Hey everyone. This is my first attempt at a fic in the TV universe, so let me know what you think. Thanks. Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. The author owns only the writing. Ssedrey and the Asconian people are the property of Ssedrey, and are used with his knowledge and consent. Thanks S. BTW: This fic takes place just after the Time Space Adventures. Two Guys, a Girl, and a Giant Lizard Cavis looked up at the bright blue, neon sign above the door of the tavern and shook his head. The sun had been down on Orsini Three for five hours already, but the sounds coming from inside the tavern told anyone passing nearby that the patrons of the Blue Zuta had no intention of turning in any time soon. He shook his head. "Of course he would be here," he muttered. He reached into the pocket of his long, black trench coat and checked the action on the blaster pistol he kept there. He took a breath and stepped inside. The place was crowded, full of transients and low lifes of every size, shape, and description. Even so, he couldn't miss his target. Davner was simply too conspicuous in this kind of place. He strode over to the bartender and nodded toward the man sitting at a corner table with four other men, all with angry expressions. "How many has he had?" Cavis asked the portly barkeep. The bartender gave him a look then asked, "You want that in glasses or bottles?" Cavis sighed and turned from the man. He walked over to the table, approaching the man warily. Davner wore a grey trench coat that had seen better days. The man wobbled in his chair, but still managed to lay his cards on the table and grin. "Octogonal Monopoly," he announced, his speech slightly slurred. The other men around the table threw their cards down in disgust. "Uh oh," Davner intoned. "Did I win again? How about that." Cavis stood next to Davner and kneeled down, coming eye to eye with him. "Hey. Davner." Davner looked over at Cavis. Realization set into his hazy mind. He smiled. "Well! Look what the Cavis dragged in! It's cat!" Cavis sighed. "Davner, try to stay with me, okay?" "Of course," Davner assured him. "I'll have you know I'm a very lucid drunk." Cavis smiled. "Of course you are. Listen Davner. I need your help. What are you doing for the next few weeks?" The drunken gambler seemed to consider this. Cavis mentally shook his head. Davner was still a young man, not yet thirty, the same age as Cavis. However, Davner had a tendency to...indulge himself. "Doing?" Davner asked. Cavis nodded and helped his friend up. "Come on, Davner. You'll love it. I promise." "But...I'm winning." "You always win, Davner. Let 'em take some money home." Davner regarded him for a moment before asking, "Cavis? Is that you?" Cavis sighed. Little Achi rested her chin on her hands and yawned loudly. She was rewarded with a slap on her desk with a ruler in the hands of Sister Kaniya, a priestess of Tsunami. "Achi, since you seem so enthralled with the lesson, why don't you tell us the answer?" Achi, stunned out of her reverie, blinked and looked up at the board. "The answer is, 'Emperor Yon Tsu Aden of the Fourth Dynasty.'" Sister Kaniya blinked in surprise. She checked her book. "Well..yes, that's correct." Achi thought, yawning again, "Well, I'm glad you're paying attention. Now then, the Fourth Dynasy occurred six hundred years ago and is considered..." Achi shook her head. she thought to herself for the thousandth time. The orphanage she lived in was run by Tsunamic priestesses who couldn't seem to get it through their heads that even though she *looked* ten years old, she was actually closer to seven hundred. She knew the priestesses knew this, but they seemed to think that she needed a good Tsunamic education. She yearned for the old days. Back before the Jurain authorities sent her here. It had been so much fun. She might be seven hundred in Jurain years, but as far as her species went, she *was* ten when it came to psychological and physiological maturity. Her species was long lived, but also long to mature. The intercom came on with a burst of static. "Sister Kaniya, please send Ms. Achi Ze'tal to the Mother Superior's office." The entire class turned to her. "Ooooooooh," they said as one. "Someone's in trouble," one of them sang. Achi blinked in surprise. She hadn't done anything lately. She sighed and resigned herself to her fate. She got up and left the classroom. When she got to the Mother Superior's office she found two men in Galaxy Police uniforms standing there. Their backs were to her, but she recognized their mental essence. She checked again, reaching out with her mind, touching their's. It *was* Cavis and Davner! She fought down the urge to rush up and hug them. She approached the Mother Superior's desk. The ancient woman nodded to her. "Is this the one?" Davner kneeled in front of her and took her by the chin, turning her face from side to side. "Hmmmm. Yes," he drawled in his Mollidoni accent. "This is the one." The old priestess shook her head. "We *try* to give these children new lives, but some are just too far gone." Cavis nodded. "She hasn't done anything. Well, nothing we *know of* anyway. We just need to ask her some questions." "Well, we will, of course, cooperate," the Mother Superior told them. She shot Achi a meaningful look. "*Won't we,* Achi?" Achi nodded. "Well, Your Grace, we will be going then. We'll try to have her back in a day, two at the most." "Of course." Davner took her hand. "Come along, Little One, let's go." Achi looked defeated and followed them outside. When they reached the unmarked land car, she broke down and hugged them both. "What's going on?!" she asked them, her words coming out in a rush. "It's simple, Little One," Davner drawled. "Cavis here says he has a job for us." Her eyes lit up. "It'll be just like the old days!" Cavis nodded. "Uh-huh. Just like." Of course, in the old days, it usually took longer for them to get caught. Davner leaned against the bars of their holding cell and took a quick look around. Two colonial deputies were eating donuts at their desks. Aside from that there was no one. Seated on her cot, Achi shook her head. "Good going, guys," she remarked. "At least in the orphanage the priestesses *fed* us." Davner threw her a look. "Would you like to go back?" Achi bit her lip and shook her head. "It's not my fault the Geepies came to and noticed their uniforms were gone." Lying on his back in the cot next to her's, Cavis spoke up. "Don't worry, I sincerely doubt we'll be here long." Achi blinked. "What makes you say that, Cav?" From down the hall came the sounds of people shouting and a couple of blaster shots. The wall across from their cell bent inward from the other side. Someone screamed. Cavis didn't move. "Oh, I don't know. Just a feeling." They heard footsteps coming their way. Achi stood up in fright and scanned the corridor with her mind. She brightened visibly. "Ssedrey!" At that moment, an eight foot lizard with white feathers on his head stepped into view. He took a look at their cell door before opening it with the keys he took from the deputies. Cavis stood up. "I was *hoping* you got my message." The lizard, Ssedrey, smiled, which is to say that his mouth was open and both of his fangs were showing. "Of course," he hissed. "Did you think I could abandon my former cohorts to a fate such as this?" Davner patted him on the back. "'Course not, Ssed. You were just what we needed to tip the *scales*." He smiled. Achi threw him a withering look and embraced the lizard. The lizard hissed and picked the girl up, placing her on his shoulder. Davner grinned. "So now what?" he asked, turning to Cavis. Cavis smiled. "Now, we get Ryoko." The fight had started in the living room, but after it had been leveled it no longer made for a suitable killzone, so they moved to the kitchen, then the hall, a brief tussle in Washu's lab, and finally, outside. Ryoko and Ayeka had long since abandoned using their powers, the last energy bolt having been thrown in Washu's lab, which caused the scientist to kick them out or risk losing vital data from her ongoing experiments. It made no difference to them, they fought constantly, and sometimes you simply couldn't get that adrenaline rush using powers. Sometimes you had to have your hands physically around your enemy's throat. That's what was happening on the wooded path that led to the Masaki shrine. Ryoko and Ayeka, cut, bleeding, and mad as hell were rolling around on the ground with their hands around each other's throats. "Stuck up little princess!" Ryoko spat. "Bakemono!" Ayeka shot back. As this was happening, Tenchi was walking home from school. He whistled a tune as he walked, at the same time bracing himself for the madness that his life was about to take on until he left for school the next day. That's when he saw her. He stopped and blinked. Leaning against a tree, holding a glass rod of some kind, was a little girl who seemed no older than Sasami. Her hair was a light purple, which she wore straight behind her back. She was dressed much like Sasami, only her clothes were purple to match her hair. She looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back. "Uh...hello there. Have you come to pay your respects to the shrine?" He remembered having a similar conversation with Sasami the first time he met her. This time it was no different. The girl shook her head. "I'm looking for someone. I was told she lives here." "Are you looking for Ayeka?" Tenchi mentally shrugged. Ayeka said she had many relatives. It was possible this little girl had come much in the way Sasami had, in search of Ayeka. The girl shook her head. "Nope, I'm looking for Ryoko." Tenchi blinked. "Ryoko?" The girl blinked in puzzlement. "Why does that surprise you so much?" "Well, I...ah...mean..." She continued to stare at him. "Uh..well, she's over here. Come on, I'll take you to her." "Oh...okay!" The little girl ran up to him. Tenchi's eyebrow arched. "Didn't anyone tell you not to trust strangers?" She looked up at him. "That's okay, you don't want to hurt me or anything. I can tell." "Um...okay." Ryoko and Ayeka stood up and faced each other. "Okay Ayeka," Ryoko said, powering up again. "Let's go!" Ayeka began to power up. They were interrupted by a shout from the forest around them. "RYOKO!" The two women stopped and turned to the voice. A blonde man in a black trench coat stood at the forest's edge, a blaster pistol trained on them. "What the..." Ryoko began. She heard a noise from her right and turned to see another man, this one in a gray trench coat standing there, a double barreled anti-matter gun pointing at them. Ayeka turned to another noise and gasped. A giant lizard brandishing a short, throwing axe stood barely ten feet from her. They were surrounded. The blonde man stepped forward, his blaster never wavering. "I told you we'd meet again, Ryoko." Ryoko didn't move. The man walked right up to her, his face expressionless. Finally, he broke out in a grin, switched on the safety on his pistol and lowered it as he embraced the demon in a hug. Ryoko laughed and returned it, slapping the man on the back. Ayeka saw the man in the gray trench coat rest the antimatter gun over his shoulder and grin. From her right, the lizard spoke. "It warms my cardiopulmonary pump to see you again, Ryoko." Ryoko broke the embrace from the blonde man and approached the lizard, hugging him as well. "Ssedrey," she said. The lizard returned the hug. "Hey, what about me?" The gray man asked, his thick accent marking him as Mollidoni. "Don't just stand there, Davner," Ryoko chastised him. "Get in line!" Davner hugged the demon, adding a kiss on the cheek. Ryoko smiled, then slapped him. "None of that," Ryoko warned him with a grin. Davner rubbed his cheek with his hand as he shook his head. "Hope springs eternal," he commented. "Cavis," Ryoko said, shaking her head. "What are you doing here? I thought you 'retired,' from this kind of thing." The blonde man smiled. "What can I say, Ryoko? I was sitting on a beach on Zendata Two when it dawned on me that you can only party up one side of the galaxy and down the other before you eventually...run out of money. So, I thought to myself, 'What should I do now?' Then it hit me," he slapped himself on the forehead, "Get the old gang back together!" Ryoko smiled and shook her head again. A very confused Ayeka spoke up. "Umm...excuse me, but who are you people?" The group looked at her. "Who," Davner asked, throwing on his most debonair smile, "Might you be?" Ayeka took a step back. Ryoko answered. "Don't mind her, guys, that's just Ayeka. She may seem frigid and uncaring at first, but eventually you'll realize that's what she's really like." Ayeka frowned. "Ryoko! I should...." "What?" Ssedrey asked stepping forward and brandishing his fangs. Ayeka gulped. "Ssedrey," Davner said warningly, "Play nice. We're guests here, after all." He stepped forward and took Ayeka's hand. "My name is Davner," he said. He motioned to the others. "That's Cavis, and our large reptilian friend is Ssedrey." His voiced dripped honey. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Ayeka sneered. "Friends of *your's* Ryoko?" Ryoko grinned and nodded. The princess removed her hand from Davner's whose smile never wavered. Ayeka straightened her shoulders and put on her most imperious tone. "Charmed," she said icily. Davner's smile widened. Cavis grinned. "Knock it off, Dav, we're on a schedule." Davner turned to him. "Quite right, Cavis. We should find Achi and tell her we've found Ryoko." Ryoko's eyes widened. "Achi's with you?" Cavis nodded. "Uh...Ryoko?" Ryoko turned to find Tenchi standing there with a young girl. "Um...Who're your friends?" Ryoko didn't have time to answer. At that point, the little girl rushed up to the demon. "Ryoko!" she cried. Ryoko bent down and hugged the little girl. "Achi, how've you been?" Achi stepped back and threw her nose into the air. "Hmmph. The Jurains sent me to a Tsunamic orphanage." She began to count on her fingers. "They were mean, they dressed badly, the food sucked..." Ryoko laughed. "I want to hear all about it. Really. But I guess I should really introduce you to the others." They all reconvened in Tenchi's kitchen. Ryoko and Davner immediately went for Nobuyuki's sake stash, intent on celebrating in a proper fashion. Sasami and Achi were in the next room, playing with Ryo-Ohki. After cups of sake had been poured, Tenchi began, "So, you're all Ryoko's old friends?" Cavis nodded. "Yeah, we used to tear through the galaxy, stir shit, and generally raise hell." "Quite the adventure," Davner commented. "It was a quest worthy of Siranus," Ssedrey intoned solemnly. Cavis continued. "After our last big job, we all broke up. Thought it'd be safer." "Safer for some," Davner pointed out. Ssedrey turned to Ryoko. "I heard through the Assassin's Guild that you had a run in with Nagi, Ryoko." Ryoko nodded, shivering at the memory of nearly being caught. "Yeah," she took another swig of sake. "What about you guys? She give you any trouble?" Cavis nodded. "Who do you think caught Davner?" Ryoko arched an eyebrow and turned to the gray coated man. Davner shrugged. "She caught up with me on Belegast." He shrugged again. "Got three years." He took another drink. "I could do three standing on my head." Ryoko nodded again. "What about you, Cavis? I don't think the Jurains would just give up on you." Cavis grinned. "Well...that's my secret." Davner rolled his eyes. "He hid out on Ssedrey's home planet. I might add, he's the only Jurain ever to be allowed there." The demon looked to Cavis in awe. Cavis shrugged. "What was it like?" she asked. She had always wondered what the large reptile's planet was like. "I can't say." "Huh?" "Part of the agreement was that I never tell anyone what I saw there," Cavis explained. "They were *very* insistent about it." Davner shook his head and grinned. "Yeah, Ssedrey's people are like that. Remember that time we hid out on Cardell, and the natives thought Ssedrey was...oh what was it?" Ryoko, Ssedrey, and Cavis answered as one. "'The Great Dark Serpent Sent From Heaven to Punish the Unworthy.'" They all laughed. Ayeka and Tenchi just blinked. Davner slapped his knee. "They tried to appease him by making offerings." He laughed again. "We could've lived like kings." Ssedrey tensed. "It would've been dishonorable." Davner wiped a tear from his eye. "Yeah, well, I still can't believe you made us send back the virgins." In the next room, Achi's brow furrowed. She picked up a book off the coffee table and flung it at Davner, watching as it struck him dead in the forehead. "Oww! Damn!" Achi put her hands on her hips and adopted a stern look. "Hey! They're kids in the room, ya'know!" Davner rubbed his head. "Yeah, sorry. Jeez." Ayeka watched the entire exchange in awe. "So, what are you doing here?" Her voice became hopeful. "Are you here to get Ryoko?" Cavis nodded. "Yup. There's a nice, juicy, Toyzarian tribute ship on its way to Toyzar." He brought out a holomap, a series of stars appeared on it. "Simple set up, one day operation. We sneak aboard, cause a distraction in the forward compartment, grab the two point six *million* tonnes of Ultra Energy Matter, and hop back into Jurain space before the Toyzarians even realize they've been made." Ryoko's brow furrowed. "Taking on the Toyzarian Mafia? That's a little aggressive for you, isn't Cav?" The star map winked out. "Fortune favors the bold, Ryoko. Besides, they'll never realize what hit them." Ssedrey nodded. "Toyzarians are arrogant when it comes to their intelligence. They will not advertise the fact that they were fooled by a group such as ours." Davner smiled. "Ryoko, surely you're not...afraid, are you?" She frowned. "I'm not *scared* of anything, Dav." Cavis saw that Ryoko was reluctant. "Well, we don't have to think about it now. We should be throwing one *helluva* party!" From the next room, Achi shouted her agreement. "Yeah!" Ryoko broke out into a grin. "Okay, now *that* idea I can get behind!" Davner examined his now empty glass. "We *will* need more refreshments..." As one, the group looked to Tenchi, who sighed and got up. "I'll go to the store." Ryoko smiled and dematerialized, reappearing next to him. "Oh, Tenchi, thank you *so* much! I know! I'll come with you! This way you won't have to carry so much!" Ayeka stood up, slamming her hands on the table. "You will do no such thing! Have you forgotten! These are *your* friends! You can't leave! It would be rude!" "See ya later, Ryoko!" Cavis said. "Yeah, hurry back!" Davner added, both men in support of Ryoko. Ssedrey nodded solemnly. Ayeka turned red. "I would've thought you'd want to catch up on old times." Davner stood up and grinned as he approached the princess. "There's plenty of time for that," he said, "Let's catch up on new times instead, hmm?" "Ah...er.." Ayeka searched for an excuse to get away. Luckily, Achi provided her an escape route. "Hey, Davner!" The gray coated man turned just in time to get hit with another book. Tenchi and Ryoko strolled back towards the house, bottles of sake resting in the bags they carried. Ryoko was floating about a foot off the ground as she was wont to do. She seemed a little more distant than usual. This made Tenchi just a tad worried. He decided to make conversation. "Your friends seem nice," he told her. She nodded. "Are you gonna go with them?" he asked. His tone had only a smidgen of hope in it. Ever since Ryoko had crash landed on Earth, his life had been a hectic nightmare. "I don't know," she told him. "I..well...like it here." Tenchi blinked at her tone. Ryoko seemed to be genuinely divided on this. He remembered what her ideal world had been like, a series of illegal adventures, jumping from one heist to the next, constantly on the run. "I would've thought you'd jump at the chance for something like this." She sighed. "A year ago I would have. I love those guys, but..." Tenchi waited for her to finish. "I'm just not sure it's *me* anymore." Tenchi smiled. "Well, you know you can stay if you want." She looked over at him, hope in her eyes. "Really?" He nodded, only half regretting the invitation. "Sure," She dropped her bags, the bottles breaking on the ground. She glomped onto him, causing him to drop his bags. Eight bottles of sake began to soak into the ground. Ryoko looked down and remarked, "Oops," Tenchi sighed and turned around. "Back to the store." Washu walked out of her lab and yawned. She had been working two days straight, and if she didn't get some coffee soon, she was going to pass out on the floor of her lab. She yawned again as she entered the kitchen. She was so out of it, she didn't notice the eight foot lizard until she bumped into him. The lizard looked down at her and gave her a hiss. Washu blinked. "Well, you're a *big* fella, aren't ya?" The lizard's eyes narrowed. He reached down and grabbed Washu by the front of her Science Academy uniform with one hand and pulled her off the ground. Washu didn't bat an eye. The lizard turned and deposited her on the kitchen table. "Better?" he asked. Standing on the kitchen table, now eye to eye with the lizard, Washu grinned. "Much." "Good," "So who are ya? Last I recall, Tenchi didn't own an iguana." The lizard hissed. It was impossible to tell if it was out of humor or insult at her statement. "I am Ssedrey." "Ssedrey, huh?" Washu repeated. Her grin quadrupled in intensity. "And you must call me, 'Little Washu,' okay?!" Ssedrey arched an eyebrow. "If that is your name," A Washu-bot appeared on her right shoulder. "It *is* her name!" The second one appeared on her left shoulder. "She is Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the universe!" Ssedrey arched his eyebrow again. The Washu-bots continued. "She is brilliant!" "She is great!" "The greatest!" "That's Washu!" Ssedrey hissed. Washu regarded him for a moment. "You're an Asconian, aren't you?" The lizard's face contorted in anger. "Do not presume to speak the name of my holy species, outworlder! It is forbidden! Only the chosen of Siranus the Great may speak it!" It was Washu's turn to arch an eyebrow. "Uh huh." Ssedrey's eyes narrowed. "So what are you doing here?" "We are here to see Ryoko." "Oh, and what has she done to deserve you? Maligned the honored name of RiSsanus the Chaste?" Ssedrey's eyes went wide. "You know much of my people, Little WaSshu," he said, deliberately hissing the middle of her name. "I would ask *how* you know." "It's probably best that you don't know." The lizard hissed. "Best for *you,* you mean." "Someth'n like that." While this conversation was going on, Cavis was entertaining Sasami, Ayeka, and Nobuyuki with a story about the, "Old Gang," as he referred to them. "So," he continued, "Davner comes rushing out of his room, holding a towel around his waist with one hand and his AM gun in the other, Achi's crying, Ssedrey is screaming at the top of his lungs from the other side of the door, and Ryoko's flying around the other side of the building to make sure that whoever's *killing* him doesn't get away." Davner smiled at the memory and Achi was giggling. Sasami listened raptly, and Ayeka was listening for bits of damning information she could use against Ryoko later. "We kick open the door, and there, standing in the middle of the room, is Ssedrey....singing." Davner burst out in laughter. Cavis was having a difficult time containing himself as well. "He was *singing* opera, some piece from his home planet." He began to laugh. "We thought he was being *butchered*!" Sasami giggled and even Ayeka cracked a smile. Cavis held up his hand to forestall their comments. "Then.." he broke down and started laughing again. "Then, Ryoko crashes through the window, her sword blazing, and with this look on her face that managed to make even stone faced *Ssedrey* flinch!" Sasami burst into a fit of laughter along with Nobuyuki. Ayeka giggled. "It certainly *sounds* like her," she remarked. Cavis' laughter trailed off. "Doesn't it just?" he asked. There was a knock at the door. Nobuyuki got up to answer it. When he opened the front door, he found Mihoshi and Kiyone standing there. He mentally smacked his forehead. He had forgotten that they were coming over for dinner tonight. He invited the two women inside. "Come join the party," Nobuyuki invited them. "Some friends of Ryoko showed up." He gestured to them. "This is..." Kiyone's eyes narrowed. In a second, her GP sidearm was out and pointed at Cavis. "Cavis Darktower," she finished. Nobuyuki blinked. "Oh, so you know each other," he concluded. Cavis hadn't waited for introductions either. The second he saw Kiyone, he had his own blaster out and ready. "Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi," he intoned dangerously. Mihoshi grinned. "Wow, Kiyone! Who would've thought you and Ryoko had a mutual friend?!" Kiyone gritted her teeth and growled. "Airhead," she muttered. Davner looked from one to the other and leaned back in his chair, his hand coming to rest on his own pistol, but not drawing it....yet. Kiyone and Cavis looked at each other for a second before they both cried out at the exact same second, "Drop the gun!....You first!....No way!" Washu and Ssedrey had come in from the kitchen at this point. "Hey, now, what's all the noise about, huh?!" Washu asked. Davner was a little more subdued. "Cavis," he began in that Mollidoni accent of his, "Perhaps you should introduce us to your friends." His finger tapped the butt of his pistol, still in it's holster. "We're old friends," Cavis told him simply. Achi looked from Cavis to Kiyone and back again before announcing, "They had sex." Cavis and Kiyone facefaulted in unison. Mihoshi looked at Kiyone. "Kiyone, when did you find time for a boyfriend? We don't even have time to bathe, we're at work so much." Kiyone growled again. "He is *not* my boyfriend!" Cavis smiled. "It's been awhile, Kiyo-chan." "Don't call me that!" she cried angrily, her gun coming up a bit. "You're under arrest! Now drop the gun!" "No," Cavis shot back, playfully. "You drop *your* gun. You're under arrest." Kiyone growled again. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "Come on, Kiyo- chan," Cavis said in suave tone, "You used to like it when I would....*arrest* you." Kiyone's face turned a deep shade of red. She screamed in frustration. Cavis grinned. "I love it when you play rough." "Mihoshi," Kiyone growled. "What the Hell are you waiting for?! Help me here!" "But, Kiyone, is he a criminal?" Kiyone gave her a stern look. "Mihoshi, would I have pulled my gun, shouted 'Drop the gun,' and say, 'you're under arrest,' to someone who *isn't* a criminal?" Mihoshi gave the question honest thought, she really did. "Well, sometimes when you get drunk, you..." "MIHOSHI!!" "Right! Got it!" She pulled her gun. "Freeze, criminal! First Class Detective Mihoshi is hereby placing you under arrest!" Kiyone's eye began to twitch. From his chair, Davner gave a short bird whistle. Mihoshi turned her head to see the barrel of Davner's pistol staring back at her. A dull hum from the direction of the kitchen told them that Ssedrey had activated his power axe. Achi sighed and shook her head. She walked up to Kiyone, pulling her chrysaline rod from her pocket. Seeing she was a kid, Kiyone didn't think of her as a threat. This cost her. "I think you need a time out," Achi told her sternly. She reached up and tapped Kiyone on the forehead with the end of the crystal rod. Kiyone wobbled on unsteady legs and fell to the ground, asleep. "Kiyone!" Mihoshi yelled. "KIYONE!" Achi turned to her. "Don't worry, Miss, she's just asleep. I think she needed some rest, don't you?" Mihoshi seemed to consider this. "Well...she *has* been working hard lately." Achi nodded. "So why don't we put her to bed, and you can have dinner with us!" Mihoshi brightened. "Okay!" She holstered her gun and helped Achi pick up Kiyone, forgetting that only seconds ago, she was going to arrest a wanted criminal. Ayeka, Washu, and Sasami had watched the scene unfold with interest. "Wow," Sasami said. "How did she do that?" Washu nodded. "I see, she's a Penzatan." Ayeka blinked. "A what?" "They're a species that live on the outer rim. They're also telepathic once they mature. They live for millenia, but their growth rate is slowed. Achi may *appear* to be the same age as Sasami, but I'm willing to bet she's around seven hundred years old." "But how did she put Kiyone to sleep like that Ms. Washu?" Ayeka asked her. The Washu-bots appeared on Washu's shoulders. They glared at Ayeka and growled. Ayeka took step back in fear. Suddenly, the Washu-bots leapt from the pink haired scientist's shoulders and grabbed onto Ayeka's tresses. The princess screamed. "Don't call her, 'Ms.!'" "She is 'Little Washu!' Not 'Ms.!'" Ayeka screamed and batted at the tiny robots, trying to get them off her. "GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF!" "Say the magic words!" One of them cried. "Yes! Say them!" "LITTLE WASHU! LITTLE WASHU! LITTLE WASHU!" The Washu-bots gave a victory whoop and jumped back onto Washu's shoulders. Washu grinned. "To answer your question, Princess, Penzatans have perfected the arts of the mind. To them, telepathy, empathy, and mind control are facts of life, not science fiction. Those crystal rods are given to young Penzatans so they can more easily channel their abilities." Sasami blinked. "So Achi can read our minds?" Ayeka tensed. The last thing she needed was for the little girl to blab to Ryoko about all of Ayeka's secrets and fantasies concerning Tenchi. Washu shook her head. "No, she's young for a Penzatan. I'd say she's an empath, though. She can feel what your *feeling,* but not what you're thinking." "Quite right, Little Washu," Davner spoke up. "She can be a pain sometimes, but she's usually worth it." Ayeka blinked at this. It suddenly dawned on her *why* they made Achi part of their gang. She would make an excellent lookout, able to *feel* the approach of authorities and know instantly if they were suspiscious or alert. She would have to keep a closer tab on her thoughts and feelings from now on. Tenchi and Ryoko came through the door just as Achi and Mihoshi were coming downstairs. "We're back!" Tenchi called. "Oh, hi, Mihoshi. Where's Kiyone?" "She's taking a nap." Tenchi arched an eyebrow and looked to the others. Ayeka and Washu were shaking there heads in a way that said, "Don't ask." "Well," he said, "We brought the sake." "Good, my boy, good," Davner drawled. "We were beginning to get a little parched." "Uh...sure, no problem." Ryoko turned to Achi. "Achi, can I talk to you for a second?" The little empath nodded. "Sure, Ryoko." Ryoko lead her into another room where they could be alone. "I need to ask you a favor..." Sasami cooked dinner, and soon, they were all taking seats around the table. Tenchi arched an eyebrow when he saw Ryoko sit across from him instead of right beside him. She was sitting next to Cavis. He turned and found Achi sitting beside him instead, she was staring up at him. "Um..hi, Achi." She blinked. "Hello." Sasami served dinner, and they all began to dig in. Ssedrey leaned down and sniffed his plate. He looked up at Sasami, who was grinning broadly. The lizard looked down at the rice and vegetables on his plate. He didn't usually eat like an herbivore. His people had a word for herbivores. Prey. He looked at Sasami again, whose smile was beginning to slip. The lizard took a deep breath and began to eat. Sasami's grin returned in full force. Suddenly, there was a scream from upstairs. They all looked up at the source, the bedroom directly above them. They followed the sounds of footsteps running down the hall and down the stairs until the sound reached the kitchen door. Kiyone stood there, a monument to human rage. Cavis grinned. "Hey, Kiyo-chan. Join us for dinner?" Tenchi blinked in surprise. "Um..how was your nap?" Kiyone screamed up at the sky. Ssedrey nodded. "A glorious hunt cry," he commented. He turned to Cavis. "Your nest mate is powerful, Cavis." Ryoko looked at him in surprise. "Nest mate?" Cavis shrugged. Kiyone walked up and planted her hands firmly on the table. "I am *not* his 'nest mate!'" she told the lizard matter-of-factly. "And you!" she cried, pointing at Cavis, "Are *still* under arrest!" Cavis shook his head. "Again? We've already been through this. I've decided that I'm not going to be arrested today, so you might as well join us. Ms. Sasami has cooked us a wonderful meal, and I happen to think it's rude of you to interrupt it." Kiyone blinked. "You've *decided*?" She shook her head in disbelief. "YOU'VE DECIDED!?!" Cavis took a sip of sake and said, "Yes. I don't *feel* like being arrested today." Kiyone began to shake. She screamed and picked up the table! Bowls of rice and vegetables flew all over the kitchen. She was about to hurl it at Cavis, but Mihoshi and Ayeka had grabbed hold of her. "You'd already be behind bars if that little brat hadn't tranquilized me!" she screamed at him. Tenchi heard a sniffle and turned. Achi sniffled again and wiped a tear away. Suddenly, as if a dam broke, she began to cry. Sasami looked at Kiyone crossly. "That wasn't nice, Kiyone!" Mihoshi nodded. "You should tell Achi you're sorry." Kiyone looked at them aghast. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Tenchi took Achi's hand. "It's okay, Little Achi. Kiyone didn't mean it." Achi continued to bawl. Sasami's eyes narrowed. "Say you're sorry, Kiyone, or so help me I'll never cook for you two again." Kiyone blinked in astonishment. She grumbled for a minute before saying, "I'm sorry, Achi." In a flash Achi stopped crying, giggled, and grabbed hold of Tenchi possessively. Ayeka's eyes narrowed. Ryoko smiled, just a little. Davner, who had had the foresight to be holding his bowl when Kiyone picked up the table, finished his meal and patted at the sides of his mouth with a napkin. "Well," he drawled. "Lovely meal, Ms. Sasami. My compliments." The all face faulted. Achi opened the door to her room and walked out into the hall. Night had fallen, and Tenchi's father had invited them to stay for the night, much to the chagrin of Kiyone and Ayeka, who had sulked, but said nothing. Kiyone and Mihoshi had not left, either. Kiyone seemed hell bent on arresting Cavis. Achi giggled at the thought. She couldn't sleep and decided to take a walk outside. After all, she might not ever come back to Earth, and she wanted to see some of it. As she was walking, she saw Davner walking from the opposite end of the hall, a bottle of wine he had been saving and two glasses in his hands. His filthy grey jacket was gone, and the first couple of buttons on his shirt were undone. Achi didn't have to scan his mind to know what he was up to. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "Where are you going?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. Davner flashed her a smile. "Well, I thought I'd wish the lovely Princess Ayeka a proper goodnight." Achi's eyes narrowed. "She'll kill you, ya know." His grin got wider. "Yeah," he mused wistfully. "But what a way to go." Achi gave up and continued on, down the stairs and out the front door. She found Cavis standing out by the lake with Ryoko. She hid behind a bush and strained to listen. "You're not coming, are you?" It wasn't really a question. Ryoko sighed. "I love you guys. I do, but I'm not sure..." He turned to her. "Come on, Ryoko! What are you gonna do? Waste away here on Planet Provincial?" Ryoko said nothing. "Are you gonna stand there and tell me you don't miss it? That feeling you get when you pull the wool over the eyes of the GP, the Jurains, the Toyzarians? That rush you get when you're on the run, with half the Jurain starfleet riding up your ass?!" Ryoko bit her lip. She *had* missed it. She opened her mouth for a response, but at that exact second, one of the second floor windows blew up. Ryoko and Cavis turned just in time to see Davner fly from the window and land in the lake with a humongous splash. Ayeka leaned out the window. "FOR THE LAST TIME! NO! I DO *NOT* WANT A TASTE OF MOLLIDONI SUGAR!!!" With that, she disappeared from the window. Ryoko and Cavis turned to the lake and watched Davner walk up onto the shore. He grabbed a handful of his shirt and wrung it out. Looking up at Ayeka's room he sighed. "Now that," he declared, "Is a woman!" Ryoko and Cavis facefaulted. Davner seemed a little unsteady on his feet. Ryoko disappeared and rematerialized next to him, steadying him. "Struck out, Davner?" she asked sympathetically. He grinned and leaned on her, allowing her to support him. "It's a *temporary* setback." "Uh-huh," Ryoko agreed with a grin. "Come on, let's get you to bed." "Well, now, Ryoko, that's the best offer I've had all day." Ryoko laughed. For some reason she had never been able to get mad at Davner. "Come on, ya old lech, let's go." Cavis smiled and watched them go. Achi appeared from her hiding place and walked up to him. "Hey, Achi." "Hey, Cavis." "She's not coming." "I know." "I wish I knew why," he told her. "It's the Earth boy. Tenchi." He sighed. "I figured as much." Achi looked up at him and smirked. "You wish she looked at *you* like that, don't you?" He looked down at her and grinned. "I suppose it would be pointless to come up with a convincing lie, huh?" She nodded. "Yup." He nodded. "Yeah, I wish it could be more. She and I've been through a lot together." Achi blinked. "So why didn't you say something?" He smiled. "It's a little complicated, Achi." "Hmmph." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I see. Grown up stuff, huh? Little Achi isn't *mature* enough to hear about *it*." He sighed. "Okay, okay. Let me think about how to word it." Achi didn't wait. She scanned his emotions and came up with her own conclusion. "I see," she said. "You're actually *afraid*." "I really wish you wouldn't do that without telling me," he told her. "Sorry," she said in embarrassment. He sighed. "No, it's okay. I guess you're right in a way. I *was* afraid." He looked down at her. "You know, all those years partying after we all broke up, I would sometimes look around and wish *she* was there to share it. It just wasn't the same without her." "Hmm." Achi grinned. "What about Kiyone?" He grinned. "That was a *long* time ago. Before Ryoko." "Heh." He arched an eyebrow. "Before you condemn *my* romances, perhaps we should talk about that little note you wrote to Davner right before the Carissia job. The one he didn't get to read." Achi's eyes went wide. She gulped, her face turning red. She scanned his mind to see if he was lying. He *couldn't* possibly know about that! He grinned. He wasn't lying. "How did you know about that!?" "Come on, Achi," he said playfully. "I think it's cute." "IT'S NOT CUTE, DAMMIT! HOW DID YOU GET IT!?" He laughed. "Well, that'll just be my little secret huh?" Achi fumed. "So help me, Cavis, if you tell Davner, I'll..." He laughed again. "Relax, Achi. He won't find out from me." She scanned him and found sincerity behind those words. She began to relax. Cavis adopted a more humble expression. "I really won't." "Thanks." "It *is* cute, though." Achi growled. "I'm going to bed. GOOD NIGHT!" With that, she stormed off, back into the house. Cavis watched her go. He was about to turn in, himself, when he heard the click of a blaster pistol's safety clicking to the "off" position. He tensed. "Hi Kiyo-chan," he said, turning around. Kiyone stood in the shadows, her pistol trained on Cavis. "You....are under....arrest!" she bit out between clenched teeth. Cavis put on a smile. "But Kiyo-chan," he said in a whiny voice, "Davner's mom let's *him* play pirate!" Kiyone's eye began to twitch. The gun dropped. "You are *still* such an *asshole*!" He shrugged. "Yeah, I know." He grinned. "But you love it." She growled low in her throat. The gun came back up. "Cavis Darktower, you are hereby placed under arrest..." He took a step towards her. "Charged with thirty six counts of Grand Theft Starship, fifty-two counts of theft, fifty counts of petty theft," He took another step as she went on. "Eighteen counts of resisting arrest, twenty of fraud, racketeering..." He smiled. "Destruction of property, theft of Galaxy Police property..." He rested his hand on the gun. "Kiyo-chan," She looked up at him...and belted him right in the jaw. Cavis hit the ground, his hand covered his jaw. Kiyone leveled the gun at him. "And perjury," she finished. He got up and spit a bit of blood onto the floor. "I don't remember that last one," he remarked. "Sure you do," she said, bitterly. "That time you *swore* you loved me." Cavis came up short. "Kiyone, I..." "Shut up!" She ordered. "I've heard enough out of you. Now, hands on top of your head and turn around." Cavis sighed and put his hands on top of his head as she commanded. He turned so that he was facing away from her and waited. He heard her footsteps as she approached. She took his right arm and pulled it roughly behind his back, slapping on one of the stun cuffs she had brought with her. She then grabbed the other arm and cuffed it to the other. "Don't you have to read me my rights?" he asked without a smile. She grimaced. "Under Article 2546, page 937 of the Revised Divisions, the suspect is entitled to keep silent concerning any facts that..." "Kiyo-chan, you know the others will never let you take me out of here." "Shut up!" she hissed in his ear. "You know," he said playfully, "I wish I had known you were into handcuffs before. I kinda like it." She growled. "Any facts that may..." He twisted around suddenly and kissed her. Kiyone blinked twice, then closed her eyes. Her gun fell from her hand, landing on the ground with a sharp "clack." When they finally separated, Cavis shot her a grin. Kiyone blinked for a minute and a half, totally lost in a daze. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. Cavis was still grinning when Kiyone gave him a resounding headbutt to the nose. Cavis stumbled backwards and landed on his rear, blood flowing freely down his nose. Kiyone snarled and watched as he blinked, severely dazed. Her expression softened. She hadn't meant to hit him *that* hard. She bit her lip. "Are you okay?" she asked in voice that made one wonder if she really cared. Cavis blinked. "No sweat," he said. He tried to stand up, but wobbled and fell back down again. Kiyone took a step forward and knelt next to him. She removed a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at the blood on his face. She shook her head. "Damn you," she whispered. "You and Mihoshi are the only people in the galaxy who could make me *that* angry." He blinked. "Does this mean you sleep with Mihoshi?" "YOU ARE SUCH AN ASSHOLE!!" He shrugged. "Yeah, I know." He grinned. "But you *do* love it." The sides of Kiyone's mouth began to quirk upwards, slightly at first, then all the way. She tried to fight down a laugh, but it escaped anyway. "Well, well," Cavis remarked. "So you can still laugh. I was beginning to wonder." Kiyone was laughing hysterically as she spoke. "You..you asshole!" She broke out in another laughing fit. Her laughter finally trailed off. She looked down at him. He was smiling at her, not that sly grin he gave everyone else, but the smile he had always reserved for her. "Don't do that," she told him. "Do what?" "Smile at me. Stop it." His smile got a little wider. "Maybe I don't *feel* like stopping right now." She shook her head. "What am I gonna do with you?" "Come on, Kiyo-chan," he said, "You don't *really* want to haul me in front of a judge who'll give me *eighty* consecutive life sentences, do you?" She blinked, her loyalties divided. "I can't just let you and your gang tear across the universe, ripping people off." He grinned. "I might be persuaded to drop the whole affair, but I'll have to be *persuaded*." Her eyes narrowed. "Go on." "Well, I know a school on Morphia where the headmaster owes me a favor. I'm sure they'd take Achi, and I think she'd actually like it there." Kiyone listened as he continued. "Ssedrey can go back to his homeworld. He's just here because I asked him and that honor of his wouldn't let him refuse." Kiyone thought for a moment. "What about Davner?" Cavis shrugged. "I'll suggest we stop at a casino on Garrin Six. He'll plop down at a redjack table and won't realize I've left for at least four days." "And you?" He shrugged again. "I'll go back to Zendata and sit on the beach, making sure to stay out of Jurai and the GP's way." Kiyone thought about it. She really didn't want to put Cavis in prison. Especially with the knowledge that he'd never leave. She sighed. "You promise?" she asked. "No more?" He nodded. "No more." She took a breath and nodded. He turned and let her unlock the stun cuffs. He grinned again. "Actually, I was starting to like them." Kiyone gulped, her face was red as she said, "You know, Mihoshi's staying here tonight. My place is empty. Maybe you and I could catch up on old times?" He smiled at her again. "I'd like that." The next morning, everyone met out by the gang's ships, which had been parked not far from the shrine. Cavis and Kiyone strolled up the path and joined them. Davner saw the way they were looking at each other and grinned. The time had come for them to leave. Ryoko stepped forward and made her goodbyes. Davner hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. For once, Ryoko didn't slap him. Ssedrey hugged her, then, to everyone's surprise, bowed to Washu. "Perhaps one day, Little WaSshu, you will see my planet." "I'll be sure to bring a camera." Ssedrey hissed, his tail flicked from one side to the other. "Or perhaps not." With that, he walked up the ramp to his own ship. Achi hugged Ryoko, tears in her eyes. "I wish you were coming with us," she cried. Ryoko smiled. "A part of me would like to, but I've made a new life here, and I'm not ready to give up on it just yet." Achi nodded. "Oh, by the way, Achi. About what we discussed..." Ryoko looked over at Tenchi, who blinked in puzzlement. Achi looked at Tenchi, then back to Ryoko and grinned. "Ohhhh yeah," she said with a nod and a wide grin. Ryoko flew three feet in the air and giggled in joy. Tenchi was suddenly very uncomfortable. Ayeka face faulted and glared at Ryoko, who took a step closer to Tenchi and glomped him. Davner strode over to Ayeka. "Well, Princess, I guess this is goodbye." Ayeka folded her arms over her chest. "I'll try to contain myself," she said sarcastically. Davner grinned and took her hand, kissing it before releasing it and climbing the stairs to his ship, Achi right behind him. Cavis stood before Ryoko and embraced her in a bear hug. "You take care of yourself here on Planet Provincial," he told her with a smile. "Try not to strain yourself lifting those tropical drinks," Ryoko shot back. Cavis grinned and turned to Tenchi. "You look after her for me," he told him. "She's a very special lady." Tenchi nodded. "I will." He turned to Kiyone. "Well, this is it. Back to retirement." Kiyone nodded. "Don't be a stranger." He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'm like a bad ten credit piece. Sooner or later, I always turn up." Kiyone hugged him, but Cavis didn't let it stop there. He kissed her while all her friends looked on. They all grinned, Ayeka blushed at the spectacle. When they separated, Cavis whispered, "See ya around the galaxy." Without another word, he boarded his own ship and sealed the door behind him. A week passed. Mihoshi and Kiyone were visiting the Masaki's for lunch, and the conversation turned to Ryoko's friends. "You know, Kiyone," Ryoko said at the kitchen table. "You never told us how you and Cavis met." Kiyone lowered her cup of tea and simply said, "No, I didn't." Mihoshi was looking out into the living room when she said, "Maybe they'll mention it on the Galactic News." Kiyone looked at her partner and blinked. "What are you talking about?" Mihoshi pointed to the TV, which Washu had reconfigured to get every station in the Galaxy. Kiyone saw the screen and grabbed the remote from Tenchi, turning the volume up so she could hear the audio that went along with the images she was seeing. The news woman spoke. "In what is being called the boldest criminal act in history, a group of known pirates attacked and raided a Toyzarian tribute ship last night, making off with almost five hundred thousand tonnes of Ultra Energy Matter..." Kiyone's eyes went wide, her heart sank into her stomach. "The gang of adventurers is believed to have been led by this man," An old picture of Cavis appeared on the screen. He was grinning. "Cavis Darktower, a known space pirate on the Galaxy's Ten Most Wanted List. The gang's whereabouts are currently unknown." Ryoko grinned. "All right, guys! Way to go!" Mihoshi looked over at Kiyone, who was shaking in absolute rage. "Uh......Kiyone?" Kiyone growled and screamed up at the sky, "THAT BASTARD!!" Author's Notes: I've been thinking about bringing these guys back. Write me and tell me what you think. I'd like to thank all my friends in the TenchiFF chat room, who helped inspire this fic. Cav829, Lady_Achika, Ssedrey, this one's for you. Please send C&C to Thomas "009" Doscher doscher009@hotmail.com