Disclaimer: The characters in this fic are property of AIC and Pioneer. This is it the next chapter. Here we find out that Ryoko is a mysterious creature that plans to takeover the universe. Go figure. We also find out that Tenchi is falling head over heels for Ayeka, but he still plans to bring Ryoko back. The team is back traveling in space to Jurai. They are going to prepare for a war with an ancient evil. Read and find out what happens next. Tenchi Muyo! The Evil Within Chapter 4: Preparations Tenchi stood on the palace balcony watching his grandfather train the new recruits. They arrived in Jurai a week ago and informed them of the danger ahead. The council instantly panicked at the threat and offered him the throne again. He accepted this time, but his conversation with Kagato still haunted his thoughts... *** "You are mad." Kagato yelled in fury. "You can't beat her alone. It will take all of us to face her." "I know, but you have taught me what I need to fight." Tenchi yelled in a pleading return. "Yes, but that is not enough. Even Jurai's armies couldn't stop her in the past." "Maybe, but the Emperor defeated her." Tenchi screamed in annoyance. "Yes, he did and died trying!" Kagato spoke with great emphasis on his last words. *** Tenchi blinked as the last words of their argument still haunted him. He turned and walked into his room. A glass of water rested on the golden desk by his bed. The desk was designed differently from any of earth's treasures from royalty. The four legs took the shape of thick tree trunks and the flat surface was glass, but had the rings of a cut down tree. Tenchi picked up the glass and drank the water. The water cooled his dry throat as it flowed down. He looked up as the sound of footsteps approached his door. The heavy double doors opened and Azaka stepped in. "Princess Ayeka, is here to speak with you, your highness." Azaka said in a military tone as he bowed and took his leave out the door. Tenchi sat on the bed as Ayeka stepped in. She was in the same white garments she wore when he abdicated the throne. She was beautiful. Tenchi almost leaped to his feet, but her hand signaling him to sit stopped him. "My lord, now that you are Emperor, and the council has listened to the danger ahead, what now?" Ayeka asked. She grasped the robe that lingered of her shoulders. She stepped closer to her Emperor. "I don't know. They gladly welcomed me back to the throne at the mention of our enemy." Tenchi said looking into her purple eyes. "They did. Didn't they?" Ayeka asked taking a seat beside her liege. "The fight will begin in about four months. That is the maximum time that our generals predict." Tenchi said taking Ayeka's hands into his. "So soon?" Ayeka asked a little afraid of the upcoming war. "Unfortunately, yes," Tenchi said sympathetically. Ayeka starred worriedly at her future husband. "Are you okay?" She asked and turned his head so she could look clearly into his eyes. "I just can't get over the idea that our enemy is Ryoko. She helped us defeat Kagato, and almost died. Now, she has become the dictator we tried to stop those months ago." Tenchi mumbled trying to hold back the tears that were forming. Ayeka felt as bad, but she had to remain strong. That was her duty, when the emperor was down. She had to be strong, the fate of the universe depended on them. "I know. We will win this war and bring Ryoko back. You will see. You will see." She promised as Tenchi cried on her shoulder. *** He loved the stars and now he was on the search for the enemy. This was unusual riding in the vessel of his former goddess. Tilana, the goddess of the Khan-lin de, she was his master, but no more. He had to serve the right way, not the wrong. "Ryo-Ohki, take us to full speed." He ordered. *** Tilana licked her finger. She was so bored. It was taking too long to reach Jurai. Her armies were ready and waiting. The first battle will begin in three days time. She relished the wonderful thought. Stroking her black hair, she changed it back to its cyan hairstyle. She glanced at her scar in the mirror. The thick line of flesh slid down her cheek like a serpent. It was worth it though. That scar was her reminder of failure against the emperor of Jurai those many years ago. The sound of her chamber doors alerted her. She sat off her bed and turned to see her guest with little enthusiasm. She straightened her uniform and crimson cape. "What brings you into my chamber?" she asked, but really demanded. The man stepped into the light his silver hair shining brighter than ever. "You know why I am here," he smirked. He waltzed to where she sat. "I have come to give you the report." "And?" she signaled impatiently with waving her right hand. "There is a cruiser ship sighted from our scout ships. Do you want the ships to take it out," he said, his feminine like voice gave Tilana the chills. "Yes, it wouldn't be a surprise attack if it reports back. Now would it?" she said annoyed with the report. "Of course not, but there is one minor detail," he said stroking back a strand of her hair. "And that is?" she asked raising a confused eyebrow. "It is your former identity's old ship, Ryo-Ohki, that we spotted. I just want to make sure you realize what you are about to do," he smiled with delight that made her turn away from him. The man was dangerous, but he did establish her armies and more. "Yes, I am aware. Do it," she ordered and signaled him to leave. Varnus bowed and left the room. He walked out of her quarters and strolled to another chamber. He opened its door and walked in. The chamber was surrounded with computers and gadgets of alien technology. He looked into the center where a man was restrained with harnesses. He was bald and pale skinned. Scars rested down both his cheeks to his chin. His eyes were open, but dark in color, almost black. "So how did it go?" asked the restrained man, his voice was low and almost inhuman. "Perfect," Varnus replied scratching his chin with a huge grin on his face. "She has almost fully assimilated into Tilana. She just has one more test," he giggled suspiciously. "And that would be?" asked the man with the same smile. "She has to kill her one true love," he laughed at the thought. "And when does this test come up?" asked the strange man not moving from his chair. "On Jurai, when the invasion begins." "So what is my task?" giggled the man. "You are to meld with the anti-matter again. And don't forget the mask. I can't allow you to lose control of your powers, like the last time," Varnus said, his voice was disgruntled at the thought. "And KAIN." "Yes, my master," bowed the man's head. "Don't screw up again. This is your last chance. Fail and you can dance with the devil," he smiled as the man's smile faded to fear. He turned away and remembered another important task. "One more thing," he said with his index finger pointing to the ceiling. "Stay out of Tilana's way when you are assimilated to the anti-matter. I can't allow her hatred of you from her former identity to resurface. Is that understood?" "Crystal," replied the man. "Good," Varnus turned to a mirror that stretched across the wall. He looked into it and tapped his right hand two times on the glass. "Begin assimilation," he ordered and left the room as the sound of electricity echoed. *** The servant gasped for air as he reached his liege's feet. He wiped the sweat off his brow and licked his dry lips. "What's the rush?" Tenchi asked starring at the new trainees. "My lord, Ryo-Ohki has been sited, but there is no response," said the servant as he wiped the dirt off his knees. Worry shined on his face as he still tried to catch his breath. "It's them," Tessei declared from behind. "Who?" Tenchi asked not bothering to look at the man who spoke. "Khan-lin-de," spoke Tetta. Tenchi's eyes narrowed at the sky. His destiny was nearing. Ryoko will return. "Could you kill her?" Yosho said standing in between the two knights. "What?" Tenchi snarled. His eyes were filled with hate. "Could you kill her?" he repeated, keeping his position in between the knights. "How dare you?" he hissed. He raised his fist to fight. "She wouldn't hesitate killing you," he said in the same arrogant manner. Tenchi's eyes bulged as if he was stabbed in the heart. He faltered backwards and placed his hands to his eyes murmuring in a whisper, "She wouldn't dare. She couldn't." "But she would," Tessei spoke placing his hand on his one time enemy. "She is a different person." "Your Majesty," Tetta spoke up. "Now we must prepare our defenses. You can use your sleep to think about her later." Tenchi relaxed and stood to his feet. He nodded his head forward. "You are right, Tetta," he said sincerely and took his leave past the three men. "You are to wed Ayeka, tomorrow," Yosho announced sternly. Tenchi stood amazed and turned to look at his grandfather. "Why?" he asked stunned by the announcement, since he was not aware of it at all. "With the reports of the sighting of Ryo-Ohki around, our enemy is closer than we think. Jurai needs an heir to the potential of an heir to the throne, while you are in battle. You lover her and she you. So the council has decided for marriage," Yosho explained flatly. "Dose she know?" Tenchi asked in concern. "Yes, she just found out before you did," Tessei said. "Is she all right?" Tenchi asked. "I am not sure, my Lord. She left without a word to the royal library," Tessei replied. "Very well. You all are dismissed," Tenchi ordered and watched the knights take their position outside his room as his grandfather continued down the royal hall. Tenchi took a deep breath and followed behind. He had to speak to Ayeka immediately. He walked past the knights who followed him as soon as he passed. They remained silent and waited for his order. They were not to leave his side unless he ordered them to wait outside the room or place he entered. *** Ayeka read the documents before her. The documents were old and wrinkled. It amazed her they didn't turn to dust in her very hands. The documents were hand written and used with ink that no longer exists on Jurai. The story she read was horrible, Tilana was not after war she was after something that the emperor of Jurai at that time stole from her, but what? Ayeka shook her head in stress and continued her search. She was determined to find a way to help save Ryoko. She turned the page to find small sheets of paper folded. She took them out and opened them. They were pages from a journal. She read carefully: Ayeka glanced at the other papers and placed them down in disgust. They were entries of other things. It seemed odd. The emperor talked about a woman coming after him. It had to be Tilana, but what for? What did he take to her? And where was this so-called altar? She could only wonder. She needed more and had to find Yosho at once. He may know at least about who the Jaders and Anbrels were. She closed the book and walked her way to the door, but jumped back as the man of her dreams stepped in. The royal crown rested proudly on his forehead. His firm brown eyes were filled with trouble as he took her into his arms. "Ayeka, I am sorry," he whispered. "For what?" she asked innocently. "About our soon to be marriage. I know you wanted to take it slow," he said sincerely. "I did, but that is not bothering me. You are, and I am trying to help," she said. Her stance at that single moment made her look like the empress she always wanted to be. She was beautiful. Tenchi almost knelt to his knees at her presence. "Me?" Tenchi asked a little confused. "How?" "You want to save Ryoko, and it is making you miserable. Yosho told me about our arranged marriage and mentioned about how it has been that way since the Great Apocalypse. I looked at our records and found this," she spoke pulling out the folded piece of paper in the journal. She allowed Tenchi to read it. "What does this mean?" he asked. Confusion shined brightly in his brown eyes. "This record book talks about the council's discussion. They claimed that Tilana was searching for something. She wasn't trying to conquer Jurai. We stole something that belonged to her, and that altar is it. But I don't know where this altar is anymore. Certainly not here," she said. "What about the old Jurai ruins where we hid from Kagato those few months ago?" he asked with a hint of joy. "Good thinking. I will assemble a search team and we will investigate the matter. You continue with the training of the troops. And I should be sorry about the arranged marriage. It happens a lot in politics," she said sadly and left Tenchi alone in the library. He sighed deeply and walked out of the library. He was so lost in thought that he almost did not hear his knights' footsteps from behind him. This was more than a war. It was a search for truth, and right now, Jurai was hiding something. *** Tilana sat on her throne. This was annoying that she was getting nowhere. She rubbed her finger along her scar over and over. She looked over in front of her again. She starred there, but something was familiar. "Your name is Kagato. Is that correct?" she asked demandingly Blood trickled down his lip. The man's green hair was scattered. He was resting on his hands and knees, but did not answer her question. Ryoko nodded her hand, and watched in delight as the whip launched over his shoulder and sliced up his bare chest. He didn't scream, but gave a light moan. Tilana getting bored with the interrogation, stood up and signaled the men in black robes to quit. "Put him and that cabbit in their cells, but separately," she ordered and took her leave to door on the side wall horizontal from her throne. "What are you planning?" Kagato mumbled in pain. Tilana stopped at the front of the door and turned with a sly grin on her face. "Let's just say that you and that cabbit are on their way home with news of our arrival. The only problem is that Jurai fleet will be to eager to chase the ship and get the information. That will leave us to attack from behind. Once we are on the surface, Jurai will not dare attack us from above for fear of killing their own in the fire," she giggled slightly. "I once fought for your beliefs, but now I know whose beliefs I was following," he said in disgust as the guards dragged him away. "And whose beliefs are those?" she questioned tauntingly. "When you figure that out, then you can be called a ruler of our world," he answered with a sly grin as the guards carried him off. Tilana felt weak in her knees and limped weakly to her throne. She collapsed into the royal seat as beads of sweat traced down her forehead. She knew the truth, that traitor was wrong about that. She just couldn't confront the real power behind her force. Just as long as she gets back what belongs to her, the shadow in her army can rule the universe. She only had to wait one hour before the invasion began. *** Celebration was in the air on Jurai. The crowd cheered for news of the marriage traveled the land like a blazing fire. Fireworks lit the skies, and the people sang songs of joy. Confetti lay on the streets of the imperial palace, and balloons were released into the sky. Inside the palace, the atmosphere was the opposite. The members of the court remained silent for they knew about the danger that was about to occur. Tenchi and Ayeka lay on the bed in their room. Both were naked under the sheets, as they stared at the ceiling. They had completed the marriage rituals. "Why do you think the council moved the wedding date sooner than what was originally planned?" Ayeka asked leaning over to confront her new husband. "Since the sighting of the Ryo-Ohki, the council thought of it being a ploy. Meaning the enemy is closer than expected. We had little time to wed if we waited any longer," he said turning to see her bright purple eyes. His eyes grew into fear as he saw an image of a woman inside the wall. She had long black hair, but her eyes were golden. Her skin was well tanned and she wore a silver dress. A tall man stood in front of her. He wore the royal crown of Jurai. Ayeka glanced in the same direction and shook in terror as she saw what Tenchi did. She didn't look away, but kept watching the scene before her. "What is it?" she mumbled. "I don't know," Tenchi replied as the images began to speak. Ghostly sounds entered their room. "Hensai, where is my child?" the woman cried. "He is safe. But you never told me what you were. So now that I know, you will give Jurai the universe and make us gods. Do that, and the child is yours?" smiled the tall man. "You call yourself an emperor," she hissed in disgust. "You are no different than a dictator." "Help me and the child is yours," he ordered. "Never," she whispered. "You will rue the day you did this. The father of that child is worse then I. And he will show no mercy. Enjoy peace, while you have it, Emperor," she spoke softly, but hatred was in every word. At the phrase of her last sentence the images vanished. A firework lit in front of the palace and where the images stood a shadow formed behind the wall. It was like a table or something. Tenchi slowly crawled out of bed and tiptoed to the wall. He knocked on the wall to hear a hollow tap. He glanced at Ayeka as she covered her naked body with a silk robe and walked behind him with his robe in hand. She handed it to him and he put it on. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern. "This wall is hollow. There is something on the other side," Tenchi replied and formed an energy ball of Jurai in his hand. The blue light touched the wall and it melted by touch. He continued until her formed a passage that they could walk though. He took Ayeka's hand and they walked in to the dark passage. Echoes of the arguments could still be heard in dark place. Tenchi's energy ball lit a spot for a torch. Tenchi place the ball in the slot and the room lit up instantly. Tenchi admired in awe as they were walking in circles. There was no long tunnel. It was another room. In the center was an altar, but it was a good jump down for there was no staircase to reach the altar. Tenchi jumped down and raised his hand to carry Ayeka down. He caught her hand and as she jumped pulled her into his arms and gently rested her feet on to the solid stone floor. They walked over to the altar and saw pictographs drawn around the stone cube. The pictographs had a small figure resting in a cube. A woman and man confronting each other and then spears and swords surrounded by fire. After that, the figure in the cube is standing on top of it. "What does it mean?" Tenchi asked. "I don't know," replied Ayeka. "It is the history of the war and what happened to the altar," explained an all too familiar voice from behind. Tenchi and Ayeka turned to see the familiar glasses and gray hair. "Grandpa!" Tenchi exclaimed in surprise. "My father was the son of Emperor Hensai. The man that disgraced Jurai and our family name. My family only knew the truth. My father burned his journals and hid the altar in his own room. He then freed the child from the altar that was imprisoned in there and filled the blank space on the altar with that part of the story. I wasn't, but a baby when he did this. He said that the child was adopted by a family of the court and never seen again," Yosho stood with his hands resting behind his back. "He covered it up," Tenchi said in disbelief. The truth of politics came to his mind again and he hated bureaucracy even more. "Yes," Yosho said quietly, almost in a whisper. "That woman," Ayeka spoke out. "That must have been Tilana from the past. She was after her son. They hid her son from her, but why?" Ayeka said thinking aloud. "Because my grandfather found out that she was one of the ancient races. She was a Jader. He wanted to use her ancient power to conquer the universe and make it part of the empire. He used her son as ransom for her to follow him. If not, he would raise the child as his own and do it that away, but the war happened and he lost his life. The child remained sealed until my father came. Now, she is coming back to nothing," he said with regret in his voice. "This war is for another reason," Tenchi said looking at the ground lost in thought. "What do you mean?" asked Ayeka leaning her head on Tenchi's shoulder. "I am not sure, but something is not right. I think Tilana is be played as a fool again," Tenchi said, but fell to the ground as the earth shook. Tenchi stood to his feet as the war sirens sounded through out the palace. "Damn, we're under attack. Grandfather, get Ayeka to safety. I have to prepare the forces," he ordered and leaped onto the upper level. He ran out of the room in a rush. "Come Ayeka, let's get you to safety," Yosho said taking her hand and they ran out of the chamber as well. TO BE CONTINUED... That is the end of this segment. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Send all comments and questions to washu@saiyan.com. Thanks for reading my stories.