Ah, Kiyone...  The eternal mystery.  The only girl who has no visible
interest in Tenchi.  She's cursed with bad luck.  She's cursed with
Mihoshi.  She's been exiled to a dead end assignment while her chief
rival has risen steadily through the ranks.  She's been accused of
treason, shot at, attacked and left for dead.
Don't you think she deserves a break?
Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  The author owns
only the writing and the charactes he, himself, creates.  This story
takes place in the TV universe.
Advisory:  This story contains some lime content.  It's not a lemon,
but be advised anyway.

Opening Song:  "Runaway Horses," performed by Bellinda Carlisle.



Runaway Horses:  The Kiyone Makibi Affair

	Kiyone Makibi looked around herself and sighed.  If a person was
lucky, they were able to see the Royal Palace of Jurai from outside
the great palace walls, but never from the inside.  She should feel
lucky to have been invited to a royal ball like this.  She sighed
again.
	Of course, it would've been better if she had a date.
	It was her own fault.  When Ayeka's parents had invited them all
to the annual Grand Jurain Ball, Ayeka and Ryoko had been all too eager
to go, each thinking that Tenchi would be their date on a magical
evening.  Tenchi had found a compromise and was now walking around,
speaking to several Jurain nobles with one girl on each arm.  He was
reluctant to come back to Jurai at first, but now he seemed more
comfortable with it.  Washu had decided not to come to the ball and
was instead spending time at the Jurain Academy of Science.  Even so,
she figured she would be able to talk to...(sigh)...Mihoshi.  It
wouldn't be that bad.
	Then, the impossible happened.
	Mihoshi snared a date.
	Now here she was, alone in a room full of stuffy nobles she
didn't know, trying desperately to blend in.  She grabbed another drink
off a tray being held by a passing waiter.  She saw Mihoshi out on the
dance floor with her date, a young man in a Jurain Naval uniform.
Nearby, Tenchi was being fought over by Ryoko and Ayeka, each pulling
him toward a different section of the dance floor.  She smiled
slightly.
	She finished the drink and sighed again.  She had spent the
better part of her paycheck on a new dress, a white, strapless gown
slit seductively up her right thigh.  A waste of money, apparently.
	<Screw it,>  she thought, putting the glass down.  It was time to
write the evening off as a bust and go back to her room.
	She was just turning to leave when she heard someone clear their
throat behind her.  She stopped and turned.  She blinked at the sight
that met her.
	A tall, dark-haired man in a Belegese tuxedo was standing there.
He smiled at her.  "Excuse me, Miss," he began.  Kiyone blinked.
Despite his clothing, he spoke with a Carissian accent rather than a
Belegese one.  He took a step closer to her.  "I couldn't help but
notice that you appear unescorted tonight."  Kiyone bit her lip in
annoyance.  Apparently she hadn't blended as well as she thought.  He
took another step towards her.  "I'd like to remedy that, if I may."
	Kiyone blinked.  "Huh?"
	"Would you care to dance?"
	Kiyone blinked again.  She gave him a quick once over.  He was
rather handsome.  His smile seemed to bring out his green eyes, making
them more vibrant.  He was tall, standing almost a foot above her, and
the faintest hint of a beard was starting to appear on his face.
	"I...I'd love to," she told him.  His grin intensified.  He held
out his hand, which she took and allowed him to lead her onto the
dance floor.  The Jurain band was playing a slow waltz.  So caught up
in the moment was she that she didn't think to even ask his name for
another five minutes.
	"By the way," she said almost nervously, "I'm Kiyone."
	"Lovely name," he commented.  He continued to dance with her.
	She waited an extra moment before asking, "And yours?"
	He grinned down at her.  "Now, now," he said, "Every successful
love affair has to have a little mystery."
	She laughed.  "So all of a sudden, you and I are having an
affair?"
	He twirled her around suddenly and dipped her.  "Give it a few
minutes, and we'll be married."
	Caught off guard, all she could do was laugh.  "Moving a little
fast, aren't we?"
	He pulled her back up and shrugged.  "I don't have time to take
it slow.  When I see something worthwhile, I do whatever is necessary
to get it."
	"I see," she said.  She was enjoying this game.  "And I'm
something worthwhile?"
	"Hmmmm," he intoned.  "Possibly."
	"Not sure?" she asked.
	"Not sure about how I should go about getting you," he told her
seriously.  "I already know you're worth it."
	Kiyone arched an eyebrow.  "You really do move fast," she
remarked.
	He grinned at her.  "And you don't approve of moving fast,"  he
concluded.
	"Didn't say that," she replied.
	"In that case..."  He suddenly pulled her a little closer.
Kiyone took a quick, reflexive breath.
	A part of her told her to slap him, to storm off and leave him
on the dance floor.  The other parts, however, noticed how nice it felt
to be held by a handsome man like this.
	It was a rare feeling.
	"So," he whispered, leaning in close and speaking into her left
ear.  "What brings a beautiful woman such as yourself to a place such
as this...unescorted by at least half a dozen suitors?"
	Kiyone felt her face turn red.  "Actually...I'm here with some
friends."
	"I see," he whispered.  "Close friends?"
	She simply nodded.
	"I'm shattered."
	"Nothing like that!"  she said, just a tad too hastily.
	"Oh?"
	"They're...just friends."
	"I see."  Suddenly he twirled her around and dipped her, her
hair hung down and grazed the dance floor.  He held her there and
leaned in close.  "It would be a tragedy to lose you so soon after
finding you."
	Kiyone said nothing.  She couldn't believe this was happening.
	He held her there another minute.  She could feel the blood
rushing to her head, but she wasn't sure if was as a result of her
position in his arms, the alcohol she had been consuming, or simply
his presence.
	She wasn't sure.
	She just knew that she hadn't felt like this in years.
	If ever.
	And she liked it.
	He held her there, bent over backwards with her head barely a
foot off the ground.  Other couples were beginning to dance around
them.  He leaned in close.
	"So..." he began.  "What shall we do now?"
	"We...could keep dancing," she suggested.  She was uncomfortable
as hell but really didn't mind.
	"Hmmmmm," he intoned.  "Or we could move the dance elsewhere."
	Kiyone arched an eyebrow.  "Are you suggesting something more...
horizontal?"
	"More horizontal than this?" he asked.  He moved a tad closer to
her.
	Kiyone's breath quickened.  "You know what I mean," she said.
	"No," he whispered, "Tell me."
	Kiyone found herself turning red again.  "I just met you."
	He nodded.  "Very true."
	She swallowed nervously.  "I can't..."
	He nodded.  "Hmmmm," he replied sagely.  "So now what?"
	"I don't know."
	"I kind of like this," he told her.
	"Me too."
	"However," he whispered, moving within an inch of her ear.  "I
think the other dancers are beginning to get annoyed with us."
	She blinked and looked to her left.  There were a lot of people
staring at them.  She found herself turning red again in embarrassment.
	He pulled her back up to her feet.
	Someone cleared their throat behind her.  She turned and found a
blonde woman in a red dress standing there.  "Ready to go?" she asked.
	Kiyone blinked and turned back to the man.  He smiled.  "Just
about.  I'll see you outside."
	The blonde nodded curtly and stormed off.
	Kiyone felt anger well up in her.  "Friend of yours?" she asked.
	"An associate," he told her.
	"I see," she said brusquely.  "If you'll excuse me..."  She
turned to leave.
	Suddenly, he had her arm. He pulled her around and began waltzing
with her again.
	"What do you think you're doing?"
	"Dancing."
	She grit her teeth.  "I don't feel like dancing anymore."
	"That's a shame," he said, but didn't release her.
	"Isn't your 'associate,' waiting for you?"
	"She can wait."
	"Let me go," she said sternly.
	"If I do that, you'll walk away."
	Her eyes flashed angrily.  "Let...me...go."
	"Not until you agree to meet me tomorrow."
	"You are a piece of work!"  she shot at him incredulously.
	"Yes, I am.  Meet me tomorrow."
	"What about your associate?"  she bit out.
	He smiled  "A business contact, nothing more,"  he assured her.
"Meet me tomorrow."
	She stared up at him for a moment.  "Why should I?"
	He leaned closer to her again.  "Because you *want* to.  Because
you're like me.  You're searching for something you can't name.  And I
know for a fact, that you're beginning to think you may have found it."
	Kiyone tensed.
	"I know what it's like," he told her.  "Let me guess, your job
keeps you isolated."
	"Yes," she said after a short pause.
	"You find that you can't get close to anyone."
	She paused a moment before whispering, "Yes."
	"It seems that everyone you know has someone but you."
	She thought about this evening, standing alone by the punch bowl
while everyone else in her life had a good time.  "Yes."
	He whispered to her.  "Meet me tomorrow."
	Kiyone swallowed down a bout of nervousness and whispered.
"Yes."
	He leaned forward and whispered into her other ear.  "Until
tomorrow, then."  With that, he released her, gave her a short bow,
turned, and walked away, leaving Kiyone standing out there, unsure as
to what had just happened.

	Kiyone hit the bed and sighed.  She was still wearing her dress.
She hadn't bothered changing.  She had a lot to think about.
	Unfortunately, her partner didn't give her time.
	"I had a wonderful evening, Cav,"  she heard Mihoshi's voice from
the other side of the door.
	"So did I.  We should do it again sometime."
	"Sure!  I'd love to!  Oh...oh my!"
	Kiyone rolled her eyes.  She could practically see Mihoshi
blushing.  The young Naval officer was almost certainly kissing her or
doing something else to embarrass her.  She heard the door open and
close a moment later.
	"Hey, Mihoshi."
	"Hi, Kiyone!"  Her ditz partner was obviously on cloud nine.
	"I guess you had a good night, huh?"
	Mihoshi sighed.  "He's wonderful."
	"Uh huh."  Kiyone was barely listening, too caught up in her own
thoughts.
	"What about you?"
	Kiyone blinked.  "Huh?"
	Mihoshi smiled at her.  "Yeah, I saw you dancing with that guy.
So, tell me about him."
	"Well...he was...nice."
	Mihoshi nodded.
	"And...well....I'm meeting him tomorrow."
	"Really?!  That's great, Kiyone!  I'm so happy for you!"
	Kiyone blinked.  "What's that supposed to mean!?"
	Mihoshi blushed slightly.  "Well...it's just that...it's been so
long since you've been on a date...We were beginning to wonder..."
	"We?"
	Mihoshi turned a deeper shade of red.  "Well, Mitsuki said..."
	Kiyone growled and turned away from her partner.
	Mihoshi tried to change the subject.  "So what's his name?"
	Kiyone blinked.  "His name?"
	"Yeah."
	Kiyone turned red in embarrassment.  She hadn't even gotten his
name.  "Um...I...kind of...don't know."
	"You don't know his *name*?"
	Hearing that question coming from Mihoshi just made Kiyone feel
like a bigger idiot.  "Yeah," she said irritably.
	"Oh.  Well...I guess you can find out tomorrow.  Where are you
meeting him?"
	Now Kiyone was really feeling stupid.  "I don't know."
	"Um...Kiyone?  Are you sure about this?"
	Kiyone bit back a bitter retort and sighed.  "Honestly?  No,
Mihoshi, I'm not."
	"Then...Why?"
	Kiyone didn't answer.  She rolled over, facing away from her
partner and said, "Good night, Mihoshi."
	Mihoshi said nothing for a moment.  Then, "Good night, Kiyone."

	"This is an outrage!"
	Enyuno Cardaya, King of Cardell, stood at the center of the Jurai
Great Hall and railed at the assembled Councillors there.  The
legislative body of the Jurain government seemed to heave a collective
sigh.  Cardaya seemed to be outraged a lot lately.
	He stared up at Azusa, King of Jurai, and continued.  "This is
the third time that Jurai has violated our borders!  And our complaints
fall on deaf ears!"  The king seemed unsteady on his feet.  He was
approaching three thousand years old, after all, and the average Cardell
only lived to twenty-five hundred.  His hair was white, and although
attempts were made by the king to hide his weakness, there were always
subtle hints.
	"Cardaya,"  Azusa began exasperated, "As long as pirates are
escaping into the Cardell system, my forces will pursue them there."
	"Last time, your 'forces,' destroyed a civilian merchant vessel!"
	"A terrible accident."
	"I'm sure,"  Cardaya spat.  "Be warned, Azusa," he began,
"Empires rise and fall like wheels on a cart.  What once was on the
bottom, immersed in mud, will be on top.  And what was once on top
will one day be immersed in filth."
	Azusa stood up.  "Are you threatening me, Cardaya!?"
	"I'm pointing out a fact that you have apparently overlooked!"
And with that, the king stormed out of the Great Hall.

	Cardaya's son, Prince Zerris, met him outside.
	"I take it it did not go well?"  he asked his father.
	Cardaya shook his head.  "Does it ever when dealing with Azusa?"
	Zerris said nothing.
	"Jurai runs the whole damn galaxy.  The Non-Federated Planets
won't move against her because they see no perceived threat to
themselves.  Meanwhile, our space and our people are violated.
Something has to be done."
	Zerris nodded.
	Cardaya stopped and placed his hand on his son's shoulder.  "My
son, drastic steps will have to be taken.  I've already seen to it.
Are you up to being king?"
	Zerris was incredulous.  "Father?"
	"Listen to me, Zerris.  I'm dying.  I've known for a long time.
And I want the last thing I do to be for our people.  You must
understand this."
	Zerris nodded bravely.  "I understand, Father."
	Cardaya smiled at his son.  "Be a good king, Zerris."
	"I will, Father."

	After a full night's sleep, Kiyone felt a little more clear
headed.  She realized just how stupidly she had acted last night.
Agreeing to meet a man she didn't even know.  It was foolish,
dangerous, and she knew better than that.
	Besides, how was she supposed to meet him?  She didn't know his
name, where he lived, and they hadn't even set up a time and place.
	<Perhaps it was just a dream?>
	She kept asking herself this over and over.
	Was it just a dream she had?
	<Dammit...>
	So she was in something of a sour mood at breakfast when Mihoshi
decided to open her mouth.
	"So when are you leaving on your date, Kiyone?"
	"Date?"  Ryoko asked, blinking in confusion.
	"You have a date, Kiyone?"  Ayeka asked.
	"Um...Actually..."
	"That's right!"  Mihoshi said, coming to what she perceived to be
Kiyone's aid.
	"I saw you dancing with that guy last night,"  Ryoko commented as
she trailed her fingers up Tenchi's sleeve.  Tenchi, who was sitting on
her right, was beginning to look nervous.
	"Um..."
	"Guy?"  Ayeka asked, glaring at Ryoko.  "What guy?"
	"It's actually..."
	"She doesn't know,"  Mihoshi answered for her, spooning some miso
soup into her mouth.
	Kiyone turned red as everyone at the table, all her friends,
turned to stare at her in shock.
	"You..um...Don't know?"  Ayeka asked, her anger at Ryoko
temporarily forgotten.
	Kiyone ran through fifteen shades of embarrassment right there.
	"Are you sure he's real?"  Ryoko quipped.
	Ayeka stifled a laugh.
	Mihoshi frowned.  "Hey!  That's not funny!"
	"Mihoshi,"  Kiyone warned.
	"It's been a long time since she's been on a date!"
	"Mihoshi!"
	"And it really means a lot to her!"
	"MIHOSHI!!"
	"Yes, Kiyone?"
	Kiyone was glaring at her partner.  After a minute she sighed
and said, "Nevermind."
	She was spared further embarrassment when a well dressed
chamberlain entered the dining room and cleared his throat.
	"Detective Kiyone?"
	She raised her head.  "Yes?"
	"There's a man here to see you."

	"Ms. Kiyone Makibi?"
	She nodded at the strange man waiting for her outside.
	"If you would follow me, Ma'am,"  he said as he started for a
horse driven hover carriage just outside the gate.  Kiyone blinked in
surprise, but followed.  The rest of her friends looked on in puzzlement
from the door, silent, except for Mihoshi who waved happily after her
partner.
	"Bye, Kiyone!  Have fun!"
	The man led her to the carriage and opened the door for her.  She
paused outside it for a moment.  The man gestured for her to step
inside.  She obeyed and found *him* sitting in one of the comfortable
leather seats.  He was reading from a datapad.  He looked up and smiled
at her.
	"Hello, Kiyone."
	"Um...hi."
	He gestured to the seat across from him.  "Please, have a seat."
	She sat down across from him.
	"Drink?" he asked.
	"Sure," she said.  She still couldn't believe what was happening.
	He poured a glass of wine and handed it to her.  As she took it,
she felt the carriage start down the road.
	"Horse drawn carriage?" she asked quizzically.  "Kind of
overboard, isn't it?"
	He smiled in amusement.  "Actually, I prefer riding in a carriage.
I love horses.  However, technology seems to have rendered them
obsolete."  He said this sadly.  "So, I try to make the ones I have
feel useful."
	She laughed and sipped her wine.
	"You find that funny?" he asked with a smile.
	"Well...a little," she replied.  "I mean, 'make them feel
useful?'"
	His smile didn't waver.  He put the datapad down.  "Everything
has a purpose in life, Kiyone.  Even horses."
	His use of her name reminded her that she didn't know his.  "This
is going to sound odd, but...who the hell are you?"
	He laughed.  "I'm sorry.  I never got around to telling you last
night.  My name is Kuroki, Kitsune Kuroki."
	"Interesting name," she commented.  She looked out the window.
"And where are we going?"
	"My estate," Kitsune replied casually.
	"Oh?"  Kiyone was more clearheaded this time, and so wasn't as
taken by his charm as she was last night.
	"Mmm hmm," he intoned, sipping at his wine.  "I thought we might
have lunch together."
	"What's wrong with a restauraunt?"
	"My cooks are better," he told her.  "They know what I like, how
I like it, and I'm already paying them to be the best."
	"Ah..."
	"If you like, we can go to a restauraunt," he told her.  "But I
would prefer someplace where we can speak privately."
	Kiyone gave the offer some thought.  "No, your estate sounds
fine."  She couldn't believe she said it.  She had no idea why.
	Yes, she did.
	She knew the kind of people she lived with, and she knew that if
they weren't following her in a van right now, they would be soon.
	He nodded and grinned at her.  "Now then, why don't you tell me
a little about yourself?"
	"I thought you said that every successful love affair had to have
a little mystery?"
	He grinned.  "Touche," he said.  "Why don't we start off with
something simple, then?"  He leaned forward.  "What do you do for a
living?"  Before she could answer, he held his hand up.  "Wait.  Let
me try to guess first."  He thought for a moment and looked at her.
"It's obviously something to do with security," he mused.
	She arched an eyebrow.
	He swirled the wine around in his glass.  "You're obviously in
great shape, you're confident, your eyes dart about as if you're
checking for traps..." he trailed off.  "Yes, definitely something
concerning security or law enforcement.  GP?"
	She blinked in shock.  "That...That's right."  She was
technically on leave so wasn't in her uniform.  She was wearing a
simple white sweater and slacks.
	He grinned.  "What rank?"
	"Detective Sergeant."
	"Are you any good?"
	She smiled.  "I like to think I'm better than average."
	"I'm sure you are."  He took another sip of wine.
	"What about you?"
	"What about me?"
	"You don't act like any nobleman I've ever met.  One," she said.
"Two, you were wearing a Belegese tuxedo last night, and you're
wearing a Belegese suit now, but your accent is Carissian."  He arched
an impressed eyebrow.  "And three..."  She trailed off.
	He arched another eyebrow.  "Three?"
	She stared him in the eye.  "Belegese nobility is prohibited
from fraternizing with commoners...especially those outside their
species."
	"Ah, but as you mentioned, I'm not Belegese."
	"Are you a nobleman?"
	He nodded.
	"What kind?"
	"A Comte."
	"Belegese nobility," she concluded.
	"But," he pointed out with a raised finger, "I'm not Belegese."
	"Now I'm confused."
	"As well you should be," he told her.  "More wine?"
	"No...thank you."
	The carriage stopped.  "We're here," he told her.
	"Your estate?"
	He nodded.
	"I thought you said you were a Belegese noble.  Why do you have
an estate on Jurai?"
	He smiled.  "Come.  I'll explain."
	The door opened, revealing the driver she had met earlier.
Kitsune hopped out of the carriage and extended his arm, helping her
outside.  She looked around and gasped.
	She was standing next to a large, country house, surrounded by
gardens and lush trees, but that wasn't what had filled her with awe.
	It was the horses.
	The house was situated on a hill.  Looking down, she could see
hundreds of horses grazing in a lush, green field below her.  She
could hear an occasional whinny from one of the beautiful creatures.
	"You really do love horses," she breathed.
	He smiled and nodded at her.  "I've always loved them.  My father
taught me to ride when I was four.  I've always believed that mankind
had a special affinity with the horse, a symbiosis of sorts."
	She stared down into the valley below her.  They were so
beautiful.
	"Do you ride?"
	Kiyone turned to him.  "I used to.  My grandmother had horses.
I used to visit her when I was little and she would take me and my
brother out riding."
	"When was the last time you were in the saddle?"
	"Oh, not for years.  When she died, our family divided up the
estate."  Her voice turned a little sad.  "They sold the horses off."
	"I see."
	"I...miss it."
	"Care to go riding?" he asked with a smile.
	She turned and looked up at him.  "Really?"
	He nodded.  "Why not?  I love a good ride after lunch.  If you'd
like to join me..."  he trailed off.
	She smiled.  "I'd love to."

	"I'd like to introduce you to a very close friend of mine,"
Kitsune told Kiyone.  Kiyone reached out to the animal standing next
to him and stroked its neck.  "This is LadyFox."  LadyFox was a tan
colored mare, a truly beautiful animal.  The horse snorted and took
a step toward Kiyone.  "She likes you," Kitsune commented.  Kiyone
laughed.
	He helped Kiyone up into the saddle.  LadyFox made no effort to
throw her or give her any trouble.  Kitsune patted her side
affectionately.  He walked over to an ash gray horse nearby and hopped
up into the saddle.  The beast snorted but didn't protest.
	"It's..um..been awhile,"  Kiyone said nervously.
	"It'll come back," he assured her.
	She looked up at the blue Jurain sky.  It was beautiful out, not
a cloud in the sky.
	"Ready?"  he asked, riding up next to her.  She nodded.  "Okay,
let's go."
	She gently kicked the LadyFox's flanks, and the mare moved
forward.  The two rode out into the grassy plain on which sat Kitsune's
estate.
	"So, where to?" he asked.
	"It's your place," she replied.
	He pointed out into the valley, away from the other horses.
"This way then."
	"Any particular reason?"
	He grinned.  "None at all."
	She smiled.  "Works for me."  LadyFox suddenly whinnied and
lurched beneath her.  "Woah, girl.  Steady."  She saw Kitsune having
trouble with his own mount.  "What's with the two of them?" she asked.
	He grinned.  "These two," he said with a weary shake of his head.
"Constantly in competition with one another."
	She thought about Ayeka and Ryoko fighting over Tenchi.  "I know
what that's like."
	He grinned.  "They want to race.  It happens every time I bring
the two of them out here."
	She grinned.  "So let's let 'em race."
	"Are you sure?" he asked.
	"What are you, scared?"  she asked with a grin.  "Hi-yah!" she
called out with a kick to LadyFox's flanks.  The horse took off into
the valley.
	Kitsune grinned for a minute before kicking the flanks of his
own mount and racing after her.


	Kiyone laughed as she stretched.  She saw LadyFox and Kitsune's
mount standing next to one another, nuzzling one another's snouts.  She
turned back to Kitsune and found him spreading out a blanket next to
the stream they had found beneath a canopy of Jurain oak trees.
	"What is with them, anyway?" she asked, shaking her head at the
two horses.
	Kitsune looked up and smiled.  "Isn't it obvious?"
	She looked back and watched them nuzzling one another.  "I
thought you said..."
	"I said they compete," he told her.  "I've been trying to mate
them for the past two months, but they're always trying to get the
better of each other."
	She laughed again and walked up to him.  He gestured to the
blanket.  "Have a seat."  While she sat down, he walked up to the
horses again.  He patted the gray horse's flank affectionately.  "Don't
mind me, Prince, I'll give you two some privacy in a sec."  Prince
snorted at him and went back to nuzzling LadyFox.  Kitsune reached
into a saddle bag and removed a bottle of wine and two glasses wrapped
in cloth to protect them.  He made his way back to Kiyone and sat down
next to her.
	He poured her a glass of wine and handed it to her.
	"Thank you," she said.  She took a sip and smiled. "I haven't
felt like that in years," she told him.
	"Like what?"
	She shook her head and tried to word it.  "Alive," she said,
finally.
	"Hmmmm," he intoned.
	"So," she said. "Tell me about yourself."
	He smiled.  "The details of my life are rather irrelevant."
	"I don't thinks so," she said, sipping at her wine glass.
	"You know all the important parts," he told her.  "I'm a
reclusive nobleman who likes to raise horses.  Not much more, I'm
afraid."
	"You're lying," she told him.  "There's more to you.  I can see
it."
	"Okay," he admitted.  "I admit it.  I'm not as shallow as I make
myself out to be."  He smiled.  "More wine?"
	She held out her glass as he poured.  "If I didn't know better,"
she told him, "I'd say you were trying to get me drunk."
	"No," he said, "Never.  I wouldn't want you to be drunk the first
time I make love to you."
	Kiyone felt her face grow hot as she blushed.  "Hey, now!" she
retorted.  "We haven't even kissed and already you're planning on
sleeping with me!?"
	"Do you want me to kiss you?" he asked.
	Kiyone said nothing.
	Kitsune moved closer to her.  She tensed reflexively.  "Moving
awfully fast, aren't we?"
	"If you don't move fast, you risk losing a good thing before you
even have it," he whispered.
	"But if you move too fast, you risk ruining a good thing," she
replied as he moved closer.
	"So you *do* agree that this is a good thing," he whispered,
moving closer to her.
	She leaned back in a nervous retreat as he got closer.  "Well...
It's not bad..."
	"Hmmmm," he breathed.  "But you don't approve of moving fast."
	He was only an inch from her and closing in.  She leaned back for
more room.  "I've moved too fast before.  I know what can happen."
	He moved closer again.  "Afraid of being 'just another
conquest?'"
	She continued to move back.  Suddenly, the back of her head made
contact with the blanket.  There was no where left to retreat to.
"Yes," she whispered.
	"If I made you a promise," he whispered, "Would you let me kiss
you?"
	She swallowed nervously.  "I might."
	He moved closer, his mouth was only an inch from her ear.  "I
promise you won't be just another conquest."  He moved back up and
looked down at her.
	She looked up into his green eyes and found sincerity.  He meant
it.  He leaned down again and gently brushed his lips against hers.
Her pulse quickened.  She brought her hands up, still unsure what to
do with them.  Either push him away with them or embrace him with them.
	At the last second, she chose the latter.
	She closed her eyes and kissed him.
	She felt as if the breath were being drawn from her body.  Her
heart pounded against her ribcage.  She felt warm all over.
	When their lips finally parted her breath was coming quick gasps.
She watched him smile and move a few stray hairs from her eyes.  "There,
that wasn't so bad now, was it?"
	"No," she whispered.
	"Shall I do it again?"
	"You'd better," she found herself saying.
	He leaned forward and kissed her again.  He nibbled her bottom
lip and began to leave a trail of kisses down her neck.  She put the
palms of her hands on his chest, felt his heart racing.  She knew she
should stop, that it was too soon, but couldn't bring herself to say
the word, the word that would end the dream, the word that would force
her to wake up to the real world again.
	He moved back up and nuzzled her neck.  She put her hands on his
face and guided him back up to look into his eyes.  They paused for a
moment before she began kissing him again.
	"I thought you preferred to take it slow," he whispered between
kisses.
	"You're complaining *now*?" she replied.
	"I don't want to pressure you," he said.  She saw he was serious.
He wasn't just going through the motions.  He *wanted* her to do this
because she *wanted* to do it.  She gave his statement a moment's
thought.
	"Kitsune," she whispered, "So help me, if you stop now..."
	He smiled and kissed her again.

	"I say we go after her!"
	Tenchi sighed.  "Ryoko, I'm sure she's fine.  Leave her alone."
	"But Tenchi!"  Ryoko whined, "She could be out with some sicko!
Trust me!  I know they're out there!"  She teleported next to him.  "I
used to be one," she said seductively.
	"Ryoko,"  Tenchi began irritably.
	"Although it galls me to have to do this," Ayeka began, "I'm
forced to agree with Ryoko.  It's been ten hours, and she didn't even
know his *name*."
	Tenchi took a breath.  The fact that Ayeka would side with Ryoko
on anything helped to drive their point home.
	"Well...what do you suggest we do?"
	"I think we shoul..."  Before she could get any farther, the door
opened and Kiyone came strolling inside.
	"Hello, everyone!"  she said, a smile plastered firmly on her
face.
	The others watched her as she strolled into the next room,
humming a lively tune as she went, and hung her jacket up on a hook.
	"Um...how did it go?"  Ryoko asked.
	Kiyone reentered the room and smiled at the pirate.  "Oh, it was
fine."
	"Fine?"  Ryoko repeated with a grin.  "You look more than fine,
Kiyone."
	Kiyone yawned.  "Yeah, well, I've had a long day.  I'll see you
all tomorrow."  With that, she started up the stairs to her guest room.
The group watched her go.
	Washu arched an eyebrow.  "Glad to see *someone's* having a good
time..."

	Mihoshi entered the room she shared with Kiyone and found her
partner lying on her bed again, this time with a smile on her face.
	"Someone had a good ti-ime!"  she sang.
	Instead of getting irritated at her, Kiyone's grin intensified.
"He's wonderful," she whispered.
	Mihoshi jumped onto the bed next to her.  "TELL ME!"
	Kiyone turned red in embarrassment.  "Mihoshi..."
	"C'mon, Kiyone!"  Mihoshi whined.  "I'm your partner!  And your
friend!  If you can't tell me, who *can* you tell?"
	Kiyone thought about this.  Usually, Mihoshi irritated her to no
end, but in this case, she was right.
	"Well," she began conspiritorially, "His name is Kitsune.  He's a
nobleman from Belegast who has an estate here on Jurai.  He raises
horses."
	"So what did you do?!"
	"Well, we had lunch at his place.  Then went riding over his
property.  We stopped at this little stream and sipped wine and..."
She broke off suddenly and turned red.
	"Go on,"  Mihoshi said with a smile.
	"And...that was pretty much it,"  Kiyone said quickly.
	"Oh, no you don't, Kiyone!"  Mihoshi told her partner sternly.
"As your partner I have a right to be briefed on your social life."
	"Excuse me?!"
	Mihoshi nodded.  "I have to be made aware of anything that could
be considered a personal conflict."  She grinned at Kiyone.  "So spill!"
	Kiyone arched an eyebrow.  She hadn't expected Mihoshi to come up
with an argument like that.  "Mihoshi...It's really none of your
busi..."
	"YOU KISSED HIM DIDN'T YOU?!"
	"Yeah,"  Kiyone said sheepishly.
	"Well?!"  Mihoshi asked excitedly.  It had been a long time since
Kiyone had been on a date, and she was happy that her friend had had a
good time.
	"Well what?"
	"Kiyone!  Don't hold out on me!  How was it!?"
	Kiyone began to fire an angry retort, but instead sighed and
said, "Wonderful."
	Mihoshi giggled.
	"It's weird, Mihoshi,"  Kiyone told her as she stared up at the
ceiling.  "I haven't felt like this in so long, I can't even remember
it.  For the first time in years I feel like...like..." She struggled
to find the proper words.  "Like a woman," she finished.
	Mihoshi blinked in puzzlement.
	"Mihoshi," Kiyone told her, "I don't know if I'm doing the right
thing."
	"What do you mean, Kiyone?"
	"It all happened so fast, I didn't get a chance to really think
about it," she said.  "But should I be moving so fast?  I'm a Galaxy
Police Detective.  I should show more discretion."
	"Come on, Kiyone, you only kissed him."
	Kiyone said nothing.
	Mihoshi blinked, her hand went to her mouth.  "Oh, my," she
whispered.  "I guess I should've asked about *that*."
	Kiyone didn't say anything for a moment.  Then, "I don't know
what came over me, Mihoshi.  I was about to stop him, or slap him, or
*something*, but before I could, I ended up thinking, 'What if this is
the great romance of my life, and I push it away because I'm afraid of
what will happen?'"  She shook her head.  "My love life has usually
been nothing but one unmitigated disaster after another, but with
Kitsune...It just *feels* different."
	"Yeah, but Kiyone...You just met him..."
	"*I know*, Mihoshi!"  Kiyone replied loudly.  "But...Dammit, I
don't know..."
	"Are you going to see him again?"  Mihoshi asked.
	Kiyone nodded.
	"Tomorrow?"
	"Yeah, for dinner.  Not too early.  He has some kind of business
he has to attend to."

	Cardaya sat across from the man at the table and nodded in
greeting.  "Comte,"
	"Your Majesty,"  Kitsune greeted as he looked over a menu.  The
restauraunt they were in was one of the finest in the Jurain Empire,
but neither of the men seated at the table frequented it.  He paused
and gave a short smile to the blonde woman seated next to the king.
"Vasha."
	Vasha, the same woman in red who had angered Kiyone merely with
her presence nodded curtly.  She wasn't one for small talk.  Her job
was to defend the King of Cardell with her life, not be sociable.
	"This is foolish, Kuroki,"  Cardaya told him, irritably.
	"Perhaps," Kitsune told him, "But I felt it was necessary."
	"Why?"
	Kitsune looked up at him and put the menu down.  Before he could
answer, a waitress appeared at his table.
	"Can I get you a drink, gentlemen?"
	"Carissian brandy,"  Kitsune told her.  "Sixty-six if you have
it."
	"Yes, Sir.  And you, Sir?"
	"Nothing,"  Cardaya told her.  Vasha shook her head, and the
waitress went on her way.
	"You are compromising His Majesty!"  Vasha hissed at Kitsune.
"If he is seen here with you..."
	Kitsune arched an eyebrow.  "Careful, Vasha, you'll make a
scene."
	"I'll show you a scene!"  Vasha told him angrily.  "I still don't
see why we are even bothering with you, but so help me if you have
endangered His Majesty by this..."  She trailed off and reached into
her jacket.
	Kitsune cleared his throat and pointed at her chest.  Vasha
blinked and looked down to find a red dot of light moving around on her
blouse.
	"Think twice, my dear,"  Kitsune told her.  "My staff is rather
protective of me."
	Vasha swore quietly and slowly removed her hand from the tiny
blaster she was reaching for.
	Cardaya said nothing about this.  Instead, he repeated his
questions.  "Why?"
	"I wanted to make absolutely sure that you wanted to do this,"
Kitsune told him seriously.  "Once I'm inside, you won't be able to
abort me.  I'll have to assume that any act you or your lovely
bodyguard here take against me is one designed to divert responsibility
from yourself."  He paused.  "You won't be able to stop me."
	Cardaya nodded.  "I'm sure.  You do as you have been ordered."
	Kitsune nodded.  The waitress returned and put a snifter of
brandy in front of him.   He gave the waitress a nod of thanks and took
a sniff, savoring it.
	"Duke Zioux told me you were good,"  Cardaya told him.  "Was he
serious?"
	"I'm alive, aren't I?"
	"For now."  Cardaya reached into his jacket.  The red dot
suddenly moved from Vasha's chest to Cardaya.  Instead of a blaster,
however, Cardaya removed an old, rusted bayonet.  Kitsune's eyes
widened.  "He told me to give this to you.  Said that after this
mission, you were free to do as you will.  I'm afraid I'm not up on
Belegese customs..."
	Kitsune took the bayonet from him.  "It's an Offering of Fealty.
I gave it to him as a pledge of loyalty.  By returning it, he's
acknowledging my...discharge from service."
	"I see."
	"And the payment?"  Kitsune asked, quickly placing the bayonet
in his inside jacket pocket.
	"As you have requested, twenty million Jurai have been
distributed to ten banks throughout the galaxy.  Another five in
nonnegotiable bearer bonds will be delivered to you one day before you
strike."
	Kitsune nodded.  "Ten days," he muttered.  Cardaya nodded.  He
looked up at the monarch again.  "And you're absolutely sure..."
	"This will give my people a future in the galaxy, Comte Kuroki.
You have the target, you have his exact location.  What more do you
need?"
	Kitsune placed the snifter on the  table.  "Nothing, Your Majesty.
I just hope it's worth it."
	Cardaya nodded.  "It will be.  With one man's death, the galaxy
will be changed forever."

	"The Comte is in the basement, Madame Kiyone,"  The butler told
her as he led the way down the hall to a small door.  He opened it and
gestured for her to proceed.  Kiyone took a breath and started down the
stairs.  As she descended, she ran through her speech one last time.
	<Kitsune, it's been great, but I don't think we should see each
other any...Dammit.>
	Everytime she got to that point, a part of her mind rebelled.
Why not?!  Why can't she see him, even if it's just a fling?
	Was it a fling?
	She paused.  That's what she was afraid of.  She was afraid of
it being just a fling.  Of being something Kitsune was doing to pass
the time until something else came along.
	<He said it wasn't.>
	>And all men tell the truth, right?<
	<Dammit.>
	It would be better if she just ended it right here before it went
any further.
	<Why?!>  Her mind rebelled again.
	She sighed and continued downward.
	The stairs ended at the beginning of a dark, stone hallway.  She
proceeded down.
	<This is probably the S&M dungeon or something,>  she thought
irritably.  A part of her hoped it was.  It would give her a concrete
excuse for refusing to see him anymore.
	She had to do this.  She was a Galaxy Police Detective.  She
couldn't just go off and have a fling.  She sure as hell shouldn't be
sleeping with men she had just met.
	The hallway ended at a large, well lit room.  It was circular
with a black dome roof.  The room was empty, but a door to her right
led to a small chamber where Kitsune was working on something.
	"Kitsune?"  she called.
	He looked up and smiled at her.  "Kiyone!  Come in!  Come in!  I
was just finishing up something."  She looked at what he was working on
and blinked in surprise.
	He was cleaning a PP90 blaster pistol.
	He saw the confused look on her face and said, "My other passion."
He worked the action and checked to see if it was smooth enough for his
approval.  He nodded in satisfaction and placed the weapon on the table.
	"Guns?" she asked.
	He smiled.  "Marksmanship.  The same day my father taught me to
ride, he taught me to shoot."  He leaned back against the wall and
continued.  "I grew up on a ranch in the southern hemisphere of
Carissia, the Latala Continent.  It's a pretty rural area, and there
are a lot of carnivores big enough to eat horses.  Everyone in my
family could shoot.  I found I rather enjoyed it."
	"Do you hunt?"
	He shook his head.  "Used to, but I began to find killing animals
for sport...distasteful."  He smiled.  "After all, what did they ever
do to me?"
	She smiled.
	"But I still shoot.  I like to test myself.  I started with
rifles, but found a bigger challenge with pistols.  Surely you can
relate."
	She nodded.  "So that room out there would be your range?"
	He nodded.  "I set up floaters and shoot every once in awhile."
	"Ah."
	"Care to try it?"
	She thought for a moment.  "I didn't bring my gun."
	He walked over to a nearby wall.  "GP standard issue is what?
PP70?"
	She nodded.  "But I prefer an MB8."
	He threw her a look and smiled.  "Ah, a woman who knows the value
of stopping power."  He hit a panel on the wall and a section of the
stone slid away, revealing a rack of blaster pistols.  Kiyone's eyes
widened.  Kitsune searched for a second before pulling a weapon from
the rack and checking the action.  He turned and handed it to her butt
first.  "Here you go."
	She took the weapon and examined it.  It was identical to her
own meson blaster, but lacked the GP star on the grip.  He handed her
a power pack.
	She took the power pack and shook her head.  "You know, I've
never been taken to a target range on a date before."
	He arched an eyebrow.  "Afraid?"
	"Ha!"  she laughed.  "I'll have you know I'm the best shot on
the force!"
	"Hmmmmm," he said.  He circled around her.  "Let's make it
interesting then, hmmm?"
	She turned and faced him, her reason for coming here had been
pushed aside by curiousity.  "Go on."
	"The computer tallies the score," he began.  "If I win..."  He
stepped forward and looked down into her eyes.  "You stay here at my
estate for a week and do whatever I tell you."
	She laughed.  "And if I win?"
	He smiled.  "Then you stay here at my estate for a week and I'll
do whatever *you* tell me."
	"I'm not seeing an upside for me anywhere," she told him jokingly.
	"Lose and I'll show you the upside," he told her.  She blushed
again.
	"I won't," she told him.
	"We'll see," he grinned.
	He led her into the center of the circular range.  "The computer
controls the level of difficulty.  Level one has two floaters, two has
four, three six, and so on.  The floaters will fire back with light
stun beams.  They'll turn blue one second before firing.  In order to
get any points, you have to shoot them while they're blue."
	She nodded and worked the action on her weapon.  "Okay, sounds
simple enough."
	"Computer," he called.  "Level two."
	Four spheres, about the size of baseballs, dropped from holes in
the celing and hung in the air above their heads.  They began to dip
and zip through the air around them.  Kiyone spared Kitsune a glance.
He was watching the spheres cautiously.
	*ZAT!*
	"Ack!"  Kiyone cried.  She turned and found a sphere hovering
behind her.  She rubbed her back where the stun blast had found her.
"Dammit," she muttered.
	She turned as the report of a blaster sounded out in the room.
She saw one of the spheres hit the ground near her.
	<Damn!  Now he's winning!>
	She turned her attention back to the spheres and saw one dip
toward her and turn blue.  She fired and grinned as it came down.
	Before long, all four were lying on the ground.
	"Computer, level three."

	"You're staying over there!?"  Mihoshi cried out in disbelief.
	On the vidscreen, Kiyone nodded.  "Yeah, it's kind of a long
story.  The short version is that I'm staying here for a week, so don't
worry about me."
	Mihoshi bit her lip in thought.  She was beginning to worry about
Kiyone.  "Well...okay.  But I want you to call me every day."
	"Mihoshi..."
	"Please, Kiyone?!  I'll worry if you don't."
	Kiyone sighed.  "Okay, Mihoshi.  Every day.  I promise."
	"Okay, Kiyone,"  Mihoshi said, just a little uneasily.  "Have
fun."

	Kiyone turned the vidscreen off and bit her lip.  <I'm in trouble
now...>
	She felt Kitsune's hands rest on her shoulders.  "Everything all
right?"  he asked.
	She nodded and turned to him.  "Um...Kitsune...When you said,
'whatever I tell you,'  what did you mean?"
	He grinned.  "Now now," he chastised, waving a finger, "You
agreed to the bet, now you're bound by it."
	She sighed.  "Okay, but what did you mean?"
	He leaned in close and kissed her forehead.  "Well, let's see,"
he began quietly.  "You can....wash the dishes,"  She arched an eyebrow.
"Or the stables could always be shoveled."  He moved down and planted
a kiss on her neck.  "Of course," he whispered, "There are always
plenty of chores that need to be seen to in the bedroom."
	She smiled sweetly and said, "Which way to the kitchen?"
	He kissed her.  "Sorry," he whispered, "But *I* decide what
chores you do for a whole week."
	Kiyone couldn't help but smile.  "Then I had better get started."

	"I'm worried about her," Mihoshi told the others.  "I don't think
she's thinking straight."
	"Helluva statement coming from you,"  Washu muttered.
	"I really think she might be in trouble!"
	"Okay, Mihoshi,"  Tenchi said.  "What do you want us to do?"
	Mihoshi put her finger to her lip and hmmm'd.  "I don't want to
spoil things if she's actually having fun, but I don't want to leave
her in the hands of a perverted madman who'll chain her to a
wallandperformUNSPEAKABLEACTSUPONHERBODY!!!!"
	The others just blinked as Mihoshi began to break down.
	"KIYONE!!!!"  With that, Mihoshi rushed from the room, intent
on rescuing her partner.
	Tenchi just blinked.  "Um...Maybe we oughtta stop her..."
	Ryoko stood up.  "On it, Tenchi!  Be right back!"  She blew him
a kiss and vanished.  Ayeka growled nearby.  A second later, Ryoko
reappeared with a struggling Mihoshi in her arms.
	"KIYONE!!  HANG ON!!  I'LL RESCUE YOU!!"
	The group heaved a collective sigh.
	"How about this?"  Washu said.  "Let's swing by this guy's estate
and check up on her."
	Mihoshi looked at Washu with joy in her eyes.
	"Tomorrow."
	Mihoshi's face fell.  "But...but Washu!"
	Washu sighed and addressed the detective.  "Mihoshi, if she is
having fun, and given the way she was acting last time we saw her I'd
say it's a fair bet, then do you really want to go and barge in?"
	Mihoshi thought about it.  She didn't want Kiyone angry at her,
and she wanted above all else to see Kiyone happy.  She sighed.
	"Yes, Little Washu, you're right."
	Washu nodded.  "Good."  She blinked.  "And by the way," she asked,
"What's so bad about being chained to a wall?"
	The others looked at her incredulously.
	Washu looked at them.  "What?!  Huh?!  What?!"

	Kiyone mewled in pleasure as he moved above her.  She ran her
fingers through his dark hair while he kissed up and down her neck.
She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the feelings she was
experiencing.  She gasped suddenly and whimpered.  Kitsune kissed her,
silencing her soft cries.  She reciprocated desperately, wrapping her
arms around him and kissing him fiercely.  Joined at the lips, she
cried out one last time before her head fell back against the pillow,
her breath coming in short, shallow gasps.  A moment later,
he collapsed on top of her.
	They lay there together for a moment, the sound of their
breathing the only one in the dimly lit bedroom.  Kiyone took a moment
to catch her breath and whispered.  "You're squashing me."
	He laughed and rolled off of her.  "Sorry."  He snuggled up
behind her and began kissing her shoulders.  She smiled.
	"Don't be sorry," she said softly.
	"Hmmm," he said as he kissed her neck.  His arms wrapped around
her, pulling her closer to him.  He moved a few stray, teal hairs from
her eyes.  She moved closer to him and sighed.
	"I shouldn't be doing this," she told him.
	"Sleeping with a man you just met?"
	"Hmmm," she replied simply.  "I hardly know you."
	He paused.  "Kiyone, if you want, I'll tell you."
	She blinked and looked back at him over her shoulder.  "Tell me
what?"
	"Back in the carriage, when you asked about my background, I
avoided the question," he told her.  "And when you asked about it near
the river, I ducked you again."
	"Pleasantly so," she told him with a smile.
	He didn't return the smile.  "Ten years ago I served in the
Carissian Army.  During the war with Belegast, I was captured."  He
paused for a moment.  "I was a sniper.  I excelled at it.  They caught
me near one of their command bunkers and shipped me to a POW camp in
Bel.  Two years passed.  The war had only lasted one.  When I realized
my government wasn't going to rescue me, I realized I had to make
another alliance."
	Kiyone rolled over to face him while he spoke.
	"At about the same time, the ruler of Belegast, Duke Zioux, was
having...internal trouble.  The Comte de Harnon was organizing a coup.
The Duke needed a 'politically safe' solution so he sent an
intermediary to my camp."  He smiled.  "It made perfect sense.  No
one would bat an eye if a Carissian assassin killed a Belegese noble.
They'd consider it a vengeance killing.  In return for killing the
Comte de Harnon...I was *made* the Comte de Harnon...took his place."
He sighed and looked at her.  "And that's how a Carissian can be a
Belegese noble."
	Kiyone stared at him, astonished.  "Kami sama."
	He nodded in agreement.  "My title isn't hereditary, Kiyone.  I
had to kill a man to get it.  And I'm still a prisoner."  She gave him
a questioning look.  "The Duke didn't want me running around
unsupervised, so he keeps tabs on me.  If I don't stay in line, he'll
send troops after me."
	Kiyone reached out and caressed his cheek.  She tilted her head
up and kissed him.
	"I can protect you," she told him.  "We can go to the GP, the
Jurains, the Carissians...Kitsune, you don't have to be a prisoner."
	"I won't," he told her.  "But I won't be free by running.  You
can't protect me from him, Kiyone.  Not forever, and it would put you
at risk.  And I can't let that happen.  I'll be free, Kiyone.  Soon.
But I'll do it my way.  When I do...I want you to be there."
	She blinked at him.  "What?"
	"I've never had a life of my own," he told her, "But I know I
want one with you in it."
	Kiyone suddenly remembered why she had come to his estate in the
first place.  "Kitsune..."
	"I know what you're going to say," he told her.  "Don't think
about the why not, think about the why," he whispered.
	"Kitsune...I don't know...I mean..."
	"Please, Kiyone.  Just think about it."
	She found herself nodding.

	She woke up the next morning and rolled over, reaching out to
wrap her arm around him.
	He wasn't there.
	She opened her eyes and found him missing.  Lying on the pillow
was a single rose.  She took it and smiled.
	That smile lost its intensity when she thought about their
conversation last night.  She felt so confused.  She didn't know what
to do.
	<I guess I'll get up and find out.>

	She found him in one of the larger stables.  She heard a snort
from her right and turned to find LadyFox standing in a pen next to her.
She smiled and stroked the horse's snout.
	"Hey, girl.  How are you?"
	LadyFox snorted and pressed against her hand.
	"Good morning."
	She turned and saw him walking toward her.  He was dressed in
work clothes, carrying a bucket of oats in either hand.
	"Good morning."
	"How'd you sleep?"
	"All right."  She stepped forward and gave him a quick kiss.
"And ready for work," she told him.
	He grinned and handed her a bucket.  She took it and walked back
to LadyFox.  She took a handful of oats and allowed the mare to eat out
of her hand, just like she used to on her grandmother's ranch.  Kitsune
started feeding another horse.
	"You've done this before," he commented.
	"Yeah, on my grandmother's ranch.  She insisted that if I'm going
to ride one of her horses, then I was going to help take care of them
too."
	"Wise woman."
	"Yes, she was."
	"Madame Kiyone,"
	She turned and found one of Kitsune's butlers standing at the
stable door.
	"You have visitors."

	"KIYONE!!!"
	Kiyone cried out in shock as she was tackled less than a second
after entering the sitting room.  She blinked in shock and found
Mihoshi blubbering on top of her.
	"I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU, KIYONE!"
	Kiyone growled.  "Mihoshi..."  She planted her hands on Mihoshi's
chest and shoved.  "GET OFF ME!!"
	"AAAAAHHHH!!!"  Mihoshi cried as she was thrown backwards.
	Kiyone got up off the floor and dusted herself off. She took a
quick look around and found Tenchi, Ryoko, and Washu standing there,
staring at her.
	"Hey, Kiyone,"  Tenchi said as he helped Mihoshi to her feet.
	"Tenchi, what are you guys doing here?"
	"Well,"  Ryoko began, "We happened to be in the neighborhood and
thought we'd drop in to say hello.  That's all."  She smiled innocently.
	"KIYONE!  YOU'RE SAFE!"  Mihoshi cried out again as soon as she
got her breath.  She embraced her partner.  "Has he molested you in
any way?!"
	"MIHOSHI!!"
	"I think I'm jealous,"  Washu said.  "Well, Mihoshi, you see?
She's fine.  Aren't you, Kiyone?"
	Kiyone blinked.  "Yeah.  I'm fine."  Mihoshi still refused to
release her.  Kiyone sighed.  "Mihoshi...please...for the love of god...
GET OFF OF ME!"
	"Huh?"  Mihoshi blinked and released her partner.
	Tenchi looked embarrassed.  "Well...um...we're sorry if we
interrupted or anything..."
	Kiyone shook her head.  "No, it's okay, Tenchi.  I understand
why you're worried."  She sighed.  "I'm a little worried myself."
	"Is there anything we can do to help?"  Tenchi asked.
	Kiyone shook her head.  "No, Tenchi.  This is something I have
to figure out for myself."
	He nodded.  "Okay.  Well...If you need us.  Just call."
	"I will.  By the way...how did you find me?"
	Washu grinned.  "Mihoshi told us your friend's name and his love
of horses.  I took that and crossed referenced it with the listing of
nobles currently living on Jurai, then I just hacked into a navigational
satellite in geosynchronous orbit above the capital and homed in on
your exact position."
	Kiyone arched an eyebrow and said, "Ryoko?"
	"White pages,"  Ryoko replied with a shrug.
	Washu glared at the pirate.  "*My* way made it sound more
interesting."
	"So...you're okay?"  Mihoshi asked worriedly.
	"Mihoshi, for the last time," she began angrily.  She stopped
when she saw the concern in Mihoshi's blue eyes.  "Yeah," she finished
softly.  "I'm okay."
	Mihoshi smiled.  "Good!  Not that I was worried or anything."
	Washu arched an eyebrow.  "Mihoshi, according to your theory,
Kiyone should be spread eagled on a rack right now being beaten with
reeds."
	Mihoshi turned red.  Kiyone facefaulted.
	"Well," Tenchi said, trying to break the tension, "I guess we'll
leave you alone."
	Kiyone stepped forward and hugged him.  "Thank you for caring,"
she said.
	He smiled.  "No problem, Kiyone."
	She stepped back from him, which Mihoshi misinterpreted as a cue.
She rushed forward and hugged Kiyone again.
	Kiyone sighed and returned it.  She blinked as an idea came to
her.  "Mihoshi, maybe there's a way you can help me out.  I need a
favor."
	"Sure, Kiyone!  Anything!"
	"I need you to check the GP records for anything to do with the
Comte de Harnon.  I'll take whatever you can get."
	"Well...okay, Kiyone."
	"Thanks, Mihoshi."  She wanted to help Kitsune, but before she
could do that, she needed to know everything she could about him.  She
couldn't ask him.  He had told her that he didn't want her to get
involved, but she couldn't just stand aside and let him try to take
this on himself.
	"Bye, Kiyone,"  Tenchi said as he started for the door.  She
waved and watched her friends leave.

	"You look like you have a lot on your mind."
	Kiyone, shaken from her deep thoughts, blinked and looked up.
Kitsune had ridden up beside her on Prince and was now trotting next
to her.  Kiyone had decided to go for a walk, to clear her head.  It
now seemed that it was more muddled than ever.
	"Just thinking," she told him.
	"Ah."
	"My friends stopped by today," she told him.
	"I know."
	"They're worried about me."
	"I can understand why."
	She nodded.
	"They don't trust me."
	She nodded again.
	"Do you?"
	She  stopped and looked up at him.  Kitsune checked his horse
and looked down at her.
	"Yes," she said.  "I have no idea why," she confessed.  "I
shouldn't.  But I do."
	He smiled.  Suddenly, he leaned down and his arm darted out.
	"Ack!"  Kiyone cried out as he grabbed her and lifted her up,
depositing her in his saddle in front of him.  "What do you think
you're doing?!"  she asked in amusement.
	He put his arms around her.  "I thought you trusted me."
	"I do, but I'm still waiting for an explanation."
	He kissed her neck.  "Let's go out tonight."
	She smiled.  "What about my chores?"
	"They can wait."
	"What did you have in mind?"
	"Ever been to a Jurain carnival?"  She arched an eyebrow.  "I
don't mean one of the big ones in the capital, but a little one in one
of the smaller hamlets.  They're really very nice."
	"No, I haven't," she said.
	"Well, then...we'll have to remedy that."
	She smiled.

	"Hmmmmmmm...."  Mihoshi mused as she looked at the computer
screen.  For some reason the file on the Comte de Harnon was sealed
tight.  She wondered why.
	"Hello, Mihoshi."
	Mihoshi blinked and turned.  "Oh, Ayeka.  Hello."  Ayeka stood
behind her chair, sipping from a tea cup.
	"What are you doing?"
	"I'm trying to look up a file for Kiyone, but I can't get
anything."
	"Oh."
	"Hmmm...Maybe I misspelled it..."
	Ayeka took a sip of tea.
	"How do you spell, 'Harnon?'"
	Ayeka spit up a mouthful of tea.  "What?!"
	"Ayeka?  Are you okay?"
	"By, 'Harnon,' do you mean the Comte de Harnon?"
	Mihoshi blinked.  "Well...yeah.  He's Kiyone's new boyfriend."
	Ayeka turned dead white.  "Tsunami in heaven," she breathed.
"Foxhound."
	"Ayeka?  What's wrong?"
	"Quickly, Mihoshi!  We have to find her!"
	"Huh?!"
	"She's in terrible danger, Mihoshi!  We have to hurry!"

	"Okay, Ayeka, what's the deal?"  Ryoko asked as the royal
limousine sped towards Kitsune's estate.  Ayeka had delayed only long
enough to speak to two men at the palace, the Chief of Palace Security
and the SIS liason.
	"The man Kiyone is seeing...I should've asked.  My father warned
me he was at that ball.  I should've asked."
	"What, Ayeka?"  Tenchi asked.  "Ask what?"
	"The Comte de Harnon...he's not really a comte."
	"Then what is he?"  Washu asked.
	She looked up at them fearfully.  "He's an assassin for hire."

	"How can you eat that?"  Kiyone laughed.
	Kitsune chewed thoughtfully on the bread-steak and swallowed
before answering.  "It's good!  Try it!"
	Kiyone cringed away from the breaded meat on a stick and grimaced.
"Forget it!  You know what they put in that stuff?!"
	"Everything a growing boy needs," he told her and took another
bite.
	Kiyone laughed as they continued to walk down the brightly lit
street.  Night had fallen and the two were wandering around the streets
of a small Jurain town.  The carnival was tiny compared to some of the
bashes the capital would occasionally throw.  It reminded her somewhat
of the small carnival she and Mihoshi had worked back on Earth.
	"This is nice," she said.  "Thanks for bringing me."
	"My pleasure."

	The limo parked near the carnival, and they all filed out.
Tenchi was getting more and more worried by the second.  Especially
given Ayeka's behavior and what she had told them about Kitsune.  When
they had arrived at Kitsune's estate, Ayeka had refused to enter.
Tenchi and Ryoko had gone forward and found out that Kitsune and Kiyone
had gone to a carnival in a nearby town.
	"Okay.  Let's split up.  If you find them, don't confront Kitsune.
Just try to get Kiyone away from him."
	The girls nodded at Tenchi and began to go in search of Kiyone.
They had left Sasami at the palace where she would be safe.  That left
himself, Ryoko, Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Washu to search for Kiyone.
	From what Ayeka had told him, Kitsune was an assassin who
specialized in political killings.  Hiding behind a noble title, he
couldn't be arrested without overwhelming evidence, evidence the GP
had been searching for for years.  There was no man more feared in the
galaxy by the noble class.  The Jurains called him, "Foxhound."
	They had to find Kiyone...fast.

	*PING!*
	Kitsune grinned and chambered another round.  As he aimed the
small rifle again, a hand rested on the rifle barrel.  He looked up and
saw the owner of the shooting booth shaking his head sadly.
	"Please, Sir," he begged.  "No more."
	Kitsune grinned and handed the man the rifle.  He gestured at
the prizes behind the counter.  Kiyone thought for a minute and
pointed.
	"That one."
	The owner grabbed a giant Gensao panda doll from it's place of
honor at the top of the booth and handed it to her, relieved that the
marksman was leaving without cleaning him out further.
	Kiyone laughed and took the panda doll.  "You know, I could've
won it myself."
	Kitsune took her arm, and the two began walking down the street
again.  "I know, but where's the fun for me in that?"  They continued
walking.  Suddenly, Kitsune asked a question out of the blue.  "Do you
believe in love at first sight?"
	She thought for only a fraction of a second before matter of
factly stating, "Yes."
	Kitsune blinked.  "Didn't expect an answer like that from you."
	"Why not?"
	"Well...it just doesn't seem to fit.  You're a Galaxy Police
Detective.  You stake your life on facts and deductive reasoning."
	"And instinct," she pointed out.  "But that's not why I believe
in love at first sight."
	"Oh?"
	She nodded.  "It's the only way I can explain certain instances
in my life."  She thought of Ryoko, Ayeka, and Tenchi.  There was no
other way to explain the girls' feelings for him *except* love at first
sight.
	"So you're a dreamer after all."
	"Hmmm," she said, smiling.  Her smile dropped a moment later when
she saw a familiar blonde woman watching them.  "Well, well, well..."
she bit out.  "Look who it is."
	Kitsune followed her gaze and grinned down at her.  "I think
someone's jealous."
	"Am not,"  Kiyone growled.
	"She probably has to talk to me about that business deal," he
said.  He leaned down and kissed her forehead.  "I'll be right back."
	"You'd better," she told him.
	He smiled.  "Why don't you wait for me at that open air cafe we
passed a minute ago.  I'll meet you there."
	She nodded, then, on impulse, wrapped her arms around him and
kissed him deeply.  He embraced her and reciprocated.  They stayed
that way for a good two minutes.  When they finally separated, they
were surprised to hear clapping.  They looked around themselves and
found the carnival-goers were applauding them.  Kiyone turned red in
embarrassment.  Kitsune grinned.
	"Back in a few," he told her.  He made for the blonde woman.
	Kiyone sighed and started for the cafe.

	"Vasha,"  Kitsune greeted.
	"Comte,"  she said icily.
	"Can I help you with something, or are you just here to brighten
my night with your sunny disposition?"
	Vasha glared at him.  "Are you aware of who your woman is?"
	Kitsune arched an eyebrow.
	"She's GP!  What the hell are you thinking?!"
	Kitsune frowned.  "I'm thinking that someone is taking a *very*
unhealthy interest in my personal life."
	Vasha paled slightly at his tone.  "I am supposed to protect His
Majesty from all dangers.  Don't forget that."
	"And don't forget this, Vasha.  I'm not a subject of Cardell,
and if I think for a second that you or His Majesty mean any harm to
me, or mine, I will show you what danger really is."
	Vasha said nothing.

	Ryoko searched the crowd for Kiyone's teal tresses, but without
luck.  What she did find, however, was a good second place.
	Ayeka had shown them a pictured of Foxhound.  He was a tall man
with dark hair and green eyes.
	The same tall man with dark hair and green eyes that was walking
down the street in front of her.  Ryoko's eyes narrowed.  She didn't
see Kiyone, but you could bet she was nearby.  She made her way through
the crowd towards the man.
	He continued down the street, oblivious to her presence.  She
followed at a distance.  She didn't want to tip him off.  She saw him
turn down a corner.  She followed.
	She walked down a dimly lit alley.  A single, orange street light
provided the only illumination.  Ryoko blinked.  He was nowhere to be
found.
	She rushed forward, searching for him.  Could he have teleported
out of the alley?
	She sensed something behind her and ignited her lightsword!
Before she could turn, she felt cold metal at the back of her neck.
She tensed, but didnt' move.
	"Douse it," he hissed from behind her.
	The lightsword disappeared.  She stood there with her hands held
away from her.
	"Who are you?"  he asked.  "And why are you following me?"  Ryoko
tensed, but he pressed the gun harder into her neck.  "Don't think it,"
he warned.  "Answer the question."
	"A friend of Kiyone's," she bit out.
	He paused.
	"And I know what you are."
	He tensed.  "You're here for Kiyone."
	"Where is she?"  Ryoko asked.  "If you've harmed her..."
	He bit his lip.  He knew Kiyone had several friends.  If one was
here looking for her, it was a good bet the others were too.  He had to
find her, explain things to her.
	But he couldn't very well leave this one to chase after him.
	He bit his lip in thought.  Then, an idea came to him.  He
reached into his jacket pocket and produced a small metal box.  He
reached around and placed it in Ryoko's hand.
	"Don't move your hand," he warned her. "It's a proximity bomb.
It will detect movement.  If that box moves more than an inch in any
direction, it'll go off.  Do you understand?"
	Ryoko nodded.
	"Have a nice night."  With that, Kitsune left, walking down the
alley.
	Ryoko looked down at the hand containing the box.  She could try
to teleport out and leave the box behind, but she wasn't sure the
process of teleporting out would be quick enough before the bomb went
off.
	"Dammit," she muttered and remained very still.

	"Kiyone!"
	Kiyone turned in her chair and found Ayeka running up to her.
	"Ayeka, what's the matter?"
	Ayeka looked absolutely terrified as she searched the crowd around
her.  "You have to come with me!"
	"Huh?"
	"Now, Kiyone!"
	"Ayeka, what's going on?!"
	Ayeka grabbed hold of her arm.  "Please, Kiyone!  If you ever
trusted me at all, you'll come with me right now!"
	Kiyone wasn't sure what was happening, but she was sure it wasn't
good.  She nodded quickly.  "All right, Ayeka, let's go."  She grabbed
the stuffed panda up off the table and followed Ayeka down the street.

	Kitsune arrived at the cafe and searched the tables.  Kiyone was
nowhere to be found.
	"Dammit."

	Ryoko was just about to try teleporting and take the risk of a
detonation when fate took the decision out of her hands.
	Her nose was beginning to itch.
	<Oh god, no!>  she thought.
	She struggled to keep from sneezing, but lost...
	*AAAAACHOOOOOOOOO!*
	She quickly teleported away, but no blast was heard.  She
reappeared twenty feet away and saw the box lying on the ground.
	"What the..."
	She started cautiously towards the box, afraid of setting the
bomb off.  She looked down at it and saw that it had popped open when
it hit the ground.  Several paper cylinders stared back up at her.
	The "bomb" was a cigarette case.
	She growled and screamed in frustration before disappearing.

	"What is this all about?"  Kiyone asked in irritation as the limo
began to pull away and head down the street.
	Ayeka and Kiyone, who were now joined by the others, listened to
Ryoko's story of what had happened.
	"I don't understand,"  Kiyone said, shaking her head.  "What are
you talking about?"
	"Kiyone,"  Ayeka began.  "The man you've been seeing...he's an
assassin."
	"I know, Ayeka,"  Kiyone said sadly.  "He told me all about the
Comte de Harnon and the Duke of Beleg..."
	"That was years ago.  I'm talking about his more recent actions."
	Kiyone blinked.  Dread welled up in her.  "What?"  she asked in
a haunted whisper.
	Ayeka handed her a datapad.  "Here.  I got this from Palace
Security before we left.  It's a report on him and the things he's been
doing over the years.  We've never been able to arrest him because of
lack of evidence, but we know it's him."
	Kiyone took the pad and ran her eyes down the list.  The
assassination of Duke Arbon of Damnalen, the assassination of General
Ipskes Krakona of the Arinese Army, the assassination of Count Menyo
of Wellens...
	She shook her head.  "It's not true," she whispered.  "It can't
be true."
	Ayeka and the other looked on in sympathy.  "There's more,
Kiyone,"  Ayeka told her.
	Kiyone looked up, tears were beginning to fill her eyes.
"*More*?" she asked in amazement.
	Ayeka nodded.  "Security believes...that the reason he...that
the reason he got close to you...was to get close to us."
	"What?"
	"You are aware of the recent problems between Jurai and Cardell?"
	Kiyone nodded.  "I've seen the news reports.  And the Galaxy
Police political stability reports."
	Ayeka produced another datapad and handed it to her.  "The SIS
took these pictures yesterday," she told the detective.  "I'm sorry,
Kiyone."
	Kiyone fingered the switch to display the pictures.  She saw
Kitsune sitting at a table in a restauraunt with the King of Cardell...
and the blonde.
	"It's her,"  she mused.
	Ayeka saw who Kiyone was referring to and nodded.  "Her name is
Vasha.  She's the head of Cardaya's security contingent."
	The pieces began to fall into place.  <A 'business associate,'
he had called her.>  She looked up at Ayeka.  "I can't believe it,"
she whispered.
	"I'm sorry, Kiyone.  He's working for Cardaya.  And there's only
one target that makes sense if he is..."
	The limo was silent.  Everyone knew who Ayeka was referring to.
The only target that made sense was the man Cardaya blamed for his
planet's woes.
	Azusa of Jurai.
	Kiyone turned from them.  She rested her head in her hand and
said nothing.  The others watched in pity as her shoulders began to
shake.  Quiet sobs could be heard coming from the teal haired
detective.
	The limo continued on into the Jurain night.

	"Well, Kiyone, you sure know how to pick 'em."
	Kiyone sat in her chair in the Palace sitting room and said
nothing as the red-haired GP Lieutenant went on.
	"Well, don't worry.  I'll take over from here,"  Mitsuki said as
she smiled.
	"What are you going to do?"  Tenchi asked her.  Along with
Tenchi, Kiyone, Mitsuki, and the others in Tenchi's party, there were
several prominent figures present.  King Azusa of Jurai was there with
his wife, Misaki.  The Director of Jurai's Secret Intelligence Service,
a nobleman by the name of Akita, sat on Azusa's left.  There were a
few Galaxy Police there as well.
	"Unfortunately, Foxhound covers his tracks too well,"  Mitsuki
told him.  "We *believe* he's responsible for several assassinations,
but have never been able to get enough evidence to arrest him."
	"Lord Akita,"  Azusa boomed, "What do you recommend?"
	Akita answered immediately.  "Moderation.  Foxhound may know we
are on to him at this point.  Any action we take will only drive him
underground only to resurface some other time and out of nowhere.  Our
advantage now is that he does not know how much we know.  It may be
possible to trap him."
	"How?"  Mihoshi asked.
	"By using Your Majesty as bait,"  Mitsuki told Azusa.
	Azusa said nothing.
	"Father!"  Ayeka said in astonishment.  "Surely you're not
considering this!?"
	"The man must be dealt with, Ayeka."
	"There's a problem with this,"  Akita spoke up.  "We have no idea
where or when he is going to strike, and a perpetual show of force will
only drive him underground.  We need his plan of attack."
	"I'll get it for you."
	As one, every head in the room turned to Kiyone.  She was staring
at the table top in front of her.  She repeated her statement in a
whisper.  "I'll get it for you."

	"Madame Kiyone,"  the butler greeted her.  "The Comte is in his
stables."  Kiyone couldn't help but notice the icy tone in the butler's
voice.  She made her own way to the stable and found Kitsune brushing
LadyFox.
	"You took off suddenly last night," he said without turning.
	"You lied to me," she whispered.
	He paused in his brushing but wouldn't face her.  "No.  Never."
	"You pretended to be something you're not," she accused him
quietly.  "What do you call it?"
	He turned to her.  "I call it staying alive."
	"They know," she told him.  "They know you're going after Azusa."
	He laughed.  "I'm not going after Azusa.  Where the hell did you
get that?"
	"I know you've been talking with Cardaya," she told him.  He said
nothing.  "And I know about your, 'business contact.'  I know you've
been meeting with them.  Why else would they meet with you?"
	He laughed again.  "And you assume that because of that, I'm
going to try to kill Azusa.  Is that it?"
	"Why else would they meet you?"  she repeated.
	He nodded and approached her.  "Of course," he said.  "It's the
*only* possible explanation."  He circled her.  She didn't move.  "It
would be absurd if he were say...buying a pony for his granddaughter."
Kiyone tensed, doubt striking her for the first time.  "And he most
certainly couldn't be looking to mate one of his champion stallions
with LadyFox."  He completed his circle and looked into her eyes.  "I
*must* be trying to kill someone."
	She said nothing.
	"You didn't even ask me," he whispered.  "You just assumed.  I
thought you said you trusted me."
	"I *did* trust you,"  Kiyone bit back.  "You lied to me."  He
turned away from her.  "You're a killer, Kitsune!  You kill for money!
Don't you think that was something we should've discussed!?"
	He turned back to her angrily.  "Hey!  I *do not* kill for
money!"  He approached her.  "It's easy for you stand there and pass
judgement on me!  You haven't been living with a knife at your throat
for ten years!"
	She said nothing.
	"Kiyone...I went to that ball to make contact with Vasha.  I
didn't count on meeting you.  But when I saw you...I began to feel
something I haven't felt in years.  I never intended to hurt you, or
lie to you...and I never used you."
	"How can I believe you?"
	She turned from him and started to walk away.  He reached out and
took her arm.  She swung around to slap him but he grabbed her other
arm.  She struggled in his grip, but couldn't break free.  All of her
GP unarmed combat training fled her.  Tears that she was trying so
desperately to hold in before made their way down her face.  After a
minute of struggle, she gave up and stood there, crying.
	"Kiyone," he begged.  "Please...please listen...and try to
understand.  This is it.  My last mission.  After this, the Duke is
letting me go.  I'm leaving soon."
	She stood there and cried, refusing to answer him.
	"Kiyone...I love you."  Kiyone responded to this by crying even
harder.  "After this, I'm leaving.  Come with me."  She met his gaze.
"I found a perfect world. Small, out of the way.  It's a perfect place,
Kiyone.  Grassy, mild weather, friendly natives.  It's perfect.  A
perfect place to just...live...to be happy...to raise horses...."  He
brushed a few errant hairs from her eyes.  "Children."  Fresh tears
flowed down her face.  "I'm not going after Azusa," he told her.  "He's
not the target.  No one in the royal family is the target."
	"How...how can I believe you?"  she asked through her sobs.
	He looked into her eyes.  "You came here today to get information
from me.  They sent you here to find out where I intend to strike."
	She said nothing.
	"One week from now.  Cardaya's having a dinner party."  She shook
her head, begging him to be quiet, to not put her in a position where
she would have to betray him.  "That's when it will happen."
	She started crying again and fell forward into his arms.  "Why
did you do that?"  she sobbed.  "Why did you do that?"
	"Because you have a choice to make.  You can take this
information to the GP, and I'll take my chances, or...You can come
with me.  You can meet me here that night and come with me."
	She continued to cry.  "Please," she whispered.  "Don't do this.
Don't.  Please, Kitsune.  Don't do this."  She broke down as the sobs
overcame her.  He hugged her tightly.
	"I have to do this, Kiyone," he whispered.  "You do what you feel
is right."

	"Kiyone?"
	Kiyone turned and wiped a few tears away from her eyes.  Mihoshi
stood there behind her.  The tear-haired detective had gone to the
palace roof to think, to be alone.  Mihoshi must have followed her up
there.
	Mihoshi approached her and rested her hand on Kiyone's shoulder.
"Kiyone?"
	"I don't know what to do, Mihoshi,"  Kiyone confessed.  "I don't
know what to do."
	Mihoshi said nothing.
	"If I don't say anything, and he's lying...Azusa...maybe even
Tenchi or Ayeka...are going to die..."
	Mihoshi blinked back tears of her own.
	"And if I *do* say something...He's going to...They're going
to..."  She broke down and began crying again.  Mihoshi crouched next
to her and hugged her friend.
	"It's okay, Kiyone,"  Mihoshi whispered.  "It's going to be okay."
	"I can't kill him, Mihoshi,"  Kiyone sobbed.  "I can't!"
	"Kiyone,"  Mihoshi said, her voice the most serious Kiyone had
ever heard it, "This is your choice.  You have a choice, and *he* has
a choice.  The ones here who don't are Azusa and Ayeka.  He made his
choice, and he *chose* to try, even knowing the odds.  Azusa and Ayeka
don't have a choice in the matter.  That leaves you."
	Kiyone swallowed back more tears and closed her eyes.  "Thank
you, Mihoshi."
	Mihoshi hugged her friend tighter and smiled.  "It'll be okay,
Kiyone.  I promise."

	Kitsune lit one last candle and blew the match out.  He kneeled
before the tiny shrine and took a deep breath.  He hadn't been much of
a religious man before the war, and truth be told he still wasn't.  But
there were times when he would flee back to his roots, to the religion
of his home planet in search of solace.  He closed his eyes.
	He felt the presence behind him.
	"Yes, Noitami?"
	The servant stood at the entrance of the small chapel and spoke
respectfully.  "My Lord, all the preparations you have ordered have
been completed."
	"And the horses?"
	"The last batch was shipped today."
	"Good."  Kitsune returned to his prayer.
	"My Lord..."
	"She *will* come, Noitami," he stated matter-of-factly.
	Noitami said nothing for a moment.  Then, "Yes, My Lord."  He
turned and left the room.
	Kitsune closed his eyes to pray, but found he couldn't.  He
looked up at the small statue of the Cari, the native goddess of his
forgotten home.
	"Please," he whispered.  "I'm...frightened."
	Cari didn't reply.
	"I've never questioned what I've done before," he told the
statue.  "I've always justified what I've done as...kill or be killed.
All I ever had to lose was my life."
	Cari remained silent.
	"Now there's more to risk, and I'm scared that this time...I've
risked too much."
	Cari said nothing.
	"Please," he begged.  "Let her come.  Please."
	There was no reply from the deity.
	It appeared that Cari was not taking pleas this day.

	"Dammit, Kiyone!"  Mitsuki yelled.  "What the hell is wrong with
you?!  Have you gone stupid while you were in exile!?  Of course Azusa
is the target!"
	Kiyone kept her temper in check.  "He says he isn't."
	"Oh, and you actually believe that?!"
	Kiyone said nothing.
	"He's snowing you, Kiyone!"
	She bit her lip.
	Mitsuki shook her head.  "Who else is Cardaya going to target?"
she asked bitterly.  "His planet's being slapped around by Jurai.  If
Azusa dies, he thinks it'll stop.  He wants it to be his last heroic
act."
	Kiyone blinked.  "What do you mean by that?"
	Mitsuki looked at her as if Kiyone were monumentally naive.  "We
checked his medical records, Kiyone,"  she told her.  "Cardaya's
dying."
	Kiyone said nothing.
	"Give us the information, Kiyone,"  Mitsuki told her.  Kiyone
took a hard, long breath.  "Before he kills someone you care about,"
Mitsuki finished in a whisper.
	Kiyone sat down in a chair in the conference room and began.

	Kiyone made her way through the crowd assembled in the large
dining room of the Cardellian king's Jurain estate.  Once again, she
was in her white dress, the only one she had on Jurai.  She looked
around the crowded room.  She could make out the royal couple nearby,
Tenchi and Ayeka staying close to them for protection.  Mihoshi was
near the door, searching the room with her eyes.  Mitsuki, arrayed in a
red dress that matched her hair was wandering through the party the
same as Kiyone was.  Kiyone knew that there were several Galaxy Police
officers situated throughout the estate.
	She looked around nervously.  She could see King Cardaya mingling
with his guests, the blonde bodyguard, Vasha on his left, and his son,
Zerris, on his right.  She studied the man for a moment.  Something
Mitsuki had said was troubling her.
	Cardaya was dying.
	He was a man with nothing to lose.
	Is that why he hired Kitsune?
	Kitsune.
	She felt a pang of guilt, pain, and regret well up in her.  She
had betrayed him.  She had condemned him to death.  If he tried for
Azusa, the GP would kill him.  If he ran, Duke Zioux would kill him.
	She closed her eyes in pain.
	<I'm sorry, Kitsune.>
	She heard the gentle ping in her right ear as the tiny GP
communicator in her earring came to life.
	"He's here."
	<OH GOD, NO!>

	Kitsune entered the dining room and took a drink from the passing
waitress.  He made a quick count of the guards and sighed.  Kiyone
didn't trust him.  He had expected as much.  He looked up.  A balcony
ringed the dining room on the second floor.  That would be the place
from which to shoot.  He proceeded up a staircase.

	"I lost him in the crowd,"  Kiyone heard in her ear as she
searched the room for Kitsune.
	"I don't see him,"  she heard Mitsuki complain in her communicator.
	Kiyone bit her lip and looked around the room urgently.  "Mihoshi,
do you see him?"  she asked.
	"No, Kiyone.  But Detective Mizuno said he entered through the
south entrance, so he's definitely here."
	She heard Ayeka's laugh and turned to her right.  The royal
family was only fifteen feet from her.  She looked in the other
direction and saw Cardaya staring at them in hatred.  He turned and
looked up at the balcony.
	*The balcony!*
	She looked up.
	Kitsune!

	Kitsune stood on the balcony and drew one of the twin PP90's he
had brought with him.  He pointed the gun down at the floor.  His eyes
reached out and found Cardaya looking back at him.  The king smiled and
nodded at him.  Kitsune spared him a smile and clicked the safety on
his pistol to the 'off' position.  He found his target and aimed
carefully...

	Kiyone saw him raise the pistol.
	"NO!"  She screamed and ran forward, throwing herself in front
of Azusa just as she heard the report of the PP90 from the balcony.
She shut her eyes and braced herself for the pain.
	Pain that never came.
	She opened her eyes.  People were screaming around her.  She
looked up and saw Azusa still standing.  He, Misaki, Ayeka, and Tenchi
were now surrounded by SIS agents.  Ryoko appeared in front of them,
her light sword ignited, but unsure what to do with it.
	Kiyone heard more screaming and turned.  Her eyes widened in
shock.
	Cardaya was lying on the floor, his head cradled in Vasha's lap
as he bled from a blaster wound in his forehead.  Vasha's dress was
covered with blood.
	She looked up at the balcony and found it empty.
	The pieces fell into place.
	"He's on the second floor!  Seal off the place!  Every stairwell
and lift!  Move!"  Mitsuki was screaming as she drew her weapon and ran
from the dining hall in pursuit.
	Kiyone was speechless.  She understood now.  She understood all
of it.
	Vasha looked up at Azusa in hatred.  "You bastard," she hissed.
	Everyone in the dining hall was staring at Azusa.
	"You did this,"  the blonde said accusingly.
	"I did nothing of the sort!  That assassin was meant for me!"
	Zerris, Cardaya's son, was leaning over his father's body.  He
reached out and took Cardaya's rapidly cooling hand.  "Who else would
do this?" he asked sadly.
	"Cardaya,"  Kiyone whispered.
	Everyone blinked and looked at her.
	"Don't you see?" she asked, almost laughing.  "He was dying.  By
having himself assassinated and placing the blame on Jurai...he becomes
a martyr."
	Before she could continue, her communicator clicked on again, and
Mitsuki's voice met her ear.
	"We got the bastard trapped!"
	Kiyone's eyes went wide.  She quickly ran from the dining room
and down the main corridor.

	Mitsuki stood behind eight GP shock troops crouched in firing
positions in front of a staircase.  Her PP70 was held up, waiting for
a target.
	"We sealed off the other stairways,"  her partner, Detective
Chase Warren told her, his own weapon out.  "This is the only way out."
	She nodded.
	They heard movement coming from above them, up the stairs.  The
shock troops raised their rifles.  Mitsuki raised her voice.
	"Kitsune Kuroki.  Come out with your hands on top of your head."
	No answer.
	"This is your only warning!"  Mitsuki shouted at the staircase.
She raised her blaster.
	This time the reply came in the form of a small, metal disk that
bounced down the stairs and landed in front of them...

	Kiyone turned the corner and saw the backs of Mitsuki's impromptu
firing squad fifty yards down the hall.  She saw the disk land at the
foot of the stairs.  It sat there for a second before exploding.  Smoke
filled the corridor in front of the firing squad.  An energy bolt shot
from the smoke cloud, striking the ceiling above the firing squad.
	"KITSUNE!"  she cried and ran forward.
	"OPEN FIRE!"  Mitsuki shouted.
	Eight blaster rifles and two pistols opened up, firing back at
the cloud of smoke that had struck at them.  More energy beams shot
from the cloud in response.  Mitsuki's squad kept firing.
	Kiyone ran toward them, shouting at them to stop.  Two GP, just
arriving to join Mitsuki's squad grabbed her and pushed her against
the wall, mistaking her for an accomplice.  Kiyone kneed one in the
groin, who fell to the ground with a groan.  She grabbed the arm of the
second and twisted it behind his back.  Then turning, she rammed his
head into the wall, rendering him unconscious.  She started forward
again.
	Suddenly, she was struck from behind and fell.  Three GP
detectives landed on top of her, pulling her arms behind her back and
pinning her to the ground.  She looked up and saw Mitsuki's squad
pouring volley after volley of murderous fire into the cloud.  Kitsune
was still firing back, shots appearing from the cloud, though largely
inaccurate, were keeping the GP's heads down.  She saw several GP's
reload their weapons and continue firing.
	"KITSUNE!"
	<What have I done?!  What have I done?!  WHAT HAVE I DONE?!>
Her mind kept screaming.
	The fire from inside the cloud trailed off with one last shot,
then was silent.
	"Kitsune?"  she whispered, a tear flowing down her cheek.
	"HOLD YOUR FIRE!"  Detective Warren ordered.
	The shooting stopped.  The cloud was beginning to dissipate.
They heard something metal hit the ground.  Suddenly, something rolled
toward them.  The squad tensed, but the metal sphere rolled to a stop
and sat there.  The cloud dissipated.
	"What the hell?"  Mitsuki asked.
	There was no body lying there.  Just another sphere similar to
the one that had rolled out of the cloud.  Mitsuki reached down, picked
up one of the baseball sized spheres and examined it.  There was a
digital display on one side.  She read it aloud.
	"'Your score is fifty?!'"  she cried out.
	Lying on the floor, pinned by three detectives, Kiyone began
laughing hysterically.
	"He's not here,"  Warren said in shock.
	Mitsuki was shaking.  "Decoys," she hissed.  "FUCKING DECOYS!"
She threw the sphere to the ground and pointed at three of her troops.
"You!  Up the stairs!  Go!"
	The three troopers ran up the stair in pursuit of the Foxhound.
	"What should we do with her, Lieutenant?"  one of the men pinning
Kiyone asked.  Kiyone was still laughing at Kitsune's joke.
	Mitsuki looked down at her one time rival. "Cuff her."

	Kitsune's legs bent and absorbed the impact as they struck the
mansion's wall again.  Pushing off a final time, he rapelled to the
ground outside the luxurious house of the late King Cardaya.
	The second he was on the ground, his twin PP90's were out and
ready for any challenge that might present itself.  Cardaya had given
him a detailed floor plan of the mansion as well as a list of security
measures, so he knew there'd be no guard here.  Still, it never hurts
to be cautious.  Once satisfied that he was alone, he quickly
disconnected the rappelling harness he had snuck in under his tuxedo.
The ultralight rope he had smuggled in wrapped around his waist and
hidden by his cumberbund.
	He only had a few minutes at best before the GP caught on to his
diversion at the main stairwell.  He made his way to the front of the
mansion, hiding in the shadows and watching carefully for guards.
	He made it to the main entrance where his horse-drawn
hovercarriage was still parked.  He peered around a corner and saw
three GP guards standing next to it.  One of them was patting Prince's
flanks.  Kitsune bit his lip and drew one of his guns.  He hated
killing bystanders.  He had been forced to do it on other occasions,
and it always left a bitter taste in his mouth.  He smiled.
	<Time to see how good of a horse trainer I am.>
	He leaned around the corner and gave three, short, shrill,
whistles.
	Prince whinnied and reared up, lashing out with his fore legs
and catching one of the GP's in the head with his iron-shod foot.  The
man cried out, and his friends came to his aid.  Prince and the horse
next to him raced forward, pulling the carriage behind them.  Kitsune
rushed forward and jumped, grabbing hold of the door handle.  The
carriage raced forward.
	As he climbed into the carriage, he risked a look back and saw
a woman in a red dress come racing out of the front entrance.  She
raised her blaster and fired.  Energy bolts struck the back of the
hover carriage but did no real damage.  He climbed inside and took
off his coat.  Turning it inside out, it now appeared as a dirty,
shabby overcoat.  He moved quickly.  He wouldn't have much time.

	Mihoshi ran up to Mitsuki, who lowered her pistol and cursed.
"Dammit!  I need units to go after him!"  Several GP raced for their
landcars.
	"Where's Kiyone?!"  Mihoshi demanded.
	Mitsuki glared at her.  "Kiyone is in lock-up until I find out
how this happened!"
	"YOU HAD HER ARRESTED?!"  Mihoshi cried.
	"He knew, Detective,"  Mitsuki told her.  "He had help.  Care to
place a bet on who it was?"
	Mihoshi grit her teeth and lashed out, slapping Mitsuki across the
face with enough force to knock the red-head to the ground.  Mitsuki
stared up at the blonde detective in shock.
	Mihoshi turned and ran back into the mansion, ignoring the
shrieking sirens of GP landcars racing off in pursuit of Kitsune's
carriage.

	Kitsune was almost ready.  Grabbing an old paper bag from his
jacket pocket, he quickly went over his wine selection.
	"No...no...no...Hmmm..."  He grabbed a bottle of his favorite
brand of Carissian brandy and stuffed the bottle into the paper sack.
Opening it, he poured some on his coat.  He then reached into the
carriage's ash tray and wiped the dirty, black ash over his face.  Then
he mussed his hair for good measure and donned a simple fur cap.
	He turned his head as the sound of GP sirens got closer.  He
opened the carriage door and looked outside.  They were riding
alongside the outer fence of a Jurain park.  He licked his lips
nervously and jumped!
	He hit the concrete sidewalk with an, "Ooomf!"  He rolled to a
stop and jumped back, landing on his rear, his back striking against
the fence.  The carriage continued down the street away from him.
Kitsune put the bottle of brandy to his lips and waited.  A few seconds
later, three GP lancars, sirens blaring, streaked past him.
	None of them took notice of the simple vagrant resting against
the park fence.

	Mihoshi entered the sitting room and gasped.  Kiyone was sitting
in a simple chair, her hands cuffed behind her back.  Her head was hung
low, tears had dried on her face.  Two GP guards stood nearby.
	She grit her teeth and stepped forward.  She reached into her
purse and removed a handcuff key.  One of the guards moved to stop her.
She glared at the man.  The GP guard backed off.  Mihoshi unlocked the
cuffs.  Kiyone's hands fell to her sides, but she said nothing.
	Mihoshi circled around the chair and knelt down next to her.
"Kiyone?"
	Kiyone swallowed dryly.  "Is it over?"  she asked in a haunted
whisper.  She had heard the screams and the gunshots from outside.
	Mihoshi took her friend's hand.  "No."
	Kiyone looked at her and blinked.
	Mihoshi smiled at her and whispered.  "He got away."

	Kiyone stepped out of the limo Ayeka had provided for her and
took a painful breath.  Three days had passed since Cardaya's
assassination.  Despite claims to the contrary, much of the Non
Federated Planets believed Azusa was responsible.  Support was falling
away from Jurai and swinging toward Cardell.  Cardell's star was now
on the rise.  Jurai wasn't in danger, but it had forced Azusa to treat
the other planets with a tad more respect.  Especially given that more
than half of the guests at Cardaya's party were diplomats from the
Non-Federated worlds, and all had been witness to what appeared to be,
a Jurain sanctioned assassination.
	Just as Cardaya had planned.
	She had spent the last three days in a holding cell being
interrogated by Mitsuki.  Finally, the Lieutenant was forced to accept
the fact that Kitsune had managed to get in and out of the mansion right
under her nose with no help from Kiyone.
	Sufficed to say, she was pissed off to no end.
	She looked down into the valley and sighed.  When the GP had
stormed Kitsune's estate, they found it empty.
	Even the horses were gone.
	The valley was so empty without them.  So quiet.  There wasn't a
single whinny or snort for miles.  She walked down to the stables.
They, too, were empty.  Kitsune had cleared out, taking all  the things
he loved with him.
	Except for her.
	She couldn't blame him.  He had given her the choice and she had
made it.  Given what she had known at the time, she still felt it was
the correct one.
	Just not the right one.
	The Galaxy Police had gone over the entire estate centimeter by
centimeter and found nothing.  They had given up and left.  There was
no one here but her.  Her hand rested on the wall of LadyFox's pen.
She bit her lip and sighed.
	"Madame Kiyone?"
	She turned quickly.  A man was standing in the doorway of the
stable, holding the reigns of a horse.  She couldn't make out his face.
She ran forward, but paused when she saw it wasn't Kitsune.  It was one
of his butlers.
	"Madame Kiyone," he said.  "The Comte asked me to stay behind and
give you these."
	She blinked.  He stepped forward and handed her the reigns.  She
saw that they were attached to none other than LadyFox.  She took them
and watched in awe as the mare walked up to her and nuzzled her with her
snout.
	"And this," the butler said, handing her an envelope.  "Good day,
Madame Kiyone."  With that, he turned on his heel and left the stable.
	She blinked after him a moment before tearing the envelope open.
She removed a piece of paper and unfolded it urgently.  She read.

	Kiyone,

	By the time you get this, I'll have made my getaway.  As I write
	this, I'm still hoping you'll come walking through the door,
	grinning and telling me you're ready to leave.  However, after
	the reception I received tonight, I sincerely doubt it.
	I want you to know that I understand your decision.  I can
	understand why you can't trust me.  Even so, I want you to know
	that never once did I lie to you.  Especially when I told you
	that I loved you.  I meant it then, and I mean it now.
	I love you.
	Goodbye, Kiyone.

								Kitsune

	Kiyone closed her eyes tightly, but couldn't stop the tears from
falling and striking the paper.  Her hands curled around it, crinkling
it.  She tried desperately to hold back tears, but couldn't.  She fell
to her knees and began to cry in earnest.  LadyFox sensed her distress
and snorted, nuzzling Kiyone's head with her snout.
	Kiyone continued to cry.

	"Mihoshi, how is she?"  Ayeka asked.
	Mihoshi sighed and looked up the stairs.  The group was all
packed and ready to return to Earth.  Kiyone had spent the last two
days in her room.  Mihoshi had been bringing her meals to her, so she
was the only one who knew how Kiyone was really passing the time.
	She was up in her room, lying on her bed, hugging a Gensao panda
doll.
	Mihoshi sighed.  "She's...She's..."  She searched for a way to
word it.
	"Hello everyone,"
	They all looked up in shock.  Kiyone was descending the stairs,
an overnight bag over her shoulder.
	"Kiyone,"  Tenchi started.
	"Ready to go?"  she asked, her voice monotone.
	"Um...Yeah," Ryoko told her, still surprised at seeing her.
	Kiyone nodded and started for the door.  Mihoshi fell into step
beside her.
	"Kiyone, are you okay?"
	Kiyone didn't answer her.  Instead, she said, "Mihoshi, do you
think you could ride with the others on Ayeka's ship?  I'd like to be
alone on the way back to Earth."
	Mihoshi bit her lip nervously.  "Are you sure, Kiyone?"
	Kiyone nodded.  "Yeah.  I just need some time alone with my
thoughts."
	"Well...okay, Kiyone.  You take the Yagami, and I'll see you back
on Earth, okay?"
	Kiyone nodded.  "Thank you, Mihoshi."

	"Roger, Yagami,"  the Jurain controller's voice said over the
radio.  "You are clear and free to navigate."
	"Thank you, Jurai Control,"  Kiyone said, deadpan.  She plotted
a course and sat back in her command chair.  Her thoughts went to
LadyFox.  She had left Kitsune's final gift to her in the Palace
stables.  She felt it would be better for the mare to remain on Jurai
where the palace stablehands would be able to take care of her full
time.  Ayeka assured her they would.
	She was a Galaxy Police Detective.  By all rights she should be
out there helping Mitsuki hunt him down.  A part of her was angry at
him.  Angry for what he done, angry for how he did it.
	She sighed.  But when she got right down to it, she didn't care.
All of her Galaxy Police training, all of the beliefs she had clung to
so deeply didn't seem to matter anymore.
	She got up and headed aft, to her quarters.  She keyed the door
open and entered the dark room.  She pulled off her GP uniform,
stripped down to her underwear, and collapsed on her bed.  She sighed
again and closed her eyes.  Maybe things would be clearer in the
morning.
	<Yeah, right.  I've heard that before.>
	Her eyes shot open when she felt something move next to her.
	"Nice place you have here,"  someone whispered in her ear.
	"LIGHTS!"  she screamed.
	She turned and found Kitsune lying next to her, his head resting
on his hand.  "A little cramped," he commented.  "But adequate."
	Her mouth fell open in shock.  It moved of its own accord but no
sound emerged.
	"How...how..."
	Kitsune smiled.  "Your friends made things rather inconvenient
for me.  The spaceport was being watched, my assets, my staff.  I had
to find an alternative route...No," he finished.  "That's a lie.  I
couldn't leave without you."
	He leaned forward to kiss her.  Suddenly, his throat was in her
hands.  She growled and jumped on top of him.  He blinked in surprise.
Kiyone flipped him onto his back and pulled his hands behind him.  She
reached out and found her handcuffs on the nightstand.   She slapped
them around his wrists.
	"You are under arrest," she growled.
	He laughed.  "For what?"  he asked.  "Murder?"
	She was brought up short.  What was it really?
	"Try Assisted Suicide," she shot back.
	"Hmmmm.  What's the punishment for that?"
	"I'm not finished!"  Kiyone told him harshly.  "Along with that
you have Conspiracy..."  He nodded in agreement, "Breaking and
Entering..."
	"Wouldn't that be, Breaking and Exiting?"
	"Assault with a Deadly Weapon..."
	"Oh please," he said, "Those floaters were set to stun."
	"Actually, I was referring to Prince.  Sergeant Eddies has one
hell of a headache.  Prince gave him a concussion."
	Kitsune arched an eyebrow.  "Yes, Prince can be rather rough."
	She turned him over again and straddled him.
	"But even with all that, you don't have much of a case."
	"I have your confession," she told him.
	"You have more than that, Kiyone."
	She leaned forward.  "I have those floaters you left at the
mansion."
	"Wasn't referring to those," he said quietly.
	She leaned closer.  "What am I supposed to do with you?"
	"Whatever you want," he told her seriously.  "I trust you."
	She leaned forward and kissed him.  With his hands cuffed behind
him, he couldn't embrace her, so she did that for him, wrapping her
arms around his neck.  Before long she was kissing her way down his
neck.
	"I thought I'd never see you again," she whispered, a tear making
its way down her cheek.
	"Kiyone,"
	She paused and looked up at him.
	"That paradise I told you about...it's still there.  Waiting for
us."
	She leaned up and kissed him again.  "What about my job?"  she
asked between kisses.
	"Have you ever considered a career in ranching?" he asked, doing
his best to kiss her delicate neck.
	"My friends?"
	"We can call them from the house."
	"You're still wanted by the GP, you know.  I'd become an
accessory.  How would we hide?"
	"I'd teach you."
	"I don't know."
	He paused and looked up at her.  "Say the word, Kiyone, and I'll
go stand trial."
	She looked into his eyes for a moment before kissing him again.
"That's not fair," she whispered.  "You're putting me in an awkward
position again."
	"I'm the one cuffed," he said with a smile.  "You want to talk
to me about 'awkward positions?'"
	"You know what I mean," she said.
	"It's your choice, Kiyone.  I'm not going anywhere."
	She regarded him for a moment.  Then, "If you make me regret
going with you," she said warningly, "I'll drag you to Mitsuki myself."
	He grinned.  "Is that a 'yes?'"
	"What do you think?"
	"I think, I'm in a lot of trouble."
	Kiyone smiled down at him.
	"So...are you going to uncuff me?"
	She leaned down again and kissed him.  "Not quite yet..."
	"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"  he asked quietly.
	She nodded and kissed him again.  "A lot of trouble..."
	"Wanna know what I learned while I was in prison?"  he asked,
kissing her neck.
	"Sure."
	He pulled his hands out from behind his back, revealig the fact
that he had picked his cuffs.  "Always have an escape plan," he
whispered.  He quickly embraced her and rolled over on top of her.
Kiyone laughed as he kissed her.

	Galaxy Police Incident Report:  File Number:  5486542485
	Incident in Question:  Disappearance of GPS Yagami and Detective
Sergeant Kiyone Makibi, Serial Number 54542215689648.
	Report:  Extensive searching has failed to locate GPS Yagami or
her commander, Detective Sergeant Kiyone Makibi.  It is the belief of
the investigating officer that GPS Yagami suffered a catastophic
meltdown in the engine compartment, completely destroying her and all
aboard.  Detective Kiyone Makibi is still missing and presumed dead.
It is the recommendation of the investigating officer that this matter
be closed.

	Investigating Officer:  Det. Sgt.  Mihoshi Kuramitsu  ^_^




					File Status:

					Closed




Author's Notes:

Well, that's it.  Let me know what you think.
I'd like to thank Cav for helping me out with this fic.
Thomas "009" Doscher
doscher009@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading!  ^_^