Disclaimer: The character Ryoko is copyright AIC and Pioneer, as is one other character who just happens to drop by. Both are from "Tenchi Muyo!" and related series. As such, I don't take credit for creating them. Everyone else in the story was my own idea, except for one guy from 20th Century Fox who just kind of showed up. Since I won't be making any money from the story, suing me would be quite ridiculous. I guess I could give you my car, but it's a piece of junk. You wouldn't like it, trust me. It gets lousy gas mileage, the AC barely works, and it's ugly.... Okay, I think we're disclaimed. PS: Several of the words in this story are (real) Japanese. Look them up or e- mail me if you're curious. While you're at it, feel free to send positive comments my way -- I have a fragile ego. But enough of that. On with the story! Enjoy! --Marley THE RULES Rule #1: Don't offer the patrons anything but drinks. Rule #2: Don't engage them in conversation. Rule #2a: Never, never ask questions about their personal lives. Rule #3: If you fear for your life, don't call the cops, that's the one sure way to get killed. Rule #3a: That doesn't mean you can't threaten to call them from time to time. Rule #4: Don't close up early. Rule #5: Never give out drinks for free. You're reading the rules of my bar, "Dareka, Dokoka." Every waitress who ever worked for me got a card with those rules written on them. They had to know them by heart. One of the cards was on my side of the cash register, just as a reminder. The bar stood on a barren dump of a world called Sakros V. Sakros V wasn't so much a planet as a lonely, ugly, misshapen asteroid. Bartending in that kind of place can be dangerous. No, that's not it. Being involved with anybody can be dangerous. I try to avoid it, hence the rules. But right now, I'd like to tell you a story about one night where I broke every damn one of those rules. I still don't quite know why, but there you have it. And maybe when I'm done, we'll both understand. Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose... I saw her reflection first. Just a hint of a face under a hood, reflecting off the finish of the bar as she dragged herself in from the freezing cold and the rain. I make it a point not to look up at my customers when they first come in. Most of them are the types who would appreciate not being noticed, know what I mean? Even so, she was hard to ignore (to say the least). She had a caged- animal look about her. I'd seen that before: she was trying to keep a low profile, but wasn't used to doing it. She looked like a tigress. Something in her eyes, I guess something distinctly feline about them. Eventually, I had to raise my head to take her order. "What'll it be, miss?" I inquired. She wore a heavy, hooded coat that must have weighed five pounds with the rainwater soaked in. The outfit made it more obvious that she was hiding something. (In this case, it was her body, and let me tell you that it didn't work.) Her face was downcast, but her eyes shone from under the hood. They were yellow and very bright, and she looked a hell of a lot sharper than anybody who ever finds his way in here. Especially this close to closing time. "Sake." I had to search around for a few moments before I could even find what she was looking for. Not that I don't know what Sake is, I'm not an idiot, but hardly anyone ever asks for it. I made sure to take my time in finding it: it allowed me a chance to observe her in the mirror without being observed myself. She wasn't tall, and she looked young, but it's getting hard to tell how old anybody is in the galaxy these days. What she didn't look was na‹ve. I could see her shifting her eyes around the room, not wanting to be taken by surprise but careful not to make any suspicious. She was following a classic pattern: "don't let anyone notice you, pretend not to notice anyone." `Could she be a criminal?' I asked myself. My thoughts were interrupted by a crash from the far end of the room. "Watch it, bitch!" roared Big Lou, my personal least favorite customer. `Big Lou' (Liu) Takarishi and his band of fat slobs spent almost every night of the year in the bar. They were all repulsive, but he was the worst of the bunch. They were great for business -- they paid hundreds a night -- so I almost never threw them out, but that didn't mean I had to like them. "Next time you spill beer on me, I'll make you lick it off!" he bellowed at the poor girl. Lou made every night hell on my waitresses. Most of them were the innocent type, too. He destroyed them. Thanks to him alone, I'd lost four waitresses in the past six months. "Hey Lou," I called, "you need a ride home?" "When I'm good and ready, Daremo-san," he slobbered. Daremo-san is my nickname. I hate it when people call me that. "I'll call one of those cabs with the flashing lights and the guys in uniform! You like those, right?" Mention police for any reason and everybody in the bar gets nervous. Tonight, the silence was particularly deadly, and it made me uncomfortable. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I shouted "LAST CALL!" for everyone to hear. I was about an hour ahead of schedule, but as far as I was concerned, the sooner everybody left me alone, the better. I turned around to try and recall what I'd been doing. It struck me that the girl at the bar hadn't so much as moved, even thought I'd practically been shouting in her ear. "Sorry about that," I said quickly. "Here's your Sake." Silently, she took the glass from me. A few drops of water ran down her slender arm and splashed onto the counter. I realized that she was still dripping water on the floor, and she hadn't so much as removed her hood. I decided to break Rule #1. "You're soaked. Would you like a towel or something?" I don't think I was just being nice. There was a riddle about this one I couldn't solve, and I wanted to know who or what she was. As you've probably noticed, I can nail down anybody else who comes into the bar in ten seconds or less. They mostly want to get away from the law, or just from home occasionally. But on a planet like this -- a small, useless heap that's a good two weeks' travel from anyplace worthwhile-- nobody comes for a few brews with the friends, or for the camaraderie. People come to my bar to escape, simple as that. Even Big Lou, who lives around here -- he and his friends all work for some jerkwater mining company -- doesn't come in for fun. Point is, everyone in the bar wants to be anonymous. No one wants to be a mystery: those draw attention. But she was one, and what made it even more pronounced is that she was trying to be that way. She banged her glass down on the bar to get me to refill it. I did. This whole strong, silent type bit was making everything worse. "Miss? Would you like a towel?" She became self-conscious for just a minute while she realized how drenched she was. "Sure," she grunted. She didn't even want me to hear her real voice. Like I said, I've seen this all before. I handed her a few cloth rags that I wasn't using. She dried herself a bit, but made sure she didn't reveal another inch of her skin. She didn't even take off her gloves. I decided to toy with her a bit. "You'll never get dry as long as you have that coat on," I grinned. I could feel her irritation. I'd made a mistake, pressing her like that. I refilled her glass without being asked. Down the hatch all at once, just like the first two. No kid can put away Sake like that. Trying not to seem overbearing, I gazed around the room again. Almost everyone was gone; I'd been paying the girl so much attention I hadn't even noticed. The guys in the Fat Pack were getting ready to go. Big Lou was walking around the table like he always does, checking the beer bottles to see if there's an extra drop left in any of them. It's a pathetic habit, but I can't bring myself to feel bad. Not for him. Lou made an arching, `wait up' gesture with his hairy hand. The others never left without his permission. Of course, the worst had to happen: he dragged his drunken, stinking, disgusting form up to the bar. I was tempted to pour some Sake for myself. Instead, I just waited for the inevitable. "Hey babe," he belched. I took a step backwards. Lou rarely came up to the bar (fortunately), and I wasn't used to his gin-blossomed, infected face up close. It was disgusting. He was breathing all over her, stretching his short neck to try and see under the cloak. She turned her stool around. If only he'd cared to take a hint...well, who am I kidding. Lou waddled around to the other side of the stool and tried again. I knew I'd hate myself for it, but I tried to interrupt. "Can I help you, Lou?" "Heh heh. Just get the l- lady a beer, on me." Refusing just would've caused more trouble. And it would have prolonged his stay, which I wasn't up to dealing with. I passed her the beer, trying to look as apologetic as I could. She didn't move. I should've been used to it, but the tension was killing me. I tried to tap the beer a little closer to her, just in case she was too drunk to notice. "Hey! You ignoring me, baby!?" Lou asked. Just what I was afraid of; his temper was up now. "I'm just being friendly. Or do you wanna skip the drinks and get right to the good stuff, huh?" Apparently, that wasn't all that was up. "HEY! I'm talking to you. Look at me! LOOK AT ME!!" "Give it a rest, it's late. Go home, Lou, leave her alone." Normally I wouldn't have said that much, but I was getting tired, too. Lou turned violently to face me. He grabbed me by the shoulders. Sloshed as he was, he held me like a vice. "You stay outta this you sonuvabitch!" he growled. Before I had the time to slip out of his grip, his stubby fingers crunched into my shoulders, and he pulled me right up to his face. His breath made my eyes water. "Don't you EVER, EVER tell me what to do, get that? I'll tear you and your fucking bar apart so bad they won't even recognize-" CRASH. The world stopped for a second. All I felt was Lou lose his grip on me. I fell back into the bar and collapsed onto the ground. She'd hit him with the beer bottle. She broke it right over his head. The blood ran from the bald crown of his head down into his eyes. He wailed like a wounded beast. "YOU-" He grabbed at her, missed, and fell over. After those rounds of Sake, I couldn't believe how quick she was. Lou rolled over and wobbled to his feet. He was too drunk and angry to feel the pain now. His beady eyes were pure rage. He screamed again and charged her. She jumped to her left, avoiding him, but flew straight into the arms of his crew. She struggled, but there were just too many of them. Heaving, Lou slowly got to his feet one last time. "No way `n hell `r you gettin' awaywithat," he said. He was all but incoherent. He laughed; it sounded like a spaceship stalling. "Le's jus' have a lookit you." The girl thrashed harder than ever, but she couldn't get way. Lou took the hood by the edges and lowered it to her shoulders. She turned her face away, but it was no use. A mane of silver hair fell down on her shoulders. The eyes that had caught my attention were even brighter than I thought. There was definite something catlike in her. It really wasn't the best time for me to notice, but she was gorgeous, too. I grabbed my gun from under the bar, and finally found the strength to get back to my feet. "That's enough, Lou," I panted. "You had your fun. But I'm closed. Get lost." Lou turned and stared me right in the face. None of his gang moved. I pointed the gun right at his chest, and cocked it. At the last second, I pulled my arm upward for a warning shot. Shards of ceiling tiles rained down. I'd probably scared Lou away with that tactic a dozen times over the years. Tonight, he didn't so much as blink. He kept staring. And I was the one who flinched. I pulled the trigger again, aiming right for his heart this time. The gun was empty, and he knew it. I'd lost. He started to grin again, but he suddenly flew forward into the front of the bar. She'd broken free! Abandoning her caution, the girl threw a punch square to the jaw of the thug on her shoulder. She jumped -- no, flew -- up into the air, wheeled around, and kicked the one behind her in the face. One thug tried to grab her - - she disappeared! She rematerialized right behind him, throwing him into the wall. I couldn't help myself; I leaped over the bar and gave one of them a few hard punches to the gut. She didn't really need my help, I guess I got carried away. And I got careless. Big Lou grabbed me from behind and tried to crush me with his huge arms. He almost squeezed the life right out of me. But the warrior kicked him in the back, and he dropped me and turned to face her. She had a grin of pure malice on her face. She pulled a glove off, and drew the bare hand back towards her body. A ball, glowing a bright electric blue, appeared in her palm. Lou stood just as amazed as I did. It couldn't really be... Savoring the moment, she threw the ball at Lou, blasting him twenty feet back and right out the door! Terrified, the others bolted out into the night, leaving us alone. The mystery woman and I shared a long glance. Broken glass chimed, fell and shattered behind us. I threw Rule #2 out the window and asked a question I knew could cost me my life: "You're the space pirate Ryoko, aren't you?" She laughed. It was more stunning than the flying, the disappearing, or the fireball. A low, melodious laugh. I think she was just relieved. "How did you know," she chuckled. I lost my grip, too, and joined her. The tension was broken, but I still didn't know what to say. Since I was throwing out the rulebook tonight anyway... "Wha- what are you doing way out here?" She shrugged. "Oh, the same old thing. Just doing my job." "But there's nothing out here- where are you going?" "Don't ask me. I never plan that stuff out." "I see. Where are you coming from, then?" She was hesitant. I couldn't blame her for not trusting me. Not only could I have called the police and turned her in right then ... well, I could've died trying, anyway ... I could've ratted her out later. As a career space pirate (the most feared person in the galaxy, in fact!) she'd probably been through this same thing a hundred times before. I took the pause as an opportunity to take her all in again. I just wasn't afraid, for some reason. She was magnificent. I just couldn't help but think it. Even in her condition -- still a bit cold and wet, with her clothes ripped from her struggle -- she was beautiful beyond anyone I'd ever seen. I realized that my staring was only making things more awkward. I went back to what I knew. "Sake?" I asked. Somehow, the bottle and her glass were unharmed. Now I don't know for sure, but I bet that she planned it that way. "Anytime,' she said, extending the glass to me. I refilled it and put the bottle back down. "Want to join me on this one?" It was my turn to hesitate. "I don't usually drink while I'm working," I answered. It's the truth, by the way. "I don't see anybody else here," she laughed. "I guess you're right. Just this once," I smiled, pouring one for myself. I'd forgotten how sweet the rice wine was. "How do you live out here and not drink? This place depresses the hell out of me." "You have to be careful dealing with those kinds of creeps," I told her, gesturing at the door. I noticed that the rain was coming in through one of the broken windows. "I like to be on top of things, and I can't do that drunk. I'm sure you know what I mean." "Not at all. I need a few to loosen me up." "Really?" "Mm-hmm." She polished off another glass. "I guess you're in a tiring line of work," I offered. She grinned at me. That smile of hers was the type that could light up a room. "If you don't mind my asking," I continued, "why do you do- what you do?" "It's all I know," she replied, matter-of-factly. "I see what I want and I take it. And no, it doesn't bother me how other people feel about it- because they'd do the same to me if they could! Pour me another." "Sure." She sighed. For an instant, I could see something in her that wasn't there before: she looked exhausted. Police estimated her age at what, 2000? All she knew... "Do- do you ever get lonely?" "Don't you?" "I asked you first." "No. Taking anybody along would screw everything up. I need to be alone." "I see. I get lonely sometimes, but I hope things will improve." "Oh yeah?" She smirked as if she'd heard this all before. Well, in 2000 years... "Mostly I'm hoping I can just get off this piece of crap planet when I've saved up enough money here." I paused for a moment. I'd been telling myself that for eight years, and I was starting to think it's not gonna happen. After another moment's thought, I said so. The pirate looked at me, puzzled. "I don't know why some people let themselves get stuck in a place they hate. As soon as I have what I need from somewhere, I go. There's no point in wasting your time." "For you, no. You have to keep moving. It's not so easy for me." "What's keeping you here?" she asked. I really don't think she understood a kind of lifestyle so different from her own. "Just- responsibilities and things. There's this bar." "But wouldn't you give that up anyway, if you could?" "If I could, yes. But I can't run out and leave everything like it is." "Why not?" "I have to think of the people it would hurt." "Ha. Like them?" she asked, tilting her head at the door. "No, of course not-" "Then who?" "Dammit, I don't know. I can't just grab everything and go. I hate it here, but...but this is home, I guess." "You don't make any sense." I stood up and slammed my glass down. "I know, I KNOW! What the hell am I supposed to do!?" I was shouting, overcome by the truth of my situation. I had never felt so hopeless. The silence hung in the air like lead. I coughed to clear the lump from my throat. "You- you couldn't-" "No. It'd be too dangerous for you anyway." She poured me the last cup of Sake. Her generosity surprised me. "Your life isn't for me, and believe me, mine isn't for you." "I can pay you- what if you just dropped me at the next planet you stopped at?" "I don't know when or where that will be. Besides, if I did that, you'd have to spend the rest of your life avoiding the Galaxy Police. You'd be an accessory, or an accomplice, or whatever it is." "No one would know that except you and me!" She shook her head. "I said no. I know how much you want to go, but you don't realize what you're asking. It`s really too dangerous for both of us." "What? The police could never catch you!" "That's right. They can't catch me. I'm not so sure about us. You wouldn`t know the first thing about what I do." "I'm not asking to be a space pirate, I'm asking for a lift!" "Oh, I shouldn't have brought this up. Goodbye." She turned around, her hair whipping from side to side, and started to pull her hood up again. "Wait!" I shouted. I took my life in my hands again. "I'll call the cops!" I'm sure she knew I was bluffing, but she wasn't amused. "Are you out of your mind?" she snarled. She moved her arms apart and a glowing orange sword appeared in her hands. "If you so much as take a step toward that phone, I'll cut you in half!" "I don't care," I shouted. "It's better than being stuck here!" "You're a fool," she told me, raising her weapon. She swiped at my feet, and I tumbled backwards into the counter. I stared up at her as she walked over, putting the edge of the sword inches from my throat. "Listen to me," she whispered, growing more threatening by the moment. "You don't want to live here, but you definitely don't want to die here. Tomorrow, take your money and whatever you need, and go find a shuttle. They won't ask questions, that's how I made it here. Take the safe way out. All right?" The sword vanished, and she stepped away to let me up. "All right," I panted. The whole thing seemed reasonable enough. I slowly got to my feet. "And thanks for everything," I added, indicating the telltale wreckage around us. She smiled, and answered, "Thanks for the Sake, uh...they called you Daremo-san, right?" Her hand reached into her coat pocket, and she took out some wet bills. "Yeah. And the drinks are on the house," I told her, grinning in return. "The least I can do. Oh, actually," I said, hopping over the counter, "since you're a space pirate, you might as well `rob' me. Do you need any money?" I took out all the money I'd taken in that evening. It was probably 8000, a little more than average. She took the pile of money and split it roughly in half -- giving herself the larger portion, of course. "Think of the rest as my going-away present," she said, handing me the rest. That enchanting smile crossed her face again. "But I have to get going." "It was a pleasure meeting you," I said, and I meant it. For the most wanted space pirate in the galaxy, she was okay. "Oh, one more thing." I turned around and reached above me. "Take this, too," I said, handing her the last bottle of Sake. "Maybe I'll see you again sometime." "Only on the Galaxy's Most Wanted," she laughed. "Goodbye." She walked to the door, threw one quick glance over her shoulder, and walked out the door. On a normal night, if I'd been in a reasonable state of mind, that would have been the end of it, right then. But this was far from a normal night, and I most definitely was not in anything like a reasonable state of mind. I knew the city better than she did, so if I was careful- But like I said, I couldn't just leave everything. Not like this. I took the most alcoholic drinks I could find from the shelves, and poured them on the countertop. I rolled a few bottles out into the seating area, too. Then I ran into the back, changed out of my work clothes, and got a pack of matches out from my pants. I deliberately marched around the bar, careful not to step in any of the rivers of booze, dropping the matches as I went. It wasn't long before there was a nice blaze going. I threw a few last matches near the tables and ran out the door. The place went up faster than I would have ever dreamed. I watched it for a few minutes from across the street. I glanced up at a glowing, neon clock: I'd `closed' two minutes early. I put an anonymous call in to the police about the fire, and took off down the back streets for the spaceport. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I lost all sense of time as I raced through the alleyways and back streets. The entire time, I could think of only one thing: I was getting out. I was finally getting out. Nothing else mattered. When I reached the space station, panting and soaked -- from my own sweat and the rain -- one other thing did become important: I had no idea where she was. I didn't know where she was going either, but I didn't care. I was going with her. Owakare Spaceport was a cramped but bustling structure. It was far smaller than most spaceports, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in cold, angular architecture. The place itself served as a reminder to the travelers of the unpleasant world they were departing. Above me, three huge monitors hung from the ceiling. Each bore the departure times and locations of dozens of shuttles. There was really no way to tell where she was. For all I knew, she could have left already. But I refused to give up hope. My eyes were still fixed on the monitors when my answer found me. "OW! I mean, I'm sorry," I said to the Galaxy Police Junior Officer who lay sprawled out at my feet. "Oh no, all my fault, I'm sure," she apologized with a smile. She gathered up the donuts and coffee she'd been carrying, and ran off. I watched her long, blue hair diminish in the distance. Then inspiration struck, and I followed her to the Galaxy Police Booth. I drifted a ways back from the booth, trying not to be noticed. Casually, I peered over the heads of the officers on duty, and found what I was looking for: a poster of the Galaxy's Ten Most Wanted Criminals. Ryoko, as she had for ages, held the Number One spot with a handsome portrait. The caption read: The Space Pirate Ryoko Age: Approx. 2000 GSY [Galactic Standard Years] Ht: 162 cm. Eyes: Yellow Hair: Gray to blue Wanted for: Innumerable crimes, including 5384 counts of grand larceny and 1892 counts of malicious destruction of property Last Known Whereabouts: The Space Pirate Ryoko was last seen in the Winn System. IF EITHER RYOKO OR THE RYO-OHKI IS SIGHTED, CONTACT THE GALAXY POLICE IMMEDIATELY AND DO NOT APPROACH! The Winn System is a small collection of planets at the outskirts of the Juraian Empire. The only inhabited world was the third planet. It was home to a small number of extremely wealthy Juraians. I'm sure they would have been prime targets, but Ryoko wasn't a burglar. The only other thing of note on the planet was The Houshu, the greatest private art gallery in the galaxy. Just getting in cost more than most people made in a year. So that was what she was after. Ryoko was notorious for allowing herself to be spotted in areas where she was about to commit a crime. It was her way of showing off. I hadn't heard anything about The Houshu being robbed, so that had to be her destination. I returned to the monitors, hoping against hope that I wasn't too late. There it was! Flight S523 was going to the Winn System! It was leaving from Hanger 170, and it was a chartered shuttle, meaning Ryoko and I wouldn't be bothered by other passengers. I felt my stomach churn in anticipation, and realized I hadn't eaten anything since before I went to work the previous afternoon. I had just enough time for a quick bite. The Owakare food court was every bit as unpleasant as the rest of the place. Just looking at some of the seedy customers nearly made me lose my appetite. But, since I didn't know when I was going to get another chance to eat (the Winn system was about four days away...it hadn't fit my definition of worthwhile before), I worked up my courage and grabbed a few things. "Looks like a tasty meal," said the bearded old man sitting next to me. Still stuffing my face, I grunted in agreement. He gazed at the spaceport before him, bemused. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy," he cautioned me. As a man who was now on the run from the law, I couldn't help but smirk in agreement. "I'll be careful," I told him, standing up. "Goodbye." I found Hangar 170 without much difficulty. Ryoko was standing outside the shuttle, waiting for the pilot to show up. Quietly, I squeezed through the door, and walked up to her from behind. "Hi there!" I shouted. For the first time since our encounter the previous night, she looked caught off guard. When she recovered, it wasn't a pretty sight. "What the hell are you doing here?" she screamed. "The same thing you're doing. Getting off this piece of shit planet!" I reflected in the glory of it for a moment: it was finally true! "Not with me you're not." "I'm afraid I insist," I told her, my confidence growing. "You see, I know where you're going, and I have a pretty good idea of what you'll be doing there. And you know what? It just so happens that there's a Galaxy Police Booth right in the front of the spaceport! Can you imagine?" She turned red. "I should've killed you back at your bar," she intoned, "but I'm very glad you've given me the chance to correct that mistake." The orange light sword appeared in her hands, and she raised it over her head. She meant it this time. Just then, the doors slammed shut. "Hey, what's going on in there?" a strange voiced called. Ryoko was unpleasantly surprised again, and the sword vanished. "Oh, well, you must be the pilot," she chirped, trying too hard to be civil. She turned to me again. "As I was just telling my friend here, it's really time I got going. Goodbye!" "Oh, honey," I replied, grinning at her, "I just can't bear to let you go- I'm coming with you!" I turned and faced the pilot. "How much?" "Wha- um, 2400," he said. I gladly obliged. Smiling victoriously, I opened the shuttle's passenger door, and invited Ryoko to step in. She threw me a glare that could have frozen a sun, but she got in. I followed her and closed the door. "Attention passengers, this `s your pilot speaking," crackled the intercom. "In just a moment, we will be lifting off and beginning our 3.75- Galactic-Standard-Day journey to the Winn System. Please prepare yourself, and secure any loose items you may be carrying with you. Thanks." He clicked off. "Goodbye, Sakros!" I beamed. I looked over at Ryoko. She obviously wasn't very keen on the idea of a partner. I don't have a ton of experience in space travel, so I can't say that I handled our turbulent exit though Dannen V's atmosphere very well. Things were painfully silent in the passengers' cabin, which gave me time to think about the woman whose company I was keeping. `She enjoyed showing off for the police,' I thought to myself. `She could decide to blow her cover any time. She's notorious for her flair for the dramatic.' And then it occurred to me: I had forced myself into this trip on the assumption that she would be maintaining a low profile, which would keep her from hurting me. But if she was going to blow her cover, I had nothing to protect me from now on. She'd already come within inches of killing me twice. There would be no one to stop her if she tried again. I had to keep my defenses up, I couldn't give her the slightest opportunity. Keeping my defenses up was hell. I couldn't sleep, out of fear that she'd do me in. Ryoko was perfectly relaxed, but she wouldn't speak to me. And whenever she looked at me, it made me doubly afraid. I managed to pry my eyes open for the first day and a half of the trip. I felt like I was dying, slowly. At around the day-and-a-half mark (I'd long since lost track of time), she woke up from a nap, looked over at me, and spoke. "You haven't slept this whole trip, have you?" she asked. The thought of my discomfort clearly amused her. "Don't worry. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already." It was far and away the coldest comfort I'd ever received, but it was comfort nonetheless. Within minutes, I'd fallen asleep. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I don't know how long I slept, but Ryoko was standing right over me when I woke up. "There's some business we need to discuss," she said. "Like what?" "The plans, of course. Do you think we're going to knock on the museum and ask for the Mattaki Diamonds?" "The Mattaki Diamonds?!" I choked. "You're not serious!" They were the centerpiece of the Houshu collection; it's most valuable, expensive, and well-guarded pieces. Visitors to the gallery weren't even allowed in the same room as the Diamonds -- they had to watch them on closed- circuit television. According to the rumors I'd heard from passing criminals, no one in the galaxy knew the full security layout of anywhere in the museum -- especially that room. "Now really, what did you think we were going to do, grab a painting?" "But- but no one's ever gotten that close to the Diamonds!" "That's going to change, then, isn't it?" "It's supposed to be the best-guarded place in the galaxy, after the Palace of Jurai!" I exclaimed. "How are you going to get in?" "Oh, I have my ways," she answered coolly. "I guess you'll teleport in and just grab them?" "What? Except for the fight in the bar, have you seen me teleport this whole time?" she asked. I hadn't. "I don't like to use my powers on missions like this. It makes things much more interesting." "You what?? But you're risking both our lives!" "You should have thought of that before you pushed your way in here, shouldn't you!" she thundered. She was right, I was stuck. "Then what are we going to do? Blast through their defenses in the Ryo- Ohki?" "If I had Ryo-Ohki with me, don't you think we'd be in it?" she asked. "Then- then where is it," I inquired. "The Galaxy Police have it." "Wh-" "Don't worry, I let them take it." "You did what? Why??" I moaned. "I told you, it makes things more interesting. And in fact, this is where you come in," she told me, a mischievous grin on her face. That smile was terrifying now. "In fact," she added, "I think I'm kinda glad you came." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The plan seemed simple enough. We were going to tell the shuttle to drop us off near KMV-4, a planet around which the GP keep all the vehicles they've impounded. No doubt there would be incredibly tight security around the Ryo- Ohki, but this didn't seem to bother Ryoko. That was mostly because she wouldn't be doing it; that was my part of the mission. While I was busy re-capturing the ship, Ryoko would be breaking into the Houshu via ventilation ducts and the like. The areas she was looking at weren't likely to be very well looked-after: only the visitors' sections of the museum had any air in them, the rest were kept in a total vacuum. The Mattaki Exhibit, of course, was supposed to be a fortress, but she claimed that she knew what she was doing and wasn't worried about it. She would only give sketchy details about what was in there: highly elaborate systems of hyper-sensitive lasers; Juraian energy fields; about a dozen guards constantly on alert; and an always- open phone line to the most elite division of the Galaxy Police. I wouldn't be facing any of that stuff, and it still scared me. Ryoko had given me a bit of an idea of how the security would work, but it wasn't enough to allay my fears. She was used to just going in to a job with guns firing, but I had neither the power nor the expertise to do things her way. My thoughts were interrupted when the pilot's gruff voice rattled over the intercom. "Uh, excuse me," he said, "but it looks like the Galaxy Police are searching all the ships leaving Sakros V. I don't wanna scare ya, but it sounds like The Space Pirate Ryoko has been spotted around here." I swore under my breath. "Anyways, they're asking what our destination is, and they're sending someone on board." I swore much louder. "Just tell them that I'm not here!" Ryoko said. "I can't. Before I met you, I- I burned down the bar. I'm probably wanted for arson by now! I can't let them see me!" Ryoko and I just stared at each other. We were dead. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * It was a very strange sight that greeted the Galaxy Police Officer who walked into the compartment Ryoko and I were sharing. Men's and women's clothes all over the floor. Bed rolled out of the wall. And most awkward of all, a man and a woman under the sheets, caught in the act of love! "Hey!!!" I shouted. "Can't you give two newlyweds a night alone on their honeymoon?" "Oh my goodness!" cried the police officer. I couldn't believe my luck -- it was the same Junior Officer I'd run into in Owakare! "I'm so very sorry- I'll leave you two alone!" She rushed out the door and got back on to her ship. What a stroke of good fortune, I thought. She hadn't recognized me. And of course, she couldn't see Ryoko at all -- she was under the sheets. "Well, that's the first thing that's gone according to plan so far," I said. I sighed and fell right on top of Ryoko. "A-hem?" she coughed politely. I opened my eyes and looked up at her. Before I had a moment to apologize, she picked me up and threw me into the wall. "Sorry," she said, picking up her clothes as I groaned in pain. "I had to make sure you weren't having too much fun." "Ow..." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * After the incident with the GP, we informed the pilot of our minor change in course. He informed us it would only be about .25 days before we reached my drop-off point on the surface of the planet. So I set about the difficult task of preparing myself. I tried to figure out what I would do when I arrived. Ryoko gave me some input, but planning things just wasn't her style. I was going to be totally on my own. I turned on the observation screen to clear my thoughts. I saw KMV-4 for the first time. It was a tiny planet, and its surface shone a brilliant red. The world stood out against a backdrop of multi-colored nebulae. They were captivating. I suddenly remembered that nebulae were the places where stars were born. The clouds I was looking at now might, someday, become stars that would illuminate and bring life to their own worlds -- billions upon billions of lives. And who knew what kinds of beings might spring to life on those unimagined worlds? They would lead their lives, thinking, loving, dying, all with no knowledge of what was happening to me today. In all my life, I've never felt more serene than I did in that instant. I took a deep breath. If I was going to meet my fate, it might as well be here and now. After evaluating the dozens of empty spacecraft hovering over the planet's surface for a few moments, I turned to Ryoko. "Let's get this show on the road." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The shuttle dropped me off on the surface of KMV-4. Ryoko and I re- confirmed our plans for the rendezvous one last time, and then said a quick farewell. I stepped out onto the surface, and gave the ship one last look as it took off, kicking up a storm of shimmering red dust as it did. The surface of the planet was so bright that it hurt my eyes to look at it. There was hardly any sunlight and very little atmosphere; the ground reflected the light so well that the distant star was hardly necessary. Shading my eyes with my hand, I made my way into the rental center. I rented a one-man shuttle, thanked the man behind the counter, and left. Anxious to get down to business, I made a quick check of the craft -- everything in working order, spacesuit intact -- and lifted off. My piloting skills were nothing to brag about, and I was also very rusty, but I passed through the bio-dome above the cities and then the atmosphere with no difficulty. I turned the ship's thrusters down to a bare minimum for my approach, and leaned back to get a good view of my destination. There were hundreds of spacecraft in front of me. They were spread out in a circle, like a huge ring around a tiny planet. The `planet' at the center of the orb was a small control station. It held the captive ships in their orbits with a magnetic field. It also monitored the perimeter, which included an array of laser-mounted protection satellites. When I felt I was close enough to the ships, I fired the reverse thrusters and brought my shuttle to a complete halt. Now, I had to sit and wait until the Ryo-Ohki came around. To keep myself occupied, I made a second check on the space suit. The tank was barely a third full. I cursed the bastards who lent it to me. I had counted on having a full tank of oxygen when I'd made my plans, this was going to make everything a lot more difficult. Soon enough, the Ryo-Ohki came into view. It stood out from the other ships like an island from the sea. It was imposing, hard, black and angular. An intimidating sight. I could only imagine how Ryoko's victims felt upon first sighting it. It was the ultimate pirate ship. Donning my space suit, I put our operation into motion in earnest. I programmed the motionless shuttle to fire its engines on a delay. I had to make this time shorter because of my newfound lack of oxygen, but I figured it was still an acceptable amount of time. When everything was programmed and double-checked, I hit the cockpit release and held on to the control panel for dear life. As soon as the oxygen in the cockpit had been sucked out into space, I turned on my own oxygen and left the shuttle. Ever so slowly, I floated closer to the defense perimeter. Ryoko and I were operating under the assumption that the satellites wouldn't detect me because I was small and had no means of propulsion. We had absolutely no idea if we were right, and if we weren't, I would be dead very quickly. Now I was close enough to one of the armed satellites to reach out and touch it. It was spherical, with a smooth, white surface blemished only by the Galaxy Police insignia. Three short (but no doubt very powerful) laser cannons extended from the front. Time stopped as I passed directly over it. I didn't breathe. Finally, after an eternity and a half, I was through the perimeter. All the while, the Ryo-Ohki continued to approach me. I hovered for ages. I tried to `swim' my way closer to my target, but it was no use. It occurred to me that doing anything of the kind was useless, there was nothing for me to push off of. I had no choice but to wait, and try and take very small breaths. The infamous pirate ship and I slowly came together. It towered over me like a mountain now. I was finally close enough to see the point where I would make my entry into the ship itself. Now came the trickiest part of my journey. On my present course, I would go right by the ship. I had to change direction. My `swimming' option from before was no good. I shuddered as I realized that my only option was to strategically release some of the air from my tank. I looked at the gauge. I was going to be cutting it far, far closer than I would have liked. But I had no choice. Resolutely, I put my hand on the release valve, and looked upward at the now-massive ship, trying to find the best time to make my move. Finally, I acted. I gave the valve a sharp turn, and began my ascent. I realized that since I was in space, I could shut the oxygen off and I would continue at the same speed. I tried to twist the valve. To my horror, it was stuck! I grabbed at it frantically, trying to preserve what oxygen I had. It was no use. With the Ryo-Ohki loomed ever larger above me, and no options remaining, I tried to calm myself and just let the trust take me in. I prayed that I would get aboard before my oxygen ran out and I suffocated. Hands trembling, I checked the gauge again. I hoped as hard as I could, trying to will myself to the ship. The closer I got, the more obvious it became that it wasn't enough. I tried to steel my nerves for what lay ahead. The distance might has well have been light years. I heard a last hiss, then nothing. All my oxygen was gone. I held my breath like I never had before. The ship came closer and closer, taunting me. My lungs began to burn. The searing pain spread throughout my body. I felt the blood pounding behind my eyes, I began to see red. I doubled over and waited for the end. I smiled inwardly. It was better than my life as no one, as Daremo-san, on Sakros V. My last thoughts before I lost consciousness were of Ryoko. I apologized for my failure, and hoped she would be able to escape capture. But most of all, wherever she was, I thanked her for setting me free. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I felt like my head was going to explode. As I lifted my head off of the cold metal floor, I realized that I shouldn't be feeling anything at all. I put that problem aside for a moment as I tried to figure out what was making the fantastic wailing noise that was piercing my ears. I stood up. The noise sounded like an alarm. After listening for a moment, I realized that there were two alarms going off. The one that threatened to eliminate my eardrums was coming from-- inside the ship! I was on the Ryo-Ohki! As I shook myself awake, I realized that the second alarm must have been from outside, probably the alarm from the security system. It had worked! The shuttle had crossed the barrier, and was now drawing the attention of the armed satellites and the officers on the control station. I had moments, at most, before they would see through the trick. I had to move, now. I walked to the front of the ship. There were no controls! What the hell kind of ship was this? Alright, I told myself, just think about it. If Ryoko isn't pushing buttons, she has to connect with the ship some other way. I ran to the metal captain's chair in the center of the ship's bridge. There were no buttons there either. I sat down. Suddenly, dozens of crystals swarmed around the bridge. The alarm returned...but it was less intense this time, it wasn't a wail anymore. It almost sounded like an animal. That was it: the ship was alive! The Ryo-Ohki was alive! "Take me to Winn III!" I shouted. No response. I tried to concentrate on Ryoko, the ship must have had some kind of link to her. Perhaps that was what had saved me out there in space. "Take me to Ryoko?" I tried. The ship roared to life, blasting its way out of its prison with incredible speed. In the shuttle, it would have taken half a day to reach the Winn system. In the Ryo-Ohki, it would take a mere fraction of that. Ryoko and I would arrive almost simultaneously. "So, Ryoko," I said, "I guess you put more thought in to this than you let on." I took a moment to get comfortable in my chair. "I'm in the mood for a toast... Ryo-Ohki, do you have any Sake?" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * After the feeling of triumph faded, I was left alone on Ryo-Ohki with one thought: How was Ryoko? How was Ryoko?? HOW WAS RYOKO?!? "Ryo-Ohki?" I asked to nowhere in particular. "Miao," the ship responded. I almost laughed. "Can- can you show me Ryoko?" The crystals re-appeared, surrounding the chair. The largest ones moved together in front of me. They flickered for a few agonizing moments, and then something appeared. I was looking up at an immense, dark tunnel. The walls were an incredibly sleek metallic substance. It looked virtually seamless, like it was all made from one piece of metal. It was almost impossible to see anything at all. I leaned forward and squinted. At the top of the tunnel -- there was no way of telling how far away it was -- the smallest amount of light could be seen leaking in to the passageway. The only sound I could hear was a kind of clawing noise. It came at regular intervals, like clockwork. It sounded like hands scraping on metal. Then I heard a soft grunt. I knew what I was going on- this was what Ryoko was seeing. She was inside the museum, clawing her way up this tunnel towards the Mattaki exhibit. It was incredible. She was climbing up solid metal! Out of nowhere, the picture vanished, and the ship began to rock wildly. "MIIIIAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOO!" wailed Ryo-Ohki. The ship was rocked again. Red laser beams flew by the ship and into the stars beyond. We were under attack! The Galaxy Police were on to me. "Shit!" I screamed. There were three cruisers behind me now, and no doubt more were on the way. "Can't you go any faster?" The ship sped up slightly, but the police cruisers increased their speeds to match and continued firing. There was something unreal about the whole thing- this couldn't really be happening, could it? A crackling transmission brought me out of my reverie. "Space Pirate Ryoko! This is Detective Inspector Takada of the Galaxy Police! You are surrounded! Surrender or be destroyed!" Who were they kidding? They couldn't really believe that Ryoko would ever surrender. I looked at the crystals. There were six ships around me now, I really was surrounded. I didn't want blood on my hands, but it looked like I had no choice... "Ryo-Ohki?" My voice broke. "Fire!" I watched some of the battle through Ryo-Ohki's windows. It was very strange- I could see the shots landing, and the explosions, but I couldn't hear anything. I felt like I was watching a movie with the sound off. There wasn't much for me to do. Ryo-Ohki obviously had enough experience to take care of itself. Two of the police cruisers exploded, one after the other. A pair of bright flashes and metal silently drifting through space. How many people were on board those ships? I still try not to think about that. I had to end this now. "Get us out of here!" We tore off with blinding speed, leaving the GP to look for survivors among the wreckage. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Realizing I had forgotten about Ryoko, I turned my attention back to the crystals. Through Ryoko's eyes, I could see the ultra-high security vault where the diamonds were kept. There were dozens of tiny sensors hidden around the room, and almost as many cameras. She must have incredible vision, I thought. Normal eyes would never notice these kinds of details. She crouched there, peering through a grate, for the longest time. There wasn't much to see, so I think she was timing the movements of the cameras. Ryo-Ohki and I were in orbit over Winn III before she made her move. The room spun as she pulled off a series of incredibly acrobatic moves. I don't know if there was any purpose, because I still heard alarms going off, but I'm sure it was quite impressive in person. When she stopped, she was maybe five feet from the jewels. She was moving very slowly now, creeping closer and closer. She definitely wasn't afraid. With a lightning-quick movement, she grabbed the diamonds. Then the alarms REALLY went off. I've never heard so much noise in my life. The doors slammed and sealed, the lights went out. It was disorienting just to watch. I was stunned. She couldn't be caught now, there was no way! I heard her cursing as she tried to cut and blast her way through the walls. But it was no use. There was tension in her voice. Ryo-Ohki was picking up on it, too. It was mewing softly, almost like it was crying. I had to help, but if Ryoko didn't know what to do, I was clueless. I stood and stared, feeling totally useless. The room turned green as the Juraian force fields began to glow. They mercilessly unleashed their power as Ryoko shouted in pain. The Ryo-Ohki wailed with her. The ship was shaking, frightened out of its wits. The only plan I could think of was insane. But I didn't have time to come up with any better ideas. "Ryo-Ohki? Can you give me control?" The ship seemed to hesitate. I can't say that I blame it, I had no idea what I was doing. But we were out of time and choices. I instructed the ship to move left, and slightly, tentatively, it did. No time for a test drive, I thought to myself. I had Ryo-Ohki focus in on the museum's location. Deep breath One, two, three. GO! We dropped through the planet's atmosphere and began a straight dive for the building. The Houshu shot into view. It was getting bigger and bigger at a paralyzing speed. I shut my eyes and tried to bury my fingers in the metal chair. We hit the tower with a hellish crash, blowing tons of metal into the air. Then there was a strange stillness as we hovered above Ryoko, who looked up at us in astonishment. It only took her a moment to teleport onto the ship. Calmly, Ryoko took the helm, and we were off, into the stars. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * It's been decades since our heist. If you're old enough, you might remember it- many still call it The Greatest Robbery in Galactic History. With no small amount of pride, I agree. Not that I have anything to compare it to. That was the beginning and the end of my career as a wanted criminal. Only a few days after the actual job, Ryoko dropped me off on in a system a safe distance away from Jurai. I hid out there for a while as she sold the diamonds to dozens (maybe hundreds) of dealers scattered around the galaxy. She returned with 40 million Altarian dollars and told me was 5% of the loot. (The more I think about it, the more I'm sure she was lying- I'd be surprised if it was even 1%.) Then we came to the end. Saying goodbye to Ryoko was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. She was right about a life of crime being wrong for me, but it's occurred to me that in the end, I wasn't going to miss the crime. I was going to miss her. I moved on because I had to. I bought a very sizable house on a planet well outside of Juraian jurisdiction. I think the statute of limitations has run out on me- the police never totally connected with the robbery, remember- but just for safety's sake, I won't say exactly where. I'll tell you that I live on one of the most beautiful beaches in the universe, though. When I first came here, I was flat-out paranoid. But eventually, I relaxed and got to know my neighbors. They don't know much about my personal life, but they aren't afraid of me, either. Sometimes they'll have me over at night for coffee. They and their other friends will talk all night about whatever little things are happening in their lives. I'll sit back and ponder how much better it is here than on Sakros V. When it gets to be around midnight, they'll break out the drinks (I always volunteer the very best Sake) and talk about the past. Of course, I can't. So I bow out, go home, close my eyes, and see Ryoko. Usually I think about what I'd say to her if we ever found each other again. I'm grateful for everything she gave me- my life, really- but every once in a while, the feeling catches up with me and I miss her like crazy. Don't feel sorry for me. I almost feel bad saying this, but the robbery was definitely worth it. My life has been infinitely better because of what we did. And the neighbors' kids are a real riot. I always hear them whispering about how I got my money. Every nice town has a mysterious, rich old man, and I guess that's me. Over the years, I've heard that I got rich a spy, a mad scientist, and a vampire. This week I heard them say that I sold my soul. But they're wrong. After all, this is the story of how I gained it.