Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters, places, or events from 
the Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OAV's or Manatsu No Eve. These are the property of AIC 
and Pioneer. I do own all new events, characters, and places that have occurred 
during and after Tenchi Muyo! Will of the Goddesses.


Tenchi Muyo! Shadows of a Forgotten Sin


"Busting Out"

	
	Druz was not the hell it once was for Tenchi. With his wife alive and 
well, Tenchi almost felt like his old self again. The two of them were sitting 
next to each other on his bed with a wall of men guarding the entrance to the 
cell. The couple was simply sitting, hands clasped, and enjoying the feeling of 
just being in each other's presence. While he was content to just sit with her, 
Tenchi could not dismiss the feeling that Ryoko was holding something back. 

	"What is it that you're not telling me?" he asked finally.

	She slowly withdrew her hand and looked down. "It's not a good thing."

	He put his arm around her shoulders. "Ryoko, just tell me."

	"It's..." she started to say. "Rashoch...is...my brother."

	Tenchi suddenly realized he wasn't breathing. He quickly took a deep 
breath and looked his wife in the eyes. "I'm not sure what to say. How do you 
know this?"

	Ryoko hugged herself tightly. "He told me."

	A small laugh escaped Tenchi's mouth. "Then it can't be true. He was 
just..."

	"No," interrupted Ryoko. "It's true. He's the son that was taken from 
Washu."

	Tenchi retracted his arm and stood. He paced back and forth for a moment 
before stopping to look down at her. "What does this mean? Are we supposed to 
treat him any differently?" His voice was starting to rise. "Because I can tell 
you that bastard obviously hasn't changed the way he sees us if he tried to kill 
you."

	Ryoko jumped to her feet and spread her arms. "I don't know what it means! 
All I know is that I suddenly have a brother who might be in the same situation 
I was once!"

	"Same situation?" barked Tenchi. "Ryoko, he's clearly not under anyone's 
control. Rashoch is acting under his own mind, no matter how crazy he is."

	"That's my point," she shot back. "He's obviously been made nuts by 
something. Look, he was definitely Tokimi's Champion before Ziasha. That bitch 
probably screwed with his brain until he didn't know his ass from his head!"

	Tenchi wiped his right hand over his mouth. "That's not the same as what 
Kagato did to you. If Rashoch was once a puppet of Tokimi, he is definitely not 
anymore. Whatever deal he has with Gabriel, he made with whatever passes for 
clear judgment with him."

	Ryoko was shaking her head. "I can't make that kind of call," she told 
him. "I have to at least give him the benefit of the doubt, Tenchi. If there is 
even the slightest chance that his real mind is being suppressed, then I have to 
try and save him."

	Silence followed her last statement. Tenchi folded his arms and turned his 
back to her. "You may be able to give him that chance, but don't expect the same 
from me," he said finally. "From the moment we saw him, that man has tried to 
kill me, you, and the rest of our family without any hint of remorse. As far as 
I am concerned, he's used up his get out of jail free card with me."

	He tensed slightly as Ryoko's arms encircled his chest from behind. "Then 
give him one more chance...for me."

	Tenchi unfolded his arms, took her right hand in his, and kissed it. "Only 
for you."

_____ 

	"You know if you keep that up, your going to pace yourself through the 
hull," commented Leah from her seat at the mess hall table. The troubleshooter 
was wearing a pair of black pants with boots, a red blouse, and a long black 
coat. 

	Hiro, wearing blue jeans, a green T-shirt, a brown jacket, and the black 
cap she had given him on backwards, was pacing back and forth in front of her. 
"I hate being on the side lines. I just want to be doing something, anything, 
except sitting here and waiting."

	"Well, you're not exactly sitting," she said with a smirk.

	"Ha ha," replied the teen. He was about to say something else, when 
Ukarit's voice interrupted him over the ship's intercom.

	"To all the ship's personnel. We have just received the signal we've been 
waiting for from the Rescue Operation. The Empress is safe." Cheers went up all 
around the ship at the good news. "Therefore, we are a go on stage two of our 
own operation. Everyone take their places, it's time to bust our people out."

	Hiro was running out the mess hall door before Ukarit had even finished 
his report.

_____ 

	 The humanoid wall in front of the cell parted to let Somar in. Tenchi and 
Ryoko looked at him expectantly. "Galactic News just reported a battle at Jurai. 
I think it's almost time."

	"It's time," Ryoko informed them one second later. "Ryo-ohki just sent me 
confirmation. Stage two is a go." 

	Tenchi nodded. "Somar, get Grandpa, Shoytal, all the men who came down 
with you, and Ukarit's smuggler allies. Then get to the surface." He looked over 
at his wife. "We'll create a distraction."

_____ 

	Sso'Traknal stood up from his praying when the buzzer of his door sounded. 
"Enter," he rumbled.

	One of his guards entered looking very confused. "Sir, we've just picked 
up a battleship entering the system."

	The reptile raised a scaled eye ridge. "Strange. There has been no 
notification of any deliveries." Just then the entire complex seemed to shake. 

	Both occupants of the room lost their balances and were forced to hug the 
wall. Traknal pushed his way past the guard and made his way out of his office 
despite the constant shaking. Once in the outer room, he was greeted by guards 
running all about in a panic.

	He grabbed the nearest one and pulled him close. "What is going on?" he 
growled.

	"There's an uprising from within the cell blocks!" cried the guard. 
"Someone's blowing up everything left and right!"

	Traknal dropped the sniveling guard and ran to the closest computer 
terminal. It didn't take him long to get a video feed from the cellblocks in 
question. What he saw made his jaw drop. A single person! No, a single woman 
with a cyan ponytail was laying waste to everything in sight. She was dressed in 
some sort of red and black armor and throwing red energy ribbons in all 
directions when she wasn't beating the hell out of the prison guards. 

	His attention was drawn away from the screen by an explosion from up 
ahead. The Ssl'na looked up to see smoke coming down the corridor leading into 
the control center of the prison. Two guards came flying end over end through 
the smoke to land on their backs unconscious. Traknal could not help but grin at 
who followed them in. 

_____ 

	Forehead rune glowing brightly, Tenchi strode into the control center 
ready for anything. He smiled grimly when he saw Sso'Traknal standing behind one 
of the computer terminals. Energy rolled over his body, creating his Light Hawk 
Armor. Tsunami's Knight came to a stop just five feet into the room.

	"Do you still want to sacrifice me to your god, Traknal?" he asked.

	The reptile reared back to its full eight feet and walked out into the 
open. "More so than ever, Masaki." He reached up and pulled his metal vest off. 
"Do you have any idea what I am?"

	Tenchi shrugged. "I don't really care. You're a threat to me and my 
family, and that's enough."

	Red energy began to crackle around the Ssl'na. "I am not just a simple 
warrior," he growled. A pair of fiery red wings suddenly exploded from his back. 
A razor sharp bone, three feet long, sprouted out backwards from each of his 
elbows. "I am Kes'Til Drakal! Elite among the True Warriors!"

	A blue Wing appeared in front of Tenchi. He slowly reached out and 
transformed it into a Sword. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

	Traknal created a ball of fire between his claws and transformed it into a 
double bladed sword of flame. Steam drifted up from his snout. "It means, Knight 
of Tsunami, that you are going to die." Tenchi blinked, and the reptile charged.

	Tenchi batted away the first fiery blade and downward parried the second. 
The combatants jumped apart, and Tenchi quickly lunged forward. Traknal easily 
slapped the white blade aside and followed through with his other fiery blade at 
Tenchi's head. Tsunami's Knight went with the momentum of his weapon and dropped 
into a sit spin going left. He completed the three hundred sixty degree spin and 
attacked with an upward arcing swing. Traknal flapped his fiery wings, lifting 
him out of range of Tenchi's attack.

	The sudden increase in temperature was all the warning Tenchi needed to 
back flip away as a pair of fireballs exploded exactly where he had been 
standing. He landed just in time to bring his Sword up to block a slash from 
Traknal. The reptile's power pushed Tenchi back all the way to the wall. The 
Ssl'na gave him what could only be called a toothy grin from behind their 
crossed blades. Tenchi's only response was to create a blue crescent between 
them that wrapped itself around Traknal and threw him across the room. 

	Tsunami's Knight slowly straightened. He focused his eyes on Traknal as 
the reptile pulled the blue crescent from around his body and tossed it aside. 
The Ssl'na returned his gaze to Tenchi and roared in anger. He spun his flaming 
weapon over his head in preparation to charge once again. Tenchi calmly watched 
his foe without intimidation.

	*Tenchi?* echoed Ryoko's voice in his head. *Our ride's here. Are you 
finished yet?*

	He sent her an affirmative thought. *I think I've learned all I can from 
this fight,* he told his wife. "It's time to end this," he finished out loud.

	"How right you are, whelp!" shouted Traknal from across the room. "Prepare 
your soul!" He lifted off at Tenchi with a blinding speed.

	Tenchi, however, remained stationary. When Traknal was mere inches from 
his position, Tsunami's Knight stopped him with a thought. The Ssl'na was 
suddenly surrounded in a blue glow and halted in mid air. He tried to struggle 
against his invisible bonds, but to no avail.

	"What have you done to me?" he cried.

	Tenchi's Light Hawk Sword vanished. "This fight has served its purpose." 
He turned and started to walk out of the room.

	"Coward!" Traknal yelled at his back. "You cannot even kill me with 
honor!"

	"If this had been a day ago, I would have given you that wish," Tenchi 
said over his right shoulder. "Things have changed, now. I'm trying to get back 
what I lost here, and that includes letting you live with the knowledge of your 
defeat."

	"Ha!" barked the reptile. "There will come a day, Masaki, when Ssl'Drav 
Goritra will lead the Divine back into your galaxy and kill you all! I am but 
the lowest of the Drakal! You are nothing compared to the Divine! Noth..."

	Traknal's shout was cut off as the door shut behind Tenchi. He continued 
to slowly walk through the continuously shaking instillation. Despite his gait, 
it didn't take him long to reach the elevator to the surface. Deciding not to 
wait for the lift, Tenchi teleported up to the desert. Ryoko, his grandfather, 
Shoytal, Somar, and some of their smuggler allies were their waiting for him 
with Ryo-ohki hovering above.

	Ryoko, still wearing her Light Hawk Armor, flashed him a smile. "So what 
were you doing down there?"

	Tenchi couldn't help but grin back at her. "Preparing for possibilities."

	"Meeooww! Meeooow!" Ryo-ohki called down at them.

	Ryoko looked up at her ship. "Ryo-ohki's getting a bit anxious. I think 
we'd better go." She lowered her head and sized up those gathered around them. 
"All right, people! Hold on tight, cause it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" 

	Everyone on the surface was surrounded by a red glow as the cabbit 
battleship teleported them all to her bridge. As soon as they were all aboard, 
Ryo-ohki soared up through the atmosphere back into space. 

	"Dad!"

	Tenchi spun around just in time to see Hiro leap out of the pilot's chair 
and run towards him. Father could not help but laugh joyously as he collided 
with son in a rough hug. The pair held on to each other tightly for a moment 
before each stepped back to look at the other. Tenchi, all smiles, squeezed his 
son's shoulders.

	"It's good to see you, Hiro," he said through the lump forming in this 
throat.

	Hiro grinned back at him and sniffed. "I never gave up hope, dad. I knew 
we'd find you, somehow."

	Tenchi pulled him into another hug. "I believe you, son. I believe you."

	"Excuse me," said a familiar voice from behind. The two men turned their 
heads to see Ryoko standing there with her hands on her hips. "Is this just a 
guy thing, or can mom get in on this?" The hugging pair was soon a trio.

"Communication coming in from the Baratel." The Masaki family parted, and Tenchi 
noticed a blond young woman now sitting in the pilot's chair. 

	"Put it through, Ryo-ohki," commanded Ryoko.

	A view screen appeared in front of them bearing the image of Ukarit. "Ho 
there, Masakis. I see that everything went well enough," he said with a green 
toothed smile.

	Tenchi stepped forward and nodded to his old friend. "Hello, Ukarit."

	"Hey, kid," replied the gangster. "Let's save the small talk for later. 
We're ready to jump to the Loyalist base when you guys are."

	"Ryo-ohki's got the coordinates," Ryoko confirmed. 

	"Great. See you guys there." The view screen vanished, and the Juraian 
battleship, now visible ahead, suddenly vanished into hyperspace.

	It was not too much longer before Ryo-ohki was speeding down the very same 
hyperspace tunnel. With Druz finally behind him, Tenchi released the power of 
his Wings. There was a faint glow around him as the Armor disappeared to be 
replaced by his gray jumpsuit. Ryoko, too, released the power of her Wings as 
she walked towards the pilot's chair. "Okay, Leah. I'll take ov..."

	Before her sentence was finished, the pirate stumbled forward and then 
backwards. Tenchi was there in a heartbeat to catch his falling wife. "Ryoko!" 
he gasped.

	Her golden eyes fluttered open, revealing the emotional pain Tenchi was 
already picking up over their link. "Ryoko, what's the matter?" he asked 
worriedly.

	Fear was clearly visible in her eyes. Her shaky hands closed tightly 
around his right hand. "It's...Mayuka," she stammered. "Something's happened 
to...Mayuka..." 

_____ 

	The Madhatter exited out of the black portal to take up position above the 
planet Druz. "Wait here for my instructions." Rashoch didn't waste any time and 
teleported directly to the surface. 

	As soon as he materialized in front of the entrance elevator, the madman 
knew something was wrong. He vanished again to reappear inside the instillation. 
Bodies were laying every, both prisoner and guard alike. The parts of the prison 
he could already see were in shambles. Metal walls sported gaping holes, small 
fires littered the areas, and the entire place would shake on its very 
foundation from time to time. Rashoch stepped over bodies until he found one 
that was still moving. He reached down and picked the Juraian guard up with his 
right hand.

	"What happened here?" he hissed. Light Hawk Power began to crackle up and 
down his body.

	"We...we...were att...attacked," stuttered the man. 
	
	Rashoch's eyes thinned. "By whom?"

	"I...it...w...was some light...b...blue hair...haired woman. She 
sudd...suddenly appeared...and...st...started blowing ev...everything up."

	"Ryoko," growled the madman. Disgusted with this news, and what it likely 
meant, Rashoch threw the Juraian literally through one of the remaining intact 
walls. 

	Forgoing a search of which he already knew the results, Rashoch made his 
way through the prison to its control center. When the doors to the center 
opened, Rashoch was not at all surprised to find Sso'Traknal hovering in the air 
surrounded by a blue glow. 

	"You!" barked the Ssl'na. "Get me down from here!"

	"Pathetic," sneered the madman with a small chuckle. "How long did it take 
him to defeat you, lizard?" He began to pace around the hovering alien. "One? 
Two seconds?"

	"I demand to be let down, immediately!" he shouted. "They may still be in 
the system!" The Ssl'na must have suddenly realized the danger he was in because 
his tone drastically changed to one of slight pleading.

	Rashoch stopped in front of him and leaned close. "Perhaps," he whispered. 
A black sword suddenly appeared in his right hand, which he promptly drove into 
the reptile's chest. Traknal's eyes went wide with his impending death. "But you 
will never know."

	He pulled the sword free and stepped back to watch as the Ssl'na continued 
to hover in the air while bleeding out. Rashoch threw his head back and laughed 
as he was surrounded by black flames. He teleported directly back to the bridge 
of the Madhatter. 

	"What is the situation on the planet, my lord?" asked one of the bridge 
lieutenants.

	Rashoch tilted his head slightly to his left and smiled. "What planet?"

	No sooner had the words left his mouth did five, fiery black Light Hawk 
Wings appear in front of the immense battleship. With a thought, Rashoch 
released a single beam from the center of the Wings that lanced out and plunged 
into the desert planet's surface to exit seconds later out the other side. 
Almost immediately Druz began to writhe in pain. The earth cracked like a spider 
web planet wide, highlighted by magma rivers.

	"Open Light Hawk Wings!" shouted the lieutenant. The Madhatter's shields 
opened up just in time.

	Druz literally seemed to lurch forwards and backwards just before 
exploding in a thousand different directions. Planetoid chunks were absorbed by 
the battleship's shielding as the newly formed asteroid field began to settle 
into existence.

	"I'm feeling a little tired," announced Rashoch. "Set a course for Jurai. 
I'll be in my quarters until we arrive." Chuckling all the while, the madman 
exited the bridge for his quarters on the ship, leaving a sea of stunned faces 
in his wake.

_____

	
	Washu stood impatiently watching the city from the promenade in front of 
the Temple. Just a short while ago she had gotten a distinct feeling that 
someone from her family was in danger. There had been a surge of great power 
somewhere in the galaxy that resonated with her soul. The question was, who was 
the source. A chill wind blew by, rustling the black robe she was wearing.

	*You know very well who it was,* Tokimi told her. *It was the Child of 
Light and Darkness.*

	*We can't be sure of that.*

	Her sister chuckled. *Delusion was never something you dabbled in, Washu. 
It doesn't suite you." 

	Washu frowned and folded her arms under her chest. "Then that means 
Gabriel has her," she said out loud.

	*A fair assumption. So what do you plan to do. We know from your little 
connection to your girl that Tsunami's Knight is now free. However, now that 
Gabriel has his daughter nothing has changed. In order to grantee her safety he 
will not fight. That is his weakness.*

	"Tenchi's heart is not a weakness," Washu said quietly. "Remember, sister, 
that it was his heart that enabled him to defeat you."

	Tokimi huffed. *Luck. Simple luck.*

	Washu couldn't help but smile. "Believe that if you must. The fact remains 
that we cannot just sit here. I have to get Rei back to her parents. The fate of 
our dimension rests in their hands."

	*And...*

	The scientist swallowed, carefully thinking about her response. 
"And...you, Tsunami, and I must meet Gabriel."

	"Talking to yourself again?" came an old voice from behind. 

	Washu turned slightly to see Tristu walking up to her. She smiled wearily 
at her old friend. "After a fashion. How are things going?"

	He shrugged his aged shoulders. "As well as can be expected. Those who are 
well enough have taken ships with the vaccine to our other colonies. The numbers 
tell us that losses will be at a minimum."

	"What else?" asked Washu as she looked back down at the city.

	Tristu chuckled. "Can't hide anything from you." He took in a slow breath. 
"We are a defeated people right now, my Lady. We are barely keeping our society 
together after all of this. I am afraid that involvement in the conflict with 
Gabriel would doom our civilization."

	The red head raised an eyebrow. "So, you remember Him?"

	The old man nodded. "I remember enough of what you once told me. I have 
not been blind to the Light Hawk Wings being used out there. Only he could be so 
strong." There was a short moment of silence between them. "Have you told the 
others yet?"

	"No," she replied with a whisper. "The time hasn't come, yet. Tsunami and 
T...I remember well enough. Once we rejoin with Tenchi and the others, then I 
will tell them everything."

	"Hmmm." Tristu raised his head towards the sky. "Will you tell them that 
he is invincible?"

	"Nothing is invincible," Washu said darkly. "Life as a mortal has taught 
me that much." She unfolded her arms and turned away from the view. "Gabriel is 
not unkillable."

	Tristu grinned at her. "So, I take it that my Lady has a plan."

	The darkness left Washu's face as a devious smile appeared. "Don't I 
always?"

_____ 

	Rei, wearing a pair of blue jeans with an orange and red T-shirt and a 
white bandanna, placed a supply crate on each of her shoulders and started 
across the platform for her grandmother's gem ship. She stopped at the sound of 
someone crying out followed by smashing sounds. "You okay, Daisar?" she asked 
while turning around to check on her cousin.

	The Juraian prince was sprawled on the ground with the contents of a 
supply crate scattered around him. With a groan, he pulled himself up and began 
to dust off his loose off-white pants and sleeveless tunic. He looked around at 
the mess and sighed.

	"I believe I am fine physically, thank you," he answered. "I am a bit 
embarrassed, though, at my inability to carry a simple crate." The young teen 
gestured at her. "You hold them as if they were nothing."

	Rei smiled. "It's all in the genetics, Daisar. My mother just happens to 
be a very strong woman, and so am I. I wouldn't worry about it so much. You've 
got your own tricks after all."

	"Cut the chatter you two," said Washu as she walked up to them with Achika 
at her feet. The genius was dressed in a pair of tan slacks, an off-white blouse 
buttoned to her neck with a dark green ribbon going through the collar and tied 
at the base of her neck with a red pendent, and a jacket the same color as the 
ribbon with her red hair flowing free. "We have to leave as soon as possible."

	"Yeah, yeah," Rei replied. "What's the rush anyways? Why are we first 
leaving now? Aren't we going to get help from Tristu?"

	Washu shook her head. "Not this time. This little war is Juraian, and it's 
going to stay that way." She picked up Achika and started for the ship. "Now 
come on. The faster we get the things I need on board, the faster you guys get 
to see your parents."

	The two crates balanced on Rei's shoulders dropped to the ground forgotten 
as she ran up to her grandmother and sister. "What did you say?"

	"You heard her," cheered Achika. "Mommy found Daddy!"

	"And a strike team has freed Ayeka from her imprisonment on Jurai," added 
Washu with a smile of her own. 

	"You mean both my father and mother are safe?" asked Daisar hopefully.

	Washu nodded. "Yup. Everyone will be at the Loyalist base soon. So, we 
need to get a move on if we want to see them."

	Rei closed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Finally, we'll get to be a 
family again." When no response came, she opened her eyes. Her grandmother as 
frowning now. "What?"

	"Not everyone is safe," she said sadly. "The enemy has Mayuka."

	Rei went pale and hugged herself. "A...are you sure?" Washu nodded. "How 
do you know?"

	"You're mother just found out," she answered finally. "I've been 
reconnected with her for some time now."

	This was too much to take in at once. Rei swallowed and started looking 
around in an attempt not to make eye contact with anyone. "Does mom know how we 
are?"

	Washu looked reluctant to answer. "I...haven't opened my end of the link 
yet. You know the way things were last time we were together. I don't think 
she's ready to speak with me yet, let alone know that I'm...

	"Spying on her?" finished Rei. The scientist started to respond, but the 
teen raised her right hand. "You don't have to say anything. I know that you're 
just worried about her and everyone else."

	She walked back over to the crates she had dropped and began to replace 
the things that had fallen out. "Come on, let's get moving," she said without 
looking up. Without any more words, the small group loaded what supplies Washu 
needed on to the gem ship. Once the task was finished, the lone ship rocketed up 
from the planet and disappeared into hyperspace.

_____ 

	Somewhere deep in the Imperial Palace on Jurai there was a small room that 
was only known to a select few. In this room now were three figures. One, a 
female creature of some sort bound in a white glow and hovering several feet off 
of the ground. This demon girl was thrashing and growling at the pair standing 
before her. The remaining two in the small, dark room were men, one tall and one 
extremely short. 

	Gabriel folded his arms as he watched the raging Mayuka Masaki. "Is there 
any way we can control her?"

	Doctor Clay shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my Lord. The dual nature of 
her soul along with the fact that she is nothing but a berserk beast right now 
prevents anything of the sort. Her mind is a storm of chaos."

	The entity nodded. "Recommendations?"

	The old man smiled evilly. "Release her, point her in a direction, and let 
the destruction begin."

	"That will be sufficient," he said a moment later. "In fact, that will do 
nicely." The communicator on his belt began beeping. Gabriel unclipped it and 
raised the small device to his mouth. "What?"

	"The Madhatter has just come out of hyperspace, Emperor," replied a small 
voice over the communicator.

	"It is about time," snapped Clay. "That madman should have been back two 
days ago."

	"Enough, Clay," warned Gabriel with a gesture. "Send a communication to 
the ship that I want Rashoch to meet me in my offices."

	"Yes, Sire."

	Gabriel returned the communicator to his belt and motioned for the doctor 
to follow. "Come, Clay. Our new pet will be perfectly safe down here." 

	Clay bowed his head slightly. "As you wish, Lord Gabriel." 

	The pair left the small room and traveled up from the bowels of the Palace 
to the Emperor's offices adjacent to the throne room. Rashoch, wearing his Light 
Hawk Armor, was waiting when they arrived. Gabriel ignored him for several 
moments while he seated himself behind the crescent, green marble desk.

	"Where have you been, Rashoch?" he asked finally.

	The madman smiled thinly at him. "I decided to take the ship for a ride 
around the galaxy. So?"

	"What happened at Druz?" Clay said quickly. "We haven't been able to 
contact it for three days."

	Rashoch looked down at the old man. With lightning speed, the former 
Champion of Tokimi snatched the scientist up. His face peeled back into a snarl, 
Rashoch looked Clay right in his one good eye. "I don't answer to anyone, old 
man! Especially you!"

	Despite his position, Clay smiled at his attacker. "I wouldn't do that, 
boy. I have taken many precautions to deal with people such as yourself." His 
smiled turned into a frown. "Do you really want to test my genius?"

	A white Light Hawk Wing suddenly appeared between their faces. "Do stop 
your quibbling, gentlemen. Persist any further, and I will have no more need of 
your services."

	Rashoch dropped the old scientist and turned to the entity. "Don't order 
me around, Gabriel! I'm only here because you promised to let me take my revenge 
on my *family*!"

	Gabriel leaned into his high backed chair. "What happened at Druz?' he 
asked calmly, ignoring the madman's ranting.

	Rashoch straightened and suddenly seemed saner. "I blew it up. Apparently 
Ryoko had just been there and freed the three prisoners."

	"It would have been nice if you had shared such information three days ago 
when it happened," growled Clay. 

	The insane one was about to respond, but Gabriel cut him off. "It doesn't 
matter anymore. This information doesn't alter the plan in any way. As soon as 
our special forces have been gathered completely and the Ark is operational, we 
will move into the final stage." He leveled his white eyes on the two men. "Are 
we clear on this?"

	Clay bowed his head. "Clear, my Lord."

	Rashoch huffed. "Masaki is mine. Just remember that." On that the madman 
left the office.

	"He truly is insane," commented Clay. "At times he is no better than the 
demon girl."

	Gabriel laughed lightly. "He is a means to an end, Doctor. Rashoch, one 
way or another, will serve his purpose whether he knows it or not." He rose from 
the desk and walked around towards the door. "Now, let us check on the Ark. The 
big day will be here soon, and I want everything to be ready for our guest."

To be continued...


Notes: And we're heading for the home stretch. Maybe soon we'll all find out 
exactly what is really going on here.

All comments please go to Roas1@hotmail.com