DISCLAIMER: THE CHARACTERS HEREIN ARE NOT MY CREATION NOR WILL THEY BE MY CREATION NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WISH IT; THEY ARE, HOWEVER, THE CREATION Masaki Kajishima. I ALSO DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS HEREIN, AND REGRADLES OF THE EXTENT OF MY DESIRE THAT THEY WERE MY PROPERTY, I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING STRUCK BY LIGHTINING, THREE TIMES IN THE SAME HOUR WHILE I'M STANDING IN A DITCH WEARING A RUBBER WETSUIT AND AM CROUCHING IN A PHETAL POSITION, THAN I DO OF PIONEER/AIC, WHOM ARE THE LEGAL OWNERS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED CHARACTERS, GIVING THEM TO ME. THE Ferrari F50 IS A LEGAL TRADEMARK OF Ferrari s.P.a. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FRUIT OF THE LOOM IS A TRADEMARK OF Fruit of The Loom, Ltd. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE STORY OF "Tenchi USA" AND ANY THING WITHIN THE STORY THAT HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN PRESENTED ELSEWHERE IS MY CREATION AND MY LEGAL PROPERTY. DON'T DO ANYTHING TO IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT (c) 2001 _______ _ _ _ _ ____ ____ | | |_ _ __ | _ * | | / \ / \ | /__\ |/ \ / \ |/ \ | | | \____ |____| | | | | | | | | | | \ | | _|_ \__/ | | \__/ | | | \____/\*\____/*_|_ _|_* ____ . // ___ ____ \\ | \ __ _ | /| | * _ | _ | | / __ _ __ | | / \ |/ \ -+- | --- | | / \| |/ \ -+- / / \ |/ \ /__\ |___/ | | | | | | | | | | | | / | | | | | _|_ \__/\ | | _|_ _|____| | \__| | | | /__| \__/ | | \__/ | ____ \__/ / \ | _ __ _ _|_ __ _ _ / | |/ \ / \ |/ \ | /__\ |/ \ / \ / | | | | | | | | | | |/ \____/ | | \__/\ |__/ | \__/ | | Tenchi USA | /|(Gamma) Part 1 - Light Zone \/ Chapter Gamma | "Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic." --Jean Sibelius Most noted Scandinavian composer Consummate Skill "I'll get you this time!" "Hehe, good luck," he managed to say just as he ducked underneath Ryoko's slash. Tenchi and Ryoko had been sparring almost constantly for the past day and a half with breaks only to eat, sleep, or use the restroom. During their sparring sessions Tenchi's skill had increased exponentially and he was now able to win nine of ten matches where as at the start of Tenchi's training he lost nine in ten times. Ryoko had even begun making it more difficult for the young man by using more her powers during their fights, mainly her abilities of teleportation; splitting into two, the doppelganger as she liked to call it; and flying. It was no longer helping her. Tenchi now had such consummate skill at swordplay that he could afford to let his mind wander a little while sparring, at least against Ryoko. Tenchi back-flipped over her next slash. "You're gonna have to try harder than that to beat me," said Tenchi with a laugh as he parried another strike. The pupil's remark made Ryoko become frustrated. In a move that would be a wonderful surprise to most would-be combatants had she not overused it, Ryoko teleported behind Tenchi... only to get jabbed in the stomach by Tenchi's practice blade. "Told you so," Tenchi gloated with a laugh. "You're too predictable, Ryoko. You need to put a little more variety into your fighting style." "Grr. I thought I was supposed to be the one teaching!" she screamed. All Tenchi could do was chuckle lightly in response. Ryoko, although her frustration was making her somewhat angry, could not help but see the humor of the situation and eventually joined in. "I... guess... you'll... have to... find... a better... instructor," the pirate managed to say between belly laughs. Tenchi waited for his hysterics to subside before asking, "Are you serious?" Ryoko stopped laughing instantly at that point as she began to mull over what Tenchi was asking. At first the pirate was reluctant because if she could continue training him, it would mean more time with him and more chances to steal his heart. Then Ryoko remembered that she was training him for the Annual Juraian Swordplay Tournament. She immediately changed her mind. "Yeah. Definitely. You're gonna wanna be as good as possible." Then she added glumly, "'specially for the Tournament on Jurai." "Okay... Who?" "Don't ask me," said Ryoko. "You're the first person I've met that's been able to beat me in a sword fight." "Oh... Do you think she would know?" asked Tenchi as he tipped his head towards Mihoshi whom had been sitting cross-legged at the gym's edge watching. "Why don't we ask her?" "Well... um... Nope!" said Mihoshi happily. "Damn!" gripped Tenchi and Ryoko simultaneously. "Uh... what about Washu," proposed Tenchi. "Maybe," Ryoko shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want to ask her though," she was still angry at having been sedated the day before. "Well... I need to speak to her anyway. So, I guess I'll go," he said as he slipped the hilt to his practice blade into his pocket and turned to leave. Tenchi knocked on Washu's lab door. An instant later the holographic image of Washu's face appear between him and the door. "I'm not in here," it chimed. "I'm on the main bridge." "'Kay, I'll be right there," he responded to the image out of habit as he left for the bridge. The main bridge was still in shambles from the accident when Tenchi entered it. The fact that all of the control panels were holographic meant that most of the debris that littered its floor was composed of fragments from the Soja and the Yukinojo's hulls. Washu was kneeling to the Yukinojo's side and closely studying the seal between the two ships. "Hello, Little Washu," greeted Tenchi, startling the petite scientist. "Waaa!" she screamed as she jumped to her feet. She quickly regained her composure, "Oh! It's you, Tenchi. Surprised me, there." "I kinda figured that. Sorry." "It's okay, Tenchi. There's no need to apologize. What do you want?" "I actually wanted to ask you a couple of things." "'Kay, go ahead." "Err... Well, when I was speaking to the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police after Mihoshi wrecked into us, he mentioned that your ship is registered as a galaxy-destroyer-class ship," he paused. Washu could see where this was going, but waved for him to continue anyway. "Well, is 'galaxy-destroyer' used literally? Are they serious?" he paraphrased. She giggled a little, before plainly stating, "Yeah, although galaxy- destroyer is a slight understatement for this thing," she stomped her foot on the floor to show that she was speaking about the Soja II. "But, I guess 'slightly-more-than-a-galaxy-but-not-that-much-more-destroyer-class' is a mouthful." "Ha, well, I remember before you gave me this gem, you mentioned that you were going to use them for the weapons systems of the original Soja. I assume that this Soja is comparably powerful. Am I right?" "Well... actually, this Soja's weapons systems are less powerful than those of the original, I diverted a good portion of the power away from weapons and to the engines." "Hmm. Well, from all of that I came to the conclusion that I myself would be powerful enough to destroy galaxies with all of the gems... I don't want that." "Hehe," she giggled slightly at his concern. She thought he was a great person at heart. Her daughter had her eyes on a good one. "Well, with all of the gems you would posses enough power to easily destroy a cluster of galaxies. But, don't worry, Tenchi, that doesn't mean you can. If you tried to draw that much power at once it would incinerate you before you had a chance to use it. The most energy you could draw at once is probably barely enough to destroy a large building." Tenchi visibly relaxed as he let out a deep breath. "Good," although, he was afraid to ask how large a large building was. "That, and one other thing." "Huh? What?" he was confused. "You have to learn how to use it first." "Yeah, I guess you got me there," Tenchi said. "Something else. Why does everyone all of a sudden turn so... glum whenever I mention that I'm going to compete in that tournament on Jurai?" "Oh, well... Um..." Washu hesitated. "Ahh! What the heck! You're gonna find out sooner or later!" she exclaimed. "The tournament, Tenchi..." "Yes..." "Well, It's the sporting event with the highest accidental death rate of any in the universe." Tenchi paled. "Also, Tenchi, in order to win, you must remove your opponent's right arm at the shoulder, which is neither a life threatening injury nor an incurable one. It just happens a lot that someone gets the angle wrong or someone dodges the wrong way and ends up being beheaded. Happens about three or four times every year that they hold the tournament. There is a very large faction of people that are against the tournament altogether." "AND WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME THIS!!!" he screamed angrily. "I'm sorry, Tenchi," said Washu as her eyes began to water. "It was not my intention to lie to you." She was crying now. "Believe me when I say that I would never force you to do anything you don't want to. And would have never asked you to do something I didn't think you were capable of, not something like this, anyway." Tenchi was shocked with himself. How could he have lost control of himself like that and yelled at a girl! He mentally kicked himself. "I... I'm sorry, Washu, I lost control. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I'm not mad at you," he said and took her into a comforting embrace. "I know," she said as she wept into the synthetic cotton shirt she had provided him with. "It's not your fault. It's just... painful memories." She let her tears flow freely for a few minutes until she no longer needed to cry. She lifted her head and stepped away from Tenchi. "Thanks, I needed that," she said, her head bowed down. "Any time." "Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?" "I need a new sparring partner." She looked up at him abruptly. "What! Does this mean you're still going to compete in the tournament?" He took a deep breath. "I guess it does. I've always wanted to know about my family, about where I came from. It's something that's always been very important to me. This is the least I could do for you." "Thank you, Tenchi, you don't know how much it means to me," she said gently as she unconsciously place a hand over her heart. "Well, anyway, if I am going to be participating in the tournament, I'm going to need a new sparring partner. It seems that Ryoko's no longer a challenge for me and I want to get even better, MUCH better, before I go fight for real." "I doubt you'll need it. Do you want to know what was really on the data cartridge that I 'trained' you with?" "...Uh...sure." he said circumspectly. "Well, all that was on it was how to turn on swords like the practice blades, how to do some of the more difficult techniques that the particular sword you'll be using is capable of, and all of the languages you now know. That's all nothing more, no actual sword-fighting skills. Everything you've picked up to this point was done all on your own. You're naturally a natural when it comes to sword fighting. With you it's hereditary." "Uh...but, then why did you say that there were sword skills on it?" "Psychology, Tenchi, to help steady your nerves when you fought Ryoko for the first time." "Heh, I don't know if it helped that much. But still, that doesn't change anything, I still need a new sparring partner," he said. "No you don't," the scientist said sternly. "You're as good as you need to be. You'd be hard pressed to find a better swordsman than yourself. "Another reason, besides building experience, that I had you train with Ryoko was to see if it would skip a generation or not. I didn't think it would, but I wanted to be sure." "Oh." Washu stood quiet for a few moments letting her mind churn, "Tenchi, would you please come with me to my lab?" "Sure, why not?" "Just come." The Sword of Heaven and Earth "Another safe!" Tenchi joked. "What's behind this one? MORE gems?" "No," said Washu as her palm noisily connected with the back of his head. "Ouch! Okay, what is in this one then?" "Well... you could call it an heirloom," said Washu as the last door opened revealing a transparent cylinder with a silhouetted object inside. "What's that, Little Washu?" "I was going to wait until we got to Jurai to give this to you, Tenchi, but I think that now's as good a time as any. "This, Tenchi, was your grandfather's sword, the 'Sword of Heaven and Earth,' or 'Tenchi-Ken'," said the scientist as she extracted the cylinder, removing the silhouette from the object inside. The object in question was about a foot long. It was made out of wood that was intricately carved to resemble a complex braid. The tip of Tenchi-ken was a two pronged, piece of strange metal with no visible opening for a blade. The braided wood wound its way down to a two sided, circular, flat pommel roughly an inch and a half in diameter. "He wanted you to have it," she said as she pressed a button opening the side of the cylinder facing Tenchi. Tenchi reached for it slowly and silently. "It'll hurt a little the first time you touch it because it still has to accept you as its new master," warned Washu. Tenchi's hand continued to slowly approach the hilt unhindered by Washu's comment. When he was within a foot or two of grabbing it a small, light blue force field appeared and electricity started discharging between his hand and the hilt. It did hurt, like Washu had said it would, but Tenchi's hand still continued to close in on the sword. Tenchi screamed in defiance to the pain as he forced his hand through the force field and clasped onto the hilt. The instant he had grabbed it the force field and its accompanying electrical display vanished in a flash. The young man examined the sword hilt in his hand more closely. "It's beautiful," he said in awe. The sword then began glowing very subtly in shade of light blue. "Um, Little Washu. I think the sword's doing something." "Huh? What?" she stammered. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, came a realization, "The gems! Soja! Commence emergency neutralization of all onboard singularities." "Quantum singularity neutralization, completed," responded the computer a moment later. Tenchi looked puzzled for a moment. His puzzlement soon changed to shock as he heard a loud crashing rumble coming from only a few hundred feet down the lab. He looked for the source of the sound. It was coming from the safe where Washu kept the other two gems. "What's going on?" Before Washu could respond, the gigantic safe door was torn violently from its hinges and slammed down with a deafening metal thud. Two dim, light green lights that resembled little, green fireflies lifted slowly from its back. After reaching a height only a few feet above the massive door they paused for a few moments in mid-air. Then, with a blinding speed that made them resemble a pair of tiny meteorites, they lanced towards the Tenchi-Ken. Silently, they impacted into the butt-end of the hilt with a blinding flash. The light dissipated and Tenchi examined the hilt once more. Now, embedded in its end, there were the companions to the gem in his wrist. "Um... Little Washu? What just happened?" "Don't ask me," she stated flatly. "Sometimes, the reasons Tenchi-Ken does the things it does are something only divinity could know. But, I guess you can keep those gems from now on, they really are yours. Along with the sword," she added after a brief pause. There was a short silence. "Do you mind if I test this thing out?" Tenchi asked with a glance to object in his hands. "I'm surprised you haven't already done so." He took that as a "no I don't mind." Tenchi promptly held the hilt bellow his waist in both hands, turned his head away from the sword, closed his eyes, and concentrated for a fraction of a second. There was a brief electrical crackle followed by the distinctive mechanical-sounding hiss of an energy sword being activated. Even through his closed eyelids Tenchi could see the flash created by the blade's activation and couldn't help but to imagine how blindingly bright it must be for anyone looking at it. "Damn that's bright! Should've reminded me," said Washu rubbing her eyes and wobbling on her feet in disorientation. "Sorry," Tenchi apologized as he studied the light-blue colored energy blade. The air coming in contact with the blade was being constantly ionized creating an almost constant lyrical humming sound. "Beautiful," Tenchi whispered again. He could feel the power emanating from the blade, unlike the practice blade he was accustomed to this sword could kill. With a thought, he held the Tenchi-Ken in one hand and pulled the practice blade from his pants pocket. He ignited it also and compared the two blades. The Tenchi-Ken was easily several inches longer than the practice blade. The practice blade was white and Tenchi-Ken was light blue. The practice blade seemed to resemble more of an elongated spike than anything else. It was pitiful. Tenchi-Ken's blade was slightly curved backwards like a Japanese katana. It had a graceful shape and beauty to it that did little to conceal its deadly edge. The practice blade could only envy its splendor. Tenchi-Ken was a deadly elegant weapon. He extinguished both swords and put the practice blade back into his pocket. He looked at Tenchi-Ken for a moment and realized for the first time how much the hilt meant to him. It wouldn't do for him to keep the sword in his pocket. "Little Washu, do you have, like, a holster or a scabbard or something so I can wear this on my belt?" he asked while trying to keep himself from crying from a mixture of joy and sadness. "Hmm," Washu pondered Tenchi's request for a few moments. "No, Tenchi, I don't think so. I'm sorry. I could fabricate one, but somehow I don't think it would be sufficient. You want something made by a master craftsman, don't you?" "Yeah," Tenchi nodded. "Well, don't despair, Tenchi. I know just the place to get one. Soja," she commanded. "Yes Captain Little Washu," the ship responded in its droning voice. "Adjust course for a stop at Nowon," the scientist instructed. There was a short pause, "Course has been adjusted. We will arrive at Nowon in approximately six hours. From there it will take us three days to reach Jurai at our current speed." "There," said Washu to Tenchi, "Nowon is universally famous for its master craftsmen and luckily it's somewhat on the way. Although it does make us arrive at Jurai a day later than I had hoped, but I can always break a few speed laws." "Thanks, Little Washu," Tenchi managed to choke out. He held the sword to his heart protectively in a way that resembled how a mother might hold her newborn baby. This was when Washu realized how important Tenchi-Ken truly was to Tenchi. Almost all his life Tenchi had been aware of the fact that he had been adopted. Washu remembered a time when Tenchi was not even five years old that he run away from his house to the nearby municipal airport and tried to find someone who would fly him to Japan so that he could see his family-at that age he hadn't yet understood the finality of death. All his life he had yearned for some connection to his deceased blood relations. It had slowly eaten away at his heart like a stream eats away at its banks. Tenchi was far from having a violent personality; he loathed death; but Washu knew that Tenchi would have remorselessly killed hundreds and not looked back for an instant just to find out the smallest detail regarding his real family. Fortunately he wouldn't have to kill anyone, and with an infinitesimal amount of luck, wouldn't. This sword, his namesake, was the first thing he had to connect himself to his family besides his blood; it was now the very most important single item Tenchi had ever and probably would ever own. But, more importantly, being an adoptee, an orphan, had always made him feel like somewhat of a pariah, an outcaste, and this was the first thing in his life that made him feel like he truly belonged to something. It was almost more important to him than a first child is to its mother. Tenchi would never leave Tenchi-Ken somewhere that it could become tarnished. "Tenchi, why don't you put it back in the safe until we get to Nowon? It'll be very safe there," she assured him, placing and understanding hand on his shoulder. Tenchi couldn't hold it in any longer after all the years of longing for something like this; he finally was holding it in his arms. He looked up at Washu, the tears running in unhindered torrents down his cheeks, a decade and a half of bottled up emotions being slowly carried away. Tenchi swiftly got up and hugged Washu tightly. Normally he would have gone to his adopted mother for something like this, but Washu was slowly becoming like a second mother to him, and he was grateful for it. "Tha-Thank... you... W-Washu," Tenchi said through his crying. "You... don't... know... how much... this... means... to me." Washu was too touched at the moment to argue Tenchi neglecting to use her preferred title and so let it slide. Washu's maternal instinct quickly took over and she was now holding a sobbing Tenchi in her arms and reassuringly stroking his spiky, black, hair. She just held him there silently. She was happy she could be there for him. There had been so many times over the past years she had been watching over him that Washu had long felt an urge to comfort him like this. But couldn't. And so, for almost another hour, she just comfortingly held him as a grandmother would hold a grandson crying at the loss of his parents until he no longer needed it. _Yes,_ Washu thought softly. _Tenchi is going to make a wonderful husband for the lucky girl that captures his heart... Good luck Ryoko._ Ge Li The shuttle touched down for soft landing and immediately taxied to a hanger. Once the shuttle was powered down its occupants disembarked into the crisp morning air of the Never district of Planet Nowon. Nowon is a quiet, peaceful planet. Its environment is usually warm and as friendly as the planet's inhabitants. It is mostly for these two reasons and the low retirement tax that in the most recent hundred years Nowon has become a place where many retire to; basically Florida on a much larger scale. Many of the retirees that inhabit Nowon enjoy crafts such as woodworking and other similar hobbies. It was with these hobbies that many decided to make a little extra money on the side. When all of these things become factored together it is no surprise that Nowon is well renowned for its master craftsmen (and women). It had taken them two hours of searching the streets of Never and speaking to its residents before Washu was finally able to locate the person they were looking for. Mihoshi, Ryoko, Ryo-ohki, Tenchi, and Washu could hear the strange warbling sound produced by this house's doorbell resounding within the two-story building. Mihoshi was not wearing her GP uniform. "So you know this guy, Little Washu?" asked Tenchi. "Only slightly, I helped him with a few things and so he owes me some favors," she responded. "Who's this guy anyway?" asked a shape-shifted Ryoko. "His name is Ge Li. About nine hundred years ago he used to carve Juraian Tree Ships for the Royal Family's personal use. In fact, most of the 2nd Generation tree ships and a few 1st Generation ships are his design." "Huh? But I thought that Jurai's ships were grown," Ryoko stated her befuddlement. "Most people do," informed the scientist. "It's not true though. Master craftsmen using giant robots carve the fuselage of ship itself out of wood from a source other than the Space Trees. After they're done carving the ship a Space Tree is planted in its center, it then serves as the control system for the ship. The reason it takes seventy years to build a Juraian tree vessel is not because the ship itself has to grow, but because the Space Tree's roots must grow to reach the various systems of the ship and the tree must mature so that it is strong enough for space travel." "Oh." The door opened slowly to reveal an elderly lady with gray hair tied into a bun. "Yes, how can I help you?" she asked in a grandmotherly voice. "Hello, Mrs. Li, we're looking for Mr. Li, is he in at the moment?" "Oh, yes he is," said Mrs. Li. "I'll go get him for you." "Thank you, Ma'am." "Oh Ge, dear!" yelled the elderly lady as she walked back into the house. "There are some people here to see you." After a brief wait, Ge came to the still opened door. He was an elderly man with a wide, friendly smile that revealed a set of beautifully formed and kept teeth. Behind a pair of eyeglasses was a pair of silver eyes that gleamed with life. He had long, grayed hair that still held a few streaks of its original red and was tied back behind his head in a style that was very popular among Juraians. His skin was slightly wrinkled, but not so much that it made him seem as if he were holding on to life by a thread. He was of a slightly lanky build but it was evident in the way he moved that he was a healthy man who still worked out on a regular basis. "Hello, and who do I have the honor of greeting on this wonderfully sunny day?" he asked cheerily while looking between Tenchi, Ryoko, and Mihoshi, and not noticing the diminutive Washu. "Hello, Ge, it's good to see you again after so many years," greeted Washu. "Ah!" Ge jumped back in surprise and sweat-dropped. "Oh, hehe, I didn't see you down there. Hehe." "I don't know if you remember me, but we met a few times in the past, about eighteen hundred years ago as I recall," stated the scientist. Washu's comment made Ge examine her a little more closely. "For the love of Tsunami!" he exclaimed in recognition. "Aren't you that girl that was enga-?" "Yes, I am," Washu sternly said, cutting him off. "Please don't... sad memories." That comment made Tenchi give Ryoko, who was using the name Ryo as an alias, a look that said, "What's she talking about?" Ryoko, in turn, responded with a shrug that had, "Don't ask me," written all over it. "Sure. Why don't you four come in?" "We'd be honored," she gratefully stated for the rest of the group. Ge Li led the group into his modest dwelling. The living room had only a few brown couches and a small coffee table made out of a wood that resembled maple. "Well, what can I do for you...? um, I don't seem to remember your name." "I'm LITTLE Washu. This is my daughter 'Ryo.' She's Detective Mihoshi of the Galaxy Police, and he's Tenchi and he's also the reason we're here," answered Washu handling the introductions and indicating who was who with her hand. "Ok, and...?" "I'm sure you still remember all the times I helped you those years ago. You said you'd owe me. Well... your bill is due." "I see... Well, what do you want from me?" he asked. "Well, I think Tenchi, here, should clarify that one," declared the emerald-eyed scientist. "Tenchi." Huh? Oh. Yes. Well... Um Mister Li..." Please call me Ge, all of you, everyone else does." Ge, I have... recently gotten something that belonged to my grandfather. It's very... dear to my heart, and I was wondering if you could make a nice holster, or a scabbard, or something for me to keep it in." "Well...it doesn't seem I have choice, does it?" he said with a glance towards Washu. "But, I do have to know what 'it' is first." "Oh, hehe, I guess you would, wouldn't you?" Without another word, in a move he had mastered over the previous six hours, the young swordsman raised his hand above his head and mentally "called" for Tenchi-ken. The sword, which was inside the transparent cylinder inside the safe inside the mini-lab on board the Soja II orbiting Nowon at 100,000 miles above sea level, "heard" its master's command and instantly teleported itself into his waiting hand. "Here," he said holding the sword out to the old man. Ge gasped in awe and his eyes became wide. "Is...?" "Yup, that's the real deal!" commented Washu. She then whispered something into his ear. Ge nodded in response to whatever Washu had said before continuing. "Hehe, it seems you're lucky, actually. You see, about a hundred years before your grandfather disappeared, he contracted me to do the exact same thing you're asking me to do now. When he did disappear, I couldn't bring myself to stop my work on it and so I kept on carving until I had finished. And ever since then I've been waiting for him, or someone, to come for it," he explained. "It seems, Washu, that I haven't repaid you anything. And, it's a holster, because Tenchi-Ken, although it is primarily a sword, can--supposedly--be used as a projectile weapon if its master has enough skill. I'll go get it for you," the old man said as he headed up a stairs leading to the second story. A few minutes later, Ge returned down the stairs carrying an intricately carved wooden box that was slightly larger than a shoebox with a hinged top and a bronze padlock. He placed the box on the coffee table in front of Tenchi, silently removed the key from his pocket, and unlocked the padlock. The swordsman's eyes widened in awe at the finely detailed beauty that rested in box's cushioned interior. "It's amazing," he breathed slowly as he unhurriedly reached to extract the belt from the box. He stopped his hands a moment later. "May I?" he asked. "Don't ask me, it's your holster," responded the old man, happy at just how appreciated his work was as he sat down to his side. "He paid me in advance so you don't owe me anything." "Th-Thank you," said the young man as he reached for the holster. The holster was a pentagonal shaped piece of wood carved with a precision that boggled the earthling's mind. Tenchi recognized the wood as being the same type of wood that his sword was made from. Its sides were filleted and had carvings on them that obviously told the story of a major battle in a language of pictures. The center had an impression carved into it that exactly resembled the shape of the Tenchi-Ken with its blade-end facing downward. This whole piece was attached to two wide belts made out of leather-like material. One belt was to strap around the waist and the other to secure it to his leg. Tenchi took the Tenchi-Ken and placed it into the impression. The sword fit into it with computer-like precision and accuracy. The moment he released his hand from hilt, the wood of the sword hilt and the wood of the holster seemed to melt into one piece right before his eyes. He grabbed the Tenchi-Ken again, the moment his skin came into contact with the Juraian tree weapon the wood of the holster and the wood of the hilt separated. "It...it's perfect," awed Tenchi as he began to put the holster on. "I'm glad to have assisted a pr-." Li began to say before Washu swiftly pressed her hand over his mouth. "He doesn't know yet. His grandfather wishes he not know for a little bit longer," Washu whispered into Ge's ear. "Don't say anything about that." The old man nodded his head to show that he understood. Washu stood up from the couch and took a step back from Ge. "Well, old man, it's been good to see you again, but we probably should be going now. We've got tournament we need to get to. Let's get you there." Washu, her company, and Ge Li all headed towards the door. "It's been nice speaking to you again, Little Washu. Until next we meet." "Thanks, Ge. Thanks very much," Tenchi thanked the old man once again. "Later, old man!" said Washu. "Um, Little Washu, can I ask you something?" said Tenchi as the group hurried through the semi-metropolitan area back to the dock. "Sure, Tenchi, go ahead, shoot," replied the scientist. "What's with the name 'Tsunami?' Earlier you mentioned that Tsunami was the name of the most powerful space ship in the universes. And just now, Ge used the name Tsunami like it was the name of some kind of god or something." "Hehe, She's a goddess, actually." "Huh?" "Tsunami the battleship, Tsunami the Space Tree, and Tsunami the goddess. All have been seen, all three are known to exist, and yet all of them defy existence. Some, including me, think that they are all one in the same." "You mean goddesses actually exist?" "Supposedly." "And what about an 'Almighty God,' does something like that exist?" "Nope." When Tenchi didn't respond, she continued, "An Almighty God doesn't exist but since Tsunami is the only remaining goddess, as far as anyone knows, you could say that she was Almighty," Washu finished as they rounded a corner. "Hmm. That's really interesting." "Stop right there!" commanded a nameless street thug as he ignited a red energy sword. "Give me all of your money." "Hehe," laughed Ryoko. "Amateurs. I'll take care of this guy." "No, Ryoko, you let me handle this," interrupted Mihoshi as she drew her standard issue blaster. "Galaxy Police. You're under arrest, bud." "That's what you think," said the street punk as his sword moved with lightning speed towards the officer's neck. "Huh? What?" "You wanna hurt my friends, you gotta get through me first," said Tenchi, Tenchi-ken easily holding the thief's sword at bay inches from separating Mihoshi's head from her shoulders. "Umm, sorry about your gun, Mihoshi," added Tenchi when he realized he had sliced the barrel off of Mihoshi's blaster. The punk screamed his battle cry as he attempted strike Tenchi. The young man blocked the thief's sword once more, and in a single fluid motion Tenchi managed to fling the sword from the his foe's hand. In the blink of an eye Tenchi's fist impacted squarely with the man's chest. The passed-out punk slumped onto Tenchi. "Oh! Thank you, Tenchi!" cooed the police officer. "You, you saved my life. I, I don't know what to say. I mean..." "It's okay Mihoshi. You don't have to thank me," he said as he hefted the punk onto his shoulder. "Oh. But as a Galaxy Police officer, I must compensate you," she hinted with a cute little wink. "Uhh..." Tenchi blushed head-to-toe in embarrassment. "Hey! What do y'think your trying to do!" interrupted Ryoko grabbing the officer by the lapel. "Why! Hehe," Mihoshi blushed. "I'm trying to thank Tenchi for saving my life." "Tenchi's mine! You leave him alone!" "Do you want me to arrest you?" "Hey, hey, you two," interrupted Tenchi hoping to stop an argument, "Don't fight, please. Besides, shouldn't we take this guy to the local police station or something?" "Huh?" asked Mihoshi as she forgot her argument with Ryoko. "Uh, well, yeah." Sooner Than Expected "Hello, how can I..." the strange humanoid creature that was managing the front desk of the local GP office began. Then he noticed that Tenchi had someone slung over his shoulder. "Uh... Help you?" he finished. Mihoshi pulled a pen from her pocket. Holding the pen up, she pressed a small, hidden button that caused a small rod to fold out perpendicular to the pen. Inside of the right angle that was formed by the rod and the rest of the pen a small holographic screen appeared. On the right half of the screen was an ID photo of Mihoshi, underneath of which was the GP logo. The other half of the screen was filled with various text describing Mihoshi's rank, qualifications, etc. in the Galaxy Police. "I am Detective Special-Class Mihoshi Kuramitsu." The clerk stood plywood-straight and saluted. "Welcome to the Nowon Regional Office, Sir. I-I mean Ma'am." "At ease," the officer relaxed. "I'm going off duty as soon as I turn my prisoner in." "Ah. Yes Ma'am, here's the form you'll need," he said as he pulled the proper single-page form from a drawer. "Uhh..." groaned Mihoshi. "I hate these things." She pressed the hidden button on her pen again and its badge function de-activated. She began filling out the form. "What should I do with this guy?" asked Tenchi. "Just set him on the floor." Tenchi dropped the young man with an audible thump. The police clerk pulled a small pistol-like object from a drawer, aimed it at the punk, and fired. The thief was instantly trapped immobile in a large stasis crystal. "Just place him in the pile with the rest of them." He pointed off to the side. In one corner of the room there was a large pile of similar stasis crystals each with a person inside. Tenchi easily tossed the crystal on top of the heap. "G'bye, Sir," waved a young, teal-haired, female officer as she headed towards the exit. "I've got catch that shuttle to Jurai." Tenchi sweat-dropped, "Uh..." "Good luck with your new partner, Detective. Like I keep saying, you're lucky to be assigned a DSC for your partner. See y' around." "Yeah, I know." "Um, wait! Detective Kiyone!" Tenchi called the young officer. "Huh? Tenchi?" asked both Washu and Ryoko. "Um? Excuse me, do I know you?" asked the female officer. "Um, no." He said blushing. "Then how'd you know my name?" "Yeah, Tenchi," growled Ryoko. "Let's hear this one, spit it out." "Um, well, I spoke to the Grand Marshall of the Galaxy Police just after our accident, and he mentioned her. I also, kinda, forgot to give his message to Mihoshi," he said, looking directly into Ryoko's eyes to show that he was telling the truth. He turned to face Kiyone. "Your partner's name is Mihoshi Kuramitsu and this is her," he pointed to Mihoshi, who was still filling out the form in frantic confusion. Kiyone's eyes glazed over for a brief second and then became serious again. "You mean, the GP-GM was talking about me? Did he say anything good?" _This might be a step closer to a promotion,_ she thought. "Um... Yeah, according to him, he's Mihoshi's grandfather, and so..." "Mihoshi? Wait a minute," she pulled a folded up sheet of paper from her pocket. She unfolded it and looked at it, looked at Mihoshi, looked back at the paper, and once again to Mihoshi. She pointed at Mihoshi, "You, you, you're my partner?" "Huh?" asked Mihoshi looking up from a Galaxy Police form, which was now ten pages long and had somehow mysteriously sprouted bindings and a hardcover that was illustrated with various doodles. Tenchi, Ryoko, Ryo-ohki, and Washu all face faulted when they saw the document. She looked back at her paperwork, "Um, yup, looks like I'm done." She gave her signature on the inside back cover and handed it to the clerk who promptly sweat-dropped before placing it in a large envelope and dropping it into a metal basket filled with many other reports that were a mere page long. Looking back at Detective Kiyone, Mihoshi asked, "Um? How can I help you?" "Mihoshi," Tenchi began. "I'd like you to meet your new partner." The blonde policewoman instantly became starry-eyed for a few short seconds. She then began jumping up and down like a little girl that got exactly what she wanted for Christmas. "Yay! Finally! I get a partner! Thank you Grandpa!" she stopped jumping, "Do you know how boring it is out there all alone with nobody to talk to?" "Uhh... no. This is my first assignment. I just graduated from the academy." "Oh. Well, that's fine, too, then." "Well then," said Washu. "I guess we have another guest to join us on the Soja." "Huh?" "Yes, you should join us on the Soja," Washu invited the officer. "You see, Mihoshi's ship is still lodged in the bridge of my ship. I'm afraid that Jurai is one of the few places with hangers large enough for the Soja. Fortunately for us we were headed there anyway." "Oh. Um, Sir," said Kiyone to clerk. "May I use your phone?" "Sure. You know where it is." "I'm gonna call the shuttle and tell them not to wait for me, and I'll be right with you guys," announced the officer as she headed to a back room. A Question of Jurisdiction "That's your ship!" gawked Kiyone. "Well... no," said Washu. "That's just the shuttle." "Shu- shuttle! But that's twice the size of a standard GP cruiser!" "Wait till you see the ship," Tenchi told her. "Ahh! What a boring day," yawned Seiryo to himself as he walked through the vast grounds of his father's palace totally unaware that he was being watched. "Can't wait 'till the tournament next week," he said as he yawned. "Ugh, Is My Lady going out of her mind? Choosing this... this... thing," said the mysterious cloaked figure to himself figure as he watched Seiryo through the portal. "Oh well, an order is an order. The sooner I complete my mission the sooner I can get rid of this damn physical body." "Oh my, what a pretty flower! It matches my blue eyes!" exclaimed Seiryo when he noticed the purple daisy-like flower growing at the side of the path. "I simply must have it!" He ran to the plant and picked the flower. Making sure not to muss his hair he place the flower behind his ear so that its petals would hang just above his right eye. He pulled out an oval mirror with a carved wooden body and handle that was tied to his belt. He held the pink painted mirror with his right and placed his left hand on his chin as he examined himself in the mirror. "Oh! It does match my eyes just perfectly. Oh! How manly!" Seiryo was so engrossed examining himself in his mirror that he did not notice the portal open up in front of him and a tall, cloaked figure step from it. The man noisily cleared his throat. Seiryo didn't notice and continued admiring himself. Annoyed, he contacted his mistress telepathically, "_What is it?_" she asked him from another universe. "_Are you sure about this guy? It might work out better if I just killed him right now and you sent one of your more powerful minions._" "_It is tempting. But, no, he has won the tournament every time for the past four years. He should be perfect for my plans, you can kill him after we're done with him. Besides, I do want to see how good HE is,_" his mistress's voice echoed in his head. "_Okay..._" he replied to her skeptically as her overwhelming presence left his mind. He cleared his throat once more, still no response. "Oh yes! Seiryo, you brute!" Seiryo said to himself as he continued to marvel at his reflection. A massive drop of sweat appeared on the stranger's face. "SEIRYO!" he yelled in a Jurai-shaking voice. He finally noticed, "Oh, yes. How can I help you?" "I am here, Seiryo, to grant you a wish," he said. "A wish?" "Yes, any wish. But under one condition, though," said the man. "What condition?" Seiryo asked. "My Lady will grant you anything you wish for, if AND ONLY IF during the tournament next week..." "I will not take a fall!" interrupted the Juraian Lord. The cloaked man continued speaking without even acknowledging Seiryo's remark, "...you 'accidentally' misjudge a strike and decapitate a certain... person." "Hehe, you want me to kill someone! Well, you should have said that sooner," said Seiryo, laughing. "Sure, I'll do it, it's no problem for someone as dashing as myself." "Good." The man could have jumped for joy at that moment his ploy had worked perfectly. "Do not fail My Lady." With his words, a bolt of light hit the Juraian squarely in the temple. Seiryo seemed to be unaffected. "Yes, I will kill this man," said Seiryo. "That is all, I shall see you again after you have completed your mission," It would be fun killing him. "Well, we're about half way there," said Washu as she re-entered the shuttle's passenger compartment. She sweat-dropped when she saw Mihoshi had fallen asleep and had some drool hanging from the side of her mouth. "That's good. So, Tenchi?" purred "Ryo". "What're we gonna do together now that we can't spar?" she asked coyly. "I don't know." Ryoko leaned in close to Tenchi and whispered into his ear, "We could... go to my room and..." "Hey, now, Ryo!" Tenchi yelled waking Mihoshi in the process. "Okay, okay," she said downcast. "We'll go to your room if that's how you want it." "Hey, now Ryoko, we're not going to anyone's room!" "R-Ryoko!" exclaimed Kiyone. "Hehe," Tenchi sweat-dropped and scratched the back of his head. "Ryo." "Ahh, It's okay, Tenchi, I wasn't going to be able to stay like this forever anyway," Ryoko said as her body seemed to melt back into its original form. "Yup! That's right, I'm Ryoko! The most wanted space pirate of the two universes!" Kiyone drew her gun causing the little Ryo-ohki perched on Ryoko's shoulder to arch her back and hiss like a threatened cat. "Stop, Detective!" commanded Mihoshi. "What!" asked Kiyone with her gun out and aimed at the pirate. "This is not your jurisdiction!" "Ugh, What!" she complained. "That's right, you can't touch her," said Mihoshi. "But... but you're a DSC!" "Exactly." "Then make this my jurisdiction!" "Um... Washu?" asked Tenchi. "Why are they arguing like that?" "Well, Tenchi, in the Galaxy Police the rank for detectives is set up like so: There is third-class to first-class, the lower the number, the higher the rank. A first-class detective is usually the top-ranking detective in any particular area and their patrol area determines their jurisdiction. And there're usually only one or two detectives first-class in any patrol area (usually partnered together if there's more than one). "Lower ranking detectives are under the direct control of first-class detectives and their jurisdiction is determined by the first-class detectives that operate their same patrol area. "Then there's DSC, or detective special-class. It's a relatively new rank; it's been only about thirty or forty years since it was created. It's a rank that has more authority than a major, but still works in the field. A DSC is the highest rank that doesn't work behind a desk. It takes a full commander to tell them what to do although they can't give orders to a major or higher ranking officer. Therefore, they basically do what they want, where they want, when they want, and how they want. They can arrest you just because they're having a bad day. Their jurisdiction is wherever they happen to feel like having it be, kind of like a mercenary in that respect. They also have the authority to change any other lower ranking detective's jurisdiction. The GP even allows them to go into protected areas without first getting permission. "Fortunately DSC is a rank that's rarely awarded to anyone. Most people are promoted to major instead of DSC. "Anyone that's a DSC's partner pretty much has an unlimited jurisdiction, unless the DSC changes that. Only they get blamed for the DSC's short comings, but they're also usually officers that are 'flagged' for rapid promotion," she pointed a thumb towards Mihoshi and Kiyone who were still arguing. "That's why they're arguing. Tenchi, some of the better advice I can give you is: no matter what you do... don't get on a DSC's bad side." "Listen, Kiyone," Mihoshi was saying, "I have my reasons for doing this..." "And what would those be!" _There goes my easy promotion,_ she thought. "Well, she did save my life and..." "And what?" "Well... I don't think I should talk about that." "Excuse me, you two," interrupted Ryoko. "What!" Kiyone screamed in frustration, a blood vein pressing itself out of her forehead. "I probably shouldn't tell you two this, but I don't really see any way around it. So if you two can keep a secret..." "Why would I want to keep anything you say a secret?" asked Kiyone. "Because the GP will most definitely shoot you for it." "Oh..." said Mihoshi. "Listen to her, Kiyone." Ryoko pulled a pen from between her breasts. It was exactly like Mihoshi's. Pressing a button the same way Mihoshi had, a holographic screen appeared. It had Ryoko's picture, the GP logo, and rank data. Her rank was listed as "Non-Commissioned Commander." Everybody's eyes went wider than their respective owners had ever thought possible. "It's got to be a fake," Kiyone said after a moment. Ryoko tossed the pen to Kiyone, causing the detective to jump slightly from surprise, "take a closer look, it's real." "I know she's telling the truth Kiyone," said Mihoshi coming to the pirate's defense. "But, why would they keep the fact that you were a member of the GP a secret. Why wouldn't they just come clean and say you were a GP officer that turned bad and you were kicked out?" "Were?" asked Ryoko as she walked to a view port to look out into space. "No, I still am an integral part of the GP. Now, I'm just curious how Mihoshi knew." Ryoko glared at the DSC. "Huh? Me? Oh, hehe, Grandfather accidentally slipped his tongue one day when I was visiting him." "Oh, I see," said Ryoko as she returned to looking out the window. "I don't understand though," said the third-class detective. "How can you be a GP? A commander nonetheless." "Fundraising," Ryoko said under her breath. "Huh? Fundraising?" "That huge budget that the GP has," the pirate paused. "Where do you think it comes from?" "Well, in the academy they said 85% of GP funding comes from various donations from different governments and just individuals and the rest of it comes from the sale of GP-developed technologies." "You're exactly right. And why do you think people donate so much money to the GP every year?" she asked. "Well... they said that most of the people who donate money to the GP do so out of dislike for pirates and other criminals in hope that we would be better able to capture criminals because of their donations." "And that's my job in a nutshell." "Huh?" "My job description as a Galaxy Police officer is to rob as many places as possible and in the process generate hatred toward space pirates and just criminals in general and thus get people to donate money to the GP. I'm just a fundraiser. "You see. It all started about ten years after I first started pirating. At that time, most people hadn't heard of me yet. Around that time, a GP detective captured me. When I was taken to the GPHQ I met the, at that time, Assistant Deputy Marshall of Classified Affairs of the Galaxy Police Ito Oshii, your grandfather, Mihoshi. When he was viewing my criminal history, he noted that, and I quote, I 'have quite some skill.' So, he offered me a job. We cut a deal right there: I rob as many places as possible and they try to capture me. I get to keep everything I steal and they give any supplies I might need as long as I don't kill any of their people and once in a while take the role of an informant. That's one of the reasons I never destroyed any GP ships and only targeted their engines and weapons systems. The catch is that if I'm ever caught, they give me a formal pardon in the form of faking my execution, and I never ever again show my face in public, and if I decide to retire or quit... they truly capture me, throw me in prison for a while, fake execution, and I never again show face in public or they kill me... Well, I still struck a deal with him and he instantly made me a commander--I could never tell anyone though--and that's what I've been doing ever since, just raising funds." Kiyone was awestruck. She had joined the GP partly to help people and to make their lives better and easier and now she finds out that that organization... The same one whose pledge is to protect and defend the public from all types of danger... real or imagined, was swindling the very same people it swore by. It was a revelation that hurt Kiyone not much more than it would to drive a splintered wooden stake through her heart. "But why an execution?" she asked. "Whenever a Class-A Pirate like myself is executed, a vast many people feel that it would be a good thing for them to donate money to the GP. You know, kind of like a way of showing your gratitude. This creates a sudden large swell in revenue, it's sort of like my last big help to the organization, I guess." "Oh... I see," said Kiyone. "And now you can probably also see why they want me to keep this a secret. I was fortunate that I was able to keep this a secret from my mother 'till now," Ryoko said with a glance over her shoulder toward Washu. "That's not an easy thing to do. But, if the fact that many of the top fifty most wanted pirates are actually in the service of the GP ever were to get out..." "...There would be chaos," Kiyone finished Ryoko's sentence. "The public would revolt against the GP and the organization and most of its top-ranking employees would forever from that point on be out of a job--if they're not dead." "And what about me!" Ryoko yelled with a fist clenched in an anger that matched her voice. "They swindled me too! It seemed like a good idea at the time, that I would be able to continue doing what I love and not get punished for it when I get caught. But NO! I'll never again have a life of my own! Never! They tricked me into selling my life away to the GP. I was so naïve, I should've never made that deal! Jurai knows about this also and usually it secretly supports people like me in order to help the GP raise the money they need in exchange for good relations with the GP. Unfortunately for me... Jurai hates me for what I did there, and so even if I were ever to quit, not only would my recorded life be over, but Jurai would also then begin actively chasing me down until I'm really executed. They wouldn't dare try to capture me while I'm in the employment of the GP because it will hurt the GP-Juraian relationship." "My, how horrible," said Mihoshi. "Hehe, don't worry, Mihoshi. I have a plan that will make even the GP have to give me a public formal pardon not in the form of execution." She paused, "You'll see... after Tenchi wins the tournament." "I've always wondered why they have such a difficult time catching you," Kiyone commented. "Hey now!" Ryoko came to her own defense. "I'll have you know that I rarely ever get any help from GP in anything I do!" "Ayeka, sister!" called the young princess as she easily opened the massive hundred-foot tall wooden doors to her sister's room. She was crying "What's wrong, Sasami?" Ayeka called as she tiredly sat up in her tennis court-size bed. "I... I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you tonight?" "Sure, Sasami." "Thank you," said the eight-year old as she slowly made her way through the large chamber to Ayeka's bed. "Would talking about it make you feel better?" she asked the crying little girl gently as she climbed into the massive bed. "It was about Seiryo. He was crying and then... then..." "Sasami, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she assured the younger one. "Then all of a sudden his... his... head fell off," with this statement the blue-haired princess's sobbing increased. "Oh, it's okay Sasami, he's the best swordsman in the galaxy, and he can protect himself. He's not going to be hurt," comforted the older princess and in her mind added, _unfortunately._ Sasami slowed her crying to mere watering eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked innocently. "Yes, I'm certain." With that comment the purple haired princess finally managed to end her sister's tears. "Let's go to sleep now, sister." "Yes," replied the cute little girl with an enthusiastic nod. End Chapter Gamma Okay, this is the first chapter that I feel a need to explain some of the things I did in the story. So I'll do just that: ----------------- First of all, the way Tenchi reacted to Washu's crying and embraced her. I believe would be a result of his being raised in the US. In Japan it is traditional for men to hide their emotions. Because of this, Japanese men usually aren't as adept at comforting women who have been emotionally hurt. This then naturally is incorporated somewhat into the original Tenchi's personality. In the US, however, men are comparatively horrible at hiding their emotions and are also, therefore, better at consoling females. That's one reason. The second is that Tenchi, although he's shy around girls he also doesn't like seeing any girl hurt, physically or emotionally, especially when it's his fault and I'm making this portion of his personality, not liking to hurt girls, a little more dominant than it was in the OVA's. Secondly, the scene where he starts crying when he receives Tenchi- Ken is a judgment call that I made based on a combination of things from the OVA and TV series and real life. Obviously, his mother is very, very important to him and leads me to logically conclude that family is a very important thing to Tenchi. In my psychology class, I learned that many psychologists consider personality traits to be a combination of hereditary factors and past experiences. It is not been very well determined, however, which personality traits are genetic and which are not, therefore, I have quite some freedom in deciding an American-raised Tenchi's personality but am still constrained to keeping his personality close to that of a Japanese-raised Tenchi. From things in Universe and TMiL, it is my belief that Nobuyuki and Katsuhito both also think that family is very important--Nobuyuki even more so as he is constantly praying to his "wife in heaven"--to them and that this could be easily argued that in the case of Tenchi's family that the importance of family is a hereditary trait, therefore, whom he was raised by would not have an effect on that portion of his personality. Also, in this universe, Tenchi is an orphan and he doesn't have any of his blood-relatives. Like I stated in the story, many orphans do feel like outcasts, especially when they don't have any knowledge about their "true" family other than that they died when they were very young and when they don't have anything tangible to connect themselves with their family. Therefore, although he doesn't remember his family, they would most likely still be of great importance to him. Third and final, the short phrase by Washu that explains the construction of Juraian Tree Ships, the information for this phrase was taken from the Tenchi Muyo! Encyclopedia on the Tenchi the Movie 2: Daughter of Darkness(tm) DVD and the Tenchi Muyo! Encyclopedia V3.0 that is Disc Three of the Tenchi Muyo! DVD Ultimate Edition 3 DVD box set(tm). -------------- Special Thanks: Roas Atrades as always for his proficient proofreading and helping me fix my errors caused by my late night writing binges. Also thanks for the constructive (keyword: constructive) criticism. As always, send all comments, complaints CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, requests to be added to my "mailing list" for this story, etc., and hopefully not flames although there's nothing I can do to stop flames (burn baby, burn) to: yolk@snowcrest.net Also be sure to visit my web page at: http://www.geocities.com/tsunamis_knight/