room, trying to hook something up to the cable box.

"What are you doing?" Loknar groaned.

"Oh, nothing." He replied, getting back to work.

"Tell us."

"Fine.  I'm trying to get me...er....us some 'happy' channels."

The two geniuses sweatdropped.

"As a favor to us, as we made you look twenty again, do not put pornographic channels on there." Washuu 
asked, glaring at Noboyuki.

"Okay." He said, still working at it.

"NOBOYUKI!" She yelled.

"What?"

"You said you wouldn't hook it up!"

"I said I wouldn't subscribe to pornographic channels.  This allows me to access 'happy' channels."

"And what exactly ARE 'happy' channels?"

He paused, a blank look on his face.

"I'll get back to you on that." He said after awhile.

"He's as impossible as Mihoshi." Loknar muttered.

Ryoko and Ayeka came downstairs, exhausted, and poking at each other.

"Why are you two so tired?" Noboyuki asked them.

"Soap opera fanfic archive on the Internet." Ayeka tiredly replied.

"And how did you get an Internet hook up there?" Washuu asked, already knowing the answer.

"Stole one of your computers." Ryoko yawned.

"The only way this can get any worse....." Loknar and Washuu said together.

Out of nowhere, there was the sound of a Juraian ship dropping two figures off, each carrying some 
suitcases.  The ship flew back off into the sky, soon disappearing from sight.

"Hi!" One of them waved, beaming.

"...Is that." The two geniuses finished their sentence, sighing.

"Mommy!" Sasami called, grinning, and running up to Misaki, hugging her tightly.  

"My little Sasami!" She replied, hugging her back, tears of joy in her eyes.

Ayeka was suprised as well.  Knowing what happened last time, she ran up to embrace her mother as 
well, hugging her and doing the same as Sasami had.

Ryoko found it very hard to control her laughter, but she also knew what happened the last time they had 
come over.

"Girls, how are you?" Misaki asked, smiling.

"We're allright, but Washuu and Tassi will update you on the situation of Tenchi, Mihoshi, Joseph, and 
Kiyone." Ayeka responded to her mother.

Loknar and Washuu blinked, knowing that they were about to be glomped.

"Little Washuu, you've grown up!" Misaki called, hugging her way too tightly, probably cutting off 
circulation.

"Um...Yeah."

"And who is this bishounen?" She asked, looking at Loknar and grinning.

"Tassixar Loknar, Miss Washuu's fiancee." Loknar said, showing her the ring, and saying the word 
'fiancee' loudly, so she would understand.

Misaki frowned for a moment, then brightened.

"Am I invited to the wedding?"

"Yes, you are." Washuu replied.

While Washuu was talking, Misaki had already gone onto Ryoko, who she hugged too tightly as well.

"Little Ryoko, how are you?" She asked.

"Fine, but please let me breathe." Ryoko replied.

"Where are Tenchi and Mihoshi, and who are Joseph and Kiyone?" Funaho asked, having respectably 
walked in quietly, a look of wonder on her face.

"Oh, I forgot to ask, Ayeka, has he announced his love for you yet?" Misaki asked, running back to her 
daughter.

"He hasn't." Ryoko replied.

"To you, then?"

"Not to anyone, YET." She grumbled.

"Joseph is Tassi's son." Washuu said to Funaho, handing her a picture.

"He's as cute as Tenchi." She said.

"No kidding." Misaki replied, looking at the photograph.

"Kiyone is Mihoshi's partner." Loknar added, handing over another photograph, then going on to explain 
the general situation.

"I see...now where are they?" Misaki asked wonderingly.

"We have our second bubblehead." Washuu grumbled.

Sasami looked at her mother and her aunt.

"Father isn't coming, is he?"

"You know how he is.  Jurai first, family second.  We're just here to visit you for awhile.  You also need 
some company, since those four aren't here." Funaho said to her niece.

Loknar sighed sadly.

"We have to turn the anti-Mihoshi lab security system back on, I think." Washuu said to her fiancee.

The cabbits came down the stairs a few minutes later, Kii-Ohki riding on her father's back.

Misaki instantly glomped them, overjoyed.

"More cabbits!" She squealed, very happy at the arrival of more cuteness.

Funaho smiled, and petted them as well.

"Who're the new ones?"

"Ken-Ohki is Ryo-Ohki's mate, and Kii-Ohki is their child, born just yesterday."

"Soooooo cute!" Misaki cooed, hugging them tightly.

"Hello, Mother." Katsuhito said to Funaho.  "I wrote this time, like you wanted me to."

"I got the letters.  Thank you, son." She responded, hugging him.

Noboyuki came out of the living room, and into the entry, to see all the excitement.

"Noboyuki became a bishounen!" The two queens called, looking at him as his new appearance, grinning.

He grinned back.

"Oh dear God.  Let's get some aspirin, stat!" Loknar called, running into the lab with Washuu.

Ryoko and Ayeka ran off to the floating onsen for some now really needed sake, while Sasami shook her 
head and sighed, Katsuhito giving off a blank stare.
-----

Tenchi awoke very early in the morning to the sounds of the city.  Cars honking, people talking, radios 
booming, planes flying.  He had slept well last night, though wondered why, considering the 
circumstances.  He was disoriented at first, wondering why he wasn't in bed at home, before the memory 
of the previous day set in.  He flinched, and muttered, slamming his head back down on the pillow.

Ako-Ohki licked his cheek.

"What?  Quit it, I'm trying to sleep!" He said, grumpily.

Joseph was already awake, sitting in the living room and watching television with Mihoshi and Kiyone.  
From what he could see through the curtain, Arti was on the balcony of the apartment, an odd pipe in his 
hands.  Tenchi hadn't seen it before, so decided to come over to see.  

"I don't think I'm going to get back to sleep anyhow." He grumbled, getting up and stretching.

He had forgotten, however, that Nagi was right near the small opening in the curtain.  As he walked, he 
slipped on her futon, landing right on top of the still sleeping bounty hunter.

Her eyes shot open, a glare on them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, pervert?" She yelled, throwing him off in self defense.

"S-Sorry, Miss N-N-Nagi." Tenchi stuttered, a bit afraid of her.

"I have a hangover, so let me sleep.  I'll deal with you later." She said, getting back into bed.

Joseph, Kiyone, Mihoshi, and Arti had come over to see what had happened.

"Can I please sleep?  I don't need a billion people talking to me!" She yelled.

"You're awake, finally." Joseph spoke.  "We'd been worried."

"About what, kid?"

"That you might be in pain."

"Leave me alone."

"You must have one heck of a hangover.  It's affecting your attitude." Mihoshi pointed out.

Nagi growled, stopping when Kiyone put her hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't we all get something to eat, then take a bath?"

"Why don't you please let me be?" Nagi responded, angrily.

Arti cleared his throat.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced, Miss Nagi." He spoke, "I am Arti N'Ram, GP officer."

Nagi smiled oddly, feeling a bit more awake.

"You must be the one that they're always talking about - The one that is always too lenient, too kind, too 
nice, even to criminals."

Arti flinched.

"I am not.  Anyway, next to me are GP officers Mihoshi Kuramitsu, Kiyone Makibi, deputy Tenchi 
Masaki, and -"

"Joseph Masaki." Joseph said, interrupting, quietly.

Tenchi turned to the man that had become his brother, wondering why he didn't say his Earthly last name, 
Anonymous.

"I am trying to distance myself from the society that I grew up in.  Masaki is my true name, as I have now 
fully realized.  Keeping the name Anonymous would be a lie to myself and what I believe in." He said 
telepathically to his brother.

Tenchi understood why, and turned back to Nagi.

She got up, her body aching from the hangover.  Even though she looked sick, she still looked quite 
beautiful, easily rivaling that of Ryoko, Ayeka, Mihoshi, Kiyone, or Washuu.

She turned to Arti, smiling at him.

"I'm not going to get any sleep, so let's go to the onsen, catboy.  Food can wait."

Arti didn't exactly appreciate the catboy comment, but he tried to ignore it.

Nagi grabbed a few towels, and went out the door, Ako-Ohki following her.

Arti shook his head, and looked at the others, silently asking them if they should follow.

He grabbed a few more towels, handing one to each of them, as they all soon walked to the onsen.

It was very much like the one at home, with elaborate decoration; tropical and bonsai trees, rocks, 
fountains, a beautiful view of the sky, and several cabinets of sake.  The baths themselves were very 
empty, very few other people in it yet.

Arti, Joseph, and Tenchi went to the men's bath, while Nagi, Mihoshi, and Kiyone went to the women's.  
In both baths, the water was warm, very comfortable in the early morning.  Everyone got in, and soaked 
for a few minutes.

Arti still had that odd pipe with him, and was lighting it.

"What the heck is that, Arti?" Tenchi asked.

"Narwaj pipe." The Mirsan replied, taking a puff of it, an odd smile on his face.

"Is that legal?" The Juraian prince asked, seeing the calming effect it had on him.

"Quite.  It's sort of like catnip, 'cept it can be smoked."

"It looks a lot like marijuana, though." Joseph added, looking up at the sky.

"How many times have I told you, Joseph, it doesn't look like pot!"

"We'll look it up later.  It looks similar, and has the same kind of effect."

"No it doesn't.  The only difference between Narwaj and catnip is a few excess protein strains, and a few 
mixed hydrocarbons."

Joseph and Tenchi blinked.

"What are you doing, studying to be like my father?" Joseph laughed.

"I picked it up!  I'm mainly a mechanic."

Meanwhile, Nagi sat with Mihoshi and Kiyone in the women's bath.

Mihoshi was talking too much due to the sake, as usual, but Nagi seemed very quiet, peering off into the 
distance.

"Are you okay, Nagi?" Kiyone said, wading over to her.

"I'm fine.  I just still have a hangover.  It's wearing off, though."

"That's good."

There was still a long silence, none of them knowing what to say.

"Which one of them do you like?" Mihoshi burbled, half-drunk on sake, referring to Joseph, Tenchi, and 
Arti.  "I like all of them, but Tenchi is the property of Ayeka and Ryoko, back home.  They'd kill me if I 
tried to flirt with him."

Nagi swiftly turned her gaze to Mihoshi when she said Ryoko's name.

"Is she Ryoko Hakubi?" Nagi asked, as if she knew Ryoko.

"Yea, why?"

"I know her from way back when.  She is the only bounty I never caught, and I still want to settle business 
with her." Nagi said, then getting up and looking over the ledge.  She looked off into the distance, smiling 
as if reflecting on a fond memory of her past.

"Hey, Catboy!  We should get some breakfast in a second!" She called over the divider between the men 
and women's bath, a few minutes later.

"My name is Arti, Miss Nagi, and we've barely been in here!" He replied, blushing as part of her was 
exposed.

"We've been here twenty minutes.  Put the peace pipe down!"

"It's a Narwaj pipe, thank you."

"I still think it's pot." Joseph added.

Arti jokingly hit him with a soap canister.

Everyone soon got out, Nagi borrowing some of Kiyone's clothes, as she had nothing else with her.  They 
went to a small restaurant on the same floor.

"This isn't a restaurant, Arti." Joseph mumbled, "This is a fast food court."

"Fast food, restaurant, same thing." He replied, everyone sitting down.  He whispered a few words, a small 
pseudospace portal appearing.  He lifted a small computer out of it, setting on the table.  It turned on, 
having an internal battery.

"What're you doing, Arti?" Mihoshi asked him, looking at the machine with interest.

"Seeing if we can have a chat with your friends back home." He replied, entering commands about half as 
quickly as Loknar and Washuu.

The five of them crowded around the screen, while Nagi just sat by it.

"C'mon, connect!" Tenchi whispered, as the computer connected through the small wormhole held in 
place by Washuu and Loknar's satellite.  It went through the normal modem sounds, something that 
almost gave Mihoshi a headache.

They soon connected, the image of the two geniuses sitting at their computer terminal appearing on the 
screen.  They looked suprised to see them, Loknar nearly falling out of his chair.

"Hi everyone!" Washuu said, helping her fiancee up.  "I see we're all packed in, aren't we?"

"Pretty much.  Still adjusting...We don't know anything about this place." Tenchi replied.

Loknar smiled at Arti.

"We've met before, Arti.  I'd like you to meet my lovely fiancee, Washuu." He said to the Mirsan.

"Pleased to meet ya." He replied.

Washuu whistled, the whole group on Earth assembling before the monitor.

"Tenchi!" Ryoko and Ayeka cried, literally glomping the monitor.

"Girls...Come down.  You're going to break the monitor!" Washuu exclaimed, then peeling them off.

"I miss you, Tenchi!  The mean ol' princess doesn't." Ryoko said, looking deeply into the monitor.

"I do so miss him!  That idiotic space pirate is already taking your room for herself, Tenchi!"  Ayeka 
retorted.

"We all miss you." Sasami said, sadly.

"We miss you too." Mihoshi responded.

"Tenchi!" Misaki and Funaho screamed, grinning at him.

"...Uh...Hi!  What are you two doing here?  Is Asuza with you?"

"We decided we'd drop in.  We're going to be here 'till you get back.  Asuza is off with national affairs 
again."

Tenchi turned to Joseph, whispering "I realize now that I was right when I decided to come with."

"And you must be Joseph!" Misaki said, looking at Joseph.  "You're just as handsome as your father!"

Washuu cleared her throat and gave a warning look, making sure that Misaki didn't get on the topic of 
Loknar again.

Sasami waved at Arti.

"Who're ya?  I'm Sasami!" She said, feeling a bit more cheerful.

"Arti N'Ram.  Joseph's friend."

Ayeka, Ryoko, Misaki, and Funaho looked at him too, grinning, Arti blushing.

"Anything interesting in the news?" Joseph asked.

"Actually, very much.  I'll let this news report speak for itself." Loknar said, a small window containing a 
video file popping up.  It opened to a view of Okayama, however filled with UFO fanatics.

The reporter began, a video of the aerial battle over Kurashiki the previous day appearing, soon turning 
over to the reporter, the massive amount of people visible behind her.  Several people were in cosplay, 
while many others held signs, chanted, and took pictures.  "Yesterday, throughout the Okayama 
prefecture, there have been overwhelming reports of Unidentified Flying Objects.  According to witnesses, 
in what appeared to be an aerial battle, several of the objects were destroyed, two lone, white objects 
seemingly chasing their target, a large black object.  The UN and NATO have announced these as being 
test craft, the black ship being a self-defending observer drone, the smaller white ones being attack drones.  
A few witnesses have reported the appearance of unknown black-suited entities instructing them not to 
speak of what they saw, and confiscating any evidence that they possess.  A small piece turned over to a 
local laboratory suggests that the material used for constructing the vehicles was very rare on Earth, which 
NATO denies.  UFO fanatics, liberal scientists, photography experts, and even several leading Skeptical 
journals, such as the Fortean Times and the Skeptic are calling this the 'Second Roswell'.  Several UFO 
fanatics and researchers have descended upon the area, making the area literally a Cosplay convention.  
We have with us now a local resident and UFO fanatic, Chiaki Tokamatsu."

A young, brown-haired girl carrying a laptop came on-screen, grinning, and very giddy.

"What do you think about these recent events, Ms. Tokamatsu?"

"Ohmigod it's great!  Finally, we have PROOF of ALIEN life existing outside of Earth!  This is so 
EXCITING!  I need to update my website!" The girl exclaimed, literally yelling a few words.  She took 
out her laptop, then feverishly typing and editing her website, the reporter frowning, and turning back to 
herself.

"We'll bring you more details as they come.  This is Chiae Fukosawa reporting for GNN, Okayama, 
Japan."

The video clip ended, Joseph grinning.

"NATO, the UN, as well as the American and Japanese governments called us up.  Since Mihoshi issued 
her report, the GP has put Tassi and I in charge of technology when dealing with the Earthly 
governments.  We had to design some crappy fighters and drones based on the GP ships and Mizra's, so 
they could show around their new toy, and convince people that the aerial battle was from Earth.  It's an 
idiotic job, but we're the only ones who can do it." Washuu said, sighing.

Misaki pressed her face against the screen.

"Who's that behind you?" She asked, seeing Nagi behind Arti.

Nagi didn't even have to say it, or even had to react.  Misaki's attention brought Ryoko's eyes to Nagi.  A 
deep glare appeared on her face.

"YOU." She rasped, pushing the others away.  "What the hell are you doing there with MY Joseph and 
MY Tenchi, you disgusting bounty hunter?"

Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Kiyone were about to respond to those comments, but Joseph and Loknar put their 
fingers to their lips.

Nagi sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Hello, Ryoko.  I see you remember me."

"Damn right I do!  You almost knocked me unconscious during those duels.  You tried to kill me!"

"No.  I only DID kill criminals who actually were evil for the reward.  You weren't; you were just stupid, 
and under some guy named Kagato's control or something.  I captured people like you, and let the 
authorities deal with you."

"What do you mean by DID, Nagi?"

"I quit the racket, Ryoko."

"Hell hasn't frozen over yet."

"I'm tired of both the racket and my damned great uncle."

"I don't believe it."

Nagi got very angry around then, looking Ryoko directly in the eye, her eyes like the steel of a molten 
sword, as piercing and hot as one could be.

"I'm tired of all the crap they made me do.  I hate killing, and I hate hurting people.  I want to forget the 
past.  If you don't want to, that is fine by me, you foolish ditz."

Nagi walked out of the room, her footsteps like the falling of rocks, leaving Ryoko unable to reply.

There was a long silence for a bit, no one able to say anything.

Eventually, they got back on track, the Earth party explaining to Arti, later Nagi about the home life and 
the past, the Ersatz party explaining the area where they would have to live for awhile.  The cabbits 
meowed a bit, Ako-Ohki talking in cabbit-speak to the Earth cabbits, everyone smiling at the cuteness.

As they talked, Tenchi noticed Misaki and Funaho giving some odd looks to his father.

Tenchi shuddered, knowing what was happening.  Thoughts came through his head, horrible thoughts 
that he could not imagine.

"Uh...great-aunt Misaki?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"What are you and Great-Grandma Funaho doing with my father?"

"Flirting."

The members of all parties, except for Noboyuki, Misaki and Funaho, fainted.

"But....But mother, dear God!  You're married!" Ayeka exclaimed.

"Funaho and I are your father's two wives.  If he can have two spouses, why can't we?" She asked her 
daughter.

"Because it is illegal for an Earthly citizen to have two spouses." Katsuhito announced, in an attempt to 
sway them.

"Stupid laws." Funaho mumbled.

She went into a huddle with her 'sister', the words "doesn't have to be legal" and "stupid earth 
governments" audible.

Everyone sweatdropped, Ryoko and Ayeka then pulling Misaki and Funaho away from a hysterical 
Noboyuki.

"We'll see what we can do to curb this predicament.  We'll talk to you later." Washuu said into the 
monitor, sighing, and turning it off.

"I need to find a shrine." Joseph mumbled, indicating the need to pray.

"Who are these mysterious heroes of Tsaniko?  If you are just joining us, the colony of Tsaniko has been 
liberated by a small task force possibly containing Juraian royalty." A TV blared, everyone else in the 
restaurant cheering.

"Any of those heroes look familiar?" Joseph asked, smiling at Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Tenchi, as sketchy 
video footage of them defeating Koros's invasion appeared on screen.

"Ah, so you were those guys, huh?" Nagi asked, grinning.

"Yes they are, but keep it quiet.  These people receive signals from our area of the galaxy usually months, 
even years ago because of the dampners, which are resistant to weak signals, like radio or TV broadcasts." 
Arti replied, whispering.

"What?" Mihoshi asked, as usual.

"I'll explain it later, k?"

"Okay."

Eventually, they got around to eating, and quietly talking.  Mihoshi and Kiyone kept looking at the three 
young men, whispering, and giggling, Nagi joining in a bit.  The three of them blushed, Arti's tail flicking 
back and forth.  Ako-Ohki didn't care, just eating his food.

"What's so funny?" Tenchi asked Mihoshi.

"...Nothing."

"Tell me."

"Okay.  Just Kiyone's plan for a shounen-ai manga about -" She was suddenly muffled by Kiyone.

Tenchi, Joseph, and Arti gulped.

"Do we even want to know?" Arti wondered.

"About shounen-ai characters.  No one any of us know, okay?" Kiyone responded, trying to cover up her 
partner's foolishness.

Joseph sighed, knowing that it was about the three of them.

"What should we do after this?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"I have no clue.  We need jobs, though." Nagi responded, thinking.

"What kind of jobs?"

"How should I know?  Security guards or police officers, waiters, mechanics, clerks..."

"I'll be a mechanic of some sort, Joseph, Mihoshi, and Kiyone can be security guards and/or police 
officers, Tenchi can be a clerk, and you can..." Arti interrupted Nagi.

"...Be a mechanic as well.  I'm pretty skilled at it, Catboy." She interrupted him, using the catboy name 
jokingly.

"Please don't call me that." He mumbled.  He brightened, getting back on the subject of what to do after 
breakfast/lunch.  "We need to do some shopping, too.  No one has much clothing, and the refrigerator that 
came with the apartment is empty.  I'll go with Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Nagi to do the shopping, while you 
two find some good restaurants, parks, nightclubs, bookstores, etc for us to go to later on.  Also, find a 
shrine of some kind."

"Why are you always the one that gets to do everything with girls?" Joseph mumbled, and Arti laughing.

The girls blushed.

"It's an inside joke from a few billion years ago." He added.

"Allright." Tenchi said, getting up and stretching.  "Let's go then.  We'll meet back at the apartment at 
around two, okay?"

Everyone agreed, and the two parties went on their separate ways for awhile.

After Arti, Nagi, Mihoshi, and Kiyone had left, Tenchi and Joseph stared out the window.

"What the hell should we do now?" Tenchi asked, putting his head down on the table.

"We could look around.  Follow me." Joseph said, taking his brother by the arm, and leading him into the 
elevator.  They soon reached the ground floor, and looked outside.  A Juraian festival was underway 
nearby, celebrating the Liberation of Tsaniko, which in reality happened almost half a year before.  There 
was classical Juraian music playing, people singing, praising the Juraian deities, and children playing.  
Joseph and Tenchi smiled, especially when small wooden robots, which looked very much like Azaka and 
Kamidake, floated by, several children following them in a mini-parade.

"Yukonojo's computer was right - There are a lot of Juraians here." Joseph thought, feeling a bit better.  
Nearby them was a massive, beautiful public shrine, where several ceremonies were being performed on at 
the moment.  At its' center was a Royal Tree seedling, already sending off beams of light, just like 
Funaho, Ryu-Oh, and Miri-Oh at home.

Joseph and Tenchi walked around the neighborhood, surrounded by Juraian civilization and culture.  
Juraian shops, Juraian libraries, Juraian parks, Juraian schools, Juraian businesses, and Juraian animals 
filled the area, the two brothers feeling a little bit more comfortable.  This section of town, at least, was 
Juraian.

They found a few good shops, bookstores, parks, clubs, restaurants, and even a 'police' station as they 
walked, writing down the addresses as they walked, so they would remember.  As this sector was pretty 
lawless, Joseph could see that the police station that they saw was corporately sponsored, protecting only 
its' interests.  They soon got to a small park more towards the middle of the neighborhood, a tiny shrine in 
the middle of it.  The park was well-taken care of, with rows of beautiful flowers, delicately trimmed 
bushes, well-made rock gardens, and a small pond in the middle, little yellow fish, like stars, jumping 
every once in awhile, trying to catch a bug before they plunged back into the water.  The shrine itself was 
the size of a picnic table, consisting of a wooden circle implanted onto the ground, Juraian runes carved 
into it, gazebo-like poles holding a hinged circular pagoda-like roof, and a holy Juraian plant growing in a 
small hole in the middle of the circle.  On the top of the roof, there was a small hole, a thin beam of 
sunlight hitting the plant.  The plant itself was very much like a miniature version of Funaho, with a thick 
trunk, and long branches, small pieces of paper, dotted with prayers hanging from them.

Joseph went right over to it, kneeling slightly, perfectly still, looking directly at the tree and its' runes.

"This is a shrine?  It's dinky!" Tenchi said, wondering why Joseph was praying at it.

"A shrine is a shrine is a shrine." His brother replied, still praying.

"But you're not even Shinto...I'm pretty much not either!"

"On Orion and Jurai, it does not matter if you belong to the particular religion that created and maintains 
the shrine.  Any religious structure, whether it be churches, synagogues, mosques, cathedrals, temples, 
shrines, or any other is still a connection to the divine."

"You're sounding like Grandpa!"

"Shut up and pray, okay?  We're stuck on this planet, and we have to make do.  We also have to pray to 
get off this world and get back home."

Tenchi sighed, and began to pray as well.  They sat there for a few minutes, the plant shooting a beam up 
in the air every now and then.  It had been doing it before they came, but now it was a bit more noticeable.  
Just as Joseph was almost finished praying, he saw a familiar sinister figure out of the corner of his eye.  
He looked up, very slowly.  To the right of the tree was a figure that looked very, very similar to Nagi, the 
exceptions being hair the color of the spilt blood of the innocent, disturbing markings, and ashy eyes that 
seemed to be like mounds of ashes.  In her sheath was a wand-sword like weapon, stained with blood.  
Joseph's frown turned into a deep glare, and he slowly arose.

"What's going on, Joseph?" Tenchi asked, not having seen who Joseph saw.

"Mizra.  To the east." He whispered.

Mizra walked slowly, silently towards a large library, in which the leaders of the major groups of Ersatz 
City were meeting, to plan social events, ideas, holidays, and city issues.  The library seemed as massive 
as that of Alexandria, with reinforced steel in the walls, strong stone brick on the outside.  The entrance 
was massive, about ten feet tall, an elaborate carpet greeting whoever came in.  Mizra walked, the 
automatic doors opening.  As she passed a patch of flowers, they seemed to quake in fear, though probably 
just disturbed by her steps.

"What should we do?" Tenchi asked.

"Follow her, but very, very discreetly." Joseph replied to Tenchi.

They walked into the library, after she had gone into the next hall.  Even in the front entrance, there were 
massive amounts of books, the shelves extending right to the high 20 meter ceiling.  Some of the books 
seemed very old, some looking about a hundred years old, but sat alongside more recent ones, as if they 
were born together.  

-----

Author's Note: This following small scene will get a bit dark and violent.  Just warning you.

-----

Mizra had entered a large door about seventy feet in front of them that lead to a small hallway.

The two Juraian princes followed a little closer, still being very careful.

She entered two massive doors, leading to a medium-sized auditorium.  It was in a sloped semi-circle 
shape, much like a coliseum, with a central platform at the bottom.  Only about half of it was filled at the 
moment, but Mizra didn't seem to mind.  She walked down the slope, a blank look on her face.

"Now we call to order proposal 5372-3, the addition of a public pool to the Enohana Primary School." The 
chairman of the meeting said, a few of his aides sitting by him.  He was middle-aged, with short green 
hair and a thin mustache, dressed in a formal suit.  Then, he noticed Mizra.  "Ma'am, could you please sit 
down?"

Mizra responded with only a silent, insane grin.  She pointed her scepter at him, a black fire shooting out 
of it, setting the man on fire.  He fell to the ground, the fire eating at him like acid.  Within a second later, 
she fired at one person in the first row, the entire row set on fire within a half second.  She then pulled out 
a gun, bullets filled with shrapnel flying out of it, killing most of the middle rows.

Joseph and Tenchi stood near the door, in absolute horror, the shock making them unable to react.

Within seconds, Mizra had slaughtered almost all of the assembly, about one hundred in all.  The laugh 
that would usually accompany such madmen was not present, only the maddening grin, and the teeth that 
were as white as bleached skulls.

Soon, she began to run out the door near her, Joseph and Tenchi finally reacting, the whole attack lasting 
five seconds at most.  Joseph's eyes were filled with rage, the man storming down the isle, taking the 
Orion-ken out of his pocket, the good sword activating, a beam of blue slight shooting out of it.  Tenchi 
did the same with the Tenchi-ken.  Both had taken their swords when they left, knowing to always be 
prepared for situations such as these.

Mizra ran, not caring about the men with Juraian swords.  Joseph and Tenchi got a shot at her left 
shoulder as they ran, a brackish red blood coming out of the wound, some of it hitting the ground.

They ran after her outside, for nearly a block, before she jumped into a small waiting ship, a strange 
emblem stamped on its' side.  The ship flew off, soon out of view.

Joseph and Tenchi stood there, breathless, unable to run anymore.  Joseph was breathing heavily, and so 
was Tenchi.  Joseph just stared up, his pupils the size of needletips.  The absolute horror and rage that 
filled him was about as bad, if not worse than when he and the others liberated Tsaniko.  He had just 
witnessed the pointless deaths of a hundred or so innocent people, slaughtered for no reason.

Tenchi felt the same way, but he had no idea how to deal with it.  Joseph had seen such carnage before, as 
he was a soldier, but Tenchi was just a teenager from Earth.  He couldn't even imagine it.  His body and 
his mind were completely unable to comprehend it.  It felt as if his entire body went numb, his soul feeling 
like it was wriggling out of his skin.  He dropped to the ground, and began to weep.  There was nothing 
else he could do, his pain and sadness overwhelming his rage.

Joseph's rage was higher than it had been in almost half a year, making his sadness and pain indecisive in 
his overall move.

They were standing by the small shrine, Joseph filled with ungodly amounts of rage, and Tenchi weeping.

They stood there, a huge convoy of security cars and ships racing to the scene, and the fires being put out.

In Tenchi's mind, the image of the symbol on the escape ship appeared, suddenly matching with one had 
seen before.

"No.  Even he's not this evil." Tenchi whispered.

"Who?" Joseph asked, working very hard to keep his emotions down.  "Who the hell did this?"

"The emblem looks like Dr. Clay's." Tenchi replied, weeping again.

Joseph had heard tales of the man, and knew who he was and what he had done.

"What is this?" He yelled at the sky, seemingly to the escape ship, which by now was probably out of orbit.  
"Some mad quest for power?  Some joke?  Some excuse to waste sentient life?  A way to mock ethics?  
Who are you?  Why did you do this?"

"Who do you work for, you murderer?  Tokimi?  Do you work for that demoness?" He continued, the 
specific entity sensing her name being called, and sighing, as if he was wrong.  His Lighthawk wings 
began to form, and so did Tenchi's.  "The Melkars?  Antarans?  Who hired you?  Or did you do this 
yourself?"

"It doesn't matter!  I swear to God, I will get you!  I will impale my sword into your heart! The innocent 
shall be avenged!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, pointing his now-generating sword in air towards the 
north star, the brothers' Lighthawk wings becoming as tall as a large tree, the beams of all the Juraian 
Royal Trees in the city collating on the central beam of the small shrine on which they sat, the converging 
point sending a beam high into the sky, somehow hitting the escape ship directly, causing severe damage 
to it.

----

"We're hit, you octopus-headed bastard!" Mizra yelled into a microphone.

"I can see that, Mizra.  Return to main base." A familiar, evil voice spoke.

Mizra's ship, somewhat sputtering, followed his orders, flying off, although damaged.

----

The Lighthawk wings and the beams died down, the area returning to quiet.

Joseph nearly fell, Tenchi catching him.

"We...Should go back to the apartment.  I don't know what else to do." Tenchi spoke, wiping tears from 
his eyes.

---