"Tenchi Saga 6: Dark Princess-Part Two"
by: frogboy@tokyo-3.com; David Boutwell
c2001

***Read This***
(This story is rated 16-up, and contains a hint of sexual content later in the 
story.  It doesn't have enough citric acid to qualify as a lemon, in my book, 
but it does get rather "juicy" later on... so read at your own risk, and use 
discretion.  This isn't for kids)

	"Message from Earth, direct, sir!" a woman with a visor tore a read-out 
from her printer and handed it to a man, who appeared to be extremely important, 
"do you wish to read it, Anderson?"
"Hand it to me," the busy man typed on his computer as hundreds of monitors 
displayed the battle near Earth.  He glanced over it a bit before pressing it 
down onto a large spike amid the scattered papers of his desk, "it seems the 
Earth is withdrawing from the war, and wishes to conform with Galaxy standards!"
"Good news, sir?"
"Good news?!  That's `great` news, outstanding news, insurmountably wonderful 
news!!"
"When does this take effect?"
"Earth forces are dismounting weaponry.  It seems their surrender has occurred," 
the man spoke as he tapped a key on his phone, "Report, all units.  Disengage 
combat with Earth and establish treaty reservation satellites near Luna.  I 
repeat, disengage combat, at once."
The command echoed throughout the Galaxy police station headquarters and Juraian 
army command center, and, within a few minutes, the order had taken effect.  
Thousands of international, and intergalactic, media scrambled to get the 
answers:
"Dii korun a'listhe!"
"Chikyuu jishu!"
"!La tierra se entrega!"
"U-dethghiy dlm nwwe!"
"La terra cede!"
"Oe eii o ae eeu iu!"
"La terre se rend!"
"A-kana-na'no!"
"A terra rende-se!"
"Earth surrenders!"

	Slowly, the stone-carved door drifted open, revealing a large hole, 
dropping downward into starry sky, water dripping down grooved walls, and 
hovering boulders.  Atop each floating boulder rested a statue and a gem.  The 
suspended rocks were moveable at the slightest touch, and spun slowly through 
the void.  There were fairly wide gaps between each of stones, and crossing 
these spaces would pose difficulty.  At the opposite of this hall was a large 
door, with no platform beneath it to allow easy access, or a knob, for that 
matter.  The ceiling was glass, and showed a glimpse of the wide universe.  As 
of now, however, the starry field was blocked almost entirely by the terrestrial 
planet of Jurai.  Ships were speeding in and out of this massive globe, but none 
had noticed the derelict craft floating through their space.  Stone and other 
unconventional crafts are often difficult to detect with sensors, and this odd 
vessel was no exception.  Peering across this conundrum were the legendary space 
pirate, Ryoko, the ancestral savior, Yosho, and the Juraian warlords from long 
ago, Azaka and Kamidake.
"Hmm," Yosho scratched his chin, "Looks tough."
Ryoko stared intently at the rocks as they drifted around the gap.  She measured 
that the chasm into space was about thirty meters across, and had five stones.  
Each stone would then account for a six meter jump-rather far for a normal 
person to leap.  Ryoko knew that she was no "normal person".  The first stone, 
nearly eight meters from her, seemed to be easy to catch.  The rod that was 
previously on top of the rock had spun until it was on the stone's bottom.
"Ryoko, I know what you're thinking," Kamidake began, "but I'm not sure if it'll 
work in Kagato's little game."
"I believe I'll have to agree with him on this one," Azaka nodded.
"Well, nothing left but to try," Ryoko ran quickly forward and took a long leap 
forward.  Unfortunately, her leap was not long enough and she fell short of the 
rock.  With her arm extended upward, Ryoko grasped the rod that was hanging from 
the bottom of the rock.  Only a few of her fingers were holding onto the bar, 
and slowly sliding downward to the jasmine jewel at the end.
"Ok, so I was a tad off," Ryoko shouted back to her allies, "a little help 
here?"
As she held onto the rod, the stone gradually drifted downward, into the void of 
space.
"Any ideas, Yosho?" Azaka asked, stroking his fingers through a thick, cobalt 
beard.
"You can't save them all..." Yosho chuckled.
"Yosho!  That's not funny!" growled Ryoko.
"Kamidake, shoot arrows to her," Azaka came up with an idea.
"What will that help?" Kamidake asked phasing his signature weapon into being.
"Ryoko will be able to climb up the side, if you put arrows up the side, like a 
ladder," Azaka explained.
"You are quite wise, Azaka," Kamidake smiled and drew his arrow upward.
"Thanks, you're not that bad, yourself," Azaka complimented.  A stream of eight 
arrows led a path up from Ryoko to the top of the rock.  Hesitantly, Ryoko 
climbed the arrows that jutted out from the solid granite.  As she ascended, 
however, the rock began to rotate, and she had to run to keep from falling.  The 
faster she ran, the faster the rock moved, until the rock floated back upward, 
and toward the group.
"I... can't..." Ryoko paused for breaths, "slow... down...!"
"Ryoko, just jump to the next rock," Yosho yelled.  Ryoko's feet pushed off of 
the rock, sending the stone floating backward, toward Yosho, and Ryoko careening 
forward, toward the next rock.  Amazingly, Ryoko managed to spread herself 
evenly across it, maintaining perfect balance.
"Ah, here it comes," Yosho awaited the rock to draw close enough to him for the 
jump to be simple, steadied the rock with his hands, and pushed onto it, giving 
it some extra thrust.  Yosho floated through the air, trying to keep balanced, 
while the rock drifted toward Ryoko.
"Toss it back to us when you're done crossing the gap," called Kamidake as he 
put away his bow, "but anyway, she was wearing one of those nice frilly 
things..."
"Uh huh, uh huh," Azaka replied as the two droned on in a conversation.
Ryoko began losing balance on the second rock, but just as she did, she was 
greeted by Yosho.
"Quick hold my hands," Yosho called to her, as she slipped off the side of the 
rock.  The two grabbed onto each other, and barely hung onto life.  If either of 
them had released from the other, they'd both fall forever into the great 
darkness.  Yosho used his foot to push himself away from the stone, and propel 
it back for Azaka and Kamidake.  Azaka and Kamidake repeated the actions that 
Yosho and Ryoko had taken.
"Ryoko," Yosho said as they carefully situated themselves onto the next floating 
orb and pushed themselves into motion, "have you ever just wanted to attack me 
again, for sealing you in that chamber?"
"Not really," Ryoko said, considerately, "I was really pissed off knowing that I 
was only being punished for what Kagato had done, but I wasn't wanting to kill 
you.  You were kinda cute!"
"My grandson `is` Tenchi, y'know," Yosho grinned across to her, as sweat rolled 
down his head.
"Oh, you can tell where he gets his looks from."
After a few more crossings, Yosho spoke, solemnly, "I'm sorry about what 
happened between you and Tenchi."
"It's ok.  I understand what he's feeling.  I would never argue with what he 
thought was right," Ryoko said, "and if he needed some time to himself, I guess 
I wouldn't argue."
"You're a very tolerant woman, Ryoko," Yosho smiled, "someday, you and Tenchi 
will live in peace and happiness, I'm sure of it."
"Y-Yosho," Ryoko was confused, "what about Aeka?"
"In time, you will all get what you wish.  If you all wish to be with Tenchi, 
I'm sure it will come true."
Ryoko pondered over Yosho's statements for a time, until they were inches from 
the stone door.  Ryoko took initiative and blasted the door down with a 
tremendous, azure blast.  The four intrepid rescuers leapt into the next 
corridor of Kagato's twisted trap.  As the room's contents came into vision, the 
crew was struck with fear.

	"We should start with some Energy-Penetrating Grid Restraints," Washu 
lifted a cube formed of thin wires, "sound like a good idea?"
"I guess..." Sasami rubbed the back of her head, "I don't know."
Washu smiled, "That's ok.  It's really complex science stuff, anyway."
Washu placed the cube near the impassable wall and held two orbs, that were at 
the top two corners.  She stretched the two orbs outward, which widened the face 
of the cube to about four feet high and three feet wide.  Mihoshi, within the 
chamber, seemed a tad more hopeful after seeing Washu, but remained noiseless 
through the silencing barrier.  After Washu had widened the cube's surface, she 
engaged a small button on the side of one of the orbs.  Suddenly, the cube 
stretched through the barrier, penetrating it, and reaching five feet onto 
either side of the wall.  With another button, she summoned a blue, energy fence 
to coat the cube, with the exception of the front and back sides.  This shell 
was of the same consistency as the wall itself, and blocked off the path of the 
current, creating a tunnel into the new room.
"...of the week, so I said, 'No way, get outta here,' and she was like, 'Better 
believe it!'..." the voice of Toshimi, as well as the other GP detectives in 
heated conversation, emanated instantaneously, as entry was gained to the other 
side.
"You're almost free," Washu called into there, "I'll have to crawl inside and 
stabilize it the rest of the way."
"So, can I just crawl out to you?" Toshimi asked as he began trying to crawl 
through the hole."
"No, it won't work," Washu waved her hands in a halting motion, "it only allows 
passage one way."
"That kinda sucks," Toshimi rose from his position on the floor.  Washu looked 
through the ghostly wavering wall as she cautiously crossed to the other side.  
Mihoshi and Toshimi were talking to one another is if nothing had occurred, 
Sarah and Chie were in a riveting, philosophical debate, and Kiyone was sitting 
alone in a corner of the room.  Washu was concerned by Kiyone's state, but 
remained nonchalant, "Are you all ok?"
"Yeah, we'll manage," Chie responded, "and you?"
"I'm fine," Washu said, "and what is your name?"
"The name's Chie, and this is Sarah," Chie pointed to his female companion, "may 
I ask your name?"
"Washu-chan," she grinned childishly.
"I see."
"Well, I'd better get to work," Washu cracked her knuckles, "Sasami, could you 
slide my Gyroscopic Augmentation Apparatus."
"What does that look like?" Sasami asked.
"It's green and has a metal pole on it that spin around in circles."
"Found it," Sasami took it out of a small bag that Washu had beckoned from her 
lab.  Ryo-ohki began swatting at the revolving rod, mischievously.  The unit 
slid through the tunnel to Washu, with the playfully cabbit chasing it all the 
way.
"Ryo-ohki!" Sasami scolded the cat-like creature, "you get back here!"
Sasami began crawling in to capture Ryo-ohki.
"Sasami don't come through..." Washu shouted a second too late, "Now we're all 
stuck in here!"
"That's not bad, is it?" Mihoshi asked, "you can get us out, right?"
"Not without the masu-fueled power cell in my supply bag," Washu sighed.
"Well, I guess we wait," Toshimi said, pulling a deck of cards from his pocket, 
"anyone up for some poker?"

	"What is it you intend to do, Kagato?" Aeka tried to remain polite, and 
calm.
"I need to stay alive," Kagato smiled, "long enough to finish my duty with 
Jurai."
"Why Jurai?  What did you want of it?" Aeka pleaded, as Kagato brought her into 
an area of the ship with circular, soft beds, and running waters-a most 
beautiful and mystique-charmed atmosphere.
"Jurai was built upon crime, villainy, lies, and injustices.  Your planet was 
originally formed by a legion of thieves and pirates.  The gods disgust at your 
heritage, and I disgust as well."
"That is not true!  Liar!!" Aeka's body floated, by the whim of Kagato, onto the 
circular bed.
"You are ignorant, I see.  Just as the Juraians have taught you to be," Kagato 
laughed, and drew close to Aeka, "you will be my perfect weapon."
"What?!" Aeka shouted, straining to move her body, but to no avail.
"That's right.  Ryoko is a far more formidable fighter, but your usage will be 
beyond that of pure strength.  Your usage will be a more tactical one."
"You mean... like you did long ago, like how you tried to destroy Jurai?"
"Precisely."
"But how will you do it, Kagato?  There are no jewels in me.  Nothing."
"No jewels... yet."
"Tenchi-kun was destroyed, I saw it!" Aeka recalled the disappearance of the 
sword.
"Ha.  They taught you nothing..." Kagato chuckled, "your foolishness simply 
amuses me.  Nothing can be created or destroyed.  All energy, all things, must 
go to another location when they become 'extinct', for lack of a better word."
"Then what of the sword Tenchi?"  Aeka managed to gain control of her hand, but 
didn't make it obvious to Kagato.
"The intense energy produced by Washu was her life returning to her.  This 
created a miniature black hole within Tenchi's sword.  No, I'm sorry... my 
mistake... this was the opposite of a black hole."
"Opposite?  You mean it pushes out energy?"
"No, those are different-they have a name too.  I am speaking of the Light Hawk 
Wings.  The energy from the Wings absorbed the portion of the gems that was 
Washu's memory and repelled the rest out into space."
"Do you know where it is?"
"Yes.  In fact, I have it.  It drifted to my cold, dead ashes in space, and in 
its wake was a gaseous, yellow substance.  This yellow gas was contramatter, and 
its will brought me back to life."
"Its will?  This gaseous matter can think?" Aeka gained control of her wrist and 
left arm.
"It can only think if it is paired with a life-form, from something as complex 
as a human, to something as simple as a bug."
Aeka remembered Washu's experimentation with contramatter and how she used egg 
cells and sperm to produce a being, "When it brought you back, whatever was 
there before you must be making you crazy."
"Silence!  It argued with me.  It tried to show me error in my ways!  I had to 
force it into the back of my mind," Kagato screamed inches from Aeka's face, "It 
almost drove me mad!"
Tears poured down Aeka's face as Kagato's terrifying presence drew close to her, 
"Please stop.  I'm sorry about what happened to you.  Just let me go back to 
Jurai."
"Your wish will be fulfilled soon, Princess," Kagato stepped away from her, 
"quite soon, indeed."

	"How could he be so cruel?" Kamidake whined as he stood aside Azaka.
"This is an utterly disgusting and merciless way for Kagato to torture us," 
Yosho growled as he lifted up one of Kagato's horrible "torture devices".  The 
room had six Rubik's cubes, thirty assorted puzzles involving the disassembly of 
entangled metal links, and three extremely vast, twelve-hundred-piece jigsaw 
puzzles.  At the opposite wall was a doorframe, drawn with blue inks.
"Better get started," Azaka opened a jigsaw box and began locating all the edge 
pieces.
"I think I can do this one," Yosho tugged at the metal links that ran circles 
and loops past one another, "the trick is to work backwards from the outer 
ring."
"When we finish the puzzles, we should toss them into a pile over here," 
suggested Kamidake.
"You mean, 'if' we finish the puzzles," Ryoko growled at the cube in her hand as 
she shifted the sides uncontrollably, "Washu would be of help about now."
"We can't go back for her, though," Azaka finished the frame around the jigsaw 
picture, which had warm colors decorating it.
"Well, I may as well get to work, helping you with that puzzle, Azaka," Kamidake 
dropped to floor aside him and sorted through the mess of pieces.
"Wow, that wasn't too hard," Yosho detached the last of the rings and tossed 
them into a pile near the entryway.
"Ooh, I got all the reds on one side!" Ryoko shouted, continuing with her 
puzzle, "now if I can just get the rest of the sides done, without messing up 
this one."
"This could take hours," Yosho sighed lifting another inane, metal puzzle from 
the floor-more complex this time.

	Three beautiful aces accompanied by the two royal sisters themselves 
rested contentedly within Mihoshi's hand.
"I'll see your ten and raise it five," Toshimi grinned evilly, shielding his 
cards from prying eyes.
"I fold," Chie tossed his cards into the center of the table.
"I'll... I don't know... see the fifteen, and... um... raise it twenty," Mihoshi 
giggled.
"Oh, that's how you like to play," Toshimi smirked and tossed his chips into the 
center, "What do you have?"
"I have three of these... and two of these," Mihoshi smiled and laid her cards 
out across the table, "is that good?"
Toshimi forfeited the large pot to Mihoshi and groaned heavily.
"Does that mean I win?" Mihoshi smiled, adding the chips to her already immense 
collection.  Washu sighed and glanced over at Kiyone, who was still sitting 
alone, in the corner.  The scientist left her tokens at the table, and walked 
toward Kiyone.
"Wait, you forgot to ante..." Toshimi began before noticing Kiyone's situation, 
"never mind."
Washu had an amazing instinct at sensing precisely what was wrong.
"Kiyone," Washu spoke in a soft, empathetic tone, "I know how Kagato works.  I 
know what he did.  He won't be here after we're through with him."
"I got away," Kiyone cried, "before he got too far with me..."
"Kiyone... don't let it get to you.  He wants you to suffer.  Try to forget."
"When you were captured by Kagato, did...?" Kiyone started, in a scratchy, 
hoarse voice.
"He was very egotistical; he still is," Washu spoke softly, to keep the 
conversation between only Kiyone and herself, "his lust for power and delusion 
of being infinitely charismatic drove him to do things I can't bring myself to 
speak of, right now.  I spent a long time in Souja with Kagato, and only my 
memories of my family, and Ryoko, kept me from suicide."
"I can't believe that anyone could be so..." tears welled up in Kiyone's eyes-
tears of anger and pain.
"Don't speak..." Washu knelt down next to Kiyone and held her hand.
Kiyone gripped sternly onto Washu's hand and wept, saying not a word for what 
seemed like an eternity.

	A knock suddenly came upon the Masaki house.  No answer came.  Kai 
continued working in the subspace lab, unaware of the rapping upon the front 
door.
"Sir, we have clearance to search the premises, would you please open the door?" 
an officer's voice came from beyond the door.  Still, no reply.  Kai simply 
rejoiced as he solved another equation dealing with the locus equidistance of 
points in 4-dimensional space using only planar geometry.  The knocking 
continued for about three minutes, "That's it.  We're coming in."
A vehement kick knocked the door to the floor inside the vacant house.  Kai was 
smiling and cheering for himself after his previous success, as he stepped out 
of the subspace lab.  He walked down the hall toward the staircase, and collided 
with a police officer.
"Whoops," Kai didn't pay much attention to whom he'd smashed into, "excuse me."
"Do you mind?!" the cop yelled, awakening Kai from his soporific state.
"Oh, what are you doing here?" Kai asked, courteously.
"We have reason to believe that a certain Juraian princess may be boarding 
within this household," he explained, "we'd like to look around."
"Sure..." Kai nodded, "but I'm a tad bit confused.  I heard on the news that 
Earth surrendered, and is willing to conform."
"Yeah," the cop laughed, "devilishly clever, these Earth rulers are.  I'm pretty 
sure that Jurai bought it, too."
"Isn't that pretty low?" Kai complained.
"Whose side are you on?" the cop interrogated.
"The side of goodness and peace," Kai stood proudly jutting forth his chest.
"Su-u-u-u-ure," the cop nodded with a raised brow, "Come on, Johnson, we need 
this place cleaned out, top to bottom."
"Ok, but don't make a mess," Kai shouted, as the two searched the place.  They 
walked about the place for almost an hour before Officer Johnson spotted a note 
attached to the refrigerator.
"Hey, Lloyd," the man called, "check this."
"What is it?" the rotund detective glanced at the paper.
"It's a note left by the keepers of the house," Johnson cleared his throat and 
read, "'Dear Yosho,' ...blah, blah, blah... 'Tenchi and I are leaving to help 
fix the hot springs hotel' ...blah, blah, blah... 'make sure Aeka and Ryoko 
don't make a mess of the place.'"
"Aeka?" Lloyd grinned, "so she `is` in this house."
"But where..."
They diligently surveyed the house for another half-hour until arriving at the 
only door that hadn't yet been checked.
"Aeka must be in this closet," Johnson chuckled, as he swung the door open, 
revealing a seemingly endless laboratory, a large fish floating merrily through 
a subspace aquarium, and Kai hovering on a pillow, computing various formulae 
into a levitating monitor.
"L-L-L-Lloyd?" Johnson stuttered.
"I see it, Johnson," Lloyd mumbled, "but I don't believe it."
"Oh, welcome," Kai dropped from his seat to the metal floor and walked to greet 
the officers.
"I don't know what this is, but I know one thing," Lloyd growled, "the Earth 
forces will be buzzing around here like a bunch of bees, once word of this gets 
out."
"Sir, you'll have to come with us," Johnson pulled forth a taser and used it to 
subdue Kai into unconsciousness.
"That was easy," Lloyd brushed his hands against one another, "now, let's find 
that hot springs hotel."

	"Tenchi!  You're doing it all wrong!" Tenchi's aunt growled, "watch your 
father and try again."
Nobuyuki cut pieces of construction paper into stars and moons while Tenchi cut 
the pieces into what appeared to be large oval-shaped blobs, and weird, spiders-
looking-thingies with five legs rather than eight.
"It's all in the wrist, Tenchi, you know that," Nobuyuki grinned as he produced 
a few more perfectly designed shapes.  Tenchi sighed grievingly and attempted a 
few more shapes, as his aunt sat back and brushed up on her Go strategies as the 
two men slaved away.
"Watch this!" Tenchi shouted, while displaying himself proudly.
"What is it Tenchi?" Nobuyuki asked his son.  Rather than answering, Tenchi used 
his scissors to strike a thick bamboo plant behind his father, which Nobuyuki 
didn't quite see.
"Were you trying to scare me, Tenchi?" Nobuyuki chuckled.  A few seconds later, 
an immense bamboo chunk crashed down onto Father's skull.
"Ow!" tears welled up in Nobuyuki's eyes.
"Grandpa taught me that one," Tenchi chuckled, "He called it the, 'Botanic 
Bludgeoning Blast'!"
"Remind me to try that one on my father-in-law when I get back," Nobuyuki 
recuperated from the attack.  The minutes compounded into hours, which led deep 
into night, when a car arrived, and with the vehicle, a barely audible rattle of 
door chimes.  No one in the house awakened at this noise, but the door's gentle 
closing made enough sound to gain the attention of a certain boy whose name was 
the same as a certain sword.
"Wha?" Tenchi widened his eyes with difficulty and dismissed the barely resonant 
sound that the door produced as yet another creepy noise in his aunt's old 
house.
"Don't drop that..." a voice whispered, alerting Tenchi just before he managed 
to fall back into a placid rest.
"What is that?" Tenchi's thoughts were repeated silently by his lips, as the boy 
shook with fear.
"Where do you think..." the whispering was overcome by silence, like a "loud" 
silence, subduing all other noise.  Tenchi slowly rose from his sheet and 
grabbed a parasol resting at the left corner of his room.  He leapt into a 
Juraian-type stance taught to him by Grandpa and held his "weapon" accordingly.
"Oh my God, this is pretty scary," Tenchi thought as he waited for his time to 
attack.  A few minutes passed-nothing.  Fifteen minutes went by, and still-
nothing.  Then, as Tenchi grew bored and almost slumped back into utter, 
motionless rest...
Slam!
"Here he is!" a black form shouted in monotonic chant as the door swung open.
"AAAAAAAH!" Tenchi shouted, startled exponentially more than he'd ever been 
startled before.  However, this was not a scream of simply being startled.  When 
one screams from being shocked or surprised, it is a simple, one-time yell of 
horror.  Tenchi; he wasn't startled.  He was scared-scared out of his wits.
"AAAAAAAH!" so he screamed again.
"AAAAAAAH," mocked a second black silhouette entering the room.
"D'AAARGH!!" Tenchi swung his umbrella maniacally forth, as he clenched his eyes 
shut and hoped to the divine spirits inhabiting the inn that his foes would be 
smitten.
"The kid's insane, Johnson!  Insane!" one of the shadowy figures leapt backward 
out of the way of Tenchi's first strike.
"Should I use the taser, Lloyd?" the voice of another darkened image spoke, as 
Tenchi swung toward his target again.
"Yeah, quick!" shouted Lloyd, as Tenchi managed to make a direct hit against 
Lloyd's side, "Oh, man!  I think he broke my rib, or something!"
"Those ruthless Juraians and their rib-seeking weaponry!" Johnson tried to 
locate his taser, but the room was far too dark.
"What are you talking about?" Tenchi yelled as he stopped his parasol inches 
away from hitting Lloyd's face again.
"You have some valuable information regarding the whereabouts of one Jurai Aeka, 
do you not?" Johnson asked.
"Last I checked, she was still at my ho..." Tenchi started, "Wait a minute, why 
am I telling you anything?"
"We checked your house," Lloyd rose from the floor and pushed Tenchi's umbrella 
aside, "Aeka isn't there."
"I wonder where she could be," Tenchi thought.
"What is going on here?" Nobuyuki swung the door to the room open, "What's with 
all the screaming?"
Tenchi tried to yell out to Nobuyuki, but Johnson restrained him.  Tenchi 
yelled, but his voice was muffled and indistinct.
"Oh, I..." Lloyd started talking in his rasping, policeman-type tone.  He 
changed the sound of his voice to a high pitched falsetto, which contrasted 
horribly with his rough voice, and sounded nothing like Tenchi, "I just saw a 
scary spider, that's all."
"That's nice, just try to keep it down," Nobuyuki yawned and fell flat onto his 
face in the middle of the room.
"I found it," Johnson smiled and pulled out his taser.
"Good," Lloyd grinned, "Let's get outta here."

	"Now, princess," Kagato grinned as he mentally drew Aeka's outer garments 
away from her body, "I shall show you to your mission."
"Please, no," Aeka screamed, flushing a bright red, and straining her muscles to 
hide her nude body.  The Juraian princess had gained control of both arms and 
hands, and her feet.  She, however, did not let Kagato know.  Slowly, she felt 
her legs, become functional again.
"Do you want your box back?" Kagato slowly brought Aeka's sealed box into the 
air, and into his hands.
"You will leave me alone," Aeka growled, "I know that you will fall by Tenchi's 
power."
"Tenchi?" Kagato chuckled, "He is nowhere near here."
"I feel him coming this way," Aeka noticed an object in the corner of her eye.  
It was the sword of Tenchi.  Gradually, the Juraian felt each and every muscle's 
strength return to her.
"Liar," Kagato grinned, knowingly, "you feel nothing."
"I do.  I feel it.  You've never felt love before, so how would you know when 
your love was nearby?"
"Don't judge me, princess!  I knew love... but that was long ago.  I find such 
emotions to be mundane and unnecessary."
The two didn't speak for a few seconds.
"It is time," Kagato glared down at Aeka, and used his telekinetic power to 
remove Aeka's undergarments.
"Stop!" Aeka cried and turned her head toward Tenchi's sword.  Kagato drew close 
to Aeka and placed his hands onto her shoulders.  The villainous man drew close 
to Aeka's face to kiss her.  Tears streamed from Aeka's eyes.
"Ah!" Aeka grunted as she tumbled across the floor and seized Tenchi's sword.
"Bitch!" Kagato yelled as he sprinted toward the weakened princess.  With a 
piercing scream, Aeka thrust Tenchi directly into Kagato.  Violent bolts of 
energy streamed from Kagato's flesh as the sword jammed into him.  He remained 
frozen, being electrocuted for almost a minute, before he flew backwards and 
crashed against the side of the ship.  With the force of the reaction, the sword 
of Tenchi flung across the room, and out a window into space, so fast that 
Aeka's eyes could not catch it.

	A loud growl emanated from the room and echoed out into space.
"Dammit!" Ryoko shouted, "Just when I get all the colors onto the right sides, 
two of the pieces need swapped!"
"Well," Azaka and Kamidake continued working on their second jigsaw puzzle, 
"just switch the two places."
"You can't!" the demon shouted, "it screws up the rest of the cube!"
"How 'bout you trade me places," Yosho smiled as he finished the twentieth metal 
puzzle, leaving only ten to go.
"Really?" Ryoko smiled, "Thanks."
Within two hours, all the puzzles were finished, aside from the six Rubik's 
cubes.  Eventually, the four intrepid rescuers became so frustrated with the 
puzzles that they used their powers to destroy them.  The painted door frame 
became real and created a door within it that opened into another room.  The 
room appeared to be a large glass labyrinth, with water pouring down multi-
colored stones that lay across the glass bits of the maze.  The interesting 
thing about this labyrinth was the fact that it was three dimensional, and had 
no gravity.  There appeared to be a variety of mythical beasts floating 
throughout the maze, as well as several traps, like rotating blades and whatnot.
"A guardian's work is never done," Kamidake sighed and floated into the maze 
alongside Yosho, Ryoko, and Azaka.

	"Azusa," a voice came across a transceiver, "our ambassadors are toting 
the boy you looked for out toward Jurai, along with a scientist that was so 
fortunately available."
"Good," another voice returned, "so this is confirmation of your surrender?"
"If confirmation is necessary..." the first voice replied, "think of this as 
more of a favor."
The signal was cut.
"So, ambassador, do you think this strike on Jurai should work?" a man asked 
after the communications link was closed.
"If these are the same folks who tried to freak us out with the crop circles and 
cow mutilations, then this bomb should set them back to the heads on Easter 
Island," the ambassador chuckled.
Aback the craft were Tenchi and Kai.  Gradually, Kai's eyes opened to catch view 
of the inside corridors of the ship.  A massive bomb, appearing to be composed 
of many different megaton warheads was positioned directly beside Kai, who 
sweated nervously as he saw the clock tick down from nine hours.
"Tenchi," he whispered forcefully, "Tenchi!!"
Tenchi simply began snoring.  It was then that Kai realized his voice was being 
muffled by a piece of duct tape spanning his face.  Kai started to wiggle and 
fidget uncontrollably, but his actions were to no avail-he was stuck.
"Wha?" Kai thought as he saw a small, short object fly into the exhaust from 
outer space and through glass piping until it fell onto the inside of the ship.
"Isn't that..." Kai examined the object, "Tenchi's sword!  How'd it get out here 
in space?"
"Well sir," a voice came from the cockpit, which was blocked from the back room 
by a door, "don't you think it's about time we get home?"
"Sure," the ambassador replied, "the escape pods are ready.  We'll be home free 
after that."
Within a few minutes, Kai heard the two eject from the craft to let the ship fly 
to its destination, and inevitably explode.
"Tenchi!" Kai yelled into his gag.  After a few more minutes, Kai got the idea 
to breathe his warm breath onto the duct tape, to loosen it.  Within about three 
hours, he managed to make the tape weak enough to scrape off using the ropes he 
was bound with.
"Tenchi!" he yelled, two hours went by of nothing but incessant screaming and 
reflection upon life.  The clock on the bomb read 3:47:02.  Tenchi finally 
yawned and awakened.
"Tenchi, quick!  Grab the sword, get us out!" Kai shouted.
"Sword... what?  Where?" Tenchi mumbled, "I'll scrub it in a minute..."
"No!  Tenchi!  Sword!  Now!!" Kai shouted.
"Where am I?" Tenchi groaned.
"Space," Kai's voice was hoarse from calling for Tenchi, "we're being used as a 
weapon against Jurai.  A bomb is in the craft!  We... must... go!!"
Tenchi yawned and fell back into a deep sleep.
"Tenchi!  Come on!!" Kai yelled.
"Quiet," Tenchi moaned again, "I didn't get any sleep last night.  Just let me 
rest for a few more hours."
"Tenchi!" Kai shouted, "you'll be resting a lot longer than that if we don't do 
something, now!"
"Thanks, I needed some extra rest," Tenchi made himself comfortable, even within 
the tight ropes.
"This is not the kind of rest we want, Tenchi," Kai explained, "This means we 
become dead.  We don't want to be dead."
"You have a point," Tenchi said groggily, and commenced his snoring once more.  
Kai noticed that Tenchi was not gagged.  Perhaps, they tranquilized him, so it 
wouldn't be necessary.
"Tenchi, you must awaken.  Ryoko, Aeka..." Kai began, "all of them will hear of 
your death.  How could they live without you, Tenchi?  How?"
"What do I have to do?" Tenchi tried to sober up.
"All you must do is find a way out of here, so I can pilot this ship to safety, 
and dispose of this bomb, too."
"Oh, that's all?" Tenchi questioned, sarcastically.
"See that?" Kai tossed his body toward the sword a few times, "It's your sword."
"Woah," Tenchi stared at it longingly, "how can I get it?"
"Um... don't you have some kind of mental powers?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like... can you do anything to pull your sword toward yourself?"
"I've never fully learned how to control my abilities."
"But you can try, right?" Kai asked with a piercing gaze.
"I guess," Tenchi sighed as he tried to invoke the weapon to move.  He strained, 
but he just couldn't locate the part of his mind used to control this force.  It 
was like trying to move a muscle that wasn't there.
"I can't do it," Tenchi groaned, after giving himself a small headache from 
struggling too hard with his brain.
"Could you break the ropes, instead?" Kai asked.
"Maybe..." Tenchi began wiggling, twisting, turning, and expanding himself to 
loosen the ropes.
"0:42:53," read the clock on the bomb before Tenchi managed to slacken the 
strain of the ropes enough to slip himself up through the mass of twine.  During 
the mean time, Kai explained Washu's theory of time to Tenchi, which the 
Juraian-blooded boy found very difficult to understand.
"Now what?" Tenchi asked.
"Get me free," Kai pleaded.
"Sure, let me get my sword," Tenchi bent down and grabbed the handle of his 
blade.  When he pulled back on the handle to seize his weapon, he felt a force 
tugging at the other end.  Suddenly, an ancient Juraian ghost appeared, with the 
blade of Tenchi in his hand.
"Do you wish to have this sword?" the phantom asked, while flowing blue ethereal 
energy down onto the floor.
"Yes.  I need it to protect Jurai," Tenchi explained, allowing his grip on the 
sword to relax.
"Prove to me," the ghost pulled the sword from Tenchi's hands, "your strength."
"Tenchi!" Kai yelled, "stop talking to yourself, and get me out of here.  We're 
running out of time.
"I will show you," Tenchi ignored Kai, "how I intend to uphold the way of 
Jurai."
Tenchi dove toward the villainous apparition that only he could see, but his 
jumping kick was dodged by the dexterous spirit.  The ghostly presence gripped 
the sword, causing its energy blade to appear.
"What the hell?!" Kai stared at Tenchi's sword, which seemed to be floating 
around, by itself.
"Who are you?" Tenchi crouched down and sped toward his blade with great speed.
"It will not be that easy, Masaki," the ghost shouted while leaping away from 
Tenchi, with a slash of his sword, "It is time that I showed you exactly what it 
means to be the prince of Jurai."
A single swipe by the ghost knocked Tenchi across the room and into the large 
explosive, which continued to count down.

	Kagato violently slapped Aeka into the wall of the plush room.  Aeka's 
arms trembled as she tried to raise herself from the floor.  She was too weak to 
rise to her feet, so she simply wept, and hoped Kagato would pardon her actions.
"Princess of Jurai," Kagato moved toward Aeka's weak body, "look how pathetic 
you are.  Did you think your attacks would even phase me, little girl?"
"Don't hurt Ryoko, Yosho, or any of my friends," Aeka searched the room with her 
eyes for a weapon, "My love for them surpasses even your greatest of attacks."
"I've heard all of your nonsensical gibberish before," Kagato shouted into 
Aeka's face as she inched into the wall.  Kagato placed a hand in front of 
Aeka's face, which caused the princess to fade away into a trance.
"No... Kagato... don't," Aeka floated up into the air and was again placed onto 
Kagato's soft bed.  Kagato drew close to Aeka's body and panned his eyes across 
it.  She was beautiful-worthy of being a princess of Jurai.  Kagato said 
nothing.  The resurrected villain placed his warm hand onto Aeka's cheek and 
moved his face toward her.  Rather than kissing the Juraian princess on the 
lips, he moved himself downward and gently placed his mouth against Aeka's neck.  
He kissed her gently and sensually before slowly placing kisses down Aeka's nude 
chest.  Aeka screamed in horror, but could not stop Kagato as a result of 
Kagato's trance-inducing touch.  The Juraian princess felt the disgusting 
pleasure on Kagato's kisses.
"A princess you are," Kagato looked up toward Aeka from the Juraian's 
femininity.  Kagato rested his head against Aeka's bare flesh and began to 
undress himself, telekinetically.
"Release me, you perverted bastard!" Aeka yelled with a hoarse voice, before 
resuming her screams for help.
"Trust me, Aeka," Kagato smiled as his last article of clothing tossed itself 
away, "you are about to become the most powerful weapon Jurai has ever seen."
As Kagato propped his body up onto the princess, a spear composed of energy 
collided with the back of his head.
"Get the hell away from her!" Ryoko shouted as she drew forth her energy sword.  
Yosho stood beside her, and discarded a kobold's severed head that he'd gotten 
from the maze, earlier.  Azaka generated a long spear as he peered angrily at 
Kagato.  Kamidake created a bow, with which to fight the sinister nemesis of 
Jurai.
"It is too late," with a single, lengthy kiss on Aeka's firm, pink mouth, Kagato 
managed to seize control of his "weapon".
"You bastard!" Yosho shouted, generated a long blue blade to battle Kagato with.
"I wish I would've had time to have a little more fun with the princess," Kagato 
chuckled and phased new, royal attire onto himself.  This outfit seemed to mock 
the Juraian heritage.  Kagato only needed to kiss Aeka to gain control of her, 
but his arrogance often urged him to have a little extra fun.
"The time," Azaka called to Kagato, "is now."
Kagato created a weapon to defend himself, "Do you find this fair?  Four against 
one?"
"Did you find it fair to take control of a defenseless girl?" Yosho dove toward 
Kagato.
"Yosho-I'm tired of playing fair."

***The battle itself seemed to emanate loudly, throughout the ship.  The 
crashes-each and every strike-pierced the air, and caused the vessel to 
shudder***
*
Kagato leapt high into the air in response to Yosho's strike, which, instead, 
dug into the side of the craft., scattering rocks across the room, and leaving a 
gaping hole into space.
*
"Nice try, old man," Kagato laughed.
*
Kagato watched all four of his opponents, simultaneously.  With a motion of his 
wrist, Aeka floated out of the room, and into another prison, to be saved for 
later.
*
"We will save you, princess," Azaka tossed his spear toward Kagato.
*
Kagato flew toward Azaka with extreme speed. In mid-flight, Kagato cast the 
spear that was headed straight for him toward Ryoko, with a single swipe of his 
hand.
*
Ryoko took to the air, to dodge the strike, "Kagato... you never learn."
*
The demon used her palm to send a strike of energy toward Kagato.  The pulse of 
blue left large azure shockwaves in its wake, and sent Kagato flying toward the 
hole in the room's wall.
*
Kagato managed to grab onto the edge of the ship before floating out to space.  
He used his grip to thrust himself into Ryoko.
*
Ryoko tried to dodge Kagato's strike, but was knocked against the wall by his 
powerful rapier.  Ryoko grunted as her collision with the wall caused its tiles 
to splinter outward.
*
"Damn you," Ryoko felt weakened, but still tried to fight.  She punched Kagato, 
sending him toward Kamidake.
*
Kamidake launched a few arrows toward Kagato.  The adversary evaded three of 
these arrows, but was nailed by two of them, which caused him to careen to the 
floor.
*
Meanwhile, Azaka tumbled across the floor to retrieve his spear.
*
Yosho shot into the air above Kagato and raised his sword.  As Tenchi's 
grandfather fall back to the ground, Kagato rolled out of the way.  Nonetheless, 
Yosho still managed to land a well-placed cut across Kagato's side.
*
Kagato jumped up from his position on the ground and caught view of Ryoko.  
Pointing two of his fingers toward Ryoko, he shot a bolt of energy, which 
knocked the demon girl into unconsciousness and to the floor below.
*
"One down," Kagato chuckled, "three to go."  Kagato swung his weapon toward 
Azaka, who countered him with a long spear.  The two clashed weapons three 
times, before Azaka began to drive Kagato backward, toward the hole in the 
craft.
*
"You'll never take Jurai," Kamidake shot four arrows, which bounced from an 
invisible sphere protecting Kagato from behind.
*
"Fools," Kagato stabbed into Azaka, with a forceful thrust, "Do you think you 
can defeat pure power?"  Azaka turned back into his "log" state, and fell limp 
onto the floor.  Kagato moved his lifeless shell into the chamber with Aeka.
*
Catching Kagato off guard, Yosho swung and slashed into the evil destroyer's 
back.  Yellow mist poured out from the wound, rather than blood.
*
"Damn you!" Kagato shouted and hurled his sword toward Yosho.  In an instant, 
Kamidake leapt in the way of the sword, and changed back into his wooden form.
*
"It's just me and you," Yosho grinned as he allowed Kagato to regain his weapon, 
and place Kamidake into the prison with the others, "Now, I hope you see what 
true courage is.  Kamidake took that shot to give me a chance to defeat you...
*
...I can not lose," Yosho jumped toward Kagato with a violent strike.
*
Kagato, in turn, leapt around Yosho, and tried to strike from behind.
*
Yosho easily dodged the attack, "You're still just as weak as before."

	Tenchi exhaled heavily and ignited the blade of his sword, "Now to get you 
out."
"Finally," Kai sighed as he watched Tenchi cut him free of the ropes.  Kai 
stretched his arms and legs and peered at the bomb's construction with his deep 
brown eyes.
"Do you know what to do?" Tenchi asked, closely watching his motions.
"Sure... no problem," Kai smiled as the colored lights shone upon his face.
"Make it quick," Tenchi began, "it's gonna go off in thirty minutes."
"Ok, I'll try," Kai formed an energy tool, using his mental abilities.
"Warning," the ship's computer spoke with a feminine voice, "Object impeding 
distance to be traversed."
"Is that bad?" Tenchi asked Kai.
"I don't know.  What did he say?" Kai pondered over which wires to cut.
"Something impeding our 'distance to be traversed'."
"What's blocking us?"
"Something's blocking us?"
"Tenchi, tell me what it is in front of us."
"Ok, just a minute," Tenchi scrambled to the front of the ship to see what the 
problem was.  As he reached the front of the craft, he made notice of a large 
stone ship, pouring with waterfalls, positioned right in front of him.  Tenchi 
raced back to tell Kai, "We're heading into a big spaceship!"
"That's not even the start of our problems," Kai pointed to a blue field of 
power surrounding the bomb he was trying to diffuse, "the defense system turned 
on."
"Quick, we can still avoid crashing into that ship," Tenchi yelled and dragged 
Kai to the front of the vessel.
"Here goes nothing," Kai grabbed a set of controls similar to that of a 
helicopter.  Kai pulled the controls to the left with great force, but its 
effect on the ship's movement was minimal, "The ship is on a suicide course."
"Wait," Tenchi spotted something as more of the stone ship rotated into view, 
"It's Ryu-oh!  It's Aeka's ship!  Someone must be here."
"I'll try to steer toward it," Kai pointed the craft in its direction, "...and 
slow down a tad, of course."
The ship moved close to the Ryu-oh, and came to a complete stop.  It rested, 
motionlessly, on Ryu-oh's surface.
"Let's go," Tenchi said as the two of them transported into Ryu-oh, and hurried 
off onto the ship.
"Kai!  Tenchi!!" Kiyone shouted as she and Washu looked toward the new guests to 
Kagato's trap.
"Tenchi!" Sasami cried, "I'm so glad you're here.  Please, save my sister!  Save 
Ryoko!  Save..."
"Please, Sasami, let's tell him the situation," Mihoshi began.
"I don't understand what's going on," Tenchi placed his sword into his pocket, 
"All I know is that someone's in trouble."
"Hell yeah!" Toshimi nodded, "there's some bad shit going down, here."
"Tenchi, hurry ahead until you find Kagato," Washu pointed toward the door, but 
still held onto Kiyone, "It may already be too late."
"I'm not sure what is going on," Tenchi peered at the door, "but if it must be 
done."
"Kai," Washu addressed, "you can get us out of this prison, right?"
"Mrreow?" Ryo-ohki's eyes shimmered and enlarged.
"I'll do what I can," Kai created an insubstantial computer screen and began 
typing away at it.
"Take care," Tenchi smiled as he sped into the next room.  The following room 
was gray and had nothing but an open door at the opposite end.  Tenchi easily 
surpassed this room.  The next two rooms were the same way.  Tenchi easily 
rushed past these and into the next room.  Tenchi spotted Kagato and his injured 
allies in the prison across the room.  He didn't know how or why Kagato had come 
back into existence, but after he saw Aeka, Ryoko, Azaka, and Kamidake jailed, 
he knew it was his time to attack.
"Tenchi, you're here," Yosho called to him.
"Ooh, wonderful-the person I've been waiting for," Kagato chuckled.
"What have you done now, Kagato?" Tenchi yelled and pulled the sword from his 
pocket.  Tenchi shifted his attention to Yosho, "and who are you?"
"I'm Grandpa," Yosho smiled with his younger form that very few had seen, "don't 
you recognize me?"
"Looking good, Grandpa," Tenchi smiled and complemented his grandfather's new 
appearance.
"Let's get on with this," Kagato shouted, "...and let's find a more reasonable 
location in which to battle."
Suddenly, the surroundings transformed into that of a jungle scene, with a 
waterfall, a river, and so forth.  The main difference was a series of large, 
hovering isles only large enough for the trees that rested on them, high in the 
air.
"Proper environment for Juraian warriors, such as yourselves," Kagato laughed, 
as Ryoko, Azaka, Kamidake, and Yosho appeared within an energy prison.  Yosho, 
apparently, was now out of the fight.  The group was now 
"Just you and me then, Kagato?" Tenchi's eyes squinted and peered mischievously 
toward Kagato.
"That it is, boy..."
"Where is Aeka?"
"I have sent her to do my bidding on Jurai.  She will sneak in and pal around 
with a few of Jurai's nobles before beginning with her covert attacks."
"Then I will just have to finish you off," Tenchi engaged the energy blade of 
his sword.
"The enchantment will not end there," Kagato laughed and created a sword as 
well, "my death with not even hinder my revenge."
	Kai continued to work on breaking the seal, containing the others.  
Suddenly, four more people entered the scene, wearing the Galaxy Police 
insignias, "This is where all the action is?"
"We're here," shouted Sarah.
"Good," said one of the men.
"Toshimi," called a woman, "Chie, Sarah, you will come back to GP Headquarters, 
immediately!"
"Well," Chie began, "we're kind of stuck at the moment."
"When you are freed, we will head right back," another man said.
"Fair enough," Toshimi smiled.
"What about us?" Mihoshi rang in.
"You will accompany Kiyone to see to it that Aeka is in safe hands," a woman 
explained.
"She already has two bodyguards," Kiyone smiled and shook her head playfully, 
"does she really need two more?"
"Orders are orders."
"So, I guess Mihoshi, Kiyone, Sasami and I will be heading down to Jurai, then," 
Washu noticed that Kiyone had almost stopped crying.
"And me too," Kai grinned.
"Along with Tenchi, Yosho, Ryoko, and Aeka, right?" Sasami asked.
"Of course," Washu said.
"Oh yeah," Kai added to the conversation, "this ship's gonna blow in about 
twenty minutes... just for your information."
"Well, hurry it up, then," Washu shouted.

***The battle continued, this time, Tenchi would have his go at the villain, 
Kagato.***
*
"Foolish boy," Kagato's strike nearly took the life of Tenchi, as the crowned 
prince of Jurai fell into the river below.
*
"You'll never take me, Kagato," Tenchi leaped up from the water and sprinted 
across the rocks to the waterfall, holding his sword in a keen position to 
attack, "Bring it!"
*
Kagato rushed toward Tenchi with great speed, leaving a blur of light in his 
path, "Die!"
*
Tenchi and Kagato struck swords.  Once... and then again, as Tenchi hopped 
further up the waterfall, using the weak stones.  As a rock started to give way, 
Tenchi jumped onto a tree platform, hovering above a canyon-like gap.
*
Before Tenchi could regain his balance, Kagato dug his blade deep into the boy's 
shoulder.
*
Tenchi barely managed to grip onto the edge of another floating platform.  He 
climbed to the top of the tree and jumped down toward Kagato-ignoring the fact 
that he was dropping toward the deep oblivion.
*
Kagato, anticipating Tenchi's attack, swung his blade and knocked the boy 
through the air and onto another one of the floating platforms.
*
Tenchi was too weak to come to his feet, and, instead, hid himself behind the 
island's tree to catch his breath.
*
Kagato was not even nearly that compassionate, and sliced the top of the tree 
off.  Tenchi avoided the falling chunk of wood as it tumbled into the ravine.
*
Tenchi quickly took to his feet and reached toward Kagato with his blade.  
Kagato, being able to fly, easily dodged this and waited in the air to see if 
Tenchi could keep his balance.
*
Tenchi arms flailed uncontrollably, which struck Kagato as being quite funny.  
Nonetheless, Tenchi regained his footing and took a leap of faith to attack 
Kagato.
*
Kagato flew backward as Tenchi swung.  Tenchi continued to pounce from each 
floating isle to the next until Kagato's backward flight became too slow to 
dodge Tenchi's slash.
*
Kagato flew down into the gorge and landed on the branches of a floating 
platform's tree about twenty feet below.  Tenchi jumped down, sword-first, into 
Kagato.
*
"You're ignorant to think that this will end the battle," Kagato flashed out of 
the way, and left Tenchi to split the tree in two, "did you not think I planned 
for everything?"
*
Tenchi ignored Kagato's words.  He took to his feet and dove toward the evil 
menace.
*
Kagato flew upward, into the air, and prepared for a long-range attack against 
Tenchi.
*
Before Kagato could attack, Tenchi hurled his sword upward, and knocked Kagato 
from the sky.  His sword, and the villain, came falling past him.
*
Tenchi plunged off the hanging island, and knifed downward toward his weapon.  
Kagato, in mid-air, kicked Tenchi away from his sword.  Tenchi's body cracked 
against several limbs of a tree, and landed on a platform.
*
The boy spotted his sword in the tree of a suspended islet, about five meters 
across from himself.  Kagato stopped himself in the air, between Tenchi and the 
object of his desire.
*
"I'll ask you nicely first, Kagato," Tenchi grinned and rose to his feet, 
bleeding from his left shoulder and his back, "...move."
*
"Who the hell do you think you are, Tenchi?" Kagato chuckled, "You've been cut 
across the chest, stabbed, and torn up by a tree... do you wish to die?"
*
"No... but I will fight until I see it happen," Tenchi dismissed his pain and 
centered his concentration on Kagato.
*
In less than a second, Tenchi flipped backwards, kicked off of the tree behind 
him, lunged forward with his leg extended, and kicked Kagato downward.
*
He used Kagato as a platform to propel himself onto the island with his sword.  
Quickly, he seized his blade and took a bound downward toward Kagato, on an isle 
below.
*
Kagato and Tenchi simply stared at one another, swords drawn, prepared to 
attack.  They were both standing firmly on the platform.  Kagato used his mental 
abilities to pull the tree out from between them, and thrust it into a river, 
thousands of feet below.
*
In a blast of energy, the two struck swords.
*
All was silent.  The energy still had not cleared from the battlefield.  At some 
point, Kai, Washu, Sasami, Ryo-ohki, Mihoshi, and Kiyone joined Yosho, Ryoko, 
and the two guardians in watching the fight.
*
Before the energy had cleared out of the way, the sounds of swords clashing shot 
through the world.
*
Tenchi felt the world around him.  His vision was cluttered by the immense 
strike he had just dealt to Kagato.  Kagato, however, was still in perfect 
shape.
*
A presence soared inches from Tenchi.  He swung his blade toward the entity 
passing by him, but he was too late.  A flaring pain struck his already wounded 
back.  He fell forward, out of the cloud of energy, and onto a tree far below.
*
Tenchi could not bring himself up from his position in the tree.  He was very 
weak from the battle, and had fallen quite a ways onto that tree.
*
"Why don't I just finish you off?" Kagato questioned rhetorically, "Is it 
because I wish to have a little fun before I have my vengeance on Jurai?"
*
Tenchi rolled himself out from the needle-like points of the tree, and onto the 
hard disk below.
*
"What have you done to Aeka?" Tenchi groaned.
*
"Not anything nearly as devastating as what she is about to do to Jurai," Kagato 
jumped down beside Tenchi.
*
"You will die, you bastard," Tenchi's voice wavered with pain, "I am not 
finished yet."
*
"You are not finished?" Kagato laughed sinisterly, and placed a foot onto 
Tenchi's chest, "Still courageous till the end, right little prince?"
*
Tenchi's hand fell down near the tree, where his sword rested, "I fight until I 
know that justice has been done.  Since you refuse to tell me Aeka's condition, 
I can guess that death will be a fitting repayment."
*
"Again, you prove your ignorance, Tenchi," Kagato pressed harder into Tenchi's 
chest, "death is not even remotely the end of my story."
*
With utmost speed and skill, Tenchi gripped his sword with his left hand-the one 
closest to the tree.  He generated the blade, and in the same instant, used it 
to make an attack that missed Kagato by a mile.
*
"What exactly do you call that?" Kagato raised his eyebrow, mockingly.
*
"Botanic Bludgeoning Blast!" Tenchi shouted gleefully, despite his pain.  Yosho 
sat in the sidelines laughing his head off, but no one knew why.
*
Suddenly... BAM!!  The tree that rested on top of the small hovering isle fell 
down onto Kagato's head.  Tenchi's use of the sword was now evident to Kagato, 
but it was too late.  The legendary criminal plummeted downward and smashed 
through a tree on a platform below.
*
Tenchi rolled onto his side to see the aftereffects of his well-planned attack.  
Kagato was lying in a pile of broken wood, with three large branches and pillars 
from the tree piercing through his chest.
*
The gashes in Kagato's flesh poured yellow steam out into the air.  Kagato was 
unable to speak.
*
Without warning, Kagato flew into the air past Tenchi, and generated his sword 
as he reached the peak of his attack.
*
"Tenchi, watch out!" Mihoshi shouted, causing Tenchi to open his eyes.  As 
Kagato thrust downward, Tenchi rolled off the right side of the platform and 
onto another one below.
*
Kagato's strike sliced completely through the isle Tenchi had just barely 
escaped from.  Tenchi used this time to steady his sword, "Looking for someone, 
Kagato?"
*
Tenchi shot skyward and knifed down into Kagato's back.  Kagato dropped downward 
like a stone, below the lowest of the platforms, and further into the chasm.
*
Kagato and Tenchi fell unerringly toward their doom.  Suddenly, Kagato flipped 
forward, and kicked Tenchi toward the quickly moving, rocky cliff side.  
Tenchi's back scraped against the stone wall.
*
"Damn you!" Tenchi made for Kagato with his sword extended, by pushing off of 
the stony wall.
*
Kagato dodged Tenchi's strike with ease, and grabbed Tenchi's shoulders, as they 
continued to plummet.  Using his firm grip on the boy, Kagato shoved Tenchi's 
head toward the cliff wall as they fell.
*
A strike on the head from an oncoming rock caused Tenchi to drop his sword, 
which bounced down the cliff alongside him.
*
"Tenchi," Kagato pushed Tenchi until he was inches from grazing the wall's 
surface, "how much do those girls mean to you?"
*
"My life..."
*
Tenchi floated backward toward the wall, and acted unconcerned with how close he 
was to death.
*
Kagato simply stared at Tenchi's actions.
*
With one quick slice, Tenchi tore through Kagato with his sword that tumbled 
downward beside him.
*
Kagato let his contramatter flow from his body into the air, as he flickered out 
of existence.
*
Tenchi slowed to a stop and appeared in the stone room, like it was before.  His 
sword fell to the floor beside him.  Tenchi weakly picked himself up from the 
floor.

	"Oh my, Tenchi, you were wonderful," various voices emanated from the 
crowd as Yosho and Kai patted him on the back; Ryoko, Washu, Mihoshi, and Kiyone 
hugged him; Sasami wrapped herself around his leg; and Ryo-ohki leapt onto his 
shoulder and rubbed against his face.
"Good job, Tenchi, your training has paid off," Yosho nodded with pride for his 
grandson.
"Great work," Kai smiled and shook Tenchi's hand, "Best fighting I've ever 
seen."
Washu seemed to change into an older form, before she made herself visible to 
Tenchi, "Thank God you're safe, Tenchi.  I've made my decision.  My child will 
have to be strong and skillful.  I'm sure you'll be able to supply the proper 
genetic sequences in your seed."
Washu whispered into Tenchi's ear, "I wonder if it tastes as good as it works."
Tenchi growled diffidently, "Washu..."
"My Tenchi is safe," Ryoko smiled and placed Tenchi's head firmly between her 
breasts as she hugged him, "I'm so glad.  I want to take you home and make you 
feel better, Tenchi.  Let's go right now."
"Ryoko," Tenchi groaned, muffled by the demon woman's bosoms, "I can't breathe."
"Oh my God, Tenchi... you're alright," Mihoshi cried onto Tenchi's blood-stained 
shirt, "I thought for sure you'd be ok, but I needed to see for myself.  Oh, I 
almost died every time mean old Kagato hurt you.  I'm so relieved."
"You truly are worthy of being the prince of Jurai," Kiyone smiled, and stood in 
front of him, "Good luck."
"Thank you for defeating Kagato," Azaka and Kamidake chimed in unison.
"Meow, meow!!" Ryo-ohki licked the side of Tenchi's face.
"You were perfect, Tenchi.  I'm sure you'll be able to save my sister.  I just 
know it," Sasami cried, "You're getting the best dinner ever when we get to 
Jurai."
"Speaking of getting to Jurai..." Kai began, "We'll have to get there, quick.  
That bomb could blow any minute."
"Bomb?!" Ryoko and Yosho shouted.

	The group of ten, accompanied by Ryo-ohki, sped to the front of the ship.  
Aeka was standing there, dressed in her royal attire.
"Aeka, you're alright," Tenchi smiled and ran up to greet her.
"Thank you so much for saving me, Lord Tenchi," Aeka hugged Tenchi and refused 
to let go of him, "I'm so glad you killed Kagato, and freed me from his 
enchantment."
"So, you're better now?" Washu asked.
"Yeah," Aeka tried to overcome her tears, "I'll be fine.  I hope this won't 
delay our trip to Jurai."
"Sure, let's get a move on," Ryoko chimed in.
"Ryu-oh is damaged," Aeka pointed to her smashed ship, "I was hoping we could 
ride your Ryo-ohki down to Jurai and carry Ryu-oh to be fixed."
"Are you sure they'll allow Ryo-ohki to land on Jurai?" Yosho asked.
"We'll have to land it with my new special cloaking device!" Washu grinned and 
presented an oddly-shaped device, "It can even hide you from radar."
"Good, then let's get going," Kiyone said, "Oh... wait!"
Kiyone peered through a crack in Ryu-oh's hull and spotted a brand new Galaxy 
Police ship, "Yes!  I finally get to have my new GP Model Upsilon, Twin Turbo, 
Anti-Fission, VegaX7 space cruiser!"
"Cool, can I ride in it, too?" Mihoshi hopped up and down, excitedly.
"Sure," Kiyone smiled, "It'll be our new home."
"Home?" Tenchi entered the conversation, "Is it that big?"
"Oh, yeah.  It can comfortably hold five people," Kiyone grinned.
"Good," Ryoko peered at Aeka, "Now you can take Aeka with you, so me and Tenchi 
can be alone."
"Well, we are her bodyguards," Kiyone said, "Sasami can come along, too."
"Oh, sister," Sasami wrapped herself around Aeka, "I have so much to tell you."
"Ma'am," Azaka spoke, "Kamidake and I will not have any powers for the next five 
or six weeks.  It seems that Kagato has severely damaged our defensive systems."
"Well," Aeka spoke and straightened her royal gown, "you two shouldn't get in 
the way too much, so I guess you can my with us."
"Of course, ma'am," Kamidake responded.
"Ok, so let me get this straight," Ryoko held her hands outward to silence 
everyone, "Tenchi, Yosho, Washu, and Kai will go with me... and Aeka, Sasami, 
Azaka, and Kamidake will go with Mihoshi and Kiyone."
"Um, not exactly correct," Washu tossed Ryoko the cloaking device, "Here, you 
might need this.  Kai and I will be heading down in our new ship, the Toki-ohki, 
which is the new version of Tempus-the girl you saw in my lab, controlling my 
time machine."
"Can we see her?" Tenchi asked.
"Sure," Kai smiled as he used a transparent laptop computer to bring about a 
passage to the subspace lab.  Kai reached in, and pulled out a white and pink 
cabbit that appeared to be the counterpart of Ryo-ohki.
"This is Akira's child," Washu said, "with a few genetic sequences borrowed from 
Kai.  It's a shame Akira isn't here to see Toki-ohki."
"So you and Kai will be piloting that monstrosity?" Ryoko chuckled, 
contemptuously.
"It's still your half sister, Ryoko," Washu stroked Toki-ohki's fur as Ryoko 
stroked the fur of her own cabbit, "I used the mass to make her, just like Ryo-
ohki."
"Fine, whatever, let's just get going," Ryoko shouted as she tossed Ryo-ohki 
into Ryu-oh.
"Don't damage my ship any more than it already is, you monster," Aeka shouted, 
as Ryoko pulled Tenchi and Yosho toward the living ship as it grasped onto Ryu-
oh's core and floated out into space.
"Let's go guys," Kiyone rotated a face on her control cube, which teleported 
herself, Mihoshi, Aeka, Sasami, Azaka, and Kamidake into the comfortable and 
contemporary inside design of Kiyone's new ship.
"Go, Toki-ohki," Washu shouted.  Toki-ohki growled for a few moments before 
splintering outward into a large craft, with a propulsion deck, and a round 
glass command bridge atop it.  Kai and Washu phased onto their new craft.

	"Welcome," a hovering sphere entered the main room of Kiyone's new GP 
ship, "I am Vega.  I have been updated... 'one'... time, since my creation."
"Check update," Kiyone spoke to the hovering, opaque, purple globe.
"The previous ship 'Yukanojo' was found and assimilated," Vega responded.
"Good, let's fly then," Kiyone checked out the ship.  The main room had a fluffy 
interior with a large sofa, and a television, as well as a dining nook.  A set 
of stairs within the same room led up to a platform that was surrounded by a 
rounded, glass window.  A piloting console was in this area, where it was 
easiest to see into space.  Behind the sofa, television, and dining ensemble 
were two doors.  One of these doors led to the washroom; the other, a bathing 
room.  A staircase rested between these two doors.  On an upper level, which 
still overlooked the main room, there were two more doors.  These two doors led 
to the two bedrooms, one of which larger than the other.  Azaka and Kamidake 
felt content sitting at either side of the piloting console, peering out into 
space, where Ryo-ohki and Toki-ohki were currently hovering.  They appeared to 
be close to the planet Jurai.
"I've got something over here," Ryoko's image appeared on a monitor blocking the 
view into space.
"What is it?" Aeka and Mihoshi asked in unison as Kiyone and Sasami checked out 
the rooms.
"Well," Ryoko began, "there's someone else out here.  I can't get a connection 
with her, but I think you might be able to."
"Her?" Mihoshi asked.  The ditz fumbled over a few stairs before slamming into 
the console face-first.  Her nose pressed the "Open Hailing Frequency" button.  
Suddenly, an image appeared to replace Ryoko on the monitor.  It was Aeka.
"What's going on?" Kiyone came back out into the main room, and spotted the 
monitor up on the piloting deck.
"She... she..." Aeka stuttered, "she looks just like me."
"I'm sorry, Aeka," the Juraian princess clone grinned evilly, "but I'm going to 
have to borrow your Ryu-oh."
Through the window out into space, the four girls spotted what appeared to be a 
replica of Aeka's ship.  The only thing that the new ship lacked was its core.  
To make up for this, Aeka's clone phased Ryu-oh's core and placed it into the 
center of Ryu-oh's wooden body.
"There," she laughed, "that's better... the name is Rae, but you may call me 
Aeka."
"Are you guys getting this?" Kiyone sent a message to Washu and Ryoko.
"I've got the hailing frequency active, too," Washu called.
"You see, Aeka," Rae, the Aeka-imposter, smiled and looked down at the Juraian 
princess, "I'm just like you-except I choose not to hide my inner feelings."
"So this is what Aeka is hiding," Ryoko taunted Aeka via a message.
"Rae is lying," Aeka shouted, "She only looks like me.  We need to stop her 
before she attacks Jurai..."
"...and ruins my reputation," Aeka thought.
"Oh, look at me," Rae smiled over the video window, as she secretly descended 
toward Jurai, "I'm the princess, now.  That means I get to bitch at people and 
boss everyone around."
Aeka became more nervous, but kept her feelings locked inside.
"Don't let her get to you, Aeka," Tenchi messaged to calm Aeka down, "We can 
take her.  Don't you worry."
"Yeah, Aeka... don't worry," Rae yawned and experimented with a few of Ryu-oh's 
devices, "Kagato didn't get into you.  Why should you fucking worry?  You're 
still the lonely virgin who hasn't ever had an enjoyable time with a man... 
hasn't ever seen what its like to be a woman."
"Shut up!  Liar!!  Do you know who you're talking to?" Aeka screamed into the 
video display, as her eyes sparkled with tears.
"Ooh, this is precious," Rae pressed a series of buttons on one of Ryu-oh's 
panels, "a diary.  How cute..."
"Don't touch that!" Aeka screamed, "Put that away!!"
"This is priceless," Rae fell to the ground and kicked her feet into the air 
playfully, while reading a portion of Aeka's diary, "Oh, I see.  This section is 
so embarrassing... I guess that's why you refused to let anyone see this."
Rae picked up the black box that Aeka had so heavily guarded before.
"No... please, whatever you want to do... go ahead!  I don't care," Aeka 
shouted, "Just please, leave me alone."
"But Aeka..." Rae giggled, "Everyone needs to have a little fun."
"Ooh, I wonder what it is," Ryoko thought excitedly.
"Tenchi, please, don't look," Aeka shouted.
"Oh my," Rae peered into the box, "How delightful."
She tossed a few photographs out of the box, but their images were left unknown.  
Then, out of the box, Rae pulled a long, leather whip and a revealing dominatrix 
suit.
"Hmm," Ryoko said not a word.
"Wow, Aeka, what fun!" Rae shouted.
"Stop!!" Aeka cried, but couldn't find any words to suffice her feelings.  She 
ran and hid in an upstairs room.
"I... I..." Sasami didn't know how to console her older sister.  Mihoshi knelt 
down and sheltered the preteen goddess-in-training.
"Aeka..." Washu stared at the screen, while Kai gazed in awe, "I knew this would 
come."
"Close all frequencies, Ryo-ohki," Ryoko shouted, "Combat mode."
"End hailing sequences, Vega," Kiyone ordered, "Engage defensive grid."
"Disengage communications with host, Toki-ohki," Washu commanded, "Activate 
weapons matrix."
"Tata," Rae said to the others, despite the fact that her communications were 
off.  The Ryu-oh fell quickly toward the surface of Jurai.  The two cabbit ships 
and Vega followed closely behind, launching laser attacks at Ryu-oh as she came 
ever closer to the planet.

	"Sir," a measly assistant walked up to Azusa, "The Ryu-oh... Aeka... 
it's... she's..."
"Spit it out," Azusa yelled at the worker.
"Aeka is coming home."
"Let me see for myself," Azusa demanded.
"Of course," the hand made a monitor appear, which showed the Ryu-oh entering 
Juraian airspace.  It also showed the three ships speeding after it, shooting it 
with various weapons.
"Someone's attacking my daughter!!" Misaki screamed as she walked in to spot the 
occurrence.
"Should I put a stop to this?" Azusa asked her.
"Well, duh!!" Misaki yelled.
"Great," Azusa grinned, "Juraian militant branch #2734, escort the Ryu-oh into 
the docking bay and eliminate all ships assailing it."
Within a few seconds, an entire Juraian squad soared into battle with the Ryo-
ohki, the Toki-ohki, and Vega.
"It's too late," Ryoko called aloud, "We need to cloak, let her go for now."
"Agreed," Kiyone said.
"But she's getting away," Mihoshi whined.
"We'll catch up with her later," Kiyone said, "cloaking active."
"Please, Azusa," Washu activated her cloaking device, "...use good judgment."

	"Aeka," Sasami pounded on the door to Aeka's room, "please come out."
"No!" Aeka cried from within her room-she instinctively chose the larger room, 
"I cannot show my face to you, Sasami.  Nor can I let Tenchi see me."
"I know Rae was lying about you, sister..." Sasami began, "but if we don't fly 
down to Jurai to stop her, she'll hurt Mom and Dad, and who knows who else 
she'll hurt."
"I'll be out shortly, Sasami," Aeka spoke, "I just need some time to think."
"Ok, Aeka," Sasami called into the room, "would it be ok if we went down now?"
"No can do," Washu came over the communications unit, after she picked up on the 
conversation, "Juraian sensors will be active for the following sixteen hours-my 
sensors indicate-so we'll have to stay out here for tonight, and touch down, 
tomorrow."
"Well, I guess one night in space can't be all that bad," Ryoko pictured herself 
in a fluffy corner of Ryo-ohki nude, with Tenchi licking down her body, "Hee, 
hee, hee."
"Ok, sounds like we're set, then," Mihoshi smiled, "I'm gonna go check out the 
bath... I wonder how long it's been since I've had one of those."

	"Oh Aeka, sweetie, I'm so glad you're back!" Misaki hugged "Aeka", or 
rather, strangled her, "I'm sorry for forcing you to marry against your will.  
I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.  Please, Aeka, please.  Forgive me, please."
"Of course mother," the Aeka clone cried , "I was so stupid for leaving home.  I 
belong here."
"Aeka," Azusa shouted sternly, "Your actions were very ignorant... Nonetheless, 
the law has been changed.  No longer do you have to marry against your will.  
You shall marry when you see fit."
"Oh, thank you so much, Father, thank you!" Rae, Aeka's double, pouted, as a 
series of Juraian guards led her to Aeka's room.

	"I can here someone," Aeka thought in her room, back out in space, 
"there's someone in my head."
Aeka tried to focus on the words and noises.  They were the same words that Rae 
was hearing and speaking down on Jurai.  It was as if Aeka was getting direct 
audio messaging from Rae.  After a few minutes, Aeka discovered she could block 
this signal at free will, and Rae was unaware of when Aeka decided to listen to 
her.
"Come on out, Aeka," Kiyone called, "We have some food,  it's about noon Earth-
time."
"And," Washu apparently decided to board the Vega to eat along with them, while 
Kai performed some chrono-dilations, ethereal apparition conjuration, and 
anomalous... well... just a bunch of science-crap that no one cares about, "I'm 
sure we can all relax in the bath for a while afterwards."
Reluctantly, Aeka stepped out from the room and walked down the stairs, after 
making certain that Rae had fallen asleep.  On Jurai, it was nighttime about 
now.
"Have a seat, sister," Sasami grinned as she laid a few edibles out onto Aeka's 
plate, "I made it myself."
"It's just as good as usual," Kiyone took a bite of her meal, "even though Vega 
had very few things to work with."
"Can I come over?" Ryoko's pouting face appeared on a screen.
"Sure," Mihoshi grinned, "the more the merrier!"
"Tenchi can come, too," Kiyone smiled.
"I don't think that's possible," Grandfather, back in his elder state, said from 
Ryo-ohki, "Tenchi's already out like a light... that battle took a lot out of 
him.  I think it'd be best if we took him over to the Toki-ohki and got Kai to 
hospitalize him."
"Good idea," Washu nodded, "Go right ahead."
Ryoko entered the ship's front door, using an umbilicus from Ryo-ohki.  Yosho 
and Tenchi made their way into the Toki-ohki, where they could seek medical 
assistance by Kai.  Ryo-ohki, now empty, decided revert back to cabbit form and 
merrily enter the Vega, "Mreow, mew, mrreoow!"
"So, you'll be like my Yukanojo?" Mihoshi asked.
"Precisely... with a few additions, that is," Vega responded and hovered by in 
her gem-like sphere.
"I've...," Washu looked toward a large panel, "I've gotten a connection with 
your father, Aeka.  You can talk to him whenever you like-feel free to take your 
time, though."
"Thanks, Washu-chan," Aeka nodded and snacked on some more of her food.  She 
seemed to be over her little fit earlier.  Ryoko and Aeka were already back to 
arguing, like normal, within the hour.  Mihoshi and Kiyone decided to leave the 
ship in auto-pilot and take a bath along with Washu and Sasami, as Ryoko and 
Aeka discussed things in a strangely non-argumentative manner.
"It was at your wedding, Ryoko," Aeka spoke, while no one but Ryoko could hear-
even Azaka and Kamidake had to shut down their systems to recover from the 
battle, "It felt so surreal.  I was scared that I'd never get to see any of you 
again..."
"I felt the same," Ryoko began, "even though I knew that I would be living my 
life with Tenchi, I couldn't help but think of what I was giving up."
"Now I'm going back to Jurai..." Aeka spoke, "not that it would matter.  My life 
is already chosen for me.  When I go back, I'll be punished and forced to marry.  
I hate having to say goodbye to Tenchi."
"Aeka..." Ryoko smiled and poured her more sake, "you need to talk to your 
father.  Rae is probably down there causing havoc, by now."
"I... I..." Aeka grasped for words, "I... I wouldn't know what to say to him."
"Just tell him you felt sorry, so you decided to come home, or something like 
that."
"But what if Rae has already tricked them?"
"Well, waiting isn't going to do much good, is it?" Ryoko straddled her arms 
across the table and leaned forward.
"No, I guess not," Aeka sighed.
"And after you're done... we can go to the bath with the others."
"You're right," Aeka rose from the floor and walked toward the communications 
panel, "It's now or never."
Aeka toggled a small switch, which caused a video image to appear.  The 
suspended screen showed the words, "Please hold".  Within a few minutes, Aeka 
was connected with Azusa, her father, the sight of whom was frightening to Aeka 
at first.
"So... you are the marauders?" Azusa didn't look up to check the screen, but 
instead read the general location of the signal.
"Father Azusa..." Aeka whimpered with tears in her eyes, fearful of what her 
father might say.
"A... Aeka," Azusa spoke, "I just escorted you to your room.  Wh-where are you?"
"Father, please listen.  There is someone on Jurai pretending to be me," Aeka 
said sincerely.
"How can I tell that this is the real Aeka," Azusa raised an eyebrow and asked a 
very clich‚ question, for such a situation.
"Father please, you must believe me," Aeka pleaded, "Rae was a product of 
Kagato."
"Kagato?!" Azusa giggled, which seemed a tad out of character at the time, 
"Please go on."
"It's a long story," Ryoko hovered into view, while Ryo-ohki leapt onto her 
shoulder.
"Oh, I see.  This was the space pirate I saw when you were with that Tenchi kid 
a long time ago," Azusa gazed at Ryoko.
"You've got to listen," Ryoko shouted into the video screen, "she needs to come 
home.  You have a fake Aeka on your hands."
"Ryoko!" Aeka tugged back on Ryoko's hair, and spoke with her teeth clenched, 
"Don't yell at my father."
"Let me talk to Misaki," Ryoko ignored Aeka's request.
"Why would my wife want to speak with a space pirate and an imposter?" growled 
Azusa.
"Hello," Washu floated out from the bath, sans towel.  As she saw Azusa, she 
scrambled to hide her nudity, "Oh!  I see you contacted him, Aeka."
"Washu, is it?" Azusa looked away, "Do you all expect me to believe that this is 
Aeka?"
"Milord," Kiyone stood before the screen in her GP uniform that she had just 
changed into, "This is the real Aeka.  Detective Mihoshi and myself were sent to 
be her body guards after Azaka and Kamidake were incapacitated."
"Aeka," Azusa spoke as a figure drew close from behind him, "it's really you, 
isn't it?"
"Father, behind you," Aeka shouted.
"Yes, I'll put all this behind me," Azusa didn't see the silhouette sneaking up 
from behind him, "I'll get you an escort."
Azusa turned to send an escort for Aeka, but before he could, the shadowy image 
lashed with some type of weapon, causing the video signal to fade out.
"Shit!" Ryoko shouted, "We need to take action."
"Ryoko," Washu spoke after wrapping a towel around herself, "you know I'd like 
to, but we'd have a Juraian fleet after us `tout de suite`."
"I won't take long for Jurai to respond," Kiyone assured, "Rae will be 
apprehended."
Suddenly, another communications windows opened up, displaying Funaho's 
beautiful face, "Aeka, it's you."
"Mother Funaho!" Aeka smiled, politely, "Rae is still on Jurai, there needs to 
be..."
"Aeka," Funaho interrupted, "I suggest you stay up there in space until the 
problem is resolved.  Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long."
"I can't wait to see you again in person," Aeka bowed with respect, "I'm sure 
Yosho feels the same."
"Oh, and is that Tenchi fellow with you?" Funaho asked with a grin, "I'd sure 
like to meet him again."
"Yes, he's here," Aeka laughed.
"...and Aeka," Funaho spoke, "don't worry about before.  I'll let you marry 
whomever you wish."
"Thank you, Mother Funaho," Aeka wished she could hug her, "thank you."
"You need to thank your father, as well," Funaho spoke, "he's the one who 
suggested it."

	A Juraian vessel drifted out from the planet and into space.
"Set course for Abason," Akira, the girl Ryoko had met on Earth, said as she 
drifted through space.
"Yes, ma'am," a wooden guardian of hers replied from the wooden cockpit.
"Of course, ma'am," replied another.
"Kuniaki, Chu," Akira addressed, "get my brother."
Chu, inscribed with a green mark, floated into another section of the ship, 
"Shigeru, your sister wants you."
"Ok, I'll be right there," Shigeru dropped a book he was reading onto his desk 
and walked out.
"What is it, sister?" he asked.
"We're on our way," she smiled at him.
"So... you found Washu?" Shigeru tapped his fingers against a control panel.
"Sure," Akira nodded, "and she showed as much spunk as she did when we were back 
at the academy."
"Good, I hope she'll have time for the reunion," Shigeru looked into a box that 
was filled with decorations and various alcoholic beverages.
"Onward, Tetsu," Akira spoke to her ship as she flew further through space, 
"Onward."
"Wait," Shigeru stopped her, "Did you leave Washu the message?"
"Yeah, it should be waiting on Earth for her."
"Hopefully, she'll find it within the next few days."

	"Kai," Yosho looked up from Tenchi, who was awake and recovering well, "I 
can't go back to Jurai.  They won't accept me."
"Yosho, I'm sure that they can..." Kai spoke.
"No..." Yosho interrupted, "Now is not the time for me to be here.  I need to be 
taken home.  Let Tenchi stay with Aeka, on Jurai."
"Grandfather," Tenchi spoke, "come onto Jurai with us, please.  I'm sure your 
father will understand."
"My son-in-law won't know what to do at home, by himself.  I need to go back," 
Yosho looked down at Tenchi, "Besides, I need to get the shrine ready for this 
summer."
"Maybe you can come up and join us later, then?"
"I might."
"Ok, Tenchi, here's where you get off," Kai smiled, "They should have somewhere 
to relax on the Vega, until Ryo-ohki decides to turn back into a ship."
"See you later, then, Grandpa.  See you, Kai," Tenchi walked to a floating 
obelisk and was transported to the Vega, where he found sanctity in the larger 
of the two bedrooms.  No one saw Tenchi enter, because the five of the girls 
were in the bath, and Sasami-too young to drink-was reading comics in the 
cockpit.  The Toki-ohki sped off into the distance.

	"And she turned so red," Ryoko laughed uproariously, and dropped her 
saucer of sake.
"It wasn't that funny," Aeka slid further into the pool, and hid herself in her 
towel.  The princess's face was flushed red from all the alcohol.  Ryoko 
flaunted her naked beauty by washing her hair for a while, before the rice wine 
knocked her into a stupor-like state.
"I can't believe how brave Tenchi was," Mihoshi was impervious to the alcohol, 
"he's always so willing to help us."
"Yeah," Aeka allowed herself to be more open, "without Tenchi... this would have 
all fallen apart by now."
"You are right," Washu nodded, "he does seem to have a way of bringing us all 
together.  No scientific explanation for that."
"We've sure been through a lot," Kiyone sighed and sipped some more sake, "and 
now that Azaka and Kamidake will be out of service for... quite possibly... a 
few years, Mihoshi and I will have to look out for Aeka."
"You know," Mihoshi blushed, "I've never told anyone before... but I think 
Tenchi likes me."
Aeka's expression contorted for a second, but she'd learned to ignore Mihoshi's 
ramblings.  Kiyone seemed to be wading in the bliss of Vega's interior, rather 
than paying much attention to anyone or anything.  The bath was as wide as the 
room itself, five meters by five meters.  A small step up from the bath along 
one wall was to connect the changing room to the bath.  There was a small ledge 
to sit on around the inside rim of the bath, and shelves along the wall with 
various soaps and other bathing items on them.  In addition to this, there is a 
panel on the wall that can control functions of the bath, such as massage jets, 
temperature, and so on.
"Has Ryoko moved for the past fifteen minutes?" Washu laughed as she prodded 
Ryoko with her finger, "I think it's time she got back onto Ryo-ohki and took a 
little nap."
"I wouldn't want to disturb Ryo-chan, you can let her sleep in our bedroom until 
we get tired," Mihoshi smiled and gulped down more fermented rice juice.
"I don't think anyone can pull that dead weight around," Aeka wished Ryoko could 
hear her.
"Heh, heh," Washu chuckled.
"Where's my sister?" Aeka asked, "I wanted to spend some time with her."
"She could come down here to the bath," Mihoshi commented.
"You guys would have to hide the sake," Washu pointed out.
"True," Kiyone sipped on the edge of her drink, before becoming entirely too 
tipsy to make logical decisions.  Nonetheless, Kiyone was one of those people 
who could get drunk and continue to act normal, as long as she only did what her 
current mental status would allow.
"You guys can't hide that smell, though," Washu said covering her nose.  She 
hadn't had any alcohol, "Aeka, you'd be better off going up there by yourself."
"Just give me some time to sober up," Aeka batted herself across the face a few 
times.
"Washu," a mental message came to Washu from Kai, "I'm taking the Toki-ohki back 
home.  Yosho and I will be staying there until you guys get back."
"I was going to use Toki-chan..." Washu telepathically spoke to him, "but I 
suppose you can keep her, just don't wreck her, or anything."
"Ok, take care," Kai ended the cerebral transmission.

	"Oh, Kim," Sasami spoke passionately in as deep of a voice as she could 
manage, "You know how much I love you."
"But Hiroshi, I..." Sasami spoke in her normal voice, "I... I cannot let my 
father know that you're actually..."
"Please, Kim.  Don't speak," Sasami spoke in the lower, masculine voice again, 
"...just let this kiss last forever..."
"Hey Sasami," Washu peeked over Sasami's shoulder at the comic that she was 
simulating.
"What happened to Ryoko?" Sasami asked.
"She got really drunk," Washu peered closely at the comic, "Where's Ryo-ohki?"
"Oh, she went back out into space," Sasami explained.
"Odd," Washu teleported with Ryoko into Ryo-ohki.
"So, Aeka," Mihoshi smiled, "how long are you going to stay in Vega with us?"
"Probably... until I get my Ryu-oh back," Aeka explained.
"I guess it'll be fun hanging out on your ship with you, since we're your 
bodyguards now," Kiyone spoke, before noticing her watch pulsing.
"What is it, sir?" Kiyone pressed a button on her transmitter.
"Hello, this is Tye Brendan," the image of her superior appeared, "Is this a bad 
time?"
Kiyone straightened her towel, "No, not at all.  Go ahead."
"Well, it seems that there is a craft of some sort, returning from a bank that 
has just been robbed," Tye explained, "It's my belief that the craft is owned by 
the bank robbers."
"Where is it?" Mihoshi asked the floating screen as it rotated to view her.
"It's near Ryuten," Tye said, "It's probably touched down by now.  Perhaps you 
should check it out within the range of... oh, say... a few hours."
"Sir, we're kind of busy with our cur..." Kiyone began.
"That's alright," Tye interrupted, "we could always find someone else who'd like 
to be promoted to lieutenant."
Kiyone's mind spun with images of being promoted and the money involved in such 
a position.  Then she remembered her duties, "I was assigned as Lady Aeka's 
personal bodyguard."
Tye looked to Aeka, "I know your assignment, but this takes precedence.  Lady 
Aeka will have to look after herself for now."
Kiyone remembered the last time she'd gone against her orders, and how it got 
her demoted and partnered with Mihoshi, "I'm sorry for being insubordinate, sir.  
I'll get to it, right away."
"Good, I trust in you, Privates, First Class, Kiyone and Mihoshi," Tye nodded 
and pressed a button to make his image vanish.
"So..." Mihoshi downed some more sake, "what was that all about?"
Kiyone sighed.

	"I'll see you guys later, don't get into any trouble," Kiyone used her 
communications screen to bid farewell to Tenchi, Washu, Ryoko, Sasami, and Aeka 
for a while, before setting out toward Ryuten.
"So... how long will it take us to get to Ryuten?" Mihoshi asked.
"I'm not sure," Kiyone responded, "Let's ask Vega."
"Ok, let me!" Mihoshi ran up to the hovering sphere, "How long till we get to 
Ryuten?"
"Due to decisions based on that of the Jurai Royal Council and Galaxy Police 
officials, your maximum speed will be regulated," Vega glowed with the words 
that she spoke, "At top permissible velocity, it will take five days and four 
hours to get to Ryuten's atmosphere."
"Maintain maximum permissible speed, then, Vega," Kiyone sighed, rested her head 
on the console, and shut her jade-toned eyes, "Five days in space... do you 
think we'll have enough food to last that long?"
Mihoshi sat at the edge of the main room and snacked on rice cakes in the food 
reserve.
"I s-sure hope s-so," Mihoshi mumbled with crumbs tumbling from her mouth.
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone growled looking over at her, "Oh well... I guess we can stop 
at a space port and buy some on the way there."
Kiyone check her wallet for money and thought, "What is the exchange rate for 
140 yen on Enthos Seven?"
"Well, it's been a long day," Mihoshi yawned and stretched her arms outward, 
"I'm gonna get some sleep."
"Ok," Kiyone stared into space as the stars streaked through the sky, "Rest 
well."
Mihoshi stumbled up the stairs to the smaller of the two rooms, and crawled 
under the sheets to slumber.  Kiyone stayed in the cockpit area of the main 
room, and watched the stars long into the night.  She assumed that it was 
nighttime, but it was hard to tell, since they were flying through space.  
Kiyone's eyes tracked each colorful nebula that passed by from time to time.
A voice sounded aback the room, "K-Kiyone?"
"What is it, Mihoshi," Kiyone sighed as she stared at another immense planet 
float by in the distance.
"I can't sleep," Mihoshi rubbed her eye; she was wearing her white, loose 
nightshirt.
"Why not?" Kiyone half-heartedly turned her head to talk to Mihoshi.
"It's kinda scary out here," Mihoshi's eyes glistened with tears, "in space."
"Just pretend like you're at home," Kiyone stood up and stretched her muscles, 
which were locked in place from sitting the same way for several hours.
"I can't," Mihoshi sighed and sat cross-legged in the main room of Vega.
"That sake has no effect on you," Kiyone chuckled playfully.
"Let's stop at the next planet we find," Mihoshi came up with an idea.
Kiyone, however, was against the idea, "I don't think so... it'll take too much 
time."
"Please... come on... pretty please!" Mihoshi crawled toward Kiyone and begged.
"Ok, ok, stop," Kiyone smiled and rose from her seat at the bridge, "Vega-
autopilot to closest planet in path of Ryuten."
"I'm afraid that would put us behind schedule, and GPHQ would not think highly 
of that," Vega explained and neglected to comply with Kiyone's orders.
"Sorry, Mihoshi..." Kiyone stood up from her location at the console and walked 
over to Mihoshi, "but we can't."
"We'll never get to sleep just sitting out here," Mihoshi looked up at Kiyone 
and smiled.

	Ryo-ohki hovered impatiently over Jurai's surface.
"You leave Lord Tenchi alone!" Aeka yelled as Ryoko tried to pass through the 
wall to Tenchi's lair in Ryo-ohki.  The Juraian princess nabbed one of Ryoko's 
legs, but the demon had already copped a peek into the room.  Washu had turned 
the room into a gate to subspace, and was using it to do experiments on Tenchi, 
who was fast asleep.
"Aeka," Ryoko growled, "It's Washu.  She's alone with Tenchi."
"Well, open the door already," Aeka shouted.  Ryoko grabbed the door and opened 
it.
"Who is it?" Washu turned around after hearing the bell ring.  There was no one 
standing there.  Suddenly, a tap came to Washu's left shoulder.
"Ryoko," Washu said quietly, "Tenchi's asleep."
"What are you doing with Lord Tenchi?!" Aeka yelled.
"I'm modifying him," Washu grinned, "so he can show his true affections."
"What?  Really?!" Ryoko drooled and loomed toward Washu.
"Oh, Tenchi," Ryoko's thoughts were filled with images of Tenchi pushing Ryoko 
against the wall and ripping off her shirt, and various other obscene things 
that Ryoko enjoys dreaming about.
"My princess," Tenchi spoke softly to Aeka, within the delighted Juraian's 
deepest desires, "I want you... to be mine."
"Lord Tenchi, I..." Aeka watched her mind fill with images of Tenchi giving her 
a longing kiss.
"Hee, hee, hee," both of the girls chuckled.
"Of course," Washu began, "I wouldn't want to put the alpha-converter in his 
brain until we're back to Earth, where he won't embarrass himself."
"Come on," Ryoko hopped excitedly, "Put it in, and then we can take it out when 
we get down to Jurai."
"I'll think about it..." Washu said, continuing her experimentations.

	"And the look on Taolin's face?" Mihoshi and Kiyone hadn't even touched 
their beds, and instead stayed awake laughing uproariously-and drunkenly.  Their 
room was rather tiny, and had two windows along the same wall that peered out 
into space.  There was a single light in the room, which was currently off.  The 
windows allowed a beautiful violet hue to shine in from space, but otherwise the 
room was very dim.  There were large fluorescent beanbags in the back of the 
room, and a table upon which sat a teakettle and several tea cups, as well as 
tea leaves to make tea from.  At about the center of the room were two tatami 
mats to sleep on.  About at that place on the floor lay an empty bottle of fine 
sake from Kyoto, and three more full bottles.  Oh yeah, they were pretty drunk, 
but the alcohol didn't seem to make them any sleepier.  They were like those 
people who can drink and drink and rather than getting ejected into a stupor, 
become more realistic.  The more they drank, the more down-to-earth they became, 
and the more candid their secrets got.
"Mihoshi," Kiyone was gazing out the window, still in a constant state of 
laughter, "I know I'm always saying how much of a pain you are, but... now that 
I think of it... I'm kinda glad they demoted me to be your partner."
"Really?" Mihoshi walked over to the window where Kiyone was standing, "Seeing 
how much you loved your promotions, I don't see how you could like to be here... 
with me."
"Mihoshi, remember the time we went to Yatsuka?" Kiyone mentioned, "and that 
guy..."
"Oh yeah..." Mihoshi laughed, "when we crashed into that desert ship-thingy and 
tackled our old GP officer."
"Yeah, and when I tried to get up..." Kiyone broke out laughing.  She didn't 
finish her sentence, before the two of them were laughing incessantly and 
pounding against the wall.  A few minutes went by until their laughter died 
down.
"Kiyone," Mihoshi looked toward her partner, "I loved working with you down on 
Earth.  Getting money is hard work, but it's not so bad when I'm with you."
"You know, Mihoshi, you're a very fun person to hang around with," Kiyone sighed 
and looked over at Mihoshi.
"Kiyone, how long do you think we'll be here on Vega?"
"Long after we're back from our mission on Ryuten, Mihoshi."
"How long?"
"Probably until we're back on Earth."
"That's ok, I kinda like this ship."
"Hey, Mihoshi, we made enough money to get a nice condo on Earth, but our money 
is in a bank on Earth."
"Wow, I can't wait until we get back."
"So... how do you feel about Tenchi," Kiyone grinned and spoke.
"I think Tenchi deserves someone really nice," Mihoshi sighed.
"Is that all you think?" Kiyone yearned for more information.
"I don't know.  It's just... Tenchi doesn't seem all that interested in me."
"Earlier today, you said you thought he liked you..."
"Well, he does look at me, but I think he's more interested in Ryoko and Aeka."
"No one looks at me," Kiyone sighed, "I have more of the 'overworked slave girl' 
appearance."
"Kiyone, don't say that.  Walking through town, back on Earth, I'm sure you 
turned a few heads."
"Are you kidding, Mihoshi?  The last time any man paid attention to me was..."
"Was what?" Mihoshi wondered what Kiyone was about to say.
"Hidetoshi Kuroda..." Kiyone voice wavered with sadness.
"I don't think I ever met Kuroda."
"Kuroda was a tall man from Earth that I met when I first went there.  There was 
something about him that caught my eye."
"How long were you with him?"
"We were never really 'together' as you might say.  We visited each other a lot 
and he took me to dinner, and to the bath, and... well... he actually made me 
feel like a woman for the first time."
"He sounds like a great guy."
"He never touched me, though.  He was very strict, and very well brought up."
"I never had anyone like that," Mihoshi sighed, "No one has ever felt anything 
for me."
"I'm sure someone will.  You'd make a great wife for someone."
"No, Kiyone.  You would make a far better wife than me.  You are spirited, 
always looking to be better, hard-working, and productive... I'm just a screw-
up.  I'm sorry you don't have a better partner."
"Don't say that, I don't know if I could keep sane without you."
"Even though I always make problems and mess up all of our missions?"
"You don't, Mihoshi.  You don't do that.  Why, if you hadn't been on Cellis with 
me, I'd still be stuck under that mess of rubble."
"Do you really need me?"
"Mihoshi, it goes much farther than just me needing you... I... I lo... I'm 
keeping a lot of secrets from you."
"That's ok, Kiyone, there's things I'm too embarrassed to tell you, too."
"Yeah, but... Mihoshi, I..."
"Well... there's no one else here, you might as well tell me."
"It's too embarrassing."
"Kiyone.  Just tell me," Mihoshi's face became very staid, "I'll understand."
"But I don't know if you'd..." Kiyone blushed.
"Nothing you can say could ever hurt our friendship."
"At night, Mihoshi, I... I dream..."
"Don't... speak..." Mihoshi and Kiyone were both standing, staring out of one of 
the darkened room's windows.  Mihoshi was standing to the right of her Galaxy 
Police partner.  The blonde-haired policewoman placed a hand on Kiyone's right 
shoulder and turned her body to face away from the window.  Mihoshi moved 
outward and placed a hand on the wall at either side of Kiyone's body, pushing 
her toward the window.  Kiyone's breathing steadily quickened as she became 
overcome with emotions.  What was happening?  Kiyone had dreamt it all before, 
but to see it actually happen was beyond words for her.  Mihoshi's eyes showed a 
side that Kiyone had never seen before.  Something that Kiyone could've never 
seen in any dream was there, before her, drawing closer to her face.  Kiyone's 
heart pounded quickly, as time itself began to slow down to a point at which 
each second felt like an hour.  Mihoshi spoke some words, but Kiyone didn't hear 
a thing.  The anxious woman's emerald eyes glistened with tears as her face 
glowed red with excitement.  Mihoshi could feel Kiyone's bliss and fervor as she 
drew near.
"Mihoshi, I love you..." Kiyone's voice cracked with tears of joy.

	Mihoshi closed her eyes.  Kiyone watched the blue-eyed girl shut her 
sparkling eyes and closed her eyes as well, to focus only Mihoshi's touch-
nothing else.  Mihoshi's lips met Kiyone's, for the first time she'd ever felt 
them.  They were indescribably wonderful to the touch.  They were like nothing 
Kiyone had ever felt.  She tasted them, indulged in them, and done nothing but 
admired everything about Mihoshi's body, pressing up against hers.  Kiyone, so 
very often before, felt that she was in control, and she was always the one 
given the orders; but now, it seemed that Mihoshi was taking the lead, and being 
the stronger of the two.  Mihoshi's blonde hair was drifting about, amongst the 
two of them.  Kiyone knew that this kind of relationship was not really the one 
she'd been looking for, but she was so enraptured, she couldn't do anything but 
allow Mihoshi to pleasure her.  Mihoshi's milky-white hands slid up Kiyone's 
Galaxy Police uniform.  Kiyone felt her partner's hands unfasten each of her 
uniforms buttons and slide up onto her soft chest.  Mihoshi continued kissing 
Kiyone and gently massaged her.  Mihoshi was glad that she could make Kiyone 
feel less uptight.  Mihoshi tossed her blonde hair out of the way and kissed 
Kiyone more deeply than before, while unsnapping her brassier in the back.  The 
jade-haired girl flushed a brighter red and opened her mouth more for Mihoshi.  
Mihoshi kept her blue eyes closed as she drew away from Kiyone's lips for a 
moment to remove her baggy nightshirt.  Kiyone reached outward to grasp Mihoshi 
and engage kissing her once more.  Their bodies pressed firmly against one 
another as Kiyone forced Mihoshi over onto one of the room's beanbags.  Mihoshi 
opened her eyes for a second to view Kiyone's face, which was panting with 
excitement.  Kiyone's eyes were still shut, so Mihoshi shut hers again.  Kiyone 
and Mihoshi continued to kiss and caress each other's bodies.  Mihoshi moved her 
kisses downward, causing Kiyone to tip her head, as she released a sigh of 
passion.  Kiyone wasn't sure about where this would take her-she was confused as 
to what this might lead to, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Mi... Mihoshi," Kiyone strained to talk through her ecstasy, "Mihoshi, I... 
I..."
Mihoshi squeezed tightly around Kiyone, "Just hold me, Kiyone... I can't live... 
without you."
"I feel the same way, Mihoshi," Kiyone was crying, while she held Mihoshi 
tighter, "but we can't do this.  Not now.  I'm not... I'm not ready."
"Can you," Mihoshi cried as well, "just hold me, then?"
"Of course, Mihoshi.  For as long as you want," Kiyone held Mihoshi close to 
herself, until she felt Mihoshi pass away into a deep, tender slumber.  Kiyone 
didn't fall asleep; she simply held onto Mihoshi for the longest of times, and 
gazed out into the black endlessness of space that so closely resembled her 
life.


(What exactly happens when the crew touches down on Jurai?  Where will our 
characters head after visiting Jurai?  And why were these two episodes named 
"Dark Princess" when they had little or nothing to do with anything even 
remotely like the title?  Only time-and me-can tell.  Kiyone and Mihoshi were 
getting pretty into it out in space there.  I wonder how this will affect their 
relationship.  See all the excitement on Jurai, and all the suspenseful 
detective-work on Ryuten in the next exciting chapter of... "The Tenchi 
Saga"!!!)

(Disclaimer:  All characters from the Tenchi Muyo series and movies are 
copyrighted to their respective companies, if not PioneerT than whomever they 
belong to.  My story's plot, new characters, etc. that are new and/or different 
than usual belong to me, David Boutwell.  It would be unlawful and pretty mean 
if you were to steal any of this story and claim it as your own.  I would like 
to hear the comments of anyone reading this story.  I probably won't make more 
until I find my potential readers.  I would also like your input on how to make 
the next episodes of the series.  I hope you enjoyed it.  If you think it 
sucked, then yell at me via my e-mail address, frogboy@tokyo-3.com.  Be prepared 
for many continuations of this series.  Thank you for taking time to read this.)