(Spotlight comes on, illuminating Haruna standing against a 
red curtain.)
AUTHOR:  (Grins)  Okay, Haruna, just read the cards.
HARUNA:  Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  
The character do not belong to the author.
AUTHOR:  Stop!  Sorry, Haruna, but the camera wasn't aligned 
right.  Could you step about three paces to your left?
HARUNA:  Of course.  (Takes three steps left)
AUTHOR:  Hmmmmmmm.  Now, one step back.
HARUNA:  (Takes one step back.)
AUTHOR:  Thank you.  (Hits a switch on his chair.  A piano 
falls from the ceiling and crushes Haruna.)  HOW YOU LIKE 
THAT, TREE WHORE!!!???  (Author sits back in his chair and 
sighs.)  I've wanted to do that ever since I saw that blasted 
movie.  Well, on to the fic!

The Bonds of Sisterhood part 10:  The Beginning of the End



	Tenchi Masaki entered the darkened room slowly.  The 
weight of the unfamiliar sword in his hand helped to reassure 
him.  His hand tightened around it.  He couldn't see much in 
the dark room.  A brief flash of lightning outside gave him 
only  a second of light during which he saw nothing of his 
adversary.  He raised the sword and continued inside.
	He tried to control his breathing, to remain calm.  He 
knew what he was up against, and he knew that he was seriously 
outmatched.  He stepped further inside.  His opponent was in 
here somewhere, waiting for him.  He flinched as he felt 
something gently graze the top of his forehead.
	He closed his eyes and swore under his breath.  He 
looked up and saw E. Ryoko floating above him, parallel to 
the ground.  She smiled as she gently tapped his head with 
the boken again.
	"You lose again, Tenchi," she said.  
	He smiled.  "You know, it's not fair that you can do 
that."
	The Empress floated down until she was facing him.  
"Now, now, Tenchi," she said, waving her finger at him.  
"You know it's necessary.  What would your grandfather think 
if we arrived at your house in three months and he found out 
you hadn't been training?"
	Images of himself being tossed around the yard as his 
grandfather trained him popped into Tenchi's head.  "He'd want 
to make up for lost time."
	"Exactly," E. Ryoko said with a nod.  "Lights," she 
called out.  The lights in the upstairs drawing room came on.  
The storm outside continued unabated.
	"Well, it's still unfair," he pointed out. 
	E. Ryoko faced him and grinned.  "Oh, I see," she said.  
"You're the man, so you have to be the powerful one, huh?"  
She tossed her boken aside and covered her mouth with her 
hands, adopting an expression of mock fear.  "Oh no!" she  
cried out in a dramatic, high pitched voice.  "The space 
marauder has kidnapped the beautiful empress!"  She leaned 
against the wall and covered her forehead with the back of 
her hand.  "What will happen to our heroine!?  Will the filthy 
scoundrel attempt to perform perverse acts upon her beautiful 
body?!"  She looked at him and dropped back to a normal tone.  
"That *is* the plan, right?"  Tenchi just blinked in shock.  
She went back to her dramatic pose.  "Oh, what foul fate awaits 
her?!  Oh!  You brute!  Stay away!"  Suddenly, she rushed into 
his arms.  "No!  Come closer!  No! Stay away!"  She pushed him 
against the wall with one hand.  "I mustn't give in to the 
passions of my body!"  E. Ryoko was wailing dramatically.  
Finally, she dropped the dramatic tone, shrugged, and said, 
"Oh, what the hell..." she leaned forward and kissed him.  His 
boken clattered to the ground as Tenchi's arms encircled her 
and held her tightly to him.
	When their lips parted, Tenchi laughed.  "Where did 
you get that?" he asked her.
	She grinned.  "A romance novel.  When you're not blasting 
convoys, you have a lot of time to read."
	He smiled down at her.  Suddenly, her bracelet began 
to beep.  She looked down at it.
	"Oops," she said.  "I have to go to work."  She kissed 
him again.  "But when I get back, chapter two."
	"Chapter two?"
	E. Ryoko took another dramtic pose.  "When the marauder 
has the beautiful empress chained to his bed!  What will 
happen to our heroine!?"  Tenchi felt his nose start to bleed 
at the thought.  E. Ryoko stepped closer to him and wiped the 
blood away with a silk kerchief.  "Ohhh," she cooed.  "I'm 
gonna cure you of that," she promised.  "But right now, I have 
to go to work.  I'll see you later."
	He smiled at her and gave her a goodbye kiss.  "See 
you later."
	Ryoko kissed him again.  "Seriously, I have to go."
	"I know, I'll miss you."
	She kissed him again.  "Really, Tenchi," she said in an 
annoyed voice.  "I have to go."
	"I'll see you later."
	She kissed him again.  "Honestly, men, they just can't 
seem to grasp the concept of work!"
	Tenchi laughed.  "Ryoko, I'll see you when you're done."
	She glared at him.  "Dammit, man!  Would you just ask 
me not to go, already!?"
	He smiled.  "Don't go," he whispered.
	She tapped her bracelet.  "Computer, inform the Minister 
of Health that I'll have to reschedule."  The bracelet beeped 
twice in confirmation.  She looked up at Tenchi and grinned.  
"Now, then," she whispered.  "On to chapter two."  She leapt 
on him and knocked him to the floor.

	Ryoko hit the hard floor with a grunt.  She got up and 
tried to clear away the cobwebs in her head.  She heard a 
high-pitched shriek as the door closed, trapping her.
	"Ryoko?"  The voice was a frightened one.
	"Sasami?"  She felt someone grab her and hug her.
	"Ryoko!  It's you!  I'm so glad!  What's going on!?  
Who are they!?  What do they want!?  Where's Ayeka and Mihoshi 
and Washu and Tsunami and Ryo-Ohki and Gensao!?  What's 
going on!?"
	"I don't know, Sasami."  Ryoko blinked and studied her 
surroundings.  They were in a darkened room with no windows 
and only a steel door at one end.  A meager amount of light 
came from a glowing, green panel in the ceiling.  She 
decided to get some light and reached out to form an energy 
ball.  
	Nothing happened.  
	She tried again with similar luck.  She felt something 
around her neck and reached up.  There was some kind of collar 
there.  In the dim light of the room, she could make out a 
similar collar around Sasami's neck.  A small diode on the 
collar was blinking.  It was a fair bet that the collars were 
somehow blocking her powers.  
	She kneeled down and faced Sasami.  "What do you 
remember, Sasami?"
	Sasami wiped a tear away and began to speak.  "I remember 
going through the gate with Ayeka and then there were these....
things...they shot me with something.  Then I woke up here."
	Ryoko bit her lip in thought.  It was more than she 
remembered.  It looked like something had been waiting for 
them, but who?  Where were they?

	Mihoshi's eyes opened slowly, but her ears were working 
fine.
	"OPEN THIS DOOR THIS INSTANT!!" *CLANG*  "I COMMAND IT!!"  
*CLANG*  "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SASAMI!?"  *CLANG*  "I 
DEMAND YOU ANSWER!!"  Mihoshi sat up on the hard floor and 
yawned.  She saw Ayeka screaming at the metal door of their 
cell and kicking at it with her feet.
	"Ayeka?"
	The princess turned to her.  Mihoshi noticed the glowing 
collar around her neck.  Ayeka's expression was a mixture of 
disgust and relief.  "Well, it's about time you woke up!"
	"Where are we?"
	"I don't know, but they took Sasami and the others 
away."  She kicked the door again.  *CLANG*  "Some of Washu's 
experiments must've gone out of control while we were away 
and taken over her lab."  Ayeka growled in annoyance and kicked 
the door again.  *CLANG*
	Mihoshi hmmm'd in thought.  "I don't think so.  I've 
never seen anything like those green roaches in Washu's lab 
before."
	Ayeka turned from the door.  "Green roaches?"
	Mihoshi nodded.  "I saw some of them when I came out 
of the gate.  They blasted you and Sasami, then they screamed 
at me and their eyes began to glow and then I blacked out.  
It was all very scary!"
	Ayeka arched an eyebrow in annoyance.  
	Mihoshi's hand reached up to her throat and found that 
there was no collar there.  "Hmmm.  I wonder why you have a 
collar, and I don't."
	"Because you don't need one,"  Ayeka bit out.  Mihoshi 
looked up at her in confusion.  Ayeka growled.  "I've been 
trying for the last half hour, but I can't create a forcefield.  
The collar's preventing me from using my powers."
	Mihoshi brightened.  "Oh!  That explains it!  Good!"
	Ayeka's eye began to twitch.  Mihoshi turned at the 
sound of a painful, "Miya."  
	"Ryo-Ohki?"  
	The tiny cabbit was just coming around.  A tiny version 
of Ayeka's collar was around her neck.  "Miya?"
	Ayeka rushed to her.  "Ryo-Ohki!  You have a connection 
with Ryoko!  Is Sasami with her!?  Is she okay!?"  She began 
to shake the cabbit.  "Answer me, please!?"
	Ryo-Ohki blinked and began to panic.  She miya'd 
pitifully.  Ayeka got the jist of it.  "You can't connect 
with Ryoko, can you?"  Ryo-Ohki shook her head.  She snarled 
and tugged at the collar with her paw, but to no effect.  
"I see,"
	"Oh, let me help!"  Mihoshi said and reacked for 
Ayeka's collar.
	"NO!  MIHOSHI DON'T!"  
	Mihoshi touched the control diode with her fingertips 
and was thrown back six feet as an electrical shock overcame 
her body.
	"OWIE!  OWIE!  OWIE!"  Mihoshi cried while she sucked 
on her fingers in a futile attempt to dull the pain.
	Ayeka shook her head.  "I tried the same thing when I 
figured out what the collar was for.  Apparently, they don't 
want us taking them off."
	Mihoshi blew on her fingers and shook them.  "That hurt!"
	Ayeka turned back to the door.  "If we're not in 
Washu's lab, then where are we?"

	"Where the hell are we?!"  Washu asked as the K'rystava 
behind her prodded her in the back again with its staff.  
Tsunami said nothing.  She was occupied with her own thoughts.
	<This can't be happening!> she thought.  <It can't!  
It's too soon  It's *too soon!*>
	They were led into a mammoth chamber that looked large 
enough to hold a house.  Washu looked around and saw several 
other insects positioned around the room.  At the end of this 
room, on a raised dais, was a gilded throne.  The insects 
prodded them again, and emphasized the point with several 
hisses and sharp clicks.  Tsunami and Washu walked forward, 
until they were stopped by the insects' staffs on their 
shoulders.
	Washu turned.  "Hey, now, what's the big ide..." she 
was cut off as the insect hit her in the chin with the staff.  
Washu fell to the floor.  She glared up at the insect and 
damned the collar that was keeping her from cutting the bug 
into tiny pieces with her lightsword.  The insect hissed down 
at her.  Suddenly, it screamed and dropped it's staff.  Light 
seemed to erupt from within it.  Finally, with a shriek of 
pain, it vaporized.
	Washu and Tsunami blinked in shock.  The remaining 
insects knelt down and bowed their heads as a haunting voice 
announced,
	"A similar fate will follow any who treat my sisters 
so disrespectfully."
	Tsunami and Washu looked up to see a woman sitting on 
the throne.  She was not there a moment ago, she must have 
transported in from somewhere else.  Washu blinked in 
puzzlement.  Tsunami whispered a single word.
	"Tokimi."

	PM Washu entered the drawing room and found Tenchi 
and E. Ryoko sitting close together on the sofa, talking.  
Her lips bent upwards in a slight smile.  "Hey, kids."
	They turned and noticed her for the first time.  
"Hello, Mom."
	"Hello, Ms. Washu."
	PM Washu's eyes narrowed.  "Tenchi..." she said in 
warning.
	"Er..."
	"Tenchi..."
	Tenchi gulped.  "Hello...Mom."
	PM Washu beamed.  "See, that wasn't so hard."
	Tenchi had to smile.  It *hadn't* been hard.
	"Well, get your stuff together, I'm taking you both out 
to eat."
	They blinked and looked at each other.  "Well, um, Mom," 
E. Ryoko began.  "We were kind of planning on staying in 
tonight.  You know, watching the holovids, reading..."
	"Talking.."  Tenchi added.
	PM Washu's eyes narrowed.  "Making love on the floor 
of your bedroom like two animals..." she finished.
	"MOTHER!"
	PM Washu grinned.  "Come on!  It'll be fun!"  She 
amended this a moment later.  "Granted, not as fun as what 
*you* had planned, but I want to spend time with my baby girl 
and my son in law."  She clasped her hands in front of her.  
"PLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEE?!"
	"Um...Mom, what about Tenchi?"  E. Ryoko asked.  "We 
have to be careful about who sees him."
	PM Washu waved this argument aside.  "Oh, come on.  
He'll wear a cloak and no one will notice.  You did it before, 
I might add."
	E. Ryoko blushed as she remembered the last time she 
and Tenchi had left the palace...and what had happened as a 
result.
	"Come on!  I'm buying!  I'll call ahead, we can clear 
the place out beforehand."
	"What do you think, Tenchi?"  E. Ryoko asked him.
	He shrugged.  "Why not?"
	"Great, I'll make a call."  PM Washu left the room to 
prepare.
	E. Ryoko snuggled closer to Tenchi.  He held her a 
little tighter.  

	"It's been a long time, sisters."
	Tsunami shook her head in shock.  "Tokimi," she 
whispered.
	"Tokimi?"  Washu asked.  "*You're* Tokimi!?"
	Tokimi smiled from her throne.  "I don't think we need 
those any longer."  She gestured with her hand, and the 
collars fell from their necks.  "My dear older sister," she 
said with a smile.  "You look a little...young."
	"'Sister?'"  Washu blinked.  "What the hell are you 
talking about?!"  She turned to Tsunami.  "Tsunami!  What is 
she talking about?!"
	Tokimi got up from her seat and approached them.  
"Sister, why do you hide from me in that child's body?"
	"Look, lady," Washu began, "I don't know who you are, 
or why you..."   She broke off suddenly and began to wobble 
on her feet.  She fell to one knee.  Tokimi and Tsunami 
watched as this happened.  Washu got to her feet.  Her eyes 
were glowing a deep pink.  Three golden circles appeared on 
her forehead.  She smiled at Tokimi, then began to change.  
In a few seconds, she had aged several years, appearing as 
a young woman.
	"Do you prefer this form...Sister?"
	Tokimi grinned.  "It's been far too long, Washu."
	Washu's smile slipped.  "Not long enough."
	"Such animosity..."
	Tsunami chose this moment to speak up.  "Why have you 
brought us here?"
	Tokimi faced her.  "Why do you think, Sister?  It is 
time to resolve our argument."
	Tsunami shook her head.  "No, that can't be.  None of 
us are ready!"
	"Sister is right," Washu told Tokimi.  "The Contest is 
not here.  After all, Tokimi, you cannot possibly be ready."
	Tokimi smiled.  "My champions are ready and await the 
Contest."
	Washu's face fell.
	So did Tsunami's.  "'Champions?'" she asked, placing 
emphasis on the plural.
	Tokimi nodded.  "We are prepared.  According to the 
rules, once each sister has a champion within the Arena, the 
Contest will begin."
	"We're not ready,"  Tsunami told her matter of factly.  
	"I disagree," Tokimi told her.  "Your champions are 
here."
	Washu said nothing.  It was hard to argue with that 
with Ryoko sitting in a holding cell within the Arena's walls.
	"Mine is not,"  Tsunami told her.
	Tokimi grinned.  "Worry not, Sister.  I made sure your 
champion was here."
	Tsunami shook her head in confusion.  "What are talking 
about?  Tenchi isn't here.  He isn't within the confines of 
the Arena.  That means the Contest cannot begin, and you have 
no right to hold us here."
	"I was not referring to *that* champion."
	Tsunami looked a question at her.  Tokimi grinned smugly.  
Tsunami's eyes widened.  "NO!"  She cried.  "Sister, not 
even you would be so cruel!"
	Tokimi's face became harsh.  "Me?"  She took a dangerous 
step toward the blue haired goddess.  "*You* chose her as 
your champion, *Sister*!  It was your decision to involve 
her!  Not mine!  Now you will pay for your lack of judgement."  
She stared Tsunami down.  "And so will she."
	Tsunami shook her head.  "You can't," she whispered.  
"She's just a child."
	"A child you assimilated with.  *You* involved her."
	Tsunami felt a flash of guilt.  "She would've been 
trained, prepared."  She shook her head.  "I thought I had 
more time."
	"You did not," Tokimi accused her.  "The champions are 
here.  The Contest will occur."  She turned from them.
	"Wait!"
	Tokimi turned back to Tsunami.  
	Tsunami took a deep breath as she tried to contain 
tears.  "If I summon my *real* champion...Will you release 
Sasami from the obligation of the Contest?"
	Tokimi grinned.  "Of course.  Anything for my dear 
little sister.  I will send D-6 to fetch him...at once."

	As the K'rystava guards led Tsunami and Washu out of 
her chambers, Tokimi's lieutenant and her champions appeared.  
She turned to them.  "D-6, take a contingent of guards through 
the portal and deliver a message to Mr. Masaki.  I want him 
here in one week."
	"Why not just drag him here through the portal?"  her 
champion asked her directly.
	Tokimi smiled.  "This champion is different.  He will 
not make an easy target.  I want him to come willingly.  I 
want to talk to him."
	There were a few clicks from Lady Reek'sta, who held 
something out to Tokimi.  She took it and examined it.  "Yes, 
this will show him we are sincere."  She handed the item to 
D-6.  
	"Talk to him?"  her champion asked.  "What about?"
	Tokimi gave her champion an annoyed look.
	D-6 smiled and bowed to Tokimi.  "Her Ladyship is wise."
	The champion turned to D-6.
	"Her Ladyship is going to turn Masaki to us.  With 
Tsunami's powers and Her Ladyship's combined, there will 
be no stopping her."
	The champion laughed.  "Turn Tsunami's champion!?  
You must be joking!  How would you do such a thing?!"
	"It's rather simple,"  Tokimi told him in a 
condescending tone.  "Tenchi Masaki is like yourself.  
He has human wills, desires, but most important of all, 
he has the capacity to feel hate and the need for revenge.  
Ryoko is beyond my reach.  She is Washu's construct, but 
Masaki..." she trailed off.  "Masaki can be swayed.  Tsunami's 
mistake with her second champion will be her undoing.  And her 
third *will* be swayed."
	Tokimi smiled.  "Go, D-6.  Go now."
	
	Tsunami faced Washu.
	Standing in the rather luxurious quarters Tokimi had 
provided them, Tsunami still couldn't fight down the fear 
she was feeling.  "Washu, I need my powers."
	Washu's eyes narrowed.  "Sister," she said in warning.  
"The Contest is here, why should I help you?"
	"You heard Tokimi, she has more than one champion, and 
ours aren't ready.  If something happens..."
	Washu grinned.  "How quickly you resort to cheating, 
Sister.  Using your powers to sway the outcome of the contest 
is prohibited, as is actively confronting Tokimi.  You know 
the rules.  *He* wanted to make sure we didn't try to kill 
each other.  If you try for Tokimi's head, you forfeit the 
contest *and* your powers."
	"I was not thinking of that,"  Tsunami told her.  "But 
the others.  Ayeka and Sasami.  What about them?"
	"Forget them."
	"'Forget them?!'"
	"Yes, they are irrelevant now."
	Tsunami shook her head in shock.  "You can't mean that!"
	Washu gave her an annoyed look.  "Tsunami, remember why 
we are here.  Also remember that the only reason I put up with 
you is because *if* I lose, I would rather see *you* win the 
contest than our dear sister."
	Tsunami gritted her teeth.  "Help me."
	Washu sighed.  "Fine, I will give you a fraction of my 
powers.  That will have to suffice for now.  But it won't be 
enough for you to get them out of the Arena."
	"It'll be enough to face Tokimi on equal footing with."
	"I doubt that."
	Tsunami faced her sister down.  "It's a start."
	Washu nodded and held out her hand.  A small, golden 
gem sat in her palm.  She released it, and the gem floated 
there for a moment before moving towards Tsunami and 
attaching itself to her left wrist.  Tsunami gasped as she 
felt some of her old powers return, not many, but a few.  
She concentrated and felt the simple clothes she was wearing 
change into the blue kimono she preferred.
	Washu watched her change, her face expressionless.
	"Now what?"  Tsunami asked her.
	"We wait."
	
	Ryoko hugged Sasami and tried to comfort the tiny 
princess.  "It'll be okay, Sasami.  We'll find a way out 
of here.  As soon as I figure out how to get this collar 
off, we're busting out of here!"
	Sasami said nothing.  She was too scared to think 
right now.
	They turned as they heard the door screech open.  Two 
green bugs entered the room brandishing long halberds.  They 
saw the two of them and began clicking to one another.  One 
of them gestured to Sasami.
	Ryoko stood up.  "Stay away from her, you green 
bastards!"
	The bugs stepped forward.  Ryoko launched herself at 
them, even without her powers.  One K'rystava hissed as she 
struck him...
	Then he struck back, knocking Ryoko against the wall.  
She fell to the ground with a grunt.  She opened her eyes 
and found the bug's speartip pointed at her face.  The other 
K'rystava approached a screaming Sasami and picked her up.
	"SASAMI!"
	Ryoko tensed to strike, but the bug saw it and raised 
the spear an inch in warning.  Ryoko bit her lip.
	"RYOKO!  RYOKO!  HELP!"  
	Ryoko struck.  She lashed out with her hands and 
grabbed hold of the spear.  She yanked on it, but couldn't 
pull it from the bug's iron grasp.  The bug lifted her in 
the air and smashed her against the wall.  Ryoko lost her 
grip on the staff.  She looked up just in time to see the 
blunt end whipping towards her face.
	Then she saw nothing.
	
	It was still raining when PM Washu stepped out of the 
Imperial Residence.  She stood under the overhang and hugged 
her raincoat closer to herself.  Beside her, an Imperial 
Marine Corporal saluted.  
	She returned it automatically and went back to waiting.  
E. Ryoko and Tenchi were getting ready and would be out in a 
few minutes, but she wanted to get a bit of fresh air.  She 
had called ahead and had booked an entire wing of one of the 
finest restauraunts in the Empire.  No one would see Tenchi 
there, and even if a waiter recognized him, a quick bribe 
would take care of it.  She didn't care.  She wasn't going 
to see her daughter again for a long time, and she wanted 
to spend time with the both of them.
	She blinked when she saw the Marine looking at her.  
He noticed this and turned back to his post.  A few minutes 
later, she caught him doing it again.
	"Something wrong, Corporal..."
	"Tenza, Ma'am,"  the Marine answered with a nervous 
gulp.  "And no, Ma'am."
	PM Washu's eyes narrowed.  "Are you feeling all right, 
Corporal?  You don't look so good."
	"I feel fine, Ma'am."  Tenza answered hastily.
	"Hmmmm.  Just to be sure, report to my lab tomorrow at 
oh-eight-hundred.  I want to run a few tests."
	"Tests?!"  Tenza squeaked.  He almost dropped his rifle.
	PM Washu blinked at his tone.  "That's right, tests."
	"Uh..well..........Yes, Ma'am."
	She mentally shrugged and wondered what the Corporal's 
problem was.  Maybe he was overworked....

	The door screeched open.  Ayeka and Mihoshi turned to 
the sound and saw Sasami being pushed inside with them by two 
of those large bugs.  She hit the ground sobbing.  Ayeka 
rushed up to her.
	"Sasami!"
	Sasami raised her head and saw Ayeka kneeling down next 
to her.  She got up and hugged Ayeka, crying into her kimono. 
	"Ayeka!  Ayeka!"
	"Sasami!  Are you okay!?  What did they do to you?!"
	Sasami shook her head.  "They didn't do anything.  
They just brought me here.  But I think Ryoko's hurt!"
	"Ryoko?!"
	Sasami nodded, tears running down her cheek.   "She 
tried to stop them, but they hit her, and..." she broke 
down crying again.
	"Is she alive?"  Ayeka asked.
	"I don't know!  I don't know!"
	Ayeka hugged her while Sasami cried.  Looking over 
at Mihoshi, Ayeka could tell that the GP was close to tears 
of her own.  Ryo-Ohki was already crying.
	Ayeka shook her head.  "What do they want?"

	Corporal Barnes threw his cards down in disgust.  
	"You gotta be fucking kidding me!"  Private Anyaro told 
him in shock.  "You're gonna fold with three Jacks show'n?!"
	"Oh, come on!"  Barnes shot back.  He gestured to the 
blonde woman sitting across the table with a grin on her face.  
"She's got the straight flush or I'm a goddamn saint!"
	Private Koriya shook her head and gathered the money on 
the table toward her.  "That's the way the cards fall, Barnes.  
Sorry."
	Barnes shook his head.  Anyaro followed and threw a 
look to the fourth Marine in the Gate Room.  "Hey, Yuo!"  
He chucked a thumb at Barnes.  "Can you believe this asshole 
just folded with three jacks show'n?!"
	Corporal Yuo smiled as he sharpened his boot knife.  
"Shit yeah, I can believe it.  Barnes isn't exactly a Prime 
Minister ya know."
	Koriya and Anyaro laughed.  It was their second week 
at this duty, guarding the PM's experiment.  They had been 
briefed on the events of the past few weeks and knew that 
it was now considered an important post.
	So when the klaxons sounded, their response was not 
as alarming as it was for the Marines who were there when 
the gate first activated.
	Koriya looked up at the gate as it powered up.  "Maybe 
they forgot something," she mused.  She got up from her chair 
and approached the gate.  Yuo sheathed his boot knife and 
began barking orders.
	"All right, sweethearts, on your fucking feet!  Koriya!  
Get your ass back here!"  While Yuo approached the gate, the 
remaining Marines came to attention.
	There was an explosion of green light as the vortex 
opened.  Yuo cleared his throat.  "On behalf of the Empire 
of Jurai, I welcome you back to..."
	He was cut off as three, red, glowing tendrils shot 
out from the gate and snared him.  Yuo gave a cry of alarm, 
a cry that was cut off as he was pulled abruptly into the 
vortex.
	"SHIT!"  Barnes cried and raised his carbine.
	Suddenly, something leapt into the room from the vortex.  
The Marines' eyes went wide.  It was at least eight feet, 
green, and held some kind of staff.  It looked at them and 
screeched.  Barnes raised his carbine to fire, but the bug 
beat him to it.  A flash of light shot from its eyes, hitting 
the hapless Marine and throwing him to the floor.
	Three more monsters emerged from the gate, firing those 
green eye blasters as they went.  Koriya fired back and 
watched in grim satisfaction as plasma rounds tore into one 
of the bugs.  The bug shrieked in agony and fell backwards 
onto the floor.  Her sense of victory was short lived.  A 
second later, another green energy blast struck her in the 
chest.  She cried out and fell backwards.
	Anyaro was shouting into the communicator.  "TAC HQ, 
THIS IS WATCHDOG!  WE GOT SHIT!"  He cried out as a green 
blast struck him in the leg.  He collapsed and lost his 
grip on the communicator, the receiver hung from the wall 
by its cord.  He looked down at his leg, but couldn't see 
a wound.  Even so, his entire leg was numb.  He saw one 
the bugs leap, landing right in front of him.  It raised 
its spear to strike.  Suddenly, someone's hand shot out 
and grabbed the spear shaft, stopping him.
	Anyaro saw an elderly man on the other end of that 
hand.  "No," the old man ordered.  The bug looked at him 
curiously, but relented.  The man turned to Anyaro.  He 
picked up the receiver and addressed him.  "Will this allow 
me to speak with your superiors?"
	Anyaro nodded fearfully.
	"Thank you."  He gestured to the bug, who answered with 
a few short clicks.  Anyaro screamed as the spear tip sunk 
into his chest.
	D-6 spoke into the phone.  He could hear someone on 
the other end.
	"Watchdog!  Tsunami damn it, respond!"
	"I will speak with Tenchi Masaki."
	"Who is this!?"
	"You will bring Tenchi Masaki here, now."
	"Wait!  Who is..."  D-6 replaced the receiver on the 
cradle.  He turned to the K'rystava standing nearby. 
	"Secure the room."
	The bug hissed and clicked at him.

	Fifteen minutes later, the comm system beeped.  D-6 
picked up the receiver.
	"I will speak with Tenchi Masaki."
	"He's not here, you'll have to deal with me."
	D-6's brow furrowed.  "Who is this?"
	"Colonel Gavin Stolykios of Her Majesty's Imperial 
Guard."
	"Well, Colonel, you will bring Tenchi Masaki to me 
now."
	"I have a better idea.  You come out here and talk 
with me, or I'll send my Marines in there and drag you out 
by your feet kicking and screaming."
	"Tenchi Masaki."
	"No."
	D-6 considered his situation.  They had no hostages, 
and the Imperials were right outside the door.  They didn't 
have to let him speak with Masaki.  He'd have to get his 
attention another way.  He picked up a computer message pad 
off the table and began dictating.
	
	The doors opened and D-6 stepped out into the hallway.  
He turned to see about twenty Marines raise their carbines at 
him.  One of them stepped forward.  He carried no carbine, 
but had a pistol leveled at D-6's head.  By the decorations 
on his uniform and his position within the ranks.  D-6 took 
this to mean that he was Colonel Stolykios.
	He raised the pad and showed it to him.  "You will 
give this to Tenchi Masaki immediately.  The lives of his 
friends are forfeit if you do not."  He tossed the pad at 
Stolykios, who caught it with one hand.
	"What proof do I have that what you are saying is true?"
	D-6 smiled and showed him the item Tokimi had given him.  
In the well lit hallway, the engravings on the blade of the 
combat knife were clear.
	"SON OF A BITCH!"  one of the Marines yelled and 
raised her carbine for a shot.
	Stolykios turned to her.  "RIKARI!  As you were!"
	D-6 smiled again.  "I take it, then, that this is 
sufficient evidence?"  Stolykios said nothing.  D-6 dropped 
the knife to the floor.  "Then you have your orders, Colonel." 
	D-6 turned and reentered the gate room.
	It took a moment for Stolykios to get over the shock.  
Once he did, however, he didn't waste time.
	"Someone bring me that fucker's head!"
	A squad of Marines, led by Rikari bolted for the gate 
room.  The other Marines weren't far behind.  Rikari thumbed 
the switch to open the door.
	Nothing happend.
	"Fuck!  Nol'al, hotwire it!"
	She stepped back and leveled her carbine at the door 
as Nol'al came up and began disassembling the control pad.  
He began crossing wires, trying to hotwire the door system.  
>From behind the door, they all heard the gate open.
	"Nol'al, haul ass!"
	"Almost there!"  He tapped two exposed wires together, 
then, "Got it!"
	The door slid open, and the Marines rushed inside.  
They saw D-6 step through the gate.  Rikari's eyes widened 
when she saw one of his companions, a large insect, 
brandishing a spear turned to them and hissed.  Then, it 
too stepped through the gate.  The vortex collapsed.
	Stolykios lowered his pistol.
	"Find Her Majesty," he ordered.
	"We have a problem."

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Not much to talk about here.  This is the beginning of the 
second story arc, so there's still more to come.  Send C&C 
to...

Thomas "009" Doscher at
doscher009@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading!